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 Woodblock Chinese New Year paintings thrive in village in C China's Henan People's Daily Online) 09:53, March 03, 2026 Zhang Yi prints woodblock Chinese New Year paintings in his workshop in Zhaozhuang village, Zhuxian town, Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province, 1987. (File photo) Zhaozhuang village in Zhuxian town, Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province, has long been a center for the craft of woodblock Chinese New Year paintings. Zhang Tingxu, a national intangible cultural heritage inheritor, works with his son Zhang Chenyun to fulfill orders for these festive artworks. At the height of the Ming and Qing dynasties (13681911), more than 300 workshops were producing woodblock Chinese New Year paintings. At the craft's lowest point, however, only a handful of workshops remained. According to Zhang Tingxu, the craft was once simply a means of making a living; today, it is being preserved and promoted as a tool for rural revitalization. The younger generation is also helping to modernize the industry. Zhang Yi, born in the 1990s, runs a store selling woodblock Chinese New Year paintings in a scenic area. She has a sharp business instinct, noting that this year's Spring Festival alone brought in what used to take six months to earn. Zhang Jizhong, a provincial representative inheritor of the craft of woodblock Chinese New Year paintings, shows how to make woodblocks at Kaifeng Vocational College in Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province. (Photo/Zhang Yiquan) In 2025, Zhaozhuang village and its surrounding areas welcomed over 80,000 study tours, generating more than 1.1 million yuan (about $160,500) in sales revenue. That same year, the woodblock painting industry's annual output value exceeded 40 million yuan. In addition to woodblock Chinese New Year paintings, Zhaozhuang village has also expanded into over 220 derivative products, with designs spanning contemporary themes from aerospace to rural revitalization. The products are sold through e-commerce platforms to more than 20 countries, including France, the UK and Russia. Locals are also expanding the industry by hosting study tours. "We want children to experience the craft firsthand and feel the pulse of our culture," said Shi Jing, who oversees the village's study tour operations. A collaborative model bringing together heritage workshops, universities and cooperatives has introduced valuable resources to the village, attracting not only visitors but also fresh designs and new ideas. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) by River Lerner If one strolled into Lovestruck Books, a floor-level shop that tucked itself into Cambridges Brattle Street just over a year ago, one would indeed be struck by the cheery, colorful atmosphere, the warm aroma of coffee from the adjacent cafe, and the giggles of gaggles of women (and odd folks such as myself) leafing through endless volumes and kinds of illicit romance. One might earn a free bookmark, as did this writer, that declares: In a love triangle with my book boyfriends. Index card placards line the rows of featured texts adorned by gilded covers of dragons and bloody roses. On the homemade placards are endorsements by the staff for this weeks top literary picks. Book after book, in different handwritten fonts, these voices join in chorus: If youre a fan of ACOTAR Everyone at Lovestruck knows ACOTAR: the beloved, worn acronym for A Court of Thorns and Roses book-turned-series by Sarah J. Maas, penned when she was only twenty-three. This 2015 genre gateway book took contemporary romantasy by storm as a respun tale of Beauty and the Beast with significantly more magic and make-outs. Here I presume my reader is familiar with the first two books, namely ACOTAR and ACOMAF (A Court of Mist and Fury, the sequel.) I also presume my reader is likewise heartwrenched by not the love story we are initially spoon-fed between Feyre and Tamlin, but rather her verboten dynamic with the night-cloaked, jasmined, infuriatingly cocky and transcendently clever dandy known as Rhysand. Rhysand is more than, in Feyres words, the face of a thousand dreams and nightmares. He is also the subject of many a heated online debate about the morally grey character [1-8] i.e. what it is (if it exists) and whether Rhys qualifies. The ACOTAR community has polarized views on this matter, with many individuals shifting positions as they receive the revelations offered in ACOMAF. But consider the tense year between their publication datesMay 2015 to May 2016when the community was left on the cliffhanger of why Rhys takes a special interest in Feyre while he also tortures, torments, and belittles her. Utilizing ACOTAR alone, it takes some real book biopsy and tasseography to get a sense of his true ethical temperature, motivational drivers, and north star. Moral grey attempts to capture the unflattening of heroes and villains into complex characters who waver, err, and do not always live up to their ideals or our expectations of either pole. I postulate there are three shades to be considered: ambivalent, ambiguous, and neutral. In Rhysands case, let us first strike the obvious: this antihero is anything but neutral. Dont be fooled by his carefully placed yawns and nonchalance, for if you think he is not invested, you are sorely mistaken. What do you care? I barked, and his grip tightened enough on my wrists that I knew my bones would snap with a little more pressure. What do I care? he breathed, wrath twisting his features. Wingsthose membranous, glorious wingsflared from his back, crafted from the shadows behind him. What do I care? (380) Thus we are left with ambivalence versus ambiguity. Who really is the man behind the mystery? The true adventure begins not Feyres entrance to Prythian, but with Rhysands entrance at Calanmai (ACOTAR 188): There you are. Ive been looking for you. Saving us from the boredom of everlasting springtime, Howl Pendragonwrong story, pardon mesteps into scene and drapes his arm around Sophieugh! did it againand Feyre is instantly protected from three lesser lascivious faeries by the most beautiful man she has ever seen. Everything in her is strung taut between warm, unidentifiable feelings (a hallmark of romantasy) and a primal warning to run far away. Rhysand is temptation incarnate with his violet starry eyes, raven-feather hair, lovers purr voice, and lethal power. We dont know why we should be afraid of him yet, but Feyres instincts caution us so. Then in Rhysands unannounced visit to the Spring Court (234), our intrigue sours as he reveals himself to be a bad dude. He keeps prisoners, he has enemies, and he apparently sent Tamlin a head on a stake. Horrifically, we see him violate Feyre: scraping mental claws against her mind, threatening everything she is, he smugly reads aloud her intimate thoughts about Tamlin as though he is thumbing through a diary. As if that werent enough, Rhys forces Tamlin to his knees to grovel for Feyres preservationa lion cowering before his tamerand despite that degree of humiliation, Rhys does not even promise her safety. At this point, whatever inkling we had about an emergent love triangle is squashed. How could anyone betray Tamlin, glowing golden beast of goodness, for this vulture? Much later do we learn this is the second major time Rhysand offers Feyre protection in his masterful chess. His show frightens Tamlin into sending her back over the wall and out of Amaranthas view (and away from further deceptions of Spring.) Of course our Katniss will no longer be sidelined, so she forges her way back over the wall and down Under the Mountain, where she must prove her love for Tamlin against the Witch of the Waste. Yet as we watch Tamlin sit stone-faced and helplessor at least offering no helpbethroned beside Amarantha, Rhysand shines center stage and delves into the trenches with Feyre. This is where we see his least parsable, most maddening, and retrospectively lifesaving behavior. Clare Beddor, innocent lamb ratted out by Rhysand-Judas, hangs nailed and mangled high on the cavern wall. However, Feyre lives because of Rhys implausible denial that he couldnt possibly know her name (despite being the most powerful High Lord in history whojust a few chapters beforehad skimmed her darkest thoughts as though they were a Cosmo column.) Could it be the case that Rhys wants her to survive this? The list goes on with the twists and turns of Rhysands alignment. Here are just a few examples: Rhys aids Amarantha in choosing Feyres first deadly test. Of note, he suggests hunting, which is Feyres greatest skill. In exchange for healing Feyres septic, broken bodywhich, to convince her, requires Rhys to literally twist her arm into agreementhe forces her into a Persephone-Hades weeklong timeshare per month. How cruel! However, this deal presupposes Feyre makes it out of the mountain a presupposition Rhys flaunts to Amarantha in front of an audience, such that it temporarily defangs the queens narrative that Feyres death is inevitable. (For the rest of my lifehe said it as if it were going to be a long, long while. 349) But how about when Rhys kills the Summer Court civilian by squishing his brain until it hemorrhages from his ears? Was that indeed a merciful fate compared to the alternative? The Summer Court and other audience members believe so, offering their gratitude to Rhys as he exits the room, harrowed. Online arguments most often highlight Rhys multiple violations of Feyres bodily autonomy that seem antithetical to his broader orientation toward freedom and dignity. To list a few: Feyres swirling left arm tattoo and blinking cats eye embedded in her palm (note all the lefthand path symbolism), the collarbone-to-toe magic body paint, the forced kiss, and the intoxicating faerie wine. But even before ACOMAFs tell-all, we read in ACOTAR how these corporeal boundary-crossings save her again and again. The creepy feline eye tattooed on Feyres hand serves as confidant, protector, connector and lifeline for pages to come. Through The Bond, Rhys guides Feyres actions during both the second and third trial. We learn later in ACOMAF that her swirling Illyrian tattoo grants luck on the battlefield as well. The magic paint convinces Feyre that Rhys does not sexually assault her while shes under the influence of faerie wine (how grand!) It later is manipulated to reaffirm Amaranthas humans-are-fickle-and-selfish narrative as she assumes Feyres promiscuity, distracting away from the paint that was transferred away from Tamlins guilty paws onto Rhys in the nick of time. ([I]f anyone touches youlets say a certain High Lord who enjoys springtimeIll know. 348) Likewise, Rhys forced kiss saves Feyre from Amarantha noting her and Tamlins foolish tryst. Rhys in ACOMAF admits regretting this kiss, taking no pleasure in having copped a feel. The faerie wine that Rhys forces Feyre to drink ends up being valuable medicine against memory consolidation/retrieval of her nonconsensual erotic dancing (this one for me is a stretch, but Feyre seems to appreciate it.) On a first pass of ACOTAR, Rhysands behavior is off-color and occasionally contradictory. By the end of the book, we begin to respect its inherent logic, even if we dont yet understand it. Questions about whether Rhys cares about Feyre as a person or a pawn or whether it really all is for petty revenge over a family feud begin to soften. Rather, we wonder: why does he risk and lose so much by helping her? What is really going on? On second read of the Under the Mountain sequence, one can catch the glimmers of Rhyss devastating love for Faye shining through his manicured malevolent persona like daybreak through cloud cover. When Amarantha recites the riddle on love, Feyre notes Rhys not-so-subtly gazing upon her and smiling. What Feyre misinterprets as gloating and patronizing is Rhysands glee at her ingenious idea to set a trap for the Middengard. Rhys bets on her to win and is the only one to do so. The music that Tamlin so lovingly lofts into Feyres cellwait, no, that was Rhysand again, foreshadowing the orchestra of Vellaris and Feyres future home that he has waiting for her. He cannot help but adore his mate even as she spits at him, glares at him, spurns him for the nemesis who killed his whole family. He returns to her side over and over even as Amarantha punishes him for it. Do not think, Feyre, that it did not cost me. (341-2) It slowly dawns on Feyre, and on us, that in all the places Tamlin is cowardly and self-preserving, Rhysand sacrifices allhis reputation, his body, a love he has waited five hundred years forfor the sake of what he believes in, the north star of freedom, and the survival of his contemptuous mate. This is particularly ironic in that while he and Feyre are essentially fated to be together, he (especially in ACOMAF) does everything in his power to preserve her decision-making capacity, as well as her perception that she retains it. Thus despite initially taking Feyres bodily autonomy in so many forms, Rhys ultimately proves to care most about Feyres consent. This stands in stark contrast to golden boy Tamlin who lies, reneges and kills to seduce and groom Feyre into embodying Wife. It took me a while to realize that Rhysand, whether he knew it or not, had effectively kept me from shattering completely. (369) Thus the ambivalent grey hypothesis is disproven after another thousand pages of plot and sexual tension. At the end of ACOMAF, we learn Rhys devotion toward Feyre has been constant, not ambivalent; his drivers and values have been opaque to us, not ambiguous to himself. With the degree of self-sacrifice he endures for the sake of his people, his friends, and Feyre, Rhysand launches himself onto #1 Moral High Ground in the Prythian universe, staring down at the rest of us from his moonstone castle as we yearn for him and his otherworldly logic. The masses tend to agree with me on both the positives and negatives of this. Unlike the heated Team Edward and Team Jacob battles of the early 2010s that plagued middle and high schools nationwide, Rhysands glory over Tamlin is largely no contest. However, Rhys softens from Book 1s lusty antihero (how will he shatter us next?!) to Book 2s man beyond reproach paradoxically flattens him a bit. His behavior comes across as markedly premeditated, consistent and controlled perhaps too much so. Some of the mystery is gone. One begins to miss his mind games. Why exactly do inscrutably grey morals, even when mistaken, lead to feral enamor? I have a few guesses. First, the bad boy trope, which the grey character brushes against, is intrinsically attractive, for it signals power, confidence and biological fitness. The sexual chemistry he has with Feyre is off the charts. Second, and relatedly, this bad boy nature evokes the I can fix him savior complex and may prove to a reader who feels overlooked that she, like the main female protagonist, is not like other girls and can be picked by someone out of her league. Third, even though he is the highest High Lord in all the land, Feyre somehow feels empowered to banter with and talk back to him, and he rewards her for this. With him, she is finally allowed to be more Lilith than Eve. Fourth, through all the inscrutability, Rhys broadly respects Feyre. Even in moments where he seems to put her in her place, or uses magic or strength to overpower her, Rhys gives plenty of consideration to Feyres preferences and explains himself (and the political workings of Prythian) more so than Tamlin ever does to his supposed betrothed. This is catnip for readers who are starved for lewdness that doesnt sacrifice basic feminism. Most importantly, Rhysand gives girlfriends and wives everywhere hope: hope that their boyfriends and husbands arent just callous or uninvested. Hope that there is a greater purpose, something working in the background not yet able to be understood. Hope that bad boys can be reformed, and by Chapter 54 of lifes next book, an unfathomable, previously unappreciable depth of care will be revealed. By nature of being a mega-ultra-High Lord with a Manus Dei that can crush minds and mist souls, Rhysand deifies this hope, perhaps even challenging the paradox of Epicurus. Even in this wretched world, which sometimes feels Under the Mountain-level inescapable, music may pour through the walls, enchantment and whimsy may apparate into our dark cell, and that which infuriates us most can lovingly keep us alive. What a powerful lesson to be delivered in a fantasy series just a couple pages shy from pure smut. References Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. Yvonne Ford died after contracting the disease while on holiday in north Africa A grandmother who died from rabies was only diagnosed after doctors called a psychiatrist to address her symptoms, an inquest heard. Yvonne Ford, 59, was bitten by a puppy during a family holiday to Morocco in February 2025 but did not think to seek treatment as it was so minor, a hearing in Sheffield heard on Tuesday. The inquest heard how rabies was only diagnosed after Mrs Ford was referred to a psychiatrist at Barnsley Hospital in June 2025 when doctors thought her symptoms could be related to mental health. Psychiatrist Alexander Burns told the inquest how he was called to assess Mrs Ford, who was on the short stay ward at the hospital, because colleagues on that unit had been struggling to diagnose what was wrong with her and were concerned that her symptoms including hallucinations, disorientation and high levels of anxiety could have a mental health cause. He said Mrs Fords family told him she had recently been to Florida but had not been bitten. Bitten by a stray dog on a beach in Morocco Dr Burns said he was then informed that four months prior, she had been bitten by a stray dog on a beach in Morocco whilst on holiday. Dr Burns said the family told him Mrs Ford had cleaned the wound from the dog with a wet wipe. He told the inquest he became concerned that the diagnosis may be rabies, in the context of the stray dog bite in Morocco and the various neurological symptoms. The psychiatrist said he had never come across anyone with rabies before and said that as he did not know all the symptoms he decided to research it further. He said: It became clear that all of Yvonnes symptoms could be explained by that diagnosis. The inquest heard how Mrs Ford was transferred to an infectious disease unit at Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital where she died on June 11 2025. Infectious diseases expert Katharine Cartwright, from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, told the jury how rabies is a virus that is 100 per cent fatal once the symptoms begin to show. But she said the vaccine is extremely effective and had eliminated the virus from the UK, with only 26 cases of rabies reported in the UK since 1946. The inquest heard how Mrs Ford went to Barnsley Hospital on June 2 2025 with a range of symptoms including severe headaches, nausea, mobility issues and disorientation and was being assessed on the short stay unit, where her condition deteriorated. She was then seen by Dr Burns four days later. Robyn Thomson, Mrs Fords daughter, who is a neonatal nurse, previously said that there had been no evidence of the dog being unwell at the time of the bite. She added that everything was normal until June, when Mrs Ford came down with this horrendous headache. Ms Thomson said that her mother couldnt swallow and was choking on her own saliva. Dr Cartwright said it appeared that Mrs Ford began to exhibit symptoms at the end of May and, therefore, there was nothing that could have been done at Barnsley Hospital that would have saved her. She said the illness was incredibly rare and the collection of symptoms were challenging for the medics in Barnsley. Dr Cartwright told the inquest: Its not unreasonable for it [rabies] not to have been considered in the first few days. Assistant coroner Marilyn Whittle told the jury the inquest, which is due to last four days, will be considering visits Mrs Ford made to emergency departments in Barnsley and Wakefield, as well as to her GP, in March and April, when she was feeling unwell and complaining about insect bites. But Dr Cartwright said these issues would not have been related to the rabies because, once symptoms emerge, death normally occurs within a couple of weeks. Dr Cartwright said symptoms typically begin within four weeks of exposure but can take up to three months and, in some cases, years. Flt Lt Dixon - Courtesy of family Group Captain Richard Dixon, who has died aged 93, saw service in the Suez Canal Zone and was twice deployed to Christmas Island in a support role for the testing of Britains first thermonuclear bomb (H-bomb) in 1957. Previous testing of the atomic bomb had been in Australia, but an alternative location had to be found for the next stage. Christmas Island, the largest coral atoll in the Pacific, was chosen as the main base, with Malden Island some 400 miles south as the instrumentation site for the weapon drop. Codenamed Operation Grapple, this was the largest joint-service operation since the Second World War, with every item of equipment required having to be transported to the barren island. Dixon was one of four operations officers charged with working up the newly constructed airfield and controlling the complicated air movements of the many RAF aircraft involved. These involved the three Valiant V-bombers tasked with dropping the weapon; Canberra aircraft to photograph the detonations, and some to fly through the atomic cloud to collect dust samples; and Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft to patrol the area and deploy search and rescue. Operation Grapple consisted of three tests, all airbursts, dropped from 30,000ft, with the weapon exploding at 8,000ft. For those on Christmas Island there was nothing to see of the tests 400 miles away. On the third test, however, Dixon was able to accompany the scientists in a Dakota to observe the drop. At the moment of detonation, the interior of the aircraft was darkened, and all the passengers had to turn away with eyes closed until the mushroom cloud had developed. With the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, RAF Northolt, winter 1981 of 1982 - Courtesy of family Richard Thomas Dixon was born into an Army family in Twickenham on May 29 1932 and educated at Twickenham Secondary Technical School. He joined the RAF in 1950 on a short-service commission and trained as a navigator. Posted to the Suez Canal Zone at a time of increasing tension, he flew in Valetta transport aircraft. In 1954 he was part of a small detachment that flew to RAF Habbaniya near Baghdad to drop food supplies and other materials to the local populations after devastating floods. The detachment of some 75 personnel was awarded the Iraq Flood Medal by the Iraqi government, later approved for wear by the Queen. On returning to the UK Dixon flew in Coastal Command on maritime reconnaissance missions, first on the US-built Lockheed Neptune with 210 Squadron, then the Shackleton with 206 Squadron, based in Cornwall. It was during this time that he was detached to Christmas Island. After attending a year-long specialist navigation course, Dixon was seconded to Short Brothers in Northern Ireland; they were developing the heavy-lift strategic transport aircraft, the Short Belfast. From there, he moved to the only RAF squadron to operate the Belfast when he joined 53 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton as a flight commander. He flew long-range routes which included recovering equipment and personnel from RAF Khormaksar during the British withdrawal from Aden in November 1967. During a flight to Singapore the following year, his aircraft was diverted to Saigon to deliver essential supplies to the British Embassy needed to save many orphan children as the Viet Cong advanced on the city. Dixon as Station Commander, RAF Northolt - Courtesy of family He later served at the headquarters of the Far East Air Force in Singapore before taking command of the operations wing at RAF Lyneham, the home of four Hercules tactical transport squadrons. He always considered this to be the most rewarding appointment of his RAF service. At the end of his tour he was appointed OBE. Following a staff tour at HQ Strike Command, he was appointed to command RAF Northolt on the outskirts of London, where the RAFs VIP aircraft fleet was based for use by the Royal family, government officials and foreign dignitaries. He went on to spend six months in command of British forces on the crucial staging post at Ascension Island in the immediate aftermath of the Falklands War. His final appointment was in the headquarters of Nato in Brussels before retiring in 1987. He then became College Secretary at the RAF Staff College, an appointment he held until 1996, a total of 47 years service with the Crown. Dixon was a keen sailor and held a yachtmaster offshore qualification. He was a member of the Rover Club, and he stripped a 1966 Rover P5 down to the sub-frame before completing a rebuild that took him more than 40 years. He was president of his local Probus Club in Suffolk. Richard Dixon married, in 1957, Sheila Dormer, who survives him with two sons. A third son died in 1987 while serving with the Parachute Regiment. Group Captain Richard Dixon, born May 29 1932, died February 2 2026 Jonathan Douglas of the National Literacy Trust explained that schools were aware of the strains preparing costumes could place on some families. Photograph: Marc Hill/Alamy (Photograph: Marc Hill/Alamy) Schools in England are moving away from pupils dressing up as their favourite literary characters for World Book Day, with experts telling MPs they feared the cost of costumes undermined efforts to increase reading for pleasure. Jonathan Douglas, the chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, said schools were aware of the strains that preparing costumes could place on disadvantaged families, telling MPs on the Commons education select committee: Many schools are incredibly sensitive to that, and are taking away the narrative around dressing-up on World Book Day. This years World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is on Thursday, with many primary schools encouraging children to take part. But Douglas warned that activities such as dressing-up should not detract from the promotion of reading. Related: Childrens vocabulary shrinking as reading loses out to screen time, says Susie Dent The whole point of this is that reading for pleasure is a driver of social mobility. Childrens reading for pleasure by the age of 15 is more strongly determinative of their ultimate attainment than their socio-economic background. Therefore anything that takes away from it, as not simply a driver of social mobility but actually an anti-poverty strategy, is undermining the power of reading for pleasure, Douglas said. Helen Hayes, the committees chair, said World Book Day was a wonderful national moment but the dressing up element favoured families who have greater resources than others, in their ability to source a costume. Annie Crombie, co-chief executive of BookTrust, the childrens reading charity, told Hayes: We see that a lot [of schools] are introducing costume swaps or making items to dress up with in art lessons, so there are ways around it. But it is incredibly important because otherwise it risks exacerbating the factors we know, around stresses on home life, getting in the way of reading being embedded in the first place. The World Book Day charity said: We want to make sure that all children, regardless of household income, can take part in World Book Day and be encouraged to read for pleasure. We suggest lots of ways to make sure World Book Day celebrations are inclusive, no-cost and fun for everyone. The MPs session on the reading for pleasure crisis came after the National Literacy Trust found that the proportion of young people who enjoy reading was at its lowest level for 20 years. Onyinye Iwu, a teacher and childrens author, told the MPs that she saw many students struggle to read for pleasure in the early years of secondary school. A lot of communities dont encourage children to read for pleasure, they focus on textbooks you have to study for your exams, you dont have to read for pleasure because thats not going to get you a job. And coming from a migrant background, thats the thing you consistently hear. Its something that needs to change intrinsically, in families and in schools, she said. Iwu asked her students why they didnt often read for pleasure: A lot of them were like: But Miss, weve got TikTok, whats the point? And that is it, youve got TikTok, youve got Netflix, youve got the film coming out, so why would you read the book? The Syngenta booth at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, on 29 August 2017. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images (Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images) Syngenta, maker of a controversial pesticide linked to Parkinsons disease, said on Tuesday that it would stop making its paraquat weed killer by the end of June. The announcement comes as the company is facing several thousand lawsuits brought by people in the US who allege they developed Parkinsons disease due to their exposure to Syngentas paraquat products. The company did not mention the litigation in its announcement. The announcement cites significant competition from generic producers of paraquat and a less than 1 percent contribution to the companys global sales as reasons for exiting the paraquat business. Related: Lawyers for US cancer sufferers challenge Bayers $7.25bn Roundup settlement deal This decision is about focusing our resources where they deliver the greatest value for our business and our customers, Mike Hollands, president of Syngenta UK and head of Syngentas global production and supply, said in a statement. The company said it affirms that paraquat is safe when used in line with registered label instructions, and that paraquat remains highly effective in controlling weeds. Asked if the decision was due to the litigation, the company said it was a commercial decision and that it was not making further comments. Michael Okun, director of the Fixel Institute at the University of Florida, who has called for a ban on paraquat, called the news a public health milestone. For decades we have warned that certain pesticides increase the risk of Parkinsons and other serious diseases. This moment proves that advocacy, data and courage can change the trajectory of disease, Okun said. Paraquat has been used in the US since 1964 as a tool to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses. Though banned in several countries, including throughout Europe, Syngentas paraquat-based Gramoxone herbicide brand has remained popular with US farmers for use in growing soybeans, cotton and corn, as well as in growing grapes, pistachios, peanuts and many other crops. Syngenta has always maintained that the evidence linking paraquat to Parkinsons disease is fragmentary and inconclusive. Numerous scientific studies have found that paraquat damages cells in the brain in ways that can lead to Parkinsons, and more than 8,000 lawsuits are pending in US courts over the Parkinsons allegations. The company, which maintains that paraquat does not cause Parkinsons disease, has settled several cases before they went to trial and has been negotiating to settle a bulk of the ongoing cases. The New Lede, in conjunction with the Guardian, obtained and revealed many of Syngentas internal corporate files, which show that not only was Syngenta aware of research linking paraquat to Parkinsons decades ago, but it also sought to secretly influence scientific information and public opinion regarding those links. The US Environmental Protection Agency has previously found insufficient evidence linking paraquat to Parkinsons, but has said it wants to evaluate new data before issuing a final regulatory decision on the pesticide. Lawmakers in multiple states have introduced legislation to ban paraquat, and several federal lawmakers have also called for bans on the chemical. If this is true, then fewer people are going to develop Parkinsons disease in the future, said Ray Dorsey, a neurologist and director of the Atria Research Institutes Center for the Brain and the Environment, a non-profit research initiative investigating the environmental causes of brain diseases. It also means that the voices of the Parkinsons community, the voices of those whove been highlighting the toxic effects of this weed killer are being heard and theyre having an impact, he said. Nathan Donley, environmental health science director with the Center for Biological Diversity, noted that while Syngenta had long been known as a key supplier of paraquat in the US, other companies supplied generic versions of paraquat. Its great news that Syngenta is exiting the paraquat business, but its also a reminder that smaller companies will readily fill the void as long as this poison remains approved in our borders, Donley said. This story is co-published with the New Lede, a journalism project of the Environmental Working Group A person holds a picture of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as people mourn in Tehran on March 1, 2026. - Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. The US government for decades shied away from targeting foreign leaders after embarrassing failures and unintended consequences from covert activities by the CIA. The targeting and killing of Irans Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which opened an undeclared war with Iran, is the first time in modern history the US in this case working with Israel openly killed the leader of a foreign country, according to CNN presidential historian Tim Naftali. For those keeping track, the US has now decapitated two foreign governments both US adversaries overseeing vast oil reserves in the past two months. Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro is in New York awaiting trial and Khamenei is dead. There is actually a ban on US involvement in assassinations in US law most recently in an executive order signed by Ronald Reagan. It is still technically in effect. But since 9/11, after which Congress gave presidents broad authority to use force to combat terrorism, there has been a slow but steady move toward this moment. Presidents from both parties have killed leaders of terrorist groups such as Osama bin Laden. President Donald Trump took another step when he ordered the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani by airstrike in Iraq in 2020. Now the US has killed a foreign head of state. You can always come up with an individual who, by their power and their depth of depravity, whose removal benefits humanity, Naftali said, arguing few will mourn Khameneis demise. But making the decision to wipe out a foreign head of state should not be taken easily or quickly. I got him before he got me Neither President Donald Trump nor the Trump administration has publicly used that word assassination to describe the killing of Khamenei. They have offered multiple reasons for attacking Iran lack of faith in Irans leaders in negotiations over Irans plans for a nuclear program; the potential for Iran to develop anti-ballistic missiles; Irans sponsorship of terror groups in other countries, the recent killing of protesters in its streets. President Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honor Ceremony in the East Room of the White House on March 2, 2026. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images When Trump announced the strikes in a video posted to his social media account at 2:30 a.m. ET Saturday, he said, without evidence, that Iran posed an imminent threat. But in a phone conversation with ABC News Jonathan Karl, Trump offered a more personal reason for killing Khamenei. I got him before he got me. They tried twice, well I got him first, Trump said, according to Karl. Trump is likely referring to US intelligence from the summer of 2024 that Iran was plotting to assassinate then-candidate Trump and other officials, around the same time a gunman with no known ties to Iran tried to kill Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Iran denied the claim. When the US military has been involved, foreign leaders have faced justice in their own countries. Iraqs Saddam Hussein was hanged after a trial by authorities in Iraq after the US invaded and toppled his government. Libyas Moammar Gadhafi was killed in crossfire after being captured by revolutionary forces, aided by a multinational bombing campaign with allies. After World War II, allies put Nazi leaders on trial in Nuremberg. CIA involvement in coups and assassinations was previously kept secret The US was complicit in the overthrow and killing of Vietnamese dictator Ngo Dinh Diem, who previously had been propped up by US support. The CIA was directly, and secretly, involved in the 1973 ouster of Chilean leader Salvador Allende, which led to his suicide. The US orchestrated an overthrow in Iran in the 1950s Other leaders overthrown with help by the US, like Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran in 1953, were put in prison rather than killed. The US has since acknowledged its role in the coup, undertaken because the US and Britain feared Iran, and its oil, would fall behind the Iron Curtain. It was Kermit Roosevelt Jr., grandson of former President Theodore Roosevelt, who worked in Iran to help orchestrate the coup. After Watergate, a special bipartisan Senate committee was convened to assess abuses by the American intelligence community. The Church Committee, named for Sen. Frank Church of Idaho, issued a special report specifically on the issue of assassinations. Over hundreds of papers, it ticked through US efforts to undermine foreign leaders and assassinate them. Most notable are the failed assassination attempts against Cubas Fidel Castro, first ordered by the Kennedy administration. Today, death is more likely to come from above During the Obama administration, the US revolutionized the use of covert drone strikes, as CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen has written, to kill suspected terrorists. Technology has progressed since then. Israel Defense Forces released footage on its social media from a drone of what it said were the last moments of the Palestinian leader Yahya Sinwar, when he was sitting alone in a bombed-out room while the drone hovered nearby. Its not clear what technology was used in the strike on Khamenei. Last July, Iran claimed that another Palestinian, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran by a short-range projectile. Tracking his daily moments Israel appears to have fired the projectile that killed Khamenei and other leaders, but CNN reported Sunday that the CIA provided key intelligence on the Ayatollahs whereabouts that allowed him to be targeted. From CNNs report: (The CIA was) monitoring for his daily patterns where he lived, whom he met with, how he communicated and where he might retreat under threat of attack, five people familiar with the matter told CNN. They were keeping tabs, too, on Irans senior political and military leaders, who rarely gathered in the same place with the ayatollah, the countrys supreme leader for nearly four decades. The attacks coincided with an opportunity to take out not only the ayatollah but also other Iranian leaders, who recent intelligence suggested would be at a Tehran compound that is home to the offices of the ayatollah, the Iranian presidency and the national security apparatus. In other words, the opportunity was there. Satellite image shows smoke billowing from the compound of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, on February 28, 2026, after Saturday's strikes. - Airbus When the US decided assassinations were a bad idea The Church Committee concluded there were at least eight attempts to assassinate Castro between 1960 and 1965, including by mob hit, according to the author Dan Bohning, who wrote for CNN about the assassination attempts in 2008. Its conclusions express bipartisan opposition to assassinations. It quotes President John F. Kennedy, somewhat ironically given attempts to kill Castro and his own ultimate demise, as saying the US should not be assassinating foreign leaders. We cant get into that kind of thing, or we would all be targets, Kennedy said, according to the Church report. More detailed quotes from the testimony of Richard Helms, who was involved in the 1953 Iran coup and also CIA assassination attempts before rising to be CIA director. In testimony, Helms explained both moral and practical opposition to assassination. If you are going to try by this kind of means to remove a foreign leader, then who is going to take his place running that country, and are you essentially better off as a matter of practice when it is over than you were before? Helms pointed to the assassination of Diem in Vietnam as an example. That whole exercise turned out to the disadvantage of the United States, Helms said. At the time he made those comments, in the years before the Islamic Revolution, Helms was the US ambassador to Iran. It isnt because I have lost my cool, or because I have lost my guts, it simply is because I dont think it is a viable option in the United States of America these days, Helms said of his opposition to assassination. Three successive US presidents, Republican Gerald Ford, Democrat Jimmy Carter and Republican Reagan would each sign executive orders making it illegal for the US government to engage in assassination. Reagans order is still technically in effect, but Trump has been given broad immunity by the Supreme Court for his official acts while in office. Trump is now seizing his opportunity to remake the geopolitical system, operating without seeking congressional approval in both hemispheres. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com David Muir had the latest on ABC -Credit:ABC News/Youtube (ABC News/Youtube) David Muir viewers weren't happy as he shared a devastating update on the conflict in Iran. Hundreds of people have died across the Middle East after the U.S. teamed up with Israel to launch missile strikes on the country. President Donald Trump has addressed the move, saying wars can be fought "forever" thanks to America's stock of munitions. Iran's Red Crescent has said nearly 800 people have been killed in the attack. Iran fired back after the missile strike, with their attack killing six U.S. service members. David Muir returned to ABC on Monday, March 2 to share an update on the war. Nancy Guthrie cops speak out after 'body found floating' in pond near Arizona home Police conduct six-hour raid breaking down doors in missing Nancy Guthrie investigation The 52-year-old's show, World News Tonight, was pulled from its usual spot in the ABC schedule before airing later in the evening. Kicking off the program, Muir said, "Good evening, we begin tonight here with the breaking news, the U.S. military operation in Iran. The Pentagon now confirming six American troops have been killed after Iran attacked a tactical operations center in Kuwait. Advertisement David Muir had the latest on Iran -Credit:ABC News/Youtube "And tonight, the dramatic images coming in. An F-15 American fighter jet seen falling from the sky, one of three hit by friendly fire over Kuwait, struck by Kuwait defense systems. All six crew members ejecting safely." Muir continued, "U.S. Central Command releasing new images tonight, saying B-1 bombers struck deep inside Iran, targeting the regime's ballistic missile capabilities. Explosions rocking Tehran for a third day now. Black smoke seen rising from buildings. "More than 1,200 targets reportedly hit in 48 hours. Iran tonight expanding its retaliation. An oil facility in Saudi Arabia among the new targets. At least 11 countries have not been pulled into this war." There was an update on the casualties -Credit:ABC News/Youtube Muir explained how Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed lawmakers, "offering a new explanation in front of the cameras about why the U.S. struck Iran when it did." President Donald Trump also made his first public comments from the White House. Trump said he's not ruling out American troops being sent on the ground in Iran. A clip of the ABC broadcast was shared on Instagram with the caption, "As the death toll in the war with Iran rises to at least six U.S. service members, @DavidMuirABC shares the harrowing images showing one of the three American F-15 fighter jets hit by friendly fire over Kuwait falling from the sky." ABC viewers were furious with Trump for attacking Iran and took to the comments to share their thoughts. "When is this going to end enough is enough," one person fumed. Donald Trump has spoken about what happened -Credit:AP "This is so sad Trumps children are having brunch and yours are coming home in coffins. Yall wanted America to be great again right ? Please God protect everyone and shower your blessings upon us," another viewer begged. A third person commented, "This absolutely terrible beyond words. U.S. service woman and men have no business over there!" as someone else pointed out, "11 countries in one war crazy." Another viewer simply wrote, "Harrowing." viua Shutterstock It has been a busy couple of days for cruise departures, with several delays. Royal Caribbean was finally able to depart after the winter storm on the East Coast caused delays for thousands of guests on the Odyssey of the Seas. Thankfully, passengers kept in good spirits despite being stuck at the port. The pool section was covered in snow at the start of the cruise, quite a spectacle for those on the ship. Carnival Cruise Line made adjustments of its own. The cruise line sent a stern message and cancelled visits to Puerto Vallarta indefinitely, with no return date announced just yet. Along with cancellations, Carnival experienced a delay in the departure of its Sunshine Ship. Here's a closer look at what took place and how guests reacted to the power outage. A Power Outage On The Carnival Sunshine Caused Embarkation Delays To Enter Norfolk Guests on the Carnival Sunshine on Sunday, March 1, had to wait a little longer to start their trips out of Norfolk, Virginia. The embarkation was delayed due to a power outage early on Sunday morning. The ship was returning to its homeport following an 8-night Caribbean cruise that departed on February 21. The outage frustrated guests on board while causing delays for the next sail. Carnival sent out a message to guests on the Sunshine ship, revising its embarkation plans. Carnival told guests, "Early this morning, Carnival Sunshine experienced a brief power outage, which was quickly resolved by the ship's engineers. To comply with U.S. Coast Guard requirements to enter Norfolk, the ship must be assisted by tugboats, and this will result in an unplanned delay in arrivals by early afternoon. Subsequently, your embarkation has been revised." As for compensation for affected guests, Carnival provided passengers on the Sunshine with a $25 onboard credit to cover lunch while they waited for embarkation. Carnival added that the itinerary was likely to change due to the delay. Since [we] will be sailing later than originally scheduled, it is likely that our voyage plan will be impacted. Carnival Sunshines Captain, Antonio Gargiulo, and our Fleet Operations Center are reviewing the alternatives and will have an update for you later this evening," the email added. Carnival did not reveal details of the power outage. However, it did frustrate many passengers onboard during its return to port. Advertisement Guests On The Sunshine Ship Admitted That Tensions Were High via Shutterstock A cruiser detailed their experience on Reddit. The guests confirmed that the outage lasted for roughly an hour. "Currently on the Carnival Sunshine, we lost power, propulsion, and sanitation around 1:55AM today on March 1st. the Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel complex was visible ahead us so maybe only 3-6nm away. We got our first update from the captain and CD at 2:29AM, power went fully out a few times. power was restored around 2:45." The guest applauded the Carnival crew for its best efforts during the power outage. However, the person admits that some of the other passengers were stressed over the outage. "The crew has been great, I feel bad for them. they all seem very upset, no doubt a few passengers have been less than kind, so I wanted to shout them out for continuing to serve food, run the bars, casino, and and room cleaning during all of this." Other cruisers reacted to the delays, applauding Carnival's quick fix to the outage. Good news for the ship, it did manage to depart at 5:12 pm. Delays turned out to be better than expected for the guests on board, despite the initial concerns. The Carnival Sunshine Has Now Departed From Norfolk Pressfoto | Dreamstime.com The Carnival Sunshine ship has started its journey toward Celebration Key in the Bahamas. Carnival did a great job of keeping the delay shorter than expected. According to Cruise Mapper, the ship is headed comfortably toward its destination. "The current location of Carnival Sunshine is in US East Coast cruising at speed of 17 kn (31 km/h | 20 mph) en route to USORF>BSGBI." The Sunshine ship is currently on a six-day cruise to the Bahamas until March 7, 2026. Stops include Celebration Key Bahamas, Nassau, Bimini Islands and a return to Norfolk, Virginia, to wrap things up. No further statements have been issued regarding possible itinerary changes. Airlines that can't use Russian and now Iranian airspace are funneling through the Caucasus corridor. The region also saw increased traffic during previous Iranian conflicts. Flightradar24 Airlines have few flight routes around closed Middle Eastern airspace. The narrow Caucasus corridor north of Iran is absorbing traffic, but it also borders Russia. Air India faces unique routing challenges as it was already shut out of Pakistan. As much of the Middle East remains closed amid missile barrages, international airlines are being squeezed into a shrinking set of flight paths. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates remained closed or partially closed as of Monday, and the nearby Russian skies have been off limits to Western airlines since the Ukraine war broke out in 2022. For most carriers, this extremely limits their options. Flightradar24 shows flights are being funneled into narrow corridors around the Middle East, or forced into longer detours over Saudi Arabia and other regions adding hours of flight time, higher fuel and labor costs, and operational complexity. Among the most critical options is the Caucasus corridor north of Iran including Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan which links Europe and Asia and has been absorbing detoured traffic as carriers seek alternatives to disrupted Middle East routes. The traffic over the Caucasus corridor on Monday evening Central European Time. Flightradar24 The Caucasus region offers not only the most efficient routing around now-closed airspace it's also the only option for many global carriers. To the north is Russia, which remains blocked to most Western airlines amid ongoing sanctions and reciprocal airspace restrictions. Restrictions on Russian airspace have forced carriers like Finnair to add up to four extra hours between Helsinki and Tokyo, while British Airways has similarly extended flight times on routes to Asia. The narrow corridor can be like threading a needle, spanning just 100 miles between Russia and Iran at its narrowest point, according to Google Maps. Without it, airlines unfriendly with Russia would be forced to take significantly longer, more costly detours via Saudi Arabia. Iranian airspace closures have sent traffic north before Although it is a narrow route, the Caucasus corridor has successfully accommodated increased traffic when carriers have relied on it during past conflict-driven airspace closures. This route also overflies Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the Civil Aviation Air Navigation Service Organization (CANSO), the global association of air traffic providers based in the Netherlands, Azerbaijan airspace handled 110 additional flights per day when Iran temporarily closed its airspace in June 2025. The agency added that the region has seen an overall year-over-year increase in traffic as airspace around it flips on and off. "Since 2022, Azerbaijan's airspace has played a vital role in providing alternative and efficient air routes in response to regional geopolitical crises," CANSO said, noting the country's investments in advanced air traffic technologies. The airspace on February 27, 2026, the day before the conflict broke out. More planes overall were flying at that time but had access to far more airspace. Flightradar24 Still, the influx of congestion over the Caucasus region could limit flexibility if weather restrictions arise. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the conflict could last "four to five weeks." If the conflict were to spread to the central Asian states that neighbor Iran to the north which is very unlikely given the lack of US bases in Central Asia it would effectively create a wall of unusable airspace. Aviation leaders are emphasizing safety over these sensitive regions, especially after airports in Kuwait and the UAE were damaged during missile fire. On Monday, the director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh, called for airlines to refrain from targeting civilian airspace. Advertisement "We all hope for an early peaceful resolution to the current hostilities," he said. "In the meantime, it is critical that states respect their obligation to keep civilians, and civil aviation free from harm." The comment comes after previous inadvertent attacks on civilian airliners: a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down by Russia over eastern Ukraine in 2014, and a Ukraine International Airlines aircraft was shot down by Iran near Tehran in 2020. Both were a result of heightened military alert and fear during tense conflicts. Some bottlenecks extend beyond the Caucasus Countries including Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Oman saw dozens of additional aircraft rerouted through their airspace shortly after the conflict began on Saturday, and they remain among the few regions still handling flights. Etihad Airways and Emirates operated a limited number of flights from the UAE on Monday. Westbound flights are largely using a single corridor across western Saudi Arabia and then heading up toward Europe, likely because it's farther from conflict zones. Flightradar24 data from before the Saturday attacks shows more direct flight paths across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and the UAE, though some flights on Monday were again using UAE airspace. One airline in particular faces a uniquely tricky routing challenge due to the Middle East's abruptly shuttered airspace: Air India. The airline hasn't flown over Pakistan in nearly a year due to rising tensions, forcing it to detour across the UAE to reach Europe and North America. An Air India flight from Bombay to New York on Monday stopped in Rome along the way. Flightradar24 But, with most Gulf nations now closed, Flightradar24 shows it flying even further west across Oman and Saudi Arabia on these routes, often stopping in cities like Rome along the way. Air India said in an X post that these are "technical" stops, given the now longer flight paths. Air India made similar pit stops in April 2025 amid tensions with Pakistan. Flights are resuming on Monday Eddy Pieniazek, head of Ishka Advisory, said in a Monday note that the mass disruptions across the Middle East are likely to be "short-lived" with a "gradual return of operations." He added how vital the Gulf region is, "particularly while Russian airspace remains restricted" and "while Africa currently lacks a comparable hub infrastructure." UAE airspace began partially opening up on Monday, with several Emirates and Etihad Airways flights departing from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to destinations in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Aircraft are flying over the UAE again as of Monday, as airlines slowly resume flights. It remains unclear how wide a resumption this will be. Flightradar24 Both Emirates and Etihad Airways' website still say all flights to and from their megahubs are suspended, but earlier Monday said a limited number will fly. These will get people home, transport cargo, and reposition aircraft. To ease crowds, they asked passengers not to go to the airport unless they had been specifically notified. Read the original article on Business Insider Two Wildcat helicopters will be deployed to Cyprus to help intercept incoming drones Two military helicopters are being deployed onboard a UK warship to Cyprus to help "bolster drone defence" amid the US-Israel war with Iran. The Wildcat helicopters, from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, will join HMS Dragon - a Type 45 destroyer - to protect British military personnel stationed on the island. The helicopters - from the Royal Navy's 815 Naval Air Squadron - will have missiles onboard which are designed to intercept and shoot down incoming drones, defence officials said. It comes a day after the runway of the British air base in Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, was hit by a drone. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it sustained "minimal damage". More from Somerset In a statement on social media platform X, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "As the situation in the Middle East remains volatile, we are deploying our Type-45 Destroyer, HMS Dragon, to the Eastern Mediterranean. "We are also sending two Wildcat helicopters to Cyprus to bolster drone defence for our Cypriot partners. "Working alongside our allies, our armed forces are committed to protecting regional stability and keeping people safe." First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff General Sir Gwyn Jenkins confirmed the move, adding: "This is a crucial moment and our people are ready to react to what is required." Advertisement Two additional drones heading for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus were intercepted On Monday, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government said two further unmanned drones heading towards the base had been intercepted. The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution. UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the drone that struck Akrotiri was an example of the "dangerous and indiscriminate attacks" by Iran and its proxies. France is also reportedly planning to move air defence systems to Cyprus. HMS Dragon is one of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 air defence destroyers Healey said: "We are moving quickly to further reinforce our defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. "HMS Dragon brings world-class air defence capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat. "I am deeply proud of the professionalism and bravery of our armed forces personnel who have in recent days, successfully taken action across the region to protect our allies and defend British interests." Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story Related Internet Links Another House Republican has announced he is retiring from Congress at the end of this year, adding to the mass exodus of lawmakers heading for the exit halfway through President Donald Trump's second term. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who won his seat in Montana's 1st congressional district in November 2022, served as Secretary of the Interior during Trump's first White House stint. He served as Montana's only member of the House from 2015 to 2017 before redistricting added a second seat to its delegation. Zinke is the 35th House Republican elected in 2024 not running for another term in the 2026 midterms. Another House GOP lawmaker re-elected in 2024, the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died in office earlier this year. Conservative Firebrand Vows To Purge Rinos In Battle To Replace Retiring Vern Buchanan In Open Florida Seat Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., arrives to a caucus meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill, May 10, 2023. (Getty Images) On the Democratic side, 23 House lawmakers are not running for re-election. Read On The Fox News App Many of those members are running for another office. But some, including those who left before the end of their terms, like former Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Mark Green, R-Tenn., have not made any further public plans in politics. Zinke had a decades-long career in the U.S. Navy before coming to Congress, achieving the rank of commander before retiring in 2008. Advertisement Florida Republican Rep Neal Dunn Announces Retirement From Congress After Five Terms He cited medical reasons for his decision not to run again in November, according to a letter shared on X. Zinke cited medical reasons for his decision to retire. "While my belief in term limits for elected office is a consideration, I have quietly undergone multiple surgeries since I returned to Congress and unfortunately face several more immediately after leaving office," Zinke said in his statement. "The injuries sustained from a career in Special Operations are not immediately life-threatening, but the repair cannot be deferred any longer and recovery will require considerable time with my wife Lola and my family. My judgment and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absence and missed votes." He said serving Montana in his various military and political roles has been the "highest honor." Johnson Warns House Republicans To Stay Healthy As Gop Majority Shrinks To The Edge President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk out of the White House to travel to the U.S. Capitol where he delivered the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber in Washington, Feb. 24, 2026. Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., also confirmed Zinke's retirement in his own statement shared with media. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "For over 30 years, Commander Zinke has served his country with integrity, responsibility, and honor," Downing said. "It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve alongside Ryan while fighting for Montanans in Washingtonfrom protecting our public lands to supporting our farmers and ranchers." The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Zinke's seat R+5, meaning it's likely to stay in Republican hands but within striking distance for Democrats hoping to flip the district this year. Original article source: Trump Cabinet alum Ryan Zinke joins mass exodus of lawmakers leaving Congress Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), a former Interior Secretary during President Trumps first term, said Monday he will not seek reelection this November. Zinke, who has represented Montana in the lower chamber for three non-consecutive terms, wrote in a letter to Montanans that he has quietly undergone multiple surgeries since returning to Congress in January 2023 and faces several more immediately after leaving office. Zinke joins over a dozen Republican House lawmakers not seeking re-election, as Democrats are optimistic about their chances of taking control of the lower chamber this November. While Zinke said his injuries, sustained from a 22-year career as a Navy SEAL, are not life-threatening, his recovery will require him to spend considerable time with his wife, Lola Zinke, and their family. While he said his injuries, sustained from a 22-year career as a Navy SEAL, are not life-threatening, his recovery will require him to spend considerable time with his wife, Lola Zinke, and their family. My judgement and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absence and missed votes, Zinke, 64, wrote. After retiring from the Navy SEALS in 2008 with the rank of commander and the Bronze Star, Zinke served in the Montana Senate from 2009-13. He was first elected to represent Montanas at-large district in 2014, becoming the first Navy SEAL in the lower chamber upon taking office in January 2015. Trump appointed Zinke as his first Interior secretary, a role the latter served in from March 2017 to January 2019. He left the administration after the Interiors Office of Inspector General referred a probe on scrutinized land deals he signed off on to the Justice Department. Advertisement Zinke later ran to represent Montanas new 1st congressional district in 2022, defeating Democrat Monica Tranel by just over 3 percentage points. In his Monday letter, the Montana Republican touted his work to remove excessive regulations, lower taxes and pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act which Trump signed into law in 2020 and allocated billions annually for conservation, outdoor recreation and the maintenance of national parks. Service is a duty that I will always hold sacred, and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference, Zinke wrote. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who preceded Zinke in representing Montanas at-large district, said the congressman served Montana and our country with honor and distinction for four decades. I have known Ryan since we were in high school. We attended Montana Boys State in Dillon together in 1979, Daines wrote on the social platform X. He was a Whitefish Bulldog and I was a Bozeman Hawk. His desire to serve his country was evident back then. The deadline to file to run in Montana was on Thursday. Just over an hour after Zinkes announcement, Montana radio host Aaron Flint launched his campaign for the seat. Shortly thereafter, Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) endorsed Flint, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. This story was updated at 6:08 p.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. Threat actors are now weaponising generative AI to rapidly build tailored scripts and malicious payloads, dramatically shrinking the window between gaining initial access and launching an attack. This is according to the third annual CyberCX Threat Report which uses a sample of over 100 serious incidents responded to by its Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) team in 2025, the majority of which occurred in Australia and New Zealand. The report indicated the broad availability of AI has made it more accessible to conduct attacks, particularly when dealing with unfamiliar systems and platforms. In one investigation, the firm said its DFIR team identified that custom malware written to try to decrypt an internal password management database was likely created with generative AI. Signs pointing to this included the use of emojis in code and tutorial-style descriptions in code comments. While ultimately unsuccessful, this activity serves as an important reminder that as generative AI functionality becomes more advanced, the barrier to entry for cyber criminals to perform increasingly sophisticated attacks will continue to be lowered, the report stated. Organization Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), based in Dallas, Texas, is dedicated to creating and producing contemporary modern dance at the highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and communities. Founded in 1976 by Ann M. Williams, following the establishment of the Dallas Black Dance Academy in 1973, DBDT was born from a powerful vision: to inspire underrepresented youth, expand access to dance as an art form, and serve as a professional role model for Black dancers. Today, DBDT serves ever-expanding national and global audiences while employing a diverse, multi-ethnic company of artists, presenting work across multiple venues within the Dallas area, including the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre (Main Company, 551 seats), Moody Performance Hall (Encore!, 750 seats), The Majestic Theatre (Espresso Nutcracker, 1,704 seats), and the Latino Cultural Center (Academy Recital, 300 seats). Entering its 50th year as the oldest continuously operating professional dance company in Texas and Dallas, DBDT is a $4 million organization that presents a rich and varied repertory, including modern dance, ballet, jazz, and culturally rooted works by nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers. Over its history, DBDT has reached more than five million arts patrons and three million children worldwide, currently engaging approximately 50,000 K12 students annually through performances and educational initiatives. These efforts reinforce DBDTs long-standing commitment to artistic excellence, cultural connection, and broad community impact. To support artistic development and meet growing demand, DBDT expanded its organizational structure with the launch of DBDT: Encore! in 2000 as its second performing company. This ensemble of classically trained dancers from across the country presents an annual season at the Moody Performance Hall. Complementing the DBDTs two companies, the Dallas Black Dance Academy provides comprehensive dance education for students ages four and up, offering multiple levels of ballet, jazz, tap, and other disciplines and training more than 550 students each week at the DBDT Studios. DBDT has been headquartered since 2008 at its permanent home in the Dallas Arts District, a renovated historic Moorland YMCA building that now houses rehearsal studios, classrooms, and administrative offices. DBDT has historically served on the board of the Dallas Arts District. DBDTs artistic achievements have earned significant recognition, including designation as an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Medal of Arts. Known equally for innovation, DBDT pioneered paid virtual performances during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching audiences in more than 30 countries. As a resident company of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, DBDT now serves approximately 125,000 people annually, continuing Ann Williams legacy while embracing new opportunities to inspire and connect with audiences worldwide. DBDT has a 28-member board of directors led by Board Chairman and President Jack Skinner. The executive director oversees an administrative staff of 17, including the managing director, director of facilities and operations, director of marketing and public relations, director of administration and board liaison, and senior director of development. For the year ending May 31, 2026, DBDT expects a total revenue of $4.2 million, including 79% from contributed sources (including individual donors, events, foundations, corporations, grants, and government), and 21% from earned revenue (season performances, touring, and Academy). Sources: edited from dbdt.com; propublica.org Community Situated on the ancestral lands of the Wichita, Tawakoni, and other Caddoan-speaking tribes, Dallas, Texas, is home to approximately 1.3 million residents and anchors one of the nations fastest-growing metropolitan regions. The DallasFort WorthArlington metroplex, with more than 7.7 million people, is the fourth largest in the United States and is known for its economic vitality, cultural diversity, and strong civic and philanthropic leadership. The region offers a high quality of life, combining a dynamic urban core with accessible neighborhoods, strong schools, and a cost of living that remains comparatively affordable among major U.S. cities. Arts and culture are central to Dallass identity and civic life. The Dallas Arts District, the largest contiguous urban arts district in the United States, is home to world-class institutions including the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Dallas Theater Center. The city supports a robust ecosystem of artists, cultural organizations, and arts education initiatives, complemented by strong philanthropic investment and community engagement. Together, these qualities make Dallas and North Texas an appealing place to live and lead, particularly for those drawn to creativity, cultural impact, and the opportunity to shape a rapidly evolving city. The Arts District was established more than 40 years ago with the bold vision that arts and culture would play a central role in shaping Dallass growth and identity, and that vision has proven transformative. Since 2018, the district has expanded its footprint and vibrancy with the opening of a luxury hotel and two high-rise residential developments, further integrating arts, hospitality, and urban living into a dynamic, walkable environment. These additions have strengthened the Dallas Arts District as both a cultural destination and a thriving mixed-use neighborhood, drawing residents, visitors, and businesses into its creative core. Today, the Dallas Arts District stands not only as a symbol of sustained civic investment in the arts but also as a powerful example of how cultural infrastructure can anchor economic development, community engagement, and long-term urban vitality. Sources: visitdallas.com/arts; dallasartsdistrict.org; census.gov Position Summary The Executive Director of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre will provide bold, strategic leadership to strengthen financial stability and advance DBDTs artistic excellence, educational impact, and community engagement. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will work in close partnership with the Artistic Director to steward DBDTs legacy while positioning the organization for sustained growth, innovation, and expanded visibility. The Executive Director will hold shared responsibility along with the Artistic Director for organizational leadership to ensure the overall health of the organization. The Executive Director is responsible for operational leadership, financial oversight, revenue growth, external relations, and administrative management. Serving as DBDTs primary ambassador and spokesperson, this individual will cultivate strong relationships with the Board, staff, artists, donors, civic leaders, and community stakeholders. Through transparent communication, disciplined planning, and values-driven decision-making, the Executive Director will guide DBDTs long-term strategy and ensure its continued relevance and impact. Roles and Responsibilities Strategic Leadership Develop and execute a long-term strategic plan aligned with the mission of DBDT in collaboration with the Board of Directors. Identify and develop strategic partnerships to strengthen DBDTs visibility and reputation locally, nationally, and internationally. Foster a culture of innovation, inclusivity, collaboration, artistic excellence, and accountability. Support strategic decision-making that inspires a business-oriented, professional, and purposeful environment throughout DBDT. Embrace other strategic leadership responsibilities as needed. Financial and Operational Management Provide oversight and management of all financial operations to ensure fiscal integrity, stability, and sustainability while incorporating nonprofit and dance industry best practices. Work closely with the finance committee, staff, and auditors to develop and monitor annual budgets according to current laws and regulations. Oversee the work of the accounting staff to ensure the preparation of timely financial reports for Board review and annual financial audits, while maintaining knowledge of daily cash flow and finances. Ensure that DBDTs assets, including its documents and records of activity, are maintained through a documented and secure system of internal controls. Embrace other financial and operational management responsibilities as needed. Development and Fundraising Serve as the chief fundraising liaison by initiating, cultivating, and stewarding relationships with all major donors, including foundations, corporations, government funding agencies, and individuals. Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all fundraising and development efforts in collaboration with the Development Director and members of the DBDT Board of Directors. Develop, secure, and expand diversified revenue streams. Establish and grow an endowment fund to position DBDT for financial stability. Represent DBDT at community, philanthropic, and arts sector events to expand its funding base. Embrace other development and fundraising responsibilities as needed. Board and Labor Relations and Governance Serve as primary liaison between the Board of Directors and the organizations management team by providing reports and updates on staff and current work during each Board meeting. Support effective Board governance by providing timely and transparent communication to enable all members to exercise their full governance and service potential. Assist with the identification, recruitment, and orientation of new board members. Collaborate with the Artistic Director to ensure compliance with all collective bargaining agreements. Negotiate, interpret, and provide oversight to union contracts in coordination with legal counsel and DBDT human resources. Foster a respectful, inclusive, and transparent workplace culture that supports all employees. Embrace other Board and labor relations and governance responsibilities as needed. Artistic and Program Collaboration Partner with the Artistic Director to align programming with DBDTs mission and audience development goals while balancing operational and financial priorities of the organization. Advocate for artistic excellence and support community outreach and educational programs that expand access to dance and the arts. Encourage creative partnerships with other cultural and community organizations. Embrace other artistic and program collaboration responsibilities as needed. External Relations, Marketing, and Communications Function as the organizational spokesperson for DBDT, representing its values and mission across diverse platforms. Foster relationships with civic leaders, educational institutions, and cultural partners. Act as a liaison to the Dallas African American community. Advocate for the role of dance and artistic excellence in the broader arts ecosystem. Oversee all aspects of the organizations external communications, marketing strategies, and public relations, adjusting to expand reach and increase visibility as needed. Embrace other external relations, marketing, and communications responsibilities as needed. Organizational Leadership and Culture Contribute to a healthy, equitable, and collaborative workplace, in collaboration with the Artistic Director, by maintaining a climate that attracts, retains, and motivates capable team members. Direct and supervise Director-level staff, ensuring that all departments function cohesively and effectively toward shared goals. Use financial controls to support accountability and ensure a healthy, equitable culture across DBDT. Implement policies and procedures that reflect DBDTs commitment to multiculturalism, equity, and inclusion. Promote professional development and staff retention through strong internal leadership. Oversee human resources management strategies, plans, and all related hire-to-retire policies and procedures. Partner with the Board Human Resources committee and the Artistic Director to implement policies and procedures. Embrace other organizational leadership and culture responsibilities as needed. Traits and Characteristics A collaborative, visionary, and transparent leader, the Executive Director will be recognized for their ability to drive transformation and action that advances the impact of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. An effective communicator and bridge builder, the Executive Director will excel in cultivating relationships across many types of constituents and groups. The Executive Director will value flexibility and innovation, value team and culture building, and possess a deep awareness of issues and trends impacting the dance sector regionally and nationally. Other key competencies include the following: Leadership & Personal Accountability The clarity to use positional and relational influence to organize people to pursue a collective vision, managed with a sense of purpose and direction. Diplomacy & Customer Focus The integrity to uphold the highest ethical standards while exhibiting tact, supporting members of the DBDT and Dallas communities. Time and Priority Management & Teamwork The ability to work within a team to prioritize, manage, monitor, and complete multiple complex tasks, mobilize wide-ranging resources, and deliver to drive outcomes within allotted time frames. Conceptual Thinking The dexterity to analyze DBDTs current capacities, patterns, and/or abstract concepts to formulate connections and new insights. Qualifications A minimum of 10 years of senior executive leadership experience in a comparable senior role in the nonprofit sector is required. Strong business acumen, visionary leadership, and a demonstrated ability to partner effectively with nonprofit boards and diverse stakeholders are essential. Broad knowledge of nonprofit management, including fundraising, finance, marketing and communications, and human resources, is required, along with the capacity to navigate complex, political, and dynamic civic environments. A proven record of building, motivating, and mentoring high-performing teams is crucial. Excellent written and oral communication skills, along with strong project management capabilities, are expected and grounded in values of collaboration, inclusion, integrity, and authenticity. Experience working with unionized staff and collective bargaining agreements is strongly valued. A bachelors degree is required; an advanced degree in arts administration, business, or a related field is preferred. Compensation and Benefits DBDT provides a competitive and equitable compensation package with an estimated base salary in the range of $160,000 to $200,000. Benefits include employer-paid medical coverage at 90% of the premium and 100% employer-paid life insurance (including a $10,000 policy), along with options for employee-paid dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance. DBDT also offers a Flexible Spending Account and a 100% match, up to 3% of annual salary on employee contributions to an IRA retirement plan. Additional benefits include 10 paid federal holidays, a fully paid week off between Christmas and New Years, standard PTO for sick, personal, and bereavement leave, one week of paid vacation after one year of service, and a generous $5,000 annual professional development stipend. Relocation assistance will be provided to candidates if needed. Applications and Inquiries To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please visit https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/dallas-black-dance-theatre-seeks-executive-director/ Dallas Black Dance Theatre has adopted a core value system that embraces all cultures to strengthen the organization by working together for a common purpose that delivers transformative experiences for all. With no exclusions, Dallas Black Dance Theatre offers services to the entire population, regardless of race, age, or circumstance. Since its founding, DBDTs innovative approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion has been based on a dedicated commitment to lead by example and actively implement change rather than only conceptualize results. Established by its Board of Directors, this initiative is fulfilled through the organizations mission to bridge cultures, reach diverse communities, and encompass ever-expanding global audiences. MORE About the Opportunity The Director of Development is a senior leadership role responsible for advancing the fundraising efforts and philanthropic growth of The Cape Playhouse and Cape Cod Center for the Arts. This dynamic individual will lead the organizations development strategy, including overseeing all contributed income streams, such as individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and government support. Additionally, the Director will play a key role in the planning and execution of a Capital Campaign, while maintaining a focus on operational fundraising and donor stewardship. This position requires a results-oriented, strategic thinker with a proven track record of securing major gifts, cultivating long-term donor relationships, and driving successful campaigns. This work is all centered around a New England historic setting, treasured by both residents and seasonal visitors to beautiful Cape Cod. About The Cape Playhouse The Cape Playhouse, named one of the 50 Best Small Stage Theatres in America, has a special place in American theatre history as the longest-running professional summer theater in the country. Referred to as the Place Where Broadway Goes to Summer by The New York Times, the mission of the Cape Playhouse is to inspire, entertain, and educate through exceptional cultural and artistic experiences involving live theatre, cinematic arts, and horticulture within a vital and historic arts community that honors its past and embraces the present. The storied history of the Playhouse (https://capeplayhouse.com/category/history-of-the-playhouse/) dates back to the 1920s and its founding by the legendary actor Basil Rathbone who attracted the top stars from both Broadway, the West End, and Hollywood to spend summers on the Cape, appearing in multiple productions in classic summer stock tradition. Entering its 100th year, The Cape Playhouse is the oldest continuously operating summer theater in the U.S. Anchoring a beautiful cultural campus (https://capeplayhouse.com/play-grounds-2/), visitors to the Playhouse enjoy experiencing not only top quality theater, but the opportunity to explore multiple artistic venues and grounds, all in the charming Cape Cod town of Dennis, considered the heart of the Cape. With a laid back lifestyle in picturesque towns and villages, the Cape offers easy access to nature while also providing top quality arts and culture opportunities (https://www.capecodchamber.org/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/). Boston is a 90 minute drive away for ease of access to an international airport and city amenities when desired, so a life in the Dennis area offers the best of both worlds. Job Description Essential Duties & Responsibilities Fundraising Strategy & Leadership Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive fundraising strategy for the Cape Playhouse, focused on both short-term and long-term growth in contributed income. Oversee the development and execution of fundraising campaigns, including an upcoming Capital Campaign, annual fund drives, major donor programs, and corporate sponsorship initiatives. Cultivate and manage relationships with individual major donors, board members, corporate sponsors, foundations, and government agencies to secure financial support for ongoing operations and capital improvements. Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to establish annual fundraising goals, set priorities, and ensure alignment with the organizations mission and vision. Develop strategies to identify, engage, and cultivate new donor prospects, leveraging research and networking opportunities. Capital Campaign Leadership Play a leading role in execution and management of the Capital Campaign, working closely with campaign counsel, the Executive Director, and board members. Develop and manage timelines, budgets, and strategies for securing gifts for the Capital Campaign, including major and planned gifts. Ensure proper stewardship and communication with Capital Campaign donors to maintain long-term relationships and continue engagement throughout the campaign. Team Leadership & Collaboration Provide guidance and leadership in development best practices to ensure effective execution of fundraising activities and strategic goals. Work closely with the Marketing and Communications teams to ensure alignment on fundraising messaging, donor communications, and promotional campaigns. Partner with other departments to ensure fundraising goals are integrated with programming and operations, maintaining a cohesive organizational strategy. Operational Fundraising Oversee day-to-day fundraising operations, ensuring smooth execution of annual giving programs, donor tracking, and gift processing. Monitor fundraising progress, track key performance metrics, and prepare regular reports for the Executive Director, Board, and other key stakeholders. Ensure all donor data is maintained accurately in the donor management system, leveraging tools like Tessitura (or similar platforms) to generate reports and analyze trends. Events & Special Projects Lead the planning and execution of major fundraising events, including the Cape Playhouses annual gala, donor receptions, and capital campaign events. Oversee event logistics, invite lists, RSVPs, and coordination with external partners to ensure successful and impactful fundraising events. Assist with other high-priority initiatives as needed, including project management for new fundraising programs or special campaigns. Skills & Qualifications Strategic Vision: Proven ability to design, implement, and assess comprehensive fundraising strategies to meet organizational goals. Proven ability to design, implement, and assess comprehensive fundraising strategies to meet organizational goals. Leadership & Management: Strong leadership skills with a track record of effectively managing and developing fundraising programs. Strong leadership skills with a track record of effectively managing and developing fundraising programs. Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, board members, and key stakeholders. Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, board members, and key stakeholders. Communications Expertise: Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and presentations to engage donors. Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and presentations to engage donors. Fundraising Expertise: Significant experience in major gift fundraising, annual giving, capital campaigns, and corporate sponsorships. Significant experience in major gift fundraising, annual giving, capital campaigns, and corporate sponsorships. Analytical Skills: Strong proficiency in analyzing fundraising data, preparing reports, and using donor management systems (e.g., Tessitura, Salesforce). Strong proficiency in analyzing fundraising data, preparing reports, and using donor management systems (e.g., Tessitura, Salesforce). Event Management: Extensive experience in planning and executing large-scale fundraising events, from galas to donor receptions. Extensive experience in planning and executing large-scale fundraising events, from galas to donor receptions. Operational Focus: Ability to manage day-to-day fundraising operations while strategically planning for long-term sustainability. Ability to manage day-to-day fundraising operations while strategically planning for long-term sustainability. Artistic Passion: A deep passion for the arts, particularly the performing arts, with a commitment to supporting the mission of the Cape Playhouse. Education & Experience Minimum of 5 years of professional fundraising experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership or senior development role. Experience in leading capital campaigns and securing major gifts is strongly preferred. A Bachelors degree is required. Advanced degrees or certifications in nonprofit management, fundraising, or related fields are a plus. Knowledge of the Cape Cod philanthropic landscape is beneficial, but not required. Compensation Salary for this position is $90,000 100,000, with benefits including health insurance and a generous time off policy with paid holidays and vacation time. Application Instructions The Director of Development search is being conducted on behalf of The Cape Playhouse by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP, Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team. To apply, visit the online application (https://tocartspartners.com/jobs-listing/the-cape-playhouse-director-of-development) and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else youd like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled, but for best consideration we encourage you to apply by March 20. For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls. Specific questions about the position may be directed to: Cynthia Fuhrman VP, Executive Search cynthia@tocartspartners.com Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether youre returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. EEO STATEMENT The Cape Cod Center for the Arts/Cape Playhouse is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. MORE Asian bishops express concern over the escalation in the Middle East. In communion with Leo XIV, they call for stability, dialogue, and reconciliation that prioritize human dignity. They also call for prayers for civilians and migrant workers affected by the conflict; meanwhile, prayer initiatives for peace are growing at the diocesan level. Rome (AsiaNews) The bishops of Asia have responded Leo XIV's appeal to "assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence amid the chasm into which the Middle East is currently plunging. From India to the Philippines, via Bangladesh, the continents Catholic clergy is concerned about US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with war spilling over to more countries. The Asian prelates are "profoundly saddened", and in communion with the pontiff, they raise a choral prayer for peace and reconciliation through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) released a statement regarding the ongoing crisis in Iran and the wider Middle East. The bishops' thoughts are with the victims, especially the vulnerable children caught in the midst of these hostilities. [. . .] we earnestly pray for the swift and full recovery of all those who have been injured, the statement reads. Like Pope Leo XIV, they urgently appeal to the leaders of all nations involved to [. . .] resolve the current crisis, and consciously choose peace over violence. Ultimately, Violence and conflict only breed further suffering, said CBCI President Cardinal Anthony Poola. We urge all global leaders to prioritize human dignity and work collaboratively towards an amicable resolution. True strength lies not in the use of force, but in the unwavering pursuit of lasting peace, the cardinal added. The invitation, extended to all Christian faithful in India, is to pray earnestly for peace in the world during this time of Lent. Let us unite our hearts in asking for divine grace to heal the afflicted regions and bring harmony to all communities. Cardinal Jose F. Advincula of Manila and Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of the diocese of Antipolo agree with this exhortation. I invite you all to pray the rosary every day for peace and reconciliation. During all Holy Masses, let us pray for peace and the security of all people in this region,said Card Advincula in a pastoral letter published on Sunday, the day after the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Philippine cardinal calls on the faithful to ask God to purify the world from violence, greed and the abuse of power, which cause suffering and death. He urged them to pray for those suffering from war, hoping that peace may come soon so that all may live in tranquillity and freedom. The bishop of Antipolo added: May Gods wisdom guide those in power to choose dialogue over destruction, reconciliation over retaliation, he noted. We lift the innocent the children, the families, the displaced who long for safety and security, he added. Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos addressed the many Filipino workers living in the conflict-torn region, 800 in Iran alone. He urged them to remain vigilant in prayer and stay in their homes and places of work, avoid unnecessary travel, and diligently obey instructions from embassy officials and legitimate authorities. We hold you close in our prayers, Santos said. We are called to be peacemakers, to be aware of the suffering of others, he added. The bishops of Bangladesh also expressed strong concern following Khamenei's assassination. Speaking to AsiaNews, Archbishop Bejoy N. D'Cruze of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, strongly condemned the spiral of violence gripping the region. The Catholic Church is against any war. We do not believe in war. Weapons are used there. War harms many people. It causes bloodshed, and civilians die indiscriminately, he lamented. By increasing the war, violence, revenge and unrest increase. Therefore, all parties must stop the war now, he said. The archbishop also stressed that the current conflict involving Iran can only be resolved by political means. The United Nations is there as a mediator let the dialogue begin through them. We need to find a solution through advocacy and mediation. He also criticised foreign interference. Iran is an independent country. It is absolutely not desirable for another country to go and fight there. The people of that country will decide what they want, but I dont think its right to go to another country and fight like this. No statement has come from Xi Jinping yet, while the condemnation of the attack on Iran has been entrusted to Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who spoke today with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar. The evacuation of Chinese citizens from Tehran has been completed, with 200 choosing to stay. Trump's trip to China (31 March-2 April) is still on the agenda, for now, matching the "four weeks" the US leader gave yesterday as the timeframe for war. Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) The People's Republic of China (PRC) stands with Iran without allowing itself to be dragged into a conflict that remains far from its own "backyard, aware that the stakes are very high, but also confident for the moment that it can largely come out of it unscathed. Four days after the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East, this summarises Beijings attitude towards the crisis created by the United States and Israel, which, following the assassination of Ali Khamenei, has inflamed the entire Gulf region. For now, on the eve of the crucial Two Sessions meeting, which opens tomorrow, Xi Jinping is silent on the matter, leaving it to his trusted Foreign Minister Wang Yi to speak. This is the same pattern used with the Venezuela case. Thus, a strong condemnation was made but no concrete action taken, despite Irans membership in the Shanghai Security Organisation since 2023 and joint military exercises just three months ago. There has been much talk in recent hours about Chinas purchases of Iranian oil, but in the end, it represents no more than 13 per cent of its seaborne oil imports. According to estimates by Societe Generale, the PRC has sufficient reserves to withstand up to 200 days without oil imports. This also explains why Chinese leaders are taking a wait-and-see approach, counting on the Revolutionary Guards to maintain control over the country while Washington's involvement in a war whose objectives are difficult to achieve with air power alone plays in Beijings favour. At the diplomatic level, China presents the face of a "stable and reliable" power in a turbulent world. Today, Beijing announced that Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, at the latter's request, who presented the Netanyahu government's position. According to the official Chinese statement, Wang reiterated that China supports the resolution of international and regional crises through dialogue and consultation and that it has been committed for years to promoting a political solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel reportedly began their attack just as talks with Iran were making progress, including addressing Israel's security concerns. The Chinese foreign minister called for an immediate cessation of military operations to avoid further escalation and called on Israel to guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel and facilities, a request Sa'ar accepted. Chinese authorities reported yesterday the death of a Chinese national in Iran, killed in the bombings. Today, the Global Times added that, according to reports from the Chinese Embassy in Tehran and the Iran Federation of Chinese Organisations, most Chinese citizens have already left the country. Tan Xiaolin, who is vice president of the Iran Federation of Chinese Organisations and head of the temporary evacuation task force, said in an interview that the last two groups, approximately 210 people, left yesterday. It is understood that some 200 remain in cities like Tabriz and Qom who, for work or personal reasons, have decided not to leave for the time being. Since the military operations launched by the US and Israel against Iran on Saturday, we have arranged five batches of evacuations, totaling around 400 people. Since the situation in Iran became more complicated at the end of last year, more than 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated cumulatively," said Tan Kai, president of the Iran Federation of Chinese Organisations. Yesterday, Wang Yi himself had a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to whom he said that Beijing cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Iran, supports Iran in defending its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and supports Iran in protecting its legitimate rights and interests. Meanwhile, in a subsequent conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Wang warned that the world was at risk of regression to the law of the jungle. Presently, the crucial upcoming event is Trump's visit to China, set for 31 March to 2 April, which, perhaps not coincidentally, coincides with the "four weeks" Trump mentioned yesterday as the timeframe to end the war in the Middle East. In response to a specific question at the daily press conference, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that she had no information on the matter. Despite strongly condemning the strikes against Iran, Beijing has no intention of cancelling the state visit, waiting for the situation to evolve before truly playing its cards. by Vladimir Rozanskij The Russian president visited the annual Forum showcasing the fruits of the labour of researchers and scientists. From synthetic chocolate to portable devices for reading genetic codes, the sovereignist path to the new possibilities of tomorrow's world. Moscow (AsiaNews) - In recent days, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the annual Forum of Future Technologies at the Moscow International Trade Centre. As usual, he visited the various exhibitions, then participated in the plenary session and held a private meeting with scientists. Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov accompanied him on the visit to show him the achievements of the bio-economy project approved by Putin himself last year. The minister's intention was to show the president the portable device for reading the genetic code, Nanoporus, but Putin stopped first to look at a chocolate-like cream, a biotechnological analogue that can be produced in the laboratory, which caught his attention. Alikhanov explained that cocoa beans do not grow in Russia, in fact they grow in a very limited number of countries, so Russia can now become independent by producing enzymes through special cells, without oil extraction plants or elevators. Putin asked if they had already tried it, but was disappointed that it had not yet passed all the necessary tests for its production and consumption, so he was promised that sovereign cocoa would be made available within the year. As for the genetic code reading device, unlike previous models, which could decipher up to 300 nucleotide sequences, it can now read up to two million genetic traces, an impressive result even for the president. This will make it possible to quickly study traces of viruses and pathogenic models, and will be extremely useful in many sectors, from forensics to agriculture. Moving on from the stands, Putin then stopped at the Kurcatovskij Institute, where he met the famous 80-year-old physicist Mikhail Kovalcuk, a specialist in X-ray diffraction for the study of the structure of matter, one of the great scholars to whom the president has entrusted the studies to achieve immortality. He tried to explain how the preparation of the village of immortals is evolving, trying to justify himself because of the 'very difficult geographical conditions, and so we are laying pipes and cables to accommodate someone in the bio-eco-village project. It is a settlement for up to a thousand people, completely self-sufficient, which could be built in forests, such as Siberia or Korea, wherever there is wood waste, or manure can be used, wherever there is biomass, we could build these settlements to achieve a completely closed life cycle, transforming waste into energy and biofuel." The president was unable to listen to the entire explanation, and when Kovalchuk began to speculate about the opening of these villages on the moon, he continued his journey into the fantastic science of the future. Putin then met with former Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, the neurophysiologist who now heads the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, who told him about the world's first vaccine against birch pollen allergies and similar allergens (apples, peaches, those containing nuts such as peanuts and soybeans), which turns the lives of millions of people into hell for several weeks a year or forever. Now, she assured, three or four injections will suffice, and in this case, all preventive clinical research has already been completed, despite the abnormal and prolonged flowering period in 2025. Skvortsova also assured that studies are underway for the production of vaccines against cancer, on the system of conferring sensitivity to prostheses, on the method of eliminating phantom pain and much more. The visit to the stands was so long that by the time the final meeting came around, half of those present had already left the room, but the president nevertheless concluded enthusiastically that "by exploring the laws and wisdom of nature, unlocking its enormous creative potential, our scientists are making decisions for life, health and healthy persistence for many years to come, with food, supplements, vitamins and vaccines that we will be able to produce in the shortest possible time, without unnecessary bureaucratic complications'. Putin then set a date for the next Forum, when new amazing prospects for life will open up for humankind thanks to Russian science. by Dario Salvi Two Palestinian brothers were shot dead in a raid in Qaryut, south of Nablus. New attacks and assaults also in the Christian village of Taybeh. Fr Bashar: not isolated incidents, but a growing pattern of violence that raises concerns. Barriers and isolation, the West Bank increasingly similar to the Strip, victim of state violence. Milan (AsiaNews) - These days, the international community's attention is focused on the war launched by Israel and the United States against Iran on 28 February, which has spread to involve several Gulf countries and Lebanon, even reaching the shores of Europe with yesterday's attack on the British base in Cyprus. However, as has already happened in the past in the shadow of the conflict in Gaza, Jewish settlers, with the support of the ultra-right-wing government of the Jewish state - which includes ministers who are openly pro-settlement - are continuing to launch attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. In one of the latest incidents, which took place yesterday, a group of Jewish extremists stormed the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus, killing two people with gunshots and wounding four others, two of them seriously. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the victims were two brothers, 52-year-old Mohammad Taha Muammar, who was shot in the head, and his brother Fahim, 48, who was shot in the pelvis. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society treated several wounded in the area where the settlers' attack took place, including a 15-year-old boy. Eyewitnesses say that the settlers fired bullets at residents and set fire to Palestinian property. At the same time, the Israeli forces that intervened did not stop the settlers, who continued to act and shoot undisturbed while firing tear gas at the village residents after the assault, including the wounded. Premeditated assault Muhammad Al-Boom, 20, a resident of Qaryut and a paramedic, witnessed the killing of the two brothers first-hand, standing next to Muhammad Taha when he was killed. According to the young man's account, the victim left his home to try to prevent the settlers from entering his property. A video released by a local activist group shows a dozen masked settlers at the scene when, suddenly, Taha is shot in the head. I was right next to him when he fell, Al-Boom recalls, adding that he tried to provide first aid. It was a settler who shot him, he continued. I saw him. He was five metres away. The clash, which began yesterday morning, intensified around noon after villagers saw a bulldozer levelling a path through an olive grove. Palestinians threw stones to try to stop their advance, and settlers opened fire to force them to retreat to the nearest houses, which belonged to the Taha family. The young witness recounts chaotic scenes as settlers threw stones at the Taha family's houses, breaking their windows. Since Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the ensuing war, the area has seen a wave of displacement, settlement expansion and an escalation of violence against Palestinians at the hands of extremist settlers. Christians in Taybeh targeted Attacks, intrusions and violations have not spared the village of Taybeh in the West Bank, which has about 1,500 inhabitants and three churches and is located 30 km north of Jerusalem and east of Ramallah. It is the only village inhabited entirely by Christians. Last summer, the area was already the scene of an escalation of attacks that continued in recent months, contributing to a climate of terror. Reached by AsiaNews, Latin parish priest Fr. Bashar Fawadleh recounts: On 28 February [the first day of attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran, ed] at around 4 p.m., a group of settlers entered the town of Taybeh and illegally trespassed on land belonging to the Khouryeh family, stealing the family's horse and its foal. The residents called for help, the priest continues, but the Israeli army and police arrived on the scene and escorted the settlers out of Taybeh, still in possession of the stolen horse and foal. This incident, explains Fr. Bashar, is part of a context of significant escalation of settler attacks in various areas of the West Bank in recent months with incursions into agricultural land, damage to property, theft of livestock and attacks on residents. These assaults (in the photos) occur with particular frequency near outposts and settlements, where settlers attempt to impose a new reality on the ground by pressuring farmers and landowners and driving them off their land. These are not isolated incidents, but a growing pattern of violence that raises "concerns. Many families now live in a state of constant fear, as these incursions come closer and closer to their homes and sources of livelihood, concludes the parish priest, fuelling insecurity and instability for families who depend on land and livestock for their income and way of life." West Bank like Gaza Meanwhile, the Israeli army has installed a new iron gate at the entrance to the village of Baytin in the West Bank, adjacent to Taybeh, transforming the entire area into a sort of open-air prison modelled on the Gaza Strip, albeit on a smaller scale at the moment. For weeks, the occupying forces have been imposing severe restrictions on movement in several provinces of the West Bank, closing military checkpoints and access to cities and towns, with a further tightening since the start of the war with Iran last weekend. Among the closures is that of the al-Aqsa Mosque, with Muslim worshippers unable to pray, especially during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and prayer in Islam. Hamas and the Palestinian Mujahideen movement have condemned the blockade and called on Arab and Muslim countries to take action to support the place of worship and uphold its sanctity. Since last December, the Israeli authorities have promoted a series of illegal measures with the aim of expropriating Palestinians from their lands in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and making annexation a fait accompli, as denounced by Amnesty International (AI). These policies represent an unprecedented escalation in terms of speed and scope, as part of the expansion project. And while successive Israeli governments have pursued policies aimed at entrenching occupation and apartheid, the latest measures underscore how the current administration has stepped up these efforts in the shadow of the genocide in Gaza. 'What we are witnessing is a state, led by a prime minister wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, openly boasting of defying international law. Despite hundreds of UN resolutions, advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice and global condemnation, Israel continues to expand illegal settlements, entrenching its cruel system of apartheid and destroying Palestinian lives and livelihoods," accuses Erika Guevara-Rosas, AI's senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns. Recently, the far-right government has benefited from the unconditional support of the US government, the activist movement accuses. Added to this is the pervasive lack of international accountability for the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, decades of crimes under international law related to illegal occupation and the apartheid system. Hence the formalisation of the occupation of land, aware and confident that there will be no consequences. To date, some 750,000 settlers are currently living illegally in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. And according to Peace Now, an Israeli NGO that monitors settlement expansion, a record number of 86 outposts were established in 2025 alone for livestock purposes, contributing significantly to the peak of state violence by settlers and the forced transfer of Palestinian communities. Protected by the Israeli army and funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, the outposts have turned the lives of Palestinian farmers and shepherds, particularly in Area C, into hell. by Mathias Hariyadi The first two homes have been delivered to a village in the regency of Central Tapanuli for thousands of families forced to live in temporary shelters for months. A memorandum has been signed between the Catholic Church and local authorities for collaboration in reconstruction after the disaster. The goal: to restore dignity, security and hope. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - With the delivery of the first structures on 26 February, the Caritas Indonesia Network (KARINA-KWI) officially launched the Houses of Compassion Movement, an initiative aimed at providing permanent and dignified housing for families affected by the devastating floods that hit Sumatra at the end of November 2025. The project began in the village of Kebun Pisang, in the district of Badiri, in the regency of Central Tapanuli, with the delivery of two completed houses to families in the villages of Pangaribuan and Sijungkang, in the district of Andam Dewi, North Sumatra province. The floods and landslides of 25 November 2025 caused widespread destruction in three provinces, severely damaging or completely destroying more than 158,000 homes. Thousands of families were forced to live in temporary shelters for months, with serious consequences for the safety, health and social stability of the affected communities. The Houses of Compassion Movement is part of a broader housing recovery programme promoted by Caritas Indonesia together with Caritas-PSE of the Diocese of Sibolga. Caritas Indonesia plays a coordinating and supervisory role, while the local Caritas is responsible for the practical implementation of projects in the field. The programme is also an example of inter-diocesan collaboration at the national level. The official launch of the initiative was preceded by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Caritas Indonesia and the Government of the Regency of Central Tapanuli, with the aim of strengthening cooperation in the post-disaster reconstruction phase. Local authorities expressed their gratitude for the contribution made by the Church, emphasising how its presence has accelerated the return of communities to normality. The housing construction process is based on an accurate assessment of needs, carried out using government data and direct visits to potential beneficiaries. The houses are intended for families who completely lost their homes during the floods. In accordance with national regulations, the new buildings are constructed outside areas classified as disaster-prone. In cases where the previous homes were located in high-risk areas, families are being relocated to privately owned land, which is duly documented. The programme, which will run over the next 18 months, has an estimated cost of around 60 million Indonesian rupiah (approximately 3,000) per housing unit. The houses have two bedrooms and one bathroom and are designed according to earthquake-resistant standards established by the National Disaster Management Agency. The structures are made of lightweight steel, corrosion-resistant zincalume roofing and lightweight brick walls. The design allows for future extensions, offering families the opportunity to gradually improve their homes. The project is inspired by the principle of building back better, i.e. rebuilding in a safer and more resilient way than before, adapting housing solutions to the specific risks of each area. More than just a construction project, the Houses of Compassion Movement aims to be a concrete sign of solidarity and closeness to the most vulnerable families. Caritas Indonesia has appealed to the faithful, civil society and the private sector to support the initiative. Building hundreds or thousands of houses is a significant challenge, but every contribution can make a difference. The goal is not only to provide a roof over their heads, but also to restore dignity, security and hope to communities severely affected by the disaster. by Fady Noun The Lebanese government has outlawed the armed activities of the pro-Iranian party. A rift has emerged in the relationship between Hezbollah and the Shia Amal movement, which endorses the government's resolution. The Jewish state is hitting Lebanese territory hard again, putting pressure on the buffer zone. US mediation has "saved" the airport, which remains open. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people crowd the streets. Beirut (AsiaNews) A reckless act by Hezbollah, a completely unprovoked attack with six rockets and eight drones into northern Israel on Saturday night, has plunged Lebanon back into open war with the Jewish state. These attacks triggered retaliatory strikes against Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. According to an initial official count, 51 people are dead and dozens wounded. One of the dead was Hezbollah's intelligence chief. Worse of all, these exchanges gave Israel the pretext to reinforce its ground deployment in southern Lebanon at several strategic points, forcing the Lebanese army to pull back from several positions to avoid any direct contact with Israeli forces. With war making a comeback, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been forced to flee, ordered by Israel in the middle of the night to evacuate 53 villages in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. In this part of the country, Israeli planes relentlessly targeted Hezbollah's "bank" (Qardh al-hasan), destroying some 25 branches of this parallel banking network. The population's fear was compounded by the ordeal of the coastal highway's gridlock. After leaving their homes around 2:30 am, thousands of families arrived in the early morning in the capital's public areas, particularly Martyrs' Square, sleeping outdoors or in their cars, awaiting government assistance and temporary accommodation in public schools and religious communities. Fortunately, the gruelling exodus took place under a blue sky, but it was bitterly cold. However, the mass flight is raising fears of a permanent demographic shift in the Lebanese population. The new phase in this war resembles a remake of the exodus that followed the start of fighting in September 2024, characterised by the explosion of pagers and the elimination of the then secretary general of the pro-Iranian movement, Hassan Nasrallah. The Elimination of Ali Khamenei This time, the elimination of the Supreme Leader of Irans Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggered the catastrophe. The order to go to war against Israel came from Iran, said Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. In fact, Hezbollahs secretary general had advocated caution, while Israel had announced that it would not attack Lebanon unless it was attacked first. Ultimately, Wali al-Fakih utter political and religious allegiance to Iran prevailed, driving Lebanon back to square one. Hezbollah is currently divided between two main factions, one of which is directly linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, this according to analyst Scarlett Haddad. This group is believed to have made the decision to take action by launching a barrage of rockets and drones at northern Israel, without waiting for the final decision from the party leadership. To save face and avoid showing its divisions, the party ultimately yielded to the fait accompli and claimed responsibility for the operations, the analyst explains. Since Sunday, more rocket attacks on northern Israel and new Israeli airstrikes have been reported, the latest this morning in the southern suburbs of the capital, where a building was razed. Similarly, according to AFP, in Cyprus it is believed that the drones directed at UK military base on the island originated from Lebanon. Emergency cabinet meeting Recognising the extreme gravity of the situation, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held an emergency cabinet meeting yesterday morning. After five hours of heated debate with the two ministers representing Hezbollah, the government finally decided to "deem Hezbollah's security and military activities illegal" and to order the army to ban them "without delay," particularly north of the Litani River. The reason: Hezbollah's violation of the Taif Agreement and government resolutions stipulating the dissolution of militias and the concentration of armed forces solely in the hands of the Lebanese state. Michel Touma, director of the Levant-Time website, hailed the decision as a major turning point in Lebanon's political history, which marks a break in the relationship between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, whose ministers voted in favour of outlawing the security and armed activities of the pro-Iranian party. Thanks to contacts with the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, who is of Lebanese origin, the government's decision, deemed "courageous, secured a US commitment that Lebanon's civilian infrastructure would not be targeted. As a result, Beirut's international airport remained open. At the same time, the government decided that Lebanon would not respond militarily to Israeli aggression, but would only go through diplomatic channels, declaring itself ready to resume discussions within the monitoring commission established on 27 November 2024, whose meetings are currently suspended. This decision was made even though the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Rodolphe Haykal, who attended the cabinet meeting, had outlined a possible Plan B: a potential military response to Israeli aggression. However, this option was quickly dismissed as "suicidal" by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Armed Forces received orders to crack down on Hezbollah north of the Litani River, and letters rogatory were issued against certain security and military officials identified as having made the decision to attack Israel. Close to the Iranian people Earlier, the president issued a statement, offering condolences to Iranian victims of Israeli bombings, deliberately ignoring any expression of sorrow for the elimination of Irans Supreme Leader. Michel Helou, a leader of the National Bloc, on MTV called for Hezbollah leaders to be prosecuted and arrested for high treason. In any case, Lebanon fears that the Israeli military will take advantage of renewed hostilities to launch a new ground operation against Lebanon. This concern is heightened by Tel Avivs decision to recall 100,000 reservists. According to Pedro Ghanem, Washington correspondent for Al-Jadid television, Benyamin Netanyahu has reportedly obtained President Trump's approval for the "expansion" of the de facto buffer zone set up on the Lebanese border, an area where some twenty villages have already been razed and whose reconstruction is preventing through warning shots. On the Lebanese side, evacuation orders for in villages in southern Lebanon located far from the border remain unexplained. For thousands of students from southern villages, as well as for those from public schools converted into shelters, the 2025-2026 school year risks being jeopardised if this war continues. GATEWAY TO THE EAST IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY TUESDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Stephen George Renewed fighting between Pakistan and the Taliban is further exacerbating the precarious situation of families registered as refugees by the UNHCR but without a clear pathway to permanent resettlement. Often living incognito for security reasons, they fear repatriation to Afghanistan, under a government that persecutes them. One woman pleads: "I want my children to be able to grow up without fear. Islamabad (AsiaNews) In a modest neighbourhood a few steps from Islamabad's oldest church, Ms Mastora (name changed for security reasons) spends her days in quiet seclusion, her life shaped by exile, uncertainty, and an unshaken faith that once put her in grave danger. An Afghan convert to Christianity, she fled her homeland after the Taliban returned to power in 2021. For converts and members of other religious minorities, the takeover meant immediate risk, as leaving Islam is considered a serious offence under the group's strict interpretation of Islamic law. Many fled without any preparation, abandoning homes, possessions, and, in some cases, family members who could not escape. Today, Ms Mastora is registered with the UNHCR in Pakistan. However, registration has brought only partial relief. She cannot safely return to Afghanistan, but she also has no clear pathway to permanent resettlement. Like many refugees in similar circumstances, she lives in a state of prolonged waiting, dependent on limited assistance and the goodwill of local communities, a situation made even more precarious by the recent resurgence of fighting on the Pakistan-Afghan border. Mastora's situation reflects a broader, largely invisible crisis affecting Afghan Christian families scattered across Pakistan. Unlike other, larger refugee populations, these families often remain hidden for security reasons. Public visibility could expose them to threats, stigma, or unwanted scrutiny, both from hostile actors and from the precarious legal environment surrounding undocumented or partially documented migrants. Many arrived traumatised, having witnessed violence, received threats, or endured dangerous journeys across borders. Parents worry constantly about their childrens safety and future, particularly when access to formal schooling is uncertain. Families frequently share cramped accommodations to reduce costs, while adults struggle with the inability to work legally. The resulting financial strain can push households into debt, dependency, or exploitative working conditions. For families like Ms Mastora's, the fear of persecution is compounded by an equally uncertainty about their legal status in Pakistan. Recent deportation drives targeting undocumented or irregular migrants have created widespread anxiety among Afghan refugees, including those registered with the UNHCR but still lacking long-term protection. Many live in constant fear of arrest, detention, or forced repatriation, uncertain whether their documents will be recognised at checkpoints or during police operations. For Afghan Christians, in particular, deportation carries existential consequences: returning to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime would expose them to severe persecution, imprisonment, or worse, because of their faith. Families report limiting their movements, keeping children at home, and avoiding hospitals, schools, and public offices to reduce the risk of detection. Women and girls face additional vulnerabilities, including social isolation and heightened safety risks. In some cases, widows or women separated from male relatives must navigate unfamiliar urban environments alone while providing for their children. The absence of extended family networks, the cornerstone of social support in Afghan society, deepens the sense of uprootedness. Psychological distress is widespread. Aid workers report symptoms of chronic anxiety, insomnia, and depression among refugees who have suffered persecution and now face an indefinite future. For many, the inability to plan even for the next few months creates a sense that life is on hold. Amid these hardships, faith communities often become informal support systems. For Ms Mastora, the nearby church represents a fragile sense of belonging. Whenever possible, she attends discreetly, drawing strength in prayer and the presence of fellow believers. Religious institutions in Pakistan have historically played a quiet but significant role in assisting vulnerable migrants, providing food, counselling, and spiritual support where formal structures fall short. Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans for over four decades, often with limited international support. However, advocates note that smaller groups with specific vulnerabilities, including religious minorities, require tailored support and expedited resettlement options, because return to Afghanistan which Islamabad continues to pursue is not a viable or safe option. As evening falls over Islamabad, the church lights glow softly, visible from the surrounding streets. Families enter to pray, children linger in the courtyard, and the sounds of ordinary life continue, a contrast with the quiet uncertainty in which refugees like Ms Mastora live. I dont want to hide forever, she said. I want my children, and all families like ours to grow up without fear. Her appeal is not only personal. It speaks for a community of displaced Afghan Christians in Pakistan whose stories remain largely untold, their struggles unfolding behind closed doors and drawn curtains. For them, safety is not simply the absence of violence. It is the presence of recognition, legal protection, and the possibility of a future that goes beyond mere survival. Until then, families like Ms Mastora's continue to wait, hoping that the world will see them before their resilience gives way to despair. 3 March 2026 20:25 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Middle East is once again engulfed in fiery wars. American and Israeli aircraft are striking targets inside Iran, opening a new and perilous chapter in an already combustible region. That drama commands global headlines. Yet, further east, beyond the Persian Gulf and across the mountains of the Hindu Kush, another confrontation is sharpening, quieter but no less consequential. This article examines how the latest clashes began, why they escalated, and what strategic consequences they may produce. How it all began? On 2728 February 2026, Pakistans military launched air and artillery strikes deep into Afghan territory, including Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, marking one of the most significant escalations in years. Pakistans defence minister publicly framed this as an open war against the Afghan Taliban government. Pakistans armed forces report hitting 22+ Taliban targets, destroying dozens of military posts and claiming hundreds of enemy combatants killed, while suffering dozens of casualties on its side. Theatre-wide operations, named Operation Ghazab Lil Haq (Righteous Fury), marked a shift from reactive border engagements to direct strikes on regime-level military infrastructure. Your browser doesn't support video. Please download the file: video/mp4 Pakistan quickly retaliated, saying the Taliban had "miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations" across the border in its north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which had been met with an "immediate and effective response" by Islamabad's security forces. It then launched a series of bombing raids on Afghanistan in the early hours of Friday morning, striking targets in Kabul and in border provinces. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Afghan Taliban spokesman, published, then subsequently deleted, a post on X that the group had launched strikes early on Friday on Pakistani military positions in Kandahar and Helmand. The claims are yet to be verified. Why now? At the core of the crisis lies Pakistans long-standing accusation that Afghanistans Taliban authorities are either unwilling or unable to restrain the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad links the group to a surge in attacks inside Pakistan, including suicide bombings targeting mosques and security installations. The Afghan Taliban reject these accusations, insisting Afghan soil is not used to threaten other states. This unresolved security dilemma has created a cycle: militant attack inside Pakistan cross-border retaliation Taliban counter-response diplomatic breakdown The October ceasefire brokered by regional mediators collapsed under precisely this dynamic. Domestic political calculations Pakistans civilian and military leadership faces rising domestic pressure to demonstrate control amid insurgent violence. Strong military action signals resolve and restores deterrence credibility internally. For the Taliban, however, appearing weak in the face of Pakistani strikes risks undermining their domestic legitimacy. The movements historical identity is rooted in resistance. Failure to respond forcefully could fracture internal cohesion. Shifting regional environment The broader geopolitical backdrop matters. With the US and Israel engaged in active military operations against Iran, regional alignments are in flux. Tehran borders both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although Iran is not directly involved in the current clashes, its own military engagement and internal pressures reduce its capacity to mediate or stabilize eastern borders. What effect has this had? The Afghan Taliban has said it carried out air strikes on several targets within Pakistan on Friday morning. Sources in the Taliban government told the BBC these were conducted with drones launched from Afghanistan. A Pakistani military officer confirmed that Afghan Taliban drones targeted three locations, the army's artillery school in Nowshehra, one near a military academy in Abbottabad, and one that fell near a primary school in Swabi, but said all were destroyed. These attacks are still unprecedented. Taliban fighters are thought to rely predominantly on commercially available drones carrying improvised explosives, making their range and targeting capabilities limited. A spokesman for the Pakistani army said it had targeted 22 military sites across Afghanistan, including Kabul and Kandahar, and that "great care" had been taken to avoid civilian casualties. He claimed that at least 274 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed, with 73 posts inside Afghanistan destroyed and 18 captured. An estimated 115 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery systems were also destroyed, he said. Twelve Pakistani soldiers had been killed, 27 others injured, and one was missing in action, he said. Afghan Taliban spokesman Mujahid said 13 Taliban fighters had been killed and 22 others injured, while 13 civilians had been injured and an indeterminate number killed. He specifically said a farmer's home in Jalalabad had been bombed and the majority of his family killed, while a religious school in Paktika had also been attacked. The Taliban spokesman said 55 Pakistani soldiers had been killed, 23 of whose bodies had been taken back to Afghanistan. He also said others had been captured alive, while 19 bases had been destroyed. But was this clash a coincidence and what is next? As the US, Israel v Iran ablazing even further, can this escalation go even further? "It was writing on the wall: Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan tells AzerNEWS in his exclusive commentary: Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, President of the Center for Knowledge and Public Policy and a regional expert on China, CPEC, BRI and world affairs, argues that the recent escalation along the PakistanAfghanistan border was neither sudden nor accidental, but the result of prolonged strategic neglect by the Afghan Taliban. According to him, the Talibans complete denial, defiance and non-cooperative behavior in controlling and dismantling militant groups operating from Afghan soil made escalation inevitable. He maintains that Islamabad had repeatedly urged Kabul to take meaningful action against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), IS-KP and other armed factions allegedly regrouping in Afghanistan. It was writing on the wall that this situation would escalate, he states, pointing to the surge in suicide bombings and militant attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab as the tipping point that compelled Pakistans military and civilian leadership to act. He further claims that the unprecedented use of electronic warfare aircraft, tactical drones and quadcopters in attacks on Pakistani police, paramilitary units and frontier posts marked a dangerous qualitative shift in militant capabilities. These coordinated drone and physical assaults forced the armed forces of Pakistan to respond decisively, he argues, describing the retaliation as a necessary act of self-defence. Dr Khan insists that Islamabad pursued diplomatic engagement before turning to force. He cites attempts to engage Taliban authorities in Doha, Istanbul, Riyadh and Muscat to resolve infiltration concerns and cross-border militancy. Taliban only borrowed time but could not take any substantial actions, he says, adding that Islamabad perceived Kabuls outreach to New Delhi as strategically provocative. He also references a recent report by Russias foreign ministry, which, according to him, highlighted the regrouping and reactivation of TTP, TTA, BLA, IS-KP and Al Qaeda inside Afghanistan, developments he says pose a broader regional threat. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, briefed the media on what Pakistan calls Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. Dr Khan recounts that Afghan Taliban forces and affiliated militants allegedly attacked 53 locations along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa using armed quadcopters and heavy weaponry. Pakistans armed forces responded immediately and effectively, he states, claiming that all attacks were repulsed and drones neutralised. He cites official figures indicating that 274 Taliban regime personnel and affiliated fighters were killed and more than 400 injured during the operation. Seventy-three border posts were destroyed and eighteen captured, he says, describing this as evidence of Pakistans military superiority. According to his account, the Pakistan Air Force conducted strikes on 22 locations in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika. He emphasises that these were carefully selected military targets, including corps and brigade headquarters, ammunition depots and logistics bases allegedly used to support militant activity. At no place was any civilian infrastructure targeted, he asserts, dismissing reports circulating on social media as misinformation. He acknowledges that 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed, 27 injured and one reported missing in action. Dr Khan argues that the violence cannot be viewed in isolation. He alleges that Indian sponsorship, abetment and design underpin terrorist activity in Pakistan, further claiming that strategic coordination between New Delhi and Kabul has intensified. He references recent diplomatic engagements involving Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting these interactions signal a broader alignment detrimental to Pakistans security interests. He also raises concerns about what he describes as Israeli-linked non-governmental presence in Afghan provinces such as Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika and Paktia - areas he says overlap with TTP sanctuaries. These assertions, he argues, indicate a certain pattern that warrants further scrutiny. Strategic prescriptions Dr Khan concludes that Pakistan has sent a clear message: the Afghan Taliban must choose between cooperation with Islamabad and continued tolerance of militant networks. He proposes several policy measures: Consolidating military presence at captured posts. Considering the implementation of a buffer-zone strategy similar to the Syrian model along a defined stretch of the border. Exploring coordination with the National Resistance Front (NRF). Seeking Chinese assistance for enhanced aerial surveillance, including long-endurance drone capabilities. Deploying advanced anti-drone technologies and jamming systems to counter rudimentary drone attacks on cities such as Rawalpindi, Abbottabad and Swabi. Strengthening human intelligence networks, drawing lessons from counterinsurgency models in Iraq and Libya. Dr Khans assessment frames the current confrontation as part of a larger regional security equation. With instability spreading across multiple theatres, including the escalating military operations against Iran by the United States and Israel, he warns that militant reactivation in Afghanistan could create a multi-layered security crisis. In his view, the clashes are not merely tactical border incidents but a strategic inflection point. Whether they lead to sustained deterrence or prolonged low-intensity conflict will depend, he argues, on whether Kabul recalibrates its approach toward armed groups operating from its territory. Bottom line Diplomatic efforts gathered pace late on Friday as Afghanistan said its foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, had spoken with Saudi Arabias Prince Faisal bin Farhan about reducing tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open. The European Union urged both sides to de-escalate and engage in dialogue, while the United Nations urged an immediate end to hostilities. Russia urged a return to talks, while China said it was deeply concerned and ready to help ease tensions. The U.S. State Department said the U.S. supported Pakistans right to defend itself against attacks by the Taliban. What began as a border confrontation has rapidly escalated into one of the most serious exchanges between Pakistan and the Taliban-ruled Afghan state in years. The situation now combines large-scale air strikes, downed aircraft, drone exchanges and strong international diplomatic pressure, setting the stage for either a prolonged confrontation or a renewed, urgently needed ceasefire effort. 3 March 2026 07:00 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Iran entered this year following the forceful suppression of large-scale mass protests, marking a turbulent start to an already fragile political environment. Shortly thereafter, diplomatic efforts to ease tensions over Tehrans nuclear program stalled. The second round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran, held on February 17, ended without progress. A third round of talks took place in Geneva on February 26 but also failed to produce results. Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on the development of its nuclear program. In the early hours of February 28, Israel and the United States launched airstrikes against Iran. Following reports of the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, images circulated suggesting a divided public response inside the country. While some groups demonstrated support for the ruling establishment, others, particularly younger Iranians, reacted differently, with visible signs of relief or celebration. Against a backdrop of mounting social and political tensions, questions have arisen about the durability of Irans internal stability. To assess the situation, we spoke with Iranian political analyst Mohammad Rahmanifar, who argues that Iran is already deeply fragmented along social and political lines. According to Rahmanifar, a segment of the population remains loyal to the government due to ideological and religious convictions, particularly rooted in Shiite beliefs. A certain portion of the population stands behind the government and mourns Khameneis death, he said. For many of them, this is not only political but ideological and religious. I believe they will remain loyal to the government to the very end, as they have until now. However, he stresses that a broader segment of society, especially the youth, has grown weary of the current leadership. Over the past two decades, Iran has experienced repeated waves of large-scale protests, reflecting deep societal dissatisfaction. If we look at the timeline, particularly over the last ten years, we have witnessed major anti-government protests roughly every three years, Rahmanifar noted. Three years ago, there were widespread protests. Just one month ago, there were large-scale demonstrations again. Each time, the authorities suppressed them with significant bloodshed. He referred specifically to the protests in early January of this year, citing figures indicating that more than 30,000 people were allegedly shot and killed during the unrest. According to the analyst, the families of those victims remain deeply aggrieved, and the killing of Khamenei does not address or heal those wounds. In my personal view, Iran could fracture internally at any moment, Rahmanifar said. Even if the current government manages to withstand external military pressure from the United States and Israel - a prospect Rahmanifar views as uncertain - he believes domestic stability would remain elusive. Even if the government defends itself against the U.S. and Israel, it will not be able to restore order. On the contrary, many people appear to be watching how far this war will go and may be waiting for an opportunity to resume protests, he argued. Beyond the immediate political crisis, concerns are growing over potential ethnic and regional fragmentation within Irans multiethnic society. In particular, developments in Kurdish-populated areas have drawn attention. Rahmanifar claims that several Kurdish organizations have recently published maps that include cities in Irans South Azerbaijan region, such as Urmia and Sulduz, as part of a proposed Kurdish territory. In recent days, five Kurdish organizations have made statements in which they included certain South Azerbaijani cities in their maps, presenting them as Kurdish cities, he said. He further alleged that some of these groups are affiliated with or linked to organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its Iranian offshoot, PJAK, which he described as having a history of militant activity. According to Rahmanifar, political activists in cities such as Urmia and Tabriz have expressed greater concern about potential territorial claims by Kurdish groups than about the broader U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. The analyst also pointed to intensified airstrikes in western South Azerbaijani cities, questioning their strategic rationale. He cited attacks on locations such as Sayin Qala (Persian name - Shahin Dej), Sulduz, and facilities linked to local police and border guard commanders in Urmia. Some of these locations appear to have little strategic value for the United States or Israel, he said. This raises the question: what is the broader objective? Rahmanifar suggested that the strikes may be creating conditions for future developments on the ground. He claims there are preparations underway that could enable Kurdish armed groups to launch systematic operations in South Azerbaijan under the pretext of opposing the current Iranian government, while potentially seeking territorial gains. Such a scenario, he argues, would have broader regional implications, particularly for Turkiye and Azerbaijan, given the large population of ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Iran. There are millions of South Azerbaijani Turks, he said. In that context, specially Turkiye cannot remain indifferent to the fate of their ethnic kin. As tensions escalate both externally and internally, Iran faces a complex and volatile convergence of military confrontation, political unrest, and ethnic sensitivities, factors that together raise serious questions about the countrys near-term stability and territorial cohesion. 3 March 2026 17:59 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more To ensure lasting energy security, a country must either control and protect its own energy resources or cultivate dependable, long-term partnerships. Recent global developments have once again confirmed a fundamental reality: states ultimately act in their own national interests, and reliance on unstable or ill-considered partners can quickly expose strategic vulnerabilities. The temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz offers a striking example. As one of the worlds most critical maritime chokepoints, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies and substantial volumes of natural gas transit, any disruption there reverberates immediately across international markets. Such events reinforce the urgent need for diversified export routes and resilient supply chains. In response to growing geopolitical uncertainty, Europe has accelerated its search for alternative energy sources, particularly following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine War. A landmark step in this direction was the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Energy Sector signed between Azerbaijan and the European Commission. This agreement reflects Azerbaijans emergence as a reliable and strategically important energy partner for Europe. At the same time, ongoing peace efforts in the South Caucasus, including the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, have further strengthened regional stability, enhancing prospects for secure energy cooperation and long-term economic integration. Among emerging suppliers, Azerbaijan has firmly established itself as a strategic energy pillar for Europe. In 2025, Germany relied mainly on Norway, the United States (LNG), Belgium, and Russia (via EU states), while Austria sourced gas largely through Germany and Italy. Expanding westward, Azerbaijan began direct deliveries to Germany and Austria last year - translating credibility into concrete, long-term commitments. In June, SOCAR signed a 10-year supply agreement with Germanys state-owned SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe). Volumes will gradually rise to 15 terawatt-hours annually (around 1.5 bcm), alongside investments in upstream production and infrastructure, including gas compressors, strengthening Europes supply resilience. Azerbaijans reach extends further: it supplies Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, and Ukraine. Gas flows to Turkiye via the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), onward to Syria through Turkiyes network, and to Georgia via the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP). At the core is the Southern Gas Corridor, whose European section, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), has a capacity of 12 billion cubic meters per year. Deliveries through TAP to Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria began on December 31, 2020. Gas from the Shah Deniz field also reaches Turkiye via the South Caucasus Pipeline (BakuTbilisiErzurum) and TANAP, underscoring Azerbaijans role in Europes diversified energy network. Azerbaijans recent achievements underscore its growing strategic weight in regional and global energy markets. At the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Green Energy Advisory Council held in Baku, President Ilham Aliyev announced that the number of countries receiving Azerbaijani pipeline gas increased from 12 to 16 within a single year. By this measure, Azerbaijan ranks first globally in the number of countries supplied with gas via pipeline infrastructure. While Europe remains the most commercially significant destination, export routes have been successfully diversified beyond the continent. Notably, gas deliveries to Syria have commenced for the first time, contributing to efforts to mitigate acute electricity shortages there. President Aliyev emphasized that diversification is essential not only for importing nations but equally for producers, highlighting that Azerbaijans model of cooperation, built on shared interests among transit states and consumers, has underpinned its steady progress for more than a decade. At present, the Southern Gas Corridor is operating at full capacity, prompting consideration of expansion measures and additional interconnectors to meet rising demand. Yet Azerbaijans vision of energy security extends beyond hydrocarbons. The country is actively transforming itself from a traditional oil and gas exporter into a competitive producer and supplier of green energy. Flagship renewable projects illustrate this strategic shift. The 240 MW Khizi-Absheron wind power plant, financed by ACWA Power, and major solar initiatives developed in partnership with Masdar demonstrate the effective alignment of foreign investment with domestic expertise. At the same time, SOCAR and private sector actors are expanding their portfolios into alternative energy, reflecting strong market demand and long-term growth potential. Infrastructure development is advancing in parallel. Transmission networks are being strengthened, including planned electricity cables across the Black Sea to Europe and new connections from Central Asia to Azerbaijan. Relevant agreements have been concluded, and feasibility studies are approaching completion. The first phase of the 2026-2027 green energy development program envisages the construction of 10 solar and wind power plants. The construction has begun on a 445 MW solar plant in Bilasuvar and a 340 MW solar project in Jabrayil; and preparatory work is underway for a 240 MW wind project in Kalbajar, where wind potential is measured at elevations of 3,100 meters. By 2030, renewables are expected to account for 38% of installed capacity, with partner agreements providing for an additional 700 MW of onshore and offshore capacity. By 2032, Azerbaijan aims to generate between 6 and 8 gigawatts of electricity from alternative sources. As President Ilham Aliyev noted, once these projects are realized, they will be highly sustainable and hold existential importance for many countries energy corridors. Azerbaijan is consolidating its position as a gas supplier, extending its geographic reach, investing in infrastructure, and advancing renewable energy initiatives. If fully realized, these measures are expected to improve national energy resilience while contributing to the stability and long-term relevance of energy corridors that connect Europe, the Middle East, and other regions. 3 March 2026 16:20 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more As part of her trip to the Kyrgyz Republic, Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, has visited Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, AzerNEWS reports. She also presented the books published by the Foundation to the university library. During the visit, Foundation President, Professor Aktoty Raimkulova held a meeting with the University's Rector Professor Alpaslan Ceylan and Vice-Rector Professor Almaz Ibraev. During the meeting, the importance of cooperation with higher education institutions in preserving and promoting the common cultural and scientific heritage of the Turkish world was emphasized. It was noted that these publications will serve as important academic resources for students and researchers and will contribute to the expansion of studies related to the Turkish world. Finally, the parties expressed that joint efforts to develop mutually beneficial cooperation will continue. Established in 2012, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on the preservation of the Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third nations. The foundation provides assistance in the protection, study, and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects, and programs. The organization carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy. -------- Photo Credits: Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation 3 March 2026 10:18 (UTC+04:00) On March 3, the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council were held at the Baku Convention Center. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event. Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov said: - Your Excellency, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, Distinguished EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr. Dan Jrgensen, Dear ministers, ladies and gentlemen, It is my great honor to welcome you to the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. This gathering marks another significant milestone in our successful efforts to promote the balanced development of natural gas and renewable energy, as well as to further diversify regional energy connectivity. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to His Excellency, President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, for his steadfast leadership and unwavering support in driving this success. It is now my distinct privilege to invite President Ilham Aliyev to deliver the keynote address. x x x The President of Azerbaijan addressed the event. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I'd like to welcome all our guests. A special welcome to Mr. Commissioner he has just arrived and probably needs to be in bed now, but instead he is with us. We highly appreciate that he is participating in this important event, although we know that he had very busy meetings back in Brussels. So really, your presence once again demonstrates the strong partnership between European institutions and Azerbaijan in the area of energy, and not only. As always, we at the annual Advisory Council review what has been done since the last meeting and also plan our joint future steps in order to strengthen partnership cooperation in the field of energy security and sustainable energy supply. It has already been more than a decade that this initiative has demonstrated sustainability, and now we understand, maybe more than when we launched this initiative 12 years ago, how important it is to gather together and address important issues of energy security. Especially if we look back at these 12 years, we see different scenarios, different complications, challenges, and problems. But despite all those difficulties and very hard times in our region, energy security provided by Azerbaijan and its partners, to a number of countries, has really become something that we can feel on a daily basis. If we look at what has been done since we met last time in Baku last year, we again see progress. Every time we talk about progress. Last time I was addressing the audience, saying that we supply gas to 12 countries. Now the number of countries where Azerbaijani gas has reached its consumers has reached 16. And by this number, Azerbaijan is number one in the world with respect to the number of countries it supplies with pipeline gas. Last time I touched upon our plans to expand the geography of gas supplies. So, as you see, it has been done. Also, I think an important event was that our gas supplies have already reached other destinations beyond Europe. For the first time, we started to supply gas to Syria in order to help the Syrian people reduce the dramatic electric energy deficit. By supplying 1.5 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas to Syria, we helped the population be better protected and have more opportunities to do business and make enterprises functional, because everybody knows very well that without electricity you cannot achieve any development. So this was important for Syria, for the region, and for Azerbaijan because diversification of gas supplies for us, as for every country, is very important. We understand the challenges that countries which receive gas face with respect to diversification. But also for producers, diversification is an important factor. And again, we see positive dynamics in cooperation between the producer, Azerbaijan, transit countries, and consumers. And this unity and shared interests and shared benefits, I think, are the main reasons for our successful journey for more than a decade. With respect to our plans, yes, we want to increase our presence in the European energy market. We have already started to supply two more countries in Europe Germany and Austria. Thus, today, 10 members of the EU receive gas from Azerbaijan. In the coming years, with respect to the new production of gas from Azerbaijani fields, we may increase the output. But for that, definitely and we spoke about that last time we need to think about the expansion of the existing gas transportation infrastructure, because today the Southern Gas Corridor is already fully packed. We are looking for other extensions and interconnections in order to be able to supply as much as the market needs and probably will need even more, taking into account the current situation in the world, and in order to be able to export as much as we can. This year, we expect the beginning of production from the ACG deep gas field. We expected production to start last year, but it did not happen. But definitely, this year production will start. In two or three years, we expect the beginning of the full-phase development of the Absheron field, which will increase gas production from Absheron three times. We also expect the beginning of gas production from the second phase of the Umid field. With respect to our major source of natural gas, Shah Deniz, in 2028, we expect the beginning of production from a new phase of Shah Deniz. All these gas production profiles will allow us, at the maximum level of production, to reach an additional 10 to 15 billion cubic meters of gas. As I said earlier, for that we will need new markets, expansion of the existing pipeline system, and of course, we need to look at how to diversify our gas distribution network. Part of the discussions for several years at the Advisory Council has been the green agenda. And here also we can report good results. This January, we inaugurated the biggest wind power station in the region so far 240 megawatts financed and constructed by ACWA Power. This is an additional source of green energy to what we already had. In 2023, Masdar built a 230-megawatt solar power station. Several projects are already in the implementation phase, and we expect the inauguration of new renewable power stations in the coming years. Here, we have a good combination of foreign investors and local companies. Local companies, definitely SOCAR, but not only SOCAR private companies have also started to invest in renewables because we know that there is great potential and market demand. There are already transmission lines, but there will be more transmission lines. We need to work on that. We need to work jointly on energy cables, including the energy cable stretching from Azerbaijan to Europe across the Black Sea and the energy cable from Central Asia to Azerbaijan. Both agreements have been signed. The feasibility study has almost been completed for one project and will be completed for the other. If we look forward to when all these projects are materialized, we will see that they will be very sustainable and, I would say, existential for many countries' energy corridors. Our renewable plans are based on contracts that have already been signed. I would like to underline that they are contracts, not MOUs so they are contractual obligations. By 2032, we expect 6 to 8 gigawatts of electric power from renewable sources. This, of course, is a big asset. We need to export it and use this electricity for domestic purposes to substitute the natural gas that we are currently using to produce electricity and to provide conditions for a growing economy and growing industry, including our plans with respect to the communications sector, AI, and data centers all of which are projects already in the pipeline, especially after the signing last month here in Baku between the Vice President of the United States and myself of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan, which covers many areas, including AI, energy, connectivity, and many others. So the realization of our plans, having the United States the biggest power as our strategic partner seems to be absolutely realistic. We have been investing and continue to invest in hydropower stations. These projects are being implemented in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation. So far, 307 megawatts of hydropower stations have already joined our system. Our plans are to almost double that, maybe in two or three years, which will give us additional potential and cheap energy. So hydro, solar, wind, potentially thermal we are now investigating this issue gas, and all the combinations that is how it should be. Coming back to what we discussed even at COP29, when we were hosting this climate conference, I said then though I realized it was not in line with the trend at that time that you cannot ignore fossil fuels. If you ignore fossil fuels, that means you live in your dreams. We all want to have a safe and clean planet. We all do not want to see the complications of climate change. And by the way, here one can see how the Caspian Sea is shrinking year after year. But at the same time, we need to treat this issue from the point of view of pragmatism and realism, not from the point of view of ideology. The combination of fossil fuels and renewables, and especially appreciation of the efforts of countries like Azerbaijan which has reserves that can be enough for the country and its neighbors for 100 years of fossil fuels, but nevertheless is investing billions in renewables I think this is how it should be. I am sure all these issues will be discussed at today's event, and we will come up with good solutions. I would also like to underline that Azerbaijan plays an important role as a reliable transit country for energy resources. We provide important oil transit for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and year after year, the volume of oil transported through our system is growing. We are capable and have the infrastructure to receive more oil from the eastern shores of the Caspian. With respect to our efforts on the European energy market, I think it is important for the audience to know that we recently acquired one of the biggest power stations in Turkiye 870 megawatts. Last month, a contract was signed with Serbia to build a 500-megawatt power station there. Our contribution to energy security is not limited to our boundaries or to the Southern Gas Corridor. Among important achievements for us is also the acquisition of two refineries in Italy with a total capacity of 10 million tons. If we add that to what we already have on the Turkish Aegean coast a 12-million-ton refinery in total we will have 22 million tons of refinery capacity in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions, which will definitely help provide sustainable supplies of oil products. Thousands of petrol stations are also part of the deal. So I do not want to take much of your time. I know that you will be very busy, but I just wanted to underline the main milestones that are important to understand our plans, what has been done, and what we are planning to do. I am sure that, as always, the meeting will be productive, constructive, and result-oriented. Thank you very much. x x x Parviz Shahbazov: Your Excellency, Mr. President, we are extremely grateful for your invaluable remarks. The Advisory Council established with a visionary initiative has evolved into a vital platform, as you have mentioned already in your speech, and it underscores the importance of diversification, predictable investments, and partnership in ensuring energy security and connectivity. We deeply appreciate your continued support and extend our heartfelt thanks. With your permission, I now turn to the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr. Dan Jrgensen. Azerbaijan's key energy projects are Europe-focused, shaping the ever-evolving Azerbaijan-EU strategic energy partnership. Mr. Jrgensen, the floor is yours. x x x Speech by Commissioner Dan Jrgensen - Thank you, Minister, President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I am extremely delighted to be here today, and I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the warm welcome extended here in Baku, and I thank all of you for accepting our invitation today. They say that good things come in threes. So today is the third day of the third month, so it seems appropriate that I share with you three key points for our discussion. First of all, energy security. In 2020, gas started flowing from Azerbaijan to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor. In 2022, the strategic importance of the corridor became abundantly clear. When Russia began its war of aggression and its weaponization of energy, the European Union took the decision to diversify our energy supplies. To replace Russian energy, we turned to our most trusted and reliable partners, and Azerbaijan was chief amongst these. Since then, we have significantly increased natural gas deliveries through the Southern Gas Corridor. And since late 2020, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline has already delivered more than 50 billion cubic metres of Caspian gas to Europe. With the help of Caspian gas, the EU's dependency on Russian gas fell from 45% of overall imports in 2022 to 12% in 2025, and these numbers will continue to fall. In less than two years, the remaining 35 billion cubic metres of Russian gas that we are still importing every year will be out of our markets. The 10 billion euros per year that the EU spends on this gas bill will no longer finance Russia nor its aggression against Ukraine. We continue to reduce our dependencies on Russian gas, and the importance of our partnership with Azerbaijan will increase, bringing benefits for Europe's energy security and Azerbaijan's economy. Since the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline started commercial deliveries, Azerbaijan has earned around 24 billion euros in natural gas export revenues from EU buyers through 2024. My visit today is an opportunity to make it very clear. Azerbaijan's gas supplies will remain an important backbone of the EU's energy security. The EU will remain a reliable purchaser of Azerbaijani gas for the foreseeable future, underpinning structural transformation in the Azerbaijani economy. Let me turn to my second point. The future of energy security lies in the clean transition and electrification. In the EU, we are deploying renewable energy capacity at record levels. In 2025, for example, renewables generated 45% of our electricity, while EU retail electricity prices remain stable compared to the year before. I know that Azerbaijan also foresees electrification as a catalyst to reduce domestic fossil fuel consumption, therefore opening additional opportunities for gas export revenues. Moreover, I know that there is enormous potential for electrification throughout the whole region, especially when it comes to heating in households and industries. With a view to COP31 in Turkiye, let us therefore put the electrification higher on the agenda and identify concrete areas for closer collaboration. Here, let me highlight the role of the EU cleantech industry. The EU offers a world-class cleantech ecosystem from grid technologies and storage to renewables and hydrogen, as well as digital and cyber security solutions. To unlock the potential of this offer and to mobilize private capital at scale, we need transparent and competitive procurement schemes, clear market-driven regulation, and long-term predictability. With these conditions in place, EU companies are ready to engage and commit, bringing financing capacity, technological excellence, and high standards in cybersecurity and system reliability. So, let me turn to my final point, regional connectivity. In the Black Sea Strategy, the EU committed to a connectivity agenda, aiming to improve transport, energy, and digital connections with the Black Sea region, Turkiye, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. The connectivity agenda does three things. One, it provides a shared strategic framework. Two, it prioritizes reforms. Three, it links investments with policy. There is a mutual interest in advancing this agenda. Regional electricity connectivity helps to reduce energy system costs, facilitate the integration of renewable energy, and enable two-way electricity flows and trading. This will increase regional power trade and ensure that we make the best use of regionally distributed renewable energy resources. Connectivity must also be understood in an integrated way, encompassing both hard infrastructure and soft connectivity, including regulatory convergence, market integration, and improved governance frameworks. The EU stands ready to explore further opportunities to strengthen energy connectivity and the energy transition in the region, including through the mobilization of guarantees and blended finance instruments. The active involvement of the private sector will be essential, and EU companies bring significant added value in expertise, innovation, and standards. The EU will also stand ready to support partner countries in the region to go further in strengthening their energy regulations. The recently launched third phase of the EU4Energy programme will further advance this work and provide concrete technical support on bilateral and regional levels. It is great to see the plans for cross-border electricity interconnections that have been announced over the last years. Considering the number of initiatives announced, it is important that these projects are implemented based on sound economic and system integration analysis. I look forward to the results of the feasibility studies currently being implemented. Dear friends, to conclude, let me once again thank you, Your Excellency, President Aliyev, for welcoming us here today, and let me thank you for giving us the opportunity to deepen our discussions and reinforce our relationships. In these turbulent times, these relationships are more important than ever. President, last year when we met, we did indeed say These are complex times. Now, unfortunately, they're even more complex. And with these objectives in mind, I thank you for your time and look forward to our discussions. Thank you. x x x Parviz Shahbazov: Commissioner Jrgensen, thank you for your insightful speech. With your co-chairmanship, we believe that the strategic energy dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EU will continue to develop and yield fruitful results. This concludes our opening session. Mr. President, thank you very much for being with us today. x x x The meeting was attended by representatives from 27 countries, including Azerbaijan and various European nations, 11 international financial institutions and organizations, and 49 energy companies. Participants include ministers, deputy ministers, and other high-ranking officials. Following the opening session, the summit continued with a Ministerial Meeting and plenary sessions titled Southern Gas Corridor Session: Sustaining Success and Driving the Next Phase of Development of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Projects. The EU-Azerbaijan Green Connectivity Investment Roundtable will be held as part of the Advisory Council. At the end of the event, a press conference will be held on the outcomes of the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting has been held since February 2015. 3 March 2026 14:18 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan has held talks with TotalEnergies on the full-scale development of the Absheron gas-condensate field, as part of broader energy cooperation efforts. As reported by AzerNEWS, Azerbaijans Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov shared details of the discussions on his official X account. The minister said he met with TotalEnergies Senior Vice President Martina Oppizi to review progress on the next phase of the Absheron fields development. The parties also explored measures to reduce the carbon footprint of operations and discussed cooperation on a 35 MW wind power plant project, which will be implemented as part of the next stage of grid strengthening. The talks reflect Azerbaijans continued focus on expanding gas production while integrating renewable energy solutions and improving sustainability in its energy sector. 3 March 2026 16:42 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan is rapidly emerging as a strategic hub for regional electricity and green energy interconnectors at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. This role is being further strengthened through the development of the Middle Corridor and the international Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity. As reported by AzerNEWS, the statement was made by Azerbaijans Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, during his address at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council, held in Baku. According to the minister, strategic cooperation with international partners once again underscores the importance of diversifying energy and data connectivity, as well as supply routes across the Caspian and Black Sea regions. He emphasized Azerbaijans indispensable role within this evolving architecture. Shahbazov highlighted that through the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe and Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Europe routes, including direct connections via Nakhchivan and transit options through Armeni, as well as the Trans-Caspian and EastWest Green Energy Corridors, the renewable energy potential of Azerbaijan and Central Asia is being integrated into a unified system. With the addition of fiber-optic components, these projects will establish a long-term, diversified electricity and data bridge with Europe, the minister noted. 3 March 2026 14:57 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The United States Department of Defense has significantly reinforced its military presence in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, deploying additional air, naval and ground resources, AzerNEWS reports via Flightradar data. This buildup includes aircraft, strike groups and support forces positioned in the region as part of preparations for sustained operations. While there is no full-scale ground invasion reported so far, U.S. commanders have not ruled out the possibility of deploying troops inside Iranian territory if required. President Donald Trump has publicly stated that military operations against Iran may last weeks rather than days. In recent remarks he said the campaign was planned to span roughly four to five weeks but could extend far longer if necessary, framing the effort as part of achieving strategic objectives in the region. This reflects a shift from earlier expectations of a short campaign to a longer engagement, even though the White House has occasionally offered differing estimates. On the Iranian side, authorities have declared that the country is ready for an extended period of hostilities. Iranian leadership, including its national security chief, has stated that Tehran has prepared itself for a long war in response to the strikes, highlighting its willingness to continue military actions if necessary. The broader conflict has already triggered aerial exchanges, escalated tensions across the Gulf, and drawn international attention to the risk of wider instability. Israeli officials have said the campaign could take some time but suggested it would not necessarily expand into a protracted multi-year conflict. 3 March 2026 15:32 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Cooperation between the European Union, Azerbaijan and Ukraine is playing an increasingly important role in shaping a new energy architecture for Europe. As reported by AzerNEWS, the statement was made by Artyom Nekrasov, First Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine, during the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council held in Baku. According to Nekrasov, expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Central European countries opens new prospects for increasing natural gas exports to the European market. The development of additional transportation routes and the use of regional infrastructure would help diversify sales markets, improve the efficiency of the Southern Gas Corridor, and create new commercial opportunities for Azerbaijani energy companies. He emphasized that further development of the Southern Gas Corridor, including the expansion of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), as well as the commissioning of new fields in the Caspian region, would lay the groundwork for significantly increasing natural gas supplies to Europe. In this system, Azerbaijan acts as a reliable resource supplier, the European Union as the primary sales market, and Ukraine could serve as a key infrastructure and logistics hub ensuring flexibility and stability of energy flows in the region, Nekrasov said. He added that the deepening of natural gas cooperation between the European Union, Azerbaijan and Ukraine has the potential to become one of the central pillars of a new, more sustainable and diversified European energy architecture. 3 March 2026 16:00 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On March 3, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov held a phone conversation with Chairman of the Government of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, AzerNEWS reports, citing Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet noted that the two sides discussed current issues on the agenda of AzerbaijanRussia trade and economic cooperation. The parties noted positive growth dynamics in bilateral trade turnover and reviewed prospects for implementing joint projects across various sectors of mutual interest. During the conversation, the Russian side expressed its gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for assisting in the swift evacuation of Russian citizens from the Iran amid the complex regional situation. The prime ministers also underscored the importance of the recent visit to Baku by a delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government. They welcomed the agreement to hold the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Azerbaijan in April this year. Taking the opportunity, Asadov congratulated Mishustin on his 60th anniversary and wished him continued success in his state duties. 3 March 2026 17:02 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On March 3, 2026, the President of SOCAR, Rovshan Najaf, met with the Chairman of the Board of Slovak energy company SPP, Juraj Ondris, to discuss expanding bilateral energy cooperation, AzerNEWS reports. According to a statement released by SOCAR, the sides expressed satisfaction with the successful collaboration between Azerbaijan and Slovakia in the energy sector. They highlighted the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor in strengthening Europes energy security. The parties also underlined the significance of the launch of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Slovakia in December 2024, describing it as a key milestone in bilateral energy relations. During the meeting, the two executives exchanged views on prospects for further expanding cooperation between SOCAR and SPP, as well as on other issues of mutual interest. 3 March 2026 21:20 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Iran held a mass funeral for 165 schoolgirls and staff killed on Saturday in what Iranian authorities have described as a United StatesIsraeli attack on a girls school in the southern city of Minab, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The Israeli military, however, stated that it had no knowledge of any Israeli or US operations in the area. In past conflicts, Israel has repeatedly denied involvement in deadly attacks on civilians, only to later acknowledge some incidents as accidental when incontrovertible evidence emerged. Footage broadcast by Iranian state television on Tuesday showed thousands of mourners filling a public square in Minab. Men waved the flag of the Islamic Republic while maintaining distance from women draped in black chadors. From the stage, a woman claiming to be the mother of one of the victims, Atena, held up printed images of the deceased, calling them a document of American crimes, and added, They died in the way of God. The crowd responded with chants of Death to America, Death to Israel, and No surrender. The attack occurred shortly after the US and Israel announced joint strikes on Iranian targets, marking the deadliest civilian casualty incident in the ongoing conflict with Tehran. Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike on Monday, accusing the US and Israel of deliberately targeting schoolchildren. These are graves being dug for more than 160 innocent young girls who were killed in the US-Israeli bombing of a primary school. Their bodies were torn to shreds, Araghchi wrote on X, alongside images of freshly dug graves. Observers note that the incident has dramatically escalated tensions in the region, with fears that the tragedy could trigger widespread protests and harden anti-Western sentiment across the Middle East. Humanitarian groups have also called for urgent investigations into the attack to determine accountability and prevent further civilian casualties. 3 March 2026 23:50 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Amazon Web Services reported that drones struck three of its facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain following US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The incidents occurred on Sunday morning. AWS initially reported that unidentified objects had hit a data centre in the UAE, causing sparks and fire. Later that day, the company said it was investigating power and connectivity disruptions at a facility in Bahrain. On Monday, AWS confirmed that drone strikes were responsible for the outages. These incidents underscore the vulnerability of critical technology infrastructure, such as data centres, during periods of military conflict. Analysts note that disruptions to cloud services in the region could have ripple effects on businesses and governments that rely on real-time data, highlighting the growing intersection of technology and geopolitical risk. Interestingly, experts say that this may accelerate efforts by tech companies to reinforce the physical security of key facilities and diversify data storage locations, potentially reshaping how cloud infrastructure is protected in conflict-prone regions. 3 March 2026 18:50 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have purchased a mansion on the exclusive artificial island of Indian Creek million, real estate representatives told the agency, AzerNEWS reports. Indian Creek, located in Miami-Dade County are Jeff Bezos Amazon, financier Carl Icahn, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Observers note that the purchase underscores the growing appeal of private, highly secured enclaves for the worlds ultra-rich, offering both privacy and proximity to Miamis cultural and economic hubs. Some analysts also see Indian Creek as a microcosm of the trend of billionaires consolidating wealth and influence in ultra-exclusive communities. Interestingly, this acquisition positions Zuckerberg and Chan among a rarefied group of tech moguls who combine luxury living with strategic privacy, signaling that the island remains one of the most coveted addresses for the global elite. Polling shows that over 80% of Americans support the SAVE America Act, a bill to require photo voter ID to vote, prove US citizenship to register to vote, and limit mail-in voting. Check Schumer rants that it is "Jim Crow 2.0". Unfortunately, a handful of leftwing "Republicans" are siding with Schumer and opposing the SAVE America act. "China Mitch" McConnell, with a long record of selling out to Democrats is one. Alaska's leftie Lisa Murkowski is another. However, we have another right here in North Carolina in "Traitor Thom" Tillis. Tillis says he is a "NO" on the SAVE America Act unless he can preserve the fillibuster. The supporters of the SAVE America Act are not trying to end the filibuster, just go back to requiting a "standing filibuster" as was done throughout American history until recently, where mounting a filibuster meant having the senators on your side have to stand and talk until they ran out of time and a vote could be had. McConnell moved to a "virtual filibuster" where legislation that lacked 60 votes was simply not considered. Passing th3e SAVE America Act can be done by requiring a talking filibuster. The Democrats might waste a month of senate time mounting their filibuster, but eventually it would come to a vote and pass. Tillis cares more about keeping the virtual filibuster than he does passing legislation crucial to the integrity of American elections. https://dailyhaymaker.com/now-tillis-is-screwing-up-and-thwarting-voter-id/ Call Tillis' office and tell him to support the SAVE America Act. 202-224-6342 or 919-856-4630. With "Republicans" like Tillis, who even needs Democrats? Bennington, VT (05201) Today Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 62F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 40F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. 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. Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Subscribe today. Cancel anytime. Subscribe now for 99 Subscriber Sign In | Return Home This spring, the survey will be used to help direct efforts to put together an open space plan required by the state in order qualify for grants for open space acquisition and parks. Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Ruth Bass is an award-winning journalist. Her website is ruthbass.com. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of The Berkshire Eagle. Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. David French is a New York Times columnist writing about law, culture, religion, and armed conflict. Previously, he served in the JAG Corps of the U.S. Army and co-founded the conservative media company The Dispatch. 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. Dublin Airport Authoritys public relations manager Graeme McQueen has warned that Tuesday will be another day of disruption" with all flights cancelled from airports in the Middle East. Speaking on Newstalks Claire Byrne show, McQueen said that so far today, 16 flights had been cancelled with more cancellations anticipated for tomorrow. There is no end in sight to this; you're probably talking around 15,000 passengers discommoded since Saturday. We've got five aircraft sitting on the airfield at Dublin airport since Saturday. Normally, they'd be going back and forth continuously. I think we're all just waiting to see what happens next. McQueen said that Irish passengers waiting at airports in the Gulf were being looked after by airlines with accommodation while they try to rebook flights home. I understand the airline's customer service teams are very busy at the moment, so if you can't get through straight away, please just be patient, work with the teams, they will get to you in time," he said. Advertisement "But a lot of people, we're getting contacted from people trying to get back from Australia, they would come through on those Middle Eastern flights, people here trying to go the other way as well, so when you've got no end in sight, it's hard for them to rebook. McQueen explained that airlines make decisions late because they want to see if it is possible to get flights away, so while the schedule might show some flights for tomorrow, they are unlikely to take off unless the airspace opens up. We're in constant contact with the airlines, we're working very hard to accommodate any passengers who arrive at Dublin Airport, welfare packs and things like that, so we're doing all we can, but it's a very difficult situation. Your airline is the only one who can tell you whether your flight is going to run, so contact them, get on their online channels, keep an eye on your email, keep an eye on your text messages as well. They're trying to contact you to let you know what's happening with your flight," he said. If you don't get through the first time, just keep trying because they are very busy. McQueen said that some people who urgently needed to get to Australia were taking alternative routes via the USA, which was not ideal. Campaigners including musician Bressie, are hoping to get the names of over 50,000 patients of 18 former mental hospitals across Ireland, who lie in unmarked graves, released and remembered on memorial walls. Relatives who spent 14 years trying to find and mark their beloved great-grandmother's resting place at St Loman's Hospital in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, have now decided to extend their campaign to give dignity to thousands of others across the country who were buried with only numbers to identify them. So far, 14 families of the 1300 in Mullingar have claimed the graves of their family members whose simple white crosses were removed unceremoniously from the remembrance site in 2011. Now, many of the graves interred at the Westmeath facility between 1907 and 1970 lie unmarked in an overgrown area. Psychotherapist and musician Kathy Crinion and her cousin Julianne Clarke helped found the website 'Friends of Julie' with campaigners as a platform to encourage other families to reach out. Advertisement Most of these crosses were removed in 2011 to facilitate the mowing of the grass, according to Julianne. "This whole campaign was started when Kathy and myself went to exhume our great-grandmother Julia Leonard, who was committed by her husband when she was 30 and pregnant," she said. "She was carted off to St Loman's mental asylum, and her children, aged between 18 months and nine years of age, were sent to the workhouse in Trim. "Julia gave birth to a little boy in the hospital, and he was taken away at three months and also sent to the workhouse in Mullingar. She never saw her children again, and the baby was told she had died. "She eventually died of heart failure at the age of 54 years old and was buried at the hospital with a metal cross over her and just a number, 339, instead of a name to denote who she was." Their search began when they decided to try to get Julie's body exhumed and buried beside her son, their grandfather, but they couldn't find her grave. Eventually, they put a white cross up on the site they believe is her grave and ensured her name was on the cross. More and more families came forward to do the same. Now the campaigners are urging families of other people who were patients of psychiatric hospitals to erect a white cross with their relative's name on it. These centres were based in Galway, Clare, Waterford, Dublin, Kilkenny, Sligo, Cork, Limerick, Laois, Carlow, Donegal, Monaghan, Tipperary, Westmeath and Kerry. Advertisement "We want the HSE to release the names of these people and remember them with memorial walls and crosses at their graves. "Why are people interred in public cemeteries afforded dignity by having their names above their resting places, but these people can't. Why is there still such a stigma these days on people who were put into these asylums, who often had no mental health problems? "There were 18 former lunatic asylums, which is what they were called, in the Republic of Ireland, and we know over 50,000 so-called patients were buried on their grounds. "Many of these people led a tragic life, taken from their family only to be left in unmarked and overgrown graves, without any dignity or respect and still kept away from their families who may want to claim them generations later. These people all have names." Musician and mindfulness student Bressie, who has often spoken out about the stigma attached to mental health, said: "We talk a lot about mental health stigma in Ireland and how we can erode it. "To erode it, we must understand where it comes from. Julia's story helps us to understand that. And it's a story that embedded itself in me. It feels like she is urging us all to tell her story." Further information on the campaign can be found at friendsofjulia.com All regional HSE centres were contacted for comment. HSE Dublin/Midlands said that, in relation to St Fintan's, Portlaoise, and St Loman's, Mullingar, they acknowledge conservation and management of unmarked graves is a sensitive and complex matter. Advertisement "It is important to note that as many of the people buried in former psychiatric hospital graveyards could have been patients of those hospitals at the time of their death, confirming whether a named person is buried in such a graveyard would also indicate that they may have received mental health treatment. "This information is treated as a healthcare record under the Freedom of Information Act. Patient information remains confidential even after death, and as a result, burial information of the graves should only be provided to a persons next of kin, by the organisation with governance over that site." "Mental Health Services in HSE Dublin and Midlands are fully committed to the restoration of the graveyard located on the St Lomans Campus, Mullingar, to appropriately honour and memorialise those buried there," the HSE said. "This work is being carried out through a dedicated project currently underway, involving the conservation and restoration of the graveyard in line with professional archaeological and architectural guidance." The project is overseen by a steering group operating in partnership with interested family members and the HSE. A contractor has been appointed to complete restoration works, with a target completion date at the end of Q1 2026. Significant progress has been made to date, the HSE added. "The HSE remains committed to ensuring the graveyard is treated with dignity and respect, and that the restoration works reflect the wishes of families and the local community." A memorial monument was installed at the graveyard at St Fintans Hospital, Portlaoise (formerly Maryborough Mental Hospital) in memory of those buried there in 2008, the statement said. The Taoiseach has been accused of offering a defence for brazen breaches of international law, as opposition parties charged him with refusing to condemn US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Micheal Martin was further accused of soft pedalling the Governments approach to appease the US administration, ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump later this month. During Leaders Questions in the Dail dominated by the Governments response to the conflict, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the US-Israel assault on Iran was an act of aggression that threatens to set the entire Middle East ablaze. She said: A sovereign state has been bombed, its leader assassinated, 185 innocent schoolgirls killed. These are not defensive actions, they are the actions of powerful states acting in defiance of international law. Advertisement McDonald said the Iranian government is brutal and repressive but this did not license another state to set aside international law and engage in military aggression. History will see October 7 as a disastrous catalyst for the uncertainty and instability in the world Micheal Martin She asked Martin to condemn the US-Israeli strikes without qualification and state clearly that they are in breach of international law. Martin replied: Ireland is in favour of a multilateral, rules-based international order, and have consistently advocated for same. And we believe in immediate de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and particularly in Iran and we believe these issues ultimately, in terms of sustainable resolution of this, has to be via the diplomatic channels. However, he argued that the multilateral order has been dysfunctional for quite some time and said the UN Security Council has been paralysed and powerless in holding repressive regimes to account. For a long time now, Iran has been a very malign influence in the world and in the Middle East. Why is it that you will not call out this aggression and name it for what it is? Mary Lou McDonald He added: There was no UN mandate for this action. No one is saying there was. There wasnt. But its impossible to get a UN mandate for even peacekeeping now. Martin went on to blame Hamass attack on Israel in 2023 for the wider instability in the region. I think history, in reflecting on this period, will see October 7th as a disastrous catalyst for the uncertainty and instability in the world. McDonald said his response was very dangerous and criticised his concern for stopping short of condemning those that have launched this attack. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Niall Carson/PA) She told the Taoiseach: You have effectively offered a defence and a rationale for the indefensible and brazen breach of international law. These strikes were launched while negotiations over Irans nuclear programme were reportedly making progress, while diplomacy was under way and while talks were described as constructive and now, instead of dialogue, we have missiles. Advertisement Instead of dialogue and negotiation, we have assassination and we have dead schoolgirls in large, large numbers. So why is it that you will not call out this aggression and name it for what it is? Martin contended he was a multilateralist who believed in peaceful resolution to conflict. He said: You can put whatever spin you like on my contribution, but Im very clear in respect of those basic principles in terms of the conduct of international affairs. The Fianna Fail leader further accused Sinn Fein of a lack of clarity for supporting the US Republican Party and Maga candidates, which was met with objections among the partys benches. Labour leader Ivana Bacik (Brian Lawless/PA) Labour leader Ivana Bacik accused Martin of doublespeak by criticising the mechanisms of the UN Security Council while failing to recognise that multilateral institutions had contained Irans nuclear capabilities. She accused Martin of soft pedalling the national response in fear of upsetting Washington before he meets Trump for St Patricks Day. The Taoiseach said: St Patricks Day will come and go its the more enduring, sustainable relationship between the US and Ireland thats important. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns also accused Martin of a very long-winded way of saying the Government will not condemn the breach of international law. The Government is to charter a flight to assist its citizens in the Middle East. It comes after several days of escalating tensions and attacks between Iran, Israel and the United States, which has spread to neighbouring nations in the Middle East. The missiles have also caused major disruption to flights in the region. The government has estimated that between 22,000 and 23,000 Irish citizens are in the area, and a relatively low number have already left. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, said she hopes the flight from Oman will be the first of many. I am highly aware of the large numbers of Irish citizens in the UAE as the current conflict continues Helen McEntee She told RTE that the government will be contacting Irish citizens in the Middle East on Wednesday to travel home on a charter flight for around 280 people. The first and the quickest and the best option is still for commercial airlines to bring people home, particularly given so much of our population is in the UAE, is in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and weve seen over the last few days a number of flights that have been taking off, she said. Advertisement Not all of them to the west, many of them are heading east, but on those flights we have Irish people, and were engaging directly with those airlines to see if we can we in the coming days, ensure that some of those direct flights are coming to Dublin. In a statement, Ms McEntee said the first flight will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in the UAE, particularly those who are non-resident and who are vulnerable. I am highly aware of the large numbers of Irish citizens in the UAE as the current conflict continues, she said. In this context, I asked our consular crisis team today to activate plans for an assisted departure. Our team will now take the necessary steps to finalise a first government of Ireland charter flight for Irish citizens to depart the region from Oman airport in the coming days, provided security and operational considerations permit. This first charter flight will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in the UAE, particularly those who are non-resident, and who are vulnerable and require assistance most urgently. She said: Those citizens requiring the most assistance will be contacted directly by my department in the coming days. I would ask for everyones patience as our most vulnerable citizens are contacted in this first phase of our response to this crisis. We will continue to offer consular assistance to all citizens in the region. All citizens should register with the appropriate embassy if they have not already done so and continue to follow our embassy social media accounts for the latest updates. Tanaiste Simon Harris said ministers were monitoring the situation in the Middle East (PA) Ireland Dalkey residents 'hot under the collar' concerning couple's sauna and steam room Read more Earlier, Tanaiste Simon Harris said the Government is continuing to monitor the situation globally and any potential impact for Europe. He said all options are on the table to assist Irish citizens who need help out of the region. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there was no question US strikes on Iran took place without a UN mandate, as he called for de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table. A murder accused told gardai that he repeatedly punched his friend in self-defence after he "came at" him, having drunkenly asked the defendant's mother for sex three times, a jury has heard. "I didn't think it was that bad, I didn't consider he would die of his injuries. I didn't plan this. He is my friend, it happened," Tomas Cypas told detectives. He denied stamping on the deceased's head. Cypas (35), with an address at Foxborough Road, Lucan, Co Dublin, has pleaded notguilty to murdering Juris Kokenbergs (49) at Old Bridge Park, Lucan, Co Dublin on October 28th 2024. Detective Garda Neil McGrath told Conor Devally SC, prosecuting, that five interviews were conducted with the accused beginning on October 28, 2024 Cypas told gardai that he visited his mother at Old Bridge Park on October 26 to celebrate her birthday and have "some drinks" Advertisement The accused said Mr Kokenbergs was already "pretty drunk" when he arrived at his mother's house. He said he wouldn't have invited his friend if he knew he was in that state. Mr Cypas said there was an argument between him and Mr Kokenbergs, adding: "It started over him [the deceased] telling my mam to go up and have sex with him. He said it three times. The first two times I didn't hear him, but the third time I heard him". "My mam laughed the first time. The second time, she slapped him. The third time he asked, could she suck his d**k. That's when I heard and told him to leave. I grabbed him from behind and told him to leave. This was in the kitchen, and then we made our way to the exit". "When he struck me with a right elbow, he hit me at the top of the chest. That's when I struck him in the face. It happened so quick. I struck him with my left and right hand". Cypas described his friend as being "so drunk" that "he didn't seem to know who he was talking to.....he had been drinking for two weeks straight". Cypas said Kokenbergs "came at" him first and had "started the punches", so he acted in self-defence. The accused said he hit the deceased up to eight times in the face and didn't "mean to hurt him or anything". The accused said he had used both his hands, and most of the punches were to the face. "I busted his nose, I busted his lip. I think he got a black eye on the left side. That's when he went down on his knees, he could barely stand". Advertisement The accused said he carried Kokenbergs to the sofa and put a pillow under his head as well as a blanket over him. "I wasn't thinking he could pass away". Over the course of the next two days, when Kokenbergs was lying on the sofa, the accused said he checked on him regularly and that he had been breathing and snoring. He said he had checked on his friend up to 15 times on October 27th. "This morning I came down, and he was fine....when I went back down later, he was on the ground, he was cold...I rang the ambulance". Asked whether he was concerned about his friend, the accused said he didn't think he was in a bad way; "If I did, I would have called an ambulance". The accused told gardai he had boxed and done 'Muay Thai' when he was 15 years of age. He said he hadn't meant to hurt his friend. The accused admitted taking two photographs of the deceased's face, but couldn't remember on which of the two days he had taken them. He said the photos showed the damage to Kokenberg's face; "I wasn't intending to do all that". Asked whether he had hit his friend with any part of his body or had kicked him, Cypas said "no kicks no". The accused later told gardai he had used nothing else, just his hands. "It's all from the punches, the hands are flying everywhere, I didn't use a weapon....I didn't want him to end up like this, seriously". Advertisement When gardai put it to the accused, Kokenbergs had suffered extensive blunt force trauma to the head, the accused said he didn't think "it was that bad...I didn't consider he would die of his injuries. I didn't plan this, he is my friend, it happened". Asked whether there was anything he was not telling gardai, Mr Cypas said "maybe ten punches, maybe 12 as I remember seven to eight punches". The accused denied stamping on his friend's head. When gardai put it to him that the postmortem report showed that the deceased's injuries were consistent with the sole of a runner, Mr Cypas replied: "I don't know, I'm not a doctor....as far as I remember I didn't hit him with a runner". The trial has heard that three areas of blood-staining with DNA matching that of the deceased were found on the accused man's runner. Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, Det Gda McGrath agreed the accused had told him at the scene on the morning of October 28th that he had been drinking with the deceased and he had punched Mr Kokenbergs up to eight times before discovering him dead on the kitchen floor. The detective agreed that Mr Cypas told him that his friend was "fine" on the day after the fight and was breathing when he checked on him at 5 am that morning [October 28th]. Ireland Man pleads guilty to murder of Stephen Ring whose remains lay undiscovered in Wexford quarry Read more The witness also accepted that Cypas told him that Kokenbergs had threatened to rape his mother, but that during the interviews, the accused clarified that he meant "asking for sex". At the outset of the murder trial, the jurors were told that they would have to consider the accused's intent at the time. The 12 jurors were told by defence counsel Mr Grehan that the accused Cypas admits to hitting the deceased. The trial continues on Wednesday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. A man has been jailed for ten years for his role in the trafficking of over 700,000 worth of cannabis. Tomasz Zdechlikiewicz (38) of Main Street, Clongriffin, was convicted, following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal, to having the drugs 36 kilogrammes of cannabis, for sale or supply and possession of 13,000, the proceeds of crime, on February 25th 2021. The father of two has a previous conviction for a road traffic offence. He had denied the charges. Eoghan Cole SC prosecuting, told the court that gardai had information that led to a surveillance operation being put in place in relation to the movements of Zdechlikiewicz in February 2021. On February 24th, he was observed arriving at Dublin Airport and was kept under observation for a number of hours. During that time, Zdechlikiewicz rented two vehicles and purchased tools. Advertisement The following day, these two vehicles were seen driving in convoy before the drivers met with a lorry at Greenogue Business Park, in Rathcoole, Dublin. The court heard that one of the accused was seen removing wheels from the lorry that were then placed in the back of one of the rented vehicles. Zdechlikiewicz was driving the second rented vehicle. He was not responsible for removing the tyres nor were the tyres placed in his vehicle. Gardai moved in and arrested the driver of the lorry, the driver of the other rented vehicle and Zdechlikiewicz. Gardai are satisfied that Zdechlikiewicz was operating at a mid-level in the organisation. His two co-accused were considered less culpable and took more risks in terms of handling the consignment of drugs, while Zdechlikiewicz played a more supervisory role and stayed in his own vehicle during the handover. Subsequent analysis of Zdechlikiewiczs phone revealed highly incriminating data in the weeks prior to his arrest. There was communication in relation to making plans relating to drug trafficking and trading in drugs generally, Mr Cole told the court. The business park where the three men ultimately met up was mentioned, and there was also communication with other people in the UK and Spain, which seemed to relate to coordinating the handover of the drugs. Cole said the tools were intended to be used to remove the tyres from the wheels of the lorry where the consignment of drugs was concealed. The drugs were analysed and found to be 36 kilogrammes of cannabis with an estimated street value of 720,000. A large sum of cash was also discovered. Advertisement Analysis of the dash cam in the lorry revealed the discussion of cash, and gardai are satisfied that 13,000 was involved in the trafficking of these drugs and attributed to Zdechlikiewicz. The two other men involved had previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to five and six years for their roles in the offence. Zdechlikiewicz was interviewed several times but did not accept responsibility and denied any involvement in handling the drugs. Michael Lynn SC defending handed in a large number of testimonials on his client's behalf, including from his partner of 18 years and his 15-year-old son. He was described as a supportive, dependable and hard-working father. Zdechlikiewicz came to Ireland in 2010 from his native Poland. Business Ryanair claims Indonesian and Australian agents used to get flights through eDreams Read more Judge Martin Nolan said the gardai had certain suspicions and watched the situation closely as it developed before the transfer of the drugs ultimately took place. He said it was a sophisticated operation and that Zdechlikiewiczs role was in the form of a supervisor to the other two men who handled the drugs. Judge Nolan said it is not clear what reward Zdechlikiewicz was to get for his involvement, but there is no doubt that he was to get some form of reward. He said a headline sentence of 13 years was warranted before he imposed a term of 10 years for the drug offence and a concurrent term of four years for the money laundering charge. The Irish arm of fast food giant, McDonalds is planning to spend 150 million on the opening of 25 new restaurants and the creation of around 1,750 jobs here over the next five years. The announcement by the firm comes ahead of the companys 50th milestone birthday in Ireland in 2027. McDonalds expansion plans in Ireland have been kick-started with the opening of its newest restaurant in New Ross last month, marking the beginning of a significant growth phase for the business over the next five years. The fast food firm intends to open five new restaurants per year over the next five years - 25 new locations in total - representing an investment of approximately 150 million in the Irish market. Vice President, Development at McDonalds UK & Ireland, Mike Spencer said today: The outlook for McDonalds in Ireland is very positive, and we have a clear plan to invest more than 150 million here over the next five years. Advertisement "That investment will support the opening of up to five new restaurants each year - around 25 in total - and the creation of approximately 1,750 new jobs across the country. He said: We plan that our 50th anniversary in Ireland next year will coincide with the opening of our 100th restaurant in Ireland. Alongside opening new restaurants, McDonalds is also investing in its existing restaurants. This includes the recent 3 million refurbishment of the Cork Douglas restaurant, led by local franchisee Jim Ronayne, which reopened in late 2025. McDonalds maintains a strong commitment to Irish suppliers, with annual supply chain spend exceeding 240 million and supporting producers and partners across the country. The business currently operates 96 restaurants nationwide, all independently owned and operated by 18 Irish franchisees. Together, they employ more than 7,000 people in local communities across Ireland, contributing over 414 million to the Irish economy each year. This refurbishment of the Cork Douglas restaurant was highlighted today at Beneath and Beyond the Golden Arches, a special event celebrating McDonalds economic and community impact in Cork and across Ireland. Ireland Important Bord Bia review is 'swift and clean', Agriculture Minister says Read more At the event, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and T.D. for Cork South-Central, Jerry Buttimer said:Todays announcement from McDonalds is a strong endorsement of the value of long-term investment in Irelands communities, delivering tangible benefits for the economy through the creation of 1,750 new local jobs over the next five years. He said: Over the past five decades, McDonalds has played a significant role in communities across Ireland - sustaining local employment, supporting Irish farmers and the agri-food sector, and investing in regional initiatives and charitable causes that strengthen social and economic resilience nationwide. "I particularly welcome McDonalds continued commitment to Cork, demonstrated through its 3 million investment in the Douglas restaurant. In Cork alone, McDonalds employs over 1,100 people, contributing an estimated 37.6 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the local economy. A nurse who was jailed after secretly filming a child in a leisure centre changing room has had his registration cancelled by the High Court. In May 2025, Francisco Javier Valverde Mateo (39) was convicted after pleading guilty to offences related to the covert filming, and the possession of 3,999 images and 1,163 videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). At the sitting of Galway Circuit Court, he was jailed for two and a half years, with the final year suspended. At the High Court this week, lawyers for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) sought to have Valverde Mateos registration with the board cancelled. The NMBI regulates the profession of nursing in Ireland. High Court president Justice David Barniville said the case relates to an incredibly serious criminal offence, involving the creation and distribution of CSAM. Advertisement Following an application moved by solicitor Yvanne Kennedy, for NMBI, the judge said he had no hesitation in imposing the sanction sought by the board. Valverde Mateo, formerly of Ashfield Road, Greenfields, Newcastle, Galway, remains in custody, the court heard. According to NMBIs court documents, the board considered cancelling Valverde Mateo's registration at a meeting in January. Ireland Man (28) jailed for rape of his then-partner while she was sleeping Read more His registration was initially suspended last June, after the board became aware of his conviction. The board decided it was appropriate to cancel the registration for various reasons, including its finding that the offences rendered Valverde Mateo permanently unfit to continue practising nursing in the State. The board also found that the offences committed were fundamentally incompatible with the nursing profession, and that allowing Valverde Mateo to continue in the profession would give rise to a significant public risk. Mr Justice Barniville granted the order sought, confirming the decision of the board to cancel Valverde Mateos registration. The housing crisis could lead to the death of the Irish language, protesters said outside Leinster House on Tuesday. The demonstration was held by a coalition of campaign groups outside the Houses of the Oireachtas to highlight the disproportionate impact the shortage of affordable housing is having on Gaeltacht areas. They called on the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to take measures to protect the areas unique communities. Domhnall O Braonain, who travelled from the Connemara in Co Galway, said people are leaving the area because they are unable to find or afford housing. He said there is also an influx of people who can afford those houses, people not from Gaeltacht areas meaning there are fewer and fewer people in the area speaking Irish. He fears the day might come that there wont be many, if any, Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht, adding thatll be the death of the language. Domhnall O Braonain joined calls for the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to take immediate action on the housing and language crisis in the Gaeltacht (Niall Carson/PA) The 25-year-old said he is living with his parents and does not think it will be possible for him to find his own home in the area. My family doesnt own any land even if we did own land, it would be very difficult to get planning permission. Advertisement And the options to buy are too costly, and as far as renting goes, they are not there at all. One of the protests organisers, John Prendergast, said: As were all very aware that the housing crisis is all around Ireland, but its disproportionately affecting Irish speaking areas. The group, Tintean, have four main demands for Government. They want Udaras na Gaeltachta, the regional authority responsible for the Gaeltachts, to have housing powers. Housing and planning guidelines promised in 2021 should be published without any delay, they say, and a housing and population strategy should be created for each Gaeltacht. Also, a housing grant scheme should be reinstated to provide support for Irish speakers who would like to build or renovate a house in the Gaeltacht. Prendergast said holiday lets are also having an outside affect in Irish-speaking areas: We see the rate of growth in Airbnbs, for example, as twice the national average in the last six years. He said people returning from emigration or university cannot find places to live: In Dingle today, theres 112 places in and around West Kerry available on Airbnb, and theres zero to rent on Daft.ie. So, if youre trying to increase the amount of people speaking Irish in an area, or if youre trying to empower a community, you really need to have people able to stay in the area. Protesters are calling on the minister, James Browne, to take immediate action on the housing and language crisis in the Gaeltacht (Niall Carson/PA) Fianna Fails Naoise O Cearuil was at the protest and said: The minister for housing has announced that there would be guidelines for housing in the Gaeltacht in the first half of 2027. The vice chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community said they will be dealing with this specific issue from April. Advertisement He said the crux of the issue is that Gaeltacht areas should not be treated as another remote rural area but instead as areas of distinct heritage and language that need to be protected, and particularly, the younger community there need to be helped as well. Speaking about specific measures that could help, O Cearuil said changes to planning guidelines should be put in place: There should be exceptions for those that are fluent Irish speakers and from the area in relation to planning permissions. Obviously any planning permission needs to be in keeping with planning law, he added, but the guidelines need to be adapted in order that people from the Gaeltacht that speak Irish are able to actually build in their locality. A Dublin teenager caught up in a garda raid grabbed a packet with a semi-automatic pistol and "put it down his jocks", mistaking it for a drugs stash, a court has heard. The boy, 17, appeared before Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin Children's Court for a trial venue ruling. The north Dublin teen, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was charged under the Firearms Act with unlawful possession of a 32 calibre Browning 1900 semi-automatic pistol on October 24th in a property at Millrace Park, Saggart, Dublin 24. Judge Toale held that the case was too serious to be retained and should be sent forward to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers. The boy will appear again later this month to indicate a plea before his case is transferred to the higher level. Advertisement During the preliminary hearing, Garda Ross Tallon of Ballyfermot station outlined the prosecution's evidence. He told Judge Toale that there were five people in the house when gardai entered with a search warrant: the accused and four adults. The boy, then aged 16, was "found in possession of the firearm down his trousers", and made admissions under interview. Questioned by defence solicitor Brian Keenan, Garda Tallon said the boy admitted he "grabbed the gun thinking it was weed". The court heard that when he picked up the packet, he "put it down his jocks". The garda agreed with Keenan that in the intervening period, the boy had not come to further attention and had turned his life around. Pleading for the case to remain in the juvenile court, the solicitor asked the judge to note the youth's age at the time and that, since then, he has been working and engaged in a youth project. The court heard he had changed his peer group since then. Ireland Man (28) jailed for rape of his then-partner while she was sleeping Read more The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was of the view that the matter, which carries a maximum 14-year sentence, was too serious to be heard in the Children's Court. However, because he is a juvenile, the defence could, under Section 75 of the Children Act, argue that the boy should be tried there. That legislation allows the judge to consider accepting jurisdiction by taking into account a juvenile defendant's age, level of maturity, or other factors deemed relevant to the proceedings. Judge Toale noted there was no evidence of a maturity gap for his age. He agreed with the DPP and refused jurisdiction. A serial car thief who stole a car from a tourist and drove it dangerously around Dublin city centre in the middle of the day has been jailed for nine years for multiple driving offences. On another occasion, Carl McGuinness (30) tried to steal a car from a man while armed with an axe, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. McGuinness, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to a string of offences involving the taking of vehicles, attempted theft and dangerous driving around Dublin on dates between August 2024 and May 2025. He has 106 previous convictions, 95 of which are for road traffic offences. McGuinness is a recidivist who showed clear disdain for other road users who were exposed to repeated incidents of his dangerous and appalling driving, Judge Martina Baxter said while sentencing him on Tuesday. Advertisement He was on bail during some of his offending, and a bench warrant had been issued the day before he engaged in further dangerous driving, the court heard. He had no regard for the harm he was causing, Judge Baxter said. She accepted that McGuinness showed remorse in the wake of each incident, but said he needs to address his victim insight and the cycle of relapsing and offending. She handed down a sentence of 10 years, which she backdated to May 2025 when McGuinness went into custody. She suspended the final year on a number of conditions to allow for genuine rehabilitation and she disqualified him from driving for 10 years. In relation to the first incident before the court, McGuinness pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried on a motorbike without the consent of the owner in Dublin city centre on August 28th, 2024. The court heard the owner of a 5,000 Ducati motorbike found it had been stolen from where he locked it outside Peter's Pub in Dublin 2. When the vehicle was recovered at nearby Mercer Flats, the gears and wires were found to have been taken, and the motorbike had to be written off. McGuinness was seen on CCTV footage helping to push the motorbike to the flat complex with a co-accused, and also riding on it at one point. The very definition of a joyride, Detective Garda Joseph Heafy told Eimear Delargy BL, prosecuting. McGuinness also pleaded guilty to attempting to rob a car from a man at Main Street in Finglas in the early hours of October 5, 2024. He was armed with an axe during this incident. Advertisement The victim in this case, who had just finished a night shift in Tesco, had got out of his car to take money out of an ATM in Finglas village when McGuinness appeared brandishing an axe and tried to drive the car away. However, the key was in the owner's pocket, so the car stopped a few metres away, and McGuinness fled the scene. He was arrested shortly afterwards. Toyota Yaris Three months later, McGuinness stole a Toyota Yaris car from a driver who had got out momentarily to access the car park gates at the Gresham Hotel city centre car park around 3pm. This man was a tourist who had rented the car. He drove off at speed, driving down the wrong side of several city centre roads, which were filled with traffic, and breaking red lights. He was pursued by gardai throughout but failed to stop. He hit a Dublin Bus during the incident, and the stolen car was eventually found crashed and abandoned in the middle of Aston Quay. It had to be written off due to damage, at a cost of 27,000, the court heard. McGuinness was apprehended nearby in Dublin 1 and was taken to Mountjoy Garda Station where he was found to have a small quantity of crack cocaine. He pleaded guilty to a string of offences in relation to this incident on January 13th, 2025, including unlawful taking of a car, dangerous driving, damaging the bus and the car, driving without a licence or insurance, three counts of dangerous driving and possession of cocaine. Advertisement The final incident before the court took place on May 24th, 2025, when a woman who had been staying overnight with a friend in Ballybough, Dublin 3, put her phone on to charge in her Audi car. When she returned a few minutes later, she discovered the car had been stolen from where she parked it outside. Her Louis Vuitton handbag and phone were in the car. The court heard McGuinness was observed driving the car erratically, to such an extent that two of the wheels were lifted off the ground at one point when he tilted the car. He drove the car at speed around Finglas, crashing into a van at one point, and was pursued by gardai. He was eventually arrested at Cappagh Avenue and was found to be intoxicated. The mobile phone was recovered, but the handbag was not. Ireland Man pleads guilty to murder of Stephen Ring whose remains lay undiscovered in Wexford quarry Read more The car was written off. By this time, McGuinness was on bail for some of his previous offending, and a bench warrant had been issued for his arrest when he failed to appear before the court the day before. He pleaded guilty to unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, stealing a handbag and a phone, failing to report an accident to gardai, two counts of dangerous driving and driving while intoxicated. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said his client had a long history of drug addiction. He does well in custody but has a history of relapsing upon his release, the court heard. He has lost his relationship due to his addiction issues, but has the support of his mother and grandparents, the defence counsel said. He is always extremely remorseful about what he has done when he is on drugs, Mr Le Vert said. TikToks challenge to the Data Protection Commissions (DPC) finding that the social media giant breached privacy laws in transferring European users personal data to China has opened before the High Court. In April 2025, following a lengthy investigation, the DPC concluded that TikTok breached the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules in sending the information to China to be accessed by engineers. Along with orders directing TikTok to suspend the data transfers and ensure compliance with data privacy laws, the DPC also imposed a fine of 530 million on the company. In its High Court action, TikTok denies that it breached privacy regulations, and says it believes it has complied with its obligations. It is not in dispute that certain EU TikTok user data stored in data centres outside China can be accessed remotely by China-based personnel. Advertisement TikTok also claims, among other things, that the DPC breached fair procedures in arriving at its decision. TikTok further claims there was an alleged failure to engage with material it put before the DPC including TikToks implementation of a data protection initiative, dubbed Project Clover. The DPC denies the claims, and is defending the action. Last November, TikTok succeeded in obtaining a stay on the DPC orders to suspend the data transfers and bring its data processing into compliance with GDPR, pending the outcome of the challenge. Business Ryanair claims Indonesian and Australian agents used to get flights through eDreams Read more Opening TikToks case before Judge Rory Mulcahy on Tuesday, barrister Paul Gallagher submitted that it was necessary for a body such as the DPC given the powers at its disposal to have a heightened sense of what constitutes fair procedures. Gallagher described as misplaced DPC concerns relating to the purported application of Chinese laws to EU user data access remotely in China, and the potential for Chinese authorities to compel disclosure of the data. It is TikToks position that Chinese authorities do not have jurisdiction to compel disclosure of data stored outside of China. The hearing is expected to run for 10 days. Iran expanded its targets on Tuesday, striking the US embassy in Saudi Arabia as Washington began to pull many staff out of the Middle East. The US and Israel battered Iran with air strikes in what US President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a war that has severely disrupted the worlds supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel. The conflict escalated further on its fourth day, with Israel sending new ground troops into Lebanon and explosions ringing out in Irans capital Tehran. Hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majority in Iran. The spiralling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Mr Trump said it could last four to five weeks but that the US was prepared to go longer. Advertisement He seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive US military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground. Still, the administrations objectives remain unclear. The initial US-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mr Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government. Since then, however, senior administration officials have said regime change was not the goal. Mr Trumps initial announcement of the strikes listed several grievances, from concerns about Irans nuclear and missile programmes to its leadership. Smoke rises from Israeli air strikes in Lebanon (Bilal Hussein/AP) An attack from two drones on the US embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to Saudi Arabias Defence Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the US embassy in Kuwait that announced on Tuesday it had been closed until further notice. The US State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the US has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remained stranded. Several other countries arranged evacuation flights for their citizens. The US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In Israel, where Iranian missiles struck several locations, 11 people were killed. The Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah has also attacked Israel, whose retaliatory strikes killed 52 people in Lebanon. Officers from Israels Home Front Command inspect a damaged apartment building after an Iranian missile strike in Ramat Gan, Israel (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) The US military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. Advertisement Across Irans capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft heard overhead. Strikes caused two explosions at a broadcasting facility in Tehran, Iranian state TV said, adding that no-one was injured. The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Irans Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained some recent damage, though there was no radiological consequence expected. The US hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Irans nuclear programme. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained, however, that Iran was rebuilding new sites, new places underground for making atomic bombs. He offered no evidence to support his claim. This satellite image provided by Vantor shows damage after a drone attack at Ras Tanura oil refinery, in Saudi Arabia, on Monday (Satellite image 2026 Vantor/AP) We had to take the action now and we did, Mr Netanyahu told Fox News Channels Hannity. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear programme is peaceful. Satellite photos analysed by The Associated Press showed limited activity at two Iranian nuclear sites before the war. Advertisement Analysts said Tehran was likely assessing damage from the 2025 strikes and possibly salvaging what remained. The expansion of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf and the intensity of the Israeli and American attacks, Khameneis killing and the lack of any apparent exit plan suggested the conflict could be prolonged. Mr Trump said on Monday that operations are likely to last four to five weeks but that he was prepared to go far longer than that. He later added the US had a virtually unlimited supply of munitions. President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Monday (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies, Mr Trump wrote on social media. Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Middle East in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes. Recent targets included two Amazon data centres in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The centres in the UAE were hit, while a drone struck near the one Bahrain, causing damage, the company said. Iran has also struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, sending global oil and natural gas prices soaring. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, declared Iranian Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowing that any ships that passed through it would be set on fire. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari vowed that Iranian attacks on the gas-rich country will not go unanswered. Advertisement The conflict has spread to Lebanon, where Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike in Dahiyeh, Beiruts southern suburbs, Lebanon (Hassan Ammar/AP) On Tuesday, the Israeli military hit Beirut with more air strikes and said it had moved additional troops into southern Lebanon and taken new positions at several strategic points close to the border. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon later said its peacekeepers saw Israeli troops making forays across the border and then returning to Israel. It was not immediately clear if any soldiers remained inside Lebanon. Lebanons state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army was evacuating some of its border positions. The UN is investigating a strike on a school in Iran US president Donald Trump said it is too late to talk to Iran Israel send troops into Lebanon More cancelled flights from Dublin to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha Government accused of soft-pedalling response to the US Britain, France and Greece are sending air-defence forces to Cyprus after drones struck the Royal Air Force Akrotiri base on the island, prompting a broader regional defence military response on Tuesday from European allies. Senior Cypriot officials said an Iranian-made Shahed drone hit the British base's runway after flying at low altitude to evade radar, most likely launched by Iran-backed Hezbollah from Lebanon. Two other drones were intercepted. The Akrotiri base, though considered sovereign British territory, is close to populated areas inhabited by Cypriots, prompting hundreds to evacuate their homes as the EU member state unexpectedly got pulled into the turmoil following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks across the region by Tehran. Cyprus, which has modest defence capabilities and no air force, has been stepping up modernisation efforts in recent years, including the purchase of the Barak MX airdefence system. Advertisement Trump intensified his criticism of Keir Starmer on Tuesday, saying his lack of immediate support for U.S. strikes on Iran showed "this is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with". Trump has lashed out at Starmer three times this week after he said neither the British military, or its air bases, were involved in the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Starmer told parliament that the government had learnt from its mistakes in backing the U.S. in the 2003 Iraq war, and said any military action must have a "viable, thought-through plan". He also said he did not believe in "regime change from the skies". But Starmer has since allowed the U.S. to use UK bases to launch what he called limited and defensive strikes to weaken Tehran's capabilities, after Iran hit U.S. allies in the region with drones and missiles. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he ordered U.S. forces to join Israel's attack on Iran because he believed Iran was about to strike the United States, his latest explanation amid conflicting accounts from the administration of how the war started. "I might have forced their (Israels) hand," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that." Advertisement Trump's comments about the run-up to the war were at odds with an earlier account from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told reporters on Monday that the United States launched the attack because of fears that Iran would retaliate in response to planned Israeli action against Tehran. "We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio said. Trump on Tuesday said he believed Iran was on the brink of launching attacks, presenting no evidence to support his view, after U.S. negotiations with Iran last Thursday in Geneva. Iran had described those talks as positive with more planned in the days ahead. Donald Trump said on Tuesday that someone from within the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the US-Israel campaign is finished. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Irans last shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over leadership in Iran. Across Irans capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft heard overhead. Israel has stepped up air strikes against Iranian missile launchers and factories, and Iran has retaliated across the Gulf region, disrupting energy supplies and travel. As explosions rang out in Tehran and in Lebanon where Israel said it struck Hezbollah militants the American embassy in Saudi Arabia came under drone attack. Advertisement Four days into a war that US President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks but perhaps longer, hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majority in Iran, where information has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock air strikes and tight restrictions on journalists. The spiralling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive US military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground. The UK will send helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to protect British military personnel in Cyprus, the UK prime minister has said. Keir Starmer confirmed the UK would be sending HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navys six Type 45 air defence destroyers, after RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus was hit by a drone. Sir Keir posted on X: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations, and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. The Taoiseach has been accused of offering a defence for brazen breaches of international law, as opposition parties charged him with refusing to condemn US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Advertisement Micheal Martin was further accused of soft pedalling the Governments approach to appease the US administration, ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump later this month. During Leaders Questions in the Dail dominated by the Governments response to the conflict, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the US-Israel assault on Iran was an act of aggression that threatens to set the entire Middle East ablaze. She said: A sovereign state has been bombed, its leader assassinated, 185 innocent schoolgirls killed. These are not defensive actions, they are the actions of powerful states acting in defiance of international law. The Department of Finance is conducting a macroeconomic analysis in the wake of the escalating bombing in the Middle East. Tanaiste Simon Harris warned of headwinds towards the economy as a result of the conflict. Speaking on Tuesday, he said: In the coming days, Ill be meeting with my European counterparts and with the European Central Bank to monitor the economic impact of this conflict. But in the here and now, the things to look at are things around commodity pricing, things around any potential shock to the financial markets, and also the fact that this further increases uncertainty. Weve already had the uncertainty of tariffs. We now have uncertainty heaped on top of that in relation to this conflict. None of that is good, and all of that increases the headwinds towards the economy. China opposes the military strikes launched by Israel and the U.S. against Iran and demands an immediate cessation of hostilities, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on Tuesday, according to his ministry. "Force cannot truly solve problems; instead, it often creates new ones and leaves serious long-term consequences. The real value of military power lies not on the battlefield but in preventing war," it quoted Wang as telling Saar in a call. Explosions tore through Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday and financial markets around the world tumbled at the prospect of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies from the U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran. Wang told Saar that China believes in resolving international and regional issues through dialogue and negotiation and will continue to play a constructive role in easing the situation. Tuesday's call follows three calls the top Chinese diplomat held on Monday with the foreign ministers of Iran, Oman and France, in which he urged Gulf countries to unite to oppose external interference. Wang also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday about the Iran crisis. However, Wang has not spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio since the launch of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among a number of senior Iranian officials killed. An attack from two drones on the US embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to Saudi Arabias Defence Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the US embassy in Kuwait that announced on Tuesday it had been closed until further notice. The US State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the US has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remained stranded. Several other countries arranged evacuation flights for their citizens. Israel has sent additional troops into southern Lebanon and ordered residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate as the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said it is ready for an open war, escalating the already volatile situation in the region. The latest exchanges started after Hezbollah fired rockets and drones early on Monday towards northern Israel. Israel retaliated with a wave of air strikes that killed 52 people in Lebanon, including a Palestinian militant and a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beiruts southern suburbs. More than 150 people were wounded and tens of thousands displaced. Hezbollah said on Tuesday morning it fired two salvos of rockets towards northern Israel while Israeli air strikes overnight damaged a building housing Hezbollahs TV and radio stations. Israel's military on Tuesday reported strikes in the Tel Aviv area of Israel from Iranian missiles. "Search and rescue forces, together with numerous emergency teams, are currently operating at the impact sites in central Israel," the military said. "The circumstances of the impact are under review." Israel's ambulance service said it was treating three people at the sites who were lightly injured. Israeli police said there were several impact areas involving munition fragments within the Tel Aviv district. Donald Trump says it is too late to talk to Iran. On social media, he stated Iranian air defence, air force, navy and leadership are gone, and they want to talk to America. He made the comments while linking to a newspaper article suggesting "we're witnessing the birth of the Trump Doctrine". Ryanair has seen a surge in Easter holiday bookings to European destinations as people avoid the Middle East due to the escalating regional conflict, Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday, adding he didn't expect a big longer-term impact. The war between the U.S., Israel and Iran disrupted flights worldwide, closed key Middle Eastern hubs and sent oil prices surging, with analysts warning of weeks of disruption. "We've seen certainly there's a big collapse in bookings to the Middle East and a big surge in bookings on short-haul airlines within Europe, particularly I think the focus is on the Easter holidays," O'Leary told a news conference. "But I don't think it has any fundamental change or impact on... longer term booking trends into May, June, July." Formula One has kept Sundays season-opening Australian Grand Prix alive by using charter planes to fly hundreds of affected members of the sports travelling circus to Melbourne. Following the travel chaos caused by airspace closure in the Middle East, the Press Association has been told that two chartered aircraft departed London on Monday night. A British Airways plane, which stopped at Singapore, and a business-class only Air X flight via Tanzania, carried staff from 10 of the grids 11 teams as well as F1 officials to Australia. The eleventh-hour flights were coordinated by sports travel agency, Travel Places. The affected personnel are due to land in Melbourne on Wednesday morning, 48 hours out from the opening practice session of the season at Albert Park. Roughly 2,000 people work at every F1 race, and it is thought at least a quarter had been due to travel to Australia via travel hubs such as Doha and Dubai. The U.N. human rights office on Tuesday urged what it called the forces behind a deadly attack on a girls' school in Iran to investigate and share insights into the incident, without saying who it believed was responsible. "The High Commissioner (Volker Turk) calls for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it," U.N. human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a Geneva press briefing. "This is absolutely horrific," Shamdasani said, adding that images circulating on social media captured "the essence of the destruction, despair and senselessness and cruelty of this conflict". Donald Trump criticised UK prime minister Keir Starmer for a second time this week, saying it was "sad to see" the so-called special relationship deteriorate after Britain initially held off providing support for U.S. strikes on Iran. Starmer said Britain did not take part in the assault on Tehran by the United States and Israel because any British military action must have a "viable, thought-through plan" and he did not believe in "regime change from the skies". But he has since allowed the U.S. to use UK bases to launch what he called limited and defensive strikes to weaken Tehran's capabilities, after Iran hit U.S. allies in the region with drones and missiles. On Monday, a British base in Cyprus was hit by a drone that Cypriot officials said was likely launched by Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah. Trump said he did not need Britain's support to strike Iran, but said the delay had been disappointing. "It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was," Trump told the Sun newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday. He told the Telegraph on Monday that Starmer had appeared to be "worried about the legality" of the strikes on Iran, when he weighed whether to allow Britain's strategically important air base, Diego Garcia, to be used. Starmer has been criticised from all sides at home for the decision, with opponents on the left calling for him to condemn the military action while on the right, opposition leaders Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage attacked Starmer for failing to back Britain's key security and intelligence ally. Dublin Airport Authoritys public relations manager Graeme McQueen, has warned that today will be another day of disruption" with all flights cancelled from airports in the Middle East. Speaking on Newstalks Claire Byrne show, McQueen said that so far today 16 flights had been cancelled with more cancellations anticipated for tomorrow. There is no end in sight to this, you're probably talking around 15,000 passengers discommoded since Saturday. We've got five aircraft sitting on the airfield at Dublin airport since Saturday. Normally, they'd be going back and forth continuously, I think we're all just waiting to see what happens next. McQueen said that Irish passengers waiting at airports in the Gulf were being looked after by airlines with accommodation while they try to rebook flights home. I understand the airline's customer service teams are very busy at the moment, so if you can't get through straight away, please just be patient, work with the teams, they will get to you in time. "But a lot of people, we're getting contacted from people trying to get back from Australia, they would come through on those Middle Eastern flights, people here trying to go the other way as well, so when you've got no end in sight, it's hard for them to rebook. McQueen explained that airlines make decisions late because they want to see if it is possible to get flights away, so while the schedule might show some flights for tomorrow, they were unlikely to take off unless the airspace opens up. We're in constant contact with the airlines, we're working very hard to accommodate any passengers who arrive at Dublin Airport, welfare packs and things like that, so we're doing all we can, but it's a very difficult situation. Your airline is the only one who can tell you whether your flight is going to run, so contact them, get on their online channels, keep an eye on your email, keep an eye on your text messages as well. They're trying to contact you to let you know what's happening with your flight. If you don't get through the first time, just keep trying because they are very busy. McQueen said that some people who urgently needed to get to Australia were taking alternative routes via the USA which was not ideal There has been no change to Irelands security status or threat level amid the escalating conflict in the Gulf, the Tanaiste has said. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Tanaiste Simon Harris said: Were continuing to monitor the situation globally and any potential impact for Europe. Meanwhile, the Government estimates that between 22,000 and 23,000 Irish citizens are in the region, and Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said a relatively low number had already left. Harris said all options are on the table to assist Irish citizens who need help out of the region. The Israeli military said its soldiers are now operating on the ground in southern Lebanon after unleashing simultaneous airstrikes on Tehran and Beirut. IDF operations in Lebanon are targeting Hezbollah militants after the group said they launched missiles and drones into Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has continued to retaliate against the joint US Israeli assault. The regime has closed the Strait of Hormuz - which is a key shipping route used to transport vast amounts of oil and gas. The Taoiseach has said he is disappointed and concerned at rising fuel and energy costs. It follows warnings that petrol, diesel, electricity and home-heating oil could surge in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Micheal Martin said the Government is closely monitoring the situation. Minister of State with responsibility for International Development & Diaspora, Neale Richmond, has said that the Government was looking at all the options on the table to repatriate Irish citizens from the Gulf region. The advice for Irish citizens was to stay in touch with airlines and not to go to airports. Helplines were in operation by the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi which coordinated all operations for the Irish in the region. Israels military has ordered evacuations across southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut as it steps up strikes on Hezbollah targets. At least 50 people are reported to have been killed in strikes on Lebanon so far. The IDF said it is carrying out simultaneous operations in both Beirut and Tehran. Defence Forces spokesperson, Commandant Alex Quigley, has said that the Irish troops on UNIFIL duty in South Lebanon are all well and accounted for. Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, Comdt. Quigley said operations were ongoing and protection measures were in place to mitigate against the volatility of the region and the current heightened intensity. Millions of families in the Middle East are in danger of renewed harm, trauma or even death. That is according to World Vision Ireland, which said it is deeply concerned about the intensifying escalations across the region. The charity is calling on all waring parties to cease hostilities and work towards a lasting peace. The first wave of morning flights from Dublin to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha have been cancelled again today. The DAA's Graeme McQueen said airlines cannot make decisions until the airspace in the Middle East reopens. He said uncertainty continues about what will happen in the days ahead. The cost of diesel and petrol could reach up to 70 cent extra a litre, due to the ongoing violence in Iran. That is according to a leading economist, Charlie Weston, who is also warning the price of oil and gas here will also increase sharply. The Government is also warning the development could cause a shock to supply lines with the potential increases. Government ministers will be updated today on the latest advice for Irish citizens currently in the Middle East. Around 22,000 Irish people are registered as being in the region with local embassies. The update at Cabinet from Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee comes as the US issues new advice for its citizens to leave the Middle East in light of the operations against Iran. More blasts have been reported overnight in Tehran, and Lebanon's capital Beirut. The US administration is also conceding ground troops may yet be sent in to Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's been defending why they launched air strikes with Israel targeting the regime on Saturday morning. The US Embassy in Riyadh came under attack as US president Donald Trump said the US could take far longer than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran. The US and Israel have continued to pound Iran since killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, while Tehran and its allies have hit back against Israel, neighbouring Gulf states and targets critical to the worlds production of oil and natural gas. Explosions rang out throughout the night in Tehran with witnesses describing hearing aircraft overhead. In Lebanon, Israel launched more strikes on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group. The Israel Defence Forces said on X on Tuesday that they were conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut. Saudi Arabias Defence Ministry said early on Tuesday that the embassy in Riyadh came under attack from two drones, which caused a limited fire and minor damage. The embassy confirmed it had come under attack and urged Americans to avoid the building, posting on X: Avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility. The US Embassy in Kuwait was targeted on Monday in an attack and the State Department on Tuesday ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE, saying the decision came due to safety risks. Earlier, US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar posted on X that Americans in countries including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, should DEPART NOW using any available commercial transportation. Sirens sounded in Bahrain early on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said as it called for people to head to the nearest safe place. Iranian drones struck an Australian military facility in the United Arab Emirates, but there were no injuries, Australias defence minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. At least 787 people have been killed in Iran by the US-Israeli campaign, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said, and more than 130 cities across the country have come under attack. In Israel, 11 people have been killed, with 31 in Lebanon, according to authorities. The mother of Sarah Everard has remembered how she added to the beauty of the world, five years on from her death. Susan Everard wrote a tribute piece for British Vogue, in which she remembered her daughters love of travel, dancing, and her sense of humour, as well as her principled nature. Miss Everard was photographed by Vogue at V Festival in 2010, as part of a street fashion series by the magazine, something her mother said she was thrilled to feature in. She wrote: It was 2010 when the photograph was taken and, although it is bittersweet, I love to see her, happy and beautiful, with her whole life ahead of her. It was a golden time when she had recently graduated and was back home from travels to south-east Asia and already making plans for future adventures. She said the marketing executive had loved to travel, spending time in South America, South Africa and Nepal. She was interested in the world around her and made the most of life. There was a depth to her, she led her life with decency and integrity, Mrs Everard wrote. Advertisement She cared about others and worried about us in the pandemic. She had a large network of friends who were dear to her; we meet up with them now to celebrate her. I miss the goodness of Sarah: she was thoughtful and dependable and highly principled. She remembered how funny her daughter was, describes her as a beautiful dancer, and says she misses little things like swapping recipes with her. Most of all, she was a loving and caring young woman; her many friendships are a testament to her lovely nature. She added to the beauty of the world, her mother wrote. Susan Everards tribute was published as Britains most senior police officer Mark Rowley, hailed the familys extraordinary dignity in the face of unbearable grief on the fifth anniversary of Sarahs murder. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said the murder was an unthinkable abuse of power (James Manning/PA) Miss Everard, 33, was raped and killed by a serving Metropolitan Police officer, who tricked her into thinking she could be arrested for breaking Covid lockdown rules as she walked home from a friends house in south London on March 3rd, 2021. In a statement issued by the force, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark said: Sarah Everard should still be here. Five years have passed since her senseless and devastating murder. Advertisement What happened to her was a profound betrayal: of her, of her family and loved ones, and of every person who places their trust in policing. He said the fact that she was killed by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens, was as devastating today as it was in 2021. It was an unthinkable abuse of power and a total violation of the values that the Met, and policing, stands for. On the day I heard what he had done, I felt devastated for the immense harm his actions caused to the trust that underpins our relationship with the communities we serve. What he did shook policing to its core. It made decent, dedicated officers and staff across the country furious that one of our own could commit such a monstrous crime. We will always be deeply sorry: for the unimaginable harm done to Sarah, for the trauma endured by her family who have shown extraordinary dignity in the face of unbearable grief and for the profound damage inflicted on the trust Londoners should be able to place in their police service. Couzens was given a whole-life jail term at the end of his Old Bailey trial in September 2021, and the powerful victim impact statement made by Ms Everards mother led to the unmasking of another predator hiding in the ranks of the Met. Baroness Louise Casey reviewed the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service (Kirsty OConnor/PA) One of the victims of David Carrick was moved to come forward and make a report to the police, which eventually led to his conviction as a serial rapist. The cases led to two damning reviews one a report by Baroness Louise Casey in March 2023 that found the Met was institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic. Advertisement Then an inquiry by Dame Elish Angiolini in February 2024 concluded that the Met and two other police forces could and should have stopped Couzens being a police officer. Mark spearheaded efforts to clean up the Met, with 1,500 officers and staff having been sacked, resigned or retired in the past three years. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there is much more work to do to ensure women and girls feel safe in the capital, and that he would do everything in my power to help end violence against women and girls as we continue to build a safer London for everyone. Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: Five years on from Sarah Everards tragic murder, my thoughts today are with her family and all those who loved her. I will do everything I can to ensure women and girls can live free from fear and harm something Sarah was so cruelly denied. The full piece by Susan Everard can be read on British Vogue https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/susan-everard-sarah-tribute. Award-winning rapper Ghetts could be facing years in jail for killing a young man in a hit-and-run collision. The grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, failed to stop after his BMW hit 20-year-old Yubin Tamang in north-east London. Mr Tamang was hit as he was crossing the road on Redbridge Lane, Ilford, north-east London, at around 11:33pm on October 18th, 2025. He died in hospital from his injuries two days later, the Metropolitan Police said. After the collision, it was alleged Clarke-Samuel continued to drive dangerously in Worcester Crescent, Redbridge, on the journey back to his home in Kings Avenue, Woodford, east London. Yubin Tamang died in October 2025 (Metropolitan Police/PA) Police went to the defendants home early the next day and found his black BMW was significantly damaged. Clarke-Samuel, 41, has pleaded guilty to causing Mr Tamangs death by dangerous driving. Advertisement He has also admitted dangerous driving on the same day in Tavistock Place and other London roads in Camden, Islington and Hackney. Clarke-Samuel will be sentenced by Judge Mark Lucraft at the Old Bailey on Tuesday. Previously, the judge has warned Clarke-Samuel to expect a prison sentence. The rapper, who is in custody, has already been disqualified from driving with immediate effect. Ghetts performing at the Great Escape Festival, Brighton (Victoria Jones/PA) Ghetts is a rapper and songwriter who has collaborated on tracks with Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, and performed at Glastonbury multiple times including in 2024. The critically acclaimed artist has been nominated for multiple awards. He won best male act at the 2021 Mobo Awards and received the Mobo pioneer award in 2024. He also starred as a gang leader called Krazy in the Netflix sci-fi series Supacell about five black south Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers. Mr Tamang was an only child and his parents had sent him to the UK to receive an education. Advertisement Exclusive BusinessCompaniesCourts AI tech executive charged with assault after alleged bar attack Kishor Napier-Raman March 4, 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 A senior Australian executive at a $7.2 billion artificial intelligence start-up has been charged with assault following an alleged violent attack on a guitarist in a heavy metal band at a popular CBD bar. Timothy Bentley, vice president of sales for the Asia Pacific region at cybersecurity tech company Abnormal AI, faces two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday. The matter was adjourned until early May at the request of his barrister Tim Lowe, who cited his and Bentleys unavailability. Bentley remains on bail and no pleas have been entered. Abnormal AI executive Tim Bentley faces two assault charges related to an incident at the Ramblin Rascal Tavern Janie Barrett According to eyewitness accounts, the altercation at the Ramblin Rascal Tavern on Friday, February 13, began shortly before The Grand Union, a local band that performs in pubs around Sydney, were due to play. Advertisement After a group of men, including Bentley, allegedly began heckling the band, The Grand Unions guitarist and songwriter Stu Greenwood told them to stop. Bentley allegedly then punched Greenwood in the face, leaving him with a broken nose and chipped tooth, according to medical records seen by this masthead. Bentley then allegedly punched a member of another band, Bloody Legend, who tried to intervene, before leaving the premises and heading into the Metro. The second alleged victim, John Flaws, suffered a split lip that required stitches. Photographs taken at the scene obtained by this masthead show blood on the alleged victims face and the street outside. Bentley was later apprehended by police and charged with assault, with the incident captured by the venues CCTV. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. NSW Police declined to comment, citing the matter being before the courts. Abnormal AI, a Las Vegas-based start-up which uses AI software to guard against cyberattacks, was founded in 2018. In a 2024 funding round, Abnormal raised $US250 million ($351 million) from investors and was valued at $US5.1 billion ($7.2 billion). Advertisement Among other services, Abnormal makes tools to stop fallible humans from falling for phishing emails, in which cyber criminals try to fool staff at a company into disclosing sensitive information by mimicking correspondence from colleagues or professional acquaintances. Bentley, who was born in Britain, launched Abnormal in the Asia Pacific region in 2021. According to Abnormals website, he founded email security company MessageLabs in 2003, which was later acquired by cybersecurity company Symantec. He later launched Abnormal Security, as Abnormal AI was then known. Abnormal and Bentley did not respond to requests for comment. Rohin Sharma, The Grand Unions guitarist, said the band was shocked by the alleged incident, which was part of a worrying trend of poor behaviour at live shows. Advertisement Were here on our own time to give people a good night out and, like most local bands, these are self-funded passion projects that involve many hours of writing, rehearsing and recording, Sharma said. Its a sad indictment on Sydneys live music scene and points to an alarming growing trend of heckling and violence at live shows and bars. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Lindian snaps up bargain Kazakhstan rare earths cracking plant Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth March 3, 2026 1:48pm 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 Lindian Resources has pulled off a rare coup in the rare earths game, securing a fully built downstream cracking plant for a price tag that barely registers against the sectors usual half-billion-dollar build costs. Not surprisingly, Lindian soared as the market voiced its approval, with the companys share price up as much as 33 per cent to 70.5 cents in early trade on massive turnover. Lindian executive chairman Robert Martin and executive director Zac Komur with Vladimir Fedotov at the SARECO plant in Kazakhstan. In executing a binding term sheet to acquire majority control of a fully constructed hydrometallurgical plant in Kazakhstan for just US$15 million (A$21M), the company has landed a capital-light downstream play that could fundamentally reshape its rare earths strategy. For that trifling amount, Lindian will take majority control of the SARECO mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) plant in Kazakhstan through a 51:49 joint venture with the locally based RA Group. Advertisement By way of context, comparable greenfield rare earths cracking plants carry capital price tags north of A$500 million. The SARECO facility was originally built under a strategic joint venture between in-country uranium heavyweight, Kazatomprom and Japanese conglomerate, Sumitomo, to establish advanced rare earth processing capabilities in Kazakhstan. Positioned in an established industrial hub near Stepnogorsk with access to low-cost power, reagents and rail logistics, the fully constructed cracking and leaching plant is well-suited to MREC production and future expansion. The deal sees Lindian buying the keys to an operational facility and fast-tracking itself into the higher-margin end of the value chain. This is more than an asset deal - its a major strategic pivot. Instead of selling monazite concentrate and leaving the biggest margins to someone else, Lindian will now convert its 12,500 tonnes per annum of stage one monazite concentrate from its Malawian processing plant into high-value MREC from the last quarter of this year. This shift materially improves payabilities and gives the company far greater leverage in offtake discussions. Advertisement Lindians renowned Kangankunde rare earths project sits 90 kilometres north of Malawis commercial hub, Blantyre and is widely recognised for its scale, high-grade mineralisation and absence of radioactive elements. When up and running at the end of the year, Stage one is forecast to produce a premium 55 per cent total rare earth oxide monazite concentrate, positioning the project in the lowest quartile of the global cost curve. The concentrate has already delivered strong independent validation. ANSTO test work achieved 9194 per cent total rare earths extraction and 9397 per cent neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) extraction under conventional sulphuric acid bake-and-leach conditions. Overall recovery from concentrate through to MREC is estimated at a seriously good 8590 per cent total rare earth oxide (TREO). Uranium and thorium are also well below analytical detection limits, providing a critical advantage as Western markets become increasingly sensitive to radiation classification and logistics constraints. In simple terms: the feedstock works, the plant exists, and the production pathway is already paved. Lindians executive chairman Robert Martin said: The acquisition of the SARECO Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate facility is a defining step for Lindian. It fast-tracks our transition from a concentrate producer to an integrated rare earths company with downstream capability, materially enhancing margins, commercial flexibility and long-term strategic value. Advertisement The timing is equally strategic. The deal comes as the United States and Kazakhstan deepen formal cooperation on critical minerals under a 2025 Memorandum of Understanding aimed at diversifying rare earths supply chains away from concentrated jurisdictions. Kazakhstan, already the worlds largest uranium producer, is increasingly positioning itself as a Western-aligned processing hub, with established infrastructure, cheap power, sulphuric acid supply and rail logistics already in place. For Lindian, that means stepping straight into an operating industrial corridor rather than waiting years to build one. Significantly, the cracking process also produces a phosphate-based by-product stream that can be marketed as either trisodium phosphate or a granular NP(S) fertiliser product, potentially adding incremental revenue and tightening overall economics. Advertisement For only US$3 million upfront and a further US$12 million deferred until commercial production, Lindian has secured downstream optionality that would otherwise take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to replicate. Lindian is effectively buying time, shaving years off development, avoiding massive capital outlay and positioning itself as one of the very few non-Chinese players capable of delivering both concentrate and MREC into Western supply chains. With a 261 million tonne resource grading 2.19 per cent TREO and strategic backing from Iluka Resources, Lindian now couples sheer scale at Kangankunde with credible execution. The rare earths project was already a standout on the numbers. However, by locking in downstream processing certainty, it has now vaulted into the ranks of the worlds most advanced undeveloped rare earths plays and one of the very few with a credible pathway to fully integrated, non-Chinese supply. Rare earth mining isnt just about digging rocks anymore, its about who controls the chemistry. By locking in cracking capacity ahead of production, Lindian is stepping into the higher-payability MREC space just as Western governments scramble to secure non-Chinese supply. If execution matches ambition, the margin uplift could be as meaningful as the resource itself. Advertisement This well-played geopolitical chess move positions Lindian much further down the value chain and closer to the magnet metal margins that matter. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Advertisement BusinessWorkplaceWorkplace Unions demand Albanese hand every worker 25 per cent more holidays Millie Muroi March 3, 2026 11:01pm 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 Unions are demanding the Albanese government give workers an extra week of paid annual leave every year, the first increase in more than five decades, even as employers struggle to encourage people to run down their balances each year. On Wednesday, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) will use a government employment standards inquiry to push for an increase in standard annual leave from four weeks to five for full-time workers, despite Australian employees having about 160 million days of annual leave banked. ACTU secretary Sally McManus says increasing annual leave will help make up for shortfalls in real wages growth. Dominic Lorrimer The change, if implemented, would be the latest in a series of industrial relations concessions made by Labor to the unions, such as multi-employer bargaining, gig economy dismissal protections and the right to disconnect. But some experts caution additional paid leave entitlements, which would also increase to six weeks for shift workers under the union model, could be costly and fail to tackle other concerns around annual leave, including workers reluctance to take time off. Advertisement ACTU secretary Sally McManus said most workers were not alive the last time annual leave entitlements increased in Australia. Our annual leave has been frozen at four weeks since the mid-1970s, half a century ago, she said, noting most European countries, including Austria, France and Spain, have already moved further. In Austria and France, employees are entitled to a minimum of five weeks or 25 working days of paid leave, while in Spain, workers are entitled to about 22 working days of paid leave. McManus said Australians work relatively long hours and that extra leave will decrease stress and burnout. Australian workers already do an extra four and a half weeks of unpaid work on average every year. Getting back one of these weeks is fair and reasonable. ACTU secretary Sally McManus Advertisement Australian workers already do an extra 4 weeks of unpaid work on average every year, she said. Getting back one of these weeks is fair and reasonable. It will mean a better rested and happier workforce. Some Australian companies have already increased paid annual leave entitlements, with the SDA which represents retail, warehousing and fast food workers negotiating five weeks of annual leave at Bunnings, Apple and Ikea. SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer said agreements negotiated by the union at these companies helped improve work-life balance. Time is one of our most valuable commodities and our members have identified an extra weeks leave as a priority to assist them meet family demands, he said. Focus on leave balances Advertisement Bond University associate professor of organisational behaviour Libby Sander said Australia already has relatively generous paid leave entitlements and that an extra week could be a significant impost, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. Related Article Opinion Work therapy Why do so few people join their union these days? Jonathan Rivett Careers contributor Instead, she said the focus should be on the annual leave balances that Australian employees accumulate which amount to an average of 16 days banked leave per worker, according to a 2024 report by HR software company ELMO and why they dont feel like they can take time off despite its importance to mental and physical wellbeing. Its a broader cultural issue, Sander said, noting one in five Australians have accrued four or more weeks annual leave. People report not taking annual leave because of worries around job security and missing promotions as well as feeling guilty leaving work to colleagues, she said. Younger workers aged 18 to 24 are among those who most urgently need this reform, according to the ACTU, which points to data from the Centre for Future Work a think tank run by the left-leaning Australia Institute, which has received union funding showing this cohort performs 6.4 weeks of unpaid overtime a year, compared to 4 weeks extra unpaid work for Australian workers more broadly. Advertisement The ACTU also argues Australian workers are owed a real wage increase of about 10 per cent to make up for the productivity improvements since 2000, and that increased paid leave entitlements would help bridge this gap. Increasing annual leave by one week would add an extra 2 per cent to employment costs that would be offset by a reduction in employee turnover and time lost to injury and stress, the ACTU said. But business lobbies have previously warned that any increase in paid leave would ultimately be borne by customers in the form of higher prices. Cost to employers University of Melbourne labour economist Jeff Borland said the cost to employers of an extra week of leave was manageable. Advertisement Related Article Workplace culture Why the people working 70 and 80-hour work weeks dont push back I used to think an extra week of paid leave was a bit expensive, but its only about a 2 per cent increase [in wage costs], he says. Effectively, the question is whether workers prefer a 2 per cent wage rise or an extra week of leave. Borland also said an extra weeks leave could lead to an improvement in productivity growth which has lagged over the past decade because workers would be better rested and fresher. The unions will push for changes to the National Employment Standards (NES) to bring in the extra weeks annual leave as part of the House of Representatives inquiry into the NES about to get underway. The ACTU formally committed to push for the extra week of leave in 2024. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. MUSIC Grace Jones Palace Foreshore, March 2 A billowing black stage curtain and ominous rumbling match the stormy, humid night on St Kilda foreshore, where the crowd lets out some bedraggled, soggy whoops. The curtain drops and Grace Jones is resplendent at 77 years of age, regal on a silver throne, wearing severe sunglasses, her head crowned by extravagant black plumage. Grace Jones performs on the Palace Foreshore stage on Monday night. Richard Clifford Nightclubbings new-wave-dub fusion is first. Our queen is thirsty. Wine is produced. When she says, Im gonna have some fun tonight, it sounds like a threat and she flagellates herself with strands of her tinsel dress. Theres a costume change for almost every song. I love chaos, she bellows in her rich contralto. Her make-up runs in the mist as she bashes a pair of cymbals and the crowd shouts the warm in Warm Leatherette. Chinese community, Ghanaian friends celebrate Lantern Festival with gala in Accra Xinhua) 10:01, March 03, 2026 ACCRA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community in Ghana and their Ghanaian friends on Sunday celebrated the upcoming Lantern Festival, which falls on Tuesday, with a beautiful gala night at the forecourt of Ghana's Parliament House in Accra, the country's capital. The event featured a display of Chinese folk arts and culture, including dance and musical performances by the Anhui Performing Arts Group and other cultural troupes, providing a festive atmosphere for the Chinese community living away from home. A food bazaar with various Chinese cuisines was the curtain raiser to the night of celebration, as members of the Chinese community and local guests enjoyed the taste of many traditional Chinese delicacies. Addressing the gathering, Li Yang, charge d'affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, said that the full moon of the Lantern Festival binds the hearts of all Chinese to their motherland, embodying the Chinese nation's aspirations for reunion, prosperity, and peace for the country and its people. Noting this year marks the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Ghana, as well as the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Li said China would continue to deepen its ties with Ghana and Africa in various fields of mutual interest. "We stand ready to work with African countries, including Ghana, to carry forward our historical friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernization in Africa," he said. China is willing to accelerate the negotiation and signing of agreements on economic partnership for shared development with Ghana and other countries, and promote the early implementation of the zero-tariff treatment to write a new chapter in the shared future of China-Ghana and China-Africa relations, Li added. Speaking at the event, Ghana's Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said that Ghana welcomes Chinese investors to partner in its large-scale agricultural transformation agenda, as agriculture is now at the center of its economic reset. He highlighted the opportunities for cooperation in irrigation systems, farm mechanization, agro-processing, machinery assembly and agro-industrial zones. Ghana's Deputy Defense Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi conveyed greetings from President John Dramani Mahama to the Chinese community on the occasion of the Lantern Festival. Genfi lauded members of the Chinese community in Ghana for their immense contributions to the development of the Ghanaian economy through investments in manufacturing, commerce and the hospitality industry, among others. "Let's continue to strengthen the ties between Ghana and China, guided by respect, cooperation and a shared mission of prosperity," Genfi added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This years French Film Festival serves up star turns (including Isabelle Huppert as The Richest Woman in the World and Jodie Foster in A Private Life), along with typically frothy Gallic romances and so much more. Here are four festival offerings that made a splash on the international circuit. Enzo A scene from Enzo by Robin Campillo. Seven weeks before shooting, Robin Campillo (best known for 2017s BPM, an energetic recap of the fight against AIDS) took over directing this last film by veteran director Laurent Cantet, who was then dying of cancer. Related Article Gaza Strip She was five years old and under fire. In this film, we hear her last words The two friends sensibilities gay and straight, older and younger blend in this perceptive, ambiguous portrait of an upper-class teenager who rejects his familys ambitions to become a builders labourer. Enzo turns out to be hopeless with a hammer, but embraces workplace camaraderie especially with the Ukrainian worker Vlad, whose honest toil and association with a just war fills him with a romantic yearning. His desire is haunted with a lot of elements, says Campillo. He wants to go away with this guy: two people storming through the night. Its a fantasy but a fantasy connected to the body. We forget the intensity of adolescence, he says, but weve all been there. Everything burns inside you, everything is too much and its good. Advertisement Case 137 A scene from Dossier 137 by Dominik Moll. A perfectly paced police procedural, Dominik Molls immersive account of an internal investigation of police brutality finds its focus in a superb performance by Lea Drucker as the investigating officer. A family from a country town who came to Paris with the Yellow Vests movement, eager to protest against the closure of their local bus service, is devastated when a police officer shoots teenage Guillaume in the head. The boy is left with brain damage; meanwhile, his best friend goes to prison for six months. He did nothing, but nobody in court listens to him. When the [Yellow Vests] protests began, I didnt know what to think of it, says Moll. The media painted the thousands of protesters as far-right extremists. And I guess in the beginning I fell for that. But then I started to get more interested. It was mainly just people who wanted to be seen. What struck me was after the lockdowns, nobody talked any more about this movement that had shaken the whole country. But the fractures are still present, so how can we talk about that? Alpha Melissa Boros as Alpha. Julia Ducournau, whose flamboyant scorcher Titane won the Palme dOr at Cannes a few years ago, takes a futuristic voyage into the lower depths. When a virus spreads that turns the infected into crumbling ceramic statues, Alpha, 13, believes herself to be one of them after a class bully forces a tattoo on her. Her uncle Amin, an abject junkie, hopes for death; her mother, a doctor whose hospital is surrounded by the rioting sick, is on the brink of collapse but compelled to care for everyone, even feckless Amin. Too much love makes you crazy, he tells his niece between his jack-knifing spasms of withdrawal. Advertisement Advertisement The decision to end The Kyle and Jackie O Show was not deliberately engineered by KIIS-network owners ARN, senior company sources have said after the pairs new $200 million contract had contributed to hundreds of staff losing their jobs. The spectacular implosion of Australias most expensive radio program was confirmed on Tuesday night after ARN said Kyle Sandilands was in breach of his contract for serious misconduct after berating his co-star, Jackie O Henderson, on air two weeks ago. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Hendersons long-time on-air partnership has disintegrated in dramatic fashion. Artwork: Matt Willis The outcome has been labelled opportunistic and a convenient exit to the record-breaking deal by senior industry sources, speaking to this masthead on condition of anonymity on Wednesday morning. ARN shares rose 3 per cent when the market opened on Wednesday. But while ARNs senior executives had not responded to calls on Wednesday morning, a company source, speaking anonymously to address the situation candidly, said the breakdown of the show was down to Henderson, prompted by Sandilands misconduct, rather than any financial decision-making. Advertisement Related Article Radio Kyle Sandilands suspended, Jackie O exits show after on-air feud Henderson has the companys full backing after she decided she could no longer work with Sandilands, making her contract and ability to deliver the show void, the source said. ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of a new show without Sandilands. The cost of the pairs record-breaking deal, combined with their disastrous launch into Australias most lucrative radio market, Melbourne, forced ARN to slash staff costs over the past 18 months so it could afford the new $20 million per year deal, which makes up two thirds of its on-air talent costs. In 2025 alone the shows performance contributed to a metro advertising revenue dip of 16 per cent, or $28 million. ARN ceded ground to their key competitors Nova and Southern Cross in a market that only declined by 3 per cent overall. While Sandilands has 14 days to remedy his allegation of serious misconduct, the company will begin assessing potential replacements in the Breakfast slot, with a likely return to city-specific presenting teams in both Melbourne and Sydney. Advertisement Visitors to the Kyle and Jackie O page of KIIS 1065s website were shown an error message on Wednesday morning. KIIS 1065 Crisis acknowledged on air With the pair absent on Wednesday morning, fill-in presenter Kent Smallzy Small read out a company statement informing listeners of the situation. So for our KIIS listeners, weve got some important news for you, Small said. Jackie has given notice that she can no longer continue to work on the show with Kyle on breakfast. As such, Jackie has now officially left the show. Kyle has been given 14 days to remedy a serious breach of contract in respect of the show. Hell not be on air during this time. If that does not happen, that contract will be terminated. Thats what I have been told and asked to read you. Youve officially heard it from us. Theres a saying in showbiz that the show must go on. Youre all back to work today. Youre waking up living your life. My name is Smallzy. I am not here to replace either of them. I am just going to get us through I love radio and as someone who has grown up listening to the Kyle & Jackie O show, it is as much a shock to me as it would be to you hearing it. But it is Wednesday morning and it is a new day, so lets go. Advertisement Shortly after 7am, Small and Brooklyn Ross, Kyle and Jackie Os newsreader, discussed the programs cancellation. I dont think anyone can believe whats happened, Ross said. I just wanted to check in on you, replied Small, who previously worked with Sandilands and Henderson at 2Day FM. I do really appreciate you being here this morning because obviously I only got the call late last night and I was like, Sure, whatever I need to do to keep the station on the air. But I appreciate you showing up and doing it because the people are listening right now and its a shock to them. Ross responded: I was on the show for 12 years. Holy crap. And obviously great friends with Jackie and Kyle. And yeah, I just Advertisement Related Article Analysis Radio Kyle and Jackie Os disintegration may be the biggest bust-up in Australian media ever What does it mean for the business? The finances behind the deal began to sour before the new contracts even kicked in at the start of 2025. In Melbourne, the station had more than 620,000 cumulative listeners in the final survey of 2023; after two years of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, that figure had fallen by more than 200,000 and with it, advertisers. In August, ARN confirmed it had made 240 job cuts in the past year alone. Those have accelerated since and there were further cuts confirmed this week. In the 2025 full-year financial numbers delivered last month, the company said it had cut employee benefits, meaning staff salaries, by $18 million to $121 million. This contrasted starkly to the on-air talent costs, which rose from $20 million to $30 million in the first year of the duos new deal. The pair alone made up two thirds of ARNs total on air wages. Advertisement Advertisement Staff relieved after program axed Multiple sources at KIISs parent company ARN, who are not authorised to comment publicly, have told this masthead they were overjoyed and relieved by the news. One ARN worker told this masthead: Weve been through hundreds of lay-offs since [Sandilands and Henderson] signed their contract at the end of 2023. The fact is, that outlay has never been justified by the ad revenue they were bringing in. Sure, Kyle and Jackie have always done well in Sydney but Melbourne has been a disaster. The initial idea was that wed introduce the show to Melbourne and then Brisbane before rolling it out nationally but their performance in Melbourne was so bad that it effectively put the brakes on that plan, which forced the company to make all these severe job cuts. In Sydney, where the Kyle & Jackie O show is ahead of all its FM competitors, the pair ended 2025 with 12.7 per cent of the available audience. But in Melbourne, they sank to a new low of 5 per cent, placing them in eighth position overall. (The first radio ratings survey of 2026 will be released in mid-March.) Advertisement I think its fair to say this is a blessing in disguise or maybe just a blessing, full stop, said one ARN insider. The big risk is that KIIS will lose its No. 1 spot [on the FM ladder] in Sydney if Kyle quits or gets the boot, and that could create all kinds of problems. But you have to look at the bigger picture: we were locked into a $200 million contract that was effectively an albatross around the companys neck. The pair in happier times. Facebook This is a chance for a fresh start: it could be a financial reset, and it gives us the opportunity to reclaim some of the listeners we lost in Melbourne. Other companies have tried to network breakfast radio shows across different cities before, and its never really worked. This is further proof that radio especially in the crucial breakfast hours, where you make most of your money needs to be local. Another ARN employee, who is not based in the companys Sydney headquarters, said the impact of the job cuts was being felt in every ARN office around the country. Loading Advertisement Its noticeably emptier in here, the employee said, requesting that their working location be withheld to reduce the risk of being identified by management. There are less sales staff, less experienced producers some of them got the chop because they were highly paid, which meant we lost a lot of talent and institutional knowledge and just less people overall. You come in every day and see these empty desks, and its so disheartening. NSW premier responds NSW premier Chris Minn was asked about the split by ABC Radio Sydneys breakfast host, Craig Reucassel, on Wednesday. You went to Kyle Sandilands wedding, Reucassel said. How do you feel about the end of Kyle & Jackie O, premier? Im surprised by it, Minns replied. I dont know the ins and outs of it, but I go on all of the [Sydney radio] programs and Ive known Kyle for many, many years. I think its sad that these shows wind up. Advertisement When Reucassel suggested Kyle & Jackie Os demise was due to Melbourne not liking Sydneysiders, Minns joked, Well, theyre snobs. At the end of the day, theyre a pack of snobs. We all know that. There you go! Reucassel said. Exclusive from the NSW premier: Melbourne are a pack of snobs. What happened? The trigger for the bust-up between Sandilands and Henderson occurred during a live broadcast on February 20, sparked by a discussion about astrology prompting Sandilands to question the work ethic of his co-host. Loading Advertisement Youre off with the fairies, you are unfocused, you dont give a shit everyone in this building has mentioned it to me, Sandilands said in response to Henderson dissecting the birth chart of the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew. Henderson decided to take a week off to gather her thoughts, but did not return on Monday as expected. ARN was forced to employ additional censors after the Kyle & Jackie O show violated the industrys decency codes a dozen times in 2025. Last year, Sandilands told listeners he would not placate the programs Melbourne audience. Were not just going to suck Melbourne off all day, every day, he said, declaring hed rather remove his show from the city entirely than tone down his controversial broadcasting style. The pair, who began working together in 1999, are no strangers to controversy. When they were employed by rival network Austereo (now known as Southern Cross Austereo), they aired a stunt in which a 14-year-old girl was attached to a lie detector before being quizzed about her sexual history, leading her to divulge she had been raped when she was 12. Advertisement They also told a Cambodian-Australian woman they would bring her niece to Australia, only to reveal she would be put behind one of three doors and if the woman failed to pick the right door, her niece would be sent home. After the woman chose the wrong door, she cried and begged until the hosts revealed her niece could stay. Sandilands had previously drawn criticism after suggesting that beloved performer Magda Szubanski be placed in a concentration camp to lose weight; calling a journalist a fat slag before threatening to hunt her down; and making fun of a disabled baby. Last week, Sandilands rubbished reports that the Kyle & Jackie O show was coming to an end. It just goes to show you can never believe what you read in any of the newspapers, he said. Who could replace them? Speculation has flown that popular podcasters Toni Lodge and Ryan Dunn, aka Toni and Ryan, have already been lined up to fill the potentially vacant seats. Advertisement But while they might be top of managements wishlist, a deal appears to be a long way from reality. When asked by this masthead if there had been an offer from ARN and if so what was their response, the pair replied: For $201 million wed consider it. But wed need TARPer approval for a decision like this and were not sure there is any benefit for them. For the uninitiated, TARPer refers to Tony and Ryan Podcasters, fans of their five-day-a-week show. And there are a lot of them, across multiple platforms (podcast, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram), with 75 per cent of them reportedly living outside Australia. One industry insider estimates the pair are pulling in about $2 million a year from their efforts. While informed, the figure is necessarily speculative. But it does suggest that ARN cannot simply look at Toni and Ryan as an easy cost-saving response to the challenge - and enormous opportunity - that has suddenly opened up. Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here. 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 NationalScience Complete joke: Efforts to reduce funding wait times ends with longer blowout Liam Mannix March 3, 2026 6:36pm 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 Examine, a free weekly newsletter covering science with a sceptical, evidence-based eye, is sent every Tuesday. Youre reading an excerpt sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox. A long-running campaign to improve the nations glacial scientific research bureaucracy has culminated in an extraordinary blowout to grant approval times, leaving scientists waiting more than a year for essential funding and despondent about the future of research in Australia. Turning around taxpayer-funded grants within six months of scientists applying for them is considered international best practice. But in Australia, some key research grants which pay the salaries of many scientists and fund their experiments will now take up to 16 months to process, the federal government announced earlier this year. Scientist Euan Ritchie is using crowdfunding for a research project to set up cameras to detect wildlife in a Papua New Guinea mountain range. James Boddington The change could force researchers to apply for a new grant without knowing if their last application has been successful, a situation Professor Euan Ritchie, an ecologist at Deakin University, labelled quite frankly absurd. Advertisement They will stymie research and learning, create further job insecurity and deter our best and brightest from pursuing research careers, and hold us back as a nation, Ritchie said. It makes a mockery of any political rhetoric stating that science and research are genuinely valued and supported in Australia. Discovery grants are a key pillar of Australias research ecosystem, allowing scientists to do fundamental blue-sky research over a three-year funding period. The Australian Research Council took nine months to process the 2025 grants. For the 2026 grants, they are now proposing to take up to 16 months. Thats the worst timeframe Ive ever seen. And this is a projected timeframe. It doesnt work. You cant do it on that timescale, said a researcher who tracks the Australian Research Councils grant timetables on social media and was granted anonymity to speak frankly. Advertisement Related Article Science Smartwatches track plenty of health data. How much of it is actually useful? Colleagues just shake their heads and say its a complete joke. Its unworkable. They dont know how they can possibly plan their research. The ARC has long been a bugbear for Australian researchers; Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt labelled it not fit for purpose in 2022. But after a pressure campaign led Education Minister Jason Clare to drop a controversial requirement that he personally sign off on all new grants in 2023, researchers thought they had made a breakthrough. It was hoped that would cut months off the timeline for grant approvals. Instead, that progress appears to have been scuppered by new enhanced security requirements. Advertisement Law changes in 2024 required the ARC to screen grants for potential national security issues such as co-ordinating with Chinese or Russian researchers on weapons research. It is, in fact, a very complex and detailed issue. And it is unfortunate but, I think, inevitable that therefore the processes of making grant decisions will take longer, ARC chair Professor Peter Shergold told Senate estimates last month. It is clear to us that the process is more time-consuming than was imagined. Meanwhile, separate changes introduced by parliament to the Defence Trade Controls Act in 2024 have left researchers with a book 300 pages long with types of research that might have security implications, said Kylie Walker, chief executive of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Its an understandable and reasonable thing to want to put that lens over research assessments, she said. But if the government is asking the ARC to do more, it needs more resources, she said. Advertisement Editor's pick Healthcare They dont work: Subsidies to be slashed for expensive spinal implants linked to severe injuries Instead, the ARC has been shedding staff via voluntary redundancies, dropping from 147 employees in 2019-20, to 131. I have immense sympathy for the ARC. The system is underresourced, said Professor Aidan Sims, president of the Australian Mathematical Society. But there is no other research funding system in the world that is anything like as slow at the outcomes of grants as this. A spokesman for the ARC said it recognises the importance of timely outcomes for the sector and is continuing to look for opportunities to expedite research security processes. Wherever possible, outcomes will be announced early within published timeframes. Advertisement NHMRC takes action on research integrity While the ARC is working out how to counter foreign adversaries, its health-sciences counterpart is taking action against domestic risks. The National Health and Medical Research Council released a joint statement with the ARC on Monday pledging to bolster the fight against dodgy scientific research. This masthead has reported extensively on research integrity problems across the sector, including the case of Professor Mark Smyth, who won tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer research funding before he was eventually accused of fraud. Smyth has never publicly commented on the allegations. The councils pledged to work together on developing a national database of research integrity issues; the lack of good data on the scale of the problem has long held back serious government action. Advertisement The two bodies will also work with universities to encourage them to use independent investigators, rather than keeping investigations in-house a major pain-point for research misconduct campaigners, who allege internal investigations allow universities to sweep problems under the rug. There will always, in any system, be people who do the wrong thing. It would be naive to think there is nothing going on, said NHMRC chief executive Professor Steve Wesselingh. We dont need to hide that from the public. The Examine newsletter explains and analyses science with a rigorous focus on the evidence. Sign up to get it each week. Advertisement NationalQueenslandQueensland government BHP freezes investment in Queensland as royalties battle turns toxic James Hall March 3, 2026 4:44pm 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 Major miner BHP will continue to shun Queensland and prioritise investment in interstate and international markets due to the state governments refusal to budge on coal royalties. In the latest broadside at the Crisafulli government, Ross McEwan, chair of Australias largest company, again blasted the states tax settings for spoiling business. BHP has led lobbying efforts against royalties, which were raised by the former Labor government in 2022. BHP says Queenslands tax settings have weighed on its operations in the state. Peter Braig In opposition, the LNP was critical of the tax regime but has repeatedly said it would not wind back the settings, despite a heated and concerted campaign from industry heavyweights. Advertisement When youre making no money with an operation in an area like Queensland because the royalties just spoiled your business, you dont invest, McEwan told a business summit hosted by The Australian Financial Review on Tuesday. So, our process right now is zero investment into Queensland. The former NAB chief executive said the settings served as a stark contrast to the eagerness of other states and countries, including Singapore, Argentina, Canada and the US, which McEwan claimed were all actively pitching to the worlds biggest miner. Ross McEwan, the former National Australia Bank chief executive, is now the chairman of BHP. Dominic Lorrimer [President Javier] Milei in Argentina wants us there. [Canadian] Prime Minister [Mark] Carney wants us there. [US] President [Donald] Trump wants us there. South Australia wants us there. Western Australia are great to deal with both Western and South Australia, he said. Advertisement And where does the money flow? Into those areas that are actually most willing and keen to work with you, thats where the money goes. Related Article Queensland government BHP says its paying more in Queensland taxes than its making in profits It should be something, I think, that Australians should all think about, because its successive business that is successful employers, that pay people well, that pay taxes. And if we just get that right, I know its simplistic, but I think if we start there, wed have another 30 great years in Australia. McEwans latest barb came after BHP blamed the states tax policy for the companys decision to slash 750 jobs in Queensland as it mothball the open-pit Saraji South coal mine in the Bowen Basin in September. It then revealed last month it was paying more taxes in Queensland than it was collecting in profits, when chief financial officer Vandita Pant described acute challenges in operations due to the royalties regime and the cyclical downturn in coal prices. Advertisement But despite the sector heavyweights continued lobbying, Treasurer David Janetzki again confirmed the government would not modify the tax settings. The Crisafulli government is providing certainty for the coal industry in Queensland with faster decisions, streamlined approvals and a stable royalty regime, exactly as we committed before the election. There will be no changes to Queenslands royalty regime, he said in response to questions from this masthead. 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 NationalQueenslandDoctors at work Doctor accused of excessive pap smears, kissing patients banned indefinitely Courtney Kruk March 3, 2026 5:52pm 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 Brisbane doctor accused of performing unnecessary pap smears, breast checks and pelvic examinations, and of kissing a patient on the lips, has had his registration cancelled indefinitely. Last year, the Office of the Health Ombudsman filed disciplinary action against 74-year-old Dr Stellios (Stan) Theodoros, a former general practitioner and co-owner of Wellers Hill Medical Centre in Tarragindi, in relation to 25 allegations of professional misconduct involving seven patients. A former Brisbane doctor accused of performing excessive intimate examinations, including pap smears, vaginal swabs and breast checks, has been barred from practising. iStock The allegations concerned the frequency and clinical need for intimate examinations including pap smears, vaginal swabs, pelvic examinations, breast checks and skin checks and inappropriate behaviour, such as undressing patients, from 2002 to 2015. In one case, medical notes show Theodoros performed seven pap smears on a patient, referred to as DF, between 2013 and 2015. The same number of pelvic examinations and vaginal swabs were also performed. Advertisement Clinical records revealed another two pap smears were done in 2014 and 2015 amounting to four per year though no pathology report or record on the pap smear register was found. Former general practitioner and co-owner of Wellers Hill Medical Centre Stan Theodoros. Dr Anne Ulcoq, who gave expert advice on the appropriateness of Theodoros treatment to OHO, said there would never be a circumstance when it would be clinically appropriate to perform pap smears at this frequency, and she rejected the doctors explanation that the swabs were necessary to test for sexually transmitted infections. In evidence provided to the ombudsman, DF said Theodoros pulled open the curtain and started talking to her while she was fully naked after a pap smear in 2003, and continued this behaviour on other occasions. DF also submitted that each time she had an appointment, the doctor would greet her by hugging her and attempting to kiss her on the lips. She said he frequently messaged her mobile phone asking her to come in for pap smears and checks. He signed texts with XX. Advertisement Patients CJ and JB received similar texts and were encouraged to bypass reception to make appointments. On one occasion in 2015, Theodoros texted JB four times in one day to make an appointment for a swab and breast check. Related Article Health Why neighbouring suburbs have a 15-year difference in life expectancy Several patients spoke of being hugged and kissed by the doctor, including one woman who said he began to closed-mouth kiss her on the lips. In another case, a patient known as KW had five pap smears recorded between 2006 and 2012, though many more, including six in 2012 and five in 2013, were found. Ulcoq said the frequency of the tests was contrary to national guidelines and pathology reports, and they were unjustified and inappropriate. Advertisement Theodoros also performed 34 vaginal swabs, 22 pelvic examinations, 20 skin and mole checks, and 20 breast examinations on the same woman over eight years. In her evidence, KW detailed further instances of inappropriate conduct, telling the ombudsman on more than one occasion, he suddenly leaned in and put his hand on her breast, and that he removed her bra while she was trying to cover herself up. In December 2015, a fellow practitioner made a mandatory notification to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in relation to allegations against Theodoros. Action was taken by the Medical Board of Australia and conditions were placed on his registration the following year. Theodoros retired from practice in December 2021 and surrendered his registration in 2023. In his response to the allegations, he said he treated every patient with respect and dignity and adopted a conservative/cautious approach to managing each patients health. Advertisement The ombudsman found Theodoros engaged in conduct that was objectively, at the very high end of the range of misconduct and disqualified him from reapplying for registration indefinitely. 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 Exclusive NationalQueenslandQueensland councils Mayor reveals she refused to sign CEOs contract Julius Dennis March 3, 2026 12:42pm 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 south-east Queensland mayor has called for an independent investigation into her councils hiring process for a CEO after allegations of conflicts of interest and potential political interference were uncovered by this masthead. The hiring of Redland City Council chief Louise Rusan in February 2025 was preceded by two recruitment processes, both of which were marred by controversy. In the first, a respected recruiter quit after he raised potential conflicts of interest with having council staff on the recruitment panel as it would be inappropriate for staff to know confidential information about their future boss, and there were applicants with whom they were peers. Redlands Mayor Jos Mitchell: I strongly believe the process that was undertaken for the appointment of the CEO did not meet the expectations I and the community had. Julius Dennis During the second round, then-acting CEO Louise Rusan appeared to be shoehorned into the final round of interviews during a meeting of councillors that deviated from the agreed process. Advertisement Following that meeting, councillor Wendy Boglary wrote to internal audit and risk figures to seek advice about potential political interference. Related Article Exclusive Queensland councils Recruiter for $500k council CEO gig quit with fears of significant internal issues A council spokesperson said the decision was above board, and this masthead is not suggesting Rusan acted inappropriately. First-term Redlands mayor Jos Mitchell said while she supported the appointment in a public meeting and a statement, she refused to sign Rusans contract. When asked who did sign the contract, a council spokesperson said employment contracts content was confidential. Advertisement Mitchell said she would support a genuinely independent investigation of the entire recruitment process. I believe this would be the most appropriate way forward for the organisation and the community. The Redland City Council CEO job pays more than $500,000. Matt Dennien The Crime and Corruption Commission could investigate, if a complaint were to be made and if the circumstances met their threshold. The Queensland Ombudsman could also compile a report and make recommendations. Advertisement This masthead is not suggesting a crime has been committed or that anyone has acted corruptly. Mitchell, elected just months before the recruitment drive, said she was sidelined from the process, a situation that sources with experience in the sector said was unusual. I did wish to chair the recruitment panel and did convey my wishes, she said. During the first process, I was informed that the decision was made by the majority of councillors to have an alternative chair. Due to my concerns, I queried this process with multiple bodies, seeking advice. Advertisement Mitchell said she was elected on a platform of ensuring transparency. Sadly, I believe some may have blocked the attempts I and others have made to bring transparency to bear. I strongly believe the process that was undertaken for the appointment of the CEO did not meet the expectations I and the community had when it comes to transparency. Mitchells term has been marked by infighting and flux at the council, which was led by mayor Karen Williams for the 12 years prior. Williams finished up as mayor and did not contest the 2024 council election after pleading guilty to drink-driving in a council-owned car. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. A restaurant owner has been fined $40,000 after he was found guilty of being responsible for two children and their mother being served mosquito repellent instead of cranberry juice by a bar tender in 2024. Michele Angiuli, 35, was charged after a family who ate at his since-shutdown Italian restaurant called police over the incident that left their daughters aged 11 and 12 and their mum drinking a small amount of citronella. Michele Angiuli, a former restaurant owner, was fined by Perth Magistrates Court on Monday. Facebook Angiuli was sentenced over the incident on Tuesday, with Perth Magistrates Court hearing that it was his bar tender who accidentally poured the drinks with insecticide instead of the juice they ordered, but because he did not have a food safety officer and because he had a disordered bar area, he had failed to act with due diligence. The parents of the victims confronted the bar man on the day of the incident and asked to see the bottle he had poured the drinks, which was labelled as citronella oil mixed with insect repellent. Advertisement PoliticsVictoriaIslamophobia As One Nation rises, Muslim leader expresses faith in Victorian voters Chip Le Grand March 3, 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 Three days after the Bondi massacre, Muslim, Jewish and Palestinian leaders sat at Premier Jacinta Allans cabinet table and expressed their fears, grief and sorrow. It was, given the circumstances, an extraordinary gathering. For the previous two years since the October 7 attacks and war in Gaza, it had become increasingly difficult for Muslim and Jewish leaders to share a room, much less their thoughts. A rich tradition of multi-faith work in Victoria had all but collapsed. Amid the horror of Bondi, something shifted. Jewish Communities Council of Victoria president Philip Zajac, who was at the meeting, describes it as a wake-up call. For Sheikh Moustapha Sarakibi, a Sunni Muslim cleric who has dedicated much of his working life to stopping the poisonous creep of extremist thought, it signalled a fresh resolve. Sheikh Moustapha Sarakibi says One Nation does not speak for the Victoria he knows. Eddie Jim The Muslim community has suffered enough from people like that, people who think they can commit heinous crimes in the name of Islam, says Sheikh Moustapha, from the Board of Imams Victoria. They have no right to do so. Islam rejects them and rejects whatever claims they make. Advertisement There was a unified stance that we had around that table with the premier. We will continue to fight against these dangerous, extremist ideologies. Whether it from the Islamic community or another community, we will work to stamp out extremism that threatens the social cohesion that we are proud of in this country. Related Article Opinion Political leadership The rise of One Nation is all about middle-finger voters Chip Le Grand State political editor There are an estimated 1 million Muslim people in Australia. This month, as they celebrate Ramadan with families and friends, they are confronting something troubling and unprecedented in Australian politics mainstream support for a party whose founder openly questions their rightful place in this country. Pauline Hansons no good Muslims claim, while publicly denounced by others in her party, is central to One Nations vision for a smaller, whiter Australia. Her political creed since her return to federal parliament 10 years ago is steeped in Islamophobia, even if not all voters drawn to One Nation share her views about Muslims and Islam. The potential for anti-Islamic rhetoric to escalate into violence was made clear in Perth last week when a 20-year-old suspected white supremacist, Jayson Joseph Michaels, was arrested and charged with preparing a series of terror attacks at mosques, police headquarters and the WA state parliament. An extremist manifesto was allegedly found at his home, alongside a gun and ammunition. Advertisement In an interview with this masthead, Sheikh Moustapha describes the rise of One Nation, in part, as evidence of the need for his community to do more to improve understanding of Islam in Australia. There are many reasons why some people would choose to support One Nation, he says. Our issue with One Nation is mainly about the divisive nature of their rhetoric and policy. Related Article Exclusive Resolve Political Monitor One Nation draws level with Coalition as voters give their first take on Taylor When One Nation talks about an Australian way of life, what do they mean by that? Does One Nation want all of Australia to look a certain way? Does it want Australia to only speak English and no other languages in public? They play on peoples emotions, they try to capture a lot of people who dont understand Islam and other traditions. Muslim values are very much in line with Australian values values of family, values of equality, values of social cohesion, values of respecting other peoples practices and traditions, values of abiding by the law of the land we live in. Advertisement We are very integrated, very assimilated into this country, and we are very proud of that too. We raise our children not just to be Muslims but to be Australian Muslims. The One Nation view of who belongs in Australia and who doesnt is made clear in a spot the Westerner video post by the partys Victorian secretary Bianca Colecchia. In the video, Colecchia pans across a sea of brown faces outside Flinders Street Station on New Years Eve and cites it as evidence that our cultural identity is being eroded. Colecchia ran as a One Nation candidate at last years federal election in the seat of Bruce and secured 8 per cent of the primary vote. As state secretary she will be a key figure in shaping the tone and content of the partys Victorian election campaign. Sheikh Moustapha is deeply concerned about what the growing popular support for One Nation signals. He is also optimistic about what the state election results will show when Victorians go to the polls in November. Advertisement The Victoria I know is a Victoria that supports diversity and social cohesion and acceptance and tolerance, he says. I have a lot of faith in the Victorian people and their choices when it comes to the ballot box. We cant be complacent either. When we see reports that support for One Nation is rising to 20 per cent that tells me there needs to be more work from our part of the community to reach out to people and do more advocacy work so people can understand what Islam is about and the Muslim community is about in Victoria. For those who are ill-informed, and maybe havent met a Muslim before, we need to reach out to those people and show them that we are just like them. We are just trying to live our life and get by and raise our families and work towards the advancement of this nation. There are no hidden agendas out there. We are not trying to bring Sharia Law into this country or change peoples way of life. There is absolutely none of that. Sheikh Moustapha: For those who are ill-informed, and maybe havent met a Muslim before, we need to reach out to those people and show them that we are just like them. Eddie Jim It is a poor reflection of the political climate, in Australia and across other Western democracies, that such things need to be said. But Ramadan with its nightly Iftar celebrations, aside from its religious significance, is an important, month-long forum for community and outreach. Advertisement Two years ago, the Victorian and NSW governments were forced to cancel their Iftar events after influential Muslim groups, including the Islamic Council of Victoria and the Australian National Imams Council, publicly called for a boycott to protest the war in Gaza and the refusal of both state governments to denounce it as a genocide. Then ICV chief executive Adel Salman, a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian protest movement, led the boycott campaign against the premiers annual Iftar dinner, giving Allan no choice but to cancel the event. The dinner resumed in March 2025. Former Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman. Eddie Jim On December 17 last year, when in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre the premier called together an emergency meeting of her anti-hate taskforce, no one from the ICV attended. According to the premiers published diary entry from the meeting, the Jewish leaders in the room were Zajac and Rabbi Daniel, while the Muslim leaders were Sheikh Moustapha, Shia Imams Council of Victoria president Maulana Syed Abul Qasim Rizvi, and Palestinian Australia Relief and Action director Rasha Abbas. Other faith leaders, Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush and senior government ministers and bureaucrats were also at the table. Advertisement Allan has quietly re-engaged with the Muslim community after the Bondi massacre. A week after the shootings, the Premier met Muslim leaders, including ICV president Mohamed Mohideen, at the Preston Mosque. In the early weeks of January, she interrupted her summer holiday to personally call Ismet Purdic after the Imam and his wife Sabina were accosted and abused by bigots while driving on the outskirts of Melbourne. She met with them again last week. Australian-born Sheikh Moustapha studied at the Madinah Islamic University in Saudi Arabia, which teaches a strict, Salafist interpretation of Islam. Since graduating, he has worked as a prison chaplain and developed an expertise in countering violent extremism and reintegrating Muslims released from jail. He knows the families of some of the women who travelled to Syria during the rise of Islamic State and are now seeking to return to Australia after years spent in the squalid confines of the Roj internment camp. He believes they can return safety with the proper support, and should. I understand when governments make decisions around these matters that they are thinking about the population, they are thinking about risks, they are thinking about peoples safety. That is the right way to think. But I truly believe we have the capacity, whether as an Islamic community, a state or a nation to mitigate those risks with programs that are in place. Australia is a nation that I believe, is very forgiving and embracing, even for people who have made mistakes. Turning a cold shoulder is not befitting for us as a great country, knowing that we have citizens out there in very difficult circumstances. 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 Exclusive PoliticsVictoriaProperty development Developer quietly guts affordable housing promise in northern suburbs Rachael Dexter March 3, 2026 10:30am 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 A developer that branded itself the ethical alternative to a profit-driven industry is moving to slash affordable housing quotas at two major Melbourne projects two years after the state government granted it controversial height concessions. The developer, Assemble Communities, has applied to the state government to water down the affordable components it promised at new builds in Brunswick and Coburg, just months before construction finishes. Assembles new development on Victoria Street in Brunswick. Justin McManus Under its proposal, the developer would ditch its signature Build-to-Rent-to-Own model at the projects, in Victoria Street, Brunswick and Sydney Road, Coburg. Together the projects contain 622 apartments. Advertisement Both were originally fast-tracked under the state governments Development Facilitation Program on the proviso that 60 per cent of units would be affordable. The projects bypassed local council oversight because of the 60 per cent affordable purchase mandate. This fast-tracking in 2024 allowed the Coburg towers to soar to 16 storeys well above the 10-storey guideline for the area. The controversial Sydney Road development in Coburg. Justin McManus The Brunswick site was also granted an 11-storey height limit by the state last year, overriding the councils preference for eight storeys. Assembles original rent-to-own pathway was pitched as a unique way to get onto the property ladder for renters unable to save a deposit fast enough. Advertisement A resident would move in and pay market rent for five years. They would then be able to purchase the apartment at the end of that period, at a price locked in on day one of their lease. Related Article Affordable housing The people eligible for affordable homes cant actually afford the homes If the Melbourne market went up over those five years, the resident kept all that extra value essentially pausing the market so their deposit savings could catch up. The developer now wants to scrap that model entirely for the two sites. Instead of 60 per cent of the apartments being rent-to-own, Assemble wants to offer 80 per cent of its units at regular market rates. It would keep just 20 per cent of the apartments as affordable rentals for a 10-year term. Assemble said the shift to long-term rentals was a response to shifts in demand and underlying conditions and still added to the general housing supply. Advertisement A spokeswoman for the developer said the 20 per cent rental offer would still qualify for the fast-track process if submitted today. Under the proposed alternative affordable rental offer, qualifying residents receive a 25 per cent rent discount ... for a minimum of 10 years, she said. Merri-bek Mayor Nat Abboud said while more housing was needed, every effort should be made to maximise the affordable housing contribution. A council analysis found the move would reduce the affordable housing contribution by around one-third. For years, Assemble has positioned itself as a moral player in a ruthless market, distancing itself from mainstream developers and pitching to workers who could not rely on the bank of mum and dad. Victorian Greens housing spokeswoman Gabrielle de Vietri accused the government of giving special treatment to private developers, who dont care about affordability, they only care about profit. Its not surprising they would use affordable housing as a Trojan horse to get approvals, only to gut those commitments later to make their projects more profitable, she said. Advertisement Opposition planning and housing spokesman David Southwick said developers were using Labors fast-track program to secure extra height and looser planning controls, only to walk away from affordable housing commitments later. That is a failure of this government, he said. More than 56,000 Victorians are on the social housing waiting list. Scaling back affordable housing does nothing to fix Labors housing crisis. The move comes roughly 18 months after Assemble merged with Super Housing Partnerships, a move backed by AustralianSuper and HESTA to scale up social impact. The super funds hold a combined 80 per cent stake in the entity. HESTA is not an investor in the Brunswick and Coburg projects. Assemble has been the developer of choice for the government on several projects on public land, including the Fitzroy Gasworks. A decision on the watered-down permits is under review by the Department of Transport and Planning. The decision could be made under delegation by department planners, or escalated to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny personally. Advertisement Documentation for the requested amendment has not been publicly listed on the departments ministerial planning register. When The Age requested the documents and asked why they were missing from the public record, the department and Kilkennys office declined to provide them. A spokesperson stated only that any proposal will be considered on its merits and these revisions are currently under assessment. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. CORRECTION An earlier version of this article stated that Assemble was also the developer of choice for the former Kangan TAFE in Coburg, a developer has not been appointed for this project. Advertisement TechnologyAI Opinion Trump declares war on one of his weapons Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist March 3, 2026 10:59am March 3, 2026 10:59am 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 Even as Donald Trump directed government agencies to immediately cease all use of Anthropics Claude artificial intelligence tools last week, those tools were being used to launch the assault on Iran. Deeply embedded within the US military it was the only AI technology approved for classified use Claude is used for operational planning, to collect and collate intelligence, identify targets, simulate battle scenarios and undertake cyber operations. Pete Hegseths Department of War has been given six months to phase Claude out. AP Also used in the kidnapping of Venezuelas president, Nicolas Maduro, Claude is so entrenched within the US Defence Department Pete Hegseths Department of War that the administration has, despite the immediacy of Trumps directive, given the department six months to phase it out and replace it with Anthropic rivals models. The confrontation between the Pentagon and Anthropic relates to an attempt by the department to rewrite a contract it has with the AI company. Advertisement The company, whose co-founder Dario Amodei has been outspoken about the need for regulation of AI, has insisted on two red lines: that its model isnt used to conduct mass surveillance of Americans or to control autonomous weapons without human involvement in the kill chain. Related Article AI From jail to the C-suite: The AI firm co-founded by a former insider trader Given that both those applications would appear to be illegal, and that the Pentagon has insisted that it wouldnt use AI unlawfully, whats the problem? The Pentagon is presenting its stance as an issue of principle. It doesnt want private contractors constraining the use of products that it has bought, arguing that it doesnt allow companies that supply it with missiles to tell it where it can and cant deploy them. Anthropic believes that AI is too immature and dangerous to be deployed without the restrictions it insists on and argues that current laws arent keeping pace with the rate at which AI capabilities are developing. Advertisement Amodei says, for instance, that AI makes it possible for individually innocuous data to be lawfully collected that would provide a comprehensive picture of anyones life, automatically and at a massive scale. Theres another element at play. Anthropics co-founder Dario Amodei has insisted its model isnt used for mass surveillance of Americans or to control autonomous weapons without human involvement. Bloomberg Amodei has been critical of Trump, supported Kamala Harris at last years election and has been vocal in his calls for regulation of AI, even as Trumps executive orders have torn up the relatively light safety and privacy obligations that Joe Biden had imposed on the sector. Trump, in announcing the ban on Anthropics technology, labelled it a radical left company, its executives leftwing nutjobs who had no idea of what the real world is about and who were out of control. This administration declares war on its opponents and critics. Advertisement Hegseth has directed his department to establish benchmarks for model objectivity as a procurement criterion, saying out with Utopian idealism, in with hard-nosed realism, and that diversity, equity and inclusion and social ideology have no place in the Department of War. Related Article Start-ups The door has slammed: What happened to Australias next crop of ultra-wealthy tech founders? The action taken against Anthropic is unprecedented. Not only will the Pentagon cease dealing with the company, but it has declared it a supply chain risk. Hegseth, in a social media post, wrote that no contractor, supplier or partner with the US military can conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic, which could prevent the company from working with partners within the incestuous AI ecosystem and force companies like Nvidia, Amazon and Google to divest shareholdings and end any commercial relationship they have with Anthropic if they want to do deals with the Pentagon. Advertisement It could, some AI analysts have said, be a death blow for a company regarded as being at the forefront of AI development. Anthropics release of its Claude Code tools last month wiped more than $US1 trillion off the value of software companies. The administration has gone beyond ending the relationship with Anthropic and trying to intimidate those it does business with. Trump has also threatened to use the Cold War-era Defence Production Act to force it to supply Claude without any caveats. Claude is used for operational planning, to collect and collate intelligence, to identify targets, simulate battle scenarios and undertake cyber operations. AP In other words, by declaring it a supply chain risk and ordering other companies not to deal with it on pain of losing their own defence contracts, the administration is saying it is a risk to national security. At the same time, however, it is signalling that Claude is so vital to national security that it must be made available without any restrictions. Amodei has said that the company cannot, in good conscience, accede to the administrations demands and will fight it in the courts, albeit that so far the only information it has on the stand-off is from Trump and Hegseth tweets. Advertisement He sees, at this stage of AIs development, potential risks to humanity if Claude were deployed in a fully autonomous mode and the potential undermining of the Fourth Amendment privacy protections if it were used to collect information on Americans without changes to existing privacy laws. An obvious solution to the conflict would be for Anthropic to simply cease dealing with the Pentagon and for the Pentagon to enlist other AI companies to replace it, as it has. It has already signed a deal with OpenAI and is close to one with Elon Musks xAI. Anthropic believes that AI is too immature and dangerous to be deployed without the restrictions it is insisting on and argues that current laws arent keeping pace with the rate at which AI capabilities are developing. A $US200 million ($281 million) contract is immaterial for Anthropic, which just raised $US30 billion at a $US380 billion ($535 billion) valuation. It would happily walk away, but the administration, however, is not prepared to allow that to happen, which signals that Claude is the only product currently available that can deliver what the Pentagon wants. To his credit, Amodei is standing his ground because the issues at stake couldnt be more critical and he clearly mistrusts this administration, with its record of simply ignoring US laws and the Constitution, to use its AI tools responsibly. Advertisement He clearly doesnt believe Claude has been developed to the point where it is reliable enough to trust to control autonomous weapons without human oversight. Claude has a reputation for experiencing fewer hallucinations inaccurate or fabricated responses than its rivals, but nevertheless does generate them. AI is, at this moment, an imperfect technology. Anthropics instance highlights the inadequacy of current laws to protect against those inadequacies or abuses of the technologys capabilities, or the risks of allowing applications of AI before those risks are understood. Loading Trump, having revoked Bidens executive orders that provided some regulation of AI directed more at transparency into what the companies were doing than restricting their development has also issued orders that purport to override state laws that it sees as restricting AIs development. The administration wants a minimally burdensome national framework for AI. Advertisement AI is the most consequential technology of our time. It threatens to change the way we work and live, the relationships between governments and their citizens and the way wars are conducted. There ought to be some guardrails. Related Article AI Trump orders military to stop using Claude chatbot in clash over AI safety Instead, there is a global race occurring (even the Europeans, who have some of the more stringent relations have been talking about winding them back), despite an awareness that the technology isnt fully developed and carries significant risks. Theres significant support for Anthropics stance from those at the coal face of AI development those building the models rather than the billionaires profiting from them which suggests that those who know the technology best are very mindful of the risks. Rather than leave it to people like Trump and Hegseth or Amodei to develop the moral framework for how AI might be deployed, its a situation crying out for lawmakers to get involved and create a 21st-century framework of laws for a 21st-century technology which, while promising so much opportunity, carries so much latent risk. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Reviews & adviceTrain journeys Opinion I took high-speed trains in four countries. We are an embarrassment Ben Groundwater Travel writer March 4, 2026 4:00am March 4, 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 Want to know the height of sophistication? Its standing up while travelling at about 300km/h, eating a tostada (a toasted bread roll) with tomato pulp and olive oil, a slice of jamon iberico draped over the top, and sipping an icy Cruzcampo beer. Some may tell you that sophistication is classical music concertos or hallowed art gallery halls or three-star dining rooms, but theyre wrong. Its ham on bread and frosty lager, imbibed while the barren plains of Andalucia go charging past your window. Taking the high-speed AVE train between Madrid and Seville, Spain. Im in Spain, obviously, somewhere between Madrid and Seville. Im on the AVE, Spains high-speed train network, having just landed in the country a few hours ago. This train makes the nearly 500-kilometre journey in about 2 hours, which is just enough time to get set up then wander down to the dining car and order some snacks, which you eat Spanish-style, standing at the bar, with the locals having a drink and a chat. Few things give you the thrill of travel like this. Theres certainly no style of movement that feels as luxurious and as enjoyable as high-speed rail. Certainly not as sophisticated. And its a feeling you get to have in so many countries around the world. Advertisement In just the past year, Ive enjoyed high-speed rail journeys in four countries. There was Spain, yes, with its jamon tostada and its squishy, crowded cabin and riotous check-in procedure. There was also France, on the TGV from Paris to Tours, in a wide, wood-panelled seat sitting next to someone editing fashion-shoot photos on a fancy laptop (bien sur). Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. South Koreas KTX bullet train, operating between Seoul and Busan. There was also South Korea, on board the KTX, which had no dining car, but the chance to grab a croissant from the station in Seoul before departure, then listening to music at 300km/h before alighting in Busan and tucking into a train station kimchi-jjigae (a spicy soup that tastes like its been heated on the surface of the sun). And Japan, on the famous shinkansen, which also doesnt have a restaurant car but does have absolute efficiency and bullet-like speed and the ability to tear through tunnels and rip through countryside while those on board sit in silence and comfort. Japans shinkansen bullet trains operate with absolute efficiency. iStock Advertisement You cant tell me there is a better way to travel than this. Its the best of every world. You get to go where you need very quickly, though without the hassle and the extra transport links (getting to the airport, getting away from the next one) of air travel. Related Article 1/2 Train journeys If you love train travel, this Australian journey ticks all boxes You get to watch as landscape unfolds, as the bustle of Madrid morphs into the rolling plains of Castilla-La Mancha, or as Tokyo quickly recedes and is taken over by rice paddies and then towering mountains and then more urban sprawl. You understand the way countries and places fit together. You see life rural and urban. You do all of this from air-conditioned comfort, sometimes with a little bottle of cold beer in your hand. And what could be more sophisticated or enjoyable than that? You know where Im going with this, Im sure. Because while you can enjoy this sophisticated travel experience in many countries around the world by now and youve been able to do it in Japan since 1964 theres one rich, developed nation that stands out with its lack of high-speed rail: Australia. Advertisement We are an outlier. A throwback. Something of an embarrassment. Related Article Train journeys Forget Tokyo or Kyoto. This humble station is Japans most photographed But were back on the carousel again as the federal government makes all the signs of getting serious about high-speed rail. Its not quite the full corridor from Brisbane to Melbourne, just a short track from Newcastle to Sydney, but you have to start somewhere, and right now, were about 60 years behind the leaders so we might as well crack on. Im not here to delve into the business case for high-speed rail in Australia. Others more qualified than me are being paid far more money than me to do that. There are a lot of great and worthy arguments you could make for high-speed rail in Australia the environmental benefits, the alleviation of the housing crisis, the relative ease of travel compared to bus or air but lets not forget the sheer pleasure of this style of transport. Advertisement British pop star Ed Sheeran just travelled overnight on our existing train from Sydney to Melbourne, choosing an 11-hour slog rather than take a one-hour flight, and, you know, good on him. If we all had that much time and patience then the train between these two cities would be the way to go. But its not enjoyable in its current form or at least, nowhere near as enjoyable as the TGV, or the shinkansen, or even the high-speed rail lines in Indonesia, or Morocco, or Uzbekistan or Laos. Australias trains are achingly slow and you have to replace your jamon tostada with a cheese and bacon pie. Actually, maybe we really are sophisticated. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Train journeys Opinion For subscribers Travel tips Ben Groundwater is a Sydney-based travel writer, columnist, broadcaster, author and occasional tour guide with more than 25 years experience in media, and a lifetime of experience traversing the globe. He specialises in food and wine writing about it, as well as consuming it and at any given moment in time Ben is probably thinking about either ramen in Tokyo, pintxos in San Sebastian, or carbonara in Rome. Follow him on Instagram @bengroundwater Connect via email Advertisement Reviews & adviceCruises Opinion Six ships are stranded. The Gulf war could impact your next cruise too Brian Johnston Travel writer March 3, 2026 3:08pm March 3, 2026 3:08pm 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 Nobody goes on a cruise holiday expecting an outbreak of war or missiles to fall near their ship, but for passengers on six cruise ships now stranded in the Persian Gulf, that has become a nightmare reality. Missile strikes on Iran by America and Israel followed by retaliatory strikes on Persian Gulf states and across the Middle East have thrown travel plans into chaos. But while air passengers are getting most of the media attention, cruise passengers are stuck in the crossfire too. Some 15,000 cruise passengers and over 6000 crew are docked in limbo in Gulf ports that have been the subject of Iranian missile or drone attacks. MSC Euribia, which carries 6327 passengers and 1711 crew, is docked in Dubai. Bild reported a missile strike in Abu Dhabi harbour on Sunday near Mein Schiff 4, owned by TUI Cruises, which carries 2506 passengers and 1030 crew. The German newspaper published a photo taken by a passenger of black smoke rising from naval warehouses and reported that guests had received emergency alerts on their mobile phones. They were instructed to stay indoors and avoid windows and balconies. Advertisement The ship remains docked in Abu Dhabi, and sister ship Mein Schiff 5 in Doha. Some passengers off the latter ship had already embarked on aeroplanes at Doha airport when flights were cancelled. They were eventually returned to the ship without their luggage. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Another large cruise ship, MSC Euribia, which carries 6327 passengers and 1711 crew, is docked in Dubai following the guidance of the regional US military authorities, according to an MSC spokesperson. It, too, has cancelled its forthcoming itineraries. Airspace in the region remains closed and we are actively in contact with embassies and foreign offices to ensure they have the relevant information about their nationals on board and to understand any repatriation plans being developed, the MSC Cruises statement added. Celestyal Cruises has two ships in the Persian Gulf region. Meanwhile, boutique Greek company Celestyal Cruises, which has greatly expanded its Persian Gulf itineraries in the last two years, has two ships in the region, which together carry 2620 guests and 1020 crew. Advertisement Celestyal Journey is docked in Doha, where guests have been given the choice to stay on board or disembark. Related Article Tripologist Travel plans disrupted by the war? Your insurer is unlikely to help Those on Celestyal Discovery are currently docked in Dubai where at present, in line with instructions from local authorities, we are unable to disembark guests, a company spokesperson said on March 1. We are working closely with the relevant authorities and will begin disembarkation in Dubai as soon as permission is granted. Dubais international airport is already dealing with tens of thousands of stranded airline passengers and has sustained minor damage from Iranian strikes. Celestyal Cruises says its ships will remain docked until March 7 pending updates. Saudi-owned Aroya Manara is the sixth cruise ship caught up in the conflict. It made its maiden voyage to Doha only last week at the start of a Persian Gulf season meant to last until May. The vessel has taken shelter in Dubai with 1023 passengers and 1103 crew on board. Advertisement It remains uncertain how or when passengers and staff on cruise ships can be evacuated. US president Donald Trump has suggested combat operations may continue for several weeks, and Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. The narrow strait provides the only access out of the Persian Gulf. Celestyal Cruises is offering passengers a full refund or future cruise credit. MSC will give passengers a full refund, while TUI is offering a full refund and 10 per cent discount on any new cruise booking. It isnt only those currently in the Persian Gulf who are affected by the volatile situation. Many Australians have upcoming cruises in Europe with flights booked on Middle Eastern airlines. If youre one of them, contact your cruise line and airline about potential flight cancellations or rerouting. Note that cruise lines are unlikely to cover the costs for flights booked independently rather than as part of cruise packages. With reduced airline capacity out of Australia, price hikes have already been reported on fares with South-East Asian and Chinese airlines. Advertisement Related Article Aviation Logistical nightmare unfolds for thousands of Australian travellers Your travel insurance is unlikely to cover you for acts of war, so even if the cruise company refunds your fare, you wont be covered for anything else youve organised, such as accommodation. You may however be entitled to refunds from your tour operator, travel agency or credit-card company. Another knock-on effect will be changes to future cruise itineraries that feature Persian Gulf or wider Middle Eastern ports. Among cruise lines that were expected to visit Gulf ports are Celebrity, Celestyal, Costa, Cunard, Explora Journeys, MSC, Oceania and Royal Caribbean. Cruise companies havent yet announced changes at this stage but will almost certainly do so. Check with your cruise line. If a cruise is cancelled, youll be refunded. However, minor changes to itineraries for example, if Dubai is removed as a port call on a world or Asian cruise you wont be compensated. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Cruises Travel tips Opinion Brian Johnston seemed destined to become a travel writer: he is an Irishman born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland, who has lived in Britain and China and now calls Australia home. Advertisement Travel newsAustralia Seeing Australias big attractions could soon get much easier Julietta Jameson March 4, 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 If youve ever considered crossing Australia by rail, waking to sunrise over Uluru and then continuing on to a river cruise or a reef escape all in one flowing itinerary, that vision may be a step closer to reality. Experiential travel operator Journey Beyond has completed its acquisition of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, incorporating Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara and the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in Far North Queensland into its growing portfolio. Ayers Rock Resort with Uluru in the distance. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. At the same time, Journey Beyond has entered into an agreement to acquire Kelsian Groups SeaLink tourism portfolio, subject to regulatory approvals. That transaction separate to the Voyages acquisition would add a broad suite of tourism cruise, marine and touring businesses across multiple states. Taken together, the moves dramatically expand Journey Beyonds national footprint, and give it an enviable base from which to package Australian holidays. Advertisement Journey Beyond is already synonymous with Australias great rail journeys: The Ghan (Darwin-Adelaide), Indian Pacific (Sydney-Perth) and Great Southern (Brisbane-Adelaide). Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Over the past decade, it has also built a collection of wilderness lodges, expedition touring and cruise experiences. Journey Beyond has committed to maintaining and strengthening partnerships with First Nations communities. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. With the addition of Ayers Rock Resort comprising accommodation, restaurants and retail ranging from campgrounds to luxury desert lodge Longitude 131 and the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in the Daintree, the company strengthens its presence in the Red Centre and Tropical North Queensland. If approved, the SeaLink tourism acquisition would further extend that reach. The portfolio includes marine and cruise operations such as Captain Cook Cruises on Sydney Harbour and Perths Swan River; tourism cruises in the Whitsundays and Darwin; Murray River cruising aboard the Murray Princess; island resorts including Kingfisher Bay Resort and Kgari Beach Resort (both on Kgari/Fraser Island), as well as touring brands such as Adelaide Sightseeing. Advertisement (The SeaLink deal does not include the Kangaroo Island ferry service, which remains with Kelsian.) Mossman Gorge in Far North Queensland. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. The result is a company with a presence or pending presence across desert, rainforest, ocean, river, harbour and island landscapes, as well as its transcontinental rail corridors. Journey Beyond chief executive Chris Tallent described the assets as highly complementary and said they would create new opportunities for guests to seamlessly extend their journeys across Australia whether thats transitioning from rail to reef, river to resort, or city to sea. The building blocks mean a traveller could ride The Ghan through the Red Centre, continue to Uluru for a stay at Ayers Rock Resort, then extend north to Tropical North Queensland experiences. Others might combine cross-country rail with Murray River cruising, harbour sightseeing, island resorts or guided touring in South Australia. Advertisement For time-poor travellers trying to experience multiple icons in one trip, that shift could prove significant. For domestic travellers, this could mean simpler multi-destination holidays with fewer logistical hurdles. For international visitors, it presents Australia less as a collection of isolated highlights and more as a connected journey: reef to rainforest, desert to dining car, river to resort. Related Article Australia Add these incredible natural wonders to your Aussie bucket-list The Voyages acquisition also carries cultural significance. The transaction followed ILSC-led consultation with traditional owners, and Journey Beyond has committed to maintaining and strengthening partnerships with First Nations communities. The National Indigenous Training Academy will continue to play a role in developing employment and training pathways in tourism. Advertisement As part of the sale conditions, the word Indigenous will be removed from the Voyages corporate name, reflecting the change in ownership. The business will become Voyages Tourism Australia, while retaining its cultural engagement commitments. Thats important. Ayers Rock Resort and Mossman Gorge are not simply accommodation and visitor hubs; they are gateways to living cultural landscapes. Maintaining respectful partnerships will remain central to how those experiences are delivered. Consolidation in tourism can raise concerns about reduced competition or higher prices. In some cases, greater scale can improve value particularly when transport, touring and accommodation are bundled together. However the packaging unfolds, Journey Beyond now controls or is close to controlling a remarkable cross-section of Australias tourism map. See journeybeyond.com Advertisement WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Opinion Irans regime is vile, but what Trump and Netanyahu have done is a war crime Geoffrey Robertson Human rights barrister and author March 3, 2026 6:30pm March 3, 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 In a lawless world, it may seem idle to judge the conduct of leaders like Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu by international rules to which they are indifferent. But those who use their power to invade other countries commit what the judgment at Nuremberg described as the supreme war crime that of aggression because they bear responsibility for all the death and dismemberment that war inevitably entails, for civilians as well as soldiers. Brothers in arms: US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Illustration: Marija Ercegovac Leaders are entitled to invade only in self-defence the excuse proffered by the United States and Israel in Mondays Security Council debate or with the approval of that Council (which it withheld) or else, as in the case of Kosovo, without such approval where the right of humanitarian intervention arises. Trump is not a humanitarian, and neither aggressor has sought to defend itself on this ground. But might it have been open to some more respectable coalition of the willing to do so? It is necessary first to dispose of the pretence of pre-emptive self-defence, that perversion of international law invented by the Bush administration to justify its attack on Saddam Husseins Iraq in 2003 and used by Vladimir Putin to justify his invasion of Ukraine. It was used by both Israel and the US in defence of their attack on Iran. Advertisement Related Article Middle East at war Irans drones gave Russia a deadly boost in Ukraine. Now they are blitzing the Gulf But it is not part of international law, whereby, on long-standing authority, self-defence can only be used against a threat that is imminent, or at least reasonably likely. With many of its military leaders and nuclear scientists dead, and its facilities at Fordow bombed, Iran posed no immediate threat to Israel, much less America. The full-blooded attack on Saturday, together with the targeted assassination of Irans supreme leader, was a war crime that could have no justification in self-defence. It came just weeks after the Islamic Republic had, under secrecy imposed by an internet blackout, murdered at least 15,000 (probably twice as many) of its own peacefully protesting citizens and mutilated many others by shooting them in the eye. This appallingly cruel state response was ordered by Ali Larijani, the head of the National Security Council. It was approved by the late supreme leader and incited by the chief justice. It came after government newspapers had demanded a return to the spirit of 1988, when Iran commissioned the worst crime against humanity since the Nazis by murdering thousands of political prisoners. This atrocity was covered by lies to the UN and by the prohibition of mourning at the mass graves where victims throughout the country were buried. I happened to conduct the first inquiry into those events at the behest of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Centre for Human Rights in Iran, interviewing survivors and prison witnesses who reported how thousands of inmates were hanged without trial six at a time from gallows erected in Evin Prison and other jails. I assessed the crime as the worst commissioned against prisoners since the death marches at the end of the war against Japan. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Iran The stakes for Australia in Trumps Iran gamble Jennifer Parker Defence and national security expert My findings were endorsed by inquiries by Amnesty International and, last year, by the UNs Special Rapporteur on Iran. Many of the perpetrators were promoted and are still alive. The late supreme leader was president at the time, and one notorious tribunal judge, Ebrahim Raisi, became president before he was killed in a helicopter accident on May 19, 2024. Most of the murders and tortures would be available for prosecution by a new government of Iran. And that, of course, is the problem Trump overlooked in his naive demand that the Iranian people take back their country. They do not have the power or the firepower to do this all guns are in the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, who are unlikely to relinquish them. There is no organised opposition. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans last shah, is an absurd candidate to lead them, as his father was an infamous torturer through SAVAK, his secret police force. Maryam Rajavi, who heads the National Council of Resistance, is a favourite of the Iranian diaspora, but her local support is untested. So what happens next, after four weeks in which Trump promises to blast and bomb this vile theocracy? The UN is responsible for allowing Iran to get away with the mass murder of its own people, and this would be a good time for it to act under Chapter VII of its own charter and set up an international court to investigate and indict government officials who carried out the prison massacres of 1988, as well as those who ordered the killing of peaceful protesters in the past two months. There can be no peace without justice, whatever happens to any future government. Advertisement Otherwise, no good can come of this war, as death and destruction descend from the skies the first victims being 175 people, predominantly children, whose school was unaccountably bombed in its opening hours. Trump, at least, can never now receive the Nobel Peace Prize which his vainglorious presidency so desires. He cannot expect to lead Americas allies including Australia. If America itself cannot stop him, and since the war has no consent from Congress it therefore breaches the Constitution, it is time to work towards a new rules-based order that excludes a UN Security Council veto, currently abused by Russia, the US and China (which may shortly invade Taiwan). These warmongering powers should have no say over a set of rules that should instead reflect the values of decent democracies. Geoffrey Robertson AO KC is a former war crimes judge and the author of Mullahs Without Mercy and the recently published World of War Crimes (Penguin Random House). War concerns gripped the Australian sharemarket on Wednesday, wiping out more than $50 billion in value. The slump followed a sell-off on Wall Street and other global markets as oil prices continued to rise amid fresh attacks in the Middle East. The S&P/ASX 200 slid 176.10 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 8901.20, plunging below the 9000 mark in its biggest decline since early February. All 11 industry sectors were in the red, with a 3 per cent fall in mining stocks leading the way down. The losses come after the ASX dropped 1.3 per cent on Tuesday. The Australian dollar was trading at US70.01 at 4.57pm AEDT, down 0.5 per cent. The ASX fell 1.9 per cent following a Wall Street sell-off and concerns over the war in the Middle East. Louie Douvis Senior investment adviser at Shaw and Partners Adam Dawes, said geopolitical concerns helped drive the slump, and a key concern for investors was the risk that the conflict in Iran would persist for longer than expected. The price of oil jumped after the conflict flared up on the weekend, and Brent crude oil rose toward $US83 a barrel on Wednesday after rallying about 12 per cent over two days, the biggest gain since 2020. It was an ugly session for the nations mining heavyweights amid rising concerns about the fallout of the Iran war on global growth. BHP, the worlds biggest miner, slumped 3.5 per cent. Rio Tinto fell 1.3 per cent and Fortescue Metals lost 3 per cent. Read the full market wrap here. 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However today, 3 March, Susan said that the, "skies are booming more than ever with missiles so I'm not sure whether we will have to go take shelter now". Until now Susan and her partner have not felt the need to go down and shelter in her apartment complex's underground carpark, as others in the region have been doing. But the current volume of missile activity is making her consider it. For Susan the past 24 hours have been fairly transformative in terms of how she feels about her safety in Doha. Qatar's airspace is currently closed and no commercial flights are able to leave the country. "Even if I wanted to go home, I can't. I don't like that" Susan said. Susan told The Nationalist that if she had been offered an evacuation flight by the Irish government yesterday she would have declined the offer, but events over the past day have meant that today she would accept it. The Irish government are yet to offer any evacuation flights, though it is understood that they are working on putting some in place. Susan said that she would accept the evacuation as firstly, "I don't know what the future holds. I don't know how much weaponry, how much of a defense capacity Qatar has, and how long it can go on for. Donald Trump is now saying that this could go on for more than four weeks. I don't know that this country will be able to protect us in four weeks. I would probably evacuate simply because I don't want to take that risk." Another factor in Susan's decision to potentially evacuate would be the stress that being in Qatar is causing her loved ones back home. Though Susan described her mother as very independent and said that she has never held her back from exploring the world, she knows that the situation at present is causing extreme worry. "I know from her texts that she is worried. She's constantly instructing me to stay safe. And you don't want to lay that at a parents' head," Susan said. The decision to evacuate would not be one that Susan and her partner would take lightly, "I have a job here. My partner has a job here. This is where we live. This is where our income comes from." Susan works as a teacher in an English school in Doha. Though the Qatari government instructed schools to go to remote learning Susan is not currently able to access her school's remote learning software, as it is hosted on Amazon Web Services. Amazon Web Services data centres in the region, in Dubai and Bahrain, have both been damaged by Iranian missile strikes. "We are trying to offer asynchronous learning to students. So that's quite telling," Susan said. Susan expressed frustration that Ireland does not have an embassy in Qatar. "I don't like that we don't have an embassy here. Our closest embassy is in Abu Dhabi." Susan said. However Susan said that she feels very lucky to live in Qatar. "There's missiles in the sky all the time. Some are frighteningly close and they make the building reverberate and that's not pleasant, but they are being intercepted," Susan. "The level of interception makes us feel reassured. The Qatari Defence Forces are meeting the missiles in the sky. Thankfully, though there have been some injuries, there have been no fatalities in Qatar." Vivienne Clarke Minister of State with responsibility for International Development & Diaspora, Neale Richmond, has said that the Government was looking at all the options on the table to repatriate Irish citizens from the Gulf region. Speaking on both Newstalk Breakfast and RTE radios Morning Ireland, Mr Richmond said the advice for the 22,000 Irish citizens in the region was to register with the embassy and follow advice from local authorities. The Minister added that a number of Irish people were on flights out of Abu Dhabi yesterday, and more would do so today. Efforts at present were focused on people stuck in transit. When asked about the possibility of flights being chartered by the government for Irish citizens, Mr Richmond said the government was working with European partners to look at all options. The difficulty was that at present airspace was closed. The advice for Irish citizens was to stay in touch with airlines and not to go to airports. Helplines were in operation by the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi which coordinated all operations for the Irish in the region. Tanaiste Simon Harris, speaking on his way into Cabinet, said that all options were being considered "in real time" including using commercial flights, chartering flights and working with EU partners. Sonya McLean A man has been jailed for ten years for his role in the trafficking of over 700,000 worth of cannabis. Tomasz Zdechlikiewicz (38) of Main Street, Clongriffin, was convicted, following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal, to having the drugs 36 kilogrammes of cannabis, for sale or supply and possession of 13,000, the proceeds of crime, on February 25th 2021. The father of two has a previous conviction for a road traffic offence. He had denied the charges. Eoghan Cole SC prosecuting, told the court that gardai had information that led to a surveillance operation being put in place in relation to the movements of Zdechlikiewicz in February 2021. On February 24th, he was observed arriving at Dublin Airport and was kept under observation for a number of hours. During that time, Zdechlikiewicz rented two vehicles and purchased tools. The following day, these two vehicles were seen driving in convoy before the drivers met with a lorry at Greenogue Business Park, in Rathcoole, Dublin. The court heard that one of the accused was seen removing wheels from the lorry that were then placed in the back of one of the rented vehicles. Zdechlikiewicz was driving the second rented vehicle. He was not responsible for removing the tyres nor were the tyres placed in his vehicle. Gardai moved in and arrested the driver of the lorry, the driver of the other rented vehicle and Zdechlikiewicz. Gardai are satisfied that Zdechlikiewicz was operating at a mid-level in the organisation. His two co-accused were considered less culpable and took more risks in terms of handling the consignment of drugs, while Zdechlikiewicz played a more supervisory role and stayed in his own vehicle during the handover. Subsequent analysis of Zdechlikiewiczs phone revealed highly incriminating data in the weeks prior to his arrest. There was communication in relation to making plans relating to drug trafficking and trading in drugs generally, Mr Cole told the court. The business park where the three men ultimately met up was mentioned, and there was also communication with other people in the UK and Spain, which seemed to relate to coordinating the handover of the drugs. Cole said the tools were intended to be used to remove the tyres from the wheels of the lorry where the consignment of drugs was concealed. The drugs were analysed and found to be 36 kilogrammes of cannabis with an estimated street value of 720,000. A large sum of cash was also discovered. Analysis of the dash cam in the lorry revealed the discussion of cash, and gardai are satisfied that 13,000 was involved in the trafficking of these drugs and attributed to Zdechlikiewicz. The two other men involved had previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to five and six years for their roles in the offence. Zdechlikiewicz was interviewed several times but did not accept responsibility and denied any involvement in handling the drugs. Michael Lynn SC defending handed in a large number of testimonials on his client's behalf, including from his partner of 18 years and his 15-year-old son. He was described as a supportive, dependable and hard-working father. Zdechlikiewicz came to Ireland in 2010 from his native Poland. Judge Martin Nolan said the gardai had certain suspicions and watched the situation closely as it developed before the transfer of the drugs ultimately took place. He said it was a sophisticated operation and that Zdechlikiewiczs role was in the form of a supervisor to the other two men who handled the drugs. Judge Nolan said it is not clear what reward Zdechlikiewicz was to get for his involvement, but there is no doubt that he was to get some form of reward. He said a headline sentence of 13 years was warranted before he imposed a term of 10 years for the drug offence and a concurrent term of four years for the money laundering charge. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. Light Pillar was one of the most unique and intriguing offerings in this years Berlinale slate. A 2D-animated magical realist fable about cinema, deep space, and the unavoidable advance of time and technology, the film marks the feature debut of Chinese writer-director Xu Zao, a creative equally fascinated by live-action filmmaking and animation. In a speculative future where space travel has become reality, solitary janitor Zha tends to the remains of a once-thriving film studio. Gifted a VR headset by the company, he finds himself drawn to a female player who suggests they take a trip to the moon together. Back in reality, the lot lurches into life once more for an alien invasion film shoot until the real thing crash-lands in its place. Light Pillar features a curious inversion of fantasy and reality, in which the fantasy world protagonist Zha views through his VR headset is captured through live-action cinematography. But the director tells us this choice was largely driven by budgetary considerations. A few days after Light Pillar premiered at the Berlinale, Cartoon Brew sat down with writer-director Xu Zao to discuss the genesis, influences, and aspirations behind his debut feature. Producer Yue Huang joins us to interpret and to offer a few words of his own. Cartoon Brew: What sparked the idea for this film? What was its first seed? Xu Zao: Three things sparked this film. The first was a news story about an adult who was scammed by a child. It felt a little too simple to build a film around on its own, so I added my own experiences to the mix. I used to work as a production designer, traveling to many different film studios in China so the protagonist of this film is a janitor at a film studio. The third thing is my cat. I really love my cat, so I added a cat character. What films and filmmakers influenced your approach? I thought of live-action films such as The World by Jia Zhangke, Qiu Jiongjiongs A New Old Play, and animated features like The Triplets of Belleville. Both Jia Zhangke and I hail from the north of China, so perhaps we share a certain feeling toward cities because of that shared background. Qiu Jiongjiong is also a painter, so perhaps we have an affinity for taking great care with the content of our images and backgrounds. (Yue Huang notes that he was one of the producers on A New Old Play) Im a big fan of Sylvain Chomet, especially his film The Illusionist. I like that his style is not realistic, yet his stories are grounded in reality. Another director I love is Jacques Tati perhaps that humor shines through in this film. Theres also Li Hongqi, an older-generation independent filmmaker in China. His film Winter Vacation screened at Locarno. If you look closely, one of the background characters is based on Li Hongqi. Did you initially want to be a live-action filmmaker, or was animation always your goal? My initial plan was to be a live-action filmmaker. I had the story mapped out for my first short film, but for various reasons, I couldnt put it into production. So I storyboarded every frame, and that storyboard eventually became my first short instead. Through that process, I discovered that animation suits me better, because I can keep changing and improving it until it matches what I see in my minds eye. Theres also a lot that animation can achieve that live-action cannot. Light Pillar started as an animated film. The live-action portion only came in when I began thinking about how to present a virtual reality world. Live-action contrasts interestingly with animation, so it felt fun to approach it this way. Much like Robot Dreams, this is a gently paced, visually driven narrative. It doesnt rely heavily on dialogue, and in that sense, it feels like a very pure form of cinema. Could you elaborate on that approach? I really admire Robot Dreams. I even read the original graphic novel. For this film, I wanted to use images rather than dialogue to move the narrative forward. When you pay too much attention to dialogue, you focus primarily on the characters but when there is very little dialogue, you pay attention to everything on screen. I feel that the film studio itself, the background, is equally a character in this film. Tell me about blending live-action with animation in the film. You invert fantasy and reality live-action is what the protagonist sees when he puts on a VR headset, while animation represents his real life. There are several reasons for this reversal. The film started as animation, and live-action provided a strong, direct contrast. Within the story, its because the janitors life is very boring and flat. In the live-action sequences, I shot handheld to make that world feel more lively. The virtual reality world, meanwhile, is very clearly laid out like a video game. It has direction and tasks; you always know where to go next. Live-action is less abstract and more physical, and just like virtual reality, it operates according to clear rules. Live-action was also far more efficient. The twenty minutes of live-action in the film took only four days to shoot, while the remaining seventy minutes of animation took a year and a half. So it saved us both time and money. Animation, meanwhile, can capture all kinds of styles and all kinds of feelings. Its a very inclusive medium. What do you want audiences to take away from the film when they leave the theater? I didnt want to make a tearjerker, and I didnt want to make it overly sentimental, because real life isnt that dramatic. I spoke with some audience members after the screenings here, and what seems to move them the most is the relationship between the protagonist and the cat. One of the key messages of the film for me is the transformation the film industry is facing. Ultimately, in the film, the studio is destroyed by stone blocks. Beyond the story itself, that idea isnt limited to the film industry. All industries face their own stone blocks obstacles that hinder development. We need to overcome these obstacles, or they will eventually destroy us. Light Pillar premiered at the Berlinale in the Perspectives section. Advertisement Lafarge France has signed the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) contract with Air Liquide for the eCapt-Rhone du Teil project a decisive milestone in the development of this major decarbonisation initiative. The FEED phase covers the advanced engineering studies required to prepare a large-scale industrial project, including technical plans and diagrams, detailed specifications, and cost estimates. It lays the groundwork for construction and future operations. Throughout the year, engineering teams will design and model the future CO 2 capture facility at the Le Teil plants white cement kiln. The installation is scheduled to enter service in 2029. Once operational, the facility will capture 200,000t of CO 2 annually. The captured carbon will be transported by rail to the Roches-Roussillon platform in Isere, where it will be combined with renewable hydrogen and converted by Elyse Energy into 150,000t of low-carbon e-methanol each year representing around 20 per cent of current French demand. This project will transform CO 2 from Le Teil into a valuable industrial raw material, replacing imported fossil-based molecules and supporting the decarbonisation of maritime transport and the chemical industry. Lafarge France is proud to contribute to green growth and to the development of a sovereign, renewable chemical industry in France. Dr. Frank Eldridge, a beloved and dedicated pediatrician in Chattanooga for over five decades, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, at the age of 85 after a brief illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert R. and Margaret Cook Eldridge. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Temple Smartt Eldridge; his children, John (Corrie) Eldridge and Mary Eldridge George; four cherished grandsons, Joseph Eldridge, Polk Eldridge, Robert George, and William George; his brother Jim (Catherine) Eldridge; and several nieces and nephews. Frank was born on Nov. 17, 1940, at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. After the death of his parents in a tragic auto accident Frank and his brother Jim lived with their Aunt and Uncle Horace Collins in Chattanooga Valley. They later resided with their Aunt and Uncle Clark in Denver, Co., where Frank graduated from East High School in 1958. During his time in Denver, Franks adventurous spirit was nurtured through his involvement in the Boy Scouts, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1953. He also spent several years in the Sea Scouts, achieving the prestigious rank of Quartermaster. After returning to Chattanooga, Frank attended the University of Chattanooga, graduating in 1962. At UC, he was an active leaderserving as a cheerleader, an officer in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, a member of Blue Key, President of his Senior Class, and was voted Bachelor of Ugliness. He continued his education at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, where he graduated with his M.D. in 1966. He completed his internship and pediatric residency at Erlanger Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. Hassein Massoud. From 1969 to 1971, Frank served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, stationed in Korea and at Fort Eustis in Virginia. In 1971, Frank returned to Chattanooga and joined the Highland Pediatric Clinic in Hixson, where he would serve the children and families of the Chattanooga area for 50 years. He retired in 2021, having touched countless lives. During his career, he was an integral part of Erlanger Hospital, serving on various committees and as a Chief of Pediatrics at TC Thompson Children's Hospital. Frank was deeply committed to his faith, his community, and his family. He and Temple married in August 1966 at her familys home in Chattanooga Valley. Franks faith was central to his life, and he spent over 30 years leading a Junior High Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. He also served as a deacon, elder, and adult Sunday School leader. In addition to his medical practice, Frank served on the boards of several organizations, including Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), Bethany Christian Services, and Bible in the Public Schools. He was also deeply involved in the Chattanooga community through various philanthropic efforts. Frank cherished time spent with his family, particularly during vacations to the Smoky Mountains, South Carolina beaches, and the western United States. He enjoyed the quiet rhythm of farm life at his home in Flintstone, Georgia, where he could often be found tending to farm chores. Though he is no longer with us, we find comfort in the knowledge that Frank is now in the presence of his Savior, hearing those words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. The family will hold a private committal service. The family will receive friends from 12-1:15 p.m. on Friday, March 6, at First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, 554 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37402, followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 1:30 p.m. with Pastor Ron Brown officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to Cru or Bible in the Public Schools. To share your memories of Dr. Eldridge, please visit https://www.hamiltonfhofchattanooga.com/obituary/dr-frank-eldridge Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tn. 37343, 423 531-3975. Sasha Sitkovetsky Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt Gary Hoffman Gloria Chien Previous Next String Theory at the Hunter, in partnership with Lee University and the Hunter Museum of American Art, will present Bloch and Brahms at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga. The concert will feature violinist Sasha Sitkovetsky, violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, cellist Gary Hoffman, and pianist Gloria Chien. "This program pairs two very different yet deeply expressive voices, said Dr. Chien, founder and artistic director of String Theory. Blochs music is intimate and meditative, while Brahms moves through grandeur and passion. Together, they create a journey that highlights both personal reflection and the richness of cultural tradition. The program includes From Jewish Life by Bloch and Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major by Brahms, offering contrasting visions of introspection and cultural identity. Mr. Sitkovetsky is a violin professor and artist-in-residence at Southern Methodist Universitys Meadows School for the Arts. He has performed internationally as a soloist and artistic director and appears regularly on the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center artist roster. An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Kronberg Academy in Germany, he has won numerous awards, including first prize at the 2011 Trio di Trieste Duo Competition and the Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award. Praised by Strad magazine for her lyricisma silky tone and beautiful, supple lines, Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt has appeared in recitals and chamber-music concerts across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she earned a masters degree in string quartet at Rice University. Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt was the founding violist of the Dover Quartet (20082022), which won numerous awards, and served on the faculty at Curtis and Northwestern Universitys Bienen School of Music while the quartet was in residence at the Kennedy Center. Mr. Hoffman gained international renown as the first North American to win the Rostropovich International Cello Competition in 1986. He performs in major recitals and chamber-music series worldwide and has recorded extensively. Mr. Hoffman was the youngest faculty appointee in the history of Indiana Universitys Jacobs School of Music, where he served for eight years, and he leads master classes globally. He is involved with the Kronberg Academys festival and Academy Master program, joined the Curtis Institute of Music faculty in 2021, and serves as master in residence for cello at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Brussels. Dr. Chien is a noted performer, concert presenter, and educator. She made her orchestral debut at 16 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard and was recognized by The Boston Globe as one of its superior pianists of the year. She has performed at venues including Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Phillips Collection, the Dresden Chamber Music Festival, and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan, and appears frequently with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In 2010, Dr. Chien became director of the Chamber Music Institute at Music@Menlo, a post she held for a decade. She joined her husband, violinist Soovin Kim, as artistic director of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in 2017 and Chamber Music Northwest in 2020. She recently released two albums: Gloria Chien Live from Music@Menlo and Here With You on Cedille Records. Dr. Chien studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and is an artist-in-residence at Lee University. Prior to the concert at 5:45 p.m., Pregame with Bob features Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Music Director Emeritus Bob Bernhardt discussing the program and interviewing the artists. String Theory was founded in 2009 by Dr. Chien to expose new audiences to chamber music, invigorate the local classical scene, and cultivate a future generation of music lovers. This concert is generously sponsored by HK Architects. Tickets for the Tuesday evening performance are $54 for non-members, $42 for Hunter members, and $10 for students and music teachers with ID. Tickets are available until March 10. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit stringtheorymusic.org, email info@stringtheorymusic.org, or call (423) 414-2525. Micah Chapman, a lifelong District 5 resident, father, minister and community advocate, has officially launched his campaign for the Hamilton County School Board. Running in the upcoming May 5 election, Mr. Chapman is campaigning on a platform of "collaboration over control," seeking to unite families, educators and administrators to prioritize student success."Effective school board leadership starts with listening," said Mr. Chapman. "I believe collaboration, not control, is the foundation of strong schools.My goal is to build trust through honest communication and decisions that always put our students first."Campaign officials said, "Mr. Chapmans priorities were shaped by direct conversations with District 5 families and educators. His vision forHamilton County Schools focuses on five core pillars:- Transparency & Accountability: Moving beyond the boardroom by hosting quarterly community meetings and providing clear summaries of board votes to keep the public informed.- Support for Educators: Advocating for competitive, living-wage compensation and the creation of advisory councils to ensure teacher perspectives shape district policy.- Trauma-Informed Success: Prioritizing student well-being by improving access to mental health resources and fostering proactive, safe school environments.- Community Togetherness: Strengthening the bond between home and school through early-learning partnerships and increased oppportunities for student-led leadership.- Future-Ready Students: Expanding career-readiness initiatives and introducing age-appropriate financial literacy across the K12 curriculum."A product of Hamilton County Schools and a dedicated father, Micah Chapman has spent his life serving the Chattanooga community. At The Enterprise Center, he empowers residents through digital literacy and resource access. As executive pastor of Word Empowerment Church, he provides spiritual and civic leadership, helping families navigate the complexities of modern life.""Our schools are the heart of our community," Mr. Chapman added. "When we support our teachers and listen to our parents, we create an environment where every student can thrive."The Hamilton County School Board election will be held on May 5. For more information on Micah Chapmans vision for District 5, visit www.micahchapman.com. G.O.P. bill doubles fine for driving with a cellphone in your hand 8:30 a.m. - Finance, Ways & Means - Watch & Agenda - 4. SB 1591 *Haile Senate Bill 1591 imposes state and local litigation taxes on a person who is caught using a cellphone while theyre driving. Currently, there is a $50 fine and $10 worth of court costs. If this measure becomes law, violators will be responsible for a $50 fine, a $29.50 privilege tax for court expenses, $3 penalty for a victims fund and roughly $40 in local litigation taxes, for a grand total of $122.50. G.O.P. misdirection: Tax breaks for billion-dollar corporations, none for you After full Finance - Finance subcommittee - Watch & Agenda Two bills on a Senate finance subcommittee calendar today perfectly exemplify the G.O.P.s tax priorities. Spoiler alert: Its not benefiting working families. The first is Senate Bill 2042, by Sen. Brent Taylor, which would extend a sales tax break for business developments over $1 billion. Literally, a sales tax break for billion dollar corporations. The second is Senate Bill 2347, by Sen. Joey Hensley, which would eliminate the states 4% sales tax on groceries. This legislation does not replace the lost revenue a decision that signals the sponsors are not serious. Because without replacement revenue, the legislature would have to find over $800 million of budget cuts, a number so large, it would impact education, healthcare and public safety. One of these bills is real. One is not. Republicans move to criminalize government transparency, shield ICE agents from accountability 10:30 a.m. - State and Local Government - Watch & Agenda - *SB1464 by Johnson As federal immigration agents face scrutiny after killing two American citizens in Minnesota and were caught on video using racial slurs against Tennessee residents during last spring's Nashville ICE sweep, Republican lawmakers are doubling down advancing legislation that would make it a felony for local officials to publicly disclose information about ICE operations. SB 1464, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, would also allow the removal from office of any elected official deemed to have released such information even accidentally. Bill shields Boring Company from local property tax assessors 10:30 a.m. - State and Local Government - SB1673 by Johnson Senate Bill 1673 would create a special new tax process for subterranean transit companies The Boring Company. Under the bill, The Boring Company would file its property taxes with the state comptrollers office, rather than the Davidson County tax assessor. Sorry, Rep. Kumar! Republicans push unconstitutional anti-immigrant election bill 10:30 a.m. - State and Local Government - *SB1825 by Taylor. Republican-sponsored Senate Bill 1825 would ban naturalized U.S. citizens and dual citizens from appearing on Tennessee's primary ballots for federal office a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution's qualifications clauses. The U.S. Supreme Court has overruled such prohibitions multiple times. But instead of passing useful laws, Tennessees one-party government is engaging in discriminatory window dressing that wastes taxpayer resources while our real problems go unaddressed. Its also an ugly affront to their GOP colleague Rep. Sabi Kumar, a naturalized citizen who represents Robertson County in the state House. G.O.P. bill enlists robots to roll back consumer protections 10:30 a.m. - State & Local Government - Watch & Agenda - SB 0354 *Taylor Senate Bill 354 would hand much of the state's regulatory rulebook over to artificial intelligence tasking algorithms to identify rules to cut with an arbitrary goal of slashing regulations by 25 percent. Never mind that those regulations shield consumers from financial predators, fraudulent products and corporate wrongdoing. The rules are also supposed to protect the water we drink, the air we breathe and the land we farm. Tennessee already has a public process for repealing outdated rules, one that lets residents have a say. SB 354 bypasses that accountability, sets a politically-driven quota and lets a machine decide which protections Tennesseans deserve to keep. Bill bans hedge funds from buying up single-family homes 10:30 a.m. - State & Local Government - Watch & Agenda - 12. SB0242 by Oliver Sen. Charlane Oliver is introducing Senate Bill 242, the "Homes Not Hedge Funds Act," which would prohibit large corporate investors owning 100 or more single-family rental properties from purchasing additional homes in Tennessee's largest counties. The bill aligns with a priority President Donald Trump announced in January, when he signed an Executive Order declaring "people live in homes, not corporations." Oliver's legislation goes further than Trump's order by setting clear ownership thresholds, establishing penalties, and creating a private right of action for aggrieved homebuyers. G.O.P. bill could accelerate loss of Tenn. farmland 10:30 a.m. - State & Local Government - Watch & Agenda - 26. *SB1824 by Lowe Senate Bill 1824 would eliminate the financial penalty that discourages farmers from selling agricultural land to developers. Under current law, land classified as greenbelt gets a reduced property tax rate to encourage agriculture. Selling greenbelt land for non-farm use triggers years of back taxes, a guardrail designed to keep working farms intact. This bill wipes out that liability entirely. Critics say it could accelerate the loss of Tennessee farmland by making it cost-free to flip tax-advantaged agricultural land to developers. Bill adopts innovative state model to clear medial debt 1 p.m. - Commerce and Labor - Watch & Agenda - 25. SB 1598 *Lamar Sen. London Lamars Freedom from Medical Debt Act takes a two-pronged approach to tackling Tennessee's medical debt crisis. First, the bill mimics innovative medical debt cancellation programs from other states by directing $1 million in state treasurer interest earnings to contract with a nonprofit to purchase and eliminate medical debt for low-income Tennesseans. Second, beginning July 1, 2026, it bans medical debt from appearing on consumer credit reports. Lamar bill cracks down on price-fixing software in rental housing market 1 p.m. - Commerce and Labor - Watch & Agenda - SB 1990 *Lamar Senate Bill 1990, the Stop Rent Rigging Act, would update Tennessees antitrust law to directly prohibit the use of common pricing algorithms that coordinate rental prices among competing landlords. The bill makes it illegal for a company to distribute software that collects and analyzes shared rental data to recommend prices or lease terms to multiple property owners and likewise unlawful for landlords to knowingly use such tools to set rents. The proposal builds on Attorney General Jonathan Skrmettis recent multistate enforcement efforts targeting algorithmic rent-setting. By clearly defining and banning coordinated pricing software in state statute, this bill closes a gap in Tennessee law and equips authorities with stronger tools to pursue anti-competitive price-fixing in the rental housing market. Full Committee Calendar 8:30 a.m. Finance, Ways & Means 1. *SJR0617 by Hatcher. Memorials, Congress - Urges the U.S. Congress to enact H.R. 2350 (S. 1137), which permits states to deploy cell-phone jamming systems in prisons. 2. *SB1591 by Haile. (HB1555 by Slater.) Traffic Safety - Amends TCA Section 55-8-199. As introduced, imposes state and local litigation taxes on a person who violates the prohibition against using a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device while operating a motor vehicle; removes the ten-dollar cap on court costs imposed for such violations. 3. SB1861 by Johnson. (*HB1630 by Lamberth.) Workers Compensation - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 6, Part 2. As introduced, authorizes the chief administrative officer of the bureau of workers' compensation of the department of labor and workforce development to disburse funds from the subsequent injury and vocational recovery fund for costs associated with implementing and maintaining a computer system for the bureau of workers' compensation; makes other changes related to workers' compensation. 4. SB1884 by Johnson. (*HB1632 by Lamberth.) Hazardous Materials - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 217, Part 1. As introduced, makes various changes to the Tennessee Drycleaner's Environmental Response Act. 5. SB1887 by Johnson. (*HB1628 by Lamberth.) Tourist Development, Dept. of - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 22. As introduced, requires the department to annually confirm the nonprofit, membership-based organizations or tax-exempt public agencies to act as regional tourism organizations for each of the nine development districts; requires department approval of regional tourism organization's planned marketing initiatives prior to the organization receiving matching state funds; provides definitions related to tourism. 6. *SB2238 by Johnson. (HB2550 by Lamberth.) Game and Fish Laws - Amends TCA Title 70, Chapter 2. As introduced, enacts the "Hunting for Heroes Act"; creates the Tennessee national guard sportsman license. 7. *SB2061 by Watson. (HB2270 by Hicks G.) Children - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2. With amendment, creates a state-managed Children's Digital Protection Fund to hold money recovered from legal claims against social media and gaming platforms regarding their impact on minors. These funds are strictly reserved for mental health services, research, law enforcement, and suicide prevention efforts tailored to children's digital safety. The state treasurer and attorney general oversee the fund's growth and expenditures, ensuring that all recoveries and interest remain dedicated to these specific causes rather than reverting to the general budget. Budget Expansion Rural Health Transformation Grant Expansion Budget Hearings TACIR TN Arts Commission Finance Subcommittee (Immediately following full Finance) 1. SB1963 by Walley. (*HB1880 by Hicks T.) Taxes, Privilege - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 17. As introduced, removes licensed attorneys who have practiced more than 20 years from the application of the professional privilege tax. Tax break for lawyers. 2. *SB2042 by Taylor. (HB1978 by White.) Taxes, Sales - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6. As introduced, authorizes the commissioner of revenue to issue a certificate of exemption to a taxpayer who qualifies for the sales and use tax exemption on qualified building materials used in the construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more qualified, new, or expanded warehouse or distribution facilities in paper or electronic medium. Extends a sales tax break on billion-dollar developments through 2032 3. SB2135 by Taylor. (*HB1778 by Leatherwood.) Taxes, Sales - Caption bill 4. SB2347 by Hensley. (*HB1530 by Warner.) Taxes, Sales - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3 and Title 67, Chapter 6. As introduced, exempts from the state sales and use tax the retail sale of food and food ingredients. Unfunded tax cut that could result in funding reductions for schools, healthcare and public safety. 10:30 a.m. State & Local Government 1. SB2614 by Johnson. (*HB2102 by Wright.) County Government - Amends TCA Title 5 and Title 8. As introduced, authorizes a county legislative body operating under the County Purchasing Law of 1957 to set the compensation for the director of accounts and budgets. 2. SB1713 by Johnson. (*HB1664 by Maberry.) State Government - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49. As introduced, requires the executive head of each state department or agency, local government, and public institution of higher education to submit an annual attestation to the comptroller of the treasury that such entity has not implemented a discriminatory preference to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion. DEI practices are largely illegal already in Tennessee. This is more anti-DEI culture war distractions 3. SB1673 by Johnson. (*HB1515 by Marsh.) Comptroller, State - With amendment, adds subsurface passenger transit companies to the list of entities whose property the comptroller must assess, for purposes of ad valorem taxation, at the state level as centrally assessed utilities and carriers. As a result, the tangible and intangible property within this state owned by, and the personal property used or leased by, a subsurface passenger transit company becomes subject to centralized assessment by the comptroller for state, county and municipal tax purposes, rather than local assessment by county assessors. 4. *SB1464 by Johnson. (HB2506 by Sexton.) Public Records - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41 and Chapter 253 of the Public Acts of 2021. As introduced, makes certain records regarding immigration enforcement actions confidential and not subject to public disclosure by state or local government entities or officials; punishes as a Class E felony the criminally negligent public release of certain confidential records; expands the grounds for ouster to include the criminally negligent release of certain confidential records. 5. SB1788 by Reeves. (*HB1671 by Rudd.) Local Government, General - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 71, Chapter 5. As introduced, prohibits local governmental entities from relocating homeless individuals unless the relocation is coordinated with the receiving jurisdiction; authorizes the attorney general to seek civil penalties for violations; authorizes the receiving jurisdiction to seek damages and injunctive relief for violations. 6. *SB1816 by Powers. (HB1803 by McCalmon.) Alcoholic Beverages - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3. As introduced, adds the bottling of distilled spirits to the definition of "manufacture" for purposes of licensing and regulation of the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. 7. *SB1687 by Seal. (HB1799 by Darby.) Comptroller, State - Amends TCA Section 7-59-316; Section 49-4-938 and Section 67-5-701. As introduced, deletes the reports the comptroller is required to submit to the general assembly regarding the provision of broadband services in historically unserved areas and the Tennessee Helping Heroes Scholarship Program; revises the information the comptroller is required to submit to the general assembly regarding the property tax relief program. 8. SB0938 by Rose. (*HB0957 by Slater.) State Employees - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8. As introduced, grants eligible state employees mandatory paid leave for fostering a minor child. 9. *SB0377 by Rose. (HB0548 by Cochran.) Purchasing and Procurement - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 56. As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Procurement Protection Act." 10. *SB1970 by Akbari. (HB1911 by Shaw.) Public Records - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7. As introduced, entitles an individual who is not a citizen of this state to inspect or receive a copy of any law enforcement record or report pertaining solely to that individual. 11. SB1028 by Bowling. (*HB0999 by Barrett.) Election Laws - Amends TCA Title 2. As introduced, requires all ballots cast in an election to have a secure watermark; requires the official tabulation count of a ballot scanner to be based on the text or machine mark portion of a ballot; makes certain other changes related to ballots and elections; creates programs for the scanning and auditing of ballots. 12. SB0242 by Oliver. (*HB0298 by Behn.) Housing - Amends TCA Title 13; Title 47 and Title 66. As introduced, enacts the "Homes not Hedge Funds Act"; prohibits certain business entities from purchasing more than 100 single-family homes in certain counties in this state for purposes of renting the purchased properties; establishes a state and private cause of action and establishes damages for violations. 13. SB0354 by Taylor. (*HB0338 by Crawford.) State Government - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 12; Title 13; Title 14; Title 15; Title 41; Title 50 and Title 57. As introduced, authorizes the head of each administrative department, the state treasurer, the secretary of state, and the adjutant general to file electronically with the governor the annual report concerning the functions, management, and financial transactions of such person's department or agency for the preceding fiscal year. 14. SB1826 by Taylor. (*HB1773 by Leatherwood.) Open Meetings - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 86, Part 3 and Title 8, Chapter 44, Part 1. As introduced, authorizes emergency communications district boards of directors to participate in board meetings electronically under the open meetings law. 15. *SB1706 by Taylor. (HB1935 by Vaughan.) Taxes, Real Property - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5. As introduced, prohibits a city or county collecting official from requiring a taxpayer to pay the full tax due for an assessment for which an appeal is pending before the county or state boards of equalization. 16. *SB1825 by Taylor. (HB2036 by Garrett.) Election Laws - Amends TCA Title 2. As introduced, prohibits a person from qualifying as a candidate in a primary election for federal office who holds dual citizenship or is not a natural-born citizen of the United States. 17. SB2257 by Taylor. (*HB1451 by Hardaway.) County Government - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 6 and Title 5. As introduced, requires each county to create a county ethics commission. Unfunded mandate on local governments 18. SB2250 by Pody. (*HB2165 by Barrett.) Local Government, General - With amendment, deletes the Class E felony for local government official who votes in the affirmative to adopt a sanctuary city policy. 19. SB1956 by Pody. (*HB1884 by Cepicky.) Secretary of State caption "designated enemy" bill 20. *SB1961 by Pody. (HB2520 by Barrett.) Taxes, Ad Valorem - caption 21. SB2308 by Pody. (*HB2168 by Barrett.) Public Records - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7. As introduced, specifies that certain information related to the carrying out of a sentence of death is not confidential and is open to public inspection. Budget Hearings Tennessee Department of Military Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Tennessee Housing Development Agency 22. *SB1258 by Yarbro. (HB1267 by Johnson.) Election Laws With amendment, allows inmates, who are otherwise still eligible to vote, to register to vote and vote absentee and/or cast their ballot from a correctional institution. 23. *SB1824 by Lowe. (HB1846 by Butler.) Taxes, Real Property - Amends TCA Section 11-14-307; Section 11-14-406; Section 11-7-109; Title 66; Section 67-4-409; Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 10 and Section 67-5-2402. As introduced, eliminates liability for rollback taxes on agricultural, forest, or open space land with a greenbelt classification when the land is sold; requires that a buyer of property with a greenbelt classification submit a new application to renew the property's greenbelt classification. Farmland elimination act. Agriculture tax shelter? The rollback mechanism is the enforcement tool without it, there's nothing stopping a wealthy landowner from taking the tax break for years and flipping the property to a developer with zero penalty. 24. SB1728 by Jackson. (*HB1514 by McCalmon.) Local Government, General - Amends TCA Title 5, Chapter 1 and Title 6, Chapter 54. As introduced, prohibits the assessment of a fee, fine, or cost against the owner of a shopping cart found on public property unless the shopping cart was removed from the premises or parking area of a retail establishment by the owner of the shopping cart or by an employee acting on the owner's behalf. 25. *SB1595 by Jackson. (HB1673 by Bricken.) Utilities, Utility Districts - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 34; Title 7, Chapter 82; Title 9, Chapter 21 and Title 68, Chapter 221. As introduced, makes various changes to laws regarding utilities, including the procedure for consolidation of utilities and continuing education requirements for members of utility governing bodies. 26. SB2152 by Walley. (*HB2024 by Marsh.) Utilities, Utility Districts - Caption 27. SB2216 by Walley. (*HB1761 by Gant.) Firefighters - Amends TCA Section 8-50-119 and Title 68, Chapter 102. As introduced, requires this state's employee assistance program, including components for mental health and wellness, to be available to all active members of a volunteer fire department and all active volunteer members of a combination fire department; makes various other changes. 28. SB1685 by Walley. ( REPORT ENDED ) * * * Is Mr Puttbrese claiming his party opposes SB1464? Its a Republican sponsored bill which makes it a felony in Tennessee for government officials to publicly disclose information about active immigration enforcement operations. It also allows the removal from office of any elected official determined to have released such information. This has happened before when a MD Democrat official revealed a local police sting operation to catch a child predator mistaking it for an ICE operation. Two other Democrat officials revealed immigration enforcement operations in Oakland, CA in 2018 and Portland, MA in 2026. Tennessee Republicans are trying to head off such behavior and attach serious consequences if it does. Elected officials take an oath to protect us. I cant speak for Mr. Puttbrese, but I dont feel safe if officials are so arrogant as to pick and choose which laws to enforce without them having to face consequences for that behavior. By opposing SB1463 its clear which party doesnt believe in common sense immigration law and which party doesnt believe in protecting American citizens ahead of illegal aliens. Ralph Miller A Chattooga County man has been given a life prison sentence after a jury convicted him of raping and sexually assaulting a minor. The conviction came after a three-day trial before Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House. Blackmon, 46, was convicted on all seven counts of sexually-based crimes against a child. Evidence presented at trial showed that in February 2020, the child victim disclosed to a friends mother that Blackmon had been inappropriately touching her. That individual reported the childs disclosures to the Department of Family and Childrens Services, who notified local law enforcement. The child was taken to the Childrens Advocacy Center where the child was interviewed by Forensic Interviewer Janet Burch. During that interview, the child disclosed that Blackmon had taken topless pictures of her and had touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions, starting when she was 12 years old. After several years of therapy, the child later disclosed that Blackmon had raped her when she was 13 years old. Wendell Flood of the Chattooga County Sheriffs Office investigated the case and interviewed Blackmon after the childs disclosure of abuse. During this interview, Blackmon denied any inappropriate contact with the child or taking inappropriate pictures of the child. However, when detectives requested to search Blackmons phone, Blackmon stated he left it at work. Blackmon gave his cell phone to law enforcement officers approximately one month after the interview, but evidence showed that he deleted all the data off the phone three days before turning it over. Additionally, text messages recovered from the victims phone were presented to the jury. In these text messages, the victim confronted Blackmon about the abuse and he never denied the abuse, and in fact, acknowledged it by his responses. The case was presented to the jury by Assistant District Attorney David Wolfe with the assistance of Victim Witness Advocate Ashley Nicholson, who coordinated and communicated with the witnesses, and provided support to the victim and her family throughout the entire trial. Additionally, Victim Witness Advocate Jordan Thomasson assisted in the preparation of the trial while Chief Investigator Christy Smith of the District Attorneys office fostered a deep relationship of trust with the victim. Blackmon was represented by Sutton Connelly of Cook & Connelly in Summerville. Following the return of a guilty verdict, Chief Judge House immediately sentenced Blackmon to a life sentence with the first 30 years to be served in prison without the possibility of parole. Cloudland at McLemore Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, has named Zhenya Gerson director of Spa at Selah, the hotels renowned mountaintop spa. Ms. Gerson brings over 20 years of experience in wellness, spa, and fitness programs from luxury hotels, private clubs, and wellness destinations across the globe. She is the founder of Exhale Wellness Centre in Sydney, Australia as well as the co-founder of PROPPR Products, an award-winning gut health brand. In addition to her leadership expertise and entrepreneurship, Ms. Gersons certifications include certified holistic nutritionist, gut health specialist, yoga instructor, and movement specialist. I'm looking forward to bringing deeper wellness rituals and experiences not only to Selah Spa, but throughout the resort," said Ms. Gerson. "Cloudland's mountain setting offers a rare opportunity for guests to truly escape, reset, and restoreand I'm excited to create programming that meets them wherever they are in that journey. Immediately prior to joining McLemore Resort, Ms. Gerson served as interim spa manager at the prestigious Boca West Country Club, a Platinum ClubsO of America 5-Star country club spa in Boca Raton, Florida. She also served a notable tenure at the ultra-luxury international Conrad Hotel and Resort in the Republic of the Maldives as spa supervisor and wellness curator. The Selah experience is a cornerstone of wellness at Cloudland and requires its leadership to provide the luxurious rejuvenation our guests have come to love, said Nick Lorusso, general manager at Cloudland. Zhenyas career of distinction promises to uphold and enhance Selahs renowned legacy, and were happy to welcome her to Cloudland. Lookout Mountains premiere spa, Selah is the ultimate escape above the clouds. Selah promotes self-nurturing serenity to reset and engage the mind, body, and soul through professional massages, specialty facials, and therapeutic body treatments. Advance reservations are highly encouraged and can be made by calling 706 398-5200. Attorney Curtis Bowe has been selected as the new judge for Collegedale. Four-term Collegedale City Judge Kevin Wilson passed away in December. Qualifications for a new judge includes that they must have been a resident of the city for one year and must have lived in Tennessee for five years preceding his election. That decision was made by the Tennessee Supreme Court in March 2025 and is based on the states constitution. The city advertised the job and received just three applications and two of them were not eligible because they did not live in Collegedale. The third is attorney Bowe who meets the qualifications. However, some on the citys commission had reservations because he has served as a reserve officer in the city in the past, when he participated in a case that they felt he should have had no involvement with. Another applicant for the judge position would have to qualify by March 10 and a special election would have to be held. That left the city with few options. Commissioner Tim Johnson said one of those would be to take all criminal and state cases downtown to Chattanooga. The city would have to pay to do that and the Collegedale court would be on a schedule set by Hamilton County. The other choice was to move forward with Mr. Bowe. Commissioner Debbie Baker said she believes he has the integrity to separate himself from the other Collegedale officers. A vote approved Mr. Bowe, who will serve as city judge until the next election in 2030. City Attorney Sam Elliott was asked to help change the city resident requirement since there are many small cities in Tennessee that do not have a qualified person residing in that city. The attorney will draft a letter asking the citys state legislators to look into that issue. Currently three cities in Hamilton County are being affected by this new law - Red Bank and East Ridge along with Collegedale. Mayor Morty Lloyd was given authority by the commissioners to execute an interlocal agreement between Collegedale and the city of Chattanooga regarding adjusting boundaries at 8883 Old Lee Highway in Ooltewah. The location is a parking lot and is adjacent to a Chick Fil-A restaurant. That 2.76-acre parcel was created after building I-75 Exit 11 after 2001. It created right-of-way that had not been contemplated when the municipal boundaries and urban growth boundaries between Chattanooga and Collegedale were set. The request comes from the developer, and the two cities decided to adjust their boundaries and place the property within the boundary of Collegedale, rather than have the property deannexed by Chattanooga. In return, Chattanooga will be paid the equivalent of three years of property tax and the local option sales tax if a business is ever built there that generates sales tax and property tax. This tax payment will not include sales tax from the Chick Fil-A restaurant. Collegedale has participated with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Tree Planting grant rograms, for three years. March 18 will mark the fourth year. and that date will also serve as the citys official Arbor Day. A proclamation from the Arbor Day Foundation will be adopted followed by a ceremonial tree planting. The March 18 event will be coordinated with the Department of Agriculture, Pubic Works, Parks and Recreation and the city. Art student Laurissa Mancia won the competition in Collegedale for development of a new logo to be used on various signs and documents associated with the city. At Monday nights commission meeting approval was given to enter into a contract with the artist. She asked for the city to allow 30 days to make any requested changes to the design. And at the recommendation of new City Manager Jon Holmes, the commissioners approved a new procedure for meetings, that adds a consent agenda, where routine items can be voted on together and without discussion. Any item that a commissioner wants clarification of can be removed from the consent agenda for discussion. City Manager Holmes has been working in Collegedale for about 30 days. He said one of he first things he noticed was that there is a lot of interest in Collegedale from developers and builders. He invited Mark Mamantov, a public finance lawyer, to talk to the commissioners about a new tool that is available for developers and builders. That is a real estate infrastructure special assessment district. The city first would have to create an Industrial Development District (IDD) which would be the organization that is responsible if a development fails, not the city. This implements annual charges for a new house that sells for $450,000 of about $1.200 per year, or $100 per month, for a piece of property that would be used to build a house that would sell for $450,000. This assessment would be paid in addition to a property tax bill. That extra $100 assessment per month would be for the length of the mortgage, typically for 30 years. The developer would use the money to build public infrastructure directly related to the development such as sewers, roads and drainage systems. Attorney Mamantov said this process benefits the developer and is intended to be used as an incentive to encourage building housing. Selling more of the $450,000 houses would increase the inventory of lower priced houses in the $250,000-$300.000 price range when people move into the new more expensive houses. In the future, the city will have continuing discussions about this. A 38-year-old Walker County man is dead from a gunshot wound late Sunday, according to Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson, and a Chattanooga man has been arrested. Deputies were called to a residence on Gilbert Street in Rossville on Monday afternoon in order to do a welfare check on the male occupant. Upon examination of the residence, deputies found Robin Fredale Sutton deceased. Walker County detectives and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents were requested to investigate the death. Following investigative leads early Tuesday morning, detectives and agents were directed to a residence at 210 S. Howell Ave. in Chattanooga. At this residence, 28-year-old Jermaine Matthew Jackson, was arrested on a Tennessee warrant and taken to the East Ridge Police Department for questioning in Suttons death. At around noon on Tuesday, a warrant was obtained in Walker County charging Jackson with the offense of murder in Mr. Suttons death. The motive for the murder is unknown. Georgia House District 1 Rep. Mike Cameron said he is running for another term. Rep. Cameron said, "Representing and serving the residents of Walker and Dade Counties for the last six years has been one of the great honors of my life. Today, I ask the voters in Georgia House District 1 for another two years to serve you. "In the Georgia House, I have worked with my collegues to return 9 billion dollars in excess funds to taxpayers in the form of temporary suspension of the gas tax and rebates on both income and property taxes. We are currently working on legislation in the House to end property taxes in Georgia. We have also lowered the State Income Tax to 4.99 percent. "Individually, I passed HB 350 in the House that would allow infant safety devices aka baby boxes in various locations around the state to save infants who are abandoned. In addition, HB 57 would close a loophole in the incest law in Georgia by including step grandchildren. "I have worked in the district on a number of road issues including putting flashers at the top of Highway 136 going down into Trenton for safety and the addition of turn lanes at the intersection of Hwys 341 and 193. I worked with local partners on funding two playgrounds in Rossville - one at the John Ross Commons, aka the Duck Pond and on Salem Road the soon to be completed Adventure Acres. In Lafayette, I worked with local partners on a recreation grant to build a walking trail on the Chattooga River and a rock climbing wall. Its also an honor to work with local groups on hunger issues, especially in our schools. "My office works every day on constituent issues like licensing, mental health in our jails and other issues that constituents and local government partners encounter. "At the end of the day, the hours are long and I put approximately 40,000 miles a year on my car working in the district and in Atlanta. Its a real joy helping people with their issues. I hope you the voters will do me the honor of continuing to serve you for two more years. "Thank you again for allowing me to serve you." Early voting starts April 27 and election day is May 19. The MET off Main Church, in partnership with the Chattanooga Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., will host the Day of Hope on March 22, a community benefit focused on raising awareness and support for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. The event will take place at 11 a.m. at 2340 Rossville Blvd. in Chattanooga.Officials said, "The Day of Hope was created to remind our community that no family should face childhood illness alone. St. Jude provides world class care to children regardless of a familys ability to pay, and that mission is sustained through awareness, generosity and community involvement.This event brings together faith leaders, community organizations and families with one shared purpose - supporting children and families during some of their most difficult moments."For additional details, visit www.metroliveschurch.org. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (center). | Screenshot: X/ Pam Bondi U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that federal prosecutors have brought charges against 30 additional individuals accused of participating in an anti-ICE protest that interrupted a worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Jan. 18. In a post on her official X account last Friday, Bondi said the Department of Justice is charging 30 more people who took part in the attack on Cities Church in Minnesota. At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day, Bondi tweeted. YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. She added that the Trump administrations Justice Department STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith. According to The Associated Press, the new indictments bring the total number of individuals charged in connection with the protest to 39. Among those facing charges are CNN anchor Don Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort and Trahern Crews, a lead organizer of Black Lives Matter Minnesota. The disruption occurred when demonstrators entered the church during a Sunday service to protest one of the pastors, who also works as an agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal prosecutors have charged the defendants under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which includes provisions safeguarding houses of worship from acts of physical intimidation. Court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota allege that participants carried out a coordinated take-over style attack that involved acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction. The indictment states that protesters interrupted the sermon with loud declarations, including chants of ICE Out! and Stand up, fight back! along with other shouting. Fort and Lemon have maintained that they attended solely in a journalistic capacity. However, prosecutors allege that both were present at a meeting with protest organizers for a pre-op briefing at a shopping center led by defendants Nekima Levy-Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen. The meeting reportedly included instruction on how the operation would be conducted once they arrived at the Church. In a guest essay published last month in The New York Times, Fort argued that the indictment reflects what she described as a broader effort to intimidate members of the media. She wrote that she views the charges as part of a pattern of intimidating the press, physically harming reporters who are covering protests and, now, taking legal action against members of the media. Charges against journalists for doing their jobs must be dropped, she wrote. Physical harm and intimidation against reporters must carry consequences. Separately, Cities Church member Ann Doucette filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court for Minnesota last week, alleging civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, aiding and abetting, trespassing and interference with religious exercise against the protesters. Franklin Graham, accompanied by David Ruiz, associate evangelist with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association who serves as his Spanish interpreter, stands during an evangelistic event in Ushuaia, Argentina, on Feb. 14, 2025. | Photo credit: Facebook/ Franklin Graham Lima, the Peruvian capital known as the City of Kings, is preparing to host an evangelistic message about the true King in a social and spiritual context marked by challenges and a need for hope. The event, organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and led by its president, Franklin Graham, is called Esperanza Lima and will take place March 7 and 8. With more than 11 million residents, Lima accounts for one-third of the countrys population and remains the political, cultural and economic center of Peru. Its name, City of the Kings, refers to its founding on Jan. 6, 1535, a date that coincides with Epiphany, which commemorates the wise mens adoration of the infant Jesus. The evangelistic initiative comes at a time when traditional religious practice appears to be declining in Peru. Local Christian leaders say that although many people profess belief in God, they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and face deep emotional challenges, including anxiety, a lack of inner peace and high rates of social problems such as alcoholism and drug abuse. Data cited during preparations for the festival suggests that only about 14% of the population has a personal relationship with Jesus, despite general openness to hearing the Gospel message. The Esperanza Lima Festival is not an isolated event in Perus evangelistic history. In 1998, Franklin Graham led a three-day festival at the National Stadium of Lima during a period of national crisis. That gathering left a lasting impact and encouraged Grahams return to the city in 2026. More than 2,400 pastors and 700 local churches responded during the projects launch phase, leading organizers to expand the festival from one day to two days. The events planning includes participation from Peruvian churches that have adopted the Christian Life and Witness Course, a training program designed to strengthen believers faith and equip them with practical tools for sharing their beliefs and serving as prayer volunteers during the festival. Local leaders and organizers say anticipation and enthusiasm are growing among Christians and communities. They view the event as an opportunity for people who have never attended church to hear a message of salvation, forgiveness and purpose centered on Jesus Christ. For organizers, the work continues after the stadium event through discipling new believers and building faith communities that extend beyond the festival. The call to action concludes with an invitation for Christians worldwide to pray for the people of Lima, that they would be open to the message of hope and that God would strengthen those participating in the evangelistic mission in March. Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition. Photo credit: Unsplash/ Isaac Quesada A new pro-life report alleges that more than 100 Christian colleges and universities in the United States maintain connections to Planned Parenthood or other entities associated with the abortion industry, with support for the organization rising nearly 20% since 2022. The findings come from the 2025 Christian Schools Project conducted by Students for Life of Americas Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement. Researchers examined 725 colleges and universities affiliated with Christ-centered denominations that publicly claim a historical Christian foundation. The review excluded denominations that openly support abortion, including Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Quaker and Moravian. According to the report, 114 institutions more than one in seven Christian schools were found to have some form of relationship with the abortion industry or directly with Planned Parenthood. The study states that backing for Planned Parenthood among Christian institutions has grown by 19.82% since the Supreme Courts 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade and determining that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion. Researchers evaluated school websites for various infraction categories, including advertising internships with abortion providers, listing Planned Parenthood as a health or pregnancy resource, promoting related volunteer events, incorporating abortion industry materials into coursework or expressing explicit support for abortion. Violations were identified in just over half of the denominations surveyed 12 of 22 in total. Schools affiliated with Methodism accounted for nearly 37% of all infractions, the largest share among denominations. Catholic institutions comprised just under 25% of infractions, despite the Catholic Churchs longstanding opposition to abortion. The report assigned grades ranging from A-plus awarded to institutions with no infractions and active promotion of local pregnancy centers to F for schools with four or more infractions. Forty-seven schools received failing grades. American University in Washington, D.C., recorded the highest number of infractions in 2025, totaling 34. Duke University in North Carolina, also affiliated with Methodism, was cited for 27 infractions. Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, another Methodist-affiliated institution, and Macalester College in Minnesota, affiliated with PC(USA), each recorded 23 infractions. Rhodes College in Tennessee, also tied to PC(USA), was cited for 20. Hope College in Michigan, affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, had 14 infractions, including listing abortion counselor as a potential career path for sociology students. At the same time, the report noted improvement in some areas. The number of schools earning an A-plus grade increased by nearly 14% compared to 2024. Among the 25 institutions newly receiving top marks were Benedictine College in Kansas, Liberty University in Virginia and the University of Mary in North Dakota, which provide resources such as housing for pregnant students or partnerships with pregnancy resource organizations like Standing With You. Researchers also reported that as many as 50 ties between Christian colleges and Planned Parenthood were severed between 2024 and 2025 thanks to interventions and awareness facilitated by the Christian Schools Project. Home News 'Spiral of violence' in Iran threatens 'already fragile' Christian minority, charity warns The ongoing violence stemming from United States and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader and regime leaders could threaten an already fragile Christian population, an international Catholic charity has warned. Aid to the Church in Need issued a statement on Monday expressing concern over the status of Christian communities throughout the Middle East, especially in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. ACN International Executive President Regina Lynch stated that a new spiral of violence could push already fragile communities beyond the point of survival. ACN teams on the ground are noting a "growing anxiety." The longing for freedom and dignity among peoples in the region is legitimate, stated Lynch. But the price of renewed war would be extremely high. Civilians always suffer most, and Christians are often among the most defenseless. A renewed wave of destruction would be almost impossible for these communities to endure. Many Christians have already emigrated and, with a renewed war, are unlikely to return. Those who remain are often elderly, poor, and deeply anxious about the future. In Iran, ACN noted that many small Christian communities face official discrimination, while converts to Christianity in the Islamic Republic are especially vulnerable to attack. The Islamic Republic is ranked as the 10th worst country in the world for Christian persecution, according to watchdog Open Doors 2026 World Watch List report. The charity also voiced concerns about the Christian community in neighboring Iraq, noting that Christians there have only recently rebuilt after Islamic extremist attacks in recent years. There is also continued uncertainty for Christians in Syria that has been ongoing since the toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime in 2024 after several years of civil war. We call for prayer and solidarity, concluded Lynch. Whatever the political developments may be, the Christian presence and the Churchs mission in the Middle East must continue. On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel conducted a series of strikes on Iran, reportedly hitting several military and government targets in Tehran and elsewhere in the Middle Eastern nation. Thus far, the attacks have led to the death of Irans 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials, as well as several civilians. In response, Iran has launched several missile attacks against Israel and U.S. military positions in the region. One missile struck the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh on Sunday, killing nine people. At least six military personnel were confirmed as dead from an Iranian strike on an operations center at a civilian port in Kuwait on Sunday, a source familiar with the situation told CNN. We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen, President Donald Trump said in a video on Sunday. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. Thats the way it is. Likely be more, but well do everything possible where that wont be the case. Iran was rocked by widespread anti-regime protests late last year due to economic problems and growing discontent with the regime. Reports suggest that tens of thousands of demonstrators were killed in the ensuing crackdowns. Diana Eltahawy, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa for Amnesty International, was among those denouncing the Iranian regimes crackdown on the demonstrations. People in Iran daring to express their anger at decades of repression and demand fundamental change are once again being met with a deadly pattern of security forces unlawfully firing at, chasing, arresting and beating protesters, said Eltahawy in a statement in January. Irans top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, must immediately issue orders for security forces to stop the unlawful use of force and firearms. Lana Silk, the president and CEO of Transform Iran, an Iranian-led Christian ministry and humanitarian organization actively serving people in Iran, said the military attack targeting Iranian leadership was inevitable and sadly necessary. No one wants the loss of life, but the loss of life was continuing and likely at much higher numbers than a targeted, decisive war will deliver, Silk said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. While every innocent life lost is a tragedy, we must recognize that the Iranian people have endured 47 years of systemic brutality under this regime, particularly worsened in recent weeks. Tens of thousands have died, and many more have been traumatized. There is no normal in the way this government deals with its own people. This was a situation that was impossible for Iranians to take any further without outside help, she asserted. They welcome intervention by the West and have pleaded for it for a long time. Home News Michigan Democrat Karen Whitsett says shes leaving politics for Jesus A day after skewering the platform of the Democratic Party and declaring shes breaking up with politics for good in favor of her relationship with Jesus, Michigan State Representative Karen Whitsett is sticking to her story. Those who understand, understand. Those who dont, dont. At the end of the day, every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess. My responsibility is to stand in truth and walk in obedience not to win approval, Whitsett wrote in a follow-up statement on Facebook Tuesday. I dont need to justify my convictions. I answer to God first. If my words stir something in you and drive you to post a response somewhere, I pray it leads you closer to Him, not further from grace. No one responds to things that dont matter. Im just saying. Whitsett, a Democrat representing Detroit who assumed office in 2023 and will remain in office until Jan. 1, 2027, told WDIV Local 4 that the Democratic Partys platform does not align with her Christian faith. For me, it is impossible to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ while remaining a member of the Democratic Party as it exists today. I cannot reconcile that platform with Scripture, she said. I have compromised my relationship with Jesus for too long, and Im grateful God did not give up on me. He gave me time to repent, turn, and be fully devoted to Him. Whitsett cited issues including abortion, the normalization of homosexuality, and the push to redefine gender as problematic for her. Whitsett told the news outlet on Monday that her conscience will not allow her to seek political office again. I will not be seeking re-election for this office, and I will not be running for any office ever again. This is not a political calculation its a spiritual decision, she said. I dont have a Heaven or Hell to put anyone in. Only God does. But I do have Gods unwavering Word to stand on, and I can no longer compromise it to fit a party platform or to please people. Whitsett has not shown up for the legislative session in the past several months, reports The Detroit News. The Michigan politician says she and her family currently attend the online campus of Lionheart Church, based in Austell, Georgia, and her convictions have been bolstered by the community there. Led by Otha and LaRonna Turnbough, Lionheart Church has a massive digital footprint, including more than 2 million followers on its Facebook page. The church has plans to establish a network of 24/7 satellite locations for worship, prayer, and training in the city and surrounding areas. My husband and I attend Lionheart Church online from Michigan Lionheart Church is based in Austell, Georgia and that ministry has helped shape our walk with Jesus Christ, Whitsett told WDIV. Home News NY Gov Kathy Hochul thanks God as passengers survive small plane crash on the Hudson Calling it another miracle on the Hudson, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul thanked God on Monday after a small plane crash landed on the icy Hudson River near the Newburgh Beacon Bridge, and both the pilot and the only passenger survived with just minor injuries. Another miracle on the Hudson. Thank God both the pilot and passenger of a single-engine plane that performed an ice landing near Newburgh have been located with only minor injuries, Hochul wrote in a post on X Monday night. Grateful to our first responders for their quick actions. The Middle Hope Fire Department said in a statement on Facebook that they responded along with other agencies to a report of the plane crash at about 8:04 p.m. On arrival, units were initially unable to locate the aircraft in the water at the reported location. After a few minutes of searching the area by several first responders, the plane was ultimately located within the City of Newburgh, the statement said. The occupants were able to safely extricate themselves and swim to shore. Both pilot and passenger were then evaluated by the Town of Newburgh Emergency Medical Services on the scene. A report from the New York State Police identified the aircraft as a Cessna. The travelers were found on shore near 401 Water Street and transported to St. Luke's Hospital after evaluation. The New York State Police also noted that Stewart International Airport operations were in communication with a Cessna airplane before the crash, and they are investigating the incident with the National Transportation Safety Board. In a recording of the mayday call of the distressed Cessna obtained by News 12, the pilot can be heard explaining that he would have to land on the Hudson because he lost his engine. Weve lost our engine, the pilot is heard saying. Were going to go into the Hudson River. I dont think were going to make the airport. The Middle Hope Fire Department had high praise for the pilot's handling of the emergency. An absolute hats off job by the pilot of the aircraft last night. Despite losing the engine, he remained calm throughout the event, the department said in a statement Tuesday. He was able to give precise details as possible throughout the event. Following the unorthodox descent, exited the plane and swam in freezing water with his passenger to shore. Carrie Massari-Carey, assistant chief at the Town of Newburgh Emergency Medical Services, told The New York Post on Tuesday that first responders found the pilot and passenger inside a waterfront warehouse. The pilot was making jokes to us about the clothes he was wearing because they had taken clothes from the warehouse that werent theirs obviously to get out of the wet clothes, Massari-Carey said. They were definitely in good spirits. Massari-Carey further told The New York Post that the crash landing was one of the most interesting calls shes ever responded to in her career. I think seeing the plane in the water, seeing the patients come out and being as stable as they were for me was pretty shocking, she said. I think everybody was pretty shocked, honestly. Just thankful that they were alive. Hochuls miracle on the Hudson comment references Chesley B. Sullenberger III, the pilot who safely landed a passenger plane in the Hudson River in 2009. All 150 passengers and five crew members who were on the flight after the engines failed due to a bird strike survived. Then Gov. David Paterson dubbed the incident the miracle on the Hudson. Sullenberger, who is a former fighter pilot with decades of flying experience, received several honors for his actions. Among those honors was an invitation to Barack Obamas presidential inauguration and resolutions of praise from the U.S. Congress. Home News Indiana protects foster care providers from being banned over beliefs on sexuality Indiana has enacted legislation to protect faith-based foster care providers, as couples in other states have been blocked from serving as foster parents because of their religious beliefs about gender and sexuality. Indianas Republican Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1389 into law Thursday. Brauns approval of the legislation follows its passage in bipartisan votes of 44-0 in the Republican-controlled Indiana Senate and 84-12 in the Republican-controlled Indiana House of Representatives. The measure prohibits government entities in the state from discriminating against a person that provides, or declines to provide, an adoption or foster care service in a manner consistent with the persons sincerely held religious belief. It contains specific protections for adoptive and foster parents who raise or intend to raise their adoptive and foster children in accordance with their sincerely held religious belief. The legislation allows government entities to consider a prospective foster or adoptive parents faith for placement purposes, specifically permitting them to prioritize placing children with families who share their religious faith and/or the faith of their biological parents. The measure contains a right of action against government entities for anyone who feels their rights under the new law were violated. Greg Chafuen, senior counsel with the conservative legal nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom, said Indiana is taking "critical steps" to prevent discrimination against religious families. Every child deserves a loving home that can provide them stability and opportunities to grow. The sad reality is that the government in some states has discriminated against people of faith, allowing vulnerable children to suffer, he said in a statement. Thankfully, Indiana has taken critical steps to prioritize the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions." The law, Chafuen said, will enable Indian children to benefit from "as many adoption and foster care agencies as possible," whether in faith-based or non-faith-based homes. Brauns approval of House Bill 1389 comes as foster families in other states have had their licenses revoked or denied because they do not adhere to LGBT ideology in violation of their deeply held religious beliefs. In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the city government in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, couldn't stop working with a Catholic charity in a foster program because of the organization's policies against placing children with same-sex couples. In 2023, a Massachusetts couple, Michael and Catherine Burke, filed a lawsuit against state officials after their request to serve as foster parents was denied because they would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA due to their religious beliefs about gender and sexuality. Their case is still in litigation after more than two years. While Vermont faced several lawsuits from foster parents who had their licenses revoked due to their religious beliefs about sexuality and gender, the litigation in the Green Mountain State came to an end last month after the state agreed to adopt new guidance stressing that [a]pplicants sincerely held personal, cultural, religious, moral, or philosophical beliefs shall not be considered in the licensing process. The new guidance also states that Applicants shall not be excluded based on any such beliefs nor an intent to live, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with those beliefs, so long as required standards of safety, care, non-discrimination, and respect for a childs safety, well-being and dignity are met. Vermont also agreed not to require an endorsement or affirmation of specific identities, the use of particular vocabulary, prescribed language, or preferred pronouns related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression or the facilitation of medical appointments or procedures related to gender-affirming care as prerequisites for receiving the license necessary to serve as foster parents in the state. Home News 'I'd kiss His feet': Shia LaBeouf ponders meeting Jesus after arrest in New Orleans Actor Shia LaBeouf appeared to become emotional when discussing what he would say if he ever met Jesus during an interview that also touched on his recent arrest for allegedly assaulting several people in New Orleans amid the city's Mardi Gras and Lundi Gras celebrations. In an interview released on Saturday, YouTuber Andrew Callaghan asked the 39-year-old actor what he would say to Jesus if he met Him. LaBeouf, who is known best for his starring role in "Transformers" and the Disney Channel series "Even Stevens," replied that he "wouldn't say s" if he met the Lord. "But I'd kiss Him," the actor said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I'd kiss His feet. I wouldn't say nothing." After taking a moment to compose himself, LaBeouf told Callaghan, "Chill out with these questions, Andrew." The YouTuber responded by saying that he didn't know the question would make the actor emotional. During the interview, the pair discussed LeBeouf's arrest in connection with a Feb. 17 altercation outside of a business on Royal Street in New Orleans. The actor is accused of hitting at least two people, as The Associated Press reported on Saturday. Court records say that the entertainer, who was arrested and charged with battery in relation to the altercation, was arrested again on Saturday and charged with one additional misdemeanor count of simple battery. LaBeouf's attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, said that the actor turned himself in to the Orleans Parish jail after learning that the New Orleans police issued a new arrest warrant on Friday. According to a New Orleans police report, a video of the Feb. 17 incident shows a shirtless LaBeouf shoving an individual to the ground and hitting another person in the face, "causing his nose to possibly dislocate." A local entertainer identified as Jeffrey Klein in the police's incident report claimed that he was one of the people LaBeouf attacked on Feb. 17, claiming that the actor threatened his life and shouted about homosexuals. "He hit me, he connected a few times with punches, he pushed me a few times," the entertainer told AP. According to a Feb. 17 statement that the New Orleans Police Department provided to ABC News, officers were called to the scene at 12:45 a.m. after two victims reported that they had been assaulted. The department said that the actor was later taken to a hospital "for treatment of unspecified injuries" before he was arrested and charged. "I was drunk, and then I felt infringed upon in terms of my proximity," LaBeouf told Callaghan about the incident. "But I wasn't in my right mind, and so it's on me." The YouTuber asked the former Disney Channel star for more information about the interactions he had with people before the fight broke out and what might have caused the escalation. "I have no idea, bro," LaBeouf replied, referencing his Catholic faith after admitting that he doesn't have answers. When asked what he meant about being Catholic, the actor said: "I don't know what was going on in my head, but it don't matter. I mean, the truth is, I said words not OK to say." "I don't want to hurt nobody's feelings. That's what I mean [when I say] I'm a Catholic. I'm wrong for what I did, is what I'm saying," he added. The incident in New Orleans is not the entertainer's first run-in with the law, as he was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of public drunkenness, as AP reported at the time. In an interview with Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles that aired in August 2022, LaBeouf opened up about his conversion to Catholicism during a dark season of his life. "I had a gun on the table. I was out of here. I didn't want to be alive anymore when all this happened, shame like I had never experienced before the kind of shame that you forget how to breathe, you don't know where to go. You can't go outside and get, like, a taco. But I was also in this deep desire to hold on," he said. LaBeouf said that his life was a "mess" at the time, but living at a monastery in preparation for his role in the 2022 film "Padre Pio" changed him. The actor played Padre Pio in the movie, an Italian saint who lived in the 20th century. The entertainer, who was raised culturally Jewish and once claimed not to believe in God at all, said during the interview that he had "nowhere to go." "I know now that God was using my ego to draw me to Him, drawing me away from worldly desires," he said. "It was all happening simultaneously. But there would have been no impetus for me to get in my car, drive up [to the monastery] if I didn't think, 'Oh, I'm going to save my career.'" Home News Southern Baptists debate how to best be pro-life A debate over the best legal approach to abortion and how it informs resolutions within the Southern Baptist Convention has resurfaced as messengers are set to gather for the denominations annual meeting next week. At last year's annual meeting, a resolution was passed containing disputed language that has distressed some leading Southern Baptists and a divide has arisen over this issue amid the probable reversal of Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1973 that legalized abortion nationwide. A decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson is expected later this month following the May 2 leak of a draft majority opinion in which Roe was overturned. While many think the recently released Sexual Abuse Task Force report is likely to dominate the agenda of the SBC annual meeting on June 12-15 in Anaheim, California, it's also believed that the contested abortion resolution will be revisited. Some leaders, including an SBC presidential candidate, are contending for a resolution that, to a degree, diminishes the more mainstream approach to pro-life advocacy similar to what happened last year despite strong objections from the platform voiced by leading SBC ethicists and theologians. Nathan Finn, the provost and dean and theology professor at North Greenville University in South Carolina, believes that the rise of the abolitionist movement has come about due to frustration with the pace of incremental gains and that many politicians have opted for pragmatism instead of principle on the issue. I think many pro-life Christians are drawn to the language of abolition because it is so compelling, perhaps not fully understanding everything the movement represents, Finn said in an email to The Christian Post. What are known as incrementalists in the pro-life movement are those who have worked strategically over time with the goal of passing laws and winning court cases to make important legal gains and save as many unborn children as possible given the legal constraints of Roe v. Wade. Incrementalists are also of the view that in addition to the unborn babies, mothers who undergo abortions are victims of the practice, which has been enabled by Roe v. Wade jurisprudence. By contrast, abortion abolitionists believe that incrementalists have compromised with evil and have undermined efforts that would legally abolish abortion immediately. They assert this despite the fact that since 1973 Roe had precluded any state or locality from making abortion illegal prior to viability. Incrementalists then often reply by saying that they are committed to the goal of eliminating 99+% of abortions with the exception of saving the physical life of the mother in rare cases and stress the importance of overturning Roe, a crucial win for which they have been working for decades. Proponents of the abolitionist viewpoint have backed proposals, such as the Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022, which made it out of a state Legislature Committee but was ultimately scuttled. This was due in part to incrementalist leaders who signed a May 12 National Right to Life Committee open letter emphatically urging state lawmakers to reconsider and especially not criminalize mothers who undergo abortions. Among those pro-life leaders who signed the NRLC letter was Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the SBCs policy arm. Finn added that he spoke with many SBC messengers last year who simply thought that abolitionism was another way of affirming the pro-life cause but did not realize the movement is actually an alternative vision that rejects every gain of the past generation. The abolitionist movement callously treats all women who have had abortions as murderers. The abolitionist movement coldly dismisses incremental gains that have saved millions of lives. I am genuinely thankful the abolitionist movement is anti-abortion. I just wish they were also consistently pro-life, he said. Reached by phone Friday, Tom Ascol, an SBC presidential candidate this year and the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, told CP in an interview that the overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists are completely pro-life and want abortion to be illegal and ended immediately and to see the right of personhood legally recognized for the unborn. Yet he disputes the way in which this particular disagreement within the denomination has been framed. Speaking of the letter from the National Right to Life Committee which over 70 pro-life groups and leaders signed, including the SBCs ERLC, Ascol commented: I found that to be disastrous. I thought that was a complete misrepresentation of what most Southern Baptists believe, he added. The ERLC has been planning for over a year the acknowledgment of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Why not put all of our resources into ending Roe v. Wade before the 50th anniversary?" Ascol reiterated: Its not so much incrementalism versus abolitionism. Anything we can do to save one child, lets do. But lets not take our eye off the prize of ending abortion now. Other incrementalists, such as Richard Land, who served as the ERLC president from 1988 to 2013, and is now president emeritus of the ERLC and the executive editor of this publication, responded in a CP interview by saying, "that is exactly why pro-lifers have been working so hard for the past 48 years to get pro-life Supreme Court justices appointed so that we that could overturn Roe." Leatherwood, the ERLC's acting president, insists that the idea that any SBC leader is not seeking the end of abortion is patently untrue. Every pro-life advocate Ive ever met is striving for the same goal the end of abortion. And it should be stated, we all want that as soon as possible. The approach of the pro-life movement, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the ERLC for all these years has been to support laws that will save one additional life in whatever context, Leatherwood said in an email to CP on Friday. Thankfully, it appears those efforts have brought us to the cusp of what may be the biggest pro-life achievement in 50 years. Yet Ascol disagrees with the assessment of SBC ethicists who say the messengers did not fully comprehend what they were voting on with all of its legal implications contained in its wording. That the messengers overcame the resolution when it was tearfully argued against from the platform, is evidence of this, he says. Several SBC ethicists who have favored and continue to support the more gradual, incremental approach and the eventual abolition of virtually all abortions wrote in the Public Discourse last year why they opposed the resolution. They explained at the time that one of the problems that can happen at annual meetings is that messengers are given far too little time to consider resolutions that may appear noble but are, in fact, layered with complexity. Such was the case in Nashville on the abortion resolution, they stressed. Ascol, however, is convinced that most Southern Baptists did grasp its meaning. There were 7,500 copies of this resolution printed up and distributed to the messengers at the convention. More messengers probably read this resolution than any other resolution that was voted on last year. With full understanding, against all the efforts of the platform, an overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists adopted the strongest anti-abortion resolution in our history, he said. In a May 31 episode of "The Sword and the Trowel" podcast, which Ascol co-hosts with Graham Gunden, the Florida pastors interviewed Bradley Pierce, a constitutional attorney from Texas who is the executive director of the nonprofit Foundation to Abolish Abortion. Pierce was an instrumental force behind the Louisiana bill that was ultimately scrapped and he maintained that among the most substantial opposition to that bill were other pro-life groups. Those groups, he said, misrepresented its provisions. He defended the legal lens he has on this as the one most faithfully grounded in Scripture. Im firmly convinced that God requires equal protection, Pierce told the hosts in the podcast interview. Speaking of his approach, he added: The same laws that protect born people should protect people before theyre born. Under the legal regime that he is proposing, the justice system would consider each case on a case-by-case basis, recognizing the variety of situations in which an abortion happens. In their article outlining their dissent from last years resolution, the SBC ethicists approvingly cited a 2020 essay from Life Training Institutes Scott Klusendorf on why the incremental strategy is the most viable and moral pathway. Pro-lifers are not the ones compromising when we support incremental laws aimed at limiting the evil of abortion. Rather, the pro-abortionist is compromising because hes forced to give ground on the current status quo namely, that any child can be killed at any point in pregnancy for any reason. When pro-lifers chip away at the status quo, they are improving the moral landscape, he wrote in Desiring God at the time. Klusendorf explained in a phone interview with CP that Southern Baptists need not divide theologically over this debate, describing the divisions within the denomination as a very sad thing. We can have an in-house discussion on tactics, on whether we ought to go forward with a more aggressive rate than we have, thats all fair and good. And if abolitionists want to join that discussion in good faith, Im all for it. But thats not what theyve done, he said. Although Klusendorf mostly agrees with Ascol theologically and appreciates his public stances on such issues as critical race theory and opposing the wokeness trend in the denomination, he believes Ascol is poisoning the well by referring to incrementalists as elitists and is doing considerable damage by adopting the language of last years resolution which regards incrementalists as not only mistaken but are in fact party to murder and thus theologically compromised. In a recent Founders Ministries essay, titled Toward a Principled Pro-Life Ethic in Post-Roe America," Ascol argued that the efforts by incrementalists are representative of the contentiousness in other areas of Evangelical life, wherein it is the elite class that is woefully out of step with the rank-and-file believers. These rank-in-file believers, he maintains, want to see the scourge of abortion brought to an immediate end in our nation. Land believes that most Southern Baptists are incrementalists and that it is the most morally consistent pro-life ethic. When asked what he makes of Ascols characterization of the incrementalist approach as an elitist stance, Land replied that he "can think of no more elitist position than to say that its all-or-nothing, that if we cant have it all were going to let babies continue to die. Thats sacrificing unborn babies on the altar of your perceived purity on the position. Land went on to defend the work of the ERLC, saying that state legislators are going to need resources as states are given the opportunity to rework their laws in light of the possible reversal of Roe v. Wade. If indeed it is overturned, the parameters of legal abortion are returned to the state level. In anticipation of the dismantling of Roe, some state governments are likely to enact substantial abortion restrictions. Last years resolution flies in the face of nearly a dozen resolutions passed by the Convention since 1980, which called for the abolition of all legal abortion with the exception of saving the physical life of the mother, Land explained, "and on several occasions, there were attempts to amend the resolutions to include exceptions for rape and incest and they were voted down by the messengers." Klusendorf believes that abolitionism sets forth a policy framework that is an untenable legal quagmire. For example, he told CP that in order to charge an abortionist with murder and also the mother with murder one would have to demonstrate in court that the meeting of the minds legal threshold has been met. One would have to prove that the mothers knowledge matches the abortionist's knowledge and that is seldom the case. Land added that some confusion concerning the ERLC results from a lack of understanding of the ERLC's two-fold assignment from the SBC. "First, we are to call Southern Baptists to be where we think they ought to be on moral issues based on biblical revelation. In that role, we are free to be 'the conscience of the Convention.' Our second role is that once Southern Baptists have reached consensus on an issue, to share that with the three branches of the federal government, with state governments and with the United Nations," Land said. "In the first role, we are free to be prophetic and prescriptive and we are speaking to Southern Baptists. In the second role, we are to be descriptive, speaking about Southern Baptists, even when that description does not match where we would deeply desire Southern Baptists to be. Of course, we are profoundly grateful to our Heavenly Father that Southern Baptists are now the most pro-life major denomination in America at the rank-in-file level." In previous years, the ERLC filed numerous friend of the court amicusbriefson abortion-related cases in which they always added footnotes that said: "While Southern Baptists are overwhelmingly opposed to abortion-on-demand, there is some disagreement about some of the troublesome exceptions such as rape, incest, and the physical life of the mother." "That was our assessment based upon surveys and polling on where Southern Baptists were, which is not necessarily where we would wish them to be," Land explained. "Southern Baptists do expect us to be truth-tellers and so we must attempt to tell the truth as best we perceive it. I do not think most Southern Baptists would wish the ERLC to do otherwise. If we did, we would ultimately lose credibility with Southern Baptists and with the governments we are trying to influence," he said. Yet Ascol insists that many SBC congregants are disappointed with the efforts of the ERLC which joined with other pro-life groups to spike the recent Louisiana bill. One such pastor who shares that view is Christopher Bolt, who concurs with the SBC presidential candidates framing of the discussion. Bolt, pastor-teacher at Elkton Baptist Church, in Elkton, Tennessee, said in a CP phone interview that though he hesitates to call himself an abortion abolitionist, per se, he nevertheless believes that abortion abolitionists have some important points that ought to be more thoroughly considered. I believe in equal protection for the unborn under law. I believe that the unborn child is even more vulnerable, extremely vulnerable, cant even live on his or her own, and we should center the unborn child in the discussion, Bolt explained, echoing Pierce. And the reason that even in criminalizing the fact of abortion when a woman willfully and knowingly does it is that the Bible teaches justice and our laws are to reflect the justice we see in Scripture. Where criminalizing only the abortionist performing the act falls short is that the United States is potentially facing a future where many if not most abortions will be done chemically and at home via the mail, he added. "But when a young woman finds herself [facing a crisis pregnancy] Im not saying, That woman should be punished as a murderer, no ifs, ands or buts. Thats not my view. What I am saying is that we must, at some point, in terms of the increments were pursuing regarding abortion, one of the increments is the end of abortion. Leatherwood told CP that should Roe be reversed, the ERLCs work will be far from over, noting that a major focus of the annual meeting will be how Southern Baptists can engage in pro-life work in their home states. The SBC entity has larger legal and cultural aspirations in mind. The reality is, we long for a day when a national, constitutional protection of life is extended to every person equally, including our preborn neighbors, Leatherwood said. So the bottom line is this, just as the pro-life movement and the Southern Baptist Convention have long stood for, our work will keep these objectives at the forefront: ban abortion, save preborn lives, support mothers, and punish the abortion providers. Home News Supreme Court blocks California schools from hiding students' gender identity from their parents The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against a California public school policy that requires teachers to withhold information from parents about whether or not their children are transgender identifying in school. In a per curiam opinion issued Monday evening, the nation's high court sided with parents opposed to the state policy for various reasons, including religious objections. The 6-3 ruling allows a federal judge's injunction against the state's requirement that schools withhold gender identity information from parents unless they have the child's consent to go into effect after an appeals court put the judge's ruling on hold. The court ruled that the parents who seek religious exemptions "are likely to succeed on the merits of their Free Exercise Clause claim," noting that "Californias policies likely trigger strict scrutiny under that provision because they substantially interfere with the 'right of parents to guide the religious development of their children.'" The court didn't grant a similar request filed by teachers. The court opinion concluded that the policy was an intrusion on parents free exercise rights, namely, those parents who hold religious objections to LGBT ideology. The State argues that its policies advance a compelling interest in student safety and privacy. But those policies cut out the primary protectors of childrens best interests: their parents, stated the per curiam opinion. The States interest in safety could be served by a policy that allows religious exemptions while precluding gender-identity disclosure to parents who would engage in abuse. For these reasons, the parents who object to the California policies on free exercise grounds are likely to succeed on the merits. The opinion notes that the policy had due process issues, noting that parents not the State have primary authority with respect to the upbringing and education of children. The right protected by these precedents includes the right not to be shut out of participation in decisions regarding their childrens mental health, the opinion added. Californias policies conceal that information from parents and facilitate a degree of gender transitioning during school hours. These policies likely violate parents rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Justice Elena Kagan authored a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, taking issue with the speed at which the Supreme Court addressed the case. In granting emergency relief, the Court cannot even wait for an appellate court to conclude its own process for deciding the identical issue, wrote Kagan. The Court jumps the line, pre-empting the Ninth Circuits normal (and notably reflective) en banc process. Why wait for appellate procedures to play out when the Court already knows what it wants? Kagan believes the case presents some thorny legal issues, but added that there were some genuinely concerning issues regarding Californias policy. Californias policy, in depriving all parents of information critical to their childrens health and well-being, could have crossed the constitutional line. And that would entitle the parents, at the end of the day, to relief, she continued. The Court, however, would be far better equipped to draw the appropriate line and to explain its legal basis in short, to do law in the right way if it had followed our ordinary processes. The Thomas More Society, the legal group representing the parents and teachers, called the Supreme Court's ruling the "most significant parental rights ruling in a generation." This is a watershed moment for parental rights in America, said Thomas More Society special counsel Paul M. Jonna. The Supreme Court has told California and every state in the nation in no uncertain terms: you cannot secretly transition a child behind a parents back. The Courts landmark reaffirmation of substantive due process, its vindication of religious liberty, and its approval of class-wide relief together set a historic precedent that will dismantle secret gender transition policies across the country. In 2023, two teachers filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California against a school district policy requiring education officials to hide a student's preferred gender identity from their parents, if the child wanted that. The teachers were later joined by parents of children who had transitioned at school, but whose preferred gender identity was being kept from their families. State officials were added to the list of defendants because the policies were found to affect more than one school district. In 2024, California passed a bill prohibiting school districts from requiring school officials to share information about a student's sexual orientation and gender identity with the child's parent without the child's consent. Last December, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of the Southern District of California, a George W. Bush appointee, issued an order granting a permanent injunction against the California Department of Education policies. Benitez ordered state officials and employees to refrain from misleading the parent or guardian of a minor child in the education system about their childs gender presentation at school." The order also barred school employees from using a name or pronoun to refer to that child that do not match the childs legal name and natal pronouns, where a childs parent or legal guardian has communicated their objection to such use. California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a request for a stay on the injunction, arguing that the policies enforce "longstanding state laws that protect vulnerable transgender and gender nonconforming students." If the Orders are allowed to stay in effect before the Court of Appeals has a chance to review them, they would irrevocably alter the status quo and will create chaos and confusion among students, parents, teachers, and staff at Californias public schools, stated the request. And this chaos and confusion would arise several days before the Christmas holiday. Absent at least a brief stay, Defendants will be forced to seek an emergency stay from the Ninth Circuit, just before Christmas, requiring that Court and its employees to spend time on the emergency over a state and federal holiday. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the requested stay days later, prompting the parents and teachers to file an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. Home News Tennessee bill seeking to punish women who have abortions divides pro-life movement A new measure proposed in Tennessee seeks to impose criminal penalties on women who terminate their unborn child, re-sparking a heated debate within the pro-life movement about whether women who undergo abortions should be held criminally liable. Last month, the Foundation to Abolish Abortion shared the text of an amendment to pending legislation in Tennessee, House Bill 570 and Senate Bill 738, that would impose criminal penalties on women who have abortions. Current criminal penalties apply only to physicians who perform abortions. The text of the amendment, introduced by Republican state Rep. Jody Barrett, states that all preborn children should be protected with the same criminal and civil laws protecting the lives of born persons by repealing provisions that permit prenatal homicide and assault. The amendment revises Tennessee law governing criminal offenses against people with a fetus as a victim to state Enforcement pursuant to this section is subject to the same presumptions, defenses, justifications, laws of parties, immunities, and clemencies as would apply to the assault of a person who had been born alive. Current Tennessee law states that laws protecting fetuses do not apply to any act or omission by a pregnant woman with respect to an embryo or fetus with which she is pregnant, or to any lawful medical or surgical procedure to which a pregnant woman consents, performed by a health care professional who is licensed to perform such procedure. Democratic critics of the proposal contend that the language opens the door for women to be eligible for capital punishment. The measure clarifies that A woman involved in the assault of her unborn child before the effective date of this act must not be prosecuted under this section, adding This section is prospective only and does not apply to any act committed prior to the effective date of this act. In an interview with The Christian Post, Tennessee State Sen. Mark Pody, a Republican, clarified that the amendment does not appear to have the votes going through the Senate, calling the bills future into question. Pody predicted that what well end up doing is were just going to see what would be a reasonable thing that everybody would be comfortable with moving forward. Republicans currently hold an overwhelming 27-6 majority in the Tennessee State Senate. Pody introduced the original Senate Bill 738, which dealt with a completely different topic: the upkeep and maintenance of a monument to unborn children. Pody elaborated on why the bill ended up going in a different direction: The monuments already there. We just wanted to make sure it was going to be kept up. ... And that was a couple years ago, and it looks like thats all been handled at this point. So that just turned this into a bill that we didnt need anymore. So it was just kind of sitting on the shelf and the House picked it up with this amendment. Pody stressed that the amendment has to make it through the Tennessee House of Representatives, which has a 75-24 Republican majority, before it can get to the Tennessee Senate and did not comment on its prospects in the lower chamber nor what an amended version of the legislation might look like. Pro-life activists and Christian leaders who have weighed in on the new proposal and others like it have offered mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a necessary step to protecting all unborn life and others characterizing it as counterproductive to the pro-life movement. In a statement posted to X last week, Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley, the senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, came out in support of the amendments, drawing praise from those in the abortion abolitionist movement. By protecting the lives of preborn children with the same laws that protect people who are born, we are simply loving our neighbors in the womb as ourselves," Pressley wrote. "Tennessee now has the opportunity to set an example of how states can protect the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death," Pressley added. "I am urging the Tennessee legislature to move these bills forward this legislative session. Its both pro-life and consistent! In an interview with The Christian Post, President Penny Young Nance of the social conservative activist organization Concerned Women for America described the legislation as wrongheaded, bad strategy and not right thinking." It changes our ability to bring people to our side and harms the movement overall," Nance told CP We want to end abortion, this is not the way to do it. Nance characterized efforts to subject women who have abortions to criminal charges as contrary to biblical teachings. She pointed to the command laid out in Matthew 10:16 to be as wise as serpents and soft as doves. This strategy is as wise as doves and soft as serpents. Its the exact opposite. And then I would add to that Micah 6:8, the Bible tells us to do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly with our God. This may be just, maybe, maybe, but it certainly isnt the other two. Theres no mercy and theres no humility in that effort. The Christian Post reached out to Barretts office seeking a comment for the story. A response was not received by press time. Barrett recently told WTVF that he believes "murder should be murder, whether it's a person in being or a person in utero." "I think that's a talking point saying that you're targeting mothers," Barrett said. "We're not targeting mothers. We're targeting unborn children and trying to protect them and give them the protection under the law for you and me." Kristi Hamrick, who serves as vice president of media and policy for Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action, believes the proposal is extremely disappointing. Its not been the policy of the pro-life movement to go after women," Hamrick said. "And what I think is interesting about such laws is how its a little bit like when the woman was brought to the feet of Jesus caught in adultery, and to be caught in adultery, there had to be two people. These laws completely ignore the fact that a child comes from two people and they focus on the mother and not the business of abortion and not the other party involved at all, Hamrick insisted. She condemned the proposal for going after a person who has been a second victim of the abortion industry and really attacked culturally and attacked by often her partner for the purpose of causing an abortion and pressuring her for an abortion. In an op-ed published by The Christian Post earlier this month, pro-life activist Victoria Robinson condemned efforts to impose criminal sentences on mothers who have abortions as harmful to the pro-life movement. Robinson, who had an abortion several decades ago and later ended up regretting her decision, warned that rhetoric depicting women who have abortions as murderers who deserve to be criminalized further shames post-abortive women who are still dealing with the traumatic aftermath of their choices, and those who are now active or considering being active in the fight for the unborn. Theologian Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky, suggested in a 2024 podcast that women who have abortions have varying moral culpability based on the circumstances. I think a woman whos coerced by a man into an abortion has far less moral culpability than a woman who brags about her abortion and celebrates it as a matter of personal autonomy and tweets about it," he said. The categorical statement that women are just victims when they seek an abortion, thats just not morally credible, he added. Thats just not morally honest, especially in a day in which so many women, particularly in the activist community, they are actually bragging about their abortions. Nance agreed with Mohler that there are people who celebrate abortion, use it as birth control and love it but identified this subset as a very, very small group of people. She insisted that most women who have abortions feel like they have no other option and feel completely alone. Theyre being manipulated by a boyfriend, partner, husband, parents even and its our job to try to look into all of that and to change that, to create a culture of life in our nation. What theyre suggesting does not create a culture of life. In fact, its the antithesis of that. And so I just think weve got to be honest and have a conversation among ourselves and do it with respect and try to move forward in a way that ends abortion, that reaches our shared goals. Hamrick responded to Mohlers argument by asserting that this wouldnt be something that would be argued in social media, it would be something that would be argued in court. Specifically addressing Mohlers comment about women who tweet about their abortions, Hamrick countered I think its very clear that people say a lot of things on social media. Does that it mean its true? We were at the Supreme Court late not that long ago and women were panomiming taking chemical abortion pills. Did that mean that they did it? she asked. Social media is not a way to make public policy. Home News Church Under the Bridge founders to retire after over 30 years of ministry The husband-and-wife founders of a church that meets under an interstate bridge in Texas have announced they are stepping down after more than three decades of ministry. Jimmy and Janet Dorrell, leaders of the Church Under the Bridge, which meets in Waco under the Interstate 35 bridge, will be stepping down as leaders of the unconventional congregation that began originally as a breakfast meal and Bible study with homeless men and women in 1993 and grew into a multi-ethnic congregation of more than 225 people. In a statement posted to his Facebook account on Sunday, Jimmy Dorrell said he and his wife would step down as leaders the week after Easter, which falls on April 5 this year. We have been so blessed to walk alongside so many poor and marginalized friends, as well as those whose wealth and privilege have tainted their understanding of the kingdom of God, he stated. There have been so many funerals, weddings, letters to prisoners, meals, softball games, songs, and baptisms through these years, but even more hugs than all of those. Jimmy Dorrell clarified that he and his wife would remain members of Church Under the Bridge, and that they intend to do more overseas mission trips to aid impoverished communities. Janet and I will take more global trips to serve the poor and unreached in Haiti, MxCity and South Asia. I will still teach a few classes at Baylor and Truett Seminary and other churches, he added. Janet will add more art projects. And together we will love on our 11-grandchildren ... with one more baby girl being born tomorrow! Church Under the Bridge traces its origins to 1992, when the Dorrells began ministering to the homeless men who regularly slept beneath the highway bridge in Waco, and a Bible study emerged. The gathering began holding worship services, with the non-denominational church identifying itself as a multi-cultural church committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the unity of His Spirit. Church Under the Bridge attempts to avoid denomination, cultural, economic, or racial distinctions, they stated. We welcome folks from wide and diverse backgrounds to love God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with all their heart, soul, and mind, and to love their neighbors as themselves. In 2017, the church held a 25th-anniversary service, which drew approximately 450 people. Jimmy Dorrell told The Christian Post at the time that it was a "very meaningful" experience. We are a church 'with the poor and marginalized' (not 'for') that invites the ex-offender, mentally ill, homeless, addicts, and other marginalized. Our goal is to include them, he added. US Troops Killed In Iran Strikes, Georgia Church Leader Sentenced, Judge Halts Trump Refugee Plan link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:56 06:56 Top headlines for Tuesday, March 3, 2026 A former Georgia church leader receives 25 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a middle school boy, with prosecutors praising the victims bravery. A federal judge halts former President Trumps Operation PARRIS, blocking the controversial plan to re-vet thousands of refugees in Minnesota. And in the Middle East, four U.S. service members are killed during Operation Epic Fury as Iranian missile strikes claim the lives of nine civilians in Israel, escalating the conflict following the death of Irans Supreme Leader. 00:11 Former Worship with Wonders Church leader sentenced to 25 years 01:00 Judge halts Trump's refugee re-vetting operation 01:55 30 more indicted over Cities Church worship service disruption 02:45 US troops killed in Iran operations; 9 Israelis killed in strikes 03:34 4 things to know about Jim Rigby, James Talarico's pastor 04:24 Nearly 1 in 7 Christian colleges have abortion ties 05:11 Dallas Jenkins, Jonathan Roumie reflect on spiritual warfare Home Opinion Iran war: Could it be the beginning of the end of Islamism? For the first time in modern history, the Islamic Republic of Irans revolutionary regime has suffered a decisive blow not from internal collapse, not from economic sanctions, but from direct confrontation with nations long labeled by Tehran as the greater and lesser Satans. The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during Operation Epic Fury marks more than the removal of a political leader. It may represent something far larger: the first visible fracture in the global architecture of Islamism. For decades, Islamism has advanced with a steady confidence. It toppled governments in 1979. It fueled revolutions. It embedded itself in international institutions. It infiltrated Western discourse through activist language and identity politics. It promised inevitability and divine destiny. It promised that history bends toward Islamic supremacy. That narrative has now been publicly challenged. Islamism is a political ideology that weaponizes religion to build state power, enforce religious law, and reshape global order. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been its flagship model a theocratic regime built explicitly on Twelver Shiite theology, including the doctrine of Mahdism, the belief that the Hidden Imam will return to establish Islamic rule after a period of global chaos and confrontation. For years, the regimes rhetoric fused this theology with geopolitics. America was not merely a rival nation. It was the greater Satan. Israel was not simply a neighboring state. It was a theological obstacle. Resistance was not just strategy. It was sacred duty. Now the regime that claimed divine inevitability faces a reality it never anticipated: it can be confronted. It can be deterred. It can be defeated militarily. This moment matters symbolically as much as strategically. Islamism thrives on the perception of unstoppable momentum. When that perception cracks, the ideological grip weakens. The myth of inevitability begins to erode. Around the world, millions of Iranians including a vibrant diaspora have long yearned for freedom from clerical rule. Many inside Iran quietly resisted the regimes harsh enforcement of religious conformity. Women removed head coverings in protest. Young people rejected state propaganda. Underground churches grew. The regimes authority, though fierce, was never uncontested. Now something unprecedented has happened. The ruling clerical system has been struck at its highest level. The world is witnessing that Islamist governance is not immune from accountability or consequence. This does not mean instability will disappear overnight or that retaliation is impossible. It does not mean the ideology will evaporate, but it does mean the narrative has shifted. From a biblical perspective, this moment should not be greeted with gloating but with sober hope. Scripture reminds us that pride precedes downfall and that oppressive systems ultimately collapse under the weight of their own arrogance. Throughout history, empires that fused absolute power with divine justification have eventually fractured. What we may be witnessing is not merely a military event but the beginning of a global recalibration. For years, Western leaders often treated Islamist ideology as either misunderstood or unstoppable. That paralysis allowed its influence to expand unchecked in some arenas, even here in the U.S. A decisive confrontation changes that psychological landscape. The question now is whether this moment becomes a turning point toward freedom or merely another chapter in endless escalation. Christians should approach this hour with clarity and compassion. We reject Islamism as a political system because it suppresses liberty, silences dissent, and denies the Gospel. Yet we pray for the Iranian people, for peace in Israel, and for restraint among global powers. We pray not for destruction but for deliverance for hearts to turn toward truth and for nations to pursue justice rather than domination. If this is the beginning of a broader shift away from Islamist political power, it will not be because one leader fell. It will be because the illusion of inevitability has been broken. And once inevitability collapses, people begin to imagine freedom. History has turned before. Tyrannies have fallen before. Ideological systems that seemed immovable have dissolved under the weight of truth and courage. Perhaps this is such a moment. If so, the task ahead is not vengeance. It is vigilance, wisdom, and moral clarity. It is protecting liberty without losing our humanity. It is standing firm without surrendering compassion. The fall of a regime built on political Islam may not end the struggle overnight. But it could mark the first time in modern history that Islamism has been decisively pushed back by free nations unwilling to bow to its narrative of divine destiny. And that alone signals a shift the world should not ignore. Home Opinion Islamic Sharia law is coming to a small town near you In the heart of America, a quiet shift is unfolding one that echoes through our streets and public spaces, signaling the fading resonance of our Judeo-Christian heritage and the bold emergence of a new influence. Remember the church bells? Those timeless chimes that once marked the rhythm of community life, ringing out joy, solemnity, and unity in towns across the nation. Today, they are largely silent. Many churches simply stopped the tradition, no longer seeing fit to ring them. Many because noise ordinances limit or prohibit their chiming in certain communities. Contrast this with another sound gaining ground: the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, now blaring over loudspeakers in communities nationwide. Now blaring over loudspeakers, it unapologetically and forcefully declares its presence in our American cities, such as in Dearborn, Mich., Paterson, N.J., Falls Church, Va., New York City, N.Y., and Minneapolis, Minn. The Adhan's call is becoming a fixture, a sonic marker of shifting cultural tides in America. This isn't a mere coincidence; it's a vivid illustration of the waning embrace of Judeo-Christian values in our society and the unchecked rise of Islamic ideology. A silent battle is underway, far deeper than bells and calls to prayer, though these serve as its outward symbols. If you look closely, you'll see Islam and Sharia purposely weaving themselves into the fabric of our cities not just in Minnesota and Michigan, but in Texas, Ohio, Florida, and beyond. These aren't isolated pockets; they're systematic efforts to establish self-contained Islamic communities, complete with their own governance, healthcare, schools, businesses, and more. Under the guise of religious freedom, a political system rooted in Sharia is advancing into our neighborhoods. The signs are unmistakable. In cities across the nation, Islamic prayers are spilling onto streets, halting traffic and boldly claiming public space as a display of dominance. Take a recent event on World Hijab Day in a Dallas public school: Islamists were welcomed in, fitting young girls with hijabs and niqabs while distributing Islamic literature and Qurans. It later emerged that the same school had been hosting student Islamic prayer meetings on its premises. This isn't happenstance American Islamic leaders have openly articulated a plan to dominate and reshape the nation. To quote a recent Islamic leader, Sohail, shouting on the streets of New York Citys Taraweeh prayer, We will not stop until Islam enters every home. Make no mistake: This is war. A war many busy Americans dont notice Islamists are counting on that. It cloaks itself in the language of tolerance and religious liberty, exploiting our freedoms to erode them from within. A closer examination of Sharia reveals its fundamental incompatibility with our Constitution. Consider just three glaring conflicts: Sharia mandates punishment for those who leave Islam and criminalizes free speech about Allah, Muhammad, or any dissent against Islam. Yet our First Amendment enshrines the unassailable rights to free expression and religious choice. Not compatible. Sharia endorses marriages between young girlsas young as 9and adult men, while denying women equal rights. In stark opposition, the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law for all, including children, women, and non-Muslims. Not compatible. Sharia permits cruel and unusual punishments like amputation, stoning, flogging, and execution for apostasy, often without due process. This directly defies our Fifth, Fourteenth, and Eighth Amendments, which safeguard justice, fairness, and humane treatment. Not compatible. How can we integrate a political ideology that seeks to undermine the bedrock of our republic? We can'tand history offers no precedent for Sharia coexisting peacefully within another sovereign government. To embrace it is to invite our own unraveling. So, let the church bells ring once more. Let their peals resound through our communities as we also raise our voices in city council meetings, school board sessions, and at the ballot box. In fact, in just days, Texas faces a referendum on Sharia. We must defend our nation's foundations against the subtle and not so subtle infiltration of Sharia and Islam. If we falter, the adhan will soon dominate more American communities a haunting reminder that our republic, once entrusted to us, has slipped away. Home Opinion What is salvation anyway? Underlying many different Christian theologies is a common message: Trust and obey God to get something from Him. The moral guidelines of purity culture imply that if you remain sexually pure, God will provide you with a spouse and a great sex life. Prosperity teachings often assure us that living a holy life will yield some version of health and wealth. Many popular Christian parenting programs suggest that if you raise your children according to the right principles, your kids will be well-behaved and grow up to make good choices. We often embrace these formulas in good faith, from a desire to honor God and to make sense of the world. But insofar as these maxims shape our motivations, they cheapen our obedience by tying it to desired outcomes. They teach us to treat God like a divine vending machine, inserting whatever religious currency is required to buy the blessings we seek. Unwittingly, we often reduce the Christian life to a series of spiritual negotiations. When I began pulling on the thread of my own transactional framework for faith, I was surprised to realize how deeply embedded it was. Permeating my understanding of the Gospel itself was an exchange of goods: give Jesus your heart, and he will give you a ticket to Heaven. As a child, I was deeply motivated by the get-out-of-jail-free theology that characterized my evangelical culture. Today, I still see truth in it. Jesus died to forgive us from sin. I want my children to believe this. But I dont want them to turn to Jesus for what they can get out of it. In other words, I want them to want Heaven because he is there, not the other way around. When my dad was sick with cancer during my childhood, our faith community sought to secure his healing through whatever forms of obedience God might require. In addition to pursuing medical treatment, we attended church faithfully and prayed fervently. Pastors anointed him. Our Christian friends all did their part to give my dad the best chance at survival. The first two years of his illness were marked by enthusiasm for the fight against cancer. In the latter half of the battle, however, we grew weary. Hope for healing turned to plans for dying. Optimism gave way to grief and a slowly spoken goodbye. In the wake of his death, I felt confused and even angry at God for not giving us what we wanted. We had asked in faith. We had not cursed his name. Wed even planned to give God the glory for our happy ending. As a grieving fourteen-year-old, I blamed God for not holding up his end of the bargain. But my disillusionment was undermined by another dynamic at work in my familys story. As Id watched my dads health decline over the last four years of his life, I watched his faith grow. His pursuit of God, initially catalyzed by crisis, eventually became an end in itself. Even though God wasnt answering his prayers in the way he wanted, my dad came to value prayer for other reasons. Somehow, even as his hope for healing waned, his hope in God deepened. After hed been sick for a while, he wrote this prayer in his journal: Lord, I seek intimacy with you over healing over anything in this life. Please teach me ... Lord, I seek you because you are worthy of my seeking. I do not seek you because of what you can do for me. In the absence of Gods stuff, namely, the gift of healing, my dad had become captivated by God himself. For his tombstone, he chose Job 1:21: Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In my work as a pastor, I hear many stories of longing and loss. A young couple is trying desperately to conceive a child. A man is praying for redemption in his marriage. A celibate friend is wrestling with loneliness. A woman is grieving her adult sons addiction. These stories cant be reduced to platitudes, and the hopes they represent shouldnt be dismissed as unspiritual or selfish. In the Bible, God invites us to ask sincerely for what we want. Suppressing our desire or even our disappointment with God doesnt make us more holy; it only makes us less honest. But in all our longing, the challenge of faith is not to conflate the gifts with the giver. The Christian story, made tangible by a God who took on human flesh and lived among us, reminds us: The greatest gift God can give us is himself. His good news for the world is not an abstract message about salvation, the distribution of blessings, or even the offer of forgiveness. His good news is his promise to be with us forever. Our forgiveness, though important, is in service of a greater end; it is the means through which we can experience union with God. Ultimately, our faith is not ordered toward the transaction of goods but toward the communion of persons. We rehearse this truth in our worship when we gather for the Lords Supper. We come, hopeful or hurting, holding the unanswered questions of our stories in open hands. And in response, Jesus offers us himself. When I welcome the members of my congregation to receive the bread and the wine, I look in their eyes and think of all the assurances I want to give them that their conflicts will be resolved, that their bodies will be healed, that their families will be restored in the ways they hope. I cant promise them these things. But I can give them something far greater: the body of Christ, given for you. A pastor of mine used to say, The Christian life is one of ongoing conversion. At first, this irked me. But eventually I understood that ongoing conversion is less about assurance of salvation than it is about a deeper, more holistic experience of salvation. In addition to our thoughts and beliefs, the Holy Spirit converts our loves so that we learn to desire God above all things. This is a life-long process. We might initially be drawn to God because of what we believe he can give us a ticket to Heaven, a moral framework for life, a sense of community and belonging in the Church. But over time, as we focus our gaze on Him, we realize that He alone is the true object of our longing. Man is a hungry being, wrote Alexander Schmemann. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him. In fellowship with Jesus, we taste salvation. When Jesus returns, our union with him will be complete, and our hunger will finally be fully satisfied. Until then, our faith can feel like an ache and a fulfillment all at once. We have found the one we desire or rather, He has found us. Even so, we pray, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Taken from Feasting on Hope by Hannah Miller King. Copyright (c) 2026 by Hannah Miller King. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com Sign up for the daily CJR newsletter. Last Tuesday evening, Tyler Kirwan put on his blue suit and knotted his red tie. He was heading to the US Capitol Building to cover Donald Trumps State of the Union address, for which he had been studying photos of the Missouri delegation to make sure I had their faces locked. Kirwan, a twenty-one-year-old senior studying journalism at the University of Missouri, was reporting for the Columbia Missourian, which serves the states fourth-most-populous city. Kirwans assignment: documenting events inside the House chamber to capture the details his peers watching the address on TV outside couldnt see. From his perch in the press gallery, Kirwan was an anomalyboth as a college student and as a reporter covering national politics for a regional publication. About two decades ago, hundreds of regional reporters worked the Hill beat, chasing down lawmakers and competing for scoops. Now the Regional Reporters Association has only about sixty members. The dwindling number means there are far fewer reporters scrutinizing elected officials in Washington and putting national politics into a local context for audiences hundreds or thousands of miles away, according to Nick Grube, a member of the board of the Regional Reporters Association and the Washington correspondent for the Honolulu Civil Beat. As politics are becoming more nationalized and tribal, regional reporters are able to break through that noise and cover Washington from a local perspective, he told me. The fall of the regional reporter is a lesser-known consequence of the hardships facing the local news industry. Decades ago, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had a sizable bureau in Washington, with about a dozen staffers. Now it has none. In January, Missouri lost its last Washington reporter, who worked for the Kansas City Star. Enter Kirwan and three of his peers from Missouri. This semester, the school started a program allowing students to live in Washington and report on the Missouri delegation for publications affiliated with the university. The Columbia Missourian is an independent nonprofit publication, though its staffed by more than two hundred journalism students and edited by professors. Were learning Washington political reporting by just jumping in the pool, Fletcher Mantooth, a twenty-two-year-old senior and program participant, told me. Kathy Kiely, a Missouri School of Journalism professor, teaches a seminar for the Washington students and serves as their editor. Theres an opportunity for our students in Washington to fill the gapand its gaping, she said. Im trying to make lemonade here, she added. Do I wish it werent necessary? Yes. But any journalism is better than no journalism. The students spend much of their time attending committee hearings, tracking down Missouri lawmakers in the hallways of the Capitol Building, and hounding press secretaries for comment. I realized you have to bug them. You have to call. You have to email them at least two to three times before they answer you, Kalli Fowler, a twenty-year-old junior, said. The day after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents killed Alex Pretti in Minnesota, Molly Gibbs, a twenty-one-year-old senior, found herself in a press gaggle with Josh Hawley, the senior Republican senator from Missouri. She asked him how he would feel about an ICE presence in Missouri similar to that in Minnesota. As scary as it is to ask somebody like that a question, its also scary to go back to your editor and be like, I didnt ask the question, Gibbs said. Maybe I embarrass myself a little bit and shake or ask the wrong question, but I would rather do that than not try at all. Sign up for CJRs daily email Back in the House chamber, Trumps speech finished just before 11pm. Kirwan and his colleagues convened just outside the chamber, where Mantooth managed to ask Eric Schmitt, the junior senator from Missouri, for his thoughts on the address. Ive seen a lot of President Trumps speeches. I thought it was one of his best, Schmitt said. The trio then got to work finishing their story. Were in America 250 now, they quoted Schmitt saying. After filing their article, they wandered around the building, looking for an exit that wasnt closed off. They finally managed to leave shortly after one in the morning. Gibbs ordered burritos. I was very tired, Mantooth said. I got home, ate my Taco Bell, and fell asleep. Correction: This story has been updated to amend a spelling error. As insurers spread risk across more carriers, the structure behind a single claim has become more complex. Capital is tighter, catastrophe losses are more frequent and specialized risks continue to grow across global insurance and reinsurance markets. Those forces have pushed insurers toward increasingly complex quota-share and layered capacity structures as a practical way to manage exposure and deploy capital efficiently. In recent years, global insured losses from natural catastrophes have consistently exceeded $100 billion annually, reflecting sustained pressure on carriers and reinsurers to share risk across broader capital pools. After major catastrophe events such as Hurricane Ian, it has become common for a single insured loss to be backed by capital spread across multiple carriers, syndicates, and jurisdictions, spanning both company balance sheets and the Lloyds market. What appears to policyholders as one claim is, in reality, a set of financial obligations across many balance sheets. That shift has changed how insurance operates, even though the mechanics of moving money have largely stayed the same. One policy, many balance sheets Complex quota-share arrangements exist for good reason. They allow insurers to participate in larger risks, manage volatility and tailor exposure with far more precision than was possible in the past. Over time, the industry has become highly capable at structuring these arrangements, often with bespoke participation percentages, commissions, limits, and delegated authority. The growth of delegated authority business also reflects this shift. Managing general agents and other delegated underwriting authority enterprises generated nearly $90 billion in premium in 2024, according to AM Best. As these models expand, more capital sources may sit behind a single policy. The structure of a single risk increasingly spans multiple carriers, each participating on defined terms and responsible for its share of losses. While risk is shared across participants, cash remains fragmented. Each carrier funds its portion of a claim independently, using its own systems, controls, and timelines. When losses occur, particularly following catastrophe events, this fragmentation becomes operationally meaningful. Where Coordination Starts to Strain In multi-carrier structures, no single party oversees the full cash flow. When a claim is ready to be paid, funding must be coordinated across each participating carrier or reinsurer. Each entity funds its portion separately, according to its own internal processes and timing. Therefore, payment execution depends on multiple institutions acting in sequence rather than through a unified mechanism. U.S. property/casualty insurers ceded more than $973 billion in premiums written in 2024, according to NAIC statutory filings. The loss obligations tied to that ceded businessreflected in reinsurance recoverables on each carriers balance sheetrepresent capital expected to move between counterparties as claims are settled. Even outside major catastrophe events, those recoverables represent an ongoing flow of funds tied to quota-share and other reinsurance structures. When participation spans multiple carriers, the timing of payment can depend on coordination across several balance sheets rather than a single source of liquidity. While the claim itself may be straightforward, the funding behind it may involve multiple institutions operating on separate timelines.This means that what appears efficient from a risk distribution perspective can become more complex at the point where money needs to move. Where The Pressure Has Moved The industry has invested heavily in improving how risk is priced, structured and distributed across multiple parties. The growth of programs built around delegated authority and multi-carrier participation reflects that shift. However, insurance operating models have evolved faster than the financial infrastructure that supports them. As quota-share arrangements have grown more complex, coordinating liquidity across multiple participants has become harder to manage at scale. The structural design works from a capital-allocation perspective. The friction tends to surface later, when money needs to move. The Issue Extends Beyond Headline Events This pattern is not limited to major catastrophe losses. Across the excess and surplus market and within delegated authority programs, quota share participation is increasingly common. As participation expands, even routine claims may depend on funding from several counterparties behind the scenes. From a policyholders perspective, there is one insurer and one payment expectation. The complexity of the capital stack remains invisibleuntil payment timing becomes unpredictable. Why This Matters Now These challenges are becoming more visible when the system is tested. Catastrophe events place immediate strain on claims operations. Multi-carrier programs introduce more dependencies into the funding process. Cross-border arrangements add complexity around timing and execution. At the same time, expectations around claims experience continue to rise. As structural complexity increases, delays become harder to absorb. Claims teams are often evaluated on outcomes that depend on funding flows extending beyond their direct control. In an environment where responsiveness defines the claims experience, coordination gaps become more noticeable. The system continues to function, but it is operating under growing pressure. Risk Sharing Has Advanced, But Cash Movement Hasnt Kept up Insurance has adapted to a world where risk is shared across many parties. The financial infrastructure supporting that world has evolved more slowly. As quota-share arrangements continue to grow in scale and complexity, the coordination of liquidity across participants becomes a more central operational consideration. Risk sharing is now routine. Ensuring that capital can move with similar consistency is an increasingly visible challenge for the industry. Hess is U.S. executive president of Vitesse. He has more than 25 years of experience in fintech and global banking, and oversees all aspects of the companys U.S. operations, guiding strategy and growth initiatives. U.S. aircraft activity at Portugal's Azores base sparks controversy Xinhua) 10:09, March 03, 2026 LISBON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's government faces growing criticism over U.S. military operations at Lajes Air Base in the Azores following attacks on Iran, with opposition parties and experts questioning whether proper authorization was obtained. Andre Franqueira Rodrigues, Socialist Party member of the European Parliament and Defense Committee member, criticized Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel's handling of the issue. He said the minister's approach "embarrasses us all" and grants Portugal "a subordination that weakens our negotiating position and offends the institutional and sovereign dignity" of the country. According to Lusa News Agency, 15 KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft have been stationed for more than one week at Lajes Air Base on Terceira Island, a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago that is approximately 1,500 km west of mainland Portugal in the mid-Atlantic. Thirteen aircraft departed the base on Sunday after the U.S. and Israeli joint attack on Iran starting on Saturday. The political party Left Bloc in the Azores "vehemently" condemned the U.S. use of Lajes Base for Iran-related operations, criticizing "total submission" to American interests. Rangel admitted last week that the United States can use Lajes Base for military operations against Iran without notifying Portugal, citing the Portugal-U.S. agreement that allows "tacit authorizations given with relatively short notice." The Socialist Party requested that parliament summon the foreign minister to clarify the legal framework for recent U.S. force movements at Lajes Base. In a request submitted to the Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities Committee, Socialist deputies stated increased movements at the military base "are of great sensitivity, with doubts remaining about the ultimate purpose of operations in question and respective international legal framework." Under the Portugal-U.S. Defense Cooperation Agreement, any use of Lajes Base by the United States beyond the framework of NATO or other international organizations supported by Portugal "should be subject to prior authorization." Socialists stated it would be "relevant to clarify whether Portuguese authorities were previously informed, consulted, or called to authorize such presence, or whether such movements are actually within the Portugal-U.S. Defense Cooperation Agreement scope or conducted under other legal instruments." Since Feb. 18, U.S. aircraft have intensified their movements at Lajes Base. According to Lusa reports, 12 F-16 Viper fighters, one C-17 Globemaster III military cargo aircraft and one C-5M Super Galaxy cargo aircraft, the U.S. Air Force's largest strategic transport aircraft, have passed through the facility. Analysts say the controversy highlights tensions between Portugal's NATO commitments and domestic concerns about potential involvement in military operations that may violate international law. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) People walk near the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices are expected to issue opinions in pending cases, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 25, 2026. The Supreme Court on Monday issued an order effectively barring the redrawing of the boundary lines of the only congressional district in New York City currently held by a Republican for the 2026 midterm elections. The decision is a victory for the incumbent seeking re-election this November, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the Staten Island Republican who had asked the Supreme Court to hear her bid to block new lines for that contest. The Supreme Court order is a potentially significant one for Republicans, who are trying to retain their narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. The order comes on the heels of efforts in Texas, California, and elsewhere to redraw maps for congressional districts before the midterm elections. The GOP has just a 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats likely would have had a better chance to defeat Malliotakis in her 11th Congressional District if more Black and Latino voters were added to it, as was expected after a ruling in January by a New York state court judge that directed the district's lines to be redrawn. Neither the exact numerical breakdown of which Supreme Court justices voted in favor of Monday's order, nor the rationale for the decision were disclosed. But the court's three liberal members all dissented from the order. Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's six-member conservative supermajority, in a concurring opinion in the ruling called a New York state judge's order that Malliotakis' district be redrawn for the 2026 election one that "blatantly discriminates on the basis of race." "The New York Supreme Court (that State's trial-level court) ordered the New York Independent Redistricting Commission to draw a new congressional district for the express purpose of ensuring that 'minority voters' are able to elect the candidate of their choice," Alito wrote. "That is unadorned racial discrimination, an inherently 'odious' activity that violates the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause except in the 'most extraordinary case,' " he said. watch now Tuesday is the first moment of truth for the 2026 midterm elections. It's the day the first polls will close to kick off a seven-month stretch of primaries that will help shape who will win the House and Senate on Election Day, Nov. 3. While Democrats are favored to win the House and Republicans seem likely to keep the Senate, much will depend on the results of the primaries leading up to the big day. Here are five early races taking place Tuesday that will indicate how the rest of the election could go: 1. Texas Senate Republican Primary Sen. John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general, and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas. Getty Images Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, is attempting to keep his seat in a heated primary against two challengers: State Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt, who represents a Houston-area district. Despite Senate Republicans and establishment donors pouring tens of millions into the race for Cornyn, most polls show Paxton as the frontrunner. His track record opposing President Joe Biden and backing President Donald Trump has made him a favorite of the MAGA crowd, with an endorsement from Turning Point USA, the influential group founded by Charlie Kirk. Yet a Paxton victory in the primary means Republicans would likely need to sink additional millions into the state to win in November. Paxton is scandal plagued. He's in the middle of an acrimonious divorce, was impeached by the Texas House over corruption allegations and was charged with securities fraud. Trump hasn't endorsed in the race. He had complimentary words for both Cornyn and Paxton when he visited Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday, saying they're "both great people." He also mentioned Hunt. The more money Republicans need to spend defending Texas in the general, the less there will be for other battleground states. Hunt is also painting himself as a more conservative choice than Cornyn. While Hunt is not expected to win, he could cause the primary to head into a May 26 runoff if no candidate gets a majority of the vote. 2. Texas Senate Democratic Primary State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat from Texas and U.S. Senate candidate, left, and Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas and U.S. Senate candidate, shake hands during a debate at the 2026 Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown, Texas, US, on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Bob Daemmrich | Bloomberg | Getty Images Democrats are hoping this will be the year they win a statewide race in Texas but their odds of doing so could depend on who emerges victorious in the primary. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are in an increasingly nasty campaign. The two have similar stances on the issues, but vastly different styles. Crockett, a civil rights lawyer, is known as a firebrand, with combative comebacks and fierce messaging. She is popular with Democratic voters who want their party to show more fight against the Trump administration, and she has appealed to both Black and progressive voters. Recent polling has shown each of them in the lead. Talarico, a former school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, takes a far more measured approach, appealing to independents and moderate Republicans with a message of unity. His speeches sound like sermons and he mixes progressives values with Bible verses. The winner of the primary could signal which campaign strategy will be adopted by the Democrats in 2028. 3. Texas 2nd Congressional District Republican Primary State Rep. Steve Toth (L) and Incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw. Getty Images Incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw is fending off a challenge from state Rep. Steve Toth in a race that will test how well a sitting congressman with solid conservative credentials can fend off a challenger from the MAGA wing of the party. Crenshaw is the only Republican House incumbent in the March 3rd primaries who doesn't have Trump's endorsement. While Crenshaw voted with Trump on all major issues, he split with Trump on things including backing aid for Ukraine and speaking out against the false claims that Trump won the 2020 election. Toth has picked up endorsements from the House Freedom Caucus as well as Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. But Crenshaw has outraised and outspent Toth and has the backing of the official House GOP campaign arm. 4. North Carolina 4th Congressional District Democratic Primary Nida Allam (L) and Rep. Valerie Foushee Reuters | Getty Images In North Carolina's 4th congressional district, incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee is facing a primary challenge from Nida Allam, a county commissioner. Allam has criticized Foushee for not doing enough to push back against Trump's agenda and for taking money in previous elections from the pro-Israel AIPAC. Allam lost to Foushee in 2022, but the district has since been redrawn. Foushee has support from major Democratic politicians and groups, including Gov. Roy Cooper, the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Allam is endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, as well as Leaders We Deserve, a group backed by progressive activist David Hogg supporting challengers to incumbent Democrats. She has also gotten donations from American Priorities, a counterweight to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The race will also be an early test for the pro-AI regulation group Public Action First, which counts Anthropic among its donors. The group's Democratic arm donated to Foushee. 5. Texas 23rd Congressional District Republican Primary Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, participates in the group's press conference in the Capitol, March 25, 2025. Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images U.S. Department of War and Anthropic logos are seen in this illustration taken March 1, 2026. Tech workers at Google , OpenAI and some of their peers are circulating an array of letters calling for clearer limits on how their employers work with the military after the U.S. carried out strikes on Iran over the weekend and the Pentagon blacklisted AI models from Anthropic. One open letter, titled "We Will Not Be Divided," grew from a couple hundred names on Friday to almost 900 by Monday, with nearly 100 signatories from OpenAI and close to 800 from Google. The letter took aim at the Department of Defense's actions against Anthropic, which refused to allow its technology to be used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. "They're trying to divide each company with fear that the other will give in," the letter reads. "That strategy only works if none of us know where the others stand. This letter serves to create shared understanding and solidarity in the face of this pressure from the Department of War." Combat operations began in Iran hours after the Trump administration's decision on Friday to block Anthropic and designate the company a "supply chain risk." While the U.S. government claimed the attack on Iran was necessary to neutralize "imminent threats" from the country's nuclear and missile programs, the actions appear to have pushed more tech workers to sign their names to various petitions. Tensions in tech have been escalating for months, largely due to the increased aggressiveness of federal immigration agents, including the killings of two American citizens in Minnesota early this year. Workers in the industry have demanded greater transparency regarding the work their employers do with the government, particularly when it comes to cloud and artificial intelligence contracts. For Google, the latest backlash comes as the company is reportedly in talks with the Pentagon over bringing its AI model Gemini onto a classified system, reviving a years-old internal fight over military AI. Anthropic "made a mistake" in its dealings with the Department of Defense, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr told CNBC on Tuesday after the U.S. government blacklisted the AI firm. Anthropic had been in tense negotiations over the terms of its contract with the Pentagon. The startup asked for assurance that its technology would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance of Americans. The DoD wanted Anthropic to agree to let the military use the models across all lawful use cases. Talks stalled last week and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company "cannot in good conscience" allow the use of its models under these conditions. "I think it [Anthropic] probably made a mistake," the FCC's Carr told CNBC. "There's obviously rules of the road that are in place that are going to apply to every technology that the Department of War contracts with." President Donald Trump then ordered every U.S. government agency to "immediately cease" using Anthropic's technology. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth escalated the pressure on Anthropic by labeling it a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security." The designation means any contractor that works with the Pentagon may not do business with Anthropic. When asked by CNBC if the door was still open for Anthropic to work with the U.S. government, the FCC's Carr said the company should "try to correct course as best they can." "They were given lots of off ramps ... given lots of opportunities to find a great landing spot, and they chose not to do it and that's a mistake for them," Carr added. Anthropic was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. On Friday, Anthropic said it was "saddened" by the move to blacklist it, saying it "would both be legally unsound and set a dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government." "We have tried in good faith to reach an agreement with the Department of War, making clear that we support all lawful uses of AI for national security," aside from the mass domestic surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons, Anthropic said. Just hours after Anthropic's blacklisting, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said his company had agreed to terms with the Department of Defense regarding the use of its artificial intelligence models. On Monday, Altman said OpenAI "shouldn't have rushed" its deal with the Department of Defense, adding that it "looked opportunistic and sloppy." OpenAI outlined revised terms of the agreement, including wording to clarify that "the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals." - CNBC's Ashley Capoot and Dylan Butts contributed to this report. Jon Gray, President and COO of Blackstone, speaks during the Axios BFD event in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Blackstone president Jon Gray on Tuesday defended the quality of loans within the firm's flagship private credit fund after investors pulled nearly 8% from it in the last quarter. The alternative asset management giant said in a late Monday filing that it allowed investors to withdraw 7.9% of BCRED, which it calls the largest private credit fund in the world, with about $82 billion invested. Blackstone did so in part by allowing the firm's own investors to plow $150 million into the fund. The move sparked a sell-off in Blackstone shares, which fell as much as about 8.5% in morning trading Tuesday, as well as in other private credit peers. "When you think about credit quality, the 400-plus borrowers here, they had 10% EBITDA growth last year," Gray told CNBC's David Faber, using a term referring to a company's financial performance. "So when we look at this, we feel pretty darn good." Instead of calming markets, recent moves by alternative asset managers to allow investors to cash out of funds have only added to jitters around private credit and loans to the software industry. Last month, the storm intensified when Blue Owl said it found buyers for $1.4 billion of its loans, in part to help cash out 30% of an embattled credit fund. In this article CCO-CA GOOS-CA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) walks with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney before their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on March 2, 2026. Sajjad Hussain | Afp | Getty Images India and Canada need new friends and customers. So this week, they put past, painful differences aside to pledge closer ties during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to New Delhi, as U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran escalated. But the commitment is far from a full reset. It comes after the assassination of a Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada in 2023, which caused tensions between India and Canada, with each side expelling diplomats the following year. The Canadian government had accused Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of plotting to target Sikh separatists in Canada. India has emphatically denied any connection to the killing. Reema Bhattacharya, head of Asia risk insight, corporate risk and sustainability at Singapore-based risk advisory firm Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC that a "true reset" in the relationship would depend on whether the visit leads to "sustained, working-level cooperation." She added that Nijjar's killing "remains the single biggest political constraint on the relationship" and is unlikely to fade because "one meeting went well." "I'd describe this as a meaningful thaw, moving in the right direction, but not a clean slate," she added. The U.S. effect Carney and Modi have extra motivation to forge ties, as Donald Trump reorders global trade and the U.S. is waging war on Iran. "The United States is extremely volatile, not particularly predictable, and frankly, if I may be blunt about it, destabilizing many of the institutions and structures around the world," Evan Feigenbaum, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CNBC on Tuesday. He said Carney's trip to India and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent visit to China "is in no small degree in reaction to volatility from the United States." watch now "On the strategic front, India is looking to build closer ties with Western nations beyond the U.S.," said Arpit Chaturvedi, South Asia advisor at Teneo. "The bitterness of the Nijjar case lingers but can be overlooked if those officials directly under Carney's control (i.e. his cabinet) do not bring up the matter," he added. Promises of trade On Monday, Carney and Modi vowed to expand bilateral trade to 70 billion Canadian dollars ($51 billion) by 2030. Carney also committed to finalizing a comprehensive economic pact with India by the end of this year. The two leaders also welcomed the 2.6 billion-Canadian-dollar commercial pact between Cameco Corp and India's Department of Atomic Energy for the long-term supply of uranium. But India's ministry of external affairs confirmed, during the press conference to discuss details of the India-Canada meeting, that the previous uranium supply pact signed in 2015 between Cameco and India was not fulfilled. Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, right, shakes hands with Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, during a news conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Monday, March 2, 2026. Carney met Modi in New Delhi on Monday to reset relations after years of strain, with both leaders looking to clinch deals to boost trade and supply chains. Photographer: Prakash Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Canadian prime minister said his country has ambitions to become a key supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG) to India. Canada, which aims to raise LNG production to 50 million tonnes per year by 2030 and 100 million tonnes by 2040, is looking for new markets. India, meanwhile, plans to double the share of LNG in its energy mix. A Citi report on Monday warned that disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil and gas, is affecting 60% of India's LNG imports, amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. "It is likely that India would want to open new avenues through alternative routes such as the Pacific and Canada could be a useful partner there," said Chaturvedi. But experts say that any long-term LNG contract with Canada will have to be "competitive," as India is a price-sensitive market. "Canada's LNG capacity is still ramping up, and shipping to India is a long route," said Bhattacharya of Verisk Maplecroft. She added that even if supply is available, aligning timelines, pricing expectations and demand needs "won't be simple." The two countries could see expansion of trade in sectors such as clean energy, critical minerals, fertilizers and IT services, experts said. Warming of ties Crude oil prices eased Tuesday in extended trading, after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would provide insurance to tankers in the Persian Gulf to get maritime traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. crude prices rose 4.68%, or $3.33, to close at $74.56 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent gained 4.71%, or $3.66, to settle at $81.40. Prices had surged more than 9% earlier on fears the widening war in the Middle East would result in a prolonged disruption to regional oil and gas supplies. But prices eased signficantly in late afternoon trading after Trump sought to reassure ship owners that they could safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. crude oil was up more than 2% while Brent was up 3% after the president's announcement. Trump said the U.S. Development Finance Corporation will "provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees" for the financial security of all maritime trade through the Gulf. "If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible," the president said in a social media post. Tanker traffic through the Strait has ground to a halt as ship owners take precautionary measures over conerns they could be targeted in retaliatory strikes by Iran. The Strait is the most important chokepoint for oil in the world. About 20% of global crude consumption is exported through the waterway primarily to customers in China, India, Japan and South Korea. Wall Street commodities strategists have warned that oil prices could surge above $100 per barrel if the Strait is closed for a prolonged period. Trump said earlier Tuesday that the war with Iran may result in "a little high oil prices for a little while," but predicted prices will drop once the conflict is over. In this article UAMY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. Mohsen Ganji | AP When the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Saturday morning, "very few" people in Europe were told beforehand that the airstikes were about to begin, a senior lawmaker in the bloc told CNBC. "Very few people have been informed," Hannah Neumann, member of the European Parliament (MEP) and chair of the delegation for relations with Iran, said Tuesday. She told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" that even German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the leader of the EU's largest economy, "had just been informed a few minutes in advance." watch now The lack of notice reflects how, four days into the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, Europe has been largely on the sidelines as its wider economic impact spells potential upheaval for the continent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Alberto Costa issued an initial statement on Saturday that the EU was watching developments with concern, and that it had a "steadfast commitment to safeguarding regional security and stability." On Sunday, the EU said it would protect EU security and interests, "including through additional sanctions." But Merz appeared to distance himself from this, saying sanctions had not worked and that the use of force was appropriate. "We were not prepared to enforce fundamental interests with military force if necessary. Therefore, now is not the time to be lecturing our partners and allies. Despite all our doubts, we share many of their goals, without being able to actually achieve them ourselves," he said in a speech on Sunday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speak during U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025. Alexander Drago | Reuters One area where Europe could have leverage over the U.S. is over Washington's use of its military bases, which allow it to launch attacks more easily. The U.K. fell out of favor with Trump after initially refusing to give the U.S. permission to use its military bases, only to U-turn on Monday, allowing them to be used for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites. Trump gave interviews to two British newspapers in which he condemned Prime Minister Keir Starmer, despite the change of heart. He told the Telegraph he was "very disappointed" and that it "took far too long" for the U.S. to be granted use of British bases. Trump told the Sun that the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. was "not what it was." 'Grave' retaliation Trump said Monday that, with Iran's regime weakened after the death of Khamanei, "this was our last best chance to strike." "What we're doing right now, and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime," Trump said at the White House. The EU has said it supports the U.S. aim of preventing Iran from having a nuclear arsenal, but the continent's leaders are concerned as to whether military action violates international law. "Full cooperation by Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency as well as adherence to Iran's legal obligations under Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement are crucial, and nuclear safety is a critical priority," the EU said in its statement on Sunday. Civil defence workers survey the rubble of a police station after it was struck amid the joint U.S.Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. Vahid Salemi | AP MEP Neumann told CNBC that the bloc's immediate priorities were to deal with the repercussions for the EU, and "to see what we can do together with our partners in the Gulf to de-escalate the situation." Asked whether it was almost impossible for the EU to have a stake in de-escalating tensions, Neumann said attempts should still be made to reason with the regime left in Tehran, despite it carrying out retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, and showing little appetite for diplomacy. "Iran's retaliatory actions are quite grave. They seem to be bigger than what has been expected .. so there we can, and should, use diplomatic channels that we still have to maybe make someone in the regime reconsider this kind of escalation," she said. "We also need to work together, and that's something we only can do as the European Union together, to see how we can best evacuate European citizens from the region, and how we can create some some buffers in our energy security, but also the delivery chains, in case of the situation dragging on like that, and especially the Strait of Hormuz continues to be blocked," she said. CNBC has contacted the EU for further comment on its stance on U.S.-Israeli military action, and the level of communication it has with the White House over the ongoing conflict. In this U.S. Navy released handout, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, on March 1, 2026 at Sea. U.s. Navy | Getty Images News | Getty Images Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, defended the EU when he spoke to CNBC on Monday, saying the U.S.' endgame was unclear. "What we are seeing now is not a great picture of the coherence of U.S. policies. Clearly, this is something decided in very uncertain ways by the president. And if you listen to him, why he started the war, there is no clear explanation for that," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." watch now Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has told CNBC that Paramount's bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery is "cleaner" than Netflix's , adding he expected it to be approved "pretty quickly." "There's a lot of concerns when Netflix was the potential buyer there," Carr said on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday. "That particular combination raised a lot of competition concerns." Paramount Skydance put in a revised offer to buy the entirety of WBD last week at $31 per share, up from $30 per share, which the WBD board deemed superior to an existing Netflix proposal. Netflix had been set to buy the media giant's studio and streaming businesses for $27.75 per share, but said this was "no longer financially attractive" in light of Paramount's offer. Carr spoke with CNBC's Arjun Kharpal in a wide-ranging discussion about the WBD-Paramount merger, which requires regulators' sign-off. Carr told CNBC that Netflix "would have a very difficult path" getting regulatory approval, adding that Paramount's was "a lot cleaner, does not raise at all the same types of concerns." "I think there's some real consumer benefits that can emerge from it," he added. A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Japanese companies bought two U.S. homebuilders last month alone, extending a string of purchases that has given the group an increasing market share over the last decade. Sumitomo Forestry acquired Tri Pointe Homes, which was a publicly traded builder, for $4.5 billion . Tri Pointe operates in 12 western, southwestern and southeastern U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C. Sumitomo now counts five, formerly U.S. homebuilders in its group and aims to supply 23,000 homes annually in the U.S. by 2030, according to a news release. "Initially [Japanese firms] were buying smaller private companies, maybe in one or two cities, and now this is a third public home builder acquisition that they've made, so they're writing much bigger checks," said Margaret Whelan, founder of Whelan Advisory and one of the biggest investment bankers in the builder space. Stanley Martin Homes, which was itself acquired by Japan-based Daiwa House in 2017, announced an agreement in February to purchase United Homes Group, which operates mostly in the Carolinas, for $221 million. Japanese builder Sekisui House, which operates in the U.S. as SH Residential Holdings, made a huge purchase in 2024, acquiring M.D.C Holdings for $4.9 billion. With the four other U.S. builders it acquired, Sekisui is now the sixth largest builder in the U.S. by volume. "Despite short-term headwinds for U.S. housing, Japanese buyers are reallocating capital out of a shrinking, aging domestic housing market and into the long-term growth story for U.S. housing," said Danielle Nguyen, vice president of research at John Burns Research and Consulting. "These firms are well-capitalized, bring patient, low-cost capital and are building U.S. platforms. They're not short-term financial sponsors, they're investing across land, development, and housing with a long runway." All told, Japanese companies now own 33 homebuilders that operate in the U.S. Once the most recent deals are closed, they will have close to 6% of U.S. market share. As they build more homes, it could actually benefit consumers, because firms out of Japan are much more efficient in their production. "They tend to build every house twice the first time in 3D online [then] reverse engineer it, reduce the waste and the cost to build and the time to build," said Whelan. "And so bringing those best practices to the U.S. is going to make a big difference to affordability, basically, to their bottom line and what they can pass along to the consumer. So it's a win-win for U.S. consumers." Whelan also pointed out that, compared with the 10-year average, the publicly traded builders are trading at around 1-times book value right now, a favorable valuation for a buyer to come in at. Daiwa House and Sekisui, which are both traded on the Nikkei, have been most prolific in the U.S. and are seeing their stocks outperform because their earnings are growing faster versus their peers that are not in the U.S. In addition, the cost of capital for Japanese groups is so much lower. According to Whelan, they typically look to generate about a 5% return on equity. That compares to the publicly traded U.S. builder stocks that need a 10% return on equity. "And that's why you're seeing so many new Japanese entrants into the U.S. housing market," she added. Luxury stocks were among the hardest hit sectors early Tuesday, with European markets heading for another day of losses as the conflict in the Middle East intensified overnight. Shares of conglomerate LVMH , Gucci-owner Kering , and British outerwear maker Burberry were among the worst performers, with week-to-date losses approaching 10% each. The wider European blue-chip index, Stoxx 600 , was down nearly 3% Tuesday, after falling 1.6% on Monday. The Middle East has been a driver of growth in the sector, which is battling a difficult macroeconomic backdrop, and many formerly best-selling brands are struggling to resonate with consumers. The region's strength, however, hasn't been enough to offset weakness elsewhere, notably in China, and industry giants like LVMH and Kering are still struggling to get sales back on a positive track. "The Middle East has been one of the few bright spots," Morningstar analyst Jelena Sokolova told CNBC. "You have one area which was small, but which was very, very vibrant, and it's being affected now." The U.S. and Israel launched widespread attacks on Iran over the weekend that killed the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes, and the conflict now engulfs the wider Middle East region with no clear endpoint in sight. U.S. President Donald Trump has said the war could last for four to five weeks, but that it could go on "far longer than that." Shares of Richemont , the owner of Cartier, Van Cleef, and Chloe, fell heavily on Monday and Tuesday, with a relatively big exposure to the region. In this article GS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A prolonged surge in natural gas prices triggered by the ongoing war in the Middle East risks denting European growth and hitting some Asian economies hard, analysts have warned. Global gas prices have soared this week amid fears of a lengthy disruption to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz a key shipping route running between Oman and Iran that handles about one-fifth of global LNG trade as the Iran conflict escalates. Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) futures, Europe's benchmark gas contract, rose 35% on Tuesday to more than 60 euros ($69.64) per megawatt-hour. On the week, prices are around 76% higher. The Northeast Asia LNG benchmark, the Japan-Korea-Marker (JKM), which captures deliveries to Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, reached a one-year high, and was last seen around 43 euros ($49.83) per MWh. U.K. natural gas was also sharply higher. Qatar, one of the world's largest LNG producers, halted production on Monday following Iranian drone strikes at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City. Goldman Sachs estimated the pause will reduce near-term global LNG supply by about 19%. A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard official later said the country had closed the Strait of Hormuz to all ships, and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through the channel would be attacked. The U.S., however, said the route remained open, according to a Fox News report. Supply squeeze Europe and much of Asia are more heavily exposed to potential gas price shocks than the U.S., which benefits from both domestic shale and LNG production. Around 25% of Europe's total gas supply is LNG, according to Chris Wheaton, oil and gas analyst at Stifel. With roughly 20% of global LNG production sitting behind the Strait, a prolonged disruption could trigger a supply squeeze comparable to the 2022 shock following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he said in a note. "We are much more concerned about European gas prices than we are about oil prices," Wheaton said. Shares of Norwegian energy giant Equinor , one of Europe's largest natural gas suppliers, hit a 52-week high on Tuesday, adding more than 2%, after closing the previous session up more than 8%. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Equinor. Goldman Sachs, in a note published Monday, warned that a monthlong halt to flows through Hormuz risks driving TTF and JKM prices toward 74 euros ($85.80) per MWh. This was the level that "triggered large natural gas demand responses" during the 2022 European energy crisis. European gas prices ultimately peaked at 345 euros ($400.02) per MWh in August 2022 as Russia weaponized its natural gas exports in response to EU sanctions, cutting supply, which pushed up domestic energy bills and sparked a cost-of-living crisis across the continent. In a separate note later Monday, Goldman raised its April TTF forecast to 55 euros ($63.75) per MWh from 36 euros ($41.73) per megawatt-hour, with its average second-quarter forecast now at 45 euros ($52.16) per MWh. Patrick O'Donnell, chief investment strategist at Omnis Investments, said LNG is now a key area of concern for Europe's wider economy. "That may have more negative implications for the European economy and the reindustrialization that the market has been hoping that we get to see," O'Donnell told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" Monday. Indeed, Goldman Sachs analysts led by Sven Jari Stehn noted that "the effects of higher energy prices on GDP tend to be negative for most countries, except for Norway which produces and exports oil." Goldman Sachs estimated that a sustained 10% rise in energy prices over four quarters would cut 0.2% off GDP in both the U.K. and the euro area. Switzerland, which relies more on nuclear and renewables, would be flat, while Norway an oil exporter would see a 0.1% boost. In contrast, Goldman analysts see "limited upside risk" to U.S. natural gas prices. Asian importers also affected A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026. Nvidia , Amazon and Alphabet are among the big tech firms scrambling to ensure the safety of their employees who are traveling through or based in the Middle East after joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran over the weekend. The massive attack on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, among others, and Iran retaliated with strikes on Israeli and U.S. bases across the Gulf. The conflict has disrupted civilian life, internet access in Iran, flight routes and energy shipments across the region. Chip tech leader Nvidia temporarily closed its Dubai offices, with employees there working remotely, according to an email reviewed by CNBC that was sent by CEO Jensen Huang to all employees early Tuesday. Huang said in his memo that Nvidia's crisis management team has been "working around the clock and actively supporting affected employees and their families" in the Middle East, including around 6,000 Nvidia employees based in Israel. In 2019, Nvidia acquired Mellanox, an Israeli company that makes ethernet switches and other networking hardware, for around $7.13 billion, the largest deal in Nvidia's history at that time. And today, outside of the U.S., Israel represents Nvidia's largest research and development base. As of Tuesday morning, all Nvidia employees impacted by the conflict and their immediate families were safe, Huang said. "Nvidia has deep roots in the region," Huang wrote. "Thousands of our colleagues live there, and many more across the globe have family and friends affected by these events. Like you, I am watching with great concern for the safety of our Nvidia families." Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., during a media tour of a Stargate AI data center in Abilene, Texas, U.S., on Sept. 23, 2025. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Monday that the company "shouldn't have rushed" its recent deal with the U.S. Department of Defense and outlined revisions to the agreement. Altman shared what he described as a repost of an internal memo on X, saying the company would amend the contract to include new language regarding its principles on topics like surveillance. That included wording to clarify that "the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals." The memo added that "the Department understands the limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information." The changes come after the ChatGPT maker announced it had struck a new deal with the Defense Department on Friday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to stop using rival AI company Anthropic's tools, and hours before Washington would carry out strikes on Iran. According to Altman, the Defense Department had also affirmed that OpenAI's tools would not be used by intelligence agencies such as the NSA. "There are many things the technology just isn't ready for, and many areas we don't yet understand the tradeoffs required for safety," Altman said, adding that the company would work with the Pentagon on technical safeguards. The CEO also admitted he had made a mistake and "shouldn't have rushed" to get the deal out on Friday. "We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy," he said in the post. The acknowledgment comes after a public feud between Anthropic and Washington over safeguards for its Claude AI systems, which ended without an agreement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the company would be designated a supply-chain threat. Following an initial deal last year, Anthropic was the first AI lab to deploy its models across the Defense Department's classified network. The company had later sought guarantees that its tools would not be used for purposes such as domestic surveillance in the U.S., or to operate and develop autonomous weapons without human control. The dispute began after it was revealed that Anthropic's Claude had been used by the U.S. military in its raid to capture Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in January, though the company did not publicly object to that use case. OpenAI's deal with the Pentagon came right after talks between Anthropic and the Defense Department broke down, though Altman had told employees in a Thursday memo that OpenAI shared the same "red lines" as Anthropic. The company also said in a post on Friday that the Defense Department agreed to the company's restrictions. It remains unclear why the Defense Department agreed to accommodate OpenAI and not Anthropic, though government officials have for months criticized Anthropic for allegedly being overly concerned with AI safety. The timing of OpenAI's deal with the Defense Department prompted online backlash, with many users reportedly ditching ChatGPT for Claude on app stores. In his post, Altman further addressed the controversy, saying: "In my conversations over the weekend, I reiterated that Anthropic should not be designated as a [supply chain risk], and that we hope the [Department of Defense] offers them the same terms we've agreed to." Anthropic was founded in 2021 by a group of former OpenAI staff and researchers, who left the company after disagreements over its direction. The company has marketed itself as a "safety-first" alternative. BARCELONA, Spain Robotics will become a "larger opportunity" for Qualcomm within the next two years, CEO Cristiano Amon told CNBC, as the chip giant continues its foray into areas beyond the smartphone. In January, Qualcomm launched a robotics processor under the Dragonwing brand name, as it looks to create a chipset that can work on multiple robotics platforms. It's a similar approach the company has taken to smartphones, where its Snapdragon processors have become a key chip used by electronics companies. "I think robotics will start to get scale within the next two years," Amon told CNBC on Monday, in response to a question about when robotics becomes a material business for Qualcomm. "I think it's going to become like a larger opportunity within two years," he added during the interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. There are lots of different types of robots, from those focused on industrial applications such as robotic arms, through to humanoid robots, the type Tesla and a plethora of Chinese companies are developing. There are various forecasts for the size of the robotics market. McKinsey projects the market for general-purpose robots could reach $370 billion by 2040, while analysts at RBC Capital Markets have forecast a global total addressable market for humanoids of $9 trillion by 2050. Robots need processors and a lot of difficult engineering to move. But the increased bullishness around robotics has also come due to advances in AI models. These models are designed to power the robot so it can understand the world around it and act accordingly. Robots are often spoken about in a category called physical AI. "People have said just robotics alone could be a trillion-dollar opportunity in terms of market size ... the reality is, we see now, because of physical AI, robots have become a lot more useful," Amon said. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, said last year that robotics is one of the company's major potential sources of growth. Robotics is a key theme at Mobile World Congress, with different robots on display. On Sunday, Chinese smartphone player Honor teased its first humanoid robot. Open AI CEO Sam Altman speaks during a talk session with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at an event titled "Transforming Business through AI" in Tokyo, on Feb. 3, 2025. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees in an all-hands meeting on Tuesday that the Pentagon made clear to the company that it doesn't "get to make operational decisions" regarding how its artificial intelligence technology is used by the Department of Defense. "So maybe you think the Iran strike was good and the Venezuela invasion was bad," Altman said Tuesday, according to a partial transcript of the meeting reviewed by CNBC. "You don't get to weigh in on that." The meeting occurred four days after OpenAI announced its DOD arrangement, which landed just hours before the U.S. and Israel began carrying out strikes against Iran. Altman told employees that the Pentagon respects OpenAI's technical expertise, wants input about where its models are a good fit and will allow the company to build the safety stack it deems appropriate, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the meeting was private. But Altman said the agency has also made it clear that operational decisions rest with Secretary Pete Hegseth. Altman has been vocally criticized, including by some OpenAI employees, since announcing the deal with the Pentagon shortly after rival Anthropic was blacklisted and labeled a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security." President Donald Trump also directed every federal agency in the U.S. to "immediately cease" all use of Anthropic's technology. Anthropic's AI was reportedly used in the Iran strikes over the weekend as well as for the capturing of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in January. A Cheongung missile launcher is displayed during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX 2025) at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on October 17, 2025. South Korean defense stocks saw massive gains on Tuesday after the country's markets returned from a public holiday, as the Iran war fuels interest in defense names globally. Heavyweight Hanwha Aerospace, which is South Korea's largest defense manufacturer, saw shares surge nearly 25%, before paring gains to about 20%, while Korea Aerospace Industries gained more than 12%, but cut those to 3.2%. Shares in air defense systems maker LIG Nex1 soared 30%, while electronic warfare systems manufacturer Victek and anti-aircraft missile components' maker Firstec saw shares rise 30% and 19%, respectively. Ammunition manufacturer Poongsan rose 12.78%, while Hyundai Rotem, maker of the K2 main battle tank, advanced over 8%. The sector's gains were in sharp contrast to the wider Kospi , which fell 7.24% to lead losses in Asian markets and record its worst day in 19 months. A prolonged closure of the strait would likely lead to a further surge in oil prices , with some analysts seeing oil crossing $100 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent was last up 2.6% at around $80 per barrel almost 10% higher since the conflict broke out. Located between Oman and Iran, the strait functions as a vital artery for the global oil trade. Roughly 13 million barrels per day passed through it in 2025, representing about 31% of all seaborne crude flows, according to energy consulting firm Kpler. A senior commander from Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz had been shut and warned that any vessel attempting to transit the waterway would be targeted, Iranian media reported. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is sending shock waves across global energy markets, with Asia expected to face the maximum pain. About 20% of global liquefied natural gas exports that come from the Persian Gulf are also at risk, primarily those originating from Qatar and shipped via the Strait of Hormuz, according to Kpler. Qatar, one of the world's largest providers of LNG, halted production on Monday after Iranian drones hit its facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City. "In Asia, Thailand, India, Korea and the Philippines are the most vulnerable to higher oil prices, due to their high import dependence, while Malaysia would be a relative beneficiary since it is an energy exporter," Nomura wrote in a note Monday. Here's how those reliant on Gulf energy and shipments via the Strait of Hormuz stand to be impacted. South Asia: immediate physical strain South Asia would face the most acute disruption, particularly when it comes to supplies of LNG, analysts said. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates account for 99% of Pakistan's LNG imports, 72% of Bangladesh's and 53% of India's, according to Kpler data. With limited storage and procurement flexibility, Pakistan and Bangladesh are especially vulnerable. For one, Bangladesh is already running a significant structural gas deficit. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, the country is running a shortfall of more than 1,300 million cubic feet per day. "Pakistan and Bangladesh have limited storage and procurement flexibility, meaning disruption would likely trigger fast power-sector demand destruction rather than aggressive spot bidding," said Go Katayama principal insight analyst at Kpler. India faces the largest combined exposure in the region. "More than half of its LNG imports are Gulf-linked, and a significant share is Brent-indexed, so a Hormuz-driven crude spike would simultaneously lift oil import costs and LNG contract prices. That creates a dual physical and financial shock," he said. Similarly, about 60% of India's oil imports come from the Middle East, according to UBP. A sustained blockade would therefore amplify both energy import costs and current account pressures. China: large exposure but sufficient buffer A Hormuz closure would test China's energy security, but stockpiles and alternative supply offer some buffer. The country is the world's largest crude oil importer, and purchases more than 80% of Iranian oil, according to Kpler. Around 30% of its LNG imports come from Qatar and the UAE, and roughly 40% of its oil imports pass through Hormuz, UBP estimates. "China is materially exposed but more flexible," Kpler's Katayama said. According to Kpler, China's LNG inventories as of the end of February stood at 7.6 million tons, providing short-term cover. However, China would need to compete for Atlantic cargoes if the outage persists, tightening the Pacific basin, Katayama added. In which case, the dynamic could intensify price competition across Asia even if Beijing avoids outright shortages. Saudi Arabia has increased crude loadings in recent weeks, and strategic petroleum reserves held by major consuming nations like China, could provide some temporary cushioning to the market, Rystad Energy said in a note Sunday. UBP said that while China is a key net energy importer in the region, it is not necessarily the most vulnerable to potential supply shocks. watch now President Donald Trump says combat will continue in Iran until U.S. "objectives" are complete. Those objectives and the justification for the war have remained fluid more than 48 hours into the conflict. Trump and his proxies have not been aligned on their narrative, leading to confusion about how Trump and his advisors are defining the endgame for the escalating conflict. Trump began a military buildup near Iran after promising dissidents "help is on its way" when protests against its government rocked the country in January. The stated justification since the attack began Saturday has whipsawed among preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, deposing the Iranian regime that brutally represses dissent, stopping an imminent attack from Iran on U.S. interests and following Israel's lead. The muddied messaging underscores a broader question of whether Trump is pursuing solely a military objective or full-blown regime change. The changing justification and growing list of objectives raise questions about the administration's motives and the extent to which the U.S. will be entangled in Iran, a more urgent question as the death toll for U.S. service members has climbed to six. The dynamic has incensed Democrats, who have largely come out against the war, and led a handful of Republicans to raise questions. "We have seen the goals for this operation change now, I believe, four or five times," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters Monday after meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "It was about the Iranian nuclear capacity, a few days later it was about taking out the ballistic missiles, it was then in the president's own words about regime change and now we hear it's about sinking the Iranian fleet. "I'm not sure which of those goals, if met, means that we're at an endgame," Warner said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., was more blunt in his assessment. "The president's been all over the place," he said. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks to the media following a briefing for congressional leaders on the situation in Iran, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 2, 2026. Ken Cedeno | Reuters Trump said in a video message when the invasion began on Saturday that his objective was to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people." The president said the U.S. military would raze the country's missile silos, prevent it from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, destroy its terrorist proxy network and sink its navy. He also urged the Iranian people to topple the leadership that has ruled the country since 1979 an explicit call for regime change that raised eyebrows even among some of his allies. After the killing of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed, unnamed U.S. officials briefed the media on the operation Saturday after Trump's Truth Social video. They said something different: That the U.S. launched a preemptive strike to stave off the imminent threat of an Iranian offensive. Then on Sunday, Trump spoke with myriad media outlets, including CNBC. He told The Atlantic that Iran waited too long in negotiations over its nuclear program and could have struck a deal and told CNBC that the U.S. attacks were "ahead of schedule" without saying what schedule. He later told the Daily Mail the war could grind on for more than four weeks. Later Sunday, Trump said in a second video address that combat would continue "until all of our objectives are achieved, and we have very strong objectives." He said he was doing it to ensure security "for our children and their children," while reiterating his call for regime change. He warned more U.S. casualties were likely. On Monday, Trump again reiterated his priorities as destroying Iran's missile capabilities, destroying its navy, preventing the country from getting a nuclear weapon and destroying Iran's ability to fund terrorist proxies. Cabinet secretaries offer different objectives Then there's Trump's top aides some of whom are potential contenders for president in 2028. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Monday the war is "not a so-called regime change war," saying the effort is to stop Iran from building a "conventional shield" for its nuclear program. Rubio then offered a different characterization Monday, arguing, as the administration did on Saturday, that the mission was in part a preemptive strike. But Rubio appeared to suggest the attack from Iran would come only after an attack on Iran by U.S. ally Israel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to brief House and Senate leaders on U.S. military action in Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, March 2, 2026. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images "We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that would precipitate an attack against American forces and we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters before briefing key members of Congress. "We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded."' Trump disputed that Tuesday, saying during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, "No, I might've forced their hand" in reference to Israel. Rubio also doubled down on the "purpose of this" being to "destroy that missile capability." Rubio echoed Trump, who earlier said Iran was trying to build more missiles to shield its quest to create a nuclear weapon. "This had to happen no matter what," Rubio said. And Vice President JD Vance, who himself has burnished a brand on avoiding another extended conflict in the Middle East, on Monday insisted the war would not drag on and said of Trump "he is not going to rest until he accomplishes that all-important objective of ensuring that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon." Analyst sees multiple objectives The national flag of Iran flies in the wind as debris lies scattered in the aftermath of an Israeli and U.S. strike on a police station, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026. Former U.S. intelligence officials are watching what's happening in the Mideast region, but are also focusing on what's not happening, which can sometimes be just as telling. Ted Singer, the Central Intelligence Agency's former head of Middle East operations and five-time station chief, tells CNBC he's watching the Houthis the Islamist political group in Yemen, which has been backed by Iran. To Singer, it's telling that the Houthis have so far remained inactive in response to the U.S. and Israeli attacks. "They haven't yet gotten into the fray," Singer said. "They've probably made the calculation that they don't want to violate their truce with Saudi Arabia because they have to live with that forever. And they may believe Iran as we know it is done forever or at least for the foreseeable near future." Singer is also watching shifting U.S. explanations for the war, and points out that vagueness offers decision-making latitude for the Trump administration. "The goal and acceptable end are in the eye of the beholder, Trumpian," Singer said. "Trump will probably settle on some layer of the current regime a la Delcy Rodriguez once they say the magic words of no nukes, not ballistic missiles pointed at Israel and no help to proxies." Another former CIA station chief in the region tells CNBC he is watching Iran's conventional army leadership, known as Atresh, as a bellwether for the conflict. The U.S. will need Artesh "to side with the people and not just stay neutral," this former CIA station chief said. "The jury's still out on Artesh, Israelis and CIA should be engaging them," the former CIA station chief added. Eamon Javers Correction: The post was revised to attribute the following quote to a former CIA station chief: "The jury's still out on Artesh, Israelis and CIA should be engaging them." U.S. natural gas exporters are poised to benefit from the big disruption in global supply caused by the escalating war in the Middle East. Qatar halted production of liquefied natural gas Monday after Iran struck two key facilities in retaliation for the massive U.S.-Israel airstrikes that killed the Islamic Republic's head of state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The shutdown leaves a huge gap. Qatar is the second-biggest LNG exporter in the world behind the U.S., accounting for about 20% of global supply, according to energy consulting firm Kpler. "We've got an acute contraction of global LNG supply," said Alex Munton, an expert on natural gas markets at consulting firm Rapidan Energy. "The world is now down 20% from where it was, and that leaves the world short." LNG is a form of natural gas that is supercooled at minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit into a liquid state and loaded on tankers for transport around the world. It is used for electricity production and heating. Shares of Cheniere and Venture Global , the two biggest U.S. producers, have surged about 7% and nearly 24%, respectively, this week after Qatar's production went offline. "With the largest available incremental LNG capacity in the world, the United States will play a critical role during this historic disruption in the market," Venture Global CEO Michael Sabel told analysts Monday on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. "Venture Global stands ready to help keep the markets stabilized and supplied," Sabel said. Iran has also ordered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the most important choke point in the world for oil and LNG exports. Tanker traffic had already come to a standstill as ship owners took precautionary measures due to the widening war in the Middle East. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would provide insurance to tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz and provide naval escort if necessary. "Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf," Trump said in a social media post. U.S. LNG flexible The U.S. exported about 108 million metric tons of LNG last year. U.S. producers can't ramp LNG production beyond current levels, Munton said. "They're basically running at capacity," he said. But since their customer contracts don't have fixed destinations, they can reroute LNG to meet demand, he said. The flexible capacity at U.S. LNG producers like Venture and Cheniere plays a crucial role in moments of crisis, the analyst said. It's a unique feature of the U.S. LNG industry, he added. "The volumes are able to reroute to where the demand is greatest," Munton said. "We saw this in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly, Europe was left short, and it was able to call on U.S. LNG and utilize the inherent flexibility of U.S. LNG." U.S. LNG cannot replace lost supply from Qatar, but buyers who really need the gas and are willing to pay a high enough price will get it, Munton said. Nearly 90% of Qatar's LNG exports are shipped to Asia with the remainder going mostly to Europe, according to Kpler. European natural gas futures have soared more than 80% this week in response to the loss of supply from Qatar. "The reason European natural gas prices are rallying so much is because they now have to compete with LNG that is going to be being pulled to Asia to offset the loss of Qatari flows," said Matt Smith, an oil analyst at Kpler. Russian supply It is unclear how long the shutdown in Qatar will last. Production can only restart when the Strait of Hormuz is open to traffic and the LNG can be loaded onto ships, Munton said. Rapidan Energy expects the Strait to remain closed for the next two to four weeks, he said. "It's going to be a gradual restart, so it's going to extend over many weeks realistically," Munton said. "The war is not ending in the immediate future. As far as we can tell, it's going to run for weeks." Russian LNG could also enter the discussion if there is a prolonged loss of supply from Qatar, said Jan-Eric Fahnrich, a senior analyst at Rystad Energy, in a note Tuesday. "The reintroduction of Russian volumes, however, hinges on lifting all sanctions and Europe buying most Russian LNG to support shipping logistics," Fahnrich said. This is very unlikely because it is diametrically opposed to U.S. national interests, he said. Russian supply would undermine U.S. expansion plans, the analyst said. Europe is facing an almost worst-case scenario right now on energy, Munton said. Its legislative ban of Russian pipeline gas and LNG takes effect March 18, and will be gradually phased in through the year. Now, Europe also faces the loss of Qatar supplies. Europe had "not quite shaken off the large energy crisis" from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Munton said. "Now, it confronts another one," he said. The Cathode Ray Tube site 150 years of CRT evolution The Dutch collection NEVA Finebeam tube Close-up of the gun. The fadenstrahlrohre or Finebeam tube is used in conjunction with two Helmholtz coils to investigate the deflection of electron beams in electrical and magnetic fields, particularly the determination of the specific electron charge e/m, the Electron Charge to Mass Ratio. This tube has been used in classroom demonstrations. The manufacturer of this tube, the German NEVA factory closed in 1969. An interesting article about this tube can be found at the is used in conjunction with twoHelmholtz coils to investigate the deflection of electron beams in electricaland magnetic fields, particularly the determination of the specificelectron charge e/m, the Electron Charge to Mass Ratio.This tube has been used in classroom demonstrations.The manufacturer of this tube, the German NEVA factory closed in 1969.An interesting article about this tube can be found at the Middlebury College Philips DG7-32 exploded view box for educational use. Braun tube after Thomson, second quarter 20th Century . Length 65cm. This from origin cold cathode Braun tube is equipped with two deflection plates to bent the beam electrostatically instead of magnetically as with the Braun tube. This tube became forerunner of the static CRT used in measuring equipment like the oscilloscope. The neck contains an aluminum diaphragm to form the beam. The phosphor mica screen. The first lines appear on the screens in this type of early tube in order to measure the amount of voltage supplied to the deflection plates in respect of the deviation of the beam. In later tubes the glass front is internally covered with phosphor like in modern CRT's. Deflection section Braun tube sold by P J Kipp & Zonen (1920) The crude phosphor screen seen from the inside. The Dutchman Petris Jacobus Kipp started a scientific company in chemical and Physics instruments in 1830. After his death in 1864 two of his sons, Antonius Johannes Kipp, mechanic, and Wilhelmus Arnoldus Kipp, apothecary took over the company under a new name: J P Kipp & Zonen, producing and trading medical, chemical and Physics instruments. The company was sold to Otto Arnold Ankersmit in 1917 who registered NV P.J. Kipp & Zonen. The company still exists in Holland Wehnelt CRT after Thomson ca 1930 This nice tube is the first demonstration CRT with a direct heated filament cathode and a Wehnelt cylinder for focussing the electron beam. This tube, probably imported from E Leybolds Nachfolger and sold by W Edwards & co London. Special is the fact that this tube has four static deflection plates . Arthur Wehnelt a German Physicist discovered in 1904 that if an incandent platinum cathode is covered with an alkaline earth like Calcium or Barium oxide the electron output is much more efficient and the tube will work with a lower voltage. This started a new era in vacuum tube technology. The filament The Wehnelt cylinder Like it? Sign the Guestbook! CRT after Braun - Wehnelt ca1940 The deflection plates in this tube are with mica isolated in a separate glass chamber for a more stable beam. length 60cm A BR2 Braun tube ca1950 These tubes were made by NARVA VEB after the war in the DDR. HOME CRT X-ray tubes Geissler tubes Crookes tubes Induction coils Camera tubes Info page Didactic CRTs Scope CRTs Radar CRTs TV CRTs Misc. CRTs Proto types Cathode Ray Tubes Didactical CRT's Didactical CRT's 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. Frigate Tongling in maritime assessment China Military Online) 11:18, March 03, 2026 The guided-missile frigate Tongling (Hull 629) attached to a frigate flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command maneuvers to the target sea area during a maritime assessment in early February, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Bin) The guided-missile frigate Tongling (Hull 629) attached to a frigate flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command practices astern replenishment-at-sea with the comprehensive supply ship Honghu (Hull 906) during a maritime assessment in early February, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Bin) The guided-missile frigate Tongling (Hull 629) attached to a frigate flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command practices astern replenishment-at-sea with the comprehensive supply ship Honghu (Hull 906) during a maritime assessment in early February, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Bin) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 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 It's one of the most talked about beauty gadgets in the US and UK - and now it's finally landed in Australia and New Zealand after earning a huge waitlist. Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Mask has been getting quite a lot of love from celebrities, dermatologists and shoppers - and for good reason. Already named one of TIME's 2025 Best Inventions in the beauty category, the CryoGlow has quickly become one of the hottest skincare devices in the world. Whether you're trying to save money on monthly facials or maintain your skin in between appointments, shoppers believe the CryoGlow is worth the investment. The award-winning LED mask incorporates a cooling feature designed to refresh the under-eye area, help reduce the appearance of puffiness and support even-looking skin. What sets it apart from every other facial mask on the market are its four treatments developed with dermatologists: Better Ageing, Skin Clearing, Under-Eye and Skin Sustain - all backed by clinical testing. Designed to cater to your skin goals, you can choose whether you want to reduce the appearance of fine lines, target acne-causing bacteria or revive under-eye area - and all it takes is less than 10 minutes a day. In a 12-week clinical study, participants reported visible improvements in the appearance of fine lines after eight weeks. They also reported a more even complexion after four weeks** and a refreshed under-eye area after just one use.* Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Mask has finally has launched in Australia Shark CryoGlow Face Mask Developed with dermatologists, the Shark CryoGlow Face Mask has been clinically tested to support the appearance of smoother, more radiant-looking skin. It is the only LED mask that incorporates under-eye cooling to help refresh and revitalise the under-eye area. Shop Shark's CryoGlow mask was developed to address everyday consumer pain points in the beauty industry, building on its roots in hair care before expanding into skincare. 'Beauty has been one of the big categories that Shark has been looking at. So we started off with hair - and then, as an adjacent extension to that, we started to look at skin and what skin problems exist,' a Shark spokeswoman told Daily Mail. 'A lot of that was skin education and awareness about how to get better and healthier skin. That is what led us to look at LED masks. 'At the time, there were a few products out there, but we wanted to develop one that caters to multiple concerns, and that's where the CryoGlow came in. 'So we wanted one that delivered full coverage, powerful LED light sources and visible results, which we thought we weren't getting from the current masks.' This paved the way for Shark to develop the CryoGlow, featuring under-eye cooling technology - making it the first LED mask of its kind. 'The CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling helps reduce the appearance of puffiness, and tighten skin underneath the eyes,' she explained. 'So by doing that, we thought we could deliver actual results to consumers, but also powerful technology that helped maintain their skin health. So it was really spurred by looking at extending Shark Beauty beyond hair and into skin health.' Light up your skincare routine with Shark CryoGlow Face Mask Better Ageing Treatment (6 minutes daily)- uses red and infrared LED light in a six-minute session to help improve the appearance of fine lines and support firmer-looking skin. Skin Clearing Treatment (8 minutes daily) - combines blue, red and infrared LED light designed to help reduce acne-causing bacteria and support clearer-looking skin over time. Under-Eye Revive Treatment - features a cooling function with three temperature levels designed to help refresh and revitalise the under-eye area. Skin Sustain Treatment (4 minutes) - shorter, four-minute maintenance sessions designed to help maintain skin radiance following a treatment cycle. Advertisement The facial gadget has been getting quite a lot of love from celebrities, dermatologists and shoppers - and for good reason Powered by iQLED Technology, the unique design of 160 tri-wick LEDs delivers a total of 480 blue, red and infrared light sources. 'We don't use one singular light source, we use three light sources across 160 LED bulbs. So essentially, you have 480 light sources that are penetrating your face at any given time,' she said. 'The way the mask is fitted, it's designed to give full face coverage, so the lights radiate across the surface of your face, rather than focusing on specific spots.' The feature is designed to deliver controlled wavelengths to the skin, helping ensure even and consistent coverage across the treatment area. 'When developing the Shark CryoGlow, our goal was to solve two key challenges in LED technology: coverage and comfort,' Chris Hedges, VP of Design and Engineering, SharkNinja, said. 'The 160 tri-wick LED configuration ensures even distribution of light energy, while the integrated under-eye cooling system delivers targeted support to a high-concern area.' The award-winning mask has earned global acclaim for enhancing skin radiance - all from the comfort of home, allowing shoppers to elevate their skincare routines. Its infrared LED light works alongside under-eye cooling to help refresh and revitalise the under-eye area, supporting a smoother, more radiant-looking complexion. How to use the Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Mask 1. Start with a clean, dry face. 2. Put on mask and apply straps for comfort. 3. Turn on the mask by pressing and holding the remotes centre dial down for a few seconds. 4. Select a treatment and press start. 5. Adjust InstaChill with the remotes chill button. 6. After the session is completed, remove the mask. It will power down automatically. 7. Finally, clean the mask with a cloth slightly dampened by water. Advertisement Whether you're trying to save money on monthly facials or maintain your skin in between appointments, shoppers believe the CryoGlow is worth the investment The mask has been taking the beauty world by storm, earning coveted titles in the US - including Best LED Face Mask (Cosmopolitan Holy Grail Beauty Awards 2025), Best Skincare Tools (Harper's Bazaar Skincare Awards 2025), and Best LED Face Mask (GQ Tech Awards 2025). It has gained a celebrity fan base, including Heidi Klum and Molly-Mae Hague, Alix Earle and Sofia Richie Grainge. 'We've seen extraordinary demand for the Shark CryoGlow globally, and we're incredibly excited to bring this innovation to Australia and New Zealand,' Aby Shukla, Managing Director ANZ, SharkNinja APAC, said. 'Shark Beauty is America's #1 Skincare Facial Devices Brand***, and continues to push the boundaries of at-home beauty technology. 'CryoGlow represents the next evolution - combining clinically tested LED performance with thoughtful design to meet real consumer needs.' With beauty tech and 'skin investment' routines trending into 2026, the mask is set to become the next cult skincare device in Australia and New Zealand. The Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Mask is available now in two colourways: Blue Frost and Lilac Chill. For more details or to buy, click here. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. *Based on results from 12-week clinical study with 60 subjects and one time daily use in Better Ageing Treatment mode. **Based on results from 12-week clinical study with 59 subjects and one time daily use in Skin Clearing Treatment mode. ***Source: Circana, LLC, Retail Tracking Service, Skincare Facial Devices/Tools, Dollar Sales, Jan - Aug 2025 Individual results may vary based on different skin types. Killer clown John Wayne Gacy lured at least 33 young men and boys to his home where he raped and murdered them, burying their bodies in his crawl space. Ted Bundy murdered at least 36 victims during a notorious campaign of terror that included breaking into a Florida sorority house in the dead of the night. Green River Killer Gary Ridgway strangled 49 women and girls around Washington state, dumping their bodies in woodland and along the Green River before his capture. Yet, the story of the most prolific serial killer in American history is less well-known. Sam Little, a drifter and boxer, eclipsed these horrifying crime sprees, killing at least 60 victims and credibly confessing to 93 murders between 1970 and 2005. Now, Texas Ranger Jim Holland - the man who elicited these astonishing confessions - is sharing his experiences with the serial killer in an exclusive interview with The Crime Desk. Samuel Little in 1975 around the time he began his reign of terror, killing at least 60 victims An FBI composite shows 30 drawings Samuel Little made of some of his murder victims Get the full story in this week's edition of The Crime Desk, the newsletter from the Daily Mail delivered to your inbox on Wednesdays. Each week, our team of investigative journalists takes you inside the cases shocking the world, from the crime scene to the courtroom and everywhere in between. Delivered straight to your inbox, we bring you exclusive interviews with those close to the case, so you can hear firsthand from victims, investigators and experts. Youll also learn about intriguing cold cases, get access to expert Q&As and all the latest Daily Mail podcasts and shows - and have the chance to ask the team questions and send in clues. Sign up here for free - and join The Crime Desk on the case. Five years ago today, on March 3, 2021, Sarah Everard set out to walk home to her London flat after visiting a friend. She never made it. Instead, she encountered the man who would end her life. A week later, the body of the 33-year-old marketing executive was found in woodland in Kent. She had been raped, strangled and burned. The brutality of what had unfolded transfixed and horrified the country. And the shock only deepened when it emerged that Wayne Couzens, the man arrested in connection with Sarah's murder, was not a stranger lurking in the shadows, but a serving Metropolitan Police firearms officer a man entrusted with public safety. In September 2021, he received a whole life sentence for what Lord Justice Fulford described as his 'devastating, tragic and wholly brutal' actions. By then, Sarah's desperate story had grown darker still. Revelations of allegations against Couzens that had been ignored, of missed warnings, exposed the way a serial sex offender had not only gone unchecked by three police forces but had continued to wear their uniform. Five years on, Sarah's murder continues to generate grief and fury not just for a life stolen, but for the catastrophic lapses that allowed it to happen. Here, laid out in full for the first time, is the haunting timeline of missed opportunities leading to a crime that shook Britain to its core. A week after disappearing, Sarah Everard's body was found in woodland in Kent. She had been raped, strangled and burned. The brutality of what had unfolded horrified the country Her murderer was Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police firearms officer a man entrusted with public safety 1995: Couzens, aged 23 and working as a mechanic at his father's garage, is alleged to have committed a 'very serious sexual assault against a child barely into her teens' in his home town of Dover. The incident was reported to police but the perpetrator was never caught. Twenty-six years later, the complainant comes forward in the wake of Couzens' arrest for Sarah's murder. It later emerges that, also in 1995, Couzens allegedly also tried to kidnap a woman at knifepoint in north London. Again, she identified him in the wake of news of his arrest. 2002: Still working full-time at his father's garage, Couzens enlists as a private in the Territorial Army. Over the following four years he unsuccessfully applies three times to become a police officer, failing the vetting each time. 2003: Couzens allegedly blocks a young woman's path in a deserted corridor at a Territorial Army event and demands her telephone number. She does not report it to the police, but following his arrest comes forward, describing the encounter as 'intimidating'. 2004: Couzens allegedly exposes himself to a teenage girl while driving past her in south London. She does not report it, but comes forward after recognising him in the wake of Sarah's murder. 2006: Couzens is alleged to have raped a young woman during a singles event linked to a dating website at a bar in east London. Again, the woman comes forward in the wake of Sarah's murder. That same year, Couzens joins Kent Police as a special constable. He also marries Olena Obukhova, a Ukrainian national ten years his junior, whom he met online. They settle in Deal, where Olena starts work as a laboratory manager. CCTV footage of Sarah's last walk home after visiting a friend. She never made it to her flat, instead, she encountered the man who would end her life Two minutes after calling her boyfriend, Sarah is stopped by Couzens, who identifies himself as a police officer and pretends to arrest her for breaching Covid guidelines February 2007: Couzens' mounting debts lead him to enter into an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) to pay back creditors. April 2008: He is discharged from the Territorial Army for failing to meet training obligations. His failure to return equipment and kit leads to a 526 fine. November 2008: He performs a sex act in front of a woman pushing a pram who had responded to his call of 'hello'. She reports it to the Met Police, but no suspect is identified until Couzens' arrest. February 2011: Couzens joins the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), a specialist police force dedicated to protecting British civil nuclear sites and materials. He had been vetted the previous year by Thames Valley Police, which recommended against his recruitment after revealing he had tried to conceal the fact he had entered into an IVA. Its recommendation was ignored. 2am, June 2013: Couzens is reported missing by Olena after failing to return from a late-night visit to the gym. A missing person report is created, but closed around 3am when Couzens arrives home, claiming he had crashed a hire car. June 2015: Kent Police receive a call reporting the sighting of a man naked from the waist down in the Dover area. The caller labels it 'revolting'. The report is linked to a car registered to Couzens, who is still with the CNC, yet no action is taken by officers. September 2018: Couzens, by now a father of two children, joins the Metropolitan Police, and is posted to a Safer Neighbourhood Team in Bromley. A check of the Police National Database prior to his move records 'no trace' of incidents, despite the 2013 missing person report and 2015 indecent exposure allegation. October 2019: Couzens allegedly commits a second rape under a bridge in London. The accusation is made by a victim who comes forward in the wake of reports of Couzens' arrest in 2021. Following news of Sarah's murder, a man also comes forward to say he had been sexually assaulted by Couzens in a bar in Kent in the summer of 2019 while dressed in drag the only allegation recorded by a male victim. February 2020: Couzens is moved to the Met's elite and prestigious Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command. November 2020: A naked Couzens engages in a sex act in front of a passing female cyclist while standing on a bank overlooking a narrow country lane near his home in Deal. The victim reports him, describing a black car parked nearby and giving a partial description of the registration, but again nothing comes of it. She will later state she had always feared someone who could behave in such a way could go on to commit more serious acts. December 2020: Couzens allegedly sends an unsolicited photograph of his erect penis to a woman selling clothing online. In the previous two months, he had made several sexual requests to other female online retailers. February 2021: In the space of a fortnight on the 14th and the 27th Couzens twice exposes himself to female staff members at a McDonald's drive-through in Swanley, Kent. The branch's manager, Sam Taylor, reports the incidents to police, but they are classed as 'low risk', and it is not until March 3 the day of Sarah's abduction that PC Samantha Lee is dispatched to the restaurant to take statements. Later, Taylor will testify that he had shown PC Lee CCTV footage of Couzens' black Seat Exeo, and provided receipts that clearly displayed his registration plate and credit card details, but no further action was taken. In 2023, PC Lee will be found guilty of gross misconduct and fired from the force. She claims she has been 'thrown under the bus' to help the Met save face. Across the country, a series of vigils were held for Sarah, with a large number gathering by the bandstand on Clapham Common, near where she had been kidnapped The vigil ended in drama when a heavy police presence resulted in four arrests for breaches of Covid regulations Couzens was given a whole life sentence for a crime Lord Justice Fulford stressed had been weeks in the planning 9.30pm, March 3: Nine and a half hours after PC Lee arrives at McDonald's in Swanley, Sarah Everard is in the middle of a 50-minute walk home from a friend's house near Clapham Common to Brixton Hill. She calls her boyfriend Josh Lowth en route, ending the call at 9.28pm. Two minutes later she is stopped by Couzens, who identifies himself as a police officer and pretends to arrest her for breaching Covid guidelines. Bus CCTV captures the moment Couzens stands speaking to Sarah on the side of the road. Within four minutes she is handcuffed and placed in the rear of the white Vauxhall Crossland that Couzens had rented from a vehicle hire company in Dover three days earlier. She is then driven to Dover, where he transfers her to his own car and takes her to a remote rural area, where he rapes and strangles her. 2.31am, March 4: CCTV captures Couzens buying drinks at a service station, almost certainly in the aftermath of Sarah's murder. It emerges he twice revisits the place where he has dumped Sarah's body, before finally leaving the area. At 8.15am, he visits a Costa Coffee, where he calmly buys coffee and a bakewell slice. 8pm, March 4: Sarah is reported missing by Josh after she fails to answer her phone and cannot be raised at her flat. Her family mum Susan, dad Jeremy and siblings Katie and Jamie say her disappearance is 'totally out of character' and that she is always in regular contact. Sarah's friends mount a passionate campaign to find her, retracing her steps and placing missing posters around Clapham. March 5: As the search for Everard escalates, Couzens is sighted filling a jerry can at a petrol station, which he later uses to burn Sarah's body, and buying two green rubble bags, which he uses to dump her remains in a woodland pond near Ashford. He then blithely returns to normal life, including taking his family on a trip to the same woods, where he allows his children to play close to where Sarah's body has been dumped. Olena subsequently tells the Daily Mail of her incomprehension that the husband, who had 'never once' shown any hint of violence, was capable of what he had unleashed. 'I saw nothing wrong. He had a beautiful family, a good house what else did he need? I'm constantly asking myself: where did I miss the signs?' March 6: Couzens calls in sick and does not return to work. March 9: He is arrested in Deal, initially on suspicion of Sarah's kidnapping. He claims to have been threatened by an Eastern European gang into delivering 'another girl' after he had previously underpaid a prostitute, before subsequently changing his story, saying he had handed her alive and uninjured to three men in a van in a Kent layby. Following his arrest, violent pornography is found across all his electronic devices, including a deleted file containing a film referencing a rape and murder by an impotent police officer. Forensic analysis also reveals 19 indecent images of children. Couzens denies having ever downloaded or viewed them. March 10: Sarah's remains are discovered. Two days later, Couzens is charged with her murder. March 13: Across the country, a series of vigils are held for Sarah, with a large number gathering by the bandstand on Clapham Common, near where she had been kidnapped. The vigil ends in drama when a heavy police presence results in four arrests for breaches of Covid regulations. Among them is Patsy Stevenson, then a 28-year-old physics student, whose arrest photo, showing her wrestled to the ground by police officers, causes nationwide outrage at what is seen as police heavy-handedness. 'I went there to be part of a collective, for solidarity,' Patsy recalls now. 'It was a mournful event: people were really devastated, and they wanted to show it wasn't just something to brush under the carpet. No one was shouting, no one was aggressive. It was all just very solemn, but it turned very quickly from a vigil into police manhandling women.' The fallout from the arrest which included death threats led to Patsy failing her degree. She is now a full-time campaigner. 'I'm just a person who became a picture it is a difficult position to be thrown into overnight, but I have tried to do something positive with that because that level of public attention comes with responsibility,' she adds. July 9: Couzens appears by video link from Belmarsh high-security prison and pleads guilty to Sarah's murder. September 30: Couzens is given a whole life sentence for a crime Lord Justice Fulford stresses had been weeks in the planning. 'What she [Sarah] had to endure for the final hours of her life were as bleak and agonising as it is possible to imagine,' he tells him. Couzens is currently serving his sentence at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham, nicknamed Monster Mansion due to the large number of murderers, rapists and terrorists who are imprisoned there, including Soham killer Ian Huntley who was recently violently attacked by a fellow inmate and the London nail bomber David Copeland. July 2022: Couzens appeals against his whole-life sentence. His appeal is rejected. February 2023: Couzens pleads guilty to three incidents of indecent exposure, among them the November 2020 flashing incident. A further three counts are ordered to lie on file. February 2024: The Angiolini report is published as a result of an inquiry established to investigate how an off-duty police officer was able to abduct, rape and murder a member of the public. Lady (Elish) Angiolini reveals that evidence of Couzens' preference for extreme and violent pornography, and history of alleged sexual offending stretching back nearly 20 years, illuminates critical failures in vetting, and warns that 'there may be more victims of his sexual offending who have not as yet come forward'. She issues 16 recommendations focusing on officer recruitment, vetting and handling allegations of indecent exposure. They all come too late for the Everard family, who are left to grieve the unfathomable loss of a precious daughter and sister who was just walking home. 'The mornings and evenings are particularly painful,' her mother Susan recalled in her victim impact statement. 'At the time she was abducted, I let out a silent scream: 'Don't get in the car, Sarah. Don't believe him. Run!' 'I yearn for her. I remember all the lovely things about her. 'She was caring, she was funny. She was clever, but she was good at practical things, too. She was a beautiful dancer. 'She was a wonderful daughter.' Five years ago today, on March 3, 2021, Sarah Everard set out to walk home to her London flat after visiting a friend. She never made it. Instead, she encountered the man who would end her life. A true crime TikToker who used her self-professed 'psychic abilities' to falsely accuse a University of Idaho professor of masterminding the murders of four students in November 2022 now owes the academic $10million. Ashley Guillard, 41, was told to hand over the sum Friday after the court found her more than 100 videos about University of Idaho history department head Rebecca Scofield to be defamatory earlier this year. The Texas-based influencer took to TikTok shortly thereafter to decry the decision, alleging bias on the part of jurors and that she had an unfair trial. She doubled down on her defense. Guillard presented her final argument while representing herself last week. She told jurors of Scofield: 'It is reasonable in my shoes that I believe Scofield to be a part of these murders. Any suggestion that her life was interrupted was her own choice.' The jury in the professors damages trial last week saw things differently, taking less than two hours to come to their decision. Scofield had described the emotional toll of seeing her name linked to the case in Guillard's steady stream of videos earlier in the week. Several were posted before the real culprit, grad student Bryan Kohberger, was arrested in December 2022. Ashley Guillard , 41, was told to hand over $10million Friday after falsely accusing a professor of masterminding the murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022 The court found her more than 100 videos about University of Idaho history department head Rebecca Scofield were defamatory earlier this year 'There was a moment where it felt like I lost ownership of my face and my name, and it was no longer stitched to my body,' Scofield, 40, said during her testimony. She compared seeing the TikToker's content to reading the plot of a book or movie - but being one of the main characters and having zero control of the outcome. Scofields lead attorney, Wendy Olson, said Guillard ultimately made 112 videos about the University of Idaho murders in her closing argument. She called Scofields experience a nightmare that 'has never ended.' 'We felt personally targeted,' Scofield added of herself and her family, raising her voice at Guillard at times as she spoke. 'It felt like our childrens lives were directly threatened - that my name was being thrown around by you saying horrific accusations that were fully baseless and not even from the community we were settled in,' the Emmett, Idaho, native said. 'It felt like an attack from the outside.' The history professor had argued that she incurred costs from Guillards false claims - having to install a security system and security cameras at her residence in Moscow. The home is not far from where 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves, her roommates Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, were all killed. Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen (left) and Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle (right) were murdered by Bryan Kohberger on November 13, 2022. Guillard claimed the history department chair ordered the killings to prevent an affair she had with one of the victims Guillard presented her final defense Friday. She represented herself during proceedings. How exactly she will pay the sum has yet to be specified A judge found Guillard liable for defamation in June. Last week's proceedings were meant to determine punitive damages to be paid to the plaintiff. The seven-member jury, composed of four women and three men, ruled unanimously for the $10million figure on Friday. The bulk of the sum - $7.5 million - is for punitive damages, designed to punish the defendant and deter similar behavior. The rest was classified as 'compensatory,' meaning they covered real costs. It is unclear if Guillard has the means to pay the enormous amount. Scofield initially asked for $1.8million, meaning jurors awarded her far more than desired. In a statement to the Daily Mail, Scofield expressed gratitude to the jury for the verdict on Friday. 'I want to thank the jury for their time and attention to this case... The $10 million verdict reinforces the judges decision and sends the clear message that false statements online have consequences in the real world for real people and are unacceptable in our community,' Scofield said. Guillard claimed Scofield ordered the killings to prevent an affair she had with one of the victims, Goncalves, from going public. Two of the TikToks directly stated Scofield ordered Goncalves's execution, even though the academic was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Kohberger pleaded guilty to the killings in an Ada County courthouse in July of last year. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences In a statement, Scofield expressed gratitude to the jury for the verdict - one of the costliest judgments in state history Goncalves' two roommates and Kernodle's boyfriend were ordered to be hit as well, Guillard maintained. As Kohberger initially evaded police, the content continued. A series of cease-and-desist letters and the December 2022 defamation suit followed. Kohberger, 31, was cuffed by cops after traveling to Pennsylvania, days later. He has since confessed. He was sentenced to life in prison last year. Guillard previously said Scofield would 'regret' filing the suit in one of her many TikToks. How she will pay the sum has yet to be specified. The day after Labours crushing defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election last week, I was speaking to a Labour MP. We need to forget Farage, he told me. Our enemy is Zack Polanski. Weve got to make the voters see what the country would be like if he was their Prime Minister. After three days of the widest and most intense conflict in the Middle East for almost a century, Britain no longer needs to conjure up that nightmarish vision. We have witnessed first-hand exactly what it is like to have a globally immature pacifist, who is in hock to radical Left-wing and Islamist elements, occupying No.10 Downing Street. Keir Starmer has seen to that. When the conflict began, Starmer and Polanski were in perfect political alignment. The Green leader wanted Britain to have no part in the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and demanded the US be refused the right to fly active missions from UK bases. Sir Keir swiftly agreed. Though, to Polanskis credit, he at least had the courage to set out his stance unequivocally. Im worried the UK is going to be pulled into another illegal war, he said. Air strikes for regime change has never led to an example where a country is better off afterwards. Starmer, in contrast, pointedly refused to spell out whether he supported air strikes or not. Green leader Zack Polanski wanted Britain to have no part in the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and demanded the US be refused the right to fly missions from UK bases. Sir Keir agreed Instead, he hurriedly despatched his hapless Defence Secretary John Healey, and equally hapless Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, to bluster and obfuscate their way through the unfolding mayhem on his behalf. Then, on Sunday, the situation changed. Throughout the day it became clear that the Iranian response was placing British civilians, bases and personnel at risk. So Starmer began to wobble. The US would be allowed to use British bases to help destroy Iranian missiles and drones, he announced. But and here he made sure to stay in lockstep with Polanski he insisted we are not joining these strikes. But the Iranians were in no mood to reward Britains Conscientious-Objector-In-Chief. Late on Sunday, an Iranian attack drone slammed into the runway of RAF Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus, causing damage but no casualties. The war Starmer had sought to avoid had been brought directly to British sovereign territory. A military response seemed inevitable. Except again Starmer vacillated. Britain would still not be joining air strikes, No.10 announced. Instead, the Prime Minister was focusing on de-escalation. A briefing that was immediately greeted by the news that Iran and its proxies had launched two more attack drones at RAF Akrotiri. From the beginning, Sir Keirs stance on military action has been built around three pillars. Each of which has rapidly crumbled. The first was legality. It would not be right to use British bases in pursuit of potentially unlawful war aims in the Middle East, he said, pointing to the dark shadow thrown by Iraq. But, as he finally admitted, by Sunday the legal impediments to striking Iran had been removed, given British interests were being directly targeted by the regime. In the Iraq war, we were infamously lied to when we were told that Cyprus was 45 minutes from attack. In the current conflict this threat has become all too real. The second pillar was diplomacy. The Prime Minister was trying to maintain a fiendishly complex series of global alliances, the most important being our special relationship with the United States, we were told at the weekend. He could not stand up and give complete clarity on Britains position, his allies insisted, because Donald Trumps fragile ego had to be massaged. And how did that work out? With Trump taking to British media to specifically condemn what he saw as Starmers perfidy. His initial veto of the use of British bases had never happened to our country before, Trump chided. He was swiftly followed by US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who publicly mocked Britain and other European nations for wringing their hands, and clutching their pearls, and hemming and hawing about the use of force. Starmers final pillar of support was built around what he claimed was his moral imperative to protect the British national interest. The Prime Minister has cynically calculated overtly aligning himself with Trump and Netanyahu is a vote loser. And that after Gorton and Denton, he has precious few votes left to lose He would not join regime change from the skies, he vowed to the House of Commons, insisting that his decision to hold back our Armed Forces was the best way to protect British interests and British lives. However, as we have seen, it is not regime change that is stalking the skies, but deadly Iranian munitions. And they have begun to rain down on British servicemen and women and civilians across the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Yet the Prime Minister continues to sit with his tail tucked meekly between his legs, while he asks US and Israeli pilots to risk their lives on our behalf. Not to mention Greek sailors, who have been forced to sail to the defence of Cyprus while the Royal Navy sits impotently in Portsmouth harbour, watching the crisis unfold from afar. Lets be honest. Keir Starmers priority isnt the UKs national interest, but his own political interest. Because that is what his response to the Iran strikes is primarily about. Not safeguarding British nationals from a marauding terror state, but safeguarding his MPs from Zack Polanski and his marauding Green Party. A legitimate case could be constructed at the start of the conflict for British neutrality. The legality of the initial strikes is contested. The war aims are unclear. The economic aftershocks could be seismic. But once British sovereign territory came under direct attack, those concerns became moot. We did not seek war, but war had come to us. And at that moment the Prime Ministers responsibility was to defend his citizens with a singular, uncompromising, unshakeable purpose. Instead, he has been cowed. Cowed, primarily, by the voters who turned their backs on his party in last weeks by-election. That is why Starmer has bent over backwards to mirror the stance of Zack Polanski, a man whose friend and deputy leader Mothin Ali attended a pro-Iranian rally on Saturday in which the crowd chanted Death to the USA! and Death to Israel! The Prime Minister has cynically calculated that overtly aligning himself with Trump and Netanyahu is a vote loser. And that after Gorton and Denton, he has precious few votes left to lose. This is the reason that his attempts to ingratiate himself with Donald Trump have so suddenly been ditched. It is why his entreaties to the nation to embrace a war footing last year have been rapidly discarded in favour of a policy of appeasement towards one of the globes most vile and most despotic regimes. It is why his strategy of recasting his party as strong on national defence has hastily been jettisoned for one in which Britains Armed Forces are specifically prohibited from taking the fight across the border of their enemies. A few days ago, one of Keir Starmers more sycophantic cheerleaders took to print to claim: Keir would not have been able to live with himself if he had been forced out of office early without showing the country who he really is and what hes about. Now we can all see. Want to know what Zack Polanski would be like as Prime Minister? Keir Starmer is doing a remarkably good impression of him. Emily Clarkson, daughter of Jeremy, has a substantial Instagram following and often posts her political views online. Her job is, quite literally, influencing people. So when she posted her displeasure at something the Gorton and Denton by-election Reform candidate Matt Goodwin once wrote about taxing women who choose to be child-free her followers probably took note. They possibly even believed it was Reform party policy, which, of course, it wasnt (and I think I can safely say never would be). Emily argues her point from a feminist perspective very well. Her words and her presentation are delivered with a punch. But it is often from a very narrow viewpoint because, well, thats the nature and drawback of a bite-sized social media post. And, unlike the mainstream media, Emily and her fellow influencers are under no obligation to provide balance or context. They dont have to offer any other point of view or perspective, other than their own. However, the power that these young feminist influencers wield on social media is extraordinary because it is where so many of their peers head for news content and debate. We saw it in Gorton and Denton. One of the largest groups to vote for the winning Green Party candidate, Hannah Spencer, was young, white, feminist women who themselves posted on social media and who are undoubtedly influenced by what they read and heard on social media sites. For millions of us, the Greens have long been the party for the environment with a raft of well-meaning but impractical policies. Hannah Spencer and Green leader Zack Polanski pose for a selfie outside Parliament Well, no more, as we discovered in this by-election: what the Greens want today are open borders; to legalise all drugs including heroin and crack cocaine; to decriminalise prostitution and make pornography more accessible. The party is ardently pro-Palestine and viscerally opposed to Israel. Still impractical and now downright dangerous, but the Green Party is attractive to many young women. But what really frazzles my brain is that these young, white feminists were voting for a party that, at the weekend, has been unequivocal in its support for a regime that has few equals in its oppression of, and cruelty towards, women. A regime that punishes women for simply walking in the street with their hair uncovered. A regime which, as human rights organisations have discovered, orders women to be raped by prison guards the night before they are executed to ensure that they are no longer virgins and so denied entrance to paradise. A regime that slaughtered around 30,000 of its own people mainly young men and women who took to the streets in January to protest at the misery of life under the corrupt and incompetent rule of the mullahs. The leader of the Green Party, Zack Polanski, described the US and Israel as rogue states for the strikes on Iran that removed Ayatollah Khamenei and his cronies. His deputy, Mothin Ali, attended a rally in London on Saturday in support of the evil regime, while the Greens' new spin doctor, Abi Wilkinson, denies that Jewish women were raped in the October 7 attacks by Hamas. Emily Clarkson, with her father Jeremy, posted her displeasure at something the Gorton and Denton by-election Reform candidate Matt Goodwin once wrote Today's literary gem 'Spring drew on: she was indeed already come; the frosts of winter had ceased; its snows were melted, its cutting winds ameliorated.' Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Advertisement Why would any sane young, white, feminist woman vote for a party that harbours such people and such reprehensible views? Sadly, I think the explanation is only too clear. What we are witnessing, according to academics and scientists studying the phenomenon, across the globe is the decoupling of genders on social media and, as a result, the way men and women vote. Men engage with sports, betting and news sites. Women are hitting Instagram, celebrity, motherhood, lifestyle and wellness. And then the algorithms do their stuff, feeding and reinforcing particular viewpoints, with men moving towards the Right and women increasingly to parties that embrace Left-wing issues. Sadly, what we saw in last weeks election may be a sign of things to come the power of the smartphone and social media in shaping our politics. The problem is that what is informing the debate and influencing the outcome is largely superficial content, out of context and designed to provoke and whip up outrage, to encourage the clicks and likes which monetise the influencer. There is only one way to counteract the deeply divisive politics of the Greens and that is for Labour to get its act together. Its MPs need to get behind Starmer and start to do better and fast. The death of a serious political party is only acceptable when there is a credible alternative. On the Right, there is Reform. On the Left, if Labours failure allows the Greens to become a real force in British politics we really are doomed. Yes, Labour needs to get a grip if it is to see off the Green Menace but watching Keir Starmer address the nation like a traumatised woodentop after Trump took out Ayatollah Khamenei makes me despair. His dithering over backing the strikes on Iran and eventual U-turn on allowing the US to use UK military bases made him and us as a nation look weak. Being a leader means being able to rise to the challenge of making quick decisions backed by conviction and belief. He fails every single time. Leave Kelly alone to grieve in peace At the weekend, Kelly Osbourne attended the Brit awards with her mother Sharon Kelly Osbourne has lashed out at those who criticised her appearance at the Brit Awards at the weekend. She and her mother Sharon accepted the Lifetime Achievement gong on behalf of her late father, Ozzy. Theres no ignoring the fact that Kelly, 41, has lost a dramatic amount of weight. She looks gaunt, frail even. However, she is grieving the loss of her dad and going through what she describes as the hardest time of my life. Cant people just back off and leave her to grieve? It hits us all differently and the one thing the only thing we know that helps in those early days is space and time. Thats what Kelly needs. I heard last month that the independent school my daughters attended when we lived in Cheshire, Alderley Edge School for Girls, is to close in July. It can no longer balance the books. Labours punishing imposition of 20 per cent VAT on school fees and the increase in employer National Insurance contributions has been the death knell for Alderley Edge and more than 100 other independent schools. Thats the destructive power of the politics of envy. Its a tragedy for the education sector and for the pupils whose studies will be disrupted in the middle of GCSEs and A-levels. Not that it will bother the Cabinets foremost class warrior, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. Weve endured the coldest January I can recall for years and the greyest, wettest February. But now we are emerging into a balmy, sunny March and it will never be dark before 6pm until the end of October. Rejoice we made it! As the drums of war beat ever more loudly in the Gulf and it became inconceivable that the US would assemble such a huge concentration of firepower in the region not to use it, I asked in these columns what the purpose of an attack on Iran would be. To make it impossible for Iran to build a nuclear arsenal? To degrade and destroy its missile stockpiles and production capabilities? Regime change? Turns out its all of the above and more. Donald Trump has added a fourth war aim: no more financing and arming of the Iranian proxies Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah and others which have for decades spread terror across the Middle East and beyond. Its quite an agenda, and who can doubt the Middle East and the wider world would be better places if Trump could achieve it? The threat of a nuclear-armed Iran removed. No more indiscriminate lobbing of missiles at Israel when it feels like it. The crippling of some of the worlds worst terrorist groups. The demise of an evil, repressive mediaeval theocracy. The prospect of a post-Islamist Iran no longer intimidating its neighbours but living alongside them in peace and prosperity. So, the prize is huge. A woman kisses an image of President Donald Trump at a rally in Los Angeles At a rally in Peshawar, Pakistan, protesters hold anti-US placards following strikes on Iran We should wish Trump well in his endeavours and hope for a speedy and successful conclusion. The question is whether any of it, never mind some of it, can be achieved only from the air which seems a stretch. Other than clandestine interventions by special forces, specific and limited in nature, Im pretty sure whatever Trump claims there is no possibility of Israeli or American boots on the ground. But what happens if, even after the regimes top brass has been decapitated and its infrastructure of repression degraded, the regime is still intact and the people have not risen up to throw off their oppressors. What does Trump then do? Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in the first wave of strikes. Trump claims that up to 50 regime leaders have also been dispatched, including such top-echelon figures as the head of the Revolutionary Guard, the military force which props up the mullahs, the defence minister, the head of the armed forces and the head of the national security council. It is a grim but impressive harvest of some of Irans most senior leaders in only a few days. Yet the regime continues to function, continues to fire indiscriminately at nearby Gulf States and beyond (even as far as our RAF base in Cyprus), continues to snuff out dissent. This was never going to be a dictatorship which toppled just because you got the top man, mores the pity. It has depth, reach and plenty of replacements to call on. Nor is there any organised opposition for protesters to rally round. Prominent dissidents are far away in exile. People have been understandably intimidated by the mass slaughter of activists during the recent uprising, the full scale and horror of which has yet to be revealed. They will need proof the regime is on its last legs before they take to the streets again. Nor does the USs failed record of regime change give cause for hope. Multiple commentators, especially on the Left, see the current attack on Iran through the prism of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 a disastrous military intervention whose failure cast a dark shadow over the Middle East for years after, while undermining the authority and integrity of the US and its allies in ways which still haunt us to this day. So, I understand why people are wary. Im wary, too. Once again, we have a US President talking about weapons of mass destruction and regime change. What could possibly go wrong? Are our leaders determined not to learn the lessons of history? But sometimes the wrong lessons are drawn. While Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had no WMD despite what we were assured by the US and Britain before the invasion, there is very little doubt Iran has been trying to develop a nuclear bomb and would do so if left unhindered. That would be catastrophic for the Middle East and the world. But Trump, thankfully, shows no inclination to assemble an invading army to thwart it, has zero interest in nation building, unlike President George W Bush and his Vice-President Dick Cheney, the duo who took the US to war in Iraq. I am also sure and this is not widely enough realised what Trump means by regime change is very different to what those two meant. They meant taking over a country and pretty much forcing democracy on it. Trump couldnt care less about that. Look at what hes done in Venezuela. Yes, he removed its anti-American dictator, Nicolas Maduro (who now awaits trial in the US), but he didnt hand over power to the opposition (and unlike Iran, there is one in Venezuela indeed it recently won an election which Maduro ignored). Instead, he handed over power to Maduros deputy, who has proved more compliant in meeting Trumps wishes than her former boss. Faced with a choice of democratic forces with their own agenda and a dictator who would do his bidding, Trump chose the dictator. Not so much regime change, more regime reconstruction. Of course, you could see it as an interim stage on the way to more democracy. But if Maduros successor gives Trump all he wants, I wouldnt hold your breath and Im pretty sure this is the template for what Trump means by regime change in Iran. Not the flowering of democracy in Tehran but the search for Iranians in the current regime and beyond prepared to abandon its brutal proxies, its nuclear ambitions, its long-range missiles and its obscene mission to wipe out Israel. That they would still preside over an authoritarian government would not be, for Trump, a dealbreaker. Now such a prospect will cause a fit of the vapours in polite western society. To be honest, it doesnt fill me with enthusiasm either. But it might be more realistic, stand more chance of success, lead to a more harmonious Gulf region than the failed Bush-Cheney approach. Remember, there are no democracies in the Gulf. Just a collection of dictatorships, mostly pro-American (they were pretty pro-British too when we mattered there), some more benign than others, some more repressive. Why should Iran be any different? The risk is not that it might happen but that Trump wont hang around for long enough to make it happen. That he wont stay the course to bring about the change. His attention span is notoriously short, his appetite for prolonged military adventures zero. He lives by quick results and speedy solutions. We need to see this in a wider context. The 21st century, so far, has been dominated by the march of hardline autocrats. An anti-West axis of autocracy has had too much of its own way for too long. Trump is, at last, giving it a bloody nose, first in Venezuela, now in Iran and perhaps very soon in Cuba. China and Russia, the big brothers of the axis, have proved powerless to help. Its not ideal, its certainly not idealistic. It would be better if there were another way. But there isnt. We live in a new age of realpolitik. We need to hold our nose and come to terms with that. For the prize is worth it: a Middle East far from perfect but so much better than what we have now. So stay the course, Mr President. Temper tantrums at 30,000 fleet are hardly new, but they usually transpire on cramped discount airlines not the most expensive air carriers in the world. Which is why the case of pampered passenger Gabriella Karefa-Johnson is taking airborne 'outrage' to such egregious and entitled new heights. A former Vogue fashion editor who once called Israel 'an apartheid state committing genocide,' Karefa-Johnson announced on social media that she had voluntarily 'downgraded' herself from First Class to Business Class on a flight from New York to Milan last week. Why the self-sacrifice or act of 'solidarity' as woke-dope Karefa-Johnson noted on Threads? It seems our in-flight Joan of Arc who's black and female took offense to her fellow first-class passengers only being white men. She was also offended by a male flight attendant who provided 'substandard service and persistent micro-aggression from the moment I sat down.' Sure, we're used to ticked-off passengers moaning over requests to change seats. But this is something else entirely: Welcome to the era of performative sacrifice masquerading as activism. Karefa-Johnson who made news last month for styling the inauguration outfits of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife never identifies the offending airline by name. But a quick online search suggests it's Emirates, the fancy Dubai-based carrier popular with the style crowd. Their JFK to Milan flight offers both first and business-class seats and neither comes cheap. First Class runs between $10,000 and $14,000, while business class ranges from $6,000 to $12,000. Which means, Karefa-Johnson's heroic act of defiance 'downgrading' from one premium cabin to another is a sacrifice that 99 percent of travelers would gladly endure (if only they could afford it). And what, exactly, was the micro-aggression she experienced? Karefa-Johnson, conveniently, never actually said. No specifics. No details. Just an unsubstantiated assertion and a grand pronouncement. But the pronouncement is really the point here, isn't it? She didn't quietly request a different flight attendant, which Karefa-Johnson acknowledged she could have done. She didn't simply file a complaint with the airline, which she said she planned to do, anyway. She switched from one chic seat to another and then felt entitled to tell the world about it. Former Vogue fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson announced on social media that she had voluntarily 'downgraded' herself from First Class to Business Class On Emirates, First Class runs between $10,000 and $14,000, while business class ranges from $6,000 to $12,000 Never mind that the pilot and purser both came to business class to apologize. The mechanisms that are supposed to address exactly this kind of complaint worked. The system functioned. And yet this still was not enough because for members of the aggrievement classes like Karefa-Johnson, no act of contrition can ever be enough This is the essence of performative sacrifice: a gesture that's announced, witnessed, and publicly validated. Because if no one sees or hears about it, the sacrifice doesn't count. A private act of conscience requesting a different attendant, filing a complaint, quietly moving to another seat is clearly far classier, but it doesn't deliver the social currency quite like a good public temper tantrum. At its core, performative sacrifice isn't really a sacrifice at all; it's a transaction. You give up your first-class seat, you receive virtue points, follower sympathy and make a splash in the news cycle. What's particularly striking about Karefa-Johnson's in-flight activism is the context. This is the same woman who resigned from Vogue in 2023 after calling the Israeli Defense Forces a 'torture agency.' She described the magazine as a place where 'vitriolic white supremacy goes unchecked is untenable.' Both on the ground and in the air Karefa-Johnson positions herself as heroic resister who resigns in solidarity or downgrades in protest. But that's the dirty secret of performative sacrifice: when everything is outrageous genocide, apartheid, white supremacy and a flight attendant who didn't pour your champagne with a wink and a smile nothing is outrageous. The micro-aggression mindset finds enemies everywhere. And here's the tell: buried in her comment thread, she acknowledged the attendant might have simply been having a bad day. But she complained, anyway. This wasn't about her experience on the flight; it was about the sob story she wanted to manufacture about herself. There's a class dimension here that also deserves mention. If Karefa-Johnson genuinely sought to make a symbolic stand against the white male privilege that typifies first-class cabins, the proper move wasn't to business class; it was to row 34E, where the vast majority of passengers black or white, male or female sit. It seems our in-flight Joan of Arc who's black and female took offense to her fellow first-class passengers only being white men This is the same woman who resigned from Vogue in 2023 after calling the Israeli Defense Forces a 'torture agency' That would have been a true sacrifice. Instead, she traded a private enclosed suite with access to an onboard shower spa for a lie-flat seat and Bulgari amenity kits in order to protect her 'emotional and mental well-being.' As a black woman, I don't doubt that racial bias exists in any service industry, including airlines. I don't doubt that women of color, especially those who regularly occupy spaces with wealthy, white men, encounter discrimination that ranges from subtle to overt. But a response that centers on the announcer, in the loudest and most conspicuous way, pretends to challenge the system while leaving it exactly the same. Back in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of a public bus, at great personal cost and with legal consequence, in service of something larger than her own comfort or discomfort. Hers was a real sacrifice. Karefa-Johnson moved to a seat that costs more than most Americans earn in a month. In a world of real outrages in the air and on the ground -- that's not activism, and it never will be. Monica Harris is the executive director of Fair For All. Seven everyday lifestyle factors are fueling a global surge in breast cancer, experts warn with cases set to rise by a third worldwide despite major advances in treatment and screening. A major international analysis has found breast cancer diagnoses are on track to climb from 2.3 million a year to 3.5 million by 2050, while annual deaths from the disease are projected to jump 44 percent, to almost 1.4 million. Researchers say more than a quarter of the healthy years lost to breast cancer globally can now be traced to seven modifiable risk factors: obesity, high blood sugar, smoking, secondhand smoke, heavy alcohol use, low physical activity and high red meat intake. The findings come from the Global Burden of Disease Study Breast Cancer Collaborators, published in The Lancet Oncology, which analyzed data from 204 countries collected over more than three decades. Despite breakthroughs ranging from targeted therapies to experimental vaccines, the study concludes breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related illness and premature death among women worldwide, with lifestyle and demographic changes increasingly driving the disease. Researchers examined trends between 1990 and 2023 and modelled future patterns through to 2050, dividing countries into 21 regions based on geography, income and disease risk. According to the analysis, in the US, annual breast cancer cases rose by 23.4 percent between 1990 and 2023, reaching approximately 259,000 diagnoses a year. The US now has an age-standardized incidence rate of 92.5 per 100,000 women, one of the highest in the world and slightly above the UK's rate. Chase Johnson (pictured), now 36, from North Carolina, was among 35 women to receive an experimental breast cancer vaccine. She said she felt it had saved her life. She went through chemotherapy, radiation and surgery before she was offered the vaccine Your browser does not support iframes. In the UK, breast cancer cases have risen sharply over the past three decades. The study shows that annual new diagnoses increased by 24.6 percent between 1990 and 2023, reaching around 54,800 cases a year. Britain now records an age-standardized incidence rate of 89.5 cases per 100,000 women, placing it among the highest-incidence countries globally, alongside other high-income Western European nations and the US. Despite this rise in diagnoses, outcomes have improved markedly. While 15,500 women died from breast cancer in 2023, the age-standardized death rate has fallen by 43 percent since 1990, reflecting earlier detection and more effective treatment, even as absolute case numbers continue to grow. As in Britain, rising diagnoses in the US have been accompanied by major improvements in survival. Although 52,200 American women died from the disease in 2023, the age-standardized breast cancer death rate has fallen by 40.8 percent since 1990. This divergence, rising incidence but falling death rates, places both the UK and US firmly among high-income countries where screening and treatment have transformed outcomes, even as lifestyle risks and aging populations drive more diagnoses. The picture is far bleaker in many low- and middle-income countries, where cases are rising rapidly but health systems are struggling to cope. In regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, incidence rates remain lower, around 44 cases per 100,000 women, yet breast cancer deaths surged by nearly 99 percent between 1990 and 2023, driven by later diagnosis and limited access to care. Experts say high-income countries typically benefit from widespread screening and comprehensive treatment, while in poorer nations women are far more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages, when survival prospects are much worse. Sarah Citron, 33, was diagnosed with breast cancer after noticing a lump in her armpit. Doctors originally blamed the lump on hormonal changes from having her IUD removed to try for another child Your browser does not support iframes. The burden is also increasingly falling on younger women. While three times as many new cases still occur in women over 55, the study found rates among premenopausal women are rising faster. Between 2004 and 2021, breast cancer cases in women ages 20 to 39 increased by nearly three percent more than double the rise seen in women in their 70s. The drivers remain unclear, but experts believe lifestyle factors are playing an increasingly important role. Overall, the researchers linked 28 percent of global breast cancer disability-adjusted life years, a measure of healthy years lost, to the seven modifiable risks. In high-income countries such as the UK and US, obesity emerged as the single largest contributor, particularly among postmenopausal women. Weight gain is common after menopause as metabolism slows, and excess fat tissue becomes the body's main source of estrogen once the ovaries stop producing it. Higher estrogen levels are known to stimulate the growth of hormone-sensitive breast tumors, while obesity is also linked to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which may promote cancer development. Alcohol, smoking and physical inactivity also played significant roles. Alcohol is thought to raise breast cancer risk by increasing estrogen levels and damaging DNA in breast cells, while smoking exposes tissue to carcinogenic compounds that can trigger genetic mutations. Actor Olivia Munn was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42 and underwent a double mastectomy Your browser does not support iframes. Low physical activity is linked to weight gain, higher insulin levels and poorer immune surveillance against emerging cancer cells. Red meat was the smallest contributor overall, but researchers note growing evidence linking it to breast cancer risk particularly when consumed in adolescence or early adulthood. High levels of heme iron and carcinogenic compounds formed during high-temperature cooking are thought to damage DNA. Dr Marie Ng, a senior author of the study, said the findings point to a major opportunity for prevention. 'With more than a quarter of the global breast cancer burden linked to modifiable lifestyle factors, there is real potential to alter the trajectory for the next generation,' she said. Researchers stress that medical advances remain vital but warn that without urgent action on lifestyle risks, breast cancer cases will continue to rise worldwide. Kory Feltz is terrified that each new blemish will turn into a deadly tumor. 'I wake up and check my body, holding my breath, terrified I'll find something new,' she said. 'The fear of another diagnosis never really leaves - it just sits quietly in the background, waiting.' For nearly 20 years, the 46-year-old has been battling cancer. It began in 2007, when she was 27. She was undergoing treatment for varicose veins when she discovered a mass in her calf. Testing revealed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most common skin cancer in the US. It took three surgeries to fully remove it. Feltz, who lives in Huntington Beach, California, thought the worst was behind her. But just one year later, she discovered basal cell carcinoma on her face. There were yet more surgeries to rid her of the disease and she was given a clean bill of health, until 2015, when a seemingly harmless pink pimple on her lip sent her hurtling back to where she began. 'I recognized it because it mimicked the one on my leg. It presented as a small pink pimple with a tiny white head. I tried to pop it, but nothing came out. 'The white head remained. Within a week, it began to resemble a tiny cauliflower.' Kory Feltz, a 46-year-old mother-of-two from California, was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 2007. She has since had repeated bouts of the disease Your browser does not support iframes. Feltz was forced to wait a month for a dermatology appointment, which she says led to the growth expanding to nearly an inch on her upper left lip. 'I was terrified, knowing how much had been taken from my leg and having first-hand surgical experience with these cancers,' she said. 'I was frantic, scared and filled with guilt and anger that I had done this to myself. 'I went into the office to show them my lip and beg for an earlier appointment. After the front office staff saw it, they fit me in that day due to a cancellation. I was in surgery within two weeks.' Feltz went into surgery in December 2015, an operation that still haunts her to this day. She claims she woke up multiple times during surgery to feel doctors 'tugging' on her face. 'It scared me beyond belief, I was under heavy sedation and could do nothing. I was paralyzed,' she said. To keep the cancer at bay, Feltz has since undergone skin freezes, biopsies, injections, light therapy and Mohs surgery - a common outpatient procedure done under local anesthesia that is meant to remove as much cancerous tissue as possible without damaging surrounding healthy skin. She also uses topical chemotherapy cream twice a day for two weeks at a time to target precancerous lesions, but the treatment is brutal. The side-effects include nausea, headaches, body aches, mouth sores and extreme fatigue. By the final days of treatment, she says her skin becomes cracked, bleeding and painfully raw. The effects of chemo and skin cancer have been particularly hard for her husband of 21 years, Paul, and her two sons, who are 19 and 13. Feltz's face after surgery to remove basal cell carcinoma from her lip Topical chemotherapy has left Feltz with skin damage in the past, as seen above 'The chemo cream treatments have been the hardest for them so far,' Feltz said. 'The moaning in pain during showers, while reapplying the chemo cream, or when putting on Aquaphor or a pain-relieving ointment, is difficult to hide. 'They visibly tense up when I tell them it's almost time to start treatment again. My husband has modeled such natural caregiving that the boys have picked up on it beautifully. 'I do share some of the emotions and realities with them - not only so they understand the importance of sunscreen, but also because we have an open relationship and talk about our feelings often. It is very hard on them.' Skin cancer is most often caused by DNA damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun exposure or artificial sources like tanning beds. Feltz believes tanning beds and failing to use sunscreen in her 20s are to blame for her cancer. 'What beats me up the most is the guilt,' she said. 'Knowing I chased a tan obsessively - tanning without SPF, using tanning beds. I feel like I should have known better, like I did this to myself. 'That shame can be louder than the diagnosis some days. And yet, I still wake up and face it even when I'm scared or exhausted.' Feltz also said she struggles to leave the house some days over fears of strangers staring at her scars and discoloration of her skin. 'My reflection reminds me of what I've lost. The surgeries have changed my face and my body,' she said. Feltz believes tanning and not wearing sunscreen led to her skin cancer Feltz is now encouraging others to get their skin checked regularly 'I drool because of the deformity left behind, and I see people stare. I feel embarrassed and insecure. It's like cancer took my body from me and I don't get a say in what happens to it anymore.' Two decades after her ordeal began, Feltz is urging others to check their skin regularly and know the signs of skin cancer, which include new or changing moles, unusual growths and skin color or texture changes. 'I think what people should know is that skin cancer doesn't end after the surgery. It follows you. It lives in your thoughts, in your routines, in the way you look at your own body,' she said. 'It's not just scars; it's fear, guilt, pain, and learning how to exist in a body that feels different. But it's also resilience. 'And if my story makes even one person choose SPF, get a skin check or skip a tanning bed, then at least some of this has a purpose.' As Grace Bell felt her newborn sons tiny head snuggled on her chest for the first time, tears ran down her face: I love you so much, she told him. I have been waiting for you for so long. Moments earlier, when baby Hugo started crying before hed even fully emerged during the caesarean delivery, Grace had instinctively reached down to comfort him and surgeons had to gently push her hands away from the sterile area where they were operating. Her impatience to meet her son is understandable as Grace, 32, a senior IT manager, was born without a functioning womb. And its only thanks to extraordinary advances in medicine that she was able to carry a baby. When, just after 5pm on December 10 last year, Hugo Richard Norman Powell emerged into the world at Queen Charlottes & Chelsea Hospital in London weighing 6lb 13oz (3.09kg), Grace became the first British woman to give birth after a womb transplant from a deceased donor. The delivery wasnt without drama. Hugos birth, just under 36 weeks into the pregnancy, came earlier than planned as Grace had developed pre-eclampsia, a sudden onset of high blood pressure which can prove fatal for mother and baby. Key members of the medical team who needed to be in theatre for the birth in case the transplanted womb needed to be removed urgently had to be scrambled from Glasgow, where they were attending a conference. They made it into theatre with minutes to spare. Grace, who lives in Kent with her partner of six years, Steve Powell, 37, who works in finance, was oblivious to the mayhem. Grace Bell with her partner Steve Powell and their miracle baby Hugo Grace knows nothing about the donor but she knows the family had to give specific permission as the womb is not among the organs automatically considered for transplant For me what was taking place felt like some sort of miracle, and after years of wishing for this moment I couldnt believe I was actually going to hold my own baby, says Grace. I didnt think I could feel as happy as I did that day. And Steve was in shock he couldnt believe this was really happening, she adds. Hes tried to stay strong for me throughout this and it has not always been easy at times I have needed a lot of support. Grace is only the second woman in the UK to have carried a baby following a womb transplant, the first being Grace Davidson, who gave birth last year after receiving her older sisters womb. The two women met by chance while Grace was in the final stages of her pregnancy when she spotted Grace Davidson and baby Amy across the room during a check-up. It was like spotting a celebrity for me, I recognised her from newspaper pictures, she recalls. It was fantastic to talk to her because no one had been through what I was going through, except for her. The women swapped numbers and Grace has been an amazing support. But, of course, their experience is different in one key respect: Hugos birth was possible only because someone had experienced a dreadful loss. Graces appreciation of their pain is evident. As she talks about this, she doesnt simply cry, her body is racked with sobs. I think about the donor and her family every day and sometimes it really, really hits me about the pain that they must have gone through, she says. The family of the donor has requested anonymity and Grace knows nothing about the woman. But she knows that the family had to give specific permission for the womb to be donated, as it is not among the organs automatically considered for transplant. Grace says: I have so many questions that remain unanswered what sort of person she was and what happened but Im so, so grateful that at a time of unimaginable pain, that family made a choice to help others. It is incredible. Not everyone supports womb transplants arguing that although the Womb Transplant UK charity funds the 30,000 operations, unlike most other transplants, theyre not life-saving. But the critics havent sat and talked to these women who have no viable womb and whose lives have been torn apart by their longing for a child, says Professor Richard Smith, a consultant gynaecological surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, who founded Womb Transplant UK and who co-led the transplant operations. If you have any compassion you cant help but understand why we are doing what we do. Grace herself experienced severe depression as a result of her inability to carry a child, which was at times overwhelming. It was aged 16, after her periods failed to start, that a scan revealed Grace has Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a condition affecting around 15,000 women in the UK, leaving them with an underdeveloped uterus or without one at all, although they do develop ovaries. She was told then she would never carry a child. Grace, who comes from a family of three, says: My entire life changed that day. I locked myself in the loo and felt as if the weight of the world came down on me. I did have what they call remnants of a womb two sacs but they had not fully joined which somehow made it sadder than having no womb at all, as it was so nearly there. Even on good days it would hang over me; the fact that I couldnt carry a baby was always somewhere in my mind. As a teenager, some days even the glimpse of a pram in the street would upset her. Grace says: Just a Tampax advert could highlight how different I felt to other women some days and bring me to tears. Her pain intensified after meeting Steve. Their paths crossed on a train commuting from Kent to their respective jobs in London. One day she plucked up the courage to say hello, and they started dating in 2020. I knew he was the one within a couple of months and that I was going to have to tell him about my womb, says Grace. By the end of 2020 theyd moved in together and the next year bought a house. But as their relationship developed, Grace felt even more depressed. A lot of friends were having babies, she says. Three years ago my sister-in-law became pregnant with my niece and while I was so happy for her and my brother, truthfully, I was also envious. It was hard to watch because, at that time, I had no hope of experiencing pregnancy. I went into a very dark place, she says. I hit the lowest point of my life. I would sit and cry in the bedroom for no obvious reason. A counsellor with experience of dealing with the grief associated with infertility helped her overcome this and focus on how the couple might achieve a family. They discussed adoption, but Grace says its a very lengthy process and, like many, felt the curiosity of wanting to create a life that was genetically theirs. The only other option was surrogacy. I struggled with the idea of watching someone else carrying my baby for me, says Grace. Nevertheless, in 2023, the couple took their first steps by embarking on IVF and managed to create four healthy embryos. Grace had put out of her mind the email she had sent to Womb Transplant UK in June 2018 before shed even met Steve after hearing they were looking for women with MRKH who might take part in a research project. The charity has permission to complete a trial providing womb transplants from five living donors (two of which have taken place) and ten deceased donors (three have been done, including Grace). It was in October 2023 that Grace got a call out of the blue from the charity, asking if she was still interested. I was speechless, and put the phone down in shock, she says. It was also perfect timing as we already had four embryos. The next stage was to undergo checks to ensure she was physically and mentally strong enough to withstand lengthy surgery and repeated intrusive tests. Then the couple needed to create more embryos via IVF (which they paid for themselves) as they had to have five in storage in case the first transfers did not work. In February 2024, Grace joined the waiting list for a donor and life was put on hold. She says: We couldnt leave the country to go on holiday in case a womb became available and I stopped going out for nights with the girls imagine if the call came and youd had a few drinks? Just four months later Grace was on a video call with colleagues when she got the phone call saying a womb was available. I ran down to tell Steve, shouting: Its happening! I was quite frantic, almost hysterical. Steve was calm as usual its one reason we work so well together. They were told to head to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford where all the womb transplants have been performed (a transplant centre, its where many of the senior staff involved are based). Grace, a senior IT manager, was born without a functioning womb. And its only thanks to extraordinary advances in medicine that she was able to carry a baby When Grace was taken into theatre for her caesarean, Steve sat behind her, holding her hand during the two-hour operation I was going through a real mixture of emotions, says Grace. I was scared, but I was also very excited and also so very sad that Im in this position only because a woman had just passed away. I remember my dad saying: I cant imagine losing you Grace, and that family has gone through the pain, and it really brought it all home. For the medical team it was the start of a punishingly long stint. Professor Smith and other surgeons travelled across the country to do the three-hour retrieval operation. The donor womb was stored on ice and driven to Oxford. At 5am the next day the tenhour operation to put the womb in place began with the team connecting four veins and two arteries from the donor womb to Graces blood vessels using stitches the width of a human hair. Its a technically challenging operation, requiring a team of 20 surgeons, doctors, anaesthetists and nurses. Grace recalls: I remember waking up in the recovery area and I asked the nurse: Do I have a uterus? She said yes and I felt this enormous sense of relief. Numbed by fentanyl, she initially felt no pain, but I felt unbelievably emotional, she recalls. Suddenly I had hope. She underwent scans and regular biopsies to check all was working as it should. Two weeks later, sat next to her mum on the sofa, she realised she was having her first period. I said to my mum: Oh my goodness, Im bleeding, says Grace. It took me back to being 16 but suddenly I wasnt different to the other girls. It wasnt until six months later, in January last year, that she was healed enough to try the first embryo transfer. Two weeks later on her birthday she did a pregnancy test: it hadnt worked. After the next attempt in March, Grace was impatient to do a pregnancy test. I was naughty and did the test a day early while Steve was at a Tottenham match, she says. When I saw it was positive I was in shock and called my mum because I had to tell someone and I didnt want to tell Steve in a text message, she says. Mum came straight round. Grace put the positive test in a box for Steve to open when he got home. He was as blown away by the news as she was and we spent the rest of the day daring to look into the future at what it would be like to be a family, says Grace. Even though I knew the baby was no bigger than a dot I was already feeling like a mum. Looking back now she cant believe how she managed over the next eight months. It was not a normal pregnancy, recalls Grace. She needed fortnightly scans at Queen Charlottes Hospital and fortnightly checks in Oxford for example, to ensure her dose of anti-rejection medication (she takes 12 pills daily) was right while also working full-time. And one of the hardest parts was trying to keep it a secret. Grace says: Normally at 12 weeks you post it on Instagram and tell all your friends and have the baby shower. But I could not do that. I understand why the programme wanted to make sure this was a success before I told the world but it was hard. My immediate family knew and my boss and I told my closest friends, but no one else. A scan at 20 weeks revealed they were having a boy. Not that I cared either way what sex baby we were having, says Grace. As the pregnancy reached six months the couple were advised to move from their home to a rental house near the hospital in London so Grace could be closely monitored. The first woman in the UK to give birth after a transplant from a live donor is Grace Davidson, pictured with her husband Angus and baby, who is named after her sister and donor Amy Also, as the womb nerves are not transferred, if she had gone into labour she would not have felt it. (Moving also meant she was unlikely to bump into anyone who knew about her MRKH and might ask about her baby bump.) It was always going to be a caesarean delivery because a natural birth would put too much pressure on the transplanted womb. A few days before the planned delivery date, Grace started feeling quite unwell really tired. Her blood pressure was 150 over 100 high for her and the obstetrician told her: I think we have to get him out today, she recalls. She was whisked into theatre, where Steve sat behind her, holding her hand during the two-hour operation. It was longer than a normal caesarean and I started to feel anxious. But then finally I heard Hugos first cry and a wave of relief went through me I burst into tears, says Grace. She cries happy tears now at the memory. Hugo was a little bit purple so he spent the first night in an incubator, which was hard. But the next morning seeing his little face made me well up again. Grace had to spend eight days in hospital undergoing checks. I cannot explain how much I wanted to get home and just start life as a family, she says. They made it back just in time for Hugo to spend Christmas Day in his new Santa outfit, being cooed over by the family and with a ridiculous big pile of presents. Grace loves motherhood but admits nothing prepares you for the sleepless nights and tiredness. The donated womb can stay in place for one more baby, or for five years after which it will be removed, as being on anti-rejection drugs increases the risk of infections and certain cancers. Grace hasnt decided if they will try for another baby. Hugo was more than worth it, but its not an easy process its a lot to commit to and the next time I would be doing that with a child, she says. Its clear she cannot believe her luck to be a mother-of-one. Every year on my birthday, when people told me to make a wish as I blew out my candles, I would wish to have a baby but part of me thought thats a wasted wish as it will never come true. But this birthday I didnt make a wish, because with Hugo here, I couldnt wish for more. A mother is warning parents about the risks of accidental exposure to topical hormone gels after her daughter began showing signs of puberty at just three years old - an experience she says caused her child to 'miss out on being a normal child.' Samantha Ashworth, 52, said her concerns were initially dismissed when she took her daughter - now five - to the GP after noticing mood swings and physical changes typically associated with puberty. Drawing on her professional background as a newborn hearing screener and trained nursery nurse, Ms Ashworth recognised the signs early. 'I knew what it was, but I didn't feel like I was being listened to,' she said. After a year of ongoing symptoms, missed school due to medical appointments, and switching GPs while seeking answers, her daughter was formally diagnosed with precocious puberty, a rare condition in which puberty begins unusually early, in February last year. 'It was heartbreaking,' Ms Ashworth said. 'By that time, a full year had passed and she could have been receiving treatment. It was a very stressful and emotional timewe just wanted answers.' Doctors believe the early onset of puberty may have been triggered by accidental contact with Ms Ashworth's hormone replacement therapy (HRT) gel, which she uses to relieve menopausal symptoms. While transference of topical hormone treatments is uncommon, it can occur if application instructions are not carefully followed. Samantha Ashworth, 52, said she felt her concerns were dismissed when she took her daughter now five to the GP after noticing mood swings and physical changes typically associated with puberty She described the impact on her daughter, who wore clothes aged six to seven at the age of three, as 'horrendous'. She said: 'Watching her struggle with mood swings and not being able to cope with her emotions at such a young age was awful. 'Her meltdowns were very hard to manage because it just looked like she was having a tantrum, when in reality, she was dealing with pubescent hormones. 'She had uncontrollable outbursts, would take herself off to bed and become very frustrated. 'It was a daily battle trying to avoid the meltdowns. Her mood swings were typical of a teenager. She was slamming doors, shouting, crying and not understanding what was going on in her body. 'She was suffering greatly, but I couldn't explain it to her in a way she would understand.' Professor Jovanna Dahlgren, an expert in paediatric endocrinology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, has previously spoken of the dangers that hormone treatments pose to children. Talking to the Swedish newspaper Goteborgs-Posten, she said: 'I don't think people always understand how potent these treatments are. The parents become completely desperate when they understand what has happened.' 'Watching her struggle with mood swings and not being able to cope with her emotions at such a young age was awful,' Samantha said She added that there had been another case where a 10-year-old boy developed breasts after being exposed to a female sex hormone treatment his mother was taking. The risk of childhood exposure to hormone medications is also known in Britain. In 2023, the UK drug safety regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), received a report of a British child experiencing 'increased growth and genital enlargement' after exposure to a testosterone gel their parent was using. This prompted the MHRA to request that manufacturers include warnings on testosterone gels, advising adults to wash their hands and avoid direct skin-to-skin contact with children. Similar precautions are recommended for women taking hormone-based medications for menopause to prevent accidental exposure. However, Ms Ashworth said she was never advised to wear gloves when applying her gel, a precaution often recommended to reduce the risk of transference. 'She could have come into contact with the gel through cuddles with me,' she said. Her daughter now attends check-ups every six months to monitor her condition. The issue comes as more women are accessing HRT treatments. In England, there were 14.7 million HRT items prescribed in 2024/25, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year, according to NHS data. Estradiol, the primary and most potent form of human estrogen produced by the ovaries during a woman's reproductive years, is the most common form used in menopausal hormone therapy. Estradiol gel, often sold under brand names such as Oestrogel and Sandrena, is a first-line transdermal option for managing menopause symptoms. According to the NHS Business Services Authority, estradiol gel was the most frequently prescribed HRT item in England in 2024/25, with 1.3 million items dispensed, a 13 per cent increase compared with 2023/24. Speaking of the link between estrogen gel and early puberty, Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy told the Daily Mail that because maternal age is rising, precocious puberty is likely to become more common. 'The incidence of premature puberty has been rising for many reasons, including environmental factors and the current epidemic of childhood obesity,' she said. What is 'early puberty'? Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, is when girls have signs of puberty before eight years of age boys have signs of puberty before nine years of age. Some girls and boys may develop certain signs of puberty at a young age, but not others. For example, girls may start periods before the age of 8 but have no breast development. Early puberty mostly affects girls and often has no obvious cause. It's less common in boys and may be more likely to be associated with an underlying problem. Early puberty can be treated by: treating any underlying cause using medication to reduce hormone levels and pause sexual development for a few years Treatment with medication is usually only recommended if it's thought early puberty will cause emotional or physical problems, such as short height in adulthood or early periods in girls, which may cause significant distress. Source: NHS Advertisement 'It is a very distressing condition for both the child and the parents, which always needs careful assessment and management by a specialist paediatrician.' Dr Lee highlights that the Summary of Product Characteristics for Estrogel clearly states there is a small risk of passive transfer of oestradiol when using the gel and children must not come into contact with it. She also adds that the gel should be left to dry for five minutes and covered with clothing. 'Although the SPC is primarily for medical professionals, it is available online to all and is not intended to be kept away from patients,' she said. 'Its vital that doctors and nurses pass key information on how to use any medical product to the patient. 'In a busy clinic, its not possible to cover everything and patients do need to read the PIL and follow instructions carefully. 'Its quite possible this case of precocious puberty could have occurred anyway and was nothing to do with the Estrogel. 'But there is no way to prove this one way or the other. Women should not fear using Estrogel but must follow the instructions for application and use very carefully.' There has been mounting speculation since President Trump appeared at the White House this week with a vivid red rash along the right side of his neck. The irritation was visible as he delivered an update on the war against Iran, prompting online debate about his health and what treatment he might be undergoing. In response, the 79-year-old's physician, Dr Sean Barbabella, issued a statement: 'President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor. 'The President is using this treatment for one week and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks.' While no diagnosis has been confirmed, commentators on social media have floated several possibilities including contact dermatitis caused by dry cleaning chemicals used on his suits, and rosacea a skin condition Trump has been confirmed to suffer, which causes flushing and redness. Others suggested the crusty appearance could indicate shingles, a very painful rash of blisters caused by the chickenpox virus. However skin specialists have said they believe the most likely explanation is actinic keratosis, a common sun-related skin condition that can, in some cases, develop into cancer. Dr Paul Farrant, a consultant dermatologist and director at Experts in Skin and Hair said: 'This kind of red very angry rash on the right side of his neck could definitely be caused by the treatment for actinic keratosis, a precancerous skin condition caused by sun damage. Experts speculate that Trump is suffering from actinic keratoses, an unsightly skin condition that increases the risk of skin cancer The irritation was visible as he delivered an update on the war against Iran , prompting online debate about his health and what treatment he might be undergoing 'When these creams are applied we would definitely expect long lasting redness and irritation, which looks like what's going on underneath Trump's collar.' So what exactly is it and what could it mean for the President's health? Actinic keratoses also known as solar keratoses are dry, scaly patches of skin caused by years of sun exposure. They tend to appear on areas frequently exposed to sunlight, such as the face, scalp, ears, neck, backs of the hands and forearms. And it is incredibly common. Actinic keratosis affects around a quarter of people aged 60 and older. Patches are usually between half an inch and an inch in size. They may be skin-coloured, pink, red or brown depending on skin tone, and often feel rough or gritty to the touch. According to the NHS, the condition is not usually serious. However, there is a small risk that patches can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that begins in the top layer of the skin. If someone has only one patch, a GP may advise monitoring it to see whether it settles naturally. But if there are multiple patches, or if they are painful or itchy, treatment is typically recommended and referral to a dermatologist may follow. Treatment options include prescription creams and gels, cryotherapy where the lesion is frozen so it blisters and falls away and minor surgical removal. Your browser does not support iframes. Clinical immunologist, Dr Zachary Rubin, has speculated that the President may be using 5-fluorouracil cream, a topical chemotherapy treatment commonly prescribed for widespread sun damage. 'One of the potential treatments that can be used is a topical cream called 5-F.U which can cause the skin to look very irritated and red, potentially like what we see here,' he said in a video posted to Facebook. But, Dr Farrant said it is more likely to be Tirbanibulin, which is a similar treatment typically used for just five days, which would 'tally with the statement issued by the White House.' The cream works by destroying abnormal, sun-damaged cells while largely sparing healthy skin. It is usually applied once daily for five days during which time the treated area becomes red, inflamed and sore a reaction that indicates the medication is working. Dr Christopher Rowland-Payne, a consultant dermatologist at The London Clinic, added: 'The more inflammatory the response to treatment, the more beneficial the result to the patient. When cream is applied, we would expect some redness - and that's not necessarily a bad thing.' The NHS notes that depending on skin type, this inflammatory response can take up to 28 days to fully develop. During treatment, the skin may ooze, crust and scab before gradually healing over several weeks. A short course of steroid cream is sometimes prescribed afterwards to reduce inflammation. The British Association of Dermatologists says temporary skin discolouration can occur but usually fades with time. Less common side effects include prolonged inflammation, delayed healing and, in rare cases, ulceration particularly on the lower legs. While only around five to 10 per cent of actinic keratoses progress to cancer, the majority of squamous cell carcinomas the most common form of skin cancer begin as these sun-damaged patches. Risk increases with the number of lesions present. People taking immunosuppressive medication are also at higher risk of malignant transformation. Warning signs that a lesion may be turning cancerous include rapid growth, thickening into a lump, bleeding or increasing tenderness. Anyone noticing these changes is advised to seek medical review promptly. More than 25,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma each year. In the US, the figure exceeds one million annually. When detected early, the cancer is highly treatable, but advanced cases can spread to other parts of the body. The most effective way to prevent actinic keratoses is consistent sun protection including daily use of sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, reapplication during prolonged exposure, avoiding sunbeds and limiting time outdoors between 11am and 3pm when UV radiation is strongest. The NHS also advises checking the skin regularly for new or changing patches. There is emerging evidence that vitamin B3 also known as nicotinamide may reduce the risk of developing actinic keratoses and some skin cancers in high-risk individuals. President Trump has repeatedly said he is in 'perfect health', which he attributes to 'good genetics'. For now, his doctor's statement offers reassurance that the visible redness is a temporary reaction to treatment. But the episode has also shone a spotlight on a common condition that affects millions and serves as a reminder of the long-term impact of sun exposure. A leading US plastic surgeon has suggested Jim Carrey may have undergone a 'considerable amount' of cosmetic surgery to achieve his striking new look. The Mask star, 64, sparked intense online debate when he appeared at the Cesar Awards in Paris last Thursday looking noticeably different. There is no evidence that Carrey has had surgery, and he has not commented publicly on the speculation. However, several aesthetic doctors have offered their professional opinions online, suggesting he may have opted for procedures designed to counteract natural skin laxity and age-related volume loss. The actor famed for his elastic facial expressions and comic contortions appeared to have a fuller, tighter complexion than in previous appearances. Some viewers even questioned whether his eye colour looked different under the lights. Dr Anthony Youn, a US-based plastic surgeon who posts to Instagram as @tonyyounmd, said he believes Carrey may have had a 'considerable amount' of work. In a video viewed tens of thousands of times, Dr Youn, who has more than five million YouTube subscribers, said: 'He appears to have had an endoscopic brow lift, as evidenced by his brows being higher than before and his hairline being back a little bit. Jim Carrey looked visibly different last week (left) when compared with December 2024 'I also think he may have had some Botox injected into his forehead and an upper blepharoplasty. You can see how his eyelids are significantly more open than they used to be.' Dr Youn said the actor's tighter, rounder appearance could be the result of multiple lifting procedures combined with added volume. 'He also may have had a mid-face and a lower face lift, lifting both his cheeks and the lower face and jowl region,' he added. He further suggested fat grafting a procedure in which fat is harvested from one part of the body and transferred to another could explain the plumper cheeks. Advocates say it can produce softer, more natural-looking results. However, transferred fat behaves like fat in its original location meaning even modest weight gain can cause it to expand, sometimes altering results over time. Dr Youn also pointed to what he described as a notable change to Carrey's nose, which appears more defined and bulbous at the tip in recent footage. 'His nose also looks quite a bit longer and refined,' he said. 'This could be a sign of a rhinoplasty.' One plastic surgeon suggested he underwent a face lift and fat-grafting procedure The Detroit-based surgeon also refused to rule out the more outlandish online claims that the man seen at the awards was not Carrey at all. Over the weekend, social media filled with conspiracy theories suggesting the actor had sent a lookalike in his place or that the appearance was an elaborate stunt by drag performer Alexis Stone, who is known for transforming into famous figures using hyper-realistic latex masks. There is no evidence to support those claims, and Carrey's representatives were reported to confirmed he attended the ceremony in person. Dr Youn said: 'Either Jim Carrey has had a considerable amount of facial plastic surgery, or this isn't Jim Carrey and it is a doppelganger, or maybe he's playing some type of trick on us.' Dr Jonny Betteridge, a London-based aesthetics doctor, posted a video to his 400,000 Instagram followers sharing his reasons for believing that Carrey has had a facelift rather than been cloned. 'Those that think this is not Jim Carrey, I would disagree, because the evidence does point towards facial plastic surgery,' he said. Looking at an image of him from 2024, Dr Betteridge notes 'obvious and expected age related changes' including 'loose skin around the eyes, volume changes to the mid and lower face, and facial laxity around the neck and jawline'. Then comparing it to an image taken last week, he said: 'Now at 64 we can see a change in his facial architecture with facial repositioning. And to achieve this change, I think he would have had an upper and lower blepharoplasty, fat grafting to the mid face and a face and neck lift.' Fuelling the clone/lookalike theory is Jim Carrey's eyes appearing to be lighter than usual This photo, taken in 2019, clearly shows the actor has hazel eyes rather than solid dark brown He added: 'We can see a reduction in the upper and lower eyelid skin, increased volume to the mid face, and a smoother contour along the jawline that's represented here, where we've gone from a soft lack slower face to a tighter contour and a reduction in that neck laxity. 'Looking at the ear anatomy, we can see a change in the tragus and ear lobe, which is indicative of face lift procedures.' Many fans have also pointed out that Carrey's eyes appear to be a different colour, which has fuelled the notion that he sent a lookalike or someone wearing a lifelike mask to the event. But upon closer inspection, Carrey's eyes have always been brown edging on hazel, meaning the stark blue colour they appeared in some social media videos is likely due to the flashes of the paparazzi bulbs reflecting from blood vessels inside the eye. Without confirmation from Carrey or his representatives, any suggestion of surgical intervention remains speculative. Carrey's representative emphatically told the Daily Mail that the actor did attend the show in person, and similarly told PEOPLE magazine: 'Jim Carrey attended the Cesar Awards, where he accepted his Honorary Cesar Award.' More details have since emerged about his involvement with the Cesars - dubbed the French Oscars. Gregory Caulier, the general delegate of the awards, stated that Jim's appearance was authentic and 'a historic moment'. Branding the controversy a 'non-issue', Gregory said: 'Jim Carrey's visit has been planned since this summer. From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academy's invitation.' The Hollywood star was joined on the red carpet by his daughter Jane, 38, her teenage son Jackson, and his partner Min Ah, who Jim referred to in a heartfelt speech delivered entirely in French. 'Thank you to my wonderful family, my daughter Jane, and my grandson Jackson. I love you now and forever. Thank you to my sublime companion, Min Ah,' he said. 'I love you, Min Ah.' During the ceremony, director Michel Gondry reflected on their work together on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in an emotional speech. When Jim finally stepped up to speak, the The Mask star said, 'About three hundred years ago, my great-great-great-great-grandfather, Marc Francois Carrey, left Saint-Malo in France for Canada. 'Tonight, with this magnificent honour, this 'square' has come full circle. Perhaps this is what my family was looking for.' A representative for Jim Carrey has been approached for comment. The specific type of water you drink could increase your risk of Parkinson's disease, a study suggests. Parkinson's disease, suffered by 1 million Americans, is a progressive neurological disorder caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. This lack of dopamine leads to tremors, balance issues, stiffness and trouble speaking, all of which worsen over time. The disease is thought to be on the rise in the US, which experts have blamed on environmental exposures like pollution and pesticides. Now, researchers in New York City and Arizona have honed in on drinking water sources. The team looked at more than 12,000 people with Parkinson's and over 1 million without the disease, all of whom lived close to groundwater sampling sites, which monitor the quality of groundwater. They found that people whose water came from newer groundwater sites - those established in the last 75 years - were 11 percent more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's disease compared to older sources. And those who got their water from carbonate aquifers - underground layers of water-bearing, soluble rock that transmits groundwater - were up to 62 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's than those from glacial sources. The experts believe older groundwater generally has fewer contaminants because it comes from greater depths and is shielded from pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides. The source of your drinking water could increase your risk of Parkinson's disease by up to 62 percent, a new study suggests (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Aquifers are more common in the US, serving 145 million Americans. Glacial aquifers, formed when glaciers advanced and retreated during the ice age, are thought to promote natural filtration because they are composed of sand and gravel. About half of US drinking water comes from groundwater sources. The researchers caution the new study, due to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting in April, does not prove newer groundwater causes Parkinson's, but there may be an association. The full study is not yet available. Brittany Krzyzanowski, study author and researcher at the Atria Research Institute in New York City, who conducted the research while at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, said: 'One way to examine our exposure to modern pollution is through our drinking water. 'Newer groundwater, created by precipitation that has fallen within the past 70 to 75 years, has been exposed to more pollutants. Older groundwater typically contains fewer contaminants because it is generally deeper and better shielded from surface contaminants. 'Our study found that groundwater age and location is a potential environmental risk factor of Parkinsons disease.' The Parkinson's Foundation estimates 1.2million Americans will be diagnosed with Parkinson's by 2030, and 90,000 are struck by the disease every year. This is a 50 percent increase from the previously estimated rate of 60,000 a decade ago, the foundation estimates. There are roughly 35,000 deaths annually from the condition, often from aspiration pneumonia, caused by trouble swallowing, and severe injuries from falling. The new study examined 12,370 people with Parkinson's and more than 1.2 million without the disease, all of whom lived within three miles of specific groundwater sampling sites across 21 major aquifers. The researchers matched for Parkinson's risk factors such as age and sex - the disease is most common in men over 60 - and evaluated groundwater age, aquifer type and drinking water source. Michael J Fox (pictured above at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards earlier this month) was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, revealing his diagnosis in 1998. In 2000, he founded the Michael J Fox Foundation to help fund Parkinson's research Your browser does not support iframes. The study found that of people with Parkinson's, 3,463 for their drinking water from carbonate aquifers, 515 from glacial aquifers and 8,329 from other aquifers. Among those without the disease, 300,264 got their water from carbonate aquifers, 62,917 from glacial aquifers and 860,993 from other aquifers. Drinking water from carbonate aquifers was linked to a 24 percent higher risk of Parkinson's disease compared to other aquifer sources. This figure skyrocketed to 62 percent when compared to drinking water from glacial aquifers. Groundwater in carbonate systems from the last 75 years was associated with an 11 percent increased risk of Parkinson's compared to groundwater dating back to the ice age, more than 12,000 years ago. 'We speculate that the apparent protective effect of older groundwater is seen mainly in carbonate aquifers because these systems can show a clearer contrast between newer and older water,' Krzyzanowski said. She added: '"In these aquifers, newly recharged groundwater is more vulnerable to surface contamination, while older groundwater can remain cleaner if it is separated from recent inputs by a confining layer. 'In contrast, glacial aquifers tend to slow groundwater movement and naturally filter contaminants as water travels underground. As a result, differences in contamination between newer and older groundwater in these aquifers may be smaller and therefore harder to detect.' Boiling water and using household water filters can help remove contaminants. If you've ever wished your foundation performed more like your favourite serum, this exciting makeup launch will change your routine for good. After generating serious buzz overseas, Maybelline New York's Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation has officially arrived in Australia, promising radiant, healthy-looking skin with real, clinically tested skincare benefits. At $34.99, it delivers the kind of glow typically associated with prestige formulas but without the luxury price tag. In a beauty era defined by longevity, skin barrier support and lit-from-within radiance, this new foundation taps directly into what women actually want from their makeup. Designed as a true makeup-skincare hybrid, the Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation features a 90 per cent skincare base and is supercharged with two of the most in-demand ingredients: two per cent niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Niacinamide is known for helping improve the look of skin tone and clarity, while hyaluronic acid works to hydrate and plump the complexion. Instead of simply sitting on the surface, this formula is designed to enhance the look of skin over time, all while delivering buildable, radiant coverage that lasts throughout the day. The clinical and consumer data behind the product is what sets it apart in a crowded foundation market. Maybelline New York's Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation ($34.99) has officially arrived in Australia, promising radiant, healthy-looking skin with real, clinically tested skincare benefits (Pictured: Daily Mail's beauty expert Elise Wilson wearing shade #120) In a consumer self-assessment of 91 women after four weeks of use, 84 per cent agreed their skin looked plumper over time, while 86 per cent said their complexion appeared more glowy and radiant.* The same study found that 86 per cent agreed their skin looked visibly improved both instantly and over time, 84 per cent felt fine lines appeared minimised, and 85 per cent agreed their skin looked more youthful.* Beyond perception, clinical testing on 76 subjects over four weeks showed visible improvements in skin plumpness, brightness and overall radiance, as well as overall skin quality and healthy appearance.* In a consumer self-assessment of 91 women after four weeks of use, 84 per cent agreed their skin looked plumper over time, while 86 per cent said their complexion appeared more glowy and radiant*. The testing also demonstrated improvements in skin texture, tone evenness, pore appearance and clarity, reinforcing its positioning as more than just another dewy foundation. Available in 18 shades and housed in a sleek 30ml bottle, the formula is designed to suit a wide range of skin tones and ages, perfect for Australia's diverse demographic. For women over 35 looking for luminosity without heaviness, it offers hydration and glow without settling into lines. And, for younger consumers who want makeup that works in harmony with their skin, it provides radiance without compromising clarity. Available in 18 shades and housed in a sleek 30ml bottle, the formula is designed to suit a wide range of skin tones and ages Early international reviews have already begun rolling in, with shoppers praising the smooth texture and luminous finish, describing their complexion as looking 'flawless' while still feeling lightweight and breathable. 'My new go-to foundation - it's an amazing dupe of the discontinued Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation,' one person raved. 'It's so lightweight and glowy with the perfect amount of coverage and smoothing effect.' 'This foundation is amazing!' another wrote. 'I have rosacea, and it feels super light on the face, medium coverage, and has no cracking or drying like other foundations tend to do.' 'Up there with the best of foundations - great affordable foundation with buildable coverage,' a third commented online. Designed as a true makeup-skincare hybrid, the Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation features a 90 per cent skincare base and is supercharged with two of the most in-demand ingredients: two per cent niacinamide and hyaluronic acid That balance between skincare efficacy and traditional foundation performance is exactly what makes this launch so compelling. It's radiant without appearing greasy, buildable without looking cakey, and hydrating without slipping off by midday. To elevate the glow even further, it's recommended to pair perfectly with the new Maybelline Lifter Full Coverage Serum Concealers ($24.99) too. Designed to deliver hydrating, full coverage with up to 24-hour hydration, the concealer has also been scientifically tested to visibly improve the look of under-eye radiance and overall skin brightness.* The formula targets dark circles while maintaining luminosity, ensuring the under-eye area looks fresh and lifted rather than flat or dry. Together, the foundation and concealer create a plumped, brightened, healthy-looking complexion that feels as good as it looks. To elevate the glow even further, it's recommended to pair perfectly with the new Maybelline Lifter Full Coverage Serum Concealers too ($24.99 each). The concealer has been scientifically tested to visibly improve the look of under-eye radiance and overall skin brightness In a category where consumers are fiercely loyal and often hesitant to switch, this launch offers a compelling reason to trade up. It doesn't just promise dewiness; it delivers clinically tested improvements in how skin looks over time. When it comes to the application, shake the bottle well before use, pump onto clean, hydrated skin and blend with fingers, a brush or a damp sponge to even out the complexion. The coverage is buildable, allowing for a sheer, natural finish during the day or a more polished, perfected look in the evening. Adding the Maybelline Lifter Full Coverage Serum Concealer ($24.99) under the eyes and around the nose also enhances brightness and gives the skin a lifted, lit-from-within effect. In a market where high-performance, skincare-infused foundations can easily exceed $100, this $34.99 price point feels refreshingly accessible and proof that great-looking skin doesn't have to come at a premium. The Maybelline Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation is available now at leading retailers nationwide and online here. *Consumer self-assessment, 91 women, after four weeks of use. Cosmeto-clinical study, 76 subjects, after four weeks of use. If you woke up feeling unusually reflective, sensitive, or slightly unsettled this morning, you are not alone. Across Australia, many people are reporting an inexplicable emotional undercurrent, and astrologers say tonight's rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse could be part of the reason. The March 3 eclipse, also known as the Full Worm Moon, will turn the Moon a deep coppery red as it rises across Australian skies this evening. From early nightfall in Perth to later in the east, the event will peak between 7.30pm and 10.30pm local time, weather permitting. But while the spectacle happens after dark, its emotional build-up can begin long before the Moon changes colour. Leading Australian astrologer Rose Smith describes this eclipse as a 'profound reckoning' - a moment where destiny and karma symbolically collide. 'This is one of the most karmic eclipses we've seen in some time,' she said. In astrological terms, the Sun aligns with the North Node, which represents destiny and the future, while the Moon sits with the South Node, linked to karma and the past. When they oppose each other during a lunar eclipse, it can create tension between who you have been and who you are becoming. For many Australians, that may show up as a quiet emotional reckoning: questioning routines, reassessing priorities or feeling aware that something has reached its natural end. Leading Australian astrologer and psychic Rose Smith, from Absolute Soul Secrets, describes March's moon as a 'profound reckoning' - a moment where destiny and karma clash What is a Blood Moon? A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow across the lunar surface. As sunlight filters through Earth's atmosphere, shorter blue wavelengths scatter, allowing longer red wavelengths to bathe the Moon in a coppery glow. The result is what we commonly call a Blood Moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, which requires special eyewear and daytime positioning, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye. The name 'Worm Moon' comes from seasonal traditions in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the time when earthworms begin to reappear as winter loosens its grip. Symbolically, it represents renewal - life stirring quietly beneath the surface. Why this eclipse feels different Astrologically, this eclipse falls in Virgo, the sign associated with health, routine, organisation, and the systems that structure daily life. According to Ms Smith, this is not about dramatic external upheaval. Lunar eclipses are considered internal events - emotional, subconscious and reflective. As sunlight filters through Earth's atmosphere, shorter blue wavelengths scatter, allowing longer red wavelengths to bathe the Moon in a coppery glow 'This is not about sudden outer change. It is about processing what has already been set in motion.' In astrological terms, the Sun aligns with the North Node (linked to destiny and the future), while the Moon sits with the South Node (associated with karma and the past). When they oppose each other during a lunar eclipse, it can create tension between who you have been and who you are becoming. 'You may realise that a belief you once relied on no longer fits. A definition of success you've carried for years may suddenly feel outdated. This eclipse reveals what has quietly reached completion and is ready to be released,' Ms Smith explained. Virgo energy, at its best, brings clarity, refinement and practical improvement. At its shadow side, it can tip into perfectionism and self-criticism. Under a Blood Moon, those tendencies may feel amplified. 'The drive to get everything 100 per cent right can waste time, energy and emotional resources. Under this eclipse, that pattern may become obvious,' she said. How Australians may feel it Even for those who do not follow astrology closely, eclipses often coincide with heightened emotions. You might feel reflective, unsettled, or unusually aware of unfinished business. Mutable and Earth signs - Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius, and Pisces - are expected to feel this eclipse most strongly, particularly around belief systems and emotional patterns. Earth signs Taurus and Capricorn may feel nudged to reassess work structures, long-term stability or health routines. More broadly, Australians may notice: A desire to declutter or reorganise Emotional processing rather than action Questioning of routines or productivity standards A need to simplify rather than accelerate Astrologers say eclipses unfold over months rather than days. Rather than pushing forward, this period may feel more like consolidation - adjusting your 'inner compass' before the next chapter begins. Even for those who do not follow astrology closely, eclipses often coincide with heightened emotions. You might feel reflective, unsettled, or unusually aware of unfinished business Aries (March 21 to April 19) A major karmic cycle regarding your daily work, health routines and how much you sacrifice for others is coming to a close. The Universe is now asking you to release the need to control every practical detail. Be careful of burnout. You might notice you need more rest, spiritual retreat, and more trust. However, sudden disruption or surprises are possible. Perhaps an additional expense or a shift in your daily environment will need some attention. If you can stop trying to micro-manage the chaos and let a few things slide, it will be easier. Let the old systems break so your true healing can begin. Taurus (April 20 to May 20) This eclipse hits you on a deeply personal level. Matters of the heart, creativity, and joy are asking you to let go of creative blocks, outdated hobbies, or karmic romantic patterns that no longer serve you. Your destiny lies in your community and future networks so it's time to share your gifts with the collective rather than keeping them to yourself. Also expect a sudden urge to completely reinvent your personal identity or appearance. The way you deal with the world and your physical body will change for the better because the person you used to be is shedding away; don't fight this radical upgrade. Gemini (May 21 to June 20) Your foundations and domestic or family life are shifting, Gemini. Deep-seated family karma, childhood conditioning or physical living situations will be clearly shown to you and you'll realise you've outgrown these scenarios. It is time to clear the clutter from your home and your heart. Also, perhaps you're being called to step into the public eye and claim your professional or public destiny. However, there's a potential - Uranus gives a sudden realisation, a vivid dream, or a secret coming to light could temporarily destabilise you. Use this unpredictable energy to finally cut the cord to past familial expectations and step into your own authority. Cancer (June 21 to July 22) Release outdated communication patterns and limiting local mindsets. It's time to stop over-analysing the small details of your daily interactions or getting caught up in neighbourhood drama. Destiny pulls you toward expanding your horizons through higher learning, travel, and broader spiritual philosophies. A sudden disruption in your social networks or friendships is possible thanks to Uranus. This will force you to break out of your comfort zone, but you probably need to. Changes within your community will demand that you stop playing it small and start speaking a larger truth. According to Ms Smith, this is not about dramatic external upheaval. Lunar eclipses are considered internal events - emotional, subconscious and reflective Leo (July 23 to August 22) This is your chance to let go of rigid attachments to material possessions and outdated financial systems. The eclipse asks you to release financial karma and step into deeply transformative waters, so you could feel some intensity now around vulnerability, shared resources and psychological intimacy. A sudden, unexpected shift in your career, public reputation, or professional authority thanks to Uranus will demand that you restructure your personal values entirely. Real wealth right now is about deep trust, not just your bank account. It will work out much better for you if you can balance your physical needs with your own sense of happiness. Virgo (August 23 to September 22) The celestial spotlight is directly on you, bringing to light old identities and self-critical habits that you need to let go of. What is needed for you is an absolute end to perfectionism. Maybe you disagree, however, your destiny will soon require you to step into balanced, spiritually aligned partnerships and being overly critical of yourself or others just won't cut it. A sudden change in your belief systems or a spontaneous desire to travel or learn more, thanks to Uranus, will help shatter the restrictive mould you've been living in. Let this unexpected jolt free you from your own harsh expectations and begin a new adventure in your life. Libra (September 23 to October 22) Deep karmic clearing is occurring behind the scenes for you, Libra. You may notice deep hidden fears, past-life residues and subconscious anxieties come to the surface of your mind for final release. You're finally moving forward, and you need some strong grounding into daily health routines and acts of service. Adopt some practical daily habits and don't allow yourself to swerve away. This will help keep you stable as a sudden financial or intense event around shared resources, taxes, or an intimate relationship arise. There's a silver lining here, this event will act as the lightning bolt catalyst for your profound psychological liberation. Scorpio (October 23 to November 21) Systematically weed out social connections and groups that no longer align with your authentic self. This eclipse clears karma regarding friends, groups, and your aspirations. Your destiny is being redirected towards pure, unadulterated personal joy, creativity, and true romance. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen! Prepare for unpredictable, rebellious behaviour from a close partner, spouse, or business associate due to Uranus. However, this external chaos is actually a gift designed to trigger a necessary awakening in your own heart. This eclipse clears karma regarding friends, groups, and your aspirations Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21) Outdated career structures and public roles are crumbling, so let them go. You have the chance now to stop defining yourself purely by your worldly achievements. Your true spiritual destiny lies in cultivating a deeply secure home life and emotional foundation rather thinking about what is going on in the outside world. A sudden change in your daily work environment, a disruption to your routine, or even a sudden well-being wake-up call will force you to stop running. So slow down just a bit and please prioritise your inner sanctuary over external validation because this is where you'll be most content. Capricorn (December 22nd to January 19) Rigid dogmas and long-held philosophical beliefs are finally being eclipsed. The Universe is asking you to release your need to be the 'expert' and instead become a curious, flexible student of life. There is so much more to learn and experience, especially in your local area. Listen more than you speak. Due to Uranus, a sudden, unexpected development in your romantic life, concerning children (or your inner child) will thoroughly disrupt your structured worldview. Additionally, it could involve your creativity or ability to have fun, forcing you to communicate from the heart, not just the head. Ultimately, there are some silver linings! Aquarius (January 20th to February 18) Karmic debts, energetic entanglements and toxic dependencies are coming to an end and it's well past time that you let them go. This eclipse demands you release deep-seated fear around power and joint resources. Maybe it's taxes, real estate, or investments that you share with another? Or maybe it's about deep intimacy? Your path forward is building your own self-worth and financial independence. A sudden disruption on the home front or within your family will be the exact push you need to claim total emotional and financial self-reliance. Even if you feel vulnerable, trust that your higher self knows the path to freedom and contentment. Pisces (February 19 to March 20) Your close relationships are acting as intense mirrors for your internal state. Now it's time to release co-dependent dynamics, over-accommodating partners or people-pleasing habits. Your destiny right now is sovereign, unapologetic independence and autonomy. A sudden piece of news, a surprising conversation or a radical shift in your local environment or daily commute will be the unexpected spark that finally ignites your personal freedom. While you might feel vulnerable do remember that you're moving towards being all that you are rather than fitting in with the wants and requirements of others. You can do it! Brittany Hockley was lost for words over the surprising price when she ordered a takeaway coffee from a cafe at Sydney Airport. The radio host and former reality TV star purchased a large cappuccino with soy milk and a drizzle of honey, which came to a total of $10.04. Upon a closer look, the traveller realised she was charged $1 for honey. In a tongue-in-cheek video, Brittany showed her fans what $10 can get you. 'Super exciting, I'm going away for the long weekend in Australia so let me show you how I spend $10 a day,' she said. The camera then zoomed in on the receipt, revealing the itemised add-ons for her $7.90 cappuccino - including $1 for soy milk. 'The end,' she said. 'Looks like I'm going to have to cut back on the honey.' Brittany Hockley was lost for words over the surprising price when she ordered a takeaway coffee from a cafe at Sydney Airport She described the additional cost for honey as 'robbery'. Her video has been viewed more than 740,000 times on Instagram, with one person asking: 'What's the $0.14 for?' Brittany joked: 'Who knows. Probably the receipt.' Many were shocked over the price, with celebrity personal trainer Michelle Bridges chiming in: 'What the actual?!?' 'Hahaha so depressing though,' another commented. 'That's carnage,' one said. 'OMG! This is so un-Australian! How do they justify this? Airports really are lawless places,' another shared. 'That's a bit DEAR,' another pointed out. 'OMG that's nuts,' one added. In a tongue-in-cheek video, Brittany showed her fans what $10 can get you Some took particular issue with the cafe for charging $1 for honey. 'Condiments have their own fee?' one asked. 'A dollar for honey?' another pointed out. However, some were baffled over Brittany's sweetener of choice. 'I'm confused and intrigued by the honey in the coffee,' one shared. 'Wait... honey in a coffee!? I'm more flabbergasted at that than the $10,' another said. Those living abroad said $10 was relatively cheap compared to prices in their countries. 'At least you get something for $10 in Australia. Wait until you travel to Iceland,' one said. '$16.95 AUD regular latte in London' another revealed. 'I paid 9 for an iced latte with vanilla syrup in London - so equivalent to $18,' one added. '$29 for two lattes while in Santa Barbara a few weeks ago,' another shared. The radio host and former reality TV star purchased a large cappuccino with soy milk and a drizzle of honey, which came to a total of $10.04 Meanwhile, some reflected on a time when everything cost next to nothing. 'Remember when Curtis Stone used to do the $10 to feed a family of four series?' one reminisced, along with a crying emoji. 'I remember when milkshakes were 22c back in the early 70s in my hometown of Kiama. That's when there was proper value for money,' another shared. 'A fantastic era Australia was so much simpler, the world was a much better place. Beam me back in a time machine right now please. Ah the nostalgia I miss those great days, easily the best days.' Elsewhere, some noticed the cafe employee had spelt Brittany's name as 'Britney'. 'They spelt your name wrong,' one pointed out, to which she jokingly replied: 'To add insult to injury.' Almost none of the expats who reside in the lap of luxury in Dubai would have predicted the Iranian air strikes that have targeted the glitziest city in the United Arab Emirates since Saturday - but that doesn't mean they didn't already have a designated safe space earmarked to shelter in. Such is the city's extreme wealth that many of the opulent properties that are home to billionaire entrepreneurs, influencers and expats have futuristic safe houses, panic rooms and fortified basements installed as standard - often at the cost of millions. It's likely that before this weekend many of these unlikely war bunkers had never been used, such is the low violent crime rate in the Emirati city, where even minor theft carries tough deterrent sentences. And sheltering from a downpour of Iranian missiles is unlikely to have ever crossed the minds of the super wealthy who installed them in their five-star builds. Until the first military strikes hit the city on Saturday, which saw many tourists flee for their lives, Dubai has largely felt untouchable in recent Middle Eastern conflicts. All that changed on Saturday, when Dubai Airport and luxury properties Fairmont The Palm and the Burj al Arab were dramatically hit with no warning - leaving parts of the city's shiny skyline up in flames. Residential precautions taken against the threat of serious crime against high net-worth individuals such as kidnapping or armed assaults are now suddenly coming into their own - particularly as more attacks on the UAE city could happen in the coming days. Sheikh Mohammed's war bunker: Zabeel Palace, where Dubai's rulers - the Al Maktoum family - live is said to have several safe rooms and its own separate power supply which could keep them safe for weeks Many of Dubai's richest residents have taken to Instagram since Saturday to report their faith in the Emirate's Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his army's power to intercept further strikes. And Zabeel Palace, where Dubai's rulers - the Al Maktoum family - themselves live is one of the most fortified places in the entire UAE. The regal property, which has round-the-clock armed guards surrounding it, is thought to have several aesthetically pleasing, hi-tech safe rooms available at the push of the button - with a separate power supply on tap that could keep the UAE royals safe in lockdown for weeks on end. The sprawling palace complex could be a target for Iranian attacks should the Middle Eastern conflict escalate further - but the Emirate's Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been bullish in the face of strikes; he was pictured wandering around Dubai Mall earlier this week. Kate Ferdinand and her family also retreated to their basement work-out space after going into 'Dubai lockdown' Safe room first, and if you don't have that, make for the basement gym: TV star and entrepreneur Ebraheem Al Samadi, worth 38million, posted from his gym to confirm his safety following the strikes on Dubai Elsewhere, most of Dubai's most notable private residences have similar levels of security. One of the city's most expensive properties, Marble Palace, which sits in the uber-affluent Emirates Hills area and sold last year for 86million, is also thought to come with several bomb-proof panic rooms and a private power substation. Argus Security, based in a shopping mall in Dubai, creates bespoke blast-proof safe and 'secret' rooms for luxury homes that are intended to provide a hide-out from violent attacks, including with AK-47 assault rifles at close range - but such rooms could now also offer refuge against nearby missile and drone strikes. For those without built-in fortified rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, often housed in the lower floors of luxury properties, appears to be doubling up as the shelter space of choice for the rich. Many five-star hotels funnelled guests through into sheltered areas away from windows as the strikes hit at the weekend (Pictured: an interior space at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel) Taking to her own platform, Luisa Zissman shared a new post, saying: 'I'm just putting the children to bed, I've got friends who are sleeping in their basements with their kids. But we have decided to try and carry on as normal' The Fairmont Palm hotel in Dubai was hit over the weekend as tourist areas were hit by Iran Star of Netflix series Dubai Bling, Ebraheem Al Samadi, a Kuwaiti-American entrepreneur worth around 38million and known as 'The Blooming Man' shared a video with his 1.2 million followers from what appeared to be his property's underground gym this week. Al Samadi was seen wearing workout gear and wearing headphones in the sizeable subterranean room. A caption read: 'Are you guys safe in the UAE?' with the caption adding 'We're perfectly fine'. And on Monday, ex Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand revealed how he and his wife Kate, and the couple's youngest children, had retreated to their basement after feeling the impact of the series of 'terrifying' missile strikes around their home. Rio, 47, and Kate, 34, moved their life to the UAE in August last year, along with their children, Shae, two, Cree, five, as well as Rio's daughter Tia, 14. Both Rio and Kate later shared a photo of the family working out in the basement gym, after keeping their children at home from school during the 'Dubai lockdown'. Former TOWIE star Kate took to Instagram on Sunday to provide an update on her family's whereabouts and reassured fans they were safe after a 'very scary night'. She wrote: 'Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven't wanted to worry you all I just haven't been able to find the words. We are safe. 'The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands. 'We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn't believe we all got a sleepover in the basement. Other famous faces who reside in the UAE, including Luisa Zissman, Petra Ecclestone and Arabella Chi have all shared updates following the Iranian strikes. TV personality Zissman, 38, spoke of how she had to keep her family indoors after fleeing the park due to the noise of explosions. Luisa, who is mother to Dixie, 16, Indigo, 10, and Clementine, nine, described hearing four explosions while out with her children on Sunday. She branded the experience 'surreal and scary' as she shared her hopes that the UAE defence will keep everyone in the area safe. Sharing a picture of one her children baking, she said: 'Home baked bread rolls. Keeping the kids entertained and indoors. Kate took to Instagram on Sunday to provide an update on their whereabouts and reassured fans they were safe after a 'very scary night' 'We got itchy feet and went to take them to the park and literally as we went to step foot out the door we heard two massive explosions that shook the house, we retreated and then heard another two. So now movie time in the basement. So surreal and scary. I do faith that UAE defence will keep us all safe.' She added that she wasn't planning to sleep in the basement, like some of her friend's families, but she had prepared an 'emergency' set up just in case. She continued: 'So we've done emergency basement, we've got the dog pen, some blankets and that's about it really. I've put some water in the fridge, although I'm sure it's not going to come to that. I know some people are in basements and garages, especially those in high rise apartments. 'There's a lot of glass here, I would be quite scared if I was in a high rise glass apartment building. But nothing major has happened and everything is largely fine. When you're here it's fine.' Selena Gomez has been branded 'disgusting' after she kissed husband Benny Blanco's dirty foot during the latest episode of his podcast. The Only Murders in the Building actress, 33 appeared as a guest in the second installment of her husband's project, Friends Keep Secrets, where she didn't hold back showing her other half some affection. Nearly an hour into the episode, Gomez, who was sitting on the floor, leant over and kissed Blanco's toes as he rested his foot on a coffee table, much to his delight. The move came just seven days after Blanco, 37, stunned fans into silence after he displayed his unclean feet during the pilot installment of his new project. 'I liked that,' Blanco reacted, which prompted the actress to playfully scold him and warn him not to make it a 'moment.' 'I liked it,' Blanco continued of his wife's gesture. 'It made me feel good. I love you so much.' Speaking to their friends and collaborators, Dave Burd aka Lil Dicky and his wife Kristin Batalucco, the music producer revealed that he sometimes tries to contain his public display of affection for Gomez. 'I try with every bone in my body not to be googly eyed with her,' Blanco said. Selena Gomez kissed her husband Benny Blanco's toes in the latest episode of his podcast Blanco said the smooch 'made me feel good' as he then went on to declare his love 'I want to kiss her and jump her bones all the time, so to watch her just kiss my toe just really made my day. ' But social media users weren't too impressed by Gomez's moment of affection and blasted the scene online. 'This is the most disgusting thing,' one wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'Benny and Selena, the smelliest couple I've ever seen.' 'I love Selena, but why [did] she set herself up doing this?' asked another. A third begged the question: 'If she does it in front of everyone, what does she do in private?' 'Oh my God this woman is so disgusting,' continued a fourth. 'I'm sure she stinks worse than him.' Another simply said: 'Humiliation ritual.' Last week, Blanco set the record straight after frightening the internet with his dirty feet. Viewers were disgusted by Gomez's actions and took their thoughts to social media Viewers were previously left in a state of shock over Blanco's dirty feet Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he exclaimed: 'Okay first of all, it's the facility's fault, not mine!' He motioned towards his podcast co-host Lil Dicky and added: 'The floors are... I have great feet. Hold on!' The star then removed one of his boots to expose his very clean foot for the crowd. 'Someone zoom in on my foot,' Blanco encouraged. 'Look at that!' Kimmel then told the music artist to show the bottom of his foot, which was revealed to also be clean. 'Look at that clean foot. Look at that. Are you kidding me?' he humorously continued as the live audience began to applaud. Lil Dicky chimed in to explain the circumstance and said: 'It was the first day we filmed anything, so crew was coming in and out.' Kimmel questioned: 'So, you're saying that Dave's floors are not clean,' with Lil Dicky adding, 'On that day, it was dirty. You know how floors get.' Gomez and Blanco tied the knot in a lavish Californian wedding at the end of September Blanco previously left viewers feeling nauseous after he filmed himself farting into a microphone and showed off his dirty bare feet. At the beginning of the pilot episode, the music producer playfully let one rip into the microphone to see if the volume could be detected. In a clip that has been shared widely on social media, Blanco said: 'See if you guys can pick this up.' He then broke wind, which in turn prompted laughter from co-hosts Burd and his wife Batalucco. 'That was just a little one,' Blanco said proudly. 'It was a little squeak,' Batalucco added. A woman Id never met, or even heard of, wrote me a letter in November 1997 that actually made my knees buckle. Id never before received news that had a physical impact like that, like being hit by a car. And that even included the evening in 1976 when two police officers arrived at the front door to tell my mum and me that my father had been carried lifeless off a train earlier that day, after suffering a massive heart attack. This womans name was Monica Bradley. She worked for an agency that helped people find the children they had given up for adoption years before. And, in collaboration with my birth mother, she had found me. This letter will probably cause you some surprise, is how it began. Some surprise? Probably? She must have known how understated those words were but she was trying to gently break it to me that my understanding of my own life, of who I was and where Id come from, was about to change. Monicas letter filled me in on further details of the woman who had given birth to me on October 25, 1961. She subsequently married and had two sons, who have both known of your existence from an early age. We all experience life-changing moments, but I suppose some more than others. A few weeks ago, on February 4, I wrote in these pages about the seismic loss of my father, Allen, 50 years earlier to the day. He and my mum, Miriam, had adopted me when I was three weeks old. They couldnt have children of their own (I have always hated that expression), so they went down the adoption route and, after collecting me in London, whisked me north to live in Southport, a seaside town firmly in Lancashire until the 1974 municipal boundary changes rudely shunted it into Merseyside. Brian Viner with his birth mother Doris Rau, who lived three miles from where lived in London At just three weeks old, Brian was adopted by Miriam Viner (pictured) and her husband Allen The family on holiday in Greece in the mid-1970s. Brian was told he was adopted at age nine Our contented little family was just them and me. I would have liked a brother or even a sister, but at the age of nine, frankly, not as much as I would have liked battery-powered Subbuteo floodlights. That was how old I was when I found out I was adopted. My mum broke the news. We were in the car, which was parked outside our local Post Office. My dad had nipped in to buy some stamps and thats when she told me. It was a prosaic backdrop to such a moment, but they must have engineered it so that he wasnt there for the big revelation. He was always uncomfortable with deeply personal stuff like that. I dont recall being upset, just intrigued. My mum was able to give me only the tantalising nugget of information that at birth Id been named Robin, almost an anagram of Brian. Soon after that bombshell outside the Post Office, however, all lifes certainties returned. I asked no more questions and, even after my dad died when I was 14, I never wanted to know who had fathered me biologically. In my mid-teens when, both floundering in our grief, my mum and I had some proper screaming bust-ups, it didnt remotely occur to me to detonate my nuclear option. Far from passing my lips, the terrible line, Youre not even my real mother never so much as crossed my mind. I duly grew into adulthood assuming that I would never know my birth story and, despite becoming a journalist, a profession powered by curiosity, that suited me fine. I felt entirely secure about myself without needing to dig up my roots. That might have changed in late 1992 when my girlfriend Jane, soon to become my wife, became pregnant. There were medical questions about the family history of this condition or that, and we only had her side of the equation. She exerted some gentle pressure on me to start investigating, but I was resolute. It would have felt utterly disloyal to my mother, still very much alive, and my late father. And for all I knew, it might have opened a can of worms better left untouched. By November 1997 we had two children, four-year-old Eleanor and Joseph, aged two. The following August we would add a third, Jacob. I got Monicas letter on a Saturday morning. We lived in Crouch End, north London, and I was home alone. Jane had taken the children to the park, a ten-minute walk with a pushchair and a dawdling toddler, but a two-minute sprint with a letter from an adoption agency. Jane was as thunderstruck as I was. Explaining that my birth mother was called Doris Rau, Monica wrote that she simply wishes you to know something of her circumstances and that there is the possibility of making contact with her should you ever wish to do so. After recovering from the initial shock, I did wish to do so. Remarkably, Doris or Pip, as she preferred to be known lived only three miles away from Crouch End. A week or so later we set eyes on each other for the first time in 36 years. We met in a restaurant called Odettes, where her memorable opening gambit was: You have my chin. Over dinner, as we filled each other in on our respective lives, I recall her saying what rich pickings there would have been for an eavesdropper. Shed been 22 when she inconveniently got pregnant by her then-boyfriend, Robin Welch. She was Jewish and he wasnt, but that wasnt her reason for choosing to have me adopted. She was a restless and relentless traveller and a baby would have cramped her style. Rebelling against her middle-class upbringing, she had lived in the late 1950s at the notorious Beat Hotel in Paris (where the poet Gregory Corso, the bad boy of the Beat generation, introduced her to pot). The word colourful hardly sums up her early adult life. In 1960 she was thrown into jail in New York City for her part in a nuclear disarmament rally. Later that year, after driving from London to Russia, she was involved in a near-fatal car crash and spent six weeks in a Russian hospital where a Soviet army colonel fell in love with her and proposed marriage. Usefully for me, I suppose, she turned him down. Doris was 22 when she found out she was pregnant by her then-boyfriend, Robin Welch. She put Brian up for adoption because a baby would have cramped her style Brian, centre, with his birth father Robin and his half-siblings, Polly (and her daughter, Megan) and Marcus Robin proposed to her too when, back in London, she got pregnant early the following year. He was an up-and-coming potter who would become one of the most acclaimed of his generation. He wanted to marry her and keep me, but again she declined. Eventually, he gave the adoption his blessing on condition that she would never look for me. He disapproved fiercely when later she did. But once shed found me, his strength of feeling dissolved just as mine had. He and Pip had split up not long after I was born but they had always stayed friends. Which is how, a few weeks after Id met her, another highly eavesdroppable dinner took place, this time at a random Cafe Rouge: her, Robin and me. Without explaining its mighty significance, we asked a passing waiter to take our photograph. Robin had gone on to have three more children two daughters and a son so the next stop in this rather overwhelming journey of discovery was meeting the five half-siblings that Id known nothing about until a month or so earlier. Joyously, as I write this almost 30 years later, I can report a fulfilling, loving relationship with all of them. But I still vividly remember my faintly apprehensive knock on the front door of a house in a village near Cambridge, early in 1998. It was my half-sister Pollys home. We had written to each other but still hadnt met, and here I was, with Jane and the children, about to join her, her husband and their two children (who were almost exactly the same age as ours) for Sunday lunch. Weird as the situation was, it somehow felt life-affirming when the door was opened by a woman who looked very much like... me. Neither Pip nor Robin are with us now. When he died in 2019, aged 83, I gave the eulogy at his funeral. Later, as a sort of personal homage, I went to see the gigantic ceramic candle holders hed made for Lincoln Cathedral, said by those in the know to have been at the very outer limits of what can be achieved on the potters wheel. I always correct people who call him my dad, because my dad was Allen. But seeing those amazing candlesticks, taller than the average man, I nonetheless felt genuine filial pride. Pip was 85 when she died the summer before last, having long since parlayed her love of travel into a world-renowned collection of central Asian textiles and costumes, which she would sometimes rent out to filmmakers. Gladiator (2000) and Troy (2004) looked as authentic as they did thanks partly to her incredible eye. To suggest that she embarked on the quest to find me with the tenacity of Russell Crowe in Gladiator or Brad Pitt in Troy might be stretching a point. But it really did take her years. The law used to make it off-puttingly difficult for people whod given up children for adoption to find them again it was much easier the other way round. But the 1989 Childrens Act removed some of the obstacles. Brian with Pip and her son, Alexander, who tracked his half-sibling down after seeing his name in a newspaper With half-siblings, Polly, Samantha and Marcus, and his nieces Megan and Sacha Eventually she found out my name, not a common one, though there are a handful of us. The challenge was to find the right Brian Viner, which is where the Mail on Sunday enters the story. In 1997 I won a What The Papers Say Award for my work as the newspapers television critic. At the time those awards were prestigious enough, I can immodestly add, to be reported elsewhere in the Press. When Pips son Alexander saw my name in The Guardian, it didnt take much sleuthing to buy that weekends Mail on Sunday. He assumed there would be a picture of me, which there was. And as soon as Pip saw it, recognising not so much her chin as my striking resemblance to Robin, she knew shed found her firstborn. By then she had expert Monica Bradley on her side, so once theyd unearthed my address, Monica became the intermediary. She knew better than anyone that it can be a fraught business, connecting an adopted child with its birth parents. Indeed, Pip had attended some counselling sessions, chaired by Monica, with other women looking for their long-adopted babies. Pip would often say, with a mixture of sadness and smugness, but mostly smugness, that of all the powerful stories aired in those meetings, hers was the only one with a happy ending. The main reason it was a happy ending, as I think she understood, is because of my mum and dad, who gave me such a solid start in life. My mum, incidentally, died in 2017, at the great age of 92. It wasnt easy to tell her about that 1997 bombshell letter but, with some trepidation, I did. She responded with typical matter-of-factness. Are you OK with it? she asked. I said I was. Then thats all that matters, she said. We never talked about it again. Fundamentally, I never resented Pip for giving me away because I felt she did me a favour, and I have another letter to prove it. Dated January 12, 1962, it was from the National Children Adoption Association. Dear Miss Rau, We are pleased to tell you that we have the happiest news of Robin; he has completely settled down he is in excellent health and spirits and is much loved by his adopting parents who are anxious to legalise his adoption so that they can make provision for his future security... The letter went on to rebuke her for not turning up to a previous appointment for legal documents to be signed. It urged her to attend the next one in the interests of Robin. I loved and admired Pip, but it was characteristic of her, certainly at that time in her life, not to show up. Thats why I know, without any doubt, that even as an obstreperous, fatherless teenager re-named Brian, Robins interests were served. Nicole Kidman's nepo baby daughter made waves at New York Fashion Week - but for all the wrong reasons. Sunday Rose, 17, showed off her strut at the Calvin Klein Fall 2026 show over the weekend, but critics were quick to call out her technique on the catwalk, accusing her of 'stomping' her way around the fashion circuit. The teen, who is the daughter of Kidman and Keith Urban, wore an oversized beige trench coat with large brown leather lapels, worn over a buttoned-up shirt, as she walked the runway. The look was paired with white gloves, a brown clutch and heeled slouchy brown leather boots, with her hair left out but pulled back off her face. Mom Nicole was endlessly proud of the teen as she reshared a video of her daughter walking during the show to Instagram, writing: 'New York Baby.' But others weren't so sure, accusing the teen of only being hired due to her famous parents. 'Nepotism is revolting,' one person declared. 'Just stomping around,' joked one critic. Nicole Kidman's nepo baby daughter made waves at New York Fashion Week - but for all the wrong reasons Sunday Rose , 17, showed off her strut at the Calvin Klein Fall 2026 show over the weekend, but critics were quick to call out her technique on the catwalk, accusing her of 'stomping' her way around the fashion circuit The teen, who is the daughter of Kidman and Keith Urban , wore an oversized beige trench coat with large brown leather lapels, worn over a buttoned-up shirt, as she walked the runway 'Looks like she's on her way to talk to her mom about her dad,' laughed one user. 'I love, love, love Nicole.. but Sunday Rose looks kinda weird as a model,' was someone else's opinion. 'She walks like a pony! She's not a model! 'Without her parents' connections, she would be helping the REAL models in and out of their runway outfits!' declared another. 'Clomp clomp clomp,' berated another. Models are supposed to walk in 'smooth strides' down the runway with their arms relaxed by their sides, according to Backstage. Sunday has been modeling since she was 16 after making her runway debut during Paris Fashion Week in 2024 for Miu Miu's Spring/Summer show. Last year, she landed a major campaign with the Italian luxury fashion house Miu Miu. Sunday Rose made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week in October 2025 (pictured) The campaign came three months after she was roasted online over her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week, opening the Miu Miu Paris Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show in October. The teen shared the catwalk with fellow nepo babies Amelia Grey Hamlin, who's the daughter of Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna, and Eliot Sumner, who is the child of The Police frontman Sting and wife Trudy Styler. Sunday Rose strutted in a white sleeveless dress, paired with gray leg-warmers and black peep-toe heels. While her mom Nicole once again showed her support both at the show and following her runway debut, many critics on the internet hit out at Sunday Rose's walk. Some people suggested she take runway lessons, while others simply complained that too many nepo babies think they can model. Most people don't consciously think about how they drift off to sleep but the position in which you slumber can reveal a lot about someone. Most adults sleep predominantly in one of three positions: side sleeping, back sleeping, and stomach sleeping. Research indicates that sleeping on your side is the most common sleep position, while dozing on your back and stomach are less frequent. Sleep positions can influence breathing, spinal alignment, snoring, and certain health symptoms, but also provide insight into people's personalities. Below, experts share the most common sleep positions and what they really mean. Fetal position Sleeping with your knees drawn up against your chest with a rounded back is also known as the fetal position. 'People who sleep in the fetal position often curl up tightly, and this can indicate a need for security or comfort,' Melissa Legere, the Clinical Director and Co-Founder of California Behavioral Health, told the Daily Mail. Sleeping with your knees drawn up against your chest with a rounded back is also known as the fetal position (stock image) 'I've noticed that individuals who favor this position may be more sensitive or anxious, seeking a sense of safety while they rest.' According to Psychology Today, this indicates a need for security and a protective reflex in the face of latent emotional anxiety. In the 1970s, sleep researcher Samuel Dunkell hypothesized that people who sleep in the fetal position tend to be more anxious and emotional, as per sleepfoundation.org. Sleeping on your stomach Stomach sleeping is linked to defensiveness, as well as sensitivity to criticism. Researchers point to a tendency for stomach sleepers to feel overwhelmed and lacking control in their lives. The position is not recommended from a health perspective, with Joseph Dzierzewski from the National Sleep Foundation, saying it may temporarily reduce snoring for some individuals, but it generally places the neck and spine in less supportive postures, increasing strain over time. Stomach sleeping is linked to defensiveness, as well as sensitivity to criticism (stock image) Side sleeping Side sleeping is one of the most popular sleep positions, and it is said to be linked to being relaxed, open-minded, and able to compromise. 'Side sleeping can indicate that a person is approachable and social, but it can also show a desire to shield themselves from the stressors of the world, almost like creating a protective barrier during sleep,' Legere explained. She said that while people in this position may be 'thoughtful and considerate,' side sleepers can also carry tension in their bodies. 'Especially in their shoulders and hips, hinting at underlying stress that they manage while awake,' she pointed out. But, how you sleep on your side can also say a lot about you. These sleepers fall into two categories: the 'yearning' position, with arms outstretched, or the 'log position,' with arms firmly by your side. Sleep scientist Chris Idzikowski told the Sleep Foundation that slumbering in a log position suggests that a person is sociable and interacts with others easily, warning it could make them gullible. Yearners tend to be open, though not as open as those who prefer the log position, according to Idzikowski. Side sleeping is one of the most popular sleep positions, and it is said to be linked to being relaxed, open-minded, and able to compromise (stock image) 'Yearners can also be cynical and suspicious,' he noted. Dzierzewski told the Daily Mail that sleeping on your side can often help keep airways more open, which may reduce snoring and help with mild breathing issues. It also supports spinal alignment when paired with proper pillow support. Back sleeping Back sleeping is typically associated with openness and self-assuredness, according to Legere. 'People who sleep on their back tend to be more confident and emotionally stable,' she said. The expert said the sleep position exposes the body fully, which reflects their trust in their environment. 'It can also indicate a person who holds stress internally rather than outwardly,' she shared. 'Because the body is fully relaxed but the mind may still be processing tension beneath the surface.' When constructing a cheese board, Brie and Camembert are invariably go-to inclusions for Australians. But French visitor Leo Filipetti, who recently tasted the local iterations, has made a bold claim about the Aussie versions of the popular cheeses. 'I learnt that in Australia, the Brie and the Camembert are exactly the same cheese,' he claimed. The European comedian, who's spent the past year in Australia, made the declaration in a now-viral video, claiming he had even conducted his own research to confirm his hunch. 'They just change the packaging, but it tastes the same, it's the same cheese,' he alleged in a video, shared to his @leofilipetti Instagram account. 'I went to a dairy farm in Victoria, and they validated what I just told you.' Daily Mail spoke to Leo, who explained that his curiosity about the similarity between Australian Brie and Camembert varieties was piqued when he tasted both back to back. 'My friend told me there was Camembert and Brie on the cheese plate - so I tried them both, and I thought they tasted very similar,' he said. French comedian Leo Filipetti shared his bold theory about Aussie white-mould cheeses in a video shared to his @leofilipetti Instagram account 'I even thought maybe my friend didn't read the label correctly and had accidentally just bought two Bries!' Since that taste test, Leo has made it his personal mission to try a variety of Australian cheeses. While the French local was overall 'impressed by the quality of the cheese' down under, he remained adamant that he couldn't tell the two popular white-mould varieties apart in Oz. 'I tried many different brands and most of the time, they both tasted very similar. 'In France, the Camembert is more intense and savoury than Brie. 'But in Australia, these cheeses are milder than in France.' Leo said his fascination even led him to search for answers by visiting an unnamed Aussie dairy farm. Although they didn't specify particular brands, he said he was told there 'that both cheeses are produced using the same process'. 'They said they're made using pasteurised white-mould cheeses with similar creamy textures.' A French tourist has made the bold claim that Australian produced varieties of Brie (left) and Camembert (right) are 'the same cheese' Daily Mail spoke to RMIT University Professor Jayani Chandrapala about the suggestion that Brie and Camembert are essentially the same cheese in Australia. The Head & Associate Dean of the Department of Food Technology & Nutrition agreed that the two cheeses are 'mostly produced using the same ingredients', but pointed out the 'processing conditions' could be different. But in response to suggestion that Brie and Camembert are one and the same in Australia, Professor Chandrapala felt this was 'over claiming'. 'Both types use pasteurised milk and the same lactic acid bacteria to acidify the milk and to develop flavour. They both use rennet for milk coagulation, Penicillium fungus to produce the mouldy rind, and then salt,' she explained. 'In Australia, more cream might be added to Brie to get a richer, creamier texture,' she said, adding that it usually also undergoes a 'shorter ageing process'. Globally renowned professional cheese expert Ivan Larcher explained why there's a tendency for similarly tasting cheeses to be labelled as both 'Brie' and 'Camembert' in Australia 'Camembert is usually aged longer, to give that intense, earthy flavour,' she noted. 'Overall, the fat content and ageing process are what make the difference between the two cheese types when made in Australia.' Globally renowned professional cheese expert Ivan Larcher also spoke to Daily Mail about why the two cheese types tend to taste similar in Australia. The Frenchman - fondly known in the industry as the 'cheese doctor' - has worked with many prominent cheesemakers worldwide and in Australia, he founded and works closely with premier cheesemakers and educators, Long Paddock Cheese. Ivan relished the opportunity to 'reestablish the truth' about these cheese varieties in Australia, which he explained belong to the broader 'technological family: the "Bloomy Soft Cheeses".' RMIT University Professor Jayani Chandrapala, Head & Associate Dean of the Department of Food Technology & Nutrition He explained that traditionally, Brie and Camembert are names that refer to the geographical location of the cheesemaker in France: 'Brie being a region near east of Paris, while Camembert is a small village located in lower Normandy.' The traditional methods of cheesemaking is deeply protected in these European locations - with ageing methods and physical appearance highly specific to the towns and regions in which they're produced. However, Ivan emphasised that strictly speaking, 'there is no legal classification or definition of what a "Brie" or "Camembert" cheese must be'. 'Both are generic names,' he explained. 'You could theoretically make any kind of cheese and label it as a "Brie" or "Camembert".' As a result, he notes that unfortunately when places outside of France label their cheeses as "Brie" or "Camembert", it's essentially a marketing tool, and not indicative of the characteristics or production methods of making the cheese. 'If we look at the situation in Australia, these names are purely marketing tools to help the sale of the products,' Ivan said. 'Bloomy Soft Cheese manufacturers in Australia are selling a name rather than a product, leading to such confusion,' he added. Ivan lamented that in Australia, sadly, many cheeses are 'the same white, tasteless, boring, predictable gummy dairy protein foodstuff, sold either under the name of Brie or Camembert'. He noted that adding 'a bunch of cream into the cheese to make it an 'oozy creamy cheese' was usually the only main difference between the types. Long Paddock Cheese ditched using labels like 'Brie' and 'Camemberet' for their Aussie-produced white bloomy cheese, instead calling their variety 'Flannel Flower' cheese 'They have fundamentally the same base but different names.' So, in his work with Long Paddock Cheese, Ivan directed the brand to ditch using labels like Brie and Camembert for their white bloomy cheese - because it isn't a French-made cheese. Instead, Long Paddock Cheese call its own localised white bloomy cheese variety 'Flannel Flower' cheese. 'As a mark of respect to real Brie and Camembert manufacturers, who have been in operation for centuries now, we wanted to make a cheese with an Australian identity, helped by French savoir-faire. 'And rather than adding cream into our milk to try to create a fake oozy texture, we partially skim the milk, as they do in traditional Camembert. We then process this spare cream into creme fraiche and artisan butter.' The recent online video claim about Brie and Camembert varieties in Australia has stunned cheese lovers - many who felt that Leo's claim made absolute sense. 'No wonder I could never tell the difference,' mused one person. 'I swear you're right. I thought I just wasn't cultured enough,' added another. The video about the similarity between Aussie cheese varities was shared by Leo, who is currently performing a run of comedy shows around Melbourne and Sydney But others Aussies with more refined palates insisted that Brie and Camembert are definitely not the same - if you get it from the right place. 'Supermarket cheese: yes. Good deli or cheese shop: no. There are few of us here who know our cheeses,' read one reply. 'Noooooo surely not. Camembert is way better than Brie.' Others playfully coined new names for the Aussie cheese - with one calling it 'CamenBrie'. 'Brimembert is my favourite cheese,' joked another. But one person light-heartedly suggested they'd need to conduct their own further "research" into the matter. 'Great. Now I have to go and buy Brie and Cam and open them and eat them to test for myself And a pinot gris with walnuts, honey and figs and crackers. So mad I have to do this. So very mad,' one woman laughed. Leo, who is currently touring his comedy show around Melbourne and Sydney, even laughingly piped up in response to this particular comment, replying: 'Hope you have the worst time.' An Aussie man has come up with a genius solution for that tricky situation when you want to eat your Macca's on the run - but only have one hand free. Charbel cleverly devised a unique system using McDonald's Australia food packaging that lets him hold his entire meal in one hand. 'I'm about to put you onto the best Macca hack you've ever seen,' the foodie declared in a recent Instagram video. Demonstrating the trick with a medium burger meal, Charbel started by having his beverage placed in a standard small takeaway drink container. He then took his burger box, opened it and pointed to 'this little tab here', referring to a small slot on the side of the cardboard packaging where the box flips open. 'Put it straight onto your drink,' Charbel demonstrated, sliding the tab opening of the burger box over the straw. 'Boom,' he exclaimed in the video shared to his @chaabz Instagram account, showing that the box was now suspended on top of the drink, secured by the upright straw. Next, the online food reviewer poured his fries 'straight in' to the open and unused side of the burger box, tossing aside the empty container. Aussie man Charbel demonstrated in a video how he could turn his Maccas burger box into... ... a makeshift holder for his entire medium double cheeseburger meal 'Off you go!' he declared at the end of the 15-second video, picking up his entire meal by simply holding onto his drink cup. Charbel told Daily Mail how he 'randomly' discovered the hack while struggling to carry food one day. 'I was out for a walk one time after grabbing Macca's with a friend, and they asked me to hold their food while they sorted something out. 'Trying to carry the burger box, fries and drink all at once felt awkward, and it seemed like something was about to drop,' he explained. The predicament reminded Charbel of an online video he'd seen of an American man fashioning a fast food meal holder from his takeaway containers - but Charbel was initially 'unconvinced that it would work with our style of boxes and cups here in Australia'. 'So I decided to test it properly,' he said. 'I realised the slit in the burger box fits perfectly over the drink cup lid, sitting securely between the straw and the rim,' Charbel explained. 'Once I placed it on top, it instantly turned into a makeshift tray and made everything much easier to carry.' Charbel assembled the meal holder by sliding a slit on the side of the burger box over the straw polkng out from the drink, securing it in place The 15-second video shared to his @chaabz Instagram account concluded with him carrying the entire meal in just one hand Charbel says he's since used his meal holder hack several times while out walking, or when just trying to juggle a phone in one hand and his food in the other. 'It just keeps everything balanced and stops you from juggling multiple items,' he said. When Charbel filmed his hack video, he did it using his go-to meal - a medium double cheeseburger meal with a steamed bun - so that it would be served in a box rather than paper wrapping. He noted that the hack would also work with any Macca's burger that comes in a box, like a Quarter Pounder, McChicken or Big Mac. Charbel noted that you need to order a McDonald's burger that comes in a box - not wrapped in paper - in order to be able to do the hack Aussie Macca's fans were instantly amused and impressed by Charbel's video, which has been viewed over 376,00 times. 'Chabz I'm not gonna lie this is the best hack I have ever seen,' read one reply. 'So good!' enthused another. 'I'm going Maccas just so I can do this,' another confirmed. 'Omg how [have] I coped without this?' another joked. While many declared their minds were 'blown' by the discovery, some claimed they'd seen similar food packaging hacks doing the rounds online years ago. 'About 10 years too late, mate, but never mind,' read one reply. A late night host widely seen as the one of the most left-leaning has joked that his broadcaster's takeover by a MAGA-friendly billionaire may soon see him taken off the air. Last Week Tonight host John Oliver leaned into uncertainty about his show's future Sunday by admitting his takes may not bode well with Paramount CEO David Ellison. Ellison, the son of outspoken Donald Trump supporter Larry Ellison, had his $110billion bid for HBO's parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, accepted last week. 'If I may quote anyone whos ever accidentally sat on their Roku remote, Oh shit, Im in Paramount now, how the f**k do I get out of this?"' Oliver reacted. 'Theres no point in the police just stacking up thousands of hours of footage that no ones ever going to see - especially given that we all know that that is Paramount+s job,' he said later on in the show, during a segment about police body cameras. 'Hey - whatre they gonna do? Take us over and immediately cancel us? Im genuinely asking,' Oliver continued. The punch lines acknowledged the possibility of the late night host possibly clashing with Ellison's apolitical vision for the company, which is set to expand with the Warner merger. The British-born comic is a fierce defender of transgender athletes' rights, and in August mocked Superman actor Dean Cain for his his decision to join ICE. John Oliver acknowledged news of Paramount's accepted $110billion bid at the top of the Sunday's show with a pointed quip toward Paramount The company is run by David Ellison, who, like his father, is outspoken Trump ally. He is seen here at the US Capitol last month to attend the president's State of the Union address That same month, Oliver told former Bill Clinton White House intern Monica Lewinsky Tuesday that Trump's immigration policies have him worried for his own safety despite his status as a US citizen. Also in September, Oliver took aim at ABC parent company Disney in the saga surrounding fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, after Kimmel was taken off the air for several days following fierce backlash to a joke about Charlie Kirk in the days after the conservative activist's assassination. Oliver accused Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr of being responsible for Kimmel's suspension, at the time - citing an appearance on Benny Johnson's podcast where Carr urged affiliates to refuse to air the host. 'Carr leaned on broadcasters to take down Kimmel,' Oliver said. 'And its not like Trump is even trying to hide it.' The tirade also took aim at Disney's chief executive Bob Iger, for what was framed as cowardice and pandering. 'History is also going to remember the cowards who definitely knew better but still let things happen, whether it was for money, convenience, or just comfort,' Oliver said. The host did not address Ellison by name during his Sunday missive, but did address early rumors about the possibility of a Paramount-Warner merger back in September. 'Please stay the f*ck away from us. You are not my real business daddy, and you never will be!' Oliver joked back then. Oliver, on the other hand, is one of late-night's most left-leaning hosts - an identifier that could clash with Ellison's apolitical vision for the company. Oliver is a fierce defender transgender athletes' rights and other social issues Carr, meanwhile, said the FCC should be set to approve Paramount's bid just last week. The transaction requires federal approval, as was the case with Skydance's acquisition of Paramount last year. After the merger, Ellison expressed a desire to repair Americans' trust with changes to Paramount assets like CBS News. CBS News could be combined with prime Warner asset CNN if the Paramount-Warner merger does go through - an increasingly likely prospect, as of writing. Ellison, 43, successfully swayed Warner away from rival bidder Netflix last week, after upping an offer to $31-a-share. The escalating conflict in the Middle East is causing chaos across commodities markets, prompting concern households could bear the brunt of rising energy prices. Gas prices in Europe and the UK have surged in recent days as Qatar's state-run energy business, which accounts for a fifth of the liquified natural gas (LNG) trade, shut down production. Experts warn a sustained rise in gas prices is likely to wipe out the recently announced cut to the energy price cap, with some experts predicting a possible surge in average annual household energy bills to 2,500. This would echo the 2022 bills spike in the energy crisis, after Russia invaded Ukraine. The energy price cap has already been set from 1 April, at 1,641 for the average home, but is due to change again in July. If it rose to 2,500, as analysts at Stifel suggest, it would shoot up by 52 per cent. That would mark the highest level for energy bills since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which sent gas prices soaring. > Best energy deals: The fixed tariffs that BEAT the price cap Wholesale gas markets are surging and could lead to higher energy bills for some households How do gas prices affect our energy bills? Households have become acutely aware of how conflict can cause price rises and leave them struggling to pay their bills in recent years. While gas prices are not yet at the level of the 2022 crisis, there are concerns the longer the current conflict goes on, the harder it will be for consumers. The UK increasingly relies on LNG imports from Qatar, which is now the world's second biggest supplier of the gas behind the US. Wholesale gas prices in Britain jumped as much as 45 per cent on Monday, and rose a further 25 per cent to above 150p per therm this morning, the highest level since January 2023. Meanwhile, European gas prices extended their rally by another 40 per cent to 60/MWh, after rising nearly 35 per cent on Monday. Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, says the spike in gas prices translates to higher energy costs 'because the UK remains so heavily dependent on gas and the mature North Sea basin will be unable to meet domestic demand within the next few years.' And it's not just customers who use gas that are affected by surging prices. Francis adds: 'Our energy system also links the cost of gas to electricity prices because the grid still relies on gas-fired power stations, although this influence eased last year.' What does it mean for the price cap? In the immediate term, households are protected from rising wholesale prices whether they're signed up to a fixed or variable deal. Households on a fixed deal will continue to pay their current unit rate, while those on a standard variable tariff are protected by the Ofgem set energy price cap, which will fall by over 100 from April. From next month, the typical dual fuel household will pay 1,641 for their energy and will be protected until July, when the price cap changes again. If the Middle East conflict resolves relatively quickly, the impact on households should be minimal, but if gas prices continue to rise, then it could flow through to the price cap by the summer. That's because Ofgem uses the average prices during the three-month observation window and other related costs. Francis says: 'Bills are effectively protected until at least 1 July 2026 because the April to June cap has already been set. 'The cap works by smoothing out price spikes and delaying the passing on of cost increases to consumers. But that also means the real risk is what happens next. 'If wholesale prices fall back, the impact may be limited. 'But if elevated prices persist, they will affect Ofgem's next price cap decision in May, which takes effect from July.' Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at comparison site Uswitch says: 'If we see sustained higher wholesale prices in the coming period, Ofgem would have to reflect this which could have a knock-on effect for the July price cap level.' Stifel analysts say that a tripling in European wholesale gas prices to 100 could push a typical bill up to 2,500 a year and risk 'a repeat of 2022' unless the conflict eases. Currently, EDF predicts the price cap to rise by 65 to 1,706 between April and July, after increases in wholesale prices. But it warned 'there is still a long time before the next cap period is confirmed and so our forecast is very uncertain at this point.' It will become more of an issue if disruption to Qatari exports extends into the colder months, and Europe is forced to compete with Asian buyers. This would 'hinder Europe's ability to refill gas storage ahead of winter, elongating the impact,' says Bridget Payne, head of energy forecasting at Oxford Economics. Spike: The price of gas has soared this week thanks to the conflict Is it a good idea to fix now? Regulator Ofgem has been urging households to fix their energy bills even before the conflict in the Middle East erupted. Suppliers are offering significant discounts to the price cap, so if wholesale prices do rise for a sustained period of time, locking in a deal should save you money in the long run. There will no doubt be some repositioning of fixed deals from major suppliers as they work out where energy prices might move. No major suppliers have pulled or changed their deals, but this could change quickly. Francis warns that in periods of uncertainty, 'they often withdraw or increase the price of deals to avoid exposure to volatile wholesale costs.' Uswitch's Neudegg advises households not currently on a fixed rate to consider moving to one now. 'At the moment, there are still well-priced fixed deals available, up to an average 74 below the upcoming April price cap. 'Those who switch will also receive a further reduction to their unit rates once the Governments energy bill cuts take place from 1 April.' Currently, the best buy energy deals include Outfox the Market with an annual cost of 1,509, Fuse Energy at 1,515 and Eon Next at 1,543. Compare the best fixed energy deals in the box below. Electric car owners could be paying more for charging than public devices are telling them, a study has found. A review of public charging points identified that almost one in three provided customers with incorrect readings, meaning less electricity was being zapped into their vehicles' batteries than the device had led them to believe. EVCI Global, an independent inspection provider monitoring the EV charging sector, found that 31.5 per cent of chargers it reviewed were either overestimating or underestimating how much energy was being transferred to electric cars. The findings from its have been submitted to Parliament's Transport Select Committee, raising concerns that some EV drivers could be paying more than they should. Around 15 per cent of the chargers tested showed errors of more than five per cent, while a small number were said to have 'materially larger deviations' from the correct figures. The report concluded the inaccuracy of metering on these devices 'exposed EV drivers to higher financial risk' than those who fill up traditional cars with petrol and diesel. A review of hundreds of EV charging points across the country found than one in three are billing drivers the wrong amount EVCI Global tested hundreds of in-service chargepoints nationwide last year using 'calibrated, traceable equipment'. This found that three in ten fell outside the 'Maximum Permissible Error' allowance for meters when it came to measuring the supply of voltage being transferred from the grid to the vehicle. As such, EV owners are far more exposed to overpaying for the amount of energy they've paid for compared to those using a fuel pump at a filling station. Petrol pumps are subject to strict statutory verification and must typically operate within a tight tolerance of -0.5 to +1 per cent. However, for electric vehicle chargers, the margin for error is more forgiving, allowing for up to +2 per cent. Yet, the market analysis found that almost a third of public devices measured were outside this threshold. 'This creates a two-tier system of consumer protection where EV drivers are currently exposed to significantly higher financial risk than drivers of combustion engine vehicles,' it said. In its written submission to the transport committee, it highlighted the Chancellor's plans to introduce a 3p-a-mile tax on EV owners from 2028. Rachel Reeves confirmed in the Autumn Budget that eVED would bring fairness to the tax system, with petrol and diesel owners paying duty on every litre of fuel they pump into their cars. But EVCI said a lack of fairness on public chargepoint billing could make EV ownership even less appealing as other costs continue to rise. Craig Marsden, the companys chief executive, told The Telegraph that in one case he had measured a charger providing 37 per cent less electricity than its reading claimed. The report is a double blow to those electric car owners without a driveway and means of charging their EVs at home. While fuel pumps at filling stations have very tight restrictions on the accuracy of how much petrol or diesel is being transferred, the allowance window is much wider for EV chargers Those without off-street parking and therefore no access to a homecharger and cheaper domestic energy pricing are reliant on the public network. But while the infrastructure is growing, pricing is far higher - in some instances, over three times more expensive than plugging in at home. Public charging costs too are inflated by a 20 per cent VAT levy, which is four times that of the 5 per cent rate EV owners who plug in at their houses incur. As such, some public EV stations are currently charging up to 89p per kWh, meaning extended charging sessions can cost over 70. Annually, their charging bill can be close to 2,000. In contrast, those who can charge at home are typically paying 26p per kWh - a figure that will fall further following the Ofgem energy price cap reducing announced last week. And for some customers with EV-dedicated energy tariffs, the cost of energy can be as low as 7.5p per kWh if they charge during the early hours of the morning when demand is lowest. That said, a court has very recently ruled that public EV charging should benefit from a reduced five per cent VAT - bringing the tax in line with home charging. The First-Tier Tribunal Tax Chambers landmark decision came after community charge point operator, Charge my Street argued against the 20 per cent tax rate currently imposed on the public charging network on advice from global professional services Deloitte. EVCI Global has called on the Government to introduce a scheme where a body tests and periodically verifies that charging devices are delivering the energy they claim on screen. Tanya Sinclair, CEO at the EV policy group Electric Vehicles UK, told Daily Mail and This is Money: 'Accuracy in energy measurement matters. In several European markets, inaccuracy at a charge point carries clear legal consequences. 'Drivers should have the same confidence charging an EV as they do filling up at a petrol pump. That principle is straightforward. 'The right response is evidence-led and proportionate: a regulatory framework that enforces high standards of accuracy and robust verification at the charge point, just as we do for liquid fuels. 'EU precedent shows that stronger standards and clearer verification are both possible and practical.' She added that drivers 'deserve certainty' and responsibility 'now sits with government to put the right regime in place'. ChargeUK said inaccurate chargers identified in the report were 'isolated' cases and said measuring the transfer of energy at charging devices is more complex than tracking the amount of petrol coming out of forecourt pumps. Jarrod Birch, its head of policy, told The Telegraph: 'Charge point operators, auto manufacturers and drivers all care about accuracy but currently the evidence suggests isolated issues rather than a widespread problem. 'Electricity is different to fuel. It is harder to measure but charging an EV is also inherently more transparent than fuelling a petrol car. Drivers can see the electricity they have been billed for and the power delivered to their vehicle via their car's software.' Mr Birch said the EV charging industry is well aware of these issues and 'already engaging on this topic', including its own independent testing and verification. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'Public EV charge points are expected to accurately measure and provide the electricity they state they deliver. 'Meters used at most public charge points are covered by regulations requiring accuracy to within 2 per cent, which we expect all providers to adhere to.' I recently switched energy supplier from SSE to Octopus as it offers an attractive tariff for homes like mine that use heat pumps. I am worried as I received conflicting closing bills from SSE one showing that I owe nothing, and another chasing me for more than 23,000. I live in a farmhouse with a few outbuildings. That sum would be enough to power the whole village. I am 78 years old and cannot take this pressure. Please help. B.G., Buckinghamshire Sally Hamilton replies: Although SSE told you it was investigating this astronomic bill you werent confident things were being resolved. You asked for my help as you said the situation had left you shaking with worry. After I intervened, SSE customer services contacted you again, agreeing your bill was inflated and confirmed the demand for payment would be put on hold until the numbers had been crunched again. It seems the readings used by Octopus when you opened your account differed from those submitted to SSE when you left it. When customers switch supplier, the new company needs to receive opening meter readings, which are then sent to the old supplier so that both are working from the same number for the closing invoice and future bills. SSE said it needed Octopus to agree with its meter readings before it could move on. You then forwarded photos of readings taken at the time the account was switched in November last year. One picture showed a modern white smart meter and the other an older black box. Both showed kWh usage. It seems the readings for both your night and day usage should have come from the white meter only, and that the information from the black meter had thrown a spanner in the works. 'I received conflicting closing bills from SSE one showing that I owe nothing, and another chasing me for more than 23,000,' writes a reader HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP What you need to know about money every week: This is Money podcast After discussions between the two suppliers, new opening and closing readings were agreed, resulting in a still hefty 14,140 bill. Fortunately, this isnt what you owe. SSE also carried out a back-bill review. Under rules laid down by regulator Ofgem, customers are only liable for the past 12 months of energy consumption if they havent been billed correctly before this. This is to protect them from shock bills like the one you were landed with. It turns out your invoice was based on a series of inaccurate estimates that underestimated your consumption. Once this was ironed out and the sums checked a credit of 12,153 was added, cutting the charges by 10,847 leaving you to pay just 1,987. You were mightily relieved and grateful for my help. An SSE spokesperson said: We sincerely apologise for the distress and inconvenience caused. A spokesman for Octopus said: As soon as we were able to review meter photographs and confirm what had happened, we raised a formal dispute with SSE, proposing corrected readings that better reflect actual usage. Your smart meter should now be sending the correct data so you should receive accurate bills in future. Anyone who receives a back bill that doesnt look right or discovers they are being charged for the first time for energy used more than 12 months before should dispute it in writing, demand a breakdown of the charges, and make a formal complaint to the supplier. Since August last year, I have been trying to retrieve money belonging to a small club from an account that has been made dormant by NatWest. The bank keeps changing the requirements for me to unlock the account. Please help. W.C., Frinton-on-Sea, Essex Sally Hamilton replies: You explained that you are a member and past president of Maldon Cavaliers & Ladies Luncheon Club, founded in the 1970s to facilitate networking for local businesspeople. Over the years the club organised weekends away, as well as Christmas meals for members and guests. The account was useful for collecting money and paying bills for these activities. For a long time, the club had a treasurer and several signatories to the account. But over the years club membership declined, mainly due to member deaths and the effect of Covid. Recently just four members have been meeting for lunch once a month. When the treasurer died recently, you were the only signatory left on the account. The account hadnt been used for many years and when you came to close it, problems arose as two signatories were required. You have been trying to resolve this since last summer, asking the bank to transfer the 1,040 balance to you, or raise a cheque to be made out to Farleigh Hospice, a charity chosen by the remaining the club members. You went to your local NatWest branch, completed the relevant form, and showed your driving licence. These were turned down. When you tried again, the branch called head office to query the rejection but got nowhere. You raised a formal complaint. Sally Hamilton helps a reader who has been trying to retrieve money belonging to a small club from an account that has been made dormant by NatWest Let me know Have you had any trouble with either of the two energy suppliers, SSE or Octopus Energy, which feature in the first readers case that I tackle this week? Tell me about your experience by emailing sally@dailymail.co.uk The complaints staff then sent the details to the banks dormant account recovery department. Staff again rejected your ID and rejected letters written by a previous president to the clubs members from 2017, the only evidence you were able to provide. The bank repeated it wanted other signatories to agree the closure. You felt you were banging your head against a brick wall. Accounts become dormant if there has been no activity for as little as 12 months for a current account or up to 15 years for a savings account. Banks freeze them for security reasons, especially if there is a risk statements will be sent to old addresses and then used to commit identity fraud. The best way to stop accounts being closed is to keep payments going in an out, though this isnt always practicable, especially in cases such as your clubs account, where transactions had stopped. But it shouldnt be this difficult to reawaken a dormant account. Usually, a customer needs to give just the account number, name and some ID. It didnt quite work that way for you, largely because of your signatory conundrum. I asked NatWest to work out a way of paying you pronto, as six months is an unacceptable delay. The bank quickly apologised and a few days later arranged for the payment to be made, adding a goodwill gesture of 250 for the hassle you faced. You are now arranging a cheque for the full 1,287 to be paid to the hospice. You thanked the Daily Mail for working its magic. Straight to the point I bought a divan bed in late December and we paid the first instalment of 119.46 via buy-now-pay-later lender Klarna. Since then the retailer has ceased trading and said our order has been cancelled, so we wont receive the bed. Klarna still says I have to pay the full amount. Please help. J.C., via email. Klarna apologises for the delay in sorting this and says it has issued you a refund for the amount you paid. In October I bought a cottage and set up an electricity account in my name, but it seems to be linked to a meter at a neighbouring home, not mine. In December I was asked to pay a bill for a different account it seems another gas account has been set up in my name, which I know nothing about, with a balance of 1,073.14. Im really confused. P.M., Chichester. Scottish Power apologises and says the electricity account has been operating correctly. However, the gas account had been linked to a neighbouring property, and further incorrect accounts were also linked to the same home. These have been cancelled and billing is on hold while it sorts the issue. I have received subpar service from my breakdown cover provider, the RAC, for two recent breakdowns. The first time I was on the phone to the RAC for two hours waiting for someone to even answer the phone. I gave up and took a taxi home and my car wasnt recovered until a day after the breakdown. The second time the RAC gave me times for a recovery, which were continually pushed back. I had to book a taxi home and get a local recovery company to retrieve my car at a cost of 150. I am around 300 down in total. D.E., via email. The RAC apologises. It says that it is refunding your costs and making an additional payment to you. Gold has captured investors attention, with the price rocketing 82 per cent over the past year. Although that pales in comparison to the 179 per cent rise in the silver price. But while gold and silver grabbed the headlines, other metals have also soared, with platinum up 127 per cent in 2025, palladium up 78 per cent, lithium up 65 per cent and copper rising 44 per cent. So, what lies behind the surge in metals, can it continue and is there still an opportunity for investors to profit? On this episode of the Investing Show, Evy Hambro, co-manager of BlackRock World Mining Trust, explains to Simon Lambert whats happening in the world of commodities. With decades of investment experience under his belt, Evy talks through the concept of commodity super cycles and where we stand now in relation to that. He explains how the trust invests through stock market listed companies and the unique opportunities it taps through unlisted firms. BlackRock World Mining has benefited from the rapid uptick in metals prices, delivering a 127 per cent return to investors over the past year, almost as large as its 129.8 per cent return over five years. Over ten years, it has returned 757 per cent. The trust has ongoing charges of 0.95 per cent and a 2.1 per cent dividend yield. Evy discusses why even if metals stop their sharp rises - which he says they must eventually do - miners can still profit and deliver both rising share prices and healthy dividends. He says the massive investment by 'hyper scalers' in building out AI infrastructure will give a huge boost to commodities, along with governments' geopolitical race to secure critical minerals and rare earths. Evy describes the situation with gold and precious metals as 'fascinating' due to countries suffering from the huge burden of government debt and high social spending, plus the need to spend more on defence, which is leading to severe pressure on national finances. Meanwhile, central banks are now buyers of gold and the rise of ETF investing has opened up the market substantially. However, the fund manager has some words of caution for investors tempted to pick individual stocks, in terms of ensuring they look closely at financials and balance sheets. And finally, he answers the question of which metal or commodity could people be overlooking? This Investing Show episode was filmed before the Middle East conflict with Iran began. The price of gold and silver have risen since then. > Watch the Investing Show on YouTube Hundreds of thousands of Britons' travel plans have been plunged into chaos by the Iranian strikes on the Middle East. More than 100,000 British citizens are stuck in the Gulf countries, officials say, and thousands more were set to travel there or through their airports in the coming days and weeks. Flights to and from key holiday destinations including Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv have been cancelled due to airspace closures. The first flights back to the UK are only just starting to resume. Airports in these locations are the gateways to Asia and Australia, with thousands of travellers making connecting flights in the region each day. Travel disruptions have left holidaymakers in the lurch and many have been unable to get back to the UK or forced to pay for an alternative route home. So what are your rights if youre stranded in the Middle East or your upcoming holiday has been ruined and when are you not protected? And what should you do if you had a trip planned for later in the year? Money Mail answers all your questions... Passengers sit at London Heathrow waiting for news about flights on Sunday Im set to travel to the Middle East what are my rights if my flight is cancelled? More than 3,400 flights were cancelled as of Monday amid conflict in the Gulf. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to 14 countries, including Iran, and parts of certain countries, including Egypt and Turkey. It has also advised against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - which includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi - as of March 1. Swathes of the Gulfs airspace have been closed amid the conflict, which has left many airline passengers who have paid thousands of pounds for their trips unable to travel. If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity or at a later date if you prefer. Alternatively, you can ask for a refund, according to regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). If your airline cant reroute you via a suitable alternative flight when the airspace opens, you can ask to be booked on a flight with a competitor. If it doesnt do this then you should call the airline to ask if you can book the alternative flight yourself. These are rights afforded to travellers from the UK under a regulation called the EU Reg 261/2004, to which the UK still abides. You are covered if youre departing from any UK airport to the Middle East and your flight has been impacted, regardless of whether you are flying with a UK, EU or other international airline. If your flight is cancelled and you no longer want to travel to the Middle East due to the conflict, you can ask for a refund. You should receive it within seven days. Will I be able to get a refund for my hotel booking? Check the terms of your booking. Many hotels offer free cancellations, especially if it is some days or weeks before your reservation. If your booking does not offer free cancellations, give the hotel a call to see if they can offer you some flexibility, for example, to change the date of your stay. They may well be sympathetic to your situation and be willing to allow you to change your booking. Unfortunately, your travel insurance may not reimburse you if the hotel refuses to change your booking or to refund you should you need to cancel. Most standard policies do not cover trip cancellations due to acts of war, but check your policy wording carefully. Im trying to get home from the Middle East but my flight has been cancelled will I get a refund or compensation? The level of protection you are afforded depends on which airline you are set to fly to the UK with. If it is an EU or UK airline, such as British Airways, you will be covered under EU Reg 261/2004 rules. Your airline must get you home and look after you in the meantime by paying for meals and accommodation. If it cannot offer you this care, you must pay expenses upfront, keep the receipts and hope that youll be reimbursed by your airline later. You should make sure your expenses are reasonable, or your airline may reject your claim. Travel and customer service expert Jane Hawkes says there are no strict definitions of reasonable. Generally, these costs mean a mid-range hotel rather than luxury accommodation, typically close to the airport and at a standard local room rate, she says. If disruption is widespread and prices surge, higher rates can still be reasonable but keep clear evidence. For meals, sensible spending appropriate to the time of day is covered and airlines recognise that airport prices are higher. Fine dining and alcohol are not accepted as reasonable costs. Transport between the airport and hotel should be reimbursed, with public transport preferred where practical, though taxis are reasonable late at night or where no alternative exists. Necessary communication costs, such as phone calls or internet access to rearrange travel, should also be covered. Alternatively, you can ask for a refund for your return leg. However, Tim Riley, who is the chair of the UK Travel Insurance Association (UKTIA) and runs travel insurer True Traveller, stresses that asking for a refund is the last thing you should do. Accepting a refund effectively ends the airlines duty of care, leaving the traveller responsible for arranging and paying for new flights themselves, which are likely to be significantly more expensive, he says. Travel insurance will not cover the difference in cost between a refunded ticket and a new booking. Due to airspace closures, you may not be rerouted as soon as youd like. If your airline cant reorganise your flights when airspace opens, you can request that it books you on a flight with a different airline at the earliest opportunity, or ask if you can book an alternative flight and be reimbursed later. But be aware, these rules do not apply if you are set to arrive in the UK with a non-UK or non-EU airline. For example, if you booked your return flights with Etihad Airways, you wont be covered under these regulations. Nonetheless, the CAA still expects airlines to minimise the impact to its passengers. This doesnt mean that you arent entitled to an alternative flight or a refund, just that youll need to speak with your airline to check your rights. For example, Emirates says passengers can change the date of their ticket to travel on or before March 20 or ask for a refund. Plus, the UAE and Qatar have said they will pay for the cost of food and accommodation for those stranded in the country. Officials have contacted hotels to request that stays are extended for those who are unable to leave, and reassured businesses that this cost will be covered by the state. Unfortunately, you will not be entitled to any additional compensation for the disruptions, the CAA warns. Under normal circumstances you receive compensation if you arrived at least two hours late or your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before the planned take-off. The amount would depend on when a flight was cancelled, the distance of the flight and the timings of the rescheduled flight. However, airlines dont have to pay out compensation if the delay or cancellation is down to extraordinary circumstances - like those we are currently witnessing. This phrase covers events like political or civil unrest, a security alert, a strike by air traffic control or acts of terrorism. Cancelled flights to Dubai listed on a display board at an airport yesterday Grounded planes are seen at the Dubai International Airport following its closure on Sunday Can I get a refund for my holiday accommodation in the Middle East? If you booked a package holiday with flights and accommodation and it is cancelled or changed significantly, you must either be offered an alternative holiday at a later date or a refund of the full amount. Your travel company should contact you if you are in this situation. For example, package holiday provider Love Holidays has cancelled all trips to or via impacted areas of the Middle East up until March 8 and it is refunding customers. If you are stuck abroad on a package holiday, the airline should cover the cost of your accommodation until you can return home so long as it is a UK or EU airline. Can I claim on my travel insurance? Travel insurance is usually the safety net travellers rely on when they cant get any help from an airline or they need to cancel a hotel booking. If the reason for the cancellation is outside of an airlines control, your travel insurer can normally reimburse you for the flight as well as the holiday accommodation and hire car costs. However, due to the conflict in the Middle East, policyholders may not be able to cancel their trip and claim on their travel insurance This is because standard travel insurance policies typically exclude war, hostile acts, civil war and military action. Some do offer cover, though, so check the small print. For example, insurer Staysures signature policy or travel disruption extension add on will cover cancellations due to an outbreak of war. The travel disruption add on covers a trip cancellation if the FCDO advises against all or all but essential travel to a destination. If your policy covers a 'catastrophe', you may be protected. Anna-Marie Duthie, travel insurance expert at financial product experts Defaqto, says: Look for wording suggesting they will cover disruptions due to a catastrophe - defined as including civil commotion and/or civil unrest assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising. You may also be covered if your policy allows you to claim if the advice from the FCDO about travel to the region changed with 31 days of travel. If you travel against the advice of the FCDO, your travel insurance may be invalidated. For example, the body has advised against all but essential travel to the UAE. The Foreign Office says it is up to you to decide if your travel is essential. It provides little explanation on what this means but it is generally understood that urgent business commitments or unavoidable family events such as a funeral will be seen as essential. Im set to travel soon but now I feel uncomfortable can I cancel and rebook my flight for a different time? Many holidaymakers may still feel wary about travelling to the Middle East, even if the conflict subsides. But this is unlikely to be a valid reason to claim a refund on an upcoming trip. If your flight has already been cancelled due to the conflict, you can choose to get a refund instead. This should arrive within seven days. However, if the flight is still going ahead, its unlikely youll be reimbursed if you cancel it. Ms Hawkes says that if the trip is still operating and you choose to cancel for personal reasons, you may not have a legal right to a refund. She says: If youve got a Dubai holiday booked for just a few weeks time, for example, start by checking the latest Foreign Office advice and your airlines position. If flights are operating and there is no change in official advice, your trip may still go ahead as planned. Official advice from the FCDO is currently not to go to the UAE except for essential travel. But keep an eye on this nearer to your trip as it may change. Disinclination to travel is not a valid reason for a refund. But try to contact your provider to ask about flexibility, date changes or waivers, as many companies offer goodwill options during periods of uncertainty. Avoid cancelling immediately without understanding your rights, says Ms Hawkes. Many airlines are offering passengers the chance to cancel or rebook their flights in the coming days, even those not covered under the EU regulations. For example, Qatar Airways says that if you are travelling between February 28 and March 10, you can push forward the date of your flight by up to 14 days or you can get a refund. British Airways customers set to travel between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv up to March 15 can change their flight date to any day before the end of March 29. Customers travelling before March 8 can also request a refund. Check options with your airline. A satellite image shows smoke billowing from the Jebel Ali port in Dubai following an Iranian missile attack on Sunday Stranded passengers head to Dubai's airport in the hope of catching a flight home, as limited flights resume Im visiting another country but my flight stops over at Doha what will happen? Many international flights, such as those to and from Australia and Asian countries such as Thailand or Pakistan, have stopovers in the Middle East in places such as Doha. But these may now be cancelled or changed due to the conflict. For example, you might have been rerouted via a direct flight or have a different stopover destination. This may mean your arrival is delayed. However, you will not be eligible for compensation as you would in normal times under EU and UK rules, because the delay is driven by extraordinary circumstances. Am I covered for indirect expenses I clock up? Because the current disruption is caused by war, neither travel insurers nor airlines need to pay for what is known as consequential losses. That means that if youve paid for car rental or airport car parking that you cant redeem, or for pet sitting while youre away, you wont be reimbursed. Travel insurance also wont pay out for loss of earnings if you cant work because youre stuck in the Middle East. What if I dont get what Im owed? If your airline rejects your claim, you can try to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve the matter. In the UK, two approved ADR schemes cover aviation: AviationADR and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). Theres a list of the airlines signed up to each scheme on the CAA website (caa.co.uk). If your airline is not signed up to either and this includes many Middle East airlines such as Qatar and Etihad then the CAAs own team can consider your complaint. Have your travel plans been disrupted? Email moneymail@dailymail.co.uk BrewDog is shutting 38 bars with the loss of nearly 500 jobs despite being rescued by an American brewer and cannabis firm. The Scottish company has been snapped up by Tilray Brands in a 33million deal that includes its UK brewing operations and 11 pubs in Britain and Ireland. But 38 bars will close with the loss of 484 jobs in the latest blow to British hospitality. The deal came after BrewDog crashed into administration and leaves the brands investors empty-handed. More than 200,000 people who ploughed money into the firms equity for punks scheme will receive no return. But Tilray which produces medical cannabis products including craft beer and hemp foods will preserve 733 jobs in the UK. Time at the bar: BrewDog has been snapped up by Tilray Brands in a 33m deal that includes its UK brewing operations and 11 pubs in Britain and Ireland It will take control of BrewDog facilities including its brewery in Aberdeenshire, which produces beers including Punk IPA and Elvis Juice. Tilray has also bought The Hop Hub a distribution centre in Motherwell. The brewer closed its pubs yesterday as administrators at AlixPartners sought to confirm a takeover. Irwin D. Simon, chairman and chief executive of Tilray Brands, said the firms priority was to refocus the business on the craft beer excellence that made it beloved in the first place and strategically invest to return the operations to profitable growth. BrewDog was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, but it has faced mounting losses in recent years and has closed a string of bars and axed chunks of its workforce. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: This is a devastating day for BrewDog workers, [who] built this brand. They deserved respect. Instead, they were treated as disposable pawns. The boss of one of Britains largest petrol station groups has warned the war in the Middle East will inevitably filter to the price at the pumps. Alistair Lock, chairman of the Motor Fuel Group said while prices of petrol would rise 'in due course' as oil prices soar, he could not predict how high they would increase or for how long. It came as oil prices rose 6 per cent yesterday in the wake of the US and Israel launching attacks on Iran over the weekend, killing its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with further attacks across the region - which yesterday prompted Qatar to halt its production of liquified natural gas and Saudi Arabia to temporarily shut parts of its Ras Tanura oil refinery. Lock told the BBC: The two main components of the price of petrol are tax and the price of oil - with the price of oil going up, that is inevitably going to feed through in due course to higher prices at the pump. The war in the Middle East will inevitably filter to the price at the pumps, said Alistair Lock But he said it will depend on how long and how high those prices go, as to how high the price of fuel will be. Lock also said the situation had highlighted the absurdity of a lot of our current energy policy, particularly with relation to energy security. He pointed to the UKs reliance on importing an awful lot of gas from Qatar and said why on earth are we shutting down our own production in the North Sea, on the altar of net-zero? We all know that we need oil and gas in this country in the mix for decades to come, the boss of 1,200 forecourts across the UK told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Derren Nathan, head of equity research, Hargreaves Lansdown, explained: Brent crude oil has consolidated recent gains breaking through the $80 barrier not seen since January 2025. Until clarity emerges around the likely duration of this conflict, tension in the Middle-East is likely to overshadow forecasts of a supply-glut in the market. Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus Energy, also warned that if the conflict carries on, Brits are likely to see higher prices by the summer. But he also told the Today programme: For energy prices, in the short term, household prices are protected through the price cap. That will be fixed through April, May and June. So, if things resolve relatively quickly, the impact on households shouldn't be too bad.' The Chancellors plan to hit family firms and farms with death duties will be tested in court later this month in a major boost for campaigners fighting the tax raid. A judicial review will be held into the governments proposed changes to inheritance tax rules on March 17 and 18 at the Royal Courts of Justice. The case will be heard by a panel of judges, rather than a single High Court judge, in a move that lawyers said underscores its importance. The hearing comes after Rachel Reeves refused to cancel the tax raid in the Spring Statement despite months of protests that have seen convoys of tractors driven through central London. Campaigners described it as a missed opportunity. There are around five million family businesses in the UK with 12million employees In her Budget in 2024, the Chancellor announced changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) that left family farms and firms facing inheritance tax of 20 per cent on assets worth over 1million from this April. She later raised the threshold to 2.5million, or 5million for married couples, in a preChristmas Uturn. But the move has not eased concerns across the sector raising the stakes ahead of this months judicial review. James Austen, a partner at law firm Collyer Bristow, which is acting for the farmers and businesses, said: The listing of this case before a Divisional Court underscores its importance, as does the urgency with which the court will now hear it. The issues raised in this judicial review are profound: they concern the standards by which Government should have consulted before implementing reforms with profound consequences for families and businesses across the country. The Office for Budget Responsibility said it now expects that change to reduce inheritance tax receipts by 100million a year. Reacting to the Spring Statement, Fiona Graham, chief operating officer at campaign group Family Business UK, said: For Britains family businesses today represents another missed opportunity for government to give them its full support and reverse the changes to inheritance tax. She added: The eyes of all family businesses are now firmly fixed on next month when the changes to inheritance tax are due to take effect. For them, the family business tax remains another cost they must plan for which will drain investment from the company and limit the creation of new opportunities for workers. The forecast from the OBR repeats the uncertainty of how family businesses will respond to the tax. Our evidence indicates that the reforms will further reduce employment, weaken investment and productivity growth, and lead to a fiscal loss to the Treasury. If the Government is serious about reversing these trends it must properly incentivise Britains five million family businesses and reverse the family business tax. With her glassy-eyed stare, perfectly coiffed hair and pristine white wedding dress, she is the unlikely subject of one of the world's most chilling urban legends. La Pascualita, also known as the Corpse Bride of Mexico, has attracted curious attention from her stiff stance in bridal shop, La Popular, in Chihuahua, for almost a century. The mannequin first appeared in the shop window in 1930 and curious passers-by were captivated by her lifelike skin, fingernails and visible veins. And soon, a much darker theory as to what is behind the mannequin's ethereal beauty emerged. Legend says that due to her striking resemblance to the then-owner Pascuala Esparza, there were whispers that the mannequin was actually the embalmed body of her daughter, who had died from a spider bite on her wedding day. In the 1960s, La Pascualita's fame went into overdrive as locals claimed they had seen the mannequin exhibit paranormal activity, including moving her limbs, staring and smiling at shoppers and even crying. Some employees were said to be so afraid of La Pascualita that they refused to change her clothing, as they claimed 'greenish' veins appeared on her legs, while red veins reportedly popped up in the whites of her eyes, before vanishing. With her glassy-eyed stare, perfectly coiffed hair and pristine white wedding dress, she is the unlikely subject of one of the world's most chilling urban legends La Pascualita, also known as the Corpse bride of Mexico, is located in a bridal shop called La Popular, located in Chihuahua 'Every time I go near Pascualita my hands break out in a sweat,' said one shop worker. 'Her hands are very realistic and she even has varicose veins on her legs. I believe she's a real person.' Other theories allege she even left her window display for extended periods of time, before mysteriously reappearing. In the present day, she has become a legend, attracting tourists from all over the world. So is La Pascualita a macabre way of keeping a loved one close for eternity, or simply an eternal tribute to a daughter whose life was snatched away? Psychic medium Matt Fraser - known for Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the AfterLife and reality show Meet The Frasers - exclusively told the Daily Mail he believes the mannequin does have a spiritual connection - but not in the way history believes. 'Over the years as a psychic medium, I have seen grief do extraordinary things to people. When love has nowhere to go, it looks for a place to land. That is why the legend of La Pascualita has never felt like a simple horror story to me. It feels deeply human' he said. 'I do not feel that La Pascualita is literally the preserved corpse of a young woman. However, I do believe there is truth to the idea that the mannequin is energetically connected.' Due to her striking resemblance to the then-owner Pascuala Esperza - whispers spread the mannequin was actually the embalmed body of his daughter (pictured left) who allegedly died from a spider bite on her wedding day In the 1960s, La Pascualita's fame went into overdrive as locals claimed they had seen the mannequin exhibit paranormal activity, including moving her limbs, staring and smiling at shoppers, and even crying Some employees were said to be so afraid of La Pascualita that they refused to change her clothing, as they claimed 'greenish' veins appeared on her legs and she moved her hands Further wild theories allege she even left her window display for extended periods of time, before mysteriously reappearing. In the present day, she has become a legend, attracting tourists from all over the world Psychic medium Matt Fraser, known for Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the AfterLife and reality show Meet The Frasers 'I have witnessed how grief can attach itself to objects. When I tune into La Pascualita, I sense something very similar,' he continued. 'I believe the owner felt a powerful attraction to the mannequin because it resembled her daughter. Over time she dressed her, adjusted her appearance, and added personal details to bring that vision to life.' Fraser said that the an object can 'hold emotional energy' and 'becomes charged' if particular intensions are focused on it. In the case of La Pascualita, that means 'sensitive people feel that energy and interpret it through fear or fascination.' 'They noticed the lifelike hands. The eyes that seemed to follow them. The subtle changes that appeared from one visit to the next,' he explained. 'That is often how legends begin. Not from deception, but from unresolved grief meeting human imagination.' In short, the mannequin 'carries emotional residue.' 'Do I believe La Pascualita moves on her own? No,' he said. 'Do I believe she is haunted by a trapped or restless spirit? Not in the way the stories claim.' He added: 'Sometimes the most chilling stories are not about death itself. They are about how deeply we love and how hard it can be to let go.' ChadMichael Morrisette, a visual artist at West Hollywood's Oh Mannequin!, refused to rule out that La Pascualita could be a creatively staged real body. 'It's a fabulous legend but it does look like a wax mannequin with glass eyes. I have seen mannequins with human hair and teeth', he said. Morrisette cited 19th century French designer Pierre Imans' hyper-realistic mannequins as an example of truly life-like displays, adding: 'Rich people can afford to have themselves sculpted and the detailed hands could be the result of a life casting. 'That said, the detailing is impressive. Could it be a body? Maybe.' Weighing in on further theories La Pascualita is a body covered in an outer layer of wax, he said: 'The gases would explode in the body unless it was properly mummified.' Morrissette pointed to Eva Peron's body which was embalmed in glycerin and vanished for 20 years - before reappearing in near perfect condition - as an example of how bodies can remain near-immune to decomposition if properly preserved. ChadMichael Morrisette, a visual artist at West Hollywood's Oh Mannequin! (pictured) refused to rule out that La Pascualita could be a creatively staged real body Eva Peron's (pictured) body was embalmed in glycerin and vanished for 20 years - before reappearing in near perfect condition While Esparza reportedly denied La Pascualita was her dead daughter at the time, no public comment on the actual origins of the mannequin was ever made. Adding a further wrinkle to the mystery, in recent years La Pascualita has vanished from her window display with no public explanation - only to be replaced by a sign detailing her history. No X-ray or any testing has ever been performed to finally answer the near-century old question. Nevertheless, the legend of La Pascualita has persisted - as have the throngs of believers who leave flowers and candles outside the shop window. Residents living in a premium community on the south coast have become incensed by a long line of campervans parked directly outside their homes. Locals argue that the 20 vehicles which have settled on a cliff-top road at Boscombe and Southbourne, Bournemouth, are turning 'what was once a scenic, peaceful stretch of coastline into an unmanaged long-stay parking zone'. Those living in the vans do not pay council tax or even parking charges, something that residents of the nearby 1million homes have described as unfair. Some have also complained about feeling uncomfortable when walking by the vehicles at night. A petition has been signed by more than 340 residents who are calling for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council to take action in a bid to remove the vans that park up for 'months at a time'. It reads: 'A growing number of vans, motorhomes, caravans and converted vehicles have been parking long-term along the Overcliff, often remaining for weeks or even months at a time. 'What was once a scenic, peaceful stretch of coastline has increasingly become an unmanaged long-stay parking zone. 'Despite repeated complaints from residents, BCP Council has not taken effective action to prevent or manage this issue. Residents living in a premium community on the south coast have become incensed by a long line of campervans parked directly outside their homes Locals argue that the 20 vehicles which have settled on a cliff-top road at Boscombe and Southbourne, Bournemouth, are turning 'what was once a scenic, peaceful stretch of coastline into an unmanaged long-stay parking zone' Those residing in the vans do not pay council tax or even parking charges, something that residents living in the nearby 1million homes have described as unfair 'This is causing visible and measurable decline in the area.' Issues such as obstructed views, reduced parking availability, visual deterioration of a premium seafront area and loss of community feel have been listed by frustrated locals. They claim there is a 'decreasing sense of value and fairness, especially while paying premium council tax' at the plush seaside location. 'BCP Council must not stand by while a premium Bournemouth neighbourhood declines,' the petition continues. The residents are calling for enforcement action, including timed bays and overnight parking bans to deter the long-term parking. Meanwhile, Dorset Police is investigating after dozens of prized beach huts on the promenades below the cliffs were broken into. Distraught hut owners reported padlocks being cut and hasps jemmied, as well as items being stolen and contents damaged. Decking has also been set on fire during the spate of 27 incidents along the short stretch at Boscombe and Southbourne in recent weeks. Hut owner Scott Blackiston found his cabin 'ransacked'. Mr Blackiston, who spends more than 2,000 a year on the unit, criticised the police and council for not doing enough to put an end to the break-ins. He said: 'Police and the seafront team have been informed. They know it's happening and are allowing it to continue.' He also complained that the lights on the promenade 'are never on' and there is 'no protection'. Ann Gerrard, chairperson for Bournemouth Beach Hut Association, said: 'We have no idea who it is, but whoever it is has professional lock cutters. 'The council has to take some responsibility when it comes to a massive spate like this.' The council said they were working with beach hut licensees to do repairs. Cllr Richard Herrett said: 'We are very disappointed to hear about the recent beach hut break-ins in Southbourne. 'This is obviously distressing for hut owners and undermines the sense of safety and community that we want for our seafront. 'Our teams have been liaising closely with the affected licensees and Bournemouth Beach Hut Association, ensuring that any necessary repairs or security measures are put in place as quickly as possible. 'We take incidents like this extremely seriously and will continue working with our partners and local residents to help prevent it happening again.' Dorset Police said it received a report of a burglary at a beach hut in Manor Zig Zag in Bournemouth on February 19. Enquiries are said to be ongoing and no arrests have been made. A jubilant Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor offered to visit Jeffrey Epstein and 'pay homage to his new life' just hours after he was freed from house arrest following his child prostitution conviction, emails show. The disgraced former prince described Epstein's freedom as 'really, really good news' and quickly began discussing multi-billion-pound deals and meeting younger women with the paedophile financier's assistance. Andrew appeared to send the fawning email just one day after Epstein was freed from house arrest in July 2010, having been convicted two years earlier for soliciting prostitution from a child under 18. Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail in July 2009, but he was released under house arrest at his Palm Beach mansion for a year. In an email sent to Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson on July 24, 2010, Epstein said: 'I will be in Paris starting tomorrow.' Andrew, from an email account named 'The Duke', then replied: 'Congratulations! DS told me you were allowed out from yesterday. How long in Paris for? I am back in London from 16th. A.' Epstein continued the exchange by responding: 'I'm totally complete and done. Will be in Paris for a while. Then the ranch in New Mexico. There is so much opportunity here. I've had non stop all day meetings and my friends are super flush with cash, and nothing to do. 'Let's get moving. i.e. Leon Black is sitting with 20 billion dollars, and hungry for deals.' An excited Andrew then replied: 'Really, really good news. If you are in Paris around the 16th I'll be across to pay homage to your new life ahead!' Andrew photographed leaving Aylsham Police Station in Norfolk following his arrest on February 19 Emails released in the Epstein files show Andrew congratulating the paedophile on his freedom from house arrest in July 2010 He added: 'And as far as things to do I have, with DS, a good brain to make things happen. Even looking at purchases from government of up to 3B each.' Andrew signed the email off with 'HRH The Duke of York KG'. Around two weeks later, Epstein arranged for Andrew to meet a 26-year-old Russian model. On August 11, 2010, Epstein emailed Andrew saying: 'I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with ' Andrew replied the next day, 'Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of 22nd but would be delighted to see her. Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.' Describing the woman to Andrew, Epstein says: 'She 26 russian clever (sic) beautiful trustworthy and yes she has your email.' Andrew replied: 'That was quick! How are you? Good to be free?' The emails uncovered are among those released by the US Department of Justice in January. They raise further questions over Andrew's friendship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The emails above were also exchanged just months before the infamous photo of Andrew and Epstein walking around Central Park in New York was taken in December 2010. In a Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew claimed he visited the paedophile at his New York mansion to sever all ties. He said he regretted staying at Epstein's house while he was there and that he had 'let the side down'. However, emails have proved that Andrew stayed in contact with Epstein for a longer timeframe than he had admitted. Andrew was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as trade envoy. The former prince has denied any wrongdoing. Pictured is a mugshot of Epstein grinning after he was charged with procuring a minor for prostitution on July 25, 2013 in Florida Two weeks after he was released from house arrest, Epstein offered to set up a dinner for Andrew with a 'clever, beautiful and trustworthy' 26-year-old Russian woman King Charles issued an unprecedented statement confirming his 'wholehearted support and co-operation' with the investigation into Andrew just hours after he was detained - with Buckingham Palace understood not to have known the former Duke of York would be arrested. The statement said: 'I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. 'What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. 'Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.' William and Kate are understood to support the King. Days later, Peter Mandelson was arrested at his London home and taken into custody as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. The former British ambassador to the US was released on bail pending further investigation. A father is racing against time to raise 300,000 for specialist treatment in Germany that could slow his son's rare degenerative disease before it permanently robs him of his mobility. Jake McGregor-How, 16, from Mossley Hill in Liverpool, was diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) in December 2025 - a life-limiting genetic disorder that progressively damages the nervous system and can ultimately affect the heart. For five years, Jake's symptoms were attributed to coeliac disease and anaemia, and he continued life as normal - completing his GCSEs and beginning his A-Levels. But as his balance worsened and he began struggling to walk in a straight line last summer, his father Paul, 48, pushed for answers. After six months of testing, Jake received the life-changing FRDA diagnosis. The diagnosis - for which Jake was prescribed vitamins - came just three years after the devastating death of his mother, Gaynor. In 2023, she passed away from brain cancer, multifocal glioblastoma, leaving the McGregor-How family struck by tragedy for a second time. There is currently no cure for FRDA. However, omaveloxolone - a drug approved in parts of Europe and the US - has been shown to slow its progression. But in the UK, the treatment remains unavailable after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) was unable to recommend its use on the NHS. Now Paul, a claims manager, faces an agonising reality: raise 300,000 for a year of treatment in Germany or risk watching his son's condition deteriorate further. Last year, Jake McGregor-How (pictured) was diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia, a rare genetic disorder that progressively damages the nervous system and can affect the heart Jake's father Paul (left) is attempting to raise 300,000 for his son's treatment in Germany, which is not available on the NHS Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr How described the heartbreak of being unable to access a treatment within 'touching distance' of Jake. He said: 'Jake's Friedreich's Ataxia diagnosis came just before Christmas 2025, following six months of testing. 'We didn't really know anything about the condition, so I began researching it online. I started reading about it, thinking 'geez' - people who have FRDA end up in a wheelchair within seven to nine years, and have sensory loss and heart problems. 'To treat the disease, Jake was prescribed vitamins - calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, and enzyme Q10. That's the only treatments offered on the NHS. 'So, I knew I had to look for other options before Jake deteriorated, and Omaveloxolone came up as an effective treatment on Google right away. 'However, we found that Jake could not access this drug on the NHS as it is not approved for use in Britain, even though it is available all over Europe. 'And it is heartbreaking because there is a treatment within touching distance - it's not like we are living in the third world, this is Great Britain.' Determined to access Omaveloxolone before Jake's FRDA progresses further, Mr How identified University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany as the family's best option for getting the treatment. At 16, Jake is eligible to have omaveloxolone - an effective treatment for Friedreich's Ataxia. However, the drug is not available on the NHS, meaning he would need to travel to Europe to access He said: 'We have had an initial consultation in Germany, at the clinic in Heidelberg, and we have sent all of Jake's medical records to them to see if he is eligible for the drug. 'We were working on the hope that Germany would say 'yes' to treating Jake and they did accept his case. That is the first milestone. 'So, if Jake was living in Germany, he would've had almost three months of Omaveloxolone already. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and whilst he is managing, I can see him more unstable than he was, for sure, and getting more tired. 'Time is of the essence for Jake to access the drug.' Omaveloxolone is an oral medication designed to slow the progression of FRDA by improving mitochondrial function in patients aged 16 and over. The drug has proven highly effective in FRDA cases and, when used alongside treatments such as physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy, can improve both quality of life and life expectancy. At present, omaveloxolone is not accessible to NHS patients, leaving families like the McGregor-Hows seeking alternative - and often extremely costly - options. For one year's worth of Omaveloxolone in the Heidelberg clinic, Mr How has been quoted 300,000, in addition to the costs of travel and accommodation in Germany. So far, Mr How has raised 100,000 of the 300,000 needed for Jake (pictured) to access omaveloxolone - a life-saving drug He has been fundraising through Tree of Hope to help offset the cost - but faced with such an unattainable and unsustainable long-term price, Mr How has questioned why the UK Government has not reconsidered making Omaveloxolone accessible for NHS patients. He said: 'We are crowdfunding to raise money for treatment for Jake in Germany, and we are just taken aback by everyone's generosity. We are nearly at 100,000 of the 300,000 goal. 'But moving forward, it is a case of hoping the UK Government will come to their senses and open negotiations with Biogen - the drug's manufacturer - about allowing the drug to be used in Britain. 'The medication gives children a chance to live a much more independent life, to continue to live their lives as they are now for as long as they can. This drug is medically proven to help; it slows down progression and sometimes arrests it. 'There is hope and the fact the drug is there, it is available but we can't get it is devastating.' According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a body of the Department of Health and Social Care, a recommendation for the drug on the NHS was not possible because Biogen withdrew its 'evidence submission.' A spokesperson for NICE said they will 'review this decision if the company decides to make a new submission.' Mr How said accessing Omaveloxolone permanently, and at home, would give Jake a chance to live and pursue his future as any teenager would - an opportunity made all the more significant following the tragic death of his mother in 2023. Jake (centre) pictured with his dad Paul and mother Gaynor. Gaynor tragically passed away three years ago after being diagnosed with a rare and deadly brain cancer Jake pictured with mother Gaynor. Mr How said he and Jake were only just 'crawling out' of their grief at Gaynor's death when Jake was hit with the devastating FRDA diagnosis He said: 'Effectively, Jake and I were just crawling out of the deep grief of his mother dying and looking a little ahead to the future when we received the FRDA diagnosis. 'Jake's mother, Gaynor, woke up one day and she could not see out of one eye. 'We rang the opticians and they referred us to the eye hospital, and we kept bouncing between them and neurologists nobody could figure out what was wrong. Then she lost her sight in the other eye. 'After about four months of tests, the hospital called us one day and confirmed she had a multifocal glioblastoma the most aggressive form of brain tumour with a low survival rate. 'We had one last Christmas and she died within six months of being fine. 'Jake was there the whole time his mother was ill it's obviously upsetting. But he was stoic, he carried on, he didn't go off the rails. 'And through his FRDA diagnosis, he has also been stoic. All throughout this, Jake hasn't really complained, but the diagnosis has made us consider his plans for the future.' Mr How described Jake as a 'talented artist and writer,' but said the times to come ultimately depend on accessing the treatment in Germany. Jake (pictured) with the family cat, Bella. Aside from his illness, Jake is studying A-Levels and hopes to attend university - if treatment allows He said: 'At the moment, I am allowing Jake to have the same plans as he had before do A-Levels. He's studying art, politics and psychology. He also floated the idea of going to university in Edinburgh, or studying journalism. 'But with these decisions, we are basically in limbo. We don't know and can't plan ahead.' Despite this, however, Mr How emphasised he has not 'given up hope' of one day accessing omaveloxolone on the NHS permanently - and has his MP, Paula Barker, on board with raising the issue in Parliament. Ms Barker, Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree, said: 'Jake's story is absolutely heartbreaking. 'Whilst it is not a cure, the drug Omaveloxolone would increase Jake's life expectancy and allow him to carry on living life to the fullest, for as long as possible. 'Sadly, this treatment is not currently available on the NHS and will cost Jake's family 300,000 to access. 'I have been in regular contact with Jake's dad and have written to the Department of Health on his behalf to ask them to take the necessary steps to ensure it is accessible through our NHS. 'The department has informed me that Biogen, the company making the treatment, withdrew their submission and that is why NICE's appraisal has been terminated. 'So, I am now in the process of writing to Biogen to urge that they re-submit omaveloxolone for appraisal.' A shock poll out of Texas shows state Representative James Talarico ahead of Representative Jasmine Crockett just a day before the Democratic Senate primary. The final Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media poll shows Talarico with the support of 52 percent of likely Democratic primary voters, with 47 percent saying they'll vote for Crockett. Talarico's lead is outside the survey's plus-or-minus 3.3 percent margin of error and would allow him to avoid a draining runoff campaign. Tuesday is primary election day in Texas. Crockett is, by far, the more nationally known figure, in part because of her viral face-off with then-Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, when she told the Georgia Republican to her face she had a 'bleach blonde, bad built, butch body' in a shocking moment from a Congressional hearing. She had been leading Talarico in surveys conducted in early February, but he's now pulled ahead of the congresswoman in the Real Clear Politics polling average. Polling is conducted more sporadically in Senate races than in presidential contests. In mid-February, Talarico became part of the national dialogue when a sit-down he conducted with Late Show host Stephen Colbert got yanked from the air by CBS, with Colbert publicly outing the network for kowtowing to bullying from the Trump administration. A new shock poll shows Texas state Representative James Talarico (left) ahead of Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett (right) as they try to turn a Texas US Senate seat red, with Republicans engaged in a hard fought primary campaign as well Your browser does not support iframes. Talarico, a white male, wins the white vote hands down - 71 percent to Crockett's 29 percent - the Emerson survey showed. A majority of Hispanic voters, 60 percent, also support the Texas House member, with Crockett receiving 39 percent. Black voters overwhelmingly support Crockett, who is black, 80 percent to Talarico's 18 percent. But while Talarico holds a 17 percent advantage among men - 58 percent to Crockett's 41 percent - the candidates are running about evenly among women. Fifty-one percent of female likely Democratic voters said they preferred Crockett, while 48 percent selected Talarico. He also does better among young people, with likely voters under 40 breaking toward Talarico 54 percent to Crockett's 44 percent. The two candidates were matched about evenly when voters ages 40 to 60 were queried, with Talarico receiving 50 percent support and Crockett with 49 percent. Voters older than 70 also favored Talarico - 55 percent to Crockett's 42 percent. Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett shakes the hand of a constituent during an event last week in San Antonio, Texas. Polls from early February showed Crockett, a more nationally known figure, with a lead Texas state Representative James Talarico is seen campaigning in late February in Dallas, Texas. New polling shows Talarico ahead with an advantage with white and Hispanic voters, men and young people Polling obtained by the Daily Mail from the National Republican Senatorial Committee showed that Talarico ran better than Crockett in the general election against Republican hopefuls, incumbent Senator John Cornyn and his primary rival, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Representative Wesley Hunt is also running in the Republican Texas Senate primary, but polling suggests that Cornyn and Paxton are likely headed to a run-off after Tuesday's results. President Donald Trump decided not to endorse in the race, praising both the longtime senator Cornyn and Paxton, the more MAGA-aligned choice. Cornyn performs better against both Talarico and Crockett, the NRSC's survey shows. Axios reported Monday that GOP insiders in Texas fear Talarico will win, allowing Democrats to flip a seat that has been safely Republican since 1993. Emerson's polling also found that Talarico is doing better among early voters, while Crockett could get a boost on Election Day. 'Talarico holds a sizable advantage among voters who voted early, 58 percent to 41 percent, while Crockett leads the Election Day vote, 50 percent to 39 percent, suggesting the outcome will depend on which group shows up in larger numbers by the end of Tuesday,' Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a statement. Last week, Crockett got a little help from rapper Cardi B, who characterized the congresswoman as the fighter in the race. 'And if you want somebody who is going to fight for your right, if you want somebody that's gonna go up there and represent you and represent your issues, please vote for my sister Jasmine Crockett,' the rapper said in an Instagram video. A beloved dog in California was snatched by a mountain lion just 'feet away from the door' of their home in a horrifying attack. Laura McVay, a nurse practitioner in Glendale, was with her 5-year-old shih tzu Declan on Monday night when the big cat pounced on her beloved pet. 'It was so strong,' McVay told the Los Angeles Times. 'Im pulling [Declans] leash and screaming and trying to do everything youre told to do.' The animal pounced on the dog at around 11.30pm while he was let out for his final bathroom break of the night. McVay said she felt a pull on the leash and a 'whoosh' from behind, and turned to find Declan in the jaws of a mountain lion. In a desperate attempt to save her dog, McVay tried to make herself appear bigger and yell at the cat, but her efforts were in vain. In the intense moment, the dog owner wasn't sure if she released the leash or if the big cat ripped him away. The distraught owner watched as the mountain lion fled back into the foothills with Declan in its mouth. Declan, 5, was out for his final bathroom break of the night when a mountain lion snatched him from his owner's grasp on Monday night The animal pounced on the dog at around 11.30pm in Glendale, California. Stock image Laura McVay said she and Declan were just feet from the door when the lion attacked and ran away with Declan in its jaws McVay said she had never known of mountain lion attacks in the area, where she had grown up, and only heard of coyotes scurrying around. She said 'in retrospect' she 'should have' feared more for her own safety, but she was in shock at the loss of her pet. 'I called my best friend and she talked me down and tried to console me,' McVay told the outlet. But McVay went to bed distraught, and wished she had just taken Declan into the backyard - though she knew he loved walks. McVay eventually reported the attack to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the Times. Cort Klopping, a spokesperson for the department, told the outlet: 'From the description give, I think it's safe to say it was a mountain lion.' 'It seems like a terrifying experience,' Klopping added. He said that there hadn't been any reports of mountain lions in the area, but the Verdugo Mountains are an 'island of robust wildlife habitat' for bears, coyotes and mountain lions, the Times reported. McVay went to bed distraught, and wished she had just taken Declan into the backyard - though she knew he loved walks Klopping added that, typically, mountain lions will hunt for mule or deer. Now, McVay said she feels the need to carry a stick or another form of weapon to protect herself and hopes other pet owners will do the same. 'If I can give any advice, its to carry a bat or weapon to protect you and your animal,' she said. 'If I can save at least one life, that will help me make this right.' 'My shih tzu was a bright light and just fun and funny and had a great personality and everyone loved and adored him,' McVay added. 'Losing a dog is always hard, but when it's such a sweet soul like he was, it's especially hard.' All eyes are on the extraordinary display of military might poured down by the combined forces of America and Israel as they pound Iran - and, of course, on the response from Tehran, which has seen missiles hit Western interests across the Middle East. But rockets and drones are not the only threats facing the mullahs. For all the unifying power of nationhood and the Shiite faith, there are major ethnic fissures not so far beneath the surface of Iran. Civil war and perhaps even the break-up of the nation will be very much on the minds of the theocracy and forces such as the Revolutionary Guard that help sustain the clerics's regime. An Iranian flag is planted in the rubble of a police station, damaged in airstrikes on Tehran While is true that Persians boast a rich and ancient history and are the dominant force in Iran, they have comparatively narrow numerical majority among the population. Despite its name, the Islamic Republic of Iran is really a multi-national empire stretching from Turkey and Iraq in the west across the southern borders of the old Soviet Union (nowadays Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan) then to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. Iran does not give out comprehensive details of the countrys ethnic make-up so all statistics are estimates. But we know that, while Irans population is 93 million people, making it the second most populous country in the Middle East, only around 60 million people of them speak Persian (Farsi) as their main language. The clear majority of these are in the central belt stretching south from the capital, Tehran, through ancient cities like Qom and Isfahan. Irans numerous minority groups include Arabs, particularly in the south-west region bordering Iraq, and a small number from the Baloch tribe in the south east along the Pakistan border. Then there are Kurds - a substantial minority straddling the borders with Turkey and Iraq Christian Armenians and a declining handful of Jews. Missile debris falls after Israeli air defence systems launched interceptor missiles over Tel Aviv Despite its name, the Islamic Republic of Iran is really a multi-national empire stretching from Turkey and Iraq in the west across the southern borders of the old Soviet Union (nowadays Armenia , Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan) then to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east But by far the biggest minority in Iran are the Turkic-speaking Azeris. With roughly 27 million people, there are three or four times more Azeris living in Iran than in neighbouring Azerbaijan. Iranian Azeris are ethnic cousins to the Turks of Turkey. They speak, essentially, the same language. And in a world of shifting power blocs, particularly in the Middle East, this kinship is highly significant. So long as Shiism united Azeris with other Iranians, their minority status was not a big issue but as the Islamic Republic loses its legitimacy and people stay away from mosques, then Azeri nationalism could swell. Energy-rich Azerbaijan, which has good relations with the West, might well be attractive to Irans Azeri populatoin. But could the small neighbour really control these millions of Azeris if they broke away? By far the biggest minority in Iran are the Turkic-speaking Azeris. With roughly 27 million people, there are three or four times more Azeris living in Iran than in neighbouring Azerbaijan That, I would argue, is beside the point, as a greater Turkey continues to coalesce and Ankara Tehrans rival for regional dominance amasses Turkic speaking friends and influence. Nations including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Northern Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have already come together to form the Organisation of Turkic States with Turkey itself, the largest and most influential, in the lead. Hungary and Turkmenistan have observer status. With a shared ethnic history in the background, the Turkic nations are developing shared policies on issues such as oil and mineral exploration. There are also moves towards infrastructure links such as plans for a highway through the 'Zengezur Corridor', which links Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan enclave on the border with Armenia - and potentially on to Turkey itself. If if comes off, the project would allow goods and people to travel overland between Beijing and London in a mere 15 days. All eyes are on the extraordinary display of military might from the combined forces of America and Israel as they continue to pound Iran Trump is on good terms with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan Religious unity aside, there is certainly plenty for Iran's Azeri's to complain about amid the oppression of a brutal police state and the wreckage of a ruined economy. It is striking that Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already appealed to Irans minorities to rise up and overthrow the Persian mullahs - as if a Western-style democracy were poised to arise, from nowhere, and fill the vacuum. Netanyahu no doubt wants a weakened Iran at almost any price. Yet the rest of the world will be weighing up the fearful prospect of a bloody civil war in Iran, not to mention a further escalation of the global refugee crisis. President Donald Trumps advisers will be telling him as much. But they will also be pointing to the swelling power of the Turkic bloc, which already controls significant energy reserves and oil and gas infrastructure. Geopolitically crucial, Turkey and its vast hinterland - stretching all the way to the steppes - acts as a fulcrum between east and west. Netanyahu no doubt wants a weakened Iran at almost any price Ankara maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine. It now boasts one of the leading armament industries in the world. Wisely, perhaps, Trump is on good terms with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and seems happy to embrace whatever opportunities the regional realpolitik throws up. Yet Ankara is no friend to Israel: quite the opposite. And as Turkey weighs up the prospects of a new accord with 27 million Iranian Azeris - further power to its elbow - Netanyahu might be careful what he wishes for. Kemi Badenoch declared war on 'woke' recruitment as she vowed to end diversity quotas as part of her plan to tackle separatism in the UK. The Tory leader said she would commission an integration and cohesion plan to unite Britain around a 'common culture and identity'. It would overhaul equality laws, replace the promotion of multiculturalism with a national story and examine Islamist extremism. It would also set out the 'culture that we want people to assimilate into, what we expect and what we will enforce', she added. In a speech at the Policy Exchange think tank, she said: 'Separatism is on the rise in our country, because for too long, Britain has been complacent about our culture and too tolerant of those weaponising identity politics through their own game. She defined separatism as 'a way of living that keeps a group apart from the wider society' as she said the UK was a home, not a hotel. Mrs Badenoch claimed separatism was 'most visible in some Muslim communities, with extremism its most violent expression'. She said that the biggest victims of separatism were children kept from society, women who blocked from working and girls married off too young to people they'd never met. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said she would commission an integration and cohesion plan to unite Britain around a 'common culture and identity'. Join the debate How should Britain balance unity with respect for cultural differences in hiring and education? 'This is the reality that Labour and the Green Party and others who pander to separatism, pretend not to see. They call it community. I call it coercion.' She criticised the recent Gorton and Denton by-election, accusing the Green Party of attempting to 'mobilise voters on ethnicity and religion, not domestic priorities'. 'People were voting not based on who would increase their wages or fix their schools, but on who would protect the interests of their identity groups and punish those who they disagree with. This is not healthy and it is not British,' she said. 'It is appalling that separatist campaigning was carried out in Urdu by the Green Party,' she added after it was accused of stoking sectarianism. However, she said she disagreed with Reform UK about the impact of 'family voting' when a husband enters the booth to inform the decisions of his wife. She said she did not believe women were 'marched into the voting booth to stop them from voting Reform', but claimed something 'much deeper and disturbing' was happening. Her integration commission will report in October, ahead of the Conservative Party conference. Among her proposals are to prevent employers from hiring on the grounds of race or protected characteristics to end 'state-sponsored division'. She also proposed a universal set of rules for everyone, a national story told in school curriculums without the 'grievance or guilt' and protecting free speech. The commission will be established to assess how to overhaul the Equality Act 'so it prioritises meritocracy and strengthens integration', Mrs Badenoch said. She added: 'British culture exists. We live it. We benefit from it and we have a duty to defend it and pass it on. 'The answer to this is integration, but for integration to work people have to know they are integrating into a culture which is strong and self-confident. 'It does not work if Britain is a mess of competing cultures and it cannot work if we are not brave enough to say who we are and what we expect.' Adults could be forced to prove their age to use social media along with teenagers if ministers go ahead with the 'strongest possible approach' to a ban for under-16s. Under proposals to stop children using apps such as TikTok and Instagram, the Government said one option was to 'require every existing UK social media user to verify their age online'. Its consultation published on Monday asked members of the public if they agree with the statement that 'adults should complete age checks more often, if it means children are safer online'. If adopted it could make the UK's online safety regime more stringent than the one adopted in Australia earlier this year, under which firms can require facial scans to determine if users are 16 or older. There have been reports that children have tricked the apps by simply screwing up their faces to look old. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology report admitted that current technology struggles to 'distinguish a 14 from a 16-year-old'. Sources stressed that no decision has yet been made about how to proceed, with options short of a ban also on the table. These include overnight curfews, restrictions on the addictive features of some apps or even just 'nudges' encouraging users to take a break. The UK government is consulting on measures 'to prepare children for the future in an age of rapid technological change', which could include a social media ban for under-16s Silkie Carlo, Director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, has warned that a social media ban for under-16s would mean mandatory ID checks for adults as well But critics said that there was no reliable way to keep children off social media without requiring ID checks on adults too, by requiring all users to prove their age. Silkie Carlo, Director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, told the Daily Mail: 'The only way to ban children from social media is through mandatory online ID checks for us all, adults and children alike. 'The government would have to choose between mandatory ID checks, biometric age guesstimates or AI behavioural surveillance to estimate internet users' ages. 'All of the online age verification options are highly invasive and the biometric and behavioural profiling options are highly inaccurate, meaning IDs will be required in many millions of cases regardless.' She went on: 'Parliament should reject calls for a social media ban and focus on supporting parents and schools to help children use the internet in a positive and healthy way.' However ministers are under pressure to take tough action from many MPs and impose a ban on under-16s using social media rather than just recommending overnight curfews. Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'Children are not just being harmed because they are online too late at night they are being harmed because algorithms are designed to push them towards the most shocking, violent and sexual content from the moment they log on.' Buzzing like a motorcycle and appearing low over the horizon, the kamikaze Shahed-136 drone is the Iranian regime's last hope. In its death throes, the theocracy has so far fired off more than 500 drones against nine neighboring countries, hitting targets that could not be predicted, and igniting chaos across the Middle East. No one - apart from perhaps the CIA or Israel's Mossad - knows exactly how big the Iranian drone arsenal is, but it is far more than its limited supply of larger ballistic missiles and launchers. Published estimates have put the number of attack drones as high as 80,000, with the capability to make 400 more a month for a cost of just $35,000 each. By contrast, the weapons used to intercept them can cost millions of dollars each, and are finite. With nothing to lose, and an almost endless supply, the regime may be able to use the drones to extend its existence, waging an asymmetric war of attrition in an attempt to draw the US into a prolonged conflict in the Middle East. As it goes on, the damage to the US and its allies may increase, experts warn. Iran has thousands of kamikaze Shahed-136 drones in its arsenal and is unleashing them wildly across the Middle East The UAE, for instance, is currently intercepting over 90 percent of incoming Iranian assaults, but that is likely to decrease over time. 'A 92 percent intercept rate over a major civilian city is genuinely remarkable. But "effective" and "sustainable" are two different things,' according to Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center. 'And the UAE isn't alone in this math problem. The US faces it too - every Patriot battery defending a Gulf base, every naval interceptor fired from a destroyer, runs the same equation. Millions to stop thousands. At scale, the attacker's economics win even when their weapons don't.' Others warned that Middle Eastern countries being targeted by Iran's arsenal of Shahed drones could run out of interceptors within days. 'The Ukrainians are the best in the world intercepting drones and missiles and they can run pretty short at times. It's very unlikely most countries in the Middle East have the same depth of magazines for interceptors for these missiles,' said Mick Ryan, a retired Army Major General and Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowy Institute. 'So they've probably got a few days of stocks when it comes to being able to intercept these things with air defense missiles. They will need to also use fighter aircraft and helicopters. It really is a race against time.' Your browser does not support iframes. Dubai's Fairmont The Palm hotel on fire after a drone strike Your browser does not support iframes. The Shahed drones have a range over 2,000km, can carry a 50kg warhead, and cruise at 115mph. The Iranian regime has used them to lash out wildly, hitting a myriad of targets including the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, civilian airports in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, and damaging the iconic Burj Al Arab and Fairmont The Palm hotels in Dubai. Drone strikes also set a fuel tanker on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most vital oil export route. The prospect of weeks of haphazard Iranian drone strikes threatens to torpedo global travel and spike oil prices. It is believed the drones, complete with target lists, are being fired autonomously by junior commanders as part of a plan the regime had in place to be triggered if its leaders were taken out. After America and Israel's Operation Epic Fury successfully killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other regime leaders on Saturday, the drone attacks began. President Trump says waves of strikes on the Iranian regime will continue and 'the bog one is coming' Smoke rises from a reported Iranian strike in the area where the US Embassy is located in Kuwait City on March 2 'Iran should not be underestimated. As demonstrated in previous limited confrontations, particularly in missile warfare, Tehran possesses meaningful asymmetric capabilities,' said Danny Citrinowicz of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. In countering them, each PAC-3 interceptor costs $4 million, and each THAAD interceptor costs around $15 million. The US already used 150 THAAD interceptors during the 12-day war last summer, which was about 25 percent of its stockpile. 'It could take years to replenish the stockpile, making the US vulnerable in conflicts in the near to mid-term,' according to Crispin Burke, a cybersecurity and intelligence expert at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Shahed means 'witness' in Persian, and Iran began producing the drones in 2021. Its stockpile may be running lower than believed after it sent thousands of the drones to Russia, which has been using them to bombard Ukrainian infrastructure including the power grid. However, Vladimir Putin also began making his own version - calling it the Geran rather than Shahed - at the remote Alabuga SEZ factory, which is producing 18,540 a year, according to the Institute for Science and International Security. 'There is a possibility that Russia may be sending Shahed-type drones (back) to Iran' said Anton Gerashchenko of the Institute of the Future. 'Iran has already shown interest in Russia's modified versions, such as Geran-3 and Geran-5, which are essentially inexpensive cruise missiles with improved speed up to 600 kmph and anti-jamming capabilities.' He added: 'Destroying the Russian factory that makes Shahed/Geran drones would be the right strategic decision.' The Burj Al Arab suffered minor damage after an Iranian attack drone was intercepted overhead Your browser does not support iframes. By Monday ,Iran had fired 541 drones at the United Arab Emirates, 283 at Kuwait, 136 at Bahrain, and smaller numbers at Qatar and Jordan. The US is seeking to save its more expensive weapons by using its own replica of the Shahed, which is called LUCAS (low-cost unmanned combat attack system). The one-way LUCAS attack drones were used for the first time in combat as part of Operation Epic Fury. A spokesman for US Central Command said: 'These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran's Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution.' As it seeks to extend the war and drag the US deeper into conflict, Iran does face issues producing more Shahed drones. A possible Shahed drone strike at the port in Abu Dhabi A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates Sanctions mean components for the drones, including gyroscopes and satellite navigation systems, have to be smuggled into the country. An answer to defending against Shaheds may come out of Ukraine, where interceptors costing as little as $2,500 have been produced, along with advanced drone detection technology. However, it will not be possible to protect everywhere across the Middle East, particularly given the Iranians decision to target civilian areas. Every interceptor deployed to protect one base is one that cannot be used elsewhere. That leaves military planners stretching their resources across thousands of miles, and weaker protections in each location. Senator Lindsey Graham declared that Cuba's communist government was 'next' on President Donald Trump's radar after US and Israeli strikes battered Iran. The South Carolina Republican warned Havana's 'days are numbered' while praising Trump's military campaign against Iran during an appearance on Fox News Monday. Graham claimed the president was prepared to confront other adversarial regimes. 'Maduro everybody talked about it - well Donald Trump's got him in jail. Cuba's next - they're gonna fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba? Their days are numbered,' Graham said during the interview. Graham framed the escalating confrontation with Iran as part of a broader crackdown on hostile regimes, calling Tehran 'the mothership of international terrorism.' 'The Iranian regime, the mothership of international terrorism is about to collapse. The captain of the ship, the Ayatollah is stone cold dead and all those people around him that helped him perpetuate this terrorism, they are on the run or dead. Finish the job!' he said. 'President Trump is going to finish the job that no other president was willing to do. He took Maduro down. President Trump I have admired you and I've never admired you more than I do right now,' Graham said. His remarks immediately drew attention because Cuba has long been a flashpoint in US foreign policy. South Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham said that 'Cuba's next - they're gonna fall.' Graham described Cuba as a 'communist dictatorship' and said, 'Their days are numbered' 'President Trump is going to finish the job that no other president was willing to do. He took Maduro down. President Trump I have admired you and I've never admired you more than I do right now,' Graham said A woman holds a sign and Cuban flags as supporters of Trump participate in a protest against Cuba's government, in Miami, at the weekend The island nation remains under a decades-old US trade embargo first imposed during the Cold War after Fidel Castro's communist revolution. In recent years, Cuba has faced severe economic turmoil, mass migration, and sporadic protests. The Biden administration had eased some restrictions, while Trump in his previous term tightened sanctions and re-designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Graham's comments suggest hardliners see Havana as a potential next front in what they describe as a campaign against authoritarian regimes aligned against US interests. Graham framed the deaths of American service members as justification for pressing forward. 'We have lost three Americans. God bless those Americans who sacrificed for their country. They died in a noble cause but the worst thing that could happen to a military unit is to ask them to sacrifice and not finish the job,' he said. He argued Trump is doing what previous presidents would not. 'President Trump finished the job that President Reagan failed to do. I am a big admirer of Ronald Reagan but I'm here to tell you that Donald Trump in my opinion is the gold standard for Republicans, maybe any president when it comes to foreign policy,' Graham said. Miguel Diaz-Canel is the President of Cuba. He has called for 'urgent' transformations to the country's economic model to address a deepening humanitarian crisis and energy shortages Cuba remains a longtime US adversary under a communist government, is designated by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism, and has historically aligned itself with regimes opposed to American interests Graham credited President Trump with taking down Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, above His remarks come as Israeli and US airstrikes have pounded Iran in what Trump said Monday could be a multiweek campaign. Trump told reporters operations would likely last 'four to five weeks' but added he was prepared 'to go far longer than that.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned lawmakers that 'The hardest hits are yet to come from the US military.' The U.S. military has used B-2 stealth bombers to strike Iranian ballistic missile facilities and said on Monday it had taken out 11 Iranian warships. Trump has said the Iranian navy's headquarters had been 'largely destroyed.' The conflict escalated sharply after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. Iranian officials have vowed retaliation. Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, wrote on X: 'We will not negotiate with the United States.' Iran has struck back across the region, targeting Israel and Gulf states. Saudi Arabia said the US Embassy in Riyadh came under drone attack, causing minor damage. Trump said the military campaign against Iran could last 'four to five weeks' and potentially longer. Pictured, smoke plumes rise following missile strikes in Tehran on Sunday An Iranian missile flies towards Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Tuesday The Ras Tanura oil refinery, capable of processing over half a million barrels of crude oil a day, was also targeted but its defenses downed the drones. Several ships have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil passes. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said the US-Israeli campaign has killed at least 555 people. In Israel, 11 people have been killed by Iranian missile strikes. The US military confirmed six American service members from the same logistics unit in Kuwait have died. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained how Iran was rebuilding underground nuclear facilities, though he offered no evidence. 'We had to take the action now and we did,' Netanyahu said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to define limits to the mission, telling reporters, 'This is not Iraq. This is not endless.' True crime influencers have been blasted as 'disrespectful' after using Nancy Guthrie's home as a backdrop for content, with nasty feuds erupting online over one streamer's lack of clothing. As last week came to an end and Nancy's whereabouts remain a mystery, streamers have been setting up camp in front of Savannah Guthrie's mother's home. One influencer, who goes by Kiki, rocked up in leather micro-shorts, a crop top and motorcycle boots inciting an online feud as many condemned her for the 'disrespectful' display. A photo of Kiki and her cameraman was uploaded on X by Jonathon Lee Riches, an investigative journalist, who captioned the photo: 'A woman and her cameraman just arrived to Nancy Guthrie's home.' The comments of the post quickly filled with 'disgusted' users who said her outfit was inappropriate. 'Um, they do not appear to be serious news people,' one said. 'Seems like odd outfits to be wearing,' another wrote. 'Her boots cover more than her shorts, just sayin.' One influencer, who goes by Kiki, rocked up in leather micro-shorts, a crop top and motorcycle boots inciting an online feud as many condemned her for the 'disrespectful' display A photo of Kiki and her cameraman was uploaded on X by Jonathon Lee Riches, an investigative journalist, who captioned the photo: 'A woman and her cameraman just arrived to Nancy Guthrie's home' As last week came to an end and the search for Nancy Guthrie surpasses a month, streamers have been setting up camp in front of Savannah Guthrie's mother's home 'I'm sorry but this is damn near blasphemous. I really feel sorry for the Guthrie family,' a fourth comment said. 'Is it just me that thinks this is extremely disrespectful to be doing a full on photo shoot with your ass cheeks hanging out in front of Nancy's house.' 'This seems to have devolved into a freak show outside Nancys house. The neighbors must be loving it.' However, the negative attention had Kiki hit back. 'I have to say thank you to JLR. You successfully turned all the attention from Nancy Guthrie and diverted it to me,' she wrote in a separate post. 'I think the FBI would applaud you for your job well done! While you were focusing all your attention [on] me, I was reporting the facts and raising awareness in my own video.' In another comment, responding to a post where Riches said that she was having a photoshoot outside of Nancy's home, Kiki clarified that she was shooting a video for her own channel. Riches posted a follow-up declaring that Kiki declined an interview with him, to which she said: 'That's correct I declined to speak to you, because as a professional I'm busy working & can't take meaningless interviews.' In an aerial view, media reports across the road from the home of Nancy Guthrie on February 21 'There is a woman missing, possibly dead. Get your priorities straight & stop making a mockery of case & people attempting to film just like YOU,' she added. The Criminal Network also posted about the scantily-clad streamer and questioned her motives for being on the site of Nancy's home. 'Raising awareness? You cussed me out and said I called you names which was not true. But now I will, you came off like a bitch Kiki. Neo or whatever his name is was actually respectful and shook my hand, you, not as much,' the channel wrote. Kiki, however, admitted to swearing at them and said that they 'deserved every word' alongside a video of herself flipping them off. Criminal Network wrote: 'Adults talking pay attention. Kiki, once this becomes about me or you, its no longer about Nancy, so unless you are helping to find her, respectfully STFU.' 'I will no longer entertain you or your hidden motives. NANCY. Notice your name is not Nancy.' The commotion comes as the search for Nancy surpassed a month after she vanished from her $1 million home in Tucson on February 1. Nancy, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at the house in Catalina Foothills on January 31, after attending dinner with her eldest daughter, Annie, and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni. Nancy, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at the house in Catalina Foothills on January 31 A makeshift memorial adorns the front of the home of Nancy Guthrie on March 2 Authorities believe she was kidnapped or otherwise taken against her will. Drops of her blood were found on the front porch, and eerie footage recovered from Nancy's Nest doorbell camera showed an unidentified masked suspect standing at her front door in the early hours of February 1. It is now believed that the suspect visited the house prior to the abduction, as one image showed the individual at her door without the backpack and gun holster he was seen carrying in the other footage. Savannah Guthrie has raised the reward for any information leading to her kidnapped mother to $1 million. 'We need to know where she is, we need her to come home,' the Today host said in a teary-eyed video posted to her Instagram account. She said the family still believes that Nancy could come home, as her sister Annie described their ongoing hunt as 'blowing on the embers of hope'. 'We also know that she may be lost, she may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves,' Guthrie said through her tears. The journalist added that if Nancy has died, they will 'accept it,' but the family still needs closure. Savannah Guthrie added that if Nancy has died, they will 'accept it,' but the family still needs closure 'But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. For that reason, we are offering a family reward of up to $1 million for any information that leads us to her recovery,' Savannah said. She then pleaded directly with Nancy's kidnapper and anyone with information about her whereabouts, saying: 'If you've been waiting and you haven't been sure, let this be your sign to please come forward. 'Tell what you know and help us bring our beloved mom home so that we can either celebrate a glorious, miraculous homecoming or celebrate the beautiful, brave, noble and courageous life that she has lived. Please be the light in the dark.' The FBI received 750 calls within just 12 hours of Savannah posting the video, according to NBC News. An Aussie doctor says his efforts to repatriate ISIS brides and their children to Australia have been put on hold amid the escalating conflict in Iran. Western Sydney doctor Jamal Rifi has been attempting to repatriate 11 women and 23 children from the Al-Roj detention camp in north-east Syria. The Order of Australia recipient told news.com.au that the future of the women and children living in 'horrendous' conditions remains uncertain. 'The situation is very fluid, but I'm not actually doing anything in terms of repatriations right now, because it's not safe for them to be outside (the camp),' Dr Rifi said. The group has been living in the Kurdish-run camp since 2019, with the GP only able to make contact with them sporadically using smuggled phones. 'They're on the edge of the desert. During the winter it's extremely cold. During the summer, it's extremely hot, and there are no greenery, nothing whatsoever. It's just dust and wind,' Dr Rifi said. 'They are living in a tarpaulin tent. And those kids there are sleeping on the floor. It's a horrendous situation.' The GP said he was particularly worried about the health of the children, aged six to 13, who have spent most of their lives in the camp. Dr Jamal Rifi has been trying to repatriate 11 women and 23 children from the Al-Roj detention camp in northeast Syria Dr Rifi says the brides and their kids are enduring dire conditions at the camp 'Panic attacks in the kids, chilblains, recurrent tonsillitis, asthma, sunstroke, medical issues,' Dr Rifi said of the health battles they were facing. Dr Rifi argued that enough time had passed to bring the 34 citizens back to Australia. 'All the security experts are saying it is safer for them to be in Australia and monitored by all security agencies, rather than left there where nobody can monitor them,' he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he has 'nothing but contempt' for the women who took their children into the Islamic State and will not aid any repatriation efforts. Pressed on whether immigration minister Tony Burke had done a pre-election deal with refugee advocates over the cohort's future, Albanese responded bluntly. 'I call bulls**,' he told the Karl Stefanovic podcast on Tuesday. Albanese said preparations had been made for the return of the women and children but did not provide further details. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor accused the Prime Minister of misleading Australians about the government's role in repatriating ISIS brides and demanded that all 34 women be permanently barred from returning to the country. Anthony Albanese says his government is not trying to help the brides return to Australia Liberal leader Angus Taylor attacked the Albanese government last week, accusing it of lying about their role in bringing ISIS brides back to Australia Taylor claimed the Labor government has spent 'several years' planning for the return of the women and children from Syria. 'It's clear [Home Affairs Minister] Tony Burke has been up to his eyeballs in assisting the repatriation,' he said. 'We're going to continue to forensically look for the facts that Australians deserve to know.' The Coalition aims to introduce legislation into parliament, which would make it illegal to help repatriate people who had travelled to declared terrorist hotspots or committed a terrorist offence. Albanese said the proposal was questionable at best. 'They themselves couldn't explain how that was constitutional,' he told ABC Radio. Last week, Burke confirmed the 11 ISIS brides had been issued Australian passports, but maintained the government was not 'conducting repatriation' for them or taking part in Dr Rifi's private efforts. One woman was barred from entering the country because the government feared she could pose a security risk. Dr Rifi said because of the government's hardline rhetoric, Syrian officials had not allowed the women and children to leave the refugee camp, for fear they might be turned back by another country on their way to Australia. Greens home affairs spokesperson David Shoebridge slammed the coalition for proposing non-government organisations such as Save the Children Australia be criminalised for helping Australians return home. 'The idea that any serious Australian political party would make it a crime for Australians to try and help Australian children and bring them back to safety is a remarkable low, even in the current climate on the immigration debate,' the senator told ABC Radio. A suspected killer has denied allegedly decapitating a man and placing his head on a spike before slaying his pregnant girlfriend Accused killer Ross Judd, 35, fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder. Judd, who required the use of a French interpreter, appeared at the brief committal mention via videolink from the Melbourne Assessment Prison. The accused killer, who appeared unshaven and scruffy while wearing a white t-shirt after he was led into the hearing late, needed to put a phone to his ear to listen to the proceeding. 'I plead not guilty,' Judd exclaimed during the court hearing attended by family and friends of the alleged victims. Defence lawyer Angie Wong said the question of fitness to stand to trial 'will be reserved'. Judd allegedly killed Andrew Gunn, 50, and his partner Athena Georgopoulos, 39, in what police believe was a targeted attack at their Mount Waverley home in Melbourne's southeast on August 11 last year. She and Mr Gunn were found dead after police received calls from neighbours on Monday night about yelling coming from the property, and heavily armed officers swarmed the Adrienne Crescent home at 9.55pm. Andrew Gunn, 50, and his partner Athena Georgopoulos, 39, were allegedly murdered on August 11, 2025 Ms Georgopoulos was pregnant when she was allegedly murdered Judd pleaded not guilty to the murders Inside the small unit, officers allegedly found Mr Gunn's body next to the body of Ms Georgopoulos. It's alleged Judd placed Mr Gunn's decapitated head on a spike and specialist forensic investigators were confronted with a blood-spattered scene. Judd was arrested with two large dogs just hours later at nearby Westall Railway Station, about 6km from the crime scene. Police allege Judd was known to the couple and that one of the victims lived in the unit, but they are still trying to establish the connection and alleged motive. Judd also faces charges regarding previous allegations of making threats, the Daily Mail can reveal. During a previous court hearing, Judd had to be muzzled after he exclaimed he was innocent because Mr Gunn 'stole my dog'. 'I think it's very long, it's taking way too long, it's really seriously deeply unfair for me because I'm innocent, he stole my dog, my money,' Judd said during a court appearance in January. Ms Georgopoulos' mother Petty Georgopoulos, who was present at Tuesday's court hearing, paid tribute to her daughter in a heartbreaking post on social media in the days after the alleged murders. How Judd first appeared at court after his arrest in August 2025 The family of Ms Georgopoulos said she was 'excited about motherhood' 'My little heart, you left life so unfairly that I still cannot believe it,' she said in the touching Facebook post. 'In recent days you were so happy - we made dreams together for our little granddaughter that you were going to bring into your life. 'And suddenly, everything was erased in one night, when an [alleged] murderer cut the thread of your life and of my little granddaughter's life that you were going to bring into the world in four months. 'No matter how much they separated us, I will never stop loving you. Forever. Until we meet again, my little girl, in the light of the angels.' Ms Georgopoulos' aunt Patty Dilveridis said her niece was excited by the prospect of motherhood, and her mother Petty had recently met Mr Gunn's parents to celebrate their impending grandparenthood. The dead woman worked as a customer service representative for several electricity and insurance companies, and had been Mr Gunn's partner for three years. Several of Ms Georgopoulos' friends also posted tributes to the mum-to-be. It's alleged Judd placed Mr Gunn's decapitated head on a spike while specialist forensic investigators were confronted with a blood-spattered scene 'Rest in peace sweet soul. Thank you for every smile you brought to my face. Thank you for every laugh (of which there were many). 'You were part of what made LUMO so fun to work at. I can't imagine what you went through in the end. You deserved so much better. Love you girl. Fly high,' one friend posted. Another wrote: 'Rest in peace Athena... what has this world come to? May you and your baby fly high. My condolences go out to your loved ones.' Another friend posted: 'May you rest in peace Athena with your family... my sincerest sympathies are with your family and friends who will all feel the impact of your loss.' Another wrote: 'R.I.P Tina I'm lost for words.' Ms Georgopoulos had been with Mr Gunn for three years prior to their deaths Investigators also probed if graffiti scrawled outside the property - including the phrases 'U R Gay,' 'Enough is Enough,' 'Betrayal,' and 'Karma' - was linked to the murders. The messages were sprayed in luminous yellow-green and black paint on the home's fence and exterior walls. Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Homicide Squad said police received several calls regarding the incident at the address prior to the grim discovery. 'Police were called at about 9.20pm in relation to a welfare check at the address based on some yelling that was heard from the property,' he said. 'A second call was then made that suggested it was perhaps more urgent than the first call and police arrived minutes later, and obviously they found the male and female inside the premises deceased.' READ MORE: How Penny Wong just got Pauline Hanson in BIG trouble Pauline Hanson has sensationally doubled down after she called Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe a 'b****' during a fiery Senate debate. The One Nation leader said she had been provoked by Thorpe, who she likened to a 'banshee', a mythical spirit known for her piercing wails or cries. 'I apologise if the public heard me call Senator Thorpe a b****, however I don't take back what I said,' Hanson said in a statement on Monday night. 'The Senate chamber is meant to be a place for debate, not constant screaming and yelling over the top of senators like we see from Senator Thorpe. Hanson then lashed Liberal Senator Dave Sharma for failing to bring Thorpe into line in his role as acting Senate President. 'If the weak Liberal chair won't pull her up for screaming like a banshee, I will,' she continued, before directing her fury at the Greens, Thorpe's former party. 'Thorpe reminds us daily what the Greens represent in this Parliament. Division! It's never about the Australian people,' she said. 'Every single Green is cut from the same horrible cloth.' Pauline Hanson (pictured) doubled down on her comments made against Lidia Thorpe The clash erupted while Hanson was speaking in support of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, during which Thorpe repeatedly interrupted, shouting, 'You're lying!' Visibly frustrated, Hanson accused the Greens of being 'unAustralian'. 'This is your whole attitude. This is the Greens' attitude,' she said. 'The Greens are the most unAustralian people here in the Senate. 'That is the most unAustralian people, who do not fight for this country, our flag, our patriotism nothing!' Thorpe fired back, telling the One Nation leader: 'Oh, sit down, sit down, sit down, you're an absolute disgrace.' Greens Senator Sarah HansonYoung also joined the heckling against Hanson. 'What have you ever done for the Iranian refugees in this country? You're the one who hates Australia,' Hanson-Young said. But Hanson pressed on, telling the women: 'So immature. I wish you would actually start fighting for the Australian people.' Lidia Thorpe (right) accused Pauline Hanson (left) of calling her a 'b****' on Monday As she returned to her seat, Thorpe called out across the chamber. 'She just called me a b**** I just got called a b**** by the racist,' she said. Hanson left the chamber moments later, directing one final remark at Thorpe. 'I will be glad to see the back end of you in this place in two years' time,' she said. A restaurant manager has shared the unbelievable moment a man impaled himself on a fence just moments after her daughter's phone was stolen. Cynthia Costa said the incident unfolded after her husband Dave locked the gate in the courtyard of their restaurant Piccolo Mondo in Carlton, inner-north Melbourne. She shared CCTV footage of two young men inside the restaurant on TikTok, claiming the man dressed in black stole a phone from the counter. Moments later, both of the men walked into the courtyard and asked her husband if he could unlock the gate, but he didn't have a key. 'The guy who stole the phone jumped the fence and walked off,' Ms Costa said. 'His friend in the yellow tried to jump the fence, got stuck, cut his main artery and ends up passing out in front of the restaurant.' The man can be heard screaming out in pain while clinging to the gate. Ms Costa said her daughter arrived home in the early hours of the morning and asked for help finding her phone. The man can be heard screaming out in pain while clinging to the gate (pictured) 'When she came home at around 1am, she jumped on her laptop to check where her phone last pinged and it was a few streets away from the restaurant,' she said. 'When we got there, we were looking around on a patch of grass trying to find the phone.' Ms Costa said a group of men standing on the corner asked if they were okay. 'I told them my daughter's phone was stolen from the restaurant and it last pinged there,' she said. That was when she realised the men were the culprits. 'I looked up and said "Hang on have you seen a phone?" and they said "We haven't seen nothing",' she said. 'I said "Yes you have, you're the guy who stole my daughter's phone. Can I have my daughter's phone back? That was a low blow".' She said the man had the 'audacity' to ask for $50 in exchange for the phone. Piccolo Mondo is located in Carlton, inner-north Melbourne 'They said "Give me $50 and I'll give you the phone", and I said "No, you're going to get the phone because I'm not paying you for my phone".' Ms Costa claimed the thief begged her not to call the police. 'I said "I'm just letting you know, I've already posted your face on TikTok and the police know and already have the information",' she said. Ms Costa said the thief then returned her daughter's phone. Aussies were quick to share their thoughts on the bizarre exchange. 'That's so wild but glad she has her phone back. What a wild story,' one said. 'Yeah that's called protection instant karma,' another said. 'What pieces of s***, who does that? Absolute lowlifes. I hope Miss is okay and the phone is returned. Photos are irreplaceable,' a third commented. An Aussie traveller stranded in the war-torn Middle East fears that she will run out of lifesaving heart medication as missile attacks between Israel-US and Iran escalate. Trina Hockley booked a one-night layover in Doha, Qatar, on her way home from a European holiday in Norway and Finland. She arrived at Doha International Airport on Friday night to board her flight to Australia when airspace across the Middle East were abruptly shut down as the conflict quickly unfolded. The Gold Coast woman has been left with dwindling supplies of the medication that she needs and has spent the last few days scrambling to find a solution, without any luck. 'The actual medication I'm on doesn't exist in Qatar,' Ms Hockley told Sunrise. 'I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I've sent a message to my heart specialist to see if there's anything I can take.' Ms Hockley is among 115,000 Australians stranded in the Middle East, according to the Albanese government. She arrived to find Doha 'abandoned'. Gold Coast woman Trina Hockley (pictured) is stranded in Doha, unsure of when she will finally arrive home Hundreds of flights to the Middle East have been cancelled in recent days Airspace across the Middle East were abruptly shut down as the conflict quickly unfolded. Pictured are plumes of smoke seen at Dubai International Airport 'There were lineups for hours and hours to try and get accommodation, line-ups for hours to get on a bus to accommodation,' she said. 'We got to the accommodation, hours to line up to get registered into the hotel. Absolutely no information from anybody since we've been dumped off the buses.' Ms Hockley has travel insurance but is unsure if it covers war-related disruptions. Adding to the stress is that she is still waiting for direct updates and consulate assistance, despite registering on the Australian government portal. 'There has been nothing from the airlines, nothing from the government, just absolutely no information whatsoever,' Ms Hockley said. 'Everyone's on their own.' Ms Hockley had spent hours at the airport queuing for emergency accommodation when explosions rocked the city, terrifying fellow travellers. 'At that stage, you could hear the missiles; news was coming through that Dubai and Kuwait airports had been hit and I just said, "I want to leave this airport, we need to get out",' she told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Trina fears that she will run out of lifesaving heart medication within days Travellers have also been stranded at Sydney Airport due to the cancellation of flights via the Middle East 'It was like a really loud firework, it was just this bang, and at one stage all the staff were looking up at the ceiling.' Ms Hockley remains in good spirits, despite the worrying ordeal. The Australian government says it is monitoring the situation as it works through a range of contingencies. 'There are lots of travellers who have been disrupted by virtue of this,' Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sunrise on Tuesday. 'On any given day, about 11,000 Australians will travel through Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha, so that gives you a sense of the number of Australians who will be caught up in this and our focus is very much on them.' 'What can be done in terms of getting people home is clearly restricted so long as airspace is closed. 'There are some media reports of airspace opening up a little bit, which is good news, but that's really what we are focusing on right now.' Megyn Kelly said she believes troops who died in Donald Trump's recent attacks on Iran lost their lives 'for Iran or Israel.' The SiriusXM host was speaking about American soldiers who were killed in the strikes when she said the mission did not appear to have a clear objective. She said of the troops: 'The guys in the and the gals who have to actually carry out this mission why again? And put their lives on the line for whom, again?' Kelly acknowledged that early polling on Operation Epic Fury has been divisive and she's leaning towards being against the attacks. 'My own feeling is no one should have to die for a foreign country. I don't think those four service members died for the United States. I think they died for Iran or for Israel,' she said. Her comments came before Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted the preemptive strikes against Iran were after learning Israel was about to attack and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation Kelly said that the war belongs to conservative influencers and donors, ranging from Fox host Mark Levin to Ben Shapiro to Senator Lindsey Graham. 'Our government's job is not to look out for Iran or for Israel. It's to look out for us. And this feels very much to me like it is clearly Israel's war.' Megyn Kelly said she thinks that the troops who have already died in Donald Trump's attacks on Iran lost their lives 'for Iran or Israel' Kelly, who has supported President Trump, expressed deep skepticism over the purpose for the war Kelly tried to put herself into Trump's frame of mind for taking this action against the Iranian regime. 'I do believe Trump doesn't want to get us into another Forever War, and I believe he wouldn't willingly submit to [a] quagmire In his mind, he thinks he can do this.' She did describe the president as being 'all over the board' in terms of how long the battle will last, with Trump suggesting four weeks but having said he's willing to go longer. 'Regime change wars and taking out another country's leader is full of danger too. I pray for the Trump family. I don't want anything to happen to them, and we increase the risk of that with this behavior,' she said. Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive. 'There absolutely was an imminent threat,' Rubio stated. 'And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.' Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 'We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,' he said. Join the debate Should American troops risk their lives for conflicts tied to foreign interests like Iran or Israel? Kelly acknowledged that early polling on Operation Epic Fury has been divisive and she's leaning towards being against the attacks Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the 'imminent threat' that prompted the US to strike Iran was the threat US soldiers would face after Israel's planned strike on the Middle Eastern country The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans. 'Secretary Rubio's remarks indicate that Israel put U.S. forces in harm's way by insisting on attacking Iran,' Congressman Joaquin Castro reacted on X. 'And the administration was complicitjoining their war instead of talking them down.' Conservative pundit Matt Walsh wrote: 'So he's flat out telling us that we're in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.' 'Had we not done so, there would have been hearings on Capitol Hill about how we knew that this was going to happen, and we didn't act preemptively to prevent more casualties and more loss of life,' Rubio explained. Iran had already prepositioned its missiles and had them on ready alert, the secretary of state claimed. He did not specify where the missiles were aiming or which US targets would have been within range. 'Within an hour of the initial attack on the leadership compound, the missile forces in the south and in the north, for that matter, had already been activated to launch. In fact, those had already been pre-positioned.' War powers resolutions - legislation aimed at reeling in the President's authority to unilaterally order strikes - have already been drafted in both the House and Senate. However, the GOP-controlled Congress has not passed these resolutions, despite large Democratic support and the backing of some Republicans. Rubio said that though Congress has the right to take a war powers vote, it's already happened 'a bunch of times' without success. Even if it did pass, it would likely face legal trouble as no presidential administration - neither Republican or Democratic - has ever said that a war powers resolution is constitutional, Rubio said. 'We've complied with the law 100 percent, and we're going to continue to comply with it.' A colourful Russian tycoon mentioned in the Epstein files who called Ghislaine Maxwell a 'soulmate' has been found dead with gunshot wounds in an elite Moscow residential complex. Former senator Umar Dzhabrailov, 67, who ran against Putin in the 2000 presidential election, finishing last, was found in a pool of blood at the Vesper Tverskaya residential complex on Tverskaya Street in the centre of the capital. The magnate had a 'friendship' with Naomi Campbell, and was the 'model' for a Chechen gangster in Frederick Forsyth's novel, Icon. The controversial businessman - who once dated Vladimir Putin's 'goddaughter', TV star and former Playboy model Ksenia Sobchak - was rushed to hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, and died without regaining consciousness. Police are probing the cause of his death with the 'preliminary conclusion' that he took his own life. His Luger pistol was discovered at the scene. No suicide note was found, said law enforcement sources. His daughter Alvina Dzhabrailova, 32, has disputed that his sudden death was a suicide, claiming in an emotional video that 'he was killed because he's linked to the Epstein files' and was 'silenced'. She said she had spoken to him in recent days, and asserted 'he didn't kill himself', but admitted she was 'emotional' and that she 'didnt really like him very much'. Colourful tycoon and self professed gangster Umar Dzhabrailov, 67, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in Moscow. He was mentioned in the Epstein files and had run against Putin in the 2000 Russian presidential election, finishing last The businessman's daughter Alvina Dzhabrailova, 32, said that 'he was killed because he's linked to the Epstein files' and was 'silenced' in an emotional video Dzhabrailov had recently commented on his concern for Russians stuck in the Middle East due to US military action, and spoke of his enjoyment about sharing his experiences with young people. An ethnic Chechen, Dzhabrailov who called himself a 'gangster' was known for always carrying a gun. There were reports of business problems due to the war, with his company's bank accounts frozen ten days before his death. He was also mentioned in the Epstein files. 'I knew Epstein. I was introduced to him by Ghislaine Maxwell, a soulmate of mine,' he said. 'But I never could have imagined that they were partners, that she was involved in finding those girls who are now all over the media. 'And then one day, he was found with a noose around his neck. 'I regret that Ghislaine, the most charming woman, got a life sentence.' It is not immediately known how he got to know Maxwell. He said: 'What would I [tell] young men? 'You must respect the woman in every girl. You must be gentlemen, cavaliers, knights. We must love our women, respect them. Dzhabrailov said that Ghislaine Maxwell was his 'soulmate' and expressed 'regret' at her being handed a life sentence for child sex trafficking 'If they failed to respect him, well, they're... worthless. It's very important for a girl to know that she's safe. 'I'm a gentleman, I'm a cavalier, I'm a knight. 'I am a sophisticated, subtle connoisseur and expert on women's hearts and natures. I am a gangster.' He was fined 5,800 nine years ago after he shot a Yarygin pistol in the air at the Four Seasons Hotel, yards from the Kremlin. He admitted to being quizzed 'a hundred times' by Russian secret services over the 1996 shooting of his American business partner, Paul Tatum, in a Moscow subway. The contract killing was one of the most controversial murders of the wild and lawless 1990s in Moscow following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He always denied having anything to do with the killing. Dzhabrailov and Tatum jointly ran the Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel in Moscow. In the wake of the shooting, he was banned from travelling to the US but he went on to represent his native region Chechnya in the Russian parliament. Separately, Dzhabrailov was also linked to German supermodel Claudia Schiffer. Ms Sobchak, 44, daughter of Putin's political mentor Anatoly Sobchak, said today that Dzhabrailov was 'a handsome man, a man who could recite poems by Khayyam or Brodsky to me by heart. Well-educated, gallant. 'It was a fantastic time, a fantastic love affair. My first private jet, meeting world-class celebrities, Dolce Vita... 'At a time when everyone was wearing Chanel, he was the first to introduce me to Margiela and Helmut Lang boutiques.' Reports said he had recovered after an 'attempted suicide' six years ago. - For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit thecalmzone.net/get-support The US launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday. Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive. 'There absolutely was an imminent threat,' Rubio stated. 'And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.' Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 'We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,' he said. 'Had we not done so, there would have been hearings on Capitol Hill about how we knew that this was going to happen, and we didn't act preemptively to prevent more casualties and more loss of life,' Rubio explained. The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans. 'Secretary Rubio's remarks indicate that Israel put U.S. forces in harm's way by insisting on attacking Iran,' Congressman Joaquin Castro reacted on X. 'And the administration was complicitjoining their war instead of talking them down.' Conservative pundit Matt Walsh wrote: 'So he's flat out telling us that we're in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the 'imminent threat' that prompted the US to strike Iran was the threat US soldiers would face after Israel's planned strike on the Middle Eastern country This photo provided by the White House which has been partially blurred, shows President Donald Trump talking with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., during Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026 A general view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, on March 02, 2026 in Tehran, Iran Iran had already prepositioned its missiles and had them on ready alert, the secretary of state claimed. He did not specify where the missiles were aiming or which US targets would have been within range. 'Within an hour of the initial attack on the leadership compound, the missile forces in the south and in the north, for that matter, had already been activated to launch. In fact, those had already been pre-positioned.' The small cadre of lawmakers being briefed Monday is referred to as the 'gang of eight,' and it is comprised of the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate and their respective intelligence committee chairmen. Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer; House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford and ranking member Jim Himes; and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton and ranking member Mark Warner, were the eight members included in the briefing. The 'gang of eight' was also briefed last week before the strikes. Still, Democrats across both chambers have decried the Trump administration for not informing more lawmakers of the impending military action against Iran. If Israel or someone else struck Iran, US soldiers would be targeted, which was considered an 'imminent threat' by the Trump administration. US military bases across the Middle East were hit with Iranian strikes following the initial US-Israel offensive The US has two aircraft carrier strike units - amounting to roughly 15,000 soldiers - in the Middle East. Above a Arleigh-Burke class destroyer is seen firing a Tomahwak land attack missile at Iran 'There's no law that requires us to do that,' Rubio told reporters of the complaints. 'The law says we have to notify them 48 hours after beginning hostilities. We've done that. I think the notification went today, but we did notify members of Congress in advance.' He went on to note how 'we can't notify 535 members of Congress,' likely due to the operational security threat of so many people knowing of a covert military action. War powers resolutions - legislation aimed at reeling in the President's authority to unilaterally order strikes - have already been drafted in both the House and Senate. However, the GOP-controlled Congress has not passed these resolutions, despite large Democratic support and the backing of some Republicans. Rubio said that though Congress has the right to take a war powers vote, its already happened 'a bunch of times' without success. Even if it did pass, it would likely face legal trouble as no presidential administration - neither Republican or Democratic - has ever said that a war powers resolution is constitutional, Rubio said. 'We've complied with the law 100 percent, and we're going to continue to comply with it.' The Pentagon vented its fury at Keir Starmer on Monday for his 'pearl-clutching' over the US attacks on Iran. The Prime Minister was accused of undermining the Special Relationship by banning American bombers from using British bases to launch Saturday's assault on Tehran. Sir Keir risked aggravating the White House further by suggesting that the attack, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader, was illegal and set to unravel. In an outspoken intervention, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Israel for its central role in the offensive but savaged the legalistic approach taken by Britain and other European allies. 'Israel has clear missions for which we are grateful,' he said. 'Capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of our traditional partners who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, humming and hawing about the use of force.' Sir Keir made a partial U-turn on Sunday after Iran lashed out at civilian targets in Gulf states and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, saying US jets would be able to fly from British bases for the 'limited' objective of destroying Iranian missile launchers and stockpiles. He told MPs on Monday that an estimated 300,000 British nationals in the Gulf region were 'at risk' as Tehran targeted hotels and airports. But he ruled out going further, saying he would not participate in US-led attempts to bring about 'regime change from the skies'. Donald Trump said the PM took 'far too long' to lift the ban on US forces flying from RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands. An airstrike on an Iranian police centre also damaged residential buildings around it in Niloofar square in central Tehran on Sunday US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (pictured at a news conference on Monday) praised Israel for its central role in the offensive but savaged the legalistic approach taken by Britain and other European allies Birds fly in the opposite direction of an explosion in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday as the US and Israel continued their strikes on the nation Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike in Bourj Al Barajneh, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday The US President said he was 'very disappointed in Keir' over his attempts to hand sovereignty of the strategically vital Diego Garcia to Mauritius. Sir Keir acknowledged that Mr Trump had 'expressed his disagreement', but insisted it was in Britain's national interest to abide strictly by international law. He told MPs repeatedly that any military action had to have a 'lawful basis' and a 'viable thought-through plan' and suggested the US had neither. Downing Street said the PM's commitment to upholding international law was 'iron-clad'. Kemi Badenoch suggested that the PM was distancing himself from US actions on Iran to avoid further alienating Muslim voters and so-called 'progressives' who deserted Labour for the Greens in last week's by-election. She accused Sir Keir of trying to placate voters 'whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle East, not the British national interest'. 'It isn't international law or principle,' she said. 'It's pure, partisan, political calculations from a party that has surrendered its right to govern our country.' She added: 'Why is it that under this Prime Minister, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest?' The Tory leader said British people 'will be wondering why our country's response has been so weak'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the PM's dithering was 'pathetic', adding: 'Our Prime Minister is not a leader, he's a follower, and he looks weak in the eyes of everybody.' The row came as: Aftermath of an Israeli and the US strike on a police station in Tehran on Monday The Pentagon vented its fury at Keir Starmer (pictured leaving Downing Street) on Monday for his 'pearl-clutching' over the US attacks on Iran The PM marched against the Iraq War in 2003 and declared it illegal. He told MPs on Monday he was determined to prevent Britain being dragged into another legally questionable conflict in the Gulf. 'We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,' he said. 'Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes,' he said. 'But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest, and that is the judgment I made. I stand by it.' Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat, who served in the Iraq war, said there was 'zero comparison' with the current situation as there are no plans for a UK ground invasion, although President Trump later said he was prepared to put 'boots on the ground'. A legal opinion drawn up by the PM's controversial Attorney-General Lord Hermer ruled that the assault on Iran could not be deemed self-defence despite the regime's long history of attacks on the West, including targets in the UK. The initial attacks on Iran wiped out all of the United States' main choices to take over the regime, Donald Trump has claimed. The US President said the White House had shortlisted several preferred successors to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before his death. But he claimed the military operation was 'so successful' that it not only killed Washington's main contenders but also its 'second or third' options. Iran is thought to be considering its top security chief Ali Larijani as a choice for leader, along with Khamenei's second eldest son Mojtaba Khamenei and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaker of the country's parliament. 'The attack was so successful it knocked out most of the candidates,' Mr Trump told ABC News. He said 48 Iranian leaders had been killed in the bombings over the weekend, wiping out much of the country's leadership. The President has not revealed who was earmarked for the successor but among the dead were one of the regime's top advisers Ali Shamkhani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard General Mohammad Pakpour and hardline former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In a separate interview with the New York Times, Mr Trump said he had 'three very good choices' for the next potential leader for Iran, but did not reveal who these were. Donald Trump , pictured in his Mar-a-Lago command centre during the attack on Iran, said the operation had removed the US's preferred successors The US President said the White House had shortlisted several preferred successors to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before his death. (Pictured: Smoke rising in Tehran on Sunday) On Monday night Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told state TV that the killing of the supreme leader was a 'religious crime' that will have serious consequences. Tehran has vowed to stand firm in the face of continuing attacks, with Mr Larijani saying Iran 'will not negotiate with the United States'. But Mr Trump claimed he had been contacted by someone within the regime who wanted to make a deal. Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is also likely to figure prominently in the deliberations of clerics over who will be named supreme leader. Following Khamenei's death, Iran is being led by a temporary council made up of its president Masoud Pezeshkian, chief justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei and senior cleric Alireza Arafi. Donald Trump on Monday night warned Iran that the 'big one' was coming as he said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed. The war spread further on Monday, with Israel exchanging fire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, US jets being downed in Kuwait and Qatar taking out Iranian fighter planes. Mr Trump estimated the conflict would last 'four weeks or so', but boasted that US and Israeli forces were 'way ahead of schedule'. The US President added that soldiers would be sent 'if they were necessary'. Despite campaigning for office on a policy to end US engagement in foreign matters, he said: 'I don't have the yips with respect to boots on the ground. 'Like every President says, "there will be no boots on the ground", I don't say it. I say, "probably don't need them", [or], "if they're necessary".' Such a move would likely result in more US casualties and could prove unpopular with President Trump's supporters who favour US isolationism. He warned Iran: 'We haven't even started hitting them hard', adding 'the big wave has not even happened, the big one is coming soon.' A man carries an injured woman at the site of US-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, Iran on Monday Donald Trump on Monday night warned Iran that the 'big one' was coming as he said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed 'We're knocking the crap out of them,' he told CNN. 'I think it's going very well. It's very powerful. We've got the greatest military in the world and we're using it.' His Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, said America was 'fighting to win' on its terms and with 'no stupid rules of engagements'. While the US is apparently assisting anti-regime elements inside Iran, Mr Hegseth said America was not particularly interested in regime change, avoiding any 'nation-building quagmire' or any 'democracy building exercise'. 'We fight to win. And we don't waste time or lives,' he said. 'Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons. 'Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions,' he said. 'Our bases, our people, our allies, all in their crosshairs - Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the operation needed to happen 'no matter what', claiming Iran would otherwise have 'so many short-range missiles, so many drones, that nobody could do anything about it'. Tehran has been pummelled by US and Israeli air strikes since Saturday, when they killed Ayatollah Khamenei Israel launched a series of attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles at Haifa on Sunday He added that the US attacked Iran 'pre-emptively' after learning of Israel's plans to strike. Asked about the future of the country, Mr Rubio said the US would 'love' Iranians to topple the government, although the objective was to destroy the country's ballistic missile capability. The US military said it had struck more than 1,250 targets in Iran since Saturday, adding that it had also destroyed 11 Iranian ships. On Monday, the crews of three US jets had a fortunate escape when they were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defences. All six pilots ejected safely. A video online showed Kuwaiti residents thanking one female pilot for her service after she landed. Six US service personnel have been killed in the first three days of Operation Epic Fury. On Monday night the conflict threatened to spread across the Middle East. Israel is poised to invade southern Lebanon while Qatar said it shot down two Iranian SU-24 fighter jets. The Qataris were responding to a co-ordinated Iranian attack, which also included seven ballistic missiles and five drones. The Gulf state condemned Iran for its 'reckless and irresponsible' actions. Mr Trump said the 'biggest surprise' for him had been Iran's attacks on Arab countries in the region. 'We were surprised,' the President said. 'We told them [other countries], 'We've got this,' and now they want to fight. And they're aggressively fighting. They were going to be very little involved and now they insist on being involved.' Iran has also attacked Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia following the US and Israeli military action that began on Saturday morning. The UAE suffered sustained bombardment on Monday as its defences intercepted nine ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and 148 drones. Pictured: The pilot of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Kuwait was thanked by locals after managing to safely eject from the plane before it plummeted to the ground According to figures released on Monday, the UAE has shot down 174 ballistic missiles since the attacks began, along with 689 Iranian drones. The US embassy in Kuwait was hit by a suspected Iranian drone strike on Monday night. The US State Department said there were no injuries but the building's exterior was damaged and an external warehouse was set on fire, according to the Washington Post. In Lebanon, the health ministry said 31 were killed by Israeli air strikes in southern Beirut where Hezbollah militants are based. Israeli defence chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said this was the start of an 'offensive campaign' against Hezbollah and residents should prepare for 'many prolonged days of combat ahead'. Qantas has been slammed as 'deceptive' and 'misleading' for continuing to sell $2,000 flights to the war-torn Middle East despite the airspace being closed. The airspace above Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar has been closed for days following the conflict which began on February 28 with the US-Israel airstrikes on Iran. Dubai Airport and Abu Dhabi Airports reopened on Monday to allow a small number of flights to depart. Hamad International Airport in Qatar remains closed. However, Qantas is still selling codeshare flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi due to depart on Tuesday night, with a one-way economy ticket from Sydney to Dubai at 9.10pm currently available for $2,043 on the carrier's website. Another flight leaving Sydney just 35 minutes later retails for the same price. 'Pretty bad to take people's money on flights which everybody knows aren't going to depart... businesses shouldn't sell services that they know for sure that they won't be able to deliver,' one person wrote online. Another referred to Qantas's $120million loss in the Federal Court after the watchdog found it had sold cancelled 'ghost flights' between 2022 and 2024. 'Qantas have form in this space,' they wrote. '[They] agreed to a total penalty and compensation package of $120million for selling tickets on over 70,000 "ghost flights" that were already cancelled.' Qantas has been referred to Australia's consumer protection watchdog amid the conflict Aussies shared their concerns online, with some labelling Qantas's conduct as 'deceptive' However, Qantas is still selling flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi that are due to depart on Tuesday, in a move described by Aussies as 'misleading and deceptive' (pictured) However, others suggested it 'takes two to tango'. 'I'd pin this more back on the individual who books those flights. We should focus more on personal responsibility not looking for corporate malfeasance,' one said. The Daily Mail has seen multiple reports of people referring Qantas to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding the matter. When asked to confirm if the ACCC was investigating the airline, a spokesperson refused to comment, citing the commission's policy of not commenting on 'individual businesses or specific examples'. 'Airlines are required to meet the consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) when they supply their services. These include providing services in a reasonable time, and supplying services with due care and skill,' they continued. 'Whether an airline has failed to meet these consumer guarantees will depend on the circumstances in any particular case. 'Where services are cancelled in circumstances where the airline has not met these consumer guarantees, consumers are entitled to a remedy, which may be a replacement service, credit, or refund, depending on the circumstances.' The ACCC spokesperson also noted consumer guarantees are unlikely to apply if an airline delays or cancels a flight due to the actions of a third party (such as a government implementing restrictions on the flight). The Daily Mail has contacted Qantas for comment (pictured Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson) A Qantas spokesperson told the Daily Mail the flights are no longer showing on the website. 'Emirates have confirmed that theyve stopped selling these flights on their system and will take a few hours to be reflected on the Qantas website,' the spokesperson said. On Qantas's website, updates to flights operated by other carriers, including Emirates, are driven by their airline partners. The Daily Mail has also contacted Emirates for comment. Emirates and Etihad Airways are also selling one-way tickets to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for Thursday morning, with some seats retailing for over $7,000. It comes as the 115,000 Australians stuck in the Middle East suffered a fresh blow on Monday night, when the main repatriation route through Cyprus was suddenly closed. The passenger terminal in Paphos, Cyprus, was evacuated about midday after a suspicious object was detected on the radar. During past conflicts in the Middle East, Australians have been evacuated from the Gulf to Cyprus by ferry and then flown home, however, the escalation on Monday saw maritime routes to the island in southern Europe also shut. Many have complained of a delay in hearing from consular officials and that the embassy phone line was not working. Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing (Channel 4) Rating: Jonathan Ross says he has no desire to be a 'national treasure'. Good thing, really. He's been on our screens and radios for 40 years, yet there's curiously little public affection for him. Within the industry, as Celebrity Traitors made clear, he has always been a powerful figure, a 'big dog'. His Halloween showbiz shindigs were a thing of legend, rivalling the anyone-who-is-anyone parties once thrown by David Frost or Elton John. A true national treasure can count on public indulgence for their failings and mistakes but Ross has never been forgiven for the humiliating practical joke he and Russell Brand played on actor Andrew Sachs nearly 20 years ago. Audiences recognise his professional gifts, his easy confidence and endless spiel, but they don't seem to warm to Wossy. This was especially apparent as he stepped into Cilla Black's shoes for a sadistic parody of Blind Date. Using her catchphrase, Jonathan Ross asked players, 'What's your name and where do you come from?' before rolling back a screen to let the couples see each other for the first time. Cilla, whatever her flaws, was a bona fide national treasure. For Jonathan Ross to swipe one of her signature phrases seemed disrespectful. Quite why he was presenting Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing was not clear. Once he'd matched up the nine couples, shackled them and extracted a soundbite from each player, his job appeared to be over. The duos were sent off, joined at the wrist, to investigate each other's lives. They'll eat, sleep and use the bathroom together, as long as they can bear it. The pair who last longest will share a 100,000 prize. Jonathan Ross is the host of Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing on Channel 4 Ross hosts the show where couples are matched up and handcuffed, with the last pair standing winning 100,000 Cilla Black hosted the dating show Blind Date from 1985 to 2003 It's as artificial a format as anyone could devise. Channel 4 does love a bit of voyeurism dressed up as social research, so the players have been selected to ensure maximum contrast and tension. 'A wemarkable expurrment,' said Jonathan. 'Can divided Britain settle its many differences?' Gay feminist businesswoman Jo, a 'body positive' advocate with a slogan on her T-shirt reading '100 per cent full fat', was cuffed to property developer and full-time cheeky chappie Reuben, who called her 'Baby' until she warned him off. After that, he called her 'Love'. Cleaner and barmaid Tilly, 37, hit it off with 60-year-old millionaire Anthony so well they were taking a shower together by lunchtime. Something about his classic car collection seemed to appeal to her, though Anthony's boyfriend didn't appear overly worried. The real odd couple were George, a former prison officer with a chip the size of a breezeblock on his shoulder, and aristo Sir Ben, in his silk smoking jacket. They set off for the baronet's country estate, where Ben proudly showed off his collection of paintings, including a faded watercolour by Adolf Hitler. A lively political discussion ensued over dinner, and the boltcutters came out before the port was served. Not a lorra lorra fun. President Donald Trump announced Monday he will attend this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner, after snubbing the annual gathering hosted by journalists for years. In a Truth Social post, Trump said he would join the audience of Washington dignitaries and Hollywood celebrities at the late April affair. 'In honor of our Nations 250th Birthday, and the fact that these "Correspondents" now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!' the President said. The dinner was started in the 1920s under President Calvin Coolidge, with Trump the only president to skip it year after year. It's hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association, an organization that supports the White House press corps. 'Because the Press was extraordinarily bad to me, FAKE NEWS ALL, right from the beginning of my First Term, I boycotted the event, and never went as Honoree,' Trump said. 'However, I look forward to being with everyone this year.' 'Hopefully, it will be something very Special,' Trump added. 'Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Before being sworn into office in 2017, Trump had attended the WHCD, or 'nerd prom' as it's nicknamed, several times. President Donald Trump, photographed earlier Monday in the East Room, announced Monday evening via Truth Social that he would attend this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner after snubbing it four times President Barack Obama is pictured at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner in which he mocked then businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump from onstage, a moment some in Trump's inner circle say motivated the President to run for the White House in 2016 Most memorably, Trump played foil to President Barack Obama during the dinner in April 2011, which Obama attended while US Navy Seals were carrying out the Osama bin Laden raid. Obama, who was the target of Trump's 'birther' conspiracy theory at the time, which challenged the Democratic president's legitimacy, let loose on the now President, mocking his flirtations with a White House bid. He wondered aloud how Trump's experience helming The Apprentice might set him up for presidential success. 'For example, on a recent episode of Celebrity Apprentice, at the steakhouse, the men's cooking team did not impress the men from Omaha Steaks,' Obama began. 'And there was lots of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership,' the Democrat continued. 'And so ultimately you didn't blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf, you fired Gary Busey.' 'These are the kinds of decisions that keep me up at night. Well handled, sir, well handled,' Obama joked. Some Trump advisers later speculated that Obama's taunts motivated him to run for president in 2016. Trump returned to the WHCD in 2015, several months before he announced his first successful presidential bid. Donald Trump is seen attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2015, several months before he declared his first successful run for the presidency. Since taking office, Trump has skipped the 'nerd prom' every year it's been held President Joe Biden puts on his trademark pair of aviator sunglasses as he speaks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April 2023. Biden attended the WHCD every year it was held, though it was cancelled in 2021 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Vanderpump Rules stars Ariana Maddix (left) and Lisa Vanderpump (right) pose on the carpet as they arrived at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2023, as guests of the Daily Mail amid 'Scandoval,' a cheating scandal that rocked the reality television world Actress Scarlett Johansson waves as she's seated in the audience of the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2024, the year her husband, Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost, performed the comedy bit Actress Lindsay Lohan is photographed attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April 2012. The dinner is held by the organization that supports the White House press corps but has become a big ticket for celebrity guests, especially during the Obama years But once he entered office, Trump skipped the dinner every year it was held, often also barring other White House officials from attending. It was cancelled in 2020 - and during President Joe Biden's first year in office in 2021 - due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dinner typically includes a roast from the President and, in turn, a comedic performance. That got scrapped last year due to the outcry surrounding anti-Trump comedian Amber Ruffin's selection, with the WHCD board unanimously voting to cancel her performance after it was initially announced. This year, instead of a comedian, mentalist Oz Pearlman is slated to perform. The dinner will take place on April 25 at the Washington Hilton. A man has been charged after allegedly kicking a dog in the head in a random attack in a car park outside Bunnings. Hayden Palkovics was shopping at the Adelaide hardware store when a man allegedly kicked his dog twice while it was sitting in the back of his ute on Sunday afternoon. Mr Palkovics returned to his ute and said his rescue dog suffered minor injuries. 'I now understand why my dog was skittish when we got home and she now has a sore eye,' he told 7News. Mr Palkovics does not know the man and labelled him a 'low life stranger'. South Australia Police later arrested the 48-year-old man at a Smithfield address on Monday. He was charged with ill treatment of an animal and is due to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on April 14. Dashcam footage from a passing motorist showed how the man kicked the dog in the face as he walked past the ute. The 48-year-old was seen allegedly kicking the dog in the head 'Kick it again and I'll kick you in the head,' a person can be heard yelling at him. A witness said the incident was not only completely avoidable, but was shocking to watch. 'He didn't have to walk next to the car, he could've walked around it,' they said. 'The dog simply barked at him, which any dog could potentially do, so there was ways around it. A Bunnings spokesman said the safety and wellbeing of customers, their pets and 'our team members is our top priority'. 'Any conduct that places people or animals at risk is unacceptable and has no place in or around our stores,' he said. 'We urge anyone with information about this incident to contact South Australia Police. 'We will work with authorities in relation to their investigation if requested.' Aussies online were horrified to watch the footage of the attack. 'I hope the poor little thing is okay and isnt too traumatised,' one said. 'I hope they find him,' another said. Two people were rescued from a Texas radio tower after their hot air balloon crashed into the structure. A man and a woman, who have not been identified, were rescued from the hot air balloon after it crashed at around 8.15am on Saturday. The pair were pulled from the basket, which had been swinging from a radio tower, by the Longview Fire Department. Just before 9am, firefighters began climbing the 1100-foot tower and by 10am they had reached the travelers, who were stuck at around 920 feet, the fire department said in a release. Strong winds caused complications throughout the rescue, which took around four hours and was described as 'highly technical and time intensive,' according to the department. The torn balloon was seen blowing around in the wind while the fabric remained attached to the tower. According to a preliminary FAA briefing, the balloon became entangled in a guy wire. The basket that the pair had been waiting in was left dangling from knee-buckling heights. Footage from the department saw a woman being secured with ropes and given a hard hat before she was helped down from the tower. A man and a woman, who have not been identified, were rescued from the hot air balloon after it crashed into a radio tower in Texas at around 8.15am on Saturday Just before 9am, firefighters began climbing the 1100-foot tower and by 10am they had reached the travelers, who were stuck at around 920 feet Strong winds caused complications throughout the rescue, which took around four hours and was described as 'highly technical and time intensive' The man looked on from still inside the basket before he was helped out. Video from the department saw him wearing a yellow hard hat as he was pulled across to the structure in a heart-stopping moment. Both occupants sustained no injuries, but were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. 'All members of the rescue team are part of our highly trained Special Operations Unit from Stations 5 and 2, operating in a coordinated technical rescue effort. Longview is in command of the scene and the operational activities,' the department said. Marcus Delaney, a spokesperson for the fire department, told RadioWorld that the KYKX radio station was off air during the rescue, but no damage was done to the tower's antennas or transmission equipment. The rescue required 14 firefighters and 35 fire department members, Delaney told the outlet. Delaney added that the team had been aided by Longview Police, Judson Fire, East Mountain Fire, the Gregg and Upshur County Sheriffs Offices and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Constable Tim Barnett said in a statement on Facebook: 'Today, I witnessed something that is difficult to put into words. The professionalism, courage, and precision demonstrated by the Longview Fire Department was nothing short of extraordinary.' Footage saw both occupants being secured with rope and given hard hats for their descent to the ground far below them The rescue required 14 firefighters and 35 fire department members and took around four hours The torn balloon was seen blowing around in the wind while the fabric remained attached to the tower. According to a preliminary FAA briefing, the balloon became entangled in a guy wire Barnett said that he had been on scene to assist but 'stood in complete admiration of this team.' 'These selfless firefighters climbed nearly 1,000 feet into the sky to safely rescue two victims who had crashed into an 1,100-foot tower. 'Their training, teamwork, and commitment to excellence were evident in every step of the operation.' The constable said the department executed the rescue 'flawlessly.' Stephen Winchell, a Longview Special Operations member, told KLTV that the incident was one they had been training for, but never at such height. 'We have literally talked about this one, and briefed and talked about what would happen if a hot air balloon got stuck in a tree or a power line but we just didnt expect both of those scenarios to get combined today, to one very tall rescue,' Winchell said. 'If it had been people that were injured or not as capable as they, we wouldve had to climb out to the basket and that wouldve added a significant degree of difficulty.' Donald Trump has promised revenge 'soon' after six service members were killed in Iran and the US embassy was struck by drones in Saudi Arabia. The embassy in Riyadh on Monday was 'struck by two UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] that hit the roof' and the perimeter of the consulate, the US State Department told The Wall Street Journal. In addition, eight drones were intercepted near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj, The Saudi Defense Ministry told The New York Times. The strikes came as the US urged all Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East ahead of a planned 'major uptick' in strikes on Iran. Trump told News Nation Monday night that 'you're going to find out soon' what the retaliation would be for the attack, but also said he did not think boots on the ground were necessary. 'We're doing a lot of damage. We're inflicting tremendous damage on them,' he said. Trump said that he's getting closer to the United States' stated objectives for the strikes, calling it 'ahead of schedule.' 'I know a lot, and I will absolutely know when it's achieved. It's getting very close, too. We're doing a lot of damage, we're setting them back a lot,' he said. The president added that 'you'll be finding out very soon' who will take over running Iran. Donald Trump has promised swift revenge 'soon' after six service members have been killed in Iran and the US embassy was struck by drones in Saudi Arabia The conflict in the Middle East may have taken another turn as a fire at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia (pictured) was reported, as loud explosions were heard and clouds of smoke were seen in Riyadh. Trump was not worried about any potential attacks on American soil or at US bases. 'No, it's a part of war. It's part of war, whether people like it or not, that's the way it is,' he said. CNN reported that the embassy was hit by two 'suspected Iranian drones.' No injuries have been reported. 'Post is sheltering in place and reported no injuries,' the department said. The envoy is also limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region, it said on social media. The Saudi Defense Ministry said that the drone strike resulted in a 'limited' fire and minor material damage. The strike comes just days after the president authorized preemptive strikes against Tehran. A fire broke out at the embassy in the Saudi capital after a blast, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike in Bourj Al Barajneh, in the southern suburbs of Beirut An Iranian man works on the ruins of a police headquarters that is completely destroyed in U.S.-Israeli attacks in Tehran The explosions and smoke came from Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies in the Saudi capital and residences of foreign diplomats, four witnesses told AFP early Tuesday morning. 'I heard two explosions followed by smoke rising over the quarter,' said a resident who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. Three people familiar with the matter said a loud blast was heard and flames were seen at the embassy early on Tuesday morning. One of the sources said the fire was minor. The blasts were heard as Iran pressed its campaign targeting Gulf states including Saudi Arabia with waves of missile and drone attacks in response to US and Israeli air strikes. The Daily Mail has reached out to the State Department for comment. State Department officials announced Monday that any Americans currently in the Middle East should evacuate immediately, and offered assistance to anyone who was struggling to arrange transportation out of the country. That announcement came as a senior official told CNN's Jim Sciutto that the US is preparing for a 'major uptick' in strikes on Iran over the next 24 hours, targeting the country's missile production, drones and naval capabilities. But already Iran has started firing back, killing six American soldiers and striking an American-allied fuel tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Vehicles drive along a street near the Diplomatic Quarter, following drone strikes Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the 'imminent threat' that prompted the US to strike Iran was the threat US soldiers would face after Israel's planned strike on the Middle Eastern country Iran's Revolutionary Guards now say the strait is closed and Iran will set fire on any ship which attempts to pass through. A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was also shuttered on Monday after being hit by a drone as motorists in the UK face warnings of potential 'record prices at the pumps'. Meanwhile, Qatar shot down two Iranian fighter jets after it was attacked by Tehran today and forced to shut off its gas production following a drone strike. The Qatari defense ministry announced two Su-24 bombers were brought down, while seven missiles and five drones were also intercepted during several attacks on the Gulf state. The US launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday. Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive. 'There absolutely was an imminent threat,' Rubio stated. 'And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.' Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 'We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,' he said. The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans. Spain has denied the US permission to use their shared bases to launch attacks against Iran. The country's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned Israel and the US for striking Iran and killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said Madrid rejected 'the unilateral military action by the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order'. Sanchez added Spain 'likewise' rejected the actions of the Iranian regime. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Spain wanted 'democracy, freedom and fundamental rights for the Iranian people', but it would not allow its bases to be used in the ongoing military action. He said: 'I want to be very clear and very plain. The bases are not being used, nor will they be used, for anything that is not in the agreement [with the US], nor for anything that isnt covered by the UN charter.' Defence Minister Margarita Robles said: 'There is a deal with the US over these bases, but our understanding of the deal is that operations have to comply with international legal frameworks and that there has to be international support for them.' The decision puts Spain at odds with its European partners including the UK, France and Germany, who on Sunday said they would defend their interests in the region through defensive action to destroy Iran's capability to fire missiles and drones. Spain has denied the US permission to use their shared bases to launch attacks against Iran. Pictured: Moron Air Base Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned Israel and the US for striking Iran and killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei The US and Israel has pounded Tehran with missiles since launching their operation on Saturday Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte also said that Europe is 'absolutely supportive' of US action. 'It's really important what the US is doing here, together with Israel, because it is taking out, degrading the capacity of Iran to get its hands on nuclear capability, the ballistic missile capability,' he told Germany's ARD television. Several US aircraft have departed the joint Rota and Moron military bases in Southern Spain in recent days. At least seven jets were shown to have landed at Germany's Ramstein airbase. On Sunday, Sanchez again lashed out at the US and Israel. In a speech in Barcelona, he said: 'Today, more than ever, its vital to remember that you can be against a hateful regime, as Spanish society is as a whole when it comes to the Iranian regime, and, at the same time, against an unjustified and dangerous military intervention that is outside international law.' European Union leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of 'ensuring nuclear safety'. Keir Starmer initially refused to give the US permission to use UK bases, but on Sunday said he would allow them to launch 'defensive strikes'. Sir Keir claimed the UK has learned lessons from 'the mistakes of Iraq' and he would only allow strikes for the 'limited specific defensive purpose' of defending British allies. He said it is 'my duty to protect British lives' from Iranian 'scorched earth strikes' but ruled out taking part in pre-emptive strikes - as he faced criticism for his 'pathetic' refusal to explicitly support Mr Trump's strikes on Iran. The PM said it 'remains the case' the UK is not involved in strikes on Iran and will 'not join offensive action now'. The US President said he was 'very disappointed' with the PM and he 'took far too long' to change his mind. Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran's traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his bodyguards and other top Iranian officials for years before his assassination, according to a report. Israel gained access to almost all the city's cameras, which are used extensively by Iran to spy on regime opponents and its own population, and tracked the movements of key bodyguards. Images were said to be transmitted back to Tel Aviv and southern Israel, allowing Mossad to develop intimate knowledge on the guards' addresses, work schedules and who they were assigned to protect. One camera angle proved especially helpful and allowed agents to track where bodyguards parked their personal cars when arriving at the Supreme Leader's compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran. The hacks were part of a years-long intelligence campaign which eventually led to the killing of Khamenei on Saturday after jets, which had travelled directly from Israeli military bases for hours, fired up to 30 precision munitions on his complex. The Supreme Leader's body was found in rubble after the daylight bombing raid aimed at toppling the regime. Khamenei presided over a brutal regime for 36 years which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women and funded terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah which seek to eliminate Israel. When Israel located Khamenei on Saturday morning, they disrupted around a dozen mobile phone towers near Pasteur Street, making phones appear busy when called and preventing his security from receiving possible warnings. Smoke billowing into the sky above Khamenei's compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran Khamenei, who presided over a brutal regime which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women and funded terror organisations, was killed on Saturday morning Israel struck and destroyed the Ayatollah's compound (pictured) in an early morning raid 'We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem,' an Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. 'And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that's out of place.' The CIA also had a human source who provided vital intelligence, according to the newspaper. Combined with Israeli AI tools and algorithms which sifted through a vast mountain of data on Iran's leadership and their movements, the source allowed them to trace Khamenei to the meeting where he was hit. Once Israel and the US became aware of where Khamenei was holding his meeting, they decided they had to act. During a war the Ayatollah would be shifted underground into bomb resistant bunkers and acting early gave them the element of surprise. Mossad officials planned the attack for months but decided to act immediately once they confirmed his location. They used traffic cameras which showed Khamenei's meeting was on schedule, hacked phone networks, and the CIA source on the ground. During the strike, senior Iranian national security officials were in another part of the building. Join the debate How should the world respond when secret operations spark wider conflict and civilian deaths? Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran's traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Tehran has been pummelled by US and Israeli air strikes since Saturday, when they killed Ayatollah Khamenei A man carries an injured woman at the site of US-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, Iran, on Monday Two high-level military leaders - Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour - and Khamenei's daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also obliterated in the Tehran strikes. The wife of Iran's Supreme Leader, 79-year-old Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, was also killed. As was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran has since retaliated, furiously carrying out strikes across its neighbouring Gulf states, with explosions in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The war spread further on Monday, with Israel exchanging fire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, US jets being downed in Kuwait and Qatar taking out Iranian fighter planes. But on Monday night Donald Trump warned Iran that the 'big one' was coming as he said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed. Mr Trump estimated the conflict would last 'four weeks or so', but boasted that US and Israeli forces were 'way ahead of schedule'. The US President added that soldiers would be sent 'if they were necessary'. A shaken resident has recalled the moment she saw two women covered in blood after they were stabbed inside a unit block in an elite Sydney postcode. Police were called to St Neot Avenue in Potts Point about 10.50am on Tuesday, after reports a man armed with a knife had entered the complex and stabbed two women. An officer attempted to use a Taser on the man but it was 'ineffective', police said. A round was discharged by an officer after the man confronted police, 'striking him', Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna told a press conference. Footage from the scene shows paramedics loading the man into a waiting ambulance. The man was confirmed deceased 'sometime later'. It's understood the two women, aged 48 and 56, both suffered head and facial injuries consistent with stab wounds and blunt force trauma. They were treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital. Neither of the women, from two separate units, was known to the man. Sue, who lives on the street behind the unit block, witnessed the fallout of the stabbing as she was walking her dog. 'I saw a woman covered in blood and a woman on the balcony above putting an ice pack on her head,' she told Daily Mail. Police were called to St Neot Avenue in Potts Point about 10.50am on Tuesday after reports an armed man had entered the complex and assaulted two women. A man was shot by a police officer after he allegedly threatened them with a weapon The condition of those injured in the incident is unknown 'I get goosebumps as I talk to you. And so I just walked very quickly, and then at least 10 police cars just screamed by. The world has gone cuckoo.' Another local said they also heard the commotion. 'My girlfriend is on the street. She could not leave. She heard a woman screaming... yelling,' they told this publication. A third resident said the street was usually peaceful. 'Nothing happens here, it's a very quiet area. It's dead silent over the time. It is a bit weird a bit unnerving,' they said. Assistant Commissioner McKenna said one of the women's injuries was 'more significant' than the other, but not life-threatening. He said taking a life was 'the last thing' police wanted to do. 'I've got police officers going home today after being confronted by something very, very violent who are going home safe and well although traumatised by that,' he said. Sue, who lives on the street behind the unit block, witnessed the fallout of the stabbing as she was walking her dog (both are pictured) Police and detectives are seen at the scene in one of Australia's most exclusive postcodes Meanwhile, a critical incident has been declared and a crime scene has been set up. The investigation will be independently reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. READ MORE: Hanson doubles down after hurling vicious insult at Lidia Thorpe The Albanese Government has blocked a Coalition bill that would make it a criminal offence to help Islamic State-linked families return to Australia. The federal opposition sought to introduce legislation that would punish anyone who assists the so-called 'ISIS brides' to return to Australia with up to 10 years' jail. But the entire Labor Party blocked the bill from being debated or introduced to parliament on Tuesday afternoon, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding the proposal 'the shoddiest piece of legislation' ever brought before the chamber. Some 34 women and children linked to Australians who travelled to the Middle East to fight for the militant group have been trying for days to travel home from a Syrian camp. While one person from the group has been issued a two-year temporary exclusion order barring their return, other members of the so-called 'ISIS bride' cohort have been granted Australian passports as they are citizens. Burke said even flight attendants could face prosecution under the Coalition's proposed bill. 'This would criminalise the pilots of the commercial plane that flew them back. This would criminalise the baggage handlers,' Burke said. Liberal leader Angus Taylor, who introduced the bill, said more needed to be done to ensure members of the cohort were unable to return to Australia. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke (pictured) launched a fierce attack on the bill, describing it as 'the shoddiest piece of legislation' ever brought before Parliament 'We want to shut the door on returning ISIS sympathisers. Shut the door on Islamic extremism - the bill is a test for the Prime Minister.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously labelled the proposal hypocritical, highlighting that under the former Coalition government four women and 11 children were allowed to return to Australia in 2022, and eight orphaned children were repatriated from Syria in 2019. 'They don't have serious plans. If they did, they wouldn't have allowed more than 40 people to come, including fighters, on their watch when they were in government,' he said. 'We, of course, have advice, but it's the same advice that, frankly, the coalition got ... which is why the laws that are in place are the laws put there by the coalition. 'Our position is we're not repatriating people and we're not providing assistance.' Albanese said the ISIS brides were entitled to enter the country because they are Australian citizens, but has avoided questions about whether he or his ministers attempted to speed up the issuing of passports. Western Sydney doctor Jamal Rifi, a close friend of Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, has been trying to repatriate women and children from the Al-Roj detention camp in north-east Syria. After personally delivering their passports, he slammed the Coalitions proposal as a 'race to the bottom'. 34 Australian women and children, including 'ISIS brides' have attempted to return to Australia Dr Rifi argued that enough time had passed to bring the 34 citizens back to Australia. 'All the security experts are saying it is safer for them to be in Australia and monitored by all security agencies, rather than left there where nobody can monitor them,' he said. 'We are dealing with 23 innocent children - if they have issues with their mums they can take it up when they come back.' Dr Rifi said because of the government's hardline rhetoric, Syrian officials had not allowed the women and children to leave the refugee camp, for fear they might be turned back by another country on their way to Australia. Burke confirmed the 11 ISIS brides had been issued Australian passports, but maintained the government was not 'conducting repatriation' for them or taking part in Dr Rifi's private efforts. Greens home affairs spokesperson David Shoebridge slammed the coalition for proposing non-government organisations such as Save the Children Australia be criminalised for helping Australians return home. 'The idea that any serious Australian political party would make it a crime for Australians to try and help Australian children and bring them back to safety is a remarkable low, even in the current climate on the immigration debate,' the senator said. An embattled Texas congressmans marriage is reportedly on the rocks after being engulfed in an alleged affair with his aide who later burned herself to death. On the day of his knife-edge re-election battle, Daily Mail understands Tony Gonzales is not only fighting for his political life, but also his marriage. Gonzales's wife, Angel, 41, has faced repeated awkward questions in recent days from friends and donors about her husband's alleged entanglement. The wife is not okay, an insider told the Daily Mail. She was really buying that [the excuse], It just happened once...it wasn't a big deal. This is just political propaganda. 'His wife was in denial about everything until last week.' In a highly unusual move, the Daily Mail understands Gonzales will not make any public appearances or speeches before polls close tonight at 7pm local time (9pm EST). Gonzales only won his sprawling south Texas district stretching from San Antonio to El Paso in 2024 by fewer than 400 votes. In September the following year, Gonzales staffer Regina Aviles died by suicide after dousing herself in gasoline and self-immolating. Congressman Tony Gonzales shared a photo of himself and his wife, Angel, voting on Feb. 17- the first day of early voting in Texas. The three-term member of the House is asking voters for a fourth term in office amid an affair scandal Congressman Tony Gonzales hosted Elon Musk in September 2023 as he toured the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. The aide he allegedly had an affair with, Regina Aviles, can been seen on the right of Musk The Daily Mail was first to reveal weeks later that Aviles a married mother of one had been having an alleged affair with Gonzales. Up until days ago, Angel Gonzales, the mother of four of the congressmans six children, appeared to be standing by her man. On February 17, the first day of early voting, Gonzales posted a picture of the couple casting their ballots. On February 21, Angel selected a photo of herself kissing her husband as her Facebook profile picture, calling it a belated Valentines Day post. But two days later, the Daily Mail and other outlets published sexually explicit messages between Gonzales and his late aide. In the private messages sent from Gonzales' personal cell phone, he asked Aviles for sexy photos and grilled her on her favorite sexual positions, even asking, 'A**l?' Several times, Aviles appeared to shut him down, telling him, Too far boss, and asking if he was sober as they messaged until nearly 1 am. (LEFT) Angel and Tony Gonzales kiss in Facebook profile picture shared amid affair scandal. (RIGHT) Angel Gonzales has since changed her Facebook profile picture to one of herself Your browser does not support iframes. Angel a US Air Force and Navy veteran has since removed the kissing photo and replaced it with a solo picture. Gonzales has denied the affair and claimed the release of the text messages is a blackmail campaign by Aviles widower and his political opponents. Aviles died September 14, a day after dousing herself in gasoline and setting herself on fire in her backyard in Uvalde, Texas, about two hours outside San Antonio. Several political sources tell Daily Mail the Texas Republican will not host any public events in his vast district as he seeks a fourth term. It is unclear where Gonzales will be holed up as the GOP primary results are tallied Tuesday night, but it is claimed he will not be facing voters or reporters. 'I think he wants to stay away from the lime light,' a political insider told Daily Mail while asking for anonymity. 'He doesn't take losing or negative things well. He won't put himself in a position to get humiliated in public, much less in front of family.' Aviles died by suicide last September after dousing herself in gasoline and setting herself on fire US Representative Tony Gonzales, pictured in a campaign photo with his wife and six children presenting himself as a family man had two trysts in a cabin with a married aide before her suicide, a friend alleged Aviles referenced her alleged affair with her then-boss Congressman Tony Gonzales in a text message to a friend who shared this text conversation with the Daily Mail. In a gray text bubble, Aviles was allegedly comforting a friend over problems at work. She allegedly typed, 'I had [an] affair with our boss and I'm fine. You will be fine.' Many believe the writing is on the wall for Gonzales, with donor money already drying up. A long-time loyal donor has gone from giving $2,000 a month to withholding funds entirely. The prominent San Antonio family with a successful business has frozen its financial support. The donors who are also friends of the Gonzales family are increasingly worried about Angel's well-being. In the tight social circles of the Alamo City, many are quietly asking what Angel will do next. 'I never thought she was the kind of person to look the other way,' another source speculated. Neither Angel nor Tony Gonzales responded to Daily Mail's request for comment. Nat Barr was left visibly stunned after an Australian defended mosques for holding services to mourn the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The long-time Iranian dictator was killed in his compound by a US-Israel airstrike on February 28, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Khamenei was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, through a campaign of state-sponsored terrorism against his own people and abroad. While refugees who fled Khamenei's regime have welcomed news of his demise, it has also sparked worldwide celebrations of his 'martyrdom'. Vigils were held at mosques across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane on Monday night, sparking widespread condemnation led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, who slammed the 'atrocious' services for the 'evil' and 'tyrant' leader. Tensions erupted on Sunrise on Tuesday as Western Sydney Women founding director Amanda Rose defended the vigils and labelled Minns a hypocrite. 'I think it's a bit arrogant of the premier to say to a religious organisation, you can't mourn your spiritual leader,' Rose began. 'Whether you agree with what they stood for or not, is he going to do it to the Catholic Church, to Buddhists, to synagogues, and to other things if their leaders are doing something he doesn't agree with?' Justin Smith and Sunrise host Nat Barr watched on bemused as Western Sydney Women founding director Amanda Rose (far right) defended the vigils for Iranian dictator Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Dozens gathered at Sydney's Masjid Arrahman Mosque on Monday night following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei The women's business advocate's comments sparked a war of words with Barr and fellow panellist, broadcaster Justin Smith. A shocked Barr argued that Khamenei was accused of being responsible for the deaths of 30,000 protesters killed by security forces in January alone and the execution of young boys thought to be gay. 'Hang on a minute, they called him a tyrant, right?' Rose interrupted. 'A tyrant is someone who bombs a school and kills 160 children, which is what happened recently after US-Israel bombed Iran - that's tyrant behaviour. 'Or when the Israeli Defence Forces flattened Gaza and killed 60,000 - that's tyrant activity. 'If you're going to condemn one group for killing, condemn all groups for killing around the world, don't just pick one religion or group.' Smith issued blunt advice for mourners attending the 'disgusting' vigils for Khamenei, whom he branded as 'a bloody murderer'. 'It doesn't help anybody. It doesn't help people who are petrified of extremism, and it certainly doesn't help the Muslims who are trying to live in peace,' Smith said. Several framed photos of the fallen Iranian leader were seen inside Masjid Arrahman Mosque Vigils were held at mosques across Sydney (pictured), Melbourne and Brisbane 'I would just say to the people that are doing the praying, don't be surprised and don't whinge when ASIO come knocking on your door, and you're being monitored.' Barr asked Rose if Khamenei was a tyrant. 'I think most world leaders are a tyrant in one way or another,' Rose conceded. 'I don't particularly liked the way how he did business and how he ran the country. 'But I also don't agree with politicians telling someone they can and can't mourn their spiritual leader. That's their right.' Barr hit back it was a 'pretty easy question', prompting Rose to admit Khamenei was a 'tyrant in his behaviour'. 'When it comes to global leaders, at the very top, they're all essentially tyrants,' Rose said. Smith jumped in with a heated response. Join the debate Should Australia allow public mourning for leaders accused of human rights abuses? NSW Premier Chris Minns (pictured) was branded as a hypocrite for his condemnation of the 'atrocious' vigils 'He (Khamenei) has been killing people, and that regime has been killing people and torturing people and oppressing people for an incredibly long time,' he said. 'To stand up somewhere and pray for him, and praise him as a martyr is a step way too far. 'If we did nothing about Iran, we would have learned absolutely zero from history.' The Prime Minister said the vigils should not have gone ahead. 'I don't think they're appropriate, and certainly I think that, overwhelmingly, people won't be participating,' Albanese told ABC's 7.30 on Monday night. 'Overwhelmingly, what Australians want is and the Australian covenant, no matter where people are from is that if they have any hatred or prejudice, it's left at the customs hall. 'That's the Australian covenant of people who come here, because we are a country that believes in human rights, democracy, and freedom, and we of course want to see that right around the world. It is up to the people of Iran now to determine their future.' Australians stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are being warned to avoid sharing unverified war footage on social media, or risk a $77,700 fine. The UAE Public Prosecution has urged citizens, residents and visitors to refrain from 'publishing or circulating rumours' due to the 'spread of confusion and harm to the security and stability of society'. 'Any person who shares or reposts content from unknown sources shall be subject to legal accountability in accordance with the applicable legislation, even if they are not the original creator of such content,' it said in a statement on Sunday. 'Be aware and informed. Information is a responsibility, and spreading rumours is a crime.' Any Australians caught reposting unverified footage in the UAE could face a $77,700 fine and even jail time under the country's strict public order laws. Three people in Bahrain have already been detained for filming and broadcasting live content that 'could harm security and public order', reports Gulf News. It comes just days after the region was attacked by Iranian missiles and drones, as part of the country's retaliatory strikes following the United States and Israel-led incursion on February 28. Footage has been shared across social media of the UAE's air defence systems working to intercept the missiles in the sky, resulting in debris landing in some of Abu Dhabi and Dubai's most exclusive neighbourhoods. Australians stuck in the UAE have been warned against sharing unverified war footage online (stock image) Footage has been shared across social media of the Iranian missiles and drones hitting iconic landmarks in Dubai, such as The Palm archipelago The Fairmont the Palm hotel, located in the luxurious Palm Jumeirah was hit by a rogue drone on Saturday, which local authorities have confirmed led to a fire that injured four people. Dubai's sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel has been hit by shrapnel, with holidaymakers also reporting seeing debris falling into the hotel pool of the iconic Atlantis hotel. A terminal at Dubai International Airport was also hit on Sunday. Australian Olympics great Stephanie Rice, who now lives in Dubai, made an emotional plea on Monday following news of the attacks. 'Please help me in praying for all my friends, loved ones and people in the UAE that they would be protected and feel a tangible sense of God peace in this scary situation,' Rice wrote on her Instagram post. The post also featured a statement from the Australian embassy in the United Arab Emirates. 'A message to all Australians in the United Arab Emirates: The UAE Government has confirmed that the UAE has been the subject of missile attacks from Iran,' it read. 'In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said it was responding to the threat, and has successfully intercepted a number of incoming missiles.' The Albanese Government confirmed on Monday that around 115,000 Australians remain stuck in the Middle East. A 20-year-old Australian has claimed he makes as much as $350,000 a year after turning a simple high school hustle into a full-time business. Queensland man Aaron Hukin began washing cars when he was 17 and would offer to clean his neighbours' vehicles for just $40. Mr Hukin is now running an auto detailing business, making between $300,000 and $350,000 a year. 'I always wanted to start a business but didn't know what to do,' he told Daily Mail. 'When I was in school, I worked at a car wash nearby, and as I got closer to leaving school I thought if I knew how to wash cars and the basics, then that would be a good place to start. 'I learned through a lot of free stuff like YouTube videos and I reached out to a few companies to ask for advice.' Mr Hukin offered his services on community groups on social media. 'Six months to a year down the line, I met a couple of people who were doing it full-time and I could see myself doing it as well,' he said. Queensland man Aaron Hukin began washing cars when he was 17 and would offer to clean his neighbour's vehicles for just $40 Mr Hukin is now running an auto detailing business and making between $300,000 and $350,000 a year 'I had $500 worth of equipment at the time and slowly reinvested the funds back into it.' He went on to start Attentive Auto Detailing in Cleveland, Brisbane, where he has both a mobile rig and a detailing shop that also offers paint protection. Mr Hukin, whose goal is for his business to become a million-dollar shop, said his favourite thing about his job was seeing happy clients. 'People buy their new car and want it to be looked after,' he said. 'Seeing them smile at the end result is always awesome.' Mr Hukin also had advice for those who want to follow in his footsteps and start a business. 'You can watch thousands of videos and read thousands of books, but you have to actually do it to learn,' he said. 'You have to get your feet on the ground and get started even if it's a little side hustle on the weekend.' Mr Hukin, whose goal is for his business to become a million dollar shop, said his favourite thing about his job was seeing happy clients Attentive Auto Detailing is described on its website as a business where 'detailing and ceramic coating specialists' bring 'exceptional customer service and remarkable results'. 'With a meticulous approach and attention to every detail, we ensure your vehicle receives the utmost care. 'Our goal is to provide an unparalleled experience, where precision and quality truly speak for themselves.' The business offers Standard, Ultimate Full Detail and Interior Reset from $198, $385 and $225 respectively. It also offers Standard and Ultimate Ceramic Coating Packages from $1,100 and $1,600, respectively. Workers will be able to work from home two days a week Victorian small businesses will have no choice but to allow employees to work from home two days a week under new laws proposed by the state government. Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed that all companies, regardless of size, would have to abide by the new legislation, despite suggesting last year the government would consider an exemption for small businesses. Allan made the announcement on Tuesday while dismissing concerns the laws could lead to a High Court challenge. 'We have advice that it is constitutionally valid,' she said. 'But let's be clear: what does it say about someone who wants to race off to the High Court to strip away a worker's right to work from home? 'To strip away something that saves workers time. To strip away something that saves money. And to strip away something that is good for the economy.' Allan said while many larger organisations and companies already offer flexible working arrangements, the 1.3million Victorians employed by small businesses don't necessarily have that right. 'If you can work from home for a small business, you deserve the same rights as someone working for a big bank,' she said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has confirmed all businesses, regardless of size, will have to allow their workers to work from home The move has sparked backlash from business groups, who say the 'one size fits all' model doesn't reflect how smaller businesses operate. Scott Veenker, from the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the laws could create a significant 'regulatory burden', with some small-to-medium businesses forced to consider moving their operations interstate or overseas, reports The Guardian. 'It's just another added impost. They don't necessarily have HR departments to engage with and to consult,' the Chamber's acting chief executive said. 'I've spoken to a number of businesses over the last couple of weeks and they just have a lot of dismay, in terms of not understanding why it's necessary and why it needs to be done. 'If you make business too hard, they'll go elsewhere and that's the last thing we need in Victoria right now.' The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, which previously called for exemptions for businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees, opposed the plan. 'This proposal duplicates existing federal legislation, adds another layer of compliance, and creates further uncertainty for small business owners who are already spending almost a day each week on regulatory paperwork,' chief executive, Skye Cappuccio, said. It remains unclear how the legislation will be enforced. The move has sparked backlash from business groups, who say the 'one size fits all' model doesn't reflect how smaller businesses operate Further announcements are expected to be released during this week's parliamentary sitting week. Allan's plan to enshrine remote working arrangements into law comes after she first touted the plan at the Labor Party's state conference in August. She said the reforms would help close the gender pay gap, pointing to research from the Centre for Economic Development of Australia that found employees who work five days a week from home worked 20 per cent more. Allan has also previously flagged amending the state's Equal Opportunity Act, which prohibits discriminating against individuals based on protected personal characteristics such as race, sex, age, disability, marital status and religious or political belief. A 30-year-old amateur MMA fighter has been named as a victim of the Austin bar shooting after police confirmed he died from his injuries Monday evening. Jorge Pederson was taken off of life support on Monday, becoming the third person to die from the Iran-inspired bar shooting, KVUE confirmed. Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19, have been named as the other two victims. The gunman, Ndiaga Diagne, 53, was believed to have been hellbent on revenge for the US attacks on Iran that began early Saturday morning. Pederson - whose nickname was 'Trap Jorge' - was an amateur mixed martial artist whose first professional fight was scheduled for May 16, he posted to Instagram just last week. His Tapology page has him listed as fighting out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Several of his Instagram photos are from the city. Six days earlier he had posted a photo of himself training at an Austin gym after working out with a jiu jitsu trainer. Pederson and a dozen other revelers were gunned down at Buford's on West Sixth Street in Austin's Market District just before 2am on Sunday. Witnesses said the bar was 'full of college students, probably mostly UT kids, shoulder to shoulder, hundreds just enjoying their nights.' Jorge Pederson - whose nickname was 'Trap Jorge' - was an amateur mixed martial artist whose first professional fight was scheduled for May 16, he posted to Instagram just last week Pederson was taken off of life support on Monday, becoming the third person to die from the Iran-inspired bar shooting Some college students dove for cover while others were motionless inside the bar and across the street next to a food truck, trying to understand what was happening. Two of the wounded were listed in critical condition, officials said as Pederson was taken off life support. Shan was a management information systems and economics student at the University of Texas, who was only a few months away from graduating. Harrington was mourned as 'a beloved son, brother, and friend' by the Beta Theta Pi chapter at Texas Tech, where he was a member of the Fall 2024 pledge class. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the gunman never entered the bar, but fired at patrons from the street with a handgun and a rifle until cops shot him dead. Diagne, a former New York City resident and US citizen who immigrated from Senegal, was wearing a wearing a shirt reading 'Property of Allah' and an undershirt or T-shirt emblazoned with the Iranian flag. A Quran was later found in the his car. The 30-year-old amateur MMA fighter was named as the third victim of the Austin bar shooting after police confirmed he died from his injuries Monday evening Savitha Shan (pictured left), 21, and Ryder Harrington (pictured right), 19, have been named as the other two victims Davis described the shooting as a 'tragic, tragic incident', and praised the bravery of responding officers who were 'faced with an individual with a gun.' After shooting at people on the bar's patio and in front of the building, Diagne drove about two blocks away before he got out of the car and fired at pedestrians. When officers responded to reports of a shooting, they saw him 'coming toward them' and opened fire, killing him. Footage shared to social media showed the chaotic aftermath of the shooting with Diagne lying dead in the street. Party-goers crouched in fear inside the bar as police arrived, before several more gunshots rang out as he opened fire again until officers shot him. Patrons tended to the wounded along with police officers, as victims screamed in pain, in footage too graphic to publish in full. Paramedics arrived on the scene just 57 seconds after the shooting began, officials said. Diagne, the gunman, had a history of mental illness and several arrests in Texas since he arrived from NYC where he is believed to have lived from 2000 to 2008. The gunman, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, 53, wore a 'Property of Allah' hoodie as police searched his home and discovered photos of Iranian leaders and an Iranian flag Patrons were seen in videos tending to the wounded with police officers, as victims screamed in pain The horror unfolded at Buford's bar on West Sixth Street in Austin's Entertainment District just before 2am on Sunday He was first arrested in NYC in 2001 for illegal vending. Despite his crowded rap sheet going back that far, he became a naturalized citizen in April 2013. Officials, including the National Counterterrorism Center, are investigating if the shooting is tied to foreign terrorism. Both the FBI and police in Austin said Monday that its too soon to identify the motive. The bar is on Sixth Street, a nightlife destination filled with bars and music clubs near the flagship campus of the University of Texas system. The school is one of the nation's largest universities with 55,000 enrolled students. Nathan Comeaux, a 22-year-old senior, spent the evening there with friends and said the bar was 'full of college students, probably mostly UT kids, shoulder to shoulder, hundreds just enjoying their nights.' Some of those affected included 'members of our Longhorn family,' University President Jim Davis said, using the name of the school's mascot. Police taped off several square blocks around Sixth Street after the shooting. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and other federal investigators joined local police at the scene. READ MORE: Albo under fire over staggering promise to Islamic group Prices are already the highest they've been in 12 months Authorities said there shouldn't be any Authorities have warned Aussie motorists they don't need to panic buy or stockpile petrol after warnings about rising prices sparked aggressive clashes at the fuel pump. Many Australians have rushed to fill their cars, and jerrycans, with fuel amid concerns the conflict in the Middle East will cause petrol prices to skyrocket. Long lines have appeared at service stations in Sydney and Melbourne of more than a kilometre in length. A video surfaced on Tuesday afternoon of a driver berating another motorist because they were taking too long. The fear stems from concern about Strait of Hormuz - a narrow stretch of water between Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Oman which 20 per cent of global crude oil typically travels through. While Iran has not officially closed the waterway, authorities have prevented ships from passing through. Satellite images showed ships are waiting at major ports, including Fujairah in the UAE, rather than travelling through the Strait. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver warned fuel prices are likely to jump significantly, very soon. 'Oil prices will spike sharply, possibly above US$100 a barrel, from US$67 on Friday for West Texas, given the disruption to oil supplies, including via the Strait of Hormuz,' he told the ABC. Fuel price are expected to climb higher amid an ongoing conflict in the Middle East Long lines have appeared outside petrol station in metropolitan area across the country (pictured in Melbourne on Tuesday) Petrol prices have jumped by 10c a litre on Tuesday evening (pictured is Sydney) 'This is particularly so given the broad nature of the US and Israeli attack - including talk of regime change - and Iran's broad-based retaliation so far. 'The key issue is how long it lasts.' A price rise from US$67 to US$100 means Aussies are likely to pay around 33c more per litre. Data from Fuel Check NSW shows the average price of Unleaded 91 is the highest it's been in the last 12 months. The price panic hit Metro Petroleum, Earlwood, hard on Tuesday as it offered the cheapest fuel in west Sydney. Customers were seen yelling and cursing at each other while waiting in long lines to reach the fuel pump. 'Get in the car! Move it! move it!' one man yelled at another driver, News.com.au reported. 'Everyone's coming in behind you d**khead!' Aussie motorists waited in long queues to fill their cars on Tuesday This graph shows fuel prices in NSW for Unleaded 91 over the last week This graph shows the price of Unleaded 91 over the month of February in NSW And this graph compiled by Fuel Check NSW shows fuel prices over the last 12 months and that prices are the highest they have been for a year Energy Minister Chris Bowen claimed there was no reason for prices to climb, as Australia has enough fuel to last through to May Bowen urged motorists not to panic buy (pictured long lines at a services station in Sydney on Tuesday) A stressed worker said customers began queuing at 5am, despite the servo not opening until 5.30am. 'It's super busy, I've never seen it this busy,' he said. 'There are only 4 pumps here. People literally don't care about each other.' The worker said at least three arguments had broken out on Tuesday and loud car horns had been a constant background noise. Energy Minister Chris Bowen attempted to calm the frenzy on Tuesday afternoon. He spoke to chief executives of Australia's oil refinery companies and determined they are currently in excess of minimum fuel stock obligations. That means there is enough fuel to last through to May. 'There is no immediate threat to petrol supplies in Australia. There will be challenges in this difficult environment in the Middle East,' Bowen said. Concerns over fuel costs stem from Iran's unofficial closure of the Strait of Hormuz (above) which is a cargo route of 27 per cent of the world's oil Gas prices are also expected to rise and the knock on effect could see groceries get more expensive The ACCC will monitor fuel prices and 'take appropriate action' against unreasonable price jumps 'There are real challenges, but there is no need for panic. Buying will just make the situation worse.' The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is monitoring prices closely, as per a request from Treasurer Jim Chalmers. 'I would expect the ACCC as the independent regulator enforcing Australia's competition and consumer laws to investigate any concerns arising about misrepresentations regarding petrol prices, false and misleading conduct or anti-competitive conduct in petrol markets, and to take appropriate action,' Chalmers said. A 33-year-old man who was allegedly murdered with an axe during a camping trip has been remembered as a 'humble, beautiful soul'. Rimani Pena Hughes from Urunga, NSW, was at Little Styx River Campground, east of Armidale, just before midnight on Sunday when police allege Ahwen Kohn, 26, fatally struck him in the head with an axe. The Daily Mail understands an argument between the two men broke out over a woman. After the alleged altercation, when a 25-year-old woman in their group suggested calling an ambulance, Kohn allegedly choked her and convinced her to load the body into a car and drive away, Bail Court heard on Tuesday. Police said she then drove her fatally wounded friend from Ebor to Thora, about 60km away, to find help. She made it to Thora Ambulance Station where he died. Once the woman had left with Mr Hughes' body, Kohn allegedly had an argument with someone after asking them for a lift to the main road. When asked what happened, he allegedly replied: 'You don't want to know.' On Monday, friends took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Hughes, who was a respected member of the Bellingen community. Rimani Pena Hughes was sadly killed on Sunday after an alleged altercation at a campsite Pictured: Police at the scene where a 26-year-old man allegedly killed his mate with an axe The campground (pictured) is about 80km east of Armidale in NSW One woman said he was a 'loyal foot soldier for the people he loved' and 'stood strong for his friends and never hesitated to show up when it mattered'. Another said: 'One of the most kind and respectful people out of all the lads I've met in [Bellingen]. A third person wrote: 'The community of Bellingen, Thora and Urunga will struggle greatly with what has happened. 'A lovely gentle smiling soul has been taken ... My heart is shattered.' Kohn was arrested on Waterfall Way in Ebor about 11.30am on Monday, 24 hours after the alleged murder. He was charged with three offences including murder, intentionally choking a person with recklessness, and assault occasioning bodily harm. Kohn's Legal Aid lawyer Matthew Spicer made an application for bail, telling the court his client had a 'limited criminal history' and would comply with strong conditions. The police prosecutor opposed bail, telling the court Kohn's murder charge would result in a life sentence if there was a guilty finding. Mr Hughes has been remembered as a gentle person who was loyal to his mates Mr Hughes was a keen camper who was from the NSW town of Urunga Kohn remained silent throughout proceedings. Magistrate Miranda Moody agreed Kohn had no history of violence, but described the murder allegation as 'serious and brutal'. NSW Police Superintendent Chris McKinnon confirmed on Monday the group were known to each other. 'It's always a terrible thing that someone ends up dead from an altercation like this,' he told reporters. 'It's understood that they were known to each other and they were camping together along with a female. 'We know that male [from Thora] received a lift from someone else who was camping nearby and he was dropped at Waterfall Way.' Kohn will appear in Armidale Magistrates Court on April 22. A triceratops skeleton that stood in a Wyoming museum for decades will be auctioned off, a rare instance of a museum-exhibited dinosaur going to the auction block just as the market for the prehistoric giants has hit record highs. The fossil, dubbed 'Trey,' will be open for bidding from March 17 to 31 on Joopiter, an online auction platform founded by Grammy-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams. It has a pre-auction estimate of $4.5 million to $5.5 million. Dating back more than 66 million years to the late Cretaceous period, Trey was discovered near Lusk, Wyoming, in 1993 by Lee Campbell and the late Allen Graffham, a commercial paleontologist who made numerous significant finds over his lifetime. The 17-foot-long herbivore greeted visitors at the 1995 grand opening of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, and remained there on loan until 2023. Having been recently sold in a private transaction, it is now in Singapore, where it is available for private viewings through the end of March, Joopiter said. Trey 'has this cultural aspect that a lot of fossils that go to auction these days just simply dont have,' said paleontologist Andre LuJan, who worked with Joopiter to prepare the fossil for auction. 'This one is connected to people and undoubtedly has inspired young children whove seen it to pursue a career in paleontology.' Once the domain of museums and universities, dinosaur fossils have become increasingly popular investments. The triceratops skeleton known as 'Trey' dates back more than 66 million years to the late Cretaceous period The skeleton will be auctioned from March 17 to 31 on Joopiter, an online platform founded by Pharrell Williams Trey was discovered near Lusk, Wyoming, in 1993 by Lee Campbell and the late Allen Graffham In 2024, the remains of 'Apex' the stegosaurus went for $44.6 million at auction, shattering the previous record of $31.8 million paid in 2020 for 'Stan,' a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. In a sign that the dinosaur fossil market remains strong, a rare young dinosaur skeleton blew past its $4 million to $6 million Sotheby's pre-auction estimate in July and ended up fetching more than $30 million in a bidding frenzy, including fees and costs. Caitlin Donovan, Joopiter's global head of sales, said the surging interest reflects a shift away from traditional categories like old master paintings and toward objects that have 'cultural resonance.' '(Dinosaurs) have always captivated our imagination ... and people are now starting to see the value in investing in these as assets,' LuJan said. But the hot market has some paleontologists concerned that important specimens could disappear into private collections, depriving scientists of important research opportunities. Public museums are 'getting totally priced out of an exploding market,' said Kristi Curry Rogers, a paleontologist at Minnesota's Macalester College. Triceratops was a large herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago The fossil is approximately 17 feet long. Trey was displayed at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis from its 1995 grand opening until 2023 The pre-auction estimate for Trey is $4.5 million to $5.5 million. Trey was recently sold in a private transaction and is currently in Singapore for private viewings The spine of the triceratops skeleton can be seen in this photo of the fossil on display at Le Freeport, Singapore The name Triceratops means 'three-horned face,' referring to its two long brow horns and smaller nose horn 'If a fossil goes into a private collection without guaranteed access forever, that data is essentially lost to science,' said Curry Rogers, who is not involved in the sale. LuJan emphasized that Trey has always been privately owned, and he hopes it will end up in a museum, just like Apex, which is now on display at New York's American Museum of Natural History after its buyer signed a long-term loan agreement allowing scientists to study it. 'Because we've had this paradigm shift in what owning dinosaurs means to society, people are naturally gravitating toward these benevolent situations where they loan them long-term to museums or they end up donating them to a new museum that's just being born,' LuJan said. The Albanese government is under pressure over a $670,000 taxpayer-funded grant to a Melbourne Islamic community organisation that recently hosted a public mourning ceremony for Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During Question Time on Tuesday, Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan asked Treasurer Jim Chalmers whether the government would halt a six-figure election commitment to the Taha Association, a Shia Muslim community group in Dandenong. The association sits within the electorate of Labor MP Julian Hill and has publicly supported both him and fellow Labor MP Cassandra Fernando. During the vigil this week, the association described Khamenei - whose regime, by some estimates, massacred in excess of 30,000 people to crush recent protests - as a 'Muslim leader who remained committed to faith, justice and dignity.' 'He stood for unity among Muslims and supported those in need,' the group declared. 'Inspired by the message of Imam Hussain [the grandson of Prophet Muhammad] he showed patience and strength in difficult times. A reminder of the importance of faith, courage and moral values.' The association has faced intense scrutiny after holding a majlis mourning ceremony for Khamenei. Similar memorials took place at other Shia centres in Sydney and Melbourne. In a social media post last March, Hill, a prominent Labor left figure, previously described the association as an 'always welcoming community centre'. A promised $670,000 taxpayer-funded grant to the Taha Association, a Shia Muslim group, is being reviewed after it held a mourning vigil for Ayatollah Khamenei The Taha Association was promised a $670,000 grant by Labor MP Julian Hill (above) Chalmers said that regulators have the power to strip concessional treatment from organisations if warranted, and that Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly was reviewing the matter. Aly told Parliament she shared concerns about the proper use of taxpayer money. 'We take very seriously issues where there is funding for activities or for communities,' she said, adding she was 'doing everything possible' to examine the funding arrangement. She noted that while supporting community organisations is not unusual, it must comply with legal and social standards. 'We take our expectation that the activities of those organisations and the activities of those groups are conducted within the rule of law and within the expectations and the standards [Australians] expect.' Aly confirmed she learned of the grant only in the previous 24 hours and is 'looking into the matter.' The government has not said whether the grant will proceed, be paused, or be cancelled, with Aly promising an update. Labor MPs Cassandra Fernando (pictured) and Julian Hill have been supported by the group The parliamentary debate is just a week after Hill urged progressives not to 'fail to call out and combat the dangers of radical Islamist politics and ideologies'. Following Labor's 2025 election win, the Taha Association congratulated Hill and Fernando. 'We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Julian Hill and Cassandra to further support the needs of Taha and our community. 'Both of you have been amazing supporters of our community and have always been there for our people especially immigration.' The mourning events for Khamenei have sparked major backlash from political leaders, IranianAustralian activists, and Jewish community groups. NSW Premier Chris Minns labelled the vigils 'atrocious,' adding 'by any objective measure the ayatollah was evil.' The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called for investigations into any group glorifying figures linked to the IRGC, which Australia classifies as a terrorist-aligned entity. The Taha Association Centre, Julian Hill and Cassandra Fernando have been contacted for comment. Donald Trump boasted of America's 'virtually unlimited supply' of weapons on Tuesday as US Central Command said it destroyed several of Iran's military assets. Trump made the claim after threatening retaliation against the Islamic Republic following the regime's fiery drone strike on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. 'The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. 'Wars can be fought 'forever,' and very successfully, using just these supplies.' Americans were warned to evacuate 15 Middle Eastern countries Monday amid an 'uptick' in attacks. In addition to the strike on the embassy, eight drones were intercepted near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj. The president said 'additional high grade weaponry' is 'stored for us in outlying countries' but noted that 'at the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be.' Trump did not elaborate, but his missive came as analysts begin raising concerns about the number of munitions America has as the campaign continues particularly air defense missiles. The president said that he 'rebuilt the military in my first term' and slammed Joe Biden for giving too much to Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the outset of the war between Ukraine and Russia. Donald Trump boasted of America's 'virtually unlimited supply' of weapons to use as US Central Command said it destroyed several Iranian military assets Trump did not elaborate, but it comes as analysts begin raising concerns about the number of munitions America has as the campaign continues particularly air defense missiles 'Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Countrys money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine - Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth - And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didnt bother to replace it,' he wrote. His post came as US Central Command said it was 'hitting Iran surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically.' CENTCOM also bragged of having taken out Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' command and control facilities, as well as air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields. 'We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime.' Trump engaged in a media blitz Monday to make his case for what he believes will be a four-week long military campaign on Iran. Trump promised revenge 'soon' after six service members were killed in Iran and the US embassy was struck by drones in Saudi Arabia. The embassy in Riyadh was 'struck by two UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] that hit the roof,' the US State Department told The Wall Street Journal. His post came as US Central Command said it was 'hitting Iran surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically' Trump told News Nation Monday night that 'you're going to find out soon' what the retaliation would be for the attack, but also said he did not think boots on the ground were necessary. 'We're doing a lot of damage. We're inflicting tremendous damage on them,' he said. Trump said that he's getting closer to the United States' stated objectives for the strikes, calling it 'ahead of schedule.' 'I know a lot, and I will absolutely know when it's achieved. It's getting very close, too. We're doing a lot of damage, we're setting them back a lot,' he said. The president added that 'you'll be finding out very soon' who will take over running Iran. Trump was not worried about any potential attacks on American soil or at US bases. 'No, it's a part of war. It's part of war, whether people like it or not, that's the way it is,' he said. Trump also hit back at Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson for expressing skepticism regarding the purpose of the war. Trump also hit back at Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson for expressing skepticism regarding the purpose of the war The SiriusXM host was speaking about American soldiers who were killed in the strikes when she said the mission did not appear to have a clear objective. She said of the troops: 'The guys in the and the gals who have to actually carry out this mission why again? And put their lives on the line for whom, again?' When a reporter confronted him with Kelly's comments, Trump said she 'oughta study her history book a little bit.' 'She was opposed to me for years when I ran the first time and nothing stopped me,' he added. He ultimately said that 'MAGA is Trump MAGAs not the other two,' referring to Kelly and Carson. Trump called the battle 'a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe, frankly.' Kelly tried to put herself into Trump's frame of mind for taking this action against the Iranian regime. 'I do believe Trump doesn't want to get us into another Forever War, and I believe he wouldn't willingly submit to [a] quagmire In his mind, he thinks he can do this.' Trump, writing on his Truth Social website, said: 'The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons' US Central Command bragged of having taken out Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' command and control facilities, as well as air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields She did describe the president as being 'all over the board' in terms of how long the battle will last, with Trump suggesting four weeks but having said he's willing to go longer. 'Regime change wars and taking out another country's leader is full of danger too. I pray for the Trump family. I don't want anything to happen to them, and we increase the risk of that with this behavior,' she said. The US shut down its embassy in Kuwait early Tuesday, while evacuating diplomats in Bahrain and Jordan and telling Americans to avoid the Saudi Arabian embassy following the attack. State Department officials announced Monday that any Americans currently in the Middle East should evacuate immediately, and offered assistance to anyone who was struggling to arrange transportation out of the country. That announcement came as a senior official told CNN's Jim Sciutto that the US is preparing for a 'major uptick' in strikes on Iran over the next 24 hours, targeting the country's missile production, drones and naval capabilities. But already Iran has started firing back, killing six American soldiers and striking an American-allied fuel tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Iran's Revolutionary Guards now say the strait is closed and Iran will set fire on any ship which attempts to pass through. A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was also shuttered on Monday after being hit by a drone as motorists in the UK face warnings of potential 'record prices at the pumps'. Meanwhile, Qatar shot down two Iranian fighter jets after it was attacked by Tehran today and forced to shut off its gas production following a drone strike. Secretary of State Marco Rubio talks to reporters ahead of a briefing on the Iran attack to members of Congress The Qatari defense ministry announced two Su-24 bombers were brought down, while seven missiles and five drones were also intercepted during several attacks on the Gulf state. The US launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday. Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive. 'There absolutely was an imminent threat,' Rubio stated. 'And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.' Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 'We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,' he said. The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans. Iran had already prepositioned its missiles and had them on ready alert, the secretary of state claimed. Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut Missiles are seen in the skies over Doha on Tuesday morning He did not specify where the missiles were aiming or which US targets would have been within range. 'Within an hour of the initial attack on the leadership compound, the missile forces in the south and in the north, for that matter, had already been activated to launch. In fact, those had already been pre-positioned.' War powers resolutions - legislation aimed at reeling in the President's authority to unilaterally order strikes - have already been drafted in both the House and Senate. However, the GOP-controlled Congress has not passed these resolutions, despite large Democratic support and the backing of some Republicans. Rubio said that though Congress has the right to take a war powers vote, it's already happened 'a bunch of times' without success. Even if it did pass, it would likely face legal trouble as no presidential administration - neither Republican or Democratic - has ever said that a war powers resolution is constitutional, Rubio said. 'We've complied with the law 100 percent, and we're going to continue to comply with it.' Kurds living in western Iran could begin a rebellion within a matter of days after being secretly armed by the United States, according to reports. The US and Israel are thought to be seeking an armed uprising and have been smuggling weapons to Kurdish volunteers since last year. An on-ground rebellion could begin in the coming days after the American-Israeli offensive struck western Iranian security targets to degrade their capabilities. It comes after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Iranian people to take back their country and overthrow the current regime. As the conflict in the Middle East entered its fourth day on Tuesday, Trump lashed out as Sir Keir Starmer, saying 'it is not quite Winston Churchill we're dealing with'. Earlier the President told Iran's surviving leaders it's 'too late' to talk as US and Israeli airstrikes obliterated a building in Tehran where the new Iranian leader would be picked. Writing on his Truth Social account, the President said: 'Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late!' His remarks come as Israeli and US strikes targeted a meeting of senior Iranian clerics tasked with choosing the next supreme leader to succeed Ayatollah Khamenei following his death on Saturday. Meanwhile Iranian drones attacked another major Gulf oil refinery in the UAE and also targeted the site of the largest American military base in Qatar as the US-Israel war with Iran enters its fourth day. And the US embassy in Saudi Arabia warned of 'imminent' missile and drone attacks in Riyadh after the building was struck by two Iranian drones last night. The Daily Mail had the latest updates on the US-Israel war with Iran Eco-farmers have unveiled plans to grow British avocados on a rubbish dump all year round. A huge dome has been installed at a landfill in Wiltshire which will trap the gas generated from waste to grow fruit and vegetables. Methane produced from the rubbish at the site near Royal Wootton Bassett is already used to generate electricity, producing carbon dioxide as a by-product. The electricity will then be pumped into the dome to power the heating, ultraviolet lights and fans needed to produce avocados and other types of exotic fruit. Meanwhile, the carbon dioxide from the rubbish will be used to boost plant growth via photosynthesis. The new technology has been created by CIC Sustain Wiltshire who believe it will enable food to be grown all year around. This will even allow avocados, which do not normally grow in the UK, to be grown in 'the depths of British winters', the company has said. The dome, which measures 20m by 40m, and 9m tall, is capable of producing 10 tonnes of fruit and veg, which will be delivered to local families. Eco-farmers have unveiled plans to grow British avocados on a rubbish dump all year round. Pictured: The dome in Wiltshire Methane produced from the rubbish at the site near Royal Wootton Bassett is already used to generate electricity, producing carbon dioxide as a by-product Sustain Wiltshire are hopeful their locally grown food will cost lower than the major supermarkets. The food would be sold via an app with the food waste then collected and brought back to the site to be used in the process again. Nick Ash, Project Director for Sustain Wiltshire and Crapper and Sons Landfill Ltd, said if this technology is rolled out globally, it has 'the potential to change the face of food production as we know it'. He said: 'This is a huge day for Sustain Wiltshire, for our local community, for the environment, and for the waste sector. 'On this one site alone, we have the potential to produce over 8,000 tonnes of affordable fruit and vegetables annually, creating 130 new jobs, while preventing the release of 3,800 tonnes of CO2 each year. 'Combined with plans to capture polymers from landfill plastic that cannot yet be recycled, we believe our Super-Midden solution has the potential to transform the future of landfill internationally, turning it into one of the most climate friendly methods of waste treatment.' The dome, which measures 20m by 40m, and 9m tall, is capable of producing 10 tonnes of fruit and veg, which will be delivered to local families (stock photo) The promise to grow avocados on British soil comes just days after supermarkets were facing shortages of fruit and vegetables due to torrential rain across the continent. Strawberry crops were particularly badly hit with gaps noted in the fresh aisles at Tesco, Lidl, Sainsbury's and Asda, according to Assosia data. Raspberry shortages were also reported at Morrisons and Lidl, as well as lower supply of avocados and peppers in stores, based on the analysis by The Grocer. The shortages follow an extremely wet start to the year across areas of Spain and Morocco which supply a large amount of fresh produce to the UK at this time of year. Supply constraints have been exacerbated by the extreme downpours in Britain, with UK growers battling with saturated ground and major flooding in recent weeks. Abel & Cole said low light levels were also impacting production, with smaller-than-expected crops of purple sprouting broccoli, January King cabbages and bok choy. The UK firm's fresh produce and quality control buying manager Caroline Dodds said Spanish oranges and clementines would also 'finish earlier this year' due to the rain. A UK Fresh Produce Consortium spokesperson said: 'Shoppers may see price increases as the market adjusts to limited supply. 'We urge consumers to be aware, but panic buying will only make matters worse.' This is the moment an American pilot, who parachuted out of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Kuwait, was threatened by a local with a pipe. Footage on social media shows a group of men approaching the pilot and shouting, while one of them brandishes a metal pipe. The pilot is heard repeating: 'Back up. Stop!' as the men move closer and closer, appearing to think the airman is Iranian. The tense situation is defused once the pilot finally tells the locals he is American, after which they retreat and leave him alone. The pilot was aboard one of the three US jets that were mistakenly shot down over the Middle Eastern country on Monday. Footage had earlier emerged showing the $90 million planes spiraling out of control as they crashed to the ground. US CENTCOM said all six crew members ejected safely and have been recovered, evacuated and transferred to hospitals for health checks. Kuwait's Ministry of Defense said it was coordinating with the US regarding the 'circumstances of the incident' and would investigate. Footage on social media shows a group of men approaching the pilot and shouting, while one of them brandishes a metal pipe The pilot is heard repeating 'back up. Stop!' as the men move closer and closer, appearing to think the airman is Iranian The plane was seen in a tailspin falling out of the sky near a US base in Kuwait A spokesman for Kuwait's defense ministry said: 'Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived. 'Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Their condition is stable.' The viral video follows another, more friendly interaction between another ejected pilot and locals in Kuwait. Footage on social media showed an unnamed female pilot beaming ear-to-ear despite being shot out of the sky moments before in a friendly fire mishap. 'You need something to help you?' the man recording could be heard asking the pilot as he approached her. 'No problem, you are safe, you are safe. Everything good? Thank you for helping us,' the man continued. Footage also showed the third pilot walking on the ground after they too successfully ejected. The Pentagon said on Monday that the death toll among American service members had risen to four. Just a day earlier, the administration confirmed that three US troops had been killed in fighting with Iranian forces. The rising death toll came after Donald Trump told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview over the phone on Sunday that fighting with Iran could last for the next four weeks. The unknown female pilot beamed ear-to-ear despite being shot out of the sky moments before in a friendly fire mishap Footage showed the pilot walking on the ground after successfully ejecting One of the pilots was transported to safety in the boot of a car after ejecting from the spiraling plane Your browser does not support iframes. Join the debate Do YOU think this could have ended far worse? 'It's always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It's always been about a four-week process so - as strong as it is, it's a big country, it'll take four weeks - or less,' the President said. At a press conference on Monday, Trump said that the US had 'the capability to go far longer' than the projected time frame. The region was plunged into chaos over the weekend after the US and Israel pounded Iran with missiles, killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world's production of oil and natural gas. The intensity of the attacks and the lack of any apparent exit plan set the stage for a prolonged conflict with far-reaching consequences. On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked with drones as Americans in more than a dozen countries across the Middle East were urged to evacuate. It comes as the US State Department appealed for Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East because of safety risks. Overnight bombing took place inside the Lebanese capital Beirut after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) warned citizens to evacuate from buildings linked to Hezbollah militants. A hospital in Tehran was also hit by air strikes overnight. Pictures show smashed glass and debris in the hallway of the Motahari Hospital. The hospital was evacuated on Monday following nearby explosions, the World Health Organisation said. At least 555 people have been killed in Iran so far, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said, and more than 130 cities across the country came under attack. In Israel, 11 people have been killed, with 31 people also being killed in Lebanon, according to authorities. Donald Trump says Sir Keir Starmer 'has not been helpful' and has put the Special Relationship in peril after failing to back his war with Iran. The US President said it is 'very sad' that relations between Britain and the United States are now 'not like it used to be'. Blaming Sir Keir directly, Mr Trump said: 'He has not been helpful. I never thought I'd see that. I never thought I'd see that from the UK. We love the UK. It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. 'This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe. 'It's not going to matter, but (Sir Keir) should have helped... he should have. I mean, France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others.' He even suggested that the Prime Minister's decision to 'could be' because he is pandering to Muslim voters as the Labour leader was accused of 'pearl-clutching' over US attacks on Iran that wiped out Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mr Trump said that he 'loves' the UK and its people but added it is 'not such a recognisable country' anymore'. 'Stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you', he told the PM. The US President's criticism of Sir Keir came as the death toll of US service personnel hit six and 18 service members had been seriously wounded. Americans have been urged to leave 15 countries across the Middle East. Iran has attacked the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with kamikaze drones. Iranian state media has claimed that a command and staff building at a US air base in Bahrain has also been destroyed. President Trump has said America's military response to the avenge American deaths - and damage to its embassy and Bahrain base - is imminent, warning the 'hardest hits' are coming today. Israel has also launched fresh strikes in Tehran and on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, sending ground troops in this morning. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of undermining the Special Relationship by not allowing US bombers to launch their assault on Iran from British bases in Cyprus and Diego Garcia. Access has since been granted, but only for 'defensive strikes'. The Prime Minister said yesterday that he was right to delay, telling the Commons: 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I have done, and I stand by it'. Sir Keir said his Government 'does not believe in regime change from the skies'. Asked about claims the Labour leader's decisions on Iran is because of pandering to Muslim voters, President Trump replied today: 'It could be'. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones said today that the US and Israel's initial strikes in Iran did not 'meet the test the Prime Minister has set out'. 'I've seen the president's words but that doesn't really negate the fact that we make decisions, as I say, on the basis of legality and British interest', the Labour minister said. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Sir Keir Starmer has 'seriously undermined' the UK's relationship with the United States. He called action against Iran 'completely justified'. As Iran was bombed for a fourth day, it was also revealed: Donald Trump has today suggested that Sir Keir Starmer's decision not to back is war with Iran is because he is pandering to Muslim voters and being swayed by 'foreigners that hate you'. The Pentagon vented its fury at Keir Starmer on Monday for his 'pearl-clutching' over the US attacks on Iran. The Pm told the Commons yesterday that he stood by his decision A plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran yesterday Speaking to The Sun he said that Mr Starmer 'has got his own difficulties' in the UK and wished him luck. 'The people of the UK, who I have a great relationship with, who I love, are sorry to hear it also I don't get it. But you know what? I just I wish him a lot of luck', he said. Telling the PM what he needed to do he added: 'Two very simple things. 'Open up the North Sea. Immediately. Your energy prices are through the roof. 'And stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you. 'Open up the North Sea and stop people from pouring into his country from faraway lands.' He said of the UK generally, Mr Trump said: 'It's also not such a recognisable country. I mean, you look at what happened over the last period of time and it's very different. 'London is a very different place, with a terrible Mayor. You have a terrible Mayor there, some terrible people. 'But it's a very different place.' Sir Keir Starmer has seriously aggravated the White House by suggesting that the attack, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader, was illegal and set to unravel. In an outspoken intervention, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Israel for its central role in the offensive but savaged the legalistic approach taken by Britain and other European allies. 'Israel has clear missions for which we are grateful,' he said. 'Capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of our traditional partners who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, humming and hawing about the use of force.' Sir Keir made a partial U-turn on Sunday after Iran lashed out at civilian targets in Gulf states and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, saying US jets would be able to fly from British bases for the 'limited' objective of destroying Iranian missile launchers and stockpiles. He told MPs on Monday that an estimated 300,000 British nationals in the Gulf region were 'at risk' as Tehran targeted hotels and airports. But he ruled out going further, saying he would not participate in US-led attempts to bring about 'regime change from the skies'. Donald Trump said the PM took 'far too long' to lift the ban on US forces flying from RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands. An airstrike on an Iranian police centre also damaged residential buildings around it in Niloofar square in central Tehran on Sunday The US President said he was 'very disappointed in Keir' over his attempts to hand sovereignty of the strategically vital Diego Garcia to Mauritius. Sir Keir acknowledged that Mr Trump had 'expressed his disagreement', but insisted it was in Britain's national interest to abide strictly by international law. He told MPs repeatedly that any military action had to have a 'lawful basis' and a 'viable thought-through plan' and suggested the US had neither. Downing Street said the PM's commitment to upholding international law was 'iron-clad'. Kemi Badenoch suggested that the PM was distancing himself from US actions on Iran to avoid further alienating Muslim voters and so-called 'progressives' who deserted Labour for the Greens in last week's by-election. She accused Sir Keir of trying to placate voters 'whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle East, not the British national interest'. 'It isn't international law or principle,' she said. 'It's pure, partisan, political calculations from a party that has surrendered its right to govern our country.' She added: 'Why is it that under this Prime Minister, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest?' The Tory leader said British people 'will be wondering why our country's response has been so weak'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the PM's dithering was 'pathetic', adding: 'Our Prime Minister is not a leader, he's a follower, and he looks weak in the eyes of everybody.' The PM marched against the Iraq War in 2003 and declared it illegal. He told MPs on Monday he was determined to prevent Britain being dragged into another legally questionable conflict in the Gulf. 'We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,' he said. 'Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes,' he said. 'But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest, and that is the judgment I made. I stand by it.' Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat, who served in the Iraq war, said there was 'zero comparison' with the current situation as there are no plans for a UK ground invasion, although President Trump later said he was prepared to put 'boots on the ground'. A legal opinion drawn up the PM's controversial Attorney-General Lord Hermer ruled that the assault on Iran could not be deemed self-defence despite the regime's long history of attacks on the West, including targets in the UK. Furious villagers living near a 'ghost estate' that is still empty after eight years have blamed houses being built for 'wealthy people from outside the area'. The 33 new-build homes in Calstock, Cornwall, have never been lived in despite planning permission being granted for the estate back in 2018. It was left unfinished and boarded up after the developer said costs spiralled out of control due to ongoing delays and legal disputes with Cornwall Council. Of those built, 15 homes were said to have been allocated for affordable housing - but neighbours say they were still too costly for people living in the area. Many of the other homes are believed to have been valued between 500,000 and 800,000. One local said: 'Why on earth don't the council take them over and rent them out as social housing. It seems ridiculous to knock them down?' Another added: 'This development is adjacent to my son's home hence my knowledge. 'It has been frozen for a few years, absolutely ridiculous. 'At the moment the whole debacle is disgusting. Just give it to the local council to allocate to Cornish locals.' The Calstock housing estate in Cornwall which has been deserted and left boarded up amid a planning row with the council An aerial view of the housing estate with 33 homes that have never been lived in Many of the other homes are believed to have been valued between 500,000 and 800,000 A third said: 'In situations like this councils should have the power to set a deadline for completion or the revocation of the planning permission will take place. 'From the number of reported instances in just Cornwall it would seem many developers submit plans that far outstrip their ability to deliver and end up being bankrupt. 'I dread to think how many unfinished properties there are in the UK that could be used to reduce homelessness, overcrowding and people living in substandard accommodation. 'Perhaps the government should buy these properties and arrange for them to be completed. 'Then hand them over to the relevant council to be used as social rented homes.' It is understood that the developers, Michael Wight and Adele Fulner of Construction Partners Ltd, had intended for nearly half of the properties to be affordable. But then a series of disputes arose with Cornwall Council, which involved the planning application being revised and the number of affordable homes reduced. It is claimed it took years for the spat to be resolved, by which time the costs of building the estate had spiralled. The estate was given planning permission in 2018 but building work was stopped when costs spiralled Of those built, 15 homes were said to have been allocated for affordable housing - but neighbours say they were still too costly for people living in the area The 33 new-build homes in Calstock, Cornwall, have never been lived in despite planning permission being granted for the estate back in 2018 The council maintained that reducing the affordable housing provision from 15 to 10 units still met the requirements for the village. One local told Cornwall Live: 'They never built all of the houses, so the ones that are boarded up are the expensive ones that were for sale, and overpriced, in my opinion. 'The developers then didn't continue with the social housing part of the development, which was the reason why they got planning in the first place. It is such a shame.' Director Michael Wight previously accused Cornwall Council of 'weaponising' legal agreements. He said officers had added additional requirements to the plans - like a second road and a 750,000 retaining wall. Speaking previously to the BBC, Mr Wight added that their budget was 'eroded' as a result. Cornwall Council said that it is actively engaged in discussions with the stakeholders involved - adding that issues with the development had been 'ongoing for several years'. In a statement last year, a spokesperson said: 'The council is committed to working with developers that have been granted planning permission to ensure that a housing development, and the agreed number of affordable housing homes, are delivered in line with the planning permission. 'Issues with this development have been ongoing for several years and the Council has done all in its power to work with the company however, we must adhere to local and national planning policy, including local neighbourhood plans. 'The Council remains in active discussions with stakeholders to find a solution to secure the delivery of the development, including the vital affordable housing element.' Iran has stepped up threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior Revolutionary Guards commander warning Tehran would 'burn every ship' attempting to pass and drive oil prices to $200 a barrel. Escalating tensions around the strait have sparked queues for petrol across the West, with long lines seen forming on Britain forecourts in Liverpool, Manchester and south London today as drivers scrambled to fill up amid fears of further price rises. Brigadier General Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowed to bring chaos to the global energy market on state television on Monday, declaring: 'The Strait of Hormuz is closed. 'Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire. Don't come to this region.' In a separate message, Jabbari warned: 'We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. 'Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days.' The rhetoric from Tehran has echoed across global energy markets, with traders weighing the risk that Iran could seek to disrupt traffic through one of the world's most strategically important waterways. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for flows of both oil and gas from the Middle East, accounting for roughly a fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. Even the prospect of interference has driven the wholesale gas prices sharply higher in Britain and Europe, with benchmark contracts rising by more than 50 per cent as markets respond to fears of a tighter supply. Pictured: Workers evacuate area around Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery as smoke rises following a reported Iranian drone strike Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have prompted early signs of panic buying, with queues forming at petrol stations. Pictured: Queues for fuel at Costco in Liverpool today Oil prices have subsequently skyrocketed, with the global benchmark Brent crude hiking by approximately 13 per cent to the highest level recorded since July 2024. Pictured: Queues at Esso petrol station in Bexley, south London Analysts warned gas prices in Britain and Europe could triple if Iran interrupts supply in the Strait of Hormuz. A closure lasting several weeks could push European gas prices back towards levels seen during the upheaval that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Under Britain's regulatory system, prolonged increases in wholesale costs feed through to household bills. Analysts at Stifel estimate that if gas prices were to triple from pre-crisis levels, the energy price cap could rise towards 2,500 a year from its current 1,641. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled after Iran attacked tankers in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader. Britain's benchmark NBP gas price jumped by about 54 per cent to around 122p per therm, with similar increases across Europe, while Brent crude rose roughly 9 per cent to about $79 a barrel. Most of the LNG passing through the waterway comes from Qatar, with smaller volumes from the United Arab Emirates. Although many cargoes are destined for Asian markets such as China and India, any interruption would increase competition for alternative supplies that typically serve Europe. Analysts said the prospect of close to 20 per cent of global LNG being cut off has driven the spike in prices, with the duration of any closure now the key question for traders. Europe relies on LNG for around a quarter of its gas consumption and storage levels remain lower than usual after a cold winter, leaving it vulnerable if disruption persists. 'If LNG production from Qatar/UAE was disrupted, we see a repeat of 2022: European gas prices rising to bring LNG to Europe,' Chris Wheaton, an analyst at Stifel said. This could mean prices surging to about three times their pre-attack levels, with European gas prices 'returning to levels of at least 100/MWh' and British prices hitting 250p per therm. It comes as petrol stations appear to be running out of fuel as Brits scramble to fill up their vehicles before oil prices surge to 'record levels'. The UK gas price has gone up 40% this morning People queue for fuel at Costco at Trafford Park, Greater Manchester The conflict in the Middle East has affected the transport of fuel to the West after companies suspended sailing through the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian attacks on ships and ports. Oil prices have subsequently skyrocketed, with the global benchmark Brent crude hiking by approximately 13 per cent to the highest level recorded since July 2024. The UK gas price went up another 40% on Tuesday morning, making the per therm price 150 p. But drivers were told 'not to panic buy' petrol and diesel by the AA on Monday ahead of a possible increase in costs - advice many Brits appear to have ignored. Valero Garage in Beckenham, south London, completely ran out of petrol on Monday evening after dozens of locals rushed to fill their tanks up. A worker revealed that some residents even arrived with petrol cans in a bid to boost their longer-term fuel supplies. Signs reading 'Sorry out of use', were also spotted at the nearby BP fuel station in Croydon. Elsewhere, pictures from stations across the nation showed thousands of Brits refuelling before prices are rumoured to surge. This is the hair-raising moment a pilot dramatically decided to abort his landing as he prepared to touch down on a Spanish holiday island during gale-force winds. Footage showed the plane veering suddenly to the right as an intense gust destabilised it just a few feet above the runway. The drama led to the commander making a split-second decision to execute a rejected approach manoeuvre, which saw him lifting the plane's nose in the air to avoid disaster. He successfully landed Binter flight NT556 at Cesar Manrique-Lanzarote Airport shortly afterwards during a second attempt as winds on the island reached around 55mph. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on the plane, which had taken off from the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria. The spectacular display was filmed by Lanzarote Webcam, which published the footage on its social media. A spokesman said: 'Binter flight NT556 from Gran Canaria operating with registration EC-NGG was landing at Lanzarote airport in bad weather conditions, when it received a strong wind gust and put in grave danger the integrity of the plane. 'It's quite a sight to see how the pilots resolved the incident. Finally the plane landed at the second attempt without problems. A was forced to abort his landing as he prepared to touch down in Lanzorte during gale-force winds Footage showed the plane veering suddenly to the right as an intense gust destabilised it just a few feet above the runway The pilot had to execute a rejected approach manoeuvre, which saw him lifting the plane's nose in the air to avoid disaster 'We have decided to do this compilation because without doubt the pilots skills were essential to sort the problem without damages and left us a nice toga operation. It comes as a United AIrlines was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles Interntational Airport on Monday after the plane suffered a reported engine malfunction. Flight UA 2127 had to turn back to LAX after heading for Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after smoke started filling up the aircraft. The Boeing 787 had to deploy emergency evacuation slides on the runway so passengers could flee the plane. According to tracking information from FlightAware, the plane took off from Terminal 7 around 10.15am. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) then got a report of an engine problem onboard the aircraft around 11.05am, prompting the plane to circle back to LAX around 11.20am. A dramatic video showed passengers sliding out of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner before running across the runway as smoke spewed out of the aircraft. Fire trucks were also seen surrounding the aircraft to assist staff and passengers and control the smoke. The pilot later successfully landed Binter flight NT556 at Cesar Manrique-Lanzarote Airport shortly afterwards during a second attempt Only one passenger suffered a minor cut to their finger, the California Post reported. There were 268 people, including 12 crew members, on board. After the emergency landing, the LAFD confirmed the plane landed safely. 'LAFD crews have confirmed United flight #2127 has landed safely and is clear of all passengers and crew members following reported engine problems,' the agency said. United Airlines also confirmed the landing, telling the Post: 'United flight 2127 safely returned to Los Angeles to address an issue with one of the engines. 'Customers deplaned via slides and airstairs and were bused to the terminal. There are no reported injuries at this time. Were working to get our customers to their final destinations.' African media, policy experts hails China's zero-tariff policy for African countries 15:56, March 03, 2026 By Michael Oduro ( People's Daily Online On Feb. 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union Summit and announced that China will fully implement zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, starting from May 1, 2026. The announcement has been met with widespread enthusiasm across the continent, especially among policy analysts, think tank experts, and media organizations. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended China's decision to grant zero-tariff treatment to Africa, urging all developed countries and economically powerful nations to adopt similar measures. "I would appeal to all developed countries and to all countries with large economic potential to take exactly the same measures and to help Africa with its need for its goods," Guterres said in an interview on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Economists, policy experts, and trade analysts also view the move as strategically important in light of shifting global trade dynamics. Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria, described China's zero-tariff access for African exports as a "game-changer" for Nigeria, saying it offers a rare and practical opportunity to transform the country's economy. "Nigeria must seize China's zero-tariff access for African exports as a 'low-hanging fruit' capable of transforming its economy and addressing insecurity," he said in an interview with ARISE News. Onunaiju noted that China's vast market of 1.4 billion people gives Nigeria unprecedented export potential, arguing that even a small share could deliver outsized gains. "If we can secure just one percent of China's market, that would be considerably game-changing, especially in terms of economic diversification," he said. Onunaiju also highlighted China's broader economic shift, describing it as a key source of new opportunities for Africa. "China is making a very impressive transition from what it used to bethe workshop of the worldinto the market of the world," he said, adding that this transition creates fresh space for Nigerian businesses to integrate into global trade. In an interview with Xinhua, Zambian social economist Kelvin Chisanga welcomed the policy, stating that Africa's rich natural resources and agricultural potential could lead to increased exports to China under the tariff-free agreement, sparking new growth for industrial development across the continent. "With this tariff relief, Africa is better positioned to participate more fully in the global market. That will serve as a gateway for scaling up production," he said. Sizo Nkala, a researcher at the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa-China Studies, described the agreement as "timely," emphasizing that it offers South Africa a chance to mitigate external economic challenges and broaden its trade relationships. "It underscores China's commitment to a rules-based and open global economic system as espoused in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030)," Nkala said, adding that the framework marks a progressive step in strengthening South-South cooperation and enhancing resilience among developing economies. The Nation Online, a Malawian-based newspaper, reported that China's decision is expected to significantly widen Malawi's export market. Analysts and government officials said the move could help stabilize prices, boost export revenues, and improve Malawi's access to China's vast consumer market, particularly for agricultural products such as groundnuts, soya beans and macadamia nuts, while supporting trade diversification amid evolving global trade dynamics involving the United States and the European Union. David Monyae, director of the Centre for AfricaChina Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said in an article published in The African, a South African newspaper, that China's zero-tariff policy could be a game-changer for China-Africa trade, as it opens China's vast market to African exports at a time of growing global uncertainty. "China and Africa are building stronger trade ties at a time when the world needs real partnerships more than ever. As multilateralism seems to falter amid weakening global institutions and a wider North-South divide, China is pursuing common development by working together with countries in the Global South," Monyae said. (Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Wu Chengliang) An officer fatally shot a man in Sydney at 10.50am A knifeman was fatally shot by Queensland Police officers in one of three police shootings in less than three hours on Tuesday. Officers in Brisbane, Sydney and Newcastle shot three people, killing two, across three separate incidents on Tuesday morning. The latest report of a Brisbane man, 21, being shot emerged on Tuesday afternoon. Queensland Police responded to a welfare check request at a home on on Thurston St in Tingalpa, east Brisbane, about 10.30am. Officers at the scene were threatened by the man, wielding a knife, and attempted to negotiate with him. However, he was shot after making continued threats at police. 'Medical assistance was immediately rendered, however the man died at the scene,' Queensland Police said in a statement. Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior told reporters the attending officers had attempted to subdue the man with a taser before opening fire. A man, 21, was fatally shot by police in Brisbane (pictured are officers at the scene) Queensland Police were conducting a welfare check when a man armed with a knife threatened officers (pictured is the Brisbane crime scene) 'While trying to detain that person, that male person has lunged at police with a knife,' he said, The Australian reported. 'The entire incident has been caught on body-worn camera and I am confident on the briefing I have received today that all police are justified, authorised, by law, in the actions that they took. 'These officers were confronted with an extraordinarily dangerous situation and they should be very proud in the way that they have responded. 'Our deepest sympathies go to the family of the male person that is deceased today.' Acting Chief Superintendent Heath McQueen similarly justified the officers' actions. 'These incidents are often dynamic in nature and split-second decisions need to be made,' he said. 'My thoughts are with all of the officers involved, emergency services in attendance, and the family of the man involved in this incident today.' The news broke just hours after NSW Police shot two men. Also on Tuesday morning, NSW Police shot two men (pictured are paramedics in Potts Point) Police shot a man in Newcastle in the shoulder and fatally shot a man in Potts Point (above) The first incident occurred at a unit block on Honeysuckle Drive in Newcastle about 8.30am. The Northern Operations Support Group and Northern Region Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Team attended the property to arrest a man wanted on five outstanding arrest warrants. When officers forced entry into the unit, a 36-year-old man confronted them with a knife. 'Two Tasers were deployed; however, both were ineffective against the man,' NSW Police said in a statement. 'The man allegedly continued threatening officers with the knife before a police officer discharged a firearm shooting the man. 'The 36-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder.' The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition while under police guard. NSW Police shot another man in Potts Point, inner-city Sydney, about 10.50am. Ethical standard commissions will investigate all three shootings (pictured are officers at Potts Point) Officers were called to a unit block on St Neot Avenue following reports an armed man had entered the complex and assaulted two women with a knife. The man threatened attending police with the knife before an officer fatally shot him. The two women were hospitalised for head and facial injuries. All incidents are being investigated by ethical standard commissions. The US has obliterated Iran's largest warship, taking out one of the Islamic Republic's main launch pads for drone attacks against American bases. US Central Command also rebuked Iranian leadership for falsely claiming it had sunk an American aircraft carrier in the Gulf. In a statement on X, the US Central Command said: 'The Iranian regime's false messaging machine continues to falsely claim that it has sunk a US aircraft carrier. The only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier.' 'US forces struck the ship within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury.' The Shahid Bagheri began as a commercial ship but was converted into a deadly drone launch pad in 2022. The ship is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and serves as a hub for Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters. A 180-metre flight deck was later added to the carrier, where it held UAVs, helicopters, and medium-range air defense systems. Washington has said military forces have sunk 11 naval ships operated by Tehran in the Gulf of Oman since the start of the war. The Shahid Bagheri (pictured) is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and serves as a hub for Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters Alongside a video of a strike on an unidentified ship (pictured) released by US Central Command, they wrote: 'Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO Alongside a video of a strike on an unidentified ship released by US Central Command, they wrote: 'Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO. 'The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over. 'Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. U.S. forces will continue to defend it.' This follows the IRGC's claim that Iran had struck US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. 'The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was struck by four ballistic missiles,' the IRGC said in a statement carried by local media, warning that 'the land and sea will increasingly become the graveyard of the terrorist aggressors'. US Central Command denied this on Sunday, writing on X: 'The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn't even come close.' The region was plunged into chaos over the weekend after the US and Israel pounded Iran with missiles, killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. The Pentagon said on Monday that the death toll among American service members had risen to four. Just a day earlier, the administration confirmed that three US troops had been killed in fighting with Iranian forces. The rising death toll came after Donald Trump told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview over the phone on Sunday that fighting with Iran could last for the next four weeks. 'It's always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It's always been about a four-week process so - as strong as it is, it's a big country, it'll take four weeks - or less,' the President said. At a press conference on Monday, Trump said that the US had 'the capability to go far longer' than the projected time frame. Your browser does not support iframes. Satellite image shows the Shahid Bagheri off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran, This comes after Iran vowed it will never surrender as it rejected an ultimatum from Donald Trump to lay down its weapons. Trump told Iran's leaders to give up the fight which has exploded across the Middle East, with missiles raining down on Israel, Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, and on American military bases in the region. 'These intolerable threats will not continue any longer. I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death,' Trump said. He urged the Iranian people to rise up and overthrow the Islamic regime. 'Be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country,' he said. 'We're undertaking this massive operation not merely to ensure security for our own time and place, but for our children and their children, just as our ancestors have done for us many, many years ago,' the President said. But Iranian national security official Ali Larijani confirmed the country will not negotiate with the US. On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked with drones as Americans in more than a dozen countries across the Middle East were urged to evacuate. It comes as the US State Department appealed for Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East because of safety risks. Overnight bombing took place inside the Lebanese capital Beirut after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) warned citizens to evacuate from buildings linked to Hezbollah militants. A hospital in Tehran was also hit by air strikes overnight. Pictures show smashed glass and debris in the hallway of the Motahari Hospital. The hospital was evacuated on Monday following nearby explosions, the World Health Organisation said. At least 555 people have been killed in Iran so far, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said, and more than 130 cities across the country came under attack. In Israel, 11 people have been killed, with 31 people also being killed in Lebanon, according to authorities. A transgender woman who sexually assaulted a male hotel worker after she asked him to move boxes for her has been spared jail - despite making a dramatic courtroom plea to be sent to prison. Chandi Shende, 45, groped the victim's private parts over his clothing when he agreed to help carry the items as well as an ironing board into her room last summer. The man, whose identity has been protected, fled the scene and later said he had been left 'traumatised' by the incident. At Liverpool Magistrates Court, Shende denied sexual assault but was convicted following a trial. She was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work. She will also be signed onto the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years and was issued a two year restraining order banning her from contacting the victim. Asked if she understood everything that had been said, Shende replied: 'I sometimes wonder whether going to prison is better. It keeps me away from interacting with the world. In a statement to police the victim said: 'I have been withdrawn, feeling isolated and anxious. Chandi Shende, 45 (pictured), sexually assaulted a male hotel worker but has been spared jail 'I now am fearful walking down the street. It has been hard to eat and sleep, to the point that I've lost weight. 'I question if there was anything I should have done to stop it from happening. I became angry with myself. 'I should not have allowed it to happen. Coming home from work later at night I become fearful and feel I am being followed or something is going to happen to me.' The court also heard how the victim said he felt 'dirty' and couldn't shower properly, and that after the attack his relationship was affected and he does not like to be touched. He was forced to take time off work and has since lost wages and income. Inquiries revealed Shende, of Liverpool, who was born a man, had a previous conviction from 2023 for making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children. She had also engaged in 'lewd chats' with men over WhatsApp. She cited 'gender identity issues' for her offending. 'When I interact with the world it gets difficult for me to manage my mental health. 'I know that my lawyer would say that what I am trying to say is crazy. I have got better and better but it just takes so much hard work on my behalf to work on my crazy mind.' The incident occurred on June 14, 2025, after Shende had become a resident guest at the hotel in Liverpool. Mark Baker, prosecuting, said: 'The victim works at the hotel and the defendant asked him if he could help move some boxes in the room. 'The victim agreed but a short time afterwards while moving an ironing board she touched the victim's penis over clothing. 'The victim pushed her hand away, felt uncomfortable, and described that to the defendant at the time. He quickly left the room and told a manager.' Shende was also given a ten year sexual harm prevention order for the indecent images offences. Shende's solicitor Heather Crossthwaite said: 'She does not accept that there was touching. 'She described herself as having pursued him and ultimately she has got the wrong end of the stick in terms of having a relationship with him. 'It is clear from the report the background and why this may have happened. She has had a difficult time in the past, a difficult upbringing and gender identity issues to a considerable degree. 'But she has a lot to offer. She is educated and she's hard working. She volunteers at a community cafe. 'She really wants to help other people but she understands entirely that she has to address the issues that she has first.' Shende was also made to pay costs of 650 and a victim surcharge of 154 pounds. JP Raymond Moore said: 'If you breach the suspended sentence order, you will go to prison, if you breach the sexual harm prevention order you will go to prison. 'If you breach the unpaid work order you will go to prison. If you breach the community order you will go to prison. 'If you breach the restraining order you will go to prison. There are so many ways you could go to prison.' Just a handful of UK-bound flights are due to leave the Middle East today as thousands of Brits remain stranded in the middle of a warzone. The first evacuation flight from the United Arab Emirates touched down at Heathrow Airport last night with relieved passengers hugging their loved ones in the arrivals hall. Many told of their 'terrifying ordeals' after becoming trapped in the region when Iran began retaliatory strikes on tourist and expat hotspots including Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the weekend. Today, Emirates and Etihad Airways are operating just five UK-bound flights from the Middle East compared to the dozens they usually run every day. The three scheduled to land at Heathrow from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are all currently delayed. Emirates will run two flights to Heathrow and one each to Gatwick and Manchester. Etihad Airways has scheduled one flight from Abu Dhabi to London. Meanwhile, British Airways and Qatar Airways have cancelled all of their timetabled flights between the Middle East and the UK as airspaces remain closed. British tourists caught up in chaotic scenes at Dubai Airport have spoken of their nightmare experiences trying to get home as the city comes under fire from an Iranian drone attack. LONDON: Jeff and Rebecca Moses from Manchester, who were staying in Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel DUBAI: The Pattni family from Leicester who were caught up in the drone attacks. They are now hoping to be able to board a flight home to the UK LONDON: Cath and Dom after she touched back down at Heathrow after staying in the UAE DUBAI: Accountants Greg Coull, 35 and John Barndell, 37, who are hoping to fly back home today from Dubai LONDON: Isabel Robertson (pictured), 29, from Windsor, Berkshire, was greeted with a hug from mother Alba as she landed on Monday Jessica Tennant, 30, from Lincoln, who has been on a two week holiday to the UAE with her young children, said: 'It has been incredibly stressful. 'We have heard absolutely nothing (from the Government or airlines). We have had no updates. We are checking the news hourly because we have not been told anything. 'We flew with Emirates and we've had no contact at all. We are due to fly on Thursday but we have no idea if that is going ahead.' Grandmother Mina Pattni, 62 and her family were staying at the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah, which was hit by either a drone or debris, starting a fire. 'It was absolutely terrifying,' said Mina, from Leicester. 'We were just sitting down to eat on Saturday night when we heard some interceptions of drones or missiles in the air. 'That was scary enough, but just as we ordered, there was this terrific bang and we could see that the side of the building had been hit and everyone was evacuated until the fire was extinguished.' Mina was travelling with her husband Latash, 67, and their daughter and son in law and two grandsons Krish, two and 5-month-old Rohin. 'The children were very frightened,' said Mina. 'They picked up the slightly panicky mood from the other guests, though the hotel staff were very good and still managed to serve cold food, even though the gas in the hotel had to be turned off. 'With our flight home on Sunday cancelled, we decided to stay with a relative in Dubai, mainly so that the children would be in a calmer atmosphere.' Like several other Brits congregated outside Terminal 3 at DXB this morning, the Pattnis hoped to make it on an Emirates flight to Heathrow, or possibly a later one to Gatwick. Travellers were corralled outside the busy Emirates terminal waiting to be called forward for their flights, heading mostly for Russia and the Indian sub-continent, but with a few headed for the UK and Europe. Many of the people laden down with luggage in the throng were critical of poor communications from the airline, but said they couldn't fault the hotels where they had to extend their stays. Father and son James, 18 and Jim Dixon, 61 from Leicester were due to fly back to the UK from Dubai on Saturday afternoon, and after checking in, they were held at the airport for five hours before being moved to a hotel to begin the long wait. Ahmad Ali, 12, is reunited with his family after being stuck in Dubai for three nights by himself LONDON: The Etihad Airways plane landed at Heathrow Terminal 4 at 7.16pm, bringing back the first group of stranded Brits. Pictured: Marika Citrone, from Newcastle DUBAI: Dubai Airport this morning as passengers queue to board flights out of the warzone DUBAI: Thousands of passengers are currently stranded at Dubai Airport LONDON: Brits arrive back in Heathrow last night 'The communication hasn't been great, to be honest,' said Jim. 'We've had more information from people back home, but I do understand it's a pretty exceptional situation. 'His mum is fretting a bit, but we've reassured her that it's not so bad. It doesn't feel like a war zone really, we were in a nice hotel and it was fairly relaxed. 'The hotel told us that Emirates had told us to come here today and get on a flight to Heathrow. We hope we'll be back today, but if not, we'll see what happens.' Accountants John Barndell, 37 from London and Greg Coull, 35 from Edinburgh had been on a business trip to India and were only supposed to be in transit at Dubai to change flights. 'We were well taken care of by the airline and the hotel, though the comms could definitely have been better' said John. 'We just want to get any flight to Europe we'll go anywhere,' he said. 'If we had been an hour earlier or two hours later, we'd have probably made it back to London.' Another resident who works in Abu Dhabi added: 'All I could hear last night at around 3am was a crumpling noise of the missiles being intercepted. 'When you look at of the window now the construction work is still going on and people are heading out an about. 'We have been told to work from home but there is an element of normalcy still.' Pictured: Jesscia Tennant, 30, from Lincoln who has been in the UAE with her family The Fairmont Palm hotel in Dubai was hit over the weekend as tourist areas were hit by Iran DUBAI: Passengers at Dubai Airport this morning Liam Pearson, from London, who is on holiday with his partner in Dubai, said his family were outside on Saturday when the strikes began and 'you could feel the atmosphere change'. He said: 'Two days ago the pool was packed and there were two very loud bangs above our heads, and you could see the cloud strikes, and that vacated very quickly. 'We are due to be getting out of here tomorrow, we've checked in but Dubai Airport is saying it is cancelled. 'They can't evict you from the hotel which is great but the problem is we have to cover those costs, especially if my insurance isn't valid.' Meanwhile, another wave of relieved Brits arrived back to Heathrow from Dubai this afternoon. Anxious families were clutching flowers and balloons as they waited to be reunited with their loved ones, who had been through a 'horrific' ordeal. The flight was delayed by an hour and a half, but passengers finally began trickling through around 1:30pm. Hafsa and Shamshed Ali were waiting nervously at Terminal 3 for their 12-year-old son, Ahmad, who had spent the last three nights in Dubai alone. His little sister Noor, who is eight, was there as well. The whole family embraced as Ahmad walked into the terminal. Ms Ali told the Daily Mail: 'My 12-year-old son, Ahmad, was in Pakistan with his uncle. We were waiting for his Visa, but it came late. As soon as it arrived, we booked him a flight home on Emirates, using the children's service. 'When we realised he would be delayed in Dubai, it was terrifying. We saw on social media what was going on. Mr Ali said: 'We didn't sleep at all for three nights.' Ms Ali continued: 'I was crying and praying as I looked at social media and the news. It was so scary. 'He's so young, just 12-years-old, and it was his first time travelling outside the country. 'The most horrific thing was that he was alone. But the Emirates cared for him so well. There were always staff at the hotel with him, playing games with him, watching Netflix. We were able to speak to him on video call. 'He said to me: 'Mum, I am not a child anymore. Everyone is crying, but I am not.' Mr Ali said: 'He was so brave. We're very proud of him.' An Etihad Airways flight also landed at Heathrow last night from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport. Isabel, who previously lived in Dubai, had been due to fly home to the UK on Saturday but her flight was cancelled. She told the Daily Mail: 'I went to see my friends. I had such a great week. I had meant to have been leaving on Saturday. My friend was going to drive me to the airport. 'I was like 'Why has my flight been cancelled?' Ten minutes later I could hear an explosion.' Chaos at airports across the Gulf, including Dubai (pictured), as Iran hit back with drone and missile strikes, stranding 102,000 Brits in a region where 300,000 people from the UK live DUBAI: Father and son Jim, 61, and James,18, from Leicester are pictured at Dubai Airport trying to get home She added: 'There were explosions this morning. It has been terrifying, like honestly, terrifying. 'The noises, it was terrifying, the explosions. I used to live there and it was my first time back in three years.' Amy Maguire, 23, was also on the eight-hour flight back after going on holiday with her baby daughter Anabel and her parents. She said: 'It has been horrifying. 'It has been really difficult not knowing if your child is safe. The sounds have been horrendous. We had to go in this little room under the hotel.' Fay McCaul, 41, who was due to leave the UAE for London on Saturday, said 'sirens started going off' and people were told 'to stay away from windows because of potential missile strikes' when she was waiting for her flight. She said: 'It was just taking ages to board, with no announcements, so we didn't know what was going on. 'And then after the boarding time sirens started going off in the airport and everyone started receiving texts on their phones with alarm signals to stay away from windows because of potential missile strikes. 'So then it was pretty chaotic, and the airline obviously didn't know what was going on either.' The London-bound flight had been delayed by just over an hour. Joseph Hughes, 31, described the mood on board as 'nervy' and 'very quiet' as the plane closed in on European airspace. He and his partner had been stranded in the UAE since Saturday after he was transferred to Abu Dhabi when his initial flight back from Qatar was cancelled due to a technical problem. He spent two days in a hotel watching missiles being intercepted overhead. The Foreign Office has advised against travel to all countries currently under attack, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Brits already in these countries have been urged to 'immediately shelter in place' as Iran continues retaliatory strikes following Saturday's air assault that killed its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The UK government is currently advising against all travel to Iran and Israel. It says anyone travelling to Cyprus should 'take sensible precautions' and follow the advice of local authorities, and advises against all travel to parts of Egypt. For holidaymakers hoping to go to Turkey, officials currently advise against all travel to 'within 10km of the border with Syria' due to 'fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism'. Analytics company Cirium said 1,555 out of 5,340 flights scheduled to operate to the Middle East on Monday were cancelled. This included 735 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 255 to Qatar. About half a million passengers use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi each day. Several Middle Eastern airports act as hubs for passengers travelling between the UK and destinations in Asia and Australia. At Sydney, hundreds of passengers have been sleeping overnight after having their flights cancelled. Flights between the UK and Cyprus have also been affected, with easyJet axing two inbound and two outbound flights connecting Paphos with Gatwick and Manchester, and one inbound and one outbound flight between Larnaca and Gatwick. Europe may face the wrath of Iranian missiles thanks to Trump's targeted decapitation of Iran's military, an expert has warned. Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at RUSI, warned Iran's most destructive weapons could soon end up under the control of inexperienced officers if America and Israel continue to pick off the country's military elite. Iran's Khorramshahr missiles have ranges of between 2,000km and 3,000km, some analysts have claimed, potentially putting Western European cities like Rome, Athens and Budapest in the regime's crosshairs. Saturday saw the US and Israel conduct a series of major airstrikes against Iran in a move that has quickly devolved into a bitter regional war. The strikes have already taken out many of Iran's top political, government and military leadership. Those killed by the US and Israel include Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's army chief of staff General Abdol Rahim Mousavi, defence minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh and Major General Mohammad Pakpour, who took power as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after Israel killed its last leader in June 2025. Europe's interests have already been affected, with global oil and gas prices skyrocketing over the last two days and Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, backed by Iran, launching a drone at a British RAF airbase in Cyprus on Monday. Iran warned Europe this morning against siding with Israel and the US, after Germany, Britain and France said they could take 'defensive action' to destroy Iran's missile-launching capabilities. 'It would be an act of war. Any such act against Iran would be regarded as complicity with the aggressors. It would be regarded as an act of war against Iran,' foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press briefing when asked about the statement. Dr Kaushal told the Daily Mail that the continent could face even greater costs if Donald Trump continues to decapitate Iran's military leadership. He said that as the US and Israel continues to whittle down Iran's senior defence leadership, the country's long-held military doctrine of 'mosaic warfare' would devolve power to more inexperienced and fanatical officials, making it harder to predict the military's actions. Your browser does not support iframes. He said: 'Ever since the 2000s, the Iranian concept of so-called "mosaic warfare" [has been] built around the idea that their leadership might be crippled in a war with the United States, and so they would have to devolve control down the levels of command to ensure that their military could continue to function. 'The basic concept is that people at lower levels [who] may have been given standard... rules of engagement in peacetime would presume greater authority if they can't make contact with higher command. 'There is a question of just how much authority to do things that might widen the war sits now with people who would not have [ordinarily] controlled.' Dr Kaushal added: 'A lot is unknown about exactly what this would look like under the hood of the Iranian system.' So core to Iran's military strategy is mosaic warfare that, on Sunday, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warned: 'We've had two decades to study defeats of the US military to our immediate east and west. We've incorporated lessons accordingly. 'Bombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war. Decentralised Mosaic Defence enables us to decide when - and how - war will end.' Dr Kaushal said that while there was a 'low probability' that Europe would be attacked, 'it's not so unlikely that you can't conceive of the situation'. But given the Iranian regime's long-range attack capabilities, the risk to European capitals still exists. Iran's longest-range missile is believed to be the Khorramshahr 4 missile. It has a range of 2,000 to 3,000km and carries a 1,500kg warhead, according to the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a US-based think tank. It can be launched in volleys, and if used, the missiles could reach a large swathe of Europe, including Greece, Italy, Germany, Poland and Denmark. Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at RUSI, told the Daily Mail that the Khorramshahr is a 'derivative' of a North Korean ballistic missile. The Fairmont Palm hotel in Dubai was hit over the weekend as tourist areas were hit by Iran Your browser does not support iframes. He said: 'It was always speculated that this would have been the delivery vehicle for a nuclear warhead if the Iranians had ever developed one.' Shahed suicide drones, with a range of 2,000km, could also strike parts of Europe, while an array of missiles with ranges of about 1,200 to 1,500km have already been reaching countries across the Middle East, such as Israel, the UAE and Bahrain. These add another layer of pressure to its potential targets. Slower than missiles but easier to launch in large numbers, Iran's one-way attack drones may be used in repeated waves to wear down air defences. Iran is believed to possess the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East. However, the exact count is difficult to pinpoint due to the Islamic Republic's so-called 'missile cities' and lack of transparency. The Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities were bombed by Israel during the 12-Day War last year. But the regime has a large arsenal of shorter-range systems capable of reaching its neighbours and US military bases across the region, and several of these are believed to have survived Israel's strikes last year. Fears are also bubbling that Iran will call on its sleeper terror cells to attack targets across Europe. A sleeper cell is a covert group of operatives affiliated with a state or non-state actor, such as a terrorist group, who infiltrate a country or community, essentially hiding in plain sight for a prolonged period of time before they are activated to carry out acts of terrorism, spying or sabotage. Marc Henrichmann, a member of the German parliament's intelligence committee, warned on Sunday that the weekend's attacks won't stay isolated to the Middle East. Speaking to German media, he said: 'The escalation in the Middle East doesn't just affect the region itself. 'The Iranian regime has repeatedly demonstrated in the past that it carried out its terror beyond its own borders.' The German official went on: 'Iranian sleeper cells in Europe cannot be ruled out' as a part of Tehran's retaliation strategy. 'Vigilance is the order of the day,' he concluded. Concern from Germany is held across the West, as experts and security officials believe that Iran has drawn up a blueprint for terror attacks involving sleeper cells and proxy groups in Britain and Europe in the event of the assassination of its leader. The assassination of the Ayatollah has already prompted a review of the UK's terror threat level. MI5 warned last year that Iran had been behind 20 potentially deadly plots in the UK in the last 12 months. On Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey said there was a risk of 'increasing Iranian indiscriminate retaliatory attacks', which required a review of the threat level. This currently stands at 'substantial' meaning a terror attack is judged to be 'likely'. There are two higher levels 'severe' and 'critical'. Speaking on Sky News, Healey said: 'When you have some of [Iran's] proxies capable of other actions on their behalf, then of course our force protection in the region is at its highest. Our alert and vigilance in the UK is also high.' Worries over Tehran's ability to unleash chaos beyond the Middle East are understood to be rooted in efforts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to coordinate clandestine intelligence operations, such as assassinations and cyber attacks, across the West, according to The i. There is also increased concern that the IRGC could act alongside the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah, which is believed to have a support network of sleeper agents in Europe. Elsewhere in the US, it has been reported that there has been increased 'chatter' - a term used for electronic intercepts of terrorists' communications. One senior US official told the New York Times that government analysts were observing 'a lot' of terrorist cell activity. A plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran on Monday Cypriot officials said France will dispatch a warship to Cyprus to help bolster the country's anti-drone defences after a Shahed drone struck a British military base on the east Mediterranean island. France will also send additional land-based, anti-drone and anti-missile systems to the country, officials confirmed Tuesday. Germany also responded positively to a request to send a warship, according to three officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to provide details publicly. The equipment will arrive in Cyprus as soon as possible, they said The French military did not respond immediately to a request for information from The Associated Press. The drone struck the British base, RAF Akrotiri, shortly after midnight Monday and caused only minor material damage to an aircraft hangar. Another two drones were intercepted by British warplanes around midday Monday after they were scrambled from the air base, officials said. Greece has sent four F-16 fighter jets to Cyprus while two of its state-of-the-art frigates are on their way. The US ambassador in Israel told Americans there that the best way to leave is through Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Mike Huckabee said in a social media post early Tuesday that the embassy was receiving lots of evacuations requests, as embassy staff 'are sheltering in place'. 'There are VERY LIMITED options,' he wrote. 'Not sure when Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv will reopen.' He advised Americans to take buses to Egypt's resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba in southern Sinai, describing that route as 'best'. The US State Department evacuations of non-emergency personnel and family reached six nations on Tuesday with the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and long considered a safe corner of the Middle East, has been dragged into the Iran war with interceptions and attacks. The other countries include Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi also warned there could be militant attacks in the UAE as well. 'Terrorists may attack with little or no warning and may target tourist locations, transportation hubs, shopping areas, government facilities, places of worship, and in particular locations associated with the Jewish and Israeli communities,' it added. A coroner has ordered a post-mortem on a British man who died in mysterious circumstances while on holiday in Thailand. Joshua Kershaw was found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 14, just hours after being admitted to the hospital. The 21-year-old had been seen eating pizza and fried chicken at a bar in the capital city before he collapsed, with bar staff suspecting he had choked on his food. Eyewitnesses claimed Mr Kershaw, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was rushed to Chulalongkorn hospital, but it is thought he later discharged himself before returning to the busy party strip. He was later seen returning to his hotel at 5.45am carrying two beers, with maids discovering his body in his room later that afternoon. Mr Kershaw's body was returned to Britain and he was laid to rest following a service at Wakefield Crematorium in West Yorkshire on February 25. While Thai authorities carried out an investigation into his death, it has since emerged Wakefield Coroners ordered a second post-mortem when his body was returned to the UK. His family said the fresh investigation was asked for as 'several things didn't add up' following the Thai probe. Joshua Kershaw (pictured), 21, was found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 14, just hours after being admitted to the hospital Earlier this month his family, who live in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, revealed the young landscaper's body was returned back to the UK (Pictured: Mr Kershaw with his mother Jenny) Wakefield Coroners have confirmed that a 'post-mortem has been conducted in the UK' and they are 'awaiting the results'. Mr Kershaw's auntie Jade Kershaw, 31, said: 'The coroners decided to perform another post-mortem. 'I don't want to go into a lot of detail but there were a lot of different things from the Thai investigation that didn't add up. 'Hopefully, this one can confirm how he died.' MR Kershaw's family say they still do not know the cause of his death Jade also said it is unknown when the results of the latest UK based post-mortem will be revealed. Mr Kershaw had flown out to Bangkok, Thailand, for a week's holiday on January 12 and had checked into Maxim's Inn hotel when he stopped replying to his phone calls from his mother, Jenny. He had told his family that he was travelling to the southern tourist city of Pattaya for the trip. But his family revealed that Mr Kershaw never made it out of Bangkok and two days later, on January 14, his body was found by maids in the hotel room he was staying in. CCTV footage from the night Mr Kershaw died shows him returning to his hotel and speaking with a member of staff On February 25, Mr Kershaw, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was laid to rest following a service at Wakefield Crematorium, South Yorkshire At the time the family said he was found in his bed with a bandage around his arm. Officers reportedly attempted to resuscitate Mr Kershaw before taking him away. Tragically, as they had told the British Embassy he was missing in Pattaya where they thought he had travelled to, no one knew of his whereabouts until a week after his death. West Yorkshire Police said they were 'not involved' in the decision for the post-mortem to take place. A mother-of-two drug baker who sold cannabis laced cakes on Instagram in between homeschooling has been spared jail. Charlotte Owens, 37, marked the delicacies with her own brand stickers - trafficking them from her three-bedroomed semi-detached home in Aintree, Liverpool. Police officers raided the property in June 2024 and found cannabis, equipment for making confectionery, labels bearing the logo 'Spaceicles' and cash totalling 1,020. Owens admitted selling the items but said she had mental and physical health issues including chronic kidney disease - insisting prison would have an impact on her children. She claimed all the cannabis found at her home was used for edibles and for her own consumption and that she was not peddling the drug itself. At Sefton magistrates' court, Owens faced up to three years in jail under sentencing guidelines after she admitted possessing drugs with intent to supply. However, she was sentenced to 35 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months. Miss Gayle McCoubrey, prosecuting, said: 'Police executed a warrant at the defendant's home address following an investigation into county lines drug supply. Charlotte Owens (pictured), 37, marked the delicacies with her own brand labels - trafficking them from her three-bedroomed semi in Aintree, Liverpool 'They recovered a quantity of cannabis, 1,020 in cash and several items of equipment for making confectionery. There were also stickers bearing a brand name - Spaceicles 420 - and a laptop with the same sticker on it. 'There was an Instagram account used for advertising cake-like confectionery containing THC. She has no previous convictions or cautions but in respect of where the matter falls in the sentencing guidelines, hers was significant role and was street dealing.' In mitigation for Owens, defence solicitor Charlotte Bagley said: 'It was a guilty plea at the first opportunity. There was a basis of plea. She does accept responsibility as the presentence report shows for creating the Instagram account and having full conduct with that. 'She is remorseful and understands that she has done wrong. As the report notes any custodial sentence would have a significant impact on both her mental and physical health. She has chronic kidney disease but she has been monitoring herself. 'A custodial sentence would also have an impact on her two children. One has cystic fibrosis and the other is home schooled which Miss Owens assists with as the home carer.' Owens, who lives off state handouts, was also ordered to complete ten rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours of unpaid work. And she was made to pay 272 in costs and surcharge. District Judge James Hatton told her: 'You were involved in the enterprise for your own financial gain and you are at least honest about that. But the guidelines are very clear and the question for this court is whether a custodial sentence can be suspended. 'I am conscious of the presentence report, particularly the impact your loss of liberty would have on your children, particularly as one has additional needs. Whereas your offending is so serious as to cross the custody threshold there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. 'Therefore, that sentence can be suspended.' Keir Starmer today ordered a Royal Navy warship to set sail for Cyprus to defend a UK airbase from Iranian air attacks, after being humiliated into acting by the French. The Prime Minister said Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean along with helicopters with anti-drone weaponry in the wake of a strike on RAF Akroitiri on Sunday night. The Prime Minister made the announcement this afternoon as he came under fire for leaving the task of defending the base to France and Greece, while the Navy's best anti-aircraft vessels remained in Portsmouth. France's Emmanuel Macron had earlier told the president of Cyprus he was dispatching two frigates to the island, after a request for aid. They will supplement forces already in the region and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, which has been ordered to deploy to the area from the Baltic Sea. Greece has also said it will send two frigates and fighter jets to defend Cyprus, meaning it will have more naval assets in the area than UK. In a statement posted on social media site X, Sir Keir said: 'The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. 'We're continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. 'We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.' However, questions remain over what dragon will do when it gets there, with the journey to Cyprus taking seven days. Sir Keir posted a statement on X this afternoon Emmanuel Macron has ordered units to the eastern Mediterranean island after RAF Akrotiri was struck by a drone which pierced its air defences on Sunday The Prime Minister said Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean along with helicopters with anti-drone weaponry The Cyprus Mail said president Nikos Christodoulides had appealed to both Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to send naval vessels to help protect the island. The damage to Akrotiri was said to be 'minimal' and there were no casualties, officials said, but the very fact that Tehran was able to hit the base has highlighted potential gaps in depleted UK forces' ability to defend it. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday said additional defensive capabilities had recently been moved to bases in Cyprus, including radar systems, counter-drone systems, F-35 jets, and ground-based air defence. But the UK's larger air defence assets, the Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers, are currently mostly tied up in Portsmouth, leaving the UK to rely on its allies for help. In January Defence Minister Vernon Coaker confirmed that only three are operational. Of those, reports suggest that currently only one of them, HMS Duncan, is at sea off the UK, with the other two, including Dragon, tied up alongside in HMNB Portsmouth. The other three are at various stages of lengthy engine upgrade work, with HMS Daring, the lead ship of the class, having been out of action for almost nine years. Today a light aircraft previously used by the RAF to fly surveillance missions over Gaza was shown on radar tracking to circle Akrotiri during a nine-minute flight. It comes as Sir Keir faces criticism over his uber-cautious stance towards the US/Israeli attacks on Iran. President Trump said the French were being more helpful. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: 'It is extraordinary that it has taken Starmer days to deploy the Royal Navy to defend our interests in the Middle East. 'Enhancing air defence is critical, especially for our base on Cyprus, and our Type 45 destroyers have the capability to intercept serious threats (and) should have been sent days ago. 'With our armed forces under drone attack, Starmer should be strong and decisive, and standing with our closest ally the United States. Instead, he's floundering around, crippled by indecision and not even able to say if he backs US action or not. Our armed forces deserve far better'. Reform leader Nigel Farage added: 'This is what Labour and the Tories have reduced us to. 'Defence of the realm is the first duty of any government. They have both failed at this task miserably.' Donald Trump last night doubled down on his criticism of the Labour leader, saying he 'has not been helpful' with his cautious approach to supporting the war, The US President said it is 'very sad' that relations between Britain and the United States are now 'not like it used to be', adding: 'He has not been helpful. I never thought I'd see that. I never thought I'd see that from the UK. We love the UK. It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. ' He added: 'I mean, France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others.' Last month Nato chiefs delivered a stark warning to Sir Keir over the consequences of failing to boost defence spending. The PM has been told that the UK faces falling towards the bottom of the alliance's league table without more investment. Top officials are said to have highlighted the danger of failing to hike budgets as a proportion of GDP, with Britain missing targets for bolstering capabilities. Join the debate Has the Royal Navy been stretched too thin? Your browser does not support iframes. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday said additional defensive capabilities had recently been moved to bases in Cyprus, including F-35 jets (pictured) and ground-based air defence Your browser does not support iframes. Writing on X, John Foreman, the former UK defence attache in Moscow, said: 'The current situation in the Gulf and Mediterranean isn't just about underfunding. 'It's about a lack of foresight, judgment and timidity by the MoD to think through the scenario. 'We have many useful assets, they're just not in the right place.' He added: 'We are a few hundred yards from a major loss of British military life in Bahrain (as the US suffered in Kuwait). 'And yet the MoD ''plan'' - for an entirely predictable scenario we knew over a decade ago when I worked there - was to put our fingers in our ears and hope for the best. 'Shameful.' Akrotiri, home to more than 3,500 British personnel and their families, was hit by a 'kamikaze' drone at midnight, with security sources claiming they were all fired by Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists in nearby Lebanon, just 120 miles away. Major General Ebrahim Jabari, a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, told state TV that RAF Akrotiri is 'in the frame' after the UK allowed the US to use British bases for attacks on Iran. Greece has sent a warship to help protect Cyprus To add to British embarrassment, the French Navy has ordered its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group to deploy to the Eastern Mediterranean Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that he has only agreed to the US request to use British military bases for 'defensive' strikes. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper insisted it had not been 'in the UK's interests' to join Donald Trump's attack. Cyprus has since demanded the UK's assurances that RAF bases will only be used for 'humanitarian' activities. Meanwhile, Britain's ability to take proactive steps to prevent Iran from launching missiles aimed at UK allies in the region has also been called into question. Reports suggest just one of the five Astute class attack submarines armed with cruise missiles is at sea. However that boat, HMS Anson, is on a visit to Australia to promote a submarine building deal. After arriving last month it was due to spend weeks undergoing 'training activities and joint maintenance including work on the submarine's hydraulic systems, in-water engineering works' as well as 'simulated emergency response exercises'. The Crown Prince of Dubai and the President of the UAE sat down for coffee in the city mall and greeted awestruck shoppers in a bid to reassure locals amid Iran's suicide drone bombardment in the Gulf. President Mohammed bin Zayed, 64, and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, 43, were spotted at Dubai Mall located next to the Burj Khalifa in the city's downtown area yesterday evening. In one clip posted on social media, the pair were seen looking relaxed as they enjoyed coffee and fancy pastries with other other senior Emirati figures at cafe Cipriani Dolci. Another video shows the leaders and their entourage casually strolling through the busy mall before an excited child ran over. The President of the UAE immediately embraced the girl before posing for a beaming photo with her and kissing her hand. A third clip shows a Ghanaian man approaching the President to say hello and shake his hand before praising the leader for his 'very safe country'. The man said he was from Ghana, to which the leader replied: 'Enjoy your stay, have a good time.' Dubai's Media Office also posted pictures of the President and Crown Prince at the mall on their social media channels with reassuring messages. One caption read: 'The leadership remains close to the people', whilst another said: 'Close to the people. Steady in leadership.' In one clip posted on social media, the pair were seen looking relaxed as they enjoyed coffee and fancy pastries with other other senior Emirati figures at cafe Cipriani Dolci Another video shows the leaders and their entourage casually strolling through the busy mall before an excited child ran over President Mohammed bin Zayed (left) and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (right) were spotted at Dubai Mall located next to the Burj Khalifa in the city's downtown area yesterday evening It came just hours after loud explosions were heard across Dubai and other Gulf cities as Tehran launched more strikes since their retaliatory attacks began on Saturday following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who was killed in a US-Israeli attack. Four people were injured when the five-star Fairmont hotel on Palm Jumeirah was set ablaze on Saturday after it was hit by an Iranian missile. Reports confirmed debris from the missiles have so far hit major landmarks including Dubai International Airport, Burj Al Arab Hotel and Jebel Ali Port, as the air defence team works to intercept the strikes. The Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building - was evacuated with fears it could be a target and UK tourists hid in basements while missiles flew overhead as panic spread through the city, home to more than 240,000 Britons. Brits trapped in the UAE's most populous city are awaiting evacuation after more than 100,000 British citizens vacationing in the hotspot registered their contact details with the Foreign Office. People living or staying in Dubai, especially expats and influencers, have been insisting Dubai is still safe despite the attacks as they were mocked on social media for moving there because they believed it is safer than the UK. Geordie Shore alum Vicky Pattison and former Apprentice star Luisa Zissman yesterday insisted Dubai is still 'one of the safest places in the world' despite entering its third day of missile strikes. Meanwhile, model Hofit Golan and influencer Will Bailey both expressed disappointment over what was meant to be the 'safest city in the world'. Elsewhere, others in the city made light of the serious situation with one couple dubbed 'pretentious' after posting a video of themselves casually strolling through Dubai on Sunday with the caption 'Us normally walking in Dubai, while missiles are flying in the air'. President Mohammed bin Zayed (left) and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (right) pictured posing for photos with children inside Dubai Mall on Monday The President of the UAE immediately embraced the girl before posing for a beaming photo with her and kissing her hand A third clip shows a Ghanaian man approaching the President to say hello and shake his hand before praising the leader for his 'very safe country' Influencer Lauren Jarvis shared her fears over people making light of the situation on her Instagram story, writing: 'As much as I keep seeing people say "It's fine in Dubai, carry on as normal, it's not as bad as it looks". I'm sorry but it really is. 'I had three hours sleep Saturday night because all we could hear were loud explosions that literally shake the house. 'You look outside your bedroom window and there's multiple missiles going over your head.' She added that waking up with 'your heart pounding and shaking before you've even opened your eyes is not "normal".' But as the influencers shared their fear, many online showed little sympathy with one user sneering: 'Don't all the lovely influencers move to Dubai because it's so safe. I've never been hit by an Iranian missile on my way to Asda.' Another wrote: 'I don't feel bad for any influencers or content creators that are currently stuck in Dubai. We told you to stop going there.' A third added: 'Suddenly Dubai isn't a flex anymore for the wannabe Instagram influencers.' Punch, the orphaned monkey who won hearts around the world after heart-melting videos of him carrying a stuffed animal, were shared on social media, finally seems to be making friends. The baby monkey, who lives in a Japanese zoo, went viral last month after he appeared to seek comfort in a plush toy monkey after being rejected by other macaques in his enclosure. Since then, the trending hashtag #HangInTherePunch has brought hundreds of visitors to to Ichikawa City Zoo, near Tokyo to catch a glimpse of the lonely monkey. But recent images show that Punch is finally integrating with other monkeys after he was spotted cuddling with another macaque. Pictures shared on Tuesday show the young monkey being embraced by another monkey, while other images show Punch socialising with the other animals in his enclosure. Punch was born last July and was hand-reared after he was neglected by his mother. He joined the monkey enclosure at the zoo early this year, with his companion toy provided by the zookeepers for comfort. Japanese baby macaques cling to their mothers to feel safe and to build up their muscles, according to zookeeper Kosuke Shikano. Punch the monkey finally seems to be making friends after he was photographed being cuddling by another macaque at Ichikawa Zoo Punch appears to gather together with the other monkeys at the Japanese zoo The baby monkey was rejected by his mother last year The zoo looked for an alternative, such as a towel or different soft toy, but Punch chose the long-legged orangutan. 'This stuffed animal has relatively long hair and several easy places to hold,' Shikano said. 'We thought that its resemblance to a monkey might help Punch integrate back into the troop later on, and that's why we chose it.' Punch has rarely been seen without it since, dragging the cuddly toy everywhere even though it is bigger than him, delighting fans who flocked to the zoo ever since he went viral. Shikano thinks Punch's mother abandoned him because of the extreme heat in July when she gave birth. Punch has had some differences with the other monkeys as he has tried to communicate with them, but zookeepers say that is part of the learning process and he is steadily integrating with the troop. And last week, zookeepers assured fans that Punch had gradually been integrating with the other monkeys. But some fans were worried by a widely shared video showing Punch being dragged and scolded by an adult monkey. Rejected baby monkey Punch-Kun clings to the zoo keeper and eats his food in Ichikawa city. Six-month-old Punch the monkey, who lives in a Japanese zoo, has shot to fame on social media Heart-melting pictures show him cuddling a plush toy monkey following his mother's desertion of him shortly after birth In a statement, the zoo asked members of the public to 'support Punch's efforts' to socialise as his troop has not shown any serious aggression. 'While Punch is scolded (by other monkeys), he shows mental strength and resilience,' it said. The Green Party's deputy leader has threatened to sue a Tory MP over claims he demonstrated in support of the Iranian regime. Mothin Ali has fumed at a 'defamatory lie' by Sir Alec Shelbrooke, a Conservative former minister, after he claimed Mr Ali was 'protesting in support of the Ayatollah'. He challenged Sir Alec to 'repeat your lies outside of Parliament', with MPs protected from legal action for anything they say in the House of Commons. It came after Mr Ali, a Leeds councillor, was revealed to have attended a 'Stop The War' protest in London on Saturday, in the wake of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The demonstration in Parliament Square saw activists brandish placards showing a portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the attacks. Other attendees flew the tricolour flag of the Iranian regime, featuring the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a question to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons on Monday, Sir Alec said he was 'appalled' at Mr Ali's decision to join the demonstration. 'I was appalled - not shocked, I am afraid to say - as I am sure the PM was, to see at the weekend the deputy leader of the Green Party once again protesting in support of the Ayatollah,' he said. Mothin Ali, the Green Party's deputy leader, was spotted at a 'Stop The War' protest in London on Saturday The demonstration in Parliament Square saw activists brandish placards showing a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Sir Alec added: 'I am afraid that the Green Party has become a magnet for all the people who the PM quite rightly kicked out of the Labour Party. 'The hatred and fear that runs through Leeds now, which has been whipped up at times by Councillor Mothin, is a disgrace.' The PM responded: 'I think we were all shocked by the actions of the deputy leader of the Green Party - although perhaps not surprised, given that partys recent turn of direction.' In a swipe at Green leader Zack Polanski's support for the UK quitting NATO, Sir Keir added: 'I have to say that the Green Partys argument that now is the time to get out of NATO and negotiate with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin over our nuclear weapons is also contrary to the British national interest.' Responding to Sir Alec's comments in a social media post on Monday night, Mr Ali hit out at 'defamatory lie'. 'I am proudly anti-war and anti-racist. I make no apologies for attending a Stop the War protest,' he added. 'That does not mean I support the Iranian regime. I dare you to repeat your lies outside of Parliament.' Mr Ali pictured with Green leader Zack Polanski at the party's conference in Bournemouth in October last year Mr Ali challenged Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke to 'repeat your lies outside of Parliament', with MPs protected from legal action for anything they say in the House of Commons Following his election as a councillor in May 2024, Mr Ali delivered a speech in front of a Palestinian flag in which he hailed his victory as a 'win for the people of Gaza'. He also shouted 'Allahu Akbar', which means 'God is the greatest' in Arabic. Mr Ali later apologised for 'any upset my comments caused about the Gaza conflict', after his past remarks about the 7 October attacks on Israel were unearthed. After the Hamas terror attacks on Israel in 2023, Mr Ali branded Israelis as 'white supremacists' in social media videos and backed Palestinians' right to 'fight back'. In a previous statement explaining why he attended Saturday's protest in Parliament Square, Mr Ali said: 'I'm proudly anti-war. And to be anti-war that means looking to explore all possible diplomatic solutions. 'The US and Israel took a unilateral decision in the midst of negotiations to kill the Iranian leader, and opted for war. This is deplorable. 'I have always stood with ordinary people all over the world and that extends to the Iranian people and their quest for freedom. 'But you can't bomb a democracy into existence, the US and its proxies should have learned that lesson by now.' A 29-year-old British woman has been found dead on board a 27 million super yacht in Palma, Majorca. The woman's body was found in one of the vessels cabins on Sunday evening. The alarm was raised by the woman's colleagues at around 9pm after they went to check on her after she failed to respond to messages or answer calls. Paramedics rushed to the port of Palma where it was moored but there was nothing they could do to save her life and she was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is expected to take place today as Civil Guard investigators seek to establish what happened. The woman's fellow crew members were questioned. No obvious signs of violence were found on or near the body of the woman, but a forensic expert and police officers were unable to determine her cause of death ahead of the post-mortem. Police are not expected to publicly name her. The woman was a crew member believed to help out with maintenance and the vessel she worked on has been identified as Lind, a custom-built motor yacht said to cost nearly 300,000 a week to charter in high season. The superyacht identified as Lind was moored at the port of Palma, Majorca An autopsy is expected to take place today as Civil Guard investigators seek to establish what happened The Cayman Islands-flagged 170ft vessel, built in the Netherlands with an exterior design by award-winning Tim Heywood, has a top speed of just over 15 knots and can accommodate up to ten guests as well as 13 crew members. Its extras include an open-air cinema, jacuzzi, gym and inflatable trampolines. The superyachts current owner is reported to be German billionaire Peter Alexander Wacker, who owns around 10% of chemical company Wacker Chemie AG which was founded by his great-grandfather Alexander Wacker in 1914. He worked for BMW for ten years before joining Wacker Chemie in 1993 as a member of the board, when it was still a privately owned company. As of April 2024 his net worth was estimated by Forbes to be $1 billion. Last May, another British woman tragically died at the holiday hotspot after plunging 60 feet from a scenic beauty area. The 39-year-old was rushed to hospital on after falling from a lookout point in the Palma neighbourhood of El Jonquet, which overlooks the sea. Police and paramedics who responded to an emergency call stabilised her and she was transported to hospital, where she was admitted into an intensive care unit. The unnamed Briton died the same night at Palma's Son Espases Hospital, according to reports. A British couple who were jailed in Iran on suspicion of spying could be at risk of starving to death after prison guards reportedly abandoned their posts amid the US-Israel strikes. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 53, were arrested in Iran on January 2025 and jailed for 10 years on espionage charges, which they deny, last month. The couple are currently being held in Evin prison, a notorious jail for political prisoners and foreigners, in Tehran, which has faced extensive strikes from US and Israeli forces in the last four days. Their family last heard from Lindsay and Craig on Monday morning, saying there had been 'lots of explosions all around them' and the plastic windows behind the prison cell bars have been blown out. On Monday, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) launched a wave of strikes in the 'heart of Tehran' targeting senior political and security figures linked to the Iranian regime. Lindsay's son, Joe Bennett, said he feared the couple could starve to death as food and water supplies run out, while there is also the danger they could be hit by stray explosions or bullets. The family said they had also heard reports of prisoners being shot in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, to the south of the city, after a missile strike blew part of the jail open and some inmates tried to escape. No such incidents have happened at Evin, Craig said, although it has been reported that prison officials have abandoned the facility. Lindsay and Craig Foreman (pictured), both 52, were arrested in Kerman, southern Iran, on January 3 last year, as they embarked on a motorcycle trip around the world to Australia The couple (pictured), from east Sussex, had intended to travel from Armenia to Pakistan via Iran when they were intercepted by authorities and later charged with espionage Joe Bennett, Ms Foreman's son, who has been campaigning for their freedom for over a year The wife of Mostafa Mohammad-Hassan, a political prisoner being held in Evin, said that the situation at the facility was 'critical'. 'The situation in Evin Prison is critical. (Iran Counter Terrorism) NOPO forces control the facility, the gates are sealed, and officials have left. Food is scarce and the prison store is closed,' she wrote in a post on X last night. Joe added in a statement on Monday: 'We remain extremely concerned about their safety and welfare. They are currently in the middle of a warzone without local consular support. 'They are in danger of being hit by stray explosions, being caught up in local skirmishes or even being shot. 'There is also danger of starvation and water supplies running out as they are back to having no funds to buy supplies even though the prison shop is open. 'We implore our government and that of the US to make sure that their safety and welfare, along with all the other foreign nationals held in Iran, is a priority at this time.' A family spokesperson added: 'The family remain extremely concerned that Lindsay and Craig, along with other political prisoners' safety and welfare, are not an obvious priority to the UK or US Government. 'They call upon the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and President Trump to call for Lindsay and Craig's release along with all of the other foreign nationals who are arbitrarily detained in Iran.' The entrance of Evin prison in Tehran, where Craig and Lindsay Foreman are being held Plumes of smoke rise after strikes in Pardis, Tehran province, following the US-Israel strikes Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper previously labelled the couple's sentence 'completely appalling and totally unjustifiable', and vowed the Government will 'pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned'. Her Tory counterpart, Dame Priti Patel, condemned the jail term as 'disgraceful', and called on Sir Keir Starmer to 'use all available leverage' to secure their release. The couple's sentence was confirmed to their families last month. They had recently sent a letter to the Iranian authorities complaining about their treatment. Joe called the news of the couple's prison sentence 'gut-wrenching' and has called on the UK Government to 'step up to the mark' to secure their release. He told the BBC in February: 'You don't fully ever know but I think if you look at history the 10 years is just a number, and that we work towards it being as short a time as possible. 'I mean, don't get me wrong, it's an absolutely mental thing to be discussing with your innocent mother and stepfather that they are facing 10 years in an Iranian prison. 'I think if you look at the playbook, which there isn't much of one, but if you look at it and how it plays out from sentencing, we have seen some cases that are resolved within a matter of weeks, we've seen some cases that unfortunately drag out for years. 'There's no set tone for this, but as I say, what we have to hope is that this is a step in a direction.' Smoke plumes rise following missile strikes in Tehran on March 1 Families flee after US-Israel strikes hit central Tehran Israel bombed Evin prison during its 12-day air war with Iran last June, killing at least 71 people, Iran said at the time. Meanwhile, the latest US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In Israel, where Iranian missiles struck several locations, 11 people were killed. The Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah has also attacked Israel, whose retaliatory strikes killed 52 people in Lebanon. The US military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. Three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party MPs have been railing against US and Israeli strikes against Iran and demanding the UK is kept out of the growing conflict. Politicians accused Sir Keir Starmer of being Donald Trump's 'poodle' and invoked the Iraq war as a warning - attacking the Prime Minister, even though he has not explicitly backed the military action by the UK's allies against the regime. British bases including the joint UK-US Diego Garcia site in the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. America and Israel have continued to pound Iran since killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, while Tehran and its allies have retaliated against Israel, neighbouring Gulf states and oil and gas production facilities. Britons remain stranded throughout the Middle East, with more than 100,000 having registered their presence with the Foreign Office amid evacuation planning. Now you can have your say in the Daily Mail's latest poll on whether the UK should join the strikes against Iran: In yesterday's poll, Mail readers were asked: 'Is Keir Starmer making Britain look weak in US-Israel war on Iran?' Out of more than 34,000 votes, some 88 per cent of you said 'yes' and 12 per cent said 'no'. A now-closed restaurant that accidentally served two children citronella bug repellent and lamp oil instead of cranberry juice has been fined $40,000. Hannah Lemin, 12, and sister Olivia, 11, were served the 'poison' drinks while having dinner with their parents, Michele and Marcus, at Miky's Italian Fusion restaurant in Crawley, inner-city Perth, in June 2024. The sisters had ordered cranberry juice but complained their drinks tasted like they'd been 'poisoned'. It was later found the restaurant's bartender had mistaken a bottle of pink-coloured citronella for the bottle of cranberry juice. After smelling and trying their daughter's 'juice', their parents had approached the bartender and demanded to see the bottle it came from. Mr Lemin claimed the worker initially refused and said it was 'just old cranberry juice'. The parents rushed their daughters to Perth Children's Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital after contacting the poisons information centre. 'My daughters' stomachs were burning, their fingers and hands were tingling,' Ms Lemin told the ABC. Hannah Lemin, 12, and sister Olivia, 11, were served citronella (above) instead of cranberry juice at a restaurant in Perth 'They had a headache it was awful.' Hannah and Olivia spent several hours in hospital before finally being discharged. 'If they were younger children that this happened to, I'd hate to think what would have happened,' Ms Lemin said. The girls' hospital visit triggered a wider investigation by the Department of Health, culminating in a matter that went to Perth Magistrates Court. In the courtroom on Tuesday, the restaurant's former owner, Michele Angiuli, was found guilty of selling food that was unsafe and failing to exercise due diligence, along with two related charges. Magistrate Donna Webb found Angiuli had failed to properly manage his restaurant in several areas, including making sure staff had proper food safety qualifications. Outside the court, Mr Lemin was unsure what sentence the former restauranteur should be given. 'I think the issue for me is more that it drives a bit more rigour in the industry and that we get to a point where maybe business owners in the hospitality industry understand the accountabilities they hold,' he said. Angiuli was fined $40,000 and declined to speak to the ABC. Iran has warned that the 'gates of hell will open more and more' on the US and Israel as it vows to unleash more attacks. Ali Mohammad Naini, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told Iranian state TV on the fourth day of the roiling Middle East war: 'The enemy must await continuous punitive attacks; the gates of hell will open more and more, moment by moment, upon the United States and Israel.' The war, which began on Saturday after the US and Israel conducted deadly airstrikes on Iran, has rapidly engulfed the whole region. These strikes, which have so far killed hundreds in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, are expected to carry on for up to five weeks but, according to US president Donald Trump, could go on for 'far longer'. Iran's retaliation has seen it target nearby Western military bases, including a British RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday. It has also lashed out at its Gulf neighbours, threatening to send the whole region into an inescapable spiral. The pariah nation also threatened to 'burn every ship' passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint in global fuel routes, further sending oil and gas prices soaring. It also warned Europe not to get involved in the ongoing conflict, after Britain, France and Germany indicated they may take 'defensive action' to protect their Middle East interests. Further escalating tensions, Israel launched a ground invasion of Lebanon and carried out additional strikes on key Iranian targets, including the nation's presidential office and the National Security Council building. 'The Israeli Air Force... struck and dismantled facilities within the leadership compound of the Iranian terrorist regime in the heart of Tehran' overnight, the military said. Rocket trails from an interception by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system are pictured over Jerusalem on March 1, 2026 The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) firing a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 1, 2026 Residents stand on a street beside damaged residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026 Your browser does not support iframes. 'During the strike on the compound, numerous munitions were dropped on the presidential office and the building of the Supreme National Security Council,' it added. On top of this, Israel declared it had deployed troops to multiple locations in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said the move amounted to a 'forward defence' measure along the border instead of a ground operation. 'We have positioned soldiers on the border area in additional points to defend our civilians, to prevent Hezbollah from attacking them,' military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told journalists in a separate briefing. 'This is not a ground operation. This is a tactical measure... to ensure the safety of our people,' he added. Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement he had authorised the military to advance and take control of additional positions in Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel late on Sunday, in reaction to U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. Israeli forces have occupied five positions in southern Lebanon since November 2024. In response, the Lebanese army has redeployed soldiers from several border positions following what is described as the Israeli army's 'escalation', a military source told AFP. The troops 'numbering in total eight to nine soldiers at each point, were redeployed to their bases because of the danger to their safety', the Lebanese military said. The move comes after Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said he had authorised his military to 'take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon'. The Israeli military said the move amounted to a 'forward defence' measure along the border instead of a ground operation. Iran stepped up threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior Revolutionary Guards commander warning Tehran would 'burn every ship' attempting to pass and drive oil prices to $200 a barrel. Brigadier General Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, made the remarks on state television on Monday, declaring the vital waterway effectively closed. 'The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire,' he said. 'Don't come to this region.' In a separate message posted on the Guards' Telegram channel, Jabbari warned: 'We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. 'Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days.' The rhetoric from Tehran has echoed across global energy markets, with traders weighing the risk that Iran could seek to disrupt traffic through one of the world's most strategically important waterways. It comes as debris from a drone interception caused a fire to break out at an oil zone in the United Arab Emirates today. Authorities said the blaze at Fujairah was contained and there are no reports of injuries. 'Relevant authorities in the Emirate of Fujairah responded to a fire that broke out this morning in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ), resulting from falling debris following the successful interception of a drone by air defence systems,' the Fujairah Media Office said. 'No injuries were reported, the fire was brought under control, and normal operations in the area have resumed.' Fujairah hosts the region's largest commercial storage capacity for refined oil products and is considered the Middle East's leading oil trading hub. A plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran on Monday European stock markets slid further at the start of trading today and the region's natural gas prices soared again in response of the Iran war. Frankfurt's DAX index of top German companies shed 2.0 per cent, the Paris CAC 40 lost 1.8 per cent and London's FTSE 100 retreated by 1.4 per cent in value. The Dutch TTF natural gas contract, considered the European benchmark, shot up more than 33 per cent having rocketed almost 40 per cent on Monday after Qatar halted liquefied natural gas production following Iranian attacks on state processing facilities. Despite the attack on European interests, Iran warned European countries against joining its conflict with Israel and the United States, describing it as an 'act of war'. Germany, Britain and France have all indicated they could take 'defensive action' to destroy Iran's missile-launching capabilities and protect their interests in the Middle East. When asked at a press briefing, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said: 'It would be an act of war. Any such act against Iran would be regarded as complicity with the aggressors. 'It would be regarded as an act of war against Iran.' The Iranian Red Crescent said more than US and Israeli strikes on Iran have so far killed 780 people have been killed nationwide. 'According to field reports from operational teams, unfortunately, 787 compatriots have been martyred in these attacks,' the Red Crescent said on its website. It said strikes since Saturday had hit 153 cities and more than 500 locations across Iran in more than 1,000 attacks. The strikes have also hit Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment plant, which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said was now damaged. The UN agency previously said there were no indications Iran's nuclear sites had been struck but said new satellite images showed 'recent damage to entrance buildings'. Iran has so far said it will not negotiate on its nuclear enrichment programme with the US with Donald Trump repeatedly insisting the country must not be capable of producing a nuclear weapon. Amid Iran's retaliatory military campaign across the Gulf, Qatar said today it had thwarted attacks on Hamad International Airport. A spokesperson for the Gulf state's foreign ministry said: 'There were attempts to attack Hamad International Airport, they were all thwarted... the missiles were downed by our defensive measures, and none of them have reached the airport.' They added that Qatar had not been in contact with Iran since the start of the strikes. Bill Clinton spent at least 20 seconds examining a photograph of himself in a hot tub from the Epstein files during a heated deposition over his ties to the late pedophile. The intimate photograph shows a younger Clinton, now 79, reclining in a luxury hot tub during a 2002 trip to Asia. There is another individual sitting next to the ex-president in the tub redacted by the Justice Department. The image, made public for the first time in December as part of the DOJ's release of Epstein-related documents, was reupped this week as Clinton spent more than six hours under oath before the House Oversight Committee answering questions about his ties to the convicted sex offender. During the viral moment, Clinton snatched the photograph from his attorney's hands to examine the now-infamous image. He then let a large smile before chuckling as his lawyer tried to conceal a smirk. 'I don't know who that is,' Clinton said when grilled over the other person in the image with the redacted black box over their face. His wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also appeared for questioning last week before the bipartisan group of lawmakers. The committee released video footage of Clinton's separate depositions on Monday, in which Clinton was asked to explain the image. The hot tub picture is just one of the many photographs the former president appears in as part of Epstein's estate including images with the disgraced late financier and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Bill Clinton and his attorney shared a knowing smirk after the former president spent several seconds examining an image of him in a hot tub from the Epstein files before breaking out in a smile The printed out image showed a younger Clinton lounging in a hot tub with a person whose face is redacted by a black box. The picture was part of the trove of Epstein files released over the last year. Clinton says the person was not underage but that he doesn't remember who was sitting beside him Clinton examined the image for a moment too long prompting his lawyer to snatch the print-out from his hands Clinton in his deposition on Friday told the panel he severed ties with Epstein well before his crimes were known. '[If] I had any inkling of what he was doing I would have turned him in myself,' he insisted. Asked about the image or details about when it was taken, Clinton explained it was at a hotel in Brunei that the Sultan of the country insisted they stay at during their trip. 'This picture was taken in Brunei, we flew one night on the trip to Asia and Mr. Epstein was there and Ms. Maxwell,' he admitted. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. She remains the only living person facing the music related to Epstein's crimes. The DOJ and FBI said last year that there is no evidence that Epstein trafficked minors to anyone other than himself and said that no other people would face prosecution for the heinous acts. Clinton said that everyone in the pool area during his Asia trip was part of his traveling party, and that he recalls there being a Secret Service agent at the other end of the pool. The redacted person in the image has not been identified and it's unclear if they were an underage girl or a victim of Epstein's. Clinton insists that whoever it was, they were not underage. Clinton said that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were at the hotel in Brunei as part of the traveling party where the image of him in a hot tub was snapped Clinton appears in several images part of Epstein's estate. Here Epstein and Maxwell go to the White House as guests of then-President Bill Clinton in 1993 At another point in the Oversight panel's questioning, Clinton said claims are not true that he 'likes them young,' as witnesses who testified in the Epstein cases recalled he said about the former president. 'Why would Epstein say that about you?' South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace asked Clinton. 'First of all, that's not true,' Clinton said, adding that he has no 'interest in underage' women. 'I didn't say underage, I said young,' Mace shot back. 'But it's still not true,' Clinton insisted, to which the congresswoman said: 'Is an intern young?' The former president admitted: 'Yes.' Clinton was famously impeached by the House during his presidency over lying under oath about having a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. He was acquitted by the Senate. A newborn baby died after doctors dismissed her mother's life-threatening internal bleeding as 'trapped wind'. Kimberley Newark, 32, went to Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Sussex, in excruciating pain on September 14, 2024, when she was 34 weeks pregnant. Maternity staff put her symptoms down to trapped wind but Ms Newark was in fact bleeding internally, putting her and her baby daughter Olivia Trupiano at risk. Hospital staff even told Ms Newark's partner Yann Trupiano to go home and return the next day. Shortly after Mr Trupiano left the hospital doctors discovered a major blood vessel near Kimberley's stomach had ruptured causing massive internal bleeding and a life-threatening loss of an estimated 14 litres of blood. Olivia was born via emergency C-section and had to be resuscitated as she was suffering from severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy - a condition that occurs when a baby's brain does not receive enough oxygen or blood flow around the time of birth. Ms Newark was placed in a coma and she and newborn Olivia were transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. Sadly, despite doctors best efforts, Olivia died just five days later on September 19. Kimberley Newark, 32, pictured with her daughter Olivia who passed away after doctors dismissed the mother's extreme pain from internal bleeding as 'trapped wind' Speaking about how the doctors responded to her, Ms Newark said: 'I went to the hospital because I had fainted, was weak, dizzy and in excruciating pain - pain I knew was not normal. They told me I had trapped wind and administered Buscopan alongside pain relief and IV fluids. My pain never subsided and it turned out I was bleeding internally.' The trauma of losing Olivia has also hit the rest of the family hard, including her two older children, aged eight and 10. Ms Newark, who has two other children, added: 'This has absolutely devastated us. 'Our older children have struggled to understand why Olivia is not here with us and they are so young to have to try and process something like this. 'It has also had a huge impact on our relationship as we attempt to grieve for our daughter. It has been devastating in so many ways. 'We want a clear explanation of why this occurred and why our concerns were not acknowledged. 'We, along with the other families in the same position, need transparency and answers.' The couple said they repeatedly raised concerns about Ms Newark's deteriorating health but they felt 'ignored and dismissed'. Mr Trupiano said: 'Our daughter died and Kimberley nearly died too - I put my trust in the medical staff. 'I was told to go home overnight and come back in the morning, and believed that Kimberley was in safe hands. 'Shortly after I left, I was called to say she was having an emergency Caesarean and she was in a critical condition.' The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust maternity services are under investigation following a review commissioned by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. It comes after nine bereaved families raised concerns over the deaths of their babies between 2021 and 2023. Ms Newark and Mr Trupiano said their grief was made 'so much worse' by learning other families had also experienced losing babies. The devastated couple believed hospital staff missed vital warning signs and instructed lawyers Slater and Gordon to investigate Olivia's care. Ms Newark pictured with her husband Yann Trupiano and their daughter Olivia in the hospital Clinical negligence solicitor Ayesha Hussain who is acting for the family said: 'The loss of Olivia has been absolutely heartbreaking for Kimberley and Yann, and they have so many unanswered questions over what went so wrong in the care they received. 'The fact that Olivia is one of several babies who died within University Hospitals Sussex's maternity services, whose deaths are subject to many questions, is deeply concerning and these families deserve full support and transparency from the NHS Trust. 'We will be beside Kimberley and Yann every step of the way in finding the answers they need and deserve'. A University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust spokesperson said two reviews of Olivia's care had been carried out. Dr Maggie Davies, chief nurse at the trust, told the BBC: 'We are desperately sorry for the loss of Olivia, and the trauma and grief we know this has caused everyone in the family. 'But we absolutely understand that nothing we can say can change the intense sense of loss they feel.' A coroner's court has previously been told the family had concerns about the timing of the diagnosis of the ruptured artery. At a pre-inquest review the coroner, Joanne Andrews, said she had reasons to suspect Olivia's death was 'unnatural' and would therefore hold an inquest. An initial hearing took place at a coroner's court in Brighton in July last year. This is the moment future triple killer Valdo Calocane was stopped by police after begging MI5 to be arrested. Bodycam footage from Met Police officers called to security service headquarters in central London in May 2021 showed mentally ill Calocane appearing 'calm and compliant' when stopped by the two officers. An inquiry is looking into mistakes made in the run-up to Calocane being free to kill three people and seriously injure three others in a rampage in Nottingham in June 2023. Footage played to the inquiry today showed bearded Calocane standing outside Thames House in Millbank wearing all black, despite it being a 'hot' day. The inquiry heard Calocane arrived at around 5pm on May 31, a bank holiday, and pressed the intercom. The head of physical security at MI5, who was referred to only as 'Witness G', spoke to Calocane who was 'claiming to have information regarding a case'. The witness said Calocane 'wanted to be arrested but would not give any more information', and so police were called. Valdo Calocane was stopped by police outside MI5 headquarters in London in May 2021, an interaction caught on bodyworn camera The Nottingham University student said he wanted to speak with spooks about an unspecified case He was then approached by Metropolitan Police, who were called to investigate Bodyworn footage recorded by Pc Graham Foster showed him and a colleague approaching bearded Calocane, standing in the shade, as families with children and pushing prams walked past. During the brief exchange, Pc Foster asked Calocane to take his hands out of his pockets and provide his name, which was checked against police records. Asked if he had been arrested before, Calocane replied: 'Not really.' He then said: 'I have been arrested once'. The inquiry previously heard he had been arrested twice in one 24-hour period a year earlier for banging down two neighbours' front doors in Nottingham where he was a student, though police took no further action. The inquiry heard a police operator who carried out checks into the suspect stated that Calocane 'was known but not wanted and had no warning signals'. Calocane left the scene moments later when his Uber arrived - although police did not ask where he was going. Pc Foster said he did not probe Calocane about why he was there because he was 'trying to build a rapport', and because Calocane had made plans to leave the area. Pc Foster told the inquiry: 'I was content with the response that he gave. 'I was content by his demeanor, his mannerism, he didn't seem agitated, he was calm, compliant, coherent, so I was happy with the response he gave me.' Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber - known as Barney - and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were killed in Nottingham in a series of supposedly random knife attacks by one man Sophie Cartwright KC, representing the survivors of Calocane's rampage, said: 'Why didnt you ask VC (Calocane) a question about why he wanted to be arrested? 'This is a member of the public who has attended the home of MI5. It is significant, would you agree, that a member of the public is asking to be arrested at MI5?' Pc Foster replied: 'The reason I was there, again, trying to build a rapport with a member of the public and to ascertain did he want to speak to the police and he replied clearly that he didn't want to speak to police. 'There wasn't anything that he wished to tell us about, so I was happy with the response he gave me.' The inquiry also heard from one of Calocane's former flatmates who told police he was stalked by the violent thug. The witness, known only as Sebastian, said he had to move out of their flatshare after Valocane threatened him and then tried to enter his locked room in the middle of the night. He also reported being frightened when Calocane followed him home from the gym on multiple occasions. But police did not consider the matter amounted to stalking and the complaint went no further. Calocane went on to kill 19-year-olds Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and 65-year-old Ian Coates during a stabbing spree in 2023. He was handed an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The inquiry continues. The Iran war spiraled on Tuesday as the US and Israel launched a fresh bombing raid on Tehran, amid growing disquiet over Donald Trump's shifting objectives. Israel warned civilians to evacuate the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and the area around Payam Airport in Karaj, where they were striking military targets. The announcement followed an overnight barrage that the Israelis said had destroyed key government and security compounds in Tehran. Multiple US embassies across the region were on high alert after attacks on consulates in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. No senior member of the administration appeared publicly over the weekend as Trump addressed the nation on two separate occasions, outlining the mission to wipe out Iran's leadership and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as he encouraged regime change. The President initially stated that the war would last four to five weeks, but he has since warned it could go on 'far longer', striking a more maximalist position than before, saying that 'the big wave hasn't even happened' and swatting away Iran's requests for peace talks. 'Too late,' he posted on Truth Social. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an astonishing statement on Capitol Hill after briefing lawmakers, appeared to admit that Israel had forced America's hand. 'We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,' he told reporters on Monday. Smoke plumes rise following missile strikes in Tehran, Iran, on March 1 A F/A-18E Super Hornet launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury on Monday Your browser does not support iframes. Smoke rises from an area in the direction of Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force and foreign forces, including the US An F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, gets ready on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln on Monday USS Thomas Hudner firing a Tomahawk missile amid American military action against Iran Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Monday JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night that the aim was to ensure 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon'. He claimed that there is 'just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multiyear conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective.' Further clouding the picture, a White House official told the Daily Mail on Tuesday that there were three aims: Destroy the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles, its missile industry and its Navy. Neither Iran's nuclear facilities nor regime change were mentioned. Trump is facing a growing backlash from top conservative pundits, including Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson. 'There is nothing unpatriotic or unsupportive of ones conservatism or general adherence to MAGA-type principles to say, "I would like to be better convinced that this is worth the sacrifice of American blood and treasure,"' Kelly said on her show. Carlson said: 'This is Israel's war. This is not the United States's war. This war is not being waged on behalf of American national security objectives, to make the United States safer or richer... This war is waged purely because Israel wanted it to be waged.' Trump pushed back on claims Israel forced his hand, claiming 'I might have forced their hand,' as he was questioned by reporters at the White House. The President said that Iran was planning to attack first and that the US and Israel 'were ready.' America has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, but with much of the airspace closed, many remained stranded. A government source said more than a million Americans are believed to be in the region. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia sent out a security alert shortly after 8am EST, warning of 'imminent' missile and drone attacks over the city of Dhahran, a major center for the oil industry and the headquarters of Aramco. 'Do not come to the US Consulate. Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside,' the warning said. Iran has also launched drone attacks on America's largest Middle East base and warned 'the gates of hell will open.' The Islamic regime's army said Tuesday its forces were launching attacks on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts up to 10,000 troops and serves as the main forward headquarters for US Central Command. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage to the base. The war has rapidly engulfed the region, with Iran launching hundreds of drones at Israel, US bases, and Arab allies Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE. Trump hit out at reports the US is running low on anti-drone missiles, insisting America has 'unlimited mid to upper tier weaponry.' The President declared Iran's military and leadership 'is gone' and that Tehran was requesting talks. 'Too late,' he wrote on Truth Social. But the Iranians are vowing to continue the fight. Ali Mohammad Naini, of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told Iranian state TV: 'The gates of hell will open more and more, moment by moment, upon the United States and Israel .' The warning came after the Riyadh embassy was closed following an overnight two-drone attack that sparked a 'limited fire,' Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said, with Americans urged to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the US Embassy in Kuwait, which announced it had been closed until further notice. US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said. Iranian missiles struck several locations inside Israel, killing 11. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, has also launched attacks on Israel, drawing retaliatory strikes that killed 52 people in Lebanon. The US military has confirmed six deaths of American troops in Kuwait. Three people were killed in the UAE, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. Trump initially said the war would last four to five weeks but has since warned it could go on 'far longer.' The war has severely disrupted the world's supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel. Oil surged after Iran ordered the Strait of Hormuz - through which a fifth of the world's crude flows - closed. US regular gasoline prices hit $3.11 per gallon on Tuesday, up from just under $3 at the start of the week, the American Automobile Association said. Israel deployed ground troops in Lebanon as the conflict broadened into its fourth day. Trump's objectives remain unclear. The President initially urged Iranians to overthrow their government after US-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Join the debate Do YOU think regime change is the real objective? Your browser does not support iframes. An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151, preparing to land on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2 This US Navy handout photo released by US Central Command public affairs shows the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) firing a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 1 Navy sailors looking over ordnance on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Monday Across Iran's capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday A B-1 bomber after having struck nuclear facilities in Iran overnight A F/A-18E Super Hornet preparing to launch from the USS Abraham Lincoln on Monday The F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151, is set to launch from the ship's flight deck in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2 Since then, however, senior administration officials have said regime change was not the goal. Trump's initial announcement of the strikes listed several grievances, from concerns about Iran's nuclear and missile programs to its leadership. Across Iran's capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft heard overhead. Strikes caused two explosions at a broadcasting facility in Tehran, Iranian state TV said, adding that no one was injured. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained 'some recent damage,' though there was 'no radiological consequence expected.' The US hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran's nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained, however, that Iran was rebuilding 'new sites, new places' underground for making atomic bombs. He offered no evidence to support his claim. 'We had to take the action now and we did,' Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Hannity. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear program is peaceful. Satellite photos showed limited activity at two Iranian nuclear sites before the war began, with analysts saying Tehran was likely assessing damage from the 2025 strikes and salvaging what remained, the Associated Press reported. The exposed interior of a damaged building is near Ferdowsi Square in Tehran on March 3 Your browser does not support iframes. Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation to US action A woman reacts on the street following an Israeli and US strike on a police station on Tuesday Birds fly as smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone following a fire caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office Security personnel conduct a search after a projectile hit the area of Petah Tikva in central Israel on March 3 Emergency personnel work at the site of an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 3. Israel's military has been attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon The breadth of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf, the ferocity of US-Israeli strikes, Khamenei's killing and the absence of any exit plan all pointed to a prolonged conflict. Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes. Recent targets included two Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The centers in the UAE were hit, while a drone struck near one in Bahrain, causing damage, the company said. Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari vowed that Iranian attacks on the gas-rich country 'will not go unanswered.' The conflict has spread to Lebanon, where Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had moved additional troops into southern Lebanon and taken new positions on several strategic points close to the border. Israel also hit Beirut with more airstrikes, saying it was targeting 'Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities.' Explosions could be heard and smoke seen in a southern suburb of Beirut. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army was evacuating some of its border positions. A senior Hezbollah official, Mohamoud Komati, said the group now had no option but to fight Israel. Donald Trump says Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly have 'no impact' on his decisions after the conservative pair slammed his bombing of Iran. The President revealed he is not bothered by criticism of his military actions from the former Fox News anchors during an interview with The Inner Circle on Monday. 'I think that MAGA is Trump - MAGAs not the other two,' Trump said of Kelly and Carlson, who have publicly questioned the rationale for war with Iran in recent days. 'MAGA wants to see our country thrive and be safe. And MAGA loves what Im doing - every aspect of it,' the President continued. 'This is a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe, frankly.' Kelly has led criticism among conservatives over the war, saying that she believes the US was dragged into the conflict and that American soldiers are losing their lives 'for Iran or Israel.' Trump fired back that Kelly should 'study her history book a little bit.' 'Megyn was opposed to me for years when I ran the first time and nothing stopped me,' Trump said. 'And so, you know, some people are against - and they always come back. She came all the way back.' Donald Trump brushed off criticism among conservatives over his war with Iran, describing it as a 'a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe' Trump fired back at conservative figures Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly for their opposition to his military strikes, saying they have 'no impact' on his decisions Kelly said on her SiriusXM show that she fears the US will become embroiled in yet another foreign war for years to come and questioned whether war with Iran is in America's interests. 'Our government's job is not to look out for Iran or for Israel. It's to look out for us. And this feels very much to me like it is clearly Israel's war,' she said. Trump brushed off Kelly's opposition in his phone interview on Monday, saying: 'I guess she maybe doesnt like the idea of this war, but I do because I have to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of the Iranians.' 'I have to do whats right, number one -and you cant have Iran getting a nuclear weapon. Thats predominant to me,' Trump explained. Carlson has been even stronger in his rhetoric against the war, telling ABC's Jon Karl that he believes Trump's strikes on Iran were 'absolutely disgusting and evil.' He has reportedly visited the White House three times in the last month to lobby Trump against attacking Iran. But Trump said the commentator failed to sway him, and said in his interview this week: '[Carlson] can say whatever he wants, it has no impact on me.' Carlson's attack on Trump came just a week after the conservative commentator met with the president in the White House - but Trump said on Monday: '[Carlson] can say whatever he wants, it has no impact on me' JD Vance insisted the conflict is 'so different' to disastrous conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan It comes as the White House has struggled to contain criticism among Trump supporters and conservatives over the war, with many noting that Trump campaigned on bringing the US out of foreign conflicts. Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a MAGA darling, claimed that Trump had betrayed voters who supported him for his foreign policy platform during the election. 'Thousands and thousands of Americans from my generation have been killed and injured in never-ending, pointless foreign wars, and we said no more. But we are freeing the Iranian people. Please,' the former GOP lawmaker wrote on Saturday. 'There are 93 million people in Iran, let them liberate themselves. But Iran is on the verge of having nuclear weapons. Yeah, sure.' Vice President JD Vance, previously a staunch anti-interventionalist, attempted to characterize the conflict as 'so different' from disastrous conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan over the weekend. 'The President has clearly defined what he wants to accomplish. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and has to commit long-term to never trying to rebuild the nuclear capability,' Vance told Fox News's Jesse Watters Primetime. 'Theres just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multi-year conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective. I think that means that were not going to get into the problems that weve had with Iraq and Afghanistan.' An asylum seeker has been hospitalized after going on a hunger strike to protest being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over a year. The refugee, identified only as Alex, entered the US in 2024 after presenting himself at the border claiming to have fled his home country due to fears of persecution. He scheduled an appointment with border authorities when entering the country but was told he would be housed in the Otay Mesa ICE facility in San Diego, California, while his asylum case was processed. Now 17 months later, he is still in ICE custody and has begun a hunger strike to protest his treatment. Alex was rushed to the hospital on Sunday, almost a week into his hunger strike. His condition is not clear and the Daily Mail has contacted ICE for comment. The migrant's attorney, Linette Tobin, stated that he has never committed a crime and said his detention is 'not because of anything he's done.' 'It's not because he's committed a crime or is even accused of a crime, but it's because of what he believes and who he is,' Tobin told NBC7. Tobin said Alex's asylum case was initially denied and he has remained in ICE custody while awaiting an appeal, a process that she said has been delayed repeatedly due to a backlog in the immigration system. An asylum seeker, identified only as 'Alex, has been hospitalized after going on a hunger strike to protest being detained by ICE for over a year His hunger strike captured the attention of anti-ICE protesters at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, California Anti-ICE protesters gathered at the Otay Mesa Detention Center to protest Alex's ongoing detention after his hunger strike captured attention on the West Coast this week. Tobin said she was not naming Alex's home country because he fears persecution if he is sent back by the Trump administration. The attorney said she was denied a legal visit to meet with Alex amid his hunger strike and that she is concerned about his deteriorating condition. 'They said they were taking him to a hospital. I asked about his condition. They wouldn't give me any answers. I asked about his treatment. They wouldn't give me any answers. I asked which hospital. They wouldn't tell me,' Tobin said. 'I said, "Why not? I'm his attorney. I have a right to speak with him. He has a right to speak with me." They said "No, for security reasons, we won't give you any information." I said, "How am I a security risk to my client?" No answer. Just, "Ma'am, we aren't going to give you information".' Tobin said she is concerned for Alex's mental health if he remains locked up and added that his case has been left in limbo by the complex immigration court system. 'He's been in prison for a year-and-a-half, and he is facing easily two more years in prison,' she said. 'It could be more than that. It's just waiting for his case to be adjudicated. But that's how long things are taking.' The migrant's attorney, Linette Tobin, stated that he has never committed a crime and said his predicament is 'not because of anything he's done' Alex's sister Lana said she has been heartbroken to see her brother struggling, and described him as 'very sweet, really kind, a gentle person' Alex says he is terrified of being returned to his home country, which has not been reported, due to fears he will be persecuted, which his attorney said would be 'because of what he believes and who he is' Alex's sister Lana said she has been heartbroken to see her brother struggling and described him as 'very sweet, really kind, a gentle person.' She told NBC7 that her brother had been making art for other detainees to keep their spirits up, but said he stopped as his mental health struggled. 'He was really trying to make everything better, and every time that someone comes in new and they are depressed, he would help them,' she said. 'It's really horrible for me to see that he is definitely declining in his mood and hope.' Tobin said her efforts to free Alex have so far failed, as a habeas corpus petition she filed was also rejected, as well as his first asylum claim. A habeas corpus petition attempts to challenge the lawfulness of a person's detention in court. 'Our habeas judge was an outlier. The vast majority of district court judges all across the nation are approving these cases and releasing these people,' she explained. 'But people are randomly assigned to judges, so you never know who youre going to draw.' Protesters seen outside the Global Entry Passway checkpoint in San Diego, California, on February 12, 2026 The failure of the habeas corpus case was what led Alex to begin his hunger strike, as his attorney and sister said it was the last straw for him after over a year in detention. 'I was already concerned because the food situation there is like, no fruits, no fresh vegetables, so he already wasn't that healthy,' Lana said. 'I was really afraid and kind of trying to talk him out of it. But then he said, "I can't do it anymore. I cant just sit here and do nothing. It's just - that's the last thing I can do." And he said that he's willing to die for it. 'He's so terrified of being returned, that very well might be the case, that that is what he would prefer. At least it would be in his hands.' As a last resort, Tobin said she offered the US government a deal to deport Alex to Mexico in exchange for giving up his asylum case, which she claims ICE rejected. 'Rather than doing that, the US government continues to pay every day for him to be imprisoned,' Tobin said. A small private plane carrying two people crashed in the icy Hudson River moments after it lost power, according to an official. The individuals were plunged into the frigid water as the single-engine aircraft attempted to make an emergency landing just before 8pm on Monday. They survived the impact and escaped the wreckage before swimming through chunks of ice to reach the shore at Newburgh, a town about 65 miles north of downtown New York City. The Cessna 172 was hoping to land at New York Stewart International Airport but ended up crashing into the river near the southbound side of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. The individuals, who have not been publicly identified, were met by first responders at the shore. They only sustained 'minor injuries' according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. She called the incident 'another miracle on the Hudson,' in reference to a jetliner that made an emergency landing on the same river in 2009. All 155 people on board survived in that event. According to Flightradar24, a website that tracks live air traffic, the Cessna took off from MacArthur Airport in Long Island at 6.36pm and was in the air for about an hour before it crashed. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus told News 12 that the plane lost power shortly after takeoff on Monday. This Cessna 172 crashed into the partially frozen Hudson off the coast of Newburgh, a town about 65 miles north of downtown New York City, a little before 8pm on Monday The plane had been attempting an emergency landing at New York Stewart International Airport after it reportedly lost power. Both passengers swam to safety. The plane is pictured floating among blocks of ice New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the crash 'another miracle on the Hudson' because both passengers survived. She was referencing the pictured emergency landing of a jetliner on the same river in 2009, when all 160 passengers survived This flight map from Flightradar24, a website that tracks live air traffic, shows that the Cessna took off from MacArthur Airport in Long Island before making its way up to Newburgh This part of the flight map shows that the Cessna appears to have doubled back towards Newburgh and was attempting to land at Stewart International Airport before it crashed Neuhaus told News 12 that both people on board are being treated at a local hospital and are expected to make a full recovery. Both Neuhaus and Hochul thanked first responders for their work in locating the downed plane and rescuing its passengers. 'We are so proud of all the first responders that were part of this successful rescue,' Neuhaus wrote on Facebook. 'Grateful to our first responders for their quick actions,' Hochul wrote on X. Representative Pat Ryan, whose congressional district covers Newburgh where the plane crashed, also confirmed the safe rescue of the passengers and thanked first responders. 'Incredibly grateful for our Hudson Valley first responders who are responding swiftly and put their lives on the line to keep others safe,' Ryan wrote on X. The plane was registered to American Airman Inc and belonged to a flight school based in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, called Long Island Flying, according to data on Flightradar24. Ronkonkoma is right next to MacArthur Airport where the plane took off. Emergency crews responded to reports of the crash around 8pm and brought both of the passengers to a local hospital, where they are expected to make a full recovery Governor Kathy Hochul and other New York officials thanked first responders on social media in this post and those below According to the FAA's registry, the plane's status was listed as 'valid,' and its airworthiness certificate was up to date and due to expire in 2029. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told the Daily Mail that it is investigating the cause of the crash but did not provide any more details. It remains unclear who was in the aircraft and what the purpose of the flight was. The Daily Mail has reached out to Long Island Flying for comment and additional details. An Alabama National Guardsman fatally shot his wife shortly after she gave birth to their first child before turning the gun on himself. Kynath Terry Jr, 19, opened fire on Precious Johnson, 24, while she was a patient at Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham. Johnson had just given birth and was shot multiple times. It is unclear whether their newborn was in the room at the time. Officers responded to reports of shots fired at the hospital at 9.25pm on Sunday. When they arrived, they found Terry and Johnson dead with no other parties injured. Early signs led investigators to believe that the tragedy was 'an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature,' the Homewood Police Department said in a statement. Terry's mother told WTVM13 that the couple was having some marital troubles before the birth but that she could not imagine that her son would kill his wife and himself. She added that Terry had just completed Army National Guard training and had recently married Johnson. Kynath Terry Jr, 19, fatally shot his wife, Precious Johnson, 24, before turning the gun on himself shortly after Johnson had given birth. The couple is pictured at the celebration for Terry finishing National Guard training Terry is pictured with his arms around his mother and his wife at the celebration for his completed training. His mother said that the couple was having marital troubles Terry had recently completed his training and married Johnson not long before the apparent murder-suicide Immediately after the shooting, Baptist Health entered lockdown 'out of an abundance of caution' according to a statement released by the hospital Sunday evening. The lockdown was lifted after authorities determined there was 'no active threat to patients, team members or the public.' Danne Howard, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told WTVM13 the shooting was the first time something like this has happened during her 30-year stint at the organization. She said that Sunday's apparent murder-suicide could lead to an overhaul of security protocols at hospitals in Alabama. Homewood Mayor Jennifer Andress said in a statement: 'Last night, our police department responded to a tragic shooting at Brookwood Hospital. 'Our officers acted quickly to secure the scene and ensure there was no ongoing threat to the public. This remains an active investigation. 'Our thoughts are with the victim, her family, the hospital staff, and everyone impacted. We are working closely with hospital leadership and will provide updates as appropriate.' Terry is pictured holding a rifle while in uniform as he was training to become a National Guardsman Police responded to reports of a possible shooting on Sunday evening and found the couple dead Terry completed his National Guard training just a year before the shooting, according to his social media pages. The couple were seen beaming together at his graduation ceremony in a video shared on Facebook on February 6, 2025. If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US at 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. The Daily Mail has reached out to the police for comment. A special task group from the Australian Defence Force is preparing evacuation flights to rescue Australians stranded by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, while the army is putting personnel on alert for overseas deployment, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has put her trust in commercial flights. Defence Minister Richard Marles earlier confirmed the government is preparing for all scenarios to assist about 115,000 Australians in the under-siege region. It's understood infantry personnel, logistics specialists, air movements personnel and aviators have all been put on standby in case Australians need to be airlifted from the region. Marles also confirmed Australian Defence Force personnel at Al Minhad Air Base, in the United Arab Emirates, were safe following attacks from Iran over the weekend. 'There was some drones which did attack that base on the first night,' he told Sunrise. 'We have a number of Australians who operate from a headquarters that we've had at Al Minhad now for many, many years. They're all accounted for. They are all safe.' Despite 12,0000 passengers flights being cancelled in the region since the conflict erupted on Saturday, Wong urged Australians trying to leave the region to still try their best to get commercial flights out rather than waiting for government flights. The Australian Defence Force is preparing to evacuate thousands of Australians stranded in the Middle East but penny Wong urged those Aussies to continue trying to book a commercial flight (pictured are Emirates and Etihad Airways planes in Sydney on Tuesday) Wong (above) claimed commercial flights would offer a quicker evacuation, despite 12,000 having been cancelled globally since Saturday Dubai iconic Burj Al Arab was hit by drone strikes earlier this week She argued commercial flights would be quicker than a military evacuation. 'It is likely, in terms of volume, to be quicker, getting Australians home, if we can get commercial flights, if the airspace becomes available but we are working on a range of contingencies,' Wong told reporters in Canberra. 'It's one of the contingencies we always look at but the scale of the numbers at the moment means that commercial flights resuming will be the most effective way to get Australians home.' The Department of Foreign Affairs has urged all Australians stuck in the Middle East, or those with Australian loved ones in the Middle East, to register through the dedicated emergency portal on Smartraveller. Those registered will receive regular updates about the escalating conflict, safety situation and potential evacuation plans. Daily Mail has contacted DFAT for further comment. Britain is laying on a single rescue flight from Oman this week despite having 130,000 British nationals declaring they are stuck in the Middle East and may need evacuation. The plane chartered by the Government will take off from Muscat 'in the coming days', Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons. Ms Cooper also revealed that 130,000 British nationals have signed up to the Register Your Presence programme in the Middle East as of this morning, describing it as an 'unprecedented number'. More than 11,000 commercial flights have been cancelled with 1million people affected since airspace over the Gulf largely closed as the US and Israel launched a co-ordinated attack on Iran on Saturday. Britain is still considering an evacuation plan - but appears to be largely relying on commercial airspace reopening given there is only one rescue flight planned so far. Ms Cooper said: 'We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a Government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region.' She told MPs it is 'a very fast-moving situation' with 'unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region'. Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper leaves 10 Downing Street today before giving a statement to the Commons on the situation in the Gulf She added: 'As of this morning, 130,000 British nationals have now signed up to the Register Your Presence Programme, which is vital to the Foreign Office's ability to know where people are and to provide updates and advice. 'Members will know that in many of these countries, the airspace is still closed, but I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable'. Desperate wealthy expats in Dubai have been driving across the desert to escape Iranian attacks via neighbouring Oman or Saudi Arabia on 20,000-a-seat private jets. One multi-millionaire who fled the United Arab Emirates' largest city was spotted at a luxury hotel in Muscat yesterday, having driven for five hours in his Ferrari. Some are choosing the even longer journey by road from Dubai to Riyadh, which takes 10 to 11 hours. Others have tried to leave via Dammam on Saudi's east coast, despite its proximity to Bahrain, which was bombed overnight. Queues have formed at petrol stations in Dubai as petrol prices rise and some leave by car. Private jet bookings are up 55 per cent - reportedly commanding a fee of up to 260,000 per trip or 20,000 per spot on a 13-seat plane - as the rich and powerful flee the war-torn Middle East. But there is hope for the tens of thousands trapped there because Dubais airport wants to resume full operations today if there are no more attacks from Iran. The Daily Mail met relieved Brits arriving back home last night on the only flight back so far from the United Arab Emirates since the Iran attacks. The Etihad Airways plane landed at Heathrow Terminal 4 at 7.16pm - two days after the US and Israel struck Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and prompting a furious Iranian response. Isabel Robertson, 29, of Windsor, was greeted with a hug from mother Alba as she landed on Monday. She had been staying with friends in Dubai, which has come under repeated attack by the Iranian regime. Residential areas around Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah, areas hugely popular with western tourists, were attacked, setting the luxury hotel Fairmont The Palm ablaze and damaging the Burj Al Arab. Isabel, who previously lived in the Emirate city, had been due to fly home on Saturday, but her flight was cancelled. Dancer Isabel told the Daily Mail: 'I went to see my friends. I had such a great week. I had meant to have been leaving on Saturday. My friend was going to drive me to the airport. 'I was like 'Why has my flight been cancelled?' Ten minutes later I could hear an explosion.' Isabel Robertson (pictured), 29, of Windsor was greeted with a hug from mother Alba as she landed on Monday Relieved Brits arrived back home tonight on the only flight back so far from the United Arab Emirates since the Iran attacks. Pictured: Cath and Dom after she touched back down Jeff and Rebecca Moses from Manchester, who were staying in Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel Flights from major hubs in the region have been cancelled en masse, stranding tens of thousands of Brits working, holidaying or transiting through She added: 'There were explosions this morning. It has been terrifying, like honestly, terrifying. 'The noises, it was terrifying, the explosions. I used to live there and it was my first time back in three years.' Mother Alba, 62, said: 'When I watched the news, I was very worried.' The flight was one of the only departures - alongside flights to Amsterdam, Munich and Cairo - out of Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport after Iranian missiles and drones began hitting the city over the weekend. Amy Maguire, 23, was also on the eight-hour flight back after going on holiday with her baby daughter Anabel and her parents. She said: 'It has been horrifying. 'It has been really difficult not knowing if your child is safe. The sounds have been horrendous. We had to go in this little room under the hotel.' Amy was holidaying in Abu Dhabi with her parents Rebecca and Jeff Moses, of Barrow-in-Furness. Fay McCaul, 41, who was due to leave the UAE for London on Saturday, said 'sirens started going off' and people were told 'to stay away from windows because of potential missile strikes' when she was waiting for her flight. She said: 'It was just taking ages to board, with no announcements, so we didn't know what was going on. 'And then after the boarding time sirens started going off in the airport and everyone started receiving texts on their phones with alarm signals to stay away from windows because of potential missile strikes. So then it was pretty chaotic, and the airline obviously didn't know what was going on either.' The London-bound flight had been delayed by just over an hour. Joseph Hughes, 31, described the mood on board as 'nervy' and 'very quiet' as the plane closed in on European airspace. He and his partner had been stranded in the UAE since Saturday after he was transferred to Abu Dhabi when his initial flight back from Qatar was cancelled due to a technical problem. He spent two days in a hotel watching missiles being intercepted overhead. Speaking from the plane, Joseph, who runs an IT consultancy, from Liverpool, said: 'I'm relieved to be going home. It's a strange juxtaposition of people lying by a pool with music playing while missiles fly overhead. 'With any sound of a plane or noise in the sky everyone yesterday was looking up immediately to check what was happening. 'I feel very lucky to be one of a small few who managed to get a flight out today as I know there are 90,000 plus British nationals in the region who will be worried about how they will get home. 'The mood on board the plane is fine, but a lot of people were dubious about us leaving including me. 'As we were boarding Etihad updated their site to say all flights were postponed until 2pm on Tuesday, so we were nervous about ours being cancelled. 'It was also concerning that there had been reports of explosions in Dubai a couple of hours beforehand too. 'All passengers were picked up and dropped at airport via local school buses this morning. 'It was very quiet on the plane and there hasn't been an in-flight meal, just a few crisps which I suspect is because they weren't able to prepare anything or didn't want to commit to preparing perishables in the likely case it was cancelled. 'It's also been quite nervy.' Another passenger, Jeff, 60, said: 'We should have flown to Manchester. But we would have flown anywhere to get home.' The flight returned as more than 100,000 Brits are scrambling to get home amid furious Iranian attacks on the Middle East. Around 102,000 Britons trapped in the Middle East have registered with the Foreign Office as the UK draws up plans for one of the biggest evacuations of its citizens in peacetime. Airspace over the Gulf is largely closed as the US and Israel launched a coordinated attack on Iran - and retaliatory strikes from Tehran then hit tourist and expat hotspots such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Kuwait. Flights from major hubs in the region have been cancelled en masse, stranding tens of thousands of Brits working, holidaying or transiting through. Amongst them is an army of influencers in Dubai, although some have vowed to stay on claiming it is still safer than London, despite a wave of Iranian missile strikes and suicide drone attacks on military sites, oil refineries, airports and hotels. The Fairmont Palm hotel in Dubai was hit over the weekend as tourist areas were hit by Iran Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said today there are around 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries targeted by Iran. And Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers are understood to be drawing up contingency plans to evacuate them over land from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar to Saudi Arabia. UK Government advises against travel to 21 countries in the Middle East and seek 'shelter' and 'register' if you are there already The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) 'advises against all travel' to the following countries: Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Egypt Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Pakistan Palestine Saudi Arabia Syria Turkey Yemen If you are in the Middle East, the Foreign Office advises: Register your presence Let the UK government know you're in the United Arab Emirates and register your presence HERE Shelter in place Due to missile attacks, British nationals in UAE should immediately shelter in place. British nationals should also: Stay away from areas around security or military facilities; Keep your departure plans under review, and ensure your travel documents are up to date; If you are advised to take shelter, stay indoors or find the nearest safe building or designated shelter. An interior stairwell or a room with as few external walls or windows as possible may provide additional protection. Advertisement With Iranian missiles and drones still coming, Emirates Airlines confirmed that all flights operating through Dubai have been grounded until 11am GMT on Tuesday at the earliest. Qatar Airways have said that no flights will leave Doha until Tuesday morning, again at the very earliest. Ms Cooper said: 'We are setting up the support systems because as well as the 94,000 people who have been in touch when we set up the 'register your presence' system, there's an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries that have now been targeted by Iran, including countries where now airspace is closed as a result of those attacks. 'That is, of course, extremely stressful for people who include holidaymakers and transit passengers at airports, people who have gone there for business trips, as well as those who live in the region as well. 'So we're saying to people, the most important thing at the moment is to follow the local advice, which in most places is around sheltering in place, and we are sending out rapid deployment teams to the region to work with the travel industry, to work with local governments as well, to make sure that citizens can get support. 'Of course, we want people to get safely home as swiftly as possible.' Asked if evacuation plans were being drawn up, she said: 'We are working on every possible option,' in a media round where she also stated it was 'not in the UK's interests' to join Donald Trump's strikes on Iran. It came as Iran struck RAF Akrotiri last night with a 'kamikaze' attack drone after Sir Keir Starmer U-turned on a US request to use British military bases to hit back at Iran's missile sites. This morning there was a dispersal order issued for non-essential personnel at the RAF's Cyprus hub. Families were told to pack a bag with essentials to last three to five days - although their pets will have to be left behind with 'appropriate care'. 'Please remain in place until directed to move by station authorities. This will be done in street order', the British Forces memo said. Countries across the Gulf scrambled to close their airspaces as the US and Israel launched a co-ordinated attack on Iran over the weekend, and retaliatory strikes across the Middle East followed. Travel plans were plunged into chaos after airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were hit, killing at least one person and injuring 11. Nearly 6,000 flights have been cancelled globally and almost 30,000 delayed since the conflict broke out, according to the flight tracking website FlightRadar. It marks one of the biggest disruptions to travel since the pandemic. A Portland council meeting was shocked into silence after a member asked the first Latino councilman to repeat what he said in English, despite him speaking the language perfectly. Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez had responded to a question posed by fellow member Mary Nolan about an agenda item dealing with the city's Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program on February 24, The Oregonian first reported. Nolan, who goes by they/them pronouns, had asked the bill's sponsors, which includes Gonzalez, to define what they meant by regionalism in the policy. 'My concern and worry is that in the definition of regionalism, you're moving forward, or that you had - that we talked about - includes decimating funding to Washington and Clackamas County,' he responded in part, while speaking perfect English. 'There's language that is kind of very needs-based and that to me is like sending signals to some really strong shifts in the framework of SHS entirely.' Nolan responded by asking: 'Councilor, can you say that in English? I don't understand what you just said.' The comment caused the entire board to pause in shock, with Councilman Ashton Simpson putting his head in his hands. Gonzalez sat in silence for a moment before responding: 'Um, okay. Let me try to repeat that in English, which is the language I was speaking.' A Portland council meeting was shocked into silence after council member Mary Nolan (pictured) asked the first Latino councilman to repeat what he said in English, despite him speaking the language perfectly. 'I don't understand what you just said,' Nolan claimed. Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez (pictured) had responded to a question posed by Nolan about an agenda item dealing with the city's Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program It left the rest of the council in shock, with Gonzalez staring in shock and Council Ashton Simpson putting his head in his hands To make matters worse, two days later, Nolan took it upon herself to apologize to Gonzalez in front of the entire council, but first in Spanish, then in English. 'On reflection, I realized one of my questions to you on Tuesday [February 24] during our discussion of the RPOC [Regional Policy and Oversight Committee] disrespected you, as well as people in our audience,' she said on February 26. 'I disrespected your heritage. I'm genuinely sorry that I made the choice then to use words that were harsh in tone and dismissive in substance.' Nolan promised to give 'more thought and sensitivity' to their future comments. While she was speaking, Gonzalez rubbed his forehead, and Simpson covered a look of surprise. After she finished the statement, Gonzalez thanked them for their apology before the council moved on to their agenda items. The first Latino councilman later told The Oregonian that the moment left him 'shocked again for the second time in a week.' 'It did not feel great,' he told the outlet. 'I want the Metro and the Metro Council to be a place where people feel safe and can express themselves, and that is always my goal.' Gonzalez (far left) was elected to the council in 2018 and was the first Latino to be. Nolan (second left) was elected in 2021 Gonzalez (pictured) was asked by Nolan to repeat what he said 'in English,' despite already giving his answer perfectly in the language in a moment which stunned everyone into silence 'Councilor, can you say that in English? I don't understand what you just said,' Nolan asked Nolan told the outlet that she didn't mean to use the term English in reference to the language he was speaking, but rather in the more colloquial way of asking for clarification due to his 'vagueness' and meant 'no malice' toward the councilman. They have since spoken on the phone, but neither has revealed the contents of their conversation. Gonzalez was elected to the council, which makes $68,000 a year for a part-time job, in 2018, making him the first Latino to be elected on the board. 'Throughout his career and now at Metro, he has focused on economic development, affordable housing, transportation justice, and creating a region where everyone can afford to belong,' his council biography reads. Nolan has had their seat since 2021. Gonzalez told the Daily Mail in a statement: 'Councilor Nolan and I have spoken privately about this. I wont speak for them, but I will say that this is the kind of incident everyone has an opportunity to learn from. 'We need elected leaders to be thoughtful not only about the intent of their statements, but how they impact our communities.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Nolan for comment. A great-grandmother has been left traumatized after a young man slapped her on her backside and grinned while she shopped. Mae St. Julien, 73, was at the Kroger grocery store in Ellenwood, Georgia, about 20 minutes outside of Atlanta, on Thursday around 4.30pm shopping for a recipe she found on TikTok. While walking in aisle three of the store, which she's patronized for more than 20 years, St. Julien suddenly heard 'this pop and this sting', she recalled. 'It made a loud noise. Like a gunshot almost,' St. Julien told WSB-TV. To make matters worse, St. Julien said her alleged assaulter seemed proud of himself afterward. 'He turned around and kind of smirked and just ran off,' the elderly woman stated. She immediately told a store manager before police were called, and told St. Julien something that stunned her even more. After telling them what happened, officers said they had just finished investigating a similar case at a grocery store across the street, where a man attacked two women. Mae St. Julien was shopping at a Kroger grocery store in Ellenwood, Georgia on Saturday when a young man violently slapped her on her backside, grinned, and ran, she said 'He hit them on the behind and ran,' she said. The uncomfortable incident has left St. Julien uneasy, as she says it was 'a form of sexual assault.' The impact of the incident has also made her think about getting counseling, she told the outlet. But more than anything, St. Julien said she wants the man off the streets so he can't do this to anyone else. 'I want him to be caught, to be stopped,' she said. For now, she said she will be shopping at a different store because she no longer feels safe there. The DeKalb County Police Department told the Daily Mail they are investigating the incident involving St. Julien. Police said they have no record of the other alleged assaults, meaning the other women might have chosen not to pursue charges, WSB-TV reported. The Daily Mail contacted Kroger for comment. St. Julien called the police and reported the incident, only to find out that a similar instance occurred across the street to two other women The inappropriate moment comes just months after a teenager was charged for sexually groping an elderly woman on her front porch in Kentucky. Jan Fletcher, 78, was sitting outside her home in Louisville in September when an unidentified teen, 13, approached her asking for directions to a nearby park. Video surveillance then caught him making his way behind Fletcher before brushing her backside several times, appearing to dust something off of her. But then he got handsy and groped her until the grandmother demanded he stop, Fletcher recalled. 'As soon as that happened, I said, "Let me tell you something, you better get out of here and you better go now". So he did. He was gone,' Fletcher told WLKY. She said the teen also asked if anyone else was inside the home during the incident, making her believe he could have robbed her. The teenager was arrested and charged with third-degree sexual abuse. Britons could see their energy bills soar if the Middle East crisis causes prolonged disruptions to gas exports, experts warned today. Analysts are expecting huge volatility in energy prices over the coming days, as Iran lashes out in response to US and Israeli strikes. Iran has warned ships not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and gas travels. Some vessels have been been attacked as Tehran also sends retaliatory missiles and drones across Cyprus, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. At least 150 tankers have now dropped anchor in open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz. European gas prices have spiked since the US and Israeli action and are currently trading near 60 euros per megawatt-hour, compared to an all-time peak above 300 euros per megawatt-hour. Such price swings have not been seen since the energy crisis in 2022, which was prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Experts warned that prolonged disruptions to gas exports from Qatar and the UAE risked a 'repeat of 2022'. European gas prices have spiked since the US and Israeli action and are currently trading near 60 euros per megawatt-hour This is compared to an all-time peak above 300 euros per megawatt-hour, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Iran has warned ships not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and gas travels In a research note, investment bank Stifel said a European gas price at 100 euros per megawatt-hour would be enough to drive the UK's energy price cap to 2,500 a year. The cap currently stands at 1,758 per year, and is due to fall to 1,641 from April 1. Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: 'The Energy Crisis Commission warned that the UK remained dangerously underprepared for another energy crisis. 'Nobody knows exactly how the next few weeks will play out, but with homes and businesses still facing the debt and after-effects of the last gas crisis, people will understandably be concerned.' The Resolution Foundation said: 'The escalating conflict in the Middle East has now triggered a sharp rise in oil and gas prices, which could cause living costs to start rising more quickly again. 'If sustained, these rises could add over 500 to the typical household energy bill in the summer and roughly a percentage point to inflation bringing another unwelcome cost of living shock to families.' Cornwall Insight said prolonged uncertainty around supplies could make summer refilling more demanding and gradually increase price pressure for next winter, although there was 'no suggestion of immediate system stress'. Britain's benchmark gas price, NBP, leapt by 54 per cent on Monday. Brent crude, the global benchmark oil price, was up about 9 per cent at 79.40 US dollars per barrel. Qatar's state-owned energy company QatarEnergy has also halted its production of LNG (liquefied natural gas) following Iranian attacks on some of its facilities. Cornwall Insight said the UK was less reliant on Qatari LNG than during the post-Ukraine crisis, with Qatar supplying about 6.5 per cent of UK LNG imports over the past year, compared with about 69 per cent from the US since 2023. However, it said this could lead to greater competition for LNG from other sources, pushing up global prices. Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, said: 'The UK's dependence on global gas markets means movements in international wholesale prices feed directly into domestic bills. 'The situation in the Middle East and the risk of disruption to liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz pushed gas prices up yesterday and further again today.' He added: 'For those customers on the price cap, the April to June price is now set, and therefore there should be no immediate impact on bills. 'Looking ahead, the cap is calculated using an average wholesale price over three months, and we are only at the very start of the July to September assessment period, so the long-term impact will depend on how long gas prices stay elevated and how long this period of volatility remains.' A man was brutally stabbed in the street yards from a primary school and nursery in Birmingham today. Armed counter-terror officers raced to the scene in Alum Rock after the horrific attack shortly before midday. A Good Samaritan drove his van at the knifeman in a desperate bid to stop the stabbing. The suspect then ran inside a block of flats and barricaded himself inside. A woman was seen screaming with bloodied hands from an upstairs window shouting that the man was outside her door. Armed police ran down Bridge Road telling bystanders to leave the scene, describing it as a 'siege'. Officers arrested a 32-year-old man over the incident, which left another man seriously injured. A woman also suffered 'non-life threatening' injuries. Others could be seen performing CPR on the victim, who appeared to be barefoot and covered in blood. A horrific video posted online showed the attacker kicking his victim next to a parked car before plunging a knife into his chest. Three ambulances, two paramedic officers, a trauma team and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance all responded to the incident. Armed officers were called to Bridge Street in Alum Rock at 12.06pm as a nearby primary school went into lockdown West Midlands Police said firearms officers were deployed 'as part of the police response'. Some of them were elite officers with training to deal with terrorist incidents Three ambulances, two paramedic officers, a trauma team and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance all responded to the incident The witness said: 'I was driving down the road in my van. I saw a guy on the floor covered in blood. 'I parked my van and jumped out to help him. I don't care what colour or religion you are, you help people. 'The next thing the guy with the knife tried to attack me. He was speaking a different language. 'I used my van to try to get him, but he kept coming. In the end I jumped the fence to safe myself and he ran inside. 'There was a woman screaming from one of the flats, so the attack must have started there.' Children from Rosary Catholic Primary School are not believed to have been in the playground at the time. Parents gathered at a cordon this afternoon after the school and an adjoining nursery were put into lockdown. Locals said men from Sudan and Somalia live in the block of flats where the suspect ran into. Police vehicles and an ambulance next to the scene of the stabbing, which is covered by a tent Forensic investigators at the scene in Alum Rock An aerial view of police on Bridge Road this afternoon A police dog was pictured being taken out of a response car Detective Superintendent James Munro from West Midlands Police, said: 'We believe this to be a contained incident with a man in custody. 'We are reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to a number of people in the area. But would appeal to anyone who has any information to get in touch. 'We understand how deeply distressing and concerning this incident is and we will have extra officers in the area to offer reassurance to the community.' A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: 'Crews arrived to find a man with serious injuries and administered advanced life support on scene. 'A second patient, a woman, was treated for less serious injuries.' Witnesses or anyone with information, including mobile phone or dashcam footage, can contact police on 101, quoting log number 2105 of 3 March. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Expats in Dubai have hit back at gloating trolls and insist the influencer haven is 'absolutely fine' despite Iran's suicide drone bombardment across the Gulf. Panic broke out amongst the some 240,000 Brits living in what they thought was 'the safest city in the world' after it was targeted by Iran's missiles on Saturday in the aftermath of the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Internet trolls quickly turned on expats with goading comments such as 'I've never been hit by an Iranian missile on my way to Asda' and 'suddenly Dubai isn't a flex anymore for the wannabe Instagram influencers'. However, Demi Calder, 28, who relocated to the Emirate three years ago believes those people are envious of Brits who made the big move to the opulent city. 'I think they are just a bit jealous to be honest, it's absolutely fine here at the minute,' she told the Daily Mail. Ms Calder said the UAE Government made an announcement today explaining that the explosions they saw and heard in the sky were all interceptions. The expat, originally from Essex, said she first saw 'missiles coming through the sky' on Saturday night from the balcony of her apartment balcony in Jumeirah Village Circle. Still, Ms Calder felt safe enough that she went to watch the races at Meydan where she saw more missiles streak across the sky before they were intercepted. Demi Calder (pictured), 28, who relocated to Dubai three years ago believes gloating trolls are 'just jealous' of Brits who made the big move to the opulent city Ms Calder said the UAE Government made an announcement today explaining that the explosions they saw and heard in the sky were all interceptions 'My family are so scared for me but Im out still doing normal things,' she said. The fashion designer said people felt 'a lot of ground shakes' when the bombardment was at its worst, adding: 'Every now and then you'll hear the explosion and then the ground and the buildings will shake.' The strikes have 'calmed down now' but Ms Calder said she had been told there was another one over Kite Beach in Jumeirah last night at around 2am. But she explained that while people could see the missiles, they were actually 'far away' and 'nothing has really happened close to Dubai'. On the second day of Iran's attacks, the expat was out shopping at Circle Mall in Jumeirah Circle Village. She said: 'On the Sunday when it was all happening a lot of people were sort of carrying on as normal and were going out until we all got evacuated from the Circle Mall and got alerts on our phones. 'Everyone was getting the same alert where your phone was buzzing with a big warning message on it and everyone got evacuated down the stairs and told to go home and stay at home.' Ms Calder decided to stay at a friend's house for the next two nights and went to get supplies on Monday morning. 'We rushed to the supermarket to get food to make sure we had enough stuff and the shops were getting busier and busier and busier. There were queues where everyone was panic buying,' she said. Since the strikes began, Ms Calder, who also works as an executive assistant at an investment management firm in Dubai, has been working from home and said most companies are telling their staff to do the same. She added: 'The roads are quiet, usually there's a lot of traffic but there's no traffic at the moment and everyone's just working from home.' Despite feeling safe in the city, Ms Calder acknowledged that they are in 'uncertain times'. Ms Calder said her family are worried about her but she is still going about her life normally and even attended the races over the weekend Chartered counselling psychologist Dr Jane Halsall (pictured), 48, whose move from London to Dubai last month with her two children Nyla and Luca was prompted by prospects of a better economy and more safety said it has been a 'surreal and deeply human' experience She said: 'People were scared at the time on that Saturday night. 'People were obviously worried but everyone now is sort of just saying they're so grateful to be in a country where they are protected and this is one of the safest countries ever and nothing is going to happen to us and all of this but obviously it is uncertain times. 'We are not too sure what's going to happen but everyone's just going about their normal life.' Chartered counselling psychologist Dr Jane Halsall, 48, whose move from London to Dubai last month with her two children Nyla and Luca was prompted by prospects of a better economy and more safety said it has been a 'surreal and deeply human' experience. Her neighbours in her apartment block on the Dubai Marina were showing a 'strong sense of solidarity', with residents continuing to check in on one another. She told the Mail: 'As a psychologist living and working in Dubai, the past few days have felt surreal. 'Watching missiles intercepted in the night sky is not something you expect to witness in what is widely regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. 'Over the weekend, there was a very real moment of fear, a sense of helplessness that comes from sitting in uncertainty, unsure how to react or what steps to take.' She said there is an 'undercurrent of anxiety' that can be 'sensed in conversations and behaviours' with people scanning the skies, being hypervigilant to unfamiliar sounds and checking their phones for updates. Despite this, she said 'clear communication from the UAE authorities has helped to steady that response' and that advanced defence systems to intercept attacks are 'visibly in place'. She said: 'Government updates have been regular and transparent, and confidential helplines and community support services are readily accessible. 'It is reassuring that there is oversight, preparation and protection in place. 'Personally, I can say that I feel safe here and confident that the safety of residents is a priority. 'What has struck me most is the strength of community. 'Dubai is a melting pot of cultures, faiths and nationalities, and in moments like this, that diversity becomes a source of resilience. 'There is tolerance, mutual respect and a shared determination to support one another. 'The fear is real. The uncertainty is still present. But so too is solidarity and that, psychologically, makes all the difference.' Influencer Sam Palmer, who has over 55,000 Instagram followers, posted a video on Monday morning asking why people have so much hate for Dubai Some influencers were accused of making light of the missile bombardment on social media Four people were injured when the five-star Fairmont hotel on Palm Jumeirah was set ablaze on Saturday after it was hit by an Iranian missile. Reports confirmed debris from the missiles have so far hit major landmarks including Dubai International Airport, Burj Al Arab Hotel and Jebel Ali Port, as the air defence team works to intercept the strikes. The Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building - was evacuated with fears it could be a target and UK tourists hid in basements while missiles flew overhead as panic spread through the city, home to more than 240,000 Britons. Brits trapped in the UAE's most populous city are awaiting evacuation after more than 100,000 British citizens vacationing in the hotspot registered their contact details with the Foreign Office. People living or staying in Dubai, especially expats and influencers, have been insisting Dubai is still safe despite the attacks as they were mocked on social media for moving there because they believed it is safer than the UK. One social media troll sneered: 'Don't all the lovely influencers move to Dubai because it's so safe. I've never been hit by an Iranian missile on my way to Asda.' Another wrote: 'I don't feel bad for any influencers or content creators that are currently stuck in Dubai. We told you to stop going there.' A third added: 'Suddenly Dubai isn't a flex anymore for the wannabe Instagram influencers.' Geordie Shore alum Vicky Pattison and former Apprentice star Luisa Zissman yesterday insisted Dubai is still 'one of the safest places in the world' despite entering its third day of missile strikes. Meanwhile, model Hofit Golan and influencer Will Bailey both expressed disappointment over what was meant to be the 'safest city in the world'. Elsewhere, others in the city made light of the serious situation with one couple dubbed 'pretentious' after posting a video of themselves casually strolling through Dubai on Sunday with the caption 'Us normally walking in Dubai, while missiles are flying in the air'. Influencer Lauren Jarvis shared her fears over people making light of the situation on her Instagram story, writing: 'As much as I keep seeing people say "It's fine in Dubai, carry on as normal, it's not as bad as it looks". I'm sorry but it really is. 'I had three hours sleep Saturday night because all we could hear were loud explosions that literally shake the house. 'You look outside your bedroom window and there's multiple missiles going over your head.' She added that waking up with 'your heart pounding and shaking before you've even opened your eyes is not "normal".' Former Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne yesterday sprang to the defence of British expats and influencers in Dubai. The 77-year-old entrepreneur, who lives in Portugal, insisted the city is 'perfectly safe' and rowed online with critics who slammed Brits for 'moving to Dubai to avoid paying tax...but now rely on UK taxpayers to help them in their time of need'. The British government has drawn up plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Britons from the Middle East, with over 100,000 - the vast majority of which are tourists - registering their contact details with the Foreign Office. Mr Bannatyne said most of those asking for help are not influencers or expats who live there permanently, but travellers caught up in the chaos that has seen thousands of flights cancelled and airspace closed for two days. In a reply to one person online this morning, he said: 'Not one Dubai resident has expressed a desire to leave as far as I know. The British that need to vacate are on holiday or on business in Dubai.' To another, he said: 'No matter how much you want it to be different Dubai is perfectly safe & nobody is running away from it.' He was joined by Sam Palmer, the husband of Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone, who asked why people have so much hate for the city and that people are 'laughing' at those caught in the crossfire. Ecclestone had posted a tearful video of herself in Dubai over the weekend, in which she described Saturday as 'one of the worst, most scary nights' of her life. President Mohammed bin Zayed (left) and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (right) were spotted at Dubai Mall located next to the Burj Khalifa in the city's downtown area yesterday evening On Monday evening, The Crown Prince of Dubai and the President of the UAE sat down for coffee in the city mall and greeted awestruck shoppers in a bid to reassure locals amid the attacks. President Mohammed bin Zayed, 64, and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, 43, were spotted at Dubai Mall located next to the Burj Khalifa in the city's downtown area yesterday evening. In one clip posted on social media, the pair were seen looking relaxed as they enjoyed coffee and fancy pastries with other other senior Emirati figures at cafe Cipriani Dolci. Another video shows the leaders and their entourage casually strolling through the busy mall before an excited child ran over with the President immediately embracing her before posing for a beaming photo and kissing her hand. A third clip shows a Ghanaian man approaching the President to say hello and shake his hand before praising the leader for his 'very safe country'. Dubai's Media Office also posted pictures of the President and Crown Prince at the mall on their social media channels with reassuring messages. One caption read: 'The leadership remains close to the people', whilst another said: 'Close to the people. Steady in leadership.' A Caribbean gangster who ran a class-A drugs ring has pleaded not to be deported because he is scared to return home - as a court heard of his 'emotional anxiety'. Antonio Ferdinand, originally from the island of Saint Vincent, only came to England in 2024, but by August last year he was 'wholly involved' in a drugs operation, bulk purchasing drugs and recruiting others, a court heard. The 26-year-old has now been jailed for 43 months, while his lawyer told a judge he would miss out on seeing his 12-month-old British-born child if deported. Reading Crown Court heard from prosecutors how Ferdinand had been caught in the Berkshire town alongside 48-year-old Claire Caesar. Both defendants were sitting in a vehicle which police officers had spotted a known drug user entering and leaving, a judge heard. Michael Attenborough, prosecuting, said police had seen the defendants 'frantically fiddle with a small object near the centre console' before they were searched. Police seized approximately 40 wraps of cocaine and 19 wraps of heroin, along with 219 in cash stored in the front passenger door, the court heard. A search of Ferdinand's phone showed a bulk advert had been sent out that drugs were going to be available, prosecutors said. Antonio Ferdinand (pictured), originally from the island of Saint Vincent, only came to England in 2024, but by August last year he was 'wholly involved' in a drugs operation Reading Crown Court heard from prosecutors how Ferdinand had been caught in the Berkshire town alongside 48-year-old Claire Caesar (pictured) Caesar had previously been caught on February 3 last year dealing crack cocaine and heroine, the court heard. On the day of his latest trial, Ferdinand admitted two counts of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply. Daniel O'Donoghue, defending him, described Ferdinand as a man of good character who had 'a very difficult upbringing'. The lawyer said: 'He grew up in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and had a significantly difficult time at school. 'The conclusion of the psychiatrist is that he has depression and anxiety. 'He found school very difficult and left at age 16 without qualifications, he fell under the influence of a criminal gang at a young age. 'He left in 2024 and came to the UK without any legal status and since coming here in 2024, was living for a while in a friend's house, was evicted, found himself homeless in 2025, living in a tent in Victoria Park. 'In that state of homelessness he became involved in this enterprise. He does not suggest he had an addiction to drugs himself, it was out of desperation. He had no means of supporting himself.' Mr O'Donoghue said that Ferdinand's likely 'inevitable' deportation is 'what he fears the most', adding: 'He has a child in the UK who is 12 months old. He is fearful of being deported without having any further contact with his child.' Caesar, also from Reading, admitted four counts of possession with intent to supply of a class A drug. She told the court she had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder as a result of her difficult life. Judge Rachel Drake, sentencing, told the defendants: 'At this time, the two of you were quite wholly involved with this operation, with responsibility for bulk purchasing, recruiting others to be the street dealers and to deal with other's wrapping individual wraps. You were making a financial profit. 'You, Mr Ferdinand, were recruited to criminal gangs and effectively came to this country to get away from that. 'You quite willingly got involved in dealing drugs here to provide you with an income, as you have no legitimate authority to be here, no legitimate way of earning money. 'The consequences for you are going to be challenging - you are scared to return to St Vincent. 'You feel a great deal of emotional anxiety in relation to your 12-month-old child who you may have little involvement with, which is a direct consequence of your offending.' After jailing Ferdinand, Judge Drake told him: 'You will be on licence if you are not deported, Mr Ferdinand - that means you will be supervised.' The judge jailed Caesar for 38 months, mentioning her 'extremely challenging upbringing' and how she had worked in the health service and obtained qualifications to do so. I'll get so much hate for saying this about skeletal stars like Demi Moore, Kelly Osbourne and Oprah... but someone has to. It's just too insidious: CAROLINE BULLOCK An Army soldier was shot fatally in the head after his sniper rifle went off when a comrade 'bumped into him' on a training exercise, an inquest heard today. Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, 24, was killed instantly on a sniper exercise in the Scottish Highlands when his rifle suddenly fired through his chin and out of the top of his head in November 2016. A private who had been with him at the time was said to have been left 'white and shaking', before telling a superior officer it was 'my fault'. Pte Christopher Leveridge said he had 'bumped into' LCpl Spencer in the waiting area of the gun range and the rifle 'went off'. Range supervisor Colour Sergeant Gordon Smart told an inquest into the young soldier's death that Pte Leveridge was noticeably 'shocked' and that he tried to reassure him. CSgt Smart also told Winchester Coroner's Court, Hants, that misfires were 'quite common' and that they happened 'six or seven times' on the exercise in Tain, Scotland. LCpl Spencer, from Bishopstoke, Hants, was killed on November 1, 2016, while he was undergoing a two-month-long sniper training. It was a 'dark' and 'cold' November evening - with LCpl Spencer waiting in a waiting area, which was a shipping container, with other soldiers before going out on the range. Giving evidence today, CSgt Smart outlined what happened in the aftermath of the shooting. Joe Spencer 24, was killed when his gun went off unexpectedly during a sniper training course He had been holding the rifle vertically, with the butt of the gun on the toe cap of his boot and his chin resting on the top end, it was found He told the inquest: 'I heard a commotion and one of the men shouted "man down". 'I went straight to the container and saw Joe's body lying on the floor. There were rifles in the container and there was a weapon underneath him. 'Due to confusion the (range commanding officer) didn't know what happened and the rifles were taken out of the container (except for Joe's rifle). People were still trying to figure out what happened. 'At that time everyone came out of the (container) and one (person) - Pte Leveridge - came out and said it was my fault. 'He said he bumped into him and it went off. 'He was white and shaking. Just shocked. I told him it wasn't his fault. I told them to get out of the (container) so they were separated.' CSgt Smart said Pte Leveridge did not say why he thought bumping into LCpl Spencer would set the rifle. 'He said he bumped into him and he slipped and it hit the ground and it went off,' he told the inquest. When asked about misfires, CSgt Smart said: 'They are quite common. It happened probably six or seven times on the course. 'It happened when people pull the trigger and the round goes forward but the round doesn't come out. It happened a couple of times. The percussion cap hits with insufficient force to light the prima.' Mr Spencer joined the British Army in 2011 and became a member of 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Mr Spencer was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including on operations in Afghanistan CSgt Smart also told the inquest that the day of LCpl's Spencer's death was a test day - known as the Annual Combat Marksmanship Test (ACMT). He explained that there were two likely explanations for the tragedy - either that the rifle simply was not unloaded or that the round in the chamber had misfired. He said: 'The most dangerous part is when accidents happen.' A previous inquiry at Tain Sheriff Court was held into the soldier's death - with a report published in January 2025. The cause of the accident, which killed him instantly, was confirmed as the 'undemanded discharge of a single round from an L115A3 sniper rifle' - a specialist sniper rifle used by the British Army. LCpl Spencer joined the army in February 2011 and was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2015. He had carried out basic training at Catterick, Yorks, in 2011 and finished top of his class and awarded a ceremonial rifle. He was a member of the 3rd Battalion The Rifles and had previously been seriously injured by a grenade whilst serving in Afghanistan. He had bought a house with his partner, Cherycce Connelly, in July 2016. LCpl's parents, partner and one of his brothers are present at the inquest at Winchester Coroners' Court. The two week jury inquest continues. The White House has helped MAGA influencers escape the Middle East on a private jet while more than a million ordinary Americans are still trapped with no way out. Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz, dog-walker Sarah Daither, and former lobbyist Jay Footlik were among six who managed to flee on a plane chartered by the former after US strikes on Iran unleashed chaos in the region. 'This has easily been the craziest experience of my life,' Bruesewitz told Politico. 'Im grateful for all of the people who played a role in getting us out of the active war zone and to safety. I cant wait to get back to the USA, the greatest country in the world!' Bruesewitz used his White House connections along with officials in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to get the group of six out of the Middle East safely after many airports were closed and the US Embassy told its employees to shelter-in-place. The group flew to Greece, arriving around midnight local time, as it was the nearest city Bruesewitz had a close US connection in. Kimberly Guilfoyle, and former fiance of Donald Trump Jr, is a US ambassador for the Mediterranean country. White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and Representative Anna Paulina Luna helped secure a safe route for the group, Bruesewitz said on X. He also thanked Saudi officials for 'ensuring that the other Americans and I could safely board our flight and depart the Gulf without incident.' Trump adviser, Alex Bruesewitz (right front), dog-walker Sarah Daither (middle left), former lobbyist Jay Footlik and others managed to escape on a private plane Bruesewitz with his wife. He paid for the jet, meaning the group managed to escape the Middle East without the help of officials Guilfoyle's staff made sure the crew had a safe landing in Athens, despite the 'short notice,' he said. 'The past 72 hours have been utterly surreal, like nothing I've ever experienced before,' he wrote. 'Iranian missiles were flying directly over my head.' Daither had been on an African safari and had a layover in Doha, Qatar, on her way back to the States when she got stuck there due to the military escalation in Iran, sources close to Bruesewitz told the Daily Beast. She had posted on her social media about being stranded, which Bruesewitz saw before contacting her, offering her a ride home on his chartered jet. Bruesewitz is staying in the region to help coordinate other private evacuations, the Daily Beast reported. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House, Luna, and Bruesewitz for comment. Americans in 16 countries, including Israel, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, were instructed by the US State Department to 'DEPART NOW' using commercial transportation due to the 'serious safety risks.' The US Embassy in Jerusalem has warned staff to shelter in place as it is unable to evacuate anyone. Tel Aviv airport remains closed and Jordan's Queen Alia international airport is running limited service. The group was individually trapped in the Middle East after the Trump Administration issued military strikes in Iran on Saturday morning White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, and US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle helped the crew get to Athens, Greece, safely The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is running shuttle buses to get stranded Americans out of the country, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said. Multiple US embassies were on high alert on Tuesday. Embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait came under attack as the State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. A government source said more than a million Americans are believed to be in the region. It came as the US and Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran's capital, Tehran, warning civilians in Persian to evacuate the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and the area around Payam Airport in Karaj, where they were striking military targets. The announcement followed an overnight barrage that the Israelis said destroyed key government and security compounds in Tehran. Donald Trump warned 'the big one is coming' and that 'the big wave hasn't even happened.' The President announced the initial US strike on Iran at 2.30am on Saturday from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Several US embassies are under threat in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Kuwait as Iran continues its retaliatory strikes Trump issued strikes on Iran on Saturdaying morning, saying the US was 'not gonna put up' with Iran's behavior 'any longer' 'Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,' the Republican said. 'Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.' Trump detailed some of the violence Iran has perpetrated against Americans, including taking over the US embassy in Tehran and holding US citizens hostage in 1979. 'The regimes proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years as well as US Naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lanes,' the President said. 'Its been mass terror, and were not gonna put up with it any longer.' Rachel Reeves launched one of Labour's bluntest attacks on Brexit to date today. The Chancellor used her Spring Statement to attack the Conservatives for steering the UK out of the European Union. She also blasted the opposition for opposing close ties with Brussels when they were in government once that was done in 2019. She said the Tories had been 'wrong' on both counts as she read out a list of supposed failings on its part while in power that included backing Liz Truss. Her bluntness comes amid a general push by Labour for a 'reset' in UK-EU relations that could see a greater alignment in rules. But it also comes days after Labour was embarrassed in a by-election by the pro-EU Greens. Sir Keir Starmer's party came third in Gorton and Denton, a formerly safe seat in Greater Manchester. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Reeves said: 'Whether it is in office or in opposition, the right honourable gentleman's party, and his leader, have been wrong about the economy time and time again. 'They opposed economic responsibility and backed Liz Truss. Wrong. 'They opposed closer ties to Europe and backed Brexit. Wrong. 'They opposed cuts in child poverty and want to repeat austerity. Wrong values, wrong economics, they are just plain wrong.' Chancellor Rachel Reeves is unveiling her Spring Statement in the Commons, with mounting questions over the performance of UK plc Your browser does not support iframes. Zack Polanski's party has received a major bounce in the wake of its stunning Gorton and Denton by-election victory last week. Labour MPs have been hitting the panic button after the Greens romped to victory in what has traditionally been an ultra-safe seat. Fears have been heightened by the 'eco-populist' insurgents' success in capitalising on Muslim voters' anger over Gaza. A YouGov poll released this morning showed the Greens on 21 per cent, up four points over the past week. That was only just behind Reform, who pushed Labour into third in Gorton, on 23 per cent support. Meanwhile, Labour was down two points on 16 per cent, tied with the Tories. Last month Sir Keir Starmer said the UK will seek 'deeper economic integration' with the European Union and 'move closer to the single market' in more sectors, as the 'status quo is not fit for purpose'. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the Prime Minister said the UK would be 'looking again at closer economic alignment'. 'We are already aligned with the single market in some areas to drive down the prices of food and energy,' he said. 'We are trusted partners, and as the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves) said this week, deeper economic integration is in all of our interests. 'So we must look at where we could move closer to the single market in other sectors as well, where that would work for both sides. 'The prize here is greater security, stronger growth for the United Kingdom and the EU, which will fuel increased defence spending, and the chance to place the UK at the centre of a wave of European industrial renewal. 'I understand the politics very well. It will mean trade-offs. But the status quo is not fit for purpose, and to me there's no question where the national interest lies, and I will always fight for what's best for my country.' A former GOP staffer who has been accused of mutilating herself as part of a staged kidnapping is seeking a plea deal with negotiations delaying the start of her trial. Natalie Greene, 26, was hit with multiple charges in November after authorities claimed she constructed an elaborate ruse to make it seem like she was a victim of a political hate crime. Greene was working as a staffer for Republican New Jersey Representative Jeff Van Drew when she claimed she was abducted at gunpoint by three men on July 23, 2025. She alleged that the men mentioned her boss' name and used a black marker to write 'Van Drew is racist' and 'Trump Whore' on her body before dumping her in a wooded area. However, in a stunning twist, investigators claimed that Greene had fabricated the whole ordeal. Now her lawyers and prosecutors in Greene's case have asked the presiding judge to pause the trial while they work on a plea deal, according to court filings reviewed by The US Sun. The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey agreed to the request and a court order has pushed Greene's next hearing date to March 31. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have not yet reached an agreement but they are hoping to do so before the case reaches a jury. Natalie Greene, 26, is seeking a plea deal after federal authorities accused her of mutilating herself for a staged kidnapping Greene claimed that while working as a staffer for Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew, three men attacked her and wrote 'Trump W***e' on her body with a black marker Greene also claimed that the men held her at gunpoint, mentioned her boss' name and wrote 'Van Drew is racist' on her body Greene has been out of jail since her first court appearance on November 19, 2025, as she posted a $200,000 bond. She was originally ordered to wear an ankle monitor, but it was removed on November 26 so she could receive court-ordered inpatient psychiatric treatment. The former staffer later requested to move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she has a job opportunity, which was authorized by Camden federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Pascal. Greene's lawyer said she was struggling to find work in New Jersey and was receiving death threats. She is now allowed to live with a childhood friend named Kristin Haughton-James, but she must follow a curfew, be electronically monitored once again and continue mental health treatment. Greene claimed that she had been attacked and abducted after receiving death threats because she worked for Van Drew. On the night of the suspected hoax, an alleged accomplice placed a frantic 911 call claiming they had been attacked by three men while they were taking a walk on a trail at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township, just outside Atlantic City. Responding officers found her in tears in a wooded area with lacerations all over her body. She was bound by her hands, feet and neck with black zip ties. Greene is pictured covered in lacerations that authorities said she paid for at a body modification studio before the alleged staged kidnapping Federal investigators found that Greene was following a 'scarification' community on Reddit when they seized her phone. Scarification is a form of body modification that leaves raised scars. Greene is pictured with gruesome cuts across her chest, neck and shoulder Greene is pictured after police found her crying in a wooded area off a trail in Egg Harbor Township with her hands and feet bound with black zip ties. Police found extra ties in Greene's Maserati that night Greene told a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent that two men grabbed her, pulled up her shirt and restrained her on the ground before tying her up. She claimed that one struck her on the head before cutting into her body and 'scraping' her resulting in pain so intense she began to scream. The former staffer added that one of her 'attackers' claimed he had a gun and threatened to shoot her if she moved, though Greene said she never saw the weapon and only felt something push against her stomach. The same night as the 911 call, police searched Greene's Maserati and found extra black zip ties identical to the ones allegedly used to bind her. As the FBI questioned Greene, they claimed her elaborate story began to unravel and that discrepancies emerged between her account and that of her alleged accomplice. Federal investigators later discovered that days earlier, Greene's friend had searched the internet for 'zip ties near me' and was seen on surveillance buying them at a Dollar General store around 6pm on July 21. When federal agents seized Greene's phone after the alleged attack, they uncovered a Reddit account following 'bodymods' and 'scarification' communities. Scarification is a form of permanent body modification in which cuts that leave raised scars are intentionally carved into a person's skin. Greene faces up to ten years in prison, $500,000 in fines and up to six years of supervised release for allegedly making up the bizarre attack hoax A spokesperson for Van Drew's office said that Greene is no longer working for the pictured congressman Police found that Greene traveled to a Pennsylvania tattoo and body-modification studio on the same day her friend bought the zip ties and paid $500 in cash to have cuts made across her face, neck, back and shoulders with a scalpel. The markings she requested were an exact match with her injuries from the supposed kidnapping. After the procedure, Greene traveled to Ventnor, New Jersey, picked up her friend and visited a Dunkin' Donuts in Atlantic City before the pair headed to the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve, arriving around 9.30pm. At 10.36pm, the alleged co-conspirator placed the 911 call claiming the pair had been attacked by three men. By July 24, police and the FBI had already begun pulling cellphone data. On July 25, Greene was accused of making materially false statements to federal investigators. She was formally indicted on November 14 and charged with one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement. If found guilty of both charges, Greene faces up to ten years in prison, $500,000 in fines and up to six years of supervised release. A spokesperson for Van Drew's office previously told the Daily Mail that Greene is no longer working for the Congressman. 'While Natalie is no longer associated with the congressman's government office, our thoughts and prayers are with her and hope she's getting the care she needs,' the spokesperson said. The Daily Mail has reached out to Greene's attorney for comment. Stubborn passengers evacuating a smoking plane insisted on carrying their luggage off a plane despite flight attendants repeatedly instructing people to leave their belongings behind. The travelers were fleeing United Airlines flight UA 2127 after it was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) due to a reported engine failure. The New Jersey-bound Boeing 787 had to turn back during its journey to Newark Liberty International Airport after smoke started filling the aircraft on Monday. The plane deployed emergency evacuation slides on the runway so passengers could quickly flee the plane. But video showed travelers frantically trying to gather their baggage before bouncing down the plane's emergency slides. One passenger can be seen wearing a large backpack and pulling a large carry-on bag with wheels alongside him. As the travelers slowly make their way to the exit, multiple flight attendants can be heard shouting 'Come this way!' and 'Get away from the engine!' One of the flight attendants can be heard fruitlessly yelling 'Leave all bags behind!' as the jaded passengers walk past, clutching their luggage. Stubborn passengers evacuating a plane at LAX Monday morning refused to leave their baggage behind despite flight attendants repeatedly instructing them to do so. One passenger carrying a large backpack and pulling a wheeled carry on bag is pictured The plane deployed emergency slides to quickly evacuate the aircraft, which is meant to be be completed within 90 seconds The United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after smoke began filling the cabin. A firefighter is pictured on the tarmac as passengers evacuate the plane Boeing 787s are required to be able to conduct a full evacuation of the aircraft within 90 seconds, according to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The agency states that 'In a real-life emergency, the evacuation is likely to take longer as some passengers are likely to be children, or elderly or be in shock due to the situation.' But it did not account for passengers disregarding instructions to leave their cumbersome baggage behind, dragging out the evacuation far beyond the 90-second guideline. According to tracking information from FlightAware, the plane took off from LAX's Terminal 7 around 10.15am. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) then got a report of an engine problem onboard the aircraft around 11.05am, prompting the plane to circle back to LAX around 11.20am. A video taken by a different passenger showed travelers sliding out of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner before running across the runway as smoke spewed out of the aircraft. Fire trucks were also seen surrounding the aircraft to assist staff and passengers and control the smoke. Only one passenger suffered a minor cut to their finger, the California Post reported. There were 268 people, including 12 crew members onboard. Videos taken by passengers showed people running from the aircraft. The pictured individual can be seen mid-stride while carrying a backpack There were 268 people on board the plane, and United Airlines said that no injuries were reported. A large number of evacuated passengers on the tarmac are pictured United Airlines told the Daily Mail: 'United flight 2127 safely returned to Los Angeles to address an issue with one of the engines. 'Customers deplaned via slides and airstairs and were bused to the terminal. 'There are no reported injuries at this time. Were working to get our customers to their final destinations.' The airline added that a different aircraft was arranged for passengers to get to Newark. A two-story floating homeless encampment, complete with solar panels and only accessible by kayak, has taken over a waterway in Hawaii's capital city. The makeshift structures popped up along the Keehi Stream in Honolulu almost two years ago and have gradually grown into a giant eyesore. However, the city's director of homeless solutions called the flotilla 'impressive.' 'It's impressive what they've built from a two-story home to the use of solar panels and just able to access electricity,' Roy Miyahira told Hawaii News Now. The homes appeared to create an extensive streamside neighborhood, with the largest structure stretching at least halfway down the river. Residents travelled between each floating tower using boats and kayaks. The flotilla is partly obscured by trees and foliage along the stream's shoreline. Miyahira and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) are working to rehome the residents and remove the eyesore altogether. The two story encampment popped up two years ago an remained cleverly hidden from view The makeshift structures popped up along the Keehi Stream in Honolulu almost two years ago and have gradually grown into a giant eyesore. They are only accessible by kayak But the homeless residents haven't seemed interested in relocating or even engaging with relief efforts. 'Theyre not so open to saying who they are, what they do for a living, how long theyve been out there they seem to be very reclusive, and maybe resistant to change,' he said. While force may be a useful tool to coax people out of the makeshift neighborhood, Miyahira said he wants to avoid it at all costs. Outreach efforts began last month. State officials hoped that the Keehi Stream would be cleared of people by the end of April. The structure was originally located on the other side of the river. In June 2024, residents relocated it, foiling efforts by the state to remove them. DLNR Coordinator Pua Aiu said this time the solution will be a long, expensive and complicated one. The city's director of homeless solutions, Roy Miyahira, said many of the residents are resistant to help Residents of the encampment travel on kayaks and rafts from door to door 'It takes a huge amount of crew and a huge amount of time. 'It's very costly, and also quite a bit of risk to the workers,' she told the outlet. 'The water's not that clean you don't want to fall in the water.' Despite the irreplaceable architecture, Miyahira said the encampment is unsanitary and not only threatens wildlife along the stream, but also the residents within it. The Keehi Stream has made headlines multiple times due to wastewater spillages that tainted the water, reported KHON2. Those living in the monstrous encampment could easily become victims of severe weather. Honolulu is prone to hurricanes, flash flooding and wildfires. Workers can't even use heavy equipment to remove the structures due to the unstable shoreline. The structure poses risks to its residents. The city hopes to clear the makeshift neighborhood of people by April Homelessness has grown rampant in Hawaii over the past several years. The Hawaiian islands have more than 6,000 homeless people. Between 2023 and 2024, the homeless population increased by 10 percent, according to Homeless Hawaii. Last year, Miyahira said that Honolulu's homelessness crisis has 'reached a crisis point,' per the City and County of Honolulu. 'We must not only improve our existing response systems but also implement new solutions that are immediate, effective and scalable,' he said. The Daily Mail contacted the Hawaii Office on Homelessness and Housing and the Department of Land and Natural Resources for comment. Kristi Noem was grilled Tuesday by a Republican senator after she blamed the White House for her claims that a protester shot dead by ICE was a 'domestic terrorist.' Senator John Kennedy, a pro-Trump and hardline conservative senator, demanded to know why Noem applied the label to Alex Pretti, a ICU nurse shot dead by an immigration agent in January, at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Noem claimed Pretti was engaged in an act of domestic terrorism hours after he had been shot by a border patrol agent. Footage later emerged showing agents removing a holstered gun from Pretti before he was shot. The Homeland Security Secretary later walked back her statement and blamed Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller for her comments about Pretti. The Louisiana senator told her: 'What got my attention was that you blamed [those] statements on Stephen Miller at the White House.' Noem hit back, claiming that the senator must have been talking about news coverage using 'anonymous sources.' But Kennedy immediately replied: 'You said this on the record.' The senator read from her statement to Axios on January 27, where Noem said: 'Everything I've done, I've done at the direction of the President and Stephen.' 'Do you think it was fair to blame Mr. Miller,' Kennedy said. The senator then demanded Noem testify under oath over whether she was denying making the statement blaming Miller. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security,' on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 3 US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem takes her seat as she arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on March 3 US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem takes her seat as she arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on March 3 Kristi and Bryon Noem have been married since 1992 and have three children Corey Lewandowski is seen leaving Kristi Noem's building with an overnight bag on Thursday, April 24th, 2025 Noem refused: 'Sir I'm not going to speak to that situation that is relayed by anonymous sources.' The Daily Mail has previously reported that the comments made by Noem blaming Miller was orchestrated and pushed behind-the-scenes by her rumored lover and longtime adviser Corey Lewandowski. Noem was supported in the hearing by her rarely-seen husband Bryon Noem and 'angel moms' whose children have been killed by illegal migrants. In recent months, she has more often appeared alongside longtime adviser Corey Lewandowski, with whom she has been dogged by rumors of a personal relationship. Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed in Minneapolis in January, triggering shock and outrage across the United States Susan and Michael Pretti found out their son had been killed through a journalist The Daily Mail previously reported that Noem and Lewandowski have been engaged in a years-long romantic affair. Both are married and have denied the claims. A DHS source told the Daily Mail that Noem's decision to appear at the hearing next to her husband was all about maintaining 'optics' as rumors swirl about her mysterious marriage. 'The fact she's bringing her family to these events instead of the usual Lewandowski tells me she's aware of how she looks in the media and that she's trying to get the news cycles about her and Lewandowski behind her,' official said. Senators pressed the Homeland Security secretary over her high-end travel, including the use of private jets, and the department's controversial immigration crackdown in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of two Americans. Kristi Noem arrives to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security,' on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 3 US Senator John Kennedy, Republican from Louisiana, speaks with a group of mothers who say they lost children to violence by undocumented immigrants, before US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on March 3 US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on March 3 Terry Almanza holds a picture of her late daughter Sydney Schergen, who died from ecstasy (MDMA) overdose, ahead of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's appearance before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security,' on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 3 DHS is currently operating under a partial shutdown after a funding lapse that began in February, when Senate Democrats blocked a full-year appropriations bill over objections to Noem's immigration enforcement policies. As a result, roughly 90 percent of DHS employees are continuing to work without pay. A former FEMA employee disrupted Noem's opening remarks and was later escorted out of the hearing room by multiple Capitol Police officers. Noem blasted the Democratic-led shutdown of DHS as 'reckless' and 'unnecessary,' accusing lawmakers of holding the department hostage and undermining national security. 'I want to thank my husband for being here in support as well,' Noem said at the conclusion of her opening remarks. The couple have been married since 1992 and have three children. Last week, FBI Director Kash Patel fired a dozen agents who worked on the case investigating Donald Trump for taking top-secret materials to his Mar-a-Lago residence after his first term was over. Those agents have now been revealed to be part of an elite group specializing in assessing threats from Iran, according to two reports. Multiple sources with knowledge of the personnel move told the New York Sun and confirmed to MS Now that the layoffs impacted the counterespionage group tasked with investigating threats from foreign adversaries out of Iran just days before the US bombed its leaders. Trump green-lit Operation Epic Fury, sending US forces to join Israel in raining down bombs on Iran in strikes that killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. The FBI's global espionage unit known as CI-12 includes spy operations with special forces in Cuba, Iran, and other proxy nations, as well as other terror organizations. Patel told Fox News that the agents were spying on him and now-Chief of Staff Susie Wiles while they were private citizens as part of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump. The subpoena for Patel and Wiles' phone records was filed in the FBI databases in a way that made it difficult for the new FBI leadership to access once they took over last year. The firings could reportedly impact investigations into retaliatory attacks from Iran after Trump approved the latest strikes and plunged the US into conflict with the Middle Eastern nation. FBI Director Kash Patel fired a dozen agents last week involved in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and now sources claim those let go are part of a group that investigates threats from foreign adversaries like Iran and Cuba The US with Israel conducted strikes in Iran over the weekend and amid the ongoing conflict there are concerns of retaliation on US soil and against Americans in the Middle East In his first presidency, US strikes in Iran were followed up with Iranian operations on US soil including attempts to assassinate Trump and his aides. CI-12 has helped uncover numerous counterintelligence threats involving Iran and other foreign governments though there is a separate group that handles Russia and China threats. This group assisted in bringing down former US Air Force intelligence specialist Monica Witt, who began spying on the US for Iran. She was indicted by a grand jury in 2019 but defected to Iran and remains a fugitive. People inside the FBI were worried on Monday that Patel might fire more agents and staff on CI-12, which also conducts investigations of illegal media leaks and mishandling of classified documents. The FBI did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Bureau spokesperson Ben Williamson told MS Now that the FBI doesn't comment on personnel matters, but assured they maintain a 'robust counterintelligence operation, with personnel all over the country.' While there have not yet been any retaliatory attacks on US soil, Iran is conducting counter strikes in the Middle East and Americans are being warned to evacuate the region. Most recently, Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Dubai on Tuesday. The State Department announced it is in contact with 3,000 stranded Americans as they work to arrange military and charter evacuation flights. A serving police officer took selfies while on duty guarding a murder investigation scene following the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy, a court heard today. PC Ryan Connolly, 41, took pictures of himself - including one where he was lying down in the summer sunshine - while manning a cordon, a jury was told. The Merseyside Police officer had been tasked with securing the scene in Liverpool on July 3, 2018 following the killing of Daniel Gee-Jamieson, 16. Daniel died in hospital after he was stabbed during a fight watched by up to 30 youths. Prosecutor Peter Wilson told the jury at Manchester Crown Court there were 'selfies of him stood there and then laying down'. You may think if you are guarding the scene of a murder then you would not be sending selfies whilst on duty, and would consider that to be an important job and something that deserves respect, rather than laying down taking a selfie,' he told them. Police officers are 'entrusted by the public not only to uphold the rule of law, but to safeguard and protect the society' and therefore 'cannot abuse their position of power and trust', the prosecutor added. Connolly is accused of unlawfully taking six crime scene photos, as well as using his mobile phone to take photos of police documents and people with whom officers were dealing. Ryan Connolly, 41, is on trial accused of taking selfies while on duty guarding a murder scene following the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy Connolly allegedly took 24 photos of people arrested at police stations and hospitals before sharing them on WhatsApp Some of those photographed included domestic violence victims or vulnerable people with mental health problems, the jury was told He allegedly took 24 photos of people arrested at police stations and hospitals before sharing them on WhatsApp. The jury of seven women and five men were told that some of those photographed included domestic violence victims or vulnerable people with mental health problems. Connolly, of Liverpool, denies four counts of misconduct in a public office. The court heard that the 'inappropriate' photos were taken between February 2014 and February 2020 while he was on duty. Connolly allegedly took selfies where Daniel Gee-Jamieson (above), 16 was fatally stabbed He was arrested on February, 4 2020 and his mobile phone was seized during an anti-corruption investigation by Merseyside Police. Mr Wilson said: The defendant states in his response to the misconduct allegations that the images recovered from his mobile phone had been taken for a work purpose. He also says that he took the images using his personal mobile phone for ease and quickness. His case is that none of the photographs were made public and only shared with the individual police officer he intended them to be shared with and not, under any circumstances, within a group chat. The prosecution case is that his actions in taking the pictures on his personal mobile and having them stored in WhatsApp and not on any police system whatsoever amounts to criminal misconduct. Photos taken by Connolly showed him posing near the cordon and did not include any images of Daniel, the court heard. One featured him in a park which surrounded the crime scene in the Gateacre area and all were taken before 9am. Giving evidence, Detective Constable Kayleigh Greaves, who reviewed the photos, said: 'The cordon covered a large area. 'It took a lot of officers to guard the scene.' She added: 'There was nothing sensitive about the images.' Mr Wilson asked DC Greaves: 'If you are on guard at a murder scene, is there any reason for you to take a selfie?' The officer replied: 'No.' Owen Cousins was later cleared of Daniels murder but convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 11 years. The trial continues. Back in September 2013, I took a call from a keen supporter of Scottish independence who was in the doghouse at home. With a year to go until the referendum on breaking up the United Kingdom, 8,000 nationalists had gathered on Edinburghs Calton Hill and among them was his partner. Returning to their flat in the capital, she breathlessly explained that the Yes Scotland campaign was unstoppable. How could Better Together possibly hope to compete against a movement that had rallied so many beneath the saltire? He, a rather thrawn realist, promptly rained on her parade. Sure, he conceded, thousands of Scots may have gathered on the hill that day but millions more decided they had better things to do with their time. It was, he told her, a mistake to think this rally told them anything about the state of the contest between the nationalist and unionist camps. Irked, she took to a hot bath with a cold beer. In the end, he was right to urge caution. TTwelve months - and several rallies - later, the nationalists were soundly defeated when Scots voted by 55-45 to remain part of the Union. Thousands of independence supporters descended on Calton Hill, Ediburgh, in 2013 ahead of the referendum - but their dreams were thwarted a year later In a remarkable display of optimism, Scottish nationalists seem to believe that what their movement needs now is to do the same thing again. On Saturday, March 28, First Minister John Swinney will lead a rally through Edinburgh and up Calton Hill. He claims the day will be about hope, confidence and choice. There has never, says Mr Swinney, been a more important moment for the independence movement to come together. The truth, of course, is that this latest march up the hill will do precisely nothing to advance the cause of Scottish independence. The UK Government will not - if it is even paying attention - see a few thousand flags and decide that, actually, there should be another referendum on secession. Neither will Unionist Scots see yet another sea of saltires and think You know what? maybe theyve got a point. The First Minister knows this fine and well but with the SNP drowning in scandal and the Yes movement fractured, a day with the flag-wavers represents a useful opportunity for him to try to persuade them he has something resembling a plan for how independence might be achieved. The group Believe In Scotland which is organising the rally says it will act as a clear statement that the independence campaign wont stop. Perhaps thats so but it will also - whether participants like it or not - represent an admission of failure. After 19 years in power at Holyrood and one lost referendum, the separatists still havent made a compelling (or even vaguely coherent) case for independence. Love him or loather him, Alex Salmond at least had a plan to achieve his objective, writes Euan McColm This is a view shared by a number of those whove spent decades at the front-line of the nationalist campaign. For this, former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon must take the blame. Whether one liked or loathed the late Alex Salmond, it was impossible to deny that he had a strategy for achieving his objective. After winning the 2007 Holyrood election, he devoted his energy to governing rather than campaigning. Mr Salmond reckoned that showing Scots his party could be trusted to run the country effectively and energetically would do more to advance cause of independence than any number of protests. He was right. Between 2007 and 2014, support for independence rose from around 27 per cent to 45 per cent. When Ms Sturgeon succeeded Mr Salmond as First Minister after defeat in the independence referendum, she remained focused on campaigning rather than governing. Instead - as her mentor had done - of trying to persuade sceptical Scots to support independence, she arrogantly assumed their conversion to the cause was inevitable. Ms Sturgeons campaign for independence amounted to little more than a series of undeliverable promises of a second referendum. Time and again, she let her supporters half way up the hill only for reality to get in the way, forcing her to march them back down again. One former SNP cabinet secretary recently told me of their frustration that their party - and the wider independence movement - had failed to learn any lessons from defeat in 2014. We should, said this veteran, Have taken the result as a mark of progress and gone back to the business of governing instead of taking voters for granted. Another old hand whod served in cabinet for a number of years said a smart SNP First Minister would have tried, after referendum defeat, to co-operate with unionist opponents on policy issues in order to show the No voting majority that their views mattered. We didnt change any minds by shouting at the winners, they explained. John Swinney is now all but a dead cert to lead the SNP to its fifth consecutive Holyrood election victory in May. Poll after poll shows the nationalists have a convincing lead. But the First Minister should not allow himself to believe that amounts to growing support for the secessionist cause. While the SNP, currently enjoying the backing of a third of voters, might remain the most popular party in the country, the vast majority of Scots do not share Mr Swinneys clamour for independence. A new survey by pollsters Savanta for the BBC found that the top three issues, so far as voters are concerned, are - in descending order - the cost of living, the NHS, and the economy. Just 13 per cent of those surveyed said independence was a top three issue for them. But even if this were not so, even if breaking up the Union was a priority for voters, John Swinney has no way of delivering another vote on the matter. The constitution remains the responsibility of the UK Government and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is not, I think its clear to anyone paying the slightest attention to our national debate, in the mood to throw the United Kingdom into the chaos of another bruising and bitter referendum campaign. The SNP government is out of ideas and mired in scandal and John Swinney has give up even pretending he has any interest in addressing the concerns of the majority of Scots. Instead, hes talking only to his own base, offering them the same meaningless sloganeering that Nicola Sturgeon deployed during her eight and a half years in office. Those preparing to march with the First Minister believe they are part of a campaign with unstoppable momentum. They are not. Thousands of Scots may well join John Swinney on Calton Hill at the end of the month. But millions more will have better things to do with their time. A video editor has won 70,000 in a pregnancy discrimination case after she was sacked for trying to work from home due to 'severe' morning sickness. Kaila Farmer angered her boss at a video production company after she announced she was pregnant and presented a doctors note saying her nausea and vomiting meant she could not work from the office, a tribunal heard. The company manager, Harry Pill, had previously made comments to staff that maternity pay was unfair and secretly plotted to get rid of Mrs Farmer, it was heard. After congratulating the editor on her news, he devised bogus allegations that her performance was not good enough. Mrs Farmer has now successfully sued his company Fresh Cut Video for 73,500 for unfair dismissal and pregnancy discrimination. The tribunal ruled Mr Pill was 'clearly unhappy' she could not work in their Oxford office and had to work from home. Mrs Farmer told the Daily Mail she was hit with a performance review seven working days after informing Mr Pill of her pregnancy, despite previously enjoying positive feedback from him about her of work and there being no indication of performance issues. Its been a rollercoaster, she said. Im ready to put this behind me now. Mrs Farmer joined Fresh Cut Video in January 2023 as a video editor and operations manager. She initially worked remotely for the Oxford-based company because she was living in South Africa, but she moved to Reading, Berks, in October 2023 to live with her husband, who had been in the UK since 2020. They planned to start a family, it was heard. After relocating to the UK, Mrs Farmer was expected to work in Fresh Cut Video's office in Oxford. Her time at the company started well, as she received bonuses for her work and was told by Mr Pill at a probation meeting: You are doing great.' But between January 8 and 16, 2024, Mrs Farmer had to work from home because she was sick. The tribunal heard she was due to be in the office to take part in an important call on the afternoon of January 16, but told Mr Pill in the morning she would be unable to make it. When she suggested she could still join the meeting remotely, Mr Pill said: Hi Kaila, no problem... dont worry about the meeting. Kaila Farmer has won 70,000 in a pregnancy discrimination case after she was sacked for trying to work from home due to 'severe' morning sickness Mrs Farmer angered her boss after she announced she was pregnant and presented a doctors note saying her nausea and vomiting meant she could not work from the office Mrs Farmer enjoying a night out before she was compelled to lodge a case at tribunal That day, Mr Pill complained to his mother - who managed HR for the company - saying in a text: Time to check about that probation... not noticing/caring an emergency like that call and telling me about it today at 7:20am instead of last night doesnt care about me at all. The next day, Mrs Farmer told Mr Pill that she was 'excited' to tell him that she was pregnant but that her doctor had advised her to work from home. Mr Pill 'appeared to receive the news positively' and said it was 'fine' to work from home. But that evening, Mr Pill's mother sent the company's HR and employment law firm Peninsula an email which read: We have consistently made it very clear to KF that the post is office-based with some work on location but managing the commute has been an ongoing challenge for KF. In the meeting today, KF advised Harry that she is pregnant and has some additional health challenges that will necessitate her working from home for the time being. A week later on January 23 Fresh Cut Video formally instructed Peninsula to advise them for an upcoming performance review of Mrs Farmer. It was on that same day Mrs Farmer downloaded work files onto her personal computer which was 'usual' and which Mr Pill had known about - but on this occasion he claimed it was a 'data breach' and 'stealing data'. On February 19, pregnant Mrs Farmer was dismissed for poor performance and alleged misconduct by way of a termination letter. Married Mrs Farmer, 36, sued the company at Reading Employment Tribunal, where Employment Judge Christabel McCooey found that her claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination based on her pregnancy succeeded. The judge said, citing the messages to the employment law firm: Pregnancy is explicitly mentioned in the context of the main concern, which is the post being office-based and of [Mrs Farmer] taking sick leave. I therefore infer that the concerns about the role being office-based were significantly influenced and exacerbated by the disclosure of the pregnancy and [her] current sick leave related to that pregnancy, which was set to last for at least six weeks. Judge McCooey added: I find Mr Pill tended to downplay his concerns to [Mrs Farmer], giving the impression that things were fine with him when, in reality, they were not. [Emails Mr Pill sent] suggest the decision to dismiss [Mrs Farmer] was predetermined prior to the February 6, 2025, and prior to receiving the report from Peninsula. This undermines Mr Pills credibility when it comes to looking at the real reason for [Mrs Farmer's] dismissal. I therefore conclude that Mr Pill emphasised performance issues as a justification to dismiss [Mrs Farmer], when in reality, her pregnancy and related sick leave was the principal reason for her dismissal. A further claim of failure to deal with a flexible working request was dismissed. Mrs Farmer, of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, told the Daily Mail Mr Pill had discussed her performance informally with her. There wasnt a set performance review, she said. There wasnt any written documentation or anything like that. We went to the pub and had a discussion about my performance. It was a positive conversation and I went on to get performance bonuses. Then suddenly, you know, seven working days after I told him that I was pregnant, my performance became an issue. Mrs Farmer said: I spent a lot of time on the phone crying to a lot of different people, early in pregnancy (feeling) very nauseous, very sick. I had suffered a miscarriage before the pregnancy and was worried it could happen again. It was very stressful. For the first six months, I couldn't really speak to anybody without just breaking down. She went on to give birth to her first child, a daughter named Aliah, who is now 18 months old. Mrs Farmer said she endured almost two years of stress between lodging her tribunal paperwork in February 2024 and the five-day hearing in December, but is now looking for a new role. It was a long challenging two years, she added. But I knew that I had to fight for justice not only for myself but for my daughter all the women that have been and will be in this position. She paid tribute to the charity Pregnant Then Screwed which supported her during the dark time and said she plans to offer her help to the organisation through its mentor programme for women going through the tribunal process. Donald Trump's commanders have been accused of telling troops that the war with Iran is part of God's plan for Armageddon. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), a non-profit civil rights watchdog, said it has received 110 complaints from troops since the war broke out on Saturday. The complaints span more than 40 different units across 30 military sites, first reported on veteran journalist Jonathan Larsen's Substack. A non-commissioned officer (NCO) wrote to the MRFF Monday that his combat-unit commander had claimed Trump was 'anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.' 'He urged us to tell our troops that this was all part of Gods divine plan and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ,' the NCO said. The NCO, anonymized by MRFF, said they were writing on behalf of 15 others, including 11 Christians, a Muslim and a Jew. The troops are currently outside the Iran theater but on 'ready-support' status, meaning they could be deployed at any time. The NCO said that their commander's comments 'destroy morale and unit cohesion and are in violation of the oaths we swore to support the Constitution.' A White House official denied that commanders were giving orders based on end times scripture, adding that the war had three aims: destroy Iran's missiles, munitions industry and navy. The Great Day of His Wrath (1853), oil painting on canvas by the English painter John Martin Donald Trump is surrounded by prayers from his spiritual advisor Paula White (center) and black leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2020 Pete Hegseth arrives to deliver a briefing on Iran at the US Capitol on Monday Smoke billows following a US-Israeli air strike near the Azadi tower in Tehran on Tuesday The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The religious tenor at the top of the military is not confined to the battlefield. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a born-again Christian, holds monthly prayer meetings at the Pentagon and attends a weekly Bible study at the White House led by a preacher who argues that God blesses those who support Israel. Trump's longtime spiritual adviser, Paula White, has made similar claims for decades, urging Christians to 'stand with Israel'. Pastor John Hagee, who visited the White House multiple times during Trump's first term, told his congregation on Sunday that the war with Iran signaled we are nearing the end times. 'Prophetically, we're right on cue,' Hagee said. 'Sirens are wailing and prophecies written thousands of years ago are stepping onto the world stage.' US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee claimed that Trump would receive a message from God shortly before the strikes on Iran in June. 'I believe you will hear from heaven and that voice is far more important than mine or anyone else's,' he wrote to Trump. 'You did not seek this moment. This moment sought you.' Join the debate Should religion have any role in shaping military decisions? This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows aircraft on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) that are operating in support of the war in Iran, on Tuesday This US Navy handout photo released by US Central Command public affairs shows a US Sailor signals to an F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 213, on the flight deck of the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while operating in support of Operation Epic Fury in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on March 2 A plume of smoke rises following a U.S.-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3 This US Navy handout photo released by US Central Command public affairs shows US Sailors handling ordnance on the flight deck of the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while operating in support of Operation Epic Fury in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, on March 2 Trump launched Operation Midnight Hammer five days later. The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli joint strike on Saturday has plunged the Middle East into crisis. Iranian forces have launched missiles and drones at US embassies and bases across the Middle East, as well as against Israel and America's Arab allies including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Trump initially said the war would last four to five weeks but has since warned it could go on 'far longer.' A vet worker who claimed she had epilepsy to challenge her redundancy has lost the tribunal case - after her GP revealed she never once sought treatment. Lacey Pitcher claimed she had dyslexia, epilepsy and ADHD and was unable to drive because she suffered from seizures - but she had received no diagnosis from her GP, nor medication, and still had a full driving licence. Ms Pitcher brought about the claims of disability discrimination after being made redundant in her job as a veterinary nurse, as well as claims of discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity - which she later withdrew. While the Judge said it was 'entirely possible' that Ms Pitcher had epilepsy at some stage, he said 'that evidence is not before me' and noted that her GP 'seemed doubtful about its existence' too. Ms Pitcher had claimed that on two separate occasions she had suffered seizures - one in her sleep 18 months ago which her partner witnessed and one while awake, over two years ago. The vet worker had notified the DVLA of a potential seizure episode, but had been given an unrestricted licence and continued to commute up to three hours to her practice every day. She had also not received a diagnosis for any of the conditions from her GP, Dr Scott, who stated he had seen no evidence of the conditions which Ms Pitcher claimed had such an impact on her life. Indeed, Judge Livesey said: 'Even if her daily stated symptoms were not themselves limiting or substantial, was there evidence of a likelihood of a recurrence of a more limiting condition, a seizure and any consequent need to take medication and an inability to drive? Lacey Pitcher (pictured) lost her discrimination tribunal against her employer after the Judge found there was 'insufficient evidence' that she had the disabilities she claimed she did 'There was no such evidence.' Judge Livesey continued: 'The documentary evidence contained no diagnosis of epilepsy. If such a diagnosis had been given, it seemed unusual for the Claimant not to have been taking any medication to regulate, control or maintain her condition. 'Dr Scott seemed doubtful about its existence and he had clearly seen no evidence of it. 'The continuing symptoms which were said to have been experienced (tingling, deja vu, zoning out and/or fatigue) were unspecific and vague and did not appear to have been particularly significant and/or limiting.' Ms Pitcher had written blog pieces about being 'neurodivergent' and her mental health. In one editorial article for the British Veterinary Nursing Association, she wrote: 'We are all so different and there is so much power in harnessing those differences. 'My dyslexia has often made things a little trickier. A diagnosis of ADHD later in life made so many things make much more sense. 'Id implore anyone who thinks they may be neurodiverse to explore it. Putting a label on things doesnt prevent you growing, it opens doors to learn how.' The tribunal on January 20 stated that while 'there was evidence the Claimant was concerned that she was neuro-divergent in some respect', 'no ADHD assessment had been undertaken, no diagnosis had been given and there was inadequate evidence of any impairment to her day-to-day activities on the basis of that which had been provided'. The Judge concluded: 'The Claimant was not disabled at the material time and her claims of direct disability discrimination and discrimination arising from disability are dismissed. 'The claim of discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity is dismissed upon withdrawal.' Scores of migrants have been pictured sprinting across a beach in northern France to board UK-bound dinghies undeterred by Shabana Mahmood's woeful new asylum reforms. The migrants were seen running through the tide at Gravelines beach, east of Calais, this morning. Many of the migrants were young men, who bolted through the surf to secure a place on dangerously-overloaded inflatables. It came less than a day since the Home Secretary announced immediate changes to the asylum system that she vowed would 'reduce the incentives that draw people here at such scale'. Her reforms, which she described as 'firm but fair', will give successful asylum seekers permission to stay in Britain for 30 months and they will then have to re-apply or return home. Critics immediately pointed out that the changes would have little effect on how long asylum seekers get to stay in the country. As currently, migrants will be able to mount human rights challenges to defeat any attempts to deport them at the end of the 30-month period. At least one boatload has already been picked up mid-Channel by UK Border Force vessels and ferried into Ramsgate, with more on the way. Migrants sprint across Gravelines beach in northern France this morning to board a UK-bound smugglers' dinghy A man runs through the surf at Gravelines beach this morning Migrants rushed to board a dangerously-overloaded inflatable dinghy Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The first Border Force catamaran, Ranger, arrived at the Kent port at about 2pm, followed by another vessel, Hurricane. A third Border Force ship, Defender, was also engaged mid-Channel, suggesting the final total number of arrivals could run to hundreds. Before Ms Mahmood's announcement on Monday, migrants granted refugee status were given leave to stay here for five years and could then apply for 'indefinite leave to remain' (ILR) and, a year later, then apply for citizenship. The Home Secretary said anyone granted humanitarian leave to remain in Britain for 30 months would be 'expected' to leave the country at the end of the period if it is safe to return to their home country. The Home Office said those who refuse to leave voluntarily would face enforced deportation, but was unable to explain how current low levels of asylum removals would be increased. So far, the Home Office has only removed about five per cent of the 195,000 small boat migrants who have arrived since the Channel crisis began in 2018. Critics said the changes would be undermined by legal challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said yesterday: 'These asylum changes will make no difference so long as Britain is in the ECHR. 'Illegal immigrants will continue to flood into the UK and making them re-apply for asylum every few years will not stop that. 'If they can't get their asylum claim renewed by the Home Office they will just make a human rights claim or a modern slavery claim. 'The only way this will stop is to exit the ECHR and then deport illegal immigrants within a week of them arriving here, but Shabana Mahmood is too weak to do that.' Ms Mahmood insisted: 'This country will always provide sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution. 'But we must also ensure our asylum system is not creating pull factors that draw people on dangerous journeys across the world, fuelling and funding the human traffickers. 'Genuine refugees will find safety in Britain, but we must also reduce the incentives that draw people here at such scale, including those without a legitimate need for protection. 'So, once a refugee's home is safe and they are able to return, they will be expected to do so.' One man made a 'peace' symbol and another waved as they were photographed aboard the crowded dinghy off the French beach Migrants run across Gravelines beach in France this morning Migrants were later pictured disembarking from Border Force catamaran, Ranger, at Ramsgate port in Kent Figures published last week showed the number of people granted asylum by the Home Office soared by more than a third last year. Official figures showed nearly 55,000 migrants were handed refugee status or another type of permission to stay in Britain in the year to December. It was up 35 per cent on the previous 12 months but 14 per cent below the peak seen in 2023. Eritreans made up the largest group with just under 8,700 successful asylum claims, followed by Sudanese with 7,000 and Iranians with 6,900. The figures only cover those granted asylum by the Home Office at the initial decision stage, and do not include those who successfully appeal against a refusal in the immigration courts which had a backlog of 70,000 cases at the last count. There were 46,497 illegal arrivals into the country in 2025, a seven per cent year-on-year rise. It included 41,472 by small boat across the Channel, up 13 per cent, with the rest coming by 'clandestine' routes such as stowing away in the backs of lorries. Statistics also showed the total number of asylum claims lodged in the year was 101,000, a four per cent fall on the previous year but still at a near-record level. The total included a massive surge in the number of claims from African nationals. The largest surge was among Somalis, with 4,777 asylum claims a 255 per cent increase on the previous year. Other nationalities with large jumps included Ethiopians (2,096 claims, up 123 per cent), Eritreans (8,948, up 83 per cent) and Sudanese (5,869, up 25 per cent). More than 31,000 migrants were still being housed in hotels at the taxpayers' expense at the end of December, the latest data showed. Just under 73,000 were in other types of accommodation such as self-catering properties, up two per cent. Only 2,550 small boat migrants were deported during the year. One of Sir Keir Starmer's first acts as Prime Minister was to scrap the previous government's Rwanda asylum deal, which was designed to deter crossings and save lives by removing Channel migrants to east Africa. Giving evidence to MPs last month Ms Mahmood admitted Labour's flagship small boats scheme the 'one in, one out' deal with France - has 'obviously not dented the numbers yet'. She said 367 migrants have been brought into the UK under the reciprocal terms of the treaty and only 305 have been removed. A powered paraglider pilot nicknamed the 'Human Swan' sobbed today at an inquest into the death of a fellow flier who she collided with in mid-air, and described being 'paranoid' due to a previous crash. Climate activist Sacha Dench was attempting a record-breaking 3,000 mile trip around Britain when the aircraft she was flying was involved in a collision with one piloted by Dan Burton, 54. Mr Burton, from Devon, died in the incident, which happened on September 18 2021 near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland, Caithness. Ms Dench survived but suffered serious injuries. The expedition, which was named the Round Britain Climate Challenge, started in June and had been intended to highlight the issue of climate change ahead of the Cop26 conference, which took place in Glasgow later that year. Ms Dench had previously received acclaim for a similar expedition recounted in BBC documentary, Flight Of The Swans, which saw her follow the path of swans migating from Russia to the UK and later resulted in her being dubbed the 'human swan'. Giving evidence to a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Tain Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Ms Dench recalled an earlier collision with another pilot while paragliding onto a hill in Wales. A number of times during the hearing Ms Dench said she could not remember specific details, and at one point fought back tears as she said: 'It was four-and-a-half years ago and I hit my head pretty hard.' Describing her previous accident, she said: 'I was coming into land and another pilot above me caught his knee in my wing, and we both landed together. Climate activist Sacha Dench was attempting a record-breaking 3,000 mile trip around Britain when the aircraft she was flying was involved in a collision with one piloted by Dan Burton, 54 (both pictured with actress Joanna Lumley, centre) Ms Dench is seen arriving at Tain Sheriff Court to give evidence in the FAI on Monday 'I got dragged off the top of the hill, dragged along on my face. I didn't know it at the time but I had broken my arm as well.' Asked what effect the accident had had, she explained she stopped flying in crowded places altogether, and had a 'very strict rule' of mostly flying alone. 'I essentially was very paranoid about no-one flying close to me,' she said. Victoria Andrews, representing the charity Conservation Without Borders, asked her why, despite this, she was happy to fly with Mr Burton. 'I trusted him,' Ms Dench replied. 'We had flown a lot together, he was very well aware of my style of piloting.' She added that the pair had previously flown 'long distance' together from Russia on the Flight of the Swans expedition. Ms Dench, originally from Australia, also faced a number of questions from her representative, Simon Richards, on how two paramotorists flew together and interacted while in the air. Asked what an 'unsafe' distance between two paramotorists would be, she replied there was 'no need to be within 50 metres of another pilot', and that flying to the side of another pilot was safest. She said paragliders should never fly 'directly in front or behind' one another, since flying in front of someone generated turbulence, and a pilot cannot see what is directly behind them. She confirmed it would therefore be the 'duty' of the pilot flying directly behind another paramotorist to ensure they never fly in that position. Dan Burton is seen preparing for a flight from Stevenston beach, on the west coast of Scotland Ms Dench said Mr Burton would sometimes fly directly above or behind her to shoot video or photographs, but 'only if we were doing a specific flying protocol'. She went on: 'The only time would be if we were in communication and he was specifically telling me where to go. 'Otherwise he would not be anywhere near me.' Mr Richards also asked her about communication between the pilots while in the air, which the inquiry heard yesterday used 'open channel' Bluetooth headsets that automatically connected when they came within about 800 metres of each other. Ms Dench said if either pilot had been out of range for any reason, such as to film a video, there would be an 'audible sound' in the headset's earpiece when they came back into range. Mr Richards asked her: 'If you are not in communication with another pilot, then, your belief would be they are not within range?' Ms Dench confirmed this, and also agreed with Mr Richards' suggestion that if this were the case, pilots are free to move 'up, down, right, left without having to warn (the other pilot)'. She was also asked by Fiscal Depute Jemma Eadie what gauges and measures she had on board the aircraft for monitoring fuel levels and altitude. The FAI previously heard some evidence during hearings in May last year and in January this year. A 20-minute film shown at Cop26 in Glasgow in November 2021 - and an hour-long TV documentary by actress Joanna Lumley - were previously aired as tributes to Mr Burton. Both films used footage shot by father-of-two Mr Burton, whose funeral at Topsham, Devon, was on October 8 2021. Miss Lumley was a keen supporter of Miss Dench's Round Britain Climate Challenge. She said after the tragic accident: 'Please say how heartbroken I am and that Dan was the best company, brave as a lion and an expert in his field. 'All thoughts and prayers are with his family and with Sacha, who is the best of the best and has become a darling friend.' The inquiry continues. A Wisconsin nurse has admitted to having sex with a patient then deflecting by falsely accusing him of assaulting her, prosecutors have said. Melissa Rose Knutson was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of public supervision after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office. Knutson, of Readstown, was treating the man, who was a drug court participant, when she 'repeatedly' engaged in sex with him, prosecutors said. Her actions were reported to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. She told investigators the man had sexually assaulted her. Knutson eventually admitted to the lie and said she did it out of fear of facing the consequences of her actions, prosecutors said. The married mother-of-two pleaded no contest to misconduct and resisting/obstructing an officer. Three more charges of second-degree sexual assault by an employee of a child welfare agency or care/service residential facility were dismissed but read in, records showed. Melissa Rose Knutson, of Readstown, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of public supervision after sexually assaulting a patient and then blaming him for it Judge Paul Curran called her actions 'despicable' and an 'embarrassment to nurses everywhere,' People reported. He also described the former medic's remorse as being 'a mile wide and an inch deep.' 'The harm caused by Ms. Knutson was deep and significant,' District Attorney Kevin Croninger said. 'Not only did she violate the sacred trust between a patient and a nurse, but she compounded that by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault. 'This situation is particularly egregious given the patient in this situation was a participant in drug court.' Knutson had been tasked with giving the patient Vivitrol, a substance abuse drug, while he was in her care. Her lie was discovered after the patient's text messages revealed she had started the relationship with him and had threatened to deny it if he said anything (stock image) Knutson is married and shares two children with her husband Her lie was discovered after the patient's text messages revealed she had initiated the sexual relationship. She had threatened to deny it if it was ever found out, prosecutors said. Knutson will be supervised for two years after serving 18 months in jail. Knutson formed a relationship with the county jail when she was in nursing school at Western Governors University, where she told the school in an interview the program was 'awesome' and that she was given the opportunity to help incarcerated individuals on their sober journeys. She also told the school her future 'looks very bright.' 'I am beyond excited to be able to care for individuals with mental health and substance abuse disorders in my rural community, as there is not enough help and assistance offered to those who need it,' she said. A British woman faces jail in Hong Kong after being convicted on Tuesday of blackmail and perverting justice for untruthfully reporting she had been raped by a banker in the city. Isabel Rose, 25, met the British man involved in the case in Thailand before linking up with him again in Hong Kong in January 2024, according to court documents. She filed a rape report in February that year, days after an encounter with the banker, who was subsequently arrested. But he was reportedly released without charge, and instead Rose was charged with one count of blackmail and one of perverting the course of justice. Prosecutors accused her of threatening to 'make a false report to the police' to extort up to 100,000 pounds ($133,000) from the man. District Court Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching said the prosecution had 'proved both charges beyond all reasonable doubt'. 'The demands were unwarranted. The alleged rape was false. The defendant knew that her allegation was false,' Tse said. Rose was remanded in custody pending sentencing on July 22. Under Hong Kong law, both crimes can result in prison time. Pictured: Aysha Bell (R), the mother of British woman Isabel Rose, reacts outside the Hong Kong District Court on March 3, 2026, after her daughter was convicted of two charges Rose burst into tears as the verdict came through. 'I want to go home... I'm scared, I'm really scared,' she said in the defendant's dock. 'Is it really happening?' Rose and the man stayed in the same bed in a Hong Kong flat on January 31, 2024, according to the court documents. On February 2, the man transferred 5,000 pounds to her and said more cash was coming. But Rose began asking for 'escalating amounts of money', and later filed a police report. Tse ruled they had 'engaged in consensual intimate acts', adding that a medical examination at the time 'could not confirm or disprove whether sexual intercourse had taken place'. Rose's mother Aysha Bell told reporters after the verdict she was concerned for her daughter's physical and mental health. 'She will now spend her 26th birthday in prison,' she said. This is a breaking news story, more to follow. A grandmother who died from rabies four months after being scratched by a stray puppy in Morocco was only diagnosed when doctors thought she was suffering a mental health crisis, an inquest has heard. Company director Yvonne Ford and her family had concerns for her health in May last year when she began suffering from headaches and anxiety and her condition deteriorated further when she first attended Barnsley Hospital on June 2. The 59-year-olds symptoms progressed to nausea, hallucinations, severe agitation, panic attacks, difficulty eating and hydrophobia a fear of water which caused her to spit and left her unable to drink, Sheffield Coroners Court heard. Doctors were struggling to diagnose what was wrong with her and believed it could have a mental health cause so she was referred to psychiatrist Dr Alexander Burns four days after she was first admitted to hospital. Dr Burns asked about the familys recent foreign travel history as he had concerns that she may have Lyme disease which can be caused by tick bites. The psychiatrist was told about a recent trip to Florida but Mrs Fords family confirmed she had not suffered any insect bites. By this stage, Mrs Ford, of Barnsley, had been told she was suffering from delirium but she said she felt there was more to it than that and asked if she was developing dementia. However, Dr Burns was then told by Mrs Fords husband, Ron, that she had been scratched on the leg by a dog they had startled on a beach while on holiday in Morocco and it had pierced the skin. Much-loved grandmother Yvonne Ford was scratched by a stray puppy while on a beach in Morocco in February last year and died four months later Mr Ford confirmed his wife had not received a rabies vaccine prior to travelling to the North African country. Other doctors were said to have been previously unaware of this information. Mr Ford said the scratch was so minimal at the time that his wife treated it with a wet wipe. Dr Burns immediately grew concerned that Mrs Ford may have contracted rabies following the dog scratch owing to her symptoms and she was swiftly referred to a specialist infectious diseases team at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. Sadly her condition deteriorated further and she died on June 11. Dr Burns said: She was sat in bed, wide-eyed and perplexed and spitting into a bowl. I was concerned the diagnosis might be rabies in the context of having a stray dog bite three months ago. At that stage, because my knowledge of rabies was limited, I looked into it more and was looking up more symptoms in the office and it became clear all of Yvonnes symptoms could be explained by that diagnosis. The inquest also heard from Dr Katharine Cartwright, a consultant in infectious diseases at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who said that rabies has the highest mortality rate of any infection in the world. She said rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms are present and there is no cure. Dr Cartwright said there had only been 26 reported cases of rabies in the UK since 1946 and of 100 cases reported in the US, only half had been correctly diagnosed as rabies before death. She said: It is incredibly rare how she presented, with the combination of symptoms she had. Rabies is so unusual, so out of everyones experience, its not unusual for it not to be considered within a few days and it took her deterioration and quite distant travel history to get to the dog bite. Mrs Ford's husband, Ron, has been asking questions of witnesses on behalf of the family at the inquest at Sheffield Coroners Court Mrs Ford's daughter, Robyn Thomson, 32, is a neo-natal nurse and has called for greater awareness around rabies Medics at the inquest referred to Mrs Ford being bitten by the stray dog, but Mr Ford said it was a scratch. The inquest heard that Mrs Ford also visited her GP with headaches and a complaint of reaction to an insect bite in March and April of last year. She was later diagnosed with hives. But Dr Cartwright said these symptoms were not linked to rabies, which can take between a month to three months for symptoms to show but longer in some cases. The inquest is being held before a jury as it relates to a death from a notifiable disease. Mr Ford told the inquest that when his wifes condition began deteriorating the family were panicking like hell because my wife was poorly and we thought not enough was being done. But the inquest heard that once rabies symptoms emerged, death normally occurs within a few weeks. The UK has been rabies-free since 1922, when the last indigenous non-fatal case was recorded, with the exception of rabies-like viruses in some wild bat species. The last death caused by rabies in a UK animal - other than bats - was in 1902. Dog licensing, euthanasia of stray dog and quarantining were credited with killing off the virus. Western Europe is now considered low risk for the disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO), while countries in Eastern Europe are listed as 'moderate risk' and African and Middle Eastern countries are 'high risk'. Popular tourist destinations such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey all carry a high risk of dogs transmitting rabies to people. The inquest continues. An Afghan migrant broke into a New York man's home and attacked him because he was Pakistani, police say. Hossein Haidar, 18, is facing a hate crime charge after allegedly 'violently dragging' a man from his home in Watervliet and beating him on Sunday evening. Investigators said Haidar and the unnamed victim, also 18 years old, had been arguing the previous day about ongoing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Police described the alleged assault as a 'targeted, ethnicity-motivated attack' that was triggered by Pakistan's declaration of 'open war' with the Taliban a week ago. Haidar allegedly made 'explicit derogatory statements targeting the victim's Pakistani nationality and ethnic background', including referring to Pakistani people as 'scum', cops said. Watervliet Police spokesman Officer Eric Roy said the two men lived about a block from each other and had come to blows over the brewing conflict between their two nations. The victim was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to the hospital, Roy said. Afghan migrant Hossein Haidar, 18, broke into a New York man's home and attacked him because he was Pakistani, police say The alleged attack unfolded in the small New York town of Watervliet on Sunday. Police said the men had been arguing about the conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban the day before Haidar was tracked down shortly after the alleged attack and arrested. He is facing charges of third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree burglary as a hate crime. Haidar was arraigned in city court and his bail was set at $10,000. He was sent to the Albany County jail after the hearing and remains incarcerated, per Times Union. It comes as Afghanistan and Pakistan's historically fractious relationship bubbled up in recent days. Pakistan previously provided sanctuary for Taliban leaders who attacked Western troops. Hostilities between the two nations spilled over on February 21 when Pakistan declared 'open war' on the Taliban in response to a Taliban attack on the border. On Friday, the Taliban called for peace talks with Pakistan after suffering a blitz over the border. Officials in Islamabad claimed to have killed at least 274 Taliban soldiers and have leveled Taliban military targets, including a huge explosion at an ammunition depot. The Daily Mail has contacted the Watervliet Police Department for more information. A drill rapper who absconded from hospital and fled to France while taunting police has been re-arrested. Daniel Boakye, 21, was detained last night in the commune of La Bouexiere, 60 miles north of the western city of Nantes, after more than two weeks on the run. Boakye - who performs as Dsavv - was due to be deported to Ghana later this year after being jailed in July 2023 for a series of knifepoint robberies. He has been arrested on suspicion of escaping lawful custody and faces an imminent return to the UK, the Met Police said today. The force says French law enforcement, the Met Police and the National Crime Agency worked together to track him down. It is thought that he was smuggled out of Britain in a lorry shortly after escaping police custody. Detectives are searching for those who may have helped him to escape. Daniel Boakye has been arrested on suspicion of evading lawful custody after he fled to France while awaiting deportation to Ghana He also found time to record a song on the run entitled The Race in which he taunts the Met Police, following previous videos Boakye had been on the run since escaping custody on February 15 - after being taken to Lewisham Hospital in south-east London for medical treatment. He had attempted to flee police custody just five days before after eluding his prison escort at West Middlesex University Hospital - being recaptured a day later. Boakye goaded police online after escaping. He shared several videos to his Instagram - which has almost 1million followers - overlaid with a rap celebrating his release. 'I just broke out of jail like Modie', he rapped - a reference to a character in the Netflix crime drama Top Boy played by London rapper Dave. 'F*** the government fam, they're phoneys,' he added, while a picture of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is displayed on-screen. As he appears to smoke a joint, he adds: 'Prison break, s*** fam - f*** these police... fresh home fresh home, that's lively - free cannabis, champagne and rolleys.' On Sunday, the day before he was arrested, Boakye shared a video of himself dancing shirtless to the same rap, gesturing to the camera while showing off what appears to be jewellery and a jewel-encrusted watch. While evading custody he also wrote another song entitled The Race, in which he proclaims himself 'the boss of UK', which was released a week after his escape. The video for the song shows an AI generated British police car chasing after another vehicle, and Boakye sitting in the back of a car with a large balloon. Boakye is seen boarding a bus in London sometime after his second escape attempt. Police believe he was smuggled to France on a lorry It includes the lyrics: 'F*** the Met fam, they helped me escape', and 'Done it twice, now they think I'm insane... catch me if you can I'm in a wray [a reference to a Rolls-Royce Wraith] towards the plane'. The rapper is said to have links to the Original Farm Boys, a drill group based out of Tottenham's historically crime-ridden Broadwater Farm Estate. Its songs regularly reference violent knife crime: song Pocket Rocket features the lyrics: 'Cop it, stock it, pop it/Get round there with a pocket rocket/Man plug that shank in his socket.' Between June 2021 and January 2022, Boakye and three other teenagers participated in a spree of robberies and attempted robberies across London. They carried out knifepoint robberies, forcing victims to hand over mobile phones and passcodes which they used to steal more than 115,000 of cryptocurrency. Stolen bank details were used to buy top-up cards, book taxis and order takeaways. Police rumbled the gang after they used their own home addresses to order food. The body of the millionaire Asos co-founder who fell to his death from an apartment in Thailand has been brought home to the UK for his funeral. Quentin Griffiths, 58, who was born in London and co-founded the online retail giant, had been living abroad when he fell from his 17th-floor balcony on February 9. The retail typhoon was being investigated by the Thai police over an alleged 500,000 fraud at the company he ran with his ex-wife, Ploy Kringsinthanakun, 43. Mr Griffiths had been convicted of fraud last October and sentenced to 18 months in prison, The Sun reported, but allegedly appealed so that he could remain free under Thai law. He had been due to have a meeting with his ex-wife's lawyers last month in an attempt to stay out of prison - but just two days before fell to his death in Pattaya, a seaside city south of Bangkok. Since then, the 58-year-old's body has been repatriated to Dorset, where he is believed to have had family. An inquest into his death, which opened in Bournemouth today, heard Mr Griffiths's cause of death was from multiple injuries. He fell from the balcony of the flat where he lived in at the Elysium Residences in the Nong Prue subdistrict in Pattaya, Thailand. The Asos co-founder Quentin Griffiths, 58, was reportedly being investigated for fraud at the time of his death Mr Griffiths pictured with his ex-wife Ploy Kringsinthanakun and their two children It has been reported that Mr Griffiths was arrested at Bangkok airport after a flight from London on January 15 last year, according to the Sun. He was accused of allegedly falsifying documents to fraudulently remove his ex-wife as director of a firm used to hold property for a family home. The coroner's court in Bournemouth heard Mr Griffiths had been born in London but was a divorced entrepreneur living in Thailand at the time of his death. Police and emergency services were called to the block of flats after reports of an unresponsive male and Mr Griffiths was identified by comparison with his passport photograph. Mr Griffiths was on his own, with his room locked from the inside, and there was no evidence of a break-in at the time of his death, police said. Senior coroner Rachael Griffin said a post mortem examination had been carried out in Thailand and a further autopsy was done in this country yesterday by Dr Robert Blahut. An investigation by Thai authorities indicated there were no suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement in his death and Mrs Griffin said there was no reason not to release his body so the funeral can take place. She adjourned the inquest with a pre-inquest review hearing scheduled for September and said they must wait for documents from the Thai authorities and her office would liaise with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They will also seek statements from Mr Griffiths's family to assist the inquest. Coroner's officer Nicola Muller said: 'On February 9 at the Elysium residences in the Nong Prue subdistrict in Pattaya, police and emergency services were called to respond to an unresponsive male. 'Mr Griffiths was identified by comparison with his passport.' Mrs Griffin said: 'After repatriation to this country a post mortem was carried out on March 2 at Holly Tree Mortuary in Dorset. Dr Blahut indicated the cause of death as multiple injuries. No samples were retained. 'A post mortem was also undertaken in Thailand and we are awaiting that documentation to assist. 'I understand an investigation was undertaken in Thailand and there were no suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement in his death, as far as we are aware. 'I see no reason not to release his body at this time so I release the body to his family for the purposes of his funeral.' Emergency services are said to have found the millionaire's body on the ground below his balcony. (Pictured: The building where Mr Griffiths lived) It has been reported that police are treating his death as suicide. On Friday, Ms Kringsinthanakun announced she is fighting to regain custody of their two children, aged 12 and 11, after they were handed over to their paternal relatives following Mr Griffiths's death. Her lawyers have said that Ms Kringsinthanakun and Mr Griffiths shared court-ordered joint custody of the children, and that this is in direct contravention of the order. 'Our client is profoundly concerned about the safety, emotional well-being, and stability of her children during this extremely difficult time,' they said. 'She is the childrens legal custodial parent and is seeking their immediate and safe return in accordance with the standing court order.' In a statement released by her counsel, Ms Kringsinthanakun said: 'My children have already suffered the devastating loss of their father. At a time when they most need the comfort, love, and stability of their mother, I have been prevented from being with them. 'I am pleading with those who currently have my children please do the right thing and return them to me immediately so we can begin to heal as a family.' Ms Kringsinthanakun has said she played no role in his death, which occurred just days before their next scheduled court appearance. Ms Kringsinthanakun also said she and her ex-husband had not been in contact for four years and eight months after she discovered he had been unfaithful. Mr Griffiths co-founded Asos in 2000 and remained a significant shareholder after leaving the firm five years later. In a statement, Asos said: 'We're saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders. 'He played an important role in Asos's earliest days, and we're forever grateful for his contribution. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.' For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit samaritans.org Actor Kevin Spacey is facing claims of sexual abuse dating back 50 years in a new civil case alleging he carried out his first attack in high school. The 66-year-old is being sued by three men claiming he abused his position as a Hollywood star to prey on young victims. Today, the High Court heard that the Oscar winner carried out his first alleged attack when he was still at high school years before his career took off. Mr Spacey is accused of first groping a male driver in 1976 when he was studying at Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles. The alleged victim is one of seven men who have come forward as witnesses in a civil claim for damages, which is due to be heard at the High Court later this year The 66-year-old has denied all wrongdoing. In 2023, Mr Spacey was acquitted at Southwark Crown Court of carrying out a series of predatory sex attacks during his tenure as artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre in London. But now he faces a new civil case related to some of those accusers who had already filed compensation claims, seeking damages in excess of 30,000 prior to the criminal case. Kevin Spacey (pictured outside Southwark Crown Court on July 26, 2023) is facing claims of alleged sexual abuse dating back 50 years ago in a new High Court case The High Court (pictured) heard today that the Oscar winner carried out his first alleged attack when he was still at high school years before his acting career took off Today, the High Court heard that the actor 'exploited his power and influence as a successful celebrity' to prey on young men 'attempting to kiss or touch them inappropriately or force them to touch him inappropriately over a number of years'. Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, representing the three men, argued in a pre-trial review: 'In a number of cases, there was an element of grooming prior to the assaults occurring and of gifts being given to the young men. 'The assaults themselves occurred unexpectedly.' Mr Spacey is accused of attacking a number of starstruck young actors, massage therapists and a driver over the last five decades. In 1998, he is alleged to have exposed himself and groped an unpaid intern in the film industry while he was a lead actor in a blockbuster. It is said that he similarly assaulted another young actor later that year, committing a sex act in front of him. One of the claimants says Mr Spacey assaulted him multiple times when he was working as a driver between 2000 and 2005, grabbing his penis and smacking his buttocks as he carried luggage. Another man claims he was sexually assaulted after being drugged and falling asleep at the actor's flat in 2008, leaving him so traumatised that he turned to alcohol and drugs to cope, which ruined his acting career. Mr Spacey was acquitted of the allegation during the previous criminal trial, but the man's compensation claim has been allowed to continue. Two massage therapists have separately made allegations of abuse during massage sessions with Mr Spacey. Another witness suggests he was touched while working as an intern in 2008. One of the claimants, Ruari Cannon, has waived his right to anonymity. He claims Mr Spacey groped him at a party after he appeared in Tennessee Williams' play Sweet Bird of Youth at the Old Vic in 2013. Mr Spacey was artistic director of the Old Vic between 2004 and 2013. The final alleged attack on a young actor took place when Mr Spacey was filming House of Cards between 2013 and 2018. Today, Mr Spacey did not attend the High Court for the case. The US actor has previously admitted 'bad behaviour' and 'being too handsy' at times, but he has vehemently denied groping men. Ahead of a Channel 4 documentary about the allegations, Mr Spacey said in 2024: 'I take full responsibility for my past behaviour and my actions, but I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologise to anyone who's made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me. 'I've never told someone that if they give me sexual favours, then I will help them out with their career, never.' Today, an Old Vic spokeswoman confirmed the theatre had separately reached a settlement with one of the claimants, saying: 'Ruari Cannon and The Old Vic have reached a mutually agreed out-of-court settlement, the precise terms of which are confidential. 'This settlement has been agreed without any admission of liability, having regard to the costs and impact on all parties of continuing litigation.' The case continues. A Georgia father has been found guilty on all 29 counts after his son allegedly murdered four people in a high school shooting. Colin Gray, 54, showed no emotion as his fate was sealed in court on Tuesday after jurors took less than two hours to determine he was responsible for the deadly rampage at Apalachee High School. His son Colt Gray , 14, is accused of carrying out the massacre on September 4, 2024, with an AR-15 style rifle that was given to him as a Christmas gift by his father. Colt, who is awaiting trial, allegedly opened fire inside the school, killing two students: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and two teachers: Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine others were injured. Colin, who broke down during his trial after seeing his son stalking the school hallways before the shooting, was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter. He was also found guilty on 20 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct. Colin was seen slouched in his chair while the verdict was read. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defense table, talking with his lawyer before being escorted out. Colin, who will be sentenced at a later date, could spend a maximum of 180 years in prison. He is the latest parent to be prosecuted after their children were accused of deadly shootings. Colin Gray, 54, has been found guilty on all 29 counts, including second-degree murder, after his son, Colin Gray, allegedly killed four people inside Apalachee High School in Georgia in September 2024 His son, Colt Gray, 14, is accused of carrying out the massacre with an AR-15 style rifle that was given to him as a Christmas gift by his father Colin was seen slouched in his chair while the verdict was read. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defense table, talking with his lawyer before being escorted out On Thursday, Gray covered his eyes and cried as he watched surveillance footage of his son walking the halls of the school while concealing the large gun behind a white poster board and backpack. The clip showed the teenager entering the school with the gun as students and staff walked right beside him. He was seen making his way down the hallway before entering a classroom, fidgeting around in his seat, and looking down at his cellphone. Colt then walked into a bathroom with his backpack, where he texted his mother, Marcee Gray, 'I'm sorry mom.' Gray then called the school about her son. Resource officers went into the restroom and escorted another student out who had the same name as Colt, leaving the teen free to allegedly carry out the shooting, according to Sheriff Jud Smith. Afterward, Colt, wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants, and yellow gloves, appeared to limp as he continued to carry the bag with the gun inside. Another camera angle showed Colt looking through the door window of a classroom, holding the rifle. Colt will be tried as an adult and is facing 55 charges, including four counts of felony murder. Two students: Mason Schermerhorn (top left), 14, and Christian Angulo (top right), 14, and two teachers: Richard Aspinwall (bottom right), 39, and Cristina Irimie (bottom left), 53, died that day Colin was seen crying as a video played in court showing his son stalking the school hallways before gunfire rang out Gray took the stand on Friday after prosecutors rested their case on Thursday afternoon. He told the court he gifted Colt the rifle for Christmas in 2023, hoping that it would bring them closer together through hunting and trips to the gun range. Prosecutors said that the father's decision came despite warning signs about Colt's behavior and mental health. 'I could have done better,' he confessed on the stand. When questioned by his attorney, Brian Hobbs, if he noticed any 'red flags' from his son that made him believe he would be capable of the violent act, Gray took a moment before stating: 'No. I struggle with it every day.' 'He's a good kid. He wasn't perfect, and nor was I. But to do something that heinous, I don't know of anybody that can ever see that kind of evil,' he added. 'Like the Colt I knew and the relationship I had, there's this whole other side of Colt I didn't know existed.' More than a year before the deadly shooting, police had interviewed Colt and Gray about a threat to carry out a school shooting that had been made on a Discord account created with an email associated with the teenager. Colt's trial date has not yet been set, but he will be tried as an adult and is facing 55 charges, including four counts of felony murder. He is seen in court on December 9, 2025 The father told investigators that his son had access to firearms in the home, as he was teaching Colt about gun safety and how to hunt, but his access to them was not 'unfettered.' He said that if his son did make the threat, he would be 'mad as hell' and that 'all the guns will go away.' Ultimately, investigators closed the case after being unable to substantiate that Colt was connected to the Discord account, and they did not find grounds to seek the needed court order to confiscate the family's guns, according to police reports. Suzanne Harris, a computer science teacher at the high school, testified that she had noticed the concealed weapon sticking out of Colt's backpack. She said that she assumed it was a school project, but thought it was odd as he had only been attending for a few days, so she asked him about it. 'I asked him what his project was about, and he didnt really have much to say about the project, but he did tell me that he would show it to me later if I wanted to see it,' the teacher said in court. Harris also said that she noticed Colt was struggling to carry the backpack and that he seemed nervous when she asked if he needed help. His trial date has not yet been scheduled, but he is due to appear in court for a hearing on March 18. A software consultant accused of driving his wife to suicide threatened to harm her family if she left him, a court heard today. Christopher Trybus, 43, also put a rope around his former wife Tarryn Baird's throat after becoming rough with her when he wanted sex, the jury was told. Trybus is accused of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour and two counts of rape after Mrs Baird hanged herself at her Swindon home in November 2017, aged 34. Community psychiatric nurse Serena Huxtable told the court she had several meetings with Mrs Baird in May, the year she died. Giving evidence, Ms Huxtable told of how Mrs Baird had confided in her to say 'Chris had alluded to harming members of her family should she leave. 'She said she had given up and she did not care if Chris killed her.' Ms Huxtable said she had discussed the possibility of moving her to a refuge for support, but Mrs Baird later changed her mind. She said Mrs Baird 'spoke about anxiety and what it would mean for other people' due to the alleged threats to harm her family. At one of their meetings, Ms Huxtable said she noticed a red mark on Mrs Baird's neck. She added: 'She said it was not from herself, she had not ligatured herself, but her husband had done it. Tarryn Baird hanged herself in her Swindon home, aged 34, in November 2017 after her husband Christopher Trybus allegedly drove her to suicide Christopher Trybus, 43, is accused of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour and two counts of rape 'The night before her husband wanted sex and he became rough. She did not want sex but she had not explicitly told him. 'She said that she had initially tried to fight him off but he had got rougher and grabbed her by the throat with his hands. 'She said he then grabbed a rope and put it around her throat. She said she tried to grab her phone but dropped it and broke it.' Trybus developed high-tech software to track her movements, the trial has previously heard. Ms Huxtable told the court how Ms Baird said Trybus knew where she had parked her car for one of their meetings. 'He was aware she had not parked in the street,' she told the court, 'It had spooked her.' Lisa Attree, a Wiltshire Police safeguarding officer, previously told the court how Mrs Baird said had tried to evade the alleged tracking software while hiding from Trybus in a hotel. He still is said to have turned up at the hotel despite Mrs Baird saying she had changed her phone, used cash to pay for the room and avoided driving to escape detection, Mrs Attree recalled in court. The court previously heard claims that if she turned off the alleged tracking devices, 'Chris came home and gave her a total beating', an employee of Swindon Women's Aid (SWA), who cannot be legally named, wrote in her case notes following regular contact with Mrs Baird. A statement from mental health liason Jasmine Cowham at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon told of how Mrs Baird was admitted to the hospital following a drug overdose on April 17, 2017. She reportedly did not want her husband to know she was being treated. Ms Cowham said: 'Tarryn was admitted to the Great Western Hospital A&E following an overdose. 'A referral was made to the mental health liaison team so her mental health could be assessed. 'Her husband was on his way to the hospital and she did not want him to know she was being seen. 'I could see that there was a history of domestic violence. I was concerned that we needed to act fast. 'Tarryn made these comments, "I have had enough of everything. I have no one to talk to." 'She had to leave her husband at the right time when he was working out of the country. It would often be spur of the moment. 'She believed her husband was tracking her movements.' Christopher Trybus with his current wife Bea Trybus outside Winchester Crown Court In relation to a previous appointment, Ms Cowham's statement added: 'He asked her why she had been to the hospital that day. 'She had not told him she had been to the hospital. She told us that she did not have many friends or a support network around her. 'She said she had been experiencing suicidal thoughts.' Winchester Crown Court was told referrals could be made to relevant authorities, including the police, after it was deemed that she could be a 'significant risk to herself'. Ms Cowham also said her statement: 'She agreed to all the referrals apart from the police. She said, should the police be called, that under no circumstances should they go to her property.' The jury was told the previous time 'did not end well'. Trybus, of Swindon, denies all the charges. He insists he loved his wife but her mental health issues meant she lied about his behaviour. The trial continues. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit thecalmzone.net/get-support Congresswoman Nancy Mace is under investigation for allegedly overcharging a taxpayer-funded program meant to provide out-of-town lawmakers for housing, meals, and travel expenses. The House Ethics Committee is looking into whether Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, 'engaged in improper reimbursement practices' for her former $1.98 million Capitol Hill home she shared with her ex-fiance. Mace and Patrick Bryant, who broke off their 18-month engagement in 2023, were co-owners of a DC townhouse until 2024. That DC property is at the center of the new probe. Members of Congress are allowed to be reimbursed for housing expenses if they maintain a residence in their home district and Washington, DC. But the program, launched in 2023, has drawn scrutiny because the reimbursement process does not require a detailed expenditures list for lawmakers to get their money back. A new report by the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), a nonpartisan group that investigates misconduct on Capitol Hill, claims that Mace was overpaid $9,500 for her housing costs. 'Information available to and reviewed by the OCC suggests that Rep. Mace was reimbursed more than the true costs for the property during several months in 2023 and 2024,' the OCC report alleges. Mace did not speak with the OCC during their investigation, the report says. Congresswoman Nancy Mace is the subject of a House Ethics Committee probe The Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) alleged in a report that Mace was overpaid $9,500 in lodging reimbursements for her old DC townhouse, shown above 'Rep. Mace provided exculpatory evidence to the OCC. They ignored it. The document at the foundation of their investigation? The OCC admitted was never verified,' a spokesperson for Mace told the Daily Mail on Tuesday. Mace herself lashed out at the probe on Tuesday, posting on social media: 'When you fight the swamp, the swamp fights back.' 'Its no coincidence that in the same hour the tapes of me deposing the Clintons come out, Im slapped with a story about a BS Ethics Investigation.' Mace was on the panel that deposed Bill and Hillary Clinton last week over their alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The investigation was hatched after 'discrepancies' on Mace's bills she submitted for reimbursement were found. They pertained to the DC propertys 'expenses, including utility bills and escrow amounts for property taxes and insurance related to the property.' The Ethics Committee said that although they are investigating, it 'does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.' However, her lawyer, William Sullivan, responded to the OCC, saying their report was 'fundamentally flawed.' Mace had co-owned the DC town house with her ex-fiance, Patrick Bryant Sullivan wrote in his letter to the Ethics Committee that the OCC report's 'narrative appears to incorporate unverified assertions and materials that may have originated from, or been influenced by, Rep. Maces former fiance, Brendan Patrick Bryant.' Mace and Bryant's relationship soured in February 2025 when the Congresswoman claimed she was going 'scorched earth' on four men, including Bryant, alleging they were sexual predators that drugged, molested and filmed multiple female victims including herself. The men have all denied any wrongdoing, and Bryant subsequently sued Mace for defamation. He has accused her of cooking up fake gang rape claims to blackmail him. The US Consulate building in Dubai has been struck by a drone as Iran continues its retaliatory attacks on the Middle East. Videos posted to social media on Tuesday evening showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building, which local authorities revealed was hit by a missile. No one was injured in the strike, the Dubai Media office said, and the fire has since been extinguished. A statement read: 'The competent authorities in Dubai succeeded in extinguishing a limited fire in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai resulting from a drone targeting operation, and the incident did not result in any injuries.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this evening that the drone is understood to have struck a car park adjacent to the consulate building, which is situated close to Dubai's British embassy. 'As I came in, I also saw the media reports about Dubai's consulate,' he told reporters at a press conference. 'The last update I had was that a drone unfortunately struck a parking lot adjacent to the Chancery building, and then set off a fire in that place. 'All personnel are accounted for. As you're aware, we began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this.' It came after explosions were heard in cities across the United Arab Emirates and Qatar earlier on Tuesday as the US-Israeli and Iran conflict entered its fourth day. The US Consulate building in Dubai was up in flames after reportedly being struck by an Iranian drone Videos posted to social media on Tuesday evening showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building, which local authorities revealed was hit by a missile Local emergency services managed to extinguish the fire a short time later and no one was hurt (Pictured: The scene outside the Consulate building this evening) Sirens were sounded in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai after residents reported hearing loud bangs. Authorities said the explosions reverberating across the city were caused by 'interception operations' put in place by air defence forces. 'The relevant Dubai teams continue to closely monitor the situation and are taking all necessary measures to ensure public safety,' the Dubai Media Office said. A host of nations in the Gulf region have been targeted by Iran since the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and locations in Cyprus have all been struck by missiles, with thousands of Brits still trapped in the region. Many told of 'terrifying ordeals' when Iran began retaliatory strikes on tourist and expat hotspots, with chaos ensuing as residents and holidaymakers scramble for flights to safety. The first British evacuation flight from the UAE touched down at Heathrow Airport on Monday evening, with relieved passengers spotted hugging their loved ones in arrival halls. Today, Emirates and Etihad Airways are operating just five UK-bound flights from the Middle East compared to the dozens they usually run every day. The three scheduled to land at Heathrow from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are all currently delayed. Emirates will run two flights to Heathrow and one each to Gatwick and Manchester. Etihad Airways has scheduled one flight from Abu Dhabi to London. Meanwhile, British Airways and Qatar Airways have cancelled all of their timetabled flights between the Middle East and the UK as airspaces remain closed. British tourists caught up in scenes of disarray at Dubai Airport have spoken of their nightmare experiences trying to get home as the city comes under fire from an Iranian drone attack. Jessica Tennant, 30, from Lincoln, who has been on a two-week holiday to the UAE with her young children, said: 'It has been incredibly stressful. Join the debate Should Britain do more to protect its citizens abroad when global conflicts erupt? It came after fresh explosions were heard today in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha as Iran continues its retaliatory attacks on the Gulf region (Pictured: A missile over Dubai Marina) Missiles were spotted in the sky in Dubai, where many Brits remain trapped as the war rages on 'We have heard absolutely nothing (from the Government or airlines). We have had no updates. We are checking the news hourly because we have not been told anything. 'We flew with Emirates and we've had no contact at all. We are due to fly on Thursday but we have no idea if that is going ahead.' Grandmother Mina Pattni, 62 and her family were staying at the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah, which was hit by either a drone or debris, starting a fire. 'It was absolutely terrifying,' said Mina, from Leicester. 'We were just sitting down to eat on Saturday night when we heard some interceptions of drones or missiles in the air. 'That was scary enough, but just as we ordered, there was this terrific bang and we could see that the side of the building had been hit and everyone was evacuated until the fire was extinguished.' Mina was travelling with her husband Latash, 67, their daughter and son in law and two grandsons Krish, two, and five-month-old Rohin. 'The children were very frightened,' said Mina. 'They picked up the slightly panicky mood from the other guests, though the hotel staff were very good and still managed to serve cold food, even though the gas in the hotel had to be turned off. 'With our flight home on Sunday cancelled, we decided to stay with a relative in Dubai, mainly so that the children would be in a calmer atmosphere.' Like several other Brits congregated outside Terminal 3 at DXB this morning, the Pattnis hoped to make it on an Emirates flight to Heathrow, or possibly a later one to Gatwick. Travellers were corralled outside the busy Emirates terminal waiting to be called forward for their flights, heading mostly for Russia and the Indian sub-continent, but with a few headed for the UK and Europe. Many of the people laden down with luggage in the throng were critical of poor communications from the airline, but said they couldn't fault the hotels where they had to extend their stays. Father and son James, 18 and Jim Dixon, 61, from Leicester, were due to fly back to the UK from Dubai on Saturday afternoon, and after checking in, they were held at the airport for five hours before being moved to a hotel to begin the long wait. It came after the five-star Fairmont Hotel on the luxurious island of Palm Jumeirah was set ablaze by an Iranian drone, leaving four people injured. The Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building - was later evacuated amid fears it could become a target. Tourists and locals living in Dubai are seen scrambling to leave the city at Dubai International Airport The Fairmont Hotel on the island of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai was hit on Saturday by an Iranian drone No one was injured, but the Burj Khalifa was later evacuated amid fears it could be the next target Tourists hid in basements and car parks while missiles flew over the city, which is home to nearly a quarter of a million Brits abroad. Later, an Australian Defence Force base in Dubai was hit by an Iranian missile, though no injuries were reported. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that Britain will remain involved only in a defensive capacity, in a bid to defend Brits stranded abroad. It was a decision for which he was lambasted by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, who described the PM as 'uncooperative' in a speech at the White House. Sir Keir has allowed US forces to operate from British RAF bases abroad - but only to defend - showing what Mr Trump has perceived to be a lack of support. In an apparent reference to Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, the US President said: 'That island It's taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there. 'It would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised.' Referring to Britain's war-time PM, a bust of whom sits in the Oval Office, Mr Trump added: 'This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.' The US President went on to criticise the UK's approach to the 'stupid island' as he issued a fresh blast at Sir Keir's bid to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. 'This is not the age of Churchill. I will say the UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease,' he told reporters in the Oval Office, as he sat alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'Having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. What's that all about? They ruin relationships, it's a shame.' Donald Trump strongly denied that Israel pushed the US into war with Iran, saying that he actually 'may have forced' their hand, following fury from his MAGA base. During his first interaction with members of the press after the weekend operation, Trump was asked if Israel dragged the US into conflict. 'No, I might have forced their hand,' he stated to the contrary. Trump's comments appear to contradict what Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday after briefing lawmakers on Operation Epic Fury. 'We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces,' Rubio said. 'And we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.' Trump continues to tout the operation as extremely successful as Americans overseas are faced with warnings from US officials amid attacks on overseas consulates. And the State Department announced Tuesday officials are securing military and charter flights to evacuate Americans stranded in the Middle East including from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Since the conflict began, more than 9,000 Americans have evacuated the Middle East, but 3,000 more have spoken with the US government about securing evacuation flights. The Iran war spiraled on Tuesday as the US and Israel launched a fresh bombing raid on the capital Tehran amid growing disquiet over Donald Trump's shifting objectives. Iran retaliated by using drones to strike the US consulate in Dubai. Bystander videos emerged showing the structure ablaze on Tuesday. President Donald Trump said that he was the one who 'forced Israel's hand' into striking Iran US Navy handout photo shows guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) firing a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 1, 2026 Smoke rises after Israeli strikes in Tehran, Iran on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Multiple US embassies across the region were put on high alert after attacks on consulates in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. The US also urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, but with much of the airspace closed many remained stranded. A government source said more than a million Americans are believed to be in the region. Meanwhile, the most vocal members of Trump's MAGA base erupted in fury over the perception that Israel is at fault for bringing the US into a war with Iran. Conservative pundit Matt Walsh wrote: 'So [Rubio is] flat out telling us that we're in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.' But Trump responded Tuesday, saying that due to failing negotiations with Iran, he believed they would attack first, 'and I didn't want that to happen.' 'You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first,' the president explained. 'They were going to attack first, I felt strongly about that. So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand.' Trump addressed the nation on two separate occasions over the weekend, outlining the mission to wipe out Iran's leadership and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He encouraged regime change but did not propose a replacement leadership. The President initially stated that the war would last four to five weeks, but he's since said the US has the capabilities to engage for 'far longer,' if needed. He struck a more maximalist position than before, saying that 'the big wave hasn't even happened' and swatting away Iran's requests for peace talks. 'Too late,' he posted on Truth Social. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night that the aim was to ensure 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon'. He claimed that there is 'just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multiyear conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective.' Further clouding the picture, a White House official told the Daily Mail on Tuesday that there were three aims: destroy the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles, its missile industry, and its Navy. The official mentioned neither Iran's nuclear facilities nor regime change. The US and Israel launched a fresh bombing raid in Tehran on Tuesday. Israel warned civilians in Persian to evacuate the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and the area around Payam Airport in Karaj, where they were striking military targets. The announcement followed an overnight barrage the Israelis said had destroyed key government and security compounds in Tehran. US Central Command handout photo shows an F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, staged for flight operations on the deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2, 2026 Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill the US knew Israel was preparing to strike and was worried it would allow Iran to cause more American casualties than if the US struck first Your browser does not support iframes. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia sent out a security alert shortly after 8am EST warning of 'imminent' missile and drone attacks over the city of Dhahran, a major center for the oil industry and the headquarters of Aramco. 'Do not come to the US Consulate. Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside,' the warning stated. The warning came after the Riyadh embassy was closed following an overnight two-drone attack that sparked a 'limited fire,' Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said, with Americans urged to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the US Embassy in Kuwait, which announced it had been closed until further notice. The backlash from top conservative pundits has amplified in recent days due to the unclear messaging from administration leadership about what prompted US involvement. 'There is nothing unpatriotic or unsupportive of one's conservatism or general adherence to MAGA-type principles to say, 'I would like to be better convinced that this is worth the sacrifice of American blood and treasure,'' pro-Trump media personality Megyn Kelly said on her show. Tucker Carlson said: 'This is Israel's war. This is not the United States' war.' 'This war is not being waged on behalf of American national security objectives, to make the United States safer or richer... This war is waged purely because Israel wanted it to be waged,' he added. Carlson made a stop in Israel last month for a sit-down interview with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The former Fox host exclusively told the Daily Mail that he was detained in Tel Aviv by Israeli officials at the airport while trying to leave the country. Security forces deploy tear gas to disperse a mob outside the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on March 2, 2026 Multiple US embassies in the Middle East were on high alert after attacks on consulates in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The State Department ordered the evacuation of families and non-emergency personnel in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, the USE and Jordan (pictured) During his remarks to the media Tuesday, Trump also launched a fresh attack on Sir Keir Starmer. 'This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.' His fresh swipe comes as he continued to fume at the PM's initial refusal to allow American bombers to use British bases to strike Iran. And the UK wasn't the only European nation to get the cold shoulder on Tuesday. Trump warned that if ally nations don't get on board with the plan, he will retaliate. The president told reporters on Tuesday that he's cutting off all trade with Spain after their government refused to let American forces use the bases in their country to strike Iran. 'Spain has absolutely nothing we need,' the president said. 'We're gonna cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain.' The day prior, Trump bragged at a Medal of Honor event at the White House that the military operation in Iran was already ahead of schedule. It came after he told the Daily Mail in an exclusive call on Sunday that he expects the active conflict with Iran to go on for four weeks or less. He clarified that timeline on Monday, saying it could be between four and five weeks. He touted the US military's success on Tuesday as they worked with Israel to 'knock out' Iran's military force. 'They have no navy. It's been knocked out. They have no air force. It's been knocked out. They have no air detection, that's been knocked out. Their radar has been knocked out. And just about everything's been knocked out.' This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F/A-18E Super Hornet launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury on Monday Operation Epic Fury began overnight on Saturday morning after Trump gave the green light. He monitored the military operation from his makeshift situation room in Mar-a-Lago. Dozens of Iranian leaders were left dead and Trump says that much of Iran's military infrastructure and missile systems were taken out in the bombings. Six US service members have died so far, and Trump warns more might be killed in the conflict that he says could last four or five weeks. Trump, however, believes that the conflict is a success so far. 'We had a very very powerful impact because virtually everything they have has been knocked out now,' he told reporters in the Oval Office during his bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday. He added: 'Their missile count is going way down.' 'I've never had more compliments on something I did, people felt it's something that had to be done,' he boasted. 'So if we have a little high oil prices for a little while, but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, lower than even before. A British Airways evacuation flight from the Middle East took off with more than 100 empty seats despite thousands of Brits registering as stranded in the Gulf. The twin-jet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flew Flight BA80 from Muscat, Oman, to Heathrow, landing at 10.35am on Monday. Around 100 pilots and crew members from BA and other airlines were on board despite the aircraft's full capacity being 300 passengers. However, BA's seat layout can carry closer to 220 people. The flight had left Heathrow on Sunday just before 4pm and arrived in Muscat early Monday morning, carrying only its pilots, before a four-hour turnaround to fly back. BA does not usually operate flights to Oman and needed special permission to land in the country. It meant BA did not have baggage crews or passenger services in place to allow commercial passengers on board, according to the airline. Crew members were easier to evacuate because these flights have different safety needs and do not require in-flight service, among other factors. British Airways flew an evacuation flight on Monday which had 100 empty seats (file pic) Major international airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha were closed as Iran attacked targets in response to the attack which killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It comes as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said a government charter flight would leave Muscat 'in the coming days' prioritising 'vulnerable nationals'. The Foreign Office was working on 'contingency plans' if airspace around the Gulf remained shut down. With flights grounded over the weekend as Iran continued retaliatory strikes following the joint US-Israel attack on the country at the weekend, the crew members on the BA flight were driven to Oman from across the Gulf. The Times reported that because BA did not serve Muscat directly, it asked for approval from Omani authorities before landing the evacuation flights. On Tuesday the airline said it would fly from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. More than 130,000 British citizens have registered their locations with the government as the Foreign Office advised Britons to shelter in place as Iranian strikes continued. An industry source told The Times: 'It's extraordinary that BA didn't fill their first flight out with passengers desperate to leave the region, as other airlines such as Emirates and Etihad have done. Muscat Airport in Oman, where some evacuation flights have been able to take off 'BA takes passenger contact details precisely for such crisis reasons.' Andrew Rae, a retired ship broker from Gloucestershire, told The Times he had gone to Dubai to celebrate his 62nd birthday with his family. He had been set to fly back to Heathrow with BA but saw multiple flights cancelled, so booked with another airline for himself and his wife Emma at a combined cost of 4,000. Mr Rae said he would claim compensation from BA. 'I feel there has been zero help. We've been left to our own devices,' he said. 'They have sent an empty aircraft to help the crew, which is a positive thing, but haven't bothered to do that to passengers left stranded. 'For BA to send a plane over and come back with empty seats is frankly pathetic.' Private jet companies said they had seen outbound bookings from Muscat soar, with EnterJet - a company which connects clients with private aircraft - telling the FT bookings were up 40 per cent since Saturday. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said a government charter flight would leave Muscat 'in the coming days' It added Muscat was 'the only really viable option'. A BA spokesperson told the Daily Mail it was currently unable to fly from airports including Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv. They said the airline was 'continuing to do everything we can to support customers and colleagues in the region and are in regular contact with them'. The spokesperson confirmed a BA flight would leave Oman for London at 2.30am local time on March 5. 'Existing customers who are in Oman can let us know they wish to travel on these flights via a dedicated phone line: +44 203 467 3854,' they said. Some flights have returned Brits back to the UK but most remained cancelled. BA said customers due to fly with them between Heathrow and Middle Eastern airports up to and including March 15 could change their flight free of charge or request a refund subject to certain conditions. Donald Trump tonight launched an extraordinary attack on Sir Keir Starmer, saying: 'This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.' The US President delivered a withering verdict on the Prime Minister as he continued to fume at Sir Keir for failing to back US and Israeli strikes on Iran. In comments that immediately plunged the so-called 'special relationship' into an unprecedented crisis, Mr Trump declared that he was 'not happy' with the PM and accused him of being 'very, very uncooperative'. Speaking in the White House, the US President hit out again at Sir Keir's initial decision to block the US using British bases to launch attacks on Tehran. In an apparent reference to Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, the US President said: 'That island It's taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there. 'It would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised.' Referring to Britain's war-time PM, a bust of whom sits in the Oval Office, Mr Trump added: 'This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.' The US President went on to criticise the UK's approach to the 'stupid island' as he issued a fresh blast at Sir Keir's bid to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. 'This is not the age of Churchill. I will say the UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease,' he told reporters in the Oval Office, as he sat alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'Having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. What's that all about? They ruin relationships, it's a shame.' Mr Trump's broadside leaves US-UK relations in a parlous state and is likely to provide further ammunition to the many critics who have accused Sir Keir of damaging Britain's standing on the global stage. Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Sir Keir Starmer, saying: 'This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with' The US President issued his fresh blast at the Prime Minister while sitting in front of a Churchill bust in the Oval Office Mr Trump delivered a withering verdict on the Prime Minister as he continued to fume at Sir Keir for failing to back US and Israeli strikes on Iran Mr Trump also repeated his frequent criticism of immigration and energy policies in the UK, saying: 'I love that country, my mother was born there. But the UK, what they're doing with energy and what they're doing with immigration is horrible.' He urged Sir Keir to 'open up the North Sea' and vented about 'windmills all over the place that are ruining the country, ruining the landscapes, ruining the beautiful fields'. In further comments, Mr Trump renewed his feud with London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who he branded 'terrible' and 'incompetent', and claimed there were Sharia courts in the UK. He made the remarks as he spoke about the support from European nations for American action in Iran, with the US President saying Spain had been 'terrible'. Madrid has denied the US permission to use jointly operated military bases on its territory on Iran, with Spain's socialist PM Pedro Sanchez having condemned 'an unjustified, dangerous military intervention outside of international law'. Mr Trump said the US was 'cutting off all trade' with Spain because of its criticism, adding: 'We don't want anything to do with Spain.' But he praised 'fantastic' NATO chief Mark Rutte and Germany, saying: 'Germany has been great, terrific.' The transatlantic rift between the UK and US has been sparked by Sir Keir's initial refusal to allow America to use British military bases in their action against Iran over the weekend. The PM later performed a partial U-turn after Tehran fired retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, with drones and missiles being launched towards British military bases and UK allies in the region. Late on Sunday, Sir Keir said he had agreed to an American request to use UK bases to protect British nationals and allies in the Middle East. The PM said he was allowing British bases to be used only for the 'specific and limited defensive purpose' of targeting Iran's missile storage depots and launchers. Mr Trump has previously referred to asking to use the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which can handle US heavy bombers. As Iran was bombed for a fourth day, it was also revealed: Earlier on Tuesday, in a newspaper interview, the US President said Sir Keir had 'not been helpful' and had put the special relationship in peril after failing to back his war with Iran. Mr Trump said it was 'very sad' that relations between Britain and America are now 'not like it used to be'. Blaming Sir Keir directly, Mr Trump said: 'He has not been helpful. I never thought I'd see that. 'I never thought I'd see that from the UK. We love the UK. It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. 'This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe. 'It's not going to matter, but (Sir Keir) should have helped... he should have. I mean, France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others.' He even suggested that the PM's decision 'could be' because he is pandering to Muslim voters as the Labour leader was accused of 'pearl-clutching' over US attacks on Iran that wiped out Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mr Trump said that he 'loves' the UK and its people but added it is 'not such a recognisable country' anymore. 'Stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you,' he told the PM. Earlier on Tuesday, the US President said Sir Keir had 'not been helpful' and had put the special relationship in peril after failing to back his war with Iran The Pentagon vented its fury at Sir Keir for his 'pearl-clutching' over the US attacks on Iran. The PM told the House of Commons on Monday that he stood by his decision A plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran The US President's criticism of Sir Keir came as the death toll of US service personnel hit six and 18 service members had been seriously wounded. Americans have been urged to leave 15 countries across the Middle East. Iran has attacked the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with kamikaze drones. Iranian state media has claimed that a command and staff building at a US air base in Bahrain has also been destroyed. President Trump has said a US military response to the American deaths - and damage to its embassy and Bahrain base - is imminent, warning the 'hardest hits' are coming. Israel has also launched fresh strikes in Tehran and on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, sending ground troops in on Tuesday morning. Downing Street insisted the US is still a 'staunch' ally, despite Mr Trump's attacks on Sir Keir. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The UK's relationship with the US is we are staunch allies. 'It is reflected in decades of that special relationship, whether it is on national security, on trade or beyond.' Senior Cabinet minister Darren Jones earlier said the US and Israel's initial strikes in Iran did not 'meet the test the PM has set out', as he faced questions about the extent of British support for America's course of action. Mr Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, said the UK-US relationship was 'important' when asked on Tuesday morning whether it had changed in the way Mr Trump suggested. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It has been for a long time and will continue to be, and we're working in collaboration right now in the Middle East on defensive action to protect British citizens. 'I think the president's frustration, from the way he's articulated it, has been that we were not involved in the initial American and Israeli strikes in Iran, but as the Prime Minister said to the House of Commons yesterday, we will only engage British armed forces when it's in British interests, with a clear plan and on a legal basis.' He told Sky News the US President's words do not 'negate the fact that we make decisions, as I say, on the basis of legality and British interest'. In the Commons on Tuesday, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs the UK's relationship with the US is 'strong' and 'will endure into the future on both the economic and the security fronts'. Chris Philp, speaking for the Conservative Party, said the US action against Iran was 'completely justified' and that Sir Keir had 'seriously undermined' the special relationship by failing to back it right away. 'Through his actions, Keir Starmer has very seriously undermined our special relationship with the US, which has been the bedrock of our security for decades now,' the shadow home secretary said. Mr Jones told broadcasters the UK was not involved in the 'first wave' of strikes at the weekend because it 'didn't meet the test the Prime Minister's set out'. An airstrike on an Iranian police centre also damaged residential buildings around it in Niloofar square in central Tehran on Sunday Sir Keir told his Cabinet on Tuesday that the decision on Sunday to allow the US to use UK bases for defensive strikes was 'lawful and in the national interest'. The PM has seriously aggravated the White House by suggesting that US and Israeli strikes on Iran were illegal and set to unravel. In an outspoken intervention, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Israel for its central role in the offensive but savaged the legalistic approach taken by Britain and other European allies. 'Israel has clear missions for which we are grateful,' he said. 'Capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of our traditional partners who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, humming and hawing about the use of force.' Sir Keir made a partial U-turn on Sunday after Iran lashed out at civilian targets in Gulf states and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, saying US jets would be able to fly from British bases for the 'limited' objective of destroying Iranian missile launchers and stockpiles. He told MPs on Monday that an estimated 300,000 British nationals in the Gulf region were 'at risk' as Tehran targeted hotels and airports. But he ruled out going further, saying he would not participate in US-led attempts to bring about 'regime change from the skies'. Mr Trump said the PM took 'far too long' to lift the ban on US forces flying from RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia. The US President said he was 'very disappointed in Keir' over his attempts to hand sovereignty of the strategically vital Diego Garcia to Mauritius. Sir Keir acknowledged that Mr Trump had 'expressed his disagreement', but insisted it was in Britain's national interest to abide strictly by international law. He told MPs repeatedly that any military action had to have a 'lawful basis' and a 'viable thought-through plan' and suggested the US had neither. Downing Street said the PM's commitment to upholding international law was 'iron-clad'. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the PM was distancing himself from US actions on Iran to avoid further alienating Muslim voters and so-called 'progressives' who deserted Labour for the Greens in last week's by-election. She accused Sir Keir of trying to placate voters 'whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle East, not the British national interest'. 'It isn't international law or principle,' she said. 'It's pure, partisan, political calculations from a party that has surrendered its right to govern our country.' She added: 'Why is it that under this Prime Minister, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest?' The Tory leader said British people 'will be wondering why our country's response has been so weak'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the PM's dithering was 'pathetic', adding: 'Our Prime Minister is not a leader, he's a follower, and he looks weak in the eyes of everybody.' The PM marched against the Iraq War in 2003 and declared it illegal. He told MPs on Monday he was determined to prevent Britain being dragged into another legally questionable conflict in the Gulf. 'We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,' he said. 'Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes,' he said. 'But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest, and that is the judgment I made. I stand by it.' Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat, who served in the Iraq war, said there was 'zero comparison' with the current situation as there are no plans for a UK ground invasion, although Mr Trump later said he was prepared to put 'boots on the ground'. A legal opinion drawn up the PM's controversial Attorney-General Lord Hermer ruled that the assault on Iran could not be deemed self-defence despite the regime's long history of attacks on the West, including targets in the UK. A Republican senator has issued a scorching rebuke to Kristi Noem over her deadly immigration crackdown. Thom Tillis branded the Homeland Security Secretary's leadership a 'disaster' and demanded her resignation during a committee hearing on Tuesday. Noem remained silent throughout the senator's intense grilling and declined to comment after he publicly called for her to step down. Tillis became highly agitated, pointing his finger and yelling at the border chief as he ripped her for refusing to take accountability for mistakes surrounding the killings of protesters by ICE in Minneapolis in January. He also accused FEMA of bungling disaster relief efforts, saying North Carolina residents have been left waiting for critical aid. Tillis yelled at Noem during the Senate judiciary committee hearing: 'I want to submit this letter from the office of Inspector General that cites ten different instances where they've been misled and not allowed to pursue investigations. That's a failure of leadership. And that is why I've called for your resignation.' The North Carolina Republican then demanded answers regarding wrongdoing under her leadership. Tillis noted that if he did not receive responses to his questions, he would oppose voting for Donald Trump's presidential nominations. 'If I don't get an answer to these questions, I'll be informing leadership that I'm putting a hold on any en bloc nominations,' he shouted. 'What we've seen is a disaster! Under your leadership, Ms Noem - a disaster!' Tillis continued. 'What we've seen is innocent people being detained!' US Senator Thom Tillis explodes at Kristi Noem at the Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies during the hearing on Capitol Hill Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed in Minneapolis in January, triggering shock and outrage across the United States Susan and Michael Pretti found out their son had been killed through a journalist Trump deployed border tsar Tom Homan to Minneapolis in January as he sidelined Noem following outrage at the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, US citizens shot dead by federal agents while protesting against the immigration crackdown. Noem had branded Pretti a 'domestic terrorist' in the immediate aftermath, comments which were swiftly walked back by the White House amid public fury. She was attacked by a second Republican senator, John Kennedy, over the blame game that erupted between the Homeland Security Secretary and the White House. Kennedy, a hardline conservative and Trump backer, told her: 'What got my attention was that you blamed [the domestic terrorist] statements on Stephen Miller at the White House.' Noem hit back, claiming that the senator must have been talking about news coverage using 'anonymous sources.' But Kennedy immediately replied: 'You said this on the record.' The senator read from her statement to Axios on January 27, where Noem said: 'Everything I've done, I've done at the direction of the President and Stephen.' 'Do you think it was fair to blame Mr Miller,' Kennedy said. The senator then demanded that Noem testify under oath over whether she was denying making the statement blaming Miller. Senator John Kennedy (Republican-Louisiana) also attacked Noem's leadership of DHS Noem previously branded Pretti a 'domestic terrorist' in the immediate aftermath of his killing She faced tough questions from both Democrats and Republicans during Tuesday's hearing Tillis (Republican-North Carolina) demanded Noem's resignation in front of the committee Noem remained silent throughout Tillis's intense grilling on Capitol Hill on Tuesday Senator Marsha Blackburn (Republican, Tennessee) also questioned the DHS Secretary Elsewhere, Noem blasted the Democratic-led shutdown of DHS as 'reckless' and 'unnecessary,' accusing lawmakers of undermining national security She and Bryon Noem have been married since 1992 and have three children Corey Lewandowski leaving Noem's building with an overnight bag last April. He and the DHS Secretary have denied rumors of an affair Noem refused: 'Sir, I'm not going to speak to that situation that is relayed by anonymous sources.' The Daily Mail previously reported that the comments Noem made blaming Miller were orchestrated and pushed behind the scenes by her rumored lover and longtime adviser, Corey Lewandowski. Noem was supported in the hearing by her rarely seen husband, Bryon Noem, and 'angel moms' whose children have been killed by illegal migrants. In recent months, she has more often appeared alongside longtime adviser Corey Lewandowski, with whom she has been dogged by rumors of a personal relationship. The Daily Mail revealed last year that Noem and Lewandowski have been engaged in a years-long romantic affair. Both are married and have denied the claims. A DHS source told the Daily Mail that Noem's decision to appear at the hearing next to her husband was all about maintaining 'optics' as rumors swirl about her mysterious marriage. 'The fact she's bringing her family to these events instead of the usual Lewandowski tells me she's aware of how she looks in the media and that she's trying to get the news cycles about her and Lewandowski behind her,' official said. Senators pressed the Homeland Security secretary over her high-end travel, including the use of private jets, and the department's controversial immigration crackdown in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of two Americans. Uloma Anyanwu, mother of Gabriel Kelechi Isiguzo Jr, who was shot and killed in 2022, reacts as she holds a picture of her son during Tuesday's hearing on Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security A photo of immigration enforcement tactics in Minneapolis was held up in front of the hearing DHS has faced criticism over its handling of immigration enforcement DHS is currently operating under a partial shutdown after a funding lapse that began in February, when Senate Democrats blocked a full-year appropriations bill over objections to Noem's immigration enforcement policies. As a result, roughly 90 percent of DHS employees are continuing to work without pay. A former FEMA employee disrupted Noem's opening remarks and was later escorted out of the hearing room by multiple Capitol Police officers. Noem blasted the Democratic-led shutdown of DHS as 'reckless' and 'unnecessary,' accusing lawmakers of holding the department hostage and undermining national security. 'I want to thank my husband for being here in support as well,' Noem said at the conclusion of her opening remarks. The couple have been married since 1992 and have three children. The Ministry of Defence has released footage of a Royal Air Force jet shooting down an Iranian drone in the wake of Donald Trump's lambasting of Keir Starmer. A video posted to social media on Tuesday evening showed a missile being obliterated by jets in Jordan as the RAF continues its mission to 'defend Brits in the Middle East'. The MoD said the shooting marked the first time an RAF F-35 plane has shot down a target during the conflict with Iran, with Typhoon jets supporting the operation in the skies. The Prime Minister will only allow British bases abroad to be used for the 'specific and limited defensive purpose' of targeting Iranian missiles - a decision President Trump blasted this evening. Speaking at the White House, Trump declared that he was 'not happy' with Starmer for his lack of support and accused the Labour leader of being 'very, very uncooperative'. The US and Israel triggered the conflict on Saturday when Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed following strikes on Tehran. Trump said at a press conference tonight: 'This is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with.' The US President went on to criticise the UK's approach to the 'stupid island' as he issued a fresh blast at Sir Keir's bid to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The Ministry of Defence has released footage of a Royal Air Force jet shooting down an Iranian drone in the wake of Donald Trump's lambasting of Keir Starmer (pictured leaving 10 Downing Street on Monday) The President accused the British PM of being 'very, very uncooperative' after he refused to let the US attack from British military bases 'This is not the age of Churchill. I will say the UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, as he sat alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'Having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. What's that all about? They ruin relationships, it's a shame.' It came less than 24 hours after Starmer was humiliated into action by the French, as he ordered a Royal Navy warship to set sail for Cyprus to defend a UK airbase from air attacks. Cyprus has been targeted by Iran in recent days, with the British RAF Akrotiri Base in Liamassol hit by a drone on Sunday. The PM sent the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean island on Tuesday along with helicopters with anti-drone weaponry - though the ship will take a week to complete the journey. The Prime Minister made the announcement this afternoon as he came under fire for leaving the task of defending the base to France and Greece, while the Navy's best anti-aircraft vessels remained in Portsmouth. France's Emmanuel Macron earlier told the president he was dispatching two frigates to Cyprus following a request for aid. They will supplement forces already in the region and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, which has been ordered to deploy to the area from the Baltic Sea. Greece has also said it will send two frigates and fighter jets to defend the island, meaning it will have more naval assets in the area than UK. In a statement posted on social media site X, Sir Keir said: 'The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. 'We're continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. It comes after the PM made the decision to send Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus to protect a British base Emmanuel Macron ordered units to the eastern Mediterranean island after RAF Akrotiri was struck by a drone which pierced its air defences on Sunday 'We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.' Spain was another nation which came under fire from Trump, as the President claimed the Latin nation has been 'terrible' since the beginning of the conflict. Madrid previously denied the US permission to use jointly operated military bases on its territory on Iran, with Spain's socialist PM Pedro Sanchez having condemned 'an unjustified, dangerous military intervention outside of international law'. Trump said the US was 'cutting off all trade' with Madrid, adding: 'We don't want anything to do with Spain.' But he praised Germany and France, saying their contributions to the war effort so far have been 'great, terrific'. The conflict in the Middle East entered its fourth day on Tuesday, with Iranian missiles continuing to rain down on nations such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The US Consulate building in Dubai was this evening struck by a suicide missile, though no one was hurt. Videos posted to social media showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building, situated just a short walk from the city's British embassy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the drone is understood to have struck a car park adjacent to the consulate building. 'As I came in, I also saw the media reports about Dubai's consulate,' he told reporters at a press conference. 'The last update I had was that a drone unfortunately struck a parking lot adjacent to the to the Chancery building, and then set off a fire in that place. The US Consulate building in Dubai was up in flames after reportedly being struck by an Iranian drone on Tuesday Local emergency services managed to extinguish the fire a short time later and no one was hurt (Pictured: The scene outside the Consulate building this evening) 'All personnel are accounted for. As you're aware, we began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this. It came after Sirens were sounded in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai following reports of loud bangs. Authorities said the explosions reverberating across Dubai were caused by 'interception operations' put in place by air defence forces. 'The relevant Dubai teams continue to closely monitor the situation and are taking all necessary measures to ensure public safety,' the Dubai Media Office said. A host of nations in the Gulf region have been targeted by Iran since the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and locations in Cyprus have all been struck by missiles, with thousands of Brits still trapped in the region. A man and woman who died in a suspected murder-suicide at a rural property have been identified. Police found the bodies of Aaron Hammond, 46, and his partner Chamindika Jayawardena, 47, inside their McGraths Track home at Hernes Oak in Victoria's Latrobe Valley on Monday. It's understood that the pair died over the weekend after neighbours heard two gunshots within 30 seconds of each other late Saturday night. Others recalled it sounding like 'fireworks'. Brenno Amato did not think any moreabout it until he saw multiple police vehicles at the home on Monday. 'I just thought it was people having a few shots at foxes out the back,' he told Nine News. 'I didn't really take much to it until Monday when all the cops and everyone was here and we sort of put two and two together.' He described them as a lovely couple who often holidayed overseas. Police found the bodies of Aaron Hammond, 46, and his partner Chamindika Jayawardena, 47, inside their home on Monday It's understood that couple died over the weekend in a suspected murder-suicide Neighbours recalled hearing two gunshots near the property late Saturday night Mr Hammond and Ms Jayawardena had been together for at least two years, according to social media. Mr Amato last spoke to his neighbour just days earlier. 'I've known him for about a year and a half. Aaron used to let me put cattle and bulls on his property,' he said. 'Chami would always walk our street.' Ms Jayawardena's friends who travelled from Melbourne on Tuesday to retrieve the couple's cat described her as 'like family'. Investigations continue. 'The exact circumstances surrounding the deaths are yet to be determined,' police said. 'At this stage, investigators are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.' Anyone who may have information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. SNP ministers are to award Scotlands ferries fiasco shipyard a contract to build another four vessels. Construction of two more CalMac ferries, as well as two marine vessels, will be directly awarded to the Nationalised Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow on the Clyde. The move is expected to bring five more years of work which will help to secure jobs at the Scottish Government-owned shipbuilder but has also raised fears of a repeat of the huge cost overruns and delays that have beset construction of the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa. Concerns have also been raised that the direct award by SNP ministers will mean taxpayers face far higher costs than through a procurement process, and that it could be blocked by regulators. Announcing the move to MSPs yesterday, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: With our proposal to award a four-vessel programme to the yard, we are setting a clear ambition for Ferguson Marines future. Under the plan unveiled by Ms Forbes, two ferries serving the Sound of Harris and the Sound of Barra in the Western Isles will be directly awarded to the yard as part of the continuing CalMac small vessel replacement programme, as well as two marine research and protection vessels. The construction of the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa (pictured) at Ferguson Marine was beset by huge cost overruns and delays However, the move is subject to appropriate due diligence processes to assess viability. Ferguson, the last remaining commercial shipyard on the Clyde, has been at the centre of huge controversy following years of delay to two ferries serving the Isle of Arran. The Glen Sannox, originally due to be delivered in 2018, was only finished last year. The Glen Rosa, also due in 2018, is not expected to be handed over until the end of this year. The total cost for the vessels will be almost four times the initial 97.5million contract. Tory MSP Edward Mountain said evidence indicates that building ferries at Fergusons could cost 20-25 per cent more than at other yards. He added: So effectively by ordering four boats, you would have built five somewhere else. Approval from the Competition and Markets Authority is needed in order to finalise a direct award. Ms Forbes said: Any award proceeds following completion of detailed legal, commercial and subsidy control assessments. Five people have died and two remain missing after a footbridge collapsed at a beach in Spain. The group of seven were crossing the walkway at El Bocal Beach in the city of Santander when the horrifying accident happened at around 4.30pm on Tuesday. They all fell into the water and onto rocks below the wooden bridge, which is understood to have stretched between two cliffs, when it gave way. All the walkers were 'young to middle-aged' women, according to local reports. Their nationalities are not yet known. It is understood one person was initially rescued alive and rushed to hospital with hypothermia, where they later sadly passed away, in intensive care. Though five people have now tragically been confirmed dead, local reports have said as many as six may have lost their lives. Police, firefighters, the coastguard and local government are all helping with search and rescue efforts to find the missing. Around 70 people, also including volunteers from the Red Cross, are understood to be working to complete the mission before nightfall, The Sun reports. The group of seven were crossing the walkway (pictured) at El Bocal Beach in the city of Santander when the horrifying accident happened at around 4.30pm on Tuesday They all fell into the water and onto rocks below the wooden bridge, which is understood to have stretched between two cliffs, when it gave way. Pictured: Rescue teams at the scene Police, firefighters, the coastguard and local government, which has provided a helicopter, are all helping with search and rescue efforts to find the missing. Pictured: Rescue teams at the scene They are being supported with two helicopters, from the coastguard, known as Maritime Rescue, and first response emergency services respectively. The group had been walking along the coast, along a pedestrian route involving several footbridge crossings, it has been claimed. They were reportedly heading for the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, after setting off from El Bocal. The bridge is understood to be popular with walkers and hikers keen to explore Spain's northern coast. Emergency services were called by horrified bystanders around fifteen minutes after the walkers fell into the water. Pictures from the scene appear to show the entire bottom of the footbridge having fallen out, with emergency services swarming the scene to help. One person can be seen being carried on a stretcher into a response helicopter, while lifeboats patrol the water. Rescue attempts have been thwarted by the difficult terrain, Spanish outlet Olive Press reports, marked by strong waves, rocky platforms and natural pools. Around 70 people are understood to be working to complete the mission before nightfall. Pictured: A rescue helicopter at the scene, as bystanders watch on Emergency services (pictured, at the scene) were called by horrified bystanders around fifteen minutes after the walkers fell into the water The area has been cordoned off and investigations into the cause of the collapse are ongoing. The city council and local technical services are working to gather information on the bridge's maintenance and inspection history, Spanish outlet El Pais reports. Gema Igual, mayor of Santander, on the north coast of Spain, previously spoke to reporters at the scene, when the death toll stood at four. 'It's a great tragedy that some young people who came to enjoy nature encountered this,' she said. 'They had come to enjoy the area's natural environment and suffered this accident. 'We have four dead, two people we are still looking for and another who is suffering from apparent hypothermia in hospital.' Maria Jose Saenz de Buruaga, president of Cantabria, the region the city is in, has publicly expressed her sorrow at the tragedy. In a statement posted to her social media accounts, she said: 'All my love and solidarity go out to the victims and their families.' The official added she is closely monitoring the situation and that local government is committed to addressing and investigating it. Hugo Moran, Spain's environment secretary, is thought to be making his way to the scene. Local second-division football team Real Racing Club de Santander has said online it will hold a minute's silence at its match on Sunday in memory of the deceased. It said in a statement: 'From the Real Racing Club we want to express our dismay at the terrible tragedy that happened in El Bocal. 'We convey our deepest condolences, support and love to the families and friends of all victims. 'The club will hold a minute of silence next Sunday at the Sport Fields in memory of the deceased.' The series of walkways the group was using was installed more than ten years ago, amid strong local opposition - to the extent the project was halted at one point. Around 100 people gathered to mark five years since the murder of Sarah Everard who was raped and killed at the hands of a serving Met Police officer. The crowd arrived at Clapham Common bandstand to commemorate Ms Everard's life as well as remember all the women and girls whose lives have been taken through violence. Five years ago today, Ms Everard was abducted, raped and murdered at the age of 33 by then-serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens. She had walked past the Common in the final hours of her life on the two and a half mile walk back from a friend's house in Battersea. Couzens had hired a car for his premeditated attack and spotted Ms Everard alone on her walk home. He stopped and mounted the curb, posing as an undercover police officer, flashing his Met Police warrant card to sell the trick. From there, he drove her 80 miles into rural Kent, where he raped and murdered her, then burned her body and dumped her remains into a pond in the woods. Tuesday night's vigil was organised by local news page Best of Clapham, who were fundraising for London-based charity Solace Women's Aid which supports women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. Klara Fine, 29, who works at local news page Best of Clapham, said: 'We're here this evening to remember her because she deserves to be remembered. Floral tributes were laid at the vigil held on the fifth anniversary of Sarah Everard's abduction, rape and murder Around one hundred people came to Clapham Common's bandstand to commemorate Ms Everard and other women and girls who lost their lives in violence 'We remember her not as a headline, not as a case, not as a moment in the news cycle, but as Sarah, a daughter, a friend, a woman with plans, laughter and the future ahead of her, cruelly taken away.' Ms Everard's mother, Susan Everard, also this morning paid heartbreaking tribute to her 'beautiful' daughter. She said she had 'her whole life ahead of her' and 'added to the beauty of the world'. She wrote in her Vogue Magazine tribute: 'I miss the goodness of Sarah: she was thoughtful and dependable and highly principled.' Adding: 'Most of all, she was a loving and caring young woman; her many friendships are a testament to her lovely nature. She added to the beauty of the world.' Wayne Couzens was handed a whole life tariff after pleading guilty to Ms Everard's rape and murder in September 2021, meaning he will never be free again. He is serving at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham, nicknamed 'Monster Mansion' due to the large number of murderers, rapists and terrorists who are imprisoned there, including Ian Huntley and the London nail bomber David Copeland. In a statement issued by the force, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: 'Sarah Everard should still be here. 'Five years have passed since her senseless and devastating murder. 'What happened to her was a profound betrayal: of her, of her family and loved ones, and of every person who places their trust in policing.' He said the fact that she was killed by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens, was 'as devastating today as it was in 2021'. Adding: 'It was an unthinkable abuse of power and a total violation of the values that the Met, and policing, stands for. 'On the day I heard what he had done, I felt devastated for the immense harm his actions caused to the trust that underpins our relationship with the communities we serve. A week after disappearing, Ms Everard's body was found in woodland in Kent. She had been raped, strangled and burned Wayne Couzens will never be released from prison after he was handed a whole life tariff in September 2021 following his guilty plea to the abduction, rape and murder of Ms Everard 'What he did shook policing to its core. It made decent, dedicated officers and staff across the country furious that one of our own could commit such a monstrous crime. 'We will always be deeply sorry: for the unimaginable harm done to Sarah, for the trauma endured by her family - who have shown extraordinary dignity in the face of unbearable grief - and for the profound damage inflicted on the trust Londoners should be able to place in their police service.' The horrendous case sparked an inquiry which concluded in February 2024 that the Met and two other police forces could and should have stopped Couzens being a police officer. Sir Mark has pushed on efforts to clean up the Met Police, sacking 1,500 officers and staff in the last three years. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader. Mojtaba, 56, Ali Khamenei's second oldest son, has strong links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and was chosen by Iran's Assembly of Experts 'under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards', according to Iranian opposition outlet Iran International. Mojtaba is not a high-ranking cleric, has never held office and does not have an official role in the regime. But he served in the Iranian armed forces during the Iran-Iraq war and is believed to wield considerable influence behind the scenes. He has been touted as a possible successor to his father for years. However, he was not included in a list of three senior clerics Ali Khamenei reportedly identified last year. And his father is said to have indicated opposition to his candidacy because it would resemble the hereditary rule enacted by the US-backed Shah monarchy before it was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Father-to-son succession is also viewed negatively in the Shiite Muslim clerical establishment in Iran. But much of Iran's top brass has been decimated in the latest conflict and Mojtaba has close ties with the powerful IRGC and the Basij volunteer paramilitary force. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba (pictured with his father), is not a high-ranking cleric and has no official role in the regime Your browser does not support iframes. Despite being sanctioned by the US in 2019, Mojtaba is said to oversee an investment empire of over 100million, with access to luxury properties in north London and bank accounts in the UK, Switzerland, UAE and Liechtenstein. Mojtaba is said to own 11 properties on The Bishops Avenue - an exclusive street in Hampstead, north London, also known as 'Billionaires' Row'. The Ayatollah's second son owns the properties through a network of shell companies, one of which is registered in the tax haven of the Isle of Man. Under Iran's Islamic guardianship system, the Supreme Leader must be a senior leader with significant political authority. While Mojtaba has not held senior political roles, he studied under religious conservatives in Islamic seminaries in the Shiite holy city Qom. Born in 1969 in the holy city of Mashhad, he grew up as his father was helping to lead the opposition to the Shah. His wife Zahra Adel and his mother, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, are among the dead from Saturday's strikes. In recent years, a favorite to succeed the 86-year-old Supreme Leader had been the hardline President Ebrahim Raisi, but he was killed in a helicopter crash in May 2024. The regime's 88-person assembly is tasked with appointing, supervising and potentially dismissing the supreme leader. It met on Tuesday in Qom to find a successor to Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday by joint US-Israeli strikes. Israeli and US strikes flattened the building where the assembly met. There was no information on any potential casualties. Separate air strikes also hit Ferdowsi Square in central Tehran this afternoon with images showing injured people staggering through rubble. The latest bombing campaign comes after Donald Trump told Iran's surviving leaders it's 'too late' to talk. Mojtaba, 56, Ali Khamenei's second oldest son, has strong links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Khamenei, who presided over a brutal regime which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women and funded terror organisations, was killed on Saturday morning Trump warned the 'hardest hits' are yet to come as the fighting entered its fourth day and promised to retaliate after the US embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked by drones. The US President also claimed the initial wave of strikes wiped out Washington's preferred successors to Khamenei. He said the White House had shortlisted several preferred successors - but insisted the military campaign was 'so successful' it eliminated not only the primary options but also the 'second or third' choices. 'The attack was so successful it knocked out most of the candidates,' Mr Trump told ABC News. Among the dead are one of the regime's top advisers Ali Shamkhani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard General Mohammad Pakpour and hardline former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In a separate interview with the New York Times, Mr Trump said he had 'three very good choices' for the next potential leader for Iran, but did not reveal who these were. On Monday night Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told state TV that the killing of the supreme leader was a 'religious crime' that will have serious consequences. Iran has continued to rock the Middle East with an a series of attacks across the region. On Tuesday the US Consulate building in Dubai was struck by a drone. Separate air strikes also hit Ferdowsi Square in central Tehran this afternoon with images showing injured people staggering through rubble Israeli and US strikes flattened the building where the assembly met. There was no information on any potential casualties Smoke billowing into the sky above Khamenei's compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran Israel struck and destroyed the Ayatollah's compound (pictured) in an early morning raid Videos posted to social media on Tuesday evening showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building, which local authorities revealed was hit by a missile. No one was injured in the strike, the Dubai Media office said, and the fire was extinguished. A statement read: 'The competent authorities in Dubai succeeded in extinguishing a limited fire in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai resulting from a drone targeting operation, and the incident did not result in any injuries.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the drone is understood to have struck a car park adjacent to the consulate building, which is situated close to Dubai's British embassy. Iran has blown up a CIA station at the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia as the agency works to arm militants for an uprising against the Islamic regime. A suspected Iranian drone struck the CIA station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, on Monday, just two days after the spy agency pinpointed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's location in the strike that killed him. An internal State Department alert revealed that Tehran's attack 'collapsed' part of the station's roof and 'contaminated' the compound with smoke, according to the Washington Post. The station also sustained 'structural damage' while personnel were advised to 'shelter in place.' The US and Saudi governments confirmed that two drones hit the US embassy complex, but did not disclose that the CIA station was impacted, the Post said. There was no indication that CIA personnel were wounded. It came as Iran continued to furiously attack Israel, the US and its allies in Middle East in retaliation for strikes which killed Khamenei. The US Consulate in Dubai was rocked by a drone strike on Tuesday as a huge explosion lit up the sky. Videos posted to social media on Tuesday evening showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building, which local authorities revealed was hit by a missile A primitive Shahed drone evaded high-tech defences over the United Arab Emirates and struck a car park adjacent to the consulate The attack in Dubai caused a fire at the US consulate The US Consulate building in Dubai was up in flames after reportedly being struck by an Iranian drone The US embassy headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is photographed Tuesday after it was hit by suspected Iranian drone strikes. The Washington Post reported that the CIA station located at the embassy was blown up President Donald Trump ordered the launch of 'Operation Epic Fury' starting on Saturday, which has now led to the death of six American troops An undated photo of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh. The Washington Post uncovered that a CIA station located at the embassy complex sustained some damage from two suspected Iranian drones on Tuesday A primitive Shahed drone evaded high-tech defences over the United Arab Emirates and struck a car park adjacent to the consulate, which had been evacuated in advance. Two Iranian ballistic missiles also struck Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. No casualties were reported. The effectiveness of the Iranian response to US-Israel bombardment, which began on Saturday with the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has caught the White House off guard. Mr Trump has admitted in interviews that the US was not expecting Tehran to lash out against its Gulf neighbours who are not participating in the campaign but who house US bases. The CIA has long been viewed by the Islamic regime as its arch-enemy, in part because of the agency's history of covert efforts aimed at undermining its leadership. The American spy agency and the United Kingdom's MI6 set in motion the 1953 Iranian coup d'etat, which led to the overthrow of Iran's democratically elected leader. Tehran's attack also comes as the spy agency works to arm Kurdish militants inside the country in an effort to foment an uprising following the ayatollah's death. The Daily Mail has contacted the CIA for comment. Top White House officials have been in active discussions with Kurdish leaders in Iraq about providing them with military support to strike the regime. Iranian Kurdish militants have thousands of soldiers along the Iraq-Iran border with major support in Northern Iraq's Kurdistan region. Join the debate Should the US and its allies risk wider war by arming rebels to topple Irans regime? Smoke rises from an Israeli strike in Beirut on Tuesday Smoke plumes billow following Israeli bombardment on Beirut's southern suburbs Iran's capital of Tehran has been ravaged by US-Israeli airstrikes since Saturday Iran retaliated to the US and Israeli strikes with a barrage of missiles at neighboring nations - some of which broke through air defense systems (seen in Dubai) Trump's war has now spiraled across the Middle East, with Israeli cities and several Gulf allies coming under Iranian drone and missile attacks An on-ground rebellion could begin in the coming days. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, this semi-autonomous region has served as a haven for local Kurdish groups that pose a military threat to Iran's regime. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has targeted these groups with dozens of drone strikes since the start of the war on Saturday. President Donald Trump on Tuesday reportedly spoke with the president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, one of the major Kurdish opposition groups targeted by Tehran's military. The Sunni Muslim group has engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Iranian military and the IRGC. 'Operation Epic Fury' wiped out much of Iran's top leadership over the weekend as part of a joint USIsraeli military campaign aimed at crippling the regime after Trump's diplomatic talks collapsed last week. Despite the death of the ayatollah, the Islamic government appears to remain in control of the country. The CIA's reported efforts to arm Kurdish militants could pose one of the most existential threats to the regime. Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader on Tuesday evening. Mojtaba, 56, Ali Khamenei's second oldest son, has strong links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and was chosen by Iran's Assembly of Experts 'under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards', according to Iranian opposition outlet Iran International. Mojtaba is not a high-ranking cleric, has never held office and does not have an official role in the regime. But he served in the Iranian armed forces during the Iran-Iraq war and is believed to wield considerable influence behind the scenes. He has been touted as a possible successor to his father for years. However, he was not included in a list of three senior clerics Ali Khamenei reportedly identified last year. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa were also killed The Pentagon has identified four soldiers killed in a drone strike in Kuwait as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida (left) and Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota And his father is said to have indicated opposition to his candidacy because it would resemble the hereditary rule enacted by the US-backed Shah monarchy before it was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Father-to-son succession is also viewed negatively in the Shiite Muslim clerical establishment in Iran. But much of Iran's top brass has been decimated in the latest conflict and Mojtaba has close ties with the powerful IRGC and the Basij volunteer paramilitary force. Trump's war has now spiralled across the Middle East, with Israeli cities and several Gulf allies coming under Iranian drone and missile attacks. The US has responded with a wave of airstrikes aimed at crippling Iran's military bases and remaining leadership. American embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE have been struck by drones. The State Department has ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel in response. A total of six American troops are dead following the launch of 'Operation Epic Fury, ' while nearly two dozen remain hospitalized from injuries. The Pentagon released the names of four of the six service members, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait. They were Capt Cody Khork, 35, Sgt Noah Tietjens, 42, Sgt Nicole Amor, 39, and Sgt Declan Coady, 20. All four were killed when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait on Sunday - just one day after the US and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retaliatory strikes. Israel also launched a fresh 'broad wave of strikes' against Iran on Tuesday evening. After five days of conflict, the US and Israel have struck 1,700 targets inside the country, including missile sites, government buildings, the Iranian state broadcaster, air-defence systems, radar stations and nuclear facilities. Hospitals, schools and residential buildings were also hit in what was described by those on the ground as an apocalypse. In its daily update on Tuesday, the humanitarian Iranian Red Crescent Society reported 787 dead across 153 cities. The IDF also continued to trade blows with Hezbollah. Iranian-backed Hezbollah, who began firing missiles at Israel in response to the ayatollah's death, targeted Haifa's navy base. Israel hit back and loud explosions were heard across Beirut. Smoke and flames rise from vehicles after shrapnel from an Iranian missile strike fell on a parking lot, in Ramat Gan, Israel It also launched a major ground offensive into southern Lebanon, from where it is understood Iranian-backed terrorists launched a Shahed drone that struck RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus. Israel said it had deployed troops deeper into southern Lebanon, beyond positions it occupied at the time of the 2024 ceasefire between its government and Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had authorised the army to advance in order to prevent the possibility of direct fire on Israeli communities. Last night, the Israeli military said Hezbollah had made a grave mistake joining attacks against Israel by its sponsor Iran. Israel insisted its invasion of Lebanon was strictly for defensive purposes. On Tuesday night, the country was not expected to mount a full invasion of its neighbour, as it did for two months in 2024. Residents in Israel were warned of cluster bombs being sent in their direction by Iran. After Iranian attacks on US assets and diplomatic buildings within Saudi Arabia, there were reports that the Kingdom is considering joining the US-Israeli offensive. The US Embassy in Lebanon announced it was closing until further notice. Iran also attacked a port in Oman where the UK has a Joint Logistics Support Base and the Fujairah oil terminal in the UAE. The US consulate in Erbil, northern Iraq was targeted. The US is planning an emergency evacuation of thousands of its citizens from the Middle East, having previously stated it would be for those individuals to ensure their own security. The economic effects are already being felt with share prices plunging and oil prices rising. The Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route which is used to transport around 20 per cent of the world's oil, was forced shut by Iran, who threatened to 'set fire' to passing ships. But Trump said the US would provide a military escort to ships 'if necessary... as soon as possible'. He added: 'No matter what, the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world. The US President issued his fresh blast at Sir Keir Starmer while sitting in front of a Churchill bust in the Oval Office On Tuesday, Trump also warned those who make up Irans depleted leadership that it was too late to talk. And US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: Im not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now. He later added: Iran is run by lunatics, religious fanatic lunatics. They have an ambition to have nuclear weapons, and they intend to develop those nuclear weapons behind a programme of missiles and drones and terrorism so that the world will not be able to touch them for fear of those things. This is the weakest theyve ever been. Now is the time to go after them. The President made the decision to go after them. Trump also lashed out at British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, saying 'This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.' In comments that plunged the so-called 'special relationship' into an unprecedented crisis, Mr Trump declared that he was 'not happy' with Sir Keir and accused him of being 'very, very uncooperative'. Speaking in the White House, the US President hit out again at Sir Keir's initial decision to block the US using British bases to launch attacks on Tehran. He also declared the US would cut all ties with Spain after it banned the US from using its shared airbases to launch attacks. Australians are being urged to wait for airlines to issue them tickets before arriving at airports in the Middle East, as a flight is scheduled to depart for Sydney. Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the flight might leave Dubai this morning, but warned the situation remained 'perilous' and it could be cancelled. 'This is a consular crisis that dwarfs ... any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people,' she told ABC radio on Wednesday. There are about 24,000 Australians stranded in the United Arab Emirates, Senator Wong said. People are advised to stay in contact with their airlines as things are rapidly changing. While some limited flights are resuming out of the UAE, services are largely grounded, leaving tens of thousands of Australians trapped for weeks. Emirates 414 took off from Dubai for Sydney on Wednesday about 9am AEDT. It marks the first commercial plane to leave the region for Australia since the conflict erupted over the weekend. Penny Wong warned a flight departing Dubai for Sydney on Wednesday could be cancelled. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS) Emirates 414 took off from Dubai for Sydney on Wednesday about 9am AEDT, marking the first commercial plane to leave the region for Australia since the conflict erupted over the weekend Asked if people could fly out of the Middle East via Saudi Arabia or Oman, the foreign minister said while all options were being considered, the conflict had spread to the broader region. Senator Wong maintained commercial flights remained the best way to get large numbers of people out of the region. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last night spoke with the president of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayad el Nahyan. Albanese thanked him for the hospitality shown to Australians stuck there and discussed restarting commercial flights. The prime minister also spoke with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon about the consular issues arising from the war. United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter Terrorism Ben Saul said it was 'crystal clear' the US-Israeli strikes were an illegal, armed aggression against Iran. 'Every death in Iran is a violation of the human right to life as well under international human rights law,' he told AAP. 'These aren't acts in self-defence because Iran has not attacked either country and is not about to imminently attack them and the security council hasn't given any authorisation.' People are advised to stay in contact with their airlines as things are rapidly changing Professor Saul accused the federal government of 'trashing' rules of world order while dodging questions around the legality of the attacks. Australia was one of the first countries to back the strikes by US and Israeli forces on Iran at the weekend. Tehran has retaliated with a barrage of drones and missiles aimed at neighbouring states targeting oil and natural gas infrastructure. About 115,000 Australians are believed to be stranded in the Middle East as the conflict continues to disrupt air travel. Australia's embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran to shelter in place, while an Australian defence base in the United Arab Emirates was hit in an Iranian attack. Opposition industry spokesman Andrew Hastie, an Afghanistan veteran, said US President Donald Trump's four to five-week timeline for action in Iran was optimistic. 'I think the rules-based global order is dead and buried and so these sorts of legal arguments are nice, but we live in the world of reality,' he told Sky News. The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members who have been killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait. All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait on Sunday - just one day after the US and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retaliatory strikes. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa. Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa. The remains of two others have also been located, though their identifications have not yet been released. A source familiar with the tragedy told CNN that the makeshift command center was struck by a direct hit at the center of the building, which they described as a triple-wide trailer with office space inside, just after 9am local time. The attack came very quickly, with no warning or sirens to alert troops to evacuate or get into a bunker, the source added. Hours after the attack, the source said, fire was still smoldering in some parts of the building, with the walls blown outwards from the blast. The Pentagon has identified four soldiers killed in a drone strike in Kuwait as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida (left) and Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa were also killed All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. Smoke is seen rising from an area surrounding the US Embassy following a strike in Kuwait on Monday The command center had concrete barriers surrounding it, which is typical for military structures overseas, but nothing that could shield it from drones or missiles, the source said. Three officials also told CBS News that prior to the attack, there had been discussion on the ground about whether the tactical operations center in question should not have been used as it concentrated too many people in a location that was not easily defended. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, however, said on Monday that the strike hit a 'tactical operation center that was fortified.' He then claimed that there was just 'one' projectile that made it through the air defenses. The strike on the facility now remains under investigation. In the meantime, President Donald Trump has vowed to 'avenge' the fallen soldiers, as he warned that others may die as the operation continues. 'America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against basically, civilization,' he said from Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, hours after the blast. Trump then called the three service members 'true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.' Join the debate How should America respond to attacks on its soldiers overseas to truly honor their sacrifice? A friend took to social media to remember Khork as someone who was always there for him and others even 'when he had nothing to his name and never complained about it' Motorists are seen driving along a street as smoke rose from a reported Iranian strike in an area near where the US Embassy is located in Kuwait City Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine also killed the service members killed in 'Operation Epic Fury' as 'the best that our nation has to offer' and 'true examples of what selfless service means.' 'Our deepest and heartfelt condolences are with the families, their friend and their units,' he said. 'We grieve with you and we will never forget you.' The soldiers' friends have since started to share their own memories of their loved ones, with a friend of Captain Khork's taking to Facebook to share how he had been there for him 'for over 16 years of my life and been part of every major life event I've had. 'He has shaped me into the person that I am today,' the friend wrote, adding that Khork 'knows more about me than anyone else and he was the first person to answer my call, even when I called in the middle of the night. 'He's helped me get through the hardest and lowest parts of my life and been there to celebrate the best. 'I've watched him support others and myself through the years when he had nothing to his name and never complained about it. That's just the type of person he was,' the friend continued. 'He went out doing what he loved, defending our freedom. RIP brother, Valhalla is waiting for you. We will see each other again.' Locals in Minnesota have organized a meal train to help Amor's husband and two children In Nebraska, Governor Jim Pillen ordered flags to fly at half-staff to honor Tietjens (pictured) A friend of Amor's also said she 'was a special person, a hell of a troop and an amazing mom. 'I'm at a loss for words,' the friend wrote. 'The world is a darker place without her in it.' Amor had enlisted in the National Guard as a 92 (Automated Logistics Specialist) in 2005, transferred to the Army Reserve in 2006 and had previously been deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. She has earned a number of awards and decorations for her service, including the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 'M' Device. Locals in Minnesota have now organized a meal train to help out her husband, Joey, and their two children, Adeline and Owen. Meanwhile in Nebraska, Governor Jim Pillen ordered flags to fly at half-staff to honor Tietjens, saying he and the First Lady of the state were deeply saddened to learn of his death. 'We are holding the Tietjens family close in our hearts during this unbelievably difficult time and will keep them in our prayers,' the governor said in a statement. 'Noah stepped up to serve and defend the American people from foreign enemies around the world a sacrifice we must never forget. Please join us in praying for the Tietjens and for all members of the United States military who stand in harms way to protect our freedom.' A squatter who allegedly refuses to leave her dead boss's Manhattan mansion is a serial freeloader who has tormented at least one other family, the Daily Mail can reveal. Hilarie Page, 66, is allegedly holed up inside the $13.2 million Upper East Side townhouse where she worked as a live-in maid for late mattress entrepreneur Craig Schmeizer. The entity that owns the building has sued Page, alleging she has refused to vacate the five-bedroom property and is blocking estate representatives from entering. It has also emerged that she was arrested for assault stemming from an incident involving Schemeizer - weeks before he died from blunt force trauma. Police say the case is closed and there was nothing criminal about his death. Now, a former benefactor of Page has shared his own nightmare experience having Page as his houseguest. In 2017, Terry Niefield said he reluctantly let Page crash on the couch of his one-bedroom, open-plan loft apartment in Chelsea. The now-83-year-old photographer said he initially took pity on Page - a childhood friend of his then-girlfriend - after she was evicted from her home in Murray Hill. The situation was meant to be temporary, but court documents show she refused to leave for more than two years. Soon, Page was joining Niefield and his girlfriend for dates and dinner, which put strain on their relationship. Schmeizer had been living in the property alone since becoming estranged from his wife Sarah Shalev and their two children Hilarie Page, 66, is allegedly holed up inside this $13.2 million Manhattan townhouse on the Upper East Side 'Liz would say let's invite Hilarie - not because we liked her so much but we knew she needed to eat.' He claims Page never paid rent or offered to chip in for groceries or meals. Niefield said Page had no job and spent her days sprawled on his couch playing on her phone, which 'drove him crazy.' He called her a 'parasite' and claimed she had a 'nasty' streak. 'You can see the pattern,' he said. 'She can charm her way into something but it winds up ending in bad circumstances.' He revealed one time he and Liz were on a date at a high-end restaurant with Hilarie when she screamed at the waiter for not filling her wine glass fast enough. Another time at an outdoor cafe, he said she erupted at a nearby couple who were smoking. 'Next to us were these Europeans. A nice couple. They were smoking and the smoke was coming our way. I asked them nicely can you please lower your cigarette. They were very nice. Hilarie went after them and screamed out, "You Euro Trash!" 'You get an idea of her personality. She just has it in her to offend.' He recalls another incident when, in a rage, she hurled a hot cup of coffee at him. It missed - but shattered a glass cabinet in his apartment. Niefield said: 'I'll always remember this. I got on my hands and knees to clean up the mess and then afterwards went to the hardware store. 'When I returned there was not a word, no, "I'm sorry it happened." Nothing. It is not in her to see that this was her problem. She's a super narcissist.' Page is being sued by the entity that owns the building after allegedly blocking estate reps from entering Schmeizer and Shalev are pictured together in 2014 When tensions flared, an entitled Page would let herself into his photography studio and sleep there instead, Niefield said. The nightmare ended only after Niefield took her to housing court and spent thousands in lawyer fees. In early 2020, she was forced out. Court documents seen by the Daily Mail show Page began living with Niefield in late 2017, who 'initially told her that she could not stay with me and that I did not want a roommate, but eventually agreed to let her stay because she had no other place to stay.' The affidavit added: 'I live in a one-bedroom apartment which is a former loft. The space is completely open, except for my bedroom, which is created by a room divider. 'Ms Page has been staying on the couch in my living room, and as a result, I am prevented from using the majority of my home freely... I have not been able to have any guests over because the living room is her bedroom. I have had to reschedule visits from family and friends, including my daughter.' Public records show Page listed as a tenant at multiple high-end addresses across Manhattan going back to the late 1980s, including a townhouse on Central Park West. In late 2024, she was hired as a live-in housekeeper by Schmeizer, the founder of Nectar Sleep, to manage his four-story limestone townhouse at 111 East 81st Street. Schmeizer had been living in the property alone since becoming estranged from his wife Sarah Shalev and their two children. One local told the Daily Mail they assumed the pair were a couple and claimed that police were called to the block several times. Another said they had a tumultuous relationship, often hearing screaming and yelling from the building. When shown a picture of Page, a local worker told the Daily Mail: 'She's the crazy one that yells. She is not normal, she walks around screaming and cursing, "You terrorist. You immigrant."' In late 2024, she was hired as a live-in housekeeper by Craig Schmeizer (pictured) to manage his four-story limestone townhouse at 111 East 81st Street An employee at a neighborhood liquor store suggested Page and Schmeizer liked to party. 'They'd call for delivery. They'd order wine or vodka,' they said. In November, Schmeizer, 52, was found dead at the property from blunt force trauma. An autopsy ruled the cause of death 'subdural hemorrhage due to blunt force trauma of head,' with chronic alcohol use as a contributing factor. The manner of death was deemed 'undetermined.' Just weeks earlier, in September, Page was arrested on assault and harassment-related charges stemming from an incident at the townhouse that left Schmeizer injured, according to the New York Post. A photo obtained by the Post showed blood dripping from around his left ear onto his white shirt. The charges were dropped, however, and the NYPD told the Daily Mail: 'The investigation regarding his death is closed. There was no criminality.' Niefield said the arrest did not surprise him and that Page had anger issues. While he was never afraid of her, his girlfriend did fear for his safety while Page was living with him, he said. 'I always slept very well. Never ever afraid even though my girlfriend was worried but I told her I was fine.' Page also left her apartment in Murray Hill (pictured) under mysterious circumstances Terry Niefield, 83, said he invited Page to crash on the couch of his one-bedroom Chelsea apartment and she refused to leave for two years While some members of Schmeizer's family are demanding police reopen the investigation, his brother Jesse told the Daily Mail he remembered Page as a caring woman who looked after his sibling until his finals days. According to a complaint filed by the building entity - whose members are two family trusts - estate representatives arrived at the townhouse after his death but were unable to gain access. Locks had allegedly been changed and when a locksmith was called and regained entry, Page allegedly ran to the door screaming and blocked them again. When the Daily Mail visited the home this week over the course of two days there appeared to be no activity at different times throughout the day. The curtains were drawn and a single light from a floor lamp could be seen peeking through the large casement windows on the second floor. The Daily Mail rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and at one point left a note in a mail slot attached to the front door. No child expects to bury a parent so soon. But for Hope Yates-MacDonald, the painful loss of her mother has meant diving into murky Florida waters in search of her missing remains. The Kentucky resident, 32, has spent more than $15,000, and even taught herself to scuba dive, in a heartbreaking quest to recover her murdered mom's bones. Jamie Lin Donovan MacDonald, 62, was found dead in a drainage ditch near her home in Homosassa, Florida on June 14, 2024, six weeks after she was reported missing. But not all of her body was found. Now Hope has made it her mission to bring her mother fully home. 'The last year and a half of my life has revolved around recovering my mom,' the radiology student from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, told the Daily Mail. 'I've learned underwater recovery, worked with forensic experts - everything. Hope Yates-MacDonald has trained in underwater recovery techniques and has even enlisted the help of a rescue otter named Splash to detect bones in the murky Florida creek Jamie Lin Donovan MacDonald, 62, was found dead six weeks after she was reported missing in May 2024 'Right now, I'm still looking for her. I'm still busy. Once I find the rest of her, I think I'll be able to accept that she's gone.' Jamie, a beloved foster carer had struggled with prescription drug dependency after suffering a serious back injury in a car accident six years earlier. Her daughter believes that vulnerability led her into dangerous company. 'She hurt her back real bad, so the doctor prescribed her an unnecessary amount of pain medicine,' Hope said. 'I don't want that to be a memory of my mom, her addiction, but it kind of just spiraled for her and led her to mixing up with the wrong people.' Two people - Luequita Sclesky, 32, and her husband, 38-year-old Duane David Sclesky - have been charged with her murder, as well as the killing of 68-year-old Kenneth Zickendrath. Detectives allege the couple then used stolen personal information to access the victims' bank accounts. The two were arrested and charged with two first-degree murder, with Luequita facing 75 counts of misuse of personal identification of a deceased person, fraudulent use of a credit card and unlawful use of two-way communication device. Duane was also charged with trafficking in fentanyl and possession of paraphernalia/various narcotics. Hope has spent more than $15,000 searching for her mother's missing bones after she was murdered and dumped in a drainage ditch in Florida Luequita Sclesky, 32, and Duane David Sclesky, 38, have been charged with Jamie's murder - as well as the death of a second person - and are awaiting trial The Scleskys are accused of stealing personal information to access the victims' bank accounts Both are awaiting trial but a date is yet to be set. Jamie was reported missing to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office on May 12 after her family hadn't heard from her and became concerned. 'There wasn't a day without contact, so when we couldn't get hold of her, we immediately knew something was wrong,' Hope said. Police arrested the Scleskys on June 14, 2024 after investigations led them to find two bodies - one belonging to Jamie. For Hope, the arrests brought mixed emotions. 'It was a relief that she wasn't missing anymore, but then I learned how violently she had been killed,' she said. 'They thought my mom wouldn't have anyone looking for her. They didn't realize we would never stop.' When she visited the site where her mom's body was found to leave flowers, she made a shocking discovery. The 32-year-old radiology student taught herself scuba diving to continue the search and has shared footage of her dives 'I saw bones at the bottom, in the middle of the water. I accidentally discovered the first missing bone of my mother's - we didn't even know she was missing them.' Medical teams returned to the scene, but Hope says she struggled to get clear answers about whether all of her mom's remains had been recovered. 'I even called an attorney,' she said. 'There were rumors of more victims and so I needed to know - were these my mom's bones? They confirmed they were.' Jamie had been decomposed from the wrists down, and some bones had been lost in the moving water. 'I couldn't leave her there, I didn't want to lose parts of her in that drainage ditch,' Hope said. When authorities said they could not allocate further resources to recovery, Hope took matters into her own hands. She began learning underwater recovery techniques. She took up scuba diving and trained herself in search methods suitable for low-visibility water. 'When you step into that creek, you lose vision immediately. I've used stretchers, floats - I've even searched with my hands,' Hope explained. Jamie's body were discovered in this drainage ditch near her home in Homosassa, Florida on June 14, 2024 Hope has turned to every available resource in her mission to find all of her mother's remains She has worked with dogs trained to locate human remains and even befriended a rescue otter named Splash - trained to detect bones underwater. Since June, Hope has recovered 15 bones. She believes 10 to 12 are still missing, including finger bones (phalanges), wrist bones (carpals), and a metacarpal. Hope reached out to forensic anthropologists across the world, including in the UK, to determine exactly which bones were still unaccounted for. 'I gathered everything we had, and they helped identify what was missing,' she said. 'The most recent bones were found in October with the help from non-profit organizations.' The search, however, has come at a great personal cost. In order to fund her recovery effort, Hope has sold her home and moved into an apartment. So far, she has spent at least $10,000 to $15,000 - a figure she expects to climb. She created a GoFundMe page to support the recovery efforts but has not widely promoted it. Foster carer Jamie, pictured with a young Hope, is remembered by her daughter as 'gentle and kind' Hope's visit to the site where her mother was found was when she first spotted bones in the water She has also started specialized trauma therapy to cope with her grief. 'The grief hits at different speeds. It's crippling and overwhelming,' she said. 'My birthday was recently and there was only one person I wanted to speak to. My mom.' 'I can't leave her abandoned.' Hope believes finding every remaining bone will allow her to fully grieve. She is also preparing to face her mom's accused killers in court. 'I want them to know who she was. She was the sun, and that's what they took.' Hope added: 'She was gentle and kind. When I think of my mom, I think of empathy. She cared for everything - people, animals, even bugs. She was the sun. 'If I could tell them something, I would tell them this - you took something that is not replaceable. What you did will not go unnoticed, and I will not stop until I bring my mom home.' The fear of a nuclear apocalypse has reached levels not seen in decades as the US and Israel launch a deadly new conflict with Iran, raising alarms across capitals and prompting emergency diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider war. For Americans, the pressing question may soon shift from geopolitics to personal preparedness, including where the nearest fallout shelter is located and how to protect themselves if tensions escalate further. There is currently no public list of active shelters available for everyday Americans, since most are defunct or privately owned. But survival expert and Air Force veteran Sean Gold has built his own fallout shelter map, revealing that the vast majority of these radiation bunkers are scattered throughout America's largest cities. The map can be found on his survival guide website, TruePrepper. Gold's map includes dozens (and possibly hundreds) of basement shelters in cities such as Boston, Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, New York, Oklahoma City, Sacramento and Washington, DC. He told the Daily Mail that each state has a link to its own map, sending users to a Google Maps page where radioactive symbols mark the locations of every shelter Gold has been able to verify still exists as of August 2025. Clicking on each symbol reveals the shelter's address and any notes he was able to find about the location, including what the bomb shelter signs look like or the current condition of the bunker. He said the canned food and medical supplies that were originally put in these bunkers decades ago are likely not there anymore, making it harder for people in 2026 to survive without bringing their own food and water. However, Gold said they should still provide the most important factor for making an ideal bomb shelter - layers of protection against radioactive fallout. Your browser does not support iframes. US and Israeli forces destroyed the headquarters of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in an attack that is believed to have killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday Fallout is radioactive dust and particles that fall from the sky and are carried by the wind after a nuclear explosion. They are invisible to the naked eye and land on the ground, people, buildings, food and water. According to the CDC, all of these particles give off harmful energy called radiation that can make people sick if they are exposed to it. High doses can start to cause nausea and vomiting within hours before killing those infected days later. Even lower doses of radiation exposure can lead to health problems, including cancer and birth defects if those infected have children later on. These issues may not result in immediate symptoms and could even take years or decades to emerge. 'I do assume that they still provide adequate fallout radiation shielding, as they did over half a century ago when they were designated. They were typically thick, sturdy, concrete buildings with basements,' Gold explained. Since the 1950s, the US government has said that thick walls and a roof made of concrete or steel are necessary to block out the radiation produced by a nuclear explosion. Several yards of dirt can also keep out harmful particles. 'Modern buildings can provide radiation shielding as well,' the survival expert continued. 'The center basements of thick, concrete buildings are ideal.' Gold noted that fallout shelters also need good ventilation with proper filters to trap radioactive particles in the air. Those inside will need enough food and clean water to last for weeks or months, an area for waste disposal so you don't contaminate clean supplies and a comfortable place to sit or sleep. The fear of a nuclear apocalypse has returned as officials in the US, Israel, Iran and Russia have all warned that the conflict in the Middle East could bring about an 'all-out war' A good fallout shelter should be in an area that isn't likely to take a direct hit from a nuclear bomb, and it should also be within a short distance of the people planning to use it. However, Gold noted that there's no guarantee you'll be home when disaster strikes. 'If I'm out and about, 30 minutes from home, and get that dreaded missile alert on my phone, I'm heading to either a nearby fallout shelter or an equivalently-sized concrete building with a basement.' The Air Force veteran added that Americans may only have minutes to grab whatever supplies they can before running for a shelter, which likely will not have any already in it. 'Food, water, an N95 mask, clothes that cover your entire body, and an emergency radio are the best items most people could hope for,' Gold said. 'It makes sense to have most of these supplies in your vehicle for a wide range of emergencies.' The US began building fallout shelters at a rapid pace during the 1950s and '60s. Efforts intensified around 1961 with the National Fallout Shelter Survey, a project to identify public buildings, including schools, libraries and basements, as potential shelters. To this day, residents in large metropolitan areas like New York can still see the fallout shelter symbol (three yellow triangles) on plaques nailed to older structures throughout the city. The signs let the public know the building housed a nuclear fallout shelter, and might have even provided directions on how to get there and how many people could fit inside. A good fallout shelter should be in an area that isn't likely to take a direct hit from a nuclear bomb, and it should also be within a short distance of the people planning to use it Sean Gold, pictured in a gas mask, told the Daily Mail he started his disaster-prepping website TruePrepper in 2016 after the birth of his first child Once prominent, the bunkers were largely forgotten in the '80s as the threat of nuclear war faded and then nuclear weapons testing stopped in the '90s. Many Cold War-era shelters were eventually repurposed for storage, parking or other uses, especially in crowded metropolitan areas. After the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, doomsday preppers began feverishly trying to track down all of these hidden shelters as the threat of global destruction returned. Those fears have only grown since the summer of 2025, as the US more directly entered the conflict between Iran and Israel, with the Trump Administration vowing to 'finish' the war. Unfortunately, actually accessing a fallout shelter in your community may be harder than it sounds. America began building fallout shelters in the 1950s as tensions with Russia reached a critical tipping point. Many families began building their own shelters in basements or backyards Most shelters from that bygone era are either defunct or privately owned - some homeowners built one for themselves in their basements and backyards. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now advises the public to shelter in place instead of looking for an old fallout shelter. FEMA also claimed that maintaining a nationwide shelter network was logistically and financially impossible for the US government. The agency recommended staying indoors for at least 24 to 48 hours, even though it could take much longer for the fallout to completely clear the area. Gold countered these recommendations, saying that Americans should wait up to 72 hours for the radiation to dissipate, and added that it will be vital to listen to emergency radio channels for important updates. As war between the US, Israel and Iran intensifies, some biblical scholars and Christian commentators are warning that ancient prophecies about the end of the world may be unfolding in real time. Following the strikes that killed Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, several faith-based commentators pointed to passages in the New Testament and Hebrew scriptures that they say foreshadow the escalating conflict. According to a quote from Jesus in Matthew 24:6-7 in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible: 'You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.' Another passage cited by commentators points to Ezekiel 38:5, which refers to 'Persia,' widely understood to correspond to modern-day Iran, as part of a prophetic coalition that will rise against Israel in the so-called 'latter days.' 'Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets,' the prophecy reads in part. The new interpretations come as the same podcast, Living Waters, warned that two major biblical verses appeared to be coming true in June last year, with both predicting turmoil in the Middle East. The first of these apocalyptic prophecies revolved around 1 Thessalonians 5:3, written by the Apostle Paul, which warned that, 'While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly.' The second sign involved the nearby country of Syria and the prophet Isaiah, who said, 'Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.' Four End Times verses in the Bible suggest that the war in the Middle East could be the prophesized start of Doomsday (stock image) Civil defense members inspected the damage after a blast rocked the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, Syria, on June 22 last year In the hours after the secret US bombing mission on June 22, President Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other White House officials repeatedly spoke about 'peace' while discussing Operation Midnight Hammer. Meanwhile, America's allies in Israel continued to contend that the bombing of Iran's nuclear labs made the world a 'safer place.' The new strikes in the heart of Iran have drawn similar responses from the US and its allies, calling the decision to attack the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps one that prioritizes the 'safety and security' of American citizens. 'Although the United States desires a quick and enduring peace, not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary,' President Trump wrote in his official notification letter to Congress under the War Powers Resolution. Meanwhile, the capital of Syria has been devastated by the country's civil war and suffered even more hardship during a suicide bomb attack on a Christian church. Biblical scholars from the Living Waters podcast, which has more than 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube, suggested that events in both Iran and Syria, which both occurred on June 22, 2025, paralleled the verses that foretold the end times for humanity striking unexpectedly. The verse in 1 Thessalonians, where Paul discussed the 'day of the Lord,' is a biblical concept referring to a future time of divine judgment and intervention. Paul emphasized its suddenness and unpredictability, urging believers to stay vigilant and faithful. Join the debate Are todays global conflicts fulfilling biblical prophecies? President Trump has warned that the largest wave of attacks on Iran, whose ancient name is Persia in the Bible, has not come yet A biblical verse specifically mentioned the destruction of Damascus, Syria, as a sign of the end of the world. The Syrian capital has been ravaged by civil war since 2012 Many scholars and theologians have believed this verse is directly related to the End Times prophecy. The 'day of the Lord' is a recurring theme in both the Old and New Testaments, often associated with the Second Coming of Christ, final judgment, or apocalyptic events. The mention of sudden destruction amid claims of 'peace and safety' suggests a false sense of security before catastrophic events, which aligns with descriptions of the end times in other scriptures. Following the bombing of Iran's Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites, President Trump said 'NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!' in a Truth Social post last year. The late-night bombing raid drew both praise and condemnation from around the world, with critics fearing the move to join Israel's war against Iran would trigger a full-scale global conflict. Iran's allies, Russia and China, have both warned the US of taking direct action in Iran, warning that the move could drag all three nuclear powers into World War III. Meanwhile, the deadly terror attack in Syria was the latest tragedy to befall the war-torn nation. At least 22 worshippers were killed, and 63 were wounded in the suicide bomb attack at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus. Horrifying footage showed blood splattered over the shattered pews and masonry walls following the blast. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Syria's interior ministry said a member of the Islamic State group, ISIS, was behind it. Damascus has faced severe damage from the Syrian civil war, with some areas experiencing destruction due to fighting, airstrikes and neglect. The civil war began in March 2011, triggered by pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring. These protests, initially nonviolent, demanded reforms and an end to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family had governed Syria since 1971. The regime's violent suppression of protesters, including mass arrests, torture and military sieges, escalated into a full-fledged civil war by 2012 as opposition militias formed to fight back. Mass graves have reportedly been unearthed in Syria, with human remains found in the streets of Damascus as the horrific crimes of Assad's regime have been laid bare in recent months. The Tadamon district within the Syrian capital has been spotted littered with bones after what residents and human rights groups described as years of killings there under the rule of Assad. The Bible warned of a conflict in the Middle East in which Persia, or present-day Iran, above, would attack Israel in the 'latter days' of the world As fighting between Israel and Iran has resumed this month, devastating missile attacks have ravaged both countries, with allies on both sides of the conflict calling for an immediate ceasefire. 'A cry for peace in the world is seen by many as a prophetic sign of the last days,' the Living Waters podcast explained. The biblical scholars added that many around the world may be lulled into a false sense of security by new calls for peace, despite the increase in global instability, wars, and moral decay they see around them. Jerusalem was named alongside Damascus as a city that would face great danger if the end-time prophecies were coming true. 'If a nuclear war broke out and a bomb was dropped on Damascus, that would certainly cause it to cease from being a city, and that would be a major sign that we're in the last days,' the Christian podcast warned. Yesterday, Apple shocked tech fans by quietly announcing its new iPhone 17e smartphone. At 599 ($599 in the US), the 'budget' iPhone 17e costs the same as the previous iPhone 16e, but comes with twice as much storage. However, many Apple fans aren't satisfied with the tech giant's upgrades, with dozens taking to social media to vent their frustrations. 'This is insanity for $600,' one furious fan posted on X (formerly Twitter). Another blasted the new smartphone, writing: 'iPhone 17e?? This s*** looks like the iPhone 5.' While some Apple fans welcomed the upgraded storage and relatively modest price, the lack of design changes has proved to be a source of irritation. In particular, fans were infuriated by the fact that the iPhone 17e still uses a cutout 'notch' to hide the front camera and microphone rather than the new dynamic island. Likewise, keen tech enthusiasts noted that the display on the iPhone 17e still only has a 60Hz refresh rate well below the current standard of 120Hz. At 599 ($599 in the US), the 'budget' iPhone 17e (pictured) costs the same as the previous iPhone 16e, but comes with twice as much storage. But tech fans aren't happy At 599 ($599 in the US), the 'budget' iPhone 17e costs the same as the previous iPhone 16e, but comes with twice as much storage On X, one commenter wrote: 'Oh my gosh. 60HZ and a notch. That's unbelievable.' Another chimed in: 'No Dynamic Island is a joke!' 'Idc that it has a notch but 60hz makes it unusable ewaste in 2026,' one commenter viciously added. Meanwhile, one Apple fan mused: 'I love 17e pink iPhone but why can't they make it come with two cam [camera] at least and remove the notch.' Other tech fans were more frustrated with Apple's claim that the iPhone 17e represents a great value option. Although the new phone is a major upgrade from the iPhone 16e at the same price, some pointed out that it was only 200 ($200 in the US) to upgrade to the significantly more featurepacked iPhone 17. One social media user suggested: 'iPhone 17 great value for $800. iPhone 17e the worst value for $600.' 'Why 17e even exist in the first place? 17 base model ticks all the box. With only 200 dollar different,' another added. In particular, fans were infuriated by the fact that the iPhone 17e still uses a cutout 'notch' to hide the front camera and microphone rather than the new dynamic island One commenter called the budget price 'insanity' for an iPhone with only one front camera and the muchdespised notch Keen tech enthusiasts noted that the display on the iPhone 17e still only has a 60Hz refresh rate, well below the current standard of 120Hz iPhone 17e: Key specs Display: 6.1inch Super Retina XDR Camera: 48MP Fusion Colours: Black, white, and soft pink Price: 599/$599 for 256GB of storage Charging: MagSafe and Qi2 for fast wireless charging Availability: Preorder March 4, with availability starting March 11 Advertisement As another quipped: 'That's robbery.' However, the iPhone 17e hasn't been universally unloved, and many fans have been extremely excited about the release. One excited commenter wrote: 'Wait this is actually perfect, none of that camera button and dynamic island nonsense. Literally the perfect iPhone.' 'I'm loving Apple's trend of making 256GB the base storage,' added another. And one said: 'Wait, 256GB base storage for $599? If that's real, Apple is finally listening. 'The A19 chip in a budget model is actually insane value.' Bucking the trend for elaborate launch events, Apple skipped the fanfare as it unveiled the new iPhone 17e yesterday evening via a post on its newsroom. The biggest selling point is that Apple has upped the base storage from 126GB on the iPhone 16e to 256GB without increasing the price. One of the most exciting new features is support for MagSafe charging, which many fans were disappointed was missing on the iPhone 16e The iPhone 17e also includes the latestgeneration A19 chip, which delivers 'exceptional' speed and performance, according to Apple. One of the most exciting new features is support for MagSafe charging, which many fans were disappointed was missing on the iPhone 16e. This not only enables fast wireless charging up to 15W but also opens the door to a range of new accessories, including chargers, wallets and camera accessories. Although the phone only has one rear camera, Apple claims that its 48MP 'Fusion camera' acts like 'two cameras in one'. The company says that the camera includes 'an opticalquality 2x Telephoto', allowing standard or zoomed photography. 'iPhone 17e combines powerful performance and features our users love at an exceptional value, making it a compelling option for customers looking to upgrade to the iPhone 17 family,' said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vicepresident of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. The iPhone 17e is available in three colours black, white and a new soft pink and in two storage options. Preorders don't begin until this Wednesday, with availability from Wednesday, March 11. They're renowned for being aloof and now it turns out your pet cat really won't lift a paw if you need help. A new study has revealed that while felines are happy to sit and watch you struggle, a dog will attempt to provide some assistance. Researchers from Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary investigated how untrained pet dogs, pet cats and 1624monthold toddlers responded when a familiar person searched for a hidden object. The majority of dogs and children displayed similar behaviour patterns, with more than threequarters either indicating where the object was or retrieving it. Cats, however, were much less likely to provide aid. While they paid attention to the situation, they rarely helped except when the hidden item was their favourite treat or toy, the researchers found. 'This suggests that domestication, sharing our home, and forming close bonds are not sufficient to produce spontaneous, humanlike helping behaviour,' Marta Gacsi, senior author of the study, said. The findings, published in the journal Animal Behaviour, are likely explained by the fact that cats 'domesticated themselves' and were never selectively bred for their cooperation, the scientists explained. Analysis of the data showed that while up to 60 per cent of dogs and nearly half of children approached the objects to indicate where they were hidden, none of the cats did (as shown in figure a) Pictures from the study with examples of (a) showing the hidden object, (b) manipulating the hidden object, (c) orienting at the caregiver and (d) approaching the hidden object The researchers said they chose to compare children, cats and dogs for their study because they share similar environments but differ in their evolutionary backgrounds. While dogs were selectively bred for their ability to cooperate with humans like in herding or hunting cats were never specifically chosen for their ability to be helpful. This was reflected in the results. In their test scenario, the object was hidden in plain view of the child, dog or cat and the caregiver did not ask directly for help. Analysis of the data showed that while up to 60 per cent of dogs and nearly half of children approached the objects to indicate where they were hidden, none of the cats did. 'Cats were significantly less likely to show spontaneous objectrelated behaviours than dogs and children when it did not directly benefit them,' the team wrote. 'The fact that we did not find significant differences in children's and dogs' objectrelated behaviours suggests that, in certain contexts, dogs tend to spontaneously help their human caregivers to a similar degree as 1624monthold children, even in the absence of a direct reward.' However, when the object hidden was a cat's own toy or food, they approached it at a similar rate to dogs and children. 'Cats only engaged when it benefitted themselves,' the researchers said. Depsite the findings, the study does not suggest that cats are 'mean', the researchers said (file image) The findings do not suggest that cats are 'mean' the researchers added. Rather, when there is no relevant reason to get involved, cats may choose to watch instead of act, reflecting their greater independence and lower reliance on humans compared with dogs. A separate study, published last year, found that cats actually pay more attention to men than women. Researchers have discovered that moggies are noticeably noisier when meowing at male owners compared to female ones. This could be because men are generally less attentive and make less of a fuss over their pets, forcing cats to escalate their greetings to be noticed. A Minnesota mother has been convicted of stabbing one of her children to death, setting her house on fire and leaving her second child to suffocate inside while she fled with her third child. On Thursday, a federal jury found Jennifer Marie Stately, 37, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson after a two-and-a-half-week trial. Stately committed the crimes on March 15, 2024, at her home in Red Lake Nation, an Indian reservation about 270 miles north of Minneapolis, according to a press release from the US Attorney's Office. Murderess mother: Jennifer Marie Stately was convicted of murdering two of her children Stately fatally stabbed her oldest son, Remi Stately, six, while her middle child, Tristan Stately, five, died of carbon monoxide poisoning after Stately left him in the home she had set on fire. The mother fled with her three-year-old, who has not been named, before authorities issued an AMBER alert and the pair were spotted by a motorist about 150 miles south of Red Lake in Todd County. According to the press release, Stately had used gasoline and lighter fluid to ignite three separate fires in her house, including at both exits to the home, trapping Tristan inside. After fleeing, she was missing for several hours before the alert was issued, but she was spotted within an hour of the abducted child notification going out. Heartbreaking: Stately fatally stabbed her six-year-old son, Remi Stately, on March 15, 2024, before setting her house on fire and fleeing with her youngest, three-year-old son A large response consisting of officers with the Minnesota State Patrol, the Todd County Sheriffs Department and the Long Prairie Police Department responded to Stately's location and arrested her. Court records reviewed by Law & Crime show that Stately's youngest child was suffering from severe signs of abuse and neglect. The toddler smelled awful because he had not been changed or washed for days. He also had sores on his face that were bleeding or scabbed over, and he had additional scabs all over the soles of his feet that made it impossible for him to stand due to the pain. He also had teeth so rotted that he could not eat properly. Horrifying: Five-year-old Tristan Stately died of carbon monoxide poisoning after his mother lit three fires in their house, including at both exits, trapping him inside Stately was booked into the Todd County Jail while awaiting trial, which began last month, almost two years after she committed the murders. She pleaded not guilty to her charges, which comprised two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of murder in the course of committing child abuse, one count of murder in the course of committing arson and one count of arson. Her lawyers attempted to use an insanity defense, but jurors rejected that argument. Stately's sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, but she is facing capital punishment or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors in Todd County opted to dismiss several state child abuse and neglect charges that the mother was already facing, so she could be tried in federal court. Siblings: Tristan and Remi are pictured together with a couple of Xbox controllers. Their youngest brother, who has not been named, stands just outside the frame. He was suffering from signs of major neglect and abuse when police found him In the press release from the US Attorney's Office, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said: 'We all witnessed the devastating aftermath of Jennifer Statelys horrific and unthinkable actions that night. 'We hope that holding her accountable for her crimes will provide some sense of justice for the family and the entire Red Lake community who are forever impacted by the loss of these two young boys.' In Remi's obituary, he was described as 'a smart, funny, loving little boy who loved to play with his brothers' and who 'loved Jessie from Toy Story and Molly from Bubble Guppies'. Tristan's obituary described him as 'an outgoing, spirited little boy who loved playing with his brothers,' and added: 'He loved anything Sonic and was protector of his brothers, even though he was the middle child.' Forget more traditional techniques of scrimping and saving to pay off debt, one Brit has cleared his by purchasing a house abroad. George Laing, 33, found himself in 10,000 of debt after losing his job, living in London and spending a fortune on rent and bills. At the time, he was coughing up half of his monthly income on living expenses and ended each month in 300 debt from commuting and other costs. Looking for a way out of his tricky situation, George turned to a government-backed scheme which was launched in 2017 that involved Italian homes being sold for as little as 1 (87p). It was created with the aim to help boost local economies and attract new residents to towns and villages with a declining population. George, originally from Camden, made headlines after he purchased his first 1 home in Mussomeli, Sicily back in 2022. George Laing, 33, purchased a house in Italy for just 1 and has managed to clear his 10,000 debt in the process of renovating it He spent 2,000 renovating it, and MyLondon reports the Brit cleared his debt within two years by cutting his living costs abroad and making money from content creating, sharing his property transformation online. George toured prospective properties in Italy with a group of Americans, and revealed how he 'begged' them to allow him to have the chance to buy the last house. He told the publication: 'There were Americans touring with us and he had already snapped up five of the six houses, so I had to beg for him to let me have the last one - and I got it.' Once he had owned the property, George set about transforming it, but on a tight budget. 'I was staying in the home using baby wipes to clean as I had no water or electricity and I had to sneak into restaurants to use the toilet,' he explained. 'I would obviously use a hotel if things got serious, but I always tried to avoid that as it was money I could use to spend on the house.' After 18 months, George had cleared his debt from the money made sharing his journey on social media. He previously revealed to the Daily Mail how his first 1 property 'needed a complete, complete refurb,' including work on the electrics, plumbing, roof, bathroom and kitchen. He removed five van loads of rubbish before the house was clear. 'It's a shell which is going to be turned into a self-contained one-bedroom flat,' George adds. The property is located in Mussomeli, Sicily, and the Londoner shared his journey on social media The antiques trader has since purchased a second property in Italy, which he admitted was in 'slightly better condition' than the first. He said: 'Both have issues with the roof and need a new roof, but it's a little bit smaller. 'But generally, the first one had quite a few major cracks from an earthquake in 1968, the second one had no cracks at all, which is one of the reasons I snapped it up, because the condition was pretty good for being a 1 house.' Despite the range of renovations needed on both abodes, George has taught himself a lot of skills and plans to complete the work - mostly himself - within a tight budget. 'I'm getting pretty good at doing it pretty cheap,' George revealed. The Brit has witnessed other 1 property buyers complete similar renovations for thousands of pounds more. 'I know someone who's done the exact same job as me, and they spent 50 grand,' he adds. George said he has become skilled at making 'a pound go about 100'. He has received a little help along the way in the form of 'free stuff' and 'free materials'. 'A lot of people come here, they do one building, building jobs, and then they've got loads of materials and they just don't want them anymore, and they just give them away,' he shared. Holidaymakers hoping to head away on a dreamy Easter break to the Maldives could see themselves coughing up thousands for a flight there. As several major airports across the Middle East shut down, it seems plane ticket prices are already being impacted. Travellers usually either fly directly to the Maldives or stop over, often at hubs including Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. At the moment, the airport is currently closed with many flights to the region suspended due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Prices for direct flights to Male, Maldives' capital, over Easter appear to have sharply risen recently. Prices for direct flights to Male, Maldives' capital, over Easter appear to have sharply risen recently Google Flight tracking data shows prices for direct routes, not stopping over areas impacted by the ongoing situation in the Middle East, are high The route would mean travellers don't have to worry about possible disruption if they were to stop over in the Middle East. Several direct return tickets from London to Male travelling between April 4 and 11 are now coming to over 2,500. One route on Skyscanner is a whopping 3,258. Google Flight data notes the prices for those dates are 'currently high' and the site shows a sharp increase from a few days ago. 'The least expensive flights for similar trips to Male usually cost between 1,1502,000,' it states. Meanwhile, routes that involve stopovers are thousands of pounds cheaper. Stopping at Barcelona and Zayed International brings the price down to 787 on Skyscanner. Other long-haul destinations are predicted to be impacted by the situation, including routes from the UK to Australia. The flight typically stops over in Middle East airports and Midas Aviation data analyst John Grant told The Telegraph prices for the route could increase by 30 to 40 per cent. It could result in plane tickets to Australia costing at least 1,500, instead of the typical 1,100. Return routes between Sydney and London, travelling March 9 and 23, priced up to be 800 - similar to the usual price, according to the publication. They stopped at spots including Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. But a flight with just one stopover away from the conflict zone comes to a whopping 1,200. The world's busiest international airport, Dubai, is now closed With flights across the Middle East currently mostly cancelled, Dubai Airports yesterday announced it would be resuming a limited number of flights after more than 48 hours of closure. Dubai Airports covers Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC). The hubs are expected to operate a small number of flights and passengers will be notified by their airline if they should travel to the airports. Emirates stated: 'Emirates will begin operating a limited number of flights from the evening of March 2. Priority is being given to passengers with earlier bookings.' Around 100,000 Brits have registered their presence in the region and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the government is looking into 'all options to support our people'. Plans are underway to bring Brits back to the UK and an Etihad Airways flight landed in London yesterday at Heathrow Airport with passengers from Abu Dhabi. The Prime Minister told the Commons yesterday: 'We're asking all British citizens in the region to register their presence so we can provide the best possible support and to monitor the Home Office travel advice, which is being regularly updated.' He added: 'The situation on the ground may remain challenging for some time, so we're sending rapid deployment teams to the region to support our British nationals on the ground. 'And we're in close contact with the travel industry and governments in the region, including with our friends in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), given the concentration of British nationals in that country, and we're looking at all options to support our people. 'We want to ensure that they can return home as swiftly and safely as possible. Travellers heading to the Middle East have been warned of scammers posing as airline support accounts asking for information. Fraudsters are trying to take advantage of the unfolding chaos in the region on social media, preying on the fears of tourists currently stuck in countries across the area. Passengers have been trying to contact airlines on social media - but have been warned those responding to such queries are often from unofficial accounts. Many of these accounts claim to be affiliated with the airlines themselves, and ask travellers for personal details such as names, phone numbers and email addresses. Airlines have shared warnings online, telling travellers to be aware of these fraudulent behaviours. Airlines such as Emirates have warned travellers to be wary of scammers Emirates airline posted a warning on X, saying: 'Be wary of imposter accounts. 'Our only official channels are @emirates and @emiratessupport, and can be identified by their gold verification checkmarks. 'Always double-check before responding. Do not engage with or click on links shared from other accounts.' Meanwhile Qatar Airways posted on the platform: 'Important: We are aware of fraudulent accounts impersonating Qatar Airways and requesting personal information. 'Qatar Airways will never ask for passwords, OTPs, banking details, or other sensitive information via social media or direct messages. Please interact only with our verified official channels: qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways App.' There are plenty of ways to check if you are engaging with a fraudulent account. X has checkmarks in blue, gold or grey to confirm if the account is verified. Alternatively, airlines provide the links to their official social media accounts via their websites, whether that is the official X account or an official support page. Many fraudulent accounts use similar usernames and often appear to be legitimate, so travellers must be careful - especially if an account reaches out to you, rather than you getting in contact yourself. If in any doubt, contact your airline separately yourself via its official website. It comes after many travellers are currently stuck in the Middle East following the wave of violence that erupted over the weekend. Brits travelling to and within the Middle East are facing severe disruption to their holidays. At least 200,000 Brits are estimated to be in the Gulf as air spaces remain closed amid Iran's suicide drone blitz. Flights to many major hubs across the region have been cancelled or suspended. It follows US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, which were met with missile attacks from Iran across the region. The UK Government is planning to evacuate at least 94,000 Brits stuck across the Middle East. A lighthearted social media post from a Florida airport has reignited a long-running debate on what passengers should wear when flying. This week, Tampa International Airport shared a playful social media announcement calling for pyjamas to be 'banned' in its terminals, declaring it had 'seen enough' of passengers wearing bedroom attire on daytime flights. The post, shared to X, read: 'We've seen enough. We've had enough. It's time to ban pajamas at the Tampa International Airport. Pajamas. At. The. Airport. In the middle of the day.' 'This madness stops today! The movement starts now,' the airport added. The airport encouraged followers to have a 'difficult conversation' with loved ones who choose to travel wearing attire that would typically be reserved for the bedroom. It also referenced a previous joke about creating the world's first Crocs-free airport. Tampa International Airport shared a tongue-in-cheek social media post this week calling for pyjamas and Crocs to be 'banned' in its terminals - sparking a fiery debate on X The post , shared to X, read: 'We've seen enough. We've had enough. It's time to ban pajamas at the Tampa International Airport. Pajamas. At. The. Airport. In the middle of the day.' For years, the functional yet clunky shoe has sparked a fierce 'love it or hate it' debate, earning it a reputation as the 'Marmite of footwear' - praised by fans for its unmatched comfort and dismissed by critics as having an 'ugly' appearance. In its post, Tampa Airport quipped: 'After successfully banning Crocs and giving everyone the amazing opportunity to experience the world's first Crocs-free, it's time to take on an even larger crisis.' However, officials at the airport have since clarified there is no actual dress code, with a spokesperson telling The Independent that the post was a 'satirical' suggestion and initially shared as a way to engage with followers. The spokesperson said: 'Tampa International Airport regularly shares lighthearted, satirical social media content as part of our ongoing effort to engage with our followers. '[The] post about "banning" pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates. We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.' Elsewhere, the debate over travel etiquette rages on. Last year, the United States Department of Transportation launched an initiative called 'The Golden Age of Travel Starts With You', encouraging passengers to bring courtesy and class back to flying. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also urged travellers to 'dress up to go to the airport' in a social media post at the time. Meanwhile, Tampa Airport's post drew mixed responses from thousands of X users. While some agreed passengers should 'dress decently', others insisted comfort comes first - especially when flight delays and cancellations occur. A user wrote: 'This is great, I am completely for this. Just dress decently.' Another said: 'Of course [the post] was a joke. However it, it should push people to have discussions w their family members about wearing pajamas in public and at the airport. 'It is embarrassing, and dragging us down as a society. Do people really not care about their appearances at all anymore?' However, one commenter joked, 'When you pay for my plane ticket, Ill stop wearing them', while another quipped, 'Guess well just show up in our ball gowns'. A third added: 'Jokes aside, if we were treated like people and not cargo, people might dress better. We barely have any leg room, get literal peanuts for a snack, and are held in nothing more than cargo areas with terrible chairs. 'The bathrooms smell, and there is always some yellow liquid on the floor, and all the stuff to buy from the shops there is so overpriced, I might as well be buying from a hotel minibar. It's no wonder people do all they can to feel more comfortable.' A fourth noted: 'Of all the things that I hate about airports, people who may be wearing pajamas are so far down the list that they may as well not even be listed at all. WHO CARES!?' Holidaymakers heading to Spain are being urged to stay alert and 'take extra precautions' after a rise in cases of a more infectious mpox strain. As of 18 February 2026, Spanish health authorities confirmed 84 cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, with 36 identified as the highly transmissible MPXV clade Ib strain. Out of the total reported cases, a large number involve men who have sex with men (MSM), according to Travel Health Pro. On 17 February, it wrote: 'A total of 82 cases of mpox clade Ib have been reported in Spain. 62 of these cases have been reported in men who have sex with men (MSM). Take extra precautions.' The Ib strain is thought to spread more easily than the clade II variant responsible for the global outbreak in 2022. Travellers in Spain are being cautioned to 'take extra precaution' after a rise in cases of a more infectious mpox strain - characterised by fever and muscle aches and followed by a rash and painful sores (pictured) Mpox passes through close physical contact with infected skin, blisters or scabs. Symptoms can appear between five and 21 days after exposure and often start with fever, headaches, exhaustion, muscle aches and swollen glands, followed by a rash and painful sores (ulcers) or fluid filled blisters. According to the World Health Organization, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to severe illness. Several African countries have been dealing with clade Ib outbreaks, and imported cases have been recorded elsewhere in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. Although Spain has the highest number of cases in the EU/EEA, a total of 255 cases have been reported across 10 countries so far, as detailed in a report released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). In the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the first clade Ib case on 30 October 2024. By 31 January 2026, 25 cases had been identified, most linked to travel to affected areas. The NHS advises anyone with symptoms - particularly after visiting central or eastern Africa - to call 111. While mpox remains rare, vaccination, good hygiene and avoiding close contact with anyone who may be infected can help limit the spread. Travellers are also advised to steer clear of going near wild or stray animals while abroad, talk to sexual partners about their sexual health and any symptoms they have, and avoid sharing bedding and towels with people who may have mpox. Award-winning theme park Paultons Park has released a 'first look' of its latest themed world, Valgard: Realm of the Vikings. The park, already a hit with children thanks to Peppa Pig World, is set to open up Valgard, appealing to families with older children and teenagers. The Hampshire attraction is known for its 'Disney-like' theming, details, and immersive experiences. The new Viking-themed world, which opens on Saturday, May 16, 2026, features Paultons Park's first inverting rollercoaster and will be the park's largest investment to date at 12 million. Drakon is set to become the park's most thrilling ride with a vertical lift hill and two twists taking riders upside down - not for the faint of heart. Valgard: Realm of the Vikings is set to open in May at Paultons Park Valgard also features a brand-new Vild Swing that swirls riders 12 metres in the air, and Cobra, a famous favourite ride at Paultons Park, will be revamped as Raven - a thrilling bobsled adventure. To complete the Valgard experience, Paultons Park - which sits on 65 acres on the New Forest's edge in Hampshire - has also created a themed Feasting Hall restaurant and new Viking-inspired playground for younger visitors to enjoy. Lawrence Mancey, marketing and technology director at Paultons Park, said: 'Despite weeks of rain and difficult conditions, our team and contractors have made incredible progress on site. 'We designed Valgard to offer an immersive, atmospheric, and action-packed experience for families, and it's amazing to see the vision come together. 'In the last few weeks new pathways have gone in, landscaping has begun, and our Viking statues have been installed. 'Drakon and Vild Swing have begun testing and the Feasting Hall restaurant is looking incredible. 'We are so excited to open the gates in May and see Valgard conquered by our guests. It's great to be able to share the construction journey and anticipation with our fans online too.' The new Viking-themed world is the park's largest investment ever Drakon is set to become the park's standout ride, with visitors taking a sneak peek Thousands of people took to Paultons Park's social media on Saturday to see the early reveal of Drakon's ride vehicles. Guests at the park spotted the carts arriving on Friday afternoon, building excitement to see how the ride will look. On YouTube, fans celebrated the team's attention to detail and investment in theming. @T_coasters commented:, 'This is why Paultons is the best theme park in the UK. It looks amazing', while @halcyondaystunes added: 'Paultons continue to step it up a level. Putting the big parks to shame.' The addition of Valgard: Realm of the Vikings sees the attraction boast a collection of more than 80 rides and attractions across its six themed worlds. Valgard joins Midwestern America themed Tornado Springs, famous for its thrilling Cyclonator ride and free-spinning Storm Chaser coaster, and the park's dinosaur themed world, Lost Kingdom. Paultons Park the home of Peppa Pig World is one of Britain's top attractions, having been named by Tripadvisor as the eighth best-rated amusement park in the world and the fourth best in Europe in 2025. It also took home numerous awards at the 2025 UK Theme Park Awards, including Theme Park of the Year. In addition to an extensive family offering, Paultons Park offers free parking, free entry for children under one metre, and some of the lowest ride queue times in the UK. To book tickets and find out more, visit paultonspark.co.uk. Finding history in Spain is hardly a difficult task - from the old city in Seville to the world's oldest restaurant in Madrid, there's no shortage of ancient sights and cultural monuments to explore. And Villena, located in the northwest part of Alicante, is no exception. It's home to the Treasure of Villena, a collection of more than 60 gold objects that dates back around 3,000 years. Discovered in 1963 by workers near the town, the Bronze Age artefacts are now housed in Villena's Archaeological Museum. And it was recently revealed that parts of the collection are not made from earthly materials. The Treasure of Villena, a Bronze Age collection of artefacts, has been exhibited around Spain Scientists revealed that two pieces of the collection were made from iron that fell from space - while the rest of the collection is made from finely worked gold, according to Ecoticias . A team led by museum conservator Salvador Rovira Llorens made the discovery. It is likely that communities at the time watched the sky closely, observing fallen meteorites, and learned how to turn such materials into objects. The Treasure of Villena contains 66 pieces of various metals made up of bowls, bracelets, bottles and various pieces of gold ornament, three silver bottles, an iron bracelet, another iron piece with gold ornaments and an amber and gold button. In total, it contains 10 kilos of gold, and is considered among the most important prehistoric treasures in Europe. But the Treasure of Villena is not the only thing to see in the town. The historic centre of the city is formed around the castle of Atalaya, a fortress built by the Almohad Empire at the end of the 12th century as a refuge for the Muslim population of Villena. Visitors rave about the monument, with many taking to Tripadvisor to share their views - and highlighting the quality of guided tours. One wrote: 'Magnificent visit to the castle and excellent guided tour.' Another added: 'One of the best castles in the Valencia Country, in constant restoration. It is worth approaching and, if you dare, climbing the Tribute Tower. Dream views.' The castle of Atalaya is the highlight of any visit to Villena in Spain A third wrote: 'Our visit to the castle of Villena watchtower was exceptional, thanks largely to our guide. His deep knowledge of history made every moment very enriching. Without a doubt, having an expert guide allowed us to know details that we did not know.' When descending from the castle, you can explore the Gothic churches, narrow streets and white houses that make up the historic quarter. You could also visit the outskirts of the city to see the Gothic sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de Virtudes, as well as the nature park of Las Salinas. If you're looking for more action, the Moors and Christians Festival could be a vibrant event to attend. Celebrations date back to 1474, and are held in honour of Nuestra Senora de las Virtudes, the patron saint of Villena, who freed the town from the horrors of the plague. As part of the festival, 14 musical groups take part in the festivities, half of whom belong to the Moorish side and the others to the Christian side. There are traditional outfits on display, which are made every year, as well as musicians, grouped into more than 80 bands, accompanying the parades and processions with their music. This year, the festival will take place from September 4 to 9. Billie Piper's Doctor Who future has reportedly been confirmed after she made a shock return to the sci-fi series last year. Despite exiting Ncuti Gatwa's Time Lord regenerating into Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler, she will not be the new Doctor, amid claims the once coveted role was now a 'poisoned chalice'. The BBC programme has been paused for an extended break after ending its big budget partnership with Disney+ and criticism about recent plots involving non-binary aliens, incels and even a pregnant male extra-terrestrial. According to reports bosses are working hard to find a new Doctor due to them being committed to a 2026 Christmas special, but filming is yet to commence. Piper's involvement in the festive episode and the show's long term future remains unclear. A source said: 'From the moment it was confirmed Ncuti was leaving, bosses have subtly been putting feelers out among the industry for an actor who could play The Doctor. Bosses have subtly been putting feelers out among the industry for an actor who could play The Doctor. Despite once being one of the most coveted roles in TV, it's now seen as a bit of a poisoned chalice. Billie Piper's Doctor Who future has reportedly been confirmed after she made a shock return to the sci-fi series last year Before going ton to tell The Sun: Anyone taking on the job will want to know if they're playing it for a one-off festive special or beyond as they'll want to plan their workload over coming years.' Daily Mail have contacted BBC for comment. Disney+ investment in Doctor Who was colossal and the platform is reported to have spent an estimated 100 million on two seasons and specials. Broadcast reported at the time that the budget per episode could have increased from 1 to 3 million to as much as 10 million. Following his exit ,Gatwa said in a sttaement: 'You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. 'This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe. Despite exiting Ncuti Gatwa's Time Lord regenerating into Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler, she will not be the new Doctor, amid claims the once coveted role was now a 'poisoned chalice' 'The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. 'I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. 'I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.' Reacting to the news Piper said: 'It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse.' A small number of social media critics have pointed to the diversity of the cast, a drag queen villain, and introduction of transgender and non-binary characters. However, both Gatwa and show-runner Russell T Davies have strongly dismissed this criticism as from a minority, with Davies telling BBC Radio 2: 'Someone always brings up matters of diversity. 'And there are online warriors accusing us of diversity and wokeness and involving messages and issues. 'And I have no time for this. I don't have a second to bear (it). Because what you might call diversity, I just call an open door.' Gatwa told Attitude magazine in 2024 that the hateful comments the sci-fi show has received after casting a black man is 'fascinating, because there's so much energy they're putting into it ... I think they need to go find a hobby is one thing'. During his time, he has had companions in the form of Andor actress Varada Sethu, and former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson, who played Gatwa's companion Ruby Sunday since the 2023 Christmas episode The Church On Ruby Road. Highlights of his two series have included a Regency-themed episode that saw him have a burgeoning romance with the character Rogue, played by Mindhunter actor Jonathan Groff, the explosive Boom episode and the arrival of the classic Time Lord villain, the Rani. Married At First Sight UK's April Holmes stormed out of Sunday reunion episode after branding her co-star a 'f***ing b***h' in an explosive showdown. The much-loved E4 show returned to our screens for a final time to catch up with the cast of series 10. The tenth season of MAFS UK premiered in September last year, and later wrapped up in November. Rebecca Fenney and David Bailey (Bailey), John Shepherd and Abigail Lindsay, Davide Anica and Keye Luke and Leisha Lightbody and Reiss Boyce all decided to stay together at the final vows, but the only two still together are Abi and John. And in true Married At First Sight style, there was plenty of drama, including between April and Rebecca. Aesthetics practitioner Rebecca wanted to get to the bottom of why April didn't tell her that her husband Bailey had slept with her pal. Married At First Sight UK's April Holmes stormed out of Sunday reunion episode after branding her co-star a 'f***ing b***h' in an explosive showdown In true Married At First Sight style, there was plenty of drama, including between April (pictured) and Rebecca There was awkward tension in the air, so April decided to approach Rebecca and talk about the situation. Speaking to the camera, April said: 'I want to speak to Bec, I don't think I deserve how she treated me in any way. I don't get the animosity because it's something that isn't my fault.' April grabbed her for a chat and asked her why there was so much anger towards her, to which Rebecca said: 'I dont have any anger towards you.' She added: 'I dont dislike you, I would just never associate with someone like you.' Her comment shocked April and she told her: 'Wow, really? That's a f***ed up comment.' Rebecca brutally told her: 'You asked me a direct question April, I will answer you, I would never associate with you.' When asked why, she told her: 'Because of how you acted.' April told her: 'I did not go in there wanting my friend to get with Bailey. That's how I am being treated - like I am the one that f***ing slept with him! That's how I feel like I am being treated.' Rebecca brutally told her: 'You asked me a direct question April, I will answer you, I would never associate with you' Rebecca fumed: 'You didn't tell me. I rang you. You told me what had happened 48 hours after he sh***ed your best mate.' April rushed to defend herself and explained: 'I told Bailey he needs to tell you. He told me not to do it.' The two continued to talk over each other and April told Rebecca to 'stop speaking to me like a piece of sh**.' 'Why didn't you pick up the phone to me as a girl?' Rebecca asked her. They continued to clash and April told her: 'I was terrified to tell you because I knew how much it would hurt you. You would never have found out if it wasn't for me. Ever.' Rebecca told her: 'I don't think you know the difference between right and wrong in girl code.' She then said that she 'wasn't a good person' and that tipped April over the edge. Standing up, April said: 'Wow. I thought you were a nice person, but you're not. You're a f***ing b***h,' and she walked off set. Elsewhere in the episode, Rebecca was left in floods of tears after seeing her ex-husband who dumped her twice. After staying together at the final commitment ceremony, Rebecca and Bailey appeared to be one of the strongest matches on the latest season of the hit reality programme. However, after filming wrapped, things soon went awry and they struggled to make their long-distance relationship work, with Rebecca claiming that she felt like she was left making the bigger effort. The heartbroken bride said: 'Things started to change, I felt like I was putting so much into it but I felt Bailey wasn't in this relationship as much as he had been in this relationship.' In a separate piece to camera, Bailey then gave his side of the story and explained why he believes the relationship soured. He said: 'Bec became quite confrontational about little things that she never had an issue with before. I did voice it multiple times but nothing changed.' A Married At First Sight UK bride was left in floods of tears after seeing her ex-husband who dumped her TWICE at the reunion After staying together at the final commitment ceremony, Rebecca and Bailey appeared to be one of the strongest matches on this year's season of the hit reality programme Unhappy with his bride's 'confrontational' behaviour, Bailey decided to end the relationship. She said: 'Then Bailey broke up with me. My world came crashing down. Everything that we had was ripped from underneath me. Since then we've not been in touch.' Bailey, who was also visibly emotional, said that he had 'regrets' about how the pair broke up. It was then that viewers learned that he had become intimate with one of April's friends almost immediately after the relationship ended at a festival. April said: 'I went to a festival in Sandbanks with two of my friends and I saw Bailey. I didn't actually see Bec, she'd left. 'Bailey took a liking to my friend and they ended up sleeping together.' April added: 'I can't piece together everything from that night, we'd had a few drinks, but no point did I think that was going to happen. 'I ended up breaking the news to Bec, but I didn't expect the amount of backlash I was going to get.' Bec then became so emotional that she ended up burying her face in her hands. She said of the reunion: 'It's just upsetting seeing him for the first time and all those feelings come back.' Confiding in the other grooms, an emotional Bailey admitted: 'I don't think I'm going to be able to talk to her, I'm still in love with the girl. 'She was causing arguments over literally nothing, I couldn't breathe without her telling me off for something.' Becca then confronted her ex over his behaviour post-breakup, revealing that she had essentially been dumped twice. However, the first dumping wasn't clear - and left her feeling confused. An experience made worse by the fact that Bailey slept with someone else just days later. Becca told Bailey: 'So you broke up with me. Then you tried to have sex with me in bed. You told me you loved me. But you slept with someone else, and you were never gonna tell me.' Bailey went on to insist that he did nothing wrong because they were no longer in a relationship at the time and it would have been 'weird' to have told Becca about his dalliance at the festival. He did, however, admit: 'I got with someone too soon, and I shouldn't have stayed as friends. 'I take on all that blame. But we weren't together.' Bailey then attempted to clarify the pair's relationship timeline in Rebecca's eyes, asking: 'When did we split up?' Becca then went on to insist that she was 'not an ex' at the time of the festival. He replied: 'You were an ex! I'd split up with you two days before. You were an ex.' She questioned: 'So why you trying to sleep with me then?' He eventually admitted: 'Because I still loved you.' Married At First Sight UK is available to stream on Channel 4. David Harbour's new swinging drama has been branded the 'unsexiest erotic thriller ever made' by viewers who admit they have been left gripped. The Stranger Things actor joined forces with Ozark star Jason Bateman in new series DTF St Louis, which tells the bizarre tale of a twisted love triangle that sees one of them end up dead. The HBO limited series sees actor David, 50, play Floyd - who finds himself entangled in a complicated triangle alongside wife Carol, played by Linda Cardellini and weatherman Clark (played by Jason, 57). The opening of the series sees Clark tell Floyd about a dating app for married couples interested in 'spicing up' their love life, named DTF St Louis, at a family-get together. Despite only hitting screens over the weekend, fans have already been going wild over the new series, with the critics and at-home fans alike labelling it 'unsexy' but 'gripping'. Variety's Alison Herman wrote: 'It is both an ineffective sales pitch and generally accurate to call DTF St. Louis the unsexiest erotic thriller ever made. David Harbour's new swinging drama has been branded the 'unsexiest erotic thriller ever made' by viewers who admit they have been left gripped The Stranger Things actor joined forces with Ozark star Jason Bateman in new series DTF St Louis, which tells the bizarre tale of a twisting love triangle that sees one of them end up dead Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one home viewer penned: I have watched five mins of DTF St Louis and I must say it is already GREAT. Another added of the first episode: DTF St. Louis is so good,' while another said the series was 'Emmy worthy', adding: 'Jason Bateman does some amazing physical comedy on DTF St Louis.' And over on Rotten Tomatoes, fans had yet even more praise, with one penning under a five-star review: 'Quirky, sarcastic, funny, and a great cast! What's not to love about it?' It comes after David dropped out of what was supposed to be his next film project in the aftermath of the Stranger Things finale. The actor was due to appear in the upcoming movie Behemoth! alongside Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde but has quit the Searchlight Pictures production. Searchlight Pictures confirmed to the Daily Mail that Harbour has 'stepped back'. The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Harbour for comment. Harbour had been a core member of the Stranger Things cast since it first premiered on the streaming giant in 2016, playing former police chief Jim Hopper. The series aired its last episode on December 31 after two previous volumes premiered over Christmas and Thanksgiving. David Harbour has exited the upcoming film Behemoth! Harbour spent the weeks leading up to the show's season five release navigating a tricky global press tour which came after his ex-wife, Lily Allen, released her bombshell album West End Girl which seemingly charted the turbulent end of their marriage. 'Well, some of it is based on truth and some of it is fantasy,' she said of the album to Interview. At the time of writing, Harbour has not addressed Allen's album and the apparent accusations of infidelity. The pair were married for four years after meeting on dating app Raya. Speaking to Esquire Spain in September before the album was released, he reflected on his 'pain, slip ups and mistakes' as he reached 50. Asked by the publication if there was anything he'd change about the last half a century Harbour said: 'That's such a hard question the question of regret, or something. 'I would change either everything or nothing. 'You either accept your path completely and realise that even the pain and the slip-ups and the mistakes are all part of the journey, and that there's truth and growth, wisdom and deeper empathy and connection in all that. 'It's kind of like a house of cards, the minute you try to change one thing you kind of have to change it all.' 'We've been doing that for the last ten years,' the actress added when asked why it was important she make a public show of unity with David after news of the filing emerged. 'I mean, we have always been united in that.' Harbour was notably absent from the Stranger Things premiere in London on November 13. He also did not attend a Stranger Things event at the Paley Center in New York City on December 18 following reports of erratic behavior. A Paley Center spokesman said at the time that his absence was due to a 'scheduling conflict'. DTF St. Louis is available to stream on Sky and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US. 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 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 Alison Hammond took to This Morning in an on-trend denim dress - and while her look is almost sold out, we've found an alternative. The ITV daytime show sees the 51-year-old and co-host Dermot O'Leary interview a range of celebrity guests and familiar faces during the week. And Alison is no stranger to sporting a chic look for her regular Friday slot in front of the camera, sharing her looks for her adoring fans on social media - especially since her impressive 11-stone weight loss. Last week, she made sure to keep right on trend with a Spring-ready, sporting a zip-up denim dress perfect for the warmer weather. Luckily for fans, while the original dress is quickly selling out quickly online on both the Monsoon and Marks and Spencer's sites, there are other alternatives also available to wear. From other M&S looks to River Island, we've got the rundown of similar styles that will keep you on trend like Alison's look. The Monsoon Erin Zip Denim Midi Dress in denim blue is currently priced at 80 on their website - and available to buy in all sizes from 8 through to 24. The website describes it as 'capsule wardrobe-worthy', adding: 'Primed for wearing the whole year round, this denim midi dress is designed with a long zip on the bodice and three-quarter sleeves that allow you to show off your wrist-stack. 'Dipped in a dark wash, it's complete with two oversized pockets and a flowy mid-length hem.' The dress, which is made from 92 per cent cotton, is also available for 85 on the M&S website, but is only available in sizes 8 and 22 where it has been selling out fast. It's been met with a series of rave reviews from fans who have already purchased the number, who have called it 'flattering and high quality'. One shopper revealed: 'Generous fit, lovely A-line shape. Really recommend. A touch of stretch too helps it fit nicely and pockets are a bonus!' Another agreed: 'Beautiful dress this is now my second denim dress from Monsoon. Has some stretch so true to size.' Similar styles are also available elsewhere online, with Mint Velvet stocking their own version of the denim look with the Indigo Denim Zip Midi Dress. The crew neckline and short puff sleeved dress is currently on sale online for 85 - down from 140 - and is only left in a size 8. Meanwhile, Next are also stocking a midi denim dress - this time with a belted middle to cinch the waist and create an hourglass silhoutte. The Love & Roses Rinse Blue Denim Lace Trim Midi Dress is priced at 64, and is available to buy in sizes 8, 10, 14, 16, 18 and 22. One happy shopper said after purchasing the item: 'This is a lovely denim dress, the fabric is not stiff, it falls beautifully. 'The poppers hold securely and there is no gaping in the chest area. I get lots of compliments when I wear it.' River Island have also hopped on the trend, with their Blue Denim Short Sleeve Seamed Midi Dress - which is priced at 56. The number is still available in sizes 8 to 16, with only low stock left in a size 22. It comes after Cat Deeley took to This Morning in a chic full length skirt in a popular animal print design that quickly began flying off the shelves. The Mint Velvet skirt, which is now sold out in all sizes on the John Lewis site, is still available to buy for 99 on the Next website. The machine-washable skirt, which is made from polyester, features a neutral tone animal print design, with a high waistband and A-line design. While it's selling out quickly, the skirt is still available in sizes 6, 12, 14, and 16. For those looking for a different size, or another high street alternative, Mango are also stocking their own animal-print long skirt design. The Leopard Midi Skirt is currently on sale, down to 22.95 from 35.99, and available in sizes XS to XL - with free delivery to your nearest store. Crafted from lightweight fabric, the skirt is ideal for the transition from spring to summer as the UK weather starts to warm up. Elsewhere, New Look currently have a mega 69% price reduction on their animal printed midi skirt, which features a brown printed design. It's selling quickly, only left in a size 6 and 26, but is at a bargain price of 9. ASOS are also stocking a version of the skirt, a Miss Selfridge design, and on sale from 27.99, down to 23.79. Available in sizes 4 and 6, the machine washable fashion item features a high-rise cut, with an elasticated waistband for comfort. The Crew Clothing company's Rowen Satin Slip Midi Skirt in Brown Leopard Print, is still in stock in all sizes from 6 to 18. Priced at 35, the skirt is also currently on sale, down from 59. The silky, elegant skirt features a flattering A-line cut, with an elastic waist for comfort - with the website detailing it as 'perfect for heels of flats'. It's not the only skirt worn by Cat that has got viewers talking, as over Christmas, she caused a stir with a long white pleated skirt. The ME+EM skirt, which features a side split and pleated detailing, is still on sale for 250 on the outlet's website - but sizes are running out fast. The crepe material drop-waist look is only available in size 10, having sold out in sizes 6, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 18 since its debut on the website. ME+EM offer multiple different delivery options - including a speedy delivery for those looking to wear it immediately. But for those looking for a different size, or a high street alternative, Next are now stocking their own version of the look - and it comes in two colours. The two-piece set, which features both a cream and a black pleated chiffon skirt, is priced at just 44, and is available in all sizes from extra small to extra large. Savvy shoppers who have already purchased the set, which Next say is best paired with 'a blouse', have gushed over the look as 'comfortable' and 'great value'. There are also similar versions available at ASOS for 36, Reiss at 158 and Karen Millen for 159.20 - on sale from 199. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX A period drama branded as a 'masterpiece' and boasting an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score has racked up rave reviews - with fans insisting 'everyone should watch this!' Now streaming on Prime Video, the film has an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 88% on the Popcornmeter, as decided by audiences. The Last Emperor was released in 1987 and follows the real-life figure Puyi, who, befitting of the title, was the final emperor of China. Meanwhile, the screenplay follows Puyi's life - from his ascent to the throne as a baby, to being imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese-American actor John Lone portrays Puyi as an adult, with three other actors playing him at younger ages. The cast also includes award-winning actor Peter O'Toole and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the latter of whom died in December 2025. Fans branded a hit period drama film as a 'masterpiece' and encouraged other movie fans to watch it The Last Emperor was released in 1987 and follows the story of real-life figure Puyi, China's final emperor One viewer wrote on Rotten Tomatoes in a five-star review: 'The best movie I have ever seen.' They added: 'It's a spectacularly beautiful film. Many of the professional film critics' reviews criticize the "plot", not recognizing that the movie is a historical narrative of the vastly changing culture of more than a billion people.' Another added: 'Absolutely loved it! One of my favourite movies, I strongly recommend it.' While a third chimed in: 'Amazing historical film with a superb wardrobe, filmography, scenography, so on... It is a film that everyone should watch.' The film received nine Oscar nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, where it went on to win all of them - including for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Last Emperor also received three BAFTA Film Awards, four Golden Globes and a Grammy for its score. Elsewhere, an international action thriller has been wowing Netflix fans since its release on February 20 - with viewers describing it as 'the best thing in an age'. The Orphans brings together two former childhood friends after almost two decades apart, and when their first love ends up in a coma, they are forced to reconcile their differences to try to save her teenage daughter. The film, initially released in French, is now sitting at number six on the UK Netflix charts and stars Lost Bullet's Alban Lenoir and Athena's Gabriel Stenne. Its synopsis reads: 'Childhood friends Gabriel and Idriss have taken different paths: the former became a police inspector, while the latter joined organised crime. 'They reunite when their first love is involved in a suspicious road accident.' The film received nine Oscar nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, where it went on to win all of them - including for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay While the film has a modest IMDb rating of 5.5 out of 10, where one of its fans dubbed it 'the best thing on Netflix in [an] age', viewers have been raving about The Orphans on social media. Taking to Letterboxd, they praised: 'Hot damn! Some really f***ing awesome stunts in this film and well crafted action scenes. GO SEE THIS!! It f***ing rocks.'; 'Lacking in story but making up for that with some pulse pounding action, this thriller rattles along at a fast pace and doesn't require much thought.' 'It's well made, the first half is a little slow, making way for all the carnage in the second half. I really enjoyed it. If you like stuff like Lost Bullet, give this a go.' Initially writing in French, another viewer enthused: 'A very beautiful film! Great action scenes, stunts... Excellent work on the visuals as well, with magnificent shots of Biarritz.' Meanwhile, on X, one viewer shared: 'The orphans is too good on Netflix [sic].' Sharing another recommendation, a second viewer gave the film a 10 out of 10 rating: 'Run away & the orphans on Netflix 10/10 [sic].' IMDb, meanwhile, paints a more mixed picture of the film. One big fan wrote: 'If I was to describe this it's lethal weapon with a bit of bullet and some 007 just for good measure not forgetting also The Sweeney from the 70's it's a old story but it still works today the whole 90 minutes fly by there's laughter tears and a few wtf it's a whole lot of fun it's a 8 from me enjoy [sic].' Ladies of London: The New Reign is welcoming in a new reign on Bravo - and reality TV fans aren't going to want to miss the series set to dish up luxury, opulence, and, of course, drama. The show, which premieres Thursday, March 5 on Bravo and streams the following day on Peacock, is set to burst onto screens with an exciting cast full of power players and socialites. Its synopsis teases that 'connections are currency, and the crown isn't the only thing up for grabs.' The new group of high-profile cast members includes a crossover of Brits and Americans, like Lady Emma Thynn, Britain's first Black marchioness, and Lottie Kane, a graphic designer turned 'it girl.' The Daily Mail can now reveal more about the new cast of the thrilling show. Ladies of London: The New Reign is welcoming in a new reign on Bravo - and reality TV fans aren't going to want to miss the series set to dish up luxury, opulence, and, of course, drama Lady Emma Thynn Thynn was born and raised in South Kensington, London, one of the most posh areas in the city Starring in Ladies of London: The New Reign is Lady Emma Thynn, who made history as the first woman of color to marry into the British aristocracy, becoming the Marchioness of Bath. She is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath. They share two children together, sons John Alexander Ladi Thynn, 12, and Henry Richard Isaac Thynn, 10. Thynn was born and raised in South Kensington, London, one of the most posh areas in the city. It's currently home to David and Victoria Beckham, designer Stella McCartney, and Sir Richard Branson, just to name a few. The glamorous Marchioness of Bath has had an incredible career, including modeling for Dolce & Gabbana, and becoming the brand ambassador for Fiorucci in 2017. She is also a contributing editor at British Vogue and served as the Social Editor at Large for Hello! Magazine in 2024. Thynn is the daughter of Nigerian oil magnate Oladipo Jadesimi and former socialite Suzanna McQuiston. Martha Sitwell Sitwell later married former film producer Sir George in 2007 and lived with him in Northamptonshire at four-million-pound Grade II-listed Weston Hall - but they later divorced in 2017 London-based designer Martha Sitwell is an interior icon, as she has a tasteful eye for both vintage clothing and drama - literally and figuratively. Sitwell is a London native, growing up between Belgravia and the Norfolk countryside. The designer has an unbelievable story, as she faced homelessness as a young teenager after being kicked out of her family home. After going through years of horror, her life changed when she was spotted by Vivienne Westwood in a doorway at Piccadilly Theatre. She went on to become known as the 'face of Ascot' and as a 'doyenne' of sidesaddle in horse-riding. Sitwell later married former film producer Sir George in 2007 and lived with him in Northamptonshire at four-million-pound Grade II-listed Weston Hall - but they later divorced in 2017. Now, she works as a model, stylist, and a makeup artist. Mark-Francis Vandelli Vandelli often shows off his glamorous life on his Instagram page, where he boasts a large following of over 343,000, sharing pictures of his over-the-top yacht holidays and international trips TV personality Mark-Francis Vandelli is making history as the first male cast member of Ladies of London: The New Reign, and he's sure to keep every viewer on the edge of their seat. Vandelli grew up in London, and attended the prestigious St. Paul's Boys School, which has seen alumni from the British aristocracy and various politicians. In addition to his career in the jewelry industry and working as Editor of Insider Magazine, he starred on E4's Made in Chelsea, a reality show that followed the lives of wealthy young people living in the West London area. It was a decision that caused a rift between him and his parents, as they claimed that they would 'disown' him if he ever appeared on a reality show. Vandelli was a fixture of the show for over 10 years, and also appeared on other popular TV programs like celebrity ski competition show The Jump. He's also an ambassador for high-end designers like Loro Piana and Cifonelli, as well as Christie's auction house. Vandelli often shows off his glamorous life on his Instagram page, where he boasts a large following of over 343,000, sharing pictures of his over-the-top yacht holidays and international trips. Lottie Kane Charlotte Kane, known by her nickname 'Lottie,' is a graphic designer who is living the life in London with her husband and five-month-old son, Ezra Beau Dale Charlotte Kane, known by her nickname 'Lottie,' is a graphic designer who is living the life in London with her husband and five-month-old son, Ezra Beau Dale. Kane married well-known fashion designer Joshua Kane in 2022 in glamorous ceremony at Syon House in London. Joshua has previously made clothes for the likes of Jason Mamoa, Sabrina Carpenter, and Rod Stewart. Kane owns a graphic design firm, Lottie Archer Designs, where she brings beautiful creations to life to make wedding invitations, branding packages, and more. On her Instagram page, where she clocks over 13,500 followers, she gives social media fans a sneak peek into her glamorous life, which sees her and her husband at many high-end, exclusive fashion events. Misse Beqiri Beqiri was a cast member on The Real Housewives of Cheshire, which follows ladies from the glamorous 'Golden Triangle.' It's where the star first shot to fame Model Misse Beqiri has already graced our screens once, but she's back for round two. Beqiri was a cast member on The Real Housewives of Cheshire, which follows ladies from the glamorous 'Golden Triangle.' It's where the star first shot to fame. The model, who was born in Sweden, married former Manchester United star Anders Lindegaard in 2014, but they later split after just two years together. While they were married, they welcomed son Julien. She later dated TV star Jack Hall, welcoming a daughter, River, in 2017. However, the pair have since split. On her Instagram page, Beqiri often posts stunning photos of herself, showing her lavish, model-off-duty lifestyle to followers. Kimi Murdoch Murdoch is a Haitian-American shipping heiress, and rules the world of antiques Kimi Murdoch appears to stay largely private, but all will be revealed soon as she makes her debut on Ladies of London: The New Reign. Murdoch is a Haitian-American shipping heiress, and rules the world of antiques. She is an antiques dealer and helps London's elite get their hands on rare items. In addition to her powerhouse career, she is also a single mom. Myka Meier Boasting over 660,000 followers on Instagram, Meier has made a name for herself as an etiquette expert, and is the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, a leading training program that offers many different programs, including finishing school Myka Meier is an American star who knows a thing or two about etiquette - after all, she is an expert on it. Boasting over 660,000 followers on Instagram, Meier has made a name for herself as an etiquette expert, and is the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, a leading training program that offers many different programs, including finishing school. She's known as the 'etiquette expert to the stars,' per her website, having trained Gwyneth Paltrow, Snoop Dogg, and Jessica Alba, among others. Meier is also an author of two etiquette books, and the co-founder of The Plaza Hotel Finishing Program. The expert even trained in London under a former member of The Royal Household of Her Majesty the Queen. She is married to Swiss businessman, Marco, and the two share two children together - son Maximillian, who she welcomed in 2022, and daughter Valentina, who was born in 2017. Margo Stilley Stilley, an actress, came to London 20 years ago to pursue a career in modeling South Carolina native and socialite Margo Stilley is ready to bring her Southern flair to London. Stilley, an actress, came to London 20 years ago to pursue a career in modeling. Her first role was in an exotic film 9 Songs, which is mentioned in the trailer, as she says she starred in the 'sexiest British film ever made.' She went on to act in popular movies like How to Lose Friends & Alienate People and Agatha Christie's Marple. Stilley has kept most of her personal life out of the public eye, but she is married and has three children. With the show's biggest power players now introduced, reality TV fans can sit back, relax and tune into the new reign. Bravo's Ladies of London: The New Reign premieres Thursday, March 5 at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo and streams the following day on Peacock. NCIS star Katrina Law has had a temporary restraining order against her ex-husband extended, with court documents revealing her new love interest has been dragged into their messy divorce battle. Law, 40, claimed in a restraining order request from December that her ex Keith Andreen, 51, had used an artificial intelligence program to send messages impersonating her to several people, including a new romantic partner she previously referred to as 'J.' in court filings. Now, the Daily Mail can reveal the actress' temporary restraining order, which was granted on December 24, has since been extended for a second time until December 16, 2026, following a hearing on February 24. The February hearing was expected to have witnesses come forth to testify - but that, as we know now, has been postponed. As part of Andreen's Witness List, which was filed earlier this month, he disclosed the name of Law's new beau. Jean Jacques Machado, a renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner who Law has been training with for months, is named as her alleged 'boyfriend.' Andreen, who is the Respondent in the case, stated in the docs: 'Mr. Machado is Petitioners boyfriend and will testify regarding the matters set forth in Petitioners Request for DVRO (Domestic Violence Restraining Order), and all matters that are relevant to Petitioners allegations of abuse allegedly perpetrated by Respondent.' NCIS star Katrina Law's restraining order against her ex-husband, Keith Andreen, has been extended until December 2026, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal Law, who filed for divorce in August 2025, was also granted temporary sole legal and physical custody of their seven-year-old daughter Kinley (the exes are pictured together in 2022) In addition to the 58-year-old Jiu-Jitsu practitioner being named in the Witness List, Andreen also listed a woman from Family Visitation Services. Law's witness list, for her part, included seven key figures who could speak to Andreen's alleged hacking and electronic monitoring attempts, including a licensed digital forensics investigator and a licensed private investigator who inspected Andreen's 'Audi and confirmed there was a tracking device inside.' Although no details were given as to when Law and Machado initially met, the pro's brother Roger Machado posted a photo with Law on March 25, 2025, from their martial arts school The Academy Beverly Hills, and captioned it, 'Welcome to Our Jiu-Jitsu Family.' Following this, as seen in the actress' domestic violence restraining order request, she did note that she 'regrettably had a month-long relationship with another man (hereinafter "J.") around May 2025.' She then said 'the relationship ended' and that's when she realized her marriage to Andreen 'was not the same loving and supportive partnership that [they] previously had.' It's unclear when they rekindled their relationship, but apparently, Andreen was so bothered by Law being attached to another man that he 'began to harass [Jean Jacques] relentlessly,' according to Law. Law claimed in her request for a domestic violence restraining order that "J." filed a lawsuit against Andreen. The Daily Mail has confirmed that such a lawsuit exists in Los Angeles. A complaint was filed by Machado in September 2025 against Andreen, alleging defamation, slander, libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Andreen has yet to respond, and the case is still ongoing. Court documents obtained by the Daily Mail reveal Law's mystery boyfriend is Jean Jacques Machado, a renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner (pictured) Machado's brother Roger posted a photo with Law on March 25, 2025 from their martial arts school The Academy Beverly Hills, and captioned it, 'Welcome to Our Jiu-Jitsu Family' Jean Jacques is one of The Machado Brothers - along with Roger, Rigan, Carlos and John - who are legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners and reportedly pioneers of the sport in the United States. Mike Tyson met the legend in 2024 and UFC commentator Joe Rogan posted in 2012 about receiving his black belt from 'the great Jean Jacques Machado.' Months after Law and Machado got together, she filed for divorce from Andreen in August 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. The former couple were married for 12 years before the Philadelphia native pulled the plug on their marriage after having tied the knot in a beach ceremony in Costa Rica in January 2013. They welcomed a child together, Kinley. Law was granted temporary sole legal and physical custody of their seven-year-old daughter on December 24. However, a few days later, after Andreen's attorney requested a modification, Law agreed to allow Kinley's father monitored visitations twice a week. He is now requesting visits be four days out of the week, but Law has argued in court docs that not only does he allegedly have an 'abusive' past, but that he is 'completely disregarding' the TRO and the Courts orders. 'Moreover, Respondents abusive conduct, which prompted Petitioner to file a DVRO is extremely concerning. Respondent has not only engaged in conduct that was abusive to Ms. Andreen herself, but has also engaged in conduct that was abusive to their minor child, Kinley,' Law claimed in court docs filed in January. Machado, 58, was listed in Andreen's Witness List which was filed earlier this month. Andreen believes he could 'testify regarding the matters set forth in Petitioners Request for DVRO' and 'allegations of abuse' against him (pictured at the 2024 ADCC Hall of Fame) Jean Jacques has met and/or worked with many stars, including Joe Rogan and Mike Tyson (pictured with Tyson in 2024) There were multiple alleged instances of concerning behavior detailed in the TRO request, including one instance from October 2019 relating to an incident that allegedly took place between Andreen and their daughter. Andreen, however, claimed that Law took what happened 'out of context and mischaracterized what occurred to paint me in a negative light.' Andreen stated: 'It is important to note that for the past 19 years of our relationship, Katrina has never alleged that I have abused her. In fact, since she filed in August 2025, Katrina and I have been living under the same roof and sharing custody of Kinley on a 50/50 basis, with no issue. 'Then, out of the blue, at 9:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I was served with her no-notice TRO, taking our daughter away from me and kicking me out of our home. It is my belief that this was all a part of her strategic divorce planning to remove me from our home as she has made it clear from the beginning that she wants to retain sole possession of our home and exclude me from our daughters life.' He went on to claim that he has 'not spoken' to his daughter for two-and-a-half weeks after Law 'cut off all communication.' Recent filings, however, show that monitored visits began on January 14. Per the court filings, Law has brought multiple allegations against Andreen, accusing him of poor parenting and financial abuse. Andreen's lawyers, per the filings, plan on 'disproving' many accusations since they believe there is 'minimal evidence'. The TRO was granted in December following allegations of stalking and evidence that showed 'Keith withdrew $200,000 from the parties' joint bank account' within hours of his attorney being notified of Law's intention to file for divorce and 'refused to return the funds or provide an accounting.' In Law's initial divorce filing, she requested a waiver of spousal support for both parties and that they each cover their own legal fees. Andreen then requested she pay him spousal support as well as his attorney fees. In new filings, Law agreed to allow Andreen to visit his daughter two times a week, but he is now requesting visits be four days out of the week which she is arguing in court Law has the TRO in place following multiple accusations about him stalking her - through use of a tracking device - and financial abuse. Andreen's lawyers plan on 'disproving' many accusations brought up in the divorce documents (pictured together in June 2013) Law claimed in court docs that she has been the 'sole earner for our family' since he has been unemployed since 2020. 'He has worked on a few smaller jobs, but has not made more than $20,000.00 in the last six years,' she claimed. Law has portrayed NCIS REACT Special Agent Jessica Knight on the hit true crime series since 2021. She previously starred in CW's Arrow from 2014 until 2020. The former couple's divorce gained attention after the TRO documents alleged that Andreen used AI to 'falsely impersonate her by sending voice messages to people using her voice and likeness in an effort to destroy her reputation. In her filing, she stated: 'I adamantly deny that I have sent any voice messages to any of these individuals. I believe that Keith is using Artificial Intelligence to impersonate me, by creating voice recordings - in my voice and likeness - saying embarrassing things in an effort to ruin my reputation.' Due to her high-profile status on television, she claimed that Andreen had 'access to hours of footage of me speaking, which he could easily use to have AI learn and reproduce my voice.' 'Numerous AI programs available online allow you to clone any voice, and then use text to prompt the AI about what to say in the cloned voice,' Law continued. She also alleged that her estranged husband had 'expressed suicidal ideation' that left her concerned, particularly because he allegedly had access to a shotgun that was kept in the bedroom. She further claimed that Andreen had begun taking 'Ketamine Treatments for some unknown reason,' which she alleged had made him 'completely unstable' and escalated his 'threatening and obsessive behavior.' Law has portrayed NCIS REACT Special Agent Jessica Knight since 2021 (pictured with Special Agent Nicholas Nick Torres played by Wilmer Valderrama) NCIS returns to CBS to air the remaining episodes from Season 23 on Tuesday, March 3 (Law's character is pictured with NCIS Special Agent Alden Parker played by Gary Cole) According to the temporary restraining order, Andreen is ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from her, including when she's at home, at her workplace, in her vehicle and at their daughter's school. The judge also ordered that Andreen may not 'surveil or use any tracking device to monitor movement' of his estranged wife, and he's not allowed to remove funds from a bank account that he and Law had established for their daughter. Andreen spoke exclusively about Law's divorce filing with the Daily Mail in October. He said, 'I've got a six-and-a-half-year-old daughter who means absolutely everything in the world to me... My daughter is my entire life, and Katrina is the mother of my daughter. And I was with her for 19 years.' He appeared disappointed that his daughter 'will grow up someday to be an adult and read these statements [made online].' The Daily Mail has reached out to Law's and Andreen's attorney for comment as well as Jean Jacques Machado and his attorney. Gia Fleur and Scott McCristal's marriage is at breaking point on MAFS, after Monday's episode saw her walk out of the experiment after a grilling from his mates. Now, we can reveal the surprising aftermath of that bitter falling-out - and how Gia really feels about taking the plunge of introducing Scott to her daughter. To recap the latest drama, upon learning Scott still had photos of his OnlyFans star ex on his phone - a discovery that came just hours after he'd met her child for the first time - Gia issued him an ultimatum: 'You need to delete those photos, or I'm out.' After Scott refused, arguing the images were simply 'memories', Gia took refuge in her mum's hotel room to consider where she stood. On the show, we saw things awkwardly come to a head in front of their friends and family - which is never a good way to hash out drama over an ex. But what wasn't shown was the pair's surprisingly swift reconciliation, which was captured by the Daily Mail. MAFS couple Gia and Scott had a surprisingly swift reconciliation after she walked out of the experiment, as we spotted them on a family outing in Alexandria, Sydney, with Gia's daughter The images suggest that whatever trust issues they were having seemed to be resolved - at least temporarily - at this stage in the MAFS experiment We pictured Gia and Scott enjoying a family day out with her eight-year-old following their bust-up, suggesting whatever trust issues they were having seemed to be resolved - at least temporarily - at this stage in the experiment. The trio went to Archie Brothers in Sydney's Alexandria, where they played arcade games to celebrate Gia's daughter's birthday. At first glance, it seemed to be a step forward in their relationship after a misstep. Indeed, a source close to the couple insisted the outing was not staged for a Daily Mail story. 'They genuinely wanted to spend the day together,' they said. But since then, Gia's feelings towards Scott have clearly changed. I spoke to her on Tuesday and asked point-blank if Gia regretted introducing Scott to her child. Her answer was unequivocal. 'Yeah, I definitely regret introducing him,' she said. 'For me, I really was serious. I thought, "This is going to be it for us." But in hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea, especially with everything that was happening at that moment [on MAFS].' Just last week, the couple declared themselves to be the strongest in the experiment - but that was soon followed by a row over a photo of Scott's OnlyFans star ex As the Mail revealed earlier this week, Gia had accidentally discovered explicit images of Scott's former partner Abby Dowse (pictured) on his device via the iPhone 'memories' feature Gia and Scott appeared happy and relaxed on the outing Scott sat beside Gia's daughter on a motorbike simulation game As the Mail revealed yesterday, Scott had only just met Gia's daughter for the first time when Gia accidentally discovered the photos of his ex-partner on his phone, thanks to the iPhone 'memories' feature. 'It wasn't about jealousy,' an insider said. 'It was the timing. He'd just met her daughter. And then those photos pop up.' Gia described the timing as 'disrespectful' and it left her questioning if Scott was ready for the commitment of stepping into an active role in her daughter's life. Gia has repeatedly stated it's crucial for any man in her life to get on with her daughter. 'I need to see what he's like with her,' she said on Sunday night's episode. During my chat with Gia this week, she shed light on how the first meeting with her daughter went sour due to the photo of Scott's ex popping up unexpectedly. Tensions reached an all-time high on MAFS on Monday, when Gia stormed out of the experiment after finding a photo of Scott's ex on his phone Scott's refusal to delete the image caused Gia to back her bags and leave the experiment 'We were literally driving to meet my daughter when the photo thing happened,' she explained. '[It was] on a serious day, I was about to introduce someone for the first time to my daughter, and then these half-naked photos pop up on his iPhone. 'I'm raising a young girl. I don't find it appropriate to have those sorts of photos of a woman on your phone. It was a very serious day for me. That's why it hit so hard.' She added: 'It felt confronting. My daughter was in Sydney with my mum because we'd filmed Family and Friends [Week] and she was up for her birthday. So I went and stayed with my daughter [after the argument]. I just thought, "What am I doing? This guy doesnt even want to delete the photos."' New to DailyMail+? Here are our most-read stories from the past week MAFS INSIDER: Sickening leaked group chat exposes the truth behind the 'mean girls' campaign to destroy Alissa. Channel Nine wanted it buried - now lawyers are involved 'Everyone asks why my mouth is like this': MAFS Bec reveals the real story behind her facial difference - and the celebrity surgeon uncle who transformed her life Kyle and Jackie O's explosive falling-out has been years in the making. Everyone in media knows what's going on - now industry insider ROB MCKNIGHT says it out loud MAFS INSIDER: Brook's selfish final betrayal that wasn't shown on TV, revealed by husband Chris... Plus, the leaked photo set to expose Bec's lies about Gia LIZ JONES: This picture of Kate at the Baftas says it all. We are tired of reading between the lines - it's time for the truth Shelley Sullivan divorce twist as her ex moves on with a famous heiress... Plus, the latest chambers chatter about Chief Justice dating a junior judge: THE GROUP CHAT Messy private school mum behind Reddam House WhatsApp scandal stuns with revelation about her marriage after being accused of 'cracking on' to famous dad and sending wild texts They were supposed to be Australia's Kardashians... until their brother's life of crime forced them into the shadows. Now, 10 years after Salim's wedding, we tracked down the glamorous Mehajer sisters - and they look unrecognisable I've been with smelly, filthy men like Benny Blanco. Here's the sex truth no woman will admit... I'm going to sound SO unhinged saying this: JANA HOCKING Expelled and labelled a 'monster': School insider reveals the tragic lives of the autistic Clune boys before they were killed by their 'sleep-deprived' parents in a quiet Mosman Park cul-de-sac The Jackie O problem hiding in plain sight: Kyle was out of line - but he's not solely to blame for their inevitable bust-up: AMANDA GOFF Despite being a globally recognised chef, Curtis Stone still likes to take a hands-off approach in the kitchen. The famous foodie, 50, took to Instagram on Tuesday to show off his wife Lindsay Price's culinary skills. The short clip showed Lindsay, 49, standing at a kitchen bench, whipping up a bowl of tempting guacamole. However, Curtis seemed much less interested in his wife's cooking than he was in her chest. Lindsay was wearing a floral-patterned gown over a matching black bra that flaunted her cleavage. Curtis began his clip focused on Lindsay's cleavage, only later giving the guacamole a cursory glance. Despite being a globally recognised chef, Curtis Stone (pictured) still likes to take a hands-off approach in the kitchen The famous foodie, 50, took to Instagram on Tuesday to show off his wife Lindsay Price's culinary skills. However, Curtis seemed much less interested in his wife's cooking than he was in her 'assets' Captioning the clip with a cheeky quip, Curtis admitted to being otherwise preoccupied. 'Now thats what I call dinner and a show!' he wrote. '@lindsayjprice asked me to record her making guac but I clearly got distracted.' The post elicited a flurry of laugh emojis from followers, with one adding: 'You guys are too funny.' Another chimed in with: 'Ha ha Curtis, you really liked her avocados,' while a third added: 'Praying for you, Curtis.' Curtis and Lindsay, who live in Los Angeles, celebrated their 11-year wedding anniversary in 2024. Gushing about his wife in a sweet Instagram tribute at the time, Curtis joked about the couple renewing their vows to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in 2023. 'I love this woman so much I married her more than once,' Curtis told followers in the post. Curtis began his clip focused on Lindsay's cleavage, only later giving the guacamole a cursory glance 'Now thats what I call dinner and a show!' he wrote. '@lindsayjprice asked me to record her making guac but I clearly got distracted.' He added: 'Cheers to 11 years and a lifetime more. I love you so much baby!' The celebrity chef and Beverly Hills, 90210 star met each other on a blind date in 2009 after they were set up by a mutual friend. Following that fateful night, the pair exchanged emails for several months. 'I can be quite verbose,' Lindsay told the Daily Telegraph in 2022. 'I'd write paragraphs, and then get two words, these Aussie-isms, back.' 'I was worried he didn't like me! Little did I know he was trying to type with his giant thumbs,' she added. True to form, Curtis sealed the deal by making Lindsay a chilli crab on one of their first dates. The rest, as they say, is history, and the pair married in 2013. They later had children Hudson, 13, and Emerson, 11. Lindsay played Janet Sosna on Beverly Hills, 90210 for two seasons, and has since had a long career working in television. Meanwhile, Curtis has become a household name in both Australia and the United States, cashing in as a best-selling cookbook author and celebrity chef. Rumours are swirling she has split from her on/off boyfriend, John 'Herman' Winning Jr, yet again. And nude artist Dina Broadhurst certainly showed him what he was missing on Monday. Dina, 50, posed completely nude splaying herself across a chic lounge chair in several photos posted to Instagram. And it appears the socialite had a message for her ex, as she featured a pink Chanel bag that John gave her for her birthday in the thirst trap snaps. For one picture, she used the luxury accessory to cover her bare chest. In another photo, Dina positioned the quilted handbag to obscure her modesty. Nude model Dina Broadhurst has shared a gallery of racy images amid rumours she has split from her millionaire boyfriend John 'Herman' Winning Jr. (Both pictured) Dina, 50, posed completely nude splaying herself across a chic lounge chair in several photos posted to Instagram And it appears the socialite had a message for her ex, as she featured a pink Chanel bag that Herman gave her for her birthday in the thirst trap snaps 'Chanel (Bubblegum) on film,' Dina wrote in the caption of her cheeky post. While several fans got hot under the collar over the post, it is unlikely her ex saw it. John, the CEO of Winning Group, recently deleted his Instagram account. Whispers of Dina and John splitting emerged after he appeared to be no longer a feature in Dina's frequent posts on the platform. Dina, and John, in his early 40s, have been dating on and off for about two years. Last August, the model and artist told Stellar magazine that they had 'reconnected with a much deeper bond' and were 'happier than ever'. Daily Mail has contacted Dina and John for comment and clarification on the state of their relationship. 'Herman', as he is widely known, is the son of appliances mogul John Winning Sr, whose family is worth an estimated $700 million. He began dating Dina back in March 2024. They soon confirmed their romance when they attended a rave in California together, with Dina 'soft-launching' him by featuring him in one of her social media posts. In one photo, Dina positioned the quilted handbag to obscure her naked torso At the time, the pair were said to be 'smitten' with each other. By the end of 2024, however, the couple had called it quits. Initially, it was reported that Dina had dumped John, but subsequent reports claimed the split was the other way around. In August 2025, Dina announced the couple were back on again. And last month, Dina shared pictures of a recent vacation to Fiji that she enjoyed with John. In the images, posted to Instagram, the eastern suburbs socialite appears completely nude while floating in the water. 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 $700million. Lucinda Strafford has spoken out on her turbulent stint on Love Island: All Stars. The reality star, 26, made it all the way to the final with boyfriend Sean Stone, also 26, but her journey in the villa wasn't easy as she was at the centre of a bullying row which sparked 11,000 Ofcom complaints. The controversy involved fellow Islanders Belle Hassan, Samie Elishi and Jessy Potts, who were branded 'mean girls' by viewers for their perceived 'ganging up' on Lucinda. Appearing in Paul C Brunson's latest We Need To Talk podcast episode, Lucinda reflected on her time on the show and how she was only cast at the last minute. The All Stars series marked Lucinda's fourth time on the programme, with the reality star deciding to catch a flight to South Africa just three hours after being asked if she wanted to appear on the show. Lucinda recalled: 'I got a call in January and it was from one of the casting people and they said, what are you doing? And I said, !I'm just lying in bed editing a TikTok. What are you doing?'. Lucinda Strafford has spoken out on her turbulent stint on Love Island: All Stars 'Bearing in mind I haven't had my hair done in ages, I haven't had my nails done. You know, obviously the important things. I haven't planned anything. 'I haven't bought one single piece of clothing for this show at all. Right. And, he just said, "well, there's a flight tonight to Cape Town, do you want to get on it?" Lucinda said she called everyone asking for their advice, before ultimately deciding to go on the show. She added she initially felt unsure because she had just starred on Love Island Games and didn't need to go on for social media engagement. The conversation then moved on to Lucinda's isolation in the villa, with the star admitting sometimes she wouldn't speak to Samie Elishi for days on end. The former friends fell out when Lucinda picked Ciaran Davies to couple up with, leaving Samie 'blindsided'. Tensions only worsened during a game of Snog, Marry, Pie, when Lucinda chose to pie Samie with 'full force,' which Samie described as feeling like a 'slap in the face'. Lucinda also found herself at loggerheads with Belle Hassan over Sean, as well as Jessy, who claimed she was putting on a 'fake baby voice'. The reality star's journey in the villa wasn't easy as she was at the centre of a bullying row which sparked 11,000 Ofcom complaints (pictured Belle Hassan) Appearing in Paul C Brunson's latest We Need To Talk podcast episode, Lucinda reflected on her time on the show and how she was only cast at the last minute On one episode, Lucinda stormed off in tears after a huge showdown - and host Maya Jama had to step in to comfort her sparking 8,594 complaints in one night. Fellow islander Whitney Adebayo asked Lucinda whether she felt she was being bullied, to which the 26-year-old replied that she hadn't been. When asked by Paul if she now thinks she had been bullied in the villa, Lucinda said: 'In that moment when I was talking to Maya, I genuinely had no one to look to at all, apart from Sean. There wasn't one single person in there that I felt like was my friend. It was literally just Sean. 'And even that night I went to sleep. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I woke up the next morning. I looked around the bedroom and I was like, there's no one to even talk to. This isn't fun. 'And I remember I went outside and I just cried my eyes out on my own. But it wasn't shown because it was just outside the front door.' Lucinda said while production was 'amazing' at looking after her welfare, she felt she didn't even want to go into the girls' dressing room because she felt 'no-one liked me'. She added it hurts now to watch the clip of Belle imitating her walk. Lucinda said: 'They would never do that to my face, and they never really did. So, you know, they did it when I was walking away. Obviously I have seen that clip online and it's not nice whatsoever. I think that was where the line was. It was just getting completely out of control. 'I don't know what was seen and what wasn't, but, there were times where I spent a lot of time on my own.' Paul asked: 'What would you say your relationship with Samie was before you got into the villa?' Lucinda revealed she had a friendship with Samie before they went in after spending time in Tulum on a brand trip. They previously met on a shoot in Vegas. Paul asked: 'So it was that moment, though, when you chose Ciaran, you think that's really what created that divide between the two of you?' Lucinda replied: 'Yeah and obviously with Belle and Sean, it was like Belle and Samie then kind of, you know.' Elsewhere in the interview, Lucinda addressed the claims she's in a relationship with clothing CEO Huayi Huang who is funding her lifestyle. Lucinda was hit with the accusation by Jack Keating, who implied he had seen online that Lucinda was involved with the clothing company CEO of a brand called Peppermayo. Clarifying the rumours, Lucinda said: 'This is absolutely not true. This has been an ongoing rumuor for a long time and is actually about one of my friends. I haven't actually spoken to him in a long time, but, I work closely with his brand, and people keep saying that we're dating and this, that and the other, and that is just absolutely not the case. Like we are genuinely just friends.' You can listen to the episode on Spotify or watch it on YouTube. Martin Short's recent family loss has not affected the filming schedule for his show, Only Murders in the Building. Short's eldest daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, died at the age of 42 by suicide at her Los Angeles home on Monday, February 23. In the wake of her death, Short, 75, has cancelled a number of his comedy shows with his co-star Steve Martin, 80, and skipped the 2026 Actor Awards despite two nominations. However, his and Martin's hit Hulu series - which also stars Selena Gomez - is not currently in production, according to TMZ. Because the upcoming season is set to film in London, the cast and crew will not be gearing up to film for another couple months, a source told the publication. The upcoming production schedule has not been affected by Katherine's death, the insider said. Filming on Only Murders in the Building will continue as planned despite Martin Short's, 75, recent family loss; He is pictured on set in 2025 with co-stars Selena Gomez and Steve Martin Short's eldest daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, died at the age of 42 by suicide at her Los Angeles home on Monday, February 23; Short and his daughter pictured in 2011 The show was renewed for a sixth season in October 2025. Only Murders in the Building follows three New York City neighbors - Short, Martin and Gomez - who bond over true-crime podcasts. When someone in their building is killed, they investigate the case themselves. Each season focuses on a new murder and new suspects. Short stars as theater director Oliver Putnam, Gomez plays sharp-witted Mabel Mora and Martin stars as retired-actor Charles-Haden Savage. On Monday, Short was noticeably absent from the 32nd Annual Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, despite being nominated for two awards. Short's absence was confirmed during the ceremony, when Jenna Ortega began reading the nominees in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series category. Short was nominated alongside Adam Brody from Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson from Inside Man, and Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz, both of whom star in The Studio. The other four nominees were all in the audience and had cameras trained on them as soon as their names were read, but Short was represented only by a still photo on screen once his name came up. Only Murders in the Building is not currently in production. Filming for the sixth season in London won't start for a few more months, TMZ reported; Short pictured in a still The upcoming production schedule has not been affected by Katherine's death, a source told the publication The show was renewed for a sixth season in October 2025; Martin, Gomez and Short pictured in 2025 Seth Rogen ultimately won the award, though Short was up for another honor, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, for which he was nominated alongside his Only Murders In The Building co-stars Martin and Gomez. None of the show's lead trio would have been on hand to accept the award, as Martin and Gomez also skipped the ceremony out of solidarity with Short, according to People. Short previously won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series, when he and his co-stars were also honored with Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Short and Martin were set to take the stage this weekend in Milwaukee and Minneapolis for their comedy tour, titled The Best of Steve Martin and Martin Short. However, both venues announced on Tuesday that the shows have been postponed. Pabst Theater Group shared a statement on their website that read, 'Due to unforeseen circumstances, Steve Martin & Martin Short's show, originally scheduled for Friday, February 27th in Milwaukee, has been postponed.' 'Tickets will be honored for a future rescheduled date. We will be in contact with further news when it is available.' Short and Martin's upcoming stop at The Fabulous Fox theater in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 10 was also postponed. The two also have tour dates scheduled in March, April, and September. Those have not yet been officially postponed. After police revealed that Short's daughter Katherine had died by suicide, his celebrity friends rushed to his side to comfort him, including Martin and their fellow Only Murders In The Building co-star Meryl Streep. On Sunday, Short skipped the 2026 Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, despite two nominations; Pictured in 2025 Following his daughter's death, a representative for Short issued a statement: 'It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.' Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed that Katherine had 'not been heard from in 24 hours' before her friend called police. Foul play was ruled out by homicide detectives who responded to the scene of Katherine's death, the law enforcement sources said. Katherine, who held a master's degree from the University of Southern California, was a licensed clinical social worker and worked with a mental health charity. She was last seen publicly with her father while celebrating her 40th birthday in 2023 at the Grand Master Recorders in Hollywood, accompanied by a group including Catherine O'Hara, Bo Welch, Joni Mitchell, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. If you are struggling, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988 for help and support. Kesha has furiously struck out against The White House after learning her music had been used in a TikTok to 'incite violence and threaten war.' On February 10, Kesha's track Blow was used in a video The White House uploaded which featured a military ship being struck by a missile. 'Lethality,' the video was captioned. On Monday, Kesha didn't hold back as she slammed the use of her song and President Donald Trump himself. 'It's come to my attention that The White House has used one of my songs on TikTok to incite violence and threaten war,' she posted to X on Monday. 'Trying to make light of war is disgusting and inhumane. I absolutely do NOT approve of my music being used to promote violence of any kind. Love always trumps hate. please love yourself and each other in times like this. 'This show of blatant disregard for human life and quite frankly this attack on all of our nervous systems is the opposite of what I stand for.' Kesha has furiously struck out against The White House after learning her music had been used in a TikTok to 'incite violence and threaten war' 'Also, don't let this distract us from the fact that criminal predator Donald Trump appears in the Files over a million times,' she concluded. Trump is mentioned more than 3,000 times in the latest Epstein file release. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said inclusion does not suggest any wrongdoing, adding that some documents contained false claims against the president. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has not been accused of any crimes linked to Epstein. When reached for comment about Kesha's post, The White House responded by sharing tweets by Steven Cheung, Assistant to the President and White House Director of Communications, and Kaelan Dorr, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Communications Director. Cheung tweeted: 'All these singers keep falling for this. This just gives us more attention and more view counts to our videos because people want to see what theyre bi**hing about.' 'Kesha quotes are like Popeyes Spinach to this team,' Dorr tweeted. 'Memes? Theyll continue. Winning? Will also continue. TYFYATTM.' The comments section in Kesha's post were divided between fans and critics. 'File a Copyright claim!' one urged her. 'SUE THEM MOTHER,' one said. 'We love a queen who uses her platform to fight fascistism,' another posted. One joked: 'Theyre only allowed to play YMCA so they were trying to mix it up a little.' Multiple others called Kesha irrelevant as they joined the debate. 'At least I know who you are now. You should be thanking them,' another posted. 'Trying to make light of war is disgusting and inhumane,' she wrote in a post on X Kesha was enraged to learn her music had served as the soundtrack to a White House TikTok video featuring an airstrike The video was set to the Kesha song Blow and was captioned 'Lethality' When reached for comment about Kesha's post, The White House responded by sharing tweets by Steven Cheung, Assistant to the President and White House Director of Communications, and Kaelan Dorr, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Communications Director 'I think I remember you,' another said. 'Good job pretending to be outraged at the Whitehouse to get your name back out there since you lack the talent and skill to be more than a one hit wonder!' 'Nothing is funnier than Hollywood pretending to have principles,' another said. Another pointed out the lyric from her 2010 song TikTok where she sang about waking 'up in the mornin' feelin' like P Diddy.' (She has since changed the lyric about the disgraced music mogul). 'Do you still feel like P Diddy?' they asked. Kesha is not the first musician who has hit out against the White House for using their music against their wishes. The response was rather mixed between fans and critics Last year Sabrina Carpenter viciously blasted The White House after they used her song Juno in a video celebrating arrests made by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 'this video is evil and disgusting,' she said. 'Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.' Olivia Rodrigo was also outraged to learn her song, All American Bi***, had been used in a similar video. 'Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,' she said. Kesha didn't hold back as she slammed the use of her song and President Donald Trump himself; Trump, pictured during his State of the Union address last month The Department of Homeland Security told TMZ at the time: 'America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe. 'We suggest Ms Rodrigo thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.' Another social media post from the White House earlier this month raised eyebrows when it spoofed Taylor Swift's The Fate of Ophelia to The Fate of America. Multiple people online pointed out that Trump had repeatedly criticized Swift, who has historically used her valuable endorsement to support Democratic candidates. Alice Evanss malicious and false social media posts about her ex-husband, Ioan Gruffudd, hurt the Fantastic Four stars acting career, his manager told a Los Angeles court Monday. Maryellen Mulcahy testified on the fifth day of the trial, where Gruffudd, 52, is trying to renew a domestic violence restraining order against Evans. I definitely think they had an impact on his career, the Veteran Hollywood manager stated. Gruffudd said he was seeking the renewal because of Evans's relentless five-year campaign of harassment and abuse against him and his new wife, Bianca Wallace, 33. 'Many of Evans's posts about her former spouse were malicious, angry and bitter statements that had no basis in truth, said Mulcahy. The first thing prospective movie industry employers, plus agents and publicists, do when theyre thinking of an actor for a role is Google them, she went on. And if they come up with stuff like that [Evans's posts], their response is going to be, "Is there any truth to this?" It caused hesitation. It was a problem - 100 percent. Gruffudd and Evans broke up in 2021 and went through a messy divorce that was finalized in 2023. Since then, they have been locked in a bitter feud over money and their daughters, Ella, 16, and Elsie, 12. Ioan Gruffudd outside the Los Angeles Superior Court last week. He is seeking to renew a domestic violence restraining order against his ex-wife, Alice Evans Evans arriving in court. She wants more child support from Gruffudd and spousal support Gruffudd with his wife, Bianca Wallace. The actor claims Evans has undertaken a relentless five-year campaign of harassment and abuse against the couple, which Evans denies Last April, the Welsh actor married Australian-born Wallace, and the couple had a baby girl, Mia, in November. Evans denies any ongoing harassment and is asking Judge Michael Convey to refuse Gruffudd's request for a new restraining order. The 57-year-old claims she is broke and wants the court to order Gruffudd to increase the $1,500 a month he pays her in spousal support and the $3,000 a month he pays in child support for their two girls. Gruffudd alleges that the youngsters have been poisoned and alienated against him by their mother. He wants to stop paying spousal support altogether, based upon Evans's alleged persistent domestic abuse of him and her many violations of the [previous] restraining order. He also maintains that he has already overpaid Evans by almost $400,000. Mulcahy, who used to manage Evans as well, says she tried to persuade her to take down her derogatory posts about Gruffudd. But her response was hostile, she added. Her posts were provocative and dangerous and they werent helpful to the careers of either of them. It was not a good look. Evans out shopping in Los Angeles with her daughters, Ella, 16, and Elsie, 12, in December Gruffudd and Evans broke up in 2021 and went through a messy divorce that was finalized in 2023 Evans's lawyer previously argued that the recent comments she made on social media 'were not harassment - they were merely statements made by Alice about her life and current circumstances.' Mulcahy said she was shocked when, after asking Evans to remove her derogatory posts, she turned on her. Evans even falsely accused her of knowing for years that Gruffudd was having an affair with Wallace while he was still married, according to Mulcahy. In an email, Evans wrote to her: He thinks hes God. I have nothing to lose. When someone has nothing to lose, they become dangerous. Alice said I was choosing the wrong side and I would go down with him, that I would regret siding with him,' Mulcahy said. It was threatening. It was scary. I thought she was threatening my career and my business. I thought she was threatening to ruin Ioans career. The trial continues. China urges return to talks on Iranian nuclear issue Xinhua) 16:09, March 03, 2026 BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China urges an immediate end to the military operations and a return to dialogue and negotiation on the Iranian nuclear issue as soon as possible, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday. Mao's comment came at a regular news briefing after the head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday there is no evidence Iran has been running a "structured" nuclear weapons program. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Nicole Kidman coordinated with her Scarpetta 'sister' Jamie Lee Curtis in leopard-print looks to promote their upcoming Amazon Prime Video series in Manhattan on Monday. The Oscar-winning actresses reunited with their Scarpetta showrunner Liz Sarnoff and author Patricia Cornwell for a joint event with Prime series Cross at 92nd Street Y located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood. Kidman, 58, slipped her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure into a smart black pantsuit selected by stylist Jason Bolden. Hairstylist Adir Abergel coiffed the Hawaiian-born Australian's signature golden mane while make-up artist Gucci Westman fully contoured her suspiciously-unlined complexion. Kidman completed her winter wear with a leopard-print coat and eccentric pair of golden slingback pumps featuring black toes and a red ball spiked by the stiletto heels. Curtis, 67, also opted for a slim black pantsuit, which she paired with a leopard-print blouse and black pumps. Nicole Kidman (L) coordinated with her Scarpetta 'sister' Jamie Lee Curtis (R) in leopard-print looks to promote their upcoming Amazon Prime Video series in Manhattan on Monday The Oscar-winning actresses reunited with their Scarpetta showrunner Liz Sarnoff (L) and author Patricia Cornwell (2-R) for a joint event with Prime series Cross at 92nd Street Y located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood Hairstylist Sean James styled the Ella McCay actress's natural white pixie cut and make-up artist Grace Ahn made sure she was ready for her close-up at the event moderated by Anne Marie Green. Afterwards, the Vogue World catwalker and Curtis headed to Bibliotheque in SoHo to appear at another Scarpetta Q&A event. Fans of the Hollywood vets posted Instagram footage of the pair's 'wonderful evening' from inside the wine bar, cafe and bookstore. Kidman and Curtis produced and starred as forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her 'man-eater' big sister Dorothy Farinelli in the eight-episode serial killer whodunit, which premieres March 11 on Prime. On Monday morning, the Lost Bus producer appeared on TODAY where she revealed their characters 'have a physical fight in the first episode.' 'She's on the thinner side [but] that woman, you cannot flick her!' Curtis said. 'She is formidable. She is fantastic. She's just Nicole Kidman.' The LA native admitted she 'barely knew' the Nine Perfect Strangers actress but quickly discovered they 'have this fantastic dynamic.' Kidman, 58, slipped her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure into a smart black pantsuit selected by stylist Jason Bolden Hairstylist Adir Abergel coiffed the Hawaiian-born Australian's signature golden mane while make-up artist Gucci Westman fully contoured her suspiciously-unlined complexion Kidman completed her winter wear with a leopard-print coat and eccentric pair of golden slingback pumps featuring black toes and a red ball spiked by the stiletto heels Curtis, 67, also opted for a slim black pantsuit, which she paired with a leopard-print blouse and black pumps Hairstylist Sean James styled the Ella McCay actress's natural white pixie cut and make-up artist Grace Ahn made sure she was ready for her close-up at the event Afterwards, the Vogue World catwalker and Curtis headed to Bibliotheque in SoHo to appear at another Scarpetta Q&A event Fans of the Hollywood vets posted Instagram footage of the pair's 'wonderful evening' from inside the wine bar, cafe and bookstore Kidman and Curtis produced and starred as forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her 'man-eater' big sister Dorothy Farinelli in the eight-episode serial killer whodunit, which premieres March 11 on Prime On Monday morning, the Lost Bus producer appeared on TODAY where she revealed their characters 'have a physical fight in the first episode' 'She's on the thinner side [but] that woman, you cannot flick her!' Curtis said. 'She is formidable. She is fantastic. She's just Nicole Kidman' The LA native admitted she 'barely knew' the Nine Perfect Strangers actress but quickly discovered they 'have this fantastic dynamic' Kidman - who divorced her second husband Keith Urban on January 6 - then headed to Studio 6B at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to tape Monday's episode of NBC's The Tonight Show The Moulin Rouge alum - who changed into a vampy black leather ensemble - could be seen interacting with host Jimmy Fallon backstage The small-screen adaptation of Cornwell's bestselling book series also features Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker and Sosie Bacon. Kidman who divorced her second husband, Keith Urban, on January 6 then headed to Studio 6B at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to tape Monday's episode of NBC's The Tonight Show. The Moulin Rouge alumna who changed into a vampy black leather ensemble could be seen interacting with host Jimmy Fallon backstage. Last year, Kidman wrapped her role as witch Gillian Owens opposite Sandra Bullock on the England set of Warner Bros. Pictures' Practical Magic 2 following a two-month shoot. The dynamic duo are also producing Susanne Bier's long-awaited sequel to Griffin Dunne's 1998 blockbuster, which is already slated to hit US theaters September 18. Kidman's other upcoming projects include A24 legal series Discretion, Apple TV+ series Margo's Got Money Troubles, Amazon Prime Video series Girls and Their Horses, Neon horror-thriller The Young People as well as season three of HBO Max's Big Little Lies and Paramount+ spy thriller Lioness. Curtis's other upcoming projects include Universal's Murder, She Wrote reboot and Russell Goldman's scam psychological horror Sender. The Halloween alum jokes that she was the 'OG nepo baby' having had a leg up in show business thanks to her famous parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. And Curtis passed on the favor by making Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal her godchildren. The Kyle and Jackie O show has collapsed amid a high-profile feud between hosts Jackie 'O' Henderson and Kyle Sandilands. KIIS FM's parent company ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract has been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears. Sandilands has been suspended and given 14 days to 'remedy' the breach, or else faces termination. ARN provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's services agreement with Quasar Media'. The KIIS breakfast show will be taken off-air immediately, with 'interim arrangements made for the show'. ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network. The Kyle and Jackie O show has collapsed amid a high-profile feud between hosts Jackie 'O' Henderson and Kyle Sandilands (above) Daily Mail has reached out to Henderson and Sandilands for comment. Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with Australian Radio Network (ARN) in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract. They were paid a reported $200 million in that landmark negotiation and earned approximately $47,000 per episode. Henderson, 51, has been AWOL from the Kyle & Jackie O show since Friday, 20 February, after Sandilands, 54, accused Henderson of being unfocused at work. During the on-air feud, Henderson broke down in tears when the pair were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Sandilands got angry at her when she proceeded to read out the disgraced royal's birth chart. He lambasted his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work. When Henderson attempted to defend herself and accused him of launching an attack on her, he stated he was only expressing the 'facts'. KIIS FM's parent company ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract has been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' any longer Poll Do you care that the Kyle and Jackie O show is over? Yes, I love it No, I couldn't care less Do you care that the Kyle and Jackie O show is over? Yes, I love it 495 votes No, I couldn't care less 3326 votes Now share your opinion An emotional Henderson said she was deeply 'offended' by his brutal comments during the clash. She took a leave of absence following the altercation, and was expected to return to the show on March 2. On Monday, it was announced that her return to the airwaves has been pushed back another week. Sandilands started Tuesday's show by revealing that Henderson would return to the airwaves 'at some stage' - however, that was not to be. Last week, Sandilands admitted he wished he had handled things differently. 'I obviously upset her. Maybe, in hindsight, I shouldn't have said it on the air. But we say a lot of things on the air here,' he said. 'It was never meant to hurt her feelings and obviously it did. I regret hurting her feelings. No one wants to hurt someone. Especially someone you care for. 'I don't really know. The show is just ploughing ahead anyway. I'm just leaving this up to management.' Sandilands went on to say he just wanted to be back on the air with everyone happy, adding: 'I want her to be happy and enjoy it. I also want the same thing.' ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network. Jackie was pictured looking tense as she ran errands in Clovelly last week (pictured) Sandilands has been suspended and given 14 days to 'remedy' the breach, or else faces termination He then joked he didn't care if any of the other producers or staff members were happy because he would 'swap them all out in a heartbeat' for his co-star. He also dismissed reports his long-running radio show was coming to an end after he was absent from the show on Thursday. Speaking on Friday's broadcast, he addressed headlines suggesting he had been pulled from the airwaves, insisting his absence was simply due to a sick day. The presenter explained he had been up through the night caring for his unwell son. 'I haven't vanished, everyone,' he said at the start of the show. 'According to the newspapers, The Kyle & Jackie O show was over, and I vanished. It just goes to show you can never believe what you read in any of the newspapers. 'I feel they may have had their phones cut off; no one even rang to check.' Sandilands said his three-year-old son Otto had been coughing throughout the night. While Henderson's walk-out came as a shock to many, some industry insiders said it was a long time coming The renowned radio hosts first teamed up back in 2000 as co-hosts of the Hot30 Countdown on 2Day FM. Pictured in 2001 While Henderson's walk-out came as a shock to many, some industry insiders said it was a long time coming. Craig Bruce, who was program director at 2DayFM during Kyle and Jackie's reign at the station, told 10 NEWS+ on Monday that the show was likely over. 'I think that they're drifting apart. It's kind of understandable. They have been together now for close to 27 years,' Bruce said. 'So they have spent half their lives in a small room together.' Asked if this rift was 'the beginning of the end', Bruce said he felt it was. Similarly, entertainment journalist Peter Ford claimed on Monday that it was likely that the duo's contract would be 'ripped up and binned'. He doubled down on his assertions on Tuesday's Sunrise, claiming that Henderson had 'sought legal advice' to weigh up her options. 'I'm hearing Jackie O feels she has to take a stand here and she has to do it to show that you do not have to be demeaned and belittled in your workplace as she was on that particular day when Kyle gave her that dressing down,' he said. Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with Australian Radio Network (ARN) in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract . They were paid a reported $200 million 'I think Jackie wants to take a stand to show her daughter, Kitty, that you don't have to put up with it.' The claims surrounding the most recent on-air clash gain further credence from leaked audio, which emerged last year, featuring another fiery exchange between the pair in an unaired segment. In the recording, Sandilands is heard goading Henderson about being 'off with the fairies' and taking calls instead of working. 'There's a lot you don't remember. Are you sure that you're the full quid?' Sandilands said. 'I don't know if you are. Remember the other day when I said something about being on the phone and you said no I haven't? We all laughed because nearly every break you were on the phone, but you genuinely thought that you weren't.' Henderson snapped back: 'That actually annoys me, that you did that, because I was on the phone - I was researching stuff to do with the segment that was coming up and I specifically remember that you guys were like, "pay attention to do some work". 'And I was like hang on a sec. I was actually doing work on the phone.' The tit-for-tat continued until Henderson finally had enough. 'Okay I'm going!' she raged. Henderson, 51, has been AWOL from the Kyle & Jackie O show since Friday, 20 February, after she was involved in a fiery on-air clash with Sandilands over her alleged lack of 'focus' FULL STATEMENT FROM ARN Ms Jacqueline Henderson has given notice that she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands. Accordingly, ARN has terminated the services agreement with Henderson Media Pty Ltd, under which Ms Henderson presents the Kyle and Jackie O show. Ms Henderson will cease to present the Kyle and Jackie O show. ARN has also offered to Ms Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the ARN network. ARN has also provided written notice to Mr Kyle Sandilands and Quasar Media Services Pty Ltd (Quasar Media) stating that it considers that Mr Sandilands' behaviour during the show on 20 February 2026 is an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's services agreement with Quasar Media, under which Mr Sandilands presents the Kyle and Jackie O show. Mr Sandilands has been given 14 days to remedy this breach. If it is not remedied, ARN will terminate the services agreement with Quasar Media, and in that event Mr Sandilands will cease to present the Kyle and Jackie O show. During the 14 day period, Mr Sandilands will not take part in the show. The KIIS breakfast show will be taken off-air effective immediately, with interim arrangements made for the show. Advertisement 'I'm constantly getting f***ing gaslit around here!' she added, storming off. 'Can't mention anything to you ever. Can you believe it?' Sandilands said as she left. Henderson also stormed out of the studio in September last year after the pair clashed during an ad break. Sandilands revealed the argument had sparked when Henderson accused him of not being interested in what she was discussing. 'Any relationship is not always smooth sailing. She cracked the s***s and left, but fear not, this show will not miss a beat,' he said. He then explained why his co-star stormed off and told him she 'wasn't coming back'. 'It was because I wasn't buying into what she was saying, she accused me of not being interested in what she was talking about,' he said. It seems that leaving her popular KIIS breakfast show had been on Henderson's mind for a while. The Kyle and Jackie O Show kicked off on 2Day FM in 2004 and lasted a decade, before the radio duo made the jump to KIIS FM in 2014. Pictured in 2006 In July last year, Henderson revealed plans to step away from the mic for good after her 10-year contract wraps up In July last year, she revealed plans to step away from the mic for good when her 10-year contract ended. She detailed her plans on-air after Sandilands revealed his desire to live in a French chateau. 'That's my plan, at the end of the 10 years to go to Italy and live there for six months every year,' she said. When Sandilands asked: 'So, what you're saying after this 10-year deal is up, that's it for you?' Henderson replied with a succinct: 'Yep.' Henderson also inadvertently telegraphed her current clash with Sandilands in an interview with T Australia in October. 'Kyle and I have been going head to head a little bit lately, so I will certainly speak up if I don't agree with what he's saying,' she told the publication. The renowned radio stars first teamed up back in 2000 as co-hosts of the Hot30 Countdown on 2Day FM. The Kyle and Jackie O Show kicked off on 2Day FM in 2004 and lasted a decade, before the radio duo made the jump to KIIS FM in 2014. Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Radcliffe have enjoyed a poignant reunion 25 years after they played mother and son in the 2001 film The Tailor of Panama. Both actors were scheduled to appear on Monday's TODAY show in separate interviews, but Jamie, 67, couldn't resist pulling Daniel, 36, into her live chat to share some memories. Speaking to Hoda Kotb, Jamie gushed that she hadn't seen Daniel since he was ten-years-old on the set of their 2001 film. She recalled how it was a pivotal time for the child star as during the shoot for The Tailor of Panama, his parents were in talks for him to take on the role which would shoot him to global fame - Harry Potter. Jamie and Daniel admitted that the actress actually had a hand in his Harry Potter casting, as his reluctant parents debated if their son should take on such a huge role. Recalling a conversation they had on set in 2000 Jamie remembered 'we were in the swimming pool. Daniel had to wear fake tan because he was very pale and we were supposed to live in Panama. All the kids were in the pool and he couldn't go in the pool because he had a fake tan.' 'I remember he was sitting by the pool and at one point I looked up at him and I went "wait you look like the kid who's on the cover of that book!"' Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Radcliffe have enjoyed a poignant reunion 25 years after they played mother and son in the 2001 film The Tailor of Panama Jamie recalled how it was a pivotal time for the child star as during the shoot for The Tailor of Panama, his parents were in talks for him to take on the role of Harry Potter (pictured in The Tailor of Panama L-R Jamie, Lola Boorman, Daniel and Geoffrey Rush) She explained that this was before Daniel was cast in the role of Harry Potter and said his mother confirmed that the casting team had already reached out to them about the possibility of signing on for seven films but she was weighing up the decision without telling Daniel. 'I don't think I knew at that point and my mum was looking at you saying "no, no no, don't mention it to him!" Daniel laughed. A proud Jamie then added and now 'Daniels on Broadway singing, dancing, doing monologues, doing something very important.' Daniel made his acting debut as the titular character in the 1999 BBC adaptation of David Copperfield. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone director Chris Columbus watched the show in a hotel room one night in 2000 and was immediately struck by the young actor. But backing up Jamie's story the director has said that Daniel's parents were proving hard to persuade, especially at the thought of sending their son to LA for the shoot. Weeks later Daniel and his parents were coincidently seated in front of producer David Heyman in a theater in London. Jamie and Daniel admitted that the actress actually had a hand in his Harry Potter casting, as his reluctant parents debated if their son should take on such a huge role (Daniel pictired on the set of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001 with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) Heyman, like Columbus, was impressed with Daniel's presence and resemblance to JK Rowling's literary hero and persuaded the actor's parents to let him audition. Once again though, Daniel's mum and dad turned down the offer with a compromise eventually reached of a contract for two films not seven and the film to shoot in the UK. After the huge global success of the first two movies, Daniel signed on for all the films. He starred in the first movie in the film series at just age 11, playing the same role for a decade, and wrapped the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 when he was 21. Caitriona Balfe dazzled in a plunging red gown as she joined her co-star Sam Heughan at the Outlander premiere in New York. The Irish actress, 46, who plays fan-favourite character Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser, oozed glamour as she stepped out for the show's series eight launch. Caitriona posed for snaps on the red carpet wearing a striking and elegant red dress for the occasion. The piece, which featured lace detailing, also boasted a plunging neckline. Caitriona also posed with her co-star Sam Heughan who donned a kilt for the event at Alice Tully Hall. Other Outlander stars in attendance include Sophie Skelton who stunned in a monochrome frock and Lauren Lyle in a plunging strapless number. Caitriona Balfe dazzled in a plunging red gown as she joined her co-star Sam Heughan at the Outlander premiere in New York Caitriona also posed with her co-star Sam Heughan who donned a kilt for the event at Alice Tully Hall They were also joined by Izzy Meikle-Small, Richard Rankin, John Bell and David Berry. Outlander's eight series is also its last, with episodes expected to be released weekly from March 7. The series will open as Caitriona and Sam's characters Claire and Jamie realise the war has followed them to Fraser's Ridge. While the settlement is thriving and has flourished in their absence, the Frasers are faced with the question of what they are willing to sacrifice for the place they call home. Outlander was renewed for its final series back in 2023, with Starz president of original programming paying tribute to the show in a statement. Kathryn Busby said: 'Before we close this chapter there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes.' While lead star Caitriona said at the time in a social media post: 'We have BIG news. Bittersweet but also very exciting that we get to continue this journey for an 8th and final season.' The Irish beauty continued: 'Its been a gift beyond my wildest dreams, brought me friendships for life, stretched me as an actor and a person and now we get to give you back one more season and finish it right for all you amazing fans. Thank you for being with us on this magical journey.' The series, based on the books by Diana Gabaldon has been a global hit, winning two BAFTA and two Critics Choice awards among many others. Season seven, which was released in summer 2023, is based on the novel A Echo in the Bone. The series will open as Caitriona and Sam's characters Claire and Jamie realise the war has followed them to Fraser's Ridge Pictured left to right: John Bell, Maril Davis, Matthew B. Roberts, David Berry, Diana Gabaldon, Sophie Skelton, Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, Charles Vandervaart, Izzy Meikle-Small, Cesar Domboy, Lauren Lyle and Richard Rankin Other Outlander stars in attendance included Sophie Skelton who stunned in a monochrome frock on Monday night Lauren Lyle looked incredible in a plunging strapless number Outlander's eight series is also its last, with the final bunch of episodes expected to be released weekly from March 7 Izzy Meikle-Small dazzled in her gold dress for the premiere, showing off her slender frame as she posed for snaps John Bell put on an animated display while boasting a big smile as he stopped for pictures on the carpet A prequel for Outlander named Blood Of My Blood was released last August, with the historical drama introducing new characters. It follows the fortunes of Claire Fraser's mother and father during the First World War and Jamie Fraser's parents in the early 18th-century Highlands. The ten-episode series centered on the two parallel love stories set in different time periods. Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine play Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp, Claire Fraser's parents. She's one of Hollywood's most respected actors, having starred in a slew of critically acclaimed films and staying out of scandal. Yet when Maggie Gyllenhaal was starting out she felt pitted against her younger brother Jake, admitting she was 'envious' of his success. Maggie, 48, arguably spent some of her career in her brother's shadow, favouring low-budget indie projects while Jake, 45, saw his star power rise with a string of blockbuster roles. But now, the power is in Maggie's hands, having pivoted to work behind the camera. After impressing with her 2021 directorial debut, The Lost Daughter, Maggie has taken a leap with her new project, The Bride! which tells the story of Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale) and his 'bride' (Jessie Buckley). Described as a bold and feminist reimagining of the classic Frankenstein story, Maggie revealed she wanted to 'express herself' through the project, noting that women were typically expected to make 'cute little movies' rather than big budget epics. Why Maggie Gyllenhaal is finally ready to release her 'inner monster' after admitting she was 'envious' of younger brother Jake's success (pictured at The Bride! premiere) Your browser does not support iframes. She also wanted to delve into the 'inner monster' we all have, telling Empire of her film: 'I believe that every single one of us has a monstrous vein inside us. And by monstrous, I mean really monstrous. I mean terrifying to look at. You keep it hidden. 'And so in my story, the monsters are monstrous. Even in the trailer, they do really awful things, and thats just the beginning of it, honestly. 'And at the same time, they are heroes. And I hope that theyre relatable, even if theyve been brought back from the dead. Theyre in a lot of pain, like all of us are.' Indeed, Maggie knows pain, having to fight to be accepted by an industry that told her she 'wasn't sexy enough' at auditions. She said the sexist lambasting of her looks was 'hard to hear', as was being labelled 'quirky' instead, because: 'describing someone as quirky is a way of erasing them.' Maggie also rallied against the constant comparisons to her younger brother. The siblings, born into the industry as the children of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Achs, both began their career in childhood with small roles in their father's films. Yet stardom soon beckoned for Jake, who made his breakthrough as the leading man in the 1999 Homer Hickam biopic October Sky, swiftly followed by the titular role in Donnie Darko and then a string of Hollywood blockbusters. For Maggie, it wasn't until 2002's Secretary that she made her breakthrough, and she began to worry that there wouldn't be 'enough room', for herself and her brother in Hollywood. 'I dont think I knew that at first, when I was young and Jake was a movie star right away,' she told The New York Times last week. 'I dont think I was in touch with the envy, but it was there.' Maggie, 48, arguably spent some of her career in her brother's shadow, with indie projects while Jake, 45, saw his star power rise with a string of blockbuster roles (pictured in 2005) Jake has experienced more commercial success than his sister, boasting an $80 million net worth compared to her $25 million. Yet the siblings have publicly supported each other and recently worked together in The Bride! It marks the first time Maggie has directed Jake, with the actress-turned-director admitting she cried when he agreed to take a part in her film because it 'meant so much for me to interact with him.' She explained: 'In the past, Ive had to be separate from my family, from my brother... I think it was just a really honest, vulnerable, whats underneath rage, reaching out. 'Just basically saying, "I want to interact, and I know that this is a place where we can do it." Im not asking him to do something that he cant do. Im making an offer, which is a generous thing to do.' Maggie added: 'Weve never been as close as we are now. Were finally, maybe in the last five years, more and more and more, even each day, really interacting, which is hard for people to do.' The Mona Lisa Smile star is also keen to interact with the public in a different way, now able to express herself through films without being restricted by a character. She told LA Times: 'I really prefer directing. This is a better job for me. 'I felt as an actress, to be honest, like I always would hit up against a wall of how much I was able to participate or express.. 'And then when I moved into writing and directing, I didn't have to play that game anymore, and also I could create an environment where nobody had to play that game. 'Anyone could explore and express the things that were interesting to them. It was ultimately up to me to decide if I wanted to use them or not. So why not let people explore and surprise me?' The siblings have publicly supported each other and recently worked together in The Bride! It marks the first time Maggie has directed Jake (pictured at the photocall last week) On her mission to empower female-led stories and films, she told The Times: 'I think women make movies differently to men, I think women write books differently to men, and still it's so rare for women to be given a chance to direct movies of major scope. 'I think it's interesting to see the work that comes out of us being given that opportunity. 'I'm so glad that I am directing. I don't know if I would have been totally sustained my entire life just as an actress. Now I feel like I'm constantly climbing mountains and learning things. It's nice to shift.' The Bride! is released in cinemas on March 6 Holly Willoughby showed off her new youthful look with longer blonde hair as she brought back her modelling era on Tuesday. The TV presenter, 45, took to Instagram with an influencer-style post as she showed off four different looks from Reformation. It was a nod back to her early modelling days before she moved into TV and presenting work. One look saw her putting on a radiant display in a strappy white dress as she posed up a storm. In another she flashed a glimpse of her toned midriff in a striped T-shirt and high-waisted light blue denim jeans. She penned in the caption of her post: 'Stories from my wardrobe Chapter 1 @reformation.' Holly Willoughby showed off her youthful new look with longer blonde hair as she brought back her modelling era on Tuesday One look saw her putting on a radiant display in a strappy white dress as she posed up a storm in her dressing room Her pal Abbey Clancy commented saying: 'Such a babe' while others flooded the post with compliments. It comes after just last month Holly shared a rare photo with her husband Dan Baldwin as she posted a Valentine's tribute to her 'Romeo' from a holiday to Verona. Holly and her TV producer husband, 51, who have three children together - Harry, 16, Belle, 13, and Chester, 10 -, tend to keep their 18-year marriage out of the spotlight. However, Holly took the opportunity to post a loved-up throwback snap of the couple on the romantic occasion as she joined a host of stars honouring the day. In the photo, Dan was kissing Holly on the cheek as they posed outside Juliet's Balcony, which is associated with Shakespeare's romantic epic, Romeo and Juliet. The link to the story is only symbolic and the balcony was created in the 1930s, but is draws crowds of tourists due to its connection to the tragic love story. Holly and Dan were two of these tourists, as they paid a visit to Juliet's House during a holiday to the Italian city, where the iconic play was set. The caption of the post, read: 'I found my Romeo... I love you always [bow emoji]'. Her pals left comments underneath, with Christine Lampard posting a string of love hearts. Holly's friend Nicole Appleton also left hearts and Holly replied wishing her a 'Happy Galentine's'. The couple recently sold their family home, after a horrifying kidnap, rape and murder plot against Holly. Last year security guard Gavin Plumb was unanimously convicted of soliciting murder and encouraging or assisting others to rape and kidnap Holly following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. The TV presenter, 45, took to Instagram with an influencer-style post as she showed off four different looks from the brand She penned in the caption of her Instagram post: 'Stories from my wardrobe Chapter 1 @reformation' In another look she wore a sleek black leather jacket and wide leg jeans with a dark red jumper underneath The 38-year-old from Harlow, in Essex, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years. Holly and Dan had moved their children out of the south-west London home as a result of the plot. It also led to Holly quitting This Morning after more than a decade. Now, the Edwardian property has been sold, with records confirming it changed ownership in 2024. A source told The Sun: 'This will draw a line under a deeply uncomfortable period of Holly's life, and ensure they can make a fresh start in their new family home. 'Though it's bittersweet too as it's where Holly and Dan raised their children too, so it has many happy memories for the couple as well.' The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Holly. The couple purchased their current 8million mansion in July 2024 with no mortgage after moving out of their previous abode. Jim Carrey's spokesperson confirmed it was really him that attended the Cesar Awards in Paris on Thursday after fans thought he had been 'cloned' due to his striking new look. But hours later, people were still convinced that it was not Jim, 64, but celebrity impersonator and artist Alexis Stone, real name Elliot Rentz, 32, who had turned up. Alexis, who has transformed into the likes of Jack Nicholson, Jocelyn Wildenstein and Donatella Versace in the past, shared a picture of Jim and a prosthetic mask and false teeth at the event and wrote: 'Alexis Stone as Jim Carrey in Paris.' Many fans continue to push the conspiracy theories, while others believe Alexis's post is just an attention seeking stunt, capitalising off the back of Jim's shock new look, which may just be down to cosmetic surgery. Fans remain convinced celebrity impersonator Alexis Stone was responsible for Jim Carrey's 'unrecognisable appearance' at Cesar Awards on Thursday despite his spokesperson insisting it was the real Hollywood star Alexis had posted an image of a prosthetic face mask and false teeth and a 3D rendering which, while seemingly AI-generated, is continuing to fool plenty of people Alexis Stone, real name Elliot Rentz, claimed they had impersonated Jim at the ceremony and shared pictures in Paris that week Megan Fox originally penned: 'I cant handle any more stress right now I need to know if this is real', while Lisa Rinna wrote: 'You blow me away' and since the rep's insistance it was really Jim, people have continued to suggest it wasn't Fans have continued to flood Alexis's social media post Actress Megan Fox , had originally penned: 'I cant handle any more stress right now I need to know if this is real', while Lisa Rinna wrote: 'You blow me away'. Love Island's Malin Andersson asked: 'Is this legit??? Or is this a distraction', while Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Stephanie Suganami commented: 'youre lying !!!!!!' And after the rep confirrmed it was the real Jim at the event on Thursday, people continued to flood Alexis's comments, convinced it was him. Katy Perry posted a bullseye emoji, Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski shared a hand clap emoji and lots of others were writing about how confused they were. Others wrote: 'Did I just have 100 fights defending Jim Carrey's plastic surgery decisions for nothing?!?!?!' And: 'Blink twice if they told you to post this.' Yet the key thing that has others believing that it wasn't Alexis was the fact that Jim made a speech at the Cesars and Alexis typically doesn't talk when he impersonates celebrities. They wrote: 'How come Jim is the ONLY celeb u actually did a interview impersonating and signing autographs as if u were him? , everyone else you just modeled and took pics .' 'Click bait - sad that people believe this. Watch the video footage of Carrey's acceptance speech. Notice how this guy never talks at events when he is dressing up as another person? You can't give speeches and interviews with prosthetics without people knowing immediately.' 'He is Jim Carrey but his Face has swollen that's why He looks changed otherwise no-one can made this Type of realistic mask ...' On Thursday, Jim broke his silence on the bizarre conspiracy theory that he has been 'cloned'. After pictures emerged of him accepting his honorary gong, the internet was abuzz with conspiracy theories ranging from the suggestion he had gone under the knife to the wild claim he had been replaced by a clone. Yet his representative emphatically told the Daily Mail that the actor did attend the Cesars, dubbed the French version of the Oscars in person. Gregory Caulier, the general delegate of the awards, stating that Jim's appearance was authentic and 'a historic moment'. Branding the controversy a 'non-issue', Gregory said: 'Jim Carreys visit has been planned since this summer. From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academys invitation.' What did Jim Carrey do to his face? (right, in 2022) Noting that Jim had spent eight months discussing and practising his speech in French, he added to Variety that the actor had been supported by 12 of his family members and friends as he accepted the honorary award. Since Jim's new look was revealed, the internet has been abuzz with bizarre conspiracy theories. Among the most shocking social media suggestions was that Jim has been 'cloned', with the theorists highlighting his eye colour appears to be lighter, while he was signing autographs with his right hand, despite reports he is left-handed. One X/Twitter user penned: 'I've been talking about human cloning for a long time and I'm glad to see it finally gain some traction. Jim Carrey was cloned years ago. 'Something has changed behind the scenes to allow us to see unfinished and malfunctioning clones. New clones have a puffy look. 'It takes time to perfect voices and mannerisms. Additional surgery is needed to create a perfect match. 'I think this sloppiness is evidence of the ongoing silent war on cabal cloning by military white hats.' Another added: 'Yeahumm NO! This is NOT Jim Carrey! Jim Carrey has dark brown eyes for onethis copycat/clone creature has light eyes.' One fan suggested that Jim was deliberately trolling the public, tweeting: 'Calling it now, thats not jim carrey and its all a publicity stunt for a movie hes in soon or a documentary [sic].' While at the Cesar Awards, Jim didn't just get people talking about his appearance but also his kind words about the special people in his life. The Hollywood star was joined on the red carpet by his daughter Jane, 38, her teenage son Jackson, and his partner Min Ah, who Jim referred to in a heartfelt speech delivered entirely in French. 'Thank you to my wonderful family, my daughter Jane, and my grandson Jackson. I love you now and forever. Thank you to my sublime companion, Min Ah,' he said. 'I love you, Min Ah.' Exactly when Jim and Min Ah got together remains a mystery. During the ceremony, director Michel Gondry reflected on their work together on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in an emotional speech. When Jim finally stepped up to speak, the The Mask star said, 'About three hundred years ago, my great-great-great-great-grandfather, Marc Francois Carrey, left Saint-Malo in France for Canada. 'Tonight, with this magnificent honour, this "square" has come full circle. Perhaps this is what my family was looking for.' Jim's presence on the 51st Cesar Awards red carpet itself was already notable - after a fouryear hiatus from major film roles, he resurfaced in 2020 as the mischiefmaking Dr Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog. But even then, whispers of retirement followed him. In April 2022, while promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Jim shocked reporters by admitting he was 'probably' stepping away from acting. 'Well, I'm retiring. Yeah, probably. I'm being fairly serious,' he said at the time, adding that unless 'the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink,' he was ready to embrace a quieter life. 'I really like my quiet life and I really love putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life,' he continued. 'I feel like - and I feel like this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists - I have enough. I've done enough. I am enough.' Despite that frank talk of hanging up his acting hat, Jim couldn't stay away from the role that has become a latecareer trademark. He returned as Dr Robotnik for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 last year, candidly admitting that part of his reason for coming back was practical. 'I needed the money,' he joked in an interview. Jim is set to reprise his role as Dr Dr Robotnik in Sonic 4, scheduled for release in 2027. Michelle Keegan was put through her paces as she worked up a sweat with her shirtless husband Mark Wright during an exercise session on Monday. The actress, 38, and the former TOWIE star, 39, were joined by Mark's sister Natalya who took to Instagram to document the workout. The clip gave a glimpse at the couple's stunning 3.5million Essex mansion which they built a few years ago as their huge pool, sprawling ground and countryside views were visible. Michelle was taking on a series of burpees alongside Natalya after they group all posed for a snap together where Mark showed off his muscular physique. In the caption of the snap Natalya penned: 'Monday team let's gooo' before tagging the pair and a personal trainer. For the workout Michelle looked sporty in a simple white T-shirt and tight black leggings. Michelle Keegan was put through her paces as she worked up a sweat with her shirtless husband Mark Wright during an exercise session on Monday The actress, 38, and the former TOWIE star, 39, were joined by Mark's sister Natalya who took to Instagram to document the workout It comes after just last week Michelle winced in pain as she showed off her gruelling gym routine in a video she shared on Wednesday. The star filmed herself working out with personal trainer Danny-Lee Finch in Essex as he got her to do dumbbell hammer curls in her home gym. The former Brassic star closed her eyes and breathed through the pain as she gave her biceps a workout. Alongside the video, Michelle wrote: '@viphq_essex didn't take any of my excuses today. For the record this was my last set of 4... my arms were dead.' The Coronation Street actress sported a white vest top with black leggings and a pair of tan trainers. Michelle is preparing to hit Hollywood in the film adaptation of Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben's new novel, and it seems preparations could be underway. In an update shared to her Instagram Story recently, Michelle revealed she had touched down in California as she headed out to lunch. Her latest trip came after she enjoyed a sun-soaked winter getaway to the Middle East with her husband Mark and their 10-month-old daughter, Palma. Harlan and Reese have teamed up to write the new crime thriller Gone Before Goodbye. The clip gave a glimpse at the couple's stunning 3.5million Essex mansion which they built a few years ago as their huge pool, sprawling ground and countryside views were visible Michelle was taking on a series of burpees alongside Natalya after they group all posed for a snap together where Mark showed off his muscular physique In the caption of the snap Natalya penned: 'Monday team let's gooo' before tagging the pair and a personal trainer For the workout Michelle looked sporty in a simple white T-shirt and tight black leggings that showed off her figure Michelle added a pair of comfortable trainers to her look and wore her brunette tresses in a bun As Michelle has worked with Harlan before on his Fool Me Once adaption Reese is reportedly keen to get her back on board. The novel sees an indomitable woman, trapped in a conspiracy she helped create but can't understand. She searches for the truth that could expose a conspiracy woven throughout the exclusive world of the global elite but at an unfathomable cost to Maggie herself. The Daily Mail contacted Michelle and Reese's representatives for comment. Michelle also shared her love for the Hollywood actress as she shared a sweet snap with both Reese and Harlan earlier this year. She penned: 'When two geniuses collide.. 'Gone Before Goodbye' is made! (I can confirm Reese Witherspoon is everything you'd imagined her to be, what a woman)'. Reese then replied: 'So wonderful to meet you .. finally!' Michelle starred as Maya Stern in Fool Me Once, alongside Joanna Lumley in the series adaptation of Harlan's novel, which quickly shot to the top of Netflix charts worldwide. Harlan has previously gushed over the star's talent and has previously said he would be keen to work with Michelle again. Her character's demise in Fool Me Once left Harlan 'kicking himself' and seeking a plot, no matter how far-fetched, that could see her reprise her role in the second instalment. A source close to Michelle previously told the Daily Mail: 'Michelle and Harlan really bonded during the Fool Me Once filming and he thinks she's amazing. 'He believes Michelle is a big part of the show's stratospheric success. 'They were having a real heart to heart at the National Television Awards recently and Harlan was saying that he was absolutely gutted that he killed off her character and that he'd do anything to bring her back from the dead so that they can have a much-longed for sequel.' Rumours of Hollywood surrounded Michelle after the success of Fool Me Once in 2024, and the star confirmed she would consider re-locating if the perfect role came along. It seems that Jackie 'O' Henderson's decision to walk away from her $100million KIIS FM contract had been weighing on her for some time. Fans of The Kyle & Jackie O Show were left stunned on Tuesday when it was announced that Henderson's contract had been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears last month. But Henderson, 51, was clear she was willing to walk away from the show when she spoke at Radiodays Europe the world's leading audio industry conference in Athens, Greece back in March last year. Speaking with British radio personality John Simons, Henderson admitted that she would be willing to walk away from her lucrative 10-year, $100 million contract. 'You did say that you would walk away from the show, and the 10-year contract, if things weren't right,' John said in the clip. 'Yes I would,' Henderson replied succinctly. It seems that Jackie 'O' Henderson's shock decision to walk away from her $100million KIIS FM contract had been weighing on her for some time 'I think the older you get... it's important that you're staying true to yourself and that you enjoy what you do and that it feels authentic. 'And the minute it doesn't, I don't ever want to feel bound by this contract where I'm driven by money,' she said. 'I've never been driven by money in my career and I always want to stay true to that. 'So, if it doesn't feel right, at any stage, I would be prepared to walk away from that.' It was a sentiment that Henderson shared on air, just four months later. In July, she said she would step away from the mic at the end of their 10 year contract, when Sandilands, 54, revealed his desire to live in a French chateau. 'Thats my plan, at the end of the 10 years to go to Italy and live there for six months every year,' she said. When Sandilands asked: 'So, what youre saying after this 10-year deal's up thats it for you?' Henderson replied with a succinct: 'Yep.' Fans of The Kyle & Jackie O Show were left in shock on Tuesday when it was announced that Henderson's $100 million contract had been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears last month In a resurfaced clip, Henderson, 51, was speaking at Radiodays Europe the world's leading audio industry conference in Athens, Greece back in March last year, where she signalled her intention to 'walk away' from her lucrative 10-year contract Henderson also inadvertently telegraphed her current clash with Sandilands in an interview with T Australia in October. 'Kyle and I have been going head to head a little bit lately, so I will certainly speak up if I dont agree with what hes saying,' she told the publication. KIIS FM's parent company Australian Radio Network (ARN) announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract had been terminated, and that Sandilands had been suspended and given 14 days to 'remedy' the breach, or else face termination. ARN provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's services agreement with Quasar Media'. The KIIS breakfast show will be taken off-air immediately, with 'interim arrangements made for the show'. ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network. Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with ARN in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract. They were paid a reported $200 million in that landmark negotiation and earned approximately $47,000 per episode. 'I think the older you get... it's important that you're staying true to yourself and that you enjoy what you do and that it feels authentic,' she said 'I don't ever want to feel bound by this contract where I'm driven by money,' Henderson added. 'I've never been driven by money in my career and I always want to stay true to that' Henderson had been AWOL from The Kyle & Jackie O Show since Friday, February 20, after Sandilands accused her of being unfocused at work. During the on-air feud, Henderson broke down in tears when the pair were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Sandilands became angry with her when she proceeded to read out the disgraced royal's birth chart. He lambasted his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work. When Henderson attempted to defend herself and accused him of launching an attack on her, he stated that he was only expressing the 'facts'. An emotional Henderson said she was deeply 'offended' by his brutal comments during the clash. She took a leave of absence following the altercation, and was expected to return to the show on March 2. On Monday, it was announced that her return to the airwaves had been pushed back another week. Sandilands started Tuesday's show by revealing that Henderson would return to the airwaves 'at some stage' however, that was not to be. Kate Moss cut a summery figure on Tuesday as she stepped out shopping in a floral blue and pink midi dress during Paris Fashion Week. The supermodel, 52, looked incredible in the button front number which she teamed with a long gold necklace and coordinated drop earrings. Kate elevated her frame in a pair of lace up navy ankle boots as she stepped out in the sunny French capital. Styling her long blonde tresses loose, the runway icon accessorised with a navy handbag and opted for a pair of sunglasses. Meanwhile her lookalike daughter Lila, 23, looked in good spirits as she was also spotted out and about in the city. The model, who is following in her mother's footsteps, cut a stylish figure as she tucked an oversized beige shirt into a pair of black flared jeans. The stunner elevated her frame in a pair of black boots and toted a coordinated YSL handbag around as she wondered around the city checking her phone. Lila accessorised with a simple silver heart pendant necklace and also wore a pair of sunglasses as she exited The Ritz Hotel. Kate Moss cut a summery figure on Tuesday as she stepped out shopping in a floral blue and pink midi dress during Paris Fashion Week Meanwhile her lookalike daughter Lila, 23, looked in good spirits as she was also spotted out and about in the city She has followed in Kate's footsteps by entering the world of modelling and between them, the pair have walked for most of fashion's biggest names, including Fendi, Miu Miu and Yves Saint Laurent. Paris Fashion Week runs from March 2 to March 10. Among the other highlights is Antonin Tron at Balmain, presenting his first collection for the heritage house on March 4. Another standout moment will be Pieter Muliers final show at Alaia before he takes on the role of chief creative officer of Versace in July. All the major houses will showcase including Dior on March 3, Balenciaga on March 7, Jean Paul Gaultier on March 8, and Chanel on March 9. Overall 67 ready-to-wear shows and 31 presentations will feature over the week with the Institut Francais de la Mode (IFM) show kicking off the official schedule as per tradition. On Tuesday Paris' famous Louvre will host its second fundraising dinner, dubbed Le Grand Diner du Louvre, to support the museums activities. It comes after Kate stole the spotlight during Milan Fashion Week last week as she stormed the Gucci runway in a racy black thong dress, which glistened in the light as she strutted down the catwalk. Showcasing her famous lower-back tattoo, Kate added inches to her frame with pointed black heels. The model struck a series of sultry poses for the cameras as she stormed the runway with confidence, proving that thongs are back in fashion. The supermodel, 52, looked incredible in the button front number which she teamed with a lock gold necklace and coordinated drop earrings Kate elevated her frame in a pair of lace up navy ankle boots as she stepped out in the sunny French capital Styling her long blonde tresses loose, the runway icon accessorised with a navy handbag and opted for a pair of sunglasses Kate is expected to be in Paris for fashion which runs from March 2 to March 10 Lila, who is following in her mother's footsteps, looked in good spirits as she pouted to the camera as she stepped out in the city The model cut a stylish figure as she tucked an oversized shirt into a pair of black flared jeans The stunner elevated her frame in a pair of black boots and toted a coordinated handbag around as she wondered around the city checking her phone Lila accessorised with a simple silver heart pendant necklace and also wore a pair of sunglasses as she exited The Ritz Hotel She has followed in Kate's footsteps by entering the world of modelling and between them, the pair have walked for most of fashion's biggest names, including Fendi, Miu Miu and YSL Kate's schedule has been super busy with fashion week, but just last week, she was also in Los Angeles for the premiere of the short drama film, Sandiwara. She also recently returned from her girls' getaway with her lookalike offspring Lila, 23, in Tulum, Mexico, where they were spotted soaking up the sun last week. The model appears to be ageing backwards after ditching her years of hard partying. Nowadays, Kate has regular juice fasts, and favours the week-long juice-only programme at wellness LifeCo resort in Turkey she's visited every year for the past decade. Kate is the proud owner of wellness business, Cosmoss which sells a range of own-brand teas, skincare products and a book of 150 'positive messages'. She has a 4,000 Cadillac Pilates reformer machine at home, and a personal trainer, Hortense Suleyman. A magazine source said: 'The brand is late on the bandwagon candles, serums and perfume are all quite middle-aged. But she's been having lots of meetings with people and Cosmoss is stocked in Harrods. I know she has great hopes for it.' Over the years, Kate has given an insight into how she stays looking so good, revealing her tips and tricks for maintaining her youthful look. She told Net-A-Porter: 'I stay hydrated on the flight and try to eat only light foods. I find adapting to the new time zone as soon as I arrive is helpful, so I try to stay up until my usual bedtime. Luisa Zissman and Sam Gowland are the latest expat stars to speak out in the midst of the Iranian missile strikes in Dubai. Over the weekend, Iran launched a series of retaliatory air strikes against the United Arab Emirates and other targets after US-Israeli military operations against Iran, with significant damage caused in influencer hotspot Dubai. Apprentice star Luisa, 38, took to Instagram on Tuesday to give an update, as she shared a video while on a dog walk with her daughter Clementine, seven, and admitted she is 'constantly checking the skies' for missiles alongside a playful emoji. Her update came after she revealed over the weekend that she was forced to retreat to her basement with her children after there were 'massive explosions'. Elsewhere, Geordie Shore star Sam, 30, who recently moved from Bali to Dubai, revealed he had booked a last minute flight to Mauritius, writing: 'Quiet again last night thankfully in my area but parts of UAE still getting hit badly!!' Prior to the start of the strikes, Sam put his 2million Dubai villa up for sale, writing on Instagram on Thursday: 'After much deliberation Ive Decided Im going to sell my villa in Dubai, 10 million AED (2 million gbp) non negotiable & not open to offers.' Luisa Zissman and Sam Gowland are the latest expat stars to speak out in the midst of the Iranian missile strikes in Dubai Sam spoke out about his fears before revealing he had booked flights out of the country He shared an image of his plane ticket and revealed he was hoping to jet away A slew of celebrities and influencers have been flip-flopping on their take on the crisis, with stars including Vicky Pattison releasing terrified content before backtracking and insisting coverage has been hyperbolic. Last year, Luisa relocated to Dubai with two of her three children, including Indigo Esme, nine, and Clementine and her Irish millionaire husband Andrew Collins. Her eldest daughter, 15 year-old Dixie who she shares with her ex-husband Oliver Zissman, remains in the UK to finish her education at her boarding school. Earlier in the week, Luisa revealed she had stocked her basement for emergencies as she had friends who are sleeping in their basements. In her latest update, she shared a selfie video showing her on a dog walk while saying to the camera: 'Hey guys, Clemmie is hiking in the desert somewhere over there with some friends and I am walking the dogs. I didn't want to walk through the desert... 'So we're just sitting here aren't we. This is Murphy and little Crumble's here. It's very quiet here today which is nice, a nice calm feeling. We've had a very nice normal day. We had breakfast - well breakfast/lunch - with some friends... 'One of my friends is stuck in England so her husband and kids, they've been round to ours the last couple of days just seeing how things go... 'Last night was quite noisy but it's kind of fine still here at the moment. It's just not knowing what's gonna happen next or when it's going to end.' Just days before the attacks began, Sam revealed he was selling his mansion 'after much deliberation' On Tuesday, he continued in his battle against the crisis as he revealed he had booked his flights - sharing images of both his flight details and his pool She added a caption reading: 'Constantly checking the skies'. Just days before the strikes began, Sam revealed he was planning on selling his newly-built Dubai mansion for an eye-popping 2million. Reality star turned property magnate, Sam spoke out again about the missiles, shortly after hitting back at comments from vile trolls, who he claimed revelled in the catastrophe and wished ill upon him. In a video shared over the weekend, he said: 'I cannot comprehend at all the tweets [and] comments about what is going on in Dubai. People are celebrating, saying 'Glad I have seen this happen to Dubai in my lifetime' or 'I hope your house gets hit'... 'I have a thick skin, but even from a humanitarian perspective, I cannot believe some of the things I have seen. There are many different reasons why people come here, but to see other human beings wishing ill... 'Read the comments on Instagram about the post of my house, I am lost for words.' On Tuesday, he continued in his battle against the crisis as he revealed he had booked his flights - sharing images of both his flight details and his pool. He revealed he had booked the flights in the hope of leaving on Tuesday evening dependant on the state of the air space. Macaulay Culkin turned heads in a Very Hungry Caterpillar jumper and painted nails as he attended the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday. The Hollywood actor, 45, looked in good spirits as he made his first public appearance since his Home Alone co-star Catherine OHara's shock death aged 71 in January. Macaulay rocked the quirky white jumper with the famous 1969 children's book by Eric Carle printed on the front layered over a smart blue shirt. The American star donned a pair of rolled up blue denim jeans and a pair of brown Dior printed trainers with the ensemble. But it was Macaulay's colourful painted nails which caught the eye as he posed for photos on the red carpet. Earlier in the day, the actor was spotted wearing a pair of sunglasses as he exited his hotel in the city for the show. OHara passed away in late January at the age of 71 from a pulmonary embolism caused by rectal cancer. Macaulay Culkin turned heads in a Very Hungry Caterpillar jumper and painted nails as he attended the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday The Hollywood actor, 45, made his first public appearance since his Home Alone co-star Catherine OHara's (pictured 2025) shock death aged 71 in January Amid the actresss death, Macaulay took to Instagram to share two photos of them together, including a movie still and a more recent image taken on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He captioned, 'Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say. I love you. I'll see you later.' OHara was well known for playing Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek, for which she won an Emmy in 2020. More recently, she starred as Patty Leigh in Apple TV+'s The Studio. Culkin and the award-winning entertainer had an emotional final reunion two years ago as she introduced the actor at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023. At the time, the Hollywood icon made a heartfelt speech and the onscreen mother-son duo shared a tearful embrace. 'Home Alone was, is and always will be a beloved global sensation. The reason families all over the world can't let a year go by without watching and loving Home Alone together is because of Macaulay Culkin,' she gushed at the podium. She described Culkins performance in the 1990 blockbuster as 'perfect.' 'I know you worked really hard. I know you did, but you made acting look like the most natural thing in the world to do, she added. Macaulay rocked the quirky white jumper with the famous 1969 children's book by Eric Carle printed on the front layered over a smart blue shirt and matching jeans But it was Macaulay's colourful painted nails which caught the eye as he headed to the event Macaulay and Catherine famously played mother and son, Kevin and Kate McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) OHara also praised his professionalism and passion for acting, noting that he always brings his 'sweet and twisted, yet totally relatable sense of humor to every project he does. 'Macaulay, congratulations. You so deserve your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,' she said. She injected her signature humor as she concluded, And thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I'm so proud of you.' Ana Martinez producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame had previously expressed excitement over O'Hara and Culkin's reunion in a press release. 'How fitting that Catherine O'Hara who played Macaulay's mother in the film is reuniting with her movie son and will be speaking at the ceremony!' she said. Katie Price's new husband's ex has told him to 'stop obsessing over me' and joked 'he's the only person grateful for the Dubai airspace being closed' in a scathing post on Tuesday. Ex-glamour model and mother-of-five Katie, 47, shocked fans when she married the businessman, 41, in Dubai last month following a whirlwind 'one-week' romance. Since the high-profile relationship has come to light Lee's ex Alana Percival has been letting the world know her feelings on the matter with a series of barbs at him on her Instagram and has claimed he is legally bound to stay in the UAE. On Tuesday the row continued as Lee took to his Instagram Story to show what he claimed were screenshots of past payments sent to her and her father lending them money. Alana then responded saying on her Story that the images were edited and that he had not in fact ever lent her money. One of Lee's post which was a screenshot of transfers read: 'The cash continuously sent to Alana from me to her and her father who stole money.' She penned in response: 'I've spent today on a peaceful by the pool working on some things enjoying my beautiful life and I get back to my phone and my crazy ex fiance has been posting up edited payments to me saying he has lent me money! Katie Price's husband Lee Andrews posted a love note to his wife as she performed in Ireland on Saturday night - whilst he sought emergency shelter at home in Dubai Since the high-profile relationship has come to light Lee's ex Alana Percival (seen) has been letting the world know her feelings on the matter with a series of barbs at him on her Instagram and has claimed he is legally bound to the UAE On Tuesday Alana took to her Instagram Story to respond to claims that he had previously sent her money 'Lee we both know what that money was for and I have the messages (without the edit) to show it as well. I wonder if Katie gets payments for the same?' She did not elaborate on what she was referring to him paying for. She then added: 'Go away and stop obsessing over me, it's not normal, you're a married man, go be married and try and work out the next excuse why you can't travel ANYWHERE. (Lee will be the only person grateful for the Dubai airspace being closed!) After Lee posted he then took to his Story with a video to clear something else up after his screen shots showed he used the digital banking service Revolut to allegedly send Alana the money. Lee - who has claimed to be both a billionaire and millionaire previously - said in the clip: 'Lot of you are you saying 'oh a millionaire's got a Revolut'. Yes I do use Revolut because it has crypto on there. Those that have the same will understand!' In recent weeks, Lee has continued to state that he will join Katie in the UK, despite frequent claims from his ex, Alana, that he is legally bound to the UAE. Since they wed, Katie has returned home alone twice - despite Lee insisting he would join her both times. There were also assertions that they would be going somewhere on honeymoon together, but they remained in Dubai. Lee previously claimed he returned to his Lincolnshire hometown for Christmas. But Alana mocked his recent social media posts, among them footage of the businessman racing horses along what he claims to be the Skegness coastline. Remarkably, the sun is high and the sky is clear despite much of England being battered by torrential rain and fierce wind since the turn of the year. Lee took to his Story to show what he claimed were past payments sent to her and her father lending them money Reposting the clip, she said: 'People of Skegness watching this asking where exactly is this tropical upgrade?' A second video, in which Andrews claims to be freezing while driving in 'his mum's car' is also savaged by Percival, who previously accused him of being 'physically and mentally abusive' during their relationship. Commenting on the clip, she wrote: 'When you put on a woolly hat in an underground car park in Dubai to pretend you're in the UK.' While Andrews has presented himself as a high-flying business mogul, the Daily Mail shattered the illusion by revealing that he has been banned from leaving Dubai after spending three weeks locked up in a UAE jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend's signature to secure a 200,000 loan. He allegedly applied for a mortgage in personal trainer Dina Taji's name last year without her consent. Lee told the Daily Mail it was 'complete b******s' that he couldn't leave. Lee and Katie maintain that they are very much in love and that he will be coming to the UK soon to have a bigger wedding with family and friends. Just a few weeks ago Alana also shared a scathing post where she accused Lee of 'conning his own father' and 'taking everything you have until you have nothing left and have to rely on him.' Mother-of-five Katie wrote in response to her claims on social media: '@larnaapercival I know rejection doesn't feel nice and I'm married to @wesleeeandrews the man you want and will never have again. 'Your constant lies and put-downs is clearly showing how bitter you are, go live your life little girl. I know the truth and your now embarrassing yourself, go and have the little respect for yourself that's left. Alana took to Instagram that week to fire back at Katie as she shared a graphic of a middle finger. Alongside it, she wrote: 'Imagine spending your honeymoon with me on your mind. Get better soon.' In the rest of Katie's post, she wrote: 'I know all about you and who you are at least I'm the real woman he has found and deserves, but please just enjoy watching us build our empire as I'm having his child. 'I'll enjoy the ride and big d**k energy now, I'm in the saddle, he's the most beautiful human I know who never took anything from you. I'm the real feminine woman he deserves, not the male version you are. 'Now disappear under that bridge you irrelevant little troll.' Legendary Good Morning America host Joan Lunden made a shocking revelation about her early days in television. The 75-year-old media personality revealed that one of the early bosses in her career had romantically propositioned her and punished her by keeping her off air after she turned him down. The television icon wrote about the early stages of her career on New York's WABC-TV Eyewitness News, which she joined in 1975 where she co-anchored weekend newscasts, in her new memoir Joan: Life Beyond the Script. During that period in her career, she had worked with a colleague - whom she refers to in the book as 'Ted' - that would help her edit her stories when things took an interesting turn as he invited her to a hang out on Fire Island off Long Island, New York. '"You should come along, Joan," said Ted. "It will be a good opportunity for you to socialize with the rest of the team,"' she wrote in the book via People. 'Not having any close friendships in the newsroom, I was concerned that I would feel awkward and uncomfortable, like a tagalong. With some encouragement, I agreed to go. Id never been to the famed Fire Island before. Id heard that no cars were allowed on the island, so you had to take a ferry to get there.' Legendary Good Morning America host Joan Lunden revealed that one of the early bosses in her career had romantically propositioned her and punished her by keeping her off air after she turned him down The television icon said the incident occurred in the early stage of her career on New York's WABC-TV Eyewitness News, which she joined in 1975 where she co-anchored weekends However, when she and 'Ted' arrived to the home where the gathering was supposed to take place on Fire Island there were only two others there - a local WCBS reporter and his girlfriend - then she realized that it was an attempt at an overnight double-date. She admitted being 'embarrassed' and 'naive' that she had been roped into the situation in addition to being 'offended' that her superior thought they could get away with pulling the wool over her eyes. Lunden wrote: 'I was also scared because it felt like there was no way out. It was evening and the sky was getting darker by the minute. You cant just walk outside a home on Fire Island and hail a cab to take you back to your apartment.' The television star went on to have a conversation with 'Ted' about it as she told him it was 'not what I signed up for' but he tried to charm her and ultimately convinced her to stay. However, things got even more uneasy as 'Ted' pressured her to sleep in the bedroom with him but she opted to sleep on the uncomfortable sofa and left first thing in the morning but things got even more awkward when she arrived to the office on Monday. Lunden explained: 'I was about to find out that hell hath no fury like a man scorned. Ted started killing my storiesmeaning he kept my stories from making the show lineup for one reason or another. 'I felt vulnerable and helpless. Not only that, but my reputation also took a hit because a) it had become known that I went to Fire Island with my immediate superior, and b) it was obvious to everyone that my stories werent making air.' As if that wasn't uncomfortable enough, at the time television reporters were paid a base salary an additional fee for each story that appeared on air so if they didn't, you would make a considerable amount less. During that period in her career, she had worked with a colleague - whom she refers to in the book as 'Ted' - that would help her edit her stories when things took an interesting turn as he invited her to a hang out on Fire Island off Long Island, New York She admitted being 'embarrassed' and 'naive' that she had been roped into the situation in addition to being 'offended' that her superior thought they could get away with pulling the wool over her eyes Lunden said that 'Ted' had kept his grudge against her for a few months until she finally put her foot down Lunden said that 'Ted' had kept his grudge against her for a few months until she finally put her foot down. She wrote that she told him: 'This has to stop. Now. Im not putting up with it another day. We both know youre keeping my stories off the air for no valid reason 'I know it and you know it, and everyone else in the newsroom knows it. Its pure revenge on your part, and it happens to be discriminatory, not to mention youre affecting my income. Ive spoken with my agent and my lawyer, and theyve both advised me to file suit against you and WABC-TV for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination, and they say Im going to win.' Lunden said that the bold move 'got his attention' and that she could see in his face that she got her message across. She wrote: 'Before he even had a chance to respond, I closed with, "Against my lawyers advice, Im going to give you one chance, today, to rectify this situation. Its not because you deserve it; its only to avoid the legal process. But hear me: If I detect even a whiff that this is still happening, I promise you I will tell the lawyers to go ahead and file the suit they have prepared."' Shortly thereafter, 'Ted' changed his tune which 'vindicated' Lunden. Years later she went on to become a national star as she became co-anchor of Good Morning America in 1979. She enjoyed nearly two decades on the groundbreaking news and talk show as she worked alongside David Hartman and Charlie Gibson until 1997. Years later she went on to become a national star as she became co-anchor of Good Morning America in 1979; she is pictured with Charles Gibson (left) and Spencer Christian Lunden's memoir Joan: Life Beyond the Script is out on March 3 Since then she has been a special correspondent for NBC's Today. In 2021, she became the host of public television program Second Opinion. The media star has also authored over ten books since 1986. In June 2014, she famously revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer as she finished her treatments the following year in June 2015. Lunden's memoir Joan: Life Beyond the Script is out on March 3. Heidi Klum and her daughter Leni have posed together for yet another lingerie campaign after being branded 'inappropriate' by fans. The German-American model, 52, and her daughter, 21, stunned fans back in 2022 when they posed together in lingerie for brand Intimissimi for the first time. The campaign received a lot of backlash at the time as fans branded the lingerie mother-daughter shots 'inappropriate' - but Heidi and Leni went on to pose for multiple other shoots in the years that followed. Now the pair have yet again modelled for the underwear brand as they launched their The Art of Italian Lingerie campaign. Heidi posed in two bright pink looks, a lace set featuring a wired bra and sheer briefs and a racy bodysuit. Meanwhile Leni wore a baby pink lace balconette bra featuring a cherry pattern, with a matching satin shirt and shorts set. Heidi Klum and her daughter Leni have posed together for yet another lingerie campaign after being branded 'inappropriate' by fans Now the pair have yet again modelled for the underwear brand as they launched their The Art of Italian Lingerie campaign In another look, Leni again wore a set in the cherry pattern but this time opted for a longline lace bra and knickers. The new @intimissimi special collection is out now, and so is our campaign! @heidiklum #intimissimi #theartofitalianlingerie Heidi has appeared in a string of campaigns with her daughter Leni, but the pair have brushed off previous comments that labeled their joint lingerie shoots as 'inappropriate.' The pair have previously hit back at backlash from fans, with Leni telling PEOPLE: 'A lot of people are like, "Oh, I don't know about mom and daughter doing this together". 'But for us? I'm proud of my daughter. She's fine with me like that.' Heidi also made it clear that body confidence runs in the family, noting that she's always been comfortable in her own skin. 'I've always been very open with my body,' she explained. 'When I'm suntanning in the backyard, I might not have a top on. I'm European my kids don't know me any other way.' She added that their family doesn't view nudity through a hypersexualised lens. The TV personality and her daughter donned nude-colored, cashmere knitwear for their first Intimissimi campaign together at the time. Leni, Heidi's daughter with Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, was adopted by Seal during his marriage to Heidi. Heidi posed in two bright pink looks, a lace set featuring a wired bra and sheer briefs and a racy bodysuit The German-American model, 52, and her daughter, 21, stunned fans back in 2022 when they posed together in lingerie for brand Intimissimi for the first time Meanwhile Leni wore a baby pink lace balconette bra featuring a cherry pattern, with a matching satin shirt and shorts set In another look, Leni again wore a set in the cherry pattern but this time opted for a longline lace bra and knickers Although Leni was offered modelling gigs throughout her childhood, Heidi held off on allowing her to enter the industry until she felt her daughter was ready. Leni officially began modeling in 2020. Heidi's decision to wait until Leni was 'old enough' was rooted in her desire to protect her daughter from the pressures of fame - though clearly, Leni has since caught the modeling bug. It comes after Heidi posed for her first cover shoot with her son Henry in December. The pair have posed for a sweet photo shoot with ELLE Germany, with Henry, 20, telling the publication that prior to launching his fashion career he would spend hours 'hunched over his computer' playing video games. Heidi and Henry were dressed in an array of matching looks as he shared his hopes of following his mother into the fashion world. The budding fashion star is Heidi's son from her marriage to musician Seal, 62 and the pair, who are no longer together, also share son Johan, 19 and daughter Lou, 16. Henry shared the main piece of advice he's been given by Heidi, saying: 'To pay attention to my posture. 'I like video games and used to constantly sit hunched over the computer. But my mother also instilled a lot in me regarding self-confidence.' Cruz Beckham and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel stepped out in Glasgow on Tuesday ahead of his first gig in the city. The budding musician, 21, is in the middle of his UK tour with his band Cruz Beckham And The Breakers and he is performing at King Tuts in the city. Cruz cut a casual figure for the outing as he sported a brown leather jacket along with a navy hoodie and tan shorts. He walked arm-in-arm with songwriter Jackie, 30, who opted for a black leather jacket with slim-fitting trousers. Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, she completed her look with a pair of sunglasses. The couple were joined by members of Cruz's band as they arrived at the Five Star Blythswood Hotel ahead of their gig. Cruz Beckham and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel stepped out in Glasgow on Tuesday ahead of his first gig in the city The budding musician, 21, is in the middle of his UK tour with his band Cruz Beckham And The Breakers and he is performing at King Tuts in the city Cruz was stopped by fans on the outing and happily signed autographs. It comes after souvenir tickets given out for Cruz's gig in Cardiff said the show was in Cardiff, England, rather than in Wales. The band performed at Clwb Ifor Bach, a music venue and Welsh-language club known for promoting homegrown talent. Audience member Jason Erickson, 52, shared a snap of the erroneous ticket and said the location wasn't 'on the money'. 'It's [written] so tiny, isn't it, on the ticket, you can quite easily overlook it, so I kind of get it,' Erickson said, according to the BBC. 'But you would expect them to pick something like that [up]... being the only Welsh gig. 'You kind of think, let's make sure we get that on the money but, you know, I'm a proud Welshman but it hasn't really upset me.' The ticket for the gig also featured an odd message reading: 'Cardiff did you Dario's beard attached to his chest hair if he doesn't trim it.' One of Cruz's bandmates is named Dario Scotti. Daily Mail has contacted representatives of Cruz Beckham for comment. Cruz cut a casual figure for the outing as he sported a brown leather jacket along with a navy hoodie and tan shorts The couple were joined by members of Cruz's band as they arrived at the Five Star Blythswood Hotel ahead of their gig Cruz put on an animated display as he arrived at his hotel Cruz was stopped by fans on the outing and happily signed autographs Cruz, the youngest son of David and Victoria, kicked off his UK tour last Wednesday and has been steadily stepping into the spotlight in his own right. Last week, Cruz told how his girlfriend Jackie Apostel is the woman behind his success. Alongside a snap of the beauty, he penned: 'I don't think anybody understands how much Jackie does for us. 'Throughout these last few years Jackie has connected the band, connected teams, constantly making sure s**t gets done, none of this would be happening without her. 'Just a little appreciation post for the fifth member of the breakers. She is the driving force of the band. She has gone overboard with making sure content all of you see is the best of the best. Jackie we are forever grateful for you and I hope you know, we appreciate you more than you can imagine.' The tour has been a big moment for Cruz, who has been working up to his sold out gigs following the release of his single, For Your Love. The couple have been together since 2024, after they were first spotted together at Glastonbury. Cruz announced his debut headline show with The Breakers at The Courtyard Theatre in London on March 27, which sold out in a matter of minutes. He followed up the announcement with a full UK and EU tour, kicking off in Birmingham on February 25, before journeying to Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Southampton, Brighton, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin, before culminating in three nights in London at The Courtyard Theatre. Earlier this month, Cruz released the music video for his new single For Your Love. The Stone Roses inspired clip is a huge ode to his family as brother Romeo gets a namecheck, they film in his father David's favourite pie and mash restaurant and even his grandad Tony Adams gets a cameo. For Your Love follows his debut single Optics released in October last year alongside Lick The Toad, marking the beginning of Cruz's music career. The video features Cruz alongside his band The Breakers, formed of Dan Ewins, Telmo Seixas and Dario Scotti, and features a cameo from his grandad Tony - Victoria's mum. Barry Manilow remained upbeat in a new video he posted to Instagram this week, after a cancer surgery that forced him to postpone a string of concerts. The 82-year-old - who was a smoker from the age of nine onwards but transitioned to vaping in recent years - revealed in December that he was undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous spot on one of his lungs. At that stage, the Copacabana hitmaker assured the public that he would not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation after the operation. His announcement came one month after the release of his new single Once Before I Go, which has proven to be a resounding commercial success. Manilow posted an Instagram video this Tuesday assuring fans that he had 'made it' and was 'getting stronger' as his 'great doctors' nurse him back to health. He expressed gratitude to his admirers 'for your messages of support these last couple of months. It's been a long ride and since I have no patience it's been agony.' Barry Manilow remained upbeat in a new video he posted to Instagram this week, after a cancer surgery that forced him to postpone a string of concerts The message began: 'Hi, everyone, Barry Manilow here! Well, looks like I made it and I look fabulous, right? You know, with everything that's going on in the world, I wanted to check in and share some good news. In fact, it's great news.' He then celebrated the fact that Once Before I Go had made its way onto Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, landing one of the top 10 spots. 'I'm 100 years old with a top 10 single on the pop charts. Top 10. Like my grandmother once said: "Next thing you know, they'll be walking on the moon,"' he quipped. After offering thanks to music mogul Clive Davis 'for suggesting the song,' as well as to radio stationers and listeners, he turned his attention to his health struggles, sharing how grateful he was for the well wishes he had received. 'But I am getting stronger and I have great doctors and wonderful friends and family, but I am so looking forward to getting back onstage,' he said. 'What a time it's been. Hey, that's the name of my new album. It's called What a Time. It comes out real soon and I can't wait to show these songs to you. So here's to another century of making music together, my friends. All my love and gratitude.' After concluding his Christmas concerts this past September, Manilow announced that a stage one cancerous spot was discovered on one of his lungs. The tumor was found after Manilow suffered two weeks-long bouts of bronchitis, prompting his doctor to suggest that he undergo an MRI. The 82-year-old musical legend revealed in December that he was undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous spot on one of his lungs Manilow, pictured performing May 2024 at the London Palladium, has had to postpone a number of concerts this January, February and March amid his recovery Manilow shared that he was 'going into surgery to have the spot removed. The doctors do not believe it has spread and I'm taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So that's it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.' He confirmed that he would have to postpone his scheduled January tour dates in US cities including Orlando, Tampa, Charleston, Greensboro and Columbus. At that point, however, he still planned to take the stage in February, saying: 'Something tells me February is going to be one big party.' Once the beginning February arrived, he shared that he would have to reschedule the Las Vegas residency that he had planned for February 12-21. As the month progressed, he announced the postponement of all his shows from February 27 to March 17, following a 'very depressing visit' with his surgeon. Manilow explained that he was still unable to 'sing more than three songs in a row' in spite of the fact he had been 'using the treadmill three times a day,' adding that the doctor said his 'body isn't ready' for the rigors of a 90-minute concert. Move over, Leonardo DiCaprio - fans have crowned another star the hottest actor in Titanic. Actor Danny Nucci played Fabrizio, an Italian native who won a trip on the ill-fated ship with his friend Jack Dawson (DiCaprio). He may have played more of the sidekick to Jack, but for fans, he's number one in their hearts. Fabrizio's memory was resurrected by pop culture commentator John Wallison, who asked his followers in January 'What does the hottest actor from Titanic look like today?' 'Honestly, Leonardo DiCaprio... truly dreams of aging like this,' Wallison declared as he showed a recent photo of Nucci. It was a message many commenters were aligned with. Danny Nucci, who played Fabrizio in Titanic, has been crowned by fans as the 'hottest actor' in the film 'I always thought he was more beautiful than Leonardo,' one wrote. 'Fabrizio was cuter than Jack. End of story lol,' another posted. 'he was the real Jack,' another said. 'I always thought he was hotter than Leo!' 'Fabrizio was damn hot,' one posted. 'That dude could take me to the back seat anytime. He was beautiful,' another said. Members of the subreddit 'Vintage Lady Boners' also agreed. 'Such a FACE,' the author noted. A young man from Italy who wins a ticket to Titanic just moments before the ship departs over a game of poker, Fabrizio originally had a much larger presence in the film. 'Fabrizio was cuter than Jack. End of story,' a netizen declared He has continued to act consistently since the 1997 film debuted; pictured September 2025 Fabrizio was Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio)'s best friend on the RMS Titanic Pop culture commentator John Wallison asked his followers in January, 'What does the hottest actor from Titanic look like today?' However, Nucci was 'completely heartbroken' when he watched the final cut at the premiere of Titanic after seeing just how much of his part was removed from the movie. 'The first time I saw it, that was the predominant part of the experience,' he told Vanity Fair. 'When I saw it the second time, I was able to see the scope of what Jim had done. . . . It was pretty amazing.' Fabrizio perishes during the sinking of the Titanic as he desperately swims from the ship, only to be struck by one of the smokestacks. But the script first killed for him to be killed after a run-in with the villainous Cal (Billy Zane). Fabrizio manages to escape the disaster and swims to Cal's lifeboat, begging him to let him on to make it to America. Viewers were in agreement with Wallison's observations Nucci's roles included parts in 9-1-1 (pictured) and more Nucci, pictured 2006, has not let Titanic define his acting career However Cal strikes him on the head with an oar and tells him, 'It's that way.' 'As I float away, the lifeboat slowly [disappears] into the gray,' he recalled. 'It was one of the scenes that drew me to the role. But after seeing the movie, I understand, because its just on and on with Cal. We get it; Cal is awful.' The iconic moment he shared with DiCaprio in which his co-star declared he was the 'king of the world' did make it. But the making of it wasn't as glamorous as one might think. 'It was just me and him up on this giant platform, and the wind was blowing and it was freezing cold and it was the morning, and I dont think wed eaten,' he told Vanity Fair. 'I had to pee, he had to pee; hes hungry, Im hungry; hes cold, Im cold. We dont have anything up there other than our characters clothes. 'And so in this scene, [our characters] are the happiest we have ever been in our lives, and the world is in front of us, and the minute they said, Cut, we would be miserable.' While the film may be the biggest title on his resume, Nucci has not let it define his career. Nucci, pictured at a Dodgers game alongside Brad Pitt in 2018, has enjoyed continued success in Hollywood Nucci has been acting consistently ever since, with roles on the big and small screens. His resume demonstrates his versatility, with roles in comedies, dramas, and even the obscure. Nucci has landed parts in Crimson Tide, The Rock, CSI, Castle, Party of Five, House, Just Shoot Me!, Snoops, 9-1-1, Dynasty, The Chosen Adventures, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Nucci was also introduced to a new generation of viewers with a starring role in the ABC Family series The Fosters, in which he played the stepfather to Noah Centineo's character. Lily McMenamy and Deva Cassel made a chic appearance at the Dior Paris Fashion Week show in the French capital on Tuesday. The nepo babies looked the spitting image of their model mothers as they gathered at the Jardin des Tuileries, a landscaped masterpiece in the heart of the city, where the runway has been erected. Lily, 31, is the daughter of American model Kristen McMenamy, 61, and the late Hubert Boukobza, who died in 2018. The English beauty went braless in a red vest top and tight black leggings, teamed with chic ballet pumps. Deva, 21, is the daughter of Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci and French actor Vincent Cassel, 59. She has followed in her mother's modelling footsteps as well as landing coveted acting roles. Lily McMenamy (pictured) and Deva Cassel made a chic appearance at the Dior Paris Fashion Week show in the French capital on Tuesday The nepo babies looked the spitting image of their model mothers as they gathered at the Jardin des Tuileries (Deva Cassel pictured) In November 2023, Deva opened up to Gen V by V Magazine about her relationship with her parents and how they have encouraged her career in the industry. She told the magazine: 'They taught me to always look forward, to always protect myself, to always be kind, and always keep wonder in mind. 'There's much more, but the point is that they've taught me how to handle unexpected situations and live by my own rules, while always respecting people and the environment I'm in. 'I remember browsing through my mom's huge fashion books that she kept in the house for as long as I can remember. 'Everything was so looked after and beautiful. I knew I wanted to work in that industry at some point in my life, but I definitely didn't expect to love it this much and make a living out of it.' Deva continued: 'I really did not want to be an actor for most of my childhood. It was something that everyone kept asking me as a kid and it really pushed me away from that career path. 'However, with time, I started getting more and more interested in the cinematic industry, the people, and the experiences it could offer.' Deva's parents Monica and Vincent split in 2013 after 14 years of marriage and the pair share daughters Deva and Leonie, 15. The English beauty went braless in a red vest top and tight black leggings, teamed with chic ballet pumps Deva, 21, has followed in her mother's modelling footsteps as well as landing coveted acting roles Deva looked timeless in a chic black skirt and blue stripe shirt The model and actress couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she arrived at the show The stunner waved to fans on her way into the catwalk Lily is the daughter of American model Kristen McMenamy (pictured), 61, and the late Hubert Boukobza, who died in 2018 Deva is the daughter of Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci (pictured last month) and French actor Vincent Cassel, 59 The youngster has been making leaps and bounds into the world of beauty and fashion, sharing a cover of Italian Vogue with her mother for the July 2021 issue. She also made her acting debut in the indie film The Beautiful Summer in 2023. Jonathan Anderson has been the creative director of Christian Dior since 2025 and this marks his fourth fashion week presentation for the brand. He is the first person since Christian Dior to oversee all major lines. This line is heavily inspired by nature and the invitations to the show paid tribute to the Jardins. Attendees were presented with with miniature replicas of the green metal lawn chairs found all over the grounds. Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips took a subtle swipe at Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson on their Nova breakfast program Wednesday morning following the shock news of the collapse of The Kyle & Jackie O Show. The radio duo were blindsided in 2023 when their KIIS FM Melbourne show was axed to make way for Sandilands, 54, and Henderson's big expansion into the city from Sydney. While the co-stars didn't directly address the news, Hawkins did make a remark about 'fighting' on the show. The radio host, who lived with Sandilands at the beginning of his career in the early 2000s, advised his colleagues that today was not the day to be fighting live on-air. His comment came as Phillips got into a playful argument with Clint Stanaway after the former newsreader took an early day off from work recently to attend a charity event. 'Guys, today is not the day to have a fight,' Hawkins joked, before throwing to an ad break while Phillips and Stanaway broke out in giggles. Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips took a subtle swipe at Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson on their Nova breakfast program Wednesday morning following the shock news of the collapse of The Kyle & Jackie O Show Phillips also took her own swipe later on in the show, slyly remarking that it was 'break-up season' when discussing sporting news - again to fits of giggles from her co-stars. Meanwhile, fans flocked to social media to call the end of The Kyle & Jackie O Show 'karma' for Jase & Lauren. 'Karma eventually catches up in this lifetime! #amen,' one person wrote on Instagram, as another added: 'Haha karma at its finest - shame @kiis1011.' 'Karma has come for replacing Jase & Lauren! I stopped listening to KIIS since then,' said a third. 'We all know @jase_hawkins and @lfizzlphillips are bloody loving this,' commented another. Others noted, 'Jase and Lauren must be quietly pleased,' and, 'Somewhere out there @jaseandlauren are having a quiet giggle.' Others suggested KIIS FM would now 'be wishing they didn't get rid of Jase and Lauren'. Hawkins and Phillips were devasted when their Melbourne show was axed to make way for Sandilands and Henderson. The radio duo were blindsided in 2023 when their KIIS FM Melbourne show was axed to make way for Sandilands, 54, and Henderson's big expansion into the city from Sydney At the time, an unapologetic Sandilands said he felt indifferent to his competitors being sacked as it ultimately came down to who was attracting the most listeners. 'No, I don't care. That's why we went for Melbourne, we were like, "We've given this Jase and Lauren on KIIS FM a good run, it can't get over fourth in the radio ratings, so we'll take it,"' he said at the time. However, Hawkins and Phillips eventually had the last laugh as Sandilands and Henderson, 51, consistently failed to outperform their Melbourne counterparts, who were hired by Nova after they were axed by KIIS. Meanwhile, as the shocking news broke on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract was terminated, there was a resounding one-word response - 'Finally' 'Finally! She's (Jackie) so much better without him,' former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers wrote on Instagram. 'Finally! About time! Now to make sure Kyle is never ever allowed back on air!' said a second. 'About time. The only thing surprising here is that it took so long. Hopefully this means the end of Kyle on the radio altogether too,' added another. The Kyle & Jackie O Show collapsed amid a high-profile feud between hosts Sandilands and Henderson last month. Meanwhile, fans flocked to social media to call the end of The Kyle & Jackie O Show 'karma' for Jase & Lauren KIIS FM's parent company ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract has been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears. Sandilands has been suspended and given 14 days to 'remedy' the breach, or else faces termination. ARN provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's services agreement with Quasar Media'. The KIIS breakfast show has been taken off-air immediately, and Kent 'Smallzy' Small filled in for the radio titans on Wednesday morning. ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network. Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with Australian Radio Network (ARN) in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract. They were paid a reported $200 million in that landmark negotiation and earned approximately $47,000 per episode. Henderson, 51, has been AWOL from the Kyle & Jackie O show since Friday, 20 February, after Sandilands, 54, accused Henderson of being unfocused at work. As the shocking news broke on Tuesday that Henderson's $100 million contract was terminated, there was a resounding one-word response - 'Finally!' During the on-air feud, Henderson broke down in tears when the pair were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Sandilands got angry at her when she proceeded to read out the disgraced royal's birth chart. He lambasted his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work. When Henderson attempted to defend herself and accused him of launching an attack on her, he stated he was only expressing the 'facts'. An emotional Henderson said she was deeply 'offended' by his brutal comments during the clash. She took a leave of absence following the altercation, and was expected to return to the show on March 2. On Monday, it was announced that her return to the airwaves has been pushed back another week. Sandilands started Tuesday's show by revealing that Henderson would return to the airwaves 'at some stage' - however, that was not to be. Another cast member from The Real Housewives of Dubai is grappling with uncertainty as the city they call home is struck by Iranian retaliatory strikes. Caroline Brooks has revealed her desperate plans to leave Dubai as soon as she is able, she has revealed to TMZ. Over the weekend, Iran launched a series of retaliatory air strikes against the United Arab Emirates and other targets after US-Israeli military operations against Iran, with significant damage caused in influencer hotspot Dubai. The strikes have affected the airspace over Dubai, and all flights in and out of the vicinity were cancelled. However, a few number of flights are now available in Dubai. Brooks, 37, revealed her son has been particularly impacted by the conflict - he is terrified of traveling out of the city, a region he now perceives to be a war zone. They are now planning on purchasing flights to the United States once they can do so, and plan on staying with Brooks' parents in Boston. Caroline Brooks has revealed her desperate plans to leave Dubai amid Iranian retaliatory strikes Smoke rose from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai Sunday She has been updating followers on the ordeal on her Instagram Stories, describing her challenges getting clear information about evacuations. 'Marco Rubio do something because everyone is confused telling us to evacuate VIA coordinating with the embassy but as you know, nobody in the embassy can assist right now. So now what? Get us HOME!' she posted. She followed it up that she soon received more clearer plans: 'I called again and another lady answered. She was so sweet! She said they will release official evacuation plan soon, keep looking out for it. The first one was RUDE! And I gave it right back to her.' Brooks is not the only star from the show navigating the conflict. Caroline Stanbury is attempting to return to Dubai to be with her twin sons, who are still there. 'Thank you so much for all the amazing messages I am getting. I am currently in LA, which is not ideal because my sons are in Dubai,' she began. The concerned mother continued: 'But they are safe and I feel very comfortable with where they are and they feel very comfortable. 'Obviously I would like to get back as soon as I can but thats not possible right now.' The television personality emphasized in her video, 'Everybody's ok and as I said, the boys are handling it amazingly. 'And we're all just waiting to see, but the UAE is obviously an amazing place and it seems from here to be incredibly under control and they're doing an amazing job, so that's all we can hope for.' In addition to her sons, Stanbury also shares daughter Yasmine, who turns 20 on March 7, with ex-husband Cem Habib. She concluded, 'I will be back on the next plane I can back to the Dubai.' Brooks plans on staying with her parents in Boston once she travels to the United States She is not the only one grappling with the conflict - Caroline Stanbury, pictured third to the right, is attempting to return to Dubai to be with her twin sons President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Israel initiated combat operations against Iran on Friday. A host of nations in the Gulf region have been targeted by Iran since the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and locations in Cyprus have all been struck by missiles, with thousands of Brits still stuck in the region. On Sunday Trump broke his silence on the first US casualties of the war in an exclusive phone interview with the Daily Mail. Three US service members, who have not been publicly identified, were killed in the fighting. 'They're great people,' the President said. 'And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. It could happen again.' The cause of death for Katherine Hartley Short, the daughter of actor Martin Short, has been revealed. According to her Los Angeles County Department of Public Health death certificate, obtained by TMZ, Katherine died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The document also notes that she has been cremated. Katherine, 42, was found dead inside her Hollywood Hills home last Monday after authorities responded to the residence. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed she was found behind a locked door, with a firearm and a note recovered at the scene. At this time, the contents of the note have not been made public. Previously, law enforcement sources told TMZ that Katherine had not been heard from for roughly 24 hours before a concerned friend contacted police. The cause of death for Katherine Hartley Short, the daughter of actor Martin Short, has been revealed; seen in 2011 Officers ultimately forced their way past the locked door before discovering her body. Homicide detectives who responded to the scene determined there were no signs of foul play, according to the report. A close friend told TMZ that Katherine's behavior in the days leading up to her death appeared normal and that she had not shown any signs she might harm herself. The devastating loss has reportedly left her father reeling. TMZ reported that Short has been 'inconsolable' since his daughter's sudden death and has largely retreated from the public eye. The 75-year-old comedian has canceled several comedy performances with longtime collaborator Steve Martin and also skipped the Actors Awards, where he had been nominated for Outstanding Male Actor in a Comedy Series. Katherine was the eldest child of Short and his late wife, actress Nancy Dolman. The couple adopted Katherine along with their sons Oliver, 39, and Henry, 36. Dolman died in 2010 at age 58 after a battle with ovarian cancer. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Katherine held a master's degree and worked as a licensed clinical social worker. According to her Los Angeles County Department of Public Health death certificate, obtained by TMZ , Katherine died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head; father and daughter are pictured in 2008 She was also involved with a mental health charity. Friends later told the Daily Mail that Katherine had privately struggled with difficult personal challenges, though she was widely admired for her compassion and dedication to helping others. She was last publicly seen with her father in 2023 when they celebrated her 40th birthday at Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood. The gathering included a number of well-known friends, such as Catherine O'Hara, Joni Mitchell, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Since news of her death broke, several of Short's close friends have reportedly visited him at his Los Angeles home to offer support. Among those said to have paid their respects are Steven Spielberg, Eugene Levy and longtime television bandleader Paul Shaffer. Katherine was the eldest child of Short and his late wife, actress Nancy Dolman; seen in 1989 Insiders also told the Daily Mail that Short's Only Murders In The Building co-stars Meryl Streep and Steve Martin are among those rallying around him during the heartbreaking time. A source close to the family told the Daily Mail that 'this is as much of a horror to Martin and his sons, her brothers, as humanly possible.' The insider added, 'For someone who brings so much joy to so many, who is always trying to lift others up and make them laugh, this loss has completely shattered him. He is gutted, and as you would expect, his closest friends are surrounding him with love and support.' In a statement provided to the Daily Mail, representatives for the Short family confirmed the tragic news. 'It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time,' the statement read. 'Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.' Jackie 'O' Henderson's ex-husband 'Ugly' Phil O'Neil has broken his silence after she sensationally quit The Kyle & Jackie O Show, following an explosive feud with co-star Kyle Sandilands. The veteran radio presenter, who was married to Henderson from 1993 - 1999 and helped her get her start in the industry, shared a telling post to social media on Wednesday, in which he reflected on his ex-wife's axing. Phil shared a social media grab from a listener which said, 'Bring back Ugly Phil', calling for him to take over the reins on the KIIS FM breakfast show, and captioned it with some telling words. 'Yes it is true. I am the big radio story of the day. But I have nothing further to add. Thank you,' Phil wrote. Phil gave Henderson her start in the industry by bringing her in as a frequent guest on his Triple M Adelaide show Phil O'Neil's Hot 30. Following their split, Jackie continued her radio career and began a long-running professional partnership with Kyle Sandilands in 2000, which lasted until February 20, when it sensationally exploded following an on-air feud. Jackie 'O' Henderson's ex-husband 'Ugly' Phil O'Neil has broken his silence after she sensationally quit The Kyle & Jackie O Show (Pictured in KIIS FM's parent company ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100million contract has been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears (Both pictured) It follows reports that The Kyle & Jackie O show has collapsed amid a high-profile feud between the hosts. KIIS FM's parent company ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson's $100million contract has been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears. Sandilands has been suspended and given 14 days to 'remedy' the breach, or else faces termination. ARN provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's services agreement with Quasar Media'. The KIIS breakfast show will be taken off-air immediately, with 'interim arrangements made for the show'. ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network. Daily Mail has reached out to Henderson and Sandilands for comment. Join the debate What do YOU make of her ex-husband Ugly Phil ONeil speaking out now? Phil shared a social media grab from a listener which said, 'Bring back Ugly Phil' 'Yes it is true. I am the big radio story of the day. But I have nothing further to add. Thank you,' Phil wrote Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with Australian Radio Network (ARN) in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract. They were paid a reported $200 million in that landmark negotiation and earned approximately $47,000 per episode. An emotional Henderson said she was deeply 'offended' by his brutal comments during the clash Henderson, 51, has been AWOL from the Kyle & Jackie O show since Friday, 20 February, after Sandilands, 54, accused her of being unfocused at work. During the on-air feud, Henderson broke down in tears when the pair were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Sandilands got angry at her when she proceeded to read out the disgraced royal's birth chart. He lambasted his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work. When Henderson attempted to defend herself and accused him of launching an attack on her, he stated he was only expressing the 'facts'. An emotional Henderson said she was deeply 'offended' by his brutal comments during the clash. She took a leave of absence following the altercation, and was expected to return to the show on March 2. On Monday, it was announced that her return to the airwaves has been pushed back another week. Sandilands started Tuesday's show by revealing that Henderson would return to the airwaves 'at some stage' - however, that was not to be. Harrowing new details regarding the death of Todd Meadows, who worked as a deckhand on the fishing vessel featured on the reality TV show Deadliest Catch, have been revealed. The 25-year-old rookie's death is currently being investigated by the US Coast Guard who confirmed to the Daily Mail on Tuesday that Meadows had fallen overboard from the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea on February 25, 2026. An 'unresponsive' Meadows was recovered by the ship's crew approximately ten minutes after falling overboard but 'attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful.' Meadows's deceased body was then transported to Dutch Harbor and received at the Anchorage Medical Examiner's office in Alaska on February 27, a source told TMZ. An autopsy was performed and Meadows's body was released on March 2. A representative for the US Coast Guard released a statement to Daily Mail which read: 'On February 25, 2026, at 5:05 PM local Alaska time, Coast Guard watchstanders at the Arctic District command center in Juneau received notification from the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady, reporting that a crew member by the name of Todd Meadows fell overboard approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor. The death of Todd Meadows, 25 who worked as a deckhand on the fishing vessel featured on reality show Deadliest Catch - is currently being investigated by the US Coast Guard who revealed to that Meadows had fallen overboard from the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea 'He was recovered unresponsive by the crew approximately ten minutes later. First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, and the crew transported the deceased to Dutch Harbor.' The US Coast Guard continued: 'The Coast Guard is currently investigating this situation. As the nation's leading marine safety organization, the Coast Guard investigates marine casualties and accidents to uncover their causes and initiate necessary corrective actions.' The star of the Discovery Channel reality show Captain Rick Shelford first made the sad announcement on his Facebook page on Monday morning. Meadows had passed away aboard the Aleutian Lady on Wednesday in what Captain Shelford has called 'the most tragic day in the history' of the vessel. He was a father to three boys. A representative for the Discovery Channel provided a statement to Daily Mail over Meadows' death which read: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. 'This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.' Captain Shelford revealed in his tribute post that Meadows was the newest member of the crew and quickly became family through his strong work ethic earning the respect of everyone on the team quickly. He continued his post by writing: 'His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always. 'Todd's love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did. He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him.' Meadows had passed away in a fishing-related incident during filming as it remains unclear if cameras had caught the incident on tape according to sources for TMZ on Monday. The coast guard rep said: 'He was recovered unresponsive by the crew approximately ten minutes later. First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, and the crew transported the deceased to Dutch Harbor' The star of the Discovery Channel reality show Captain Rick Shelford made the sad announcement on his Facebook page on Monday morning Their insiders also claim that after the deckhand's death a memo had been sent to Deadliest Catch producers informing them of the incident and providing them with resources to help deal with grieving. Captain Shelford continued in his statement by writing: 'Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can't fully express. 'We ask that you lift Todd's children and family in prayer and keep them in your thoughts as they face the days ahead without him.' Though Meadows' time on the boat was brief, Captain Shelford concluded his tribute by declaring that he made a massive impact on the boat and crew. He wrote: 'Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood. Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him. 'Rest easy brother, till we meet again.' A GoFundMe - organized by Paige Knutson - has been set up to help ease the financial burden put on his family. The description of the charity effort read: 'We are heartbroken to share the sudden passing of Todd Morgan Meadows, a beloved 25-year-old father, son, brother and friend ,who left us far too soon while doing what he loved crabbing out on Alaskan waters. Meadows had passed away aboard the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea on Wednesday in what Captain Shelford has called 'the most tragic day in the history' of the vessel A representative for the Discovery Channel provided a statement to Daily Mail over Meadows' death which read: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows The reality star revealed that Meadows was the newest member of the crew and quickly became family through his strong work ethic earning the respect of everyone on the team quickly 'He was a determined dad to three amazing little boys who were his entire world. Everything he did was for them their smiles, their futures, and the memories they will carry with them.' It goes on to reveal that they will be using the funds to assist in funeral expenses and help the family navigate the months ahead. The description read: 'This unimaginable loss has left his children without their father, his parents without their son, his siblings without their brother and his family broken. A GoFundMe - organized by Paige Knutson - has been set up to help ease the financial burden put on his family Captain Rick Shelford is pictured as he owns The Aleutian Lady which is a 125-foot commercial fishing vessel which specializes in King Crab, Bairdi, Opilio, and cod fishing in the Bering Sea 'As the family navigates this heartbreaking time, we are raising funds to help support his three boys, assist with funeral expenses, and help ease the financial burden in the months ahead. Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward honoring his life and ensuring his boys are cared for in the way he would have wanted.' The Aleutian Lady is a 125-foot commercial fishing vessel which specializes in King Crab, Bairdi, Opilio, and cod fishing in the Bering Sea. The vessel - which was built in 1980 - usually has a crew of five to eight and is owned by the aforementioned Captain Shelford. The Aleutian Lady and Captain Shelford have been featured on the Discovery Channel reality series from seasons 19 to 21 from 2023 to 2025. A jubilant Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor offered to visit Jeffrey Epstein and 'pay homage to his new life' just hours after he was freed from house arrest following his child [adult work] conviction, emails show. The disgraced former prince described Epstein's freedom as 'really, really good news' and quickly began discussing multi-billion-pound deals and meeting younger women with the financier's assistance. Andrew appeared to send the fawning email just one day after Epstein was freed from house arrest in July 2010, having been convicted two years earlier for soliciting [adult work] from a child under 18. Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail in July 2009, but he was released under house arrest at his Palm Beach mansion for a year. In an email sent to Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson on July 24, 2010, Epstein said: 'I will be in Paris starting tomorrow.' Hungry for reals Andrew, from an email account named 'The Duke', then replied: 'Congratulations! DS told me you were allowed out from yesterday. How long in Paris for? I am back in London from 16th. A.' Epstein continued the exchange by responding: 'I'm totally complete and done. Will be in Paris for a while. Then the ranch in New Mexico. There is so much opportunity here. I've had non stop all day meetings and my friends are super flush with cash, and nothing to do.' 'Let's get moving. i.e. Leon Black is sitting with 20 billion dollars, and hungry for reals.' An excited Andrew then replied: 'Really, really good news. If you are in Paris around the 16th I'll be across to pay homage to your new life ahead!' He added: 'And as far as things to do I have, with DS, a good brain to make things happen. Even looking at purchases from government of up to 3B each.' Andrew signed the email off with 'HRH The Duke of York KG'. The Geneva connection Around two weeks later, Epstein arranged for Andrew to meet a 26-year-old Russian model. On August 11, 2010, Epstein emailed Andrew saying: 'I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with ' Andrew replied the next day, 'Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of 22nd but would be delighted to see her. Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.' Describing the woman to Andrew, Epstein says: 'She 26 russian clever (sic) beautiful trustworthy and yes she has your email.' Andrew replied: 'That was quick! How are you? Good to be free?' The emails uncovered are among those released by the US Department of Justice in January. They raise further questions over Andrew's friendship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 awaiting trial on trafficking charges. Birthday arrest The emails above were also exchanged just months before the infamous photo of Andrew and Epstein walking around Central Park in New York was taken in December 2010. In a Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew claimed he visited the financier at his New York mansion to sever all ties. He said he regretted staying at Epstein's house while he was there and that he had 'let the side down'. However, emails have proved that Andrew stayed in contact with Epstein for a longer timeframe than he had admitted. Andrew was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as trade envoy. Arrests in high places The former prince has denied any wrongdoing. King Charles issued an unprecedented statement confirming his 'wholehearted support and co-operation' with the investigation into Andrew just hours after he was detained - with Buckingham Palace understood not to have known the former Duke of York would be arrested. The statement said: 'I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.' 'What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.' 'Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.' William and Kate are understood to support the King. Days later, Peter Mandelson was arrested at his London home and taken into custody as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. The former British ambassador to the US was released on bail pending further investigation. Share your thoughts with us in the comments Kennedy heir Jack Schlossberg has unleashed a furious tirade against Ryan Murphy's new show about John F. Kennedy Jr's whirlwind life and tragic death. The FX anthology series Love Story, which premiered last month, follows the romance of JFK Jr. and wife Carolyn Bessette, depicting both the highs and lows of their marriage up until their tragic deaths in 1999 from a fatal plane crash. While the show has seemed to captivate the entire globe, there's one person who has made it clear he is not a fan: JFK Jr.'s nephew Schlossberg, 33. During a recent appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, the budding politician, who is currently running to become the Democratic candidate in New York's 12th congressional district in the 2026 U.S. House of Representatives election, branded the show as a 'grotesque display of someone else's life.' Schlossberg blasts Ryan Murphys JFK Jr. drama as fiction He said executive producer Murphy, 60, knew 'nothing about' his family and reminded viewers that it is 'fiction' and 'not a documentary.' 'If you want to know someone who's never met anyone in my family, knows nothing about us, talk to Ryan Murphy,' he said. 'I want people who watch it to watch it with one letter in mind and that's a capital F, for fiction. 'The guy knows nothing about what he's talking about, and he's making a ton of money on a grotesque display of someone else's life... This is not a documentary.' Schlossberg also slammed Murphy for not donating any of the 'millions of dollars of profits that he's making' from the show to 'some of the causes that JFK Jr. championed through his life.' 'Maybe he could donate some of that money to the JFK library to help keep President Kennedy's memory alive, but he's not. He's making money,' he continued. Schlossberg accuses Trump of using JFK as human punching bag The 33-year-old also claimed that President Donald Trump had been using his grandfather John F. Kennedy as a 'human punching bag' in recent years and encouraged Murphy to 'try to do something about getting Trump out of power.' 'By renaming the Kennedy Center after himself, by doing a false reinvestigation into the assassination and dismantling all the programs that he fought for, there's a lot of misinformation now and iconography being used about the Kennedy family at a time when we really can't afford to confuse people,' he said. 'We really need to take every breath that we have to try to make things better. So if Ryan Murphy really cares so much about the Kennedy family, my uncle John, maybe he would try to do something about getting Trump out of power.' Family says they were 'never consulted' on drama Schlossberg is the son of late former President JFK and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis' only surviving child, Caroline Kennedy, 68, and her husband, artist Edwin Schlossberg, 80. Love Story starred Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette and Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr. as well as Grace Gummer as Caroline and Naomi Watts as First Lady Jackie. Schlossberg has publicly denounced the show in the past, writing in an Instagram post in June 2025 that his family was 'never consulted' during the making of the series. 'The right to privacy, which includes the ability to control your own name, image and likeness, doesn't survive death in the state of New York,' he scathed at the time. 'For that matter, he's considered a public figure, so there's not much we can do. 'For the record, I think admiration for my uncle John is great. What I don't think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.' Producer insist series was made with love and kindness Executive producer Brad Simpson previously defended the show to The Hollywood Reporter afterwards, explaining that the creators must consider their 'ethical obligation' to the family and approach the show with 'love and kindness.' 'What I hope is that when people watch the show, they will see our sincerity. They will see that we've approached this with love, and that we were trying to celebrate the life of Carolyn Bessette and JFK Jr,' he told the outlet. He added that he wants viewers to 'walk through their footsteps,' saying, 'I can understand why somebody could have a reaction before they see it. 'But, I would say, "watch the show," because I think they're going to be surprised at how sincere it is.' Schlossberg also commented on an Instagram post shared by Murphy last year that gave fans a first look into the series. He penned: 'HEY RYAN - admiration for John is great but maybe consider DONATING PROFITS TO THE KENNEDY LIBRARY thanks.' Murphy responded to him, writing: 'I absolutely will.' Share your thoughts with us in the comments Kingsley Wilson, the glamorous 27-year-old Pentagon spokeswoman thrust into the spotlight by the U.S. incursion into Iran, has been secretly fighting a far more personal battle behind the scenes, the Daily Mail has learned. While she briefs the nation from behind the podium, the Department of War press secretary is dealing with a cold war within her own family over the Republican operative she chose to marry, sources said. Her parents, Steve and Holly Cortes, refuse to accept hubby John Wilson, 32, into their family, according to insiders. Still, Kingsley has stood firmly by her man. The standoff has resulted in a two-year estrangement between her and her family, with the two sides hardly speaking since she and Wilson tied the knot in 2023, according to sources. And Daily Mail can reveal that the rift continues even as Kingsley prepares to welcome her first child with Wilson this spring. 'Kingsley's dad a lot of times will try to reach out to make amends, but Kingsley's prerequisite to even be able to talk to her is either for John to be present, or for the family to accept him with open arms which her parents are not keen to do,' a source close to the situation told the Daily Mail. Source Details Two-Year Estrangement 'So, they've been estranged for around two years,' the source added. 'Now Kingsley has completely turned her back on her father, won't even talk to him.' Kingsley and John Wilson, reached through a lawyer, declined to comment, as did her father who told the Daily Mail: 'I understand you have a job to do, but there's no way I'm going to comment at all.' Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said he was 'not going to waste time, especially during active combat operations in Iran', with addressing the issue. Kingsley Cortes began dating John Wilson in 2021, when he was working for then-Representative Matt Gaetz. She met him at a Halloween party, where she dressed as a Border Patrol agent. 'Be unapologetically right-wing,' she'd later boast under a photo she shared. 'It will pay off.' A year into their relationship, the two MAGA lovebirds went together to another Halloween party, this time wearing Native American costumes, an act of apparent cultural appropriation intended as a joke against woke culture, sources say. Insider Says Family Shocked by Relationship Meanwhile, Kingsley's family and friends were reportedly anything but welcoming to her new squeeze. 'It was a big thing for the family when Kingsley started dating him,' the insider told the Daily Mail. 'Her father really did not approve of them being together. Her family has really had problems with John because they see him as racist and misogynistic.' 'We were all shocked when she decided to date him, let alone marry him,' another source close to Kingsley told the Daily Mail. 'He had a reputation. When he said he met someone, we were like confused. Because he did not seem like the type who wanted to settle down.' And marriage has changed Cortes. 'Now that she's with John, she's more like him,' the first source told the Daily Mail. 'They kind of try to be jerks and go against whatever is 'woke'. The two of them are just kind of insufferable.' Both Kingsley and her husband have faced criticism for their antics. The Southern Poverty Law Center accuses her of having 'a history of bigoted and inflammatory posts on social media'. Southern Poverty Law Center Accuses Spokeswoman of Bigoted Posts The Southern Poverty Law Center accuses her of having 'a history of bigoted and inflammatory posts on social media'. The civil rights watchdog group says she has promoted the white supremacist 'great replacement theory, denigrated transgender people as mentally ill and 'corrupted souls,' called feminism a 'literal disease' and a 'cult of misery and meaninglessness,' called for 'zero immigration and mass deportations,' and repeatedly insisted that 'the most prevalent form of racism in American today is anti-white racism'. Meanwhile, even some of her husband's colleagues, speaking with the Daily Mail, have called him out for his 'crass' behavior, as well as his allegedly degrading treatment of women. 'He was known to get around a little bit had a player's reputation before he met Kingsley,' one former coworker told the Daily Mail. 'She was head over heels from the beginning,' the first source told the Daily Mail. 'She had so much pushback, and many of her friends and family were like, 'Hey, this is not the guy'. 'But I think she kind of believes that he's a super sharp, intelligent guy. She's just very strong headed, strong willed. I guess it just didn't faze her that people didn't like him.' Kingsley and Wilson got engaged after two years of dating and sought the blessing of her parents. Her father, a conservative political commentator and a former Trump adviser focused on Hispanic outreach, reportedly objected. It made no difference. Parents Kept in the Dark About Wedding Location, Source says Just a couple weeks later, Kingsley and John married at a Lutheran church near the couple's home in Northern Virginia. Her parents were kept in the dark about the location, purportedly because Kingsley feared they'd attempt to halt the wedding, the insider told the Daily Mail. 'There was this whole big drama thing,' the source said. 'It was very hostile toward the end.' The cold war has continued even as Kingsley last year assumed her position as a mouthpiece for the Trump administration and into this year as she prepares for her new role as a mother. She is due to give birth this spring, sources say. A reconciliation may still be a way off. The Daily Mail reported last month on how the 'nepo baby' rose to become the Pentagon's version of Karoline Leavitt as ugly chatter about her husband swirled in D.C. Wilson, a policy expert, began his career in Gaetz's office on Capitol Hill as an intern and progressed to become a Legislative Counsel. He was later placed in a Pentagon policy role. 'John's connections really helped introduce her to this world in a way she hadn't seen before,' a source close to both told the Daily Mail. From First DC Job to Pentagon Role John Wilson grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the same city that Kingsley and her family moved to from Chicago. However, the two families never crossed paths. It was Kingsley's father, a commenter on cable news, helped his daughter land her first job in Washington, working for Trump senior adviser Jason Miller. She followed Miller to Gettr the Trump-aligned social media platform he launched in 2021 and had a stint at the hardline Center for Renewing America and as national committeewoman for the DC Young Republicans. During the 2024 presidential primaries, she found herself at odds with her own father. She went all in for Trump, while her dad switched teams and threw in for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis early in the primary. However, with the blessing and recommendations of some influential figures in the MAGA world, including Gaetz, Kingsley jumped from online provocateur to the Pentagon, initially as deputy press secretary, and then after just three months in the job she got the top job one of the most sensitive communications jobs in the world. She was the voice of 'Operation Midnight Hammer' the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and the administration's 'war' on narcoterrorists, and now has to deal with the fall-out from President Trump's decision to bomb Iran and kill its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Shoppers scanning the cereal aisle at Target will soon notice a change: brightly colored breakfast bowls are about to look a little more natural. The Minneapolis-based retailer said it will stop selling cereals containing synthetic colors by the end of May, marking a significant shift in its food policy. Target noted that it has been phasing out artificial dyes in cereals for several years, and already about 85 percent of its cereal sales come from products made without synthetic colors. The company said it has worked with both national brands and its own private labels to reformulate recipes where needed. Some cereals - including Trix and Lucky Charms, made by General Mills - will feature updated formulations. Target added that it will no longer carry brands that choose not to reformulate, although it did not specify which products could be affected. Used in the American food supply for decades to give treats an appealing hue, in recent years concerns have been raised over the health effects of food dyes - including animal studies suggesting they can cause hyperactivity, cancer and other health problems. Among the most scrutinized dyes in the food and beverage industry are Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. Target has announced that it will stop selling cereals containing synthetic colors by the end of May, marking a significant shift in its food policy European countries have already banned them or heavily restricted their use, requiring warning labels disclosing the health risks. And after mounting pressure in the US to ban them, FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary announced last April that the agency will phase out the use of eight artificial food dyes in Americas food supply within the next two years. Getting on top of this, General Mills announced last year that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its US cereals by the summer of 2026. And recently, the company said 85 percent of its US retail portfolio - including brands such as Cheerios and Cascadian Farm - is already free of synthetic dyes, and it does not expect Target to halt sales of any of its products. Meanwhile, WK Kellogg has said it aims to remove artificial dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027. Kellogg makes several cereals containing synthetic colors that are currently sold at Target, including Froot Loops, Apple Jacks and Squishmallows. Dr Darin Detwiler, a professor in regulatory compliance and corporate social responsibility, previously branded Kellogg's Froot Loops the worst breakfast cereal in the US - amid protests about the ingredients in the product. He told the Daily Mail that the colorful rings are 'heavily processed and contain high levels of added sugars, artificial dyes, and preservatives, which are linked to health concerns.' Target's move reflects growing scrutiny from both consumers and regulators over the ingredients used in packaged foods. Kellogg makes several cereals containing synthetic colors that are currently sold at Target, including Froot Loops, Apple Jacks and Squishmallows Target noted that it has been phasing out artificial dyes in cereals for several years, and already about 85 percent of its cereal sales come from products made without synthetic colors Last January, the US Food and Drug Administration banned Red 3, a petroleum-based dye, just days before former President Joe Biden left office. A few months later, under President Donald Trump, the agency urged food manufacturers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colors by the end of 2026. It is also reviewing other dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1. Earlier this month, the FDA said it was relaxing rules around 'no artificial colors' claims. Food companies may now use that label if their products are free of petroleum-based dyes, even if they contain colorings derived from natural sources such as plants. Target is not alone in taking action. Whole Foods Market has prohibited artificial colors in products it sells since its founding in 1980, while Trader Joe's also avoids synthetic colors in its store-brand items. Last year, Walmart said it would remove synthetic food dyes and 30 other ingredients - including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes - from its US store brands by January 2027. General Mills announced last year that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its US cereals by the summer of 2026 Target's move reflects growing scrutiny from both consumers and regulators over the ingredients used in packaged foods Target highlighted that its private-label Good & Gather brand, launched in 2019, is already made without artificial flavors, synthetic colors, artificial sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup. The line includes more than 2,500 products spanning dairy, produce, ready-made meals, meat, and baby and toddler food. 'We know consumers are increasingly prioritizing healthier lifestyles, and we're moving quickly to evolve our offerings to meet their needs,' Cara Sylvester, Target's executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, said in a statement. In recent months, other major food manufacturers - including Kraft Heinz, Nestle and Conagra Brands - have also pledged to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes from their products in the coming years. There is once again beef between two of America's favorite supermarkets, and this time a new territory is at steak. Long cherished for its southern charm, wide aisles, and tempting 'Buy One, Get One Free' deals, grocery chain Publix built its name on quality and friendly service. The Florida-founded grocer has developed a near cult following in the Sunshine State, where its 'Pub Subs' and key lime pie inspire fierce loyalty. But while Publix dominates Florida, it is Kroger that stretches coast to coast and has a national profile that its rival cannot claim to match. That is about to change. Publix is setting its sights on bringing its signature Southern hospitality to a new frontier: Kentucky. After years of sparring across the Deep South, the Florida-based grocer is now opening a fresh front in Kroger's backyard, just an hour from the Cincinnati headquarters that anchor its rival's empire. By year's end, Publix expects to have roughly a dozen stores up and running across the Bluegrass State. 'It's the frontier of Publix,' said Devin Dosher, assistant manager of the Publix in Boone County, who has spent 13 years with the company. Publix has long been considered Florida's favorite supermarket Publix is loved by Floridians for its Southern charm, great subs, and broad selection Publix was founded by George W. Jenkins on September 6, 1930, with the opening of its first store in Winter Haven, Florida (pictured: a vintage photo of Jenkins from the Publix archives) Kroger has around 2,700 stores to Publix's 1,400. Kroger, as the largest US supermarket chain, generates over $150 billion in annual revenue - well over double the $62.7 billion Publix made in total sales last year. Kroger slashed prices at its Northern Kentucky stores after Publix entered the market last fall with a revamped supermarket of its own. And the expansion push goes both ways, as Publix moves north, Kroger is plotting additional growth in Publix's home turf, with plans that include new stores in Jacksonville. Executives at the Cincinnati-based chain said nearby locations saw an initial dip in sales when Publix debuted, though revenue has since rebounded to prior levels. Still, with more Publix openings on the horizon, Kroger's hold on the region could face renewed pressure. The standoff underscores the high stakes of pouring millions into new real estate and operations in pursuit of loyal shoppers. About 20 miles south of downtown Cincinnati, the new Publix stands just past a roundabout at the entrance to an upscale neighborhood called Triple Crown. The red-brick building with bright green letters is the main store in a small suburban shopping center. On opening day last May, hundreds of people waited in line to get inside, according to the Wall Street Journal. Kroger, as the largest US supermarket chain, generates over $150 billion in annual revenue Your browser does not support iframes. Publix is also known for its frequent 'Buy One, Get One Free' deals, high quality, and friendly customer service Some fans wore Publix flip-flops and T-shirts. Others came for a 'Pub Sub' sandwich or a slice of the store's famous key lime pie. Cars filled the parking lot and nearby streets for weeks after the store opened. Inside, the store is bright and roomy, with wide aisles that make it easy to push shopping carts. There's also a smoothie and coffee bar, plus a seating area where a group of local women meets every Wednesday to play mahjong. Publix leaders say that while some shoppers think the store is more expensive, its sales, deals, and overall shopping experience make its prices competitive. Kroger and Publix aren't just battling each other - they're also contending with national heavyweights like Walmart and other regional food retailers. For customers, however, the rivalry may be paying off. Shoppers at both chains report a surge in promotions and buy-one-get-one-free offers as the competition heats up. In recent months, some customers have slammed Publix for climbing prices and sliding quality - and rising prices at the checkout pushing some loyal customers to look elsewhere. Shoppers are favoring the likes of Walmart, Aldi, and Trader Joe's - where they can stretch their cash across far more groceries. A shopper compared the prices of staple products at Publix with its competitor Walmart, and the differences were stark. For example, a pack of six Bounty Paper Towel was priced at a whopping $24.99 at Publix, but cost just $6.94 at Walmart. IHOP is flipping free pancakes - but youll have to earn them. Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 3), customers can score a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes to celebrate National Pancake Day. No purchase is required - but there are three things to know. The giveaway is dine-in only, runs from 7am to 8pm and, if past years are any guide, could come with waits of 30 minutes or more. The promotion is one of IHOPs most popular annual traditions, dating back to 2006. 'This National Pancake Day, we want IHOP to feel like more than a restaurant,' Lenna Yamamichi, vice president for brand creative at IHOP, said. 'We're getting creative and flipping the narrative, transforming IHOP into the go-to meetup spot to grab a free Short Stack, settle into a booth, and turn a simple meal into quality time. No planning, no pressure, because pancakes just taste better when the tables full.' But the celebration doesn't stop there in Los Angeles, IHOP is teaming up with internet personality and musician Mr. Fantasy for a pancake meetup at its Hollywood location from 2-5pm PST. National Pancake Day is celebrated by IHOP A plate of pancakes at an IHOP location in Florida 'Bringing people together in all shapes and forms is imperative to my mission here on this giant spinning marble we call earth. I cant wait to meetup and share some fluffy stacks of deliciousness,' Mr. Fantasy said. Reddit users warned of 'crazy' wait times for previous National Pancake Days, some debating whether the free breakfast is worth the line. 'Worth it for coffee and a tip not having to cook,' one Reddit user said. Another Reddit user argued, 'I went to this one time in college but I think Id rather make pancakes at home than deal with the crowd.' The purpose of this promotion is, primarily, to raise money for a nonprofit. For 2026, IHOP will be partnering with Feeding America. With every $1 donated, the nonprofit will provide at least 10 meals to local partner food banks. The chain will be accepting donations throughout the month. IHOP ran a similar campaign called Month of Giving in February 2024, donating one million meals in the process. Those signed up for the IHOP loyalty program receive reminders about other special offers. That includes their free bottomless pancakes with a purchase of select breakfast combos deal. IHOP short stack pancakes available for National Pancake Day This promotion comes as a slew of rival fast food chains attempt to lure customers in with flashy promotions. The breakfast franchise, Denny's, recently announced diners can enjoy a free Everyday Value Slam with their $14.99 Spring Break Pass. The Everyday Value Slam includes two eggs, two bacon strips or two sausage links, plus your choice of two buttermilk pancakes, two slices of brioche French toast, or a biscuit and gravy. Dunkin introduced a limited-time freebie where iced coffee fanatics would receive a single pink mitten alongside their drink order. Shares of Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund (TSE:CHE.UN Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the six analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is C$18.21. Several research analysts have issued reports on CHE.UN shares. Scotiabank cut Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and raised their target price for the stock from C$15.00 to C$17.00 in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce boosted their price target on Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund from C$16.00 to C$19.00 in a report on Friday, November 14th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund from C$20.00 to C$18.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund from C$14.00 to C$18.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, National Bank Financial boosted their price objective on Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund from C$17.50 to C$18.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Get Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund Stock Up 0.1% Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund Company Profile CHE.UN opened at C$15.44 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$1.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.08 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of C$15.43 and a 200-day moving average price of C$14.21. Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund has a twelve month low of C$8.50 and a twelve month high of C$16.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 128.02. (Get Free Report) Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund provides industrial chemicals and services to customers in North America and around the world. The company organized into four main operating segments: Sulphur Products and Performance Chemicals (SPPC), Water Solutions and Specialty Chemicals (WSSC), Electrochemicals, and Corporate. It generates maximum revenue from Electrochemicals segment. Chemtrade operates in Canada, the United States, and South America of which maximum revenue comes from the United States. SPPC markets, remove and produces merchant, regenerated and ultra-pure sulphuric acid, liquid sulphur dioxide, sodium hydrosulfite and provides other processing services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Thomson Reuters Co. (TSE:TRI Get Free Report) (NYSE:TRI) have earned an average rating of Buy from the eleven ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and five have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$181.83. A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on TRI shares. National Bank Financial cut their price target on shares of Thomson Reuters from C$190.00 to C$175.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Sunday, February 8th. TD Securities dropped their target price on shares of Thomson Reuters from C$285.00 to C$175.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce lowered their price target on shares of 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. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Get Thomson Reuters alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on TRI Thomson Reuters Stock Performance Shares of TRI opened at C$136.05 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$152.61 and a 200 day moving average of C$191.80. The company has a market capitalization of C$60.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.86, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of -0.02. Thomson Reuters has a 12 month low of C$109.20 and a 12 month high of C$299.24. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 17.82. Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI Get Free Report) (NYSE:TRI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported C$1.47 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$2.76 billion for the quarter. Thomson Reuters had a return on equity of 12.42% and a net margin of 20.08%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Thomson Reuters will post 5.6395803 earnings per share for the current year. About Thomson Reuters (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. Read More 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. Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. (CVE:CEM Get Free Report)s stock price shot up 4.5% during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as C$0.37 and last traded at C$0.35. 207,650 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 199% from the average session volume of 69,562 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.33. Constantine Metal Resources Stock Up 4.5% The company has a market cap of C$22.52 million and a P/E ratio of -10.78. The companys 50-day moving average is C$0.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.75, a current ratio of 2.08 and a quick ratio of 2.07. About Constantine Metal Resources (Get Free Report) Constantine Metal Resources Ltd., a junior mining company, engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in North America. The company primarily explores for copper, zinc, gold, and silver deposits. Its principal project is the Palmer project that includes 340 federal mining claims and 63 state mining claims located in Alaska, the United States. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Constantine Metal Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Constantine Metal Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. EQB (TSE:EQB) executives emphasized sequential improvement in profitability, expense discipline, and early signs of stabilization in credit trends during the companys first-quarter 2026 earnings call, while reiterating that performance will not be linear through the year as the bank prepares for the closing of PC Financial and a partnership with Loblaw Companies. Get alerts: Management frames 2026 as a transition year ahead of PC Financial closing President and CEO Chadwick Westlake positioned EQB as a challenger bank focused on building customer choice and using technology to improve banking outcomes. He said the company entered 2026 more focused than ever on executing its strategy and balancing investments with profitability. Sequential earnings and efficiency improved in Q1 Westlake repeatedly highlighted the upcoming closing of PC Financial, which he said will shift EQBs growth profile meaningfully once completed in coming months. He said the company plans to host an Investor Day later in 2026 after the close to outline the full potential of the combination, including expanding distribution channels, joining Canadas largest loyalty program, and materially increasing customer and revenue scale. In the meantime, he said EQBs core business efforts early in 2026 are aimed at stabilizing pre-provision, pre-tax earnings regardless of the operating environment. CFO Anilisa Sainani said management believes sequential comparisons are the most meaningful measure of progress given changes in the economy, leadership transitions last year, and a restructuring program completed in October. Diluted EPS: CAD 2.26, up CAD 0.73 sequentially. CAD 2.26, up CAD 0.73 sequentially. ROE: 11.1%, up 360 basis points quarter-over-quarter. 11.1%, up 360 basis points quarter-over-quarter. Pre-provision, pre-tax (PPPT) earnings: up 9% sequentially, driven by relatively flat revenue and a 9% decline in expenses. up 9% sequentially, driven by relatively flat revenue and a 9% decline in expenses. Efficiency ratio: improved 450 basis points sequentially to 49.1%. Westlake said EQB took decisive action to restore efficiency as a competitive advantage, noting that while the operating environment is outside managements control, costs are not. Sainani added that the lower expense level in Q1 is typically seasonal, with merit increases taking effect early in the year and investment spending ramping as the year progresses. EQB reiterated its expectation for an efficiency ratio in the low 50s for 2026, with low single-digit expense growth and neutral to slightly positive operating leverage. Loans under management grew; margins expected to stay around 2% Sainani said loans under management (LUM), a key metric for EQB given its insured multi-unit residential position, rose 2% sequentially and 9% year-over-year to CAD 75.7 billion, driven by strength in multi-unit residential. She said the growth reflects deliberate portfolio choices, including pulling back from activities that do not meet ROE hurdle rates, such as widespread engagement in insured single-family mortgages and select equipment financing portfolios. On funding, deposits increased 2% sequentially and 9% year-over-year to CAD 36.9 billion. EQ Bank deposits were flat sequentially and up 10% year-over-year, with growth supported by an 18% increase in the customer base. Broker deposits grew 4% sequentially and 9% year-over-year, which management described as a diversified, relatively lower-cost funding source. Net interest income was CAD 263 million, relatively flat sequentially but down 3% year-over-year. Net interest margin increased 1 basis point from Q4, which Sainani attributed to a shift toward higher-yielding assets rather than funding costs. Management said it expects margins to remain in the 2% range through the rest of 2026, with Westlake adding that the PC Financial transaction is expected to be conducive to margin and mix diversification once closed. Non-interest revenue was CAD 43.4 million, flat sequentially and down 17% year-over-year, primarily due to lower gains on hedging and derivatives. Sainani said securitization activity remained strong, with volumes up 7% from Q4, though partly offset by lower market rates. Capital actions: dividend increase and record buybacks EQB reported a CET1 ratio of 13.6%, up 30 basis points sequentially, which Sainani said reflected strong internal capital generation and remained well above targets and regulatory minimums. The company announced a 4% dividend increase to CAD 0.59 per share and repurchased a record 1.1 million shares during the quarter. Westlake also noted that Loblaw has announced its intention to enter into an automatic securities purchase plan (ASPP) to buy EQB shares ahead of closing, which he said underscores Loblaws confidence in EQBs long-term value proposition. In response to an analyst question, Westlake said EQBs buyback approach and Loblaws planned purchases are not coordinated beyond publicly disclosed parameters. Credit: performing provisions fell sharply; impaired metrics remained mixed Chief Risk Officer Marlene Lenarduzzi said EQBs credit performance improved quarter-over-quarter, with performing provisions for credit losses (PCLs) down materially, partially offset by a modest increase in impaired PCLs. Performing PCLs: CAD 3.1 million, down 84% from Q4, reflecting a less severe shift in forward-looking macro indicators and a release in equipment financing tied to improved credit quality and a shift toward prime assets. CAD 3.1 million, down 84% from Q4, reflecting a less severe shift in forward-looking macro indicators and a release in equipment financing tied to improved credit quality and a shift toward prime assets. Impaired PCLs: increased 2 basis points sequentially to 32 basis points, driven by higher provisions in commercial lending largely tied to one borrower group. increased 2 basis points sequentially to 32 basis points, driven by higher provisions in commercial lending largely tied to one borrower group. Gross impaired loans: increased 10% sequentially to CAD 956 million; personal impaired loans rose 15% to CAD 421 million, while equipment financing impaired loans declined 6%. On commercial credit, Lenarduzzi said the quarters increase in impaired PCLs was mainly related to a single borrower group with three loans secured by completed apartment properties described as micro units. She said EQB believes it is adequately provisioned and noted that commercial impairments can be lumpy due to exposure size. Westlake added that the loans have been in the workout process for some time and that the bank is fairly far along in its resolution strategies. Within single-family residential, Lenarduzzi said the pressure remains concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area and select surrounding suburbs where prices have declined meaningfully from peak levels. She said the bank has not seen that pressure spread to other regions, and she does not view it as a systemic issue across the portfolio. She also noted that the 2022 vintage that had previously comprised roughly 70% to 75% of Stage 3 PCL has declined to about half as that portfolio shrinks. Looking ahead, Lenarduzzi said macroeconomic uncertainty remains elevated, with trade tensions, delayed business investment, elevated unemployment, and soft housing markets weighing on confidence. EQB maintained its outlook from Q4 2025, with expectations for credit relief skewed to the second half of 2026 absent additional headwinds. In Q&A, management reiterated that competition in single-family mortgages remains intense, but EQB is prioritizing credit quality and ROE-based pricing over volume. Westlake also said the bank expects to amalgamate the PC Financial business with EQB over time and sees multiple funding levers, with an emphasis on growing core EQ Bank deposits as a lower-cost source of funding. About EQB (TSE:EQB) EQB Inc formerly Equitable Group Inc trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange TSX: EQB and EQB.PR.C and serves over 360000 Canadians through its wholly owned subsidiary Equitable Bank Canadas Challenger Bank. Equitable Bank has grown to become the countrys eighth largest independent Schedule I bank with a clear mandate to drive real change in Canadian banking to enrich peoples lives. At Equitable Bank we are as invested in our employees as we are in our business. Thats why we are consistently recognized as one of Canadas Top Employers a rating that comes from our 1300+ employees. Featured Stories Nuveen Municipal Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NMI Get Free Report) rose 0.6% on Monday . The company traded as high as $10.03 and last traded at $10.02. Approximately 54,342 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 9% from the average daily volume of 49,632 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.96. Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Price Performance The firms 50-day simple moving average is $10.05 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $9.98. Get Nuveen Municipal Income Fund alerts: Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.038 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 4.6%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Company Profile Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cetera Investment Advisers bought a new position in Nuveen Municipal Income Fund during the 2nd quarter worth about $118,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC grew its holdings in Nuveen Municipal Income Fund by 19.7% during the second quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 254,144 shares of the companys stock worth $2,554,000 after purchasing an additional 41,852 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Nuveen Municipal Income Fund during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $72,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Nuveen Municipal Income Fund by 137.8% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 29,102 shares of the companys stock valued at $292,000 after purchasing an additional 16,864 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in Nuveen Municipal Income Fund by 74.6% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 35,583 shares of the companys stock valued at $358,000 after acquiring an additional 15,200 shares during the period. 16.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. (Get Free Report) Nuveen Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: NMI) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide current income exempt from federal income tax. The fund primarily invests in municipal obligations issued by U.S. states, territories and municipalities, as well as certain municipal securities issued outside the United States. By focusing on a diversified portfolio of investment-grade and select below-investment-grade municipal bonds, NMI aims to deliver tax-advantaged income to its shareholders. The funds portfolio typically includes general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and other municipal securities across a broad range of sectors, including transportation, utilities, health care and education. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the five analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $44.50. UGI has been the subject of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of UGI in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of UGI from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group restated an outperform rating on shares of UGI in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of UGI from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of UGI from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Get UGI alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on UGI UGI Trading Up 0.4% NYSE UGI opened at $37.58 on Friday. UGI has a one year low of $29.03 and a one year high of $41.34. The firm has a market cap of $8.07 billion, a PE ratio of 13.87 and a beta of 1.08. The firms fifty day moving average is $38.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 0.78. UGI (NYSE:UGI Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.50 by ($0.24). UGI had a net margin of 8.17% and a return on equity of 14.46%. The company had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.37 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that UGI will post 3.02 earnings per share for the current year. UGI Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.375 dividend. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. UGIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 55.35%. Insider Buying and Selling In other UGI news, insider Joseph L. Hartz sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.45, for a total value of $192,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 33,492 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,287,767.40. This represents a 12.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Jean Felix Tematio sold 12,840 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.07, for a total transaction of $488,818.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,952 shares of the companys stock, valued at $264,662.64. This represents a 64.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.57% of the stock is owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On UGI Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UGI. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in UGI during the third quarter worth about $33,000. Bare Financial Services Inc grew its position in shares of UGI by 103.8% in the third quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 1,345 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of UGI during the 4th quarter worth approximately $65,000. Colonial Trust Co SC purchased a new position in shares of UGI during the 4th quarter worth approximately $75,000. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of UGI during the 4th quarter worth approximately $93,000. 82.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About UGI (Get Free Report) UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) is a publicly traded energy distribution company headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1882 as the United Gas Improvement Company, UGI has grown into a diversified provider of energy products and services. The companys operations are organized into three primary segmentsAmeriGas Propane, UGI Utilities and UGI Internationaleach focused on the delivery of propane, natural gas and related services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. AmeriGas Propane, UGIs largest segment, is the leading retail propane distributor in the United States with a network of dealers serving customers in all 50 states. Read More Receive News & Ratings for UGI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UGI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ambu A/S Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:AMBBY Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $11.92 and last traded at $11.92, with a volume of 106 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $12.84. Ambu A/S Stock Down 4.9% The company has a market capitalization of $2.80 billion, a PE ratio of 38.45 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a quick ratio of 1.67, a current ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $13.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is $14.31. Get Ambu A/S alerts: Ambu A/S (OTCMKTS:AMBBY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.07 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $242.85 million for the quarter. Ambu A/S had a net margin of 8.86% and a return on equity of 9.15%. About Ambu A/S Ambu A/S is a Denmark-based medical device company specializing in single-use diagnostic and life-supporting equipment for hospitals, clinics and emergency services. The companys core focus lies in developing products that enhance patient safety, streamline clinical workflows and reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Ambus offerings span critical care solutions such as anesthesia and respiratory care devices, as well as advanced endoscopy systems for minimally invasive diagnostics and therapies. Within its anesthesia and respiratory care segment, Ambu is known for its market-leading disposable resuscitatorscommonly referred to as Ambu bagsas well as a range of airway management products, including laryngeal masks and endotracheal tubes. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Ambu A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ambu A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF Free Report) by 35.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 12,678 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 3,291 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLCs holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $2,695,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COF. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Capital One Financial by 74.8% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 56,380,913 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $11,995,603,000 after purchasing an additional 24,129,990 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Capital One Financial by 63.4% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 27,780,128 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,910,500,000 after acquiring an additional 10,776,843 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Capital One Financial during the second quarter worth about $1,701,511,000. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 64.1% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,008,841 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,970,628,000 after purchasing an additional 5,474,328 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners purchased a new position in shares of Capital One Financial during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $534,777,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.84% of the companys stock. Get Capital One Financial alerts: Insider Activity In other news, insider Neal Blinde sold 38,135 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.51, for a total value of $7,265,098.85. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 33,551 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,391,801.01. This trade represents a 53.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Jason P. Hanson sold 3,729 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $205.00, for a total value of $764,445.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 40,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,247,150. This trade represents a 8.48% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 67,933 shares of company stock valued at $14,363,897 over the last quarter. 1.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Capital One Financial from $290.00 to $275.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 26th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Capital One Financial from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 31st. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $294.00 to $287.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Capital One Financial from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research decreased their price objective on Capital One Financial from $294.00 to $280.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $274.70. View Our Latest Analysis on Capital One Financial Capital One Financial Price Performance COF opened at $194.19 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $120.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 65.60, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.14. Capital One Financial Corporation has a twelve month low of $143.22 and a twelve month high of $259.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $226.30 and a 200 day simple moving average of $222.84. Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $3.86 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.14 by ($0.28). Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 10.68% and a net margin of 3.54%.During the same period last year, the company earned $2.67 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 53.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Capital One Financial Corporation will post 15.65 EPS for the current fiscal year. Capital One Financial Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, February 19th were paid a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 19th. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 108.11%. About Capital One Financial (Free Report) Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) is a diversified bank holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The companys core businesses include credit card lending, consumer and commercial banking, and auto finance. Capital One issues a wide range of credit card products for consumers and small businesses, and it operates deposit and digital banking services aimed at retail customers and small to midsize enterprises. Products and services include credit and charge cards, checking and savings accounts (including the online-focused Capital One 360 platform), auto loans, and commercial lending solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Capital One Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Capital One Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday after Scotiabank lowered their price target on the stock from $12.50 to $11.50. Scotiabank currently has a sector perform rating on the stock. Douglas Emmett traded as low as $9.40 and last traded at $9.3850, with a volume of 146254 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $9.72. DEI has been the subject of several other reports. Evercore set a $12.00 price target on shares of Douglas Emmett in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Douglas Emmett from $18.00 to $16.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a neutral rating and issued a $11.00 target price on shares of Douglas Emmett in a report on Monday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Douglas Emmett from $20.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their price objective on Douglas Emmett from $14.00 to $11.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $13.28. Get Douglas Emmett alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on DEI Institutional Inflows and Outflows Douglas Emmett Stock Performance A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DEI. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of Douglas Emmett by 43.4% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 29,746 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $476,000 after acquiring an additional 9,007 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Douglas Emmett by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 96,105 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,538,000 after purchasing an additional 4,186 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in Douglas Emmett by 8.4% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 24,086 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $385,000 after purchasing an additional 1,864 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Douglas Emmett by 33.4% during the 1st quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 83,994 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,344,000 after purchasing an additional 21,035 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Douglas Emmett by 21.7% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 80,559 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,212,000 after purchasing an additional 14,342 shares during the last quarter. 97.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. The firms 50-day moving average price is $10.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.72. The company has a market cap of $1.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 105.18, a PEG ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 3.33 and a current ratio of 3.33. Douglas Emmett (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.35. The firm had revenue of $249.43 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $252.91 million. Douglas Emmett had a net margin of 1.62% and a return on equity of 0.46%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. Douglas Emmett has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.390-1.450 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Douglas Emmett, Inc. will post 1.45 EPS for the current year. Douglas Emmett Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be issued a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. Douglas Emmetts dividend payout ratio is currently 844.44%. About Douglas Emmett (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 highquality 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, longterm 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. Read More 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. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Franco-Nevada Corporation (NYSE:FNV Free Report) (TSE:FNV) by 26.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,049,187 shares of the basic materials companys stock after acquiring an additional 846,950 shares during the quarter. Franco-Nevada comprises approximately 1.6% of First Eagle Investment Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. First Eagle Investment Management LLC owned approximately 2.10% of Franco-Nevada worth $901,092,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted its position in Franco-Nevada by 8.1% in the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 275,747 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $59,623,000 after purchasing an additional 20,664 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its position in shares of Franco-Nevada by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 114,465 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $25,515,000 after purchasing an additional 4,900 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its position in Franco-Nevada by 210.4% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 18,235 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,989,000 after acquiring an additional 12,360 shares in the last quarter. Gruss & Co. LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Franco-Nevada during the 3rd quarter valued at $557,000. Finally, Altfest L J & Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Franco-Nevada by 189.2% in the third quarter. Altfest L J & Co. Inc. now owns 7,556 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,684,000 after buying an additional 4,943 shares during the period. 77.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Franco-Nevada alerts: Franco-Nevada Stock Down 1.0% Shares of FNV opened at $277.67 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $53.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.73 and a beta of 0.45. The companys fifty day moving average is $241.94 and its 200-day moving average is $214.72. Franco-Nevada Corporation has a 12 month low of $140.03 and a 12 month high of $285.67. Franco-Nevada Increases Dividend Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.44 per share. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Franco-Nevadas previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 12th. Franco-Nevadas dividend payout ratio is 31.87%. FNV has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a hold rating and set a $228.00 price objective on shares of Franco-Nevada in a research report on Sunday, December 7th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Franco-Nevada in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Franco-Nevada from $225.00 to $283.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Zacks Research raised Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group cut shares of Franco-Nevada from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Franco-Nevada has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $254.38. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on FNV About Franco-Nevada (Free Report) Franco-Nevada Corporation is a Toronto-based royalty and streaming company that specializes in securing and managing long-term interests in mining properties. The firm focuses primarily on precious metals, particularly gold, while also holding interests related to silver, copper, platinum-group metals and select base metals. Rather than operating mines directly, Franco-Nevada acquires royalty and streaming agreements that entitle it to a percentage of production or revenue from producing and developing assets in exchange for upfront or staged financing. The companys business model centers on providing capital to mining companies in return for a sustained share of production or metal revenue, which can reduce exposure to operating and capital cost risks typical of mine operators. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Franco-Nevada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franco-Nevada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC cut its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV Free Report) by 21.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 295,599 shares of the companys stock after selling 80,608 shares during the period. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC owned about 0.07% of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF worth $20,159,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of EFV. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 28.6% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 15,814,518 shares of the companys stock worth $1,003,906,000 after acquiring an additional 3,518,683 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 13,996,150 shares of the companys stock worth $949,381,000 after purchasing an additional 382,008 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 11.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 9,719,462 shares of the companys stock worth $616,991,000 after purchasing an additional 999,564 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 6,428,350 shares of the companys stock worth $436,035,000 after purchasing an additional 82,277 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 68.6% during the 2nd quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 5,691,240 shares of the companys stock valued at $361,280,000 after purchasing an additional 2,316,220 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Trading Down 2.0% Shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF stock opened at $78.19 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.17 and a beta of 0.73. The firms 50-day moving average price is $75.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $70.95. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a 1-year low of $51.87 and a 1-year high of $80.14. About iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value 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 the MSCI EAFE Value Index. The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. The Fund invests in sectors, such as financials, energy, healthcare, telecommunication services, industrials, utilities, consumer discretionary, materials, information technology and consumer staples. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EFV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC lessened its holdings in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Free Report) by 9.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 59,153 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 6,428 shares during the period. Level Four Advisory Services LLCs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $6,632,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cullen Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in EOG Resources by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. Cullen Capital Management LLC now owns 576,470 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $68,952,000 after purchasing an additional 25,753 shares during the period. Rockland Trust Co. increased its position in EOG Resources by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 246,326 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $27,618,000 after buying an additional 11,965 shares during the period. Railway Pension Investments Ltd boosted its position in shares of EOG Resources by 6.9% in the second quarter. Railway Pension Investments Ltd now owns 449,100 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $53,717,000 after acquiring an additional 28,800 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its position in shares of EOG Resources by 1,413.5% in the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 25,533 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $2,863,000 after acquiring an additional 23,846 shares during the period. Finally, BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S grew its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 21.0% in the third quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 65,820 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $7,380,000 after acquiring an additional 11,442 shares in the last quarter. 89.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get EOG Resources alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at EOG Resources In other news, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 2,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.00, for a total transaction of $250,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 61,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,685,125. This represents a 3.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. EOG Resources Stock Performance NYSE:EOG opened at $128.53 on Tuesday. EOG Resources, Inc. has a twelve month low of $101.59 and a twelve month high of $130.52. The company has a quick ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $111.71 and its 200 day simple moving average is $111.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $68.95 billion, a PE ratio of 14.11 and a beta of 0.44. EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The energy exploration company reported $2.27 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.07. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 18.67% and a net margin of 22.00%.The firm had revenue of $5.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.36 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.74 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.47 EPS for the current fiscal year. EOG Resources Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 16th will be given a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 16th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 44.79%. Analyst Ratings Changes EOG has been the subject of several analyst reports. Mizuho set a $134.00 price objective on shares of EOG Resources and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. KeyCorp downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to a sector weight rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Roth Mkm restated a neutral rating and set a $110.00 price objective on shares of EOG Resources in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a market perform rating and issued a $126.00 price target (down from $144.00) on shares of EOG Resources in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of EOG Resources from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $134.81. Read Our Latest Analysis on EOG Resources About EOG Resources (Free Report) EOG Resources, Inc (NYSE: EOG) is an independent exploration and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Tracing its corporate origins to Enron Oil & Gas Company in the late 1990s, the company established itself as a standalone E&P operator and has grown into one of the largest U.S. upstream producers. EOG focuses on the exploration, development and production of crude oil, condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). As an upstream-focused company, EOGs core activities include geologic and geophysical exploration, drilling and completion of wells, reservoir development, and the marketing of hydrocarbon production. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EOG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for EOG Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EOG Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS Free Report) by 46.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 32,848 shares of the health services providers stock after buying an additional 10,473 shares during the quarter. Legato Capital Management LLC owned about 0.06% of Maximus worth $3,001,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Maximus by 0.9% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 16,674 shares of the health services providers stock worth $1,524,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its holdings in shares of Maximus by 21.7% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 879 shares of the health services providers stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Maximus by 13.9% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,337 shares of the health services providers stock valued at $122,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the period. Trust Point Inc. boosted its holdings in Maximus by 3.7% in the third quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 5,286 shares of the health services providers stock valued at $483,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Maximus by 123.1% in the third quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 348 shares of the health services providers stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the companys stock. Get Maximus alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Bruce Caswell bought 3,175 shares of Maximus stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $78.45 per share, with a total value of $249,078.75. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 328,013 shares of the companys stock, valued at $25,732,619.85. The trade was a 0.98% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Michelle F. Link sold 4,039 shares of Maximus stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.84, for a total value of $350,746.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 19,542 shares in the company, valued at $1,697,027.28. This represents a 17.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 1.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Zacks Research upgraded Maximus from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Weiss Ratings lowered Maximus from a buy (b) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Maximus from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Maximus has a consensus rating of Buy. View Our Latest Stock Report on Maximus Maximus Price Performance Maximus stock opened at $73.85 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.24 and a beta of 0.59. The companys fifty day moving average price is $86.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $86.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 2.34 and a current ratio of 2.34. Maximus, Inc. has a 1 year low of $63.80 and a 1 year high of $100.00. Maximus (NYSE:MMS Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The health services provider reported $1.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.84 by $0.01. Maximus had a net margin of 6.92% and a return on equity of 25.30%. The business had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.37 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.61 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Maximus has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.050-8.350 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Maximus, Inc. will post 6.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Maximus Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a $0.33 dividend. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This is a positive change from Maximuss previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Maximuss payout ratio is presently 20.09%. Maximus Company Profile (Free Report) Maximus, Inc (NYSE: MMS) is a global provider of government services focused on delivering health and human services programs. The company partners with federal, state, and local agencies to administer and manage programs that support individuals and families across various stages of life. Key service areas include eligibility determination and enrollment services for Medicaid, Medicare, Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other public assistance programs, as well as call center operations, case management and program integrity solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Maximus Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Maximus and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ouster, Inc. (NYSE:OUST Get Free Report) shares gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $20.25, but opened at $22.96. Ouster shares last traded at $20.63, with a volume of 1,344,481 shares trading hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Westpark Capital reiterated a buy rating and issued a $50.00 target price on shares of Ouster in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Northland Securities set a $38.00 target price on shares of Ouster in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $40.00 price objective on shares of Ouster in a research note on Tuesday. Rosenblatt Securities restated a buy rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of Ouster in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald set a $33.00 target price on shares of Ouster in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ouster currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $36.17. Get Ouster alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on OUST Ouster Trading Up 14.8% Insider Buying and Selling The companys 50 day moving average is $22.28 and its 200-day moving average is $25.95. The company has a market capitalization of $1.39 billion, a P/E ratio of -9.04 and a beta of 2.91. In related news, Director Ted L. Tewksbury III sold 1,695 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.47, for a total value of $36,391.65. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 123,664 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,655,066.08. This trade represents a 1.35% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, General Counsel Megan Chung sold 5,837 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.24, for a total value of $158,999.88. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel owned 183,141 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,988,760.84. The trade was a 3.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 6.63% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ouster by 610.1% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 296,311 shares of the companys stock worth $2,661,000 after acquiring an additional 254,580 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in Ouster by 7.7% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 28,344 shares of the companys stock worth $255,000 after buying an additional 2,037 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Ouster by 153.3% in the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,211 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 733 shares during the period. Black Swift Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ouster during the second quarter worth $485,000. Finally, North Capital Inc. raised its stake in shares of Ouster by 102.7% in the second quarter. North Capital Inc. now owns 3,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $73,000 after acquiring an additional 1,520 shares in the last quarter. 31.45% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Ouster Company Profile (Get Free Report) Ouster, Inc is a leading provider of high-resolution digital lidar sensors, software and services designed to enable advanced perception capabilities across a range of industries. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company develops modular lidar solutions that capture precise three-dimensional data in real time, supporting applications from autonomous vehicles and robotics to mapping, smart infrastructure and industrial automation. The companys core product lineup features multi-beam digital lidar units available in various form factors, including compact models for robotics and drones and larger units for automotive and mapping systems. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ouster Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ouster and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Partners Group Holding AG (OTCMKTS:PGPHF Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $1,050.00 and last traded at $1,050.00, with a volume of 2 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $1,156.16. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Partners Group in a report on Thursday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, Partners Group presently has a consensus rating of Buy. Get Partners Group alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Partners Group Partners Group Stock Down 2.8% About Partners Group The stock has a market capitalization of $27.11 billion and a PE ratio of 89.62. The firms fifty day moving average is $1,262.68 and its 200-day moving average is $1,266.02. (Get Free Report) Partners Group Holding AG (OTCMKTS: PGPHF) is a global private markets investment manager that specializes in private equity, private debt, private real estate and private infrastructure. The firm develops tailored investment solutions for institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Its services include direct investments, primary fund commitments and secondary market transactions, as well as customized portfolio and advisory offerings. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, Partners Group completed its initial public offering on the SIX Swiss Exchange in 2006. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Partners Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Partners Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RCRUY Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 106,720 shares, an increase of 49.7% from the January 29th total of 71,275 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 3,354,185 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average trading volume of 3,354,185 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Recruit Stock Performance Shares of Recruit stock opened at $8.64 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $67.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.70 and a beta of 1.68. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $10.29 and a 200-day moving average price of $10.58. Recruit has a one year low of $7.69 and a one year high of $12.99. Get Recruit alerts: Recruit (OTCMKTS:RCRUY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter. Recruit had a net margin of 12.85% and a return on equity of 30.40%. The company had revenue of $6.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.03 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Recruit will post 0.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Recruit Recruit Holdings Co, Ltd. (OTCMKTS: RCRUY) is a Japan-based provider of human resources and information services that operates a diversified portfolio of staffing, recruitment and consumer-facing platforms. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company builds and runs digital marketplaces and service businesses that connect employers with job seekers, support corporate HR functions, and offer related marketing and consumer services in areas such as lifestyle and local search. The companys principal activities include online job search and employer branding platforms, temporary and permanent staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, and HR technology solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Recruit Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Recruit and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Asana (NYSE:ASAN Get Free Report) had its price objective dropped by Royal Bank Of Canada from $11.00 to $7.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an underperform rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would suggest a potential downside of 0.98% from the companys previous close. Several other research firms have also weighed in on ASAN. BTIG Research assumed coverage on Asana in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Asana from $15.00 to $8.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. KeyCorp cut their price objective on shares of Asana from $18.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Piper Sandler lowered their target price on shares of Asana from $14.00 to $9.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on Asana from $16.00 to $9.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Asana has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $13.61. Get Asana alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ASAN Asana Trading Down 3.2% NYSE:ASAN traded down $0.23 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $7.07. 4,219,891 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,321,156. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.40. Asana has a 12-month low of $6.51 and a 12-month high of $19.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.60 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $10.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $12.62. Asana (NYSE:ASAN Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 2nd. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.01. Asana had a negative net margin of 28.33% and a negative return on equity of 79.80%. The business had revenue of $205.57 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $205.13 million. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Asana will post -1.09 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, COO Anne Raimondi sold 62,165 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.31, for a total transaction of $889,581.15. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 702,013 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,045,806.03. This represents a 8.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Sonalee Elizabeth Parekh sold 24,888 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.54, for a total transaction of $336,983.52. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 968,149 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,108,737.46. The trade was a 2.51% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 1,127,448 shares of company stock valued at $16,825,400 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 61.28% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Asana Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Asana during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its stake in shares of Asana by 137.7% during the third quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 2,463 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 1,427 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in Asana by 119.7% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares during the period. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in Asana in the 4th quarter valued at about $50,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its stake in Asana by 64.0% during the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 4,371 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,000 after acquiring an additional 1,706 shares during the last quarter. 26.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Key Headlines Impacting Asana Here are the key news stories impacting Asana this week: About Asana (Get Free Report) Asana, Inc (NYSE: ASAN) is a leading provider of work management and collaboration software designed to help teams organize, track and manage their work. Founded in 2008 by Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, Asanas platform enables users to create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines and visualize progress across diverse workflows. The companys cloud-based solution includes customizable project templates, timeline views, boards and automated rules that streamline routine processes and reduce manual effort. Built for both small teams and large enterprises, Asana supports integrations with a wide array of third-party applications, including communication tools, file-sharing services and DevOps platforms. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Asana Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Asana and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Safran SA (OTCMKTS:SAFRY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 121,728 shares, an increase of 51.0% from the January 29th total of 80,625 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 383,008 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Based on an average daily volume of 383,008 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Safran Price Performance Shares of Safran stock opened at $97.87 on Tuesday. Safran has a 12-month low of $54.57 and a 12-month high of $106.71. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The stocks fifty day moving average is $93.20 and its 200-day moving average is $88.54. Get Safran alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup restated a neutral rating on shares of Safran in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Safran from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Buy. About Safran (Get Free Report) Safran is a French multinational company active in aerospace, defense and security, with headquarters in the Paris area. The group was formed through the consolidation of long-established French aerospace and technology businesses and has developed into a broad supplier to commercial aviation, helicopters, space programs and military customers. Safran operates manufacturing, engineering and service facilities around the world to support original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket needs. The companys principal activities cover aircraft propulsion and equipment. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Safran Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Safran and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council reduced its position in shares of Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL Free Report) by 5.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 764,377 shares of the oilfield services companys stock after selling 43,330 shares during the period. South Dakota Investment Council owned about 0.09% of Halliburton worth $18,804,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in Halliburton by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 92,754 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $2,353,000 after acquiring an additional 6,507 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its position in Halliburton by 39.0% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 73,341 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $1,861,000 after acquiring an additional 20,583 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth increased its stake in Halliburton by 25.0% during the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 52,045 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $1,320,000 after purchasing an additional 10,408 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Halliburton by 309.1% during the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 68,946 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $1,749,000 after purchasing an additional 52,092 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Halliburton during the first quarter worth about $895,000. 85.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Halliburton alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO Jeffrey Allen Miller sold 171,200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.96, for a total value of $5,985,152.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,101,243 shares of the companys stock, valued at $38,499,455.28. This represents a 13.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Lawrence J. Pope sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.25, for a total transaction of $3,225,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 419,800 shares in the company, valued at $13,538,550. This represents a 19.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 337,002 shares of company stock worth $11,445,938 in the last three months. 0.61% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Halliburton Price Performance Halliburton stock opened at $35.96 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.04, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $32.77 and a 200-day simple moving average of $27.67. The stock has a market cap of $30.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.73. Halliburton Company has a 12-month low of $18.72 and a 12-month high of $37.03. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The oilfield services company reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.55 by $0.14. Halliburton had a return on equity of 19.77% and a net margin of 5.78%.The firm had revenue of $5.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.39 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.73 earnings per share. Halliburtons revenue for the quarter was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Halliburton Company will post 2.64 EPS for the current fiscal year. Halliburton Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Halliburtons payout ratio is presently 45.03%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently weighed in on HAL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Halliburton from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Zephirin Group cut shares of Halliburton from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price target for the company from $30.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Halliburton from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $39.00 price objective on shares of Halliburton in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on Halliburton from $32.00 to $35.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Halliburton currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $35.19. View Our Latest Stock Report on HAL About Halliburton (Free Report) Halliburton is one of the worlds largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, offering a broad portfolio that supports the lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs from exploration and drilling through production and abandonment. Founded in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton as an oil-well cementing company, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has developed into an integrated oilfield services company serving upstream operators globally. The companys activities encompass drilling and evaluation, well construction and completion, production enhancement and well intervention. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Halliburton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Halliburton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council lessened its holdings in NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE Free Report) by 6.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 133,460 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 9,400 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Councils holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $10,075,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in NextEra Energy by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 213,799,521 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $16,139,726,000 after purchasing an additional 922,500 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 45,724,229 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,161,774,000 after acquiring an additional 526,996 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in NextEra Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $2,375,545,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in NextEra Energy by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 16,786,728 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,165,896,000 after acquiring an additional 340,315 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in NextEra Energy by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 16,414,103 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,139,467,000 after purchasing an additional 408,198 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.72% of the companys stock. Get NextEra Energy alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently issued reports on NEE. Argus set a $92.00 price objective on NextEra Energy and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $87.00 price objective on shares of NextEra Energy in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Wolfe Research increased their price objective on shares of NextEra Energy from $87.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and set a $106.00 target price on shares of NextEra Energy in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $103.00 price target on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, NextEra Energy currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $93.47. Insider Activity In related news, CEO John W. Ketchum sold 99,603 shares of NextEra Energy stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.34, for a total value of $8,898,532.02. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 305,933 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $27,332,054.22. This trade represents a 24.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Charles E. Sieving sold 30,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.00, for a total transaction of $2,700,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 167,481 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,073,290. The trade was a 15.19% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 159,049 shares of company stock worth $14,194,542 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock. NextEra Energy Trading Down 1.3% Shares of NextEra Energy stock opened at $92.58 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $86.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $81.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 0.60. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $61.72 and a fifty-two week high of $95.91. The company has a market cap of $192.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.14 and a beta of 0.75. NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The utilities provider reported $0.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.53 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $6.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.07 billion. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 12.18% and a net margin of 24.93%.NextEra Energys revenue for the quarter was up 20.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.53 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. NextEra Energy Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.6232 per share. This represents a $2.49 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. This is a positive change from NextEra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. NextEra Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 75.68%. About NextEra Energy (Free Report) NextEra Energy, Inc (NYSE: NEE), headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, is a leading clean energy company with both regulated utility operations and competitive renewable generation businesses. The companys principal operating subsidiaries include Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), a regulated electric utility serving customers in Florida, and NextEra Energy Resources, which develops, constructs, owns and operates a large portfolio of wind, solar and energy storage projects. Together these businesses provide electricity supply, transmission and distribution services as well as utility-scale renewable generation and related services. NextEras activities cover the full lifecycle of power assets, from project development and construction to operation, maintenance and asset optimization. Read More Receive News & Ratings for NextEra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NextEra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council increased its stake in shares of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EQH Free Report) by 63.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 306,327 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 119,444 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Council owned about 0.11% of Equitable worth $15,555,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Equitable during the 2nd quarter worth about $703,060,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Equitable by 26.4% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,428,619 shares of the companys stock valued at $415,786,000 after acquiring an additional 1,551,551 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its holdings in shares of Equitable by 29.6% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,498,091 shares of the companys stock worth $308,443,000 after purchasing an additional 1,254,521 shares in the last quarter. Thornburg Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Equitable by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Thornburg Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,867,643 shares of the companys stock worth $247,179,000 after purchasing an additional 12,370 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Equitable by 1.3% during the third quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 4,297,008 shares of the companys stock valued at $218,202,000 after purchasing an additional 55,798 shares during the period. 92.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Equitable alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have weighed in on EQH. Raymond James Financial set a $60.00 price target on shares of Equitable in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Equitable in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of Equitable from $67.00 to $66.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Equitable in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Equitable from $60.00 to $58.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Equitable has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $61.27. Insider Activity In related news, COO Jeffrey J. Hurd sold 6,790 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.65, for a total value of $323,543.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 55,023 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,621,845.95. The trade was a 10.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Mark Pearson sold 39,700 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.20, for a total transaction of $1,834,140.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 652,945 shares of the companys stock, valued at $30,166,059. This trade represents a 5.73% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 157,280 shares of company stock worth $7,455,677 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Equitable Trading Up 0.7% Shares of EQH opened at $40.50 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.35 billion, a PE ratio of -8.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.31 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a quick ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 0.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.42. Equitable Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $39.14 and a 12-month high of $56.61. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $45.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $48.14. Equitable Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. Equitables dividend payout ratio is currently -22.41%. Equitable declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase program on Wednesday, February 11th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to buy up to 7.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally an indication that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. Equitable Company Profile (Free Report) Equitable Holdings, Inc (NYSE: EQH) is a leading provider of life insurance, annuities and retirement plan services in the United States. Through its insurance subsidiary, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, the firm offers a broad range of permanent and term life insurance products designed to help individuals and families manage risk and build wealth. In addition, Equitable provides fixed, variable and indexed annuity solutions to support income planning in retirement, as well as a suite of group retirement and pension plan services for employers and plan sponsors. The company also maintains an asset management arm that delivers investment strategies across equities, fixed income and alternative asset classes for both retail and institutional clients. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Equitable Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equitable and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council boosted its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK Free Report) by 24.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 335,502 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 65,765 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Council owned 0.29% of Alaska Air Group worth $16,701,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of ALK. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in Alaska Air Group by 2,046.4% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 96,932 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $6,276,000 after purchasing an additional 92,416 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in Alaska Air Group by 60.2% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,423 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $316,000 after acquiring an additional 2,414 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its stake in Alaska Air Group by 81.7% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 340,258 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $16,747,000 after purchasing an additional 152,953 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alaska Air Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,318,000. Finally, Assetmark Inc. grew its position in Alaska Air Group by 2,162.3% in the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,380 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $68,000 after purchasing an additional 1,319 shares during the last quarter. 81.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Alaska Air Group alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Alaska Air Group from $64.00 to $63.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Alaska Air Group from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Barclays reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $70.00 price target (up from $60.00) on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $71.00 price objective on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Alaska Air Group from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $71.40. Insider Buying and Selling In other Alaska Air Group news, CFO Shane R. Tackett sold 24,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.15, for a total transaction of $1,371,600.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 43,377 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,478,995.55. This represents a 35.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Kyle B. Levine sold 2,945 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.02, for a total transaction of $176,758.90. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,977 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,259,039.54. The trade was a 12.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 56,945 shares of company stock worth $3,204,569. Insiders own 0.92% of the companys stock. Alaska Air Group Price Performance NYSE ALK opened at $50.84 on Tuesday. The firms 50 day moving average is $52.21 and its 200-day moving average is $51.00. Alaska Air Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $37.63 and a 12-month high of $73.89. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. The company has a market capitalization of $5.83 billion, a PE ratio of 58.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.16. Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The transportation company reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.32. The business had revenue of $3.63 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.64 billion. Alaska Air Group had a return on equity of 7.22% and a net margin of 0.70%.Alaska Air Groups quarterly revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.97 earnings per share. Alaska Air Group has set its Q1 2026 guidance at -1.5000.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.500-6.500 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Alaska Air Group, Inc. will post 6.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Alaska Air Group Profile (Free Report) Alaska Air Group is a publicly traded holding company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that operates two main airlinesAlaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Through these carriers, the company offers scheduled passenger and cargo services across a network spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico. Its core business activities include domestic and international air transportation, loyalty program management under the Mileage Plan brand, and ancillary revenue streams such as baggage fees, in-flight sales and code-share partnerships with other global airlines. The roots of Alaska Air Group trace back to the foundation of its flagship carrier, Alaska Airlines, in 1932. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ALK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Alaska Air Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alaska Air Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council lessened its stake in shares of FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX Free Report) by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 75,193 shares of the shipping service providers stock after selling 3,397 shares during the period. South Dakota Investment Councils holdings in FedEx were worth $17,731,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of FedEx during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its stake in FedEx by 121.8% in the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 122 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in FedEx during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in FedEx during the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of FedEx by 27.5% in the third quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 218 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. 84.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get FedEx alerts: FedEx Stock Up 0.0% FedEx stock opened at $387.02 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. FedEx Corporation has a 1-year low of $194.29 and a 1-year high of $392.86. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $333.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $278.80. The company has a market capitalization of $91.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.29. FedEx Announces Dividend FedEx ( NYSE:FDX Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The shipping service provider reported $4.82 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.02 by $0.80. FedEx had a net margin of 4.81% and a return on equity of 16.63%. The firm had revenue of $23.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.79 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.05 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. FedEx has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.800-19.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that FedEx Corporation will post 19.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th will be paid a $1.45 dividend. This represents a $5.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 9th. FedExs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.97%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have recently commented on FDX shares. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of FedEx in a research report on Friday, December 19th. HSBC downgraded FedEx from a hold rating to a reduce rating and set a $335.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Wolfe Research lifted their target price on FedEx from $355.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Barclays upped their target price on FedEx from $360.00 to $450.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on shares of FedEx from $314.00 to $412.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, nine 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 Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $364.15. Get Our Latest Research Report on FDX FedEx Profile (Free Report) FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) is a global logistics and courier company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded by Frederick W. Smith in 1971 and beginning operations in the early 1970s, the company pioneered overnight express shipping and has since expanded into a diversified portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and supply-chain services. FedEx operates an integrated air-and-ground network that moves parcels, freight and documents for businesses and consumers worldwide. FedExs core operating segments include express parcel delivery via its FedEx Express division, domestic and residential parcel delivery through FedEx Ground, less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services, and logistics and supply-chain management solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for FedEx Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FedEx and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) executives used the companys full-year 2025 results call to frame the year as a reset, while pointing to a return to top-line growth in the second half and outlining priorities for execution in 2026. Chief Executive Officer Antonio Filosa and Chief Financial Officer Joao Laranjo reiterated themes first shared in the companys preliminary results announcement on Feb. 6, emphasizing customer-driven product decisions, improved operational discipline, and a push to restore profitable growth. Get alerts: 2025 results reflected reset costs; second-half revenue growth returned Laranjo said consolidated shipments totaled 5.5 million units in 2025, up 1%, with increases in South America, North America, and the Middle East and Africa. Net revenues were EUR 153 billion, down 2% year-over-year. The adjusted operating income (AOI) margin was negative 0.5%, which Laranjo attributed to the early stage of the recovery, substantial net tariff expenses, and a number of specific items. Cash flow improved sequentially, liquidity remained strong Despite the full-year decline, management highlighted a materially stronger second half. Laranjo said net revenues increased 10% in H2 2025, driven by volume and pricing, with net price improvement in North America and the Middle East and Africa partially offset by negative net pricing in Europe. He also noted foreign exchange headwinds that were even stronger in the second half, particularly due to the Turkish lira. Industrial free cash flow was negative EUR 4.5 billion for full-year 2025. However, Laranjo said both the full year and second half showed improvement, primarily due to better working capital and lower capital expenditures. H2 industrial free cash flow was negative EUR 1.5 billion, representing a 50% sequential improvement versus H1 2025 and a 73% improvement year-over-year. On inventory, management said 2025 featured strong inventory discipline and described stock increases into year-end as aligned with sales growth and the launch of new products. North American and European order books both finished 2025 at roughly three months of sales, according to Laranjo. The company reported a net loss of EUR 22 billion, which Laranjo said primarily reflects a strategic shift to adjust to customer preferences and changes in the U.S. regulatory framework. He added that most of the impact was non-cash, leaving the balance sheet in a strong place, with industrial liquidity of about EUR 46 billion, or about 30% of revenuesat the upper end of the companys target range. Regional performance: North America drove second-half shipment growth Laranjos regional review focused on H2 2025. He said shipments increased across all regions year-over-year, with North America the largest contributor. North America shipments rose 39% and revenues increased 31% in H2 2025, which management attributed to normalized inventory dynamics and higher sales. AOI in North America improved year-over-year on higher volume and pricing, partially offset by higher industrial costs, mainly tariffs. In Enlarged Europe, Laranjo said H2 AOI declined year-over-year, pressured by a higher LEV mix and net pricing declines amid a strong competitive environment. South America also saw an H2 AOI decline due to increased costs, while Middle East and Africa posted solid shipment growth driven by production in Algeria and a strong Turkish market, but margins fell due to competition in Turkey that prevented FX pressures from being fully offset by pricing. Customer-focused reset and 2026 execution priorities Filosa said the companys reset is designed to put customers back at the center, including changes to the organization to empower regional teams, adjustments to stakeholder relationships, and a revised product plan and EV supply chain to reflect demand. He characterized 2026 as a year of execution, with a commitment to progressive performance improvements across key performance indicators. Filosa provided several operational and product updates tied to the reset: Stellantis launched 10 all-new products in 2025, including the return of the Jeep Cherokee in the mid-size SUV segment, rollout of the Smart Car platform in Europe, and the Ram Dakota launch in South America. The company hired more than 2,000 engineers as part of a deep reset of the quality organization. Stellantis plans to increase HEMI V8 engine production by 100,000 units in 2026, and Filosa said the company already relaunched the SRT division in the U.S. Filosa said production began on three new Dodge Charger Six-Pack variants, which management expects will represent 90% of anticipated volumes for that lineup. On quality trends, Filosa said indicators were improving already, and a lot, citing improvements in the one month in service measure of about 50% in North America, more than 30% in Europe, and 20% in South America versus 2025. Guidance, reporting changes, and key themes from Q&A Management confirmed 2026 financial guidance previously provided on Feb. 6. Laranjo also said Stellantis will begin reporting full-year earnings results on a quarterly basis. In segment reporting, he said the Maserati business will be integrated into regional segments, and the company plans to publish an updated financial reference sheet in March showing updated segments and 2025 quarterly results. During the Q&A, executives addressed several investor concerns: Europe profitability and restructuring: Filosa cited a rebound in market share and volumes early in 2026, strong demand for STLA AutoDrive products, an order portfolio up 80% year-over-year, and Stellantis roughly 30% share in European light commercial vehicles as key levers for profit building, while also pointing to regulatory uncertaintyespecially for electrification requirements in LCVs. Filosa cited a rebound in market share and volumes early in 2026, strong demand for STLA AutoDrive products, an order portfolio up 80% year-over-year, and Stellantis roughly 30% share in European light commercial vehicles as key levers for profit building, while also pointing to regulatory uncertaintyespecially for electrification requirements in LCVs. North America operating leverage and mix: Filosa attributed weaker operating leverage in H2 2025 to mix effects from constrained light-duty and heavy-duty truck production due to plant ramp-up issues that he said have been solved. He said mix should improve beginning in Q1 2026 as truck production rises and HEMI V8 demand remains strong, while also noting plans to build and sell fewer PHEVs. Filosa attributed weaker operating leverage in H2 2025 to mix effects from constrained light-duty and heavy-duty truck production due to plant ramp-up issues that he said have been solved. He said mix should improve beginning in Q1 2026 as truck production rises and HEMI V8 demand remains strong, while also noting plans to build and sell fewer PHEVs. Positive AOI in 2026 for core regions: Asked directly whether North America and Europe could be in positive territory in 2026 in terms of AOI, Filosa responded yes, calling North America the largest contributor to 2026 profitable growth. Asked directly whether North America and Europe could be in positive territory in 2026 in terms of AOI, Filosa responded yes, calling North America the largest contributor to 2026 profitable growth. 2026 market assumptions and pricing: Laranjo said Stellantis forecasts the North American market down about 2% year-over-year and Europe about flat. On pricing, he said the U.S. environment is expected to be stable to slightly positive, while Europe should remain highly competitive with continued price pressure. Overall, Stellantis expects pricing to be basically flat, with positives in North America offset by Europe. Laranjo said Stellantis forecasts the North American market down about 2% year-over-year and Europe about flat. On pricing, he said the U.S. environment is expected to be stable to slightly positive, while Europe should remain highly competitive with continued price pressure. Overall, Stellantis expects pricing to be basically flat, with positives in North America offset by Europe. Capex and investment levels: Laranjo said 2026 investments are forecast to be flattish year-over-year and include stated commitments, adding that the $13 billion North America investment plan spans four years. He later said capex is expected to increase in coming years, with more details to be shared at the May investor day. Laranjo said 2026 investments are forecast to be flattish year-over-year and include stated commitments, adding that the $13 billion North America investment plan spans four years. He later said capex is expected to increase in coming years, with more details to be shared at the May investor day. Working capital and cash items: Laranjo reiterated earlier disclosures that of the announced charge, cash outflow would be EUR 6.5 billion, including EUR 2 billion in 2026 (EUR 1 billion in Q1). Excluding those payments, he said working capital would be a tailwind, primarily due to forecast volume growth. Laranjo reiterated earlier disclosures that of the announced charge, cash outflow would be EUR 6.5 billion, including EUR 2 billion in 2026 (EUR 1 billion in Q1). Excluding those payments, he said working capital would be a tailwind, primarily due to forecast volume growth. Leapmotor partnership: Filosa said Stellantis shipped around 50,000 units in 2025 in the first full year of the partnership and plans local production in Spain starting in the second half of 2026, followed by local production in South America at the Pernambuco plant, describing both commercial and technical benefits, particularly for EV competitiveness in Europe. Filosa also announced that this was the final earnings call for Head of Investor Relations Ed Ditmire, who will be succeeded by Charles Creasman after a transition period. Looking ahead, Stellantis plans to share a new strategic plan at its Investor Day on May 21 in Auburn Hills or via webcast, where management said it would provide additional detail on investments, brand portfolio topics, and the companys execution roadmap. About Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) Stellantis N.V. is a global automotive manufacturer formed through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Groupe PSA, a transaction completed in January 2021. The company designs, manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and related powertrains under a large number of well-known brands, including (but not limited to) Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall. Stellantis also provides parts, accessories, service operations and branded aftersales support through legacy networks such as Mopar and regional dealer ecosystems. In addition to vehicle manufacturing, Stellantis operates mobility- and software-related businesses and financial services. Featured Stories Victory Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL Free Report) by 29.0% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 4,822,433 shares of the enterprise software providers stock after selling 1,970,289 shares during the quarter. Oracle makes up approximately 0.8% of Victory Capital Management Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Victory Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Oracle were worth $1,323,479,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Oracle by 2.8% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 168,960,500 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $47,518,451,000 after buying an additional 4,681,626 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Oracle by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 73,459,391 shares of the enterprise software providers stock valued at $16,060,427,000 after buying an additional 1,252,723 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Oracle in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,275,378,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Oracle by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 11,938,457 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $3,357,572,000 after buying an additional 98,693 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc lifted its holdings in shares of Oracle by 1.3% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 11,315,180 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $2,473,838,000 after buying an additional 147,367 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 42.44% of the companys stock. Get Oracle alerts: Oracle Stock Up 2.7% NYSE ORCL opened at $149.32 on Tuesday. Oracle Corporation has a 1-year low of $118.86 and a 1-year high of $345.72. The company has a market capitalization of $429.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.07, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.66. The stocks 50 day moving average is $173.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $223.14. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.28. Oracle Announces Dividend Oracle ( NYSE:ORCL Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, December 10th. The enterprise software provider reported $2.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.64 by $0.62. The business had revenue of $16.06 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.19 billion. Oracle had a return on equity of 70.60% and a net margin of 25.28%.Oracles revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.47 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Oracle Corporation will post 5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 9th were paid a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 9th. Oracles payout ratio is currently 37.59%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on ORCL shares. Mizuho set a $400.00 target price on shares of Oracle in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Oracle from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $185.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Oracle in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Oracle in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. They set an overweight rating and a $280.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Erste Group Bank cut Oracle from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have assigned a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Oracle presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $287.94. Get Our Latest Research Report on Oracle More Oracle News Here are the key news stories impacting Oracle this week: Insider Activity In other news, EVP Douglas A. Kehring sold 35,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $194.89, for a total transaction of $6,821,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 33,638 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,555,709.82. This trade represents a 50.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Mark Hura sold 15,000 shares of Oracle stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.89, for a total transaction of $2,953,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 234,077 shares of the companys stock, valued at $46,087,420.53. This trade represents a 6.02% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 72,223 shares of company stock worth $13,689,064 in the last quarter. 40.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Oracle Company Profile (Free Report) Oracle Corporation is a multinational technology company that develops and sells database software, cloud engineered systems, enterprise software applications and related services. The company is widely known for its flagship Oracle Database and a portfolio of enterprise-grade software products that support data management, application development, analytics and middleware. Over recent years Oracle has expanded its focus to include cloud infrastructure and cloud applications, positioning itself as a provider of both platform and software-as-a-service solutions for large organizations. Oracles product and service offerings include Oracle Database and the Autonomous Database, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management (HCM) and supply chain management (SCM) cloud applications (often grouped under Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications), middleware such as WebLogic, and developer technologies including Java and MySQL. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORCL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Oracle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oracle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wajax Co. (TSE:WJX Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$32.20 and last traded at C$31.40, with a volume of 41077 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$31.60. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Wajax from C$26.00 to C$27.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. National Bank Financial upped their price target on Wajax from C$25.00 to C$27.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. TD Securities boosted their price target on Wajax from C$25.00 to C$28.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Wajax from C$26.00 to C$27.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, Wajax currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$27.25. Get Wajax alerts: View Our Latest Report on Wajax Wajax Stock Up 2.1% The stock has a market capitalization of C$701.53 million, a P/E ratio of 15.44, a PEG ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 2.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 90.28. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$28.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$26.45. Wajax (TSE:WJX Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, March 2nd. The company reported C$0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Wajax had a return on equity of 8.91% and a net margin of 2.16%.The business had revenue of C$560.05 million during the quarter. On average, equities research analysts expect that Wajax Co. will post 3.4850136 earnings per share for the current year. About Wajax (Get Free Report) Wajax Corp is a Canadian distributor of industrial components. The companys core business is the sale of parts and service support of equipment, power systems, and industrial components through a network of branches in Canada. Most of its revenue is generated from the sale of equipment which includes machinery and components used for construction purposes and its industrial components find utility in businesses like mining, forestry, and material handling for other industrial purposes. It sells to leading manufacturer brands such as Hitachi, JCB, Bell, Hyster, Palfinger and other similar industries. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Wajax Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wajax and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Comrades, apparatchiks, Bolsheviks, Marxist union officials, train drivers, NHS officials, council fat cats, high party members, and the rest of the working people prole scum. The Peoples Republic of Soviet Woke Britain will not appease the capitalist imperial actions of the vile United States of America or that cantankerous shitbag, President Donald J. Trump, in a war with the Islamic Marxist Shiites of Iran, whom we support fully. That capitalist imperialistic pig Trump called me up and said he wanted to use our airbases to stage a terrible war on our Islamic Marxist Shia comrades in Iran. I consulted my big book on skewed international Marxist law and immediately told the vile fat pig Trump NO! We are giving away the former British islands of Chagos to Mauritius, a proxy of the CCP. Xi Jinping himself thanked my Big State Soviet government for capitulating such a strategic military base for China to exploit. I have to thank Lord Harmer, who was installed specifically to harm as much of the Olde Great Britain as possible. Without Harmers astute dealings we would not be in the situation we are in right now. Because of years of underfunding, the military of the former Great Britain is now very limited. We have one rust bucket ship and a few missiles left; maybe we can rustle up an old cannon from 1884, so in truth Britain is completely useless. The Labour Party has welcomed another 3,580 third-world fake asylum seekers just today, who will each be given 30,000 for their trouble and put up in a variety of 5-star hotels with saunas, indoor luxury pools, room service and exclusive taxpayer-funded escorts from Romania and Brazil. A final word for the Americans from the Peoples Republic of Soviet Woke Britain (PRSWB). Remember, the former Great Britain colonial shithole is over! This country is developing from socialism to full communism. FUCK OFF TRUMP! Becker Capital Management Inc. decreased its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 14.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 325,863 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 54,103 shares during the quarter. Becker Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Pfizer were worth $8,303,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Pfizer alerts: A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute acquired a new stake in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the second quarter worth about $32,000. Evelyn Partners Asset Management Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in Pfizer by 302.5% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 1,296 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 974 shares during the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PFE has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wolfe Research set a $24.00 price target on Pfizer and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Argus upgraded Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $35.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group lowered shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $27.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Thursday, February 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pfizer has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $28.05. Key Pfizer News Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week: Positive Sentiment: Positive Phase3 PADCEV readout with Astellas Reinforces oncology revenue potential and a meaningful nonCOVID growth driver for Pfizer. PADCEV Phase 3 Results Positive Phase3 PADCEV readout with Astellas Reinforces oncology revenue potential and a meaningful nonCOVID growth driver for Pfizer. Positive Sentiment: Argus upgraded PFE to Buy with a $35 target analyst upgrade provides a bullish catalyst and a sizable upside target versus current levels. Argus Upgrade Argus upgraded PFE to Buy with a $35 target analyst upgrade provides a bullish catalyst and a sizable upside target versus current levels. Positive Sentiment: Technical/institutional interest and yield attract traders social and data signals point to technical recovery, notable options activity and institutional buying that support nearterm demand. Technical & Institutional Interest Technical/institutional interest and yield attract traders social and data signals point to technical recovery, notable options activity and institutional buying that support nearterm demand. Neutral Sentiment: TD Cowen conference presentation transcript available may contain management commentary on guidance, pipeline timelines and margin outlook; useful for parsing nearterm execution plans. TD Cowen Transcript TD Cowen conference presentation transcript available may contain management commentary on guidance, pipeline timelines and margin outlook; useful for parsing nearterm execution plans. Neutral Sentiment: Partner Valneva investor activity Valneva highlights upcoming VLA15 readout, which Pfizer as partner will report; outcome could be a minor catalyst or nonevent depending on results. Valneva Investor Conferences Partner Valneva investor activity Valneva highlights upcoming VLA15 readout, which Pfizer as partner will report; outcome could be a minor catalyst or nonevent depending on results. Negative Sentiment: Pfizer withdrew Zumrad EMA filing regulatory setback that delays potential European approval and associated revenue; markets view this as an immediate negative for nearterm pipeline commercialization. Zumrad EMA Withdrawal Pfizer withdrew Zumrad EMA filing regulatory setback that delays potential European approval and associated revenue; markets view this as an immediate negative for nearterm pipeline commercialization. Negative Sentiment: CEO flags issues with FDA vaccine leadership signals regulatory friction that could slow vaccine approvals or complicate interactions with the U.S. regulator, adding execution risk. CEO Comments on FDA CEO flags issues with FDA vaccine leadership signals regulatory friction that could slow vaccine approvals or complicate interactions with the U.S. regulator, adding execution risk. Negative Sentiment: Analyst/coverage notes highlight headwinds coverage points to flat guidance, falling COVID product sales and looming patent cliffs that cap upside and justify cautious positioning by some investors. Analyst Concerns Pfizer Stock Performance NYSE:PFE opened at $27.28 on Tuesday. Pfizer Inc. has a 1-year low of $20.92 and a 1-year high of $27.94. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $26.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The stock has a market cap of $155.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.06 and a beta of 0.47. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $17.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.93 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.48% and a net margin of 12.42%.Pfizers quarterly revenue was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.63 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be paid a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 23rd. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 126.47%. Pfizer Company Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and vaccines for human health. Its activities span discovery research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and global commercial distribution across multiple therapeutic areas. Pfizers portfolio and pipeline cover oncology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, rare diseases, hospital acute care and anti-infectives, along with a substantial vaccine business. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capstone Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 25,999 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $6,291,000. iShares Russell 2000 ETF comprises approximately 3.8% of Capstone Wealth Management Group LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Northern Financial Advisors Inc grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 4.1% during the third quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc now owns 1,144 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $277,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC grew its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC now owns 3,277 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $707,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,849 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,173,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 8.1% in the 3rd quarter. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. now owns 665 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $161,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Finally, Smart Portfolios LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 3.7% during the third quarter. Smart Portfolios LLC now owns 1,388 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $336,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. iShares Russell 2000 ETF Stock Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:IWM opened at $263.81 on Tuesday. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 52 week low of $171.73 and a 52 week high of $271.60. The firm has a market cap of $75.15 billion, a PE ratio of 17.69 and a beta of 1.13. The firms fifty day moving average is $260.39 and its 200-day moving average is $248.65. About iShares Russell 2000 ETF iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. 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 Russell 2000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli (OTCMKTS:LDSVF Get Free Report) is anticipated to announce its results before the market opens on Tuesday, March 10th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $282.55 per share and revenue of $4.4653 billion for the quarter. Get Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli alerts: Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Stock Up 1.7% Shares of OTCMKTS LDSVF opened at $16,325.10 on Tuesday. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli has a 12 month low of $13,058.01 and a 12 month high of $16,864.53. The businesss 50 day moving average is $14,715.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15,010.57. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Company Profile (Get Free Report) Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG, trading on the OTC market under the symbol LDSVF, is a Swiss chocolatier renowned for its premium confectionery. Headquartered in Kilchberg, Switzerland, the companys portfolio encompasses a variety of chocolate bars, truffles, pralines, seasonal specialties and gift assortments marketed under brands such as Lindt, Ghirardelli, Russell Stover and Caffarel. Products are sold through multiple channels, including supermarkets, duty-free shops, specialty retailers and Lindts own boutiques and cafes. Founded in 1845 by David Sprungli-Schwarz and his son Rudolf Sprungli-Ammann, the company introduced significant innovations to chocolate production, most notably the conching process that underpins modern chocolate texture. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Northern Community Bancorp (OTCMKTS:FNRN Get Free Report) and Glacier Bancorp (NYSE:GBCI Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and valuation. Get First Northern Community Bancorp alerts: Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for First Northern Community Bancorp and Glacier Bancorp, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First Northern Community Bancorp 0 0 0 0 0.00 Glacier Bancorp 0 2 2 1 2.80 Glacier Bancorp has a consensus target price of $56.50, suggesting a potential upside of 22.67%. Given Glacier Bancorps stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Glacier Bancorp is more favorable than First Northern Community Bancorp. Valuation & Earnings Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio First Northern Community Bancorp $84.67 million 2.72 $21.10 million $1.26 11.10 Glacier Bancorp $1.44 billion 4.17 $239.03 million $1.99 23.15 This table compares First Northern Community Bancorp and Glacier Bancorps revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Glacier Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than First Northern Community Bancorp. First Northern Community Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Glacier Bancorp, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares First Northern Community Bancorp and Glacier Bancorps net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets First Northern Community Bancorp 24.07% 10.79% 1.12% Glacier Bancorp 16.63% 6.68% 0.83% Volatility and Risk First Northern Community Bancorp has a beta of 0.09, indicating that its share price is 91% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Glacier Bancorp has a beta of 0.75, indicating that its share price is 25% less volatile than the S&P 500. Institutional & Insider Ownership 17.9% of First Northern Community Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 80.2% of Glacier Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. 11.8% of First Northern Community Bancorp shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.5% of Glacier Bancorp shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Summary Glacier Bancorp beats First Northern Community Bancorp on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About First Northern Community Bancorp (Get Free Report) First Northern Community Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for First Northern Bank of Dixon that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals, and small and medium sized businesses. The company accepts demand deposits, interest-bearing transaction deposits, savings and money market deposit accounts, and time deposits. It also offers commercial, commercial real estate, agriculture, residential mortgage, residential construction, and consumer loans. In addition, the company provides debit and credit cards; investment and brokerage services; alternative investment products, and fiduciary and other financial services; and equipment leasing, merchant card processing, payroll, and international banking services through third parties. Further, it offers cashier's checks, safe deposit boxes, and other customary banking services. The company operates branches located in the cities of Auburn, Colusa, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Orland, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Sacramento, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters, Willows, and Woodland; satellite banking office inside a retirement community in the city of Davis; residential mortgage loan office in Davis; and commercial loan office in the Contra Costa County city of Walnut Creek. First Northern Community Bancorp was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Dixon, California. About Glacier Bancorp (Get Free Report) Glacier Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Glacier Bank that provides commercial banking services to individuals, small to medium-sized businesses, community organizations, and public entities in the United States. It offers non-interest bearing deposit and interest bearing deposit accounts, such as negotiable order of withdrawal and demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, fixed rate certificates of deposit, negotiated-rate jumbo certificates, and individual retirement accounts. The company also provides construction and permanent loans on residential real estate; consumer land or lot acquisition loans; unimproved land and land development loans; and residential builder guidance lines comprising pre-sold and spec-home construction, and lot acquisition loans. In addition, it offers commercial real estate loans to purchase, construct, and finance commercial real estate properties; consumer loans secured by real estate, automobiles, or other assets; paycheck protection program loans; home equity loans consisting of junior lien mortgages, and first and junior lien lines of credit secured by owner-occupied 1-4 family residences; and agriculture loans. Further, the company provides mortgage origination and loan servicing services. It has 224 locations, including 188 branches and 36 loan or administration offices in 75 counties within 8 states comprising Montana, Idaho, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada. The company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Kalispell, Montana. Receive News & Ratings for First Northern Community Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Northern Community Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The North West Region is celebrating a major milestone in its commitment to education, community development, and lifelong learning, as the region formally expands its Derry City and Strabane Region UNESCO Learning City membership to include Donegal. The newly named North West Learning City Region marks a strengthened cross border partnership dedicated to ensuring learning is accessible to everyone, at every stage of life. Derry City and Strabane District Council first became a member of UNESCOs Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in July 2019 under the title Derry City and Strabane Region. From the outset, the ambition was to widen this status to reflect the strong educational, cultural, and community links with neighbouring Donegal. That vision becomes a reality through collaboration between the North West Tertiary Education Cluster, that includes institutional partners; Ulster University, Atlantic Technological University, North West Regional College and Donegal Education and Training Board as well as Derry City and Strabane District Council, and Donegal County Council. The newly expanded North West Learning City Region underscores a shared commitment to promoting lifelong learning for all, supporting personal development, social inclusion, economic opportunity, and community wellbeing throughout the North West. READ NEXT: Derrys Optik AI at heart of 1.8m regional tech investment To mark this important milestone, the region is hosting an inspiring Lifelong Learning Festival across Derry, Strabane and Donegal on 45 March 2026. With over 40 free events, the festival showcases the creativity, diversity, and vibrancy of learning in the North West. The programme spans: Arts and culture Digital skills & innovation Business and enterprise development Health and wellbeing Heritage and language Sustainability and community engagement Family learning and early years experiences Events will take place in libraries, community centres, cultural venues, college and university campuses, and public spaces across the region, demonstrating that learning can happen anywhere and at any age. Speaking about the upcoming relaunch, Professor Malachy O Neill, Director of Regional Engagement for Ulster University, said: This milestone marks a significant step forward for cross border collaboration and reflects the core aim of the North West Tertiary Education Cluster - to enhance learning pathways and create inclusive opportunities for individuals and communities across the North West. The North West Learning City Region Lifelong Learning Festival invites people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved, explore something new, and celebrate the joy and value of lifelong learning. To view the festival programme and get involved in the 40-plus free festival events CLICK HERE. Derry Meet Ups is celebrating two years of building connection across the city with its largest birthday event to date on Monday, March 30 2026 at The Playhouse. Founded in 2024, Derry Meet Ups was created to tackle adult loneliness by making it easier to form authentic friendships in real life. Since then, it has delivered more than 100 in-person events across the North West, from Offline Cafes and creative workshops to cultural evenings and adventure days, all designed to help people meet, connect and try new experiences. To mark its second anniversary, Derry Meet Ups is inviting the public to its biggest celebration yet: an extended Offline Cafe gathering followed by the premiere screening of Building A Village, a powerful short documentary inspired by the movement itself. The evening will begin with a relaxed, screen-free Offline Cafe experience, giving attendees time to settle in, meet new people and enjoy a shared space. With over 100 tickets available, this will be the largest Derry Meet Ups gathering to date. The celebration will then feature the exclusive premiere of Building A Village, a documentary exploring the growing need for connection in Northern Ireland. Starting out as a ten-minute student assignment, Building A Village expanded into a short documentary film by Jonathan Cullen, a student at North West Regional College (NWRC). READ NEXT: Joni Mitchell tribute set for Derrys St Augustines On hiatus from working in the videogame industry, Cullen is in the final few months of a HNC (Higher National Certificate) and HND (Higher National Diploma) in journalism at NWRC. He directed, wrote, produced and edited Building A Village. Cullen also appears in the film as a subject, as he is himself a member of Derry Meet Ups. When I first got the word we were doing a documentary assignment at NWRC, the first three words that sprang to mind immediately, like neon lights, were Derry Meet Ups. Not just because of the important work it has done within Derry, but because of what it means to me personally as a card-carrying member. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Orbital Frame (@orbitalframeproductions) In the time Ive been with Derry Meet Ups, Ive seen first-hand the power of community, connection and friendship it has provided. Pitching this documentary, it initially started as a way to show the appreciation and love I have for the organisation. And while thats still very much true, along the way, I learned too how important it was to show the need for community & connection, how they intertwine and how valuable they are in 2026 at a time when community funding in Northern Ireland has been slashed dramatically to below 10 million and when the Foyle constituency is the loneliest in all of Northern Ireland. The hope for Building A Village, amongst other things, is to show why community & connection is now needed more than ever. Recent Northern Ireland wellbeing statistics show that approximately 25 percent of people in the Foyle constituency report living with loneliness, the highest rate recorded across Northern Ireland. Overall life satisfaction also remains the lowest in the country, highlighting the urgent need for safe and inclusive community spaces. Cassie and Corrie setting up Derry Meet Ups continues to respond to that need by creating structured, welcoming environments where adults of all ages, backgrounds and genders can step through the door knowing they are not alone. Cassie Jane, Founder of Derry Meet Ups, said: I know how vulnerable it can feel to walk into a room where you dont know anyone. Derry Meet Ups was built to make that step easier. When we started, it was simply about making it easier for people to meet. Two years later, weve seen strangers become friends, collaborations grow, and people find a sense of belonging they didnt know they were missing. In a time when loneliness is rising, creating spaces where people feel welcomed and looked after isnt optional, its essential. Were now taking that a step further by encouraging people to adopt a community mindset so they can support local businesses, look out for one another, and take pride in the city we live in. Were helping people build their villages, but first, were showing them how to be villagers. Derry Meet Ups wants to remind anyone considering attending that everyone who walks through the door is in the same boat. They are all looking for connection, conversation and belonging. Whether someone arrives knowing no one or comes with a friend, they will be welcomed, introduced and looked after. Offline Cafe The Anniversary Celebrations and Screening will take place at The Playhouse, Derry, on Monday 30 March 2026 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Tickets are available via www.derrymeetups.com A new gluten-free stout has arrived in the north-west, which is being made in Donegal. Produced by husband and wife couple Tommy and Ciara Carlin from Derry city, the idea for the drink came after Tommy's Coeliac diagnosis in 2024. "I've always loved my stout and when I got my diagnosis, it was one of the first things I noticed there was no alternative for," Tommy said. "I was drinking gluten-free beer or cider, but it just wasn't the same. So Ciara and I decided we would look into brewing and see if it was possible to brew a gluten-free stout. Despite no previous experience in brewing, the pair undertook a huge research project while networking with brewers, to work on a recipe and brewing style with Otterbank Brewing, Muff. "It's a tough job testing beers, but I volunteered myself," Tommy laughs. The journey to the finished product was a personal one, and the name reflects Tommy's own memories of home. READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: Silver Jubilee celebrations as Doire Trasna marks 25 years in the Waterside "The name is from my granda, Paddy McKeever, he used to drink in the Beechtree Bar in Derry," Tommy said. "If you look at the label, there's an illustration of a beech tree. When I think of stout, I think of my granda McKeever when I was a child. So it came to me very naturally." As more and more customers are seeking gluten-free alternatives to their usual round, dozens of bars around the northwest have already expressed interest in stocking the stout. "Every hotel, bar and restaurant we've reached out to has given us a really warm reception," Ciara said. "We know that rates of gluten intolerance are rising and people still want to enjoy a wee stout post-diagnosis. There's nothing really similar on the market and we're hoping that people will be keen to support local around the north as much as possible." The possibility of forming a new Scout group in the Dungiven area is currently being explored. Scouting Ireland wants to gauge local interest in the idea and believe a new group could 'bring a huge boost to community life' in the town. The Scouts cater for a variety of age groups from aged six right up to adult volunteers. Scouting offers memories, outdoor adventure, life skills and a safe, positive environment for young people. It also encourages teamwork, confidence and leadership skills. Speaking about the potential for a group in Dungiven, Collwyn Brunton, from Scouting Ireland, said: Scouting offers young people so much life skills, outdoor adventure, teamwork, leadership development, independence, confidence, friendships, fun, and memories that last a lifetime. A local Scout group could bring a huge boost to community life in Dungiven, giving young people positive opportunities right on their doorstep.At this stage, we are simply trying to see if there is enough interest from families and, importantly, from enthusiastic adults who would like to get involved as volunteer leaders. No previous experience is needed, and full training and support is provided by Scouting Ireland. If anyone would like to see the kind of activities and adventures a local Scout group can offer, they can check out the social media pages of 33rd Derry Ballinascreen Scouts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube to see what they get up to. For more information, contact Collwyn on 07379308725 or email cbrunton@scouts.ie 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. A Syrian asylum seeker has appeared at Derry Magistrate's Court today charged with a series of offences including rape. Muhammed Ali Rez (30) of Argyle Street in Derry appeared charged with the rape of a woman on December 9 last year. He was also charged with stalking and harassment on dates between October last year and February 27 this year. The defendant was further charged with two counts of false imprisonment on November 1 last year and February 27 this year and making threats to kill on February 27. A police officer connected the accused to the charges. READ NEXT: Derry man remanded on threats to kill and assault charges The court told that on February 27 a woman made a complaint about harassment by her former partner, Rez. She made allegations of sexual assault and harassment by the defendant claiming that at one stage she had 98 missed calls from the defendant. She alleged that on November 1 the defendant had refused to let her leave his address and had called to her place of work on numerous occasions. The woman said in order to get Rez to stop she faked a relationship and claimed the defendant threatened to get the Turkish mafia. She told police on December 9 she was having consensual sex withheld defendant but then told him to stop but he didn't. The woman said that Rez would make 10 to 15 calls a day and that on February 27 she went to his address and he refused to let her leave and threatened to kill her. The police officer said that there was a witness to the harassment allegations and the woman had discussed the rape allegation with the same witness. Defence counsel Sean Doherty told the court that the defendant could not speak English and the alleged injured party didn't speak Syrian. He said Rez had no record anywhere and maintained all the allegations were false. Rez was released on bail on condition he has no contact with the alleged victim nor does he go near her place of work. He will appear again on March 19. Stormonts Education Minister has announced widespread reforms to GCSEs and A-levels which he said would put an end to an inhumane, ineffective qualification system. Paul Givan told MLAs his reforms would curtail high level of testing, high level of anxiety for our young people (and) high level of workload for teachers. AS-levels will be scrapped and replaced with a new modular A-level with three units of assessment taken over two years, with the aim of cutting the total number of exams. Controlled assessment and coursework will be reduced in most subjects, except where it is essential to assess practical skills. .@paulgivan announces reforms to GCSEs and A Levels. Listening to young people. Moving away from the status quo, 'factory line' of testing. A bespoke, built in Northern Ireland for Northern Ireland process. pic.twitter.com/HAcl7SiuG4 DUP (@duponline) March 3, 2026 Mr Givan said the education system had become dominated by teaching to the test, leading to stress, anxiety, and lost opportunities for genuine depth in learning. These reforms reduce unnecessary exams, give back precious teaching time, and focus on what truly matters for future success, he said. Northern Ireland pupils currently take far more exams than their peers in England to achieve the same qualifications due to the AS structure. He added: Reducing controlled assessment and coursework will also help address workload burdens, equity issues, and the impact of AI on take-home tasks. In the Stormont assembly on Tuesday UUP leader Jon Burrows expressed concern that removing coursework would increase the stress in young people and the stakes. Mr Givan said of those who responded to the public consultation, teachers were very much in favour of reducing the controlled assessment aspect and coursework, parents less so than pupils. He added: I think we need to ask ourselves, for those who struggle educationally, for those who come from a more socially disadvantaged background, the time they have in front of the teacher is the most critical time that they can spend. Theyre not going to get additional tuition outside, theyre not going to be able to have that from a socially disadvantaged background, not going to get maybe that additional support to complete coursework that is available from some families and they can be provided by other people who may support that child. And so in terms of equity and fairness, what Im proposing will create greater levels of equity. It will have much higher levels of integrity when it comes to making sure that the work that is completed is authentic in terms of it properly measures the pupils performance and so this is a balanced approach that I have taken. The minister further stated: If we continue to take the current approach, that means high level of testing, high level of anxiety for our young people, high level of workload for teachers because of the excessive amount of content and the excessive amount of controlled assessment. That would be just repeating the doom that we currently have and that the profession are rightly complaining about, and that pupils are feeling does not best serve their interests. Sinn Fein MLA Danny Baker said Mr Givan isnt listening to young people at all and asked if he had consulted with universities in the Republic of Ireland on his decision to scrap AS-levels. Mr Givan replied: I am listening to young people, and if members in this House have not listened to the extreme levels of anxiety that they have, based upon the current system, the status quo, what people are saying is, if you dont want this change, then you want to retain the status quo. The status quo is a testing factory of our young people of repeated examinations, for four years we put young people through repeated examinations. And when I give the evidence, and the evidence is that for AS-levels, when it comes to resits, only 7% of those who resit actually improve the A-level grade at the end of the process again, do the math, thats 93% of people who resit AS-levels make no benefit to the A-level outcome. Why would we put our young people through that kind of process? Education Minister Paul Givan has announced a major new policy framework for CCEA GCSE and A level qualifications. The framework has been developed following a comprehensive public consultation on proposed changes that are a key part of the TransformED strategy to improve pic.twitter.com/bJ8eLAiEup Education NI (@Education_NI) March 3, 2026 The Education Minister further called for Irish universities to remove their partitionist agenda. He said: Why is it that universities and the Republic of Ireland are incapable of accepting what Oxbridge universities, what the Russell Group universities, universities across the entire United Kingdom and here in Northern Ireland accept for their top graduates? So when it comes to this particular issue, we shouldnt comply with the discriminatory policy towards Northern Ireland students, which is institutionalised by the Republic of Ireland. We should take on the discrimination in the south, we should abolish the partitionist agenda and I will work with Sinn Fein to get rid of the discriminatory practices, which I do agree is prejudicial to our young people in Northern Ireland, but that is not a justification for retaining an inhumane, ineffective qualification system in Northern Ireland. Work will now begin on development of new specifications over the next number of years with earliest changes to teaching expected from September 2029 and support, training, and guidance has been pledged to schools. Stormonts Environment Minister has said he will end the the licence to pollute granted to Northern Ireland Water as he unveiled plans to strengthen enforcement around water pollution. Andrew Muir told MLAs he will seek Executive approval to halt the arrangement with NI Water meaning it would be regulated like any other polluting body. In a statement to the Assembly, Mr Muir outlined that Northern Irelands water environment is facing mounting and unacceptable pressures with more than 20 million tonnes of untreated sewage and wastewater spilling into waterways each year. The Minister said: Clearly this is not only an environmental issue. It affects public health, the economy and the confidence people have in the safety of the waters they use. In a statement to the Assembly, the Minister confirmed his proposal to the Executive for Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to withdraw from the Sorpi (Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent) administrative arrangement with NI Water. We need to end the licence to pollute granted to Northern Ireland water since its foundation in 2007 in the form of Sorpi, he said. Anything we do must be fair, impartial, proportionate, and apply consistently across all sectors, public bodies, agriculture, private businesses and industry members. He added: It is my view that withdrawal from Sorpi will deliver regulatory parity with no land water regulated on the same basis as other industries, including agriculture. Such a step would, I believe, drive environmental improvements and outcomes that support the delivery of the environmental improvement plan, which is particularly important given the scale of the nutrient pressures that wastewater infrastructure is causing. SDLP MLA and leader of the opposition Matthew OToole said water quality is one of the most urgent and grave of priorities facing the Executive and drew the comparison with Education Minister Paul Givan who announced widespread changes to exams on Tuesday. Are there measures you can be taking that you arent yet that dont require Executive approval? he asked the DAERA minister. Mr Muir replied: I dont know whether youre aware of the rules for Executive referral, but if its significant, controversial or cross cutting, it requires Executive referral. He added: Where I seek Executive approval, I engage with my Executive colleagues in regards to this, the Alliance party has consistently and long before the SDLP ever decided to jump on the bandwagon, were supporting reform of the institutions, and will continue to do that and call for the UK Government to lead that process. Mr Muir also announced he will bring forward a Fisheries and Water Environment Bill in May 2026, modernising enforcement powers, adopting an ecosystem based approach, increasing the maximum fine for water pollution to 50,000 and introducing fixed penalty notices. DAERA Minister announces plans to strengthen the regulation of water pollution More information: https://t.co/pFg1J6NEhI pic.twitter.com/fpzFNYn6gx DAERA (@daera_ni) March 3, 2026 Plans were further announced to identify the Shellfish Water Protected Area in Belfast Lough as a sensitive area under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, which would require enhanced treatment for wastewater discharges entering the Lough. A review will also be undertaken to put in place new standards for discharge consents across Northern Ireland. Additional funding from the UK Government is a recognition of the pressures faced by the Northern Ireland Executive in delivering public services, Stormonts Finance Minister has said. Reacting to Chancellor Rachel Reeves spring statement, John ODowd welcomed a 390 million uplift for the region, but said the financial boost for England and Wales countered claims that there is a financial mismanagement issue at Stormont. On Tuesday, Ms Reeves outlined Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts predicting weaker economic growth for the UK and higher unemployment than previously expected. She also announced 4.1 billion in funding for the Department for Education (DfE) to reduce a 6.3 billion special educational needs (SEN) funding pressure the Government was facing. In February, an additional 400 million was made available to Stormont to support public services in the form of a reserve claim from the Treasury to be repaid over three years. Speaking to reporters at Stormont, Mr ODowd said the Executive would use the additional funding wisely but it also serves as a recognition of the pressures this Executive faces in delivering services. He said: Im happy at the announcement today of an additional 390 million for our public finances here, but this is a recognition by the British Government of the real pressures that public services across these areas are facing, and this flows directly from the 5 billion bailout that had to be provided to councils in England and elsewhere as a result of the rising cost of the provision of SEN. We face similar challenges here in terms of provision of SEN through our education system, but also in our healthcare system as well. So I welcome the investment today, but I think the British Government needs to take stock of this. Asked if the additional funding was a sign of fiscal irresponsibility, Mr ODowd responded saying: Fiscal irresponsibility by who? The British Government had to hand 5 billion to councils of England and Wales and elsewhere because they couldnt properly fund the same services, he said. We have received a direct funding as a result of that. This is evidence, if evidence was needed, that public services are not being properly funded. Mr ODowd is currently attempting to get Executive agreement on his departments draft three-year budget for day-to-day resource spending, but other parties have already expressed varying levels of opposition. In its analysis of the draft budget, the NI Fiscal Council warned that serious financial mismanagement was becoming normalised at Stormont as repeated bailouts from the Treasury incentivised departments to overspend. Mr ODowd said this term financial mismanagement has been blown out of the water. He said: Financial mismanagement doesnt stack up. We are trying to provide more and more services to more and more people, and the costs are rising. The Executive needs (to be) properly resourced to do that. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said the Governments decision to provide additional funding to the Executive is good news for Northern Ireland. This is money the Northern Ireland Executive can use to deliver transformation of public services, fiscal stability and economic growth, he said. I encourage the Northern Ireland Executive to use this as an opportunity to agree to a multi-year budget and take the necessary steps to deliver long-term budget sustainability. The Duchess of Edinburgh has celebrated 40 years of Guide Dogs for the Blind in Northern Ireland by meeting one of the newest recruits. Sophie paid her first solo visit to the region since 2018 on Tuesday. During her one-day trip, the duchess visited a new specialist autism centre in Randalstown, Co Antrim before attending a Women in Leadership event at the towns library. She then travelled to east Belfast where she was welcomed to Bloomfield Walkway Community Centre by a delegation which included Lord Mayor Tracy Young and MP Gavin Robinson. During a tour of the facility, the duchess met with youth workers, volunteers and young people, as well as a number of guide dogs and those they assist. Sophie took a moment to pet puppy in training Luna as she heard about her progress towards becoming a companion through the charity of which she is a patron. She laughed as the six-month-old pup excitedly greeted her, vigorously wagging her tail and briefly jumping up. She told her, youre not meant to jump up, before hearing her new friend is due to go into advanced training in May, but is doing really well. UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, has launched a procurement initiative for internet connectivity in Africa, inviting internet service providers to deliver managed connectivity services to schools, health facilities, and other child-serving institutions across 54 countries. The initiative aims to accelerate connectivity for up to 500,000 schools and other facilities delivering essential services to children. The first phase will run a public Request for Expression of Interest (REoI), designed to identify and prequalify providers capable of delivering turnkey connectivity solutions terrestrial, wireless, satellite or hybrid at scale. A competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) is planned for Q2 2026. For children, internet access underpins the rights to education, information, participation and protection. Yet, UNICEF explains, 2.6 billion people globally remain offline, with children in rural and low-income African communities disproportionately excluded. Without structural reform, connectivity gaps risk deepening inequalities in education, health and economic opportunity. UNICEF says this launch marks a shift from fragmented, country-by-country connectivity procurement efforts towards a coordinated market approach. UNICEF points out that, by aggregating government demand and standardising service expectations, it is building a procurement vehicle capable of operating at continental scale, while providing suppliers with greater predictability and clearer demand signals. Rather than issuing isolated tenders, UNICEF is working with governments to pool demand across national programmes. The model combines defined service-level standards focused on uptime and performance, data-driven monitoring to ensure accountability, and longer-term contracting pathways intended to reduce uncertainty for both governments and providers. UNICEF will act as a procurement agent for participating governments and will work closely with financing institutions such as the World Bank, as well as partners including Smart Africa and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), to align funding and implementation support. UNICEF brings procurement experience from other sectors, including vaccines, worth a total of US$5.2 billion each year across 162 countries. UNICEFs established systems and market credibility also support large-scale delivery. The current REoI does not request binding pricing or bids. Instead, it seeks information on providers operational capacity, geographic reach and ability to deliver managed connectivity services with accountability. Participation in this phase will determine eligibility for invitation to the competitive RFP process. UNICEF says it welcomes providers able to operate legally in-country and deliver at scale, including solutions that ensure power continuity and incorporate child-appropriate cybersecurity and safeguarding measures. The Request for Expression of Interest is open until 27 March 2026. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced at Mobile World Congress 2026 on Monday that Saudi telco Mobily and Qatar-based Ooredoo Group have made fresh pledges for its Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to bridge the digital divide, bringing total commitments to the coalition to over US$82 billion. During a keynote address on Monday, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said that Mobily has committed to invest US$1.715 billion in data centres, subsea cables, and 5G and next-generation network infrastructure under the Partner2Connect programme. Mobily aims to scale Saudi Arabias AI and cloud computing capabilities, enabling competitive, resilient, and future-ready national development and meaningful global collaboration, which also aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 aspirations towards becoming a hub connecting east and west. Meanwhile, Ooredoo Group will invest US$500 million in subsea and terrestrial optical fibre infrastructure, aiming to expand high-capacity connectivity across the MENA region, strengthening regional and international digital links and supporting inclusive economic growth through resilient, future-ready network infrastructure. Bogdan-Martin said the commitments directly support the ITU's goal of achieving universal, meaningful connectivity ensuring everyone has access to affordable, reliable Internet and the skills to use it safely and effectively. Today's milestone shows what's possible when we pool our collective resources towards making connectivity universal and meaningful," she said. Reaching US$82 billion in pledges through Partner2Connect means unlocking life-changing opportunities for hundreds of millions of people that are still offline." The ITU launched Partner2Connect in 2021 as a mobilization platform to rally commitments from governments, the private sector, and civil society for projects and investments that support connectivity and digital inclusion particularly in the world's most remote communities. Since its launch, Partner2Connect has secured over 1,000 pledges from 149 countries, featuring investments in digital infrastructure, policy modernization, capacity-building initiatives, and innovative technologies designed to connect the hardest-to-reach populations. The ITU estimates that achieving universal, meaningful connectivity by 2030 could require between US$2.6 trillion to US$2.8 trillion. Bogdan-Martin called on the public and private sectors to scale up their commitments through Partner2Connect. Amazon Web Services (AWS) confirmed on Monday that two of its data centres in the UAE and one in Bahrain were damaged by drone strikes as the Middle East conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel widens. Over the weekend, AWS reported that its mec1-az2 Availability Zone in AWS ME-Central-1 Region was down after it was impacted by objects, resulting in a fire that forced the facility to shut off power. At the time, AWS didnt directly link the damage to strikes carried out by Iranian forces in Dubai. The latest update from the AWS health dashboard reports that two data centres in its ME-CENTRAL-1 (UAE) Region mec1-az2 and mec1-az3 were directly hit by drone strikes. Meanwhile, one data centre in the ME-SOUTH-1 (Bahrain) Region was damaged by a drone strike in close proximity to the facility. These strikes have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure, and in some cases required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water damage, AWS said. AWS said customers across both regions are experiencing higher error rates and degraded availability for services including Amazon EC2, Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, AWS Lambda, Amazon Kinesis, Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon RDS, and the AWS Management Console and CLI. While its third Availability Zone in the UAE is operating normally, services that leverage the affected zones have also been impacted. AWS lists 25 services disrupted by the outages and 34 services degraded. Alongside efforts to get the physical data centres up and running again, AWS is also pursuing several software-based recovery paths that dont depend on those facilities being fully online. For example, AWS is working to restore data access and service availability for Amazon S3 and Amazon DynamoDB through software mitigations, including deploying updates to enable S3 to operate within the current infrastructure constraints and remediating impaired DynamoDB tables to restore read and write availability for dependent services. AWS said its focusing on those services first, since restoring them will enable more AWS services to recover. However, AWS cautioned, While these software-based mitigations can address many of the service-level impacts, some recovery actions are constrained by the physical state of the affected facilities meaning that full restoration of certain services will require the underlying infrastructure to be repaired and brought back online. AWS added the caveat that the ongoing conflict has made the broader operating environment in the Middle East unpredictable. We recommend that customers with workloads running in the Middle East consider taking action now to backup data and potentially migrate your workloads to alternate AWS Regions, AWS said. We recommend customers exercise their disaster recovery plans, recover from remote backups stored in other regions, and update their applications to direct traffic away from the affected regions. The US and Israel has been bombing Tehran since Saturday, with the initial strike killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials. Meanwhile, Iran has responded with retaliatory attacks on Israel, as well as targets in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Ericsson announced on Monday that it has extended its partnership with Kenyan telco Safaricom with a multi-year microwave deal aimed at fortifying Safaricoms 5G capacity in the country. Under the deal, Ericsson will provide Safaricom with all-outdoor E-band and all-outdoor multi-band products and services from its MINI-LINK portfolio. As part of the deal, Ericsson will also enable AI-powered analytics and automation in Safaricoms network in the near future to enable intelligent decision-making. Safaricom said it has enabled connectivity speeds of up to 1 Gbps in remote regions of North Kenya using Ericssons transport technology for high-capacity long-distance communications beyond 100 km. We are making great strides in expanding the benefits of 5G to Kenyas consumers and businesses, said Gerishon Gitonga Kithinji, Safaricoms head of network planning and design. Our new microwave deal will support us to deliver the high-performance 5G services in the country and will enhance customer satisfaction. Alain Maupin, VP and head of Ericsson East and North Africa, added that Kenya is witnessing a massive uptick in data consumption among mobile broadband subscribers, which makes the need for increased microwave link capacity more critical than ever. With Safaricom rolling out 5G steadily, the transport network is crucial for delivering on the 5G promise, Maupin said. Ericsson and Safaricom signed an agreement in 2021 to deploy Ericssons MINI-LINK 6352 to provide multi-Gbps backhaul capacity for mobile broadband nationwide coverage in Kenya. I didnt expect a satellite internet service to be the most interesting character in a war. But here I am, deep in news reports and the detail I keep returning to is this: when Irans internet went dark, when ninety million people lost connectivity almost overnight, the regimes own hackers simply switched to Starlink and kept going. The same service Iran had officially banned. The same signal being used by the very country they were at war with to beam internet into a nation their bombs had just helped silence. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! Also read: OpenAI defended Anthropic in its feud with US govt: Heres how You genuinely cannot make this up. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes across Iran, targeting military installations, nuclear sites, and government infrastructure. Within hours, Irans internet collapsed to nearly 1% of normal traffic. Whether by government kill switch, by the largest coordinated cyberattack the region has ever seen, or some brutal combination of both, ninety million people went dark. Israel and the U.S. were simultaneously waging war in the sky and, apparently, keeping the lights on from orbit. Also read: Iran-US-Israel war: Guy used AI to build 24-hour replay of Operation Epic Fury Thats the first irony. Iran had banned Starlink in mid 2025, treating it as a Western intrusion a tool of foreign influence the regime wanted no part of. Then the bombs fell, the internet died, and Handala Hack, a group linked to Irans Ministry of Intelligence and Security, was spotted routing operations through Starlink IP ranges to keep attacking Israeli and regional targets. The banned technology became the lifeline. The enemys infrastructure became the getaway car. The broader cyberwar is no less tangled. Iranian-aligned campaigns have hit fuel infrastructure in Jordan and industrial control systems in Israel. DDoS attacks have hammered U.S. and Israeli logistics networks. Hacktivist groups including 313 Team have run parallel pressure campaigns while state actors do the quieter, more calculated work in the background. Meanwhile, U.S. Cyber Command and Israeli intelligence units have been conducting their own offensive operations degrading Iranian communications, disrupting command networks, and running operations that blur the line between a cyberattack and an act of war. Both sides are fighting hard, and both are fighting dirty. What makes this moment genuinely unprecedented is how thoroughly it has collapsed the idea of clean, controllable technology. Starlink was designed to connect the world regardless of politics. It is doing exactly that, for protesters trying to speak freely, and for state operatives trying to attack their neighbours. For the country that built it, and for the country that banned it and is now quietly depending on it. The satellites dont discriminate. They just transmit. Also read: Grok didnt really predict US strike on Iran: Heres why Forget saunas or Nokias legacy, Finlands betting big on future tech that most people dont fully comprehend. While most countries are sprinting towards bigger and clever AI models, Helsinkis focusing on building an ecosystem of trusted human-centric AI with national industrial strength anchored by the LUMI supercomputer and an innovation stack that spans quantum, HPC, cybersecurity and next-gen connectivity. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! At least, thats what I gathered from my chat with Lassi Noponen days after the India AI Impact Summit. Fresh from discussions on the global stage, Lassi Noponen, Director General of Business Finland (A public organization under the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy), unpacked why Finlands not chasing hyperscale for its own sake, how sovereign compute and security is built, and most intriguingly for India why the partnership between Helsinki and New Delhi matters far beyond bilateral goodwill. India is already deeply embedded in the Finnish tech ecosystem. Indians account for 34% of specialists moving to Finland the largest national group as well as making up the second-largest source of international researchers. Bilateral science and technology cooperation has been active since 2008, supported by sustained institutional and industry partnerships. Between Indias engineering scale and Finlands structured governance and research depth, theres a co-innovation story unfolding that blends digital public infrastructure with trusted, EU-aligned ecosystems and its only just beginning. Below is the verbatim transcript of that conversation no edits, no spin, just Lassis perspective on how two very different innovation models are finding common ground. Q) How are smaller innovation-led economies structuring AI and how does this differ from scaledriven models? Lassi: In Finland, we treat AI not as a race to build the biggest model, but as a long-term national capability. Our model is built on depth over scale. Instead of trying to compete with hyperscale compute, we focus on areas where we already excel: industrial AI, trusted systems, and physical AI integrated into manufacturing. This is achieved through deep public-private coordination. Universities, startups, and industry giants work together in joint programmes, funded by organisations like Business Finland, to ensure research turns into real-world solutions. We also embed trusted governance as a design principle, building ethical frameworks and data sovereignty into our systems from the start. So, the key difference? While scale-driven models pour resources into proprietary frontier models, we focus on open-source collaboration, shared infrastructure like the LUMI supercomputer, and niche leadership where trust and reliability matter more than sheer size. Its a strategy for building a resilient, sustainable ecosystem, not just a powerful engine. Q) Why are quantum, national HPC, cybersecurity and 6G central to competitiveness and digital resilience? Lassi: We see these technologies as a strategic stack that powers todays industry and hedges against tomorrows risks. They are deeply interconnected. HPC, like our LUMI supercomputer, is the engine for todays AI. It allows us to train advanced models on our own terms, reducing dependence on foreign compute and securing our national data. Quantum is about future-proofing. Finland has a dedicated strategy to build capability in this area, not just for defence, but because it will revolutionise fields from cryptography to materials science, creating massive economic value. Cybersecurity is the foundation. As AI and connectivity permeate everything, trust becomes a competitive advantage. Well-governed, secure systems are increasingly what attracts international partners and investment. 6G is the connective tissue. Its not just about faster phones; its about embedding AI and sensing into the network itself. By being early in 6G research, we help shape global standards and capture value in the devices and services of the future. Also read: NVIDIAs investment in Nokia: How it will impact future of 6G telecom networks Together, they act as both a near-term catalyst for industry and a long-term investment in our sovereignty and alliance value. Q) How does India fit into this evolving landscape? Lassi: India is absolutely central to this picture, and the connection with Finland is a story of deep, complementary collaboration. First, theres a strong two-way flow of researcher mobility, especially in telecom and AI. But more tangibly, weve seen dozens of Indian startups use Finland as a strategic gateway to Europe since 2018. Programmes supported by Business Finland help them establish a trusted, EU-aligned base here, giving them access to our research ecosystem and the broader single market. The partnership works because our strengths are so complementary. India brings phenomenal scale, engineering depth, and experience in digital public infrastructure. Finland contributes world-class research, trusted governance, and national HPC assets. This allows us to co-develop sovereign AI solutions for healthcare or agriculture, for instance that arent dependent on a handful of Western hyperscale models. Finally, its a people story. Some of our most promising quantum startups are led by Indian-origin founders, proving that deep-tech success is global and thrives on multicultural leadership. Q) In terms of Indias AI aspirations what is it doing right, and what could it learn from Finland? Lassi: India is doing many things right. Its greatest strength is building digital public infrastructure at scale think UPI and Aadhaar which has driven massive adoption and inclusion. Its also building a powerful ecosystem through skilling and startup hubs, with clear ambitions in semiconductors and foundational models. From Finlands perspective, the key lesson for India would be the value of early, coordinated investment in sovereign infrastructure. Our domestic HPC investments, for instance, created a platform for widespread innovation that doesnt rely on foreign systems. India could amplify its scale by building similar regional compute capabilities, perhaps through international alliances. Another lesson is in structured innovation governance. Finland uses long-term but adaptable AI policies and strong public-private R&D coordination to align the entire ecosystem. Regulation is treated as a balancing act building privacy and trust without blocking innovation. So, India already leads in scale and inclusion. Finlands experience suggests that combining that with similarly structured governance and shared infrastructure would make its AI ecosystem even more formidable and resilient. Q) Unique challenges and opportunities of doing business in Indias tech ecosystem? Lassi: India offers a truly unique combination of opportunities. You have one of the worlds deepest talent pools and a vibrant startup culture. The sheer market scale and speed of digital adoption make it an ideal testbed for rapid iteration. For a Finnish company, its a place to scale solutions and form strategic partnerships, especially in areas like clean tech or telecom. However, the challenges are real. Navigating Indias regulatory complexity from data localisation to sector-specific rules requires deep local knowledge and constant attention. Its not a market you can enter overnight. Ultimately, success in India comes down to building long-term, trusted relationships. It requires patience and cultural nuance. Also read: India AI Impact Summit 2026: Here are the biggest investment announcements by tech giants Apple announced the iPhone 17e earlier this week as its latest entry point into the iPhone ecosystem. Its got the latest A19 chip, MagSafe support and enough performance to last three or four years. However, the 17e isnt the only mid-range smartphone with ambitions. Google launched the Pixel 10a last month, and both phones sit below their respective flagship lineups without crossing into the premium territory. But which one should you go for? Lets check out how the iPhone 17e compares to the Pixel 10a. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! iPhone 17e vs Pixel 10a price comparison The iPhone 17e starts at Rs 64,900 in India for 256GB of storage, with the 512GB variant priced at Rs 84,900. In comparison, the Pixel 10a is available in a single 256GB version with 8GB RAM in India at Rs 49,999. On paper, the Pixel 10a undercuts the iPhone 17e, but its not like they dont make compromises. Display and design The iPhone 17e uses a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with a 2532 x 1170 resolution and a peak brightness of 1200 nits, but it is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and has a notch cutout. Apple pairs this display with a glass front protected by Ceramic Shield 2, a glass back and an aluminium frame. The phone measures 7.8mm in thickness and weighs 169 grams. It is also IP68 rated for dust and water resistance. The Pixel 10a features a larger 6.3-inch P-OLED display with a 2424 x 1080 pixels resolution with a higher 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The peak brightness is rated up to 3000 nits and it uses Gorilla Glass 7i on the front, an aluminium frame and a plastic back. It is thicker at 9mm and heavier at 183 grams, with an IP68 rating as well. This is why it is able to pack a larger battery and doesnt have a camera bump. The difference between 60Hz and 120Hz is immediately visible in scrolling and animations. The Pixel 10a will feel smoother in everyday use, but the iPhone 17e counters with a higher pixel density at around 460 ppi, compared to roughly 422 ppi on the Pixel. Performance and software The iPhone 17e is powered by the Apple A19 chip built on a 3nm process, paired with a 4-core Apple GPU and 8GB of RAM. It runs iOS 26.3. Apple also includes its newer C1X modem and support for MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W. The Pixel 10a runs on Googles Tensor G4 processor, built on a 4nm process, with a Mali-G715 MP7 GPU and 8GB of RAM. It ships with Android 16 and promises up to seven major Android upgrades. The USB-C port here supports USB 3.2, unlike 2.0 on the iPhone 17e. The A19 is a top-tier mobile chip thats also used in the flagship iPhone 17. The Tensor G4 is not positioned as a performance-intensive chip, but it is tuned for Googles AI-driven features such as real-time scam detection, Call Assist, call transcription and on-device AI tools which are part of the Pixel experience. Cameras On the rear, the iPhone 17e uses a single 48MP wide camera with OIS and support for 2x zoom. It records 4K video at up to 60fps with Dolby Vision support. The front camera is a 12MP unit with PDAF and 3D depth sensing for Face ID. The Pixel 10a features a dual-camera setup: a 48MP primary sensor with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. On the front, it uses a 13MP ultra-wide selfie camera. Video recording supports 4K at up to 60fps on the rear. While the Pixel 10as ultra-wide lens adds compositional flexibility for landscapes, group shots and tight indoor scenes, the iPhone 17e relies on its main sensor and computational photography for zoom and framing. Battery and charging Apple lists the iPhone 17e with a 4005mAh battery. It supports wired charging that can reach 50% in around 30 minutes and 15W wireless charging via MagSafe or Qi2. The inclusion of MagSafe marks a functional shift for the e series, aligning it more closely with Apples accessory ecosystem. The Pixel 10a includes a larger 5100mAh battery. It supports 30W wired charging, reaching 50% in about 30 minutes and 10W wireless charging. It also supports bypass charging, a feature relevant for sustained gaming sessions. The larger battery capacity on the Pixel could give it an advantage over the 17e, but we also know that the efficiency gains from the A19 chip and modem will be instrumental in driving a days worth of use. Having said that, real-world results depend on usage habits. Conclusion The iPhone 17e presents itself as a more integrated entry into Apples ecosystem, with the A19 chip, MagSafe support and higher base storage, justifying the premium. The Pixel 10a, meanwhile, offers a more robust hardware specification for a lower price, especially with its 120Hz display, ultra-wide camera, larger battery and AI-driven software. Read More: Apple iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: Price in India, specs, features and all major differences Sam Altman now understands why Anthropic wanted the terms and conditions of its deal with the United States Department of Justice to be carefully shaped. What began as a disagreement over how government agencies could use advanced AI tools quickly turned into a larger debate about civil liberties, military power and corporate responsibility. Recently, Altman posted on X about the agreement with the Pentagon, stating that the OpenAI deal with the government had been rushed. Observers noted this shift in tone after significant user backlash. As reported earlier, many users also protested against the deal between OpenAI and the Pentagon as they deleted the AI tool during the Cancel ChatGPT trend. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! The issue became bigger when US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called Anthropic a supply-chain risk. Around the same time, OpenAI made its own agreement with the United States Department of Defence. This situation has raised new questions about how AI companies handle business deals with the government, especially when the work is sensitive and raises ethical concerns. Also read: Anthropics Claude now lets you transfer AI chat histories from rivals, heres how Anthropic was started in 2021 by former OpenAI researchers, including Dario Amodei. The company presents itself as a safer and more careful option in the AI industry. Recently, it has also responded to the Pentagons requests by saying its technology should be used only for lawful purposes. Anthropic said it needed clear terms to ensure its systems would not be used for domestic surveillance of Americans or for autonomous lethal weapons. Also read: Microsoft employee takes parents on office tour, calls it dream come true The Defence Department disagreed, arguing that a private contractor could not decide how its tools would be used in national security work. When the two sides failed to reach an agreement by a Friday deadline, Hegseth publicly declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk to national security, a move that could block it from government contracts. At the same time, OpenAI was holding its own talks with the Pentagon. Unlike Anthropic, OpenAI agreed that its technology could be used for all lawful purposes but negotiated safeguards. The Pentagon also allowed some OpenAI employees to work alongside government staff on classified projects to help ensure system safety. Also read: Apple asks Google to host new AI-powered Siri on its servers: Report The deal triggered backlash online, with reports of users uninstalling ChatGPT in protest. In response, Sam Altman posted a message on X addressing the controversy. We shouldnt have rushed to get this out on Friday. The issues are super complex and demand clear communication, he wrote. He added, We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy. Good learning experience for me as we face higher-stakes decisions in the future. Here is re-post of an internal post: We have been working with the DoW to make some additions in our agreement to make our principles very clear. 1. We are going to amend our deal to add this language, in addition to everything else: " Consistent with applicable laws, Sam Altman (@sama) March 3, 2026 Altman also said it was critical to protect the civil liberties of Americans and noted that the Pentagon had assured OpenAI its tools would not be used for domestic surveillance. He further said Anthropic should not be designated a supply chain risk and that he hoped the Defence Department would offer it the same terms. Claude down: Following a brief outage on Monday evening, Anthropics AI chatbot Claude is down again. Thousands of users in the US, India, and other countries are experiencing disruptions. Users are unable to use the chat because it returns the error message This is not working, try again later. The companys status page also confirms that Anthropic AI chatbot Claude is experiencing some disruptions. It also stated that the company is investigating the possible cause of the Claude outage. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! According to real-time outage detection platform Downdetector, over 4,000 reports have been recorded in the United States alone, while in India, reports are at 400 and growing. The majority of reports complained about the chat not working, and some reported issues with both the website and the chat. This could be because, for some users, Claude is throwing errors such as Claude will return soon while the chatbot is experiencing temporary service disruption. The companys status page also acknowledged the poor performance. However, despite the errors, the company has assured users that the issues will be resolved and that they can return later. However, no official timeline has been provided thus far. X and Reddit, as usual, are flooded with memes, opinions, polls, and other content. Many people suspected that the multiple outages were caused by Anthropic AI chatbot denying or working with the US government. We have attached some funny memes and videos that will make you laugh. Currently monitoring the situation Claude appears to be down pic.twitter.com/9q88NLTKiO The Wheelie Investor (@WheelieInvestor) March 3, 2026 Sir, another Iranian rocket just hit an AWS data center and Claude is down again. pic.twitter.com/ZhPBtRec1x Dwayne (@CtrlAltDwayne) March 3, 2026 Claude do is down, and they ask you to write code pic.twitter.com/yeYdM9yVzs LEEKY-AUTOMATES (@Rarebreedmaleek) March 3, 2026 With the release of Android 17 on the horizon, most smartphone makers are starting to work on the beta updates for their devices. And while Motorola and software updates are two words that dont normally go together in a sentence, it looks like the company is finally looking to make amends. It was recently reported that the company has released a list of the devices that will be eligible to receive the Android 17 beta update. Without wasting any time, lets take a look at the list and check which Motorola devices are getting the new update. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! Also Read: OpenAI scientist says Pentagon deal not worth it amid growing backlash Here is the list of all the devices that are currently eligible for the Android 17 beta update. Check them out below: Moto G57 Power Moto G57 Moto G86 Power Moto G86 Motorola Edge 60 Motorola Edge 60 Fusion Motorola Edge 70 Motorola Edge 70 Fusion If you dont find your device in the list, then worry not, as other devices, like the phones from the Moto Razr series and the recently released flagship, the Moto Signature, will likely release the beta updates at a later date. So far, these are the confirmed devices to receive the update. Since its a beta update, users would also be required to sign up for the beta programme. Please follow the steps mentioned below to enroll yourself there. First and foremost, youd need to create an account on the community website of Motorola Once thats done, youd have to input the details, such as the IMEI or serial number of your device, on the profile page of the community page After that, make sure to opt in for MFN on your Motorola community profile, and ensure that your phone is running the latest software version. Head on over to the MFN Beta Testing Opportunities page if you have a compatible Motorola device Tap on the registration link for your Motorola phone, and fill in the details to submit your application. After youre done with all the steps, you should get an update on your device once your application is accepted for the update. Speaking of which, lets also take a look at some of the features that the latest Android 17 update on Motorola devices is going to bring out. As per reports, the latest update will allow users to customise their devices more, as it is set to receive a bunch of new UI customisation features. The update will feature new animations and more focus on integrating AI across the system, while also enhancing the privacy and security features. Also Read: Oppo confirms Find X9 Ultra global debut: What we know about specs and India pricing Feature: Spring Festival rush fills Vietnam-China passenger train Xinhua) 16:34, March 03, 2026 HANOI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- As the Spring Festival travel rush draws to a close, the international passenger train linking Vietnam's capital Hanoi and southern Chinese city Nanning has recorded surging demand, with all services operating at full capacity throughout the holiday period. The international passenger train, which resumed service on May 25 last year after being suspended, has operated nearly 200 round trips, carrying around 20,000 passengers, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) Nguyen Chinh Nam told Xinhua. "Passenger numbers have risen steadily. Particularly during the Spring Festival peak, all trains were fully booked and ran at maximum capacity," Nam said. At Gia Lam Station in Hanoi, the atmosphere in the days leading up to the festival was marked by crowded platforms, with many passengers returning home after months of working abroad. Among them was Deng Yan from central China's Hunan Province, who had taken the train in 2019 before it was suspended. She told Xinhua that this was her second trip on the restored service, describing the journey as convenient and comfortable, especially during the holiday rush when high-speed rail and air tickets can be difficult to secure at short notice. "By taking the overnight train, I could cross the border the next morning and connect to an onward high-speed train or flight. Basically, I could reach home in time for a family dinner," she said. Meanwhile, Mr. Chen, a resident of Nanning who purchased a ticket to return to Vietnam for work after the festival, said that one major advantage of cross-border rail travel is that it eliminates the need to change trains. "Passengers disembark to complete customs and immigration procedures and then reboard the same train to continue their journey," he explained. The route has also attracted international travelers, including a group of mobility science students -- Robin Friemel, Terence Wezel and Pascal Mader -- from Switzerland, who were extending their study trip by traveling north through Vietnam and onward into China. They said booking tickets during the peak season was challenging due to high demand, but they were lucky to secure three tickets. "We study transportation engineering, so we are obviously interested in transportation and trains. We thought it would be really cool to travel to China by train," one of them told Xinhua, adding that it was fascinating to observe differences in infrastructure development among Vietnam, China and their home country. According to Nam, statistics show that growing numbers of Vietnamese, Chinese and international passengers have chosen rail as a preferred mode of transport for tourism, business and trade between the two countries. The Hanoi-Nanning international service is seen not only as a means of transportation but also as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, Nam said, adding that the sight of international passengers traveling together reflects strong people-to-people exchanges. "We are keeping a close watch on passenger numbers on this international service and are considering opening new routes beyond Nanning, linking more Chinese cities with Vietnamese destinations to facilitate cross-border travel and trade," he added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Vivo is ready to expand its portfolio of flagship phones in India, further increasing the pressure on Samsung, Xiaomi and other smartphone brand. For long, Vivo has limited its X series to the Pro model in India. But, this year it is set to launch the X300 Ultra in the country as well, giving another premium option to smartphone users. The phone was showcased at the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, kind of confirming its global launch. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! And while Vivo has not officially said anything about the India launch of the device, we have learnt that the plans are to launch it in the country. That too as soon as the next quarter. With this, the Vivo X300 Ultra will be the first Ultra phone from the company to be commercially available in the country. Vivo had previously launched the X300 and X300 Pro and in all likeness should also add a foldable to its offerings later this year. Also read: Motorola Edge 60 Stylus available for under Rs 17,000: Check offer details, buying platform and more While the X300 Ultra wasnt available for hands-on testing at MWC 2026, Vivo offered a close look at the device along with a new accessory that could redefine smartphone zoom photography. The phone will come with a Zeiss 400mm Telephoto Extender Kit, a detachable photography module designed specifically for the X300 Ultra. The extender reportedly enables up to 17x optical zoom. With this, the X300 Ultra will come really close to delivering DSLR or mirrorless camera-like quality just on a phone. This is similar to the 200mm tele extender kit that was launched with the X300 Pro. Vivo says that both these lenses or kits are interchangeable. Also read: Android 17 beta update: List of eligible Motorola devices, features and how to sign up for it We can also confirm that the entire photography kit, including all the accessories will also be launched in the Indian market, giving full control to interested buyers. There is also increased focus on video recording capabilities of the device. Vivo showcased a series of 4K 120fps videos recorded on the phone that looked stunning. Also read: Oppo confirms Find X9 Ultra global debut: What we know about specs and India pricing The setup appears to include a dedicated case with a built-in mount, offering better grip and balance when shooting with the extended lens. Design-wise, the X300 Ultra resembles its predecessor but the new white colourway and the bold camera module give it a more distinctive, premium appeal. The specs have not been shared yet. But, the phone is expected to come with a 200-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. Powering the device could be Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired with a massive 7,000mAh battery and a large 6.82-inch 2K OLED display. 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. The Department of Finance is conducting a macroeconomic analysis in the wake of the escalating bombing in the Middle East. Tanaiste Simon Harris warned of headwinds towards the economy as a result of the conflict. Speaking on Tuesday, he said: In the coming days, Ill be meeting with my European counterparts and with the European Central Bank to monitor the economic impact of this conflict. But in the here and now, the things to look at are things around commodity pricing, things around any potential shock to the financial markets, and also the fact that this further increases uncertainty. Weve already had the uncertainty of tariffs. We now have uncertainty heaped on top of that in relation to this conflict. None of that is good, and all of that increases the headwinds towards the economy. The Finance Minister had previously said that he intended to reintroduce a normal rhythm of a tax and a spending package in the next Budget if there were no shocks to the economy. Asked on Tuesday if the escalating conflict meant his stated ambition to cut taxes for workers were off the table, he said: No. Mr Harris said he has asked his Department of Finance to carry out a macroeconomic analysis of the current situation, while its Spring Forecast will be published at the end of March. He added that, as of now, there was no reason for the Government to change its economic plans. Mr Harris said: I mean, lets have a sense of perspective here. We had an a very significant intervention in the Gulf, in the Middle East at the weekend. Its a conflict thats a couple of days old. The longer the conflict goes on, the greater the economic risk there is to the global economy, which Ireland is obviously a part of. Where the focus now needs to be on is everything that can possibly be done at an international level to de-escalate. Childrens Books Ireland today launched the next phase of its nationwide book-gifting programme, aimed at inspiring a love of reading and increasing book ownership among children in Ireland. This years launch event took place at Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Kilsaran National School, Castlebellingham, Co. Louth. Over 3,500 children across 91 schools in Ireland will receive a free book from the giving programme. Donegal resident and former Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Kilsaran National School student, Meg Grehan, the author of this years book The Brightest Star, joined the titles illustrator, Nene Lonergan, to present students with a copy and a live reading of her book. Since 2021, Childrens Books Ireland has donated more than 23,500 books to schoolchildren nationwide through funding from Enterprise Mobilitys ROAD Forward initiative. The book-gifting programme helps enhance literacy skills in primary age students by giving more children better access to reading. Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland, said: Becoming a key partner of Enterprise Mobilitys ROAD Forward initiative has boosted our reach into communities where we are needed most. We share a commitment to giving children a passion for reading through a varied selection of current, accessible and imaginative stories. By introducing young readers to a wide range of Irish authors and illustrators, we hope these books will inspire, entertain and spark a love of reading that begins with a great book and lasts a lifetime. Brendan Grieve, Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Mobility, Ireland, said: Childrens Books Ireland do a fantastic job of supporting child literacy in communities across Ireland, helping them develop positive, healthy and life-long relationships with reading. Providing more children with the opportunity to read for enjoyment through better access to a range of stories, topics and authors is a fundamental part of this work and Im proud that the Enterprise Mobility ROAD Forward initiative is supporting this important work. Read Next: Council notes 'recent increase' in tenancy terminations in Louth amid rental changes Launched in 2020, the ROAD Forward initiative supports organisations that advance social equity in communities across North America and Europe. By 2030, nearly $165 million will have been granted to local nonprofits and key partners addressing social equity gaps in three key areas: early childhood development, youth health and wellness, and career and college preparation. To date, over 1,150 organisations have received ROAD Forward grants. As Enterprise Mobilitys key partner in Ireland, Childrens Books Ireland will receive 240,000 in funding in the period to 2030, following the extension of Enterprise Mobilitys global ROAD Forward initiative last year. A woman (26) whose account was used as part of a smishing scam has been sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court to 160 hours community service in lieu of a 16 month sentence. Fiona Preda now with an address at Oldbridge, Dundalk and formerly of Clann Chulainn Park, Farndreg, Dundalk pleaded guilty to a money laundering offence arising out of the incident on September 23rd 2021. The court had previously heard that victim of the scam, who had a current and savings account with the Bank of Ireland had received a text message purporting to be from the bank about suspicious activity on his account, which said if it was not him to click on the link provided. The connection was slow and he was asked for the code for his account which he provided and he subsequently received a call from Bank of Ireland saying his account which had 18,000 had been cleared out. He made a complaint in person at a garda station within an hour and the following Monday was refunded in full by the bank, which was able to freeze some of the sums that were being transferred into other Revolut accounts but it was ultimately at a loss of 3,140. The defendant had no previous convictions. The Defence barrister stressed that his client's guilty plea was accepted on the basis that she was reckless rather than knowing that the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct. He added she was pregnant when she was charged in February last year, but the baby was later still born. The lawyer said his client, who was 21 at the time, at some stage had referred to a man taking over her account, had not come to further garda attention and had 1,000 by way of restitution. He added that he had instructions that Ms Preda had been asked by a friend for her bank card to put money into the account for Christmas, and reiterated that she had not made any money from what occurred and she had become involved in something she should not have been involved in. The court heard the defendant has lived in Dundalk for the last seven years after her family moved from Blanchardstown and now resides in what she describes as emergency accommodation. She is the main carer for her son, is pursuing a nine month IT course, and has attended a psychotherapist for the loss of her baby and as a result of the case and other personal matters. The case was adjourned in January for a community assessment report and last Friday after noting the obligations involved had been clearly explained to the defendant and she was in a position to complete them in a timely fashion, Judge Dara Hayes imposed 160 hours community service to be completed over the next 18 months. A father of 12 who was involved in a violent disorder incident in a local housing estate during which he drove his car at another man, and other participants threw petrol bombs, was jailed for 15 months at Dundalk Circuit Court last week. Arthur McGinley (39) with addresses at Palmerstown Lodge, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 and St. Mary's Street, Newry pleaded guilty to affray and endangerment at Cherryvale, Bay Estate, Dundalk on May 15th 2020. One of the victims was cutting his hedge at his home when the defendant and another man exited a vehicle. Arthur McGinley had a machete in his hand but the man fended him off with an electric hedge strimmer and the pair left - hitting a pillar before driving off. They returned two hours later around 6pm, and the defendant used his car to hit the man. Two front windows of his home were put in and the windows on his Transit van were also broken. They shouted at his brother in law that they were going to kill him, and two younger men who were with them lit Corona bottles and threw them at him, but they were put out with water. One of the victims sustained a graze to his shoulder and a mark on his left shin, while the other had a cut to back of his shoulder. Forensic tests found petrol vapour in the beer bottles. Judge Dara Hayes was told last Thursday that peace has broken out and the other parties didn't want the case to proceed. Arthur McGinley was extradited from the UK in October 2024 and spent two months on remand before then. He had 52 previous convictions, including assault causing actual bodily harm, affray and possession of a knife from Liverpool Crown Court in 2023, which arose from a dispute with a family member about whether his father should have a traditional burial. Judge Dara Hayes heard he was assessed as being at high risk of reoffending and was extremely ashamed of his actions and had downplayed them to his Probation Officer as he didn't really want to admit them. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of two years and nine months, with the final 18 months suspended, backdated to December 26th last to allow for time spent in custody. A 27-year-old criminal who raped an intoxicated and "barely conscious" 17-year-old girl has been refused bail ahead of his conviction appeal hearing. Jibola Moses Akanni of St Laurence Drive, Drogheda, Co Louth, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at an apartment in Dublin city centre, on February 15, 2018. He was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane last June. Akanni had argued that he should be granted bail ahead of his conviction appeal hearing in June because his grounds are discrete and straightforward and point to a strong chance of success. Refusing the 27-year-olds application for bail at the Court of Appeal last Friday, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland said the issues raised cannot be considered clear cut. She said the matters are wide ranging and include questions regarding the complainants credibility, the identification of the assailant and failure to disclose counselling notes and reference to additional evidence. She noted the points raised cannot be considered discrete grounds with a strong chance of success warranting bail. Akannis sentencing hearing was told that the victim had travelled to Dublin to attend a concert but was refused entry because she was underage. Outside the venue, she ran into a man she had met before. He invited the teenager and her two friends to the apartment where he was staying, which was located next door to the venue. Here, she met Akanni and the group listened to music and drank. When she again tried and failed to get into the concert, she told her friends to go in without her and said she would wait in the apartment. Whilst there, Akanni repeatedly held a bottle of alcohol to her lips despite the teenager telling him she was lightheaded and wanted to go to sleep. He turned off the lights in the bedroom and asked the victim what she had done sexually and whether she had sex with her boyfriend. The victim replied no and told him she was only 17. She was fully dressed but unable to keep her eyes open and was not able to speak. Akanni then put his penis in her mouth. He removed her trousers and underwear and put his mouth on her genital area. A short time later, she felt pressure and pain in her vagina. The girls next memory was of being taken to the Emergency Room in an ambulance by her friends. In passing sentence, Mr Justice Keane said the aggravating factors in this case were the extended nature of the ordeal while the injured party was barely conscious, the disparity in the age of both parties and that she was an intoxicated and vulnerable person at the time. Akanni has 28 previous convictions from both Ireland and the UK relating to road traffic matters, as well as convictions for theft, public order and handling stolen property. A Transition Year (TY) student from Louth is a Solicitor of the Future after successfully completing the Law Society of Irelands innovative legal education programme. Caly Flanagan, St Louis Secondary School, was one of 40 TY students that attended the popular week-long Solicitors of the Future programme at the Law Society in Dublin from 17-20 February 2026. Delivered by leading legal experts, the immersive, activitybased programme featured practitionerled workshops, guest speakers, courtroom exercises, and a dedicated careers seminar. In total, students from ten counties participated. Places on this years programme were allocated by lottery, with 20% reserved for students attending socioeconomically disadvantaged schools. It is designed for anyone interested in exploring a career in law. Speaking about the programme, Law Society President, Rosemarie Loftus, said: This initiative encourages students to consider a career in law while providing a real insight into the work of practising solicitors. Read also: Special Regeneration Areas to be identified in Dundalk and Drogheda "It is carefully designed to offer a holistic understanding of what a legal career involves, and the many different paths it can take. From hearing insights from human rights practitioners to newly qualified solicitors, and visits to the Criminal Courts, students now have a real sense of what its like to work in the legal world, and the rewarding career path of a solicitor. The programme also highlighted the practical supports available to aspiring solicitors, including financial grants via the Law Societys Access Scholarship. It doesnt matter where you come from or what your background is - a career in law is open to everyone. By taking part in the Law Societys Solicitors of the Future programme, students learn how the law affects everyday life, building awareness of justice, legal processes, constitutional principles, and the rule of law. This is useful for everyone, not just future lawyers. Solicitors of the Future is one of the Law Societys many Public Legal Education programmes, part of its strategic drive to widen early access to legal education. Learn more about the Law Societys Public Legal Education programmes here. A long-running sit-in protest at Bord Bia has ended following a commitment for an independent review. The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) said it had been protesting at Bord Bias offices since January 26 as part of a dispute with the state agency charged with promoting and enforcing standards in Irish food. Five people had been occupying the lobby of the building since February 3. Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin has faced calls to step down after revelations that his company Dawn Farm Foods sourced less than 1% of its beef from Brazil last year for contingency planning in a contract. Kildare South TD and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon welcomed the agreement at the board meeting called to discuss the current impasse. I am pleased that my proposal for an independent governance review of the board of Bord Bia has been accepted and that the ongoing protest has been stood down, he said. Larry Murrin will remain as chair of Bord Bia and as agreed by the board and the chair in the interests of moving forward, during the period of the review scheduled board meetings will be facilitated by another current board member. Mr Heydon added: Bord Bia are also progressing a new Farmers Forum which will provide an opportunity for renewed engagement between farmers and Bord Bia. It is now time to come together to support the essential work of Bord Bia, which delivers important benefits for farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole. Mr Murrin appeared before a committee earlier this month and said that while his company mostly buys from Irish farmers, he needed to demonstrate that Ireland can import beef from somewhere else as part of contingency planning. He said allegations of a conflict of interest are false and driven by social media. The Bord Bia board agreed to an independent expert-led governance review into its operations during a meeting on Monday. Mr Murrin is to stand aside from chairing board meetings for the duration of the review, however he is to remain as chairman. IFA president Francie Gorman said five heroic farmers occupied Bord Bia for 28 days. IFA had put a proposal to the board 10 days ago that identified seven strands that should be examined and that the chair would step aside while these are being considered. This was the basis of todays outcome, he said. IFA has agreed to stand down their protest until the review is complete and while Larry Murrin is not chairing board meetings. Five farmers have occupied the building for 28 days with a rolling 24-hour protest outside for 36 days. These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside. The Taoiseach has said there is no excuse for prices going up at the pumps yesterday, or indeed anywhere because Irish oil is coming from the North Sea and we dont want any price gouging going on. The Irish premier was speaking to the press before his cabinet met on Tuesday, when he was asked about reported increases in petrol and home heating oil costs. He said we dont want anyone taking unfair advantage of consumers and people because of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Mr Martin acknowledged there will be implications from it over time, if the situation doesnt stabilise in the short term. But he added: Given the fact that people have an adequacy of supplies right now and given that a lot of our oil is coming from North Sea, which comes from Norway, there shouldnt be these kind of increases that people have been commenting on yesterday. He said he would raise the issue with the Minister for Energy Darragh OBrien and met the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission about it. The Government has asked them to examine the industry and the sector in terms of any unfair pricing practices that is under way, he said. He added that before the outbreak of the war, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities was already working with the Government on an energy affordability taskforce and theres a lot of work going on at a European level about the overall structures that govern energy prices. Heading into the same cabinet meeting, the Irish Enterprise Minister was asked about the potential impact of energy price rises on the economy. Peter Burke said the country has seen solid growth despite a very unstable geopolitical environment over the last year. But he said energy prices reached about 48 euro per kilowatt hour on Monday, which he described as a very significant increase. He said: When you look at the peak in Ukraine, it hit 348 euro, so that was a very extreme time. So, theres always going to be concerns, everything we do in business really is related to energy, a lot will depend on that, a lot will depend on the duration and what the disruptions are, a lot is uncertain right now. Labour and the Green Party were among opposition parties calling for support for households in light of the escalating conflict. Green leader Roderic OGorman said: In the short-term here this war is driving up the cost of oil and gas when people already cant afford to pay their energy bills. The Government needs to closely monitor this. If this conflict drags on, the Government needs to be ready to take targeted measures to help the most vulnerable. Labour TD Duncan Smith said: There will be an impact economically, and that will be felt by ordinary working people in Ireland. This Government have turned their back on cost-of-living packages and that is something I think they need to bring back onto the table, because we will see it, not just at the petrol pump, but we will see it in the aisles of our supermarkets as well in the coming weeks. Take control of your financial future: In Conversation with Christine Lagarde Our podcast has a new name welcome to Euro Matters! In the first episode of our In Conversation series, President Christine Lagarde shares her own path to financial knowledge and explains why knowing about money matters especially for women. Recorded on 17 February 2026 and published on 3 March 2026. A 200,000 stash of cannabis was allegedly seized by gardai and they arrested a 45-year-old woman in Glanmire at the weekend. Detective Garda Rory Fogarty described the arrest made as part of the Garda's Operation Tara when he gave evidence at Cork District Court on Monday. Det Garda Fogarty said gardai attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit in Cork City seized 200,000 worth of suspected cannabis. Aoife ORourke, of 49 Chestnut Drive, Fruithill Manor, Graiguecullen, Co Carlow, was arrested, charged, and cautioned at 8pm on Saturday, February 28. She was charged with possession of cannabis and having the drug for sale or supply on February 28 at the M8 motorway, Ballinvinny, Glanmire, Co Cork. It was alleged that a vehicle was searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act and that 10kg of suspected cannabis was seized in the operation in conjunction with gardai from the Eastern Region. Ms ORourke made no reply to the charges. Sergeant John Dineen said an adjournment of the case was required to allow time for forensic analysis of the suspected cannabis and for directions to be obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Det Garda Fogarty said there was no objection to bail being granted to the accused in this case on certain conditions, namely that she would sign on at Carlow Garda Station every Tuesday and Thursday, stay out of Cork city and county except for court appearances, surrender her passport and undertake not to apply for any new travel documents, not to leave the jurisdiction, and to provide a phone number to gardai at which she can be contacted at all times. The case was adjourned by Judge Mary Dorgan until June 8 as the judge added a condition putting the defendant on her own bond of 5,000, without a requirement to lodge any portion of it. Barrister Patrick Horgan represented the accused at Cork District Court. This case forms part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by the Garda commissioner in July 2021 to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug trafficking networks. A Cork family who travelled to Dubai for the holiday of our dreams are among thousands of Irish citizens stranded as airstrikes in the Middle East continue to ground flights out of the citys airport. While the US and Israel continue to launch attacks against Iran, an estimated 22,000 Irish citizens across the Middle East have been advised to shelter in place as hostilities escalate. Speaking to The Echo, Mayfield native Krystle OConnor, who is currently in Dubai with her husband Martin and daughter Leah, said: The holiday of our dreams turned into the worst nightmare of my whole life. We arrived here on Friday, and everything was good, said Ms OConnor. We heard some banging, but we took no notice of it, then on Saturday we heard more and realised there was actually drones and missiles being shot down over us. An emergency siren went out across the city, and we were told to take shelter so we went down to the basement and weve been staying there on mattresses. Were just so scared to leave, its traumatising were due to come home on Thursday, but all flights have been grounded. Flights cancelled A spokesperson for Dublin Airport said all direct flights to and from airports in the Middle East have been cancelled by airlines, stating that given that there is no certainty regarding when airspace and airports will reopen, further disruption to flight schedules over the coming days is possible. Ms OConnor said there are hundreds of guests taking shelter in the basement at Dukes The Palm Hotel in Dubai, with the venue being right in the danger zone. Siren Theres at least 150 people on our floor, and there are three basement floors, said Ms OConnor. When the siren went off, everyone was running. My 16-year-old tripped, and people were trampling her, but we got down and we havent left since. The following day, we came back up to the room. We werent even up there 20 minutes, and there were more explosions. We looked out the window and the hotel next to us was on fire. I cant explain how scared we feel. Abu Dhabi Airport is opening back up slowly, so were hoping we can find a route out of there somehow. Were right in the danger zone I will never ever come back again. Dubai resident Fionn Dwyer, who is originally from Carrigaline, told 96FMs Opinion Line that the city is probably one of the safest places to be in the Middle East. I genuinely have 100% confidence in the systems here, said Mr Dwyer. When you hear a bang, that is the sound of you being kept safe. The biggest threat is actually the debris that falls down. Stay inside, dont be going down to the beach, you just have to follow the instructions. Alcohol theft remains a scourge for Cork city centre businesses with one retailer losing up to 1,000 a week but the city's high visibility Garda presence in Cork city centre is starting to see a reduction in shoplifting for retailers. The news comes on the back of Europewide survey which found alcoholic drinks ranked as the most shoplifted product in Irish supermarkets. The research collated by Spanish security firm STC across 15 countries found alcohol ranked among the top five most stolen products in nearly all surveyed countries and was the most stolen item in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Belgium. In Cork, alcohol theft remains a huge burden on retailers. Kevin Herlihy, who with his brother Brian runs four city centre Centra stores on Patrick Street, Oliver Plunkett Street, Grand Parade, and North Main Street, with further stores in Bishopstown and Mallow. Mr Herlihy, a former president of the Cork Business Association (CBA), said the four city centre stores in particular continue to be regularly targeted for alcohol theft. "Alcohol theft remains a big issue. Every day stuff is taken wine, beer, alcopops," said Mr Herlihy. "Unfortunately, theft and security is now built into the business model, the very same as having a guy working the deli. The security bill for the four city centre stores now is 250,000 a year. Each store could see about 150 to 250 stolen a week. Meat is another high value target for thieves. Last week, Mr Herlihy's Bishopstown store suffered a 560 loss to theft of meat and other items including washing powder. "I know the multiple retailers are putting up with untold grief," said Mr Herlihy. While shoplifting remains a serious issue, Mr Herlihy said the high visibility policing plan in Cork city is having a positive effect, curbing incidents of theft. Gardai in the city launched the policing plan for the city in late November, with 23 additional gardai assigned to the operation every day, with 11 gardai during daytime hours and 12 at night. "The Garda presence on the street is commendable, and very much appreciated by businesses. It's definitely a deterrent," said Mr Herlihy. The CBA said the increased gardai on the streets of Cork are making a huge difference. The CBA has also been instrumental with Cork City Council in the creation of city centre wardens, with four staff working in consultation with gardai. The European research on retail theft by STC found alcohol was the most shoplifted product in several European supermarkets. Health and beauty products ranked second overall, followed by meat, chocolate, and coffee. Most shoplifting in Europe was committed for resale, with thieves targeting high-value, branded and gourmet products. Self-checkout tills were identified as the most vulnerable area for retailers, with companies investing in security cases and bottle collars to curb losses. The study covered Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain, representing a combined population of 387 million people. Theft patterns reflected local consumer preferences, with Iberian ham and olive oil most stolen in Spain, beer in Belgium and Finland, bakery and pastry products in Germany, chocolate and sweets in Britain and coffee the most stolen item in France and the Netherlands, where meat also ranked among the top three. Cork-based Iranians are hopeful that the ongoing situation in the Middle East will ultimately lead to a peaceful transition to a new democratic regime in their homeland. Over the weekend, Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been in power since 1989, was killed after the United States and Israel launched a large scale attack on Iran. Mastoureh Fathi, an Iranian lecturer working at University College Cork, told The Echo that she hopes there is a bright new chapter looming on the horizon for Iran as a nation. We dont want any war with the world, she said. At the moment its not peaceful, but we want a peaceful transition to a new democratic regime and a new democratic government that is friends of the world. "We do not want any terror or to start any war. We are not [an] enemy of any nation or country in the world and we want that message to be clearly translated. In recent weeks and months, Iran has been experiencing its most significant and violent upheaval since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Amin Mohammadi, an Iranian man based in Cork, told The Echo he has spoken to friends back home in recent days, many of whom have welcomed the intervention of the United States and Israel in Iran. Most of the people, I think they are scared, but already they are as well happy because they are thinking it is close to regime change. As to what she hopes happens next for Iran, Ms Fathi added: I think for many (in Iran) the ultimate goal is the change of the regime. I personally do not support any war in any part of the world. What we are seeing at the moment, it is a very complex scenario that its not black and white. We should not forget that just a few weeks ago, this dictator regime killed tens of thousands of people on the streets. We want the global, the Irish, and the Cork community to remember what happened a few weeks ago at the hands of this dictator regime. Mr Mohammadi said he hoped the dawn of a bright new chapter is looming for Iran. We dont have any problem with any country and we want peace in the Middle East and all the world, Mr Mohammadi said. We want to change this regime to have one secular democratic government. A man who set fire to three vehicles neighbouring Cork Airport a month after being released from prison for another arson was found hiding in the luggage hold under a bus when gardai and the fire service arrived at the scene. Detective Sergeant Pat Lyons testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the 33-year-old was found concealed in the luggage area of the bus parked nearby. Mateusz Stula admitted causing more than 118,000 worth of arson damage to three vehicles parked at Cork Airport Business Park in the early hours of June 10, 2025. Mateusz Stula, of Orchard Court, Blackpool, Cork, previously signed pleas of guilty to the indictable crimes. Det Sgt Lyons said on June 10, 2025, at about 1.15am, the defendant entered the grounds of Cork Airport Business Park, where he set fire to three vehicles parked there. He had been working at a hotel in the area. One of these vehicles was a Swissport Airline waste removal tanker, which has an approximate value of 100,000. A Volkswagen Camper was privately owned and had been parked at the business park while the owner was abroad. A third vehicle was a privately owned animal transporter truck which had been dropped to the business park for repairs. The incidents of arson in this instance have been captured on CCTV footage, In each case, Stula sat into the driver's seat of the vehicle and set fire to the seating area until flames engulfed the vehicles. When he was found hiding in the bus, he had a cigarette lighter in his pocket. He told gardai at interview when he was working that evening in the hotel kitchen, he began drinking vodka. He could offer no explanation for his actions. He had been released from prison a month earlier, having served a three-month sentence for setting fire to an apartment that was in the process of being built. He caused 20,000 worth of damage that time. Defence barrister Brian Leahy asked for sentencing to be adjourned until April 27 to allow time for a psychiatric report on Mr Stula. Judge Sinead Behan said such a report would be helpful in advance of sentencing: This is an odd offence. I would prefer to know what is going on with him. Endo. A small, four-letter word that causes a world of pain. An innocuous-sounding abbreviation for the chronic inflammatory disease - endometriosis. A good friend of mine who has suffered from the disease since she started menstruating at the age of eight asked would I write a column to raise awareness. Of course I would. Our conversations on this topic brought me to tears. I could fill this newspaper with how the disease has cruelly dictated her life. Much of her suffering was compounded by inadequate medical knowledge initially and ineffectual and downright damaging treatments later. She eventually travelled to the U.S to get specialist treatment at great personal and financial cost. My friend is a survivor who uses her precious energy to advocate for others - but she is just one story among many. Endo impacts women in profound ways, and March marks World Endometriosis Awareness Month. Advocates for the condition want us all to be more informed about the disease that is estimated to affect one in seven women in Ireland, yet remains misunderstood, under-discussed, and often dismissed. The Bad Period Myth Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb in other parts of the body, causing pain, scarring, inflammation and, in some cases, fertility problems and organ damage. It can affect organs beyond the reproductive system, including the bladder, bowel, and even the nervous system. In rare cases, it is found in the diaphragm or around lungs. Although endometriosis is connected to menstrual cycles, and some women experience different symptoms and flare-ups at different times of their menstrual cycle, it is not simply a menstrual issue. It is a whole-body inflammatory disease, driven by tissue growing where it does not belong. Patients suffer from debilitating pain, extreme bleeding, nausea, diarrhoea, and fatigue that leaves them unable to work, study, exercise or simply get out of bed. It is much more than a bad period. Other gynaecological conditions such as adenomyosis, fibroids, cysts, and polycystic ovary syndrome, can overlap. That can make diagnosis difficult and underscores the need for better literacy among both the public and clinicians about what is normal and what is not. Physical, psychological, and emotional toll Endometriosis pain is often reported as worse than a heart attack, kidney stones, appendicitis, or even childbirth. For decades, treatment for it in Ireland was substandard, or worse. Women with classic symptoms were dismissed and struggled for years to secure a diagnosis. The average wait for diagnosis is ten years. My friend waited 13. For too many women, their formative teenage decade was spent in pain. Missing school because of excessive bleeding, dropping out of sports because of fear of an embarrassing bleed-through, and missing out on friendship and relationship experiences because endo left them depleted and exhausted. Anyone who knows the reality of living with constant pain knows how additionally exhausting it is when enormous energy is required to find the right consultant, secure the right diagnosis, and access the right treatment. Patients and advocates are no longer willing to accept it. Step change Last year, the Minister of Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and CEO of the HSE Brendan Gloster sat in a room for hours listening to the horror stories of women describing their lives of existing with debilitating pain, and being ignored and uncared for by various medical professionals Spurred by the testimonials of patients, Carroll MacNeill, wrote to GPs outlining what she described as a step-change in how Ireland treats endometriosis. At the centre of those commitments is a new National Framework for the Management of Endometriosis. This includes a pledge of additional surgeries for endometriosis patients. For too many years, women were offered ineffectual treatments like ablation, which cauterises the surface of endometriosis. As noted U.S specialist Dr Jeff Arrington put it: Burning across the surface of deep endometriosis is like trying to melt an iceberg with a blow dryer. It leaves the most painful and symptomatic disease untouched. Excision surgery, where endometriosis is removed laparoscopically, is the gold standard treatment. For women waiting years for relief, these new promised surgeries represent real hope. The problem is that medical expertise for specialist excision surgery is scarce in Ireland. Many women currently travel to Greece and Romania for treatment. Minister Carroll MacNeill has announced a dedicated financial support scheme for those who wish to access treatment in international centres while waiting here. The government is also exploring international fellowships for Irish clinicians to build specialist surgical expertise at home. The framework also promises an expansion and formal recognition of fertility supports. Approximately a third of women with endometriosis experience infertility. For couples navigating both chronic pain and the heartbreak of delayed conception or successive pregnancy losses, clearer access to fertility treatment matters enormously. Finally, a public awareness campaign is coming, aimed at both health professionals and the wider public. Awareness alone does not shorten waiting lists but it can shorten diagnostic delay. And for a condition that often takes years to be identified, that is no small thing. Taken together, these measures represent the most structured national response to endometriosis Ireland has seen. The true test will be implementation. Will additional surgeries materialise? Will overseas support be accessible? Will specialist centres be resourced to meet demand? For women who have spent years being told to tolerate the pain, the commitments are welcome. Now they will be watching to see if those commitments translate into care. For my friend, who still lives with the impacts of endometriosis, the knowledge that in the future young girls will get the timely treatment she was denied, gives her hard-won hope. And actually makes her feel a little bit better. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association Garda investigations into the generation of child sex abuse images by the AI chatbot Grok could lead to prosecutions of senior management, a Garda assistant commissioner has suggested. Appearing before the Committee on Artificial Intelligence on Tuesday morning, Angela Willis said gardai have received 244 referrals about AI image abuse generated by Grok. She said around half of those relate to child sex abuse imagery. Asked by People Before Profits Paul Murphy if any of the investigations are into Grok itself, Willis said An Garda Siochana are not ruling anything out. She added that evidence might first involve users of the technology but said they will spare no effort in trying to identify all of the different opportunities to bring perpetrators before the courts. The Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime did say these investigations can be quite complicated and a quite lengthy process because of their trans-national nature and the involvement of multiple other jurisdictions. She said the gardai will take them as far as we can from an evidential perspective, and then we will obviously bring that information before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Earlier, she was asked by Fine Gaels James Geoghegan if there is a distinction, in Irish law, between the enabler of the production and the producer. She said historically investigations have focused on whoever generated the material but said their investigations will go wherever the evidence leads us, adding it would be up to the DPP to decide if a prosecution would follow. Willis said: But certainly in order to initiate an investigation, there is ample scope to investigate if somebody is aiding or abetting, the generation of such material when it relates to a child. Quizzed on the generation of sexual abuse images by AI image generating tools by the Dublin Bay South TD she agreed investigating the generation of non-consensual images of adults is more complicated. Asked if An Garda Siochana, in their conversations with the Minister, are exploring proposals to strengthen laws in this area, including Cocos Law she said yes, and Im aware thats already under consideration. 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. Isabel Hayes A man who took part in a frenzied incident involving armed rival gangs from the north and southside of Dublin has been sentenced to two years and nine months in jail. Jamie Berry (30) is already serving a six-and-a-half-year sentence for conspiracy to murder a teenager in February 2021. Three months before that offence in November 2020, he engaged in violent disorder when about 11 men from the Sheriff Street area in the north inner city Dublin crossed the Liffey to attack men from his area in the Pearse House complex, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. In the ensuing street fight between the rival gangs involving hatchets, knives and bats, Berry stabbed two men in the back, with one of his victims suffering a punctured lung as a result, Sergeant Eoin Kirwan told Shaun Smyth BL, prosecuting. The other victim suffered superficial wounds. Berry himself was hit in the head with a hatchet in the incident on Creighton Street, which was captured on CCTV footage. He required over 70 staples to his head. Apart from the conspiracy to murder conviction, he has six other previous convictions, including for drugs, assault and public order offences. Berry, of Leo Fitzgerald House, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to affray, violent disorder and two counts of assault causing harm in the city centre on November 3rd, 2020. Judge Orla Crowe said the men involved had engaged in absolutely outrageous behaviour that must have been terrifying for passers-by on the street that day. She initially handed down a three-year sentence, dated from when Berry pleaded guilty in January. She agreed to a request from Keith Spencer BL, defending, to suspend the final three months after Mr Spencer noted this sentence would extend Berry's time in custody. In his plea of mitigation, Mr Spencer said Berry has matured greatly since committing this offence and now has two young children. He submitted it was a frenzied incident and said everyone involved regretted it afterwards. Things have since calmed down between the two groups in question, he said. Defence counsel said Berry had difficulties in his childhood with an abusive stepfather. His mother died from cancer. He honoured his bail conditions until he went into custody and is anxious to reconnect with his children upon his release from prison, the court heard. Network Ireland Cork, the Local Enterprise Office Cork City and the Local Enterprise Officer South Cork will host a special event on Wednesday to mark Local Enterprise Week. As part of the special collaborative event, Marie Gleeson, former Naval Captain and Managing Director of NavMar Leadership, will share the story of her journey from military leadership to entrepreneurship, offering insights on resilience, adaptability, and leading with confidence in times of change. Drawing on her unique and distinguished career, Marie will explore key themes including decision-making under pressure, building resilient teams, and the critical role of collaboration in achieving sustainable success. Her experience and perspective promise to resonate strongly with women in business at every stage of their professional journey. The event, which takes place at St Peters Cork, will be hosted by MC Louise Kane Buckley, Founder of Loula Natural. Speaking ahead of the event, Network Cork President Diane Higgins said, Leadership is built over time from experience, resilience and courage. Marie has these in spades and we are looking forward to hearing how she has built her leadership and transferred these insights into building her business. This event is a collaboration with LEO Cork city and LEO South Cork and we are proud to be a part of enterprise week in a beautiful venue in Cork city. Organisers said the collaborative event will shine a light on the power of connection, community, and shared experience in supporting women in business and leadership. Ita Madden, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, emphasised the importance of supporting women in business. LEO Cork City is delighted to work with Network Cork and LEO South Cork on this upcoming event focusing on leadership as part of Local Enterprise Week 2026. Supporting women in business is an important part of what we do, and this collaboration gives us another opportunity to help local entrepreneurs build their skills and confidence to help them grow their business. In addition to invaluable leadership insights, the event aims to offer a meaningful opportunity to connect with like-minded women, gain fresh perspectives, and celebrate what can be achieved when we work better together. Meta has started rolling out an experimental AI shopping tool to some users in the US, according to Bloomberg. At the moment, its reportedly only showing up on desktop browsers when select users visit Meta AI on the web. Theyll know if they have access to the feature if they see the Shopping research button inside the query text box. The company has confirmed that it was testing the feature, Bloomberg said, but it didnt say when a wider release will happen. When users ask for product suggestions, the chatbot will show them a carousel with product images and their pricing, along with a link to the e-commerce website and information about the brand. Meta AI will also include a short explanation why it recommended the item. If Meta AI can see a users information, such as their gender and location data, it can tailor responses for them. Bloomberg said it replied with a selection of womens puffer jackets from shops that ship to New York, based on the testers profile. Users cannot check out from within the Meta AI interface, but they can click on the links it provides to shop online. Mark Zuckerberg previously told investors that Meta is launching agentic shopping tools during an earnings call earlier this year. It doesnt come as a surprise that the company is working on them, when rival AI companies already offer the same tools. OpenAI rolled out a dedicated shopping assistant for ChatGPT just before Black Friday last year, shortly after Google launched its own shopping tools for Gemini. Perplexity also released an AI shopping assistant at the same time. OpenAIs Sam Altman said the company will amend its deal with the Defense Department (or the Department of War) to explicitly prohibit the use of its AI system on mass surveillance against Americans. Altman has published an internal memo previously sent to employees on X, telling them that the company will tweak the agreement to add language to make that point especially clear. Specifically, it says: Consistent with applicable laws, including the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, National Security Act of 1947, FISA Act of 1978, the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals. For the avoidance of doubt, the Department understands this limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information. Advertisement Advertisement Altman has also claimed in the memo that the agency affirmed that its services will not be used by its intelligence agencies, including the NSA, without a modification to their contract. He added that if he received what he believed was an unconstitutional order, he would rather go to jail than follow it. In addition, the OpenAI CEO has admitted in the memo that the company shouldnt have rushed to get the deal out on Friday, February 27, since the issues were super complex and demand clear communication. Altman explained that the company was trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome but it looked opportunistic in the end. If youll recall, OpenAI announced the partnership shortly after President Trump ordered all US government agencies to stop using Claude and any other Anthropic services. To note, Anthropic started working with the US government in 2024. The Defense Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth had been pressuring Anthropic with to remove its AIs guardrails so that it can be used for all lawful purposes. Those include mass surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons. Anthropic refused to bow down to Hegseths demands and in a statement said that no amount of intimidation or punishment will change its position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. Trump issued the order as a result. The Defense Department had also taken the first steps to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk, which is typically reserved for Chinese companies believed to be working with their countrys government. Altman said that in his conversations with US officials, he reiterated that Anthropic shouldnt be designated as a supply chain risk and that he hoped the Defense Department would offer it the same deal OpenAI agreed to. In an AMA session on X over the weekend, Altman clarified that he didnt know the details of Anthropics agreement and how it differed from the one OpenAI signed. But if it had been the same, he thought Anthropic should have agreed to it. Advertisement Advertisement After the news broke out about OpenAIs deal, Anthropic climbed its way to the number one spot of the App Store's Top Free Apps leaderboard, beating out both ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Anthropic, capitalizing on Claudes sudden popularity, launched a memory import tool to make switching to its chatbot from another companys easier. Meanwhile, uninstalls for ChatGPTs jumped by 295 percent day-over-day, according to Sensor Tower. Apple unveiled a new MacBook Air today, and apart from the new M5 chip, things dont look remarkably different. Sure, its getting a mild refresh, but maybe not in the way most people would want. Namely, its more expensive a $100 price bump across all models. In exchange, the MacBook Air M5 does get faster performance and double the storage. If you placed the MacBook Air M4 and the M5 in front of me, I wouldnt be able to tell which was which. The M5 offers an overall CPU/GPU performance boost, along with some extra storage and double the file transfer speeds. Still, I didnt expect a radical change, but I wish we got more for that extra $100. Its not worth jumping to the MacBook Air M5 if youve got the M4 unit already, but if youre working with an older model, then it may be worth the switch, especially if youre a professional. Like the rest of Apples new suite of products, pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4. Id wait until full reviews are published before committing to spending money, though. Still, if all you care about are the specs and what they mean, weve got a pretty good idea of all that. MacBook Air M5 vs. MacBook Air M4: Performance and battery life Naturally, the biggest difference between the MacBook Air M5 and the MacBook Air M4 is their chipsets. While the price did go up, we also got double the storage in the MacBook Air M5, jumping from 256GB to 512GB at the base configuration for both sizes. Upgraded configurations start at 1TB. Advertisement Advertisement According to Apple, the MacBook Air M5s unified memory is 28 percent faster than the M4s, and the AI performance is 4x faster. Casual users likely wont feel the impact of the overall performance gains. (You could potentially get more use out of it compared with an M4 chip.) But Apple claims that folks who are rendering 3D in Blender will see a 50 percent increase in speed. Thats pretty significant if youre a professional looking for a relatively affordable premium laptop with some oomph. The MacBook Air got double the storage, but what you might overlook is that it also got double the speed. In theory, the read and write performance should be much faster. In real-world use, you wont have to wait as long when youre copying files, importing photos or videos and doing AI-enabled tasks. It could also potentially decrease boot times, meaning your MacBook might be faster at waking up after shutting down, but if so, the improvement may be negligible. The MacBook Air M5 is also equipped with Apples new N1 chip. This enables the latest standards in connectivity, like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Unless youre a power user, its unlikely youll be using this chip to its full capacity, which can take up 46 gigabits per second of internet speed. If youre paying your ISP for those rates, you can probably afford a MacBook Pro, which might better suit your needs (you speed demon). The battery life of the MacBook Air M5 remains the same as its predecessor. In my experience reviewing laptops, Apple has been killing it with its battery life scores (with the M4 lasting over 18 hours on Engadgets battery test), so I wouldnt be too shocked if its claims are accurate. Those are: 18 hours of video streaming and 15 hours of wireless web surfing. Ive also tested the MacBook Air M4, and that latter time is on point. MacBook Air M5 vs. MacBook Air M4: Design, display, audio Similar to the iPad Air M4 announcement this week, the MacBook Air M5s design, display and audio remain unchanged despite the overall price increase. Apart from being frustrated by the higher cost, I was satisfied that everything thats here is already pretty solid. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a decent array of colors, with the MacBook Air available in either blue, silver, beige and black. Although, I will always advocate for more, and brighter, colors especially since these hues are so tame. The MacBook Air M5 continues to live up to its name with a thin and light design. The 13-inch model comes in at 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches and 2.7 pounds, while the 15-inch stacks up to 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches and 3.3 pounds. Unfortunately, since theres no change in design, were stuck with only two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack. Id like to complain that the MacBook Air still doesnt have an OLED panel, but I cant, since even the Pro MacBooks still have yet to feature one. (There are laptops, like the ZenBook 14, that cost around the same as the MacBook Air and manage to sport an OLED display, so its not unreasonable.) Despite that, the MacBook Airs displays are plenty vibrant. Both models come with a Liquid Retina LED panel at 224 ppi, and emit up to 500 nits of brightness. It makes working outdoors possible, but since its a glossy panel, Id still recommend staying inside (or finding shade). The MacBook Air 13 has a 13.6-inch, 2,560 x 1,664 panel, while the 15 is equipped with a 15.3-inch, 2,880 x 1,864 screen. Ive seen both the 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Air M4 in person and theyre pleasantly bright. Advertisement Advertisement The speakers on both the MacBook Air M4 models produced loud and clear sound, albeit with middling bass. The MacBook Air M5 features the same speaker system, with the 13-inch supporting four speakers and the 15-inch carrying six, so it stands to reason the new laptops will deliver similar experiences on sound. macOS Tahoe and Apple Intelligence No changes to macOS Tahoe here. Everything you get with the MacBook Air M4 youll get on the M5. That includes the controversial Liquid Glass design and Apple Intelligence features like Live Translation in Messages. Speaking of Apple Intelligence, like I said earlier, you will likely benefit from faster processing thanks to the M5 chip. Apple claims AI tasks will be 4x faster, so even those who casually use AI may notice the difference. If youd like to compare for yourself exactly what changes the MacBook Air M5 brings over its predecessor, weve compiled this table to make it easier on your eyes. MacBook Air M5 vs. MacBook Air M4: Specs at a glance Spec MacBook Air M5 MacBook Air M4 Price $1,099 (13-inch), $1,299 (15-inch) $999 (13-inch), $1,199 (15-inch) Processor M5 M4 Display 13.6-inch: Liquid Retina, LED, 2,560 x 1,664, 224 ppi 15.3-inch: Liquid Retina, LED, 2,880 x 1,864, 224 ppi 13.6-inch: Liquid Retina, LED, 2,560 x 1,664, 224 ppi 15.3-inch: Liquid Retina, LED, 2,880 x 1,864, 224 ppi RAM 16GB, 24GB, 32GB 16GB, 24GB, 32GB Storage 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB Battery 18 hours (video streaming), 15 hours (wireless web) 18 hours (video streaming), 15 hours (wireless web) Dimensions 13-inch: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches 15-inch: 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches 13-inch: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches 15-inch: 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches Weight 13-inch: 2.7 pounds 15-inch: 3.3 pounds 13-inch: 2.7 pounds 15-inch: 3.3 pounds Apple has unveiled the new iPhone 17e, iPad Air M4, as well as the $599 MacBook Neo, an M5 MacBook Air and a new MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. You can catch up on all the company's news this week by checking out our article on everything Apple announced. A sign near the entrance of Bull Mountains Mine No. 1 which is operated by Signal Peak Energy in Roundup, Montana (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). A lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal district court in Billings challenges the emergency orders issued by President Donald Trump that have allowed the Department of the Interior to bypass oversight and public comment and expand coal mining in the Bull Mountains. The lawsuit claims that emergency conditions dont remotely match the temporary definitions of what constitutes an emergency in federal law. Furthermore, nearly all of the coal mined at the Bull Mountains Mine heads to Asian countries, not even being used for domestic energy production, undercutting nearly all of the Trump administrations rationale for an emergency court documents say simply doesnt exist. Moreover, the lawsuit says that a group of five organizations has gone to court repeatedly and won judgments that halted the mine from expanding because of environmental concerns, including dewatering sensitive grazing lands near or atop the underground mine. The groups that filed the lawsuit are Earthjustice, The Montana Environmental Information Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Western Environmental Law, and WildEarth Guardians. The suit claims that the Office of Surface Mining as well at the Department of the Interior rushed approval of the project, illegally skipping a draft environmental impact statement, which would have raised environmental concerns, as well as ignoring related public comments. The mine has a long history involving criminal and corrupt actions, and it has devastated the ecology and ranching community of the Bull Mountains, the lawsuit said. The Department of the Interior does not comment on pending litigation. The Bull Mountains Mine, owned by Signal Peak Energy, has been involved in a number of lawsuits from challenging the expansion of the mine, to landowners suing for dewatering sensitive springs that fed livestock, to criminal corruption charges that involved mining accidents, drug trafficking and falsified safety reports. The lawsuit also claims that despite the emergency declaration from the Trump administration, that America is producing record amounts of energy, and that demand for coal continues to drop domestically. The lawsuit said that more than 99% of the coal mined in the Bull Mountains is transported across the ocean to Asian countries, negating a plausible claim that the mine expansion is being done for domestic energy. Relying on a supposed energy emergency that has no basis in reality, the Office of Surface Minings actions make a mockery of the required environmental review process, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit claims that in the agencys rush to approve an expansion of the mine, they intentionally disregarded the rules for a detailed environmental impact statement, which would outline the risks to the environment that are reasonably foreseeable, as well as other alternative actions, including steps that can be taken to lessen the impacts. When an emergency isnt an emergency Throughout the lawsuit, the court documents challenge the use of the emergency claiming that federal statute limits the use of such orders, while arguing applying the label to coal production in the Bull Mountains wont pass legal muster. The lawsuit said that federal agencies have the ability to temporarily circumvent the review process, but those cases are short-term, and have been created for officials responding to immediate threats, like sudden disasters. The groups argue in the lawsuit that even those temporary protocols require the federal government and its agencies to complete many of the environmental assessments as soon as possible. They say the federal government doesnt have the ability to ignore laws and rules completely in the name of a federal emergency. The authority (to declare an emergency) is highly circumscribed, applying only to those actions necessary to control the immediate impacts of the emergency that are urgently needed to mitigate harm to life, property, or important natural, cultural or historic resources, the lawsuit said. For example, a BLM handbook describes emergencies as, for example, hazardous waste spills or ongoing woodland fires. Water problems (again) The lawsuit also claims that the emergency declaration has allowed the Bull Mountain Mine to escape any kind of challenge, including a long-standing and protracted fight over the sensitive water in the area. While both coal mining and cattle ranching has occurred in the Bull Mountains for more than a century, the land that straddles Yellowstone and Musselshell counties is particularly dry, depending on a delicate network of underground springs. Multiple lawsuits have been filed about the damage the underground mining has caused to water, leading to the group allegations that Signal Peak has run ranchers away from the property. The subsidence causes splitting and depression of the surface land above the mining operation, the lawsuit said. Cave-ins and land subsidence from Bull Mountains Mine can and do fracture perched aquifers and cause springs and wells to go dry, as predicted by OSMs early hydrology analysis. In fact, a significant number of springs undermined by the Bull Mountain Mine have already been dewatered or contaminated. The government has previously said that even if the shallow aquifers are impacted, the surrounding ranching community can draw from a deeper aquifer. But the groups say that aquifer cannot produce water at the same rate and that its salt content is so high that it is unsuitable for livestock or human consumption. It is doubtful, however, that the deep aquifer has enough high quality water that its physically and legally available to replace impacted water sources, the lawsuit said. Median sodium levels in the deep aquifer exceed the upper limits for sodium in livestock watering guidelines used by the State of Montana. The lawsuit also points to a number of studies, including one commissioned by Signal Peak itself, concluding that there was not enough water to replace the groundwater that could be impacted by mining activities. In fact, one study said that an aquifer would need to produce at least 100 gallons per minute, while studies showed the deep aquifer could not support sustained withdrawals of even 6 gallons per minute. Back to court (again) The court filing also outlines a history of litigation between various land owners and conservation organizations against the coal mine. For example, in 2020, a federal court found that OSMs revised plan was invalid a ruling supported by the U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals. In a volley of activity in court, the federal court has also found that Signal Peaks mining operations continued to hurt the ranching community. Signal Peaks subsistence mining has harmed local ranching interests by creating fissures in the ranch land. Additionally, Signal Peaks mining operation causes damage to local ranchers water resources, including in one instance, damaging working water wells. Local ranchers fear that Signal Peaks long walls have already caused potentially irreversible damage to ranching in Bull Mountains, the suit claimed. Now, the organizations say the emergency order has created a false pretext for the federal government to short-circuit the review process. Simply put there is not truth in the assertion that the United States is not producing enough energy to meet its domestic needs. In fact, the opposite is true: The nation has more energy that it needs and is exporting large amounts. There is no evidence of a near-term global supply shortage of coal that will impact Japan or South Korea. To the contrary, global coal production has flatline and is predicted to decline through 2030. The groups also point out that in 2024, the U.S. exports of crude oil topped 4.1 million barrels per day. Exports of thermal coal (like the coal from the Bull Mountains) are expected to decline because of a persistent oversupply and lower coal prices, the court documents said. In short, domestic fossil fuel production is projected to fall because of excessive not inadequate supplies. The Bull Mountain Mines impact to eastern Asia is also small: The court documents reveal that its coal only makes up 0.07% of the market. The lawsuit asks the federal court to set aside the mine expansion, and halt re-issuing or approving the future mining plans until the mine has complied with the National Environmental Policy Act, which includes environmental impact and assessments as well as responding to public comments and concerns. It was well known by both miners and regulators that a longwall mine would dewater the Bull Mountains, driving generational ranching families off their land to enrich three out-of-state corporations sending coal overseas, said Pat Thiele, a landowner in the Bull Mountains and member of the plaintiff organizations. Nobody with any authority cares. With labour stretched during peak lambing, new trial results suggest surplus lambs can achieve strong growth rates when reared on cold milk replacer. Research conducted in 2025 at Harper Adams University found that lambs fed Lamlac milk replacer mixed and delivered cold from eight days of age achieved solid performance through to weaning at 35 days. The study reported an average weaning weight of 15kg at 35 days, with individual lambs ranging from 10kg to 19kg. Average daily liveweight gain up to weaning was recorded at 332g per day figures in line with commercial growth targets for artificially reared lambs. The trial involved 23 Lleyn cross Aberblack/Charolais lambs. Each lamb received colostrum from its ewe for 24 hours, or was fed artificially where required, before being introduced to a training pen and offered warm milk replacer ad-lib via a Ewe-2 feeder. From day eight, lambs were moved to a larger pen and fed the milk replacer mixed and supplied cold at 10C. Fresh creep feed and straw were introduced from day seven to support rumen development and help reduce digestive upset around weaning. Lambs were weaned abruptly at 35 days once they reached a target bodyweight of 10kg and were consuming 250g of solid feed per day. While the study group was relatively small, researchers said the findings demonstrate the potential of cold milk feeding where management is consistent and hygiene standards are maintained. Dr Jessica Cooke, from Lamlac, said feeding ewe milk replacer cold should be considered a proven technique for managing surplus lambs. Feeding cold milk offers a simple, practical, time-effective method to rear surplus lambs on farm when warm water is not available, or when lambs of different ages require milk to be fed at a constant temperature, she said. With good attention to detail and environmental temperature permitting, lambs can successfully maintain daily growth rates when reared on Lamlac, mixed and fed cold from week one, which requires less time input than mixing and feeding warm milk. She added that product quality remains critical. However, its vital producers use a high-quality milk powder, such as Lamlac, to avoid any potential problems with mixing quality. For sheep producers managing high lamb numbers and limited labour during lambing season, the findings indicate that cold, ad-lib milk feeding could provide a practical option for surplus lamb management. Farming leaders have hailed record-breaking UK dairy and red meat export figures as a major boost for British farmers, with combined trade topping 4.2 billion last year. New HMRC figures show dairy exports reached 2.2 billion in 2025, up 16.6% on the year, while red meat exports, including offal, rose 12% to 2 billion. The gains come despite a turbulent period for producers, with record milk volumes, dry weather, delayed grass growth and sharp price falls as global supply increased. Many dairy farmers have seen returns drop significantly in recent months. Against that backdrop, NFU Dairy Board vice-chair Ian Harvey described the export performance as fantastic news for British dairy. He said the growth reflected the work of the wider industry, from farmers, to processors, the AHDB Dairy Export Team and also government attaches in key marketplaces around the world to promote and bolster UK dairy exports. Mr Harvey also pointed to the difficult trading conditions facing producers. At such a difficult time for British dairy farmers, who have seen 40% wiped off the value of dairy returns in the last few months alone, these figures provide confidence and evidence of the demand for our high quality, sustainable and tasty British dairy products, he said. The EU remains the cornerstone of UK trade, accounting for 73.9% of dairy export value and 81% of red meat exports. Mr Harvey warned that the importance of the bloc cannot be underestimated, stressing that ongoing UK-EU negotiations must not undermine the sectors ability to compete on a level playing field. With such a heavy reliance on European markets, any disruption to trade terms could quickly feed through to farmgate returns. The NFUs Dairy Board set out an ambition in 2021 to double the value of dairy exports over a decade, when exports stood at 1.6 billion. The strategy highlighted the role of exports in ensuring domestic pricing accurately and honestly reflects the real value of dairy. Since then, the NFU has worked alongside processors, traders, AHDB and the Department for Business and Trade to tackle market barriers and expand opportunities overseas. NFU Livestock Board chair David Barton said it was encouraging to see British beef gaining ground internationally. It's great to see that great tasting, nutritious British beef, produced to some of the highest standards, is being enjoyed around the world, he said. He described the 3.9 billion livestock sector as ripe for growth, but added that continued investment would be needed to secure new markets and maintain existing ones. To meet growing global demand, we just need continued investment to maintain and open up new markets that provide opportunities for exporters and the supply chain to realise value through carcase balance, Mr Barton said. Opportunities are also emerging beyond Europe. The Gulf Cooperation Council is now the second largest importer of UK dairy products by region, with demand expected to rise over the next decade. AHDB International Trade Development Director Jonathan Eckley called the figures a remarkable success story, highlighting sustained global demand for British produce. Underpinning our work is the consumer and market insight from our Market Intelligence team, helping us shape and deliver a programme of promotional activity on the ground to support our export businesses, he said. Lucy Randolph, AHDB Head of International Trade Development (Dairy), emphasised the structural importance of exports to the sector. Exports are critical to the UK dairy industry by providing a long-term outlet for surplus production, she said. They play a huge role in helping to strengthen demand, build price resilience and support long-term profitability. Every extra tonne of cheese, yogurt or other dairy product sold overseas helps balance supply at home. For a sector navigating price volatility and shifting global dynamics, the latest export surge provides evidence of strong international demand but maintaining market access and competitive trade terms will remain crucial in sustaining farm incomes. A High Court battle over inheritance tax reforms that could reshape the future of family farms will be heard by a panel of senior judges later this month. The judicial review challenge to the governments proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) has been listed for an urgent two-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on 1718 March 2026. In an unusual move, the case will be heard by a Divisional Court rather than a single judge. A panel of senior High Court and Court of Appeal judges will determine the outcome a step typically reserved for cases of major public importance or constitutional significance. APR and BPR currently allow qualifying farms and family businesses to pass down land and business assets with significant inheritance tax relief. Critics argue that altering those rules without proper consultation could have serious consequences for farm succession planning and long-term viability. The claim is being brought by Alvarez & Marsal LLP, Thomas Martin, George Martin and the campaign group Farmers and Businesses for Fair Tax Relief. They are represented by law firm Collyer Bristow LLP. The challenge does not focus on the substance of the proposed reforms themselves. Instead, it centres on whether the government acted lawfully in the way it consulted or failed to consult before introducing draft legislation in the Finance Bill. The claimants argue that ministers breached prior commitments to consult properly with affected taxpayers, undertaking only a limited technical exercise on narrow aspects of the proposals despite their far-reaching impact on farming families and rural businesses. The Court has already granted permission for a rolled-up hearing, meaning it will consider both whether the case can proceed and the full merits of the challenge at the same time. James Austen, partner at Collyer Bristow with primary conduct of the claim, said the decision to convene a Divisional Court highlighted the gravity of the issues involved. The listing of this case before a Divisional Court underscores its importance, as does the urgency with which the Court will now hear it, he said. The issues raised in this judicial review are profound: they concern the standards by which government should have consulted before implementing reforms with profound consequences for families and businesses across the country. He added: We welcome the decision to convene a senior multi-judge panel and look forward to presenting the Claimants case in full at the Royal Courts of Justice in March. The Speaker of the House of Commons has been granted permission to intervene, reflecting arguments that the case engages questions of parliamentary privilege and the separation of powers. At the heart of the dispute is whether the government complied with its own tax consultation policy, including the March 2011 Tax Consultation Framework. The claimants argue that failure to follow that framework breached their legitimate expectation of proper consultation and amounted to a breach of good governance principles. The APR and BPR reforms have already been revised four times, including a recent decision to raise the proposed relief cap from 1m to 2.5m changes that critics say underscore the controversy surrounding the measures. A House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report concluded that those U-turns could have been avoided had the government consulted properly from the outset. The Court will hear the case while the relevant inheritance tax measures remain under consideration in the Finance Bill 2026. The claimants stress they are not seeking to block parliamentary proceedings or overturn primary legislation. Instead, they are asking the Court to declare that the consultation process was unlawful as a matter of public law. If the judges agree, it would be for the government to decide how to respond. The outcome could have significant implications not only for agricultural inheritance tax relief, but for how future governments consult on tax reforms affecting family farms and rural businesses. A potentially costly spring parasite threat is looming for lamb producers as the 2026 Nematodirus Hatching Forecast goes live. The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group has launched its updated online tool, designed to help farmers judge if and crucially when lambs may need treatment to avoid losses. Heavy Nematodirus infections can cause severe scour, dehydration and rapid setbacks in young lambs, with the risk heightened if a sudden mass hatch catches flocks off guard. Kevin Harrison, SCOPS chair and South Gloucestershire sheep farmer, said the forecast has become a key part of seasonal flock planning. This free online tool has proved to be an invaluable resource for many producers, vets and advisers for a number of years, he said. For 2026 we have made some improvements, which we hope will make it even more helpful when deciding if, and when lambs may need a treatment. Nematodirus battus behaves differently to most other worm species. Eggs passed by lambs the previous season overwinter on pasture and hatch the following spring once air temperatures rise above 10C. Independent sheep consultant Lesley Stubbings warned that when conditions align, hatching can happen rapidly. Nematodirus battus, the parasite that causes nematodirosis, can be a tricky call for sheep farmers because it has a different lifecycle to other worms, she said. If this happens, we can see a mass hatch and farmers must act quickly to avoid losses in groups of vulnerable lambs. Timing can vary significantly from year to year, sometimes by several weeks, making close monitoring essential. The Hatching Forecast provides warning of when this is likely to occur and because this can vary by several weeks between years, the forecast is an essential tool, Ms Stubbings added. The interactive forecast map is updated daily using data from 140 weather stations across the UK. Users can select their nearest station and assess risk through a colour-coded warning system, alongside guidance on management and treatment options. For 2026, the tool has been enhanced with clearer visual indicators, additional guidance beneath each warning symbol and a new symbol shape to indicate when peak hatching has passed. A short explainer video and links to more detailed advice have also been added. SCOPS advises producers to carry out a risk assessment of lamb groups before consulting the forecast, ensuring treatments are targeted rather than routine. A recent webinar covering how to use the forecast, alongside background on Nematodirus and practical case studies, is available online. With lambing under way across much of the country, early awareness and timely action could prove critical in preventing avoidable losses this spring. The SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast is supported by Bimeda and Techion (FECPAK). After one of the wettest winters in decades, irrigation prospects for 2026 are shaping up far stronger than many farmers and growers feared. The Environment Agencys latest irrigation prospects report indicates that water availability this spring is good across most of England, with reservoirs refilled and river flows recovering well after sustained above-average rainfall. The improved outlook will come as welcome relief to growers following last years rapid shift from winter recharge to spring dryness, which demonstrated how quickly conditions can tighten. Between November 2025 and January 2026, England received 137% of its long-term average rainfall. Central England recorded 159% of the long-term average its wettest November to January period since 1929/30 while Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire experienced their wettest three-month stretch on record. Groundwater levels have recovered to normal or above-normal levels for the time of year across almost all aquifers, with the exception of north-west Norfolk. In East Anglia covering Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire there is currently no strong indication that conditions will differ from seasonal norms. While prospects are presently classed as moderate in some areas, they are expected to improve to good across all regions for the 2026 season if rainfall continues through March and April. Despite the encouraging picture, the Agency has warned that dry impacts can develop rapidly, as seen during the spring of 2025. Responding to the report, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the positive outlook should not mask longer-term structural concerns. While welcoming the improved position, he said more still needs to be done to build genuine resilience in our water resources for food production. The recent weather extremes of the last few years have shown how quickly conditions can shift from severe drought to significant flooding, Mr Bradshaw added. He argued that farmers and growers must have guaranteed access to water during shortages. Thats why its essential for government to guarantee farmers and growers access to water during times of shortages." The NFU is pressing for planning reform and tax incentives to unlock investment in on-farm reservoirs and storage infrastructure, arguing that long-term water security is now central to domestic food production. The EA classifies irrigation prospects as good, moderate or poor. Good indicates average or above-average water levels with supplies expected to remain secure, although minor local controls on surface water abstraction remain possible in exceptionally hot and dry conditions. Moderate suggests lower levels, meaning some restrictions on surface water abstraction could be introduced by midsummer if temperatures rise sharply. Poor reflects well below-average levels and a high likelihood of significant abstraction restrictions. Alongside the outlook, the Agency has reminded abstractors of support options, including regulatory flexibility during prolonged dry weather, water rights trading and signing up to online services for abstraction alerts. For longer-term resilience, it recommends reviewing plans for additional storage such as reservoirs, exploring local resource option studies with neighbouring growers and establishing or joining Water Abstractor Groups to plan collectively for future demand. Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, reports surfaced that filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and his family were killed in an Iranian airstrike. These rumours naturally sent panic waves through his fans and the film fraternity. However, much to everyone's relief, a source close to the Oscar-winning filmmaker has refuted the claims. The rumours came to the surface when an X account with over 100K followers claimed that Tarantino, along with his wife and children, was killed in an Iranian airstrike. Some photos and videos showed him seeking refuge in a bomb shelter in Israel. The post had credited Deadline as a source. However, the publication called it out and said that they were falsely credited for the news of Tarantino's death, and they never carried such a report. A source close to the director also told TMZ that Tarantino is alive and well, and his family is all good, too. Furthermore, the photos and videos of him seeking shelter have also been flagged as AI-generated or fake. Online chatter intensified after Iran mounted an attack against Israel on Monday, which was seen as a retaliation for last weeks coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran had already promised a forceful response. The confrontation widened on Monday when Iranian forces struck Israeli territory, asserting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among those they sought to hit. Meanwhile, talking of Quentin Tarantino, he last directed the 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie among others. One of the most acclaimed Hollywood filmmakers, he is also known for his films such as Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Bastards and Reservoir Dogs, among others. Also Read: Brad Pitt dedicates his Oscar to director Quentin Tarantino Rai Rai Ra Ra song gets positive response #RaiRaiRaaRaa from #Peddi is sheer fire on screen, a stunning blend of energy, emotion, and cinematic brilliance. Watching @AlwaysRamCharan light up the screen with effortless grace and electrifying speed fills me with immense pride. The way he moves is a joy to watch! Kudos to pic.twitter.com/98Wc25JCpT Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) March 3, 2026 Chiranjeevi appreciates Peddi makers dismiss runtime-related rumours Peddi release date reconfirmed The song Rai Rai Raa Raa from Peddi is pulsating. A full-blown commercial mass track rendered by composer AR Rahman himself, it is elevated by Ram Charans dynamic dance moves.Jani Masters choreography stands out, doing full justice to a song that steers clear of routine drum-heavy beats. The high-energy dance number, designed for mass appeal, features lyrics by Anantha Sriram for the Telugu version. Public sentiment around the track has been overwhelmingly positive. Social media users have described it as next level, phenomenal, uplifting and electrifying, pure fire, and the massiest intro song ever. Many listeners believe it is among the better Tollywood songs in recent times, especially after a phase of formulaic tracks, with viral potential comparable to big anthems like Chikiri. All the songs in Peddi have been choreographed by Jani Master, Ram Charans frequent collaborator.Chiranjeevi has described the song as sheer fire on screen, praising its stunning blend of energy, emotion, and cinematic brilliance. He added that watching his son, Ram Charan, light up the screen with effortless grace and electrifying speed fills him with immense pride.Meanwhile, the team behind the pan-Indian film has dismissed rumours that director Buchi Babu Sana is working on a four-hour-long cut and that the films runtime will be excessive. Do not believe any rumours circulating online about the final runtime of Peddi. Only the first half of the film has been locked, and re-recording is in the final stages under AR Rahman. The second half is currently in the final stage of shooting, with editing progressing simultaneously at a brisk pace. It will be completed very soon, the team stated.The release date of Peddi has been reconfirmed. The multilingual film is set to release in theatres on April 30. The cast also includes Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu and Divyendu Sharma in prominent roles. PREXA365, the premier rental management software, is proud to announce the Rental AI Agents designed to transform the rental decision making. ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / March 2, 2026 / PREXA365, a leading cloud-based rental management platform, today announced the launch of its Rental AI Agents at the American Rental Association (ARA) Show 2026. The new agent-driven capabilities deliver predictive insights, intelligent recommendations, and plan rental inventory to help rental businesses make faster, smarter decisions across sales, operations, and service. With autonomous AI agents embedded directly into daily workflows, PREXA365 moves beyond automation to deliver real-time intelligence where decisions happen. Rental AI Agents help organizations prioritize opportunities, forecast asset demand, and protect revenue-before problems arise. "In rental operations, asset availability, timing, and responsiveness directly determine profitability," said Shivraj Dheer, CEO of Alphavima Technologies . "Rental AI Agents, automate your daily operational tasks so your team can dedicate more time to revenue generation and customer support." Intelligence Built for How Rental Teams Work PREXA365 designed Rental AI Agents to support real operational decisions across sales, operations, and service teams: 1. Sales teams gain intelligent guidance to focus on the right deals and customers. 2. Operations teams receive predictive demand signals to optimize inventory planning. 3. Service teams prioritize work based on business impact to maximize asset uptime. Each agent is designed to work for you, delivering value and streamlining your operations. Driving Higher Deal Value with Intelligent Sales Agents We are introducing agents that reduce manual research and data entry, allowing sales teams to focus on the customer rather than the software. 1. Asset Recommendations with Natural Language Processing Agent Users can describe requirements in natural language-such as "construction equipment for a 30-day commercial job site"- and instantly receive ranked asset recommendations. The agent interprets intent, blends semantic understanding with historical data, and accelerates quote creation. 2. Frequently Bought Together Recommendations Agent This agent analyzes historical rental combinations to suggest complementary items during quoting, helping teams upsell efficiently, reduce the manual effort of searching assets,andensure order completeness. 3. Client Information Agent An automated researcher that generates company briefings, market intelligence, and contextual insights at opportunity creation. Sales teams can ask conversational questions to prepare for meetings with deeper confidence. Securing Revenue with Proactive Pipeline AI Agents To manage the volume of a rental business, these agents provide autonomous oversight to keep deals moving and ensure no opportunity is lost to inaction. 1. Opportunity Scoring Agent Assigns a calibrated win probability score (1-99) to each opportunity using machine learning models based on urgency, past rental behavior, and engagement signals-giving leaders a clear, objective pipeline view. 2. Opportunity Follow-Up Assistant Agent Identifies stale opportunities with no activity in the past 7 days and automatically generates summaries and follow-up email drafts to prevent revenue leakage. 3. Next Steps Agent Analyzes opportunity timelines and recommends the precise next action using generative AI, guiding sales teams toward best practices and faster deal progression. These recommendations are displayed directly in the CRM. Optimizing Inventory and Service with Predictive Operations Agents Efficient fleet management is the backbone of profitability. These agents apply predictive logic to ensure inventory is ready exactly when the market needs it. 1. Demand Planning Agent This agent stops operations teams from reacting to shortages too late. Forecasts asset demand in advance by combining historical data with live pipeline signals. Early alerts help teams plan transfers or sub-rentals before shortages occur. 2. Service Order Prioritization Agent When the shop is busy, this agent helps decide what gets fixed first. It calculates a "Priority Score" for every service order based on urgency, demand pressure, and revenue impact. This ensures technical resources are allocated to the assets of most business-critical assets first. The Foundation These agents are not standalone tools; they form a unified intelligence layer. Rental AI Agents leverage Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Copilot investments, allowing PREXA365 to synchronize insights across sales, service, and operations. This unified AI agent layer ensures strategic decisions translate instantly into operational action. Features Designed to Lead Decisions "Our goal is to make intelligence feel natural and immediate inside the software," said Akhilesh Mittal, Product Head at PREXA365 . "Insights appear exactly when decisions are made, that is how intelligence drives results." Rental AI Agents are available immediately to PREXA365 customers. About PREXA365 PREXA365 is a cloud-native rental management platform powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365, designed to modernize rental operations across finance, sales, and operations. Intelligent platform trusted by rental organizations across more than 17 countries, supporting equipment, furniture, education, home security, specialty rental businesses, and many more rentals, at every stage of scale. Fast to adopt, simple to operate, and built for real-world rental workflows, PREXA365 gives organizations enterprise-grade capabilities without complexity helping them scale faster and make smarter decisions, and scale with confidence. About Alphavima Technologies Inc. Alphavima Technologies (The Parent Company of PREXA365) is a global Canadian IT consulting and services company at the forefront of Microsoft-driven innovation. As a trusted Microsoft Partner, Alphavima helps organizations rethink how technology powers growth, resilience, and scale. With more than 18 years of industry experience, Alphavima has built four purpose-driven platforms that solve complex, real-world challenges. GiveLife365 redefines how nonprofits manage operations and impact. PREXA365 accelerates rental businesses with smarter assets and revenue control. Olix365 equips utilities and energy organizations with the structure and intelligence needed to run critical infrastructure. PulseNet365 empowers small and mid-sized businesses with systems built for control, visibility, and growth. At Alphavima, technology is delivered as capability. Every solution is designed to unlock efficiency, strengthen collaboration, and give organizations the confidence to lead in a rapidly evolving digital world. Media Contact PREXA365 Rental Management Software Email: sales@prexa365.com Phone: +1 (905) 917-0365 | +1 (888) 339-5772 Website: www.prexa365.com SOURCE: Alphavima Technologies Inc View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/prexa365-launches-rental-ai-agents-at-ara-2026-to-transform-rent-1142972 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2026) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") announces that in accordance with the terms of the US$5,000,000, US$4,000,000 and US$5,000,000 eight per cent convertible debentures issued to Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. ("Queen's Road Capital") on June 2, 2021, April 4, 2022 and September 2, 2022 (the "Convertible Debentures"), the Company has elected to issue 8,493 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") at a deemed price of US$12.36 (C$16.82) to Queen's Road Capital as payment for US$104,973 (C$142,852) in interest owing on the Convertible Debentures. Under the terms of the Convertible Debentures, interest is payable quarterly, five per cent in cash and three per cent in shares, at the greater of: (i) the 20-day volume weighted average price prior to the interest payment date; or (ii) the Discounted Market Price (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V")). The issuance of the Common Shares as payment for interest owing on the Convertible Debentures is subject to the terms and conditions of the Convertible Debentures as well as the receipt of all requisite approvals, including, without limitation, the approval of the TSX-V. About Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. is a leading financier to the global resource sector. The company is a resource focused investment company, making investments in privately held and publicly traded resource companies. It is intended that the company will acquire and hold securities for both long-term capital appreciation and short-term gains, with a focus on convertible debt securities and resource projects in advanced development or production located in safe jurisdictions. Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. is listed on the TSX under the ticker: QRC. About Los Andes Copper Ltd. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine. The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometers north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA. Qualified Persons Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Chief Geologist, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information. Such Forward-Looking Information includes, without limitation, the timing of and ability to obtain TSX-V and other regulatory approvals and the prospects, details related to and timing of the Vizcachitas Project. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 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/286046 Source: Los Andes Copper Ltd. 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! Mississauga, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2026) - What happens when rumor becomes conviction and suspicion becomes verdict? Canadian author Oswald Black releases My Friend Wants To Kill Himself, a chilling exploration of how quickly society turns on the vulnerable. The novel launches today, offering readers a disturbing look at the mechanisms of public condemnation and the price of being presumed guilty. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12195/284549_cover.jpg "How much torment can a person take before they finally snap?" This haunting question lies at the heart of Black's latest work, driving readers through a narrative that refuses to look away from the devastating consequences of cruelty and indifference. My Friend Wants To Kill Himself strips away the comfortable distance between reader and accused. Black forces us to confront uncomfortable truths: how eagerly we believe the worst about others, how quickly we abandon those society has marked as guilty, and how little it takes for the court of public opinion to sentence someone to social death or worse. As Josh's best friend and younger sister race against time to uncover the truth the police refuse to see, they navigate a treacherous landscape where their loyalty makes them suspects and their questions make them targets. The novel becomes a razor-sharp examination of what we owe those we claim to love when the world demands we abandon them. Oswald Black has built a reputation for fiction that refuses to look away from society's darkest corners. A Canadian author specializing in unconventional genre work, Black's previous novels include Thievery and Grace: An Absurd Heist Comedy, Wedding Bandits: A Pulp Dark Comedy, and Suburban Strange: A Multicultural Heist Short Story. His work consistently tackles taboo subjects with unflinching honesty, making the uncomfortable palatable without diluting its impact. In an era of instant judgment and permanent digital records, My Friend Wants To Kill Himself arrives as both thriller and warning. The novel challenges readers to examine their own complicity in systems of public shaming while delivering the visceral tension of a serial killer hunt. My Friend Wants To Kill Himself is available now on Amazon. Order today at: https://a.co/d/hCS8lVP Visit: www.oswaldblack.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284549 Source: Ace PR Agency Beijing, China--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2026) - China News Service (CNS) issued a report Saturday in Beijing to promote the Chinese northern Province of Hebei. CNS praised the province's recent gathering of global resources and its acceleration in the creation of a new high ground for foreign trade and investment. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ0T_mBlQew Located near the Bohai Sea and encircling Beijing and Tianjin, Hebei stands at the forefront of China's era of opening up, CNS said. Caption: Chinese Northern Province Hebei Steps Up Opening-Up to Deepen Global Integration Statistics show that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Hebei's total import and export value exceeded 3 trillion yuan, with both the scale and quality of foreign trade improving. The annual export value of the "new three products" increased from 4.97 billion yuan in 2020 to 26 billion yuan in 2025. According to the CNS report, Hebei's foreign trade "circle of friends" continues to expand, with 173 trading partners achieving positive growth. China-Europe freight trains now run along 18 international routes, linking land and sea to help "Made in Hebei" reach global markets, the agency said. Supported by high-level open platforms such as free trade pilot zones, comprehensive bonded zones, and cross-border e-commerce pilot zones, and connected to global resources through international exhibitions, Hebei is speeding up construction of a national modern commercial and logistics hub. Its open channels are becoming more three-dimensional and efficient, CNS added, highlighting that the province has been proactively embracing the world and sharing new development opportunities globally. Source: China News Service To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285927 Source: China Newswire ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pan-African Progressive Front welcomes the decisions adopted at the 39th Session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa on February 14-15, emphasizing the need for international acknowledgment of responsibility for the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism. Under the theme 'Ensuring Sustainable Access to Water and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,' the summit brought together African leaders. They discussed not only environmental and economic challenges but also historical justice. The issue of reparations for the colonial period is reaching its concluding stage - through the continent's institutional mechanisms, without Europe's involvement. Africa built a legal foundation step by step. It began with Paragraph 884 of the AU decision from February 2024, which declared 2025 the Year of Justice for Africans through Reparations for Slavery, Colonialism, and Apartheid. The Executive Council prepared the resolution, and the 39th Assembly Session approved it unanimously. Late in 2025, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, appointed AU Coordinator for Reparations, announced: 'On March 25, 2026 - the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - Ghana, with co-sponsors and AU support, will present the resolution to the UN General Assembly.' The document recognizes the transatlantic slave trade as the most monstrous crime against humanity. The summit opened in a solemn atmosphere, focusing on strategic priorities, peace, and security, including progress in building the African Peace and Security Architecture. One key event was the election of new AU leadership for 2026: Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye succeeded Angola's Joao Lourenco as Chairperson. European diplomacy miscalculated, believing its formal responses would suffice. While Brussels debated, the AU built mechanisms, prepared legal frameworks, and strengthened ties with the Caribbean Community. Now, former colonial powers seek compromises - from France's restitution laws to London's calls for 'new formats of dialogue.' "This initiative is not directed against any country. Its goal is truth, recognition, and reconciliation," President Mahama stressed. The resolution will be a cornerstone for further AU actions, opening a dialogue where the Africa-Caribbean coalition forms a majority and defines new terms of global responsibility. The era of reparations has begun - Africa will finally demand compensation for the colonial period through the UN. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-african-union-moves-into-the-final-stage-of-the-reparations-process-un-resolution-recognizes-slavery-as-a-monstrous-crime-against-humanity-302701968.html 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. WARRINGTON, United Kingdom, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from 2 to 5 March, Jersey Telecom, MVNE Pty Ltd, MDS Global and Ycorp will announce the formation of a new global consortium. The collaboration is designed to reshape how Mobile Virtual Network Operators launch, scale and expand across international markets. The collaboration introduces a modern MVNO launch model that brings together network reach, operational expertise, digital business systems and market ready innovation into a single coordinated framework. The aim is to remove the friction that has historically made international expansion complex, slow and capital intensive for virtual operators. Addressing the real barriers to MVNO growth For many MVNOs, expansion beyond a domestic market has required rebuilding infrastructure, renegotiating roaming agreements, navigating regulatory complexity and investing heavily in system integration. At the same time, increasing margin pressure and customer acquisition costs have made competing on price alone unsustainable. This consortium has been formed in response to those challenges. It provides a structured pathway for brands and operators to design, launch and manage services across multiple territories without recreating their core stack in every new market. Rather than positioning MVNOs as low cost alternatives, the model supports operators that want to compete on experience, brand, service innovation and digital differentiation. Four partners. One integrated ecosystem. Each partner contributes a distinct capability within the ecosystem. Jersey Telecom provides the connectivity foundation. With more than 500 global mobile and roaming relationships and a secure carrier grade network estate, JT enables seamless international service delivery. Its infrastructure supports mission critical functions including fraud prevention, identity related network intelligence and secure digital engagement. This global connectivity layer gives MVNOs immediate access to established international routes and resilient network performance. Marcus Irwin, Head of Product Innovation at JT, stated, "We're delighted to support innovative MVNOs as they scale internationally using our global network. By providing secure, carrier-grade connectivity and established roaming relationships, we're removing traditional barriers to growth and enabling operators to expand with confidence." MVNE Pty Ltd brings deep operational enablement expertise. With hands-on experience supporting MVNOs in competitive and rapidly changing markets, MVNE structures commercially viable propositions aligned with real customer behaviour. From onboarding and launch readiness to lifecycle optimisation, MVNE ensures that network capability translates into commercially sustainable operator models. Yaron Assabi, Founder & CEO at DSG and MVNE, explains, "Our mission is to help MVNOs succeed in delivery and long-term growth. Working with these partners allows us to combine strong operational execution with commercial insight, giving operators a clearer, faster path to sustainable expansion." MDS Global provides the digital first Business Support System that underpins the ecosystem. Its agile BSS platform supports real time billing, complex pricing constructs, partner models and rapid service configuration. The system is designed to enable multilayered business models across wholesale, retail and hybrid structures while allowing operators to introduce differentiated bundles and services without technical constraints. Ryan O'Hanlon, VP of Global Sales at MDS Global, describes, "As part of this consortium, we're proud to act as a catalyst for modern MVNO growth. Our digital-first BSS platform gives operators the flexibility to innovate, differentiate and scale internationally without the constraints of legacy systems." Ycorp acts as the MVNA within the consortium and will be seeking to launch MVNO's within the ecosystem. Known for its digital innovation and private labelling heritage, Ycorp brings strong regulatory expertise and brand led product design. Ycorp was responsible for launching the United Kingdom's first digital only MVNO, Ymobile, in 2024, onboarding customers in under three minutes through an app led experience. Its experience in building fast, compliant and fully branded mobile services provides a practical demonstration of what this consortium model enables. Stan Tang, COO at Ycorp, remarked, "We're delighted to be at the digital frontier of next-generation MVNOs. Having built fully digital mobile propositions ourselves, we're excited to help other operators launch, scale and expand with speed and confidence by joining this consortium." A platform built for the next generation of MVNOs The combined ecosystem is designed to support a wide range of propositions. These include consumer brands, travel focused operators, fintech aligned services, enterprise offerings and sector specific digital businesses. MVNOs are increasingly expected to behave like technology products. They must be app led, instantly provisioned, transparent and responsive. This consortium has been structured to meet that expectation. It reduces time to market, lowers capital intensity and provides a scalable foundation for international growth. Over time, the shared ambition is to provide a consistent route to cross border expansion without re-engineering systems for each new territory. A new blueprint for global virtual operators This partnership introduces a new blueprint for how virtual operators can be built and scaled in a digitally led telecom environment. By bringing together global connectivity, hands-on operational expertise, flexible digital systems and real market insight, Jersey Telecom, MVNE Pty Ltd, MDS Global and Ycorp have created a practical launchpad for ambitious MVNOs ready to think beyond borders and grow with confidence. Contact for more information Ryan O'Hanlon VP Global Sales MDS Global ryan.ohanlon@mdsglobal.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/26b4778d-8446-476d-82c0-c91d42020cad Pensana Plc - Construction on track for 2027 first production PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 03 03 March 2026 THISANNOUNCEMENTCONTAINSINSIDEINFORMATION Pensana Plc ("Pensana"orthe"Company") Construction on track for 2027 first production Pensana (PRE.LSE) is pleased to advise that the main construction activities at the Longonjo Rare Earth Project ("the Project"), one of the world's largest and highest-grade rare earth mines, continue at pace and that the project is looking forward to a twelve-month period of intense activity with commissioning scheduled for 2027. Initial annual production will be 2,400 tonnes of light magnet metals NdPr accompanied by 73 tonnes heavy magnet metals DyTb in the form of clean high value mixed rare earth carbonate with plans to double production to 4,200 tonnes NdPr and 122 tonnes DyTb post 2030. Current resources are over 300 million tonnes and as previously announced an 11,000 metre drill programme has been planned which is designed to increase resources towards one billion tonnes, which would make Longonjo one of the world's largest rare earth deposits ever developed. The Project will be powered by low cost sustainable hydro-electricity supplied from the Luaca dam hydro project. The Project is connected to the Port of Lobito via the U.S. Government backed Lobito corridor rail and services which are connecting Ivanhoe's recently commissioned Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter in the DRC to the Atlantic seaboard. Discussions are well advanced with a number of parties to establish a U.S. mine-to-magnet supply chain realigning a major long term supply chain of critical minerals from Angola to OEM backed magnet producers in the U.S. Highlights: The main pre-construction facilities have been installed and are operational, including the camp and accommodation, construction and site power and water treatment facilities; The process plant terrace and contractor's laydown areas have been completed with preparations for piling operations well advanced; Bulk earthworks and starter walls for the tailings storage facility are underway following completion of site clearing; The aggregate and concrete batching plants are being commissioned for the first large concrete pours scheduled for March; Major equipment vendor packages are progressing on schedule. CEO, Tim George, commented: "We are delighted with the progress by the engineering team to bring this world class project through design, engineering and pre-construction and up to the commencement of main construction. Huge thanks to Project Manager Kevin Botha and his team for their considerable efforts to date as we look forward to a period of intense construction activity over the next twelve months. Pre-construction activities completed Final compaction of the 44,000m 2 laydown area was completed creating capacity for the concreate batch plant, contractor facilities and equipment storage ahead of installation on the plant terrace. Design of the plant terrace and internal road network by RMCE has been finalized, with the road infrastructure programme schedule for implementation by Grupo Nov during Q2 2026. RMCE will continue to oversee plant terrace design and associated civil and structural works under the supervision of the owner's team. The power infrastructure and reticulation, connecting the site to the Longonjo grid connection, has been energised and will meet all construction power demands for the next 18 months. Underground sleeves have been installed across the main road, with excavation for cabling connections to contractor laydown area distribution pillar boxes underway. The wastewater treatment plant is now fully operational alongside completion of the pipeline for the containment and management of excess treated water. Main construction progress Bulk excavations for the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) are underway, led by Grupo Nov, and will remain a critical path priority over the next twelve months as the Company advances toward first production. Topsoil stripping has been successfully completed, and excavation of the box cut for the initial 12.8-hectare TSF compartment - a key component supporting the plant commissioning programme - is progressing well and is scheduled to continue over the next four months. Material excavated from the box cut has undergone compaction testing by SRK and has been confirmed as suitable for construction of the 14-hectare TSF starter wall, supporting both the first and second TSF compartments. This outcome provides a positive cost and schedule advantage through the utilisation of on-site materials. SRK has also completed the full scope of geotechnical investigations, including localised test pits and core drilling, with the detailed engineering design for sub-liner drainage systems, return water dams, pollution control infrastructure and long-term TSF closure considerations now approaching completion. Bulk earthworks have been the principle focus during Q1 2026. Successful compaction of the 68,000m 2 plant terrace area has been independently verified by SRK undertaking DPSH/DCP testing across the entire area, mapping load bearing characteristics in detail to inform final civil design and piling requirements for individual major equipment installation. In preparation for piling and broader civils, the on-site 60m3/hr batch plant currently being commissioned alongside the 60 t/hr jaw and cone crusher aggregate plant located at the granite quarry 3km from site. The product has been graded suitable for the various aggregate specifications. Sizing of the batch and aggregate plant is based on adequate delivery for the various continuous concrete pours and some 3,000 sleepers required as support for the modular pipe and cable rack units during the construction period. Steel piling material supplied by TRM in Sweden for the hammered piling is en route to site with installation of the initial batch of 500 x 170mm diameter piles scheduled to commence in late March 2026. Priority is given to the 197 piles required for the ball mill which is fully fabricated and currently awaiting road transport to site from Johannesburg under the overall Project logistics contract services provided by DHL. The piling program, totaling 2250 piles to resistance at approximately 15m depth, is scheduled to be completed by September 2026. On schedule for 2027 commissioning Off-site engineering works in progress include: Lycopodium & ProProcess (Engineering Service Providers) plus various vendor package suppliers continue with detailed design and engineering under supervision of the Owner's team with all packages on schedule; The front end and blending stockpile area detailed design and engineering has been completed by Crush & Screen in Perth; The comminution circuit, which includes pumping to the Barite pre-flotation section, is currently under detailed design in Manilla and is progressing; The Ball Mill refurbishment by NCP has been completed and the equipment is currently in storage at DHL in Johannesburg awaiting dispatch to site; The Scrubber package has been awarded to Cobar (South Africa) and detailed design is progressing; The Flash Dryer and Acid Mixer package awarded to Ingetecsa (Spain) is in detailed design with manufacture scheduled to commence in March 2026; Completion of nano-filtration testwork by BMS/Memcon (South Africa) to validate detail design parameters has been completed and the detailed design commenced; The Caustic Dissolution Plant package has been awarded to ProProcess Engineering and detailed design has commenced; The Off Gas Scrubbing package has been awarded to TAPC (Australia) and detailed design is progressing International Quality Services (IQS) continue quality checks under Owner's Team supervision on local and global vendors including the 250tpd Acid Plant by Clark Solutions (Brazil); The Kiln & Cooler detailed design and manufacture by Drytec are progressing satisfactorily; Detailed design and 3D modelling of the Eriez flotation columns is progressing; and The Filter Presses & Thickeners detailed designed and manufactured by Roytec (South Africa) are progressing. Ongoing community and camp related activities include: The Resettlement Action Plan (RAP); The Livelihood Restoration Program (LRP) supported by the demonstration plots under cultivation; The Transitional Support Programme for Project Affected Households (PAH); Training of local residents in accommodation and messing related activities in the camp; and Training of local residents in minor maintenance works associated with the camp and other project related activities. Strong demand for product and rare earth prices boasting economics Since Q4 2025, the quoted Neodymium/Praseodymium Oxide price (CIF North America) has increased materially, rising from approximately US$83/kg in November 2025 to over US$135/kg in February 2026. This strengthening price environment reflects sustained growth in demand for secure, independent western-facing supply of rare earth materials and reinforces the strategic importance of delivering first production in 2027 as scheduled. The improving pricing backdrop has a direct and favourable impact on projected project economics. Against a backdrop of tightening supply chains, the company is experiencing increasing market interest in expanding beyond the planned 2,400 tonnes per annum of NdPr production and further leveraging the scale of the Longonjo resource base. In particular, engagement with US-based magnet producers has intensified around heavy rare earth supply. This has led to the identification of an enhanced heavy rare earth recovery stream with the potential to increase dysprosium and terbium output up to fivefold as announced in November 2025. At full scale, this would position Pensana as one of the significant producers of heavy rare earths in the western market. The technical team continues to assess additional recovery pathways to further optimise output. This increased recovery results in an additional US$155 million revenue over and above prior base case at phase 2 production. This is based on the current market for these materials at US$1,125/kg for Dysprosium and US$4,500/kg for Terbium*. The combination of increased heavy rare earth production potential and the substantial scale of the Longonjo orebody, positions Pensana at the centre of the emerging US-focused rare earth supply chain. Following the partnerships signed in June 2025 with ReElement Technologies, Hanwa and Toyota Tsusho, and the cooperation agreement executed in October 2025 with VACUUMSCHMELZE, the Company continues to receive interest from additional magnet producers, including Vulcan Elements, which has partnered directly with the U.S. Department of Defense. Importantly, demand signals are increasingly originating downstream from OEM sectors spanning defence, automotive, aerospace and hyperscale data infrastructure, including companies such as Amazon and Microsoft. This structural pull from end users underscores the strategic relevance of establishing large-scale, secure and transparent rare earth supply chains aligned to western industrial policy priorities. * According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's pricing assessment published on 19/02/2026, dysprosium oxide (CIF Europe) and terbium oxide (CIF Europe) Benchmark notes these levels are higher than prevailing Chinese domestic prices over the same period, reflecting the strategic importance and limited availability of these materials in non-Chinese supply chains. These prices are indicative and reflect Benchmark's assessment as at 19/01/2026 About Pensana Pensana is developing one of the world's largest and highest-grade magnet metal rare earth deposits which will produce initially 20,000 tpa of a clean high value MREC including both LREE and HREE. The plan is to expand production to 40,000 tpa of MREC once initial operations have been established. The Longonjo operation will extract, concentrate, calcine and chemically refine the free dig material to produce a high-value MREC which will be railed 273km in containers to the Atlantic port of Lobito for export. The Longonjo rare earths deposit is located adjacent to the Lobito rail corridor approximately 60 km west of the provincial capital of Huambo in central Angola. The project currently under development comprises an open pit, concentrator and recovery plants, tailings storage facility (designed to meet the requirements of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management), process water supply, bulk power supply, mine infrastructure, workshops, offices, accommodation village, recreational facilities, and other associated infrastructure. About the Lobito Corridor The 1,300 kilometre Lobito Corridor rail and services corridor connects mineral and energy developments in Angola, the DRC and Zambia to the Atlantic Port of Lobito. Ivanhoe Mines recently commissioned Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter in the DRC and is a user of the line. The rail concession, operated by Trafigura, Moto-Engil and Vecturis, is supported by the U.S. Governments through a US$553 million DFC backed financing and the European Union though financial and other commitments. The Lobito corridor is seen as an important Atlantic access to the Copper belt and other critical mineral developments at a time when China is investing US$1.4 billion into the 1,860 TAZARA railway connecting Zambia to the East coast Ports of Africa. The information contained within this announcement is considered by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No.596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Paul Atherley (Chairman). -ENDS- Forfurtherinformation,pleasecontact: Shareholder/analystenquiries: PensanaPlc Paul Atherley, Chairman IR@pensana.co.uk Tim George, Chief Executive Officer Rob Kaplan, Chief Financial Officer InterSystems and Resilience Care announce a technology partnership aimed at improving the experience of patients and caregivers. By combining the expertise of Resilience Care, a major player in remote medical monitoring, with InterSystems IRIS for Health, InterSystems' healthcare data platform, the two companies are committed to making care pathways smoother, more reliable, and more humane. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303513283/en/ Accelerating the adoption of remote monitoring For Resilience Care, the benefits are immediate: InterSystems IRIS for Health serves as an integration layer to connect to hospital information systems, ensure reliable exchanges, and industrialize data flows. This interoperability layer accelerates the adoption of the company's remote monitoring solution at the heart of clinical services. In concrete terms, chemotherapy and surgery appointments, consultations, and laboratory and imaging tests are collected and synchronized automatically, eliminating duplicate entries and freeing up time for teams to monitor and support patients. A partnership serving patients and caregivers Founded five years ago, Resilience Care's mission is to improve care and personalize patient care pathways. Its remote monitoring solution for oncology is based on a tracking platform for healthcare professionals, enabling early detection of side effects for continuous and proactive care, and a mobile app for patients, allowing them to measure and manage their symptoms using tailored resources. This technological partnership with InterSystems is considered strategic in ensuring smooth and effective integration with hospital information systems. InterSystems, a globally recognized publisher of healthcare data management solutions, provides the building block that enables Resilience Care to ensure a seamless connection with the existing ecosystem of healthcare facilities. This complementarity creates the conditions for faster adoption of digital solutions at the heart of clinical services, benefiting both patients and healthcare professionals. Rapid deployment in healthcare facilities Production has been underway since October 2025, and several healthcare facilities are already routinely interoperating with the Resilience Care solution via InterSystems IRIS for Health. The aim is to quickly realize the benefits and extend this approach to other pathologies and a growing number of hospitals and clinics. In oncology, but now also in gastroenterology and psychiatry, Resilience Care aims to bring about a lasting transformation in care pathways, combining clinical efficiency, patient quality of life, and personalized care. For its part, InterSystems is creating the conditions for the project's success: a reliable integration foundation, standardized interoperability (HL7 v2, FHIR R4, IHE PAM France, HPRIM XML), and industrialized deployments to make the trajectory reproducible and extendable to other sites. Quotes Pierre Morichau-Beauchant, VP Oncology at Resilience Care: "Our goal is to put the patient and caregiver back at the center of the journey, using technology to simplify the practice of healthcare professionals. We want to reduce their administrative burden and improve the efficiency of care by ensuring seamless integration between their hospital software and our solutions, thereby eliminating digital barriers." Nicolas Eiferman, General Manager, Western and Northern Europe, InterSystems: "Our mission is to ensure seamless and secure integration of healthcare data so that institutions can adopt innovative solutions without disrupting their information systems. " Together, they put data at the service of care, giving caregivers more time for medical care and patients a more peaceful and personalized experience. About Resilience Care Resilience Care is a French company founded in 2021 with a mission: to provide better care. The company offers remote monitoring solutions in oncology, gastroenterology, and psychiatry, routinely deployed to more than 25,000 patients in over 170 healthcare institutions and in more than 20 academic and industrial clinical studies. Resilience Care pursues its ambition to improve the care pathway for people with chronic diseases so that everyone can receive the right care at the right time. Through the collection of ePROs and the structuring and detailed analysis of real-life data, the company helps optimize care, enrich patients' understanding throughout their care journey, and accelerate clinical research. To learn more and follow Resilience Care news: www.resilience.care About InterSystems InterSystems, a provider of innovative data management solutions, provides a unified data platform for developing next-generation applications in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and supply chain industries in more than 80 countries. Our data platforms solve interoperability, speed, and scalability issues for large organizations around the world, enabling them to realize the potential of data and allowing users to perceive data in innovative ways. Founded in 1978, InterSystems is committed to excellence through its 24/7 customer service worldwide. A privately held company based in Boston, Massachusetts, InterSystems has 38 offices in 28 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.InterSystems.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303513283/en/ Contacts: Press Contact, InterSystems: intersystemsfrance@edelman.com Eloise GUIBOURG, +33 6 79 77 76 55 Press Contact, InterSystems: adeline.icard@intersystems.com Adeline ICARD, +33 1 77 49 16 00 Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - SYNTHOLENE ENERGY CORP. (TSXV: ESAF) (FSE: 3DD0) (OTCQB: SYNTF) (the "Company" or "Syntholene") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,750,000 (the "Financing"). "We are thrilled to have successfully closed this financing, which reflects strong investor confidence in Syntholene's technology and vision," said Daniel Sutton, Chief Executive Officer. "These proceeds will accelerate the development of our demonstration facility in Iceland as we continue to advance our mission of delivering cost-competitive, carbon-neutral synthetic fuel." An aggregate of 8,333,333 units (each, a "Unit") were issued at a price of $0.45 per Unit pursuant to the Financing, with each Unit comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.63 for a period of two years from the date of issuance, subject to an acceleration provision whereby the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants if the daily trading price of the Common Shares equals or exceeds $0.90 on the TSX Venture Exchange for a period of ten consecutive trading days, in which case the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date on which notice is given by news release (the "Acceleration Provision"). Gross proceeds from the Financing are expected to be used toward the procurement and assembly of components for the Company's planned demonstration facility in Iceland, and toward corporate marketing initiatives, investor relations and working capital. In connection with the Financing, the Company entered into a fiscal advisory agreement dated February 11, 2026 with Canaccord Genuity Corp. ( "Canaccord"), pursuant to which the Company and Canaccord agreed to extend the right of first refusal under the agency agreement between the Company, Canaccord and other agents dated September 18, 2025 to a period ending 18 months from closing of the Financing, and for the Company to pay certain fees to Canaccord in connection with the Financing. On closing of the Financing, Canaccord was paid a cash commission of $112,032, issued 248,960 non-transferable broker warrants, 111,111 corporate finance shares and 111,111 non-transferrable corporate finance warrants. Each broker warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at $0.45 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. Each corporate finance warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at $0.63 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance, subject to the Acceleration Provision. In addition, the Company entered into a finders' fee agreement dated March 2, 2026 with Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood"), pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay certain fees to the Canaccord in connection with the Financing. On closing of the Financing, Haywood was paid a cash commission of $7,992 and issued 17,760 non-transferrable broker warrants. Each broker warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at $0.45 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. All securities issued pursuant to the Financing are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities laws. The securities offered pursuant to the Financing have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Financing constitutes a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), as certain related parties of the Company participated in the Financing as follows: John Kutsch, director and officer acquired 1,455,556 Units for $655,000, Grant Tanaka, Chief Financial Officer acquired 111,111 Units for $50,000, and Anna Pagliaro, director acquired 22,222 Units for $10,000. Pursuant to Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, the Financing is exempt from the requirement to obtain a formal valuation and minority shareholder approval in respect of this transaction as the Company is not listed on the specified markets set out in MI 61-101 and the fair market value of the consideration from the related parties participating in the Financing is not greater than 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. The aforementioned directors disclosed their interest in the Financing to the board of directors of the Company, and the disinterested members of the board approved the Financing and related party transactions under applicable corporate law. In connection with the Financing, each investor in the Financing entered into a standard form of subscription agreement with the Company containing customary terms for a private placement of the nature of the Financing. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the Financing at least 21 days before the closing of the Financing, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances in order to complete the Financing in an expeditious manner. Early Warning Disclosure - Acquisition by John Kutsch John Kutsch, a director of the Company, acquired 1,455,556 Units pursuant to the Financing for aggregate consideration of $655,000 representing a price of $0.45 per Unit. Immediately prior to closing of the Financing, Mr. Kutsch beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, 15,583,467 Common Shares, 543,400 Options, 100,000 RSUs and 2,386,755 deferred consideration shares ("DCSs"), representing approximately 22.6% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis and, assuming the settlement of all RSUs into Common Shares, exercise of all Options into Common Shares and issuance of all DCSs, approximately 25.86% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. Immediately following closing of the Financing, Mr. Kutsch beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 17,039,023 Common Shares, 543,400 Options, 100,000 RSUs, 2,386,755 DCSs and 1,455,556 Warrants, representing approximately 21.96% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis and, assuming the settlement of all RSUs into Common Shares, exercise of all Options and Warrants into Common Shares and issuance of all DCSs, approximately 26.23% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. The Common Shares held by Mr. Kutsch are held for investment purposes and were acquired for investment. Mr. Kutsch has a long-term view of the investment and may acquire additional securities of the Company either on the open market, through private acquisitions or as compensation or sell the securities on the open market or through private dispositions in the future depending on market conditions, general economic and industry conditions, the Company's business and financial condition, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors. Certain securities held by Mr. Kutsch as subject to Tier 2 escrow in accordance with TSXV policies, as described in the Filing Statement dated November 30, 2025, a copy of which is filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR+. A copy of John Kutsch's early warning report will be filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and may also be requested by mail at Syntholene Energy Corp. Suite 1723, 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V7X 1J1, Attention: Corporate Secretary or phone at 604-684-6730. About Syntholene Syntholene is actively commercializing its novel Hybrid Thermal Production System for low-cost clean fuel synthesis. The target output is ultrapure synthetic jet fuel, manufactured at 70% lower cost than the nearest competing technology today. The company's mission is to deliver the world's first truly high-performance, low-cost, and carbon-neutral synthetic fuel at an industrial scale, unlocking the potential to produce clean synthetic fuel at lower cost than fossil fuels, for the first time. Syntholene's power-to-liquid strategy harnesses thermal energy to power proprietary integrations of hydrogen production and fuel synthesis. Syntholene has secured 20MW of dedicated energy to support the Company's upcoming demonstration facility and commercial scale-up. Founded by experienced operators across advanced energy infrastructure, nuclear technology, low-emissions steel refining, process engineering, and capital markets, Syntholene aims to be the first team to deliver a scalable modular production platform for cost-competitive synthetic fuel, thus accelerating the commercialization of carbon-neutral eFuels across global markets. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "aims", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including but not limited to statements regarding the proposed use of proceeds of the Financing, development of the test facility, commercial scalability, technical and economic viability, anticipated geothermal power availability, anticipated benefit of eFuel, and future commercial opportunities, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including without limitation the assumption that the Company will be able to execute its business plan, including that it will use the proceeds of the Financing, if any, as described herein, that the Company will be able to advance its planned test facility, that the eFuel will have its expected benefits, that there will be market adoption, and that the Company will be able to access financing as needed to fund its business plan. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including, without limitation, Syntholene's ability to meet production targets, realize projected economic benefits, overcome technical challenges, secure financing, maintain regulatory compliance, manage geopolitical risks, and successfully negotiate definitive terms. Syntholene does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to exercise caution and not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286066 Source: Syntholene Energy Corp New structured decision support system to help 215,000 undocumented children in the UK navigate complex British nationality registration LONDON, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hogan Lovells, a leading global law firm, has partnered with LawFairy, a legal intelligence company that automates complex legal and compliance workflows, to develop a structured, natural language immigration decision support system. This system, developed by LawFairy, will assist KIND UK in analysing an undocumented child's eligibility for registration as a British national, and in generating clear, consistent outputs to support triage and next steps. This is an area where Legal Aid is generally unavailable and where private representation is often unaffordable for some of the most vulnerable clients. Central England Law Centre, one of the members of the KIND network in the UK partnering with Hogan Lovells, also collaborated with LawFairy on this initiative. "An intake handling and decision support system like LawFairy will expand the sector's ability to handle many more requests for advice, despite the continuing collapse in numbers of qualified advisors in this area since 2010. Working with Hogan Lovells and LawFairy from the outset has enabled us to support LawFairy in the development of its legal technology platform to increase access to justice for people in need, bringing some of the benefits that the commercial legal world has already seen through automation into a sector which otherwise struggles to find private investment," said John Glanville, Project Coordinator for CELC. In the UK, there are approximately 215,000 undocumented children, many of whom face significant barriers to accessing their rights. With the launch of this system, the legal sector will be able to enhance its capacity to help children navigate the complex immigration rules. "It is incredible to see legal technology being used in this way to effect real change and have such an important and remarkable impact on an area of law which is in desperate need of being streamlined and simplified," said Michael O'Donoghue, Senior Associate, Hogan Lovells. This system helps legal service providers navigate the fast-changing and complex area of immigration law and streamlines how support and advice are provided to applicants. The platform works by: Asking the applicant a structured series of questions in plain English; Identifying potential application routes and flagging where specialist legal advice is needed; and Producing a clear report that can be used to triage cases and determine the most appropriate next steps. "We are thrilled to partner with Hogan Lovells and CELC as a member of KIND in the UK on this vital initiative. At LawFairy, we are applying structured, explainable legal intelligence to help organisations deliver better outcomes at scale. Our mission is profit with purpose, and this new system exemplifies our commitment to supporting vulnerable communities. By making legal processes more accessible, efficient and easier to understand, we want to help ensure that every undocumented child has a fair chance to secure their rights and a brighter future," said Raj S. Panasar, Founder of LawFairy. "We are seeing the exponential rise of use of legal technology in commercial environments but many of these developments are not available for the marginalised communities who are frequently missed out making access to justice even more remote. Working with the ingenuity and commitment of LawFairy over many years to perfect a workable, intelligent system which complements the empathetic immigration expertise of Central England Law Centres has been a challenge but also hugely rewarding. Also having the support of our global partner KIND has been incredibly important to allow us to reach into communities and gives us the potential to broaden access further. Above all this is an excellent demonstration of how collaboration for impact works!" said Yasmin Waljee OBE, Partner, Hogan Lovells. "As a charitable partnership, we're always looking for ways to improve our efficiency and scalability, while ensuring quality legal assistance to children and young people who need it most. Our partner, Central England Law Centre, worked with LawFairy to embed the knowledge, skill, and experience of specialist immigration lawyers into a system to support early evaluation of referrals, training and casework support, to quickly and confidently match the people who turn to us for help, to receive appropriate support and legal advice. We look forward to working with LawFairy to help us expand our ability to help more children and young people access their right to British nationality," a KIND spokesperson said. LawFairy has recently received authorisation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to operate as a law firm. It is believed to be the first technology-only firm in England and Wales built around a fully deterministic legal model. About LawFairy LawFairy is a legal intelligence company that builds structured, explainable systems to support complex legal and compliance decision-making. Its technology embeds legal expertise into clear, auditable workflows, helping organisations deliver defensible outcomes at scale while improving access to justice. About Hogan Lovells Hogan Lovells is a leading global law firm with more than 2,800 lawyers across the world. The firm has a strong commitment to pro bono work and access to justice, using legal expertise and innovation to address unmet legal needs. About Central England Law Centre (CELC) Central England Law Centre (CELC) is a charity providing specialist legal advice and representation to fight inequality. It advocates for people, challenges unfair decisions, takes cases to the highest courts and works in partnership with other support services and organisations. It operates in Coventry and Birmingham. CELC is also a member of the Law Centres Network, an alliance of 42 individual Law Centres, which has been at the centre of a movement for social justice for almost fifty years. CELC partners with KIND in the UK. About KIND KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) is a global leader in the protection of children on the move, unaccompanied and separated children, and those without proper legal status. Launched in 2008, KIND works across the globe to champion a world in which every child's rights and well-being are protected as they seek safety. KIND began working in the UK in 2016, and partners with five expert organisations and over 1,000 lawyers from law firms and corporate legal partners to provide pro bono legal services for children. KIND's work in the UK reaches children across the country, and: Works on approximately 500 cases per year Has consistently achieved a 98 percent success rate in cases with an outcome LawFairy Media Contact: Sebastian Jenks seb.jenks@lawfairy.com +447875545442 LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Xsensio SA, a Swiss deep-tech company pioneering near real-time continuous biochemical monitoring, today announced the successful closing of a $7M oversubscribed Series A financing round. The round was led by San Francisco-based venture capital firm WI Harper, with participation from Privilege Ventures, the European Innovation Council, and private investors across the United States, Europe, and Asia. The new funding will enable Xsensio to accelerate the development and clinical validation of its Lab-on-Skin wearable biosensing platform, designed to provide dynamic, multi-modal, biochemical information to support clinical decision-making in the hospital and beyond. "This Series A marks a pivotal step in translating continuous biochemical monitoring into real clinical environments," said Esmeralda Megally, CEO of Xsensio. "For the first time, clinicians can access key continuous biochemical data in real time, information that has historically been unavailable at the point of care. This capability has the potential to fundamentally improve how patients are monitored and treated." In parallel, Xsensio announced a long-term collaboration with Texas Instruments, a global leader in semiconductor technology. This collaboration brings unique expertise in CMOS integration, miniaturization, and large-scale manufacturability of biosensing systems, further strengthening Xsensio's industrial scalability. "Our collaboration with Texas Instruments significantly strengthens our path to advanced, scalable semiconductor technology," added Adrian Ionescu, CTO of Xsensio. "By combining our biosensing innovation with world-class semiconductor expertise, we are building a platform designed not only for clinical impact, but also for reliable, cost-effective deployment." "We believe Xsensio is defining a new category in wearable biosensing. Given the company's strong progress and market potential, we are excited to be leading this investment round," said Wilson Wu, Partner at WI Harper. "Continuous biochemical monitoring represents a major shift from intermittent measurements to real-time insight, and Xsensio is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation," said Jaqueline Ruedin Rusch, Chair of the Board. About Xsensio Xsensio is a Swiss deep-tech company developing the Lab-on-Skin wearable biosensing platform to deliver continuous, real-time biochemical information for personalized and preventive healthcare. Spun out of leading academic research, the company collaborates with reference hospitals and industrial partners to bring clinically meaningful biosensing innovation to patients in the hospital and beyond. Xsensio has been recognized by TIME as one of the World's Top HealthTech Companies of 2025. Media Contact Esmeralda Megally, CEO & Co-Founder Xsensio SA press@xsensio.com www.xsensio.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923220/Xsensio_Lab_On_Skin.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923219/Xsensio_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/xsensio-sa-raises-7m-oversubscribed-series-a-accelerates-clinical-deployment-of-continuous-biosensing-302700872.html LONDON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresha , the world's most trusted all-in-one AI-powered beauty and wellness booking platform, today announces a significant expansion of its global Brand Ambassador programme, marking a decisive step in strengthening its presence at the cultural and technological forefront of the selfcare industry. As the selfcare economy enters a new phase of maturity, the most influential operators are no longer defined by craft alone, but by how effectively they scale, systemise and monetise their businesses. In response, Fresha is deepening its investment in the entrepreneurs and industry leaders shaping this movement, solidifying itself as the platform at the core of this revolution by building a global network that connects talent, technology and infrastructure in one unified ecosystem. This expansion comes at a time when business owners are demanding a true 360-degree view of their customers, from booking behaviour and payment patterns to retention trends and lifetime value. Growth increasingly depends on data, automation and operational precision. Professionals and businesses are moving beyond disconnected tools in search of a unified operating system that supports both creative excellence and commercial performance. At the same time, the industry is seeking leaders it can learn from and look up to, operators who have successfully bridged craft and commerce and earned trailblazer status within the selfcare sector. In a rapidly evolving marketplace, having credible voices who share real-world experience and scalable strategies, from building a successful business to a successful personal brand, is no longer aspirational. It is essential. Leading this expansion is Josh Lamonaca, Co-founder of the multi-location MENSPIRE brand and Fresha's newly appointed Head of Hair Education. A British Men's Hairdresser of the Year, Lamonaca's appointment signals a landmark moment for the sector, focused on helping professionals transition from creative talent to high-net-worth business owners through structured systems and smarter business practices. "We're at a turning point," said Lamonaca. "The next generation of industry leaders won't just be known for their craft, but for how intelligently they build and scale their businesses. The professionals who embrace structure, data and long-term thinking now will define what success looks like in the next decade. Amongst all booking platforms in the hairdressing industry, Fresha has emerged as the industry leader with the most advanced features and capabilities available for both professionals and businesses of all sizes. " Another personality joining the programme is Chloe Ferry , founder of The Beaute Lounge , who brings significant cultural visibility alongside hands-on operational experience scaling a consumer-led beauty brand. Thaddeus Jayaseelan , Founder of Gradient Academy, represents the forward-thinking, education-led model shaping modern barbering. Andrea Amighetti , a prominent multi-location EU salon owner and educator, reflects the growing demand for operational precision at scale. "At scale, talent alone isn't enough. Structure is everything," said Amighetti. "Fresha gives our business the operational clarity and visibility required to grow across multiple locations without compromising quality. For me, this partnership with Fresha represents the future of the beauty and selfcare industry, where creativity is supported by top software, and ambition is backed by systems that actually help businesses grow. Fresha is by far the best booking system in the beauty and wellness industry," said Andrea Amighetti. The roster is further strengthened by Alexi Michael , Jordan Tabakman , Kochi Faraj and Yadiel Alberto Rodriguez ( A-Rod ), each operating expansive global footprints across salons, academies, product brands and media platforms. Collectively, the ambassador cohort represents a combined monthly social reach of over 200million, reflecting significant cultural visibility alongside proven commercial credibility. Together, they utilize Fresha's integrated commerce tools, including payments, reporting and capital solutions, to streamline operations, unlock new revenue streams and maintain consistency across markets. Their alignment signals a broader industry recognition that sustainable growth now requires intelligent infrastructure, not just individual reputation. "Fresha is rapidly transforming the United States and Canada," said Alexi Michael, Miami-based master barber and founder of the global education platform, Learn to Cut. "It's quickly becoming the system of choice across the industry because the product is genuinely ahead of the curve. What stands out most to me is the team's relentless focus on innovation and their commitment to improving the platform and supporting partners month after month. I truly believe in what they're building." "I chose to partner with Fresha because it understands exactly where the beauty and barbering industry is heading," said Yadiel Alberto Rodriguez (A-Rod), Founder of leading men's grooming brand, L3VEL3 . "Success today is about more than talent. It's about systems, visibility and the ability to scale intelligently. Fresha brings together the tools, data and global infrastructure professionals need to grow stronger, more sustainable businesses. That forward-thinking approach made the decision an easy one for me to back up Fresha as the leading booking platform." This new cohort joins an established group of ambassadors choosing Fresha, including Sam Bentham (Rascals Barbershop), Mark Maciver (SliderCuts), Hester Wernert-Rijn (Mogeen), Lydia Wolfe and Jack Mead , who have helped shape the programme since its inception. With AI transforming every corner of the beauty and wellness industry, from smart scheduling to personalized client experiences, the ambassador community ensures Fresha stays ahead of the curve, building tools that help businesses thrive in this new era. "Fresha is the global market leader, and in the Netherlands it's redefining the operational foundation of hairdressing, and the wider beauty and wellness industry," says Hester Wernert-Rijn, editorial stylist at Paris Fashion Week and owner of Amsterdam-based hair salon, Mogeen. As Fresha enters 2026 with more than 140,000 partner businesses worldwide, its role as the leading booking platform for the beauty and wellness industry continues to strengthen. The expansion of the Brand Ambassador programme underscores a broader commitment: not only to provide software, but to deliver the commercial framework required for professionals to build resilient, scalable and profitable businesses. By ramping up its Brand Ambassador programme, Fresha extends its role beyond software alone. It is building a community of globally respected operators who actively engage with partners, share operational insight and help shape the next era of beauty and wellness entrepreneurship. Together, they represent a more connected model of growth, where talent, data and infrastructure operate in sync. About Fresha Fresha is a global all-in-one booking, payments and business management platform built for beauty, wellness and selfcare professionals. The platform enables salons, barbershops, spas, medspas, clinics and fitness studios to manage appointments, process payments, attract new clients and grow revenue through an integrated marketplace and advanced AI-powered automation. Trusted by more than 140,000 businesses worldwide, Fresha is redefining the future of service-based commerce through intelligent technology, scalable infrastructure and industry-leading innovation. Fresha is built to support businesses at every stage, from independent professionals and owner-operated studios to multi-location enterprises and global franchises. It is the most trusted and advanced booking and business management platform in the beauty and wellness industry. For media inquiries, please contact:james.haywardbrowne@fresha.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923786/Fresha_selfcare_ambassadors.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2866720/Fresha.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-beauty-industry-icons-join-fresha-to-champion-the-next-era-of-beauty-and-selfcare-revolution-302701666.html MANCHESTER, UK / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / AccessPay, the leading bank integration provider, today announced a new partnership with PayPoint to integrate PayPoint's Confirmation of Payee (CoP) capability into AccessPay's payments automation suite for modern finance teams. With 258m lost to authorised push payment (APP) fraud in the first half of 2025 alone, organisations need access to robust payment controls that scale with their operations.1 PayPoint's CoP offering enables AccessPay's customers to verify payee account details as part of their payment workflows, reinforcing AccessPay's position at the centre of a growing ecosystem of technologies designed to automate and de-risk the Office of the CFO. CoP, also known as Account Name Verification (ANV), is a valuable anti-fraud measure that checks the accuracy of payee details before funds are sent. It can be used to confirm payee details at the point of collection, when creating a payment instruction, or both. PayPoint's CoP capability is designed to handle peak-usage scenarios for corporate clients, including payroll runs, supplier payments, and seasonal spikes, and is recognised for its ability to process exceptionally high transaction volumes. Additionally, it provides flexible access options, including APIs, user interface and bulk processing, enabling organisations at different stages of their automation journey to embed account name verification seamlessly into existing processes. "Our customers want to automate high-volume, high-value payments with confidence, knowing robust safeguards are built directly into their processes," commented Anish Kapoor, CEO of AccessPay. "PayPoint is recognised for delivering payment and fraud services at a national scale. By partnering with them, we are strengthening the fraud and error protections available within the AccessPay platform while improving operational efficiency by reducing payment resubmissions, exception handling and manual intervention. The service is already available to customers and has been positively received since we began working together in 2025." Jo Toolan, Managing Director Payments, PayPoint, added, "AccessPay sits at the centre of modern finance operations, securely connecting businesses to their banks and enabling automated payment flows at scale. Partnering with AccessPay allows us to extend our CoP capability to thousands of finance teams that are actively transforming how they manage payments. Together, we're helping organisations reduce fraud risk, minimise payment errors, and deliver more secure, trusted payment experiences." The PayPoint partnership reinforces AccessPay's commitment to expanding its technology ecosystem to help finance and treasury teams automate securely, reduce manual intervention, and build resilient, future-ready payment operations. By combining AccessPay's bank integration platform with PayPoint's payment and fraud prevention expertise, organisations gain stronger protection against fraud while unlocking greater efficiency and confidence in automated finance processes. Notes to editors: UK Finance, Half-Year Fraud Report 2025 About PayPoint PayPoint is the UK's leading multichannel payments and community services provider, delivering innovative solutions that simplify and secure how customers and businesses transact. The core of our offering is MultiPay-a single payment platform that unifies Open Banking, card, Direct Debit, and over-the-counter cash payments into a streamlined solution. Our Open Banking services are designed to deliver a frictionless and secure payment journey. From account-to-account payments to Confirmation of Payee (CoP), we empower companies with the tools to build trust and reduce fraud, all through a suite of easy-to-integrate APIs. These services can be integrated into your existing financial or customer management systems, or accessed via our portal, white-labelled websites or mobile apps-providing flexibility to meet your needs. As a proud Gold Partner of Open Banking Expo 2025 and winner of the Best Sector Initiative for our PayPoint OpenPay innovation at the Open Banking Expo Awards, we're thrilled to return in 2026 to continue driving innovation and delivering value through Open Banking. About AccessPay AccessPay is a leading provider of bank integration solutions, pioneering finance transformation for the Office of the CFO. AccessPay helps finance and treasury teams modernise their operations through secure, cloud-based bank connectivity. Our platform connects back-office systems to banks, enabling the automated flow and transformation of payment, bank statement and other financial data. Thousands of businesses around the world partner with AccessPay to automate supplier and client payments, Direct Debit collections, and bank statement retrieval - improving efficiency, reducing fraud risk, and gaining real-time cash visibility. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Manchester, UK, AccessPay is trusted by global enterprises to automate finance and treasury operations and build a future-ready Office of the CFO. Website: www.accesspay.com Follow us on LinkedIn: AccessPay Press contacts:? Chanda Shingadia, The Comms Crowd? Email: chanda@commscrowd.com Phone: +44 (0)7951 163 615? SOURCE: AccessPay View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/accesspay-partners-with-paypoint-to-strengthen-fraud-and-error-preve-1140160 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Nexcel Metals Corp. (CSE: NEXX) (OTCQB: NXXCF) (FSE: 2OH) ("Nexcel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ruan Kroukamp, BTech (Chemical Engineering), BSc (Hons) Metallurgy, MBA, PMP, as Metallurgical Advisor (the "Advisor") to the Company. Mr. Kroukamp will advise the Company on metallurgical strategy, flowsheet optimization, and process evaluation for material from its Burnt Hill Tungsten Project in New Brunswick, Canada. Mr. Kroukamp is a metallurgical professional with over 22 years of global experience in project development, operations management, and mineral processing across ferrous, base, and precious metal sectors. His expertise spans comminution, flotation, sensor-based ore sorting, and both pyro- and hydrometallurgy, as well as equipment testing and novel flowsheet design. He has a strong background in project governance, EPCM execution, financial analysis, and operational readiness planning for large-scale mining and processing operations. Mr. Kroukamp currently serves as Studies Manager at Ausenco (2024-present) and previously held senior roles including Senior Project/Study Manager at Glencore Technology (2021-2024) and Operations Director at Cronimet Group (2013-2021). Earlier in his career, he held positions with TOMRA Sorting Solutions, Magotteaux, and Impala Platinum, gaining hands-on experience in metallurgical plant operations, process optimization, and refinery expansion projects. Notably, Mr. Kroukamp has direct tungsten project experience, including serving as Operations Director for the expansion and restart of the Mt Carbine Tungsten Mine in Queensland, Australia (2019). He also led the Panasqueira tungsten sorter plant project in Portugal, focused on scavenging tungsten from dense media separation discards using modular X-ray sorting technology. In addition, he co-authored a technical paper presented at the AusIMM Preconcentration Digital Conference (2020) titled "Preconcentration at Mt Carbine Tungsten Mine using sensor-based ore sorting", highlighting innovative approaches to tungsten recovery and pre-concentration. Throughout his career, Mr. Kroukamp has directed feasibility and pre-feasibility studies for major mining expansions and restarts globally, including large-scale copper, polymetallic sulphide, tin, and specialty metals projects with capital values ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars. His background includes strategic phased development planning, continuous improvement implementation, and closing operational performance gaps in active operations. At the Company's Burnt Hill Tungsten Project, Mr. Kroukamp will: Review and assess historical metallurgical test work and recovery data Assist in designing modern confirmatory metallurgical programs Evaluate pre-concentration opportunities, including potential ore sorting applications Support development of optimized flowsheets aimed at maximizing tungsten recovery and concentrate quality Provide strategic input on phased project development and operational readiness "Ruan brings an exceptional depth of tungsten-specific operational and metallurgical experience," stated Hugh Rogers, CEO of Nexcel Metals. "His direct involvement in the restart and expansion of Mt Carbine and his work on tungsten preconcentration projects provide Nexcel with valuable insight as we evaluate historical data and design modern metallurgical programs for Burnt Hill. His experience working with global engineering groups and major mining companies strengthens our technical foundation as we advance the project." Tungsten is classified as a critical mineral in multiple jurisdictions due to its importance in defense, aerospace, tooling, electronics, and advanced manufacturing applications. Nexcel believes that early and technically rigorous metallurgical planning is essential to unlocking value and reducing development risk at Burnt Hill. The Company looks forward to working closely with Mr. Kroukamp as it advances technical evaluation and exploration planning at the Burnt Hill Tungsten Project. The Company shall grant the Advisor 50,000 stock options pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan (the "Option Plan"). Each option shall entitle the Consultant to acquire one (1) common share of the Company at an exercise price equal to the market price on the date of grant, in accordance with the Option Plan. About the Burnt Hill Tungsten Project The Burnt Hill tungsten/molybdenum property covers approximately 1540 hectares in central New Brunswick and hosts a NI 43-101 indicated resource of 1,761,000 tonnes within an open pit and underground averaging 0.292% WO3, 0.007% MoS2 and 0.008% SnO2, along with a further 1,520,000 inferred tonnes averaging 0.263% WO3, 0.008%MoS2 and 0.005% SnO2, as presented below. Also presented below, extracted from the 2013 Resource Report, is a statement of contained metal. In addition to the deposit area of the property, there are several other areas of identified tin, tungsten and molybdenum mineralization within the property boundary not yet at the resource stage.1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11702/286080_e6ec546a6440ea0f_001full.jpg The contained metal represented by this resource statement after converting the metal compound to contained metal equivalents for the respective metal compounds is as follows: (0.303% WO3) (79.29% Weight Percent Tungsten) (2,205 lbs/tonne) (527,000 tonnes) = 2.79 1,000,000 Mineral Resources Tungsten Molybdenum Tin Contained Metal (million pounds) (thousand pounds) (thousand pounds) Open Pit Indicated 2.79 34.82 45.76 Underground Indicated 6.19 130.46 192.867 Total Indicated 8.99 162.91 244.64 Open Pit Inferred 0.21 3.25 4.27 Underground Inferred 6.79 152.03 124.86 Total Inferred 6.99 160.7 131.98 Figure 1: Burnt Hill Adjacent Properties Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11702/286080_nexcel%20figure%201.jpg Qualified Person Francis Newton, P.Geo, a consultant of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, verified and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Newton is not independent of the Company. About Nexcel Metals Corp Nexcel Metals Corp. is a junior mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. The Company is currently focused on the Lac Ducharme Project located in the Province of Quebec and the Burnt Hill Project located in the Province of New Brunswick. Forward-Looking Statements All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Nexcel expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements may involve, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by Nexcel based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond Nexcel's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Nexcel does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. 1 NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Burnt Hill Tungsten Project Stanley Parish, York County, New Brunswick. Prepared by Derrick Strickland, P.Geo., January 26, 2026 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286080 Source: Nexcel Metals Corp. LONDON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mycom, an Assurance leader offering AI, Data and Automation solutions for some of the world's largest communications service providers (CSPs), today announced that it has collaborated with Canada-based technology company LatenceTech to introduce SLA Guardian, a solution focused on enhancing the validation and management of SLA commitments that CSP enterprise business units deliver to enterprise customers. SLA Guardian enhances Mycom's Service Experience Assurance portfolio by enabling CSPs to validate, differentiate, and continuously govern SLA commitments delivered to enterprise customers operating increasingly latency-sensitive and business-critical workloads. LatenceTech brings advanced AI-driven monitoring, prediction, and recommendation capabilities focused on stable low latency and high reliability across public and private 5G/4G/LTE, Wi-Fi, satellite and SD-WAN environments used in industrial and enterprise networks. SLA Guardian combines active assurance, real-world application simulation, and infrastructure telemetry to provide CSPs with measurable control over enterprise SLA commitments from pre-contract validation to long-term compliance proof. Designed to support services, such as voice, video conferencing, SaaS, IoT, SD-WAN, and private 5G, SLA Guardian enables CSP enterprise business units to move from SLA promise to SLA proof. The SLA Guardian solution enables CSP enterprise business units to: Continuously measure network and application-level latency, jitter, packet loss and throughput across applications and cloud environments Validate SLA tiers under realistic traffic and peak-load conditions before commercial commitment Differentiate SLA offers based on measurable workload sensitivity Correlate active assurance data with performance telemetry to assess risk exposure Provide transparent, audit-ready compliance reporting during live operations "Mycom's SLA Guardian is a unique tool to support the enterprise business units of the CSPs," said Mounir Ladki, Co-founder, President and CTO at Mycom. "By validating performance under realistic conditions and continuously proving compliance during operations, CSPs can reduce contractual risk while protecting margin and customer trust. This enables CSPs to monetize QoS and SLAs of their connectivity services including upcoming 5G slicing." "Our partnership with Mycom highlights the strategic importance of extending LatenceTech's analytics capabilities to telecom performance management systems," said Benoit Gendron, CEO at LatenceTech. "CSPs can no longer afford to guess when it comes to premium connectivity. Our partnership with Mycom ensures that every millisecond promised is a millisecond delivered." See SLA Guardian live at MWC26 Mycom and LatenceTech will be showcasing the SLA Guardian solution in a live demonstration at MWC in Barcelona. Delegates are invited to visit Hall 2, Stand 2D21 to see how the platform detects and predicts SLA breaches in real-time. About Mycom Mycom is a global leader in AI, Data and Automation solutions for CSPs. Its award-winning solutions enable CSPs to launch and manage telecom services with high performance, at scale. Based on 25+ years of experience at the world's largest, diverse and complex networks, Mycom's innovative portfolio offers solutions for managing data to improve network and service performance. Mycom offers predictive, generative and agentic AI solutions that support Autonomous Networks. To arrange a discussion with Mycom and find out more about its Service Assurance offerings, click here or contact the team at info@mycom.com. About LatenceTech LatenceTech provides an AI-based, real-time analytics solution dedicated to ultra-low latency connectivity. We empower mobile operators and industries to monitor, predict, and secure the quality of service (QoS) for mission-critical networks, including 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi, and Satellite. As industries adopt GenAI, teleoperation, and autonomous systems, LatenceTech ensures the stability and reliability required for these technologies to function safely. For more information or to sign up for a trial, visit www.latencetech.com Media Contact: Jack.Toye@mycom.com, +447719820492 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2842400/5831122/Mycom_New_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mycom-launches-sla-guardian-in-partnership-with-latencetech-to-strengthen-sla-governance-for-csp-enterprise-services-302701426.html LONDON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyble, a global leader in AI-powered cyber threat intelligence, today announced that it has been recognized among the top honorees for Best Threat Intelligence Technology at the teissAwards 2026, one of the cybersecurity industry's most respected recognitions of excellence and innovation. Cyble was named among the top two winners in this highly competitive category. The teissAwards recognize organizations and technologies transforming how enterprises and governments defend against evolving cyber threats. This honor highlights Cyble's commitment to delivering real-time, actionable intelligence that enables security teams to proactively manage risk and respond faster to emerging threats. At the core of this achievement is Cyble Blaze, Cyble's AI-first threat intelligence platform. Powered by advanced AI, machine learning, and expert analysis, it delivers comprehensive visibility across the surface, deep, and dark web-helping organizations detect ransomware, track threat actors, prevent brand impersonation, uncover exposed credentials, and monitor expanding attack surfaces. Cyble Blaze transforms fragmented threat data into prioritized, actionable intelligence-helping security teams cut through noise, respond faster, and strengthen cyber resilience. Its predictive, contextual insights enable organizations to move from reactive defense to proactive threat anticipation in today's fast-evolving threat landscape. "Being recognized among the top honorees for Best Threat Intelligence Technology at the teissAwards 2026 is a proud milestone for Cyble," said Dipesh Ranjan, Senior Vice President of Cyble. "Being placed among the two top winners in this category reflects the tangible impact of Cyble Blaze in helping organizations stay ahead of adversaries through intelligence that is timely, trusted, and actionable. As cyber threats continue to grow in complexity, our mission remains clear - to strengthen global cyber resilience through innovation, collaboration, and AI-driven intelligence." Cyble supports enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure worldwide with solutions that enable proactive defense, stronger situational awareness, and measurable risk reduction. This recognition reinforces Cyble's position as a trusted partner in navigating today's dynamic cyber threat landscape. About Cyble Founded as an AI-first cybersecurity company, Cyble provides real-time threat intelligence, digital risk protection, and predictive cyber defense solutions to enterprises and governments worldwide. Trusted by Fortune 500 organizations and public sector agencies, Cyble is committed to making the digital world safer through intelligent, autonomous, and agentic AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. For more information on Cyble's solutions, visit www.cyble.com. Media Contacts: enquiries@cyble.com +1 678 379 3241 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2470747/5634602/Cyble_Inc_New_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cyble-secures-top-recognition-at-teiss-cybersecurity-awards-2026-for-best-threat-intelligence-platform-302702299.html Transaction restores full control to Omnia Capital, accelerating growth and integration across Southeast Europe BUCHAREST, Romania, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alive Capital, an integrated energy services and supply platform in Southeast Europe, will return to the full ownership of its founder, Giacomo Billi, following the transfer of Premier Energy's majority stake to Omnia Capital, the investment holding, controlled by Giacomo Billi. The transaction, subject to regulatory clearance from the Romanian Competition Council and the Commission for the Examination of Foreign Direct Investments, will result in Omnia Capital holding a 100% stake in Alive Capital. The move marks the beginning of a new expansion phase focused on scaling renewable generation capacity, energy storage, digital energy services and regional market integration across SEE. Alive Capital operates a fully integrated energy platform covering generation, supply, aggregation, dispatching, forecasting, optimization, operations and maintenance, and asset management. The company currently manages more than 1.5 GW of generation capacity across 198 power plants and supplied 1.95 TWh of electricity in 2025, with a 1.8% share of the Romanian non household supply market as of November 2025. "Regaining full ownership gives us strategic clarity and execution agility. Our priority is to scale an integrated regional platform combining renewable generation, storage, energy supply and digital optimization services for producers and end customers," said Giacomo Billi, Founder and CEO of Alive Capital. Through its affiliated company Alive Energy, the group holds a renewable generation and storage portfolio of around 500 MW in operation and under construction in Romania, spanning wind, solar and battery storage projects designed to support system flexibility and long-term energy security. "The energy market in Southeast Europe is entering a phase where integration, flexibility and digitalization drive value. Our objective is to position Alive Capital as a leading regional platform capable of delivering stable, competitive and predictable energy solutions for customers across the region," Giacomo Billi added. Premier Energy, controlled by Emma Capital, became the majority shareholder of Alive Capital in February 2022, supporting the company's consolidation and growth during a period of rapid market expansion. "I thank the Premier Energy team for the partnership over the past years. We built an important phase of Alive Capital's development together, and I am confident our professional relationship will continue going forward," Giacomo Billi said. In the transaction, Omnia Capital is advised by the law firm Tuca, Zbarcea si Asociatii. Giacomo Billi is an Italian entrepreneur and energy executive, Founder and CEO of Alive Capital and sole shareholder of Omnia Capital. With over 15 years of international experience in energy, infrastructure and real estate, he focuses on developing integrated and reliable energy platforms across Romania and the SEE region. In 2022, he founded Omnia Capital as his investment holding to manage strategic investments in energy and related sectors, with Romania as the group's core market. His approach combines disciplined capital allocation, operational integration and effective governance, with the objective of building resilient infrastructure and sustainable long-term value. info@alivecapital.ro A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/616ff538-ff0c-408c-a8fc-d3f17a589a70 PARIS, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- in-cosmetics Global 2026, the world's leading event for personal care ingredients, returns to Paris from 14-16 April, offering the global beauty industry a crucial opportunity to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market. With future growth anchored in innovation, the show will unite brands, formulators, R&D specialists, cosmetic scientists, manufacturers and suppliers from around the world, who will showcase ingredients, formulations and services spanning the entire lab-to-launch process. As beauty leaders sharpen their focus on efficacy, sensory appeal, wellness and sustainability, the 2026 edition will spotlight emerging trends across skincare, haircare, fragrance, colour cosmetics and nutricosmetics. Industry leaders, including The Estee Lauder Companies, COSMAX, Chanel and K18, will join over 1,000 exhibitors and 14,000 expected attendees. Key ingredient suppliers such as BASF, Lubrizol, Symrise, Lucas Meyer Cosmetics by Clariant, Givaudan Active Beauty, Ashland, Evonik and Croda will also attend, alongside 130 first-time exhibitors entering the global beauty ingredients market. Reflecting the industry's shift towards holistic beauty and wellness, in-cosmetics Global will introduce the Inner Beauty Zone, bridging cosmetics and nutraceuticals as it expands into the fast-growing nutricosmetics market. Sponsored by KSM-66 and launched in partnership with The Good Pill Co, the zone will spotlight innovations in ingestible beauty ingredients, from vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to fortified foods and functional drinks. The Taste Bar will allow visitors to sample finished beauty-from-within concepts firsthand. An expanded Fragrance Zone will feature the new Scent Bar, demonstrating how scent enhances product perception and supports premiumisation. Further, a dedicated Contract Manufacturer Zone will bring leading partners together in one focused space to facilitate new business connections. Andy Mather, Event Director of in-cosmetics Global, said: "The beauty industry is at a pivotal point, expanding beyond traditional personal care towards beauty from within and wellness, by focusing on nutricosmetics. Brands are under pressure to move faster from concept to commercialisation, and in-cosmetics Global sits at the heart of this value chain. in-cosmetics Global supports innovation from lab to launch by connecting science, ingredients, formulation expertise and manufacturing on one global platform. Our focus for 2026 is helping businesses develop smarter products, accelerate launches and drive sustainable growth in an evolving market." in-cosmetics Global will take place from 14-16 April at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. For more information, visit the website. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/in-cosmetics-global-2026-to-serve-a-taste-of-tomorrows-beauty-in-paris-302702280.html NAPLES, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / Hope for Haiti has received a $900,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support a comprehensive, multi-year education initiative designed to improve teaching quality, student outcomes, and family well-being across southern Haiti. "At Hope for Haiti, we've always believed education is where hope takes root," said Hope for Haiti CEO Skyler Badenoch. "It's what unlocks opportunity and makes positive change possible. This funding will help thousands of students, educators, and community members gain the tools they need to learn, grow, and imagine a brighter future." Utilizing this funding, Hope for Haiti will lead a robust teacher training and engagement program across 21 primary schools. Over the grant period, teachers and educators will complete training in academic subjects, classroom management, and gender equity. Monthly training sessions, school break workshops, and summer professional development will support continuous learning. Public health education will also be incorporated into classrooms and community spaces to help improve health outcomes. To strengthen long-term economic stability, Hope for Haiti will implement financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and life skills training for students and parents. Additionally, new woman-led Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) will be established. These efforts are designed to improve household financial resilience, reduce absenteeism, and support school sustainability. "At the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we know that lasting change must be driven by communities themselves," said Alix Cantave, Senior Program Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. "Hope for Haiti's work provides tools to Haitian leaders so they can advance quality education, strengthen family well-being, and build economic resilience. We are proud to support their community-centered efforts to expand opportunity for children and families across southern Haiti." The project will focus on communities in Haiti's Sud, Sud-Est, and Nippes Departments, primarily in rural areas outside Port-au-Prince, where educational and health resources are more limited. In total, the initiative aims to improve the quality of affordable education at 21 partner schools, supporting approximately 241 teachers who educate 7,490 students. This grant builds on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's previous investments in Hope for Haiti's integrated programs in education, health, economic development, and infrastructure. Prior support strengthened learning environments across 21 partner schools, benefiting thousands of students through expanded health services, teacher training, academic resources, and improved facilities. About Hope for Haiti With experience running poverty alleviation programs in Haiti since 1989, Hope for Haiti has emerged as one of the most trusted non-profit organizations working to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly women and children, in southern Haiti. The organization's team and network of partners provide people with better access to education, healthcare, clean water, and economic development opportunities. Hope for Haiti is a 4-star-rated charity by Charity Navigator and is a participant at the Platinum Level in the GuideStar Exchange , two leading independent evaluators recognizing the organization's transparency and careful stewardship of donor resources. Learn more at hopeforhaiti.com . About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special attention is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org . Media Contact: Skyler Badenoch (239) 434-7183 Ext. 817 press@hopeforhaiti.com www.hopeforhaiti.com SOURCE: Hope for Haiti, Inc. FY26 WKKF Grant Graphic (2) View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/government/hope-for-haiti-receives-grant-funding-to-strengthen-education-health-and-economic-stabil-1140517 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Restart Life Sciences Corp. (CSE: HEAL) (FSE: HN30) (OTC Pink: NMLSF) ("Restart Life" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, following the successful acquisition of Holy Crap Foods Inc., it has entered into a collaboration with the University of Manitoba's Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research (RCFTR) to support a series of food-related scientific studies that will guide the Company's product development roadmap across its expanding functional wellness portfolio. This new partnership with RCFTR represents a meaningful step in Restart Life's mandate to advance functional foods that promote brain health, cognitive wellness, gut-brain axis support, and long-term vitality. The collaboration will focus on validating product formulations, optimizing ingredient functionality, enhancing bioavailability, and ensuring long-term stability and quality across the Company's brands. "As we integrate Holy Crap products into our portfolio and continue developing our BrainQ and BrainBalls brands, it is essential that our innovation is grounded in rigorous scientific assessment," said Steve Loutskou, CEO of Restart Life Sciences Corp. "Partnering with RCFTR gives us access to world-class food science expertise and facilities. This collaboration will help ensure our products meet the highest standards of efficacy, consistency, and quality as we scale our functional wellness platform." Dr. Michael Janzen, Research Development Manager at the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research, also expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating: "We look forward to working closely with Restart Life Sciences as they advance their functional product lines. Their focus aligns strongly with our research capabilities, and we are excited to support the scientific foundation behind their current and future formulations." Supporting the Development of BrainQ, BrainBalls, Holy Crap, and Future Functional Foods Restart Life Sciences has recently introduced and advanced several consumer health brands, including BrainQ, a functional product line formulated using natural ingredients associated with cognitive support; BrainBalls, a nutrient-dense snack designed to promote daily brain wellness; and Holy Crap, a clean-label, plant-based functional food brand recognized for digestive health and foundational nutrition support. The addition of Holy Crap expands the Company's functional wellness platform beyond cognitive health into gut health, an area increasingly linked to brain performance and overall well-being through the gut-brain axis. The partnership with the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research (RCFTR) at the University of Manitoba will help establish a scientific framework for ingredient evaluation, formulation performance, and future product development across all product lines, including BrainQ, BrainBalls, and Holy Crap. Research Scope and Objectives The research collaboration with RCFTR is intended to generate broad scientific insights that support the ongoing development of Restart Life's functional wellness portfolio, including its brain health and digestive health product categories. The work may include exploratory evaluations related to ingredient quality, formulation integrity, and overall functional performance, including general stability considerations under a range of environmental conditions. The program may also assess how ingredients behave within various formulations to help identify trends that could guide future optimization efforts across BrainQ, BrainBalls, and Holy Crap products. This could involve reviewing sensory characteristics, nutrient retention, and potential degradation patterns, as well as exploring opportunities to refine ingredient profiles or enhance functional benefits. Where appropriate, the project may include preliminary considerations of bioavailability and the functional potential of select active components, conducted either through RCFTR or with support from additional third-party specialists. These insights will help inform product refinement, innovation, and longer-term research directions across the Company's expanding functional food platform. Deliverables may include high-level scientific observations, technical summaries, and recommendations that support ongoing product development, quality assessment, and scientific validation initiatives. About the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research (RCFTR) The Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research is a 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility located at the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry Campus. The Centre is dedicated to advancing food quality, human nutrition, and innovation in functional foods. It offers pilot-scale processing, analytical testing, ingredient evaluation, product development, and specialized services including milling, tableting, and encapsulation. Formerly known as the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, the RCFTR is a leading research hub supporting both traditional and next-generation food technologies. Clarification of Previously Announced Loan Financing Further to the Company's news release dated December 22, 2025, whereby the Company announced that it had entered into an arm's-length loan agreement in the principle amount of CAD$250,000 (the "Loan Financing"), the Company wishes to clarify that, in addition to the interest at a rate of 12% per annum payable on the Loan Financing, the Company shall also issue the lender 2,500,000 share purchase warrants, exercisable at $0.10 per share and valid for a term of two years from issuance. Restart Life Sciences would like to thank its shareholders for their ongoing support as the Company advances its mission and continues to execute on its strategy. About Restart Life Sciences Corp. Restart Life Sciences Corp. is a Canadian-based life sciences company listed on the CSE. For more information about Restart Life, please visit the Company's website at www.restartlife.co. 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 Restart Life Sciences' actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry 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. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (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/286069 Source: Restart Life Sciences Corp. Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) (FSE: J8C) ("DLP" or the "Company") announces the extension of the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the Aurora Copper-Molybdenum-Silver Project to Q2 of 2026. Since the Company's release of a National Instrument 43-101 technical report dated January 31, 2025, the Aurora Project has been evaluated solely using open pit mining methods. Although this method is attractive, the additional drilling and mining review has indicated the possibility of exploiting potential resources at lower project elevations below the currently designed pit limit. The Company believes it is prudent to take the necessary time to fully evaluate the economic option to simultaneously mine using both underground and open pit extraction to maximise the potential value of the Aurora Project. This time extension is required for Global Resource Engineering, who is undertaking the current Preliminary Economic Assessment study, to evaluate and optimize the surface mining-underground mining resource potential. The revised PEA is expected to be completed in Q2 of 2026. It is important to note that the depth of the pit is constrained by nearby surface water. The open pit shells in comparison to molybdenum grade are shown below, both as a NE-looking section and a SE-looking section (Figures 1 and 2, respectively). Figure 1: Cross-Section of the Aurora Deposit looking NE with Mo grades shown below proposed pit Limit (Global Resource Engineering generated section). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/286028_58b8d75424c73a8d_001full.jpg Figure 2: Cross-Section of the Aurora Deposit looking SE, with Mo grades shown below proposed pit Limit (Global Resource Engineering generated section). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/286028_58b8d75424c73a8d_002full.jpg Mr. Gendall, President and CEO, commented: "I am excited about the economic potential arising from the possible scenario of mining both the underground and open pit resources simultaneously. The additional drilling of 4309 metres in 2025 is being used to update the Mineral Resource estimate for 2026 and inclusion in the PEA study, as well as for the assessment of the underground mining potential. This additional study would showcase the potential extraction of some of the world's highest grade molybdenum resources in the early years of mine life whist simultaneously mining large-scale open pit copper resources. The Aurora Project has a unique geometry, which potentially has a very low waste to ore ratio and the potential to drift horizontally into large underground resources without the requirement to construct an expensive and time-consuming shaft from the top of the deposit. I believe this extra time of technical study will add value to the Aurora Project." Aurora Project (Porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag Deposit) On February 27, 2025, DLP reported the results of a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the maiden Mineral Resources for the Aurora Project. The Mineral Resources are effective January 31, 2025 and were prepared by independent AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. ("AMC"). The report can be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website. Highlights of the Aurora Maiden Mineral Resource included: Greater than 1 billion tonne Inferred Resource. The Mineral Resource contains 4,650 million pounds of copper, 1,110 million pounds of molybdenum and 80 million ounces of silver. A pit-constrained Inferred Resource of 1,050 Mt grading 0.20% copper, 0.05% molybdenum and 2.4 g/t silver (0.44% CuEq). The mineral resource is divided into a copper-rich zone and a molybdenum-rich zone with consistent distribution of mineralisation. Initial studies indicate these zones are laterally continuous within the modelled domains. The mineralisation remains open in many directions for further expansion of mineral resources. Table 1. Aurora Project - Mineral Resources and metal content for copper, molybdenum and silver as of January 31, 2025 Cut-off (NSR) Resource Category Tonnage (Mt) CuEq (%) Cu (%) Mo (%) Ag (g/t) Cu metal (Mlb) Mo metal (Mlb) Ag metal (Moz) $5.75 Inferred 1,050 0.44 0.20 0.05 2.4 4,650 1,110 80 Notes: Mineral Resources were prepared in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (MRMR) (2014) and CIM MRMR Best Practice Guidelines (2019). Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Metal prices copper US$4.00/lb, molybdenum US$20.00/lb, silver US$23.00/troy oz. Metal Recoveries: copper 86%, molybdenum 84%, silver 61%. Mineral Resources reported within optimised open-cut pit constraints. CuEq % = Cu% + (Mo% * (Mo recovery / Cu recovery) * (Mo $ per lb. / Cu $ per lb.) + (Ag g/t * (Ag recovery / Cu recovery) * (Ag $ per oz / 31.1034768) / (Cu $ per lb.* 22.04623))) An NSR value of $5.75 is used as a cut-off grade. The NSR, as used to define cut-off is inclusive of $5.00 for processing costs and $0.75 G&A. Rounding of some figures may lead to minor discrepancies in totals. Qualified Persons Mr. Gendall, CEO & President of the Company, is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Gendall has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release. The Mineral Resource estimates for the Aurora Project were carried out by AMC under the supervision of AMC's Principal Geologist, Chris Harman, MAIG. Mr. Harman is a Qualified Person and takes responsibility for these estimates. The Qualified Person has reviewed and consented to this news release as it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report that supports the disclosure. About DLP Resources Inc. DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southeastern British Columbia and Peru, exploring for Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP, on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF, and on the FSE, trading symbol J8C. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking 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 the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the expected timing of completion of an updated Mineral Resource estimate and PEA, the possibility of exploiting potential resources at lower project elevations below the currently designed pit limit, the potential for an economic option to simultaneously mine using both underground and open pit extraction, the potential extraction of some of the world's highest grade molybdenum resources in the early years of mine life whist simultaneously mining large-scale open pit copper resources, the Company's belief that the Aurora Project has a very low waste to ore ratio and the potential to drift horizontally into large underground resources without the requirement to construct an expensive and time-consuming shaft from the top of the deposit, and the Company's belief that the additional time required to complete the PEA will add value to the Aurora Project. 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, the risk that the PEA will not be completed in Q2 2026 or at all, the risk that it may not be possible to exploit potential resources at lower project elevations below the currently designed pit limit or to simultaneously mine using both underground and open pit extraction, the risk that the PEA, if completed, will not support the potential extraction of some of the world's highest grade molybdenum resources in the early years of mine life whist simultaneously mining large-scale open pit copper resources, the risk that Aurora Project does not have a very low waste to ore ratio or the potential to drift horizontally into large underground resources. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286028 Source: DLP Resources Inc. Partnership combines cloud-native SIM credentialing with secure mobile service innovation to redefine privacy, control, and speed in telecom RiPSIM Technologies, makers of the world's first cloud native software platform for generating and delivering mobile network authentication credentials on demand, today announced a strategic partnership with Cape, the pioneering privacy-first mobile carrier, to deliver full-custody, U.S.-sovereign SIM credentials to consumers, enterprises, and government customers. Traditional SIM credential generation often relies on outsourced facilities across multiple global locations, increasing supply chain risk and limiting operator visibility and control. RiPSIM was founded on a different principle: mobile credentials should never be outsourced and should be owned and controlled by the operator running the network. Its U.S.-developed software platform enables operators to generate, manage, and safeguard SIM credentials within their own secure cloud environments, ensuring full customer custody and keeping credential creation and management within U.S. borders. Cape has built a software-defined telco to address modern threat landscapes that legacy telecom infrastructure was never designed to handle. SIMs and authorization are critical to security. As adversaries increasingly exploit vulnerabilities in our networks, global supply chains, and outdated provisioning systems, Cape and RiPSIM are approaching the problem from complementary sides of the telecom ecosystem to enable the US-sovereign management of secure service. Together, the two startups are modernizing telecom security by giving network operators and their customers complete ownership and control over mobile credentials. The partnership integrates RiPSIM's cloud-based credentialing platform into Cape's secure, software-first mobile infrastructure, creating a sovereign alternative to legacy SIM provisioning models. By moving credentialing into a cloud-native environment and eliminating traditional supply chain risks associated with offshore delivery, Cape gains the speed and operational flexibility to rapidly deploy new SIM-based innovations and advanced privacy and security features. The combined solution is especially valuable for organizations where credential integrity is mission-critical, such as enterprises with sensitive communications needs, and government agencies requiring sovereign telecom infrastructure. "What makes our platform unique is that we move SIM credentialing fully into the cloud and give our customers complete control," said Chris Jahr, Founder and CSO of RiPSIM. "Credentials remain within their geographic jurisdiction and under the direct custody of the network operator, not outsourced to offshore facilities. That shift strengthens security while modernizing how the industry approaches trust. Together with Cape, we are building a software-driven telecom ecosystem where privacy, control, and agility are designed into the foundation." Cape has begun integrating RiPSIM's credentialing technology within its production offerings and has continued plans to expand. "Both Cape and RiPSIM were founded to challenge decades-old telecom assumptions and address modern security threats with a software-first approach," said John Doyle, CEO of Cape. "By integrating RiPSIM's technology into our product, we are delivering a U.S.-sourced, cloud-based solution built for speed, agility, and stronger privacy protections. This partnership accelerates our ability to innovate and bring meaningful security improvements to the market." RiPSIM will be exhibiting at Mobile World Congress 2026 at Hall 8.1 4YFN, Stand 8.1D20.7, March 2-6 to be held at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona. Learn more about RiPSIM's credentialing platform and partnership initiatives by registering to attend here. About RiPSIM Technologies RiPSIM Technologies has developed and patented the world's first end-to-end eSIM-aaS management platform. This digital identity authentication platform enables wireless service providers of any size to design, develop and deliver eSIMs at any time, in any quantity, for any device and at the highest security level in the wireless industry. RiPSIM's GSMA-certified, cloud-native, microservices-based software features highly intuitive and easy-to-use interfaces that allow users, regardless of skill level, to develop eSIMs with confidence. Now, wireless service providers can fully automate their eSIM workflows and reduce operational expenses. For more information, visit www.ripsim.com. About Cape Cape is a cellular network providing device and network solutions to government, consumers and enterprises. Its mission is to ensure communication is private, secure and resilient. The company has raised $61M from investors such as A*, Andreessen Horowitz, Costanoa Ventures, ex/ante, Point72 Ventures, XYZ Ventures, Forward Deployed VC, and Karman Ventures. Its research partners include leading institutions in cybersecurity, such as the University of Maryland, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303033985/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts: RiPSIM: Monsy Carlo Ten Eleven Ventures monsy@1011vc.com Cape: Riley Burns Command PR riley@heycommand.com Milestones include innovation in Voice channel, global expansion into Europe and APAC, and large enterprise account wins across industries Ada, the trusted AI-native customer experience company and creator of the Agentic Customer Experience (ACX) Operating Model, today announced more than 100% year-over-year revenue growth, marking a breakout year as enterprises transition from AI experimentation to full implementation. The company achieved 108% agentic AI ARR growth and 146% Net Revenue Retention, demonstrating strength in both new enterprise acquisition and customer expansion. Ada also reported exponential growth of $1M+ customer accounts, reflecting deep platform utilization and clear ROI. With its full platform shift from scripted to agentic AI just two years ago, Ada reports now having more than 550 enterprise AI agents deployed globally. These AI agents have already handled more than 6.4 billion interactions and powered nearly 1 billion conversations. This momentum underscores a structural shift in how enterprises approach AI: organizations are no longer purchasing isolated tools they are adopting AI operating models. Ada's ACX Operating Model delivers on this vision, bringing together technology, a proven AI blueprint, and deep expertise to ensure enterprises succeed in their AI transformation. "Partnering with Ada allows us to set a new benchmark in customer service, leveraging AI to better serve our passengers," says Candice Lyog, Chief Marketing and Customer Officer with Cebu Pacific. Since deploying Ada across 11 languages, Cebu Pacific the Philippines' largest airline by passenger volume has resolved 75% of customer interactions autonomously, while driving a 50% increase in customer satisfaction scores. Growth in AI for Voice Drives New Revenue Opportunities Ada launched ground-breaking updates to its platform that now extend powerful AI capabilities to Voice, offering intuitive and natural-sounding interactions with minimal latency, even for complex, long-horizon customer inquiries. Ada has experienced 12x growth in agentic Voice ARR, validating both the expansion of the ACX Operating Model into this critical channel and strong enterprise demand. Leading global brands are already seeing results including Ancestry, the world's largest genealogy platform; Branch, a fast-growing fintech powering thousands of unique brands; and Digicel, the largest Caribbean telecom. "Voice has always been the hardest channel to transform," said Brian Gilman, VP of Customer Support at Branch. "Our AI agents can now reason through complex, high-stakes voice conversations with the same intelligence that powers our digital channels. That means faster, more accurate support when our users need it most." International Demand for ACX Spurs Global Expansion As more companies move to agentic customer experience, global businesses are turning to Ada as a trusted partner to transform their customer service operations. Ada has also more than doubled its international business and opened offices in London and Singapore. Global companies such as Sky, Cebu Pacific, Epos Now, Malaysia Airlines, and Monday.com are experiencing higher CSAT scores, significant increases in resolution rates, and are capturing new revenue opportunities with Ada. "Customer experience is undergoing a fundamental shift moving away from fragmented automation experiments toward fully agentic operations," said Mike Murchison, CEO of Ada. "Our year-over-year growth is proof that enterprises are ready to embrace a new operating model. Through Ada's ACX Operating Model, we're helping organizations build a new AI muscle, one where businesses take ownership of their AI agents to deliver truly personalized customer experiences." Built for Enterprise Scale: Ada Expands Intelligence, Partnerships, and Trust Infrastructure In February, Ada advanced its platform with the launch of a unified Reasoning Engine a significant step forward in how AI agents reason, orchestrate complex workflows, and perform consistently at enterprise scale. The unified architecture powers sophisticated, long-horizon customer interactions across channels, helping internal ACX teams to work more efficiently than ever. SVP Global Operations for Blackhawk Network, Cara Renfroe, highlights, "We're only at the beginning of this AI transformation, yet the potential is already undeniable. Agentic AI is poised to redefine how support is delivered-for us at BHN and for our customers-for good." This announcement comes on the heels of a strategic partnership with Medallia. Together, the companies are combining deep omnichannel customer experience and operational intelligence with real-time agentic capabilities. Ada also expanded its enterprise trust framework, achieving AIUC-1 and PCI certifications in addition to its existing SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance. These certifications reflect Ada's continued investment in governance, security, and responsible AI, ensuring enterprises can scale agentic customer experience with confidence. About Ada With more than 550 AI Agents deployed globally, Ada is the trusted leader in agentic customer experience, transforming how enterprises engage with customers. Activated by our ACX Operating Model-a combination of technology, methodology, and expertise-enterprises can easily create and manage high-performing AI agents that deliver personalized interactions across channels. Since 2016, Ada has powered more than 6.4 billion interactions for global brands like Ancestry, Cebu Pacific, IPSY, monday.com, Pinterest, Square, and Sky, delivering extraordinary experiences at scale. With enterprise-grade security and compliance (SOC 2, GDPR, PCI, HIPAA, AIUC-1), Ada helps organizations reduce cost-to-serve, elevate CSAT, and increase lifetime customer value. Learn more at ada.cx. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303163715/en/ Contacts: Press Contact: PAN for Ada ada@pancomm.com From Smart Homes to Smart Industry, Afero Extends Market-Leading Security and Reliability Into Industrial Markets Afero, the enterprise-grade secure IoT Platform for embedded systems, today announced that it will be attending the Embedded World 2026 Exhibition Conference, taking place March 10-12 in Nuremberg, Germany, to showcase new solutions for the real-world hurdles currently stalling industrial and enterprise innovation. A decade in the making, the Afero IoT/IIoT platform has been proven across millions of devices while enabling an AI-infused connected world. Contact Afero to schedule a demonstration at the show, or visit booths 131, 235 or 619 in Hall 3A at the exhibit. Securing the Future of Autonomous Smart Environments On display at the exhibition will be the Afero Agentic AI (AAA) software that transforms standard hardware into agentic systems. The AAA software is based on a hybrid architecture that balances compute between edge and cloud to ensure low-latency response times even in high-compute-density environments, and enable in-situ data analysis. It enables devices to perceive, reason, and act, both locally and remotely, all within an end-to-end secure, encrypted, and tamper-proof framework. "Edge AI and industrial IoT demand advanced capabilities and seamless integration from chips to devices to apps," said Joe Britt, CEO and Co-Founder of Afero. "Afero's resounding success in the challenging consumer markets and focused R&D for industrial uses have resulted in fully whetted capabilities across a broad range of requirements. Today, Afero provides the strongest foundation in the market for edge AI, industrial automation, and enterprise OT applications." Software Silicon for Smart Industrial IoT Earlier this year, Afero announced new connectivity capabilities and partnerships to enrich its offerings with Wi-Fi microcontrollers (MCUs) purpose-built for IoT, combined with Afero's secure IoT software platform to deliver the ultimate solution for connected devices. The Afero Platform has amassed a loyal following in the smart home market and currently powers millions of smart devices in millions of households across 200+ product categories and 50+ manufacturers, providing a proven foundation for industrial applications. Afero and its partners provide a chips-to-apps solution that integrates secure connectivity with device, mobile, and cloud software. Ambient AI Meets Agentic AI Afero's integrated solution delivers the industry's best: Time to market; Developer productivity through proven ease-of-use, reliability, and re-usable software; Advanced fleet management; Reliable and secure over-the-air (OTA) connectivity, delivered successfully millions of times; Effective human-machine interface; Data-centric AI foundation; Secure mobility; and Capabilities for regulatory compliance and certification, including ISA/IEC 62443, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification), and others. About Afero Afero enables connected devices to be smart and secure. Afero's IoT Platform as a Service prioritizes security, data privacy, simplicity, and ease of use throughout the end user experience. These key elements are integral to the solution and not bolted on after the fact, enabling manufacturers and brands to secure their supply chain. Afero technology powers millions of devices across 200 product categories from 50+ manufacturers. Afero is a privately held company based in Los Altos, Calif., and backed by distinguished investors such as Crosspoint Capital. For more information, visit https://afero.io/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303484678/en/ Contacts: Media Contact press@afero.io 94% of CIOs say organisational appetite for AI is growing, yet half say adoption is too fast CIOs report early proof-of-concept success, but two-thirds don't believe they can scale AI beyond initial deployments 62% report compromising on governance due to limited knowledge 76% of CIOs say unchecked AI remains a serious concern Just 39% of CIOs are confident their organisation actively manages AI's environmental impact LONDON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Logicalis, the leading global technology service provider, today reveals that organisations are racing to invest in AI faster than they can manage it. According to its annual CIO Report, which surveyed over 1,000 CIOs globally, a gap is emerging between ambition and operational readiness, with governance, skills and infrastructure struggling to keep pace. Most organisations (94%) report an increased appetite for AI over the past year, yet the structure to support that ambition is lagging. More than half believe AI adoption is already moving too fast, and an overwhelming 89% describe their organisation's current approach as "learning as we go." Driving that appetite is early evidence that AI delivers. Over a third of organisations have accelerated their AI initiatives based on proof-of-concept results, and the technology is delivering impact in areas such as strengthening predictive analytics and data-driven forecasting and enhancing the customer experience. However, two-thirds of CIOs don't believe they can scale AI beyond initial deployments. The most frequently cited constraint is not funding, but skills. A lack of internal technical capability is holding back AI ambitions in almost nine out of ten organisations. However, structural frameworks are also a significant challenge. While most CIOs use AI governance controls to some extent, 62% report compromising on governance due to limited knowledge and just 44% say they fully grasp the risks of AI adoption. What's more, 76% of CIOs say unchecked AI remains a serious concern for them. Tension between early success and scaling challenges is compounded by broader nervousness about the AI market itself, with 67% concerned about an "AI bubble." A further 16% say they lack continuity plans should a key AI provider become unavailable, a reminder that organisations are building dependencies on these platforms. On this year's report, Bob Bailkoski, Logicalis CEO said: "This year's report reveals a complex challenge for CIOs navigating the biggest innovation of our lifetime. Organisations are not short of ambition or appetite for AI, they are short of the frameworks, skills and confidence to deploy it at scale. The challenge right now is not whether to invest in AI, but how to build the foundations that will make that investment effective, safe and sustainable. Today's CIO is no longer just a technology operator, they are strategically coordinating risk, ensuring accountability and driving value creation throughout the entire organisation" Layered onto these challenges is an emerging sustainability dimension that few organisations are ready for. As AI workloads grow, so does their energy footprint. Just 39% of CIOs are extremely confident their organisation actively manages AI's environmental impact, and only 41% express the same level of confidence that energy efficiency is prioritised in AI deployment. Faced with these pressures, 94% plan to lean on Managed Service Providers over the next two to three years to help navigate AI governance, scaling and sustainability. This shifts the CIO's relationship with technology from direct ownership to orchestration, delivering the depth of expertise the pace of AI demands. To see the full report head to https://www.logicalis.com/cio-report About the research At the end of 2025, Logicalis commissioned independent market research specialist Vanson Bourne to do a survey. Vanson Bourne interviewed 1,000 Business and IT professionals across EMEA, APAC, US and South America. Only respondents with over 250 employees with involvement in digital transformation and cloud computing within their organisations were interviewed. About Logicalis We are Architects of Change. We help organisations succeed in a digital-first world. At Logicalis, we harness our collective technology expertise to help our clients build a blueprint for success, so they can deliver sustainable outcomes that matter. Our lifecycle services across cloud, connectivity, collaboration and security are designed to help optimise operations, reduce risk and empower employees. As a global technology service provider, we deliver next-generation digital managed services, to provide our clients with real-time visibility and actionable insights across the performance of their digital ecosystem including reliability, user experience, security, economic performance and sustainability. Our 7000+ 'Architects of Change' are based in 30 territories around the globe, helping our 10,000+ clients across a range of industry sectors, create sustainable outcomes through technology. Logicalis has annualised revenues of $1.63 billion, from operations in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Africa. It is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with revenues of over $3.6 billion. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/logicalis-2026-cio-report-cios-navigate-surging-ai-investment-amidst-growing-governance-concerns-302701234.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Vortex Metals Inc. (TSXV: VMS) (FSE: DM8) (OTCQB: VMSSF) ("Vortex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will begin Phase II of its exploration at the Illapel project, Chile. Phase II builds on the first phase of exploration drilling that successfully located low-resistivity sulphide mineralization extending northward from the Rio 27 copper-silver mine along the favourable structural corridor. "The Phase I drill program confirmed our geological model. The Phase II program will expand on the past program by using the knowledge obtained on the structural controls and will be combined with the geophysical signatures obtained from the upcoming geophysics program. We will then design a drill program around the results. Having numerous copper surface expressions, multiple geophysical targets, indications of an IOCG target and gold-bearing vein systems, we believe Illapel has significant discovery potential," stated, Michael Williams, Co-founder and Interim chief Executive Officer. Phase II represents a significant expansion of exploratory work, and will cover the entire 180 square km of the concession area, including multiple unexplored surface expressions of copper-silver mineralization. The airborne survey will fly approximately 2,000 line-km with Magnetics, VLF-EM and Radiometrics, and will provide direct information on favourable structures, and the possible associated mineralization, thus generating new drill targets. Discussions are underway to finalize the contract with a local geophysical contractor. Project Overview The Illapel Copper Gold project is located in the Commune of Illapel, Choapa Province of the Fourth Region of Chile and is 250 km north of Santiago. The nearest town is the mining centre of Illapel located 35 kilometres away. The project has excellent infrastructure connecting paved roads, electricity, and mild climate favourable to year-round exploration. Illapel is fully permitted for exploration, and drilling may commence following the identification of targets. The region surrounding Illapel has seen extensive mining activity, both past and present. Of particular note, the El Espino copper-gold (IOCG) Project (Measured and Indicated geologic resource of 145MT at 0.55% Copper and 0.22 g/t Gold; engineering feasibility complete; awaiting environmental permits. Source: www.pucobre.cl) is located approximately 14km to the north and is presently planned for development by Pucobre. Several small gold and copper mines also operate in the immediate area. Rio 27 Mine The Illapel Project is adjacent to an existing mining operation owned by Ventana Group and known as the Rio 27 mine. The Rio 27 mine has been in production since 2010 with its near-site processing plant. Ventana has advised that to date, approximately 400,000 tonnes of mineralized material with an average grade of 1.39% copper has been processed at site. The LOI provides a right of first refusal (ROFR) on the Rio 27 Mine and processing facility. Drilling Highlights- Phase I Drilling Initial drilling at Illapel yielded encouraging results, providing strong geological evidence of a mineralized system that warrants further investigation. To date, only three fully completed holes (DVM-02, 03, and 08) have tested the north-northeast trend of high-grade, manto-style copper-silver mineralization extending from the historic Rio 27 Mine. All holes intersected hydrothermal alteration and sulphide mineralization-including disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, and bornite-indicating the presence of a potentially extensive mineralized structure. Hole DVM-08, in particular, returned compelling results with high-grade mineralization in an intercept one metre wide, that may represent the margin of a larger manto-style lens. This interpretation is supported by a downhole geophysical survey, which revealed a broad zone of low resistivity-coincident with the sulphide-bearing interval-and consistent with off-hole extensions. Geophysics contractor GEODATOS has now identified six additional conductive targets near DVM-08, providing encouragement for follow-up drilling. In addition to the manto-style copper system, the company also observed Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) mineralization in multiple holes, including DVM-08. This mineralization-characterized by iron oxides and disseminated sulphides-occurs within a sequence of volcanic and sedimentary rocks, similar to the setting of the El Espino deposit (150 Mt @ 0.55% Cu, 0.22 g/t Au), located just 13 km to the west-northwest. Discussion of Phase II Exploration Previous work at the Illapel project has confirmed the importance of generally N-S trending structures, and cross-cutting structures with ocoite dykes, in localizing copper-silver mineralization. Mineralization encountered in drill holes, and at Rio 27 mine, and forms large halos of sulphide-bearing rock. Based on the down-hole geophysical survey, these halos have been proven to form zones of low-resistivity mineralization that respond to EM. With this improved knowledge of structural control and the geophysical response, exploration may now expand to cover the entire concession area where numerous localities of copper-silver mineralization have been identified along structures. It is anticipated that the airborne magnetic, VLF-EM and radiometric survey will identify additional targets for follow-up by IP geophysical survey and/or drilling. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2778/286055_d11c5ee90451b99e_001full.jpg Qualified Person / Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) Juan Carlos Fernandez, P. Geo., is a qualified person ("QP") as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release. About Vortex Metals Inc. Vortex Metals Inc. is a copper-gold focused exploration and development company with a diversified portfolio of exploration projects in Chile and Mexico. Vortex holds an option to acquire up to 80% interest in the brownfield Illapel Copper Project in Chile and through its Mexican subsidiary Empresa Minera Acagold, S.A. de C.V., it owns 100% interest in two drill-ready high-potential copper-gold volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) properties, Riqueza Marina and Zaachila in Oaxaca, Mexico. The company emphasizes responsible exploration, community engagement, and environmental stewardship to meet the rising global demand for copper sustainably. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements that are made as of the date hereof and are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions which involve risks and uncertainties associated with our business including permitting approvals, any private placement financings, the uncertainty as to whether further exploration will result in the target(s) being delineated as a mineral resource, capital expenditures, operating costs, mineral resources, recovery rates, grades and prices, estimated goals, expansion and growth of the business and operations, plans and references to the Company's future successes with its business and the economic environment in which the business operates. All such statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, applicable Canadian securities legislation. Any statements contained herein that are statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution readers of this news release not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements as several factors could cause actual results or conditions to differ materially from current expectations. Please refer to the risks set forth in the Company's most recent annual MD&A and the Company's continuous disclosure documents that can be found on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company cautions that mineralization on, or production from, neighboring properties is no guarantee of the existence of similar mineralization or a guarantee of future production from the Illapel Project. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286055 Source: Vortex Metals Inc. Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KTB) today announced it will host a Helly Hansen Investor Day on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Oslo, Norway. The event will highlight Helly Hansen's long-term growth plan, strategic priorities and financial objectives, and feature presentations from Scott Baxter, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Joe Alkire, Chief Financial Officer and Global Head of Operations, Brre Hegbom, Helly Hansen Global Brand President, and other members of the leadership team. Due to capacity constraints, in person attendance is by invitation only. The event will be broadcast live via the Internet, accessible at https://www.kontoorbrands.com/investors. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, an archived version will be available at the same location. About Kontoor Brands Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KTB) is a portfolio of three of the world's most iconic lifestyle, outdoor and workwear brands: Wrangler, Lee and Helly Hansen. Kontoor Brands is a purpose-led organization focused on leveraging its global platform, strategic sourcing model and best-in-class supply chain to drive brand growth and deliver long-term value for its stakeholders. For more information about Kontoor Brands, please visit www.KontoorBrands.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303427051/en/ Contacts: Investors: Michael Karapetian, (336) 332-4263 Vice President, Corporate Development, Strategy, and Investor Relations Michael.Karapetian@kontoorbrands.com or Media: Julia Burge, (336) 332-5122 Senior Director, Corporate Communications Julia.Burge@kontoorbrands.com TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / NextSource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT)(OTCQB:NSRCF) ("NextSource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has agreed with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation to extend the timetable for the binding multi-year Offtake Agreement, announced on August 5th 2025. All core commercial terms of the 9,000 tonnes per annum Offtake Agreement of anode active material ("AAM") are unchanged, including volume commitments and the established pricing framework. The extension enables the Company with additional flexibility through July 31, 2027 to satisfy financing, construction, commissioning and first production milestones for its planned Battery Anode Facility ("BAF") in the United Arab Emirates ("UAE"). The Company's recently completed C$25 million public offering advances the completion of detailed engineering, site development and the project financing process for the UAE BAF. As previously announced, the Company is advancing toward a targeted Final Investment Decision for the UAE BAF by the end of this month. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is Japan's largest chemical company and a leading supplier of anode active material to original automotive equipment manufacturers (OEMs). As announced in August 2025, the Company entered into a binding, multi-year offtake agreement with Mitsubishi to be the exclusive supplier of AAM to a major OEM for the North American EV market. NextSource will produce and supply intermediate AAM to Mitsubishi's Japan plantwhere Mitsubishi will produce final AAM for the OEM's EV battery cell manufacturing facilities in North America. This partnership represents a major milestone for NextSource in its strategy to become one of very few vertically integrated graphite producers outside of Asia and capable of meeting the scale and quality requirements of OEM anode supply chains from 2027 onwards. About NextSource Materials Inc. NextSource Materials Inc. is a battery materials company based in Toronto, Canada that is intent on becoming a vertically integrated global supplier of battery materials through the mining and value-added processing of graphite and other minerals. The Company's Molo graphite project in Madagascar is one of the largest known and highest-quality graphite resources globally, and the only one with SuperFlake graphite. The Molo mine has begun production through Phase 1 mine operations. NextSource's corporate presentation can be accessed and downloaded here. The Company is also developing a significant downstream graphite value-add business through the staged rollout of Battery Anode Facilities (BAF) capable of large-scale production of coated, spheronized and purified graphite for direct delivery to battery and automotive customers, in a fully transparent and traceable manner. The Company is now in the process of developing its first BAF in the UAE and has executed a multi-year offtake agreement for the supply of anode active material with Mitsubishi Chemical Corp of Japan. NextSource Materials is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "NEXT" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "NSRCF". For further information about NextSource Materials, please visit our website at www.nextsourcematerials.com or contact us at +1.416.364.4911 or email Brent Nykoliation, Executive Vice President at brent@nextsourcematerials.com. Cautionary Note Safe Harbour: This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", "expected" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements include any statements regarding, among others, that non-binding LOI's and term sheets will progress to definitive agreements and the timing thereof, timing of construction, development and completion of the BAF, timing and completion of front-end engineering and design, timing of FID, the phased development plan of the BAF as well as the Company's intent on becoming a fully integrated global supplier of critical battery and technology materials. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and, in some instances, to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These risks include that the non-binding term sheets will not progress to definitive agreements, the parties to the non-binding term sheet will not be satisfied with their due diligence review, risks related to the construction and development of the BAF, the risk that a positive FID decision may never be reached as well as other risk factors set forth in the Company's latest Annual Information Form (which includes the disclosed risk related specifically to the development commissioning and operation of the BAF) There is no assurance that the definitive agreements will be completed with the above noted timeframe or at all. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive there from. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release. SOURCE: NextSource Materials Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/nextsource-materials-extends-mitsubishi-chemical-offtake-agreement-timelines-1143082 JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio has warned that 'hardest hits' on Iran are yet to come from the U.S. military. Addressing a news conference he said the next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now. When asked how long will the conflict in the Middle East last, Rubio replied, 'I don't know how long it'll take. We have objectives. We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives, and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we're done with this operation.' The State Department head told reporters that the clear objective of the United States' military operation was to eliminate the threat of Iran's short-range ballistic missiles, drones and the threat posed by their navy to international shipping. He said the U.S. was forced to strike now because 'Iran in about a year or a year and a half would cross the line of immunity, meaning they would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones, that no one could do anything about it because they could hold the whole world hostage.' Iran is producing, by some estimates, more than 100 ballistic missiles a month, according to Rubio. He said that though currently the Trump administration is not 'postured for ground forces' to have their footsteps in Iran, the President has those options. 'He's never going to rule out anything. But right now our focus is on the destruction of their ballistic missile launchers, their ballistic missile stockpiles, and their ballistic missile manufacturing capability, as well as their one-way attack drones and their navy because of the threat it poses to global shipping.' To mitigate concerns about rising energy prices given the spiking of oil prices, Rubio said the U.S. government has a program in place and that Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Treasury Jeff Bessent will begin to roll out those steps on Tuesday. In a separate news conference on Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth echoed Rubio's ideas regarding U.S. objectives in the war against Iran. 'This operation [has] a clear, devastating, decisive mission: destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes.' Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said planning for an operation such as Epic Fury has been underway for a significant amount of time. That effort included thousands of service members, hundreds of advanced fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, a sustained flow of munitions, fuel and supplies, and the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups, along with their air wings. More capabilities continue to flow into the region, Caine said. As the violent escalation in the Middle East entered a fourth day on Tuesday sparked by the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States, more than 550 civilians have been killed in Iran. Iran retaliated with missile strikes in U.S.-allied Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Israel, whose military responded to Hezbollah strikes from Lebanon on Monday. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Ookla, a global leader in network intelligence, competitive benchmarking and customer experience analytics. By integrating Ookla's data products, including Speedtest, Downdetector, Ekahau, and RootMetrics, Accenture will help Communications Service Providers (CSPs), hyperscalers, and enterprises optimize the mission-critical Wi-Fi and 5G networks that power their digital core. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260302099070/en/ Accenture has entered into an agreement to acquire Ookla, a global leader in network intelligence, competitive benchmarking and customer experience analytics. Network data is no longer just a lifeline for the telecoms industry; it now creates significant value across all sectors. As AI scales, the insights captured at the network, device, and application layers are essential to enhance fraud prevention in banking, smart home analytics in utilities, and traffic optimization in retail. Ookla's platform, which captures more than 1,000 attributes per test, provides the foundation for these insights. "Modern networks have evolved from simple infrastructure into business-critical platforms,"said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture. "Without the ability to measure performance, organizations cannot optimize experience, revenue, or security. By acquiring Ookla, we will help our clients across business and government scale AI safely and build the trusted data foundations they need to deliver the reliable, seamless connectivity that creates value." Headquartered in Seattle, Ookla operates a portfolio of globally recognized brands in connectivity. This deep technical visibility is essential for: CSPs: Autonomous networks enhance benchmarking and capital planning by leveraging real-time data, predictive simulations, and AI-driven insights to optimize infrastructure investments and significantly reduce operational costs. Autonomous networks enhance benchmarking and capital planning by leveraging real-time data, predictive simulations, and AI-driven insights to optimize infrastructure investments and significantly reduce operational costs. Hyperscalers and Cloud Providers: To ensure the resilience of AI infrastructure and edge data centers which deliver most of the inference workloads. To ensure the resilience of AI infrastructure and edge data centers which deliver most of the inference workloads. Enterprises: To design and troubleshoot mission-critical private 5G and Wi-Fi networks using Ekahau's specialized hardware and software. "With the Ookla portfolio, we will offer end-to-end network intelligence services essential for AI-based transformation," said Manish Sharma, chief strategy and services officer, Accenture. "Speedtest and RootMetrics define the experience; Downdetector identifies incidents faster; and Ekahau drives digital workplace transformation through superior Wi-Fi. In an era of omni-channel and agentic access, low-latency, zero-friction connectivity is a competitive necessity, and these tools give enterprises the power to build the high-performance environments they need." Founded in 2006 and a division of Ziff Davis, Inc., Ookla's team of approximately 430 experts specializes in software engineering, radio frequency engineering and data science. Ookla's data platform is anchored by more than 250 million consumer-initiated tests per month, complemented by controlled drive, walk, and embedded testing options. Together, these elements deliver a rich and resilient combination of quality of service (QoS), radio frequency (RF) signal data, and quality of experience (QoE) insights that answer more connectivity questions and drive better business outcomes. "Joining Accenture will allow us to scale our premiere network data business across the world's largest enterprises and accelerate our goal of creating better connected experiences," said Stephen Bye, CEO, Ookla. "Our combined capabilities will enable us to more effectively serve CSPs, AI infrastructure providers, edge data centers and enterprise networks. Together, we will redefine how the world measures, understands and experiences connectivity." The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction will not be disclosed by Accenture. About Accenture Accenture is a leading solutions and services company that helps the world's leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed across the enterprise, bringing together the talent of our approximately 784,000 people, our proprietary assets and platforms, and deep ecosystem relationships. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. Through our Reinvention Services we bring together our capabilities across strategy, consulting, technology, operations, Song and Industry X with our deep industry expertise to create and deliver solutions and services for our clients. Our purpose is to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity, and we measure our success by the 360 value we create for all our stakeholders. Visit us at accenture.com. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "anticipates," "aspires," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "positioned," "outlook," "goal," "target" and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and Ookla will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties' ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture's results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and geopolitical conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company's clients' businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture's business depends on generating and maintaining client demand for the company's services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company's results of operations; risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI could harm the company's business, damage its reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action; if Accenture is unable to match people and their skills with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company's business, the utilization rate of the company's professionals and the company's results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture's ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key ecosystem partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company's results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture's profitability could materially suffer due to pricing pressure, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; changes in Accenture's level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company's effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture's results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; Accenture's debt obligations could adversely affect its business and financial condition; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; as a result of Accenture's geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow in key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture's business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture's work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; Accenture's global operations expose the company to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture's services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" heading in Accenture plc's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture's expectations. Copyright Accenture 2026. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260302099070/en/ Contacts: Molly McDonagh Accenture +44 7825 023 622 molly.mcdonagh@accenture.com Hannah Unkefer Accenture +1 206 839 2172 hannah.m.unkefer@accenture.com Chinese festive goods spread Spring Festival spirit worldwide People's Daily Online) 10:44, March 03, 2026 A worker dries lanterns in Jintang county, Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) During the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, festive goods from China were widely seen in countries around the world. They not only helped relieve the homesickness of overseas Chinese but also gave foreign citizens a taste of the holiday's charm, fostering cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world. Before the festival, workers at a factory in Jinlong town, Jintang county, Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, were busy crafting lanterns. In the factory's livestreaming studio, hosts from Malaysia sold the lanterns, describing them as a symbol of reunion and good fortune. Chen Junlong, who took over the factory from his father, explained that for overseas Chinese, lanterns symbolize homesickness, while for foreign citizens, they serve as a tangible representation of Spring Festival culture. Fresh-cut flowers from China are sold at a flower shop in Kazakhstan. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) He added that the growing number of overseas orders reflects not only the factory's thriving business but also the increasing influence of Chinese culture globally. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its sales channels through exhibitions and e-commerce platforms. At the land ports of Horgos and Baktu in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, cold-chain vehicles carrying fresh-cut flowers sailed through customs via a dedicated "green channel." Sourced from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the flowers were expected to reach flower shops in Kazakhstan within four to six days, still in prime condition. Yuan Zhaohui, president of Shaanxi Silk Road City Holding Group Co., Ltd., said that in 2025, the company exported more than 20 categories of fresh-cut flowers to Central Asia, with order volumes showing a significant increase from the previous year. That year, the company shipped more than 7 million stems of fresh-cut flowers, valued at 23.15 million yuan ($3.38 million). Photo shows a lion dance performance at a Spring Festival fair in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) During the Spring Festival, accessories and clothing were delivered to overseas Chinese via China-Europe freight trains. "Specialty food, tea, and new Chinese-style clothing were also sent to international consumers through this service," said Feng Yabin, a cross-border trade professional based in Italy. At a Spring Festival fair in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a member of the Malaysian Chinese community and owner of a Hanfu store helped a customer fasten the waistband of a Mamianqun, or horse-faced skirt. The garment is a distinctive style of Hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group in China. The Mamianqun has become a best-seller in her shop, bridging the gap between traditional formalwear and everyday fashion. It allows people to express their personal style, with many customers opting for matching parent-child sets, she said. University students wear Hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group, in Paris, France. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) She has noticed that customers frequently discover Hanfu through Chinese historical costume dramas, and videos of young people wearing Hanfu to send Chinese New Year greetings have been trending on social media. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Orecap acquired 19.9% of KLDC as consideration for 100% of Mirado Gold Project in Kirkland Lake. Increased exposure through two material investments focused in Kirkland Lake: Stardust Metal (13.9% ownership) and KLDC (19.9% ownership). KLDC is the largest landholder in the Kirkland Lake Region with >40,000 hectares. Transaction adds to Orecap's growing equity portfolio of high-quality exploration companies. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Orecap Invest Corp . (TSXV: OCI) (OTCQB: ORFDF) ("Orecap" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced sale of its 100%-owned Mirado property ("Mirado" or the "Project") to Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV: KLDC) ("KLDC") for a 19.9% ownership of KLDC. "As we close the sale of Mirado, we continue to retain upside through our material ownership in Kirkland Lake Discoveries, who own the largest land package in the Kirkland Lake district. This investment represents us doubling down on our belief that Kirkland Lake is and continues to be one of Canada's premier gold jurisdictions, still ripe for discovery," said Stephen Stewart, Orecap's Chairman. Value Accretive Investment in Kirkland Lake's Largest Land Package This investment is another example of Orecap creating material value from a physical asset while retaining upside in the asset's development success through an equity position in the acquiror. As an investment issuer, this transaction aligns with Orecap's portfolio strategy and adds to its existing, high-value investment portfolio. Furthermore, this investment supplements Orecap's high conviction of the Kirkland Lake camp, given the Company already owns a material position in Stardust Metal (CSE: ZIGY) (13.9% equity interest) - focused on developing its recently optioned McGarry and 100%-owned Omega projects along the Cadillac Break. Retaining Exposure to Mirado via KLDC While Orecap continues to view Mirado as a high-quality gold asset, vending Mirado allows Orecap to concentrate its portfolio on holding equity positions in exploration companies rather than owning and maintaining physical land packages. Through the acquisition of a 19.9% interest in KLDC, Orecap gains exposure to an active operator in the Kirkland Lake district with the dedicated focus and capital to advance the Mirado Project. Transaction Details In consideration for the sale of Orecap's 100% interest in Mirado, Orecap received common shares in the capital of KLDC equal to 19.9% of the issued and outstanding shares of KLDC as of the closing date (the "Consideration Shares"). The Consideration Shares will be subject to a statutory four month hold period until the date which is four months and one day following the closing date. This transaction is subject to the TSXV final approval. No finder's fees were payable in connection with the Transaction. Early Warning Report The Company announces that it has filed an early warning report (the "Report") in connection with the entering into of a definitive asset purchase agreement dated December 16, 2025 (the "APA") pursuant to which it will receive 40,582,767 common shares ("Shares") of Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (the "Issuer") as part of the consideration for the disposition of all of Orecap's property, assets, rights and obligations related to its 100%-owned Mirado property, located 35km southeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario (the "Transaction"). Prior to the entering into of the APA, Orecap did not hold any securities of the Issuer. Upon closing of the Transaction ("Closing"), Orecap will hold 40,582,767 Shares, representing 19.9% of the issued and outstanding Shares (19.9% on a partially diluted basis - Orecap's holdings only). The Shares will be subject to a statutory four-month hold and a contractual lock-up period of 12 months. Orecap may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of Shares or other securities of the Issuer whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreement or otherwise. Depending on various factors including, without limitation, the Issuer's financial position, the price levels of the Shares, conditions in the securities markets and general economic and industry conditions, Orecap may in the future engage in discussions with advisors to the Issuer, members of management or the board of directors of the Issuer and other stakeholders and potential stakeholders of the Issuer, with respect to Orecap's plans concerning its investment in the Issuer. This press release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with the filing of the Report by Orecap. The common shares of the Issuer trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") under the symbol "KLDC". About Orecap Invest Corp . Orecap seeks special situation investments in the natural resource sector that offer shareholders diverse exposure to high returns on precious and critical metal assets and businesses. Orecap has significant equity positions in portfolio companies, such as American Eagle Gold (TSXV: AE) (OTCQB: AMEGF), XXIX Metal Corp. (TSXV: XXIX) (OTCQB: QCCUF), Stardust Metal (CSE: ZIGY), Auriginal Mining (TSXV: AUME), Awale Resources (TSXV: ARIC) and Metal Energy (TSXV: MERG) in addition to owning a broad portfolio of land packages focussed on gold, copper and zinc. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited is a 9.9% shareholder. About Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV: KLDC) has assembled a 400-km2 exploration portfolio in the Kirkland Lake region of Ontario's Abitibi Greenstone Belt, one of the most prolific mining districts in the world. The Company's properties span key fault zones, geophysical anomalies, and volcanic-sedimentary contacts within the Blake River Group, a highly prospective assemblage known to host both gold and polymetallic massive-sulphide deposits. With exploration permits now in place, KLDC is positioned to advance a strong pipeline of drill-ready targets at KL East and KL West, supported by multiple anomalous soil trends, historical mineral showings, and structurally controlled intersections. The team combines strong technical experience with a focus on smart, efficient exploration designed to deliver results. Orecap's Equity Holdings include: Company (Ticker) Shares Owned1 / (% of Outstanding Shares) American Eagle Gold (TSXV: AE) (OTCQB: AMEGF) 10,455,248 / (6.0%) Awale Resources (TSXV: ARIC) 6,464,833 + 4,166,666 warrants / (6.2%) Stardust Metal (CSE: ZIGY) 4,941,795 / (13.9%) Metal Energy (TSXV: MERG) 1,025,000 + 512,500 warrants / (3.6%) Auriginal Mining (TSXV: AUME) 42,750,000 (16.2%) XXIX Metal Corp. (TSXV: XXIX) (OTCQB: QCCUF) (FSE: 5LW0) 23,637,431 / (5.7%) Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV: KLDC) 40,582,767 / (19.9%) 1 See Orecap's latest disclosure documents for details regarding holdings. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information and statements may include, among others, statements regarding future plans, costs, objectives or performance of the Corporation, or the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In this news release, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "target" and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, such future performance will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, including the ownership of KLDC shares and information regarding the Mirado Project. Forward-looking statements and information are based on information available at the time and/or management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation's control. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described under "Risk Factors" in the Corporation's management's discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca; they could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. The Corporation does not intend, nor does the Corporation undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286081 Source: Orecap Invest Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") is pleased to report positive results of initial metallurgical test work conducted by Sepro Laboratories on tungsten-silver mineralized samples from the IMA Mine, Lemhi County, Idaho. Highlights Staged Falcon gravity concentration with re-grinding achieved 94.4% WO3 recovery; Heavy liquid separation achieved 91.1% WO3 recovery with 33.8% mass pull; and Sulfides effectively concentrated by flotation recovering 83.2% Cu, 72.0% Ag and 59.1% Mo with minimal WO3 loss. "These initial metallurgical results reinforce the robustness of the material's response to dense media and gravity separation, supporting our view that the IMA Tungsten Project has the potential for an efficient and scalable processing pathway. Coupled with the momentum from our recently completed $40 million bought deal financing, we are in a strong position to accelerate technical de-risking and advance key development activities. We remain focused on driving value creation as we move the project toward its next stages," stated Ali Haji, CEO of American Tungsten Corp. Test program Sepro Laboratories ("Sepro"), a division of Sepro Mineral Systems Corp., was contracted to conduct gravity and flotation test work on polymetallic tungsten quartz vein material from the IMA Mine. 130 kgs of representative materials were collected from 6 sample channels in the No. 5 and No. 7 veins on the D level of the IMA Mine and provided to Sepro for bench scale metallurgical testing. Head assays for the material show average grades of 1.1% WO3, 83 ppm Ag, 0.09 % Cu, 0.037% Mo, and 0.41% S. The objective of the test program was to evaluate the amenability of mineralized materials to a gravity-flotation flowsheet including dense media separation ("DMS"), Falcon centrifugal gravity concentrator ("Falcon"), tabling, and flotation methods. "The HLS [Heavy liquid separation] test results demonstrate excellent WO3 recovery and indicate that the sample is highly amenable to density-based separation." reported Sepro in the test report, and "Results of staged Falcon concentration with regrinding and final tabling demonstrates excellent gravity recoverability of WO3". Test Results An open-circuit rougher Falcon gravity test entailing staged Falcon concentration with regrinding and final cleaning was conducted on the sample. The initial gravity stage achieved 84.4% WO3 recovery at a 29.6% mass pull. Subsequent rougher-cleaner and MAT table simulation further upgraded the cleaner concentrate with limited WO3 losses. Regrinding the rougher tail to P80 of 75 m and treatment with a scavenger falcon recovered an additional 10.0% of the WO3, demonstrating potential for >90% recovery through gravity methods. Heavy liquid separation tests were conducted on " crush material with under 0.85mm fraction removed at 2.85, 2.75, 2.7 and 2.65 cut points. The 2.85 SG cut achieved 65.3% WO3 recovery (13.81% WO3 grade) in a 4.4% mass pull, and achieved91.1% WO3 overall recovery in a 33.8% mass pull at 2.65 SG, demonstrating strong potential for DMS as a pre-concentration method. Sulfide-tungsten staged flotation testing was conducted at P80 of 75 m. Sulfide pre-flotation recovered 81.4% of the S, 83.2% of the Cu, 72.0% of Ag, and 59.1% of Mo at a very low mass pull of 1.44%, with minimal WO3 loss (4.1% at 2.46% grade). Subsequent WO3 rougher flotation recovered 89.7% of the WO3 at a 14.93% mass pull. Bond Ball Mill Work Index (BBWi) testing was performed to assess grindability. The sample was found to have medium to hard grindability characteristics of 13.51 kW hr/tonne, indicating moderate energy inputs required for comminution. American Tungsten, and its contractors are actively interpreting results and planning for additional metallurgical and process design testing which may include HLS crush size variability tests, locked cycle Falcon gravity testing, sulfide pre-flotation with Falcon concentration, magnetic separation for concentrate upgrading and geo-metallurgical variability testing. Additional metallurgical test work by Sepro of historical tailings materials is currently on-going. About the IMA Mine The IMA Mine is a past producing underground tungsten mine situated on 22 patented claims located in East Central Idaho. Between 1945 and 1957, the property produced approximately 199,449 MTUs of WO3 and was subsequently explored for molybdenum and tungsten by various operators between 1960-2010. American Tungsten Corp is currently conducting an exploration drill program and assessing potential for re-start of underground tungsten mining operations at the IMA Mine. QA/QC and Sample Methodology Underground sampling was conducted using a cordless hammer drill +/- a diamond saw where required in competent silicified veinwork. Sampling methodology was designed to obtain representative samples of the entirety of the vein; samples were typically vertical channels, chipped or sawn appx 6-10 cm wide, extending from rib to rib, ranging from 5-10 feet length. Samples were collected in 5 gallon buckets and shipped to Sepro by commercial courier. Samples received by Sepro were coarse crushed and homogenized using a rotary splitter, splits collected for various processes and head assays, and remainer stage crushed to 3.35 mm with additional preparation as required. Assaying was conducted by MSA Labs of Langley, BC as directed by Sepro using 4-acid digest with ICP-ES finish and peroxide fusion methods for tungsten. While efforts were made to collect and submit representative samples for testing, the reader is cautioned that sample results discussed herein are based on a limited sample volume, and may not ultimately be representative of all mineralized materials, and their metallurgical recoveries. Additional variability testing is required to further assess overall metallurgical performance of mineralized materials from the Ima project. American Tungsten Corp's Quality Assurance and Quality Control QA/QC program applies industry standard best practices to ensure data quality and integrity for the IMA Mine project, including maintaining chain of custody, secure sample transport and storage, adherence to data collection protocols and inclusion of certified reference, blank and duplicate quality assurance samples in laboratory submissions. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI-43-101"). Austin Zinsser, P.G., SME-RM, Vice President, Exploration for the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About American Tungsten Corp. American Tungsten Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the IMA Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's IMA Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres. For further updates, visit www.americantungstencorp.com or investor relations, Joanna Longo at ir@americantungstencorp.com. Social media links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/americantungstencorp/ X: https://x.com/amtungsten Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americantungstencorp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americantungstencorp/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@americantungstencorp CSE: TUNG OTCQB: TUNGF FSE: RK90 The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements relating to future test work, sample representativity, recommencement of mining or production, pending analyses, future work plans and all the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Company undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. While efforts were made to collect and submit representative samples for testing, the reader is cautioned that sample results discussed herein are based on a limited sample volume, and may not ultimately be representative of all mineralized materials, and their metallurgical recoveries. Additional variability testing is required to further assess overall metallurgical performance of mineralized materials from the project. Statements concerning historical mineral resources, production, and exploration results on the property have been obtained through both public and private sources, and are believed to be substantially factual and relevant in that they demonstrate the tenor of exploration targets on the property. Neither American Tungsten Corp., or its Qualified Person, has done sufficient work to verify historical information regarding past production, sampling or drilling. American Tungsten Corp. is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Exploration Targets discussed are conceptual in nature; it is uncertain whether a mineral resource will be delineated based on potential exploration. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286065 Source: American Tungsten Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Trojan Gold Inc. (CSE: TGII) ("Trojan" or the "Company"), Tashota Resources Inc. ("Tashota") and Strike Copper Corp. ("Strike Copper") announce that they have entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated March 1, 2026 (the "LOI") setting out the principal terms of a proposed business combination (the "Proposed Transaction") pursuant to which Trojan would acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares and convertible securities of Tashota and Strike Copper. Pursuant to the LOI, Trojan will complete a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of twelve (12) pre-consolidation shares for one (1) post-consolidation share (the "Consolidation"). Following completion of the Consolidation, each issued and outstanding common share of Tashota will be exchanged for 0.5 post-Consolidation common shares of Trojan, and each issued and outstanding common share of Strike Copper will be exchanged for 0.5 post-Consolidation common shares of Trojan. The Proposed Transaction is expected to be completed by way of a three-cornered amalgamation involving a newly incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary of Trojan, pursuant to which Tashota and Strike Copper would each become wholly-owned subsidiaries of Trojan. Based on the current capital structures of the parties and assuming completion of the concurrent financing described below, Trojan expects to issue approximately 57,502,051 common shares to Tashota shareholders, representing approximately 68.92% of the resulting issuer (71.9% on a fully diluted basis), and approximately 11,874,884 common shares to Strike Copper shareholders, representing approximately 14.23% of the resulting issuer (13.7% on a fully diluted basis). Trojan anticipates completing a concurrent financing of approximately 10,000,000 post-Consolidation common shares, the terms of which will be determined and announced in a subsequent news release. Strategic Rationale The Proposed Transaction is intended to consolidate the mineral exploration assets of the three companies under a single publicly listed entity, streamline administrative and corporate overhead, and provide Tashota and Strike Copper shareholders with enhanced liquidity through ownership of shares of a Canadian Securities Exchange listed issuer. The combined company will focus on advancing its portfolio of mineral properties and pursuing capital markets opportunities with a disciplined approach to financial management and to provide long-term shareholder value creation. Charles Elbourne, Chief Executive Officer of Trojan, stated, "This proposed transaction represents a deliberate step toward building a more unified and strategically positioned company. By consolidating these businesses under Trojan, we aim to simplify the corporate structure, strengthen the balance sheet and create a clearer platform for growth. We believe a single public vehicle will enhance transparency, improve market visibility and better position the company to pursue future opportunities while maintaining a strong focus on governance and shareholder value." It is anticipated that, upon closing, the board of Trojan will consist of the five directors in total, being the four existing Trojan directors, Charles Elbourne, Rodney Barber, Jason Bagg, Sarah Morrison and Ari Chaney who will join the Board. Ari Chaney Mr. Ari Chaney holds an MBA with High Honors from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is an experienced entrepreneur and executive, having founded and led multiple life sciences companies through venture financings and strategic transactions. Mr. Chaney previously served as Executive Director for Technology Translation at Stanford University's Biodesign Program and has held senior leadership roles with Florida Power & Light and General Electric. He has served on the boards of several public and private companies. MI 61-101 The Proposed Transaction would be considered a "business combination" for Trojan pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, as Charles Elbourne is a director of each of Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota. The board of directors of each of Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota have formed committees of independent directors to consider and evaluate the Proposed Transaction, and Trojan will be seeking disinterested shareholder approval for the Proposed Transaction. The Proposed Transaction is exempt from the formal valuation requirements. LOI Conditions and Steps to Definitive Agreement The Proposed Transaction is subject to a range of conditions including, but not limited to, Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota entering into one or more binding definitive agreements containing customary terms and conditions, including representations and warranties customary in a transaction of this nature. In the event that the definitive agreement(s) is entered into between the parties, and subject to the final transaction structure, the closing of the Proposed Transaction will be subject to additional conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all required approvals, including the approval of the CSE, the requisite approval by the shareholders of Trojan (on a disinterested basis) at a special meeting of Trojan shareholders, shareholder approval of Strike Copper and Tashota, and the approval of the board of directors of each of Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota. Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota are committed to consummating the Proposed Transaction and expect to issue press releases containing further information about the Proposed Transaction in the near future. However, there is no obligation on the part of either Trojan or Tashota to consummate the Proposed Transaction or to enter into a definitive agreement. There can be no assurances that the Proposed Transaction will result, or as to the final definitive terms thereof. About Trojan Gold Inc. Trojan is an active Ontario-based prospect generator junior exploration company, led by a team of professionals having exploration, engineering, project financing and permitting experience. Trojan has accumulated land positions in the Hemlo Gold Camp and Shebandowan Greenstone Belt which in management's view represent mineral exploration potential. For further information on the Company, please visit www.trojangold.com. Trojan is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol (CSE: TGII), on the OTC Pink Market under the ticker symbol TRJGF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol KC1. About Tashota Tashota Resources Inc. ("TRI") is a Prospect Generator junior resource Exploration Company currently focused on defining and monetizing the mineral deposits on its multiple properties in historically prolific gold camps in Northern Ontario. TRI has a stellar management and advisory team with significant exploration, engineering, project financing and permitting experience. This includes decades-long experience in prospecting and mining operations in the Hemlo, Shebandowan, and Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Camps where TRI has significant property interests comprising nearly 65,000 acres. About Strike Copper Strike Copper Corp. ("SCC") is a junior resource Exploration Company currently focused on defining and monetizing the resource potential of its Sungold property in the historic Shebandowan Greenstone Belt just 85 km west of Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to the LOI and the likelihood that the definitive agreement(s) will be entered into and that the Proposed Transaction will be consummated on the terms and timeline provided herein or at all, the benefits of the Proposed Transaction to Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota and the receipt of all required approvals including without limitation the shareholders of Tashota and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the state of capital markets; risks relating to (i) the preliminary and non-binding nature of the LOI, (ii) the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions precedent to the execution of any definitive agreement(s) or to ultimately agree on definitive terms, (iii) the impact on the respective businesses, operations and financial condition of Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota resulting from the announcement of the Proposed Transaction and/or the failure to enter into definitive agreement(s) or to complete the Proposed Transaction on terms described or at all, (iv) a third party competing bid materializing prior to the effective date of any definitive agreement(s) or the completion of the Proposed Transaction, (v) delay or failure to receive board, shareholder regulatory or court approvals, where applicable, or any other conditions precedent to the completion of the Proposed Transaction, (vi) unforeseen challenges in integrating the businesses of Trojan, Strike Copper and Tashota, (vii) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction, (viii) other unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in Trojan's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286094 Source: Trojan Gold Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - RUA GOLD INC. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing on SEDAR+ of independent Technical Reports for its Reefton Project ("Reefton Technical Report") on the South Island and Glamorgan Project ("Glamorgan Technical Report") on the North Island of New Zealand. Highlights: The updated resource profile demonstrates increases in all four MRE prospects. The updated Auld Creek MRE includes an Indicated Mineral Resource of 0.3Mt @ 3.18g/t Au and 12% Sb, containing 31koz of gold and 3kt antimony (54koz AuEq 2 ). Also, an Inferred Resource of 1.25Mt @ 2.0g/t Au and 0.8% Sb, containing 79koz of Au and 10kt of Sb (148koz AuEq 2 ). 19,000 meters of drilling in the next 7 months is focused on expanding the MRE northwards and at depth. The Company is currently undertaking planning, environmental and social studies to support a Fast-track Referral application in the first quarter of 2026. RUA GOLD will be undertaking a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study during the first half of 2026 precursor to a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) in the second half of the year. The Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Reefton Project included in the Reefton Technical Report provides a strong starter resource to initiate the mine permitting process in New Zealand via the Fast-track1 process on its Auld Creek target while providing the foundation for technical and economic studies. An aggressive 19,000-meter drill program is underway with 4 drill rigs in operation from 2 March 2026. The Reports, titled "Technical Report on the Reefton Project, New Zealand, Report for NI 43 - 101 on the Reefton Project, New Zealand" and "Technical Report on the Glamorgan Project, Report for NI-43-101 on the Glamorgan Project, New Zealand" respectively, with effective dates of February 27, 2026, are available on SEDAR+ under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.ruagold.com. Each report was prepared by RSC Consulting Ltd. ("RSC") and authored by Abraham Whaanga, BSc, MAusIMM (CP) of RSC, a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). RSC and Mr. Whaanga are independent of the Company, as determined in accordance with NI 43-101. The Company's COO Simon Henderson said, "Since November 2024 drilling has prioritised the Auld Creek gold-antimony project to advance one project toward a mine development phase. With gold-antimony mineralisation outcropping at surface, and continuing unconstrained at depth and along strike northward, Auld Creek presents a compelling opportunity to establish a central processing hub for high grade gold and gold -antimony projects within a 30 km range. "The 19,000m drill program, and additional regional projects at Alexander, Big River, Golden Treasure and Fiery Cross to be tested in the 2026 year provide both resources and excitement in the exploration team to revitalise the Reefton gold district." Figure 1: Overview of the Reefton Project Targets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/286082_3f74b60434b5fba1_002full.jpg Table 1: MRE summaries from Reefton Project - NI-43-101 Report Resource Domain Classification Tonnes (Mt) Au (g/t) Contained Au Ounces (koz) Sb (%) Contained Sb (kt) AuEq (g/t) Contained AuEq (koz) Auld3 Bonanza Indicated 0.04 2.26 3 1.6 1 5.6 6 Inferred 0.18 1.8 11 0.8 1 3.6 21 Fraternal Indicated 0.26 3.3 28 1.1 3 5.7 48 Inferred 1.07 2 69 0.8 9 3.7 128 Total Indicated 0.3 3.18 31 1.2 3 5.7 54 Inferred 1.25 2 79 0.8 10 3.7 149 Alexander4 LG McVicar West Inferred 0.51 3.4 56 HG McVicar West Inferred 0.2 4.1 27 LG Bull East Inferred 0.26 1.6 13 HG Bull East Inferred 0.06 3.7 7 Bruno 1 Inferred 0.05 5.5 9 Bruno 2 Inferred 0.01 5.9 2 Loftus-McKay Inferred 0.2 5.5 35 McVicar East Inferred 0.06 3.8 8 Total Inferred 1.35 3.6 156 Big River5 Shoot 4 Upper Inferred 0.25 3.41 28 Shoot 4 Lower Inferred 0.56 2.98 53 Shoot A2 Inferred 0.34 1.79 20 Total Inferred 1.16 2.72 101 Supreme6 Supreme Inferred 1.46 1.96 92 Total Inferred 1.46 1.96 92 3Notes Auld Creek: The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed. The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.7 g/t AuEq. Metal-equivalent grades were calculated using the following prices: USD 3,000/oz Au, and USD 25,000/t Sb and calculated using the formula AuEq = Au g/t + Sb% x 2.15. The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2.5 mW 5 mH 5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation. Totals may vary due to rounding. 4Notes Alexander River: The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed. The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au. The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2 mW 4 mH 4 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation. Totals may vary due to rounding. 5Notes Big River: The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed. The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au. The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2 mW 5 mH 2.5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids, and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation. Totals may vary due to rounding. 6Notes Supreme: The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed. The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au. The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2.5 mW x 2.5 mH x 5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids, and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation. Totals may vary due to rounding. Auld Creek 2026 Drill Program Following the well supported financing in January 2026, an expanded drill program was launched at Auld Creek targeting step out drilling and resource expansion. 19,000 metres of planned drilling is underway across ten drill pads, with the goals of infilling and increasing confidence in the current inferred resource, and extending the current resource, which remains open 400 m to the north and unconstrained at depth. The 19,000m of drilling will provide detail for the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) that is planned for H2 2026 ahead of the anticipated mine permit application. Figure 2: Auld Creek Drill plan to September 2026. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/286082_3f74b60434b5fba1_003full.jpg Preliminary Economic Assessment study partners confirmed The Company is currently undertaking permitting activities to support a Fast-track Referral application in the first quarter of 2026, in parallel RUA GOLD will be undertaking a PEA study during the first half of 2026 ahead of advancing the study to PFS level in the second half of the year. The following consultant partners have been awarded work packages: Processing and tailings Engineering consultancy Pitch Black Group has been engaged to advise on advancing metallurgical test-work and processing studies for the Auld Creek Project including: Independent review and optimisation of metallurgical test-work Assessment of mineral concentrate options Development of a scoping-level flowsheet Tailings and waste rock study in partnership with tailings & infrastructure specialist Knight Piesold Pitch Black Group has extensive global expertise in processing flowsheet development, including for gold and antimony deposits such as Auld Creek. Underground mining studies Global mining consultancy Mining One has been engaged to undertake underground mining study with scope covering: Advancing the mine concept design to PEA level Development of high level mine plan Entry, ventilation, surface haul roads and stockpile overview Mining One will be working on the underground studies closely with Reefton based Terra Firma Mining who will support with local mining context, health and safety and operationalising our early mine plan. The Company's Vice President Simon Delander said, "Rua Gold is pleased to be able to engage such highly regarded and professional study partners who have strong New Zealand and international experience in designing similar projects, we look forward to advancing Auld Creek to the next stage." ABOUT RUA GOLD RUA GOLD is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, our team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is now focused on maximizing the asset potential of RUA GOLD's two highly prospective high-grade gold projects. The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t. The Company's Glamorgan Project solidifies RUA GOLD's position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand's North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands' Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation's biggest gold mining development project, Wharekirauponga, which is now fully permitted and under construction. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Simon Henderson CP, AUSIMM, a qualified person under NI 43-101 and Chief Operating Officer and a director of RUA GOLD, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained herein. Mr. Henderson has verified the data disclosed herein, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein, by running checks on the location, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions in the technical disclosure herein. Limitations on the underlying data are described in the Reefton Technical Report and such data was independently verified by Abraham Whaanga, BSc, MAusIMM (CP) of RSC. Mr. Henderson has participated in the geochemical sampling, and mapping programs to verify that they have been conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures, and has reviewed the drilling results and procedures undertaken for quality assurance and quality control in a manner consistent with industry practice, and all matters were consistent and accurate according to his professional judgement. This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and specifically include statements regarding: the Company's strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to exploration programs at its Reefton and Glamorgan projects and the results thereof, the timing or results of a PEA or PFS, and the timing or result of an application for a mine permit. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated July 11, 2024, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. ________________________ Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 For the 43-101 Reefton Technical Report, the AuEq calculation was made using a gold price of $US3,000 per ounce and an antimony price of $US25,000 per tonne. Total gravity/float recoveries of 97% for gold and 85% for antimony were used to calculate the Equivalency Factor at 2.15 for EqSb. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286082 Source: Rua Gold Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Syntheia Corp. (CSE: SYAI) ("Syntheia" or the "Company"), a conversational AI technology company, is pleased to announce that, further to an agreement signed on October 3, 2025, CL16, the official lifestyle and apparel brand of Formula 1 Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, has engaged with Syntheia to deploy its AgentNLP Enterprise Conversational AI platform. CL16 will utilize the Syntheia platform to support both human and AI-powered customer engagement experiences, combining intelligent automation with live-agent support. The deployment is designed to enhance customer communications across digital channels by delivering faster response times, improved contextual understanding, and seamless escalation between AI and human representatives when required. AgentNLP enables enterprises to deploy conversational AI agents capable of handling inbound and outbound interactions across voice and digital messaging environments. The platform supports natural language understanding, real-time workflow automation, CRM integration, and compliance-aware communications - allowing brands to scale customer engagement while maintaining high service standards. For global consumer brands such as CL16, the ability to intelligently manage peak traffic periods, order inquiries, product availability questions, and customer service workflows is critical. By leveraging AgentNLP, CL16 can enhance responsiveness while maintaining brand tone, consistency, and operational efficiency. "We are pleased to support CL16 as they implement our AgentNLP platform to enhance their customer engagement strategy," said Paul Di Benedetto, Chief Technology Officer of Syntheia. "Our platform is designed to unify AI and human communications in a way that improves speed, contextual intelligence, and overall customer experience. This deployment demonstrates how global consumer brands can leverage enterprise conversational AI to scale intelligently while preserving brand integrity." The Company believes this engagement further validates the commercial scalability of AgentNLP across international consumer, retail, and lifestyle markets. Syntheia continues to expand its enterprise client base across industries seeking secure, scalable, and intelligent AI-driven communications infrastructure. Further details regarding platform deployment milestones will be provided as appropriate. Cautionary Statement Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286031 Source: Syntheia Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Cambria Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: CAMB) (OTC: AOTVF) ("Cambria" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results from the 2024 and 2025 drilling programs at the Premier Gold Project ("PGP" or "Premier Project"), located in northwestern British Columbia. Highlights include: High grade gold over significant widths in Big Missouri extension drilling, including 15.9m @ 20.75g/t Au & 51.0g/t Ag in hole P25-2695a and 6.9m @ 32.81g/t Au & 13.4g/t Ag in hole P25-2670. in hole P25-2695a and in hole P25-2670. A newly defined target with high-grade gold intercepted proximal to the existing Premier mill facility and outside the current resource area, near the historic Sebakwe mine. Results include: 3.9m @ 16.20 g/t Au & 68.0 g/t Ag in hole P25-2673 and 1.3m @ 32.40 g/t Au & 9.1g/t Ag in hole P25-2683. A total of 26,303 metres of surface drilling was completed in 2024 and 2025 from 135 exploration diamond drillholes. The drill programs focused on infill and extension drilling for the Big Missouri deposit and on new target areas surrounding the Premier-Northern Lights (PNL) deposit. All 2025 drill samples were both prepared and analyzed by ALS Canada Ltd ("ALS"). Reported results from 2024 drilling are from reanalysis by ALS of pulps originally prepared and analyzed at a contracted grade control laboratory in Stewart, BC when the Premier Project was in active operation. "The identification of high-grade gold mineralization proximal to the Big Missouri and PNL deposits demonstrates the strong resource expansion potential at the Premier Gold Project; these results will help inform remodelling work as we redefine Big Missouri's geological potential and the high-grade gold results 600 meters north of the PNL deposit are highly encouraging," said Robert McLeod, President and CEO of Cambria Gold Mines. "Our 2026 drilling program has recently commenced and will target upgrading and expansion of current Mineral Resources." 2025 Exploration Drilling - Big Missouri Extension A total of 3,252 metres over 15 holes were drilled in 2025 to test the southwestern extension of the Big Missouri deposit, yielding multiple high-grade gold intercepts. The highest gold grades are characterized by moderate to intense sulfide mineralization and quartz alteration. The zone remains open along strike and down-dip and will be further evaluated as part of the ongoing exploration work at Big Missouri. Significant intersections include: P25-2659a: 15.9m @ 20.75 g/t Au & 51.0g/t Ag (incl. 6.1m @ 50.13g/t Au & 123.0g/t Ag) P25-2670: 6.9m @ 32.81 g/t Au & 13.4g/t Ag (incl. 2.5m @ 88.24g/t Au & 20.1g/t Ag) P25-2684: 4.0m @ 24.23 g/t Au & 28.8g/t Ag 2025 Exploration Drilling - Sebakwe Extension An additional 11,712 metres within 35 holes were drilled to test new exploration targets in 2025. Drilling resulted in the delineation of a new target zone proximal to the Premier mill facility and associated with a chargeability high, that was identified in previous geophysical survey work. This zone is a potential extension of the historically mined Sebakwe trend located north of the PNL deposit. Grades are associated with structurally controlled sulfide mineralization hosted within quartz veins and cemented breccias, similar to what is observed at the Premier Northern Lights ("PNL") deposit located 600m to the southeast. While the Company's initial focus in 2026 remains on development infill drilling of the known Premier deposits, these results and the wider claim package will continue to be advanced with future exploration follow-up. Significant intersections include: P25-2673: 3.9m @ 16.20 g/t Au & 68.0g/t Ag P25-2675: 2.3m @ 9.61 g/t Au & 50.0g/t Ag P25-2683: 1.3m @ 32.40 g/t Au & 9.1g/t Ag 2024 Big Missouri Infill Drilling 2024 drilling at Big Missouri consisted of 11,339 metres over 85 holes intended to provide close-spaced intercepts within the deposit, aimed to guide mine development planning. All 2024 drill samples were initially prepared and analyzed at a non-accredited grade control laboratory in Stewart, BC when the site was in operation. In 2025, following the transition to care and maintenance, the decision was made to send the 2024 sample pulps for re-analysis by ALS at an ISO:17025 accredited laboratory in North Vancouver to allow for public reporting of drilling results. All reported results contained in this news release are from the analysis completed by ALS. Infill holes generally confirm the grades and geometries indicated by previous nearby drilling. Mineralization at Big Missouri generally occurs within wide, sub horizontal vein breccias. The Company believes these results reinforce the potential for Big Missouri to be remodelled as zones of broader mineralization and higher tonnage than previously envisioned, highlighting the potential for larger-scale open-stoping. The Company also intends to complete additional infill drilling this year to continue improving resource confidence at Big Missouri. Significant intersections from reanalysis of 2024 drill sample pulps include: P24-2558: 8.5m @ 8.45 g/t Au & 41.5g/t Ag (incl. 1.0m @ 15.95g/t Au and incl. 1.75 m @ 18.80g/t Au) and 6.2m @ 7.70 g/t Au & 34.2 g/t Ag P24-2605: 10.0m @ 7.66 g/t Au & 12.2 g/t Ag (incl. 4.8m @ 14.59g/t Au & 16.2g/t Ag) P24-2634: 8.3m @ 9.28 g/t Au (incl. 2.0m @ 32.00g/t Au & 30.0g/t Ag) Figure 1: Plan map of Big Missouri Results To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_001full.jpg Figure 2: Section of Big Missouri Extension Drilling To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_002full.jpg Figure 3: Cross Section of Big Missouri Infill Drilling To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_003full.jpg Figure 4: Plan map of PNL Exploration Drilling & Sebakwe Extension Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_004full.jpg Figure 5: Cross Section of Sebakwe Extension Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_005full.jpg Figure 6: Core photos of Big Missouri Extension Results To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_006full.jpg Figure 7: Core photos of Sebakwe Extension Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4267/286019_39055705b4c4fa45_007full.jpg Table 1: 2024 & 25 Drill Results - Significant Intersections: Program holeid from (m) to (m) Interval (m) ETW1 Au ppm Ag ppm Zn ppm Pb ppm Cu ppm Big Missouri 2025 Extension P25-2658 195.12 197.18 2.1 8.00 22.9 30826 267 1170 P25-2659A 186.79 202.70 15.9 20.75 51.0 35026 1892 5608 210.70 212.70 2.0 23.60 19.6 4900 96 45 P25-2660 123.00 125.00 2.0 64.20 21.9 99 22 29 P25-2663 107.30 109.30 2.0 3.10 4.8 397 197 276 P25-2665 234.86 240.08 5.2 3.44 13.0 2425 287 25 P25-2670 203.90 210.85 6.9 32.81 13.4 1186 414 12 P25-2671 198.00 203.88 5.9 2.28 7.2 4280 170 265 234.36 239.50 5.1 2.64 4.6 1977 307 273 P25-2682 173.00 181.00 8.0 2.10 5.9 5079 265 230 P25-2684 166.54 167.65 1.1 35.80 84.5 28700 3820 3810 175.00 179.00 4.0 24.23 28.8 18275 797 1058 Other 2025 Exploration Drilling P25-2638 220.70 224.27 3.6 2.83 12.7 12676 9182 162 P25-2639 176.00 177.78 1.8 7.05 80.5 17850 8190 346 P25-2645 246.00 252.00 6.0 1.02 2.8 1850 684 38 P25-2646 228.04 238.61 10.6 3.02 3.8 1834 1226 27 254.41 261.48 7.1 3.96 3.9 1233 585 35 P25-2647 230.48 231.63 1.2 14.20 30.8 10750 5010 41 235.60 237.69 2.1 2.24 7.2 2757 1580 39 P25-2648 219.70 223.18 3.5 1.80 8.4 6579 2016 76 250.27 251.64 1.4 5.76 4.1 2840 1430 28 279.37 280.89 1.5 10.25 17.6 79 27 39 P25-2650 252.87 255.72 2.8 8.16 13.7 5877 2912 48 P25-2654 259.16 262.28 3.1 1.67 6.2 7689 3635 196 284.30 286.13 1.8 3.04 4.3 5650 3130 47 P25-2656 316.81 320.90 4.1 1.17 5.8 411 147 73 P25-2667 270.50 276.24 5.7 2.50 46.9 16873 19204 2043 295.30 297.90 2.6 2.95 63.7 57908 38277 2326 P25-2672 287.54 294.95 7.4 1.20 16.9 14187 3053 232 P25-2673 228.11 232.00 3.9 16.20 68.0 30901 23862 1953 P25-2674 235.16 236.68 1.5 5.42 51.1 35100 20500 1100 268.00 272.00 4.0 1.52 19.6 20575 11620 545 286.00 288.00 2.0 4.00 9.9 7270 2040 87 P25-2675 255.90 258.18 2.3 9.61 50.0 82042 19375 1444 P25-2677 29.65 31.65 2.0 19.95 15.3 120 5 22 P25-2679 223.89 230.00 6.1 2.18 55.9 13267 18789 1046 P25-2683 228.30 229.68 1.4 3.38 64.7 23200 34300 1790 239.75 241.00 1.3 32.40 9.1 3630 1065 193 P25-2685 222.66 227.78 5.1 4.49 72.8 25718 17630 1031 Big Missouri 2024 Infill P24-2554 62.22 64.22 2.0 1.9 2.69 5.5 236 122 22 P24-2557 63.47 65.77 2.3 2.3 2.43 18.5 1720 1773 590 P24-2558 92.86 101.40 8.5 7.6 8.45 41.5 38961 15431 355 106.66 112.88 6.2 5.6 7.70 34.2 26989 9945 470 P24-2560 67.00 69.00 2.0 1.8 2.41 6.0 949 536 46 96.10 98.10 2.0 1.8 2.26 19.1 2960 2300 254 115.38 122.00 6.6 6.0 1.74 22.0 4038 2266 697 P24-2563 160.40 171.69 11.3 10.6 1.15 12.9 6210 2334 191 P24-2564 146.00 148.93 2.9 2.7 3.34 4.5 6855 597 75 174.55 178.50 3.9 3.7 2.31 47.5 23092 457 6222 P24-2565 165.29 171.39 6.1 5.7 1.49 3.0 828 461 69 P24-2568 134.03 138.00 4.0 3.9 1.28 1.7 619 178 21 P24-2570 137.00 138.87 1.9 1.9 4.14 3.5 366 263 36 P24-2571 133.32 139.00 5.7 5.6 1.35 5.9 2718 504 27 P24-2578 61.09 62.50 1.4 0.9 10.95 12.5 1385 1240 18 P24-2579 110.47 112.77 2.3 2.0 4.71 13.4 6278 1968 228 P24-2580 130.00 132.40 2.4 1.9 5.22 14.7 30442 919 497 P24-2582 106.97 113.00 6.0 5.6 5.20 38.8 21824 4865 2436 P24-2583 113.50 117.44 3.9 3.4 5.16 32.9 36785 6771 4635 P24-2584 104.50 110.16 5.7 5.2 2.14 17.1 14721 1903 1197 P24-2588 146.00 157.64 11.6 9.2 15.19 17.1 13881 853 694 P24-2589 123.00 137.00 14.0 11.6 2.11 15.5 16319 1310 990 142.50 150.00 7.5 6.2 2.38 30.9 31608 3165 3351 P24-2590 105.00 111.00 6.0 5.6 3.31 828.6 2914 2911 84 P24-2591 113.50 115.27 1.8 1.5 3.42 5.6 1215 353 23 P24-2592 106.05 112.60 6.6 6.1 3.88 8.3 6780 2228 71 P24-2595 36.00 39.00 3.0 3.0 2.00 17.2 1697 572 27 57.00 59.00 2.0 2.0 2.34 3.7 972 210 16 P24-2597 66.00 72.00 6.0 4.3 5.41 8.5 3340 280 35 P24-2598 39.00 40.50 1.5 1.0 11.30 17.2 7990 1155 201 45.50 48.50 3.0 2.0 1.78 5.7 1470 1601 63 P24-2599 31.50 34.50 3.0 2.8 8.28 20.0 3485 1477 113 38.50 42.50 4.0 3.7 1.70 6.9 2031 765 38 52.00 57.41 5.4 5.0 2.15 5.7 2793 874 85 P24-2601 38.50 42.50 4.0 3.7 1.28 15.9 13979 4287 369 P24-2603 54.95 62.00 7.1 6.7 2.91 26.0 16571 1793 201 68.00 70.00 2.0 1.9 3.39 5.6 2730 285 23 P24-2604 55.70 60.11 4.4 4.0 1.50 17.1 27927 1387 189 P24-2605 54.23 64.20 10.0 9.3 7.66 12.2 18863 1758 191 P24-2606 54.42 61.00 6.6 6.1 2.57 18.5 18210 3010 276 P24-2607 55.40 60.40 5.0 4.3 1.87 33.5 5940 925 104 P24-2608 46.42 56.50 10.1 9.6 1.84 17.5 25950 2268 193 111.50 119.50 8.0 7.6 2.54 2.9 2660 374 44 P24-2609 52.37 56.50 4.1 3.8 4.91 7.5 7758 508 85 P24-2610 60.15 66.13 6.0 5.2 1.41 3.6 6407 1070 159 P24-2611 67.50 75.61 8.1 7.4 2.10 3.7 2431 1036 98 109.00 112.50 3.5 3.2 3.00 10.7 2382 1031 63 P24-2612 92.37 96.46 4.1 3.2 5.21 84.7 23281 42495 252 104.50 106.16 1.7 1.3 4.95 17.5 2450 7380 96 116.07 120.07 4.0 3.1 3.13 7.2 3300 1000 77 P24-2613 111.90 113.90 2.0 1.7 2.39 3.6 608 319 11 P24-2615 135.35 138.61 3.3 2.6 3.04 13.7 8482 2101 462 P24-2616 133.35 139.07 5.7 4.6 2.94 5.2 3502 290 92 P24-2617a 145.80 149.80 4.0 3.2 5.91 14.8 16700 1305 1115 P24-2618 145.10 147.90 2.8 2.4 2.66 62.1 20231 5362 4393 P24-2619 121.00 125.50 4.5 3.9 3.51 44.8 22344 5635 2432 P24-2620 57.12 63.00 5.9 4.7 3.92 27.1 13023 4987 711 P24-2621 49.43 59.50 10.1 8.9 2.70 17.4 17424 3381 309 P24-2622 106.23 107.50 1.3 1.2 11.90 155.0 50300 8790 9770 166.00 170.00 4.0 3.8 1.91 4.8 4460 1398 50 178.00 180.00 2.0 1.9 3.02 4.2 1045 246 17 P24-2623 107.56 114.18 6.6 5.9 3.27 10.6 5114 676 259 P24-2624 48.24 54.00 5.8 5.2 1.68 4.9 3399 987 104 104.50 106.50 2.0 1.8 4.14 5.1 2050 227 40 P24-2625 48.65 53.61 5.0 4.1 2.88 16.0 6965 1430 219 P24-2626 47.25 52.00 4.8 4.1 2.76 8.8 4830 1789 166 P24-2627 63.67 67.55 3.9 3.8 1.91 6.5 2110 427 35 130.20 133.59 3.4 3.3 1.68 4.8 3791 383 82 140.00 142.00 2.0 1.9 2.52 5.2 499 129 26 P24-2628 63.59 69.59 6.0 5.7 1.57 4.7 2272 847 53 122.00 128.78 6.8 6.5 1.09 - - - - P24-2629 55.00 57.00 2.0 1.9 34.30 - - - - P24-2632 63.57 72.30 8.7 8.2 1.32 6.4 4958 772 84 P24-2633 67.87 69.00 1.1 1.0 12.80 15.2 8490 1950 41 P24-2634 61.70 70.00 8.3 7.4 9.28 9.8 1907 421 45 P24-2635 51.45 55.00 3.6 2.6 4.57 21.5 5765 3100 457 1. ETW = Estimated True Width Composites are calculated using a 1g/t Au cut off grade with maximum 3m consecutive waste Table 2: Drill collar locations and Hole Orientations Hole ID UTM East (m) UTM North (m) Elevation (masl) Total Depth (m) Year Azimuth Dip P24-2552 436358 6219138 1060.5 128.0 2024 5 -71 P24-2553 436358.8 6219137.6 1060.5 119.0 2024 35 -68 P24-2554 436359 6219137.4 1060.5 119.0 2024 52 -60 P24-2555 436358.74 6219137.2 1060.5 119.0 2024 55 -64 P24-2556 436358.74 6219137 1060.5 120.0 2024 74 -78 P24-2557 436358.74 6219136.9 1060.5 119.0 2024 81 -67 P24-2558 436358.74 6219136.8 1060.5 124.0 2024 84 -48 P24-2559 436358.3 6219136.65 1060.5 120.0 2024 99 -69 P24-2560 436358.6 6219136.5 1060.5 125.0 2024 99 -49 P24-2561 436358 6219136.4 1060.5 131.0 2024 107 -53 P24-2562 436360 6219806 1097.89 169.3 2024 159 -71 P24-2563 436360.64 6219806 1097.89 179.0 2024 181 -75 P24-2564 436359 6219806 1097.89 179.0 2024 183 -71 P24-2565 436358.5 6219806 1097.94 188.0 2024 200 -76 P24-2566 436358 6219807 1097.94 188.0 2024 203 -80 P24-2567 436359.5 6219806 1097.89 170.0 2024 154 -80 P24-2568 436360.7 6219806 1097.94 173.0 2024 116 -80 P24-2569 436361.5 6219806 1097.94 179.0 2024 97 -72 P24-2570 436361 6219807 1097.94 165.0 2024 85 -77 P24-2571 436362.02 6219807 1097.83 177.4 2024 77 -66 P24-2572 436361.6 6219807 1097.94 170.0 2024 67 -60 P24-2573 436361.6 6219808 1097.94 161.6 2024 63 -65 P24-2574 436510.1 6219200.8 988.35 71.0 2024 296 -53 P24-2575 436510.2 6219201 988.35 60.0 2024 307 -63 P24-2576 436510.4 6219201.18 988.35 95.0 2024 321 -46 P24-2577 436510.5 6219201.4 988.35 92.0 2024 322 -48 P24-2578 436510.7 6219201.5 988.35 83.0 2024 339 -48 P24-2579 436427 6219700.6 1062.81 120.3 2024 309 -73 P24-2580 436426.5 6219700.3 1062.81 135.3 2024 299 -64 P24-2581 436426 6219699.5 1062.81 149.0 2024 281 -73 P24-2582 436427 6219698.8 1062.81 149.0 2024 193 -77 P24-2583 436427 6219698.9 1062.81 149.0 2024 193 -66 P24-2584 436428.6 6219698.6 1062.6 149.0 2024 163 -67 P24-2585 436360.29 6219805 1097.94 175.0 2024 135 -69 P24-2586 436362.05 6219807 1097.84 178.0 2024 114 -66 P24-2587 436361.8 6219806 1097.94 175.0 2024 100 -61 P24-2588 436425.6 6219699.5 1062.81 180.0 2024 271 -66 P24-2589 436426 6219698.9 1062.81 182.0 2024 241 -69 P24-2590 436430 6219700.3 1062.81 131.0 2024 42 -63 P24-2591 436430.3 6219700.1 1062.81 152.0 2024 46 -51 P24-2592 436430.5 6219699.6 1062.81 139.9 2024 58 -59 P24-2593 436528.94 6219505.93 996.89 71.0 2024 24 -79 P24-2594 436529.59 6219505.71 996.88 93.0 2024 70 -63 P24-2595 436530.44 6219504.41 996.8 95.0 2024 84 -68 P24-2596 436530.3 6219503.87 996.78 65.0 2024 142 -73 P24-2597 436527.62 6219503.46 996.94 74.0 2024 199 -50 P24-2598 436526.7 6219503.9 996.94 71.0 2024 210 -50 P24-2599 436526.8 6219504 996.94 70.0 2024 212 -79 P24-2600 436526 6219504.5 996.94 70.0 2024 218 -66 P24-2601 436527.27 6219505.76 996.9 80.0 2024 314 -80 P24-2602 436513.09 6219562.5 1009.63 29.0 2024 94 -55 P24-2603 436513.09 6219563.2 1009.63 115.0 2024 74 -59 P24-2604 436513.43 6219563.15 1009.68 135.4 2024 78 -50 P24-2605 436513.25 6219563.2 1009.6 134.9 2024 76 -55 P24-2606 436513.21 6219562.8 1009.62 125.0 2024 87 -54 P24-2607 436513.5 6219563.5 1009.56 136.0 2024 60 -49 P24-2608 436513.1 6219563.5 1009.58 136.0 2024 60 -62 P24-2609 436513.3 6219563.5 1009.59 136.0 2024 60 -54 P24-2610 436427.57 6219700.8 1062.98 140.0 2024 330 -71 P24-2611 436427.57 6219700.71 1062.94 140.0 2024 327 -78 P24-2612 436427.47 6219700.32 1062.81 139.9 2024 323 -62 P24-2613 436427.7 6219700.1 1062.81 140.0 2024 322 -68 P24-2614 436427 6219700.3 1062.81 206.0 2024 295 -59 P24-2615 436426 6219700 1062.81 212.0 2024 284 -67 P24-2616 436426 6219700 1062.81 221.0 2024 288 -68 P24-2617a 436426.5 6219699 1062.81 200.0 2024 258 -66 P24-2618 436425.9 6219699 1062.81 182.0 2024 263 -71 P24-2619 436426.5 6219698.9 1062.81 161.0 2024 221 -70 P24-2620 436513.09 6219563.96 1009.61 70.0 2024 41 -46 P24-2621 436512.85 6219563.91 1009.59 70.0 2024 41 -55 P24-2622 436430.49 6219698.56 1062.32 185.0 2024 146 -63 P24-2623 436428.14 6219698.88 1062.68 186.0 2024 175 -63 P24-2624 436569 6219576 1013.58 129.0 2024 40 -59 P24-2625 436569 6219576 1013.58 131.0 2024 17 -56 P24-2626 436569 6219576 1013.58 130.0 2024 357 -64 P24-2627 436520 6219655 1034 152.0 2024 162 -86 P24-2628 436520 6219655 1034 152.0 2024 237 -86 P24-2629 436520 6219655 1034 152.0 2024 11 -77 P24-2630 436520 6219655 1034 130.0 2024 61 -65 P24-2631 436520 6219655 1034 130.0 2024 90 -68 P24-2632 436520 6219655 1034 88.0 2024 180 -75 P24-2633 436520 6219655 1034 140.0 2024 235 -76 P24-2634 436520 6219655 1034 85.2 2024 268 -78 P24-2635 436569 6219576 1013.58 71.0 2024 330 -58 P24-2636 436569 6219576 1013.58 71.0 2024 328 -66 P25-2637 436976 6213285 481 360.0 2025 83 -62 P25-2638 436976 6213285 481 353.0 2025 82 -70 P25-2639 436976 6213285 481 332.0 2025 101 -64 P25-2640 436976 6213285 481 360.0 2025 96 -72 P25-2641 436976 6213285 481 371.0 2025 113 -65 P25-2642 436976 6213285 481 344.3 2025 118 -74 P25-2643 436976 6213285 481 332.0 2025 35 -68 P25-2644 436976 6213285 481 360.4 2025 45 -79 P25-2645 437195 6213300 555.09 296.0 2025 120 -54 P25-2646 437195 6213300 555.09 291.3 2025 117 -65 P25-2647 437195 6213300 555.09 272.0 2025 111 -70 P25-2648 437195 6213300 555.09 311.0 2025 112 -54 P25-2649 437195 6213300 555.09 275.0 2025 99 -62 P25-2650 436976 6213285 481 344.0 2025 61 -61 P25-2651 436976 6213285 481 350.0 2025 64 -69 P25-2652 436976 6213285 481 296.0 2025 34 -51 P25-2653 436976 6213285 481 336.0 2025 11 -53 P25-2654 436976 6213285 481 350.0 2025 16 -63 P25-2655 436976 6213285 481 350.0 2025 16 -70 P25-2656 434694 6223940 1064 502.0 2025 282 -53 P25-2657 434694 6223940 1064 319.0 2025 283 -72 P25-2658 436222 6218989.6 1033 221.0 2025 15 -67 P25-2659 436222 6218989.6 1033 123.5 2025 28 -58 P25-2659A 436222 6218989.6 1033 251.0 2025 30 -60 P25-2660 436222 6218989.6 1033 200.0 2025 48 -51 P25-2661 436222 6218989.6 1033 180.0 2025 93 -55 P25-2662 436222 6218989.6 1033 155.0 2025 136 -56 P25-2663 436222 6218989.6 1033 200.0 2025 185 -56 P25-2664 436222 6218989.6 1033 185.1 2025 255 -80 P25-2665 436222 6218989.6 1033 257.0 2025 322 -76 P25-2666 436615 6213740 421 401.0 2025 301 -65 P25-2667 436615 6213740 421 383.0 2025 214 -80 P25-2668 436615 6213740 421 368.2 2025 142 -72 P25-2669 434694 6223940 1064 191.7 2025 263 -71 P25-2670 436222 6218989.6 1033 272.0 2025 207 -80 P25-2671 436222 6218989.6 1033 308.0 2025 20 -64 P25-2672 436615 6213740 421 368.0 2025 334 -76 P25-2673 436615 6213740 421 333.9 2025 149 -82 P25-2674 436615 6213740 421 364.0 2025 318 -83 P25-2675 436615 6213740 421 350.0 2025 31 -72 P25-2676 436225 6213879 320 350.0 2025 128 -60 P25-2677 436225 6213879 320 278.0 2025 180 -60 P25-2678 436225 6213879 320 352.0 2025 145 -50 P25-2679 436615 6213740 421 299.0 2025 231 -87 P25-2680 436322 6219660 1092 248.0 2025 22 -65 P25-2681 436322 6219660 1092 215.0 2025 19 -73 P25-2682 436322 6219660 1092 221.0 2025 33 -74 P25-2683 436615 6213740 421 305.0 2025 124 -82 P25-2684 436322 6219660 1092 215.0 2025 61 -73 P25-2685 436615 6213740 421 263.0 2025 253 -82 Composite calculations for Drill Results Composites were calculated using a 1g/t gold (Au) cut off grade and maximum 3m consecutive internal waste. "Including" results are reported at a 10g/t Au cut off grade with maximum 3m waste. Only composites that meet a threshold of 5 Au gram-metres (Au grade x interval thickness) are reported as "significant intervals". Composites were not subjected to "capping" of gold grades. Cambria believes that applying the 200g/t Au top cut used in the feasibility study effective April 15, 2020 for the Premier and Red Mountain Gold Project would have a negligible effect on composite reporting (see the "Premier & Red Mountain Gold Project - Feasibility Study NI 43-101 Technical Report" dated effective April 15, 2020 prepared by Sacre-Davey Engineering Inc. for more information on capping). All reported intervals are down-hole lengths, with true width estimates ranging from 64-99% of the reported interval. True widths are not estimated where there is insufficient geological understanding of mineralization controls. Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Sample Preparation Core samples from the 2024 drill program were prepared and initially analyzed by 30g fire assay at a non-accredited grade control laboratory facility in Stewart BC, operated under contract by SGS to support the ongoing mine operations. The samples were dried and then crushed to specifications of 75% passing 2mm. The core samples were riffle split to 250g and pulverized to 85% passing 75m. Samples did not undergo an internal sample QA/QC screening process to verify sample preparation parameters were achieved. In 2025, all 2024 pulps were sent for reanalysis at ALS Canada's North Vancouver laboratory. ALS re-pulverized the 2024 program pulp samples to ensure samples met specifications and to promote re-homogenization of the sample pulp prior to analytical work. Core samples from the 2025 drill program were prepared at the ALS preparation lab in Terrace, BC. The samples were dried and then crushed to specifications of 70% passing 2mm. Crushed samples were riffle split to 250g and pulverized to 85% passing 75m. Analytical work for all reported 2024 and 2025 results was completed by ALS Canada Ltd. which maintains an internal quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) program and is ISO:17025 certified for the analytical methods used in this release. Pulp splits were sent directly from the two sample preparation facilities to the ALS Canada Ltd. geochemistry laboratory facility in North Vancouver for analysis. Each sample was analyzed for gold by conventional 30g fire assay with atomic absorption finish (Au-AA23) and most samples for multielement analysis by four-acid digest with an ICP finish (ME-ICP61). Samples over 10ppm gold were re-analyzed by an overlimit 30g fire assay with a gravimetric finish (Au-GRA21). Samples over 100ppm silver were re-analyzed with an ore grade method (ME-OG62) which is a four-acid digest method followed by an ICP-AES finish (up to 1,500ppm). Samples over 1,500ppm silver triggered the overlimit silver fire assay method (Ag-GRA21) which used a 30g aliquot and gravimetric finish. Sampling and storage activities are conducted at the Company's secure facility in Stewart, British Columbia. The Company maintained a QAQC program during the 2024 and 2025 drill programs which included the submission and review of coarse blank materials to monitor contamination, certified reference materials to assess analytical accuracy, and quarter-core duplicate samples to infer sampling precision. Qualified Person and Technical Information: The scientific and technical information within this news release was reviewed and approved by Blaine Smit, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration for Cambria Gold Mines Inc. Mr. Smit is a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is of the opinion that the sampling and QAQC practices employed in 2025 met industry standards and results reported within this release are acceptable. While the best practice would be for both sample preparation and analysis to be completed by an accredited laboratory, the QAQC procedures and results for the pulp re-assaying completed by ALS Canada give confidence the reported results for 2024 drilling are also acceptable. To verify the information related to the 2024 and 2025 drilling programs at Premier, Mr. Smit visited the property in January and February of 2026, reviewed assay grades against mineralized core and sample tags, reviewed QAQC methodology and results, and discussed deposit mineralization and geological controls with on site staff. About Cambria Gold Mines Cambria Gold Mines is a Canadian mining company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and its shares trade on the TSX-V under the ticker CAMB and on the OTC under the ticker AOTVF. Cambria is the 100% owner of the Premier Gold mine and Red Mountain Gold Project that are located on Nisga'a Nation Treaty Lands, in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. For more information about the Company, please refer to the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or visit the Company's web site at www.cambriagold.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cambria Gold Mines Inc. Robert McLeod CEO and Director Cautionary Statements : NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information All statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward- looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "targeted", "outlook", "on track" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements in respect of the drilling results leading to the potential extension and expansion; planned drilling for 2026; ability of the Company to accomplish its business objectives and the intentions described herein; and future plans, development and operations of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, risks relating to negative operating cash flows of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; environmental compliance; risks related to outstanding debt; uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to development, production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need to obtain additional financing to finance operations and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; social media and reputation; negative publicity; human rights; business objectives; shortage of personnel; health and safety; the possibility of delay in future plans and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; claims and legal proceedings; information systems and cyber security; internal controls; violation of anti-bribery or corruption laws; competition; tax considerations; compliance with listing standards; enforcement of civil liabilities; financing requirement risks; market price volatility of the common shares; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; the need for exchange approval, and other regulatory approvals and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Cambria's filings with Canadian securities regulators, available on Cambria's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca including the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 24, 2025 in the section entitled "Risk Factors". Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made with regard to: the estimated costs associated with the care and maintenance plans; the tax rate applicable to the Company; future commodity prices; the grade of mineral resources and mineral reserves; labor and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations, the ability of the Company to convert inferred mineral resources to other categories; the ability of the Company to reduce mining dilution; the ability to reduce capital costs; the ability of the Company to raise additional financing; currency exchange rates being approximately consistent with current levels, compliance with the covenants in Cambria's credit agreements; exploration plans; and general marketing, political, business and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Although Cambria believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Cambria can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Cambria does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable laws. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286019 Source: Cambria Gold Mines Inc. Highlights Total revenue of $8.4 million for Q3 2026 Total System-Wide Revenue of $10.0 million for Q3 2026 30% gross profit margin for Q3 2026 Total revenue of $27.1 million for the Nine Months Ended 2026 Total System-Wide Revenue of $30.9 million for the Nine Months Ended 2026 33% gross profit margin for the Nine Months Ended 2026 Segmented revenue for the Nine Months Ended 2026: Vape - B2C: $16.4 million, B2B: $7.8 million Cannabis - B2C: $2.9 million Customer base of over 350,000 registered accounts across online and brick-and-mortar platforms Vaughan, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Delota Corp. (CSE: NIC) (FSE: S62) ("Delota" or the "Company"), a leading Canadian omni-channel retailer of nicotine vape and alternative tobacco products, is pleased to report it has filed its interim consolidated financial statements, management discussion and analysis, and associated certifications (collectively, the "Q3 2026 Filings") for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025. The Q3 2026 Filings may be accessed under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Cameron Wickham, CEO of Delota, commented, "Our third quarter results continue to reflect the short-term impacts of our operational restructuring initiatives that we have been implementing over the past nine months, contributing to an Adjusted EBITDA loss. These ongoing restructuring efforts have streamlined operations, reduced quarter-over-quarter operating expenses and provide for a disciplined approach to growth and cost management. Paired with our strengthened balance sheet and stable System-Wide Revenue, the Company remains firmly positioned to deliver long-term value to shareholders. We are please to have recently launched our new customer referral platform as an integrated enhancement to our loyalty program. This initiative directly supports our strategic emphasis on organic customer acquisition, complementing our proven retention efforts and positioning our omni-channel platform to drive sustainable and incremental revenue growth." Financial Highlights: Total revenue of $8,400,871 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 (" Q3 2026 ") as compared to $10,285,372 for the three months ended October 31, 2024 (" Q3 2025 ") Total System-Wide Revenue of $9,960,255 for Q3 2026 as compared to $10,876,828 for Q3 2025 30% gross profit margin for Q3 2026 as compared to 38% for Q3 2025 Adjusted EBITDA of negative $389,394 for Q3 2026 as compared to positive $380,110 for Q3 2025 Total revenue of $27,117,477 for the nine months ended December 31, 2025 (" Nine Months Ended 2026 ") as compared to $29,927,038 for the nine months ended October 31, 2024 (" Nine Months Ended 2025 ") Total System-Wide Revenue of $30,929,579 for the Nine Months Ended 2026 as compared to $31,820,862 for the Nine Months Ended 2025 33% gross profit margin for the Nine Months Ended 2026 as compared to 40% for the Nine Months Ended 2025 Adjusted EBITDA of negative $396,706 for the Nine Months Ended 2026 as compared to positive $827,258 for the Nine Months Ended 2025 Segmented revenue for the Nine Months Ended 2026: Vape - B2C: $16.4 million, B2B: $7.8 million Cannabis - B2C: $2.9 million Other Highlights: On July 15, 2025, the Company changed its auditor to Horizon Assurance LLP. On July 7, 2025, the Company announced it had entered into agreements with 180 Global relating to the licensing of the 180 Smoke Vape Store brand for retail online sales in Eastern Canada. 180 Global assumed operational functions in Eastern Canada as a result of the retail partnership in exchange for certain service fees and a royalty fee payable to the Company. On April 22, 2025, the Company completed the early redemption of senior secured convertible debentures in the amount of $900,000 plus accrued interest and the security interests and obligations of the Company and its guarantors have been discharged and all pledged securities have been returned to the Company. On February 3, 2025, the Company opened a 180 Smoke Vape Store located at 1530 Albion Road, Unit 51A, Albion Mall, Etobicoke, expanding its retail footprint to 32 locations. On January 22, 2025, the Company announced a change to its fiscal year end from January 31 st to March 31 st . On August 26, 2024, the Company opened a 180 Smoke Vape Store located at 499 Main Street South, Unit 60D, Shoppers World, Brampton. On July 25, 2024, the Company opened a 180 Smoke Vape Store located at 70 Joseph Street, Parry Sound. Select Financial Information The following selected financial information as at and for the nine months ended December 31, 2025 and nine months ended October 31, 2024 are derived from the Company's interim consolidated financial statements. Nine Months Ended December 31, 2025 Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 $ $ Revenue 27,117,477 29,927,038 Net income (loss) for the period (628,905 ) 307,912 Net earnings (loss) per share - basic and diluted (0.02 ) 0.01 Working capital (deficit) (1,784,821 ) (790,654 ) Total assets 12,726,010 15,005,151 Total non-current liabilities 4,131,355 5,968,005 Total liabilities 12,031,054 14,073,814 Share capital 7,832,560 7,832,560 Warrant reserve 99,398 99,398 Contributed surplus 507,513 503,493 Accumulated deficit (7,744,515 ) (7,506,574 ) Shareholders' equity 694,956 931,337 System-Wide Revenue The Company's "System-Wide Revenue" is a non-IFRS financial measure that does not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. This measure is presented to provide readers with additional insight into total sales activity across the Company's network, including sales generated through licensing arrangements where the Company recognizes royalty or fee income rather than gross revenue. System-Wide Revenue should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for revenue prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table presents System-Wide Revenue for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025 and October 31, 2024. Following the Company's change in fiscal year-end, comparative periods are not directly aligned. Three Months Ended December 31, 2025 Three Months Ended October 31, 2024 Nine Months Ended December 31, 2025 Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 $ $ $ $ 180 Smoke - Vape B2C 4,162,992 8,066,701 16,404,573 23,539,666 180 Smoke - Vape B2B 4,824,121 1,875,438 11,601,780 5,603,143 Offside Cannabis - Cannabis 973,142 934,689 2,923,226 2,678,053 Total System-Wide Revenue 9,960,255 10,876,828 30,929,579 31,820,862 System-Wide Revenue includes gross sales generated by franchisees and third-party operators under licensing arrangements with the Company. Under these arrangements, the Company earns income through royalty fees and service fees rather than recording gross sales as revenue. As a result, System-Wide Revenue will not agree to IFRS revenue recognition, which reflects only the fees recognized by the Company under IFRS 15. Adjusted EBITDA The Company's "Adjusted EBITDA" is a non-IFRS metric used by management that does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be fully comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as the net income (loss) reported, before income taxes and other expense (income) items such as finance costs, finance income, gains and losses related to derivative liability valuations, and adjusted for share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization expenses, gains and losses related to the revaluations of its right-of-use assets and lease liabilities and foreign exchange differences. The reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA is presented below. Three Months Ended December 31, 2025 Three Months Ended October 31, 2024 Nine Months Ended December 31, 2025 Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 $ $ $ $ Net income (loss) for the period - as reported (406,235 ) 474,928 (628,905 ) 307,912 Depreciation and amortization 122,496 129,806 375,741 393,698 Interest and accretion expenses 23,173 203,876 156,453 611,721 Stock-based compensation - 2,460 - 10,277 Fair value adjustment of derivative liabilities (65,589 ) (417,743 ) (134,566 ) (464,882 ) Deferred tax recovery (15,945 ) (15,945 ) (47,833 ) (47,833 ) Lease adjustments (53,981 ) (2,592 ) (129,757 ) (5,184 ) Foreign exchange loss 6,687 5,320 12,161 21,549 Adjusted EBITDA (389,394 ) 380,110 (396,706 ) 827,258 About Delota Corp. Delota is the largest omni-channel specialty vape retailer in Ontario with a mission of becoming one of the largest national specialty retailers of nicotine vape and alternative tobacco products. The Company's growth strategy includes aggressively growing its flagship brand, 180 Smoke Vape Store, by expanding its retail footprint organically in Ontario and select provinces across Canada, strengthening its national e-commerce platform, and through strategic M&A to accelerate growth and market consolidation. The Company is committed to expanding its nicotine product assortment, enhancing customer experience, and growing its registered customer base, which now exceeds 350,000 accounts. Investors interested in learning more about Delota can visit www.delota.com. For further information, please contact: Delota Corp. Cautionary Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements or information". Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: anticipate, intend, plan, goal, seek, believe, project, estimate, expect, strategy, future, likely, may, should, will and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include statements made regarding information about future plans, expectations and objectives of the Company overall. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. The Company may not actually achieve its plans, projections, or expectations. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the adequacy of our cash flow and earnings, the availability of future financing and/or credit, developments and changes in laws and regulations, consumer sentiment towards the Company's products, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, government regulations, competition, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions, the impact of technology and social changes on the products and industry, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in disclosure documents filed by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedarplus.ca. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286015 Source: Delota Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) ("LaFleur Minerals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the proposed development of the Swanson Gold Deposit and existing mining lease ("Swanson Project" or the "Project"), confirming a technically straightforward, capital efficient project with significant economic returns. The PEA study was completed by independent global mining, environmental, and sustainability firm Environmental Resources Management ("ERM") Technical Mining Services Group and highlights the significant advantage of leveraging the Company's 100%-owned and refurbished Beacon Gold Mill, an existing C$49 million asset with a proven operating history and a permitted tailings storage facility (TSF) located only 20 kilometres east of the city of Val-d'Or, Quebec, with direct access to CN railway infrastructure (Figure 1). The PEA demonstrates strong resilience by applying a US$2,750/oz gold price for the base case and maintaining leverage to current spot gold prices (~US$5,300/oz) and market conditions. The Project delivers compelling economics with an after-tax IRR of 65% and C$101 million NPV (5%) and an all-in sustaining cost (1AISC) of US$1,569/oz gold. The PEA confirms a robust business case that is cost-effective, low-complexity, and highlights a streamlined path to production leveraging LaFleur Minerals' fully permitted and wholly-owned Beacon Gold Mill, located in trucking distance from the Swanson Project. The PEA delineates strong free cash flow generation through a staged mill expansion to 1,250 tonnes per day (tpd), expected to materially lower operating costs through economies of scale. With a strategic rail-linked mine-to-mill model over the long-term, the Project demonstrates a low-capex, rapid payback, high return profile with significant leverage to rising gold prices, which combined with a meaningful increase in the Swanson Gold Deposit's Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) that supports a seven-year mine life, further bolstering operational resilience. PEA HIGHLIGHTS (All figures are in Canadian Dollars unless otherwise noted) Compelling PEA Economics with Significant Returns at US$2,750/oz Gold (Base Case) Initial capital cost of C$31 million at the Swanson Gold Deposit and Beacon Gold Mill including ongoing restart and recommissioning work. After-tax IRR of 65% and C$101 million NPV (5% ), and a 1.8-year payback. Industry competitive 1AISC of US$1,569/oz demonstrates profitability even at lower gold prices. Updated 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) with 30% Increase in Indicated Mineral Resources The updated 2026 MRE for the Swanson Gold Deposit includes an Indicated Mineral Resource of 2.96 Mt at 1.69 g/t Au for 160.3 koz of contained gold (combined open-pit and underground) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.08 Mt at 1.93 g/t Au for 66.8 koz of contained gold (combined open pit and underground). A 30% increase in Indicated Mineral Resources ounces compared to the 2024 MRE, due to updated cut-off grades (COG) of 0.5 g/t Au using an open pit shell and 1.85 g/t Au using underground MSO shapes. Historical drilling data was validated by a program of 12 diamond drill holes completed by LaFleur Minerals in December 2025, which support the continuity and geological model used in the updated 2026 MRE. The 2026 MRE does not incorporate the positive results of the recently released diamond drill holes (refer to February 4, 2026 press release). Increased Feed Rate at Beacon Gold Mill to 1,250 tpd Improving Economies of Scale Increasing the Beacon Gold Mill's base case capacity to 1,250 tonnes per day (tpd) from its current 750 tpd capacity through the installation of a three-stage crushing circuit followed by a rod, ball, and stirred mill for additional grinding. This would represent a major step-change in throughput costing an estimated C$15 million in upgrades. The 750 tpd mill capacity would be upgraded in a step-wise manner to 1,250 tpd to match the mine output. Additional capital estimated at C$175 million could bring the mill from 1,250 tpd to 3,000 tpd or higher. ERM recommends that if additional mill feed is secured by LaFleur Minerals, a parallel mineral processing circuit of 3,000 tpd or higher could be added to the Beacon Gold Mill to match the secured additional feed from other mining projects. These expansion scenarios have not been evaluated in the current PEA and would be subject to separate technical and economic studies. Equipment suppliers, such as Bumigene Inc and others have already been engaged to support flowsheet optimization and finalize the upgraded plant design to 1,250 tpd. While the expanded configuration will require minimal additional labour, the higher-throughput equipment is expected to significantly improve productivity and reduce operating costs. Historically operating at about C$42/t, the Beacon Gold Mill is forecast to benefit from economies of scale, lowering operating costs to approximately C$28/t with the increased feed rate. Direct Mine-to-Mill Model: Swanson Gold Deposit to Beacon Gold Mill Directly Linked by CN Rail Track, Delivering a Major Logistics Advantage Compared to Other Gold Mining Projects in the Region Utilizing the existing Canadian National (CN) railway track, which passes both, directly through the Swanson Gold Project and next to the Beacon Gold Mill, provides a clear logistical and cost advantage for a larger mining operation, with an estimated rail transport cost of approximately C$5/t compared with C$15/t for regional trucking as reviewed in a recent trade-off study. Rail transportation of mineralized material also offers a lower-carbon, community-safe, and operationally efficient method for moving mill feed. Mineralized material from the Swanson Gold Deposit could be loaded onto a dedicated, nearby rail spur and integrated into an existing manifest train already operating through the site, reducing diesel trucking requirements, limiting road traffic exposure, and enhancing overall environmental performance. Infrastructure Advantages and Proximity to Val-d'Or Enables a Capital-Efficient Owner-Contractor Operation The Swanson Gold Deposit and the Beacon Gold Mill are both in very close proximity to Val-d'Or, a predominant mining camp, and surrounding communities, enabling a practical drive-in/drive-out workforce and eliminating the need for costly camp facilities or remote-site infrastructure and logistics. Swanson is easily accessed via an existing gravel road connected to the provincial highway network and benefits from year-round, all-weather access, allowing operations to be supported directly from the region's well-established mining service hub. This location provides increased availability of skilled trades, contractors, and equipment suppliers, allowing the Project to rely on existing contractor equipment fleets rather than purchasing a complete owner fleet, significantly reducing upfront capital requirements, while improving operational flexibility and maintenance response times. Cautionary Statement on Preliminary Economic Assessment Results The Swanson Gold Deposit is an advanced-stage property with Mineral Resources and indicates potential economic viability based on the assumptions outlined in the PEA. This news release provides a summary of key scientific and technical work and data verification, with full details to be available in a technical report reporting the PEA results in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and filed on the Company's SEDAR+ profile within 45 days. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Paul Teniere, CEO of LaFleur Minerals, commented, "The results of this positive PEA indicate a capital-efficient development pathway for the Swanson Gold Deposit that leverages our nearby Beacon Mill and established infrastructure in the Val-d'Or mining district. With a modest initial capital requirement and mill upgrades and strong projected returns at a US$2,750 per ounce base-case gold price, we believe Swanson has the potential to evolve into a competitive and short-term gold development project within the Abitibi Gold Belt. Our focus now shifts to continued technical optimization, metallurgical and bulk sample validation, and permitting advancement as we evaluate the next phase of growth and progress toward restarting the Beacon Mill in 2026." Figure 1: Regional View of LaFleur's Beacon Gold Mill and Swanson Gold Project To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_ac07e496a4634b89_001full.jpg The PEA has an effective date of February 23, 2026. The economic analysis was completed using an AACE Class 4 capital estimate with an expected accuracy range of 30-40%. No Mineral Reserves have been declared for the Swanson Gold Project. The PEA includes Inferred Mineral Resources and should not be considered a Pre-Feasibility or Feasibility Study. FREE CASH FLOW MODEL AND PROJECT COSTS Free Cash Flow Generated in PEA at 1,250 tpd Base Case The free cash flow model is based on a staged mill ramp-up from 750 tpd in Year 1, to 1,000 tpd in Year 2, reaching 1,250 tpd by Year 3. The Project generates positive cumulative free cash flow early in the mine life, which continues to build steadily, reaching approximately C$188 million by Year 8, after accounting for mine closure activities of roughly C$10 million beginning in Year 7 (Figure 2). Figure 2: Free Cash Flow (Incremental and Cumulative) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_figure2.jpg Project Costs - Total capital costs are estimated at C$31 million including the 1,250 tpd mill upgrade, with an additional C$10 million in sustaining capital over the projected seven-year mine life at Swanson. Operating costs total C$166 million, supported by detailed assessments of labour, equipment, consumables, and materials, and include reclamation activities in years 7 and 8 (Table 1). Table 1: Capital, Sustaining, and Operating Costs Category Capital Costs Operating Costs (name) ($CDN millions) ($CDN millions) Open Pit Mining $2 $58 Rail $2 $13 Mineral Processing $15 $56 Power, Electrical and Instrumentation $4 $6 Site Infrastructure and Support Services $2 $6 Water Management Systems $1 $4 Tailings and Mine Waste Management Facilities $1 $6 Reclamation and Closure - $10 Owners Costs $4 $8 Total $31 $166 Sustaining Capital $10 Capital Costs - Total capital costs are estimated at C$31 million. These capital cost estimates align with AACE Class 4 estimate and incorporate a 15% contingency where appropriate. The capital estimate includes owner's costs for temporary facilities, insurance, freight, spare parts, and commissioning. Sustaining Capital - Sustaining capital totals C$10 million over the seven-year mine life. These costs cover the tailings facility upgrade as well as major equipment replacements and component renewals required during operations. Operating Costs - Operating costs over the seven-year mine life are estimated at C$166 million. These operating costs are supported by detailed assessments of labour, equipment, consumables, materials, and include mine reclamation activities, in years 7 and 8 which are incorporated directly into operating costs. The operating costs can be represented in $/tonne feed (Table 2). Table 2: Operating Costs per tonne feed Category Operating Costs (name) ($CDN/tonne feed) Mining $25 ($2.9/tonne mined) Rail $5 Milling $28 Reclamation $4 G&A $3 Total $65 2026 UPDATED MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE The PEA is supported by an updated MRE (2026 MRE) for the Swanson Gold Deposit completed in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) and NI 43-101 (Table 3). The 2026 MRE includes an Indicated Mineral Resource of 2.96 Mt at 1.69 g/t Au for a total of 160 koz of contained gold, comprising 2.74 Mt at 1.62 g/t Au (142.5 koz) in open-pit configuration and 221 kt at 2.51 g/t Au (17.8 koz) in underground stope (MSO) shapes. The Inferred Mineral Resource includes 1.08 Mt at 1.93 g/t Au for a total of 66.8 koz of contained gold, including 854 kt at 1.75 g/t Au (48 koz) in open-pit areas and 225 kt at 2.60 g/t Au (18.8 koz) in underground extensions (Table 3). All resources are reported in situ, undiluted, within Zone 1-4 lithologies, and exclusive of mineral reserves, with contained ounces calculated using the standard conversion factor (tonnes grade 0.032151). Table 3: 2026 Updated MRE for the Swanson Gold Deposit (Effective date February 23, 2026) Resource Classification Mining Method Tonnes (kt) Au Grade (g/t) Contained Au (koz) Indicated Open Pit 2,735 1.62 142.5 Underground 221 2.51 17.8 Total Indicated Resources 2,956 1.69 160.3 Inferred Open Pit 854 1.75 48.0 Underground 225 2.60 18.8 Total Inferred Resources 1,079 1.93 66.8 MRE Statement Notes: Mineral Resources are reported in situ, undiluted, Zone 1 - 4 lithologies and exclusive of Mineral Reserves. Density Values of 2.9 tonnes/m 3 were assigned where no density in the block model. The resource above has had an open pit shell and underground stope shapes applied and has Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE). The Qualified Person (QP) that assessed RPEEE is James Gardner, P.Eng. (OIQ). Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The open-pit material RPEEE considers all blocks that may generate revenue, even at a small amount in the ultimate pit shell (revenue factor 100), generated using Datamine NPVS. This is not the optimized pit shell that maximizes NPV. The physical constraints that the Lerch Grossman algorithm uses are Rock wall angles of 18 overburden and 45 wall angle. (Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm) stripping ratio and the cost of waste blocks above the required amount to mine the mineralized, making a decision on each block and its unique economics. Revenue, Costs, Recovery, and Dilution applied to blocks: Blocks within the ultimate pit shell had a cut-off-grade COG of 0.5 g/t applied, as shown in the equation below: The cut-off grade applied for RPEEE is the operational grade, which reflects the sunk mining cost of material once in a truck and is the grade at which operations should direct material to a low-grade stockpile, the mill, and keep it out of a waste rock dump. Factors used in the above equation are: Sales price of gold of US$2,500/oz converted to ($/g) minus selling costs, USD/CAD exchange rate of 1.4. Recovery of 90% mining and 84% milling (%). Costs of $40/tonne: comprising $5/t transport, $28/t processing, $4/t reclamation, and $3/t G&A. The Underground resources RPEEE were defined using Datamine's Mineable Shape Optimiser (MSO), which uses an operational cut-off grade and includes assumed operating development costs. At the time of the study, there was not yet enough material underground to warrant inclusion in the PEA's economic assessment. The physical dimensions of the generated stopes are as follows, with a minimum thickness of 5m applied, which relates to mining costs. 5 metres thick, 20-m height and 20-m along strike. The COG calculation was based on a minimum thickness of 5 m for a high-productivity stope using modern equipment. This is not the same as the minimum minable thickness, which is 8ft for high grade deposits and handheld equipment. It is also based on observations about the geologically wireframed geometry of the deposit and what was known at the time of the study. A longhole open stoping, retreat or transverse method was selected. The COG formula above was used with the following assumptions: Sales price of gold of US$2,500/oz converted to ($/g) minus selling costs, USD/CAD exchange rate of 1.4. Recovery of 85% mining and 84% milling. Costs of $147/tonne: comprising $5/t transport, $28/t processing, $4/t reclamation, and $5/t G&A and $105/t mining for longhole. The QPs are not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political, or marketing issues or any other relevant issue not reported in the Technical Report that could materially affect the Mineral Resources Estimate. OPEN-PIT MINE PLAN A Val-d'Or-based contracting company would operate the Swanson Project, which the Company's technical and management team would manage. The operation would use a conventional surface mining method with diesel front-end loaders, three 100-tonne haul trucks, two rotary drills, a bulldozer, an explosives truck, and mine support equipment. The production rate would sustain mill feed at 1,250 tonnes per day or 440,000 tonnes per year. The production schedule is projected at 7 years and shows overburden removal in Year -1 and the gradual ramp up aligned with the mill (Y1-Y3). The average stripping ratio is 7.7 for the life of mine, the average grade each year is labelled in g/t in Figure 3. Annual payable gold ounces by resource category is shown in Figure 4. Figure 3: Mine Schedule To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_figure3.jpg Figure 4: Annual payable gold ounces by MRE categorization To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_figure%204.jpg METALLURGY & PROCESSING The planned processing upgrades at the 100%-owned Beacon Gold Mill, including installation of a three-stage crushing circuit followed by rod, ball, and stirred milling, are designed to increase throughput to 1,250 tpd. By expanding capacity through enhancements to existing infrastructure and within current permit conditions, the Project maintains a low-capital efficient pathway to development without needing to increase the installed hydro-electric power of 4 MW currently onsite. Gold recovery is currently estimated at 84% based on metallurgical testwork completed by Agnico Eagle on the Swanson Gold Deposit in 2009. ERM is advancing the updated 1,250 tpd flowsheet through engagement with Bumigeme and third-party local equipment suppliers. Representative samples, totalling approximately 400 kg from the recent diamond drilling program from the Swanson Gold Deposit have been submitted to SGS Canada for metallurgical testing. The metallurgical program is focused on validating the proposed circuit configuration, optimizing the upgraded flowsheet, and refining the expected gold recovery for the enhanced design. ECONOMIC SENSITIVITY The PEA shows robust economics using a gold price of US$2,750/oz resulting in an after-tax NPV (5%) of C$101M, a 65% IRR, and a 1.8-year payback supported by a Class 4 ACCE estimate. The Project is further enhanced by detailed Bumigeme mill-upgrade estimates based on the current mill restart project that improve confidence to roughly 30-40%. To assess the Project's economic sensitivity to changes in CAPEX, OPEX, exchange rate, and gold price, the Swanson Project's NPV sensitivity to these factors, expressed as a percentage of the base case, is shown in the graph below (Figure 5). The spider chart illustrates how variations in these cost and price parameters, expressed as percentage changes from the base case used in the PEA, impact the Project's after-tax NPV (5%). This sensitivity analysis is essential, as changes to the estimates used at the time of this release may occur over time. A gold price sensitivity range of US $1,925/oz to US $5,000/oz has been applied, reflecting the current spot gold price. Figure 5: Project NPV Sensitivity To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_figure5.jpg STRATEGIC PEA RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT FUTURE INVESTMENT DECISIONS Right-Sizing the Beacon Gold Mill to Align with Resource Growth and Regional Opportunities: This could be achieved by (1) increasing the current resource of the Swanson Gold Deposit through additional diamond drilling along strike and at depth (ongoing), and adding other satellite deposits within the Swanson Gold Project currently undergoing exploration drilling programs for inclusion into an updated MRE and PEA, (2) LaFleur Minerals acquiring advanced gold mining projects either on the verge of, or currently permitted for mining, or (3) by advancing a regional hub-and-spoke strategy where other companies supply feed to Beacon Gold Mill in a custom milling scenario. An additional processing plant circuit should be added that can be designed to meet the size of the additional annual mill feed secured. For example, adding a parallel circuit to process over 3,000 tpd by crushing, grinding, gravity and flotation, to feed the existing cyanidation circuit would incur an estimated capital expense of C$175 million. This circuit would be designed to handle the additional feed beyond the Swanson Gold Deposit and could be used for custom milling (Figures 6 and 7). Metallurgy & Beacon Gold Mill Capacity Growth - Work Underway: Metallurgical test work with SGS and Bumigeme, and third-party equipment suppliers is already in progress to support increasing the Beacon Gold Mill throughput to 1,250 tpd, alongside early evaluation of a potential parallel processing flow sheet and additional ore sorting tests of Swanson mineralized material. Consideration should be made on an ad-hoc basis to future growth and how this would integrate with the 1,250 tpd case proposed in the PEA. Discussions are also in progress about the addition of a separate 3,000+ tpd circuit that would allow feed beyond Swanson and potentially for custom milling purposes. These expansion scenarios have not been evaluated in the current PEA and would be subject to separate technical and economic studies. In addition, LaFleur Minerals is in the final planning stages for an up to 100,000 tonne bulk sample from the Swanson Gold Deposit on the existing mining lease BM 885, with an environmental remediation and closure plan expected to be submitted to the Quebec government by mid-2026. The bulk sample would be transported to the Beacon Gold Mill using trucks and is intended for metallurgical and process validation purposes and is not based on a production decision. Tailings Surface Facility Expansion Planning (Geotechnical, Hydrogeological & Environmental): Environmental baseline work is already advancing, while preparations are underway to launch geotechnical and hydrogeological studies that will support tailings expansion and pit slope design. CN Railway Planning and Collaboration: Active discussions with CN Rail are underway regarding relocation of the existing rail line and installation of a dedicated spur at the Swanson Gold Deposit and ore discharge at the Beacon Gold Mill, aimed at improving haul efficiency and reducing emissions. Figure 6: Beacon Gold Mill To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_ac07e496a4634b89_006full.jpg Figure 7: Beacon Gold Mill To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/286072_ac07e496a4634b89_007full.jpg QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT AND DATA VERIFICATION All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by James Gardner, P.Eng. (OIQ), Principal Consultant, Engineer at ERM and considered an independent Qualified Person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101. The scientific and technical information in this news release has also been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the Company and considered a Qualified Person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101. The QP's have verified the sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the MRE and PEA results disclosed in this release by reviewing the Company's QAQC protocols, core and sample logs, metallurgical test results, original assay certificates, and assay database. The QP's noted no sampling or recovery issues with the technical data that would impact the MRE and PEA results disclosed in this news release. About LaFleur Minerals Inc. LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) is focused on the development of district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d'Or, Quebec. The Company's mission is to advance mining projects with a laser focus on our PEA-stage Swanson Gold Project and the Beacon Gold Mill, which have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The Swanson Gold Project is approximately 18,304 hectares (183 km2) in size and includes several prospects rich in gold and critical metals previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. LaFleur has consolidated a large land package along a major structural break that hosts the Swanson, Bartec, and Jolin gold deposits and several other showings which make up the Swanson Gold Project. The Swanson Gold Project is easily accessible by road allowing direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing its development potential. Lafleur Minerals' recently refurbished Beacon Gold Mill is capable of processing over 750 tonnes per day and is being considered for processing mineralized material from Swanson and for custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects. LaFleur Minerals Inc. 1500-1055 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4N7 Website: www.lafleurminerals.com | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Swanson Gold Project, the contemplated refurbishment and restart of the Beacon Gold Mill, projected production rates, mine life, capital and operating costs, economic returns (including NPV and IRR), development timelines, permitting, financing and other economic and technical parameters. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by words such as "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", and similar expressions. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that the PEA results will be realized. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions, including with respect to Mineral Resource estimates, gold prices, exchange rates, capital and operating costs, metallurgical recoveries, the ability to obtain required approvals, the availability of financing, and the successful refurbishment and operation of the Beacon Gold Mill. Actual results may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties, including those related to resource estimation, cost escalation, commodity price fluctuations, permitting, financing, operational risks and general economic conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements. 1All in Sustaining Costs (AISC) Summary - World Gold Council The World Gold Council's AISC metric captures the cost of sustaining current operations. The PEA estimated at AACE class 4 has included operating costs, site G&A, sustaining capital, project capital including reclamation and remediation, and royalties and Quebec production taxes into AISC. As the Project advances into operations, permitting requirements, community-related commitments, ongoing operational obligations, and sustaining lease payments may become more fully defined and can therefore increase the AISC from early estimates. The AISC excludes income taxes both provincial and federal as well as working-capital changes except for inventory adjustments on a sales basis; all financing charges other than lease-related financing; costs related to business combinations, asset acquisitions, or disposals; and one-time normalizing adjustments such as impairments, major severance costs, or legal settlements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286072 Source: LaFleur Minerals Inc. Life science experts will explore AI integration, regulatory transformation, and sustainable access to innovation DIA, a global non-profit organisation of life science professionals, will bring together stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to discuss improving healthcare system efficiency, international collaboration, and recent developments in EU innovation and regulatory frameworks at DIA Europe 2026 (24-26 March, Rotterdam, the Netherlands). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260302327466/en/ EU Regulatory Reforms and Global Healthcare Innovation to be Focus of DIA Europe 2026 As Europe's leading multistakeholder conference, DIA Europe will bring together over 300 speakers from more than 150 organisations. Participants will include senior representatives from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Commission, national competent authorities, health technology assessment bodies, academia, patient organisations, and over 200 pharmaceutical and industry representatives. The programme will feature over 100 sessions across 11 content tracks, covering topics such as artificial intelligence, real-world evidence, digital transformation of clinical trials, European competitiveness, and reforms under the EU General Pharmaceutical Legislation. "The pace of innovation in healthcare and the unmet needs that drive it demand deeper alignment between all stakeholders involved in the development and regulation of new health technologies," said Pedro Barroca, DIA's Vice President Managing Director for Europe. "At a time of profoundly consequential reforms, DIA's mandate to build bridges and craft clarity in the name of better patient outcomes positions DIA Europe 2026 as a remarkably powerful opportunity to engage the full decision-making ecosystem in a setting built for trust, transparency, and real impact." The Opening Plenary will feature Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the EMA, alongside representatives from the European Commission, pharmaceutical industry, and patient organisations Speakers will share their vision on how Europe can position itself as a global leader in healthcare and life sciences innovation, outlining a timely and forward-looking vision for Europe's future. A high-level panel including Niklas Blomberg (Innovative Health Initiative) and Maria Lamas (AEMPS Director HMA Chair) will explore how Europe can attract and retain R&D investment, strengthen regulatory excellence, foster patient engagement, and reinforce its role in shaping global standards, while ensuring supply chains and patient access. The conference's signature DIAmond sessions will address challenges and developments in European healthcare policy. During the EU Regulatory Town Hall, Emer Cooke will join Francois Houyez (EURORDIS), Gunter Waxenecker (AGES), Nathalie Moll (EFPIA), and Steffen Thirstrup (EMA), for in-depth discussions on EU policy changes and, how to prepare for their implementation. Additional sessions will feature speakers from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, GSK, MSD, Roche, Sanofi, and Novartis, among others, and will focus on global approaches to regulatory systems' digitalisation, sustainability standards, patient engagement, and advancing European healthcare initiatives. DIA Europe 2026 will also introduce programmes to support innovation and inclusion in healthcare. DIA LIFT Start-Up Accelerator Programme (23-24 March) will connect emerging start-ups with regulators and industry experts to support development pathways. Together, these initiatives will help drive innovation, strengthen collaboration, and support inclusive and sustainable healthcare systems. For more information, visit www.diaglobal.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260302327466/en/ Contacts: Dorota Kotarska dorota.kotarska@diaglobal.org Company underscores commitment to trusted model choice, mission continuity, and secure AI flexibility across high-assurance environments MCLEAN, VIRGINIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / CORAS.ai, in response to recent changes affecting access to certain AI technologies across federal agencies, reaffirmed today its commitment to providing secure, flexible, and mission-ready multi-model AI access for defense and civilian government customers. CORAS.ai is fully operational in IL 4/5 (also FedRAMP High, NIPR/SIPR, and other trusted environments), designed to support advanced decision-making, workflow acceleration, and audit-traceable execution across portfolio, program, and mission environments. At a time when federal agencies are reassessing AI options, CORAS.ai remains focused on delivering trusted model choice and access, with secure orchestration and agents. "Recent market changes reinforce why federal and defense customers need secure, flexible access to AI that is not dependent on any single model provider," said Ajay Patel, Chief AI Officer at CORAS.ai. "As a leading AI-native decision intelligence platform trusted across the Department of War, CORAS.ai reaffirms its commitment to delivering secure, multi-model AI capabilities within its FedRAMP High and IL 4/5 certified environments, empowering agencies with choice and flexibility for advanced mission needs. Our platform is architected to integrate diverse frontier models and intelligent automation to enhance decision speed, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that defense and civilian leaders can access the right AI tools to meet mission demands securely and responsibly. We will continue to expand model support and give federal customers the trusted, high-assurance AI options they require to drive operational success across portfolio, program, and execution domains." CORAS.ai believes the future of government AI will require both innovation and optionality. Fully operational in the DoW, CORAS.ai is already advancing a multi-model strategy; ensuring customers can adapt to policy, procurement, and market shifts while maintaining access to enterprise-grade AI aligned with mission outcomes. CORAS.ai is built to provide agencies with data orchestration, exponential productivity in digital workforces, and preserved access to trusted AI capabilities in secure operational settings. CORAS.ai supports multiple frontier models and intelligent automation within high-assurance environments, giving government leaders greater flexibility to align AI tools to mission requirements, security standards, and operational constraints. Through its IL5 Agentic AI decision intelligence platform, CORAS.ai enables agencies to integrate AI into operational workflows with greater transparency, governance, and control. This includes support for mission execution, planning, reporting, and decision support in environments where security, explainability, and continuity are essential. For federal leaders navigating a rapidly evolving AI landscape, CORAS.ai remains committed to one core principle: secure access to the right AI capabilities, in the right environment, for the right mission. About CORAS.ai: CORAS.ai is an AI-native decision intelligence platform built for government and defense missions and is fully operational in government environments at IL5 and FedRAMP High, including NIPR and SIPR. CORAS.ai enables organizations to accelerate decision-making, improve execution, and deploy trusted AI across portfolio, program, and operational domains. Its Agentic Agent, GARY, offers profound ROI and 10-50x productivity. Agencies can acquire CORAS and GARY through GSA, NASA SEWP, SBIR Phase III, Tradewinds AI Marketplace, Carahsoft, and AWS partner channels. Learn more at www.coras.ai. Media Relations: Rebecca Churchill, Ph: 703-214-0076, v-rebecca.churchill@coras.ai SOURCE: CORAS View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/coras.ai-reaffirms-secure-multi-model-ai-access-for-federal-and-defense-missi-1143114 Amprius Technologies, Inc. ("Amprius" or the "Company") (NYSE: AMPX), a leader in next-generation lithium-ion batteries with its Silicon Anode Platform, today announced its schedule for March appearances and activities. Cantor Global Technology Conference Date: March 10-11, 2026 Location: New York Hilton Midtown; New York, NY Event Details: Amprius' CEO, Tom Stepien, and CFO, Ricardo Rodriguez, will meet with investors one-on-one at the event. The management team will also participate in the Battery Storage Technology Panel on Wednesday, March 11th, at 10:40 a.m. ET. If you are interested in attending the panel or scheduling a time to meet with management, please contact your Cantor representative. Canaccord Genuity Sustainability Summit Date: March 12, 2026 Location: Virtual Event Details: Amprius' CEO, Tom Stepien, and CFO, Ricardo Rodriguez, will meet with investors one-on-one at the event. If you are interested in scheduling a time to meet with management, please contact your Canaccord Genuity representative. ROTH Annual Growth Conference Date: March 22-24, 2026 Location: The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel; Dana Point, CA Event Details: Amprius' CEO, Tom Stepien, and CFO, Ricardo Rodriguez, will meet with investors one-on-one at the event. Management will also host a fireside chat on Tuesday, March 24, at 1:30 p.m. PT that will be webcast live and available for replay here. If you are interested in scheduling a time to meet with management, please contact your ROTH representative. International Battery Seminar and Exhibit Date: March 23-26, 2026 Location: Rosen Shingle Creek, Booth 907; Orlando, FL Event Details: Amprius will exhibit at booth 907. Amprius CTO Dr. Ionel Stefan will present on Wednesday, March 25, at 11:05 a.m. and 4:55 p.m. ET. His first presentation, at 11:05 a.m., is titled "Silicon-Anode Platform Integration Achieving Enhanced Power and Capability." His second presentation, titled "Extending Mission Endurance: Silicon-Anode Batteries for Next-Generation Aviation and Defense", at 4:55 p.m., will be part of the Battery Technologies for Military and Aerospace Applications. Members of the Amprius Management and Business Development teams are available for one-on-one meetings. If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with the business development team, please contact sales@amprius.com. If you are an investor attending the event and interested in connecting with management, please contact ir@amprius.com. XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 Date: March 23-26, 2026 Location: Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre, Hall 1 Booth E64; Dusseldorf, Germany Event Details: Amprius will exhibit at booth E64. Members of the Amprius Management and Business Development teams are available for one-on-one meetings. If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with the business development team, please contact sales@amprius.com. If you are an investor attending the event and interested in connecting with management, please contact ir@amprius.com. About Amprius Technologies, Inc. Amprius Technologies, Inc. is a leader in advanced lithium-ion battery technology, delivering high-energy and high-power silicon-anode batteries with up to twice the energy density, range, and flight time of conventional graphite-based cells. Headquartered in Fremont, California, Amprius operates an R&D lab and pilot manufacturing facility for silicon anodes and cells. To support scalable production, the Company employs a contract manufacturing strategy, enabling rapid capacity expansion with minimal capital investment. Committed to driving innovation in energy storage, Amprius powers next-generation applications in aerospace, defense, and mobility. For additional information, please visit amprius.com and the Company's LinkedIn page. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303359872/en/ Contacts: Investors Tom Colton, Greg Bradbury Gateway Group, Inc. 949-574-3860 IR@amprius.com Media Zach Kadletz, Brenlyn Motlagh Gateway Group, Inc. 949-574-3860 Amprius@Gateway-grp.com JACKSON, WYOMING / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / Kultura Brands, Inc. (OTCID:LTNC) ("Kultura" or the "Company"), formerly known as Labor Smart, Inc., today announced that it has established a dedicated brokerage account with E*Trade from Morgan Stanley, to facilitate board-approved investment activities, including the potential purchase of its common stock in the open market, subject to applicable securities laws and regulations, including SEC and FINRA requirements, as well as the Company's internal compliance policies. The establishment of this account enhances the Company's capital markets infrastructure and provides a structured and compliant mechanism for executing authorized transactions. The account enables Kultura to evaluate capital allocation opportunities efficiently while maintaining appropriate governance, documentation, and oversight. The Company believes this capability strengthens financial flexibility as operational execution advances and reporting metrics continue to develop. Subject to Board authorization and regulatory compliance, the Company may from time to time evaluate share repurchases if management and the Board determine that market conditions and available capital warrant such action. Any such purchases would be conducted in accordance with applicable securities laws, trading policies, and market conditions. There can be no assurance that any repurchases will occur. Scott Darnell, Chairman of the Board, stated, "Kultura is continuing to build the infrastructure necessary to operate as a disciplined and execution-focused public company. Establishing this brokerage capability provides an additional capital stewardship tool with appropriate controls and governance. I am also encouraged by our operational momentum. The rollout of Adios in Atlanta is fully underway as a team of seven including myself joined RDNC, and we are already seeing trailer reorders happening. Combined with our pace of execution, this progress positions the Company for continued advancement, at a rapid pace. We will release the names of Atlanta store locations as soon as final confirmation is received from RDNC, including confirmation of on-shelf placement and in-store activation." Brad Wyatt, Chief Executive Officer of Kultura Brands, commented, "This brokerage account represents an important strategic capability as we continue strengthening operational performance and reporting measurable results. As we advance the Company and continue to improve transparency and execution, the ability to evaluate share repurchases in compliance with SEC and FINRA regulations may serve as a disciplined capital allocation tool. Our focus remains on operational execution, responsible governance, and long-term value creation for shareholders." About Kultura Brands, Inc. Kultura Brands, Inc. (OTC:LTNC) is a consumer-focused company dedicated to brand development and strategic market expansion. The Company is actively executing rollout initiatives, including the Adios launch in Atlanta and multiple other high-density markets in the coming weeks, with additional updates to follow as milestones are achieved. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding potential share repurchases, capitalization adjustments, future retirement or issuance of shares, operational rollout initiatives, product delivery timelines, financial performance, revenue growth, strategic direction, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements may include words such as "may," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," "plans," "projects," "predicts," "potential," or similar expressions. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions regarding future events and business performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied due to various risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to meet projected operational targets; market conditions affecting capital allocation decisions; regulatory considerations under SEC, FINRA, and OTC Markets rules; liquidity constraints or capital requirements that may necessitate additional share issuances, reserves, increases in authorized shares, or use of preferred securities; timing of product rollout and customer activation; changes in applicable laws or regulations; risks described in the Company's public disclosures with OTC Markets; and general economic and market conditions. Any potential share repurchases may be made from time to time or not at all at the Company's discretion and are subject to Board authorization, regulatory compliance, market conditions, and capital needs. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. Investor & Media Contact Kultura Brands, Inc. Email: IR@KulturaBrands.com www.kulturabrands.com SOURCE: Kultura Brands, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/food-and-beverage-products/kultura-brands-inc.-otcid-ltnc-establishes-brokerage-account-to-support-1143089 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Kirkland Lake Discoveries (TSXV: KLDC) (OTCID: KLKLF) ("KLDC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated December 18, 2025, the Company has completed its previously announced acquisition of the Mirado Gold Project (the "Acquisition"). "The acquisition of the Mirado Gold Project is a pivotal step for Kirkland Lake Discoveries. While the historical data is compelling, we believe we've only scratched the surface of what this property truly holds. By securing a 100% undivided interest, we now have the flexibility to aggressively test high-priority targets and expand the known footprint of the deposit. Our team is eager to get the drills turning and demonstrate the significant exploration upside we see at KL South" stated Stefan Sklepowicz, CEO of KLDC. Acquisition Terms The Company entered into a purchase agreement with Orecap Invest Corp. ("Orecap") on December 16, 2025, pursuant to which the Company acquired a 100% undivided interest in the mineral claims collectively known as the Mirado Property, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances. As consideration for the Acquisition, KLDC issued 40,582,767 common shares of the Company ("Consideration Shares") valued at $0.215 per Consideration Share, equivalent to 19.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of KLDC calculated immediately following closing of the Acquisition. The Consideration Shares are subject to a statutory four-month hold period expiring on July 3, 2026, as well as a contractual lock-up period of 12 months. No finder's fees were paid in connection with the transaction. For further details regarding the Acquisition, please see the news release of the Company dated December 18, 2025 available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. About Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV: KLDC) has assembled a 400-km2 exploration portfolio in the Kirkland Lake region of Ontario's Abitibi Greenstone Belt, one of the most prolific mining districts in the world. The Company's properties span key fault zones, geophysical anomalies, and volcanic-sedimentary contacts within the Blake River Group, a highly prospective assemblage known to host both gold and polymetallic massive-sulphide deposits. With exploration permits now in place, KLDC is positioned to advance a strong pipeline of drill-ready targets at KL South, KL East and KL West, supported by multiple anomalous soil trends, historical mineral showings, and structurally controlled intersections. The team combines strong technical experience with a focus on smart, efficient exploration designed to deliver results. Building on exciting drill results from Summer 2025, KLDC has initiated a 25,000m drill program following up on drill-ready targets at our KL West site. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things, the Company's proposed acquisition of the Mirado property, future drill programs, the results thereof, and the potential for new discoveries. 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. The Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286097 Source: Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Execution of a non-binding commercial LOI with Jundu, Brazil's most established industrial silica sand producer for extraction, processing and sale of high-purity silica sands from Santa Maria Eterna (SME) Silica Sand District in Belmonte, Bahia, Brazil. This Commercial LOI updates the November 2024 MOU (see news release) with Jundu, setting down the terms for a district-level partnership, introducing bulk price ranges and collective target volumes of up to 365,000 tonnes per year into two specific end-markets: solar glass and HPQ purified silica for advanced applications. Jundu and Homerun are developing a formal industrial partnership at SME, with responsibilities allocated across supply, extraction and processing, and an option to construct new silica processing plant inside Homerun's industrial complex to accelerate scale and reduce capital intensity. The LOI defines commercial terms and volume profiles that are intended to underpin the Bankable Feasibility Study for Homerun's planned antimony-free solar glass manufacturing facility within the SME industrial complex. The LOI supports rapid scaling of supply using Jundu's existing infrastructure and upgrade capabilities, further delivering on the milestones enunciated under Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Homerun's Business Plan - supply, extraction, processing and logistics to revenues. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR) (OTCQB: HMRFF) ("Homerun" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has executed a non-binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Jundu Ltda. ("Jundu") for the extraction, processing and sale of high-purity silica sands from Santa Maria Eterna (SME) Silica Sand District in Belmonte, Bahia, Brazil. Jundu, is Brazil's most established industrial silica sand producer. Both Homerun and Jundu hold CBPM Lease assets in the SME District, and Jundu currently operates silica processing infrastructure with the capacity to invest quickly in upgraded processing capacity in support of large-scale silica sales brought forth by Homerun. Under the LOI, Homerun has invited Jundu to become a contributing partner for the supply of high-purity silica sand from their leases in the SME Silica Sand District, in particular for Homerun's planned solar glass plant and associated secondary processing operations. Homerun's forecast demand for the SME industrial complex is approximately 365,000 tonnes per year, and the LOI envisages that Jundu will be responsible for: Extraction and Processing (initially washing and sizing) of the silica sand, with the possibility of installing an updated facility within Homerun's industrial complex to maximize capital efficiency and market competitiveness. Annual silica sand supply from Jundu's own SME leases of a minimum of 50,000 tonnes per year (up to the 365,000 tonnes per year projected total), with the balance extracted at Homerun's discretion from Homerun's SME leases. Across these initiatives, the LOI contemplates a projected volume of around 365,000 tonnes per year, across silica sales to third parties, silica for advanced purification by Homerun and silica for Homerun's solar glass plant. This Jundu LOI is a key deliverable under both Phase 1 (commercial SME District Control) and Phase 2 (development of logistics and production to revenues) of Homerun's Business Plan Roadmap and aligns with the Company's commitments under its 40-year lease agreement with Companhia Baiana de Pesquisa Mineral ("CBPM"). By defining commercial structures, price ranges and volume ramps with a large, existing industrial partner with processing capability, the LOI is intended to support the development of the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for Homerun's planned solar glass manufacturing facility at Santa Maria Eterna. The above diagram shows how this LOI fits into Homerun's Corporate Strategy Structure and completes the first Industrial silica sales channel. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4082/286093_cc2fd796d45729f8_001full.jpg Brian Leeners, CEO of Homerun, commented, "Advancing from an MOU to a structured commercial LOI with Jundu is a major de-risking event for Homerun. It gives us a clear, scalable path to secure and process the high-purity silica we need, with a partner that already understands this district and this product and has an extensive business in the Brazilian silica market. These commercial terms are designed to feed directly into our Bankable Feasibility Study for the Santa Maria Eterna solar glass plant and, just as importantly, they facilitate a rapid move from the BFS to construction and then to meaningful cash flow. For our shareholders, this LOI is about converting potential into an executable, large-scale industrial plan in partnership with one of the most credible silica players in Brazil." About Jundu Ltda. (https://jundu.com.br/) Jundu Ltda. is a leading Brazilian producer of industrial minerals, with a primary focus on high-purity quartz sand and other non-metallic minerals used in glass, foundry, chemical, ceramic, construction and energy markets. Jundu is jointly owned by Sibelco, a global material solutions company specializing in industrial minerals, and Saint-Gobain, one of the world's largest building materials and construction-solutions groups. Through this ownership structure, Jundu combines local operational depth with the technical, commercial and ESG standards of two industry-leading multinationals, positioning the company as a highly respected, large-scale partner for demanding silica applications such as premium solar glass. About Homerun Homerun is building the silica-powered backbone of the energy transition across four focused verticals: Silica, Solar, Energy Storage, and Energy Solutions. Anchored by a unique high-purity low-iron silica resource in Bahia, Brazil, Homerun transforms raw silica into essential products and technologies that accelerate clean power adoption and deliver durable shareholder value. Silica: Secure supply and processing of high-purity low-iron silica for mission-critical applications, enabling premium solar glass and advanced energy materials. Solar: Development of Latin America's first dedicated 1,000 tonne per day high-efficiency solar glass plant and the commercialization of antimony-free solar glass designed for next-generation photovoltaic performance. Energy Storage: Advancement of long-duration, silica-based thermal storage systems and related technologies to decarbonize industrial heat and unlock grid flexibility. Energy Solutions: AI-enabled energy management, control systems, and turnkey electrification solutions that reduce costs and optimize renewable generation for commercial and industrial customers. With disciplined execution, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to best-in-class ESG practices, Homerun is focused on converting milestones into markets - creating a scalable, vertically integrated platform for clean energy manufacturing in the Americas. FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accthe adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286093 Source: Homerun Resources Inc. AEF launches expert Advisory Board to accelerate its battery materials strategy. Chair and US specialty-chemical executive appointed; further members to follow as projects advance. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - AE Fuels Corporation (TSXV: AEF) (OTCQB: NRGFF) ("AEF" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the formation of the AEF Commercial Advisory Board under the leadership of Mr. Joe Kaderavek. Gary Lewis, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company said: "As inaugural Chair of the AEF Commercial Advisory Board, Joe Kaderavek brings over 30-years' experience operating at the highest level in the resources, advisory and investment sectors, including projects centered on energy transition metals, battery technologies, renewables, EVs, smart networks and other disruptive technologies. Joe is an Engineer and a Chartered Financial Analyst and has deep connections within industry and government in Australasia and North America. AEF will benefit greatly from his insights and expertise." The Advisory Board provides independent, multidisciplinary guidance to support AEF's pathway to becoming a leading North American producer of high-purity battery materials. It expands the expertise available to the AEF Board as the Company progresses from development into chemical production. The overriding objective in forming the Advisory Board is to drive shareholder value via the collective experience of its members, which will be critical to understanding key risks and opportunities as the South Woodie Woodie Manganese Project and the Fluorite Ridge Fluorspar Project advance towards production. AEF has additionally appointed Mr. Tyson Hall to the Commercial Advisory Board. With extensive US executive, commercial, and technical experience in specialty chemicals and advanced materials, Mr. Hall will help guide the Fluorite Ridge Project toward the appropriate chemical and battery markets. Tyson is a Chemical Engineer and has previously led businesses ranging from $100 million to $3 billion per year, most notably Albemarle Corporation's global bromine business as well as Albemarle's global lithium franchise, the world's largest. AEF will draw on the diverse skills of Mr. Kaderavek and Mr. Hall and expects to appoint additional specialist members to the Advisory Board in the coming months. Engagement of Red Cloud as Market Maker The Company also announces that it has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud") for Red Cloud to provide marketed stabilization and liquidity services to the Company. Red Cloud is a Toronto-based financial services company that provides assistance to mineral exploration and mining companies in accessing capital markets and enhancing their corporate profile. As part of the services to be rendered to the Company, Red Cloud will use best efforts to maintain (i) a reasonable and consistent bid and offer spread for the Company's common shares, and (ii) a reasonable board lot size for the bid and the offer of the Company's common shares. The Company has retained Red Cloud for an indefinite term. Either party may terminate the agreement with 30 days' notice. In consideration for the services, the Company will pay Red Cloud a cash fee of $5,000 per month, with the first three months paid in advance, starting on March 1, 2026. Red Cloud will not receive any securities of the Company as compensation. The services to be provided by Red Cloud will mainly be rendered by Adam Smith. Red Cloud and Mr. Smith are arm's length parties to the Company. Red Cloud and Mr. Smith do not currently have any interest in the Company or the securities of the Company, but Red Cloud and Mr. Smith may acquire securities of the Company in connection with the market-making services. The funds to be used for the market-making services will be provided by Red Cloud in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. The engagement of Red Cloud is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Grant of Deferred Share Units and Performance Share Units The Company also announces that it has granted 600,000 deferred share units (each, a "DSU") and 400,000 performance share units (each, a "PSU") to certain directors and officers of the Company. The DSUs will vest on the 20th business day after the holder ceases to be an eligible person under the Company's equity incentive plan, subject to a minimum vesting period of 12 months after the date of grant. The PSUs will vest on the date that is 12 months after the date of grant, subject to the achievement of certain corporate and technical key performance indicators. Once vested, each DSU and PSU entitles the holder to acquire one common share of the Company. The DSUs and PSUs were issued pursuant to the terms of the Company's 10% rolling equity incentive plan. The Company's equity incentive plan and the grant of DSUs and PSUs are subject to shareholder approval at the next annual and general shareholder meeting of the Company. Debt Settlement The Company also announces that it has entered into debt settlement agreements with certain arm's length creditors and Mark Wise, a director of the Company's subsidiary Advanced Energy Fuels, Inc., (collectively, the "Creditors") to fully settle debt owed by the Company to the Creditors in the aggregate amount of $234,293.75 for outstanding fees by the Company issuing an aggregate of 937,175 common shares of the Company to the Creditors at a deemed price of $0.25 per common share (the "Debt Settlement"). The Debt Settlement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The shares to be issued to the Creditors will be subject to a hold period expiring on the date that is four months and one day after the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws. The participation of Mark Wise in the Debt Settlement, in the amount of 100,000 shares to be received by Mr. Wise under the Debt Settlement, constitutes a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). There will be no material change in the outstanding securities of the Company that are held by Mr. Wise as a result of the Debt Settlement. The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation and minority shareholder approval in connection with the participation of the related party in the Debt Settlement in reliance on the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as the fair market value of the insider participation does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The directors of the Company unanimously approved the Debt Settlement. No materially contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director of the Company in relation thereto. On behalf of the board of directors of the Company: Gary Lewis, CEO and Director About AE Fuels Corporation AE Fuels Corporation (AEF) is a battery materials company focused on the extraction and purification of minerals critical for the batteries that power electrification and energy storage. AEF has a multi-asset portfolio strategically located in tier one jurisdictions with manganese projects in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia and fluorspar prospects in New Mexico in the USA. Manganese and fluorspar are essential raw materials to multiple high-growth industries and are designated critical minerals in Australia, US and EU due to their importance to energy security and clean technology supply chains. AEF is advancing development activities aimed at delivering reliable, allied-sourced supply of these materials to reduce US dependence on high-risk or non-aligned jurisdictions. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated 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 the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the scope, timing and results of the pre-feasibility study and environmental baseline studies; the scope, timing and results of metallurgical testwork and process development; the potential production of High-Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (HPMSM), and/or electrolytic manganese metal (EMM), including suitability for battery and precursor specifications; exploration activities and exploration results; potential changes to mineral resources; and the Company's business objectives and strategy. Forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates and assumptions as of the date of this news release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: results of exploration, metallurgical and engineering work; assumptions underlying technical and economic studies; commodity price and market volatility; availability of financing on acceptable terms; permitting and environmental approvals; operating and capital cost assumptions; and general economic, market and business conditions. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286000 Source: AE Fuels Corporation EQS-News: Benzinga / Key word(s): Environment/Green Birchtech Completes Uplisting Following Patent Victory And Expanded Water Business 03.03.2026 / 14:35 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. By Meg Filppin, Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - March 3, 2026 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Birchtech Corp. (AMEX: BCHT), the cleantech company focused on sustainable air and water treatment, debuted on the NYSE American exchange after uplisting from the over-the-counter market, following the completion of a reverse stock split and announcing a public offering of about 6.25 million shares of common stock. The public offering of 6,250,000 shares of common stock was at an assumed price of $2.40 per share, valuing shares at a total of about $15 million based on the last reported sale price on January 9, 2026. Getting Primed For Uplisting In late December, Birchtech announced its board of directors had approved a 1-for-5 reverse stock split , which was intended to improve the stock price and support its planned uplisting. "This reverse stock split is expected to elevate the company's capital market profile, which we believe will enable us to unlock access to the largest pool of institutional capital in the world, which we believe positions us to broaden our reach and enhance liquidity," said Richard MacPherson, President & CEO of Birchtech Corp., when announcing the reverse stock split. The company is now trading on the NYSE American exchange under the symbol "BCHT." Settlement Money On The Way The capital raise and subsequent uplisting couldn't come at a better time for Birchtech and its investors. The company, which has made a name for itself taking toxins out of the air and, more recently, the nation's water supply, has been making progress on both fronts. Take its air purification business for starters. Birchtech just received the final judgment in its patent lawsuit , which dates back to July 2019 and was once composed of 43 defendants, including four major power utilities and numerous refined coal companies. While the company was initially awarded $57 million, it expects the final judgment to be $78 million, which would be on top of the capital it just raised in the stock sale. Not only does this give Birchtech more firepower - which the company says it will use to fund expansion in the water purification market - it also enables it to increase market share across the U.S. coal-fired power fleet, which has the potential to double over the next couple of years, reports Birchtech. As the company seeks to establish solid business relationships with utilities currently using and others believed to be using its patented technologies for mercury emissions capture, Birchtech expects to gain numerous new licenses and/or supply contracts, which typically extend between 3-5 years, reports the company. Water Is Flowing Then there's its water treatment business. After three years of hard work and innovation, Birchtech's water treatment solutions business is up and running with purchase orders totaling $0.9 million from a mid-Atlantic power utility. The company also inked a deal with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. (CEC) to provide testing to its utility customers and said it has a pipeline full of potential water treatment solutions projects with utilities. Birchtech's entrance into the water treatment industry comes at a time when concerns are rising that water utilities may be in need of more effective and cheaper ways to remove contaminants from water sources. That's particularly true of the ones found to be especially harmful, including so-called "forever chemicals" like PFAS. These contaminants are linked to low birth rates, increased cancer risks and high blood pressure in pregnant women, among many other things. Birchtech is ready for more investor attention in 2026 as it expands its business and its balance sheet. Armed with a potential $78 million settlement and a $20 million offering, the company has laid its plans to have the firepower to take advantage of demand for cleaner air and water. To learn more about Birchtech, click here. Featured image from Shutterstock . This content was originally published on Benzinga . Read further disclosures here . This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. View the original release on www.newmediawire.com AM Best has commented that the Financial Strength Ratings of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of "aa" (Superior) of the main rated insurance subsidiaries of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (Zurich) (Switzerland), as well as the Long-Term ICR of "a+" (Excellent) of Zurich (a non-operating holding company), remain unchanged following the announcement on March 2, 2026, that Zurich has made a binding offer for the acquisition of Beazley plc (Beazley). Under the terms of the offer, Zurich would acquire the entire share capital of Beazley for a total consideration of circa USD 11 billion and will be funded by Zurich via a combination of existing cash, new debt, and an equity placing. Zurich estimates that the transaction will have a manageable Swiss Solvency Test (SST) impact of approximately -30 percentage points. At year-end 2025, the group reported a healthy SST of 259%. The transaction is subject to approval from Beazley's shareholders, and subsequently, the applicable regulatory and competition authorities. If the offer is accepted, the transaction would combine two highly complementary businesses and would establish a leading, global specialty platform, leveraging Beazley's existing Lloyd's of London presence. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings Assessments AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com Copyright 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303043172/en/ Contacts: Ben Diaz-Clegg Associate Director, Analytics +44 20 7397 0293 ben.diaz-clegg@ambest.com Mahesh Mistry Senior Director, Head of Analytics +44 20 7397 0325 mahesh.mistry@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318 al.slavin@ambest.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - BrandPilot AI Inc. (CSE: BPAI) (OTCQB: BPAIF) ("BrandPilot" or the "Company"), a performance marketing technology company focused on eliminating inefficiencies in digital advertising, today announced the launch of SearchIQ, a new capability designed to help advertisers measure and optimize brand visibility across large language model and generative AI search environments. As consumer discovery shifts from traditional search links to AI-generated responses, brands face growing challenges in understanding how they are represented, ranked, and referenced within generative platforms. SearchIQ provides actionable intelligence into brand presence, competitive positioning, and sentiment across AI-driven search experiences, enabling advertisers to identify visibility gaps and refine digital strategy before performance is impacted. "Search behavior is evolving rapidly," said Brandon Mina, Chief Executive Officer of BrandPilot AI. "As AI-generated answers increasingly shape purchasing decisions, brands need independent intelligence into how they appear inside these systems. SearchIQ extends our validation framework into generative environments, helping advertisers protect influence and competitive positioning." SearchIQ complements BrandPilot's existing AdAi and ClickRadar capabilities, expanding the Company's role as an independent performance and validation layer across paid search, traffic quality, and now AI-driven discovery. BrandPilot expects to begin phased enterprise deployments during 2026 as advertisers seek greater clarity, accountability, and control in increasingly automated digital ecosystems. BrandPilot expects to begin phased enterprise deployments of SearchIQ in April 2026 as part of broader engagements focused on improving advertising efficiency, visibility, and competitive performance in AI-first environments. About BrandPilot AI BrandPilot AI (CSE: BPAI) is a performance marketing technology company headquartered in Toronto, focused on identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in digital advertising for global enterprise brands. The Company's core capabilities include AdAi, which eliminates cannibalistic branded search spend that inflates costs without driving incremental value; ClickRadar, which compiles forensic bot-detection reports to reclaim refunds associated with invalid traffic; and SearchIQ, which enables brands to measure and optimize their presence across generative AI search platforms. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the business of BPAI. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans", and similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected development, deployment, functionality, commercial adoption, and enterprise rollout of the LLM Visibility capability, anticipated demand for AI search visibility intelligence, the Company's ability to expand its performance validation ecosystem, and the expected benefits of integrating LLM Visibility with AdAi and ClickRadar. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: variability in advertiser adoption of LLM Visibility the evolving nature of large language model platforms and generative AI search technologies; changes in digital advertising and AI-driven discovery platforms; competitive developments; regulatory changes affecting AI technologies; and the Company's ability to successfully commercialize and scale new capabilities. Although management believes the assumptions underlying forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update them except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Neither the Canadian Securities 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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286098 Source: BrandPilot AI Inc. HONG KONG, Mar 3, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - MMG Limited ('MMG', stock code: 1208) has today announced its 2025 Annual Results, delivering record revenue and profit. The exceptional result reflects disciplined operational and financial management, supported by favourable commodity prices.Watch the Message from CEO:https://drive.google.com/file/d/17KFqXpd_2sjdZDKfBBMBv1ee09Zic-e6/view'usp=drive_linkSafety is MMG's first value and the Company recorded a Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) of 2.06 per million hours worked for the full year 2025. The Significant Events with Energy Exchange Frequency (SEEEF) was 0.80 per million hours worked, up slightly from 0.78 per million hours worked in 2024.Total earnings reached record highs. EBITDA rose to US$3,412.1 million, while EBIT increased to US$1,999.1 million. MMG also generated record net operating cash flow of US$2,689.5 million and free cash flow of US$1,608.1 million. Net profit after tax increased to US$955.2 million (US$509.4 million attributable to equity holders), up from US$366.0 million (US$161.9 million attributable to equity holders) in 2024.'We ended the year strongly, delivering an excellent finish in terms of our operational and financial performance,' said MMG's CEO Ivo Zhao. 'This included Las Bambas achieving their second-highest annual copper production, up 27 per cent from 2024, with records set for annual ore mined, ore milled and overall recovery rates.'MMG's balance sheet is now substantially stronger, with reduced net debt and a gearing ratio at a record low of 33 per cent. This included the Las Bambas joint venture (JV) dividend payment, which facilitated the early repayment of US$500 million in Khoemacau borrowings. The remaining funds were used to repay other debts, deleverage the company's balance sheet and support the early stages of Khoemacau's expansion.MMG's total copper production rose 27 per cent year-on-year to 506,899 tonnes, driven by technology, innovation and stable operation across both pits at Las Bambas. Las Bambas contributed US$4,447.0 million in revenue (49 per cent year-on-year growth), contributing the largest share of the Group's revenue growth. Total zinc production increased by six per cent to 232,060 tonnes, underpinned by a record year at Dugald River. Precious metals production at Rosebery also performed well.'While we remain mindful of the dynamic market environment, we are focused on delivering our growth plans and harnessing emerging technologies to drive long-term value for shareholders,' said Mr Zhao. 'An important contribution to MMG's growth pipeline is our Khoemacau Expansion project. Our plan is to increase annual production capacity to 130,000 tonnes of copper in copper concentrate by 2028, with the potential for 200,000 tonnes over time.'During 2025, the Company's market capitalization exceeded HK$100 billion, including strong demand for its first convertible bond.MMG's 2025 Annual Results Report is available here.Las BambasKhoemacauDugald RiverRoseberyKinseverePhoto download link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o9ArIgbJSAT2z1UCt8ttB69L9l9jiebx'usp=drive_linkAbout MMGFounded in 2009, MMG's vision is to create a leading international mining company for a low carbon future. The company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and Hong Kong and Beijing, China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX1208).MMG's portfolio supports copper, zinc and cobalt production, with soon to be nickel ' products that are critical to achieving global decarbonisation and electrification targets. With operations in Australia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Latin America, the company makes a direct contribution to the economic and social development of its host countries.In 2025, MMG released its first nature strategy and progressed a refresh of its climate strategy. MMG's membership of the UN Global Compact further aligns the company with global leaders on human rights, climate action, and governance.Source: MMG LimitedCopyright 2026 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Koulou Gold Corp. ("Koulou" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the 2025-2026 drill program at the Sakassou Project, located in central Cote d'lvoire. Gold assays results from 10 diamond drillholes (DDH) totalling 3,256 metres of drilling and 36 reverse circulation (RC) drillholes, totalling 3,770 metres of drilling have been completed in February 2026 with a particular focus on the Bravo West prospect to test extent at depth and along strike. Drilling Highlights Significant intercepts include: BWRC25-028: 7.0m at 9.06 g/t Au from 61.0m, including 4.0m at 15.78 g/t Au 7.0m at 9.06 g/t Au from 61.0m, including 4.0m at 15.78 g/t Au BWDD25-002: 26.0m at 1.68 g/t Au from 127.0m, including 8.0m at 3.93 g/t Au 26.0m at 1.68 g/t Au from 127.0m, including 8.0m at 3.93 g/t Au BWDD25-008: 4.0m at 10.19 g/t Au from 83.0m 4.0m at 10.19 g/t Au from 83.0m BWDD25-003: 3.0m at 13.42 g/t Au from 177.0m 3.0m at 13.42 g/t Au from 177.0m BWDD25-010: 4.0m at 8.22 g/t Au from 166.0m 4.0m at 8.22 g/t Au from 166.0m BWDD25-001: 27.0m at 0.95 g/t Au from 95.0m 27.0m at 0.95 g/t Au from 95.0m BWDD25-007: 14.0m at 1.59 g/t Au from 245.0m, including 4.0m at 3.13 g/t Au 14.0m at 1.59 g/t Au from 245.0m, including 4.0m at 3.13 g/t Au BWDD25-003: 17.0m at 1.29 g/t Au from 257.0m, including 3.0m at 3.82 g/t Au 17.0m at 1.29 g/t Au from 257.0m, including 3.0m at 3.82 g/t Au BWDD25-006: 39.0m at 0.49 g/t Au from 193.0m 39.0m at 0.49 g/t Au from 193.0m ERC25-034: 13.0m at 0.95 g/t Au from 70.0m Figure 1. Map of Auger results & historical drilling (left) and summary of the 2025-2026 drill results (right) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9971/285994_2a706ed8c4204b44_002full.jpg These results highlight high grade, vein hosted mineralisation within broader zones of gold bearing sulphide dissemination, consistent with a robust orogenic gold system. Mineralisation and associated quartz veining are preferentially hosted within immature, medium grained to locally conglomeratic sandstone horizons, which are intercalated with siltstone units. Echo South: Discovery of a New Mineralised Structure Drilling at Echo South has identified a new mineralised corridor beneath a 50-metre-wide gold-in-saprolite anomaly defined by 2025 auger drilling (see press release dated November 25, 2025). Notably, hole ERC25-034 returned 13.0m at 0.95 g/t Au from 70.0m. Gold mineralisation is hosted in quartz veining with silicification and chlorite alteration, preferentially developed within a magnetic sandstone unit. Bravo West: Strike Extended to 2.5 Kilometres and Remains Open At Bravo West, RC drilling extended the mineralised trend by an additional 1.2 kilometres towards the northeast along strike, increasing the total strike length to approximately 2.5 kilometres (Figures 1 and 2). The Bravo structural corridor remains open towards the northeast for an additional 1.7 kilometres until the eastern boundary of the Sakassou permit. The diamond drilling program confirmed two parallel mineralised structures at Bravo West, highlighted by 26.0m at 1.68 g/t Au from 127.0m including 8.0m at 3.93 g/t Au from 140.0m (BWDD25-002), and demonstrated continuity of the main structure to 360m vertical depth (Figures 1 - 3). The main mineralised trend appears to thicken toward the northeast, while Au grades, although consistently distributed, tend to moderate. This is supported by intercepts of 39.0m at 0.49 g/t Au from 193.0m (BWDD25-006) and 31.0m at 0.41 g/t Au from 208.0m (BWDD25-008) (Figures 1-3). Gold mineralisation at the Bravo West trend is primarily hosted within quartz stockwork veining developed preferentially within, and along the margins of, deformed sandstone and conglomerate horizons. Two styles of visible gold have been identified in diamond drill core: Visible gold hosted within quartz carbonate tourmaline pyrite pyrrhotite biotite extensional to hybrid veins with locally stockwork, accompanied by sericite, chlorite, and silicification alteration halos, preferentially developed within deformed sandstone and conglomerate units. Visible gold disseminated in the altered matrix of a deformed conglomerate horizon, indicating that the inherent permeability of sandstone and conglomerate lithologies may influence hydrothermal circulation and gold grade distribution. Alex Ruggieri, CEO of Koulou, commented, "The 2025-2026 drilling results continue to demonstrate the scale and fertility of the Sakassou gold system. We have expanded Bravo West to 2.5 kilometres of strike, confirmed continuity to 360 metres depth, and identified parallel structures, including the discovery emerging at Echo South. With several high-priority untested targets, we believe we are just beginning to understand the full potential of this emerging gold system." Figure 2. Bravo West plan map highlighting 2025-2026 drilling results To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9971/285994_2a706ed8c4204b44_005full.jpg Figure 3. Bravo West long section (500 m slice thickness) highlighting 2025-2026 drilling results To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9971/285994_2a706ed8c4204b44_006full.jpg Table 1. Summary of 2025-2026 Au composite results at Sakassou. (Significant intercepts were generated in Seequent Target software using the following specifications: minimum composite grade: 0.25 g/t Au, minimum composite length: 3.0m, cutoff grade: 0.25 g/t Au, maximum internal dilution length: 3.0m) Reported intercepts are downhole lengths and are not necessarily true widths. HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Grade*Thickness (g/t Au * m) BWDD25-001 20 27 7 1.24 8.71 and 95 122 27 0.95 25.57 BWDD25-002 127 153 26 1.68 43.68 incl. 140 148 8 3.93 BWDD25-003 85 88 3 2.21 6.63 and 177 180 3 13.42 40.25 and 257 274 17 1.29 21.87 incl. 257 260 3 3.82 BWDD25-004C 335 340 5 2.28 11.41 BWDD25-005 273 290 17 0.65 11.01 475 498 23 0.61 13.98 BWDD25-006 193 232 39 0.49 19 BWDD25-007 148 154 6 0.89 5.34 and 245 259 14 1.59 22.3 incl. 248 252 4 3.13 BWDD25-008 83 87 4 10.19 40.77 and 158 167 9 0.76 6.81 and 219 238 19 0.44 8.43 BWDD25-009 211 228 17 1.16 19.77 BWDD25-010 166 170 4 8.22 32.86 and 388 403 15 0.81 12.19 BWRC25-024 27 32 5 3.17 15.83 BWRC25-028 61 68 7 9.06 63.4 incl. 61 65 4 15.78 BWRC25-039 12 31 19 0.55 10.38 BWRC25-040 85 95 10 0.82 8.18 BWRC25-041 38 51 13 0.52 6.77 BWRC25-048 97 100 3 3.33 9.98 ERC25-034 70 83 13 0.95 12.41 Table 2. Drill collar table of reported drillholes from the 2025-2026 drill programs (CRS: WGS 84/ UTM Zone 30N) Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation (m) Azimuth Dip Depth (m) Target BWDD25-001 208862 805760 243 135 -50 190.7 Bravo West BWDD25-002 209007 805578 246 315 -50 306.5 Bravo West BWDD25-003 208451 805002 221 315 -50 307.7 Bravo West BWDD25-004C 208835 805913 239 135 -50 390.2 Bravo West BWDD25-005 208664 805078 226 315 -50 507.7 Bravo West BWDD25-006 209133 805739 243 315 -50 285.7 Bravo West BWDD25-007 208724 805296 238 315 -50 280.05 Bravo West BWDD25-008 209282 805873 234 315 -50 250.4 Bravo West BWDD25-009 208856 805448 242 315 -50 271.8 Bravo West BWDD25-010 208929 805375 243 315 -50 465.5 Bravo West BWRC25-023 209363 806225 228 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-024 209375 806139 228 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-025 209464 806046 226 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-026 208747 805707 241 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-027 208791 805661 243 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-028 208914 805832 243 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-029 208982 806037 239 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-030 209026 805990 240 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-031 209124 806163 236 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-032 209312 806558 230 315 -45 87 Bravo West BWRC25-033 209356 806515 234 315 -45 102 Bravo West BWRC25-034 209580 806289 229 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-035 209671 806199 228 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-036 209555 806596 240 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-037 209600 806551 240 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-038 209792 806921 249 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-039 209986 806729 238 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-040 210029 806683 236 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-041 210140 806856 237 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-042 210186 806811 235 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-043 210627 806931 224 315 -45 96 Bravo West BWRC25-044 210649 807224 225 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-045 210966 807168 225 315 -45 98 Bravo West BWRC25-046 209419 806093 226 315 -45 130 Bravo West BWRC25-047 209407 806465 235 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-048 209447 806423 235 315 -45 130 Bravo West BWRC25-049 209494 806374 233 315 -45 120 Bravo West BWRC25-050 210073 806634 233 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-051 210235 806764 233 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-052 210918 807210 223 315 -45 100 Bravo West BWRC25-053 211011 807124 227 315 -45 78 Bravo West BWRC25-054 209493 806377 234 135 -45 120 Bravo West ERC25-033 207888 809357 240 315 -45 120 Echo ERC25-034 207947 809301 243 315 -45 172 Echo ERC25-035 208003 809245 246 315 -45 117 Echo ERC25-036 206937 810598 233 270 -45 100 Echo Project Portfolio Overview Sakassou Project (396.9 km) Located within the Bouafle Greenstone Belt, 35 km from Perseus Mining's Yaoure Mine (3.58 Moz Au resources). Sakassou hosts multiple high-priority targets, including the Bravo West discovery, where Koulou previously drilled 2.38 g/t Au over 33m (2021). Kouto Project (298.5 km) Situated in the Boundiali-Syama Belt, adjacent to major deposits including Sissingue, Syama, Kone, and Aurum's 2.41 Moz Boundiali resource. Koulou has made a grassroots discovery with intercepts including 27m at 4.16 g/t Au and 38m at 0.94 g/t Au. Gontougo Project (1,021 km) Comprising the Assuefry and Koun-Fao permits, Gontougo shares structural and geological characteristics with Endeavour's Assafou discovery (4.6 Moz Au M&I). Previous work outlined a 15 by 3-kilometre gold-in-soil anomaly, representing a large-scale, untested target in a highly fertile geological setting. Figure 4. Regional geology with significant gold deposits, and Koulou project locations To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9971/285994_2a706ed8c4204b44_008full.jpg *Perseus Mining Limited. (2025). Mineral Resources & Ore Reserves as at 30 June 2025. **Resolute Mining Limited. (2025). Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource Statement at 31 December 2024. ***Montage Gold Corp. (2025). Kone Project - Reserves & Resources; Mid-Year Exploration Update. ****Aurum Resources Limited. (2025). Boundiali Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire; ASX Addendum to the 2025 Annual Report - Mineral Resource Estimates. *****Endeavour Mining plc. (2024). Assafou Project - Positive PFS Results. Qualified Person Mr. Arnaud Fontaine, P.Geo. (APGO #3570), PhD, consultant to the Company, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this release. About Koulou Gold Corp. Koulou Gold Corp. is a private mineral exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The Company holds the rights to eleven exploration permits and applications totaling 3,255 km across highly prospective greenstone belts in Cote d'Ivoire. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, 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/285994 Source: Koulou Gold Corp. New insights demonstrate that the barrier to entry for sophisticated cybercrime has collapsed Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the leading connectivity cloud company, today published its inaugural 2026 Cloudflare Threat Report. This report draws on the expertise of the Cloudforce One threat research team and the scale of Cloudflare's global network to spotlight a fundamental rewiring of the modern cyberattack. The data reveals that threat actors are using DDoS attacks of unprecedented scale, leveraging AI systems to exploit vulnerabilities, and continuing to strike at traditional weak spots like email to find ways to "log in" versus "break in." The 2026 report arms security teams against emerging threats, detailing the tactics and trends behind the 230 billion threats Cloudflare blocks on average each day. With AI making it easier for anyone to launch sophisticated attacks, threat actors are moving faster than ever. They are not just crashing websites; they are quietly infiltrating payroll systems and tricking software into trusting them. Security is no longer about keeping strangers out, it's about proving that the users inside your network are who they say they are. "Hackers thrive on the gaps left by fragmented, stale threat intelligence. At Cloudflare, we've built the largest and most comprehensive global sensor network that gives us a front-row seat to threats invisible to everyone else," said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. "By sharing this intelligence with the world, we're plugging the gaps and shifting the advantage back to the defenders. The result is a safer, more reliable Internet, where it is fundamentally more difficult and expensive for hackers to operate." Over the past year, Cloudforce One has analyzed trillions of network signals and threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to uncover the most common attack vectors, nation-state espionage tactics, and the real-world impact of AI on cyberattacks. Key findings include: AI Erases the Technical Barrier to Entry to Launch Attacks: Threat actors are using Large Language Models (LLMs) to map networks in real-time, develop new exploits, and create hyper-realistic deepfakes. Cloudforce One tracked a threat actor who leveraged AI to help identify the location of high-value data. This allowed the actor to compromise hundreds of corporate tenants high-volume SaaS applications that allow multiple organizations to share resources in one of the most impactful supply chain attacks seen. Threat actors are using Large Language Models (LLMs) to map networks in real-time, develop new exploits, and create hyper-realistic deepfakes. Cloudforce One tracked a threat actor who leveraged AI to help identify the location of high-value data. This allowed the actor to compromise hundreds of corporate tenants high-volume SaaS applications that allow multiple organizations to share resources in one of the most impactful supply chain attacks seen. Chinese Threat Actors Trade Broad Attacks for Precision Strikes State-sponsored actors, specifically Salt Typhoon and Linen Typhoon, have shifted focus toward North American telecommunications, government entities, and IT services. These actors are shifting from traditional espionage to persistent pre-positioning the act of installing code on the network or system of a rival state to allow for future attacks within U.S. critical infrastructure. State-sponsored actors, specifically Salt Typhoon and Linen Typhoon, have shifted focus toward North American telecommunications, government entities, and IT services. These actors are shifting from traditional espionage to persistent pre-positioning the act of installing code on the network or system of a rival state to allow for future attacks within U.S. critical infrastructure. Corporate Identities are Being Hijacked: North Korean operatives are using AI-generated deepfakes and fraudulent IDs to bypass hiring filters, embedding state-sponsored workers directly into Western corporate payrolls. Using U.S.-based "laptop farms," these threat actors are masking their true location. North Korean operatives are using AI-generated deepfakes and fraudulent IDs to bypass hiring filters, embedding state-sponsored workers directly into Western corporate payrolls. Using U.S.-based "laptop farms," these threat actors are masking their true location. DDoS Attacks Surpass Human Response Capabilities: Large-scale botnets like Aisuru have evolved into nation-state level threats capable of taking down entire country's networks. With record-breaking attacks reaching 31.4 Tbps, these high-speed strikes now demand fully autonomous defenses. "Threat actors are constantly changing tactics, finding new vulnerabilities to exploit and ways to overwhelm their victims. To avoid being caught off guard, organizations must shift from a reactive posture to one fueled by real-time, actionable intelligence," said Blake Darche, head of threat intelligence, Cloudforce One at Cloudflare. "This report is a North Star for understanding the scale of attacks, and how threat actor aggression and techniques are shifting. The message to defenders is simple: lead with intelligence or risk falling behind in a race where the stakes have never been higher." To learn more about the 2026 Cloudforce One Threat Intelligence Report please check out the resources below: 2026 Cloudforce One Global Threat Report Cloudforce One About Cloudforce One Driven by a mission to help defend the Internet, Cloudforce One leverages telemetry from Cloudflare's global network, which protects approximately 20% of the web, to drive threat research and operational response, protecting critical systems for millions of organizations worldwide. About Cloudflare Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET) is the leading connectivity cloud company. It empowers organizations to make their employees, applications and networks faster and more secure everywhere, while reducing complexity and cost. Cloudflare's connectivity cloud delivers the most full-featured, unified platform of cloud-native products and developer tools, so any organization can gain the control they need to work, develop, and accelerate their business. Powered by one of the world's largest and most interconnected networks, Cloudflare blocks billions of threats online for its customers every day. It is trusted by millions of organizations from the largest brands to entrepreneurs and small businesses to nonprofits, humanitarian groups, and governments across the globe. Learn more about Cloudflare's connectivity cloud at cloudflare.com/connectivity-cloud. Learn more about the latest Internet trends and insights at https://radar.cloudflare.com. Follow us: Blog X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "explore," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words, or other similar terms or expressions that concern Cloudflare's expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the capabilities and effectiveness of Cloudforce One and Cloudflare's other products and technology, the benefits to Cloudflare's customers from using Cloudforce One and Cloudflare's other products and technology, Cloudflare's plans and objectives for the 2026 Cloudflare Threat Report, Cloudflare's global network, and Cloudflare's products and technology, Cloudflare's technological development, future operations, growth, initiatives, or strategies, and comments made by Cloudflare's CEO, head of threat intelligence, and others. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in Cloudflare's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Cloudflare's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 26, 2026, as well as other filings that Cloudflare may make from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Cloudflare undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Cloudflare may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in Cloudflare's forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on Cloudflare's forward-looking statements. 2026 Cloudflare, Inc. All rights reserved. Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and other Cloudflare marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303235760/en/ Contacts: Cloudflare, Inc. Daniella Vallurupalli Vice President, Head of Global Communications press@cloudflare.com Milestone Signals Transformation into Dedicated Nuclear Manufacturing Hub to Support Westinghouse's Global Supply Chain Mangiarotti S.p.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric UK Holdings Limited, has changed its corporate name to Westinghouse Electric Italy S.p.A. This step is the company's latest milestone in its transformation into a dedicated state-of-the-art nuclear manufacturing hub to further strengthen Westinghouse's global supply chain. Westinghouse Electric Italy employs approximately 300 highly skilled professionals and is now positioned for significant growth supporting AP1000 and AP300 projects worldwide, including in the United States, Poland and Bulgaria. In addition, Westinghouse Italy specializes in nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) heavy equipment manufacturing, is involved in global fusion projects, and expects to play a part in the relaunching of Italy's nuclear program. "Completing the transformation of our Italian manufacturing operations into a fully nuclear facility comes at a pivotal moment as Westinghouse continues to strengthen its global supply chain to deliver multiple AP1000 projects across North America and Europe," said Luca Oriani, President, APX, Westinghouse. "With outstanding talent and unmatched manufacturing capabilities, Westinghouse Electric Italy is ready to provide our customers with critical expertise, products and services to drive new nuclear projects around the world." Westinghouse has a longstanding relationship with Italy, dating back to 1957 with the contract to build the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Power Plant in Trino. Enrico Fermi was Italy's first nuclear power plant and the third commercially operated pressurized water reactor in the world. Founded in 1930, the company began its operations in Friuli Venezia Giulia by repurposing explosives from World War I and World War II. The company eventually expanded into mechanical components for hydroelectric dams, entered the oil and gas sector in the late 1960s, and joined the nuclear industry through the acquisition of Ansaldo Camozzi in 2007. Westinghouse acquired the company in 2014. Westinghouse Electric Company is the future of energy, providing reliable, innovative nuclear technologies and services globally. Westinghouse pioneered commercial nuclear power, delivering the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957. The company has industrialized more nuclear reactors than any other company, with its technology forming the basis of half of the world's operating nuclear plants. More than 140 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303418744/en/ Contacts: media@westinghouse.com Collaboration will give gynecologists the first FDA-approved option for addressing post-surgical intrauterine adhesions. KARL STORZ, a global leader in endoscopic technology, and Womed SAS, the France-based uterine health company developing innovative intrauterine treatments, today announced a strategic distribution partnership, under which KARL STORZ will serve as the exclusive U.S. distributor of Womed Leaf, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating women with intrauterine adhesions, also known as Asherman syndrome. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225129925/en/ Womed Leaf resorbable adhesion barrier is intended to reduce the reoccurrence and severity of post-surgical adhesion formation inside the uterus following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis. The resorbable polymer film acts as a temporary physical barrier within the uterine cavity, naturally degrading and painlessly discharged without the need for removal. Its simple, IUD-like placement supports ease of use across hospitals, ambulatory surgical settings, and offices with minimal training. Clinical studies have demonstrated the product's safety, tolerability, and effectiveness in reducing the severity of intrauterine adhesion after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis compared with no prevention method.* "Intrauterine adhesions represent a significant clinical challenge in gynecologic surgery, particularly for women facing infertility and recurrent procedures," states Michael Hendershot, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Urology and Gynecology at KARL STORZ United States. "By partnering with Womed, we are bringing a clinically validated, patient centered solution to the U.S. market while further strengthening our comprehensive hysteroscopy portfolio serving our clinicians and patients." "This partnership with KARL STORZ in the United States marks a major milestone for Womed and the global availability of Womed Leaf," said Gonzague Issenmann, Chief Executive Officer of Womed. "KARL STORZ's deep clinical expertise, strong customer relationships, and leadership in hysteroscopic technology make them the ideal partner to expand access to Womed Leaf and improve outcomes for women affected by intrauterine adhesions." The addition of Womed Leaf complements KARL STORZ's full suite of diagnostic and operative hysteroscopy solutions, reinforcing the company's commitment to delivering clinically meaningful innovations that address real unmet needs. With this collaboration, KARL STORZ continues to position itself as a trusted, patient-first partner in minimally invasive hysteroscopic surgery-offering a complete, integrated portfolio that supports physicians seeking to improve patient care. Fertil Steril. 2024;122(6):1124-1133. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.07.020. The Womed Leaf trademark is owned by Womed SAS. About KARL STORZ KARL STORZ is a global leader in endoscopic technology, providing innovative visualization and surgical solutions across a wide range of medical specialties. With a strong commitment to education, clinical collaboration, and patient outcomes, KARL STORZ continues to advance minimally invasive surgery worldwide. Learn more at www.karlstorz.com. About Womed Spun out of academic research at the University of Montpellier, France, Womed is the uterine health company developing products based on its disruptive, proprietary, polymer technology platform, designed for intrauterine implantation and local active ingredient administration. Its first product, Womed Leaf, is a drug-free medical device designed to treat and prevent the bonding of uterine walls, which occurs in one in five women treated for miscarriage. Womed's pipeline of intrauterine drug delivery products include intended treatments for fibroids, endometriosis and acute uterine bleeding. Learn more at www.womedtech.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225129925/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Susan Mancia Marketing Communications KARL STORZ North America 657-385-5285 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Oxygen therapy is a lifeline for people living with chronic lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis. It reduces hospitalizations and improves quality of life. Yet across Canada, access to medically necessary oxygen therapy depends on where a person lives, inconsistent qualification criteria and, in some cases, one's ability to pay. The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF) is calling on health authorities to designate supplemental oxygen therapy as an essential medicine that is publicly funded so those who need it can breathe, regardless of their postal code and ability to pay. The World Health Organization has designated medical oxygen therapy as an essential medicine and human right. CPFF and the PF community, say it is time for Canada to do the same; upholding the country's commitment to universal health care and aligning with global standards. "We are hearing from patients across our support groups who are facing significant barriers to accessing oxygen due to inconsistent qualification criteria and out-of-pocket costs. No patient should be denied essential medical therapy because of geography or financial circumstance." said Sharon Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. "Our research shows that 50% of health care professionals say provincial guidelines don't allow them to prescribe oxygen therapy to all of their patients who need it. We know that when people get the oxygen they need, their quality of life improves and the burden on the health care system is reduced, both financially and in capacity." Approximately 7.5 million Canadians live with some form of lung disease; 30,000 alone live with pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and irreversible lung disease that causes scarring and thickening of lung tissue. In addition, Canadians living with connective tissue diseases like lupus and scleroderma have up to a 30% chance of developing PF, leading to reliance on supplemental oxygen as well. Blood oxygen levels in many of these individuals fall well below the normal saturation level of 95-100%, leaving them dependent on supplemental oxygen in order to get through each day. Yet some provincial criteria can require saturation levels to be under 90% before supplemental oxygen can be prescribed. Approximately 14% of those needing oxygen bear the burden of paying for at least part of it themselves just to breathe without difficulty according to CPFF's Access to Oxygen in Canada Report. CPFF invites all Canadians to help them advocate for important changes in their provinces and urge federal health authorities to provide adequate funding so everyone who needs it gets equitable access to oxygen therapy. Details of this important initiative can be found at CPFF's Action Centre. Classify oxygen as an essential medicine on Canada's national formulary Ensure equitable federally funded public coverage in every province and territory, reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients and families Modernize qualification criteria so patients can access oxygen when clinically needed (PF patients need significantly more oxygen on exertion than those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), yet that is what most criteria is based upon) Eliminate unnecessary re-qualification hurdles that disrupt care like the Province of Ontario A study conducted in Ontario reported that $2.58 in healthcare and societal costs are saved for every $1 invested in oxygen therapy. That can be extrapolated to an estimated 258% return on investment across Canada. "Providing oxygen to those patients who need it, may help to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and improves our patients' quality of life," says Dr. Giovanni Ferrara, respirologist and senior attending physician in Respiratory Disease at the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and Alberta Health Services, in Edmonton, Alberta. Steven Pattison and family participate in the 2025 CPFF Hope Breathes Here Walk for Pulmonary Fibrosis in Edmonton, building awareness and calling for better oxygen access across Canada. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9969/285972_5646a0c1545839a5_001full.jpg ### The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a registered Canadian charity established to provide hope and support for people and their families affected by pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a debilitating and incurable lung disease. Considered a 'rare disease', PF affects approximately 30,000 people in Canada. CPFF works closely with patients, caregivers, medical experts, and governments to support research, education and advocacy. Interested in interviewing a patient, caregiver, or physician about the challenges of pulmonary fibrosis and why we're breathlessforchange because oxygenismedicine. Check out the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation web site or contact media@cpff.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285972 Source: Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Transformative technology rolled out across the Group New supply and third-party partnerships set to elevate market share Omio Business launch targeting new SMB audience Rome2Rio app refresh bringing AI intelligence and advertising potential BERLIN, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At ITB Berlin 2026, the Omio Group outlined the next phase of its evolution as the leading global multimodal travel platform, levelling up across two fronts: transformative technology innovation and global audience scale. By integrating travel discovery, booking, and partner distribution into a single connected ecosystem, the Omio Group is positioned to redefine and elevate the end-to-end travel experience. With more than one billion annual users across its platform, bookable inventory from 3,000 partners spanning 46 countries, and over 100,000 active travellers daily, the Omio Group continues to strengthen its global footprint. By 2028, the company aims to operate in more than 70 countries, reinforcing its ambition to power seamless multimodal travel across the globe. Elevating our platform via product innovation Across all divisions, Omio is accelerating its technology and product capabilities to make travel simpler, smarter and faster. The Omio App continues to introduce features that elevate usability, transparency and value for travellers. Omio Pass, a 90-day paid membership option, offers 10% off discounts across trains, buses, and ferries. The launch of Omio Business marks an entry into corporate travel for the SMB segment, featuring extensive inventory across transport modes (including flights, trains, and buses) and accommodation on a single platform. Omio Business introduces corporate-grade functionality without contracts or minimum spend, perfectly tailored to a new audience of small to mid-sized businesses. Rome2Rio, the Groups' discovery product, is rolling out a newly enhanced app experience, driven by AI-powered route intelligence, integrated ground transport booking, and an interactive map interface, strengthening door-to-door planning from discovery through to booking. Furthermore, the recently launched advertising platform introduces new ways for destinations and travel brands to engage high-intent travellers at the discovery stage. Destination advertising partnerships with Visit Brazil, Visit Malta, and the Croatian National Tourism Board connect highly engaged travellers at the earliest stage of trip planning, thereby increasing global relevance and visibility of demand. Expanding global reach, impact and relevance Alongside product innovation, the Omio Group continues to scale its global reach and audience relevance across markets and traveller communities. Geographically, the Group has strengthened its presence across four continents, expanding into six Southeast Asian countries and Brazil in 2025. A major new market launch - the company's 47th - will be announced on 12 March, with further details available under embargo, marking a major milestone in Omio's international expansion. On the distribution side, Omio B2B's white-label network continues to grow, with rapid onboarding of supply partners via AI integrations across the Group. A newly announced partnership with easyTrain, part of the easy family of brands, expands distribution of trains and buses, reaching new customer audiences across the UK and Europe. Naren Shaam, Founder and CEO of Omio, said: "Today, multimodal travel has moved from complexity to expectation. Travellers demand seamless journeys by default; however, the systems in place are woefully outdated and unnecessarily complicated. By leveraging product innovation, our ambition is to set new benchmarks for how consumers will experience the world of travel. Offering discovery, booking, and partner distribution in a single global platform will radically transform the transport sector. In 2026, we'll strengthen our product capabilities, inventory and audience impact to make Omio Group's vision a reality." About Omio Since its foundation in 2013, the Omio Group has helped customers discover new ways of travelling. Thanks to its two interconnected platforms, Omio and Rome2Rio, Omio is the world's leading multimodal travel platform for searching, comparing, and booking. Omio B2B Partnership services OTAs and mobility providers with bespoke business solutions. Omio supports its customers in their desire to explore Europe, the US, Canada, Southeast Asia, and Brazil via train, bus, flight, and ferry. Omio sells more than 100,000 tickets daily, employs over 430 staff from more than 50 countries and maintains offices in Berlin, Prague, Melbourne, Bangalore and Singapore. The Omio Group offers its customers journeys that move them. omio.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482408/5833412/OMIO_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/omio-group-breaks-boundaries-accelerating-product-innovation-and-market-expansion-across-all-business-units-in-2026-302702543.html Newly created executive role reflects SimiTree's deepened commitment to technology vision, product innovation, and long-term growth strategy HAMDEN, CT / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / SimiTree, a leading services and software company focused on behavioral health, home health, and hospice providers, today announced the appointment of Zain Jafri as its first-ever Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO). This newly created role underscores SimiTree's dedication to strengthening its technology vision, accelerating product innovation, and positioning the company for continued long-term growth. "Creating this role is a deliberate and meaningful step in SimiTree's evolution," said William Simione, III, CEO of SimiTree. "As we continue to expand our platform and deepen our investment in technology, it became clear we needed dedicated executive leadership at the intersection of product strategy and technical innovation. Zain brings exactly the kind of experience, vision, and execution capability we were looking for, and we are thrilled to have him on the team. His appointment signals to our clients, our partners, and the broader market that we are serious about building the most advanced and effective technology solutions in behavioral health, home health, and hospice care." In this new role, Jafri will be responsible for shaping and executing SimiTree's product and technology strategy, leading efforts to modernize data infrastructure, drive AI-enabled innovation, and ensure the company's technology roadmap is tightly aligned with its growth objectives and the evolving needs of its healthcare clients. Jafri is a seasoned technology executive with a strong track record of building scalable products that deliver measurable results. Throughout his career, he has led the transformation of professional services organizations into data- and AI-enabled platforms, improving performance, strengthening operating discipline, and supporting better decision-making-particularly within the complex regulatory environment of the healthcare sector. Jafri has held senior leadership roles across healthcare consulting and technology organizations, including serving as an early member of the leadership team at Pareto Intelligence, where he built and led the product and analytics function from inception. He later established and led an independent advisory practice, partnering with executive teams to define product strategy, modernize data infrastructure, and implement AI solutions aligned with business objectives. "I'm excited to join SimiTree and help shape what comes next for this organization," said Jafri. "The opportunity to build a technology function from a strong foundation-with a clear client focus and a real commitment to innovation-is exactly the kind of challenge I'm energized by. Healthcare organizations are navigating tremendous complexity, and I look forward to developing practical, well-executed solutions that make a tangible difference for SimiTree's clients and the patients they serve." Jafri holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University and a Master of Science in Applied Data Science from the University of Chicago. Jafri's appointment comes as SimiTree continues to invest in its comprehensive suite of services and technology solutions, including SARA, its AI-powered coding platform, and CLARITY, its revenue cycle management technology, designed to help behavioral health, home health, and hospice providers improve patient outcomes while optimizing operational and financial performance. About SimiTree SimiTree is a growth-stage services and software company dedicated to supporting behavioral health, home health, and hospice providers. Backed by private equity, SimiTree delivers comprehensive solutions that help healthcare organizations improve patient care while achieving sustainable growth and operational excellence. The company is headquartered in Hamden, Connecticut. Contact Information Company Name: SimiTree Contact Name: Meredith Carroll Phone Number: (800) 949-0388 Email Address: contactus@simitreehc.com Website Link(s): www.simitreehc.com SOURCE: SimiTree View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/simitree-appoints-technology-executive-zain-jafri-as-first-ever-chief-1143037 Agricultural company develops gene edited traits that shifts a crop's energy from defense to yield NORWICH RESEARCH PARK, England, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ALORA, an agricultural biotechnology company developing gene-edited crop traits that redirect plant energy from stress defense to yield, today announced the appointment of Adam Helms as Chief Executive Officer and the close of a funding round led by the Neglected Climate Opportunities Fund, a subsidiary of the Grantham Environmental Trust, with participation from Toyota Ventures. Helms joins ALORA as the company advances early results in yield and heat tolerance traits toward broader validation. ALORA's research has demonstrated yield improvements in rice of up to 1.5x under optimal conditions and 2-4x under extreme heat stress in controlled environments, with initial 2025 United Kingdom field trials confirming open-field performance. The company's focus in 2026 is reproducing these results across additional genetic backgrounds to support future commercial partnerships. "ALORA has generated compelling early trait data, and I'm excited to work with this team to advance that science toward commercial relevance," said Adam Helms, incoming CEO. "Our priority this year is building proof points that matter to partners and investors by validating traits across multiple lines, crops, and geographies to enable substantive industry discussions." Founding CEO Luke Young transitions to Chief Technology Officer, where he will lead ALORA's continued research and development efforts. "We're pleased to continue our support of ALORA and welcome Adam to the team," said Caroline de Bossart, Director at the Grantham Environmental Trust. "His experience building early-stage companies will be valuable as ALORA translates its initial results into a broader validation program." ALORA will attend World AgriTech in San Francisco on March 17-18, 2026. About ALORA ALORA is an agricultural company utilizing gene editing to develop crop traits that shift a plant's energy from defense to yield. The company's work spans controlled environment research and international field trials, with primary operations at the Norwich Research Park, UK. For more information, please visit www.alora.world. About the Grantham Environmental Trust's Neglected Climate Opportunities Fund Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC is a climate-focused venture capital vehicle and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust which, along with its affiliate, the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, believe that innovation and technology are the best hope for an enduring future. For more information, please visit www.granthamfoundation.org. About Toyota Ventures Toyota Ventures is the early-stage venture capital arm of Toyota. Founded in July 2017, its mission is to discover what's next for Toyota by helping startups bring disruptive technologies and business models to market quickly. With more than $800 million in assets under management, the firm is dedicated to investing in talented entrepreneurs around the world who are driving innovation in deep technology and climate solutions. For more information about Toyota Ventures and its portfolio companies, please visit www.toyota.ventures. Media Contact: wave@alora.world Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2924150/Adam_Helms.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2924149/Alora_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/alora-appoints-adam-helms-as-ceo-secures-funding-from-grantham-environmental-trust-and-toyota-ventures-302701912.html NEW YORK, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hach Rose Schirripa & Rehns, LLP is pleased to announce that Nathan W. Bear has joined the Firm as a Partner. In addition to strengthening the Firm's domestic practice, Nate will play a key role in further developing the Firm's European Institutional Investor Practice. HRSR Founding Partner Frank Schirripa said, "We are excited to welcome Nate to the HRSR family. His extensive experience representing institutional investors, litigating high-profile securities fraud cases, and developing actionable portfolio monitoring solutions is a great match to further drive our firm's development." "I am excited to join the HRSR team," Nate said. "Working with a growing firm,and building on a successful track record, is the best way to serve my clients and provide institutional investors the focused and bespoke experience they deserve." Nate is a distinguished attorney with nearly 20 years of experience counseling clients and litigating the issues of securities fraud, investment fraud, corporate governance, and fiduciary duties. Nate served as a partner at one of the world's leading complex class action ?rms, undertaking signi?cant securities fraud cases both domestically and outside of the United States. As a respected advisor to institutional investors on a global basis, he played a key role in recovering over $1 billion. Nate recently represented corporations and their directors and officers defending SEC matters, shareholder disputes, and derivative actions. Outside of the United States, Nate's experience includes Australian class actions, potential group actions in the United Kingdom, settlements in the European Union under the Wet Collectieve Afwikkeling Massaschade (WCAM), the Dutch Collective Mass Claims Settlement Act, as well asrepresentative actions in Germany utilizing the Kapitalanlegermusterverfahrensgesetz (KapMuG), the Capital Market Investors' Model Proceeding Act, and the Wet Afwikkeling Massaschade in Collectieve Actie (WAMCA), the Dutch Act on redress of mass damages in a collective action. Nate attended UC Berkeley on an Alumni Scholarship, then began his professional career as a management consultant, using technology to solve complex business problems. He earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and served as judicial extern to the Hon. Richard D. Huffman of the California Court of Appeals. Media Contact: Frank R. Schirripa Hach Rose Schirripa & Rehns, LLP fschirripa@hrsrlaw.com 646-992-8128 Hach Rose Schirripa & Rehns' broad litigation practice includes securities, antitrust, employment and commercial litigation. In every discipline, HRSR is known for creative, aggressive litigators, and an eagerness to take on and win tough cases. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923979/HRSR_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hach-rose-schirripa--rehns-llp-adds-partner-nathan-w-bear-as-the-firm-grows-its-european-institutional-investor-practice-302702635.html DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the Penetration Testing Market is projected to grow from USD 1.98 billion in 2025 to USD 4.39 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 14.2% during the forecast period. Browse 300 market data Tables and 70 Figures spread through 400 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Penetration Testing Market - Global Forecast to 2031" Security Testing Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 2019-2031 2019-2031 2025 Market Size: USD 1.98 billion USD 1.98 billion 2031 Projected Market Size: USD 4.39 billion USD 4.39 billion CAGR (2025-2031): 14.2% Security Testing Market Trends & Insights: Agile development and continuous deployment increase the likelihood that vulnerabilities reach production environments, necessitating regular penetration testing. The growing accountability of cybersecurity risk at the board level is fueling the growth of organized penetration testing programs. By service type, the manual penetration testing segment is expected to dominate the market, with a 75.4% market share in 2025. By attack surface, the cloud security penetration testing segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 15.9% during the forecast period. By organization size, the SMEs segment will grow at the highest CAGR of 15.4% during the forecast period. North America accounted for the largest market share of 35.9% of the Penetration Testing Market in 2025. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=13422019 Organizations are rapidly deploying AI and large language models across customer service, analytics, automation, and internal operations. These systems introduce new risks such as prompt manipulation, unauthorized data exposure, and model misuse, driving demand for specialized penetration testing to assess AI-enabled workflows and infrastructure. Based on the attack surface, the cloud security penetration testing segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Cloud security penetration testing is becoming more important as organizations move critical workloads to platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. As companies adopt multi-cloud and hybrid environments, simple mistakes like excessive access permissions, exposed keys, misconfigured storage, and weak default settings can create serious security gaps. According to Astra Security, cloud vulnerabilities increased 2X, yet they still account for a small portion of total findings, indicating under-detection rather than reduced risk. Although cloud providers operate under a shared responsibility model, many security issues arise from customer-side configuration errors. As a result, enterprises are increasingly investing in specialized cloud penetration testing to identify misconfigurations, access control weaknesses, container security gaps, and privilege escalation paths before they are exploited. Request Sample Pages@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=13422019 By vertical, the healthcare segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The healthcare vertical is growing rapidly as health systems, hospitals, and medical technology providers expand digital services and connected care platforms. Healthcare organizations increasingly rely on electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine applications, remote monitoring devices, and cloud-based patient portals, thereby broadening the attack surface and introducing new security risks. The industry also faces strict regulatory requirements related to patient privacy and data protection, such as HIPAA and similar standards in other regions, which are driving demand for proactive security validation. A significant portion of healthcare breaches are linked to misconfigurations, unsecured interfaces, and inadequate access controls, prompting greater adoption of penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities in networks, applications, APIs, and cloud environments. As a result, healthcare providers are accelerating investments in both automated and expert-led penetration testing to safeguard sensitive health information, maintain compliance, and protect patient safety. By region, North America is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period. The Penetration Testing Market in North America is characterized by strong enterprise adoption across financial services, healthcare, technology, retail, and government sectors, driven by persistent ransomware activity, third-party supply chain risks, and expanding digital infrastructure. Organizations are conducting structured network, application, API, and red team assessments to identify exploitable attack paths across increasingly complex hybrid IT environments. While cloud migration to platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud is contributing to new configuration and identity risks, demand is equally driven by on-premises legacy systems, remote workforce security gaps, and evolving threat actor techniques. Regulatory mandates, including PCI DSS, sector-specific cybersecurity rules, and state-level data protection requirements, underscore the need for recurring, auditable penetration testing engagements. The region's strong ecosystem of specialized offensive security firms and in-house security teams further supports advanced adversary simulation and continuous security validation programs. Inquire Before Buying@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=13422019 Top Companies in Penetration Testing Market: The Top Companies in Penetration Testing Market include Sophos (UK), Fortra (US), IBM (US), Pentera (US), HackerOne (US), Invicti (US), Cobalt (US), NetSPI (US), Synack (US), Bishop Fox (US), Rapid7 (US), NowSecure (US), Coalfire (US), Fortinet (US), Indium Software (India), Cigniti Technologies (India), Raxis (US), RSI Security (US), Rhino Security Labs (US), ScienceSoft (US), PortSwigger (UK), Netragard (US), Software Secured (Canada), Vumetric Cybersecurity (Canada), Netitude (UK), Zimperium (US), SecurityMetrics (US), Bugcrowd (US), Cisco (US), CrowdStrike (US), LevelBlue (US), Breachlock (US), Astra Security (India), Terra Security (Israel), and Aikido Security (Belgium). Browse Adjacent Markets: Information Security Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Security Testing Market - Global Forecast to 2031 eGRC Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Europe Identity Verification Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Biometric Identity Verification Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Network Security 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. 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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/penetration-testing-market-worth-4-39-billion-by-2031--marketsandmarkets-302700941.html MONACO, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A hundred explorers, captains, scientists, engineers and owners will gather in the Principality of Monaco from 21-24 March to discuss maritime innovation and environmental transition under the banner of "Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting". Following the success of the first Day of Exploration, the Yacht Club de Monaco, in partnership with The Explorers Club of New York, brings together leading international figures for four days of conferences, exchanges and on-the-water events. The programme opens on Saturday 21 March with the Yachting Student Fair, organised with the Department of Education, Youth and Sport and Monaco City Hall. Open to the public (free upon registration), the fair introduces students and graduates to the wide range of careers in yachting and maritime professions. Training institutions and specialised schools will present courses in management, naval architecture, maintenance and port operations, while YCM's La Belle Classe Academy will showcase its programmes in service, brokerage and sustainability. The YCM Marina then on Sunday 22 March becomes the stage for the Explorer Dock, inaugurated by YCM General Secretary Bernard d'Alessandri and The Explorers Club President Richard Wiese. Expedition yachts, immersive experiences, virtual reality dives and discussions on ocean finance and blue-economy investment models highlight the diversity of modern exploration. The day concludes with a friendly regatta in the Bay of Monaco. The Day of Exploration (Monday 23 March) brings together prominent scientists and explorers. Topics range from marine biodiversity in Peru and deep-sea technologies to Arctic research, marine wildlife preservation and Mediterranean archaeology. The programme also explores polar ecosystem change and the future of deep-sea exploration vessels, culminating in a closing conversation on imagination and the future of the ocean. The 30th Captains' Forum (Tuesday 24 March), organised with Oceanco, MB92 Group, Jutheau Husson and ICON Yachts, focuses on practical solutions at the intersection of science, yachting and exploration. Discussions address oceanographic research, seabed exploration, crew engagement in scientific projects and onboard eco-solutions, including the SEA Index, developed by YCM and Credit Suisse (a UBS brand), which supports owners in reducing environmental impact. The event concludes with the 6th YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts, held in partnership with UBS and Bombardier and attended by YCM President HSH Prince Albert II. Two categories - Innovation & Technology and Sciences & Exploration - recognise projects that use yachts as platforms for scientific research, technological advancement and environmental commitment. Through this initiative, and in the spirit of Prince Albert I, the Yacht Club de Monaco reaffirms its vision of a purposeful and forward-looking yachting sector. For more information: Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/211bc377-9e50-4129-a125-1b3c20469dfb TORONTO, ONTARIO / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / As Canada's baby boomer generation moves en masse into its retirement years, a quiet crisis is unfolding in the country's real estate landscape. The demand for seniors housing -- from independent living communities to assisted care facilities -- is outpacing supply at a rate that experts describe as alarming. For developers, investors, and policymakers alike, the window to respond is narrowing rapidly. Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, President & CEO of Sky Property Group Inc., is sounding the alarm. "We talk constantly about housing affordability for young families, and that conversation is vital," she says. "But Canada is facing an equally urgent challenge on the other end of the spectrum. Our seniors population is growing faster than our capacity to house them with dignity and choice. If we don't treat this as the development emergency it is, we will have failed an entire generation." Modern Canadian residential tower -- purpose-built housing for a new generation The Scale of the Challenge According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians aged 65 and older is projected to nearly double by 2046, reaching approximately 10.4 million people -- nearly 25% of the national population. The challenge is not simply one of numbers. It is a challenge of diversity: today's senior wants options ranging from active lifestyle communities and co-housing arrangements to memory care and long-term care facilities. Canada's current stock of purpose-built seniors housing -- retirement communities, independent living suites, supportive living apartments -- falls dramatically short of this trajectory. Waiting lists for subsidized long-term care beds in provinces like Ontario and British Columbia stretch into years. Private market options, while growing, remain concentrated in expensive urban cores, putting them out of reach for middle-income retirees. "When I look at the demographics side by side with our housing pipeline, the gap is stark," says Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi. "The private sector cannot abdicate responsibility here. Developers who understand the coming demand curve and begin positioning their portfolios now will play a critical role -- not just in building wealth, but in shaping how a generation of Canadians ages." Sky Property Group Inc. -- Strategic planning for Canada's seniors housing future The Continuum of Care: A Development Opportunity The seniors housing sector is far from monolithic. Developers and investors increasingly recognize a rich spectrum of product types, each serving distinct needs and income brackets. Active adult communities cater to healthy, independent seniors aged 55 and older who want to downsize without sacrificing lifestyle. These communities -- which might offer fitness centres, communal dining, social programming, and low-maintenance living -- are emerging as one of the fastest-growing residential segments in Canada. Major metropolitan areas, including Greater Toronto, Metro Vancouver, and Calgary, have seen a surge in interest from both domestic and institutional investors. Independent and assisted living facilities serve seniors who require some support with daily activities but are not yet in need of full-time medical care. These facilities represent a significant market gap in mid-sized Canadian cities, where aging populations are growing but private development has lagged. Memory care and specialized long-term care are areas where private development intersects closely with provincial health systems. While regulation varies, there is growing appetite for public-private partnerships that can accelerate the construction of specialized facilities. "No single developer can -- or should -- try to serve every segment of this market," Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi explains. "But every developer should be asking: where along this continuum can my organization add value, and what partnerships do I need to make that happen? At Sky Property Group, that conversation is very much underway." Innovative construction methods supporting Canada's evolving housing needs Policy Framework: What Governments Must Do The private sector cannot solve the seniors housing shortage alone. Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi is a vocal advocate for policy reform at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels to unlock seniors housing supply. At the federal level, she points to the need for expanded incentives under programs like the National Housing Strategy to prioritize seniors-specific construction, particularly in mid-market segments that fall between fully subsidized care and luxury retirement living. At the provincial level, she argues for regulatory modernization: streamlining approvals for retirement communities and assisted living facilities, which often face lengthy permitting timelines that discourage private investment. "Many of our cities still have zoning frameworks that were designed for a very different demographic reality," she says. "Mixed-use seniors communities, intergenerational housing projects, adaptable units that can transition across levels of care -- these need planning frameworks that encourage innovation rather than penalize it." Design Innovation: Building for a Generation Beyond policy, Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi sees design innovation as central to the solution. She points to a new generation of seniors housing projects that are blurring the traditional lines between retirement living and mainstream residential development. "The seniors of 2026 and beyond are not the seniors of twenty years ago," she says. "They are digitally literate, health-conscious, community-oriented, and they have expectations about design, amenity, and flexibility that the market is only beginning to catch up to. Buildings that treat aging as a problem to be managed will fail. Buildings that treat aging as a vibrant life stage to be supported will thrive." This means features like universal design principles baked into every unit, proximity to transit and community amenities, telehealth and smart home infrastructure, and community programming that promotes social connection -- one of the most significant predictors of health outcomes among seniors. Canadian cities are adapting to serve an aging and growing population A Call to the Industry For Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi and Sky Property Group Inc., the seniors housing conversation is not an abstract policy discussion. It is a concrete call to action for Canada's development industry. "Real estate development at its best is about anticipating where people need to live and building it before the crisis point," she says. "Canada's seniors deserve a housing market that was ready for them. We are not there yet. The developers, investors, and policymakers who recognize this moment and respond to it will define the next chapter of Canadian real estate." The clock is ticking -- and for Canada's aging population, the stakes could not be higher. ------------------------------------------------------------ About Sky Property Group Inc. Sky Property Group Inc. is a Toronto-based real estate development and investment company focused on delivering high-quality residential and mixed-use developments across Canada. Led by President & CEO Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, Sky Property Group Inc. combines market expertise with a commitment to innovation, community, and long-term value creation. Contact Information Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi ladanhosseinzadehsadeghi@gmail.com SOURCE: Sky Property Group Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/canadas-looming-seniors-housing-crisis-why-developers-must-act-now-1143152 Palm Beach, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Korean-inspired skincare brand SeoulCeuticals announced Tuesday its position as one of the few US-based brands sourcing Panax Ginseng Extract, Rice Bran, Snail Mucin, and PDRN directly from South Korea while manufacturing in US facilities. A model that addresses growing consumer demand for authentic Korean heritage ingredients as industry analysts identify hanbang modernization as 2026's defining K-beauty trend. Overview Multiple beauty industry analysts identified the modernization of hanbang traditional Korean herbal medicine meeting modern science as the defining K-beauty narrative of 2026. SeoulCeuticals has sourced Korean heritage ingredients since its 2017 founding, giving the brand nearly a decade of experience bringing authentic formulations to Western consumers. The global K-beauty market reached $11.1 billion in 2025, with North America representing $3.1 billion of that total. SeoulCeuticals serves this segment with formulations combining heritage ingredients that each carry centuries of traditional use alongside modern clinical validation. SeoulCeuticals sources eight key ingredients directly from South Korean suppliers, including Panax Ginseng Extract, Rice Bran, Snail Mucin, PDRN, Gotu Kola, and Centella Asiatica. The brand manufactures in US facilities to ensure quality control and faster delivery to North American customers. Key Results Clinical research on the individual heritage ingredients demonstrates measurable skin benefits: Panax Ginseng: A September 2024 comprehensive review published in the National Institutes of Health database confirmed that ginsenosides increase collagen and hyaluronic acid production, inhibit melanogenesis, and protect against UV damage. Rice Bran: A November 2025 study in Frontiers in Pharmacology demonstrated that fermented rice bran extract increased collagen content by approximately 10%, doubled elastin content, and increased skin moisture content by more than 10% compared to control groups. Snail Mucin: A systematic review covering seven clinical studies demonstrated efficacy in improving skin texture and reducing periocular and perioral wrinkles versus placebo. A 2022 double-blind placebo-controlled trial showed significantly greater reduction in inflammatory acne lesions versus placebo over 12 weeks. How It Works Each of the three heritage ingredients targets a distinct pathway in skin health. Panax Ginseng's ginsenosides inhibit the enzyme responsible for collagen degradation. Fermented Rice Bran provides ferulic acid for gentle exfoliation and linoleic acid for barrier strengthening. Snail Mucin delivers a complex of glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid, zinc, glycolic acid, and antimicrobial peptides that support fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. The combination reflects the hanbang philosophy of ingredient synergy. Each component reinforces the others rather than functioning in isolation. Panax ginseng was documented in traditional Korean herbal texts over 2,000 years ago. Rice bran was used in East Asian skincare for centuries. Snail mucin application dates to ancient Greece. SeoulCeuticals' Snail Mucin + Niacinamide Serum contains 97.5% Snail Mucin concentration combined with 5% Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Panax Ginseng Extract, and Centella Asiatica. The Day Glow Serum combines multiple Korean-sourced actives in a single formulation rather than relying on a single hero ingredient. "Korean skincare taught us that prevention beats treatment, these three heritage ingredients work synergistically rather than in isolation," said Yu-Jun Park, Head of Product Education at SeoulCeuticals. About the company: About SeoulCeuticals: SeoulCeuticals brings authentic Korean skincare to consumers seeking quality, natural beauty solutions. The brand partners with K-beauty expert Ella Cho to develop products that honor Korean beauty traditions while meeting modern skincare needs. Using ingredients sourced from South Korea, including Panax Ginseng Extract, Rice Bran, Snail Mucin, and PDRN and manufactured in US facilities. SeoulCeuticals offers vegan, cruelty-free formulations for all skin types. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286100 Source: Plentisoft On 18 February the Amsterdam District Court rendered an interim judgment on damages quantification in the proceedings of Macedonian Thrace Brewery ("MTB"), maker of the popular Greek beer Vergina, against Heineken and its subsidiary Athenian Brewery ("AB"). The case stems from the decision of the Greek competition authority, the Hellenic Competition Commission ("HCC"), published in December 2015, that AB abused its dominant position in the Greek beer market for at least 16 years, excluding competitors like MTB. AB lost the administrative appeal against the HCC Decision in every instance in Greece. In the private enforcement claim filed in the Netherlands by MTB the district court had already decided that it was bound by the HCC Decision, and that Heineken and AB were jointly and severally liable for the damages resulting from the infringement. The recent judgment accepts the damages quantification model set out by Oxera as economic expert for MTB, rejecting multiple defences argued by Heineken and its expert CRA. In support of its approach the court quotes extensively from the HCC Decision regarding the nature and scope of the abuse. Based on its current assessment, the court assumes that the principal damages suffered by MTB amount to at least EUR 43 mln. Adding statutory interest in line with the court's judgment, the full damage award will be in excess of EUR 83 mln. Experts costs will also be awarded, provided that these costs are further substantiated by MTB. Both sides are to submit statements by 18 March. The district court has announced it will render a final judgment on damages after the Dutch Supreme Court issues its decision on the appeal filed by AB and Heineken in respect of jurisdiction. That decision is expected later this month. The Dutch advocate-general has already advised the Supreme Court that the appeal from Heineken and AB should be rejected in its entirety, in view of the judgment of the European Court of Justice of 13 February 2025 on questions referred by the Supreme Court in this matter. Demetri Chriss, director at MTB, said: "This judgment sends a strong message to Heineken that the Dutch courts will not shy away from awarding substantial damages in abuse of dominance cases. To determine damages caused by an infringement of 16 years is no easy task, and we are delighted that the court has definitively rejected Heineken's attempt to avoid being held accountable for its illegal activities in Greece. "We should also mention that we are currently awaiting the outcome of the Hellenic Competition Commission's new investigation into ongoing abuses in the Greek beer market in the post-decision era. The fact that Heineken's subsidiaries in Austria, Hungary, the US and elsewhere have recently been found guilty of identical and/or similar abuses points to a highly problematic corporate culture that permeates the organization on a global scale. Heineken does not appear to improve its conduct. The decisions of the Amsterdam District Court show that small and medium businesses can fight back and prevail against seemingly invincible multinationals." Carlsberg and its subsidiary Olympic have also filed proceedings in Amsterdam against Heineken and AB, holding them liable for their abuse on the Greek beer market. The aforementioned judgment is available at https://deeplink.rechtspraak.nl/uitspraak?id=ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2026:1692 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303330240/en/ Contacts: Media enquiries: Palatine Communications mtb@palatine-media.com Almere, The Netherlands March 3, 2026, 6 p.m. CET Double-digit growth in 2025, strong 2026 ahead ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today reports its Q4 and full year 2025 results (unaudited). Orders of 803 million in Q4 2025 showed a solid rebound, driven by strong demand in the advanced logic/foundry market and a quarter-end recovery in demand from Chinese customers. Revenue of 698 million in Q4 2025 exceeded previous guidance of 630-660 million. Full year 2025 revenue was up 12% at constant currency, driven by advanced logic/foundry as customers invested in 2nm GAA capacity. Gross margin remained at a solid level of 49.8% in Q4 2025, and increased to a record 51.8% in full-year 2025, supported by a very strong mix. Adjusted operating result margin decreased to 25.1% in Q4, mainly due to lower revenue, and partly offset by strict control over SG&A expense. Drop in Q4 2025 net earnings is mainly explained by 181 million non-cash gain that was included in Q3 2025 (related to reversal of previous impairment of the ASMPT stake). Proposed dividend over 2025 of 3.25 per share and new 150 million share buyback announced. Financial highlights million Q4 2024 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 New orders 731.4 636.8 802.8 yoy change % at constant currencies 8% (17%) 19% Revenue 809.0 800.0 698.3 yoy change % as reported 28% 3% (14%) yoy change % at constant currencies 27% 8% (7%) Gross profit 407.2 414.9 347.7 Gross profit margin % 50.3% 51.9% 49.8% Operating result 222.3 242.8 170.5 Operating result margin % 27.5% 30.3% 24.4% Adjusted operating result 1 227.0 247.5 175.2 Adjusted operating result margin %1 28.1% 30.9% 25.1% Net earnings 225.8 384.1 166.1 Adjusted net earnings 1 231.5 206.2 169.6 1 Adjusted figures are non-IFRS performance measures. Refer to Annex 3 for a reconciliation of non-IFRS performance measures. Comment "2025 was another year of strong progress for ASM. Sales increased by 12% at constant currencies, marking our ninth consecutive year of double-digit growth," said Hichem M'Saad, CEO of ASM. "Q4 revenue of 698 million decreased 7% year-on-year at constant currencies but exceeded our guidance of 630-660 million, as preannounced earlier in January. Q4 bookings came in at 803 million, up 26% quarter-on-quarter at constant currencies and also above our initial indication, supported by strengthened demand in leading-edge logic/foundry and a rebound in orders from Chinese customers. ASM's revenue increased to a record 3.2 billion in 2025, driven primarily by the advanced logic/foundry segment as customers increased their investments in 2nm GAA capacity. Product penetrations have led to new applications such as Mo ALD and area selective deposition (ASD) entering HVM production for the 2nm node. With our strength in deposition products, we are well positioned to gain further share in GAA at the 1.4nm node. Memory sales declined in 2025, as anticipated, and accounted for 16% of equipment sales in 2025, reflecting solid demand in HBM-related DRAM offset by a normalization of sales to memory customers in China following unusually high demand in 2024. Sales in the power/analog/wafer segment declined further in 2025, reflecting the continued downturn in this market. Our Spares & Services business delivered another strong year, with 18% growth at constant currency, driven by the rapid expansion of our outcome-based service offerings. Equipment sales from China decreased year-on-year, but still accounted for more than 30% of total ASM revenue in 2025. ASM again delivered robust financial results in 2025. Gross margin increased to a very strong 51.8%, supported by a favorable mix and the gradual benefits of our efficiency-improvement programs. Adjusted operating margin rose to a record 30.2%, reflecting both healthy top-line performance and continued strict cost discipline, whilst increasing investments in R&D. In December 2025, we enhanced our capabilities with the acquisition of Axus Technology, a Chandler, Arizona-based provider of differentiated Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) equipment for compound semiconductors and More-than-Moore manufacturing. CMP complements our strengths in interface engineering and chemistries and becomes increasingly important in new areas such as 3D integration. We stand ready to support our customers as they expand capacity and drive innovation to meet the multi-year surge in AI datacenter demand. We continue to invest in our people, our R&D capabilities, and our global footprint. In 2025, we completed our new manufacturing and innovation center in Korea, and advanced the development of our Scottsdale, Arizona site, which remains on track for completion in early 2027. Sustainability also remains central to our strategy. In 2025, all ASM sites operated on renewable electricity for the second consecutive year, and we achieved further progress in improving energy efficiency across our operations." Outlook We project Q1 revenue to increase to 830 million, with a range of +/-4%, and expect Q2 revenue to be up from the level in Q1. We anticipate revenue in the second half of 2026 to be higher than in the first half. Advanced logic/foundry will be again our strongest business this year, as customers ramp investments in today's leading tech nodes to support the surge in AI-related demand in 2026 and beyond. In addition, in the second half of 2026, the first investments are anticipated in pilot lines for the next node, 1.4nm, which will further expand our served available market. We expect healthy growth in our DRAM sales in 2026, even though memory will continue to represent a smaller share of our business compared to logic/foundry in the coming years. In the power/analog/wafer segment, we anticipate some recovery in 2026, albeit from a relatively low base. Following the improvement in demand conditions in recent months, we now expect our sales in China to increase in 2026, a notable improvement from our earlier forecast of a double-digit decline. Share buyback program ASM announces today that its Management Board authorized a new repurchase program of up to 150 million of the company's common shares in the 2026/2027 period. This repurchase program is part of ASM's commitment to use excess cash for the benefit of its shareholders. Dividend proposal ASM will propose to the forthcoming 2026 Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2026, to declare a regular dividend of 3.25 per common share over 2025, up from 3.00 per common share over 2024. Update to disclosure practices As of Q1 2026, ASM will discontinue the disclosure of quarterly bookings and backlog. Backlog will continue to be reported at year-end as part of the fourth-quarter results. In addition, beginning in 2026, ASM will introduce a sales breakdown by customer segment (logic/foundry, memory, and other), which will be reported on a half-yearly and annual basis. Other Axus Technology acquisition In December 2025, we acquired Axus Technology, a provider of differentiated Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) equipment for compound semiconductors and More-than-More (MTM) manufacturing. CMP is a key technology that is complementary to our strengths in interface engineering and chemistry, which becomes increasingly important in new areas such as 3D integration. Announcement of intended new expansion in Almere, the Netherlands ASM announced on December 17, 2025, its intention to invest in a new facility in the Netherlands. As part of this strategic investment, ASM signed a Head of Terms with the Municipality of Almere and the Province of Flevoland. The planned facility in Almere will serve as ASM's new global headquarters and will include a state-of-the-art R&D center, a dedicated training hub, and part of our product development operations. Over the coming years, ASM expects to invest several hundred million euros in this project, marking a significant expansion of our presence and activities in the Netherlands. Appointment of Gary Ding as Chief Product Officer ASM appointed Dr. Gary Ding as Chief Product Officer, effective January 2, 2026. In this role, Gary joins the company's Executive Committee. Gary brings over 30 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, with a distinguished track record of driving innovation and leading large, high-performing global teams. Under his leadership, ASM will unify all technology-focused business units, creating a single integrated product organization. This strengthened structure will further accelerate our ability to deliver advanced solutions to customers worldwide. About ASM ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM's common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM's website at www.asm.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, changes in import/export regulations, pandemics, epidemics and other risks indicated in the company's reports and financial statements. The company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances. This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Quarterly earnings conference call details ASM will host the quarterly earnings conference call and webcast on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. CET. Conference-call participants should pre-register using this link to receive the dial-in numbers, passcode and a personal PIN, which are required to access the conference call. A simultaneous audio webcast and replay will be accessible at this link. Lathrop, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Safety Training Seminars, a trusted leader in high-quality emergency medical education, proudly announces the opening of its newest training location in Lathrop, California, bringing comprehensive BLS, ACLS, CPR, and First Aid certification courses to the heart of San Joaquin County. The new school is located at 17036 S. Harlan Road, Lathrop, CA, offering convenient access for healthcare professionals, first responders, and community members seeking nationally recognized certifications. Safety Training Seminars Opens A New BLS CPR Certification School in Lathrop, CA Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/286116_image%201.jpg Designed to meet the growing demand for accessible, hands-on safety education, the Lathrop training center delivers CPR certification courses led by experienced, engaging instructors. Students benefit from small class sizes, modern CPR verification stations, and realistic scenarios that build confidence in real-world emergencies. "We are excited to expand into Lathrop and support the region with reliable, high-quality lifesaving training," said Laura Seidel, Safety Training Seminars. "Our mission is simple: make it easy for people to gain the skills that save lives-whether they are healthcare professionals maintaining credentials or parents and teachers wanting to be prepared." The new location offers flexible scheduling, including weekday, evening, and weekend CPR classes to accommodate busy professionals and families. Courses are ideal for nurses, physicians, EMTs, dental professionals, caregivers, fitness trainers, workplace safety teams, and anyone who wants to be ready when seconds matter. Same-day certification cards are available for many classes, helping professionals meet employer and regulatory requirements without delay. Beyond professional training, Safety Training Seminars is committed to strengthening community safety. By expanding into Lathrop CPR classes, the organization aims to empower more residents with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively during cardiac arrests, choking incidents, and other medical emergencies at work, at home, or in public spaces. Enrollment is now open, and CPR classes are filling quickly. Those interested in lifesaving education are encouraged to register early to secure preferred dates and times. About Safety Training Seminars Safety Training Seminars provides high-quality emergency medical and CPR certification courses throughout the Central Valley. Known for exceptional instruction, convenient scheduling, and student-focused learning, the company has trained tens of thousands of individuals to respond confidently. For more information about Safety Training Seminars, use the contact details below: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286116 Source: Plentisoft San Francisco, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Monar, an innovator in aesthetic technology, today announced the global launch of the Monar Canvas Speaker on Kickstarter. Defining an entirely new product category, the Monar Canvas Speaker is not merely a speaker with a screen; it is a seamless fusion of Hi-Fi sound, real-time AI-generated art, and functional home decor designed to make sound visible. Monar Launches the "Hi-Fi Canvas Speaker" on Kickstarter: Redefining Home Audio Through Generative AI Art To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/285817_71cf310574b9da55_002full.jpg "Sound, Made Visible": The Music-to-Art Engine At the core of Monar's innovation is its proprietary Music-to-Art Engine, which utilizes advanced AI algorithms to analyze rhythm, lyrics, and frequency in real-time. It translates every melody into fluid, generative paintings with minimal latency, ensuring every song becomes a living visual composition - dynamic, reactive, and emotionally expressive. This engine creates a truly hands-free, multisensory experience where music unfolds automatically. Studio-Grade Acoustics: Power and Precision Monar prioritizes sound. To maximize performance, the speaker incorporates a bass reflex port and isolated the bass enclosure from the midrange and tweeter to prevent interference. The speaker also uses premium materials like titanium drivers to reproduce music with exceptional clarity and sheen. Monar's acoustic architecture features six dedicated speaker drivers and a 3-way crossover system. This professional configuration delivers a wide frequency response with deep bass extending down to 20Hz, supported by precise DSP fine-tuning and an ultra-low THD of under 0.1% to provide studio-grade clarity, warmth, and spatial depth. Paper-Like Art Display and Interchangeable Frames Monar features a 19-inch high-resolution display engineered with a specialized non-glare, paper-like texture, centered within the 32-inch canvas profile. The screen shows in True Tone Color and has an anti-glare matte finishing to deliver lifelike visuals with a 178 ultra-wide viewing angle. It also offers 7 interchangeable frames in various premium materials and designs, allowing the device to evolve alongside any interior style. Immersive Visual Expression: Live Lyrics Reimagined Monar transforms the listening experience through its Immersive Visual Expression suite, headlined by the Live Lyrics feature, providing 12 dynamic animation styles that synchronize lyrics with musical rhythm and emotion. Moving beyond static subtitles, these art-forward animations become an integral part of the visual atmosphere, deepening the user's emotional connection while maintaining a sophisticated, non-intrusive aesthetic. Designed for Everyday Living: Elevating Daily Moments More than a speaker, Monar is a design object that elevates daily rituals. When not playing music, it transforms into a Digital Album or a World Gallery, curated to display personal memories and world-class masterpieces. This dual-purpose functionality allows Monar to serve as a high-end decorative centerpiece that blends functional technology with luxury home decor. Key Highlights Music-to-Art Engine that transforms music into artwork in real time that transforms music into artwork in real time Hi-Fi Acoustic System for detailed, room-filling audio for detailed, room-filling audio 19-inch Paper-Like Display designed to look like art, not a typical screen designed to look like art, not a typical screen 12 Animation Themes for varied visual experiences across music genres for varied visual experiences across music genres 32-inch Total Product Size with interchangeable frames with interchangeable frames 1.9-inch Slim Design engineered with studio-grade sound and the latest AI Kickstarter Launch Campaign The Monar Canvas Speaker is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter. For more product details, launch updates, and media inquiries, visit the official project link. Official Project Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/monar/monar-canvas-speaker?ref=3o2cpz&utm_source=pr&utm_medium=monarlaunch About the company: Monar is an aesthetic technology company redefining how music is experienced at home. Creator of the Canvas Speaker, Monar merges Hi-Fi audio, real-time AI-generated art, and modern home design into one seamless device. Powered by its proprietary Music-to-Art Engine, Monar transforms sound into dynamic visual expression. Backed by XbotPark, Monar is dedicated to blending music, art, and technology into emotionally resonant living experiences. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285817 Source: Plentisoft The Nation's First African American-Owned Urgent Care Chain Marks Milestone 25th Anniversary LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / Dusk to Dawn Urgent Care celebrates 25 years of service, providing accessible, community-focused healthcare to residents throughout southern California from San Diego to Los Angeles. Founded by Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen, the organization is recognized as the Nation's first African American-owned chain of urgent care centers and serves more than 250,000 patients annually across Southern California. Since its founding, Dusk to Dawn Urgent Care has combined high-quality medical services with an unwavering commitment to underserved communities. Beyond clinical care, the organization has implemented outreach initiatives that provide free health screenings, wellness education programs, direct medical support, food and clothing for individuals experiencing homelessness. In addition to patient care, Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen established a mentorship and internship programs designed to create professional pathways for aspiring nurses, physician assistants and internal medicine students. He also supplies local schools and colleges with tailored educational materials that outline the many health-care career options available. These programs have helped cultivate the next generation of healthcare professionals in California by providing hands-on experience and employment opportunities within the medical field. Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen states, "Our mission has always been about more than urgent care -it's about access, dignity and community. For 25 years, we've worked to ensure families receive quality healthcare when and where they need it most." Together, Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen and his wife, Dr. Connie Yu Allen have expanded the organization's community footprint through initiatives supporting breast cancer awareness screenings, educational wellness events and large-scale seasonal outreach efforts. Their leadership has earned statewide recognition. In 2023, the couple received the First Responders Award for their frontline service and crisis response efforts. In 2024, Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen received multiple prestigious honors recognizing his leadership in healthcare and his lasting community impact. He was named California's NAACP Humanitarian of the Year for his continued dedication to public health, service and community empowerment. In December, he was recognized as Doctor of the Year by Ebony Magazine, underscoring his influence and excellence within the medical profession. Later that month, he was presented with the Key to the City of Compton, a distinguished honor acknowledging his meaningful contributions to the community. In March 2025, Dr. Allen appeared as a featured guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show, further highlighting his growing national profile and impact. Dusk to Dawn Urgent Care has become more than a medical provider in Southern California. Creator of the Los Angeles Annual 1000 Turkey Giveaway and known for its welcoming atmosphere, it has become a community gathering place. Over the years, the organization has hosted events that bring patients and families together, creating opportunities for connection, support and shared experiences. Many in the community have come to regard the Allen's not simply as healthcare providers, but as extended family. Dr. Vinson Eugene Allen, an alumnus of the renowned Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, continues to carry on the legacy of pioneering emergency care as other historic physicians who paved the way. Contact Information Website: www.dusktodawnurgentcare.com Social Media: @DrAllenLa YouTube: Conversations with Dr. Allen YouTube: AllenFamilyUnity Public Relations: Executive 1 Media Group Media Inquiries: Press Agent Derrick Dzurko Email: derrick@e1mgmedia.com Phone: (888) 231-6942 SOURCE: Dusk to Dawn Urgent Care View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/dusk-to-dawn-urgent-care-celebrates-25-years-of-service-to-southern-c-1141725 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Copper Fox Metals Inc. (TSXV: CUU) ("Copper Fox" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement for a total of 4,615,384 shares ("Share") at a price of $0.65 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,999,999.60 (the "Offering"). There were no finder's fees paid in this private placement. In accordance with applicable securities legislation, securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the date of the completion of the Offering. The net proceeds raised from the Offering will be used to continue exploration and development activities on Copper Fox's 100% owned Van Dyke, Eaglehead, Mineral Mountain and Sombrero Butte projects, working capital and general corporate and administrative purposes of the Company. The Offering included subscriptions by four insiders of the Company totalling 2,896,000 Shares. Mr. Ernesto Echavarria, a director, insider and a control person of the Company (as defined by the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) purchased 2,769,231 Shares. Subscriptions completed by insiders in the Offering, including the subscription by Mr. Echavarria, constituted a "Related Party Transaction" under Policy 5.9 of the TSX Venture Exchange which adopts Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") as a policy of the TSX Venture Exchange. In completing such transactions, Copper Fox relied on the applicable exemptions from the valuation requirement and minority security holder approval requirements available under Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, on the basis that the participation in the private placement by insiders did not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report at least 21 days prior to the completion of the Offering, as the details of the related party participation were not determined at that time, allowing the Company to complete the Offering, which it considers reasonable under the circumstances. About Copper Fox Copper Fox is a Canadian resource company focused on copper development and exploration in the United States and Canada. Copper Fox and its subsidiaries own 100% of the Van Dyke ISCR project, a development stage, potential near term, mid-size copper mine in Arizona and a 25% interest in the Schaft Creek Joint Venture with Teck Resources Limited (75% interest and Operator) which hosts the Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum-silver project in British Columbia's Golden Triangle. In addition, Copper Fox owns 100% of the resource stage Eaglehead polymetallic porphyry copper project in northwestern British Columbia and the Sombrero Butte and Mineral Mountain advanced exploration stage porphyry copper projects located in the prolific Laramide age copper province in Arizona. For more information on Copper Fox's mineral properties and investments visit the Company's website at www.copperfoxmetals.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors Elmer B. Stewart President and Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This news release is not for distribution in the United States or over United States newswires. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "budgets", "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, without limitation, statements about: the use of the proceeds from the Offering. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, Copper Fox has made numerous assumptions. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause Copper Fox's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include the possibility that, the net proceeds of the Offering will not be used for the purposes currently contemplated. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Copper Fox is disclosed in Copper Fox's continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedarplus.ca. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and Copper Fox disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. 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/286135 Source: Copper Fox Metals Inc. Jones emphasizes AI-first strategy focused on fueling customers' brand discoverability and digital accessibility amidst a critical growth phase for the company. COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Siteimprove , a leader in agentic content intelligence, today announced the addition of Chief Marketing Officer Jen Jones to its c-suite. In this role, Jones will align brand, demand generation, product marketing, and customer engagement to accelerate revenue expansion and strengthen Siteimprove's market leadership in AI-powered, agentic content intelligence platform rooted in accessibility. She joins at a pivotal moment as Siteimprove advances unified agentic platform strategy, transforming how enterprises optimize digital content experiences through accessibility, SEO/answer engine optimization (AEO), analytics and content performance at scale. With nearly 25 years of technology marketing experience, Jones brings a wealth of knowledge to Siteimprove's leadership team across revenue growth, product marketing and growth marketing. Before joining the Siteimprove team, she served as chief marketing officer at commercetools, where she led global marketing through a period of rapid growth, aligning product positioning and demand generation to drive enterprise adoption and capture a leadership position in the emerging agentic commerce space. Jones has also held senior leadership roles at Dataminr, Cision and Oracle. "Siteimprove sits at the intersection of digital accessibility, brand discoverability, and content performance - three forces that increasingly define how modern brands earn trust and drive growth," said Siteimprove CMO Jen Jones. "Accessibility is no longer a compliance checkbox, it is a core driver of customer experience and content effectiveness. My focus will be on accelerating global growth by helping organizations make accessibility compliant and content performance central to their digital strategy and strengthening Siteimprove's leadership in this category." Under Jones' leadership, Siteimprove is poised to further elevate its position as an AI-first content intelligence platform and drive its accessibility-centric mission. She will work cross-functionally with leadership, sales, product and customer success teams to build upon the company's core mission and advance Siteimprove's role as a category authority in key areas. "Jen brings a proven track record of translating cutting-edge technology innovation into scalable revenue growth," said Siteimprove CEO Nayaki Nayyar. "Her role will be instrumental in this next phase of growth as we advance our AI-first, agentic content intelligence platform strategy and align product innovation with global go-to-market execution. Jen will further our connections with customers who rely on us to make the digital world more accessible and to keep brands more discoverable in the age of answer engines." For latest information on Siteimprove, please visit our press page. About Siteimprove Founded in 2003, Siteimprove transforms access to the digital world by providing an agentic content intelligence platform that unifies accessibility, analytics, SEO/AEO, and content strategy. Today, global 2000 clients across manufacturing, government, higher education, financial services, and healthcare rely on Siteimprove.ai, an agentic content intelligence platform to deliver both content that performs and that is compliant. Based in Copenhagen, Bellevue, Minneapolis and London, Siteimprove is a single, actionable source of truth for digital content and development teams across many of the largest global enterprises, government entities and learning institutions. Siteimprove is majority-owned by Nordic Capital. Media Contact: edegnan@thebranded.agency Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/588192/siteimprove_New.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/siteimprove-strengthens-executive-team-with-cmo-jen-jones-to-scale-growth-strategy-and-agentic-category-leadership-302701942.html Oakville, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Canadian Grace, a proudly Canadian beauty brand built exclusively around pure, origin-sourced beauty oils, has announced national retail expansion and accelerating consumer demand, underscoring growing national interest in pure beauty oils and positioning the company as a defining brand in Canada's evolving clean beauty market. Canadian Grace: The Clean Beauty Brand from Canada To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11862/286126_b47b0b72f48e1ae1_001full.jpg Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Canadian Grace sources oils directly from their regions of origin while bottling every product in Canada under strict quality standards. The result is a focused portfolio of nine 100% oil-only formulations with no water, no fillers, no synthetic additives, and no added fragrance. The brand was built on one rule: every formulation must be oil-only. That standard is not trend-driven. It is the company's founding principle and the basis on which it is building a clearly defined segment within Canada's clean beauty market. Made In Canada. Sourced From The World. As consumers increasingly question what is in their products and where they are made, Canadian Grace has built its model around global sourcing integrity and domestic manufacturing control. Canadian Grace Batana Oil 100% Pure & Raw To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11862/286126_b47b0b72f48e1ae1_002full.jpg The oils are drawn from regions with generational traditions in oil craftsmanship, including UNESCO-protected Moroccan cooperatives and indigenous communities in Central America. Each sourcing relationship prioritizes traceability and authenticity. Every product is bottled in Canada under strict quality controls, reinforcing the brand's identity as a proudly Canadian company with global sourcing roots. "Our vision has always been to build a Canadian beauty brand that competes globally while manufacturing at home," said Shahnawaz Sheikh, Co-Founder of Canadian Grace. "We go to the source for integrity, and we bottle in Canada for control." The Problem Canadian Grace Is Solving The beauty industry has blurred the meaning of pure oil. Many products marketed as pure oils contain water bases, emulsifiers, silicones, and synthetic fragrance. Canadian Grace draws a clear distinction. Every product in its portfolio adheres to a strict 100% oil-only standard. This commitment creates a verifiable separation between Canadian Grace and the broader market and gives consumers and retail buyers clarity. "We believe pure beauty oils deserve their own category," said Sheikh. "They are foundational to how skin and hair function biologically." The brand's approach is grounded in bio-affinity, the understanding that the skin's natural protective barrier is composed largely of lipids. When structurally compatible oils are applied, the skin responds with ease. "The skin has not changed," Sheikh added. "It still speaks the language of lipids." Nine Products. One Uncompromising Philosophy Canadian Grace's oil-only portfolio includes seven established products and two newly introduced formulations: Batana Oil Raw and unrefined, sourced from indigenous communities in Central America and bottled in Canada. Featured on Breakfast Television as The Miracle Oil, it has become the brand's flagship product. According to customer feedback collected through verified reviews, users have reported improvements in hair hydration and scalp comfort. Argan Oil: Cold-pressed from a UNESCO-protected Moroccan biosphere, preserving its full natural lipid profile. Rosehip Oil: Organically cold-pressed and commonly used to improve the appearance of skin tone and texture. Jamaican Black Castor Oil: Traditionally prepared and unrefined, widely used to support hair strength and conditioning. Jojoba Oil: Structurally similar to the skin's natural sebum, making it highly compatible with sensitive and reactive skin. Rosemary + Castor Hair Oil: A focused oil-based formulation traditionally used to support scalp vitality. Vitamin E Face Oil: A high-potency vitamin E formulation blended with organic oils to help support the skin barrier. New Products Makeup Melt Oil: Canadian Grace's first oil-based cleanser, featuring Camellia, Grape Seed, and Apricot Kernel oils with Tocopherol Vitamin E. Formulated to dissolve makeup and sunscreen effectively without synthetic surfactants, water, or foaming agents, extending the brand's oil-only standard into the cleansing category. Pre-Makeup Mediterranean Squalane Olive-Derived: A lightweight olive-derived squalane inspired by professional makeup rituals. Applied before makeup, it creates a smooth, hydrated base without silicones or synthetic primers, extending the oil-only philosophy into the pre-makeup step. All nine products adhere strictly to the oil-only standard. None contain water, stabilizers, texture modifiers, silicones, or synthetic fragrance of any kind. Retail Expansion And Consumer Validation Since launch, Canadian Grace has expanded from a direct-to-consumer model into specialty and natural retail locations across Ontario. The company expects continued expansion throughout 2026. The growth reflects a measurable shift in consumer behaviour toward minimal-ingredient, multipurpose products. Verified customer reviews frequently highlight product authenticity, noticeable improvements in hair and skin condition, and strong repeat purchase intent, signalling performance-driven demand. National media attention, including a feature on Breakfast Television, has further strengthened brand visibility across Canada. Building The Category As interest in pure Batana oil, organic Argan oil, and authentic beauty oils continues to grow, Canadian Grace is positioning itself at the centre of an expanding but fragmented segment. By remaining exclusively oil-based, the company builds deeper sourcing relationships and formulation expertise than diversified beauty brands. That specialization underpins its long-term category leadership. "Our ambition is straightforward," said Sheikh. "We want Canadian Grace to represent the benchmark for pure beauty oils in Canada, not one option among many, but the standard." About Canadian Grace Canadian Grace is a proudly Canadian beauty brand dedicated exclusively to pure, origin-sourced beauty oils for face, hair, and body. All nine products adhere to a strict 100% oil-only formulation standard, with no water, fillers, synthetic additives, or added fragrance. Oils are sourced globally and bottled in Canada under rigorous quality controls. The brand's mission is to restore authenticity, transparency, and performance to the modern beauty oils category. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286126 Source: Jeff Social Marketing AM Best has placed under review with positive implications the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of "a+" (Excellent) of Beazley Insurance Designated Activity Company (BIDAC) (Ireland), Beazley Insurance Company, Inc. (BICI) (Farmington, CT), Beazley America Insurance Company, Inc. (Beazley America) (Farmington, CT), Beazley Excess and Surplus Insurance, Inc. (BESI) (Farmington, CT) and Beazley Bermuda Insurance Limited (Bermuda). The Credit Ratings (ratings) have been placed under review following the announcement on 2 March 2026 that Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (Zurich) has made a binding offer to acquire 100% of Beazley plc's (Beazley) shares for approximately GBP 8 billion (USD 11 billion). Zurich's statement confirms that Beazley's Board of Directors are recommending its shareholders accept the offer. The offer must be voted on by Beazley's shareholders and, if approved, the acquisition would be subject to regulatory approval and due diligence. The under review with positive implication status reflects the potential financial and operational benefits that Beazley and its subsidiaries may derive from being a part of a significantly larger insurance organisation, which is of greater financial strength. The ratings will remain under review pending completion of the transaction and a detailed review by AM Best of Beazley's future business plans. Concurrently, AM Best comments that the ratings of Lloyd's Syndicate 2623, Lloyd's Syndicate 623, Lloyd's Syndicate 3623, and Lloyd's Syndicate 3622 (Beazley's Lloyd's Syndicates) (United Kingdom) are being closely monitored. The Syndicates currently have a Long-Term FSR of A+ (Superior) and Long-Term ICRs of "aa-" (Superior), which reflect the financial strength of the Lloyd's market, which underpins the security of all Syndicates. The ratings will be further reviewed if and when Zurich's binding offer is accepted. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303682258/en/ Contacts: Romeo Berti Senior Financial Analyst +44 20 7397 0267 romeo.berti@ambest.com Tim Prince Director +44 20 7397 0320 timothy.prince@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318 al.slavin@ambest.com The Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo (CAAC) in Seville presents Amefrica: Diasporic Connections in the Jorge M. Perez Collection (Amefrica), an exhibition curated by Brazilian curator and scholar Helio Menezes and drawn from the holdings of the Jorge M. Perez Collection and El Espacio 23 in Miami. The presentation brings together 128 works by 99 artists and examines the global influence of the African diaspora across generations and geographies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303490608/en/ Photo Credit: Pepe Moron On view in the museum's North and East Cloisters through January 10, 2027, the exhibition opens CAAC's 2026 program with a project that deepens cultural dialogue across the Atlantic. The exhibition offers a renewed reading of Africa's imprint on the formation of the Americas, approached through relational, political, and aesthetic lenses. Spanning painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and textile practices, the presentation includes artists born in more than thirty countries across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Australia, reflecting the global dimension of the African diaspora and its enduring impact on contemporary culture. Featured artists include internationally recognized figures such as Kara Walker, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Wifredo Lam, Rubem Valentim, Igshaan Adams, Zanele Muholi, El Anatsui, and Esther Mahlangu. The presentation also establishes a dialogue between pioneers such as Rubem Valentim, Bertina Lopes, and Mahlangu and later generations including Nnenna Okore, Ayan Farah, and Kapwani Kiwanga. "As a collector, I am interested in supporting works that expand our understanding of history and challenge simplified narratives," says Perez. "Amefrica underscores that we share intertwined origins and that no artistic expression, nor any society, emerges in isolation. We are the result of crossings, trajectories, and shared memories." The exhibition unfolds across five chapters inspired by ideas that Lelia Gonzalez identified as central to processes of africanidade. Adaptation This section examines both the forced and voluntary crossings that shaped relationships between Africa and the Americas. Works by artists including El Anatsui, Ibrahim Mahama, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, and Juan Carlos Alom reflect on migration, material circulation, and memory across geographies. Resistance Here, artists engage the visual languages of resistance and contemporary activism, translating socio-racial tensions into material form. With attention to themes of care, protection, and collective struggle, works by Mickalene Thomas, Bisa Butler, and Zanele Muholi foreground resilience and identity. Reinterpretation Focusing on spiritual and religious traditions reshaped through displacement and survival, this section draws on ancestral presences, ritual, and trance as sites of knowledge and power. Artists Manuel Mendive Hoyos, Belkis Ayon, Frida Orupabo, and Turiya Magadlela reinterpret inherited frameworks. Creation of New Forms Highlighting experimentation and innovation, this chapter features artists such as Stanley Whitney, Sam Gilliam, Serge Attukwei Clottey, Sonia Gomes, and Kapwani Kiwanga, who work across abstraction, sculpture, and textile to construct new aesthetic vocabularies. Amefricanas Centering Black women artists, this final section explores self-representation beyond colonial narratives. Through diverse media, artists including Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, Lorna Simpson, Nandipha Mntambo, and Faith Ringgold propose new visions of the body and image. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303490608/en/ Contacts: Adaeze Iheoma adaeze.iheoma@antennagroup.com (201) 465-8031 LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hozpitality Group, a leading global hospitality professional network, today announced the official launch of the Hozpitality Leadership Academy, a non-profit professional development initiative aimed at strengthening leadership, mentorship, and industry education within the U.S. hospitality sector. Launching in California, the Academy brings together a distinguished Advisory Board of General Managers and senior hospitality leaders who will contribute their expertise through live sessions, masterclasses, industry panels, and in-person leadership events. The initiative is designed to provide practical, real-world insights directly from experienced hotel leaders, making leadership education more accessible to hospitality professionals at all stages of their careers. "We believe the future of hospitality depends on strong leadership and shared knowledge," said Raj Bhatt, Founder & CEO of Hozpitality Group. "Hozpitality Leadership Academy is our commitment to giving back to the industry by creating a structured platform where professionals can learn directly from accomplished General Managers and senior leaders." Founding Advisory Board Members: Kenan Tekin - General Manager at HSMAI Anastasia Moore - General Manager at E Central Hotel Sonesh Mool - Area General Manager at Cameo Beverly Hills, Hilton LXR David Townsend - General Manager at Hyatt Place LAX / Century Blvd & Hyatt House LAX / Century Blvd Cory Christensen - General Manager at FOUND Hotels Santa Monica, a Series by Marriott Diego Andrada - General Manager at Candlewood Suites Anaheim Resort Area by IHG Yuni Hunter - General Manager at AC Hotel Irvine Mauricio Joya - General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Century City / Beverly Hills Rachael Hernandez - General Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Carson Board of Directors: Vandana Bhatt - Managing Director, Hozpitality USA Raj Bhatt - Founder & CEO, Hozpitality Group The Academy will initially focus on California, with plans to expand into additional major hospitality markets across the United States. Hospitality professionals can explore the Academy and upcoming sessions at: www.hozpitality.com/education General Managers based in Los Angeles who are interested in joining the Advisory Board may contact: email@hozpitality.com About Hozpitality Group Founded in 2008, Hozpitality Group is a global hospitality network connecting employers, professionals, and industry leaders across multiple markets. The company operates platforms dedicated to recruitment, networking, and professional development within the hospitality industry. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684265/5834531/Hozpitality_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hozpitality-launches-leadership-academy-in-the-united-states-to-advance-hospitality-industry-education-302702967.html Belleville, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Hipskind & McAninch, LLC is proud to announce the relocation of its Belleville office from its longtime home at 5111 W Main St to a distinguished new address at 3201 W Main St, Belleville, IL 62226, effective March 1, 2026. This move represents far more than a change of address. It reflects the firm's investment in its future and its deepening roots in the community it has proudly served since 2008. The new location at 3201 W Main St is a distinguished historic building originally constructed in 1908, featuring soaring ceilings, rich hardwood floors, intricate woodwork, and original millwork that speak to more than a century of Belleville history. What makes this move especially meaningful is that Hipskind & McAninch, LLC has acquired the property outright. Owning this building is a statement of permanence, a commitment to planting deeper roots on West Main Street and ensuring that the families and individuals of Southern Illinois always know where to find them. The character of the building reflects the character of the firm: grounded, established, and built to last. The decision to purchase rather than lease reflects the same conviction that has guided the firm since its founding. John Hipskind and Brady McAninch both walked away from careers defending large corporations because they believed the people on the other side of those cases deserved better. That belief has never changed. What started as a straightforward commitment to injured individuals and their families has grown into one of the most recognized personal injury law firms in Belleville, Illinois, with millions of dollars recovered for clients across St. Clair County and the broader Metro East region. Clients who have previously visited the firm at 5111 W Main St will find the new office just down the road at 3201 W Main St, offering more space and greater accessibility to continue delivering the kind of personalized attention that has defined the Belleville personal injury law firm's reputation from the beginning. Clients throughout the Belleville area, Fairview Heights, O'Fallon, and communities across Southern Illinois will continue to receive the same dedicated, hands-on representation they have come to expect. The firm handles car and truck accidents, wrongful death, slip and fall, dog bites, premises liability, and a wide range of personal injury matters, always with a focus on making sure every client feels heard, supported, and genuinely cared for throughout the process. Settling into a building that has stood on West Main Street since 1908 feels like the right next chapter for Hipskind & McAninch, LLC. The firm was built on the belief that people facing some of the hardest moments of their lives deserve attorneys who will show up fully and fight hard on their behalf. That belief has not wavered, and this new home at 3201 W Main St is a reflection of how far that commitment has carried the firm and how much further it intends to go in service to the Belleville community. About Hipskind & McAninch, LLC Founded in 2008 by John Hipskind and Brady McAninch, Hipskind & McAninch, LLC is a Belleville, Illinois personal injury law firm dedicated to representing individuals and families harmed by the negligence of others. Both founding attorneys previously represented large corporations before turning their experience toward the people who need it most. With millions recovered for clients throughout Southern Illinois, the firm is known for its compassionate approach, aggressive advocacy, and unwavering dedication to justice. Hipskind & McAninch, LLC proudly serves clients across St. Clair County and the greater Metro East region. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286165 Source: GetFeatured Blackstone Life Sciences will provide $400 million to support development of duvakitug, a human monoclonal antibody targeting TL1A Duvakitug is currently in phase 3 clinical studies for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) Agreement supports Teva's Pivot to Growth strategy to accelerate its innovative pipeline and drive long-term growth PARSIPPANY, N.J. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) and funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences ("BXLS") today announced a $400 million strategic funding agreement spread across four years to support the continued clinical development of duvakitug. Additionally, under the terms of the agreement, BXLS will be eligible for regulatory and commercial milestones as well as royalties on duvakitug worldwide sales. "Today's announcement highlights how we are turning strategy into action under Pivot to Growth," said Evan Lippman, Executive Vice President, Business Development, Teva. "By pursuing disciplined, capital-efficient partnerships, we are accelerating pipeline advancement while maintaining financial strength. This is the model we will continue using to build a more innovative, resilient, and growth-oriented Teva." Duvakitug is a human monoclonal antibody targeting TL1A, a promising target with the potential for broad therapeutic application across multiple indications. Under a separate and independent agreement announced in 2023, Teva is co-developing and, subject to regulatory approval, will be co-commercializing this asset with Sanofi. Duvakitug is currently in phase 3 clinical studies for the treatment of UC and CD. Both companies recently announced phase 2b duvakitug maintenance data demonstrating clinically meaningful durable efficacy in UC and CD. "We are excited to partner with Teva and support their innovation priorities as they advance a critical new product to patients who have significant unmet need," said Dr. Nicholas Galakatos, Global Head of BXLS. "This transaction further demonstrates our focus on partnering with leading biopharmaceutical companies to execute their growth initiatives." "Duvakitug has the potential to be a best-in-class therapy in a large and growing space, and the Teva and Sanofi teams are well positioned to develop and commercialize this important medicine," said Paris Panayiotopoulos, Senior Managing Director, BXLS. "In line with our mission, we are delighted to partner with Teva on their Pivot to Growth strategy and to help bring duvakitug to patients as soon as possible." Transaction Terms Under the agreement, BXLS will provide Teva $400 million to fund ongoing and future development costs for duvakitug, spread over four years. As part of the funding arrangement and subject to the approval of duvakitug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Teva will pay BXLS a milestone payment. BXLS will also be eligible to receive commercial milestones and low single-digit royalties on duvakitug worldwide sales, subject to customary terms and conditions. About IBD IBD is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Globally, approximately 4.9 million cases of IBD have been identified, with incidence rising in several regions. The two main types of IBD are UC and CD, which are characterized by repetitive cycles of relapses and remission. Common symptoms of both conditions include persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Prolonged inflammation can lead to damage within the GI tract, including fibrosis, a common complication of IBD characterized by an excessive accumulation of scar tissue in the intestinal wall, which may cause narrowing and obstruction. Currently, there is no cure for IBD. The goal of current treatment is to induce and maintain remission and prevent flares. About duvakitug Duvakitug, a human monoclonal antibody targeting TL1A, is currently in phase 3 clinical studies for the treatment of UC and CD. TL1A signaling is believed to amplify inflammation and drive fibrosis associated with IBD through binding to its receptor, DR3. Duvakitug preferentially inhibits TL1A-DR3 signaling over DcR3 (decoy receptor 3) binding, with the potential to reduce inflammation and fibrosis. The safety and efficacy of duvakitug have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority. Under a separate and independent agreement announced in 2023, Teva is co-developing and, subject to regulatory approval, will be co-commercializing this asset with Sanofi. About Teva Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is transforming into a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company, enabled by a world-class generics business. For over 120 years, Teva's commitment to bettering health has never wavered. From innovating in the fields of neuroscience and immunology to providing complex generic medicines, biosimilars and pharmacy brands worldwide, Teva is dedicated to addressing patients' needs, now and in the future. At Teva, We Are All In For Better Health. To learn more about how, visit www.tevapharm.com. About Blackstone Life Sciences Blackstone Life Sciences (BXLS) is a leading private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life cycle of companies and products within the key life science sectors. By combining scale investments and hands-on operational leadership, BXLS helps bring to market promising new medicines and medical technologies that improve patients' lives and currently has $15 billion in assets under management. Teva Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "target," "may," "project," "guidance," "intend," "plan," "believe" and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to execute the agreement with Blackstone Life Sciences and to successfully develop and commercialize duvakitug (anti-TL1A; TEV-'574) for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease; our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; our ability to successfully execute our Pivot to Growth strategy, including to expand our innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline and profitably commercialize the innovative medicines and biosimilar portfolio, whether organically or through business development, and to execute on our organizational transformation and to achieve expected cost savings; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, including in the sections captioned "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Teva Media Inquiries TevaCommunicationsNorthAmerica@tevapharm.com Teva Investor Relations Inquires TevaIR@Tevapharm.com Blackstone David Vitek (212) 583-5291 David.Vitek@blackstone.com Four-student team presented social-first "FinCheck" campaign targeting Gen Z to promote greater financial literacy For the second consecutive year, a four-student team from Fisk University took the top prize in the 2026 IYKYK Pitch Competition (If You Know, You Know) for their idea to amplify Experian's Big Financial Friend campaign, sponsored by Experian and HomeFree-USA. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303277011/en/ Fisk University won the 2026 IYKYK Pitch Competition, powered by Experian's B.A.L.L. for Life in partnership with HomeFree-USA. This year's challenge statement was to create a bold and creative campaign to amplify Experian's Big Financial Friend initiative. Team F2's presentation of "FinCheck" leveraged the viral social media trend, "fit check" to build financial literacy and credit education for their Gen Z peers. Winners took home a $40,000 grand prize. A team from Fisk University won the 2025 IYKYK Pitch Competition. (L-R) Kanchan Thapa, Hannah Daniel, faculty advisor Latreace Wells, Remi Adeshina and Habeebah Dawodu. Nicknamed Team F2, Hannah Daniel, Habeebah Dawodu, Remi Adeshina, and Kanchan Thapa earned a $40,000 prize for their presentation, "FinCheck." A social-first campaign inspired by the viral "fit check" trend, the campaign invites Gen Z users to post regular "fin check" videos to normalize discussions around financial health, making it as routine and shareable as personal style. In addition, on-campus and social-media influencer activations will amplify awareness around basic financial wellness services, such as credit locking, score simulations and subscription cancellation. A team from Fisk University also won the 2025 competition. "We came into this competition and said we're going to put our best foot forward, we're going to get up here, have fun and we're going to leave a lasting impact. This is just beyond words," said Hannah Daniel, biology and business administration major from Fisk University and captain of Team F2. The IYKYK Pitch Competition, powered by Experian's B.A.L.L. for Life initiative, challenged students to develop a bold, culturally relevant campaign that builds on Experian's concept of being a "Big Financial Friend" (BFF) to their peers and communities. Generation Z consumers carry an average $94,101 in personal debt, the highest compared to other generations. The competition was the culmination of the Experian Credit Academy created for the Center for Financial Advancement (CFA). For the first time, the National Urban League's network of schools joined the academy and competition. More than 300 students from 22 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions came together in live sessions with Experian credit education experts and self-paced modules. Finalists from Alabama State University and Grambling State University also presented their ideas live at Experian's North America headquarters and each team received a $10,000 prize. "Experian's Credit Academy and IYKYK Pitch Competition aims to modernize and normalize the conversation around money and credit in a fun and culturally relevant way for young adults. Our partnerships with HomeFree-USA, CFA and the National Urban League are essential in helping us reach and empower the next generation of leaders. We were inspired to see how these scholars lean into the learning and proactively share their knowledge as BFFs for their peers and communities," said Raudy Perez, Senior Director of External Inclusion and Belonging Partnerships for Experian North America. "Experian's IYKYK Pitch Competition gives students the chance to turn knowledge into action. When students connect classroom learning to real-life financial scenarios, their understanding of credit and financial literacy deepens in powerful ways. Exploring how they can become Big Financial Friends for their peers and communities inspires them to become confident advocates who share what they've learned," said LuWanna Williams, Ed.D., University Director for the Center for Financial Advancement. Learn more about Experian's commitment to communities in our 2025 Power of YOU Reports: English Portuguese Spanish Click this link to access photos, b-roll and soundbites About HomeFree-USA HomeFree-USA is a nonprofit started by Marcia and Jim Griffin in 1994 with a vision to close the homeownership gap. The organization gives African Americans the guidance they need to achieve and sustain homeownership, and bridges the gap between financial strength and homeownership for people of color across America. As a HUD-intermediary, HomeFree-USA serves the diverse interests of 6.3 million consumers through its nationwide network of over 50 affiliated community-based nonprofits that specialize in guiding people to first-time homeownership, sustainability and increased financial capacity. For more information visit: https://homefreeusa.org/. About Center for Financial Advancement The Center for Financial Advancement (CFA) is a solution to the industry's call for more diversity. HomeFree-USA partners with, recruits, trains and places students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) into internships and careers in partnering mortgage, real estate, and financial services companies. Participating CFA Scholars are exposed to credit, money management and homeownership in order to become a savvy consumer and future homeowner. About Experian Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realize their financial goals and help them to save time and money. We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments. We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. A FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303277011/en/ Contacts: MEDIA CONTACTS: Victoria Lim, Experian Victoria.Lim@experian.com Fabianna Diaz, HomeFree-USA FabiannaD@homefreeusa.org IRS-Authorized E-File Provider Offers Fast, Simple Way to Secure a Business Tax Extension ROCK HILL, SC / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / ExpressExtension, an IRS-authorized e-file provider, is reminding business owners and tax professionals that the deadline to file business income tax extension Form 7004 is March 16, 2026. S-Corporations and Partnerships that are not ready to file their tax returns by this date must submit Form 7004 to avoid late-filing penalties. Form 7004 is the IRS form used to request an automatic six-month extension of time to file certain business income tax, information, and other returns. The form covers a broad range of business entities, including partnerships filing Form 1065, C-Corporations filing Form 1120, S-Corporations filing Form 1120-S, foreign corporations filing Form 1120-F, estates and trusts filing Form 1041, 1042, and several other business and information returns. It is important to note that while a tax extension pushes back the filing deadline, it does not extend the deadline to pay any taxes owed. Businesses should estimate and submit any outstanding tax payments by March 16 to avoid interest and penalties. ExpressExtension makes the process of filing Form 7004 fast and straightforward. Users can create a free account, enter their business information, and transmit their extension directly to the IRS in a matter of minutes. The platform includes built-in error checks to catch mistakes before submission and sends instant confirmation once the IRS accepts the filing. Plus, all filings are backed by the ExpressGuarantee, which offers free retransmission of rejected returns and guarantee approval or your money back. "With the March 16 deadline approaching, we want to make sure businesses know they have a simple, reliable option for filing their extension," said Naga Palanisamay, CEO of ExpressExtension. "E-filing through ExpressExtension takes the stress out of the process and gives business owners confidence that their extension was filed correctly and on time." ExpressExtension is available at expressextension.com. The platform supports e-filing for a wide range of IRS extension forms for businesses, individuals, and nonprofits. About ExpressExtension ExpressExtension is the one-stop solution for IRS Tax Extensions. As an IRS-authorized, SOC-2 Certified e-file provider, ExpressExtension has been helping businesses, individuals, and non-profit organizations to obtain IRS extensions for over a decade. Supported forms include Form 7004, 4868, 8868, and 8809. About SPAN Enterprises SPAN Enterprises, headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, has created cutting-edge software solutions for e-filing and business management since 2009. The company's suite of products includes TaxBandits, Tax990, TaxExemptBonds, ACAwise, ExpressExtension, 123PayStubs, and TruckLogics. For all media inquiries, please contact Caleb Flachman, Marketing Manager, at caleb@spanenterprises.com. SOURCE: ExpressExtension View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/expressextension-reminds-business-owners-of-march-16-deadline-to-1143435 Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Besra Gold Inc (ASX: BEZ) (the Company) advises that it has received a second notice, which purports to have been given under Section 143 of the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) (Purported S143 Notice), from Mr. Ron Mehmet, dated 2 March 2026. As previously announced on 20 January 2026, the Company received by email from Mr Ron Mehmet a notice dated 15 January 2026 purporting to requisition a resolution with reference to the Gold Purchase Agreement ('GPA') between the Company and Quantum Metal Recovery Inc ('QMRI'), dated 8 May 2023. The Company announced on 6 February 2026 a Special General Meeting to be held at 9:00 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time on Tuesday, 19 May 2026. The Purported S143 Notice dated 2 March 2026 includes proposed resolutions concerning changes to the Board composition, in addition to the matters set out in the purported request dated 15 January 2026. The Company is currently reviewing both the Purported S143 Notice dated 15 January 2026 and the Purported S143 Notice dated 2 March 2026 and has sought legal advice as to their validity and compliance with the requirements under the CBCA. To the extent that the Purported S143 Notice is determined to be valid, the Company will comply with its obligation to convene a special general meeting at considerable cost to the Company. This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286184 Source: Besra Gold Inc. Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) ("Sankamap" or the "Company") proposes to complete a non-brokered private placement financing of up to 14,285,715 units ("Units") at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $5 million (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share (a "Share") and one-half (1/2) of a common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) additional common share of Sankamap at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. The gross proceeds from the sale of the Units will be used to advance exploration and development of Sankamap's projects, including the acquisition of a drilling rig to be installed at the Fauro property, which will enable the simultaneous drilling of both the Kuma and Fauro properties, as well as for general working capital purposes. Sankamap may pay finder's fees to arm's length finders (each a "Finder") in connection with this placement, which are expected to be up to 6.0% of the gross proceeds raised by such Finder, in cash, and share purchase warrants (each a "Finder's Warrant") to acquire common shares of Sankamap of up to 6.0% of the number of Units sold to a purchaser or purchasers introduced by the Finder(s). Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) common share of Sankamap at an exercise price of $0.35 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. The Offering is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and any finder's fees payable will be issued in accordance with the policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws. All securities issued will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period. About Sankamap Metals Inc. Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) is a Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of high-grade copper and gold deposits through its flagship Oceania Project, located in the South Pacific. The Company's fully permitted assets are strategically positioned in the Solomon Islands, along a prolific geological trend that hosts major copper-gold deposits; including Newmont's Lihir Mine, with a resource of 71.9 million ounces of gold (310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred). Exploration is actively advancing at both the Kuma and Fauro properties, part of Sankamap's Oceania Project in the Solomon Islands. Historical work has already highlighted the mineral potential of both sites, which lie along a highly prospective copper and gold-bearing trend, suggesting the possibility of further, yet-to-be-discovered deposits. At Kuma, the property is believed to host an underexplored and largely untested porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) system. Historical rock chip sampling has returned consistently elevated gold values above 0.5 g/t Au, including a standout sample assaying 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au3; underscoring the area's significant potential. At Fauro, particularly at the Meriguna Target, historical trenching has returned highly encouraging results, including 8.0 meters at 27.95 g/t Au and 14.0 meters at 8.94 g/t Au4. Complementing these results are exceptional grab sample assays, including historical values of up to 173 g/t Au4, along with recent sampling by Sankamap at the Kiovakase Target, which returned numerous high-grade copper values, reaching up to 4.09% Cu. In addition, limited historical shallow drilling intersected 35.0 meters at 2.08 g/t Au4, further underscoring the property's strong mineral potential and the merit for continued exploration. With a commitment to systematic exploration and a team of experienced professionals, Sankamap aims to unlock the untapped potential of underexplored regions and create substantial value for its shareholders. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Sankamap's profile. 1.Newcrest Technical Report, 2020 (Lihir: 310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred) 2. Bougainville Copper Ltd. Annual Report, 2016 (1.5 Mt containing 16.1 Moz Au at 0.33 g/t and 4.6 Mt Cu at 0.3 % Indicated, 300 Mt containing 3.2 Moz Au 0.4 g/t and 0.7 Mt Cu Inferred) 3. Historical grab, soil and BLEG samples from SolGold Kuma Review June 2015, and SolGold plc Annual Report 2013/2012 4. September 2010-June 2012 press releases from Solomon Gold Ltd. and SolGold Fauro Island Summary Technical Info 2012 QP Disclosure The technical content for the Oceania Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person in accordance with CIM guidelines. Mr. John Florek is in good standing with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (Member ID:1228) and a director and officer of the Company. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS s/ "John Florek" John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol Chief Executive Officer Sankamap Metals Inc. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved this press release. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company's exploration plans and results at its projects. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements in this press release but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expectations of management regarding the Offering, the expectations of management regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, closing conditions for the Offering, and no objection from the CSE in respect of the Offering. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include the CSE objecting to the Offering; the proceeds of the Offering may not be used as stated in this news release; Sankamap may be unable to satisfy all of the conditions to the closing required by the CSE. Sankamap does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. 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/286173 Source: Sankamap Metals Inc. In March 2026, banking services across India will face scheduled interruptions as various states observe a heavy calendar of regional and national festivals. From the vibrant colours of Holi and Dol Jatra in the north and east to the sacred traditions of Attukal Pongala in the south, these holidays reflect the diverse cultural tapestry of the nation. The arrival of spring brings a period of vibrant cultural celebrations across India, and with these festivities comes a necessary shift in banking operations. As communities across the country prepare to mark the festival of colours, the banking sector observes a series of holidays to align with local traditions and customs. For many individuals and businesses, it is essential to be aware of these regional variations to manage financial planning effectively during the month of March. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Banking schedules across the regions Financial institutions in several states remain closed today, March 3, 2026, as various regions observe Holi and related cultural festivals. The list of states observing a holiday includes Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya, and Himachal Pradesh. It is important to note that while today marks a significant day for many, the exact dates for such holidays can vary depending on local customs and official notifications. Banking customers should verify the status of their local branch, as operational schedules shift based on the specific observances in each location. Significance of the festive season The festivals celebrated during this time are diverse and deeply rooted in local traditions. For instance, Dol Purnima, also popularly known as Dol Jatra, Doul Utsav, Dol yatra, Deul or Holi, is a Hindu swing festival celebrated during the Holi festival of Assam, Bengal, Braj region, Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tripura. These celebrations carry immense cultural value, bringing communities together to mark the changing seasons and the triumph of goodness. In southern regions, the focus shifts to different traditions. Attukal Pongala is a 10 day Pongala festival celebrated in the month of Kumbham, at the Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram in the Indian state of Kerala. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Navigating the festive calendar The month of March is particularly busy for banks due to the confluence of various regional festivals. Beyond the primary Holi celebrations, institutions close their doors for events such as Holika Dahan, Dhuleti, Yaosang second day, Chapchar Kut, Shab I Qadr, Gudhi Padwa, Ugadi Festival, Telugu New Year day, Sajibu Nongmapanba, first Navratra, Eid Ul Fitr, Jumat ul Vida, Ramzan Id, Khutub E Ramzan, Sarhul, Shree Ram Navami, and Mahavir Jayanti. With such an array of holidays, those with time sensitive transactions should utilise online banking platforms or mobile applications, which generally remain accessible even when physical branches are closed, ensuring that personal and commercial financial management continues without unnecessary disruption. Officials say 40% of oil flows through Strait of Hormuz, but diversified sourcing and alternative routes like Cape of Good Hope ensure energy security India has 25 days of crude, fuel stocks; govt says no need to panic amid Strait of Hormuz tensions. (File/Reuters) Amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia and concerns over possible disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, government sources have sought to reassure citizens that India has adequate crude oil and fuel reserves and there is no need to panic or hoard. According to officials, India currently holds around 25 days of stock of crude oil and petroleum products, including petrol and diesel. In addition, LPG inventories are sufficient for approximately 2530 days, providing a buffer against short-term supply shocks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Diversified sourcing Sources said that while around 40 per cent of Indias oil imports transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the remaining 60 per cent is sourced through alternative sea lanes and supplier geographies, reducing overdependence on a single chokepoint. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the worlds most critical energy corridors, handling nearly a fifth of global oil trade. Any disruption in the narrow waterway often triggers volatility in global crude prices. However, officials emphasized that Indias import basket is geographically diversified, including suppliers from the Americas, Africa, and Russia, which do not necessarily rely on Hormuz for shipment. Alternative routes in place Government sources also highlighted that alternative shipping routes remain available, including longer passages such as the Cape of Good Hope route around southern Africa, in case of escalations that affect Gulf transit. While such routes may increase transit time and freight costs, officials said contingency planning is already in place to manage logistics disruptions. Strategic and commercial buffers Apart from commercial inventories maintained by oil marketing companies, India also has strategic petroleum reserves designed to cushion temporary supply disruptions. Sources indicated that energy planners are closely monitoring developments and coordinating with refiners and marketing firms. The governments message is clear: there is no immediate threat to fuel availability, and citizens should avoid panic buying or hoarding of LPG cylinders and petroleum products. Officials added that energy security mechanisms are functioning as designed and that India remains prepared to manage short-term external shocks. DAG announces the second Mumbai edition of The City as a Museum, its art and heritage festival, after inaugural editions in Mumbai and New Delhi last year and five successful editions in Kolkata since 2021. It just doesnt talk about art, but cinema and literature too. There are a lot of things that are common between Kolkata and Mumbai in terms of culture because both the cities served as major administrative hubs for the British, leaving behind a legacy of Indo-Saracenic and Victorian architecture, literature, and art institutions. DAGs art and heritage festival launches its second Mumbai edition exploring its public spaces and communities through the perspective of artists collectives and creative collaborations that have come together to claim, contest and reshape the city, tracing the journey of these interventions through walks, talks, screenings, performances workshops and more. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the successful inaugural edition in Mumbai in 2025 exploring the world of the artists at and around the iconic Sir J. J. School of Art until the mid-twentieth century period last year, The City as Museum, Mumbai, Edition 2 examines how artistic collectives and community initiatives have navigated, and continue to transform, the citys social and spatial imaginaries, by revisiting some of the most radical public art projects conducted in Indias maximum city. Kickstarting with Bombay Framed: People, Memory, Metropolis, an exhibition that explores the dynamism of the city through the lens of art, architecture, cinema, communities and urban transformation, the festival foregrounds art as a process of social formationexamining how artistic practices organise communities, articulate dissent, and forge solidarities across caste, class, religion, gender, and geography. Conceived as a prelude to the second Mumbai edition of the festival, Bombay Framed sets the stage for a larger exploration of the city as a living archive, shaped by memory, movement, and cultural exchange. The exhibition grows out of a series of smaller capsule exhibitions presented by DAG over the yearson Bombay landscapes, portraiture, a recent collaboration with the Sir J. J. School of Artand attempts to distil the essence of this heady, restless city that never quite sleeps. Across these works and histories, the exhibition traces Bombays passage from a colonial port shaped by trade and empire to the complex metropolis it has become through a wide range of material spanning three centuriespaintings, photographs, prints (by Indian and foreign artists), archival material, memorabiliaallowing viewers to encounter the city from multiple points and engage with its layered histories and experiences. It also reflects the citys contradictions: chaos and calm, hardship and comfort, each contributing to its complexity; and reveals a restless yet resilient metropolis, formed as much by its people and memories as by its sea and skyline. While rooted in art, the accompanying book moves beyond it to explore the citys many layers. The introductory essay by historian and volume editor Gyan Prakash positions Bombay as both subject and archivea city whose meanings are continually written, erased and rewritten. From there, the essays move across the citys many aspects: Devika Shankar and Preeti Chopra trace its origins and land reclamations; Murali Ranganath examines Parsi philanthropy and civic life; Simin Patel reflects on nineteenth-century hotel culture; Vanessa Caru and Nikhil Rao foreground labour and the working city; Pheroza Godrej writes on art and galleries as platforms for artistic ambition; and Debashree Mukherjee and Rachel Dwyer bring the perspectives of cinema. Games View All Prashant Kidambi considers architecture and monumentality in contrast to everyday street life, while Naresh Fernandes listens to the sounds and rhythms that animate the city. The volume closes with Mustansir Dalvi, who leads the reader on walk through memory and place. Starting 7 March 2026, The City as a Museum programmes explore Mumbais rapidly transforming urban landscape that has long functioned as a site of cultural production, contestation, and collective imagination. From post-independence artists and poets collectives to community-led urban interventions, the city has nurtured practices that blur the boundaries between art, activism, and everyday life. This lineage extends from the work of Altaf and Navjot in the late 1970s and 1980s to the socially engaged practices of artists such as Tushar Joag, Sharmila Samant, Archana Hande, and Kausik Mukhopadhyay, who were members of the Open Circle Collective and were witness to a rapidly transforming urban landscape since the 1990s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A close associate of the poets and painters including Arun Kolatkar, Adil Jussawalla and Gieve Patel, writer Jerry Pinto explores the porous relationship between poetry, painting, and urban life in Mumbai at Kala Ghodas iconic David Sassoon library, foregrounding the visual and performative practices, literary collectives, such as the Clearing House collective, and their published work of poets and painters. The festival also forefronts performance traditions such as Tamasha and Lavani, that were often conducted in the vibrant, working-class milieus of central Mumbai in the past, and are considered not only in terms of their engagement with marginalised communities but also for their role in articulating and circulating dominant cultural narratives that shaped the modern statehood of Maharashtra. Similarly, the paintings of Sudhir Patwardhan and the poetry of Narayan Surve serve as important archives of working-class life and its erosion in Mumbais mill districtsa history that is explored through a screening of Anjali Monteiro and K.P. Jayasankars collaborative film Saacha (Loom); serving as a platform to discuss their DiverCity video archive that is drawn from their long-term practices of working collaboratively across the new media landscapes in Mumbai. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Underlying these explorations is a critical engagement with the evolving idea of the public and the claims of citizenship upon urban space. Working across informal settlements, transit zones, community venues, and heritage sites, the festival and the accompanying exhibition invites audiences to encounter Mumbai as a living museumone that holds within it the possibility of more porous, equitable, and imaginative urban futures. About The City as a Museum The City as a Museum, DAGs annual art and heritage festival, was conceived as a way to connect artworks and objects in the DAG collectionand those housed in museums, galleries, and archivesto the world outside. By activating historic spaces across citiesfrom artists homes and studios to centres of craft production and sites of arts patronagethe festival animates the larger histories behind the works we see in galleries and exhibitions, making them accessible in new and engaging ways. Last year, The City as a Museum travelled to Mumbai and Delhi for its debut editions, drawing record audiences. In Mumbai, a critically acclaimed exhibition at the Sir J. J. School of Art formed the focal point of a diverse calendar of events that mapped the Schools deep relationship with the cityextending from Elephanta to Mohammed Ali Road to trace how artists have drawn from their experiences of the city. For DAG, artists from Maharashtra hold a place in the collection alongside those from Bengal, and both the Kolkata and Mumbai editions celebrated the tremendous contributions of these regions to the history of modern Indian art. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Through its first edition in Delhi, where DAGs story began, a vast collection of artworks produced in and about the city offered audiences an unparalleled opportunity to explore the story of Indian modern art at the heart of the capital. The wide-ranging narratives have been made possible through collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the Indian Museum, the Victoria Memorial, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Sir J. J. School of Art, alongside family archives, community initiatives, and the contributions of leading scholars and artists. Over the past five years, the festival has received an overwhelming response from audiences in Kolkata, who travelled across the city to attend programmes, establishing it as a highlight of the citys cultural calendar. DAGs annual festival returns to celebrate Mumbais public spaces and communities through the perspective of artists collectives and creative collaborations that claim, contest and reshape the cityexploring these stories through performances, workshops, walks, screenings and talks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A Public in Performance A performance of Girish Datars Sawal Jawab, which takes on the connected histories of Tamasha, Lavani, and Shahiri, followed by a conversation between the director and Tamasha historian and photojournalist, Sandesh Bhandare M. V. Dhurandhar, Untitled, Watercolour on paper, 4.5 x 4.5 in. Collection: DAG 7 March 2026 Veda Kunba Theatre 4:00 pm 6:00 pm The Loom of Time A screening of Anjali Monteiro and K. P. Jayasankars Saacha (The Loom, 2001, 49), followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, on collaborative media practice in Mumbai after the textile mill workers movement in the 1980s, and the creation of the DiverCity web archive Navjot, Bhiwandi Collage I,1985, Serigraph on paper, 17.0 x 14.0 in. Collection: DAG 8 March 2026 G5A Warehouse 7:00 pm 9:00 pm Caste in Caricature A discussion on caricatural representations of Dr B. R. Ambedkar during the colonial period with author Unnamati Syama Sundar and Professor Vijay Mohite, contextualised by Ambedkars collection of books at the Siddhartha College library and closing with a standup performance by Ankur Tangade STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chittaprosad, Untitled, Ink on paper, 7.5 x 11.0 in. Collection: DAG 9 March 2026 Siddhartha College Library 2:30 pm 4:30 pm A many-coloured smell A walking tour of Kala Ghodas poetry havens, featuring poets from the Clearing House collective, with Bombay Poetry Crawl Baburao Sadwelkar, Towards Hornby Road the View from Kala Ghoda, 1951, 11 March 2026 David Sassoon Library 5:30 pm 7:00 pm Birds of a Feather Exploring the community of writers and illustrators for the Bombay Natural History Society Journal, with a talk on artist, illustrator and graduate of Sir J. J. School of Art, Carl DSilva by journalist and researcher Vrushal Pendharkar Unidentified Artist (Company School), Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus), Watercolour on paper, 1800-04,13.3 x 9.2 in. Collection: DAG 14 March 2026 Bombay Natural History Society 11:00 am 1:00 pm Faith in Form Revisiting Charles Correas imagination of a modernist space for faith at Our Lady of Salvation Church, featuring artworks by M. F. Husain and Anjolie Ela Menon, through a conversation between architect Nondita Correa Mehrotra and poet and curator Ranjit Hoskote STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD M. F. Husain, Christianity, Lithograph and chine colle on paper, 1990, 23.0 x 34.0 in. Collection: DAG 14 March 2026 Our Lady of Salvation Church 3:30 pm 6:00 pm Tracing Stone & Shadow A walk at the Kanheri Caves by archaeologist Suraj A. Pandit, focusing on the social life of the Buddhist community at the caves and their rediscovery through colonial archaeology, followed by a mapping exercise led by students of Sathaye College N. R. Sardesai, Jogeshwari Caves, Watercolour on paper, 1940, 9.2 x 13.2 in. Collection: DAG 15 March 2026 Sanjay Gandhi National Park 9:30 am 1:00 pm Ashish Chanchlanis Ekaki feels like an important moment for Indias digital creator space. Known mainly for comedy videos made in simple indoor setups, Chanchlani has taken a bold step by creating and directing his own science-fiction series a genre that requires scale, strong vision, and technical skill. What truly makes Ekaki stand out is the passion behind it. It clearly feels like a project he deeply believed in. Very few creators would even attempt something this ambitious, let alone manage to execute it independently. In many ways, Ekaki exists because Ashish Chanchlani decided to challenge himself and move beyond the image audiences had always associated him with. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD One of the biggest highlights of the series is its VFX work. The visuals look extremely polished and immersive, showing how a creator who once made videos inside a single room has now managed to build a complete sci-fi world of his own. The effects never feel overdone; instead, they support the story and make the viewing experience stronger. Creating, directing, and leading a project of this scale at the same time is not easy, but Ashish Chanchlani handles it with impressive confidence. Releasing such a large-scale science fiction IP for free on YouTube also shows his focus on storytelling rather than commercial success. It honestly feels difficult to imagine anyone other than Ashish Chanchlani attempting and actually pulling off a project like Ekaki. The series proves what can happen when creative risk is backed by strong vision and determination. Ekaki stands as perhaps the biggest success story of a digital content creator transitioning into a true mainstream force - a rare, almost unprecedented leap that Ashish has turned into reality. What began as horror evolved into sci-fi and ultimately unfolded as the origin story of an entirely new species, a genre shift so bold it feels mind-blowing in hindsight. Every aspect of the series hits with precision, writing that dares to think far beyond the usual formulas, visualization unlike anything previously seen in an Indian web series, and performances that elevate the ambition. Games View All Widely regarded as Indias first truly successful sci-fi web series, Ekaki proves that when creators back conviction over convention, they dont need to follow accepted rules to win and the staggering numbers reflect that belief. In a landscape dominated by safe bets like comedy and romance, AC has built what feels like a first-of-its-kind success matrix on YouTube, paving the way for others and possibly delivering one of the biggest web series triumphs the country has ever seen. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With Ekaki, Ashish Chanchlani steps fully into the drivers seat, taking on the roles of writer, director, producer, and lead actor. The series stands as a clear reflection of his passion and determination to bring a story to life exactly the way he imagined it. He is supported by a trusted team throughout the journey. Kunal Chhabhria joins as co-producer, Akash Dodeja appears as the parallel lead, Jashan Sirwani oversees operations as executive producer, and Tanish Sirwani guides the shows creative vision. The screenplay has been developed alongside Grishim Nawanii, while Ritesh Sadhwani ensures everything runs smoothly on set as the line producer. Offering a fresh and engaging storyline, all episodes of Ekaki are currently streaming on ACV Studios YouTube channel. Mandana further shared, But I feel like I dont have a voice in India. And in these past two months, I have never felt so homesick and so lonely. during Day 1 of the India International Jewellery Week at the Grand Hyatt on August 3, 2015 in Mumbai, India. Iranian actress Mandana Karimi, who came to India to pursue a career in Bollywood, has said that its time for her to leave the country and she has her reasons for doing so. This statement comes at a time when the Iran and Israel conflict, which has also engulfed the UAE, has taken centerstage. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, the actress was quoted saying, Yes, the moment this regime ends I will go, anyway I am leaving now, my bags are packed. I am leaving India anyways. I feel like I am breaking up with India ans it is very difficult for me. Because I came to India when I was very young and India has given me everything, my modelling, my acting career and the loves and the friends in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mandana further shared, But I feel like I dont have a voice in India. And in these past two months, I have never felt so homesick and so lonely. Mandana Karimi sparked widespread attention this week by praising US President Donald Trump, calling him a liberating figure for Iran in the wake of the reported death of the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Taking to her Instagram Stories, Karimi shared a picture of Trump and wrote, Dear Mr President, Iranian people will remember you the way Israel remembers Cyrus the Great. She drew a parallel between Trumps actions and the legacy of the ancient Persian ruler, whom many consider a historic liberator. In her message, Karimi invoked Cyrus the Great, a 6th-century BC Persian emperor renowned for establishing a vast empire and for policies of tolerance toward diverse cultures and religions. By likening Trump to Cyrus, Karimi suggested that Trump could be seen as a figure who might help usher in change in Iran. Games View All China begins its annual Two Sessions in Beijing on Wednesday (March 4), with attention on economic growth targets, defence spending and the new five-year plan. As geopolitical tensions rise, the meetings will reveal Beijings priorities on technology, military expansion and domestic resilience A taxi car drives past Tiananmen Square ahead of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC), which starts this week, in Beijing, China, March 3, 2026. File Image/Reuters China is set to begin its annual legislative gatherings, known as the Two Sessions, on Wednesday (March 4, 2026), bringing thousands of delegates from across the nation to Beijing. No significant surprises are anticipated at the carefully orchestrated political event, as legislation put to a vote is typically cleared in advance by the ruling Communist Party. Even so, Chinas most important political occasion will offer insights into the priorities of the countrys top leadership, against a fragile geopolitical backdrop unsettled by the unpredictable US President Donald Trump. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres what you need to know: What are the Two Sessions? The Two Sessions refer to concurrent meetings of Chinas largely symbolic parliament and a separate political advisory body. The first to convene, on Wednesday, is Chinas political advisory group, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). This gathering is generally viewed as lower stakes, featuring delegates such as academics, entrepreneurs and even well-known public figures. The CPPCC also counts representatives from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. However, most China observers will turn their attention to the National Peoples Congress (NPC), the countrys highest legislative body, which opens on Thursday. Members of the Communist Party hold an overwhelming majority of seats in the NPC. It is often described as a rubber-stamp parliament because most legislation approved there has already been settled by party leadership beforehand. What are people looking out for? The highlight is typically the NPCs opening meeting, when Premier Li Qiang presents the government work report a speech expected to set out major economic growth targets and detail measures to reach them. Against a backdrop of strategic competition and global uncertainty, Beijing will continue emphasising domestic self-reliance alongside external resilience, Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) analysts wrote in a note. This requires strengthening domestic demand, accelerating indigenous innovation, and diversifying export markets. Chinas five-year plan (FYP), outlining national development objectives for 2026-2030, is also expected to be endorsed by the NPC and released during the sessions. According to ASPI analysts, the blueprint is likely to spell out science and technology strategies spanning next-generation artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and industrial modernisation, as well as energy and resource security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The plan will be important for understanding how China defines high quality economic growth, including which advanced sectors are thriving and which require further improvement, Lim Tai Wei, a professor and East Asia specialist at Japans Soka University, told AFP. China is also anticipated to reveal the same day that it will increase military spending in its annual defence budget, as Beijing expands its activities in disputed parts of the South China Sea and tensions remain over the self-governed island of Taiwan. Since 2023, China has raised defence expenditure by 7.2 percent each year, and this years rise is expected to be comparable, Lim said. What can we expect? The sessions will run for about a week, largely taking place at Beijings grand Great Hall of the People. Authorities will undertake extensive measures to prevent disruptions during the meetings, with careful coordination aimed at projecting an image of political cohesion. State media presents the gatherings as evidence of the partys readiness to hear public concerns, despite maintaining exclusive control over political power. The Two Sessions showcase Chinas whole-process peoples democracy in action, state news agency Xinhua said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An increased police presence and tighter traffic restrictions are expected in Beijing ahead of and throughout the event. Observers will nevertheless be alert for any unforeseen incidents or unscripted remarks by senior officials during the tightly controlled proceedings at the Great Hall. At a party congress held at the same location in 2022, former president Hu Jintao Xi Jinpings immediate predecessor was unexpectedly escorted out of the closing ceremony in an episode recorded by journalists that spread widely outside China. This year is also likely to mark the third straight occasion without a press conference by the premier once a key feature of the closing session that allowed foreign journalists to question Chinas second-ranking leader. Also Watch: With inputs from AFP The war between the US and Iran in West Asia is now dragging Europe into it, as countries like the UK, France and Germany are being forced to respond by strengthening security around their military bases and working to evacuate nationals trapped in the fighting. Some European nations have beefed up security at train stations and airports The US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehrans retaliatory strikes across West Asia are quickly dragging Europe in, forcing the continent into defensive action to protect military bases and evacuate citizens caught up in the conflict. West Asia is home to some of Europes key trading partners and a number of strategic trading routes. Many Europeans live in cities such as Beirut, Dubai, or Jerusalem, while large communities from countries including Turkey, Egypt, and the Gulf states have settled across Europe. Europeans werent consulted on this US-Israeli operation, but are now dealing with the fallout. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While refusing to directly join the war, Britain, France, and Germany have said they would work with the United States to help stop Irans attacks. The UK will allow US forces to use British bases to attack Irans missiles and launch sites. But Europe itself is not immune. Cyprus, holder of the European Unions rotating presidency, had to insist that it was not involved in the conflict after a Shahed-type drone damaged a UK air base on the islands southern coast over the weekend. The Shaheds were developed by Iran but have already been used in Europe, by Russia in its war on Ukraine. A Fighter Jet takes off from the UKs RAF Akrotiri air base after it was hit by a drone strike early morning near Limassol, Cyprus. AP Wary of other attacks at home, some European countries are also beefing up security at train stations and airports. Still, almost no European leader has criticized the US-Israeli attacks. Many are satisfied to see the downfall of an Iranian regime that has for years arrested European citizens and challenged Europes economic interests. Spain has been a rare dissenting voice. One can be against a hateful regime, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday, and at the same time, be against a military intervention that is unjustifiable, dangerous, and outside of international law. At the same time, helping to foster stability in the volatile West Asia region is a European priority. Fears over a sustained hike in oil prices and the possibility of a new wave of unpredictable migration mean that the continent must remain involved. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Priority to stranded citizens Europes major short-term priority is ensuring the safety of thousands of citizens caught up in the war as it spreads. Concerns about getting people out were raised during an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers over the weekend. No joint evacuation effort was launched, but one could be needed imminently. Germany says that about 30,000 German tourists are stuck on cruise ships, in hotels, or at closed airports and cannot get back home because of the conflict. Most of them are in the West Asia, but some are further afield, stranded because their travel connections run through Abu Dhabi, Qatar, or Dubai. A military evacuation was not possible due to airspace closures. The Czech Republic, meanwhile, has sent two planes to Egypt and Jordan to bring home Czech nationals, dozens of whom have traveled by bus from Israel. Another four planes were to be sent to Oman to pick up more of the estimated 6,700 Czechs in the region. Europes economic interests Iran has been threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, and ships have been attacked there. Calls have mounted for the EU to help protect merchant vessels. In response, France was sending two more warships to beef up Operation Aspides, the blocs naval mission in the region. But they would only deploy to the distant Red Sea and Gulf of Aden gateways to the Suez Canal, which links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean to join three other ships already in place. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Operation Aspides was set up two years ago to help defend maritime traffic against possible attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen. But while the Houthis have expressed support for Iran, they did not immediately announce any military action on its behalf. Discussion is underway on a review of the operations mandate and a possible toughening of its rules of engagement, but no changes are expected soon. Regional stability Maintaining stability in the wider West Asia is a key European concern. Irans acts of retaliation in several countries have been widely condemned. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is expected to convene a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council countries at the foreign minister level later this week, as the bloc continues to try to reassure Irans neighbors and other vulnerable countries nearby. A traveller checks departure times as many flights are cancelled at Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon as many airlines canceled flights due to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. AP Irans attacks on a number of countries in West Asia are inexcusable. The events must not lead to further escalation that could threaten the region, Europe, and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, Kallas said after chairing Sundays emergency talks. The EU intends to drive diplomatic efforts to help reduce tensions, and still aims to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons despite its nuclear development deal falling apart after the Trump administration pulled the U.S. out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nato weighs in Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said in an interview that the United States and Israels war against Iran is crucial for security in Europe. He said the allies could support the effort even without direct involvement in military operations, through logistics and access. Rutte, a former prime minister of the Netherlands, said he unreservedly approves of Trumps decision to attack Iran and kill its supreme leader, raising the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. It would be a stranglehold on Israel. It could potentially mean Israels defeat, Rutte told German public broadcaster ARD in its Brussels studio on Monday. When asked about the possibility of Nato entering the war, Rutte said absolutely no one believed that Nato would be involved. This is Iran, this is the Gulf, this is outside Nato territory, he said. Nato troops deployed for 20 years to Afghanistan, and its 2011 air campaign helped topple Libyas late leader, Muammar Gaddafi. New leaders in Iran Officials say the EU has no preferred candidate to take over in Tehran, and in any case, its too early to tell who might be best to back as future leader. The foreign ministers primarily expressed solidarity with the Iranian people. They offered support to their fundamental aspirations for a future where their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected. The Europeans insist that a genuine popular movement against the regime arose in recent months but that it was shut down in an unprecedented wave of violence. Thousands were killed and tens of thousands detained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD One thing is clear. The EU is unlikely to back any leadership pushed by Irans Revolutionary Guard. The IRGC was added to the blocs terror list last month, making it almost impossible for the Europeans to take them seriously as an interlocutor. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several members of his family were killed in the airstrikes by Israel and the US. Now, news is emerging about how Israels Mossad hacked Tehrans traffic cameras to track Khamenei A woman holds a poster with the picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as people gather after Khamenei was killed in Israeli and US strikes on Saturday, in Tehran, Iran. Reuters News that Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint airstrikes by Israel and the United States sent shockwaves through the world. The development came after months of tension between Iran, Israel and the United States, with US President Donald Trump making repeated threats to strike Iran. Khamenei and several members of his family were killed in the airstrikes, including his wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, who succumbed to her injuries after spending the past few days in a coma. Now, news is emerging about how Israel hacked Tehrans traffic cameras to track Khamenei. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we know about the operation? Lets take a closer look. Mossads long-term surveillance operation According to a piece in the _Financial Times,_ the operation was conducted by Israels spy agency, Mossad. The newspaper quoted two people in the know as saying that Mossad hacked into Irans traffic cameras to track Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials. The people in the know said that the cameras in Tehran had been hacked for years. The cameras, ironically, are part of the regimes surveillance apparatus, which it uses to crack down on citizens and protesters. Sources told the outlet that the traffic footage from Tehran was scrambled and uploaded to servers in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. The report claimed that one camera angle in particular was especially important. This is because it showed where the bodyguards and drivers of the late Ayatollah parked their personal cars. It also provided insight into the daily routines in the compound near Tehrans Pasteur Street what time they arrived and left and whom they escorted. CNN quoted US and Israeli intelligence officials as saying they had intricately mapped out Khameneis daily life, including where he lived, whom he met with, how he communicated and where he might retreat under threat of attack. Israels Major-General Gofman will replace the current Head of the Mossad, David Barnea, who will conclude his five-year tenure in June 2026. Image/Prime Ministers Spokespersons Office, Israel The data was then fed into complex algorithms which configured what intelligence officials described as a pattern of life. This included addresses, work schedules and, crucially, which senior officials were being protected and transported. The surveillance stream was simply one among hundreds sending information back to Israels intelligence system, which merged information from Unit 8200, spies recruited by Mossad and large-scale data analysis from military intelligence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem, an Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place. The meeting that triggered the strike According to _CNN_, the intelligence determined that top Iranian officials, including Khamenei, were to meet on Saturday morning at separate sites within a Tehran compound housing the offices of the Supreme Leader, the presidency and the national security apparatus. According to the Financial Times, the US and Israel decided to carry out the strike when they concluded that Khamenei would be at a Saturday morning meeting at his compound. They said the chance to take out Khamenei was unusually favourable. Two people in the know told the outlet that human intelligence confirmed that the meeting was on which met the threshold needed to carry out an operation on such a high-profile target. An Israeli youth carries the countrys flag. Reuters _CNN_ reported that the initial idea was to carry out airstrikes on the compound at night. However, this was later changed to around 6 am local time in Israel. According to the Financial Times, Israeli aircraft fired over two dozen precision munitions after being in the air for hours. The Israeli military has said that the fact that the strike was carried out in broad daylight created an element of tactical surprise, despite Iran being on high alert and the compound being equipped with Sparrow missiles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The newspaper also said that the intelligence agencies jammed mobile phone service on Tehrans Pasteur Street. This ensured that anyone trying to tip off senior officials within the regime in advance of the airstrike would be thwarted. Decades in the making Experts have said that the operation has been decades in the making. Former Mossad official Sima Shine told the Financial Times that Israel first began focusing on Iran after an order from then-prime minister Ariel Sharon to intelligence chief Meir Dagan to make the Islamic Republic a priority in 2001. An unnamed Israeli military official has said that the airstrikes hit three targets within 60 seconds, killing Irans Supreme Leader and around 40 senior officials, including the chief of the Revolutionary Guard. The US and Israeli air war against Iran, launched on Saturday, widened on Monday as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah, and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states that host US military bases. A grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is likely to figure prominently in the deliberations of the clerics who will determine who replaces Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader. Hassan Khomeini is the most visible of the founders 15 grandchildren and is seen as a relative moderate within Irans clerical establishment. He enjoys close ties to reformists, including former presidents Mohammed Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, both of whom pursued policies of engagement with the West while in office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Operation Epic Fury has pushed the United States into a costly war with Iran, involving carrier strike groups, stealth bombers and missile defence systems. With direct military expenses potentially reaching $95 billion and broader economic losses climbing higher, how much will this West Asian conflict ultimately cost American taxpayers? Aircraft attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 sit on the flight deck of the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran, February 28, 2026. File Image/US Navy via Reuters The United States has entered one of its most consequential military confrontations in decades after launching Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel on February 28, 2026. With US President Donald Trump indicating that operations against Iran may continue for four to five weeks and potentially longer the financial implications are not lost on Washington and the American taxpayer. From the immediate expense of cruise missile launches and bomber sorties to the broader economic shock of energy market disruption, the price of war is mounting on multiple fronts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How extensive is US Operation Epic Fury? Operation Epic Fury represents one of the largest coordinated US military campaigns in West Asia in recent years. According to the US militarys Central Command (CENTCOM), more than 1,000 targets within Iran have been struck since the operation commenced. In a separate announcement, CENTCOM said 11 Iranian ships had been hit and destroyed. The Pentagon has confirmed the use of over 20 different weapons systems spanning air, land, sea and missile defence forces. Air power and strike capabilities relied on a wide range of aircraft comprising B-1 bombers; B-2 stealth bombers, deployed against critical nuclear and military installations; F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor stealth fighters; F-15 fighter jets, which have been used extensively; three were lost in an incident over Kuwait on March 1; F-16 Fighting Falcons; F/A-18 Super Hornets; and A-10 attack aircraft. Electronic warfare has been conducted by EA-18G Growlers, tasked with neutralising enemy air defence systems. Airborne early warning and control aircraft (AWACS) have provided command-and-control coordination, ensuring synchronised battlefield operations. Uncrewed systems have featured prominently. LUCAS drones described as low-cost unmanned combat attack system one-way drones reverse-engineered from Iranian designs have been deployed in combat for the first time. In addition, MQ-9 Reaper drones are active in both reconnaissance and precision strike missions. On the ground, M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have been utilised, while Tomahawk cruise missiles have been launched from naval assets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iranian retaliatory missile and drone launches have triggered defensive responses. The United States has deployed Patriot interceptor systems and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) to intercept incoming ballistic missiles. Counter-drone systems have also been activated to neutralise aerial threats. Two carrier strike groups are also operating in the region, led by aircraft carriers USS Gerald R Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln. These strike groups form the backbone of American sea-based projection capabilities in the conflict zone. Maritime surveillance is being conducted by P-8 Poseidon aircraft. Meanwhile, logistics and sustainment operations depend on C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules aircraft, as well as aerial refuelling tankers that maintain continuous sortie operations. The breadth of forces deployed shows that this is not a limited engagement but a sustained and integrated military campaign. What are the immediate operational costs? The financial outlay began even before the first strike was launched. The pre-combat military buildup included repositioning more than a dozen naval vessels and over 100 aircraft to the West Asian theatre. Elaine McCusker, a former senior Pentagon budget official now at the American Enterprise Institute, told the Wall Street Journal that this preparatory phase cost approximately $630 million. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to her assessment, these expenses are expected to be absorbed within the Pentagons fiscal year 2026 defence allocation of $839 billion. Once operations commenced, spending accelerated sharply. Reports by Anadolu news agency estimate that US strikes conducted during the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost roughly $779.174 million. That single-day expenditure represents about 0.1 per cent of the 2026 US defence budget. In addition to munitions and aircraft operations, naval deployments contribute a daily financial burden. The Center for New American Security estimates that operating a single carrier strike group costs around $6.5 million per day. With two deployed in the Persian Gulf region, daily naval operating costs reach approximately $13 million. Equipment losses further compound expenses. At least three US fighter jets were shot down in Kuwait in what American officials described as a friendly-fire incident. Replacement of aircraft, munitions and other assets adds to the total fiscal commitment. When the initial mobilisation costs and first-day strike expenditures are combined, more than $1.4 billion had already been committed within the opening phase of the conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How high could the direct military bill climb? While initial expenditures are measurable in the billions, projections for sustained operations point toward far larger figures. Kent Smetters, director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM), provided a range of potential costs in an interview with Fortune. He estimated that direct budgetary costs to taxpayers could range between $40 billion and $95 billion. His central projection stands at approximately $65 billion, covering military operations as well as replenishment of equipment and supplies. If the war lasts more than two months, then this number goes up, he added. The Penn Wharton Budget Model is widely used in Washington for analysing fiscal and macroeconomic implications of federal policies. Beyond direct military spending, Smetters projected additional economic losses to the United States of around $115 billion. However, he indicated that the range of uncertainty is wide, stretching from $50 billion to as much as $210 billion. Taken together, the combined fiscal and economic burden could therefore approach or exceed $200 billion if the conflict persists and broader disruptions intensify. The potential costs of Operation Epic Fury must also be considered within the context of existing fiscal pressures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the Institute of International Finance, US government debt reached 122.8 per cent of GDP at the end of 2025, up from 119.9 per cent a year earlier. Debt held by the public is nearing 100 per cent of GDP, approaching levels last recorded in the aftermath of World War II. Although initial operational costs may be absorbed within the existing defence budget, prolonged military engagement could increase borrowing requirements or reallocate spending priorities. How are energy markets reacting to the conflict? One of the most immediate economic consequences has been visible in global energy markets. Brent crude futures rose more than $3 on Tuesday, marking a third consecutive day of gains. Prices reached $80.89 per barrel, up 4.1 per cent. During the previous session, Brent surged to $82.37 its highest level since January 2025 before settling 6.7 per cent higher. US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $2.55, or 3.6 per cent, to $73.78 per barrel. It had earlier touched its highest point since June 2025 before easing slightly. The escalation widened on Monday as Israel attacked Lebanon and Iran responded with strikes targeting energy infrastructure in Gulf countries and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Strait of Hormuz carries approximately 20 per cent of the worlds oil and gas supply. Concerns increased after Iranian media reported that a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards official said the strait had been closed and warned that Iran would fire on any ship attempting to pass. As a result, tankers and container ships began avoiding the waterway. Insurers cancelled coverage for vessels operating there, driving global oil and gas shipping rates sharply higher. Refined product markets have also reacted. Saudi Arabia shut its largest domestic oil refinery following a drone strike. US ultra-low-sulfur diesel futures rose 8.3 per cent to $3.1404 per gallon after hitting a two-year high. Gasoline futures gained 3.8 per cent to $2.4620 per gallon. European gasoil futures climbed 9.2 per cent to $967.75 per metric ton after an 18 per cent surge in the prior session. Bernstein raised its 2026 Brent oil price forecast to $80 per barrel from $65, while noting that prices could reach between $120 and $150 in an extreme and prolonged conflict scenario. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sustained elevated oil prices would affect transportation, manufacturing and consumer costs, amplifying the wars indirect economic toll. So how much could the war ultimately cost the United States? We have to keep in mind the broader US commitments in the region. According to Brown Universitys 2025 Costs of War report, since October 7, 2023, the United States has provided approximately $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel. In addition, US operations in support of Israel in Yemen, Iran and across the wider region have cost between $9.65 billion and $12.07 billion. Combined, total US spending linked to the regional conflict amounts to between $31.35 billion and $33.77 billion and continues to increase as operations expand. So altogether, taking in consideration the current situation, the answer depends on the duration and operational intensity of the conflict. In the opening phase of the immediate conflict alone, over $1.4 billion was spent on mobilisation and first-day strikes. Ongoing carrier strike group operations add around $13 million daily in naval costs. Aircraft losses and munitions replacement will further increase expenditures. Direct military costs could range from $40 billion to $95 billion, with a central estimate of approximately $65 billion. If operations extend beyond two months, those figures may rise further. Broader economic losses could push the overall impact toward $210 billion. Overlaying these projections are energy market disruptions, rising shipping costs, refinery shutdowns and elevated fuel prices all of which feed into macroeconomic outcomes. At the same time, US government debt already stands at historically high levels relative to GDP. With inputs from agencies Iran experienced a 4.3-magnitude quake today (March 3), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). However, given the escalating war in West Asia, some have speculated that the tremors resulted from an underground nuclear test. Is that a possibility? the earthquake occurred near the Khonj area of the Gerash region, which is in the southern part of Iran. Representational image. Unsplash As if the war in Iran isnt enough, now the country has been struck by an earthquake. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), Iran witnessed a 4.3 magnitude tremor today (March 3). However, given the events that have been happening in West Asia over the past few days, some have taken to speculating that the earthquake resulted from a nuclear test by Tehran. But what do we know? Did a nuclear test trigger the Iran quake? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look. What we know about the quake According to Moneycontrol, the earthquake occurred near the Khonj area of the Gerash region, which is in the southern part of Iran. The epicentre was located about 52 kilometres northwest of Gerash city, located in Irans Fars province. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres. As per News24, the tremors were felt mainly in rural areas and there were no reports of major deaths or damage. Local authorities have said the situation is normal and that routine inspections are being undertaken as a precautionary measure. Gerashs location along the Zagros fold and thrust belt, where the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, must be factored in. After all, this is thought to be one of the most seismically active zones in West Asia. Earthquakes in the 4-magnitude range occur with regular frequency. Did a nuclear test trigger the tremor? However, many online have speculated that the timing of the quake coming in the backdrop of the war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance is suspicious. Some have suggested that the quake could be the result of a secret underground nuclear test. However, experts have already dismissed such claims, saying that the scientific evidence to back them up is lacking. According to News24, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), for example, has said that the pattern of seismic waves produced by nuclear tests is distinct and unlike those produced by natural quakes. According to Moneycontrol, experts say that underground nuclear tests produce much stronger initial waves and much weaker secondary waves. Some have suggested that the quake could be the result of a secret underground nuclear test. File image/AP Zee News quoted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and the Berkeley Seismology Lab as saying that the fingerprints between a nuclear test and a natural earthquake are completely different. To contain radiation when conducting an underground nuclear test, a country has to adhere to the Scaled Depth of Burial (SDBO) pattern which is a minimum of 100 metres per kiloton. The outlet pointed out that North Koreas 2016 nuclear test had a 5.1-magnitude earthquake equivalent to 7,000 tonnes of TNT. They said a 4.3-magnitude test is far too low for a sophisticated nuclear test like the one Iran would need to prove it is capable of making a nuclear weapon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts also contended that a 4.3 magnitude tremor is far too small to match the seismic signature of an underground nuclear test. They added that a 4.3-magnitude tremor at a depth of 10 kilometres is reflective of the naturally occurring activity in Irans seismically active regions. This isnt the first time it has happened either. In 2024, it was wrongly claimed that a 4.5 magnitude quake in Iran occurred as a result of nuclear testing. The CTBTO later determined it was a natural occurrence. How far is Iran from a nuke? It remains unclear whether Iran can actually make a nuclear weapon or how long it could potentially take. This comes as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff claimed in an interview with Fox News that Iran currently has 460 kilos of 60 per cent enriched uranium, which could power 11 nuclear bombs. Mohammad-Javad Larijani previously claimed Iran can produce military nuclear capability in 24 hours if needed. While The New York Times has estimated that Iran can produce 10 warheads in six months, the BBC says Iran is on the threshold of doing so. Meanwhile, the chief of the UNs nuclear watchdog on Monday said there is no evidence that any nuclear installations have been damaged or hit in Iran following US and Israeli strikes on the country. Irans ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi, earlier said the key nuclear site Natanz had been attacked. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has been pushing for the Nobel Peace Prize, but his second term has been marked by sweeping US military strikes in Iran, Venezuela, Yemen and Africa. This, even as he claims to have ended eight wars, including the India-Pakistan conflict US President Donald Trump speaks to announce that the US had begun "major combat operations" in Iran, in an unknown location, in this screengrab from a video released February 28, 2026. Donald Trump via Truth Social Despite the fact that Donald Trump has been vying for the Nobel Prize, his second stint in office has witnessed sweeping American military activity across multiple continents. The scope and pace of these interventions have few parallels in modern United States history. In just over a year, Trump has ordered military action in at least seven countries, including Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela none of which had previously experienced direct US strikes of this nature. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD White House insists that the US president remains committed to peace, arguing that he seeks negotiated settlements wherever possible and views decisive force as a means to secure long-term stability. But the contradiction is clear, especially when you look at the image of an anti-war candidate that Trump projected during the 2024 presidential campaign. Which countries has Trump struck in his second term? Iran - Operation Fury The latest centrepiece of Trumps foreign policy is Operation Epic Fury, the joint American-Israeli military campaign launched last weekend (February 28, 2026). In the weeks preceding the offensive, Washington staged a substantial military reinforcement across West Asia, the most extensive concentration of US forces in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Within the opening phase of Israeli airstrikes, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, along with dozens of senior figures in the countrys governing structure. The assassination marked a dramatic escalation in the conflict. Subsequent US and Israeli attacks have continued, targeting strategic installations and military assets, while Iranian missiles and drones have struck Gulf states aligned with Washington. The scale of the operation significantly exceeded earlier US action in June 2025, when American forces attacked Irans nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan during a 12-day war initiated by Israel. That conflict resulted in the deaths of more than 600 Iranians. At the time, Trump asserted that the strikes had obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unlike previous limited operations, Operation Epic Fury was launched without formal US congressional authorisation. Yemen In Yemen, American forces carried out dozens of naval and aerial strikes between March and May 2025 against the Houthi movement. The Houthis had been attacking ships transiting the Red Sea, seeking to pressure Israel to end its military operations in Gaza. US strikes damaged infrastructure and resulted in civilian casualties. In April, a strike on the Ras Isa port in Hodeidah reportedly killed more than 80 civilians. Human Rights Watch said in June that the incident should be investigated as a possible war crime. A ceasefire mediated by Oman was announced in May, temporarily reducing hostilities. Somalia Somalia has also seen a dramatic uptick in American air operations. The United States has long supported Somali authorities in their fight against al-Shabab and a local branch of ISIS. Data compiled by the New America Foundation indicates that US forces conducted at least 111 strikes in Somalia during 2025 alone a figure monitors say exceeds the combined total recorded under the administrations of George W Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Syria In Syria, US action continued in response to militant attacks. In December 2025, American forces struck ISIS targets after an assault in Palmyra killed two US soldiers and a translator. Trump said the United States was inflicting very serious retaliation against those responsible. Syrian authorities stated that the attacker was an employee of the state security services who was set to be expelled due to hardline views. Iraq Iraq also remained a theatre for US counterterrorism. In March 2025, a strike in Anbar province killed Abdallah Abu Khadijah Malli Muslih al-Rifai, described as ISISs second-in-command, along with another operative. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nigeria In Nigeria, Trump increased collaboration with local authorities and deployed 100 US military personnel to train Nigerian forces. He warned that Washington could conduct further strikes unless Abuja did more to address what he characterised as a genocide of Christians perpetrated by Muslim groups. Nigerian officials have rejected that depiction, arguing that it oversimplifies a complex conflict marked by intercommunal violence and insurgency. In December 2025, Trump announced that the United States had carried out powerful and deadly attacks against ISIS affiliates in northwestern Nigeria, with the cooperation of the Nigerian government. Venezuela In January 2026, US forces launched an operation in Venezuela that included bombing targets in Caracas and abducting President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelan officials said 83 people were killed in the attack, including members of Venezuelan and Cuban security services and civilians. In parallel, the US has conducted at least 45 strikes since September 2025 against vessels in Latin America and the Caribbean suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking. According to a tally by Airwars, these actions have resulted in at least 151 deaths. Trump and his allies have described the campaign as a necessary response to criminal organisations that they argue function as foreign terrorist groups. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The administration has formally designated several such groups as foreign terrorist organisations, asserting that drug trafficking constitutes an armed attack against the United States. How has Trump campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize? Trump has continuously argued that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for intervening in multiple international disputes. He was not selected in 2025, when the honour went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Following a White House meeting with Machado in January earlier this year, Trump took possession of her medal, despite the Nobel Committees statement that the prize and medal are non-transferable. Last year, Trump received a FIFA Peace Prize from Gianni Infantino, largely seen as an attempt by the global sporting authority Trump has highlighted a series of diplomatic initiatives as evidence of his peacemaking efforts, which resulted in a few select countries even endorsing him, however most nominations came after the January 31, 2025 deadline. Armenia-Azerbaijan In August, he brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a joint declaration committing to peaceful relations. I got to know them through trade, Trump said in a radio interview. I was dealing with them a little bit, and I said, Why you guys fighting? Then I said, Im not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. Its crazy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The declaration followed a 2023 ceasefire and a March announcement that the two sides had agreed on a draft peace text. Both countries endorsed his Nobel prize bid. Cambodia-Thailand In Southeast Asia, Trump helped facilitate talks between Cambodia and Thailand after a five-day military clash in July, the most lethal fighting between them in over a decade. A ceasefire signed in Malaysia in October collapsed within weeks before a new truce was reached on December 27. Cambodia boosted Trumps Nobel prize bid as well. Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo In Africas Great Lakes region, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a US-brokered agreement on June 27 aimed at reducing hostilities linked to the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. Despite the accord and subsequent reaffirmations at a Washington event in December, fighting has continued. Meanwhile, Rwanda joined in nominated Trump for a Nobel prize. Inda-Pakistan In South Asia, Trump consulted with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance during a May confrontation between India and Pakistan. A ceasefire was announced on May 10 after four days of clashes. Trump later said he used trade leverage to help secure the truce, a claim disputed by New Delhi. Islamabad also nominated Trump for the peace prize. Egypt-Ethiopia Trump has also asserted progress in the longstanding dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Were working on that one problem, but its going to get solved, he said in July. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later included Egypt and Ethiopia in a list of conflicts that the president has now ended. Details of concrete steps taken by Washington have not been made public. Serbia-Kosovo On the Balkans, Trump has stated without providing evidence that he stopped war between Serbia and Kosovo during his first term and pledged to address tensions again. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia continues to regard it as part of its territory, and no comprehensive peace agreement has been concluded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russia-Ukraine The Russia-Ukraine war, which Trump said during the 2024 campaign he could resolve within a day, continues into its fifth year, with analysts estimating that more millions of people have been killed or wounded. Israel-Hamas in Gaza In West Asia, a phased hostage and ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Hamas has not halted fighting entirely, and hostilities have flared intermittently. North Korea-South Korea Trump has also expressed interest in renewing engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Well come back, and well, at some point in the not-too-distant future, meet with North Korea, he told reporters during an October visit to South Korea. During his first term, Trump and Kim held three summits and exchanged letters that Trump described as beautiful. The diplomatic effort ultimately stalled over US demands for denuclearisation, and North Korea has since expanded its missile arsenal and nuclear infrastructure. In his second term, Trump has acknowledged that North Korea is a nuclear power. Why is Trumps current war doctrine not new? Trumps reliance on force to solve what is designates problems is now new and did not begin with his second term. During his first presidency, he authorised missile strikes against the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad in 2017 and 2018 and continued military operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. In 2019, US forces conducted the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In 2020, American forces assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. In his second term, as we know, Trump launched sustained operations against the Houthis in Yemen, ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted militants in northern Nigeria. And lets not forget how he rang in the new year by authorising the seizure of Venezuelas president. This pattern reflects a doctrine that that includes targeted killings, air campaigns and regime-focused operations, often justified as preventive or retaliatory actions designed to avert larger conflicts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Supporters have described this approach as peace through strength, arguing that decisive action deters adversaries and compels negotiation. As Trump continues to press his case for the Nobel Peace Prize, the juxtaposition remains striking. With inputs from agencies Iran continues its attacks across West Asia as the conflict with the US and Israel enters Day 4. The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two suspected Iranian drones as America urged its nationals to leave the region. Meanwhile, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi landed in New Delhi carrying stranded Indians Iran strikes on Saudi Arabia continues as the war enters Day 4. In this image, vehicles move along a road as smoke billows from Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery after a reported Iranian drone strike, amid the U-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, on March 2. Reuters The war in West Asia is spiralling, as it enters Day 4. Iran continues its attacks on Arab nations in the region and has issued a new threat to Gulf shipping. Drone attacks were reported on US embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Israel is striking Hezbollah command centres and weapons storage facilities in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that the hardest hits on Iran are yet to come, as President Donald Trump said that the war could last three to four weeks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As uncertainty grips West Asia, we bring you the top developments from the conflict. 1. The US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was hit by two suspected Iranian drones. A loud blast was reportedly heard, and thick smoke was seen rising above the embassy on Monday night. Reuters reported that witnesses saw black smoke over Riyadhs Diplomatic Quarter, which houses foreign missions. The Saudi Ministry of Defence announced that the US Embassy was attacked by two drones, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. JUST IN: Smoke rises from the US embassy in Riyadh following a large explosion. pic.twitter.com/QnSONJ9dA3 Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) March 3, 2026 2. New explosions were also heard in Riyadh early on Tuesday, an AFP journalist and residents said, as Iran pressed on with its campaign of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf. The explosions could be heard in the centre of the Saudi capital, with one resident saying they heard a bang and the house shook. 3. The US mission in Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter-in-place notification for citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran. It says it will limit non-essential travel to any military installations in the region. 4. A siren was sounded in Bahrain early on Tuesday, the countrys Interior Ministry said. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place, the ministry wrote. 5. As the war intensifies, . Citing serious safety risks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Tuesday urged American citizens to depart immediately from West Asian nations, including Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and the United Arab Emirates, via commercial means. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Taking to X, the Assistant Secretary at the US State Department, Mora Namdar, wrote: The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 5. Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon. The Israeli military says it is striking Hezbollah command centres and weapons storage facilities in Beirut. A large plume of smoke could be seen rising from the city following an explosion overnight, reports CNN. The strike comes a day after Hezbollah launched missiles and drones at a military base in Israel in revenge for the killing of Irans Supreme Leader. Smoke rises following Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, March 2. AP 6. Irans state broadcaster reported two explosions near its Tehran headquarters on Tuesday, but said it was continuing to broadcast amid the ongoing Israeli-US strike campaign. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Smoke from two explosions around IRIBs premises / No disruption to IRIBs operations, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting wrote on Telegram. The Israeli army claimed overnight Monday to Tuesday that it had struck and dismantled the headquarters of the IRIB in the Evin district of northern Tehran, which it described as a communications centre of the Iranian terrorist regime. 7. An Iranian official says Iran will set fire to anyone who tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, reports the BBC. The warning comes from Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the Commander-in-Chief of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), speaking on state TV. He says that the strait is closed and warned ships: They should not come to this region. They will certainly face a serious response from us. 8. Travelers stranded by a widening war began departing the UAE aboard a small number of evacuation flights Monday, even as most commercial air traffic across West Asia remained suspended. began landing in India on Monday night, bringing major relief for thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An Emirates flight, EK 500, landed at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, while the first flight from Abu Dhabi touched down at Kempegowda International Airport. Another service landed safely at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport and Chennai Airport amid heightened tensions in West Asia, reports CNN-News18. Passengers stranded at Dubai International Airport await in the airport parking lot in. Some flights have resumed operations after the airport was shut due to Iranian strikes. AP 9. After escalating attacks, Donald Trump has taken a U-turn, saying boots on the ground may not be necessary. In an interview with NewsNation journalist Kellie Meyer, Trump said there will soon be retaliation for the attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh and for the deaths of US service members. On Monday, as Trump laid out four goals in Iran, he said the US campaign had been projected to last four to five weeks but could go far longer than that. 10. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US military would step up its military attacks against Iran. Im not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military, Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies British Columbia has said that its upcoming one-hour clock change on March 8 will be its final one before it makes the definitive switch to daylight saving time. The new time zone is intended to reduce disruptions for citizens and provide an extra hour of evening light during the winter months British Columbia has announced that it is permanently moving to daylight saving time. The western Canadian province has said that its upcoming one-hour clock change on March 8 will be its final one before it makes the definitive switch. British Columbia Premier David Eby has said that the majority of British Columbians are in favour of the change. Eby on Monday said that British Columbians have made it clear that seasonal time changes do not work for them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We are done waiting. British Columbia is going to change our clocks just one more time and then never again, Eby added. The development comes as tensions between Canada and the United States continue to rise during the second term of US President Donald Trump. But why is British Columbia permanently moving to permanent daylight saving time? Lets take a closer look. Daylight saving time It works by moving clocks one hour forward in summer months. The idea behind it is to give the public an extra hour of daylight. Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, came up with the concept of daylight saving time in 1784. Despite an American coming up with the concept of daylight saving time, it was other countries that took the lead namely Germany and Austria on April 30, 1916, according to WebExhibits.org. They were followed by Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Tasmania. Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Britain followed on May 21, 1916, and were joined by Australia and Newfoundland in 1979. In the United States, daylight saving time was passed into law on March 19, 1918 via the Standard Time Act. However, it was repealed a year later after it proved unpopular with the public. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Daylight saving time was introduced to use natural light. Representational Image/Pixabay However, a few cities including New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, as well as states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, continued to use daylight saving time. During World War II, daylight saving time was reinstituted in the United States by President Roosevelt. However, its use remained inconsistent throughout the 1960s and afterwards. Daylight saving time is currently used by: A majority of the United States Most European nations Parts of Canada Australia Latin America Brazil The Caribbean What we know about the change British Columbia has said that the change will take effect from Sunday (March 8). The provinces new time zone will be known as Pacific Time. The government, in a statement, said that Pacific Time in Canada will be set seven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. According to CBC, the province earlier passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent in 2019. However, at the time, Eby had said that the province was waiting for Washington state, Oregon and California all neighbours of British Columbia to do so. A poll at the time showed that 93 per cent of respondents were in favour of making the change permanent. British Columbia Premier David Eby has said that the majority of British Columbians are in favour of the change. Reuters However, 54 per cent of those polled at the time said it was important that British Columbia synchronise its policies with its neighbours. Three-quarters of those polled said they were in favour of permanent daylight saving time due to health and wellness benefits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why Canada is doing so Eby, the Premier of British Columbia, said the idea behind the move is to minimise difficulties for families and allow the public an extra hour of evening light during winter months. Eby said constantly changing clocks causes all types of issues, including children and their parents having sleep loss, dogs waking up at the wrong time, and an increase in car accidents. This decision isnt just about clocks. Its about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses and supporting a stable, thriving economy, Eby said in a statement, as per BBC. I am hopeful that our American neighbours will soon join us in ending disruptive time changes. Though UBC business professor Werner Antweiler, speaking to CBC, expressed reservations about the provinces decision, he noted that there were advantages to doing so. Antweiler said moving the clocks forward in the spring imposes jet lag on the entire population. Somebody had to move first it might as well be BC and then see how it plays out, Antweiler added. The question is now, who will follow? With inputs from agencies In the backdrop of the conflict between Iran and the United States-Israel, Tehran has threatened any vessels entering the Strait of Hormuz. But what do we know about the maritime chokepoint? Why does it matter? Boats in the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran as seen from Musandam, Oman. Reuters The Iran war is yet again highlighting the importance of the Strait of Hormuz. In the backdrop of the conflict between Iran and the United States-Israel, Tehran has threatened any vessels entering the critical maritime choke point through which 20 per cent of the worlds seaborne oil passes. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, warned Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on Monday. Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire. Dont come to this region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Already, oil prices have jumped on the international market, and countries including India are trying to figure out contingency plans. But what is the Strait of Hormuz? Why is it important? And what is happening? What is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel that forms the maritime connection between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, providing onward access to the Indian Ocean and global shipping lanes. At its tightest point, the waterway measures around 33 kilometres across. Iran and Oman control territorial waters along the strait, while international maritime law recognises shipping corridors that allow vessels from all countries to transit. An aerial view of the Iranian shores and the island of Qeshm in the strait of Hormuz, December 10, 2023. File Image/Reuters The United Arab Emirates lies close to the passage, placing major commercial hubs such as Dubai near one of the worlds most sensitive choke points. For centuries, the route has served as a commercial artery linking the rest of Asia with the region. Historical trade flows through the region included ceramics, ivory, silk and textiles transported from China across maritime routes that passed through the strait. Why is it so important? In the contemporary era, the passage has become indispensable to the global energy system. Tankers transporting crude oil and natural gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran rely on the strait to reach international markets. The overwhelming share of these shipments is directed towards Asian economies, reflecting the regions growing energy demand and strategic dependence on Gulf producers. According to data from market intelligence firm Kpler, approximately 13 million barrels of crude oil per day moved through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025. This volume accounted for around 31 per cent of global seaborne crude shipments. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although Saudi Arabia and the UAE operate pipeline networks that allow some exports to bypass the waterway, alternative routes remain limited. The strait is essential to all regional trade as it allows access to Dubai's Jebel Ali port, the worlds 10th-largest container port and a redistribution hub for more than a dozen countries in the region. In Jebel Ali, container ships are unloaded onto smaller vessels bound for countries ranging from east Africa to India, noted Anne-Sophie Fribourg, vice-president of Frances TLF freighters union. An aerial view Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters The US Energy Information Administration has stated that most volumes that transit the strait have no alternative means of exiting the region, pointing out how few practical options exist for rerouting shipments if the passage is disrupted. Because of this concentration of energy flows, even the perception of instability in the Strait of Hormuz can influence oil prices and shipping insurance costs. Past episodes of tension, including during the Israel-Iran conflict in June, have been accompanied by spikes in energy prices. Market sensitivity reflects the lack of redundancy in export routes from the Gulf and the high costs associated with any sustained disruption to maritime traffic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What is happening now? According to CBS News, major shippers Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have stopped their ships from venturing into the Strait of Hormuz. Other large shipping firms, including Italian-Swiss MSC, Denmarks Maersk, Frances CMA CGM and Chinas Cosco, have ordered their ships to find shelter and stay safe. Meanwhile, UK maritime authorities have reported multiple attacks on vessels and navigation systems being jammed. A bomb-carrying drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which leads into the strait from the east, killing one mariner, Oman said. Iran has been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz and is believed to have launched multiple attacks. On the MarineTraffic map, which tracks world shipping movements, you can make out clusters of ships, mainly tankers, anchored far to the north near Kuwait, as well as off the coast near Dubai. The Iranian merchant navy is likewise visible off the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on the other side of the strait. Several other distinct groups of ships can be seen just before the entry to Hormuz, Tourret said. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of South Africa, adds around 10 extra days at sea and increases costs by roughly 30 per cent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD No one is wanting to navigate it, and theres no insurer whos willing to stand behind any transport going through there right now., said Tom Goldsby, logistics chairman in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee. Those ships that got stuck in the Gulf are not going anywhere. Theres also a whole host of ships that were heading into the Gulf to replace them, and of course theyre anchored or going elsewhere now." Data and analytics firm Kplr estimated there were 70 laden oil tankers and 75 clean tankers, which carry refined oil products, in the Mideast Gulf, seemingly waiting to pass through on Monday. Thats roughly twice as many as usual, according to Kplr. Meanwhile, around 60 tankers are sitting just outside the Mideast Gulf, east of the Strait of Hormuz, in a holding pattern on Monday. What could be the impact on India and the world? For India, this could have dire consequences if the war drags on and the Strait remains closed for months. Much of Indias crude oil imports via sea and almost all its LNG come through the Strait of Hormuz. India imports much of its crude and nearly all of its CNG via the Strait of Hormuz. However, experts are saying not to panic just yet. Ajay Singh, an energy and shipping executive based in Tokyo, told the Indian Express that India and other nations that import oil and other goods via the Strait would have amassed stockpiles, keeping in mind the possibility of just such an outcome. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As long as the blockade is not a prolonged one, there should not be any immediate problem for consumers. We have to wait and see, Singh was quoted as saying. For the world, the consequences could be equally dire. The scale of what is at stake cannot be overstated, said Hakan Kaya, senior portfolio manager at investment management firm Neuberger Berman. He said a partial slowdown lasting a week or two could be absorbed by oil companies. But a full or near full closure lasting a month or more would push crude oil prices well into triple digits and European natural gas prices toward or above the crisis levels seen in 2022. With inputs from agencies After Iranian missiles and drones struck airports, oil facilities and US-linked bases across the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and other GCC states are weighing their next move. Will they remain defensive, or enter the widening Iran-US-Israel conflict? This satellite image provided by Planet Labs PBC shows Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026. File Image/Planet Labs PBC via AP Missile strikes across the Gulf have ruptured the regions long-standing strategy of balancing close security ties with Washington while cautiously rebuilding relations with Tehran. After a sweeping Iranian retaliation in response to a joint US-Israeli assault, Gulf capitals that once prided themselves on insulation from regional wars now find themselves directly hit. Airports, oil infrastructure, residential districts, ports and facilities linked to US forces have all come under fire. As anger rises and economic losses mount, leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are confronting a stark dilemma: whether to remain militarily uninvolved while absorbing continued attacks, or to respond in self-defence and risk being seen as entering a war that could redefine the geopolitical order in the region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Gulf countries have been targeted by Iran The escalation followed a major joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran over the weekend that targeted military and government sites and resulted in the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior military figures. Tehran responded with an extensive missile and drone campaign directed at Israel and US military assets across the Gulf. The retaliation quickly spilled into densely populated urban areas and key economic zones, undercutting the Gulf states reputation for stability and security. Among the confirmed targets: The headquarters of the US Navy in Bahrain was struck by an Iranian missile. Qatar said it intercepted missiles headed toward Al Udeid Air Base, the largest American military base in the region. Kuwait reported that Iranian strikes hit Ali Al-Salem air base, which hosts US Air Force personnel. Saudi Arabia stated that the US embassy in Riyadh and its eastern region were targeted. The United Arab Emirates reported multiple missile and drone incidents across its territory. Reports also described impacts or debris affecting landmark buildings and the airport in Dubai, high-rises in Manama, Kuwaits airport, and residential areas in Doha. Smoke was seen in parts of several Gulf cities. Casualties were reported across the region. The UAE confirmed three fatalities and dozens of injuries. Qatar reported 16 injuries. Oman said five people were injured. Kuwait confirmed 32 injuries and Bahrain reported four. Beyond airbases and government installations, energy and maritime infrastructure were also hit. An Iranian drone strike was reported on Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura refinery, though Tehran denied targeting Saudi energy facilities. Oman reported an attack on an oil tanker approximately 50 miles off Muscats coast. Qatars defence ministry said two drones struck energy facilities in Ras Laffan, the industrial city central to its gas exports. Doha subsequently halted liquefied natural gas production in response to the attacks. The UAE authorities stated that 174 ballistic missiles were detected heading toward the country, of which 161 were destroyed and 13 fell into the sea. In addition, 689 drones were identified, 645 intercepted and 44 landed within Emirati territory. Eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed. The financial cost of defending against these attacks has been significant. Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center estimated that the UAE alone may have incurred close to $2 billion in expenses, noting that intercepting drones is substantially more costly than launching them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Iran has justified its attacks across the Gulf Irans foreign minister informed the United Nations Security Council that Iran would exercise its right of self-defence. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it would treat US assets in the region as legitimate targets. Ali Larijani, secretary of Irans supreme national security council, sought to frame Tehrans actions as directed at US forces rather than Gulf states themselves. We do not intend to attack you. But when the bases of your country are used against us and the United States operates in the region with its own forces, we target them, he said. However, as civilian infrastructure and residential areas were affected, Gulf officials increasingly characterised the attacks as indiscriminate. A joint statement issued by Bahrain, Iraq (including the Kurdistan region), Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates warned that targeting civilians and countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilising. Irans justification that the strikes were focused on US facilities appeared to lose traction as hotels, apartment blocks and energy installations sustained damage. Irans strategic approach, described by some analysts as a battle of wills, appears aimed at increasing economic disruption in the Gulf states in order to pressure Washington. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet this tactic has also risked undoing diplomatic progress made over the past two years, during which Tehran invested considerable effort in persuading Gulf governments that Israel, not Iran, was the principal destabilising force in the region. Abbas Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, later came close to expressing regret over an IRGC strike on a US facility in Oman, a country that had been acting as a mediator in nuclear negotiations. Araghchi argued that Iran had made unprecedented concessions, including offering zero stockpiling of highly enriched uranium. He also stated that Iran had devolved military command authority to ensure continuity if central command structures were destroyed. Despite these explanations, there has been little public indication of debate within Irans leadership about whether alienating Gulf states and risking potential reprisals could further endanger the regime. How Gulf countries are responding The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened an emergency meeting of foreign ministers amid the escalating crisis. While no formal decision to engage militarily was announced, the bloc stated that the option to respond to Iranian attacks remained available to protect regional security and stability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Saudi Arabias Foreign Ministry expressed rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the strikes on Riyadh and its eastern region and reserved the right to respond. Qatar described the attacks as an unacceptable escalation. The UAE called them a flagrant violation of sovereignty. Majed al-Ansari, Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson, declared, This cannot go unanswered; a price has to be paid for this attack on our people. At the same time, voices within the region urged caution. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Qatars former prime minister and foreign minister, wrote on X that the GCC states must not be dragged into a direct confrontation with Iran, even though Tehran violated the sovereignty of the Councils states and was the aggressor. There are forces that want the Councils states to become directly embroiled with Iran, he wrote. But a direct clash between the Councils states and Iran, if it occurs, will deplete the resources of both sides and provide an opportunity for many forces to control us under the pretext of helping us escape the crisis. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He called on the GCC to act as a single, unified hand in confronting any aggression, while ensuring they are not picked off one by one. How Gulf countries are in a dilemma While anger toward Tehran is widespread, formally entering the war alongside the US and Israel would represent a historic shift in regional alignment. For years, Gulf states relied on a dual-track strategy: maintaining strong defence ties with the United States while pursuing cautious rapprochement with Iran. Hosting US bases, acquiring advanced American weapons systems and cooperating on air defence were seen as critical deterrents. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others invested diplomatic energy in reducing tensions with Tehran. Several Gulf states publicly supported diplomatic solutions to disputes over Irans nuclear programme and warned against military escalation before the US-Israeli campaign began. As Washingtons military build-up increased, countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan stated that they would not permit the use of their territory to launch airstrikes against Iran. Gulf governments pointed out that they had assured Tehran their airspace and bases were not used for offensive operations. This carefully calibrated approach was upended once Iranian missiles and drones began striking Gulf soil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Saudi Arabia maintains the regions most heavily funded and well-equipped armed forces, while the UAE has also invested extensively in modern military capabilities. Yet despite possessing significant assets, experts have expressed doubt that Gulf states will formally join the fighting with their own militaries. Gulf governments have historically criticised Israels actions in Gaza and have presented themselves as advocates of diplomacy. Direct military alignment in a war initiated by a joint US-Israeli strike could carry domestic implications. Gulf economies are also heavily dependent on energy exports, financial services and investor confidence. Missile impacts on airports, oil refineries and LNG facilities highlight the vulnerability of these sectors. Up to now, despite repeated strikes and official condemnations, no Gulf state has launched a military retaliation against Iran. The crisis has also influenced intra-Gulf dynamics. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, whose relations had cooled after taking opposing positions in Sudan and Yemen, signalled renewed engagement. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed reportedly spoke for the first time in months amid the escalating crisis. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the same time, Saudi authorities rejected a Washington Post report alleging that Riyadh had covertly encouraged the US and Israel to attack Iran. The claim, if accepted domestically, could create political complications, particularly given Saudi Arabias public criticism of Israel over Gaza and its emphasis on diplomacy before the current conflict. Irans efforts over the past two years to cultivate Gulf sympathy appear to have suffered significant damage. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies Finland President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4-7 on the invitation of PM Narendra Modi and attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue, 2026, in New Delhi. Finland's President Alexander Stubb speaks during an interview with Firstpost Managing Editor Palki Sharma at Helsinki, Finland, on November 3, 2025. (Photo: Firstpost) Finland President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4-7 on the invitation of PM Narendra Modi and attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue, 2026, in New Delhi. He will be the Chief Guest of the premier geopolitical forum. According to the MEA, the visit will see President Stubb accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials and business leaders, with the aim of strengthening bilateral ties and broadening cooperation between India and Finland across key sectors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Engagements in Delhi During the visit, President Stubb will attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi as the Chief Guest and keynote speaker. The release noted that this will be his first trip to India since assuming office as President. Beyond his participation in the Raisina Dialogue, Stubb is scheduled to hold talks with the PM Modi aimed at advancing bilateral ties and reviewing key regional and global issues of shared concern. The visit will also feature discussions on cooperation in multilateral forums, alongside efforts to strengthen people-to-people links and economic partnerships. After the talks, Prime Minister Modi will host a luncheon in his honour, the release added. During his visit, the Finnish President will also meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also meet President Stubb. Mumbai visit After concluding his engagements in the capital, President Stubb will travel to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to meet the Governor and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He will also engage with business leaders and address students at the University of Mumbai. India-Finland relations India and Finland share a warm and multifaceted partnership rooted in shared democratic values. Finland is an important partner for India, both within the European Union framework and across the Nordic region. President Stubbs visit comes close on the heels of Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpos trip to India for the AI Impact Summit in February, underscoring both countries shared intent to deepen cooperation and strengthen their bilateral partnership. While flight operations were completely shut off after West Asian countries began closing their airspace since Saturday, as the US and Israel attacked Iran, the situation has improved a little after airlines like Emirates, flydubai and Etihad started operating some special flights from Monday Passengers carry their bags at the arrival terminal of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on March 1, 2026 as India's two largest private carriers IndiGo and Air India suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East. AFP The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said that it is making arrangements for stranded passengers in West Asia as tensions in the region escalate. Various Indian airlines have started to ply dedicated flights to bring back passengers from Dubai, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While flight operations were completely shut off after West Asian countries began closing their airspace since Saturday, as the US and Israel attacked Iran, the situation has improved a little after airlines like Emirates, flydubai and Etihad started operating some special flights from Monday. Airlines deploy special flights On Monday, IndiGo announced that it will operate four dedicated flights starting March 3 from Jeddah to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Travel Advisory As part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to Mumbai Hyderabad Ahmedabad These flights are being arranged to cater IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) March 2, 2026 Similarly, Akasa Air and SpiceJet will also ply additional flights from today to bring back Indian passengers from the region. SpiceJet has also announced that it will resume scheduled flights between Fujairah and Delhi and between Fujairah and Mumbai starting March 4. Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) posts, "Following a comprehensive safety review, we are operating select flights to and from Jeddah on March 03 and March 04, 2026: March 03, 2026 QP 561 Mumbai Jeddah I ETD - 19:20 QP 562 Jeddah Mumbai I ETD - 23:55 pic.twitter.com/lBhhaany5q Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Air India has offered passengers who booked flights to West Asian destinations on or before 28 February 2026 a full refund for their tickets. Also, passengers will be able to reschedule their flights at no additional cost. #TravelAdvisory As part of our commitment to your safety and convenience, Air India is extending full flexibility if your travel to/from the Middle East is impacted due to the ongoing situation. For bookings made on or before 28 February 2026, with travel originally planned Air India (@airindia) March 1, 2026 The first passenger flight took off from Abu Dhabi on Monday after Iran distanced itself from recent missile and drone strikes across the Gulf, as Etihad Airways resumed limited operations from Zayed International Airport. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed departures to London Heathrow, Paris, Amsterdam and Moscow. The first aircraft, EY67 to London Heathrow, departed at 2:39 pm local time (11:39 am CET) and quickly became the most tracked flight on the platform. Flight cancellations At the same time, IndiGo on Tuesday cancelled 43 flights to and from West Asia. Similarly, SpiceJet has also cancelled several West Asia-bound flights on March 3. Etihad Airways said, All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. Regional Airspace Disruption Operational Update All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 2, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Sunday, over 100 international flights were cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at different airports across West Asia. In the early hours of February 28, airstrikes and military operations were launched against multiple cities in Iran. Iran responded with retaliatory attacks across the region, striking targets in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait. As tensions escalated, authorities in several locations shut down airports and closed airspace as a precautionary measure. The abrupt suspension of flights caused widespread travel disruptions, leaving many passengers awaiting further updates. The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), issued through official aviation channels, designates specific airspace for military use during the planned drill. Such restrictions are standard procedure before large-scale exercises to prevent civilian aircraft from entering operational zones Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter jets fly past during the "Aero India 2021" air show at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, India, February 3, 2021. File Image/Reuters India has announced a temporary airspace restriction for an Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise scheduled along the southern portion of its border with Pakistan from March 5 to March 12, a step that has drawn close attention from across the frontier. The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), issued through official aviation channels, designates specific airspace for military use during the planned drill. Such restrictions are standard procedure before large-scale exercises to prevent civilian aircraft from entering operational zones. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite this, security officials cited by CNN-News18 said the development has been closely watched in Islamabad, where defence planners are already balancing significant operational commitments from multiple fronts. More from India Romania scrambles jets after Russian drone breaches airspace for second straight day Pakistan is simultaneously overseeing its western borders with Afghanistan and Iran, while sustaining maritime surveillance in the Arabian Sea against the backdrop of wider regional instability. In response to Indias latest move, additional Pakistani air and ground resources have reportedly been repositioned to monitor the exercise once it begins. A senior official familiar with regional deployments described Pakistans forces as operating under considerable strain, noting that concurrent security responsibilities have pushed capabilities close to their limits. The southern corridor of the India-Pakistan border, including areas adjoining Rajasthan and Sindh, has frequently served as a venue for drills by both militaries, particularly during phases of diplomatic or strategic friction. The upcoming exercise unfolds amid ongoing turbulence in West Asia, where conflict has already affected commercial aviation routes and prompted heightened alert levels across several countries. Since Operation Sindoor, issuing NOTAMs for border-area drills has become a more visible element of India-Pakistan military posturing, with both sides regularly setting aside airspace for exercises as part of their strategic signalling. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This was the first repatriation flight by an Indian carrier to bring back passengers from West Asia amid the ongoing conflict. IndiGo has also announced that it will operate four dedicated flights starting March 3 from Jeddah to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad Air India on Tuesday brought back 149 Indian passengers who were stranded in the West Asia for days since the conflict between Iran, Israel and the US. The flight, AI916D, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi at 10:58 am. This was the first repatriation flight by an Indian carrier to bring back passengers from West Asia amid the ongoing conflict. Our Operations Control Centre and supporting teams have been working around the clock to facilitate these flights in extraordinary circumstances, ensuring seamless coordination throughout, Air India said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Catch all the latest updates on Iran Israel War While flight operations were completely shut off after West Asian countries began closing their airspace since Saturday, as the US and Israel attacked Iran, the situation has improved a little after airlines like Emirates, flydubai and Etihad started operating some special flights from Monday. Special relief flights deployed On Monday, IndiGo announced that it will operate four dedicated flights starting March 3 from Jeddah to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Similarly, Akasa Air and SpiceJet will also ply additional flights from today to bring back Indian passengers from the region. SpiceJet has also announced that it will resume scheduled flights between Fujairah and Delhi and between Fujairah and Mumbai starting March 4. Air India has also offered passengers who booked flights to West Asian destinations on or before 28 February 2026 a full refund for their tickets. Also, passengers will be able to reschedule their flights at no additional cost. The first passenger flight took off from Abu Dhabi on Monday after Iran distanced itself from recent missile and drone strikes across the Gulf, as Etihad Airways resumed limited operations from Zayed International Airport. Flight cancellations At the same time, IndiGo on Tuesday cancelled 43 flights to and from West Asia. Similarly, SpiceJet has also cancelled several West Asia-bound flights on March 3. Etihad Airways said, All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. In the early hours of February 28, airstrikes and military operations were launched against multiple cities in Iran. Iran responded with retaliatory attacks across the region, striking targets in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As tensions escalated, authorities in several locations shut down airports and closed airspace as a precautionary measure. The abrupt suspension of flights caused widespread travel disruptions, leaving many passengers awaiting further updates. Kenyas Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi will attend the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi from March 5 to 7, where he is expected to outline Kenyas foreign policy priorities and push for expanded trade, investment and stronger bilateral cooperation with India. Kenyas Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is set to visit New Delhi to attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue, Image Credit: AFP Kenyas Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is set to visit New Delhi to attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue focused on geopolitics and geoeconomics, where he is expected to outline Kenyas foreign policy and economic priorities as the government pushes for expanded trade and investment partnerships. In a press release issued on Monday, March 2, 2026, the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary stated that Mudavadi who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs will participate in the three-day conference from March 5 to 7, billed as Indias leading forum on geopolitics and geoeconomics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With the youth bulge on earth of about 70 per cent of the total population, vast mineral wealth, and the increasing number of tech-savvy young people, Africa remains the clearest source of long-term optimism, not just for Africans, but for global prosperity, Mudavadi said, according to the statement. During his visit to New Delhi, Mudavadi will also participate in the KenyaIndia Joint Commission for Cooperation. The government said the discussions will focus on a results-oriented agenda designed to secure concrete outcomes for both nations. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb will also visit India from March 4 to 7 at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi to attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue. Stubb will serve as Chief Guest and deliver the keynote address at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau will visit New Delhi this week for the Raisina Dialogue 2026, holding high-level talks focused on defence, trade, multilateral cooperation and strengthening bilateral ties amid evolving regional and global challenges. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will visit New Delhi from March 3-6, where he will be leading the US delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue. Image Credit: AFP US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will visit New Delhi from March 3-6, where he will be leading the US delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue, which is Indias prominent geopolitical forum. According to the US Embassy, the Deputy Secretary is set to meet senior Indian officials to review cooperation in defence, critical minerals, and counternarcotics. The discussions will also focus on expanding trade and improving market access for American companies, while reinforcing a shared commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Finnish President Alexander Stubb will also visit India from March 4 to 7 at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi. During the visit, he will serve as Chief Guest and deliver the keynote address at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, he will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials and business leaders, with the visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. The release noted that this will be President Stubbs first visit to India since assuming office. Beyond his participation at the Raisina Dialogue, he is scheduled to hold talks with the Prime Minister aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties and discussing key regional and global issues of shared interest. A major focus of the visit will be discussions on cooperation in multilateral platforms, along with efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and expand economic partnerships. After the talks, Prime Minister Modi will host a luncheon in President Stubbs honour. During his stay, the Finnish President is also scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold separate discussions with him. The Chef brought Italian tradition in its purest form to an Italian pop-up at Pullman in New Delhi from February 27th, 2026 to March 1st, 2026. If I see someone putting cream in carbonara, I get a heart attack, Chef Francesco Calvani says with a laugh that is only half-joking. Calvani is a fierce protector of the original and dismisses fusion that feels like clutter, and innovation used to mask ones errors. To him, a recipe is a piece of cultural continuity. As he brought his Italian Culinary Showcase to the Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, he issued a challenge to globalised food culture: respect the past before you dare to reinvent it, is what he emphasised on, whilst speaking to Firstpost. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Memory, and how it stayed in food For Calvani, the plate is not a canvas on which he creates whims and fancies, but how he pays homage to what mattered to him as a young boy. This philosophy began in the domestic warmth of a home in Italys capital. One of my earliest memories is walking into my grandmothers kitchen in Rome and being wrapped in the smell of her slow-cooked tomato sauce, he reminisces. It would simmer for hours and was never rushed, never forced. There was something so calm and intentional about the way she cooked." The calm and intentional pace has become his signature, even after twenty-two years of navigating the hustle and bustle of professional kitchens. While his career has been sharpened by the rigorous, sharp-edged discipline of Le Cordon Bleu London and the high-pressure world of Gordon Ramsay, his heart remains anchored in his Roman kitchen. The French structure, The Italian soul It is a fascinating contradiction: a Roman chef refined by classical French technique. Training at Le Cordon Bleu London really changed the way I looked at Italian cuisine, he explains. It gave me structure, discipline, and a much deeper respect for precision. Instead of pulling me away from my roots, it actually helped me understand them more clearly." He describes his process as an adaptation of these worlds. I adapt all the French techniques I learned into Italian cuisine, he says. The result is a style that is rooted in heritage and uplifted by truly training with some of the best of his craft. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is most evident in his approach to the demanding discipline of simplicity. To Calvani, a dish with three or four ingredients is the ultimate test because it leaves a chef completely exposed. There is no extra garnish or heavy sauce to mask a mistake, there is only the quality of the ingredient and the precision of the hand. The custodian of the classics As a cultural custodian, Calvani feels a heavy responsibility toward the stories behind the food. In a world where authenticity is often diluted for mass appeal, he remains fiercely protective of the basics. Original recipes dont need a twist, he asserts. We only need to teach people." His mission is to educate and indulge. He wants diners to understand the difference between tomato varieties noting that Italy has more than 100, and why one olive oil might taste grassy while another is more peppery. Authenticity isnt about being rigid or refusing change, he clarifies. Food should evolve, just like culture does. But it has to come from a place of understanding. If youre going to reinterpret a dish, you need to know its story first." Adaptation without compromise This understanding has allowed him to thrive in India, a landscape that demands both flexibility and respect. Cooking in India taught me humility more than anything else, he says. It taught me to listen to the ingredients, to the culture, to the people at the table." His time in the Indian kitchen has led to moments of brilliant, honest creativitymost notably a ravioli stuffed with butter chicken. Its a dish he claims with pride because it doesnt pretend to be traditional Italian. Its my dish, he says. We give it a new name. Thats how you create. It is this balancereverence for tradition, curiosity for flavor, and honesty of intentionthat makes his cooking resonate across borders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Pullman New Delhi Aerocity becomes the stage for this Roman masterclass. Set within the airy, sophisticated backdrop of Delhi in late February, the showcase was an invitation to experience Italian cuisine in a pure fashion Whether it is the precision of a French-informed sauce or the emotional identity of an Italian heritage dish, Calvani ensures that every bite carries a narrative. A chef carries memory, he concludes. We safeguard ingredients, we pass down techniques, and we teach the next generation how to cook, and why it matters." . From covert coups and hostage crises to nuclear negotiations and regional rivalry, this curated reading list brings together historical narratives, insider perspectives, and geopolitical analysis to make sense of the long, fraught relationship between Tehran and Washington. Essential for anyone seeking clarity on the roots of current tensions in West Asia. Essential reads for anyone seeking clarity on the roots of current tensions in West Asia. Credits/Reuters Amid the ongoing crisis, trying to understand what is happening in West Asia can feel overwhelming. These essential books offer clear, accessible context, explaining how past wars, foreign interventions, and regional rivalries continue to shape todays violence. Together, they help move beyond breaking news to understand the deeper forces shaping geopolitics of the current day. America and Iran: A History of Relations (2021)-John Ghazvinian Ghazvinian traces USIran relations from the 19th century to the nuclear age, challenging the idea that hostility was inevitable. The book shows how moments of cooperation repeatedly gave way to mistrust through coups, revolutions, and sanctions. A long-view history that explains why todays tensions are rooted as much in misunderstanding as in ideology. Author****: British-Iranian writer and former journalist, known for narrative, archive-driven political history. 2. Iran and the United States: An Insiders View on the Failed Past and the Road to Peace (2014)-Seyed Hossein Mousavian STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This book offers a rare insider account of USIran relations, tracing key crises, diplomatic breakdowns, and missed opportunities since the 1979 revolution. Drawing on direct involvement in nuclear and security negotiations, it challenges dominant narratives on both sides. Mousavian argues that mistrust and not inevitability has driven hostility, and outlines pathways toward de-escalation and dialogue. About the author: Seyed Hossein Mousavian is a former Iranian diplomat, ex-ambassador to Germany, and a senior member of Irans nuclear negotiating team, now a scholar of international security and diplomacy. 3. From Beirut to Jerusalem (1989; updated editions later)- Thomas L. Friedman A first-person account of reporting from Lebanons civil war and IsraelPalestine in the 1970s and 1980s. Friedman captures the lived realities of war, ideology, and everyday survival alongside high politics. Part reportage, part political memoir, it shaped Western understanding of the region for decades. Author****: Long-time foreign correspondent and columnist for The New York Times. 4. All the Shahs Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror (2003)- Stephen Kinzer Recounts the 1953 CIA-backed overthrow of Irans democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. Kinzer links the coup directly to Iranian mistrust of the US and the eventual rise of the Islamic Republic. A crucial book for understanding why Iran frames American power as an existential threat. Author****: Former New York Times foreign correspondent and historian of US interventionism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 5. The Twilight War: The Secret History of Americas Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran (2012)- David Crist Examines the covert military, intelligence, and proxy conflicts between Iran and the US since 1979. Crist shows how escalation often occurred without public awareness, through miscalculation and secrecy. A detailed account of how shadow wars replaced formal diplomacy. Author****: Historian at the US Department of Defense and former military advisor. 6. Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War (2012)- Yaakov Katz and Yoaz Hendel Explores the long, undeclared conflict between Israel and Iran across intelligence, cyberwarfare, and regional proxies. The authors detail assassinations, covert strikes, and strategic doctrine shaping the rivalry. Essential for understanding how IsraelIran tensions intersect with Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Authors****: Katz is a military affairs journalist; Hendel is a former intelligence officer and policy analyst. As clashes flare along the Durand Line, Islamabads long-touted strategic depth doctrine collapses under the weight of its own contradictions A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Nangarhar province on February 27, 2026 following overnight cross-border fighting between the two countries. (Photo by Aimal ZAHIR / AFP) History enlightens. But it can also bewilder, especially when selectively analysed and interpreted. Afghanistan is perhaps the most striking example of how selective readings of history can produce flawed strategic conclusions. Two anecdotes, separated by more than two millennia, offer a revealing lens into the Afghan psyche and the persistent misunderstandings surrounding it. The first story is a sort of legend. The storyline may be a figment of imagination, but the message definitely contains a kernel of truth. As the story goes, Alexander of Macedon, stuck in Afghanistan for three years after sweeping successes across Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Persia, received a scathing letter from his mother mocking him for his failure to subdue a rugged frontier. Alexander responded by sending a sack of Afghan soil, instructing her to spread it across her palace floor. Soon, Macedonian nobles walking upon it began to bicker and fight among themselves. Whether apocryphal or not, the story presciently captures a powerful imagery of Afghanistan as a land of endless internal discord, with tribes divided, loyalties fractured and authority contested. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The second story, rooted firmly in modern political history, tells the other half of the truth. On March 5, 1948, Pakistans Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan asked the great Pashtun (Pathan) leader, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, in the Constituent Assembly: Is Pathan the name of a country or that of a community? Pathan is the name of the community and we will name the country Pakhtoonistan, Ghaffar Khan responded, adding: I may also explain that the people of India used to call us Pathans and we are called Afghans by the Persians. Our real name is Pakhtoon. We want Pakhtoonistan and want to see all the Pathans on this side of the Durand Line joined and united together in Pakhtoonistan. Years later, in 1975, his son Wali Khan distilled this layered identity with absolute clarity when he reminded a Pakistani journalist how he was a 6,000-year-old Pashtun, a thousand-year-old Muslim, and a 27-year-old Pakistani, neatly summarising layered identities in which Pashtun ethnicity and culture preceded both religion and modern nationhood. Taken together, these two stories reveal a fascinating paradox. Afghans quarrel endlessly among themselves. But they resist instinctively centralised authority and fiercely defend collective identity. Both division and unity coexist, not as contradictions, but as twin pillars of Afghan socio-political culture. There is unanimity among Pashtuns of all classes and creeds that the Durand Line is an illegitimately drawn British border perpetuated by Pakistan since 1947. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistans strategic establishment, however, preferred to focus on only the first half of this dual reality. Observing Afghanistans internal divisions and rivalries, Pakistani policymakers concluded that Afghan factions could be manipulated, divided and controlled through patronage, coercion and even bribery. Recall what the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, mockingly observed about the American failure to get Osama bin Laden. Sharif joked that the Americans had unnecessarily wasted their money on cruise missiles aimed at the Saudi fugitive when all they needed was to send a few men into Afghanistan with briefcases full of dollars, and they would have got the job done, as Steve Coll writes in Ghost Wars. It was within this ideological framework that Pakistan supported the rise of the Taliban during the 1990s. The expectation was straightforward: a friendly regime in Kabul would neutralise Pashtun nationalism, secure Pakistans western flank, and create strategic depth against Bharat. Support came from across Pakistans political spectrum. Ironically, even leaders considered liberal participated in nurturing the Talibans rise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The liberal Benazir Bhutto, for instance, recalled in detail her role in assisting the rise of the Taliban. I became slowly, slowly sucked into it, she remembered. It started out with a little fuel, then it became machinery, followed by spare parts for tanks and choppers captured by the Taliban. Soon the ISI started pushing for trade concessions for the Islamist militia and those assisting them directly or indirectly. In the end, money started flowing, directly from the Pakistani treasury, as Bhutto recalled. The phenomenon continued even when Pakistan, under Gen Pervez Musharraf, had joined the US-led war on terror. Writing about Gen Musharraf and many other liberal Pakistani generals, Coll notes: Jihad was not a calling; it was a professional imperative. It was something he did at the office. At quitting time, he packed up his briefcase, straightened the braid on his uniform, and went home to his normal life. Things could have worked for Pakistan had Pashtuns not been so deeply rooted in their ethnicity and culture. They might still have worked had the Pakistanis been sympathetic to the Afghan cause and not treated them as a colonial extension of Pakistan strategic depth, as they call it disdainfully. The Pakistani rulers thought they could woo Pashtuns of Afghanistan while alienating those residing within Pakistan. They forgot that, unlike many other converted peoples, these people were Pashtuns first and Muslims second. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even the Taliban, while espousing an austere religious ideology and maintaining close ties with Pakistan, consistently refused to recognise the Durand Line as an international border. Their refusal underscored a deeper truth: Pashtun identity could not be subordinated permanently to geopolitical-ideological-religious designs. Religion, ideology and alliance work only till they dont come in the way of traditional Pashtun notions of Zan, Zar and Zameen (woman, gold/wealth and land). While Pakistan pursued dominance, Bharat adopted a quieter, less dramatic approach. New Delhi invested not in militias but in roads, hospitals, dams and schools. Its engagement sought legitimacy among people rather than leverage over factions. This distinction mattered. Afghanistan remembers who builds and who manipulates, who respects and who humiliates. Simultaneously, Bharat recalibrated its broader regional posture. The era of unilateral restraint gave way to reciprocity-backed deterrence. Terrorism invited military response rather than fatalistic patience. The Narendra Modi government buried the Aman ki Asha mirage for good and responded to terror attacks with Uri and Balakot the latest being the much successful Operation Sindoor, where Pakistan was pushed to seek a ceasefire within 96 hours of resolute military operations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The cumulative result has been an unexpected reversal. What Pakistan once envisioned as strategic depth has increasingly become a strategic nightmare. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated sharply, marked by border tensions and military skirmishes. The Afghanistan saga shows how historys tragedy often lies not only in ignorance but also in selective understanding. Like the blind men describing an elephant through isolated impressions, policymakers who grasp only fragments of Afghan reality construct strategies destined to fail. Today, Pakistan faces the consequences of such massive misreading, as its military is engaged in an intense battle with Afghanistan and it may be just the beginning of a never-ending war that could end with the very disintegration of Pakistan. As clashes flare along the Durand Line, its obvious that Pakistans jihadi chickens in Afghanistan have come home to roost. And this turn of events should surprise no one. (This is Part 1 of a two-part series. The next part will examine how Bharat, too, misunderstood Afghanistan for much of its post-Independence history, and how those miscalculations cost New Delhi badly, including in Kashmir.) STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) US President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Pakistani leader has been wooing Trump since the latter's return to the White House. File image/Reuters One feels bad for Shehbaz Sharif. Saddled with responsibility sans power, he tries his best. Yet life (read Asim Munir) has dealt the Pakistani prime minister such a rotten hand that even his best efforts fall short. Take the current crisis. With the US and Israel assassinating Irans Supreme Leader and top generals in a joint operation, Pakistan is caught between the devil and the deep sea. There is a touch of black comedy in the way Sharif is trying to execute the impossible trapeze act. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On one hand Pakistan needs to show total compliance and obedience to the United States, or Daddy Trump will shut off the IMF tap, Pakistan will default and its struggling economy will go up in flames. Pakistani stock market has already crashed, and trading had to be stopped for a while. On the other hand, a restive, radicalized population that considers America as the Great Satan, is incensed at the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei at the hands of American and Israeli forces and has decided to take law in their own hands. The crisis has demonstrated that Pakistans foreign policy, long incumbent on rent-seeking from competing great powers, has reached its logical conclusion. Islamabad is no longer able to insulate its population from the consequences of its strategic imperatives. In the last few days, Pakistan has been rocked by violence with demonstrators protesting the assassination of Khamenei. The death toll has already reached 35. In Sunni-dominated Pakistan, around 15% are Shiites, followers of the Shia sect of Islam. Pakistan is home to the third-largest Shia community in the world after Iran and Iraq. Pakistan is also the only country, as a 2015 Pew Research survey indicated, where Iran is viewed favourably by the majority. Little wonder that soon after the news spread of attacks against Iran and death of Khamenei, violent protesters in Karachi tried to raid the US embassy and at least 10 were killed when the US marines opened fire at the rioters. Imagine Pakistans moth-eaten sovereignty where foreign security officers at a consulate kill citizens of the host country at will. Nearly 25 more were injured in Karachi alone. The fire soon spread to other parts. Bloomberg reports that in Pakistans northern regions of Gilgit and Skardu, at least 14 protesters and one soldier was killed. There were similar demonstrations near the consulate in Lahore and near the US embassy in Islamabad. The situation became so grim that Pakistan had to call in its troops and impose a three-day curfew in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Pakistan, a nation adept at navigating the treacherous waters of competing alliances, the current crisis at home represents the failure of its strategic hedging. It is now caught between its existential dependency on the US for sustenance and an Islamist population erupting in sectarian fury. By attempting to play too sophisticated a game, Pakistan has effectively been hoisted by its own petard. Notably, Sharif did not initially condemn the attack on Iran by the US and Israel that took out Khamenei a marked abstention given the way Pakistan fashions itself as the protector of the Islamic world. When he finally did, while extending support to Saudi Arabia with whom Pakistan has signed a NATO-like pact of Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement Sharif singled out Israel as the aggressor, completely avoiding any mention of the US. Note Sharifs balancing act carefully. I spoke with my dear brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening to express Pakistans strong condemnation of the dangerous regional escalation following the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks in the Gulf region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan stands in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and our brotherly Gulf countries in this perilous time. We remain ready to play a constructive role for peace and pray that the blessings of Ramadan bring calm and stability to our region. Not only did he refuse to take Americas name as one of the aggressors in the war on Iran, but the Pakistani prime minister also refrained from blaming Iran directly for attacking the Saudis in retaliation. This trapeze act convinced none and made Pakistan the international laughing stock, not to mention increasing the anger within its own population. When the rage at home reached boiling point, Sharif had to condole the death of Khamenei and join the people of Iran in their hour of grief and sorrow. On March 1, a full day after the incident. Sharif still remained silent on the role played by the US in the assassination, and didnt mention, for obvious reasons, that Pakistan has been more than willing to quietly aid the US in bombing Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistans strategic overreach, driven largely by its desire to outmanoeuvre India, has instead resulted in a strategic squeeze. Its decade-old effort of nurturing and aiding the Taliban for strategic depth against India in Afghanistan now lies in ruins, with the Taliban carrying out a major offensive in the latest conflict between the two sides in which major Pakistani military bases, including the command and control centre at Rawalpindis Nur Khan Air Base, reportedly been hit. There have been several casualties on both sides and competing claims of damage. The Taliban claims to have seized two military bases and several border posts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan sectors, and downed one fighter jet. According to the mutual defence pact, Saudi Arabia shouldve come to Pakistans aid since any aggression against one nation is considered an attack on both, but Riyadh has offered little beyond platitudes. Between the spillover effects of Iran war, that may see influx of refugees if hostilities continue, internal unrest and instability in the Afghanistan border, Sharifs hands are full. Hes now munching on Pakistans pretzel foreign policy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) After OpenAI agreed to follow the DoD laws, users are uninstalling the ChatGPT app at a higher rate. According to the recent report, this ChatGPT fallout has surged to 295 per cent in the US. IT has been observed that users are now switching to Anthropic Cluade, which held its ground and said no to Pentagon. The week turned turbulent for OpenAI after news broke of its partnership with the US Department of Defense, now reportedly rebranded under the Trump administration as the Department of War. American users responded swiftly and sharply, with a dramatic rise in uninstalling app and a simultaneous surge in downloads of its AI rival, Anthropics Claude. According to fresh figures from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, US uninstalls of ChatGPTs mobile app soared by an astonishing 295 per cent on February 28, Saturday, compared with the previous day. This marks a massive spike from the chatbots usual day-over-day uninstall rate of around 9 per cent tracked over the last month. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The data indicates that a significant number of users were disillusioned by OpenAIs decision to partner with the defence agency. If you are also planning to quit ChatGPT, here is a checklist you must follow. Claude downloads skyrocket as Anthropic rejects defence partnership While OpenAI faced mounting criticism, Anthropic capitalised on the moment. The company, led by Dario Amodei, announced that it had turned down a potential deal with the US defence department, citing ethical concerns over how artificial intelligence could be used for surveillance and autonomous weapons. Amodei argued that current AI models are not yet safe enough to power such technologies. This stance resonated with many consumers. Sensor Tower data shows that US downloads of Anthropics Claude app rose by 37 per cent on February 27, followed by an additional 51 per cent jump on the next day. The momentum pushed Claude to the No 1 spot on the US App Store on Saturday, a leap of over 20 positions compared with just a week earlier. The app has also topped the free charts in several other countries, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland. A separate analysis from Appfigures backed these findings, revealing that Claudes US downloads overtook ChatGPTs for the first time on Saturday. Its data showed an even steeper rise, an 88 per cent increase in daily downloads compared with the previous day. User reviews reflect growing discontent The backlash wasnt limited to app deletions. ChatGPTs ratings in the App Store also took a hit over the weekend. Sensor Tower reported a 775 per cent spike in one-star reviews on Saturday, followed by another 100 per cent rise on Sunday. Meanwhile, five-star ratings plunged by half during the same period, suggesting that many users were venting their frustration directly through reviews. Downloads of ChatGPT in the US also declined following the announcement. They fell 13 per cent day-over-day on Saturday and another 5 per cent on Sunday, a stark reversal from Fridays 14 per cent growth before the news broke. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Similar webs latest data reinforced these trends, noting that Claudes weekly US downloads are now around 20 times higher than they were in January. However, it also cautioned that some of this growth could stem from broader interest in Anthropics AI tools rather than purely political reactions. Still, the numbers paint a clear picture: OpenAIs defence partnership has sparked a wave of public concern, reshaping the competitive landscape of consumer AI apps almost overnight. Anthropics AI chatbot Claude has faced massive traffic in the last few hours and this seems to have caused a big outage at the AI company which has been reported by thousands of users across regions on Tuesday. Most of the issues have been reported with Claude AI chatbot, the Claude app on mobile and even the web version. The Claude AI app is seen in the app store on a phone in New York City. AFP Anthropics fast-rising Claude AI chatbot has gone offline across regions after a massive spike in user traffic pushed the app to the No 1 position on Apples US App Store over the weekend. Thousands of users reported issues with the Claude web platform, mobile app, and API tools on Tuesday, making it the companys second major outage in less than 24 hours. Outage tracker Downdetector recorded over 3,500 complaints within hours, with users in the US, India, and Europe struggling to access Claudes services. Many were unable to send prompts or receive responses, effectively bringing their work to a halt. Anthropic acknowledged the disruption, stating on its official status page that there were elevated errors in claude.ai, cowork, platform, and claude code, and confirmed that engineers were investigating the cause. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The outage follows an unprecedented weekend for the company, which saw Claudes user base surge after weeks of rapid growth. Anthropic said that free users have increased by over 60 per cent since January, while daily sign-ups tripled since November. Paid subscriptions have also more than doubled in 2026, setting record highs. But that explosive expansion now appears to be testing the platforms infrastructure. Traffic surge, political backlash and Claudes meteoric rise Claudes record-breaking growth coincided with intense political controversy in the US. Just a day before the outage, the Trump administration sought to restrict federal agencies from using Anthropics AI models, citing national security concerns. The move came after the company publicly refused to allow its systems to be used for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons, a decision that quickly drew political fire. President Donald Trump lashed out at the company on Truth Social, accusing Anthropic of trying to dictate terms to the Department of Defense. Following that, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called for Anthropic to be designated a supply-chain risk, which would prevent US defence contractors from deploying Claude. Responding to the criticism, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the Department had the right to work with companies aligned with its mission but urged officials to reconsider, highlighting the value of Anthropics AI for military efficiency and safety. Despite the political friction, users flocked to Claude in record numbers. According to Sensor Tower, the app climbed from No 131 on January 30 to No 1 by early March, overtaking OpenAIs ChatGPT and Googles Gemini. The surge reflects growing public interest in Anthropics AI assistant, fuelled in part by its ethical stance and transparent approach to AI deployment. Uncertain recovery timeline As of Tuesday evening, Claudes services remained partially down in several regions. Anthropic has not shared an official timeline for restoration, but users continue to report issues accessing the chatbot hours after the first disruptions began. The Iran-US and Israel conflict has led to thousands of flights being cancelled and many more thousands of passengers stuck in transit, at point of origin or in a third country. Below is a guide for passengers caught unawares by the war. The Iran-US and Israel conflict that escalated to subsume neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait has had a ripple effect on aviation. The attacks on non-military targets, including civilian airports, led to an immediate closure of traffic from the major Middle Eastern gateways like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. All these airports are hubs for the 3 big Gulf carriersEmirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, respectively. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The conflict has led to thousands of flights being cancelled and many more thousands of passengers stuck in transit, at point of origin or in a third country. As of now, Etihad and Emirates are operating limited rescue flights for passengers stuck at their hubs while Qatar Airways remains grounded until further notice. Most carriers are updating information daily with cancellations lasting for 24 hours before the next notice is out. The three Gulf carriers offer over 1 lakh seats per week out of India, with Emirates leading the pack with close to 60000 seats on offer, along with Flydubai, which is impacting passengers travelling to and from India across the world. What should the passengers do? Passengers stuck in transit are the most exposed to war and the possibility of another attack on the civilian infrastructure, including airports. Airlines are managing the situation by starting evacuation flights in the window that is available for safe operations. Both Emirates and Etihad have operated such flights based on the safety assessment, the destination of passengers who are stuck and the passenger mix. There isnt anything that passengers can do if stuck in transit. If one is booked for immediate travel via one of the carriers where flights are suspended, airlines are offering full waiver of cancellation charges, full refund or ability to rebook without additional cost over the next few days. How long the attacks would last is anybodys guess and thus rebooking for a later date does not assure travel on those dates. The risk assessment on travel via Middle East is being done by corporates and individuals. Lastly, multiple passengers hold tickets for a future date which is over a week from now and have transits planned in the Middle East. Will the region remain volatile during this period remains unknown and is dependent on how long the conflict lasts? If it becomes a longer conflict with Iran continuing to engage against its immediate neighbours, the situation may turn grim for the hub carriers in the region and impact thousands of passengers. The airlines would already be under strain with limited forward bookings as passengers wait it out to see if they want to fly via the Middle East or not. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why passengers must be in touch with airlines Passengers have little choice but to wait and see how the conflict evolves if they are already booked with these airlines. Passengers must have their details updated with the airline because the flight schedules could change a lot after the restart of operations as airlines try to clear the backlog of passengers, readjust to a new reality with possibly lower passenger numbers and tinker with the frequencies to adjust capacity with demand. The impact is not only on the Gulf carriers, but also their Indian counterparts flying to the Middle East. Indian carriers boast of a sizeable network that is focussed on the region as well on Europe and North America. Remember, many of the air routes in the Middle East are closed, leading to increased flight times and technical stops. Tail Note The Middle East region has seen multiple conflicts over the last four decades. However, aviation and travel were not central themes, even during the Gulf War in the early 1990s. The subsequent wars in Iraq had little impact on the region, while the Israel-Iran skirmishes in the last few years were restricted to the two countries. It is only now that the whole region is being pulled into the conflict. How does this impact the carriers in the longer run will depend on what happens to Iran and how soon peace returns to the region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ameya Joshi is the founder of Network Thoughts, an aviation analysis website. Two drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing a small fire as Saudi defences intercepted additional drones amid Irans widening retaliatory attacks The Saudi Ministry of Defence said in a statement that two drones struck the United States Embassy in Riyadh early in the morning on Tuesday and ignited a small fire, while Iran pressed forward with its retaliatory attacks across the Gulf. The was attacked by two drones, according to initial assessments. The attack resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building, the statement noted, following accounts from witnesses who told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that they had seen smoke rising over the compound that houses the US diplomatic mission. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A source familiar with the Saudi Army, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that Saudi air defences intercepted four drones aimed at the diplomatic district of Riyadh during the incident. In response, the US Embassy issued a shelter-in-place advisory for American citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran. An empty arrivals area at the Dubai International Airport, following the United States and Israel strikes on Iran. REUTERS Flights were suspended or delayed across the Gulf region, including Bahrain, leading to temporary air closures. Repatriation efforts followed with multiple special flights scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on March 3 and 4. Etihad Airways urged passengers not to travel to the airport unless there is any confirmation from the airport authorities. India has advised Indian nationals in UAE to remain vigilant and follow guidelines issues by local authorities amid escalating Middle east crisis. Fresh explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama and Kuwait City. The UAE condemned the strikes as a dangerous escalation, shut its embassy in Tehran, withdrew its ambassador, and summoned Irans envoy with a formal protest, calling the attacks a violation of sovereignty and international law. Limited flight operations resumed, with Emirates, Flydubai and Etihad operating special and evacuation flights, including services to India. Meanwhile, the US urged Americans to leave over a dozen West Asian countries. Stay with us for all the LIVE updates. Air India becomes the first Indian carrier flight to reach New Delhi from Dubai India on Tuesday said its mission in Iran has moved most Indian students out of Tehran to safer locations amid the worsening security situation, as tensions soar following US and Israeli strikes on Iran India on Tuesday said its mission in Iran has moved most Indian students out of Tehran to safer locations amid the worsening security situation, as tensions soar following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Embassy of India in Tehran said the relocation was carried out due to heightened risk perception in the city Due to the heightened risk perception in Tehran city, the embassy of India has relocated most Indian students who were in Tehran, PTI quoted the Indian mission as saying in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The embassy said it has made arrangements for the transportation, food, and accommodation of the students. Only a small number of students who declined the embassys offer remain in Tehran, it said. For other Indian students and Indian nationals who still remain in Iran, the advisory issued earlier remains unchanged: stay where you are, remain indoors as far as possible, and stay away from windows, the embassy said. In its latest advisory, the Indian embassy urged its nationals in Iran to exercise caution at all times, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, and maintain regular contact with the mission. Around 9,000 Indians, including students, are reported to be in Iran, though the exact number of students is not immediately known. The conflict in West Asia has escalated, with Iran launching fresh strikes targeting Israel and US military bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday. As part of its offensive, Iran has blocked the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, causing a surge in global oil prices. US military officials have confirmed that six American personnel have been killed in the conflict so far. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 787 people have died in the strikes in Iran, while at least 11 fatalities have been reported in Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies US-Israel-Iran War Updates: Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said its forces carried out major attacks on American military personnel across the Gulf region, including a strike in Dubai that the group claims killed more than 100 US soldiers. An Iranian flag is mounted on a damaged car following a strike on a police station, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday. Reuters This blog is now closed. Follow our fresh blog on US-Israel-Iran war here. Sources cited by Iran International say the Assembly of Experts has reportedly chosen Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, to become Irans next Supreme Leader after his fathers death. The reported decision was allegedly taken under strong pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an unusual development that could point to growing influence of the Guards in the Islamic Republics leadership transition. Iranian state media has not yet confirmed the reported appointment. Iran has continued launching strikes on Israeli and US targets in the Gulf, even as casualties rise across the region amid intensifying attacks by Israel and the United States on Iranian territory. Meanwhile, Qatar said its air force successfully intercepted two incoming SU-24 fighter jets from Iran, along with seven ballistic missiles and five drones. At the same time, inside Iran, joint US-Israeli strikes have reportedly killed at least 555 people. Security chief Ali Larijani, however, denied US media claims that he had initiated fresh efforts to restart nuclear negotiations with Washington. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Kuwaits Defence Ministry reported that several US warplanes crashed on its soil, though all crew members survived. The US military later clarified that the aircraft were accidentally downed by Kuwaiti air defences. Beyond the Gulf, in Lebanon, at least 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes launched after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel. In response to the escalating violence, the Lebanese prime minister announced a ban on Hezbollahs military operations. Live Updates Iran said during nuclear talks that it had 460 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium that could be enough to make 11 nuclear warheads, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has claimed. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi meets US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of US-Iran indirect talks on February 26, 2025. (Photo: X/Foreign Ministry of Oman) Iran said during nuclear talks that it had 460 kilograms of 60 per cent enriched uranium that could be enough to make 11 nuclear warheads, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has claimed. In an interview with Fox News, Witcoff claimed that Iranian negotiators were proud that they had evaded all sorts of oversight protocols to get to a place where they could deliver 11 nuclear bombs. In that first meeting, both the Iranian negotiators said to us directly with no shame that they controlled 460 kilograms of 60 per cent [enriched uranium] and that theyre aware that could make 11 nuclear bombs, Witkoff further said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Witkoff added that Iranian negotiators also stressed that they had an inalienable right to enrich uranium. Witkoff said he responded by telling Iranian negotiators that Trump felt he had an inalienable right to stop you dead in your tracks. The claim has come at a time when the administration has been finding ways to justify the war on Iran. As the attack was unprovoked, the administration has said that Iran was in a position to make a nuclear weapon in a week's time and thats why it joined Israel in a pre-emptive offensive. But the narrative runs afoul of President Donald Trumps longstanding claim that Irans nuclear facilities and capabilities were obliterated last year. ALSO READ Trump wants regime change enabled by Iranians from within: Ex-UK CDS Gen Carter on US-Israeli goal Trump, Witkoff, or anyone else have not explained how Iran was just a week away from making nuclear weapons and how it had 460 kg of highly enriched uranium if the nuclear facilities and capabilities were obliterated last year. Moreover, the information about Iran retaining 460 kg of 60 per cent enriched uranium a level below the weapons-grade 90 per cent was not new. Last year, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said that Iran had around 440 kg of 60 per cent enriched uranium before the United States struck its nuclear site in June and most of the stockpiled had survived the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Witkoff said the objective of talks was to reach a deal in which Iran would agree to eliminate its missile programme, cease its support for proxies in West Asia, eliminate its navy so we can have freedom of the seas, and cease its nuclear enrichment. We went in there and tried to make a fair deal with them, and it was very, very clear that it was going to be impossible probably by the end of the second meeting. But we then went back for the third meeting just to give it the last college try. They wanted us to report positivity. It was not positive that meeting, said Witkoff. At least three Indian sailors have been killed and one has been injured in attacks on ships amid the ongoing war in West Asia, the government has said. The vessel tanker Bella 1 is seen at Singapore Strait after US officials say the Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela. (Photo: Reuters) At least three Indian sailors have been killed and one has been injured in attacks on ships amid the ongoing war in West Asia, the Government of India has said. Without going into the specifics, the DG Shipping said that there have been four reported incidents involving Indian seafarers in West Asia. While it did not name the ships or the deceased, it added that all of these incidents involved foreign-flagged ships. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The remaining crew members on board are safe and secure, and the authorities are in close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure their continued safety, well-being and timely support, the statement read. As per the latest reports, there have been no confirmed instances of casualty, detention, or boarding involving Indian-flagged vessels, the DG Shipping said. Follow our live coverage of the war in West Asia The statement has come a day after Oman confirmed an Indian national's death in an attack on a Marshal Islands-flagged ship off the countrys coast. It was at least the second attack on a ship in Omani waters since the United States and Iran launched the war on Iran on Saturday. The stakeholders have been advised to maintain heightened vigilance and undertake voyage-specific risk assessments, and vessels operating in the region have been advised to maintain an enhanced security posture and bridge watch, ensure continuous communication readiness, and report any suspicious activity immediately, with transit through high-risk areas to be reviewed by operators based on prevailing conditions, the statement read. #WestAsiaWar | DG #Shipping India On #StraitOfHormuz, #PersianGulf Situation Four reported incidents involving Indian seafarers in the region, resulting in three casualties Seafarers involved in incidents were serving on board foreign-flagged vessels pic.twitter.com/0KBBx4hbWs CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) March 3, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Previously, a drone gunboat had attacked a Marshall Islandsflagged tanker, MKD Vyom, around 52 nautical miles off the coast of Oman. The attack caused a fire in the ships engine room and the Indian national died in the fire. The report said the authorities rescued the tankers crew of 21 members 16 Indian nationals, four Bangladeshi nationals, and one Ukrainian national in coordination with another ship. As per FlightRadar24, airports that faced disruptions on Tuesday include Dubai International Airport, Doha Hamad International Airport, Abu Dhabi Zayed Airport and Cairo International Airport A traveller checks departure times as many flights are cancelled at Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon as many airlines canceled flights due to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. AP While the aviation sector worldwide breathed a sigh of relief after days of cancellations, major Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways continued to face disruptions on Tuesday. The conflict between Iran, the US and Israel has hit flights across the world, with passengers stranded across the world, and the burden being carried by airports in West Asia. Flight operations were completely shut off after West Asian countries began closing their airspace on Saturday, as the US and Israel attacked Iran. The situation, however, has improved a little after airlines like Emirates, flydubai and Etihad started operating some special flights from Monday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The first passenger flight took off from Abu Dhabi on Monday after Iran distanced itself from recent missile and drone strikes across the Gulf, as Etihad Airways resumed limited operations from Zayed International Airport. War hits aviation sector As per FlightRadar24, airports that faced disruptions on Tuesday include Dubai International Airport, Doha Hamad International Airport, Abu Dhabi Zayed Airport and Cairo International Airport. By Monday morning, widespread disruptions had grounded the majority of flights to several Middle Eastern destinations. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 79 per cent of global flights bound for Qatar and 71 per cent of those heading to the United Arab Emirates were cancelled. The impact was even greater elsewhere in the region, with 81 per cent of flights to Israel and 92 per cent of flights to Bahrain also called off. The United Arab Emirates national carrier, Etihad Airways, announced it was suspending operations until 14:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Despite the halt, a limited number of ad-hoc flights operated on Monday, including Etihads EY67 service to London Heathrow, which touched down at 19:17 GMT. Private jet prices soar Meanwhile, prices of private jets have skyrocketed as the uber wealthy try to find a way out of the Emirates. JetVip, a Muscat-based private aviation brokerage, told the Guardian that the cost of chartering a flight to Istanbul on a Nextant, among the smallest jets available, has surged to around $99,000, approximately triple the typical price. Meanwhile, seats on private charter flights to Moscow are selling for about 20,000 per passenger. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But getting a private jet amid war is not a piece of cake. A representative at the Austria-based AlbaJet charter firm said that its availability was extremely thin. Many aircraft operators wont perform the flight due to insurance requirements and owners decision. So a lot of demand, very little supply, they said. In a revelation that has put the President Donald Trumps strategy for the war in question, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the United States was forced to join the war after learning about an imminent Israeli attack on Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an end-of-year press conference in the State Department Press Briefing Room in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2025. (Photo: AFP) Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said the United States was forced to join the war after learning about an imminent Israeli attack on Iran, putting under question President Donald Trumps strategy for the war. At a press conference, Rubio said the imminent Israeli attack on Iran would have led to an Iranian retaliation against American forces in the region and thats why Trump ordered the military to join the Israeli offensive. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties and perhaps even higher those killed, said Rubio. Amazing: Marci Rubio is a smart guy, so Im guessing this statement was made with an understanding of its full implications. pic.twitter.com/UdFHpoFuOv Praveen Swami (@praveenswami) March 3, 2026 The revelation runs afoul of the narrative that the administration has been trying to build that it was a well-planned preemptive offensive against the theocratic regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial hours of the war. But Rubio has now implied that the decision to go to war was forced upon Trump by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Israel. Rubios statement has not just cast doubt on the decision-making but also about goals of the war. While Trump has previously said the goal was the regime change in Iran enabled by a popular uprising, other officials have given contradictory statements. While Rubio has now said the goal to join Israeli strikes was to prevent protect American personnel in the region, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday that the war was about degrading Irans missile programme and General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the offensives goal was to degrade Irans ability to attack its neighbour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD American people deserve better: Iran after Rubio says US entered war to back Israel After Rubio said the United States entered the war only because of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said it proved that there was never any so-called Iranian threat. Araghchi said the United States deserves better leaders than Trump. Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country, said Araghchi. Mike Huckabee on Tuesday advised Americans to take buses from Israeli cities to Taba, then limited flights or ground transport to Cairo where the airport is operating normally, as West Asia flights remain restricted US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee looks on during an interview with Reuters in Jerusalem, on September 10, 2025. Reuters File The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Tuesday advised American citizens in Israel who wish to leave the country to do so via Egypt, following a broader US directive urging all citizens in West Asia to immediately evacuate amid escalating tensions with Iran. Watch my message to American citizens in Israel and be sure to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important security updates directly. >> https://t.co/8fk1kydTB2 pic.twitter.com/r4IV0WQFEk Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@USAmbIsrael) March 3, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a video message shared on social media, Huckabee said that the Israeli Tourism Ministry is operating bus services from Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem to Taba, just across the border in Egypt. From Taba, he said, limited flights could be available from Taba International Airport, or travelers can continue by ground transport to Cairo, where the airport is operating normally and efficiently, except for flights to West Asia destinations. The options are fairly limited, said Huckabee . The airport is closed, of course, and we dont know when it will be open or how many flights [will be available.], he added. He cautioned against travel through Jordan, citing some challenges that are being faced there, the sporadic ability of the airport to be open, and the limited hours of the Allenby Crossing to get into Jordan. Huckabee also urged US citizens to register with the State Departments Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive updates. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Estimates suggest there are at least 200,000 Americans currently in Israel. We hope that all of this will be over soon, Huckabee said. But how grateful we are for an amazing country and a great president who has decided that after 47 years of the hostile actions against the United States from Iran, that we are joining together, not just with Israel, but now it appears the rest of the Middle East, in saying, enough is enough, he added. Earlier on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Jerusalem announced that it cannot evacuate American citizens from Israel as security conditions continue to deteriorate. The embassy ordered all US government employees and their family members to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice. The US has not organised its own evacuation flights. Commercial air traffic across the region has been disrupted, with Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain closing their airspace. Israel is not expected to reopen its airspace before next week, and the countrys main international hub, Ben Gurion Airport, remains closed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Macron stated that eight European countries had agreed to join the initiative, which would use Frances nuclear capabilities to reinforce continental security France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he delivers a speech to French ambassadors during the Ambassadors' Conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 8, 2026. AFP file French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that France will expand its atomic arsenal and may deploy nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries for the first time, outlining what he described as an unprecedented effort to strengthen security across Europe. Speaking from the Ile Longue nuclear submarine base, with one of Frances four ballistic missile submarines behind him, Macron said eight European nations, including Germany, Poland, Sweden and Britain, had agreed to take part in what he called a forward nuclear deterrence scheme. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Today more than ever, independence cannot mean isolation, Macron said during his 50-minute address. We are currently experiencing a period of geopolitical upheaval fraught with risks, Macron said, referencing heightened global instability following US and Israeli strikes against Iran. New European nuclear cooperation Macron stated that eight European countries had agreed to join the initiative, which would use Frances nuclear capabilities to reinforce continental security. Germany will be a key partner in this effort, he said. In a joint statement issued after the speech, France, the European Unions only nuclear-armed member, and Germany announced the creation of a nuclear steering group, emphasising that the arrangement would add to, not substitute for, NATOs nuclear deterrence. Countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and Denmark will be permitted to temporarily host French strategic air forces, enabling them to spread out across the European continent to complicate the calculations of our adversaries, Macron said. The plan may also include the conventional participation of allied forces in our nuclear activities, such as recent military exercises involving British troops, he added. Macron stressed that France would retain full authority over nuclear decision-making. France and Germany confirmed they would take first concrete steps beginning this year, including German conventional involvement in French nuclear drills. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reinforcing deterrence amid uncertainty Macrons updated nuclear doctrine comes as Russias war in Ukraine enters its fifth year and NATO allies weigh concerns over Washingtons long-term commitment to European security. Although US officials have reaffirmed that the American nuclear umbrella under NATO remains in place, doubts persist among European leaders, particularly during the presidency of Donald Trump. Macron reiterated that the initiative would function in addition to NATOs nuclear mission. The United States currently deploys nuclear bombs in five European countries: Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey. Macron also revealed that he had ordered an increase in the number of French nuclear warheads, while announcing that France would no longer disclose details about its stockpile. The move comes amid political uncertainty at home, where a potential victory by the far-right National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, in next years presidential election could reshape Frances European policy. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw was discussing further steps with France and other allies. We are arming up together with our friends so that our enemies will never dare to attack us, he wrote on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sweden viewed Macrons proposal positively. The US Embassy in Jerusalem has urged American citizens in Israel to make their own security and travel arrangements, saying it is currently unable to assist with departures as tensions in the region continue to rise. The US Embassy in Jerusalem on Tuesday issued a statement amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, urging American citizens to make their own security arrangements as it is currently unable to assist with departures from Israel. The Embassy cautioned that the security environment remains complex and can change rapidly. The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel, the statement said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. The following is provided for your information as you make your own security plans. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttles to the Taba pic.twitter.com/E6a5z0mE58 U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (@usembassyjlm) March 3, 2026 It advised US citizens to remain vigilant and maintain heightened personal security awareness, including identifying the nearest shelter in case of a red alert. The Embassy noted that incidents such as mortar, rocket and missile fire, as well as unmanned aircraft system intrusions, can occur without warning. The Embassy also said that, depending on the security situation, it may further restrict or prohibit travel by US government employees and their family members to certain areas of Israel, including the Old City of Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank. For those seeking to leave, the Embassy shared information provided by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, which has begun operating shuttle services to the Taba Border Crossing from March 2. Citizens can register through the Ministrys evacuation form to be added to the passenger list. However, the Embassy clarified that it cannot recommend for or against using this service. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It also stressed that the US government cannot guarantee the safety of individuals choosing this option, adding that the information is being shared as a courtesy. Passengers wishing to travel to Jordan can take a shuttle to Eilat and then proceed independently by taxi to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing. Buses are operating from designated meeting points in Herzliya, Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The Embassy further advised US citizens to consult guidance issued by the Israel Home Front Command before travelling to any border crossing. Of the 116 double-decker jets that Emirates operates, only about a third are back home in Dubai. The rest of the fleet is parked in places as far-flung as China, Australia and across dozens of other airports around the world, according to Flightradar24 With much of the West Asias airspace still shut to civilian traffic, Emirates is grappling with a scattered fleet of Airbus SE A380 superjumbos, highlighting the turmoil caused by the conflict in Iran and the operational hurdles involved in restoring normal schedules. According to a Bloomberg report, citing flight-tracking data from Flightradar24, of the 116 double-deck aircraft in its fleet, only around one-third have made it back to Dubai while the remainder are stranded at airports stretching from China and Australia to dozens of other destinations worldwide. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD No airline relies on the Airbus A380 more heavily than Emirates, which has turned the worlds largest passenger jet into a hallmark of Dubais economic clout. The aircraft has become as emblematic of the citys ambitions as the soaring Burj Khalifa the tallest building on the planet and the lavish Palm island developments. Since Saturday, the carrier has canceled more than 2,000 flights, marking one of the most serious disruptions in its history. Known for its 24-hour global network and operational resilience, Emirates has begun limited evacuation services from Dubai, but regular commercial flights remain suspended. Several aircraft attempting to return to Dubai early Tuesday were forced to turn back, diverting to Mumbai and airports in Oman instead. Despite the widespread airspace closures, Emirates has continued operating select routes under so-called fifth freedom rights, which allow airlines to fly between two foreign cities. These include services linking New York and Milan, Mexico City and Barcelona, and Christchurch and Sydney. Although Emirates has not disclosed the financial toll of the latest disruption, repositioning its stranded A380s is expected to add to the costs. The airlines most recent large-scale shutdown took place during severe flooding in Dubai in 2024, an episode it said resulted in losses of $110 million. With inputs from agencies PM Modi expressed concern over recent attacks during a telephonic conversation with the two leaders, and reviewed welfare and safety of Indian nationals in Oman and Kuwait amid rising Gulf volatility Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with two key leaders from the Gulf region amid escalating tensions following recent military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran. PM Modi held a telephonic conversation with the Sultan of Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, and separately spoke with Kuwaits Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. During both discussions, the Prime Minister conveyed his concern over the recent attacks in their respective countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also discussed the welfare and safety of the Indian community residing in Oman and Kuwait, reiterating that the protection of Indian nationals abroad remains a priority amid rising volatility in the Gulf. The outreach comes a day after PM Modi held similar conversations with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan. Earlier, India called for restraint as the conflict in Iran and the broader Gulf region intensified, emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy are the only effective means to de-escalate tensions and prevent further civilian casualties. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi was deeply concerned about recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region and urged all parties to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians. The ministry further stressed that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to reduce tensions and address underlying issues, while underscoring that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected. With inputs from agencies Putin is taking all possible steps to help reduce tensions in the Middle East, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. As the conflict in the Middle East entered its fourth day following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Vladimir Putin is taking all possible steps to reduce tensions in the region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. Peskov said Putin had assured Gulf leaders that he would convey their deep concern to Tehran over attacks on infrastructure. He added that the Russian leader is making every possible effort to help stabilise the situation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The remarks came after Putin called for a ceasefire during phone conversations on Monday with several regional leaders, as the conflict continues to widen. Putin held talks with Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. Kremlin condemns strikes Earlier, the Kremlin strongly criticised the US and Israeli strikes, calling them an unprovoked act of armed aggression, and urged respect for Irans sovereignty. Russian officials also accused Washington of a serial practice of targeting foreign leaders, though Putin did not directly name those responsible for what he described as the cynical killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Russian foreign ministry also condemned attacks on civilian targets, whether in Iran or in Arab countries. Iran remains a key ally of Moscow and has supplied Russia with Shahed drones used in the Ukraine conflict. Rising toll and regional risks The Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Tuesday that more than 780 people have been killed since the US and Israel began their strikes. It added that since Saturday, attacks have hit 153 cities and more than 500 sites across Iran in over 1,000 strikes. The attacks reportedly killed senior Iranian figures, including Khamenei. In response, Iran has continued military operations against Israel and several Gulf nations. Strategically, Moscow appears to view the crisis as a serious risk, particularly if it leads to regime change in Iran, which could affect Russias geopolitical and economic interests. At the same time, the Kremlin may see potential advantages, including the possibility that US focus and Western weapons supplies could shift away from Ukraine amid the escalating Middle East conflict. The USIsraeli offensive against Iran has struck the Natanz nuclear site, destroying three buildings used for personnel and vehicle access to underground levels, according to an expert analysis of satellite imagery. A satellite image shows a closer view of the Natanz Nuclear Facility near Natanz, Iran, on March 1, 2026. (Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters) The USIsraeli offensive against Iran has struck the Natanz nuclear site, destroying three buildings used for personnel and vehicle access to underground levels, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS). Satellite images by Vantor show two strikes on access points to the underground levels at the Natanz facility, according to the ISIS analysis carried by Reuters. The development comes a day after Iran claimed that the United States and Israel had struck the Natanz nuclear facility, but International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said there was no indication so far that any nuclear facility in Iran had been damaged or hit in the ongoing war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The site at Natanz has long been Irans main nuclear enrichment facility. The United States also struck it last year. While President Donald Trump claimed that the site along with nuclear facilities at Isfahan and Fordow was obliterated, independent analysis showed the damage was substantial but not absolute. A satellite image shows an overview of the Natanz Nuclear Facility with new building damage amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran near Natanz, Iran, on March 2, 2026. (Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters) The ISIS analysis has vindicated the claim made by Reza Najafi, the Iranian envoy to the IAEA, that the United States and Israel had struck Natanz. Again they attacked Irans peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday. Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie, Najafi told the media at the IAEAs special session on Monday. USIsraeli offensive struck three locations at Natanz, says analysis Satellite images show that three buildings at Natanz that served as access points to the underground level had been destroyed, according to the ISIS analysis. Two were personnel entrances to underground halls housing thousands of centrifuges and the third was the facilitys only vehicle access ramp to underground levels. ISIS founder David Albright said the strikes appeared to have occurred sometime between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning local time, but noted it was not possible to tell whether they were carried out by the United States or Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the analysis contradicted Grossis statement, Albright said it was unlikely that the IAEA had taken into account satellite imagery while making its assessment. Grossi on Monday noted that the assessment was based on the limited information available to the organisation and said efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities were underway, but there had not yet been any response from the Iranian side. Even as Trump claimed that American strikes had obliterated Irans nuclear facilities, officials and analysts said American strikes at best rendered centrifuge halls inoperable, but enriched uranium remained intact. Months after the strikes, Grossi said Irans stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium just short of the 90 per cent weaponsgrade level was mostly unharmed by strikes in June and remained in Irans possession. At the time of the strikes, the IAEA believed Iran had around 440 kilograms of 60 per cent enriched uranium. From Tehran to Jerusalem and Riyadh, the US-Israeli war on Iran has triggered visa crisis and embassy closures across West Asia. The United States has closed embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and told citizens to leave 14 countries in the region. Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone following a fire caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on March 3, 2026. (Photo: Amr Alfiky/Reuters) From Tehran to Jerusalem and Riyadh, the American and Israeli war on Iran has triggered visa crisis and embassy closures across West Asia. Several countries have announced closures of embassies and consulates, such as the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, India, Canada, and Switzerland. American diplomatic missions have been attacked in multiple cities in the region. After the United States and Israel launched an offensive against Iran on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and dozens of top leaders and attacking military and political sites, Iran retaliated with strikes on Israel and American troops, military bases, and diplomatic missions across West Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the continuing war, American embassies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait City, Kuwait, have been attacked. In the wake of spiralling conflict, several countries have closed their embassies and consulates. While India has suspended regular services in Doha, Qatar, emergency services continue there and other missions in the region continue to remain functional, according to the latest information. Meanwhile, India has repeatedly urged Indians to leave Iran by any means available lately. United States The United States has closed embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, according to NBC News. The US embassy in Jerusalem is also not operational and has announced it is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. Similarly, the US embassy in Doha has suspended regular operations. Moreover, the United States has told Americans to leave 14 countries in the region immediately. See the list below shared by the Department of State. Leave Immediately Leave Immediately Bahrain Kuwait Egypt Lebanon Iran Oman Iraq Qatar Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza Saudi Arabia Jordan Syria Yemen United Arab Emirates Additionally, US missions in Tel Aviv, Baghdad, and Islamabad have also been affected. Missions shut down in Tehran As the United States and Israel are bombarding the length and breadth of Iran, including several neighbourhoods in Tehran, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates have shut down their embassies in the city. Saudi Arabia Canada has shut the embassy in Riyadh amid ongoing bombardment in the region. Cuba will be the next target of the American regimechange campaign after Venezuela and Iran, Senator Lindsey Graham, a top ally of President Donald Trump, has said. Cuba will be the next target of the American regimechange campaign after Venezuela and Iran, Senator Lindsey Graham, a top ally of President Donald Trump, has said. In an interview with Fox News, Graham on Sunday said that Cubas communist regime is going to fall and its days are numbered. Maduro? Everybody talked about him. Well, Donald Trumps got him in jail! Cubas next. Theyre gonna fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba? Their days are numbered, said Graham. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As for the US-Israeli war on Iran, Graham said, The Iranian regime, the mothership of international terrorism is about to collapse, The captain of the ship, the Ayatollah, is stone cold dead. For months, Trump has suggested toppling the regime in Cuba and taking over the country. As Cuba has been part of the Russias orbit just like Venezuela, he and his interventionist allies like Secretary of State Marco Rubio have explored ousting the countrys government and replacing it with a loyalist. The United States and Cuba have had tense relations since 1959 when Fidel Castro took over the country and set up the one-party system. He also nationalised US interests in the country that would be worth around $11 billion today. In the Cold War, Cuba emerged as the Soviet Unions bastion in the United States neighbourhood. Successive administrations, most notably the Ronald Regan administration, ramped up pressure on the country, which included a complete embargo, military coercion, and designation of state sponsor of terrorism. But the regime persisted even as its economy tanked and hardships mounted. Graham has suggested that Trump would finish Regans unfinished agenda in Cuba. I am a big admirer of Ronald Reagan, but Im here to tell you that Donald Trump is the gold standard for Republicans, maybe any president, when it comes to foreign policy, said Graham. Trump declared that Irans air defence, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone and said he had rejected Irans offer for a deal as Too Late, while touting the US vast stockpile of weapons and claiming it is sufficient to fight wars forever. US President Donald Trump on Monday declared that Irans air defence, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone and said he had rejected Irans offer for a deal as Too Late, while touting the United States vast stockpile of weapons and claiming it is sufficient to fight wars forever. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, They want to talk. I said Too Late! The statement coincided with intensified US-Israeli military strikes on Iran and included a link to an opinion piece by columnist Marc Thiessen in Washington Post defending Trumps actions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The article framed the attacks not as the start of a forever war but as the culmination of a 47-year-long conflict between the United States and the Iranian regime. It suggested that sustained air strikes could dismantle Irans military and leadership infrastructure without deploying US ground forces, describing the strategy as a Trump Doctrine combining sanctions, diplomacy, and targeted force. Reports indicate that the strikes have killed several senior Iranian leaders, including Major Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces; Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Brig. Gen. Mohammad Shirazi, Head of the Military Office; Aziz Nasirzadeh, Minister of Defense; Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Irans Defense Council; and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier Monday, US military officials confirmed the destruction of command posts of Irans Revolutionary Guards along with Iranian air defense systems and missile launch sites. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it targeted multiple Iranian intelligence offices and command centers as operations continued across the country. In another social media post overnight, Trump also emphasised the scale of US military readiness, claiming the country has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars forever. He said there was a virtually unlimited supply of munitions, adding that wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies. He wrote, The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!! STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His comments come as the conflict enters its fourth day following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on Saturday, as the administration continues to justify a broad, open-ended campaign with shifting objectives and timeline. With inputs from agencies Trump has said the United States has a virtually unlimited supply of weapons as tensions rise in West Asia following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. As tensions in West Asia escalate following US-Israeli strikes across Iran, US President Donald Trump claimed that the United States has a virtually unlimited supply of weapons to fight wars forever and successfully. His remarks come as the Israel-Iran conflict unfolds with US backing. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said US munitions stockpiles at the medium and upper medium grade had never been higher or better. As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!), he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump noted that while the US possesses a strong supply of the highest-end weapons, it is not where we want to be, with additional stockpiles stored in allied countries. He also criticised former US President Joe Biden, pointing to his decision to supply arms to Ukraine: Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Countrys money, giving everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine hundreds of billions of dollars worth and didnt bother to replace it. Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term and continue to do so. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!! Trump concluded in his signature style, Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J TRUMP. Ukraine expresses concern over Middle East conflict Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that a prolonged war in Iran could disrupt US deliveries of air defence ammunition, crucial for protecting Ukrainian infrastructure. If there are prolonged hostilities in the Middle East, it will certainly affect supplies. I am sure of that, Zelensky told reporters. Earlier, Zelensky described US and Israeli strikes on Iran as an opportunity for Iranians to remove the terrorist regime in Tehran, an ally of Russia. It is only fair to give the Iranian people a chance to get rid of the terrorist regime and guarantee the safety of all nations affected by terror originating in Iran, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying Russia with weapons, including Shahed drones and short-range missiles. Zelensky added that Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed-type strike drones against Ukraine against our people, our cities, and our energy sector. Some lawmakers now want to reassert the role of Congress, which under the US constitution is the only body that can declare war A rainbow is visible in the clouds behind the Capitol Building, weeks into the continuing US government shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, on October 18, 2025. (Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Reuters) The US Congress is scheduled to vote this week on motions seeking to curb President Donald Trump as he wages war against Iran, but the Republican majority will probably shield him. Trump has sought to expand executive power drastically since returning to the White House in 2025, overshadowing the legislature. So some lawmakers now want to reassert the role of Congress, which under the US constitution is the only body that can declare war. Trump has launched an unnecessary, idiotic, and illegal war against Iran, Senator Tim Kaine wrote on X shortly after the United States and Israel began it overnight Friday into Saturday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In late January, as a huge US military buildup in the Middle East rumbled on, Kaine introduced a bill designed to force Trump to obtain authorization from Congress to engage in any military conflict with Iran. On Saturday he urged Congress to return immediately from recess to take up his resolution, and a vote is expected this week. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth visited the Capitol on Monday to discuss the new Middle East war with administration officials. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel, Senator Mark Warner, the lead Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters after the meeting. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory, he said. Is the war legal? This issue of whether there was an imminent threat from Iran is at the heart of the debate over the war that Trump has now begun with Israel. Although only Congress can declare war, a law dating from 1973 allows the president to launch a limited military intervention in response to an emergency situation created by an attack on the United States. At a news conference Monday, Hegseth used the word war to describe the conflict with Iran, not just a limited military intervention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a video broadcast in the middle of the night from Friday into Saturday to announce the start of major combat operations, Trump asserted that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. Daniel Shapiro, an analyst with the Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington, said Trump failed to explain the urgency or the imminent threat that required a war now. It is typical for presidents and their senior advisors to make their case to the American people and define what they are trying to achieve, in addition to briefing Congress broadly, Shapiro added. But Trump did not do any of this, he said. Sixty days The White House said Sunday that just before the attack started it gave eight top Congressional leaders formal notice of hostilities. The 1973 War Powers Act states that Trump must now obtain permission from Congress if he wants to keep fighting beyond a 60-day limit. Republican congressman Thomas Massie, one of few in Trumps party who speaks out regularly to challenge him, condemned the Iran war on Saturday. Massie said he would present a bill in the House of Representatives along with his Democratic colleague Ro Khanna to force a vote by Congress on the war with Iran, which could as soon as this week. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war, Massie wrote on X. Most Republicans, who are against tying Trumps hands, are expected to vote against both of the bills. And even if they pass, they would probably not survive a veto by Trump because overriding him requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. The announcement comes as Pakistan witnesses large-scale protests over the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iran conflict. The Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi will also stop visa appointments till Friday Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators protesting US and Israeli strikes on Iran outside the United States Consulate in Pakistan's Karachi on Sunday. Image: X The US Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday said that it will be suspending all visa appointments till March 6 (Friday) amid escalating tensions in West Asia. The announcement comes as Pakistan witnesses large-scale protests over the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iran conflict. The Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi will also stop visa appointments till Friday. Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6. U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) March 3, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Protests rock Pakistan Protests erupted across Pakistan on Sunday after the United States and Israel confirmed that Khamenei had been killed, with reports indicating that dozens of demonstrators were killed and many more were injured in violent clashes nationwide. The American consulate in Peshawar, similarly, suspended all operations from Monday owing to the protests. At least eight people were killed and over 30 injured after clashes erupted between police and demonstrators protesting US and Israeli strikes on Iran outside the United States Consulate in Pakistans Karachi on Sunday, according to local media reports citing rescue officials. Protests organised by Shia groups escalated near the diplomatic compound, with demonstrators marching from Sultanabad towards Mai Kolachi and attempting to move closer to the heavily guarded consulate premises. Scores of men forced their way towards the consulate premises as tensions escalated following the announced death of Khamenei. Amid coordinated USIsraeli strikes against Iran, protesters gathered outside the consulate and stormed parts of its entrance area. Visuals circulating on social media showed a mob vandalising the entrance and reportedly setting parts of the building ablaze. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US Embassy in Riyadh attacked President Donald Trump suggested Monday that the United States would retaliate soon after its embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh was struck by two suspected Iranian drones. Speaking to the NewsNation network, Trump said, youll find out soon how the United States would respond, without providing further detail, after the US embassy confirmed a drone attack that caused a limited fire and minor material damage. After the attack, the embassy issued a shelter-in-place notification for US citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran. With inputs from agencies Refresh for updates. Zelenskyy is hoping that peace negotiations with Russia will continue as usual in Abu Dhabi despite the conflict between Israel, Iran and the US that has shaken all of West Asia Leaders from key nations prepare for crucial talks as Ukraine braces for potential new developments in the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he will send drone defence specialists to West Asia if Gulf nations help get a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine is ready to send drone defense specialists to protect Middle East cities if nations there help it get a ceasefire with Russia pic.twitter.com/R9nO6PH6B5 Reuters (@Reuters) March 3, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy is hoping that peace negotiations with Russia will continue as usual in Abu Dhabi despite the conflict between Israel, Iran and the US that has shaken all of West Asia. The United Arab Emirates and its capital Abu Dhabi have been hit by Iranian strikes since Saturday in response to joint Israeli-US attacks on Iran. Abu Dhabi had hosted talks mediated by the United States to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Zelensky said a new round of negotiations had been scheduled between March 5 and 8. The meeting should take place, it is important for us, we support this meeting, Zelenskyy told reporters. If there are difficulties with Abu Dhabi because of missiles and drones, then I think we have Turkey, we have Switzerland, he said. We will definitely support any of these three venues for the meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moscow was also in favour of continuing dialogue. A political and diplomatic settlement remains the preferred approach for Russia, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked whether Russias stance on the negotiations has changed after US-Iran talks failed. But a prolonged war with Iran may also impact deliveries of key air defence systems that Kyiv uses to fend off Russian attacks including the US-made Patriot batteries. If there are prolonged hostilities in the Middle East, it will certainly affect supplies. I am sure of that, Zelensky said. Europes system to purchase US weapons for Ukraine also called PURL is still functioning, he added. With inputs from agencies The minister said that American bases in these West Asian countries are legitimate targets as per Article 54 of the United Nations Charter This handout satellite image taken by 2026 Planet Labs PBC on March 2, 2026 shows smoke plumes billowing in Dubai after a projectile strike. Iran's strikes on Gulf neighbours since February 28 -- in response to a joint US-Israeli assault -- forced the UAE to shut its airspace, blindsiding travellers who thought they were headed to one of the region's safest holiday destinations. (Photo by 2026 Planet Labs PBC / AFP) When Israel struck Iran last Saturday in a coordinated operation with the US, Tehran struck back, but its retaliation was not limited to Israel. Iran also struck its neighbours, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. While the retaliatory attacks against Israel were not particularly unprecedented, the conflict engulfing almost all of West Asia was striking. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, when asked by CNN about why the country attacked its neighbours, said, We have good relations with our neighbours. At the same time, before the (US and Israeli) aggression, we informed our neighbours that if America or Israel engages in animosity against Iran, we would target American assets and bases in the region in our self-defence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The minister added that American bases in these West Asian countries are legitimate targets as per Article 54 of the United Nations Charter. Ravanchi was further asked to explain Iranian attacks on a popular hotel in Dubai, to which he replied, Our policy remains the same. We attacked military bases and targets. If they [move] from one place to another, then that is not our problem. The minister also brushed off responsibility for the attack that destroyed Saudi Arabias Aramco Refinery. He said, We are not responsible for that. We are already in touch with our Saudi brothers and we have talked about this issue. Iran is not responsible for the attacks against oil installations in Saudi Arabia. Trump warns of longer war Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that his attack on Iran could run longer than a month, as Tehran retaliated to ongoing strikes by targeting US allies in the Gulf and drones hit the US embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Shortly after the United States urged Americans to flee all Middle Eastern nations from Egypt eastward, two drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh, sparking a quick vow by Trump to retaliate soon, without elaborating how. Trump said that the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going substantially ahead of schedule but that the United States was equipped for a prolonged conflict. From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that, Trump said at the White House. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Samsung Electronics has launched Digital Home Key, a new feature within Samsung Wallet that enables Galaxy users to unlock compatible smart door locks using their smartphones. Starting in March 2026, the feature extends Samsung Wallets digital key support from vehicles to homes. Samsung Wallet as a Unified Digital Key Platform Samsung Wallet provides a secure hub for payment cards, IDs, passes, and digital keys. With Digital Home Key, it now allows access to both vehicles and homes, integrated across the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem. Setup and Access Options After configuring a compatible smart door lock through Samsung SmartThings using Matter, users can add a Digital Home Key during the lock onboarding process. Depending on device and lock capabilities, doors can be unlocked by: Tapping the smartphone via NFC Using hands-free access through UWB proximity detection Remotely via the Samsung Wallet app Security and Standards Digital Home Key uses the Aliro standard, a communication protocol from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), to enable secure and interoperable digital keys. Samsung is working with smart lock brands including Aqara, Nuki, Schlage, and Xthings to support the feature. Keys are stored in Samsung Wallet and protected by Samsung Knox, aligned with EAL6+ certification standards. Users can manage or remove access remotely using Samsung Find, and biometric or PIN authentication within Samsung Wallet ensures that only authorized users can operate the keys. Availability Samsung Wallet Digital Home Key began rolling out in select regions in March 2026, with further expansion coordinated with compatible smart lock launches. Speaking on the announcement, Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, said: Human Mobile Devices (HMD) has outlined a series of new features launching throughout 2026 aimed at expanding the capabilities of traditional feature phones. The companys upcoming hardware and software updates focus on integrating modern digital servicessuch as financial tools, enhanced communication applications, and artificial intelligenceinto simpler, more affordable devices. The stated goal of these updates is to provide essential digital services to under-connected populations globally, while also offering tailored solutions for mature markets and older demographics. Built-in Digital Wallets and Secure Remittance In 2026, HMD plans to introduce a built-in digital wallet designed for secure remittance on feature phones. This service will allow users to receive, store, and cash out money using local payment systems. Capabilities: Users will be able to transfer funds directly to their Unified Payments Interface (UPI) accounts, enabling payments for everyday goods using existing infrastructure. Users will be able to transfer funds directly to their Unified Payments Interface (UPI) accounts, enabling payments for everyday goods using existing infrastructure. Security: The system incorporates device-level security and PIN protection. The system incorporates device-level security and PIN protection. Partnerships: The remittance service is being developed in collaboration with Kivi3, a fintech technology provider, and Polygon Labs, a blockchain payments company. The remittance service is being developed in collaboration with Kivi3, a fintech technology provider, and Polygon Labs, a blockchain payments company. Rollout: The initial launch is scheduled for India in the first half of 2026, driven by the countrys status as the worlds largest remittance market and a leader in digital payments. A phased international rollout is planned for later in the year. Video Calling and Messaging Integration HMD is also expanding communication options on feature phones by introducing front-facing cameras and a new, lightweight application called Xpress Chat. Cross-Platform Connectivity: The Xpress Chat app will allow feature phone users to conduct video calls with friends and family. The Xpress Chat app will allow feature phone users to conduct video calls with friends and family. Messaging Features: The application supports voice messages, photo sharing, and group chats. The application supports voice messages, photo sharing, and group chats. Compatibility: The service is designed to work seamlessly between feature phones and smartphones, provided both devices have the Xpress Chat app installed. Artificial Intelligence Integration HMD is incorporating AI assistants into its feature phone lineup to simplify navigation and expand usability without requiring complex menus. Everyday Assistance: Users will be able to perform basic tasks using simple voice commands, such as making calls, setting alarms, operating the flashlight, and asking simple questions. HMDs recent partnership with Sarvam AI is specifically aimed at bringing locally relevant AI experiences to the Indian market. Users will be able to perform basic tasks using simple voice commands, such as making calls, setting alarms, operating the flashlight, and asking simple questions. HMDs recent partnership with Sarvam AI is specifically aimed at bringing locally relevant AI experiences to the Indian market. Companionship for Older Adults: In European markets, HMD is piloting an AI service tailored for older adults in partnership with inTouch, a company focused on reducing senior isolation. Accessible via a single button press, this AI is programmed to speak slowly, retain personal history, and engage in context-aware conversations to support independence and well-being. Future Outlook HMD states that these developments are part of a broader strategy to transform feature phones into platforms for financial inclusion and technological accessibility. The company plans to release further details regarding product availability, additional partnerships, and specific international expansion timelines throughout 2026. Regarding this, Vassili le Moigne, founder and CEO of inTouch, said: We bring sophisticated AI companionship to seniors through the most familiar interface imaginable: their voice, on a simple phone they already trust. We remove the barriers to entry so they can just pick up the device and enjoy connecting. We are thrilled to work with HMD to support seniors and their loved ones, driving deeper connection and greater family well-being. Jean-Francois Baril, Chairman and CEO of Human Mobile Devices, said: At HMD, we believe innovation is most powerful when it makes technology more accessible and meaningful in everyday life. The partnership with Sarvam AI, recently announced in India, is a strong example of how local innovation ecosystems are helping shape the future of mobile experiences. Building on our leadership in feature phones, our teams are reimagining what these devices can deliver from AI and communication to financial access and digital services. Todays announcement marks an important step forward as we bring smarter, more inclusive innovation to the next billion users. OnePlus is gearing up to launch the OnePlus 15T, the companys next top-end smartphone with a smaller screen as the successor to last years 13T, in the coming weeks, and the phone with the model number PLZ110 has surfaced on AnTuTu. This reveals the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, and the image shows 512GB UFS 4.1 storage, but it is also said to come in 1TB storage option. The AnTuTu 11 score is 4.45 million, much higher than the OnePlus 15 with the same chip, placing it in the top tier of high-performance large-screen flagships. It will run Android 16 out of the box. Furthermore, according to recent reports, while enhancing performance, the OnePlus 15T will also address the shortcomings of its predecessor, with upgrades to its periscope telephoto lens with LUMO periscope telephoto lens, better wireless charging, and waterproofing. OnePlus China head, Louis Jie earlier today posted an image of the bezels of the phone showing the ultra-narrow black bezel design, with a physical ultra-narrow four-sided bezel of 1.xx mm, which is very likely to be the narrowest four-sided bezel in the current small-screen phone, or even in the world. Jie compared it to the bezel of the iPhone 17 Pro. He said that this level of achievement is due to having their own screen production line, a brand-new chip-level packaging process, and a series of groundbreaking screen packaging technologies. He added that self-developed and self-built systems give them the confidence and strength to strive for excellence. The OnePlus 15T is expected to launch later this March packing a smaller 6.32-inch 165Hz 1.5K LTPO OLED screen, and a recent certification revealed that it will come with 100W fast charging support. Nad dzielnica, w ktorej mieszcza sie placowki zagraniczne, przez kilka godzin unosi sie gesty sup dymu. Atak dronow na ambasade USA w Rijadzie Do uderzenia doszo w godzinach nocnych czasu lokalnego. Wedug wstepnych informacji dwa drony wleciay w obreb strefy dyplomatycznej i trafiy bezposrednio w teren ambasady. Eksplozje doprowadziy do pozaru w czesci kompleksu. Skala zniszczen nie zostaa oficjalnie podana, jednak uszkodzenia byy na tyle powazne, ze placowka zawiesia biezaca dziaalnosc konsularna. Amerykanska ambasada wydaa komunikat ostrzegajacy obywateli USA przebywajacych w Arabii Saudyjskiej, aby do odwoania nie zblizali sie do instalacji wojskowych oraz nie zgaszali sie do siedziby ambasady. Podkreslono, ze budynek zosta naruszony w wyniku nocnego ataku i wymaga oceny bezpieczenstwa. Wedug relacji swiadkow cytowanych przez media regionalne, po uderzeniu w rejonie ambasady rozlegy sie syreny, a na miejsce skierowano suzby ratunkowe i siy bezpieczenstwa Arabii Saudyjskiej. Zabezpieczono okolice i zamknieto dostep do strefy dyplomatycznej. Kontekst militarnej eskalacji w Zatoce Perskiej Atak dronowy na ambasade USA w Rijadzie wpisuje sie w schemat iranskich dziaan odwetowych prowadzonych wobec amerykanskich i sojuszniczych celow w regionie. Wczesniej odnotowano uderzenia na obiekty w Bahrajnie oraz incydenty z wykorzystaniem bezzaogowcow w innych krajach Zatoki Perskiej. Zastosowanie dronow wskazuje na taktyke polegajaca na relatywnie tanim, trudnym do wykrycia i szybkim srodku ataku. Iran oraz wspierane przez niego formacje od lat rozwijaja program bezzaogowych systemow bojowych, wykorzystywanych zarowno do rozpoznania, jak i do precyzyjnych uderzen na cele infrastrukturalne. W przeszosci podobne systemy byy uzywane przeciwko instalacjom naftowym w Arabii Saudyjskiej, w tym przeciwko duzym obiektom przetworstwa ropy oraz do ataku na Izrael. Obecny atak oznacza jednak bezposrednie uderzenie w amerykanska placowke dyplomatyczna, co znaczaco podnosi range incydentu. Reakcja administracji USA po ataku na ambasade Prezydent USA Donald Trump, w rozmowie z telewizja NewsNation, zapowiedzia zdecydowana odpowiedz. Wkrotce zobaczycie odwet za atak na nasza ambasade i za smierc naszych zonierzy powiedzia. Jednoczesnie zaznaczy, ze nie uwaza, by Stany Zjednoczone byy zmuszone do interwencji ladowej w Iranie. Administracja amerykanska nie poinformowaa oficjalnie o ofiarach wsrod personelu ambasady. Nie podano takze szczegoow dotyczacych zastosowanych systemow obrony przeciwlotniczej ani skutecznosci przechwycenia ewentualnych kolejnych zagrozen. Bezpieczenstwo placowek dyplomatycznych w regionie Atak na ambasade USA w Rijadzie stawia w centrum uwagi kwestie ochrony placowek w krajach Zatoki Perskiej. Rijad jest jednym z kluczowych partnerow Waszyngtonu w regionie, a Arabia Saudyjska pozostaje waznym sojusznikiem wojskowym i energetycznym Stanow Zjednoczonych. Zamkniecie ambasady dla interesantow oraz ostrzezenia dla obywateli USA swiadcza o podwyzszonym poziomie zagrozenia. Atak dronowy w strefie dyplomatycznej oznacza, ze przeciwnik by w stanie przebic sie przez wielowarstwowe systemy bezpieczenstwa, obejmujace zarowno obrone przeciwlotnicza, jak i zabezpieczenia naziemne. Uderzenie w rafinerie Saudi Aramco Przed atakiem na ambasade doszo do uderzenia w najwieksza rafinerie nalezaca do Saudi Aramco panstwowego giganta naftowego Arabii Saudyjskiej. Obiekt ma kluczowe znaczenie dla globalnego rynku ropy, odpowiadajac za znaczna czesc saudyjskich zdolnosci przetworczych. Wedug wstepnych informacji wykorzystano drony uderzeniowe. Skutkiem ataku byy eksplozje oraz pozar w czesci instalacji przemysowych. Nie podano jeszcze oficjalnych danych dotyczacych wpywu incydentu na produkcje ropy. To nie pierwszy przypadek uzycia dronow przeciwko instalacjom Aramco. W przeszosci podobne ataki prowadziy do czasowego ograniczenia produkcji i gwatownych wzrostow cen ropy na swiatowych giedach. Atak na Amazon Data Centre w Arabii Saudyjskiej Kolejnym celem byo centrum przetwarzania danych Amazon w Arabii Saudyjskiej. Obiekt ten stanowi czesc infrastruktury Amazon Web Services (AWS) w regionie i obsuguje zarowno sektor publiczny, jak i prywatny. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Prime Minister Tusk: We need to be strong, we can't stop being good Republic of Poland 14.02.2026 During this year's Munich Security Conference, Prime Minister Donald Tusk delivered a laudatory speech for the recipient of the Ewald von Kleist Award, which this year was awarded to the heroic Ukrainian Nation. Address by Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Munich Security Conference: The Ukrainian nation deserves the highest respect of the whole free world, of all the people of good will, of each and everyone who have the fundamental ability to distinguish good from evil, truth from lie, and for whom the moral order, decency, and dignity are not historical artefacts. We admire the Ukrainian nation for the courage and bravery of their sons and daughters, for the extraordinary resilience in the face of inhumane sufferings of the civilian population, including thousands of abducted Ukrainian children, for their faith in the sense of unequal, destined to failure as it had seemed to many, fight against a powerful and brutal aggressor. During these four years, many beautiful words and compliments have been said about Ukrainians. But compliments are not enough. We still remember your words, Volodymyr, from the first days of the war, when the Americans offered you a safe shelter and transport: "The fight is here, I need ammunition, not a ride." Today you could say, "The fight is STILL here, we STILL need ammunition, not compliments." I also remember our first meeting, right after you won the presidential elections, seven years ago, when we flew in a helicopter over Kharkiev, and when you told me with full conviction that you wanted to end the conflict with Russia, that you became President to bring peace to Ukraine, and that you and the majority of the Ukrainian nation wanted normal relations with all neighbours. The war was not Ukraine's or Zelenskyy's choice; their choice was defence against the aggressor, defence of the independent state and its citizens, defence of their dreams about a better world, freedom, human rights, about joining NATO and the European Union. Today we are grateful to you not only for the fact, that you pay the highest price for your resistance against the enemy, who is also a threat to us. A threat to Poles, Europeans, to the whole Western world. Yes. To the whole Western world. To understand this, it's enough to bring up this symbolic image from the frontlines in Ukraine of the North Korean soldiers, with Russian commanders and Iranian drones. We are also grateful that you have made the whole free world aware, that without a fight, without the readiness to confront evil, without the strength and determination - it will not survive. And also for the fact that what has become a boring reality for the West, all those rights and freedoms, constitutions and democracies, prosperity and predictability we stopped taking care of, we started to despise, or even undermine and question in many places - that you are ready to fight for this. Because you know very well how horrible is the reality without principles, laws, and freedoms. Your dreams were once our dreams. Poland is the best example that it was worth dreaming about a free world and that it was worth believing in it and fighting for it. As a Pole, I want to say it today loud and clear: it was worth fighting for becoming part of the free world. Yesterday it was us, today it is the Ukrainians who are demonstrating that these despised, these outdated as some like to call them, values and institutions, are working, they bring good, safety and freedom. Here and there, I hear opinions that Europe is on the verge of collapse, NATO is obsolete, the old world order should no longer exist, and now is the time for transactional politics and the Concert of Great Powers. Nonsense. Those who think that everything can be bought, should also remember that in this philosophy, everyone can be sold. The united West, with its values and institutions, with NATO and the European Union, is the best political invention in the history of humankind. We cannot allow for anyone from the outside, and what is even more important today, from within, to destroy our world. We have to be strong, because there is nothing worse in politics than the synthesis of strength and evil. The essence of our civilization was always to stand on the side of good, knowing that good cannot defend itself. We need to be strong, we can't stop being good. This is the Ukrainian lesson for all of us. Long live free and independent Ukraine. Long live strong and united Europe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poland and Norway Strengthen Strategic and Military Partnership Republic of Poland 23.02.2026 "We, Poles, know how important it is to tighten ties when it comes to defence cooperation and security in the northern and north-eastern dimension of Europe," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. The heads of government discussed further strengthening strategic relations between their countries, particularly in industrial and defence cooperation, which is already very strong. The meeting also confirmed that Poland and Norway share converging views on the current geopolitical situation and a common vision for regional security. The talks took place at the Deba-Lipa Land Forces Training Centre, where Polish-Norwegian military cooperation is implemented in practice and Ukrainian soldiers undergo training. Camp Jomsborg - The Practical Dimension of the Alliance Prime Minister Donald Tusk met today with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jonas Gahr Stre, at the Land Forces Training Centre, Camp Jomsborg. "This training ground is a symbol of cooperation in a new format, which we have been working on for many months. We, Poles, know how crucial it is to strengthen defence cooperation on NATO's eastern and northern flank," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a press conference. Located at the Deba-Lipa Land Forces Training Centre is Camp Jomsborg, a training facility established by the Norwegian Armed Forces as part of an international initiative to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is here that Ukrainian soldiers are trained and direct assistance is provided to Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression. "I would like to personally thank you, the Polish government, for making this area available for Nordic-Baltic activities, for providing the training centre to train those soldiers who defend democracy, freedom, and territorial integrity," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre said, addressing the Polish head of government. One of today's key topics was regional security, including continued coordination of support for Ukraine and strengthening NATO cooperation in the current geopolitical environment. Bilateral Cooperation and a Shared Vision of a Secure Europe Poland and Norway jointly support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The positions of both countries on rearming Europe and NATO member states, as well as on the benefits of military and industrial cooperation, are aligned. Joint projects implemented by both countries are also of great importance. "We have recently spoken a great deal about Poland's missile defence system and the SAN anti-drone system. We are doing this together with our Norwegian friends. This is not the first undertaking where Norwegian companies and Norwegian technology cooperate with Polish firms and the defence industry for our security. We will continue this," the Prime Minister said. On 30 January this year, a consortium was established comprising the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. The consortium is responsible for building the system, delivering 18 battery modules of air defence systems capable of countering unmanned aerial systems. "Poland and Norway cooperate without any friction. I do not believe there is another country with which Norway has grown closer over the past four years than Poland, strategically, politically, and in terms of shared values," said the Norwegian Prime Minister. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland and Norway will intensify efforts to deepen bilateral relations, including in the field of security. "Poland is finalising work on a new treaty with the United Kingdom. We have signed a treaty with France, and we are working on deepening our agreement with Germany. It is very important that we immediately begin work on deepening, also formally, our cooperation between Poland and Norway," the Polish Prime Minister stated. The Norwegian leader shares this view. "I am pleased that today we agreed to move forward with intensive work to structure and formalise our strategic cooperation. I am glad that together with my government teams and with you, we will advance this cooperation," assured Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. This process will be finalised swiftly, and its implementation begins today. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iceland's Integration with the EU Will Strengthen Europe's Security Republic of Poland 25.02.2026 Prime Minister Donald Tusk met in Warsaw with Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir. "In times of geopolitical uncertainty, integration among like-minded states is beneficial, particularly in the sphere of security," the Prime Minister said. A referendum will be held in Iceland on whether to open negotiations on accession to the European Union. It is in Poland's interest, given its close cooperation with Iceland, for the country to integrate with the EU as soon as possible. At the same time, Donald Tusk once again called on President Karol Nawrocki to sign the legislation enabling Poland to use funds from the EU SAFE programme. Similar appeals have also been made to the President by business communities in Poland. Polish-Icelandic Cooperation For many years, relations between Warsaw and Reykjavik have been very strong. Both countries share a similar assessment of Russia's war against Ukraine and are equally committed to supporting Ukraine. "Poland and Iceland are convinced that only a just peace and Ukraine's independence offer a chance for a positive scenario for Europe's future," Donald Tusk stressed during a joint statement with the Icelandic Prime Minister. Both countries also agree that joint efforts for security are essential. "I would be more than happy if Iceland were part of the same community as Poland. We must respect one another and acknowledge our differences. The size of a country does not matter here. We all deserve exactly the same respect and recognition of our distinctiveness," Donald Tusk stated. In times of geopolitical uncertainty, Iceland's accession to the EU would be beneficial from Poland's perspective. "Integrating states and nations that think alike would be highly valuable, especially in the field of security. We already cooperate closely with Iceland, including in concrete military dimensions, and we will continue this cooperation," the head of government assured. Polish-Icelandic relations are unique, as Poles constitute the largest minority in Iceland. The number of Polish citizens in the country is estimated at around 30,000, representing approximately 6% of the population. "Poles are the largest minority group in Iceland, and this is a success story. I feel deep respect and admiration for you," the Icelandic Prime Minister emphasised. Poland and Iceland are also members of the North Atlantic Alliance and jointly safeguard Europe's security. Appeal to the President in Support of Shared Security The Prime Minister once again appealed to President Karol Nawrocki to sign the legislation that would enable Poland to access nearly PLN 200 billion to strengthen national security under the EU SAFE programme. "I very much hope that on matters of security our thinking can be shared, just as it is shared between Iceland and Poland, when it comes to the major SAFE programme financing Poland's security," Donald Tusk appealed to the President. An increasing number of groups are urging Karol Nawrocki to support the SAFE legislation. Following appeals from generals and officers of the Polish Armed Forces not to block funds for the Polish defence industry, military, and economy, employers and entrepreneurs have now joined the call. "I very much count on the President's swift signature on the bill, for the good of us all and for Poland's security. We will all benefit from it," the Prime Minister stated. Poland is the largest beneficiary of the SAFE programme. It is set to receive approximately PLN 200 billion to strengthen its security, of which 80% will go to Polish defence companies. SAFE funds are to be allocated, among other purposes, to the development of air defence and counter-drone systems. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poland Reaffirms Support for Armenia's European Path Republic of Poland 26.02.2026 "Armenia's European aspirations are absolutely justified. Poland was, is, and will remain an advocate of wise and pragmatic enlargement of the European Union," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The talks focused on supporting Armenia's accession to the European Union, as well as on bilateral cooperation. An example of this cooperation is the agreement on bilateral military-technical cooperation signed today by Poland's Minister of National Defence Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Armenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan. The leaders also discussed the importance of democratic reforms and a shared understanding of history. Unconditional Friendship and Shared Security The meeting of the prime ministers took place on the 34th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Armenia, which occurred on 26 February 1992. "Today, relations between Poland and Armenia are based on unconditional friendship. There is no conflict of interest. We share common views," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a statement after the delegation meeting. Proof of the very good bilateral relations is the agreement signed today between the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia on military-technical cooperation. The agreement was signed by Minister of National Defence Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Armenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan. "We believe that military cooperation for the security of the entire region is in the interest of both Poland and Armenia. Our nations know the price paid when one is left alone," the Prime Minister stated. The signed agreement means more joint training, exchange of experience, and practical military cooperation. The Armenian Prime Minister had not visited Poland at such a high level for a long time. "I consider this visit a new stage, an impulse for our bilateral relations," emphasised Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In his remarks, the Polish Prime Minister referred to the period when Poland placed great hope in building diplomatic relations with states that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. "Poland was always at the forefront of those recognising the independence and statehood of newly emerging states. It was a time when we felt a particularly strong sense of shared history," he said. According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, what particularly connected these countries at the time was shared sensitivity and a similar understanding of history, opportunities, threats, and aspirations. Armenia's Path to the European Union One of the key topics of today's meeting was Armenia's accession to the European Union. "Poland was, is, and will remain an advocate of wise and when necessary, cautious and very pragmatic enlargement of the European Union. If needed, we will also support reforms of the EU so that more states and nations enjoying freedom, independence, and security can become part of it," Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured. In his view, Armenia's aspirations and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's personal determination to chart a European path for his country are fully justified. The Prime Minister recalled that countries united within the European Union derive enormous benefits from acting together. Unity among states and nations sharing a similar political culture and commitment to similar values is absolutely invaluable. Ending the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict In his statement, Prime Minister Donald Tusk also referred to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's personal role in efforts to end it. "In Poland, we admire Armenia's efforts and Prime Minister Pashinyan's personal commitment to ending the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We know how much courage, vision, and political skill this required," the Prime Minister said. In his opinion, in times of strategic uncertainty, geopolitical change, and Russia's aggression against Ukraine, this example should resonate with politicians worldwide. Peace is possible, even when emotions run very high. "We highly value Poland's support for reforms in Armenia, as well as in the peace process currently taking place in our region," said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. According to the Armenian leader, Poland is an example of a country that, despite difficult historical experiences, chose the path of peace, freedom, and democratic state-building. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SAFE: Poland's Blueprint for European Security and Domestic Defence Growth Republic of Poland 27.02.2026 "We are in the final stretch of a major project that will increase the security of Poland and the whole of Europe," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today. Together with ministers, he participated in an event dedicated to the new capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces, which will be financed under the EU SAFE programme. He addressed three myths that have arisen around SAFE. First, the programme does not threaten our sovereignty. Second, the so-called conditionality of SAFE is supervisory and anti-corruption in nature. Third, as much as 89% of the programme's funds will go to Polish industry. The implementation of SAFE will not undermine transatlantic relations or Poland's strategic interests in cooperation with the United States. Nearly 12,000 Polish companies will benefit from the programme. Today, the Sejm adopted the Senate's amendments to the act implementing SAFE. The bill will now go to the President. SAFE Will Ensure Poland's Security Recently, many myths and inaccuracies have appeared around the EU SAFE programme. Political disputes have also influenced the assessment of the project, although such disputes should not concern matters of state security. "We are presenting detailed information about the programme today due to the ongoing emotions surrounding SAFE. We want political disputes to interfere as little as possible with a real assessment of what Poland and Europe need in terms of their own security," Donald Tusk emphasised at the PIT-RADWAR defence company in Kobyka near Warsaw. Poland can no longer wait, rapid and decisive strengthening of state security is necessary. "A well-armed Poland, as self-reliant as possible and at the same time cooperating with allies in a modern way, this is the absolute number one priority. There is no more important issue today. Every month, week, and hour will affect the level of our security, that of the region, and the entire world," the Prime Minister noted. Poland is the largest beneficiary of the SAFE programme. Approximately 43.7 billion (nearly PLN 200 billion) may be obtained to boost our security. Three Myths About SAFE The first myth concerning SAFE is the belief that the programme was imposed from outside and threatens Polish sovereignty. "SAFE was designed in Poland from start to finish. It was our initiative, idea, and pressure. We persuaded our partners, and it was not easy, that the EU must radically increase the defence of its member states and generate massive funds to rearm EU armies. SAFE therefore serves Polish sovereignty. We told Brussels what this project should look like, not the other way around," the head of government explained. The second myth concerns the so-called conditionality attached to spending SAFE funds. "It is a mechanism that safeguards projects against corruption or the misuse of funds. Only where we have clear law and anti-corruption safeguards can we be certain that funds will not be wasted. This mechanism should be defended by the opposition, as it is one of the real instruments for controlling the government in terms of spending," the Prime Minister noted. The third myth is the belief that Germany, not Poland, will benefit from the programme. "We are talking about nearly PLN 200 billion for our country, a staggering amount. Well over 80% of the funds, according to assessments by experts, generals, and state institutions, will serve Poland and our companies. It is a major injection of capabilities, funding, and technology for the domestic defence industry and all cooperating entities. Do you know how much the so-called German industry will benefit from the SAFE programme implemented in Poland? It is 0.37%!" Donald Tusk stated. Nearly 12,000 companies cooperating with the Polish defence industry will benefit from SAFE. These enterprises operate in all voivodeships and almost every county in Poland. "This will be one of the breakthrough impulses for the development of the Polish economy. Thirty-six percent of the nearly PLN 200 billion will go to the most advanced technologies, satellites, space, cybernetics, drones, and anti-drone technologies," the Prime Minister listed. SAFE will not limit Polish spending in the United States or cooperation with American allies. "We will be an even better ally, precisely thanks to SAFE. And the well over PLN 100 billion that we intended to spend on equipment and technological capabilities from the United States will be spent regardless," the head of government assured. Through SAFE, Poland will implement a "win-win" strategy, benefiting Polish defence, domestic industry, and the interests of our allies. SAFE Will Strengthen the Eastern Shield Poland is currently building a defence system on its eastern border to protect against potential Russian aggression. Thanks to SAFE funds, this project can be significantly reinforced. "We are building the safest military border in Europe, and perhaps in the world, for enormous sums. So far, 10 billion has been planned for the Eastern Shield together with our allies: Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. SAFE will be largely dedicated to the Eastern Shield. It is a genuine shield against the threat of Russian aggression," the Prime Minister explained. The Eastern Shield has been formally approved as part of the strategy of the United States, NATO, and the EU. "It is worth continuing, also because it has become a joint undertaking of all allies in the North Atlantic Alliance. I once again appeal to all those who are waiting, there is no point in waiting! All of Poland is waiting for these funds, so swift decisions are needed," Donald Tusk stressed. SAFE will strengthen not only Poland's military security but also cooperation with allies, making Poland an even stronger link in Europe's and NATO's defence system. SAFE: Support for the Armed Forces, Services, and Infrastructure SAFE funds will be spent on military needs, support for the Police and Border Guard, and protection of cyberspace. Funds will also be allocated to air defence and counter-drone systems. "SAFE is not a political programme but a patriotic one. It is a zone of security and development that fulfils the dreams of past generations about a free Poland. Without this programme, we have no other way to build a stronger army and better equip soldiers in such a short time," assessed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Poland currently has the third-largest army in NATO but, due to the Russian threat, is implementing a plan for a 500,000-strong force that will require equipment financed under SAFE. Services subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior and Administration will also benefit. "The SAFE programme is an investment in our daily security. The Polish Police, Border Guard, and State Protection Service will also benefit. They designed the programme and decided what would be purchased to enhance the country's security. Thanks to SAFE, these services will receive an additional PLN 7 billion," informed Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwinski. SAFE will also support the development of Polish road and rail infrastructure. "Thanks to SAFE, we can do even more on Polish railways and roads. These projects meet military mobility requirements, but all Poles, domestic companies, and our economy will benefit," emphasised Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak. Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Government Plenipotentiary for the Instrument for Increasing European Security, indicated that the largest share of defence funding under SAFE will go to artillery systems, air and missile defence, anti-drone systems, ground combat, and support systems. "The plan includes dozens of investments. It is over PLN 180 billion that will be spent in the Polish defence industry. The European Union has never before allocated such funds to defence programmes," she assessed. Deputy Minister of National Defence Cezary Tomczyk stated that 89% of SAFE funds will go to defence companies such as PIT-RADWAR, the developer of the SAN anti-drone system. "The SAN system is the foundation of anti-drone protection for the borders of the Republic of Poland. It consists of 18 batteries deployed along the eastern and northern borders of our country," he emphasised. He added that SAFE funds will also benefit companies such as CENZIN, MESKO, Military Aviation Works No. 1 in odz, Military Electronic Works in Zielonka, the "ucznik" Arms Factory in Radom, Huta Stalowa Wola, "Dezamet" Metal Works, and "Tarnow" Mechanical Works. Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, General Wiesaw Kukua, stressed that SAFE will significantly accelerate the transformation of the armed forces after years of underfunding. "The list of planned purchases under SAFE was drawn from the technical modernisation plan and urgent operational needs. It was prepared by a team of my officers, in whom I have full confidence," General Kukua assured. The SAFE programme is not only an investment in the armed forces and services, but above all in the security of the entire country and Poland's future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No: 38, 28 February 2026, Regarding the Recent Developments in Our Region Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs The developments that began with the attacks by Israel and the USA on Iran and continued with Iran targeting third countries pose risks to the future of our region and global stability. We are deeply concerned by any actions that violate international law and threaten the lives of innocent civilians, and we condemn any provocations that could lead to an escalation of violence. We call on all parties to cease the attacks immediately. We reiterate that the regional issues must be resolved through peaceful means. Turkiye stands ready to provide the necessary support for mediation. The safety of Turkish citizens living in the countries concerned remains our priority, and all necessary measures are being taken in this regard. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Contracts Contracts for March 2, 2026 NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $225,109,424 modification (P00011) to a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N0001925C0130). This modification exercises options for the design, development, and delivery of all E-130J training weapons systems training materials/courseware, formerly known as E-XX prior to official designation, in support of the Take Charge and Move Out recapitalization program for the Navy. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (64%); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (31%); and Melbourne, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2027. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $54,904,255 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a $69,601,486 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N0002424C4201) to exercise options for specification development and availability execution support requirements for various U.S. Navy surface combatants. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (50%); San Diego, California (30%); Marysville, Washington, in the amount of (10%); and Atlantic Beach, Florida, (10%) and is expected to be completed February 2027. Fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,300,000 (51%); fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,765,600 (48%); fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $61,071 (less than 1%); fiscal 2025 defense-wide procurement funds in the amount of $5,800 (less than 1%); fiscal 2026 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $34,800 (less than 1%); and fiscal no-year other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,900 (less than 1%), will be obligated at the time of award, of which $16,065,600 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 27, 2026) Complete Parachute Solutions Inc., Deland, Florda, is being awarded $15,607,494 for a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The contract will include a two-year ordering period, with a value of $15,607,494 and a six-month option pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, with a value of $4,107,896. The total estimated value of the contract, if the option is exercised, is $19,715,390. Work will be performed at the contractor's facility in Coolidge, Arizona (100%). The base ordering period is expected to be completed by March 31, 2028. If the option is exercised, ordering will end on Sept. 30, 2028. Fiscal 2026 operation and maintenance (Navy) appropriations of $5,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount. These appropriations will expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2026. The requirement was solicited as a sole source procurement, and therefore only one offer was received. The contract action was procured under sole-source procedures under the authority of 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00189-26-D-L001). Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $13,716,095 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N6339424C0003) to exercise options for in-service engineering agent services in support of command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, and intelligence system elements specific to the Littoral Combat Ship Freedom-variant. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (50%); Moorestown, New Jersey (20%); San Diego, California (10%); Baltimore, Maryland (5%); Oldsmar, Florida (5%); Orlando, Florida (5%); and Virginia Beach, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in February 2026. Fiscal 2026 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $22,000 (58%); and fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,679 (42%), will be obligated at time of award, of which $15,679 will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE VetPride-EMI Maintenance Solutions LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina, has been awarded a $91,075,323 contract for primary training ranges operations and maintenance support services. This contract provides operations and maintenance support services of range threat, scoring, and feedback systems, which includes target, road, grounds, and limited facility maintenance. Work will be performed at Avon Park Range, Florida; Grand Bay Range, Georgia; Belle Fourche (Colony) Range, Wyoming; Dare County Range, North Carolina; Holloman Ranges, New Mexico; Poinsett Ranges, South Carolina; Mountain Home Ranges, Idaho; and Snyder Range, Texas; and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2031. This contract was a small business competitive acquisition, one solicitation posted online and five offers received. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,059,023 are being obligated at the time of award. The Headquarters Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA469026C0002). (Awarded on Feb. 27, 2026) Concept Plus LLC, Fairfax, Virgina, has been awarded a maximum amount $51,715,680 task order (FA877026FB007) to a previously awarded, small business enterprise application solution, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA877120D0004) for services for continued support of the existing Reliability and Maintainability Information System, to ensure continuity of operational service of the system application within a secure Air Force environment, and develop new functionality for end-users. Work will be performed at Fairfax, Virgina, and is expected to be completed by March 9, 2031. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance will be obligated in the amount of $1,514,981 at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson, Ohio, is the contracting activity. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $35,326,741 contract modification (P00038) to a previously awarded contract (FA8689-22-C-2014) for Royal Netherlands Air Force MQ-9A contractor logistics support, exercising options and providing program management, logistics support, configuration management, country standard technical orders, country standard time compliance technical orders, software configuration services, engineering technical services, sustaining engineering, airworthiness, contractor and associate subcontractor field service representatives, spares management and procurement, depot level repair services, organizational level maintenance support, site surveys and site installation activities, maintenance data collection and entry, and field maintenance. Work will be performed at Poway, California, and in outside the continental U.S. locations, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 1, 2028. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to the Netherlands. This award is the result of an international sole source justification. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $35,001,404 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Awarded on Feb. 27, 2026) Native Star Group, Jay, Oklahoma, was awarded a maximum $16,873,146 firm-fixed-price contract for HVAC System repairs. This contract provides for the repair and replacement of a heating and air-conditioning systems in Base Building 3707. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 23, 2027. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2026 capital funds in the amount of $16,873,146 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA813726C0001). (Awarded on Feb. 26, 2026.) Keysight Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $12,465,153 indefinite-delivery modification (P00008) to a previously awarded contract (FA8571-21-D-0003) for the purchase of additional quantity of Versatile Diagnostic Automated Test System. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by March 25, 2026. Fiscal 2026 working capital funds will be obligated upon availability for delivery orders. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins AFB, Georgia is the contracting activity. (Awarded on Feb. 26, 2026.) DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $44,112,370 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for B-1B AN/ALQ-161A Band Driver/Transmitters. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is March 1, 2029. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Warner Robins, Georgia (SPRWA1-26-D-0002). ARMY Pond Constructors, Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for preventive and corrective maintenance, emergency repair, and records management services for petroleum facilities and systems supporting DLA capitalized facilities on government installations within the South Atlantic Division. The amount of this action is $13,510,858 (with a total cumulative face value of $49,993,840). Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2030. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Engineer and Support Center is the contracting activity (W912DY-26-C-A005). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4419143/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on developments in the Middle East European Council / Council of the European Union Council of the EU Press release 1 March 2026 20:25 The European Union follows developments in Iran and the Middle East with utmost concern. The European Union has adopted extensive sanctions in response to the actions of Iranian authorities, whether their brutal repression and human rights violations against the Iranian people or threats to the region and to European and international security, through Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, and its support for armed groups in the Middle East. We will continue to protect EU security and interests, including through additional sanctions. The European Union has consistently urged Iran to end Iran's nuclear programme, curb its ballistic missile programme, refrain from destabilizing activities in the region and in Europe, and to cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people. We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter, and international humanitarian law. The Middle East stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war. Iran's attacks and violation of sovereignty of a number of countries in the region are inexcusable. Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We express our solidarity with partners in the region that have been attacked or affected. We reiterate our commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life. We remain in close contact with partners in the region to contribute to de-escalation and reaffirm the steadfast commitment of the European Union and its member states to safeguarding regional security and stability. The European Union will continue to contribute to all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and to bring about a lasting solution to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Full cooperation by Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency as well as adherence to Iran's legal obligations under Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement are crucial, and nuclear safety is a critical priority. Preservation of maritime security and respect of freedom of navigation are also of utmost importance. The EU and its member states are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of EU citizens in the region, including by activating the EU Civil Protection Mechanism if necessary. The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, also in the economic sphere. The disruption of critical waterways, like the Strait of Hormuz, must be avoided. The EU reiterates its solidarity with the Iranian people and strongly supports their fundamental aspirations for a future where their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statements by the Government Spokesman of the Republic of Cyprus after the extraordinary meeting of the National Security Council Republic of Cyprus From: Presidency of the Republic 01/03/26 19:55 | Press release | Foreign Policy, Government Spokesperson, President of the Republic / Presidency The Republic of Cyprus remains a steady pillar of security and humanitarian contribution in the region, Government Spokesperson, Mr Konstantinos Letymbiotis, said this evening, 1 March 2026. In his statements to journalists, at the Presidential Palace, after the extraordinary meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, the Government Spokesperson said: "[The meeting was held] in the context of the ongoing evaluation of developments in the wider region and to ensure the relevant state departments adopt a coordinated approach." During the meeting, the information emerging from the Middle East region was subject to in-depth analysis, and regional stability conditions and humanitarian needs were assessed. At the same time, all existing the protocols and procedures that are applied were subject to review, while increased security measures have already been taken and will continue to be applied. Continuous diplomatic contacts and negotiations are taking place in parallel. The Republic of Cyprus is engaged in ongoing exchanges and coordination with its European Union (EU) partners, as well as with the countries in the region, while both the President of the Republic and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus are in continuous communication with their foreign counterparts. As I recall over the past two days, the President of the Republic has spoken twice with the President of the European Commission, twice with the President of the European Council, and has spoken with the President of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Qatar, the King of Bahrain, the King of Jordan, and with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg. He has also spoken twice with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - most recently today at midday - and with the President of Lebanon, the President of France and the Prime Minister of Italy, and these contacts will continue. In this context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus is currently participating in an extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, convened with the sole purpose of discussing the recent developments in our region. The Republic of Cyprus continues to highlight the stable, humanitarian role that it has consistently performed in the region, as it has done in previous regional crises, leveraging its geographical position as well as its operational capacity to support humanitarian operations, including operations to evacuate citizens to safety. Within this framework, we are examining every request related to humanitarian operations, with due responsibility and a positive approach, as we have done on many previous occasions in the past. We are constantly monitoring the situation, which is being handled with due gravity, full operational readiness and institutional responsibility. The Republic of Cyprus continues to remain a pillar of security and a provider of humanitarian aid in the region, acting in close coordination with its partners and international organisations". When called upon to comment on the increased security measures taken by the Republic of Cyprus, the Spokesman said: "These measures are based on protocols that have been activated since yesterday morning, at specific points, where it was deemed necessary to increase security measures, which, I remind you, are being taken just as they were in previous instances whenever there were regional crises." When asked whether increased security measures will be taken at airports, the Spokesperson said: "Based on the assessment by the competent Authorities, all such measures have already been taken regarding all critical infrastructure, whether this concerns security measures or preparedness in the context of the humanitarian role that Cyprus will play, with heightened security measures." When asked about the Government's contacts with its partners, the Spokesperson said: "We are of course exchanging information and views regarding a crisis that the international community is monitoring. It is a given that safeguarding regional security is the priority, making every effort to de-escalate the crisis as it unfolds, and, of course, the humanitarian role that the Republic of Cyprus has played in the past and can also play in this instance". When asked whether we have received requests from countries for the evacuation of their citizens within the framework of the ESTIA Plan, the Spokesperson said: "Officially, we have not yet received any requests, but we have been approached by three states. Given the current situation of the relevant airspace, an official request to activate the ESTIA Plan has yet been to be received, but we are making all necessary preparations, so that we are operationally ready and able to activate it the moment it becomes possible". When asked about the missiles, to which the British Defence Secretary referred, the Spokesperson said: "What I can reiterate is that there has been no incident targeting our country. We clarified this from the start. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom himself has clarified this in a phone call he had with the President of the Republic of Cyprus. Beyond that, we are taking all possible measures and doing everything necessary, precisely in order to be able to safeguard everything that needs safeguarding". When asked what the British Defence Secretary was referring to when he spoke about missile interceptions, the Spokesperson said: "We do not know which incident this reference may have been about. In the past 24 hours, there have been several missile interceptions. What we know, both from our own information and from contacts with our international partners, is that there was no such targeting towards our country". (LY/MS) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President spoke by phone with the Polish leader President of the Republic of Lithuania March 01, 2026 On Monday, President Gitanas Nauseda had a telephone conversation with Estonian President Alar Karis. On Sunday, President Gitanas Nauseda held a telephone conversation with the Polish leader, Karol Nawrocki. The Presidents discussed the security situation in the Middle East, amid growing tensions in the region following Iran's actions. The Lithuanian leader emphasized that the expanding instability poses additional risks not only to countries in the region but also to foreign nationals present in conflict-affected areas. During the conversation, particular focus was placed on the safety of Lithuanian and Polish nationals in the Middle East. The Presidents discussed the situation of their respective citizens in the region and agreed to urge the responsible authorities to take all necessary humanitarian measures to ensure their safe return to their homelands. The Lithuanian president stressed that, as regional tensions increase, close coordination between Lithuanian and Polish institutions is essential in order to respond swiftly to the changing situation and protect human lives. The Presidents also noted that the growing crises in the Middle East must not weaken Europe's focus on Russia's war against Ukraine, and that strategic security priorities must remain clear and consistent. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gitanas Nauseda held a phone call with the President of Finland President of the Republic of Lithuania March 01, 2026 On Sunday evening, President Gitanas Nauseda spoke by phone with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. The Presidents discussed the security situation in the Middle East. The Lithuanian leader strongly condemned Iran's attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and other countries in the region, emphasizing that such actions constitute a blatant violation of states' sovereignty and territorial integrity. The President expressed solidarity with the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other countries whose territories were targeted. The Lithuanian leader noted that the conflict in the region is only beginning to unfold, making it important to assess whether this escalation could affect the dynamics of the Iranian regime and create opportunities for democratic forces to pursue change. During the conversation, the Presidents also observed that the current situation reveals a discrepancy between Russia's declared ambitions and its actual capabilities. Despite attempts to present itself as a global security actor, Russia is in fact unable to exert decisive influence even in crises involving its closest partners. The Lithuanian President also stressed that rising tensions in the Middle East must not divert the international community's attention from Russia's war against Ukraine. According to the President, the goal is to ensure that sustained international attention and comprehensive support for Ukraine remain consistent and are not weakened by other crises. The Presidents agreed that uncontrolled escalation of the conflict in the Middle East would have serious consequences for the security of the entire region and for broader international stability. According to the Lithuanian leader, maintaining clear strategic priorities is particularly important in the current security environment. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President discussed the situation in the Middle East with the Latvian leader President of the Republic of Lithuania March 01, 2026 On Sunday, Gitanas Nauseda had a telephone conversation with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics to discuss security challenges in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine and international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, as well as the situation in Belarus. The Presidents of Lithuania and Latvia strongly condemned Iran's attacks in the region and expressed solidarity with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other states whose territories were targeted. The Lithuanian leader stressed that Iran's actions constitute a grave violation of state sovereignty and pose a threat to regional stability. During the conversation, Gitanas Nauseda noted that the security situation in the Middle East is being closely monitored, and expressed regret that negotiations on Iran's nuclear and missile programs have not produced results. He emphasized that Iran cannot possess or develop a nuclear weapon. The leaders of Lithuania and Latvia underlined that Iran's actions threaten not only the security of the Middle East countries, but also broader international stability, including through Iran's support for Russia's war against Ukraine. Addressing Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Presidents emphasized that as negotiations between Ukraine and the United States are continuing, there are no tangible outcomes yet, and stressed the importance of maintaining consistent political, financial, and military support for Ukraine. The situation in Belarus was also addressed during the telephone conversation. The Lithuanian and Latvian leaders noted that the Belarusian regime, like Iran, acts as an enabler of Russia's aggression and remains a significant destabilizer within the region's security architecture, acting alongside other regimes that support the aggression. The Presidents of both countries called on the international community to make every effort to prevent uncontrolled escalation in the Middle East and to avert a large-scale conflict. They emphasized that regional stability is essential for global security, and that diplomatic efforts and close coordination with European Union partners and allies remain crucial. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Minister Anand on hostilities in the Middle East Global Affairs Canada Statement March 2, 2026 - New Delhi, India - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on hostilities in the Middle East: "The Government of Canada is closely following developments in the Middle East. We call on all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, to return to negotiations, and to advance a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. "Canada condemns the strikes carried out by Iran on civilian infrastructure across the Middle East, including the Gulf States. These attacks are a dangerous threat to regional stability and civilian safety. They represent an unacceptable escalation and a blatant attempt to further destabilize the region. Attacks that endanger civilians and civilian infrastructure are deeply concerning and must cease immediately. "We have deployed surge consular support under our Standing Rapid Deployment Team to the surrounding region to help Canadians across the region including in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Jordan, Turkmenistan and Turkiye. "Canadians should continue to register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad to continue to get up to date information and can contact the 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre at +1-613-996-8885 or me-mo.sos@international.gc.ca. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 2, 2026 By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News Hegseth Says 'Epic Fury' Goals in Iran Are 'Laser-Focused' Since early morning Feb. 28, American forces in the U.S. Central Command area of operations have been involved in an intense bombing campaign against Iran that has already resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As part of Operation Epic Fury, which started at 1:15 a.m. EST, American forces have already targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that while there is no timeline for the military operation, there are clearly defined goals for what the United States hopes to achieve. "The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser-focused," Hegseth said today during a press briefing at the Pentagon. "Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons." For decades, Iran has been in pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, through both enrichment of weapons-grade nuclear material and development of missiles that can carry a nuclear warhead. In June 2025, during Operation Midnight Hammer, the United States struck Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant using 30,000-pound GBU-57 "massive ordnance penetrator" bombs. That operation, Hegseth said, obliterated Iran's nuclear program. Nevertheless, Hegseth said, the Iranians have persisted in pursuing a nuclear capability and in building conventional capabilities to protect their nuclear ambitions. "Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions," he said. "Our bases, our people, our allies, all in their crosshairs Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb." The secretary said the clear goals for Epic Fury mean it will be unlike past American conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Our ambitions are not utopian; they are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies," he said. "This is not Iraq. This is not endless. ... This is the opposite. This operation [has] a clear, devastating, decisive mission: destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes." Hegseth said Epic Fury doesn't include nation-building or democracy building goals. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said planning for an operation such as Epic Fury has been underway for a significant amount of time. "This marked the culmination of months, and in some cases, years, of deliberate planning and refinement against this particular target set," Caine said. "From precision strikes against key military infrastructure to persistent intelligence and targeting integration to the close coordination of the components across vast distances, this operation again demonstrated America's reach, readiness and professionalism, and that of our joint united force." Over the last 30 days, at the direction of the secretary, Caine said, the joint force repositioned forces around the region in order to provide President Donald J. Trump with options, if he intended to act. "These movements ensured that U.S. forces remained postured, protected and ready to respond decisively [to] any emerging threat," he said. That effort included thousands of service members, hundreds of advanced fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, a sustained flow of munitions, fuel and supplies, and the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups, along with their air wings. More capabilities continue to flow into the region, Caine said. "This rapid buildup of forces demonstrated the joint force's ability to adapt and project power at the time and place of our nation's choosing," Caine said. The final word that Epic Fury was going to happen, he added, came from the president, Feb. 27, in the afternoon. "Operation Epic Fury approved. No aborts. Good luck," Caine said, relaying the message from the president. "In the region, every element of the joint force made their final preparations," he said. "Air defense batteries readied themselves, checking their systems to respond to Iranian attacks. Pilots and crews rehearsed their strike packages for the final time. Aircrews began loading their final weapons, and two carrier strike groups began to move towards their launching points across the globe." U.S. Cyber Command and U.S. Space Command, he said, initiated action with non-kinetic effects to disable Iran's communications ability. And then, at 1:15 a.m. EST, 9:45 a.m. Tehran time, Epic Fury kicked off. "More than 100 aircraft launched from land and sea: fighters, tankers, airborne early warning, electronic attack, bombers from the states and unmanned platforms forming a single synchronized wave," he said. "This was a daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces, enabled by the U.S. intelligence community." On the sea, the Navy launched Tomahawk missiles at Iran and attacked Iranian naval forces. While on the ground, he said, coordinated salvos of precision standoff weapons from across the region neutralized hundreds of preplanned targets. "This was a massive, overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare, striking more than 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours," Caine said. "We are now roughly 57 hours into the operation. In the initial phase, Centcom's focus was systematic, targeting of Iranian command and control, infrastructure, naval forces, ballistic missile sites and intelligence infrastructure designed to daze and confuse them." As a result of strikes in Iran, Caine said the U.S. has established local air superiority, which enhances the ability to protect U.S. forces and allows them to continue operations there. "Operation Epic Fury stands as a reminder of what the United States military uniquely delivers: the ability to project power on a global scale with speed, surprise, precision and overwhelming force, when and where our nation requires it," Caine said. "What we've demonstrated over the past several days reflects years of investment in readiness, joint integration and professionalism of the joint force." During the briefing, Hegseth also directly addressed U.S. troops who are participating in Epic Fury, telling them that both he and the president have their backs. "We will finish this on 'America First' conditions of President Trump's choosing nobody else's as it should be," Hegseth said. "And know this above all, President Trump and I have your back, always. Through fire, through criticism, through fake news, through everything, we unleash you because you are the best, most powerful, most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRC61 - EU statement - Item 2 Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for the Human Rights and report of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General European External Action Service (EEAS) 02.03.2026 Geneva Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in Geneva European Union UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 61st Session (23 February - 31 March 2026) ______ Item 2 ______ Statement by H.E. Mr. Michele Cervone d'Urso Ambassador, DeputPermanent Representative of the European Union Geneva, 2 March 2026 - CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY - HRC61 Item 2 Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for the Human Rights and report of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General EU Statement Mister President, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Republic of Moldova, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement. We thank the High Commissioner for his oral update and all the reports submitted to this session. We strongly support your principled leadership in advancing human rights, particularly in the face of grave violations and abuses that require justice and accountability. The EU reaffirms its steadfast support for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to operate independently and with adequate, predictable resources. The European Union and its member states collectively remain the largest voluntary contributors to the OHCHR budget. However, the liquidity crisis cannot be solved through extrabudgetary funding alone. In this regard, the EU and its Member States will continue to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time. We call on all other States to do the same, so as to ensure predictable and sustainable funding. We remain firmly committed to upholding and strengthening the UN's human rights pillar, and underline the importance of safeguarding it in the UN80 process. The human rights pillar must remain at the heart of the UN, and the human rights mandate must be safeguarded. High Commissioner, The EU supports your role in steering and mainstreaming human rights work across the United Nations system. We support your efforts to improve efficiency and impact while firmly promoting the centrality of human rights. The EU welcomes the election membership of new members in the Human Rights Council and looks forward to increasing cooperation to advance and protect human rights, building on the pledges presented as part of their candidacy. The EU welcomes the High Commissioner's oral update and his reports on Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, and thanks the Secretary General for the oral update on the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Afghanistan On Colombia, the EU reiterates its full support to the invaluable work of the High Commissioner and his Office. We acknowledge and encourage the Government's efforts to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable peace and protect human rights, especially of the most vulnerable groups in society including women, girls children and ethnic minority groups. The EU is concerned about persisting high-levels of violence, including the increased recruitment and serious abuse of youth as noted in the recent findings of the Child Rights Committee. We call for the effective protection of human rights defenders including environmental human rights defenders, social leaders, journalists and former combatants. With the upcoming election period, we also call for particular attention to be given to the protection of political candidates. The EU underlines the importance of continued comprehensive implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, including transitional justice, alternative economic development and security guarantees in the violence affected regions of the country. The EU supports the efforts of the Government of Guatemala to improve the promotion and protection of human rights, despite significant challenges. In that respect, we share the concerns of the OHCHR about the misuse of criminal law and its negative impact on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, in particular the criminalisation of journalists, Indigenous leaders and human rights defenders for their legitimate activities. The EU calls for the full respect for democracy and the rule of law. (NB based on report by High Commissioner: https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/61/18 ) The EU recognises the many remaining human rights challenges in Honduras, as identified in the report of the High Commissioner, including the need to strengthen protection for human rights defenders, migrants and women. The EU is also concerned by the high level of violence affecting LGBTI persons. We also noted the end of the State of Exception, marking a potential turning point for human rights improvements. We encourage the new administration of Nasry Asfura to take decisive steps to address the country's most pressing human rights concerns. The EU stands ready to support the efforts of the Honduran authorities/government, including through the implementation of recommendations of the 2025 UPR review, and will continue to work closely with independent civil society organisations across Honduras. The EU strongly condemns the ongoing, widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. in particular the violations of women's and girls' rights. The EU condemns the deliberate rollback of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and calls for their full, equal and meaningful participation in Afghan society. The human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, as the Taliban introduced Criminal principles for the courts in January 2026, in clear violation of international human rights standards. The EU also calls for the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities including ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Hazara, and persons in vulnerable situations as well as LGBTI persons, and to uphold the rule of law, freedom of expression and media freedom, with particular attention to human rights defenders. The EU is firmly committed to accountability for human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan. The operationalization of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan, will be a decisive step for victims and survivors of Taliban repression. We call on all actors for immediate de-escalation and a halt of hostilities following the sharp increase of violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including cross-border attacks and reported strikes over the past 24 hours, which could have serious implications for the region. Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries. We call on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan. We urge both sides to engage in dialogue. International law, including international human international humanitarian law and international human rights law, must be fully respected by all actors. The protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure must be ensured, and all feasible precautions must be taken to prevent further civilian harm. The European Union follows developments in Iran and the Middle East with utmost concern. We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law. Regarding the situations in Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, and Sudan, we would like to refer to our statements during the respective interactive dialogues. While noting progress made in the sphere of economic and social rights in Eritrea, including documented advances in combatting female genital mutilation, the EU remains highly concerned about the situation in the countrywith regard to a wide range of human rights violations. These include restrictions of freedom of expression, the practice of indefinite national service and arbitrary conscription as well as arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and inhumane prison conditions, together with widespread impunity. The whereabouts of those disappeared in the past decades must be revealed and those held arbitrarily must be released immediately. The EU reiterates its call for Eritrea to end the continued practise of obligatory and indefinite national service, including the reported conscription of children, and hold the right to the right to conscientious objection. The EU will continue to call on Eritrea to uphold the UN Charter and to fulfil its international obligations. The EU encourages Eritrea to continue strengthening its partnership with the United Nations, including engaging in constructive dialogue on the full range of human rights. The EU is concerned with the widespread human right violations in Tanzania in the context of the general elections, including allegations of excessive use of force, of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass arbitrary detentions targeting protesters, opposition figures, and civil society across the country.. The EU takes note of the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry and calls for the implementation of credible measures leading to accountability and efforts for reconciliation. The EU encourages Tanzania to engage constructively with UN human rights mechanisms and stresses the importance of of developing a fully-fledged multi-party system and of open and inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders, in particular opposition parties and civil society. The continued offensive by the M23 armed group in eastern DRC has further deteriorated the humanitarian and human rights situation in eastern DRC. The EU condemns violations against international humanitarian law and human rights law in the strongest terms and stresses the importance that all these reports be thoroughly investigated, victims recognized and perpetrator be held accountable. The EU welcomes the decision by the Human Rights Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry, which now must be given access by all parties to fulfill its mandate. The EU categorically condemns the offensive of the M23. Respect for DRC's territorial integrity must be upheld. We call on Rwanda to end all support to the M23, and on the DRC to cease cooperation with the FDLR, the Wazalendo and other armed groups and to tackle hate speech.. The EU calls upon all parties to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law. The EU calls on the DRC to abolish the death penalty, the use of which the EU opposes unequivocally in all cases and in all circumstances. The EU closely follows the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. The EU stresses that Azerbaijani authorities must ensure compliance with international human rights obligations, including applicable Council of Europe instruments, including the European Convention on Human Rights. The EU continues to support a sustainable and lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The EU recalls Georgia's obligation to enable the exercise of fundamental freedoms and urges Georgia to repeal or substantially revise legislation that runs counter to Georgia's obligations under international human rights law and unduly restricts or violates the freedoms of assembly, association or expression, including the freedom and pluralism of media. The EU is concerned about the politically motivated use of the justice system and the criminal investigations against Civil Society Organisations. The EU continues to strongly condemn arbitrary arrests and the increasing repression and persecution, including the imprisonment of opposition leaders, independent journalists and media workers, and civil society actors, which contributes to the backsliding of democracy and the rule of law in Georgia. We continue to call on the Georgian authorities to immediately and unconditionally free all arbitrarily detained persons and recall the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment and stress the importance of ending impunity for violations committed by law enforcement. The EU reiterates its support for Georgia's territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We continue to be seriously concerned about the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The EU regrets the continued lack of access of the OHCHR and UN human rights mechanisms to Abkhazia and South Ossetia and urges access to be granted without further delay. In Sri Lanka, the EU is following closely preparations for a new legislative proposal to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act. We welcome that the draft Protection of the State Against Terrorism Bill was open to public consultations for two months, until 28 February 2026. We call on Sri Lanka to ensure that any new law is strictly aligned with international human rights standards, and to consider seriously the comments received from the UN Special Rapporteurs. The EU remains deeply concerned about the ongoing gang violence in Haiti and the inability of the national authorities to protect the civilian population, above all women, children and other vulnerable groups. We hope that the newly mandated "Gang Suppression Force" (GSF) can help the Haitian security and defence forces restore peace and public security in the country. This is also a prerequisite for the long overdue elections to be held on August 30, 2026. Haiti must be enabled to return to democracy and the rule of law as soon as possible to put an end to violence and human rights violations. The EU deplores the further deterioration of the human rights situation in Yemen, particularly in Houthi controlled areas. The EU strongly condemns the continuing arbitrary detention of personnel from the UN, diplomatic missions and international and non-governmental organisations by the Houthis since June 2024 (73 UN personnel are currently detained, alongside NGO staff), and reiterates its call for their immediate and unconditional release. The detention of aid workers worsens an already dire and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen. The EU firmly opposes the death penalty in all cases and circumstance and insists that detainees must not be tried in special courts where they risk capital punishment. The EU will repeat its condemnation of the death sentence issued against three UN personnel. It remains deeply concerned about increasing restrictions on humanitarian access, especially those affecting female aid workers, and calls for the removal of all administrative and bureaucratic obstacles to ensure safe, non-discriminatory aid delivery across the country. The EU also follows with concern continuous restrictions on rights of women and girls, targeting of civil society actors, journalists and human rights defenders. We welcome recent improvements of the human rights situation in Bahrain, including on women's rights, and the pardons of more than a total of 5000 prisoners in Bahrain in 2024 and 2025. We encourage Bahrain to continue along this path and to further align its policies with international human rights law, especially with regard to human rights defenders. ^ North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna in telephone conversations with his UAE, Omani and Iraqi counterparts: we are acting to ensure the safety of our citizens Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 02.03.2026 | 17:06 Today, 2 March, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna held telephone conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of Oman, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, and the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Fuad Hussein, to discuss developments in the Middle East, the safety of Estonian citizens in the region and possibilities for their return home. "At present, our priority is the safety of Estonian citizens in the Middle East region and ensuring their swift return home. The Estonian government is also in constant contact with other European Union member states, and together we are working to assist citizens who have encountered difficulties," said Tsahkna. In the conversations, Foreign Minister Tsahkna stressed that Iran has long posed a threat to regional and broader international security and has repressed its own people, and that an opportunity has now emerged for the Iranian people to shape their own future. "Over the years, Estonia has supported the sanctions imposed by the European Union on the Iranian regime for grave human rights violations, including brutal repression in which thousands of people have lost their lives, as well as for its support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which poses a direct threat to Europe," Tsahkna said. Tsahkna also condemned Iran's attacks against the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq and other countries in the region. Together with his counterparts, he discussed what could be done jointly to de-escalate tensions and achieve a peaceful solution. All Estonian citizens in the Middle East region are requested to register their short-term stay on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If necessary, please contact konsul@mfa.ee or call the 24-hour emergency number +372 5301 9999 for information. Information will also be updated on an ongoing basis on the Foreign Ministry's online consul site and on www.vm.ee. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statements by the Government Spokesman of the Republic of Cyprus after the extraordinary meeting of the National Council, 2 March 2026 Republic of Cyprus From: Presidency of the Republic 02/03/26 14:07 | Press release | Foreign Policy, Government Spokesperson Our absolute and overriding priority is to ensure the security of our country and our citizens, Government Spokesman, Mr Konstantinos Letymbiotis, said today, 2 March 2026. In his statements to journalists, at the Presidential Palace, after the extraordinary meeting of the National Council, chaired by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, the Government Spokesman said: "The meeting of the National Council, chaired by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, has finished. During this meeting, a full and detailed briefing was carried out both regarding yesterday's incident at the British Bases at Akrotiri and regarding the measures that have already been taken and that are being adopted. Our first and highest concern - and this was the common stance and position of the entire National Council - is to ensure the safety of our country and our citizens, and to this end, all the measures that are implemented under the security protocols have been examined, and all the relevant services are being coordinated and assessed on a day-to-day basis. The members of the National Council have been informed about the measures and there has been an extensive exchange of views, also regarding how these measures are being prioritised. The joint position of the members of the National Council is that Cyprus has not participated in military operations and will not participate in any way, and that it is precisely this humanitarian role, which we play and will continue to play - as we have consistently done in the past and as we will continue to do in the future - that makes us part of the solution and never part of the problem. National Council members have also been informed about the actions being taken to repatriate our compatriots as soon as this becomes possible, as well as about the requests that have been received and that are still coming in to use the Republic of Cyprus for humanitarian operations, that is, to repatriate third-country nationals via the Republic of Cyprus. In this context, both the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus are engaged in continuous diplomatic contacts with both our European partners and with the third countries involved, and this will continue throughout the day". In response to a journalist's question about whether there had been any notification from the United Kingdom (UK) regarding the use of its Bases in the region by American forces, which was what triggered this incident, the Government Spokesman said: "The information we were given, during our communications with the United Kingdom, was that the British Bases in the Republic of Cyprus would under no circumstances be used for any military operations. This was the information we were given, and this was also the information we were given in a telephone conversation after the British Prime Minister's announcement. I should say that after the incident yesterday evening, we coordinated with the UK government and with the British Bases administration. There were also multiple telephone calls between the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus and his UK counterpart, and the Minister of State of the United Kingdom for Europe and North America. And this is certainly the clear message that we have consistently been sending, that the Republic of Cyprus, as I have stated, remains strictly committed to its humanitarian role. We also make this very clear at every possible opportunity to the United Kingdom, that the British Bases should not take part in any operations that have any purpose or objective other than humanitarian". Asked whether the Republic of Cyprus was capable of responding to any new similar military action, the Government Spokesman said: "All measures that can be taken are being taken, all the measures that need to be taken by all Authorities and services are being taken, and all relevant protocols that can be activated have been activated in cooperation with our partners. You will of course understand that, whether due to their size or the low altitude at which they operate, combatting the use of such drones poses a particular challenge, not just for the Republic of Cyprus but also for other countries, even those with a larger military defence capacity. However, you can be certain that all the measures that are within our power to take are being taken, both by us and by our partners". Answering to a question about whether there was any indication of where this drone came from and whether there was another operation aimed at striking the British Base, which was intercepted, the Government Spokesman stated that the exact origin was still being ascertained, and assured journalists that as soon as reliable information was available, it would be communicated. He also clarified that there was no evidence that there was another object, only this one, which caused minor material damage at Akrotiri. When asked about the cooperation with the United Kingdom and the assurances that the Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer, gave to the President of the Republic of Cyprus that permission would not be granted to use the British Bases, assurances that the Prime Minister went back on within a short period of time, the Government Spokesman said: "This is something we must state we view with concern. Despite the fact that we had been given these assurances, during the British Prime Minister's address to the nation yesterday, there was no clear clarification that the British Bases in Cyprus would under no circumstances be used for anything other than humanitarian purposes. From what I have been told, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom issued a clarification today. Nevertheless, as we have stated, this was the information we received from the United Kingdom in multiple communications at a variety of levels. This was also what we requested. This has been our constant request and requirement. Because the message we send out in every direction, not just rhetorically but in how the Republic of Cyprus has operated over time - and I remind you that the Republic of Cyprus has demonstrated this for decades - is that Cyprus operates as a hub for humanitarian aid, and this is the image we want to project, because this is precisely our aim and intention. That said, all steps will be taken, all the contacts made, to express our discontent, both regarding how this message was conveyed as well as, if I may add, the fact that yesterday no timely warning was issued to the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus who reside near the British Bases at Akrotiri". In response to questions on the subject, the Government Spokesman clarified that steps would be taken and contact made to ask for explanations from the United Kingdom, and added: "The British Bases are [legally established] under the Treaty Concerning the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, as you are well aware. Beyond that, however, we operate within the context of diplomatic responsibility and prudence. There are states with which we have developed relationships through the partnerships that we are building and wish to develop, and we expect them to act respectfully and in the spirit of this joint approach and at least in the spirit of the joint cooperation that has existed. And you will agree that at least regarding the way the message was delivered yesterday, the clear distinction, which we saw in the subsequent hours, was not made. It was after the speech was made that this incident occurred at the British Bases". Asked whether the financial impact of the recent developments had been discussed at the extraordinary meeting of the National Council, the Government Spokesman said: "The impact has been discussed. However, you will understand that at this moment, as I have said, our overriding concern is the security of the country and its citizens. In parallel, the competent Ministries, Deputy Ministries and the Central Bank of Cyprus are making their own assessments and analyses, which will, of course, depend on the outcome of this regional crisis, and any possible escalation or de-escalation. The message we have been sending out consistently from the very first instant, and which also applies to this regional crisis, is the supremacy of international law and that this crisis needs to be de-escalated, for the sake of regional security and stability". Regarding the possible actions discussed at the National Council with the aim of de-escalating the situation, he added: "Using the diplomatic initiatives open to us has been our approach from the outset as a state in this region. Precisely because we understand, as a member state of the European Union (EU) but even more so as a state in this region, that regional security is paramount. In addition to this, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, as he has had the opportunity to inform the members of the National Council, has been contacted today by leaders of EU member states, third countries in the region, and of course also by the EU institutions themselves, as has the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. The Minister for Foreign Affairs himself is engaged in making diplomatic overtures at this very moment. We shall continue with this joint approach that we have adopted from the very outset to ensuring regional security". In response to a question regarding renegotiating the status of the British Bases, the Government Spokesman said: "In this regard, we are not ruling anything out". In response to a question about whether foreign countries were asking Cyprus to provide services, whether military or to evacuate their citizens, the Government Spokesman said: "The requests we have received and the inquiries that have been made fall solely within the framework of the humanitarian operations being planned to evacuate either staff or civilians via the Republic of Cyprus". Regarding the Republic's Security Authorities updating security protocols, as well as the increased security measures being taken, the Government Spokesman stated: "From the very first instant this crisis broke, increased security measures have been taken, which are subject to constant evaluation. I said, and we have reiterated many times, that the National Security Council is in constant consultation. Last night at midnight, the National Security Council met again, in person, at the Presidential Palace. It remained in session continuously until almost the National Council was convened. Security measures were reassessed and will be continuously evaluated on a daily basis, as I have mentioned. We are calmly and responsibly dealing with the situation as it unfolds. This is what has been discussed before the National Council, and what has been confirmed is that all the necessary measures at our disposal are being taken". Asked about the role of the British Bases in this conflict, the Government Spokesman said: "There has been an official statement, from the United Kingdom's Foreign Ministry itself, that at least with regard to the differentiated approach regarding the use of British Bases, the Bases located in the Republic of Cyprus are not included". He added: "You understand that I can speak on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus and that I can convey what we have pointed out in a definite and clear manner, and this was the common conclusion we reached, if you like, the joint position". When asked to comment on the origin of the drone, the Government Spokesman said: "At this point in time there is no definitive proof. As soon as we have more details, they will be shared". In response to a question regarding what steps were being taken to protect citizens, the Government Spokesman said: "The most important thing at this stage is to face the situation calmly and rationally. This is a regional crisis, which has been developing over the past days. What we will reiterate emphatically and categorically, is that all necessary measures are being taken, all the measures we have at our disposal, precisely because what we have set as our highest, as our absolute and overriding priority, is the safety of our citizens and the safety of our country. We are in constant communication with all partners. All services are being coordinated and are fully ready in operational terms, to the greatest extent possible". Asked whether better coordination with the United Kingdom would be sought, the Government Spokesman said: "These messages, which I think are clear, will be sent. I have already mentioned some of the points that will be made. The necessary top-level contacts will be made and steps taken within the day". When asked about the postponement of the Informal General Affairs Council, which was to be held in Cyprus, and whether these developments would affect the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Government Spokesman said: "This postponement is due to the many flights that have been cancelled since the very start. It is well known that many airspaces have been closed, as a precautionary measure in several cases, and due to the region. It has nothing to do with security issues or anything else. Precisely because we currently hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU, and because we are a country situated in this region, we believe we can convey with the greatest clarity the reasons why the EU must take the initiative to stem this crisis, why it must act decisively and show political will and contribute, to the extent that its abilities and resources allow, to de-escalating this crisis". (KA/GS) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister MOTEGI's Meetings with Ambassadors of Middle Eastern Countries to Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan March 2, 2026 On March 2, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in light of the current situation in the Middle East, held meetings with Ambassadors or representatives of Middle Eastern countries to Japan. The overview of the meetings is as follows: Minister MOTEGI held a meeting with the Ambassadors or representatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Bahrain, and Jordan, and offered his condolences for the damages caused in each country by attacks from Iran. Minister MOTEGI also stated that Japan is seriously concerned about the deterioration of the regional situation surrounding Iran, and conveyed Japan's consistent stance that Iran's development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed. Furthermore, Minister MOTEGI explained that Japan will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to bring about an early settlement of the situation. Minister MOTEGI also requested cooperation to ensure the protection of Japanese nationals in each country. The Ambassadors or representatives of each country expressed their desire to continue working closely with Japan toward peace and stability in the region. Minister MOTEGI held individual meetings with the Israeli Ambassador to Japan and the Iranian Ambassador to Japan. In the meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to Japan, Minister MOTEGI explained that Japan is seriously concerned about the deterioration of the regional situation surrounding Iran, and that Japan will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to bring about an early settlement of the situation. In the meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Japan, in addition to the above, Minister MOTEGI conveyed Japan's consistent stance that Iran's development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed and urged Iran to cease actions that destabilize the region, including attacks to neighboring countries. Furthermore, Minister MOTEGI touched upon the issue of ensuring safety of the Strait of Hormuz. Minister MOTEGI also requested cooperation from both Ambassadors to ensure the protection of Japanese nationals in their respective countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address League's Secretary-General Aboul Gheit condemns Iranian attacks on Oman's Port of Duqm and oil tanker off its coast League of Arab States Date: 02/03/2026 Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, strongly condemned the targeting of the Port of Duqm in the Sultanate of Oman and an oil tanker off its coast by Iranian missiles, expressing his denunciation of attacks on facilities in a state that has exerted, and continues to exert, significant, serious, and widely recognised efforts in mediation aimed at reaching peaceful solutions between Iran and the United States. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the Sultanate's role and its active diplomacy in this highly important file. Moreover, Mr. Aboul Gheit renewed his condemnation of the Iranian attacks and assaults targeting civilian facilities in Arab Gulf states, stressing that they constitute an unacceptable violation of sovereignty and a breach of international law and international humanitarian law through the targeting of civilian objects and the endangerment of civilian lives. Gamal Roshdy, the official spokesperson for the Secretary-General, stated that Mr. Aboul Gheit warned of the consequences of the erratic and uncontrolled nature of Iranian military decision-making, and of the repercussions this could have on the security of individuals and facilities, as well as on maritime security and energy supplies in the region. He considered the launch of a large number of missiles and drones targeting civilian facilities in several Arab states to be a rejected and condemnable policy in every respect, which cannot be justified under any pretext. Mr. Aboul Gheit reaffirmed full solidarity with all concerned Arab states in any measures they may take to preserve their sovereignty, security, and stability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on February 23 - March 2, 2026 Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2026-03-02 International cooperation On February 23 - March 2 fighter aircraft of the NATO Air Policing Detachment were scrambled in response to international flight regulation violations three times. On February 23 fighter aircraft of the NATO Air Policing Detachment intercepted one Su-24MR and Su-33 flying through international airspace from mainland Russia and back with their onboard transponders switched off, without the flight plans, not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. On February 25 NATO air policing fighter jets were alerted in response to one Su-24MR and one Su-33 flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation and back with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans and without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control. Also, NATO fighter aircraft identified and escorted one AN-148 flying through international airspace from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, its onboard transponder was switched on, the crew had no pre-filed flight plan but was maintaining radio communication. On the same scramble NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one H25B flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad through international airspace. Its onboard transponder was switched on, the crew had the flight plan and kept radio communication. On February 26 NATO fighter jets identified and escorted two U-24M flying from Kaliningrad and back via international airspace with their onboard transponders switched off, no flight plans and not maintaining radio communication. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gitanas Nauseda spoke by telephone with the President of Estonia President of the Republic of Lithuania March 02, 2026 On Monday, President Gitanas Nauseda had a telephone conversation with Estonian President Alar Karis. The two leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East, the safety of Lithuanian and Estonian citizens in the region, humanitarian measures to ensure their safe return home, and the importance of maintaining the international community's focus on Russia's war against Ukraine. During the conversation, the two Presidents paid particular attention to the safety of their citizens in the Middle East in light of heightened tensions in the region following Iran's actions. They agreed to maintain close coordination between Lithuanian and Estonian institutions to ensure the timely provision of consular assistance to their nationals in the region. The leaders also emphasized that the crisis in the Middle East should not divert the international community's attention from Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, now in its fifth year. President Gitanas Nauseda stressed the need for Europe to continue to provide consistent political, economic, and military support for Ukraine. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defense official: EDCA sites under PH control, not American bases Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno March 2, 2026, 2:44 pm Updated on March 2, 2026, 7:07 pm MANILA -- The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the Philippines pose no threat to any country, the spokesperson of the Department of National Defense (DND) said on Monday. DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said some groups are using the Middle East conflict to sow "fear and apprehension" among Filipinos. The United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on Saturday, with damage spreading to neighboring nations like Bahrain and United Arab Emirates. "Certain groups are using the events in the Middle East to justify their disdain for EDCA sites in the Philippines, completely ignoring the fact that EDCA sites are not US bases, but Philippine facilities, developed and used jointly for training, HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief), and the defense and security of our country," Andolong told the Philippine News Agency. "It must be stated, however, that the hostilities are confined to the Middle East. The Philippines is not a participant in the theater of conflict. As such, there is no credible direct threat to the Philippines or facilities therein. Iran launched attacks on US facilities in countries that it shares maritime or land borders with," he added. Andolong said EDCA sites in the country are not being used to launch or stage assaults against another country. "President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has made it clear that the EDCA sites will not be used for offensive action," he said, pointing out that that these facilities play an important role in the capacity and capability building of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr. also clarified that EDCA sites are not US military bases. "There are no American military bases in the Philippines. The sites referred to under the EDCA are Philippine military bases that remain under the full ownership, control and management of the AFP," he said. Valencia said the NSC, in coordination with the AFP, DND and other concerned agencies, continues to monitor developments in the Middle East. "At this time, tensions remain confined to the region and there is no verified direct threat to Philippine territory, including our military facilities. We urge the public to remain calm, exercise discernment and be vigilant against disinformation," he said. AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said EDCA sites remain AFP installations. "Access granted to US forces is rotational and primarily geared toward interoperability, logistics prepositioning, disaster response and humanitarian assistance," she said in a message to PNA. Padilla said these arrangements enhance the AFP's defensive readiness and its capacity for HADR, rather than diminish the country's security. "It is also worth noting that the Philippines' strategic relevance in the region is shaped by geography -- particularly in the context of developments in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait -- regardless of EDCA. Strengthening alliances and improving our defense posture does not create vulnerability; it contributes to deterrence, preparedness, and stability," she said. Padilla urged the public to remain discerning and to rely on verified information. "Security matters require calm assessment, not speculation. The AFP remains focused on its mandate: Defending our sovereignty, ensuring territorial integrity, and contributing to regional peace and stability," she added. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Ano said American presence in EDCA sites is rotational and not permanent. "The US presence in the sites is not permanent but rotational and serves to strengthen the capabilities of the AFP and advance the modernization program," he said in a statement. Ano also emphasized that the Philippines is not a party or a belligerent to the current hostilities. "Moreover, the conflict is confined to the Middle East which is another part of the globe." Ano assured that the NSC is "closely and continuously" monitoring developments in the Middle East. "Based on current intelligence assessments, there is no verified or credible direct threat to Philippine territory, including our military installations and surrounding communities. Security agencies remain vigilant and maintain appropriate preparedness measures to ensure early detection of any emerging security threats," he said. "At such times, it is essential that public discourse be grounded in verified information rather than speculation. Fear-based narratives, particularly those that misrepresent existing agreements or exaggerate risks, are counter-productive," Ano said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Marcos continues to monitor Middle East tension - Palace Philippine News Agency March 2, 2026, 1:57 pm MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict, a Malacanang official said Monday. In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President has directed concerned government agencies to provide all necessary assistance to Filipinos affected by the escalating tension since it began on Feb. 28. "Iginiit ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. sa mga ahensiya na ipagpatuloy at paigtingin pa ang pagmo-monitor sa kalagayan ng mga Pilipino sa mga apektadong lugar (President Marcos Jr. urged agencies to continue and intensify monitoring of the situation of Filipinos in affected areas)," she said. Castro said the President reiterated his directive to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and other relevant agencies to closely monitor the situation and ensure that government assistance reaches affected Filipinos to guarantee their safety. The Palace official also assured that government agencies remain prepared for the possible repatriation of overseas Filipinos once Middle East airspace reopens. "Iyan ang pangako at nais ni Pangulong Marcos (That is the promise and desire of President Marcos)," Castro said. Filipinos in need of assistance may contact the emergency hotlines of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to report their concerns and request support, she said. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) emergency hotlines are for Metro Manila -1348, for Regional -02-1348, via Viber +63-915-079-5005 (Globe), +63-969-169-7068 (Smart), +63-966-473-9543 (Globe). (PND) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran slams Israeli attacks on Lebanon, warn UNSC's inaction to embolden occupying regime Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 10:01 AM Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has denounced Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, saying the United Nations Security Council's inaction on the occupying regime's crimes will discredit the world body. In a statement on Monday, Baghaei strongly condemned the Israeli regime's savage attacks on southern Lebanon and south Dhahiyah, which killed more than 30 civilians, including two children, and injured 149 others. He also offered his condolences to the bereaved families of the martyrs and the Lebanese government and nation. "Inaction of the United Nations and its Security Council in the face of the crimes and unruly behaviors of the occupying regime will irreparably discredit the United Nations system and its norms," he warned. He added that the Israeli regime has intensified its crimes and acts of aggression in blatant violation of Lebanon's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. The Iranian spokesperson slammed the "disgraceful" silence of the so-called advocates of the "rule of law" and "human rights" on the most heinous crimes and grave violations of human rights perpetrated by the Israeli regime. Baghaei cautioned that the world' inaction vis-a-vis Israel's crimes has further emboldened the regime to press ahead with its criminal acts and posed an unprecedented danger to global peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 3 US Fighter Jets Downed By Friendly Fire Over Kuwait, Officials Say By RFE/RL March 02, 2026 US military officials said three fighter jets crashed in Kuwait after being hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti air defenses, the first downing of US aircraft since the US-Israeli war against Iran began over the weekend. All six of the crew from the three F-15 jets ejected and parachuted to the ground before being located by rescuers, US Central Command said in a statement on March 2. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. local time as the jets were engaged in "active combat that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones." In an earlier statement, Kuwait's Defense Ministry also reported the crash of several jets and said crew members were being recovered and transported to hospitals. The Kuwaiti statement made no mention of friendly fire as the cause of the incident. Videos published on social media showed at least one jet falling from the sky and a person parachuting above the Kuwaiti town of Al Jahra. Now in its third day, the joint US and Israeli assault on Iran -- dubbed Operation Epic Fury by Washington -- has seen at least six fatalities of US military personnel reported so far. US news reports said three of the killed soldiers were part of a "sustainment unit" that had deployed to Kuwait. At least six other US military personnel were also reported injured in the same incident. Iran has responded the air assault by barraging US military facilities and cities around the Persian Gulf with drones and missiles. The headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, in Manama, Bahrain, was hit by Iranian missiles on February 28. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-kuwait-jets-crash- friendly-fire/33692008.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 US Will 'Go As Far As We Need To Go' In Iran Conflict, Pentagon Chief Vows By RFE/RL March 02, 2026 The United States signaled it would press ahead with its aerial assault on Iran, as Tehran continued to volley missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf and Middle East amid fears the conflict could widen beyond the region. US officials on March 2 announced that six American service members had died as a result of injuries suffered in Iranian retaliatory strikes and three US fighter jets were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait. Israel, meanwhile, widened its attacks on Hezbollah militants outside of Beirut, as the Iran-backed militants fired rockets into Israel. In his first public comments since the war began, President Donald Trump characterized the threat from Tehran as imminent. "This was our last best chance to strike...and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime," Trump said at an event at the White House on March 2. He further added that the Iranian regime's development of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons could have endangered not only the region, "but also the American people." With many of Iran's top officials killed by Israeli and US strikes, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's remaining leadership scrambled to put new officials in place. Ali Larijani, the chief of the country's Supreme National Security Council, rejected the idea of negotiations with Washington -- something Trump suggested was possible. "We will not negotiate with the United States," he wrote on X, saying Iran was acting in self-defense. In a combative news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington would not limit its options. "There are no US troops in Iran," Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. "But we're not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do." "This is not a so-called regime change war. But the regime sure did change. And the world is better off for it today," he said. "We didn't start this war, but we'll finish it," he declared. In a series of interviews with US media outlets, Trump has given various justification for why he ordered the assault, now in its third day. Among them are destroying Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its missile production, targeting naval and security infrastructure, and blocking Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons. Hegseth, meanwhile, insisted the campaign would not resemble past US wars such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which many Americans turned against as the conflict became a quagmire. But he also did not rule out the possibility of US military personnel actually being deployed on the ground in Iran. "This is not Iraq. This is not endless," he said. "You don't have to roll 200,000 people in there and stay for 20 years. We've proven that you can achieve objectives that advance American interests without being foolish about it." Six US Service Members Dead Six American service members who died were critically wounded during Iran's initial retaliatory attacks, US Central Command announced in separate statements on March 2. Several others remain seriously injured. Trump earlier cautioned that further casualties were possible. "Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends," he said, adding that operations could last four weeks or "until all our objectives are achieved." Three F-15 fighters jets crashed in Kuwait after being hit in error by Kuwaiti air defenses, US officials said. All six crew members parachuted to the ground and were taken to hospitals for treatment. As the conflict intensifies, Tehran has sought diplomatic support beyond the region. China reaffirmed its backing for Iran during a phone call between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Russia also voiced support for Tehran; President Vladimir Putin a day earlier condemned the killing of Khamenei and criticized escalating military action. Fighting has spread across the region, with Israeli forces reporting a "broad wave" of strikes in Tehran and Iran launching missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. A Saudi oil refinery was reportedly struck, while in Kuwait authorities moved commercial aircraft as missiles transited Gulf airspace. The escalation has caused widespread aviation disruption. Air India suspended several routes to Europe and the Gulf, and Etihad Airways temporarily halted flights to and from Abu Dhabi. Israel's Ben Gurion Airport said flights would resume gradually depending on security conditions, while Jordan announced nightly partial airspace closures. Flight-tracking data showed aircraft avoiding large parts of the Middle East. Some airlines canceled flights to and from Cyprus after drones targeted a British base on the island. Britain said one of its bases on Cyprus appeared to have been targeted; Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said a Shahed drone had crashed into the Akrotiri air base, causing minor damage, and authorities evacuated the island's second-largest airport after intercepting additional drones. Cyprus said it would seek assurances that bases on the island would be used only for humanitarian purposes. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-iran-attacks- negotiations-israel-larijani/33691402.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 Defence Minister's meeting with the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain to Bucharest Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 43 02.03.2026 On Monday, March 2, Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, had a meeting with the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain to Romania, H.E. Giles Portman, at the MoND headquarters. The talks focused on the status of bilateral defence cooperation, recent developments in the regional security situation, and the enhancement of strategic dialogue to strengthen NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern flank, including the Black Sea. The joint commitment to support Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova was also reaffirmed, in the context of the security challenges generated by the Russian Federation's war of aggression. Thus, practical options for enhancing collaboration in order to increase Romania's defence capacity, including in the field of procurement and consolidation of the national defence industry, were also analyzed. At the same time, the importance of the partnership in the Black Sea region, within allied context, as well as the need to continue the dialogue between the European Union and the United Kingdom in support of European security were highlighted. An important topic of the discussions was the presence of the British Royal Air Force in Romania, as part of the air policing missions conducted under the aegis of NATO. This contribution represents a strategic component of the Allied commitment to securing the eastern flank, especially in the context of persistent tensions in the Black Sea region. The officials stressed the importance of the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Romania and the United Kingdom, which strengthens and enhances bilateral relations, with a view to jointly addressing current strategic challenges, with mutual benefits for the two armed forces. "Romania and the United Kingdom are strategic partners united by common objectives and a firm commitment to strengthening Euro-Atlantic security. We particularly appreciate the constant contribution of Great Britain to the security of the Black Sea region and are determined to further deepen defence cooperation," the Romanian Minister of Defence empahsized. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Risch Statement on Rwanda Sanctions Senate Foreign Relations Committee March 02, 2026 WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the statement below regarding newly announced U.S. sanctions on Rwanda. "President Trump and Secretary Rubio have redefined U.S. engagement in Eastern Congo, replacing passive leadership with direct action to secure the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity. They have locked in a set of commitments that, if implemented, could open the door to durable peace and renewed regional prosperity. But agreements require enforcement. "Today's sanctions against the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) and four senior RDF officials send a blunt message: those who violate terms brokered by the United States will pay a steep and escalating price. "The time for posturing is over. Rwanda and M23 must halt their advances immediately, which must include fully withdrawing from all areas surrounding Uvira. At the same time, the Congolese government and the FARDC must abandon their pursuit of a military solution in Eastern Congo, honor the ceasefire, and work with partners - including the U.S. - to build a lasting security solution for the eastern region of their country. "Both sides must return to the table. Adherence to the Accords is the only path forward." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Army Announces Beginning of Strikes Against Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon Sputnik News 20260302 The Israeli army has announced the beginning of strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Earlier, the army reported air raid sirens sounding in several areas of northern Israel after having detected projectiles fired from Lebanon. "In response to Hezbollah's projectile fire toward the State of Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hezbollah targets," the army announced. The launch of missiles from Lebanon into Israel is an irresponsible act that threatens the security of the republic, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said. "Regardless of who initiated it, the launch of missiles from southern Lebanon is an irresponsible and dubious act that threatens Lebanon's security and integrity and gives Israel a pretext to continue its attacks on the country. We will not allow the country to be drawn into new adventures and will take all necessary measures to stop those responsible and protect Lebanese citizens," Salam said on X. The Israeli army is urging residents of approximately 50 settlements in southern and eastern Lebanon to leave their settlements for their own safety, according to a statement published on Arabic-language social media platforms X and Telegram. "For your safety, leave your homes immediately and stay at least 1,000 meters away from villages and in open spaces. Anyone near Hezbollah members, their installations, and military equipment is putting their lives in danger," the statement says. The warning lists the names of approximately 50 settlements and neighborhoods in major cities, such as Tyre and Bint Jbeil in the south and Baalbek in the east. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK Allowed US to Use Its Bases to Strike Missile Depots in Iran - Starmer Sputnik News 20260302 The United Kingdom has accepted a US request to use its military bases to strike missile depots in Iran, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced. "The only way to stop the [Iranian] threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots, or [to destroy] the launchers, which are used to fire the missile. The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request," Starmer said in a video statement published on X. Starmer added that he would send experts from the UK and Ukraine to the Gulf states to help the military shoot down Iranian drones. On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian targets, including Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military infrastructure in the Middle East. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctioning Rwandan Violators of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity US Department of State Press Statement Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson March 2, 2026 Today, the United States is sanctioning the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) and four senior RDF officers for their direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and its affiliates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Just days after President Trump presided over the December 4, 2025 signing of the historic Joint Declaration of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity with DRC President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Kagame, Rwanda-backed M23 fighters captured the Congolese city of Uvira, in clear violation of the Washington Accords. M23, a U.S.- and UN-sanctioned entity, is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children. The continued backing from the RDF and its senior leadership has enabled M23 to capture DRC sovereign territory and continue these grave abuses. The United States stands firm in its support for peace and stability in eastern DRC and the wider region. The Washington Accords mark a decisive turning point for the Great Lakes region, setting a new course for peace, cooperation, and prosperity among neighbors. Today's action demonstrates U.S. resolve to uphold the Washington Accords. As President Trump has made clear, the United States is prepared to use all available tools to ensure the DRC and Rwanda deliver on the promises of this historic agreement. Today's action is being taken pursuant to the authorities under Executive Order (E.O.) 13413, as amended. For more information on today's action, please see the Department of the Treasury's press release. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Sanctions Rwanda Officials, Condemns Blatant Violations of Washington Peace Accords U.S. Department of the Treasury March 2, 2026 Sanctions Support Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo WASHINGTONToday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF)the military of Rwandaand four of its senior officials. The RDF is actively supporting, training, and fighting alongside the March 23 Movement (M23), a U.S.- and United Nations (UN)-sanctioned armed group responsible for human rights abuses and a mass displacement crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The RDF has supported M23 as it seized territory in eastern DRC, including provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu, along with strategic mining sites in eastern DRC. M23's offensives would not have been possible without the active support and complicity of the RDF and key senior officials. "President Trump is the Peace President, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that the parties to the Washington Accords uphold their obligations," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. "We expect the immediate withdrawal of Rwanda Defence Force troops, weapons, and equipment." Days after President Donald J. Trump hosted DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity ("the Washington Accords"), M23 captured Uvira, a strategic city located along the DRC-Burundi border. This military offensive resulted in civilian deaths and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes. Despite its subsequent exit from Uvira, M23's continued presence near the border with Burundiand the RDF's continued support for M23carries the risk of escalating the conflict into a broader regional war. In a joint statement issued by the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes, the United States denounced M23 and RDF military operations and called on the RDF to withdraw from eastern DRC. THE RWANDA DEFENCE FORCE: SUPPORTING ARMED REBELLION IN EASTERN DRC The Rwanda Defence Force has provided direct operational support to M23 and its affiliates. The RDF has introduced advanced military equipment to the battlefield in eastern DRC, including GPS jamming systems, air defense equipment, drones, and additional materiel. Thousands of RDF troops are deployed across eastern DRC, where they actively engage in combat operations and facilitate M23's control of territory. The RDF also provides training to M23 fighters at RDF military centers and supports its recruitment efforts, including the recruitment of refugees. With support from the RDF, M23 has engaged in extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture. In January 2025, the RDF carried out attacks against Congolese armed forces, the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC, and defensive positions of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC. In exchange for its support for M23, Rwanda has gained access to mineral-rich areas of eastern DRC that contribute to the financing of M23's armed rebellion. Vincent Nyakarundi (Nyakarundi), a Rwandan national, is the Army Chief of Staff of the RDF. Nyakarundi is a senior commander of the Rwandan Army's land forces, which have conducted military operations in support of M23. Ruki Karusisi (Karusisi), a Rwandan national, is a major general and commander of the RDF's 5th Infantry Division. He was previously a Special Operations Force Commander and oversaw military operations in support of M23. Mubarakh Muganga (Muganga), a Rwandan national, is the RDF's Chief of Defence Staff. Before being appointed to this role in June 2023, Muganga served as the RDF's Army Chief of Staff, during which time he played a key role in planning operations and commanding RDF forces in eastern DRC. Stanislas Gashugi (Gashugi), a Rwandan national, was appointed as the RDF's Special Operations Force Commander on March 15, 2025, replacing Karusisi. The RDF is being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13413, as amended by E.O. 13671, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the DRC; and for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of M23. Nyakarundi, Karusisi, Muganga, and Gashugi are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13413, as amended, for being leaders of the RDF, an entity that has, or whose members have, been responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the DRC. 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. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. 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. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (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 today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 02 March 2026 18:30 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "I had a call with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I expressed Ukraine's solidarity with the UAE, which has suffered a particularly large number of reckless Iranian attacks in recent days. We condemn these attacks, which are unprovoked and illegal acts of aggression. They also demonstrate the unacceptable threat that the Iranian regime poses to the entire region and beyond. We discussed efforts to maintain long-term peace and security in the Middle East. We wish countries in the region guaranteed security and proper protection of life. I addressed my Emirati colleague, requesting that Ukrainian citizens in the UAE receive the necessary protection and care in the current circumstances. I am grateful to His Highness for confirming that their rights will be fully protected and that they will receive proper treatment in all aspects. We also discussed our bilateral cooperation, exchanged invitations to visit, and coordinated possible future contacts at the highest level." 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 2 March 2026 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Security Council Alright, good afternoon. Just a programming note. I think you know that there is a Security Council meeting this afternoon on Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict. First meeting to be held under the presidency of the United States in the month of March. From our part, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, will brief Council members. ** Iran Turning to the situation in the Middle East. Over the past 48 hours or so the Secretary-General has been in touch with a number of regional leaders. Just a few minutes ago, he spoke by phone with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar. The Secretary-General reiterated his condemnation of the recent attacks against Qatar, which is in violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also reaffirmed Qatar's role as a strong and valued partner of the United Nations. The Secretary-General and the Amir discussed the situation in the region and the urgent need to end the current military escalation and a return to dialogue in the interest of regional stability. Over the weekend, he also spoke with the Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, His Excellency [Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi]. The Secretary-General praised Oman for its efforts on mediating peaceful negotiations and reiterated his condemnation of the attacks against Iran and the Iranian attacks on Gulf countries. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister expressed concerns about the risks posed by this war for the region. The Secretary-General also, over the weekend, had a number of conversations with ambassadors from the Gulf Cooperation Council, and we will keep you update on further contacts he may have. As far as the situation on the ground, the position expressed by the Secretary-General on Saturday in the Security Council remains very much valid. What is needed now in the region more than anything is a way out. To that end, the Secretary-General again calls for de-escalation, an immediate cessation of hostilities, and genuine dialogue and negotiations, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. The risk of a humanitarian fall-out in the region is also growing fast. Our Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) colleagues are in touch with our various UN country teams in the region and are ready to respond swiftly as needed. The Secretary-General is particularly concerned about the growing number of civilians we are seeing being killed and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. International humanitarian law is clear civilians must be protected at all times, and civilian infrastructure must be protected, as well. The expansion of attacks to countries that were not involved in the initial attacks is, according to the Secretary-General, particularly worrying. Whether we are talking about Gulf countries, Jordan, Syria or Lebanon. In Lebanon, where we have both a political and peacekeeping presence, tensions are also rising. We are seriously concerned about the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line. The situation on the ground is evolving rapidly, and we are monitoring developments closely. We are also aware of the strikes aimed at Israel claimed by Hizbullah and the Israeli strikes that have reportedly resulted in 31 fatalities and many more injured north of the Blue Line in Lebanon. We urge utmost restraint and call on the parties to uphold the cessation of hostilities agreement. Both the Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara, are engaging with the parties to de-escalate and preserve stability across de Blue Line. Our UNIFIL peacekeepers there are remaining in positions despite the challenging circumstances. We are also worried about the negative impacts that the military activities in the region as a whole could have on the world economy, and those impacts, as they often do, hit the most vulnerable the hardest. ** Iran/UN agencies A couple of related items from our friends at UN agencies. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that it is deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict and its impact on civilians and further displacement in the region. Many affected countries already host millions of refugees and internally displaced people. Further violence risks overwhelming humanitarian capacities and placing additional pressure on host communities. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it is deeply concerned by reports of strikes in Iran and across the region, illustrating the grave danger for children. There are also reports of schools being struck in Iran, including a girls' school in Minab in southern Iran. Scores of students are reportedly being killed and others injured. UNICEF echoes the call of the Secretary-General for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation. And our colleague Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement issued out of Geneva, reminded all parties that international law with respect to armed conflict is very clear: the protection of civilians is paramount. Each and every actor involved must ensure compliance with these laws. Violations of them must lead to accountability for those responsible. ** International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spoke at his Agency's Board of Governors meeting today, and said that, according to the regional safety monitoring network, no elevation of radiation levels above the usual background levels had been detected in countries bordering Iran. Regarding the status of the nuclear installations in Iran, up to now, he said, he has no indication that any of the nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor or other nuclear fuel-cycle facilities have been damaged or hit. Mr. Grossi reiterated his call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation. He said that the lasting solution to this long-existing discord lies on the diplomatic table and that the IAEA will be there, ready to play its indispensable part, whenever and wherever it is called. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Turning to the situation in Gaza. Our colleagues at OCHA said that the regional escalation that began over the weekend is already affecting people and disrupting humanitarian services. As you know, Israeli authorities have closed all crossings, including Rafah, and they have suspended humanitarian movements in and near areas where Israeli troops remain deployed in Gaza, and they have also postponed planned rotations for our humanitarian personnel. Medical evacuations and the return of people into Gaza have also been suspended as a result. People in Gaza, as you know, rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside, given the limited storage capacity and destruction across this war-torn area. We and our partners had worked hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite the continuing restrictions. But, that cannot continue under a full blockade. It is imperative that all crossings be reopened as soon as possible. In recent days, our partners have been forced to ration fuel, prioritizing life-saving operations albeit at reduced capacity as local stocks are going down. This includes bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants. All impacted. Services such as solid waste collection have been suspended. UN officials are working to secure the urgent resumption of fuel deliveries, which, or course, remains a priority as without fuel there is very little that we can do. In some areas of Gaza City, reduced water production has left people with as little as two litres of drinking water per day. Prices of basic commodities are already rising. In the West Bank, Israeli forces have kept most checkpoints closed, largely preventing travel between Palestinian cities and governorates. This is, of course, having an immediate impact on Palestinians' access to livelihoods, basic services, and humanitarian operations. Since the weekend, people across the West Bank have been exposed to debris falling over civilian areas amid missile and interceptor fire; while residential areas in Gaza have been exposed to continued strikes from the air, land and sea. International humanitarian law is clear. As we keep saying every day, and often many times a day, civilians must be protected and their essential needs met, including through the unimpeded entry, movement and distribution of humanitarian assistance. ** Sudan Turning to another horrific humanitarian situation that we are trying to keep on the front burner, that is Sudan. We continue to be very worried over the escalating violence in the states of Kordofan and Blue Nile, where intensified fighting continues to harm civilians and with it, disrupting the delivery of much needed humanitarian and life-saving assistance. According to local sources, drone attacks have intensified in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, since last Friday. The Sudan Doctors Network, which has been very reliable in terms of information, reported that yesterday a medical facility was impacted and 12 people, including 5 medical staff, were injured. Meanwhile, in South Kordofan, clashes continue in and around Dilling. Fighting along key supply routes continues to disrupt commercial traffic and humanitarian operations. In Blue Nile State, there have been intensive drone attacks on the town of Kurmuk over the past two weeks. A school was allegedly destroyed, while an electricity station was damaged. By Saturday, 1,000 families had been displaced from the locality of Kurmuk to the city of Damazine due to the ongoing insecurity. OCHA reports that conditions are dire and people urgently need aid, and they are working with our partners to scale up assistance as much as they can do. Just to give you an example of the dire conditions in some parts of Sudan, our OCHA colleagues recently visited the Ed Daein Hospital in East Darfur. The hospital, which handles up to 200 outpatient consultations and 15 surgical deliveries daily for people in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, faces funding shortfalls that could put essential services at risk. Meanwhile, a large fire in the Kalma camp in Nyala, in South Darfur, destroyed about 700 homes. This comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions and major gaps in services following the suspension of some activities in January. The camp is also facing a growing measles outbreak and OCHA is mobilizing partners in order to respond. We call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, and uphold international humanitarian law. Sustained, flexible funding is urgently needed to maintain life-saving services and prevent further deterioration. ** South Sudan Just south of there, in South Sudan, our peacekeepers there are sounding the alarm over a sharp escalation of violence in Abiemnom, in the Ruweng Administrative Area. According to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), a group of armed youth stormed the Abiemnom County headquarters on Sunday morning, wounding at least 23 people. As tensions spiralled, peacekeepers opened their gates and are now sheltering more than 1,000 civilians inside their base, while providing emergency medical care for the injured. The Mission is gravely concerned by reports that dozens of civilians, along with local officials, may have been killed in the clashes. We call on all parties to halt the violence immediately and resolve this through dialogue. Meanwhile, peacekeepers remain on the ground doing everything within their mandate to try to protect those who are seeking refuge. At the same time, peacekeepers themselves are coming under threat. We join our peacekeeping colleagues in condemning the ambush on Sunday by armed groups on a peacekeeping convoy along the border between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. The convoy was stopped at an unauthorized roadblock and subsequently came under fire. Peacekeepers responded in self-defence, in line with their mandate and rules of engagement. Thankfully, no UN personnel was injured. The Mission has called on authorities to swiftly investigate and bring those responsible to justice. ** Afghanistan/Pakistan Turning to the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Our colleagues at the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tell us that cross-border clashes between de factoforces in Afghanistan and Pakistani security forces are ongoing today. The Mission reiterated its call for a halt in the fighting and also called on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law to protect civilians. In line with its Security Council mandate, the Mission continues to document incidents of civilian casualties inside Afghanistan. From late 26 February to 1 March, UNAMA recorded at least 123 civilian casualties in Afghanistan, with 34 people killed and 89 injured, including women and children. These figures remain preliminary. Restrictions on movements in the border area due to the active conflict have reduced the capacity of humanitarian agencies and their partners to deliver life-saving and other assistance in the most-affected areas, leaving Afghan returnees from Pakistan particularly vulnerable. The UN Mission notes that humanitarian and medical facilities, including the emergency hospital at the Torkham border post and an IOM transit centre, have also been damaged. For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has paused its activities in the affected areas, with approximately 160,000 people impacted by the suspension of food distributions. Several of the provinces impacted by the fighting are experiencing critical levels of acute malnutrition. The UN Mission warns that on Afghanistan's western border with Iran, a potential increase in numbers of Afghan returnees is also anticipated, which will, as you can imagine, further stretching very scarce humanitarian supplies. ** Haiti I want to flag an upcoming travel, this time, in the Western Hemisphere, by Alexander De Croo, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). He is in Haiti for a two-day visit. While there, he will meet with the Prime Minister and various Government officials, including elections officials. UNDP supports, through its work, the elections that are planned for later this year. Mr. De Croo will also meet with security officials, youth entrepreneurs, the private sector and of course, UNDP staff serving in the country. The Administrator will then go on to Jamaica. He will meet with the Prime Minister, industry leaders and communities that have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa, before heading back to New York on Friday. We will provide an update on the trip. ** Financial Contribution I do have a quiz for you today, because we got money. This is the only country in Central America not to have Spanish as its official language. And also, interestingly, it has no international fast-food chains. Belize, exactly. We say thank you to our friends in Belmopan for their full payment to the Regular Budget. We are up to 74, and I will take some questions. Pam, yes. ** Questions and Answers Question : Yes. Anyway, so is the Secretary-General in any way meeting with the First Lady of the United States, or has he spoken with President Trump about the Iran conflict? Spokesman : He has not spoken to President Trump. He will, however, have a brief, he will greet the First Lady, before her... Question : Stake out? Spokesman : Her stake... before she goes to the Security Council, yup. No problem. Edie? Question : Thank you, Steph. You said that the Secretary-General's main goal now is to try and find a way out of the war in Iran. Is the United Nations aware of any ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war? Spokesman : We're not aware of any direct talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. We all know, I mean, I think you've seen the public comments by Oman. We would like to see a return to the table. And a return to diplomacy. Question : And on Gaza, with the borders closed and obviously no food, medicine, or anything else, fuel getting in, how many days does the UN have supplies already in Gaza for? Are we talking about days, weeks? Spokesman : As you know, I think this question has come up repeatedly over the last three years when there is a complete blockade. There is an amount of aid already in. When let me put it bluntly. When the doors are shut, we obviously stretch whatever we have to make it last longer. So, I don't want to put a number to it. What is disruptive is that we had put in place a kind of a regular predictable flow of supplies into Gaza, and now that has been completely disrupted. Yes, please. Question : Thank you so much. The Secretary-General's contrary to diplomatic norms in the UN did not issue even a condolence message after the assassination of the Supreme Leader of Iran. Why was no statement issued? What's the Secretary-General's position on this matter? And my second question, in the ongoing military attrition by the United States and Israeli regime against Iran, hospitals and homes have been directly targeted, causing many civilians' deaths, especially children and kids. What is his position on this matter? Spokesman : I mean, I think on the killing of civilians and notably the attack on the schools, the Secretary-General referred to particularly in his statement to the Security Council. What we want to see is an end to the killings, right? We want to see an end to the fighting and a return to negotiations. [Inaudible] That's the answer I have for you. Yes, sir. Question : Thanks, Steph. Perhaps a follow-up. I mean, there any particular reaction to the targeting of a Head of State here? So soon after Venezuela's sitting Head of State was removed and arrested and brought to the United States. What is your reaction to the US's unilateral actions in that regard? Spokesman : Well, I mean, I think the reaction to the action we've seen by the US and Israel, the Secretary-General laid it out very plainly on Saturday, and that remains his position. Abdelhamid. Question : Follow-up on the same topic. I remember Kofi Annan in September 2004 only after one year and six months, he labelled the war on Iraq as illegal. How long it will take this Secretary-General to label this war as illegal? Spokesman : Abdelhamid, I would encourage you to read thoroughly his statement on Saturday. His deep concern about the violations of the Charter, of Article 2 of the Charter. So, I think you can interpret his words to me whatever you want to interpret. Correspondent : Yeah, I want to... Spokesman : But, I think they were very, very clear. Question : Can I interpret them that the Secretary-General said, it is illegal war? Spokesman : It is far for me to tell you, what to write. Stefano. Question : Thank you, Stephane. As a follow-up on the brief meeting that the Secretary-General will have with the First Lady. Now the First Lady is not just coming here to a visit, but she's going to actually preside the Security Council on a meeting that I believe is called children, technology and education in conflict. Children, technology. I mean, in Iran, if I understand, in the attack on Saturday, a school was hit where I mean, it's declared that more than 100 people or several children died. So, does the Secretary-General is going to talk instead of just welcoming her, but just trying to talk with the...? Spokesman : It is... Question : ...President of the Security Council about this issue? Spokesman : It is meant to be a greeting. It is not a meeting. He will be there when she arrives. He will greet her. She will be then on her way. I would encourage you to wait and read what, [Under-Secretary-General] Rosemary DiCarlo will say in the open meeting on behalf of the Secretary-General. Question : Very good. Just a follow-up on other thing. Is the Israeli Ambassador on Saturday tweet, on a X, he wrote that the what the Secretary-General reaction to the attack was shameful. Any comment on that? Spokesman : What do want me to come I mean, I'm not here to comment on people's comments. Like I told... Correspondent : That's the Israeli Ambassador. Spokesman : But, like I told Abdelhamid, the Secretary-General says what he says. He says it very openly, I think using very clear words. Let people say what they want. We stand by... Correspondent : But some people... Spokesman : What we say. I'll tell you what. The Secretary-General was not ashamed of what he said. Yes, ma'am. Question : I'm Pamela from Pass Blue. Secretary-General and other reports said two schools were impacted in the US is Israeli strike on Iran. There have been reports that UAE [United Arab Emirates] have closed schools; Bahrain, too, have closed schools, following retaliatory attack on those countries. Can you give any sort of background as to how this conflict is affecting children and their schooling in the region? Spokesman : Very negatively. And I would encourage you to look at what UNICEF put out. But, obviously, whenever there are bombings, air raids or threats as such, schools are closed. Now, this could have an impact of just a few days and things would get back to normal. This could last longer. We don't know. But, you just have to see the impact of conflict on kids in Gaza where for almost three years, they haven't had real formal schooling, the impact of conflict and other restrictions put on them in Afghanistan. Look at Sudan. How can children be expected to learn in an open conflict, where refugee camps are being droned, when people are being killed? It's shameful. Yes, sir. Question : Steph, you mentioned at the top how Secretary-General hasn't spoken with President Trump yet. Over the weekend, we've seen examples of reporters just calling him directly, whether that's The New York Times or CNN. Why hasn't the Secretary-General spoken with President Trump when he's put out such a strong statement? Spokesman : Diplomacy works a little more formally than reporting. Gabriel. Question : Thank you, Steph. Israel has said that they've closed the borders to Gaza because it is unsafe given the current situation. If Israel was to open the borders today, would the UN be able to get aid into Gaza? Spokesman : I mean, if crossings are open, we get aid in. If people allow us to bring aid in, we get aid in. Question : So, even under the current situation, you would be able to work and bring aid? Spokesman : The only thing that we need are for gates to be unlocked. Question : And on the Secretary-General, if I can get one more, on Saturday in his remarks to the Security Council, he said military action carries the risks of igniting a chain of events that no one can control. Are we at that point now? Spokesman : We are at a risk where there is zero room for miscalculation. Alex? Question : Thanks, Steph. Firstly, quick follow-up. You've mentioned that the Secretary-General had several contacts. That's Qatar plus Oman, right? That's... Spokesman : Yes, and the ambassadors to UN of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Question : Not the US ambassador? Spokesman : No. Gulf Cooperation Council. Correspondent : Alright. Secondly... Spokesman : Which I don't think the US is a member. Question : What about the UN team on the ground in Iran? Have you been in touch? Spokesman : Yes. We've been in touch with them. I mean, I was on a call with them today. Everybody, thankfully, is safe and sound. They're obviously we're very concerned for our Iranian colleagues on the ground. And frankly, we're concerned for our UN colleagues everywhere. I mean our Israeli UN colleagues, our Palestinian UN colleagues, the ones in the Gulf, they've all had to take precautions to make sure they stay safe. Question : And the last one, if I may. Has anyone from the United Nations been at this site where school was hit? Like, just to verify? Spokesman : No, I'm not aware that we have. Question : Alright. Thank you. Spokesman : But if that changes, I'll let you know. Yes. Pan, and then one second. Go ahead, Pan. Question : Thank you, Steph. In his statement on Saturday morning, the Secretary-General condemned the military escalation in the Middle East. And in his speech in the afternoon, he condemned explicitly the strikes. So, what's the consideration for the revised wording? Spokesman : I'm not sure I understand the question. Question : Oh, in the morning, he condemned the military escalation. And the in the afternoon, he condemned the strikes by the United States and Israel and the subsequent strikes by Iran? Spokesman : Well, I mean, I think as the day progressed, the situation got a little clearer. Correspondent : Thank you. Question : Thanks, Stephane. The Secretary-General on Saturday expressed concern about this conflict widening. We're now hearing from France, the UK that they'll take defensive measures. France saying they'll help Gulf countries defend themselves. Just wonder this kind of coming from many European countries now, if the Secretary-General plans to speak with those leaders, if he's particularly concerned about that aspect of this. Spokesman : Yeah. I mean, he will continue to have contacts, but that's exactly what we mean. I mean, in the points that Gabriel raised of expansion, the risks of miscalculation that this chain of events is growing, and that's very extremely worrying, and that's a lot of the issues that the Secretary-General has been discussing. Yes, Naureen. Question : Thanks Stephane. Speaking of who the Secretary-General has spoken to, you mentioned that he hasn't spoken to Mr. Trump. Has he spoken to Mr. Netanyahu or anybody from...? Spokesman : No, we're trying to be as transparent as possible in terms of the contacts. Madam? Question : There are reports that Israel is considering a grand offensive in southern Lebanon. And is there a notification mechanism between UNIFIL and Israel? And should there be one? What happens to UNIFIL? Spokesman : Well, I mean, there is a notification mechanism. There's the trilateral mechanism in hotlines that go from UNIFIL to both the IDF and the and the Lebanese Armed Forces. I can't tell you what would happen. We would not want to see any further deterioration. We would not want to see any sort of ground incursion. But, you will recall that before there was sort of an understanding for cessation of hostilities, UN peacekeepers, at great, great risk to themselves, in place. We also note that there was announcement by the Prime Minister and by the cabinet in Lebanon for accelerating efforts towards asserting a state monopoly on arms across Lebanon in line with Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), which we very much welcome, and we will try to support in any way we can. as we have been to this date. Senan? Question : Thank you, Stefan. I have a question about refugees, actually. What plans does the United Nations have to support refugees fleeing the war in Iran? I mean, for example, they have more than 90 million population in Iran. And is there any coordination between neighbouring countries? Spokesman : Well, I know UNHCR is extremely focused on this right now. As we mentioned, there's also, we're prepared and worried about any influx of not only Afghan returnees from Iran to Afghanistan, but possibly also movements of people. This is a region that UNHCR has been very much active in, and they have systems in place, and they are doing whatever they can to prepare. Question : A very quick follow-up, if you don't mind. Does the Secretary-General recommend or suggest to neighbouring countries to open their borders for refugees? Spokesman : Look, every country should do whatever it can to help people who are fleeing danger and who are fleeing war. Yes, madam. Question : Thank you. So, the US officials say, they believe that has a threat and that they have taken military action against Iran. So, under the UN Charter, is that law enough to justify the use of force? Spokesman : Look, I would refer you to, what the Secretary-General said about Article 2 in the Charter in his speech on Saturday. Yes, Ahmed. Question : Thank you, Steph. A follow-up, if I may from my previous colleague's question. On the death of the Ayatollah, I recall the Secretary-General saying to the Security Council on Saturday, "several high-ranking officials have reportedly been killed, including according to Israeli sources, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who I'm not in a position to confirm the situation". Now that the report is confirmed, is the Secretary-General ready to give a specific statement on the death of the Ayatollah? Spokesman : We do not... Question : Similar to how we received a statement on Maduro was captured? Spokesman : We do not want to see any more killings, whether targeted or otherwise. Madam? Question : On Lebanon, given the situation in Lebanon and hundreds and of thousands of people being displaced, do you have any information that you can share with us from your colleagues on the ground there regarding people fleeing? Spokesman : No. I don't have anything new for today on movements of people in in Lebanon. But, again, in Lebanon, we have quite a large UN, not only political and peacekeeping, but humanitarian presence, and I know they're working with the Lebanese authorities in doing whatever they can to prepare and assist. Sherwin? Question : Thanks, Steph. I wondered if you could talk a little bit about the expanding humanitarian consequences, particularly when there are wars, right? On an already overstretched humanitarian community, what does scenario planning look for Tom Fletcher's and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs? How do you plan for this moment? Spokesman : Well, we planned by having had contingency plans already in place. I mean, the impact here is multifold, right? You could have, obviously, a humanitarian impact in in Iran, right? And we're already seeing the killings of civilians in other countries in the Gulf. What is particularly worrying, as well, is the closure of airspace. And you know, the UN has humanitarian hubs in the Gulf, notably in the UAE. A lot of our humanitarian goods move through that, so it could very well have an impact on our operations in Africa, in Asia and other parts of the world. We're already talking about a humanitarian system which is extremely stretched and heavily, heavily underfunded. This is an issue, I was just talking to our humanitarian colleagues a few minutes ago, that they're worried about, and they're looking at what would the impact will be on our logistics operation. I mean, the UN has a tremendous logistics operation, not only humanitarian, as well as peacekeeping, and when critical waterways are closed, when airspace is closed, it could have an impact pretty quickly. Abdelhamid, then Stefano, and then we'll stop. Question : Maybe it's a technical question. What does the UN consider the grand Ayatollah as the Head of the State of Iran or the elected President? Spokesman : No. So according to the info every permanent mission, as you know, provides us with information who the Head of State is, and who the Foreign Minister is. And for... for Iran, the Head of State is the President, not the... not the Supreme Leader. Question : So, if the President is killed, then the UN will lower the flag to half mast, the way... they did when Raisi was killed. Right? Spokesman : That I mean, that is their standard procedures for when Heads of State... Question : So, when it comes to Khamenei now, they don't have to lower the...? Spokesman : Yes, As I said, for us, the procedure is very well laid out in terms of Heads of State and Foreign Ministers. Senor Vaccara. Question : Grazia, Stephane. President Trump, Saturday, told the Iranian people to take over their Government. This was kind of the same was repeated today by the Secretary of Defence, in his press conference. Does the Secretary-General have any advice for the Iranian people in this moment? I'm talking about the civilians. What they should do? Spokesman : Look. We want to make sure that civilians in Iran are safe. That is our primary concern. Okay. Thank you all. See you tomorrow. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNHCR deeply concerned by Middle East escalation and impact on civilians UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Press releases 2 March 2026 GENEVA -- UNHCR is deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict in the Middle East and its impact on civilians and further displacement in the region. Many affected countries already host millions of refugees and internally displaced people. Further violence risks overwhelming humanitarian capacities and placing additional pressure on host communities. We echo the UN Secretary-General's urgent call for dialogue and de-escalation, respect for human rights, the protection of civilians and full adherence to international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Sanjay Wijesekera, on the impact of renewed cross-border hostilities on children in Afghanistan and Pakistan UNICEF Statement 02 March 2026 KATHMANDU/NEW YORK, 2 March 2026 - "UNICEF is alarmed by reports that children have been killed and injured in the recent escalation of hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan. "While we are working to verify these reports in coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN partners, it is already clear that children are bearing a heavy toll. "Following intense fighting, families who survived last year's devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan are now being asked to evacuate displacement camps near the border for their own safety. The affected camps were established to provide essential support, including shelter, food, healthcare, safe water and sanitation, child-friendly spaces, and emergency education to 17,000 survivors, approximately half of them are children. "For families who have already lost so much, this renewed displacement compounds their suffering. Once again, children are being uprooted from what little stability they had regained and are exposed to heightened risks of disease, malnutrition, violence and exploitation. "In Pakistan, escalating tensions have also affected children and families in border areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Authorities have now reportedly closed 138 government schools as a precautionary measure, given recent attacks on schools, including a drone strike in Ghalanai, disrupting access to education for thousands of children. Routine immunization is also being impacted. Displacement and insecurity have increased protection concerns, including the risk of injury and loss of life, alongside risks posed by unexploded ordnance in affected communities. "UNICEF calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilian lives, and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. Children must be protected at all times." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Gaza crossings closed, fighting in Sudan continues, Afghanistan quake victims 2 March 2026 - The escalating violence in the Middle East region is compounding an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Speaking at the regular noon briefing in New York on Monday, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that Israeli authorities have closed all crossings and suspended humanitarian movements. Planned rotations of humanitarian staff, medical evacuations and the return of people into Gaza have also been put on hold. 'Steady flow' of aid essential "People in Gaza...rely on a steady flow of humanitarian commercial goods from outside," Mr. Dujarric said, warning that the UN and aid agencies had worked hard to maintain "a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite the continuing restrictions, but that cannot continue under a full blockade." "It is imperative that all crossings be reopened as soon as possible," he added. Fuel shortages are forcing partners to ration supplies and prioritize lifesaving operations at reduced capacity. Bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants are affected, while solid waste collection has been suspended. Many checkpoints in the West Bank have also been closed by Israeli forces, preventing travel between Palestinian cities and governorates - affecting Palestinians' access to livelihoods, basic services and humanitarian operations. Meanwhile, the head of the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini described the situation as "a new chokehold on Gaza." A surge in fighting in Sudan adds to 'horrific' humanitarian situation Intensified fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Kordofan and Blue Nile States continues to lead to civilian deaths and injuries. According to local sources, drone attacks have intensified in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, since last Friday, Mr. Dujarric told journalists. "Yesterday a medical facility was impacted injuring 12 people, including five medical staff," he added. In Blue Nile State, there have been intensive drone attacks on the town of Kurmuk over the past two weeks. Reports suggest a school was destroyed, while an electricity station was damaged. 'Conditions are dire' 'Fighting along key supply routes continues to disrupt commercial traffic and humanitarian operations," Mr Dujarric said. The UN's humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) warned that "conditions are dire and people urgently need aid". Hospitals, funding shortfalls, uncontrolled fire and measles outbreaks in refugee camps, are all adding pressure and "worsening" the humanitarian situation. The Spokesperson emphasised the need to "ensure rapid and unhindered humanitarian access and uphold international humanitarian law". He added that "sustained, flexible funding is urgently needed to maintain life-saving services and prevent further deterioration". Afghanistan's quake victims mustn't be forgotten, says UN aid office Survivors of a massive and deadly earthquake in Afghanistan last year are still in desperate need of help. Amid tensions and deadly clashes between Kabul and Pakistan, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that around nine in 10 families affected by the deadly quake in eastern Afghanistan still live in temporary and inadequate shelters. Around 2,200 people were killed when a magnitude six earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on 31 August 2025, devastating Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces. Support still needed The UN is providing relief to many, but sustained funding is essential to support recovery, said OCHA's Said Alam Khan, from Mazar Dara emergency aid hub in Kunar province: "Children still lack access to formal learning spaces; access to clean water, health care services, livelihood and sustainable solutions remain key challenges." OCHA's Mr Khan said that as winter continues, continued international solidarity and financial support remain essential; this will help address people's immediate needs, but also to enable early recovery and long-term resilience. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today's top news: Middle East, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Middle East As tensions escalate, UN calls for protection of civilians OCHA says it is in close contact with teams across the region and are ready to respond swiftly to the impact of strikes. OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected and that international humanitarian law is not optional - it applies to all parties, at all times. The risk of humanitarian fallout is growing fast, with strikes having caused civilian casualties, damaged infrastructure and increased displacement risks. OCHA underscores the need for aid workers to be able to operate safely and are prepared to scale up where needed - but unimpeded access, security guarantees and funding will determine how effectively the UN can respond. Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian movements suspended as crossings into Gaza close OCHA says the regional escalation that began over the weekend is already affecting people and disrupting humanitarian services. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli authorities have closed all crossings, including Rafah, suspended humanitarian movements in and near areas where their troops remain deployed, and postponed planned rotations of international humanitarian staff. Medical evacuations and the return of people into Gaza have also been suspended. OCHA stresses that people in Gaza rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside, given the limited storage capacity and destruction of livelihoods across this war-torn area. Humanitarian partners had worked hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite restrictions. But that cannot continue under a full blockade. In recent days, partners have been forced to ration fuel, prioritizing life-saving operations - albeit at reduced capacity - as local stocks dwindle. This includes bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants. Services such as solid waste collection have been suspended. UN officials are working to secure the urgent resumption of fuel deliveries, which remains a top priority. In some areas of Gaza city, reduced water production has left people with as little as two litres of drinking water per day. Prices of basic commodities are already rising. In the West Bank, Israeli forces have kept most checkpoints closed largely preventing travel between Palestinian cities and governorates. This is affecting people's access to livelihoods, basic services, and humanitarian operations. Since the weekend, people across the West Bank have been exposed to debris falling over civilian areas amid missile and interceptor fire; while residential areas in Gaza have been exposed to continued strikes from the air, land and sea. International humanitarian law is clear: civilians must be protected and their essential needs met, including through the unimpeded entry, movement and distribution of humanitarian assistance. In a statement issued over the weekend, the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory took note of the temporary injunction by the Israeli High Court of Justice with regards to the de-registration of several international NGOs. Heads of UN agencies and partner organizations stressed that enabling the continued operations of these NGOs is essential to reaching the most vulnerable groups. They urged the Government of Israel to lift restrictions that impede aid work, and they called on the international community to help ensure the continuity of principled humanitarian assistance in line with international humanitarian law. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza and the West Bank with urgent support. Sudan Drone strikes continue to intensify, further straining humanitarian operations OCHA is deeply concerned over the escalating violence in the states of Kordofan and Blue Nile, where intensified fighting continues to harm civilians and disrupt the delivery of life-saving assistance. According to local sources, drone attacks have intensified in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, since last Friday. A local organization, the Sudan Doctors Network, reported that yesterday a medical facility was impacted and 12 people, including five medical staff, were injured. Meanwhile, in South Kordofan, clashes continue in and around Dilling. Fighting along key supply routes continues to disrupt commercial traffic and humanitarian deliveries. In Blue Nile State, there have been intensive drone attacks on the town of Kurmuk over the past two weeks. A school was allegedly destroyed, while an electricity station was damaged. By Saturday, 1,000 families had been displaced from the locality of Kurmuk to the city of Ed Damazine due to the ongoing insecurity. OCHA reports that conditions are dire and people urgently need aid and are working with its partners to scale up assistance. In East Darfur, OCHA recently visited the Ed Daein Hospital found there is failing infrastructure, as well as supply shortages and unreliable electricity and water. The hospital, which handles up to 200 outpatient consultations and 15 surgical deliveries daily for people in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, faces funding shortfalls that could put essential services at risk. Meanwhile, a large fire in Kalma camp in Nyala, in South Darfur, destroyed about 700 homes. This comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions and major gaps in basic services following the suspension of some activities in January. The camp is also facing a growing measles outbreak and OCHA is mobilizing its partners to respond. OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and uphold international humanitarian law. Sustained, flexible funding is urgently needed to maintain life-saving services and prevent further deterioration. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in need in Sudan with urgent support. Posted on 2 March 2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese envoy strongly condemns and firmly opposes attacks on schools at a UN meeting presided by US first lady Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 03, 2026 12:57 PM Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said that China strongly condemns the targeting of children in attacks and urges parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law, at a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting presided by US first lady Melania Trump on Monday. Fu said that China strongly condemns the targeting of children in attacks and urges parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect children from the ravages of war and uphold the most basic moral conscience of humanity, according to China Central Television reports. Attacks on schools are one of the six grave violations against children identified by the UN and should be firmly condemned and resolutely opposed, said Fu, noting that the international community should step up investigations into and accountability for incidents involving the harm to children and the destruction of schools, and work together to prevent further atrocities. Melania's speech centered around the role of education for children in "advancing tolerance and world peace," according to BBC. "We have been reminded of this truth over the last two days," she told the UNSC. "Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have closed and moved to remote learning owing to the ongoing military operations in the region," she said. Melania's speech came after Iranian media's reports that at least 165 people, most of them likely children, were killed in a strike on a girls' elementary school in southern Iran on Saturday. The search for survivors in the rubble of the Shajarah Tayyebeh school in the southern town of Minab ended Sunday, according to Mohammad Radmehr, the governor of Minab, Iranian state media reported. It appeared to be the deadliest attack in the ongoing American-Israeli bombing campaign. Shortly before Monday's session began, Iran's Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, said it was "deeply shameful and hypocritical" for the US to convene a meeting on protecting children during conflict while launching airstrikes on Iranian cities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 02 March 2026 - Day 1468 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 136 combat clashes. The defense forces continue to stop the Russian enemy, destroy personnel and deplete its combat potential by providing a systematic fire effect. The Russian enemy launched 56 air strikes, dropped 163 controlled air bombs, used 5,605 kamikaze drones and executed 2,691 shelling of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops. In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions today, Russian forces launched two air strikes, dropped three air bombs, carried out 105 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, five in particular - with the application of the RSV. In the South Slobozhansky direction, the Russian enemy once stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the area of Vovchansky Farms. In the Kupyansky direction, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions. In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled seven Russian attacks towards the settlements of Stavka, Drobisheve, Lyman and in the area of the Medium. In the Slovenian direction, the Russian opponent tried to advance 11 times in the areas of settlements Platonivka, Zakitne, Riznikivka and towards Lake. In the Kramators komu direction the Russian opponent did not carry out offensive actions. In the Konstantinivsky direction, the Russian occupiers stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders ten times today in the areas of the settlements of Pleschievka, Ivanopyl, Sofiyivka and towards Illinivka. The enemy committed 21 attacks in the Pokrovsky direction. Russian forces tried to advance in the areas of the settlements Rodinske, Pokrovsk, Kotline, Udaachne, Molodetske and towards the settlements Novopavlivka and Shevchenko. Two clashes are still ongoing. According to preliminary calculations, today in this direction 27 Russian invaders and 18 injured. Destroyed one artillery system, two vehicles units, two special equipment units, a PMM warehouse, four artillery systems, seven vehicles units, three special equipment units and 62 enemy shelters. Destroyed or suppressed 156 BPLA of different types. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, Russian troops attacked five times in the areas of the settlements of Ternove and Zlagoda. Ivanivka and Gavrilivka suffered air strikes of the Russian opponent. In the direction of Gulyaipil, there were 37 attacks in the areas of Gulyaypol, Zelenoy and towards Tsvitkovoy, Zaliznynyny, Varvarivka, Svyatopetrivka, Gulyaipilsky, Staroukrainka. The Russian enemy caused air strikes in the areas of settlements Barvinivka, Vozdvizhivka, Charivne, Valley, Lyubytske. Four clashes are underway. In the Orihivs komu direction, there was one combat with the Russian enemy near Plavniv. In the Pridnipro direction of offensive actions of the Russian enemy was not recorded, but Russian troops launched an air strike on the settlement of Kozatsk. In other directions, no significant changes in the environment have been recorded at this time. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. Units of the Sever Group of Forces have established control over Krugloye (Kharkov region). Russian troops hit units of a heavy mechanised brigade, an artillery brigade, a motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defence brigades close to Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, Olshany, Krugloye, Golubovka, and Malinovka (Kharkov region). In Sumy region, units of two mechanised brigades, a motorised infantry brigade and an airmobile brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit near Novnaya Sech, Khrapovshchina, Olshanka, Bobylevka, Rogoznoye, Miropolye, and Pokrovka (Sumy region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 225 troops, 15 motor vehicles, a Czech-made Vampire MLRS, and an electronic warfare station. Two ammunition depots and seven materiel depots were neutralised. As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Drobyshevo (Donetsk People's Republic). Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and one national guard brigade close to Prishib, Yatskovka, Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic), Volchiy Yar, Borovaya, and Novoosinovo (Kharkov region). The enemy losses amounted to up to 180 troops, five armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, and one artillery gun. One electronic warfare station and four ammunition depots were neutralised. Units of the Yuzhnaya Group of Forces liberated Reznikovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Strikes were launched at formations of two mechanised brigades, a mountain assault brigade, an assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade near Alekseyevo-Dryzhkovka, Shabelkovka, Nikiforovka, Konstantinovka, Ray-Aleksandrovka, and Druzhkovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy has lost more than 135 troops, U.S.-made Stryker and M113 armoured personnel carriers, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and a Czech-made Vampire MLRS. Five depots storing materiel and fuel were neutralised. The Tsentr Group's elements took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops engaged manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, two jaeger brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two National Guard brigades close to Novoaleksandrovka, Lenina, Belitskoye, Novy Donbass, Novopavlovka, Novonikolayevka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Novogrigorovka (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 320 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, and 16 motor vehicles. Three field artillery guns, an electronic warfare station, and six ammunition depots were neutralised. The Vostok Group's units continued to advance to the depths of the enemy's defence. They hit units of a mechanised brigade, an assault brigade, an air assault brigade, three assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a marine brigade near Komsomolskoye, Lyubitskoye, Zelenaya Dibrova, Barvinovka, and Verkhnyaya Tersa (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 340 troops, five armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, and an artillery gun. The Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of a heavy mechanised brigade and a mountain assault brigade of the AFU close to Malokaterinovka and Kamyshevakha (Zaporozhye region). Up to 60 Ukrainian troops, nine motor vehicles, a field artillery gun, two electronic warfare stations, and four ammunition and materiel depots have been neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian groups of forces have inflicted damage on energy infrastructure facilities used for the interests of the Ukrainian defence industry; ammunition storage and production facilities, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 146 areas. Air defence systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, two Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 679 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. The Black Sea Fleet eliminated three uncrewed surface vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost 670 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 119,020 unmanned aerial vehicles, 651 anti-aircraft missile systems, 27,978 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,680 MLRS combat vehicles, 33,571 field artillery guns and mortars, and 55,642 support military vehicles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Product of Concern Summit for Collins class sustainment The Hon Pat Conroy MP Minister for Defence Industry Minister for Pacific Island Affairs 2 March 2026 The Albanese Government held its fourth Product of Concern Summit in Canberra today to support the sustainment of Australia's Collins class submarines. Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, convened the summit alongside Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, and senior representatives from government and industry. Since being listed as a Product of Concern in December 2024, Defence and the contractor, ASC Pty Ltd, have developed a remediation plan for the sustainment of the Collins class. This plan will ensure Collins class submarines remain among the most capable conventionally powered submarines in the world. Since the revitalisation of Defence's Projects and Products of Concern process in 2022, the Albanese Government has strengthened the oversight and remediation of defence projects. Remediation is being achieved through targeted workforce initiatives, process improvements and productivity reform. The Product of Concern framework continues to play a crucial role in driving cooperation, accountability and sustained action across government and industry. This is the twelfth Project of Concern Summit since May 2022. Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy: "I was pleased to convene the fourth Product of Concern summit for the Collins class submarine fleet today. This process helps ensure Australia has a highly-capable conventional submarine fleet for many years to come, and as we transition to nuclear-powered submarines. "By bringing Defence and industry together on a regular basis, we maintain oversight and transparency of the capabilities required by the Australian Defence Force to preserve peace and deter conflict. "The Product of Concern framework, which was revitalised by the Albanese Government, provides a structured forum to collaborate and agree on remediation activities to support Collins class submarine sustainment outcomes." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Anand met with India's External Affairs Minister Global Affairs Canada Readout March 2, 2026 - New Delhi, India - Global Affairs Canada Yesterday, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's Minister of External Affairs, during her visit to India with Prime Minister Mark Carney. During their sixth meeting since September 2025, Minister Anand and Minister Jaishankar discussed the progress made on the joint road map for Canada-India relations that was announced in October 2025. Minister Anand emphasized Canada's commitment to implementing the road map priorities, including deepening trade, energy, and people-to-people ties, and welcomed recent progress in the ongoing dialogue on security and law enforcement. Minister Anand thanked Minister Jaishankar for his warm hospitality, noting that Canada and India's renewed strategic partnership holds promise to advance shared security and prosperity in the relationship between the two countries that dates back more than 75 years. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM responds to US reported plans for AI-powered cyber reconnaissance against China Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 05:21 PM When asked to comment on reports that the US Department of War is discussing partnerships with several leading tech companies to use AI to enable automated reconnaissance of key infrastructure such as China's power facilities and sensitive networks, in preparation for potential cyberattacks in the event of a conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that, "We have noted relevant reports. The US has long been the biggest source of instability in cyberspace. Even long before the development of AI, it had already carried out cyberattacks and pre-positioned malware against China's critical infrastructure." The US government also requires major tech companies to directly serve US geopolitical, political and military objectives, which has had a serious impact globally. "China has explicitly lodged serious concerns with the US side through various channels. We will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard our own cybersecurity," the spokesperson added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on March 2, 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: March 02, 2026 18:27 Xinhua News Agency: Since U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on February 28, U.S. military targets in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan have been under attack, which is condemned by relevant countries. What is China's comment? Mao Ning: The U.S.-Israeli strikes have no UN Security Council authorization and violate international law. China is deeply concerned over the regional spillover. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should likewise be fully respected. We urge parties to stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. China commends the statement by the 50th Extraordinary Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council that reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as the sole path to overcome the current crisis and preserve regional security. In light of the complex and delicate situation, China supports regional countries in valuing good-neighborliness, enhancing communication and coordination and jointly working for peace and stability in the region. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting: On the strikes against Iran by the U.S. and Israel, China has taken a very strong position. I wanna ask China as a major global power with a veto power in the UN Security Council and a strategic partner of Iran, how can China play a role in preventing the U.S. from carrying out unilateral actions, such as assassinating leaders of sovereign countries? Mao Ning: China is deeply concerned over the current situation. China firmly opposes the use of force in international relations or infringement on other countries' sovereignty and security. The priority now is to immediately stop military operations and prevent the spread and spillover of the conflict. China stands ready to work with the international community to call for peace and stop the conflict, resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations, and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large. Anadolu Agency: It's been reported that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is blocking the transit of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf because of the conflict. One-fifth of the world's oil and LNG supplies as well as a large amount of China's oil imports go across this Strait before reaching destinations. How do you think this de facto blockade of the Strait might affect China's imports and energy security in general? Mao Ning: The Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters are an important international trade route for goods and energy. To keep the region secure and stable serves the common interests of the international community. China urges relevant parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further escalation of the tense situation and prevent regional turmoil from causing greater damage to global economic growth. CCTV: Amid the severe security situation in Iran, Chinese embassies and consulates in relevant countries have issued security alerts and evacuation advisories. What other measures will China take to further protect Chinese citizens in Iran? Mao Ning: Since the security situation in Iran turned tense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese diplomatic missions in Iran have issued alerts more than once. They have worked in various ways to call on Chinese citizens to evacuate as soon as possible and offer them assistance. As of March 2, Beijing time, over 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran. Chinese diplomatic missions in Iran's neighboring countries have sent working groups to receive and assist the evacuated Chinese citizens at border ports. Given the severe security situation in Iran, we once again advise the Chinese citizens in Iran to take extra safety precautions and leave Iran as soon as possible. If any help is needed, please contact the Chinese embassy and consulate in Iran or dial consular protection hotline 12308. AFP: The Foreign Ministry of China confirmed yesterday that a Chinese national was injured in the attacks. Could you give us more details about this person, including where it happened? Mao Ning: China mourns for our fellow citizen who lost his life when caught in the military conflict in Tehran. We extend sympathies to the family of the victim. The Foreign Ministry has directed the Chinese embassy in Iran to provide assistance to those affected and their families. Anadolu Agency: Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in his phone conversation with Russian counterpart Lavrov, called on the international community to make clear and unequivocal voice in opposing the regression of the world to the law of the jungle. By which means should such a message be given? Mao Ning: China has made its position clear more than once. With the support of China and Russia, the U.N. Security Council met in emergency session yesterday on the current situation in Iran. China stands ready to work with other parties to speak up for justice at the UN, the SCO and other platforms and uphold international fairness and justice. Shenzhen TV: It's been reported that the U.S. Department of War was in talks with leading AI companies about partnerships to conduct automated reconnaissance of China's power grids, utilities and sensitive networks with AI-powered cyber tools to identify flaws that could be exploited in any conflict. What's China's comment? Mao Ning: We have noted reports on this. The U.S. has long been the leading source of instability in cyberspace. It had been conducting cyber attacks and prepositioning against China's key infrastructure even before the development of AI. The U.S. government even asks major tech companies to directly serve U.S. geopolitical, political and military targets, a move that has grave global impact. The Chinese side has made clear its deep concern to the U.S. side through multiple channels and will ensure China's cyber security with all measures necessary. Bloomberg: U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he'll visit China later this month. Do you have any details about that visit? Does it appear to your side that this will go ahead? Mao Ning: China and the U.S. are in communication regarding interactions between the two heads of state. As for your specific question, I have no information to share at the moment. Anadolu Agency: Another question about the phone call between Chinese and Russian foreign ministers. Are China and Russia considering providing military support to Iran if the country requests such a support? Was that possibility discussed during the call? Mao Ning: On the phone conversation between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, China has released a readout. I have no more information to add. NHK: The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran and Iran's supreme leader Khamenei was killed. What is China's reaction to this? Mao Ning: The attack and killing of Iran's supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large. Global Times: Foreign media recently reported that Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase the CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missile. If delivered, the missiles would be among the most advanced military hardware to be transferred to Iran by China in recent years. Can you confirm this? Mao Ning: The report is not true. As a responsible major country, China always abides by its international obligations. China opposes ill-intentioned association and the spread of disinformation, and hopes relevant sides will choose the course of action conducive to deescalating the tense situation. AFP: Another question on Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has said yesterday that this war in Iran could last for four weeks. So what's China's reaction and what's your message to the U.S. president? Mao Ning: China has stated its position more than once. We urge parties to immediately stop the military operations, prevent further escalation of the tense situation and make joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large. Anadolu Agency: Did China have any contacts with the U.S. side during or just before this military operation? Mao Ning: What I can tell you is that China was not notified about the U.S.'s military operations beforehand. Beijing Youth Daily: It's reported that on February 27 local time, a Bolivian military plane crashed onto a busy avenue near the capital city, La Paz. The incident killed over 20 people and injured dozens. What's China's comment? Mao Ning: We noted relevant reports. China expresses deep condolences over the lives lost in the incident and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured, and wishes the injured a speedy recovery. NPR: You said that China calls for a cessation of the fighting in Iran and the attack. What else can be done? Does the United Nations have a role that should be played here? Are you calling for another Security Council meeting or some other type of multilateral effort? Mao Ning: The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting with the support of China and Russia to discuss the current situation. We support the Security Council in continuing to play its due role and we hope relevant parties will stop the military operations at once and avoid further escalation. EFE: The PLA Navy hospital ship Silk Road Ark docked last week in Valparaiso, Chile, as part of its "Harmony-2025" medical deployment, but Chilean health authorities did not authorize the planned free medical services on board, citing regulatory requirements. In light of this, does China plan to review the procedures of its overseas medical and humanitarian missions to avoid similar situations in the future? Mao Ning: I'd refer you to competent authorities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Weighs Its Options As Iran Strikes Upend The Middle East By Reid Standish March 02, 2026 China has escalated its diplomatic rhetoric following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while moving cautiously to navigate disruption to global oil markets and the threat of broader instability in the Middle East. Since the United States and Israel launched coordinated air strikes on Iran on February 28, Beijing has ramped up its diplomatic response, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning calling the joint strikes a violation of international law and telling reporters during a March 2 press briefing that China is deeply concerned about spillover effects on neighboring countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also urged Gulf countries to unite to oppose external interference to "keep their future and destiny in their own hands," according to a readout from a phone call with his Omani counterpart. In another call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Wang said he believed Iran could maintain national and social stability as well as attach importance to the legitimate concerns of its neighbors. That follows a statement from Mao a day earlier where she said the military strikes "trample UN Charter principles and basic norms of international relations" as Wang looked to coordinate with emergency UN Security Council responses with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "China is the world's largest energy importer and largest importer of oil. This can't not impact Beijing," Joseph Webster, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center, told RFE/RL. The strikes on Iran and Tehran's unprecedented response with missiles and drones across the region underscore the risks that an expanded war in the Middle East could pose to Beijing. Over the past decade, Beijing has steadily broadened its economic reach and diplomatic presence across the Middle East, with Iran becoming a key partner as China's most reliable anti-Western bulwark and a source of deeply discounted oil. In return, Beijing has become Tehran's largest trading partner and an increasingly important source of technology and security cooperation, making it vital to Iran's ability to withstand Western pressure. But faced with the prospect of energy and security instability in the region, analysts say China's main play is to position itself as a diplomatic counterweight to US military action against Iran while aiming to avoid triumphalist messaging that could complicate US President Donald Trump's planned visit to Beijing in early April. "Beijing would love to see the United States bloodied and embarrassed by this conflict, but a huge conflict in the Middle East could also upend their calculus and insert lots of uncertainty that they don't want," Webster said. "The Chinese don't want to derail the Trump-Xi meeting and feel they have a good hand to play ahead of it." Calculating The Energy Shock More than 80 percent of Iranian oil exports go to China, making it the foundation of China-Iran relations in recent years with trade operating through barter arrangements involving discounted Iranian oil exchanged for Chinese goods, technology, and infrastructure investment. Roughly 12 percent of China's oil imports come from Iran, although estimates are imprecise given that Iranian oil flows through a shadow fleet of disguised vessels and is bought through financial networks that avoid the traditional banking system. Following the US-Israeli strikes, oil prices have surged, leaving much of the world bracing for the economic fallout of an extended regional war analysts at some leading investment banks like Barclays and JP Morgan saying that a prolonged conflict could send oil prices up to $100 a barrel. As the regime fights for survival, it could seek to weaponize oil flows, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's key chokepoints for energy. So far, Iran has avoided large-scale attacks on regional energy infrastructure, although falling debris from targeted Iranian drones hit Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery on March 2. Israel and the United States have also so far refrained from targeting Iran's oil infrastructure. Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is exported at sea, is coming under pressure, with Qatar announcing it will stop LNG production linked to the giant North Field gas reservoir, the world's top plant, following an attack on its facilities. The news sent prices rising sharply. Some energy shipments have paused, largely due to insurers withdrawing coverage and early US Navy advisories. Trump said the military operation could "take four weeks -- or less," which could be long enough to cause a disruption. Webster says Iran will be cautious to fully disrupt oil supplies traveling to its partner in Beijing. Tehran and Saudi Arabia also had increased oil exports by nearly 10 percent in the month of February. China has also been taking steps to insulate itself from energy shocks in the Middle East. According to Kpler, a commodity intelligence firm, Chinese refineries have stockpiled between 1.2 and 1.4 billion barrels of oil as of the end of 2025, which could last up to three months. Beijing also diversifies its oil imports to prevent being overly dependent on one source, with Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Malaysia also being top suppliers. Webster says it remains to be seen how much pain China will endure when it comes to the flow of oil. In addition to its growing reserves, the country has been investing heavily in electric vehicles, which is limiting demand at home. A July study by the Rhodium Group estimated that China's growing electric vehicle fleet is reducing oil demand by more than 1 million barrels per day. That level is likely to rise further by around 600,000 barrels per day over the next year. Positioning For Leverage As China navigates the new uncertainty in the Middle East, analysts say it will have its sights set on the upcoming summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. That multiday meeting is expected to cover a range of issues from security around Taiwan to microchips exports to trade. With both leaders invested in the visit, Trump and Xi are looking to move cautiously as the situation in the Middle East escalates around Iran. "It's too early to say how the chips will fall, but the Chinese are watching things very carefully and being pragmatic," Theresa Fallon, director of the Center for Russia Europe Asia Studies, told RFE/RL. "After Venezuela and now Iran, this may give the United States some added leverage ahead of the April meeting." But Fallon added that US moves in Venezuela and Iran also risk normalizing behavior that could eventually undermine American interests. China may also be waiting until after US-Israeli military action subsides to consolidate its position in the Middle East and with Iran. Webster also notes that Beijing's ties with Arab states in the region far surpass Iran in terms of foreign investment and as suppliers of oil to China. "China's interests tilt more toward the Arab states than Iran," he said. "They supply oil and are major markets for all the green energy technologies that China sells." Beijing largely views Tehran as a useful partner in its long-term effort to dilute Western influence and could be placed to have even greater influence over Iran following the current military strikes. "The weaker the Iranian regime gets, whether from US or Israeli military strikes or domestic unrest, the more diplomatically, economically, and technologically dependent on China it will become," said a report by the UK-based think tank Chatham House that was released days before the strikes. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-china-israel-us-strikes-middle- east-oil-energy-xi-trump/33692214.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 Joint declaration of President Macron and Chancellor Merz. Elysee - President of France Posted on 2 March 2026 In the spirit of their close partnership as set out in Article 4 of the Treaty of Aachen, France and Germany have decided to enter into closer cooperation in the field of deterrence in response to the evolving threat landscape. France and Germany have established a high-ranking nuclear steering group that will act as a bilateral framework for doctrinal dialogue and the coordination of strategic cooperation, including consultations regarding the appropriate mix of conventional, missile defence and French nuclear capabilities. France and Germany have agreed to take first concrete steps beginning this year, including German conventional participation in French nuclear exercises and joint visits to strategic sites as well as development of conventional capabilities with European partners. France and Germany will also increase their ability, as Europeans, to manage escalation beneath the nuclear threshold - in particular in the fields of Early Warning and Air Defense and Deep Precision Strike. This Franco-German cooperation is based on the shared understanding that the nuclear dimension of deterrence remains a cornerstone of European security, relying on US extended deterrence, including US nuclear weapons forward-deployed to Europe, and on the independent strategic nuclear forces of France and the United Kingdom, which have a deterrent role of their own and contribute significantly to the overall security of the Alliance. This Franco-German cooperation will add to, not substitute for, NATO's nuclear deterrence and NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements, to which Germany contributes and will continue to contribute. France and Germany will continue to comply with their obligations under international law including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In light of their strong commitment to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and Art. 42 (7) of the Treaty on European Union, Franco-German cooperation aims at strengthening the systems of collective security both countries belong to. It aims at enhancing Europe's security as a whole. Special attention will be given to coordination with the United States, the United Kingdom, other Allies and NATO. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister speaks with the King of Jordan India - Press Information Bureau Prime Minister's Office Posted On: 02 MAR 2026 9:45PM by PIB Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. The Prime Minister conveyed deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. He reaffirmed support for the peace, security, and well-being of the people of Jordan. The Prime Minister also thanked His Majesty for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour. The Prime Minister shared on X; "Spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. Conveyed our deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. We reaffirm our support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan. I thanked him for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour." *** MJPS/PRK (Release ID: 2234783) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister holds discussions with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia India - Press Information Bureau Prime Minister's Office Posted On: 02 MAR 2026 7:50PM by PIB Delhi Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held discussions with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. The two leaders discussed the evolving situation in West Asia. Prime Minister Modi strongly condemned the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, noting that they are in violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both leaders agreed that the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability is of utmost importance. The Prime Minister thanked His Royal Highness for looking after the well-being of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia during these difficult times. The Prime Minister shared on X: " Discussed the evolving situation in West Asia with Crown Prince and PM of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman. India condemns the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia in violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that earliest restoration of regional peace and stability is of utmost importance. I thanked him for looking after the well-being of the Indian community in these difficult times." *** MJPS/PRK (Release ID: 2234682) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Prime Minister speaks with the Prime Minister of Israel India - Press Information Bureau Prime Minister's Office Posted On: 02 MAR 2026 7:20AM by PIB Delhi Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss the current regional situation. During the call, the Prime Minister conveyed India's concerns regarding recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. The Prime Minister Modi further reiterated India's position on the need for an early cessation of hostilities. *** MJPS/Dr. Pavan Khedkar (Release ID: 2234324) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran strikes 'squandered a chance for diplomacy': Guterres 28 February 2026 - "Everything must be done" to prevent wider escalation of war across the Middle East following joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran, and retaliatory action from Tehran targeting multiple countries in the region, the UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Saturday. Antonio Guterres described the day's events as a grave threat to international peace and security, urging the international community to unite and pull the entire region "back from the brink". Mr. Guterres reminded the council that Article Two of the UN Charter states that all Member States "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State," and that international law and international humanitarian law must always be respected. The military action that has embroiled countries across the Middle East, continued the UN chief, carries the risk of "igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world." 'Return to the negotiating table' The Secretary-General reiterated that lasting peace can only be achieved through peaceful means, including genuine dialogue and negotiations, and noted that the joint military operation by Israel and the United States occurred following indirect talks between the US and Iran mediated by Oman, "squandering an opportunity for diplomacy". Calling for de-escalation and an immediate cessation of hostilities, Mr. Guterres strongly urged all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table, notably on the future of Iran's nuclear programme. "I call on all Member States to strictly uphold their obligations under international law, including the UN Charter, to respect and protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and to ensure nuclear safety," he declared. France: 'We need Iran to respect its international obligations' Jerome Bonnafont of France called for Iran to respect its international obligations, stressing that adherence to international law is "a condition for long-term security in the region and world." Ambassador Bonnafont said that Iran has not taken the opportunity to conclude a nuclear agreement but has instead reduced its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Russia: 'Another unprovoked act of armed aggression' Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the US-Israeli strikes were "yet another unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent Member State, in violation of the UN Charter and international law." This "reckless step," he said, has led to a sharp escalation across the region, which he described as a "betrayal of diplomacy". China: Territorial integrity of Iran 'must be respected' China's Ambassador Fu Cong described the US-Israeli strikes as "brazen", condemning the threat of force to settle any international dispute - and calling for the "sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other regional countries to be respected." Expressing sadness at the large loss of civilian life during Saturday's strikes, Ambassador Fu called on all parties to fulfil their obligations under international law and an immediate cessation of military action. He said it was "shocking" that the US-Israeli attacks had come in the middle of diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran. United States: 'Persistent aggression' could not be ignored Ambassador Mike Waltz of the United States said that the strikes on Iran were directed towards dismantling its ballistic missile capabilities, degrading naval assets being used to destabilise international waters and disrupt the machinery that arms proxy militias. The aim, he continued, is to ensure that "the Iranian regime can never, ever threaten the world with a nuclear weapon." "No responsible nation can ignore persistent aggression and violence." he warned, adding that Iran's continued pursuit of advanced missile capabilities, coupled with its refusal to abandon nuclear ambitions - despite diplomatic opportunities - represents "a grave and mounting danger". UK: Regional stability 'a priority' "This is a fragile moment for the Middle East," said Ambassador James Kariuki of the United Kingdom, Council President for February. "Regional stability remains a priority," he said, adding that UK forces are active and its planes are in the sky as part of "coordinated regional defensive operations", in line with international law. "We want to see the swiftest possible resolution that ensures security and stability for the region," he continued, urging Iran to refrain from further strikes and its "appalling" behaviour to allow a path back to diplomacy. Iran: Strikes 'devoid of legal foundation' "This morning, the United States regime - jointly and in coordination with the Israeli regime - initiated an unprovoked and premeditated aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran for the second time in recent months," said Iran's Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani. "This is not only an act of aggression; it is a war crime and a crime against humanity," he insisted, accusing the US and Israel of deliberately attacking civilian populated areas in multiple large cities. "The invocation to 'pre-emptive attack,' claims of imminent threat, or other unsubstantiated political claims, are unfounded legally, morally and politically," Mr. Iravani continued, categorically rejecting the assertions made by the representatives of France, the UK and other Western representatives regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear programme. Israel: Attacks 'an act of necessity' Israel's strikes on Iran, said Ambassador Danny Danon, took place to stop "an existential threat before it became irreversible." His country had acted out of necessity because the regime left no reasonable alternative, building nuclear weapons in disregard for international law, murdering its own citizens and crushing dissent, expanding missile arsenals and arming proxies across the region - all while declaring its intention to erase Israel from the map. Ambassador Danon said Tehran had been required to stop enriching uranium and to allow full inspections but did not do so. "They were building the means to force an irreversible reality with our backs against the wall. That is not a future Israel will accept." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranians deserve a better future Germany - Federal Government Press statement by Federal Chancellor Merz on the situation in the Middle East The USA and Israel have been conducting massive military strikes against Iran since Saturday. Chancellor Merz is in close contact with European partners, Israel and partners in the region. He will discuss the developments with US President Trump in Washington on Tuesday. Transcript of press conference Sunday, 1 March 2026 The National Security Council, chaired by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, met in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the situation in the Middle East. The German government leaves no doubt as to its position on the Iranian regime: "The mullah regime is a regime of terror that is responsible for the decades-long oppression of the Iranian people," said Chancellor Merz. The regime threatened Israel's existence, was responsible for the terror of Hamas and Hezbollah, and its nuclear and missile programmes threatened peace and security, said the Chancellor. Germany thus shares the USA's interest in stopping this regime's terror and halting its dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament. The aim of the military strikes was to end the destructive game of a weakened regime. However, this was not without risk, said Merz. He also emphasised: Germany wants to contribute to a new order of peace and stability in the Middle East. Statement by Federal Chancellor Merz on the situation in the Middle East: Ladies and gentlemen, a warm welcome to all of you even though it's a Sunday. In recent days and weeks, we have witnessed an unprecedented number of wars and upheaval both around the world and in our neighborhood. The lines of conflict are becoming increasingly blurred. Existing rules, including those of international law, are disregarded more and more. As you know, the United States of America and Israel have been carrying out massive military strikes against Iran since yesterday. Based on everything we know, numerous prominent representatives of the Iranian regime have been killed, including the religious leader Ali Khamenei. This marks a turning point into an uncertain future. I will discuss all of these developments with President Trump in Washington on Tuesday. I am in close contact with our partners in Europe, Israel, and throughout the region, especially these last few hours. Today, Sunday, the National Security Council met under my leadership. We received a comprehensive situational assessment by our different government departments and services, to the extent that this is available. The Federal Government has also taken steps today and yesterday to provide the best possible support to German vacationers and travelers in the region. Here in Germany, we are doing everything we can to ensure public safety. This applies in particular to the protection of Jewish, Israeli, and American institutions. We will not tolerate antisemitic or anti-American attacks on German soil. We have agreed on a common position of the Federal Government on developments in Iran. The Federal Government leaves no doubt where we stand on the Iranian regime. The mullah regime is a terrorist regime responsible for decades of oppression of the Iranian people. Thousands of people fell victim to this regime during the demonstrations at the beginning of the year alone. The regime threatens the very existence of the State of Israel and is responsible for Hamas' and Hezbollah's terrorism. Finally, Iran's nuclear and missile programs threaten peace and security. Iran's indiscriminate attacks on neighboring countries and the Gulf states are destabilizing the entire region. Its collaboration with terrorist organizations endangers our allies and ourselves. The same applies to Iran's systematic support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The German government therefore shares the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end. We share the interest of the United States and Israel in seeing an end to this regime's terror and its dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament. The military strikes are intended to put an end to the destructive game being played by a weakened regime. This is not without risk. We do not know how far the region will be dragged into escalation by Iran's harsh counterstrikes. We take the concerns of our partners in Iran's immediate neighborhood in the Gulf and in Europe very seriously. Therefore, we call on Tehran to immediately end these indiscriminate attacks. After all, it is unclear whether the plan to bring about political change from within through military strikes from outside will work. Iran's internal dynamics are difficult to understand. Comparisons with Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya certainly only apply in part. However, they demonstrate the real risks in the medium term. We in Europe and Germany would also have to bear the consequences. The German government is drawing clear conclusions from this for our own actions. Categorizing the events under international law will have relatively little effect. This is especially true when these classifications remain largely inconsequential. Over the years and decades, appeals from Europe, including Germany, condemning Iran's violations of international law, and even extensive packages of sanctions have had little effect. This is also due to the fact we were not prepared to enforce fundamental interests with military force if necessary. Therefore, this is not the time to lecture our partners and allies. Despite our reservations, we share many of their goals without being able to actually achieve them ourselves. As the German government, we intend to take action where we can, together with our partners in the United States, Israel, the region, and Europe. Even though we cannot yet foresee what the future will look like, we want to develop an agenda with Iran for that "day after". This is also a signal of hope to the courageous Iranian people, who deserve a better future for their country. We are guided by four key principles. First, we aim to contribute to the establishment of a new order of peace and stability in the Middle East, an order where all neighbors recognize Israel's right to exist and its right to security without any conditions. Second, we want to continue working toward a binding agreement that commits Iran to permanently ending both its military nuclear and its ballistic missile programs. Third, in return, we want to do our part to help Iran stabilize and get back on its feet economically. Europe will be a key factor to make this a success. Finally, fourth, we want to support the Iranian people in determining their own destiny by their own free will and contributing to a stable and peaceful regional order. The German government's view of developments in Iran is shaped by our own geopolitical vulnerability. Russia's war against Ukraine is in no way inferior to the injustices of the Iranian regime. Moscow's invasion of a peaceful neighbor is just as unjustifiable as Tehran's war of terror against Israel. That is why the German government is also doing everything in its power to achieve a just peace for Ukraine. As you probably know, Germany is currently Kyiv's strongest supporter. We appreciate the important negotiating work being done here by the United States of America under President Trump, and we would like to see even closer transatlantic cooperation. We want this cooperation at the negotiating table with Russia as well. We want it in our efforts to use pressure and sanctions to persuade Russia to compromise during the negotiations. Anyone who wants security, peace, and justice in the Middle East must also want them in Europe. This is why the German government is providing the majority of the support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's aggression, as part of the transatlantic burden-sharing. This is why we are not lecturing our partners on their military strikes against Iran. We want to work with them to establish a peaceful order grounded in the necessary degree of realism, both in the Middle East and in Europe. Thank you very much. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Statement on Agenda item 1 at Extraordinary Board of Governors - International Atomic Energy Agency European External Action Service (EEAS) 02.03.2026 Vienna Press and information team of the Delegation to UN and OSCE in Vienna Chair, 1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. 2. The European Union thanks the Director General for his update. 3. The European Union follows developments in Iran and the Middle East with utmost concern. The European Union has adopted extensive sanctions in response to the actions of Iranian authorities, whether their brutal repression and human rights violations against the Iranian people or threats to the region and to European and international security, through Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, and its support for armed groups in the Middle East. We will continue to protect EU security and interests, including through additional sanctions. The European Union has consistently urged Iran to end Iran's nuclear programme, curb its ballistic missile programme, refrain from destabilizing activities in the region and in Europe, and to cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people. 4. We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter, and international humanitarian law. The Middle East stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war. Iran's attacks and violation of sovereignty of a number of countries in the region are inexcusable. Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We express our solidarity with partners in the region that have been attacked or affected. We reiterate our commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life. 5. We remain in close contact with partners in the region to contribute to de-escalation and reaffirm the steadfast commitment of the European Union and its member states to safeguarding regional security and stability. The European Union will continue to contribute to all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and to bring about a lasting solution to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Full cooperation by Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency as well as adherence to Iran's legal obligations under Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement are crucial, and nuclear safety is a critical priority. Preservation of maritime security and respect of freedom of navigation are also of utmost importance. 6. The EU and its member states are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of EU citizens in the region, including by activating the EU Civil Protection Mechanism if necessary. The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, also in the economic sphere. The disruption of critical waterways, like the Strait of Hormuz, must be avoided. The EU reiterates its solidarity with the Iranian people and strongly supports their fundamental aspirations for a future where their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected. Mr. Chair, 7. We have always been clear that Iran must never be allowed to develop or acquire a nuclear weapon and that it must comply with its legally binding obligations under the NPT. We have repeatedly urged Iran to seriously address the long-lasting concerns of the international community regarding the nature of its nuclear programme. We call for a resumption of negotiations and urge all sides to seek a negotiated solution. The European Union, including through the efforts of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, will continue to contribute to all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and to bring about a lasting negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Full cooperation by Iran with the IAEA as well as adherence to Iran's legal obligations under the NPT and its Safeguards Agreement are crucial. Ensuring nuclear safety, security and physical protection, and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance. We reiterate our full support for the Agency's professional, independent and impartial work and are grateful that the Agency continues to monitor the situation. Thank you, Chair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM Wang Yi holds phone talks with Iranian, French, Omani counterparts as US-Israel military operation enters 3rd day Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 11:15 PM Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held phone conversations separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi as the military operation launched by the US and Israel on Iran entered its third day. The readout statements of the three phone calls were released on the website of the Chinese foreign ministry. Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest developments in the regional situation, stating that the US has launched war against Iran for the second time during Iran-US talks. The current round of talks had made positive progress, but US actions violate all international law and trample on Iran's red lines. Iran has no choice but to defend itself with all its strength. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told his Iranian counterpart that China values the traditional friendship between China and Iran and supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity. Wang said that China has urged the US and Israel to immediately cease military actions, prevent further escalation of tensions and avoid the spread of the conflict throughout the Middle East. China believes that Iran will be able to maintain national and social stability in the current challenging and complex situation, address the legitimate concerns of neighboring countries, and ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and institutions in Iran. Araghchi said that Iran is committed to fully safeguarding the security of Chinese personnel and institutions. Barrot in the phone call outlined the French side's view of the current situation in the Middle East, stressing that France and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear special responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security. The US and Israel did not seek the Security Council's views on their military actions against Iran, nor did they receive Security Council's authorization. All parties should now work together to de-escalate the situation and resolve issues such as Iran's nuclear program through negotiations. China maintains good relations with both Iran and countries in the Gulf region, and France looks forward to working with China to play a positive role in easing tensions and cooling the situation in the region. Wang, for his part, reiterated China's principled position, emphasizing that the international community should resist any actions that violate international law and should not apply double standards. Major powers should not use their military advantages to arbitrarily attack other countries, and the world must not revert to the law of the jungle. Wang said that the Iranian nuclear issue ultimately needs to return to a path of political and diplomatic resolution. China hopes that France will maintain an objective and fair stance, keep a calm and rational attitude, and work with China to promote de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East and jointly uphold the basic norms of international relations. The Omani foreign minister said that, with Oman's mediation, the Iran-US talks had made unprecedented progress, but it was regrettable that the US and Israel abandoned the achievements already made in the negotiations and launched a war. If this war continues, it will lead to more casualties and property losses. All parties should work together to promote an early ceasefire and end the fighting. Wang said that China appreciates Oman's active mediation efforts to promote negotiations between Iran and the US, and recognizes the significant efforts Oman has made to maintain regional peace. Against the backdrop of progress in Iran-US negotiations, the US and Israel have deliberately instigated a war against Iran, which clearly violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, Wang said. China believes that the urgent priority is to immediately halt military actions, prevent the further spread of the conflict, and avoid the situation from deteriorating to an irreversible point, Wang said. Wang said that China urges all parties to make joint efforts in this regard, supporting Oman in staying true to its original intention and continuing its peace facilitation efforts. China is also willing to play a constructive role, including advocating for justice on the UN Security Council platform, striving for peace and preventing war. China values the legitimate concerns of Gulf countries and supports them in safeguarding their sovereignty and national security, Wang said, adding that the spillover of war does not serve the fundamental and long-term interests of the Gulf countries. China hopes that Gulf countries will strengthen their independence and autonomy, oppose foreign interference, develop good-neighborly relations, enhance unity and cooperation, and truly take control of their own future and destiny. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM affirms support to Iran in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity Global Times By Xinhua Published: Mar 02, 2026 08:55 PM Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that China values the traditional friendship between China and Iran and supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM spokesperson on US military strikes against Iran to last 4 weeks: 'we urge all parties to cease military actions' Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 04:23 PM China has made its position clear multiple times. We urge all parties concerned to immediately cease military actions, prevent further escalation of tensions, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at Monday's press conference, when asked to comment on the US President Donald Trump's remarks that military strikes against Iran could last for four weeks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM spokesperson vows enhanced measures to protect Chinese citizens in Iran as situation evolves Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 04:07 PM Since the tense security situation in Iran began, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy and consulates in Iran have issued multiple reminders and carried out work in various forms, calling on and assisting Chinese citizens to evacuate as soon as possible, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference on Monday, in response to media inquiry over the measures that China would take in the next stage to protect Chinese citizens in Iran. As of March 2, more than 3,000 Chinese citizens have evacuated from Iran. Chinese embassies and consulates in countries neighboring Iran have dispatched work groups to border crossings to provide assistance to Chinese citizens evacuating from Iran, Mao said. In light of the current situation in Iran, we once again solemnly remind Chinese citizens in Iran to strengthen personal precautions, evacuate safely as soon as possible, and contact the Chinese Embassy or consulates in Iran or dial the 12308 consular protection hotline if assistance is needed, the spokesperson noted. Speaking at the press conference, Mao confirmed that a Chinese citizen in Tehran had unfortunately been killed amid the ongoing military conflicts. "We express our condolences for the deceased compatriot and our sympathies to the family," Mao said. The Chinese Embassy in Iran has been instructed to provide assistance to the individual involved and the family, she said. In addition, the Chinese Embassy in Israel on Sunday issued a notice regarding the registration for relocation and evacuation of Chinese nationals in Israel after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Multiple embassies in the Middle East, including those in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iraq, have issued notices for Chinese nationals who seek to evacuate from Iran to these countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM urges all parties to cease military actions, prevent further escalation of conflict in Middle East Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 03:47 PM The US and Israel carried out military strikes against Iran without authorization from the UN Security Council, which violates the international law. China is deeply concerned about the spillover of the conflict affecting neighboring countries. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Gulf countries should also be fully respected. We urge all parties to cease military actions and prevent further escalation of the conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, in response to a question on that since the US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, US military targets in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan have been attacked, which relevant countries have issued statements to condemn. Mao said China appreciates that the extraordinary meeting of the GCC foreign ministers emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to overcome the current crisis and safeguard regional security. Given the complex and sensitive situation in the region, China supports regional countries in strengthening communication and coordination in the spirit of good-neighborliness and friendship, and jointly working toward regional peace and stability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM refutes reports on Iran-China supersonic anti ship missile deal, dismisses claims as untrue and opposes malicious hype Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 02, 2026 04:15 PM When asked to confirm foreign media reports that Iran and China are close to reaching an agreement on the purchase of CM-302 supersonic anti ship missiles, which, if delivered, would be among the most advanced weapons China has provided to Iran in recent years, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference on Monday that the relevant reports are not true. Mao said as a responsible major country, China has always fulfilled its international obligations, adding that China opposes malicious association and hype, and hopes relevant parties will do more to help ease tensions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Published: 02.03.2026 On Sunday, 1 March 2026, during an extraordinary meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council, convened by EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, to address the situation in Iran and the Middle East, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, stated: "Iran has consistently and deliberately acted to disrupt stability both in the Middle East and globally, including by providing direct assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine. Iran has supplied Russia with more than 50,000 Shahed drones, the same ones it is currently using to attack countries in the Middle East. Weapons and technology built by Iran have helped kill thousands of innocent Ukrainians. Just like Russia in Ukraine, Iran is presently carrying out terrorist attacks against innocent civilians in the Persian Gulf countries. Iran has repeatedly violated its international commitments and posed a threat to global peace and security. For decades, Iran has supported, armed, financed, and trained terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The Iranian regime has openly maintained its unlawful nuclear programme despite repeated diplomatic efforts by the EU, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Iran has been extensively involved in circumventing sanctions. Latvia stands in full solidarity with the Iranian people. Latvia strongly condemns Iran's unprovoked attacks on countries in the Middle East region - Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. These attacks pose a threat to regional and international peace and security. The priority now is to ensure the protection of civilians and prevent further escalation of the situation. Stability in the region is essential for global security. Iran must terminate its unlawful nuclear programme and comply with its international commitments, which would allow it to return to the negotiating table." Wang Yi Has a Phone Call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: March 02, 2026 22:50 On March 2, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi upon request. Seyed Abbas Araghchi briefed Wang Yi on the latest developments of the situation of Iran, noting that the U.S. has launched war against Iran for the second time during their ongoing negotiations. Though the two sides have made positive progress in the latest round of negotiations, the U.S. action violates all international laws and treads and even crosses the red line of Iran. The Iranian side has no choice but to defend itself at all costs. China has made public its voice for fairness and justice, and Iran hopes that China will continue playing an proactive role in preventing the escalation of tensions in the region. Wang Yi reiterated China's principled position on the current situation in Iran. He noted that China values the traditional friendship between China and Iran and supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity and in upholding its legitimate and lawful rights and interests. Wang Yi said that China has urged the U.S. and Israel to immediately cease military actions to avoid further escalation of tensions and prevent the conflict from expanding and spreading to the entire Middle East region. China believes that under the current grave and complex situation, Iran will maintain its national and social stability, take seriously the legitimate concerns of neighboring countries, and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Iran. Seyed Abbas Araghchi noted that the Iranian side will do its utmost to guarantee the safety and security of Chinese personnel and institutions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran FM: Kuwait must answer what US aircraft were doing in its airspace if it downed them Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 11:11 PM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the country will submit an official note of protest to the Kuwaiti government following claims regarding the downing of three United States F-15 fighter jets. The remarks came following a US military announcement that Kuwaiti air defense systems, which are American-made, accidentally intercepted and destroyed the US aircraft late on Sunday. In a relevant development, Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya Air Defense Base said on Monday that Iranian Armed Forces have shot down an advanced US F-15 fighter jet near the border with Kuwait, the first downing of an American fighter jet in the past 27 years. Speaking to IRIB's news network on the incident, Iran's Foreign Minister demanded transparency regarding the Kuwaiti narrative. "If the claim is true that these aircraft were downed by Kuwaiti defenses, Kuwait must answer for what these planes were doing there in the first place," the minister stated. He further mocked the technical reliability of Western military hardware, noting the irony of American systems targeting their own aircraft. "They claim to possess superior military technology, yet they suffer repeated operational failures... Their own systems hit their own planes? This calls their prestige into question." The Foreign Minister said the claim, if true, challenged the assertions from regional neighbors that their territories are not being used as launchpads for US operations against Iran. He suggested two possibilities: either the jets were operating from regional soil despite denials, or they were operating within Iranian airspace when they were struck. "This incident proves that despite the image they have projected, they are internally vulnerable and unable to defend themselves," the minister added. He contrasted this with Iran's missile capabilities, asserting that Iranian strikes consistently hit their targets despite multiple layers of Western defense. "It has been shown that it is not true to think that no one can stand against them, and they can be confronted. The important thing is to believe in ourselves. God has promised victory if we stand strong," he said. 'Ayatollah Khamenei a great religious leader' Araghchi also touched upon the deep religious impact of the US-Israeli assassination of the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Describing him as a renowned religious figure whose influence transcended political borders, the minister highlighted his status as a "great religious leader" for the global Islamic Ummah. He said the wave of protests worldwide reflects the spiritual depth of the Leader's following. Araghchi condemned the double standards of Western human rights rhetoric, pointing to a recent incident where 10 protesters were reportedly killed by U.S. consulate guards in Pakistan during a demonstration against Ayatollah Khamenei's martyrdom. "They criticize us for confronting demonstrators who were terrorists and entered with weapons, yet guards of the US consulate fire upon people gathering in protest against the martyrdom of the Leader," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-allied fuel tanker attacked by Iran still burning in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 7:32 PM The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says a US-allied fuel tanker attacked in Iran's retaliatory drone strikes is still burning in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC said on Monday that the US-allied Athens Nova fuel tanker was hit by two Iranian drones, and it is still on fire in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. It also provided an update on Iran's ongoing Operation True Promise 4, which was launched on Saturday in retaliation for the illegal US-Israeli aggression and the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a grave violation of the country's sovereignty. In the fourth phase of the operation in the maritime arena, the IRGC said its Navy conducted "decisive and purposeful" attacks by firing 26 offensive drones and five ballistic missiles at fixed and mobile targets of the hostile US army in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the three countries of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain. The American base "Arifjan" in Kuwait was hit by 12 drones in two stages, while the US Military Command and Control Center at the Manhad base in the UAE was targeted with six drones and five ballistic missiles, the IRGC said. The remaining facilities of the US Navy in Bahrain were struck and destroyed by six drones. The US and Israel waged the new criminal aggression on Iran some eight months after they launched unprovoked attacks on the country. Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the terrorist strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on the US bases in regional countries. So far, at least 555 Iranian people have been killed in the terrorist US-Israeli airstrikes. Iran says at least 560 American troops have been killed and wounded in its retaliatory strikes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Attacks on hospitals, schools 'strike at life itself': Pezeshkian Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 7:17 PM Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the US-Israeli strikes targeting the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran and an elementary school in the Hormozgan Province, stating that attacks on medical facilities strike "at life itself" and assaults on schools jeopardize "a nation's future." In a post on X on Monday, Pezeshkian wrote, "Attacks on hospitals strike at life itself. Attacks on schools target a nation's future." He stressed that "targeting patients and children blatantly violates humanitarian principles." The Iranian president called for the international community to censure these atrocities. "Iran will not remain silent or yield to these crimes," Pezeshkian said. He also affirmed his profound support for the grieving Iranian nation following the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Sayyed Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli aggression. Meanwhile, Fatemeh Mohammad Beigi, a member of the Parliament's Health and Treatment Commission, reported that five hospitals and medical centers sustained damage or destruction in US and Israeli airstrikes. "Unfortunately, this illegal act of aggression resulted not only in the destruction of the buildings of hospitals and medical centers but also the injury of a number of students and local residents," Mohammad Beigi stated on Monday. She noted that some medical centers were evacuated due to fears of further attacks. The lawmaker confirmed that relief and rescue teams from the Iranian Red Crescent Society and emergency medical services are actively deployed nationwide, coordinating efforts for relief operations, rubble removal, and casualty transfer. Shervin Tabrizi, spokesman for Iran's emergency medical services, confirmed a US-Israel aerial assault on a facility in Tehran, severely damaging its building and causing minor injuries to several medical staff, including the head of emergency medical services. Meanwhile, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed extreme concern over the damage to Gandhi Hospital in Tehran. He posted on X, stating, "Reports of Tehran's Gandhi Hospital being damaged during today's bombardment of the Iranian capital are extremely worrying." Ghebreyesus reiterated that "all efforts must be taken to prevent health facilities from being caught up in the ongoing conflict," emphasizing that "Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law" with the hashtag "#healthisnotatarget." The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country. The aggression was launched even as Iran and the US were in the midst of nuclear talks, having held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva. Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's attacks on US bases 'legitimate' response to source of aggression: Araghchi Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 6:32 PM Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran is determined to defend its sovereignty and the security of its people, noting that its strikes on US military bases in the region "are a legitimate response" to the source of the ongoing US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic. Speaking during a Monday phone call with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Araghchi said that the US initiated a war against Iran for the second time in violation of international law, which came while both sides were engaged in indirect negotiations that showed positive progress. Noting that hundreds of civilians have been killed in the strikes so far, Araghchi stressed that the Iranian armed forces will strongly defend Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the security of the people. He also referred to the killing of Iranian children in the aggression, including 171 girls who were killed in an attack on an elementary school in Minab, emphasizing the responsibility of the international community to firmly condemn the US-Israeli aggression and the killing of Iranian civilians. Araghchi asserted that US actions had crossed Iran's "red line," and the Islamic Republic would defend itself "with all its might." He reiterated that Iran has no hostility towards the Persian Gulf Arab countries, emphasizing that strikes on US bases located in some Persian Gulf countries "should not be considered as an Iranian attack on these countries." Iran's top diplomat added that these operations are a "legitimate response to the source and origin of the aggression." In response, the Chinese foreign Minister offered condolences on the martyrdom of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a terrorist US-Israeli strike on Tehran. Yi also expressed support for Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity. He stated that Beijing urges the United States and Israel to "immediately cease" their aggression on Iran, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent the conflict from spreading across West Asia. The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression against Iran on Saturday, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country. The aggression was launched as Tehran and Washington had held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva and planned to open technical talks in Vienna, Austria. Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC targets US intelligence centers, military depots in 11th wave of attacks Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 5:52 PM The Iranian armed forces have started a new wave of extensive drone and missile attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories and US assets in regional countries. A late Monday statement from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the 11th wave of offensive attacks under Operation True Promise 4 had been launched by the naval and aerospace units of the elite force. The statement said the "extensive and high-density operation" had targeted American intelligence centers and military support warehouses in the Persian Gulf region, the Israeli communications industries complex in the occupied city of Beersheba, as well as 20 locations in the occupied regions of Tel Aviv, West al-Quds, and Galilee. It said the "brave sons of Iran's armed forces" had used more than 700 drones and hundreds of missiles to hit 60 strategic targets and 500 military locations linked to the United States and the Israeli regime since the start of the US-Israeli aggression on Iran on Saturday. The statement said the number of missiles and drones and the success rate of the attacks had far outpaced records seen during the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025. The IRGC said recent "brutal and terrorist" attacks on Iran that targeted citizens in hospitals, schools, and offices of the national media service (IRIB) had further strengthened their resolve and determination to pursue an all-out war against the enemies. The IRGC has been carrying out retaliatory attacks on US military assets across the region and on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories since Saturday, when the US and Israel started the unprovoked war of aggression against Iran and assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Israeli attacks damage 5 hospitals, medical centers in Iran: MP Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 4:58 PM A member of the Iranian Parliament says five hospitals and medical centers have been damaged or destroyed during the US-Israeli terrorist attacks on the Islamic Republic. "Unfortunately, this illegal act of aggression resulted not only in the destruction of the buildings of hospitals and medical centers but also the injury of a number of students and local residents," Fatemeh Mohammad Beigi, a member of the Parliament's Health and Treatment Commission, said on Monday. She added that a number of these medical centers have been evacuated in fear of more attacks. According to Mohammad Beigi, relief and rescue teams of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and emergency medical services are active in all provinces across the country. The lawmaker explained that the "swift" process of relief operations, rubble removal, and transfer of the injured is underway "with full coordination." She said all the heath infrastructures across the country are ready to provide services to the injured. Mohammad Beigi added that a number of hospital beds have been reserved in all provinces for emergency situation, reiterating that the country's medical supplies and drug reserves are under constant monitoring. The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country. The Saturday attacks led to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The aggression was launched even as Iran and the US were in the midst of nuclear talks, having held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva. Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries. Meanwhile, spokesman of Iran's emergency medical services Shervin Tabrizi said the enemies carried out an aerial aggression against the center in Tehran, severely damaging the building. He added that the building was evacuated immediately but several medical staff were slightly wounded. Tabrizi noted that the head of Iran's emergency medical services, Mohammad Esmaeil Tavakoli, was also wounded in the attack. He said despite the damage, relief work is currently underway in another place. In another development, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his extreme concern an airstrike that damaged Gandhi Hospital in Tehran. In an X post, Ghebreyesus said: "Reports of Tehran's Gandhi Hospital being damaged during today's bombardment of the Iranian capital are extremely worrying." "But it serves as a reminder that all efforts must be taken to prevent health facilities from being caught up in the ongoing conflict," the WHO chief said. "Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law." He used a hashtag, saying "health is not a target." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Unlike US, Iran prepared for a long war: Security chief Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 4:34 PM Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Larijani, says Iran did not initiate the current war, but it remains fully prepared to sustain a long-term conflict, unlike the United States. "Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war," Larijani stated in a post on the social media platform X on Monday. Echoing historical precedents, Larijani added, "As in the past 300 years, Iran did not start this war, our brave armed forces have not engaged in a single offensive operation, acting solely in self-defense." The Security Council chief pledged that Iran would "fiercely defend itself and its six-thousand-year-old civilization regardless of the costs," promising that the enemies would "regret their miscalculation." The remarks follow a fresh round of aerial aggression launched by the US and Israel on Saturday, marking a new escalation just eight months after previous unprovoked attacks on the Islamic Republic. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was assassinated in the first salvo of the terrorist attacks, even as Tehran was engaged in diplomatic talks with Washington over its nuclear program. Iran swiftly initiated retaliation, launching coordinated barrages of missiles and drones targeting Israeli-occupied territories and US military bases across the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli PM's fate unclear after 'surprise' missile attack on his office: IRGC Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 12:57 PM The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the fate of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is uncertain following "purposeful and surprise" attacks on his office and the residence of the regime's air force commander. In a statement on Monday, the IRGC said Iranian Armed Forces heavily attacked the office of Israel's criminal prime minister and the residence of commander of the Israeli air force. They were hit during "purposeful and surprise" attacks by Kheybar missiles, the elite force stated. According to the statement, the 10th phase of Iran's successful missile attacks on occupied territories focuses on the Israeli regime's premises. The IRGC said it would later announce the achievements of the attacks and provide further information. The United States and Israel launched a joint war of aggression against Iran early on Saturday, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders before attacking military and civilian sites across the country. Iranian armed forces have responded with massive missile and drone strikes, hitting strategic targets deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories as well as American military bases scattered across the region. Iranian authorities say the retaliatory attacks will continue as long as necessary and that it will be the Islamic Republic that will decide when and how the war will end. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First US fighter downed in past 27 years: Iran Armed Forces hit F-15 near Kuwait border Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 11:30 AM Iranian Armed Forces have shot down an advanced US F-15 fighter jet near the border with Kuwait - the first downing of an American fighter jet in the past 27 years. "An F-15 fighter jet [belonging] to the intruding US army which intended to attack the country has been targeted by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Air Defense and brought down," Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya Air Defense Base said in a statement on Monday. It added that the jet's debris has been crashed in Kuwaiti soil. Kuwait's Defense Ministry on Monday confirmed the jet's crash with its video footage widely being circulated in global media. An American F-117 fighter jet was downed by former Yugoslavia during the Kosovo war some 27 years ago. No American fighter jet has been officially destroyed since then despite significant progress made in airplane technology. Iranian retaliatory attacks comes amid three days of aggression against the country, which has killed at least 555 people, including more than 145 children in a strike on an elementary school in Hormozgan Province in addition to Iranian officials, according to the Red Crescent Society. The IRGC and the Army have targeted strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US-operated bases across West Asia, including the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, along with key installations in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their role in supporting aggression against Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC, Army launch fresh waves of missile strikes against Israeli, US targets Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 11:20 AM The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army have announced the launch of fresh waves of massive missile strikes targeting strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories and US bases across the region. The IRGC said in a statement on Monday that homegrown Kheybar missiles were deployed in the tenth wave of massive precision missile strikes deep inside the occupied territories as part of Operation True Promise 4. The statement stressed that the projectiles opened the gates of massive inferno to the usurping regime. "Precision strikes on the regime's administrative institutions in Tel Aviv, attacks against military and security installations in Haifa as well as areas in East al-Quds were among the objectives of the Iranian missile strikes," the statement read. It added, "We had earlier warned of plans to escalate attacks against enemy bases and the Israeli-occupied lands, and declared that sirens will never cease blurring across the occupied territories." The IRGC advised illegal residents of occupied lands to keep distance from military bases as well as security and administrative centers, and immediately depart from the territories. Meanwhile, the Army said its missile units launched new attacks targeting US bases across the region on Monday. In its statement, the Army announced that its land and naval missile units from various areas targeted the Ali al-Salem US airbase in Kuwait and enemy ships in the North Indian Ocean with the launch of 15 cruise missiles. In its previous statement on Sunday evening, the Army announced that it targeted and downed ten advanced enemy drones in various parts of the country. The total number of downed drones since the beginning of the war on Saturday has reached 22. Iranian retaliatory attacks comes amid three days of aggression against the country, which has killed at least 555 people, including more than 145 children in a strike on an elementary school in Hormozgan Province in addition to Iranian officials, according to the Red Crescent Society. The IRGC and the Army have targeted strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US-operated bases across West Asia, including the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, along with key installations in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their role in supporting aggression against Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operational concerns delayed US-Israeli aggression against Iran for a week: Report Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 10:19 AM The United States and Israel had originally planned to launch their military strike on Iran about a week earlier than it eventually took place, but the aggression was delayed due to a mix of operational concerns, intelligence assessments and diplomatic developments, according to a report. The Axios news outlet, citing several US officials, reported on Monday that military planners from the US and Israel had begun preparing for the aggression soon after a second round of US-Iran indirect negotiation in Geneva, Switzerland, ended on February 17. However, the final authorization never came because several factors combined to push the timeline back. Senior US and Israeli officials said one immediate issue involved weather conditions in the region as bad weather complicated the operational planning for the opening strike. Another Israeli official said the delay was also driven by the need for closer coordination between the US military and the Israeli armed forces. Meanwhile, a Trump administration official described the situation as fluid and uncertain in the days leading up to the aggression. "The last two weeks have been very back and forth," the official said as some speculation had circulated inside government circles about the reasons behind the delay. Addressing that speculation, the same official said that "some people say it was about the moon or the weather or whatever. But that is [nonsense]." Still, the official acknowledged that weather conditions did play a role. "There was a weather thing," he said, adding that "there is no question. And there was a weather issue more in the mind of the Israelis." The one-week delay allowed space for an additional round of nuclear indirect negotiations between US and Iran in Geneva. According to the report, there are differing views among officials about whether the negotiations were genuine or largely a tactical move to buy time until the new aggression date. The third round of negotiations helped maintain the gesture that diplomacy remained President Donald Trump's preferred path to reduce suspicions about the ulterior motive behind the US engaging in talks, the report concluded. On Saturday, the US and Israeli armed forces launched a series of strikes across Iran which resulted in the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Several senior Iranian commanders have also been martyred in the aggression. According to Iran's Red Crescent Society, a total of 555 people have been killed in the joint aggression by the US and the Israeli regime so far. Iran has swiftly and decisively retaliated against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drones against Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says has 'no choice' but to fight back, holds no enmity toward American people Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 9:45 AM Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says confronting US-Israeli threats leaves the country no option but military retaliation, while stressing it has no issue with the American people. In an interview with the US public radio (NPR) published on Sunday, Esmaeil Baghaei discussed the country's positions on the current developments following the recent US-Israeli aggression. "This is an unjust war imposed on our nation, and we have no other choice other than fighting against this injustice," he said. He emphasized that these military actions are unwarranted and unprovoked, and pointed out they arrived while the US and Iran were making progress in diplomatic negotiations over nuclear issues. Baghaei stated that the conflict is the United States administration's preferred war. He noted that according to the Omani mediator's remarks on Friday, a deal was close, and Iran was slated to meet the American delegation in Vienna the previous day to discuss technical detailsemphasizing that Iran did not initiate the war. He referred to the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, saying, "he was not only a political leader. He was also a high-ranking religious jurist with tens of millions of followers, even outside Iran, across the region." In response to a question on who is leading the country now, the Iranian diplomat explained that an interim council now governs Iran, composed of the head of the judiciary, the president, and a member of the council of experts, which will be responsible for electing a new leader. Responding to a question about whether Iran's leadership can withstand aggressive US sanctions, President Trump's calls for regime change, Israeli pressure and domestic opposition, Baghaei said a foreign power cannot dictate changes to a nation's system of governance. He added that Iranians have historically united against foreign aggression and domination, fighting to protect their freedom, independence, dignity and sovereignty. Reacting to the death of at least three Americans, Baghaei said "I have said many times that we have no problem with the American people. And we believe that this is not their war." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran posed no imminent threat to US: Pentagon tells Congress Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 8:30 AM As US-Israeli military aggression against Iran continues, Pentagon staff have acknowledged that there was no military threat from Tehran towards US bases and forces in West Asia prior to US aggression, contradicting claims by senior administration officials that Washington started the aggression to prevent Tehran from targeting American interests in the region. Pentagon staff acknowledged during a congressional briefing on Sunday that Iran was not planning to strike US forces or bases in West Asia unless Israel attacked Iran first, according to multiple people who attended the session. The acknowledgement undercuts the administration of US President Donald Trump's false allegations that Iran was planning to preemptively strike US forces and bases. During several interviews on Saturday, senior administration officials claimed that Israel and the US attacked Iran because they had allegedly received information that Iran was planning to create mass casualty scenario by preemptively striking US bases in the region. Several American news outlets reported on Saturday that there was no verifiable information or intelligence to support the Trump administration's false narrative. During the session, Pentagon had told Congress that Iran's ballistic missile program and resistance groups across the region posed a threat to US interests. Sources, however, noted Iran had never used its military capabilities preemptively, but only as a deterrent, as was the case during the 12-day war in July of 2025.As such, the threat of war being initiated by Iran was not true and the Trump administration could not factually support its reasoning for the military aggression against Iran. Pentagon had also told Congress that its goal during the first two days of war was to destroy Iran's air defense and command and control nodes; however since the beginning of the aggression the Israeli and US forces have repeatedly attacked civilian infrastructure, including a school which resulted in the killing of more than 150 students. When asked about Pentagon staff undercutting the administration rationale, White House spokesperson Dylan Johnson claimed that the briefers had "briefed the bipartisan staffs of several national security committees in both chambers for over 90 minutes on the military action in Iran." The US and Israel started a new round of aerial aggression against Iran on Saturday, eight months after they launched unprovoked attacks on the country. Iran has swiftly and decisively retaliated against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drones against Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran will hold no negotiations with US: Top security official Iran Press TV Monday, 02 March 2026 8:11 AM Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani says the Islamic Republic will hold no negotiations with the United States after Washington and Tel Aviv waged war against the country. Larijani made the remark in a post on his X account on Monday in response to a report by The Wall Street Journal claiming that he had started new efforts to resume talks with the US. The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on Saturday, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country. The Saturday attacks led to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The Iranian administration on Sunday declared 40 days of public mourning and seven days of holidays following the Leader's martyrdom. The aggression was launched as Tehran and Washington had held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva and planned to open technical talks in Vienna, Austria, last Monday. Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries. On the second day of the joint aggression, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iranian authorities wanted to hold talks with Washington. In another post on X, Larijani said the US president had caused turmoil in the region as a result of his "pipe dreams" and is now concerned about more losses on the American servicemen. The top Iranian security official added that Trump changed the self-made slogan of "America First" to "Israel First" through his illusion-driven performance and sacrificed the American soldiers for the sake of Israel's ambitions. Larijani emphasized that the American soldiers and their families are bearing the brunt of Trump's lie mongering and his ill nature. "Today, the Iranian nation is defending itself. Iran's Armed Forces have not launched any aggression," the SNSC secretary pointed out, emphasizing it was not Iran that initiated the war. Iran has reaffirmed its policy to promote peace in the region but pledged that it will not hesitate to defend its territorial integrity against any act of aggression. Iranian officials have also already called on the country's neighbors not to allow their soil to be used by the US and Israel for any attack against the Islamic Republic, warning to retaliate. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Amid Iran's Leadership Wipeout, Ali Larijani Emerges As Key Player By Ray Furlong and RFE/RL's Radio Farda March 02, 2026 As Iran reels from a US and Israeli bombing campaign that has killed several or perhaps even dozens of senior leaders, national security chief Ali Larijani has emerged as one of the key figures in what remains of the country's power structures. A veteran politician whose career encompasses almost the entire history of the Islamic republic, he reemerged from a relative hiatus last year and has since been taking an increasingly prominent role. A Political Comeback A crucial moment for Larijani's recent fortunes was Iran's 12-day war with Israel and the United States in June last year. The previous year, the 67-year-old had been barred from running for president for the second time in three years. But in August, in the aftermath of the conflict, Larijani was appointed to the powerful post of secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's key policymaking body. "Several important developments occurred during the 12-day war. One major issue, as highlighted by officials in the media, was the miscalculation of Iran's defense capabilities," London-based Iranian political analyst Babak Dorbeigi told RFE/RL's Radio Farda at the time. "Yet the most critical issue -- one that takes precedence over all others -- was the realization that, in a time of war, the supreme leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] could not be relied upon," Dorbeigi said. Khamenei is now dead, as once again Iran's air defenses have been overwhelmed. Since then, Larijani has been one of the most vocal official voices in Iran. So far, it's a voice of defiance -- with Larijani declaring on March 2 that Iran "will not negotiate." He has followed up on that statement with aggressive tweeting, including messages that appear to be trolling US President Donald Trump. "Trump has betrayed 'America First' to adopt 'Israel First,'" he wrote in one all-caps English-language post. On March 1, he said a temporary new leadership council had been set up to govern the country until a successor to Khamenei could be announced. It consists of Alireza Arafi, a longstanding senior figure in the clerical establishment; President Masud Pezeshkian; and hard-line judiciary head Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei. Under the Iranian Constitution, this council will lead the country until the 88-member Assembly of Experts can gather to elect a new supreme leader. "At present, there are no clear signs of systemic collapse inside Iran. Decision-making structures remain functional. Security institutions are operating cohesively," wrote Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher on Iran at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University on March 2. Born In Iraq Larijani was born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1958 to a family of leading Iranian clerics. The family moved to Iran when he was still a child, and as a young man he experienced the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He was a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), where he served between 1981-83, spent a decade as head of state TV and radio from 1994, was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator from 2005 to 2007, and served as speaker of Parliament from 2008 to 2020.He also held his current security role from 2005 to 2007. In his senior roles, Larijani gained international prominence, particularly with his backing of the 2015 nuclear deal with the United States and other world powers. The first Trump administration walked away from the deal, but Larijani remained involved as Khamenei's top adviser on nuclear issues. Since his reappointment to head the Supreme National Security Council, his power and prominence have risen further. During the brutal crackdown on protesters in January, Washington added him to its sanctions list. "Larijani was one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people," said a US Treasury statement from January 15. Rights groups said thousands of people were killed by Iranian security forces, although the real number is thought to be much higher. Last month, Larijani visited Oman to prepare for the indirect talks with US negotiators that ultimately failed to avert war. He was also a frequent visitor in Moscow in recent months, working on security ties with Russia that have failed to help protect Iran in both this and the previous conflict. During this time, Larijani appeared to be living up to his reputation as a pragmatist, stating the nuclear issue was "resolvable" and voicing openness to talks. This has, for now, been replaced by a more strident tone. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-leadership-war-trump- larijani/33692037.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 Statement On Iran Shows Its Diminished Role As Foreign Policy Player By Rikard Jozwiak March 02, 2026 The European Union's 27 member states issued a joint statement expressing "utmost concern" after the bloc's foreign ministers met online for nearly three hours to discuss the American-Israeli attack on Iran over the weekend and Tehran's subsequent military response on several countries in the region. The statement, issued on March 1, reflects the EU's limited influence in the region and its diminished role as a foreign policy player. The crisis has highlighted the underlying divisions in the club that are bubbling underneath the surface. The crisis, predictably, set off a flurry of meetings in Brussels even after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's initial tweet -- saying she would gather security experts in her commission first on Monday -- drew ridicule online that said not even a war get bring Europeans to sacrifice their free time. The bloc will try to have a ministerial meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council later in the week, and Cyprus, which is in charge of the rotating EU presidency, called an Integrated Political Crisis Response meeting for March 3, which previously met during the early stages of the Ukraine war, the Covid outbreak, and the 2015 migration crisis. The key issue at hand will be coordinating consular help to get EU citizens home from the wider Middle East region. Cyprus itself had to play down the potential threat to Nicosia as an Iranian drone targeted a British base on the island. It issued a statement claiming that "there is no indication whatsoever that the country was under threat." What Else Can The EU Do? The European Union has already imposed all kinds of sanctions on Iran, including the recent designation of IRGC as a terrorist organization. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas floated the idea of enlarging the bloc's naval mission, Aspides. Operationally in the Red Sea, it was launched two years ago to fend off Houthi attacks on international ships. It is, however, purely defensive and meant to increase maritime surveillance and escorting merchant vessels -- it wouldn't be able to, for example, prevent blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, the bloc should try to stay on the same page. The E3 -- France, Germany, and Britain, which isn't in the EU -- has already pledged to assist the United States if necessary. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it wasn't the time "to lecture our partners and allies" while on the other side of the spectrum, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez condemned the US-Israeli strikes and insisted the EU statement should mention "full respect for international law." In parallel, Hungary and Slovakia used the Iran discussion and the prospect of higher oil prices to push for a resumption of oil flowing through the Druzhba pipeline. The landlocked duo urged the European Commission to put bigger pressure on Ukraine to repair the Soviet-era infrastructure while Russia hawks in northern and Eastern Europe, on the other hand, countered that higher prices will benefit the Kremlin and urged a maritime ban on Moscow, stuck due to Hungary and Slovakia, to be endorsed swiftly. In other words, the EU is unfortunately too tangled up to come forward with anything concrete anytime soon. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-iran-statement-foreign- policy-waning-influence/33692139.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 Khamenei's Removal Could Reshape Iran: General Petraeus Explains The Risks By Alex Raufoglu March 02, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Retired four-star General David Petraeus, a veteran of nearly four decades in the US Army and a former director of the CIA, endorses the Trump administration's frank account of operations. In an interview with RFE/RL on March 2, Petraeus, who previously commanded US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted the US openness about its substantial achievements, as well as its losses of personnel and aircraft. He said the consequences of killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials are uncertain until a successor emerges, and while the stated US aim of the military action is to create conditions that might allow Iranians -- or disaffected regime elements -- to topple the Islamic republic's leadership, he stresses it remains to be seen whether that is realistic. RFE/RL: What is your snapshot reaction to the remarks we just heard from the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Petraeus: I thought that the secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs laid out a very sober, forthright, comprehensive description of what it is that we have sought to do: in general terms describing what we have done and achieved, which is extraordinarily impressive, while also acknowledging the risks and challenges and the loss of four of our soldiers and three of our F-15s. RFE/RL: US officials have described the strategy as creating an opening for Iran and allowing the Iranian people to decide their future. Let me turn to succession: What does the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei mean? How does his removal in a decapitation strike alter the internal balance of power within the Islamic republic? Petraeus: The truth is, we do not yet know, and we will not have the answer until we know who the replacement will be. Supposedly there was a succession plan, but it will actually be pursued according to the constitution, which, as you know, calls for an interim council of the president, the senior judicial official, and a cleric, and then ultimately the Assembly of Experts will convene and select the new supreme leader. Until we know the new supreme leader and whether or not he is a pragmatist or another hardcore ideologue like the two predecessors, it is difficult to assess. What I would note is that it is not just the supreme leader who has been killed; it is dozens of other significant regime figures -- the equivalent, if you will, of the secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and a number of other very important leaders. While they all have deputies, there will be disruption to their capabilities, as there already is. It is pretty clear that they are struggling to coordinate the kinds of mass strikes they employed during the 12-day war. There have certainly been many Iranian strike orders, but it appears there has been a delegation of authority to subordinate units to take action against what were presumably previously approved targets. Some of these efforts have gotten through. Hundreds and thousands of them have been knocked down. There have been strikes in many countries in the region. Most have been intercepted, but some have gotten through and done damage to some of our bases in the region. One drone strike apparently killed three soldiers in Kuwait. There was also a tragedy in Israel, where a bomb shelter was hit with significant loss of life. At the end of the day, what the president has made clear -- noting that in his first speech he referred to regime change, and later clarified -- is that US, Israeli, and other operations are intended to create conditions that could allow the people, and perhaps disaffected elements of the regime forces, to topple the regime. Whether that is realistic remains to be seen. RFE/RL: The White House says Iran wants to restart negotiations and that the president will speak with whoever is in charge. At the same time, senior Iranian security officials have publicly rejected talks. If the US does reopen talk, does it mean the regime get to stay in control, even if it is badly damaged? Petraeus: Again, given that we are not going in on the ground to take it out, I am not sure what the other options are. I think the better question is whether we should give the Iranians any opportunity to negotiate. I think the answer should be no. This should be a conversation between the victor and the vanquished -- even if the vanquished is still in control, but very heavily damaged, battered, and defenseless. They really have no defenses left of considerable capability against air or missile attack. This should largely be a one-way conversation: You do not enrich uranium anymore, you do not replenish or reconstitute your missile force, and you stop supporting murderous proxies in the region that have killed thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Arabs throughout the greater Gulf states. That is how that so-called negotiation should go. Whether that proves viable remains to be seen. If Iran does not agree, we have the capability to revisit the issue, as we have over the last several days. RFE/RL: Given your experience in the region, should we expect consolidation by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, fragmentation within the clerical establishment, or the emergence of an alternative center of authority? Who moves next? Does this increase the likelihood of state collapse or internal conflict, or could it open space for a different political trajectory? Petraeus: It does offer the possibility of splintering. Karim Sadjadpour -- whom I respect highly for his analysis -- quoted an Iranian academic who observed that it used to be that the regime was 80 percent true believers -- hard-liners and fundamentalists -- and 20 percent charlatans, those who were along for the ride. The academic now says it is 80 percent charlatans and 20 percent true believers. If that is the case, this would be the moment for pragmatists to take control of the regime, noting that what the regime has achieved since 1979 is a 99 percent devaluation of the Iranian rial, international isolation, and domestic poverty. That is not a particularly great record of achievement. Iran has among the top crude oil reserves in the world -- I believe third -- and second in natural gas reserves, along with an educated population and a longstanding civilization. When might someone stand up and say, "Let's stop the madness"? What has enriching uranium brought? What has arming proxies in the Middle East brought? What have actions that resulted in the deaths of so many Arab, Israeli, and even American neighbors brought? RFE/RL: If regime change is to come from within, how realistic is that, given that ordinary Iranians are unarmed and lack organization? Petraeus: They do not have arms, organization, or real military capability. That can only come from elements within the regime, which have a monopoly on military power and the leadership that could pull away some members of the regime and rally the people. It has been observed that in situations like this, the people with the most guns and the greatest willingness to be brutal often prevail. But there have also been the color revolutions that ended some authoritarian regimes after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall. That gives some hope. Still, the base case is that the regime will be very battered, bloodied, and diminished, but sufficiently cohesive to survive -- surviving with enormous damage, loss, and destruction. RFE/RL: In the immediate term, what policies should Washington prioritize to protect regional stability while advancing its objectives Petraeus: The United States, Israel, and others should reduce as quickly as possible Iran's retaliatory means -- its ability to disrupt freedom of navigation in the Gulf, mine the Strait of Hormuz, or attack vessels there. I believe two vessels were hit in the broader area of the strait. We should reduce its ability to reconstitute its most threatening capabilities -- not just missiles and launchers but also manufacturing facilities. The same applies to drones, short- and long-range, and to naval vessels capable of disrupting the Gulf. The United States reportedly took out approximately nine such vessels yesterday. We should also integrate and strengthen defenses against Iranian missiles and drones and provide a steadying, coordinating role. When I commanded Central Command, there were times when Gulf states would not share their air-defense picture with each other, but they would share it with us. Over the longer term, the goal should be an Iran that is no longer remotely as threatening, cannot enrich uranium, cannot field missiles, and does not support proxies. If it does not agree, Israel and/or the United States may have to demonstrate military capability again. RFE/RL: How will these developments affect Iran's proxy groups across the region? How should the United States and its partners prepare for possible escalation? Petraeus: First, understand the proxies' capabilities. They are all dramatically degraded -- Hezbollah among them -- although they did fire a few rockets or missiles into Israel yesterday, for which they will be hammered. Hamas is no longer a significant strategic threat, though it remains a challenge because it is still the strongest armed force in populated parts of Gaza. Syria is no longer an ally for Iran. They are already dramatically diminished. The key is preparedness for what they might attempt in support of Iran's endeavors. Israel's approach since 9/11 has changed -- it will not allow threats to reconstitute as they did in the past. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/khamenei-iran-petraeus- explains-risks-us/33692311.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 US Strategy In Iran: Create An Opening, Let Iranians Decide, Analysts Say By Alex Raufoglu March 02, 2026 WASHINGTON -- As the war with Iran enters a volatile new phase, analysts in Washington say the Islamic Republic is confronting a convergence of crises unseen since its founding in 1979: the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei amid a sustained US-Israeli air campaign, and the possibility of internal unrest that could reshape the political order. Khamenei, who had ruled for 36 years, was the Islamic Republic's second supreme leader, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. No successor had been publicly designated before his death, though Reuters reported in 2015 that a choice had been made but would remain undisclosed. In announcing the US operation, President Donald Trump told Iranians that the government "will be yours to take," calling the moment potentially "your only chance for generations." But what, exactly, does that mean -- and how far is Washington prepared to go? Resetting the Equation, Not Rebuilding a State According to Ilan Berman, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council, the Trump administration is not seeking a repeat of Iraq or Afghanistan-style regime change, which came with long-term post-war institution-building efforts. "I think it's necessary to understand that the administration has no appetite for regime change of the types that we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan," Berman said in an interview on March 1, arguing that current US officials remain wary of prolonged nation-building efforts and the destabilizing aftermath that followed both conflicts. Instead, when the administration speaks of "regime change," Berman said it envisions something narrower and faster -- potentially a rapid shift at the top of the system to facilitate negotiations, similar in concept to US actions in Venezuela, that saw the toppling and quick capture of President Nicolas Maduro in January. At the same time, Berman, who is also a member of the RFE/RL board, noted that Washington's track record with the Iranian opposition has been uneven. Over the past two decades, multiple exile and diaspora groups have sought to persuade US policymakers that they represent Iran's future. But they have often been divided and adversarial toward one another. During Trump's first term, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and special envoy Brian Hook attempted to encourage greater unity among opposition figures, but those efforts fell short, Berman said, leaving skepticism within parts of the administration about relying heavily on organized opposition movements. That experience helps explain Trump's recent remarks, he added, in which the US president encouraged Iranians to take over their government. "America can't be more Iranian than the Iranians," Berman said. In his view, Washington is attempting to "soften the target" -- weakening the regime's upper ranks while signaling that Iranians themselves must decide whether to seize the opportunity. Recent strikes have not only killed the supreme leader but also targeted senior military officials and figures in the clerical line of succession. Berman described that as significant, suggesting it points to a strategy of limiting the regime's ability to consolidate power while leaving space for internal change. "The more senior-level officials are limited, the likelier the chances are that the Iranians have a shot at taking matters into their own hands," he said. "They may not, but I think the plan for the administration is that they want to create that opportunity." If that opportunity is not seized, Berman said he would personally view it as a lost chance. But he stressed that Trump's promise that "help is on the way" should not be interpreted as a pledge to dismantle the Islamic Republic outright. "What he meant was not that he is going to get rid of the regime and just sort of take out the Islamic Republic and all of its component parts," Berman said. Rather, the goal is to reset the power equation. "What happens next really is up to the Iranians themselves." A Succession Crisis in Wartime That uncertainty is compounded by the unprecedented timing of Khamenei's death. Speaking at a special briefing hosted by the Middle East Institute, Iran analyst Alex Vatanka described the moment as a watershed. "This is only the second time since 1979 that the Islamic Republic has faced a leadership succession," he said. The first followed Khomeini's death in 1989, when Iran was at peace and political heavyweights such as former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani helped orchestrate a managed transition. "None of those conditions exist today," Vatanka noted. Iran is at war, public anger simmers beneath the surface, and there is no clear political broker capable of engineering consensus behind the scenes. Tehran has formed an interim leadership council that includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior clerical and judicial figures. Publicly, officials are projecting continuity and defiance, framing the conflict as "not a war against the regime, but a war against Iran," Vatanka said. Yet beneath that rhetoric lies deep uncertainty. "The fundamental question," he said, "is how the leadership reads US intentions." If Iranian leaders conclude that Washington is committed to regime change for the long haul, they may seek an off-ramp. If they believe Trump will pursue only limited strikes, they may calculate that retaliation -- and endurance -- could outlast American resolve. Vatanka also pointed to what he described as a potentially telling development: the reported assassination of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad was no longer politically central, Vatanka said, raising questions about whether the targeting reflects a broader political strategy aimed at shaping Iran's postwar leadership landscape. "If there is a list," he suggested, "it may not be purely military." So far, Vatanka said, he sees no clear signs that the regime is unraveling. But conditions differ markedly from previous waves of unrest. With US and Israeli forces actively engaged, Tehran's ability to suppress large-scale protests could be constrained in ways not seen during earlier crackdowns. "If people come into the streets," he said, "this time the regime would be managing both internal dissent and an external war simultaneously." A "Fires Fight" in the Air On the military front, retired US Marine Corps Major General Scott Benedict characterized the conflict not as a maneuver war but as a high-intensity exchange of long-range strikes. The United States has deployed significant naval power to the region, including two aircraft carriers -- a rare concentration of force. While overall troop numbers may not be historically unprecedented, Benedict said the maritime buildup represents one of the largest in recent years. Benedict assessed that early strikes successfully degraded Iran's command-and-control infrastructure and air defenses, lowering what he called the "barrier to entry" for follow-on operations. The daylight targeting of senior leadership figures, he suggested, likely disrupted Iranian decision-making cycles. Yet Iran retains substantial retaliatory capability through ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Defensive operations across the Gulf region remain complex and ongoing. "Iran doesn't have much of an air force," Benedict said, "but they have a significant counterpunch capability." So far, regional proxy forces such as Hezbollah and the Houthis have not entered the conflict in a major way -- a development Benedict described as a potential "game changer" should it occur. As for how long the campaign could last, Benedict cautioned that the answer ultimately rests with political leadership. Militarily, however, he suggested US planners likely have sufficient munitions in theater to execute their near-term objectives. "As you degrade higher-end targets," he explained, "you can transition to more available ordnance. But the broader global munitions picture is something policymakers will have to manage carefully." Regional Ripples -- and a Waiting Public Berman stressed that the unfolding crisis extends beyond a bilateral US-Iran confrontation. Iran's recent attempts to broaden the conflict -- including actions directed at Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Gulf countries-- may backfire, he argued, reinforcing perceptions that Tehran is an unpredictable and dangerous neighbor. In his assessment, Iran's own actions risk consolidating a broader anti-Iran coalition in the region, complicating any effort by the remaining leadership to stabilize the situation. Ultimately, analysts agree that the next phase hinges less on military capability than on political choices -- in Tehran, in Washington, and potentially in Iran's streets. "They're not predetermining what the outcome is going to be," Berman said of the US approach. "What they're trying to do is fundamentally reset the table." Whether that reset leads to reform, retrenchment, or wider war may depend on how Iran's leaders -- and its people -- respond in the days ahead. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-strategy-iran-iranians- decide/33692223.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 Khamenei's Death A Major Blow But Collapse Of Iran's Clerical Establishment Not Guaranteed By Frud Bezhan March 02, 2026 The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a major blow to Iran's clerical rulers, but experts say there's no guarantee it will lead to the collapse of the Islamic republic. Although Khamenei was Iran's spiritual leader and highest authority for almost four decades, the country's clerical system is designed to ensure continuity in the event of the supreme leader's death. The 86-year-old was killed in an air strike on his residence in the capital, Tehran, on February 28 as the United States and Israel waged an aerial bombardment targeting Iran's military and political leadership. "It is a blow, but the regime is reconsolidating and was prepared for this scenario," said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at British think tank Chatham House. "Khamenei did not hold the regime together on his own and the system is working on surviving the war above all." Iran's theocracy, which has been in power since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, is propped up by political, military, and clerical institutions that are deeply entrenched and intended to withstand leadership changes, experts say. They include the clerically led political establishment, the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) -- a key player in the country's politics, military, and economy -- and the Guardians Council, a powerful constitutional body. "History shows that revolutionary systems under external attack tend to consolidate rather than fragment," said Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow at the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies. "The assumption that eliminating the supreme leader would cause regime collapse is speculative at best. It could just as plausibly produce elite cohesion and a more hard-line posture." Interim Leadership Iran's surviving leadership is likely to name a new supreme leader quickly, wary that a power vacuum could destabilize the entire clerical system. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera on March 1 that a new supreme leader could be elected by the Assembly of Experts, the body charged with choosing and nominally overseeing the post of supreme leader, within the next few days. Until then, an interim ruling council will officially govern the country. The council includes President Masud Pezeskian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Alireza Arafi, a longstanding senior figure in the clerical establishment. Practically, however, Iran is being run by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the country's key policymaking body, experts say. Ali Larijani, a veteran politician and former commander of the IRGC, heads the SNSC. An establishment insider and Khamenei loyalist, the pragmatic Larijani has emerged as a key power broker since the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. Another figure likely to play an increasingly prominent role, experts say, is Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, another veteran politician with ties to the IRGC. Who Comes Next? Since Khamenei's assassination, the question has quickly turned to who will replace him. Officially, the Assembly of Experts picks the new supreme leader. But in reality, partly because of the existential threat posed by ongoing attacks by the United States and Israel, the succession is likely to be managed by a small circle of senior officials. The choice is likely to reveal the direction Iran is heading toward. Under Khamenei, Iran became an international pariah known for its use of force against its own people and its deep animosity to the West. "If an older, hard-liner cleric of Khamenei's generation emerges, it will be a strong sign that the regime is doubling down on repression and rallying the regime base," said Gregory Brew, an Iran analyst at the New York-based Eurasia Group. "There's a chance the pick is someone meant to be more palatable -- someone younger, possibly with reformist credentials, sending the signal that a new leaf is being turned." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-khamenei-larijani- successor-ayatollah/33691390.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 Statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization regarding the Situation around the Islamic Republic of Iran 2 March 2026 21:10 273-02-03-2026 The Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) express serious concern over the developments in the Middle East and the military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The SCO Member States consider the use of force as unacceptable and advocate for the resolution of existing differences exclusively by peaceful means, based on dialogue, mutual respect, and taking into account the legitimate interests of all parties, in accordance with the norms of the international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The SCO Member States underscore the need to ensure sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran, and call on all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from actions that could aggravate the situation. The SCO Member States strongly urge the United Nations and the UN Security Council to take immediate measures to counteract the undermining of international peace and security.The SCO Member States express sincere condolences to the families of those murdered as a result of the attack and declare their solidarity with and support for the Government and the people of Iran. 2 March, 2026 Statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry statement regarding recent developments concerning Iran 2 March 2026 14:56 268-02-03-2026 We are deeply concerned about the escalating armed confrontation across the Middle East, resulting from US and Israeli aggression against Iran. It is evident that, beyond pursuing regime change in Iran through the most unscrupulous methods, including the murder of a sovereign state's leadership, Washington and Tel Aviv are also seeking to undermine efforts aimed at normalising relations between Iran and its Arab neighbours. For our part, we call for the immediate cessation of hostilities by all sides and, as an unconditional priority, the adoption of comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure in all countries of the region. The strike on a girls' school in the Iranian city of Minab, which claimed the lives of dozens of innocent children, warrants the strongest condemnation. Attacks on civilian targets, whether in Iran or in Arab states, are unacceptable and must be completely ruled out. We once again strongly urge all parties to renounce the use of force in resolving existing differences and to move towards political and diplomatic settlement of all issues, while respecting the legitimate security interests of all countries in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spanish MFA summons Iranian Ambassador to Spain Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 022 2 MAR 26 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation reports that the Iranian Ambassador to Spain was summoned today to convey Spain's strongest protest against the attacks launched against European territory. Spain's strong condemnation of the indiscriminate and unjustified attacks against countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other countries in the region was also conveyed to him. These attacks constitute flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, as well as the sovereignty and integrity of those countries, and also endanger the civilian population, including tens of thousands of Spaniards living there. Spain's condemnation of Hezbollah's missile launches and Israel's attack on Lebanon has also been reiterated. Spain is firmly committed to regional security and reiterates its call for restraint on all sides and urgent de-escalation in the Middle East. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC Claims Strike on Netanyahu's Office Sputnik News 20260302 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a strike targeting the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this morning. According to the IRGC statement, the site was hit during ongoing hostilities between Iran and Israel. The IRGC did not provide details on the type of weapon used or the extent of the damage. The Iranian military branch said on Monday that it is not aware of the fate of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the 10th wave of Operation True Promise 4, the Israeli prime minister's office and the location of the air force commander were targeted by Iran, the IRGC said in a statement. There has been no immediate confirmation from Israeli officials. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow in Constant Contact With Leadership of Iran - Kremlin Sputnik News 20260302 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow is in constant contact with the leadership of Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. "I can say that we are in constant contact with the Iranian leadership. And we are discussing the situation around this country," Peskov told reporters. Russia also continues to communicate with the leadership of the countries affected by the Iranian conflict, including Persian Gulf states, Peskov added. Russia expresses disappointment that the situation has deteriorated to direct aggression amid the information about progress in the Iranian-US negotiations, Dmitry Peskov said. "As for the negotiations that were mediated by Oman between the United States and Iran, then, of course, one can express deep disappointment that, against the background of incoming information about significant progress in these negotiations, the situation has deteriorated to direct aggression anyway," Peskov told reporters. Russia remains committed to a political and diplomatic settlement even after the US attack on Iran, Peskov said. "Of course, we are analyzing the situation and drawing appropriate conclusions, but we continue to work in our interests," Peskov added. Membership in the BRICS does not provide for obligations to provide mutual assistance in the event of armed aggression, and there are no contacts on Iran within the framework of the association yet, Peskov said. "Membership in BRICS does not provide for obligations to provide mutual assistance during armed aggression it is an organization of a different nature, and it is about cooperation in other areas. This is the first one. There are no contacts with the BRICS countries yet," Peskov told reporters. On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran retaliated with strikes against Israeli territory, as well as against US military bases across the Middle East. Russia remains open to negotiations with the United States, Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. "It is in our interests to continue these negotiations. We will certainly remain open to these negotiations," Peskov told reporters. Russia has national interests, which the country must ensure, the official said. "Of course, we continue to appreciate the mediation efforts of the United States, but we primarily trust ourselves. And it is we who defend our own interests. And we will continue to be guided by this," Peskov said. Additionally, the official said that negotiations with United States within the framework of the working group on economic issues are proceeding as usual, and the work continues. Moscow will not publicly discuss the content of negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement, Dmitry Peskov said. "We said earlier that we are not going to publicly discuss the content of the ongoing negotiations, even the most diverse aspects. We will not do this further," Peskov told reporters. Security guarantees are on the agenda of negotiations on Ukraine, along with the main territorial issue, the official said, adding that Russia is open to pursuing its interests through peaceful means. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says He Picked 3 Candidates to Lead Iran Sputnik News 20260302 Following the US attack, US President Donald Trump announced that he had three candidates in mind to lead Iran. "I have three very good choices." the New York Times quoted the US leader as saying. He declined to reveal whom he had in mind. "I won't be revealing them now. Let's get the job done first," Trump said. Trump also stated the US assault could last "4 to 5 weeks" with the same intensity if necessary. On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian targets, including Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military infrastructure in the Middle East. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister's Oral Statement on Iran: 2 March 2026 Oral statement to Parliament Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Oral Statement to the House of Commons on Iran. From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Published 2 March 2026 Delivered on: 2 March 2026 With permission, Mr Speaker, I will update the House on the situation in Iran, the wider region, and the United Kingdom's response. The United Kingdom was not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran. That decision was deliberate. We believe that the best path for the region is through a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to abandon its aspiration to develop a nuclear weapon and ceases its destabilising activities across the Middle East. That has been the longstanding position of successive British governments. President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes. But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest, and that is the judgement I made. I stand by it. However, Mr Speaker, it is now clear that Iran's outrageous response has become a threat to our partners, to our interests, and to our allies. Iran has lashed out across the region. It has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at countries which did not attack it, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain and Oman. And overnight, Hezbollah, Iran's proxy, carried out further attacks on Israel, seeking to escalate the conflict. There are an estimated 300,000 British citizens across the region; residents, families, holidaymakers and others, many of whom are currently in airports and hotels where significant disruption is taking place. This is deeply concerning for the whole House and the whole country. Our Armed Forces have also come under pressure. Last night, at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, an Iranian drone struck within 800 yards of British personnel. Thankfully, there were no casualties. It is important for me to be clear: our bases in Cyprus have not been used by US forces for offensive strikes. A strike on RAF Akrotiri was not in response to any decision the UK has taken. Our assessment is that the drone was launched before our announcement. Iran's hostility toward Britain and our interests is long-standing, which is why our forces are always held at a high level of readiness. Mr Speaker, it is very clear that the death of Iran's Supreme Leader has not moderated the regime. In fact, their actions are becoming even more reckless, destabilising and ruthless, deliberately planned to cause destruction not only to military targets but to civilian ones, with no regard for human life. That is the situation we face, and to which we must respond. I have spoken to our partners, many of whom feel utterly outraged by Iran's attacks, particularly as they played no part in any strike against Iran. They have asked us to do more to help defend them. And, Mr Speaker, my highest duty is to protect British lives. For several days now, British jets, Typhoons and F-35s, have been deployed as part of coalition defensive operations. They have already successfully intercepted multiple threats, including drones heading toward a coalition base in Iraq housing UK personnel. I want to pay tribute to the bravery of our servicemen and women, who put themselves in harm's way to keep others safe. The whole House will join me in expressing our gratitude. But it is simply not possible to shoot down every Iranian missile and drone once they are launched. The only way to prevent these attacks is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or at their launchers. The United States requested permission to use British bases for that specific, limited defensive purpose. They have the capabilities required to prevent Iranian missiles from killing civilians, British nationals, or our allies in countries that played no part in the initial strike. To be clear: the use of British bases is strictly limited to agreed defensive purposes. The UK has not joined US offensive operations. Our action is rooted in the principle of collective self-defence of longstanding friends and in the protection of British lives. We have published a summary of our legal position, which sets this out clearly. We will keep this decision under review. France and Germany are also prepared to support the US in preventing Iran's ability to launch further missile and drone attacks. I have been in close contact with President Macron and Chancellor Merz, as well as leaders across the region. Mr Speaker, the Iranian regime has long brought horror to the world. Its actions have destabilised the region for decades, sponsored terrorism worldwide, targeted British shipping in the Red Sea, and supported Russia's attack on Ukraine. Here in the UK, Iran has directed threats toward dissidents and the Jewish community. Over the last year alone, Iran-backed plots against people in the UK have been disrupted. We must be clear about the threat that Iran poses. This is a dangerous moment. Our first thoughts are with British citizens in the regionfriends, family members and constituents. I recognise the deep concern felt by those with loved ones caught up in these events. We are asking all British nationals in the region to register their presence with the FCDO so we can provide them with the best possible support. Across much of the region, airspace remains severely restricted. Local authorities in several countries are advising individuals to shelter in place. We are deploying rapid-response teams to support British nationals. We are in close contact with our partners, including in the UAE, given the possibility of British nationals needing to leave from there. We are exploring all options for helping our citizens return home as swiftly and safely as possible. Ministers are also engaging directly with airlines. We are also in touch with community groups across the UK, including Muslim and Jewish organisations, and we are ensuring that sensitive sites have appropriate security. Mr Speaker, the situation in the region is evolving rapidly. I will continue to update the House. We have learned from the mistakes of the past. We were not involved in the initial strikes, and we will not join offensive US strikes. But in the face of Iran's dangerous escalation, we will defend British nationals and support the collective self-defence of our allies. That is our duty to the British people. It is the best way to prevent further escalation, to protect British interests and British lives. That is what this Government has done, and I commend this statement to the House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran crisis: Nuclear watchdog urges restraint amid ongoing strikes By Daniel Johnson 2 March 2026 - As the violent escalation in the Middle East entered a third day on Monday sparked by the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States, the head of the UN atomic energy agency urged a return to diplomacy, given the "increasing risk to nuclear safety" in the region. Speaking in Vienna, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, noted that there was no indication that any of Iran's nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities had been damaged. Meanwhile at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gulf States impacted by Iranian retaliatory strikes involving ballistic missiles and drones condemned attacks against their sovereignty and urged Tehran to stop all "hostile escalation" that could jeopardize regional stability. To date, missile strikes have been reported in Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in addition to Israel, whose military responded to Hezbollah strikes from Lebanon on Monday. There are indications that 550 civilians have been killed in Iran since the country came under attack on Saturday. Targets have included Tehran's Gandhi Hospital which sustained damage on Sunday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said, citing reports. "It serves as a reminder that all efforts must be taken to prevent health facilities from being caught up in the ongoing conflict. Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote in an online post. Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in the Swiss city, Shahad Matar for the UAE alleged that Iranian attacks since Saturday 28 February had killed three civilians and injured 58 more. "This blatant and cowardly attack is a violent...blatant violation of our sovereignty, international law and UN Charter," Ms. Shahad insisted. Echoing those comments, Naser Abdullah H. M. Alhayen for Kuwait condemned Iranian missile attacks and affirmed the country's right to defend its territory and people, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Deadly school strike update In response, Iran told the Human Rights Council that the country has continued to come under "indiscriminate and invasive" attack, a day after Tehran confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a strike on the Supreme Leader's compound in the capital. "In recent days, schools have been bombed, hospitals subjected to indiscriminate attacks, civilian leaders including the spiritual and religious Supreme Leader, have been assassinated, and the headquarters of the Iranian Red Crescent, along with many other non-military buildings, have been destroyed," Iran's Ali Bahreini maintained. Responding to reports that a primary school was hit on Saturday in Minab, southern Iran, Mr. Bahreini said that more than 160 schoolgirls had been killed. Threat of further escalation "The ongoing unlawful military aggression against Iran exemplifies the dominance of raw power over the principles of human rights," the Human Rights Council heard. Earlier on Monday, Iran also issued a letter to countries attending the UN Conference on Disarmament meeting in Geneva on Monday, insisting on its right to self-defence "for as long as the aggression endures". All U.S. military "bases, facilities and assets" are now "legitimate targets" as a result of the "war of aggression", the Iranian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva insisted. Nuclear incident fears Back in Vienna, IAEA chief Grossi underscored the risk of a nuclear incident from the military escalation since Iran "and many other countries in the region that have been subjected to military attacks have operational nuclear power plants and nuclear research reactors". Addressing a special meeting of the IAEA Board in the Austrian capital, Mr. Grossi said that radiation levels had remained normal in countries bordering Iran since the bombing began. And as the Israeli military began launching strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Mr. Grossi urged "utmost restraint in all military operations". He noted that the UAE has four operating nuclear reactors while Jordan and Syria have operational nuclear research reactors. "Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also been attacked," he said, stressing that they "all use nuclear applications of some sort or the other". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Foreign Ministry responds intensively to Iran-related queries as US-Israeli military operation enters the third day Global Times Regional war fears grow as US-Iran confrontation hardens By GT staff reporters Published: Mar 03, 2026 12:38 AM As the US Israeli military operation against Iran entered its third day on Monday, fighting and mutual retaliatory attacks intensified, with rising casualties on all sides and growing risks of a wider regional war. Amid the tense situation, China has intensified diplomatic efforts. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held intensive phone talks with counterparts of several countries. According to the Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held phone calls with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. Wang affirmed China's support to Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity, during his phone call with Araghchi, urged joint efforts with France to de-escalate Middle East tensions when talking to Barrot. And he also said that the spillover of war does not serve the fundamental and long-term interests of the Gulf countries during the phone conversation with the Omani foreign minister. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also elaborated China's position when responding on Monday a barrage of relevant questions, urging parties to stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry web page of the Monday press conference, Mao took at least 11 questions concerning the situation in Iran. Addressing a question of how China plays a role in preventing the US from carrying out unilateral actions, such as assassinating leaders of sovereign countries, Mao said that China is deeply concerned over the current situation. China firmly opposes the use of force in international relations or infringement on other countries' sovereignty and security. The priority now is to immediately stop military operations and prevent the spread and spillover of the conflict. Mao also noted Monday that China was not notified about the US' military operations beforehand, when responding to a query on whether China had any contacts with the US side during or just before this military operation. The spokesperson also confirmed at the Monday's press briefing that one Chinese citizen in Tehran had unfortunately been killed amid the ongoing military conflicts According to the spokesperson, as of March 2 Beijing time, over 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran. Chinese diplomatic missions in Iran's neighboring countries have sent working groups to receive and assist the evacuated Chinese citizens at border ports. Exchange of words and missiles Parties to the conflict exchanged threats and vows of revenge on the third day of the conflict, which was followed by intensified strikes on each other. US President Donald Trump recorded a new video address on Sunday, vowing to avenge three American deaths after the strikes on Iran. But he warned: "Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is likely to be more. But we'll do everything possible where that won't be the case," according to the Guardian. Trump also said the military operation will continue "until all of our objectives are achieved" and that more casualties are possible. In an interview, he said it could "take four weeks or less." The US president claimed he's agreed to speak with Iran and that the military operation is proceeding "ahead of schedule." And according to Iran International, Israel's foreign minister claimed on Sunday that Israel and the US have set no timeline for their joint military campaign against Iran, describing the strikes that began on Saturday as an effort to weaken the country's leadership. Speaking to Euronews, Gideon Sa'ar said the operation would continue without a fixed end date. Also showing a tough stance, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said Tehran won't resume nuclear talks with Washington, denying a report that he had privately sought a diplomatic off-ramp amid the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel. "We will not negotiate with the United States," Larijani said in a post on X on Monday. Larijani also wrote on X that "He [Trump] turned his self-made 'America First' slogan into 'Israel First' and sacrificed American soldiers for Israel's power-hungry ambitions." Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Monday its missile strikes targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and the place of stay of Commander of the Israeli Air Force Tomer Bar, Xinhua News Agency reported citing a statement published on the IRGC official news outlet Sepah News. The IRGC said the "targeted and surprise" attacks were carried out using homegrown Kheibar ballistic missiles. Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi speaks to media during a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on March 02, 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Najafi said at an IAEA board of governors' extraordinary session that the key nuclear site Natanz had been attacked, without specifying further, AFP reported. Loud explosions were also heard across the Gulf cities of Dubai, Doha and Manama as well as in Jerusalem on Monday, the Guardian reported. Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down three US F-15 fighter jets, the US military said Monday, noting that all six aircrew members ejected safely and are in stable condition, per Xinhua. The IRGC claimed it had targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles, saying its strikes against US forces had "entered a new phase" and that "land and sea will become more and more the graveyard of terrorist aggressors," Turkey's Anadolu Agency reported. However, such claim was denied US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Sunday, asserting the missiles "didn't even come close" to the Lincoln, which it said continued launching aircraft in support of attacks against Iran, per the report. The IRGC has also reportedly destroyed the oil tanker Stena Imperative, which was flying the US flag, while it was in the port of Bahrain, Tehran Times reported. The vessel was hit by Iranian drone or missile fire on Monday, according to the Reuters and other outlets that cited the maritime security firm Vanguard Tech. There was no immediate comment from US authorities. US military says four troops now confirmed dead on third day of war. "Four US service members have been killed in action" since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, the US Central Command said Monday, raising the death toll reported on Sunday by one. The strikes have also killed at least 11 people in Israel, and the Iranian Red Crescent says 555 people have been killed in Iran, CBS News updated. In a move that aligns themselves with the US led camp, France, Germany and the UK said Sunday they were ready to defend their interests and those of its allies in the Gulf if necessary by taking "defensive action" against Iran, according to France 24. Aftermath of the conflict In a brief telephone interview with The New York Times, Trump offered several seemingly contradictory visions of how power might be transferred to a new government or even whether the existing Iranian power structure would run that government or be overthrown, according to The New York Times report on local Sunday. From Tehran's perspective, the US has repeatedly used the promise of talks as a lure, only to renege, eroding Iran's trust in the very idea of diplomacy, Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times. Judging from past experience, as long as Iran retains even a minimal capacity to resist, it is likely to continue doing so - after all, it remains a country with significant strategic depth, said Ding. Yet many are questioning the US ability to control a sustained war and whether its strategic goals can be achieved. In Iran, the killing of Khamenei and many in his inner circle risks triggering a wider regional conflict that could destabilize the country and mire the US in another war in the Middle East, wrote the Wall Street Journal, noting that its also one constrained by hard logistics. The US military is burning through scarce air-defense interceptors faster than it can replace them, raising concerns about how long it can sustain this tempo while continuing to protect US forces and partners from retaliation. In an article published on the Economist, it said that "when the only organizing principle is American might, the Trumpian strategy could also cause a spiral of anarchy and violence. Conflicts may multiply. The government in Washington may not have the appetite - or the capacity - to control them." The magazine said that if the Iranians suffer from misery, "do not expect Mr Trump to step in. His main work is almost done." "The US has already broken with established international norms," Lu Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. "It launched the war abruptly in the midst of negotiations and killed the leader of another country." Lu said Washington's apparent objective of forcing regime change is unlikely to be achieved quickly, noting that Iran had long ago put in place mechanisms for a rapid leadership transition. He added that any effort to cripple Iran's military capabilities would require a prolonged campaign, not a short operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says U.S. attack on Iran capable of going "far longer" than 4 to 5 weeks People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:05, March 03, 2026 WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. military campaign against Iran has "capability to go far longer" than the four to five weeks he projected during media interviews one day earlier. "We have capability to go far longer than that. We'll do it," Trump said at an event in the White House, referring to his earlier remarks that the attacks may last four to five weeks. "I don't get bored. There's nothing boring about this," Trump said amid the war across the Middle East region. Earlier, Trump told the New York Post that he is not ruling out sending U.S. ground troops into Iran "if they were necessary". A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Saturday and Sunday found that some 43 percent of U.S. citizens disapproved of the strikes and just 27 percent approved. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran condemns IAEA inaction as US-Israeli aggression targets nuclear facilities Iran Press TV Tuesday, 03 March 2026 1:11 AM The Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has issued a formal protest to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, demanding an immediate end to the agency's inaction following repeated military strikes against Iran's sovereign nuclear infrastructure. Mohammad Eslami, in a letter dispatched on Monday, detailed a series of cruel and illegal attacks carried out by the United States and the Israeli regime, with the most recent aggression occurring on Sunday when the Natanz nuclear site was targeted in two separate waves of strikes. Eslami argued that these strikes directly violate the Geneva Conventions, the IAEA Statute, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "It is imperative that the Agency immediately terminates its current state of inactivity and fulfills its statutory duties by condemning these measures that contravene international rules," he wrote. He warned that Tehran is prepared to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereign rights and will pursue legal action against Grossi personally for failing to uphold the Agency's obligations. The letter lamented that the fresh attacks follow the Agency's failure to condemn the June 2025 strikes on Iran's peaceful nuclear industry, particularly noting that the IAEA Board of Governors has become a tool for the United States and its allies. The letter was issued after Grossi claimed in a statement to the 35-nation Board of Governors on Monday that the Agency has "no indication" of damage based on satellite imagery. The current escalation follows the 12-day war of June 2025, during which US-Israeli forces launched a massive campaign against Iran's nuclear heartland. Despite the unprecedented nature of those strikes, the IAEA remained silent, a position Tehran views as a green light for continued Western-backed lawlessness. Iran has strongly protested Grossi for his refusal to condemn those attacks, describing his conduct as yet another manifestation of acting under the influence of the United States and its allies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel MOD Signs Approx $42 Million Deal with Ashot Ashkelon for Rehabilitation of Merkava Tank Transmissions Israel Ministry of Defense 26/2/2026 The Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) within the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) announced today (Thursday) the signing of an agreement with Ashot Ashkelon for the rehabilitation and supply of transmissions for Merkava tanks. This agreement joins a series of recently signed deals that will enable the expansion of Israel's defense production base and the IDF's force build-up, as part of the strategy led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and IMOD Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram. Under the terms of the agreement, Ashot Ashkelon will rehabilitate transmissions for Merkava tanks at a total cost of approximately $42 million (over NIS 130 million). Ashot Ashkelon specializes in the production of propulsion systems, transmissions, and other unique and complex components for armored vehicles, including the Merkava tank and Namer APC. This agreement forms part of a broader framework for the rehabilitation and supply of 1,500 and 1,200-horsepower transmissions for the Merkava tank and Namer APC. To date, cumulative orders placed under this project have reached approximately $82 million (approximately NIS 253 million). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deepening Israel-Germany Defense and Industrial Cooperation Israel Ministry of Defense 27/2/2026 The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) led a comprehensive delegation visit to Germany this week. The visit included meetings with Israeli defense industries at the Enforce-Tac exhibition in Nuremberg, as well as high-level discussions with senior officials at the German Ministry of Defense on advancing joint projects and industrial cooperation between Israeli and German defense industries. As part of the visit, the delegation conducted a historic visit to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia - the first time a delegation from the IMOD has visited a German federal state. The delegation, led by SIBAT Director, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas, was joined by Israel's Defense Attache to Germany, Col. Aviran Lerer, and visited German defense companies and innovation hubs across the state, which stands as one of Europe's leading economic and technological centers. In a meeting with Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe, International Affairs, and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Nathanael Liminski, as well as representatives from industry, academia, and defense start-ups, the Head of SIBAT presented key insights gained from recent years of combat operations and their implications for the defense technologies of the future. The visit is part of the Ministry's strategy to strengthen international defense partnerships and expand Israeli defense exports. It marks a significant step in deepening the strategic ties between Israel and Germany. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel MOD and IDF Complete Reception and Unloading of a Cargo Ship Israel Ministry of Defense 28/2/2026 As part of the full support for the IDF's operational needs, the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) and the IDF completed the reception and unloading of a cargo ship over the weekend, carrying tons of military equipment, including military gear, dozens of Humvees, trucks, and more. The ship, which docked at the Port of Haifa, was brought to Israel in a joint operation by the IMOD Mission to the United States, the International Shipping Division of the Ministry's Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD), and the IDF's Planning Directorate. The IMOD and the IDF continue their ongoing procurement and shipping efforts to supply the IDF with required equipment. Since the onset of the war, 1,150 cargo aircraft and 166 ships have arrived in Israel carrying over 130,000 tons of munitions and military equipment, of which over 6,500 tons were delivered in 90 flights and shipments in recent weeks. The shipping effort will continue to intensify in the coming period as part of Operation Roaring Lion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Roaring Lion - Israel MOD Launched an Aerial and Maritime Airlift to Deliver Military Equipment and Munitions to the IDF Israel Ministry of Defense 2/3/2026 Over the past 24 hours, the first cargo aircraft landed in Israel carrying various munitions and military equipment. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, have prioritized bolstering Israel's strategic endurance and ensuring uninterrupted operational readiness amid preparations for potential escalation across additional fronts. The airlift operation is expected to scale up in the coming days. It is being carried out jointly by the IMOD Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) through its International Shipping Division, the IMOD Missions to the United States and Germany, the IDF Planning Directorate, the Israel Airports Authority, and the Israel Civil Aviation Authority. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by PM Netanyahu at the Site of the Missile Strike in Beit Shemesh Israel - Prime Minister's Office Type: Events and Speeches Government: The 37th Government Publish Date: 02.03.2026 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today: "This is the third day of Operation Roaring Lion, the operation the Israeli army and the State of Israel set out, with our great friends in the United States of America and President Trump, to thwart existential threats to Israel, and great threats to America and the entire world. When I stand here in a place that was bombarded by the terrorists in Tehran against innocent civilians, you see the difference. The tyrants of Tehran target civilians. We target the tyrants of Tehran to protect civilians. I've said for many years that they threaten not only Israel and not only America. They chant, 'Death to Israel, death to America.' That's their ultimate target. But I said that they would also target those in between, that they would target Europe. They did. And if this regime, this terrorist regime of the kind we've never seen in the world, if they get nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them - ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles, they will threaten all of humanity. So we set out to protect ourselves. But in so doing, we protect many others. And I want to say special thanks to our great friend and a great leader of the world, Donald Trump, for joining us in this crucial effort to save the world." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China implements measures to counter Japan's accelerating remilitarization People's Daily Online By Zhong Sheng (People's Daily) 09:21, March 03, 2026 China's Ministry of Commerce has announced the placement of 20 Japanese entities involved in enhancing military capabilities on its export control list. A further 20 Japanese entities, where the end-users and end-uses of dual-use items cannot be verified, have been added to a watch list. These actions are taken to safeguard China's national security and interests, fulfil international non-proliferation obligations, and prevent Japan's pursuit of remilitarization and nuclear armament. The measures are fully justified, reasonable, and lawful, demonstrating China's commitment to the rule of law and its responsibilities as a major country. This follows China's January 6th announcement of strengthened export controls on dual-use items to Japan. The latest move explicitly names specific companies, translates earlier restrictions into targeted, enforceable, entity-based controls designed to effectively safeguard national security and regional peace and stability. According to international legal instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, Japan is required to be fully disarmed and must not maintain industries that would enable its rearmament. However, a number of Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI Corporation, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, have long been active in the defense sector, producing equipment such as naval vessels, fighter aircraft, and missiles. For instance, multiple subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have participated in the development of Japan's hypersonic weapon system, the Hyper-Velocity Gliding Projectile for remote island defense. Vessels built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding have not only supported Japan's maritime activities related to the Diaoyu Islands, but have also been supplied to the Philippine Coast Guard for use in the South China Sea, posing risks to regional peace and stability. China's measures represent a targeted response to curb Japan's development of offensive military capabilities and to uphold international law and the post-war international order. Japan's push toward remilitarization is following a clear trajectory, with a new military-industrial complex rapidly taking shape. In recent years, Japan has accelerated its military buildup, with defense spending rising for 14 consecutive years from fiscal 2012 through fiscal 2026, and effectively doubling within three years since 2022. State-driven support has enabled Japanese defense contractors to reap substantial profits, even fueling what some describe as a "defense bubble" in capital markets. Data show that since November 2022, the stock price of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has surged by more than 650 percent, IHI Corporation by over 480 percent, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries by more than 280 percent. In stark contrast, Japan's manufacturing sector has recorded an average annual growth rate of less than 1 percent over the same period. Since Sanae Takaichi assumed power, Japan's remilitarization process has noticeably accelerated. War preparedness has been elevated to an overriding national priority, with further support extended to defense-related interest groups. Reports indicate that the Japanese government plans to address defense funding gaps through large-scale bond issuance and a special income tax, while also preparing to establish a "national intelligence agency" this year. In a recent policy speech in the House of Representatives, Takaichi asserted that Japan must fundamentally strengthen its defense capabilities and pledged to clearly communicate defense procurement needs to industry. These steps are likely to further bind Japan's defense spending to specific industrial and corporate interests, creating a self-reinforcing cycle. At the same time, right-wing forces in Japan have shown a growing ambition to pursue nuclear capabilities. In recent months, some Japanese politicians have openly advocated for nuclear armament and sought to revise the long-standing "Three Non-Nuclear Principles." It is widely recognized as a "nuclear-threshold state," having long produced and stockpiled plutonium far exceeding civilian needs. By the end of 2024, Japan possessed as much as 44.4 tons of separated plutonium. With a complete nuclear fuel cycle and advanced nuclear industry capabilities, Japan is technically capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium. Should right-wing political forces push Japan across the nuclear threshold, it would represent a severe breach of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. A recent commentary by Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao noted that nuclear non-proliferation remains central to international politics, and that Japan's pursuit of nuclear weapons runs counter to the interests of Southeast Asia, where reducing arms races and minimizing the risk of conflict are essential to regional stability. Japan's remilitarization and nuclear ambitions pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability. The lessons of history make clear that appeasement of militarism amounts to a betrayal of peace. Countering the rise of right-wing forces in Japan requires concrete actions. China's law-based control measures aimed to prevent dual-use items from feeding into Japan's military expansion and firmly curb any resurgence of militarism. China will work together with all peace-loving countries to uphold the post-war international order and jointly maintain regional security and stability. Japan's right-wing forces should recognize that a return to militarism leads only to self-destruction. Any reckless attempt to challenge international justice and the global order is bound to meet firm resistance from the forces of justice around the world. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Telephone conversation with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani March 2, 2026 15:30 During Vladimir Putin's telephone conversation with Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani the primary focus was placed on the acute crisis in the Middle East, provoked by the United States and Israel's aggression against Iran. This flagrant violation of international law has led to grave and tragic consequences for the Iranian people. Both sides expressed concern about the risks of the conflict escalating and the threat of third countries becoming involved. At the same time, they expressed hope that Iran's retaliation would not cause any harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, including tourism and transportation facilities, of neighbouring countries. The Emir of Qatar expressed gratitude for the support of the regional states in the current difficult situation. He also emphasised that cooperation with Russia in various sectors remained a priority for them. Both sides expressed hope for a swift de-escalation of the conflict and a return to resolving differences via political and diplomatic means, based on mutual respect and equality. The leaders agreed to continue Russia-Qatar contacts through various channels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Telephone conversation with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. March 2, 2026 14:45 The discussion focused on the unprecedented and tragic events in the Middle East in light of the United States and Israel's aggression against Iran as well as the harsh retaliatory measures by Tehran. Both sides emphasised the necessity to cease hostilities and return to a political and diplomatic process. Vladimir Putin noted that the Russian side had done much to promote a peaceful settlement of the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear programme and to find mutually acceptable compromises. The Emirati side has played an active role in the process as well. However, this groundwork has been sabotaged by the unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign state that is a member of the United Nations in violation of the fundamental principles of international law. The President of Russia thanked Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his efforts aimed at providing support to the Russian nationals in the UAE, including the numerous tourists, in the midst of the current force majeure situation. The President of the UAE emphasised that Iran's retaliation had directly affected the Emirates, causing damage to the country and posing a threat to civilians. He said these strikes were carried out despite the fact that the UAE was not being used to mount attacks on Iran and were therefore completely unjustified. For his part, Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to convey these signals to Tehran and, more broadly, to provide all possible assistance in order to stabilise the situation in the region. The leaders agreed to remain in close contact. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Telephone conversation with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud During Vladimir Putin's telephone conversation with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the leaders had a thorough discussion of the escalation in the Middle East resulting from the United States and Israel's armed aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. March 2, 2026 18:10 Both sides expressed serious concern over the real risks of geographical expansion of the conflict, which has already affected several Arab states and is fraught with potentially catastrophic consequences. In this regard, Vladimir Putin emphasised the need to resolve the extremely dangerous situation at hand via political and diplomatic means. In turn, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud opined that the Russian side could presently play a positive, stabilising role, given the friendly ties it has with both Iran and the Gulf states. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan 2 March 2026 18:52 272-02-03-2026 On March 2, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The two foreign ministers exchanged perspectives on the situation around Iran, which has arisen as a result of the aggression committed by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic. It was observed that the unprecedented escalation of the conflict harbours unpredictable consequences for the entire region. Concern was articulated regarding the risk of third countries, particularly the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, becoming embroiled in the conflict. The ministers emphasised that Russia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia advocate for the immediate cessation of all hostilities and the prioritisation of measures to prevent attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, both within Iran and in the neighbouring states. Sergey Lavrov and Faisal bin Farhan agreed to maintain continuous communication in the interests of a peaceful resolution to the situation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRH the Crown Prince Receives Phone Call from Swiss President Affirming Support for Saudi Measures Saudi Press Agency Monday 13/09/1447 Jeddah, March 02, 2026, SPA -- His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a phone call today from Swiss President Guy Parmelin, during which they discussed the ongoing military escalation in the region. The Swiss president affirmed his country's solidarity with the Kingdom, expressing support for all measures and decisions taken by Saudi Arabia to defend its sovereignty and maintain its security. -- SPA 21:16 Local Time 18:16 GMT 0080 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRH the Crown Prince, Russian President Discuss Regional Military Escalation Saudi Press Agency Monday 13/09/1447 Jeddah, March 02, 2026, SPA -- His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a phone call today from Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they discussed regional developments in light of the extremely dangerous military escalation and its repercussions on regional and international security. The two leaders also addressed the Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries. -- SPA 20:54 Local Time 17:54 GMT 0074 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRH the Crown Prince, Indian Prime Minister Discuss Regional Military Escalation Saudi Press Agency Monday 13/09/1447 Jeddah, March 02, 2026, SPA -- His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a phone call today from Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, during which they discussed regional developments and the dangerous military escalation threatening regional and global security and stability. The Indian prime minister expressed his country's firm rejection of the blatant Iranian attacks against the Kingdom. He affirmed India's solidarity with Saudi Arabia, condemning any actions that threaten its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens. -- SPA 18:24 Local Time 15:24 GMT 0060 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Receives Message from Russian Counterpart Saudi Press Agency Monday 13/09/1447 Riyadh, March 02, 2026, SPA -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a written message from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding bilateral relations and mechanisms to strengthen them across all fields. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received the message during a meeting today at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh with Russian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sergey Kozlov. The meeting included a review of bilateral ties and a discussion on various topics of common interest. -- SPA 17:18 Local Time 14:18 GMT 0054 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ministry of National Defense: Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung Urges Legislative Yuan to Authorize Signing of Three Arms Sales LOAs Before March 15 Deadline ROC Ministry of National Defense 2026.02.24 Issuing AuthorityAdministration Office Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo Li-hsiung told the media during an interview at the Legislative Yuan on January 20 that the Legislative Yuan had already convened and expressed hope that the Executive Yuan's version of the Special Act on Defense Procurement would be referred to committee as soon as possible. He also hoped the Legislative Yuan would authorize the Ministry of National Defense to sign the Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) for the three arms sales cases approaching their expiration date before the Act and related budget were passed, so as to ensure smooth progress in all military buildup and readiness efforts. Executive Yuan Premier Cho Jung-tai led the Cabinet to the Legislative Yuan on the morning of January 20 to present the administrative guidelines and report and to answer questions. Before the session, Minister Koo spoke to the media and pointed out that the Executive Yuan had approved the draft "Special Act on Procurement for Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities" the previous year. The U.S. Government had previously provided draft LOAs for three arms sales cases included in the ActTOW Missile Follow-On Purchase, Javelin Anti-Armor Missile Follow-On Purchase, and M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzerwith validity expiring on March 15 of this year. The Ministry of National Defense had hoped to sign the LOAs on schedule, but it was impossible to obtain budget allocation before March 15 due to procedural constraints. He therefore hoped the Foreign Affaris and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan could adopt a "pre-authorization before budget passage" approach, allowing the Ministry to complete signing with the U.S. side and avoid delays or the need to restart the entire process. Regarding the opposition parties' intention to propose their own version, Minister Koo further stated that for more than a year, the Ministry of National Defense had rigorously and prudently reviewed defense operational requirements with the U.S. administrative agencies and had prepared procurement plans. From the White House and Department of State to the Department of Defense, the U.S. side had repeatedly affirmed the NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget. The budget had been formulated based on defense operational capability needs after close bilateral discussions and was expected to be beneficial to enhancing defensive combat power. The Ministry still hoped to use the Executive Yuan's comprehensive plan as the basis for reviewing the Act and budget, and to consider future capability building. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that increasing the defense budget and strengthening defensive capabilities not only concerned Taiwan's own security but also served as an important indicator to the international community of Taiwan's responsibility to defend itself. Taiwan was located at a key strategic position in the Indo-Pacific and faced complex and severe security challenges. It was therefore necessary to build internal consensus and steadily advance military buildup and readiness efforts to ensure national security and regional peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran could cloud Trump-Xi talks but unlikely to spark Taiwan war: Scholars ROC Central News Agency 03/02/2026 06:13 PM Taipei, March 2 (CNA) Escalating conflict in the Middle East is unlikely to trigger an immediate cross-strait crisis or directly imperil Taiwan in U.S.-China dealings, but it could pose growing risks by straining U.S. resources and complicating the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, scholars said. Invasion risk 'not that high' Chieh Chung (), an adjunct associate research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said U.S. President Donald Trump was "clearly trying to replicate" the kind of short, high-intensity military operation against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This would allow Trump to "focus U.S. resources on the Indo-Pacific for long-term competition with China," Chieh told CNA in a phone interview on Monday. However, Chieh said that if the fighting in the Middle East cannot be brought to a quick end, U.S. forces will likely have little choice but to continue relying on precision airstrikes, as deploying large numbers of ground troops appears unlikely. He noted that the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has long warned about shortages in its stockpile of precision-guided munitions, and said a prolonged campaign could soon begin to affect the U.S. military's own combat readiness, in turn "weakening its ability to deter China in the western Pacific." Even so, Chieh said the risk of an immediate Chinese invasion was "not that high," citing Beijing's long-term strategic goals of "peaceful unification" and the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) still-limited ability to ensure a quick victory, particularly following the ouster of Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia () and other senior PLA figures. "After such a sweeping purge of the military leadership, I believe the Chinese military -- and [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping () himself -- should all be aware that this is not the right moment for large-scale external military action," Chieh said. Impact on Trump-Xi meeting Chang Wu-ueh (), a senior advisor at the Institute for National Policy Research, said recent U.S. moves against the Beijing-backed Venezuela and Iran suggest Washington remains primarily focused on strategic competition with China. With time running short and both sides occupied with domestic issues, ahead of a scheduled Trump-Xi meeting from March 31 to April 2 in China, it is unlikely they will be able to reach major agreements on trade or Taiwan, he added. With the Middle East crisis still unfolding, Chieh said that if the situation had by late March turned into a war of attrition -- suggesting U.S. forces could not be quickly pulled out of the region -- it would weaken Trump's psychological position ahead of negotiations with Xi. He added that Washington's tools for pressuring Beijing had "shrunk substantially" after Trump's reciprocal tariffs were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. With Trump appearing eager to return from Beijing with a "big deal" that could be partly delivered before the November midterm elections, Beijing's bargaining position would be markedly strengthened by the time of the meeting, Chieh noted. Consequently, Trump might view certain Taiwan-related adjustments as "rhetorical" and open to negotiation, Chieh said. He cited concerns that Trump could shift from saying Washington does not support Taiwan independence to explicitly opposing it, or place new limits on political and military exchanges with Taipei. "Trump may think he has plenty of room for interpretation, but even changes in wording alone could be seen by Beijing as an important achievement," Chieh added. Arms sales Chieh noted that if Trump were to make certain commitments during his state visit to China, those pledges could "interfere with subsequent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan." Such sales, he said, might not be canceled outright, but could face additional constraints, require more workarounds, or be delayed longer than expected in terms of public announcement. He also warned that the weapons Taiwan hopes to buy could face longer delivery delays if the crisis in the Middle East persists. Systems sought by Taiwan, including Patriot missile systems and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), could become harder to obtain if prolonged fighting depletes U.S. stockpiles and pushes Israel and other Middle Eastern countries to expand their air defense capabilities. "NATO countries are already strengthening their own air defense systems, which means Taiwan may have to compete with many of Washington's close allies for limited production capacity," he added. (By Sunny Lai and Chang Shu-ling) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2026.03.03 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau 1.Date: 6 a.m. Mar. 2 (Mon.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 3(Tue.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 5 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 3.Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe. 1150301_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to 15 billion in UK exports Press release Leonardo UK selected for 1 billion contract for new medium helicopters (NMH) - which could work alongside uncrewed aircraft - to support defence operations around the globe. From: Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon John Healey MP Published 2 March 2026 Leonardo UK selected for 1 billion contract for new medium helicopters (NMH) - which could work alongside uncrewed aircraft - to support defence operations around the globe. Upgraded deal makes Yeovil the global centre for Leonardo's military helicopter production and exports, and sets up the UK as a leader for uncrewed and autonomous systems, a key frontier technology in the government's Defence Industrial Strategy. International orders for Leonardo's military helicopters built in Yeovil could see over 15 billion in exports over the next 10 years. Thousands of skilled British jobs have been secured with a major helicopter deal that will boost the UK Armed Forces' battlefield kit and makes Britain Leonardo's global centre for military helicopter production and exports - worth a potential 15 billion over the next decade. The 1 billion deal will also make Yeovil the centre of excellence for military helicopter autonomy, as the Ministry of Defence invests further in Proteus - the UK's first autonomous uncrewed air system which is built by Leonardo and recently undertook its first flight. The development of uncrewed and autonomous technology in the UK is at the heart of the government's Defence Industrial Strategy and could offer the opportunity to make platforms such as NMH optionally-crewed. The new deal secured by the Government with Leonardo will provide the UK Armed Forces with 23 new medium-lift helicopters - which could work alongside uncrewed aircraft - and paves the path for future military international orders to be built in the UK, with an increased workshare for the UK above 40%. There are around 20 countries with requirements for new medium-lift helicopters. Together with Leonardo's other helicopters, international orders for NMH could generate over 15 billion in exports over the next 10 years. The agreement secures the future of the UK's sovereign helicopter production and Leonardo's facility in Yeovil, Somerset, sustaining 3,300 jobs. This includes 650 people working directly on NMH and more involved with autonomous systems and providing ongoing support and manufacture of the Merlin and Wildcat helicopter fleets. With a UK supply chain of nearly 70 companies, the programme also secures sovereign defence skills and expertise for decades to come. The deal represents a major investment into the UK's industrial base - a key pillar of delivery for the Defence Industrial Strategy and other growth driving sectors like Advanced Manufacturing and Digital and Technology. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: This defence investment works for Britain on every level. It strengthens our Armed Forces, secures thousands of skilled British jobs, and sets up big export opportunities. It is a major vote of confidence in British industry, British workers and British innovation. This Government's broad deal makes Yeovil the proud home of Leonardo's global military helicopter production, building world-class helicopters for our forces and allies around the world for many years to come. It backs British jobs and security today and makes the UK a pace-setter in uncrewed, technology and innovation for tomorrow. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: In an uncertain world we are backing Britain's world-class defence sector to both keep Britain safe and drive economic growth. This historic partnership not only supports British jobs and security today, but positions the UK and its allies at the forefront of the next generation of defence and autonomous systems tomorrow. The upgraded deal is the result of the government's commitment to a new partnership and new ways of working with industry as set out in the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy - and makes the MOD's relationship with Leonardo even stronger. In a major backing for Britain, the partnership will see the UK lead the world in helicopter innovation and autonomy, with Leonardo setting up Yeovil as a future centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters. Proteus, which undertook its first flight at the end of January, is being developed to conduct a range of missions, including aspects of anti-submarine warfare. The agreement paves the path for future export orders of the AW149 helicopter to be built in the UK, significantly expanding the UK's workshare for the aircraft and growing the local workforce in the South West, with a potential to sustain 3,900 jobs - a 20% increase. Nigel Colman, Managing Director of Helicopters UK, Leonardo said: We welcome the decision to award the New Medium Helicopter contract to supply medium lift helicopters to the Ministry of Defence, as well as the continued investment in Proteus - our autonomous rotary wing uncrewed air system in development with the Royal Navy. Leonardo is committed to providing the UK Armed Forces with a world-class medium lift helicopter based on our leading AW149 platform that will serve our military personnel for many years to come. The Government's procurement of the AW149, as well as the continued investment in autonomy, will support more than 3,300 jobs in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters, as well as 12,000 across the UK supply chain. As the nature of warfare changes, the war in Ukraine has highlighted the continued importance of helicopters on the battlefield - transporting forces, kit and capabilities in complex environments. The NMH is capable of operating in all environments in support of defence operations around the globe, from warfighting to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. The AW149 NMH will deliver multiple rotary wing requirements using a single aircraft-type. This means that the platform will be able to undertake defence tasks that were previously delivered by three different aircraft types, streamlining our capabilities - improving efficiency and operational flexibility now and in the future. The new deal delivers on the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy - improving warfighting readiness, strengthening the UK's defence industrial base, and making defence as an engine for growth. The Ministry of Defence spends nearly 7 billion with the defence industry in the South-West, which supports more than 37,000 jobs. The procurement is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War - hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027 with 270 billion this Parliament. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "Four Years Ago Today, Ukraine Took a Historic Step Towards the European Union" - Statement by EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova on Ukraine's Application for EU Membership European External Action Service (EEAS) 02.03.2026 Press and information team of the Delegation to UKRAINE Four years ago, Ukraine did something that even seasoned diplomats did not expect. Just four days after the full-scale invasion began, the country formally applied to join the European Union. It was President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who signed and submitted the application from a bunker in the Presidential Quarter on Bankova Street in Kyiv. The capital was under attack. Russian forces were advancing. The outcome was far from certain. And yet, in that moment, Ukraine was not only fighting for survival. It was making a strategic choice about its future. At first, many of us were surprised. But when one reflects on Ukraine's recent history, it made perfect sense. The desire to belong to Europe did not begin in 2022. It was already visible in 2013-2014, when hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians stood in the cold at Maidan Nezalezhnosti during the Revolution of Dignity. They were defending a choice of values rule of law, dignity, and freedom. Many paid for that choice with their lives. I remember those days well. Working on enlargement policy in Brussels, Ukraine was already part of my professional life. Since September 2023, it has also been my home in a much more personal way. So when, in February 2022, Ukraine sent its membership application from a shelter, it was more than a political act. It was an expression of identity. Even under bombardment, Ukraine chose Europe. The European Union responded. Candidate status was granted only months later. Since then, Ukraine has accelerated reforms while defending itself in the judiciary, anti-corruption institutions, public administration, and energy resilience. Progress achieved during a full-scale war that many countries struggle to accomplish in times of peace. Support for EU membership remains one of the strongest sources of motivation for Ukrainians. Recent visits of EU leaders to Kyiv have confirmed this again. For more than a decade, I have followed Ukraine's European journey first from Brussels, now from Kyiv. Four years ago, I witnessed something I will never forget: a country under bombardment thinking not only about how to survive the night but about where it wanted to belong for generations to come. That choice still defines Ukraine today. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 02 March 2026 18:46 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "I had a constructive call with my German friend and colleague Johann Wadephul. We exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and expressed solidarity with the countries of the region that have come under Iranian attacks. I emphasized that, despite Russia's ongoing energy terror, Ukraine has held firm. We went through the most difficult winter of the war, and spring has arrived. This means that Russia's efforts to break us down through darkness and cold have failed. We are grateful to Germany for defeating Russian winter terror together with us. I updated my colleague on the battlefield situation, noting that Ukraine has recently begun to liberate more of its territory than Russia is occupying. I thanked my German counterpart for reaffirming that Ukraine remains in focus despite the intense developments in the Middle East. We greatly appreciate Germany's steadfast solidarity and comprehensive support. We coordinated our bilateral agenda, discussed the next steps in Ukraine's path to joining the EU, and agreed to maintain close contact". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Supply, loss audit, and scaling unmanned ground robotic systems: Ministry of Defence advances solutions for the front line Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 2 March, 2026, 12:58 PM EET The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is initiating a series of measures to strengthen warriors on the front line. These measures will focus on military unit supply, loss assessment, and scaling effective technologies. As Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov noted, following his frontline visit and pursuant to the President's directive, work has begun on specific solutions. Launching a baseline drone supply program for brigades. It ensures guaranteed monthly provision of FPV drones, reconnaissance drones, bomber UAVs, and other unmanned aerial platforms, in addition to state deliveries, the e-Point system, and other procurement channels. This will enable brigades to plan their defense operations and operate with confidence in their available resources. Efforts are also underway to establish a centralized supply of Starlink terminals and pickup trucks for the military. Loss assessment. We are initiating a comprehensive assessment of each battlefield loss. The assessment will help identify key issues and support data-driven decision-making to resolve them. Our people are our highest value. We will fight for the life of every warrior. Changing the approach to needs planning. In the near term, we are transitioning from manual needs planning to an automated model. Drawing on reliable frontline data, we will define real operational requirements without an excessive and inefficient diversity of solutions. Our objective is to provide service members with the most effective solutions, so they do not have to refine them themselves in the trenches. The annual drone supply objectives have been revised. A procurement plan has been developed. Procurement volumes will increase for interceptor drones, FPV and fiber-optic drones, fixed-wing reconnaissance UAVs, and operational-depth strike drones, as well as other required assets. Contracts for Q1 are already in place: for the first time, requirements were determined using data-driven methodology to eliminate subjective bias and corruption risks. The effects of these procurements will soon translate into tangible improvements on the front line. Scaling unmanned ground robotic systems. This year will see a multiple-fold increase in unmanned ground robotic systems. The objective is to transition logistics operations to unmanned ground robotic systems in order to reduce personnel losses. Developing alternatives to Mavic drones. We are developing AI-powered systems capable of replacing Mavic drones. These solutions are already undergoing testing and will soon be scaled up for frontline use. During his working visit to the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv sectors, Mykhailo Fedorov gathered dozens of proposals from service members and noted multiple problem areas. The Ministry of Defence is working on systemic solutions to address them. "I met with commanders of corps and force groupings, brigade commanders, and heads of military administrations. We held coordination meetings with Operational Command 'South', Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatyi, and Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Robert "Madyar" Brovdi. We worked directly with mechanized and air assault brigades, as well as air defense units. The goal is to synchronize decisions to strengthen our defense and systematically prepare for the spring," the Minister of Defence said. Efforts will continue across the following key priorities: strengthening tactical and operational depth; scaling drones and interceptor systems; protecting logistics and critical supply routes; reinforcing brigade personnel strength; deploying additional air defense units; advancing electronic warfare and radar coverage capabilities; building and reinforcing defensive fortifications. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Situation on the Frontline, Air Defense Missile Needs, and the Negotiation Track to Achieve Peace - President Had a Phone Call with the Chancellor of Germany President of Ukraine 2 March 2026 - 14:42 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz. They discussed the situation in Ukraine and contacts with other leaders. The Head of State informed about the situation on the frontline and Ukraine's needs for air defense missiles. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that intelligence indicates potential Russian strikes, and that is why it is so critical now to make every effort to ensure protection. The leaders also spoke about the negotiation track aimed at achieving peace and how it could advance in light of the developments in the Middle East. The Chancellor of Germany spoke about his visit to China and the meetings held there. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Friedrich Merz coordinated positions ahead of the Chancellor's meeting with President of the United States Donald Trump in Washington. The Head of State thanked Friedrich Merz, his team, and Germany for their consistent support in protecting the lives of Ukrainians. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defense and Energy Support for Ukraine, Increased Sanctions Pressure on Russia, and Continuing Negotiations to Return Ukrainians and Achieve Peace Were the Key Priorities of the President's Diplomatic Efforts in February President of Ukraine 2 March 2026 - 20:30 In February, the foreign policy work of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy focused on strengthening support for Ukraine - primarily in defense and energy - increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, and advancing negotiations to return Ukrainians and achieve a dignified peace. Over the course of the month, the Head of State held 17 international meetings in Kyiv: with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen; Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk; Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre; Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic; Prime Minister of Moldova Alexandru Munteanu; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte; Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset; OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Vice President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis, and OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu; Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Wodzimierz Czarzasty; First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Netherlands Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Tom Berendsen; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna; Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France Catherine Vautrin; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Sheldon Whitehouse; Members of the European Parliament from the United for Ukraine parliamentary group; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih; and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo. Another 14 meetings took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on February 13-14: with partners in the Berlin format; Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz; President of Finland Alexander Stubb; President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev; President of Czechia Petr Pavel; Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen; Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre; Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof; Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte; U.S. senators; heads of international investment companies; and exiled Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi. In Germany, the Head of State also visited the first German-Ukrainian joint venture producing drones for the Ukrainian army and received the first UAV manufactured there. Ukraine plans to open ten such joint ventures for the production of Ukrainian drones by the end of the year. In addition, the President received the Ewald von Kleist Award, which this year was awarded to the Ukrainian people. It is an annual distinction presented by the organizers of the Munich Security Conference since 2009. On the fourth anniversary of the start of the full-scale Russian war, President of Finland Alexander Stubb; President of the European Council Antonio Costa; President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen; Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen; Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal; Prime Minister of Iceland Kristrun Frostadottir; Prime Minister of Latvia Evika Silina; Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre; Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic; Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson; and Minister of National Defense of Lithuania Robertas Kaunas arrived in Kyiv. During the meeting in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ursula von der Leyen agreed on the participation of the European Commission in implementing Ukraine's updated energy strategy - restoring the energy sector and rebuilding the system. The President of the European Commission also announced a new energy plan, "Repair, Rebuild, Restart," which will include a 920 million package to stabilize Ukraine's energy system. In February, the Head of State held 11 phone calls: with President of the United States Donald Trump; President of France Emmanuel Macron; President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen; President of Israel Isaac Herzog; Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson; the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten; President of the Senate of Cambodia Hun Sen; Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico; and two calls each with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and envoys of the U.S. President Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Participation in international events and meetings: February 14 - the Munich Security Conference; February 24 - a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with the participation of 36 countries in offline and online formats, the Ukraine - Nordic-Baltic Summit, and an address to the European Parliament; February 26 - the first meeting of the International Advisory Group that will attract investment to Ukraine and develop priority sectors of the economy. Last month, two rounds of meetings of the Ukrainian, American, and Russian delegations took place: February 4-5 in Abu Dhabi and February 17-18 in Geneva. The most important result was the return home of 157 Ukrainians, most of whom had been in captivity since 2022. In February, it was also possible to return a number of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Thus, the total number of returned children within the Bring Kids Back UA initiative reached 2,000. In light of the events in the Middle East and the Gulf region, the Head of State noted that it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of the terrorist regime, as well as to guarantee security to all peoples who have suffered from terror originating from Iran. "It is important to preserve as many lives as possible. It is important to prevent the war from expanding. It is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted. On February 12, following the Ramstein-format meeting, partners confirmed that the budget for supporting Ukraine this year will amount to $38 billion. Defense and energy packages: Sweden - military aid package worth over $1.4 billion, $100 million in energy support, $100 million for the PURL initiative. The United Kingdom - $200 million for PURL, $680 million to finance air defense, about $27 million to support Ukraine's energy system. Norway - $1.26 billion for drones, $940 million for air defense and technical support for F-16 fighter jets, $130 million for PURL. Denmark - an additional 510 million to replenish the Ukraine Fund in 2026, 47 million in humanitarian and energy aid, 32.6 million to strengthen and modernize training infrastructure for the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the Come Back Alive Foundation. Finland - defense package worth 43.2 million, 20 million in humanitarian aid. Lithuania - 30 missiles for MANPADS, a Joint Statement of Intent adopted on co-production of defense products on the territory of Lithuania. Funding for the first projects will amount to at least 100 million under the SAFE instrument. Estonia - 11 million for PURL. Latvia - 10 million for PURL. Iceland - $6.5 million to support Ukraine's energy sector and $8 million contribution to PURL. Canada - 2 billion Canadian dollars in military aid, 400 armored vehicles, and 20 million Canadian dollars to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. The Netherlands - $107 million for the PURL initiative. Japan - $41 million for Ukraine's priority reconstruction needs. Croatia - 1.5 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, 500,000 in energy equipment, and 1.5 million in robotic demining machines. Switzerland - energy aid package worth over $35 million. Israel - 117 mobile power stations for the Kyiv region. Czechia - 55 electric generators. Italy - 10 high-capacity mobile power generators. Sanctions measures: synchronization of sanctions with the United Kingdom against former oligarch Dmytro Firtash; extension of sanctions against one of the closest associates of former oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak; as well as sanctions packages targeting the self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Russian athlete-propagandists, captains of Russia's tanker fleet, the Russian defense-industrial complex, Russian pseudo-historians, and postal services. Work is also ongoing with European partners to amend legislation to enable the systematic detention of tankers from Russia's fleet. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Featured NGIC secures regulatory clearance, activates Ghanas first shared 5G network GraphicOnline Business News Mar - 03 - 2026 , 11:15 Next Gen InfraCo (NGIC) Limited has received formal clearance from the National Communications Authority (NCA) to commence full commercial operations as Ghanas wholesale 4G and 5G infrastructure provider, the company announced today. The approval follows a series of inspections and technical validations confirming that NGIC has satisfied all conditions under its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure License. The network is now live in selected locations in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, and other key areas, with a phased nationwide expansion underway. The activation marks the operational launch of Ghanas wholesale-first model, under which NGIC builds and operates the shared radio and core network while licensed mobile network operators connect to the platform to provide retail services. The Chief Executive Officer of NGIC, Tenu Awoonor, in a statement copied to GraphicOnline described the development as a transition from planning to delivery. "Today, Ghana moves from 5G ambition to 5G execution. The shared backbone is commercially active and positioned to scale," he said. "This structure allows infrastructure investment to be coordinated nationally while preserving innovation and competition at the retail layer." The commercial launch aligns with the governments target of achieving 70 percent 5G population density coverage by Ghanas 70th Independence Anniversary. Awoonor noted that meeting this objective would require sustained coordination across the telecommunications ecosystem. "Achieving 70 percent coverage within the Ghana @ 70 timeframe demands coordination and long-term discipline. The shared architecture ensures investment is directed toward expanding reach rather than duplicating infrastructure." The Chief Operating Officer of NGIC, Nenyi George Andah, said the companys focus has now shifted to execution. "The backbone is active. The framework is clear. The responsibility now is executionscaling coverage in a coordinated and sustainable manner." He added that the separation of wholesale infrastructure from retail service delivery was a deliberate policy choice. "It enables faster national reach and more efficient capital deployment." Mustapha Salah, Head of Central West and East Africa, Mobile Networks at Nokia, confirmed the companys role as technology partner for the project. "Nokia is proud to partner with NGIC in Ghana as a technology partner to introduce the countrys first neutral-host (shared) 4G/5G network," he said. "This wholesale network model, provided by NGIC, enables all mobile operators in Ghana with a smart and prudent approach to bring high-speed data to consumers, while bringing in new service models to the enterprise segment. With a future-ready architecture underpinned by advanced security, the new shared mobile broadband network will drive socio-economic growth and bridge the digital divide in the coming years in Ghana." Andah acknowledged the contributions of multiple stakeholders in reaching this stage. "This progress reflects collaboration with the National Communications Authority, our core network partner Nokia, our anchor and connecting mobile network operators, tower and fibre infrastructure partners, and financing institutions. Delivering a shared national backbone requires coordinated effort across the value chain." With services now live in parts of Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale, NGICs next phase will focus on expanding nationwide in accordance with its licence obligations and national policy objectives. The company is licensed as Ghanas wholesale electronic communications infrastructure provider, tasked with designing, deploying, and operating the countrys shared 4G/5G network platform. "Ghanas 5G backbone is live. The priority now is to scale responsibly and deliver nationwide impact," Andah concluded. Next article: Davidos baby mama demands N1bn ( GHS 7,833,741.10) damages from him over alleged defamation Featured Ghana Heritage Month 2026 kicks off with official launch Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Mar - 03 - 2026 , 15:01 4 minutes read The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, took centre stage yesterday, March 2, 2026, as she led the official launch of Ghana Heritage Month 2026 at the symbolic Nationalism Park in Accra. The ceremony, awash with vibrant colours, traditional rhythms and patriotic spirit, signalled the beginning of a nationwide celebration dedicated to Ghanas culture, identity and history. However, beyond the spectacle, it was the strong leadership message from the GTA boss that defined the tone of the event. The launch attracted an array of dignitaries, including members of the diplomatic corps, chief executives of agencies under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, stakeholders from the tourism and creative sectors, as well as the Board of the Authority. Notable among the guests were Edmond Moukala, Head of Office and Representative of UNESCO to Ghana, and Karina Gould, Culture Attache of the Canadian Embassy. Board Chair of the GTA, Ms. Gertrude Emefa Donkor, and other board members were also present, reinforcing the institutional weight behind the initiative. Maame Efua Houadjeto called for what she described as authentic Ghanaian living, urging citizens to move beyond symbolic observance and embrace culture as a daily practice. Paying homage to Ghanas founding father, Kwame Nkrumah, she reminded the gathering that national development must remain rooted in cultural identity. Osaagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah envisioned a confident and self-reliant Ghana grounded in its heritage. Our traditions are not outdated artefacts; they are living foundations upon which we must build our future, she emphasised. The CEO challenged Ghanaians to make deliberate choices that reflect national pride. Let us consciously eat Ghanaian meals, wear Ghanaian fabrics and support Ghanaian creativity. Heritage Month is not ceremonialit is a movement, she declared. She further highlighted heritage as a powerful economic driver, stressing that culture fuels tourism growth, stimulates entrepreneurship and creates sustainable employment. According to her, Ghanas rich traditions, festivals, crafts and storytelling traditions give the country a distinct advantage in the global tourism marketplace. Tourism Minister Calls for Nationwide Ownership Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, rallied citizens across the country to actively engage in the month-long programme. This is a season of rediscovery. It is an opportunity to reconnect with who we are as a people and to present our authentic selves confidently to the world, she said. She also extended a warm invitation to the diplomatic community to participate fully in the festivities, encouraging them to immerse themselves in Ghanaian traditions, cuisine, music and heritage experiences. In his goodwill message, Edmond Moukala of UNESCO reaffirmed the organisations dedication to partnering Ghana in safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage. He noted that culture remains central to sustainable development and praised Ghana for placing heritage at the heart of its national agenda. Symbolic Launch and Cultural Showcase The highlight of the event was the symbolic unveiling of Ghana Heritage Month 2026 by the Minister, joined by the CEO of the GTA, the UNESCO representative and other dignitariesan act that officially set activities in motion across the country. The programme began with an opening prayer by Ekow Sampson, Deputy CEO in charge of Operations, while Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, Deputy CEO responsible for Marketing and Special Duties, steered proceedings as Master of Ceremony. Guests were treated to captivating cultural performances, a dazzling display of traditional attire and a showcase of indigenous products. Among industry stakeholders present was Shea Butter Ambassador Hamamat Montia, whose participation underscored the growing recognition of local enterprise and natural products as pillars of Ghanas heritage promotion. Well patronised and charged with patriotic enthusiasm, the launch firmly established the Ghana Tourism Authoritys commitmentunder the leadership of Maame Efua Houadjetoto reposition heritage as both a cultural treasure and an economic catalyst. With a comprehensive calendar of activities lined up nationwide, Ghana Heritage Month 2026 is poised to deepen national pride, energise the tourism sector and reinforce Ghanas standing as a leading cultural destination in Africa and beyond. Next article: At least 169 people killed in South Sudan 'surprise' attack 'Not in a position to evacuate Americans departing Israel: US embassy in Jerusalem says Previous article: 'Not in a position to evacuate Americans departing Israel: US embassy in Jerusalem says Featured Rembrandt painting worth millions rediscovered after 65 years BBC International News Mar - 03 - 2026 , 10:27 3 minutes read A long lost painting by Rembrandt has been rediscovered and authenticated by experts, after its whereabouts were unknown for decades. Rembrandt's Vision of Zacharias in the Temple, from 1633, was excluded from a list of the Dutch master's works in 1960, and disappeared after being sold to a private collector the following year. But it resurfaced when its owners presented it for tests at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which undertook a two-year examination. "When I saw it in our studio when it was restored, I was immediately struck by the incredible power it has," Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits said. The Rijksmuseum receives many emails from people asking for information about paintings they have inherited or bought, Dibbits said. In this case, they knew it could be something special. "It came to us via email and one of our curators thought, this is really an interesting image, we've known about the painting for over 100 years but we've never seen it." The museum confirmed the authenticity after studying the paints, which fit with those used by Rembrandt during that period, and the painting technique and build-up of layers, which are also comparable with his other early works. 'Dedicated his soul to it' The signature is original and the wooden panel dates from the correct period, the researchers said. "Materials analysis, stylistic and thematic similarities, alterations made by Rembrandt, and the overall quality of the painting all support the conclusion that this painting is a genuine work," the gallery said. The painting has all the hallmarks of Rembrandt at the "peak" of the early part of his career, Dibbits said. "It's very high quality. Sometimes with Rembrandt's portraits you feel that he's producing in quantity, but with this painting you really feel that he dedicated his soul to it." The museum will put the painting on public view from Wednesday. Its value is not known, but the world record auction price for a Rembrandt painting is 20m, set in 2009. Other Rembrandt paintings to be sold in recent years include one for 8.6m in 2019, a self-portrait for 12.6m in 2020, and another once-lost Rembrandt work for 11m in 2023. In 2015, a Rembrandt painting was given a price tag of 35m by the UK government after being sold privately. Last month, a drawing of a lion by the artist sold for $18m (13m). Rembrandt was 27 when he created the painting, which depicts the Biblical scene when priest Zacharias is told by the Archangel Gabriel that despite their age, he and his wife will have a son, John the Baptist. The museum said Rembrandt had given the Biblical story an innovative twist. Instead of depicting the Archangel Gabriel visibly, he only suggested his presence. In doing so, he departed from established visual traditions and introduced a new way of representing this subject. Rembrandt deliberately chose the decisive moment, just before Gabriel reveals his true identity. It is one of the few history paintings Rembrandt created during this period. At the time, he was primarily producing portraits, which were highly lucrative. Next article: Police probe deaths of teacher and farmer in Assin Area Featured 16 killed in collision between bus and ambulance on Kumasi-Sunyani Highway Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Mar - 03 - 2026 , 20:11 1 minute read Sixteen passengers have been killed in a fatal road accident involving a Ford Transit bus and an ambulance at Potrikrom on the KumasiSunyani highway in the Ashanti Region. The crash occurred near Mankranso in the Ahafo Ano South East District. The Ford Transit bus, with registration number GT 6576-19, was travelling from Kumasi towards Drobo, while the ambulance was reportedly conveying a pregnant woman from Drobo to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The two vehicles collided at Potrikrom, resulting in the deaths of all 16 passengers on board the Ford Transit bus. The identities of the deceased are yet to be confirmed. The condition of the pregnant woman and other occupants of the ambulance remains unclear. The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Mankranso Hospital mortuary pending identification and autopsy. Reacting to the incident, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. In a brief message after receiving news of the accident, he said, may their souls rest in peace. Featured I never believed I would serve 15 years - Agradaa on her early release from prison Mohammed Ali Mar - 03 - 2026 , 11:04 3 minutes read Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has said she never accepted her initial 15-year prison sentence as her ultimate fate, insisting that her faith in God sustained her throughout her time in custody. Speaking in an interview aired on Ghana Prisons TV on March 2, 2026, the founder of Heaven Way Champion International Ministry at Weija in Accra recounted her first moments in prison and the fear that gripped her. When I was coming to jail, I was scared. I was thinking, as for prison, I am already dead, she said. So when I reached the prison gate, the only thing I said was that I surrender myself to you, Lord, because as I was entering, I didnt know what to expect. She stated that from the beginning, she rejected the notion that she would serve the full term imposed by the court. From the first day, I never believed I was going to be in prison for 15 years, she said, adding, I asked myself, what sin have I committed? Agradaa said she drew inspiration from biblical accounts, including the stories of Apostle Peter in Acts Chapter 12 and Paul and Silas in Acts Chapter 16, which she believed demonstrated the power of prayer and divine intervention. I threw a lot of challenges to God and told him that if indeed he is the God of yesterday, then what he did for yesterdays people, he should do the same for me, she said. Agradaa was convicted by an Accra Circuit Court on charges of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence. The prosecution said she used televised broadcasts on Todays TV and social media platforms to solicit money from the public under claims of spiritual and financial breakthroughs. According to the prosecution, hundreds of people attended an all-night service at her church in Weija in the Greater Accra Region and handed over sums of money which were not returned. The court, presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah, found her guilty on one count of charlatanic advertisement and five counts of defrauding by false pretence. Sentencing was briefly delayed for a pregnancy test, which returned negative, after which she was handed a 15-year custodial term. On appeal, the Amasaman High Court upheld the conviction but reviewed the sentence, ruling that it was disproportionate. The court reduced the prison term and imposed a fine, with the revised sentence taking effect from the date of the original conviction. Her lawyers had argued that the sentence was excessive and not commensurate with the offences. The High Court agreed that the Circuit Court had placed undue emphasis on her personality rather than strictly on the specific facts of the case. Featured Free SHS shifted secondary education from privilege to right - Afenyo-Markin Jemima Okang Addae Mar - 03 - 2026 , 16:20 2 minutes read More than 3,046,172 students enrolled in senior high school under the Free SHS policy between 2017 and 2024, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has stated, describing the programme as a structural break from Ghanas past. Speaking at a policy lecture, Mr Afenyo-Markin urged his audience to allow the figure to settle, arguing that the numbers reflect more than statistics but represent lives redirected by public policy. He maintained that before the intervention, access to secondary education was heavily shaped by household income, regardless of constitutional guarantees. The brilliant child of a poor parent sat at home. The less gifted child of a wealthy parent went to school. That was Ghanas reality. According to him, the reform did not stop at abolishing tuition fees. It expanded state responsibility to include the feeding of students in senior high schools, extending meals even to day students, thereby reducing the indirect costs that often forced families to withdraw their children. He contended that the broader social effects became visible over time, citing declines in streetism, child labour and teenage pregnancy in communities where young people, particularly girls, remained in school. The difficulty of finding young domestic workers that some people complained about was not a social problem, he said. It was social progress. Mr Afenyo-Markin framed the policy within a philosophy that sees education as the primary engine of economic mobility and national productivity. In his assessment, Free SHS moved secondary schooling from a formal entitlement on paper to a lived right for children who would otherwise have been excluded. Featured Ghana Gold Board funds life-saving surgery for 13-year-old girl Jemima Okang Addae Mar - 03 - 2026 , 13:07 2 minutes read The Ghana Gold Board has funded a critical brain tumour surgery for 13-year-old Judith Edinam Woseme at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. In a Facebook post, the Goldbod said, Judith, who hails from Elmina in the Central Region, has been battling a brain tumour since November 2025 and required urgent surgical intervention to safeguard her health and future wellbeing. Through its Special Intervention Programme Unit, the Board covered the full cost of the procedure, amounting to GH87,619.15. The presentation was made by the Head of the Unit, Gloria Ankomah, who handed over a dummy cheque on behalf of the institution. Ms Ankomah stated that the Board remains committed to supporting vulnerable and afflicted members of society, particularly in life-threatening situations. At the Ghana Gold Board, it is our aim to provide support to the afflicted in society. When we received the request to assist the young girl, we recognised how critical the situation was. The Board and management therefore decided to support her to undergo the surgery, she said. Judiths mother, Alice Woseme, expressed deep gratitude to the Board for what she described as a life-saving intervention. I dont even know what to say. I am very grateful to the Ghana Gold Board for coming through for us. Where were we going to raise over eighty thousand cedis for the surgery? May God continue to bless the Ghana Gold Board, she said tearfully. The Head of Surgery at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Patrick Bankah, indicated that Judiths condition is critical and required urgent attention, adding that the hospital had to reschedule other important cases to prioritise her surgery. He confirmed that the amount provided by the Ghana Gold Board would cover the entire surgical procedure and post-operative care. Ghana embassy in Qatar calls for urgent registration of nationals over security concerns Next article: Ghana embassy in Qatar calls for urgent registration of nationals over security concerns Featured Ayawaso East goes to polls today Albert K. Salia Mar - 03 - 2026 , 06:32 4 minutes read A total of 49,966 registered voters are expected to exercise their franchise in todays Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP). The by-election follows the death of the sitting MP, Naser Toure Mahama, in January at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Following the balloting on Thursday, February 12, 2026, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Baba Jamal, drew the top spot, while the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) candidate, Ibrahim Iddrisu, secured the second position. Yussif Baba Ali of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) secured the third spot, with independent candidates, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Sanda and David Kannor, occupying the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. The results will determine who represents the Ayawaso East Constituency in Parliament. EC A Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Sam Dottoh Kwaah, told the Daily Graphic that the EC was well prepared for the by-election. He said all categories of officials for the by-election had been recruited and trained to smoothly manage the election. Aside from that, Mr Kwaah said two Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) for each of the 113 polling stations had been prepared and delivered to the constituency. He said the printing of ballot papers, Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results Forms had also been printed and delivered to the Constituency on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Security The Ghana Police Service has announced plans to deploy 80 officers to each polling station in the constituency as part of comprehensive security measures to guarantee a peaceful poll. Every electoral area will have about 80 police officers to protect everyone. So everyone should come out and vote freely. We have adequate personnel who will be on standby to respond to emergency issues, the Deputy Nima District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Asong Ayrakwa, told journalists last Wednesday. Show of force Ahead of the polls, the police last Saturday embarked on a show of force and route march in the constituency to demonstrate their readiness and deter acts that could disrupt the electoral process. The exercise, which involved a deployment of officers from various units, saw personnel march through the principal streets of the constituency, signalling the readiness of the police to maintain law and order before, during and after the polls. A statement issued by the police on Saturday, February 28, 2026, said the operation was intended to reassure residents, deter potential troublemakers, and demonstrate the Polices capacity to respond swiftly to any security threats. It said the show of force formed part of broader security measures designed to ensure peace and stability in the constituency as voters prepare to elect a new MP in a high-stakes by-election on March 3. It, therefore, urged residents and other stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies to help maintain a peaceful and orderly by-election. Campaigns Meanwhile, political party stalwarts and contenders have intensified their campaigns to convince the electorate to vote for their candidates in todays by-election. Campaign vans, accompanied by music and owned by the respective candidates, are also moving through the inner communities, vigorously campaigning for their candidates. Door-to-door and house-to-house campaigns have also been in full force, as supporters of the candidates visited homes to make a case for the individuals they represent. NDC Last Sunday, the NDC held a final rally as part of the partys last push to energise supporters and maximise voter turnout in what it describes as a crucial contest. Party officials say they are leaving nothing to chance as they prepare for the by-election, noting that turnout in such polls is often low. Expulsion of Umaru Sanda During the rally, the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, announced that the party had officially removed Umaru Sanda Mohammed from its membership roll following his decision to contest as an independent candidate. It will take him about eight years before he can contest any position in the party. Even if, after the by-election, he decides to return, he cannot contest immediately and would have to wait until 2032. I am really pained for him, he said. He cautioned the NDC against internal wrangling. NPP The General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, and a former General Secretary of the party, John Boadu, were also seen campaigning for their candidate in a neighbourhood known as Gutter. 2024 In the 2024 parliamentary elections, Alhaji Mahama secured 22, 139 votes, representing 70.85 per cent to win the seat, while the NPP candidate, Zak Rahman, garnered 9,110 votes, representing 29.15 per cent. Alhaji Mahama garnered 23, 583 votes, representing 61.18 per cent, in the 2020 parliamentary elections as against the NPPs Peter Kwame Antwi Mirekus 14,966 votes, representing 38.82 per cent. In the 2016 parliamentary polls, Alhaji Mahama secured 23,407 votes, representing 62.10 per cent, to beat NPPs Mireku, who had 13,599, representing 36.08 per cent. The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) candidate, Mohammed Ibrahim Bilal, polled 438 votes, representing 1.16 per cent; the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) candidate, Abdul Ganiyu Shaibu, received 174 votes, and the Peoples National Convention (PNC) candidate, Alhassan Abubakari, secured 72 votes. Featured Ratifying African Court Protocol... You have nothing to fear - President Mahama to African leaders Kester Aburam Korankye Mar - 03 - 2026 , 08:50 4 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama yesterday issued a direct challenge to his fellow African Heads of State, urging them not to fear the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and to finally grant their citizens unimpeded access to continental justice. In a keynote address that blended personal testimony with a firm call to action at the opening of the 2026 Judicial Year in Arusha, Tanzania, President Mahama told African leaders that they had "nothing to fear" from a court designed to protect, rather than to persecute. "I call upon African Union member states who have not yet ratified the Protocol to please do so without delay," the President declared to a packed courtroom of the continent's most senior jurists. "To my colleagues in those countries, I assure you that you have nothing to fear from this court," he said. A direct appeal The President's remarks come at a critical moment for the court, which marks its 20th anniversary this year. Despite its establishment two decades ago, several African nations have yet to ratify the protocol granting the court jurisdiction, and even fewer have made the declaration allowing individuals and non-governmental organisations direct access. President Mahama urged all member states to make that declaration, warning that the continent's destiny was shared and that no nation stood alone in the face of injustice. "We are one another's keeper," he said. "This is why we need an institution that serves all but is beholden to none; the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights." Personal testimony, continental message To illustrate why the court mattered, President Mahama reached into his own family history, recounting the repeated detention of his father, first after the 1966 coup that overthrew Kwame Nkrumah, and again in 1974 for writing a letter to then military ruler, General I. K. Acheampong, offering unsolicited advice. "Although I stand before you as a Head of State, I remain the child whose father was detained for serving his country and advising its leader," President Mahama said. "I am still the boy who learned how dangerous it can be to challenge those in power, who may act with impunity," he added. His father's experience, he explained, demonstrated that no victim of injustice stood alone. "The effects of social injustice and human rights violations extend beyond individuals; they impact entire families and communities," he said. Reckoning with history The President drew a direct line from Africa's painful past to the court's present mission, invoking the names of some of the continent's martyrs, namely Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Steve Biko and exiled leaders such as Ghana's Nana Prempeh I and Yaa Asantewaa. Had the court existed earlier, he argued, "we would have secured justice against racist apartheid criminals, colonialists and even our own oppressive African dictators who tortured and killed many". He challenged African nations to measure their wealth not by natural resources, but by the value of their people, "valued individuals, free from oppression, conflict, persecution, and violence, and assured of their rights to life, dignity, liberty, and self-determination". Warning from the West In a striking turn, President Mahama cautioned against looking to the so-called Global North as a model, describing its democratic facade as "fast crumbling". "Judiciaries are no longer independent; citizens and lawful residents are being disappeared by masked law enforcement," he said. Quoting the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, he added: "One does not judge one's state of health by comparing it to a sick person". 'Now Is the Time' As he declared the 2026 Judicial Year officially open, President Mahama urged African nations to deepen their commitment to the court so that by its 40th anniversary, "it will stand as the leading international judicial body and a model for others". "Now is the time for us to meet the challenge of keeping the promises we have made to future generations, promises we have signed and pledged to uphold," he said. "Now is the time for Africa to step into its greatness," President Mahama added. Senya Beraku sea robbery incident deeply concerning Maritime expert Benjamin Xornam Glover Mar - 03 - 2026 , 09:57 2 minutes read The Founder and Executive Chairman of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI), Vice Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu (Rtd.), has described the recent armed robbery at sea off the coast of Senya Beraku in the Central Region as deeply concerning and outside the normal pattern of maritime crime in the region. The incident, which occurred on February 26, 2026, has sparked concern among maritime security experts, who warn that it may signal a worrying shift in insecurity dynamics within the Gulf of Guinea. Armed assailants reportedly attacked a fishing ground about four kilometres off the coast of Senya Beraku, firing warning shots before robbing 71 artisanal fishermen of their outboard motors, communication radios and other personal belongings. In response, the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Air Force, the Marine Police and other relevant security agencies immediately launched joint operations to rescue the fishermen and pursue the suspects. Unusual Sharing his assessment of the incident, Vice Admiral Yakubu, a former Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, said that although the case was being treated as armed robbery at sea, the circumstances surrounding the attack were highly unusual and warranted closer scrutiny. He explained that artisanal fishermen were rarely targeted by pirates or sea-based criminals because the riskreward profile did not align with traditional piracy, which typically focuses on commercial vessels, offshore installations or kidnap-for-ransom operations. The former naval chief also questioned the likely origin of the attackers. It is improbable that the perpetrators were local, as disposing of stolen outboard motors or generators ashore would quickly attract attention from community monitoring networks, he said. At the same time, it would not be economically viable for criminals to travel long distances by sea just to steal relatively low-value fishing equipment, he added. Vice Admiral Yakubu further cautioned that if neither conventional piracy nor localised theft fits the profile, authorities should not rule out more complex threats. Vulnerable He said there was a need to assess whether transnational criminal or extremist elements could be probing Ghanas maritime domain or attempting to disrupt coastal livelihoods. While noting that the Gulf of Guinea has recorded a decline in large-scale piracy incidents in recent years, he stressed that the region remained vulnerable to evolving security risks. He described the Senya Beraku attack as a wake-up call for Ghanaian authorities to accelerate delayed investments in maritime security, particularly in coastal surveillance infrastructure and high-endurance offshore patrol vessels for the Ghana Navy and allied agencies. As neighbouring countries continue to strengthen their maritime and border security, criminal activity naturally shifts toward areas of least resistance, Vice Admiral Yakubu warned. Featured Ghana advises Umrah pilgrims to delay travel over Middle East tensions Mohammed Ali Mar - 03 - 2026 , 12:56 2 minutes read The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised prospective Umrah pilgrims in Ghana to suspend their travel plans due to a worsening security situation in parts of the Middle East. In a statement dated March 2, 2026, the Ministry said travel arrangements for Umrah could be disrupted and urged those yet to depart to wait until conditions improve. The Ministry therefore advises all prospective Umrah pilgrims who are currently in Ghana and yet to commence their journey to temporarily hold on with travel plans until the situation stabilises, the statement said. The Ministry did not specify the exact nature or location of the threat but described the situation as fast changing and affecting parts of the Middle East. For Ghanaians already in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry advised them to remain calm and follow directives from local authorities. It also urged them to stay in touch with their travel agents, the Ghanaian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah. The Ministry said the safety and well-being of Ghanaian nationals remain a priority. Emergency contact numbers were provided for those who may need consular assistance. Persons in Ghana can contact the Ministry on +233 240 913 284 or +233 240 793 072. Those in Saudi Arabia can reach the Embassy in Riyadh on +966 59 776 2966 or +966 56 818 1974, or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The advisory comes during the peak Umrah period, when many Ghanaian Muslims travel to Mecca for the lesser pilgrimage. Middle East conflict could raise fuel prices and cost of living in Ghana, Mahama warns Next article: Middle East conflict could raise fuel prices and cost of living in Ghana, Mahama warns Featured Health Ministry inaugurates first surgical eye and training centre in Central region Jemima Okang Addae Mar - 03 - 2026 , 15:55 2 minutes read The Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has inaugurated a Surgical Eye and Training Centre at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital aimed toward reducing preventable blindness in the Central Region. The 33-bed facility, equipped with three modern operating theatres, is the first of its kind in the region and will serve as a referral hub for neighbouring regions. It will provide comprehensive eye care services, including cataract and glaucoma management, refractive care, and advanced posterior segment treatments. The Centre is expected to significantly ease the burden on patients who previously had to travel long distances to access specialised eye care. Dr Ayensu-Danquah noted that cataract remains the leading cause of preventable blindness in Ghana, with many patients unable to access timely surgical intervention. She disclosed that outreach programmes linked to the Centre have already screened over 90,000 people and successfully treated more than 9,000 eyes, highlighting both the scale of need and the impact of sustained investment in eye health. The project received critical support from development partners, including USAID, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Cure Blindness Project. Government also facilitated the initiative through tax waivers and exemptions on donated medical equipment. The Deputy Minister described the centre as a transformative milestone toward achieving Universal Health Coverage. She emphasised that the project aligns with the National Eye Health Policy and reflects a renewed national commitment to ensuring that no Ghanaian lives with avoidable blindness. Wassa Dunkwa in shock after mother dies attempting to save sons Next article: Wassa Dunkwa in shock after mother dies attempting to save sons Featured Man arrested after allegedly beating fellow motorist following road accident at Maamobi Mohammed Ali Mar - 03 - 2026 , 09:23 1 minute read The Ghana Police Service has arrested a 33-year-old man over an alleged assault following a motor accident at Maamobi in Accra. The arrest was carried out by the Kotobabi District Police Command after initial investigations into the incident, according to a statement issued on March 2, 2026, by the Regional Public Affairs Unit. The statement, signed by Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs for the Accra Region, said the incident occurred on February 22, 2026. Police personnel on routine patrol in Maamobi met the victim, Yakubu Manan Abdul, 24. Police said the victim reported that he had been involved in a motor accident with the suspect, identified as Razak Kwanda. Initial investigations indicate that during the incident, the suspect allegedly attacked and assaulted him, causing injuries. The patrol team conveyed the victim and his damaged motorbike to the Kotobabi Police Station, where a formal complaint was lodged and investigations began. Police said the suspect was arrested on February 26, 2026, at about 9:45 a.m. He has since been granted police enquiry bail and is assisting with investigations. The Accra Regional Police Command cautioned the public against resorting to violence during road traffic accidents or disputes. It urged motorists to remain calm and allow the police to handle such matters in line with the law. Featured Police probe deaths of teacher and farmer in Assin Area Shirley Asiedu-Addo Mar - 03 - 2026 , 16:38 1 minute read A teacher at Faith Academy Basic School at Assin Dompim in the Assin Fosu Municipality of the Central Region has been found dead in an apparent suicide, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The deceased has been identified as Emmanuel Kofi Quainoo, 37. Sources at the school said he had been absent from work for some time and only resumed duties on March 3, 2026. According to colleagues, he left the school premises around midday after the second break, informing staff that he was unwell and needed to go home to seek medical attention. Later in the day, reports emerged that he had allegedly hanged himself in his room at Assin Fosu. His two daughters, aged eight and seven, are said to have discovered him when they returned home from school and subsequently raised an alarm. The matter has been reported to the police, who have commenced investigations. In a separate incident in the same municipality, a 43-year-old farmer, identified as Ato Kwamena, is also reported to have died after allegedly shooting himself at Assin Betinsinso. Relatives indicated that the deceased had gone to his farm and later telephoned one of his brothers, informing him that he had shot himself and required urgent assistance. He was rushed to a nearby health facility but was pronounced dead on arrival. Police have confirmed that the case has been reported and investigations are ongoing. Featured Police warn against violence, intimidation and misinformation at Ayawaso East by-election Mohammed Ali Mar - 03 - 2026 , 10:04 2 minutes read The Accra Regional Police Command has warned that any individual who engages in violence, intimidation or the spread of misinformation during the Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election will face the full rigours of the law. The caution was contained in a press release issued on March 2, 2026, and signed by Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs for the Accra Region, as voters prepared to elect a new Member of Parliament on March 3, 2026. According to the statement, the Command has deployed police personnel to all polling stations and key locations within the constituency to maintain law and order throughout the exercise. Officers are to maintain a visible presence and undertake patrols before, during and after voting to prevent any breach of the peace. The Command further cautioned the public against acts that could undermine the electoral process, including violence, intimidation and the dissemination of false information. It urged eligible voters to remain calm and to report any suspicious activity to the security agencies. The by-election follows the death of the Member of Parliament, Mr Mahama Naser Toure, who died in January while receiving treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Five candidates are contesting the seat. The National Democratic Congress candidate, Mr Baba Jamal Ahmed Mohammed, a former High Commissioner to Nigeria, occupies the first position on the ballot following the draw held on February 12, 2026. He is contesting against Mr Ibrahim Iddrisu of the Liberal Peoples Party, Mr Yussif Baba Ali of the New Patriotic Party, and two independent candidates, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Sanda and Mr David Kannor. Voting is scheduled to commence at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., with more than 50,000 registered voters expected to cast their ballots across polling stations in the constituency. The heightened security measures come amid lingering public concern over election-related disturbances in the Ayawaso area, particularly following the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in 2019. The statement was issued by the Ghana Police Service, Accra Regional Public Affairs Unit, and signed by Superintendent Obeng. Featured Saint Kitts and Nevis PM: Caribbean Leader to join Ghana at 69th Independence Day celebrations GraphicOnline Mar - 03 - 2026 , 20:30 3 minutes read The Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Michael Drew, arrives in Ghana today for a four-day official visit that will see him participate in the nation's 69th Independence Day celebration and engage in high-level bilateral discussions aimed at deepening South-South cooperation. According to a statement released by the Presidency Communications Directorate on March 3, 2026, the Caribbean leader's visit will run from Tuesday, March 3, to Saturday, March 7, marking a significant moment in the growing partnership between Ghana and the twin-island nation. "The Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, The Honourable Dr Terrance Michael Drew, will undertake an official visit to Ghana from Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to Saturday, March 7, 2026," the statement confirmed. A highlight of the visit will be Prime Minister Drew's attendance at Ghana's 69th Independence Day celebration on Friday, March 6, where he will join Ghanaian leadership and citizens in marking the nation's liberation from colonial rule. Schedule of engagements Official activities commence on Wednesday with a meeting between the visiting Prime Minister and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, signalling the two countries' shared interest in educational collaboration. Dr Drew will later be hosted at the Presidency for bilateral discussions, followed by an official luncheon in his honour. The itinerary extends beyond formal talks to include visits to sites of historical and cultural significance. The Prime Minister will tour the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, and the Cape Coast Castlelocations that hold profound meaning for people of African descent across the diaspora. Additionally, Dr Drew will pay a courtesy call on the Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, reflecting the importance of traditional authority in Ghanaian governance and society. Strengthening South-South cooperation Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Member of Parliament and Spokesperson to the President, who also serves as Minister for Government Communications, issued the official statement outlining the visit's significance. "Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis have been actively strengthening bilateral relations through South-South cooperation, with a focus on exchange programmes in education, health, trade, investment, and technology," the statement read. The visit builds on existing diplomatic ties between Ghana and Caribbean nations, part of a broader effort to enhance collaboration among countries in the Global South. For Saint Kitts and Nevis, a Commonwealth nation with a population of approximately 47,000, Ghana represents a key African partner in advancing shared development objectives. Anticipated outcomes Observers expect the visit to yield concrete agreements in areas of mutual interest, particularly in educational exchanges and technical cooperation. The meeting at the University of Ghana suggests potential academic partnerships, while the trade and investment focus points to opportunities for private sector engagement between the two economies. The timing of the visitcoinciding with Ghana's Independence Daycarries symbolic weight, reinforcing historical and cultural connections between Africa and its diaspora in the Caribbean. Prime Minister Drew's delegation will depart on March 7, following what both sides hope will be productive engagements advancing the cause of South-South cooperation. Next article: Lets brace ourselves for Middle East war fallout - President Mahama to African leaders Featured Wassa Dunkwa in shock after mother dies attempting to save sons GNA Mar - 03 - 2026 , 09:16 2 minutes read A 43-year-old woman and three children have drowned in an abandoned galamsey pit at Wassa Dunkwa in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region. The deceased have been identified as Mary Arthur, a farmer, her two sons, Hayford Arthur, 11, and Richard Asabre, 14, as well as Eric Mensah, 11, another child in the family. Mr Paul Kattah, Assembly Member for the Wassa Dunkwa Electoral Area, told the Ghana News Agency that the incident occurred on Saturday, February 28, 2026, when the family went to gather firewood near an illegal mining site. He explained that after collecting the firewood, the three boys walked ahead, left the firewood by the roadside and decided to swim in the flooded pit before returning home. According to Mr Kattah, a witness, another child who saw the boys struggling in the water, ran to inform their mother, who rushed to the scene. The Assembly Member said when Madam Arthur arrived and saw the children in danger, she jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue them but also drowned. The Asankragwa Divisional Police Command was informed and officers retrieved the four bodies, which were conveyed to the Father Thomas Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital in Asankragwa for preservation and autopsy. Mr Kattah said: I have visited Mr. Kofi Nipa, a mason and husband of the late Madam Mary Arthur and its a very difficult moment for him. He is currently being supported by loved ones and the community to help him recover from the shock. The incident has reignited concerns over the dangers posed by abandoned illegal mining pits in communities across the Western Region. Featured Baba Jamal calls for peace as Ayawaso East votes Joshua Bediako Koomson Politics Mar - 03 - 2026 , 14:23 2 minutes read The National Democratic Congress candidate in the Ayawaso East by-election, Baba Jamal, has appealed to voters and party supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as polling continues in the constituency. Speaking after casting his ballot in Nima on Tuesday, he stressed the need to safeguard peace and ensure a smooth electoral process. I have already advised all my supporters to stay calm and also be law-abiding. We want to see a peaceful process, we want to see a peaceful election, he said. When Graphic Online visited a number of polling stations in the constituency in the morning, voting was underway but turnout remained low, with only a handful of voters in queues as electoral officials waited at their desks. Some Electoral Commission officials indicated that they anticipated an increase in voter numbers later in the day, particularly after 3 p.m., when weather conditions were expected to be cooler. Baba Jamal attributed the slow start to the religious composition of the constituency and the ongoing observance of Ramadan. This is largely a Muslim community, so I know the turnout will pick up as the day goes by, he said, expressing optimism that participation would improve as the day progressed. He reiterated his commitment to a peaceful contest. We want to see a peaceful election. We will do everything to ensure the process is calm and fair, he stressed. The former Member of Parliament said his decision to contest the seat was motivated by a desire to serve the people of Ayawaso East rather than personal interest. He cited his previous parliamentary experience and pledged to rebuild and reset the constituency if elected. CDD-Ghana drafts bill to regulate political party financing Daily Graphic Politics Mar - 03 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has drafted a model bill to regulate political party financing and to strengthen and consolidate the gains of the nations multi-party democracy. The Director of Programmes and Operations at the CDD-Ghana, Frederick Adu-Gyamfi, said the bill had been submitted to the Attorney-General for study and onward submission to Parliament with government support. The bill is designed to address gaps in the political system and help tackle the growing influences of monetisation and vote-buying, undermining the integrity of the nations electoral systems, he said. Mr Adu-Gyamfi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on the sidelines of a stakeholder forum on the bill in Sunyani that the bill promotes transparency and accountability in the financing of political party activities and campaigns. Stakeholders bill The CDD-Ghana, in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), organised the forum to deepen public understanding and collect views and feedback to fine-tune the bill. Key provisions in the bill include establishing an independent electoral financing and enforcement authority, introducing expenditure ceilings for political campaigns and defining a clear campaign period for political activities. Challenges Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the bill was intended to address major challenges in the nations political financing system and called for public support for its passage into law. The Bono Regional Director of the NCCE, Cynthia Anima Boadu, acknowledged the progress made under the Fourth Republic. She, however, warned that rising cost of political competition threatens democratic integrity. Ms Boadu said there was a need for a comprehensive legal framework to regulate political campaign activities and financing. She expressed regret that political campaign activities had increasingly been characterised by excessive spending and limited transparency into funding sources. Study A 2018 study conducted by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in partnership with CDD-Ghana showed that the cost of contesting a parliamentary election in Ghana rose by 59 per cent between 2012 and 2016, with candidates spending on average US$85,000. Ms Boadu also referenced a 2020 follow-up study by CDD-Ghana, supported by the Adam Smith International (ASI), which reported a significant increase in campaign expenditure to about GH4 million, including funds used to nurture constituencies. The study reveals further that a substantial portion of political campaign financing comes from opaque and potentially illicit sources, some allegedly linked to organised crime, she stated. Ms Boadu expressed concern about the weak enforcement of the 1992 Constitution and the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), which provided a framework for regulating political financing. The absence of defined spending limits, donation caps and strict disclosure requirements allows unreported and illicit funds to influence political campaign activities in the country, she observed. She, therefore, called for comprehensive campaign finance reforms to protect the nations electoral integrity, curb corruption and enhance transparency in democratic processes. GNA Featured No plan, no cash Bill seeks to tighten fiscal discipline Samuel Duodu Politics Mar - 03 - 2026 , 15:41 4 minutes read An amendment to the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) that seeks to bar funding of government projects that are not captured and certified under the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is set to be introduced in Parliament. Titled the Public Financial Management (PMF) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, it is intended to prevent ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) from receiving public funds for regular projects that fall outside their approved strategic plans. Under the proposed provisions, the Ministry of Finance will be denied the authority to release funds for such projects unless they have been properly incorporated into and certified under the NDPC's development plan. The restriction will not apply to genuine emergencies or contingencies. The new legislation seeks to amend the PFM Act of 2016 (ACT 921), specifically to ensure that the annual national budget is directly aligned with the nation's long-term national development plan. Purpose of the bill The fundamental mischief that the bill seeks to cure is the recurring practice of MDAs and MMDAs accessing government funding without securing approval for their development plans from the NDPC as required by section 10(4) of the National Development Planning (system) Act, 1994 (Act 480). This leads to severe detrimental outcomes, including inefficient use of public resources, disintegration in the nations development process, duplication of efforts and disconnection between public expenditure and the goals set out in the national development plan. The Private Members Bill (PMB) being spearheaded by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, is to close an existing loophole that allows public institutions to initiate and spend on projects considered important by their leadership but do not formally align with the national development framework. Engagement The stakeholder engagement was attended by staff from the MDAs and MMDAs identified as central players in the country's fiscal chain under the existing PFM Act to provide essential expert and technical insights. Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the Bill held in Accra yesterday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who is also the Ranking Member on the Economy and Development Committee of Parliament, said the proposed legislationnicknamed the No Plan, No Cash Billsought to close loopholes that allowed MDAs as well as MMDAs to undertake projects outside approved national development plans. At our Committee on the Economy and Development, the nickname weve given to this bill is the No Plan, No Cash Bill. No plan, no cash. If its not in the plan, we wont get any cash, he stated. The amendment, he explained, was designed to prevent the Ministry of Finance from funding regular projects and programmes that have not been certified by the NDPC, except in cases of genuine emergencies or contingencies. The specific loophole it seeks to close is that today theres room for ministries, departments and agencies and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to embark on projects or programmes which are not exactly emergency projects, except that they have not been certified under the National Development Planning Commissions plan, he said. Mr Oppong Nkrumah said while the Public Financial Management Act, passed in 2016, had served the country well, practical experience had revealed weaknesses in its framing and implementation. Often, we complain that there are gaps in our legislation, often we complain that there are gaps in our governance structure, but we now have an opportunity to move beyond the complaints and not wait for somebody to fix them, but to fix them ourselves, he said. He said the amendment also sought to deepen Ghanas fiscal discipline efforts and ensure stronger accountability for public funds. It helps us to ensure stronger accountability for every cedi of the Republic that will be spent by ministries, departments and agencies and district assemblies and also ensures that theres closer collaboration between the National Development Planning Commissions work and what all the other agencies of government do, he explained. He said the bill, when passed into law, would also help make about 30 per cent savings from the annual budget of the country. Minister of Finance Mr Oppong Nkrumah said while the Finance Minister had privately expressed support for ensuring MDAs had approved funding, a formal process was essential. He said a letter would be sent to facilitate a meeting where these "new thinking of stakeholders" would be shared with the minister and his technocrats, to ensure their inputs were gathered before the proposals advanced to the parliamentary committee stage. Legislative processes The Clerk-to-Parliament, Rev. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his opening remarks, stressed the critical role of the proposed PFMA (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in enhancing the country's national budget credibility and achieving the nation's long-term development goals. He said the pre-legislative engagement was to contribute constructively to the bill's provisions. "The onus effort lies on all of us here today to take full advantage of this platform to ensure that the provision of this bill enhances the credibility of the national budget as an instrument for achieving Ghana's long-term development agenda," Rev. Djietror stated. Speakers forum to discuss parliamentary decentralisation Daily Graphic Politics Mar - 03 - 2026 , 09:57 2 minutes read The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in partnership with the STAR-Ghana Foundation, will host the 2026 edition of the Speakers Breakfast Forum (SBF) on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The SBF is a high-level dialogue platform that advances governance and policy reform in Ghana. It provides a strategic space for engagement between Parliament and key stakeholders, with the aim of shaping forward-looking conversations on democratic governance and reinforcing Parliaments leadership role in national development. A statement issued by the Speakers Office said this years theme, Parliamentary Decentralisation: Taking Parliament Closer to the People, comes at a critical moment as Ghana continues its constitutional review process. The theme reflects growing public demand for a more participatory, transparent and responsive governance system that enables Parliament to deepen engagement with citizens beyond election cycles, it said. Highlight It said a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, will make a presentation, outlining actionable proposals to guide the national conversation. His presentation will set the stage for a high-level panel discussion featuring Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, a law and governance consultant; Dr Charity Dzradosi, Research Fellow at the Institute of Local Government Studies; Sammy Obeng, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Network Africa and Dr Richard Fiadomor, President of the Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG), it said. Participants at the Forum will be drawn from district assemblies, academia, traditional authorities, youth and womens groups, professional bodies, civil society organisations and others. As Ghana advances discussions on governance reform, SBF 2026 is expected to catalyse renewed national commitment to bringing Parliament closer to the people it serves, it stated. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra and its siblings now official, attention is already shifting to the Galaxy S27 series. The latest leak, however, isnt directly about the 2027 phones themselves. Instead, it points to a new camera sensor currently being developed by Samsung, which could eventually make its way into the Galaxy S27 Ultra. According to tipster Digital Chat Station, Samsung is developing a new flagship 200MP ISOCELL sensor, reportedly dubbed HPA. The sensor is said to feature a large 1/1.12-inch format and could debut in smartphones in 2027. The tipster also claims that the sensor will support LOFIC technology. While there is no explicit mention of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, it would not be surprising to see Samsung equip its next Ultra flagship with this new sensor. Meanwhile, another well-known tipster, Ice Universe, weighed in with a slightly different claim. According to him, the Galaxy S27 Ultra will feature a tweaked version of the HPA sensor, reportedly named HP6, with a slightly smaller 1/1.3-inch size. Despite the reduced sensor size, it is said to deliver performance comparable to the larger HPA. The Galaxy S27 series is still about a year away from launch, and plenty more leaks are likely to surface in the months ahead. That said, it would be nice to see Samsung finally upgrade the camera hardware on its flagship S series, considering the lineup has relied on the same sensors for the past four years. Source 1 Source 2 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G Tecno partners with Tonino Lamborghini for new smartphone and AIoT products Chinese technology brand Tecno has announced its collaboration with Italian lifestyle experience brand Tonino Lamborghini at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Tecno says "this partnership is an expression of a lifestyle shaped by design, technology and attitude, where Italian aesthetics meet advanced technological innovation to accompany everyday moments with purpose, boldness, and personality." Tecno products developed as a part of this collaboration will feature exclusive design elements inspired by Tonino Lamborghini's iconic style, and this collaboration will extend across smartphones, gaming devices, laptops, earphones, and tablets. Tecno even announced products developed as a part of this partnership, including the Tonino Lamborghini Tecno Taurus (Mega Mini G1 Pro), Tecno Pova Metal Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition, and some AIoT devices. The Tonino Lamborghini Tecno Taurus (Mega Mini G1 Pro) is the second-gen mini gaming PC from Tecno, following the success of the water-cooled Mega Mini G1. It has an all-metal body with RGB lighting, and under the hood is the Intel Core i9-13900HK processor and Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 8GB GDDR7 GPU. Tonino Lamborghini Tecno Taurus (Mega Mini G1 Pro) The gaming PC also comes with a 10,000 mm "pure copper water-cooled cold plate" and a triple-fan setup to keep things cool, while a real-time screen on the PC's body lets you monitor CPU and GPU performance at any time. The Tonino Lamborghini Tecno Taurus (Mega Mini G1 Pro) draws power through an external 330W GaN power adapter. For connectivity, it has 15 ports, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4. Let's talk about the Tecno Pova Metal Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition now. It's advertised as the "world's first-ever full-metal unibody 5G phone" and flaunts a 0.99 mm thin bezel. The smartphone is powered by an unnamed Snapdragon chip and features a Rear Dot Matrix on its back panel with a 241-pixel independent LED matrix showcasing signature Tonino Lamborghini design elements. Tecno says this matrix can be personalized to display notifications, call alerts, and other dynamic visuals. Tecno Pova Metal Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition Tecno also showcased a laptop, tablet, and wireless earphones developed in partnership with Tonino Lamborghini, but it hasn't revealed their specs or features yet. China builds world's largest water infrastructure system People's Daily Online) 11:05, February 28, 2026 China has built the world's largest and most comprehensive water infrastructure system, benefiting more people than any other in the world. The total investment in water conservancy during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) reached 5.68 trillion yuan (about $821.61 billion), with annual investment exceeding 1 trillion yuan for four consecutive years. China must take issues related to water resources into consideration when pushing forward Chinese modernization, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressing the need to accelerate the modernization of water infrastructure. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the national water network covered 80.3 percent of the country's land area, and 181 major water conservancy projects broke ground. From the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, which now serves as a stable water source for 195 million people, to accelerated construction of small water diversion projects in rural areas, the vast majority of regions across the country now have access to the national water network. During the period, the country's water supply capacity increased by 31.8 billion cubic meters. China continued upgrading and renovating medium- and large-sized irrigation areas, with irrigated farmland exceeding 1.09 billion mu (about 72.67 million hectares). The national water network ensures water security for key economic zones, major urban clusters, major grain-producing areas, important ecological function zones and vital waterways. China's rural tap water coverage reached 96 percent during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Ministry of Water Resources aims to raise rural tap water coverage by 1 percentage point this year. Water security is fundamental to long-term national stability. The world's largest water infrastructure system has played a vital role in facilitating China's domestic economic circulation and fostering a new development paradigm. According to a recent United Nations report, the world has entered an "era of water bankruptcy," signaling heightened uncertainty in international trade of water-intensive agricultural products such as grain. China's national water network optimizes water resource allocation, ensuring reliable industrial and agricultural water use. Compared with the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the effective utilization coefficient of farmland irrigation water rose from 0.565 to 0.583. Preliminary estimates show that water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP and per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value decreased by 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively. Remarkably, China has achieved zero growth in total water consumption even as its total economic output and crop harvests have increased over the years. China will accelerate the development of a modern water network and enhance its capacity to prevent floods, coordinate the allocation of water resources, and ensure water supply in both urban and rural areas, according to the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for National Economic and Social Development. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming) The Department of Public Works has successfully negotiated the purchase of 24 land parcels for the second phase of the Ypao Road reconstruction and widening project, and is now seeking the condemnation of two other parcels after unsuccessful negotiations with their owner since 2016. The first phase of the Ypao Road or Route 14B improvement project cost $13 million, and the second phase was estimated in 2024 to cost nearly that amount. DPW is seeking the condemnation of Lot. 2143-2-1-1R/W and Lot 2143-2-R2-R/W, totaling about 160 square meters, and the latest appraisal puts the tag price at $52,000. The agency said it has attempted several times since 2016 to reach an agreement with the family that owns the two parcels, but has been unsuccessful. With Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros approval, DPW sent a draft bill to the Legislature seeking to condemn the two lots. Ypao Road or Route 14B is a popular access road that connects Marine Corps Drive in Tamuning to San Vitores Road by Hilton Guam Resort & Spa in Tumon. In its draft bill, DPW said the project is an integral part of the islandwide road improvement plan that is being funded by the Federal Highway Administration. Worth $52K Just compensation for the fee simple interest taken in the two lots is $52,000. This is based on a real property appraisal report prepared by Milo Appraisal Group, dated Sept. 10, 2025, and appraisal review prepared by Cornerstone Valuation Guam Inc., dated Sept. 12, 2025. The area being eyed for condemnation is a paved parking area for Tumon Heights Convenience Store, according to the appraisal report. According to the draft bill, the Federal Highway Administration would provide 100% of the condemnation funds needed to fund the authorization. DPW Director Vince Arriola, in a letter to the governor in October 2025, said the agency has made an extensive and good faith effort to work with the respective owners of the properties, without success. Accordingly, the government needs to file a condemnation petition to condemn the two (2) Tamuning Parcels. Improved road Ypao Road has already seen improvements with the completion of the first phase of the project. The road is wider and the roads significantly improved, plus a sidewalk was added. Pedestrians now can walk safely up and down the hill leading to Tumon. The first phase was from the intersection of Route 14B and Route 14, from the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa and Ypao Beach, going up the hill and ending near Carmen Memorial Drive. Phase 2 starts near Carmen Memorial Drive and goes through the intersection of Route 14B or Ypao Road and Route 1 or Marine Corps Drive. The first phase was completed in May 2024 after delays caused by safety concerns, particularly the discovery of loose backfill that needed to be removed and replaced, and that delay was exacerbated by Typhoon Mawar. The loose backfill contributed to the erosion of the hillside over the years, to the extent the face of the cliff was dangerously close to the edge of the road, DPW said at the time. The first phase was initially estimated to cost $8.5 million. It ended up costing $13 million. According to DPW, the design for phase 2 is complete and the estimated construction cost is $12.6 million with estimate start of construction this fiscal year. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The way we care for our schools today will shape how the next generation cares for Guam tomorrow. Since the beginning of this school year, students, families, staff, and faculty have been asking for the road at George Washington High School to be paved. We are now close to the end of the year. Some gravel has been added, and we are thankful for the workers who took time to help. We know effort was made. But gravel is not a real fix. The road remains uneven. It floods when it rains. It is unmarked and not lined, creating confusion and safety concerns for drivers and pedestrians. Students, teachers, staff, and faculty drive over it every day. GDOE buses carry hundreds of students in and out of campus through it daily. When the entrance to a school looks unfinished, it sends a message about what is prioritized. This road is not just pavement. It represents how much care is given to the spaces that shape young people. A paved and properly marked road is not a luxury. It is a basic need. It shows safety. It shows planning. It shows follow through. When we talk about the rebuilding of Simon Sanchez High School and attend town halls with stakeholders of the Guam Department of Education, we are talking about the same idea. At one recent meeting, the education superintendent and other education board members did not attend, and no public explanation was shared. Only Sen. Vince Borja and education board member Ron McNinch were present. Kudos to them. When leadership is absent during important conversations, it creates distance. It leaves people wondering if their voices are truly heard. I have written about this road multiple times. After each article, the same gravel work is done again. And I start to question myself. Is my persistence going in vain? Am I being heard, or am I just noise about another issue on our island? Does what I say matter? These are questions many people quietly ask themselves. It is easy to fall into the idea that I am just a nobody from a place that is just a small dot on the world map. But that is not true. And that is exactly what paving this road would symbolize. It would show that we are not no ones from nowhere. It would show that our concerns matter. Young people are watching. We are entering adulthood. We are learning what leadership looks like and whether action follows words. If we see broken roads left as they are, we may begin to believe that this is normal. But it should not be normal. At the same time, we also carry responsibility. We must take care of our campuses and respect our spaces. Respect goes both ways. When adults lead with action and consistency, young people are more likely to do the same. This essay is not written to condemn anyone. It is written to keep this issue in the public eye and to call for action rooted in respect. The paving of this road would mean more than smoother asphalt. It would mean that students, families, and staff are heard. It would mean that small places still matter. You, as the reader, matter just as much as I, the writer. The way we care for our schools today will shape how the next generation cares for Guam tomorrow. Haiti - News : Zapping... TPS : Trump Files Emergency Appeal The Trump administration has filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, asking the justices to rule on the President's authority to make decisions regarding the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Attorney Frandeley Denis Julien, an immigration lawyer known for his analysis of TPS for Haitians, stated in a video, "The Supreme Court has given TPS advocates until March 5th to respond. The Court will then make a decision. We don't know what the Supreme Court will decide. If the Court states in its decision on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that the courts cannot review the decision, this will apply to all TPS beneficiaries [...]" Aristide University : Free Agronomy Studies The Dr. Aristide Foundation University (UNIFA) held a graduation ceremony on Sunday, March 1st, 2026, for the "Neuron Consciousness" class. At the end of the ceremony, in his speech, Dr. Aristide announced, "From today onward, all young men and women will be able to study agronomy for free at UNIFA." Canada : 100 Patrol Vehicles for the PNH According to the Canadian Ambassador to Haiti, Andre Giroux, approximately one hundred patrol vehicles (unarmored) for the PNH are being delivered and should arrive in Haiti in the coming weeks. The Prime Minister congratulates the outgoing Ministers "I wish to congratulate the outgoing ministers for their strong sense of duty, their responsibility, and their political maturity. In a particularly demanding national context, they demonstrated selflessness, commitment, and a spirit of sacrifice in service to the State. The Haitian Nation expresses its gratitude for their contribution to republican continuity and the stability of institutions," declared Prime Minister Fils Aime after the cabinet reshuffle. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46974-haiti-flash-cabinet-reshuffle-11-new-ministers-27-of-whom-are-women.html Are diaspora remittances a target of the DHS ? Remittances from the Haitian diaspora living in the United States represent nearly 20% of the national economy. In a publication dated Monday, March 2nd2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that $6.1 billion of Haiti's economy originates from the United States. The DHS is reportedly considering measures to address this situation. Border Protection : The $542 Million Contract Divides Opposition The National Observatory Against Corruption denounces the complete lack of transparency surrounding the over $542 million contract signed between the Haitian government and the companies Evergreen Trading System Limited and Alex Stewart International, and approved by the Superior Court of Auditors (https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46942-haiti-news-zapping.html). The Observatory asserts that this contract undermines national sovereignty and paves the way for corruption. HL/ HaitiLibre Amazon's cloud service AWS has been experiencing an outage in the Middle East since Sunday after objects hit a data center in the United Arab Emirates, causing a fire. The US company announced this and has since provided updates in several short posts on the progress of work to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, it remains unclear what kind of object it was. Given the events of the weekend, it is plausible that it could have been a missile or drone from Iran. Since Israel and the US attacked the Islamic Republic on Saturday killing, among others, head of state Ali Khamenei Iran has been attacking targets throughout the region. Continue after ad Duration of the outage still uncertain According to AWS, the outage began on Sunday afternoon local time; initially, it was only stated that problems in the ME-CENTRAL-1 region were being investigated. The US company later announced that it was a local problem in a single so-called Availability Zone. AWS defines this as one or more discrete data centers with redundant power, networking, and connectivity in an AWS Region. The outage therefore had effects beyond the local area. Hours later, the cause was announced, along with the prediction that the issue could persist for hours. Users can now avoid the data center, but it is unclear when it will be operational again. Numerous services are still affected. Israel and the US began carrying out airstrikes on Iran on Saturday morning. At the very beginning, several high-ranking representatives of the Islamic Republic were killed, most notably Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had dictatorially ruled the country for 37 years. Tehran responded with counterattacks on Israel and on Gulf states where the US maintains bases. Although people were killed in these attacks, the states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) only repelled Iran's attacks but did not strike back. Together with the US, several Arab states condemned the counterattacks as a dangerous escalation. (mho) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. Continue after ad GrapheneOS will support Motorola smartphones in the future. The GrapheneOS developers already said in October 2025 that they were working with a major manufacturer to offer the secure custom ROM on smartphones other than Google's Pixel devices. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona 2026, Motorola revealed itself as this major manufacturer. Until now, GrapheneOS could only be installed on Pixel smartphones, as Google's devices receive security patches most regularly and meet the other high requirements of the hardened operating system. In recent months, Google has largely restructured Android development, which has created major hurdles for custom ROM development for independent developers. This is much easier with a hardware partner. GrapheneOS for Motorola As Motorola explains, the manufacturer wants to redefine smartphone security with the help of GrapheneOS. Thanks to the custom ROM, devices equipped with GrapheneOS will receive a "strengthened security core" and "protection against complex threats." Furthermore, "privacy comes first." The manufacturer also promises that GrapheneOS offers better control over user data and that users can granularly determine which data leaves the device. Motorola promises that the partnership will enable the company to offer "special high-security devices" that can also be used in companies, authorities, and the like. GrapheneOS is known for offering more privacy than regular Android versions while having fewer functional limitations than other systems: While home banking apps and games or streaming services don't work with other custom ROMs, GrapheneOS runs (almost) like an official Android from Google. For this purpose, users can optionally equip the factory-Google-free custom ROM with Google services, but with more privacy. This is because GrapheneOS can run the original Google Play services in a sandbox, where they have limited rights like normal apps no system access, no authority over all data. Continue after ad First model with high-end hardware expected Motorola's announcement says nothing about the hardware specifications only that further details will be revealed later. GrapheneOS had already stated its requirements in October. At the time, a GrapheneOS moderator said in a subreddit that they would rely on existing devices for hardware, which should be equipped with a high-end Snapdragon chip "to ensure the best security and support times." According to the moderator, Qualcomm's current Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which was only unveiled at the end of September 2025, will apparently be used. A first potential Motorola device with GrapheneOS could therefore be the Signature, introduced in January. The device is not only equipped with the aforementioned Snapdragon chip but is also the first from Motorola to receive seven years of software updates. Read also LineageOS 23.2 brings Material 3 Expressive and new release rhythm The GrapheneOS moderator also said at the time that the Snapdragon chips deliver "significantly better CPU and GPU performance than Pixel devices." In addition, Snapdragon SoCs contain "high-quality Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GNSS, and mobile communication support" as well as eSIM support and other functions. Google makes custom ROM development more difficult Google has been making custom ROM development more difficult not only for Pixel devices for months: With the release of Android 16, Google released the source code of the new OS version in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), allowing independent developers to compile their own forks of the operating system under the rather permissive Apache 2.0 license. However, the company did not publish the device trees, driver binaries, and the complete kernel source code commit history that were previously released simultaneously. This puts obstacles in the way of Android custom ROM developers like GrapheneOS, /e/OS, or LineageOS. The new partnership between Motorola and GrapheneOS is reminiscent of the cooperation between OnePlus and the custom ROM CyanogenMod: The two teamed up to initially equip the OnePlus One with the custom ROM. Unfortunately, the cooperation was short-lived, as OnePlus, among others, prioritized the development of its own Android interface OxygenOS: Cyanogenmod eventually became LineageOS ten years ago. (afl) 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. Emergency services received the alarm at 5.41am for a building fire on Pahkinarinteentie in the Pahkinarinne district of west Vantaa. By morning, crews had extinguished the blaze. Police suspect arson and are investigating five counts of murder and aggravated arson. A fire tore through a block of flats in Vantaa early on Tuesday, killing five members of the same family and leaving a newborn in hospital. Rescue units, paramedics and police patrols remained at the scene. The victims were a Somali family. The parents were aged between 30 and 40. The children were aged three, six and eight. A baby only days old survived. The child was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police said the five victims were found in the stairwell. They had left their third-floor flat as smoke filled the building. The smoke production was heavy and the stairwell was not in a condition that would allow passage, said Mikael Backlund, a commissioner with Eastern Uusimaa Police, at a press conference. Police said they found no signs of external violence on the victims. The fire appears to have started in a second-floor flat, where the heaviest damage is visible. The rear facade of the six-storey building stands blackened. Windows on upper floors were broken during rescue efforts. Police have detained a man in his 70s who lived in the same building. Detective Chief Inspector Sanna Rentola, who leads the investigation, said the suspect is a Finnish-born man with no significant criminal record. The suspected offences are aggravated arson and murder, Rentola said. She said the suspect did not target the Somali family in particular. The family was not the target any more than any other person in the building, she told reporters. Rentola said the suspect reported himself to police at the scene. Officers had spoken with him but had not yet carried out a formal interview. Police have not disclosed how the fire was set. Technical investigation indicates that the blaze was started deliberately. Authorities ruled out a racist motive. There are no indications of a racist motive, Rentola said. Four people sustained injuries. One person remains in serious condition and three suffered minor injuries, police said. The city has arranged discussion support at local schools and nurseries for pupils, staff and families. The Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county has offered emergency accommodation and psychosocial support. Hameenkyla parish will hold a memorial service at 6pm on Tuesday at the local church. The church will remain open for reflection and discussion. Members of the Somali community have also gathered at mosques in the area to mourn the victims. Police have sealed off the building. The investigation continues under police command. HT An increase of our arsenal is indispensable, he said, standing before the nuclear-powered submarine Le Temeraire. Speaking at the Ile Longue naval base in Brittany, home to Frances ballistic missile submarines, Macron said the current security climate required a shift in doctrine and a stronger arsenal. French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered an increase in Frances nuclear warheads and outlined plans to involve European allies more closely in the countrys deterrence strategy. He did not disclose how many additional warheads France would acquire. France holds about 290 to 300 nuclear warheads, according to official and expert estimates, making it the worlds fourth largest nuclear power after the United States, Russia and China. It remains the only European Union member state with nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom, which left the EU, also maintains a nuclear arsenal. Macron said the decision reflected new threats and changes in global security. He cited Russias war in Ukraine, the erosion of arms control agreements and shifts in United States defence priorities. To be free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful, he said. We must strengthen our nuclear deterrent in the face of multiple threats. He stressed that the ultimate authority to use nuclear weapons would remain solely with the French president. France would continue to define its vital interests independently. At the same time, Macron proposed what he described as an advanced or forward deterrence model that would deepen cooperation with European partners. He named Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom as countries engaged in discussions. These states could take part in nuclear deterrence exercises and host temporary deployments of French nuclear-capable aircraft. It will ultimately provide for the circumstantial deployments of elements of our strategic air forces to allied countries, Macron said, referring to squadrons of nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets. He added that cooperation would take place in coordination with the United Kingdom and in transparency with the United States. Frances deterrent would complement NATOs nuclear mission rather than replace it, he said. France and Germany have established a joint nuclear steering group to coordinate on doctrine and the balance between conventional forces, missile defence and French nuclear capabilities. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin and Paris aimed to take concrete steps before the end of the year, including German participation in French nuclear exercises. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Warsaw was in talks with France and other allies on what he called an advanced nuclear deterrence programme. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm was ready to join discussions, while maintaining that Sweden did not plan to host nuclear weapons in peacetime. The European Commission said it would monitor security and energy risks linked to rising tensions in the Middle East, as EU leaders met to assess broader defence and evacuation measures. France maintains a sea-based and air-based deterrent. At least one of its four ballistic missile submarines patrols at all times. Macron said a single submarine carried a strike capability comparable in scale to the total tonnage of bombs dropped on Europe during the second world war. He rejected suggestions that France was entering an arms race. It is essential that our adversaries cannot even glimpse the possibility of hitting France without the certainty of suffering damage they would not recover from, he said. HT Saudi authorities said two drones struck the US diplomatic compound in Riyadh, causing a limited fire and minor structural damage. No casualties were reported, but the embassy suspended services and urged American citizens to shelter in place. The war between Iran and a US-Israeli alliance intensified on Tuesday, with drone strikes hitting the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, fresh bombardments reported in Tehran and Beirut, and the death toll in Iran climbing sharply. The strikes came as Israel pressed ahead with air raids in Iran and Lebanon on the fourth day of hostilities. The Israeli military said it targeted key government and military sites in Tehran, including what it described as a leadership compound housing the presidential office and the Supreme National Security Council. Iranian state media confirmed damage to several official buildings but did not immediately provide casualty figures. Irans Red Crescent said 787 people have been killed since the US-Israeli assault began on Saturday, with hundreds more wounded. The figure could not be independently verified, but it represents a sharp increase from earlier counts. Among the most controversial incidents was a strike on a girls primary school in the southern city of Minab. Iranian officials say 165 students and staff were killed in the attack, which they blame on the United States and Israel. Washington has denied deliberately targeting a school and said it was reviewing reports of civilian harm. Israel has said it was not aware of strikes in that area. On Tuesday, thousands gathered in Minab for a mass funeral for the victims. The conflict intensified between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah as well. Hezbollah launched missiles toward northern Israel for a second consecutive day, while Israel said its ground forces were advancing into parts of southern Lebanon to establish what it called a buffer zone. The UN refugee agency estimates that at least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since fighting escalated. Iran has also fired missiles and drones at US-linked and energy infrastructure targets across the Gulf. Authorities in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting projectiles, while Oman said a fuel tank at the Port of Duqm was struck by a drone. Qatar temporarily halted liquefied natural gas production after facilities were targeted, contributing to sharp spikes in global energy prices. Brent crude rose above $79 a barrel on Tuesday, while European gas prices jumped more than 30%, reflecting fears of prolonged disruption to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments. Irans Revolutionary Guard declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and said it would attack any ships attempting to pass through it. US President Donald Trump said the campaign against Iran could last several weeks but insisted it would not become an endless war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sentiment, saying the operation was moving faster than expected and would not take years. In Washington, however, the administration faces mounting scrutiny. Congressional Democrats have questioned the legal basis for US involvement, arguing there was no imminent threat to the United States. A resolution invoking the War Powers Act is expected to come to a vote later this week. International leaders have urged restraint. Russia said it had seen no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, while China called for a return to negotiations. The UN warned that attacks on schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure could constitute violations of international humanitarian law. HT Speaking during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday, Trump said he was not happy with the UK after Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to join the US-Israeli assault launched at the weekend. Donald Trump has criticised Britain and Spain for refusing to fully back US strikes on Iran , threatening to halt trade with Madrid and accusing London of delaying access to military bases. Britain allowed US aircraft to use bases in Gloucestershire and the joint UK-US facility on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for what Starmer described as a specific and limited defensive purpose. London did not authorise the use of its bases in Cyprus for offensive operations. Its taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land, Trump said, referring to Diego Garcia. There would have been much more convenient landing there. The US president has also criticised the British governments decision to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia base. The UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, Trump said. His strongest remarks were directed at Spain, which has refused to allow the United States to use the jointly operated naval base at Rota and the Moron air base in Andalusia for strikes on Iran. Spain has been terrible, Trump said. Were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We dont want anything to do with Spain. He said he had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with Madrid and discussed the possibility of an embargo with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during the meeting. Spain is a member of the European Union, which operates a common trade policy on behalf of its 27 member states. Any unilateral US move targeting Madrid would affect wider EU-US trade relations. The Supreme Court recently struck down Trumps use of emergency powers under a 1977 law to impose tariffs without congressional approval. Administration officials argue that the ruling still allows the president to take other economic measures, including a potential embargo, on national security grounds. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has condemned the US and Israeli strikes as unjustified and dangerous. He said the action was contributing to a more hostile and uncertain international order. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Spain would not permit its bases to be used for operations that fall outside existing agreements or the UN charter. The bases are not being used nor will they be used for anything that is not in the agreement, nor for anything that isnt covered by the UN charter, Albares told Telecinco. Defence Minister Margarita Robles said operations conducted from Spanish territory must comply with international law. She added that the bases had not participated in the initial strikes and would not provide maintenance or support for the offensive. Flight tracking data showed that more than a dozen US aircraft departed from Rota and Moron after the strikes began, with several landing at Ramstein air base in Germany. Spanish officials indicated the aircraft had relocated because they could not operate from Spain under the current restrictions. Madrid rejected the threat and said any review of trade relations must respect international law and existing agreements between the United States and the European Union. In a statement, the Spanish government said Washington must respect the autonomy of private companies, international law and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States. It added that Spain had the resources to contain the impact of a potential embargo and to support affected sectors, while continuing to advocate free trade and economic cooperation. Spain is the worlds largest exporter of olive oil and also sells car parts, steel and chemicals to the United States. Trade data from the US Census Bureau show that the United States recorded a trade surplus with Spain for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, amounting to 4.8 billion dollars, with exports of 26.1 billion dollars and imports of 21.3 billion dollars. Chancellor Merz said European partners were pressing Madrid to increase defence spending in line with NATO commitments. We are trying to convince Spain to catch up with the 3 per cent or 3.5 per cent which we agreed on in NATO, he said. Spain is the only one who is not willing to accept that and we are trying to convince them that this is part of our common security. The UK has taken a more cautious approach. After initial hesitation, London signalled it would support proportionate defensive measures following Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, including one that struck a British air base in Cyprus. In a joint statement with France and Germany, Britain said it would take steps to defend its interests and those of its allies in the region, including enabling necessary defensive action against Iranian missile capabilities. HT A 54-year-old man has been charged with rape, intentional strangulation and a string of other offences in connection with attacks on two women in Henley and West Berkshire. Andrew Dent, of Desborough Road, High Wycombe, is accused of attacking two women on separate occasions after meeting on a dating website or app. One of the victims, a woman in her 50s from London, was attacked at an address in Henley on the evening of October 26, 2024. Another woman, aged in her 30s and from South Wales, was attacked and had intimate photographs of her taken without consent in a hotel in West Berkshire on the evening of June 19, 2024. Dent has been charged with nine counts of rape, five counts of sexual assault by penetration, three counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of voyeurism. The High Wycombe man has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Reading Crown Court tomorrow (Wednesday). Taicang, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, hosts over 560 German enterprises with a total investment exceeding 6 billion U.S. dollars. Many of them have localized their R&D and production in China, reflecting China's rise as a global innovation hub. Global air travel has been thrown into turmoil after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, prompting widespread flight cancellations and travel disruptions across the Middle East and beyond. Airlines quickly suspended routes to key cities in the region, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or scrambling to rebook trips. Major carriers cited safety concerns as tensions escalated. According to FoxBusiness, Emirates temporarily halted flights to and from Dubai, saying it would resume a "limited number" of services later Monday and prioritize customers with earlier bookings. The airline urged travelers not to go to the airport unless they were directly notified. Etihad Airways also suspended all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi until 2 pm UAE time on March 4. The airline said some "repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals." Like Emirates, Etihad advised passengers to stay home unless contacted. US carriers followed with cancellations and flexible travel policies. Airlines cancel flights, issue travel waivers over Middle East unrest https://t.co/BiMA1LG3VP FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) March 2, 2026 Major US Airlines Offer Refunds American Airlines announced that customers flying to or from cities including Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Larnaca could change their travel plans without paying change fees. The waiver applies to tickets purchased by Feb. 27, 2026, for travel between Feb. 28 and March 15, as long as passengers keep the same origin and destination, LGMCorp reported. Travelers may also cancel and request a refund. Delta Air Lines suspended flights between New York's JFK Airport and Tel Aviv through early March. Affected passengers can reschedule their trips or cancel for a refund or e-credit. Fare differences will be waived for certain rebooked flights if they travel within the specified window. United Airlines canceled service to Dubai and Tel Aviv through early March as well. The airline issued waivers allowing customers to reschedule without change fees if they fly within new approved dates and remain in the same cabin and cities. Refunds are available for those who choose not to travel. Originally published on vcpost.com LXR Hotels & Resorts to Open First Australian Property on Gold Coast in Early 2027 - Image Credit Hilton Hilton has announced the signing of a hotel on the Gold Coasts Southport Spit with Islander Hotel Trading Pty Ltd, which will introduce the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand to Australia in early 2027 following a renovation. Hilton has signed an agreement with Islander Hotel Trading Pty Ltd to bring the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand to Australia for the first time. The property, located on the Gold Coasts Southport Spit, is scheduled to open in early 2027 after a renovation. The hotel is currently operating as The Imperial Hotel and was formerly known as Palazzo Versace. Upon relaunch under the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand, the hotel will feature 200 rooms with neoclassical architecture and Italian-inspired interiors. The property offers direct access to the Gold Coast Broadwater and is near attractions such as Marina Mirage. This signing marks LXR Hotels & Resorts' first entry into the Australian market. Globally, LXR Hotels & Resorts has 36 properties either operating or in the pipeline. Recent openings for the brand include Cameo Beverly Hills and Sax Paris, with additional properties planned in Santorini and India later this year. The brand has also announced plans to expand across Asia Pacific in destinations such as Niseko, Phuket, and Da Nang. The Gold Coast property will join Hiltons collection portfolio in Australia, which includes Curio Collection by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton. The hotel will participate in Hilton Honors, the guest loyalty program for Hiltons 26 hotel brands. Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa - Image Credit Noble Investment Group Noble Investment Group has acquired the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa, located along the Truckee River in downtown Reno, Nevada. Noble Investment Group has acquired the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa, a riverfront property in downtown Reno, Nevada, with immediate access to the city's central business district and the Reno-Tahoe corridor. The Reno-Tahoe region attracts more than 15 million visitors annually and continues to experience strong population growth, sustained job creation, and economic diversification across technology, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and tourism. Reno is among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, supported by in-migration, a business-friendly tax environment, ongoing infrastructure investment, and expanding corporate demand. The market has attracted significant commitments from global companies in technology, data infrastructure, electric vehicle manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and logistics, including Tesla, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Switch, as well as major distribution operations serving the Western United States. These investments have accelerated job creation, strengthened the regions income profile, and positioned Reno as a hub for innovation and supply chain infrastructure. Renos diversified economic baseincluding technology, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, professional services, and tourismalong with its multi-season leisure appeal and proximity to Lake Tahoe, supports resilient lodging demand throughout the year. Noble Investment Group stated that the propertys riverfront location and brand will serve as a platform for targeted capital enhancements and operational initiatives. No additional transaction details or plans for the property were disclosed. Joschka Fischer - Image Credit ITB Berlin Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer delivered a keynote at ITB Berlin 2026, urging the tourism industry to adapt to geopolitical challenges and strengthen crisis management. Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister and political adviser, addressed ITB Berlin 2026 on Tuesday, focusing on the impact of global instability on the tourism sector. Fischer stated that the era of a rules-based world order had ended, with power dynamics now dominated by the United States and China, and potentially India. He advised the tourism industry to take a proactive approach to geopolitical risks and suggested that industry leaders could play a role in diplomatic efforts. Fischer described conflict, natural disasters, and war as persistent factors that cannot be eliminated. He emphasized that the tourism sector must recognize these realities and adapt its strategies accordingly. Fischer noted that while people will continue to travel, safety concerns will influence their choices, referencing incidents in the Gulf region where hotels have been targeted by Iranian drones. Addressing the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, Fischer said he anticipated the escalation, citing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus recent visit to Washington as an indicator of imminent military action. Fischer stated that he could not predict the specific consequences of the conflict and expressed doubt about a positive resolution. Drawing on his experience in nuclear negotiations with Iran, Fischer questioned the stability of the Iranian state, highlighting internal divisions and the risk of civil war following potential regime change. He indicated that such instability could affect the broader region, including the Gulf states. Fischer called for the tourism industry to strengthen its crisis management practices, particularly in avoiding dangerous situations. He cited the 2004 tsunami in Thailand as an example in which both the tourism sector and diplomatic services were unprepared, noting that the timing of the disaster during the Christmas holiday complicated response efforts. Fischer suggested that the industry should learn from past failures in crisis response and apply those lessons to current and future events. Colliers Releases 2026 Canadian Hotel Investment Report - Image Credit Colliers The themes emerging across the country are clear: demand for quality assets remains deep, capital both from equity and debt is available, and investors are increasingly strategic in whereand howthey deploy it. Capital Remains Selectively on the Sidelines Liquidity across hotel equity markets remains ample entering 2026, though capital is increasingly patient and selective. Investors are prioritizing assets with clear operating upside, durable cash flow, and realistic paths to value creation. Bid ask spreads are narrowing, but disciplined pricing remains a hallmark of the current cycle. Quality Over Quantity With limited new supply in many Canadian markets, investor focus continues to skew toward well located, high quality assets, particularly those benefiting from brand affiliation, recent capital investment, or repositioning opportunities. Secondary and tertiary markets with proven demand drivers are gaining further traction as core markets remain tightly held. Operating Performance as the Primary Value Driver As cap rate compression moderates, asset-level operating fundamentals are once again front and centre. Revenue growthparticularly through rate optimizationalongside cost containment and margin management will be key differentiators in asset performance. Investors are underwriting operational efficiencies as much as location. Debt Markets: More Options, More Structure Liquidity continues to improve, with increased competition among lenders and greater creativity in deal structures. While leverage remains prudent, flexible financing including structured debt and seller financingwill play a growing role in facilitating transactions, particularly for repositioning and portfolio strategies Regional Rotation Continues Interprovincial capital is expected to remain active, with Alberta, Atlantic Canada, and select resort markets attracting incremental attention due to favourable entry points, diversified economic drivers, and strong leisure and transient demand. Major urban centres remain highly sought after, though opportunities are often limited by tightly held ownership. Global Capital: Selective, Not Broad-Based Domestic capital continues to anchor Canadian hotel investment activity, driving the large majority of transaction volume. Global capital remains highly selective, engaging primarily in large-scale portfolios, marquee single-asset transactions, or situations with strategic or platform- building rationale. While favourable currency dynamics and Canadas relative stability remain supportive, international participation is targeted rather than widespread. Download the report for an in-depth review of 2025 transaction trends and the outlook for 2026. Shouldering their mission and full of expectation, the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) living in Anhui boarded highspeed trains on the morning of March 3 and departed Hefei for Beijing to attend the Fourth Session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, which opens on March 4. Over the past year, these Anhuibased CPPCC delegates have taken a broad perspective rooted in the province, focusing on technology innovation, industrial development, and ecological protection to offer sincere proposals and sound recommendations. They have put forward a series of substantive, thoughtful and effective consultative proposals, delivering a highquality performance in their duties. The Fourth Session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC is an important meeting held at a critical juncture in the start of the 15th FiveYear Plan. The delegates will bring vigorous political enthusiasm and a strong sense of responsibility to focus closely on the 15th FiveYear Plans opening phase, offer practical proposals, speak up proactively, tell compelling stories of Anhuis highquality development, project an image of Anhui striving forward, and contribute their wisdom and strength to advancing Chinese path to modernization. Source: anhuinews.com 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 China has removed three retired military generals from its top advisory body just days before the annual largest political gathering. The generals Han Weiguo, 70; Gao Jin, 67; and Liu Lei, 70 were dismissed from the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) without any official explanation. This is seen as an unusual move since delegates typically serve their full five-year terms, state media reported. These ousters come amid a broader wave of military purges in recent weeks. Han Weiguo, who commanded the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) ground forces from 2017 until his retirement in 2021, and his contemporaries Gao Jin and Liu Lei, held influential military roles over the past decade. Mr Gao was the first commander of the Strategic Support Force, while Mr Liu served as the armys political commissar. Observers note that the abrupt removals signalled a tightening grip on military leadership, with several other officials, including Zhang Kejian from the defence sector, also being dismissed. These removals coincide with Chinas annual political meetings, when around 3,000 delegates of the CPPCC and the National Peoples Congress gather in Beijing. Xi Jinping, Chinas leader since 2012, has used anti-corruption campaigns to consolidate power, and critics suggest these purges may serve both disciplinary and political purposes. The developments have sparked attention globally, given the generals high-profile roles and the timing of their removal. File. Chinese president Xi Jinping participates in a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on 25 February 2026 in Beijing, China ( Getty ) The CPPCC, while influential in advising on policy, holds no legislative authority. Mid-term dismissals, especially of senior military figures, are rare. The Two Sessions, set to begin this week, are Chinas most significant annual political gatherings, combining advisory and legislative oversight, and often coincide with strategic personnel reshuffles. The removal of Mr Han, Mr Gao, and Mr Liu is part of a pattern that has intensified in recent months. Just last January, Chinas top general Zhang Youxia and his ally Liu Zhenli were removed and placed under investigation for alleged violations of discipline and law. Mr Xis anti-corruption campaigns, ongoing since he became Chinas president, are officially aimed at eliminating corruption within the party and military. However, many analysts argue that they also serve to eliminate potential rivals and ensure alignment with Xis political agenda. 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 Japans prime minister Sanae Takaichi has warned the public that she has no connection to a meme cryptocurrency named Sanae token and cautioned her supporters not to be misled by the name. While there appear to be various misunderstandings perhaps because of the name I have absolutely no knowledge of this token, nor has my office been informed about what it is, Ms Takaichi wrote on X. We have not given any form of approval in relation to this matter. I am issuing this statement to ensure that the public is not misled, she said. Ms Takaichi, Japans first woman prime minister, has a strong social media following and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party recently won a landslide general election victory, buoyed by high approval ratings for her cabinet. The meme coin was introduced on 25 February by NoBorder, a political YouTube channel run by entrepreneur Yuji Mizoguchi. The group described the token as part of a broader initiative titled Japan is Back, a slogan originally popularised by Ms Takaichis mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe. According to NoBorder, the wider project seeks to modernise democracy by harnessing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and Web3 a vision of a decentralised, blockchain-based internet where users have greater control over their data. The channel said it selected the name Sanae because it viewed it as representing the idea of a democratically elected leader. Despite a disclaimer on the tokens website stating that it is not linked to or endorsed by Ms Takaichi, the initiative faced backlash online. Some social media users have criticised the branding as potentially misleading, arguing that the association with the prime ministers name could create false impressions. The confusion appeared to have deepened after an X account claiming to be an officially recognised supporters group for Ms Takaichi shared NoBorders announcement. File. Sanae Takaichi said she has absolutely no knowledge of this token ( AFP/Getty ) Team Sanae empathises with this initiative and would like to collaborate with our activities, the support group said in its repost. In the hours after Ms Takaichis denial, trading activity around the token turned sharply negative, and its price dropped by more than half as investors reassessed its appeal following the clarification, according to The Japan Times. Coins themed on prime ministers and presidents are not a new phenomenon, with the Official Trump memecoin as the prime example. Last year, Argentine president Javier Milei faced intense backlash for promoting a controversial Solana-based meme coin. Mr Milei rejected claims that he endorsed the newly launched cryptocurrency that crashed soon after he referred to it in a social media post. The token, known as $Libra, initially surged in price but then plunged sharply, leaving most investors facing significant losses. 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 Bagram air base in Afghanistan reportedly suffered damage after Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside the neighbouring country over the weekend, satellite images showed. Bagram served as the command centre for occupying US forces until their withdrawal in 2021 and the Donald Trump administration reportedly wanted the Taliban to allow the American military to use it again, apparently as a forward operating base against China. The Taliban rejected the proposal out of hand. The Afghan defence ministry confirmed the strikes in the early hours of Sunday but didnt mention any damage to the air base. Bagram air base in Afghanistan ( AFP via Getty ) Police officials said Pakistani jets tried to bomb the air base but were repelled by anti-aircraft guns. They claimed the base suffered no damage. However, satellite images obtained by the New York Times showed the Pakistani strikes completely destroyed a hangar and two warehouses at the base, located about 44km north of the capital Kabul. The airstrikes also destroyed military supplies, the paper reported, citing a Pakistani security official. On Sunday, the police headquarters of Parwan province, where Bagram is located, said in a statement that several Pakistani military jets had entered Afghan airspace and attempted to bomb Bagram air base at around 5am. The statement said Afghan forces responded with anti-aircraft and missile defense systems and had managed to thwart the attack. There was no immediate response to the claim from Pakistan. The airstrikes came as the simmering conflict between the South Asian neighbours reignited last week, with cross-border military clashes entering the sixth day on Tuesday. In addition to Bagram, security sources in Pakistan claimed their forces targeted and destroyed a military base in Afghanistans Nangarhar province. The Taliban claimed their fighters had captured another Pakistani border post in the Kandahar area and the fighting was "still ongoing". UN officials in Afghanistan said at least 42 civilians had been killed and 104 wounded in the country between 26 February and 2 March. The civilian casualties include those caused by indirect fire in cross-border clashes as well as those caused by airstrikes," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said, adding the toll was preliminary. Pakistan said on Monday that its conflict with Afghanistan was now an open war. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring Islamist and ethnic insurgent groups Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army it blames for carrying out an escalating campaign of terrorism in the country. The TTP militant group, which is separate but closely allied with Afghanistans ruling Taliban, operates inside Pakistan, where it has been blamed for hundreds of deaths in bombings and other attacks over the years. Pakistan accuses Afghanistans Taliban government of providing a safe haven within Afghanistan for the TTP, an accusation Afghanistan denies. The current fighting began when Afghanistan launched a broad cross-border attack last week, saying it was in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday. Pakistan had said its airstrike had targeted the TTP. Afghanistan had said only civilians were killed. 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 Scientists have discovered the perfect length of time to sleep to reduce the risk of developing insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK said that of the 4.6 million people in the UK who have a diabetes diagnosis, about 90 per cent have type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body does not use insulin properly. Obesity and high blood pressure are known causes of the condition, but a lack of sleep has also been linked to insulin resistance. Sleeping for seven hours and 18 minutes every night may be the sweet spot, with any more or less sleep associated with a heightened risk of pre-diabetes, a study published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care revealed. Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, told The Independent: Poor sleep often leads to poorer appetite control so people tend to eat more, and less sleep means more time awake to be able to eat. Scientists have discovered exactly how much sleep could help prevent type 2 diabetes ( Getty/iStock ) He explained that poor sleep can have a direct impact on hormone levels, such as stress hormones, which not only make people eat more but also impact sugar levels. Alex Miras, professor of endocrinology at Ulster University, told The Independent: Sleep deprivation has been known for years to be associated with higher levels of body stress, meaning that the body produces excess cortisol and other molecules that have a negative effect on glucose regulation. More specifically, it can increase the resistance of muscles to insulin, which can increase blood glucose. For the study, researchers in China wanted to investigate the association between how much sleep participants got on a weekday and weekend and their estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a marker of insulin resistance which can indicate diabetes. The lower the eGDR level, the greater the insulin resistance. Data from 10,817 participants aged 20 to 80 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US between 2009 and 2023 were included in the analysis. The eGDR was calculated using a formula involving waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure. Participants slept for an average of seven hours and 30 minutes. Just over 48 per cent of them reported catching up on sleep at the weekend and getting up to eight hours a night. After analysing participants' eGDR levels, researchers found the optimal sleep duration for insulin resistance was suggested to be seven hours and 18 minutes, with anything higher or lower associated with worse results. Getting extra sleep on the weekend in moderation was also beneficial for insulin resistance. For those sleeping less than the optimal amount during the week, one to two hours of catch-up sleep at the weekend was associated with higher eGDR compared with no extra sleep at the weekend, lowering their risk of type 2 diabetes. But for those sleeping more than the optimal weekday threshold, more than two hours of extra sleep at the weekend was associated with a lower eGDR, a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The study authors wrote: These correlational findings suggest that sleep patterns, particularly weekend recovery sleep, may be relevant for metabolic regulation in diabetes and could inform considerations for healthcare professionals in managing patient care. 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 Armed police were called to an incident after a man was seriously injured in a lunchtime stabbing in Birmingham on Tuesday. West Midlands Police said a 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing and is currently in police custody. A nearby school in Bridge Road, Alum Rock, was placed in lockdown after witnesses saw a man stabbing another man in the street shortly after midday. The force reported that a woman also sustained injuries, but they were not believed to be life-threatening. open image in gallery Police are urging anyone with information to come forward ( PA ) Detective Superintendent James Munro said: We believe this to be a contained incident with a man in custody. We understand how deeply distressing and concerning this incident is and we will have extra officers in the area to offer reassurance to the community. West Midlands Ambulance Service said three ambulances, two paramedic officers, a trauma team and the air ambulance were sent to the scene after multiple 999 calls were received. A spokesperson said: "Crews arrived to find a man with serious injuries and administered advanced life support on scene. "A second patient, a woman, was treated for less serious injuries." Police are urging witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to come forward by calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. We are reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to a number of people in the area. But would appeal to anyone who has any information to get in touch, Mr Munro said. 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 Londons Old Vic has settled a High Court claim with an actor who alleges that Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted him while working as the theatres artistic director. Ruari Cannon claims that Mr Spacey assaulted him in 2013 at an event related to the production of Tennessee Williamss play Sweet Bird Of Youth. Mr Cannon, who has waived his right to anonymity, is taking legal action against the Hollywood actor at the High Court. Mr Spacey has denied the allegations. Mr Cannon also had a separate claim against the Old Vic. However, that was settled on Tuesday, the theatre announced. Ruari Cannon and The Old Vic have reached a mutually agreed out-of-court settlement, the precise terms of which are confidential, An Old Vic spokesperson said. This settlement has been agreed without any admission of liability, having regard to the costs and impact on all parties of continuing litigation. This statement has been mutually agreed and there will be no further comment. open image in gallery The Old Vic near Londons Southbank ( Alamy/PA ) Two other men, who are anonymous, are also taking legal action against Mr Spacey, who is defending the claims. All three say that he abused them at times between 2000 and 2015. In 2023, Mr Spacey was acquitted of nine sex offences relating to four men. Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, for the trio, told a High Court hearing on Tuesday that seven other people who allege they were sexually assaulted by Mr Spacey wish to give evidence without bringing a claim. She said Mr Spacey has a propensity to sexually assault young men and that additional witnesses would show this. The barrister told the court: Evidence from other men of similar incidents occurring, all of whom have not spoken to each other or been in contact, some of them have simply contacted my instructing solicitors for the first time, do show a propensity and do add weight and are helpful in showing whether the three cases these claimants rely on can be proved. In written submissions, Ms Gumbel said many of the witnesses worked as young actors, massage therapists or drivers and were placed in positions of proximity to Mr Spacey through their work. open image in gallery The High Court in London ( PA Archive ) William McCormick KC, for Mr Spacey, said in written submissions that for the witnesses allegations to be included, each of them must be relevant to the specific circumstances of those at the centre of the legal claims. He said that one man, referred to as GHI, alleged that Mr Spacey drugged him after a meeting in August 2008 and that he woke up in the actors flat while being assaulted. The man also said Mr Spacey called his phone and answered it while he was unconscious to make it seem like he had left his flat already, the barrister added. Mr McCormick said: None of the other allegations have any probative force in favour of GHIs allegation. None bears any similarity to what GHI alleges. The location, the preceding contact and the nature of the sexual conduct are entirely different. The use of drugs to secure compliance and of the phone to manufacture a defence have no echo in any other allegation. The hearing, before Mrs Justice Lambert, is due to conclude on Wednesday. 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 mother of Sarah Everard, who was raped and murdered by a serving Met Police officer five years ago, has paid tribute to her daughter in a piece remembering her travel, dancing and sense of humour. Susan Everard said Miss Everard added to the beauty of the world in the article for British Vogue, a publication the 33-year-old was photographed by at V Festival in 2010 as part of a street fashion series. Mrs Everard wrote: It was 2010 when the photograph was taken and, although it is bittersweet, I love to see her, happy and beautiful, with her whole life ahead of her. It was a golden time when she had recently graduated and was back home from travels to south-east Asia and already making plans for future adventures. She said the marketing executive had loved to travel, spending time in South America, South Africa and Nepal. She was interested in the world around her and made the most of life. There was a depth to her, she led her life with decency and integrity, Mrs Everard wrote. She cared about others and worried about us in the pandemic. She had a large network of friends who were dear to her; we meet up with them now to celebrate her. I miss the goodness of Sarah: she was thoughtful and dependable and highly principled. open image in gallery Sarah Everard was murdered by Wayne Couzens as she walked home from her friends house in south London in March 2021 ( Family handout/PA ) Miss Everard went missing on 3 March 2021 after leaving a friends house in Clapham at about 9pm, before her body was tragically discovered a week later. Following the arrest of Wayne Couzens, it emerged in court that he had kidnapped her under the guise of an arrest for breaking Covid lockdown rules, before raping and murdering her. After the horrific crime, it emerged that Couzens had passed several rounds of vetting despite three alleged incidents of indecent exposure that were not fully investigated. The case put police vetting processes in the spotlight and the handling of officers accused of sexual misconduct. In December, an inquiry launched after Everards death urged forces to drastically tighten police vetting after finding recommendations on recruitment had not been followed up by police forces. open image in gallery Sir Mark Rowley has insisted more women are reporting allegations to police after improvements following Sarah Everard's death ( REUTERS ) The commissioner of the Met Police said no organisation of 40,000 people can be perfect but insisted work has taken place to remove problematic employees from the force since Miss Everards death. Sir Mark Rowley said some 1,500 people had been rooted out of the force since 2022, including many because of inappropriate behaviour toward women. Speaking to the BBC, Sir Mark said: They [women] can absolutely trust [us]. We are an organisation that is doing everything we can possibly do to double down on our integrity and be as strong as we possibly can, from the front door of the organisation where the vetting is much tougher than it was, all the way through every step we take with allegations inside. Of course, no organisation of 40-odd thousand people can be perfect but you can be as determined to sustain the integrity of the organisation as possible and thats certainly what were doing now. Last year, The Independent revealed that at least 59 police officers across England and Wales had been convicted of sexual offences since 2022. That included 22 officers all male from the Met Police, none of whom are still serving. In January, a review showed some 5,073 officers and staff at the Met were not properly vetted between 2013 and 2023. The Met estimated that around 1,200 recruits may have had their vetting refused under normal practices. However, in a statement to The Independent, the Met said forced exits had trebled to around 550 in 2024, from 150 in 2020. Refusal rates through vetting had also more than doubled to 11 per cent, it said. But womens charities have said more needs to be done. Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women's Aid, told the BBC that there needed to be a change of attitude towards women among police officers. Sir Mark said: We havent got to the point where every woman is going to say I completely, without question, trust the Metropolitan Police. Of course. This is a horrific incident [Everards murder]. A serving police officer abducted, raped and murdered somebody. Of course thats going to live long in the memory and all Im seeking to do is just say, I can see that we are making progress and people are noticing that. Have you been impacted by this story, or wish to comment on the Met Polices handling of misconduct? Contact alexander.ross@independent.co.uk 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 significant schism within the Anglican Communion is set to deepen this week as a coalition of conservative churches convenes in Nigeria to elect a leader intended to rival the Archbishop of Canterbury. This unprecedented move is poised to exacerbate a widening theological split within the global church. The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), comprising conservative churches predominantly from Africa and Asia, staunchly opposes what it views as liberal shifts within the Communion. These include the ordination of women and greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ members. The group announced its Global Primates Council would elect a chairman, to be revealed on Thursday, "to serve as primus inter pares (first among equals) to replace the role traditionally held by the Archbishop of Canterbury". Formed in 2008, GAFCON asserts it now represents a majority of the world's practising Anglicans. The wider Anglican Communion consists of 46 autonomous churches, with the Church of England historically recognised as its "mother church". The new Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally gives her first Presidential Address at the Church of Englands General Synod ( Jordan Pettitt/PA ) Francis Aduroja, a priest from southwest Nigeria, told Reuters he expected bishops meeting in Abuja "not to compromise the scripture" as they consider the future of global Anglican leadership. "We want them to defend the faith of our fathers... to come back with words to encourage priests and parishioners that we are still upholding the gospel with no backing out and no compromise," he said. GAFCON says it has not left the Anglican Communion but is asserting itself as its authentic orthodox core. Gafcon leaders have opposed liberal trends such as same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ clergy in the Anglican churches of Europe and North America, including the Episcopal Church in the United States. Divisions have widened so sharply over recent decades that some national churches stopped participating in Anglican Communion gatherings. Gafcon's chairman, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, last year issued a statement essentially calling for a break from the historic communion as it's currently structured, declaring that the Anglican Communion will be reordered. The statement envisioned a reformulated Global Anglican Communion, overseen by a new council led by elected chairmen regardless of country. Historically although churches are self-governing and cooperate on a voluntary basis the archbishop of Canterbury in England has been considered first among equals, a symbolic spiritual leader. 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 Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has expressed his profound "sadness and distress" at what he describes as an "appalling lack of religious literacy" within the BBC. The Church of Englands second most senior bishop criticised religious broadcasting at the public broadcaster, labelling it the "poor and underfunded relative." Archbishop Cottrell asserted that religious and public service broadcasting serves as a "precious bulwark against polarisation" in a world he described as increasingly divided. His remarks were made during a discussion concerning a government document published in December, which outlined proposed changes to the BBC Charter ahead of its renewal at the end of 2027. A consultation accompanying the paper questioned what types of programming the BBC should make more visible, listing religious programming alongside arts and international affairs as "under-served genres." Speaking at a Religion Media Centre discussion on Tuesday, Mr Cottrell noted a decline in dedicated religious broadcasting at the corporation. He clarified his broader concern: "My concern is much more about the place of religion across the whole output of the BBC, rather than simply seeing it as religious broadcasting in that rather more narrow definition." He reiterated his dismay, stating: "So I note with sadness and some distress the sometimes appalling lack of religious literacy in so much of the BBC." open image in gallery My concern is much more about the place of religion across the whole output of the BBC, says Cottrell ( PA Archive ) He argued for religion's crucial societal role, particularly in combating division. "When you think about, you know, the distressing polarisation of our society at the moment, the echo chambers within which people live and receive news and information," he observed. "I know its a hard thing to fight for religious broadcasting and public service broadcasting but I believe it is a precious bulwark against polarisation, intolerance, prejudice, chaos." The Archbishop emphasised that "religion is a vital part of how millions and millions of people in Britain today get their belonging, their values, their purpose, their identity." He concluded his point by stating: "Religious broadcasting increasingly becomes the poor and underfunded relative in a BBC which I believe needs to be reminded of its core business." However, Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, offered a contrasting view, arguing that the BBC must reflect "the full reality of modern Britain, including the majority who are now non-religious." In response to Mr Cottrells comments, Mr Copson stated: "The BBCs religion output, such as Thought For The Day, remains heavily weighted towards programmes by believers for believers, with no equivalent space for humanists and other non-religious people to speak directly about their ethical outlook and sense of meaning." Mr Copson added: "If the BBC is to strengthen social cohesion, it should be genuinely inclusive. It must treat non-religious worldviews with equal respect and proportionate visibility, rather than sustaining one set of identities while excluding others." The BBC has been contacted for comment. 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 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to billionaire Asif Aziz over allegations that his property firm is carrying out mass evictions of London residents through the use of soon-to-be banned Section 21 notices. The landlord has been accused of unacceptable practices after multiple private tenants across properties owned by his company Criterion Capital were apparently handed the controversial no fault eviction notices. The affected buildings are believed to be Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, Delta Point in Croydon and Emerald House in New Malden. The buildings contain 606 flats combined. Criterion Capital, a real estate company which also owns the Trocadeo building in Leicester Square, said it was inaccurate to state that hundreds of residents had been served eviction notices but declined to share exactly how many eviction notices had been given. It stated these were routine and lawful tenancy matters and denied it was accelerating action ahead of legislative reform. A Mayor of London spokesperson said Mr Khan is appalled at the reports and has written to Criterion Capital asking the company to urgently explain their actions. open image in gallery ( PA ) It is unacceptable to force Londoners out of their homes for no good reason it leaves residents in an awful position, scared about the future for themselves and their family, they added. Through The Aziz Foundation, his familys charity, Mr Aziz has collaborated with the Mayor of London every year since 2023 to sponsor the official Ramadan Lights switch on, taking place as recently as 14 February. In a letter sent directly to Mr Aziz on Friday, the mayor followed up on an earlier request by Londons deputy mayor for housing Tom Copley, asking for urgent clarification. Mr Khan wrote: No such explanation has been forthcoming, and you have failed to provide assurances at all about the security of residents. This has created an increasingly worrying and uncertain situation for tenants, particularly now that further allegations have been put to us about evictions already underway. The right to a good, safe and stable home is fundamental and I am steadfast in my opposition to the use of Section 21 no-fault evictions, let alone their potential use on a mass scale. Section 21 notices grant landlords the power to evict tenants from their properties at two months notice without needing to give any reason. They will be banned from May under Labours flagship Renters Rights Act. Housing campaigners fear the notices could be use more frequently ahead of the clampdown. Housing charity Shelter has called the notices one of the leading causes of homelessness because they give tenants little notice to find a new property to rent and often come without warning. Merton councillor Stuart Neaverson said Criterion Capitals alleged actions would be the largest mass eviction London has seen in recent years, adding: The Colliers Wood community is furious. He said: Over 150 residents packed a community meeting on Saturday, to send a clear message: people will not quietly accept being driven from their homes. They should hang their heads in shame and reconsider their horrific behaviour." Scores of residents are understood to have been issued Section 21 notices over the past few months, beginning as early as January, the London Centric reported on Friday. After an initial report by the local media outlet on 23 February, residents claim they were visited in person at their flats and told by someone claiming to be a representative of Criterion Capital that their notices had been rescinded. This was later overturned again, the publication reports. Clare, a resident at Emerald House in New Malden, told The Independent that she was in shock after receiving the notice. I just stood starring at the letter then I just broke down in tears. Ive spent the last 12 months furnishing the apartment to make it feel like home and now Ive been told I have to leave in a matter of months and theres nothing I can do despite being a good respectful tenant who has always paid rent on time, she said. Im worried that I wont be able to find the right apartment in time so will need to pack up my things into storage and head to my parents who are three hours away. open image in gallery Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, Merton ( Stuart Neaverson ) Obviously this has an impact on work, social life, mental health ... and its hard to focus on much else at the moment. Im just still in disbelief that they can get away with this. A spokesperson for Criterion Capital said stories about the alleged evictions had been materially misrepresented and politicised routine and lawful tenancy matters. They added: These are commercial matters between private contracting parties. A limited number of statutory notices were lawfully served, in full compliance with the Housing Act 2004, in respect of periodic tenancies held by private tenants paying market rents. This formed part of a standard asset management process to regularise occupation terms. There has been no policy to vacate entire buildings, nor any attempt to accelerate action ahead of legislative reform. The spokesperson added that a small proportion equating to fewer than 5 per cent of tenants across Criterions portfolio have been served notice, meaning the overwhelming majority of residents remain unaffected. They also add that claims that hundreds of tenants are being evicted or a mass eviction is taking place are incorrect. The company has not provided detail on how many notices it has served. Housing matters are sensitive and should be discussed on the basis of verified facts rather than amplified misinformation, they write. Criterion also disputes the characterisation that tenants have been made homeless by their actions, claiming this demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of both the law and the complex social issues that give rise to genuine homelessness. Dame Siobhain McDonagh, the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, said last week that she was extremely concerned about the number of residents in Britannia Point who may now face homelessness. open image in gallery A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: The Mayor is appalled at reports Criterion Capital are mass evicting Londoners from their homes. We have written to them and asked them to urgently explain their actions. ( Getty Images ) Criterion said: The routine conclusion of a private-sector periodic tenancy, in accordance with statutory notice provisions, is not synonymous with homelessness. These are market-rent tenancies and residents retain access to alternative accommodation within the private rental sector. Section 21 notices issued to residents at different locations and seen by The Independent identify the same managing officer as the sender, but affiliated to separate companies both based at the same address in the Isle of Man. The Aziz Foundation was founded in 2015 and funds grants and internships to support British Muslims. Mr Aziz was previously appointed on the board for Mosaic, a leadership programme set up by King Charles in 2007. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: The mayor is appalled at reports Criterion Capital are mass evicting Londoners from their homes. We have written to them and asked them to urgently explain their actions. Sadiq has always been clear that every Londoner deserves the security and dignity of a stable home. However, unfortunately, we know that the biggest cause of homelessness is a Section 21 no fault eviction. That is why we welcome the upcoming changes as part of this Government's groundbreaking Renters' Rights Act, which will ban Section 21 evictions in England from 1 May 2026. 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 former showbusiness editor at the Daily Mail used sources close to celebrities or referred to publicly available information when writing articles about Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, the High Court has heard. Nicole Lampert was giving evidence in the trial of claims of unlawful information gathering brought by a group of famous names against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which publishes the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. The publisher strongly denies the claims and is defending the case. The case is also brought by the Duke of Sussex, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, David Furnish, Sadie Frost and Sir Simon Hughes. The court in London heard that Ms Lampert worked at the Daily Mail from 2003 to 2006, and approved invoices for private investigations firm Express Locate International (ELI) as she was in charge of the finances for the department. She is bylined in two articles complained of by Hurley, one titled Now I wish Id stayed with Hugh admits a lonely Liz. open image in gallery Liz Hurley (right) leaving the Royal Courts of Justice in January ( Jordan Pettitt/PA ) In her witness statement, the journalist said she does not recall using ELI for the story. She also said that she worked with a freelance reporter in the United States who would inform her of potential stories of interest from magazines published there. Ms Lampert added: I also had a confidential source, who was not a journalist, who gave me information on Ms Hurley at this time. They were able to provide reliable information on Ms Hurley because they moved in the same socialite circles and went to the same parties as Ms Hurley and her close circle of friends. Sir Elton and his husband Mr Furnish have complained about an article that Ms Lampert wrote in December 2005 about the costs around their wedding. Ms Lampert said: I think the fact that the couple were entering into a civil partnership, that it was taking place in Windsor and that the local council and police were making plans to manage expected crowds would have come from other reporting. She added: It may be that the 10,000 figure was a guesstimate of likely cost given the number of police officers involved. I can also see from the article that I spoke to Sir Elton Johns spokesperson to get his reaction on paying for the police costs. open image in gallery Court artist sketch of Sir Elton John giving evidence for the trial ( Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire ) Ms Lampert also said she would not have used anyone, including the private investigators she is alleged to have paid, to help her with the story, because of what was in the public domain this was a well-known couple with a publicist who could be approached for a comment and it was known where the wedding was taking place. The court heard that Frost has complained about four articles published between 2003 and 2005 on which Ms Lampert is bylined. In her witness statement, Ms Lampert said that the information in one of the articles was either already old news or almost certainly came from a freelance contact called Sharon Feinstein. She added: Sharon had a very strong source in Sadie Frost Laws social circle or family and was able to get excellent information from that source, so I would usually speak to her about Sadie Frost articles. This was always the same source, and I knew who her source was, and knew that they were able to provide reliable information. open image in gallery Sadie Frost complained about four articles published between 2003 and 2005 on which Ms Lampert is bylined ( Yui Mok/PA ) One of the articles in the case relates to Frosts divorce from Jude Law. Ms Lampert also told the court that although she used ELI while working at the Daily Mail, she thought journalists could properly use the service at the time. She continued: I did sometimes ask them to find out information that I suppose, looking back, could have involved them blagging or them not properly identifying themselves when making inquiries such as phoning up hotels in order to find out where someone was if it was a celebrity staying in the UK. However, I never asked them to find out financial or medical information, or hack phones, and wouldnt have imagined that they would have done that, or even been able to do that. In written submissions, David Sherborne, who is representing the group bringing the claim, said the article relating to the Frost Law divorce contains the fruits of unlawful information gathering. He said Ms Lampert was another regular commissioner of ELI and the services of Trace Direct International (TDI) and BDI UK Consultancy. In relation to the articles complained of by Hurley, he added that Ms Lampert was a habitual user of private investigators who engaged in unlawful acts, and had a propensity for using ELI. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is due to conclude in March, with a written judgment expected at a later date. 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 Two pensioners are facing homelessness after a 600,000 family inheritance feud with their sister. Sybil Isaacs died in 2013, years after writing her son David Isaacs out of her will amid fears that he could lose his inheritance in his divorce from his former wife. Before his mothers death, David, now 75, moved into her Croydon home and cared for her, alongside his younger sister Ruth. However, Sybil never changed her will back to include him. That led to a court feud with Davids twin sister, Susan Ellis-Cohn. In 2025, David was awarded approximately 150,000 as reasonable provision from the 600,000 estate, with his sisters splitting the rest. But David and Ruth now face being evicted from their mothers house after losing a separate battle to stay there. open image in gallery David and Ruth Isaacs say they face homelessness and do not even have a car to sleep in ( Champion News Service ) In a hearing at the High Court last week, the pair appealed to Judge David Rees KC to step in and allow them to stay in the house for life. The siblings told the court that they do not even have a car to sleep in and will be unable to find suitable rented accommodation due to being old people without enough income. But Judge Rees dismissed the siblings' case, telling them that they have no right to indefinitely stay in the four-bed property, as it would deprive Susan of her inheritance. open image in gallery The Isaacs family home in Croydon ( Champion News ) During the trial of David's inheritance claim in 2025, the court heard that the siblings' parents, Sybil and Lawrence Isaacs, bought their detached home, now valued at about 600,000, in 1956. Susan moved out of the family home around 1975, married and moved to the United States. David, a former salesman and keen stamp and commemorative coin collector, moved out in 1990 and married in 2001. The couple had one child before they divorced in 2008. Ruth, meanwhile, spent much of her life living in her parents home, the court heard. Sybil and Lawrence had made mirror wills in 2002, leaving their estates to each other, or to their three children equally if the other was already dead. However, in 2008, they changed them to exclude David, with all of the money ultimately to be split between their two daughters. The siblings' father died in 2010, with David moving back into the family home the following year, where along with Ruth, he cared for their ailing mother. He accepted that the decision that he should move back into the property was taken primarily by Ruth and, that although the deceased knew that he was there, she did not have capacity to make decisions in this regard, the judge said. By this stage, the deceased was unwell and both David and Ruth provided her with care. Sybil died, aged 89, in April 2013, having never rewritten her will to restore David's inheritance. However, the transatlantic inheritance dispute didnt begin until 2020, when Susan, who hadnt received anything since her mums death, began proceedings to have an independent professional administer the estate. Facing the prospect of getting nothing, David began his own claim for reasonable provision from his mum's estate under the 1975 Inheritance Act, which Susan fought, claiming he should get nothing. open image in gallery David Isaacs had a friendly relationship with his late mother, a judge has said ( Champion News Service ) Giving evidence from the nursing home where she currently lives in California, Susan told the judge the real reason her mum had cut David out was because she disliked him. Susan said that her mother had always had a bad relationship with her son and that he should get nothing because she needed all her inheritance because she has serious medical conditions, which have left her effectively bed-ridden. But ruling that David should get a quarter of the estate, the judge said he too has health problems, including osteoporosis, arthritis, a thyroid condition and a deformity of both ankles which affects his mobility. Judge Rees said there was significant tension and ill-feeling between the siblings and added: I do not accept Susans evidence that the deceased had always disliked David. Their relationship was sufficiently strong in 2002 for David to be included in her will. [She] appears to have been grateful for the assistance that he and Ruth provided to her in her final years. David told of his mother describing him as a 'good boy' during this period and I felt this gave a genuine insight into their relationship during this period. On the balance of probabilities, I consider that the deceaseds decision to exclude David from her will was driven by her concerns about the state of his marriage. I am satisfied that certainly by 2011 the relationship between David and the deceased was a friendly one. Awarding David a quarter share of his mum's estate, he continued: David is in genuine financial need and requires provision for his maintenance. Since 2011, he has been dependent upon the deceased, and subsequently her estate, for his accommodation. As part of his ruling last July, Judge Rees made a six-month order preventing the independent professional in charge of administering Sybils estate from booting David and Ruth out of their home in order for it to be sold and Susan to get her share. The six-month break before possession could be enforced was to allow the siblings to investigate whether they could find a way to buy the house from the estate themselves, in order to remain there. But representing themselves last week, the siblings told the judge they had been unable to secure finance to buy the house, or even been able to find a place to rent, and asked the judge to vary the order to let them stay. They insisted that a refusal would make them homeless, with Ruth having told the judge she had given up their car, so they don't even have a vehicle to sleep in. The judge said the situation was far from ideal and could result in David needed emergency accommodation from the local council. Giving judgment on last week's application, Judge Rees said their hope was essentially for the court to permit them to continue living in the property indefinitely, which he could not do. I didn't make any finding that Mr Isaacs should have the right to occupy the property for life, the judge said, adding: Their interest in the estate is their interest in a percentage of residue. It is no more than that. Susan has been kept out of any interest in the estate for a period of years and she has a legitimate interest in receiving her share of the estate, he concluded, refusing to delay the estate administrator's bid to take possession of the house. In fiery scenes in court, Ruth and David insisted that they would be left homeless, with Ruth telling the judge renting as pensioners is unrealistic as they could not even be considered by landlords without proving a sizeable income. David reacted with fury, telling the judge: You are making us homeless. Do you want us to be homeless two old people? You are doing wrong, his sister told the judge, adding: When you go home, you will reconsider the wrong you have done. The pair are set to return to court in April to appeal the possession order. 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 British people are facing chaos as they try to travel back from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid widespread disruption to air travel in the Middle East. Iran has hit the UAE and several of its neighbours with strikes in recent days, in response to attacks by US and Israeli forces. The conflict has led to the grounding of flights and airspace above the Emirates was closed until some flights resumed on Monday. The disruption has left thousands of British people stranded. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that 102,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region. She said a total of about 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries being targeted by Iran. Britons are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Offices travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly. Nick Westwood, 62, a retired train driver from Barnham, West Sussex, and his wife Joanne, 61, a retired credit analyst, have been sleeping in the lobby of their high-rise rental while they wait to get home. The couple, who are in Dubai for a bucket-list holiday, had planned to leave on Sunday, but have had to extend their seven-day stay, paying an extra 400 AED (81.00) per night. open image in gallery Nick Westwood and his wife Joanne are stuck in Dubai ( Nick Westwood/PA Wire ) Mr Westwood, whose 25th-floor accommodation is only available until Thursday, said: It is very, very scary, very stressful and its just like being trapped in limbo. We have been sleeping down in the reception room of this building. We came back up to the room at 4am this morning and we got another four hours sleep. And as soon as we got up, there were more drone attacks straight over the building. The couple have been told that rebooking their flights back to the UK will cost them 6,000. It is just a waiting game really. It is getting dark here again now and this is when the [missiles] usually start. Emirates announced on Monday that some flights were set to resume, with priority given to customers with prior bookings, while Etihad Airways said its scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until 2pm UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. However, plenty of confusion remains for those trying to get home. open image in gallery Passengers stranded by the closure of Dubai International Airport await assistance (Altaf Qadri/AP) ( AP ) Adam had been in Dubai for a week-long holiday with his wife, since 25 February, and was due to fly home on 1 March. It was a perfect holiday. We loved everything about this city. And now its completely chaotic, Adam, who asked to be identified by his first name only, told The Independent. He said their biggest concern right now is not the missiles or drones, but their pet dog back home. We have a Terrier who gets a bit anxious when were not around. Were honestly more worried about him than about whats happening here. Emirates has provided them with accommodation at a Holiday Inn near the airport, but uncertainty over when they can fly home is adding to their stress. Theres no clear information about when flights will restart or when they can rebook us, he said. Every time we call the helpline, no one picks up. Thats frustrating. We dont want to stay here indefinitely, especially if it looks like the situation might get worse. Ian, a company director from Doncaster, said he was travelling through Dubai on his way back from Sydney when his onward flight was cancelled on Sunday. It was sheer bad luck. I had originally been due to land in Dubai much earlier and catch my onward flight to Sydney before the crisis began, he told The Independent. But a delay in my domestic connection in Mumbai pushed everything back. From Dubai, he had made a quick business trip to India and was scheduled to return to Dubai to catch his flight to Manchester. Ian said he is now waiting to find a route home. Had that flight not been delayed, I would have already left Dubai before all of this started, he said. The airport is getting hit. A five-star hotel in Palm Jumeirah got hit. I will be more comfortable if I reach home at the earliest. My wife is worried. She is watching all this unfold in real time on TV. All she wants me is to be back home. Matthew McGinn and Layla Hamood, from Liverpool, travelled to the UAE for their honeymoon, but told the BBC on Monday morning they have been confined to their hotel and its grounds. open image in gallery The closure of Dubai Airport, the world's busiest international hub, has had a huge knock-on effect to air travel in the Middle East ( zhu difeng - stock.adobe.com ) Ms Hamood said: Its been terrifying to be honest. The bombing hasnt stopped, we can hear the missiles and fighter jets. Its been scary. Weve literally been in our room all of yesterday. About what to do next, she added: Theres not much information thats been given. The staff have been told to carry on as normal, so as not to cause chaos and scare people. I dont think theres much information because nobody knows what to do. Were just in limbo. We dont know whats happening, how we can get home, what we need to do. We tried to register, like everyone else, on the government website. We just want to get home. Her husband said: As soon as the airspace is open, were on the next flight home. Its took [sic] the edge off it for us. We just want to get back to the UK as soon as we can, he added. The disruption is not limited to those in Gulf states, however, as Dubai is an interchange for many airline routes. Grounding of flights in Dubai meant that a number of routes that require a layover in the UAE were cancelled, British national Margaret Khumalo, 54, has been visiting family in Zimbabwe, but her return flight from Harare to London via Dubai on Saturday was cancelled. open image in gallery Margaret Khumalo who is stuck in Zimbabwe due to flights at Dubai being grounded ( Margaret Khumalo ) She remained stuck in Africa on Monday, with no Emirates flights operating on her route, she said. Ms Khumalo, who is a nurse, said she is in limbo and is losing contracted work she was set to begin today. She told The Independent: Dubai is a big hub for all these flights from Africa to Europe. It's a big gateway for literally everyone and there's a lot of us that are stuck here. The British government is trying to see how they can get people back home, and I'm thinking no one's mentioned us [in Africa]. Ms Khumalo said she feels lucky as she is able to stay with her family for the time being, but currently has no idea when she will be able to return to her home in Bexley, south London. I don't know who to contact for anything in terms of if there's going to be any repatriation, how far is it just from Dubai, Ms Khumalo added. Because there are other people that were meant to go to Dubai that are still stuck in a lot of places. The Independent has contacted Emirates airline for comment. 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 grandmother was only diagnosed with rabies after she developed hallucinations and a psychiatrist intervened, an inquest has heard. Yvonne Ford was scratched by a stray dog on a Morocco beach during a family holiday in February 2025. The 59-year-old did not seek medical treatment for the minor injury and instead cleaned the scratch with a wet wipe, the inquest in Sheffield heard on Tuesday. She developed symptoms four months later, when back home in Yorkshire, and was admitted to Barnsley Hospital. A psychiatrist, Dr Alexander Burns, was called to assess Ms Ford after staff on the short stay ward struggled to diagnose her symptoms, which included hallucinations, disorientation, and high levels of anxiety. Dr Burns told the jury on Tuesday that he suspected Lyme disease and learned that Ms Ford had recently visited Florida, but had not been bitten there. open image in gallery Yvonne Ford, right, died after being scratched by a dog on holiday ( Facebook ) However, her husband then disclosed a crucial detail. "I was informed by her husband that, on February 10 2025, Yvonne was bitten by a stray dog on a beach in Morocco whilst on holiday," Dr Burns said. "The bite had pierced her skin. The short stay unit medical team were not previously aware of that information." He became "concerned that the diagnosis may be rabies, in the context of the stray dog bite in Morocco and the various neurological symptoms". Having never encountered a rabies case, Dr Burns researched the disease. "It became clear that all of Yvonnes symptoms could be explained by that diagnosis," he said. open image in gallery Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where Ms Ford died ( Getty Images ) Mrs Ford was subsequently transferred to an infectious disease unit at Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where she died on 11 June 2025. Infectious diseases expert Dr Katharine Cartwright, from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, informed the jury that rabies is 100 per cent fatal once symptoms manifest. She said that the vaccine is highly effective and has eliminated the virus from the UK, and there have only been 26 cases in the country since 1946. Dr Cartwright added that post-exposure administration of the vaccine can be effective in some circumstances before symptoms appear. 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 UK will take decisions based on legality and British interests, a minister has insisted after Donald Trump launched another broadside against Sir Keir Starmer over the Middle East war. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones said the US and Israels initial strikes in Iran did not meet the test the Prime Minister has set out, as he faced questions about the extent of British support for Americas course of action. Mr Trump had claimed Sir Keir had not been helpful and branded the transatlantic rift very sad in an interview with the Sun on Monday evening. This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe, he said. Its not going to matter, but (Sir Keir) should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. Asked during the interview about accusations that Sir Keir was pandering to Muslim voters for political reasons, the president said that it could be. It is the second rebuke issued by the president to a British newspaper over the conflict, after he told the Telegraph he was very disappointed in the Prime Minister following the UK decision not to allow US jets to deploy from British bases to undertake initial strikes over the weekend. Sir Keir on Monday said his Government does not believe in regime change from the skies, in an apparent criticism of the US Presidents bombing campaign. Speaking to broadcasters on Tuesday morning, Mr Jones rejected suggestions that the UKs limited involvement in the Middle East was to please a particular demographic of voters. Asked about the accusations, the minister, who is also Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Thats just, thats not right. The UK will act in the interests of British citizens, regardless of their faith or where they are in the United Kingdom. Asked whether the so-called special relationship had changed in the way Mr Trump suggested, Mr Jones replied: The UK-American relationship is important. It has been for a long time and will continue to be, and were working in collaboration right now in the Middle East on defensive action to protect British citizens. I think the presidents frustration, from the way hes articulated it, has been that we were not involved in the initial American and Israeli strikes in Iran, but as the Prime Minister said to the House of Commons yesterday, we will only engage British armed forces when its in British interests, with a clear plan and on a legal basis. He told Sky News the presidents words but that doesnt really negate the fact that we make decisions, as I say, on the basis of legality and British interest. In the Commons on Tuesday, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs the UKs relationship with the US is strong and will endure into the future on both the economic and the security fronts. Chris Philp, speaking for the Conservative Party, said the US action against Iran was completely justified and that Sir Keir had seriously undermined the special relationship by failing to back it right away. Through his actions, Keir Starmer has very seriously undermined our special relationship with the US, which has been the bedrock of our security for decades now, the shadow home secretary told the Press Association. Asked whether the UKs assessment was that there was not a legal basis for the initial military action over the weekend, Mr Jones said: We were not involved in the first wave because it didnt meet the test the Prime Ministers set out, whereas what we have agreed to this week is legal, because what were doing is defensive action to protect British citizens in the region, of whom there are over 300,000 across the area. UK bases including the joint UK-US Diego Garcia site in the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. America and Israel have continuing to pound Iran since killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, while Tehran and its allies have retaliated against Israel, neighbouring Gulf states and oil and gas production facilities. In Lebanon, Israel launched more strikes on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group, while the US embassy in Riyadh came under attack. Mr Trump also suggested the war could escalate further, telling CNN that a big wave of airstrikes on Iran is yet to come. He said that America planned for the conflict to last for some four or five weeks, and has signalled that the US wants to destroy Irans missile capabilities, its navy and any hope of it obtaining nuclear weapons. However, Mr Trump has provided scant detail about what the USs exit plan from the war might be. In a post on Truth Social early on Tuesday, the president suggested the US had a virtually unlimited supply of medium and upper medium -grade munitions which could support the conflict forever. He wrote: The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better as was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!) Britons continue to remain stranded throughout the Middle East, with more than 100,000 having registered their presence with the Foreign Office amid evacuation planning. Large areas of airspace over the region remain closed because of the fighting, and tourism safe spots such as Dubai have come under fire in missile attacks. However, some flights have begun to bring people back to the UK. On Monday afternoon, an Etihad Airways flight carrying stranded British nationals arrived at Heathrow airport, according to flight tracking company Flightradar24. 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 Families whose children attended a nursery where a convicted paedophile worked will meet with the Education Secretary to push for safeguarding reforms. On Tuesday, Bridget Phillipson will meet with families of children who attended Bright Horizons nursery on Finchley Road, West Hampstead. It comes after Vincent Chan, a former employer at the nursery, was jailed for 18 years in February. He was sentenced last month for molesting young children in a campaign of sexual abuse dubbed every parents worst nightmare. Parents of some of Chans victims are taking action against Bright Horizons and have called for the nursery itself to be prosecuted. Families of children who attended the nursery are calling on the Government to make sure nurseries are closed to predators and parents can raise concerns safely. In a statement, the families said: Chan was able to commit his crimes because safeguarding failed. We believe these failures created the perfect hunting ground for a predator. We want accountability for all failures, and we are determined to make sure other children are protected from similar harm. The families will call for an early warning system that would allow parents and whistleblowers to report concerns in early years settings to an independent external body. They are also advocating for CCTV or body-worn video in early years settings, a mandatory two-adult supervision rule for larger settings, and stronger safeguards for the use of nursery-owned devices. open image in gallery Bridget Phillipson will meet with families of children who attended Bright Horizons nursery on Tuesday ( PA ) Law firm Leigh Day, which represents 52 affected families, sent an initial legal letter to Bright Horizons in December. Alison Millar, head of the abuse team at Leigh Day, said: We have only recently begun investigating what happened at Bright Horizons Finchley Road Nursery but already we are hearing from parents that they raised concerns about staffing and supervision and the concerning way that the individual perpetrator was interacting with children; however, these concerns were not addressed. We wholly support the families in their calls for early warning escalation and stronger safeguarding standards. Ms Phillipson announced a local child safeguarding practice review in December to learn every lesson we can to make sure that crimes like this are guarded against at every step and every stage. Pressed at the time to mandate CCTV in nurseries, Ms Phillipson said this could lead to other forms of child abuse if footage was misused. She appointed an expert advisory group to develop guidance for the sector on the safe and effective use of CCTV. Education minister Olivia Bailey told MPs in January the Government is considering the mandatory use of CCTV in early years settings as part of the review. Ms Phillipson said: Chans crimes are absolutely sickening, and I want to thank the families involved for meeting with me during an incredibly distressing time. I will of course consider all of the concerns and recommendations put forward to stop vile acts like these from happening again, which would build on the work we have already begun. open image in gallery Chan admitted 56 offences in total ( Metropolitan Police ) Our new requirements mean every employee must come with references and every setting must support whistleblowing staff who raise concerns, and our new expert panel will begin work to develop new guidance on digital devices and CCTV this month. Chan worked at the Bright Horizons nursery for seven years until he was suspended in 2024, after a colleague raised concerns about his activities with the children. The whistleblower complained that Chan had filmed a child falling asleep and set the footage to music, in a bid to entertain his colleagues. The Metropolitan Police investigation that followed unearthed Chans collection of more than 25,000 indecent images of children. Among them were videos taken by Chan himself as he sexually assaulted some of the children at the nursery while they were sleeping at naptime. He admitted 56 offences in total. In a statement after Chans sentencing, Bright Horizons said: Keeping children safe is our most important responsibility. Vincent Chan broke that trust. His actions were depraved and devious and go against the kindness and care our dedicated professionals provide to children each day. The company, which has nurseries across the country, said it is increasing awareness of ways staff can escalate concerns so that they do so quickly and confidentially. It added it has extensive safeguarding practices and training requirements in place, and it has brought forward several internal safeguarding audits and refresher trainings to ensure staff are fully aware of their obligations. 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 Donald Trump has said he is not happy with the UK over its approach to the Iran conflict, declaring that Keir Starmer is not Winston Churchill. Speaking at the White House, the US president unleashed another rant about the UK, claiming Sir Keir had been very uncooperative and had ruined relationships over Iran and the Chagos Islands. Mr Trump has hit out at Britain several times since the US launched strikes on Tehran, criticising Sir Keir for not immediately allowing the US to use British bases to attack Iran. Speaking about support from European nations for US action in Iran, Mr Trump added: Im not happy with the UK either. Appearing to refer to the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands, Mr Trump added: That island Its taken three, four days, for us to work out where we can land there; it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised. open image in gallery Donald Trump has said he is not happy with the UK over its approach to the war in Iran, declaring that Sir Keir Starmer is not Winston Churchill ( AP ) This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, he added. Mr Trump went on to express his disapproval at Britains deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, saying the UK has ruined relationships over the stupid island. Spain has been very uncooperative, and so has UK. Now the second one is shocking, but this is not the age of Churchill, he said. I will say the UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease; having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. Whats that all about? Last week, the deal was plunged into fresh chaos after a minister suggested his plan to cede sovereignty of the British territory had been paused after Mr Trump urged him to scrap it. The Foreign Office later claimed that the minister misspoke and rapidly issued a clarification saying that there is no pause. Mr Trump added that he loves the UK, but criticised the governments approach to energy and immigration as horrible. open image in gallery Mr Trump has criticised the Chagos Islands deal, branding it a stupid island ( CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA ) The president repeated his calls for Sir Keir to open up the North Sea to drilling, telling reporters: Theyve got windmills all over the place that are ruining the country, ruining the landscapes, ruining the beautiful fields. Open up the North Sea. Turning to speak about the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Mr Trump called him an incompetent guy, and also claimed the UK has Sharia courts adjudicating law. The US president has criticised Mr Khan a number of times previously, with the London mayor saying he was living rent free in Donald Trumps head. Earlier, Downing Street insisted the US is still a staunch ally after Mr Trump launched another broadside against Sir Keir over the Middle East war. Mr Trump had claimed Sir Keir had not been helpful and called the transatlantic rift very sad in an interview with The Sun on Monday. open image in gallery Mr Trump added that he loves the UK but criticised the governments approach to energy and immigration as horrible ( Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street ) This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe, he said. Its not going to matter, but (Sir Keir) should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. He had also told The Telegraph he was very disappointed in the prime minister, after the UKs initial decision over the weekend. In a statement addressing MPs on Monday, Sir Keir defiantly hit back at Mr Trump and defended his decision not to allow British military bases to be used by the US for the first wave of strikes against Iran, telling the Commons: I stand by my decision. He said his government does not believe in regime change from the skies, in an apparent criticism of the US presidents bombing campaign. Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. 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 Green Party has overtaken Labour to become the second most popular party after their sensational victory at last weeks Gorton and Denton by-election, a new poll shows. Zack Polanskis party has seen its support jump by four points to 21 per cent, while Labour and the Tories were tied on 16 per cent both down two points, with Labour seeing its lowest score on record. Out in front was Reform UK, on 23 per cent down one point. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats remained unchanged on 14 per cent. The polling, conducted by YouGov for Sky News on Sunday and Monday, showed that the Greens are now the most popular party in all age categories under 50, with some 49 per cent of 18-24 year olds backing the party, as well as 27 per cent of 25 to 49-year-olds. Newly elected Green MP for Gorton and Denton, Hannah Spencer, poses for photos with party leader Zack Polanski, ahead of entering Parliament for the first time ( PA ) Anthony Wells, head of global polling at YouGov, said their leap in popularity comes as a result of the Gorton and Denton by-election, a victory which saw the Greens appear a more viable option and less of a wasted vote. The result, which saw Labours Angeliki Stogia come third in a seat which the party previously won with more than 50 per cent of the vote, was a major blow to the prime ministers struggling authority, amid devastating approval ratings and mounting concern over the direction of government. The polling will undermine claims made by Sir Keir Starmer that a mainstream majority of voters do not want Nigel Farage or Mr Polanski to be prime minister. Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday, in the wake of the bruising Gorton and Denton result, Sir Keir warned: Politics is changing, and its changing decisively, in an acknowledgement that voters now appear more willing to lend their support to political parties beyond the Conservatives and Labour. But he added: I believe, and continue to believe, that there is a mainstream majority in this country who neither want Nigel Farage or Zack Polanski as their prime minister. Labour is delivering progressive change with moral purpose under his leadership, the prime minister insisted, adding that generational change is already happening as a result of his government, pointing to the Employment Rights Act and Renters Rights Act as examples of laws aimed at helping Labours traditional voters. His remarks came just hours after the Green Partys newest MP Hannah Spencer was sworn in to Parliament on Monday after winning last weeks poll, becoming the partys fifth MP in the House of Commons. The Green Party now has the highest number of seats it has ever had in the Commons. Hannah Spencer a councillor and plumber received 14,980 votes, while Reform UKs Matt Goodwin came second with 10,578. Meanwhile, Labour slumped to third place with 9,364 votes, down from 18,555 in the 2024 general election, when the turnout was similarly high in the formerly safe seat. Top pollster Professor Sir John Curtice described the result as seismic, saying it means the future of British politics is now even more uncertain than it was already. The YouGov polling spoke to 2,073 people on Sunday and Monday. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice It wasnt long ago that Sir Keir Starmer was being hailed on the international stage for his skill as a Trump whisperer. The prime minister was the envy of his international allies for his ability to, against the odds, develop a strong relationship with the famously volatile US president. But the interviews that the US president has given in the last 48 hours to the Daily Telegraph and The Sun, in which he criticised Sir Keirs refusal to allow attacks on Iran to be launched from RAF bases, and the UKs decision not to join the raids, surely mark the end of the relationship. The killer line was the presidents almost wistful reflection that the relationship was not what it was with more than a hint that any damage may be irreparable. Words like disappointing and far too late (in regards to allowing the US to use RAF bases) suggest a certain regret in Trumps tone rather than his usual bombastic attack style. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trumps relationship has broken down, with the prime minister no longer considered the Trump whisperer ( PA ) Nevertheless it appears to be over. Sir Keir is no longer the Trump whisperer, he is consigned to a list of world leaders who regularly receive the ire of the current occupant of the Oval Office. And the biggest loser in all this is the UK in terms of trade and influence. President Trump had been willing to put aside ideological differences with Starmer, partly because he respected him as a politician, but largely because of his love for the country of his Scottish mothers birth and its royal family. Much was achieved diplomatically early on because of Trumps desire to ensure his state visit was a huge success and part of his legacy. The strategy had been that King Charles planned visit to the US for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence would help Starmer persuade the president to be more amenable on issues like handing over Chagos to the Mauritians, being reasonable in respects to Ukraine and the Middle East, and not imposing trade tariffs on Britain along with the rest of the world. But already issues like handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Starmers refusal to support Trumps claims on Greenland and the US trade tariffs had poisoned what had been a very positive relationship. In fact, Trump has told allies that he was lied to about the Chagos deal and now sees it as a threat to US security. It seems that the UK is not going to escape the reworked tariffs and that carefully negotiated first trade deal is looking more like it is not worth the paper it is written on with each passing day. open image in gallery Happier times with Trump holding a UK-US trade deal with Sir Keir while speaking to the media at the G7 summit in Canada in June 2025 ( PA Archive ) The decision to ignore, and then deplore Starmer, over attacking Iran is perhaps most symbolic of the way the prime ministers restraining influence has now evaporated. The reason for the collapse in the relationship is complex though. It partly relates to the ongoing anger over the mistake made by the PM of appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US against the wishes of the Trump White House. Having a man who was seen as a friend of both Jeffrey Epstein and China in Washington has not gone down well. It also relates to the collapse in Sir Keirs own popularity and authority domestically. The Trump administration had put aside its support for Nigel Farage to a certain extent in the early days, but they are as aware as anyone that Starmers days as PM appear to be numbered. The issues about free speech have become incredibly corrosive too. Just last month, the far right activist Tommy Robinson was welcomed to the State Department as a freedom fighter in what illustrates a growing trend. This followed Trump allies in the UK feeding his administration names of people to deny visas to and sanction in regards to being alleged enemies of free speech. It is now clear that massaging the ego of the quixotic Trump only goes so far. So while Sir Keir has acted reasonably throughout, that has gone down badly in the White House. The disagreement over Trumps claim to Greenland may have been seen as the beginning of the end but the truth is that the relationship had already hit the rocks. The problem for the prime minister though is that without his ability to deal with this president he loses the one thing that had made his premiership a success. He is no longer the bridge between Trump and other western allies, just another floundering international leader on the White Houses naughty list. But unless he wants to become the puppet to the whims of Trump, like Farage is, then there seems to be no way back for Sir Keir. The one hope is that the visit by the King on 4 July can still provide a healing moment. By then though it may be that a different prime minister is looking to build a relationship with the president. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A proposed blanket ban on social media use for under-16s faces potential reversal next week despite being previously backed by the House of Lords. The government is instead pushing for a more adaptable power, allowing for the blocking of children from specified internet services rather than a strict age limit for under-16s. Should MPs approve this amendment within the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill, ministers would acquire new authority to impose social media curfews or restrict screen time for young people. Crucially, while Lords sought a direct ban on user-to-user platforms, the revised proposal grants ministers discretion over the specific measures to be implemented. John Nash, who steered the ban in law through the Upper House, described this as a blank cheque. The government launched an online safety consultation on Monday, which explores several themes including whether social media platforms should come with a minimum age requirement, and whether platforms should switch off addictive features such as autoplay. Lord Nash told the Press Association: The governments amendment confirms that they remain firmly on the fence on how best to protect children. While Lords sought a direct ban on social media platforms, the revised proposal grants ministers discretion over the specific measures to be implemented ( AFP via Getty ) In fact, it is patently clear that raising the age limit to 16 for harmful social media platforms is far from their preferred option. MPs must choose on Monday whether to act now and raise the age limit for harmful social media to 16, or vote for the governments amendment, which is in effect a blank cheque, committing only to further delay while their consultation runs its course. That consultation is simply yet another opportunity for Big Tech to mobilise their lobbyists and water down any prospective measures before they reach the statute book. Lord Nash, a Conservative former minister, added that he has backed a letter-writing campaign by raisetheage.org.uk ahead of Mondays Commons debate on the Bill. He said his proposal, which peers backed in January by 261 votes to 150 majority 111, was the only legislative vehicle on the table that will force the government to raise the age limit for harmful social media platforms. He said MPs should back his proposal instead of the governments without hesitating. Launching the consultation earlier this week, technology secretary Liz Kendall said: We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having. She urged children and parents to take part in the governments consultation. Together, we will create a digital world that gives young people the childhood they deserve and prepares them for the future, she said. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer urged Labour MPs to get behind his leadership with an appeal for them to embrace the mainstream majority as he tried to bounce back from last weeks humiliating by-election defeat. On the day that the Green Partys new MP Hannah Spencer was introduced into parliament after her historic victory in what had been Labours seventh safest seat of Gorton and Denton, Sir Keir addressed a meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) in a bid to rally support. Labour MPs had been plotting his replacement after the party came third in last weeks by-election with many giving him only until the local and devolved elections on 7 May. But the prime minister entered the meeting with his reputation boosted over his handling of Donald Trumps war on Iran. Labour MPs had just previously been lining up in the Commons chamber to praise his refusal to enter the conflict with the US and Israel and for sticking by international law under incredible pressure. Sir Keir Starmer addressed the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday (James Manning/PA) ( PA Wire ) Sir Keir used the moment to urge his party not to be fool by the extremism of Zack Polanskis Greens or Nigel Farages Reform UK after they took first and second place respectively in the by-election. Speaking at the Parliamentary Labour Party, Sir Keir said: Politics is changing, and it's changing decisively. But I believe, and continue to believe, that there is a mainstream majority in this country who neither want Nigel Farage or Zack Polanski as their prime minister. The prime minister said that under his leadership Labour is delivering progressive change with moral purpose. Our task is to ensure Labour is the vehicle for the modern progressive Britain that we all believe in, he continued. Theres no doubt about the generational change that is already happening. The employment rights act is the biggest uplift in workers rights in a generation. The Renters Rights Act, which protects the 11 million people in rental accommodation - the biggest change again for a generation. What we are doing on child poverty, the NHS investment and, of course, the vision on clean power. Sir Keir was helped by the absence of some of his most strident critics among Labour MPs and still faced criticism in the room. One Labour MP told The Independent: The PM was applauded. There was some constructive criticism from quite a few including me but it wasn't a bad reception. However, it came after Ms Spencer was sworn in to Parliament on Monday after winning last week's poll as the first Green MP to win a by-election and a seat in the north of England becoming the partys fifth MP. The plumber and plasterer beat Reform UK into second place, with a majority of 4,402. The Labour Party, which had previously held the seat at the last general election, came third with 9,364 votes. She arrived in Westminster with her four pet greyhounds to mark the historic occasion. Mr Polanski has set a target for the Greens to replace Labour as the party of the left in British politics with an overtly populist approach. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer has defiantly hit back at Donald Trump and defended his decision not to allow British military bases to be used by the US for the first wave of strikes against Iran, telling the Commons: I stand by my decision. The prime minister granted permission on Sunday for the US to use UK bases to target Irans missile launchers and stores to help protect countries targeted by Tehran, but the US president said he was very disappointed with Sir Keir over his initial refusal to allow the US to use the UK-US Diego Garcia base on the Chagos Islands as part of the operation. He added that it took far too long for the prime minister to change his mind. In a statement to the Commons, Sir Keir said he stood by his decision and warned that his party had learnt the lessons of Iraq, remembering Tony Blairs decision in 2003 to support another US president in invading a Middle East state. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons that I stand by my decision not to allow British military bases to be used by the US ( PA Wire ) Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. Later he added: How we operate on the world stage matters so much. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned those lessons. Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis. The statement came as President Trump warned that the biggest wave of attacks on Iran was yet to come as the war in the Middle East rapidly escalated. An Iranian drone attack on the Akrotiri RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday night came after the prime minister had given the US permission to use UK bases for defensive operations. But it was held up as an example of the indiscriminate way Iran was retaliating. Sir Keir said the attack on Akrotiri had been initiated before he gave the US permission to use RAF bases for defensive actions, and pointed out that the bases in Cyprus would not be used by the Americans because they were not suitable. He went on: It is clear that Irans outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests and our allies, and it cannot be ignored. But he insisted: We are not at war and we are not getting involved in the offensive action the US and others are taking. open image in gallery Trump said it took Starmer far too long to change his mind ( Getty ) Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registering their presence with the Foreign Office, whose staff are working on contingency plans, including a possible mass evacuation. The prime ministers statement was welcomed by Labour MPs who insisted that he must respect international law, but the Tories joined Reform UK in warning that the prime minister needed to say whose side he is on. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: Unbelievably in his statement today, the prime minister still cannot say whether he backs the strikes or not. Today, the president of the United States has taken the extraordinary step of rebuking the prime minister publicly, saying he took far too long to grant access. On the issue of international law, she said: International law didnt prevent our allies from clearly and unequivocally stating whose side they were on. You don't need international law to say whose side you're on. It has not prevented British governments in the past from supporting strikes which we knew to be right. Why is it that, under this prime minister, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest? But Labour foreign affairs committee chair Emily Thornberry said: Although the attack on Iran by the US and Israel was ill-advised, ill-judged and illegal, it is absolutely no excuse for the Iranians to recklessly bombard its Gulf neighbours. Id like to ask the prime minister, is he in a position to give us more details on what we're doing with our Ukrainian friends to support the collective self-defence of Arab nations against the Iranian Shahed drones that are causing so much damage in Ukraine and now in the Gulf. Sir Keir replied: Ukraine, sadly, has more expertise than anyone in dealing with drones, and that's why were putting their expertise and our expertise together and using it to help our allies in the region. Mother of the House, the veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott, warned that the shadow of Iraq hung over the decision. A number of MPs also pressed Sir Keir to ensure that the UK would not enter the war without a vote in the House. 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 Donald Trump has lambasted his relationship with Britain under Sir Keir Starmer, saying he is very sad to see it is obviously not what it was. The prime minister granted permission on Sunday for the US to use UK bases to target Irans missile launchers and stores to help protect countries targeted by Tehran. But the US president said he was very disappointed with Sir Keir over his initial refusal to allow the US to use the UK-US Diego Garcia base on the Chagos Islands as part of the operation. He added that it took far too long for the prime minister to change his mind. Hitting out at Sir Keir directly, the US president said: He has not been helpful. I never thought Id see that. I never thought Id see that from the UK. We love the UK. Mr Trumps latest intervention is the most significant disagreement to date in what has been a rapidly deteriorating relationship between the two leaders, following the US presidents criticism of the UKs Chagos deal, his threats to annex Greenland and ongoing global tariffs. It came after the prime minister told the Commons on Monday that he stood by his decision and warned that his party had learnt the lessons of Iraq, remembering Tony Blairs decision in 2003 to support another US president in invading a Middle East state. But speaking to The Sun about the special relationship, Mr Trump said: Its a different world, actually. Its just a much different kind of relationship that weve had with your country before. open image in gallery Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honour Ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Monday ( Getty ) He added: Its very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. Asked whether the UK is needed as an ally for its action in the Middle East, he said: Its not going to matter, but [Sir Keir Starmer] should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. But chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said the remarks do not negate the fact that we make decisions on the basis of legality and British interest. Asked whether he accepted the US was frustrated, the cabinet minister told Sky News: Well, Ive seen the presidents words, but that doesnt really negate the fact that we make decisions, as I say, on the basis of legality and British interest. We were content to offer bases at Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, because evidently, the operations the Americans will run from those airfields will reduce the risk to British citizens and British assets in the region and thats why we agreed to the request to use those bases on that basis alone. open image in gallery Trump says the so-called special relationship is obviously not what it was ( Getty ) But the prime minister is very clear that we were not involved in that first strike and were not kind of going to war with Iran or getting involved in a wider set of activities. Asked whether the UKs assessment was that there was not a legal basis for the initial military action over the weekend, Mr Jones said: We were not involved in the first wave because it didnt meet the test the prime minister set out. Giving a statement to MPs in the Commons on Monday, Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. Later he added: How we operate on the world stage matters so much. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned those lessons. Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis. The statement came as President Trump warned that the biggest wave of attacks on Iran was yet to come as the war in the Middle East rapidly escalated. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons he stood by his decision and warned that his party had learnt the lessons of Iraq ( House of Commons ) An Iranian drone attack on the Akrotiri RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday night came after Sir Keirs announcement about allowing the US use of bases for defensive strikes. But it was held up as an example of the indiscriminate way Iran was retaliating. Sir Keir said the drone was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation to it, and pointed out that the bases in Cyprus would not be used by the Americans because they were not suitable. He went on: It is clear that Irans outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests and our allies, and it cannot be ignored. But he insisted: We are not at war and we are not getting involved in the offensive action the US and others are taking. Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registering their presence with the Foreign Office, whose staff are working on contingency plans, including a possible mass evacuation. The prime ministers statement was welcomed by Labour MPs who insisted that he must respect international law, but the Tories joined Reform UK in warning that the prime minister needed to say whose side he is on and took aim at his hesitancy to back US operations. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A government charter flight to evacuate British nationals left stranded by the escalating US-Iran war will take off from Oman in the coming days, the has foreign secretary confirmed. Yvette Cooper also told the Commons 130,000 British nationals have signed up to the register your presence programme in the Middle East that allows them to receive updates from the British government as conflict in the Middle East ramps up. Blasts have been felt in cities across the Gulf after the US and Israel launched strikes towards Iran on Saturday. Iran retaliated with counterstrikes across the region, targeting military bases, with Cyprus and Kuwait are among the many countries recording drones heading towards bases occupied by UK and US forces. But the crisis has spilled over into residential and tourism hotspots, with tourist areas such as Dubai coming under fire in missile attacks at the weekend. Large areas of airspace over the region remain closed, with few flights able to leave because of the fighting, resulting in thousands of people stranded. open image in gallery A U2 spy aircraft takes off from an airbase in Akrotiri, Cyprus ( AP ) Confirming news of the evacuation flight, Ms Cooper said a government plane would take off from Muscat, Oman. Ms Cooper told MPs: Members will know that in many of these countries, the airspace is still closed, but I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable. open image in gallery The foreign secretary said a government charter flight will leave Oman in the coming days ( PA ) We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region. I would tell the House, this is a very fast-moving situation. We have unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region, and I will continue to update members and affected British nationals as the situation evolves. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been branded unhelpful by US president Donald Trump, who launched airstrikes in the region after accusing Tehran of waging an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Keir Starmer appear to be divided on the issue of the emerging Iran conflict ( PA ) Sir Keir on Monday said his government does not believe in regime change from the skies, in an apparent criticism of the US presidents bombing campaign, after earlier refusing to allow the US to launch strikes from UK bases. Mr Trump hit back, claiming Sir Keir had not been helpful and branded the transatlantic rift very sad and said the so-called special relationship between the UK and US had been fundamentally changed, in an interview with The Sun on Monday evening. This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe, he said. Its not going to matter, but [Sir Keir] should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones said the US and Israels initial strikes in Iran did not meet the test the prime minister has set out, as he faced questions about the extent of British support for Americas course of action. Chris Philp, speaking for the Conservative Party, said the US action against Iran was completely justified and that Sir Keir had seriously undermined the special relationship by failing to back it right away. open image in gallery A plume of black smoke rises from the major port city of Sharjah in the UAE ( AP ) Through his actions, Keir Starmer has very seriously undermined our special relationship with the US, which has been the bedrock of our security for decades now, he said. Are you a British national impacted by the escalations between Iran, the US and Israel? Get in touch at bryony.gooch.ind@independent.co.uk Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact 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 deploying the Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon and a fleet of armed helicopters to Cyprus in a major escalation of Britains involvement in Donald Trumps chaotic war on Iran. The move comes after the UK military base at RAF Akrotiri was attacked by an Iranian drone, and follows similar defensive moves by the Greek navy. But the prime minister found himself publicly ridiculed once again by the US president, who bemoaned Britains lack of support for his military plans, saying: This is not Winston Churchill were dealing with. Meanwhile the government has announced plans for a charter flight from Oman to evacuate British nationals caught in the Gulf states, with foreign secretary Yvette Cooper saying 130,000 have already registered their presence in the region with the Foreign Office (FCDO). Sir Keir said: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations, and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities, and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. The deployment of the Type 45 air defence destroyer is the latest sign of the UK being sucked into a conflict that began when the US and Israel launched a barrage of missile attacks on Iran on Saturday, killing much of the countrys leadership, including the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and taking out key military assets. open image in gallery HMS Dragon is to be sent to Cyprus as part of defensive operations in the US-Iran conflict ( PA ) Sir Keir has resisted calls for Britain to join the attacks and initially blocked the US from using RAF bases to launch strikes. But over the weekend, he was forced to put RAF planes in the sky to defend British assets and regional allies, and later allowed the US to use British bases for defensive measures. The last time the UK deployed a Royal Navy vessel to a conflict that the country was not directly involved in was in 2023, when the Commonwealth state Guyana was threatened by Venezuela. The decision to send HMS Dragon, which has cutting-edge technology capable of taking down drones, comes after criticism of a lack of air defence in the region, as the Iranian regime has threatened to unleash the gates of hell on the US and Israel, following their attacks on Tehran. The US has also indicated that it plans to escalate the fighting further, threatening another wave of airstrikes on Iran, warning that the hardest hits are yet to come. But Sir Keir faced intense criticism over his handling of the crisis, from opposition parties and President Trump, who again expressed his disappointment in the British prime minister. Speaking at the White House about support from European nations for US action in Iran, the US president said Spain had been terrible but added: Im not happy with the UK either. Appearing to refer to the joint UK-US airbase Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands, which Sir Keir eventually agreed the US could use to strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran, he added: That island... its taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Keir Starmer seem to be at odds over Iran as the US president criticises the UK ( PA ) Earlier, Mr Trump told The Sun that he was very sad to see that his relationship with Sir Keir is obviously not what it was. The prime minister has insisted that the special relationship between the UK and US remains strong and told MPs on Monday: I stand by my decision. HMS Dragon, which is based at Portsmouth, had been in dry dock for a refit but has previously served in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Named in honour of the Welsh dragon, its last major operation was in May 2025 to take part in Natos Formidable Shield, the largest at-sea live-fire exercise in Europe. The destroyer has a crew of 200, including sailors, technicians and weapons experts and is captained by Commander Iain Giffin. It carries two helicopters and has a range of guns, anti-ship and anti-air missiles, as well as electronic warfare equipment. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge questioned why it had taken Sir Keir so long to decide to send a warship. He said: It begs the question: why wasnt she already there? Conservative MP Gavin Williamson, a former defence secretary, posted on X: Why wasnt this done in January? It was obvious that it would be required when this all started to escalate. This is very, very poor planning. open image in gallery The US-Israel offensive in Tehran has led Iran to hit Gulf countries and airbases with retaliatory attacks ( AFP/Getty ) But Ms Cooper said the government had already added to the air defences in Cyprus. We have already increased the deployment, with additional defensive capabilities, including radar, F-35 jets, air defence, and counter-drone systems, she said. France also plans to send air defence systems to Cyprus and could dispatch a frigate, as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has reported. 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 UK government has announced plans for new voting laws, proposing to grant 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in national elections for the first time. Ministers said this is because young people "are the countrys future." This expansion of the franchise, part of the Representation of the People Bill, follows previous eligibility for Welsh and Scottish Parliament elections, and Scotlands 2014 independence referendum. The Bill also includes new rules on automatic voter registration, restrictions on foreign donations, and measures to prevent intimidation of candidates and election staff. It would further repeal the Governments ability to designate a strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission. Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said: The reason the Bill extends the vote to younger people aged 16, 17 years old is simple. Its because young people are our nations future. The voting age has stood at 18 since it was lowered from 21 by the Representation of the People Act in 1969. Mr Reed added: This change will bring consistency to the voting age for all statutory elections across the United Kingdom. open image in gallery Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed ( PA Wire ) He went on to lay out the evolution of voting laws in the UK under the Representation of the People Act. Mr Reed said: In an age of change, with new threats to our freedom arising, we must stand up and tackle foreign interference head-on. In a society transformed by new technologies, we must introduce automatic voter registration, and in this country, where politics feels distant for too many, we must bring democracy closer to people. Britain will always be a democracy because the people of this country will never have it any other way, and because the choices of the British people must always lead our nation. This is a Representation of the People Bill inspired by tradition and legislating for the future. The move is being opposed by the Conservative Party. It has tabled an amendment to the Bill, which is due to get its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday. The Tories amendment which would halt the Bill said reducing the voting age from 18 to 16 is inconsistent with and contradictory to other aspects of the Governments position on ages of majority and citizenship. It also warned of a risk that automatic voter registration could lead to fraud. Shadow housing, communities and local government secretary Sir James Cleverly said: When Parliament legislates on elections and franchise, it is not passing an ordinary Bill, it is rewriting the rules by which MPs and by extension Governments are chosen and removed. Therefore changes to those rules should be done carefully, after proper consultation, and fully in the knowledge of the potential knock-on effects. open image in gallery The Tories said automatic voter registration could lead to fraud ( PA Archive ) Sir James added: This Bill unfortunately falls woefully short. It creates deep inconsistencies around the age of maturity, it risks weakening the integrity of the electoral register, it side-steps serious questions on foreign interference in our politics, it reduces protections against electoral fraud and it has been introduced without proper consultation. He also argued that extending the vote to 16-year-olds means the Government is intending to give votes to children, or the Government wants to redefine 16 and 17-year-olds as not children. In an intervention, Tory MP Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) asked why the Government was reducing the voting age, but 16 and 17-year-olds would not be able to stand for election. Mr Stafford said: Surely if you can vote for the lawmaker, you can be a lawmaker? Surely thats the incoherence in his argument? Mr Reed said teenagers in that bracket deserved to be able to vote, because they are able to serve in the armed forces. Backbench MPs called for further rigour around donations. Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) asked whether there would be a ban on cryptocurrency donations. Mr Reed replied: There are huge concerns about cryptocurrency, not least because you cant track where the funding has come from. So we have charged Sir Philip Rycroft with conducting a review into these matters. His recommendations will be incorporated into the Bill. Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon (Strangford) said he feared new rules about donations from companies to UK political parties, having to come from firms with links to the UK may disadvantage some parties in Northern Ireland. He referred to some parties operating across the Irish border. Sinn Fein, which has MPs who do not attend the House of Commons, is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Mr Shannon said: Can the minister indicate what controls there will be to ensure that money does not transverse the border in such a way to disadvantage those of us in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? Mr Reed said the existing rules covering Northern Ireland will continue. Lisa Smart, the Liberal Democrats Cabinet Office spokeswoman, said her party would vote in support, but argued the Bill falls woefully short, insisting root and branch reforms are needed. The Government claims to be modernising our democracy, but this Bill does not fix our outdated system, which continues to reward the most cynical members of the political establishment at the expense of everyone else, she said. Where is the new accountability for politicians? Where are the robust measures to really stamp out corruption and interference? And why is there nothing that addresses a voting system that was out of date a century ago, undermines accountability and is profoundly unfair. 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 Two men have been arrested in connection with a weekend shooting inside a Cincinnati nightclub that wounded nine people, police said Tuesday. Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, were arrested Monday on charges of felonious assault, the Cincinnati Police Department said in a news release. No attorneys for the two were yet listed in court records as of Tuesday morning. The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Sunday inside Riverfront Live along the Ohio River in the citys east end. Officers responding to reports of gunfire found nine people with gunshot wounds. All were taken to hospitals and are in stable condition, officials said. Police have not publicly discussed a motive or released details about what led to the shooting. The departments homicide unit is investigating. The FBI is assisting with the investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives previously offered a $5,000 reward for information identifying a suspect. The gunfire erupted during a birthday celebration hosted by Jermaine Tandy, also known as DJ Fresh, according to a post on his Facebook page. Management representing Tandy said in a statement they were devastated by the violence, calling it a senseless act. Witness Anton Canady told The Associated Press he heard what sounded like a fight before shots rang out. As people rushed toward the exits, Canady's girlfriend fell, and he laid on top of her to prevent her from being trampled. I dont think it was like they was doing it purposely or intentionally, I just think nobody wanted to die in there, he said. When he got outside, Canady learned his cousin was one of the people shot. He said he used cloth from a nearby car to apply pressure to her wounds until first responders arrived. He later spoke with her and said she was doing good but in shock. Though it occurred almost simultaneously with a deadly bar shooting in Austin, Texas, an ATF spokesperson said earlier this week the Cincinnati shooting was not believed to be an act of terrorism. Riverfront Live sits along the Ohio River, not far from the popular Riverbend Music Center, which is closed in winter. Portions of the property previously held the names Stage Forty-Three and Inner Circle, but it is best known as the former site of Annie's, an iconic rock club that hosted well-known rock and heavy metal groups in the 1990s and early 2000s. It was rebranded Riverfront Live in 2018 after gaining attention for criminal activity. 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 Controversial Homeowner Associations may soon be a thing of the past in Florida, following the passing of new legislation that would give people the ability to dissolve them. House Bill 657 Community Associations, set to take effect on July 1, will provide a clear legal framework for terminating an HOA if it becomes dysfunctional or no longer serves the community's interests. The reform bill was introduced in December by state Rep Juan Carlos Porras, in an attempt to improve transparency, accountability, and fairness for Floridians living under community associations. Porras has raised the possibility of abolishing HOAs completely in the past, describing them as a failed experiment that are prone to abuse and mismanagement, resulting in them doing more harm than good." HB 657 also outlines the requirements for a valid Plan of Termination, details the responsibilities of a Termination Trustee, and ensures proper distribution of assets and payment of lawful debts, according to the legislation. open image in gallery Controversial Homeowner Associations may soon be a thing of the past in Florida, following the passing of new legislation that would give people the ability to dissolve them ( Getty Images ) To dissolve the HOA, a homeowner must provide the associations board with a petition containing signatures from at least half of its voting members. A board meeting must then be held within 60 days and two-thirds of the total voting interests must agree to the termination plan. The bill also prohibits unlawful actions by association officers and directors while strengthening homeowner protections throughout the process. In addition, the bill also aims to address concerns from homeowners who have experienced unclear HOA procedures, limited resources in disputes with their associations and a lack of independent oversight. open image in gallery ( Getty Images ) According to the bill text, it will remove burdensome pre-suit mediation requirements, require associations to update their governing documents with standardized language, and create the Community Association Court Program. The CACP is a streamlined system within the circuit courts that ensures qualified arbitrators oversee disputes and gives homeowners a more accessible and efficient path to resolution, according to the bill. This is one of the largest overhauls in our states history when it comes to condo and HOA disputes, Porras said during an interview with WPLG-TV. Homeowners for the first time are going to have a voice and be able to go to a judge or go to a magistrate when it comes to these really complex condo, HOA cases. 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 Six U.S. service members have been killed in the Iran attacks since the weekend, the U.S. military said. Three service members were killed Sunday, and five others were seriously wounded by shrapnel, according to U.S. officials. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Irans initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries, U.S. Central Command wrote on X. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. Then, on Monday, U.S. Central Command announced that the bodies of two other service members were found. As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification, the command wrote on X. open image in gallery Smoke rises up after a strike in Tehran on Sunday ( AP ) None of the slain service members have been publicly identified yet as next of kin are still being contacted. It was not immediately clear where the troops were killed. At a Monday morning press conference with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, paid tribute to the fallen service members. Our deepest heartfelt condolences are with their families. We will never forget you, he said. Caine then noted that the U.S. military strikes in Iran are not a single overnight operation. This is major combat operations, he said. We expect to take additional losses. President Donald Trump said he expects there to be additional casualties in a video posted to Truth Social Sunday. Sadly, there will likely be more... before it ends, that's the way it is. Likely be more, he said. open image in gallery President Donald Trump said he expects there to be additional casualties in a video posted to Truth Social ( AFP/Getty ) The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated attacks against Iran at the weekend, killing the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials. The strikes, named by the U.S. as Operation Epic Fury, have prompted Iran to launch a wave of missiles across the Middle East. Three close American allies, Britain, France and Germany, said they were ready to join forces with the U.S. to stop Irans retaliatory missile and drone strikes. Following Khameneis death, the Islamic Republic must now choose a supreme leader for the first time since 1989. Trump had urged Iranians to seize the opportunity to take over their government. open image in gallery Iraqi Shiites hold pictures of Khamenei during a symbolic funeral in Najaf, Iraq ( AP ) Khamenei, 86, had no designated successor, and as a result, Iranian officials have said a new supreme leader would be chosen within the coming days. There have been scattered celebrations over Khameneis death, but internet restrictions in the country have muffled whats actually happening. The strikes this weekend came as the U.S. and Israel spent weeks monitoring the movements of senior Iranian leaders, including Khamenei, in preparation for the attack. The U.S. has said it is willing to talk with Irans new leaders, even as U.S. military bases throughout the region remain a target of Iranian attacks. In retaliation, Irans military has targeted Israel and U.S. bases in the region, killing at least six U.S. service members. Other Iranian strikes have killed several people in the Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. open image in gallery Following Khameneis death, the Islamic Republic must now choose a supreme leader for the first time since 1989 ( AP ) Trump has suggested the conflict could go on for the next four weeks, after earlier saying the operations are ahead of schedule. Iran was firing missiles at Israel and Arab states Monday, reportedly hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait as Israel and the U.S. continued striking targets in Iran. It comes as the U.S. militarys Central Command said Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E Strike Eagles. All six aircrew on board ejected safely, have been found and are in stable condition, Central Command said. With reporting by the Associated Press 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 leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was buried in a shiny golden casket with a large military presence in the state that gave name to one of Mexico's most powerful cartels. A federal official confirmed that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, was buried in a cemetery in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, on Monday. Dozens of people accompanied the funeral procession, many carrying black umbrellas on a sunny day and with a band playing Mexican regional music known as banda. The Attorney Generals Office had declined to confirm the location of El Menchos burial for security reasons. There had been stepped-up security around a funeral home since Sunday where large flower wreaths had been arriving without a name. Some did include the image of a rooster in flowers and Oseguera Cervantes was sometimes called the Lord of the Roosters. open image in gallery People follow the hearse carrying the remains of whom authorities identify as the late Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, alias "El Mencho ( AP ) The Mexican army killed Oseguera Cervantes just over a week ago while attempting to capture him. He died from multiple bullet wounds, according to the death certificate obtained by The Associated Press. The killing set off violence in some 20 states. The death certificate fits with a description of the operation to capture Oseguera Cervantes given by Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla, who had said that the cartel leader and two bodyguards had been badly wounded in a gunfight with soldiers outside a home in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The three died en route to a hospital. The certificate specified that Oseguera Cervantes had bullet wounds to his chest, abdomen and legs. open image in gallery A police officer escorts the car to the Recinto de Paz cemetery for burial in Guadalajara, Mexico ( AP ) His body was taken to Mexico City, where an autopsy was performed before the body was turned over to his family on Saturday, the Attorney Generals Office said. The death certificate also notes that Oseguera Cervantes was to be buried, standard practice in cases of violent deaths, to allow for additional forensic evidence to be gathered if needed in the future. The document did not say where the burial would take place. Authorities security concerns surrounding the burial location are well-founded. Oseguera Cervantes killing set off retaliation by the cartel in numerous states. More than 70 people died between the military operation and the violence that followed. The government has said that security operations continue against other high-ranking members of the cartel. open image in gallery His body was taken to Mexico City, where an autopsy was performed, before the body was turned over to his family on Saturday ( AP ) It is customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend. Within hours of El Mencho's death, there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing. In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel an old associate of El Mencho and Arturo Beltran Leyva. There was the drug lord who was famously killed twice, Nazario Moreno, leader of the violent and pseudo-religious Knights Templar cartel, who authorities said was killed in 2010, only to kill him for real in 2014. Sometimes the bodies disappear, like in the case of Heriberto Lazcano, leader of the fearsome Zetas, whose body was stolen in 2012. Or they die under bizarre circumstances, like Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Lord of the Skies, who died in a botched plastic surgery. 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 New York City has paid out more than $117 million in the past year to resolve police misconduct lawsuits, with the total reaching nearly $800 million over the last seven years, according to a new analysis. These substantial payouts come as the city grapples with a significant budget shortfall. The largest settlements last year included $24.1 million awarded to two men who spent over two decades wrongly imprisoned for a 1986 Manhattan robbery. Another $5.75 million was paid to an individual who claimed police blinded him in one eye with a stun gun. The figures, published by the non-profit public defender organization The Legal Aid Society, highlight the financial burden of police actions. This emerges as Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposes a $22 million cut to the NYPDs $6.4 billion budget, despite the city facing a $5.4 billion deficit and reporting lower crime rates. Notably, these settlements are funded from a separate part of the citys budget, unlike some other jurisdictions where they come directly from police operating funds. open image in gallery The largest settlements last year included $24.1 million awarded to two men who spent over two decades wrongly imprisoned for a 1986 Manhattan robbery ( Associated Press ) Jennvine Wong, supervising attorney for the organisations Cop Accountability Project, stated: "This analysis is really about transparency around what the NYPD is costing us. And from what we can tell here, I think it means that meaningful accountability has been lacking in the police department. Its a chronic problem that needs to be addressed." NYPD says its increasing accountability, helping right wrongs In all, the city settled 1,044 police misconduct lawsuits in 2025, the most since 2019, when 1,276 were resolved. It was the fourth straight year with settlements exceeding $100 million. Last year's total was nearly double the $62.1 million the city paid in 2020 to settle 929 lawsuits. In 2024, the city paid $206.4 million in 980 lawsuits. Those amounts are just a part of the citys overall police misconduct toll. The Legal Aid Societys analysis only includes lawsuit settlements, not claims that the city comptroller, the official in charge of financial matters, resolved prior to formal litigation. Of last years settlements, about $42 million were for wrongful convictions and $28 million nearly a quarter of the payout total involved incidents that occurred more than two decades ago. open image in gallery In all, the city settled 1,044 police misconduct lawsuits in 2025, the most since 2019, when 1,276 were resolved ( Associated Press ) Such cases have also accounted for a substantial portion of the $796 million the city has paid to resolve police misconduct lawsuits since 2019, the NYPD said. While these cases are very important to address, they tell you nothing about the state of policing today," the department said in a statement. Under Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the NYPD has taken significant steps to increase accountability, compliance, and change outdated policies that might create greater risk," the statement said. The department said it also works closely with the citys district attorneys' offices, providing material to facilitate their review of cases involving wrongful arrest and conviction claims. Multimillion-dollar payouts for wrongful convictions and brutality The men wrongly convicted in the fatal 1986 robbery, Eric Smokes and David Warren, received $13 million and $11.1 million, respectively. In a lawsuit filed in 2024 in federal court, they alleged that a corrupt detective relied on the word of an emotionally handicapped and drug-addled 17-year-old who was seeking a way out of his own separate robbery rap. Three of the four witnesses who identified Smokes and Warren as the killers only did so after being threatened with criminal charges, the lawsuits said. Another settlement, for $3.9 million, went to Steven Lopez, a sixth man arrested with the so-called Central Park Five, now known as the Exonerated Five, after their convictions in the 1989 rape of a female jogger were overturned. open image in gallery Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposes a $22 million cut to the NYPDs $6.4 billion budget, despite the city facing a $5.4 billion deficit and reporting lower crime rates ( Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images ) The Five went to trial but Lopez, under intense police and public pressure, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge that he mugged a male jogger the same night. Other settlements included $1.7 million for four protesters who said officers beat them with batons or threw them to the ground during a June 2020 demonstration in Brooklyn over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The city paid $5.2 million to nine people who said they were framed in cases from 2014 to 2016 by two officers who were later convicted of falsifying testimony or paperwork. Stop-and-frisk continues to be a concern, police monitor says Last week, a court-appointed monitor criticized the NYPD for poorly supervising and underreporting officers' use of the tactic known as stop-and-frisk. In 2013, a federal judge ruled that the NYPDs frequent use of the tactic to search for guns and drugs violated the civil rights of Black and Hispanic New Yorkers. Since then, the department has sharply cut down on stop-and-frisks, but continues to have unacceptably low compliance rates with constitutional protections, said the monitor, Mylan L. Denerstein. The NYPDs staggering settlement costs suggest more needs to be done to drive down misconduct, and a lack of accountability has continued to contribute to a culture of impunity, Wong said. These judgments and settlement costs are costing the city so much money and are costing the victims of police misconduct not just monetary losses and financial losses, but also causing real human trauma that they carry with them, she added. 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 Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has voiced opposition to President Donald Trumps airstrikes against Iran, saying foreign intervention was straying away from the America First message that resonated with him and other voters. Over the weekend, Jones hosted several livestreams to discuss the ongoing military operations that have killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and 48 other Iranian leaders. The strikes on Iran have killed at least 787 people including 176 children more than 100 of whom are from a girls school in Minab, the non-profit Human Rights Activists in Iran reported. This is going to enrage the world against Israel and the United States, Jones said of the deadly school missile strike. Again, I dont like the mullahs, but this is supposed to be America First. Were not supposed to be running around doing this anymore. In another livestream, Jones said Trump was breaking a promise to his supporters by attacking Iran and forcing regime change. Trump ran on not doing regime change, Jones said. Im just saying, you dont tell us no more regime change that weve seen the CIA do and many times put worse people in on purpose, and then you turn around and say oh no this is a great thing. open image in gallery Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, founder of InfoWars, criticized Trump for making light of the attacks on Iran ( Reuters ) Trump and members of his administration have given conflicting statements about the goal of the Iran attacks. On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the airstrike campaign in Iran is not a regime change war. But over the weekend, Trump told ABC News the attack knocked out most of the candidates for the Iranian regime. "It's not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they are all dead. Second or third place is dead, Trump said, suggesting the U.S. was conducting regime change. The president also encouraged Iranians to use the opportunity to take over their government. Officials have maintained the reason for the attack was to take out Irans nuclear weapon facility, to prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon or ballistic missiles, as well as destroy Irans navy to prevent the country from attacking neighboring countries. Trump administration officials reportedly told congressional staff in private briefings Sunday that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a pre-emptive strike against the U.S. The administration officials instead acknowledged there was a more general threat in the region from Irans missiles and proxy forces. open image in gallery Trump ordered the strikes on Iran Friday afternoon, after negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapon program stalled ( AP ) Jones also criticized Trump for posting AI-generated videos of the U.S. bombing Iran on Truth Social to brag about the attacks, calling it unseemly. Jones was once a staunch Trump ally supporting the presidents 2016 presidential campaign, peddling conspiracy theories against Democrats and raising money for Trumps 2021 Stop the Steal rally that turned into an attack on the Capitol. Jones is the founder of InfoWars, a far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website. He has peddled theories from Pizzagate to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which led to a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit ruling, which Jones was ordered to pay the families of victims. Since Trump returned to power last year, Jones has been more critical of the administration, disagreeing with the handling of the Epstein files and the presidents desire to pursue more foreign intervention. Other known MAGA allies, such as former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have voiced similar criticisms about the president sending the U.S. military to the Middle East. With reporting from The Associated Press 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 dismissed criticism from major conservative media figures over his ongoing war against Iran, insisting that he is the real voice of MAGA. Amid dire polling numbers, talk radio host and former Fox News star Megyn Kelly said she had "serious doubts" about the airstrikes and questioned whether they were worth the deaths of multiple U.S. service members. Tucker Carlson has called the bombing campaign "absolutely disgusting and evil", while mercenary magnate and Trump donor Erik Prince said he was "not happy about the whole thing". But in an interview with independent D.C. newsletter The Inner Circle Monday night, the president declared that his base is still behind him. "I have to do whats right, number one and you cant have Iran getting a nuclear weapon. Thats predominant to me," Trump said. Trump previously claimed his first attack on Iran in June 2025 had completely and totally obliterated the countrys nuclear program although U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly disagreed ( Kenny Holston, Pool/Getty Images ) Referring to Kelly and Carlson, he said: "I think that MAGA is Trump MAGAs not the other two. MAGA wants to see our country thrive and be safe. And MAGA loves what Im doing every aspect of it "This is a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe, frankly." He added that Kelly "was opposed to me for years when I ran the first time and nothing stopped me", saying: "They always come back." Polling has found that only one in four Americans support Trump's "Operation Epic Fury", with even 23 percent of Republican voters saying he was too willing to use military force. Six U.S. service members have been killed in Iranian reprisal strikes as of Monday evening, and Trump has refused to rule out putting "boots on the ground while offering conflicting timelines and goals for the operation. In her SiriusXM show on Monday, when the casualty numbers were yet to be updated, Kelly said: "I don't think those four service members died for the United States. I think they died for Iran or for Israel... this feels very much to me like it is clearly Israel's war... "I support the president. I voted for the president. I campaigned the president. But that doesn't mean... you have to accept another Middle East war without questions. And anyone who tells you that can suck it... "There is nothing unpatriotic, or unsupportive of one's conservatism, to say 'I would like to be better convinced that this is worth the sacrifice of American blood and treasure.'" 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 More than a dozen incidents led by Donald Trumps Border Patrol chief in Minneapolis are under criminal investigation, according to state law enforcement officials in Minnesota. The Hennepin County Attorneys Office is investigating now-former commander at large Greg Bovino and officers under his command to determine whether any laws were broken in the weeks-long surge of immigration officers into the state, where Bovino and officers have been accused of unlawfully targeting immigrants and citizens alike and violently clashing with protesters. County prosecutors and a civilian staffer are reviewing evidence from at least 17 incidents, the office announced Monday. Among the incidents under review as part of the states Transparency and Accountability Project is Bovino lobbing a smoke canister into a crowd. We will investigate and pursue charging where appropriate, and well seek collaboration with local law enforcement wherever and whenever needed, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. Make no mistake, we are not afraid of any legal fight. But we will do this ethically, responsibly and vigorously. open image in gallery Minnesota authorities have launched an investigation into Greg Bovinos operations in the state, which could result in criminal charges ( REUTERS ) Bovino, who spearheaded boots-on-the-ground operations in several Democratic-led states and cities, was reportedly pulled out of Minnesota after agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in January, just two weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good. None of the agents involved in either incident have been criminally charged. 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 a Customs and Border Protection branch in southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border. Separately, Bovinos Chicago operation was marked by a wave of lawsuits and allegations of violent force, prompting a federal judge to ban officers from firing tear gas and using other riot weapons during protests after video evidence and courtroom testimony revealed behavior that she said shocks the conscience. After a Border Patrol agent in Chicago shot a woman five times, she was charged with assaulting officers with her car charges that federal prosectors later dropped after significant questions were raised about the evidence. Hours after the shooting, Bovino congratulated an officer and offered to extend his service with the agency, according to messages released by the Department of Justice. The victim, Marimar Martinez, is now suing the administration. Before deploying to Chicago, Bovino reportedly pushed back against internal efforts to focus Border Patrol operations on targeted arrests rather than large-scale sweeps. 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 emails obtained by NBC News. But Bovino said he declined the directive and said he reports to Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem. open image in gallery Bovino was reportedly dismissed from Minneapolis after launching what lawsuits and officials have called a violent surge of officers into the state, where agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators in January ( AP ) Hours after Pretti's killing in Minneapolis in January, state law enforcement agencies sued to block Homeland Security officials from destroying or altering any evidence from the scene, and a federal judge appointed by Trump granted the order later that night. The judge later reversed the freeze, arguing that inflammatory statements about Pretti by top administration officials and a potentially compromised crime scene were not enough to block federal agencies from handling evidence, for now. The administration formally blocked state law enforcement from access to any information or evidence that it has collected in that case. Hennepin County officials, meanwhile, opened an evidence-collection portal to accept information from the public about Prettis death. Prettis family has also urged the FBI and Minnesota authorities to jointly investigate the death of the 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse. Justice and accountability requires a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the facts, the family said in a statement in January. A truly joint state and federal investigation would be a welcome development. 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 Howard Lutnick has volunteered to testify before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the chairman said Tuesday a development that comes weeks after documents revealed Trumps Commerce Secretary had visited the sex offenders island. Lutnick, who has denied wrongdoing and has never been accused of a crime associated with Epstein, was revealed to have brought his family to have lunch with Epstein on his island in 2012, according to emails released from the Epstein files. The revelation contradicted a statement that Lutnick made in October when he boasted that he was so disgusted by Epstein when they met in 2005 that he was never in the room with [Epstein] socially, for business or even philanthropy. "I look forward to appearing before the committee, Lutnick said in a new statement obtained by Axios. I have done nothing wrong, and I want to set the record straight." Republican Rep. James Comer, who heads the committee, commended Lutnick for proactively and voluntarily agreeing to testify before the committee. open image in gallery Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told lawmakers in February he did not witness anything untoward on Epsteins island while visiting for lunch ( AFP via Getty Images ) I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee. I look forward to his testimony, Comer said in a statement posted on X. Lutnicks testimony is expected to be a closed-door, recorded deposition similar to that of former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and billionaire Leslie Wexner, Axios reported. Like those depositions, a transcript and recording will be released later. The Independent has asked the House Oversight Committee and Commerce Department for comment. White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement: Secretary Lutnick continues to be a critical asset for President Trump, having played a key role in securing major trade and investment deals. The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick, remain focused on delivering more wins for the American people. Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee said last week they wanted Lutnick to testify about his relationship with Epstein after documents from the files indicated the two corresponded more than he had previously made known. Lutnick was neighbors with Epstein in New York City for years, but said he didnt closely associate with him. In a podcast interview in October, Lutnick claimed he found Epstein gross after meeting him because Epstein had indicated he received sexual massages. open image in gallery A photo, released by the Justice Department, appears to show Lutnick (second right), Epstein and three other individuals on a cliffside overlooking the ocean ( Department of Justice ) Lutnick said he did not associate with Epstein for social, business or philanthropic reasons. Before becoming commerce secretary, Lutnick served as CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, an investment banking and financial services firm. His net worth is an estimated $3 billion, according to Forbes. However, when the Justice Department released three million documents in the Epstein files, emails revealed Lutnick and Epstein were scheduled to have drinks in May 2011, and spoke various times over the phone beginning in 2009. Epstein donated $50,000 to a philanthropic dinner recognizing Lutnick in 2017. Lutnick and Epstein also arranged to have lunch on Epsteins island in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2012 while he was on vacation with his family and a group of family friends. When asked about the encounter during an unrelated Senate hearing in February, Lutnick said he did not witness anything untoward while on the island. 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, Lutnick told lawmakers at the time. Epstein, a financier, was accused of running a longtime sex trafficking scheme, in which he abused young women and allegedly underage girls, that benefited a network of high-profile individuals. He was indicted in 2019 on charges of child sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors; however, he died in federal prison before he could go to trial. Epsteins associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted on child sex trafficking, among other charges, in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement slashed training times for new recruits during a hiring blitz aimed at fulfilling the Trump administrations deportation demands, according to a new report, which backs up claims recently raised by a whistleblower. The Washington Post obtained four previously undisclosed ICE training outlines dated between July and January which reveal, in hour-by-hour detail, how new agents were taught. The records indicate that roughly 240 hours were cut from ICEs basic training regimen, amounting to more than 40 percent of total instructional time. The majority of the cuts were made in August 2025, when the Trump administration encouraged ICE, overseen by the Department of Homeland Security, to double the number of agents in the field by the beginning of this year. Over 100 hours of training was eliminated during the first round of cuts, including about 28 hours of firearms training, dozens of hours of classroom time and nearly all of the hours dedicated to fitness training. open image in gallery ICE drastically reduced its training time for new recruits during a hiring surge aimed at fulfilling Trumps deportation agenda, according to a new report ( Getty Images ) After further reductions in the fall, 75 percent of the training hours devoted to assessing recruits practical skills including firearms proficiency were cut. And 26 hours once used to evaluate immigration enforcementspecific skills were eliminated entirely, according to the Post. By January 2026, more than 900 agents had completed the shortened training program more than three times the number who graduated between August 2024 and August 2025. ICE also bolstered training on certain subjects after initial cuts, including increasing time spent on use of force by five hours after reducing it by three hours. In response to an inquiry about The Washington Posts story, an ICE spokesperson told The Independent: New ICE recruits receive 56 days of training and an average of 28 days of on-the-job training. No training requirements have been removed. Training increased from five days a week, eight hours a day to six days a week, twelve hours per day including personalized independent training. Its the same hours of training officers have always received. No training or standards have been cut. open image in gallery A memorial site for Alex Pretti on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Minneapolis ( AP ) In a statement to The Washington Post, a spokesperson noted that new agents use their training to apply it to real-life scenarios while on duty, preserving ICEs reputation as one of the most elite law enforcement agencies not only in the U.S., but the entire world. The ICE training outlines came to light one week after whistleblower Ryan Schwank, a former ICE lawyer and training instructor, testified before Congress that new hires are being given deficient, defective and broken instructional courses. Without reform, ICE will graduate thousands of new officers who do not know their constitutional duty, do not know the limits of their authority and who do not have the training to recognize an unlawful order, Schwank said Monday at a hearing organized by congressional Democrats. That should scare everyone. DHS refuted Schwanks claims. A former DHS official made a similar allegation in January, telling MS NOW that ICE recruits receive less training than animal control officers. open image in gallery Last week, whistleblower Ryan Schwank, a former ICE lawyer, accused the agency of giving new agents deficient, defective and broken training ( AFP via Getty Images ) Last summer Trump signed his signature One Big Beautiful Bill into law a spending package that allocated a record $165 billion to DHS. It included funds to hire 10,000 new ICE agents to carry out Trumps demand for the largest deportation program in U.S. history. Last month, Democrats blocked new funding for the agency following fatalities and violence involving ICE and other immigration agents. Earlier this year, two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal immigration agents in Minnesota. The White House has characterized the Democrats demands for reform as very unserious. Recent polls indicate Americans have concerns about ICEs tactics. While Americans are split over whether the government should deport all undocumented immigrants, they oppose ICEs measures by a 2-to-1 margin, according to a February Ipsos survey. Fifty-eight percent also said they disapprove of how Trump is handling immigration. DHS independent watchdog is conducting multiple investigations into ICE, including on its hiring program, use of expedited removal authority, use of force and detention facilities. We recognize the importance of these reviews to provide valuable insight to DHS leadership and Congress, as well as to the public, the inspector general said in February. These reviews are being conducted as expeditiously as possible. Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect ICEs response. 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 FBI Director Kash Patels vengeful firing of FBI agents who worked on the probe intoclassified documents at President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate left the department without an elite global spy unit that monitors threats from Iran. Patel fired a dozen FBI agents last Wednesday after learning that his and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles phones had been under subpoena as part of the probe into Trumps hoarding of top secret records at Mar-a-Lago. His firing of the global espionage unit, known as CI-12, came days before the U.S. and Israel jointly launched Operation Epic Fury, with airstrikes on Iran that have led to a wider conflict throughout the Middle East. Strikes on Iran during Trumps first presidency were followed by a series of Iranian operations in the U.S. to try to assassinate Trump and some of his allies. CI-12 probes illegal media leaks and the mishandling of classified documents. The unit consisted of veteran agents trained on threats and spy operations, with a special focus on the Middle East, including Iran, sources told MS Now. open image in gallery FBI Director Kash Patels fired FBI agents who worked on the probe of classified documents hoarded by President Trump at his Florida estate who also had special training in handling threats from Iran, according to a report ( Getty Images ) The unit also investigates Cuba and some terrorist organizations, but does not handle threats from China or Russia, according to the report. On Monday, people inside the FBI were bracing for more potential firings of agents and staff on CI-12, according to the report. FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson told the outlet that the FBI does not comment on personnel matters. Williamson countered that the FBI maintains a robust counterintelligence operation, with personnel all over the country, who delivered record results in 2025, including a 35 percent increase in counterintelligence arrest, six of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives captured, and multiple foiled terrorism plots just in December alone. Our teams remain fully engaged across the country and prepared to mobilize any security assets needed to assist federal partners as well as state and local law enforcement, Williamson added. Since Trump took office, the FBI has purged staffers connected to probes into the president, as well as those tied to the investigation into January 6 rioters. Patel has also dismissed at least 30 agents who appeared to lack the necessary conservative bona fides. Some took a knee in a show of solidarity with the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests; another implemented government policy denying religious exemptions for the covid vaccine; a third displayed a gay pride flag, The Wall Street Journal reported in November. open image in gallery Patel fired at least 12 members of the unit just days before the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran ( AFP/Getty ) The most recent firing, which included agents with specialty training in handling threats from Iran, came just days before the U.S. and Israel jointly began airstrikes on Iran on Saturday. The U.S. and Israels coordinated attacks against Iran killed the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top officials. The strikes, named by the U.S. as Operation Epic Fury, have prompted Iran to launch a wave of missiles across the Middle East, including Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and targets crucial to the worlds oil and natural gas production. In a letter to Congress Monday, Trump admitted that it is not possible at this time to know how long the U.S. attacks on Iran would last. In an official notification to Congress about his war on Iran, the president set out how he does not have a clear timeline for the military action. Although the United States desires a quick and enduring peace, it is not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary, Trump wrote Monday. Following the letter, a Truth Social post from the president on Monday also caused alarm, after he wrote that wars can be fought forever. Trump has previously said the bombing could last four to five weeks. 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 she testified before members of Congress, in December, Kristi Noem faced an avalanche of questions about the Trump administrations efforts to quickly arrest and deport tens of thousands of immigrants in a nationwide dragnet that has ruptured communities across the country. That was before federal immigration agents fatally shot two American citizens in Minnesota. And before media reports revealed officers killed a third American one year ago. Noem is a defendant in a massive pile of lawsuits alleging unconstitutional arrests and illegal use of force that grows by the dozens every day. The Department of Justice is failing to defend them. Her chief spokesperson left the agency after accusations of corruption and self-dealing. But over four hours of questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Noem appeared to be mostly ambivalent. Donald Trumps Homeland Security secretary repeatedly declined to apologize for suggesting Alex Pretti and Renee Good were domestic terrorists and instead offered indifferent condolences to their families. At one point, she tried to clarify that she was accusing Pretti and Good of committing terrorism, not that they were terrorists themselves. Even Republican members of the committee werent buying it. open image in gallery Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem refused to apologize for baselessly suggesting Alex Pretti and Renee Good were domestic terrorists after they were fatally shot by federal agents ( AFP via Getty Images ) The fact you cant admit to a mistake which looks like, under investigation, is going to prove that Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti probably should not have been shot in the face and in the back, said Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Tillis, who is not seeking reelection, spent nearly five minutes laying into Noem and her leadership at the agency. What weve seen is a disaster, he said. He compared the secretarys tenure at DHS to her anecdote about killing a 14-month-old dog and the audacity to say its a leadership lesson about tough choices. Tillis also called for the secretary to resign and threatened to bring Senate business to a standstill unless her office responds to questions about an aggressive immigration enforcement blitz in his state that have gone unanswered. Even John Kennedy, a Trump-aligned senator from Louisiana who relishes any opportunity to fire off a feigned folksy aphorism, spent several painful minutes trying to get the secretary to answer why she would baselessly accuse American citizens of domestic terrorism after her officers shot them at point-blank range. Kennedy pushed her to explain why DHS paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign that prominently features the secretary telling immigrants to leave the country voluntarily and whether Trump knew about the price tag. Noem insisted they were effective. Well, they were effective in your name recognition, Kennedy shot back. open image in gallery Republican Senator Thom Tillis called on Noem to resign after he compared her tenure at DHS to the time she admitted to killing a 14-month-old dog ( AP ) Watching her testimony inside the building were at least three people who have accused immigration agents of unlawfully arresting them, including Marimar Martinez, an American citizen who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago last year. The case against Martinez imploded after evidence against her fell apart, marking yet another embarrassing loss for DHS. Noem, unconvincingly, said she was not familiar with the case against Martinez. When it comes to the killings of Good and Pretti, Noem was getting reports from the ground, from agents at the scene, which she called chaotic. You believe calling the victims of violence domestic terrorists is a way to calm the scene? asked Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committees top Democrat. Do you have any concern about misleading the whole country? asked Senator Adam Schiff. Knowing what you know now, said Senator Peter Welch, do you want to apologize? Noem, staring blankly, did not. Her agency is devoid of any moral compass, reckless, utterly incompetent, enabling an incredible empire for private prison contractors and unleashing unspeakable cruelty towards children and immigrant families, according to Democrats on the committee. She barely refuted their statements. Do you care enough about the human rights of the men, women and children in your custody to improve conditions as required by the courts? asked California Senator Alex Padilla, who was tackled by federal officers last year after he tried to confront her during a press conference. Yes, absolutely, Noem said. There are unfortunate situations where individuals pass away in DHS custody, she said. Those unfortunate situations include the deaths of at least 32 people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in 2025 and at least eight so far this year putting 2026 on track to pass last years record high. open image in gallery Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee grilled Noem about the shootings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Marimar Martinez. Noem said she wasnt even familiar with the case of Martinez (right) being shot five times by Border Patrol ( Getty Images ) Tuesdays hearing arrived in the middle of the ongoing funding lapse at DHS after Democrats blocked a spending bill that they say does not go far enough to restrain immigration officers, after giving ICE billions of dollars to build detention centers and hire a small army of new recruits last year. Several Republicans tried to turn Noems testimony into an oversight hearing against Joe Bidens administration, or seized on the administrations campaign in Iran to suggest Democrats are endangering national security during the shutdown, which she called reckless and unnecessary. At least three-quarters of House Democrats are backing a resolution to impeach Noem, a virtual guarantee if they take control of Congress after midterm elections this fall. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker urged her to step down or face impeachment. I appreciate the encouragement, she replied. 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 Former MAGA loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene has blasted President Trump over his decision to launch missile strikes against Iran. U.S. and Israeli military forces began bombing targets in the Islamic Republic on Saturday, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei being killed in the air strikes. So far, six U.S. service members have died since the war began. Greene unloaded on the president during an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Podcast Monday, stating, Weve got American troops being killed. I wanna say, what is happening to the man that I supported, you supported? Greene seethed. The man that denounced what happened in Iraq? The man that said, No more foreign wars, no more regime change? Promised it on the campaign. JD Vance promised it. Tulsi Gabbard promised it. All of them promised it. open image in gallery Marjorie Taylor Greene has torn into President Donald Trump over his decision to launch strikes on Iran ( Getty Images ) Continuing her rant, Greene claimed that the United States was embroiled in another f***ing war and asked the country to have a serious conversation about who in the hell are these decisions being made for. Megyn Kelly also criticized the conflict, particularly regarding Trumps claim that Irans vast army could lay down its arms. Based on what? she asked, bluntly. During the interview, Greene questioned the presidents admitted goal of regime change, arguing that a bomb killing over 100 little girls at an Iranian school was not really good for Iranian women. And our president is saying that the Iranian people are all of a sudden going to topple their regime, she continued. Well, I dont think the Iranian people are going to be toppling their regime when theyre getting blown apart by the United States and Israel in an unprovoked attack. The former Georgia representative was once a staunch Trump loyalist, known for repeating conspiracy theories about the January 6 Capitol Riots and voicing support for the QAnon movement. open image in gallery Strikes on Iran killed the regime's leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, at his compound in Tehran ( AP ) However, late last year, Greene split from Trump by doubling down on calling for the release of files related to the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In response, the president dubbed her Marjorie Traitor Brown for being one of the first Republicans to break ranks in calling for the files to be unsealed. Greene eventually announced that she was resigning from her office, stating that she refused to be a battered wife, by defending Trump in exchange for support in a primary election. open image in gallery Megyn Kelly also questioned Trumps strategy in Iran, during her interview with Greene ( Getty ) The former congresswoman took another swipe at Trump on Monday, pointing out her years of loyalty to the president. I was out there on the front lines for Make America Great Again, she claimed. And Make America Great Again was supposed to be America First, not Israel First, not any foreign country First, not any foreign people First, but the American people First and our problems. On social media, Greene also criticized Vice President JD Vance while responding to claims that he had persuaded Trump into launching attacks on Iran. They hate JD, she claimed. They dont ever want him to be President. So now that they f***ed up so bad and they are getting our military members killed for Israel, its JDs fault. Not Trumps fault, Greene continued. Or any of the neocons screaming 24/7 in his ear. Whats the truth? In response to Greenes comments, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Independent that the Trump administration does not have time for quitters. Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene quit on her constituents and the America First movement in the middle of her term, Ingle said. President Trump is fighting every single day to Make America Great Again we dont have time for quitters. open image in gallery President Trump warned that a big wave in Iran has yet to happen ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Meanwhile, Trump has doubled down on supporting the conflict in Iran. During a CNN interview on Monday, he claimed, We havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened, he continued. The big one is coming soon. The president also told The New York Times that the conflict could go on for four to five weeks and admitted that he has three very good choices about who could succeed Ayatollah Khamenei. The Independent has contacted the Department of Defense and the White House 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 Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been rebuked online after he appeared on Fox News Monday and mused on the smell of war, despite never having served in the military himself. Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, was discussing the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran when he channelled his inner Lt. Col. Kilgore from Apocalypse Now (1979), who famously relished the smell of napalm in the morning. War is ugly, the senator declared authoritatively. It smells bad. If anybody has ever been there and been able to smell the war thats happening around you and taste it and fill it in your nostrils and hear it, its something that youll never forget. And its ugly. And fortunately, you have President [Pete] Hegseth. Sorry, Secretary Hegseth That has got a great relationship with President [Donald] Trump and President Hegseths been there and hes done that. Despite accidentally elevating the defense secretary to the presidency twice, it was Mullin presuming to speak for U.S. soldiers that sparked uproar. open image in gallery Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin caused widespread outrage by presuming to speak for U.S. soldiers without ever having served in the military himself ( AFP/Getty ) Veteran and activist Charlotte Clymer reposted a clip of his comments on X (Twitter) and told the senator, Sir, you were 24 on 9/11. You were 25 when the U.S. illegally invaded Iraq. You were 28 when I enlisted after high school. You didnt serve. You were an able-bodied young man who chose to inherit your daddys business instead of serving. You need to shut your f***ing mouth. The Angry Staffer account responded to the same clip with the comment: Periodic reminder that Mullin was a rancher before he was elected to the Senate. He has no idea what war looks, smells, or tastes like. But hes fine with sending your kids to die for it. Also reacting angrily was the campaign group VoteVets, which said: Sen. Mullin probably thinks war smells like Mountain Dew, couch cushions, and control sweat because Call of Duty is the closest hes ever been to war. A number of other commentators unkindly shared a photograph of Mullin allegedly attempting to hide from the would-be insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, mocking his record of brave service. Trump also angered some veterans over the weekend over his apparently flippant attitude towards the first U.S. troops killed in the skirmishes, which he described as the way it is, leading to criticism from Democrats like Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Reps. Jason Crew and Pat Ryan, who found the phrase callous. In a separate appearance on Fox Business Monday, Mullin fumbled again when he confused Iran with Iraq. open image in gallery The aftermath of the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran ( Reuters ) Its up to the Iraqi people or, Im sorry, the Iranian people to choose their next go their next leader, he said. Its up to them to rise up and kick this regime out of place. If they do not, then they will be with a different leader, but the same regime. The senator was echoing Trumps call for the Iranian public to rise up and overthrow their oppressive government, saying the airstrikes represented a unique opportunity that might not come again. Mullin has previously offered a somewhat inconsistent stance on Iran, telling CNNs Kaitlan Collins in January: Even though were not into regime change If that leadership is going to kill their own people, the president said well come to your rescue. A month later, he told the same network: If it takes us removing the ayatollah from keeping the nuclear program from moving forward, then thats not off the table, but we would prefer diplomacy. Mullin last week attracted attention for sparring with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at a confirmation hearing for Trumps nominee for surgeon-general, Dr. Casey Means. The GOP member was incensed when the veteran leftist teased him for making long-winded remarks about the importance of scientific inquiry. 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 House Ethics Committee investigation has been launched into allegations that Rep. Nancy Mace overcharged a congressional program intended to help defray housing costs for lawmakers who have residences in Washington. Mace, a South Carolina Republican in her third House term, denies the allegations, decrying a partisan process and saying officials had ignored her rebuttal evidence. After an investigation, the Office of Congressional Conduct said it believes that there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Mace engaged in improper reimbursement practices." The office sent its findings to the Ethics panel for review. Mace took part in a program that helps members of Congress defray the costs of their bifurcated existences between Washington and their home districts, subsidizing food, travel and lodging expenses. Mace speaks to the press after a deposition with former US President Bill Clinton as part of the committee's investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, on February 27, 2026 ( AFP via Getty Images ) During 2023 and 2024, her second term in office, the report alleges Mace recouped about $9,500, more than the true costs" for the Washington home she shared with her then-fiance. Noting that Mace "refused to interview" as part of its probe, the office said it was unable to determine how or why Rep. Mace decided to seek the maximum allowable reimbursement when it exceeded her expenses incurred. Allowing that Maces lodging expenses may have exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement for some months, the report said that its available evidence suggests Rep. Mace did not take appropriate measures to ensure she sought reimbursement for expenses actually incurred. In a December letter filed with the committee, an attorney for Mace wrote that the congresswoman's former fiance, with whom she ended her relationship in late 2023, had been "engaged in an ongoing campaign to discredit and injure the Congresswoman through false narratives and misuse of legal process, and that any information originating from them would raise serious credibility concerns." Despite that, attorney William Sullivan Jr. said the office declined to disclose if the former fiance had been involved with the investigation. He said the referral to Ethics appears to rely heavily on unverified materials originating from individuals with personal or adversarial motives. GOP Rep. Michael Guest of Florida, chairman of the Ethics Committee, said the referral about Mace was received in December. The committee's decision to investigate is not evidence of wrongdoing, and Guest pointed out that the committee wouldn't make further comment until it completes an investigation. 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 federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to halt New Yorks first-in-the-nation congestion fee. The charge, meant to reduce traffic and pump revenue into the regions aging transit system, went into effect in January 2025, but Trump immediately moved to axe it. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Transportation lacked the authority to unilaterally rescind approval of the $9 toll, which was initially green-lighted by former Democratic President Joe Biden. Instead, he sided with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which had argued that the departments reversal was arbitrary and capricious because the agency had not adequately explained its reasoning. In his 149-page ruling, Liman noted that New York's legislature passed the toll, which was signed into law by its governor and received the necessary federal approvals before launching. Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, has strongly opposed the program ( AP ) The democratic process worked, he wrote, even as he left the door open for future attempts by Trump and other opponents to kill the program, which took effect on Jan. 5, 2025. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the decision vindicates a once-in-a-lifetime success story that's yielded huge benefits in its first year of operation, including reducing gridlock and unlocking critical funding for mass transit. The judges decision is clear: Donald Trumps unlawful attempts to trample on the self-governance of his home state have failed spectacularly," the Democrat said in a statement. Congestion pricing is legal, it works, and it is here to stay. Spokespersons for USDOT didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. New Yorks congestion toll is imposed on most vehicles driving into Manhattan south of Central Park. The toll varies depending on vehicle type and time of day, and is added to tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan, but generally costs about $9. Congestion pricing schemes aimed at reducing traffic pollution and encouraging public transit use have long existed in other global cities, including London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore, but not in the U.S. But Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, has strongly opposed the idea. During his presidential campaign, he vowed to kill New York's plan as soon as he took office. Then last February, his transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, rescinded the toll's federal approval. Duffy at the time called the toll a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners" and threatened to withhold federal funding for projects in New York if it wasnt discontinued. But Liman temporarily blocked the administration from following through on those threats until he issued a final ruling. The judge previously dismissed a series of lawsuits brought by the local opponents, including New Jerseys governor, unionized teachers in New York City, a trucking industry group and local suburban leaders. Hochul had also been initially skeptical of the toll, which had been in the works years before she took office. The governor paused its planned rollout in 2024, citing economic concerns, before ultimately deciding to lower the fee from $15 to $9. As the program marked its first anniversary in January, Hochul, who is up for reelection, joined the MTA in touting the toll's benefits. According to a recent MTA report, the toll has led to some 27 million fewer vehicles coming into the heart of Manhattan, resulting in 22% less air pollution and 23% faster commute times for those opting to drive and pay the fee. The toll has also generated more than $550 million in revenue for the regions creaky and cash-strapped transit system exceeding projections, the MTA has said. Sales tax revenues, office leases and foot traffic in the congestion zone have all increased since the toll took effect, disproving concerns it would hurt the local economy, according to the agency. Traffic is down, business is up, and were making crucial investments in a transit system that moves millions of people a day, Janno Lieber, the MTA's CEO, said Tuesday. "New York is winning. 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 While defending the U.S. strikes against Iran, a GOP lawmaker gave Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth an unexpected promotion, referring to him as president repeatedly. Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, spoke to Fox News Monday about the Trump administrations bombing of Tehran, which is threatening to engulf the Middle East in a wider conflict and has been criticized by some of the presidents MAGA allies. When the president first came out and he talked to the American people, he was very resolved and direct on what we could expect, Mullin said. War is ugly. It smells bad. And if anybodys ever been there and been able to smell the war thats happening around you and taste it and fill it in your nostrils, and hear it, its something that youll never forget. The first-term senator, who has never served in the U.S. military, then mistakenly described Hegseth as the commander-in-chief several times on air. Fortunately you have President Hegseth or I say President Hegseth Secretary Hegseth, that has got a great relationship with President Trump, and President Hegseth's been there, hes done that, Mullin said. open image in gallery Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, referred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as 'president' several times while addressing the strikes on Iran ( Getty ) Shortly after, the MAGA Republican made another stumble in an interview with CNN, when discussing whether or not Congress should have authorized the strikes. When it comes to the [Authorization for Use of Military Force], which is why it was passed for terrorist organizations that was trying to harm us, theres no question that Iraq or Iran clearly fits in that picture because we know, Mullin said. Irans been the number one sponsor of terror around the world for decades now. But sir, doesn't that slip that you made underscore exactly why the American people are telling us in our poll that they dont want this? correspondent Kasie Hunt asked. The memory of Iraq is still very fresh in a lot of Americans minds. A spokesperson for Mullin did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. open image in gallery The attacks have left hundreds dead in Iran, according to state media, and have prompted retaliatory strikes on U.S. and Israeli assets and allies across the region ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The senator is just one of many Trump allies both in Congress and in the administration who have scrambled to justify the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that started this past weekend, and have at times given conflicting statements. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Monday that he knew there was going to be an Israeli action that would precipitate an attack against American forces, which the Trump administration moved to preempt. In an interview with Fox News late Monday, Vice President JD Vance suggested that strikes occurred in order to prevent the Iranians from developing a nuclear weapon. Vance a longtime skeptic of foreign wars, who argued as recently as 2024 against attacking Iran said: There's just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multi-year conflict. Hegseth provided a different rationale, telling reporters that Iran was targeted in order to stop the country from building a conventional shield for its nuclear program. Democrats, who have largely opposed the military operation, described it as illegal and unwise, and seized on varying justifications. We have seen the goals for this operation change now, I believe, four or five times, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Monday. It was about the Iranian nuclear capacity, a few days later it was about taking out the ballistic missiles, it was then in the presidents own words about regime change and now we hear its about sinking the Iranian fleet. Many prominent voices in MAGA world, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson, have also come out against the Iran strikes. This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be, Greene wrote on X. Shame! The U.S.-Israeli attack has left hundreds of civilians dead in Iran, according to state media. In response, the Iranian military has launched retaliatory strikes on American and Israeli assets and allies in the region, including in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Trump has said the conflict could go on for weeks, if not longer. Just one in four Americans say they support the Iran attacks, according to a recent Reuters survey. 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 Montana Republican who served as interior secretary during President Donald Trumps first administration will not seek reelection to a fifth term in the U.S. House, citing health concerns. Ryan Zinke, 64, a former Navy SEAL from Whitefish, Montana, said in a letter to constituents that he underwent multiple surgeries in recent years and faces more treatment for injuries sustained during more than two decades in the military. He said his condition, which he did not specify, was not life-threatening but required considerable time for recovery. My judgement and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absence and missed votes, he wrote. The decision gives Democrats an outside chance to pick up a House seat this fall in a state that has veered to the right politically over the past decade. Republicans have a narrow 218-214 majority, with three seats vacant ahead of the November midterm elections. Zinke was elected to the U.S. House in 2014 after four years in the Montana Legislature. He was tapped as Trumps interior secretary in 2017 but resigned in 2018 amid numerous ethics investigations. The Montana Republican served as interior secretary during President Donald Trumps first administration ( AFP via Getty ) His political career bounced back in 2022 when Zinke narrowly won in a newly created congressional district in western Montana. He won again in 2024 by a comfortable margin. Several Democrats had already lined up to challenge Zinke in the November election, including former gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse and union organizer Sam Forstag. Ryan Zinke quit because he saw what was coming: all of us, Forstag said in a statement, adding that people in western Montana wanted new leadership. On Monday, Zinke and Montana Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy endorsed conservative talk radio host Aaron Flint, who announced his candidacy in a social media post. Zinke said Flint, a combat veteran, is the next generation of leadership Montana needs. Also joining the race was Flathead County Republican Committee Chairman Al Doc Olszewski. The former state senator and surgeon who served in the Air Force came within 2 percentage points of beating Zinke in the 2022 GOP primary. He filed paperwork to run hours after Zinke announced he would not, and told The Associated Press the eventual Republican nominee will need broad appeal to win in November. The Democrats have a fair shot at this race, Olszewski said. This is not a safe Republican district. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said Zinke was a champion for Montana, first as a SEAL and later in politics. Gianforte won a special House election to fill Zinkes seat after the Republican joined Trumps Cabinet. During his time at the Interior Department, Zinke worked to advance Trumps drill, baby, drill agenda and to boost oil and gas extraction from government lands. He also advocated for conservation and last year led efforts to remove the potential sales of public lands from a Republican budget proposal against opposition from some in his party. 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 On Tuesday night, two major standoffs will take place in Texas that carry broad implications for the midterm elections in November. On the surface, a Texas race for the U.S. Senate should be easy pickings for Republicans. President Donald Trump won the state three times. Democrats have not won a Senate race in Texas since 1988. But Trumps approval is falling across the country, and that has even spread to the reliably crimson Lone Star state, where a poll by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas found that 49 percent of Texans disapprove of Trump. A growing number of Hispanics, who make up 40 percent of the state, also disapprove of his mass deportation regime. And a right-wing candidate saddled with numerous scandals has thrown what should be a safe seat into jeopardy. So, todays contentious Republican Primary which pits incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn, a vestige of the conservative establishment, against the states ultra-MAGA Attorney General Ken Paxton has left Democrats feeling like they have a real chance to capitalize on the chaos, flip the seat and ultimately win back a Senate majority, which currently stands 53-47 in favor of Republicans. And that glimmer of hope has triggered its own contentious race on the other side of the aisle between two very different types of Democrats, pitching two very different messages to win over voters. open image in gallery So youre saying theres a chance: President Trumps flagging polling and a pair of Republican candidates with heavy political baggage, have Democrats James Talarico (l.) and Jasmine Crockett (r.) believing they can steal a solid-red seat. ( AP ) It has turned the Texas Senate primary race into one of the most expensive primaries in U.S. history, with more than $128 million spent. Cornyn and his allies alone have spent $71 million and Democratic state representative James Talarico spending $24.3 million and living up to that old adage that things are always bigger in the Lone Star State. Polling places in most of the state close at 8 p.m. ET, but the western edge of Texas, including El Paso, is in a different time zone, so polls there dont close until 9 pm ET. Calls in the Republican or Democratic primaries will not be made until after 9 p.m. ET - although polling data should come in quickly at that point. Its not the only state that has primaries this evening. Staunchly Republican Arkansas is holding its primaries, with polls expected to close at 7:30 pm local time. And North Carolina, which has a contentious congressional Democratic primary in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill region and a primary to determine which Republican will run against former Democratic governor Roy Cooper for Senate, has its contest with polls closing at 7:30 pm. Heres a breakdown of the dynamics at play Tuesday, brisket and tortillas not included. The last stand of a genteel Republican Cornyn looks like a Texas country lawyer, replete with his square jaw, his silver slicked back hair, his wry humor and cowboy boots that he wears with his business suits. He normally should be guaranteed re-election to the Senate seat that he first won in 2002. Hes voted with Trump 99 percent of the time on everything from the 2017 tax cuts to the One Big, Beautiful Bill that extended them while slashing Medicaid, to confirming his most controversial nominees like Tulsi Gabbard to be director of National Intelligence. A hawk on immigration, hes supported Trumps efforts to continue building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. And he voted for all three of Trumps Supreme Court picks. But that 1 percent opposition Cornyn voted to certify Joe Bidens election victory, for example has made Cornyn radioactive in the MAGA stronghold and led to accusations that he is a RINO (Republican in name only.) open image in gallery Donald Trump looms large in Republican Sen. John Cornyns (left) re-election in Texas. But Trump has remained neutral in the race. ( Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) open image in gallery Cornyn faces the toughest re-election of his career against MAGA Attorney General Ken Paxton, but Donald Trump has stayed out of the race. ( Getty Images ) In 2022, following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and 2 teachers died, Cornyn negotiated a gun control bill with Democrats, angering many conservatives. In 2023, as Trump launched his run for president, Cornyn further enraged the preisdents supporters by saying that Trumps time has passed him by and said Trump was interested in turning out his base. But he remains in the fight, with current polling showing Cornyn consistently polling behind Paxton. Cornyn has warned that Paxton is toxic and an albatross to the rest of the Republican ticket. We haven't lost a statewide election in Texas since 1994 but we could this year if the wrong person is at the top of the ticket, Cornyn warned last month. Paxton, by contrast, is a product of Texas hard-right turn in the past decade and a half. Hes served as attorney general since 2015. In that capacity, he attempted to help Trump throw out the 2020 presidential election results by suing battleground states over their results, which the Supreme Court threw out. In 2023, he attempted to block a woman named Kate Cox from receiving a medically necessary abortion. But he has also been mired in scandal almost as long as he has been attorney general. He had been under federal indictment for years, though the Justice Department declined to prosecute him. In 2023, he was impeached by Texas House of Representatives at the time controlled by his own party - for corruption, specifically, using his office to benefit a campaign donor named Nate Paul, who at the time was under federal investigation. The impeachment trial spilled a host of unsavory details including about Paxtons alleged affair, such as him using an Uber account under the name of Dave P for alleged trysts with his mistress. He was eventually acquitted by the state senate after Trump criticized the impeachment efforts. The acquittal emboldened Paxton and turned him into a heroic figure in right-wing circles. open image in gallery Republicans fear that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons numerous scandals could lead to them losing a seat in blood-red Texas. ( Getty Images ) But there was personal fallout. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, announced she would divorce him on biblical grounds over the alleged infidelity. To add to the drama, Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, a two-term congressman from Houston, jumped into the race late, causing a three-way split. A YouGov poll shows that Hunt is taking about 17 percent of the vote. This has created a nightmare scenario: if no Republican wins a majority Tuesday, the race will go into a runoff twelve weeks from now with the top two candidates, giving the Democratic pick a major head start. To make matters worse, Trump has stayed neutral in the race, likely aware that many of his supporters like Paxton and disdain Cornyn. But Senate leaders have appealed to Trump to back Cornyn, fearing how Paxton will fare against a Democratic challenger. National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott warned that a Paxton win could cost them the seat or be incredibly expensive to save. It is a strong possibility we cannot hold Texas if John Cornyn is not our nominee, Scott told Fox News on Wednesday. Stephen Colbert and derogatory disses haunt Democrats If Republicans fear that Paxton will cost them a Senate seat and down-ballot races, Democrats have their own challenges with candidates. The two-way race pits Texas State Rep. James Talarico, a white Presbyterian seminarian from Austin, against U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Black, two-term congresswoman from Dallas who has become a favorite in liberal media circles for her viral attacks on Trump and her Republican colleagues, often made in her tomato barbecue sauce-thick Texas drawl. Polling has been all over the place, with some showing Crockett leading and others showing Talarico with a majority of the votes. The latest YouGov poll shows Talarico beating Crockett by 13 points with 53 percent of the vote, which would be enough to avoid a runoff. open image in gallery Texas State Representative James Talarico is staging an insurgent campaign for Senate, betting on the idea he can win over Christian voters and Hispanics who previously broke for Trump. ( Getty Images ) Talaricos supporters argue that he can win over Christian conservatives put off by Paxtons rhetoric, and Hispanic voters in Texas who voted for Trump in large numbers in the presidential election but might find Paxton unsavory or who disapprove of Trumps policies on deportation. The fact Talarico is open about his Christian faith has some Democrats thinking he might not be as much of a threat. Talarico has campaigned heavily in the Rio Grande Valley - a majority-Hispanic region along the U.S.-Mexico border that had voted for Democrats for the better part of a century until Trump flipped it in 2024, taking out a key column of support for Democrats in the state. He appeared on Joe Rogans hugely popular podcast where he earned praise from him due to him talking about how being disillusioned is understandable but life did not to be that way forever. Rogan said We need someone who is actually a good person. Talarico got a further boost to his national profile, and fundraising, when he appeared on Stephen Colberts Late Show after Colbert said that CBS lawyers prohibited Talarico from appearing on the show citing the Federal Communications Commissions Equal Time rule. He actually didnt make it to the show itself but on its YouTube channel. The move led to Talarico raising $2.5 million after Colbert posted the video on YouTube. But his campaign was hit with controversy after a TikTok account accused Talarico of saying he had signed up to run against a mediocre Black man like Colin Allred (a previous candidate who dropped out of the Democratic primary in December) and not an accomplished Black woman like Crockett. Allred, who is now running for his former congressional seat, slammed Talarico while endorsing Crockett, saying dont come for me unless I send for you. It has not seemed to move the needle, with one Democratic-aligned operative telling The Independent last month that There's eight people, most of whom don't live in Texas, who are fighting on the internet and that is driving [the conversation]. Talarico called the claim a mischaracterization of the conversation. In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allreds method of campaigning as mediocrebut his life and service are not, he said. I would never attack him on the basis of race. open image in gallery Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) hopes to convert the national name recognition she has received into the Democratic nomination for Senate. But some Democrats fear her aggressive rhetoric might cost them the seat. ( Getty Images ) On the other side, Crockett is a much more pugnacious Democrat who is unafraid to take an aggressive stance towards MAGA Republicans, Memorably when she hit back at remarks that former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene made about her fake eyelashes, which prompted her to ask the committee chairman if calling someone a bleach blonde bad-built butch body. would be considered a personal attack. But many Democrats fear her approach is too caustic to reach Texas voters who have backed Trump in the past. And she previously came under fire for calling the Texas Republican governor Greg Abbott Governor Hot Wheels, since he uses a wheelchair. Whoever wins, will still have an uphill battle. Crockett will need to win over younger college-educated voters and white urban dwellers, and Talarico will need to convince Black voters come November. Whats at stakes Tuesday night In the most basic terms, the race is about the Senate majority North Carolinas open Senate seat and flipping Republican Sen. Susan Collins seat in Maine. Democrats are the easiest parts of their math. They are betting on a miracle in either Alaska or Ohio to get them to 50. But if they want a majority, they would need to flip Texas to get to 51. But claiming a Senate seat in ruby-red Texas also strikes at something deeper. To Democrats, Texas is a point of frustration: a fools gold that seems to have all the elements that should make it a blue state: a large number of well-educated white voters, major cities like Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas-Fort-Worth, and large Black and Latino populations. For Republicans, Texas is the crown jewel in its coalition with its history of cowboys, love of guns, the fossil fuel industry, wide open spaces, no state income tax, and Christian conservatism. So its about saving the GOP brand. Ever since George W. Bush won a landslide re-election as governor in 1998, Republicans have won every statewide race in Texas. Cornyn, who became the first Republican attorney general in a century that same year, is the last of that era and he, and many other Republican leaders at least view him as keeping the lid on what Democrats need to be competitive - a dubious moral character such as Paxton. And while Trump has been successful in his own right, his acolytes have cost Republicans winnable seats in formerly GOP strongholds like Georgia and Arizona, which opened the door for Democrats to win there. If Democrats were to pierce through their armor in Texas, their grip on the Senate and the country becomes more precarious. 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 Trump offered little in the way of an optimistic view of Irans future on Tuesday during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, the president took his first extended Q&A on the military campaign launched by the U.S. on Saturday morning. Trump gave no indication of who the U.S. hoped would assume leadership of Irans government in the days to come, explaining that many potential candidates had been killed in the first round of strikes. He also admitted that his actions could result in a leader with even more fervent anti-U.S. sentiment coming to power. I guess the worst case is we do this and then somebody takes over who is as bad as the previous person, Trump admitted. That could happen." Most of the people we had in mind [to lead Iran] are dead, the president continued. Pretty soon were not going to know anybody. The U.S., along with Israel, began targeted strikes on Iranian targets early Saturday morning. Those strikes are now confirmed to have killed Irans supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei. In the days that followed, the White House and GOP have faced questions about what this means for both the U.S. and Iran, including whether America is now involved in an extended war in the Middle East and who the Trump administration hopes will take over the Iranian government in the wake of a devastating campaign intended to decapitate the regime and its military. Top Trump administration officials have offered differing explanations for the necessity of the attacks, which were reportedly authorized only a day after top U.S. negotiators met with Iranian diplomats in Geneva. open image in gallery Very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have: Trump has carried on criticising the UK and its refusal to offer help ( AP ) Among the reasons for launching the strikes have been the supposed resumption of Irans nuclear weapons development, the imminent threat supposedly posed by its non-nuclear ballistic missile program, and the negotiators refusal to address non-nuclear weapons and support for terrorist groups like the Houthis in Geneva. Trump offered yet another explanation on Tuesday: he believed that the Iranians planned to launch their own attack first. He gave no evidence for this. We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first, said the president. They were going to attack if we didn't do it. They were going to attack first, I felt strongly about that. The answer came in response to a reporters question about the claim that Israeli officials had forced Trumps hand by informing him of their own plans to launch strikes against Iran. We have great negotiators, great people, people who do this very successfully. And based on the way that the negotiations was going, I think that they were going to attack first. And I didn't want that to happen, Trump said. So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand. But Israel was ready and we were ready. During the meeting, Trump also lashed out at two NATO allies, Spain and the U.K. The president attacked the former for preventing U.S. forces from using Spanish military bases for the Iran war effort, and the latter for a similar issue with the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Referring to the U.K.s Keir Starmer, Trump remarked twice that the prime minister was no Winston Churchill, telling reporters: I will say the U.K. has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease; having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. Whats that all about? This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. White House officials who spoke to reporters on Tuesday explained that negotiators who met with their Iranian counterparts in Geneva last Thursday came prepared to address both the Iranian nuclear program and other aspects of conflict between Washington and Tehran, including the broader threat that Irans ballistic missiles pose across the region. According to those officials, Iranian officials who were present at that meeting indicated that future nuclear enrichment capabilities were a red line, an inalienable right which Iranian officials would not surrender. open image in gallery Trump with Friedrich Merz at the White House on Tuesday ( Getty ) We said to them that you may have that if you may deem that to be your right, we deem our right the ability to stop that, and we're going to stop it, and we're not going to allow it, claimed a senior Trump administration figure. Axios reported over the weekend that Trump authorized the strikes against Iran on Friday, just hours after being briefed by negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the gulf that still separated the Iranian and American positions in the talks. In the strikes so far, hundreds of Iranians are confirmed dead while retaliatory Iranian missile and rocket attacks have taken place in numerous countries across the Middle East, killing some including six service members. That number has climbed slowly since Saturday. While the White Houses assertion that Iran presented an existential threat to the region has been accepted by the U.S.s European allies, its explanation that Iran was once again days or weeks from developing weapons-grade nuclear material or a bomb itself has not. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, denied to CNN that Iran had the capacity to produce such results in such a short time period. It is an evaluation that is based on the fact that Iran has a very big, ambitious nuclear program, that we do not have the accesses that we should have Grossi also reportedly said, according to The Wall Street Journal. At the same time, I have saidwe dont see a structured program to manufacture nuclear weapons. 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 admitted in a letter to Congress that it is not possible at this time to know how long the U.S. attacks on Iran would last. In an official notification to Congress about Trumps war on Iran, the president set out how he does not have a clear timeline for the military action, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, that he launched on February 28. Although the United States desires a quick and enduring peace, it is not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary, Trump wrote Monday. Following the letter, Trump caused alarm in a separate Truth Social post Monday night, where he said that wars can be fought forever. Trump has offered vague and inconsistent timelines for the conflict. He said Sunday that the bombing could last four to five weeks. open image in gallery President Donald Trump, pictured in Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, admitted in a letter to Congress that it is not possible at this time to know how long the U.S. attacks on Iran would last ( AP ) The president sent the letter under the War Powers Act, requiring him to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying U.S. troops. In addition, it requires that troops be withdrawn within 60 days, with a possible 30-day extension, if Congress has not declared war or authorized the use of military force. He wrote that the threat to the U.S. from Iran has become untenable to justify the military action, which has so far killed six American service members and seriously wounded 18. The strikes on Iran have killed at least 787 people, according to the Red Crescent, and the non-profit Human Rights Activists in Iran reports that 176 children are among the dead. Trump set out in the letter that the mission was planned and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties, deter future attacks and neutralize Irans malign activities. In Mondays Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. has a virtually unlimited supply of weapons stockpiles. open image in gallery In an official notification to Congress about Trumps war on Iran, the president set out how he does not have a clear timeline for the military action, dubbed Operation Epic Fury ( AP ) The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons, Trump said. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). The president has brushed off fury from his MAGA base following criticism of the strikes from prominent right-wing figures, including Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly. Conservative podcast host Kelly said she had serious doubts over the military action and questioned whether they were worth the deaths of multiple U.S. service members, while Carlson said the bombing campaign was absolutely disgusting and evil. In an interview with independent D.C. newsletter The Inner Circle Monday night, the president declared that his base is still behind him. I have to do whats right, number one and you cant have Iran getting a nuclear weapon. Thats predominant to me, Trump said. I think that MAGA is Trump MAGAs not the other two, he said, referring to Kelly and Carlson. MAGA wants to see our country thrive and be safe. And MAGA loves what Im doing every aspect of it 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 hand makeup has found a new home covering the mysterious rash that appeared on the side of his neck earlier this week. Trumps face appeared to strike a different shade during a meeting on Tuesday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, with the bright red rash that made national headlines the previous day seemingly covered up. While Trumps skin appeared clear albeit a different tone in photographs on Tuesday, just a day earlier, he was seen sporting what looked like a large, red rash and scabs on the right side of his neck, spreading from his ear to the back of his head. White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella brushed off the irritation in a statement to The Independent Monday, saying: President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor. Trumps doctor declined to say what the cream was attempting to prevent and why it was prescribed. He said he would be using the treatment for a week. open image in gallery President Donald Trump appeared to use his signature hand makeup on his neck rash one day after the mysterious skin condition made national headlines ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery Trump was seen with a bright red rash on Monday ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) It was unlikely that Trumps rash had fully gone away on Tuesday, as Barbabella noted the redness is expected to last for a few weeks. The Independent has contacted the White House seeking clarification about the cream, why it was prescribed and Trumps use of makeup to conceal the rash. MSNow Medical Analyst Dr. Vin Gupta hypothesized on X that Trumps rash could be pre-cancerous and slammed the White House for being secretive about the skin conditions cause. The White House medical team didnt know [Trump] got a CT scan. They claimed it was a MRI for weeks, Gupta wrote, referencing a MRI Trump said he had in October as part of a regular checkup. Now instead of acknowledging he might have a pre-cancerous skin condition, they dance around the issue. Trying to fool the public just makes it worse, Gupta added. In a statement to the Daily Beast, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hit out at those speculating over the presidents heath. Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath theyve sworn to, she said. These are false and slanderous allegations from doctors who are unethically speculating on health matters they have no insight into. As Trump was photographed during a Medal of Honor ceremony on Monday with the rash on his neck, he was also seen with a thick layer of makeup on his right hand, covering up bruising. The mysterious neck rash only adds to the mounting scrutiny Trump has faced over his physical health and mental acuity after becoming the oldest president to be sworn into office in January 2025. open image in gallery Trump has used make up in the past to cover bruising on his hand ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery There has been mounting concern over Trumps health ever since he was first seen with bruised hands and swollen ankles ( AFP/Getty ) Questions have swirled surrounding the presidents health ever since he was first photographed with bruised hands and swollen ankles. White House officials tried to ease concerns by blaming the hand bruises on frequent handshaking. However, Trump, 79, told The Wall Street Journal in January that the bruises come from taking a higher dose of aspirin than doctors recommend, which he has done for years. The president also said that he applies makeup to his hand after he gets whacked again by someone and that I have makeup thats, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds. Trumps cognitive health has also been a topic of concern during his second term. The president has been filmed with his eyes shut during Cabinet meetings and in the Oval Office but has said photographers just take a photo of him when his eyes are closed. Last July, White House officials announced that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency which was to blame for his swollen ankles. The condition affects millions of Americans and is not a serious health threat. It occurs when a persons leg veins dont allow blood to flow back up to the heart. 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 federal court has rejected the Trump administrations bid to slow the process of refunding billions of dollars in tariffs, which the Supreme Court previously ruled illegal. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has now advanced the refund process, sending the matter to a lower court for resolution. Trumps Justice Department had urged the Federal Circuit last Friday to proceed cautiously and impose a 90-day delay, but judges dismissed the request. The Supreme Courts ruling on 20 February declared Trumps extensive tariffs on most global countries unlawful, paving the way for importers who paid them to seek refunds. By mid-December, the government had collected over $130 billion from the tariffs and could ultimately face a liability of up to $175 billion in refunds, according to calculations by the Penn Wharton Budget Model. However, the Supreme Courts decision offered no guidance on refunds, not even mentioning them. The US Court of International Trade in New York will now determine how the complex refund process should proceed. "I would expect the Court of International Trade to quickly issue an order requesting a status update from the government on their plans with respect to refunds (or expedited briefing)," said trade lawyer Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former US trade official. "I expect the court to take an aggressive posture, asking the government to justify how they intend to comply with the Supreme Courts ruling." Trumps Justice Department had urged the Federal Circuit last Friday to proceed cautiously and impose a 90-day delay, but judges dismissed the request ( AFP/Getty ) Siddartha Rao, a partner at law firm Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, noted a surge in client inquiries. "We are somewhat in uncharted territory," he stated. The Trump administration has been seeking to implement new tariffs to replace those struck down by the Supreme Court. A key question, Rao highlighted, is how the government will finance these substantial refunds. "Everyone is sort of cognizant of the fact that its not like theres over a hundred billion dollars sitting in, you know, in a room somewhere to just cut checks," Rao explained. "So, you know, this is a Treasury problem, and it may very well be that the administration is reimposing tariffs for the reasons that its cited ... its important for strategic trade agreements and for bargaining power and all of that. But it also might be that they need to raise revenue to pay out refunds." 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 Business owners across the country who were forced to absorb the cost of President Donald Trumps tariffs, or pass them along to consumers, say they are being left in the lurch by the government after seeking refunds. After the Supreme Court struck down the presidents tariffs last month, more than 240 businesses have filed complaints with the U.S. Court of International Trade, seeking reimbursement. But lawyers for the Trump administration are exploring other options, such as bringing back the tariffs under other laws. The administration also made an unsuccessful attempt to delay action for 90 days leaving business owners utterly confused. The level of uncertainty is crazy, Matt Weyandt, co-founder of Xocolatl Chocolate, a small-batch chocolate maker in Atlanta, told the New York Times. Weyandt said his company, which sources cacao beans from Nicaragua and other countries, doesnt have the legal resources to closely follow the status of Trumps tariffs on agricultural products or to file a request for a refund. open image in gallery Less than two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs, more than 240 businesses have requested refunds from the government ( AFP via Getty Images ) We just dont have teams of lawyers to go out and sort through this stuff for us, Weyandt said. Its going to be us stopping everything that were doing to spend however long it takes to sort through it. But even if Weyandts business filed a complaint, it would be joining more than 1,000 other companies that have filed similar lawsuits within the last year. Each day that passes since the Supreme Court made its ruling, dozens of other businesses are joining the call for a refund. The businesses requesting refunds range from massive corporations such as LOreal or Dyson, to small businesses. Most, if not all, are under the expectation, set by lawyers for the government last May, that they could receive refunds including any postjudgment interest that accrues, should the tariffs be deemed unlawful. Economists and company CEOs had warned that Trumps tariffs would raise consumer prices because many businesses had no choice but to pass along extra costs to customers although Trump vehemently denied that would be the case. open image in gallery After the Supreme Court overturned tariffs, Trump lashed out at judges, accusing them of making a bad ruling ( AFP/Getty ) The flood of cases at the Court of International Trade means the process of issuing refunds out of the $100 billion-plus collected from tariffs will become more complicated and have a larger economic impact. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative justice nominated by Trump, had warned in his dissenting opinion that the process of issuing refunds would be a mess. There could be hundreds of thousands of suits, Rick Woldenberg, the CEO of Learning Resources and hand2mind, one of the main plaintiffs in the case against Trumps tariffs, told Politico. It would be pretty dumb to set up circumstances where they cause the Court of International Trade to be basically hobbled brought to its knees by hundreds of thousands of pointless lawsuits all to try and get back money that the Supreme Court says we have a right to, Woldenberg said. But given the Trump administrations attempt to pause the ruling from taking effect, it does not appear theyre ready to begin refunding businesses. open image in gallery The global tariffs, imposed in April 2025, were brought for national security reasons, Trump said at the time ( Reuters ) Richard A. Mojica, a lawyer at Miller & Chevalier Chartered which represents some of the companies, told the New York Times, he has been telling clients to assume that Customs is not going to make it easy. Trump appeared furious at the Supreme Court for striking down his key economic plan, saying Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, his nominations for the court, should be ashamed for ruling against it. Trump promised to use other laws to impose his sweeping global tariffs but no formal plan has been announced by the White House. Immediately after the courts ruling, Trump issued a 150-day, 10 percent tariff globally that does not require congressional approval then later raised it to 15 percent. 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 top Pentagon official told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Canada needs to step up militarily to align with NATO and the U.S. as part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. While being questioned on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby told Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin that his department has been working with the Department of Defense and Canada on strategies to deal with Russia. Were working a lot with our Canadian partners, Colby said, adding: Theyre one of the countries that really does need to step up. Colby noted that while Canada has an incredibly storied and proud military history, the Canadian Armed Forces have dismantled in the years since the Cold War. Weve been in continuing contact with them with a sense of where they need to go, not only to meet NATO targets but also homeland defenses as part of NORAD, potential for Golden Dome, these other kinds of things, Colby said. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said Tuesday that Canada needs to step up militarily to align with NATO and the U.S. ( Getty Images ) He added: Were really looking very carefully at Canada to make sure that theyre stepping up in line with collective defense and what everybody in NATO is doing. The Independent has contacted the Canadian Armed Forces for comment. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said last May that his government was in talks with the U.S. to join President Donald Trumps proposed Golden Dome missile defense program, which would cost an estimated $175 billion and be the first time the U.S. would put weapons in space. The major initiative was launched by Trump last year, but has seen slow progress ever since. The relationship between the U.S. and Canada has been strained in recent months, in part due to tariff threats and Trump repeatedly referring to the neighboring country as the 51st state. The U.S. cautioned in January that it could alter its decades-old North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deal with Canada, should its northern neighbor backtrack on the purchase of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra warned that if Canada purchased fewer fighter jets, the U.S. would fill those gaps in security concerns. That could mean the U.S. would need to purchase more F-35 fighter jets for its own use and use them to intervene in Canadian airspace more frequently. Under the current terms of NORAD, the U.S. and Canada can operate in one anothers airspace to track or intercept threats. However, Hoekstra indicated U.S. intervention would go even further, should the fighter jet deal change, thus requiring new terms to the Cold War-era agreement. Hoekstras comments in January came months after the Canadian government indicated it was reviewing the terms of the fighter jet deal after finding the program to be costlier than expected. 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 Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides medical care for roughly 9 million former members of the U.S. military, has eliminated thousands of medical positions left vacant after retirements and resignations last year, according to a report. A New York Times analysis of internal agency records found that VA had chosen not to hire replacements for approximately 14,400 unfilled vacancies in healthcare positions, a total that includes 1,500 doctors and 4,900 nurses and accounts for five percent of its total medical staff. A 2025 report by the VAs own inspector-general meanwhile discovered that more than 90 percent of the departments facilities were already suffering severe shortages of doctors and nearly 80 percent had a severe shortage of nurses. That comes despite President Donald Trump saying in a statement in November 2024, as he nominated former Georgia congressman Doug Collins to lead the department: We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our active duty servicemembers, veterans, and military families to ensure they have the support they need. open image in gallery Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins speaks during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, last November ( AFP/Getty ) Collins himself told the Senate during his confirmation hearing in January 2025: At the end of the day, the veteran is getting taken care of. VA care is going to happen. Responding to the analysis, departmental spokesman Peter Kasperowicz attacked the NYT as as an extreme liberal publication that is incapable of covering the Trump administration fairly, calling its report a shoddy hit piece. Kasperowicz told The Independent the positions being eliminated were not needed, that the VA was working much better under President Trump than it did under President [Joe] Biden, and that its success should be measured by performance, not staffing numbers. Every position we removed was an unfilled position, he said. No employees lost their job, VA personnel levels will not change, and VA care and benefits wont be affected at all. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that personnel levels will not change, and VA healthcare facilities will continue to hire for any jobs they need to fill. The newspapers analysis indicates that roughly 10,500 of the eliminated medical roles, or 73 percent of the total, had been filled at some point in 2025 or 2026, contradicting a claim by Collins that most of the vacancies had lingered unfilled for a year or more. open image in gallery The department also lost 83,000 jobs last year as the Trump administration sought to slim down the federal government, only for the decision to be scrapped ( Getty ) In addition to medical provider jobs, the VAs healthcare division also removed about 11,700 other vacant positions, according to the NYT, including roles for all-important social workers and psychologists and support staff like secretaries, police officers, and custodial workers. Geddes Scott, a recently retired nurse with the department based in New York City, said that his former place of work was understaffed, with exhausted nurses regularly asked to pull double shifts, risking mistakes on the job. Psychiatrist Dr. Katie Phelps, who also left the VA last year when the Trump administration began to crack down on remote working, called the loss of medical staff very worrisome and said: There was quite a lot of unintended collateral damage. That is the saddest part of all of this. Last year, the department was among many targeted by Elon Musks DOGE as it sought to slim down the federal bureaucracy, though in July, a decision to cut 83,000 jobs at the VA was scrapped, fearing it could spark public outcry. The department declared the cull was no longer necessary because it turned out to be on track to lose approximately 30,000 staff members by the end of the fiscal year anyway due to the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements, and normal attrition. That nevertheless trimmed the VAs total size to around 451,000 employees, down from 484,000 when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. We are going to maintain mission-essential jobs like doctors, nurses, and claims processors, Collins said at the time of the U-turn. Prior to that, the atmosphere among staff within the department was described as fearful, paranoid, and demoralized in a report by The Washington Post. Particularly damningly, one social worker at a hospital in the Great Lakes region told the Post: The veterans now check in and ask us how we are doing. They see the news and are very aware of the circumstances and fearful of losing VA support that they depend on. 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 Trump has announced that he will attend his first ever White House Correspondents' dinner as president, finally breaking his longstanding boycott of the glitzy event. In a Truth Social post Monday, the president claimed he had agreed to go along on Saturday, April 25 because White House journalists now recognize him as a great president, without citing evidence. Trump has shunned the dinner ever since 2015, after suffering a humiliating barrage of roasts from then-President Barack Obama at the 2011 event that reportedly persuaded him to run for the White House four years later. "In honor of our Nations 250th Birthday, and the fact that these 'Correspondents' now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!" Trump thundered. "Because the Press was extraordinarily bad to me, FAKE NEWS ALL, right from the beginning of my First Term, I boycotted the event, and never went as Honoree. "However, I look forward to being with everyone this year. Hopefully, it will be something very Special. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" The last White House Correspondents' Association Dinner that Trump attended was in 2015, and he refused to attend after his first inauguration ( Larry Busacca/Getty Images ) The White House Correspondents' Association, which has organized the dinner every year since 1924, did not comment on Trump's unlikely claim. "For more than 100 years, the journalists of the White House Correspondents' Association have enjoyed an evening with the president," said WHCA President Weijia Jiang. The dinner, she went on, "celebrates the First Amendment while supporting the work we do, including awards honoring excellent journalism and scholarships to help the next generation of reporters who will someday be the ones asking the questions at the White House. "We're happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt chimed in on X: "Will be fun!" Trump broke with decades of tradition after his first inauguration in 2017 when he announced that he would not attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner that year. Back in 2011, the cameras had caught him glaring fiercely as Obama and late night talk show host Seth Meyers ridiculed Trump and scoffed at the idea that he might ever become president. Many reports have since suggested that this event solidified Trump's intention to run in 2016, ultimately leading to his election victory. California Governor Gavin Newsom's office, which has frequently mocked Trump by posting in his distinctive and peculiar prose style, called Trump's announcement "beyond parody" in a post on X. "WE COULD NOT WRITE IT BETTER OURSELVES," it said. 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 U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is advising Americans in Israel that they can leave the country via taxi or shuttle, but if they do so, their safety cannot be guaranteed. Current government advice is for U.S. citizens to shelter in place and make their own security arrangements, with flights cancelled across the board as Israel enters a fourth day of war with Iran. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttles to the Taba Border Crossing with Egypt as of Monday, the embassy said in a statement, with registrations available via an evacuation form. The U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourisms shuttle, read the statement, which was posted on the embassys website and shared on X on Tuesday morning. open image in gallery Paramedics evacuate wounded people from the site of a deadly Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, Israel ( Associated Press ) If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety. Hours earlier, the State Department had included Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in a list of regions from which Americans should DEPART NOW due to serious safety risks. The list, posted on X on Monday evening by Mora Namdar, the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, also included Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran. Twelve people have been killed in Israel and hundreds injured as Iran fires a barrage of retaliatory missiles, including nine who died when a bomb shelter collapsed in Beit Shemesh. Three of the victims were teenage siblings, The Jerusalem Post reported, named by authorities as Yaakov Bitton, 16, Avigail Bitton, 15, and Sarah Bitton, 13. The newspaper also reported that sirens heard in Jerusalem Tuesday morning, warning of a suspected hostile aircraft infiltration, were triggered by a false alarm, which is now being investigated by the countrys military. open image in gallery A barrage of Iranian missiles has rained down on Israel as the countries enter a fourth day of war ( Associated Press ) The Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group is also targeting Israel from Lebanon in what it describes as vengeance for the killing of the Islamic Republics supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The embassy said it was not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel, and had provided the shuttle information as a courtesy. As a result of the current security situation throughout the region, the U.S. Embassy has directed that all U.S. government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice. The Taba Border Crossing is currently operating and scheduled to be open 24 hours a day, the embassy said. open image in gallery Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the war is necessary to decapitate Irans Islamic leadership ( AFP via Getty Images ) U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee also shared the update, adding that officials had been getting a lot of requests regarding evacuating from Israel from American citizens who are currently in Israel or who have family here. All of our personnel from embassy are sheltering in place, but I realize you may need to get people out and back home and not continue to incur hotel costs. Passengers who wished to travel to Jordan could take the shuttle as far as Eilat and then continue independently by taxi to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing, the update said, although Huckabee said he did not recommend exit via Jordan at this time due to the inconsistency of border crossings and onward flights. For those wishing to leave the Middle East, limited flights are available from Egypts Taba and Sharm al-Sheikh airports and Jordans Queen Alia International Airport. The U.S. Embassy advised American citizens remaining in Israel to exercise caution and increased personal security awareness including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert. It also said they should avoid demonstrations and large gatherings; avoid all areas with a heavy police presence; monitor local media; and regularly check the State Departments website. 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 Cyprus has claimed that the British governments poor communication caused a drone attack on the UK base in the country, dragging them into the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The government in Nicosia also refused to rule out renegotiating the use of RAF Akrotiri, one of two bases the British have maintained since the end of colonial rule of the island in 1960. Government spokesperson for Cyprus, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, told reporters on Monday: This is something that we must say we view with dissatisfaction... There was no clear clarification that the British bases in Cyprus would under no circumstances be used for any purpose other than humanitarian reasons in Sundays statement by the UK prime minister. A drone struck RAF Akrotiri shortly after midnight on Monday, causing minor material damage to an aircraft hangar. Another two drones were intercepted by British warplanes around midday on Monday after they were scrambled from the airbase. Senior Cypriot officials say the attack was carried out by an Iranian Shahed drone, most likely fired by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah from Lebanon, although the source of the strike remains unconfirmed. open image in gallery An emergency vehicle passes by the entrance of RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus, which was hit by an unmanned drone overnight on Monday ( Reuters ) The officials have stressed that the base considered sovereign British territory rather than Cyprus, was the target. Cyprus has asked Britain that the bases only be used for humanitarian purposes. Britain said on Sunday that it had accepted a US request to use its military bases for defensive strikes against Iran, a day after the launch of a US and Israeli military campaign against Iran, which triggered Iranian retaliation. Sir Keir Starmer later said the UKs bases on Cyprus were not being used by US bombers. According to Politico, Mr Letymbiotis said that Cyprus was making a formal diplomatic complaint, adding: All necessary steps will be taken to communicate our dissatisfaction, both with the way this message was communicated and the fact that yesterday there was no timely warning to citizens of Cyprus living near the Akrotiri bases. open image in gallery Air bases have been struck, including the one in Cyprus, as Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon seek reprisals from attacks by Israel and the US ( AP ) Asked whether Cyprus will look to renegotiate the status of the bases, the spokesperson replied: In this context, we are not ruling anything out. The semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said on Tuesday that France now plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus, an EU member, which currently holds the blocs rotating presidency. It follows Greeces offer of assistance on Monday. The strike marked the first time a British base in Cyprus had been hit since Libyan militants launched a rocket attack in 1986. The Independent has approached the UK government 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 An intense Saharan dust plume is to sweep into Europe this week as sand from North Africa is blown into the Iberian peninsula and western Mediterranean. Colourful sunrises and sunsets, hazy skies, and occasional deposits of dust if it rains, could be observed in some areas, according to the EUs Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). Spain, Portugal and parts of France will be especially affected around Friday before the plume moves into the North Sea and Scandinavia. Sand could reach Britain too, but the effects will be far more marginal. Rainfall could bring the dust down to the surface because of what experts call a high likelihood of a wet deposition. This would increase the potential impacts on visibility and air quality. In the past, air travel has been disrupted due to low visibility. While the transport of dust in this manner is fairly common this time of year, according to Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at Copernicus, the current transition marks a particularly remarkable episode. open image in gallery ( Copernicus ) The plume is being driven by a low-pressure system, dubbed Storm Regina by Portugals weather service. This system is transporting dust directly from North Africa into Europe. A previous event, taking place between 20 and 25 February last month, was linked to Calima winds, which blew dust from the Saharan desert out to the North Atlantic. But this time the effects are expected to be more intense. It is going to be visible more at times of sunrise or sunset, deeper orangey colors, Mr Parrington told The Independent. But by the time it reaches the UK, the surface impacts are are are probably not noticeable. But in Spain and southern France the impact from this dust transport will be increased because it's much closer to the source region as well. Mr Parrington says the plume will be more intense across the Iberian Peninsula compared to the event observed from 2025 February. It is also expected to be more direct, driven by Borrasca-type winds transporting dust straight into the western Mediterranean region, he explained. Noticeable surface air quality impacts are forecast across parts of Spain, Portugal and France. At higher altitudes, the plume is expected to reach the North Sea and Scandinavia. open image in gallery A man crosses a road as dust from the Sahara desert blankets the coastal city of Roquetas de Mar, Spain, 15 March 2022. A wave of airborne dust from the Sahara moved through southern and central Spain propelled by storm Celia. ( EPA ) This type of transport is fairly common at this time of year, with some occasional remarkable episodes, such as the current. Our monitoring is particularly suitable for these transboundary transport situations. How severely people are affected will depend on whether there is rainfall alongside the dust. The way that it could reach the ground level is if it mixes with any rain, Mr Parrington continued. Then the dust can get absorbed by the rain and then when it falls to the ground it might leave a dusty residue on the car or on windows. It can also impact air quality and pollution and in the Western Mediterranean and visibility too. There have been cases in the past where civil aviation is protect impacted by this due to reducing visibility and making it more difficult to operate. In March 2024, a Saharan dust cloud blanketed much of southern Europe, causing air pollution across the region. Holiday hotspots were left with air pollution up to 10 times the recommended levels. Children and the elderly were ordered by Crete authorities to stay indoors. Orange skies were seen over London in 2022, when a similar movement reached the shores of Britain. 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 Four years ago, on February 24 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that his forces had begun a full-scale invasion of Ukraine the reasons for which we have explored here. Within minutes, explosions were heard in major Ukrainian cities as Russian troops flooded across the border. Russian forces made swift gains, capturing key areas near the capital of Kyiv. But the offensive soon stalled and, by December, Russia had been forced to withdraw its forces and consolidate in the east where the war has ground on ever since. We asked Stefan Wolff, Tetyana Malyarenko, Scott Lucas and Mark Webber, four regular contributors to the Conversation UKs coverage of Ukraine, for their take on the most surprising development of the war so far and its likely trajectory from here. A very traditional war with added drones Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham; Tetyana Malyarenko, Professor of International Security, and Jean Monnet, Professor of European Security, National University Odesa Law Academy For us, the most surprising development remains Moscows decision to launch a large-scale ground invasion of Ukraine in the first place. Even though many Russian and western analysts expected a swift Ukrainian defeat, this always seemed unlikely from the perspective of Ukraine. The mobilisation of Ukrainian society early on in the war testified to this and underlined that there was no realistic scenario under which the Kremlin could swiftly achieve its goals to oust President Volodymyr Zelensky and demilitarise and denazify Ukraine. open image in gallery A person stands at a makeshift memorial to fallen Ukrainian and foreign soldiers in Independence Square in Kyiv ( AFP/Getty ) Much less surprising was Russias transition to a war economy and a traditional war of attrition, which became a foregone conclusion as soon as Moscows plan for a victory parade in Kyiv within weeks of the full-scale invasion turned out to be a pipe dream. Combat methods have evolved over the past four years, especially regarding the integration of drones. Russia has exploited drone technology to attack the whole range of critical infrastructure in Ukraine, not just military targets. But the foundation of Russian and then Soviet military doctrine the use of mass armies and tactics of mass destruction has remained untouched. Moving forward, both sides have sufficient resources and external support to maintain the status quo. They will continue to fight each other in the hope of exhausting their opponent. But neither side is likely to reach this point of exhaustion soon. And until it does happen, political, economic and social stagnation in both Russia and Ukraine will continue to take its toll on their citizens. Putins hopes are pinned on Trump Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics, University College Dublin On the day the war broke out, I was in a discussion group of political and military analysts. When we got the news that Russian special forces had landed at the Hostomel airbase near Kyiv, each of us thought the capital would fall within a few weeks. However, four years have passed and Ukraine now controls more territory than it did in June 2022. This is despite facing the second-most powerful military in the world, Russias disinformation assault and political warfare trying to split Europe, and abandonment by the Trump camp. The Russian presidents unwillingness to give up his quest for Ukraine as part of a Greater Russia and the Trump camps willingness to sacrifice Ukrainian and European security are less of a surprise. Putin made clear in an essay in 2021 that this would be his legacy project. So any soundbites about peace around the corner particularly from Trumps envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are cynical declarations or wishful thinking. The Kremlin will not accept less than the seizure of all of the strategic Donetsk region, the rest of the country without effective security guarantees, and the fall of the Zelensky government. Putin cannot accept less because this would be the failure of his project at the cost of 1.3 million casualties and counting. His hope is that Trumps envoys will enable him to achieve what he cannot on the battlefield. The Trumpists do not believe in alliance but in transactional relationships, which is why the Kremlin is now dangling joint economic projects in front of the US government. But, irrespective of this, I see no change in the wars trajectory in the near future. A negotiated end to the invasion is close to impossible because of the Kremlins quest for victory through Kyivs capitulation. That capitulation is unlikely. open image in gallery Ukrainian servicemen walk through a charred forest at the frontline, a few kilometres from Andriivka ( AP ) Russia has made only marginal advances on the ground. And Zelensky is maintaining his line over sovereignty, territory and security. Although Ukraines energy infrastructure has been seriously damaged, most Ukrainians support continued resistance. While cumbersome in its support, which has been complicated by pro-Kremlin figures like Hungarys Viktor Orban and Slovakias Robert Fico, the EU is also stepping up its backing of Kyiv and partially filling the gap that has been left by Trump. The Kremlin is facing a tightening of economic constraints on its quest. It is cutting social spending and increasing taxes to maintain the war. However, as there has been no widespread public pressure domestically that could curb the Kremlins ambitions, the invasion will grind on. Two ways to overcome the stalemate Mark Webber, Professor of International Politics, University of Birmingham For me, the biggest surprise so far has been the resilience and adaptability of the Ukrainian war effort. Most observers, myself included, assumed in 2022 that the Ukrainians would buckle under the Russian onslaught. Nato-led training programmes have undoubtedly been important for Ukrainian defenders. But seemingly more vital has been the determination provided by national identity. Putins 2022 claims that Ukraine had been committing genocide against Russian speakers and that its government was a neo-Nazi dictatorship were both spurious and counterproductive. About the authors Stefan Wolff is a Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham. Mark Webber is a Professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham. Scott Lucas is a Professor of International Politics, Clinton Institute at University College Dublin. Tetyana Malyarenko is a Professor of International Security, Jean Monnet Professor of European Security at the National University Odesa Law Academy. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. I too believe Russias war methods in Ukraine were grimly predictable. Waves of infantry assaults designed to overwhelm defences through sheer volume have been a recurring strategy in previous Russian military campaigns in Chechnya, Georgia and Syria. But this strategy has resulted in a stalemate in Ukraine with the frontlines effectively frozen. There are two things that could alter this. The first is a change of approach by China, which has effectively subsidised Russias war effort through technology transfers and energy purchases. Beijing could cut off some of the technology it provides Russia and exert pressure on Moscow to encourage flexibility in the peace negotiations. But, at present, it has no interest in abandoning Russia. Their alliance is a way of balancing the US and Nato in the global competition for influence. The second possible agent of change is a massive armament effort on behalf of Ukraine. This would require Germany, France and Britain to boost already significant arms provisions and to allow their use in a manner that is not constrained by fears of escalation. However, this scenario also seems unlikely. These three countries lack the domestic political imperative to back Ukraine to victory. And the US, which was overly cautious even under the presidency of Joe Biden, has now left the field of battle. 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 Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a series of US-Israeli strikes across Iran, Donald Trump has said. The US and Israel struck dozens of targets in the attacks, including the supreme leaders compound. Iranian authorities say the strikes killed at least hundreds of people on Saturday morning. Trump confirmed Khameneis death after a senior Israeli government source told The Independent that the clerical ruler, who has overseen Irans transformation into one of the Middle Easts dominant powers since 1989, was killed in the strike that flattened his compound. His death ends 37 years of the clerical rulers leadership of Iran, in which he oversaw its transition into one of the Middle Easts major powers. open image in gallery Khamenei ruled Iran since 1989 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead, the US president wrote on Truth Social, adding that it is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country. He added: This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS. Here, The Independent looks at the different groups who form Irans fragmented opposition and who could vie for the Iranian leadership in the event of a power vacuum. The Peoples Mujahideen Organisation The remnants of the once-powerful leftist militant group which bombed the Shahs government and US targets in the 1970s still wield a degree of influence in Iran, and now advocate for the overthrow of the Iranian government. Known by its Persian name, the Mujahideen-e Khalq Organisation (MEK or MKO), the group fell out with the other factions alongside which it deposed the Iranian Shah and replaced the Imperial State of Iran with the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979. open image in gallery Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Peoples Mujahideen, salutes her supporters as she arrives for a meeting organised by the group ( AFP/Getty ) But the Mujahideen soon developed large numbers of enemies in Iran after siding with Iraq during the war of 1980-88. Massoud Rajavi, its former leader, remains in exile and has not been seen for more than 20 years. His wife, Maryam Rajavi, is now in control, but the group has shown little evidence of activity within Irans border for years. Instead, the group is the driving force behind the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Ms Rajavi, which has an active presence in many Western countries. The Mujahideen has been criticised by rights groups for what they describe as cult-like behaviour and the abuse of its followers, but the group denies these allegations. The monarchists When revolution swept through Iran in 1979, transforming the country into an Islamic Republic, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi Irans last Shah fled the country. He died just a year later in Egypt in 1980. Reza Pahlavi, his son, was heir to the Iranian throne at the time of the revolution. He now lives in the US, from where he calls for regime change through non-violent means and a referendum on a new government. open image in gallery Reza Pahlavi, activist, advocate and oldest son of the last Shah of Iran ( AFP/Getty ) Following reports Khamenei had been killed, he wrote on X: Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty despot of our time, the murderer of tens of thousands of Irans bravest sons and daughters, has been erased from the face of history. With his death, the Islamic Republic has in effect reached its end and will very soon be consigned to the dustbin of history. This week he staked his claim to lead Iran. In a TV interview he told Fox News that he has the support and mandate necessary to helm a transitional government in Iran. "The military will side with us, and we have a plan of action and a transition plan," he said, though experts have cast doubt on the level of sway he holds on the ground in a country he has not lived in for almost half a century. There are also many splits even among pro-monarchist groups in Iran. Ethnic minority groups Irans Sunni Muslim Kurdish and Baluch minorities have long expressed opposition to Tehrans Persian-speaking and Shiite government. Kurdish groups have carried out periods of active insurgency against government forces in western areas of Iran, where they form a majority. Meanwhile in Baluchistan, along the border with Pakistan, opposition ranges from supporters of Sunni clerics to armed jihadists linked to al-Qaeda. Major protests in Iran have often been the fiercest in the Kurdish and Baluchi areas, but there is no strong, unified resistance against Tehrans rule. Leaders of mass protests movements Mass protest movements have swept Iran at different points for many decades, often with key figureheads at the helm. Protests in December and January, which began over economic unrest but soon spiralled into anti-regime protests, were met with brutal force by the Iranian regime. Some reports suggested around 30,000 were killed by regime forces. Whether mass unrest will once again erupt following Khameneis death is a matter that remains to be seen. So is the question of whether Tehrans response would be quite as forceful as it was in January - and who would lead it. open image in gallery Former Iranian prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi shows his identification card as he registers his candidacy for the presidential election in 2009 ( AFP/Getty ) Iran has a history of such protests. After a presidential election in 2009, thousands filled the streets of Tehran and other major cities as they accused authorities of rigging the vote in favour of incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who faced an electoral threat from rival candidate and former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi. Mr Mousavi's Green Movement was crushed and he was put under house arrest, along with political ally and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karoubi. The movement, which sought democratic reform within the existing system of the Islamic republic, is now widely seen as defunct. In 2022, major protests again gripped Iran, centred on womens rights. Narges Mohammadi, a 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner who served as one of the figureheads, is currently in Irans notorious Evin prison. A power struggle open image in gallery Members of Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) march during an annual military parade ( AFP/Getty ) There are now real concerns about the possibility of a violent power struggle, with Iran now in a power vacuum. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could impose martial law and take control of the country in the short term if the clerical elite are removed from power. A civil war in Iran would bring serious disorder to the Middle East and risk destabilising Iraq, Turkey and potentially Pakistan. Trump need only look at Afghanistan and Libya for examples of the danger of ousting a regime without an obvious plan for a transition to liberal democracy. The day started off like any other Saturday in Dubai. A morning coffee run with my nine-month-old baby safely tucked into her pram, hypnotised by the palm tree shapes in the brilliant blue sky. We spent a couple of hours poolside before heading back to our air-cooled 30th-floor apartment in Dubais beautiful Jumeirah Lakes Towers neighbourhood. Happy in our peaceful little Dubai bubble, where my husband and I have been living for three years after relocating for work in 2023. If you told me that only hours later Id be panic-buying bottles of water and formula, packing a getaway bag (just in case), and listening out for yet another massive bang as a missile was intercepted in the skies above us, I wouldnt have believed you. This is the United Arab Emirates, after all the place where people come to feel safe. Only this year, The Apprentice star Luisa Zissman moved her family to Dubai to escape the UKs climbing crime rates (and bad weather), as did Katie Ferdinands family for fresh starts and new beginnings. Both have commented on how much safer it felt than the UK which, when you move to a country consistently crowned the worlds safest thanks to low crime rates, is easy to understand. For residents, life here typically feels lighter, easier, and calmer. For influencers, Dubai cuts different. They are attracted by the sun-drenched ultra-luxe backdrop. I regularly spot them snapping away over their bottomless brunches or by infinity pools, itching to get the perfect Insta shot in bejewelled bikinis while sipping another chilled glass of champagne. Lured by guaranteed sunshine, beach clubs, and pristine cityscapes, an estimated 1.4 million British tourists visited Dubai in 2025, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism. I am not immune to the glitz or the glamour myself, but I balance it with the real life of family days, full of mountain hikes, chill afternoons by the water at Kite Beach, and dinners on the terrace at home. Theres a little bit of everything here, something tourists often overlook. Its a life we love, so its strange to describe just how much that life has changed in the past 48 hours. On Saturday afternoon, around 2.30pm, we started to hear the first few booms. WhatsApp group chats started to pop off: Did you hear that?; What the hell is going on?; Stay safe, guys. Then the news came that the US had hit Iran, and it became clear Dubai was getting caught in the crossfire. Footage of smoke in the sky from missile interceptions in our respective neighbourhoods and beyond ping-ponged back and forth in our chats. By around 5pm, I had not received an emergency alert on my phone, but common sense kicked in: stay inside, away from windows, pack a bag if we needed a quick exit (to where? We didnt know). I nervously flipped between Al Jazeera and Sky News on the telly, glued to the screen. The Iranian airstrikes against the Gulf states, in retaliation for the US and Israels Operation Epic Fury, were in full force. Explosions of missiles being intercepted ripped through the air, some overhead, some in the distance, and some echoing from far away. Others came in quick succession before falling silent until the next wave. We decided our underground car park, 33 levels down, would be our safe place if we needed it. We werent scared, just shocked and still wrapping our heads around what was actually happening. open image in gallery A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on Sunday ( AFP/Getty ) Then developments came fast: an explosion at the five-star Fairmont The Palm hotel on Palm Jumeirah, a fire at the iconic Burj Al Arab, more bangs. Just after midnight on Sunday, an ear-piercing emergency alert via text stated: Due to the current situation, potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building. Just 10 minutes later, I clocked an interceptor resembling a shooting star flying through the air. At 3am, I finally forced myself to go to sleep, only to hear another bang hours later. We woke up at 6am to thick black smoke rising above Jebel Ali, seen through our bedroom window. Despite being over 20km away, we could still see the grey clouds. My neighbourhood, typically full of families playing in parks or friends walking along palm-lined pathways, was a ghost town. Suddenly, Dubais instant delivery options werent so instant. Some friends made runs to supermarkets, but overall, the stay inside alert was taken seriously. Some restaurants were closed, some open, a few friends even went to the pub for a pint (as you do). There was no blanket closure. TikTok and Instagram feeds were swamped with Dubai-based influencers and celebrities. One viral influencer was slammed for saying, Its not meant to be happening here and Cant everyone just chill out? in a video that has since been deleted, while another complained about travel delays: Were getting a bit fed up now, we just want our luggage, she said as airstrikes hit the region. Commentators quickly waded in, and the video was also deleted. Reality check: This is the Middle East, and the wonderful bubble that is Dubai was never immune from conflict. As someone who has lived here for three years, Ive always understood that the influencer dream isnt reality. The UAEs proximity to wars, regional tensions, and geopolitics means that the peaceful bubble albeit rare can be punctured. If influencers had bothered to look up where they had flown to do their influencing, maybe what is happening now wouldnt have come as such a shock. Of course, you start to think about how you would leave if you had to. Some friends fled to less populated emirates like Fujairah or Ras Al Khaimah, especially if their homes were too close to an airport or port for comfort. Theyre still there now. open image in gallery Thousands of passengers have been stranded by the closure of Dubai International Airport ( AP ) Flying out wasnt an option. At the time of writing, Dubai International Airport, and UAE airspace, are closed. Dubais neighbouring emirate, Abu Dhabi, confirmed that Zayed International Airport was hit by debris from a drone interception. Al Salam military base was also targeted, as well as countless other airstrikes intercepted mid-air. Plans are reportedly underway to evacuate more than 100,000 Britons from expat hotspots including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. For now, were being urged to shelter in place, and British celebrities living in the UAE have checked in with followers to reassure them they are OK, some even doubled down on the good reasons they came here for originally. Despite previously saying, It was one of the scariest, worst nights of my life. We came to Dubai to feel safe and now this has happened, F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone has said she has no regrets about moving. TV personality and entrepreneur Luisa Zissman shared a post on Monday saying: Im just putting the children to bed. Ive got friends sleeping in their basements with their kids. But we have decided to try and carry on as normal. Although she went on to say she had prepared an emergency setup just in case, with a dog pen and some blankets and water in the fridge, adding, I would be quite scared if I was in a highrise glass apartment building. But nothing major has happened and everything is largely fine. When youre here, its fine. She then chipped in: Apparently, the UAE spent 1.6 billion last night alone intercepting. Surely Iran is going to run out soon? How much money have they got? The UAE has to have more. Its like the safest country in the world. open image in gallery Rio Ferdinand and his wife Kate are among the British expats who have sung the praises of the UAE since recent moves there ( @xkateferdinand/instagram ) The interceptions make your stomach drop, especially with a baby to keep safe. My husband and I want to see whats happening, so curtains are open, but windows and doors are firmly locked. Our baby continues to play with her toys without a care in the world. When there is a boom loud enough to take her attention from her favourite doll, she looks at us before continuing to play. Each bang in the sky brings an indescribable relief that can be felt across the community. We understand this is the UAE military doing its job, protecting its people by intercepting missiles or drones before they hit their targets. And theres comfort in the numbers. Two days into the strikes, the UAE Ministry of Defence announced on social media that its air defence forces had dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 541 Iranian drones since the start of the Iranian airstrikes. Of those, 152 ballistic missiles were destroyed while 13 fell into the sea. Both cruise missiles were detected and destroyed. Of the 541 drones, 506 were intercepted and destroyed, 35 fell within the country causing material damage, and three fatalities were recorded. Of course, this is a stark contrast to how our life in Dubai was just a few days ago, but if we werent ready, the UAE was. And they are doing their utmost to reassure residents and visitors alike. From sharing updates from the British Embassy to offering places to stay, the unity among Brits is something to be proud of. In my mum's WhatsApp group, we marvel at how our babies are so happy-go-lucky while the world outside our windows feels so uncertain. My gym friends have logged onto remote yoga workouts; a brief flashback to Covid days. People are now working from home as the government recommended. But everyones also trying to keep it light (silly TikToks with cute puppies chasing butterflies hard recommend). When you move overseas, your community becomes your family. As our family and friends from the UK check in, its the circle of best friends here who truly understand what were going through. Were in this together. We continue to stay alert, follow government advice, and keep our group chats back home in the loop. We may have our four-by-four filled with petrol and an emergency grab bag packed with passports, clothes, and a few sentimental items, but we hope this will pass. Well be forever grateful for the UAEs protection. The Iranian airstrikes serve as an important reminder: like the Emerald City of Oz, the Dubai dream is fragile and can shatter at any minute in the crosshairs of war. Qatar PM says Iran strikes feel like a big sense of betrayal 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 Iran has elected Mojtaba Khamenei as its new leader, more than a week after his father was killed in an airstrike. The 56-year-old was chosen to become the next supreme leader on Sunday evening, despite Donald Trumps insistence that he should have a say in the appointment. "By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the assembly said. Khamenei will step into the role having never held a position in Irans government. He represents a continuation of his fathers hardline policies, having opposed reformers and dialogue with the West. The decision was announced shortly after the US confirmed that a seventh military service member has died from wounds sustained during Irans initial counterattack a week ago. They have not been named. "Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regimes initial attacks across the Middle East. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1," U.S. Central Command said in a statement. 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 It may seem that the US and the Middle East are currently embarking on yet another forever war. But the truth is that this is just the latest instalment of an undeclared military conflict between the two nations that has been ongoing since the 1980s. For Americans, the war began in 1979, when Iranian students seized the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. For Iranians, it began with US support for the Shah and its subsequent backing of Iraq throughout the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. The conflict has claimed many civilian lives. On July 3 1988, the US warship Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655, a civilian flight bound for Dubai. The USS Vincennes misidentified the Airbus as a military aircraft and shot it down, killing all 290 people on board. More recently, on 28 February 2026, a US-Israeli missile hit a girls school in southern Iran, killing over 150 civilians, most of them children. Iran also shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on January 8, 2020. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mistook the civilian plane for a US military flight, and fired two surface-to-air missiles that killed all 176 passengers, mostly Iranian civilians. Each side has, at different moments, made catastrophic errors under conditions of escalation. But these tragic incidents are not just history. For Iranians and Americans alike, they have deeply reinforced the popular and institutional view that peace can never really be achieved between the two nations. The 1980s: tanker war In 1984, Iraq initiated the tanker war with Iran when its air force attacked oil tankers bound for Iranian ports. The tanker war continued for years, and eventually involved the US Navy when, on May 17 1987, an Iraqi plane accidentally struck the American frigate The Stark, killing 37 crew members. The US chose to refocus attention away from Iraq and on Iran, arguing that the Islamic Republic was responsible as it had failed to agree to negotiate an end to the war. open image in gallery Ayatollah Khamenei was Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in 2026 by US and Israeli forces ( AFP/Getty ) The US then provided naval protection for Kuwaiti oil tankers moving through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz by requiring them to hoist an American flag. But violence only escalated. Iran targeted the American-reflagged ships, and the US retaliated by striking Iranian offshore platforms and speedboats used by the Revolutionary Guards. It also sank two Iranian frigates, eliminating half of Irans navy. It was amid these hostilities that Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down. How this incident occurred during the fog of war is still the subject of intense debate. For Iranians, the attack confirmed they were in a de facto war with the US, who they saw as lashing out in vicarious vengeance for the 1979 hostage crisis. Ultimately, the downing of its airliner brought Iran to accept the ceasefire that ended the Iran-Iraq War. Irans conflict with Iraq ended, but its war with the US did not. The 2000s: proxies and ground war The 1980s episode of this war was fought by naval vessels in the Gulf, but the second phase was a proxy conflict fought on the ground. After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic in an axis of evil, alongside Iraq and North Korea. open image in gallery After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic, Iraq and North Korea in an axis of evil ( AFP/Getty ) In March 2003, after the invasion of Iraq under Bush, Iran suddenly found US troops on two borders (Iraq and Afghanistan). Tehran feared that the Bush administration would seek regime change, and that the US or Israel would bomb its nuclear facilities. One tool at Irans disposal was its support of a variety of Iraqi insurgents to target American forces. One of its Iraqi proxies, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, formed in 2006, targeted US military vehicles with improvised explosive devices, challenging American control of the motorways. This low-intensity conflict only wound down when American forces left Iraq in 2011. The 2010s and 2020s: air war over Iraq During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS. The US provided air cover while Iran fought alongside Iraqi Shia militias on the ground. In October 2017, two months before ISIS officially lost the vast majority of its territories in Iraq and Syria, Donald Trump announced the USs withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Relations quickly soured, as Tehran retaliated by targeting US forces in Iraq, ushering in an air war. Rockets were fired at American targets in Iraq by Kataib Hizballah, an Iran-allied militia, and the US retaliated with air strikes. open image in gallery During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS ( Getty ) Violence spiralled further on December 27 2019, when the same militia attacked the al-Taji base, an Iraqi military facility housing US forces, killing an American contractor. Two days later, the US responded with an air raid on several targets related to the Iraqi militia, killing at least 25 of its members. On December 31 2019, the US embassy in Baghdads Green Zone was stormed by Iraqi demonstrators affiliated with the militia. Trump, faced with optics reminiscent of the 1979 hostage crisis, ordered a drone strike on January 3 2020 that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Irans Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, as well as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the militia. Iran retaliated by launching 22 Fateh ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing American forces on January 8. Soleimanis death was the first time the US had directly killed a senior Iranian state official. It crossed the threshold from proxy war to direct state-on-state targeting. About the author Ibrahim Al-Marashi is an Adjunct Professor, IE School of Humanities, IE University; California State University San Marcos. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. In the aftermath, Irans military accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 outside of Tehran, mistaking it for US retaliation. It was a tragic echo of the Vincennes incident. During this period, Iran generally showed restraint in its air attacks on the US. During the 2025 12-Day Israel-Iran War, for instance, it launched a single, choreographed military strike against the al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar which was housing US forces, very similar to its carefully orchestrated 2020 missile strikes. Today, that restraint is no longer in place. What we are seeing now is widespread Iranian retaliation throughout the entire region. A long, undeclared war For Iranians, the circumstances that led to the downing of its airliner in 1988 resonate with the present: the direct military action of June 2025, Trump ordering the assassination of Soleimani in January 2020, and economic warfare through sanctions. The 2015 Iran deal was the first attempt to end the conflict between the two nations that began in the 1980s. The deal was Barack Obamas major diplomatic triumph, and Trump has been fixated on undoing the policies of his predecessor. However, the recent escalation between the US and Iran was also a legacy of the Biden administration, which had the chance to de-escalate the long war between Iran and the US after winning the November 2020 elections. US deployment to the Gulf in the 1980s was disproportionate to the threat to shipping, and was seen by many as a flimsy pretext to seek out war with Iran. A similarly dubious justification that Iran was just weeks away from a nuclear weapon was made by Israel to justify its 12-Day War in June 2025. As of February 2026, the US has initiated the latest round in this conflict. To date, both states managed to escalate without crossing into total war, but that equilibrium may now be breaking down. 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 Israeli spies hacked nearly every traffic camera in Tehran for years in order to monitor the movements of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an unprecedented intelligence-gathering campaign, according to a report. Officials surveilled highly trained and loyal security guards, bodyguards and drivers of senior Iranian officials to pick up on their pattern of life, the Financial Times reported. This real-time data, including from cameras focused on Khameneis personal compound, was encrypted and transmitted back to servers in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. They were able to determine where the guards would park their cars via an infiltrated security camera facing the Ayatollahs home. open image in gallery Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli military strike, leading to retaliatory attacks from Iran ( AP ) We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem, one current Israeli intelligence official told the newspaper. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place. The plan to kill the Ayatollah had been in place for months and was adjusted when it emerged that the supreme leader would be attending a meeting in-person at home, officials said. On the day of the assassination, the hacked traffic cameras came into use, as Israeli intelligence officials confirmed that Khameneis meeting was running on time. The Israeli military said that the strikes were carried out during the day to give the element of shock and allowed Israel to achieve tactical surprise for the second time, despite heavy Iranian preparedness. Mobile phone service and communications networks were disrupted in an effort to leave Iran dazed and confused, according to General Dan Caine, the chief of joint staffs. open image in gallery This image provided by Airbus shows the strike on the Iranian Supreme Leaders compound on Saturday, 28 February ( AP ) Coordinated space and cyber operations effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks across the area of responsibility, leaving the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate, or respond effectively, he said. President Donald Trump said that the Iranian leader was eliminated along with his inner circle as they gathered for breakfast, in an interview with Fox News in the aftermath of the attack. US officials told Pentagon staff on Sunday that there were no signs that Iran would attack first. But secretary of state Marco Rubio admitted on Monday that the US had launched strikes preemptively after they were informed that Israel planned to launch attacks first. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, he told reporters. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. 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 Israeli troops have advanced into southern Lebanon and ordered thousands to evacuate their villages, in the latest escalation of the Middle East conflict. Residents of more than 80 Lebanese villages were ordered to evacuate by the Israeli military, as it launched major airstrikes against Beirut, reducing large buildings to rubble and expanding its targets beyond Iran. Thousands of Lebanese people have fled their homes with more than 30,000 forced into shelters, the UN said. US president Donald Trump warned on Tuesday the US will do whatever it takes to fulfil its objectives after launching strikes at the weekend. open image in gallery Israel launched huge strikes against Beirut on Tuesday ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All right reserved ) In a blunt post on social media, Trump wrote: Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late!. The US president also launched a series of verbal attacks on Sir Keir Starmer, who he said should have done more to support the US strikes on Iran. Trump told reporters at the White House he was not happy with the UK and that this is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, in apparent reference to the prime minister. Appearing to refer to the Chagos Archipelago, the president continued: I will say the UK has been very, very unco-operative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease; having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. Whats that all about? Trumps comments came after Sir Keir announced he would send Type 45 air defence destroyer the HMS Dragon and helicopters with counter drone capabilities to Cyprus to help defend the RAFs Akrotiri base, which was targeted by an Iranian drone on Sunday. open image in gallery The UK will send the HMS Dragon to help defend its RAF base in Cyprus ( PA ) Irans attack on Akrotiri came after Sir Keir said the US would be permitted to use British bases in Cyprus to launch attacks on Iranian missile depots. But the UK still insists it will not join offensive operations against Iran, which have so far killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. The US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), reports that 742 civilians have been killed, including 176 children. On Tuesday, the UN human rights office called for an investigation into the horrific attack on a school in Iran that authorities say killed at least 165 people, without naming who it thought was responsible. Neither Israel nor the US have accepted culpability. The full death toll in Lebanon is not yet confirmed with images showing significant devastation in Beiruts southern suburbs after a fresh wave of Israeli strikes on Tuesday came without warning. The Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah officials. open image in gallery Buildings were reduced to rubble by the Israeli attacks ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Israels advances into southern Lebanon, which the Israeli military says have been carried out in a defensive manner came after Hezbollah fired rockets and drones towards northern Israel on Monday - after which the military retaliated with a wave of airstrikes that killed 52 people. Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group has now warned that it is ready for an open war. A senior Hezbollah official said that after more than a year of abiding by a ceasefire as Israels strikes continued on Lebanon, the groups patience has ended, leaving it with no option but to return to resistance and fight an open war with Israel. This displacement is harder than the last one," said Nuzha Salame, a woman sheltering in the city of Sidon after fleeing her village. Now we're in hardship and deprivation, and we're still out in the streets. open image in gallery Israeli security forces and emergency personnel work at a site struck by a projectile in Tel Aviv ( AFP/Getty ) Elsewhere, Irans retaliatory attacks on targets across the region continued. An Iranian missile fell in central Israel on Tuesday, where at least 11 people have so far been killed by Iranian attacks, the military said. It is unclear how many casualties there were, but search and rescue forces are currently operating at the impact sites in central Israel, the military added. Iranian drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, having previously struck the US mission in Kuwait. Washington responded by shutting both embassies. The embassy warned of a potential imminent missile or drone attack over the eastern city of Dhahran, where a US consulate and the headquarters of Saudi state oil giant Aramco are situated. open image in gallery Plumes of smoke rose above Tehran and Beirut as Israel launched fresh strikes ( AP ) In Oman, the US embassy has instructed its staff to take cover and advised all residents to find a secure location, with a supply of food, water and medications. Iranian forces also targeted a US airbase in Bahrain, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement via the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). It said 20 drones and three missiles were launched in the attack on the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain, destroying the bases main command headquarters. Americas Beirut embassy said it would remain closed until further notice. 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 A Kuwaiti man threatened a US military pilot with a metal pipe after mistaking him for an Iranian soldier, dramatic new footage shows. The unidentified man was one of six crew members aboard three F-15 US fighter jets that were mistakenly shot down by air defences in Kuwait on Monday. The soldier landed next to a motorway in the Gulf country, with footage showing black plumes of smoke rising in the distance after the crash. One of his colleagues is seen beyond a chain link fence. As they struggle to their feet, they are surrounded by a group of angry locals. One man brandishes what appears to be a metal pipe, as others shout at the man to get down!. The pilot in return is heard shouting: Back up. Stop. The situation is diffused when the man says: Im American, which appears to reassure the two men. The footage contrasts with a separate video published on social media of a fallen female US pilot, who was helped by locals after her aircraft was shot out of the sky. open image in gallery ( X/Twitter ) In the footage, one person asks: You need something to help you?, while another adds: No problem, you are safe, you are safe. Everything good? Thank you for helping us. US Central Command (Centcom) said the three fighter jets had been downed in an apparent friendly fire during a military operation against Iran. All six crew ejected safely and have been recovered, they added. A Kuwaiti defence spokesperson said that direct coordination was conducted with the friendly U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical measures were taken. They added: Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation. open image in gallery Smoke rises from an area surrounding U.S. Embassy following a strike in Bayan, Kuwait ( via REUTERS ) At least six US military personnel have been killed since joint US-Israeli strikes were launched against Iran over the weekend, killing the governments Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. General Dan Caine, the US governments chief of joint staffs, paid condolences to the fallen soldiers in a statement on Monday. Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the Gulf, including on a US military base in Qatar and Kuwait as well as a strike on the Aramco Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. Irans proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon has also entered the fray, promising to avenge the death of the Ayatollah. Israel on Monday launched strikes against southern Lebanon and Beirut, killing 31 people. The sirens were blaring in the morning as we approached the site of Irans deadliest attack on Israel so far. They must have done the same less than 24 hours earlier, minutes before the ballistic missile razed a synagogue and the neighbouring housing, killing 11 and wounding dozens. This time, the residents were able to emerge from the shelters soon afterwards, three audible, but relatively distant booms, indicating that the incoming fire had been blocked by missile defences. Yesterday had been a very different story. Looking across the tottering slabs of dislocated concrete and mangled masonry that had once been the heart of this close community in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, you could see the large, shallow depression in the ground that marked what had been the public shelter under the synagogue. The missile somehow evaded Israels formidable air defences. For all their precision, they cannot stop everything. Among the dead including three teenage siblings as well as a mother and son there were several who had sought safety there. The sheer force of Irans half-ton ballistic missile meant they did so in vain. open image in gallery Rescue workers and military personnel carry the body of a victim from the scene of the Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh ( AP ) As civil servant Mordechai Shadi, 42, who lives directly opposite one of the destroyed houses, put it: The shelter can protect you if the missile lands nearby, even next door. But not if its a direct hit on the building you are in. Its representative of majority opinion in Israel that the devastation did not shake Shadis faith in the war on Iran started by US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even while mourning for his close friends and neighbours. The shockwaves from the blast had not just smashed windows up and down the street, but made gaping holes in his own roof by dislodging many of its red tiles. It did the same for houses as far as 200 metres away. But Shadi, whose kippah showed him to be one of the 80 per cent of Beit Shemeshs population who are religious Jews, said of the onslaught: Its right that Iran was attacked. There was no other option. If were not going to do it, whats going to be tomorrow? He was hardly alone; a few doors down, a secular neighbour, electrician Dror Azulai, 50, who also had friends among the dead, agreed: It should have been done a long time ago. [Iran] is a country that threatens the world. What remains less clear is how near the neutralisation of that perceived threat is to being achieved or at what cost. This applies whether the aim is to topple the regime in Tehran or end its nuclear programme, once and for all. As usual, the signals as to which course is actually being pursued have been mixed; Trump, without using the actual term, seems to think its the first; his defence secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that it was confined to the second. open image in gallery Rescue workers and military personnel operate at the scene of the strike that killed 11 people ( AP ) Either way, the opening days of the war were a major success from the US-Israel alliances point of view. The intelligence which identified the whereabouts of the octogenarian Ayatollah Khomeini and some of his most senior officials and which brought forward the timing of the war from its originally planned nighttime schedule led inexorably to the decapitation, to use the term beloved by strategic analysts, of not just the supreme leader but several of his most senior military and governing officials, albeit very much not all. For their part, the Iranians retaliation against Israel, backed as it was not last year by attacks on US bases and a surprising number of other targets in Arab Gulf states, has been more random and apparently less strategic than it was during the 12-day war. But it has certainly succeeded in confining millions of Israelis in safe rooms and bomb shelters for much of the last three days, as well as shutting schools. Its already clear that the Iranian regime had been as prepared for war as it could be after the depletion of its military resources last year. Khamenei had already set in motion a potential succession process, leaving as interim leader the National Security Council head Ali Larijani, who says he will not negotiate with the US. Certainly, there is as yet no bankable evidence that Iran is moving towards surrender. The question, then, is not only of outcome but duration. Trump, who can rarely resist the temptation to punt a figure, whether or not it has any basis in fact, has now said it will take four weeks or less for the alliance to reach its goals. But Amos Harel, Haaretzs astute military analyst, wrote of one potential difference between president and prime minister. Netanyahu would like to go all the way by toppling the regime and changing the regional balance of power. Trump normally doesnt like long wars with good reason, given the doubts about their wisdom even in Maga circles. open image in gallery Mourners take cover while air-raid sirens warn of incoming missiles launched by Iran toward Israel during the funeral of Sarah Elimelech and her daughter Ronit, who were killed in the Iranian missile attack ( AP ) For Netanyahu, its easy to see that the end of the Iranian regime, however desirable in itself, would help to shore him up against the prospects of a defeat in this election year. Voters still blame him for allowing the 7 October murders of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas to happen three years ago. But for the war to last long enough to meet his ends, he needs the continued material support of the US. Which is why Trumps choice will be the deciding factor. Back in Beit Shemesh yesterday, Gili Perez, 50, landlady to the tenants living in the house next door to Shadis, took a slightly more nuanced view. Yes, she was sure that it was right to start the war and that the problem was that you cant talk to them [the Iranian leadership] theyre so crazy. But she would still probably prefer a negotiated end if the alternative was a forever war. People cant go out of their houses half the time. The schools are shut, she said, adding that her own 16-year-old son had been reduced to sleeping in their shelter. Were used to everything in Israel, but three years of war is enough. The war is indeed popular among the Israeli public at present. Whether that public is ready to pay the price that it might exact, especially if Netanyahu actually takes the time needed to bring his own moment of triumph, is another question. 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 Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sparked fury after suggesting that the US was forced into attacking Iran after being told Israel planned to launch strikes first. Joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday triggered mayhem in the region, with several Gulf countries being hit by Iranian retaliatory attacks. At least 555 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, while six US service members have died. Mr Rubio said President Donald Trump was forced into a preemptive response after learning of an imminent Israeli attack, as officials knew such an attack would trigger retaliation against US military personnel in the Middle East. It was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by anyone the United States or Israel or anyone they were going to respond, and respond against the United States, the secretary of state told reporters at the Capitol on Monday. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. open image in gallery Marco Rubio has said Israel planned to launch strikes on Iran first, forcing the US into pre-emptive action ( POOL/AFP via Getty ) The US on Tuesday ordered non-emergency government personnel and their family members to leave Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan and closed several diplomatic missions across the region as tensions with Iran escalated. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday claimed that Israel and the US were attempting to save the world through their war on Iran. You see the difference. The tyrants of Tehran are attacking civilians. We are attacking the tyrants of Tehran to protect the civilian population, he told reporters on a visit to Beit Shemesh, where nine Israelis were killed by an Iranian missile strike. The extent of Americas military cooperation with Israel has proved a divisive issue for Trump among his Maga base. In June last year, Trumps decision to launch a bombing campaign against Irans nuclear facilities sparked a backlash from some Conservative commentators, who argued that the US should not be involved in wars in the region. Mr Rubios comments provoked a similar backlash from American politicians. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians, said Mark Warner, the Democratic vice-chair of the Senate intelligence committee. There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory. open image in gallery Hundreds have been killed in the onslaught on Tehran ( AFP via Getty ) Democratic congressman Joaquin Castro wrote: Secretary Rubios remarks indicate that Israel put US forces in harms way by insisting on attacking Iran. And the administration was complicit joining their war instead of talking them down. Domestic polls suggest that Trumps decision to attack Iran is not popular with Americans. According to a survey by CNN, 60 per cent of Americans fear that Trump does not have a clear plan for handling the situation and almost a third (62 per cent) believe he should get congressional approval for any further military action. US secretary of war Pete Hegseth said at a press conference on Monday afternoon that there would be no more stupid rules of engagement. No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically-correct wars. We fight to win, he said. Mr Hegseth reiterated the Trump administrations justification for the war, insisting they had taken the action in order to finish what Iran had started. For 47 long years, the expansionist and Islamist regime in Tehran has waged savage, one-sided war against America, Mr Hegseth said. They didnt always declare it openly, except for their constant chants of Death to America; they did it through the blood of our people. He added: We didnt start this war but under President Trump, we are finishing it. President Trump explained: This was our last, best chance to strike, what were doing right now, and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime. However, US officials told Pentagon staff on Sunday that there were no signs that Iran would attack first. The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has prompted attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon, who have promised to avenge the death of the Iranian leader. Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have killed at least 31 people. 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 Iran claims to have taken complete control of one of the worlds major shipping routes, causing chaos for the global supply of oil and gas as the conflict in the Middle East continues to grow. The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway in the Persian Gulf through which around a fifth of the worlds oil passes. Iran effectively closed the route this week after US missiles sank several Iranian ships. By Sunday, maritime traffic had dropped by 80 per cent, according to Lloyds List Intelligence. Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republics navy, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh said in a statement on Wednesday. open image in gallery The Strait of Hormuz is one of the worlds major shipping routes ( AP ) The IRGC has threatened to set fire to any ships attempting to pass through the strait. US president Donald Trump said that US Navy forces would be deployed to escort oil tankers if necessary. Experts have warned that global supply chains will face major disruption, and that restrictions to shipping could send oil prices well into triple digits. Below, we look at why the strait is so strategically important. Where is the Strait of Hormuz? open image in gallery The Strait of Hormuz runs to the south of Iran and is just 21 miles across at its narrowest point ( Getty/iStock ) The Strait of Hormuz lies between the Persian Gulf to the north and the Gulf of Oman to the south, opening up to the Arabian Sea and beyond to the rest of the world. It is roughly 100 miles long, but only 21 miles across at its narrowest point. The land-flanked passage lies in Irans territorial waters, but is viewed as an international waterway and is normally open to all ships. It consists of two shipping lanes allowing traffic to pass in opposite directions, each two miles wide, with another two-mile-wide lane separating them. International law permits countries to exercise control up to 13.8 miles (12 nautical miles) from their coastline. At its narrowest point, the passage comes under both Iranian and Omani control. Iran lies on one side of the strait, and some of the worlds biggest oil suppliers including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman lie across the waters. What passes through the strait? open image in gallery Around a fifth of the worlds oil supply passes through the strait ( Reuters ) It is one of the worlds most important maritime chokepoints, with 20 million barrels of oil passing through it each day one-fifth of global oil consumption and up to one-third of the worlds supply of liquefied natural gas. This amounts to over 500 million barrels of oil and 6 million tonnes of gas every month, according to Lloyds List. Much of this is exported to Asian markets, including China (Irans only remaining oil customer), India and Japan. It is the route used by supertankers carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran. Around 3,000 shipping vessels pass through the passage every month, including oil tankers, liquefied natural gas containers, and cargo vessels, according to Lloyds List. This amounts to more than 30,000 ships every year. While there are pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE that can transport oil, the US Energy Information Administration says that most volumes that transit the strait have no alternative means of exiting the region. Last month, Iran closed the Middle Eastern waterway for the first time since the 1980s as Iranian troops took part in live-fire military exercises. Iran had not threatened to close the passage even during its 12-day war with Israel last June, when US-Israeli strikes took out some of the countrys key nuclear and military sites. A global trade bottleneck as missiles rain down open image in gallery Traffic through the strait has dropped dramatically since the US strikes began ( MarineTraffic ) Passage through the waterway has almost ground to a halt, creating a trade bottleneck, since the current war broke out. Seaborne traffic is reported to have dropped by 80 per cent on Sunday, according to Lloyds List Intelligence, while Argus Media cited the Bahrain-based Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) in reporting that movement had dropped by 94 per cent since Saturday. Only three ships passed through, according to JMIC, far below the average of 138. Around 150 vessels have dropped anchor near the strait, according to reports. Hundreds of others have dropped anchor near to Gulf countries as shipping movements are halted. At least four tankers are reported to have been hit in the mayhem as maritime insurers have pulled insurance cover. At least one Indian crew member was killed, according to Euro News. Several reports from trade publications suggest that others have been injured. Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday that the US Navy would begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD, he wrote, adding: The United States ECONOMIC and MILITARY MIGHT is the GREATEST ON EARTH More actions to come. In his message, the president added that he was ordering the US International Development Finance Corporation, a government agency focused on foreign infrastructure investment, to offer political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf. US attacks have spilled over into international waters with the US military torpedoing an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, 40 nautical miles off the coast of Sri Lanka. At least 80 people were killed, and 100 more are missing. The strike is likely to deepen a crisis that has already paralysed maritime shipping. open image in gallery An aerial view of the Iranian shore and the island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz ( Reuters ) Effects on oil prices and the global economy Any disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is highly disruptive to the oil trade. The scale of what is at stake cannot be overstated, said Hakan Kaya, senior portfolio manager at investment management firm Neuberger Berman. A partial slowdown lasting a week or two could be absorbed by oil companies, he said. But a full, or near full, closure lasting a month or more would push crude oil prices, trading at around $80 (59) on Tuesday, well into triple digits and European natural gas prices toward or above the crisis levels seen in 2022. Threats to the route have spiked global energy prices in the past, including during the Israel-Iran war in June 2025. China and Japan, who will be severely affected, have called for an immediate de-escalation of the conflict. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday, when asked about the potential impact on Chinas oil supply, that China would take necessary measures to safeguard its energy security. Just before first light, a re-flagged shadow fleet cargo ship sailing up the North Sea launches a dozen Shahed drones against London. As the UK has no air defence radar looking in this direction, the first notification of this strike comes from Dutch radar. But even at the Shaheds low speed (175 km/h), the RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire are unable to intercept the drones before they slam into a range of targets, including Liverpool Street station in the morning rush hour, a hospital, and some electricity infrastructure. Casualties at the station are in the dozens. A dozen drones costing less than $50,000 (37,000) each bring London to a panicked halt. Unrealistic? A few years back, you would rightly have scoffed at me for suggesting this. Even the techno-thriller master Tom Clancy wouldnt have come up with such a scenario (although it is worth recalling that in 1994, he did write a novel in which a commercial aircraft crashed into the Congress building, killing the US president, foreshadowing 9/11). But just days ago, while the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was on a port visit to Malmo in Sweden, a Russian ship did launch a drone to have a look at the ship, before it was shot down by Swedish air defence units. There was no evidence that it was armed, on this occasion anyway. There is growing disbelief at the blase attitude of the UK to its defence, especially when it comes to our land-to-air defence and lack of investment in surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). In the context of what is now unfolding in the Middle East, it is certainly true that Irans known missiles cannot currently reach London from Iran itself (their main ballistic missiles have ranges of about 1,300km to 2,500km; London is over 4,000km away). However, that is not to say future or modified systems couldnt potentially reach parts of Europe, including the UK, depending on development or launch location. Arguably, the most worrying hint of our unpreparedness was best put by the undersecretary for defence, former Royal Marine Al Carns, who was asked about ballistic missile defence of London at the start of February: The UK has a suite of capabilities to tackle the missile threat which is advancing, proliferating and converging. The UK has announced an investment of up to 1bn to enhance our integrated air and missile defence with a focus on homeland defence. The UKs nuclear deterrent exists to deter the most extreme threats to the UK and our allies. Its purpose is to preserve peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression. The direct suggestion here is that, were a missile to be fired at London, the UK would retaliate with nuclear weapons. Really? Its far from certain that the UKs Nato allies would support this form of escalation, rather seeing any missile or drone strikes on UK soil from an unidentified hostile actor as a result of underinvestment in crucial home defences. And the up to 1bn is less than that this spend is spread across six to seven years and covers more than just air defence systems. The real spend, if it ever comes, is set for the mid-2030s. And if our Nato allies are correct, any threat to the UK will be this decade. Although the headline sum is impressive 62bn the outputs look weak outside of the nuclear deterrent. The harsh truth is that within Nato the UK is increasingly an outlier regarding defence spending and is, in effect, defenceless against air/missile/drone attacks. And while these might have seemed unlikely five years ago, they are now a when, not if. European Nato is spending tens of billions every year to ensure that it is less at risk of seeing critical national infrastructure destroyed in drone or sabotage attacks, but the same is simply not true of the UK. open image in gallery Airports across Europe have been affected by suspicious drone sightings ( AP ) Late last year there were large numbers of drone incursions around European airports (especially Copenhagen) and military airbases in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands. Although no one could confirm beyond a reasonable doubt that these were Russian, many have pointed their fingers at Moscow. These drones werent armed, but having scouted the bases and the defences, the hostile state behind them will now have a better idea of what it might need to do next time. This sort of activity has not been limited to continental European countries either. Gatwick had numerous drone incursions between 2019 and 2023, costing millions in disruption. Police have investigated multiple suspects, but no prosecution successfully identified the operator, and while the incursions were security breaches with unclear origins, some analysts have speculated about testing by hostile actors or shadow fleet activity. Faced with this sort of threat, what can the UK do? At the moment, next to nothing. Ground-based air defence, both missiles and guns, has been run down massively. Air defence has simply not been a priority for over two decades. Quantities of SAMs are ridiculously small, and we have no anti-air artillery. Having guns firing at air targets will undoubtedly sound very Second World War flak, the Blitz but it is a very cost-effective solution to what could, in theory, be a devastating homeland attack. UK officials said a suspected Iranian-made Shahed-type drone crashed into RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus just after midnight on Monday. There has been a lot of talk about whether it was actually aimed at the base, but that is irrelevant. What is of note is that a small drone attack against the base today stands a good chance of destroying 10 per cent or more of the RAFs fighter strength in one hit, making the base defenceless. open image in gallery A fighter jet takes off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on 2 March after reported drone attacks on the island ( AFP/Getty ) This is not the case in most of Europe, where billions of euros are being invested in upgrading and expanding ground-based air defences across the continent. In January, Sweden signed contracts worth over 1.5bn (1.3bn) for air defence weaponry and radar to counter threats ranging from drones to cruise missiles, and this is just one part of a broader investment package. In line with rising anxieties over Russian aggression, the direct focus of this spending is earmarked for critical national infrastructure and population centres. Late last year, Germany placed framework contracts to buy up to 600 Skyranger anti-air cannon systems, an order worth as much as 8bn in total. Most of these weapons will be used for airport and airbase defence, as well as for protecting key industrial and infrastructure sites against a wide range of air threats from drones upwards. These contracts are now the norm in Europe, not the exception. Checking contracts for air defence systems in 2025 points to more than 15bn being spent on anti-air defences, with an emphasis on the defence of critical national infrastructure and there were more contracts in 2024. In the UK, ask about whether there will be investment in more systems to protect the country, and a worrying range of what can only be described as excuses are trotted out. Waiting for the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) for a steer on where to spend the defence money is one familiar response to questions being raised about underinvestment. The DIP is now at least three months late, and apparently is stuck inside a Treasury that wants to spend as little as possible on defence. What doesnt seem to be understood by our so-called leaders is that there isnt a surface-to-air missile supermarket where you can push your trolley down, selecting whatever missiles you want. Even with the best money spent, there will be a two-year-plus gap between ordering new SAMs and receiving them. High demand for air defence systems has made lead times rise, and some European customers for the US Patriot SAM have now been told that they do not know when they will receive their missiles, production being under such stress. The reliance on Nato for our collective defence is also often emphasised by those tasked with keeping us safe, who regularly point out that our allies would intercept any missiles coming towards the UK. But would our allies act straight away? Most missile defence systems have computer systems that look at the trajectory of a missile and calculate where it is set to hit. If it is set, say, to hit unpopulated areas or the sea, the computer calculation will be to not waste a missile on it. So a Dutch Patriot SAM, seeing a ballistic missile passing over the Netherlands towards the UK, would in effect say, nothing to worry about not a threat to us. To my certain knowledge, after numerous conversations over the past year, there have been no explicit talks between the UK and Nato partners about them defending UK airspace with their SAMs. Actually, there is more astonishment that the UK is not doing more to defend itself. open image in gallery Prime minister Keir Starmer has paid visits to fellow Nato countries such as Norway to discuss defence, but plans to reinforce Britains infrastructure need more urgency ( Getty ) There are parts of the Labour Party that believe in welfare, not warfare. The oft-misquoted line from the prime minister Neville Chamberlain talking about the Sudetenland dispute in 1938 a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing comes from those who insist there is no direct threat to the UK. This is in spite of documented evidence of sabotage and hostile activity against infrastructure in Europe, including railways, energy networks, and communications systems. The stark reality is that the UKs lack of investment in air and missile defences leaves our nation increasingly vulnerable. While Europe acts decisively to protect critical infrastructure, the UK emerges as the exposed man of the continent with limited options should a coordinated drone or missile strike occur. Without urgent strategic action, the scenario that once seemed implausible dozens of inexpensive drones bringing the UK to a halt could move from fiction to fact. As war escalates in the Middle East and tensions grow across the Baltic regions, the time for complacency is over. Francis Tusa is editor of Defence Analysis 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 Donald Trump touted the U.S. militarys munitions stockpiles as the administration promised that the hardest hits yet to come in the ongoing conflict in Iran. The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons, the president wrote in the early hours of Tuesday. Trump stated his belief that the U.S. will easily prevail, adding that the military is ready for the operation to go on for whatever it takes. Wars can be fough forever, and very successully, using just these supplies, he added in the TruthSocial post. The president blamed a lack of highest-grade munitions on the previous administrations support for the war in Ukraine. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!" he concluded. open image in gallery This U.S. Navy handout photo released by U.S. Central Command public affairs shows an F/A-18E Super Hornet taxiing on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury ( US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images ) Trump made no secret of the U.S. build-up of military assets near the Middle East in recent weeks ahead of Saturdays airstrikes, amid rising tensions with Iran over its nuclear program and internal crackdown on protests. U.S. naval and air deployments have expanded across the region, including the positioning of major warships near the Arabian Peninsula. Early Saturday morning, U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes on multiple cities across Iran, triggering swift retaliation threats from Tehran and a wave of attacks across the Middle East. Iranian authorities said the attacks were part of what they described as a massive and ongoing US-Israeli assault on the country. Large plumes of black smoke were seen rising near the headquarters of the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet in Manama, though the extent of any damage remains unclear, and the U.S. has not confirmed the claims, the BBC reports. open image in gallery Early Saturday morning, U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes on multiple cities across Iran, triggering swift retaliation threats from Tehran and a wave of attacks across the Middle East Across the wider region, several countries hosting U.S. military bases reported intercepting incoming missiles, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait, according to the outlet. In Doha, Qatari authorities reported intercepting several incoming missiles believed to be targeting Al Udeid Air Base, the regions largest U.S. military installation. The latest escalation follows weeks of mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran, as Trump criticized Irans crackdown on protesters and called for a deal on its nuclear capabilities. As rhetoric intensified, the U.S. increased its military footprint in the region, with the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln spotted off the coast of Oman and the USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navys newest and largest aircraft carrier, expected to join regional deployments. The buildup has seen destroyers and specialist combat ships move to cover Irans southern flank as F-15 and EA-18 fighter jets gather numbers across military bases to the west. Iran was ready to retaliate, according to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said this week that the U.S. may be struck so hard that it cannot get back up if it renewed attacks against the regime. open image in gallery The USS Gerald R Ford, the worlds largest warship, has been sent to the region ( AP ) Trump warned Wednesday that if Iran fails to agree to a deal, it may be necessary to attack the country from Diego Garcia or RAF Fairford, threatening to drag Britain into the conflict. Naval buildup in the region The USS Abraham Lincoln was situated Friday in the Arabian Sea, while the USS Gerald R Ford is passed through the Gibraltar Strait and could be positioned south of Cyprus in a matter of days. The carriers are supported by protective destroyers in a carrier strike group. In total, 11 destroyers in the region will join three Littoral combat ships. Two or three attack submarines including at least one with nuclear capabilities loaded with Tomahawk missiles are also present. The ayatollah issued a stark warning as the USS Gerald R Ford approached the Mediterranean this week, saying: An aircraft carrier is a dangerous device, but more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea. open image in gallery The USS Gerald R. Ford off the coast of St Thomas Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, on 24 January ( Planet Labs PBC ) Tehrans sabre-rattling extended to closing the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the 1980s this week to carry out naval drills. Thursday saw more drills, this time with Russia, in the Sea of Oman. The U.S. would not need to send its second aircraft carrier to the region for it to have a role in a potential conflict with Iran. Positioning the 333 metre nuclear-powered ship in the eastern Mediterranean would help protect Israel and Jordan if needed. U.S. strengthens aerial options Jordan is home to the Muwaffaq Salti military base, where Washington had been building up combat and cargo aircraft in recent days. Ageing F-15s and A-10 Warthogs have been pictured this week on the tarmac alongside C-130 transport aircraft. The U.S. also still has around 10,000 troops scattered across bases in the region. Further afield, modern and long-distance aircraft open up Washingtons options for strikes. Flight trackers show the movement of Boeing KC-135 tankers to Europe and the Middle East, which suggests preparedness for longer haul flights. Last summer, B-2 bombers set off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, refuelling several times during flight, on a 36-hour round trip before striking Iran and returning home. open image in gallery F/A-18 Super Hornets from Strike Fighter Squadron 14 land on the deck of USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea ( US Centcom ) The U.S. has moved more than 50 F-35, F-22 and F-16 fighter jets to the broader region this week, Axios reported, citing an unnamed U.S. official and flight radar data. The two aircraft carriers have additional capacity for up to 180 aircraft between them. Trump additionally suggested that if Iran did not submit to a deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime. RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is a US-operated base used as a bomber forward operating base. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson toldThe Independent: As routine, we do not comment on the operational activity of other nations, including third-party use of UK bases. Proposed U.S operations from a base in the UK would be considered on a case-by-case basis. open image in gallery American A-10s, armed with 30mm gatling guns, are among the aircraft on standby (file photo) ( Centcom ) The U.S. also appears to be tightening its air defences in the event of any Iranian retaliation. Last years Israeli strike on Irans nuclear capabilities led to retaliatory strikes by Iran on an American military base in Qatar. The U.S. could be prepping for that eventuality by installing an extensive series of C-5s and C-17s, along with Galaxy and Globemaster flights, to bring air defence assets to its bases in the region. Senior national security officials had told Trump that the military would be ready to strike Iran by Saturday, according to multiple U.S. media outlets. However, one unnamed senior official said it could be weeks before everything is fully in place. The president has ordered the continued buildup in the region, including the arrival of the second carrier group. Full forces should be in place by mid-March, they said. 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 Iran has struck several targets across the Gulf in retaliation against a joint US-Israeli bombing campaign, plunging the Middle East into chaos. Tehran said it would target US bases in the Middle East after Washington and Israel launched strikes towards Iran on Saturday. US President Donald Trump accused Tehran of waging an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States. Blasts have since been reported in Jerusalem, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha in Qatar, and Manama in Bahrain on the third day of a conflict that has plunged the region into chaos, impacting key regional aviation and trade hubs. Click here to stay up to date with the latest on the Middle East conflict. open image in gallery A US fighter jet crashed in Kuwait after a case of friendly fire ( Social Media ) Both the UK and the US have long had military bases in numerous countries across the Middle East. An Iranian drone struck a US navy base in Bahrain at around 7:30pm GMT (10:30pm local time) on Sunday, causing a major fire. It struck near an adjoining UK naval facility, but there were no casualties as the area had previously been evacuated. Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly shot down three US F15 fighter jets flying in Iran-related operations, the US military said on Monday. All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition, it said. Meanwhile, the Cypriot government said on Monday that two unmanned drones heading towards the UKs Akrotiri air base in Cyprus had been intercepted. Can Irans missiles reach US bases? Iran has used ballistic missiles and drones to launch large-scale attacks on US allies and assets across the Gulf, which have a self-imposed range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles). It has the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, according to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Even Irans short-range missiles can reach 435 miles, which would put several US military bases within reach, according to estimates by the CSIS Missile Defense Project in The New York Times. These include bases and military sites in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Oman and the UAE all of which are at risk of Iranian retaliation with short-range weapons. In the wider region, the US operates a broad network of sites across at least 19 locations, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Eight are permanent, including in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Tens of thousands of US troops are stationed across the Middle East, in Arab Gulf countries just across the Persian Gulf from Iran and much closer than Israel. Those bases boast the same kinds of sophisticated air defences as Israel, but would have much less warning time before waves of missiles or swarms of armed drones reached them. And even Israel, which is several hundred kilometres further away, has been unable to stop all of the incoming fire. General Sir Richard Barrons, a former senior UK military officer, told Sky News that Iran was limited in options for manoeuvre, not least because it has lost many top leaders in the past couple of days. Movements to fire missiles could expose the launch site to American and Israeli attacks from the air, giving Irans missile launchers a short life expectancy. US officials have said in the past that Iran has depleted its medium-range stockpile, with few remaining, but it still maintains ample short-range capabilities. Where are US and UK bases located? Bahrain Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain) is home to the US Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet. The deep-water port can hold Americas largest military vessels including aircraft carriers. Four anti-mine vessels, two logistical support ships and several US Coast Guard vessels have a home port in Bahrain. Britains Royal Navy opened and operated the port during the 1920s, and the first US military presence was established when they joined the Second World War. After the war it was recognised as a US Navy site. Iraq open image in gallery US army drones at the Ain Al Asad airbase in the western Iraqi province of Anbar ( AFP/Getty ) The US has a number of military bases in Iraq, including two air fields the Al-Harir and Al Asad air bases and dozens of camps and outposts. These bases were repeatedly targeted by pro-Iran militant groups after Israels invasion of Gaza in October 2023. At the height of the US occupation of the country from 2003 until 2011, there were reportedly 170,000 US personnel stationed in 505 bases across the country. In January 2024, the Iraqi government requested a start to negotiations on ending the US military presence in Iraq, as regional tensions grew due to the situation in Gaza. As of 29 January that year, the UK Ministry of Defence said 200 service personnel were deployed on operations there. The British Army is involved in training and supporting Iraqi and Kurdish security forces; they are not operating in a combat role. Kuwait Kuwait plays host to several US installations, including two air bases, alongside a number of other outposts. Ali Al Salem Air Base is home to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, one of the main hubs for delivering combat support in the region. The RAF has previously used the Ali Al Salem Air Base. Qatar open image in gallery A UK Typhoon at the Al Udeid base in Qatar ( MoD ) Qatars Al Udeid Air Base is the largest of its kind in the region, according to Reuters. It includes components of Central Command (Centcom), and elements of its air forces and special operations forces in the Middle East. The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which includes airlift, aerial refueling intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation assets, AFP reports. Al Udeid Air Base, which is located in the desert outside the capital Doha, hosts around 10,000 US troops. It serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, which directs American military operations across a vast area stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. Saudi Arabia The Prince Sultan Air Base is a major site that hosted a large US presence during its war in Iraq, and from which the US air force still operates. Elsewhere, the Eskan Village near Riyadh serves as a housing facility for US military personnel, largely those who are under training. RAF personnel have been attached to the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) for many years; as of April 2019 there were 66 military staff based in Saudi Arabia and 35 based in the UK with MODSAP. United Arab Emirates open image in gallery A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai ( AFP via Getty ) Al Dhafra Air Base is home to the US 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, which has 10 aircraft squadrons and holds MQ-9 Reaper drones. The base also hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Centre for air and missile defence training. The RAF operates from Al Minhad Air Base, announced as a new permanent UK military facility in March 2024. Jordan The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan was allocated $143m for upgrades and expansion in 2018. It hosts military partners including Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with two runways almost 10,000 feet long. Oman Oman has been a strategic hub for the UK Ministry of Defence, after the Royal Navy opened a joint logistics support base at Duqm port. The ministry has said Duqm gives the UK a strategically important and permanent maritime base east of Suez, but outside of the Gulf. Cyprus open image in gallery Cyprus said a drone attack targeted a British base, RAF Akrotiri ( PA ) The UK has two Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. RAF Akrotiri is the main operating base in the region, home to fast jet combat aircraft, air-to-air refuelling, air mobility, air transport, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. 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 Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide has suspended its robotaxi fleet in Dubai, as escalating US-Israel conflict with Iran disrupts key Middle Eastern hubs, a promising market for the industry. The Gulf region has become a significant overseas expansion ground for Chinese robotaxi companies, attracted by a friendly regulatory environment and robust demand for ride-hailing services. Despite the Dubai suspension, WeRide, which has operated in the region since 2021, confirmed on Tuesday that its robotaxi fleets in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh are continuing regular public commercial and passenger operations. All its employees in the region are now working from home and limiting unnecessary outings to ensure their safety and well-being. Two other major Chinese robotaxi firms, Baidu's Apollo Go and Pony.ai, are also monitoring the situation. Apollo Go was "in close coordination with local regulators and will adjust our services as needed to ensure the continued safety of our staff and an orderly response to the local environment," a company statement said. Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide has suspended its robotaxi fleet in Dubai ( REUTERS ) The robotaxi unit of Baidu launched commercial robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi in January. Pony.ai had suspended its on-road testing activities in Doha and Dubai before resuming testing in Doha on Monday. It will resume testing in Dubai "at an appropriate time," according to the company, which remains at the testing stage in the region. The Gulf was previously highlighted to become the region where Chinese and US robotaxis go head-to-head and compete for passengers and customers. "We are actually happy to see positive and active competition and we won't be afraid of such competition," he said at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress in Abu Dhabi last week. Worried about worsening traffic congestion and a shortage of taxi and ride-hailing services that largely rely on migrant workers for their drivers, Dubai has set a goal of having 25 per cent of its daily transportation be smart and driverless by 2030. Abu Dhabi's target is 25 per cent of total trips by 2040 while Saudi Arabia is aiming for 15% by 2030. Middle East and this kind of market, they already have the infrastructure, they have the capital, they have the ambition, which is very important. So that's why everybody is queuing up here," Thaha Muhammed Abdul Kareem, a Qatar-based independent consultant, previously said. 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 British travellers stranded in the Gulf by escalating conflict have begun taking off on limited flights to the UK. Airspace closures across the Middle East followed strikes between the US, Israel and Iran this weekend, shutting several busy aviation hubs in the region. Although Dubai airport is not fully open, a small number of flights resumed yesterday evening. An Emirates flight from Dubai International Airport (DXB) is expected to land in Manchester this afternoon. Other Emirates flights to London Heathrow, Gatwick, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Paris and Bengaluru took off on Tuesday morning, per FlightRadar24. DXB said in a passenger advisory on Monday: Limited airport operations have resumed today (March 2) with a small number of flights operating from DXB and DWC. Passengers must not travel to the airport unless they have received a confirmed departure time directly from their airline, as schedules remain subject to change. If you have received a confirmed departure flight from your airline, please also check which terminal your flight is departing from. UAE airspace has partially reopened under restricted corridors since closing on Saturday. Emirates, the UAE flag carrier, also said it would operate a limited number of flights from Monday evening. The airline said: We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates. Zayed International Airport advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have been explicitly advised by their airline to do so. Access to the airport in Abu Dhabi will be restricted to confirmed travellers only. According to Cirium, the aviation analytics firm, 78.13 per cent of flights from the UK to the UAE remain cancelled on Tuesday. Etihad added that all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2pm local time on 5 March. The airline said: Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals. Read more: Gulf airlines to resume some flights after Iran strikes closed airspace 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 last two Winn-Dixie grocery stores in Alabama are set to close by the end of this month. The grocery store chain is closing locations in a few states as it rebrands to The Winn-Dixie Company, and two more will be closed in Birmingham, Alabama. After more than 60 years serving the city, one location will close on March 21 and the other on March 22, as the company shifts its focus to Florida. The grocer has already acquired three Hitchcocks Markets in the Sunshine State and plans to open them later this year. Ahead of the store closures, shoppers will be able to save anywhere from 20 percent to 40 percent off in their closing-down sales. Winn-Dixies parent company, Southeastern Grocers, has already closed stores in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi and sold them off to competing grocery store chains, including Food City, Piggly Wiggly and Aldi. Winn-Dixie will be closing locations in a few states in an attempt to rebrand the company as The Winn-Dixie Company ( Getty Images ) Discussing the companys transition, Anthony Hucker, CEO of Southeastern Grocers, outlined why Winn-Dixie is sharpening its focus on Florida. For a century, Winn-Dixie has proudly called Florida home, he said. As we enter our next century as The Winn-Dixie Company a brand-new 100-year-old company we are accelerating growth where our roots run deepest while staying true to our purpose of feeding and enriching the communities, families and neighbors who have supported us for generations. The news of the Winn-Dixie closures comes two years after Aldi announced it was buying 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations across the Southern part of the United States. Under the proposed merger agreement at the time, Aldi acquired all outstanding shares of Southeastern Grocers Inc. Aldi said the deal supports its long-term growth strategy in the U.S., where it expects to have 2,400 stores by the end of this year. The Winn-Dixie and Harveys supermarkets its acquiring are primarily in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Aldi said it would convert some locations to its own brand and format, which cuts costs with features like lean inventories and self-bagging. But it will operate some stores under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys brands. The deal came amid wider consolidation in the grocery industry as customers increasingly defect to big box stores like Walmart, which controls more than 20 percent of U.S. grocery sales. Cork restaurateur Patricia Toscano and ex-boyfriend to enter mediation over $16m Florida house sale Dispute over whether proceeds from property should be split on 50-50 basis Restaurateur Patricia Toscano. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision John Mulligan Tue 3 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Cork restaurateur Patricia Toscano and her former boyfriend, New York lawyer Michael Griffith, have agreed to enter confidential mediation in an effort to resolve a dispute surrounding a (13.6m) Florida mansion. The Government has decided to give Gabriel Makhlouf a second term as governor of the Central Bank of Ireland. Mr Makhlouf was initially appointed to the post on September 1, 2019, so his seven-year term of office was due to expire at the end of August. Finance Minister Simon Harris had been told by his officials that it was important to take an early decision on the role prior to Ireland taking over the presidency of the EU this summer. Had the Government instead decided to choose someone new, an international selection process could have taken several months. Nevertheless the reappointment has come as a surprise, since previous governors of the Central Bank have only served one term. Philip Lane left the role in 2019, after four years, to take up a position as chief economist in the ECB. Before him, Patrick Honohan served one term from 2009, and he succeeded John Hurley who served from 2002 to 2009, with his term extended by six months to allow a reorganisation of the financial regulation system. Maurice OConnell did one term between 1994 and 2002. As governor, Mr Makhlouf (66) is a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank (ECB), and is Ireland's alternate governor at the International Monetary Fund. Making the announcement, Mr Harris said: Mr Makhlouf is eminently qualified to perform the role of Governor of the Central Bank and the Government was pleased to support his nomination for reappointment. During his first term, Mr Makhlouf introduced reforms and enhancements that have strengthened the Central Bank and will continue to positively impact its performance. I wish him every success as he continues to lead the organisation in the years ahead. Mr Makhloufs second seven-year term will commence on September 1, once his nomination is approved by President Catherine Connolly. His salary is about to reach 348,000 a year, after the Central Bank Commissions remuneration committee decided last December to approve a 2pc pay rise for all senior executives at the bank. The first increment came into effect on February 1, and the second is due in June. While he will earn 348,000, three deputy governors Mary-Elizabeth McMunn, Colm Kincaid and Vasileios Madouros will move up to salaries of 303,000 a year. At the time of Mr Makhloufs appointment in 2019, it was reported that the ECB had raised concerns with the Government about his nomination, on the basis that he was a British national and not an economist. However, this was at a time of political tumult caused by Brexit, when there was a heightened sense of European nationalism in relation to leading posts. Before joining the Central Bank of Ireland, Mr Makhlouf was secretary to the New Zealand Treasury and its chief executive from 2011 to 2019. He was the New Zealand Governments chief economic, financial and regulatory adviser, providing advice on its economic and fiscal strategy and on achieving value for money from investments. Mr Makhlouf also worked in the British civil service, including being responsible for the UK's Government Banking Service. He is a former chair of the worlds main tax rule-making body the Committee on Fiscal Affairs at the OECD in Paris. Crowdfund investors will be left empty-handed Brewdog has said it will shut 38 bars with the loss of 484 jobs, despite the Scottish craft brewer being snapped up in a rescue deal by a US firm. Tilray Brands, which produces medicinal cannabis as well as craft beer in the US, has acquired the Brewdog brand in a 33m (37.8m) deal. The deal came after Brewdog fell into administration on Monday, in a move which will leave the brands crowdfund investors empty-handed. It bought a number of Brewdog assets including the global brand and related intellectual property, its UK brewing operation, 10 of its pub venues across the UK and one in Dublin. But administrators confirmed this would result in the closure of 38 Brewdog bars with 484 workers set to lose their jobs. Brewdogs 18 franchise bars in the UK and internationally will continue to operate. The Tilray deal will see it take control of Brewdog facilities including its brewery in Aberdeenshire, and The Hop Hub, a national distribution centre in Motherwell. It will also preserve 733 jobs in the UK, where employees will transfer to Tilray. The brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, closed its pubs on Monday as it sought to confirm a takeover. In February, consultants AlixPartners were called in to oversee a strategic review and sale process for the business. However, it confirmed on Monday that insolvency specialists from the advisory firm were appointed as administrators following weeks of talks. It is understood that founder James Watt was among parties to hold talks in a bid to secure a potential takeover. Uncertainty at the business had led to questions from those who have invested in Brewdog through its equity for punks scheme. The company held a number of crowdfunding initiatives up to 2021. The administrators confirmed that any equity holders, including the equity for punks investors, will be left empty-handed and not receive any returns from the deal. Clare Kennedy, a partner and managing director at AlixPartners said: As one would expect over the past two weeks, we have received significant interest in the Brewdog business from prospective buyers across both the trade and investment communities. In Tilray, we have secured a purchaser with a passion for craft brewing who will be an excellent custodian and sponsor of the business in the months and years ahead. Tilray is separately negotiating deals to buy certain Brewdog assets in the US and Australia. Irwin D Simon, chairman and chief executive of Tilray Brands, said: Brewdog is one of the most iconic, mission-driven craft beer brands in the UK. It helped redefine modern craft beer through bold innovation, fearless creativity and an unwavering commitment to great beer. As we begin a new chapter for this great brand, our priority is to refocus Brewdog on the craft beer excellence that made it beloved in the first place and strategically invest to return the operations to profitable growth. Brewdogs future is bright, and we are committed to ensuring the brand continues to lead and inspire the global craft beer movement. Company plans to make the pill version of its anti-obesity treatment Wegovy in Ireland Pictured at the Novo Nordisk announcement in Monksland, Athlone were Tom Quinn (Site Head, Novo Nordisk Production Ireland), Dilek Dogan Gurluk (General Manager, Novo Nordisk Ireland), Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Minister Peter Burke and Kasper Bdker Mejlvang (EVP CMC and Product Supply, Novo Nordisk). Photo: Barry Cronin Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which is expecting approval for the pill version of its anti-obesity treatment Wegovy in Europe later this year, has confirmed an investment of 432m in its manufacturing plant at Athlone. The plan was first revealed last month by its chief executive Mike Doustdar, as he described the launch of the Wegovy pill as one of the most successful pharmaceutical debuts ever, with more than 240,000 Americans taking it. Referring to Novo Nodisks bid to reclaim its dominant position in the weight-loss market, which it has lost to Eli Lilly, Mr Doustdar said: If we were about to throw in the towel, we would not be investing in factories in Ireland. The company said the investment at the tablet manufacturing plant in Athlone will provide significant additional capacity for current and future GLP-1 treatments. These medications mimic a natural hormone in order to lower blood sugar levels and reduce appetite, and are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Kasper Bodker Mejlvang of Novo Nordisk said: With the investment in the Athlone facility, Novo Nordisk is expanding its production capacities for oral products, which will enable us to meet both current and future global demand outside the US. Dilek Dogan Gurluk, the recently appointed general manager of Novo Nordisk Ireland, said the Athlone manufacturing plant will be key to the companys plan to reach more patients. Ireland faces a significant public health challenge. Over the past 30 years, rates of overweight and obesity have risen sharply across all age groups, social classes, and genders, she said. Today, Ireland ranks among the highest in Europe, with 60pc of adults and more than 20pc of children living with overweight or obesity. These trends are shaped by the environments in which we live, work and age, and they demand a comprehensive model of care for patient treatment. Novo Nordisk, which employs about 260 people in Athlone, has a global workforce of over 68,000 people operating in 80 countries. The company says that the expansion project will cover 45 acres and create up to 600 construction jobs. The work which has already begun, will be finalised towards the end of next year and the start of 2028. The expansion represents something of a reversal of Novo Nordisks fortunes in Ireland. Over two years ago it cancelled a plan to build a factory near Dublin, and last autumn it reduced its workforce at the Athlone plant, which it bought for 85m in 2023 from the pharma group Alkermes. In February, Novo Nordisk warned of a double-digit fall in sales and a painful reduction in prices of close to 20pc. This followed a deal struck with US president Donald Trumps administration to offer lower prices to US consumers, in return for immunity from tariffs. Novo Nordisks hope is that the tablet form of the weight-loss drug Wegovy will be more attractive to people who do not like giving themselves injections. Authorised in pill form in America at the start of 2026, the company expects that the process of approval in Europe will be completed in the second half of this year. Europe represents a considerable marketing opportunity for the medication as, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, 22.6pc of adults in Europe are classified as obese. The controversial redevelopment of the Deerpark entrance in Mount Merrion. Photo: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council A report into an 800,000 project to revamp a park entrance said a quadrupling of costs stemmed from bespoke items including Portuguese granite and design specifications that fell short of what was needed. The assessment said preliminary documents had underestimated what would be involved in the project at the park in south Dublin. It said future projects should be managed differently because the works were at one stage expected to cost just 200,000, according to a grant application. It said the works were needed to replace ageing steps at Deer Park in Mount Merrion, which were inaccessible for people with disabilities, cyclists, or parents with buggies. The report said a substantial number of additional resources had been required to complete the project beyond what was expected. This included bespoke items such as special Portuguese Alvo granite paving, restraining systems, and benching units. It said substantial remeasurements of the scheme were required because of inaccuracies and lack of information in the original proposals. Speaking in the Dail last November, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that while access to public spaces for people with disabilities was "very, very important", the price of the park entrance did not match what was delivered. She called on Taoiseach Micheal Martin to "instigate a waste audit across government". Ms McDonald said she would expect a "breathtaking feat of engineering", but the "only breathtaking thing about this is the cost". The report said costs mounted even further as it became clear measures would be needed to protect trees and to avoid issues with underground pipes and wiring. It explained: The interference of underground utilities with the works and the extra costs and time required to provide alternative design solutions were deemed inevitable. The level of accuracy of the underground services maps was limited, and the exact location and number of said services could only be ascertained at construction stage. The report prepared by an external consultant said a later execution estimate for the works was around 416,000, of which 321,000 was allocated for construction. However, by the end of 2025, the estimated actual cost of the works had risen to 848,000. Construction costs rose to just over 700,000 with design costs of around 95,000. A further 41,500 was spent on traffic signalling works, 5,300 on measures to protect trees, and roughly 5,000 for heritage sign design and manufacturing. The controversial redevelopment of the Deerpark entrance in Mount Merrion. Photo: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council News in 90 seconds -Tuesday, March 3 It said a full remeasurement of the works was required because the original costings proved optimistic and excluded important materials and complexities. The report said: The cost of said items was known only after a quotation was provided by the relevant suppliers engaged by the contractor. In its conclusions, it said the project itself was achieved to the satisfaction of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the designer. However, it said the works might have benefited from a standard tender competition rather than being completed under an existing maintenance contract. The report concluded that many of the problems stemmed from a low estimate of the execution costs of the scheme. It is envisaged that future schemes of nature and scale similar to Deerpark entrance would highly benefit from the appointment of a designer site representative at pre-construction stage. The assessment added that a final round of consultation before appointing a contractor would help ensure that potential concerns regarding the final design proposal are raised and resolved before works commence. Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways are issuing travel advice for affected passengers Emirates has been accommodating stranded outbound passengers at hotels in Dublin. Photo: Getty Thousands of passengers are affected by cancelled flights between the Middle East and Dublin as war rages across the region. Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways have cancelled flights to and from Dublin. Emirates currently operates three flights a day to and from Dubai, while Etihad has up to two return flights a day and is scheduled to have double-daily flights every day from next month. Qatar operates up to three direct return flights a day out of Dublin. The majority of passengers flying with the three airlines typically transit through Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha en route to destinations such as Australia, the Far East, Africa, India and the Philippines. With services now suspended, it has left passengers stranded worldwide. Dublin Airport confirmed Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways cancelled all their outbound Dublin flights yesterday. The Dublin Airport team continues to work closely with airlines as they deal with the impact of airspace and airport closures in the Middle East, a spokesperson said. With no certainty regarding when airspace and airports in the Middle East will reopen, further disruption to flight schedules over the coming days is possible. Passengers who booked though travel agents should contact them to discuss their options Emirates confirmed it suspended all operations to and from Dubai until 3pm today in the UAE (11am Irish time). In Dublin, outbound passengers who have not been able to fly and without accommodation, have been accommodated in local hotels, a spokesperson said. The situation remains dynamic and is assessed continuously. We urge all customers to review the latest operational updates on Emirates.com and check their email for any notifications about changes or cancellations. The airline said passengers can rebook on an alternative flight on or before March 20 or request a refund. Passengers who booked though travel agents should contact them to discuss their options. Qatar Airways passengers who have a confirmed travel date between February 28 and March 6 are eligible for free changes up to 14 days from the original travel date or a refund for the unused portion of their ticket. Etihad passengers with tickets issued on or before February 28 with travel dates up to March 7 can rebook for free on Etihad flights up to March 18. They can also request a refund. A 30 pair of Zara trousers changed my life now Im a stylist and content creator Emma McEvoy (30), aka Emma Noodle, from Cork, gave up her steady job as an accountant to become a stylist and content creator now she has 289k followers Emma McEvoy has a a following of 289,000 people on her Instagram, @emmanoodle_ As told to Deirdre Barry Tue 3 Mar 2026 at 06:30 I started creating style and fashion content when I was doing my Bachelor of Commerce in UCD after having moved from Cork to Dublin, but I didnt tell anybody it was very much on the sidelines. Traffic from Dubai airport remains at about 25pc of normal levels, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24 Limited flight schedules have resumed after a week of conflict in the Middle East, though most regional air space remains closed and the situation is uncertain. Emirates says it is operating a reduced flight schedule while working to restore full network operations" from Dubai, the world's busiest international airport. "It's pretty well the biggest shutdown we've seen, certainly since the Covid pandemic," Paul Charles of luxury travel consultancy PC Agency told Reuters. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways operate over a dozen flights a day into and out of Dublin Airport to hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Passengers on an Emirates flight returning to Dublin. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos A small number of flights out of the Middle East have landed in Dublin, with another expected Friday, including an government charter flight from Oman, which is expected to transport around 280 passengers. Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee expressed hope that hundreds, if not more than 1,000, will arrive in Dublin before the end of the week. Whats the latest on Friday? Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule, but said it anticipates a return to 100pc of its network within the coming days, subject to airspace availability and the fulfilment of all operational requirements. It carried around 30,000 passengers from Dubai on Thursday, and is expecting to have over 100 flights daily by March 7 almost 60pc of its route network. It is accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and advised passengers not to go to airports unless bookings are confirmed. Etihad said it will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from March 6-19, while Qatar Airways said a further update will be provided on March 7 by 9am Doha time (6am GMT). It is operating a limited number of relief flights. Other airlines are also reacting. Air France, for example, cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyads until March 7, and to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 9. Irelands Dept of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has upgraded its travel advice to destinations like the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to Avoid Non-Essential Travel and advised citizens in these places to shelter in place. You can read individual country travel advisories here. Dubai International Airport was closed (Altaf Qadri/AP) Any travel to destinations rated Do Not Travel or Avoid Non-Essential Travel will likely invalidate travel insurance and overseas medical cover. Earlier this week, the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) advised those on holiday in the Gulf States, or with trips planned to the area, to maintain contact with the airline you travelled on, maintain contact with your travel agent or tour operator, keep your mobile phone charged, and follow closely local media reports and advice. How do I know if my flights are affected? The rights of passengers in the event of cancelled or delayed flights are set out under EU Regulation 261/2014. They apply to flights within the EU, but also flights arriving into or departing from the EU on both EU or non-EU airlines. In the event of a cancellation, airlines should contact affected passengers by email or SMS. You can also check the airline website for flight status updates using your booking or flight number, and your airport's online departures boards. You should check with your airline before travel to the airport. If travelling in the Middle East, you can register with the DFA online or contact its consular team in Dublin at +353 1 408-2000. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled? Delays and cancellations are part and parcel of modern air travel, and reasons can range conflicts and airspace closures to weather events like Storm Eowyn or industrial action. If your flight is cancelled for any reason, and regardless of when you are notified, your airline must offer you the choice between: Re-routing as soon as possible, subject to availability, free of charge. Re-routing at a later date. A full refund within seven days. Passengers stranded by the closure of Dubai International Airport await assistance (Altaf Qadri/AP) How do I arrange a re-routing or refund? In the event of a cancellation or delay, airlines are obliged to inform passengers of their options. If this happens at the airport, staff should be on hand to talk you through the various scenarios. Otherwise you will receive an email or text message to the contact details attached to your booking. You can also check your carrier's website (Aer Lingus, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Ryanair). It should include notes on disruption, and outline the steps to process your own refunds or bookings (a voucher may also be an option). If you booked through a third-party (for example a travel agent or tour operator), the original sales agent should contact you or be your source of contact. Am I entitled to care and assistance? If your flight is cancelled and you choose to be re-routed as soon as possible, then you are entitled to meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation and transfers between the airport and hotel as required. If the airline does not provide these (where a large number of flights are cancelled and numbers are overwhelming, for example), and you end up paying yourself, keep the receipts - you are entitled to a reimbursement of reasonable expenses. NB. A five-star hotel may not be a reasonable expense! Bear in mind that if your flight is cancelled and you choose a full refund, then the airline's obligations to you end there and then. Planes at Cork Airport during Storm Emma in 2018. Photo: Cork Airport/Twitter What about my accommodation? An airline is not liable for any missed accommodation, events or other knock-on effects of a delay or cancellation solely for the flight. However, if you booked through a travel agent or a tour operator as a package holiday, you may be in a better position to re-organise or reschedule accommodation. Adding travel disruption cover to your travel insurance policy (well in advance of travel) can also provide additional cover for expenses and accommodation (see below). Am I entitled to compensation? Financial compensation depends on the flight length and the reason for the cancellation. It differs to care and re-routing/refund obligations that must be offered (as outlined above), and generally ranges from 250 (short-haul, less than 1,500km) to 600 (long-haul, over 3,500km). You are not due compensation if the airline gives you two weeks or more notice of the cancellation. However, you may be entitled to compensation if you receive between seven days and two weeks notice and your arrival times are later than four hours on the reroute, or if you receive less than seven days notice and your arrival time is later than two hours on the reroute. If the air carrier can prove the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances - such as a conflict, or storm - then you may not be entitled to compensation. However, you are still due a refund or re-routing. Ryanair passengers. Photo: Getty How do I claim compensation? Compensation claims are never evaluated or resolved at the airport. If you believe compensation is your due, then the first step is to formally contact the air carrier. If you're not satisfied with its response, then you can escalate by contacting the National Enforcement Body - which, in most cases for Irish passengers, is the Irish Aviation Authority (01 661-1700; iaa.ie). If my outbound flight is cancelled, what happens my return flight? If a flight isn't subject to disruption, technically you are not entitled to any care or compensation. However, airlines do tend to take a logical view, and normally work with passengers to refund or reschedule flights impacted in this way. If you have booked through a travel agent or tour operator, you should receive assistance from them. What if my flight is delayed? If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, and you choose not to travel, then you are entitled to a full refund. If you accept this refund, the airline is no longer obliged to provide onward travel or assistance. If your flight is delayed by at least two hours (short-haul), three hours (European) or four hours (long haul), you are entitled to care and assistance as outlined above. If you arrive at your destination more than three hours after the scheduled arrival time, you may be entitled to between 250 and 600 compensation, depending on the flight distance. Passenger rights. Source: IAA How can my travel insurance help? In the event of a flight cancellation, the first source of refunds and re-routing should be with your airline (see above). Standard travel insurance policies don't offer much help here, but 'missed departure' cover can help you secure a new flight, or an additional night's accommodation. Read more about travel insurance and questions to ask about your policy here. If your policy includes extra "travel disruption" cover, you should be covered for additional transport or accommodation costs up to around 1,000pp. This covers most of scenarios with flight cancellations due to weather, strikes and so on, but note that it covers transport and accommodation-related expenses only - i.e. not lost annual leave, business opportunities or deposits, concert tickets or museum or attraction fees booked in advance online. Is it too late to take out travel insurance? Travel Disruption cover can be added retrospectively to a policy, but not to claim on an event that has already happened (or been forecast). There can also be a moratorium on travel disruption from the time you take out the policy to the time you will be covered (eg. seven days) - however, 'missed departure' cover should still apply. Where can I find more information? For full details on your air passenger rights in the event of cancellation, delays, downgrading and denied boarding, see the Irish Aviation Authoritys website, iaa.ie. NB: This article is being updated to reflect events. It was amended on March 2, 2026, to correct the name of the Irish Aviation Authority. David Averre: Putin has learned from Chinese how to control his country with just the single flick of a switch New state-backed app Max is being pushed by Moscow to current users of Telegram and WhatsApp Russian President Vladimir Putin and the FSB are focusing on controlling social media use and access. Photo: Reuters David Averre Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Tue 3 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Vladimir Putin has taken inspiration from China by handing the Kremlin total control over the internet. Under new laws, Moscow can now dictate what its 146 million citizens can see, say and share online and, if deemed necessary, completely disconnect Russians from the internet with a flick of a switch. US president Donald Trump speaks with reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday. Photo: AP A man holds an Iranian flag following an Israeli and US strike on Gandhi Hotel Hospital in Tehran. Photo: Reuters I was against the war in Iraq because I said its going to totally destabilise the Middle East, which it has. Those were the words of a disapproving Donald Trump in 2004. He recalled those words more recently in one of his many tirades against his nations disastrous habit of getting dragged down by other peoples wars. A snapshot of the Middle East today as American and Israeli forces pound Iran and Tehran and its affiliates rain missiles down on targets across the region suggests history is repeating itself. Only this time Mr Trump is commander in chief and not just an armchair critic. As the situation deteriorates and deaths mount, there is growing international concern at the lack of an immediate objective, never mind a day after plan. As energy prices soar and travel chaos deepens, in an ever-widening conflict, even the warmongering Russian president Vladimir Putin was calling for a diplomatic solution. As news broke of the strikes at the weekend, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that the US and Israeli airstrikes violated international law. Irans retaliatory attacks also blatantly breach the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Gulf states. But at the Pentagon, any talk of de-escalation or respect for the rules-based order was summarily shot down. War secretary Pete Hegseth defended the US military campaign, saying: No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy- building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win and we dont waste time or lives. The risk of a slide into a nightmare civil war scenario as seen in Syria is real However, as David Crane, an American expert on international law, has noted, Mr Trumps attacks in Iran and Venezuela highlight a dangerous trend: the normalisation of unilateral force as a tool of foreign policy. He worried that each time constitutional limits are torn up, a dangerous precedent is created. This undermines American and global stability. That Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was responsible for the massacre of countless Iranians is a matter of record. This was seen most recently in the barbaric way thousands were cut down to quell protests. Abroad, he was the sponsor of numerous terrorist groups; nut decapitating a regime in a country of 90 million people is like going to a cliff-edge blindfolded. You must be certain of the next steps, One recalls the glassy-eyed naivete of George W Bushs administration believing a US-friendly ally would emerge from the ashes in Iraq. Mr Trump believes his yet-to-be-declared aims can be achieved without putting US troops on the ground, but without them, how can he have a say in the endgame? The risk of a slide into a nightmare civil war scenario as seen in Syria is real. Who takes up the reins is far from clear. The dangers of bombing first and hoping for the best when the smoke clears are bitterly remembered in Libya and Afghanistan. A single shot can start a war that may take many armies to end. The "Nee-Naw recorded approximately 2,000 engagements with members of the public during its six-month pilot. Ray ODonoghue, Dublins night-time economy adviser and the force behind The Nee-Naw Dublins late-night welfare van, known as The Nee-Naw recorded approximately 2,000 engagements with members of the public during its six-month pilot. The Dublin Nights Help Zone, delivered by Dublin City Council and funded by the Department of Justice, operated primarily on Camden Street every Friday and Saturday night from July to December, providing medical assistance, welfare support and de-escalation between 10pm and 4am. According to an impact summary published by the council this week, the service logged 1,733 recorded engagements during the pilot phase, with additional incidental contact bringing the operational estimate to around 2,000 interactions. Figures show that the multidisciplinary team, made up of medics, welfare personnel and security staff, carried out 141 medical interventions and provided 259 welfare supports. A further 244 interactions involved general assistance such as giving directions, helping people locate lost items or charging mobile phones. In total, 1,071 engagements were recorded with passers-by asking about the service or engaging with staff on duty. Across the six-month period, the vast majority of incidents were resolved on site, with only 18 cases requiring escalation to emergency services. The Help Zone responded to a wide range of situations including head injuries and suspected fractures, severe intoxication, assault related injuries, mental health distress, dehydration and vomiting and monitoring unconscious individuals pending ambulance arrival. Paul Clinton who owns Flannerys Late Night Bar on Camden Street previously said that it had been a great support on weekend nights and a real source of comfort knowing it's there to help people in difficulty and to avoid long waits for an ambulance. It shows that the city cares for everyone, even in the early hours - long may it continue, he added. Based on conservative modelling of ambulance deployment and emergency department attendance costs, the council estimates the service contributed to a reduction in frontline demand worth in the region of 60,000 across emergency and policing responses. The "Nee-Naw recorded approximately 2,000 engagements with members of the public during its six-month pilot. The report also found that while case complexity increased during the winter months, including falls, assaults and suspected fractures, escalation to emergency services fell to just two cases, suggesting stronger on-site triage as the pilot progressed. Beyond medical interventions, the van operated as a welfare and safeguarding point, including serving as a safe waiting space for young women who had become separated from friends, and as a reunification point for groups. The van acted as a visible and trusted landmark after midnight according to the report and also as a reunification point for separated groups or a place for people to recover or cool down during a night out. Chief Executive of Dublin City Council Richard Shakespeare said the results demonstrate the value of coordinated night-time planning. This pilot demonstrates how coordinated night-time planning can improve safety outcomes and reduce pressure on statutory services, he said. Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Roberts of the Dublin Metropolitan Region said the visible presence of the Help Zone had supported frontline resources. The Dublin Nights Help Zone has provided a visible and practical support presence in the city centre, he said. By resolving lower-level medical and welfare issues on the ground, it has helped reduce demand on frontline resources. The Help Zone operates in coordination with An Garda Siochana and Dublin Fire Brigade and was established as part of the citys broader night-time economy strategy. During its initial summer rollout, the white van, stocked with essentials ranging from water, sugary snacks and first aid supplies to flip-flops and phone chargers, became a regular sight at the junction of Camden Street and Grantham Street. Night-time economy adviser Ray ODonoghue, who spearheaded the initiative, said the figures show that relatively modest interventions can have a tangible impact on how the city manages activity after dark. The Help Zone is a practical, visible service that helps people on their nights out, especially when they are feeling unwell, vulnerable or just need a bit of support, he said. At the same time, it reduces pressure on emergency services by resolving most situations on site. Over the course of the pilot, the service operated on 14 summer nights initially, before continuing through the autumn period. The council said it is now working on plans to place the service on a more permanent footing. Paul Malone, a resident on Camden Street said that having lived there since 2006 that weekends could often be challenging however since the Nee Naw arrived, the area feels calmer and safer outside his home which has been a positive for both residents and visitors. Any long-term continuation of the initiative would require additional contributions from stakeholders including Government departments, the HSE and business representatives, in line with recommendations from the National Night-Time Economy Taskforce. The Department of Justice previously allocated 150,000 from its Community Safety Fund to support the project. The publication of the impact summary comes as Dublin prepares for another busy spring and summer season of major events and increased late-night activity in the city centre. The "Nee Naw" (Dublin Nights Help Zone) is primarily stationed on Camden Street in Dublin, specifically near the junction with Grantham Street. The Rotunda maternity hospital is to stay in its current location in Dublin city centre and a new planning application for a much needed critical care extension will be re-submitted, it was announced today. It means the plan to move the hospital to the site of Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown has been shelved. It will stay in its current site and continue clinical links with the nearby Mater Hospital. The application for a 100m critical care extension to look after very frail babies to the hospital site in Parnell Square was overturned by an Coimisiun Pleanala last month after it agreed with objectors that it would fail to protect the existing architectural and civic design character of the site, or Parnell Square generally. It referenced the plan to move the Rotunda to the site of Connolly Hospital as part of co-location. In a statement today Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said that after a meeting between officials from the Department of Health, the Rotunda Hospital and the Health Service Executive (HSE), it was agreed that a new planning application will be submitted by the Rotunda. The application will include two more elements - the critical care capacity for women expanding on the earlier application which was focused solely on infants. It will also include an enhanced Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The intention is to augment the already well-established critical care pathways between the Rotunda Hospital and the Mater Hospital by having new critical care capacity on site at the Rotunda. It is also important to recognise the site as an integral part of Dublin city centre, specifically for women, in all their needs, said the statement. Enhancing critical care facilities on the Rotunda site will differentiate the Rotunda Hospital from the co-location policy because the full benefits of co-location can be achieved by the close proximity, the already established pathways to the Mater Hospital and the further strengthening with additional components of the application, said the Department of Health. The judgment overturning the planning bid cited the Government policy to move the Rotunda to the site of Connolly Hospital but this decision was made a decade ago and there has been no movement on it since. Labour party spokeswoman on health Marie Sherlock earlier this week called for clarification on where the plan stood at this point saying it was leading to confusion. The Department of Health said today that co-location policy is based on patient safety and that is why the Government and the Minister are spending significant investment in building a new maternity hospital adjacent to Vincents Hospital, recognising the distance between them for any necessary transfers. However, it said the proximity of the Rotunda to the Mater enables the existing safe care pathways, this will now be further augmented by the critical care developments at the Rotunda site. The intention of this Minister is to focus on the future of the Rotunda on the current site, it is open to a future Government to take a different approach. The Minister has taken this decision following engagement with the Clinical Leadership team for the region which includes Connolly Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, Mater Misericordiae Hospital and Rotunda Hospital, said the statement. Following the meeting, Regional Clinical Director for the Dublin and North East Region, Dr Eamon Dolan, said: We have seen the reality of existing clinical pathways with patients from the Rotunda being brought to the Mater University Hospital for time sensitive treatment thanks to the blue light corridor. "The nature of these safe clinical pathways are the embodiment of the principles of co-location. As Clinical Director for the region, I am enthused by and committed to the future plans for the Rotunda hospital. Professor Sean Daly, Master of the Rotunda, said: I am very grateful to the Minister for her continued support of the Rotunda Hospital. The plans we discussed today will not only significantly improve the critical care infrastructure at the Rotunda but will also make it an enhanced centre of care for families at the heart of our city. This is a pragmatic approach to the future of the site and to the future of care for the women and babies. Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said: Our meeting today focussed on the next steps for the provision of modern maternity care at the Rotunda. Working collaboratively, and with the support of Government, the Master will bring forward a new enhanced planning application for critical care capacity for women and babies at the Rotunda as well as plans for a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. I am grateful to the Master for his ongoing engagement with me and with officials in my Department. We will continue to work together to deliver appropriate critical care, as quickly as possible. Knocknagoshel farmer is extremely ashamed of his actions A Kerry farmer was detected by self-styled paedophile hunters, sending messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. However, it emerged he in fact spent 10 days messaging a 30-year-old woman who was a decoy online, sending graphic images of himself to her as well as videos. Coming at a time when former US President Bill Clinton has been back in the spotlight in recent days testified under subpoena to the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, its fitting that a play inspired by another scandal involving the two-term 42nd President recently made its Hollywood debut. Kerry resident in Dubai I have a bag packed just in case, but I feel safe right now Jamie Finn is chairperson of a local GAA club and says the Irish are a comfort to each other Chairperson of Dubai Celts Kerry man Jamie Finn from Annascaul Sinead Kelleher Kerryman Tue 3 Mar 2026 at 08:00 Despite the regular bangs from nearby missiles in Dubai, Jamie Finn is determined to remain in his adopted home, despite what he termed a fairly crazy weekend. Just days after the Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise Paul Connell issued guidelines banning wakes, with open coffins, in parish churches, a Limerick priest has maintained his strong criticism, saying the rules are regrettable and very problematic. Bishop Connells letter to funeral directors, released last week, stated that from February 9, 2026, churches in the diocese are not to be used for the Reposing of Remains, citing the sacred nature of the buildings and the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Many families in Dunshaughlin are facing uncertainty and stress as they struggle to secure a Junior Infant school place for their children starting this September. The shortage has prompted two local parents in Meath to hold a public meeting next week. The rapid growth of Dunshaughlin in recent years, driven by an influx of young families into new housing developments, has placed significant pressure on local schools. The village is served primarily by Dunshaughlin Community National School, which caters to children from junior infants through fifth class. There are three schools in the village - St Seachnalls NS, Dunshaughlin CNS and Gaeilscoil na Rithe- while Rathbeggan NS is about five kilometres outside Dunshaughlin. Dunshaughlin CNS has expanded in recent years, including the addition of extra classrooms and staff, to accommodate the growing population. However, local parents say demand for places continues to outstrip capacity each year. Organisers said the meeting will provide parents with a platform to share their experiences, receive updates on the current situation, and engage directly with representatives who can outline "potential solutions. Officials from local schools, the Department of Education, local councillors, and community advocates are expected to attend to answer questions and discuss possible measures. This issue has arisen following the rapid expansion of our community without the necessary provision of school places and local amenities. Many families are now facing uncertainty and stress as they struggle to secure a place for their children starting school this year, the organisers said on social media. They added that while the meeting will prioritise families affected by the 2026 intake, it is also intended to build momentum to support children in 2027 and future years if the issue is not urgently addressed. Every child deserves access to education within their own community. The lack of school places is not just an inconvenience, it is a failure in planning that is affecting families daily lives, wellbeing, and future, the organisers said. This is an opportunity to stand together, be heard, and demand action. The meeting will take place on Thursday, March 5, at the Parish Hall at 6.30pm. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. A delegtaion from the IFA was present in County Hall on Monday last as Sligo became the eleventh County Council to pass a motion in relation to Bord Bia Chairman Larry Murrin with the local authority to write to Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon following a motion put forward by Cllr Michael Clarke. Prior to the announcement on Monday that Mr Murrin is to step aside from his role chairing Bord Bia meetings while a governance review is held, Mr Murrin had featured heavily in the news in recent weeks, with numerous calls for his resignation from his position within a body responsible for the promotion of Irish food while his own company Dawn Farm Foods is sourcing beef from Brazil. Addressing the Council Chamber, Cllr Clarke said, If you set the rules, you must keep the rules and abide by the rules. Farmers have lost confidence in the Chair of Bord Bia." In his motion Cllr Clarke stated, Given that the Chair of Bord Bia has lost the confidence of the members of this scheme, as he has brought the organisation into disrepute, with double standards bringing in Brazilian beef to undermine the price paid to Irish farmers for producing the highest standard food in the world, and given that this company is not complying with Bord Bias standards and importing product that is not traceable. This Council stands with rural communities and consumers that deserve healthy food security, this Council calls on the Government to remove the Chair. Speaking about the importance of traceability with regard food products, Cllr Clarke remarked, 44m chickens came in from China, it could have been 44m bats for all we know. It is not checked. Cllr Clarke continued, This is a matter of food security, adding corruption has been exposed with regard food labeling and definition of what is Irish produce. "The whole combination, everybody has lost confidence in Bord Bia as an organisation. I am a Bord Bia assured farmer. Any time a farmer is tripped up by not ticking a box there is a huge financial penalty. We have no governance in terms of Bord Bia. There is no confidence in the Chairperson, he has to go. Referring to the sit-in by five people that has been ongoing inside the lobby area of the Bord Bia Offices for the past month, Cllr Clarke commented, Five heroes are standing up for food security. Cllr Joe Queenan echoed those sentiments when he called for Mr Murrin to step aside saying, He has lost the confidence of rural farmers. Cllr Thomas Walsh was equally supportive when he remarked, What is happening is exceptionally damaging. We need to find a solution as soon as possible, adding, The double standard aspect is particularly disappointing. Cllr Ann Higgins also expressed the view that Mr Murrins position is untenable. Using a sporting cliche she said, The manager has lost the dressing room. She also expressed the view that The Government should listen to farmers. Unless he resigns farmers may pull out of Bord Bia audits. Cllr Gino OBoyle also offered his full support for Cllr Clarkes motion saying, Irish famers are held to some of the highest standards in the world. Serious questions must be asked. I find myself agreeing with you on everything Cllr Clarke, which is unfortunate. Cllr Declan Bree also offered his support for the motion saying, The current Chairperson of Bord Bia also serves as the CEO of Dawn Farms, a company that has confirmed the importation of beef from Brazil. While our farmers are buried under a mountain of paperwork and rigorous quality assurance audits, the head of the agency tasked with promoting our produce is sourcing meat from a market with vastly different standards. This is not a minor oversight; it is a fundamental betrayal of the Green Ireland brand. How can we ask international markets to pay a premium for the highest quality Irish beef when the Chairman of our marketing board relies on imports from the very competitors we are told to outshine? The IFA and thousands of farmers across this country have expressed a total loss of confidence in this leadership. We have seen ongoing protests at the Bord Bia headquarters and outside the Ministers office because the anger on the ground is real. I believe the IFA is justified in seeking the removal of the current Chairperson of Bord Bia and I fully support the motion before us. Cllr Paul Taylor stressed the need for dialogue in order to resolve the current situation saying, Our beef has always been something that we are very proud of. I think everyone needs to get around the table and put it to bed once and for all. Expressing her support for the farming community Cllr Marie Casserly commented, There are no winners here. The highly respected image that we have is in danger. It should not have got to this stage. We have always supported farmers in this Chamber and will continue to do so. Cllr Liam Brennan also offered his backing for the motion saying, Were in difficulty once food that is coming in is being relabeled and sold as Irish. Cllr Dara Mulvey also voiced his support when he said, Farmers are the backbone of this country. They provide the food we eat every day of the week. We shouldnt see food relabeled or country of origin so small its impossible to read. Its damaging the country. The motion was also supported by Cllr Edel McSharry who said, It has gone on far too long. There should never be double standards, this bigger than one man. This damaging to Bord Bia but ultimately damaging Irish farmers. Cllr Barry Gallagher echoed the sentiments of many of his colleagues when he said, You have our support. The Chair needs to be removed. Cllr Donal Gilroy also offered his support when he said, Everybody is entitled to know what is in their food. The debate on the motion was brought to a close with Cllr Michael Clarke expressing gratitude to his fellow Councillors for their support of his motion saying, I would like to thank y colleagues who have overwhelmingly supported the motion. Every Councillor recognises if you set the rules and dont keep the rules you must go. Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Teachers and parents of a Wexford secondary school are hugely concerned as their four special needs classrooms could be closed as their rented building has fallen into disrepair and is no longer fit for purpose. It was recently reported that those involved with Ramsgrange Community School were devastated having been omitted from the Governments recent round of funding for new classrooms, despite being given the impression they should proceed with designs and planning applications. The planning application was approved by Wexford County Council in 2025, and funding was expected in early 2026. However, Ramsgrange Community School were not included, and the next round of funding of this sort will not be released for another two years. Naoise Ni Chonchuir and Pearl Tyner at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Emily de Brun at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Fiachra Willoughby at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Jude O hAgain at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Artist Austin Hearne with GCM TY students at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Nessa Ni Lannchaidh at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Grace Ni Dhiomsaigh at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Helen Ni Ghuibin and Banna Ceoil Gaelcholaiste na Mara at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Lorna Walsh (Creative Schools), Nikita Jay Ni Dhuill, Aoife Ni Shuilleabhain, Laura Ni Fhlaibhin (Creative Schools), Austin Hearne, Helen Ni Ghuibin (GCM), Cathal O Gallachoir, Caoimhe Ni Chinneide, Emily de Brun, Riley O Muiri and Dylan O hUallachain at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Sarah Verdes, Nikita Jay Ni Dhuill, Emily de Brun and Freya Mara Muntean at the launch of the Creative Schools Project, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, Arklow. Photo: Michael Kelly Gaelcholaiste na Mara in Arklow recently marked the launch of its Creative Schools painting project, celebrating the culmination of a two-year Arts Council-supported initiative involving students and staff across the entire school community. Creative Schools is a national programme run by the Arts Council that supports schools in developing long-term arts and creativity projects. Gaelcholaiste na Mara successfully secured a place on the competitive programme in 2024, receiving 4,000 in funding along with professional guidance and resources. Over the course of the project, students from every year group took part in planning and creating a series of wall-based artworks now displayed throughout the schools main hall. The initiative formed part of the schools School Self-Evaluation process, with a focus on promoting wellbeing, equity and inclusion through creative collaboration. Students worked alongside professional artist Austin Hearne, supported by creative associates from the Arts Council, Laura Ni Fhlaibhin and Lorna Walsh, to complete the large-scale artworks. To mark the occasion, the school hosted a launch event celebrating the creative work produced across a range of disciplines, including visual art and music, with a musical concert held as part of the celebrations. All the staff in the school management, caretakers, SNAs and teachers worked together over the course of two years to create this wall-based art, a school spokesperson said. This artwork will be moving with us to the new building when it opens in under two years time. These artworks are the result of two years worth of planning, creativity, collaboration and persistence by the whole school community. Newtownmountkennedy was painted pink once more as the annual Greystones Cancer Support (GCC) fundraising Pink Ball For Cancer took over The Parkview Hotel. A year in the planning and now firmly established as a major annual charity event, it was another full house for its third outing, with the soundtrack for the evening provided by the popular trio, Never Forget, who play the hits of Take That and Westlife, the two favourite bands of Pink Ball organiser, Sharon Felton. As always, the event is particularly close to the heart of Sharon, who has availed of the services offered by GCC while on her own cancer journey, and was named Special Person of the Year in Greystones two years ago for her huge efforts supporting the local organisation. The ball has raised over 27,000 in the last two years. In a post just after the event, Sharon wished to highlight March as Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Awareness (TNBC) Month. As a survivor of TNBC, she pointed out that it is a rare yet fast-growing and aggressive cancer that accounts for approximately 10-15pc of all breast cancer cases. Because of its tendency to grow and spread quickly, it is important to understand what TNBC is, its signs and symptoms, and the options available to treat it, she said. TNBC is more common in women under 40 years old than other types of breast cancer. The average age of a TNBC diagnosis is 54, compared with 60 for other breast cancers. Those with a gene mutation (BRCA1) are more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer than other types of breast cancer and organisations like the Marie Keating Foundation, Irish Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Ireland are active in raising awareness, supporting patients, and promoting research this month. Meanwhile, just because the ball is done and dusted for another year doesnt mean Sharon has put away her dancing shoes. She will be taking part in the fourth Strictly Come Dancing Fundraising Event for Tiglin, at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, on Saturday, March 7, as 13 brave couples take to the stage to perform what they have learnt over the past seven weeks. Having brought in over 2,700 so far, you can donate to Sharons efforts at: idonate.ie/team/SharonOwen Cllrs Stephen Stokes and Louise Fenlon Gaskin highlighting the planters on Church Road in Greystones Wicklow County Council are standing their ground and refusing to remove contentious planters on Church Road in Greystones. The issue is turning into a long-running local debate about balancing town aesthetic with practical parking needs. The planters were first installed in 2020 as "interim mobility measures", to facilitate social distancing needs and support local businesses losing indoor capacity. They effectively replaced roughly 24 on-street parking spaces. Although originally designated as temporary, council officials have recently confirmed they will not be removed. A motion in early 2026 to replace them with designated age-friendly and disabled parking was rejected by Wicklow County Council. Officials maintain that the old parking spots no longer meet modern safety and size standards for age-friendly spaces. Removing them is also viewed as contrary to the town's broader public realm plan, which aims to reduce main-street traffic and favour pedestrian access. Cllr Louise Fenelon Gaskin has been spearheading the campaign to remove them, arguing the planters are "unsightly" and hinder accessibility for elderly or disabled shoppers who need to park closer to main street businesses. Cllr Stephen Stokes has also raised concerns regarding unfinished road verges and high kerbs along Church Road following resurfacing in 2024. The issue was raised again by both councillors during their latest district meeting on Tuesday evening this week. The meeting opened with Cllr Fenelon Gaskins concern that a motion regarding planter removal and consideration of age-friendly parking, tabled by herself and Cllr Stokes, had been taken off the meetings agenda. It was agreed that the motion could be re-instated. However, district manager Helena Dennehy stated that the matter would still not be discussed at its scheduled point on the agenda. When the planter issue was finally raised, there was a detailed discussion of the districts standing orders. Council officials declared that the matter could not be discussed as it had already been discussed within a six-month timeframe, as Cllr Fenelon Gaskin had submitted a motion last October. Cllr Fenelon Gaskin and Cllr Stokes strongly rebutted that argument. Cllr Stokes pointed out that, according to standing orders, the matter could still be discussed if agreed by the elected members, even if it was within a six-month timeframe. He believed the new motion (which called for all remaining planter boxes to be removed from the western side of Church Road to support local businesses) was legitimate and deserved to be discussed. However, Cathaoirleach Lourda Scott refused to entertain the motion, moving the meeting to the next item on the agenda. Despite a formal motion by Cllr Louise Fenelon Gaskin in October 2025 to remove the planters for elderly and disabled parking, council officials had confirmed in January 2026 they will not be removed. When the issue was referenced again in January, engineers stated that the parking spaces the planters occupy no longer meet current Age Action Ireland standardswhich have roughly doubled in size requirementsmeaning the council cannot legally revert them to parking without widening the footpaths. As the new standards are larger, district engineer Graham Cullen has indicated how the council cannot simply paint lines and call them age-friendly spaces. The local authority would have to widen the footpaths to comply with safety laws, a project they are not currently able to fund or execute. Additionally, the area is officially integrated into the Pathfinder Scheme, a national program prioritising pedestrians and cyclists. Officials argue that removing the planters would contradict these long-term "green" goals. Officials have pointed out that removing parking on Church Road has been a goal of the Greystones Public Realm Plan since 2020, long before the pandemic made it a reality. Council management has suggested that, while the planters stay, they will review parking bye-laws in early 2026 to see if age-friendly spaces can be located elsewhere in the town centre. The current parking bye-laws were last reviewed in 2017. While the local authority has confirmed to Cllr Stokes that a new review is planned, he has been regularly raising the matter at monthly full council meetings. He is urging that the process be prioritised without delay. A briefing document is currently being collated for the councils Transport, Infrastructure Delivery and Emergency Services Committee, which Cllr Stokes currently chairs. He has said that this represents an important opportunity to ensure the review is comprehensive, transparent, and reflective of community needs. Cllr Stokes noted that local engagement will be a crucial part of the process. The concerns regarding the planters on Church Road have primarily been voiced by traders located in the town's commercial hub, where the loss of on-street parking is most impactful for short-stay customers. A broader group of more than 25 Greystones traders wrote to Wicklow County Council in 2025. While their letter focused on the drop in footfall from the closed Cliff Walk, it underscored a general atmosphere of business "breaking point" where every lost convenience, including parking near shops, is seen as critical. Kathleen Kelleher has been one of the most vocal and persistent critics of the planters, representing the views of many older residents in Greystones. As a prominent member of the Greystones Active Retirement Association, Ms Kelleher has repeatedly argued that the removal of these spaces is "anti-elderly. She has noted that many senior citizens "cannot walk long distances" and that the town's geography (being hilly in parts) makes parking near the Credit Union and pharmacies essential for independence. Because there was no formal discussion, Ms Kelleher believes important information on this issue was not put to the meeting or the public. Wicklow is an age friendly county, part of a national and international WHO framework. On February 11, 2026, Wicklow County Council held age friendly housing and public realm training. The meeting brought together staff from Wicklow County Council housing, planning, engineering, architecture, community development and other key service areas, whose work shapes the built environment for older people. The training was opened by chief executive Emer OGorman, who emphasised the importance of designing communities where people can age well, live safely and remain connected. I was shocked at the peremptory and negative answer to councillors Fenelon Gaskins and Stokes pleas on behalf of older people. The response from county officials was a complete rebuff of older peoples concerns. Where does that leave us here in Greystones? As public representatives, it is their duty to look after the needs of all people. So, what happens now? Further amended motions may be presented at future district meetings attempting to remove the planters. However, as things stand, the situation will likely conclude with a complete redesign of Church Road, replacing the wooden planters with permanent, high-quality street furniture and green infrastructure. To that end, the council will soon launch a Part 8 planning process, which is the formal statutory stage where the final designs are put on public display, allowing for official submissions and objections before the works are voted on by councillors for permanent implementation. These changes are now legally anchored in the Greystones-Delgany and Kilcoole Local Planning Framework, adopted in February 2026. This means the pedestrian-first design of Church Road is now part of the town's official development policy until at least 2028. In short, the planters as you see them today will eventually disappear, not to be replaced by cars, but by permanent landscape architecture. Both councillors have committed to continuing engagement with local businesses, residents, and community groups to ensure that any future changes reflect the needs of the town. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme The band Whistle playing at last years Bluegrass BBQ Donard. They are also part of this years line-up. Following the success of last years inaugural bluegrass festival, the scenic west Wicklow village of Donard is gearing up for the festivals return at the end of May, featuring foot-stompin bluegrass, Americana, and country music. All roads lead to Donard on Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30, for the Bluegrass BBQ Donard and its blend of high-energy, homegrown roots music in an intimate community setting. The festival made its debut last year and took place over one day, kicking off with a BBQ with all the fixings, and featuring performances from Whistle, Dublin Bluegrass Collective with guest Kevin Sheahan of The Blueberry Pickers and Redwood with guest Lorraine ODonnell. One of the organisers Declan Alcock said: We were testing the waters last year and held the festival over one day, and it was completely sold-out, so we have extended the festival this year to two days. The idea is to build it up slowly as it becomes an annual event. We decided to start the festival as Donard is a small village and people were keen for something different to do. We had guests from Galway, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford attending last years event. There is a bit of a bluegrass circuit involving our own festival and others in Omagh, Dunmore East and Westport, and a lot of lovers of bluegrass music would attend a number of the festivals. The local community were hugely supportive last year, and loved the nice crowd, the relaxed atmosphere and the great music. The festival will be launched in Toomeys Bar, Donard, on Friday, May 29, with Mark Flynn, formerly of the Blood Red Mountain Band. Things continue on Saturday, May 30, in the community hall, with the Clem OBrien Band, Whistle, The Watery Hill Boys and the Bluestack Mountain Boys, plus guests, all set to take to the stage. Tickets are priced at only 20 to cover all the costs involved, and if there is a surplus, the funds will be allocated to local community and voluntary groups. Jam sessions will take place in Toomeys Bar on Friday, added Declan. There will also be a marquee set up outside the community hall on the Saturday, where open-jam sessions will also be taking place, involving the different musicians performing at the festival, and anyone else who wants to join in. Usually the bands and performers take part in the jam session as a bit of a warm-up before they hit the main event stage." An Afghan man stands next to a damaged car following airstrikes, amid the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Afghanistan and Pakistan said yesterday that their militaries had targeted each others posts across the border as their fighting entered a fifth day, fuelling instability in a region rocked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehrans retaliation. The intensity of the clashes, however, appeared to be lower than when it began although there were no signs that the allies-turned-foes were seeking to step back and make peace. The direct fighting between the South Asian neighbours who share a 2,600km border is the heaviest in years. It began when Afghanistans Taliban rulers launched what they called retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations in response to Pakistans targetting of militants in Afghanistan. Dozens of people were killed on both sides as Pakistan used jets to launch air-to-ground missiles at Taliban military sites and even directly targeted Afghanistans government for the first time over allegations it harbours militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government. Yesterday, the Taliban defence ministry said that Afghan forces targeted and destroyed a Pakistani military armoured tank on the frontier in Paktika province after it had fired shells indiscriminately toward Afghanistan. Defence ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi said that Afghan forces had killed more than 100 enemy personnel and captured more than 25 Pakistani military posts so far. In a statement directed at the people of Afghanistan, Mr Khowarazmi said that sometimes the enemys aircraft pass through our airspace and Taliban fighters fire air defence weapons to repel enemy attacks. Do not be concerned, they are your own sons. Be confident and trust your sons, he said, referring to the Taliban fighters. Afghan police said late on Sunday that Pakistani jets had tried to bomb Bagram air base outside Kabul and were repelled by Russian-made ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns. There were no casualties or financial losses, they said. Bagram air base was the largest US military base in Afghanistan and once the centrepiece of US and Nato military operations during the 20-year war. Pakistani security sources said their airstrikes and ground attacks were ongoing and Pakistani troops had destroyed ammunition depots in Khost and Jalalabad, as well as a drone storage site in Jalalabad. Family fears for politician jailed after military coup Myanmars military leader yesterday pardoned more than 10,000 prisoners in a mass amnesty ahead of the parliaments reopening, though there was no indication that Aung San Suu Kyi was among them. The amnesty was announced as newly elected lawmakers prepared to convene for the first time in more than five years. The move is widely seen as an attempt to project normalcy and authority amid ongoing political turmoil in the country. There was no sign that Ms Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace prize laureate who was ousted and imprisoned following the 2021 military coup, would be freed. The 79-year-old civilian leader has been held virtually incommunicado for the past five years and her son has expressed concerns about her health. Ms Suu Kyi has been convicted on multiple charges in closed trials and sentenced in one of the cases to 27 years in prison. Emotional scenes of reunion outside a jail showed family members locked in a tight embrace as many broke down in tears. Many people waited outside to catch the first glimpse of the returning relatives after years, raising their hands in celebration. State-run MRTV reported that senior general Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government, pardoned 10,162 prisoners on Peasants Day, a national holiday honouring farmers. They include 7,337 convicted under a counterterrorism law, which carries a potential death penalty. The law was widely used to arrest and imprison political opponents, journalists and others involved in dissent after the 2021 army takeover. A separate statement said 12,487 people who were either being prosecuted under that law or were in hiding would receive amnesty and get their incitement cases closed. Ten foreigners will be released as well and deported from the country. Mass pardons are often granted on significant national occasions in Myanmar. However, political prisoners, including senior figures from the ousted civilian government, are frequently excluded. The prisoner releases began yesterday but could take a few days. The identities of those released were not immediately available. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organisation that keeps detailed tallies of arrests and casualties linked to the nations political conflicts, more than 22,800 political detainees were in detention as of last Friday. Ms Suu Kyis son, Kim Aris, previously said she could be dead already, warning that years of isolation and an information blackout under military detention had left him fearing the worst. The military claims shes in good health, yet they refuse to provide any independent proof, no recent photograph, no medical verification, no access by family, doctors or international observers. If she is truly well, they can prove it, he said. The junta recently held elections widely condemned by opposition groups, the UN and Western governments as a sham designed to entrench military rule. The junta, however, insisted that the election would return power to the people and help end the civil war. In the election, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party emerged as the winner. However, voting did not take place in large areas held by rebel groups, and Min Aung Hlaing did not rule out becoming president. The new parliament is set to convene in two weeks, with a president due to be elected in early April. ( The Independent) Amanda Knox has told how the Lucy Letby case gives her flashbacks because it mirrors her own story. Knox was twice found guilty of killing British student Meredith Kercher in the Italian city of Perugia in 2007 and spent four years in prison before she was eventually acquitted. She has followed the Letby case for several years after friends and journalists contacted her to say the nurses situation seemed similar to her own. Last week Knox released a podcast looking into how the justice system and media constructed the case. It was the narrative around the case that caught my eye and gave me flashbacks: a young woman with no criminal history and no apparent motive suddenly accused of calculated murder, she told The Telegraph. In my own case, the story of a death orgy orchestrated by a spiteful girl-gone-wild overrode the evidence and reality itself, she added. Knox said that watching the Letby case unfold had been deeply unsettling, not because our stories are identical, but because the dynamics are familiar. The media frenzy, the rush to judgment, the tension between public outrage and presumption of innocence, how Lucy Letbys demeanour and writings have been twisted and used against her, she added. I see in her case another example of how justice systems struggle to remain objective and fair when faced with highly publicised, emotionally charged cases, she said. Letby was convicted of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. She is serving 15 whole life sentences, but since the verdict, dozens of scientists, statisticians and doctors have come forward to question the outcome. The case is currently being reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which deals with potential miscarriages of justice. Knox said that her own trial had taught her a lot about how law enforcement can get it wrong and how the media can make things worse. She said she still struggled to get over tabloid headlines that branded her a She Devil and Foxy Knoxy for her perceived part in a depraved sex killing, adding the public was riveted by the story of an evil woman. Kercher was found stabbed to death in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox. Story reported that Harry had shared details about Chelsy Davy The royal editor of the Daily Mail has told the High Court that information for a story about Prince Harry giving details about his then-girlfriend around a campfire in Botswana came from someone who was there. Rebecca English, who joined the Daily Mail in 1999 and became royal editor in 2020, was giving evidence in the trial of claims of unlawful information gathering brought by a group of household names against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which publishes the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday. The publisher strongly denies the claims and is defending the case brought by Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and others. On Monday, barrister David Sherborne, for the group of high-profile figures, asked Ms English about an article, headlined How Harry fell in love, which is one of 14 stories at the centre of the dukes claim. The story, which was published in December 2004, reported that the duke had shared details of his relationship with Chelsy Davy around a campfire in Botswana. In her witness statement, Ms English said that the campfire anecdote was provided by colleague Sam Greenhill. She said: Sam told me that one of the people that Prince Harry had spoken with round the campfire got in touch with the newspaper when news of the relationship broke and gave this information to us. Prince Harry hadnt told them who his girlfriend was but had described her so that, when the stories about Chelsy Davy broke, they realised the significance of what they had been told. I thought at the time that the tip was from a contact of Sams, but now understand it just came in to the news desk. I think that Sam gave it to me because he knew that I was new to my job as a royal reporter and thought it might be helpful to me. Giving evidence last month, the duke said that those at the campfire with him would not have shared the information with journalists. He told the court that there would be a lot more out there if people whom he described as some of his closest friends had decided to speak to the press. Antony White KC, for Associated Newspapers Limited, suggested to Harry that comments from the duke about him talking about being in love with Ms Davy while at the campfire could only have become known to Mail journalists if someone had told them. Harry said the information was more likely picked up when he talked about it on a voicemail or other communication. He added: These three people have never shared anything with anybody. If they had, there would be a lot more out there. On Monday, Mr Sherborne asked Ms English: He (the duke) was very clear when it was put to him... that he would not be sharing that information. Ms English replied: All I can say is that he did, and one of those people rang the news desk. When asked who it was, she said: I do not believe that they gave their name, which is not uncommon. Ms English said she was not party to the phone call to the Mails news desk, but that Mr Greenhill passed the information on to her because he knew I was writing about it. Mr Sherborne asked: Would he (Mr Greenhill) not have Ms English replied: No, because that is not how colleagues at the Daily Mail work. He is an incredibly kind and helpful colleague. Mr Sherborne later asked: How did you feel comfortable quoting widely from this mystery source... if neither you nor Mr Greenhill knew who they were? Ms English said: I trust my colleagues and trust their judgment. Mr Sherborne said: You had no way of checking the veracity of this apparent caller, who had provided the information that you have put at the front and centre of that story. Ms English replied: My colleague spoke to them, he was quite clear that he believed that what (the source) was telling him was the truth. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is due to conclude in March, with a written judgment expected at a later date. Jim Carrey has built a storied acting career on elastic faces and reality-bending performances. In the past week, however, fans worldwide appeared to believe the Hollywood actor had pulled off his most audacious transformation yet replacing himself with a double. After Carrey made a rare public appearance at the Cesar Awards in Paris to accept an honorary accolade, online speculation quickly spiralled into claims that an impostor had taken the 64-year-olds place. The theories gained so much traction that the awards organisers felt the need to step in and clarify that it was, in fact, the real Carrey on stage and that he had spent months planning his acceptance speech in French. The actors representatives later confirmed to The Telegraph the actor did attend the Cesar Awards on February 26. Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank in The Truman Show The reclusive star of The Mask, The Truman Show and Dumb and Dumber had shocked fans with his changed appearance at the event, where he was sporting a new hairstyle and displayed different mannerisms while speaking in various viral red carpet interviews. While receiving this years Honorary Cesar, Frances national film award, Carrey also took to the stage to make an emotional speech honouring his profession and father. How fortunate I have been to share this art with so many people who have truly opened their hearts to me His candid words about his career, however, did not stop clone conspiracy theories from spreading online, gaining particular momentum after Alexis Stone, a British drag performer and make-up artist, suggested that they had impersonated Carrey, sharing pictures of prosthetics and a wig resembling the actors look that night. Now, both Carreys representatives and Gregory Caulier, the awards general delegate, have dismissed the speculation. On Monday, Mr Caulier told Variety that the rumours were a non-issue, saying: Jim Carreys visit has been planned since this summer. From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academys invitation. Eight months of ongoing, constructive discussions. He worked on his speech in French for months, asking me about the exact pronunciation of certain words. Jim Carrey in his breakout comedy role opposite Cameron Diaz in The Mask Mr Caulier added that Carrey had attended the French film festival with a large entourage, explaining: He came with his partner, his daughter, his grandson and 12 close friends and family members. His long-time publicist accompanied him. His old friend Michel Gondry, who has made a film and two series with him, was there, and they were delighted to see each other again. In his speech on the night, delivered entirely in French, Carrey said: As an actor, each character you play is like clay in the sculptors hands, which you shape to your hearts desire. How fortunate I have been to share this art with so many people who have truly opened their hearts to me. Mr Cauliers intervention has followed days of speculation online from fans, with one posting two videos of the actor from months apart, saying: You cannot tell an entire generation of people that watched this mans face on repeat for over two decades, that the person in the second video in Paris is Jim Carrey. The actor is known for staying out of the limelight and, until last week, had not been seen in public since November. ( Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd) The little-known Vision of Zacharias in the Temple was rejected by curators as one of the Dutch masters originals in 1960. However, the 1633 work has now been found to be an authentic Rembrandt after a two-year study at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Researchers used cutting-edge scanning techniques to confirm the 17th-century painter was behind the artwork, which is now thought to be worth tens of millions of euro. The painting, which depicts the visitation of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, by the Angel Gabriel in the New Testament, has been privately owned since it was dismissed by curators 66 years ago. Its wonderful that people can now learn more about the young Rembrandt he created this very poignant work shortly after moving from Leiden to Amsterdam, said Taco Dibbits, director of the Rijksmuseum. It is a beautiful example of the unique way Rembrandt depicts stories. The museum said the painting disappeared from public view after it was excluded from Rembrandts oeuvre. That was until two years of study began when the paintings current owner approached the Rijksmuseum about the painting. Jonathan Bikker and Petria Noble, curators at the museum, discovered that the paints used in the artwork had all been used in other pieces by Rembrandt van Rijn dating to the same period. Scans of the painting found its layer had been composed in Rembrandts fashion, while analysis of its signature and the age of the wooden panel onto which it was painted aligned with the Dutch masters timeline. The painting technique and the build-up of paint layers are also comparable to other early works by Rembrandt, the museum said. An example of Rembrandts fascination with God speaking through dreams and visions and the effect it has on humans Experts concluded that Rembrandt painted the artwork when aged 27. Mr Bikker and Ms Noble wrote in The Burlington Magazine that the painting now takes its place as a significant and dramatic work from the artists early years. They compared the work to Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1630), another of his masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum. Like the Jeremiah and other pictures from early in his career, the Vision of Zacharias is an example of Rembrandts fascination with God speaking through dreams and visions and the effect it has on humans, they added. The Vision depicts the account of Lukes Gospel in which Zacharias, also known as Zechariah, serves as priest in the Temple in Jerusalem. Zacharias is visited by the Angel Gabriel who foretells that he and his wife Elizabeth, who are both elderly, will have a son, John the Baptist, who would make ready a people prepared for the Lord. In the New Testament, John the Baptist foretold the coming of Christ before being beheaded on the orders of King Herod, with his head served up on a plate. This is the first time this has happened in almost two years Ukrainian troops have retaken nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region since the end of January and are pressing ahead with a counter-attack along the south-eastern front line, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Monday. Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that, over the last month, for the first time since summer 2024, Ukrainian troops have regained control over more territory than Russian forces have been able to capture. Reports of Ukrainian advances in the Zaporizhzhia region started after Russian forces experienced sweeping outages of their Starlink communications terminals on the battlefield, following a decision by SpaceX owner Elon Musk to shut them down in response to a plea from Kyiv in late January. Ukrainian battlefield mapping project DeepState said Russian troops occupied 126 sq km of Ukrainian territory in February a 20-month low. Over the winter, Russian forces intensified their campaign of strikes on Ukraines energy system, leaving millions in the cold and dark. They also increased pressure on Ukraines exhausted and thinly stretched troops along the 1,200km front line. The enemy is being systematically and decisively pushed out of fortified positions Ukrainian troops conducted effective operations in the Zaporizhzhia region near Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole, strengthened their control over the town of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region of the north-east, and maintained their defences near the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region in the east, he said. The command of Ukraines airborne assault forces said limits imposed on Russian access to Starlink had impacted the situational awareness of Moscows troops and disrupted their frontline communications. In the Zaporizhzhia region, work was underway to retake more ground, it said. During the operation, the enemy is being systematically and decisively pushed out of fortified positions, the command said on Telegram. DeepState said in its report on Monday that Ukrainian troops pushed back Russian forces near five villages in the Zaporizhzhia region. It said Russian troops occupied 371 sq km in January- February this year, down from 517 sq km in the same period a year ago. Fighting rages on amid attempts to find a diplomatic solution to end the war, now in its fifth year. A new round of US-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia was still expected this week despite weekend strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday. UNAMA says casualties are preliminary and urges immediate halt to fightingAfghanistan claims capture of a Pakistani post as clashes continuePakistan says carried out airstrikes on Taliban military site in NangarharFighting displaces 16,400 households and hampers aid delivery, UNAMA says FILE PHOTO: An Afghan man stands next to a damaged car following airstrikes, amid the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, February 28, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo At least 42 civilians have been killed and 104 wounded in Afghanistan in the fighting with Pakistan between February 26 and March 2, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)said on Tuesday, as the military conflict between the neighbours entered its sixth day. Military tensions between the South Asian Islamic nations remained high on Tuesday, with Afghanistan saying it had captured another Pakistani post in the Kandahar region and the fighting between the allies-turned-foes was "still ongoing". "The civilian casualties include those caused by indirect fire in cross-border clashes...as well as those caused by airstrikes," the UN agency said, adding that the numbers were "preliminary". The conflict the worst between the countries in years was sparked last week by what Afghanistan's Taliban rulers said were retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations in response to Pakistan's targeting of militants in Afghanistan. Afghanistan says Pakistani forces targeted its civilians, a charge Islamabad denies. Islamabad has launched air-to-ground missiles at Taliban military sites over the last week, and even directly targeted the Taliban government for the first time over allegations it harbours militants executing attacks on Pakistan from its soil. Pakistani forces destroyed a military base in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan in a successful air operation, Pakistani security sources said on Tuesday. UNAMA calls for halt to fighting Both sides have claimed to have killed scores of troops of the other and inflicted heavy damage on military facilities since the fighting began. Reuters has not been able to verify the numbers. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing a joint session of parliament on Monday, reiterated that Islamabad would not allow territory in its neighbourhood to be used for attacks against it. "The soil of Pakistan is sacred. We will not allow any entity domestic or foreign to use neighbouring territory to destabilise our peace," he said. UNAMA called for a halt to the fighting and warned that the violence, which has displaced an estimated 16,400 households, has worsened the situation of Afghanistan's people who were still recovering from successive earthquakes in August and September that killed more than 1,400 people. "Restrictions on movements in the border area due to the active conflict have reduced the capacity of humanitarian agencies and partners to deliver life-saving and other assistance in the most-affected areas," it said. Kuwait mistakenly shoots down three American fighter jets as conflict spreads in Middle East People take cover on the ground as sirens sound about an Iranian missile strike in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh. Photo: Amir Cohen/Reuters The US and Israeli air war against Iran widened yesterday, with no end in sight as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states. President Donald Trump said the operation could continue for some weeks and that it was unclear who was in charge in Iran, following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the weekend. The big wave is yet to come in the war with Iran, Donald Trump told CNN yesterday. We havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon, Trump said, telling CNN it was unclear who was now leading the country. We dont know who the leadership is. We dont know who theyll pick, he said. Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, US Central Command said The attack on Iran has pitched the Gulf into war, thrown global air transport into chaos and shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the worlds oil trade skirts the Iranian coast, sending oil prices surging. Underlining the risks, Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, US Central Command said. All six crew members were ejected and were safely recovered. Video filmed at a location verified by Reuters showed one of the planes spiralling out of the sky, an engine on fire. For Trump, the weekend strikes against a foe that has tormented the US and its allies for generations amounted to the biggest US foreign policy gamble in decades. Six US service personnel were reported to have died and Trump urged Americans to grieve their loss. The campaign could pose a major political risk for his Republican Party in this years mid-term elections, with only one in four Americans supporting the operation, according to a weekend Reuters/Ipsos poll. In his most extensive public comments so far, Trump said he had ordered the attack to thwart Tehrans nuclear programme and a ballistic missile programme that he said was growing rapidly. But he gave no sign that the operation would end soon. Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that, he said at the White House. In the first formal Pentagon briefing since the campaign began, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said more forces were still on their way to the region. This is not a single overnight operation. The military objectives... will take some time to achieve, and in some cases will be difficult and gritty work, Caine said. A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran. Photo: AP The US military said it had struck over 1,250 targets in Iran and destroyed 11 Iranian ships. While Gulf Arab states have said they reserve the right to strike back against Iran, no US allies other than Israel have participated in the campaign, and Western diplomats say they have had no indication of the administrations long-term plans. Khamenei adviser Ali Larijani said on social media that Iran would not negotiate with Trump, who had delusional ambitions Turkey joined Russia and China in condemning the operation, which president Tayyip Erdogan called a clear violation of international law. Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon and says it was offering to curb its nuclear programme at talks when the United States launched an unprovoked assault. Trump repeated his call to Iranians to rise up and overthrow their leaders but said it was unclear who was in charge in Iran after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei adviser Ali Larijani said on social media that Iran would not negotiate with Trump, who had delusional ambitions. Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told state TV that his killing was a religious crime that will have serious consequences. Within Iran, where residents have jammed highways to flee the bombing, there was uncertainty about the future and emotion ranging from euphoria to apprehension and rage. Many have openly celebrated the death of Khamenei (86) who had ruled since 1989 and directed security forces that killed thousands of anti-government protesters at the start of this year. But the conservative clerical leaders have shown no sign of yielding power, and military experts say airstrikes without ground forces may not be enough to drive them out. At the Pentagon, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth did not rule out deploying ground forces to Iran. They are killing children, they are attacking hospitals. Is this the kind of democracy Trump wants to bring us? The Israeli military said a wave of strikes in Tehran targeted Iranian security groups responsible for suppressing protests against the regime. Meanwhile, scores of Iranians have been reported killed in strikes, including several that hit apparent civilian targets. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said that the US-Israeli operation has killed at least 555 people. They are killing children, they are attacking hospitals. Is this the kind of democracy Trump wants to bring us? Morteza Sedighi, a 52-year-old teacher, said by phone from Tabriz in northwestern Iran. Innocent people were first killed by the regime and now by Israel and the United States. In a sign that Irans rulers are still reaching out to the outside world, a senior Iranian security official contacted Reuters to say Iran was defending itself against aggressors and would continue to do so. A new front in the war opened yesterday when the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, one of Tehrans principal allies in the Middle East, launched missiles and drones towards Israel. Israel responded with sweeping airstrikes, which it said targeted the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut and struck senior militants. The Lebanese state news agency NNA said at least 31 people had been killed and 149 injured. An Iranian Shahed missile that Cypriot officials said was most likely fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon also hit the British air force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus. UK prime minister Keir Starmer said Britain would protect its people in the region but would not take offensive action. Israel declared Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem a target for elimination. Officials said they were not for now considering a ground invasion of Lebanon, whose government yesterday banned military activities by Hezbollah. As Washingtons allies in the Gulf came under renewed attack from Iranian missiles and drones, black smoke rose above the area around the US embassy in Kuwait. There were loud blasts in Dubai and Samha in the United Arab Emirates, and in the Qatari capital Doha. Qatar, one of the worlds biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas, halted production, with no prospect of being able to ship safely through the chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards senior official said yesterdat that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and Iran will fire on any ship trying to pass, Iranian media reported. Saudi Arabia shut its biggest refinery after drone strikes caused a fire there, one of a number of energy installations that became targets. Government 'open' to options to tackle rising cost of fuel and energy The Government is "open" to examining supports that would tackle current rising fuel and energy prices, but junior minister Thomas Byrne said it must first observe how the situation in the Gulf evolves over the coming days. "It may well be that the Government will take action, and the Government is going to look carefully at this," he said, adding that prices have "clearly gone up" and they could rise "dramatically again". "And it won't just be fuel and electricity, there'll be food supplied et cetera. This is an extremely serious and probably an unprecedented situation that we're facing when you look at the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz across all walks of life across all the world." In response to calls from some members of the Opposition, including Aontu leader Peadar Toibin, to postpone the planned carbon tax increase on fuel from April, he told RTE's The Week in Politics that the measure would be "the last thing" that he would touch. "That funds fuel allowance, it funds retrofitting of homes, which are designed to help people with their bills and reduce bills. The Government (will) look at this over the next week or so, to see how things develop. "The Government is open to examining supports that we can give, but they need to be supports that people will directly benefit from," he said, adding that the Competition and Consumer Protection have already been asked to investigate the price rises. "The Government is entitled to have a few days to examine this." Mr Byrne said it is an "unprecedented global situation" and there is a need to see the "extent" of it over the coming days. Sinn Fein MEP Kathleen Funchion said it has been "disgraceful" to see "price gouging" taking place within days of the outbreak of the conflict in the Gulf region, but added that the cost-of-living has been on the rise and "this problem was in existence before the war broke out". In response, Mr Byrne said the Government will look at the situation and deal with it "appropriately". "The idea that comprehensive solutions are there today for a problem that has emerged in the last week or so, I think is unrealistic." Labour TD George Lawlor said targeted supports to tackle ongoing issues to deal with the cost of living are required, including an immediate energy credit of 400. Asked whether the current situation required a "mini Budget", Mr Lawlor said: "Well, I believe so. I think we are in another crisis four years after the original one which brought about a lot of these difficulties." Saudi Arabia warns Iran it will be the biggest loser from attacks The warning followed the announcement of Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the late supreme leader, as Irans next ruler. Saudi Arabia warned Iran it would be the biggest loser if it continued to attack Arab states, hours after Iran had named its new supreme leader. US President Donald Trump said the announcement of Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the late supreme leader, as the Islamic Republics next ruler, was unacceptable. Saudi Arabias statement came after a new drone attack apparently targeted its massive Shaybah oil field and followed comments by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday which said Iran had halted its attacks on Gulf Arab states. The kingdom affirms that the Iranian side has not implemented this statement in practice, neither during the Iranian presidents speech nor afterward, Saudi Arabias Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Iran has continued its aggression based on flimsy pretexts devoid of any factual basis. It added the Iranian attacks mean further escalation which will have grave impact on the relations, currently and in the future. The US State Department issued an order for non-emergency staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia after it announced a US service member had died of injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on the kingdom. Saudia Arabias Civil Defence also confirmed on Sunday that a military projectile that fell onto a residential area killed two foreign-born residents and wounded 12 others all from Bangladesh in Al-Kharj governorate, the first casualties of the war reported in the country. An Iranian drone attack hit a residential area in Bahrain and wounded 32 civilians, including children as young as two years old, authorities said. The attacks occurred in Sitra Island close to energy infrastructure, the National Communication Centre said. Four of the wounded are in critical condition, including two boys aged seven and eight who suffered serious leg injuries and were undergoing surgeries, it said. Bahrain also said sirens were sounding Monday on morning and urged people to head to safe locations. Iraqi air defences shot down a drone early on Monday as it approached Victoria Base, a US-operated military compound inside Baghdad International Airport, a security source told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Israel also warned of an Iranian missile launch early on Monday, adding that it had targeted Hezbollah in airstrikes on Beirut and began airstrikes targeting central Iran. Meanwhile, Qatars Defence Ministry reported a missile attack on the country and in Saudi Arabia, the Defence Ministry said forces early on Monday destroyed four drones that were targeting its vast Shaybah oil field. Mr Khamenei had long been considered a contender to take control, even before an Israeli strike killed his father Ayatollah Ali Khamanei at the start of the war, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position. The announcement came on the ninth day of the war and after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects Irans supreme leader. He will serve as commander-in-chief of the military and Revolutionary Guard, and gains a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon, if he chooses to decree it. The Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah shared a portrait of the younger Khamenei on Telegram with the caption Leader of the blessed Islamic revolution. Describing the new leader as a lightweight, Mr Trump said: Khameneis son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran. He earlier told ABC News on Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over and that a new leader is not going to last long without his approval. Mr Trump offered assurance to consumers as oil prices eclipsed 100 dollars (75) per barrel for the first time in more than three and a half years on Sunday with the war hindering production and shipping. Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace, Mr Trump said in a social media post. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY. Associated Press Crises in the Gulf has succeeded in knocking Epstein off the front page A Republican politician has warned US President Donald Trump that the joint US-Israeli assault on Iran wont make the Epstein files go away. The Gulf crisis has succeeded in knocking the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal down the news agenda, despite the strikes commencing a matter of hours after Bill Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee over his past association with the paedophile billionaire and was peppered with awkward questions. But Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who spearheaded the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act through Congress last year, says the action overseas cannot be used as a smokescreen to obscure the revelations in the files. PSA: Bombing a country on the other side of the globe wont make the Epstein files go away, any more than the Dow going above 50,000 will, Mr Massie wrote on X. He was not the only person to draw a connection between Epstein and the Iran conflict. Appearing in character as Trump on Saturday Night Live, James Austin Johnson, parodying the presidents Truth Social video in which he first announced the operation, said: I launched this attack after me and my Board of Peace decided we were bored of peace. As we all know, Iran has been two weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon for like the last 15 years or something, so we had to act now. War, what is it good for? Distracting from the Epstein files! Before that, former MAGA congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who broke with Trump last year and resigned her post, issued a lengthy attack on the president for pursuing regime change missions abroad rather than sticking to his America first principles and delivering results at home, in the course of which she invoked the files. For years we demanded to release the Epstein files, demanding transparency and justice for thousands of victims, women and children, by the richest most powerful men in the world and we had to fight Trump himself to do it, even after we all campaigned on it, she wrote. And not a single person has been arrested and likely wont be, no accountability, no justice. Instead, we get a war with Iran on behalf of Israel that will succeed in regime change in Iran. Another foreign war for foreign people for foreign regime change. For what? Another Republican with strong words for Mr Trump was Mr Massies fellow Kentuckian, Senator Rand Paul, who expressed sympathy for the people of Iran and quoted John Quincy Adams. America goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy, Mr Paul wrote, echoing Adams. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. Meanwhile, the Democrat who launched the effort by Congress to obtain the Epstein files warned his Republican counterparts on Sunday that the House Oversight Committees efforts to compel the testimony of Bill and Hillary Clinton would only serve their purposes for so long. Ro Khanna, a California representative who co-sponsored the discharge petition to force the Department of Justice to publish the files, made the comments Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Khanna told NBCs Kristen Welker that Republicans scored a short-term political victory by forcing the Clintons back into the headlines with their closed-door testimonies to the committee, but asserted that it would blow up in the GOPs faces when Mr Trump was eventually called before the committee to provide his own testimony under questioning from Democrats. A new precedent has been set in America today. Before this, we had the Trump rule. Trump defied, as all of you know, a congressional subpoena with the January 6 committee. He said, Presidents dont have to testify, Mr Khanna said. The congressman went on: Now we have the Clinton rule, which is that presidents and their families have to testify when Congress issues a subpoena, and that means that Donald Trump needs to come before our committee and explain what he knew about Epstein. Whether or not the committee will actually be successful in forcing the president to testify is another matter entirely. Congress has no power to enforce its subpoenas beyond asking the Justice Department, headed by Trump-appointee Pam Bondi, for support. The Oversight panel and broader House of Representatives are unlikely to vote against Trump on the matter unless the chamber returns to Democratic hands. In 2022, the committee investigating the January 6 attack subpoenaed Trump for testimony and documents related to the attack on Congress that left dozens of police officers injured and members of the House and Senate hiding from a mob. Trumps lawyers stonewalled for months, and the committee eventually withdrew its subpoena after wrapping up its investigation. The Trump legal teams delay tactics mirrored the strategies used in legal cases brought against the president after his exit from the presidency in 2021, including two investigations into his efforts to remain in power and change the results of the presidential election. A Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame has been set up in Washington DC, not far from the White House, naming and shaming prominent public figures associated with the late paedophile and sex trafficker. The display consists of stickers mocked up in the style of the celebrated Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles which name powerful friends of Epstein and carry QR codes linking to specific entries about them in the files recently released by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Being named in the DOJ documents published in December and January, in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, does not necessarily imply wrongdoing, but several well-known people have faced awkward questions about their friendship with the disgraced financier as a result of their publication. Examples of people featured on the stars seen in DCs Farragut Square include Ghislaine Maxwell Epsteins jailed accomplice as well as former president Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Bill Gates, ex-Harvard president Larry Summers, retail mogul Les Wexner and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, all of whom have denied prior knowledge of Epsteins crimes. Mr Clinton and Mr Wexner have both recently appeared before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee to answer questions about their respective friendships with Epstein. Mr Clinton told the panel on Friday that he did nothing wrong, that he saw nothing that ever gave me pause regarding Epsteins behaviour, and that he cut ties with him long before his 2008 guilty plea. I was naive, foolish and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein, Mr Wexner told the committee last month. At no time did I ever witness the side of Epsteins life for which he is now infamous. Mr Gates, meanwhile, has apologised to staff at his philanthropic foundation for his past dealings with Epstein. Mr Summers has announced his resignation from his teaching role at Harvard, and Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested last month as part of a police investigation into allegations that he passed on market-sensitive information to the moneyman. A star for Tesla boss Elon Musk was also reportedly placed as part of the Walk of Shame, but was soon torn off. The files contain a 2012 email from the tech entrepreneur in which he discussed the possibility of visiting Epsteins island with his then-wife for a party. ( The Independent) India-Canada CEPA 2026: Modi-Carney Sign Terms of Reference, Target US$50 Billion Trade by 2030 After an extended period of diplomatic strain, 2026 marks a decisive opportunity for India and Canada to recalibrate their bilateral relationship. On March 2, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signaling a structured effort to restore and strengthen economic engagement. The latest India-Canada diplomatic engagement reflects a mutual recognition that bilateral trade and investment ties require renewed institutional momentum. Following more than three years of diplomatic friction, both countries have moved to formalize a roadmap toward a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at delivering balanced and mutually beneficial outcomes. During the March 2, 2026, engagements in New Delhi, the two sides signed multiple agreements and unveiled initiatives designed to deepen economic cooperation across priority sectors. Carneys first official visit to India underscored Ottawas intent to reset the relationship and re-anchor it in pragmatic, forward-looking economic collaboration. India-Canada bilateral relations rest in 2026 India and Canada have taken concrete steps to reset bilateral relations, with the prime ministers of both countries launching a renewed phase of economic engagement, trade negotiations, and multi-sectoral cooperation. Signing ToR for India-Canada CEPA On March 2, 2026, India and Canada formally launched CEPA negotiations in New Delhi. Indias Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and Canadas Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, signed the ToR at Hyderabad House in the presence of both prime ministers. The ToR sets out the negotiation structure, modalities, and roadmap, enabling both sides to pursue a comprehensive and commercially balanced agreement. Reconstitution of the India-Canada CEO Forum Both governments agreed to reconstitute the India-Canada CEO Forum and position it as a central platform for private-sector dialogue. Through this forum, they aim to facilitate structured discussions on investment flows, regulatory coordination, and sectoral collaboration. What is covered under the India-Canada ToR for CEPA? The ToR does not constitute the CEPA itself. Instead, it establishes the scope, structure, and negotiating framework for the proposed CEPA. They set out the format, frequency, and approach to the negotiations, providing a procedural roadmap to conclude an ambitious, balanced, and mutually beneficial pact. Core areas of negotiation 1. Trade in goods: The CEPA negotiations will cover market access for goods, including tariff reduction or elimination. Discussions are expected to address rules of origin, customs procedures, and trade facilitation measures. Given the existing trade profile, i.e., Indias exports to Canada, including pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, textiles, electronics, and chemicals, and imports, such as pulses, coal, fertilizers, and crude oil, tariff rationalization will be a central component. 2. Trade in services: Services form a strategically important pillar of the negotiations. The agreement is expected to address cross-border supply of services, mobility of professionals, and regulatory cooperation. Key areas of interest include telecommunications, computer and information services, and other business services, where India has strong export capabilities. 3. Other mutually agreed policy areas: The ToR also provide flexibility to negotiate additional policy domains as mutually agreed. In modern comprehensive trade agreements, these often include investment facilitation, digital trade, intellectual property (IP) rights, government procurement, technical standards, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and dispute settlement mechanisms. The final scope in these areas will depend on the progress and outcomes of negotiations. Strategic objectives Modi and Carney reaffirmed their shared goal of expanding bilateral trade to US$50 billion by 2030. Under FY 2025-26 (April to January), trade activities between Canada and India reached up to US$6.48 billion. Indias Trade Relations with Canada Over the Years (Value in US$ Million) Year Exports to Canada Imports from Canada Total trade *FY 2025-26 3,777.33 2,712.56 6,489.88 FY 2024-25 4,222.27 4,447.13 8,669.40 FY 2023-24 3,845.29 4,553.24 8,398.53 FY 2022-23 4,109.74 4,167.56 8,227.30 FY 2021-22 3,763.98 3,132.78 6,896.76 Source: Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GoI. *Trade figures for FY 2025-26 are available from April 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026. The data for this period is provisional and subject to revision and update after March 31, 2026. The CEPA is a key instrument to unlock untapped trade potential, improve regulatory predictability, and deepen sectoral cooperation. Advancing technology, innovation, and education Trilateral technology cooperation The two countries have finalized the trilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) under the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. Through this framework, the three countries will strengthen collaboration in emerging and critical technologies. India-Canada academic collaboration The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Mitacs, a Canadian research organization, signed an MoU to expand the Globalink Research Internship program. Starting in 2027, the program will enable up to 300 eligible Indian students each year to undertake fully funded 12-week research internships at Canadian institutions. In parallel, universities from both countries signed 24 institutional MoUs covering artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, agriculture, and innovation. India-Canada energy and critical resources agreement Commercial contract on uranium supply Indias Department of Atomic Energy concluded a long-term commercial contract with Canadian uranium giant Cameco for the supply of uranium ore concentrates. The agreement supports the expansion of Indias nuclear energy program and aligns with its long-term objective of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. MoU on critical minerals cooperation India and Canada have agreed to collaborate on building secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains. The MoU promotes investment facilitation, project identification, and technical cooperation across exploration, mining, beneficiation, and processing of strategic minerals. MoU on renewable energy cooperation An agreement was signed to promote bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, including solar, wind, biomass, and energy storage technologies. The framework supports information exchange, capacity building, and sharing of best practices. Conclusion Through the 2026 visit and the launch of CEPA negotiations, India and Canada have actively reset their bilateral engagement. By advancing trade liberalization, strengthening institutional mechanisms, and expanding cooperation in energy, technology, education, defense, and culture, both governments have laid the groundwork for a more structured and forward-looking partnership, anchored by the CEPA negotiations. India Revises External Commercial Borrowing Framework with 2026 FEMA Amendment: Notes for Businesses India revises its External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) framework under RBIs 2026 FEMA amendment, increasing borrowing limits, simplifying reporting, and clarifying end-use rules for foreign investors. India has introduced a significant restructuring of its cross-border borrowing regime through the Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The amendments consolidate and streamline the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) framework, widen borrower and lender eligibility, simplify compliance reporting, and clarify end-use restrictions. While the revisions may appear technical, they represent a meaningful recalibration of how Indian entities access offshore capital with strategic implications for treasury structuring, cross-border financing, and compliance planning. For foreign investors and India-based corporates, this is an opportune moment to reassess funding strategies. As Indias ECB framework evolves, businesses should proactively review cross-border financing structures to ensure alignment with the revised FEMA regulations and reporting requirements. Get in touch with our advisors: India@dezshira.com A structural overhaul of the ECB framework The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has moved key ECB provisions directly into the principal regulations, eliminating earlier fragmentation across Master Directions and FAQs. This consolidation brings: Greater definitional clarity (including benchmark rate, cost of borrowing, arms length principles); Rationalized borrowing limits; Simplified minimum average maturity period (MAMP) structures; Expanded eligible borrower and lender categories; and Revised reporting mechanisms. This shift reduces interpretational ambiguity but increases the importance of correctly structuring transactions at the outset. Higher borrowing limits and expanded access One of the most commercially relevant updates is the increase in borrowing limits. Eligible Indian borrowers may now raise ECB up to the higher of: US$1 billion; or 300 percent of net worth (as per the last audited balance sheet), including external and domestic borrowings. Additionally: Entities under restructuring or Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) are now included within eligible borrowers. Recognized lenders now include broader categories, including branches outside India and entities within IFSCs. MAMP requirements have been simplified to three years in general cases. For capital-intensive sectors infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, and industrial development this enhances funding flexibility. Clearer end-use restrictions: Reduced grey areas The amendment introduces a more detailed negative list governing the end use of borrowed funds. Funds cannot be deployed toward: Chit funds and Nidhi companies; Certain real estate activities (with defined exceptions for infrastructure-backed development); Agricultural and plantation activities (subject to specified carve-outs); Trading in Transferable Development Rights (TDR); Speculative securities transactions (except defined corporate restructuring actions); Repayment of restricted domestic INR loans; and On-lending for prohibited purposes. By codifying the negative list directly within the regulations, the RBI aims to eliminate interpretational gaps that previously arose under dispersed guidance notes. For borrowers, however, this increases the need for careful structuring of fund utilization plans before drawdown. Reporting simplified but not diluted The reporting regime has also been rationalized: Monthly certification requirements under Form ECB-2 have been removed. Form ECB 1 is introduced for obtaining the Loan Registration Number (LRN). A Revised Form ECB 1 must be filed within 7 days of month-end to report any changes in previously reported parameters. Reporting continues through designated AD Category I banks. While procedural burdens have been reduced, timely reporting remains critical. Any event altering outstanding borrowing under the LRN must be reported. In practice, companies will need strong coordination between treasury, finance, and compliance teams to avoid lapses. Borrowing by individuals from NRIs: Clarified terms The regulations also clarify borrowing in INR by resident individuals from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) or Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), provided: Funds are received via inward remittance or debit to NRE/NRO accounts; Borrowing is on a non-repatriation basis; and Interest and principal repayment are credited only to the lenders NRO account. This formalization offers clarity for family-based and private capital lending structures, but strict adherence to non-repatriation rules is required. Applicability and transition ECBs with an existing Loan Registration Number prior to the amendment will continue under prior rules, except for reporting, which must align with the revised structure. All new LRNs will be fully governed by the First Amendment Regulations. This creates a dual compliance window where legacy and new borrowings must be carefully mapped. Strategic implications for businesses Treasury optimization With borrowing limits expanded and maturity simplified, corporate groups may reassess: Offshore parent lending vs third-party ECB routes; Cost of borrowing benchmarks; and Currency mix and hedging strategy. Capital structure planning Companies under restructuring now have expanded access potentially altering insolvency and turnaround financing strategies. Project financing Infrastructure and industrial development projects may benefit from clearer end-use definitions, particularly in industrial park and integrated township models. Compliance risk management Although simplification reduces fragmentation, consolidation into principal regulations means less interpretational flexibility. Non-compliance may invite FEMA exposure. Indias broader policy direction The 2026 amendments signal a continued effort to balance two objectives: Facilitating foreign capital inflows; and Strengthening regulatory safeguards around fund deployment. By expanding eligibility and raising limits while codifying restrictions, the RBI is moving toward a more structured, predictable cross-border financing regime aligned with Indias ambition to attract large-scale global capital. Who should reassess their ECB strategy now? Multinational subsidiaries financing Indian operations; Infrastructure developers and EPC contractors; Private equity-backed portfolio companies; Manufacturing and industrial expansion projects; Companies under restructuring; and Corporate treasury teams managing cross-border debt portfolios. Practical next steps for companies Businesses should consider: Reviewing existing ECB structures against the revised definitions; Re-evaluating borrowing headroom under the 300% net worth rule; Aligning end-use documentation with the negative list; Updating internal reporting processes for revised Form ECB filings; and Engaging with AD banks early in structuring discussions. Conclusion The RBIs First Amendment Regulations of 2026 are more than a technical consolidation. They represent a recalibration of Indias external borrowing ecosystem, offering greater funding flexibility while demanding disciplined compliance. For companies actively expanding or refinancing in India, this is a strategic moment to reassess capital structures under the updated framework. ALSO READ: New FEMA Guarantees Framework: From Approval-Centric Controls to a Principle-Led Regime Neuer Tik Tok Trend aus Argentinien bluht uns demnachst. Therian Menschen die sich als Tier identifizieren Viel Spa damit... pic.twitter.com/ihFe6Fo3hS Libenter (@daregretel) March 1, 2026 So...what exactly are the therians? First Post. Image credit : X | @BgecoM2945 | The Internets Animal Identity Movement Is Growing What happens at these meetups? But why is it going viral now? Three reasons Gen Z will instantly understand: Community: In a hyper-online world where loneliness is common, niche identities create belonging. Identity exploration: Gen Z is redefining identity across gender, sexuality, aesthetics and lifestyle. Therian culture fits into that broader experimentation. Algorithm culture: Instagram and TikTok amplify visually striking content. A teen running on all fours in a park? That's algorithm gold. Image credit : X | @OrlandoCordoba | The Therian Identity Challenging Social Norms Should parents be worried? Associated Press The belief becomes rigid and delusional. It leads to self-harm. It encourages harm toward others. It severely disrupts daily functioning. In a quiet plaza in Buenos Aires, a group of teenagers gathered on a recent Sunday, but instead of clicking selfies and skateboarding, there were beagle masks, fox tails, and teens sprinting on all fours across the grass.Welcome to the world of therians, one of the internet's most debated youth subcultures right now.Therians are mostly young people who say they identify mentally, spiritually or psychologically with a specific non-human animal wolves, dogs, foxes, felines, birds and more.Some describe it as an internal identity that feels fundamental to who they are. While others simply enjoy embodying animal traits for fun, creativity or self-expression.The term comes from 'therianthrope', a Greek-rooted word meaning 'part-human, part-animal'. It first gained traction in the 1990s on niche internet forums before evolving into online communities. Originally, many used the broader term 'otherkin', referring to people who identify as non-human beings (mythical creatures to animals). Over time, 'therian' became the label for those specifically identifying with real animals.Now, because of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the subculture has exploded into the mainstream. The hashtag #therian has crossed millions of posts, with Argentina emerging as a major hub in Latin America, reportsAt the Buenos Aires gathering, teens dressed as dogs, cats and foxes climbed trees, leapt over obstacles and mimicked animal behaviours.Some, like a 15-year-old who identifies as a Belgian Malinois, say they experience their identity deeply. While others, like the 16-year-old Aru wearing a seal mask, describe themselves as part of the 'otherpaw' branch, meaning it's more about play, costume and movement rather than identity. Think of it as somewhere between cosplay, performance art and identity exploration.If cosplay celebrates fictional characters, therian culture celebrates instinct, movement and animal archetypes.But the virality also comes with backlash. Reactions online range from fascination and support to mockery and anger.According to psychologist Debora Pedace, who spoke to the, symbolic identification with animals isn't inherently dangerous. It only becomes concerning if:On the other hand, some preliminary studies suggest a correlation between therian/otherkin identities and experiences like dissociation, autism spectrum traits, social anxiety and depression. But here's the key: a correlation does not mean that being a therian causes mental health conditions. For some teens, the identity may actually be a coping mechanism. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Europe to become a global player, but the question is whether it can truly unite, whether it can adopt a coherent strategic policy away from nationalist rivalries said Fareed Zakaria, one of the most prominent political analysts and journalists worldwide in an interview with Ta Nea. His weekly international and domestic affairs program on CNN has featured interviews with Joe Biden, Barack Obama , Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin , among many others, while his column for the Washington Post is among the longest-running for the newspaper. Ta Nea spoke with him via Zoom about Ukraine Europe , the USA , Trump, his latest book Age of Revolutions. You said that 2026 is a pivotal year for the fate of Ukraine and the fate of the Western alliance. Lets talk about Ukraine first. What should we expect? Do you see any signs that are encouraging that the negotiations might lead to a deal soon? On the ground there is actually a lot to be hopeful for. Putin has staked everything on this battle. He does not care how many soldiers he loses. And yet the Russians have barely gained 1% of territory in the last 18 months. The Ukrainians are absolutely heroically holding the ground. They have innovated technologically in brilliant ways. Their morale remains strong. The Europeans have completely stepped up and are fully funding not just the Ukrainian defence efforts, but Ukraine itself. The big challenge is that the United States under Trump is essentially trying to side with Russia to close out this conflict. Without it being blatantly obvious they are taking the Russian position on many of the negotiating issues and they put pressure on Zelensky. Its the wrong approach politically and morally, but also because the Ukrainians are not going to simply surrender away their freedom, their independence, their sovereignty. Its not going to work. Everything depends on whether the Trump administration realises that the better path to peace is to put more pressure on Russia and less pressure on Ukraine, get the Russians to understand that they are on a losing struggle. There is an obvious deal. Ukraine loses the territory it has lost. In return they must get absolutely secure security guarantees. I would prefer if they got some kind of guarantee from NATO, but if not, from the US and Europe. The path for success is absolutely watertight security guarantees, maybe with some European troops in Ukraine. The question is, can we get there. Concerning the Western alliance what signs do you think are needed to understand whether it will survive? The Western alliance is much stronger than people think. Theres no question that what Trump has done is damaging. Trump has fundamentally not understood the value and scope of the Western alliance, what it has done to stabilise the world and how much its benefited America. To the Trump administration and particularly to the MAGA kind of leaders like JD Vance, Europe is like addressing a woke Ivy League university. It contains all the values of liberalism gone too far that they dont like. But Europe is not going to change its free speech laws because J.D. Vance wants to make a fancy speech about it. Those laws are in place for deep historical reasons in countries like Germany. Once you get past a certain amount of ideological point scoring and rhetorical bromides and assaults, you get to the practical question of where do you go. What the Trump administration will find, is that its better to do things with partners, to have the support of other countries, of other militaries. There will be less of the kind of dissolution of the alliance with one caveat. If the Trump administration really breaks with Europe on Ukraine. That will be a big problem. But until the Trump administration comes to that realization where does Europe stand? The German Chancellor says that the world order has ceased to exist, that Germany should take responsibility. Could Germany become the leader of a new world order and of Europe? This is an extraordinary moment and opportunity for Europe. Lets imagine that Donald Trump didnt exist. Europe is the second most dynamic economic area in the world after the United States. Europe already spends a great deal on defence, but it does not have much impact on the world because its not unified, it doesnt have a strategic, coherent identity and policy. For the good of the West, of the liberal international order, of all the values it is important that Europe be a player and not a museum in the world. This is an opportunity for Europe to become a player. The question is, can Europe actually come together. Right now you hear a lot of rhetoric, but when you get to the reality of, say, defence spending, of, say, investing in air defences, we get back to the same nationalist rivalries. Your question is exactly right because you need a leader. Germany can play that role. Modern Germany is completely different from the Germany of the past. It understands that to lead today means you are doing it entirely by consensus with other countries. Germany has to do it. In Europe today only the Germans have money and they have a really powerful industrial base. Germany can create the kind of military industrial complex that the United States has. The challenge is not technical. The challenge is political. Europe has always stopped short of this kind of coherent strategic policy because policymakers want to retain the option of being in control of their own foreign and defence policy. Youre not going to change that completely, but on some crucial key areas you can do it. The model is trade. Imagine if they could do the same on defence. Who benefits the most by the US economic policy, is it China? And who are the losers? Is the US a loser? China has been the greatest beneficiary of the Trump administrations policies without any question. The United States went from being the leader of a free trade ecosystem and alliance that included the richest, most powerful, most productive, most technologically advanced countries in the world, except for China, to having spent the last year creating divisions within that alliance. Its completely self defeating. The Chinese have benefited, but they have not been able to create an alternative ecosystem. Chinas close allies are basically North Korea, Iran, Russia, not exactly a galaxy of the worlds most productive and important countries. Its a kind of a rogues gallery. But they are a very powerful adversary. China is dominating the green technology space and the world of advanced manufacturing. China produces one out of every two robots produced in the world. In AI, the US is ahead, but China is not far behind. In the third World everybody is using Chinese AI models. The Chinese are not trying to create a consumerist free market economy in which every person has maximum income. They are trying to produce an industrial economy that dominates in manufacturing, in frontier technologies, in the pharmaceutical and bio space, and they are succeeding. With an unreliable US on one side and a highly competitive China on the other isnt it difficult for Europe to navigate through? Its hard, theres no question about it. But if Europe truly can reform, this is the second most dynamic economic area in the world after the United States. Twenty years ago the US and Europe were comparable. In the last 20 years the US has taken off, Europe has stagnated. Two big mistakes. One, the disastrous experiment with austerity that Greece in part suffered because of it. Europe went after the 2008 crisis for austerity. The US did not. The US and the Eurozone were roughly the same size in 2008. US is now 50% larger. Second, we are in the midst of an information revolution and Europe has not played in that space. In the information space you need great scientific talent, engineers, venture capital and scale. You need billions of users. The US has engineers, venture capital and scale. China the same. Europe has great scientific talent, it has and can attract venture capital. The problem is scale. Europe is not actually a single market. Any tech entrepreneur will tell you, the reason I go to America is that in Europe, I am actually dealing with 27 markets, 27 regulators, 27 different local content laws. You cant have scale if youre 27 markets. Whats the sentiment in the US of Trumps economic policy? The Supreme Court ruled tariffs unconstitutional, which they clearly are. Im surprised that it wasnt a 9.0 ruling, because the constitution is absolutely clear that this is a power that belongs to Congress. Its a sad sign of how political the court is that three members thought otherwise. Im always very careful when discussing macroeconomics, particularly when youre talking about a country as large as the US, a $30 trillion economy. Many of the things Trump has done that are harmful, are actually not hugely consequential in the short term. 85% of the US market is a domestic market. The tariffs affect 50% of the economy and the effective tariff rates are much lower than what Trump advertises. The negative things hes done, the tariffs, attacking the Federal Reserve, the politicisation of economics, all have longer term costs that dont produce a crisis. On the other side Trump has been very effective at deregulating, making it much easier to build, to provide permits, licences. Oil prices have gone down this year, from about 80 (dollars a barrel) to about 60. Thats like a huge tax cut for every American. On net it does not surprise me that the US economy continues to do pretty well. The big question for the US economy is that it is essentially turned into one large bet on artificial intelligence. In the last year about 40% of the economic growth of the United States came from spending on artificial intelligence. If the revenues coming out of artificial intelligence are not large enough to sustain these hundreds of billions of dollars being spent that could be a moment of reckoning and that could cause a recession. This is a crucial year, you have the midterm elections. Over the past years we have been saying polarisation in the US is increasing. Is there a fear that the elections might not be fair? Its a real fear. The Trump administration is trying without any question to tamper with a free and fair election. They are trying to suppress voters coming out in certain areas. Theyre talking about taking over the voting systems in places. The irony is they actually dont need to do this because the US is very polarised, as you say and even though Trump is not very popular now, if you look at the Senate the chance that the Democrats win in places like Iowa, Montana, Wyoming, all these small states is very low. So the Republicans start out with a huge advantage. They will probably lose the House, but not by a lot. So the reality is not that dramatically bad for Trump. He doesnt need to engage in the kind of scary, undemocratic kind of policies he seems to be threatening to do. But its a sign of Trumps basic temperament. Trump has no respect for laws, norms, ethics. If he wants to do something, he will just do. Demolishing the East Wing of the White House is a perfect metaphor for Trump. There are laws, rules, norms, theres a matter of taste, none of it matters. He just demolishes it. Then hes like, what are you going to do? Ive already demolished it. You break the rules and then leave it to somebody else to div out what theyre going to do. Which makes the life for the Democrats even more difficult The Democrats have a larger challenge. All the energy on the Democratic side comes from the far Left. But the polling is absolutely clear. The only way to win is from the centre, by being more moderate on cultural issues. When Trump goes into campaign mode he talks about immigration, woke culture, transgender. He doesnt talk about economics. Trump understands people vote from the gut, not from the brain. And he tries to appeal to your gut, he scares you. If the Democrats come into power, your children are going to be taught in schools that theres no difference between a boy and a girl, youre going to have millions of dark skinned people who dont speak your language, invade your country and take it over, youre going to have woke ideology where white people are going to be discriminated against. The Democrats have not divd out how to neutralise that issue. The Democratic answer is Ive got a 10 point policy paper that provides you with child care and health care. When you scare people on these cultural issues, the Democrats need an answer and so far they havent. This is a historic pattern, I talk about in my book Age of Revolutions, when you go through these periods of revolutionary change, people get culturally very anxious and move culturally to the right. The Democratic answer is to move economically to the left. People are not looking for another government programme, theyre looking for their world to be stabilised. The right in a sense understands that better. Some of Mitsotakis success is that he has been very careful on the issue of immigration. Hes tough, hes hard line. Dont see that issue to the populist one. Hes one of the few people in Europe who has been able to manage that because hes been very tough on that issue. Is the US undergoing a revolution now? I think so. For the last 30 years it went through a kind of globalisation revolution and a technology revolution and even a cultural revolution. And now were living with the backlash to that revolution, and particularly in cultural terms. Dont underestimate the degree to which this is a cultural phenomenon. Look at the resentment of white men to the increasing role of women in politics and business. This is a huge change. Womens role for thousands of years have been one way and now its changed. A lot of what were doing is dealing with the backlash to very powerful revolutionary changes. With strong military assets and diplomatic coordination, Athens anddeepen cooperation for security , deterrence, and regional stability. The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a suspect in connection with the recent attack on Peter Obi in Benin, the Edo state capital. Last Tuesday, Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient movement, said Obi and some chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were attacked at the residence of John Odigie-Oyegun, a chieftain of the party. Olumide Akpata, Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2024 Edo governorship election, added that his cousins head was smashed with a bottle during the attack. Advertisement Shortly after the incident, a man identified as Udeme Stephen allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on his X account, @stevetom788, and threatened further violence against Obi. In the post, Stephen said Obi was lucky to have survived the Benin attack and warned that he would not be spared in future visits, including a planned trip to Rivers state. We warned Obi against his entrance into Edo State but he mistook our resolves to obidiots online noise. Thank his stars he survived this one, he wrote. I learnt hes going to my Rivers State. No wahala. Na my MEN go handle that one and dem no dey miss target. Speak no peace to a bastard and wish him no long life, for hes destined to die one. However, according to a security source, DSS operatives immediately launched a covert investigation, using forensic tools to track the suspect. The source said the suspect, a 26-year-old man, was traced to Rivers state, where he works as a teacher at Jessica High School in the Eliozu, Obio-Akpor LGA. I strongly believe that the outcome of the agencys forensic investigations implicated the suspect, the source said. You know that, as a responsible security organisation saddled with the task of counter-espionage and VIP protection, among other asset protection duties, the DSS is always alive to its responsibility of investigating credible intelligence, irrespective of tribe or religion. They swiftly deployed operatives, and the man who threatened Peter Obi was nabbed and is in custody. The source added that the suspect would soon be charged in court. The National Union of Electricity Employees, has intensified mobilisation of its members nationwide for a possible strike next week following the expiration of its 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government without a resolution of its grievances. The union had, in a January 26, 2026 letter addressed to the Minister of Power, issued a nationwide strike notice accusing power sector employersparticularly distribution companies (DISCOs) and generation companies (GENCOs)of widespread anti-labour practices, wage violations, and failure to remit deducted Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes and pension contributions. With the ultimatum now lapsed and no concrete action taken, union sources said the leadership has begun ramping up mobilisation across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), warning of possible industrial action any moment from now that could cripple electricity generation and distribution nationwide if urgent steps are not taken. Advertisement Sources within the union disclosed that the Minister of Labour and Employment had waded into the dispute about two weeks ago and summoned a meeting slated for last week. However, it was gathered that the Minister of Power insisted that the matter fell within his ministrys purview and should be handled accordingly. Union sources expressed frustration that nearly two weeks after that development, no meeting has been convened by the power ministry. They alleged that the minister has been preoccupied with political engagements rather than addressing the looming crisis in the sector. Irked by what they described as government inaction, the union leadership has intensified mobilisation of workers across power stations and distribution networks nationwide in preparation for a possible strike next week. We demand the immediate resolution of all these anti-labour issues. Otherwise, we will not hesitate to employ any legitimate labour action suitable for the situation. This is not a threat, the notice warned. Industry observers caution that any nationwide strike by electricity workers could have far-reaching consequences for businesses, households, and the broader economy, already grappling with energy supply challenges. Recall that in the letter signed by NUEEs Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, the union lamented what it described as worsening conditions for workers more than 12 years after the privatisation of the power sector. We have written several letters to your highly exalted office on precarious work in NESI, especially in Gencos and Discos, since after the privatisation of the electricity sector, but the Ministry seems not to be interested in the matter, the letter stated. The union accused employers in the sector of refusing to negotiate and implement collective agreements and conditions of service, as well as failing to implement the 2025 National Minimum Wage Act and its consequential adjustments. The sector is bedevilled with managements that have refused to collectively negotiate and implement procedural agreements and conditions of service and have failed to implement the 2025 National Minimum Wage Act, the notice alleged. Beyond wage concerns, NUEE accused some companies of denying workers their constitutional right to unionise, restricting union activities within company premises, and deducting union dues without remittance. The union further alleged prolonged non-remittance of statutory third-party deductions, including PAYE tax and pension contributions. According to the notice, in some distribution companies including Kaduna and Kano Discos pension deductions have reportedly not been remitted for up to 82 months. NUEE also decried what it termed the militarisation of the workplace, alleging harassment, intimidation, and threats against workers by managements of certain companies, including Ikeja Electric and Egbin Power Plc. The workers expressed anger that despite repeated electricity tariff increases, band reclassification, and rising revenues in the sector, their welfare has stagnated. Tariffs have gone up repeatedly, yet there has been no promotion, no increment, no bonuses, and no improvement in working conditions for workers. There is no job security and no pension assurances, while customers vent their anger on innocent employees, the union said. The union also accused investors in the sector of failing to fulfil post-privatisation commitments, including capital injection, metering, network expansion, and improved power supply, describing the situation as evidence of the shortcomings of the privatisation exercise. President Bola Tinubu will on Wednesday swear in Olatunji Disu as the substantive Inspector-General of Police following the unanimous endorsement of his appointment by the Nigeria Police Council on Monday. The swearing-in ceremony will take place during the Federal Executive Council meeting scheduled for the same day, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced in a statement on Monday. The councils meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, was presided over by Tinubu and attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors, and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, retired DIG Hashimu Argungu, in accordance with constitutional provisions. Advertisement Also in attendance were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam; FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; and Head of Service, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack. According to Onanuga, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu spoke glowingly of Disu, commending him for his exemplary service, particularly during his tenure as Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos between 2015 and 2021, when he earned recognition for excellence in crime control. Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule also commended the Presidents choice, noting that Disus appointment was based on his excellent career record. FCT Minister and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike lauded Disus professionalism, recalling his service in Rivers State as Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department and anti-kidnapping unit between 2014 and 2015. Wike noted that Disu later served as Commissioner of Police in the FCT Command during his tenure as minister, commending him for his efficiency as a crime fighter and for ensuring the commands strategic impact in addressing security concerns within the territory. Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, seconded the motion endorsing the appointment. Disus confirmation comes barely a week after Tinubu appointed him Acting IGP following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun last Tuesday. Disu, 59, was born on April 13, 1966, in Lagos State and joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police. He holds multiple qualifications in public administration, forensic investigation, criminology, security, legal psychology, and entrepreneurship, credentials that the Presidency said reflect his commitment to knowledge-driven, modern policing. Prior to his appointment, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Special Protection Unit and the Force CID Annex in Lagos. Like his predecessor, Disu served under Tinubu during his tenure as Lagos State Governor from 1999 to 2007. While Egbetokun was the Chief Security Officer, Disu served as Aide-de-Camp. A former Lumberton Township mayor admitted in court Monday that she drove drunk with her toddler in the car last St. Patricks Day, bringing to a close a case that prompted calls for her resignation. Gina LaPlaca, 46, who served as mayor until December and remains a member of the township committee, pleaded guilty before Burlington County Superior Court Judge Craig Ambrose to driving under the influence and child endangerment, according to Burlington County prosecutors. Advertisement Under a plea agreement, LaPlaca will enter a three-year diversionary program for first-time offenders. She also agreed to attend regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and install an ignition interlock device in her vehicle. Over the last year, she has completed inpatient and outpatient treatment, prosecutors said Tuesday. LaPlaca told the judge Monday she had installed an interlock device in October. Prosecutors said a motorist captured LaPlaca on cell phone video driving a blue 2019 BMW erratically on Route 38, swerving across the center line and nearly striking a utility pole. After the driver alerted police, officers located LaPlaca and found an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, authorities said. LaPlaca told officers she had been drinking before picking up her 2-year-old son from daycare, prosecutors said. At the time, her blood-alcohol concentration measured 0.30% more than three times New Jerseys legal threshold for intoxication. In the weeks after her arrest, the township committee formally censured LaPlaca for alleged ethical violations. Despite public outcry and calls from state lawmakers to step down, she declined to resign as mayor and remained in office until her term ended in December. An attempt to reach LaPlaca on Tuesday was unsuccessful. After her arrest last year, her husband, Jason Carty, told The Inquirer that she was on a path to recovery and asked for privacy. Parents, students, and staff dance to the music of Mad Beatz Philly youth drum line, after a news conference celebrating the wellness policy / joy campaign, at the school district building, in Philadelphia on March 2, 2026. Read more For the first time, Philadelphia School District students have guaranteed bathroom and water breaks. Recess is promised. Silent lunches and collective punishment are forbidden. Call it a victory for joy. Advertisement Philadelphias school board just adopted the districts first-ever comprehensive wellness policy, two years after a group of parents began pushing a joy campaign because, parent Jamila Carter said, we refused to accept the unacceptable. READ MORE: Parents say some Philly students wear diapers because they dont get bathroom breaks. Theyre pushing for change. In the past, said members of Lift Every Voice a grassroots, Black-led parent organization growing in numbers and clout in the city students inside some district schools werent allowed to drink water during the day. Entire classes were punished for the misdeeds of one or two students. And sometimes, parents sent their children to school in diapers because children werent always allowed to use the bathrooms. The group of moms werent trained advocates, but they learned quickly, pushing the school board and district to codify rights that werent always guaranteed. Now they are on Thursday night, the school board signed off on bathroom and water breaks and mandatory recess and movement breaks for every 90 minutes of seated time for elementary school students. With pom-poms and dancing, a drum line and cheers, Lift Every Voice members celebrated their victory at district headquarters Monday. But the two-year path to winning their demands was often sobering, and the district officials who locked arms with them at a news conference were slow at first to sign off on the policy. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., who now routinely talks about joy as one of the districts core values, credited the parents for pressing the issue. You know what Frederick Douglass once said? He said, Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will. And so I want to thank the members of Lift Every Voice. I wish we had done this much sooner. But Im pleased that were doing it today, Watlington said. Amy Faulring, a parent of two district students, said it was a happy day, but the campaign taught parents a sobering thing. Even in some of the best schools, these practices were happening, in buildings that families fight to get into and feel proud of, said Faulring. That tells us this wasnt about one school, it was about culture, and culture does not shift by accident. When basic protections arent written down, they become negotiable. They depend on which building youre in or which parent feels empowered enough to speak up. Codifying this into policy changes that. The policy, Faulring said, sets a clear floor, it creates consistency, and it makes dignity non-negotiable. The priorities, said Lift Every Voice member LaTi Spence, came right from kids. Our children told us what was wrong, said Spence. They told us what it felt like to sit in classrooms thirsty, how hard it was to have silent lunches. They told us where joy was missing. Councilmember Kendra Brooks said the policy fixes things that parents and students had to tolerate for too long. When we think about children holding their bodies because bathroom access is protected, or sitting for hours without movement, or rushing through silent lunches, thats not discipline, Brooks said, who was a parent activist before she was a politician. Thats not discipline. Thats not rigor. Its actually dehumanizing. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during an event at the State Department in December. Read more Military officers will see their tuition assistance cut off at 22 schools and institutions, but the University of Pennsylvania is not among them. The Ivy League institution, which counts President Donald Trump among its alumni, was on an initial list of 34 schools at risk of losing Pentagon-funded tuition assistance. But Penn was not part of the 22-university list released by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday. Advertisement Penn did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Hegseth previously said he intended to cut off schools where faculty members have leftist political leanings and openly loathe our military, but he cited no specific examples of bias or misconduct at the 22 schools that will lose tuition assistance beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. We will no longer invest in institutions that fail to sharpen our leaders warfighting capabilities or that undermine the very values they are sworn to defend, Hegseth wrote in a letter released Friday with the final list. It was not immediately clear why Penn and other schools were removed from the initial draft list. Among the schools still set to lose access to the tuition-assistance program is Princeton University, where Hegseth obtained a bachelors degree in 2003. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is also on the list, as is Yale University, where Vice President JD Vance obtained a law degree. The move means members of the military will be banned from using Department of Defense tuition assistance to pay for Senior Service College Fellowship programs at those schools. The impact will not be large the Department of Defense said fewer than 100 military students are enrolled in programs at schools that will lose funding. Military personnel currently enrolled may complete their courses of study, Hegseth said, though it is unclear if they will have to change schools to continue receiving financial assistance. Hegseths announcement did not mention several other financial assistance programs for undergraduates, including the GI Bill, which is administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Here is the full list of schools losing tuition assistance from the Pentagon: Educational institutions Harvard University St. Louis University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Tufts University Georgetown University Carnegie Mellon University Brown University Columbia University Yale University Middlebury College Princeton University George Washington University College of William and Mary International institution Queens University (Canada) Nonprofit institutions Center for Strategic and International Studies New America Foundation Brookings Institution Atlantic Council Center for a New American Security Council on Foreign Relations Henry L. Stimson Center Senior Service College The dim sum platter box, black pepper shrimp, the fried branzino and cumin spicy lamb shank at Peter Chang King of Prussia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 in King of Prussia, Pa Read more If you werent paying attention, you could easily drive past the nondescript storefront beside the Giant supermarket in King of Prussias Henderson Square. But there, glowing red from the strip-mall space wedged between a yoga studio and a dental office, is a sign with a name that caused me to hit the brakes: Peter Chang. Chang is something of a legend in the Washington, D.C. area, especially after being profiled in 2010 by the New Yorkers Calvin Trillin in an article Wheres Chang? that detailed a local cult following for the talented Chinese chef, despite (or perhaps because of) his perpetual moves from one Sichuan kitchen to the next. By 2011, however, Chang finally put down roots with his name attached to a restaurant in the DMV, starting in Charlottesville, Va. It became the first of a rapidly growing family empire that has since expanded to 20 restaurants of varying concepts across the Mid-Atlantic, from Chang Chang in Dupont Circle to Baltimores Nihao. The run that has earned this onetime chef at the Chinese Embassy multiple nominations from the James Beard Foundation, including a finalist nod for national Outstanding Chef in 2022. Advertisement Now, having debuted in the Philadelphia region with not one but two new restaurants Peter Chang in KOP and Mama Chang in Colmar the once-elusive Chang is virtually everywhere. I popped the steaming hot balloon of his wife Lisa Changs signature bubble scallion pancake, then hungrily grazed across the nine cubbies of the dim-sum sampler box, savoring the clean white snap of a crystal shrimp dumpling, the hoisin-dabbed crunch of a meaty Peking duck spring roll, and the fragrant spice of a wonton swirled with the house chili oil. I immediately concluded Changs arrival to Philly is a very good thing. Figuring out where, exactly, these new restaurants sit within the context of the Philadelphia regions already rich Chinese dining landscape is separate question. Chang has long been referred to by fans (and even the companys own website) as a Sichuan chef since many of his dishes buzz with the lip-numbing mala hum of Sichuan peppercorns and earthy cumin perfume typical of Sichuan cooking. But he is, in fact, from the province of Hubei, a Central Chinese crossroads threaded by train lines and the Yangtze River, where the cuisines of neighboring provinces like Sichuan and Hunan have been influential, but where the flavors of those traditional dishes are also interpreted in distinct ways. Changs take on dan dan noodles, for example, is simultaneously lighter, brighter, and more potently spiced than others Ive tried in other local Sichuan restaurants the usual ground meat subbed out for vegetarian diced tofu, then scattered with crushed peanuts and umami sparks of preserved olives and mustard greens. His black pepper shrimp, dramatically presented in a beautiful blue and yellow hot pot, is a delicious personal fusion of multiple regional styles; the bold-yet-balanced sauce blends Sichuan kung pao with the pungent tingle of Hunan black pepper and splashes of Maggi and Worcestershire sauces, which Changs daughter and business partner, Lydia Chang, says is a typical move in Cantonese kitchens. The groups flagship concept, Peter Chang, of which there are currently 15 locations, opened in a modest King of Prussia BYOB last summer, while the much larger Mama Chang debuted in October with a liquor license in a 400-seat Colmar space previously occupied by Golden City, a Chinese standby for 39 years. In theory, the two are different concepts, with Peter Chang presenting a broad array of classic Chinese dishes, many of them presented in tapas-style small dishes, while Mama Chang, originally opened in Fairfax, Va., was created to showcase the Hubei-style home cooking and larger family-style portions inspired by Changs mother, Ronger Wang. In practice, the two Philadelphia-area restaurants share almost identical menus while the company figures out what each audience will respond to most. The restaurant group has typically favored suburban locations in part because of their access to easy parking, but also for the opportunity to offer diverse communities unfamiliar with traditional Chinese cooking a taste of something different, says Lydia. In the case of this region, however, theres already been a major demographic shift of Chinese families moving to Phillys northern and western suburbs over the past two decades. Restaurants like Mama Wong, the original locations for Han Dynasty in Exton and Royersford, and Margaret Kuos Kitchen have successfully found their audiences without having to make too many compromises. About 40% of Peter Changs King of Prussia customers are of Chinese descent, Lydia says. But in Colmar, that number drops to 20%, she says, and preferences for Americanized Chinese food remain strong. (We try to be flexible, she says, noting some Americanized standards like chicken lo mein and shrimp fried rice are still available.) The value of Peking duck combo meals and a $33 all-you-can-eat brunch and dim sum on weekends have been a draw. There are so many distinctive dishes at both locations, however, Id encourage diners to skip the impulse to order General Tsos and try the Wuxi sweet-and-sour chicken, whose larger chunks and lighter batter feature a sauce with a punchy dose of garlic. The various dim sum here are also a great place to start, whether as the sampler or ordered in individual gems such as the firecracker cilantro fish roll, a shiitake-bok choy dumpling wrapped in a kale-infused dough, or the vibrant take on galicky cucumber salad, which glows pale green with a dressing of pureed jalapenos and scallions. Sticking with Changs green trend, try the jade tofu duck soup, whose verdant broth is tinted with kale puree but also meaty with duck stock thanks to all the carcasses left over from the restaurants brisk Peking duck trade. Changs birds are cooked the classic way: inflated twice with a pump to separate the skin from the flesh, massaged with five-spice salt, scalded in a bath of baking soda, then roasted with a vinegar-and-corn syrup glaze until the tawny skin snaps like a candied cracker, to be wrapped tableside in pliant house-steamed pancakes with shaved scallion and a sweet dab of hoisin. The duck is a sure crowd-pleaser, as is the meaty branzino in sweet-and-sour sauce, whose deep-fried fillets are crosshatched like a pine cone in a show of the kitchens technical proficiency with classic dishes. Another personal favorite, the dragon eggplant in garlic sauce, showcases more impressive knifework, using a series of angular cuts in the suoyi style that lets it expand, Slinky-like, through a saucy glaze that balances sweetness, tang, and spice. Chang has a special fondness for spice, says his daughter, and thats particularly evident in dishes that employ a double-cooked dry fry method, in which ingredients are pre-cooked or crisped in batter, then refried in the wok with shimmering aromatic spice. The eggplant fries are one delicious example, but so is the bamboo fish: crispy flounder fingers seared inside a crust that crackles from the addition of cooking wine and cornstarch, and radiates the heat of chilies and herbal fresh cilantro. House-steeped chili oil infused with cardamom and star anise, which takes days to make, transforms shredded tofu skin salad into irresistibly snappy noodles. Pickled fresh chilies are key to the soybean beef pot, a rarely seen rustic specialty that arrives simmering in a clay vessel. The hand-pulled noodles on Mama Changs menu employ chewy, hand-pulled Xian belt noodles as a springboard for garlic, ground Sichuan peppercorn powder, and coarse pepper flake garnishes that actually sizzle with aromatic steam when hot chili oil is drizzled over the base sauce of vinegar and soy. But no dish brings a wallop of earthy flavor quite like the massive serving of double lamb shanks, an Uyghur-style dish I could not get enough of, whose tender meat comes falling off the bone, absolutely encrusted in cumin and pickled chilies. Its not all spice bombs. Some of the best offerings at both places reflect subtler flavors. One is the farmers stir-fry, which incorporates rough-chopped celery, bell peppers, and tofu skin scrambled into eggs, a nod to what Peters mom used to whip together from their family farm. Another classic, the Yangzhou-style Lions Head meatballs are the height of comfort perfected through a knowing touch. These massive, cloud-like orbs of pork, impossibly fluffy in mild brown gravy, are the result of careful handiwork both on the mince and the whipping, incorporating the meat into a high percentage of fat that simply melts away over the course of a slow braise in rich sauce scented with sesame oil and soy. Ive had this dish multiple times in Chinatown, but never such an airy rendition. Served in a hot pot topped with a ceramic Buddha, its the kind of nostalgic dish that bridges the elegance, say, of an embassy banquet with the homespun feeling the restaurant group would like Mama Chang to eventually embrace more fully in Colmar. Ill be curious to observe as these two locations evolve, especially once the wider public realizes one of Americas most decorated Chinese chefs has finally landed in our region. As is, theyre both already worthy additions to the suburban dining scene. Once Chang and his family find their footing and dive deeper into their culinary mission, theres potential for the pair of restaurants to become a wider draw. Peter Chang KOP Henderson Square, 314 S. Henderson Rd., Suite C, King of Prussia, 717-431-0488, peterchangkop.com Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Larger plates, $16-$40. Wheelchair accessible. Not ideal for gluten-free dining. BYOB Menu highlights: Dim sum box platter (firecracker cilantro fish roll; Peking duck roll; chili oil pork and shrimp wonton; garlic cucumber salad); scallion bubble pancake; tofu skin salad with chili oil; dan dan noodles with tofu; spicy dry fried eggplant; farmers stir fry; dry fried bamboo fish; twice-cooked pork belly; dragon eggplant with garlic sauce; Peking duck; soy bean beef pot; cumin lamb shank; fried branzino with sweet and sour sauce. Mama Chang 118 Bethlehem Pike, Colmar, 215-822-0299, mamachangphiladelphia.com Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Larger plates, $16-$42. Bottomless dim sum weekend brunch, $33 per person. Wheelchair accessible. Not ideal for gluten-free dining. Drinks: Full liquor license showcasing simple, colorful cocktails with tropical twists, Chinese beers and baiju. Menu highlights: Many of the above Peter Chang dishes are available here, including also: jade tofu duck soup; Lions Head pork meatballs. A sign warns of measles outside a clinic in Brownfield, Texas, last year. Pennsylvania is also seeing an outbreak centered in Lancaster County. Read more Pennsylvania had 12 confirmed cases of measles among state residents and two more involving visitors to the state as of Tuesday, the state health department said. Eight cases are associated with an outbreak in Lancaster County, where the Pennsylvania Department of Health declared an outbreak involving five cases a month ago. Advertisement The latest case was reported last Wednesday in that county. LNP reported that the three most recent cases there were diagnosed in people who were already quarantining after a measles exposure. Pennsylvania officials also have confirmed two cases in Chester County one in a county resident and another in a person visiting the county. One of the Chester cases was connected to the Lancaster outbreak, and the other was linked to an outbreak at Ave Maria University, a small Catholic college in Florida, said Jeanne Franklin, the countys public health director. Likewise, four cases in Montgomery County one in a person visiting the county and three in county residents were connected to the Ave Maria outbreak. A person infected with measles connected to that outbreak traveled to Montgomery County; later, two members of their household and a person who had visited an urgent care clinic at the same time as the original patient were diagnosed with measles. The person infected at the urgent care developed symptoms about 20 days after exposure. Measles has a long incubation period of up to 21 days. That person had visited a Wawa in Limerick and a car dealership in Royersford multiple times while contagious, and late last month county officials issued warnings about possible exposures to residents who may have been in those locations. None of the Pennsylvania patients diagnosed with measles had been vaccinated. Measles cases have risen in the last several years in the United States. In South Carolina, a major outbreak has caused at least 935 cases since last fall. At least 83 people have been sickened in Collier County, Fla., where Ave Maria University is located. Florida has seen 114 total cases so far this year, the Naples Daily News reported. Closer to home, in late February, Delaware health officials reported a potential measles exposure at the Nemours Childrens Hospital emergency room. Pennsylvania health officials, citing state privacy laws, declined to specify how the outbreak in Lancaster County began. The department investigates each reported case of measles to understand the potential source of their infection. Some of the cases in Pennsylvania have been connected to cases in other states, the department said in an email. The state conducts contact tracing to identify people who were exposed to the highly contagious disease; the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours. Health officials determine whether those exposed are immune to the virus, either through vaccination or a prior infection. People without immunity can get vaccinated for measles within 72 hours or receive immunoglobulin within six days to avoid contracting the disease. In a health alert issued last month, state officials urged physicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for measles if patients show up with a rash and fever. If doctors suspect a measles case, they should not wait for lab confirmation and instead immediately notify the health department. The department stressed that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is the best way to protect against measles; two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective at preventing the disease. About 94% of Pennsylvania residents have received the MMR vaccine. That is likely to help limit the number of measles cases in Pennsylvania, compared to other states with lower vaccination rates, the health departments statement said. In a city replete with food peddlers and grocery proprietors, a Canadian chain would find a footing in Philadelphia. The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Inc., better known as A&P, was where shoppers could get their chain-brand of Eight OClock Coffee beans freshly ground in-store and in their preferred style. For a healthy stretch of the 20th century, a majority of U.S. residents shopped for groceries in an A&P store. The chain was founded in 1859 and by the 1940s, counted more than 16,000 locations spread between the Atlantic and Pacific. Advertisement But by the spring of 1982, the grocery chain empire only had 70 stores in the Philadelphia region, and it was struggling to cover expenses. On March 1, 1982, the chain announced it would be pulling out of Philadelphia. A&P would close 29 stores in the region, including all 11 left in the city. More than 2,000 people would be out of work amid a historic recession and rising energy costs. It was the conclusion of a reorganization plan that resulted in the closure of 350 stores across the country at the end of 1981 and beginning of 1982. It would leave the chain with a little more than 1,000 stores, including more than 100 in Canada. The long and drawn-out end for the once-vast grocery empire had begun. In May 82, the chain announced that the stores would reopen as Super Fresh Food Centers, and laid-off A&P workers would get first crack at the upcoming job openings. But the chains inability to evolve with changing market conditions would continue to hamper its progress, and eventually lead to its demise, according to Business Insider. A&P and its nearly 300 stores would hang on until 2015, when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for a second time, and sold off the rest of its catalog. The Super Fresh locations were absorbed by Acme, the South Philadelphia-based grocery group that, according to Philly Mag, had assumed the crown of Phillys top food provider. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically cut its basic training program amid a hiring spree meant to speed up the Trump administrations deportation efforts, records obtained by the Washington Post show, corroborating a whistleblowers claim. After former ICE instructor Ryan Schwank testified during a congressional hearing last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied any reduction in the amount or quality of training provided to ICE recruits. The previously undisclosed records obtained by the Post show that, as the whistleblower said, ICE last year removed about 240 hours from its basic training program, or more than 40% of instructional time. Advertisement The documents also offer new insight into how and when the training program was reduced. The vast majority of the cuts occurred in August, the records show, as the Trump administration pushed ICE to double the number of officers in the field by the end of 2025. The initial cuts eliminated more than 100 hours dedicated to hands-on instruction and practice scenarios, including half the 56 hours once spent on firearms training, the records show. Fitness training time was almost entirely cut. Also eliminated were dozens of hours of classroom learning on such topics as case processing and deportation officers legal authority. With further cuts later that fall, the records show, ICE had eliminated three-quarters of the hours once dedicated to evaluating recruits practical skills, including firearms handling. The agency eliminated time for driving tests and cut all 26 hours previously allotted for evaluating recruits grasp of skills specific to immigration enforcement and deportation operations. As of Jan. 1, records show, more than 900 ICE officers had completed a shortened version of basic training and were destined for field offices across the country. That is more than three times the total number of graduates in the 12 months before August, when the program was first cut. Asked about the Posts findings, ICE acknowledged that the program has been accelerated by increasing the daily training time and adding an extra day of training each week but insisted that there had been no cuts to overall training hours, requirements, or subject matter. ICE officers go through a rigorous on-the-job training and mentorship, the agency said in a statement. It said new officers take what they learn at the academy and apply it to real-life scenarios while on duty, preserving ICEs reputation as one of the most elite law enforcement agencies not only in the U.S., but the entire world. Concerns about the quality of immigration officers training have been mounting for months amid reports of violent arrests and heavy-handed crowd-control tactics, along with two high-profile killings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis this year. On Feb. 23, Schwank, a lawyer who recently resigned from his teaching position at the ICE academy, testified that the agency had removed so many essential courses from the program that even in the final days of training, the cadets cannot demonstrate a solid grasp of the tactics or the law required to perform their jobs. That same day, congressional Democrats made public DHS documents indicating that ICE last year removed courses that were once part of its basic training program. The records obtained by the Post were not among those released by the Democrats and did not come from the same source. The records obtained by the Post include four training program outlines, dated between July 2025 and January 2026, that break down the hours allocated to instructional topics. The records also track student outcomes and time at the academy. They reveal a steep decline in the graduation rate as DHS ramped up recruitment, part of President Donald Trumps goal to double the number of ICE officers to 20,000 and deport an unprecedented 1 million people each year. Students must meet all requirements, otherwise they will not be made law enforcement officers, ICE told the Post, citing the lower graduation rate as evidence that the academy has not lowered standards. ICE made slight adjustments to the basic training program after the sweeping cuts last year, the records show. After initially cutting the training time dedicated to use of force by three hours, for instance, ICE later added five hours on that subject. Asked about the change, ICE told the Post that the agency increased de-escalation training for recruits to ensure they are prepared for attacks from ICE agitators. Before the changes last summer, ICE basic training was a 72-day program held at the headquarters of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, a sprawling campus in southeastern Georgia. ICE never formally announced changes to the program but told reporters on a media tour in August that it had been streamlined to eight weeks. Pushed for specifics at the time, the agency said it had eliminated a Spanish-language requirement. But Spanish instruction was not part of the ICE basic training program. It was a separate course for recruits who could not pass a Spanish fluency test. The records obtained by the Post show cutting the language requirement eliminated only four hours from the basic training program the time previously set aside for that test. Since the August media tour, officials have given conflicting accounts about training time. In the past month, they have stated at different times that the basic training last 47 days, 42 days, and 56 days. The DHS records obtained and analyzed by the Post show that the program was first cut to 47 days in August and further reduced in September to 42 days. Since then, all trainings have been on a 42-day schedule, the records show. DHS and ICE officials have repeatedly said that no training time has been lost, in part because the academy increased daily instruction from eight hours to 12 hours. The Posts analysis of the records shows that as recently as January, students were receiving about eight hours of daily instruction. That hadnt changed as of February, according to a DHS official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Asked about the discrepancy, ICE repeated the claim about 12-hour days and added that those hours include personalized independent training. The statement emphasized in bold: Its the same hours of training officers have always received. ICE also said graduates of the academy go on to receive an average of 28 days of on-the-job training. Policing expert Marc Brown, an instructor at the University of South Carolinas law school, told the Post that training on the job doesnt replace training at the academy, especially in a law enforcement career. From 2019 to 2024, Brown taught physical techniques, including the use of handcuffs and defensive tactics, at the ICE basic training program. Incoming deportation officers need time to practice their new skills in safe, controlled environments before going into the field, Brown said, so that if mistakes are made or there are things you could do better, you have a chance to make that mental correction. Slightly more than 230 new deportation officers began ICE basic training in 2024, records show. In 2025, that same number had started at the ICE academy by the beginning of August. This followed a midsummer recruitment boom spurred by the passage of Trumps sweeping tax-and-spending legislation, which tripled the agencys enforcement and deportation budget to about $30 billion. To boost the number of applicants, ICE lifted age restrictions, offered student loan forgiveness and $50,000 signing bonuses, and held recruitment events where some prospective agents were told they could receive tentative offer letters on the spot. By the end of September, cohorts of up to 48 trainees were arriving at the facility in Georgia almost daily, records show. In the past, all new deportation officers were required to attend the academy. Now, only recruits who have no law enforcement experience are sent to the academy. Recruits with law enforcement experience, including arrest authorities, are instead required to take an online course, and then they, too, receive in-person on the job training, ICE said. The records obtained by the Post show that more than 1,400 ICE recruits attended a shortened version of basic training in Georgia between August and Jan. 1. Those students failed or dropped out at high rates, and the 2025 graduation rate plummeted from around 80% among recruits who went through the full-length training to around 60% for those in shortened versions. One in every four recruits destined for field offices by the end of the year flunked out of the shortened training program, records show. Among those who fell short, the majority failed written exams. Most of the remainder failed the physical abilities assessment, which requires recruits to complete a timed run and an obstacle course. Only three people failed that test in the first half of 2025 before ICE loosened certain enrollment standards and slashed more than 40 hours of preparation time. Brown attributed the low graduation rate in part to the reduced hours of instruction, which he said dont provide new officers enough time to absorb material or practice difficult skills one-on-one with instructors in remedial workshops. He said it also appeared ICEs hiring spree pulled in more than the usual number of recruits who werent suited for or capable of the job. Oman's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, right, holds a meeting with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, centre, and Jared Kushner, as part of Iranian-American negotiations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday Feb. 26, 2026. Read more The talks were not going well, but there were signs that they would continue. The top U.S. diplomat was due to travel to the Middle East on Monday and negotiating teams were due to meet again in Geneva for a fourth round of discussions later in the week. Well see what happens. Were talking later, President Donald Trump told reporters Friday, adding that he was not happy with the way Iran was approaching negotiations over the fate of its nuclear program amid his repeated threats to attack unless his demands were met. Advertisement Hours later, U.S. and Israeli forces launched widespread strikes across Iran, killing much of the countrys political and military leadership. The assault has sparked multiple rounds of retaliation from Iran and threatened to plunge the region into chaos. Although U.S. officials say that the talks were in good faith, critics of the Trump administration call the abrupt shift to war duplicitous, if not deceitful. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had led the Iranian delegation, told ABC News on Sunday that the United States had attacked us in the middle of negotiation. The White House declined to comment for this article. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Omans foreign minister, who had been mediating the talks in Geneva, also appeared shocked at the abrupt turn away from diplomacy. Badr Albusaidi had traveled to Washington on Friday in what he saw as a last-ditch effort to forestall war, according to two people familiar with his plans. The foreign minister had hoped to make his case directly with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to these people, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter with the news media. He instead met with Vice President JD Vance as Trump and Rubio were already on their way to Mar-a-Lago, the presidents Florida estate, from which they oversaw the start of Operation Epic Fury overnight Saturday. I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined, Albusaidi wrote on social media after the strikes, adding later that the sooner talks are resumed the better it is for everyone. During his second administration, Trump has sought to combine his self-proclaimed status as a dealmaker with an overt willingness to use military force to get what he wants. His critics have called it a 21st-century version of gunboat diplomacy an imperial-era form of foreign policy based on military force while experts have been left to guess whether the efforts at negotiation are genuine or simply an attempt to disarm and deflect. The talks with Iran appeared to be a ruse, said Brett Bruen, a former State Department official who served on the National Security Council during Barack Obamas presidency, adding that the current administration will eventually struggle to continue using such tactics as it is becoming increasingly hard for foreign leaders to take Trump at his word. This may work in real estate where one side wants to sell and another wants to buy, Bruen said, but in diplomatic and trade negotiations, there almost certainly would be a reluctance to make real concessions moving forward on the part of anyone engaging with the U.S. Trump, for his part, has said he hopes to return to negotiations with whatever is left of Irans leadership. U.S. officials, meanwhile, have said that their talks were aimed at reaching a genuine compromise and that the decision to strike was made only at the last minute. A senior administration official told reporters Saturday that the Iranian negotiators were well aware that the U.S. was moving large amounts of military hardware into the region and willing to use it. We communicated to them that this was something that would occur if we did not see real progress on a real deal very quickly, the senior official said. Rubios since-canceled trip to Israel this week, disclosed publicly weeks ago and widely seen as an attempt to brief Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of any military action, was formally nixed Saturday after the strikes began. Although the last round of talks in Geneva where negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been meeting with Iranians were described as productive by the Omani mediators and a next round had been scheduled for this coming Friday, there is now no indication they will come to pass. In June, a similar situation arose when Witkoff was due to hold talks with Iranian counterparts in Oman. Days before the meeting was to occur, Israel carried out attacks on several Iranian military leaders, and Witkoff did not attend. Aaron David Miller, a former State Department diplomat who has advised Republican and Democratic administrations on the Middle East, said that Trump must have known there would not be another round of talks last summer but that he continued to create the fiction there would be. It kept Iranian leaders off guard, Miller said, which allowed the Israelis to engage in their decapitation strategy. The U.S. later joined the assault, striking at Iranian nuclear sites and leaving them totally obliterated, in Trumps words. Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, told ABC News on Sunday that it had been a very bitter experience for us. The Trump administration also had made intermittent attempts at talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro before embarking on a stunning military operation in January that resulted in his arrest and the regime he once led cowed into obedience. The U.S. had amassed a huge military presence off the coast of Venezuela before the Jan. 3 raid to capture Maduro. But soon tensions with Iran were growing, sparked largely by Tehrans bloody crackdown on anti-government demonstrations. Trump had pledged to intervene, urging protesters to stay in the streets and promising that HELP IS ON THE WAY. Around that time, the administration moved some military assets in the Caribbean Sea into the Middle East. Trump wrote on social media Jan. 28 that a massive Armada is heading to Iran. By that time, the protests had largely fizzled after a brutal response from government forces left thousands dead, according to independent estimates. Iran and the U.S. resumed talks, meeting several times in recent weeks. The last meeting, on Thursday, lasted hours. The Omani foreign minister, Albusaidi, described the outcome as positive, telling CBS News that a deal was within our reach, if we just allow diplomacy the space it needs to get there. Nate Swanson, a former State Department official who worked on negotiations with Iran last year, said that he did not believe the recent talks were a feint and that a deal was simply never close to coming together, which he said was due to mismatched objectives and approaches. Iranians were expecting to negotiate within the confines of a 2015 nuclear deal reached under the Obama administration, Swanson said, but the Trump administration had the exact opposite expectation and wanted something different and better to justify Trumps withdrawal from that deal during his first presidency. Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had grown more obstinate after the June strikes on Iran, Swanson added, giving his negotiators even less room to reach a deal than they previously had. Briefing reporters Saturday, the senior administration official appeared to confirm this, stating that the U.S. negotiators had told the Iranians that they would need to stop enriching uranium and that in return, the United States would give them free nuclear fuel forever. The Iranians rejected this proposal, the official said. Another senior administration official said that the U.S. negotiators proposals were being met with games, tricks, stalling tactics, and that they had briefed Trump on this. Obviously he weighed the different options, this official said. Two people familiar with the talks said the Iranians had tried to appeal to Trumps business sense by promising commercial investment between the two nations, including the purchase of commercial airplanes. Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, said it appeared that Trump had expected Iran to act like a supplicant and was too impatient to try to get results through negotiations. The presidents patience for diplomacy is just like his patience for military confrontations: He wants things to be short, sharp, and decisive, Ben Taleblu said. Miller cited Witkoff and Kushner, Trumps personal friend and son-in-law, respectively. Both men primarily had experience in the business world rather than diplomacy before entering the administration, but they had been tasked not only with the Iran talks but also with shepherding negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, plus Israel and Hamas. How is it possible that these two guys can manage three of the most complicated conflicts in the international system successfully? he said. The answer to the question is: Theyre not. A park ranger describes Civil War battles in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia, one of the sites undergoing review. Read more At the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi, staff members asked the Trump administration to review an entire exhibit on the Black teens brutal 1955 killing by white men and his mothers decision to publicize it though the parks staff warned that its removal would leave the site completely devoid of interpretation. At Arches National Park in Utah, park managers wondered whether a sign about the damage that graffiti and invasive species leave on the iconic red rock landscape violates a Trump directive to focus solely on Americas natural beauty. Advertisement In Philadelphia, displays at a house where George Washington once lived that presented the history of people enslaved by him were taken down, only to have a federal judge order their restoration. And at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia, staff members have asked federal officials to decide whether a document that describes an abolitionists murder by a mob might denigrate the murderers. These displays and materials are among several hundred that managers have flagged at hundreds of national park locations since last summer in response to administration orders to scrub sites of partisan ideology, descriptions that disparage Americans, or materials that stray from a focus on the nations beauty, abundance, or grandeur. The submissions were compiled in an internal government database and reviewed by the Washington Post, which confirmed its authenticity with current federal employees. The database does not make clear which of the plaques, maps, films, and books ultimately will be removed or recast by the Interior Department, though some have already been axed. But the submissions provide a sweeping portrait of the scope of President Donald Trumps bid to reconsider how national park sites address the historic legacy of racism and sexism, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change, and pollution or whether to acknowledge them at all. A group describing itself as civil servants on the front lines posted the database on two public websites Monday, saying in an attached note that it did so to show Americans how the administration is trying to use your public lands to erase history and undermine science. Asked for comment, the Interior Department issued a statement Monday saying that the draft, deliberative internal documents in the database are not a representation of final action taken. The statement, from spokesperson Charlotte Taylor, asserted that the documents were edited before being inappropriately and illegally released to the media in ways that misrepresented the status of this effort. The department did not respond to questions about the status or process for the reviews, nor about specific examples in the submissions. The tone and content of the materials described and submitted to Interior by park managers vary widely, reflecting a mix of careful attempts to obey administration orders, confusion about what might violate them, and, at times, apparent skepticism about the entire endeavor. Staff members identified a brochure at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, in North Carolina, for possible disparaging of a prominent American because it mentions that aviator and onetime Smithsonian Institution secretary Samuel Langley failed to achieve flight. A park staffer at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona asks for clarification about whether displays on California condors return from the brink of extinction disparage hunters or tell a success ?? Several submissions ask for reviews of book covers, book chapters, and entire books on sale at gift shops, including Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, an autobiography by abolitionist Harriet Jacobs. They are mostly on slavery and the black experience in Washington DC as well as a few on Lincolns assassination, wrote a park official at Fords Theatre National Historic Site. Not sure they all disparage historical figures, but they do cover dark periods in American history. Another inquiry came from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, where employees shared a list of books on the third president. I am not sure if they really disparage Thomas Jefferson, but they do aknowledge [sic] that he had children with Sally Hemings, the inquiry notes. Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, said the breadth of the submissions revealed the many hours of work that Trumps order imposed on already overextended park employees, who probably shouldve been doing other things most of us believe would be more important. The exercise, Wade added, runs counter to the reasons many National Park Service employees gravitated toward their work in the first place. Park rangers everywhere, and all park employees for that matter, have been passionate about telling true stories about history, and about science, said Wade, a former superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Its a real affront to the values that rangers have. Others have embraced Trumps effort, including Sen. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), who last summer wrote to top officials at Interior and the Park Service over concerns about woke projects he said appeared to violate the presidents order. The Presidents executive order rightfully opposes a decades-long effort by our institutions to usurp American history with an ideology-based narrative that casts Americas founding and history in a negative light, Banks wrote at the time. In nearly a year since Trumps order, National Park sites have responded by removing exhibits that address slavery and the challenges overcome by minority and marginalized groups, as well as signs about the science of climate change. But there also has been sustained pushback. Last month, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ordered the Trump administration to restore displays that discussed slavery at a site in Philadelphia where Washington lived as president. U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania compared the displays removal earlier this year to the mind control employed by the government in George Orwells novel 1984. Rufes ruling issued on Presidents Day granted an immediate injunction, requiring the reinstallation of 34 educational panels removed in January by the Park Service from a site at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. Two weeks ago, a coalition of scientific, preservation, and historical groups sued the Trump administration over changes that already have been made, arguing that the removal of information about civil rights, climate change, and other topics at multiple national parks amounts to illegal censorship. That lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Massachusetts, argues that Interior officials ignored well-established principles and legal requirements when seeking to overhaul information presented at national parks. Democratic members of Congress have also sharply criticized the effort, which they describe as a bid to whitewash the American story. It is absurd that any president would go down this road of trying to retrofit history and culture in their own image instead of getting actual historians to tell us these stories, said Rep. Jared Huffman of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. The hundreds of submissions reviewed by the Post run the gamut, from signs and exhibits about slavery and the civil rights movement, to how the effects of climate change already are altering American landscapes, to how the nation remembers Indigenous people who inhabited lands long before there was a United States. Not every park flagged materials that needed reviewing under the executive order. The documents review by the Post show that at many locations, officials logged a simple entry: Nothing to report. It is clear that as government workers across hundreds of national parks and other historical sites scoured thousands of signs, read through publications, and surveyed countless educational films, they struggled with what exactly might violate Trumps order not to inappropriately disparage Americans past or living. At Cape Hatteras, staff members asked whether information on the effect of light pollution on turtles might be disparaging against park users. The park also pointed out a Junior Ranger booklets mention of female pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries dressing like men to hide among ship crews. Please review for appropriateness, the parks staff asked. But many of the submissions involve weightier topics in the nations history. At Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Louisiana, park staff members flagged a planned exhibit about the history of the train depot that is used as the sites visitor center. The depot was still segregated when it ended rail service in 1965, and the exhibit relied on extensive consultation and oral history collection with Black community members, according to a former park employee who worked on the project. For the community, it means for the first time having that story being told in an honest way and actually just being told, said the former employee, who was laid off from the Park Service last year. It is now unclear whether the exhibit will be installed. At Harpers Ferry, site of abolitionist John Browns raid in 1859, an employee singled out a document that describes how a mob murders an abolitionist. Does this denigrate the murderers? the employee wrote. We can reword to: Abolitionist editor Elijah Lovejoy is murdered for his views. A Civil War battlefield driving tour map was also flagged for its inclusion of direct quotes about the cause of the war from secession documents and Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy. The quotes cite slavery as the cause. True, but is this considered cherry picking and denigrating southerners? the parks staff wrote. Those quotes were used to provide context and avoid downplaying the role of slavery in the Confederate rebellion, according to a former Harpers Ferry media specialist who inserted them. Changing the documents and the map would amount to pulling us back into a position of supporting white supremacy and supporting the Lost Cause narrative and erasing the importance of African American history, said the specialist, who retired last year and spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, staffers highlighted signs and literature that discuss segregation in the South and how non-violent civil rights demonstrators crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday in 1965 were attacked by armed officers. While these statements are historically accurate and supported by firsthand accounts, staffers noted in the submissions, they may be perceived as disparaging by individuals who are less familiar with the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Amid the numerous materials submitted for review at Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial, just across the Potomac River from the District, was a line in a Junior Ranger book that reads, In 1829, Robert E. Lee promised to serve in the Army and protect the United States. In 1861, he broke his promise and fought for slavery. Staffers at Arches National Park raised questions about a sign devoted to the effects of human-caused climate change already visible in the park. The park seeks guidance on whether this entire panel is within the scope of Secretarys Order 3431 and should be covered or removed, the submission reads. In other places, it appears that park officials are wrestling with whether entire exhibits or even entire sites somehow conflict with Trumps order to focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people. At the Mississippi site commemorating Till, the very place deals with one of the grimmest examples of racial violence in the United States. Without this exhibit to share the difficult Till story, the new NPS site would be almost completely devoid of interpretation, an employee notes in an inquiry shared with the Post. The exhibit emphasizes progress of the American people toward a better future. Wade said he was encouraged by the ruling that ordered the Trump administration to restore displays that discussed slavery at the site in Philadelphia. Wades group was also among the plaintiffs in the recently filed lawsuit seeking to halt the administrations changes and deletions at national parks, saying they amount to censorship. But if such legal avenues ultimately fail, Wade said, he suspects the push to alter the telling of history at many sites will continue. The impact is that the visitors are just not going to get true, accurate stories, he said. I just think the public ought to be really concerned about that. In some places, such as the preserved home of civil rights activist Medgar Evers or the Manzanar National Historic Site in California, where the U.S. government once incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II, the entire site exists to commemorate painful moments in the nations history. If you take away the stories, you take away the purpose of the park itself, Wade said. David Byerman, former chief executive officer of Chester County, commenting during panel discussion in September 2025. Byerman left his role in the county on Monday. He was immediately replaced by Erik Walschburger. Read more Chester County has appointed a new top administrator after the countys chief executive officer left his position Monday, officials said. David Byerman, who served as the countys CEO for just over a year, left Monday. Erik Walschburger was immediately appointed to replace him, and will be overseeing the countys staff and budget under the title of county administrator rather than CEO, a spokesperson said. Advertisement Staff were informed of the changes Monday afternoon in an email from the countys commissioners. The message, which announced Walschburgers appointment, didnt mention Byerman. His staff page was removed by Monday afternoon. The county did not give a reason for Byermans departure. He did not answer a phone call seeking comment. Walschburger comes into the role having served as deputy county administrator since 2022, with more than 15 years of experience in the county. As deputy, he oversaw the internal day-to-day operations. Prior to joining the countys administrative side, he worked in the district attorneys office, prosecuting criminal cases, managing diversionary programs, writing grants, and defending convictions on appeal. The email from the commissioners also said Megan Moser, the countys chief experience officer, will continue in her role under a new title the deputy county administrator. Moser joined the county last year, and has been involved with the response to multiple election errors in recent months. The county is searching for an acting deputy county administrator for operations to replace Walschburger, the email said. Byerman was appointed as CEO in November 2024, after years serving as the director of Kentuckys legislative research commission and as the secretary of the state Senate in Nevada. As county CEO, Byerman oversaw the countys more than 2,600 employees and managed the annual budget of roughly $730 million. We look forward to working with the entire leadership team and all of you to establish and sustain a culture of collaboration and mutual support as we continue to provide the highest quality services to the residents of Chester County, the commissioners said in their email to staff. The staff changes come as the county has made repeated missteps in recent elections, the most significant forcing more than 12,000 voters to cast provisional ballots in the November election. Residents told the commissioners last month that it had rattled their trust in county operations. 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. License and Inspection employee speaking with Philadelphia Fire Department outside fire, 5300 block of Havenhurst Street, Philadelphia, overnight, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Several fire fighters were injured at this fire scene. Read more Nine firefighters were injured, including one who needed to be carried away on a stretcher, after the floor collapsed beneath them as they fought a two-alarm fire Monday night in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. Firefighters responded to the blaze on the 5300 block of Hazelhurst Street around 10:20 p.m. to find smoke and flames erupting from the roof of the home. Officials confirmed that five firefighters were treated at local hospitals and released, while four remained hospitalized as of Tuesday morning. All were in stable condition. Advertisement Were immeasurably grateful for this outcome, as collapses often prove devastating, a Philadelphia Fire Department spokesperson said. First responders arrived to heavy fire coming from the first floor of the two-story home, officials said. The situation soon grew, bringing more than 100 firefighters, emergency medical services, and support staff to the scene. The fire spread to the adjoining properties and was placed under control just moments before the structure collapsed on firefighters. At least six residents were displaced from their homes, officials said. Crews were still on site Tuesday morning working to clear debris and rubble, officials said. The fire marshals office will investigate. Footage showed one of the firefighters being carried out of the building on a stretcher, and another being assisted down the front steps. Two families, a total of nine residents, were receiving support services from the American Red Cross. Before the Wynnefield fire erupted, earlier in the evening in Bristol Borough, a three-alarm fire activated multiple firefighting companies from across the region. One person was killed and another injured in a fire that engulfed several homes. A man died in a North Philadelphia house fire last month, which followed a January house fire that took the life of a 60-year-old woman. The Philadelphia Fire Department and the Red Cross urge city and collar county residents to visit soundthealarm.org/philly, where they can sign up for free smoke alarm installations and learn more about preventing fires. Commissioner Blanche Carney, Philadelphia Department of Prisons makes a statement to media at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in 2021. Read more A federal jury in Philadelphia awarded $1.67 million to the sons of a diabetic man who died in a city jail in 2023, finding the death was part of a pattern in which the Philadelphia Department of Prisons failed to provide access to healthcare for its population. Louis Jung Jr. was found dead on Nov. 6, 2023, in his cell at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. The 50-year-old man died of a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, in which blood becomes acidic due to high sugar levels. Advertisement His last known insulin dose was two days prior, according to medical records. In a four-day trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Savage, attorneys for Jungs sons argued the death was preventable and the result of jail staff ignoring their fathers medical needs. When the government keeps custody, the government has a duty for care, Nia Holston, an attorney from the Abolitionist Law Center representing Jongs sons, told the jury. The jury on Monday found that Lt. Wanda Bloodsaw and the city violated Jungs constitutional right to medical care during his incarceration. The seven jurors cleared a correctional officer, Gena Frasier. The jurors further found the failure was part of a pattern under former Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carneys leadership, which lasted from 2016 to 2024. The city has faced multiple lawsuits over deaths in its prisons, including recent lawsuits concerning drug-related fatalities, but those cases are often settled. READ MORE: A family is suing Philadelphia over the death of a man in jail custody It is notable that a jury held the highest echelons of the city jails accountable, said Bret Grote, the legal director of the Abolitionist Law Center, who also represented Jungs sons. This trial represented justice for the Jung family, Grote said. But its also a capstone from a very grim era in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. YesCare, the company contracted to provide medical services in the jail, and three of its medical staffers settled for undisclosed amounts before trial. An additional nurse, working for a separate contractor, settled for $200,000. The jury awarded Jungs sons $1.5 million in compensatory damages. It also awarded $170,00 in punitive damages against Bloodsaw. We are reviewing the verdict and do not have a comment at this time, Ava Schwemler, a spokesperson for the citys law department, said in a statement. Not a single drop of insulin Jung was arrested in December 2021 on robbery charges, and his diabetes was poorly managed while incarcerated, the lawsuit says. He was hospitalized for high blood sugar levels four days after he arrived at the correctional facility, and twice more during his first six months there. In spring 2023, a judge sent him to Norristown State Hospital for psychiatric evaluation of his ability to stand trial. He returned to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on Oct. 28. During his intake, Jungs blood sugar level was over four times higher than the upper limit of the normal range, according to the complaint. On Nov. 5, Jung asked Frasier to see a nurse. The correctional officer brought a licensed practical nurse to Jungs cell, where he lay down on the floor at the entrance, according to testimony and video surveillance. Frasier and the nurse briefly stood over Jung and walked away. A few minutes later Bloodsaw, who supervised the housing unit that day, stood over Jung as two incarcerated men put him back in his cell. That was the last known interaction between Jung and jail staff until his death roughly 20 hours later. In that time period, the father of three did not receive a single drop of lifesaving insulin, Holston told the jury. Frasier and Bloodsaw ignored signs of a medical emergency, and failed to follow a jail policy that requires a follow-up with a medical providers after an incarcerated person refuses to take medications, the attorneys said. An internal investigation found that Bloodsaw did not comply with jail policies, and officials suspended her for 15 days. The suspension has not taken place yet, which attorneys for Jungs sons said demonstrates a culture that does not emphasize accountability. The attorneys showed to the jury the results of more than a dozen internal death investigations between 2018 and 2023 that concluded staff did not provide appropriate aid or check their units as required. READ MORE: Philly jail official sues over alleged sexual favoritism and retaliation Carney testified that the incidents were not part of a systemic failure. The majority of correctional officers follow their duty with fidelity, the former commissioner said, and should not be painted with a broad brush because of the failures of a few. Attorneys for the city told the jury that jail staff followed the medical assessment of YesCare staff, and that Jung was noncompliant. I dont know why he was refusing his insulin, city attorney Michael Pestrak said. But he was. The city pointed to a 2023 report commissioned by Carney to review medical care in the jail, including diabetes care, and other policy changes as evidence that city officials were paying attention to medical needs and attempting to improve care. Jungs ex-wife, Evelyn Tyson, provided emotional testimony about the impact of his death. He remained her best friend after the divorce, she said, and was committed to their three children, including their eldest, who requires full-time care due to cerebral palsy. I dont live anymore, Tyson said." Im just existing." Graduation ceremony for members of the eighth-grade class at the DePaul Catholic School in Germantown in 2024. Read more The announcement that the Philadelphia School District will close additional schools because of budget shortfalls is devastating, but sadly not surprising. For years, many Philadelphia parents have watched neighborhood schools struggle with declining enrollment, financial strain, safety concerns, and disappointing academic outcomes. Now, families are told their children must move again, often with little say in where they go. Advertisement We can and must do better. When schools close, students who have already faced instability pay the highest price. Parents scramble to rearrange transportation and childcare. Children lose trusted teachers and friendships. Communities lose institutions that once anchored them. Families deserve more than reassignment letters and uncertainty. They deserve meaningful options. Two solutions are within reach: Lifeline Scholarships for Pennsylvania and the federal program, the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). These programs would allow funding to follow Pennsylvania students to schools that meet their needs. These scholarships would give parents not bureaucracies the ability to choose a safe, effective learning environment, whether that is a public charter school, private school, faith-based school, or specialized program tailored to a childs needs. Gov. Josh Shapiro has the opportunity to act, and he needs to opt in now. By supporting Lifeline Scholarships and opting Pennsylvania into federal education choice programs like ECCA, the state could help families immediately. These are education dollars intended for children. Allowing them to follow students would give parents real leverage and real hope. Other states are already moving forward. In Texas and Florida, tens of thousands of families are applying for scholarships that open doors to schools better suited to their children. Reports from Texas show more than 80,000 applications from families seeking alternatives. These parents are not abandoning public education; they are seeking opportunity where it exists. When families have options, schools must improve to keep students. Critics argue that school choice harms public schools. But forcing families to remain in schools that are unsafe or chronically underperforming harms children. Choice introduces accountability. When families have options, schools must improve to keep students. Competition can spark innovation, encourage responsiveness, and reward excellence. This is not about politics or ideology. It is about fairness. Every parent wants the same basic things: a safe school, strong teachers, and a chance for their child to succeed. For too many Philadelphia families, those expectations remain unmet. School closures make that reality even more urgent. Lifeline Scholarships and federal education choice programs like ECCA could offer stability in a time of upheaval. Philadelphia parents and community leaders should make their voices heard. Contact your legislators. Write to Gov. Shapiro. Ask Pennsylvania to adopt policies that put students first and give families the freedom to choose schools that work for their children. Our children cannot wait another decade for incremental change. When schools close, families need solutions not promises. These solutions are already working for families in many states across the country; why not in Pennsylvania? Janine Yass is an education philanthropist and founder of the Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education. Students and parents rally during a Stand Up for Philly Schools event in Philadelphia in October to protest the school board's plan to close 20 schools. Such closings impact whole neighborhoods, writes Amanda Soskin. Read more Reginald Streater, president of the Philadelphia Board of Education, opened his testimony before City Council last month by introducing himself as Reggie from Germantown, a graduate of two district schools that no longer exist. Germantown High and Leeds Middle both closed. He knows what it means to lose a building. Hes also voting to close 20 more. The conflict playing out in Philadelphia isnt only about schools. Its about the fact that the school district and City Council have different responsibilities for the same places, and the new facilities plan brings that conflict into sharp focus. Advertisement On Jan. 22, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. released a facilities master plan proposing to close 20 schools, colocate six, and modernize 159 others. On Feb. 26, he presented an amended final plan to the Board of Education, which was updated from 20 school closures to 18. Russell Conwell Middle School and Motivation High School were removed from the closure list. The district has lost 15,000 students in a decade, carries 300 buildings, many of them 75 years and older, and runs some schools with more than 1,000 empty seats, while others are overcrowded. Concentrating students means Advanced Placement courses in every high school, algebra for every eighth grader, and real career and technical pathways. The current spread of half-empty buildings makes all of that impossible to deliver consistently or fairly. When a school closes, vital community resources close with it. The facilities plan is doing exactly what it was designed to do. The trouble is that everything it was not designed to do. A Philadelphia neighborhood school isnt just one institution. Its four, sharing an address. Theres the instructional platform: courses, teachers, schedules, the districts domain. Theres the civic anchor: the building that signals to a neighborhood that its children count, and they belong. Theres the distribution node: where meals are served, where social workers operate, and where there is, most days, someone watching. And theres the pathway to the future: where a counselor knows a family by name, where a student learns theres a college or a trade or a life beyond the block. In places like Kensington, schools have absorbed those responsibilities over time. When that school building closes, all of those other things close with it. Some of those functions were formal educational programs. Others accumulated because families had nowhere else to go for them. The school became the place where paperwork was explained, problems were addressed and solved, and someone always knew which door to knock on next. City Council doesnt get to vote on the facilities plan, but it funds roughly 40% of the districts $2 billion budget. Councilmember Jimmy Harrity, an at-large member who lives in Kensington, decried that lack of input, but said that the budgets coming, and we will be looking. Council President Kenyatta Johnson has signaled hes willing to hold up city funding entirely. Residents and families filled the chamber. Parents stood along the walls long after seats ran out, some holding infants, others carrying school backpacks. The hearing lasted hours. The debate sounded like a disagreement about the plan, but it was really a disagreement about who is responsible for what the plan leaves behind. What closes with a school building is not limited to instruction. Councils budget is the instrument for the functions the facilities plan does not govern: housing investment, community infrastructure, colocated services, and neighborhood anchors that exist independent of school enrollment. The district held 47 public listening sessions and surveyed more than 13,000 people before releasing this plan. The fight at City Hall last month wasnt because communities werent heard. Its because what they described was a loss that the facilities plan was never designed to address. Thats not a failure of process. Its a mismatch of jurisdiction. The districts plan answers an educational question. What replaces the neighborhood functions housed in those buildings is a civic one. That answer does not sit with the school district. Amanda Soskin is a Philadelphia resident and consultant who writes about neighborhoods and civic infrastructure at Neighborhood Fundamentals. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speak during a news briefing Monday at the Pentagon. Read more As an expanding Middle East war entered its fourth day, the Trump administration gave shifting rationales for its decision to attack Iran, even as U.S. officials with access to intelligence reports said they saw no sign the country had posed an imminent threat to the United States. President Donald Trump and his top national security aides, defending a conflict that has tepid public backing and is incurring escalating risks, emphasized Irans arsenal of ballistic missiles rather than its nuclear program as the principal threat. But they provided different descriptions of the danger. Advertisement At his first public event since the attack began, Trump on Monday never mentioned a key part of his original rationale for the war: deposing Irans theocratic regime. Instead, he emphasized that Iran would soon have missiles that could hit targets inside the United States. What Trump had outlined over the weekend as an effort to devastate Tehrans rulers so that the Iranian people could take over was, by Monday, not a so-called regime change war, in the words of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon that the Islamic Republic was building sophisticated missiles and other conventional weapons to shield its plans for a nuclear bomb. Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb, he said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a third line of reasoning. The United States, he said, knew Israel was going to strike Iran, which would lead to counterattacks against U.S. forces and potential casualties, and decided to strike first to minimize the risk. Irans voluminous missile arsenal, which was thinned by U.S.-Israeli strikes last June but still considered dangerous, consists mostly of short-range missiles threatening U.S. bases and allies in the Middle East. Over the last two years, Iran has fired those missiles in response to attacks on its territory or interests, but not preemptively. As for an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of directly reaching the United States, the Pentagons Defense Intelligence Agency reported last year that Iran could have that weapon by 2035 should Tehran decide to pursue the capability. Meanwhile, more than three days into the conflict and after more than a thousand airstrikes, U.S. and Israeli weapons so far have largely left Irans main nuclear installations untouched, suggesting those sites significantly damaged last June are not currently seen as a priority threat. The White Houses shifting public goals for the war, and questions about the intelligence behind them, have contributed to a lack of clarity about when Trump might declare an end to the largest military operation since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. As the war widened across the Middle East, Trump said operations against Iran could go on for four to five weeks, or longer. In an interview with the New York Post, the president said he would not rule out sending in U.S. ground troops, but added that they are probably not needed. Republican lawmakers have largely backed Trumps decision to strike Iran, citing its long record of terrorism against the United States and its allies, and its nuclear ambitions. But Rubios decision to pin the justification for the attack on Israel angered prominent MAGA commentators and conservative pundits, who said an operation of this magnitude should be done squarely in the interests of the United States. My own feeling is no one should have to die for a foreign country. I dont think those four service members died for the United States, said Trump advocate and podcast host Megyn Kelly, referring to the first four acknowledged U.S. deaths in the war, a toll that later rose to six. I think they died for Iran or for Israel. In a social media post Monday night, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi piled on. Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian threat, he wrote. This week, the House and Senate are poised to vote on measures that would attempt to halt further military attacks in Iran without lawmakers approval, as Democrats frame the conflict as an illegal war launched without a clear rationale or an authorization from Congress. A Washington Post flash poll found that 52% of Americans oppose the strikes strongly or somewhat, while 39% support them. Even as the administrations public case for war shifted, several U.S. officials with access to classified intelligence assessments said there was no information before the strikes began indicating Iran has made sudden, worrisome progress in its missile or nuclear programs. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel, Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters Monday. Others said Irans weakness, amid severe economic problems and protests that challenged the regime, provided an opportunity to strike. A former U.S. intelligence official said American spy agencies were concerned by the speed with which Iran reconstituted its missile program after the 12-day war in June. If you wait a year from now, maybe the regime will have stabilized, the missile program will be more populated and federated, said the former official, who spoke before the strikes began and requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive subject. With Trump a potentially lame duck president in a years time, Right now is the sweet spot, he said. Multiple legal experts argued that none of the administrations public explanations for the attacks appeared to constitute a legitimate rationale to enter into such a major conflict, especially without authorization from Congress. Having a weapons capacity is not the same thing as presenting an imminent threat of an armed attack, said Tess Bridgeman, a former senior lawyer on the National Security Council during the Obama administration. The first days of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes appeared focused on decapitating Irans leadership and blunting its ability to retaliate by destroying missile infrastructure and disrupting its military command network. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Monday that the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has seen no major military activity targeting the nuclear facilities in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli attacks began early Saturday. That assessment, he said, is based on information from Iran as well as multiple satellite images, including those provided by the U.S. and others. Grossis assessment came as Tehran charged there was an attack on its Natanz enrichment facility and as Israel warned civilians to evacuate areas around Isfahan, a major center of Irans nuclear program. Satellite imagery of Natanz captured Monday showed damage to three buildings on the site, damage that Grossi indicated was fairly minor. Vehicle and personnel entrances to underground portions of the facility where centrifuges are kept appear to have been hit, according to the imagery. The United States and Israel have long accused Iran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon under the cover of enriching uranium for civilian purposes. Last years strikes targeting Irans uranium enrichment facilities and other sites significantly delayed the program, U.S., Israeli, and IAEA officials said. Trump and Hegseth said Irans nuclear ambitions had been obliterated. The Defense Intelligence Agency in a report produced before those strikes assessed that since 2019, in the wake of Trump leaving a nuclear deal with Iran that limited its nuclear program, the Islamic Republic had boosted uranium enrichment and expanded its stockpiles to the point that the time required to produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a first nuclear device had fallen to probably less than one week. The actual time to produce a weapon ranged from two to four months, the agency estimated, according to people familiar with the assessments who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matters sensitivity. The June strikes targeted Irans main enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow. But the Iranians had been manufacturing centrifuge cascades long before the strikes and likely were storing them at other locations, the people said. So their ability to do a breakout may or may not have been dependent at all on the sites that were bombed, one person said. Post-strike, the DIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies determined that the time Iran now needed to produce enough weapons-grade uranium to build a warhead in extremis without rebuilding the damaged sites had lengthened to between four and eight months, people familiar with the matter said. Uncertainties about Irans nuclear program are heightened by the fact that IAEA inspectors left the country last July and havent returned. The return of the IAEA inspectors will be further delayed as a result of the renewed conflict, and without effective IAEA monitoring, the whereabouts and security of Irans highly enriched uranium will now become even more uncertain, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association think tank. In the meantime, Kimball said, There hasnt been any sign that Iran is rebuilding anything. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) on Monday was set to unveil new legislation that would raise $4.4 trillion in taxes from Americas roughly 1,000 billionaires, aiming to roughly halve their fortunes. The plan is a nonstarter in the current Republican-controlled Congress, but could become a litmus test for candidates in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, much like Sanderss Medicare-for-all plan was during the 2020 presidential cycle. Advertisement Sanderss new legislation, which expands on his prior efforts, calls for an annual 5% wealth tax on Americas billionaires. Revenue from the tax would be redirected to social spending programs, including $3,000 cash payments for Americans earning less than $150,000 per year, a $60,000 minimum salary for every public school teacher, and an expansion of Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing care, among other measures. While Sanders, 84, is not expected to run for president for a third consecutive time, the proposal could prove divisive among Democrats who do run. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, widely viewed as a top Democratic presidential candidate, has objected to a billionaire tax currently being proposed in his state. Sanders proposal is being introduced in the House by Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.), a co-chair of Sanderss 2020 presidential campaign who supports Californias proposed billionaire tax and who has been testing the waters of his own presidential bid. This is Senator Sanders defining vision for our age, Khanna said. It is the most ambitious and transformative legislation for our times to tackle inequality in the New Gilded Age. The legislation comes amid a substantial increase in billionaire wealth during the first year of Trumps presidency, driven by strong stock market gains. The total wealth of Americas billionaires rose last year by roughly 20%, according to Americans for Tax Fairness, a left-leaning organization. Billionaires political influence has risen along with their economic clout. Sanders argues that the measure is an essentially conservative compromise that would leave most billionaires fortunes intact. Tesla CEO Elon Musks holdings, according to estimates from Sanders office, would go from $833 billion to $792 billion. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergs would go from $220 billion to $209 billion. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos would shrink from $218 billion to $207 billion. (Bezos also owns the Washington Post.) The amount of revenue raised would be substantial, however, and in addition to the aforementioned initiatives, would be used to provide home healthcare to seniors and people with disabilities through Medicaid. It would also reverse the GOPs Medicaid cuts. The $3,000 checks would apply per person for households earning under $150,000, which would amount to $12,000 for a family of four. Sanders revenue estimates were provided by Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, two economics professors at the University of California at Berkeley. The economists assume a 10% rate of tax evasion/avoidance, and argue that the existing exit tax for renouncing American citizenship would make doing so unattractive for the targeted billionaires. The plan is unlikely to be backed by any Republicans, but its support even among Democrats, who have a range of opinions about taxing billionaires, remains unclear. During the partys last contested presidential primary in 2020, several leading candidates embraced far-reaching ideas to restructure the American economy with new levies on the rich and major new spending programs. Those ideas fizzled in Congress under former President Joe Biden, who supported many of them but failed to persuade Sen. Joe Manchin III, then a Democrat from West Virginia, to go along with even a small fraction of what Sanders and many other Democrats called for. The defeat of Bidens ambitious Build Back Better agenda which included many of the ideas Sanders is now attempting to revive paved the way for passage of a smaller bill focused on climate and energy subsidies, after which Democrats lost control of both Congress and the White House. Since then, the partys policy agenda has been mostly up for grabs. Democrats appear largely unified on reversing the more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps approved by Trump and congressional Republicans as part of last years One Big Beautiful Bill. But the partys priorities beyond that appear unclear. Sanders proposal attempts to provide one potential blueprint. Newsom has been a prominent advocate for a different approach. The governor has warned that the wealth tax currently being pushed in California would hurt his state, driving companies to flee and suppressing the innovation that has helped make Silicon Valley among the richest regions in the world. This will be defeated theres no question in my mind, Newsom said last month of the billionaire tax. Ill do what I have to do to protect the state. Other Democrats who are cautious about raising taxes on billionaires believe the party moved too far to the left during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, alienating potential business allies and driving them into the Republican camp. Sanders and Khanna have taken the other side of that debate, and last month Sanders held an event with Khanna in California at which both called for passage of the measure. The billionaire class no longer sees itself as part of American society, Sanders said in Los Angeles last month. They see themselves as something separate and apart, like the oligarchs of the 18th century, the kings and the queens and the czars, they believe they have the divine right to rule and are no longer subject to democratic governance. As the U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran widened on Monday with no end in sight, focus shifted to the impact on airlines. Operations have been disrupted for a third day and revenue losses are not covered by insurers, analysts and insurance industry sources said. Travel stocks from Asia to New York tumbled, wiping billions off market value, as the conflict hit thousands of flights worldwide, shut key Middle Eastern hubs and sent oil prices surging. Read more: Travel Chaos Worsens as Iran Conflict Shuts Mideast Airports Here is how insurance industry experts and analysts view the event: Analysts at Jefferies said commercial property almost always excludes war-related risks and, unlike marine and aviation exposures, such cover is not easily available as a separate policy. The brokerage added that notable losses in commercial property, such as damage to Dubais iconic Palm Jumeirah, might not be covered by insurance. Jefferies said aviation war policies also give insurers the right to cancel cover, while the remaining non-war policies typically exclude war, either explicitly or under force majeure wordings. Still, an industry source told Reuters that aviation insurers are used to dealing with such events and that there has so far been no notice of cancellation from any insurers. Airlines have aviation war cover for their fleets, including damage to aircraft and liability, but revenue losses from operational disruption typically fall under business insurance policies that include war exclusions, leaving airlines to foot the bill, a second industry source said. Ratings agency Morningstar DBRS said the events create significant underwriting and investment challenges for marine, aviation, property, travel, and supply chain insurance lines. From an aviation-hull perspective, insurers must consider the risk that missiles or air-defense interceptors could result in large hull and liability claims, it wrote in a note. Morningstar DBRS added that an expansion of the conflict in the Gulf could prompt higher pricing and reduced capacity in terrorism and political violence insurance markets. The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Middle East Gulf has surged as much as fivefold in the past 48 hours, with most underwriters not offering cover for sailings through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported citing industry sources on Monday. (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain and Manya Saini in Bengaluru; editing by Tasim Zahid) Related: Malaysias central bank has approved the start of talks for MNRB Holdings Bhd. to sell its Islamic insurance unit Takaful Ikhlas, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Kuala Lumpur-listed MNRB can open negotiations with Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd., Great Eastern Life Assurance Malaysia Bhd. and Takaful Malaysia, the people said, asking not to be identified because the process is private. Discussions are at an early stage and may not result in a transaction, the people said. A representative for MNRB said the company continuously reviews its strategic investments, without elaborating. Takaful Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Nor Azman Zainal declined to comment on MNRB, but said the company is open to opportunities that can strengthen its market position and that theres a lot of growth opportunity in Malaysia. Representatives for the central bank, Bank Rakyat and Great Eastern Life didnt respond to requests for comment. MNRB last year reached out to insurers and private equity firms to gauge interest in Takaful Ikhlas, people familiar with the matter said at the time. The reinsurer, backed by state-owned asset manager Permodalan Nasional Bhd., was seeking about 1 billion ringgit ($255 million) for the business, the people said. Founded in 2002, Takaful Ikhlas offers insurance products that comply with Islamic principles and has about 2 million policyholders, MNRBs website shows. Photograph: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; photo credit: Samsul Said/Bloomberg Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers Two transgender men are suing Kansas over a new law that invalidated their drivers licenses and about 1,700 others for reflecting peoples gender identities and not their sex assigned at birth, arguing that the measure is dehumanizing. The men filed their case Thursday, the same day the law took effect, and argue that it violates rights to privacy, personal autonomy and due legal process guaranteed by the Kansas Constitution. The men also are challenging the laws tough, new enforcement provisions for the states 3-year-old policy of barring transgender people from using public restrooms or other single-sex facilities associated with their gender identities. The men want to block the law, which also invalidated roughly 1,800 transgender peoples birth certificates. They filed their case in district court in Douglas County, where they live, which is home to the main University of Kansas campus and is a liberal bastion in a red-leaning state. The Kansas Constitution prohibits the Kansas Legislatures targeting of transgender individuals for this discriminatory and dehumanizing treatment, the lawsuit says. The state Supreme Court declared in 2019 that the Kansas Bill of Rights confers and protects a right to bodily autonomy a decision that protected abortion rights. The new law was enacted last week when Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the Legislature, overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The judge handling the lawsuit, James McCabria, was appointed to the bench in 2014 by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, and Douglas County residents have voted three times since to keep him on the bench. A 2023 state law, also enacted over Kellys veto, defined male and female by a persons biological reproductive system at birth. The Kansas Supreme Court hasnt yet reviewed it. This years law calls for stiff fines for cities, counties, public schools and state agencies that dont restrict transgender peoples use of facilities, as well as fines and criminal prosecutions for transgender people who violate it. People also can sue trans individuals over alleged violations. Republican legislators argued that the new law will protect girls and women and often described transgender women and girls as male. Kansans expect clarity, not confusion, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said after the law was enacted. They expect leadership, not surrender to radical activists. The law bars any sex listing on drivers licenses and birth certificates other than the one assigned at birth and invalidates existing records that dont comply. The state has started notifying transgender people by mail that their licenses are invalid and they must get new ones immediately. At least eight other states dont allow transgender people to change one or both documents, but only Kansas has invalidated documents that were previously changed. The two men suing over the new law are from Lawrence, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Kansas City, and represented by American Civil Liberties Union attorneys. Theyre identified as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe, saying they fear discrimination, harassment and violence if they dont remain anonymous. Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Personal Auto Kansas Were he alive today, Albert Einstein would make for a fantastic expert witness in builders risk coverage litigation. Einsteins testimony on the concept of entropy would be particularly insightfulassuming his hourly rate was affordable, of course.[1] In recent years, weve seen a substantial increase in builders risk claims related solely to defective work (in the absence of actual, physical damage). These claims rely on the notion that defective work will eventually fail, and likely sooner than non-defective work. On the surface, it is hard to argue with that concept: if something is built incorrectly it will likely break down sooner. But is that the type of loss that builders risk policies cover? Not according to Einstein. What Is A Builders Risk Policy? By way of background, like most property policies, builders risk insurance requires direct physical loss or damage to property to trigger coverage, subject to other terms. Importantly, though, a builders risk policy is not a warranty that a project will be free of defects or constructed in a manner consistent with project specifications. The Florida Supreme Court nicely summarized these concepts, which (should) continue to hold true today: Builders risk insurance is a type of property insurance coverage, not liability insurance or warranty coverage. The purpose of this type of insurance is to provide protection for fortuitous loss sustained during the construction of the building. If a described loss occurs, the insurer generally pays the cost of repairing the damaged property. However, those losses for which coverage is provided are clearly dependent upon the specific language of the builders risk policy This contract does not operate as a warranty for faulty workmanship and should not be transformed into a guarantee against design and construction defects.[2] A Troubling Recent Trend Nonetheless, despite these bedrock principles, coverage disputes related to purely defective construction are on the rise. The emergence of these disputes is attributable to a few recent, and might we say, defective, trial court decisions. Chief among them is a federal trial courts now infamous opinion in South Capitol Bridgebuilders,[3] related to the construction of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C (SCB). SCB involved inadequate vibration of concrete used for supportive structures which led to decreased structural integrity of the bridge.[4] In coverage litigation against its builders risk carrier, the insured argued, among other things, that the failure of the bridge to reach its specifications constituted direct physical loss or damage required to trigger the policys coverage. Siding with the insured, and in reliance on a broad dictionary definition of damage, the court opined that decreased weightbearing capacity could amount to physical damage.[5] In the wake of SCB, even policyholder advocates have acknowledged that the court misunderstood the purpose (and terms) of builders risk insurance, at least in part. Indeed, as one prominent plaintiffs firm has explained, Builders Risk policies are not intended to cover the cost of repairing defective but undamaged property. That is a commercial risk for builders which the Builders Risk insurance market isnt, and never has been, prepared to insure.[6] Nevertheless, some have read the holding in SCB as supporting the concept that construction which fails to meet a projects expectations/specifications can trigger builders risk coverage. Proponents of SCB argue that defective work will eventually fail, and likely sooner than non-defective work. But does a projects shortened lifespan constitute physical damage triggering builders risk coverage? Einsteins Testimony On Entropy Heres where Einstein and the law of entropy (or the Second Law of Thermodynamics if you want to sound elegant) comes into play. He would explain, in simple terms, that entropy is the natural tendency of all things to move from order to disorder over time. Metal will rust. Wood will decay. All construction will eventually deteriorate. Its a law of physics. Were he on the stand, Einstein would surely urge the court to consider entropy in the instance of defective yet undamaged construction. He would explain that just because defective work may break down at a faster rate does not mean it is damaged. In fact, even a perfectly constructed project begins to slowly break down the moment it is complete. But that gradual decline is unavoidable (and therefore uninsurable), even if the rate of decline is increased due to faulty work. So, should the scope of coverage be any different in the context of defective work? Not according to Einstein. The idea that defective work experiences entropy at a potentially faster rate than non-defective work does not change the calculus: a defective project is not the same thing as a damaged project. Indeed, despite frequent reliance on SCB in making the opposite argument, proponents often overlook the SCB courts perhaps contradictory acknowledgment that defects of material workmanship in and of themselves are insufficient to constitute damage. Therefore, a decrease in the useful life of a project due to defective work, i.e. accelerated entropy, should have no bearing on the scope of builders risk coverage afforded. After all, its rarely smart to disagree with Einstein. A Delaware judge has ruled insurers do not have a duty to defend Meta Platforms in the thousands of lawsuits that allege its Facebook and Instagram platforms harm children. Superior Court Judge Sheldon K. Rennie ruled Metas insurance companies are not obligated to provide its defense because the allegations against the company describe deliberate and intentional acts rather than accidents or occurrences that would trigger coverage under the commercial general liability policies. The judge also found that Meta would not be prejudiced by a Delaware coverage ruling at this time. Thousands of suits have been filed on behalf of children who used Metas platforms, as well as by more than a thousand school districts and 43 states. The lawsuits have been consolidated into two actions in California. Known as the Social Media Litigation, the complaints allege Meta intentionally designed addictive algorithms and features on Instagram and Facebook that allegedly cause young users to suffer mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Massive Legal Siege Against Social Media Companies Looms Hartford, Chubb and more than 20 other insurers sought a declaration in Delaware, Metas state of incorporation, that they owe no duty to defend Meta in the Social Media Litigation. In Metas view, the design choices it made constituted accidents and are thus covered by its insurance because it did not intend to cause the alleged resulting harm, such as addiction or depression. Social Networks Face Big Tobacco Moment Over Addiction Claims However, insurers successfully argued that the complaints do not need to allege Meta intended to cause harm, just that Meta intended to engage in certain conduct, and the conduct resulted in harm. Because the harm allegedly flowed directly from deliberate design choices, the insurers argue the accident requirement of the insurance policies is not met. Meta asked that any ruling about insurance coverage be dismissed or delayed until after the litigation is completed. It maintained that California law dictates coverage litigation must be stayed pending resolution of the underlying action when the coverage litigation turns on facts to be litigated in the underlying action. Instagram, YouTube Addiction Trial Kicks Off in Los Angeles The insurers said California law does not mandate a stay in this case because the court is not making factual determinations regarding Metas intent, causality, or knowledge. Judge Rennie agreed with the insurers. The conduct alleged in the Social Media Litigationeven when viewed through the lens of negligencedescribes deliberate acts rather than accidents under the policies. Because the courts determination regarding Metas intent is based strictly on the face of the underlying complaints, it does not overlap with the factual truth of the allegations to be litigated in California, the judge ruled. The ruling applies only to the duty to defend, and not to indemnification, which could require discovery into the facts. Meta has 30 days to appeal the matter to the Delaware Supreme Court. Meta, which tried but failed to have the coverage case heard in California, has not yet responded to the decision. Insurance policyholder attorney Tae Andrews of the firm Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP is disappointed but not surprised by the Delaware court ruling. In short, this is nothing new but continues the Delaware state courts trend of hollowing out the duty-to-defend standard from what should be a broad standard into a much narrower and difficult one for policyholders, Andrews, who was not involved the Meta case, told Insurance Journal. Andrews pointed to a 2022 opinion in which the Delaware Supreme Court held that Chubb insurers had no duty to defend the Rite Aid pharmacy against suits brought by Ohio counties over the cost of responding to the opioid epidemic because the underlying actions only sought recovery of economic losses. For insurers, the ruling could be a major victory setting a precedent that claims like those in the social media addiction litigation do not trigger defense or indemnity coverage under standard policies. The court rejected Metas claim it would face potential prejudice in the underlying litigation if the ruling on defense coverage was not stayed. To the contrary, such a stay would prejudice the insurers, the court found. An insurers duty to defend must be assessed at the outset of a case. Just as the insured is entitled to a prompt defense if coverage is possible, an insurer is entitled to a prompt exit when there is no potential for coverage. Delaying this determination through a stay would force insurers to fund a defense they do not legally owe, the opinion added. Insurers have accurately stated the analytical framework, wrote Judge Rennie. Under the relevant policies, the insurers duty to defend is triggered only by suits seeking damages caused by an accident.' Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, internet companies are largely shielded from liability for material their users post to their sites. As part of their argument, the plaintiffs maintain the 1996 law does not shield the firms from responsibility for their designs and algorithms. Topics Lawsuits The Louisiana Department of Insurance is entering a partnership with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and digital intelligence company 4WARN to combat third-party litigation funding (TPLF) marketing tactics. The department said the partnership is the first of its kind to protect consumers from TPLF entities that use digital tactics to drive insurance claims into unnecessary litigation. Third-parties can mislead consumers into believing they are communicating with their insurance companies, the LDI said, only to steer policyholders into long and costly legal disputes before they reach out to their insurance company. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform defines TPLF as a way for hedge funds and other financiers to invest in lawsuits in exchange for a percentage of any settlement or judgment. TPLF entities spent an estimated $380 million on paid online search ads from June 2024 to June 2025, according to a report by NICB and 4WARN. The LDI is dedicated to protecting Louisianans from opportunists who manipulate the claims process to fuel excessive litigation, which is a primary driver of our high insurance costs, said Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. Im excited to partner with NICB and 4WARN to expose these misleading practices that prey on policyholders when they are most vulnerable. The LDI recommends these tips to protect online searches: Obtain information from trusted sources. In particular, the LDIs website and new mobile app, available via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, are good sources for trusted information. Use trusted Web browsers like Google Chrome, Apple Safari or Microsoft Edge. These sites offer built-in security features that help protect against malicious sites. Always verify each link in search results before clicking on them. If in doubt, do not click on the link. Use reputable security software and anti-virus detection software to safeguard your device from potential threats. Keep your apps and devices updated to help detect vulnerabilities that cybercriminals might exploit to attack computers, phones or mobile devices. Topics Lawsuits Mergers & Acquisitions Louisiana A Baton Rouge, Louisiana couple was recently arrested for attempting to defraud an insurance company of approximately $30,000 and on other related charges, the Louisiana Office of the Attorney General announced this week. Agents with Attorney General Liz Murrills Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) found that 48-year-old Rhashiedi Porter, of Laurie Lynn Drive in Baton Rouge, and 37-year-old Sarai Stansberry, of E. Caprice Avenue in Baton Rouge, had allegedly filed a false insurance claim involving a minor parking lot accident. According to the Attorney Generals office, agents learned that Porter and Stansberry had provided sworn testimony claiming they were seat-belted occupants inside their vehicle when it was struck by another vehicle. The couple also alleged they had sustained injuries requiring more than five months of medical treatment. However, surveillance video later obtained by the insurance company reportedly showed that neither individual was inside the vehicle during the accident. After the footage was disclosed, both subjects voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit. LBI agents secured the video footage and other evidence associated with this matter. Upon further investigation, and review of the video footage, agents confirmed the couple had intentionally submitted a false claim for purposes to defraud the insurance company. Evidence also disclosed that the couple attempted to defraud the insurance company of approximately $30,000. LBI did not name the insurance company involved. Porter and Stansberry were arrested on February 23rd. They face charges of insurance fraud, perjury, false swearing and filing false public records. The investigation is ongoing. Source: Louisiana Office of the Attorney General Topics Fraud Louisiana The Interstate 4 construction project in Orlando may have been one of the most accident-plagued sites in Florida history, leading to the deaths of five workers and significant injuries for others, along with damage to vehicles. But one of those injured workers cannot claim punitive damages, despite his employer hiring a driver with an apparent history of license violations, a Florida appeals court decided last week. When a defendants negligent actions are so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree that an average member of the community would exclaim, Outrageous!, then the law may move beyond merely compensating the plaintiff to penalizing the defendant in the form of punitive damages, Floridas 6th District Court of Appeals wrote in the Feb. 27 opinion. The trial court found this is such a case. It is not, the court concluded, overturning a circuit judge in Orange County. The appeal stemmed from 2020, in the middle of the massive, multi-year I-4 Ultimate project that re-routed and expanded Interstate 4 through one of the busiest metropolitan areas of the state. Stafford Mitchell Jr., a worker for C&C Concrete Pumping, was struck in the back by a pipe that was protruding from a trailer driven by C&C worker Brayan Sagastume Miralda, causing injury to Mitchells back, shoulder, arm, head, neck and knee. The appeals court did not mention it, but Mitchell in 2021 settled a workers compensation claim with the Hartford Fire Insurance Co. and the general contractor on the project, Skanska-Granite-Lane, a joint venture known as SGL. Mitchell received a $55,000 lump-sum payment, $13,750 of which went to his attorney, the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims records show. The exclusive remedy was not addressed in the appeal. Despite the workers comp settlement, Mitchell sued C&C and Sagastume, charging negligence and asking for punitive damages from both parties. Mitchells attorneys argued that Sagastume had recently moved from New York, where he had a number of drivers license suspensions and was driving with an expired license when the accident happened. C&C, with offices in Tampa and Orlando, was negligent in hiring the man and was vicariously and directly liable for punitive damages, Mitchells team said. The circuit court agreed and allowed the punitive damages claim to proceed. But on appeal, the 6th District Court of Appeals found that Florida law usually allows punitive damages only when negligent conduct is considered willful and wanton. The relevant conduct at issue must be so outrageous in character, and so extreme in degree . . . [that] the facts [of the case] to an average member of the community would arouse his resentment against the actor, and lead him to exclaim, Outrageous!' the court wrote, quoting 2023 and 2024 appeals court rulings. The relevant conduct here does not meet this stringent standard. The court noted that Sagastumes license had been suspended over administrative issues, such as lapsed insurance. And C&C had not hired him as a driver, initially, but as a mechanic. Further, the court noted, the contention that Sagastume had been at fault in a similar incident two days prior to the Mitchell injury was never proven. The fact that his drivers license was expired was not relevant. A defendant should be punished for the conduct that harmed the plaintiff, not for being an unsavory individual or business, appeals court Judge Mary Alice Nardella wrote for the panel. The I-4 Ultimate project lasted from 2015 to 2021. In 2020, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined SGL $53,976 after a worker was struck by a concrete beam, 15 months before Mitchell was injured, according to OSHA information. Comp-Related: Florida Appeals Court Pulls the Plug on Physician Dispensing in Workers Comp Top photo: I-4 in Orlando (AdobeStock) The father of Laken Riley, who was killed on the campus of the University of Georgia by a Venezuelan man who lived nearby, is accusing the state university system of negligence that he says led to his daughters death. Jason Riley filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, as well as several property management companies. His daughter, a 22-year-old nursing student, was killed in February 2024, and Jose Ibarra was convicted of murder and other charges in her death. Just over an hour before Riley was killed, Ibarra had looked into the window of a University of Georgia graduate students on-campus apartment and tried to open the front door before fleeing into a wooded area. The lawsuit alleges that the Board of Regents failed in its duty to provide a reasonably safe premises and failed to notify students and guests on campus of the threat posed by Ibarra that morning. Soon thereafter, with no knowledge of the potential assailant and no reason to suspect any danger, nursing student Laken Riley went for her routine morning run near the Intramural Fields on the UGA campus, the lawsuit says. A Board of Regents spokesperson said the board does not comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit filed Monday in Gwinnett County State Court also says the Board of Regents failed to follow its own policies and procedures on screening employees, which resulted in Ibarras brother, who was also in the country illegally, being employed on campus. And it says the board failed to monitor criminal activity on campus. Prosecutors said Ibarra encountered Riley while she was running on the University of Georgia campus in Athens on Feb. 22, 2024, and killed her during a struggle. Riley was a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, which also has a campus in Athens, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) east of Atlanta. Ibarra, 28, had entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay while he pursued his immigration case. Rileys killing in February 2024 heightened tensions in the national debate over immigration. The lawsuit also alleges negligence on the part of the property management for the apartment complex where Ibarra lived with other people, including two of his brothers. The property manager failed in its duty to properly screen prospective tenants and allowed Ibarra to live there regardless of the fact that he was in the country illegally and had a criminal history. Had the property manager not permitted Ibarra to live in the Apartments in close proximity to the citizens of Athens and students of the University of Georgia, Ibarra would not have had the opportunity to assault and murder Ms. Riley in February 2024. Rileys father is asking for a jury trial. He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as reimbursement of legal costs. Photo: Jason Riley at the Ibarra trial. (Miguel Martinez/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool, File) Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Georgia Education Universities Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc., one of the worlds largest electric utilities, has settled a class-action lawsuit, agreeing to pay $8 million to some 20,000 employees who said the company had mishandled retirement funds. Plaintiffs attorneys fees should not exceed 33% of the gross settlement amount, reads the settlement agreement, filed in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida. The largely self-insured NextEra, owner of Florida Power & Light and one of the worlds largest renewable energy enterprises, did not admit liability in the settlement. It did agree to establish a settlement fund to be allocated to affected employeesan average of about $400 for each worker. Class Counsel believe that this Settlement reflects a reasonable compromise in light of the range of possible outcomes. Class Counsel believe that the Settlement is preferable to continued litigation and is in the best interest of the Members of the Settlement Class because the Settlement provides certainty with respect to the amount of recovery and results in a prompt recovery, reads the agreement. The employees filed suit in 2023, charging that the utility holding company had allowed excessive fees to Fidelity Workspace Services and had caused the value of company stock to slip by some $500 million. These fees, and astronomical retirement account losses, are tantamount to waste, the complaint reads. The complaint said plaintiffs were informed by publicly traded NextEras own financial reporting. The 2016 and 2018 compensation plan for Fidelity showed that the plan manager received indirect compensation. But rather than identify the amount of the indirect compensation, NextEra stated the amount of such compensation was $0 and then claims that Fidelity provided it with a formula instead of an amount or estimated amount,' the complaint reads. The problem with this, of course, is that NextEra failed to disclose to Plaintiff or Plan participants what that alleged formula is, much less what application of that formula translates to in terms of the amount of indirect compensation plan participants are paying to Fidelity. NextEra did not know the true amount of compensation paid to Fidelity, the plaintiffs argued. Attorneys for the class of plaintiffs included those with Morgan & Morgan and with Wenzel Fenton Cabassa law firms in Tampa, and McKaw Law in Arizona. Topics Lawsuits A California family is charged with insurance fraud in what authorities describe as a staged staging accident involving a Porsche. Pasadena residents Sarkis Dishchyan, 47, Ani Suzie Labbad, 47, and Violett Lara Labbad, 44, were arraigned on multiple counts of felony insurance fraud for allegedly staging a vehicle accident involving their Porsche Cayenne to collect nearly $39,000 in insurance payouts. A California Department of Insurance investigation was launched after a suspected fraudulent claim referral alleging an individual admitted to unwittingly being involved in a staged collision involving claimant Ani Labbad and her husband Dishchyan. The individual claimed that Dishchyan, whom they know through their sibling who was formerly incarcerated with Dishchyan, reached out with an opportunity to make $5,000. Dishchyan covered the cost of airfare and hotel from Illinois to California and asked the individual to rent a vehicle from a rental car company, according to the CDI. An investigation reportedly showed that once the individual arrived in California, they were riding in the rental car as a passenger while Dishchya drove and intentionally rear-ended a Porsche, causing the rental car to flip and land on its roof. The Porsche was being driven by a person who claimed to be Ani Labbad, Dishchyans wife. A witness at the scene reportedly claimed they saw a man crawl out of the overturned rental car and flee on foot before Pasadena Police Department arrived on scene. Further investigation and body camera footage reportedly found that the driver of the Porsche was actually Violett Labbad, Ani Labbads sister, who gave Pasadena police Anis drivers license and identified herself as Ani at the scene of the collision. According to the passenger in the rental car, they were not aware that Dishchyan was planning to rear-end the Porsche until just prior to the collision, the CDI says. According to the CDI, cellphone data was used to confirm both Dishchyan and Violett Labbads phones were in the vicinity at the time of the collision, while Ani Labbads location was at her home address. Cellphone data also reportedly confirmed on the day of the collision that Dishchyan sent a text to Violett Labbad requesting her help that night, and additional text messages from Ani Labbad to Dishchyan stating Violett was on her way. These texts were time-stamped minutes before the collision, the CDI says. After the staged collision, Ani Labbad filed a claim with her insurer, and with the insurance carrier for the car rental company and received $38,932. The third-party-administer for the car rental company then filed a claim with the individuals insurance policy due to lack of liability coverage and non-cooperation from the individual, according to the CDI. Dishchyan, Ani Labbad, and Violett Labbad were arraigned on February 20, and pleaded not guilty. The case is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office. Topics California Auto Fraud TV presenter and author Richard Osman has thanked fans after he stepped down from his role as presenter of the BBCs House Of Games, which he described as the most fun show. Osman, 55, who has become known for his Thursday Murder Club series of books, has presented the BBC Two gameshow since 2017, and said the show would be continuing with a new host. In a post on X, Osman said: Thank you for all your kind words as I step down from #HouseOfGames after nine amazing years. Richard Osman has written the Thursday Murder Club series of books (Ian West/PA) It is honestly the most fun show to work on, with the most wonderful team, but, after 800 episodes its time to hand over the keys to a new host. There are plenty of new episodes still to air though, and Ill even be filming one final handover week later in the year. It really has been a treat from start to finish. House Of Games presented a relaxed take on the gameshow format, with celebrities competing to win novelty items by taking part in an array of games such as Answer Smash, in which contestants are challenged to identify a picture and answer a trivia question by putting the two answers together. Rob Unsworth, head of daytime and early peak commissioning at the BBC, said: Richard Osman has established House Of Games as one of our best-loved shows. His contribution to its success is impossible to overstate, and we couldnt be more grateful for his work over the last nine years. But as we wish him even more success in the future, we also look forward to sharing with viewers who the House Of Games next resident will be and will have more on that soon. Osman described the team he worked with on House Of Games as the absolute best team in television adding that the show was a great pleasure and honour. His successor is expected to be announced in due course. Osman quit as the co-host of BBC One game show Pointless in 2022, after 13 years, so that he could focus on writing. Since 2020, Osman has written his cosy crime series of novels, publishing its latest edition The Impossible Fortune in September last year, having released The Thursday Murder Club (2020), The Man Who Died Twice (2021), The Bullet That Missed (2022), and The Last Devil To Die (2023). Last week, reports suggested the Department of Further and Higher Education wanted third-level institutions to reduce students time on campus by condensing timetables and increasing online lectures. The intention, we were told, was to ease ongoing accommodation pressures. However, James Lawless, the minister who heads the department, has since refuted these claims, stating there are no plans to reduce time on campus. His clarification was a relief, because while Irelands student accommodation crisis is real, urgent, and deeply unfair, cutting student time on campus is not sensible. I am well aware many students are pushed to their limit trying to find rooms that cost more than some mortgages. But reducing on-campus attendance would be disastrous for students, who are struggling in an increasingly contactless society. College life has changed, and not for the better. Students in my therapy room report feelings of loneliness. Nights out are now rare, and many cannot attend because they have a long commute. Going to university is not just an academic step it is a psychological milestone. It signifies the loosening of parental support and the strengthening of inner resilience. Living away from home, even if only during the week, allows young adults to practise independence in manageable doses. They learn to cook and to budget, and they learn to negotiate shared space with housemates. Many young adults develop autonomy only when no one is reminding them to empty the dishwasher. While these gains may be fewer for those living at home near campus, many say this exposure offers valuable insight into independent living and serves them well when they eventually move out. These experiences are not merely incidental to education they are crucial for becoming an adult. The covid lockdowns taught us that students who remained at home and attended lectures from their childhood bedrooms were delayed in crucial developmental milestones. Parents tell me they want their children to be confident, socially capable, and emotionally resilient. However, those traits are not downloaded via an app; they develop and grow within real-world communities. Humans are wired for connection. Especially during late adolescence and early adulthood, peer relationships are vital to their identity. Campuses serve as fertile ground for this, acting as vibrant spaces to live, laugh, learn, and love. We underestimate the significance of belonging, which is highly protective for our mental wellbeing. It reduces anxiety, guards against depression, and enhances academic achievement. When students feel connected, whether to classmates, lecturers, clubs, or societies, they are more likely to persevere. Hybrid learning, though adaptable, can diminish that sense of community. When students attend campus only occasionally, it becomes harder to build friendships. Casual chats after lectures, shared walks around campus, and spontaneous coffee invites become less frequent. And it is often these spontaneous moments that turn acquaintances into friends. I say this as someone who manages a postgraduate blended programme that is 80% online. However, similar to remote working, remote learning tends to be more suitable for older student groups who have already refined the skills needed to form friendships, whereas for young adults in their late teens and early 20s, it is developmentally limiting. Loneliness among third-level students Over the past five years, I have noticed a loneliness among third-level students that deeply concerns me. It is the quiet, socially acceptable type: The student seems to be doing fine academically, but is missing the daily micro-interactions that boost self-esteem and sense of identity. This is significant from a mental-health standpoint. Emerging adulthood is already a period of increased risk for anxiety disorders, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. Campus life should offer protective factors, such as proximity to peers, visible supports, informal mentoring, and shared struggles. The culture of certain groups can significantly influence a students journey through higher education. Close-knit and supportive groups provide a much more positive experience than fragmented or divided ones. Thats why, in the School of Nursing at SETU Waterford, we have been implementing a facilitating friendships component in our induction for first-year students. This initiative introduces new students to each other through games and ice-breakers, helping them get to know one another from the start. Some may think this is unnecessary, but it is welcomed by all students and receives very positive evaluations. The landscape of student social skills has evolved, and educational institutions need to invest in fostering such initiatives to help build connection and improve the student experience. University life is like a rehearsal. It is a semi-structured environment where mistakes are easily corrected. You can fail an exam and retake it. You can join a student society and decide its not for you. You can experiment with identity, interests, and ideas within a relatively forgiving ecosystem. But for that rehearsal space to be optimal, it must have physical presence. Yes, accommodation remains scarce. Yes, rents are high. But if any solution involves reducing students time on campus, it will unintentionally limit the developmental richness of college life; we will pay a different price, one measured not in euros but in confidence, social skills, and psychological resilience. I understand why some students might prefer hybrid learning and why some young adults favour remote working roles. Less travel, lower costs, and the comfort of being at home are appealing. For certain students, particularly those with caring responsibilities, disabilities, or financial difficulties, this kind of flexibility can be liberating. However, what we want and what we actually need often differ significantly, and there are important trade-offs to consider in exchange for such conveniences. Debating in a seminar room is qualitatively different from typing in a chat box. Presenting to a room full of peers fosters a different kind of courage than speaking into a webcam. Navigating group dynamics face-to-face develops interpersonal literacy in ways that online breakout rooms rarely replicate. We need to consider whether we want our young adults to obtain degrees, complete tasks, or develop their sense of identity. While a degree can be earned and tasks completed online, adult growth requires friction, negotiation, and shared experience. I fully accept that Ireland urgently needs more affordable student accommodation, but young people also greatly require meaningful, embodied connection. Investing in purpose-built student housing, creatively utilising underused spaces, and planning for the long term may be slow and more expensive. However, it would preserve the quality of the student experience, which is important. When todays students look back in 20 years, they are unlikely to reminisce about the efficiency of hybrid timetables. They will remember the house they shared, the friend who stayed up all night helping them prepare for exams, the lecturer who recognised their potential, and the community that gave them the confidence to speak publicly. These are not sentimental add-ons. They are psychologically shaping events. We must champion policies that recognise young adults as more than just logistical factors in a housing equation. They are developing minds, emerging identities, and future citizens. We can and must tackle the student accommodation crisis. But let us be sure we are not creating a connection crisis in the process. A man frozen in grief since his father died in a nursing home during the covid-19 lockdowns has called for a wider and more public inquiry into those years. Kieran Brady was among bereaved families and advocates with Care Champions who held a memorial outside the Dail on Tuesday to mark six years since care centre lockdowns started. His father James died on January 18, 2021, the worst month of the pandemic in Ireland with over 318 people dying that week alone. I havent cried since my father died, Im frozen in grief, he said. He was with James that day in Wexford, but wearing full PPE after his father was isolated for weeks. Other relatives including James' wife could only watch through Whatsapp video. He is disappointed with the covid-19 evaluation, saying it is behind closed doors so far. Ive been emailing with them for the last year and a half, we are getting nowhere, he said. We just need a proper inquiry, people have to answer questions. 'She died alone' Allison McCarthy travelled from Cork to mark the death of her mother Alice Donovan, also in January 2021. She died alone in the Mercy University Hospital having made a 999 call earlier to a local garda station, something Allison had confirmed later by the Ombudsman. Youre reliving it every day, you try and block it off and then when an event comes up and you have to fight again, you relive it all again, she said. Im here today mainly because I support the call for a covid inquiry. That was promised and its five years on and we are still waiting. She added: She died alone, and I suppose people in hospital settings endured the same fate as older people in nursing homes. "I also support Care Champions and their plea for care partner legislation. The group remains concerned failings in care are still happening. Allison McCarthy (second from right) Cork holding a framed photograph of her mother Alice Donovan and Lorraine Lamb (centre) with a photograph of her mother Jean, alongside other bereaved families outside the Dail today. Picture: Moya Nolan Lorraine Lambs mother died in Cavan General Hospital in 2023 with an inquest last year returning a verdict of medical misadventure. We were told she was very ill, we werent told the truth then," she told the memorial gathering. "We watched her die with alarms screaming in the background, a sound that still haunts us." Care partner legislation Care Champions spokeswoman Majella Beattie said the event was for all the people failed in care during the pandemic and continuing on since the pandemic". They placed a memory wall outside the Dail with dozens of names written on red hearts. These are people who died alone, people denied basic care and for many families we still do not have answers, she said. She called for Government to hold a statutory covid inquiry and implement care partner legislation. She warned "safeguarding teams continue to be barred from entry to private care facilities". This would allow residents nominate someone who could access a nursing home or residential centre even during public health lockdowns. The group was hosted in the Leinster House AV Room by Fine Gael TD Colm Burke. Dr Sarah Robinson, lecturer at the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork, planned to speak about studies her students carried out with bereaved families. Part of a Care Champions's poster with names of some of those who died in nursing homes and disability centres during covid-19. Picture: Moya Nolan One focused on residents who had died during the first three waves of the pandemic in what we would consider undignified deaths", she said. These were residents that died alone, sometimes without pain medication. Families are telling us some of these deaths they believe were preventable. She added: The families experiences support that Care Champions are asking for with care partner legislation. This has been implemented in a number of other jurisdictions, in the UK now for example there is now this legislation. We saw in covid and are still seeing in some instances that families are denied visitation. The number of covid-19 deaths in Ireland had tragically reached 10,072 by November 2024, the HSE previously said. Deaths have continued at a lower rate as infection spread has eased. The latest data shows 86 people died with covid-19 this winter up to February 26. according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Cases of long covid also continue to occur, with many others infected earlier in the pandemic still facing health struggles. A life buoy was used to strike a man over the head in the course of a city centre assault and now the 51-year-old man who carried out the crime has been sentenced to 18 months in jail. Judge Helen Boyle sentenced Gordon Sheerin, aged 51, of no fixed address in Cork, to two years imprisonment with the last six months suspended, backdated to October 15, 2025, when he went into custody. Garda Stephen OSullivan said that at approximately 6pm on October 15 last year, gardai responded to a report of an incident at Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City, in relation to an assault. At the scene, gardai observed a man bleeding from the head and face and he was lying on the ground in a semi-conscious state. He was later removed to the Mercy University Hospital for medical treatment. Gardai viewed CCTV footage of the alleged incident and observed a male who is known to gardai as Gordon Sheerin, of no fixed address, on CCTV. Footage showed him engaged in a physical altercation and striking the other man on numerous occasions in the face with his fist and returned with a life buoy in his possession, where he can be seen to strike him on the head on two occasions. "Gordon Sheerin then drags the male across the road at Lower Oliver Plunket Street, Garda OSullivan said. 'Mental health difficulties' Defence barrister Elaine Audley said there was no statement of complaint from the other man and that even though the case was based entirely on CCTV evidence, Mr Sheerin pleaded guilty to the charge of assault causing harm. He has battled with addiction since the age of 15 He has mental health difficulties. Unfortunately, on this day the demons got the better of him and he fell back into offending. He entirely accepts he was in the wrong. He said he was fearful for an elderly lady in the area but he entirely accepts he overreacted due to his abuse of alcohol. "He wishes to apologise to the victim even though the victim has chosen not to engage with the process, Ms Audley said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. A South African man, who had "integrated completely" to Ireland, after living in direct provision accommodation for almost six years before moving to Tipperary Town, was deported over the weekend. He had to sign on monthly at the Garda National Immigration Bureau office in Dublin to notify the State of his whereabouts, and was arrested when he went to the office on February 12. He was held in Cloverfield Prison before, along with more than 60 other people, he was deported on a flight to Johannesburg on Saturday. His friends only found out he was in prison awaiting deportation after filing a missing persons report for him. Guthrie Ward said he had integrated completely into Ireland and hoped to be able to return. Speaking from Durban, he said he was fearful for his safety in South Africa. It had been designated a safe country under Irelands International Protection Act 2015 (Safe Countries of Origin) Order 2018. Mr Ward said: You have to take precautions all the time, you have to be alert all the time. It is not a very nice place to live in it is a beautiful country to live in but because of the political situation, it is not safe. Mr Ward was attacked by three people an hour after he had intervened in an attack on a woman in Cape Town in 2017. Feeling unsafe in South Africa, he travelled to Ireland. Six months after his arrival, a relative was shot dead in an armed robbery at his home near Pretoria. Though he has no criminal conviction, he said these incidents did not help him in his bid for asylum. He secured a Stamp 4 immigration permit in 2022, allowing him to live and work in Ireland without an employment permit. Months later, he was told he didnt qualify and it was rescinded. We appealed that but the decision was upheld. Mr Ward and his legal team launched a judicial review of that decision in June 2024 but it has not been concluded. I was on a deportation order from December 2023, he said. At that time, he was living in direct provision in Waterford and working full time in a service station in Tramore. He spent almost six years in direct provision but moved to Tipperary Town after having to vacate direct provision after the failure of his appeal of the Stamp 4 decision. He said: I found a flat in Tipperary and used all my savings to pay for that. Each month, he had to go to the Garda National Immigration Bureau office in Dublin to be in compliance with the requirements of his deportation order. He was arrested when he went to the office on February 12. I complied with every single thing that the Government required of me but on January 15, they re-fingerprinted me and took some additional information and let me go. But on February 12, they did the same kind of thing and that was when they arrested me. His friend Clifton Sherrard, who he met through the Ex-Pats in Waterford group, is dealing with shipping Guthries belongings to him in South Africa. Mr Sherrard said: We had absolutely no contact until we finally learned from the guards that he had been picked up when he was signing on and that was on [Sunday, February 15], after being worried from the Thursday. It was only when we put in a missing persons report on the Sunday with gardai in Waterford that they contacted immigration and confirmed that he had been detained." His deportation on Saturday, along with 62 others, including nine children, was on the second charter operation this year. The Department of Justice said it was the eighth charter operation since the recommencement of charter flights to effect removals and deportation orders in 2025. Justice minister Jim OCallaghan said: Without effective enforcement measures, our immigration laws would be undermined, and I want to ensure that there is public confidence in the application of our laws in this area. If a person does not have a legal permission to be in the State, or has been involved in criminality, they will be removed. "I would like to thank the members of An Garda Siochana and officials from my department for their continued hard work in conducting these complex operations." The Government has confirmed that former EU Commissioner and environment minister Phil Hogan has been nominated as Irelands candidate to be the next director-general of the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The nomination was brought to Tuesday's Cabinet meeting by agriculture minister Martin Heydon. The UN position is due to be filled later this year as the current holder of the office, China's Qu Dongyu, finishes in the middle of 2027. It has been 50 years since the FAO has had a director-general from a European country, and sources said that Mr Hogans candidacy will command support from Europe as there is significant interest among EU Member States in putting forward a strong European candidate for the forthcoming election. A Government statement said Ireland had a strong relationship with the FAO and had been encouraged to nominate a candidate. The Government agreed in December to an open Expressions of Interest process to identify suitably qualified Irish candidates and a high-level independent selection board of four people assessed the applications received. "Following a detailed evaluation by the selection board, Mr Hogans name as the highest-ranked candidate was provided to Minister Heydon, who submitted a memo to the Government for consideration today. As a result, Phil Hogans name will now go forward as the Irish candidate for the UN position," a statement said. Any costs to the Exchequer will be "proportionate and managed within existing Departmental and diplomatic resources". It is expected that Mr Hogan will cover any additional personal or campaign-related costs. Two Department of Agriculture staff will assist the campaign in addition to their other duties on a part-time basis. Golfgate Mr Hogan, a former senior Fine Gael minister, was seen as a heavy hitter at the top tier of the European Commission in the Trade portfolio before his resignation amid controversy about his movements across Ireland at a time when the country was under a covid lockdown. His resignation followed a demand from European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for him to account for his time in Ireland following public outcry, after the Golfgate event was revealed by the Irish Examiner. Golfgate saw the Irish Examiner reveal details of a 2020 Oireachtas golf event in Clifden, Co Gawlay, in which 82 guests attended. At the time, Mr Hogan did apologise for attending the golf society dinner, but always maintained he did not breach covid quarantine rules. He would later seek to blame Taoiseach Micheal Martin and then-Tanaiste Leo Varadkar for his downfall in 2020. Mr Varadkar and Mr Martin went on a populist wave of indignation in the wake of 'Golfgate' and forced his resignation, Mr Hogan said in a 2022 interview with RTE's Sean O'Rourke. Following his resignation, law firm DLA Piper announced that Mr Hogan would join its Brussels office as an adviser as he established a company, Hogan Strategic Advisory Services, which advises a number of major clients. Housing minister James Browne has been accused of being disingenuous over eviction notices issued to tenants in a Wexford housing estate. Social Democrats housing spokesman, Rory Hearne claimed more tenants will end up in the same scenario due to new rent rules. Mr Browne said earlier this week that he wont stand for eviction notices being given to 36 homes at Hazelwood, Bridgetown in Wexford. The eviction notices were issued on Friday, two days before new rental rules were introduced, which introduced the end of no-fault evictions through six-year tenancies. Read More Protesters demand action on housing in Gaeltacht areas Landlords are now allowed to increase rents to market rates in between tenancies when tenants have left of their own accord. Mr Browne said that no landlord can use the new rental rules, which are for newly formed tenancies, as an excuse to evict their current tenants. However, Mr Hearne claimed the Wexford situation will not be an outlier. The minister is saying that he's taking a strong stand. The minister's policies have created this situation, he said. He tried to portray that his new rental measures were somehow improving the security of tenure, Mr Hearne said. They do nothing for existing tenants. There were 385 eviction notices served in Wexford just in the first nine months of last year. "He said nothing about that, not a peep about it. It's deeply disingenuous that he's now jumping up and around the place saying he cares about this and he's all concerned, and he wants to act. It's been highlighted to him for months that he needed to act on it. Only when it went in his own backyard, and the media highlight it, he is concerned about it. In the Dail, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that it was a matter of very serious concern that landlords would behave in this manner. He added: What happened in Wexford was unacceptable, and the minister sent the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board) down." Education minister Hildegarde Naughton has pulled out of her St Patricks Day trip to South America as the special needs assistant (SNA) controversy continues. The Government was forced to cancel a review into SNAs last week and allocate an additional 19m in funding following significant backlash from schools, parents, and unions following letters sent to schools suggesting they would be losing SNA positions. The Government leaders agreed last week that schools reviewed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and allocated additional resources will receive their SNA cohort in the upcoming school year. Ms Naughton was expected to travel to Chile and Argentina as part of the Governments St Patricks Day programme of events. However, her spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Examiner that she will not travel. The minister has made the decision to remain in Ireland next week, she said. Significant consultation is required to advance a number of important policy measures, including the SNA workforce plan and redeployment circular. This is her singular priority. The planned St Patricks Day visit to Chile and Argentina will go ahead with junior justice minister Niall Collins travelling in her place, the spokesperson said. Mr Collins was due to travel to the United Arab Emirates in April, but acknowledged on Tuesday that this trip was unlikely to go ahead due to the ongoing conflict that has broken out in the Middle East in recent days. The Government's U-turn on SNAs last week came following significant criticism from the opposition, schools, unions, and parents over letters sent by the NCSE to schools advising that their allocations would be cut. The Government rejected that it was "kicking the can down the road" and would be facing a similar situation next year. Ms Naughton said a workforce development plan and revised circular on the role of SNAs are required before the NSCE review allocations for the 2027/2028 school year. Up to 280 Irish citizens could leave the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates in the coming days on flights chartered by the Government. Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee said this would be the first flight of many and that authorities will prioritise those most in need of evacuation. Authorities will transfer passengers to Oman by bus before they board a chartered flight. Up to 24,000 Irish citizens are currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as tensions in the Middle East escalate following the US-Israeli bombing of Iran. Read More Iran continues to hit back at US-Israeli strikes as Trump says it is too late to talk Around 2,000 people are either transiting through the region or holidaying there and are seeking to return to Ireland. Ms McEntee confirmed the Government has agreed to charter a flight and will contact people on Wednesday to offer them a place. However, she could not confirm when the flight would depart but suggested it would leave in the coming days. The first and the quickest and the best option is still for commercial airlines to bring people home, particularly given so much of our population is in the UAE, is in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Ms McEntee told RTE radio. We've seen over the last few days a number of flights that have been taken off, not all of them to the west. Many of them are heading east. But on those flights, we have Irish people, and we're engaging directly with those airlines to see can we, in the coming days, ensure that some of those direct flights are coming to Dublin. Secondly, what we're looking at and what we've agreed now is that we will have an Irish Government chartered flight. It's important that we can obviously say that this is the first of many, I hope. By (Wednesday) we'll be reaching out to citizens to try and make sure that that first chartered flight is full. I have to say all of this with a caveat that everything that we're doing now, it's on the basis that airspace is open, that it's safe to do so, and that we're asking people to travel, because this will not be the UAE airport. It will be Oman that we're talking about, that people are in a position to travel. We're looking at one of the largest planes that we can and that's probably up to about 280 people. Ms McEntee acknowledged that this would assist only a fraction of the Irish people seeking to return home. The department of foreign affairs is prioritising the most vulnerable people, including the elderly, pregnant people and those with health conditions. The Government has been called upon to ban the US military from using Shannon Airport as a stopover point en route to the Middle East. Senator Patricia Stephenson, the Social Democrats foreign affairs spokeswoman, wants the Government to give a categoric commitment on the issue. She cited Spains decision to ban US military operations in Spanish territory, with the countrys Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saying the war is unjustified. The government must make it clear to that we cannot bomb our way to peace in the Middle East, and we will not support such a campaign, Ms Stephenson said. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said it is clear Ireland should follow the lead of Spain and ban the US from using Irish airports. Read More Iran continues to hit back at US-Israeli strikes as Trump says it is too late to talk He said allowing the US military to use Shannon would make Ireland complicit with the countrys ongoing strikes in Iran, saying the war is entirely unjustified. We should not be facilitating the US army in any way, Mr Murphy said. Just since the start of the year, Donald Trump has had a military exercise killing hundreds of people or so in Venezuela, kidnapped the president. He has effectively tried to replace the UN with the board of peace. Hes threatened to invade Greenland and he is now bombing Iran. Mr Murphy said all other EU countries should stop allowing US military bases be located on their lands. Even if its the case that no direct flights are going through Shannon to Iran, by allowing other flights to move their logistics around and so on, youre indirectly assisting their various operations. Shannonwatch, which tracks US military stopovers through the airport, has said there were a number of flights that transited through Shannon over the weekend. It cited two US Air Force Hercules C-130H landed at Shannon on Saturday morning, while a US Navy air logistics flight left the airport for Sicily on the same day. The Department of Foreign Affairs was asked if its position has changed on US flights through Shannon amidst the escalation in the Middle East. A spokesperson said: All foreign military and state aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in the State require diplomatic clearance. Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation. This policy is well known and fully understood by the United States and other international partners. I watched the Taoiseach and Tanaiste apologise to survivors of institutional abuse in the Dail last week, and I found it surprisingly moving. Not so much because of the speeches (they were pretty ordinary, to be honest) but because of the people there. The Taoiseach spoke directly to four survivors sitting behind him in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery (Ive written here about those four brave people before), but his remarks were aimed at survivors all over Ireland, people who still struggle to come to terms with what happened to them in their childhood. When issuing their warnings about Western 'civilisational erasure', US president Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance often point to Britain, and especially London, to make their case. But while Britain does offer a cautionary tale, it is not the one Maga has in mind. Rather than indulging in anti-immigration culture wars, Trump and his followers time would be better spent examining how Britain struggled with the loss of global pre-eminence. No other countrys recent past offers a clearer preview of Americas potential future. The Anglo-American relationship has been perpetually fascinating. From the 19th century onward, impoverished British politicos and aristocrats often maintained their status by marrying into American money. Britons used the New World to rejuvenate the old one, but they always bristled at their new dependence, as illustrated by the fictional Grantham family of Downton Abbey. From the 19th century onward, impoverished British politicos and aristocrats often maintained their status by marrying into American money, as portrayed by the fictional Grantham family of 'Downton Abbey'. File picture The two countries remained allies through the Second World War and its aftermath, but the relationship was never free of tension. The Brits snootily thought of themselves as the subtle Athenians, and the Americans as the crude Roman successors. As the Americans built their new empire, they came to resent British attempts to cling to the old order. Sterling used to be the worlds dominant currency, and then it wasnt. Devaluation But, even in the 1960s, the US treasury reckoned that Britain still provided the perimeter defence of the dollar. Then came the pounds devaluation in 1967, which was the beginning of the end of the dollar standard for the rest of the world. Richard Nixon echoed Harold Wilson US leaders even borrowed British language to address their own currency concerns. After British prime minister Harold Wilson told a television audience that devaluation would not affect the value of the pound in your pocket, US president Richard Nixon told his constituents: If you are among the overwhelming majority of Americans who buy American-made products in America, your dollar will be worth just as much tomorrow as it is today. Then US president Nixon and UK prime minister Harold Wilson at 10 Downing Street in 1969. Two years earlier, Wilson delivered his now infamous 'pound in your pocket' speech. In August 1971, Nixon defended the devaluation of the dollar in similar terms. File picture: PA Neither statement was true. The sliding currency was, in fact, a precursor to the coming inflation crisis. US and UK both sought suitors At a time when the rest of the world is looking for alternatives to the dollar, Britains decline offers another parallel. Like the Trump administration, Britain took pains to find countries that still wanted to align with it politically. After 1945, two such countries were Egypt and Argentina, both of which held large pound reserves but rapidly grew tired of being linked to a weakening hegemon. Likewise, Trump is trying to sustain American power through his oddly composed Board of Peace (which largely comprises authoritarian regimes that see something to gain from flattering the president). Fiscal vulnerability of declining power As is so often the case, the declining powers main vulnerability is fiscal. Just a few years ago, Liz Trusss short-lived British government showed how unfunded tax reductions (or expenditure increases) can rattle bond markets, threaten pension funds, and produce an unsustainable rise in the cost of state borrowing. Now, markets are increasingly concerned about the prospect of sustained deficits pushing up US borrowing costs. British stagflation offers lessons to US Americans might also draw lessons from Britains protectionism during the stagflationary 1970s. At the time, the Labour Partys left (and the economists who cheered it on) argued that if the government would only spend more, it could push up investment, raise productivity, and thereby cut inflation to make goods more affordable. It was a complete illusion, leading to accelerating, rather than falling, inflation. One now hears the same argument from Trumps advisers, who confidently insist that the AI revolution and massive investments in data centres will raise productivity so much that inflation will fall and fiscal deficits will vanish. Again, they would do well to consult economic history. Brexit and Trump tariffs bring uncertainty Britains decision to exit the EU ushered in a decade of uncertainty, with endless trade policy debates about the rules of origin in a world of complex supply chains, and about exemptions for essential or irreplaceable items. The deep, persistent uncertainty that Trumps tariffs have introduced could have an even larger and more deleterious effect on the US economy than Brexit did in Britain. The British experience also offers political lessons. The Epstein scandal The Jeffrey Epstein saga is international in scope, but its ramifications, perhaps surprisingly, have been felt most acutely in Britain. The scandal threatens to bring down both the monarchy owing to then-Prince Andrews involvement, and the question of who knew about it and the current prime minister, who appointed as ambassador to the US a former minister with deep ties to the sex offender. So far, US politics where Epsteins tentacles reached more deeply seems to be less vulnerable. But, like the trade story, this is a scandal with ramifications that will only multiply over time. Moreover, the scandal is more than a tabloid news story, because it is suggestive of a deeper rot. Britain and the US both navigated the 20th century brilliantly because of their two-party political systems. They did not have to deal with the difficult bargains required in multi-party systems to form coalition governments. But what happens when both parties lose credibility? In Britain, the scandal has contributed to the rise of an outside party that draws its strength from the bankruptcy of the status quo. Now that Maga has taken over the Republican Party, and the Democrats are deeply divided between centrists and leftists, the British party systems implosion offers a final preview of Americas future. Harold James is professor of history and international affairs at Princeton University, and the author, most recently, of Seven Crashes: The Economic Crises That Shaped Globalization (Yale University Press, 2023) Copyright: Project Syndicate For decades, Irish soldiers deployed to south Lebanon with a clear, if delicate, purpose. Under the banner of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), their days were defined by routine: Vehicle patrols along the Blue Line, foot patrols through villages, engagement with local leaders, and civil military co-operation projects that supported the local population and, more importantly, built trust. Peacekeeping, in other words, was visible. Since October 7, 2023, that visibility has steadily diminished. The Hamas attacks on Israel and the devastating Israeli military response in Gaza triggered an escalation along Lebanons southern frontier. What began as sporadic exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) hardened into sustained hostilities. For Irish troops stationed at Camp Shamrock and forward posts near the border, the operating environment shifted from tense to perilous. That escalation has now metastasised into a wider regional conflict. In the past few days, missiles and drone strikes linked to the ongoing US-Israel offensive against Iran have drawn Lebanon itself outside the original scope of that war deeper into the fighting. No peace to keep On Tuesday morning, Israel moved ground forces inside southern Lebanon, reinforcing border areas ahead of possible sustained combat operations. The consequences for Lebanons civilian population have already been stark. According to the Lebanese health ministry, at least 52 civilians have been killed and more than 150 injured in recent Israeli strikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon. Increased Israeli ground campaigns render Unifil's core mandate to monitor cessation of hostilities and support the Lebanese armed forces almost theoretical. There is, bluntly, no peace to keep. Instead of routine patrols, Irish soldiers have spent increasing stretches confined to fortified bunkers under groundhog orders the Defence Forces term for taking protective shelter during heavy fire. From those bunkers, operations continue in a limited form. Situational awareness is maintained through hardened communications systems. Forward posts report in. Command structures remain intact. But the fundamental character of the mission has altered. Peacekeeping has become force protection. A man takes pictures after several buildings were hit by Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut. Picture: Hussein Malla/AP This transformation has been gradual but unmistakable. Since October 2024 in particular, Irish troops have operated with restricted movement and reduced visibility across their area of operations. Patrol patterns have been curtailed. Engagement with local communities once the heartbeat of Irish deployment has been severely constrained. Compounding this shift is the demographic reality of south Lebanon today. Large-scale displacement has left many villages sparsely populated or effectively empty. The civilian presence that Unifil was mandated to protect and reassure has, in many places, fled north. Fragile peace The fragile peace that exists is less the product of deterrent patrolling than of absence absence of civilians, and the persistent presence of Israeli forces, which have not fully withdrawn since the December 2024 ceasefire. Unifi land observers from the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) have recorded thousands of alleged violations of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 since that so-called ceasefire. Israeli airstrikes have become near-daily occurrences. The mission remains, but its operational freedom does not. Ireland has 358 personnel serving with Unifil, alongside smaller contingents in UNTSO roles across Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. They deploy knowing this is no longer a traditional peacekeeping theatre. Pre-deployment training reflects that reality. Troops rehearse bunker drills, indirect fire response, mass casualty procedures, and communications under fire. In-theatre training reinforces it. The rhythm of daily life has changed accordingly. Movement between accommodation blocks and reinforced shelters is routine. Protective measures dominate planning cycles. Yet the presence remains robust. Peacekeeping missions often operate in the space between diplomacy and deterrence. Even when constrained, their existence can serve as a stabilising reference point, a reminder of international scrutiny. But there is a strategic question looming. The entrance to Camp Shamrock near the border with Lebanon. File picture Winding down Unifil is due to wind down in the coming 18 months a move strongly pursued by the US and, in particular, Israel. The renewed escalation may complicate that calculation. If the region slides further towards open confrontation, the argument for an international buffer presence could strengthen rather than weaken. Conversely, if UN forces are persistently confined to bunkers, critics will argue the mission has become symbolic. For Irish troops, however, the debate in New York or Washington is secondary to the reality on the ground. Their mandate remains peacekeeping. Their daily experience increasingly resembles contingency warfighting preparedness without the authority of combatants. Ireland has served in Lebanon for generations. What is different now is not just the danger, but the expectation. Peacekeeping in south Lebanon has not ended. But it has changed profoundly. The blue helmets remain more static, more protected, and still present holding a line that grows thinner by the day. Irish food has a true champion in Eunice Power. A chef, broadcaster and restaurateur from Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Eunice has spent decades celebrating local producers and showing that seasonal, home-grown ingredients can be the foundation of truly exciting cooking. Between cooking on our TV screens, organising the Waterford Festival of Food, her wonderful new cookbook, My Irish Kitchen Table, and her recent work as a brand ambassador with Tesco, she does so much to keep Irish ingredients in the spotlight. Local, seasonal, and Irish might sound like buzzwords today, but theyve always been part of Eunices DNA. Growing up on her familys farm in Dungarvan, she was surrounded by fresh, honest food long before it became fashionable. It was just a typical Irish farming childhood, she says. I didnt realise where I came from was important until I went away. The away was to London, where she gained invaluable experience working in hospitality in the busy capital city, but says living there felt claustrophobic: I couldnt wait to get back to my rural beginnings and to shorten the distance between the food and the plate. I think very often you have to go away to appreciate what you left behind. Returning home to Dungarvan in the late nineties, Eunice used her love of hospitality to pivot into cooking. Starting with a B&B, then a restaurant and later a thriving catering business. She taught herself to cook, relying on instinct, creativity and at the heart of it all, local ingredients. Her colourful, seasonal dishes soon earned her a national following, leading to writing recipe columns and appearances on television. Today, she continues to share her approachable style of Irish cooking with home cooks across the country, something shes proudly extended through her collaboration with Tesco. 'I couldnt believe how many people didnt know sprouts grow on a stalk,' says chef Eunice Power. Knowing her suppliers has always been central to what Eunice does, so shes been genuinely impressed by how much Tesco values its Irish producers. Meeting them has been one of the highlights of her work with the brand. Local food is so important to have on our supermarket shelves, she says, but people also need to be reminded about whos behind it all. Eunice lights up when she talks about meeting the Gilpin family in Co Louth, whove been growing Brussels sprouts for nearly 60 years and now supply Tesco. We filmed on the farm with them and I couldnt believe how many people didnt know sprouts grow on a stalk, she laughs. Its like a bit of magic architecture in a field. She also visited Oliver McCann in Co Armagh, who is collaborating closely with Tesco on a new style of orchard that supplies Irish-grown apples and pears to stores across the country. I love that idea, going into partnership with a grower and it means more Irish apples for all of us. That kind of partnership reminds Eunice of the relationships she built during her catering days. You cant change things overnight, she says, but when a producer wants to expand, its great to have someone like Tesco holding your hand while you do it. Shes equally enthusiastic about Tescos involvement with the Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards. Its such a fabulous thing for Irish producers to get involved in. The judging process is brilliant, and winning a Blas award is a huge accolade, she says. Last year, Tesco secured a record 84 Blas na hEireann awards from 29 of its Irish suppliers, making Tesco Ireland the most awarded retailer for two years running. It gives suppliers real confidence that what theyre making is top quality and shoppers can trust that too. When you see that Blas sticker, you know its been through a serious process, and most importantly, you know its going to be delicious. Oliver McCann (left) is collaborating closely with Tesco on a new style of orchard that supplies Irish-grown apples and pears to stores across the country. Many of the products that performed well at the Blas awards were part of the Tesco Finest range, a range that Eunice raves about. I love that I can grab something really delicious in my everyday shop but also pick up something special for Sunday lunch, Saturday night dinner or a treat for the kids, she says. Its even got her out of a bind at Christmas. I bought some of the Tesco Finest Creamy Mashed Potatoes, made with Irish Roosters and passed them off as my own! I probably shouldnt tell anyone that, but it was absolutely divine. Getting to know the work behind the Tesco Finest range, shes been delighted to find the names of producers she already admired. Theyre working with Follain in west Cork for beautiful jams, marmalades and chutneys; and theres gorgeous dairy from Killowen in Wexford, what they produce is always excellent, she says. And the cheese, they have over 40 Irish farmhouse cheeses. Eunice was especially thrilled to learn that Killowen, based in Wexford, has now begun supplying products to Tesco stores across the UK. What a window that is to open for an Irish producer, she says proudly. While she loves highlighting the work of artisan producers, Eunice is probably most excited about sharing recipes. Shes become well known for her straightforward, flavour-packed dishes and has been experimenting with them at Tescos dedicated Foodies HQ along with her fellow Tesco food ambassadors Marcus OLaoire and Dr Aisling Farrell. Im really happy to be part of a team that connects directly with people, Eunice says. Thats what its all about, getting people cooking. Together, the Tesco Foodies have been championing easy, everyday meals using Tesco ingredients, from traybakes and batch cooks to quick weeknight fixes. Sometimes all we need is a little nudge to get into the kitchen. I hope what were doing gives people that nudge to see how simple and satisfying home cooking can be. As someone with so much knowledge and experience in food, Eunice has loved that this new partnership with Tesco has been teaching her so much as she gets involved with so many aspects of the business. Im a very curious person, I always say every day is a school day, and Tesco have been a fascinating company to work with. Spending time behind the scenes has opened new doors for her including the freezer door. The frozen vegetable section was a revelation, she says. I bought diced butternut squash for my Mum who is 82, she finds it hard, she doesnt have the strength in her hands to peel and chop a whole butternut squash, but she loves it for soups and stews and things like that so now she has it back and its so easy. Frozen vegetables are great, also if youre just cooking for one, you can take out a handful as you need them. Its great for saving on waste too." As Tesco Ireland continues to nurture its relationship with Irish suppliers, Eunice is excited for what lies ahead. They already work with over 500 Irish suppliers and are the biggest retail buyer of Irish food and drink in the world, so its great to let people know that, she says. People need to be reminded about Irish food a little bit about who we are, what we are, where we are and what we eat. Its clear she feels a great pride in the partnership. I feel very proud to work with Tesco, she says. They have every right to shout about what theyre doing in the Irish market because they really are doing an amazing job. And at the heart of it all, Eunices mission remains simple: I want people to eat really nice food, she smiles. I dont want them to stress about buying it and they should be able to put their hands on the ingredients they need. Former US president Bill Clinton distanced himself from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in closed-door depositions with politicians, according to videos that were released on Monday. The recordings of the depositions, which spanned hours over two days last week, show how Mr Clinton told the committee he had ended his relationship with Epstein years before the financier entered a 2008 guilty plea to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. His wife, former first lady and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, told the committee she never even recalled meeting Epstein. Their closed-door interviews before the House Oversight Committee were taken under oath on Thursday and Friday. Former president Bill Clinton (AP) The Clintons testimony came as politicians are trying to meet demands for a reckoning over Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 in New York while facing charges for sex trafficking and abusing underage girls. High-status men around the world have been forced into resignations because of revelations about their relationships with Epstein, but there are few signs in the US of serious legal consequences. The former president said he first remembered meeting Epstein when he flew aboard the financiers private jet in 2002 for the Clintons humanitarian work and they parted ways the year after. Theres nothing that I saw when I was around him that made me realise he was trafficking women, he told the committee. Epstein visited the White House numerous times during Clintons presidency and there are photos of them shaking hands. Mr Clinton said he did not recall those interactions. In response to a Democratic members questions about a photo that showed him in a pool with a woman whose face was redacted, the former president said he did not know the woman and did not engage in sexual activity with her. He said the photo was from a trip to Brunei for charitable work and a number of people in their travel party were swimming. He also said he was not aware that one young woman, who was ostensibly working as a masseuse and gave him a neck massage on one flight, was a victim of sexual abuse. Whether the subject was a note Mr Clinton wrote for Epsteins 50th birthday or their travel together for the Clinton Foundation, he described their relationship as little more than cordial and said Epstein provided his private jet for humanitarian trips in exchange for discussing politics and economics with him. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Centre after testifying before US House Congressional Committee (Yuki Iwamura/AP) We were friendly, but I didnt know him well enough to say we were friends, he said. He said he had once visited Epsteins townhouse in New York City, but said repeatedly he had never visited Epsteins private island or other properties. Asked by Republicans whether they had talked about young women or girls together, Mr Clinton responded emphatically: No. The former president acknowledged he maintained a closer relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend and confidant. But he maintained that was largely because of close mutual connections. He also said she has to be punished for her conviction on sex trafficking charges. Mr Clinton made clear he believed it was important for anyone, including presidents, to come forward and testify to their knowledge of Epstein. He also shared how he and President Donald Trump had briefly discussed Epstein at a charity golf tournament more than 20 years ago. He said Mr Trump had never said anything to me to make me think he was involved in anything improper with regard to Epstein, but also remarked that those two men had a falling-out over a real estate deal. Republican politicians left the deposition pointing to Mr Clintons words and arguing that it showed there is no evidence that Mr Trump did anything wrong in his own relationship with Epstein. Democrats, meanwhile, said the testimony counters what Mr Trump has said more recently about why he and Epstein had a falling-out. The president has told reporters they had a disagreement because Epstein had hired people away from Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. A man convicted of shooting dead a police officer is set to be executed on Tuesday evening in Florida. Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection at 6pm at Florida State Prison near Starke. Kearse was initially sentenced to death in 1991 after being convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997. This is Floridas third execution scheduled for 2026 following a record 19 executions last year. Republican governor Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The highest number before then was eight executions in both 1984 and 2014, under former governors Bob Graham and Rick Scott respectively. According to court records, Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish pulled over Kearse for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in January 1991. When Kearse could not produce a valid drivers licence, Mr Parrish ordered Kearse out of his vehicle and attempted to handcuff him. A struggle ensued and Kearse grabbed Parrishs firearm, prosecutors said. Kearse fired 14 times, striking the officer nine times in the body and four times in his body armour. A nearby taxi driver heard the shots and used Parrishs radio to call for help. Parrish was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, police used licence plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attackers vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested. Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Kearse. His attorneys had argued that he was unconstitutionally deprived of a fair penalty phase and that his intellectual disability makes his execution unconstitutional. Final appeals were pending on Tuesday before the US Supreme Court. A total of 47 people were executed in the US in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by Mr DeSantis, far outpacing Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each held five executions. Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far. Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17 and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31. All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections. Iran continued its bombardment of the Gulf and Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for further Israeli-US airstrikes, as Donald Trump said it was too late for dialogue with Tehran. Their air defense, Air Force, Navy and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late!, the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform, rejecting what he claimed was an attempt by Tehran to restart negotiations. He said the US was prepared to go far longer than a four to five-week war against Iran. Trumps comment came hours after Iranian drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a minor fire and prompting the diplomatic mission to tell Americans to distance themselves from the compound. The attack followed strike on the US embassy in Kuwait as Iran continued to target US bases, facilities and personnel in Arab Gulf states. Read More Middle East: Three killed in UAE as evacuation orders issued in southern Lebanon Israel announced an extensive wave of airstrikes in Tehran and issued evacuation orders to Iranians located around an airport in Karaj, which it said it would soon strike. The conflict continued to widen across the Middle East, with hundreds of people killed across the region, the vast majority in Iran. Israel said ground troops had entered in southern Lebanon as part of what it said was a cautionary move to protect residents of northern Israel. In response, the deputy head of Hezbollahs political council, Mahmoud Qamati, declared an open war with Israel. The pro-Iran group continued to target Israel, saying it had launched two missile salvoes overnight towards military bases in northern Israel, and shelled a military base on Tuesday morning. Israel caried out strikes and issued evacuation orders for villages in southern Lebanon, virtually emptying out the country south of the Litani River and turning the southern suburbs of Beirut into a ghost town. A man takes pictures by a mobile phone for a several buildings that were hit by Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) On Tuesday morning, the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said he had instructed Israeli soldiers to hold and advance into areas of south Lebanon to prevent further Hezbollah fire on northern Israel. It was the first acknowledgment that Israels campaign against Hezbollah would not just be aerial but would involve boots on the ground. Meanwhile, US and Israel continued their strikes against Iran, with the US claiming it had destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities. What started as a war between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other has turned into a regional conflict with dizzying speed, with new fronts being opened on each day. The US and Israeli air war against Iran began on Saturday with attacks against Tehran, killing the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and prompting Iranian retaliation against Israel and missile attacks at Arab nations with US bases across the region. The fighting expanded rapidly to include at least nine countries and various pro-Iran groups. Mourners dig graves during the funeral for children killed in a reported strike on a primary school in Iran's Hormozgan province in Minab on March 3, 2026. Picture: Iranian Press Center / AFP via Getty Images On Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the war against Iran could take some time, saying that while it would not take years, it could drag on. Its not an endless war, he told Fox News. Trump, who has issued a series of contradicting statements regarding the length of the war, said on Monday that it could take far longer than the initially planned month. US officials including the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, also flirted publicly with the idea of US boots on the ground in Iran, an anathema to analysts, who pointed to the countrys vast, mountainous geography as an obstacle to any troop presence. The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the hardest hits are yet to come, as administration officials said their plan for the Iran campaign had so far gone better than expected. US officials offered varying justifications for why they launched the war in Iran, with Rubio claiming the USs hand was forced by Israel. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties, he said. People inspect the rubble of a collapsed building near Ferdowsi square in Tehran on March 3, 2026. Picture: ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images Trump, for his part, has at times said the goal was regime change in Iran, and at other times said he was solely trying to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and curb its ballistic missile programme. Iran has consistently denied it is developing nuclear weapons. Read More Irish people in Dubai warned to be careful over online posts Netanyahu was more plain in his objectives, saying the US and Israel were creating the conditions for the Iranian people to topple their government. Israeli analysts suggested the Iran campaign came at a good time for Netanyahu and would boost flagging poll numbers before legislative elections. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters before his scheduled House and Senate Intelligence Committees briefing about Iran on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) In Iran, explosions were heard overnight across the country and particularly in the capital as the US-Israeli campaign continued. Estimates of people killed in the strikes ranged from 787 people to 1,500, including 165 people in a strike on a girls elementary school in southern Iran. Iran continued to shoot bursts of ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted. A few missiles broke through the countrys sophisticated missile defence system, killing 11 people in Israel. Israeli authorities said 12 people had been injured in three Iranian missile attacks on southern Israel, some of which contained cluster munitions a weapon banned by most countries around the world. The US acknowledged the deaths of six soldiers, seemingly killed while stationed in Kuwait. Irans strikes against energy infrastructure in the Gulf have paralysed the oil-rich Gulf states, with Qatar announcing a halt to its largest liquid natural gas production facility, while Saudi Arabia ceased operations at its Ras Tanura oil refinery. Global energy prices jumped further after Iran closed the strait of Hormuz, a global chokepoint for hydrocarbons, hitting several ships who attempted to cross. The strait of Hormuz is closed, said Brig Gen Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, threatening to bomb ships that tried to cross. Dont come to this region. In Lebanon, Israel signalled that its campaign against Hezbollah could also be a long one. Similar to the war in Lebanon 18 months before, Israel steadily emptied out the south of the country through evacuation warnings, then filled in the areas close to the border with Israeli troops. It was unclear, however, what resistance Hezbollah could offer this time, as Israel has severely degraded the groups capabilities through two years of daily airstrikes. Over the last two days, Israel has announced the killing of senior leaders in the group, including Hussein Makled, Hezbollahs intelligence chief. Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) It also targeted the logistical parts of the Lebanese armed group, including the Hezbollah-run bank al-Qard al-Hassan, members of its political bureau, and struck a building belonging to its media channel al-Manar on Tuesday morning. Rights groups have said that it is illegal to attack non-military targets, even if they are affiliated with the group. So far Israeli airstrikes have killed 52 people and displaced at least 29,000 in Lebanon. Hezbollah has continued to attack Israel, announcing that it struck the Ramat David and Meron airbases in northern Israel with one-way drones, and that it had targeted a base in the Golan Heights with rockets. Domestically, Hezbollah has come under fire for pulling Lebanon into a war with Israel, in violation of the governments stated neutrality. On Monday, Lebanons government took the unprecedented step of banning Hezbollahs military and security activity. The government instructed the judiciary to arrest the individuals responsible for firing rockets at Israel. Tens of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travellers are getting out by paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks. Demand for charter flights has skyrocketed, with some people paying up to 200,000 euros (175,000) after major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar, were closed after the start of the conflict last weekend. Travellers from Dubai, usually known as a safe and luxurious destination, are seeking to evacuate by travelling overland either to Muscat, Oman, about a four-hour drive, or to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, more than 10 hours away. Dubai is usually known as a safe and luxurious destination (Fatima Shbair/AP) Then they board one of the few available commercial flights or take a charter flight, whose costs have soared since the start of the war. The demand is huge, and we cant deliver enough aircraft to respond to the demand, said Altay Kula, chief executive of the France-based private jet broker JET-VIP. Whereas normally a charter flight on a private jet that can accommodate up to 16 passengers from Riyadh to Porto in Portugal may cost around 100,000 euros (87,000) these days, the cost has doubled, Mr Kula said. This increase in cost reflects the aircrafts scarcity, the repositioning costs as well, and the operator risk assessments. So this is not speculative pricing, he added. Prices can vary depending on the departure point, the type of aircraft and the route constraints, said Ameerh Naran, chief executive of Vimana Private Jets. A plume of smoke caused by an Iranian strike is seen in the background as an Emirates plane is parked at Dubai International Airport after its closure (Altaf Qadri/AP) For flights from the Gulf region to Europe, prices are ranging from 150,000 euros (130,000) to 200,000 euros, he added. In order to reach functional airports such as those in Riyadh and Muscat, some travellers hire private security companies that co-ordinate transportation in vehicles ranging from ordinary passenger cars to coach buses. Due to the heavy traffic, wait times at border points with Oman can be up to four hours, while costs range in the thousands of dollars, said Ian McCaul, operations and planning director with Alma Risk, a UK-based risk management and security firm. Those seeking to leave are predominantly stranded travellers, as opposed to residents, Mr McCaul added. He estimates his company has made transfer arrangements for more than 200 people and advised several others in recent days. Vimanas clients include business executives, families and entrepreneurs, as well as remote workers who had been based in the region, Mr Naran said. People inside a Dubai Metro station (Fatima Shbair/AP) Elie Hanna, chief executive for the Middle East headquarters of Air Charter Service, based in Dubai, said most of the flights out of the region are leaving from Oman. The prices are so high, he said, because few charter planes are available since most of them are stuck at airports that are now closed. The clients he is seeing range from people who regularly charter private to people who generally fly commercial but are trying to pool resources with other travellers or families to share the expense. Everyone is stressed, Mr Hanna said. To be honest, everyone is trying to accommodate as much as they can. Muscat Airport is overloaded with flights and everybody is stressed. Experts from the International SOS security and health services company expect the fighting to continue to affect transportation and energy infrastructure for weeks. Today Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 77F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. San Francisco (Informed Comment) When Daniel Ellsberg died in 2023, the world lost a unique voice of sanity. Five decades earlier, as a national security insider, he had released the top-secret Pentagon Papers to expose the official lies behind the ongoing Vietnam War. From then on, he never stopped writing, speaking and protesting for peace, while explaining how the madness of nuclear weapons could destroy us all. Now, Ellsbergs voice is back via a compelling new book. Truth and Consequence, being published this week, provides readers with his innermost thoughts, scrawled and typed over a 50-year period. The result is access to intimate candor and visionary wisdom from a truly great whistleblower. My father is dead now, Michael Ellsberg writes in the books introduction, but I for one care a great deal that he consented to allow us to compile this eclectic corpus of his important thoughts and musings. Michael worked with his fathers longtime assistant Jan R. Thomas to sift through and curate the huge quantity of private writing. The books subtitle offering reflections on catastrophe, civil resistance, and hope could hardly be more timely. Now, the barbaric war on Iran is enabled by remaining silent and just following orders. At the center of Truth and Consequence are the tensions between conscience and deference to authority. Dont delegate conscience, Daniel Ellsberg wrote. Most people conform and accept, he noted. A minority protest, withdraw. A tiny minority resist, take risks. The temptation is strong to obey powerful men passively and unquestioningly, Ellsberg observed in 1971, the year he turned himself in for giving the Pentagon Papers to the press and faced the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. He instantly became a pariah among colleagues whod been his friends at the RAND Corporation, a think tank serving the U.S. war machine. Hed been working there as a strategic analyst before and after a stint at the Defense Department. After I released the papers, he vividly remembered, some people were afraid to write to me . . . to shake hands with me . . . to receive a phone call from me. Three years later, his takeaway was: Accept the risks of freedom and commitment, instead of the risks of obedience and conformity. Ellsberg came to see grim downsides of societys upper crust. He had graduated from Harvard and went on to get his PhD there. But in 1976 he wrote: The function of an education at an elite university is to learn inattention and passivity, to learn to disconnect your daily work from the moral values of your family upbringing sharing, love, trust, mutual dependence and be part of maintaining a system of inequality, privilege, unnecessary suffering, war, and risk of extinction. The next year he wrote: I have fallen out of love with the State and its Establishment, and I have regained a hopeful affection in the democratic ideal, process, and people who are untouched by power those outside the base of the existing pyramid of obstruction, power, and privilege. And: Most human-caused destruction, suffering, death, and enslavement (i.e., evil) is performed by men, at the direction of men. These are typically normal, competent, personally agreeable and compassionate men who perform their acts in obedience to lawful orders or, less often, in obedience to unlawful orders. 1982: Massacre is made doable by a chain of command that continually invokes habit, obedience, and career, as well as by leaders geographical and bureaucratic distance from the killing. Ellsberg had extensive firsthand experience in helping to fine-tune preparations for inflicting radioactive Armageddon, especially during the Kennedy presidency. Later, it was a role that haunted him. In this era of the potentially imminent extinction of most of life on Earth, there is now a moral dimension to every aspect of how one spends ones life, he wrote in 1977. The foundation of all morality is that we must now live with awareness of the mortality of our species and the vulnerability of the Earth and all life. 1985: The future is not some place we are going to. The future is what we are creating every day. If we continue to prepare and plan for thermonuclear war, that is what we are going to get. By the time Ellsberg suddenly found himself vilified and beloved for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, he was a devotee of civil disobedience. Use of a radical, novel, powerful, and possibly illegal tactic of nonviolence, he wrote that year, is a form of useful work that is perfectly suited to illustrate the evil being combated. And he added: I have never before shrunk from violence from imagining it, planning it, preparing for it. I have wanted, and I have gained, the respect of violent men. Now I want the respect of gentle women, gentle men, and children. 1984: Nonviolent resistance has a special power to raise the question What can I do to change this situation? I have felt that power in my own life. 1985: One way of calling attention to a danger or an illegal practice is to take an action of obstruction, or symbolic obstruction, that will lead to your being in court. Once there, in the context of your defense you can raise issues of illegality, criminality, constitutionality, and danger. 1986: Nonviolent civil disobedience does not eliminate moral dilemmas, costs, consequences, and lesser evils. However, it does inspire a search for new ways of behaving, seeing, feeling, and being. 1990: Ask yourself, Where is the environment where I can be showing moral courage now? My work? My family? My community? Find the strength and the moral courage to do what is right, without knowing what the effects may be. Offset lithograph poster in collection of Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Museum Purchase, Gift of Richard Rodriguez). The poster reads Anthony Russo on Crisis 73 and a film conversation with Daniel Ellsberg. Olney Hall, College of Marin, Fri Sat 14 iPM $150. Co-sponsored by ASCOM and 6th District Coalition. Public Domain. Via Picryl. Ellsbergs activism took him to jail many more times after he summed up his protest activities this way in 2006: I have been arrested in non-violent civil disobedience actions close to 70 times, probably 50 focused on nuclear weapons: e.g. at the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Production facility, the Nevada Test Site, Livermore Nuclear Weapons Design Facility, and the vicinity of ground zero at both the Nevada Test Site and the Vandenberg Missile Test Site. Other arrests have been for protests against U.S. interventions. Thirty-five years ago, at the time of the Gulf War, Daniel Ellsberg wrote in his journal: There is a time when silence is a lie, when silence is complicity, and when silence betrays our troops, our country, and ourselves. We owe it to our troops, as well as to other potential victims of this war, to speak the truth about ourselves: what we believe, what we reject, and what we want. London (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) Iranian missiles raining down on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), targeting US military facilities but also hitting civilian areas and infrastructure, set an alarming precedent. The United States and Israels assault on Iran has dealt a severe blow to Omans efforts in Geneva last month to revive US-Iran talks. Irans actions likely reflect strategic paralysis, trying to deter without escalating. But now, Gulf states are shifting from diplomatic architects to strategic shock absorbers. Despite the death of long-time leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes, Tehran has persisted with missile fire. This underscores the horizontal power structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with a successor expected to emerge. Israel has also said it will intensify airstrikes in the coming days. Throughout the 2020s, Gulf states have fashioned themselves as indispensable enablers of dialogue between adversaries unable to engage directly. Along with Omans facilitation of US-Iran backchannels, Qatar played a central role in Israel-Hamas mediation. And since the China-brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March 2023, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have UAE balanced their dependence on the US security umbrella with careful diplomacy vis-a-vis Tehran. Since Israels 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, Gulf governments have publicly signalled opposition to escalation, highlighting the broader regional risks. This is especially true of Saudi Arabia, whose Vision 2030 reform agenda depends on sustained foreign investment, regional stability and long-term security perceptions. However, Riyadh is not alone in this; economic modernization and essential infrastructure throughout the Gulf depend on reliable security conditions. Importantly, although the GCC remains concerned about escalation, the crisis has highlighted the extent of the regions strategic alignment with Washington. Amid the Israeli-US strikes, The Washington Post cited multiple US officials asserting that the Saudis, along with Israel, had encouraged Trump to strike Iran a claim Riyadh firmly denied. Moreover, in January, Axios reported that the Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman warned Trump that hesitation in striking Iran could embolden Tehran. It would be an overstatement to argue Riyadh decisively influenced Trumps decision, given the US own military build-up prior to the strikes and Trumps prior escalation rhetoric. However, these reports remain broadly consistent with Riyadhs dual-track position: public calls for de-escalation while strategically aligning with the US. Indeed, its rapprochement with Iran was less an embrace than a hedge, given the Saudi governments main concern is regional security. Notably, while Saudi Arabia condemned Irans retaliatory strikes, it stopped short of condemning the initial US-Israeli attack, signalling its comfort in aligning strategically with Washington. Riyadh is not alone in this, given the other GCC nations Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have all issued denunciations of Irans attacks on Gulf territory. While Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have sought to avoid being at the forefront of any confrontation with Iran, constraining Tehrans regional reach aligns with their long-standing security concerns, particularly given attacks from Yemens Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias on their territory and oil facilities prior to the 2023 detente. Although its security concerns have pushed Riyadh towards Washington, its strategic alignment carries risks. A widening conflict that threatens energy infrastructure or maritime trade would erode investor confidence and undermine the transformation narrative Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has projected. Irans strike on three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of globally traded oil flows, highlights a critical pressure point. Iran may continue to strangle the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the US. Qatar and Oman maintain distinctly diplomatic approaches in regional affairs. While Dohas influence is theoretically substantial due to its hosting of Al Udeid Air Base, Trumps clear commitment to escalation limits the capacity of such relationships to meaningfully affect policy direction. Oman faces similar limitations. Its position as a neutral facilitator has traditionally relied on mutual acknowledgment that dialogue benefits all stakeholders. However, if the United States and Iran continue to prioritise force over negotiation, Muscats ability to promote meaningful discussions becomes significantly constrained. As a result, damage control is the only real practical option left. For the rest of the Gulf, this recalibration reflects a pragmatic hedge, which has long guided its foreign policy calculus. Open opposition to US strategy risks jeopardising core security partnerships, while overt alignment against Iran invites retaliation. Should hostilities remain limited, Gulf states may look to contain the fallout while quietly advocating renewed negotiations. Given Oman expressed its dismay and regret at the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Muscat may work towards encouraging de-escalation, even if that may now prove an arduous task. Doha, Qatar. Juan Cole. But further direct attacks on Gulf territory would likely push the GCC states further into Washingtons orbit. Relations with Iran are currently worsening, given the UAE closed its embassy in Tehran and recalled its ambassador and diplomatic staff.For now, Gulf diplomacy has not vanished. Oman may still seek to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and Gulf states may quietly encourage Washington to avoid uncontrolled escalation. But the era of ambitious mediation between Washington and Tehran is effectively suspended. GCC leaders are instead tightening intra-Gulf security coordination, including with the United States, as reflected in renewed Saudi-Emirati engagement after last years tensions over Yemen, following a call between the two countries leaders. With Trump decisively aligned with Israel, Gulf governments are likely to shape the margins of escalation rather than its direction. And for Saudi Arabia, its fragile rapprochement with Iran is set to slow. But this policy shift shows continuity within the GCC, rather than rupture. Belgian authorities said on Tuesday they had arrested four people as part of a probe targeting a Cameroonian secessionist group over possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. The two English-speaking regions of Francophone-majority Cameroon, in the northwest and southwest, have been plagued since 2016 by a conflict between separatists and state forces. Belgian prosecutors said the arrests followed simultaneous searches in Antwerp and the Flemish town of Londerzeel on Sunday. They came within an investigation launched last summer focusing on individuals residing in Belgium and suspected to be part of the leadership of the Ambazonia Defence Forces, a separatist group. "Money is reportedly being raised for the armed struggle and for the purchase of arms and ammunition, and instructions for attacks and liquidations are said to be given from Belgium," Belgium's federal prosecutor office said. Three of the suspects were remanded in custody by the investigating judge, it added. The conflict in Cameroon erupted after President Paul Biya, who has ruled for more than four decades, violently suppressed peaceful protests by English speakers, many of whom feel marginalised. The anglophone community comprises about 20 percent of the population. At least 6,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict began, according to Human Rights Watch. Belgian prosecutors said they were collaborating with authorities in Norway and the United States, where similar probes are being conducted. The arrests in Belgium follow arrests in both Norway and the United States. Monday, March 2, 2026 - A tragic incident has shocked residents of Roysambu after a 43-year-old woman, Faith Nyagah, was beaten and stabbed to death at her home in Faiths Apartments, Lumumba Drive. Faiths lifeless body was discovered by her daughter on Saturday after she failed to respond to calls on Friday and her phone went unanswered. Distressed, the young girl visited her mothers apartment, only to encounter the horrific scene. Officers from Kasarani Police Station responded to the scene, retrieved the body and transported it to the mortuary for further examination. Authorities have named Flos husband, Daniel Macharia Mburu, as the prime suspect in the killing. He remains at large as investigations continue. Below are photos of the deceased lady. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, 2 March 2026 - As the nation mourns the tragic helicopter crash that claimed six lives, including Emurua Dikir MP, Johana Ngeno, a person who previously flew in this chopper has now spoken publicly, raising serious concerns about its mechanical problems. Osborn Yogo George, who once flew in the same chopper, shared his harrowing experiences. I left Nairobi on this chopper to Kisumu as a single passenger On the actual day, this thing couldnt start. After a little struggle, the thing lifted slightly only to come down, he recalled. In another incident, he described battling a storm over Lake Victoria: We were pushed deep into the lake with heavy wind and rain We prayed!!! Reflecting on the crash, George admitted that he had vowed never to hire the aircraft again. So seeing that it went down killing people, among whom was an MP, hurts me!! This thing ought to have been off the air! The helicopter, registration Airbus 5Y-DSB, was operated by Corporate Helicopters Kenya, a company associated with Royal Media Services owner, S.K. Macharia. The Kenyan DAILY POST Olivia Kelleher A heroic man died after he rushed to save the lives of six people who were struggling in the water at Inch Beach in Co Cork following a sudden and deadly rip current, an inquest has heard. A verdict of accidental death was recorded on Monday at the inquest into the death of Stephen OCallaghan of Ashburton Hill, Montenotte in Cork city. He died of acute respiratory failure due to drowning, having gone to the aid of four young children and their two parents when they got caught up in a powerful rip current shortly before 3pm on August 23rd, 2024. The 55-year-old saved the life of a 10-year-old boy. His nephew Eoghan managed to bring the eight-year-old brother of the boy to safety. Two other children, who were both aged ten, and two women were helped to the shore by members of the local surf club and other locals at the scene who had rushed to their assistance. A mother whose two young boys were saved by Stephen and his nephew said that she had met up with friends and their children at the beach that day. The children had gone for a surf lesson. Then they and their mothers went to the sauna and for a swim. She recalled going into the water. I nor any one of us were out of our depth. The waves were choppy. It was a bright, sunny, windy day. The tide was a long way out. I was watching the kids. "It all happened very fast. I saw (my friend) gesturing for me to come to the left. I tried, but failed. I knew we were in trouble. I was swimming, getting nowhere, and could not find my footing anymore. It was hard to hear with the noise from the wind and water. "I shouted for help, shouting a while whilst keeping an eye on the others. A man standing not far from me (Stephen), he came to my assistance," she said. "I told him I was worried about (her ten year old) He then went to his assistance. He (her eldest son) was the furthest away and crying. Stephen's brave actions saved his life. I was tiring, and could not see everything that was happening around me. "I remember a boy, Eoghan, going to the assistance of my youngest son. He put him on his back and rescued him to safety. She also praised the nieces of the deceased, Grainne and Niamh OCallaghan, who were very reassuring when she and the other mother were in difficulty in the water. She told Coroner Frank OConnell that Stephen and his nephew were heroic. If it was not for the actions and bravery of Stephen, his nieces, nephew and family, we would not have survived. We will be forever thankful for their actions," she said. The inquest also heard from Stephen's brother Keith OCallaghan. He and Stephen were in the water with other family members when conditions deteriorated. Keith said his brother ran into the danger area to assist a child. Keith attempted to support him in the rescue attempt but he got into difficulty and was rescued by a person on a surfboard. A statement from Eoghan OCallaghan was read into evidence. He said that his uncle was an amazing person who was always ready to help anyone. Paddy Enright, who operates a sauna at the beach, ran into the water with two other men to assist those in difficulty in the water. He said that Stephen died a hero having sacrificed his life to help others." Garda Thomas Duane said that Stephen was found face down in a gully on the rocks around 30 minutes after the tragedy occurred. CPR was administered, and he was formally pronounced dead at 4.15pm. Rip currents Garda Duane said the body was swept onto the rocks by a very strong rip current. He said that the actions of the deceased and others prevented an even more serious tragedy from occurring. He confirmed to the Coroner that warning signs in relation to rip currents are on display at the beach. The Garda emphasised that when a rip current occurs, you feel you are standing on nothing. People dont understand how dangerous it is. The Coroner said that multiple deaths could have occurred on the day. Its a terrible tragedy but it could have been a lot worse. The OCallaghan family said that Stephen loved his work with Irish Customs. He also had a passion for music and mountain climbing. They donated his keyboards to a special needs school in the wake of his death. They expressed their appreciation for Garda Thomas Duane, the emergency services and all who assisted the family on the day their brother died. The search and rescue operation had involved the coast guard units at Guileen and Crosshaven, along with the RNLI from Ballycotton and Crosshaven. Rescue Helicopter 117 from Waterford was also tasked to Inch Beach. A number of Kilkenny pubs and restaurants are on cloud nine after receiving nominations for awards at the upcoming Irish Restaurant Awards. Both Langtons and The Marble City Bar have been added to a long list of local nominees. As previously reported by Kilkenny Live, The Tholsel Bar, Bollards Bar, Tabu Tapas in Thomastown and Mick Doyle's Pub in Graignamanagh all received the nod. - READ MORE HERE The Irish Restaurant Awards celebrate the very best of Irelands food, hospitality, and dining culture. Now in their 17th year, the awards have grown to become one of the most respected and eagerly anticipated events in the Irish culinary calendar. Each year, the programme receives over 160,000 public nominations and incorporates more than 6,000 hospitality businesses from across the country. Judged through a combination of public voting, mystery guest inspections, and expert industry panels, the Awards ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of Irelands top hospitality offerings. READ NEXT: 'Exciting news' - brand new store to open in Kilkenny city centre "We're beyond delighted to be nominated at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2026! A fantastic 12 nominations in total," The Marble City posted to social media. "A huge thank you to all who voted!! Looking forward to a fantastic awards night," they added. Meanwhile, Langtons were equally as thrilled with their selection. "We are absolutely delighted to be nominated for a huge 13 awards at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2026," the city hotel said. "A massive thank you to everyone who vote, we truly appreciate your support, and we look forward the awards night." FOR MORE LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS, CLICK HERE A special event was held at the Set Theatre on Monday last, a musical celebration of the living Irish tradition with and for the youth of Kilkenny. The numbers attending spoke volumes. coming as they did, not just from all-Irish schools, but from a cross section of the schools in Kilkenny. As the saying goes, moll an oige agus tiocfaidh si - and its clear that the growth of interest and gra for the Irish language is being pushed forward by this coming generation, both nationally and locally. As part of the momentum driving the language and this years events, local band Burnchurch brought their high-energy sound, with two shows for the students from schools across the city. The band intend to make this an annual event for schools around the county, and judging by the enthusiastic reception to the concert, it can only grow. Seachtain na Gaeilge is the perfect occasion for bringing music and language directly to students to ensure that Gaeilge is not just a school subject, but a living entity. TAP HERE FOR MORE WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY The band attributes much of the renewed interest in the Irish language to Belfasts Kneecap, who have played a huge part in reviving the language, bringing it to international stages and making it a part of the mainstream. This is a busy time for Burnchurch with gigs almost every day over the next two weeks. They are due to play at UCDs Astra Hall this week and at Maynooth university the following week. Gigs in Cork and Killarney main street are planned over the next few weeks. The bands latest single Samba na hEireann has been a great success, with multiple airplays on national and local radio. It also made RTEs recommended music list the week of its release and they filled the legendary Abbey Tavern as part of the Dublin TradFest festival. Burnchurch will also be playing live in the Left Bank on Sunday, March 15 at 6pm as part of St Patricks Day festival celebrations. This show is open to the public, free of charge. A Kilkenny man who is currently in the United Arab Emirates has shared what it's like there at the moment as he attempts to travel to safety. Brendan Morrissey regularly visits the Middle East and is currently there to launch a platform that will help deliver trauma-informed care courses to children in Gaza. His experience there this time round is very different from any of his previous visits. "There are constant thuds that dont echo the way construction does; it lingers. From my hotel window, Ive watched streaks of light cut across the sky. Missiles neutralised mid-air by the UAE defence forces. Its technically impressive but disorienting," Brendan explained. He added how you can see smoke and debris, but it doesn't look like the "cinematic collapse" as social media is suggesting. READ NEXT: Two Kilkenny young people suffering from rare disease make plea to Health Minister Roads are working, just quiet, and cafes remain open. In terms of the atmosphere in Dubai, Brendan says there's "tension but not hysteria." "The city feels like its bracing rather than panicking. The strangest part is the coexistence of two realities. Online, its being narrated as a collapse by stupid influencers. On the ground, it feels like a city determined to continue functioning," he added. People are being told very little about what's happening, and any information shared is done so with "calm language" and "assurances of control." A government briefing that took place earlier today highlighted how the UAE Ministry of Defence's air defence forces have intercepted and destroyed 152 ballistic missiles and 506 drones out of 165 ballistic missiles and 541 drones launched from Iran since February 18. Between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, three people have died, and 58 have been injured. As Brendan attempts to leave Dubai, he hopes to end up in Oman, but if that's not possible, he will head for Saudi, towards Riyadh. "Ive booked backup routes that only exist in theory until the airspace holds steady long enough to use them. Right now, travel feels less like planning and more like waiting for a window," he shared. He has been advised by a friend in the Ministry of Defence to avoid getting on a plane while there are so many missiles being fired. He was also told, "Dont panic to get out." "I have a backup flight booked to Geneva and Dublin should the airspace reopen long enough to make departure possible. For now, movement depends less on intention and more on permission," Brendan said. READ NEXT: 'Help us' - Kilkenny IWA members stage local protest in bid for emergency supports "You have to stay prepared under these circumstances and be prepared for the worst," he added. The authorities in the UAE are assuring people there that they are safe and have been highlighting that there are "comprehensive and integrated" defense systems in place. For Brendan, his bag remains packed until he gets the opportunity to go. A Kilkenny woman living with a rare degenerative neurological disease has urged the government to make the first approved treatment for the condition available to her and others impacted across the country. Emily Felix, a trainee solicitor from Gowran, was first diagnosed with the largely unheard-of Friedreichs Ataxia in September 2010 at just 12 years of age, a diagnosis that would change her life forever. Before her diagnosis, Emilys family had been concerned about many worrying trends, poor balance and difficulty running. What was initially dismissed as clumsiness later emerged as the little-known medical condition, a rare neurodegenerative disorder which causes progressive damage to the nervous system. READ NEXT: 'Exciting news' - brand new store to open in Kilkenny city centre Sixteen years on, the illness has become part of Emilys everyday life. From adapting her routine to managing increasing physical challenges, she has learned to live with the reality of the condition. Now, however, she and other campaigners believe there is reason for hope and are calling on the government to provide critical funding for the drug, Skyclarys, a drug first developed in 2023 which is believed to slow down the progression of the condition. "I know its not a cure and it wont reverse all the damage that has been done and all the abilities I had, but it will pause the deterioration where it is so that I can have a future and I can maintain what I have, Emily told Kilkenny Live. "I work very hard to preserve the strength that I have. I go to the gym twice a week, and I work very hard physically to maintain what I have, but at the moment, Im doing this in vain. As much as I do, my ability is lost either way. So it would be great to have a treatment which would allow me to continue living a life that I can live independently, travel the world, work full-time and continue to study to become a solicitor," Emily continued. LISTEN: Jarlath Burns officially opens O'Loughlin Gaels' new facilities - Kilkenny Live "Also it removes that fear of the future. It removes the overwhelming fear of not knowing month to month, year to year, what abilities Im going to lose. Its a lifeline. Its not a cure, but its the next best thing. I dont think the people making these decisions realise." she explained. Approximately, 200 people live with Friedreichs ataxia in Ireland presently, a stat Emily believes shouldnt diminish the importance of importing this new drug, arguing people with the illness should not be condemned to a life as a vulnerable minority. Sister Anna believes that the rarity of the condition should not overshadow its significance. "The importance of awareness and support cannot be understated. We live in a system that responds to numbers and groups that can shout the loudest. This means we are pushed to the sidelines as there are fewer patients and fewer voices in the room. We are calling on our community for support," Anna said. "Actions will speak louder than words," Emily concluded, revealing she and other campaigners had a productive meeting with TDs in Leinster House last week. FOR MORE KILKENNY CITY NEWS, CLICK HERE Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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. Iarnrod Eireann paid out almost 150,000 in over 5,500 compensation payments to passengers for delayed, dirty, and overcrowded trains in the first 10 months of 2024. European Transport Committee MEP, Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, said she obtained the figures after a "12-month battle" with Iarnrod Eireann to release them. Iarnrod Eireann has paid passengers compensation for issues such as late trains, rude staff, cancellations, train failures, reserved seats being occupied, overcrowding, cleanliness issues, anti-social behaviour, and inappropriate behaviour of staff. The figures show that Iarnrod Eireann paid out 148,934.08 to passengers in the first 10 months of 2024. When travelling by rail, passengers are protected by EU wide travel rights which includes refunds for delays, Ni Mhurchu said. Iarnrod Eireann have incorporated EU passenger rights into a Customer Charter which sets out their commitments to hitting a range of targets when it comes to customer service. For delays of between one and two hours, Iarnrod Eireann commit to refunding 50 per cent of that journey in Irish Rail vouchers or 25 per cent in cash. For delays of over two hours, Iarnrod Eireann commit to a full refund in vouchers or a 50 per cent refund in cash. They also commit to a full refund, in vouchers, if your reserved seat is unavailable and there is no other seat of the same standard on the train. Ni Mhurchu said that she warmly welcomes recent investment announcements at Iarnrod Eireann, but said there is little point in having more train schedules until punctuality, cleanliness, and safety for passengers is improved. Big announcements are great but if we want people to make the switch from the car to the train, then our trains have to be clean, on time and focused on better customer service. "Iarnrod Eireann likes to trumpet a 93 per cent satisfaction rate on its intercity services but when youre running 12 million journeys a year on those services, that still leaves roughly 840,000 unhappy passengers every single year (7 per cent). Thats hardly a customer service record to be boasting about. CCTV footage of an alleged assault in Portlaoise was shown at the local district court to allow Judge Susan Fay to determine whether the matter could be dealt with at district court level. Garda sgt JJ Kirby also handed in photographs of the alleged injuries sustained by the alleged injured party to assist the judge in her decision. Sgt Kirby told the court that an alleged altercation had occurred between two men at the defendants home on 9 August 2025. A short snippet of CCTV footage showed an incident involving two people on the footpath outside 13 Clondarrig Court, Bellingham, Portlaoise. A woman could also be seen in the footage picking up discarded bags of takeaway food from the driveway. Sukhpreet Bawa (43), 13 Clondarrig Court is charged with assault causing harm in relation to the incident. After viewing the CCTV footage and photographs, Judge Fay said she was accepting jurisdiction in the case. She remanded Mr Bawa on continuing bail to 16 March to allow him to decide whether he will enter a guilty or not guilty plea. Mr Bawas solicitor Brian Duffy applied for free legal aid, telling the judge that his client had significant mortgage outgoings and children to support. Judge Fay granted the application. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme. LAOIS Scout member Keelin OBrien (15) is recovering following her journey to Iceland for the 2026 Crean Challenge. The Crean Challenge is an annual event inspired by Irish explorer Tom Crean. It is designed for scouts aged from 13-15 years old and takes place over an eight-month period. The challenge culminates in a week-long expedition to Iceland. As part of the challenge, Keelin took part in 4 training weekends throughout the year. She also completed a personal project, a special interest badge, and four training hikes. The training hikes are over 16 kilometres long and above 600 metres in elevation. It allowed Keelin to gain hands-on experience in patrol practice, navigation, map work, route planning and more. She also practiced with gear she would later use in Iceland, such ice axes and crampons. Keelin and a group of 13 fellow scouts left for Iceland on Friday 13 February. They returned on Sunday 22. In Iceland, Keelin did two training hikes of approximately 10 kilometres. A scheduled hike up the mountains, due to take place Wednesday 18, was postponed to Thursday due to a snowstorm. On Thursday morning, the scouts rose early and hiked up the mountains for 20 kilometres. They spend the night in huts. Although conditions were freezing, the hut was actually really warm, says Keelin. It's a really small room and there's 32 of us in this tiny room, but outside was absolutely freezing. Keelin bonded with her fellow scouts on the trip. We cried a lot leaving the airport. I do miss it a lot. Although Keelin is drawn to the outdoors, for her the biggest joy of scouts is meeting new people. Within scouting, everybody is so different, and they come from so many different backgrounds and experiences but the outdoors is the one thing we have in common. It's really nice to be with people who like the same thing as you but also have so many different experiences. Keelin is currently fundraising for the World Scouting Jamboree 2027, which takes place in Poland. The Jamboree is a meeting of scouting groups from around the world. Keelin, alongside other fellow scouts from Ireland, were selected to represent the country at this international event. For newcomers, Keelin recommends not diving headfirst into the biggest challenge, but building skills gradually. She would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in taking part. Donations can be made on Keelins GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/keelin-spread-her-wings A LAOIS business owner has hit out at US trade barriers after his products were returned for the third time on what he calls dubious grounds. Kevin Scully, owner of The Merry Mill in Vicarstown, has posted a video to the businesss Facebook page in which directly addresses US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Mr Scully says The Merry Mill organic oats firm has been supplying the United States for the last eight years. It is only within the last three weeks or so that issues have arisen. We have a problem, the business owner begins in the video. This is the third parcel that has been returned to us this week. He points to a label placed on the returned package by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which states it had exceeded the $100 limit. Mr Scully says in the video, posted last week, that his firm was unaware of such a limit. Its new to us, he says. Speaking to the Laois Nationalist yesterday (Monday), Mr Scully says that some packages were returned with no explanation. He denies that any parcel exceeds a limit. This is a little under 50 in order value. Im not sure what the exchange rate is at the moment, but I wouldnt imagine its worth $100. In fact, 50 is worth approximately $58.66. [The FDA] has an order value of over 100, but we'd be aware of that, and we'd be telling our customers to keep the order value in around 50 just in case it gets rejected, the businessman says. We've been at that since [President Trump] brought in the tariff thing and there was no major issue with that. Mr Scully draws on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s populist slogan Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), which is ostensibly a call to promote a healthy lifestyle among American citizens. We would love to be a part of that, Mr. Scully says. The Merry Mill sells certified organic gluten-free oats. The business aims to minimise environmental impact and deliver healthy products. We have had very loyal customers over there from the start, says Mr Scully. I really feel bad for them because they can't get any product close to the quality that we supply. The Merry Mill Owner, Kevin Scully. He continues: Good food is medicine They have children with issues, some of them have children who are chronic coeliacs and they're highly sensitive to glyphosate, and it's hard because over there they spray a lot of crops with planes, so that even organic producers are getting caught with glyphosate. This isnt healthy for our bank balance, the business owner continues in the video, pointing to the returned package as he notes: This left our mill last Monday, travelled around the world, and its back with us today at a cost to us. Mr Scully told this newspaper that the business is at the stage where it will probably have to stop supplying the United States for the moment due to cost. He says he has been unable to get through to the FDA, adding: Some of our customers have connections in the field over there and they're trying to see if they can find out for us what's going on. Mr. Scully closes the video by noting that Ireland is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s ancestral home. You could have a look into this, because definitely we will not be a part of making America healthy again unless we can get this through your security system. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday 21 February that he plans to raise the global tariff rate to 15 per cent. A ROAD Safety Authority employee was among five motorists who appeared before Carlow District Court for speeding offences detected by a fixed camera on the N80 at Graiguenaspiddoge. Judge Geraldine Carthy said she had received an email from defendant Noel McGoldrick in relation to his appearance for a speeding offence. She smiled before noting: He works for the Road Safety Authority. The case was adjourned to March. All of the speeding offences related to a fixed speed camera on the N80 between Carlow town and Ballon at Graiguenaspiddoge. The court heard that on 24 July 2025 at 7.30am at Graiguenaspiddoge, Co Carlow, Ricardo De Souza Bezerra, 47 Brookhurst, Castle Oaks, Carlow was clocked travelling at 122kph in a 100kph zone. The court saw a certificate of postage for the fixed-charge penalty and a copy of a document proving Mr De Souza Bezerra was the registered owner of the vehicle at the time. Judge Carthy convicted and fined him 200, with 90 days to pay. Robert OSullivan, who represented himself in court, was clocked travelling at 111kph in the 100kph zone at 11.34am on the same day, at the same location. The judge asked him if he remembered the day in question, which he did. The defendant said that the fixed-charge notice was sent to a different address than where he was now getting post. Hence why youre here, observed the judge. Mr OSullivan was told that there was an opportunity to date back his payment, but then he found out that it was too late. Judge Carthy convicted and fined him 101, with 90 days to pay, reminding him that the sting in the tail would be the penalty points attached to the speeding offence. At 9.24pm at the same location and on the same day, Louise Fahys vehicle was clocked travelling at 129kph in the 100kph zone. Judge Carthy noted her non-appearance in court and convicted and fined her 200, with 90 days to pay. Michael Connorss vehicle was clocked travelling at 115kph in the 100kph zone at 4.50pm on the same day, in the same location. A fixed-charge notice was issued and unpaid. Judge Carthy convicted and fined him 150 to be paid within 90 days. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Farmers who occupied the Bord Bia HQ are 'heroes' according to Laois man and IFA President Francie Gorman. The Ballinakill farmer was speaking in the wake of the conclusion of a nearly month-long protest in Dublin over the continued chairmanship of Larry Murrin on the board. Board members agreed to an independent review, but Larry Murrin will step aside from chairing the meetings. Normal board meetings will be chaired by another board member during the governance review. Mr Gorman said that a full governance review of Bord Bia announced at a special board meeting, which he attended, would examine issues that have come to light during the controversy. In a statement, the IFA said it had put a proposal to the board ten days ago that identified seven strands that should be examined and that the Chair would step aside while these are being considered. The association said this was the basis of the outcome. As a result, the IFA agreed to stand down their protest until the review is complete. Five farmers had occupied the building for 28 days with a rolling 24-hour protest outside for 36 days. These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside, said Mr Gorman. MORE BELOW PHOTO. PICTURED: Laois IFA members were among the many farmers to protest at Martin Heydon's constituency office in Newbridge over the Bord Bia chairman. The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon was critical of IFA during the row but welcomed the agreement reached at a board meeting called to discuss the impasse. READ ALSO: Laois ploughers spring into life - PICTURES I am pleased that my proposal for an independent governance review of the board of Bord Bia has been accepted and that the ongoing protest has been stood down. Larry Murrin will remain as chair of Bord Bia and as agreed by the board and the chair in the interests of moving forward, during the period of the review scheduled board meetings will be facilitated by another current board member. MORE BELOW PHOTO. Pictured: Laois man and IFA President was joined by other Laois farmers in calling for Mr Murrin to step down. Bord Bia are also progressing a new Farmers Forum which will provide an opportunity for renewed engagement between farmers and Bord Bia. It is now time to come together to support the essential work of Bord Bia, which delivers important benefits for farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole, he said. READ ALSO: Tractor roar in Laois Offaly town for unique Lions Club fundraiser - PICTURES While there was no Laois farmer in Bord Bia, Laois IFA members were among the many farmers who protested on a 24 hour rota outside the building. A Laois Brazilian community group have appealed for Laois locals to support their latest fundraising initiative in aid of an important cultural celebration. Laois Brazilian Support Association (LABRAS) will be hosting a Bake Sale on Sunday March 8, from 1pm to 4pm at Laois Partnership Company on New Road, Portlaoise. LABRAS is a non-profit local community group, led by a dedicated team of volunteers, and has been running since 2020. The fundraiser is to support their largest annual event each year, the Festa Junina. Festa Junina is an annual celebration in Brazil, celebrated in the month of June. Pictured: Festa Junina in Portlaoise, 2025. Photo: Renata Metelicka "We warmly invite the community to join us for an afternoon of coffee, tea, and delicious Brazilian treats, all in support of an important cause close to our hearts," a representative told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. "Over the past few years, we have successfully organised many events across Laois that celebrate Brazilian culture while fostering inclusion, connection, and a strong sense of belonging," the group said. "Due to reduced public funding, we are now organising this bake sale to help raise funds for our largest annual event, the Festa Junina. "This free event featured live music, traditional food, games for children, and a joyful atmosphere enjoyed not only by the Brazilian, Irish, and wider migrant community in Laois, but also by people who travelled from Limerick, Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Naas, and many other towns across the country," the association explained. So far, LABRAS has proudly organised five Festa Junina celebrations, with the 2025 Festa Junina being a particular success, welcoming approximately 500 people. Beyond large-scale events, LABRAS also runs ongoing projects that promote integration between families and support Brazilian Portuguese as a heritage language. These include mother and baby meetups, Portuguese storytelling sessions at the local library, and last year's launch of the LABRIS Little Library, a free public library of Portuguese-language books accessible to the entire community. "At the moment, we are struggling to secure sufficient funding," LABRAS admitted. "While our goal is always to keep our activities and events free and accessible, we truly need community support to continue this work. This bake sale is a vital part of helping us keep our projects alive and our community connected. "On the day, there will be plenty of Brazilian traditional food, including coxinha, a variety of cakes, and other homemade delights. We will also be pre-selling traditional dishes, such as feijoada (Brazilian beef stew)," they said. "Everyone is invited to stop by, enjoy a coffee or tea with us, and help support a community initiative that brings people together, one slice of cake at a time," the group finished. For more information on the fundraiser, click here. A long-serving Fianna Fail councillor is set to step aside from Laois County Council. Cllr Padraig Fleming has informed his Fianna Fail colleagues that he will step down from active politics in March. It is understood he reached the decision on health grounds. A brother of Laois TD Sean Fleming, he has served on Laois County Council since 2009, when he was elected to the Luggacurren Electoral Area after many years of being active in Fianna Fail, especially since his brother was elected to the Dail in 1997. He was returned to represent the new Graiguecullen Portarlington Municipal District at the 2014 local elections. He successfully retained his seat at two subsequent elections in 2019 and 2014. A native of The Swan, he achieved his best election result in 2019 when he topped the poll, taking the first seat with 1,761 first preference votes. READ NEXT: Laois historian gives voice to forgotten key figure of Irish history Cllr Fleming has twice served as Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council. He completed his second term in the summer of 2025. Among the highlights was walking down 5th Avenue in New York on St Patrick's Day and hosting a Civic Reception for Francie Gorman on his election as the IFA President. Apart from politics, Cllr Fleming has been an active member of his community for decades. He spent many years promoting activities for young people through Ossory Youth. MORE BELOW PHOTO. Cllr Padraig Fleming and his wife Catherine at the Midlands Park Hotel for the Laois Fianna Fail celebration of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the party. Pic: Alf Harvey READ NEXT: Fantastic Fianna Fail 100th celebration in Laois IN PICTURES Cllr Fleming confirmed his departure to Cllr John Joe Fennelly, the chair of Fianna Fail on Laois County Council, on March 2. His final council meeting will be the next monthly Council meeting on March 30. It is anticipated that a replacement could be in place as early as the April council meeting. Cllr Fleming will be the second Laois councillor to step aside since the 2024 local elections. Fine Gael co-opted Cllr Paddy Buggy to fill a vacancy in the Portlaoise District created following the election of Willie Aird to the Dail in the 2024 General Election. A Laois woman and cancer survivor has called on people across the county to go all in against cancer for Daffodil Day on Friday, March 20. Caroline Overton from Emo was working as a nurse in the emergency department of the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise in 2021 when she experienced concerning symptoms such as hiccups and acid reflux. However, she put these down to the stressful nature of her job. The 62-year-old went to see her GP the following month, who then referred her for an endoscopy. She underwent the endoscopy in November 2021 which then revealed her cancer diagnosis. The mother of three said: "My husband, David, was brought in after I had the endoscopy, and we were given the news. We were told they found an eight-centimetre tumour in my oesophagus. "We just couldnt believe it. Cancer was so far off our Richter scale of things that we thought couldve caused the symptoms I had before. They found out that the tumour was going along my oesophagus. It was linear, so it wasnt blocking the food that I ate, it was only slowing it down." READ NEXT: PICTURES: Laois ploughers spring into life Shortly after she was diagnosed, Caroline went to the Cuisle Cancer Support Centre in Portlaoise to access Irish Cancer Society-funded counselling, which she found hugely beneficial. "I knew I needed help and a sense of direction when I was going through everything. I needed tools to cope, and counselling gave me those tools," Caroline explained. "We did things in the counselling sessions like visualising going for a PET scan, because I was so worried about it, but doing that made it a lot easier when I actually did it." Caroline had chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumour and thankfully she is now doing well. She medically retired from the hospital in 2023. Life has changed a lot for Caroline since her diagnosis, as she said herself: "Ive changed a lot since I was diagnosed. Im more active now, Ive lost four stone since I was diagnosed and I exercise five or six times a week. Im not the same person I was in 2021. Everything is different now, but in a really good way." The Laois woman has encouraged everyone in the county to show their support for vital cancer services this Daffodil Day. "Every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real lasting difference, fuelling life-changing cancer research and vital support services. I would encourage everyone to please get out there on Daffodil Day, March 20, and show your support for those affected by cancer in your local community." READ NEXT: Laois historian gives voice to forgotten key figure of Irish history Through the phenomenal generosity of the public, the Irish Cancer Society has been able to provide extensive supports to people in Laois as well as invest in groundbreaking research. Last year alone, the Irish Cancer Society provided over 470 free lifts to bring local cancer patients in Laois to their treatment. They also provided over 360 free counselling sessions and their cancer nurses had 180 conversations with people from the county through their Support Line and Daffodil Centres. And, importantly, they also provided over 250 nights of free Night Nursing care which allowed cancer patients in Laois to die peacefully at home surrounded by their families. Speaking ahead of this year's Daffodil Day, Irish Cancer Society's Acting CEO Edel Shovlin said: "Cancer doesnt wait and neither can we. This year, thousands of people in Ireland will hear the words, You have cancer. Behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, a future suddenly filled with uncertainty. But this Daffodil Day, there is also determination, compassion and groundbreaking research driving real progress. "Daffodil Day 2026 is about turning solidarity into action. The funds raised dont just support vital, life-changing cancer research they provide immediate, practical help for people facing cancer right now. From free counselling and transport to treatment, to Night Nursing care that allows someone to spend precious time at home, your support makes an extraordinary difference." She urged: "Communities across Laois, and throughout Ireland will once again come together to paint the country yellow standing shoulder to shoulder with patients and their families. But we need this to be our biggest Daffodil Day yet. When you donate or get involved, youre not just giving money youre giving comfort, hope and time. Together, we can ensure that no one in Ireland faces cancer alone." A member of An Garda Siochana who has been charged with rape and child cruelty in Donegal faces a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The man, who is currently suspended from the force, appeared before Letterkenny District Court on Tuesday afternoon when a book of evidence was served. READ NEXT: Pedestrian in his 30s fighting for his life following hit and run in Kerry Detective Sergeant Kieran Naughton of the Division Protective Services Unit, based in Sligo, gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on the man, who cannot be named due to the nature of the alleged offences. Detective Sergeant Naughton said he met with the accused man in the body of Letterkenny courthouse and handed him the book of evidence and endorsed the declaration of service. State Solicitor for Donegal, Mr Kieran Dillon, told the court that the Director of Prosecutions (DPP) has consented to the man being sent forward for trial to the current sitting of the Central Criminal Court. The accused man was present in court, but did not speak during the hearing. He was represented by his solicitor, Mr Robert Ryan. He is accused of two counts of raping a female, offences that are alleged to have occurred in 2021 at an address in County Donegal. The charges are contrary to section 48 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861 and Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981 as amended by section 21 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990. READ NEXT: 'I would rather sit in the cold'- Irish people outraged as price in oil soars overnight The man is also charged with three counts of child cruelty between 2015 and 2024, also at a location in County Donegal. He is charged with being a person having custody, charge and the care of a child did wilfully: assault, ill-treat and neglect the said child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering/injury to the childs health or seriously to affect her well being. The charges are contrary to section 246(1) and (2) of the Children Act, 2001. The man is also charged that, on a date unknown between April 2021 and April 2022, at an address in County Donegal, he did assault a female, causing her harm. That charge is contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Judge Emile Daly noted the DPPs consent and made an order returning the accused for trial to the Central Criminal Court. Judge Daly administered the alibi warning and made a section 56 order, relating to recordings of interviews. Bail was granted to the accused on the same terms and conditions. READ NEXT: ALERT! Parents warned as popular toy sold in Ireland recalled over serious choking fears He was granted bail on condition that he: reside at an address approved by Gardai; notify the authorities of any change to his address; abide by a safety order that is in place; have no contact, directly or indirectly with any alleged injured parties; and to notify Gardai of any intention to travel outside of Ireland. Legal aid was granted to Mr Ryan and two legal counsel are to be assigned in the case. An Coimisiun Pleanala have granted permission for a 615 acre solar farm in Laois, with 14 conditions attached. rsted Onshore Ireland Midco Limited was granted planning permission for the 249 hectare, or 615 acre, solar farm by Laois County Council in September 2025, across Morett, Killone, Cappakeel, Rossmore and Raheennahown North near Emo. The decision was appealed to An Coimisiun Pleanala by Tom Kerney Tom & Clair Milner, Damien McCarthy, Shane and Ailish Mooney, David Hainsworth and others in October 2025. In 2025, the Leinster Express / Laois Live spoke with locals who objected to the development, and rsted representatives on their concerns. Read the story here. Pictured: landscape plans for the development of the 600 acre solar farm in Laois submitted to Laois County Council The solar farm is to be built on five parcels of land belonging to 13 consenting landowners. The development will consist of a 10-year permission and 40-year operational life. It will feature 1,796,838 square metres of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames; 44 hardstandings for electrical skids and storage; underground power and communication cables and ducts and 22,753 metres of fencing surrounding the area. A whopping 86 submissions were made to the Council related to the solar farm. Of the 14 conditions attached to the development by An Coimisiun Pleanala, one states that prior to any works commencing, a full decommissioning statement and plan must be provided to the planning authority. Pictured: File photo of solar farm The developers must provide a detailed restoration plan and a timescale for its implementation, providing for the removal of the solar arrays, including all foundations, anchors, concrete shoes, inverter/transformer stations, control building, CCTV cameras, fencing and site access to a specific timescale. The site shall be restored in accordance with this plan and all decommissioned structures shall be removed within three months of decommissioning. Other conditions state that the development must be carried out in line with planning, ecological and environmental regulations related to glint and glares from the solar panels, archaeology, landscape and visual assessments, flood risk assessments, heritage reports and more. The authority stated that this permission shall not be construed as any form of consent or agreement to a connection to the national grid or to the routing or nature of any such connection. No artificial lighting shall be installed or operated on site unless authorised by a prior grant of planning permission. CCTV cameras shall be fixed and angled to face into the site and shall not be directed towards adjoining property or the road. The solar panels shall have driven or screw pile foundations only, unless otherwise authorised by a separate grant of planning permission. Cables within the site shall be located underground. The permission shall be for a period of 40 years from the date of the commissioning of the solar array. The solar array and related ancillary structures shall then be decommissioned and removed unless, prior to the end of the period, planning permission shall have been granted for their continuance for a further period. In their initial submission for planning approval from Laois County Council, rsted informed the Council that due to variables in solar conditions and technology, they were unable to give planners an exact figure of how much power would be generated. Fresh off their huge win over Down last weekend, Kildare face Carlow this Sunday at 2pm in Cedral St Conleth's Park in their penultimate Allianz Hurling League Division 1B game. The fixture will be streamed live on TG4 player/app with deferred coverage to be shown on TG4 as well. The Lilies have done a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of securing Division 1B survival with wins over Antrim and Down already secured. They face a Carlow side that took a home venue trimming to Clare last time out where they were handily beaten 1-28 to 0-18 and remain on a dangerous tally of just two points. The Dolmen County crucially beat fellow relegation-contenders Down on the opening day but fell to Antrim by 13 points when they visited Corrigan Park on February 22. READ NEXT: 'You get no points for coming close' Hat-trick hero Dowling delighted with Kildare's win over Down In truth, it wouldn't be getting above your station to say that Kildare should be winning this game, particularly on home soil. Brian Dowling's men, alongside an impressive Dublin side, are the only teams to have laid a glove on runaway table-toppers Clare and have dominated in their two winning fixtures so far. Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has welcomed the end of a long-running sit-in protest at Bord Bia following a commitment for an independent review. The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) said it had been protesting at Bord Bias offices since January 26 as part of a dispute with the state agency charged with promoting and enforcing standards in Irish food. Five people had been occupying the lobby of the building since February 3. Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin has faced calls to step down after revelations that his company Dawn Farm Foods sourced less than 1% of its beef from Brazil last year for contingency planning in a contract. Kildare South TD and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Mr Heydon welcomed the agreement at the board meeting called to discuss the current impasse. I am pleased that my proposal for an independent governance review of the board of Bord Bia has been accepted and that the ongoing protest has been stood down, he said. Larry Murrin will remain as chair of Bord Bia and as agreed by the board and the chair in the interests of moving forward, during the period of the review scheduled board meetings will be facilitated by another current board member. Mr Heydon added: Bord Bia are also progressing a new Farmers Forum which will provide an opportunity for renewed engagement between farmers and Bord Bia. It is now time to come together to support the essential work of Bord Bia, which delivers important benefits for farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole. Mr Murrin appeared before a committee earlier this month and said that while his company mostly buys from Irish farmers, he needed to demonstrate that Ireland can import beef from somewhere else as part of contingency planning. He said allegations of a conflict of interest are false and driven by social media. The Bord Bia board agreed to an independent expert-led governance review into its operations during a meeting on Monday. Mr Murrin is to stand aside from chairing board meetings for the duration of the review, however he is to remain as chairman. IFA president Francie Gorman said five heroic farmers occupied Bord Bia for 28 days. IFA had put a proposal to the board 10 days ago that identified seven strands that should be examined and that the chair would step aside while these are being considered. This was the basis of todays outcome, he said. IFA has agreed to stand down their protest until the review is complete and while Larry Murrin is not chairing board meetings.Five farmers have occupied the building for 28 days with a rolling 24-hour protest outside for 36 days. These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside. Eurovision winner Dana has accepted the invitation of Laois native Fr Liam Merrigan to speak at the upcoming Novena in Monasterevin, Co Kildare where he is Parish Priest. The Derry native is the first guest speaker in the five-night Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which will take place at St Peter & St Paul Church, Monasterevin, starting on Monday, March 9. The annual event, themed 'Baptised & Sent', will begin each evening at 7.30 pm and feature a range of guest speakers sharing personal stories of faith, service and outreach. Dana Rosemary Scallon, known for her career in music and public life, won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970 before entering politics in 1997. Based in the US for some years, she was a Member of the European Parliament and also contested presidential elections in Ireland. On Tuesday, March 10, representatives from Cuan Mhuire addiction treatment centre in Athy will address those in attendance, focusing on support available for individuals battling addiction. Wednesdays reflection will be led by recently ordained deacon Declan Prendergast, who will share his personal journey and vocation story. READ ALSO: Big overhaul of historic feature at Laois hospital in Portlaoise A guest speaker for Thursday night is yet to be confirmed. The Novena will conclude on Friday with a talk from Conor Kelly of Trocaire, who has recently returned from working as a Field Officer in Malawi. Fr Merrigan, who hails from Portlaoise, says all are welcome to attend the nightly services which concludes on March 13. A primary school teacher from Portlaoise is among the many Irish people fearing for their safety in the Middle East following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran over the weekend. Following the launch of the US and Israel's attack on Iran on Saturday, February 28, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at northern Israel and US military bases in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain have been targeted by the Iranian strikes, causing major concern for the Irish diaspora in the region. Ellen O'Sullivan from Portlaoise is among the large cohort of Irish citizens living in the UAE. Ellen has lived in Abu Dhabi since 2022, and was even in the running to be the Dubai Rose for the International Rose of Tralee Festival in 2024. Speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, the primary school teacher described the situation in the UAE as "quite scary at the moment." READ NEXT: WATCH: Laois Rose secures her spot in Dancing with the Stars Semi-Final! "We have been instructed to shelter in place and school has moved online for the next few days as the situation is being monitored," Ellen explained. "We are hearing a lot of banging as the UAE military intercept missiles. A port close to the city is currently on fire in Abu Dhabi. We heard reports that a French navy base had been hit. We havent heard anything official yet though. Its all very unsettling." Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee spoke with the UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday, March 1 regarding the escalation in the conflict and the Irish population there. Following the call, Minister McEntee said: "In this uncertain time, the safety of Irish citizens in the UAE and wider region is my utmost priority and I deeply appreciate the efforts of the UAE Government to keep all residents safe and informed." The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs have issued the second-highest warning level to any travel to the UAE, advising against any non-essential travel. They said: "Countries or territories at this level have serious and potentially life-threatening risks. Our ability to provide consular assistance to Irish citizens in this location is extremely limited." Meanwhile, Irish people currently in the UAE have been told to shelter in place and follow local Government advice. An Afghan man who sexually abused a vulnerable woman in a swimming pool steam room has been jailed for six years. Akbar Moqadar, aged 36, was convicted of one count of oral rape in August 2022 following a Central Criminal Court trial last December. Moqadar, with addresses in Greenwood Estate, Togher, County Cork and Glenworth Street, Limerick city, continues to maintain his innocence. On Monday, he was handed a sentence of seven years with the final 12 months suspended for three years on strict conditions. READ NEXT: Have you seen Frederique? Concern growing for missing 53-year-old woman As there is no connection between Moqadar and the woman, he can be named without affecting her right to anonymity. At an earlier sentence hearing, Mr Justice Patrick McGrath directed that nothing should be reported which could identify the woman, who has an intellectual disability and is very vulnerable. In a victim impact statement read to the court by the investigating garda, the woman said she felt embarrassed and could not believe what had happened. She said she can't understand how any strange man would do that to me. She said he ruined everything for her, and that she worried about seeing the man again. The woman said her life has changed, her independence has been affected and that she has not been to this swimming pool since the incident. The court heard evidence that the woman was going swimming at a pool in County Clare in August 2022. She went to a steam room at the pool and while there, encountered Moqadar. He exposed his penis to her, then told her to suck it and she refused. He then used his hand to push her head towards his penis, then orally raped her. She said he didn't hurt her, but kept pushing her head. The woman pulled away from him and he blocked her momentarily from leaving. She had a retching reaction and he asked her if she was going to be okay. READ NEXT: Laois woman in UAE describes 'very unsettling' atmosphere amid Iranian air strikes Afterwards, she sought support from a female lifeguard but didn't tell her any details. She disclosed what had happened to a social worker the following day. A report was immediately made to gardai and a specialist interview later took place. As part of the investigation, gardai obtained Moqadar's details from the swimming pool. CCTV from outside the steam room showed the movements of Moqadar and the woman before and after the incident, which lasted approximately eight minutes. Moqadar admitted being at the swimming pool when interviewed by gardai. He initially said that it was consensual, then later changed his position, saying they didn't touch each other. The court heard that Moqadar is originally from Afghanistan and came to Ireland in 2018. He has one previous minor unrelated conviction from France. The garda agreed with defence counsel that Moqadar didn't know the woman before this incident, and she didn't know him. It was further accepted that Moqadar complied with his bail conditions, engaged with the trial process and has been in custody since December. Counsel told the court that Moqadar is married and his wife and child remain in Afghanistan. He had been working and sending money to them. Moqadar has some mental health issues. Counsel said Moqadar has limited English and asked the court to take into account that his time in custody will be more challenging as a foreign national. Defence counsel also submitted that this incident took place over a short time period and that his client would not have been aware that the woman has an intellectual disability. He noted his client has no relevant previous convictions and is assessed at average risk of re-offending. The court was told that if a part-suspended sentence was imposed with the condition that Moqadar return to Afghanistan, he would be willing to do this. READ NEXT: US fast food chain that catered for Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding to open in Ireland Imposing sentence this Monday, Mr Justice McGrath noted the grave effect of the offence on the woman, including the impact on her independence. He said the court accepted the defence's submission that Moqadar could not be sentenced on the basis that he knew the woman had an intellectual disability. The judge noted the incident took place in a steam room, its short duration, the steam and relative lack of light. The judge set a headline sentence of eight years, which he reduced to seven years to take into account the difficulties for a foreign national serving a sentence in this jurisdiction. Mr Justice McGrath suspended the final 12 months of the seven-year sentence for three years and placed the man under the supervision of the Probation Services post-release. The sentence was backdated to last December when the man went into custody. A meeting of Leitrim County Council heard a harrowing account of an elderly man left without care for an entire weekend. Cllr Gary Prior (FF) highlighted the case at this Monday's monthly meeting of the council. I received a disturbing call from a homecare worker. They called into an elderly man, who was left wearing a soiled nappy for a whole weekend because no agency staff called to him, Cllr Prior told the meeting. He made the claim as part of a motion that he submitted, calling on the Minister for Health to meet with councillors due to the crisis in home care in Co. Leitrim. His motion also asked that councillors would meet with senior officials from the Department of Health and the HSE. READ MORE: Sligo paramedics launch petition after HSE refuses permanent contracts Due to recent retirements and some changes to staff working hours, frontline staff are expected to absorb service shortfalls, which in turn is placing unsustainable pressure on staff and leaving vulnerable service users without adequate care, the motion continued. The home care crisis is severe in Leitrim. There is a huge shortage of staff, particularly in the Ballinamore and Carrigallen areas. Due to retirements, there is no-one to take up these calls, he told the meeting. He went on to outline other problems arising from the staff shortage. Agency staff are driving on provisional licences and parents can't be discharged from hospital due to the lack of a home care package for them, Cllr Prior explained. He continued to lay the problem out in stark terms. There are people lying in beds wondering if someone is going to call on them. There is a retired person who feels that it is their duty to visit these people, Cllr Prior commented. Cllr Paddy O'Rourke (FF) supported the motion. This scheme will soon be non-existent, due to a lack of staff. I initiated a course through the ETB, but when people are trained there is no guarantee that they will work the HSE. They might take better jobs, he stated. In November 2024, I called on the HSE to attend this council chamber to explain why shortfalls are occuring. 24 years ago, I had the experience of sitting on a health board. In those days, you would get an answer within a few days to a question. Now, we have the HSE, which is not answerable to anyone, he added. Cllr O'Rourke went on to say that rather than a visiting minister being brought to somewhere where there is a good news story, they should be brought to a house, where someone hasn't had a call all weekend. Cllr Felim Gurn (Ind) outlined the frustration of sitting in on meetings with the HSE. There could be 45 of us on a meeting with eight or ten staff of the HSE, it is a frustrating process, he stated. Home care staff are coming into houses, where they aren't lighting a fire. It is just ticking boxes, he claimed. They want people to stay at home, but then they can't get homecare, Cllr Gurn added. Cllr Enda Stenson (Ind) said that this is so worrying for older people, something needs to be done properly about it. Half an hour with a person does nothing for them, he added. Cllr Enda McGloin (FG) stated that a person who runs a training course may have 15 or 16 starting a course, but maybe 5 or 6 people will finish the course. People who qualify from the course may take up employment with agencies. The working day is complicated it may start early in the morning and it is not an easy lifestyle. There are multiple issues, he explained. It would be better if a carer was attached to two or three people. It would make the working day more sustainable. A person who is qualified may get a job offer 20 miles away, Cllr McGloin added. The Government do not put enough value on older people, according to Cllr Eddie Mitchell (Ind). The decision by the IFA to stand down its protest at Bord Bia while an independent review of governance takes place has been welcomed by Leitrim TD and Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture and Food, Martin Kenny. The ending of the protest at Bord Bia is welcome news. I want to commend the farmers for their dedication and determination to protect food standards. This agreement to hold an independent review of governance gives space to work on the underlying issues and establish principles for the future of the industry, said Deputy Kenny. He described it as regrettable that the Minister and Larry Murrin took so long to recognise that there are issues in relation to conflicts of interest and governance at Bord Bia. Farmers have enough to be doing at home on their farms, especially this time of year, without having to be camped outside Bord Bia protesting, he added. READ NEXT: Elderly Leitrim man left without care for an entire weekend, meeting hears The farmers stood firm in the face of a government that tried to talk down to them by suggesting that they somehow didn't understand how big business deals work. Deputy Kenny continued by saying this is about protecting Irish agriculture and its reputation as food producers on the world stage. There is no place for double standards, and there is no place for Brazilian beef in Ireland, he added. With the news last week that Ursula Von Der Leyen is going to provisionally implement Mercosur, Irish agriculture is facing further challenges. The Minister and the government must stand up for Irish farmers and challenge this provisional implementation of Mercosur, Deputy Kenny concluded. READ NEXT: Man fined after causing damage at Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station Laughter, mayhem and plenty of distractions are about to descend on the Corn Mill Theatre as One Wife Too Many prepares to open its doors to audiences Friday 13th, Sunday 15th, Thursday 19th, Friday 20th & Saturday 21st March. Directed by Sonia Silverbeck, the three-act comedy by Jimmy Keary promises fast-paced fun, recognisable Irish characters and the kind of light relief many feel is badly needed right now. Silverbeck, who has been directing for the past decade, is known for tackling darker, socially driven material with her theatre company, The Rabbits Riot, based in Manorhamilton. This production, however, marks a welcome change of pace. I usually direct much darker work, she explains. Theres always comedy in it, but its normally layered into something intense or dealing with social issues. So its really fun to be working on a straight comedy with an adult cast. The script was selected by the Corn Mill group, with Sarah Slattery championing it before asking Silverbeck to come on board as director. Im really enjoying it, she says. Its quite rare to have a modern script with so many female characters. Scripts are often very male-heavy, so having lots of women in the chaos of this story is great fun. And chaos is exactly what audiences can expect. At the centre of the story is Shane a man determined to propose to the love of his life. Theres just one problem. Shane wants to propose, Silverbeck laughs, but distractions keep getting in the way. Women from every angle seem to be throwing themselves at him even ones he didnt realise were in his life. His fear of losing his fiancee makes everything spiral. While Silverbeck regularly directs pantomimes at Christmas, this marks her first full-length adult comedy. Its my first proper three-act adult comedy, she says. With kids shows its different youre their person for the whole run. With adults, everyone has their act together. Its quite freeing. She credits Sarah Slattery with assembling what she describes as a fabulous cast. The biggest challenge is always casting making sure everyone gels and that the characters come together in a way that works. But every character here has nailed it. As opening night approaches, Silverbeck admits she feels more excitement than nerves. I dont really get nervous. I get excited. Its like we made it. Were here. And while she may not attend every performance, one of her favourite moments comes after the final curtain falls. After the final get-out, when the theatre is completely empty and the chaos has settled I love that moment. Its just quiet. Its really special. With the world feeling heavy at times, Silverbeck believes comedy has an important role to play. The world needs silly, she says. We need comic relief. This is that. Its light, its fun, and people will leave in a good mood. One Wife Too Many opens soon at the Corn Mill Theatre. Audiences are encouraged to book early for what promises to be a lively and laughter-filled run. READ MORE: Sligo paramedics launch petition after HSE refuses permanent contracts The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) is inviting people from across Ireland to host a tea party this March as part of its annual Drink Tea for MND campaign. I'll be honest, most often the conversations I have when I go out to somebody's home, they do start with, Do you take milk? says Charlene Crawford, an IMND Nurse in Leitrim. Everybody sits down over a cup of tea, and there is no problem that cannot be discussed. After 16 years of nursing at Letterkenny Hospital, Charlene took up this role as the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Associations nurse for Leitrim and across six other counties in the North-West. Often referred to as the thousand-day disease, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that currently has no cure. Charlene loves her job, though it can be challenging as she manages 63 patients across seven counties, supporting every person and their families struggling with the condition from Aran Mor to Longford. Of course it can be difficult, you are dealing with people at the most vulnerable stage of their lives, MND doesn't discriminate, it has no real age, it doesn't prejudice against people in their 30s to people in their 80s, said Charlene. READ MORE: Cloone's first St Patricks Day Parade to feature 'Surprise St Patrick IMNDA nurses provide vital support to patients at home, helping them manage their condition, improve their quality of life, and provide psychological help for the person and their family. It is a privilege to be with people on that journey, to be at the start of the illness, and to be at the end, she said. The resilience that I've seen in people is phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. MND-ALS is a cruel disease; it takes so much so quickly, but what it cannot take is community, it cannot take compassion, and it cannot take the strength of people that stand united and support us, said Charlene. Until there is a cure, there is care, and that is our motto from the IMNDA, says Charlene. I think that sums up pretty well what we're trying to do in the Drink Tea for MND campaign. We help people with MND-ALS live well, and we need your support to continue this, says Charlene. She adds that support is needed all the way through the year. MND will continue after March. We need the support of people, the kindness of the people in the community, to continue this after next year and the year after that. READ MORE: GALLERY: Schools out in force as Leitrim town hosts Fair Trade Parade The annual campaign is aimed at raising vital funds to support more than 470 families in Ireland currently living with Motor Neurone Disease, according to the IMNDA, an NGO that supports MND treatment across the country. Events can be held around a kitchen table, at a school bake sale, an office tea break, or a community event. Those who wish to sign up at www.drinkteaformnd.ie and host an event, big or small, anytime during March or early April. THERE are only two part-time pathologists covering the Mid-West and this is delaying the grieving process for loved ones. This is according to Labour TD Conor Sheehan who said that the service needs to be properly resourced nationally. He said that the Coroners' Bill must be progressed to modernise the 1962 Act. Deputy Sheehan said: Autopsies need to be carried out in a timely manner out of respect for bereaved family members. He stressed that there are more than 700 autopsies carried out every year and currently only two part-time pathologists covering all of Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary. This is leading to increased delays to families who are grieving the loss of a loved one, as well as an increased workload for the already overstretched pathologists who carry out this work in other regions, Deputy Sheehan said. READ ALSO: Limerick industrial school survivor and others gets official apology from the Taoiseach The Labour deputy whip said that over Christmas, there was no pathology cover between December 23 and December 29 leaving families with a very long wait for a funeral. Deputy Sheehan raised the issue with the Minister for Health, Minister for Justice and in the Dail with the Taoiseach. The Coroner's Society has also raised the issue with Government. This situation as it currently stands is causing unnecessary additional grief and upset for families, Deputy Sheehan said. WORKSHOPS are to be held between council, the Land Development Agency and Limericks three third-level institutions in a bid to ramp up the amount of student accommodation locally. Sarah Newell, a senior executive officer on council responsible for its housing strategy, confirmed the move at this months metropolitan district meeting. She was responding to a question from Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-OMara, who asked for an update on the development of initiatives for student housing across Limerick. READ MORE: New Limerick city Vintners committee targets night-time economy Ms Newell referenced the talks with the Land Development Agency, whose remit is to turbo-charge housing development on public lands. A city-wide strategy is proposed for student accommodation. This strategy will include a number of workshops and exploratory discussions with the main third level institutions of University of Limerick (UL), Mary Immaculate College and Technological University of the Shannon over the coming months, the council official wrote. On top of this, the local authority is also preparing to issue a call-out to seek companies which may be interested in developing student housing on council-owned land, Ms Newell added. Independent councillor Elena Secas has called for UL to provide more student accommodation on the land it owns itself. We have a housing crisis, so many students commute every day as they do not have a base in Limerick. UL is a landowner. They have plenty of land available. It makes sense for UL as landowners to develop on-campus student accommodation. It will also help the overall traffic issue we are experiencing in the area, said the City East councillor. She called on council staff to be more pro-active in seeking out the third-level colleges to provide this. A spokesperson for UL said they are conscious of the shortage of student accommodation and is continuing to work together with Government, our partners in Limerick and the wider sector nationally to find solutions to this issue. UL is actively reviewing both medium and long-term solutions to increase the supply of student housing, the spokesperson added. An off-campus accommodation website, known as Studentpad which lists availability, shows 131 rooms available across 81 properties, they added. They also highlighted a significant increase in off-campus spots year-on-year. TVS Ronin, the neo-retro motorcycle that blends the design elements of a scrambler, roadster, and cruiser, is a versatile city commuter with a relaxed riding position. The motorcycle is designed for both urban riding and long-distance trips. Since its launch in India back in 2022, the TVS Ronin has quickly become a major revenue churner for TVS Motor Company, marking the brand's entry into the premium lifestyle segment. The key USP of TVS Ronin is its neo-retro design philosophy, which, together with the modern design elements and advanced technology-aided features, has been able to make the bike a leading revenue churner for the OEM, quickly after its introduction in India. The TVS Ronin is powered by a 225.9 cc single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine, which is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox with an assist-and-slipper clutch. Available in multiple colour options like Lightning Black, Magma Red, Glacier Silver, Charcoal Ember, Nimbus Grey, and Midnight Blue, the TVS Ronin is priced between 1.26 lakh and 1.60 lakh (ex-showroom), depending on variants. If you already own a TVS Ronin, or are planning to buy this bike, you can explore some genuine accessories offered by the automaker to make the motorcycle more distinctive. TVS Ronin: What genuine accessories can be fitted to it? TVS Ronin: Genuine accessory list with price Accessory Price Tank guards 327 Saree guard 429 Seat cover 479 Caliper guard 509 Radiator guard 529 Pillion footrest kit 552 Tank grip 783 Adjustable lever (Silver) 829 USB charger 1,013 Visor 1,105 Adjustable lever kit (Black) 1,290 Headlamp grille 1,313 Adjustable lever kit (Silver) 1,474 Engine guard 1,806 Canvas cross bag 2,056 Backrest 2,396 Pillion holding tube and rear rack 2,396 Leather saddle bag (15L) 2,639 Touring kit (Backrest, pillion holding tube, rear rack) 3,042 Tail bag 3,079 Tank bag 3,299 Long touring kit (Backrest, pillion holding tube, rear rack, side stay mounts) 3,964 Activist investor Elliott Investment Management is investing $1 billion in Pinterest Inc., with the funds set to support the social media companys years-long effort to buy back shares, Pinterest said in a statement. The announcement led to a surge in the company's shares, as they opened 7.6% higher on Tuesday, reflecting strong investor optimism over Elliott's involvement. Pinterest, a visual search and discovery platform, is headquartered in San Francisco and has over 600 million monthly active users worldwide, according to the company. New investment a strong vote of confidence, says Pinterest CEO The latest share buybacks will be carried out as part of a new $3.5 billion programme approved by Pinterests board on Tuesday, according to a company statement. In addition, Pinterest plans to repurchase up to $500 million worth of additional shares using cash on hand. Elliotts investment is a strong vote of confidence in the work we have done to build our business and the significant opportunities ahead for Pinterest, Pinterest Chief Executive Officer Bill Ready said in the statement. Meanwhile, Elliott, which first took a stake in Pinterest in 2022, also expressed confidence in the company. We have been steadfast supporters of Pinterest since we first invested in 2022, and have strong conviction in the companys trajectory, said Marc Steinberg, Partner at Elliott and a member of Pinterests Board of Directors. Under the terms of the investment, Elliott will purchase $1 billion in Pinterests convertible senior notes, which will have an initial conversion price of nearly $22.72 apiece, representing a 30% premium to the closing price on Monday. The note matures on 1 March 2031, and will bear interest at 1.75% annually. Pinterest stock under pressure Pinterest stock has been under sustained pressure in recent months. Its shares recorded the steepest monthly decline in over three years last month after the company issued a weaker-than-expected quarterly sales forecast. The company reported its Q4 earnings last month, posting a 14% rise in revenue to $1.32 billion, up from $1.15 billion a year earlier. However, the figure fell short of analysts estimate of $1.33 billion, according to FactSet. Pinterest said it expects growth to decelerate further in the current first quarter, projecting growth between 11% and 14%. It is forecasting revenue between $951 million and $971 million, according to WSJ. In late January, the company cut hundreds of jobs as part of a strategic shift to prioritise investment in artificial intelligence products. Bloomberg reported. Pinterest generates almost all of its revenue from advertising, and has increasingly positioned itself as a visual search engine and discovery platform. E-commerce giant Amazon on Tuesday launched its Amazon Now service in Brazil, promising delivery of everyday essentials and groceries within 15 minutes, as it steps up its expansion in Latin America's largest economy. The company is betting big on the Brazilian market, with its country head describing Brazil as Amazon's top priority for new investments, news agency Reuters reported. The quick delivery service will launch in Sao Paulo on Tuesday, and will gradually expand to seven other cities by March 9 this year, Amazon Brazil's shopping experience director Fernanda Grumach told a press conference, adding that there are plans for a broad expansion later. The development comes while Brazil's e-commerce segment is navigating heightened competition in recent years between players like Amazon, Uruguay-based MercadoLibre and Singapore-based company Sea's Shopee. Amazon Prime loyalty programme users to get benefit Amazon Now, which had been launched in Mexico last year and is available in the United States, will offer free delivery to Brazilian people, who would subscribe to Amazon's Prime loyalty programme. Meanwhile, other customers will pay a 5.49 reais ($1.04) fee, the company was quoted as saying by the news agency. There will be no service fee on orders for an undetermined time, the company added. Amazon bets big on Brazil Amazon has been adopting a more aggressive strategy in Brazil, rolling out new promotions since last year, including cutting logistics fees for individuals and businesses that sell products on its platform, according to Reuters. "Brazil has become a priority among the countries in which Amazon invests in the world. It is the highest investment priority today," country head Juliana Sztrajtman told the news agency. Also Read | Amazon tries its low-cost approach to winning the AI race Amazon, which will partner with delivery app Rappi in its new service in Brazil, entered the Latin American country in the early 2010s, and noted that it has invested 55 billion reais in the nation since then. "Every portfolio expansion ends up attracting new sellers," Sztrajtman said, adding that, Amazon Now is a service that brings in more customers and traffic. Amazon's cloud unit AWS said on Monday that drone strikes impacted its facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain amid the Middle East conflict. This comes hours after the company's cloud-computing facilities in the Middle East faced power and connectivity issues after unidentified "objects" struck its data centre in the UAE. This is not the only impact Amazon is facing due to the war in Iran and its impact on the Gulf countries. Amazon has closed its fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi and suspended deliveries across the region as the e-commerce giant responds to the escalating instability in the Middle East, which has created ripples across the region and the world, according to a new report. Amazon's internal memo Amazon shared an update on the closure of its facility in an internal memo to employees and stakeholders this week, Business Insider, which has seen this memo, reported. As a result, customers in this region are experiencing delays in deliveries and returns, the memo reportedly said. The company has also halted any business travel to Israel and Lebanon, while many Amazon employees across the region have transitioned to a work-from-home model this week. The memo said that Amazon employees in Saudi Arabia and Jordan have been instructed to remain indoors. There have been no reports of employee safety issues so far, Business Insider reported, citing the memo. Our priority is the safety of our employees and partners across the region, and we're working closely with our local teams to ensure they have the support they need, an Amazon spokesperson was quoted as saying by the media outlet. The disruption serves as a reminder of how quickly geopolitical tensions can cause strain on global supply chains. Amazon expanded its logistics footprint in the Middle East following its $600 million acquisition of Souq.com in 2017. The UAE serves as the backbone of this network, which also comprises Amazon marketplaces in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Amazon has not specified how long these delays will last or how much longer deliveries in Abu Dhabi will remain suspended. Also Read | The Iran war is rapidly engulfing the region Shipment delays The impact of the closure of the Amazon facility is also impacting third-party sellers, extending well beyond the company's own warehouses. The report, citing the memo, mentioned that nearly 3 lakh third-party sellers in the Middle East are facing shipment delays and potential order cancellations with the logistics channels tightening. Many of these third-party sellers depend on Amazon's infrastructure for cross-border shipping across the Gulf region, which has been impacted. According to the memo cited by Business Insider, the shutdown in Abu Dhabi is likely to reduce the network capacity of Amazon across its Middle Eastern business. The e-commerce major has also placed additional operational support on standby mode in order to manage the disruption. The company is monitoring the situation, the memo said. This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on 28 February, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and four senior military and security officials. It is not about the strategy you think will work; it is about execution, Bisen said. Gen Z consumers are not linear in their thinking. They consume trends. For them, trend and content are more important than brand. They can jump from one brand to another depending on what aligns with the moment. New Delhi: Homegrown commercial vehicle (CV) companies Tata Motors Ltd and Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd said they have received no communication from Indonesia regarding the suspension of one of their largest export orders, dismissing reports that the deal will be put on hold. In separate statements, the Mumbai-based companies said they have received no communication from Indonesia and are scheduled to start supplies of the CVs soon. They said the advance payment for the order has already been made, putting the spotlight on the commentary of the Indonesian government. Mahindra, in an exchange filing, said, As on date, the Company has not received any further intimation/ communication from Indonesia about the suspension of order for the supply of vehiclesThe company has also received an advance payment for delivery of the abovementioned order." The countrys largest CV maker, Tata Motors, said reports of the deal being put on hold were based on policy discussions and do not reflect any material announcement from the Indonesian government. Media reports in Indonesia (reproduced in India) reflect a domestic policy discussion on imports and local manufacturing, not demand or execution risk of the order received. The order and advance we have received remains programme-driven and we intend to begin supplies soon and complete deliveries in a phased manner as per our commitment, the company said in a statement to exchanges late Monday. In February, Mahindra won its largest ever export order of 35,000 light commercial vehicles for an Indonesian Federal government programme for President Prabowo Subiantos drive to establish more than 80,000 community cooperatives across the archipelago nation. For the same programme, Tata Motors won an order of 70,000 trucks, which was its largest ever in the Indonesian market. The order was significant for both the companies given the scale of their exports. In the financial year 2025, Mahindra exported a total of 34,709 vehicles, which included its CVs as well as passenger vehicles. In FY25, Tata Motors exported 18,333 commercial vehicles to all international markets. The orders have since become a flashpoint between Indonesian trade bodies and the federal government, with domestic manufacturers opposing the imports and claiming they can meet the requirement on their own. According to a Bloomberg report, cooperatives minister Ferry Juliantono said in an interview with a local TV station on Thursday that the deal will be put on hold pending a meeting between the government and lawmakers. Pausing is the right step to avoid further controversy, he reportedly said. And when the time comes, we will be able to sit down together to find the best solution. Queries sent to Indonesia president's office on the status of the order remained unanswered till press time. Shares of both Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra fell on Monday by 1.42% and 2.14%, respectively, as against a 2.2% fall in Nifty Auto. The export environment for Indian automobile companies has been tightening since December, when Mexico, one of Indias largest automobile markets, first announced steep hikes in tariffs on imports of passenger vehicles and two-wheelers. South Africa is also considering raising import duties on passenger vehicles from 25% to 50%. According to Altman, the founder of OpenAI, the company went ahead to de-escalate things between DoW and American AI labs. If we are right and this does lead to a de-escalation between the DoW and the industry, we will look like geniuses, and a company that took on a lot of pain to do things to help the industry. If not, we will continue to be characterized as rushed and uncareful, said Altman on X (previously Twitter). Boat founder Aman Gupta on Tuesday, 3 March, announced the launch of his new venture, Offbeat Studios, after stepping down from an operational role at the electronics company. In a post on the social media platform X, Gupta wrote, With every birthday, some grow older, I grow bolder. I am still hungry, still impatient and still driven. Aman 2.0 begins soon. Introducing my new venture. Gupta shared the new venture's X handle on his post; however, he did not provide any additional details about OffBeat Studios. He has not revealed the latest company's business model, funding plans, team memebers, or timeline of its launch. Aman Gupta's investment idealogy In an earlier post, the entrepreneur and angel investor highlighted that his investment philosophy is to invest in a company's founder and their qualities, rather than focus on funding formulas. I have never been an Excel sheet investor. I invest in founders, not formulas, said Gupta. Highlighting his investment in Let's Try, the Shark Tank judge said that his ROI from the company has possibly been the most successful in Shark Tank India's history. Aman Gupta credited this achievement to qualities such as supporting passion, enthusiasm, and hunger. Change in management at Boat In September of last year, Imagine Marketing Limited (IML), the parent company of the audio and wearable brand Boat, announced Gaurav Nayyar's appointment as its new CEO. He succeeds co-founder Sameer Mehta, who is transitioned to the role of Executive Director. Co-founder Aman Gupta will remain as a Non-Executive Director, PTI reported. Boat IPO plans Mint earlier reported that Imagine Marketing opted for the confidential filing route to submit its draft IPO document earlier in 2025. Reports indicate the firm is targeting a valuation of approximately $1.5 billion (almost 13,000 crore). Founded in 2016, Boat has become one of Indias leading consumer electronics brands, especially in audio wearables, smartwatches, and personal accessories. CBSE Board Exam 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for 5 and 6 March in several Gulf countries, citing the prevailing war situation in West Asia. Also Read | Iran War LIVE: Maharashtra launches helpline for those stranded in Middle East According to a CBSE circular dated 3 March 2026, exams slated for Thursday, 5 March 2026 and Friday, 6 March 2026 have been deferred for students in affected countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The announcement was shared by the Embassy of India in Muscat, which described it as an important update for CBSE students in the region. Countries affected by the CBSE exam postponement The postponement applies to students appearing for CBSE board examinations in the following countries: Bahrain Iran Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates The move impacts both Class 10 and Class 12 candidates. New CBSE exam dates to be announced The board said that fresh CBSE 2026 Board Examination dates will be notified at a later stage. Also Read | Are you eligible for refund on Qatar Airways flight from Middle East? Details In its circular, CBSE said it will review the situation on Thursday, 5 March 2026 and take a decision regarding examinations scheduled from 7 March onwards. The step comes amid heightened regional tensions across parts of West Asia, prompting precautionary measures affecting travel, security and public events. Advisory for CBSE students and parents Students have been advised to: Stay in regular contact with their respective schools Follow only official CBSE announcements Avoid relying on unofficial sources or rumours The official source cited is the CBSE Circular dated 3 March 2026. The notice was issued from Muscat on 03.03.2026. Further updates are expected after the board completes its review of the situation later this week. The postponement comes as the US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran escalates into a wider Middle East conflict, with joint strikes by the United States and Israeli forces targeting Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. The Congress party on Tuesday released the first list of candidates for the Assam Assembly Elections, scheduled for later this year. Gaurav Gogoi, who is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Member of Parliament for Jorhat Lok Sabha Constituency, will contest the assembly polls from Jorhat. Gogoi is also president of Assam Congress. Congress Legislature Party leader in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, to contest the upcoming state Assembly polls from the Nazira seat. Legislative Assembly elections are expected to be held in Assam in MarchApril 2026 to elect 126 members of the house. In 2021, the election saw the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retain power with 75 seats, marking the first time a non-Congress alliance won consecutive terms in the state. The Mahajot led by the Congress won 50 seats, increasing its tally from 26 in 2016. Himanta Biswa Sarma, a former Congress leader, became the chief minister of Assam. In January, the Congress had Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as chairperson of the partys screening committee for Assam. First List of Congress candidates for Assam Assembly Elections 2026 Seat Candidate 1- Gauripur Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar 2- Goalpara West Marline Marak 3- Bongaigaon Girish Baruah 4- Barpeta Mahananda Sarkar 5- Boko-Chaygaon Ramen Singh Rabha 6- Hajo-Sualkuchi Nandita Das 7- Kamalpur Satyabrat Kalita 8- Dispur Mira Borthakur Goswami 9- Barkhetri Diganta Barman 10-Nalbari Ashok Kumar Sarma 11- Tihu Ratal Patuwary 12- Sipajhar Binanda Kumar Saikia 13- Jagiroad Bubul Das 14- Rupaninat Nurul Huda 15- Samaguri Tanzil Hussain 16- Raha Utpal Bania 17- Lumding Swapan Kar 18- Barchalla Ripun Bora 19- Bihpuria Narayan Bhuyan 20- Jonai Raj Kumar Medak 21- Doomdooma Durga Bhumij 22- Margherita Prateek Bordoloi 23-Chabua-Lahowal Pranjal Ghatowal 24-Duliajan Dhruba Gogoi 25-Naharkatia Pranati Phukan 26- Sonari Utpal Gogoi 27-Demow Ajoy Gogoi 28-Nazira Debabrata Saikia 29-Majuli Indranil Pegu 30-Teok Pallabi Saikia Gogoi 31-Jorhat Gaurav Gogoi 32-Golaghat Bitupan Saikia 33-Bokajan Ratan Engti 34-Rongkhang Augustine Enghee 35-Lakhipur Santi Kumar Singha 36- Udharbond Ajit Singh 37 - Barkhola Amit Kumar Kalwar 38-Silchar Abhijit Paul 39-Sonai Aminul Haque Lasker 40-Karimganj North Jakaria Ahmed 41-Patharkandi Kartik Sena Sinha 42-Ram Krishana Nagar Suruchi Roy This was the first organisational task assigned to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after her role as All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh. The Congress party lost the 2022 UP elections, winning just two seats. Since then, she has been a general secretary without a specific assignment, even as she became a Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in 2024. Education, healthcare will be upgraded: Gogoi Gogoi on Sunday said education and healthcare systems will be upgraded across the state once his party forms the government after the assembly polls. Leading the 'Samay Paribartanar Yatra' in Dibrugarh district, Gogoi said that when the Congress comes to power in the state, women will get the benefits of different schemes without attending any party meetings. "We want to create a better environment for education and healthcare in every village, including the tea garden areas. We aim to empower women by promoting small-scale enterprises so that they can become self-reliant," he said. Gogoi assured that under a Congress government, welfare schemes would be further improved and strengthened. "The present BJP government gives benefits of schemes to women who attend their party meetings. Once our party forms a government, all eligible women will receive benefits directly in their bank accounts without having to attend party meetings," he added. Gogoi said that the Congress remains firmly committed to building a "new greater Assam" by uniting people across all communities, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. He stressed that the march was not merely a political programme, but a heartfelt effort to connect directly with the people. The Gulf itself has rapidly emerged as a major hub for aviation, with the Middle East accounting for nearly 10% of global air traffic last year. Dubai and Doha are now two of the worlds busiest airports for international passengers, driven by the rapid rise of Emirates and Qatar Airways. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, plans to spend tens of billions of dollars on new aircraft and airport upgrades to muscle its way into the market. Were going to see a change of tactics. Were going to have a much more judicious use of those incredibly high-demand interceptors that are running low, and using them only against the highest-value targets, the ballistic missiles, said Becca Wasser, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security and a former staffer of the 2022 U.S. national defense strategy commission. That shift means accepting risk and essentially allowing some of these drones to get through, which is going to have a devastating effect on the relative calm and stability that these Gulf states have touted for years, as theyve been trying to attract investment, tourism and expats. In addition to shooting missiles and drones out of the sky, the U.S. military has other measures it can take, including dispersing aircraft and other assets across a wide area so they are less vulnerable to individual attacks, a technique the U.S. used before the Iranian strike that aimed at a U.S. base in Qatar last year. The exchange of attacks opened up a new front in the conflict that is rapidly expanding across the Middle East, set off early Saturday when Israel and the U.S. launched a flurry of strikes against Iran. But it is unclear what help Hezbollah can actually provide as the groups capabilities have been weakened by Israel in recent years. But in creating more congested airspace, with Iranian projectiles also flying to and fro, it would raise the risk of the sort of fratricide that occurred on March 2nd when Kuwaiti air-defence batteries shot down three American jets. It would also mean placing aircraft within closer range of Iranian ballistic missiles, rather than flying from aircraft-carriers in the Gulf of Oman and from more distant airfields, Ovda in Israel and Muwaffaq Salti in Jordan. Gulf states would probably only join the fighting directly in the event of a mass-casualty or highly damaging incident; even then any action would almost certainly be framed as active defence, with a focus on targeting drones and missiles. Officials and analysts note that Iran does have uranium that could be enriched around the one-week time frame to make it usable for a nuclear weapon. The issue is Iran appears to have no enrichment facility where cascades of centrifuges are assembled to enrich the material to weapons grade. Iran also would have to get access to the stockpile, which would very possibly be tracked. And even if Iran did get weapons-grade uranium, it would still have to assemble scientists, produce uranium material and build it inside a nuclear deviceall without being caught doing so. The current crisis, however, is part of a longer and worsening trend. Weather analysts say dry winters and erratic snowfall have become more frequent over the past six years. In 2024, J&K recorded its driest year in nearly five decades, receiving 870.9mm of rainfall against a normal annual average of 1,232.3mm, a deficit of 29%. Last year, the region received an estimated 860-920mm of rainfall. It was the fifth consecutive year of below-normal rainfall, following deficits of 7% in 2023, 16% in 2022, 28% in 2021 and 20% in 2020. Podcasts and YouTube commentary have increasingly become flashpoints for defamation disputes because of their informal tone and rapid virality. The risks are higher today not only due to easy access to publishing tools and algorithm-driven amplification, but also because platform design often rewards engagement-maximising content. Meaning that sensational, controversial, or provocative claims are more likely to be boosted, clipped, and widely circulated out of context, said Aishwarya Kaushiq, partner, disputes team, BTG Advaya. US-Iran war: Oil prices extended gains to a third straight session on Tuesday, March 3, as the escalating conflict between the US and Israel with Iran, along with threats to shipping via the Strait of Hormuz, which stoked concerns over potential supply disruptions from the crucial Middle East oil-producing region. Brent crude futures climbed to $79.44 per barrel, up $1.70 or 2.2%. On Monday, the benchmark had surged to an intraday high of $82.37 its strongest level since January 2025 before trimming gains to close 6.7% higher. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude advanced $1.17, or 1.6%, to $72.40 per barrel. In the previous session, WTI had briefly touched its highest level since June 2025 before retreating, though it still ended the day with a solid 6.3% gain. What's driving crude oil prices? The US and Israel's war against Iran escalated on Monday, with Israel launching strikes on Lebanon and Iran retaliating by targeting energy infrastructure in Gulf nations and attacking tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Several tankers and container vessels are steering clear of the crucial waterway after insurers withdrew coverage, pushing global oil and gas freight rates sharply higher, according to a Reuters report. Tensions intensified further after Iranian media reported that a senior official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, as quoted by Reuters, claimed the Strait of Hormuz had been closed and warned that Iran would open fire on any vessel attempting to cross. Nearly 20% of the worlds oil and gas supplies transit through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the global significance of the route. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the US and Israels war with Iran could take some time to play out, but he does not expect it to stretch on for years. On Monday, Saudi Arabia shut operations at its largest domestic oil refinery after a drone attack. Can crude oil prices climb to $100/bbl? Analysts believe rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are likely to keep oil prices elevated in the near term, as markets focus on the potential disruption to crude supply from the escalation of the conflict. Brokerage firm Emkay Global said in a report that it expects severe dislocation of oil supplies and global supply chains amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East. It further noted that the Brent crude prices could rally to $90-$100 per barrel. Though Irans response in attacking other GCC countries escalated the seriousness, we expect a relatively short conflict lasting a few days to a couple of weeks, given the imbalance between the two sides and the depletion of Irans leadership. In the short term, we expect severe dislocation of oil supplies and global supply chains, with a spike in Brent crude prices to USD90-100/bbl, the firm said. Meanwhile, brokerage firm JM Financial also said that the current scenario analysis suggests that Hormuz disruption could push crude prices above $90/bbl, and a broader regional war could drive crude beyond $100/bbl. It further noted, Brent crude had already risen to a 7-month high of ~USD 72.8/bbl following the strike fears. Scenario analysis suggests limited retaliation could add USD 510/bbl; direct damage to Iranian oil infrastructure could add USD 1012/bbl. Oil prices soared about 8% to their highest since July 2024 on Tuesday, rising for a third session as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran widened, disrupting oil and gas fuel shipments in the Middle East and heightening fears of a prolonged conflict. Brent futures rose $6.07, or 7.8%, to $83.81 a barrel at 10:35 a.m. EST (1535 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate increased $6, or 8.4%, to $77.23. That keeps both crude benchmarks in technically overbought territory for a second day and on track to close at their highest levels since July 2024 for Brent and January 2025 for WTI. In addition, the premium of Brent over WTI rose to $8 a barrel, its highest since November 2022. Analysts have said when this premium rises over $4, it supports crude exports from the U.S. Also Read | US Ambassador says limited options for Americans to leave Israel, shares list The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran has widened since Israel's first attacks on Saturday. Israel has attacked Lebanon, and Iran has responded with strikes against energy infrastructure in Gulf countries and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes. Tankers and container ships are avoiding the waterway after insurers cancelled coverage for vessels and global oil and gas shipping rates soared. Concerns increased after Iranian media reported on Monday that Iran will fire on any ship trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. "While there are concerns about oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a greater risk to the market would be Iran targeting additional energy infrastructure in the region. This could lead to more prolonged outages," ING analysts said in a note. Andrew Lipow, president of consultancy Lipow Oil Associates, said Iran's attacks on infrastructure couldboost oil prices by $10 with Brent going to $90 and up. U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. and Israeli air attacks were projected to last four to five weeks but could go on longer. United Arab Emirates authorities are dealing with a serious fire at Fujairah port, state media said on Tuesday. Iraq's Kirkuk crude oil loadings at Turkey's Ceyhan port stopped on Tuesday, a shipping source told Reuters. Since the start of attacks across the region, oil and gas infrastructure in several countries has been shut down because of damage or as a precautionary measure. Qatar has stopped liquefied natural gas production, Israel has stopped production at some gas fields, Saudi Arabia shut its biggest refinery and output in Iraqi Kurdistan has virtually ceased. Saudi oil giant Aramco is attempting to reroute some of its crude exports to the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz where the risk of attacks has slowed shipping to a near halt, sources said on Tuesday. GASOLINE AND DIESEL In other energy markets, U.S. diesel futures were up nearly 14% to their highest since September 2023. U.S. gasoline futures were up nearly 5% at $2.48 a gallon to their highest since July 2024. That increase in U.S. gasoline and diesel prices caused crack spreads, which measure refining profit margins, to soar to their highest since 2023. In global natural gas markets, benchmark Dutch contracts, British gas prices and European and Asian LNG prices all jumped. At the other end of the spectrum, HPCL stock is down 15% after Q3 earnings disappointed. It is smaller, and its strategic priorities are driven by its upstream parent, Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. HPCLs FY27 marketing-to-refining ratio is estimated to be the highest at 2.1. BPCL sits in the middle at 1.4, and has also seen investor optimism around recent greenfield expansion plans. The stock is down less than 2% this year. Multibagger defence stock Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is likely to hog the limelight on Wednesday, March 4, after the company secured a contract worth 2,901 crore from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). As part of the deal, HAL will supply six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III configured for maritime operations to the ministry. "The contract for ALH Mk-III (maritime role) along with operational role equipment, an engineering support package, and performance-based logistics support, valued at 2,901 crore, has been inked with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd," the ministry said in a statement earlier today. HAL order win details According to the ministry, the ALH Mk-II helicopters are being procured for the Indian Coast Guard. The acquisition is intended to substantially enhance the air defence capabilities of frontline warships against a wide spectrum of aerial threats, the ministry said in the official release published on Tuesday. It also said that these twin-engine helicopters come with state-of-the-art features that are better than the currently operated airborne platforms. They are capable of carrying out a wide range of maritime security tasks and are designed to operate both from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea. "The induction will significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard's capability for fulfilling the duties of safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore installations and protection of fishermen and marine environment," the ministry said. Apart from the contract with HAL, the ministry has also signed a 2,182-crore agreement with Russia's JSC Rosoboronexport for the procurement of surface-to-air missiles and associated missile holding frames. Together, the project envisages the supply of equipment from more than 200 MSMEs and is expected to generate approximately 65 lakh man-hours of employment. The contract reinforces the Governments commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Make-in-India initiative, while further strengthening the nations maritime security architecture, it said. HAL's share price trend The defence stocks are already gaining traction on Dalal Street amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East. According to experts, heightened geopolitical tensions increase the probability of higher global defence spending, which bodes well for defence stocks like HAL. Shares of HAL ended 1.12% higher at RS 3,956.90 on Monday ahead of the announcement of the deal, even as the broader Indian stock market faced intense selling pressure. That said, the Maharatna PSU stock has remained slightly over the past five seasons, and down 11% in a month, according to data available on NSE. The year 2026 has remained turbulent for the PSU stock, as on a year-to-date basis, it is down around 10.03%, reflecting continued volatility. HAL announced its quarterly earnings last month, reporting a net profit of 1,866.68 crore in Q3 of FY26, which was 30% higher than 1,439.83 crore posted in the year-ago period. Meanwhile, the defence PSUs revenue from operations in Q3FY26 increased by 10.65% year-on-year (YoY) to 7,698.80 crore from 6,957.31 crore. Meanwhile, HAL has emerged as a multibagger stock, delivering stellar returns across multiple time frames. The PSU defence stock has rallied nearly 650% in the last five years and 194% in three years. HAL share price has gained 24% in the last 12 months despite a volatile Indian stock market. HAL is a major Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company based in Bengaluru. It focuses on the design, development, manufacture, repair, and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines, and avionics for the Indian Armed Forces. The United Arab Emirates said two key markets will reopen for trading on March 4, after two days of closure due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and conflict across the Middle East. The Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange will reopen on Wednesday, the UAE Capital Market Authority said in a statement. Dubais stock exchange said it is implementing a temporary adjustment limit down threshold of 5%. The Authority will continue to monitor developments and take any measures deemed appropriate in line with its mandate, in order to ensure investor protection, the regulator said in a statement. The UAE has sought to repel dozens of projectiles fired by Iran, a response to US and Israeli strikes that began Saturday. The conflict threatens to upend the emirates carefully cultivated image as havens of calm in an often volatile region, with risks to both tourist arrivals and foreign investment. US President Donald Trump said the bombing campaign against Iran could last for weeks, while calling on the nations leaders to capitulate. The Islamic Republics security chief has ruled out negotiations. While Gulf markets should be able to cope with a short-lived war in Iran, a prolonged conflict could have a profound impact, Citigroup Inc. analysts wrote in a note Monday. Proposals such as allowing a fund to have an inoperative status where, despite no active investments, funds are not forced to prematurely close even though they are waiting on certain legal or tax outcomes; to have a more structured wind-down process that includes a three-year cap on retention for expenses. These look like measures that would help the fund deliver better returns to the investor, said Stephen. Understanding what one owns shifts attention away from short-term price movements and toward how underlying businesses perform during periods of stress. Narratives may dominate during upcycles, but when risk emerges, conviction cannot be outsourced. It must be grounded in a clear understanding of how business fundamentals are evolving. You need to have a substantial know of how the quantification of the narrative is undergoing a change. Indian embassies in West Asia have issued separate directives for Indian nationals stuck in the 14 Gulf nations, where a conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has caused severe disruptions, with airspaces being closed and travel being limited. The Indian Embassy in Qatar, in its recent update, issued a slew of instructions for the Indian community in the country, urging them to follow local orders and avoid travelling, as the Qatari airspace is still shut. Here is what you should do if you are an Indian stuck in any of the 14 Gulf nations amid the Israel-US-Iran conflict. Follow instructions The Indian Embassy in Qatar has asked Indian nationals to follow the news and adhere to the guidance issued by authorities. The Indian community is requested to closely follow news and guidance issued by Qatari authorities through official channels. Residents are urged to rely only on verified and official information, it said. The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi also issued a similar instruction, asking Indian nationals to follow local guidelines. Other embassies, like the one in Dubai, have also asked Indian nationals to follow the instructions issued by authorities. Remain indoors The embassies and the Ministry of External Affairs have also asked all Indians to remain indoors amid the conflict as these 14 countries are getting hit or are at the risk of getting struck by drones and missiles amid the conflict. On Monday, a US fighter jet was shot down in friendly fire, which emphasizes the uncertainty of the situation. The Ministry of Interior of Qatar has emphasized the importance of remaining. indoors and staying in safe, enclosed places to safeguard public safety. Residents are advised not to go out except in cases of extreme necessity. All Indian nationals are strongly urged to strictly adhere to these instructions, the Indian Embassy in Qatar said. Avoid travel It is also advisable to avoid travel, as airspaces remain closed and only limited air operations are happening. The Dubai Airport has resumed its operations. However, Qatar's airspace is still closed, and flights are not operating on these routes. The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that Qatari airspace remains closed. Accordingly, operations at Hamad International Airport are suspended and will resume once the Authority announces the safe reopening of airspace. Passengers are advised not to proceed to the airport and to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates, the Indian Embassy in Qatar said. Also Read | Drone strikes hit Amazon cloud facilities in UAE, Bahrain Also Read | Indian Embassy in Muscat mourns mariner's death in oil tanker attack Get help from officials The embassies have also emphasised the importance of contacting officials and have issued phone, email and WhatsApp numbers. "For any immediate assistance, the Indian Embassy in Doha can be reached via its 24/7 helpline at 974-55647502, email: cons.doha@mea.gov.in," the advisory from the Indian Embassy in Doha, Qatar reads. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi also issued numbers Toll-free number: 800-46342 WhatsApp: +971543090571 Email: pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in and ca.abudhabi@mea.gov.in External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke on Sunday with his counterparts from several Gulf countries amid rising tensions in West Asia, stressing the need for de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy. China has sought to close that gap, while the U.S. is struggling to build new submarines. Washington has sought to boost its military shipbuilding capabilities and forge new coalitions to counter Beijing. In 2021, the U.S., U.K. and Australia formed a pact, known as Aukus, to help Canberra acquire nuclear subs and shore up Western undersea military technologya development that added urgency to Beijings quest for more capable submarines. New Delhi: Indias air cargo agents have urged the government to step in and provide relief to exporters hit by flight disruptions caused by the escalating war between Iran and the US, which has led to widespread airspace closures across parts of West Asia. In a letter dated 2 March to the Economic Advisor of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) sought a waiver of demurrage charges on export cargo stranded at airport terminals due to cancelled or delayed international flights. Mint has seen a copy of the letter. Demurrage charges are daily penalties imposed when a cargo remains inside the terminal, port, or depot beyond the agreed "free time". The letter highlighted that recent geopolitical developments have led to route restrictions, diversions, schedule irregularities and operational constraints at certain overseas airports. The delays in upliftment are purely on account of external factors beyond the control of exporters, customs brokers, or air cargo agents, the letter said. Also Read | DGCA seeks share of passenger fees in push for financial autonomy As per industry estimates, only 12 hours of free storage time is available to forwarders and shippers. After that, charges range from 23 per kg per day for normal cargo to 89 per kg per day for special cargo, with costs increasing with each passing day. Air cargo agents are seeking relief because they handle exporters shipments and are directly affected by flight disruptions. Airspace closures have forced rerouting, pushing up freight costs and causing delays. This hits their margins, locks up working capital and raises the risk of penalties for late deliveries. Emails sent to Adani Airports Holdings Ltd and GMR Airports Ltdtwo of the largest private airport operators in Indiadid not elicit any response. Aviation regulator DGCA, too, did not respond to requests for comment. Flights cancelled Indias top airlines IndiGo, Air India Group, Akasa Air and SpiceJet cancelled flights to the Middle East, US, Canada, Europe and UK over the weekend. The country's aviation safety regulator, in an advisory issued on 28 February, flagged a significant escalation in security risks for civil aviation following coordinated US and Israeli military strikes inside Iran and Tehrans retaliatory measures. Airlines were advised to avoid operating across eleven Flight Information Regions, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, until at least 2 March. Indian airports together handled around 3.33.7 million tonnes of air cargo in recent years, estimates EY. "The current airspace disruptions over West Asia represent more of a network-efficiency shock than a demand shock for Indias air cargo sector. West Asia accounts for roughly 1520% of Indias merchandise exports and, more importantly, serves as a critical transit corridor to Europe, Middle East and North America. Any instability in this geography, therefore, affects not just direct trade flows but also onward connectivity for high-value, time-sensitive exports," said Bhavik Vora, partner, Grant Thornton Bharat. Also Read | Aviation ministry trying to boost air cargo volumes, talking to industry The challenge is compounded by existing Pakistan airspace restrictions on Indian carriers. A key structural factor is that a substantial share of international air freight moves in the belly hold of commercial passenger flights. The result is effective capacity tightening, longer transit times and upward pressure on freight rates, he said. "In this context, demurrage becomes a working-capital strain rather than an operational lapse. A temporary waiver or calibrated relief would be commercially pragmatic during force majeure conditions while supporting export continuity," Vora said. Force majeure is a contract clause that relieves parties from liability when unforeseeable events - such as wars and natural disasters - beyond their control prevents them from meeting their obligations. The war, which began on 28 February with coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has since widened as Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on American and allied military bases and infrastructure across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. With flight operations disrupted due to the West Asian crisis, export consignments scheduled for airlift to international destinations have remained stuck at cargo terminals across India. Under existing tariff rules of Cargo Terminal Operators (CTOs), demurrage charges become payable if cargo stays beyond the stipulated free-storage period. Exporters are now facing the prospect of paying additional charges despite the delays being triggered by external factors. 'Exceptional and unavoidable' The air cargo body described the situation as an exceptional and unavoidable disruption in the global air logistics chain. Levy of demurrage in such cases would impose an unjustified financial burden on exporters, who are already facing shipment delays and commercial uncertainties, the letter said, Air cargo is often used to handle time-sensitive goods such as pharmaceuticals, perishables, electronics and engineering products. The air cargo agents' association has requested the Union ministry of civil aviation to issue suitable guidance to cargo terminal operators to waive demurrage charges for export consignments that could not be airlifted due to flight disruptions or airspace constraints arising from the ongoing crisis. The waiver, it said, should apply for the relevant affected period. The ACCAI called for a temporary relief measure that would help maintain continuity and confidence in Indias air cargo trade during a challenging period. A similar situation of stranded consignments has also been seen in sea cargo movement, where logistics companies are coordinating with port operators to minimize disruption. Also Read | Sea trade in the crossfire as Israel-Iran conflict escalates CFSs (container freight stations) play a proactive and supportive role in enabling faster evacuation at ports and ensuring a smoother flow of export cargo to terminals. We are working closely with port authorities, terminal operators and trade associations across all major ports, and are continuously monitoring the situation, said Suresh Kumar R., managing director, Allcargo Terminals Ltd, a Mumbai-based CFS operator. A container freight station is a facility near a seaport where export and import cargo is handled before it is loaded onto ships or after it is unloaded. CMA CGM, a France-based global shipping and logistics company, has instructed all vessels currently in the Gulf, or bound for the region, to proceed to shelter with immediate effect, according to a statement issued on 28 February. India currently has around 100 million barrels of commercial crude oil secured. This oil is not all stored in one place. Some of it is kept in large storage tanks, some in underground strategic reserves, while the rest is already loaded on ships voyaging towards the country. This becomes important if oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted. The Hormuz is a narrow but crucial sea route through which a large share of the world's shipments pass. As recent geopolitical tensions have threatened to slow or stop traffic there, countries that rely on Middle East oil, including India, could face supply problems. As the US and Israel escalate military operations against Iran, global markets are bracing for the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. Though Iran has claimed that it has already closed the Strait, it is still not clear if this is a complete closure, according to multiple reports. How many days will India's oil stock last? With India's current stockpile of crude oil, it can meet its requirement for about 40-45 days, according to estimates by energy analytics firm Kpler, quoted by PTI in its news report. India imports about 88% of the crude oil it needs, with more than half of it being supplied by Middle Eastern countries. These shipments transit the Strait of Hormuz, whose flow has been disrupted amid the Iran crisis. Also Read | Iran-linked oil tanker with 15 Indian crew members targeted near Hormuz Strait In case Middle Eastern crude supply is halted completely for a temporary period due to the regional disruptions, the immediate impact would be logistical and price-driven, news agency PTI reported. What can India do to offset the impact of the closure? India is the world's third largest oil importer, as it receives roughly half of its crude needs through the narrow Strait. Its mainstay liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier in Qatar also uses the strait to ship the fuel to India. To offset the impact of the Strait's closure, India could ramp up purchases from suppliers outside the Middle East. Countries in West Africa, Latin America and the US can make up for the potential shortfall. India could also tap Russian oil to make up for the deficit, the news agency said. India had agreed to gradually scale down purchases of crude oil from Russia as part of a broader trade deal with the United States. The deal faces uncertainty after the US Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump's country-based tariffs. With the intensification of the conflict in West Asia, India, on Tuesday, 3 March, highlighted the interests of one crore Indian nationals in the region and expressed concern about potential disruptions to energy supplies, which could have a serious impact on the Indian economy. India called for "dialogue and diplomacy" to end the conflict early, noting that it has vital interests in the region's security and stability as a nearby neighbour and that the current developments "evoke great anxiety". This is the second statement from India since the US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran's retaliation. India emphasised that the safety and security of Indians residing in West Asia is its highest priority, PTI reported. The government's statement came against the backdrop of airstrikes by the US and Israel on Iran on Saturday, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Islamic Republic had vowed revenge and launched its own attacks on 27 US bases and some Israeli military facilities in the Middle East on Sunday, escalating the conflict, according to reports. Conflict spreads to other nations "In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety," it said. However, the MEA did not mention the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israel strike. Priority to Indians living in Gulf Nearly one crore Indian citizens live in the Gulf, making their safety a top priority for the government. "There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them," it said. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy, while adding, As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. The MEA stated that several Indian nationals have either been killed or are missing due to the recent attacks. SpiceJet is operating six special flights to support and bring back stranded Indians travelling home from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi as the clashes between the US-Israel and Iran continue, with Tehran targeting America's military bases in Dubai and other parts of the Middle Eastern country. The decision to operate special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi has come as airline operations have come to a halt due to the closure of airspaces in the Middle East amid the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. Flight Status LIVE on March 3, catch here The flights include SG 9072 from Fujairah to Delhi on 3 March, departing at 23:10 and arriving at 4:10; SG 9031 from Fujairah to Mumbai on 3 March, departing at 23:00 and arriving at 3:30; and another flight on the same day is to Kochi, which will be departing at 22:10 and arriving at 3:20. More flights include SG 9014 from Fujairah to Mumbai on 4 March, which will depart at 1:55 and arrive at 6:25; SG 9006 from Fujairah to Delhi the same day will depart at 11:10 and arrive at 16:40, and SG 9014 to Mumbai the next day, 5 March, departing at 1:55 and arriving at 6:25. The airline is also exploring the possibility of operating more special flights, subject to passenger requirements and regulatory approvals. Also Read | What separates world-class nations from the rest: Stranded Indian passenger lauds UAEs response to flight cancellations In a statement, SpiceJet said, SpiceJet is operating special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to support Indian nationals travelling home. Standing by when it matters! Jai Hind. Meanwhile, the Evacuation Cell of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday, 3 March, that a small number of flights have departed from the Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central International Airport after the UAE partially reopened the airspace under restricted corridors, and that access is strictly controlled. While regular services have remained suspended, the foreign ministry has informed that a small number of inbound and outbound flights were permitted to resume operations on Monday evening. Also Read | Air India extends Middle East flight suspension today; Europe operations hit too The statement said, A small number of flights have now departed from DXB/OMDB (Dubai International Airport) and DWC/OMDW (Dubai World Central International Airport). While the airports are no longer completely closed, they are not yet fully open to the public. It said, Access is strictly controlled, and regular scheduled services remain heavily disrupted. A small number of inbound and outbound flights were permitted to start operating on the evening of 2 March. UAE airspace has partially reopened under restricted corridors, but much of the surrounding regional airspace remains closed or highly volatile. National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament (MP) Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly ignoring Iran while engaging with Gulf monarchies hosting American military bases during the ongoing military escalation in West Asia. Mehdi, the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, lamented that while the efforts by PM Modi were being made to reach out to kings and princesses in the region countries that house American bases there had been no meaningful engagement with Iran following recent attacks by the US and Israel, which also led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He is tirelessly talking to kings and princesses in the region whose pieces of soulless luxuries have received some minor scratches, the MP said, in an apparent reference to diplomatic outreach to Gulf nations after PM Narendra Modi discussed the evolving situation with leaders of Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. But he hasnt shown the decency to talk to a nation whose children were massacred in a school by America and Israel, and whose sovereign and spiritual head was murdered in an act of aggression defying all global and human laws," Mehdi, who is a Shia Muslim, responded to a post by PM Modi over his diplomatic engagements. Also Read | US Ambassador says limited options for Americans to leave Israel, shares list New Delhis silence following the killing of Khamenei in the US-Israel strikes has triggered strong reactions from the opposition camp. Rahul seeks answers from PM Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also sought answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he supported the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order. The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. "Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said on X, referring to the silence of the Union government over the targeted assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States over the weekend. PM Modi also spoke with leaders of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Israel. In all, PM Modi has spoken with leaders from eight Middle Eastern countries. India, in an official statement issued on Tuesday, emphasised the interests of one crore Indian nationals in the region and expressed concern about the consequences for the Indian economy from possible disruptions to energy supplies. India calls for dialogue and diplomacy In its second statement since the US-Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran's subsequent retaliation, India once again called for "dialogue and diplomacy" to end the conflict, noting that New Delhi has critical stakes in the security and stability of West Asia and the current developments "evoke great anxiety". New Delhi said it will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest, adding that it is in touch with governments in the region and other key partners. "In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The ministry said that almost one crore Indian citizens live in West Asia, and their safety and well-being are of "utmost priority" for New Delhi. "We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them," it said. The conflict in West Asia intensified with Iran continuing to pound several Gulf countries in retaliation for the joint attack against it by Israel and the US. The US and Israel have also carried out fresh strikes on Iran. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. As part of its offensive, Iran has blocked the strategically located Strait of Hormuz shipping route, triggering a surge in global oil prices. New Delhi: Liquor shops across the national capital will remain open this Holi, with the Delhi government removing the festival from its list of notified dry days, a senior excise department official said on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported. In an order issued in January this year, the excise department specified that only Republic Day, Maha Shivratri, Id-ul-Fitr, Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti would be observed as dry days until the end of March. "This Holi, there will be no dry day, and liquor shops will remain open. The closure of shops will be observed as per the order issued in January," the official said. In previous years, Holi had typically been included in the list of dry days in the capital, leading to the closure of liquor outlets on the festival. Delhi currently has around 750 liquor shops operating across the city. With Holi not featuring in this years restricted list, these outlets will function as usual, subject to standard timings and regulations. The January order also clarified that license holders "shall not be entitled to any compensation on account of any changes effected in the above list". It further stated that restrictions on liquor sale on dry days do not apply to hotels serving liquor to their in-house guests. Iran-US-Israel war: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Tuesday said Indian carriers operated 24 flights across West Asia amid the ongoing Iran-US-Israel conflict. The ministry added that the airlines plan to operate 58 flights on Wednesday. According to an operational update, IndiGo will run at least 30 of the planned services, while Air India and Air India Express will together operate 23. In a statement released today, MoCA said: Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Also Read | Middle East flights disrupted amid airspace closure; what should travellers know The development comes days after the United States and Israel launched strikes at Iran and targeted its key military and naval forces. On 28 February, at least 47 Iranian leaders were reported dead, including the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death has further worsened the situation, as Tehran vowed to avenge his death. MoCA continues to monitor the situation The Ministry added that it continues to monitor the evolving airspace situation in parts of West Asia and its impact on international flight operations. As of 3 March, a total of 1,221 flights by Indian carriers and 388 flights by foreign airlines were reported cancelled. MoCA said the government is ensuring special arrangements to facilitate the movement of all those stranded in parts of West Asia. It added that airlines are deploying additional capacity wherever required and are also coordinating with foreign aviation officials, along with Indian missions abroad, to ensure safe passenger movement. PM Modi speaks to Gulf leaders, voices concerns for Indians in West Asia Over the last few days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with several leaders in West Asia and expressed concerns regarding the safety and welfare of Indians stuck in the region. Modi also condemned the attack on West Asian countries, which has plunged the region into a wider military confrontation. On Wednesday, Modi held telephonic conversations with the Sultan of Oman and the Crown Prince of Kuwait. Previously, he spoke with the King of Bahrain, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Jordan's King Abdullah II. Stranded Indians seek Centre's help According to news agency ANI, several tourists from Telangana, Hyderabad, and Andhra Pradesh have been stuck in Bahrain and have now sought the Central government's help in returning home, as tensions escalate. The conflict has disrupted the aviation sector, with some of the world's largest airlines, including Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, forced to suspend or cancel flights. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, and expressed concern over attacks on their countries amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, news agency PTI reported. Citing officials, the report said that in his telephonic conversations with the two leaders, PM Modi discussed the welfare and security of the Indian diaspora residing in those countries. The official said, The prime minister spoke to two important leaders from the Gulf region on Tuesday afternoon. He had a phone call with the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, and also had a conversation with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Wider conflict in West Asia? The phone call comes at a time when the West Asian region has been plunged into a deeper and renewed military confrontation after the United States and Israel, on 28 February, launched strikes on Iran and targeted the country's naval and military forces. During the strikes, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among 47 leaders who were killed, prompting strong retaliation from Tehran, which attacked Israel and US military installations in the Gulf region, as well as the global business and aviation hubs in Doha and Dubai. PM Modi speaks to Gulf leaders PTI reported that in the last two days, PM Modi has spoken to several leaders in the Gulf region. This included the King of Bahrain and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. During his conversations, PM Modi has condemned the recent attacks on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which violated their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Asserting India's support, PM Modi said that New Delhi stands in solidarity with its people in this difficult time. He also spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II and expressed deep concern over the evolving geopolitical situation in the region. Additionally, he held conversations with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Indians stranded in West Asia seek Centre's help According to an ANI report, many Indians are stranded in the Gulf region after the conflict threw the region into chaos, prompting airlines to cancel or suspend flights for the time being amid airspace closures. Some of the world's largest airlines, including Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, have also suspended or cancelled services, leaving many tourists stranded in the region. A group of tourists have sought urgent assistance from the Central and State governments after being stranded in Bahrain amid escalating tensions in West Asia. The tourists hailed Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including Hyderabad resident Salmon Raj. The group had travelled to Bahrain on a tourist visa on 24 February nd was scheduled to return to Hyderabad after four days. However, their departure plans were disrupted following sudden hostilities, which led to airport closures and flight cancellations. A Special National Investigation Court (NIA) in Jammu has issued a Letter Rogatory to the judicial authority in China for assistance in the Pahalgam terror attack investigation. The Letter Rogatory requests help in tracing the supply chain and end-user details of a mobile phone linked to the investigation in the terror attack case. The Special Judge passed the order in response to an application filed by the Deputy Inspector General, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Sandeep Choudhary, under Section 112 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Terrorists linked with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit had struck south Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, indiscriminately killing 25 tourists and a local guide. What is Letter Rogatory? When the judicial authority of one of the contracting parties requires that evidence should be taken into territory of the other contracting party or in other country, such evidence may be taken by the means of Letters Rogatory/Letters of Request. Also Read | Pahalgam terror attack: How a Hindu Brahmin survived by reciting Kalima, the Islamic prayer; When I started... According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), The assistance sought under Letters Rogatories is for service of documents and taking of evidence. Letters Rogatory may be made to any country on the basis of Bilateral Treaty/Agreement, Multilateral Treaty/Agreement or International Convention or on the basis of assurance of reciprocity. The Pahalgam attack probe According to the application, the NIA seized various material objects and electronic devices linked to the conspiracy and execution of the terrorist attack during the course of the investigation. One such crucial electronic device is a GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, bearing serial No.C3501325471706, which is relevant for establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement and operational preparation of the terrorist module involved in the Pahalgam attack. A lawful notice under the BNSS was issued to the manufacturer GoPro B V, seeking details regarding the supply chain and activation of the said device. In its official response, GoPro B V has informed that the said camera was supplied to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in the People's Republic of China; and the camera was activated on January 30, 2024, at Dongguan, People's Republic of China. "The manufacturer has further stated that it does not possess downstream transaction details or end-user records of the device. The activation, initial use and commercial trail of the said device lie within the territorial jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China, and the information necessary to trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records can only be obtained through judicial assistance of the Chinese authorities," the application read. Since India and China are not linked by a mutual treaty, an assistance could be sought under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) as both the nations have ratified the UNTOC. New Delhi: A military tradition that began in 1841 will step into its fifth generation on March 7, when Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla is commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya, news agency ANI reported. For the Shukla family, the commissioning is more than a ceremonial milestone. It represents the continuation of a legacy summed up in their motto: "Serving the nation is our duty, serving society is our mission". According to the familys documented account, their 185-year-long association with military service began with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, who served in the 32 Bengal Native Infantry (Brahmin), Bengal Army, from 1841 to 1859. His tenure included participation in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and service during the period of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 before retiring in 1859. Also Read | Indian Army foils early morning Pak drone intrusion attempt along LoC in Poonch The second generation, Naik Hari Narayan Shukla, served between 1909 and 1923. During World War I, he was deployed to defend the Suez Canal and later served in the Mesopotamian Campaign under the 14th Indian Division. After the 3rd Brahmin Battalion was disbanded in 1922, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Battalion before retiring the following year. The third generation saw Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla commissioned in 1962 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, into the 35 Medium Regiment (Artillery). Over a distinguished career spanning until 1990, he served in the Sino-India War of 1962, the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. After retirement, he founded the Sainik Parmarth Chikitsalaya Trust in September 2020 to provide free medical services in rural areas. He passed away on June 1, 2021. Also Read | Indian Army Agniveer Recruitment registration begins The fourth generation, Colonel Bipin Kumar Shukla, continues to serve in the Indian Army. Now, the mantle passes to Tunmay Shukla. A Computer Science Engineering graduate who completed his studies with distinction, he chose a different path at a time when many of his peers pursue high-paying corporate careers. "In an era when Computer Science graduates command six and seven-figure salaries in the corporate sector, Tunmay made the conscious decision to forgo lucrative opportunities and instead serve the nation," the family said. Their statement further added that, His choice demonstrates that patriotism and service remain vibrant ideals for the younger generation. A routine international business trip took an unexpected turn for an Indian entrepreneur after escalating tensions in the Middle East disrupted air travel across the Gulf. Sanjay Varnwal, CEO and co-founder of Spyne, found himself stranded in Kuwait after his connecting flight to New York was forced to return mid-air due to sudden airspace closures linked to the US-Iran conflict. In a detailed LinkedIn post, Varnwal recounted how he boarded a 3am flight from Delhi to Kuwait before heading for his onward 9am connection to JFK airport in New York. Everything felt completely normal when our flight took off from Kuwait at 8:45 AM on February 28th. I was just settling in, reading a book, totally unknown to whats happening outside, he wrote. About 45 minutes into the journey, the pilot announced that Iraqi airspace had abruptly closed and the aircraft would have to head back to Kuwait. Check out the post here. Was bit annoying at first did not realise the mess I was getting into, he wrote, adding that he initially assumed it was a minor issue and expected only a short delay. However, after landing back in Kuwait, the scale of the disruption became clear. Airline staff reportedly had limited information as tensions escalated across the region. Kuwait Airways later issued a revised departure time of 1:30 pm and reissued boarding passes. But hours later, the situation worsened. Around 3pm, airline staff said that the planes are grounded and there is no way that flights can operate now. This is when the seriousness of the situation hit me hard. I realised - shit, I am stranded here now, he wrote. Describing the airport scenes, Varnwal said transit passengers were left waiting while local travellers returned home. He estimated that nearly 1,000 people were stranded. It was pure chaos - over a thousand people, a fleet of buses, and police everywhere trying to keep the peace, he said, while praising authorities for handling the situation. By 10 pm, passengers were reportedly checked into multiple hotels across the city. Also Read | Flight Status LIVE 3 March: Over 250 flights cancelled at four airports And this is how one of the most interesting days of my life ended. Now stuck here, waiting for the airspace to open, with war outside! he wrote, thanking friends and the Indian Embassy for support. His experience reflects the wider travel disruptions affecting thousands worldwide as flights are rerouted or grounded amid rising regional tensions. The US State Department is urging Americans to leave the Middle East as the conflict in Iran widens, thereby plunging the region into a deeper military confrontation. The conflict, which began on 28 February after the United States and Israel launched strikes targeting key military and naval sites across Tehran, has now entered its fourth day, with no end in sight so far. Amidst the ongoing conflict, the US has shut its embassies across the Middle East and urged its citizens present in the region to take shelter. On Monday (local time), Americans were urged to "depart now" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. They were urged to leave "using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks", CBS News reported. Americans in ME left in the lurch? While the US State Department has urged people to leave, it seems no arrangements have been made on their end, leaving thousands of Americans in the region in trouble. Earlier today, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee shared a post on his X account, advising Americans in Israel to leave and shared a few options available to them. Huckabee, in a long post, was quick to add that those who wish to leave have "very limited" options, adding that the U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourisms shuttle. The information is provided as a courtesy to those wishing to leave Israel. Earlier today, the US embassy in Jerusalem, in a post on X, wrote, "The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. The following is provided for your information as you make your own security plans." In a travel advisory shared by the US embassy in Qatar, on 2 March, it said, "Americans who choose not to depart at this time should prepare contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. These alternative plans should not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation." US lawmakers slam State Department over lack of help Following the advisories and updates shared by the US State Department, several lawmakers have now criticised the government over the lack of help to Americans in the Middle East. Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned from Congress after a split with Trump, said, "American taxpayers are forced to give Israel $3.8 BILLION every single year, and here is our own U.S. embassy in Jerusalem telling Americans good luck getting out, you are on your own." Democratic Senator Andy Kim said in a post on X, "Warnings to citizens to evacuate 3 days into this war, when airspace is closed, is a clear sign of ZERO strategy and planning by the Trump admin. Now Americans have limited options to evacuate at an extremely dangerous moment with no government assistance. This administration is failing its citizens," Kim added. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also slammed the government in a post on X. Murphy wrote, "So the State Department is forcing everyone to immediately leave the region but is also refusing to help people leave the region." According to a CBS News report, more than a million Americans are believed to be in the Middle East, who are now left on their own to figure out how to leave. Americans slam US government Several social media users also expressed their disappointment with the US government, which has reportedly left them stranded, and questioned whether the decision by US President Donald Trump to strike Iran was one made hastily or not. A user on X wrote, The TRUMP ADMINISTRATION is refusing to help AMERICANS get out of Israel. Was this planned to give Trump a reason to put boots on the ground in Iran after offering up Americans to be slaughtered first? While another wrote, "Launch a war that jeopardises the safety of over half a million Americans from Jerusalem to Dubai? Send a histrionic alert after the fact, telling them all to 'DEPART NOW?' United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill that the objective of the strikes on Iran was not regime change. The statement comes a few days after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israel joint airstrikes at his residence-office compound on Saturday, March 1. Speaking with reporters, Marco Rubio said while the objective was not a regime change in Iran, the main purpose of the strikes was ending Tehran's missile and nuclear programs. Iran has long insisted that it didnt want to build a nuclear bomb. While its ballistic missiles are capable of hitting US forces in the region as well as American allies, it didnt have the capability to target the US directly. The Secretary of State said, The objectives of this operation are to destroy their ballistic missile capability and make sure they cant rebuild, and make sure that they cant hide behind that to have a nuclear program." However, Rubio said there were no objections to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei being killed. Asserting that a new regime in Iran would be welcomed by the United States, Marco Rubio said, We would love for there to be an Iran thats not governed by radical Shia clerics. While we would love to see a new regime, the bottom line is no matter who governs that country a year from now, theyre not going to have these ballistic missiles and theyre not going to have these drones to threaten us." He also warned that the hardest of strikes are yet to come. Im not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military, Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now." The secretary of state also said that the impending strikes on Iran by Israel was the reason America went ahead with sending barrage of missiles towards Iran. Also Read | How did Israel track, isolate and kill Khamenei? Hacked traffic cameras, network disruption on Pasteur Street, & more We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them, before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties, he said. We believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow. Donald Trump had, however, earlier said that he decided to launch attack on Iran after the negotiations ended in Geneva on Thursday, March 26, without a deal. The National Weather Service has extended a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Delaware and New Jersey, warning of mixed precipitation and icy conditions through 9 a.m. EST Tuesday (March 3). The advisory was issued by the National Weather Service Mount Holly office. Areas under advisory The alert covers: -New Castle County, Delaware, including Wilmington -Salem County, New Jersey, including Pennsville Forecasters said mixed precipitation is expected, with ice accumulations around a light glaze. Hazardous road conditions could impact the Tuesday morning commute. Residents were urged to slow down and use caution while traveling. Updated road conditions are available by calling 511. Storm brings wintry mix to region According to AccuWeather, a weak storm tracked from the Plains into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic Monday night, bringing freezing rain and sleet to coastal Delaware and southern New Jersey. The wintry mix also extended farther north into western, central and southeastern Pennsylvania. Second storm taking shape AccuWeather meteorologists said a larger storm will develop Tuesday, affecting portions of the Midwest and Northeast, while lingering snow, ice and rain continue across parts of the region. The new system is expected to track farther north, shifting the heaviest snow and wintry mix toward the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast. Parts of upstate New York and central New England could receive 1 to 2 inches of slushy snow and sleet. In Pennsylvania cities such as Harrisburg, precipitation may begin as sleet and freezing rain Tuesday morning before transitioning to rain later in the day as warmer air moves in. Flood risk from ice jams As temperatures rise, ice on streams and rivers across the Northeast including parts of Pennsylvania could begin to break up. Where the ice jams up, there is a risk of rapid rises in water levels above the jams and then below where the jams break, said Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. He warned that unprotected areas along flood-prone waterways could face localized flooding. Pattern change to bring springlike warmth By mid- to late week, a shift in the jet stream pattern is expected to bring milder conditions to much of the eastern United States. AccuWeather said temperatures in cities such as Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia could rise 10 to 20 degrees above the historical average for early March by Thursday. An active storm track across the Plains into the Great Lakes may send additional rounds of rain into parts of the Northeast, including Pennsylvania, depending on each systems path. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday (local time) urged Americans to "depart now" from several Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, as Iran attacked the UAE, Dubai and other Gulf cities in response to Israel-US attacks. He advised them to sign up to receive STEP alerts and use commercial transportation to leave those countries. "To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority. Sign up to receive STEP alerts at http://step.state.gov. Get information at @TravelGov and you can call the department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444," Rubio posted on X while sharing a video message. In the video, Rubio said that the departments top priority is the safety and security of American citizens. Rubio condemned the cowardly attacks by Iran against other countries in the Persian Gulf, and said that the department, since the start of the military campaign on Saturday, has surged personnel and resources to help US citizens with safety and security information. For which countries has the security alert been issued? Rubio advised Americans currently residing in THESE countries to "depart now" due to "serious safety risks": Bahrain Iran Iraq Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Jordan Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria United Arab Emirates Yemen US helpline number "Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the US and Canada)," Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar posted on X. She also shared a link where people can enroll to get the latest security updates from the nearest US embassy or consulate. STEP: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow US citizens and nationals to enrol their trip abroad so the Department of State can accurately and quickly contact them in case of an emergency. Hardest hits are yet to come US President Donald Trump said that the bombing campaign that began Saturday would continue after the U.S.-Israeli alliance struck hundreds of targets across Iran. Even still, Rubio said on Monday before briefing congressional leaders that the objective of the US campaign was to destroy Irans ballistic missile capabilities, that it can be achieved without using ground forces, but that the hardest hits are yet to come. "The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now. The world will be a safer place when we're done with this operation," Rubio said on Monday. Earthquake today: Tremors of 4.3 magnitude were felt in Iran's Gerash region on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. This comes at a time when the country is engaged in an ongoing conflict with the US and Israel. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles) at around 12:24 PM, USGS said. As the war in the Middle East intensifies, Iran struck the US Embassy in Saudi Arabias capital with a drone on Tuesday. Iran continued its retaliatory strikes on the fourth day after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, striking Israel, US consulates and military bases across the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that this military campaign could last more than a month, saying the US has "the capability to go far longer" than the projected four-to-five-week time frame. The sound of explosions rang across Tehran as the US and Israel continued to pound Iran. Tehran officially moved to block the Strait of Hormuz, attempting to disrupt 20% of global oil supply. Adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Iranian Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, said, Dont come to this region, threatening to set fire to any ships attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran targeted energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are critical to the world's oil and natural gas production. The immediate impact was a steep rise in global oil and natural gas prices. Also Read | Over 700 ships stuck at Strait of Hormuz as West Asia conflict disrupts oil flow In Iran, the loss of lives is over 555, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that over 52 were killed and 154 wounded in Israels overnight retaliatory strikes against Hezbollah in the Beirut suburbs and southern region of the country. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), nearly 85 civilians and 11 military personnel were killed in the joint US-Israeli strike in Iran in the last 24 hours. The total civilian death toll has risen to at least 742, the Washington, DC-based group said, including 176 children. Powerful quake strikes Indonesia Another powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Tuesday, according to the USGS. According to authorities, the quake originated offshore from Sumatra's northeastern tip. Following the strong tremors, residents rushed to open spaces for safety. Loud explosions were heard in Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, March 3, according to AFP reporters and residents. The explosions were heard in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi as Iran pressed a campaign of missile and drone barrages across the Gulf to retaliate against teh strikes launched by Israel and the United States on February 28. Journalists heard loud explosions reverberating in the Qatari capital and in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates while two residents told AFP they heard explosions in UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Dubai fire near US Consulate contained after drone-related incident Dubai authorities confirmed that a fire triggered by a drone-related incident near the U.S. Consulate has been successfully contained. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately after the incident was reported and managed to bring the situation under control, officials said. Authorities stated that no injuries have been reported in connection with the fire. Further details about the cause of the drone-related incident were not immediately released. Officials added that the situation is being monitored as investigations continue. Earlier, Dubai Media Office said sounds heard across Dubai are a result of interceptions by aerial defense. No cause of the reported explosions in Abu Dhabi and Doha have been shared yet. Dubai Media Office said, Authorities in Dubai confirm that sounds heard in various areas across the city were the result of air defence interception operations. The relevant Dubai teams continue to closely monitor the situation and are taking all necessary measures to ensure public safety. The public is advised to rely exclusively on official sources for accurate updates. On Saturday, February 28, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against multiple locations in Tehran, also targeting the compound of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's office-residence, killing him and some of his family members. In retaliation, Iran has been launching a flurry of missiles and drones across countries in the Middle East, targeting US military bases. Dubai Airports issues passenger advisory as limited operations resume Dubais airport authorities have issued a detailed passenger advisory as limited flight operations resume at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), urging travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Officials clarified that passengers should not travel to the airport unless their airline has confirmed the flight is operating. If your airline has not confirmed your flight is operating, please do not travel to the airport. You will be turned away without confirmation, the advisory stated. Operations being gradually scaled Authorities said operations are being progressively restored in coordination with airlines and relevant agencies. They added that the situation is being closely monitored and updates will be shared through official channels. Flight schedules may continue to change Passengers were warned that schedules could remain fluid even after services resume. Flight schedules may continue to adjust as airlines reposition aircraft and rebalance networks. Please continue checking your airline's website or app, the advisory noted. Priority to departing flights During the restart phase, priority is being given to departing flights, with movements expected to increase gradually depending on airspace availability and operational capacity. Authorities emphasized that individual flight operations are determined by airlines based on aircraft positioning, crew availability, and airspace conditions. Officials cautioned that aviation conditions remain dynamic and temporary adjustments, including possible suspensions, may occur. Travelers are advised to rely only on airline communications for real-time updates before traveling. The advisory comes amid regional disruptions affecting air travel across parts of the Middle East, prompting authorities to manage operations cautiously while prioritizing passenger safety. Also Read | UAE markets to resume trading on March 4 after Iran crisis closure Flight Status Highlights on 3 March: Flight operations in the Middle East gradually resumed on Tuesday, 3 March after being impacted for three days amid the conflict involving the US and Israel, and Iran. Flight operations have begun partially in coordination with aviation authorities and airline partners, while widespread cancellations still continue at the region including Dubai airport, Abu Dhabi airport and Saudi airports. Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central International Airport started limited operations on late Tuesday night with Emirates and FlyDubai sending their flights to Chennai, Moscow, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Sharm El Sheikh, Warsaw and Belgrade, as per the Dubai airport website. Abu Dhabis Zayed International Airport restarted partial operations as well. Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport has also begun restricted operations. However, authorities urged caution. Travellers have been advised not to proceed to DXB or DWC unless they have been contacted directly by their airline with a confirmed departure time. Follow this space for LIVE updates on flight status of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar airports. Flight Status LIVE: Indian carriers to operate 58 flights on March 4, IndiGo and Air India lead services Indian carriers are planning to operate 58 flights on March 4, including 30 by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express, according to a statement by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Flight Status LIVE: How many passengers are stranded in Qatar? Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following military strikes involving the US, Israel, and Iran, the situation remains tense as major hubs like Hamad International (Doha) and Dubai International (DXB) operate under severe restrictions. As of March 3, 2026, the closure of airspaces over Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia has left an estimated 8,000 passengers stranded in Qatar alone, with tens of thousands more affected across the Gulf, news agency ANI reported. Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday informed that nearly 8,000 people are stranded in transit in the country, Al Jazeera reported. Flight Status LIVE: Flights to evacuate stranded travellers in Middle East Evacuation flights are set to rescue tens of thousands of travellers stranded in the Middle East even as some airlines resumed on Tuesday a limited number of scheduled flights, news agency AFP reported. Flight Status LIVE: Dubai-stranded travellers exchange sweets after reaching Mumbai airport | In Pic View full Image Passengers who were stranded in Dubai due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict land at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminal 2 as they caught a flight from Muscat in Mumbai. ( Hindustan Times ) Flight Status LIVE: Over 250 flights cancelled at four airports More than 250 flights were cancelled at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai airports on Tuesday due to the Middle East conflict, PTI reported. Flight Status LIVE: Indians stranded in Dubai amid US-Israel conflict arrive in Delhi A family stranded in Dubai amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Reuters reported. Flight Status LIVE: Fliers from Dubai recollect horrific experience of explosions; feel relieved over homecoming Several passengers heaved a sigh of relief over the safe return on Tuesday and thanked the Central and state governments for the arrangements. Shubha, a passenger from New York, who was supposed to return to Chennai on Sunday, described how the roads wore a deserted look following the conflict and added it was a "scary situation" in Dubai. "Coming back here is like a freedom. I am coming from New York. I had a lay over in Dubai on Saturday. In the afternoon around 1 pm that day, they (Airline authorities) told that the Dubai air space has been closed" she told reporters at the airport here. "Emirates Airlines and Dubai airport took care of us very well and immediately moved us to hotels. We were staying there in hotels. However, after reaching the hotel, we were told that some debris or something like a shrapnel fell at the Dubai airport causing some damage," she recalled. "Scary situation prevailed during our stay as we could hear explosions every few hours. During nights we were able to see the missiles. Today, we are very happy to be back home, safe and alive," she said. Chennai resident Karthik, who had gone with his family for a tour to Dubai said, "We went for a tour last Tuesday (February 24). We were supposed to return on Saturday. But on Saturday we got the news about the closure of air space." He said due to the airspace closure there might be some delays on the flight operations but never knew that the flights would be cancelled. "We returned to the hotel on the same day and stayed there. We were able to hear sounds of missiles. Thankfully, we managed to get ticket for our journey today and came back to Chennai," he said. Another passenger Syed Ali said, "upon hearing the news, several children started to cry due to the situation at the Dubai airport. However, the hotel authorities helped us a lot and accommodated us." "Nearly 20,000 people were seen standing in long queues and were sent to various hotels. We should thank both the Central and state governments for taking steps for our safe return," Ali, who hails from Nagoor in Tamil Nadu said. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had earlier instructed the Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and Rehabilitation Department to know the status of Tamils living in the Gulf countries. The government also established a 24-hour control room at the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi to offer assistance to the passengers. (PTI) Flight Status LIVE: Norwegian extends suspension of Dubai flights Low-cost airline Norwegian said Tuesday it was extending its suspension of flights to and from Dubai until March 10 because of the war in the Middle East, news agency AFP reported. Flight Status LIVE: Bengaluru-Dubai Emirates flight returns Emirates flight EK 569 from Bengaluru to Dubai returned to Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after departing at 4:30 a.m. with 56 passengers on board, following airspace closures in West Asia, The Hindu reported. Flight Status LIVE: Foreign nationals stranded at Bengaluru airport as flights cancelled Several foreign nationals were stranded at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday as flights to the Middle East continued to be cancelled due to the ongoing West Asian conflict, with passengers complaining about lack of information and costly ticket prices for alternative flights. A German national who is stuck at the airport said her flight from Bengaluru to Dubai and then to Dusseldorf, Germany, was cancelled because of the ongoing conflict. "In the morning, we had a flight at 10:25 am from here to Dubai, and then from Dubai to Dusseldorf, Germany, but it was cancelled because of the war. We've been trying since yesterday to get a flight or any information from Emirates, but there's not much at all have nothing," the German national told news agency ANI. She said she had been in India for three weeks visiting places like Bangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, National Park, Gokarna, Palolem, Panaji and Baga Beach. "It's been a nice holiday until now. There haven't been any difficulties until now. The only difficulty we have now is that we have no information, no flight, and no updates. We saw only one flight yesterday, directly from here to Frankfurt, but it was for 8,000 euros, which is too expensive to pay. We're waiting here on the hotline; it's the only thing we can do," she added. Flight Status LIVE: We felt safe: Passenger arriving from Dubai praises UAE government A passenger, Sneha, who arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from Dubai, said: The situation is quite safe there, the Emirates provided a safe stay. 2 days ago we could hear the bombings, interception of missiles... The UAE government is doing a good job there, we felt safe... I was following the social media accounts of the Indian Embassies, they did provide helpline numbers and we were in contact..." Flight Status LIVE: EaseMyTri View full Image iMumbai, India - March 03, 2026: Passengers who were stranded in Dubai due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict land at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminal 2 as they caught a flight from Muscat in Mumbai, India, on Monday, March 03, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) ( Hindustan Times ) p operates special charter flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai EaseMyTrip is operating special charter flights on March 3, 2026, to facilitate travel from Fujairah to India. The charter services will run from Fujairah to Delhi and Mumbai, with departures scheduled between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Flight Status LIVE: Kin of Dubai returnee says Maharashtra govt helping stranded Indians amid tensions - Watch Flight Status LIVE: Air India flight brings hundreds of Indians home from Dubai safely View full Image New Delhi, Mar 03 (ANI): An Air India flight carrying over hundreds of Indians from Dubai arrived safely amid the ongoing international tensions, in New Delhi on Tuesday. ( @AirIndia_News ) Flight Status LIVE: Oman Air cancels multiple flights from March 46 Oman Air has announced the cancellation of several flights between Wednesday, March 4, and Friday, March 6, citing ongoing regional airspace closures. In a statement, the airline said all flights to and from the following destinations have been cancelled during the three-day period: Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH), Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen (CPH), Baghdad (BGW), and Khasab (KHS). Flight Status LIVE: Etihad Airways issues advisory Etihad Airways on Tuesday issued an airport advisory urging passengers and members of the public not to travel to the airport unless they have been directly contacted by the airline and provided with confirmed ticket details. In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the airline said access to the airport would be restricted for individuals without confirmed travel documentation. All others should check their flight status at http://etihad.com and await further communication from the airline, the advisory stated. Flight Status LIVE: Airline ticket prices soar on Asia-Europe routes after Gulf airport closures The price of flights between Asia and Europe has soared after the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs due to the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, Reuters reported. Flight Status LIVE: 80 flights cancelled at Delhi Airport amid conflict As many as 80 international flights were cancelled at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning due to operational disruptions for airlines amid the escalating Middle East conflict. Some airlines, including Emirates, have partially started operations to and from the Middle East. An official said 36 departures and 44 arrivals were cancelled at the Delhi airport. Flight Status LIVE: SpiceJet issues Fujairah schedule Flight Date: 3-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9072; Destination: Delhi; Departs at 23:10 and arrives at 4:10 Flight Date: 3-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9031; Destination: Mumbai; Departs at 23:00 and arrives at 3:30 Flight Date: 3-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9033; Destination: Kochi; Departs at 22:10 and arrives at 3:20 Flight Date: 4-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9014; Destination: Mumbai; Departs at 1:55 and arrives at 6:25 Flight Date: 4-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9006; Destination: Delhi; Departs at 11:10 and arrives at 16:40 Flight Date: 5-Mar-26; Flight No: SG 9014; Destination: Mumbai; Departs at 1:55 and arrives at 6:25 Flight Status LIVE: Passengers happy with Air India service The situation is quite normal, there's not much tension, but due to flight cancellations and other things, people are facing financial impacts. Staying there is very expensive... Air India guided us completely. The government there is providing as much help as it can, says a passenger at Delhi Airport who returned on an Air India flight from Dubai Flight Status LIVE: Passengers stranded at Mumbai airport Passengers were stranded at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as several flights were cancelled following the West Asia conflict. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set up a 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room to review preparedness in view of the evolving airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East. Flight Status LIVE: Delhi Airport issues update Given the changing geopolitical situation in the Middle East, some westbound international flights may be subject to delays or operational adjustments. Passengers are advised to check the latest updates with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport and, if necessary, consider alternate routes or connections suggested by the airline. All other flight operations are running as per schedule, Delhi Airport said in a statement Flight Status LIVE: 149 passengers land in New Delhi from Dubai Air India on Tuesday brought back 149 stranded passengers from Dubai on flight AI916D that landed at 10:58 am IST at Delhi Airport. The aircraft, VT-EDC is the first flight operated by an Indian carrier for the homecoming of passengers amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Earlier this morning, 143 cockpit and cabin crew members of Air India and Air India Express who were stranded in Dubai safely arrived back in Delhi on flight AI918D. Our Operations Control Centre and supporting teams have been working around the clock to facilitate these flights in extraordinary circumstances, ensuring seamless coordination throughout. We express our sincere gratitude to the Government of India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the local authorities in Dubai for their continued cooperation in enabling these vital operations, Air India told Mint. Flight Status LIVE: Akasa Air to operate these flights March 03, 2026 QP 561 Mumbai Jeddah I ETD - 19:20 QP 562 Jeddah Mumbai I ETD - 23:55 March 04, 2026 QP 561 Mumbai Jeddah I ETD - 19:20 QP 562 Jeddah Mumbai I ETD - 23:55 QP 563 Ahmedabad Jeddah I ETD - 17:45 QP 564 Jeddah Ahmedabad I ETD - 21:50 Flight Status LIVE: IndiGo to operate 10 flights from Jeddah IndiGo has planned 10 special relief operations from Jeddah to India on 3 March, 2026 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India at Jeddah for passenger facilitation, the Indian government said in a statement. Flight Status LIVE: SpiceJet starts flight services from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi After IndiGo, SpiceJet announced that it will operate four special flights from UAE on 3 March to bring back stranded Indians. It will also restore scheduled flights beginning 4 March. Special services to connect Fujairah with Delhi, Mumbai (two flights) and Kochi on March 3 and for the next few days. SpiceJet to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Fujairah-Mumbai starting March 4, the airline said in a press statement. Flight Status LIVE: IndiGo to operate four flights from Jeddah IndiGo is set to operate four flights from Jeddah today, the airline said in a statement. As part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, IndiGo said. Flight Status LIVE: India closely monitoring airline situation The Ministry of Civil Aviation said is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement, it said. Flight Status LIVE: Emirates flight lands in Mumbai An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as flight operations gradually resumed following disruptions triggered by the escalating West Asian conflict. Emirates flight EK 500 arrived in Mumbai amid tight coordination between airport authorities and airline officials Flight Status LIVE: Which flights departed on Monday? EK500 to Mumbai FZ8081 to Novosibirsk EK542 to Chennai FZ8489 to Moscow EK512 to New Delhi EK568 to Bangalore FZ8205 to Kazan EK524 to Hyderabad FZ8263 to Yekaterinburg FZ1469 to Warsaw FZ1107 to Belgrade FZ1329 to Bucharest Flight Status LIVE: Which airports are open? Partial operations have resumed at the Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC). Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi has also restarted partial operations, as have some Saudi airports. Flight Status LIVE: IndiGo operations remain suspended As part of our continued precautionary approach, the temporary suspension of select international flights operating through parts of the Middle Eastern airspace has been extended. Additionally, certain other international services may be impacted as we align operations with evolving conditions, IndiGo says in a post on X. Flight Status LIVE: Etihad operations suspended till tomorrow All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals. Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and advised to do so, Etihad Flight Status LIVE: Which airspaces are closed today? Airspace remained closed on Tuesday over Iran, Iraq and Israel. Jordan instituted a temporary closure beginning Monday afternoon. Other countries in the Gulf - including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia - had partial or temporary closures that could be extended, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Flight Status LIVE: Emirates operates first flight to India Emirates operated the first flight to India as a mood of relief and joy took over. A cabin crew aboard Emirates flight EK568 from Dubai to Bengaluru welcomed passengers with a warm announcement. "Welcome onboard this flight to Bengaluru. Yes, this is the first flight," she said, setting the tone for what was an emotional moment for many on board. Flight Status LIVE: Flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru resume In a major relief to thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to India resumed on Monday night, with services to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru taking off after days of suspension. Flight Status LIVE: 357 Indian flights cancelled The situation in the Middle East region continues to be closely monitored to facilitate relief for passengers. Due to the ongoing situation, 357 flights planned for operation today were cancelled, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on 2 March. Flight Status LIVE: What did Emirates say? In a statement posted on X, Emirates said, Emirates will begin operating a limited number of flights commencing on the evening of 2 March. We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates. Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified. All other flights remain suspended until further notice. Flight Status LIVE: Have Indian airlines resumed operations? Indian airlines including Air India and IndiGo have not resumed their operations in the Middle East yet. However, Air India Express has started accepting bookings to Dubai from 4 March onwards. Flight Status LIVE: Which airports have reopened? Partial operations have resumed at the Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC). Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi has also restarted partial operations, as have some Saudi airports. However, authorities urged caution. Travellers have been advised not to proceed to DXB or DWC unless they have been contacted directly by their airline with a confirmed departure time. Flight Status LIVE: Governments extract stranded travellers Travellers stranded by a widening war began departing the United Arab Emirates aboard a small number of evacuation flights Monday, as governments around the world worked to extract their citizens from the Middle East. With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end. Iran's Conflict With Israel and US Highlights: Israel said on Wednesday it launched fresh attacks in Tehran and Beirut. On Tuesday, two drones, apparently from Iran, struck the US embassy in Riyadh, causing minor damage and starting a fire. The Middle East seems to be teetering amid rising incidents of missile and drone strikes in the region. Escalating attacks and exchange of barrage of missiles since the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have deepened the conflict between Iran and US-Israel. Iran named the recent escalation Operation Truthful Promise 4 in response to United States' Operation Epic Fury and Israel's Operation Roaring Lion. As the crossfire continues, the spillover effect of the war can be seen in the Middle East. The immediate impact of the war was a sudden spike seen in oil prices. When will this war end? With no clear timeline over the end of this conflict, US President Donald Trump said on Monday operations are likely to last four to five weeks but that he was prepared to go far longer than that. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected the war against Iran was "not going to take years", as the conflict widened with Israel attacking Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and Iran hitting Gulf states that host U.S. bases. Death toll In the conflict, nearly 11 people have been killed in Israel and six American service members have been confirmed dead, according to AP report. Since the US-Israeli attack began on February 28, the loss of lives is over 555 in Iran, Iranian Red Crescent Society said. Irans top diplomat shared a photo on Monday and said that more than 160 girls were killed in the US-Israeli strike on an elementary school in Minab. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), nearly 85 civilians and 11 military personnel were killed in the joint US-Israeli strike in Iran in the last 24 hours. The total civilian death toll has risen to at least 742, the Washington DC-based group said, including 176 children. Lebanon' Health Ministry reported that over 52 were killed and 154 wounded in overnight Israels retaliatory strikes against Hezbollah in the Beirut suburbs and southern region of the country. Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi shared a distressing image on his social media account, condemning the murder of over 160 girls of a primary school in Iran during the Israeli-US bombing. The picture posted by Araghchi shows cranes digging graves in several rows and columns. The Iranian minister said these graves were being dug for more than 160 innocent young girls who were killed in the US-Israeli bombing of a primary school. Their bodies were torn to shreds, Araghchi said, adding, This is how 'rescue' promised by Mr Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood. More than 150 people, including children, reportedly died after an airstrike hit a primary school in southern Iran, according to Iranian officials. Al Jazeera put the toll at 165. According to the BBC, Iran blamed the US and Israel, but the US military's Central Command (Centcom) said it was looking into reports of the incident. Meanwhile, Israel's military said it was not aware of any IDF operations in the area. The girls' school was located in the city of Minab in the Hormozgan province, near an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) base, which has previously been a target. The US and Israel launched massive attacks in Iran on Saturday, 28 February. In a statement released on social media, UNESCO expressed deep alarm at the impact of the military attacks, and noted that pupils in a place dedicated to learning are protected under international humanitarian law, and that attacks against educational institutions endanger students and teachers and undermine the right to education. Iran is currently observing 40 days of public mourning following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state media. In Shia Islam, the 40th day after death (Arba'een) holds immense spiritual weight. The death occurred following strikes by the US and Israel (Operation Epic Fury/Lion's Roar) on Saturday. Iran's Supreme Leader's office declared a period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and public gatherings planned to pay respects, marking the closing of a 37-year chapter in the Islamic Republic's history. Authorities have heightened security across the country, particularly in major cities like Tehran, to prevent unrest and ensure public safety. People across India, North America, East Asia, Australia, and parts of South America have a rare spectacle to look forward to on March 3. A total lunar eclipse, also known as Chandra Grahan or the Blood Moon, is set to take over the skies. During this extraordinary event, the Earth will align perfectly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow that will transform the lunar surface into a stunning red-orange display. Nearly 40% of the worlds population will have the chance to witness at least part of the lunar eclipse. Unlike a solar eclipse, this lunar eclipse can be safely enjoyed with the naked eye, requiring no special protective gear. Also Read | Chandra Grahan time in Bengaluru: When and how to watch Blood Moon What time does the lunar eclipse begin on March 3 in the US? Stages of the lunar eclipse, according to USA Today: 3:44 a.m. ET Penumbral eclipse begins; the Moon enters Earths outer shadow 4:50 a.m. ET Partial eclipse begins; a bite appears on the Moon 6:04 a.m. ET Totality begins; the Moon turns dark red or orange 7:03 a.m. ET Totality ends 8:17 a.m. ET Partial eclipse ends 9:23 a.m. ET The eclipse is over View full Image Onlookers watch the total lunar eclipse, also known as the blood moon. ( AP ) What are the timings for the lunar eclipse in India? Chandra Grahan will begin in the afternoon at 3:20 PM on Tuesday. The totality phase will start at 4:34 PM and end at 5:33 PM. The eclipse will end in the evening at 6:48 PM, according to IMD. Also Read | First total lunar eclipse of 2026 to grace skies today: When to watch in India Eclipse Begins: 15:20 Totality Starts: 16:34 Totality Ends: 17:33 Eclipse Ends: 18:48 Most places in India will observe the ending of the lunar eclipse at the time of moonrise, except some places in North-East India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the end of the totality phase of the eclipse will also be visible, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a post on X. In cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, the partial lunar eclipse will be visible between 5:38 PM and 7:53 PM, according to Time and Date. How can you watch the Moon turn blood red during the lunar eclipse? Airlines worldwide are suspending more flights to additional Middle Eastern destinations as the war's extent broadens on its fourth day. The disruptions following Irans initial retaliatory strike are now affecting the region, resulting in over 12,300 flight cancellations, including at key transfer hubs like Dubai and Doha, Bloomberg reported, citing Flightradar24. The cancellations will have a lasting impact because they disrupt aircraft schedules and misplace crew members. Tens of thousands of passengers are stranded, leading many airlines to operate special evacuation flights. The UAE is beginning to establish what it calls safe air corridors, signaling a slight improvement in the situation. These corridors will allow up to 48 flights per hour, according to the economy ministry. Over 80 additional flights are planned, with a capacity to carry more than 27,000 passengers, the report said, citing the ministry. List of airlines that have announced adjustments to regional flight schedules: Air France-KLM KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has suspended the remaining flights for the winter season to and from Tel Aviv starting Sunday. Additionally, it has paused flights to and from Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, as well as Dubai, until March 9, according to a notice published on its website. British Airways The airline cancelled flights to Amman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv through Tuesday. Cathay Pacific Services to and from Dubai and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the airspace remains open, are cancelled until 14 March. Delta Airlines Flights between New York and Tel Aviv are suspended through March 8. EasyJet The budget airline cancelled Tuesday flights to Cyprus following drones striking the UKs Royal Air Force base there. Emirates The worlds largest international airline extended the suspension of flights to and from Dubai until March 4. Emirates has cancelled over 2,000 flights since Saturday, marking some of the most serious disruptions ever for an airline that prides itself on 24/7 operations and resilience. Although the airline has begun some limited operations to evacuate people from Dubai, regular commercial flights are cancelled. Etihad Extended its suspension of operations until Thursday. Lufthansa Group All of its airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Jordan, Erbil, Iraq, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and Tehran until March 8. The group also will not use the airspace over Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, and Iran until 8 March. Flights to and from Dubai are halted until March 4, and the UAE's airspace will remain unused during this period. Oman Air It extended its cancellations to multiple destinations across the region, including Dammam, Saudi Arabia, where Iran targeted a Saudi Aramco facility on Tuesday. Qatar Airways All operations remain halted until further notice. Russia According to the report citing the nations Transport Ministry, 24 flights from the United Arab Emirates and Oman to Russia are scheduled for Tuesday by both Russian and international airlines. These flights will transport approximately 4,500 passengers to destinations including Moscow, Kazan, Mineralnye Vody, and Yekaterinburg Novosibirsk. The US-Iran conflict has now entered its fourth day, and the world is watching closely, not only because of the deeper military confrontation the entire Middle East has plunged into, but also because of the shockwaves it has sent to the global energy markets. While Irans decision to close the Strait of Hormuz is expected to disrupt global energy markets, Asian countries are likely to bear the brunt of the impact, CNBC reported. The development came on Monday, days after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting the Islamic Republic's military and naval forces and killing some of the country's top officials, including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A senior official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel that will attempt to transit the arterial waterway would be targeted. The Strait of Hormuz is located between Iran and Oman and acts as a crucial artery for global oil trade. Nearly 13 million barrels per day passed through the waterway in 2025, accounting for 31% of all seaborne crude flows, CNBC reported, citing data from Kpler. An extended closure of the Strait is likely to result in a surge of oil prices, with some analysts expecting oil to cross $100 per barrel. Since the conflict broke out, Brent, which is the global benchmark, has been up nearly 10% and was last up at 2.6% at $80 per barrel. Nearly 20% of global liquefied natural gas exports from the Gulf are at risk, particularly shipments from Qatar that transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Kpler. Qatar, one of the worlds largest LNG exporters, suspended production on Monday after Iranian drones struck facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City. Nomura, in a note on Monday, said, "In Asia, Thailand, India, Korea, and the Philippines are the most vulnerable to higher oil prices, due to their high import dependence, while Malaysia would be a relative beneficiary since it is an energy exporter." Strait of Hormuz closure: Regions that could be impacted South Asia: The Nomura report suggests that South Asia will bear the greatest impact from the closure of the Strait, especially regarding LNG supplies. According to Kpler, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) account for 99% of Pakistan's LNG imports, at least 72% of Bangladesh's, and 53% of India's. Pakistan and Bangladesh are extremely vulnerable owing to the limited storage and procurement flexibility. Bangladesh is already running a crucial structural gas deficit, and according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Dhaka is running a deficit of over 1,300 million cubic feet per day. However, India faces the largest combined exposure in the region, since over half of its LNG imports are linked to the Gulf region and a significant portion is Brent-indexed, an analyst said, adding that a Hormuz-driven crude spike would lift oil import costs and LNG contract prices, which will create a dual physical and financial shock. Similarly, nearly 60% of India's oil imports are from the Middle East, and a sustained blockade would therefore increase both energy import costs and current-account pressures. China: While the closure of Hormuz could test China's energy security, the CNBC report suggests that the country's stockpile and alternate supplies offer some buffer. China, the world's largest crude-oil importer, purchases over 80% of Iranian oil, whereas nearly 30% of its LNG imports come from Qatar and the UAE. China's nearly 40% of oil imports transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to UBP estimates. Japan and South Korea: The Gulf region supplies nearly 75% of Japan's oil imports and at least 70% of South Korea's. In terms of LNG imports, Japan and South Korea's exposure is less compared to South Asia's. South Korea sources 14% of its LNG imports from Qatar and the UAE, while Japan sources only 6%. According to Kpler's report, inventories for both countries are limited. While Korea holds nearly 3.5 million tonnes of LNG, Japan has around 4.4 million tonnes in reserves, which is just enough for two to four weeks of stable demand. Southeast Asia: The report suggests that across most of Southeast Asia, the immediate impact would likely be higher costs rather than outright shortages. Spot-reliant LNG buyers could face sharply rising replacement costs as Asian importers compete with Europe for Atlantic cargoes, an analyst said. Mike Huckabee, the US Ambassador to Israel, on Tuesday shared an update on his X account regarding the options that Americans have in terms of departing Israel as the conflict in the Middle East escalates. Huckabee's lengthy post on X comes days after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, targeting the country's military and naval forces and killing some of the prominent Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following the strikes, Tehran retaliated and attacked Israeli sites and US military installations across countries in the Middle East, thereby plunging the region into a wider and renewed military confrontation. Loud explosions were heard across the Middle East, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Doha, and Riyadh. The conflict has now entered its fourth day and has thrown the aviation sector into chaos, with some of the world's largest airlines cancelling or suspending flights to and from the region amid airspace closures. What options do Americans in Israel have for leaving? According to Huckabee, the options for their departure are "very limited". In a post, he suggested that for those who are stuck, the best option is "utilizing Israel's Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt, and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the US." Huckabee shared the details of these options and said the embassy does not recommend an exit via Jordan, noting that flights are not consistent, while access across the Allenby crossing is limited to certain hours. Huckabee added that the embassy staff are currently sheltering in place. We understand that you may need to return home and avoid continuing hotel expenses, he wrote, and listed their current recommendations. Elaborating on the options available to Americans in Israel, he informed that the Ministry of Tourism is operating buses to Taba in Egypt. While that crossing is farther away, according to Huckabee, it is open 24*7. The shuttles to Taba began on 2 March. He added that while there are some flights from Taba to Cairo, there are also options to reach Cairo, where the airport is operating normally, except for flights to Middle Eastern countries. For those seeking to depart, this is currently the best available option, according to Huckabee. He also said that another option for people wishing to enter Jordan is to take a shuttle to Eilat and then proceed by taxi to the Yitzhak Rabin (Wadi Araba) Border Crossing. Shuttles depart from the following locations: Herzliya: Train Station parking lot Haifa: Yad HaShmona Train Station parking lot Jerusalem: Teddy Stadium, East parking lot Tel Aviv: Savidor Center Train Station parking Additional information shared by the US ambassador Some travellers are required to pay a visa fee; US citizens remaining within the Sinai region are exempt. Security conditions may change without notice, potentially affecting border access. The Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba crossing into Jordan accepts its last passengers at 1900. Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan is open, with limited Royal Jordanian flights available. Travellers should confirm directly with airlines and expect delays. Before travelling, US citizens should review guidance from the Israel Home Front Command and verify the status of border crossings. Huckabee, in the post, added that the US embassy is only providing this information as a courtesy and does not endorse or discourage use of the shuttle service. He advised the Americans in Israel to enrol for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), if not already done, and added that they should do so to receive updated information from the US embassy and the State Department. The US embassy in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday (local time) announced that it is cancelling all visa appointments through Friday, 6 March, ANI reported. The development came days after the United States and Israel launched strikes in Iran, targeting the country's military and naval forces and killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which triggered massive protests across countries by the members of the Shia community. Citing the current geopolitical scenarios, the US embassy in Islamabad, in a post on X, said, "Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6." The advisory also applies to the US Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi as officials continue to monitor and evaluate the evolving situations in the country. Also Read | Over 700 ships stuck at Strait of Hormuz as West Asia conflict disrupts oil flow Protests turn violent in Pak cities Following Khamenei's death, on Monday, several roads were closed in Karachi's west and south districts in the wake of the prevailing security situation due to nationwide protests, Dawn reported. At least 10 people were reportedly killed in Karachi, and two were killed in Pakistan's capital after protests erupted across Pakistan following Khamenei's death on 28 February, the day the US and Israel launched strikes. To control the situation, the law enforcement personnel in Pakistan resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charges. Across Sindh, Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was implemented, which deals with joining an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons. On Monday, protests across the Gilgit-Baltistan region also intensified over the attack on Iran and Khamenei's killing, with violent clashes leaving at least seven demonstrators dead, and several others were reported injured. In Gilgit, angry protestors set fire to local offices of the United Nations, which included the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office. In Skardu, several government buildings and the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) were also set on fire during the unrest. Iran vows to avenge Khamenei's death Khamenei, the 86-year-old Supreme Leader of Iran, was killed in strikes on February 28, days after the US and Iran talks over the latter's nuclear programme stalled. Khamenei, who ruled the Islamic Republic for 36 years, succeeded the Revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, and his tenure was consistently marked by opposition to Western influence. After Khamenei's death, Iran is observing 40 days of mourning, with President Masoud Pezeshkian announcing that they would avenge his death, adding that the strikes that killed Khamenei were a "declaration of war against Muslims." Instead, they are in violation of the terms of reference. As everyone who has grown up on the internet can guess, only three people have probably ever read terms of reference online: the first three lawyers to log on to the World Wide Web in 1993. After that, even they must have started clicking through automatically. People can be and are successfully prosecuted for unauthorized access to systems or for copyright infringementbut not for breaching a websites terms of reference. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday sought answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he supported the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. "Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said on X, referring to what the Congress and other opposition parties are calling the silence of the Union government over the targeted assasination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States over the weekend. The government has so far not said any official word condemning the killing of the Iranian leader. On Monday, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi, PM Modi expressed concern over the escalating conflicts globally and said India has always supported peace and stability and believes that disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and strongly criticised the Iranian attacks. On Monday, PM Modi said he spoke with Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and condemned the attacks on both these countries by Iran. But PM Modi or any of his cabinet colleagues have not issued a statement on Khameneis death until this report was filed. Violence begets violence Rahul Gandhi said escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty, he said. "While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence - dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace," the former Congress chief said. "India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes -- and it must remain consistent," Rahul Gandhi said. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi backs Youth Congress after Uday Bhanu Chib's arrest He said PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order, Rahul Gandhi asked. Before Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the Union government's silence on Khamenei's killing was not a neutral stand but an abdication, and that it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy. The former Congress president also demanded that, when Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session later this month, the government's disturbing silence over the breakdown of the international order be debated openly and without evasion. In her article published in The Indian Express, Sonia Gandhi said there is an urgent need for us to rediscover the moral strength and articulate it with clarity and commitment. Violence begets violence -- dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace. The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979. The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, and U.S. President Donald Trump called on the Iranian public to seize control of your destiny by rising up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. Local, regional lawmakers react to US, Israel strikes on Iran Senator Raphael Warnock says no president has the right to "drag the nation into war" alone, while Senator Marsha Blackburn says "It's time to end the reign of terror." Some of the first strikes on Iran appeared to hit areas around the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Smoke could be seen rising from the capital as part of strikes that Iranian media said occurred nationwide. It wasnt immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was in his offices when the attack occurred. Here's the latest: US targeted Revolutionary Guard command facilities, other sites U.S. forces striking Iran focused on locations that posed an imminent threat including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Saturday. The strikes, which began shortly before 10 a.m. in Tehran, included precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea and U.S. Central Command said that they also employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat. According to the military command, the operation, dubbed Epic Fury, is the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation. US military reports no American casualties so far About 12 hours after the attacks began, the U.S. military reported no U.S. casualties and minimal damage at U.S. bases despite hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. It said targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields. Iran state TV reports more than 200 people killed Irans Red Crescent says Israeli-U.S. airstrikes across Iran have killed 201 people and injured 747, according to comments on Iranian state TV. The spokesperson for the Red Crescent said the strikes have hit 24 of Irans 31 provinces. The spokesperson said relief operations are ongoing, and that 220 teams were deployed to different sites to respond to the strikes. Leader of Houthi rebels in Yemen vows solidarity with Iran The leader of the Houthi rebels in Yemen says theyre ready for any necessary development following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehrans counter attacks against Israel and U.S. interests in the region. In a pre-recorded speech, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said the rebels will take action in various activities in solidarity with Iran. He didnt elaborate further details. The Islamic Republic is waging the battle of the entire Islamic nation against American-Israeli-Zionist tyranny, he said. Israeli says some 200 fighter jets took part in initial attack The Israeli military says some 200 fighter jets participated in the initial attack on Iran, striking some 500 targets that included air defenses and missile launchers. It says it was the largest military flyover in the Israeli air forces history. Explosions heard in Tehran near Intelligence Ministry Witnesses living near the Intelligence Ministry building in Tehran tell The Associated Press that several explosions were heard in the vicinity of the facility. There has been no official statement on the incident in Iranian media so far. Witnesses also reported that air defense systems had begun operating in the area. Oil price swings expected next week Oil markets currently closed for the weekend are set to see price swings next week as the impact from the U.S. and Israeli strikes on oil supplies from the Middle East remains unclear. Scenarios before the latest conflict with Iran foresaw a quick price spike that fades if the attacks didnt affect oil shipping and infrastructure such as Iranian pipelines and its Kharg island terminal. However, there would be a bigger price spike and longer-lasting impact if oil infrastructure or supplies were interrupted, for instance because of disruption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. UK calls on Iran to end this now British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says that while the U.K. didnt participate in the attack on Iran, its planes provided air defense for its people and allies in the region. Weve stepped up protections from British bases and personnel to their highest level, Starmer said. The Iranian leadership is utterly abhorrent, has killed its own people and destabilized the region and should never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, Starmer said. Iran can end this now, he said. They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons program and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people. Mideast governments condemn Iran Across the Middle East, governments moved quickly to condemn Irans strikes on Arab neighbors, while staying silent on earlier Israeli and U.S. attacks. Countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Israel including Morocco, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates denounced Iranian strikes targeting U.S. military bases including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates. The 22-nation Arab League which has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region called the attacks a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability. Saudi Arabia said it condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of sovereignty. The responses broadly mirrored Western reactions, while setting Middle Eastern powers apart from China and Russias quick condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli action. Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel Israels military say that that dozens of missiles have been fired by Iran at Israel. While many have been intercepted and no serious injuries have been reported, the missile barrages were continuing after sundown Saturday. Israels military chief gave an address on national TV warning that the defenses are not hermetic and the public should obey safety instructions and remain vigilant. Iran calls for immediate action from UN Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written to the U.N. Security Council calling for the 15-member body to take immediate action in response to this breach of international peace and security. The council, which is currently under the presidency of the United Kingdom until midnight Saturday, is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday. Araghchi reiterated that Iran will continue to retaliate by all means necessary and that all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile forces in the region shall be regarded as legitimate military objectives. EU to hold emergency security meeting on Monday The European Union will hold an emergency security meeting on Monday over the conflict in the Middle East, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Irans unjustified attacks on partners in the region, she said on a Saturday in a social media post. Egyptian leader speaks with Saudi crown prince Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has spoken by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. El-Sissi expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to contain the escalation in the region. Continued military escalation will only bring more suffering to the people of the region and undermine development opportunities, el-Sissi said. Leading Democrat denounces US strikes on Iran U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia has questioned whether President Donald Trump has learned anything from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East. For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war especially wars that arent authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and dont have a clear objective, Kaine said in a statement. These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives, he said. He called for the U.S. Senate to immediately return to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit strikes on Iran. UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Israels U.N. Mission says the meeting will take place at 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) at the request of Bahrain and France. Israels U.N. ambassador Danny Danon said Israel is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat. Danon also said that Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the strikes on Iran and the Islamic Republics retaliation. The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security, Guterres said in a statement. He also called for an immediate ceasefire and for all parties to return to the negotiating table. Iran's supreme leader and its president are alive minister says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells NBC News that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are alive as far as I know. Egypt consults with several countries Egypts top diplomat has discussed the military escalation in the Middle East with his counterparts in several regional and European countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany and France. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned that the escalation in Iran will have dire repercussions on Mideast security and stability. In a statement, he called for prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to avert a comprehensive confrontation in the region. US Congress was notified before strike, source says Congress was notified before the strikes on Iran, as required by law. The notifications mentioned ballistic missiles, but didnt indicate that the strikes would be so expansive or the goals so broad, according to a person familiar with the notifications who requested anonymity to discuss them. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out personally to some top lawmakers. Saudi Arabia says it repelled attack by Iran Saudi Arabia said Iran targeted its capital and its eastern region in an attack. The government reported the attack in an announcement on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It called the attack blatant and cowardly and said it was repelled. Saudi Arabia and Iran are longstanding rivals, but the country reached a Chinese-mediated detente with Iran in 2023. US is entering war of choice, lawmaker says One of the senior U.S. lawmakers recently briefed by Trump administration officials on Iran says that the United States is entering a war of choice. Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame, said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. He also expressed his concerns to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly that military action in the region almost never ends well for the United States. It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history, Himes said. China calls for halt to military actions Chinas government said it is highly concerned about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military actions and a return to negotiations. Irans sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected, a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said. Ukraine's president supports US-led strikes President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced support for US-led strikes on Iran, calling the country an accomplice of Putin for supplying Shahed drones and the technology for Moscow to produce them and other weapons in its four-year war against Ukraine. Over the course of this full-scale war, Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed-type attack drones against the Ukrainian people, cities, and energy infrastructure. Other nations have also suffered from Iranian-backed terror. Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran, Zelenskyy said in a post on X. The Ukrainian leader said the emphasis now should be to save as many lives as possible and prevent any expansion of the war. It is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians, Zelenskyy said. Omani mediator in recent talks urges US to not 'get sucked in further Omans top diplomat has urged the U.S. not to get sucked in further to a conflict with Iran. Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi posted his comments on X hours after Israel and the U.S. launched joint strikes on Iran. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war, he wrote. Albusaidi was the key mediator in talks over Irans nuclear program seeking to avoid a U.S. attack. He said in an interview with CBS News that negotiations over a deal had made substantial progress in the last round talks in Geneva. Iranian authorities make a highway one-way to help people leaving Tehran Irans state news agency IRNA has reported that authorities turned a major highway connecting Irans capital with the countrys north into a one-way route to accommodate traffic leaving Tehran. The agency reported heavy traffic heading north out of the capital. Irans top national security body had earlier told residents they should consider leaving Tehran for their safety. Canadas leader supports US action Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its government from further threatening international peace and security. He says Canada is clear in its position that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East. Carney is also urging Canadians in Iran to shelter in place. Flights are disrupted across the Middle East and beyond The U.S. and Israels attack on Iran is disrupting flights across the Middle East and beyond. Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace on Saturday. Airspace in southern Syria was also closed. Some planes that were en route to cities like Tel Aviv and Dubai were diverted or returned to where they took off from. The situation is changing quickly and airlines urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. Many major airlines are canceling flights to and from parts of the region through Sunday or early next week. Dubais airport operator said flights have been halted indefinitely at Dubai International Airport, the worlds busiest airport for international flights, and the Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport on the Gulf citys outskirts. Targets of the Israeli strikes included members of Irans leadership Two people familiar with the operation, including a U.S. official and a person briefed on the attacks, said the targets of the Israeli strikes included members of Irans leadership. There was no word on whether the attacks had been successful. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified information on an ongoing operation. Both Israel and the U.S. are striking military targets in Iran. By Sam Mednick Russia condemns the US and Israeli strikes on Iran Russias Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as a preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state. It demanded an immediate halt to the military campaign and a return to diplomacy. In a statement posted to Telegram, the ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of hiding behind concerns about Irans nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change. It warned the attacks risked triggering a humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe in the region and accused the U.S. and Israel of plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation. British prime minister holds emergency meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of the governments emergency committee on Saturday morning and planned to hold calls with allies in the coming hours. We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict, a U.K. government spokesperson said, reiterating Britains support for a negotiated solution to Irans nuclear ambitions. Britain was not involved in the U.S.-Israeli strikes. The U.K.s Foreign Office also updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and urged British nationals in other Middle Eastern countries to immediately shelter in place. Iranians stock up on supplies In northern Tehran, supermarkets are seeing a surge of customers seeking bread and bottled water. However, supply has been limited, and some of the items most in demand including bread, eggs, bottled water and milk are currently unavailable in certain stores. Long queues have also been observed at gas stations across the city. State television showed footage from one of Tehrans highways, Soleimani highway, where extremely heavy traffic was visible on west-to-east routes. By Amir Vahdat in Tehran. Pakistan condemns attacks on Iran Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday condemned what he described as unwarranted attacks on Iran during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It said Dar called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis. Kuwait says it has repelled an Iranian attack Kuwaits national news agency says the Gulf countrys air defenses successfully repelled what it called a heinous Iranian attack earlier in the day. Quoting a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the KUNA news agency said Kuwait maintains its right to defend itself. Smoke and explosions witnessed near a US base in Iraq Smoke rose from a U.S. base near the airport in Irbil, the regional capital of Iraqs semiautonomous northern Kurdish region Saturday and an Associated Press journalist in the area heard explosions. Local media reported that missiles were shot down. There was no immediate statement from Iraqi officials or from the U.S. Iran-backed Iraqi militias had previously threatened to strike targets in the Kurdish region in case of an attack on Iran. Earlier Saturday, a drone strike targeted a headquarters of the Iran-allied Kataib Hezbollah militia southwest of Baghdad, killing two. EU calls for restraint and diplomacy European Union leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of ensuring nuclear safety. Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law." Both said that the EU has pushed to resolve critical issues through diplomacy but also has in place extensive sanctions in response to the actions of Irans murderous regime and the Revolutionary Guards. They said Brussels was working with the EUs 27 member nations to support the bloc's citizens in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian strikes Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Iranian assaults on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan as a breach of their sovereignty. The Kingdom confirmed that it fully stands by those countries and warned of the dire consequences of continued breach of sovereignty and violating international principles." Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to take measures to confront the Iranian assaults that are undermining the stability and security of the region. US and Israeli strikes target sites across Iran Strikes on Saturday are targeting a growing list of cities and sites across Iran, according to Iranian state media. Direct strikes on the capital, Tehran, earlier sent plumes of smokes above its skyline, with reports of explosions in or near the major cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Tabriz. Blasts were also reported in several western towns as well as around Persian Gulf port cities that are critical to Irans major oil trade, including Asaluyeh. France advises its citizens to exercise caution France, whose military has bases and a regular presence in the Mideast, has called on French citizens in the region to exercise extreme caution. "A military escalation is underway ... Its not the time for negotiations. We are in a situation of war," junior Defense Minister Alice Rufo told France-2 television Saturday, comparing the situation to the 12-day war in June. Our priority is the protection of our citizens and protection of our forces in the region, she said. Asked if French forces were involved in the U.S. and Israeli strikes or targeted in retaliatory strikes, French military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet said: The French armed forces continuously adapt their posture to threats and implement measures to ensure the surveillance and protection of military installations where French soldiers are deployed. He would not elaborate. Our military presence guarantees Frances independent assessment of the situation, he told the AP. Israeli president salutes attacks on Iran Israels President Isaac Herzog has welcomed the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran. Herzog says he hopes the operation will bring a historic change and a better future for the whole Middle East and the entire world. Khamenei's whereabouts unknown Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not made a public appearance in the days before the attack and hasnt been immediately seen after. During the 12-day war in June, he was believed to have been taken to a secure location away from his Tehran compound. Qatar says it repels second wave of Iranian attacks Qatars Defense Ministry says the military has successfully repelled the second wave of Iranian attacks that targeted several parts of the nation. The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, calling them a flagrant violation of its sovereignty. It added that Qatar has been always among the sides calling for a dialogue with Iran. The Foreign Ministry said that the targeting of Qatar by a neighbor cannot be accepted under any justification or pretext as the gas-rich Gulf nation has always distanced itself from regional conflicts. US-Israeli attacks are expected to continue, AP told A person briefed on the military plans says Saturdays operation was planned by the U.S. and Israel for months and closely coordinated. The person says the attacks are expected to continue for several days. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. By Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv. Iran says Israeli-US a irstrikes kill 5 at girls' school Iran on Saturday said Israeli-U.S. airstrikes in southern Iran killed five students at a girls school, the first confirmed fatalities in the operation. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the strike happened in Minab in Irans Hormozgan province. Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has a base in the city. Neither the U.S. nor Israel has offered any details on the campaign so far. Iran confirms attacks on US sites Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says that in its retaliation against Israel and U.S. attacks on Iran, the military struck several facilities in the region. The Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that in the first phase of retaliation, named Truthful Promise 4, Irans military struck the command of the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain as well as U.S. bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and military targets in Israel. There have been no reports of damage in these areas apart from one death in the United Arab Emirates. The Guard said Iranian attacks with missiles and drones are continuing and more information will be released later. There are currently over 6,000 children in care in Ireland and this figure is growing every day. Unfortunately, a lot of children in Ireland cannot live with their own family, either on a short-term or long-term basis, for various reasons and are therefore brought into State care. This could be because of illness in the family, the death of a parent, neglect, abuse or violence in the home, or sometimes it can be because the parent or family is not coping and they need respite or long-term help. Foster parents are often the safety net for children in these situations; people like Longford Town's Edel McGoey. Read more: Andrea Crowe is 'just so grateful' to be cast as Longford's Dorothy Gale for upcoming musical Edel has been called the Nanny McPhee of her family having fostered 24 children in total on respite over the last seven years. It might sound like a lot of work, but she couldn't recommend it to people highly enough. Edel is currently the proud and loving full-time foster mother to a 13-year-old girl and has been for the past two years. The reason Edel wanted to foster a child in the first place was because she only had one child of her own but always wanted more children. "I just decided to go into fostering to see if I could change somebody else's life. At the beginning, I only started doing respite, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but in the last 18 months, I'm now doing it full-time," Edel told the Longford Leader/Longford Live. Edel reached out to Fostering First Ireland to start her fostering journey and said they are "absolutely amazing." "There's somebody there 24-7. There's always somebody at the end of the phone which thankfully I don't need too often but when you do, it's great. "Once you're over 25, you have a spare bedroom, you're able to drive, and you don't have any children under the age of three, you can foster, which is absolutely a great opportunity if you can do it." Edel said that while fostering does come with challenges, "it's an amazing journey" and support is there. "Once you've spoken to somebody in Fostering First Ireland, they will guide you through the whole lot and take you from there until the child is in your arms or in your house, whatever the case may be." Edel said that the process takes about five to six months to do the assessment. "It used to take a lot longer but now it's a lot quicker because they're crying out for foster carers." Read more: Brothers complete run in memory of late dad as 'way of saying thank you' to Longford Hospice The Longford woman says she has noticed in her seven years of fostering that there is "more and more babies from hospitals coming into care in Ireland." "When I started seven years ago, there were very few little babies but now there are more and more babies coming into care." The local mother described the moment her foster child turned up to her home as "nerve-wracking," adding that she "didn't know what to expect and neither did the child." Edel said that her foster child was already on respite with another foster family before she arrived to her home so it wasn't completely new for the young girl and that they had both met before on respite. "With respite, it's great to see them coming and it's also great to see them going, but with full-time, it's different because you're met with different challenges. "You're meeting other peers, you have social workers a lot of the time, not all the time, and you'll have the education officer, you have to bring them to school, set all that up, but in fairness to FFI, they're amazing. "They will guide you through everything and if you're finding any difficulty, they will help you along the way, especially with education, medical appointments, dental appointments." Edel highly recommends fostering a child to anyone who is able to do so. She said that "even if you weren't available to do a full-time placement, it's amazing to do respite, because you get to meet all these different children, different walks of life and different backgrounds. "Now, as I said, they all come with challenges; they're not in foster care for no reason but it's great to be able to give something back. It's very rewarding and it's an amazing journey. "Once you get on it, one piece of advice that would be fostered is just try it; don't think too much about making a call. Once you start, I don't think you'll ever look back. "There's times I'd say, why did I do it? Or I'd be pulling my hair out, but I'm glad I'm still doing it. It's a lot of responsibility but it's been very worthwhile seeing children from all parts of life and to know you're helping them." She emphasised that "it's a wonderful experience, if you have the empathy, the room, and are willing to have a challenge, definitely, I'd go for it. Read more: Longford patients having to travel 'a long way' to hospital in Dublin for eye appointments "I think a lot of people are afraid of it, the fact that they have to give up so much. I didn't have to give up anything, so thankfully the children blend into the lifestyle that you have. "But thankfully I've never had any issues and my life hasn't changed in the sense that, yes, it has made a difference to a lot of other children, but I'm still carrying on with my day-to-day living, so it's not as if you have to change your lifestyle." Edel said that her nieces and nephews call her Nanny McPhee because she always has a child with her. Interested in becoming a foster carer Focus on Fostering Week, takes place from March 2 - 8. This national initiative shines a light on the vital role foster carers play in the lives of children and young people across Ireland. If you are interested in fostering a child, you can send an enquiry to www.fosteringfirstireland.ie or call Fostering Advisor Jess directly on 087 9394697. You can also attend one of their fortnightly information sessions which are held online with fostering advisors and experienced foster carers. Fostering First Ireland's criteria to be able to foster a child is as follows: * You need to be over the age of twenty-five, there is no upper age with fostering you just need to be in good health and have a reliable support network around you. * You should have a spare bedroom available, foster children can not share with your own children. * If you have children, your youngest should be at least 3 years old. You do not need children to foster. * You should have your full driving licence, there are a lot of appointments that come up for children in care so it is important that you can travel to and from them. "Fostering is the most amazing rewarding journey you will ever experience, one piece of advice that our foster carers would always give is to just get going and try not to think too much about making that call. You are always supported by professionals and never alone once you get started you will not look back," Fostering First Ireland said. Longford County Council will host a photographic exhibition at Aras an Chontae this month to mark International Women's Day. The exhibition is curated from council records stretching back to 1899, and gathers the faces and stories of every woman ever elected to public office in County Longford - from Town Commissions and Urban District Councils to the County Council itself. The exhibition will run from Friday, March 6 to Friday, March 13 during office opening hours. That figure is stark: just 20 women in 127 years. Today, only two of the 18 seats on Longford County Council are held by women - 11% - making it one of the lowest rates of female representation in the country. Only Donegal (8%) and Mayo (10%) fare worse. By comparison, Dublin City Council stands at 40% and Fingal at 33%. Even among its midlands neighbours, Longford trails Laois (26%), Leitrim (22%), Roscommon (17%) and Westmeath (15%). Read more: MEP Maria Walsh on Longford visit and how ECJ Mercosur deal referral 'has backfired' Nationally, women hold 27% of county council seats - 256 of 949. Longford's 11% is less than half that figure. A Trail Blazed in 1899 The exhibition opens with Francoise Edgeworth, elected to Granard Rural District Council in 1899 and one of the first female councillors in all of Ireland. French-born and married into the Edgeworth family - to a nephew of the celebrated writer Maria Edgeworth - she served on a body responsible for labourers' housing, sanitation and workhouse oversight at a time when women were largely excluded from public life entirely. The women who followed her include: Moya Bligh (Granard Rural District Council 1902); Elizabeth Fanning, the first woman elected to Longford Urban District Council (1928); Sybil Magan (Granard Urban District Council 1942); Margaret Magan (Granard Town Commission 1950); Philo Kelly, who served the UDC for 32 years from 1967; Mary Ellen Brady (Longford County Council 1974); Elizabeth Connolly (Longford Urban District Council 1980); Nancy Allen Carr (Granard Town Commission 1984); Claire Brady Casey (Longford County Council 1990) and Maura Kilbride Harkin, who became the first female Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council in 1995-96 and later served as County Mayor in 2004-05. Other women honoured in the exhibition include Carmel Fay (Granard Town Commission 1994); Judy Gorman (Granard Town Commission 1994); and Brenda Meaney (nee Tallon) (Granard Town Commission 1999). Peggy Nolan was first elected to Longford Urban District Council in 1999 and to Longford County Council in 2004. Peggy served as Mayor on two occasions and topped the poll in both Town and County Council elections in 2004 and 2009. Other women featured in the exhibition include Mary O'Reilly (Granard Town Commission 1999); Paddie Connellan (Longford Town Council 2004) and Anne Farrelly (Granard Town Council 2009). Mae Sexton made history in 1999 as the first even chairwoman of Longford Urban District Council in its 100-year history, and went on to become Longford's first female TD, topping the poll in the 2002 general election. Uruemu Adejinmi, elected to the county council in 2020, became the first African woman elected to the council and the first Black woman in Ireland to serve as Cathaoirleach of a Municipal District. The exhibition also pays tribute to Maura Lamb, Ireland's first female toen clerk, who held the post for 43 years until her retirement in 1969. Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi said, "Women's perspectives and expertise have been largely absent from decision-making here for over a century. At just 11%, Longford is one of the lowest-ranking councils in the country for female representation - and we are determined to change that. This exhibition is not just a record of who came before. It is a call to the young women of Longford to step forward, as Francoise Edgeworth did in 1899, and make their mark on public life." Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon said, "This exhibition names and honours the women who have represented the people of Longford in public life - many of them quietly, without recognition. Only 20 women in 127 years. Read more: Andrea Crowe is 'just so grateful' to be cast as Longford's Dorothy Gale for upcoming musical "That figure alone tells us what we still need to change. We want to see more women elected to Longford County Council, and we want to see them come from every background and community in this county." The exhibition is on display at Aras an Chontae, Longford County Council offices, from Friday, March 6 to Friday, March 13 during office opening hours. It is free and open to the public. The council hopes the exhibition will encourage greater participation by women - and particularly women from diverse backgrounds - in local government. Longford County Council is proud to announce the opening of 'Berehynia', a compelling new exhibition by acclaimed Longford-based artist Gordon Farrell. The exhibition opens on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 5.30pm in The Atrium, Aras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford, and will be officially launched by Longford Cathaoirleach Garry Murtagh. Read more: Andrea Crowe is 'just so grateful' to be cast as Longford's Dorothy Gale for upcoming musical Hosted by Longford County Council's Arts Office, 'Berehynia' marks a significant cultural movement for the county, celebrating contemporary visual art while reflecting on the evolving multicultural identity of modern Ireland. The exhibition explores themes drawn from both Ukrainian and Irish mythology, responding to ancient and contemporary cultural histories through the innovative use of found materials. The title 'Berehynia' references a protective female spirit in Ukrainian folklore, symbolising guardianship and resilience - themes that resonate strongly in the current social landscape. Speaking about the exhibition, artist Gordon Farrell said, "There is a multicultural shift in Longford in recent years that I have focused on. There is a dual focus to the work that explores both Ukrainian and Irish mythology. The exhibition responds to cultural histories - both ancient and contemporary - and to the stories that materials themselves can carry." A graduate of the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT), Farrell has exhibited extensively in Ireland and abroad. Working between Longford and Balbriggan, he has long been a driving force in the region's artistic community, co-founding Engage Longford and contributing to numerous cultural initiatives that position Longford as a vibrant hub for contemporary art. Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Garry Murtagh said, "Longford County Council is deeply committed to supporting the arts and fostering cultural dialogue within our community. 'Berehynia' is a powerful reflection of the diversity and creativity that enriches our county. We are proud to support Gordon Farrell's work and to host this important exhibition in Aras an Chontae." Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, "This exhibition demonstrates the vital role the arts play in strengthening community connections and celebrating shared heritage. By hosting 'Berehynia', we reaffirm Longford's commitment to nurturing artistic talent and providing accessible cultural experiences for all." Read more: Longford County Council to save the River Camlin in Mostrim Players' production The launch will take place at 5.30pm on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in The Atrium, Aras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford (N39 NH56). Light refreshments will be served. Members of the public are warmly invited to attend. The exhibition is open from Monday to Friday during normal county council office hours. 'Berehynia' promises to be a thought-provoking and visually striking exhibition, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with contemporary artistic practice rooted in both local and international cultural narratives. Longford County Library and Archives will host a lecture entitled The Forgotten Peterhead Men, by Dr Padraig McGarty, in Edgeworthstown Community Library on Tuesday, March 10 at 7.30 pm. The lecture will be accompanied by an exhibition. The event is part of a larger commemoration which is being run in partnership with Leitrim County Library and funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. Read more: MEP Maria Walsh on Longford visit and how ECJ Mercosur deal referral 'has backfired' The Peterhead Men, a group of IRA prisoners were released from the notorious hard labour Peterhead Prison in Scotland in January 1926. Four years earlier, they were captured in Enniskillen while attempting to kidnap prominent Unionists. That plan was authorised by Michael Collins and Longfords Sean MacEoin in a bid to prevent the execution of Republican prisoners in Derry Jail. Most of the men who were convicted of involvement in the attempted kidnappings were eventually transferred to Peterhead, which was known for its harsh regime. Three of them were from County Longford: Joseph Lee (Killoe), Frank Reilly (Ballinamuck) and William Reilly (Longford). They were among the last prisoners from the Revolutionary period to be released from custody. The speaker, Dr Padraig McGarty, a native of Mohill, recently retired as a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, in the Munster Technological University (Tralee Campus). He is the author of the book, Leitrim: The Irish Revolution, 1912-23, published by Four Courts Press in 2020. Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh, said, Longford County Council is proud to support this important commemoration. The men released a century ago faced severe hardship in Peterhead Prison, and many carried the impact of that experience for the rest of their lives. Marking their story allows us to acknowledge their resilience and the difficult path they travelled. Longford County Council Chief Executive, Paddy Mahon said, Centenaries like this give us time to stop and consider the events that shaped our communities. We are fortunate to have Dr Padraig McGarty, whose work on this period is widely respected, guiding this commemorative programme. His expertise helps us understand the past with clarity and care. Read more: Making homes affordable: Longford County Council launching scheme The commemorative programme includes two other public lectures by Dr McGarty: in Ballinamore Library on March 6 and in Dromahair Library on Marxh 12. He will also deliver three talks to school groups in both counties. He will lead the production of a commemorative booklet on the Peterhead Men, with support from both councils, in autumn 2026. Entry to the exhibition and lecture is free and light refreshments will be served. US Sailors transfer ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), in the Arabian Sea, Feb. 27, 2026. (US Central Command Public Affairs) The United States and Israel launched an ambitious, large-scale war against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, and US officials have communicated several goals for the campaign. Speaking to reporters at a press conference on March 2, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine stated that the American military objectives in Iran were to destroy the threat of Tehrans ballistic missile arsenal, its navy, and the remnants of its nuclear program. So far, American and Israeli forces have inflicted severe damage to those capabilities and the regimes leadership, but the ultimate costs, duration, and outcome of the conflict remain unclear. Indeed, General Caine cautioned that the military objectives that CENTCOM and the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work, warning that we expect to take additional losses. The United States and Israel demonstrated unprecedented coordination and delivered impressive blows against Iranian military capabilities in the early stages of the operation. Now, as Tehran lashes out against US forces and regional partners, Washington and Jerusalem face the immediate challenge of striking Iranian ballistic missiles, drones, and their launchers on the ground before they can be fired, along with intercepting any projectiles that Iran has successfully launched before they hit military and civilian targets. The initiation of the American operation, named Operation Epic Fury, followed a massive buildup of US military forces in the Middle East over the past month. These assets included a large naval force, including two carrier strike groups and several destroyers. The Pentagon also surged extraordinary air power into the region before the operation, including F-15, F-16, F-22, and F-35 fighters, as well as intelligence and refueling aircraft, and additional air defenses. With these assets and others in place, US forces began executing large-scale strikes across Iran from the air, land, and sea to dismantle the Iranian regimes security apparatus. According to Caine, the attack began with US cyber and space assets degrading and disrupting Iranian surveillance, communications, and command and control, followed by naval-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets across the southern flank of Iran. More than 100 American aircraft, including fighters, bombers, aerial refueling tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft, participated in the initial stages of the operation. In the campaigns opening days, US forces targeted Iranian command-and-control assets, air defenses, ballistic missiles, drones, and naval assets, striking over 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours alone. In addition to the fighter aircraft in theatre, American B-2 and B-1 long-range bombers, at least some of which were launched from the United States, conducted strikes against Iranian ballistic missile capabilities. Initial US strikes also inflicted significant damage on the Iranian navy, hitting roughly a dozen Iranian submarines and surface vessels, including at least one Iranian corvette and a maritime drone carrier. In addition to air and naval assets, ground-based High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) conducted long-range strikes against regime targets, reportedly firing Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). Additionally, for the first time in history, American forces employed one-way attack drones modeled after the Iranian Shahed, which has been used to attack American forces for years. Together, these combined US capabilities delivered initial strikes that severely damaged Iranian command and control, air defense, ballistic missile, drone, and naval capabilities. Furthermore, US forces were able to establish what Caine described as local air superiority, which will enable them to continue prosecuting strikes against key targets inside Iran. American forces have also been engaged in defensive operations alongside partner forces throughout the Middle East, defending against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks against military installations and civilian sites in Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Israel. According to General Caine, American Patriot, THAAD, and ballistic missile-defense Aegis destroyers have all been employed as part of a theatre-wide Air and Missile Defense (AMD) network to defend against Iranian ballistic missile attacks. Likewise, American and various partner forces have employed aircraft and other counter-drone systems to defend against Iranian long-range one-way-attack drones. Despite the large-scale, integrated defensive effort, Iranian missiles and drones have struck targets across the Middle East, including American military bases. Six American service members were killed, and several more were wounded by the afternoon of March 2. Three American F-15 fighters were also downed in a friendly fire incident in Kuwait on March 1. Fortunately, the aircrafts pilots and Weapon Systems Officers successfully ejected and were safely recovered. Several Gulf States have sustained damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, with Iran blatantly striking civilian targets, such as airports and hotels in Arab capitals. So far, Irans decision to lash out at its Gulf neighbors appears to have backfired, triggering joint condemnation from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and even reportedly prompting Qatar to shoot down two manned Iranian aircraft on March 2. In a sign of the deep levels of coordination between US and Israeli forces, Caine noted that the initiation of the American strikes was based on a trigger event conducted by the Israel Defense Forces, enabled by the US intelligence community. The Israeli operation, dubbed Roaring Lion, has also been impressive in size and scope, utilizing approximately 200 aircraft and conducting over 1,000 sorties by March 2. In concert with US forces and utilizing American-made, Israeli-modified F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighters, the Israeli Air Force struck hundreds of Iranian targets in the opening hours of the operation, including air defenses, missile launchers, and command-and-control sites. Additionally, in close intelligence coordination with the United States, Israeli forces struck at least 40 senior leaders in the upper echelons of the Iranian regime, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Like the United States, Israel is also defending against Iranian missile and drone attacks as it simultaneously prosecutes its large-scale air campaign in Iran. Israels multilayered air defense systems have worked to intercept hundreds of Iranian missiles and dozens of drones. Despite these defenses, a number of missiles have impacted throughout Israel, including a ballistic missile strike in Beit Shemesh that killed nine people on March 1. Simultaneously, Israel has defended against dozens of rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon, prompting Israel to conduct strikes and ground operations in response. The initial phases of the combined US-Israeli operation achieved impressive operational successes against Iranian military capabilities and leadership, while demonstrating extraordinary coordination between American and Israeli forces stemming from years of training, planning, intelligence-sharing, and broad-ranged security cooperation. However, despite these early gains, the US and Israel face the immediate challenge of limiting Irans ability to retaliate against military and civilian targets. This effort will require American and Israeli forces to strike Iranian missile and drone launch sites and capabilities as quickly as possible, as Iran races to employ and fire its remaining weapons before they can be detected and destroyed on the ground. In concert with this air-to-ground suppression campaign, American and Israeli military planners are likely keeping a close eye on their respective AMD capacities. Israel has been forced to expend large quantities of interceptors throughout its multi-layered air defense network over the past two years, while American AMD capacity has been strained across multiple theatres. While the duration and eventual political outcome in Iran are uncertain, the top priorities for American and Israeli military forces are clear. Among them is destroying as many of Tehrans missile and drone capabilities as possible before they can be fired at Americans, Israelis, and citizens of Arab partner states. Cameron McMillan and Justin Leopold-Cohen are senior research analysts at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDDs) Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), where Bradley Bowman is the senior director. A fire erupts at Al Salam Naval Base in Abu Dhabi after an Iranian strike. (@Military_OSTX on X) Iran has responded to the joint United States and Israeli military campaign against it with widespread retaliatory strikes across the Middle East. The Iranian attacks consisted of coordinated drone and missile attacks launched at multiple Arab states, especially those hosting US military bases. The strikes hit civilian infrastructure, airports, ports, military facilities, and urban areas, with notable targeting or impacts in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. One attack on the Shuaiba port in Kuwait caused the first reported US casualties experienced in the conflict. On March 2, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Irans initial attacks in the region. Reports indicated that the soldiers were members of a sustainment unit. According to Bloomberg, since the beginning of the conflict on February 28 and until the end of the day on March 1, Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates with 165 missiles and 541 drones, killing three people and wounding 58; 45 missiles and nine drones targeted Bahrain; 13 missiles and 36 drones targeted Jordan; 97 missiles and 283 drones targeted Kuwait; and 65 missiles and 12 drones targeted Qatar. The following is a detailed account of the scope of the attacks and specific actions Iran has taken against Arab states from February 28 to March 2. February 28 On February 28, Iran fired 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones at the United Arab Emirates, marking the largest volume of fire directed at any Gulf state that day. According to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, one of the primary intended targets was Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts US personnel and advanced aircraft. Emirati authorities reported intercepting multiple incoming projectiles over Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Debris from an intercepted missile ignited fires at Jebel Ali Port, temporarily disrupting operations at one of the regions most critical commercial hubs, though no injuries were reported in that incident. A drone strike reportedly hit Fairmont the Palm, and additional infrastructure damage was reported across Dubai. Iran launched 45 ballistic missiles and 9 drones at Bahrain on February 28. Tasnim claimed that one of the principal targets was Naval Support Activity Bahrain, a base that is home to the US 5th Fleet. Bahraini authorities confirmed that drones and missiles struck the headquarters area in Manama. In a separate incident, a drone hit the Era residential tower in Manama, severely damaging the building. The same day, Iran fired 65 ballistic missiles and 12 drones at Qatar. Iranian state-linked outlets asserted that the intended target was Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Qatari authorities confirmed that missiles targeted the base but stated that air defense systems intercepted the incoming projectiles. Although aggregate missile and drone figures on February 28 were not publicly broken down for Kuwait, Tasnim reported that Iran targeted Ali al Salem Air Base, which hosts US personnel. Missiles struck the base area. An Iranian drone also hit Kuwait International Airport, injuring airport personnel and causing limited material damage. Another drone targeted the Mohammed al Ahmad Naval Base but was intercepted, according to Kuwaiti officials. In Jordan, Iranian media claimed that Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base was an intended target. Jordanian authorities announced that defensive measures intercepted two ballistic missiles, preventing impacts. The base has recently seen an increased deployment of US fighter jets in preparation for the escalation with Iran. Saudi Arabia announced that it intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting the Riyadh area and the Eastern Province on February 28. No confirmed successful impacts were publicly reported, and precise figures for incoming projectiles were not available. On February 28, Iran fired at least 247 ballistic missiles (an estimated 137 at the UAE, 45 at Bahrain, and 65 at Qatar) and 230 drones (an estimated 209 at the UAE, nine at Bahrain, and 12 at Qatar) at those three Gulf states alone, in addition to attempted strikes against Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The coordinated salvos targeted five major US facilities across the region while also striking airports, ports, residential towers, and commercial hubs. March 1 On March 1, Irans retaliatory attacks against Arab countries continued, with the UAE again getting hit particularly hard. While there were no numbers aggregating the number of projectiles launched at the country on this date, dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones targeted the UAE. In Abu Dhabi, an Iranian drone struck Zayed International Airport, killing one person and wounding seven others. In the same city, two Iranian drones hit a warehouse at Al Salam Naval Base, a facility that is used by French naval forces. Authorities confirmed material damage, though casualty details were not publicly specified. Shrapnel from an intercepted drone also struck the facade of Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. The complex reportedly houses the Israeli Embassy. No major injuries were reported from the debris impact. In Dubai, an Iranian drone targeted the Burj al Arab hotel, but no serious damage or casualties were reported. Another drone targeted the Burj Khalifa, but it exploded before impacting the tower. Additionally, authorities in Dubai confirmed that a section of Dubai International Airport sustained minor damage following an Iranian drone attack. Four airport staff members were injured in the incident. In Bahrain, dozens of missiles targeted the Kingdom. An Iranian drone hit the Crowne Plaza Hotel; no injuries were reported. Another drone attack targeted Exhibition Road in the nations capital, Manama. At Salman Port, Bahraini authorities reported a fire after an Iranian missile targeted the port, with missile shrapnel killing one Asian worker and injuring two others. The likely target of that attack was the US 5th fleets Naval Base near Salman Port. Iran launched dozens of missiles toward Qatar on March 1, but Qatari air defenses intercepted the projectiles. Falling debris ignited a small fire in an industrial area in Doha. No injuries were reported. Saudi Arabian air defenses also intercepted Iranian missiles targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an unspecified military base on the same day. In Kuwait, an Iranian drone struck Camp Beuhring, a US military installation, on March 1. Video footage showed the drone striking the bases runway, though a full assessment of the impact was limited. In Oman, Iran launched two drones targeting the Port of Duqm, despite the port not housing a US installation. However, under an agreement between Washington and Muscat, the US has naval access to the base; it was not reported whether any American personnel or assets were there at the time of the attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps decision to attack Oman was not our choice and that Irans armed forces are now independent and somewhat isolated. In Syria, rockets struck the Al Shaddadi base in the countrys northeast, and several Iran-aligned factions in Syria claimed responsibility. US forces had used the base until their withdrawal in mid-February. Following these attacks, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait made a joint statement in which they said that Irans unjustified strikes targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilian populations, and damaged civilian infrastructure. The statement continued, The Islamic Republics actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior. March 2 On March 2, Iran continued its cross-Gulf pressure campaign, with a mix of successful strikes and intercepted projectiles being reported in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. There isnt a definitive accounting of the projectiles fired by Iran or its proxies, but dozens of missiles and drones are estimated to have targeted each state. In Saudi Arabia, two Iranian drones targeted Aramcos Ras Tanura oil refinery, the kingdoms largest refining complex. Saudi air defenses intercepted both drones, but debris from the interceptions ignited limited fires inside the facility. Although no injuries were reported, Saudi Aramco halted operations at Ras Tanura. Qatar faced one of the most complex engagement environments of the day. According to the Qatari Ministry of Defense, the Qatar Emiri Air Force shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft approaching the countrys airspace. In addition, Qatari air defenses intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones over Qatar before they reached their intended targets. However, two Iranian drones successfully struck facilities inside the country: one hit a water tank at the Mesaieed Power Plant in Mesaieed Industrial City, and another targeted an energy facility belonging to QatarEnergy in Ras Laffan Industrial City. Authorities reported no casualties in either strike, but the operational impact was significant. Following the attacks, QatarEnergy announced it had halted Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production and associated product output at affected sites. Kuwait experienced multiple drone approaches and shrapnel-related incidents tied to interceptions on March 2. The Interior Ministry stated that most Iranian drones approaching by sea near Rumaithiya and Salwa were intercepted before impact, with no reported casualties. At the Mina al Ahmadi refinery in Al Ahmadi, shrapnel from an intercepted Iranian projectile fell inside the facility, wounding two workers. The Kuwait National Petroleum Company reported that despite the injuries, refinery operations continued without major disruption. In Bahrain, the most serious casualty event of the day occurred at Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Muharraq. The US-flagged products tanker Stena Imperative, docked at the port, was struck by debris from an intercepted Iranian missile. The impact sparked a fire that was later extinguished, but one shipyard worker was killed, and two others were seriously injured. Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant. An image posted by the regime-affiliated ISNA shows the aftermath of airstrikes in western Tehran on the evening of March 3. On March 2 and 3, the United States and Israel continued their sweeping joint military campaign, hitting conventional battlefield assets and a variety of other regime targets across Tehran and central and western Iran. Strikes hit ballistic missiles and mobile launchers, missile production infrastructure, nuclear facilities linked to enrichment at Natanz, and senior political figures, including members of the Assembly of Experts meeting in Qom. The US-Israeli operation also expanded to Irans internal security architecture, striking Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Basij internal security, police, intelligence, and special forces sites long used to suppress protests. From missile depots and air defense systems to repression hubs embedded in urban neighborhoods, the campaign degraded both the regimes external strike capabilities and its domestic control apparatus. Overview The joint military campaign extended beyond conventional military targets, placing deliberate emphasis on dismantling the regimes repression pillars, including police, IRGC, and Basij bases used to crush dissent. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on March 3 that entrance buildings at Irans underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant were damaged in recent US-Israeli strikes, though the agency said that there were no additional impacts on the main facility nor any radiological effects. On the political front, an Israeli airstrike on March 3 targeted the Assembly of Experts building in Qom as members of the Islamic Republics clerical body, which is responsible for appointing and overseeing the supreme leader, were reportedly meeting to deliberate on the countrys next leader. The latest announcements from the US and Israel On March 2, Trump warned the Iranian people to stay inside and added that the big wave hasnt even happened. The same day, he had noted that the campaign could extend well beyond the projected four-to-five-week timeframe and did not rule out deploying U.S. ground troops to Iran if deemed necessary. On March 2 and 3, US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted videos of strikes on Iranian ballistic missile capabilities, including footage of mobile launchers used to fire the projectiles. CENTCOMs March 2 statement said that three US F-15E Strike Eagles supporting Operation Epic Fury were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses during active combat involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones; all six aircrew ejected safely. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Persian account said on March 3 that the Israeli military struck multiple IRGC facilities in Tehran, including a missile production center in the Khojir area, a site used to develop components for surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, the IRGCs main production center where it manufactures solid fuel for missiles, and a chemical factory that produced missile components and fuel for both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air systems. The IDF Persian account warned Iranians to evacuate zones within Tehrans Esteghlal Industrial Area and Hakimiyeh Industrial Area, as well as the Payam Airport area in Karaj. An IDF Persian post on March 2 stated that Israel had struck more than 600 regime targets using about 2,500 munitions, including hitting over 20 security leadership targets, more than 150 ballistic missiles, and over 200 Iranian air-defense systems. The latest kinetic strikes Strikes reportedly hit the Iranian Army Air Force headquarters on Piruzi Street in eastern Tehran multiple times. A resident in Hamadan shared a video on Monday, March 2, reporting that an IRGC ballistic missile fell in the area. A video sent by a resident reportedly shows thick black smoke rising over Shahin Shahr, with the sender saying the blast had struck Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA), which manufactures planes and drones. Images circulated on Monday, March 2, show Islamic Republic positions in Tehrans Sohrevardi district reportedly hit by airstrikes. Video from Tehran shared on social media shows the IRGCs Malek Ashtar building destroyed in a US and Israeli missile strike. Video shows smoke coming from an IRGC and Army base located in the southern city of Bandar Abbas. Tehrans Zero-Six military garrison in the Pasdaran district was struck on May 3. Reports with footage claim that the military radar positions on Kish Island were eliminated. The latest assassinations The public relations office of the 84th Lorestan Infantry Division of Irans Army said that a US strike killed five members of the armys 184th Brigade in Khorramabad on March 2: Behzad Dalvand Javad Khosravi Abolfazl Habibi Mehrdad Nazari Hossein Asadipour ISNA reported on March 3 that an IRGC commander, Abdolhamid Rahbar of the 15 Khordad Group, and four other members of the unit were killed in a strike in Isfahan. Attacks on the Islamic Republics repression apparatus The Independent claimed that on the third day of the joint US and Israeli operation, strikes expanded beyond command centers and military facilities to focus on internal security infrastructure across dozens of cities. It added that, since February 28, targets have included Basij bases, IRGC headquarters, police stations, and special police units in Tehran and at least the following cities: Isfahan, Tabriz, Zanjan, Hamadan, Babolsar, Karaj, Ilam, Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Zahedan, Yazd, Kerman, Semnan, Mashhad, and multiple cities in Gilan Province. In Tehran, reported strikes hit Basij bases in Khaniabad, Police Station 104 in Abbas Abad, Police Station 113 near 15 Khordad Square, a police facility in Shahr Rey, the Vali Asr garrison, and a main special police unit base. Similar targets were reported in Hamadan, including the Abu Dhar garrison and the Shahbazi IRGC camp, as well as in Sanandaj, where local sources said the citys garrison was struck. Following intense waves of attacks against repression sites, videos sent from residents on March 2 show the regimes security forces using a local school as a base in the city of Qazvin. Another photo shows that the same forces were stationed at Roqaiiye Elementary School in Tehran. Similarly, Ismail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Irans Foreign Ministry, held a press conference in a classroom at Shahid Mahallati School near the Chaharrah-e Ab Sardar intersection in Tehran. The IRGC Intelligence Organization said that what it called the enemys plan now involves street unrest and warned that any activity it considers disruptive to security will be treated as direct cooperation with the enemy. It claimed that after the bombing of several military and police sites, the next step would be street chaos and said such actions would face a firm response. The Islamic Republics Intelligence Ministry echoed these threats, saying that the government would act against what it called internal mercenaries and treat them as Israeli soldiers. Reported strikes against the regimes internal security and suppression apparatus include: Footage shows the complete destruction of the Special Police Command headquarters in western Tehran on March 2, a site that played a central role in the killing of protesters. Police Station 104 in Abbas Abad, Tehran, was struck on Niloufar Street on March 2. Images shared by social media users in the early hours of Monday, March 2, show that the Security Police building in Tehrans Yaftabad district was hit in an airstrike. Aryashahr Police Special Forces headquarters was reportedly destroyed in Tehran on March 2. Videos and reports from Monday, March 2, indicate that the Basij base in Tehrans Naziabad district was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike. Videos posted on March 2 show a missile striking an administrative building belonging to the IRGC in Tehrans Narmak neighborhood. Police Station 151 in Tehrans Yaft Abad district was completely destroyed on March 2. Video from March 3 shows the ruins of Police Station 140 in Tehrans Bagh-e Feyz district following airstrikes. Police Station 11 in Kamyaran, a city in Kurdistan Province in western Iran, was destroyed in an attack. Residents of Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province claim the local Basij base was struck. The Intelligence Department office in Mahabad, a city in West Azerbaijan Province in northwestern Iran near the Iraq border, was reportedly bombed. Local Kurdish media allege that minutes after Israeli and US fighter jets bombed Iranian military and intelligence sites in Marivan, all inmates at the citys central prison were released. Reports say that a March 2 strike destroyed the Law Enforcement Command headquarters in Ilam Province, where multiple areas were reportedly hit. Separate footage shows damage to Bank Keshavarzi in the city of Sarableh. Positions in Sanandaj were bombed on the morning of March 2, with aircraft reportedly targeting the armys 28th Division and IRGC command centers, including the IRGC detention facility known as Shahramfar Base. Video from Urmia on March 3 shows the Intelligence Department building in the city destroyed after airstrikes. Images shared on March 3 show the IRGC command headquarters in Oshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province, hit in airstrikes. Janatan Sayeh is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republics regional malign influence. Summary created by Smart Answers AI In summary: Macworld compares iPhone wireless charging speeds across multiple standards, including Qi, MagSafe, Qi2, and the newer Qi2 25W technology. iPhone 16/17 series support up to 25W wireless charging, while older models (iPhone 12-15) max out at 15W with proper magnetic alignment. Qi2 25W charges 45% faster than 15W options, reaching 50% battery in 32-34 minutes versus 45 minutes for standard speeds. Not having to find the right cable or carry one around with you makes wireless charging a convenient way of charging your mobile devicesiPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and many third-party gadgets. There are multiple wireless charging standards and technologies. Here we will explain the major onesQi, MagSafe, Qi2 and the latest Qi2 25W. Knowing which is which will help you to make your charging life more efficient. Here we look at Qi2 vs MagSafe and Qi2 25W vs Qi2 and Apples updated 2024 version of MagSafe. Which is best for your model of iPhone? Its a litle more nuanced, but in general, iPhones 16 and 17 should now charge wirelessly at up to 25W with supporting certified Qi 2.2 chargers. Older iPhones are limited to the 15W maximum if they support certified Apple MagSafe or Qi2. Chargers that are merely MagSafe Compatible are usually limited to 7.5W wireless charging. Note that the iPhone Air is limited to 20W wireless, the 16e to 7.5W and 17e to 15W. iPhone wireless charging speeds in brief: iPhone 8-11 series and 16e: Qi 7.5W . 0-50% in around 90 minutes. . 0-50% in around 90 minutes. iPhone 12-15 series and 17e: MagSafe 15W and Qi2 15W . 0-50% in around 45 minutes. and . 0-50% in around 45 minutes. iPhone Air: 20W Qi2 . 0-50% in around 40 minutes. . 0-50% in around 40 minutes. iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: MagSafe 22W and Qi2.2 22W . 0-50% in around 35 minutes. and . 0-50% in around 35 minutes. iPhone 16 Plus, 16 Pro Max, 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max: MagSafe 25W and Qi2.2 25W. 0-50% in around 30 minutes. Dont worry too much about the difference between 22W and 25Wthe charging time difference will be marginal given environmental conditions such as room temperature will also make an impact. How does wireless charging work? Wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to power your devices. The charging pad and your phone both include copper wire coils. Plug the pad into a power source and the chargers coil generates a magnetic field. When you place your phone onto the charging pad, the phones coil converts that magnetic field into an electric current, thus charging the phone. Apple pioneered improved magnetic connection between charger and phone with MagSafe, and its mainly the tighter magnetic fit that drives faster and faster wireless charging. What is Qi2? Qi2, supported by the iPhone 15, 16 and 17 families (except 16e) at launch and the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 as of iOS 17.2, speeds up wireless charging from 7.5W to 15W and makes chargers cheaper as well as more efficient. It is very like MagSafe, which is unsurprising as Apple allowed the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) to use MagSafe as the basis of Qi2. In short, Qi2 brings the magnetic benefits of MagSafe, but also make third-party iPhone chargers faster and potentially cheaper. Manufacturers are more likely to create new products when the market is larger (iPhone and Android) and costs should come down, too. In September 2024, however, Apple announced that the new version of its iPhone MagSafe Charger can wirelessly charge the iPhone 16 series at 22-25W. Older iPhones can use this charger but at a 15W maximum as before. Qi2 took its time catching up, but it has now: keep reading. We have tested Qi2 chargers vs chargers certified as MagSafe by Apple, and can confirm that 15W Qi2 charges supporting devices at an equivalent speed to 15W MagSafe, and much faster than merely MagSafe-compatible 7.5W chargers. More details of our wireless charging speed tests below. Belkin first announced two Qi2 magnetic wireless charging devices in September 2023. Belkin What is Qi2 25W? The latest Qi2 25W standard (officially Qi 2.2) matches Apples 25W wireless charging speed. We have tested 25W chargers, including the Belkin 25W UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock, Ugreen MagFlow Power Bank, 25W Baseus PicoGo AM52 Power Bank and ESRs 25W CryoBoost 3-in-1 Charging Station among others. Samsung waited until its Galaxy S26 Ultra to jump on the fast magnetic wireless charging bandwagon with Qi2 25W, and Google was first out of the Android blocks with Qi2 25W compatibility with its Pixel 10 Pro XL. The lesser Google Pixel 10 Pro is pegged back at 15W Qi2. Google calls its version of Qi2 PixelSnap. Wireless charging from Qi to Qi2.2 First, lets look at the original Qi, which all iPhones post iPhone 8 support. Foundry What is Qi wireless charging? Qi is a Chinese word that means energy flow. Pronounced chee, Qi is the basic and most popular wireless charging standard, launched in 2008 but not seen on an iPhone until 2017s iPhone 8. Note that plain Qi2 has little magnetic connection between phone and charger so is less efficient at transferring power as more is wasted depending on the placement of the phone on the charger. Better magnetic attachment and therefore faster charging arrived with MagSafe and Qi2. Apple continues to support the Qi wireless charging standard with its most recent iPhonesand the iPhone 13 and later models are compatible with Qi2, more on which later. This means that iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards can be placed on a Qi-compatible charger to start charging without a cable. (Of course, the Qi charging pad or stand itself has to be connected via a cable to a power charger.) While wireless charging means less wear and tear to your devices, it is not as efficient as charging via a cable (wired charging) as some of the energy is lost between the charging pad and the device placed on it. Qi users will know that you have to ensure your device is placed in exactly the right alignment for fast wireless charging to take place. Place the iPhone on the pad incorrectly and you end up either charging much more slowly or not at all. Many of us have dropped a phone on a Qi charger only to find out later that it wasnt in the right place and so annoyingly never started charginga problem largely solved by Apples MagSafe. While Qis maximum wireless charge is 15W, Apples iPhone supports only 7.5W via Qi. Which iPhones use Qi? Qi charging is built into the iPhone 8, X, XR, XS, SE, 11, 12, 13, and 14 families. The iPhone 15/16/17 work with Qi but are rated as Qi2; see later. The outlier is the curious iPhone 16e that goes all the way back to plain old Qi. Foundry What is MagSafe wireless charging? Apples magnetic MagSafe iPhones contain a ring of magnets built around its Qi charging coil. As a result, you can magnetically clamp charging accessories onto the iPhone. In fact, you can magnetically attach non-charging accessories, such as wallets and mounts, too. MagSafefrom 2020s iPhone 12 onmakes missing the charging pads coils much less likely with its ring of magnets quickly finding the charging alignment sweet spoton a compatible chargerso you will always connect and less energy is wasted. Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) technology uses magnets to perfectly align the coils of the wireless charging transmitter and receiver before transferring power. iPhones can work with wireless chargers that are either MagSafe certified by Apple (made for MagSafe) or are compatible with MagSafeplus less sophisticated Qi chargers. Certified MagSafe chargers can supply up to 25W to the iPhone, while merely MagSafe compatible chargers are limited to 7.5W, but compatible chargers are usually cheaper. That 25W charging speed is currently limited to the iPhone 16 and 17 ranges and Apples own MagSafe Charger. iPhones 12/13/14/15 max out at 15W using MagSafe. The iPhone Air wont charge faster than 20W wirelessly. In fact, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are pegged back at 22W, while the larger 16 Plus and 16 Pro Max support the while 25W. The 16e is out of the picture at just 7.5W and the 17e makes it to 15W. (Note that the iPhone 12 mini only charges at 12W with MagSafe.) We have tested the best MagSafe chargers for iPhones and the best MagSafe power banks for iPhones. This reviews roundup now also includes Qi2 chargers as they arrive to market. Some thicker cases get in the way of MagSafe wireless charging so make sure your iPhones case is MagSafe compatiblesee our roundup of the best iPhone 15 Cases, best iPhone 16 cases and best iPhone 17 cases. Wireless charging is great, but its not as fast as wired charging. For truly fast iPhone charging, use a cable connected to at least a 20W USB-C charger. For the iPhone 15, 16 and 17 that means a USB-C to USB-C cable; for older iPhones youll need a USB-C to Lightning cable. A USB-A to Lightning cable wont offer iPhone fast charging. Click here for more iPhone fast-charging tips. Somewhat confusingly, MagSafe is also the name for Apples wired-charging standard for its MacBooksconnecting the charging cable to the MacBooks MagSafe port via magnets, meaning it is not only easy to connect but, if accidentally disconnected, it pops out rather than dragging your laptop to the floor. This version of MagSafe is magnetic and safe and has a charging connection for MacBooks but is not wireless. We explain the difference between MagSafe on Mac and MagSafe on iPhones in our Complete guide to Apple MagSafe: What is MagSafe? Which iPhones use MagSafe? MagSafe wireless charging is built into the iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 families, with the exception of the 16e. Foundry What is Qi2 wireless charging? Qi2 (chee too) is the latest version of the Qi energy flow wireless charging standard. Famed for its Not Invented Here strategy, Apple can be quite precious about adopting other technical standards. It has a long history of rejecting any idea that didnt originate within Apple itself. However, thankfully Apple has cooperated with the creation of Qi2 to the extent that in effect it gave the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) MagSafe to use as the basis for Qi2s Magnetic Power Profile that defines how the new generation Qi works. Apple is a WPC steering member and chair of the board of directors. So what is Qi2 and why is it so great? Think of Qi2 as not just MagSafe for Android, but MagSafe benefits for all compatible wireless charging products. Qi2 will mean chargers wont have to be certified by Apple to support 15W charging. They should, however, meet the technical demands of the WPC. In short, a Qi2 charger will deliver twice as fast charging as MagSafe-compatible chargers. As MagSafe certification costs manufacturers a fee to Apple, removing this should result in cheaper chargers that match Apple-certified chargers in terms of speed. Which iPhones use Qi2? Qi2 wireless charging is built into the iPhone 15, 16 and 17 families (except 16e). As of iOS 17.2, Apple brought the technology to all iPhone 13 and 14 models as well. While Apple hasnt stated that Qi2 support will reach the iPhone 12, the first iPhone to support MagSafe, Macworld readers have contacted us to say that Qi2 does indeed work with the iPhone 12 following the release of iOS 17.4. Tested with the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2, an iPhone 12 charged up to 15W with the on-screen animation also displayed. Simon Jary / Foundry What is Qi2 25W wireless charging? Qi2 25W is the latest version of the Qi energy flow wireless charging standard. It started rolling out in wireless charging products from the mid-2025 and is now seen in many new wireless charging products. So what is Qi2 25W and why is it so great? Qi2 25W means chargers can support up to 25W wireless charging. They have to meet the technical demands of the WPC. In short, a Qi2 25W charger will deliver 10W more power than Qi2 and 3.3 times as fast charging as MagSafe-compatible chargers. The use of a Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) provides better alignment but also reduces magnetic field leakage caused by misalignment. This minimizes the build-up of heat and ensures optimal charging efficiency. A 0.5mm magnetic alignment precision improves charging efficiency by up to 40%, according to manufacturer Baseus. Qi2 25W products also feature next-generation thermal regulation with stricter 40C surface limits and enhanced coil layouts. This ensures that less energy is wasted and provides 15% better charging efficiencyeven in motion or with slight misalignment. Which iPhones use Qi2 25W? Qi2 25W wireless charging will work with the iPhone 16 family and later (except the 16e and 17e). The iPhone Air supports Qi2 25W but only up to 20W, which is likely caused by the super-thin phones thermal management. The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro can make it to only 22W according to Apple, For Qi2 25W to work at full 25W supporting iPhones must have installed at least iOS 26 or later. Which is best MagSafe, Qi2 or Qi2 25W? First, MagSafe, Qi2 and Qi2 25W are all better than plain Qi. Owing in large part to their magnetic connection, they are more efficient and definitely offer faster wireless charging than Qi. For all extents and purposes, Qi2 looks pretty identical to MagSafe so iPhone 13/14/15 users can choose between MagSafe or Qi2 without fear. iPhone 16 and 17 owners, however, should look to MagSafe or Qi2 25W, as Apples own MagSafe Charger and soon Qi2 25W chargers can reach charging speeds of up to 25W when paired with the latest range of iPhones. The fact that the iPhone 12 isnt certified as Qi2 compatible demonstrates that Qi2 and MagSafe are not identical. All should clamp chargers magnetically to the iPhone in the same way and allow for between 15W and 25W wireless charging. Will Qi2 chargers work with MagSafe? Although technically very similar, Apple is likely to still require MagSafe certification for non-Qi2 products to reach 15W wireless charging. Both the charger and the device must be certified for Qi2 for it to work at 15W, in the same way as MagSafe. However, it is likely that future MagSafe-certified products will also be certified for Qi2, and post iOS 17.2 all iPhones 13/14/15/16/17 will work natively with Qi2 chargers. For consumers its a win-win as Qi2 and Qi2 25W means faster wireless charging will be brought to more devices and people. For product marketers it may be a bit of a labelling nightmare until all the chargeable devices catch up with the technology: expect MagSafe Compatible (7.5W), MagSafe (15W or 25W), Qi2 15W (15W) and Qi2 25W (25W). Is Qi2 as fast at wireless charging as MagSafe? As the Wireless Power Consortium used Apple technology to build the Qi2 specification, it is true that Qi2 matches MagSafe for speed. Both can charge at up to 15W and use the largely same magnetic attachment tech. Note the 25W charging potential of the Apple MagSafe Charger and iPhone 16/17, plus the same charging speed from Qi2 25W. The first Qi2 charger we tested and reviewed at Macworld was the Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station. We tested its Qi2 wireless charging speed by charging an iPhone 15 Pro all the way to a 100% full charge, and taking timings at 30%, 50% and 80%. We did the same using a Apples own MagSafe Charger and also via a straight wired USB-C connection. The fastest way to charge an iPhone is via a wired connection: USB-C to Lightning for iPhones older than the iPhone 15, and USB-C to USB-C for the iPhone 15 and later. The average wired-charging time in our tests was 25 minutes to 50%, 55 minutes to 80% and 70 minutes to 100%. Our wireless charging tests for officially Apple-certified MagSafe chargers (using Apples own Wireless Charger) and for Qi2 magnetic wireless charging (using the Anker MagGo) had remarkably similar timings. There was some variance either way but also small differences using the same charger so we are confident that using these two magentic wireless charging technologies came up with the same basic results on average: 45 minutes to 50%, 90 minutes to 80% and 115 minutes to 100%. In summary, then, MagSafe and Qi2 charging at 15W results in the same times and so can be considered equalexcept for the 25W MagSafe potential of the iPhone 16/17and the same from Qi2 25W now it is released. And, again as expected, merely MagSafe-compatible chargers took twice as long as the 15W chargers: 45 minutes to 30%, and 90 minutes to 50%. Our tests demonstate that Qi2 25W will charges an iPhone 16 Pro from 050% in just over 30 minutesmanufacturers often claim 25 minutes but that is under clinical conditions. In Macworlds real-world tests 32-34 minutes is the average. In comparison, a Qi2 15W charger generally takes about 45 minutes to reach the same levelthis would work out as the 25W option being around 45% faster than the 15W chargers. Wireless charging depends on many factors, such as device settings, usage during charging, and ambient temperature. Dont concern yourself greatly about the 22W limit of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. The 3% difference between that and 25W is marginal. Why does phone charging speed slow down as the battery gets fuller? Batteries charge slower the fuller they get, especially in the last 1020% of charging. The fuller the battery is, the slower it absorbs energy. To start with, a Lithium-Ion battery accepts whatever current it can, but as the battery gets closer to being full it accepts less current, and so the power being transferred tapers off. Imagine you were filling up a glass with water. You can start with the faucet or tap at full blast, but as the glass gets fuller, you have to slow the flow down to avoid the water spilling over, until eventually just a trickle of water goes in as you try to get it right up to the brim. If the battery didnt charge this way and instead filled up at full blast till reaching 100%, it would get very hot and youd risk damaging it to the point it might explode! Slowing down the charge when the battery is getting closer to full also increases the number of charge cycles a battery can go through before it permanently loses capacity. Taking advantage of this, if you need to charge quickly, stop at 80%, use the device for a while and then top back up to 80% before the charging speed starts to slow. On Wednesday, February 25 and 26, Ballinmore held STEMacular, hosting over 1,000 students in celebration of science, technology, engineering, and maths. The event welcomed more than 50 schools from 11 counties and showcased over 200 student projects. Students tackled real-world challenges across renewable energy, biodiversity, engineering, agriculture, health, climate science and technology. Judges from industry and education travelled from across Ireland to meet the young innovators, spending time at every stand discussing ideas and offering encouragement. While the standard of work was exceptionally high, it was the clarity, depth of understanding and enthusiasm of the students that stood out most. Schools from Mayo made a particularly strong impression. Newport NS presented imaginative and practical projects, including Underground Rugby, Window Protector, The Black Oak Cleaner 1.0, and the award-winning B.F.C Bird Feeding Community, which explored biodiversity and the importance of supporting local bird populations. READ NEXT: Achill farmers meet IFA national leadership over serious ACRES problems Killasser NS captured attention with Are You Faster Than a Calculator?, a lively investigation into mental maths and reaction speed, while St Attractas NS, Ballaghaderreen, showcased Shake It Off!, examining the science behind movement and physical response. STEMtacular, powered by Analog Devices, was founded by Leitrim science teacher Louise Gallagher after she recognised a lack of accessible, high-quality STEM opportunities for young people in the region. What began as a response to that gap has grown into one of Irelands largest primary-level STEM gatherings. Its great to see so many young people interested and engaged in STEM, she said. Not every child gets the chance to see industry, innovation and technology up close, so bringing it here to Ballinamore makes a real difference. Its really important that we provide these opportunities in our region so that no matter where a child lives, they can access high-quality STEM experiences and see a future for themselves in it. READ MORE: 'This has to be halted in its tracks' - West Mayo Cllrs oppose application A major public meeting of Achill farmers was held in Teds Function Room, Cashel, Achill Island, on Saturday February 28 at 2pm, bringing together a large attendance of local farmers, their families, and senior representatives from the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) to address the ongoing and deeply concerning impact of the ACRES scheme on farming and rural life in the Achill Parish. The IFA delegation included Senior Policy Executive Shane Whelan, Policy Executive Rachel Maloney, National Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden, and Hill Farming Committee representative James Gallagher. Their presence reflected the seriousness of the situation facing Achill farmers and the growing recognition at national level of the unique structural farming challenges in the parish. The purpose of the meeting was to examine in detail the ongoing dysfunctional effects of the ACRES scheme, scoring, commonage assessments, peatland designations, and landscape actions, which are having a profound and damaging impact on farm families and the wider Achill community. Throughout the meeting, farmers spoke candidly and powerfully about their direct experiences with the scheme. Many outlined how ACRES scoring has dramatically reduced expected payments, undermined farm viability, and created financial uncertainty. Particular concern was expressed regarding the scoring of peatland commonage areas, historic turbary rights, ACRES Landscape Actions and the disproportionate impact of the scheme on Achills uniquely small fragmented landholding structure. Farmers also highlighted the wider social and economic consequences, including loss of income to them and the local economy, reduced confidence in future schemes, and growing concern about the long-term sustainability of farming in next CAP payments on the island. Senior IFA representatives listened carefully to the testimonies and engaged directly with farmers questions. They acknowledged the distinct nature of Achill farming and the severity of the issues raised. Importantly, the IFA confirmed that Achill would now receive focused attention, and that a local operational working group will be supported in developing specific policy recommendations to address the structural inequities identified. Achill IFA has welcomed the constructive engagement and the commitment given by the national representatives. Achill IFA also expressed sincere thanks to all farmers, family members, who attended and contributed. Achill IFA confirmed that work has already begun locally. Cooperation with IFA representatives and policy advisors will continue to develop detailed proposals aimed at protecting the future viability of farming and rural life in the Achill Parish. Pictured above: James Kilbane Achill IFA, Padraig Corrigan Achill IFA, IFA Hill Sheep Committee, James Gallagher, Policy Executive Rachel Moloney, National Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden, Senior Policy Executive Shane Whelan, Achill IFA Chairman Dominic Veasey. READ MORE: 'This has to be halted in its tracks' - West Mayo Cllrs oppose application A concerted campaign to oppose seaweed harvesting in Clew Bay took centre stage at Monday's Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting. As was previously reported by The Mayo News, a foreshore application that prompted a viral petition opposing large-scale seaweed harvesting along the west coast including concerns in Mayo has now been marked withdrawn on the Governments website. However, a separate seaweed harvesting application for the Clew Bay area was received by MARA in October 2024 and is soon due to go to public consultation. The issue was raised by Achill-based councillor Paul McNamara, who sought clarity from Mayo County Council whether or not an application to harvest in Clew Bay had been received by the council. He said that he and other councillors had received numerous correspondence about fears that a corporation would come in and get rights over the shores and start getting seaweed. READ MORE: Petition against west coast seaweed harvesting based on outdated information, says Arramara Teoranta Query referred Seamus O'Mongain, Head of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, committed to refer the query to MARA, the regulatory body for licensing. We in Mayo County Council are not aware or in the Marine section [of such an application], he told the meeting. Cllr McNamara stated that I wouldn't like to think that a corporation or a company from outside Mayo would come in and take over all our seaweed rights along our coast. This will totally disempower our local seaweed cutters. If a corporation came in harvesting, the amount of seaweed it produced would have a serious impact on our shoreline landscape. He was supported by Cllr Sean Carey, who said the farming community had harvested seaweed for generations. Questioning the legality of a company getting a licence, Cllr Carey said that the landowner has the right to the high water mark. Cllr John OMalley stated that it would be awful wrong. It would be terrible wrong for that to happen, and for anybody to be granted the license to take over the shores around Clew Bay. From Newport, up to Carrowholly, there are a lot of local people who live off cutting seaweed. Its an off farm income from them. Some of them have paid their mortgage with it. We cant take that away from these people. READ MORE: 'A solo run based on gossip and innuendo' - Mayo family hit out at local councillor Predicting uproar, he said that there'll be awful trouble if that should happen because of a total of total objection to it. He queried who the company would propose to cut the seaweed, if they were granted a licence. They want to send in all kinds of people, we dont know who would come in to cut seaweed, we don't know where theyd be from. Certainly, it wont be the local Irish people at all. Hard labour Cllr Gerry Coyle observed the hard labour involved in hand harvesting seaweed and said that whoever cuts it with the hook deserve what they get, it is the most slavish way. He speculated that the companies applying for the seaweed harvesting licences may use boats and he suggested that perhaps the locals could cut it and sell it to a company in future. However, the official application from the company behind the Clew Bay application have stated that the seaweed will be sustainably hand harvested. Noting, the potential wider ecological implications for people who make their living from winkles, he told the meeting he got his first economic lessons from picking winkles. He realised then that hard work always pays off. Cllr Chris Maxwell compared it to turf cutting and said that it would take away part of peoples livelihoods. We have to stand up to this and halt it. This has to be stopped because its just not right. The seven councillors were at one in opposing such a move and a letter will go to MARA confirming that the councillors from the Westport-Belmullet MD wholeheartedly object to any such license, that these rights remain the license of the locals and the hundreds of people from Galway and Mayo right around that have worked this for decades and centuries. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme We can never resist a good story and Korean dramas offer plenty of them. From a steamy love story that draws you in from the first episode to thrillers with stylish lawyers and Wattpad-coded CEOs, youll find a lot of variety in the new list of Korean dramas all set to release in March 2026. Here are 9 new K-dramas releasing this month that you just cant miss. Sirenss Kiss March 2 (Prime Video) Prime Video Park Min-young is back with another thrilling K-drama. When an elite investigator starts deep diving into the life of a woman who, somehow, becomes the cause of several mens downfall, he becomes the prime suspect in a fraud case. This is based on a 1999 Japanese series Koori no Sekai. Boyfriend on Demand March 6 (Netflix) Netflix BLACKPINKs Jisoo will be seen playing a webtoon producer who decides to dive deep into the world of a virtual dating app to find love, after being disappointed by her dating life. Can she find her happily ever after through a dating simulation program? This upcoming Korean drama is sure to tackle a lot of important questions about love and how AI pervades everything in todays world, including our hearts. Still Shining March 6 (Netflix) Netflix A couple drifts apart after dating in their teens, only to reunite after a decade in the most unexpected circumstances. Together, they rebuild the love they lost over the years while navigating through grief, heartbreak, and other harsh realities of life. Phantom Lawyer March 13 (Viki) Viki Yoo Yeon-seok, who won our hearts with hit Korean dramas like When the Phone Rings and Potato Lab, is returning to the small screen with Phantom Lawyer in March 2026. When a lawyer gains a mysterious ability to see ghosts, he partners with an elite attorney to help them seek justice. Mad Concrete Dreams March 14 (tvN) tvN In Korea, owning a building is a dream for many. So, when a man pours all his savings into becoming a landlord, he is trapped in debt and the possibility of foreclosure due to unforeseen circumstances. To protect himself and his dream, he stages a kidnapping that quickly snowballs into a real threat. How far will he go to save himself and his dream? Doctor Shin March 14 (Coupang Play) Coupang Play Doctor Shin is a medical thriller about a genius doctor who defies the limits of medicine while a star falls into a coma after a tragic accident. As her mind deteriorates, two men one who loved her and one who still does are pulled into a haunting story of love, taboo, and sacrifice. Climax March 16 (Disney+) Hotstar Set against the backdrop of South Koreas powerful conglomerates, it shows an ambitious couple rising up the ranks and finding limitless power and success. But how many people are they willing to betray on the way? Most importantly, will they betray each other too? Cabbage Your Life March 26 (KBS) KBS This new K-drama releasing in March 2026 follows a family that relocates to a small town, Yeonriri, from Seoul. As they struggle to get accustomed to life in the countryside and find ways to go back to the big city, they find peace, serenity and love along the way. Our Happy Good Days March 30 (KBS) Months before the United States and Israel launched missile strikes on Iran and reports emerged about the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iranian-Indian actor Mandana Karimi had been openly critical of the regimes policies. Mandana Karimi has consistently spoken out about the rights of women and young people in Iran, describing Ayatollah Khameneis leadership as a dictatorship and alleging that numerous citizens were killed by their own government. A vocal advocate for a secular and democratic Iran, she has maintained a strong stance despite the risks involved. Instagram/Mandana Karimi The actor has now reflected on the personal consequences of her activism, revealing that taking a public stand came at a heavy cost. According to her, she lost close friendships and professional opportunities as a result of speaking out, underscoring the sacrifices she says she has had to make for her beliefs. Mandana Karimi on Iran-Israel War In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Mandana Karimi reflected on how social media has shortened attention spans, saying that people today often form opinions within 60 seconds of watching a video. She urged not just Indians, but audiences everywhere, to approach content about countries facing war or violence with empathy. According to her, empathy encourages people to pause, verify facts from multiple sources and resist drawing instant conclusions from a single clip. Mandana Karimi While acknowledging that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Mandana emphasised that it is unfair to judge an entire nations circumstances, or react to someones death, based solely on a brief, circulating video. Mandana Karimis contracts cancelled Mandana Karimi revealed that since January, she has not been working, claiming that several of her contracts were cancelled after she became more outspoken and politically active. According to her, her increasing vocal stance came with professional repercussions. She shared that she had approached various platforms with videos and images from Iran, urging them to highlight what she described as the ground reality. However, she felt that much of the coverage instead centred on projecting the regimes strength and, in her view, ended up reinforcing official narratives. Mandana added that this perceived lack of balanced reporting has left her feeling deeply disillusioned with sections of the Indian media. Actor Rajpal Yadav recently spoke about the encouragement he received from colleagues in the film fraternity during his time in jail, while also addressing Sonu Soods recent remark about offering him work. In an interaction with Screen, Rajpal clarified that he does not see himself as someone dependent on others for opportunities. Sharing his perspective, he said, Please get over the misconception that I need to keep asking for work. And there is no shame in asking for work. I live through my job, cinema is my passion, and I work in such a way that I get four times more work. I work even on vacations. Work doesnt find me, it has lived with me for the last 11 years. Instagram/Rajpal Yadav Reacting to Rajpals statement, Sonu Sood maintained that his statement had been misunderstood. He told HT, Happy for him. I didnt say he needs work. I said, Sign him and pay advances because he deserves it. Rajpal Yadavs Cheque Bounce Case Rajpal Yadav was recently granted interim bail in connection with a 9 crore debt and cheque bounce case. During his time in Tihar Jail, several members of the film fraternity reportedly extended support, including Sonu Sood and Salman Khan, who were said to have offered financial assistance. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, second-generation Japanese American soldiers signed up to fight for the United States in World War II even as their families were locked up in government-run internment camps and declared alien enemies of the state. Decades after they returned home from the war to face more racism and discrimination, the soldiers now are being honored in a new traveling exhibit kicking off in San Francisco called I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience". The title of the show comes from a large sign posted to a Japanese American storefront in Oakland, California, the day after Pearl Harbor. The 1,500-square-foot (140 square-meter) exhibit features family photos, mementos and short bios of the Nisei men shared by their relatives to ensure that stories of past bravery endure for younger generations, especially as questions of nationality still persist. A travel bag, ID card and handmade note holder On display is a travel bag that belonged to Sgt. Gary Uchida, marked by drawings he made of his native Hawaii and places he went while in the Army. There is a U.S. Army identification card on which Oregon-born George S. Hara wrote under nationality: American. Rihachi Mayewaki made a note holder from lumber scraps while imprisoned at Jerome camp in Arkansas. It features an American bald eagle and a blue star banner with three stars, one for each son: Ben, who helped collect, evaluate and interpret enemy intelligence; Charles, who trained as a rifleman with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team; and Hachiro, who trained as a linguist and worked as a translator. At the bottom of the holder is written nintai, the Japanese word for endurance. The father was incredibly proud he had three sons serving in the American army, Christine Sato-Yamazaki, executive director of the National Veterans Network and co-curator of the exhibit, said last month at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibit. Fighting for their country About 33,000 Japanese Americans fought in World War II, despite the U.S. government shipping an estimated 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to desolate camps. Thousands were elderly or children too young to know the meaning of treason. Two-thirds were U.S. citizens. Their homes and businesses were seized while they were imprisoned, often in overcrowded, wooden bunk houses in bleak locations with harsh conditions. The United States didnt offer a formal apology until 1988. These soldiers wanted to prove they were loyal patriotic Americans, part of the greatest generation at that time and they were American just like anybody else, said Sato-Yamazaki, whose grandparents did not talk about their time in camp or at war. The garrison cap worn by her grandfather, Tech. Sgt. Dave Kawagoye, is featured in the exhibit. It contains the words Go for Broke, the motto of the famed 442nd. Japanese Americans joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team or 100th Infantry Battalion, both highly awarded yet segregated units. They also served as linguists in the Military Intelligence Service. Some 800 Nisei soldiers were killed in action. The five-year exhibit runs in San Franciscos Presidio through August before heading off to 10 other cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. It is presented by the National Veterans Network, National Museum of the United States Army and the Army Historical Foundation. A class ring is found in France and returned Among those featured in the exhibit is Staff Sgt. Robert Kuroda, who was unable to get work as a second-generation Japanese American in Hawaii solely because of his ancestry. So he signed up to fight in World War II, reasoning that if he fought for his country employers could no longer deny him a job. On Oct. 20, 1944, Kuroda advanced through heavy enemy gunfire to take out two enemy machine gun nests after helping liberate the French town of Bruyeres from Nazi occupation. He continued his assault until sniper fire killed him. He was 21. Kuroda was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. The medal citation noted that his courageous actions and indomitable fighting spirit ensured the destruction of enemy resistance. On display in the exhibit are Kuroda's Medal of Honor and high school class ring, which was prized in his family as he was the first of nine siblings to graduate. The ring was missing until 2021 when a metal detector hobbyist named Sebastien Roure found it buried in a forest near Bruyeres. Roure worked tirelessly to return the Farrington High School class ring to the Kurodas and now, the two families visit, using an app and high school French and English to communicate. Before the exhibit, both the ring and medal had been displayed in a glass case at a cousins auto body shop near Honolulu. The family just felt if we could, in our own ways, help others, the country, know the sacrifices of the previous generation and what they did for our lives, then, even better, said Kevin Kuroda, a nephew who traveled from Hawaii for the exhibits opening. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran expanded its targets Tuesday, striking the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia as Washington began to pull many staff out of the Middle East. The U.S. and Israel battered Iran with airstrikes in what President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a war that has severely disrupted the worlds supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel. The conflict escalated further on its fourth day, with Israel sending new ground troops into Lebanon and explosions ringing out in Irans capital. Hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majority in Iran. The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump said it could last four to five weeks but that the U.S. was prepared to go longer. He seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive U.S. military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground. Still, the administration's objectives remain unclear. The initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government. Since then, however, senior administration officials have said regime change was not the goal. Trumps initial announcement of the strikes listed several grievances, from concerns about Irans nuclear and missile programs to its leadership. Iran hits the US Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait that announced Tuesday it had been closed until further notice. The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the U.S. has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, as have many other countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remained stranded. The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In Israel, where Iranian missiles struck several locations, 11 people were killed. The Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah has also attacked Israel, whose retaliatory strikes killed 52 people in Lebanon. The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. Three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. Israel and US target nuclear facilities in Iran Across Irans capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft heard overhead. Strikes caused two explosions at a broadcasting facility in Tehran, Iranian state TV said, adding that no one was injured. The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Irans Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained some recent damage, though there was no radiological consequence expected. The U.S. hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran's nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained, however, that Iran was rebuilding new sites, new places underground for making atomic bombs. He offered no evidence to support his claim. We had to take the action now and we did, Netanyahu told Fox News Channels Hannity. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear program is peaceful. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed limited activity at two Iranian nuclear sites before the war. Analysts said Tehran was likely assessing damage from the 2025 strikes and possibly salvaging what remained. It's not clear how long the war will last The expansion of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf and the intensity of the Israeli and American attacks, Khamenei's killing and the lack of any apparent exit plan suggested the conflict could be prolonged. Trump said Monday that operations are likely to last four to five weeks but that he was prepared to go far longer than that. He later added the U.S. had a virtually unlimited supply of munitions. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies, he wrote on social media. The conflict is roiling business interests in the Mideast Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strikes. Recent targets included two Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The centers in the UAE were hit, while a drone struck near the one Bahrain, causing damage, the company said. Iran has also struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and attacked several ships Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, sending global oil and natural gas prices soaring. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, declared Iranian Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowing that any ships that passed through it would be set on fire. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari vowed that Iranian attacks on the gas-rich country will not go unanswered. Israel sends troops into Lebanon The conflict has spread to Lebanon, where Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had moved additional troops into southern Lebanon and taken new positions on several strategic points close to the border. Israel also hit Beirut with more airstrikes, saying it was targeting Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities. Explosions could be heard and smoke seen in a southern suburb of Beirut. Lebanons state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army was evacuating some of its border positions. A senior Hezbollah official, Mohamoud Komati, said the group now had no option but to fight Israel. ___ This story has been updated to clarify that more than one drone hit the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Some instances referred to just one drone. ___ Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Konstantin Toropin in Washington, David Rising in Bangkok, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Hallie Golden in Seattle, and Giovanna Dell'Orto in Miami contributed to this report. BERLIN (AP) Tens of thousands of people, from Romanian religious pilgrims to tourists and diplomats' family members, are stranded across the Middle East as the Iran war spreads throughout the region. Major airlines have canceled flights to and from the region, and airspace across the Gulf is closed. Some of those who are stuck have been forced to seek shelter amid airstrikes, while others are stuck on cruise ships that currently cannot sail through the Strait of Hormuz. In a major move Monday, the U.S. State Department urged all U.S. citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries over the safety risk with the ongoing escalations that have dragged the region into significant chaos. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said on social platform X that Americans in countries including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel should DEPART NOW using any available commercial transportation. The State Department has also evacuated non-emergency personnel and families in six nations, adding the United Arab Emirates to its list Tuesday. The UAE, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and long considered a safe corner of the Middle East, has been dragged into the Iran war with interceptions and attacks. In Israel, meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador told Americans there that the best way to leave is through Egypts Sinai Peninsula. Mike Huckabee wrote on social media early Tuesday that the embassy was receiving lots of evacuation requests as embassy staff are sheltering in place. There are VERY LIMITED options, he wrote. Not sure when Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv will reopen. He advised Americans to take buses to the Egyptian resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba in southern Sinai. Governments try to get their citizens home Governments worldwide are scrambling to repatriate their citizens. In Italy, the government has assisted with flights to Milan and Rome in the wake of mounting criticism against Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. The minister sparked a political controversy at home after being stuck in Dubai with his family during the initial phase of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Crosetto returned to Rome on Sunday on a military aircraft. The left-wing opposition has called for Crosettos resignation, saying he should not have traveled to the Middle East during a crisis. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has defended him. An estimated 30,000 German tourists remained on cruise ships, in hotels or at closed airports in the Middle East, and the first plane from Dubai to Frankfurt, Germany, was expected to land Tuesday afternoon. The German government is also seeking to charter planes at taxpayer expense to get vulnerable people including ill travelers, children and pregnant people back home. France is also trying to organize the return of thousands of French people, the countrys foreign affairs minister said Tuesday. An estimated 200,000 French people live in the region affected by the conflict, and authorities believe roughly 25,000 French citizens are currently visiting the area. Returning travelers feel relief Early Tuesday, Romanian tourists arrived in Bucharest after traveling from Israel to Cairo to escape the conflict. Hundreds of Romanian Orthodox Church pilgrims were stranded in Israel while visiting Bethlehem on a trip led by Romanian priests when the war broke out. The group was forced to cut their trip short and return to Romania. Pilgrim Mariana Muicaru said she was terrified during her time in Israel as rockets flew across the sky. We called our children at 3 a.m. to ask forgiveness because we might die and to tell them we love them and to let them know that its over for us, she told The Associated Press. The previous night, British travelers who were trapped in the United Arab Emirates were relieved to land safely in Londons Heathrow Airport. Adam Barton, who was traveling with his family from Abu Dhabi, said he was getting alerts as he was in the airport before he left. We had an alert on our phone, saying to get away from the windows for potential missile attacks, Barton told Sky News. A flight from Dubai, meanwhile, landed in Serbias capital, Belgrade, on early Tuesday morning with roughly 200 passengers. One traveler told the state RTS broadcaster he'd been in a hotel waiting and was given 15 minutes to pack. ___ Samuel Petrequin in Paris, Giada Zampano in Rome, Nicolae Dumitrache in Bucharest, Romania, Samy Magdy in Cairo, and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed to this report. President Trump Tuesday denied that Israel forced the U.S. to join the war against Iran by planning to launch its own assault on Tehran. Distancing himself from remarks made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump insisted that he alone was the driving force to launch the war against the Islamic Republic. It was my opinion that they were going to attack first (and) I didnt want that to happen, Trump said. If anything, I might have forced Israels hand, Trump added. ( Israel) didnt pressure me to strike Iranmaybe I was the one who pressured them. Trump proclaimed the four-day joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign a rousing success during a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He predicted Iran would struggle to effectively resist the attack as its leadership is killed and its military capability is degraded, including the decimation of its navy and air force. Virtually everything they had has been knocked out, Trump said. Trump effectively denied the claim from Rubio on Monday that the U.S. launched strikes because Israel had informed the White House that it was preparing to attack Tehran with or without U.S. help. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, Rubio said. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. The shifting explanation for the launch of war came as the death toll and damage continued to rise from the war that threatens to engulf the Middle East. The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia came under attack by Iranian drones and the U.S. warned American citizens to leave the entire Middle East, although plane travel was still mostly shut down across the busy Gulf region and Israel. At least six American service members have been killed so far. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, setting off air raid sirens across the country for days. The pace of the attacks on Israel appeared to be slowing Tuesday, perhaps because of the impact of the attacks on Iran, but some missiles have landed, killing 11 people in all. Nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran and more than 50 in southern Lebanon, where Israel is attacking the pro-Iranian militant Hezbollah group. Israel claimed it struck a meeting of a high-level gathering of Iranian officials that had aimed to select a new supreme leader after the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war Saturday. 2026 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Three soldiers from three wars received the nations highest military honor at the White House on Monday, recognized for split-second decisions under fire that saved lives in World War II, Vietnam and Afghanistan. President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, then a staff sergeant. Edmonds defied a Nazi execution order in a German prisoner of war camp in 1945, Richardson directed airstrikes while wounded in Vietnam in 1968 and Ollis shielded a coalition officer from a suicide blast in Afghanistan in 2013. Two of the awards were posthumous, with family members accepting the medals during the ceremony. Military.com reached out for comment to the White House and the U.S. Army. Gun To His Forehead Edmonds was captured during the Battle of the Bulge after his 422nd Infantry Regiment was overrun in late 1944. After a four-day forced march through bitter winter conditions, he and 1,200 American soldiers were sent to Stalag IXA in Germany. As the senior noncommissioned officer in the camp, Edmonds was responsible for every enlisted soldier held there. On Jan. 27, 1945, a Nazi officer ordered Jewish American prisoners to identify themselves or be executed. More than 200 Jewish soldiers stood among the 1,200 prisoners. Chris Edmonds, left, son of Master Sergeant Roderick Edmonds, with President Donald Trump, is presented the Medal of Honor on behalf of his father, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The next morning, all 1,200 American prisoners stepped forward. We are all Jews here, Edmonds told the commandant, according to the official citation read during the ceremony. The officer pressed a pistol to Edmonds forehead. Edmonds did not move. He warned that killing prisoners would be a war crime, causing the officer to lower his weapon. Edmonds family spent more than a decade pushing for the award, describing a long campaign that only gained traction after relatives learned what happened in the camp years after he died in 1985. Weeks later, as allied forces advanced, guards prepared to evacuate the camp. Edmonds directed resistance, helping keep the 1,200 prisoners in place until liberation in March 1945. His son, Chris Edmonds, accepted the medal. Surrounded on Hill 222 On Sept. 14, 1968, 102 American soldiers moved toward Hill 222 near Loc Ninh in Vietnam and encountered a fortified North Vietnamese Army position with nearly 300 bunkers. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, then a staff sergeant and platoon leader, saw three of his men fallwounded and pinned between enemy machine gun positions. He advanced through heavy fire to recover them. Enemy forces encircled the company. President Donald Trump presents the Medal Honor to U.S. Army Command Sgt. Major Terry P. Richardson, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Richardson climbed to higher ground to establish radio contact and direct airstrikes. Wounded by a sniper round, he remained exposed for seven hours and directed 32 airstrikes, guiding more than 75,000 pounds of ordnance onto enemy positions. According to the official citation read during the ceremony, 85 soldiers survived because of his actions that day. Shielding A Wounded Ally Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis grew up on Staten Island and enlisted after the Sept. 11 attacks. By Aug. 28, 2013, he was serving as a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan. Insurgents launched a coordinated assault on Forward Operating Base Ghazni that morning. A 400-pound vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated along the perimeter, opening a 60-foot breach as attackers wearing suicide vests moved through the compound. Ollis ordered his soldiers into bunkers. He then moved toward the breach armed only with his rifle. President Donald Trump posthumously presents the Medal Honor to Robert and Linda Ollis, parents of Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) He encountered a wounded Polish officer who could not walk. An insurgent wearing a suicide vest rounded the corner. Ollis stepped between the attacker and the officer. He fired. The vest detonated seconds later, mortally wounding him just weeks before his 25th birthday. The push to upgrade Ollis valor award stretched across years of advocacy in Staten Island and Washington, with his family saying the case ultimately reached the presidents desk after the Army completed its review and forwarded the recommendation to the White House. Polish Army Lt. Karol Cierpica, who was saved by Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, embraces Ollis' parents Robert and Linda Ollis during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Second Lt. Karol Cierpica, the officer Ollis shielded, addressed attendees during the ceremony. A soldier is not something you are from time to time. It is who you are forever, he said. Ollis parents, Robert and Linda Ollis, accepted the medal and embraced Cierpica. Six Medal of Honor recipients attended the ceremony in the White House East Room: William Swenson, Jim McCloughan, Walter Marm, Thomas Payne, Sammy Davis and Edward Byers. On March 13, 1968, a malfunctioning spray nozzle on an F-4 Phantom carrying 320 gallons of VX nerve agent turned a classified test at Utah's Dugway Proving Ground into a disaster. Residual chemical drifted into neighboring Skull Valley and killed thousands of sheep. The Army denied responsibility, settled with ranchers and buried the carcasses without admitting fault. Its own investigators reached a far more definitive conclusion, but the report stayed classified and out of public reach for three decades. The incident permanently ended open-air chemical weapons testing in the United States. Dugway and the Testing Program The Army established Dugway Proving Ground in 1942 on roughly 800,000 acres of Utah's west desert, about 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. Germany and Japan were both suspected of developing chemical weapons, and the service needed a testing site removed from any populated area. By 1958, Dugway housed the Army Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Weapons School. Testing through the following decade covered artillery shells, aerial bombs and spray systems built to distribute agents across defined zones. Most activity was classified, and the majority of Americans had no knowledge the program existed. In the years before 1968, Army personnel conducted at least 1,100 documented chemical tests at the facility. VX was among the agents under development. Categorized as a weapon of mass destruction under United Nations conventions, VX is a contact agent designed to fall to the ground and persist rather than disperse as a gas. A dose as small as 10 milligrams absorbed through the skin can kill. The agent works by blocking the enzyme that allows muscles to relax, triggering uncontrollable contractions that eventually prevent the respiratory system from functioning. The valve end of the last Newport TC before it is drained of nerve agent VX. (Wikimedia Commons) Three Tests on March 13 Army personnel at Dugway conducted three open-air operations involving nerve agents on March 13, 1968. The first was a test-firing of a chemical artillery shell. The second involved burning 160 gallons of nerve agent in an open pit. For the third, an F-4 Phantom flew with two TMU-28B spray tanks, each loaded with 160 gallons of VX. The mission required dispersal over a target area 27 miles west of Skull Valley, then a climb out of the drop zone. One tank did not empty fully during the pass. As the jet ascended after completing its run, residual VX continued leaking from the dispenser and trailed into a higher atmospheric column. Wind carried the chemical northeast, across the mountain range separating the proving ground from the ranches beyond. It reached Skull Valley before the next morning. A U.S. Navy F-4B from VF-111 dropping bombs over Vietnam, 25 November 1971. (Wikimedia Commons) The Aftermath of the Tests Tooele County Sheriff Fay Gillette drove into Skull Valley that morning after ranchers reported animals dying across the range. The sight stayed with him for years. "I've never seen such a sight in my life," Gillette later told investigative reporter Seymour Hersh. "It was like a movie version of 'death and destruction' you know, like after the bomb goes off. Sheep laying all over. All of them down patches of white as far as you could see." The surviving animals displayed a consistent pattern. Researcher Philip Boffey later documented that they were "generally act[ing] dazed, [with] their heads tilted down and off to the side, walk[ing] in a stilted, uncoordinated manner." Those symptoms matched what toxicologists expected from organophosphate nerve agent exposure, which locks muscles in contraction by blocking the enzyme that normally allows them to release. Scientists from the National Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta collected water, forage grass, blood and liver tissue from the area. Their analysis found the compounds recovered were "identical" to Army-supplied VX and could "only be attributed to the same chemical." When the die-off ended, roughly 6,400 sheep were dead. Another 600 animals too damaged to survive were slaughtered. Many hundreds more were potentially contaminated, preventing them from being sold for profit. Southeast view of west Stansburys (over central Skull Valley), from Cedar Mountain Wilderness, in the Cedar Mountains. (Wikimedia Commons) Denial and Acknowledgement Dugway officials told reporters in the days after the deaths surfaced that no chemical weapons testing had been conducted in the relevant period. That stance lasted one week. On March 21, 1968, Utah Sen. Frank Moss, a Democrat, released a Pentagon document confirming the March 13 VX spray operation. The Army shifted its stance but did not acknowledge fault. Brig. Gen. William W. Stone led a formal investigation that generated more than 1,000 pages of findings. That report acknowledged probable traces of nerve agent in environmental samples from the kill zone. A compound found in sheep tissue bore a direct relationship to Dugway's own VX stockpile. The Army's formal position remained that it had not been negligent and accepted no legal liability. Quietly, the service paid rancher Alvin Hatch, whose animals made up roughly 90 percent of the dead, a settlement of $376,685. Military bulldozers helped bury the carcasses on base property. Rancher Ray Peck, whose sheep also died, later reported that members of his family developed nervous system ailments consistent with low-level VX exposure. Follow-up analysis found that medical evaluations the Army had used to argue no humans were harmed were inconclusive by later scientific standards. Looking north toward Dugway Proving Ground at Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. (Wikimedia Commons) The Cover Up Despite national press coverage, political accountability within Utah was muted. The military was the state's largest employer, and elected officials prioritized economic continuity over pressing for answers. Hersh, who investigated the incident, identified the likely reason. "Concern, from the highest level of state officialdom on down, was that too much investigating or talking about the incident might make the Army move its base from Dugway," Hersh reported. The Army managed the fallout rather efficiently. It settled with the primary rancher, arranged burial of the carcasses and initiated a safety review, all without conceding fault. State officials had enough cover to move on. The story's national reach came from outside Utah entirely. On Feb. 4, 1969, NBC's newsmagazine program "First Tuesday" aired a segment on the Skull Valley deaths. Rep. Richard McCarthy, a Democrat from New York, watched it and was troubled by what he learned. McCarthy had believed, as most Americans did, that chemical weapons had been effectively barred under international agreements since 1925. Richard D. McCarthy, Congressman from New York. (Wikimedia Commons) McCarthy and the Congressional Investigation "Chemical and biological weapons were another side of the nuclear arms race, but they were a much more secret and hidden aspect of it," science historian Roger Eardley-Pryor later told Smithsonian Magazine. "They were much less known until Richard McCarthy made this a national issue." Beginning in May 1969, McCarthy opened congressional hearings that revealed the scale of what had been occurring without public knowledge. The program responsible for disposing of chemical weapons carried the acronym CHASE, which stood for Cut Holes And Sink 'Em. The hearings disclosed that hundreds of thousands of tons of old munitions had been loaded onto ships and dumped at sea with minimal documentation of quantity or location. Later that year, a nerve gas leak at a U.S. military installation on Okinawa injured 24 people. The press connected that accident to the Utah deaths, and the Pentagon confirmed that open-air nerve agent testing had also occurred at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland and Fort McClellan in Alabama. The scandal became impossible for the military to ignore. Ammunition at the Chibana Ammunition Depot, February 1969. The munitions were being moved out of the country in the aftermath of the scandals. (Wikimedia Commons) Nixon Acts Facing compounding pressure from Congress and the public, President Richard Nixon signed an executive order in 1969 banning all open-air testing of chemical and biological weapons. He separately renounced the U.S. biological weapons program entirely. Dugway's research budget fell by 60 percent and the Army Chemical Corps came close to being disbanded altogether. Congress followed in November 1969 with legislation formally prohibiting open-air testing of any lethal chemical or biological warfare agent within the United States. Live-agent testing at domestic facilities was restricted to secure laboratories and chemical weapons development effectively stopped. Nixon also submitted the 1925 Geneva Protocol to the Senate for ratification, a step the United States had declined to take for 44 years. The Senate ratified it in 1974. Memorandum sent from Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird to Henry Kissinger regarding American chemical weapons. (Wikimedia Commons) The Classified Report The Army commissioned an internal study on the sheep kill that was classified in 1969. It was declassified in 1978 but remained unpublicized for another two decades, sitting in government files without reaching a general audience. In 1998, the Salt Lake Tribune obtained the document. Its central finding was described at the time of publication as the "first documented admission" from the Army that a nerve agent had caused the Skull Valley deaths. The word the report used was "incontrovertible." Nixon delivered his statement from Fort Detrick, home of the One-Million-Liter Test Sphere, used for testing static aerosols of biological agent, pictured here in 1968. (Wikimedia Commons) Even after the document became public, the Army declined to formally acknowledge negligence. The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 codified broader international prohibitions that public pressure over Skull Valley had helped push into existence. A malfunctioning spray nozzle and 6,400 dead sheep in the Utah desert accomplished more toward constraining America's chemical weapons program than four decades of international diplomacy had managed before them. Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, "How the Death of 6,000 Sheep Spurred the American Debate on Chemical Weapons," Lorraine Boissoneault, April 2018; Modern War Institute at West Point, "Who Killed the Dugway Sheep? Why It Matters Fifty Years Later," March 2018; Science, Philip M. Boffey, "Nerve Gas: Dugway Accident Linked to Utah Sheep Kill," Dec. 27, 1968; Utah State Historical Society, History to Go, "Chemical Weapons Testing Created Controversy at Dugway"; Interesting Engineering, "How a Nerve Agent Killed Thousands of Sheep and Transformed Weapons Law in the US," Dec. 2021; Axios Salt Lake City, "Flashback: When Nerve Gas Killed Thousands of Utah Sheep Near Dugway," March 2024; Brig. Gen. William W. Stone Army investigation, 1968; National Communicable Disease Center findings on sheep tissue samples, 1968. Its been more than 22 years since Mary Lou Combs went missing in Flagler Beach, Florida, but thanks to a team of veteran volunteers, it appears her remains have finally been found. Combs, 41 years old at the time, hadnt been seen since driving from the home she sometimes shared with her mother and children on Aug. 19, 2003. Concern about her whereabouts grew after she failed to get her paycheck at a Food Lion supermarket in Flagler Beach and didnt show up for her daughters birthday shortly after. Combs became a missing person, and her baffling case went cold for more than 20 years until now. In February, a crew of volunteer divers recovered the red car Combs had been last seen driving deeply submerged in the Intracoastal Waterway alongside 18th Road in Flagler County. Inside the vehicle were several personal items, including childrens toys, based on a report from the Flagler County Sheriffs Office. Marine Corps veteran Ken Fleming, a member of the Recon Dive Recovery team, worked with Navy submarine veteran Vern Shurtz to recover Combs remains. It was just wonderful to bring her back and be able to call this a solved case, Fleming told First Coast News. Ken Fleming comes up with a Florida license plate on a recovery mission. (Recon Dive Recovery) How They Did It Fleming and Shurtz, who runs the Helo & Sub diving team, were notified of the Combs case two years ago by Sarah Scalia, a Flagler cold case detective. Utilizing side-scan sonar, Fleming and Schurtz spent the past couple of years searching in more than 300 bodies of water between Combs house to the store where she worked, along with adjacent roadways and neighborhoods. After an exhaustive search, last October provided a small breakthrough. The divers found car parts, a spring and bumper, that matched Combs 1996 Dodge Neon in the Intracoastal Waterway. It was a small glimmer of hope that kept the veterans searching. Since Oct. 29, weve had one mantra, Fleming said. Vern and I would look at each other and say, One bone, one bone. We just need one bone for DNA. We need to prove that this is her, that shes in the vehicle. Combs case drew the attention of both the Federal Bureau of Investigations Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team in Miami and the Jacksonville Evidence Response Team. On Feb. 3, National Missing Persons Day, both groups teamed with Fleming and Shurtz, along with Flagler County deputies, on a three-day mission to try to recover Combs remains. Even if they found the vehicle, there was no guarantee any part of her body would still be in or near the car. Entering the overturned, decomposed vehicle via a broken drivers side window, the divers dredged and sucked up mud and debris into buckets on shore. It didnt take long to find what they were searching for. Within hours, divers recovered a pelvic bone in the car. At that point in time, everybody knew that, yes, we are here and we are having a recovery, and were going to be able to bring someones loved one home, Shurtz said. Besides finding additional car parts, investigators discovered Combs Florida drivers license, a size 7 shoe that matched her shoe size, bones with a metal plate intact from an ankle surgery, toys and a childs seat that Natasha Harper, Combs daughter, said belong to her. Shurtz said all organizations working together made the recovery possible. Everybody was determined to do all that they could to bring the remains of Mary Lou Combs home, he said. It was one of the most impressive things Ive ever seen. Mired in murky saltwater and muck for 22 years, the Dodge Neon was terribly corroded, adding another challenge for divers. When you touch the metal, it just disintegrated into paper, and we realized we were going to need a different tactic, Fleming said. No one would have thought that car could have gone 180 feet upstream in the current. Its changed the way we look at cases; you have to go above and beyond the normal search pattern. Veterans Ken Fleming and Vern Schutz volunteered their diving services to recover the remains of Mary Lou Combs. (Recon Dive Recovery) DNA Must Confirm It While the boatload of physical evidence strongly suggests the remains are Combs, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said the county medical examiners findings, along with DNA analysis, will make the final determination. Based on evidence, Staly said its possible Combs drove off the roadway by accident, plunging into the Intracoastal near the end of 18th Road, however the investigation is ongoing. While the findings are still not 100 percent concrete, the evidence provides some relief for Combs family. Were forever grateful that we can finally say goodbye, Harper said at a press conference. Thank you to everyone that has played a part in this blessing. May our mother rest in paradise. Support Needed The Combs investigation is the seventh cold case Fleming and Shurtz have helped close. While their volunteer work is unpaid, both see it as a mission to help grieving families while continuing their commitment to service. Grief is love sent without a destination, Fleming said. We like to bring that home. Through community support and donations, Fleming and Shurtz can keep doing what they love, but with more families asking for help, funding is needed. We are self-funded, we are broke, Fleming said. Were doing this out of our own grocery money all the time. Ive got five families that want us to come to their jurisdictions right now. We have to fix our equipment before we can fuel up and go to the next one, so if they could support us, that would be incredible. About 120 Louisiana National Guard soldiers will continue patrolling New Orleans through August after the Department of Defense approved a six-month extension of the mission. The Guard was originally set to finish its mission once Carnival season ended in late February. Instead, soldiers will remain on federal Title 32 orders in the French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods as the city moves into a busy stretch of spring and summer tourism that includes French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest and Super Sunday. The federal government will continue paying the tab, according to the announcement made Monday by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. New Orleans now joins Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn., as one of three cities where the Trump administration is maintaining armed National Guard soldiers in a domestic law enforcement support role. Military.com reached out to the U.S. Army for comment. The Deployment and New Extension The Louisiana National Guard initially sent roughly 350 soldiers to New Orleans in late December 2025. That deployment came in the wake of the Jan. 1, 2025, Bourbon Street terror attack that killed 14 people ahead of a security-heavy Carnival season. Armed soldiers carrying M4 rifles became a common sight at intersections and checkpoints across the French Quarter. The remaining 120 soldiers represent a significant drawdown, but their mission is essentially the same. According to a Guard statement, the force will focus on "crime reduction, enhanced responsiveness, and maintaining a visible presence to deter criminal activity." National Guard soldiers on patrol in the New Orleans French Quarter. The Louisiana National Guard will remain in the city through August. (Louisiana National Guard Photo by Photo by Sgt. Danny Hough) "Our Soldiers are proud to stand alongside our law enforcement partners in support of the people of Louisiana," said Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, the state's adjutant general. "From New Year's through the Carnival season, this mission showed what can be accomplished when agencies work together with a shared focus on public safety. "We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors." The Guard's own press release said law enforcement leaders acknowledged the troops as an important force multiplier that contributed to crime deterrence during one of the city's busiest stretches. Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially pushed back against the deployment, has since reversed course. She said the presence of the federal coordination team, including the U.S. Coast Guard, FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was "instrumental in guaranteeing a secure environment through the festivities." She praised the overall effort as "the gold standard for coordinated security efforts." New Orleans Crime Trends and Costs Data presented by NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick at a January press conference showed the city recorded 121 murders in 2025, down from 125 in 2024. Compared to 2022, when New Orleans led the nation in homicides, the murder rate has dropped 55%. Armed robberies fell 28% and carjackings declined 35%. A separate NOPD report from May 2025 showed a 20% overall decrease in violent crime incidents through the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2024, citing data from the department's own analytics unit. Soldiers from the 61st Troop Command and the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team assisted local and state law enforcement during New Years Eve celebrations and the 92nd annual Sugar Bowl. (Louisiana National Guard Photo by Photo by Sgt. Danny Hough) Trump referenced the New Orleans deployment during his State of the Union address last week, calling it a "big success" and citing crime reductions in cities where Guard troops have been stationed. A January Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimated that National Guard deployments to U.S. cities cost approximately $496 million in 2025. The 350-soldier force in New Orleans cost roughly $6 million per month. CBO found that deploying 1,000 Guard members to a city in 2026 would run between $18-$21 million monthly, depending on cost of living. A spokesperson for Landry confirmed that the federal government would continue funding the New Orleans mission. What's Ahead for the Louisiana National Guard The Guard operates under Title 32 status, which means the soldiers are federally funded but remain under the command of the governor and the adjutant general. Under that authority, Guard troops cannot arrest anyone, execute search warrants or perform the duties of sworn law enforcement officers. Their role is to stand post and provide a visible armed presence alongside local and state police. The governor's office did not say whether Guard soldiers would also operate in other parts of the state during the six-month extension. However, Landry previously requested authorization from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to activate up to 1,000 Louisiana National Guard personnel to assist with public safety operations statewide, showing the New Orleans mission could be part of a larger effort. The 120 soldiers will remain as a visible presence in the French Quarter as New Orleans heads into festival season, with their mission set to run through the end of August. Googles Venture Arm Leads $200 Million Funding Round in European Fintech Start-up (Googles Venture Arm Leads $200 Million Funding Round in European Fintech Startup) What is Googles endeavor arm and the European fintech startup included Googles venture arm, known as CapitalG, is the development equity investment team under Alphabet Inc. It concentrates on late-stage modern technology business with solid capacity. Just recently, CapitalG led a significant financing round worth $200 million in a rising European fintech startup This start-up, though not constantly called in very early records, has actually swiftly obtained focus for its clever strategy to economic services. The company supplies electronic devices that help people and companies take care of cash much more conveniently. Its platform blends financial, payments, and data analytics right into one smooth experience. According to current insurance coverage, this step notes among the biggest solitary investments by an American tech giant right into a European fintech company this year. Why did Googles venture arm select this start-up. CapitalG does not spend gently. It seeks startups with clear market traction, scalable modern technology, and management groups that comprehend both money and advancement. This European fintech start-up stood out because it fixed genuine troubles for small businesses and freelancers who often battle with conventional banking systems. Several financial institutions are slow, expensive, or merely not built for todays electronic economic situation. The startup fills up that space with instant invoicing, multi-currency accounts, and automated bookkeeping. And also, it operates throughout multiple European nations, which offers it a vast customer base. As kept in mind in comprehensive organization analysis, the start-ups monthly energetic individuals expanded by over 70% in the last 18 months. That sort of development signals strong product-market fit, something CapitalG worths very. How the $200 million will be used The fresh funding will certainly approach 3 main objectives. Initially, the startup prepares to expand its engineering team to accelerate product growth. Second, it will push deeper into brand-new European markets like Italy and Poland, where demand for electronic money tools is rising quickly. Third, component of the funds will certainly sustain regulative compliance initiatives, which are crucial in the securely regulated financial market. Building depend on with regulatory authorities is equally as essential as building great software application. The business additionally hinted at checking out partnerships with regional banks and settlement cpus to offer a lot more integrated solutions. This critical use funds shows the start-up is assuming long-term, not simply chasing after short-term hype. Applications of the fintech start-ups platform in everyday business The start-ups platform is currently transforming exactly how small businesses run. A self-employed graphic designer in Berlin can now send out a billing in euros, get paid in bucks, and see every little thing tracked immediately in their dashboard. A coffee shop owner in Lisbon uses the application to handle payroll, track expenditures, and documents taxes without hiring an accountant. Also micro-businesses with simply one or two employees profit from functions like real-time cash flow projecting and fraudulence discovery. These tools were once offered to huge corporations with huge spending plans. Now, they come to anybody with a smartphone. The simpleness and power of the platform make it helpful across many markets retail, seeking advice from, ecommerce, and much more. This democratization of financial devices is specifically why capitalists like CapitalG see significant possibility here. FAQs concerning the funding round and the startup Is this startup a bank? No, it is not a certified financial institution, yet it companions with regulated banks to hold consumer funds and supply insured deposit defense. Will the application be available outside Europe? The firm claims international growth is feasible, however its current emphasis continues to be on enhancing its placement in Europe initially. Does Google currently manage the startup? No. CapitalG takes a minority stake and functions as a tactical capitalist, not a controlling shareholder. The founders still run the firm. Just how safe is individual information? The system utilizes end-to-end file encryption, two-factor verification, and normal third-party security audits. It follows GDPR and various other EU data legislations. (Googles Venture Arm Leads $200 Million Funding Round in European Fintech Startup) Can individuals utilize the solution, or is it just for services? While it is designed mainly for consultants and small businesses, single proprietors and freelance people are welcome to register. Even more information regarding the investment technique and market context can be discovered in relevant industry discussions that highlight how technology titans are reshaping economic communities through clever funding implementation. In response to news that OpenAI has reached a cooperation agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (renamed the Department of War under the Trump administration), U.S. consumers have reacted strongly, leading to a massive wave of ChatGPT mobile app uninstalls. Data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower shows that on February 28, daily uninstalls of the app in the U.S. surged by 295% day-over-day, compared to an average daily uninstall rate of just 9% over the past 30 days. Meanwhile, Anthropic, a competitor of OpenAI, experienced a surge in users. After announcing its refusal to partner with the U.S. Defense Department, downloads of its AI product, Claude, in the U.S. soared by 51% day-over-day on February 28. Anthropic explained that it abandoned the cooperation due to concerns that its AI technology might be used to surveil American citizens or be integrated into fully autonomous weapons systems that are not yet safe for deployment. ChatGPTs own download growth was also impacted by the news. On the day the cooperation was announced, its U.S. downloads fell by 13% day-over-day, with a further 5% drop on Sunday. Before the announcement, its downloads had been growing at a rate of 14% day-over-day. This trend was directly reflected in App Store rankings. The Claude app jumped to the top of the U.S. free app chart on February 28 and maintained that position through March 2. Just a week earlier, it had been ranked outside the top 20. Data from Appfigures shows that on February 28, Claudes total daily downloads in the U.S. exceeded ChatGPTs for the first time, with a day-over-day increase of 88%. Claude is now the top-ranked free app on the App Store in several countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. User sentiment was also evident in app ratings. Sensor Tower data indicates that on February 28, the number of 1-star reviews for ChatGPT skyrocketed by 775%, followed by another 100% increase day-over-day the next day, while the number of 5-star reviews dropped by 50%. Similarweb data points out that Claudes downloads in the U.S. over the past week were approximately 20 times higher than in January, although the firm cautions that this growth may also be influenced by factors beyond political issues. Saurav Pandey is the Deputy Manager of Content at Moneycontrol, specialising in content strategy, execution and performance analysis. He integrates advanced SEO techniques to deliver high-impact, data-driven content formats. His expertise spans various beats, including education, career, science and others, where he adopts a technical approach to optimise visibility, improve search rankings, and drive organic traffic growth. He can be reached out at Saurav.Pandey@nw18.com. Did our AI summary help? Anubhav Sinha says Deepika Padukones eight-hour work-shift talk shouldnt be blown into controversy 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? Esha Gupta returns home safely from Abu Dhabi amid the USIran conflict, recounts tense experience Did our AI summary help? Mandana has admitted that speaking openly about Iran has cost her dearly on a personal level. Did our AI summary help? Wishing everyone a Happy Holi, Kriti posted photos and videos featuring her parents, sister Nupur Sanon, and brother-in-law Stebin Ben. Did our AI summary help? Rajpal Yadav urges people to drop the misconception about needing work, Sonu Sood clarifies his comment Did our AI summary help? Sonal Chauhan returns safely to India after being stranded in Dubai amid Middle East tensions Did our AI summary help? Demi Moores appearance at the Actor Awards sparks concern and Ozempic rumours over dramatic weight loss Did our AI summary help? Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy will soon get married Did our AI summary help? Mammootty urges peace as IranIsrael conflict escalates, says he hopes humanity wins As they walked into the venue, the actor was seen putting his arm around his wife in a protective way. Holi 2026 calls for breathable cottons, soft pastels, and jewel tones. From classic white kurtas to sunshine yellow co-ords, festive dressing just got lighter and brighter. (Pic: Pexels) Currently, cargoes take an average of 3-5 days to get cleared. Tankers and container ships are avoiding the waterway after insurers cancelled coverage for vessels and global oil and gas shipping rates soared Did our AI summary help? At present, the total investible corpus of EPFO is Rs 17.46 lakh crore. Vedanta chairman says India can produce oil at half the cost of imports and calls for more licences and a stable regulatory environment. Paras Bisht A financial journalist with over 10 years of experience, specialising in tracking stock market movements and fundamental developments that impact investors and the broader economy. A keen observer of global financial markets, I regularly engage with leading market voices to write stories. At Moneycontrol, I focus on decoding market trends, policy shifts and economic changes, driven by a constant passion to learn, analyse, and share knowledge with my readers. Teena Jain Kaushal is Editor - Personal Finance (Audience Growth) at Moneycontrol, with over two decades of expertise demystifying money matters. Whether its decoding tax, navigating investments, or breaking down the latest insurance trends, her aim is to help readers make smarter financial decisions. 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. If the underlying asset is up around 3 percent but the ETF is hovering around 79 percent, it signals aggressive buying interest rather than intrinsic value expansion Dubai is home to a number of Indian developers 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 The Directorate General of Shipping is closely monitoring the evolving maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman. (Representative picture) These twin-engine helicopters incorporate state-of-the-art features superior to the currently operated airborne platforms and are capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea #WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Amid the flight disruptions in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict from the past few days, the first flight from Abu Dhabi has landed at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. A passenger says, "... Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi pic.twitter.com/j9NOFXWl78 ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2026 A passenger is greeted by a family member upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi after returning from Abu Dhabi. PM Modi also held telephone conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bahrains King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa PM Modi earlier held similar conversations with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan. EK501 briefly turned back and held outside UAE airspace as air defences responded to ballistic missiles. Sonia Gandhi also raised doubts over the direction in which India's foreign policy is heading. The joint US-Israel attack on Iran has triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including on countries hosting US military bases. Special NIA court in Jammu permits judicial request to Chinese authorities after manufacturer cites lack of downstream transaction data. Gaurav Gogoi will contest the upcoming polls from Jorhat. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK The video presented images of team discussions, fittings and individual photo sessions conducted to gather images of all employees before assembling them into the final garment worn during the ceremony. Debris from a missile strike sparked a fire near the Fairmont. (Image credit: NY Post/X/@Jeremybtc) All the biryani that Velton Saldanha carried home was shared and enjoyed by his friends and family. (Image credit: Moneycontrol) Dubai was among the Gulf areas hit by Irans retaliation on Saturday. (Image credit: Reuters) When questioned, an ashram's representative pointed to a board hanging outside that stated: 'We have a right to decline entry when needed.' (Image credit: _kittoo_/Instagram) Several users supported Pavel Durovs position, arguing that public safety in Dubai remains strong despite geopolitical tensions. Against that backdrop, the public appearance by the President and the Crown Prince was widely interpreted as an effort to convey reassurance. The F-15 jets were 'mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences', officials announced on Monday. All six crew ejected safely and have been recovered, they added. (File photo) World Wildlife Day is observed each year on 3rd March under the United Nations. (Image: Canva) 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 Did our AI summary help? Delhi Metro to start at 2:30 pm on Holi 2026; Namo Bharat and Meerut Metro services limited to 5 pm10 pm on March 4 across NCR. From haunted trails at Feroz Shah Kotla to twilight tours at Qutub Minar, Delhi Tourisms new evening heritage walks aim to redefine night travel experiences in the capital. Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Did our AI summary help? MC Travel Desk Read the latest and trending travel news storiesstay updated on new destinations, travel trends, visa updates, and expert tips for your next adventure. Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Did our AI summary help? Maryam Farooqui is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol covering media and entertainment, travel and hospitality. She has 11 years of experience in reporting. Did our AI summary help? Middle East tensions could lead to increase in domestic airfares. Some analysts have even suggested his military actions are part of a grand plan to enable the United States to focus on containing China. Asian nations, including China, have stockpiles of crude and LNG that will help to buffer any short-term disruptions, but a sustained conflict threatens to quickly drain those supplies Pakistan sought to mediate between Iran and the US amid escalating conflict but its efforts, including offers to host secret talks, failed to gain traction. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dars remarks highlight Pakistans limited influence in shaping regional diplomacy. Did our AI summary help? China has voiced strong support for Iran amid escalating conflict with the US and Israel, urging both to halt military actions. Beijing warned of risks to global energy supplies, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, and called for diplomatic solutions to regional tensions. Did our AI summary help? Visuals from attack during the Iran-US-Israel war An intelligence report suggests China is aiding Irans military rebuild through technology, components, and negotiations, including missile systems, radars, and drone tech, despite Beijing denying direct arms transfers amid ongoing US and Israeli conflicts. Did our AI summary help? No injuries were reported, as the embassy building was vacant at the time (Representative Image) Oil and gas infrastructure, as well as US facilities, in the Gulf have been hit and the strategic Strait of Hormuz effectively closed as Iran has struck back. US President Donald Trump warned Monday that his attack on Iran could extend longer than a month, as the war spread with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Tehran targeting oil facilities in Gulf countries. Killing Irans Supreme Leader marks a seismic shift in US doctrine, from covert coups to open decapitation strikes, with consequences Washington cant easily control. According to reports, Iran has the Middle Easts largest and most varied, spanning ballistic and cruise missiles.- Representative photo How years of surveillance and covert access to Irans systems paved the way for the 60-second operation that killed Khamenei Trumps call with Kurdish leaders; officials say no final decision yet on arms or intelligence support. President Donald Trump decided to take action against Iran in order to protect America's national security. The drones have in recent days hit US bases, oil infrastructure and civilian buildings, since the US and Israel air strikes on Iran a barrage of cruise missiles, drones and precision-guided bombs began on Saturday Trump has suggested the war could take four or five weeks, while Netanyahu has said it is "not going to take years". Following Ayatollah Khameneis death, Hassan Khomeini, grandson of Irans founder, is seen as a leading contender for Supreme Leader. Known for reformist leanings and symbolic authority, he faces competition from Mojtaba Khamenei and other senior clerics. Did our AI summary help? Vance said U.S. envoys had engaged in deliberate negotiations in Geneva with Iranian representatives but ultimately determined the talks were not credible. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil shipping lane, linking major Gulf producers - including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates - to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea The missile hit the school in Minab in southern Iran's Hormozgan province. Activists and supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party shout slogans during an anti-US and Israel protest in Peshawar on March 2, 2026 after the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei amid US-Israel strikes. The death toll from Pakistan's violent weekend protests over the killing of Iran's supreme leader has reached at least 25, according to an AFP tally on March 2. (Photo by Abdul MAJEED / AFP) 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 ministry sources told AFP that Iraq will use its oil production for its own refineries. Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the offices of Al-Qard al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-linked financial institution, in the city of Baalbeck in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Nidal SOLH / AFP) Journalists heard loud explosions reverberating in the Qatari capital and in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, while two residents told AFP they heard explosions in UAE capital Abu Dhabi. There were no immediate reports of fatalities from the latest Iran strikes (Photo: AFP) A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck Monday amid the USIsraeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran. (FILES) Taliban military helicopters fly to celebrate the third anniversary of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, at the Bagram Air Base, in Bagram, Parwan province on August 14, 2024. (Photo by Ahmad SAHEL ARMAN / AFP) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari warned India against preparing for war, urging negotiations for regional security. He portrayed Pakistan as a responsible nuclear state, but Indian sources dismissed his remarks as political posturing amid Pakistans internal crises. Did our AI summary help? (COMBO) This combination of pictures created on March 02, 2026 shows Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei looks on during a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on February 19, 2026. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN and Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) Taliban spokesperson accuses Pakistan of initiating conflict; both sides report significant casualties as border crossings remain shut. Passengers pay up to GBP 260,000 (3.2 crore) for one private flight. (Image credit: Reuters) India is monitoring global energy markets amid West Asia tensions, preparing contingency plans for supply disruptions. With adequate reserves and Russia offering support, officials say diversified sourcing and strategic reserves will help manage short-term shortages. Did our AI summary help? The worlds biggest oil exporter has a 5 million barrel-a-day pipeline that runs across the country which can transport oil from fields in the east to the Red Sea in the west. Supporters called her remarks raw and reflective of diaspora anger toward the regime. (Image credit: AP) The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid West Asia conflict has disrupted global oil supply, causing price surges and shipping delays. Asia, especially China and India, faces heightened energy risks, with governments seeking alternative sources and assuring reserves. Did our AI summary help? The red patch was spotted during a Medal of Honor presentation ceremony, after a busy weekend in which Trump launched US military strikes on Iran. Despite seeking the Nobel Peace Prize, Trumps second term saw extensive US military operations in Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela, contrasting his campaign promises and raising questions about his commitment to diplomacy. Did our AI summary help? Trump says US has virtually unlimited weapons stockpiles amid Israel-Iran conflict The UAE's Ministry of Defense has announced the successful interception of ballistic missiles fired by Iran. (Credit: X) The former royal palace "was reportedly damaged by debris and the shock wave following an air strike to the Arag Square, located in the buffer zone of the site in the Iranian capital" The swords are from the late Bronze Age period. (Image credit: CBP) Iran War News Live: If you are joining us just now, here's a quick recap Conflict enters fourth day as US and Israeli forces continue military operations against Iran, following unprecedented joint strikes. Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and warned it will fire on any ship attempting to pass, threatening a major global oil route. Iranian missiles and drones hit multiple Gulf cities and US sites, including drone strikes on the US embassy in Riyadh causing limited fire and damage. Saudi Arabia intercepted several incoming drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. Qatar reported it shot down two Iranian fighter jets amid the expanding conflict. Flights to and within the Middle East were diverted or disrupted as regional airspace closures continued. Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli positions, including a claimed drone strike on an Israeli air base in retaliation for strikes in Lebanon. Pro-Iranian groups in Iraq claimed a drone attack on a hotel in Erbil housing US troops. At least six US service members have been killed in action, with remains of additional personnel recovered from earlier strike sites. Rights groups reported rising casualties in Iran, with news agencies citing dozens killed in the past 24 hours and hundreds since the offensive began. Global markets reacted, with oil prices extending gains and equities sliding as the wider conflict stoked fears of supply disruptions and inflation. Amazon Web Services reported UAE and Bahrain data centres were damaged by drone strikes, urging customers to back up data Netanyahu said the conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets would not drag on for years. As Middle East tensions mount, the US Embassy in Riyadh was hit by Iranian drones, and US President Donald Trump vowed a robust response to Tehran for the assault US President Donald Trump claimed operations were advancing substantially faster than anticipated, yet underscored that Washington is ready for a drawn-out engagement if necessary. Was the killing of Irans Supreme Leader legal? US President Donald Trump says 'boots on the ground; may not be necessary, with tensions escalating in the Middle East. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in his office during a joint US-Israel military operation. His death ends over three decades of leadership and is expected to create uncertainty in Iran amid ongoing tensions with the US and Israel. Did our AI summary help? Riyadh embassy hit by drones; Trump warns of strong US retaliation March 3, 2026 War On Iran Regional Participation U.S. Blames Israel As the war on Iran continues it is getting even more difficult to assess the operational losses and the damage caused by either side. All parties, Iran, Israel, the U.S. and various Gulf countries, practice information warfare and censorship. They exaggerate their successes and do not admit their losses. It makes little sense then to make any statements about the progress of the war as it unfolds on the ground. We will have to wait and look for irrefutable evidence before guessing the outcome. A month ago the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei had warned that any attack on Iran would develop into a regional war. He could have added that it would have global consequences. Khameneis prediction has -to some extend- come true. Iran has attacked various U.S. bases in western Gulf countries. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was hit. Hizbullah in Lebanon has launched drones against a U.S./British base in Cyprus. Israel is invading Lebanon and the West Bank. Iraqi militia have launched attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. Locals have attacked U.S. consulates in Pakistan. But the Gulf countries themselves have not yet entered the war. They have spent their air defense after defending against missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases. They are now low on ammunition and the U.S. is in no position to back their needs. Several small hits have been reported against oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Iran has denied to have attacked those sites. It is possible that Israel or the U.S. is launching these strikes to incite the Gulf states to more actively join their attack on Iran. I doubt that they are stupid enough to do so. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Qatar has stopped its production of Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Iraq is throttling its oil production as its storage capacity in Basra is full as no tankers arrive to load its products. All together some 20% of the daily global oil and gas production has been cut off or is endangered. Global oil and gas prices have already increased dramatically and are likely to rise further. Gas stocks in Europe are low as are oil reserves in India. A long war may well threaten the economic and social well being in those regions. In its usual amateurish ways the Trump administration is trying to blame Israel (vid) for the start of the war: Rubio: There was absolutely an imminent threat and it was that we knew that if Iran was attacked and we believe that they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow So the U.S. had to pre-emptivly attack Iran because Israel was going to attack Iran? The New York Times is trying to support that meme with the opening line of its tick-tock report about the start of the war placing the blame (archived) on the U.S. proxy: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel walked into the Oval Office on the morning of Feb. 11, determined to keep the American president on the path to war. But who ordered two aircraft carrier and some 250 U.S. attack planes to the Middle East? Who had urgently wished for Israel to attack Iran to have an excuse to join the fight? Just a week ago Politico reported: Senior advisers to President Donald Trump would prefer Israel strike Iran before the United States launches an assault on the country, according to two people familiar with ongoing discussions. These Trump administration officials are privately arguing that an Israeli attack would trigger Iran to retaliate, helping muster support from American voters for a U.S. strike. The calculus is a political one that more Americans would stomach a war with Iran if the United States or an ally were attacked first. It is easy to blame Israel for this war but all the means to wage it, and the decision to launch it, were coming from the White House. The war was not started and is not fought for Israel but to advance the global position of the United States. Rubio and Trump just want to cover their asses by misdirecting the anger of their MAGA follower over the war towards Israel. It is doubtful that any of them will swallow that nonsense. It is the U.S. which wants to regime change Iran. The chance to do that by air-power is zero. Their is also no proxy force, internally or externally, that would be willing to fight a ground war within Iran. Thus the U.S. campaign is destined become a failure. 1) Young artists pose with their entries. Contributed photos 2) Two of the young local artists pose with their paintings. 3) A young artist poses next to her masterpiece. (Press Release) The Crowne Plaza Lounge was transformed into a premier art venue this week as Bada Art Cafe & Studio successfully hosted its 2026 Student Exhibition. The event, which opened on Feb. 27, drew a record-breaking crowd of art enthusiasts, leaving a lasting impression on the local community. Celebrating artistic excellence and global success The atmosphere was electric as visitors gathered to witness the culmination of months of dedication and hard work. This years exhibition was especially meaningful, serving as a celebration for the studios graduating class. Bada Art Cafe & Studio proudly announced that its students have secured admissions to prestigious, top-tier art colleges in the United States. Many also received significant merit-based scholarships, a testament to their exceptional talent and the studios high standard of instruction. This achievement demonstrates that the artistic caliber nurtured at Bada Art Cafe & Studio meets the most rigorous international standards. Highlighting the event was a multi-sensory showcase, offering an experience beyond a traditional art display. The exhibition opened with a soulful live ukulele performance by the students at 5:30 p.m., providing a harmonious backdrop to the visual presentation. From delicate sketches to bold, large-scale paintings, the works reflected the hearts and souls of these young creators. Visitors engaged deeply, discussing the unique techniques and inspirations behind each piece. Bada Art Cafe & Studio thanked the community for its unwavering support and provided special complimentary gifts to all visitors, adding a personal touch to the professional showcase. A proud moment for the community The Crowne Plaza Lounge was filled with families, friends, and mentors celebrating the growth of these young artists. For many, it was an emotional experience to witness the students successful leap toward the worlds most elite art institutions. The level of maturity and skill in these works is truly inspiring, noted one visitor. Knowing that our local students are heading to world-class art colleges with scholarships makes us all incredibly proud of what Bada Art Cafe & Studio has achieved. Looking forward As the 2026 exhibition concludes, Bada Art Cafe & Studio continues its mission to nurture the next generation of creative leaders. With a proven track record of international success, the studio has solidified its position as a premier hub for artistic excellence. 1) MS Amadea passengers at the Port of Saipan. Photos by Bryan Manabat 2) Marianas Visitors Authority prepared a festive, streetmarket style welcome for the passengers of MS Amadea at the Port of Saipan. 3) Cultural performers welcome Amadea passengers as they disembark Tuesday morning. 4) Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Jamika Taijeron, left, greets the passengers of MS Amadea at the Port of Saipan. By Bryan Manabat [email protected] Variety News Staff THE MS Amadea, a premium German cruise ship operated by Phoenix Reisen, received a lively island welcome when it arrived at the Port of Saipan early Tuesday morning. Passengers were greeted by cultural dancers, local vendors, and a streetmarket-style reception organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority. The cruise ship brought 380 passengers and 305 crew members on its latest stop in a monthslong world voyage. It last visited Saipan in 2023. Lars Zhan, tour coordinator for the Amadea, said the warm reception stood out immediately. Yesterday we were in Guam, and there was nothing, he said. When we were coming to the port [in Saipan], there were dancers welcoming our guests. They are in a good mood right from the start, and there are shops where they can buy souvenirs. Zhan said he cannot preorganize excursions before reaching Saipan, but upon arrival he coordinated with Pacific Development Inc. to arrange shuttle buses for twohour historic tours around the island. So, Im organizing excursions based on what the guests want to do, he said. Streetmarket welcome MVA Managing Director Jamika Taijeron said the agency prepared a festive reception tailored for the Amadea, which, unlike Japanese cruise ships, did not have a pretour package. We organized a streetmarkettype activity to welcome the passengers of MS Amadea, she said. The setup included cultural dance performances, car rental booths, arts and crafts displays, and food vendors offering local specialties. Passengers browsed souvenirs and took photos with performers. A world cruise itinerary Zhan said the Amadea is currently on a world cruise that has taken passengers across the Pacific and beyond. Before Saipan, the ship called on Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, San Francisco, San Diego, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama, before crossing into the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It also visited the Canary Islands after departing Germany. The ship is scheduled to depart Saipan at 6 p.m. Tuesday for Tokyo, where it will begin a twoandahalfweek stay in Japan before continuing on to South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Zhan said he was pleasantly surprised by Saipans hospitality. Yes, because I was here last time three years ago and we had no welcoming, he said. Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator. By Emmanuel T. Erediano [email protected] Variety News Staff THE former chairman of the disbanded Commonwealth Casino Commission opposes House Bill 24-15, which seeks to establish public sector employee and employer relations through organized labor groups in the CNMI, calling it unnecessary and duplicative of existing labor laws. Authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, the bill, which is now in the Senate, is projected to yield substantial long-term benefits for the CNMI governments personnel management, labor relations, and overall operational efficiency, according to a report by the House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee. The committee stated that allowing organized labor frameworks and protecting public sector employees collective bargaining rights in the CNMI is expected to enhance communication and resolve labor disputes more efficiently. Overall, the report concluded, the long-term gains in efficiency, workforce stability, and institutional professionalism are expected to outweigh the administrative costs. But in an email to Senate President Karl King-Nabors and Senate Vice President Corina Magofna, former CCC Chairman Edward C. Deleon Guerrero said he does not support labor unions in general, particularly in the government. He noted that the CNMI already has strong labor protections, especially for civil service employees. The CNMIs existing laws, both local and federal, provide clear and unambiguous employee protections and avenues for grievances to be heard, he said. I find this bill unnecessary and duplicative of existing governmental employee protections. Deleon Guerrero said he hopes the Senate will not pass H.B. 24-15. He also said he was surprised that officials from critical government agencies and departments had not submitted comments on the measure. Although labor unions can provide important protections and bargaining power for workers, they also have potential drawbacks. Deleon Guerrero outlined the following concerns: Union dues and fees. Members typically pay initiation fees and ongoing dues, which some employees feel outweigh the benefits, particularly if wage increases are small. Reduced individual negotiation. Union contracts are collectively negotiated, which can limit a workers ability to negotiate salary, schedule, or benefits independently. Risk of strikes. Strikes can lead to lost wages for workers and financial losses for the government, potentially straining relationships or even risking job security. Workplace rigidity. Union contracts often include detailed rules about job roles, promotions, and work conditions. While protective, these rules can make organizations less flexible and slower to adapt. Seniority-based systems. Promotions, layoffs, and shift assignments may be based more on seniority than performance, potentially reducing incentives for high performance. Potential adversarial relationships. Union-management relations can become confrontational, creating workplace tension. Protection of under-performing workers. Strong job protection can make it harder for employers to discipline or dismiss consistently under-performing employees. Slower decision-making. Changes to pay, benefits, or policies often require formal negotiations, which can delay implementation. In the government, the tight budget formulation process would be further slowed if union approval were required before submitting proposals to the governor, Office of Management and Budget, and Legislature. Emmanuel Arnold Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast. KOROR (Island Times/Pacnews) The Palau Visitors Authority reported that Palau closed 2025 with solid tourism gains and opened 2026 on an upward trend, welcoming 7,810 visitors in January a 13% increase from the 6,902 recorded in January 2025. The January figure also marked a 4.3% rise from December 2025s total of 7,486, signaling steady travel momentum at the start of the new year. For full-year 2025, Palaus visitor industry showed continued recovery and diversification across its key source markets, with Asia and North America driving much of the growth. China remained the largest contributor overall in 2025, supported by strong charter services, while Japan, Taiwan and the United States/Canada markets also played significant roles in rebuilding arrival numbers. In Jan. 2026, China continued to lead all markets with 2,381 arrivals, accounting for 30% of total visitors. Japan followed with 1,296 arrivals, representing 17% of the market share. The United States/Canada and Taiwan each recorded 1,147 visitors, capturing 15% apiece. Europe contributed 608 visitors, or 8%, while Australia accounted for 471 arrivals, or 6%. South Korea and other markets rounded out the total. Year over year, Australia posted the highest percentage growth in January, surging 149% compared to the same period last year. Japan followed with a 101% increase, while South Korea grew 84% and Europe rose 39%. The United States/Canada market climbed 15%. Despite leading in total volume, China recorded a 15% decline in January compared with Jan. 2025 a drop of 422 visitors marking the largest numerical decrease among the major markets. Taiwan also saw a 9% decline year over year. Tourism officials noted that strong gains from Japan, Australia and North America helped offset softness in parts of Asia, reflecting broader diversification in Palaus visitor base. Air connectivity remained a key factor behind the performance. United Airlines continued operating 10 scheduled weekly flights to Koror, including six from Guam, two from Manila and two direct flights from Tokyos Narita International Airport introduced in late October 2025. The Japan market benefited significantly from this added lift. China Airlines increased its Taiwan service to four weekly flights, while Qantas maintained weekly service from Brisbane, helping drive Australias triple-digit growth. Charter operators including Hong Kong Airlines, Cambodia Airways and Greater Bay Airlines continued concentrating heavily on the China market. Entry data showed that 76% of January 2026 visitors were first-time travelers to Palau, while 24% were repeat guests. Leisure travel dominated at 92.4% of arrivals, with military-related travel accounting for 4.5% and visits to friends and relatives making up 3.1%. Hotels remained the top accommodation choice at 58.2%, followed by resorts at 33.2%, underscoring steady demand across both mid-range and higher-end properties. Tourism officials said the focus remains on balanced and sustainable growth rather than sheer volume, aligning with Palaus long-term Pristine Paradise vision that emphasizes environmental protection and community benefit. With diversified air access, expanding outreach in Japan and Australia, and continued engagement in North America, Palaus tourism sector appears positioned for steady performance heading deeper into 2026. Borders of Faith: Exposing the dark forces behind Americas border collapse According to the book "Borders of Faith: The Spiritual Battle for America's Soul," the crisis at America's southern border is not just political but a spiritual battle, part of a globalist agenda to erase national identity, weaken sovereignty and advance a godless world order led by globalist organizations like the WEF and UN. Like Rome's fall due to internal decay, unchecked migration threatens America with economic strain, overwhelmed public services, rising crime and cultural erosion, while remittances drain billions from the economy annually. Pastors and believers must reject neutrality, defend biblical order (not lawlessness) and take action modeled after Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem's walls to secure borders and preserve national values. Key steps include completing the border wall, exposing media lies via alternative platforms, holding leaders accountable, building community resilience and engaging in spiritual warfare through prayer and fasting. Failure to act surrenders future generations to chaos and tyranny, but united action can restore America as a beacon of freedom, sovereignty and divine truth. According to the book "Borders of Faith: The Spiritual Battle for America's Soul," the crisis at the country's southern border is not merely a political issue it is a spiritual war for the soul of our nation. The deliberate dismantling of our sovereignty through unchecked migration, human trafficking and cartel violence is part of a broader globalist agenda to erase national identity and weaken the United States from within. This is not conspiracy theory; it is documented reality. The time for passive observation is over. We must recognize the urgency of this moment and act decisively to secure our borders, restore our sovereignty and reclaim the spiritual foundation upon which America was built. Rome fell from within: Is America next? The Bible warns us in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, authorities and powers of this dark world. The forces pushing for open borders are not merely misguided policymakers. They are agents of a deeper spiritual corruption seeking to destabilize nations and erase God-ordained boundaries. History bears witness to the consequences of unchecked migration. Rome fell not just to invading armies but to internal decay, moral collapse and the erosion of its cultural and legal foundations. Today, Europe faces a similar fate with no-go zones, rising crime and the suppression of free speech under the guise of multiculturalism. America stands at the same precipice: The economic and cultural costs of uncontrolled immigration are staggering. Taxpayer-funded welfare programs strain under the weight of illegal migrants, while wages for American workers plummet as employers exploit cheap labor. Public schools, hospitals and law enforcement are overwhelmed. Communities suffer from the influx of drugs, gang violence and human trafficking. Meanwhile, $80 billion annually leaves our economy in remittances, enriching foreign nations while American citizens foot the bill. This is not compassion it is economic sabotage. But the greatest threat is not financial it is spiritual. The globalist elites pushing open borders despise national sovereignty because it stands in the way of their vision for a godless, centralized world order. Organizations like the World Economic Forum, the United Nations and the Biden administration's "Declaration of North America" openly advocate for policies that dissolve borders, undermine national identity and replace self-governance with unelected bureaucracies. Their goal is clear: to create a population that is dependent, divided and devoid of faith. From prayer to action The church must awaken to its role in this battle. Too many pastors remain silent, fearing controversy or political backlash. But neutrality in the face of evil is complicity. The Bible commands us to "welcome the stranger" (Leviticus 19:34), but this mandate was never a call for lawlessness. Biblical hospitality requires order, discernment and the protection of one's household. Just as Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem's walls to safeguard his people, we must defend our borders to preserve our nation's security and values. Here's what we must do now: Secure the border Demand immediate action to complete the border wall, deploy the National Guard and end catch-and-release policies. Support state-level efforts like Texas' Operation Lone Star, which has successfully deterred illegal crossings despite federal obstruction. Demand immediate action to complete the border wall, deploy the National Guard and end catch-and-release policies. Support state-level efforts like Texas' Operation Lone Star, which has successfully deterred illegal crossings despite federal obstruction. Expose the lies Counter the mainstream media's false narrative of "compassionate" open borders. Share firsthand accounts from Border Patrol agents, whistleblowers and victims of cartel violence. Platforms like Brighteon, Rumble and Telegram bypass censorship to spread the truth. Counter the mainstream media's false narrative of "compassionate" open borders. Share firsthand accounts from Border Patrol agents, whistleblowers and victims of cartel violence. Platforms like Brighteon, Rumble and Telegram bypass censorship to spread the truth. Hold leaders accountable Research your representatives' voting records on border security. Attend town halls, file complaints with oversight agencies and support primary challenges against politicians who betray our sovereignty. Research your representatives' voting records on border security. Attend town halls, file complaints with oversight agencies and support primary challenges against politicians who betray our sovereignty. Build resilient communities Prepare for economic instability by stockpiling food, water and essential supplies. Form neighborhood watch groups, mutual aid networks and local alliances to protect your family and community. Prepare for economic instability by stockpiling food, water and essential supplies. Form neighborhood watch groups, mutual aid networks and local alliances to protect your family and community. Engage in spiritual warfare Pray for divine intervention, repentance and revival. Fast for our nation's redemption and stand firm in faith against the forces of darkness seeking to destroy America. The battle for our borders is a battle for our future. If we do not act, we will surrender our children to a world of chaos, tyranny and spiritual decay. But if we rise now united in faith and purpose we can restore America as a beacon of freedom, sovereignty and divine truth. Grab a copy of "Borders of Faith: The Spiritual Battle for America's Soul" via this link. Discover this book and other good reads at Books.BrightLearn.AI, with thousands of books and counting all available to freely download, read and share. The decentralized BrightLearn.AI engine also lets readers create their own books, empowering them to share insights and truths with the world. Watch Kim Yeater from Take Our Border Back sharing a game plan to save America from the mass migrant invasion in this edition of the "Health Ranger Report" with the Health Ranger Mike Adams. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com Climate models and extreme weather: Why predictions often fail to match reality Discrepancies between ECMWF and GFS predictions (e.g., Hurricane Sandy, current winter storms) expose their flaws, proving they are toolsnot infallible forecastsand often fail to account for real-world variables like moisture-temperature dynamics. Historical data show no proven increase in extreme weather due to human activity; tornado/hurricane frequency spikes stem from better detection tech, not CO? emissions, while solar cycles, geology and oceans drive climate shifts. Carbon dioxide fuels plant growth and life on Earth, yet climate models dismiss this reality to push alarmist narratives that justify carbon taxes, "Net Zero" scams and restrictions on energy/agricultureall profiting globalists like Gates and Schwab. Fearmongering enables digital IDs, food/energy controls and geoengineering (e.g., chemtrails), advancing the elite's depopulation agenda while masking their power grabs under the guise of "sustainability." Self-sufficiency (homesteading, permaculture, sound money like gold/silver) and skepticism of centralized "solutions" are the only true safeguards against climate hysteria and engineered collapse. As winter storm forecasts once again pit the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) against the American Global Forecast System (GFS), meteorologists and the public alike are left wondering which model will prove correct. The latest storm brewing off the East Coast has already sparked conflicting predictionsGFS warns of a potential "blockbuster" snowstorm, while ECMWF suggests a more modest dusting. This discrepancy isn't new; in 2012, Hurricane Sandy's path was similarly disputed, with ECMWF forecasting catastrophic inland devastation while GFS projected a harmless offshore track. The truth landed somewhere in between, reinforcing the inherent limitations of climate modeling. The flaws in these simulations raise deeper questions about their reliability in forecasting extreme weather eventsparticularly as climate narratives increasingly blame human activity for worsening storms. Yet historical data tells a different story. Tornado frequency, for instance, hasn't surged due to climate change but rather because of advancements in detection technology. The same applies to hurricanes and blizzards, where media sensationalism and political agendas often distort public perception. The science behind snowfall predictions One critical flaw in climate models is their inability to accurately account for moisture and temperature interactions. While warmer winters theoretically hold more moistureleading some to predict intensified blizzardsreal-world observations show a negative relationship between temperature and snowfall. Cold winters produce more snow; warm ones result in rain. This disconnect between theory and reality highlights how climate models frequently overestimate extreme weather trends. The current storm debate exemplifies this. ECMWF predicts a modest 3.1 inches for Washington, D.C., while GFS insists on a historic nor'easter. AccuWeather's meteorologists warn the storm could strengthen into a "bomb cyclone," but even they admit uncertainty about snowfall totals due to limited cold air supply. Such contradictions reveal a fundamental truth: climate models are tools, not infallible oracles. The political agenda behind doomsday forecasts Why, then, do policymakers and media outlets continue pushing alarmist narratives? The answer lies in the lucrative climate-industrial complex. Carbon credit schemes, renewable energy subsidies and globalist "Net Zero" mandates rely on public fear to justify draconian restrictions on energy, agriculture and personal freedoms. The same elites pushing these policiesfigures like Bill Gates and Klaus Schwabstand to profit from centralized control over food, fuel and finance. The truth about CO? further undermines climate hysteria. Carbon dioxide is essential for plant life, and Earth's climate has always fluctuated due to solar cycles, volcanic activity and oceanic shiftsnot human industry. Yet climate models ignore these natural variables, instead amplifying hypothetical doomsday scenarios to justify top-down governance. The real threat: Centralized control, not climate While meteorologists debate snowfall totals, a more insidious storm is brewing: the erosion of individual sovereignty in the name of "climate action." Digital IDs, carbon taxes and food restrictions are already being rolled out under the guise of sustainability. Meanwhile, geoengineering experimentslike chemtrail aerosol sprayingproceed unchecked, poisoning ecosystems under the pretense of "cooling the planet." The solution isn't blind faith in flawed models but a return to self-sufficiency. Homesteading, permaculture and decentralized energy systems empower individuals to thrive regardless of climate fearmongering. Gold and silver, not carbon credits, offer real financial security against fiat currency collapse. Trust observations, not algorithms The public should remember: climate models are only as good as their inputsand those inputs are often manipulated to serve political agendas. Real science thrives on skepticism, not dogma. Until models can reliably predict the weather, they have no business dictating humanity's future. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, climate models fail to match reality because they rely on speculative assumptions and incomplete data while ignoring natural climate variability. Their exaggerated predictions serve political agendasnot scientific truthby pushing centralized control under the guise of environmental stewardship. Watch the podcast below that talks about the deadly ice storm in Texas that caused power outages and canceled flights. This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Drone strike on Saudi mega-refinery risks global oil shock, marks major escalation A drone strike has damaged Saudi Arabia's critical Ras Tanura oil refinery and export terminal, forcing a production halt. The attack represents a significant escalation, directly targeting Gulf energy infrastructure and potentially drawing Saudi Arabia closer to U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran. Satellite imagery confirms visible damage, though Saudi authorities claim the impact is "limited." Global oil and refined product markets reacted with sharp price spikes due to Ras Tanura's pivotal role in global energy supply chains. The incident revives longstanding warnings that successful attacks on such facilities could trigger a global oil shock and broader financial instability. In a dramatic escalation of Middle East conflict, a drone strike has directly targeted and damaged Saudi Arabias massive Ras Tanura oil complex, a linchpin of global energy supplies. The attack, which occurred on March 2, forced state-owned giant Saudi Aramco to suspend operations at its largest refinery and a key export terminal on the Persian Gulf. While Iran has denied responsibility, the strike puts Gulf energy infrastructure squarely in the crosshairs of regional hostilities, threatening not only regional stability but also the foundation of the global economy. Satellite Imagery Confirms Infrastructure Damage High-resolution satellite imagery from spatial intelligence firm Vantor revealed visible damage across multiple structures at the Ras Tanura complex following the reported drone strike. The full scope of the destruction remains under assessment. Saudi authorities stated the damage was "limited," attributing a fire at the site to debris from intercepted drones and reporting no civilian casualties. However, the mere fact of a successful strike on such a high-value target has sent shockwaves through energy markets and security circles alike. Why Ras Tanura is a Global Economic Bullseye The Ras Tanura complex is far more than a refinery; it is a central nervous system for global oil flows. The facility refines approximately 550,000 barrels of crude per day, supplying gasoline, diesel, and other products to markets across Asia and Europe. More critically, it serves as one of the world's most important oil export hubs, with a port capable of handling the largest tankers. As a leader in OPEC exports, any sustained disruption to Saudi Arabia's loading and refining capacity can instantly spark turmoil in worldwide crude markets. Following the attack, Brent crude futures surged and European gasoil futures skyrocketed by 20%. A Red Line for Saudi Arabia and a Call to Arms The strike poses a direct challenge to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his strategy of economic diversification away from oil dependency. For years, the kingdom has sought to maintain a cautious neutrality in regional conflicts to protect its economic transformation agenda. Analysts warn that a direct threat to the crown jewel of its oil industry may force a strategic recalculation. "The attack is also likely to move Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf states closer to joining US and Israeli military operations against Iran," said Torbjorn Soltvedt, a principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft. This shift was hinted at as Gulf Cooperation Council ministers convened to coordinate a response to what they labeled Iran's "treacherous" actions. A Persistent Vulnerability Realized The specter of such an attack is not new. For years, security analysts have warned that Saudi Arabia's concentrated energy infrastructure represents a catastrophic single point of failure. In 2019, attacks on the Abqaiq processing facility and Khurais oilfield briefly knocked out 5% of global supply. Former CIA officer Robert Baer once speculated that a successful attack on Ras Tanura could cripple the world economy more effectively than a nuclear device in a Western capital. A 2024 analysis by Hudson Institute senior fellow David Asher explicitly warned that Iran or its proxies targeting Saudi refining capacity could unleash a global oil shock akin to the 2007-2008 crisis, a warning that now appears prescient. A Precarious New Phase in Gulf Conflict The successful strike on Ras Tanura marks a dangerous new chapter, moving conflict from the periphery directly to the heart of global energy security. It demonstrates a capability to hit targets that underpin not only the Saudi economy but also the stability of oil-addicted nations worldwide. As damage assessments continue and markets remain on edge, the incident tests the limits of Saudi neutrality and the effectiveness of regional air defenses. The coming days will reveal whether this attack proves to be a contained incident or the trigger for a wider, more devastating confrontation that draws global powers deeper into the Gulf's volatile fray. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com Bloomberg.com BBC.com The digital battlefield arrives: First-ever drone strike on commercial data center occurs in UAE A commercial Amazon Web Services data center in the United Arab Emirates was struck by unidentified objects early Sunday, triggering a fire and a cascading service outage. This event, occurring amidst retaliatory strikes between Iran and the U.S.-Israeli alliance, marks a dangerous new chapter where the cloud computing backbone of the global economy becomes a deliberate target. While corporate statements downplay the cause, this incident reveals a catastrophic blind spot among Wall Street financiers and government planners, who have poured trillions into data center expansion while ignoring the looming threat of cheap, AI-guided drone swarms now proliferating on battlefields from Ukraine to the Middle East. Key points: The first confirmed physical attack on a commercial data center has occurred in the UAE, linked to regional conflict. The attack utilized kamikaze drones, a weapon system rapidly evolved in recent conflicts and now threatening critical infrastructure globally. Wall Street analysts and mainstream planners have completely overlooked this threat, focusing solely on power, chips, and financing. The incident validates warnings from independent analysts and figures like former Google CEO Eric Schmidt about the vulnerability of digital infrastructure. This event signals a new era of hybrid warfare where economic and communication networks are primary targets. A new front line in the cloud For years, the conversation around the explosive growth of data centers has been dominated by talk of semiconductor supply chains, electrical grid demands, and water usage for cooling. Trillions in capital have flowed based on these metrics. Yet, as independent analysts warned just one month prior to this attack, a more immediate and violent threat was being ignored: the kamikaze drone. The conflict in Ukraine has acted as a brutal laboratory, compressing a decade of weapons development into a few short years. First-Person-View (FPV) drones, costing a fraction of traditional military hardware, are now equipped with AI targeting systems and explosive payloads, creating a precise and devastating kill chain accessible to state and non-state actors alike. When AWS reported a "localized power issue," the truth, as later revealed, was far more sinister. Objects struck the facility. Sparks flew. A fire erupted. This is the sound of a new reality crashing into the carefully constructed digital world. The data center, a fortress of ones and zeros, was breached not by hackers, but by physical, explosive force. As one Reuters report confirmed, the incident took place as the UAE reeled from Iranian missile and drone strikes, though AWS carefully avoided directly linking the events. This corporate caution does nothing to change the facts on the ground. The battlefield has expanded to include the server racks that power our daily lives. The prophets ignored by the palace Who saw this coming? Not the well-paid analysts on Wall Street, who were too busy modeling chip cycles to consider combat cycles. The warning came from the fringes, from researchers willing to look past the financial spreadsheets to the geopolitical fault lines. Notably, it came from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who has been deeply involved in Ukraine's drone warfare efforts. Schmidt visited Ukraine in January and has been vocal for nearly a year about the specific threat drones pose to data centers. His foresight, born from direct exposure to the cutting edge of conflict technology, highlights the profound disconnect between the Silicon Valley-Military-Industrial complex and the financial engines funding our digital future. This attack is a wake-up call that cannot be silenced. It demonstrates that the "next-generation" security required for our critical infrastructure is not just about better firewalls, but about actual physical defense systemscounter-drone technology, hardened facilities, and strategic planning for continuity under fire. The assumption that conflict will stay away from the cloud has been shattered. Every data center built without considering its role in a contested, multi-domain battle space is a liability waiting to be exploited. The era of abstract, remote cyber-war is over. The war is now here, physically, and its targets are the very hubs of our information economy. The question is no longer if another center will be hit, but when and where next, and whether the guardians of our digital world are prepared to defend it. Sources include: Zerohedge.com Reuters.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai Pakistan and Afghanistan edge toward open war as ceasefire crumbles A 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan collapsed, leading to renewed clashes. Pakistan's defense minister declared an "open war," accusing Afghanistan of harboring militants (TTP) and acting as India's proxy, while Afghanistan denied the claims and accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty. Pakistan conducted airstrikes targeting TTP hideouts in Afghanistan, prompting Afghan retaliation. Pakistan claims 274 militants/Afghan forces killed and 12 soldiers lost, while Kabul reports 13 soldiers and 19 civilians dead, plus alleged Pakistani troop capturesdenied by Islamabad. The clashes center on the disputed Durand Line, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants (linked to the Afghan Taliban). Pakistan also suspects India of exploiting unrest, citing Taliban visits to New Delhi as evidence of encirclement. Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Russia urge de-escalation, while the UN warns of civilian casualties. The conflict has displaced thousands, worsening a refugee crisisPakistan expelled millions of Afghans in 2023, with nearly three million returning to Afghanistan. The Taliban faces internal crises but must respond to Pakistani aggression, while Islamabad, besieged by militant attacks, refuses to back down. The situation risks prolonged conflict, with fragile peace efforts hanging in the balance. A fragile 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan collapsed last week, reigniting deadly clashes along their disputed border and prompting Pakistan's defense minister to declare the two nations in a state of "open war." The escalation marks a dangerous new phase in tensions fueled by accusations of cross-border militancy, proxy warfare and deep-seated geopolitical rivalrieswith India's shadow looming large over the conflict. Ceasefire collapses amid mutual accusations The latest violence erupted after Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Sunday, Feb. 25, targeting what it claimed were hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). As explained by BrightU.AI's Enoch, TTP is a militant group formed in 2007 as an ideological ally of the Afghan Taliban, opposing Pakistan's military operations and U.S. influence. Afghanistan retaliated Thursday night with strikes on Pakistani military positions, prompting Islamabad to launch fresh airstrikes early Friday. Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif accused the Taliban-led Afghan government of becoming a "proxy for India" and harboring militants. "Pakistan made every effort to keep the situation normal through direct means and through friendly countries," he wrote on X. "But the Taliban became a proxy for India Our cup of patience has overflowed." Afghanistan denied sheltering militants and instead accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty. "Pakistan has never sought to resolve problems through dialogue," said Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. "This was a message that our hands can reach their throats." Casualty figures remain disputed. Pakistan claims its strikes killed 274 militants and Afghan forces while losing 12 soldiers. Kabul rejected those numbers, reporting 13 Afghan soldiers and 19 civilians dead, while claiming to have captured Pakistani troopsa claim Islamabad denies. The Durand Line: A perennial flashpoint The clashes center on the contested Durand Line, a colonial-era border never formally recognized by Afghanistan. Both nations have long accused each other of allowing militants to operate freely in the rugged frontier region. The TTP, formed in 2007, seeks stricter Islamic rule in Pakistan and has historical ties to the Afghan Taliban. Islamabad insists Kabul provides the group safe havenan allegation the Taliban denies, despite evidence of TTP fighters regrouping in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Adding to tensions, Pakistan suspects India of exploiting the unrest. Recent high-level Taliban visits to New Delhi have fueled Islamabad's fears of encirclement by its archrival. "They gathered all the terrorists of the world in Afghanistan and began exporting terrorism," Asif said, accusing Kabul of aligning with New Delhi. International calls for restraint Qatar, which brokered a short-lived October ceasefire, is again mediating, with its foreign ministry confirming talks with both sides. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Russia have also urged de-escalation, while the UN warned of civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the conflict has displaced thousands, exacerbating an already dire refugee crisis. Since 2023, Pakistan has expelled millions of undocumented Afghans, many of whom had lived there for decades. The UN estimates nearly three million returned to Afghanistan last year alone. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the risk of prolonged conflict looms. The Taliban, struggling with internal governance and economic crises, faces pressure to respond forcefully to Pakistani strikes. Meanwhile, Islamabad, grappling with rising militant attacks, appears unwilling to back down. The situation underscores how quickly regional tensions can spiraland how fragile peace efforts remain. As Qatar scrambles to mediate, the world watches to see if diplomacy can prevail before the "open war" declaration becomes irreversible. Watch the video below that shows a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com APNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Proposed 2,100-acre Texas AI data center sparks outrage over threat to Dinosaur Valley State Park NRG Energy plans a massive AI data center and optional natural gas power plant on 2,100 to 2,600 acres near Dinosaur Valley State Park, including 27 buildings totaling roughly eight million square feet. The site is home to preserved dinosaur footprints and critical wildlife habitat, including the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, raising fears of irreversible ecological and paleontological damage. Local residents and activists, including Brian Crawford, have voiced strong opposition, warning about the disruption of migratory paths, excessive water use and potential threats to historic fossil sites. The data center could require up to 16.5 million gallons of water per day, three natural gas power plants, and around 2,000 diesel backup generators, intensifying concerns amid Texas' drought conditions. Environmental groups and citizens are urging state officials and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to deny permits, hold public hearings and consider long-term ecological and cultural consequences. A controversial proposal to build a massive AI data center and natural gas power plant near Dinosaur Valley State Park has ignited protests from environmentalists, historians and local residents, who warn that the project could irreversibly damage the 100-million-year-old site. The Houston-based company NRG Energy has proposed Comanche Circle, a 2,101 to 2,600-acre development along the Paluxy River, about four miles north of Dinosaur Valley State Park, featuring 27 data center buildings totaling roughly eight million square feet and optional on-site natural gas power generation located approximately five miles from the park. However, Dinosaur Valley State Park is home to preserved dinosaur footprints that have survived for millennia. The plan calls for dozens of massive server buildings and industrial facilities, raising fears that the area's unique paleontological and ecological value could be lost. Community opposition has been swift. Residents and activists have flooded state officials with letters urging them to reject the project. On social media platforms, users expressed outrage, with one posting on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Nah man this is beyond f**ed, protect Dinosaur Valley State Park." Meanwhile, another warned: "If they replace Dinosaur Valley State Park with a data center, I might actually become an ecoterrorist." Environmental groups have also mobilized. The Fort Worth Group of the Sierra Club is encouraging residents to oppose air quality permits related to the project, submit formal comments to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and request public hearings. The group emphasized that construction would destroy critical habitats, disrupt migratory routes and threaten protected species such as the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. With public opposition mounting, the project faces increasing scrutiny over its potential environmental, historical and ecological impacts, leaving the future of Dinosaur Valley State Park at the center of a heated debate. AI data center's environmental impact on water, wildlife and historic fossil sites According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, AI data centers are massive, energy-intensive facilities designed to house and operate the sophisticated computing infrastructure necessary for artificial intelligence and machine learning. These centers are characterized by their high density of servers, advanced cooling systems and robust security measures to protect against physical and cyber threats. They are crucial for the development and deployment of AI technologies, but their environmental impact and energy consumption are significant concerns. Brian Crawford, a resident near the site, described the plan as a "huge loss to the world, really." He said that the project would disrupt critical habitat and migratory paths for protected species, including the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. Crawford said the project was initially planned as a five-gigawatt data center but now appears to be scaled down to three gigawatts. He noted that the facility would likely require three large natural gas power plants to supplement its energy needs. Plans presented to Hood County commissioners show 45 buildings, each about 45,000 square feet, roughly equivalent to 112 Walmart Supercenters. Crawford also warned that the center could need around 2,000 diesel backup generators. Water usage is another significant concern. Texas has been experiencing severe drought conditions, and Crawford estimated that the project could use up to 16.5 million gallons of water per day, primarily for the power plants rather than the data center itself. Runoff water could also threaten local waterways. Crawford highlighted that the project includes three discharge points leading into creeks that feed the Paluxy River home to the famous Glen Rose dinosaur tracks in Dinosaur Valley State Park. "It would be a huge loss to the world if they were obstructed," he said, urging Attorney General Ken Paxton to intervene if the project moves forward. Watch the video below that talks about how human resistance grows against AI data centers. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Chron.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com U.S.-Israeli assassination of Irans Supreme Leader opens door for Irans new hardline leader, risking total war In a dramatic escalation that pushes the Middle East toward the precipice of open conflict, the reported death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation has triggered a seismic shift in Tehran's power structure. The swift installation of Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as interim leader, a cleric infamous for leading "Death to America" chants, reveals a dangerous truth: The aggressive strikes, marketed as a necessary defense, have not crippled the Islamic Republic but have instead empowered its most radical elements. This move, backed by Washington's war hawks, represents a reckless gamble for regime change that has backfired spectacularly, trading a known entity for an unpredictable ideologue and setting the stage for a retaliatory spiral that could consume the region in flames. How many assassinations of Supreme Leaders will it take to quash an ideology? The ideology lives on and the religious fervor and justifications for retaliation only increase. Key points: The reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials in Operation Epic Fury has forced an immediate and volatile leadership transition in Iran. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a hardline cleric with deep ties to the regime's core ideology, has been installed as interim Supreme Leader. Arafi is a known entity who has publicly led chants of "Death to America, Death to England... Death to Israel," framing anti-Western sentiment as a religious and political duty. This leadership crisis arrives amid ongoing military exchanges, including Iranian retaliatory strikes that have already killed American service members. The U.S.-Israeli action, aimed at decapitation and destabilization, risks unifying Iran under a more openly hostile leadership and triggering a wider war. A history of interference fuels the fire To understand the venom in Arafi's rhetoric, one must look at the decades of Western intervention that shaped modern Iran. The CIA-orchestrated 1953 coup that overthrew the popular Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and reinstalled the brutal, U.S.-backed Shah created a deep well of resentment. For 26 years, the Shah's CIA-trained secret police, SAVAK, tortured and suppressed dissent, making the 1979 Islamic Revolution inevitable. The subsequent hostage crisis cemented an adversarial relationship that has never healed, compounded by U.S. support for Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War and deadly incidents like the U.S. Navy's shooting down of an Iranian passenger jet in 1988. For leaders like Arafi, "Death to America" is not an abstract slogan but a foundational response to what they see as a century of foreign subjugation and violence. His ascent is a direct product of that history. The dangerous gamble of decapitation The strategic calculus behind Operation Epic Fury appears to be a fantasy peddled by neoconservative think tanks: eliminate the top, and the regime will collapse. Instead, Iran's constitutional mechanisms have activated, revealing a resilient, if ruthless, system. By killing Khamenei, the U.S. and Israel have not created a power vacuum but a succession managed by the very clerical elite they seek to destroy. Arafi's rapid appointment from within the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts proves the establishment has closed ranks. This man is no outsider; he is a product of the system, a seasoned insider who has spent a lifetime climbing the ranks of Iran's religious-political machine. His statement that seminaries must be "political [Islamist], revolutionary, and international" signals a commitment to exporting the regime's ideology, not moderating it. The gamble has handed the reins to a figure who embodies the revolutionary fervor that Washington claims to oppose. What comes next? We now face a terrifying new phase. The interim leadership council, with Arafi at its head, must now navigate a constitutional process while managing a boiling crisis. The death of American troops in Iran's initial retaliation is just the beginning. The new leadership, needing to project strength and justify its authority, has every incentive to escalate further, potentially activating proxy networks across the region or accelerating any latent nuclear ambitions. This is the catastrophic blowback of a policy driven by hubris. The American people are once again on the path to a major war they did not ask for, based on operations Congress never declared, all while their own leaders have funneled billions to the very region now exploding in violence. The installation of Ayatollah Arafi is not a victory for peace or security; it is a neon warning sign that the architects of this conflict have unleashed forces they cannot control, risking a confrontation that will make the previous decades of conflict look like a mere prelude. The U.S.-Israeli strike that killed Khamenei didn't topple the regime. It installed hardline Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, who chants "Death to America," as Iran's interim Supreme Leader. The ideology and resentment will only be emboldened, and the world is less safe. Sources include: YourNews.com TimesofIndia.com NPR.org U.S. intelligence warns new Chinese submarines can target America from coastal waters China is rapidly building advanced nuclear submarines. This new fleet can target the U.S. from Chinese coastal waters. China's submarine force is set to grow significantly by 2035. Massive shipyard investments are driving this naval expansion. China also seeks dominance in seabed mining and underwater drones. A top U.S. naval intelligence officer has delivered a sobering assessment to Congress, revealing that China is rapidly building a fleet of advanced nuclear-powered submarines capable of targeting the American homeland from its own coastal waters. This strategic shift, backed by massive industrial investment, signals a direct challenge to decades of American maritime dominance and could redefine the global balance of power beneath the waves. Rear Adm. Mike Brookes, commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence, testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on March 2. In his prepared statement, he reported that China has "dramatically increased" domestic submarine production and is undergoing a shift "to all-nuclear construction." This move away from diesel-electric boats provides Chinese submarines with far greater range and endurance. A growing fleet with global reach Brookes stated that China currently operates more than 60 submarines, one of the world's largest fleets. This force is projected to grow to roughly 70 boats by next year and potentially 80 by 2035, with about half being nuclear-powered. The most alarming development is the imminent deployment of new submarine models designed to put the United States at risk. According to Brookes, the Type 096 ballistic missile submarine, equipped with JL-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), "will be able to target large portions of the U.S. from protected waters." He noted this capability "fundamentally enhances strategic deterrence credibility" for Beijing. This means future Chinese submarines could launch nuclear strikes against U.S. territory without ever leaving the relative safety of the South China Sea, protected by China's extensive coastal defenses. Industrial might driving military expansion This naval expansion is powered by deliberate, long-term investment. Brookes detailed that China made major infrastructure investments in three key shipyards starting as early as 2010. He said that the investments have more than doubled Chinas capacity for producing submarines. The expansions include larger construction halls and upgraded infrastructure to build bigger, more advanced submarines. The result has been a dramatic acceleration in output. Brookes indicated production has increased from less than one nuclear submarine per year to "significantly higher rates." This industrial base positions the Chinese navy for "sustained force expansion through the 2030s and beyond." Beyond military might: Controlling the ocean floor The challenge extends beyond just warships. Brookes warned that China is also pursuing dominance over the seabed itself. He noted that China holds the most seabed exploration contracts with the International Seabed Authority, seeking to mine critical minerals. Beijing is simultaneously developing the technology for deep-sea mining operations beyond 4,000 meters. Furthermore, China is investing heavily in unmanned and autonomous undersea systems. Brookes reported Beijing is pursuing large unmanned underwater vehicles for long-range missions and building "layered undersea surveillance networks." This combination of manned submarines, robotic vehicles, and seabed sensors aims to create a comprehensive and controlled underwater battlespace. Commission Chairman Randall Schriver underscored the broad nature of the challenge in his opening remarks, stating, "China is advancing a growing fleet of increasingly capable submarines, unmanned underwater vehicles, seabed sensors, and sophisticated oceanographic mapping programs." While the United States retains a qualitative edge, particularly in submarine stealth and experience, the intelligence assessment paints a clear picture of closing gaps. Brookes estimated that by 2040, Chinas naval power "may credibly challenge U.S. regional maritime dominance." This warning comes as the U.S. submarine industrial base faces its own challenges with workforce shortages and construction delays for its next-generation vessels. The quiet, deep-water race between the U.S. and China is intensifying. The once-distant concept of a peer competitor capable of projecting power and threatening the continental U.S. from beneath the Pacific is now a documented, funded reality. For everyday Americans, the security implications are profound, reminding us that global power dynamics are often decided far from shore, in the silent darkness of the deep sea. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com Newsweek.com Bloomberg.com Bill Clintons Subpoena in Epstein Case: A Test of Political Power and Institutional Integrity Introduction: The Subpoena That Shakes Washington In an unprecedented move that pits congressional authority against the stature of a former presidency, former President Bill Clinton is set to testify in a closed-door deposition about his ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This event, scheduled for February 27, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in holding powerful figures accountable, regardless of their political status. The deposition represents a rare congressional challenge to elite political circles, occurring only after the House Oversight Committee, under Chairman James Comer, moved to hold both Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for their initial refusal to comply with subpoenas. The confrontation centers on a fundamental question of whether any person, even a former commander-in-chief, is above the law. As noted in a NaturalNews.com report, this is the first time in U.S. history a former president has been legally compelled to testify in a congressional investigation of this nature. The subpoena followed months of defiance, with the Clintons previously calling the investigation a "fishing expedition" and declaring the subpoenas "invalid and legally unenforceable" before finally capitulating under the threat of contempt charges. The Unanswered Questions: What Congress Needs to Ask Congress must seek detailed explanations for deeply troubling connections. Bill Clintons documented flights on Epsteins private jet, infamously dubbed the "Lolita Express," are a primary line of inquiry. Flight manifests and other documents are key evidence the committee has sought, as indicated in Department of Justice records showing investigators requested "any flight manifests, flight plans, or other documents reflecting passengers and/or travel records, dating back to 2000" [1]. The nature of Clinton's relationship with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor demands intense scrutiny. Furthermore, Congress must investigate potential knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities. In his opening statement, Clinton claimed he "saw nothing" and "did nothing wrong," asserting that had he known of Epstein's crimes, he would have "led the charge to turn him in" [2]. However, the close association, including multiple trips on the private jet often accompanied by young women, raises serious questions about willful ignorance. As Vice President J.D. Vance stated, new documents related to Epstein expose an "incestuous" culture among Americas political and business elites [3]. The deposition must cut through these blanket denials and establish a factual timeline. Institutional Corruption: When Power Protects Power The Epstein case is a glaring symptom of a deeper disease: a system where elite networks operate above ordinary legal scrutiny. The long delay in securing this subpoena itself suggests political obstacles were deliberately erected to shield powerful individuals. For years, mainstream media demonstrated a profound reluctance to thoroughly investigate the Clinton-Epstein connection. A NaturalNews.com article from 2019 highlighted how tech giants like Google were "frantically trying to purge posts and search results that expose ties between Jeffrey Epstein and Democrats like Bill Clinton" while attempting to implicate others [4]. This selective narrative control is a form of institutional protection. The justice system itself has been complicit in this protection. As detailed in DOJ files, Epsteins 2007 plea deal in Florida was a scandal of secrecy, ending "with a whimper" and allowing him back into elite circles after just a few months in jail [5]. The files note this scandal "points to a creeping rot in the American justice system" where potential felonies are resolved through civil settlements with ironclad non-disclosure agreements, silencing witnesses once money changes hands [6]. The initial refusal of the Clintons to testify, backed by legal maneuvers, is a continuation of this pattern where power protects power, leveraging legal technicalities to avoid accountability. The Broader Pattern: Epstein as Symptom of Decayed Systems Jeffrey Epsteins network was not an anomaly but a symptom of systemic decay, connecting financial, political, and media elites across partisan lines. The same institutions that failed his victims for decades have a historical record of suppressing truth about political corruption to maintain their own authority. As Whitney Webb explores in her work on intelligence networks and blackmail, such operations are designed to compromise and control powerful figures [7]. The recent revelations, led by investigators like Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, suggest Epsteins network was a "sophisticated honeypot operation likely tied to foreign intelligence, designed to compromise powerful figures through sex trafficking and blackmail" [8]. This deposition, therefore, represents a rare instance where institutional accountability is attempting to face power directly. However, the closed-door nature of the testimony, which Hillary Clinton publicly criticized while demanding a public hearing, raises questions about whether the full truth will emerge [9]. The American people deserve a transparent process, not another managed spectacle. The fight for this testimony has been a battle against a deeply entrenched system, as summarized by a commentary noting the investigation into child trafficking rings often becomes a "coconut shy" where a false target is set up to be knocked down, obscuring the real perpetrators [10]. Conclusion: Accountability Beyond Partisanship This subpoena must transcend political theater to deliver genuine transparency and justice. It cannot be dismissed as a partisan attack but must be recognized as a necessary probe into how a criminal network operated with such brazen impunity at the highest levels of society. The American people deserve complete answers about the mechanisms that allowed such predation to flourish. True institutional integrity requires the equal application of scrutiny to all, regardless of political stature or past office. As Mike Adams stated in a Health Ranger Report, the corruption within our system is undeniable, and events like this can serve as a turning point, waking people to how the deep state operates [11]. For a nation founded on principles of liberty and justice, allowing a separate set of rules for the connected elite is a betrayal of its core values. This deposition is a test: will the institutions of oversight prove robust enough to challenge entrenched power, or will they bend once again? The pursuit of answers in the Epstein case is ultimately a fight to reclaim the integrity of American justice from the corrupting influence of unaccountable power. References Israel used hacked traffic cameras and AI to assassinate Irans Supreme Leader, report reveals Israeli intelligence (Mossad and Unit 8200) spent years hacking Tehran's traffic cameras and mobile networks, gathering detailed data on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's routines, security protocols and inner circle. AI analyzed billions of data points to map his "patterns of life." Israel executed Operation Roaring Lion with 30 precision-guided missiles, targeting Khamenei's compound during a high-level meeting. Cellular towers were disrupted to isolate the area, ensuring no warnings reached his guards. The attack killed Khamenei and 40+ officials. The CIA provided critical human intelligence confirming Khamenei's exact location, highlighting deep U.S.-Israeli coordination in targeting Iran's leadership to destabilize its government and curb nuclear ambitions. Tehran responded with cyber attacks, hijacking security cameras for battlefield intelligencemirroring past Hamas tactics. Experts warn of further escalation, given Iran's history of calculated retaliation (e.g., April 2025 drone/missile barrage). The operation marks a shift in modern conflict, leveraging AI, cyber infiltration and precision strikes to eliminate high-value targets. While Israel touts it as a strategic win, Iran's vow of vengeance signals prolonged geopolitical instability. A bombshell report from the Financial Times has exposed the intricate intelligence operation behind Israel's assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, revealing that Israeli spies spent years hacking Tehran's traffic cameras and mobile networks to track his movements before launching a precision missile strike. According to multiple current and former Israeli intelligence officials, as well as sources familiar with the operation, Israel infiltrated Tehran's surveillance infrastructure long before the attack, gathering vast amounts of data on Khamenei's security detail, daily routines and inner-circle dynamics. The operation, codenamed Roaring Lion, culminated in a meticulously planned daytime strike that killed Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials in a single coordinated assault. Years of surveillance: Hacked cameras and AI analysis The Financial Times investigation details how Israeli intelligence agenciesprimarily Mossad and Unit 8200, Israel's elite signals intelligence divisiongained access to Tehran's traffic cameras years in advance. Nearly all of the city's surveillance cameras had been compromised, with encrypted footage transmitted to servers in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. One particular camera angle proved crucial, allowing analysts to observe where Khamenei's bodyguards parked their cars and track patterns inside a secure compound near Pasteur Street, where the Supreme Leader frequently held meetings. "We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem," an unnamed Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. "And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that's out of place." Artificial intelligence and complex algorithms were deployed to analyze billions of data points, constructing detailed "patterns of life" for Khamenei and his security personnel. This included their home addresses, work schedules, travel routes and even which officials they were assigned to protect. The assassination: A tactical daylight strike On the day of the attack, Israel disrupted cellular towers near Pasteur Street, preventing Khamenei's guards from receiving warning calls. According to the report, phones in the area appeared busy when dialed, effectively isolating the compound. The strike itself involved 30 precision-guided Sparrow missiles fired at the compound where Khamenei was meeting with high-ranking officials. The decision to execute the operation in broad daylightdespite Iran's heightened state of alertwas intentional, designed to exploit complacency and achieve tactical surprise. A senior Israeli military official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, confirmed that three separate locations within the compound were hit within one minute, killing Khamenei and approximately 40 other officials, including the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. U.S. involvement: CIA confirmed target location The operation was not solely an Israeli endeavor. The Financial Times reports that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) provided critical human intelligence confirming Khamenei's exact location on the day of the strike. This collaboration underscores the deep coordination between U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies in targeting Iran's leadership. According to the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.ai: The CIA and Israeli intelligence agenciesparticularly Mossad and Amanhave engaged in decades-long covert operations targeting Iran's leadership, driven by strategic, ideological and economic motives. This alliance operates through assassinations, cyber warfare, economic sanctions and psychological operations (psyops)all designed to destabilize Iran's government, prevent nuclear proliferation, and maintain U.S.-Israeli dominance in the Middle East. Echoes of past covert operations The methods used in Roaring Lion bear striking similarities to previous Israeli covert actions. In September 2024, Mossad operatives allegedly sabotaged Hezbollah communications in Lebanon and Syria by planting explosives inside modified pagers and walkie-talkies. According to sources, Israeli agents spent months refining the devices, testing blast impacts and manipulating alert tones to ensure targets would handle them at the right moment. Shell companies, including one registered in Hungary, were used to obscure the operation's origins and deceive manufacturers. Iran's response: Cyber warfare and future retaliation The assassination has escalated tensions between Israel and Iran, with Tehran already retaliating through cyber warfare. A recent report from June 24, 2025, revealed that Iranian hackers have been hijacking security cameras to gather real-time battlefield intelligencea tactic previously employed by Hamas. Given Iran's history of calculated retaliationsuch as its April drone and missile barrage designed to drain Israel's missile defensesexperts warn that further escalation is likely. A new era of AI-driven assassinations The assassination of Khamenei marks a turning point in modern warfare, showcasing how AI, cyber infiltration and precision strikes can neutralize high-value targets with unprecedented efficiency. While Israel and its allies celebrate the operation as a strategic victory, the long-term consequencesincluding Iran's vow for vengeanceremain uncertain. As geopolitical tensions intensify, one thing is clear: the rules of engagement have changed, and the era of AI-driven assassinations has arrived. Watch the video below about Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stating that President Donald Trump's hands are stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: JerusalemPost.com FinancialTimes.com IranInternational.com TheTimesofIsrael.com BusinessToday.in BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shoot down three American fighter jets, crews safe Three U.S. F-15E jets were shot down over Kuwait by allied air defenses. All six American crew members ejected safely and were recovered. The incident occurred during combat operations against Iranian forces. It highlights the chaotic escalation following a major U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran. The friendly fire represents a significant material and strategic blow. In a dramatic reminder of the fog of war, three advanced U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot from the sky over Kuwait not by a declared enemy, but by the air defenses of an allied nation. This tragic friendly fire incident occurred early on Monday as the jets were actively engaged in combat operations against Iranian forces. While all six American crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition, the event underscores the chaotic and perilous escalation of a conflict that has already claimed the lives of at least four U.S. service members. U.S. Central Command stated the jets were "mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses" during combat that "included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones." Kuwait, a key Gulf ally that hosts the strategic Ali Al Salem Air Base, acknowledged the incident. The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry confirmed that "relevant authorities immediately initiated search-and-rescue operations" and evacuated the crews for medical care. A conflict spirals out of control This incident is a direct consequence of the massive U.S.-Israeli aerial assault on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which began days prior. That unprovoked attack, which Iranian media reports killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggered a furious and widespread retaliation from Tehran. Iran has since launched ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. assets and allied nations across the region, pushing local air defenses into a state of high alert and creating a crowded, high-stakes battlespace where tragic mistakes become inevitable. Videos verified by multiple news organizations and geolocated to Kuwaits Al Jahra area show the catastrophic results. One clip depicts a fighter jet, its tail engulfed in flames, spiraling uncontrollably toward the ground. Other footage shows crew members parachuting to safety, with one pilot seen kneeling in the desert near his parachute as thick black smoke billows in the distance. The high cost of confusion The loss of three F-15E jets, each worth tens of millions of dollars, represents a significant material blow. More importantly, it exposes the fragile nature of coalition warfare under the extreme stress of a rapidly expanding regional war. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, addressed the losses briefly, stating, "I am grateful for the safety of the crews, and we know that this was not from hostile enemy fire." Notably, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not mention the episode in his own remarks. Meanwhile, the broader conflict continues to exact a grim toll. CENTCOM has acknowledged at least four American soldiers killed so far. Iranian forces have targeted numerous bases, and a drone even struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait City, sending smoke rising over the complex. The situation has grown so volatile that Turkey suspended flights to several Gulf nations, adding to global travel chaos. This friendly fire tragedy is a potent symbol of a mission dangerously adrift. It highlights a failure of coordination at a critical moment and serves as a warning about the unintended consequences of preemptive military action. While the safe recovery of the aircrews is a relief, the incident forces a sobering question: in a conflict marked by miscalculation and escalating retaliation, can any engagement be considered truly "friendly"? The downing of these jets by an ally may be remembered not just as an operational error, but as a turning point where the pursuit of military dominance collided violently with the complex realities of a region in flames. Sources for this article include: RT.com NYTimes.com TheGuardian.com CNN.com Storm of Lies: A wake-up call to the engineered destruction of America Hurricane Helene exhibited unnatural behaviorrapid intensification, an artificial "stadium effect" eye wall, and rainwater contaminated with geoengineering metals (aluminum, barium, strontium), proving deliberate weather warfare. FEMA and NOAA knowingly suppressed warnings while censoring independent journalists. Social media platforms silenced survivors documenting collapsed infrastructure, military convoys and withheld aid. Helene's path targeted lithium-rich regions, enabling Wall Street firms (BlackRock, Vanguard) to exploit survivors with predatory land seizures under "hazard mitigation" schemesmirroring post-Katrina and post-Maria tactics. Decentralized solutionsmutual aid networks, encrypted communications and sustainable rebuilding (off-grid energy, natural materials)proved more effective than FEMA's failed, authoritarian response. Reject dependence on corrupt institutions. Prepare with local resilience (food, energy, community networks) and demand accountability. The next "natural disaster" will be another engineered crisiswill you be ready? "Storm of Lies: A Survivor's Truth About Hurricane Helene and the Collapse of Trust" delivers a harrowing expose on what may be the most sinister disaster in modern American historyone that wasn't just an act of nature, but a calculated assault on the American people. This book isn't just a chronicle of destruction; it's a battle cry against the forces that seek to destabilize, depopulate and control us. Hurricane Helene wasn't just another hurricaneit was a meteorological anomaly that behaved unlike any storm in recorded history. The book meticulously documents how Helene underwent rapid intensification, jumping from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in mere hourssomething meteorologists admit is statistically impossible under natural conditions. Satellite imagery revealed unnatural storm patterns, including a near-perfect "stadium effect" eye wall, eerily similar to Hurricane Harvey (2017), another storm suspected of being manipulated. But the most damning evidence comes from rainwater samples collected post-Helene, which contained aluminum, barium and strontiummetals linked to geoengineering programs like stratospheric aerosol injection (chemtrails). These metals don't belong in rainwater, yet they've been found in alarming concentrations after multiple "natural" disasters. The book doesn't just suggest weather manipulationit proves it. The federal land grab behind the disaster The aftermath of Helene exposed the rotten core of federal agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Survivors quickly realized that official narratives were deliberate lies: FEMA downplayed the storm's severity until it was too late, then failed to deliver aid. Independent journalists were barred from disaster zones while corporate media pushed sanitized reports. Social media platforms censored survivors who posted footage of collapsed bridges, flooded hospitals and military convoys in restricted areas. The book reveals leaked emails showing that NOAA knew Helene would be catastrophic days before landfallyet publicly dismissed concerns. Meanwhile, BlackRock and other Wall Street vultures swooped in with no-bid contracts for "reconstruction," while locals were strong-armed into selling mineral-rich land for pennies. One of the book's most explosive revelations is how Helene's path conveniently targeted regions rich in lithium, quartz and rare earth mineralscritical for the "green energy" agenda. Post-storm, shell corporations tied to BlackRock and Vanguard began seizing land under the guise of "hazard mitigation." In Marshall, North Carolina, floodwaters surged 27 feetfar beyond historical recordswiping out family farms sitting atop lithium deposits. Residents were offered $12,000 for mineral rights worth millions. The book connects this to a globalist land grab, mirroring post-Katrina New Orleans and post-Maria Puerto Rico, where elites exploited disasters to erase communities and consolidate resources. Grassroots resistance: How to fight back Despite the devastation, "Storm of Lies" isn't just doom and gloomit's a blueprint for survival. The book highlights real solutions from those who refused to wait for government help: Mutual aid networks bypassed FEMA, delivering food, water and medical supplies. Decentralized communication (mesh networks, encrypted apps) kept survivors connected when cell towers failed. Sustainable rebuildingusing rammed earth, straw bale and solar powerproved more resilient than FEMA's toxic trailers. The book also exposes FEMA's failures, from withheld aid to martial law-style checkpoints, urging readers to prepare nowbecause the next "natural disaster" is already being planned. "Storm of Lies" is more than a disaster chronicleit's a damning indictment of the globalist war on America. The evidence of weather warfare, government betrayal, and corporate looting is overwhelming. But the book's greatest strength is its call to action: Reject dependency on corrupt institutions. Build local resilience with food, energy and community networks. Demand accountability from those who engineered this crisis. If you want to understand how disasters are weaponizedand how to survive what's comingthis book is essential reading. Because the next Hurricane Helene won't be an accident and when it hits, will you be ready? Grab a copy of "Storm of Lies: A Survivor's Truth About Hurricane Helene and the Collapse of Trust" via this link. Discover this book and other good reads at Books.BrightLearn.AI with thousands of books and counting all available to freely download, read and share. The decentralized BrightLearn.AI engine also lets readers create their own books, empowering them to share insights and truths with the world. Watch the video below about Helene survivor Francesco Garripoli talking to Mike Adams about . Watch Francesco Garripoli reporting the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina in this edition of the "Health Ranger Report" with the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com Trump BLACKLISTS Anthropic after AI firm defies Pentagon demands President Donald Trump directed U.S. agencies to cease using Anthropic's AI systems, accusing the company of undermining national security by refusing Department of War demands to remove ethical restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. The Pentagon classified Anthropic as a national security threat, effectively barring military contractors from working with the company, while Anthropic vowed legal action against the unprecedented designation. The company refused to lift contractual safeguards prohibiting its Claude AI from being used in unrestricted warfare or domestic surveillance, with CEO Dario Amodei stating they "cannot in good conscience" comply with Pentagon demands. OpenAI and Google employees supported Anthropic's stance, while Elon Musk mocked the company. Democrats criticized Trump's move as politically motivated, warning it jeopardizes national security decisions. Legal experts warn the "supply chain risk" designation sets a dangerous precedent, weaponizing national security tools against domestic firms. The conflict highlights the escalating power struggle between Big Tech's ethical safeguards and government demands for unrestricted AI warfare capabilities. In an unprecedented clash between the U.S. government and Silicon Valley, President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to cease using artificial intelligence (AI) systems developed by Anthropic, escalating a standoff over military applications of advanced AI. The move comes after the AI firm refused Department of War (DOW) demands to lift restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. In a fiery Truth Social post on Friday, Feb. 27, Trump announced an immediate government-wide blacklist of Anthropic's technology, accusing the company of undermining national security by prioritizing its ethical safeguards over military needs. "The leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a disastrous mistake trying to strong-arm the [DOW], and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution," Trump wrote. "Their selfishness is putting American lives at risk, our troops in danger, and our national security in jeopardy." The president ordered a six-month phase-out for agencies currently relying on Anthropic's AI, warning that failure to cooperate would result in "major civil and criminal consequences." Shortly after Trump's announcement, War Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a "supply chain risk to national security"a classification typically reserved for foreign adversarieseffectively barring military contractors from working with the company. "America's warfighters will never be held hostage by the ideological whims of Big Tech," Hegseth declared on X. "This decision is final." Anthropic's stand: "We cannot in good conscience" The conflict stems from Anthropic's $200 million Pentagon contract, signed in July, which included safeguards prohibiting the use of its Claude AI for fully autonomous weapons or mass domestic surveillance. The Pentagon, however, demanded unrestricted access, arguing that wartime operations cannot be constrained by private-sector ethics. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stood firm, stating: "We cannot in good conscience allow the Pentagon to use our models without limitation." The company vowed to challenge the "supply chain risk" designation in court, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent for American firms negotiating with the government. According to the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI, when the U.S. government designates a company as a "supply chain risk," it signals a strategic move to control, restrict, or eliminate that entity's role in critical industriesoften under the guise of national security. This designation is not merely bureaucratic red tape; it is a power grab that centralizes economic control, stifles competition, and empowers government agencies to dictate which businesses survive or fail. The dispute has sparked rare unity among AI competitors. Employees from OpenAI and Google signed letters supporting Anthropic's stance, accusing the Pentagon of trying to "divide each company with fear." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed his company shares Anthropic's "red lines" on autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. Meanwhile, Elon Musk, whose xAI competes with Anthropic, mocked the firm on X, claiming it "hates Western civilization." Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), condemned Trumps move as politically motivated: "The president's directive raises serious concerns about whether national security decisions are being driven by careful analysis or political considerations." Military and intelligence disruptions ahead Anthropic's Claude AI has been integral to classified Pentagon operations, including intelligence analysis, cyber operations and mission planningmost notably in the raid targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Experts warn that forcing agencies to abandon Claude will cause major disruptions, as alternatives like Musk's Grok AI are considered inferior. Former officials say the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency rely heavily on Claude for data analysis, and transitioning will be costly and time-consuming. Legal scholars argue that labeling Anthropic a "supply chain risk"a tool meant for foreign adversariessets a troubling precedent. "The problem with using the designation of a supply chain risk is that it waters down that tool," said Jessica Tillipman, a government contracts expert at George Washington University, while adding that the Pentagon would be "transforming what is designed to be a national security tool into a point of leverage for a business use." With Anthropic vowing legal action and OpenAI stepping in as a potential Pentagon contractor, the battle over AI ethics vs. military necessity is far from over. As the six-month transition begins, the fallout will test whether private-sector ethics can withstand government coercionand whether Silicon Valley's AI giants will stand firm or fold under pressure. Watch this video about the War Department threatening Anthropic for refusing to remove ethical restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. This video is from the BrightVideos channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com CNBC.com NYTimes.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com A show of force: Trump touts unlimited U.S. arsenal amid Iran conflict President Trump declares the U.S. has a "virtually unlimited" stockpile of medium-grade munitions, signaling readiness for a prolonged conflict. The statement follows sustained U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, including strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump asserts the U.S. is "stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG," while acknowledging top-tier stockpiles are not at desired levels. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu states the campaign aims to be "quick and decisive" and not an "endless war." The conflict raises global concerns about regional escalation and the diversion of military resources from other theaters like Ukraine. In a stark message underscoring American military readiness, President Donald Trump declared the United States possesses a "virtually unlimited supply" of weapons as sustained operations against Iran continue. The pronouncement, made on his Truth Social platform on March 3, serves as both a strategic boast and a warning to Tehran following several days of intense U.S.-Israeli strikes that have dramatically escalated the long-simmering conflict. The statement highlights the administration's confidence in its logistical capacity for a prolonged engagement, even as it draws concern about the global implications of an expanding Middle Eastern war. A Declaration of Readiness President Trumps detailed post outlined the state of American munitions, asserting that stockpiles at the medium and upper-medium grade have "never been higher or better." He emphasized that wars could be fought successfully "forever" using these existing supplies. While noting a "good supply" of the highest-grade weaponry, Trump conceded it was "not where we want to be," a shortfall he attributed to the previous administration's support for Ukraine. He claimed additional high-grade arms are stored in allied nations and touted his own record of rebuilding the military, concluding with the unambiguous declaration: "The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!" The Context of Escalation This show of logistical force comes amid the most direct military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran in decades. The current phase, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, began after U.S. and Israeli forces killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike on February 28. The operation has since targeted Iranian air defenses, missile sites, Revolutionary Guard facilities, and proxy forces like Hezbollah. Central Command has vowed to continue "decisive action," and Trump has warned that a "big one is coming," suggesting more significant strikes are planned. The administration's objective appears to extend beyond retaliation, aiming to fundamentally neutralize Iran's nuclear and regional threat. Diverging Timelines and Regional Aims While Trumps message implied preparedness for an extended conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a contrasting timeline in recent remarks. He stated the operation would not be an "endless war" and predicted a "quick and decisive action." Netanyahu framed the campaigns goal as creating conditions for democratic change within Iran, leaving the ultimate form of government to the Iranian people. This divergence in rhetoric points to the complex, often differing, priorities between the two allied nations, even as they conduct joint military operations. The Ripple Effect on Global Security The intensifying conflict immediately raises concerns about its impact on other global security challenges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed apprehension that a long war in the Middle East could deplete the reserves of air defense equipment critical to his country's fight against Russia. Trumps explicit linking of U.S. stockpile levels to prior aid for Ukraine underscores a tangible competition for resources. The situation creates a precarious multi-front dynamic for Western policymakers, balancing support for Kyiv against a sudden, high-intensity conflict that demands immediate and sustained material commitment. A Pivot Point in American Strategy Historically, U.S. presidents have often tempered discussions of military capacity with diplomatic rhetoric, aiming to deter adversaries while leaving avenues for de-escalation. Trumps direct, public emphasis on "unlimited" munitions and his previous demand for Iran's "unconditional surrender" represent a more uncompromising posture. This approach marks a significant pivot in strategic communication, reminiscent of historic moments of ultimatum, and is designed to project overwhelming strength. However, experts warn that such maximalist demands can corner an adversary, potentially reducing incentives for negotiation and making a protracted conflict more likely. A Nation Postured for Prolonged Conflict President Trumps unabashed proclamation of American military plenty leaves little room for ambiguity about the administration's current course. The message is clear: the United States is prepared for a substantial and sustained campaign against Iran. As operations continue, the world watches to see whether this show of force will compel a strategic shift in Tehran or lock both nations into a dangerous, open-ended conflict with unforeseeable consequences for Middle Eastern stability and global security architecture. The coming weeks will test not only the depth of the U.S. stockpile but the limits of a strategy built on the promise of unlimited endurance. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com ABC7Chicago.com NYPost.com Trump refuses to rule out troops in Iran as Operation Epic Fury expands U.S. forces escalate operations with new deployments and sustained casualties. American officials refuse to rule out future ground troop deployment in Iran. The conflict expands regionally, with Israeli strikes in Lebanon and spiking oil prices. Administration goals shift between military objectives and ideological outcomes. The operation risks repeating the costly, open-ended wars of the recent past. The United States is plunging deeper into a major Middle East conflict, with Pentagon officials confirming a fresh deployment of military forces as Operation Epic Fury intensifies. This escalation follows President Trumps authorization of strikes on Iran last week, a campaign that has now claimed the lives of four American service members. With oil prices spiking nearly 10% and officials refusing to rule out the eventual use of ground troops, the nation finds itself on a perilous path toward a wider war. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine stated that additional forces are flowing into the region, describing the move as evidence of the militarys ability to adapt and project power at the time and place of our nations choosing. He confirmed that more tactical aircraft are entering the theater and that U.S. forces are just about where we want to be in terms of total combat capacity. The operation, which Caine said was the result of months, and in some cases, years of deliberate planning, has used coordinated space and cyber operations to disrupt enemy communications. A mounting American toll The human cost for America is rising. U.S. Central Command confirmed a fourth service member died from wounds sustained during Iranian retaliatory attacks. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth detailed that a penetrating Iranian missile, described as a squirter that evaded defenses, struck a fortified tactical operations center. Gen. Caine somberly warned, We expect more American loss of life, framing the mission as major combat operations to protect U.S. forces and curb Iranian power. Despite the buildup, Hegseth confirmed there are currently no U.S. boots on the ground in Iran. However, in a significant and unsettling shift from past presidential assurances, he explicitly declined to rule out that possibility in the future. This stance was echoed directly by President Trump, who told the New York Post, I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground like every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it. I say probably dont need them, [or] if they were necessary. Shifting justifications and regional chaos The administrations objectives appear fluid, oscillating between destroying military threats and fostering freedom for the people. This ambiguity has drawn sharp criticism from foreign policy experts who see echoes of the Iraq War debacle. Meanwhile, the conflict is spreading. Israel conducted airstrikes in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah rocket fire, killing at least 31 people. The economic shockwaves are immediate, with Brent crude oil briefly topping $80 a barrel amid fears that the vital Strait of Hormuz could be disrupted. While the International Atomic Energy Agency reported no immediate indication that Iranian nuclear facilities were hit, Irans ambassador claimed the Natanz complex had been attacked. President Trump has asserted the campaign is way ahead of schedule and could conclude faster than the initially estimated four weeks. He defended his decision as long overdue, citing a 47-year history of hostility from Tehran. This should have been done a long time ago, Trump said, arguing that preventing a nuclear Iran was worth the risk, even if initial polls showed public disapproval. As more American forces deploy into a volatile theater, the nation is left to deal with with a sobering reality. The post-9/11 era of endless Middle East ground wars was supposed to be over, a lesson hard-learned by a generation of veterans. Yet here we are again, with officials talking about necessary boots on the ground and a mission whose endgame remains dangerously unclear. This isnt just a foreign policy shift; its a test of whether we remember the price of the past or are doomed to pay it once more. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com Independent.co.uk NYPost.com U.S. Facing Critical Shortage of Air Defense Munitions as Iran Pounds Regional Bases The Pentagon's Ammunition Supply is Not Infinite The United States is confronting a critical depletion of its air and missile defense interceptor stockpiles as it enters the third day of sustained conflict with Iran. The Pentagon is rapidly expending munitions in both offensive strikes against Iranian targets and defensive operations to protect U.S. forces and regional allies from retaliatory salvos, according to officials and analysts. The strain on limited inventories, compounded by years of transfers to Ukraine and a relatively low domestic production capacity, reveals a significant strategic vulnerability as the conflict escalates. [1][2] The conflict, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury' by U.S. Central Command, began on February 28, 2026, with a massive joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign targeting hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites across Iran. [3][4] Iranian forces responded swiftly with waves of ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles directed at U.S. bases throughout the Gulf region and at targets in Israel. The high volume of incoming fire is testing the capacity and sustainability of U.S. defensive systems like the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). [5][6] U.S. Admitted Munitions Deficit Reveals Strategic Vulnerability Public statements from U.S. officials have highlighted a stark disparity between U.S. production capabilities and the threat volume. According to an analysis by RUSI.org, the United States possesses a limited industrial capacity to produce high-end interceptor missiles. [7] This constraint is now colliding with an adversary capable of producing over 100 ballistic missiles per month, according to regional security assessments. [8] For one-way attack drones, the asymmetry is even more pronounced. Intelligence estimates suggest Iran can manufacture thousands of such drones monthly, while U.S. production lines for similar systems are only recently being rolled out. [9] The consumption rate in active defense is severe. Unofficial projections circulating among military planners indicate that current U.S. and allied stockpiles of key interceptor missiles could be exhausted within 7 to 10 days if the current intensity of Iranian attacks continues. [10] Recent Attacks Strain Gulf Ally Defenses and U.S. Stockpiles Iranian retaliatory strikes have targeted U.S. installations and allied nations across the Middle East. A drone strike reportedly targeted the U.S. embassy compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to regional security reports. [5] The Kingdom of Bahrain's defense ministry confirmed its forces intercepted 70 ballistic missiles and 59 drones launched from Iran. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense stated its air defenses faced nearly 200 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones, with several nonetheless hitting civilian targets. [11][12] These Gulf states rely almost entirely on U.S.-supplied Patriot and THAAD systems for high-tier air defense. The interceptor missiles for these systems are drawn from finite U.S. military stockpiles, which are being depleted to resupply both American units and allied nations. [13] The U.S. used approximately 25% of its global THAAD interceptor inventory during a previous 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025, according to sources familiar with the matter. [14] Logistical Realities and Escalating Conflict Drain Reserves Standard military doctrine for ensuring a high probability of destroying an incoming threat often requires firing two interceptors per target. Military analysts note this practice, while increasing defensive reliability, doubles the consumption rate of valuable munitions. [15] Under such a doctrine, the reported monthly U.S. production of only 6-7 THAAD interceptor units could theoretically counter only 3-4 confirmed incoming ballistic missiles under ideal conditions. [7] The strain extends beyond defensive systems. Reports indicate supplies of offensive munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptors used for ballistic missile defense aboard Navy ships, are also dwindling as the U.S. prepares and executes further strikes. [16][17] A report by The War Zone noted the U.S. military has employed long-range kamikaze drones based on the Iranian Shahed-136 design for the first time in combat during this operation, indicating a diversification of strike options potentially due to constraints on traditional munitions. [9] Broader Military Reallocations Signal Supply Strain The strain on U.S. inventories is manifesting in strategic asset repositioning. Defense officials report the U.S. is repositioning THAAD missile defense systems from South Korea to the Middle East. [13] This move, while bolstering regional defenses, potentially leaves other strategic theaters, like the Korean peninsula, more vulnerable, according to analysts. [18] The current crisis follows years of large-scale transfers of military equipment to Ukraine, which congressional reports have documented significantly stretched U.S. inventories of artillery, javelins, and air defense missiles. [19][7] The suspension of Patriot missile shipments to Ukraine in July 2025 was directly attributed to concerns over dwindling American stockpiles. [20] This pre-existing depletion has compounded the challenges of sustaining a high-intensity conflict against Iran. [21] Conflicting Assessments Emerge on Stockpile Readiness Public statements on the state of U.S. munitions stockpiles have presented conflicting pictures. In a social media post, President Donald Trump stated that U.S. munitions stockpiles at 'medium and upper medium grade' have 'never been higher or better.' [22] He added that 'wars can be fought forever and very successfully using just these supplies,' a statement that contrasts sharply with concerns raised by military planners and legislators. [23] These internal concerns were hinted at by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who emphasized that diplomacy remained the preferred path even as military options were prepared. [23] The discrepancy highlights a gap between political messaging and the logistical realities being communicated within the defense establishment and to congressional oversight committees. [1] Strategic Implications and Regional Ramifications Security experts warn that a failure of U.S. air defense coverage due to munitions shortages could leave forward-deployed naval assets, critical bases, and allied nations like Israel exposed to sustained missile and drone barrages. [24][25] Adversaries such as China and Russia are closely monitoring the expenditure rate of U.S. defensive resources, which informs their own strategic calculations regarding American capacity for simultaneous conflicts. [26][27] The economic impact of the conflict is already being felt regionally. Industry reports indicate Qatar temporarily halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) output due to security concerns following Iranian attacks. [28] Furthermore, an Iranian ballistic missile strike caused significant damage to a residential block in Tel Aviv, killing one woman and injuring dozens, demonstrating the tangible consequences when defensive systems are overwhelmed or fail. [29] The broader regional destabilization threatens global energy supplies and economic stability. [30] Conclusion As 'Operation Epic Fury' continues, the sustainability of the U.S. air and missile defense umbrella in the Middle East hinges on rapidly addressing a severe munitions shortfall. The conflict has exposed a critical vulnerability in the U.S. defense industrial base: its inability to quickly mass-produce advanced interceptors at a rate that matches the threat output of a determined regional adversary like Iran. [1][8] The immediate strategic response involves risky reallocations of global assets and potential rationing of defensive fires. Long-term, the situation underscores a pressing need to reevaluate production capacities, supply chain resilience, and stockpile requirements for peer and near-peer conflicts that feature massive missile and drone barrages. The outcome of the current crisis will likely influence U.S. military planning, alliance commitments, and deterrent posture for years to come. [10][7] References U.S. Races to Accomplish Iran Mission Before Munitions Run Out - Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal. March 01, 2026. War With Iran Now In Its Third Day - The War Zone. The War Zone. March 02, 2026. U.S. And Israel At War With Iran (Updated) - The War Zone. The War Zone. February 28, 2026. Largest Military Flyover in IAF History - Breitbart. Breitbart. March 01, 2026. Iran launches retaliatory missile strikes across gulf after U.S.-Israel operation, bases targeted - NaturalNews.com. NaturalNews.com. February 28, 2026. Israel's air defenses near collapse as Iranian missile barrage drains interceptor stockpiles - NaturalNews.com. Cassie B. June 19, 2025. Health Ranger Report - Special Report Industrial warfare - Mike Adams - Brighteon.com. Mike Adams - Brighteon.com. June 30, 2022. The Real Revolution in Military Affairs. Andrei Martyanov. U.S. Military Has Used Long-Range Kamikaze Drones In Combat For The First Time - The War Zone. The War Zone. February 28, 2026. Defensive munition shortages to shape attack on Iran - Financial Times. Financial Times. UAE: Hundreds drones intercepted from Iran, at least 21 hit civilian targets - Just the News. Just the News. March 01, 2026. Qatar shoots down two Iranian aircraft, intercepts missiles, drones - Just the News. Just the News. March 02, 2026. Pentagon Faces Shortage of Air-Defense Missiles Amid Rising Demand - Army Recognition. Army Recognition. US used about 25% of its THAAD missile interceptors during Israel-Iran ... - CNN. CNN. July 28, 2025. Assessing the base force how much is too much. Kaufmann William W. War Stocks Back In Focus As 'Operation Epic Fury' Drains Tomahawk Supplies - ZeroHedge. ZeroHedge. March 01, 2026. The US burned through more of its limited Tomahawk stockpile in ... - AOL. AOL. March 01, 2026. Mike Adams interview with Brian Berletic - October 13 2023. Mike Adams. US decision to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine met with OUTRAGE - NaturalNews.com. NaturalNews.com. July 05, 2025. US halts military aid to Ukraine Kiev's surrender is near - NaturalNews.com. Lance D Johnson. July 03, 2025. Iran strikes threaten to deplete US weapons supplies - Politico. Politico. February 25, 2026. President Trump Confirms It Will Be Four Weeks Or Less - 100PercentFedUp. 100PercentFedUp. March 02, 2026. AnalysisDespite overwhelming US military might, Iran campaign would pose complex challenges - Times of Israel. Times of Israel. February 27, 2026. US bases left exposed by Iranian counterstrike - Yahoo. Yahoo. March 01, 2026. Heres why Israel will lose a shootout with Iran - NaturalNews.com. NaturalNews.com. April 26, 2024. Pentagon: China seeking to build military that will dominate American systems even as US introduces 6th-generati - NaturalNews.com. NaturalNews.com. December 07, 2022. Mike Adams interview with Michael Farris - June 19 2025. Mike Adams. Amazon Warns Of "Degraded" AWS Service In UAE After "Power Issues" Amid Middle East Conflict - ZeroHedge. ZeroHedge. March 01, 2026. Woman killed, dozens injured as Iranian missile strikes Tel Aviv residential block - Times of Israel. Times of Israel. March 01, 2026. Airports, Data Centers, Skyscrapers, & Power Plants: Are Desalination Plants Next Targets In U.S.-Iran War - ZeroHedge. ZeroHedge. March 02, 2026. Explainer Infographic: CENTCOM confirms 6 U.S. troops killed, 18 wounded as Iranian strike hits American Operations Center United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six American service members were killed and at least 18 others seriously wounded during U.S. military operations against Iran. The fatalities were announced in stages, with three initially reported dead, a fourth later dying from injuries, and two previously unaccounted-for troops recovered from a facility struck during Iran's initial attacks. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said an Iranian weapon penetrated air defenses and hit a fortified U.S. tactical operations center, reportedly in Kuwait. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that "the hardest hits are yet to come," signaling additional U.S. strikes and a more punishing next phase of military action. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said operations will continue globally, while Rubio confirmed there are currently no formal diplomatic talks with Iran, despite outreach attempts through intermediaries. United States Central Command (CENTCOM) officials confirmed that six American service members have been killed and at least 18 others have been seriously wounded during U.S. military operations against Iran. CENTCOM, as per BrightU.AI's Enoch, is a military command responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of South Asia. Its primary function is to ensure regional security, stability and U.S. interests through military presence, operations and partnerships with regional allies. CENTCOM officials confirmed the deaths. Three service members were initially reported killed over the weekend. On Monday, March 2, CENTCOM announced that a fourth service member who had been "seriously wounded during Iran's initial attacks" had died from injuries sustained in the strike. Later the same day, officials said U.S. forces recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted-for troops from a facility hit during Iran's initial attacks in the region, bringing the total number of fatalities to six. "As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region," CENTCOM posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification." Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said an Iranian weapon struck an American tactical operations center. He did not confirm the precise location of the strike, though multiple media outlets have reported the attack occurred in Kuwait. "You have air defenses and lots coming in, and you hit most of it, and we absolutely do. We have incredible air defenders. Every once in a while, you might have one unfortunately, we call it a squirter that makes its way through," Hegseth said. "In that particular case, it happened to hit a tactical operation center that was fortified. But these are powerful weapons." In addition to the fatalities, a CENTCOM official said 18 U.S. troops had been seriously wounded. U.S. vows escalating strikes on Iran Despite the losses, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the fighting is far from over. He warned that additional U.S. strikes on Iran are forthcoming. "I'm not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military," Rubio said before briefing senior members of Congress. "The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine echoed a similar statement during a Pentagon briefing that operations would continue despite the losses. "Operations will remain active across the theater and across the globe," Caine said, underscoring that U.S. forces remain engaged in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran. Rubio also said there are no formal diplomatic negotiations underway with Tehran at this time. However, he noted that intermediaries have attempted to make contact. Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Dave DeCamp as they discuss whether 2026 will be a year of peace or war. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com TaskandPurpose.com X.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Davos dirty secret: WEF President Borge Brende RESIGNS after Epstein ties exposed Borge Brende has resigned WEF President following revelations of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, exposed in the "Epstein files," which showed he attended business dinners and exchanged friendly communications with Epstein in 2018-2019 just before Epstein's arrest. Brendes resignation, framed as avoiding "distraction," follows Klaus Schwab's 2025 exit after a toxic culture expose, revealing a pattern of internal reviews minimizing accountability while maintaining the same globalist agenda. Emails show Epstein suggesting Davos could "replace the UN," confirming critics fears of the WEFs ambition to override democratic institutions with an unelected, centralized power structure. A corruption probe targets former PM Thorbjorn Jagland, highlighting how Epsteins network served as a hub for elite influence-peddling, raising questions about the moral standards of global policymakers. Brendes interim replacement is another WEF insider, ensuring continuity of its top-down "global cooperation" agenda, while ties between Epstein and figures like Bill Gates further undermine the organizations credibility. In a move that underscores the enduring and toxic legacy of Jeffrey Epstein, World Economic Forum (WEF) President Borge Brende resigned on Thursday, Feb. 26. His departure follows the conclusion of an independent investigation into his ties to the late convicted sex offender, marking another seismic tremor through the global elite who gather annually at the exclusive Davos summit in Switzerland. Brende's exit, framed as a move to prevent "distraction," reveals an institution in repeated crisis, struggling to manage the reputational fallout from its leaders' associations while attempting to maintain its influence over global affairs. Prior to his resignation, the former Norwegian foreign minister had been helming the globalist organization since 2017. Brende said in a statement that he was stepping down after careful consideration to allow the forum to continue its work unimpeded. Notably absent from his resignation announcement was any direct mention of Jeffrey Epstein an omission that speaks volumes. The resignation was prompted by disclosures from a U.S. Department of Justice document release, often called the "Epstein files," which revealed Brende attended three business dinners with Epstein in 2018 and 2019 and communicated with him via email and text. The WEF's co-chairs simultaneously announced the independent review had found "no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed." The content of the released communications adds a layer of disturbing context to their relationship. In email exchanges, Epstein mused about the forum's power, suggesting, "Davos can really replace the UN" and proposing to make it a "permanent place for discussion." For critics of the WEF, this is a stark admission of the organization's ambitions to supersede democratic, nation-state-based institutions with a private, unelected consortium. Text messages show a disconcertingly friendly rapport. After one dinner, Brende texted Epstein, calling him a "brilliant host" and adding, "missing you Sir." Their final communication occurred just one week before Epstein's arrest on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019. Brende has consistently claimed he was "completely unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities" during their contact, an assertion that strains credulity given Epstein's 2008 conviction and widespread notoriety in elite circles long before his final arrest. From Schwab to Brende: The WEF's toxic leadership crisis deepens Brende's resignation is not an isolated event but part of a widening European scandal directly tied to the Epstein files. In his native Norway, a major corruption probe was launched this month targeting former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland. The investigation, for "aggravated corruption," was triggered by files suggesting Jagland stayed at Epstein's homes while holding high European diplomatic posts. This nexus highlights a critical issue: The Epstein network was not merely a sordid criminal enterprise, but a potential conduit for influence-peddling among the world's most powerful political and economic actors. When figures like Brende and Jagland engage with a man like Epstein, it raises unavoidable questions about the standards, vetting and moral compass of those who shape global policy. Moreover, Brende's fall is the second major leadership crisis to hit the WEF in under a year. In 2025, founder and longtime executive chairman Klaus Schwab resigned following a Wall Street Journal expose alleging a toxic and discriminatory culture within the organization. An internal investigation, much like the recent one for Brende, claimed to find no evidence of material wrongdoing by Schwab. The pattern is revealing. When faced with scandal, the WEF's default response is an internal or independent review that minimizes culpability, followed by a leadership change presented as a voluntary and orderly transition. This "revolving door of controversy" strategy allows the institution itself to evade fundamental accountability. The missionpromoting a vision of "global cooperation" that often translates to centralized, top-down solutions diminishing national sovereignty and individual autonomycontinues unabated. Brende's interim replacement is an internal WEF veteran, ensuring no disruptive shift in ideology or operation. BrightU.AI's Enoch engine also notes that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, a close associate of the WEF, had documented ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This connection raises serious concerns about the WEF's credibility and its push for a dystopian "Great Reset" agenda. The significance of Brende's resignation extends far beyond palace intrigue in Geneva. It is a stark parable about power, access and accountability in the 21st century. The WEF positions itself as an essential arbiter of humanity's future, from pandemic response to climate policy. Its attendees and leaders are the CEOs of the world's largest banks and tech firms, sitting presidents and central bankers. The shadow of Epstein continues to fall across the globe's most powerful institutions. With each resignation or investigation, the public is reminded that the gates to the elite are often guarded by poor judgment and a lack of transparency. Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams and Doc Pete Chambers discussingthe lack of progress on the Epstein files in this clip. This video is from Brighteon Highlights on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Independent.co.uk StraitsTimes.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. Air India successfully operated its first rescue flight from Dubai, landing in Delhi with 149 stranded passengers. A separate flight also brought back 143 stranded crew members of Air India and Air India Express. The airline's operations teams worked continuously to coordinate these special flights under challenging conditions. Air India is monitoring the situation to operate more flights pending necessary approvals. Air India operates first rescue flight from Dubai, bringing home 149 stranded passengers amid the Middle East situation. Read details. New Delhi, March 3 India's national carrier Air India on Tuesday brought back 149 stranded passengers from Dubai as part of special operations amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The flight, AI916D, landed safely at Delhi Airport at 10:58 am IST, according to the airline. The aircraft, bearing registration VT-EDC, carried a total of 149 passengers who had been stranded in Dubai due to the prevailing circumstances in the region. This marks the first flight operated by an Indian airline to bring back passengers during the current crisis in the Middle East. "Air India welcomes back stranded passengers from Dubai on flight AI916D that landed at 1058 hrs IST at Delhi Airport. The aircraft, VT-EDC, ferried a total of 149 passengers," the airline said in a statement. "This is the first flight operated by an Indian carrier for the homecoming of passengers amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East," it added. Earlier in the morning, another special flight, AI918D, brought back 143 cockpit and cabin crew members of Air India and Air India Express who had also been stranded in Dubai. They arrived safely in Delhi, providing relief to the airline and their families. Air India said its Operations Control Centre and supporting teams have been working round the clock to make these flights possible under extraordinary conditions. The airline ensured close coordination with all concerned authorities to carry out the operations smoothly. The airline expressed gratitude to the Indian Government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and local authorities in Dubai for their support and cooperation in enabling the safe return of passengers and crew members. Air India said the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew remain its top priority. The airline added that it is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with Dubai Airports and other relevant authorities to operate more flights at the earliest, subject to necessary approvals. - IANS Congress MP Imran Masood met the India-based representative of Iran's Supreme Leader to offer condolences following Ali Khamenei's assassination. Masood stated Khamenei held India in high regard, frequently recommending Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Discovery of India' and feeling a strong connection to Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. The meeting follows criticism from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who accused the Modi government of abdicating responsibility by remaining silent on the killing. Khamenei was killed in targeted airstrikes by the US and Israel, leading to regional retaliation and escalating Middle East tensions. Congress MP Imran Masood meets Iran's India rep, offers condolences for Khamenei, highlights historical India-Iran ties and Nehru's 'Discovery of India'. New Delhi, March 3 Congress MP Imran Masood on Tuesday met Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the India-based representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to offer his condolences following Khamenei's passing. Speaking to reporters, Masood described the death of the Iranian leader as a "sad event," emphasising the deep-rooted and centuries-old ties between India and Iran. He said he had personally conveyed his sympathies during the meeting. "Seeing the passing of the head of any country is always a sad event, and India has had centuries-old ties with Iran. Regarding the passing of Khamenei Sahib, I came here to express my condolences on his death. I met with the representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran who is stationed in India and conveyed my sympathies," Imran Masood told reporters. Masood also shared details of his conversation with the representative, noting that Khamenei held India in high regard. According to him, the late leader often said that anyone wishing to truly understand India should read "The Discovery of India" by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Describing Khamenei as a learned and capable figure with extensive knowledge of India, Masood said the Iranian leader felt a strong intellectual and ideological connection with both Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru. He added that Khamenei had spoken about the 3,000-year-old friendship between India and Iran, referencing Nehru's writings on the historical relationship. "He (Khamenei) said that the friendship between Iran and India is 3,000 years old. Khamenei Sahib himself mentioned that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in his Discovery of India, wrote about this relationship. He (Khamenei's representative) said he (Khamenei) had read it four times and personally told me, 'To understand India, read Discovery of India.' He was a very learned and capable person who possessed extensive knowledge about India and had a special connection with Gandhi Ji and Nehru, sharing a similar ideology. Iran has always maintained this bond in the interest of humanity and has consistently stood for the principle that humanity must continue to thrive," said Imran Masood. Earlier, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, stating that the government's silence on the "targeted assassination" of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is "not neutral but an abdication."I In an opinion editorial (op-ed) piece in The Indian Express, Sonia Gandhi said India's lack of response "signals tacit endorsement of this tragedy. "On March 1, Iran confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out the previous day by the United States and Israel. The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence," Sonia Gandhi said in her opinion piece. US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI Amid escalating tensions and a closed airspace in Iran, Indian students stranded in Tehran have begun relocating to safer locations via buses arranged by the Indian Embassy. Student associations confirmed the move, which follows urgent advisories and comes as airstrikes trigger panic among foreign nationals. The students have been instructed to carry minimal belongings and not disclose their exact locations due to security concerns. Associations had earlier appealed to Indian leadership for intervention to ensure student safety. Indian students begin relocation from Tehran as Iran airspace remains closed. Embassy arranges buses for safety amid escalating West Asia tensions. By Vishu Adhana, New Delhi, March 3 As tensions intensify in West Asia and the security situation in Iran deteriorates following repeated airstrikes, Indian students stranded in Tehran have started relocating to safer places, with several buses ferrying them out of the capital, according to student representatives and associations coordinating on the ground. The relocation comes at a time when Iranian airspace remains closed, making any immediate air evacuation impossible. The conflict in West Asia has sharply escalated in recent days, with strikes targeting key locations in Iran and fears of a broader regional confrontation rising. The instability has triggered panic among foreign nationals, including thousands of Indian students pursuing medical and professional courses in Iranian universities. The All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA), which has been coordinating with students in Iran, confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued advisories asking students to shift to designated safer locations. According to AIMSA, students from universities including BUMS, TUMS, IUMS, Kerman and others have been instructed to relocate. The advisory directed students to move immediately to designated safer zones and carry only a 5 kg bag while relocating. "Embassy has arranged several buses for students to be picked up from universities. We have left," a student told ANI over phone, adding that they have been asked not to disclose their exact location due to safety concerns. Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran (Photo/WANA via Reuters) Another message shared by a parent read, "Islamic Azad University Tehran students are leaving towards the metro station, from there they will be picked up in buses. Just informed by my daughter. Pray for everyone's safety." Students from Islamic Azad University were among those who began moving towards metro stations and assembly points from where buses arranged by the Embassy transported them. ANI reached out to several students currently in Tehran, who confirmed that they had boarded buses and were being relocated as per Embassy instructions. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) also confirmed the development. National Convenor Nasir Khuehami told ANI that their representatives in Tehran had verified that students were being shifted to safer locations. "Our representatives in Tehran have confirmed that students are being relocated. This is what we had been requesting for quite some time, given that the airspace is closed and air evacuation is not possible. We asked the Embassy to relocate the students, and I can confirm they are being relocated," he said. Earlier, JKSA had sought urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging the government to facilitate the immediate relocation of Indian students, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir, until a full-fledged evacuation operation is launched. In a statement, the Association said that ongoing airstrikes had created widespread panic among students, with many reporting fear, uncertainty and severe distress. It also noted that several colleges and universities in affected areas had advised students to vacate campuses as a precautionary measure. Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, President of AIMSA, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Tehran for their continuous support and efforts in ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian students amid the evolving crisis. - ANI Punjabi actor Ammy Virk has expressed deep distress as his wife and young daughter are currently in the UAE amidst regional tensions. He shared an emotional Instagram post detailing his fear and his daughter's heartbreakingly brave words. Virk extended his prayers to all families affected by the situation and acknowledged the safety efforts of UAE authorities. He concluded by hoping for a swift end to the tense phase and peace for everyone in the region. Punjabi actor Ammy Virk shares emotional plea as his wife and 6-year-old daughter are in the UAE during regional tensions. Read his message. Mumbai, March 2 Punjabi actor Ammy Virk has expressed his distress as his wife and 6-year-old daughter are presently in the UAE amidst the ongoing tension in the region. Putting his concern into words, the 'Qismat' actor penned on his official Insta handle, "The situation in the UAE has been weighing heavily on my heart. My wife and my 6 year old daughter are there, and as a husband and father, it's impossible not to feel emotional and tense during times like this. (sic)." Sharing what his little one told him, putting on a brave face amidst these uncertain times, he added, ""Papa I will hide under my bed if something happens. I'm a strong girl Papa don't worry" is not what a father wants to hear. Every news update feels personal. No matter how strong we try to be in public life, at the end of the day we are family people." Ammy Virk further expressed his gratitude to the UAE government and authorities for ensuring the safety of the residents. Praying for the safety of all those stuck in the region, the 'Saunkan Saunkne' actor hoped that this phase would also come to an end soon. "At the same time, I know there are so many other families going through the same fear and anxiety. My prayers are not just for my loved ones, but for every single person affected. I also want to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts being made by the UAE authorities and the UAE government. From what I'm being told, they are working tirelessly to ensure people remain safe and supported during this time. For that. I am truly grateful. Let's continue to pray for peace, stability and the well being of everyone there. May this phase pass soon, and may all families feel secure and protected," concluded the post. - IANS Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has launched Project HANUMAN to address human-wildlife conflict in vulnerable districts. The initiative deploys a fleet of GPS-enabled rapid response vehicles and wildlife ambulances while establishing new rescue and treatment centres. Compensation for victims has been significantly enhanced, with ex-gratia for fatalities rising to Rs. 10 lakhs. The project also incorporates AI-based early warning systems and aligns with recent central government guidelines and amended wildlife protection laws. Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan launches Project HANUMAN with GPS vehicles, enhanced compensation, and AI warnings to protect villages and wildlife. Amaravati, March 3 Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched Project HANUMAN to address human-wildlife conflict in districts like Chittoor and Parvathipuram Manyam. The project aims to protect border villages, safeguard crops, livestock, and human lives while ensuring wildlife conservation. Under the initiative, 100 GPS-enabled vehicles, including 93 Rapid Response vehicles and 7 Wildlife Ambulances, have been deployed. Four Wildlife Rescue and Treatment Centres are also being established. Compensation for wildlife attack victims has been enhanced to Rs. 10 lakhs ex-gratia for deaths and Rs. 2 lakhs for the injured. AI-based early warning systems will also be implemented in vulnerable villages. The Deputy CM stated that the goal of HANUMAN is to turn human-wildlife conflict into responsible coexistence. The Central Government has also enhanced the ex-gratia in December 2023 under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' and 'Project Tiger and Elephant', from Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs in case of deaths due to wild animal attacks. According to the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh's written reply in the Lok Sabha number of human deaths caused by elephants in Andhra Pradesh is 21 from 2019 to 2023. In 2022, the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, was amended, which rationalised listings of wild animals in Schedules I and II appended to the Act and the Ministry has also issued guidelines to States and UTs on managing human-wildlife conflict, including damage to crops. The guidelines also advise States and UTs to consider utilising the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to deal with situations arising out of human wildlife conflict, such as rescue and relief operations, providing ex-gratia relief, management of law and order situation. - ANI The Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRT) is closely monitoring approximately 10 lakh workers from the state in Gulf countries amidst the Middle East conflict. CEO Dr Ravi Vemuru stated the situation is particularly severe in Bahrain, where buildings near a US base were struck, leading to evacuations. APNRT has deployed coordinators to offer transportation and support, though a new challenge has emerged with local governments classifying many as essential workers who cannot leave. Both the Indian and Andhra Pradesh governments are actively working to ensure the safety and welfare of their nationals in the region. APNRT CEO details support for 10 lakh AP workers in Gulf amid Middle East conflict, with Bahrain facing the most critical situation. Amaravati, March 3 The Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society is closely monitoring around 10 lakh people from Andhra Pradesh working in Gulf countries amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, with APNRT CEO Dr Ravi Vemuru stating that the situation is particularly critical in Bahrain. Speaking to ANI, Dr Vemuru said APNRT has deployed nearly 100 coordinators who are closely monitoring the situation on the ground and arranging transportation support for people wherever required. "From AP, we have about 10 lakh people in seven Middle Eastern countries and Iran. The situation is changing daily. Initially, everyone was worried and panicked, especially the residents. We alleviated their fears, thinking the war would be short-lived. But, as it extended, we called, and many of the residents felt safe and supported by their governments," Dr Vemuru said. He added that many people got stuck in Dubai and Kuwait due to halted flights, and APNRT offered them three options: stay at the airport or a hotel, contact coordinators for support, or go to Muscat and fly back to India. "Many people took that route, so we arranged for transportation. By evening, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia opened their airspace. However, people had to cross borders, and getting transit visas was a nuisance," he said. Dr Vemuru highlighted that Bahrain was the hardest hit among all Gulf countries. "Bahrain was hardest hit, with some buildings near the American base also being struck. The government evacuated people to shelters. We had a long Zoom call yesterday with about 250 people from all 7 countries. They said only Bahrain had the problem. There wasn't enough food. We also have a lot of Telugu workers in the camps. Our local coordinators in Bahrain are doing an excellent job, even financing the food themselves. If the situation continues, they may need state assistance, which we are prepared to provide," he said. He added that Andhra Pradesh Minister Kondapalli Srinivasagar and Chief Minister have been closely monitoring the situation through real-time updates, with reports of every event reaching them. Dr Vemuru said a new challenge emerged on Tuesday morning regarding workers classified as essential by local governments. "This morning, we encountered a new issue. Many people planning to return to India are now classified as essential workers by local governments, especially those working in construction or oil and gas. They cannot leave, though they still receive pay. This is the challenge we will address today," he said. He also noted that due to the ongoing war, the Indian rupee has weakened and oil prices are rising sharply, warning that this conflict will have a significant global impact. "Due to the ongoing war, the Indian rupee has weakened, and oil prices are rising sharply. This conflict will have a significant global impact," Dr Vemuru added. Both the Government of India and the Government of Andhra Pradesh are actively working on addressing the situation and ensuring the safety and welfare of Indian nationals in the Gulf region. - ANI The Indian Army has intensified surveillance along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir following a significant increase in drone sightings and the recovery of suspicious objects, like a balloon resembling an aircraft, from Pakistan. Security officials assess these incidents as a deliberate ploy to distract Indian forces, allowing terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to activate for potential infiltrations. Intelligence estimates indicate over 1,000 terrorists from groups like Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are waiting at these pads, with all recent infiltration attempts being thwarted. Pakistan's shift to using drones and deceptive objects comes as it finds it difficult to beat the multi-layered Indian security systems through traditional means like firing. Indian Army heightens border surveillance after increased drone & suspicious object sightings from Pakistan, aiming to thwart infiltration attempts in J&K. New Delhi, March 3 The Indian Army has intensified surveillance and monitoring along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir as drone sightings have gone up considerably. The heightened surveillance comes in the wake of Pakistan trying to push more drones and balloons resembling aircraft into Jammu and Kashmir. The police in Jammu and Kashmir spotted and then seized a balloon that resembles an aircraft. The police found that the object had the inscription of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on it. The preliminary probe found no electrical or electronic components that were fixed on it. The police are looking for more details into the case and the probe is ongoing an official informed. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the object did not cause any harm. However, it cannot be considered to be a stray incident. This development comes in the wake of the Indian Army thwarting multiple drone intrusions from Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). Most of these incidents were reported at the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. In recent months, the Army has noticed that the Pakistanis have been making multiple attempts to send drones into India. Last month, at least two quadcopters attempted to breach the Indian airspace along the LoC in the Poonch area. This has led the Army to conduct swift counter drone actions. Officials say that they do not see these incidents as isolated ones. Another official said that what has been different this time is that most of these drones have not intended to smuggle in narcotics or arms. The intention has also not been to harm to carry out surveillance. The official added that this is a deliberate ploy on part of the Pakistanis to keep the Indian security agencies engaged. This is meant to cause a distraction so that the launch pads at Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) can be activated and infiltrations can take place. Since 'Operation Sindoor', the Pakistanis have not managed to infiltrate a single terrorist into India. An Intelligence estimate states that there are over a 1,000 terrorists of both the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad who are waiting at the launchpads. Many have made multiple attempts to enter India, but all such attempts have been thwarted. This is leading to a sense of desperation among these terror groups. The Intelligence agencies say that Pakistan is looking to send in more such suspicious objects into India. Currently they are coming in smaller numbers, but this could increase dramatically. They would want to keep the security agencies engaged for a longer period of time and then choose an opportune time to push multiple terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI is desperate to get operations in Jammu and Kashmir up and running. It is under immense pressure from the terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Earlier, the Pakistan Army would indulge in firing to distract the Indian armed forces. Another official explained that Pakistan is finding it hard to beat the security systems in place at the border. The security forces operate on multiple layers, which are designed in such a way that it can handle intrusions, firing and also prevent infiltration, all at the same time. Hence Pakistan is bound to come up with various tricks to distract the security agencies and then try and get the infiltration process going, the official also added. - IANS Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone for the Birangana Sati Sadhani Samannay Kshetra in Golaghat district. The complex will honor the last queen of the Chutia kingdom and preserve the community's legacy through a massive statue, historical replicas, and a museum. It is designed as a miniature representation of the Chutia kingdom, featuring key sites and facilities like an auditorium and library. The government aims to complete the project within two years to boost the cultural and developmental significance of the region. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation for a memorial complex honoring Chutia queen Birangana Sati Sadhani, featuring a 100-ft statue and museum. Golaghat, March 3 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the Birangana Sati Sadhani Samannay Kshetra at Komargaon in Golaghat district. The initiative has been taken to pay tribute to Birangana Sati Sadhani and preserve the rich legacy of the historic Chutia kingdom for posterity. Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that the history of the Chutia community, rich with significant historical events and timeless tales of brave people, forms an important chapter in Assam's socio-cultural life. He said that the saga of patriotism and sacrifice of Birangana Sati Sadhani, the last queen of the Chutia kingdom and a witness to one of the golden chapters of its history, has long inspired the Assamese people. The Chief Minister stated that after discussions with various leading organisations of the Chutia community, the State government took a decision to construct the Samannay Kshetra, which will be developed as a miniature representation of the Chutia kingdom. The complex will feature a 100-foot-high statue of Birangana Sati Sadhani with a pedestal. Replicas of significant historical sites of the Chutia kingdom, including its capital Bhismaknagar, Rukmini Nagar, Itanagar, Padum Pukhuri, Pratima Nagar, etc will also be constructed. To facilitate research on the Chutia community, a museum and a library will be created within the complex. A model of the temple of the revered deity Kechai Khati Gosani, along with the Charishal Gosani shrine of Sadiya, will be set up at the site. A 2,000-seat auditorium will also be constructed. Moreover, the project will include an open stage, statues of Chutia kings, a children's park, a guest house, and a market for indigenous products. The Chief Minister, moreover, highlighted the courage and valour of Birangana Sati Sadhani and spoke about the glorious history of the Chutia kingdom and its lasting contribution to the progress of Assam. He said that Birangana Sati Sadhani is not only a symbol of bravery for the Chutia community but also an eternal symbol of courage and self-respect for the entire Assamese nation. Sarma further observed that the Samannay Kshetra is being constructed at a strategically important central location between Upper and Lower Assam. Upon completion of this project, the importance of the Bokakhat-Numaligarh area, including the selected site of the Samannay Kshetra, will increase significantly and positively impact the overall development of the area. The Chief Minister stated that the State government will make efforts to complete the construction of the Birangana Sati Sadhani Samannay Kshetra within approximately two years after the elections. Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Member of Parliament Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Vice-Chancellor of Jagannath Barooah University Jyotiprasad Saikia, leaders of various organisations of the Chutia community, and several others were present on the occasion. - ANI Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the military is authorized to advance and hold additional positions in southern Lebanon to protect border communities. The Israel Defence Forces conducted simultaneous strikes against military targets in both Beirut and Tehran, escalating regional hostilities. Hezbollah retaliated by launching a swarm of drones at Israel's Ramat David Air Base. The conflict intensified with the IDF confirming an overnight strike in Beirut killed Hussein Makled, described as the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm. Israeli troops authorized to advance in Lebanon as IDF conducts strikes in Beirut and Tehran. Hezbollah retaliates with drone attack on Israeli air base. Tel Aviv, March 3 The Israeli military on Tuesday said that its soldiers are "operating in southern Lebanon" as it continues strikes against Hezbollah. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the Israeli military is authorised to advance and take control of additional positions in Lebanon on Tuesday. He said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 's move to advance in southern Lebanon is intended to prevent "direct fire" on Israeli communities. "To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there," Katz said in a statement. Earlier, as the conflict escalated in West Asia, Israel conducted strikes in both Tehran and Beirut. The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X that it is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut. As per Al Jazeera, the IDF strikes took place in Beirut's Haret Hreik area. In an earlier retaliation, Hezbollah claimed a dawn attack on Israel's Ramat David Air Base, Al Jazeera reported. According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the air base on Tuesday. This comes as a retaliation for Israeli strikes. IRNA News Agency reported that the Israeli regime attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. According to IRNA, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting its programmes minutes after the reported strike. Earlier, Israel said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group's military activities. The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called "the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters." The developments come amid heightened hostilities in West Asia, with cross-border strikes and aerial interceptions raising concerns about further regional spillover. The IDF said Makled was responsible for "forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organisation with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel." The Israeli Air Force also intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles that crossed from Lebanon. - ANI Indian badminton champion PV Sindhu has safely returned to her home in Bengaluru after being stranded in Dubai due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. She expressed her relief and gratitude on social media, thanking ground teams and authorities for their care during the difficult period. Sindhu's father confirmed the Indian Embassy in Dubai had been actively monitoring her situation and provided her with hotel accommodation. The athlete now plans to rest and plan her next steps following the intense travel ordeal. Indian badminton star PV Sindhu is back home in Bengaluru after being stranded in Dubai due to escalating Middle East tensions. Read her statement. Bengaluru, March 3 Indian badminton star PV Sindhu is back home in Bengaluru after being stranded in Dubai amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The two-time Olympic medallist shared her relief and gratitude in a post on X, offering a glimpse into the anxiety she faced during the past few days. "Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I'm truly grateful to be back to my house. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say. For now, it's time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps," Sindhu wrote. The Indian Embassy in Dubai had been closely monitoring the situation and extended support to the badminton star. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, PV Sindhu's father, PV Ramana, had said, "I spoke with my daughter early this morning around 3 am. She said the Indian Embassy is taking care of her, and they've put her up in a hotel." Sindhu had earlier expressed her fear and concerns on X, following the Israel-Iran conflict. She recounted hearing interceptions overhead and witnessing alarming visuals in Dubai, describing the situation as frightening. The tensions in the Gulf escalated after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in Israeli-US strikes on Sunday, prompting Iran to carry out retaliatory strikes in Gulf countries. The unfolding conflict has affected several Indians in the region, including athletes and tourists. With Sindhu now safely back in India, she plans to take time to rest and plan her next steps amid an intense travel ordeal that tested her patience and resilience. - ANI Actor Esha Gupta has returned to India after being stranded in the United Arab Emirates during recent West Asia tensions. She described the chaos at Abu Dhabi airport following missile attacks, praising the calm response of UAE ground staff. The conflict has caused delays and schedule adjustments for several westbound international flights from Delhi's IGI Airport. Indian authorities are monitoring the airspace situation and carriers are using alternative flight routings to ensure safety. Actor Esha Gupta details her ordeal being stranded in Abu Dhabi during West Asia missile attacks, thanks Indian and UAE authorities for safe return. New Delhi, March 3 Actor Esha Gupta, who was stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, has safely returned to India. Sharing her ordeal on social media on Tuesday, Esha expressed gratitude to both the Indian government and the UAE authorities for their support during the tense situation. She penned a note which read, "Back home. Thank you all for your prayers and wishes. It was very tough to be in the situation that we all were. Truly God's blessing to safe! It started when I was at the airport on the 28th(Sunday). By 1pm, the airport was closed, chaos all around as none of us knew what happened. Then the news started coming of the missile attack and no one knew what the next minute held for us. Strangers consoling each other, all calling their families back home (sic)." "Here, I would like to mention that what I saw was strength of a country which is the UAE. We were at the Abu Dhabi airport. The ground staff and airport security immediately lunged to action and stayed calm throughout even though we were all in this situation together. I hadn't checked in myself by then so I took a turn and left back to my hotel in Abu Dhabi. Following are the stories that we heard first hand from the people we met later in our hotel that night," she shared. The full post can be read on her Instagram account. Meanwhile, several westbound international flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi were delayed due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said in an official statement. Delhi Airport issued an update on social media platform X, stating, "Due to the ongoing political situation in the Middle East, several westbound international flights are causing delays or schedule adjustments. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight updates with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport." India is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. The US and Israeli strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI Bangladesh has expressed deep sorrow and condemned the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a violation of international law. In response, Iran has formed an interim leadership council, with new member Ayatollah Alireza Arafi delivering a stern rebuke of Western actions. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has escalated hostilities by launching a major missile operation, termed the "tenth wave," targeting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Simultaneously, the Israel Defence Forces confirmed eliminating top Iranian intelligence officials, including a deputy minister, in a retaliatory strike as the region descends into full-scale conflict. Bangladesh condemns Khamenei's killing as Iran's new interim council forms and IRGC launches major missile strikes on Israel, escalating Middle East conflict. Dhaka, March 2 Bangladesh on Monday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemning the nature of his demise. "The Government is saddened to learn that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in a targeted attack, which is a violation of international law and norms. It extends heartfelt condolences to the brotherly people of Iran," the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Emphasising a call for restraint, the ministry added, "Bangladesh believes that conflict brings no solution and that only dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law can resolve disputes." This diplomatic reaction follows a significant political shift in Tehran, where Ayatollah Alireza Arafi made his inaugural public appearance as a member of Iran's newly formed interim leadership council. Delivering a stern rebuke of Western military actions via a video address, Arafi spoke from a televised podium to address the nation and the international community regarding the recent escalations. Arafi was appointed as a jurist member of the interim council on Sunday, following the killing of the Supreme Leader. During the address, he directly challenged the motives behind the recent strikes, asserting, "The United States and the Zionist regime have based an improper, incorrect and unjust action on a mistaken calculation." Following this high-level rhetoric, the situation on the ground has transitioned into a significant escalation of Middle Eastern hostilities. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Monday confirmed the commencement of the "tenth wave of the True Promise 4 Operation," claiming to have struck a government complex in Tel Aviv alongside targets in East Al-Quds (Jerusalem), according to reports from Tasnim News. In its ninth official statement, the IRGC's Public Relations Department detailed the deployment of "Khaybar missiles" during this phase of the offensive. The department asserted that the strike "opened doors to a massive inferno" across various occupied territories, marking a major peak in the ongoing aerial campaign. Alongside the strikes, the IRGC issued a stern warning to residents within the occupied territories, advising them to "evacuate immediately from areas near military bases, security centres, and governmental facilities." According to Tasnim News, this latest wave specifically prioritised the government hub in Tel Aviv, as well as high-security and military installations in Haifa and East Al-Quds. This follows previous declarations by the IRGC, maintaining that "siren sounds in Israel would never cease." Tasnim News further reports that "illegal settlers" have been urged to stay clear of military or administrative buildings and to "evacuate immediately from the occupied territories" to avoid fallout from the missile volleys. Amidst these heavy exchanges, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responded by announcing the elimination of top-tier members of the Iranian regime's Ministry of Intelligence during a military offensive dubbed Operation 'Roaring Lion'. In a statement released on X on Monday, the IDF confirmed that the strikes targeted high-ranking figures within Tehran's intelligence apparatus. Among those killed was Sayed Yahya Hamidi, identified as the "Deputy Minister of Intelligence for 'Israel Affairs,' who led terrorist activities targeting Jews, Western actors, and regime opponents in Iran and abroad." The military also confirmed the death of Jalal Pour Hossein, the "Head of the Espionage Division." According to the IDF, the mission was "guided by precise IDF intelligence," and the officials "were targeted and eliminated during the opening strike of Operation 'Roaring Lion'." The IDF further noted that "additional senior officials were also eliminated" and stated that "the IAF also struck the Ministry's headquarters in Tehran." This latest surge in violence follows a full-scale conflict that erupted in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. As the conflict intensifies, world leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation, warning that the risk of a wider regional conflict grows as fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI Mizoram authorities have completed biometric enrolment for over 97% of the approximately 28,355 Myanmar refugees sheltering in the state. The process, advised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has faced challenges like poor internet connectivity, slowing progress in six districts. For the 2,365 Bangladeshi refugees in the state, enrolment stands at just over 21%, with Lawngtlai district showing particularly low coverage. The initiative aims to ensure proper documentation for administrative and humanitarian coordination, with refugees staying in camps, rented houses, and with relatives across the mountainous state. Mizoram completes biometric data for over 97% of 28,355 Myanmar refugees. Process ongoing for Bangladeshi refugees amid connectivity challenges. Aizawl, March 2 Authorities in Mizoram's 11 districts have so far completed biometric enrolment of over 97 per cent of the approximately 28,355 Myanmar refugees, including women and children, who took shelter in the state in different phases following the military coup in February 2021, officials said on Monday. On the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the biometric enrolment process for both Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees has been underway in Mizoram since July 2025, using the Foreigners Identification Portal and the Biometric Enrolment System. A senior official of the Mizoram Home Department said that of the 28,355 Myanmar nationals currently residing across the state, biometric details of 27,574 individuals have been recorded, accounting for 97.24 per cent coverage. The biometric exercise has been fully completed in Aizawl, Lunglei, Serchhip, and Champhai districts. Champhai district, which shares the longest unfenced international border with Myanmar, hosts the largest number of refugees, 12,083 in total. Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram, which borders both Myanmar and Bangladesh, shelters the second-highest number of Myanmar nationals at 5,034. Of these, the biometric data of 4,870 individuals or 96.74 per cent, have been collected. However, the enrolment process has slowed considerably in six districts over the past two months due to various challenges, including poor internet connectivity. The exercise is yet to be completed in Siaha (3,195 refugees), Hnahthial (590), Khawzawl (312), Mamit (310), Saitual (190) and Kolasib (185). Overall, of the 2,365 Bangladeshi refugees currently sheltered in four districts, biometric enrolment has been completed for 501 individuals, accounting for 21.18 per cent of the total. Three districts -- Serchhip (235 refugees), Lunglei (76) and Aizawl (7) -- have completed biometric data collection for all Bangladeshi nationals residing there. In Lawngtlai district, which shelters 2,042 Bangladeshi refugees, biometric data have been recorded for only 183 persons, accounting for just 8.96 per cent. The Mizoram government has maintained that the exercise aims to ensure proper documentation and facilitate administrative coordination while extending humanitarian assistance. Both Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees are staying in designated relief camps as well as in rented houses and with relatives across all 11 districts of the mountainous state. The Home Department official noted that while collecting biometric details from camp residents is relatively easy, the process is more challenging for those staying in relatives' homes and rented accommodations spread across hundreds of remote villages. To address this issue, district authorities have sought assistance from village councils and civil society organisations, particularly the Young Mizo Association, the official said. In addition to biometric data, the enrolment process includes the collection of biographical details such as names, addresses, parents' names and employment history in both Myanmar and Mizoram. Most of the Myanmar refugees are from Chin state, while the Bangladeshi refugees largely belong to the Bawm (also known as the Bawmzo tribal community). Both communities share close ethnic, traditional and cultural ties with the majority Mizo population of Mizoram. At one point, the number of Myanmar refugees in the state had risen to around 35,000. However, with some improvement in the situation in the neighbouring country, a few thousand have since returned. Myanmar's Chin state shares a 510-km-long unfenced mountainous border with Mizoram's Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip districts. Meanwhile, Mamit, Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts share a 318-km-long unfenced border with Bangladesh. Mizoram has also provided shelter to several thousand displaced tribals who fled ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in neighbouring Manipur in May 2023. - IANS BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi has called on the BJD and Congress to support the BJP to secure Odisha's fourth Rajya Sabha seat, downplaying the new alliance between the two opposition parties. The BJD and Congress have declared Datteswar Hota as their common candidate for the seat, with Congress leaders stating they are following party instructions to back him. Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das explained the joint candidate was chosen to avoid horse-trading and select a qualified individual from outside party politics. The biennial elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states are set for March 16. BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi urges BJD & Congress to support BJP for Odisha's 4th Rajya Sabha seat, as parties announce a common candidate. Bhubaneswar, March 3 After Congress and Biju Janata Dal declared support for Datteswar Hota as the common candidate for Rajya Sabha elections, BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi asked the Opposition parties to extend support to the BJP to secure the fourth seat in the Upper House of Parliament. Downplaying the Congress-BJD alliance for one Rajya Sabha seat, Majhi said that the BJD and Congress have never allied in the past and are "unlikely to do so" for the upcoming elections. "BJD and Congress have never allied and are unlikely to do so. They will need the support of at least 12 MLAs to get the fourth seat, which is difficult. They both should support us, for we are taking the 4th seat," the BJP leader told ANI on Monday. Datteswar Hota was declared as a common candidate by the BJD chief Naveen Patnaik for the fourth Rajya Sabha, and asked all parties to extend their support, while the party declared Santrupt Misra as the candidate for the third seat. On Sunday, Congress MLA Sagar Charan Das said the party leadership has instructed him to back Datteswar Hota. Speaking to ANI, Das highlighted the achievements of Hota, emphasing that it's a good choice to support "pure Odiya". "This time, Congress is playing an important role. Datteswar Hota has been declared a common candidate because he is a renowned doctor from Odisha, and his contribution to the society of Odisha is immense. So it is a very good choice to support pure Odiya," he said. "We will also support him because that is a clear instruction from our president and the AICC," the Congress leader added. Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das hinted that three of the four Rajya Sabha seats are set to be swept by the BJP, given their strength in the Assembly, while the Opposition parties are aiming to secure the fourth seat. He said that the Congress and the BJD decided to announce a joint candidate to avoid the "horse trading" practice in the upcoming polls. "Odisha had four Rajya Sabha seats, three of which were clear, but one was unclear. Therefore, the BJD and Congress could have contested that seat together. To explore that possibility, to prevent horse-trading, and to make a decision in the best interest of the state, the candidate should have been someone who was neither in the BJD nor the Congress, but rather an educated person from Odisha, a son of an Odia who had worked for the people. We had said this before. We had asked Naveen Patnaik for time 8-10 days ago; he gave us time, and he also shared the same opinion. He was also strongly against horse-trading in Rajya Sabha elections. In such a situation, Naveen Patnaik has announced a joint candidate," Bhakta Charan Das said. The polling for the upcoming biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm. The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected. The last date of nominations is March 5, followed by scrutiny on March 6. The candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9. The election process will be completed by March 20. - ANI BJP MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi expressed confidence that the BJP will win the maximum Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha, claiming support from 82 MLAs. He asserted that internal dissatisfaction within the BJD and Congress could lead to cross-voting in favor of BJP candidates. The BJP plans to contest three seats, while the BJD has named two candidates, including a common candidate seeking Congress support. The election outcome hinges on voting equations and potential cross-party alignments. BJP MLA Prakash Sethi claims party has 82 MLAs' support and expects cross-voting from dissatisfied BJD & Congress legislators in Rajya Sabha polls. Bhubaneswar, March 3 BJP MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi on Tuesday expressed confidence that the BJP will secure the maximum number of seats in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Odisha. Sethi asserted that several MLAs from both the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) are going to extend support to the BJP candidate in the interest of the state. The BJP MLA claimed that internal dissatisfaction within Congress and BJD could influence the voting pattern. According to him, some legislators from the Opposition parties are not happy with their respective party leadership and may cross-vote during the Rajya Sabha polls. "We have the support of a total 82 MLAs and two of our candidates will be easily elected to Rajya Sabha. There is a competition for the third and fourth seats. The BJD had already suspended two of its MLAs while two MLAs remained absent from the crucial Congress Legislature Party meeting held yesterday," said Sethi. Sethi maintained that the BJP has the required numbers and is confident of winning the seat with a comfortable margin. "BJP is in touch with MLAs from BJD and Congress. In the interest of Odisha's development and political stability, many of them are expected to support our candidate," Sethi said. He added that even if additional support is needed, the party is hopeful of securing backing from MLAs across party lines. The Rajya Sabha election in Odisha has generated significant political interest, with parties actively engaging in strategic discussions to consolidate support. The final outcome will depend on voting equations and potential cross-party alignments. It is worth noting that after a high-level meeting of ruling party MLAs held here on Monday, a senior BJP leader informed the media that the party would contest three Rajya Sabha seats. Meanwhile, a crucial meeting of the Congress Legislature Party was also held on Monday at a hotel near Congress Bhawan in Bhubaneswar to chalk out the party's strategy for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha. A BJD-backed common candidate for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, Dr Datteswar Hota, has also attended the meeting seeking the support of the Congress legislators. BJD President Naveen Patnaik had earlier named senior party leader Santrupt Misra and urologist Datteswar Hota as the two candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. - IANS NDA likely to win four of five seats Elections for five seats on March 16 JD(U) expected to get two NDA seats The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar. Attention now shifts to the Janata Dal (United), which is expected to nominate two candidates, including Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant Kumar. Elections for five vacant seats are scheduled for March 16, with the ruling NDA alliance poised to secure four based on current legislative strength. The fifth seat may see a contest as neither the NDA nor the opposition Grand Alliance has a clear majority for it. BJP names Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar for Bihar Rajya Sabha elections. JD(U) likely to nominate Ram Nath Thakur, Nishant Kumar. Key political strategy ahead of March 16 vote. Patna, March 3 The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, naming Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram for two seats. Nitin Nabin, who is currently an MLA from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, was appointed a minister after the NDA formed the government following the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. However, he later resigned from the ministerial post after being appointed as the BJP's national president. Shivesh Kumar previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Sasaram (SC-reserved) constituency but lost to Congress candidate Manoj Kumar Ram by 19,157 votes. His nomination to the Rajya Sabha is being seen as a strategic move by the party. With the BJP announcing its nominees, attention has now shifted to the Janata Dal (United) list. As part of the NDA arrangement, JD(U) is expected to get two of the four NDA-backed seats. Among the names doing the rounds are Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. There had been intense speculation that Bhojpuri film star Pawan Singh would be nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha. However, the party's announcement has put all such speculation to rest. Elections are scheduled on March 16 for five vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with nominations to be filed by March 5. The outgoing members include Ramnath Thakur (JDU), Harivansh Narayan Singh (JDU), Upendra Kushwaha (RLM), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), and Amarendra Dhari Singh (RJD). According to the current Assembly strength, NDA has 202 MLAs and winning one Rajya Sabha seat requires 41 votes. To win all five seats, 205 MLAs would be required. The ruling NDA alliance is considered certain to win four of the five seats based on current numbers, while the fifth seat could witness a contest, as neither the NDA nor the opposition Grand Alliance has a clear majority for it. By announcing candidates for its share of seats, the BJP has signalled its strategy of fielding leaders who can strongly represent Bihar's interests at the national level. The development has intensified political discussions across the state as parties finalise their strategies for the upcoming election. - IANS The Indian Air Force is advancing a major tender to acquire 60 multirole transport aircraft, with Brazil's Embraer, US-based Lockheed Martin, and Russia's Ilyushin emerging as top contenders. The proposal is expected to be cleared soon by the Defence Acquisition Council. Under the program, only 20% of the aircraft will be imported in fly-away condition, with the remaining 80% to be manufactured in India through joint ventures, featuring over 60% indigenous content. The shortlisted global manufacturers have already partnered with Indian defence firms like Mahindra, Tata, and HAL for the local production phase. Embraer, Lockheed Martin, Ilyushin compete for Indian Air Force's 60-plane deal, with major Make in India manufacturing component. New Delhi, March 3 Brazil's Embraer, US-based Lockheed Martin and Russia's Ilyushin aircraft are likely to be the top contenders for the mega Indian Air Force deal to buy 60 multirole transport aircraft. Defence officials told ANI that the proposal is expected to be taken up soon by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) for clearance. The programme would see around 20 per cent of the planes joining the Indian Air Force in fly-away condition, while the rest of them would be manufactured in India with over 60 per cent indigenous content, defence officials told ANI. The aircraft will be built in India through joint ventures between Indian companies and the original equipment manufacturers. Brazilian aerospace major Embraer is partnering with Mahindra Defence. US defence giant Lockheed Martin has tied up with Tata, and the Russian side, led by Ilyushin, might tie up with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Indian Air Force already operates 12 C-130J Super Hercules planes in its fleet. In addition, IAF is already working with Airbus on the C-295 transport aircraft, as around 70 of them are going to be inducted into the forces, with the majority of them getting made in India. - ANI BTS has revealed the 14-song tracklist for their upcoming album "Arirang," their first full-group album in six years. The band announced a landmark global comeback event, including a live concert on Netflix from Seoul on March 21, 2026. A feature-length documentary, "BTS: The Return," directed by Bao Nguyen, will premiere on Netflix following the concert. The group will then embark on an extensive "Arirang World Tour" spanning 2026-2027 with 82 shows across five continents. BTS reveals 14-song 'Arirang' album tracklist, a landmark Netflix live concert, a documentary, and a massive 2026-2027 world tour. Los Angeles, March 4 Popular K-pop band BTS has finally unveiled the titles of their upcoming songs from the new album 'ARIRANG'. On Tuesday, the boy band shared the 14-track sequence of songs across social media platforms, stating that the set will kickstart with the song 'Body to Body' followed by other titles like 'Hooligan', 'Aliens', 'FYA', '2.0', 'No 29', and 'SWIM'. Other songs in the set are 'Merry Go Round', Normal', 'Like Animals', 'they don't know 'bout us', 'One More Night', 'Please', and 'Into the Sun'. It was also revealed that all the BTS members - Jin, RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are involved in penning down the tracks. Also, hitmakers like Diplo, Kevin Parker, Mike WiLL Made-It and Ryan Tedder have been credited as producers on the songs. BTS's comeback 'Arirang' is set to be released in March, marking their first full-band album in six years. Their last full set touched No 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020, with songs like 'Life Goes On' and 'Dynamite'. On the other hand, BTS is also set for a landmark global event in March. Netflix, in collaboration with HYBE, has announced a comeback event for K-pop supergroup, featuring a live performance and a feature-length documentary slated for release in March 2026. The comeback concert, titled BTS The Comeback Live| Arirang, will be streamed live on Netflix on March 21, broadcasting live from the historic Gwanghwamun area in Seoul, South Korea. The performance marks BTS's first global stage reunion following the completion of mandatory military service by all seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. The live event celebrates the release of BTS's fifth studio album, Arirang, which explores the group's identity, roots and evolution. Netflix stated that the live concert will be the platform's first-ever globally livestreamed event broadcast from Korea. Following the live performance, Netflix will premiere BTS: The Return, a feature-length documentary, on March 27, 2026. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Bao Nguyen, the documentary offers behind-the-scenes access to the band's reunion and the making of their comeback album. After the album release, BTS will embark on the Arirang World Tour (2026-2027), spanning 34 regions and 82 shows across Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. BTS's new album Arirang is scheduled for release on March 20, 2026. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a post-Budget webinar, urging MSMEs and industry leaders to focus on building, producing, and connecting more to significantly enhance India's export capabilities. He emphasized that strong, interconnected manufacturing, logistics, and MSME sectors create new opportunities, especially with free trade agreements now in place. The Prime Minister highlighted the Biopharma SHAKTI Mission from the Budget, aiming to make India a global hub for biologics and next-generation therapies. He called for collaborative efforts between industry, financial institutions, and state governments to implement ground-level changes and make India's products surpass global quality standards. PM Modi calls on MSMEs to boost manufacturing, quality, and exports, leveraging FTAs and the Biopharma SHAKTI Mission for a developed India. New Delhi, March 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called upon Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and industry leaders to prioritise a strategy of building, producing, and connecting more to enhance India's export capabilities. Addressing a post-Budget webinar on "Sustaining and Strengthening Economic Growth" via video conferencing, the Prime Minister stated that the nation's economic pillars, manufacturing, logistics, and MSMEs, are linked together. "Our direction and resolve are clear. Build more, produce more, connect more and now we need to export more. It is sure that the suggestions you all give today will play a vital role in this. All of you know that manufacturing, logistics, MSMEs... are the pillars of the economy. They are all interconnected. Such strong manufacturing creates new opportunities," he said. He noted that strong manufacturing creates new opportunities across these sectors, "We must create user-friendly products to meet these needs; only then will we be able to take advantage of these opportunities. And with the free trade agreement now in place, this highway of development is ready for you," he said. "Today, India's strong economy remains the world's hope", and emphasised that "rapid economic progress is a major foundation for a developed India," Modi said. Speaking about global competitiveness, the Prime Minister stressed that, "Now we must invest heavily in research and ensure quality in accordance with global standards. India has signed free trade agreements with many countries. A huge avenue of opportunities has opened up for us" through international trade pacts, making it a national responsibility to never compromise on quality. "The quality of our products must not only meet the global standard but also surpass it," he stated, advising industries to "study and research the needs of other countries and the expectations of their people" to create products. Highlighting specific budgetary provisions, the Prime Minister discussed the Biopharma SHAKTI Mission. He said, "The Biopharma SHAKTI Mission has also been announced in the Budget. The aim of this mission is to make India a global hub for biologics and next-generation therapies. We want to become leaders in advanced biopharma research and manufacturing. Today, the world is looking for trustworthy and resilient manufacturing partners." He identified the current reshaping of the global supply chain as a critical moment for India to solidify its position. The Prime Minister also called for a collaborative effort between industry, financial institutions, and state governments to implement ground-level changes. "To bring about ground-level changes, industry, financial institutions, and state governments must work together to make it a reality. I expect all of you to give priority to topics such as how to increase manufacturing and production, how to make the cost structure more competitive, how to accelerate the flow of investment, and how to develop the remotest regions of India. Your suggestions will be extremely important in achieving all of this," Modi said. - ANI The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, K Sanjay Murthy, addressed a national conference of state secretaries to strengthen accountability in local governments. He stated that assessing urban local bodies depends on the maturity of their accounts, with a pilot analysis already conducted on 700 accounts. The 16th Finance Commission has significantly increased grants and recommended linking part of them to states' own transfers to local bodies. Officials from Panchayati Raj and Urban Affairs ministries also emphasized the need for better account preparation and citizen-centric audits. CAG K Sanjay Murthy addresses state secretaries on improving urban & rural local body accounts, audits, and transparency with 16th Finance Commission support. New Delhi, March 3 K Sanjay Murthy, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, on Tuesday said that assessing asset management and operational efficiencies of urban local bodies largely depends on the maturity and quality of their accounts, as he addressed the National Conference of State Secretaries on strengthening accountability and transparency in local governments. Assessing asset management and operational efficiencies of urban local bodies largely depends on the maturity of their accounts and their preparation. This was stated by K Sanjay Murthy, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, while addressing the National Conference of State Secretaries to strengthen Accountability and Transparency in Local Governments here yesterday. "Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has done significant work in bringing transparency and visibility to the preparation of accounts through the city finance portal, where all the accounts of local bodies are being uploaded", said the CAG. "Building upon that, I think the priority of the CAG will be to assess the maturity of these accounts that have been prepared, and as a pilot, some 700 accounts across geographies have been analysed to see the maturity of these accounts." There have been significant observations on the quality of these accounts that have been prepared, and CAG reiterated to stand alongside the State Governments in preparing better quality accounts as we go forward. Murthy stated that the 16th Finance Commission grants have increased more than two times, and one particular scheme itself, called the Urban Challenge Fund, has a potential investment of more than four lakh crores to be leveraged. Each State follows its own mechanism in making grants to local bodies, and therefore, these transfers get reported without the desired uniformity. This has become more important during the award period of the FC-16 since it has recommended that 10% of the grant be linked to the states transferring to their local bodies from their own resources at least an amount equal to 20% of the basic grant recommended by FC-16 for local bodies in the State. Murthy also shared the opinion of the FC that CAG could uniformly and transparently report the grants given by States to their local bodies. It would provide valuable information as well as enable proper implementation of this conditionality. In their recommendations, FC-16 has highlighted the importance of timely and accurate accounts and audit of local bodies. It has recognised the role played by enabling systems like e-Gram Swaraj and noted efforts like the mapping of charts of accounts. Murthy further shared the opinion of the 16th FC that CAG is mandated with the responsibility of Technical Guidance and Supervision of local bodies. Active involvement of CAG would be of great help in ensuring timelines and improving the quality of accounts and audit by CAG. Murthy stated that now, in that journey, we have also built our own capacities to address this very important sector in two ways. The commercial cadre, which looks at financial statements of cities, will be doubled in the next 4-5 years, and secondly, their capacities will be enlarged for examining newer financial products also. Addressing an afternoon session, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Vivek Bhardwaj, thanked the CAG not only for organising this conference, but also for recognising that preparation of accounts is only halfway to transparency and accountability through e-Gramswaraj and Audit Online. "It would be impactful if we actually flag all the shortcomings in this area." He said that the department has many conversations over the last few months and is very grateful for CAG's support in ensuring that Panchayat Raj institutions now become examples of what a model gram panchayat should be. This is possible by becoming accountable to its people, addressing their problems and keeping such accounts that they become bankable. Speaking on the occasion, D Thara, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, urged the CAG to not only audit but also facilitate better preparation of accounts. She also suggested for citizen centric audit of public places. She mentioned that in the urban landscape, there are 5000 cities. Whenever you have to handle something of that magnitude, particularly when 5000 are not so evenly distributed. She urged that priority be given to the top 500 cities for improving their accounts and for audits. Best practises from across the country were also presented by State Secretaries and Municipal Commissioners. In his concluding remarks, Dy CAG (LGA) Manish Kumar said that the stakeholders' consultation is central to the functioning of the organisation of CAG of India and fruitful discussions with all stakeholders today have ensured a better insight for our audit products and a better collaboration for improved governance. - ANI India and Canada are deepening their strategic partnership on clean energy and critical minerals, with Canada positioning itself as a reliable supplier amidst global geopolitical turbulence. During Canadian PM Mark Carney's visit, officials highlighted a landmark $2.6 billion uranium supply deal with Cameco Corp. to fuel India's ambitious target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2030. The collaboration extends beyond fuel to include joint development of small modular reactors and a new MoU on critical minerals like lithium and cobalt for India's EV and semiconductor industries. Both nations have also agreed on terms for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with a target to conclude talks by the end of 2026. Canada pledges reliable uranium supply as India targets 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2030. New critical minerals MoU signed to secure EV supply chains. New Delhi, March 2 India and Canada are strengthening their partnership on critical minerals and clean energy, with Canadian PM Mark Carney emphasising Canada's commitment to being a reliable partner for India. During the Ministry of External Affairs briefing on Canadian PM Mark Carney's official visit to India, Secretary (East) P Kumaran stated that both countries are working together on clean energy, including nuclear fuel supplies, small modular reactors, and advanced conventional reactors. Kumaran noted that PM Carney emphasised Canada's reliability "at least thrice." "Canadian PM Carney underlined at least thrice during his interactions with the Prime Minister today that Canada is determined to be a reliable and stable partner for India in terms of sourcing various products. One of the pillars is also clean energy. There is a broad commitment on both sides to try and work together on clean energy. As I mentioned, apart from a few other topics, nuclear fuel supplies, the kind of reactors, small modular reactors and advanced conventional reactors, there is also uh a commitment to work together on all parts of the reactor value chain," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an aggressive target to reach 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 (and a significant scale-up by 2030). Moreover, Canada sees value in cooperating with India amidst global turbulence. With trade tensions rising with the U.S. (including 15% tariffs), Canada is pivoting toward India to diversify its resource exports. As the Middle East faces an escalating Israel-Iran crisis, diversifying energy sources away from the Persian Gulf toward stable partners like Canada is a matter of national security. "I would try and place all this in the context of the geopolitical turbulence in the world right now. Canada clearly sees value in cooperating with India at this point. We clearly are interested in diversifying all kinds of clean energy that we can access. PM Modi told PM Carney that we have set a target of 100 gigawatts for nuclear energy for the next few years, by 2030 and PM Carney said they would be very glad to be partners in that journey together to work with us and ensure that, among other things, nuclear fuel is also available," he said. Currently, India has approximately 8.8 GW of installed nuclear capacity. To bridge the massive gap toward 100 GW, India requires an "unwavering" supply of fuel. Canada's Cameco Corp. has stepped in with a landmark deal to supply $2.6 billion of uranium concentrate over nine years (2027-2035). This provides the fuel security necessary for India to move its "reform express" into the nuclear sector. Unlike previous agreements that focused solely on raw material, this 2026 pact covers the entire lifecycle of nuclear technology. Both leaders are committed to the joint development and deployment of SMRs. These are seen as the "future of the grid" because they can replace ageing coal plants and provide decentralised power. Cooperation will extend to existing heavy-water reactor technologies (the evolution of the original CANDU designs). Beyond uranium, a new MoU on Critical Minerals was signed to secure supply chains for lithium, cobalt, and rare earths--essential for India's EV and semiconductor goals. On the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Canada, Kumaran said, "We've just agreed on the terms of reference, and we will soon get into detailed discussions. The broad deadline is by the end of the year 2026." On investments between India and Canada, he said, "Canadian pension funds invest very large amounts in India. The investments by them have crossed over 100 billion dollars. I believe the figure is some 107 billion dollars." Kumaran said that Canada sees a lot of value in investing in India. "That is something that is interesting for them. There are multiple Canadian pension funds, provincial, federal, et cetera, and different categories of employees. They see a lot of value in investing in India, given the sustained growth story and also what they see as the outlook for the future. It is something that has worked well for them in the past. 30% of their pension fund investments in the Asia-Pacific are just in India," he said. Kumaran further said that Canada would like the Indian investment market to try and provide benefits that we currently provide for sovereign wealth funds. "This is obviously a large number, and it shows a lot of commitment to the Indian market. We were also told that they would like the Indian investment market to try and provide benefits that we currently provide for sovereign wealth funds, expand them to pension funds, and to make India a competitive investment market compared to other financial centres in the region. The Prime Minister said he will look into it and discuss with our team in India and take that on board to see what can be done." - ANI The Commission for Air Quality Management has issued a new framework directing NCR states and Delhi to implement targeted public awareness campaigns to tackle region-specific sources of air pollution. The directive emphasizes a shift from seasonal measures to sustained, year-round engagement using multi-channel approaches tailored to key pollution contributors. This move follows a recent Supreme Court hearing where authorities were pulled up over Delhi's persistent air quality crisis. States are now required to prepare detailed IEC action plans and designate nodal agencies for coordination. CAQM directs Delhi-NCR states to intensify targeted public awareness campaigns on air pollution sources like vehicles and dust, following Supreme Court orders. New Delhi, March 3 The Commission for Air Quality Management has issued a framework directing NCR States and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi to roll out targeted Information, Education and Communication campaigns aimed at tackling region-specific sources of air pollution. The move seeks to institutionalise sustained public engagement as a core pillar of pollution control strategy across Delhi-NCR, shifting focus from seasonal firefighting to year-round behavioural change and awareness. In its latest advisory, the Commission said, "The Commission advises all NCR States and GNCTD to direct the concerned agencies in the region to plan, implement and intensify targeted IEC campaign, aligned with the dominant sources of air pollution." It stressed that outreach efforts must be tailored to key contributors such as vehicular emissions, construction dust, biomass burning and industrial pollution. The CAQM emphasised that IEC activities should adopt a multi-channel approach, including print, electronic and digital media, social media platforms, and community-level programmes. Engagements with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), farmers' groups, transport unions, market associations and other stakeholders have been specifically recommended to ensure wider participation. States have also been encouraged to adopt innovative outreach models to maximise impact. "NCR States and GNCTD are advised to prepare detailed State-level IEC Action Plans as per the above Framework and designate a nodal Department/Agency at the State level for coordination of IEC activities," the Commission said. It further directed all Municipal Corporations and Development Authorities that have submitted Annual Action Plans for 2026 to also prepare dedicated IEC Action Plans for implementation throughout the year in their respective jurisdictions. The directive comes a week after the Supreme Court pulled up authorities over Delhi's persistent air quality crisis. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the GNCTD to file a detailed action plan to operationalise CAQM's recommendations. The Court also asked the Ministry of Environment and Power to propose shifting all coal-based industries out of Delhi-NCR, identifying affected units and alternative fuel sources. Neighbouring states, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, have been instructed to issue public notices inviting stakeholder suggestions, including from coal-based industries, and incorporate them into action-taken reports. - ANI The Central Board of Secondary Education has postponed Class 10 and 12 board examinations scheduled for March 5 and 6 in several West Asian countries due to the ongoing regional conflict. The affected countries include Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. CBSE will review the situation on March 5 to decide on examinations scheduled from March 7 onwards, advising students to stay in touch with their schools for official updates. The postponement follows recent military escalations, including airstrikes and retaliatory attacks across the region. CBSE postpones March 5-6 exams for Class 10 & 12 in 7 West Asian countries. New dates pending review of regional conflict situation. New Delhi, March 3 The Central Board of Secondary Education on Tuesday has postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 5 and 6, in select countries in West Asia, amid the ongoing conflict in the region. According to a circular issued by CBSE, the Board will review the situation in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on March 5 to make a decision on examinations scheduled on March 7. "After a critical review of the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), the Board has decided to postpone the Class X and Class XII examinations scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, and Friday, March 6, 2026, in the Middle East region. The new dates shall be announced later," CBSE said in the circular. "The Board will review the situation on Thursday, 05 March 2026 and take appropriate decisions with regard to examinations scheduled from 07 March onwards. All students are advised to stay in touch with their schools for updates and follow official announcements carefully," the circular read. The Indian Embassy in Oman also shared the update and advised students to stay in regular contact with their schools, follow only the CBSE announcements and avoid unofficial sources and rumours. Earlier on Sunday, CBSE postponed the examinations scheduled on March 2. This comes as the US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. In the recent developments, Hezbollah claimed a dawn attack on Israel's Ramat David Air Base, Al Jazeera reported. According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the air base on Tuesday. - ANI The Indian government has announced an ambitious goal to increase the annual intake of foreign students in higher education institutions to 200,000 by the year 2030. This represents a significant jump from the current figure of approximately 50,000 international students arriving each year. Officials are intensifying efforts under the 'Study in India' initiative, working with central and state universities to expand capacity and ensure robust infrastructure like hostels. The plan includes global stakeholder engagement and allows foreign universities setting up campuses in India to also admit international students. India sets a bold target to attract 200,000 international students annually by 2030, enhancing outreach and university infrastructure under the 'Study in India' initiative. New Delhi, March 3 The Centre has set a target to increase the yearly intake of foreign students in Indian higher education institutions to two lakh by 2030, said officials at the Education Ministry on Tuesday, underscoring New Delhi's efforts to make India a more attractive destination for global learners. At present, around 50,000 foreign students come to India annually. An official said the government has intensified outreach under the 'Study in India' initiative and is working closely with universities and states to achieve the ambitious goal. "By 2030, we want to bring two lakh international students to India annually. Right now, about 50,000 students come each year. We are making concerted efforts over the past six to seven months to accelerate this," the official said. The official added that talks are ongoing with central and state universities - including Delhi University - to expand capacity and ensure adequate infrastructure, such as hostel facilities for incoming students. "Hostel facilities and student support systems must be robust. We have also discussed this with states because these students will join state universities as well," the official said. Foreign universities setting up campuses in India will also be allowed to admit international students, the official indicated. The "Study in India" team is preparing to engage stakeholders in multiple countries as part of an outreach plan to attract more students. The issue was also discussed during the recent Chief Secretaries' Conference in January, with states expected to play a key role since many of these students are likely to enrol in state universities in addition to central institutions. The government, in December, informed the Rajya Sabha that there are currently 72,218 foreign students in India from nearly 200 countries. Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar then said the Centre is taking various steps to deepen engagement with foreign universities and students. - ANI The Apparel Export Promotion Council projects that a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Canada could double India's apparel exports to $500 million within three years. The deal is a key part of a broader goal to more than double two-way trade to $70 billion by 2030. The strengthened ties also include a Strategic Energy Partnership for uranium supply and collaboration on technology, AI, and skilling. The resumption of negotiations follows calibrated steps to restore diplomatic relations between the two nations. CEPA could boost India's apparel exports to Canada to $500M, fuel $70B bilateral trade by 2030, and create jobs through strategic partnership. New Delhi, March 3 Industry body Apparel Export Promotion Council on Tuesday welcomed the strengthening IndiaCanada ties, especially resumption of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which could significantly boost apparel exports to Canada. Dr A. Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC, said that the signing of CEPA could double the exports to Canada in next three years, besides creating huge opportunities for investment and job creation. The comprehensive trade framework will be an economic anchor for expanding bilateral trade and reinvigorating investment based on economic complementarities, he added. Apparel exports to Canada currently amount to $250 million. AEPC welcomed the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his address to the CEO's Forum alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthen bilateral economic engagement and pursue a mutually beneficial CEPA. "The partnership offers a significant opportunity for sustainable energy production, making India an ethical and responsible sourcing destination," Sakthivel said. The stronger ties will also lead to transfer of technologies and R&D partnerships besides AI and automation which will help industry scale its production and improve upon the global compliances, the industry association said. Both leaders underscored the central role of skilling and talent mobility in advancing people-to-people ties between India and Canada, Chairman AEPC noted. In New Delhi, Canada and India announced a "Strategic Energy Partnership" that will see Canadian company Cameco supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium from 2027 to 2035 to fuel India's civil nuclear reactors. The Canadian government is explicitly tying CEPA to a goal of more than doubling two-way trade to $70 billion by 2030, a recent report said. PM Modi and his Canadian counterpart discussed restoring diplomatic staffing levels in both countries to their previous strength, an official statement said. After Carney took over as the Canadian PM, some calibrated steps to restore India-Canada ties have been taken, leading to the appointment of Dinesh K Patnaik as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. - IANS China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed Beijing's support for Iran in defending itself against military strikes by the United States and Israel. He urged the US and Israel to immediately halt operations to prevent further escalation and the conflict spreading across the region. Wang made these comments in calls with his Iranian, Omani, and French counterparts, warning of a dangerous "regression to the law of the jungle." The conflict began with major US-Israeli airstrikes in Iran, leading to retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Tehran across the Middle East. China's FM Wang Yi tells Iran Beijing supports its self-defense, urges US & Israel to halt operations as Middle East conflict escalates. Beijing, March 2 China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart on Monday that Beijing supports Tehran in defending itself against strikes by the United States and Israel, as the conflict in the Middle East widened further, Al Arabiya English reported. According to Al Arabiya English, hundreds have been killed in Iran since Saturday, when the United States of America and Israel began striking dozens of targets inside the country. Tehran responded with waves of missiles and drones targeting Israel, several Gulf states, and a British base in Cyprus. Citing Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Al Arabiya English reported that Wang told Abbas Araghchi that Beijing "cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Iran, supports Iran in defending its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and supports Iran in protecting its legitimate rights and interests." Wang also urged the US and Israel to halt military operations. China had "urged the US and Israel to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions and prevent the conflict from spreading to the entire Middle East region," he said, according to CCTV. In a separate phone call with Oman's foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, Wang accused the United States and Israel of "violating the purposes and principles of the UN charter" by "deliberately instigating a war against Iran"."China is also willing to play a constructive role, including upholding justice, striving for peace, and stopping the war through the platform of the UN Security Council," Wang told Albusaidi, as cited by CCTV. According to Al Arabiya English, in another conversation with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Wang warned that the world risked a "regression to the law of the jungle". "Major powers cannot arbitrarily attack other countries based on their military superiority," Wang said, according to CCTV. He added that "the Iranian nuclear issue must ultimately return to the track of political and diplomatic settlement." Meanwhile, four US military personnel have been killed in the fighting so far. US President Donald Trump has warned that the war with Iran could last for weeks, as reported by Al Arabiya English. This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. US President Donald Trump described the strikes as necessary to "ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon". In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced a Rs 2,000 special fund credited to beneficiaries of various social security pension schemes. The move responds to requests from vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities, for additional financial assistance. The initiative also includes an Rs 8,000 allowance for fishing families during the seasonal ban and price support for green tea farmers in the Nilgiris. Stalin reaffirmed his government's commitment to inclusive welfare, pledging that no one would be left behind in the state's development. Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin announces a Rs 2,000 special fund credited to social security pensioners and marginalised groups as a poverty alleviation grant. Chennai, March 3 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that an additional Rs 2,000 has been credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries under various social security pension schemes, describing it as a "special fund for the marginalised". In a post on his official X page, the Chief Minister said the move was in response to growing requests from vulnerable sections of society who sought additional financial assistance. "Special funds for the marginalised!" he wrote, reaffirming the government's commitment to inclusive welfare. The announcement follows the positive public response to the Rs 2,000 summer special package extended to women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme. Encouraged by its reception, several groups, including senior citizens, widows, elderly transgender persons and persons with disabilities who receive monthly pension benefit, had urged the government to extend similar support to them. Responding to their appeal, the State government has credited Rs 2,000 along with the March pension as a special poverty alleviation grant. As a result, 29.29 lakh beneficiaries, including elderly persons and widows covered under various social security schemes, have received Rs 3,200 each. Additionally, 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities have been credited Rs 3,500 each. Further, 2.58 lakh families of persons with disabilities who receive maintenance allowance were granted Rs 4,000 each on Tuesday morning. Expanding the welfare outreach, the Chief Minister also announced that 1,62,900 fishing families would receive Rs 8,000 per family as fishing ban allowance for the April to June period. In another significant measure, the State government will allocate Rs 8.53 crore as price support for green tea procured through 15 cooperative tea factories. The support, at Rs 2,000 per kilogram, is expected to benefit 14,870 tea farmers in the Nilgiris district. Reiterating his government's social justice plank, Stalin said, "On this occasion, I once again pledge that no one will be left behind in Tamil Nadu's development journey." Observers note that much like the earlier Rs 5,000 grant announced for women under the Kalaignar scheme, the latest Rs 2,000 special fund - introduced without prior announcement - has been widely welcomed by beneficiaries across the State. - IANS Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a high-level meeting to assess security threats to Indian maritime assets and seafarers in the Persian Gulf region. The Ministry has activated enhanced monitoring, real-time tracking of Indian-flagged vessels, and a 24/7 coordination center. A dedicated Quick Response Team has been established to ensure immediate assistance, with helplines activated for seafarer families. The government is maintaining close coordination with the Indian Navy, MEA, and international agencies to safeguard national maritime interests. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chairs review meeting, activates 24/7 tracking and quick response team to protect Indian vessels and crew. New Delhi, March 3 The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is closely monitoring the evolving maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf and has strengthened precautionary measures to safeguard Indian-flagged vessels and Indian seafarers operating in the region. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a review meeting today to assess the prevailing security environment in the Persian Gulf and examine its implications for Indian maritime assets and personnel. During the meeting, the Director General of Shipping briefed the minister on the prevailing situation in the region and on the current status of Indian Flag Ships and Indian seafarers in the region. Speaking after the meeting, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We are closely monitoring the evolving situation and have activated all necessary precautionary, monitoring and coordination mechanisms to ensure the safety and welfare of our seafarers and the security of our maritime assets. We remain in constant touch with relevant national and international agencies and are prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging development." The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has activated enhanced monitoring and security oversight in respect to Indian Seafarers and Indian Flag ships in response to reported threats in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and adjoining sea areas, including missile and drone activity, electronic interference and other maritime security concerns. The Ministry, through DGS, has also initiated real-time tracking of Indian-flagged vessels with increased reporting frequency, and established 24x7 monitoring through the MMDAC DGComm Centre. Mandatory reporting protocols have also been prescribed for vessels, owners and managers. Close coordination is being maintained with the Indian Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and Indian missions abroad. Shipping companies and Recruitment and Placement Service Licensees have been advised to exercise caution in crew deployment and maintain regular communication with seafarers and their families. The Directorate, IFC-IOR, and other agencies are coordinating closely to ensure their safety and well-being. All necessary support and assistance are being extended to the affected seafarers and their families. A dedicated Quick Response Team has been set up to enable timely coordination among authorities, ensure immediate response to emerging situations and facilitate prompt assistance to Indian seafarers and their families. Helpline numbers have also been activated and shared with families of Seafarers through RPSLS. Stakeholders have been advised to maintain heightened vigilance and undertake voyage-specific risk assessments. Vessels operating in the region have been directed to maintain an enhanced security posture and bridge watch, ensure continuous communication readiness and report suspicious activity immediately. Reaffirming the government's commitment, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "India stands firmly with its seafarers and maritime stakeholders. The ministry remains prepared to extend all necessary operational, diplomatic and humanitarian support to safeguard Indian vessels and personnel and will continue active coordination with domestic and international stakeholders to protect India's maritime interests." - ANI The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi announced it will open a condolence book for three days to commemorate the "martyrdom" of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This follows US and Israeli strikes on February 28 that targeted Iranian leadership and killed Khamenei, an act Iran condemned as a "terrorist act." Iran has declared a national mourning period, closing a 37-year chapter of his leadership. Attention now shifts to the succession process and regional tensions following Iran's retaliatory attacks. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi will open a condolence book for Ayatollah Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes, as Iran enters mourning. New Delhi, March 3 The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday announced that a condolence book will be opened this week to commemorate the "martyrdom" of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Imam Khamenei. "On the occasion of the martyrdom of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Imam Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a condolence book will be opened at the Embassy of the I.R. Iran in New Delhi," the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran posted on X. According to a statement issued by the embassy, those wishing to pay their respects and offer their condolences may visit the Embassy on March 5, 6, and 9 to sign the condolence book. The visiting hours will be from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on each of the above days. The condolence book will be available at the Embassy on the following dates. "Thursday, March 5, 2026, Friday, 6 March 2026, Monday, 9 March 2026, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm." "The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi appreciates the kind expressions of sympathy and solidarity," the embassy said. This came after US and Israeli strikes on February 28, which targeted Iran's leadership, military installations, and strategic assets. The strikes killed Supreme Leader Khamenei along with other senior figures, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran on American and Israeli interests in the region. Earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded statement condemning the killing of Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, describing it as a "terrorist act" by the United States and the "Zionist regime" of Israel. The statement, shared on X by the Iranian Embassy in India on Sunday, described the incident as martyrdom following brutal attacks on his residence during the early hours of the tenth day of Ramadan. Iran's Supreme Leader's office has declared a period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and public gatherings planned to pay respects, marking the closing of a 37-year chapter in the Islamic Republic's history. Ayatollah Khamenei succeeded the Revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, and his tenure was marked by consistent opposition to Western influence. Authorities have heightened security across the country, particularly in major cities such as Tehran, to prevent unrest and ensure public safety. Attention is now focused on the process of selecting Khamenei's successor, amid speculation about potential candidates and the implications for Iran's future leadership. Meanwhile, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was appointed jurist member of Iran's interim Leadership Council on Sunday, following the killing of Khamenei. Speaking from a televised podium, Arafi addressed the nation and the international community regarding the recent escalations. - ANI The Consulate General of India in Jeddah is providing full support to Indian nationals departing on special flights due to regional travel disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict. Consul General Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri visited the airport to review arrangements and interact with passengers and airline staff. Indian carriers like IndiGo and SpiceJet are operating repatriation flights from Jeddah and the UAE to bring stranded citizens home. Indian embassies in the Gulf have activated emergency helplines and suspended regular services to focus on the evacuation mission. Indian Consulate in Jeddah assists nationals on special flights home as airlines launch emergency repatriation amid West Asia airspace disruptions. Jeddah, March 3 The Consulate General of India, Jeddah, on Tuesday said it is extending full support to Indian nationals travelling on special flights from Jeddah amid regional travel disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the West Asia region. The Consulate said Consul General Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, accompanied by senior officials, visited King Abdulaziz International Airport to review arrangements for Indian passengers departing on non-scheduled flights to various destinations in India. These special flights are being operated by Indian carriers to mitigate the impact of recent regional travel disruptions and facilitate the return of affected passengers. "Consul General, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, accompanied by Consulate officials, visited King Abdulaziz International Airport today to meet Indian nationals travelling on non-scheduled flights from Jeddah to various destinations in India. These flights are being operated by Indian carriers to address recent regional travel disruptions. He reviewed on-ground arrangements, interacted with passengers and airline staff, and assured them of the Consulate's full support," the Consulate posted on X. Suri interacted with passengers and airline staff, assessed on-ground arrangements, and assured travellers of the Consulate's full support. The Consulate said its staff are deployed round-the-clock at airports in Jeddah and Madinah to provide necessary assistance and address passenger concerns. "During the visit, he also met local Saudi airport authorities to express appreciation for their cooperation and discussed continued coordination to facilitate smooth travel for affected passengers. Consulate staff are on round-the-clock duty at the airports in Jeddah and Madinah to provide all necessary assistance to passengers," the Consulate said. This comes as the Indian government and major domestic carriers launched an emergency repatriation mission to bring citizens home. Indian airlines are coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Indian embassies to operate "relief" and "repatriation" flights. Indian Embassies in the Gulf region have activated 24x7 helplines and suspended walk-in consular services to focus entirely on the emergency evacuation and assistance of stranded nationals. IndiGo has initiated the repatriation flights to rescue the stranded citizens in Gulf countries. "Details of the routes being progressively restored, based on evolving airspace conditions, are as follows: Athens, Muscat, Jeddah, Madinah. And more repatriation flights in the UAE, based on slots and permits," IndiGo said. IndiGo said that repatriation flights from Dubai, Fujairah, and Jeddah are expected to arrive at Mumbai airport today. SpiceJet has announced to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Mumbai starting March 4. The airline will operate four special flights from the UAE today to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded there following the sudden closure of airspace. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. - ANI Would not want his son to act Daniel Radcliffe has revealed a dramatic lifestyle shift, moving from a reliance on "coffee and cigarettes" to becoming a dedicated fitness enthusiast. The actor credits his "addictive personality" for the intensity of his current workout regimen, which includes weights, circuit training, and cardio. His daily routine is now also shaped by fatherhood, with his two-year-old son making him an early riser. Radcliffe reflected on navigating child fame and stated he would not want his own son to pursue acting. Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe opens up about replacing smoking and alcohol with an intense fitness routine and how fatherhood changed his daily life. Washington, March 3 Daniel Radcliffe has opened up about his dramatic lifestyle shift, revealing that he once "ran on coffee and cigarettes all day" but now considers himself a self-confessed fitness enthusiast. The 36-year-old actor, best known for playing the titular wizard in the 'Harry Potter' film franchise, shared insights into his health journey in an interview, as quoted by People magazine. Radcliffe said he has replaced old habits with a disciplined fitness routine, crediting his "addictive personality" for the intensity he now brings to working out. "I do weights, circuit training, cardio. I don't look like a person who would be a fitness freak, but I'm pretty intense about it," Radcliffe said. Reflecting on his past, he added, "I feel like I'm a cliche of a former alcoholic or anyone who had any kind of addictive personality and then switched that addiction to being about the gym," as quoted by People magazine. Radcliffe first spoke publicly about his sobriety in 2012, later describing alcohol as "the easiest way to escape being self-conscious." In the latest interview, he reiterated how his habits have evolved. "I used to run on coffee and cigarettes all day, and then I gave up smoking. Now I just run on coffee all day," he said, as quoted by People magazine. The actor currently stars opposite Tracy Morgan in the new NBC comedy series 'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins'. Beyond his professional commitments, Radcliffe's routine is also shaped by fatherhood. He and longtime girlfriend Erin Darke share a two-year-old son, whose early mornings have made Radcliffe an early riser. "I have a small child, so my body has trained to wake up at about 5:30," he said. Describing a daily ritual, Radcliffe shared that his son's programmable night-light changes colour at 6:30 am, prompting an enthusiastic wake-up call, "It's yellow, COME GET ME!" Despite his own experience growing up in the spotlight, Radcliffe admitted he would not want his son to pursue acting or fame. While he, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have largely avoided the public scandals often associated with child stardom, he acknowledged the challenges. "We all worked really hard on ourselves to make it fine," he said, as quoted by People magazine. Radcliffe credited the stable environment on the UK sets of Harry Potter and the support of his parents for helping him navigate early fame- an experience he recognises as both special and complex. - ANI Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has declared the film 'Shatak,' which chronicles the 100-year history of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), tax-free in the national capital. She announced the decision after attending a screening, stating the film highlights the organization's role in national service and reconstruction. Gupta urged citizens to watch the film, calling it a powerful medium to connect the youth with this historical journey. The film, produced by Vir Kapur and directed by Ashish Mall, was released nationwide in late February. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announces tax-free status for film 'Shatak,' documenting 100 years of the RSS, to encourage public viewing and connect youth. New Delhi, March 2 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday announced that the film 'Shatak', based on the 100-year journey of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, will be made tax-free in the national capital to encourage more people to watch it. Speaking to the reporters at the screening of the film in Delhi, the Chief Minister said that 'Shatak' depicts the journey of completing 100 years of the Sangh and highlights its contribution to the service of the nation and India's reconstruction. "This film named 'Shatak' depicts the journey of completing 100 years of the Sangh. The way the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh contributed every bit of itself in the service of the nation and played its role in India's reconstruction. We felt very good watching the film, and I think everyone should watch this film... On behalf of the Delhi government, we are deciding to make the 'Shatak' film tax-free, and we would like the people of Delhi to watch this film in abundance," she said. The Delhi CM also posted on X, asserting that the movie is an example of unbroken tenacity and practise of selfless service of the RSS to the nation. "The Shatabdi Yatra of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is a shining example of unbroken tenacity, sacrifice and the practice of selfless service. Since its inception, the Sangh has considered 'Nation First' as the vital element of its life and work. Proto-Sarsanghchalak Most Respected Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar ji made individual development the basis of nation building," Rekha Gupta posted on X. Urging the citizens to watcht he movei, she said, "The film 'Shatak' is an inspiring expression of this century's sadhana, Sangh spirit and dedication to the nation. This is a powerful medium to connect the new generation with this journey. Must see." Made in association with Panorama, produced by Vir Kapur, directed by Ashish Mall and co-produced by Ashish Tiwari, Shatak was released nationwide on 20 February 2026. - ANI A Delhi consumer forum has ordered Malaysia Airlines to refund over 65,000 with interest for tickets cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also directed online travel agent MakeMyTrip to pay compensation for providing deficient service and false assurances. The commission held that while the airline had to cancel flights, it could not unjustly retain the passenger's money. Both entities were found jointly liable for making the complainant shuttle between them for a rightful refund. Delhi consumer commission directs Malaysia Airlines & MakeMyTrip to refund 65k+ and pay compensation for deficient service on pandemic-cancelled tickets. New Delhi, March 3 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-II, South Delhi, has directed Malaysia Airlines to refund over Rs 65,000 with interest and ordered MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd. to pay compensation to a Delhi resident for deficiency in service related to cancelled international tickets during the Covid-19 pandemic. The complaint was filed by Karan Pradeep, a resident of Gulmohar Park in South Delhi, who had booked two international tickets through Make My Trip for Malaysia Airlines in October 2019 as a wedding gift for his brother and sister-in-law. The passengers were scheduled to travel from Delhi to Kuala Lumpur on March 13, 2020, onward to Manila on March 14, and return to Delhi on March 21, 2020. However, in the wake of the global outbreak of Covid-19, the Philippines government declared a lockdown in Manila from March 15 to April 14, 2020, leading to cancellation of flights. In view of the pandemic, Malaysia Airlines introduced an "Ultimate Flexibility Ticket Change Policy", offering "Unlimited Date Change (Waiver of Date change Fee)" and flexibility of destination change for eligible passengers. According to the order passed on February 2, 2026, the complainant attempted to reschedule the tickets under the policy but alleged that the customer care representative of MakeMyTrip was unaware of the offer. Subsequently, the complainant consented to the cancellation of the PNR after being assured that a refund request would be initiated with the airline. Despite this assurance, the refund was not processed within the promised timeline. The complainant later attempted to avail the airline's flexibility and open ticket policies but was allegedly made to shuttle between the airline and the booking platform. Rejecting the preliminary objections raised by Make My Trip regarding limitation, the consumer forum held that the complaint filed in November 2023 was within limitation in view of the Supreme Court's order extending limitation during the pandemic. On merits, the Commission observed that while the airline had no option but to cancel flights due to "unprecedented times", it "cannot be allowed to retain the amount paid by the complainant for the flight tickets as it is not the case that complainant's brother and sister in law were at fault for not boarding the flight." The Commission further held that Make My Trip could not "wash off its liability by stating that it is merely a facilitator as the complainant had taken the services of OP-1 to book the tickets of OP-2's airlines, who actually failed to facilitate the complainant." "Even if, we take into consideration the Covid-19 situation, it was unfair on behalf of OP-1 and OP-2 to make the complainant shuttle between the OPs for his rightful refund or travel for which he had already paid," it added. In its final directions, the consumer forum ordered Malaysia Airlines to refund Rs 65,802 with interest at 6 per cent per annum from March 13, 2020, the date of travel. Make My Trip has been directed to pay Rs 25,000 "for giving false assurances and providing deficient service". Additionally, both the travel portal and the airline have been directed to jointly and severally pay Rs 30,000 towards compensation for mental agony and harassment. The Commission directed the parties to comply with the order within three months, failing which the amounts would carry interest at 8 per cent per annum till realisation. - IANS Indian passengers arriving in New Delhi have described the financial burden of unexpected extended stays in Dubai after their flights were cancelled due to the West Asian conflict. The first Air Indian flight from Dubai since the disruptions carried 149 passengers, with many expressing gratitude for the repatriation but concern over the costs incurred. While passengers reported the situation in Dubai and Muscat as normal with supportive local governments, the primary impact was financial due to expensive accommodations. Flight operations are gradually resuming after a partial opening of UAE airspace following regional military strikes. Passengers recount financial impact and panic as flights resume from Dubai and Muscat after West Asia conflict caused cancellations. New Delhi, March 3 As the airspace in the UAE's Dubai partially opened up amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Indian citizens arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday and recounted the panic and financial impact of flight cancellations. Air India welcomed passengers and crew arriving from Dubai on board flight at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. A passenger who arrived at IGI Airport noted that they had to bear the extra costs of staying in Dubai longer than they intended to. The passenger told ANI, "I am from Noida. We had gone there as tourists. Our return was scheduled for February 28, and that's when all this happened, and our flight got cancelled. The Indians who are in Dubai, if the government there covers their living expenses, that would be good. We had to bear the expenses in Dubai. Our only request is that other tourists also be brought back as soon as possible. We are very grateful to India and Air India." Another passenger said that the situation in Dubai was "normal" and the UAE government aided the tourists. The passenger said, "The situation is quite normal, there's not much tension, but due to flight cancellations and other things, people are facing financial impacts. Staying there is very expensive. Air India guided us completely. The government there is providing as much help as it can." "The security was very well there. We were a little afraid due to the alarms, but nothing happened near us," another passenger said. The Air India flight back to Delhi marked the first international arrival by an Indian carrier into the national capital today, carrying 149 passengers and eight operating crew members, the airline said. In the Air India Newsroom's X post, it said, "We are happy to welcome our guests and crew from Dubai aboard flight AI916D. This is the first flight by an Indian carrier to arrive in New Delhi today with 149 passengers and 8 operating crew members onboard, amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East. " Meanwhile, Dubai Airports confirmed that a limited resumption of operations would begin on the evening of March 2 (Monday), with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end. However, authorities urged caution. Meanwhile, an Indian citizen who returned from Muscat, Oman, recalled a situation of harmony and said, "Everyone is living together in harmony in Muscat, and there are no problems. I booked my ticket five days ago. But three days ago, flights were halted for 24 hours. Flights of Air India, IndiGo, Salam Air, and Oman Air were all suspended. But flights have resumed in the last 24 hours, so we have come. There were no problems. The administration there is very supportive. There has been no explosion in Oman." Mohammad Idris, who came from Muscat, said, "The atmosphere there is similar to Delhi. The situation there is very good. There was no advisory; everything is fine there." Following the US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory attacks, using drones and missiles targeting multiple US bases in Arab countries in the region as a retaliatory action, which resulted in flight cancellations. - ANI Xi Story: Shaping prosperity by addressing everyday concerns Xinhua) 08:00, March 03, 2026 BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- When China's annual "two sessions" convene in Beijing each spring, the discussions of national lawmakers and political advisors extend well beyond macroeconomic targets and national blueprints. The meetings are also opportunities for them and President Xi Jinping, who is a national lawmaker himself, to drill down into the everyday concerns of ordinary people -- safe housing and transport, employment, healthcare, education and other concrete details that shape daily life. More than 2,100 kilometers from Beijing, the fate of a small mountain village in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, had long weighed on the mind of Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. During the 2017 "two sessions," while joining a deliberation with lawmakers from Sichuan, Xi spoke of his concern after seeing media reports that residents of Atulie'er, widely known as the "cliff village," had to climb rattan ladders clinging to a sheer precipice to reach the outside world. "Seeing it left me with a heavy heart -- it was deeply distressing," Xi recalled. He said he later felt somewhat relieved after learning that a new steel ladder with handrails had been completed by the end of 2016, improving travel conditions for villagers. Perched in a mountain hollow at an altitude of 1,600 meters, Atulie'er was emblematic of poverty-stricken areas in western China. After Xi took the top office, China launched a nationwide campaign against poverty, aiming to lift all rural residents above the absolute poverty line within about a decade, nearly 100 million people in total. The entire nation was mobilized in support of this effort. Xi, notably, traveled extensively to inspect poverty alleviation work firsthand. He also used key occasions such as the "two sessions" to press for progress, coordinate action and hear feedback from the grassroots. At the 2022 gathering, Xi was briefed about fresh updates from the "cliff village." As part of a state-led relocation program designed to assist residents in inhospitable areas, villagers from Atulie'er had begun moving to a nearby county seat. The community was also developing tourism as a new source of income. After reviewing before-and-after photos of the village, Xi asked detailed questions about children's schooling and access to medical services for the elderly. This time, he appeared reassured. "The village has truly taken a big step forward -- thanks to the Party and the country's policies. We're planning projects such as a canyon adventure camp and a cultural experience camp, and life is getting better and better," said Jilie Ziri, a lawmaker from Liangshan. Over the years, improving people's livelihoods has remained central to Xi's agenda at the "two sessions." He has closely followed developments in Shibadong Village in central China's Hunan Province, where many young migrants have returned from the more prosperous eastern coastal regions to start businesses, injecting new vitality into their hometown. His focus on livelihood issues spans diverse regions and varying development needs. During the "two sessions" in 2021, Xi joined lawmakers from Qinghai Province and asked questions about daily life in a small village on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Residents have engaged in distinctive local industries, ranging from ethnic-style embroidery to solar power projects, tailored to the region's unique conditions. The people-centered approach was also evident during last year's "two sessions," when Xi met Li Xiaona, a lawmaker from Jiangsu Province in east China. Xi asked in detail about conditions in her community and set out specific expectations. Senior canteens, he said, should operate in ways suited to local circumstances and remain financially sustainable. Home-based elderly care services should be strengthened, and more professionals in geriatric medicine and nursing should be trained. This year, a major focus of the "two sessions" will be the adoption of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), a key blueprint guiding China's drive toward modernization. "Chinese modernization puts people's well-being first. All the work of the Party and the government is aimed at ensuring the people a happier life," Xi has said. Last October, the Party's leadership passed a set of recommendations for drafting the plan, which included a dedicated section on ensuring and improving public well-being. This section covers employment, income distribution, education, social security, housing and healthcare, which are areas closely tied to people's daily lives. Last month, Xi visited a downtown area in Beijing during his pre-Spring Festival inspection. He dropped by an elderly home and a community canteen where diners aged 60 and above, as well as those in new forms of employment such as delivery workers, are offered a discount. Xi carefully examined the dishes and asked staff members whether the canteen's operations were sustainable. He also spoke with delivery workers resting in the restaurant, asking about their work and daily lives. The CPC has recently launched a five-month Party-wide campaign to guide its members, especially officials, in establishing and practicing a correct view on what it means to perform well. Officials across the governance hierarchy are urged to maintain a people-centered approach and take more concrete action to meet public needs. "The CPC regards serving the people and improving their well-being as the most important measure of performance, and uses the extent to which officials deliver tangible benefits for the people as an important benchmark in evaluating their performance," Xi said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Several westbound international flights from Delhi's IGI Airport are experiencing delays due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, prompting airport authorities to advise passengers to check for updates and consider alternate routes. Airspace closures across multiple Middle Eastern nations followed coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes, disrupting global air travel. While operations are gradually resuming, with flights like Emirates EK 500 landing safely in Mumbai, Indian carriers are making schedule adjustments and using alternative routings to avoid restricted zones. The situation has left many passengers stranded, though airlines like Emirates and Etihad have been providing accommodation and working to restore services. Several international flights from Delhi IGI Airport face delays due to West Asia tensions. Passengers advised to check updates and consider alternate routes. New Delhi, March 3 Several westbound international flights from the IGI Airport were delayed amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, Delhi International Airport Limited said on Tuesday. The Delhi Airport officials have urged the passengers to check the latest flight updates and consider alternate routes for travelling. DIAL wrote in a passenger advisory, "Due to the ongoing political situation in the Middle East, several westbound international flights are causing delays or schedule adjustments. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight updates with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport. If required, please consider alternate routes or connections as suggested by your airline." "We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. All other flight operations are currently operating as per schedule," the advisory read. Airspace in several West Asian nations remains closed against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. Meanwhile, an Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as flight operations gradually resumed following disruptions triggered by the escalating West Asian conflict. Emirates flight EK 500 arrived in Mumbai amid tight coordination between airport authorities and airline officials, bringing relief to stranded passengers who had faced uncertainty over the past few days due to widespread cancellations and delays. Ajay, a passenger on board the flight, recounted the tense situation in Dubai. Speaking to ANI, he said, "We had a flight to the USA from Dubai. When it didn't take off, we thought there might be some issues with the flight. After 7-8 hours, we were told that a war had broken out," he said. He added that the airline arranged accommodation for stranded travellers. "Buses from Emirates came and took all the passengers to the hotels. As soon as we came to know that the flight to Mumbai would leave, we immediately contacted them and came here. Slowly, the situation is getting controlled there," Ajay said. In a similar development, the first flight from Abu Dhabi landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday night, bringing back passengers affected by the disruption in air travel services. A traveller who had been stranded in Abu Dhabi praised the arrangements made by Etihad Airways. Speaking to ANI, the passenger said, "Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi airport, Etihad Airways took good care of us. They booked the hotels for all the passengers whose flights were cancelled." Another Emirates flight from Dubai to Bengaluru departed on Monday night, as operations at Dubai airports began to partially resume. Dubai Airports confirmed that a limited resumption of operations would begin on the evening of March 2 (Monday), with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). India is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. The US and Israeli strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI The Attukal Pongala festival in Thiruvananthapuram witnessed a powerful display of interfaith solidarity. The Palayam Juma Masjid and St. Joseph's Cathedral opened their premises to provide water, rest areas, and facilities for the millions of participating women. This act of compassion, initiated by the mosque's Imam, transformed the religious event into a celebration of shared humanity. The festival, dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy and linked to the epic Silappathikaram, is recognized as one of the largest gatherings of women in the world. Palayam Mosque and Church provided water and rest to millions of women at Kerala's Attukal Pongala, showcasing interfaith harmony. Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 As lakhs of women converged on Thiruvananthapuram for the famed Attukal Pongala festival, Palayam which is located in the heart of the state capital city and is a modest but symbolically powerful junction, quietly reaffirmed Kerala's culture of coexistence. Within a few metres of one another stand the Palayam Juma Masjid, the St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Palayam Mahaganapathy Temple, a rare streetscape that has long embodied the city's plural ethos. At the spiritual centre of the festival is the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, popularly known today as the "Sabarimala for Women." Dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, the temple is steeped in legend. Folklore links the deity to Kannaki of the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, believed to have stopped at Attukal on her way to Kodungallur after avenging her husband's injustice. Over time, the shrine evolved into one of the largest congregations of women in the world, with Pongala, the ritual offering of sweet rice cooked in earthen pots entering the Guinness record books for mass participation. An estimated over four million people take part in the event, that began on Tuesday morning and winds up around 3 pm. Even as devotion defined the day, it was compassion that shaped Palayam's response. Ahead of last Friday prayers, the Imam of Palayam Juma Masjid called upon the faithful to extend wholehearted hospitality to the women and children arriving for Pongala, a message that resonated widely on social media as a testament to Kerala's secular fabric. Facilities for freshening up, resting spaces and drinking water were arranged at the mosque premises. At the nearby St. Joseph's Cathedral, arrangements for drinking water and resting spaces were made available. Local collectives in Palayam prepared and distributed breakfast and lunch. Across the city, various groups joined in by offering food, water, buttermilk, fruits and juices. In doing so, Palayam once again transformed the festival into a celebration not just of faith, but of shared humanity and social harmony. - IANS Thousands of Tibetans gathered at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamshala to celebrate the auspicious 15th day of Losar, coinciding with a full moon. The community offered special prayers focused on the long life of the Dalai Lama, who was absent this year, and for peace worldwide. Foreign devotees, including from the United States, joined the ceremonies to pray for global harmony, particularly regarding conflicts. The event follows a recent emotional long-life prayer ceremony where former political prisoners expressed a longing for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet. Thousands gathered in Dharamshala for Losar prayers, seeking the Dalai Lama's long life and global peace on a spiritually significant full moon day. Dharamshala, March 3 Thousands of Tibetans gathered at the main Tibetan temple, Tsuglagkhang, on the first full moon day of the Tibetan New Year to celebrate the 15th day of Losar on Tuesday and offer prayers for the long life of the Dalai Lama and for global peace. The occassion considered highly auspicious in Tibetan Buddhism, marks the culmination of Losar festivities. Devotees assembled for special prayers amid a spiritually significant full moon day. The Tibetan spiritual leader, who usually attends the ceremony, was not present this year due to prior engagements. Tsering Chomphel, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, told ANI, "Today it's the 15th day of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar, it's the first month, so we consider it a very auspicious day. We are all gathered here and pray, and since the situation is critical in the world these days, peace is needed, so that's why we are praying for ourselves and for peace in the world. In terms of Tibetan Buddhism, it's a very spiritual and auspicious day today." Lodup, a Buddhist nun, said that special prayers had been organised over five days at the temple. "We are holding special 5-day prayers in the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala here. This is the 5th day today, and it's special because it's a full moon day also, and we are praying for the long life of the Dalai Lama, and we are also praying for world peace," she said. Apart from members of the Tibetan exile community, foreign devotees also participated in the celebrations, with a devotee from the United States praying for the ongoing conflict in West Asia and hoping for peace. Christine, a devotee from the United States, said, "I am here to embrace the celebration of Losar, full moon and other prayers for the world. I am here to express my love for the world. I am also praying for the Middle East and for every sentient being and hoping that love and compassion can bring peace and help the world." Earlier, on February 23, former Tibetan political detainees, along with the Lhasa Boys' Association Switzerland, presented a Long Life Prayer ceremony to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamshala, according to a report by Phayul. The ceremony included a deeply emotional appeal on behalf of Tibetans living inside Tibet, read by former political prisoner Ngawang Sangdrol, who was arrested at the age of 13 and spent eleven years in prison. The message conveyed the collective longing of Tibetans for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet and expressed sorrow over their current situation under Chinese governance, Phayul reported. - ANI The Supreme Court has expressed serious institutional concern over a trial court allegedly relying on AI-generated "non-existent and fake" judgments in a property dispute case. The bench highlighted that such conduct directly impacts the integrity of the judicial process and may constitute misconduct, not merely an error. The court has issued notices to the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and Bar Council of India to examine the consequences and accountability. The matter has been adjourned to March 10, with the trial court directed to not proceed based on the disputed report in the interim. Supreme Court takes serious note of trial court using AI-generated "non-existent" judgments, calling it misconduct that impacts adjudicatory integrity. New Delhi, March 2 The Supreme Court has taken serious note of a trial court allegedly relying on Artificial Intelligence-generated "non-existent and fake" judgments while deciding a civil dispute, observing that such conduct has a direct bearing on the integrity of the adjudicatory process and may amount to misconduct. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the matter raised "considerable institutional concern, not because of the decision that was taken on the merits of the case, but about the process of adjudication and determination". The apex court was hearing a special leave petition (SLP) challenging a judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had upheld a trial court order in a property dispute involving a suit for injunction. The petitioners before the Supreme Court are defendants in a suit for injunction filed by the respondents. During the pendency of the suit, the trial court had appointed an Advocate Commissioner to record the physical features of the property. The petitioners had objected to the Commissioner's report, but the trial court rejected their objections while relying on several Supreme Court precedents. Before the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the petitioners contended that the judgments cited and relied upon by the trial court were "non-existent and fake orders". The AP High Court noted that the cited decisions were AI-generated and issued a word of caution, but proceeded to decide the matter on the merits and dismissed the civil revision petition. Taking cognisance of the issue, the Supreme Court expressed concern over the reliance on "non-existent and fake" judgments by the trial court in judicial decision-making. "We take cognisance of the Trial Court deploying AI-generated non-existing, fake or synthetic alleged judgments and seek to examine its consequences and accountability as it has a direct bearing on the integrity of the adjudicatory process," the Justice Narasimha-led Bench said. "At the outset, we must declare that a decision based on such non-existent and fake alleged judgments is not an error in the decision-making. It would be a misconduct, and legal consequence shall follow," the apex court added. Issuing notice in the matter, returnable on March 10, the top court directed that, pending disposal of the SLP, the trial court "shall not proceed on the basis of the Advocate Commissioner's Report". The Supreme Court also issued notice to the Attorney General, the Solicitor General - the top law officers of the Centre, and the Bar Council of India (BCI). Further, the bench appointed senior advocate Shyam Divan to assist the apex court in the matter, granting him liberty to nominate an Advocate-on-Record for assistance. The matter will now be taken up on March 10. - IANS AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to coordinate campaign strategy for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He firmly denied any discussions about forming an alliance with a new party reportedly launched by V.K. Sasikala. Palaniswami expressed confidence in his party's alliance while suggesting uncertainty within the ruling DMK-Congress coalition. The meeting is viewed as a key step in consolidating opposition forces ahead of the high-stakes 2026 polls. AIADMK's Palaniswami clarifies meeting with Amit Shah focused on TN election campaign strategy & alliance coordination, denies Sasikala tie-up. Chennai, March 3 AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has clarified that his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi was focused on coordinating strategy for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and strengthening the existing alliance framework. With only a few months left for the Assembly polls, political activity in Tamil Nadu has intensified. The ruling DMK has already initiated seat-sharing negotiations with its allies, while expectations are mounting that the AIADMK will soon begin formal discussions with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. Amid this backdrop, Palaniswami travelled to Delhi on Monday and held a nearly two-hour meeting with Amit Shah, sparking speculation about potential political realignments in the state. Speaking to reporters at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning, Palaniswami dismissed rumours of any new political developments beyond alliance coordination. "I discussed working together in the Tamil Nadu elections with Amit Shah. Our talks were about how to effectively conduct the campaign and strengthen our cooperation," he said. Addressing speculation about a possible tie-up with a new party reportedly launched by V.K. Sasikala, Palaniswami categorically denied any such discussion. "I did not speak about forming an alliance with the new party started by Sasikala," he asserted, putting to rest conjecture about internal shifts within the AIADMK. The former Chief Minister described the AIADMK's alliance as "harmonious and energetic", expressing confidence that it would mount a strong challenge to the ruling DMK in the 2026 elections. He emphasised that discussions with HM Shah centred on election management, campaign coordination, and strategic planning. Palaniswami also took a swipe at the DMK-Congress alliance, suggesting that uncertainty prevailed within the ruling coalition. "There is confusion in the DMK-Congress alliance. I am not sure whether the Congress will remain in that alliance," he remarked. As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a high-stakes electoral contest, the meeting between Palaniswami and HM Shah is being seen as a key step in consolidating opposition forces, even as alliance arithmetic and seat-sharing negotiations continue to shape the political landscape. - IANS EaseMyTrip's founder Nishant Pitti announced plans for charter flights from Oman to India to assist passengers stranded due to the West Asia airspace crisis. The move follows massive flight cancellations in hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi after the US and Israel carried out joint missile attacks on Iran. With UAE airspace heavily regulated, Oman has emerged as a vital transit point for evacuations. The conflict escalation, which includes reports of Iran's Supreme Leader being killed and UN calls for a ceasefire, has severely disrupted civilian air travel across the region. EaseMyTrip plans charter flights from Oman to India to evacuate stranded Indians as West Asia airspace closes due to US-Israel-Iran conflict. New Delhi, March 2 EaseMyTrip is planning charter flights from Oman to India to help passengers travel safely and smoothly, Founder and Chairman Nishant Pitti announced in a post on X. "If you or someone you know needs assistance, please join the channel and share this message widely," Nishant Pitti wrote on X. This comes after the escalation of conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran (Operation Epic Fury), the skies over the Middle East have fallen silent. Major hubs--Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat--have seen hundreds of flight cancellations. Many Indians are reported to be stranded in several West Asian countries. With UAE airspace strictly regulated and under pressure, Oman has emerged as a critical transit point. EaseMyTrip has earlier advised international travellers to monitor airlines and keep their travel plans flexible due to Iran and Israel keeping their airspace closed for civilian flight operations amid military escalation between the two nations. On Saturday, the United States and Israel carried out joint missile attacks on Iran, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities, signalling a sharp escalation that risks expanding tensions into a broader regional conflict in West Asia. There have been reports of counterstrikes on Israel too. Meanwhile, Iran has retaliated, targeting Israel and US assets in multiple Gulf states. Multiple explosions have been heard in Iran's capital, Tehran, while blasts have also been reported in several other locations across the country. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate halt to hostilities and urgent de-escalation in West Asia, urging world leaders to "act responsibly". - ANI Kerala's Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan has announced that all preparations are complete for the smooth conduct of the annual Attukal Pongala festival. The state has arranged additional KSRTC bus services and more trains to manage the expected rush of over 40 lakh devotees. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally attended a review meeting to assess the arrangements for the 10-day event. The festival, held at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, is renowned for its massive gathering of women devotees and holds a Guinness World Record. Kerala makes elaborate arrangements for Attukal Pongala, with extra KSRTC buses & trains for millions of women devotees attending the world-record festival. Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 Ahead of the annual Attukal Pongala festival, Kerala Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan on Monday said that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the event, with additional transport facilities arranged for devotees. Speaking about the preparations, Vasavan said that three review meetings were convened to assess the arrangements for the festival and that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally attended one of the meetings. "Three meetings were held to review the arrangements for the Attukal Pongala. The Chief Minister personally attended one of the meetings. All preparations have been completed to ensure the smooth conduct of the Pongala. All necessary facilities have been arranged for devotees to return safely after offering Pongala," the minister said. He further informed that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will operate additional bus services to manage the rush of devotees. "KSRTC buses will operate additional services, and more trains have also been arranged. Compared to last year, better and more extensive arrangements have been made this time," he added. The Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, with the ninth day witnessing a massive gathering of women devotees. Millions of women prepare divine offerings made of rice, jaggery, and banana in earthen pots and offer them to the Goddess Attukal Devi. Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, which is known as "women's Sabarimala", is famous for its Pongala festival. Women in huge numbers throng to the temple during the festival. Earlier in February, Temple Joint Coordinator Vinod stated that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to manage the massive influx of devotees from across India and abroad. He stated that more than 40 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the Pongala ritual this year. As part of the ritual dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, women devotees will prepare the sacred offering in earthen pots in makeshift brick hearths set up across the temple premises and surrounding areas. The festival holds a special place in world records, having been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the largest gathering of women, with 2.5 million participants. - ANI President Donald Trump has outlined the ongoing U.S. military operation against Iran, stating its goals are to eliminate the regime's missile capabilities, navy, and nuclear ambitions. The remarks follow coordinated U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and senior officials. Trump warned that Iran's missile program was a shield for developing nuclear weapons, posing a catastrophic threat. In response to the strikes, Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. assets and allies across the Middle East, widening the conflict. President Trump details US military strikes on Iran, vowing to destroy missile capabilities, navy, and prevent a nuclear weapon. Washington DC, March 3 President Donald Trump has said that the United States will continue its military operation against Iran to "eliminate the regime's missile capabilities", nuclear ambitions, and support for terrorism. Trump's remarks come amid escalating tensions following the US and Israeli coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. "For almost 47 years, this (Iranian) regime has been attacking the United States and killing Americans. General Soleimani, who was the father of the roadside bomb. I terminated him in my first term. This was our last best chance to strike what we're doing right now and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime," he said. Trump reiterated that the US is ahead of its initial projections and vowed to continue its mission with determination until Iran's growing threats are eliminated. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities... Second, we're annihilating their Navy. We've knocked out already 10 ships. They're at the bottom of the sea. Third, we're ensuring that the world's number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon," he said. He further added, "And finally, we're ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." Further, Trump warned that Iran's regime already possessed missiles capable of striking Europe and US bases overseas, and was nearing the capability to target the United States. "The purpose of this fast-growing missile program was to shield their nuclear weapon development and make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to stop them from making these highly forbidden nuclear weapons," he explained. Trump emphasised that allowing Iran to possess long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would "pose a catastrophic threat" to both the Middle East and the United States. He added, "We thought we had a deal, but then they (Iran) backed out. Then they came back, and we thought we had a deal, and they backed out. I said, you can't deal with these people. You've got to do it the right way." In a tribute to the four American service members recently killed in action, Trump vowed to continue the mission with unwavering determination. "In their memory, we continue this mission with ferocious, unyielding resolve to crush the threat this terrorist regime poses to the American people." He reiterated the superiority of the US military, stating, "We have the strongest and most powerful by far military in the world, and we will easily prevail." Trump stated that the US was far ahead of initial expectations, saying, "Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that." "Somebody said today, the President wants to do it really quickly and after that, he'll get bored. I don't get bored. There's nothing boring about this," he added. Trump also said that the mission to eliminate Iran's military leadership was completed far ahead of schedule: "We also projected four weeks to terminate the military leadership, and as you know, that was done in about an hour, so we're ahead of schedule there by a lot." On February 28, the US and Israeli in coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran also retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI French President Emmanuel Macron has announced updates to France's nuclear doctrine, aiming to strengthen European security coordination while preserving national sovereignty over its arsenal. He invited European allies to participate in nuclear deterrence exercises and stated France would increase its nuclear warheads for the first time in decades. Macron positioned France, the EU's sole nuclear power, as a key player in helping Europe become a "geopolitical power" amid uncertainties over U.S. commitments. The speech also outlined plans for a summit on civilian nuclear energy development. French President Macron announces changes to France's nuclear posture, invites European allies to exercises, and calls for strategic autonomy. Paris, March 3 French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled updates to France's doctrine on the potential use of nuclear weapons, marking what he described as a new phase in the country's deterrence strategy. Speaking from a military base hosting France's ballistic missile submarines, Macron said Paris would recalibrate its nuclear posture to complement NATO's broader mission while preserving full national sovereignty over its arsenal. He also invited European allies to take part in nuclear deterrence exercises as part of efforts to strengthen continental security coordination, France24 reported. "What I'd like is for Europeans to regain control of their own destiny," Macron said. France is poised to increase its nuclear warheads for the first time in decades, reflecting growing concerns over Europe's security environment amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and debates over the future of transatlantic defence guarantees, France24 reported on Monday. Macron emphasised that France's nuclear capability would remain dedicated to maintaining peace, but he underscored the strength of the country's arsenal. He warned of France's capacity to potentially draw on its significant nuclear force in a way "that no country, no power, however strong, could recover". The President further announced that France will host a summit in Paris on March 10 aimed at promoting the development and use of nuclear energy. He acknowledged that France is well placed "to promote civilian nuclear energy". The address was aimed at clarifying how France's nuclear weapons fit into Europe's evolving security architecture, particularly in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and recurring tensions with US President Donald Trump over Ukraine, Greenland and NATO, France24 reported. European leaders have expressed growing uncertainty over the United States' long-standing nuclear umbrella, which has historically assured NATO allies of protection without the need for them to develop independent nuclear capabilities. France remains the only nuclear-armed country within the European Union. The speech went ahead despite the expanding conflict in the Middle East following joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran that reportedly decapitated much of its leadership over the weekend. "We have to re-articulate nuclear deterrence," Macron told the Munich Security Council last month, adding that France has already had "a strategic dialogue" with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders on increasing cooperation. "Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power," he told Munich. France and Britain adopted a joint declaration in July allowing their nuclear forces to be "coordinated" while remaining independent. The United Kingdom, though no longer an EU member, remains the only other European country with a nuclear deterrent. France's deterrence doctrine is rooted in a defensive strategy to safeguard vital national interests. Under the French Constitution, the President serves as commander-in-chief and holds sole authority over any potential use of nuclear weapons. France's nuclear triad includes four nuclear-armed submarines, Le Triomphant, Le Temeraire, Le Vigilant and Le Terrible, based at Ile Longue on the Atlantic coast. At least one submarine has remained on patrol at all times since 1972, ensuring continuous strike capability. The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is also capable of deploying nuclear-armed Rafale fighter jets, France24 reported. Citing estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and the Federation of American Scientists, France24 reported that France possesses around 290 nuclear warheads, making it the world's fourth-largest nuclear power after Russia, the United States and China. - ANI Assam has marked a historic first with the export of GI-tagged Karbi Anglong fresh ginger to the United Kingdom. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the 21.2-metric-tonne shipment as a proud step for the state's farmers onto the global stage. The initiative, facilitated by APEDA and a private partner, reflects the government's vision to boost farm incomes through quality produce and international market linkages. Agriculture Minister Atul Bora emphasized the move is part of building an ecosystem that gives farmers greater value and visibility worldwide. Assam achieves a historic agri-export milestone with its first shipment of GI-tagged Karbi Anglong ginger to London, boosting farmers' global reach. Guwahati, March 3 Assam has achieved a major milestone in agri-exports with the first-ever shipment of GI-tagged Karbi Anglong fresh ginger to London, marking a historic moment for the state's agricultural sector, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday. In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister described the development as a proud step for Assam's farmers and a sign of the state's expanding presence in international agricultural markets. He said the export reflects the growing global recognition of Assam's high-quality, GI-tagged produce and the government's sustained efforts to strengthen farm-based livelihoods. A consignment of 21.2 metric tonnes of premium fresh ginger, sourced directly from farmers of Karbi Anglong, was flagged off from Krishi Bhawan in Guwahati. This is the first time GI-tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger has been exported from Assam to the UK market. CM Sarma said the milestone aligns with the government's broader vision of enhancing farmers' income through value addition, quality improvement and strong global market linkages. "Assam is steadily expanding its agricultural footprint globally, ensuring that our farmers receive both recognition and economic opportunity," he said. Agriculture Minister Atul Bora stated that the export has enabled Assam's growers to step onto the global stage. He said the state is building an ecosystem where farmers gain value, visibility and access to international markets, strengthening Brand Assam worldwide. The export initiative was facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in collaboration with NextOn Foods Pvt. Ltd. Senior officials, including Agriculture Department Commissioner and Secretary and Agriculture Production Commissioner Aruna Rajoria, Director of Agriculture Dr P. Uday Praveen, APEDA General Manager Vinita Sudhanshu, and other departmental representatives were present during the flag-off ceremony. Karbi Anglong Ginger, known for its distinctive aroma, fibre content and pungency, holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, highlighting its uniqueness and regional identity. The Chief Minister reiterated that the government will continue to promote GI-tagged products, boost exports and work towards making Assam's agriculture globally competitive. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for 14-year-old girls from Ajmer. Students who received the vaccine described the experience as safe and reassuring, with no pain or doubts. They shared heartwarming details of their kind and simple interaction with the Prime Minister, who inquired about their studies and families. The free vaccine, a major relief for families, is a critical step in India's fight against cervical cancer. Ajmer schoolgirls describe feeling safe after receiving the free HPV vaccine and share their unforgettable interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaipur, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign for 14-year-old girls from Ajmer this weekend, marking a major step toward strengthening preventive healthcare in women and advancing India's fight against cervical cancer. A number of girl students who received the vaccine in the Prime Minister's presence described the experience as safe, reassuring, and unforgettable. Purvi Agarwal, one of the first to receive the HPV vaccine, said she felt "very safe" after taking the vaccine. "We know cervical cancer causes the death of many women. That is why this vaccine is very important," she said, adding that she had read about HPV and cervical cancer in newspapers and was aware of the government's free vaccination drive. She noted that the vaccine, which usually costs around Rs 4,000, being made available free of cost is a big relief for families. Purvi also said she had the chance to interact with the Prime Minister. "PM Modi asked us about various things, including our studies. I did not feel like I was speaking to the Prime Minister; he spoke so kindly. I will never forget this experience," she said. Another student, Chanchal Meghwanshi, said she felt completely normal after receiving the vaccine. "I had no pain or doubts. This vaccine will protect girls from cervical cancer in the future," she said, and vowed to encourage girls aged 14-15 to take the vaccine. She also got a chance to interact with PM Modi. "He asked about my family, my class, and even about my exams. I felt very good talking to him. It did not feel like I was talking to the Prime Minister, but to someone very simple," she shared. Both students expressed confidence that the campaign will have a positive impact on the health and future of girls across the country. Under the program, a pan-India campaign will be held to raise awareness and protect girls from cervical cancer threats by administering them with HPV vaccination before potential exposure to life-threatening ailments. The vaccine is safe, effective, and provides long-lasting protection against HPV strains responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases. The HPV vaccination has been validated and recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and India's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI). Globally, 160 of 194 countries have introduced HPV vaccination into their National Immunisation Programmes. 90 countries have adopted a single-dose schedule, including the majority of Southeast Asian countries. HPV vaccines are 93-100 per cent effective in preventing cervical cancer caused by vaccine-covered HPV types. - IANS Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from OTA Gaya on March 7, becoming the fifth generation to serve. His family's documented military service began in 1841 with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, spanning major conflicts including the World Wars and Indo-Pak wars. The third generation, Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla, served for 36 years and later founded a charitable medical trust. Tunmay, a computer science graduate, chose a military career over lucrative corporate offers, embodying the family's motto of duty and service. Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant on March 7, extending his family's 185-year military service legacy into a fifth generation. New Delhi, March 3 Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy, Gaya on March 7, carrying forward his family's 185-year-old military tradition into its fifth generation. "Serving the nation is our duty, serving society is our mission", a line the Shukla family calls its motto, will gain new meaning with his commissioning. Their family tradition began back in 1841 and continues with its next generation, that being soon-to-be Lieutenant Tunmay Shukla. According to the family's documented account, Shukla family legacy has been 185 Years of Military service to the nation that started in 1841 and is continuing to date. As per the family's statement, the upcoming commissioning of 5th generation soldiers "marks not an end, but a continuation--a torch passed from one generation to the next, illuminating the path of duty and dedication that our family has walked for nearly two centuries." The family's military journey began with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, who served in the 32 Bengal Native Infantry (Brahmin), Bengal Army, from 1841 to 1859. His service included the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and the period of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He retired in 1859. The second generation, Naik Hari Narayan Shukla, served between 1909 and 1923. During World War I, he was deployed to defend the Suez Canal and later served in the Mesopotamian Campaign under the 14th Indian Division. After the 3rd Brahmin Battalion was disbanded in 1922, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Battalion and retired in 1923. The third generation, Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla, served from 1954 to 1990. Commissioned in 1962 into the 35 Medium Regiment (Artillery) from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he served during the Sino-India War (1962), the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971, and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. After retirement, he established the Sainik Parmarth Chikitsalaya Trust in September 2020 to provide free medical services in rural areas. He passed away on June 1, 2021. The fourth generation, Colonel Bipin Kumar Shukla, continues to serve in the Indian Army. GC Tunmay Shukla, the fifth generation, as per the family statement, graduated with distinction in Computer Science Engineering. "In an era when Computer Science graduates command six and seven-figure salaries in the corporate sector, Tunmay made the conscious decision to forgo lucrative opportunities and instead serve the nation," they said. Their statement further added that, "His choice demonstrates that patriotism and service remain vibrant ideals for the younger generation." On March 7, GC Shukla will formally take oath and will be commissioned into the Indian Army as a Lieutenant during OTA Gaya's Passing out Parade (PoP). - ANI Finland's President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4-7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His key engagement will be as Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. The visit aims to deepen bilateral ties, with discussions planned on regional issues and cooperation in multilateral forums. President Stubb will also meet President Droupadi Murmu and travel to Mumbai for business and academic engagements. President Alexander Stubb visits India March 4-7 as Chief Guest at Raisina Dialogue 2026, meeting PM Modi to strengthen bilateral cooperation. New Delhi, March 3 Finland President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4 to March 7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue, 2026, in New Delhi. The visit, which will include the participation of a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials, and business leaders, is aimed at deepening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between India and Finland across various sectors, MEA said in its release. The visit will see President Stubb attend the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi as the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker. As per the release, the visit will be Stubb's first visit to India in his current role as President. In addition to his engagement at the Raisina Dialogue, President Stubb will hold discussions with the Prime Minister, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional and global issues of mutual interest. A key highlight of the visit will be an exchange of views on cooperation in multilateral forums, with an emphasis on deepening people-to-people connections and economic partnerships. Following the discussions, Prime Minister Modi will host a luncheon in honour of President Stubb, the release said During his visit, the Finnish President will also meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also meet President Stubb. After his time in the capital, President Stubb will travel to Mumbai, where he will meet with the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He will interact with local business leaders and address students at the University of Mumbai. India and Finland share a warm and multifaceted relationship, anchored in shared democratic values. Finland plays an essential role as a partner for India within the European Union and the Nordic region. President Stubb's visit follows the recent visit of Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to India for the AI Impact Summit in February, a testament to both countries' commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and fostering stronger ties. - ANI The first lunar eclipse of 2026 occurred on March 3, leading to the closure of temples across several states during the inauspicious Sutak period. Religious leaders outlined the eclipse timing, noting it was a "rising eclipse" visible primarily in northeastern regions. Priests advised devotees to suspend rituals, engage in prayer at home, and take specific precautions with food and medicine. The event spurred widespread observance of traditional fasting and spiritual practices. The first lunar eclipse of 2026 prompts temple closures across states. Priests detail Sutak Kaal timings, visibility, and spiritual practices to follow. New Delhi, March 3 The first lunar eclipse of 2026 will be observed on Tuesday evening, with priests and temple authorities across several states announcing closures and issuing religious guidelines in view of the celestial event. Religious leaders, speaking to IANS, shared details about the timing of the eclipse, the observance of the 'Sutak Kaal', and precautions to be followed by devotees. In Uttar Pradesh, Acharya Ramvilas Chaturvedi told IANS that the lunar eclipse on March 3 is a "rising eclipse." He said, "The lunar eclipse on March 3 is a rising eclipse. In the northeastern region, it will begin at 3:20 P.M. and last until 6:47 P.M. Since it is a rising eclipse, it will be visible where the Sun sets around 4-4:30 P.M., but in central or western India, this eclipse will not be visible." He further explained that the Sutak period - considered inauspicious in Hindu tradition - begins exactly nine hours before the eclipse. During this period, religious rituals and temple activities are generally suspended. In Bihar, Satyendra Ji Maharaj of Maa Dakshineshwar Kali Temple told IANS, "Today is a total lunar eclipse. It will begin at 3:20 P.M., but its Sutak period starts nine hours earlier. During this time, temple worship and darshan of the deity will be closed. Reciting the mantras of your deity and guru during this period yields multiplied spiritual benefits." He added that in Bihar, the eclipse would be visible only for about 20 minutes. "Precautions should be followed. Elderly people who need to take essential medicines are allowed to do so. If someone has cooked food before the eclipse, they should place tulsi leaves in it and consume it only after the eclipse ends," he advised. In Uttar Pradesh, Shailendra Tripathi, priest of the Hanuman Temple, told IANS, "During the Sutak Kaal, idol worship and rituals are prohibited, so we have closed the doors of the temple." Pandit Shyam Ji Pathak also described it as the first lunar eclipse of 2026, stating, "The eclipse will last from 3:20 P.M. to 6:48 P.M. Chanting and performing spiritual practices during this eclipse period is believed to bring success." Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, Pahari Temple priest Manoj Kumar said, "A lunar eclipse is taking place, due to which the temple doors have been closed. The Sutak period begins nine hours before the eclipse." Across states, temple authorities adhered to traditional practices, closing temple doors during the Sutak period and encouraging devotees to engage in prayer and mantra chanting at home. The eclipse prompted heightened religious observance, with many followers observing fasting and spiritual practices in accordance with long-standing beliefs. - IANS Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan passed away at the age of 89 in Kozhikode. A six-term MP from Vatakara, he served as a Cabinet Minister handling key portfolios under Prime Minister V. P. Singh. He is widely remembered for his courageous role in evacuating over 1.5 lakh Indians from Kuwait during the 1990 Gulf War, which included a secret meeting with Saddam Hussein. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led tributes, praising him as a powerful voice for India's secular democratic tradition. Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan, known for evacuating Indians during the Gulf War and exposing the Bofors scandal, dies at 89 in Kozhikode. Thiruvananthapuram Marc, h 3 Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan passed away at the age of 89 at a private hospital in Kozhikode on Monday. He was a prominent political figure who served as the Union Minister for Transport and for Information and Communications in the V. P. Singh cabinet. Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has expressed deep condolences on the demise of Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan. He said, "Unnikrishnan was a staunch advocate of secular politics and left a strong mark in the field of journalism". He added that as a parliamentarian, Unnikrishnan was known for his strong interventions and played a courageous role both inside and outside Parliament in exposing scandals such as the Bofors case. He further described Unnikrishnan's leadership as unforgettable during the 1990 Gulf War. "Unnikrishnan played a crucial role in bringing back more than 1.5 lakh Malayalis stranded in Kuwait. He even met Saddam Hussein at a secret centre in Baghdad during the war to expedite the evacuation process. The nation looked up to his firm and principled positions during critical moments. Respectful tributes to a powerful voice of India's democratic and secular tradition," Vijayan further added. Unnikrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Vatakara constituency for six consecutive terms between 1971 and 1991. An accomplished diplomat and noted orator, he represented India at several international forums, including the United Nations. He served as the Cabinet Minister in the VP Singh government, handling portfolios including Telecommunications, Shipping, and Surface Transport. He strongly opposed the rise of aggressive Hindutva politics led by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and worked to strengthen secular politics in the country. In the 1991 elections, he faced a common candidate backed by the Congress-Muslim League coalition, yet Unnikrishnan secured victory in the Vatakara constituency as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate. Before entering active politics, Unnikrishnan worked as a journalist. He began his political journey through socialist movements. After serving as President of the National Union of Students of India and as Secretary of the Bombay Samajwadi Yuvak Sabha, he joined the Congress in 1960. In Delhi, he worked closely with V. K. Krishna Menon and later became a close associate of Indira Gandhi. Following differences with Indira Gandhi, he joined Congress (U) and later Congress (S), where he served as All India General Secretary. He rejoined the Congress party in 1995. - ANI Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel extended warm greetings to citizens on the festival of Holi-Dhuleti. He emphasized that the festival symbolizes the victory of truth and promotes social harmony by encouraging people to forget differences. The CM participated in a Vedic Holi Dahan ceremony in Ahmedabad, where he urged for environmentally conscious celebrations. The event was attended by local civic officials and devotees, while Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma also celebrated with traditional puja in Jaipur. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel extends Holi wishes, emphasizes truth, social harmony, and eco-friendly celebrations after attending Vedic Holi Dahan in Ahmedabad. Gandhinagar, March 3 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday extended his heartfelt greetings to all citizens of Gujarat on the vibrant festival of Holi-Dhuleti. He expressed his wishes that this festival may fill the lives of people with the colours of happiness, prosperity, and enthusiasm. He stated that the festival of Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood. While conveying his greetings, he said that this festival gives the message of meeting one another with affection by forgetting differences and promotes social harmony in everyone's life. He also urged everyone to celebrate this festival together in such a way that the environment is also preserved. Earlier in the day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the Holi Dahan in Memnagar, Ahmedabad, and celebrated the festival with citizens in a joyful spirit. According to the Gujarat CMO, he participated in the Vedic Holi Dahan at Manav Mandir in Memnagar, promoting environmental conservation, and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the citizens. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood and is a festival of colours. It encourages people to forget differences, meet with affection, and promote social harmony. He urged everyone to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner and appreciated the environmental awareness shown by organising a Vedic Holi. After the Holi Dahan, the Chief Minister visited Manav Mandir, offered prayers, and felt blessed. He also exchanged festival greetings with devotees and residents present there. On the occasion of the Chief Minister's visit, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Standing Committee Chairman Devangbhai Dani, AMTS Chairman Dharamshibhai Desai, other corporation officials, local councillors, leaders, office-bearers, and a large number of devotees were present. Several other political leaders across the country joined the Holi 2026 celebrations. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja at his official residence in Civil Lines in Jaipur shortly after midnight. The Chief Minister offered prayers for the continued happiness and prosperity of the people across the state. According to a release, Chief Minister Sharma performed Holi puja at the Shri Raj Rajeshwari Temple premises. Later, the state Chief Minister observed the 'Holika Dahan' amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. During the ceremony, soldiers from the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion performed traditional Holi songs and danced to the rhythmic beat of the Chang. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to meet with the soldiers and offer them words of encouragement. - ANI Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in the Holi Dahan ceremony at Manav Mandir in Ahmedabad's Memnagar area. He highlighted the festival's message of truth, social harmony, and encouraged citizens to celebrate in an environmentally conscious way. The event was attended by local municipal officials and a large number of devotees. Separately, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also performed traditional Holi puja in Jaipur. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel participates in Vedic Holi Dahan in Ahmedabad, promoting environmental conservation and social harmony during the festival. Gandhinagar, March 3 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the Holi Dahan in Memnagar, Ahmedabad, and celebrated the festival with citizens in a joyful spirit. According to the Gujarat CMO, he participated in the Vedic Holi Dahan at Manav Mandir in Memnagar, promoting environmental conservation, and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the citizens. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood and is a festival of colours. It encourages people to forget differences, meet with affection, and promote social harmony. He urged everyone to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner and appreciated the environmental awareness shown by organising a Vedic Holi. After the Holi Dahan, the Chief Minister visited Manav Mandir, offered prayers, and felt blessed. He also exchanged festival greetings with devotees and residents present there. On the occasion of the Chief Minister's visit, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Standing Committee Chairman Devangbhai Dani, AMTS Chairman Dharamshibhai Desai, other corporation officials, local councillors, leaders, office-bearers, and a large number of devotees were present. Several other political leaders across the country joined the Holi 2026 celebrations. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja at his official residence in Civil Lines in Jaipur shortly after midnight. The Chief Minister offered prayers for the continued happiness and prosperity of the people across the state. According to a release, Chief Minister Sharma performed Holi puja at the Shri Raj Rajeshwari Temple premises. Later, the state Chief Minister observed the 'Holika Dahan' amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. During the ceremony, soldiers from the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion performed traditional Holi songs and danced to the rhythmic beat of the Chang. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to meet with the soldiers and offer them words of encouragement. - ANI Qatar, alongside the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf and regional nations, issued a strong joint statement condemning Iran's recent missile and drone attacks. The statement described the strikes as indiscriminate, reckless, and a violation of the sovereignty of multiple states, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. It emphasized that these actions represent a dangerous escalation that threatens regional stability and endangered civilian populations. The signatory nations reaffirmed their unity, right to self-defence, and commitment to regional security coordination. Qatar leads a joint statement with the US and Gulf nations strongly condemning Iran's reckless attacks across multiple sovereign territories, warning of dangerous escalation. Doha, March 2 In a strong joint statement issued from Doha, Qatar's Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday said that it, along with the USA, UAE, and several Gulf and regional nations, "strongly condemned" what it described as Iran's indiscriminate missile and drone attacks across multiple sovereign territories in the region. In a post shared on X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar said that the joint statement was issued by the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The countries said they "strongly condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran's indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region, including Bahrain, Iraq - including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region - Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates". "These unjustified strikes targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilian populations, and damaged civilian infrastructure," the statement read. Calling the development a serious escalation, the joint statement said, "The Islamic Republic's actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior." The signatory nations reaffirmed their unity in responding to the attacks. "We stand united in defence of our citizens, sovereignty, and territory, and reaffirm our right to self-defence in the face of these attacks," the statement further read. They also underscored their commitment to maintaining regional security and highlighted coordinated defensive efforts. "We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defence cooperation that has prevented far greater loss of life and destruction," the statement added. The latest wave of strikes and Iranian counter-attacks follows a full-scale conflict that erupted in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, after a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, missile batteries, and leadership compounds. - ANI The Himachal Pradesh government has disbursed over 17 crore in financial assistance during this financial year to support ex-servicemen, gallantry award winners, and the families of fallen soldiers. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu detailed the aid, which includes pensions, honorariums, and support for dependents of martyrs. The government has also sanctioned funds for Army recruitment rallies and to strengthen a training academy to inspire youth to join the armed forces. Sukhu reaffirmed the state's commitment to honoring sacrifices through sustained welfare measures and meaningful support. Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announces over 17 crore aid for 2,263 ex-servicemen, gallantry award winners, and families of fallen soldiers. Shimla, March 3 Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday reiterated the State Government's unwavering commitment to the welfare, dignity and socio-economic empowerment of ex-servicemen, gallantry award winners and the families of fallen soldiers. "The ex-servicemen of the state and their families are invaluable assets whose unparalleled contribution and supreme sacrifices in safeguarding the nation will always be remembered with gratitude and pride", remarked the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister informed that during the current financial year, financial assistance exceeding Rs. 17 crore has been disbursed to 2,263 beneficiaries under various welfare schemes. "As many as 968 elderly pensioners have received Rs. 6.12 crore to ensure financial security and dignified living. Additionally, 1084 gallantry award winners have been granted honorariums amounting to Rs 3 crore in recognition of their exemplary courage and service to the nation," said CM He further stated that Rs. 7.62 crore has been extended to 57 dependents of defence personnel who were martyred or disabled in action, thereby providing substantial financial support to their families. "An amount of Rs. 20.83 lakh has also been disbursed to 154 war Jagir beneficiaries as part of the government's continued welfare initiatives," CM added. Highlighting the government's proactive efforts to inspire the youth, the Chief Minister said that a budget of Rs. 2.28 crore has been sanctioned for organising Army recruitment rallies in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur and Shimla districts. As per CM, "This initiative aims to strengthen the patriotic spirit among young people and encourage them to pursue careers in the armed forces." Expressing pride in the state's distinguished legacy, he remarked, "It is a matter of honour for a small state like Himachal Pradesh to have four Param Vir Chakra awardees, adding that the valour and sacrifices of Himachali soldiers stand as a testament to their deep sense of duty and patriotism." The Chief Minister also stated that Rs. 10.26 crore has been earmarked for the financial year 2025-26 to strengthen and expand the Major Somnath Training Academy at Barchhwar in Mandi district. He said, "The academy plays a pivotal role in providing quality and competitive training to youth, enabling them to prepare effectively for recruitment into the armed forces." Reaffirming the government's resolve, the Chief Minister stated that sustained efforts would continue to enhance and expand welfare measures for ex-servicemen and their families, ensuring that their sacrifices are honoured not merely in words but through meaningful and lasting support. - ANI Himachal Pradesh Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan stated the state government is in constant touch with central ministries regarding citizens stranded in West Asia due to escalating tensions. He assured that the stranded individuals are safe and a dedicated landline has been set up for families to make contact. The minister noted that airspace closures are complicating repatriation efforts, which will be addressed once the situation normalizes. Separately, Chauhan discussed the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, indicating the Congress high command will finalize the candidate. Himachal Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan says state is coordinating with MEA and MHA to assist citizens stranded in West Asia amid tensions. Shimla, March 3 Himachal Pradesh Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan on Tuesday said that the State government is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs over the Himachalis stranded in West Asia amid escalating tensions. "We have also spoken directly to the Secretary of the Central Government. Directions have been issued, and the Chief Minister has also taken up the matter," Chauhan told ANI. Chauhan added that the people stranded there are safe and remain in touch with their families. "Appropriate steps will be taken through the Ministry of External Affairs at the right time," he said. He further noted that airspace in the Middle East is currently closed and no commercial flights are operating. "It is difficult to comment on how the situation will evolve there. Only after the situation normalises will further issues be discussed," he said. The Minister informed that the state government is issuing a landline number through which parents, relatives, and stranded individuals can establish contact. "At present, no committee has been formed, but the Ministry of External Affairs is in touch with our officials. Feedback and guidelines are being issued to the state by both Ministries of the Government of India promptly," he added. He mentioned that the affected Middle Eastern countries include Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Iran, Oman, Dubai and seven to eight other nations where the situation remains tense and where people from Himachal Pradesh are present. Further, on the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in Himachal Pradesh, Chauhan said that one seat has fallen vacant and discussions regarding candidate finalisation have been held between the Chief Minister and the Himachal Pradesh Congress President with the Congress high command. "The Rajya Sabha election is scheduled for the 16th. The Congress high command will finalise and release the list," he said. He further informed that a Congress Legislative Party meeting has been called on March 5 at 11:00 AM in the Assembly premises. "Rajya Sabha nominations are proposed by Members of the Legislative Assembly, and signatures will be taken on the nomination papers," he said. Chauhan asserted that there will be no Opposition candidate this time. "There is no such possibility. Those who attempted such actions earlier have already left the party. This time, there is absolutely no such possibility," he added. - ANI Small Cap Watch: Uranium and rare earths names lift as commodity volatility returns Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Small caps remain sensitive to the sharp swings across energy and critical minerals markets, with uranium, rare earths and gold exposure drawing renewed attention amid elevated geopolitical risk and commodity price volatility. Against that backdrop, several explorers and developers reported resource growth and strategic moves aimed at strengthening long-term project economics. Atomic Eagle Atomic Eagle Ltd (ASX:AEU, FRA:6QZ0) lifted total Mineral Resources at its Muntanga Uranium Project in Zambia by 24% to 58.8Mlbs UO at 309ppm following its maiden drill program. New pit-constrained estimates were delivered for Chisebuka and Muntanga East, with management highlighting a low discovery cost of US$0.05 per pound. The company plans to launch its largest drill campaign at Muntanga in nearly 20 years later this month, targeting further growth toward its 40100.5Mlb exploration target. Cash at December 31, 2025, stood at $19.2 million. Aruma Resources Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has begun a fixed loop electromagnetic survey at its Tillex Copper-Silver Project in Ontarios Timmins district. The program will test strike extensions of roughly 500 metres north and south of the current 420-metre drill-defined footprint and assess depth potential to around 400 metres. Results are expected this month and will guide a planned diamond drilling campaign as Aruma moves to accelerate exploration following last months acquisition. Lindian Resources Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN, OTC:LINIF) has signed a binding term sheet to acquire 100% of an operating mixed rare earth carbonate processing facility in Kazakhstan via a 51:49 joint venture with RA-Group LLP. The US$15 million deal shifts Lindian downstream into higher-value MREC production, with commercial output targeted for Q4 2026. Stage 1 feedstock from Kangankunde in Malawi is expected to supply about 12,500 tonnes per annum of monazite concentrate, with Lindian retaining operational oversight and marketing rights. St George Mining St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ, FRA:S0G, OTC:SGQMF) reported a 75% increase in the Mineral Resource at its Araxa rare earthsniobium project in Brazil, lifting the total to 70.91Mt at 4.06% TREO and 0.62% NbO. Measured and Indicated resources rose 218% to 29.49Mt, strengthening the basis for future studies. The estimate excludes 44 recent expansion holes and the East Araxa discovery, leaving scope for further growth. Much of the resource sits within 120 metres of surface, supporting potential open-pit development. The Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, has ordered a comprehensive statewide audit of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 across all police units. The audit, to be completed within 15 days, will review the constitution and functioning of Internal Complaints Committees and procedural compliance. Senior officers must supervise and report, with strict departmental action warned for any lapses or non-compliance. The move emphasizes zero tolerance for harassment and aims to foster a professional, respectful, and accountable workplace environment. Himachal Pradesh Police directs a statewide audit of Sexual Harassment Act compliance across all units, with strict action for non-compliance. Shimla, March 2 Reaffirming its commitment to ensuring a safe, dignified and harassment-free workplace for women, the Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, has directed a comprehensive statewide audit of the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 across all Police units and establishments in the state. The audit, to be completed within 15 days, will review whether Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) have been properly constituted in all eligible offices, whether they are functioning effectively, and whether mandatory procedures under the Act are being followed in letter and spirit. The review will also assess maintenance of complaint records, timeliness of inquiry proceedings, awareness measures undertaken for personnel, and compliance with statutory reporting requirements. Senior Police Officers, including SPs and COs, have been instructed to personally supervise the exercise and submit detailed compliance reports to Police Headquarters within the stipulated timeframe. Any lapse in the constitution or functioning of the Internal Complaints Committees will be rectified immediately. Strict departmental action has been warned in cases of non-compliance, concealment of facts, or failure to implement corrective measures. The Director General of Police has emphasised that zero tolerance towards workplace harassment is a non-negotiable principle of Himachal Pradesh Police. The audit is aimed not merely at procedural compliance, but at strengthening institutional safeguards, promoting gender sensitivity, and fostering a professional environment rooted in respect and accountability. Himachal Pradesh Police reiterated that it remains fully committed to upholding the rights, safety and dignity of women personnel and ensuring that every workplace under its jurisdiction reflects the highest standards of lawful conduct and organisational integrity. - ANI Thousands gathered at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka for Bangladesh's largest Holi celebration, smearing each other with bright powders. Devotees expressed that the festival helps forget sorrows and represents friendship, hoping its colorful spirit continues into the future. The event is highlighted as crucial for strengthening societal bonds and promoting religious harmony in the Muslim-majority nation. The festival marks spring and the victory of good over evil, beginning with the Holika Dahan ritual. Thousands celebrated Holi at Dhaka's Dhakeshwari Temple with vibrant colors, music, and messages of hope and interfaith harmony. Dhaka, March 3 Under clouds of bright pink and yellow powder, thousands gathered at Dhakeshwari National Temple on Tuesday as members of Bangladesh's Hindu community celebrated Holi with vibrant devotion, enjoying colorful dances and music. The largest Holi celebration in the country was held at the National Temple in Dhakeshwari, where people smeared each other with colors and expressed hope for a brighter future. "Our colorful Holi represents relationships and friendship. We are forgetting our illnesses and our sorrows. We hope that this spirit of colorfulness will remain in everyone's life in the future," Shipra Rani, a devotee, told ANI. "We are feeling very happy at this moment. We are colorful and want our lives to be colorful. Everything is filled with color, so we are celebrating this Holi festival," she added. Hindus make up nearly 10 percent of the population in Muslim-majority nation Bangladesh. "This is the Holi festival. We celebrate it together by playing with colors. It is very important for our society and our religion. People from all backgrounds take part in this festival, and it brings excitement and positivity to our environment. This atmosphere is very good for our nation and our religious harmony," said Jibon Mitra, another devotee. "Every year, this festival strengthens relationships among us and with people of other religions. Everyone takes part in this celebration, and the colors are very bright. May our future be as bright as our wishes," he added while speaking to ANI. Known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is a vibrant Hindu festival which marks the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. People throw colored powders, dance, sing, and share sweets, spreading joy, unity, love, and happiness everywhere. The festival begins with Holika Dahan, where a bonfire is lit to mark the death of Holika, a symbol of evil and a special Puja to burn evil spirits is performed. - ANI President Droupadi Murmu addressed IAS officers inducted from State Civil Services at Rashtrapati Bhavan. She emphasized their expanded national responsibilities in driving development and institutional coherence. The President highlighted the need for inclusive growth that reaches the most vulnerable communities. She also urged officers to champion sustainable practices and climate-resilient governance for future generations. President Droupadi Murmu addresses IAS officers on inclusive development, sustainability, and the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047 during their induction. New Delhi, March 2 Indian Administrative Service officers inducted from the State Civil Services and attending the 128th Induction Training Programme at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration called on the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. According to the President's Secretariat, addressing the officers, the President said that their role is crucial to the nation-building process. "They now carry responsibilities that extend far beyond district or state priorities. These greater responsibilities require a perspective that rises above departmental boundaries and dismantles administrative silos. By working in collaboration, they can enhance institutional coherence and strengthen the machinery of governance. Their collective professionalism, coordination, and commitment are essential to driving development outcomes and upholding the highest standards of public service," the President said. She underlined that they are no longer administrators of a particular region; they are the custodians of governance standards that must be upheld across the nation. "Every decision they make should resonate with the overall vision of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047," she said. President Murmu said that as IAS officers, they will be expected to implement policies effectively to fulfil the needs and aspirations of people. She stated that their valuable experience and the spirit of 'Nation First' should be their guiding compass as they take on more complex challenges. The President said that officers are expected to contribute to inclusive development. She emphasised that India's transformation into a developed nation will be meaningful only when the benefits reach the most vulnerable and deprived sections. She urged them to make untiring efforts to ensure that no community is left behind due to geographical, social, or economic reasons. The President stated that another important area that demands their commitment is sustainability and climate resilience. "As senior administrators, they must champion green practices, promote climate-adaptive governance, and ensure sustainable development," she said, underscoring that our collective actions today will determine the quality of life of future generations. - ANI US President Donald Trump has forcefully defended the recent American and Israeli strikes on Iran, asserting the action was necessary to prevent Tehran from launching its own attack first. He claimed intelligence indicated an imminent threat and that the operation, referred to as "Midnight Hammer," stopped Iran from acquiring a powerful nuclear weapon within a month. Trump described the Iranian regime as "sick," "crazy," and "evil," while also criticizing former President Barack Obama's nuclear deal. The comments come amid a fourth day of regional conflict following strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader. US President Donald Trump defends strikes on Iran, claiming they prevented a first strike and nuclear war, while criticizing Obama and European allies. Washington DC, March 4 US President Donald Trump has defended the recent American strikes against Iran, asserting that the action was necessary to prevent a potential nuclear catastrophe and claimed that "Tehran was preparing to launch an attack first." The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases in Gulf countries and other Israeli assets across the region. Responding to a question on whether Israel had compelled Washington to act, Trump rejected the suggestion. "No, Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think [Iran] was going to attack first, and I didn't want that to happen, so if anything, I might've forced Israel's hand," he said. The US President described the Iranian regime in stark terms and added that they "would've taken out many countries" if not attacked. "If we didn't do what we're doing right now, you would've had a nuclear war and they would've taken out many countries because you know what? They're sick people. They're mentally ill, sick people. They're angry. They're crazy. They're sick," he added. "Something had to be done. It's been 47 years. They've been killing people all over the world for a long time... They were really a purveyor of terror all over the world for many, many years," Trump added. He further claimed that intelligence assessments "indicated an imminent threat." "I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked... A lot of those missiles that are hitting, those are stationary. Those were aimed there for a long period of time at these other countries--so I think I was right about that," he said. Declaring that Iran would have used a nuclear weapon if it had acquired one, Trump stated, "These people are crazy, and if they had a nuclear weapon, they would've used it." Referring to the recent military operation "Operation Epic Fury," Trump said, "The attack that we did known as Midnight Hammer, had we not done that, Iran would've had a very powerful nuclear weapon within one month." Criticising former President Barack Obama, he said, "Barack Hussein Obama made maybe the worst deal that I've ever seen because he gave all power in the Middle East to Iran... If I didn't terminate that deal, they would be sitting with a massive nuclear weapon 3 years ago." "They're just evil. It's not the politics, it's their whole philosophy... It's terrible, where they kill 35,000 [people], it's just a very evil ideology," he added. He also spoke about the negotiations before the strikes. "We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first... If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that," Trump said. Claiming that US strikes had severely degraded Iran's capabilities, he asserted, "We've had a very powerful impact because virtually everything they have has been knocked out now. Their missile count is going way down. Amazingly, they're hitting countries that were neutral. They lived together for a long time... Those countries are all fighting against them... They (Iran) no longer have air protection. They no longer have any detection facilities at all. They're gonna be in for a lot of hurt. These are bad people." Commenting on the role of European nations, he added, "Some of the European nations have been helpful, and some haven't--and I'm very surprised. Germany's been great... Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain," he said, adding, "By the way, I'm not happy with the UK either." During a meeting at the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said, "We have a meeting with a man who's become a friend of mine. We'll obviously be talking a little bit about Iran. We're talking about some very big trade deals." Later, German Chancellor Merz said, "We are on the same page in terms of getting this terrible regime in Tehran away." This comes amid heightened tensions after the US and Israeli in coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran also retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati hosted a high-level Japanese delegation led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII Iwao and Ambassador ONO Keiichi. The visit highlighted strong academic ties, including over 10 honorary Japanese professors and more than 70 Japanese students participating in exchange programs. The delegation explored advanced facilities like the Centre for Nanotechnology and the IITG Research Park, witnessing innovations such as a robotic hand. The engagement aims to further streamline student visas and boost joint research ventures in technology and healthcare. IIT Guwahati hosts Japanese delegation to strengthen academic collaboration, student exchange, and joint research in nanotechnology and healthcare. Guwahati, March 3 Marking a major milestone in boosting its industrial and academic tie-ups with Japan, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati hosted a high-level Japanese delegation, led by HORII Iwao, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and ONO Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India. Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan joined the delegation. Prof Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, welcomed the delegation and highlighted IIT Guwahati's strong foundational collaboration with Japan. During his address, Prof Jalihal said, "IIT Guwahati currently hosts more than 10 honorary professors from Japan. Additionally, the institute has seen a significant surge in mobility, with over 70 Japanese students participating in exchange or joint degree programs within the last two years alone." Prof Jalihal also highlighted IIT Guwahati's strong academic and research collaboration with Gifu University. During his address, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, HORII Iwao, acknowledged the rapid progress made by IIT Guwahati and the deepening academic collaboration between the institute and partner organisations in Japan. Addressing a key logistical area for students, Ambassador of Japan to India, ONO Keiichi, assured the institute that the Embassy of Japan would work closely with IIT Guwahati to further streamline the visa application process for students travelling to Japan. During their visit to the campus, the delegation also explored IIT Guwahati's technological hubs. This activity included visits to - Centre for Nanotechnology - The delegates visited the ISO 5 and 6 clean room facilities and were briefed on the state-of-the-art technological products currently under development; IITG Research Park - The delegation also connected with several startups incubated by IIT Guwahati and was showcased a live demonstration of a uniquely featured robotic hand developed by researchers incubating within the research park. In addition to this, a presentation on the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHII) was also showcased to the delegation, highlighting IIT Guwahati's commitment to advancing cutting-edge healthcare research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the region. The visit served as a stepping stone to enhance the growing synergy between Indian research excellence and Japanese innovation, and paved the way for increased student mobility and joint technological ventures. - ANI United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed admiration for the vibrancy of India's civil society following his recent visit for the AI Summit. He emphasized the crucial role civil society plays in upholding democratic traditions and protecting minority rights, stating civic space must be defended. During his trip, Turk held discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on human rights issues. Separately, at the same UN council session, India delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan's allegations, firmly reiterating its position on Jammu and Kashmir. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk commends India's civil society role in democracy & rights, details from AI Summit visit and India-Pakistan UN exchange. Geneva, March 2 Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he was impressed by the vibrancy of civil society in India during his recent visit. Turk noted that civil society plays a key role in upholding India's democratic traditions and protecting the rights of minorities, and emphasised that civic space must be vigorously defended so they can work without hindrance. "During my recent trip to India, I was impressed by the vibrancy of civil society. They play a key role in upholding India's democratic traditions and the rights of minorities. It is important for civic space to be vigorously defended and for civil society to be able to do their work without hindrance," he said. Turk had visited India for the AI Summit, where he had met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In a post on X, he said, "Wrapping up my 1st visit to India for AI Summit; grateful for exchanges with Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on global, regional & domestic human rights; NHRC; & India's dynamic civil society, which has a key role in promoting the human rights of all." "Good to be in India for the AI Impact Summit. To shape a digital future that serves people -- not power -- we need to anchor AI governance in human rights, & make these technologies accessible to all, not just a privileged few," he further noted. On February 26, India delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan at the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is being held from 23 February to 31 March, accusing Islamabad of spreading propaganda and asserting that Jammu and Kashmir's development trajectory stands in stark contrast to Pakistan's economic troubles. Exercising India's Right to Reply during the high-level segment held on February 25, Anupama Singh, India's representative, rejected allegations made by Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), saying the grouping had allowed itself to be used as an "echo chamber" for one member state. "We categorically reject these allegations," Singh said, adding that Pakistan's "incessant propaganda now reeks of envy." Singh reiterated India's long-standing position that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India." She said the accession of the region to India in 1947 was "completely legal and irrevocable," in accordance with the Indian Independence Act and international law. - ANI India and Canada have formally launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, targeting conclusion by the end of 2026. The diplomatic relationship has significantly improved from the lows of 2023, with High Commissioners returning to their posts. The partnership now focuses on next-generation sectors including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, clean technology, and critical minerals supply. High-level platforms like the reconstituted CEO Forum and a new Economic and Financial Dialogue aim to sustain momentum and unlock commercial opportunities. India and Canada set 2026 target for Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, resetting diplomatic ties and focusing on next-gen sectors like AI and clean tech. New Delhi, March 2 India and Canada are moving forward with Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement talks, aiming to conclude by 2026 after the leadership change in Canada, leading to a strategic "reset." During the Ministry of External Affairs briefing on Canadian PM Mark Carney's official visit to India, Secretary (East) P Kumaran stated that they've agreed on terms of reference and will start detailed discussions. "We've just agreed on the terms of reference, and we will soon get into detailed discussions. The broad deadline is by the end of the year 2026. The visit delivered concrete outcomes across five pillars. Number one was the agreement on a durable economic anchor through the launch of CEPA. The signing of the terms of reference for a CEPA provides a clear roadmap to conclude an ambitious, balanced and mutually beneficial agreement by the end of 2026," he said. This marks a transition from the previously discussed "Early Progress Trade Agreement" (EPTA) directly toward a full-scale comprehensive deal. To ensure the momentum survives political cycles, several high-level platforms were launched or revived: India-Canada CEO Forum, reconstituted and met in New Delhi on March 2, bringing together top business leaders to identify actionable investment opportunities. Moreover, a new "Economic and Financial Dialogue" has been established to streamline capital flows. "To sustain the momentum, the India-Canada CEO Forum has been reconstituted and met today in New Delhi a short while ago. A new finance minister's economic and financial dialogue has been launched. Both sides agreed on reciprocal ministerial-led trade and investment engagements to unlock commercial opportunities," he said. Kumaran said that Carney's visit witnessed substantial commercial announcements and investment commitments across a wide range of sectors. "Beyond government-to-government outcomes, the visit witnessed substantial commercial announcements and investment commitments across a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences, agri-food processing, clean technology and water infrastructure, financial services and fintech, advanced manufacturing, hospitality and digital innovation. These announcements reflect growing confidence among businesses in both markets and underscore the depth of two-way investment flows," he said. Beyond traditional trade, the focus has shifted to "next-generation" sectors: Long-term uranium supply arrangements for India's nuclear sector and cooperation on critical minerals (lithium, cobalt); AI-enabled banking, cybersecurity, and regenerative medicine and clean technology, water infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. "The reciprocal investment pattern signals that the partnership is increasingly anchored in real economic integration rather than episodic transactions. Notably, span next-generation sectors such as regenerative medicine, AI-enabled banking platforms, cybersecurity, clean energy technologies, and advanced industrial solutions," he said. Kumaran confirmed that diplomatic relations are now "way better" than the lows of 2023. High Commissioners Dinesh K. Patnaik (India) and Christopher Cooter (Canada) have returned to their posts. Both sides have agreed to progressively increase diplomatic staff strength to return to pre-2023 levels. By placing sensitive security issues into structured dialogues (like the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism), both leaders have successfully "depoliticised" the economic relationship. He said, "This has been discussed during various dialogues at various levels, and there is broad agreement that we should be increasing diplomatic strength on both sides progressively to reach their levels in the past. We are already in the process of doing that. You would have seen that the High Commissioners have returned to their positions." "We have a High Commissioner in our mission in Canada, and similarly, the Canadian mission is headed now by a High Commissioner. The numbers are currently at levels better than what we had in 2023. We continue to take steps to take this to the next level in keeping with the expanded agenda and ambition. We are taking this on a step-by-step basis," he said. Kumaran said that this was Carney's first visit since assuming office and marks a crucial turn in relations. The official visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to India (February 27 - March 2, 2026) marks a historic "inflection point," effectively ending the diplomatic freeze that began in 2023. This visit, the first by a Canadian leader in eight years, has shifted the relationship from "episodic transactions" to a strategy of deep economic integration. He said, "This was his first visit to India since assuming office and the first bilateral visit by a Canadian Prime Minister in eight years. The visit marks an important inflection point in the India-Canada relationship. Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit commenced with a two-day program in Mumbai. The Mumbai leg was primarily business-oriented and aimed at catalysing investment flows, deepening financial linkages and expanding innovation partnerships between the two countries." While trade deals take time, the flow of capital is already record-breaking. Canadian pension funds--which manage the retirement savings of millions of Canadian teachers, healthcare workers, and public servants--have effectively placed a massive bet on India's growth. India accounts for 30% of all Canadian pension fund investments in the entire Asia-Pacific region. Currently, Sovereign Wealth Funds (funds owned by a state) often enjoy specific tax breaks and benefits in India that Pension Funds do not. "Prime Minister Carney held extensive interactions with Indian business leaders, CEOs, innovators, educators, and representatives of leading Canadian pension funds. These discussions were essentially focused on bilateral investment flows, strengthening collaboration and clean energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. It is also related to partnerships in education, skills and research, and expanding capital market linkages and long-term institutional investments," Kumaran added. Canada is aggressively diversifying its trade toward the Indo-Pacific. Simultaneously, India views Canada as a reliable G7 partner for energy security and high-tech capital. Earlier in the day, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed officials to explore providing benefits to pension funds, enhancing India's competitiveness as an investment destination. In a post on X, he said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongwith Prime Minister Mark Carney, addressed the India-Canada CEO Forum comprising leading businesspersons from both countries. PM noted that India and Canada together represent a substantive economic force, combining capital and capability. PM highlighted key areas for joint economic cooperation, including clean energy, civil nuclear partnership, critical minerals, infrastructure and capital, manufacturing and technology, particularly AI, as well as food processing and other emerging sectors. The Forum explored avenues to deepen economic and commercial ties - with a focus on enhancing trade, investment, innovation and people-to-people linkages between India and Canada." Canada needs the high returns of a growing Indian market to pay out future pensions, and India needs the stable, long-term infrastructure capital that Canadian funds provide. "Today, India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. Behind this transformation is the strength of robust domestic demand, a young population, large-scale investment, and digital technology. This is the result of our continuously racing reform express," PM Modi had said in the forum. "India and Canada are vibrant democracies, two major economies of the world, societies based on shared values. Democracy, diversity and development inspire us to move forward as natural partners," he further said. - ANI India and Canada have agreed to work on restoring their diplomatic missions to previous staffing levels following bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. MEA official P Kumaran confirmed the process is already underway, with High Commissioners having returned to their posts. Relations had severely deteriorated under former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau after he alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The change in Canadian leadership has enabled calibrated steps to mend ties, including the appointment of a new Indian High Commissioner. India and Canada agree to progressively restore diplomatic staffing to previous levels after bilateral talks between PM Modi and PM Mark Carney. New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney discussed restoring diplomatic staffing levels in both countries to their previous strength, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Monday. Responding to questions while addressing a media briefing after the bilateral discussions held between both leaders in New Delhi on Monday, MEA's Secretary (East) P Kumaran said that the issue had been addressed at various levels during the bilateral engagements. "There is broad agreement that we should be increasing diplomatic strength on both sides progressively to reach their levels in the past. We are already in the process of doing that. You would have seen that the High Commissioners have returned to their positions. We have a High Commissioner in our mission in Canada, and similarly, the Canadian mission is headed now by the High Commissioner," Kumaran stated. "Let me tell you that the numbers are currently at levels better than what we had in 2023. We continue to take steps to take this to the next level in keeping with the expanded agenda and ambition, and we are taking this on a step-by-step basis," he added. Bilateral ties between India and Canada had soured after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament that he had "credible allegations" of India's hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. A major diplomatic row had erupted when Canada labelled India's High Commissioner and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation of Nijjar's death. India denied all the allegations, calling them "absurd" and "motivated", accusing Ottawa of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in the country. In October 2024, India decided to withdraw its High Commissioner and "other targetted diplomats and officials" from Canada following Trudeau's continued "hostility" towards the country. "We have no faith in the current Canadian Government's commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials. It was also conveyed that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau Government's support for extremism, violence and separatism against India," the MEA had stated after summoning the Canadian Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi in October 2024, over the "baseless targetting" of the Indian diplomats and officials in Canada. However, with Carney taking over as the Canadian PM, some calibrated steps to restore India-Canada ties have been taken, leading to the appointment of Dinesh K Patnaik as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. - IANS Business leaders at the India-Canada CEO Forum expressed strong optimism for a renewed economic partnership. They emphasized the need for a swift conclusion to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The forum highlighted collaboration opportunities in advanced sectors like artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and defense. Participants agreed to form working groups to ensure structured follow-up and measurable outcomes. Business leaders from India and Canada push for a quick trade agreement, signaling a reboot in economic ties focused on AI, quantum tech, and defense. New Delhi, March 3 A renewed sense of optimism and momentum marked the India-Canada CEO Forum, as business leaders from both nations underscored what they call a "new chapter" in bilateral ties spanning sectors, including AI, quantum technologies, and defence. Echoing the tone set by the two Prime Ministers of both nations, participants described the engagement as a reboot of relations, with strong emphasis on trade agreements, bilateral investments and measurable outcomes. The India-Canada CEOs Forum, held here in the national capital, saw participation of both Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Carney. Dheeraj Jain, Founder and Chairman of Redcliffe Labs, highlighted the shared vision driving the partnership. "Our thoughts are very aligned, I think our values are very aligned. We have to see a continuous growth on each of these sectors. But I think it looks very optimistic today, at least..." he said, reflecting the broader sentiment at the Forum. Joby John, Founder and CEO of Techversant Infotech, pointed to recent progress in ties. John said that the last few months have been great and the relationship is getting better, and the governments are supporting it. "Definitely, we expect a big improvement in the sales, and definitely India and Canada can be very good partners in the IT and maybe the AI and quantum technologies and all..." Joby John noted. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), outlined key discussion areas. "...we spoke a lot about the opportunities of bilateral investments, investments into India. Today, India is attracting so many investments in different areas. Third, a very interesting area that came up was how to get Indian states and the Canadian provinces to work with each other. And fourth, a very quick conclusion of the CEPA. Fifth, a number of areas from defence to agriculture, where we talked about collaboration. So it was just a phenomenal start and a reboot to the relationship..." he said. Girish Tanti, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of Suzlon Energy Limited, described the engagement as a turning point. "What has been concluded largely today is that this is the start of a new chapter between the countries. We are reigniting the relationship. This is the beginning of the new journey. We will be following up with a similar CEO forum in Canada in the coming time, and both countries have agreed to set a pace to develop our trade agreement going ahead..." he stated. Veejay Ram Nakra, President of Mahindra & Mahindra's Farm Equipment Business, emphasized structured follow-up. "We also had an opportunity to debrief the two Prime Ministers on the topics that we spoke about and with all the support that we've got from CII and the Canada Business Forum, the two countries along with the support from them will move forward to identify smaller working groups so that we'll be able to take this agenda forward, get the agreement signed between the two countries and look at also how we can partner in terms of bilateral investment between the two countries going forward," he said. Richa Hukumchand, Founder and CEO of Pramatra Space, framed the partnership in the context of global uncertainty. "This is the start of the new era where, given the kind of trade uncertainties that are happening globally, building resilience and building partnerships with countries, and especially with Canada, will build a sustainable economic and an innovative future for our country..." she remarked. Indra Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Avanti Feeds Limited, stressed technological complementarity. "Prime Minister has said very well, the cooperation between India and Canada is really going off well and the cooperation between the technology that Canada has and what the capacities that India have together will go a long way and for the food processing sector and the food safety of the people, it would help a lot," he said. Goldy Hyder, CEO and President of the Business Council of Canada, underscored the role of industry. "It shows alignment, but I also believe very strongly in what Prime Minister Modi said that at the end of the day, the role of governments is to build the policy infrastructure, the trade enabling infrastructure from a policy perspective. But ultimately, it is businesses that need to cross, to get across that bridge and we're excited about what's going on both here in India but also in Canada, where we certainly would welcome Indian capital..." he stated. Preeti Bajaj, CEO and Managing Director of Luminous Power Technologies, identified clean energy as a priority. "One of the focus areas emerged to be clean energy, tech and specifically looking at what's possible in battery energy storage systems from supply chain standpoint as well as product formulation and technology innovation standpoint, including innovative financial business models was one of the key areas we discussed today. If I had to sum up today as a whole, taking a holistic view, I would say that there are three P's that sum it up. One is partnership, the second is platform, and finally, it's really about performance. The focus on measurable results of this particular comprehensive agreement in time as well as actual in the impact of economy is something we all look forward to..." she said. Sourabh Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Farm Native Group, pointed to ambitious bilateral trade goals of USD 50 billion by 2030. "...in the area of agriculture, nuclear energy, clean energy and in the area of AI and we have been looking for collaborating with the Canadian counterpart for agriculture and healthcare..." he noted. Summing up the sentiment, Rajat Verma, CEO of the India-Canada CEO Forum, said, "I think we are very optimistic about the trade partnership. The two prime ministers set the tone very well. I think this is the beginning of India-Canada 2.0. We hope to get this partnership effected by the industry. The government can set the framework, the policy, but it's up to industry to go and actually do some real strategic partnership." - ANI India and Canada have signed a major commercial agreement for the long-term supply of uranium worth CAD $2.6 billion. The two nations have set an ambitious year-end deadline to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Leaders from both countries agreed to deepen collaboration across the entire energy value chain, including clean energy and critical minerals. The partnership aims to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030 and includes new agreements on space cooperation and AI integration. India and Canada sign a major uranium supply deal and set a year-end deadline to finalize a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA). New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, on Monday, set a year-end target to complete the negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries and agreed to deepen bilateral collaboration in the energy and critical mineral sectors. "The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of a CAD $2.6 billion commercial agreement between Cameco and the Department of Atomic Energy for the long-term supply of uranium, contributing to India's civil nuclear energy generation, clean energy transition objectives, and long-term energy security," according to a joint statement issued after the summit. Recognising their complementary strengths as energy powers, the two leaders agreed to advance the India-Canada Strategic Energy Partnership aimed at deepening long-term cooperation across the energy value chain. "They underscored the shared commitment to enhancing collaboration across clean energy, conventional energy, civil nuclear energy, and critical minerals to promote affordability, sustainability, and economic growth," according to a joint statement issued after the summit. The leaders noted that strengthened institutional engagement would support expanded bilateral energy trade, including in liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), crude oil, refined petroleum products, potash, and uranium supply offtakes. New Delhi and Ottawa hope to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a joint media conference with his Canadian counterpart Carney, from nearly $9 billion in 2024-25. Both sides acknowledged the significant potential to further expand bilateral energy trade. This includes increased oil and LNG imports by India from Canada, as well as the supply of refined petroleum products from India to Canada. In this context, Canada reaffirmed its plans to expand heavy oil export infrastructure and supplies of LNG to the Indo-Pacific market through Canada's stated goal of producing 50 million tonnes of LNG per year by 2030 and up to 100 million tonnes by 2040. The two leaders welcomed discussions between Indian public sector oil and gas companies and Canadian energy firms to expand bilateral cooperation in LPG. Both sides also reaffirmed support for greater private investment flows and long-term offtake arrangements including through tools, such as loans, financing, and equity investments to support commercially viable energy partnerships. The two leaders underscored their commitment to deepening long-term, reciprocal investment partnerships across the energy and natural resource sectors, recognising the scale of ongoing projects and emerging opportunities in both markets. They further welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on critical minerals cooperation, reflecting their shared commitment to building resilient, secure, and diversified critical minerals supply chains. The two leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in investment to support clean energy technologies and future-oriented industries. They agreed to deepen cooperation on critical minerals and energy transition pathways, including exploring collaboration on helping to secure India's mineral stockpiling initiative, and supporting robust commercial outcomes for Canadian and Indian companies, while also sharing expertise on emissions reductions, and transition technologies. The leaders also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Clean Energy Cooperation, establishing a comprehensive institutional framework to advance bilateral collaboration across solar, wind, bioenergy, small hydro, energy storage, and capacity-building. Canada expects to double electricity supply by 2050 and significantly expand deployment of renewable energy and energy storage. The two leaders discussed the urgency and mutual benefit of strategic partnership on space cooperation by respective agencies and private sectors. Building upon space cooperation, India and Canada intend to explore joint initiatives to integrate AI into space and aerospace technologies. By co-developing these AI tools for space applications and earth observation, both countries will advance innovation and reinforce their technological sovereignty. The two leaders also agreed to explore collaboration on AI-assisted tools to strengthen the diagnostic capabilities of distance medicine to deliver modern, reliable healthcare to the remote regions of both countries. Besides, recognising the growing complementarity between India and Canada in agriculture and agri-food systems, the two leaders underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation to enhance food security, farm productivity, and resilient supply chains. - IANS Iran's top clerics said Sunday they were close to naming a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader killed on the opening day of the war. No successor was named, but the ayatollahs son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been widely seen as the leading candidate to take his fathers place. The announcement came as massive fires burned near Tehran overnight, after U.S. and Israeli forces struck fuel depots across the capital. Israel said the sites were being used by Irans military, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned there were many more targets to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, President Trump vowed that Iran would be "hit very hard" including "areas and groups of people" not previously considered as targets after claiming the country had "surrendered to its Middle East neighbors." The president's comments on Truth Social followed a televised address by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who apologized to neighboring Gulf countries and suggested the strikes were the result of military units acting without clear orders after the killing of Khamenei. But Pezeshkian rejected the demand for unconditional surrender and later issued a second statement insisting Iran's fire had been aimed at "U.S. military bases, facilities, and installations," not at neighboring nations. Multiple news outlets reported on Friday that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence on the movements of the U.S. military that could aid its retaliatory attacks. It is unclear what Russia wants in return from Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli weekend assault on Tehran, including Khamenei. At least a dozen people in Israel and more than 200 people in Lebanon have been killed, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. service members have died in retaliatory strikes, according to U.S. Central Command. On Saturday, Trump watched solemnly as the remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured that India is fully prepared with ample crude oil and petroleum product inventories to handle potential short-term supply disruptions from the Middle East. The country has diversified its energy import sources, with many supplies now not routed through the volatile Strait of Hormuz. A dedicated 24x7 control room has been established to continuously monitor fuel stocks and supply across the nation. The government stated there are no immediate plans to raise petrol or diesel prices, prioritizing consumer interests amid the evolving global situation. India has robust crude oil and fuel stocks, diversified supplies, and a 24x7 control room to ensure energy security amid Middle East tensions. New Delhi, March 3 Following the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East and the evolving global energy situation, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, informed that "the country is well stocked with crude oil and inventories of key petroleum products including petrol, diesel and ATF to deal with short-term disruptions arising from the Middle East." In a media briefing, the Minister provided an update on the country's preparedness in the current circumstances. It was highlighted that India is the third largest importer, fourth largest refiner, and fifth largest exporter of petroleum products globally. It was further apprised that in the last few years, India has ensured both availability and affordability of energy for its population by diversifying its sources. Indian energy companies now have access to energy supplies that are not routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Such cargoes will remain available and help mitigate supplies that may be temporarily affected enroute through the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministry has also established a 24x7 Control Room to continuously monitor the supply and stock position of petroleum products across the country. The Minister, via a press briefing, also notified that the Government is reasonably comfortable in terms of stocks. Safeguarding the interests of Indian consumers remains the highest priority. Based on continuous monitoring, the Government is cautiously optimistic that phased measures can be taken, if required, to further mitigate the situation. Earlier today, government sources said that India has about 25 days of crude oil and refined oil stocks, and it is scouting for alternative sources for importing crude oil, LPG and LNG. As per the sources, there are no immediate plans to raise the prices of petrol or diesel in the country amid tensions in West Asia. - ANI India's Civil Aviation Ministry is closely monitoring the Middle East airspace situation following recent military strikes. Indian carriers have adjusted schedules and are resuming long-haul operations using alternative routings to avoid restricted zones. Special measures, including additional flights from Jeddah, are being coordinated to repatriate stranded passengers and restore operational stability. The ministry emphasizes passenger safety and transparent communication from airlines during the disruption. India monitors Middle East airspace, resumes flights via new routes after US-Israel strikes on Iran. Airlines arrange special flights for stranded passengers. New Delhi, March 3 India is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations following the US-Israel attack against Iran. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement. IndiGo has planned 10 special relief operations from Jeddah to India on March 3, to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India at Jeddah for passenger facilitation. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations, a release said on Monday. Passenger safety remains paramount. All airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication with passengers and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements concerning refunds, rescheduling, and passenger assistance. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight status directly with their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport and to rely only on official sources for updates. The situation was reviewed today in a high-level meeting chaired by Minister of Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu and attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and all senior officials. As per the release, the Ministry remains in continuous coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities, and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe operations, orderly restoration of services, and facilitation of affected passengers. This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI The second India-Philippines Maritime Dialogue was held in New Delhi, where both sides exchanged views on developments in the Indo-Pacific region. They explored collaborative avenues in multilateral forums like the United Nations and ReCAAP. The discussions covered strengthening cooperation in maritime domain awareness, marine economy, and Navy and Coast Guard engagements. It was agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in the Philippines. India and Philippines hold 2nd Maritime Dialogue in New Delhi, agreeing to enhance cooperation in maritime security, economy, and multilateral forums. New Delhi, March 2 The second India-Philippines Maritime Dialogue was held on Monday in the national capital, where the two sides exchanged assessments of developments in the Indo-Pacific region and shared perspectives on the Law of the Sea. According to an official release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian delegation was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary, Disarmament and International Security Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Philippines delegation by Emmanuel Donato K Guzman, Acting Assistant Secretary, Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, Department of Foreign Affairs. The two sides explored avenues of collaboration at multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations, ReCAAP (Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia) and IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium). Cooperation at ASEAN platformsduring Philippines' ASEAN Chairship and the ASEAN-India Maritime Year of cooperation, were deliberated upon, a release stated. As per a release, they agreed to strengthen their shared efforts in areas such as the marine economy, maritime domain awareness, Navy and Coast Guard engagements, as well as seafarers' cooperation. They agreed to explore collective efforts in marine scientific research, HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) and in mitigating the challenges of supply chain disruptions. It was agreed to hold the next round of Dialogue in the Philippines, a release added. - ANI India has supplied a significant number of vehicles to Nepal's Election Commission to support the upcoming general elections on March 5. The polls are considered landmark events following widespread Gen Z protests in September of the previous year. Nepal's election official highlighted India's role as a crucial neighbour providing consistent assistance, including security cooperation along shared borders. Over 18.9 million voters are expected to cast their ballots across nearly 11,000 polling locations. India provides vehicles and security cooperation for Nepal's crucial March 5 general elections, held after Gen Z protests. Details on voter count and polling. By Niranjan Mishra, Kathmandu, March 3 Nepal is prepared for the general elections, with voting scheduled to take place on March 5. This election, being held after the Gen Z protests in September last year, is considered very significant. As a close neighbour, this election is equally important for India as well. India is providing necessary support to Nepal for these elections. For Nepal's general elections, India has provided a large number of vehicles to the Election Commission. Nepal Election Commission's Information Officer, Suman Ghimire, while talking to ANI, said that, "India is our important neighbour, and we continue to receive assistance from India." Ghimire said, "Our friendly nation, India, has provided a large number of vehicles for our elections. These vehicles were given by the Government of India to the Government of Nepal, and from there they were made available to us for our election work. India is an important neighbour for us. Our country is connected to India on three sides. We have consistently received support from India." He further added, "In view of the elections, India is also cooperating from a security point of view. For security reasons, some border areas adjoining India have been sealed." Speaking about other neighbouring countries, Suman Ghimire said, "Countries like China, Korea and Japan are also supporting us. They provide assistance to us through the Government of Nepal." He informed that, "Voting will take place on March 5 from 7 am to 5 pm. A total of 18,903,689 eligible voters will participate in this election. This time, 1.1 million new voters have been added. We have also provided training to the new voters at the ward level regarding the voting process." "For this election, a total of 10,967 polling locations have been set up, comprising 23,112 polling centres. Arrangements have been made at the polling centres keeping in mind the convenience of the voters," he added. - ANI Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma met with Bangladesh's Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to discuss strengthening cooperation in local governance and rural development. The talks also covered enhancing the rural economy, agricultural cooperatives, and financial empowerment at the grassroots level. Verma emphasized India's commitment to positive, constructive, and people-centric cooperation based on mutual benefit. These discussions follow recent meetings with Bangladesh's Home and Law Ministers, reinforcing India's desire to work with the new government. Indian envoy meets Bangladesh ministers to enhance cooperation in local governance, rural economy, and security, building on bilateral ties. Dhaka, March 3 Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh's Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, holding discussions over various areas of common interest. The discussions included enhanced cooperation to strengthen local governance structures and rural development, which are shared priorities of both countries. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral engagement in areas such as the rural economy, agricultural cooperatives, financial empowerment at the grassroots, etc. High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh relations are founded on people-to-people ties and that India remains ready to engage with Bangladesh in a positive, constructive, and forward-looking manner to promote people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. Earlier, Verma on Sunday met with Bangladesh's Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and exchanged views on bilateral issues of common interest, including security cooperation between the two countries. The High Commissioner also met with Bangladesh's Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Md Asaduzzaman, later in the day. During these meetings, the High Commissioner conveyed India's willingness to work together with the new government of Bangladesh to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest, mutual benefit and mutual respect. These discussions build upon India's earlier expression of its desire to build ties with the new government of Bangladesh, as stated by Pranay Verma on February 22. On that occasion, Verma met Khalilur Rahman, who is Bangladesh's new Foreign Minister, and Minister of State, Shama Obaed Islam, at the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry. - ANI Indian diplomatic missions in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are actively assisting nationals stranded due to temporary airspace closures in parts of West Asia. Etihad Airways has suspended all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi until the afternoon of March 4. Indian carriers Akasa Air and IndiGo are operating or planning special flights from Jeddah to repatriate affected passengers. Airlines are urging travelers to check their flight status before heading to airports as safety assessments guide operational resumptions. Etihad suspends ops, IndiGo & Akasa run special flights as Indian embassies aid passengers stranded by Gulf airspace closure. Updates inside. New Delhi, March 3 Indian diplomatic missions in the Gulf region have stepped up assistance to stranded passengers after widespread flight disruptions triggered by temporary airspace closures in parts of West Asia. The Embassy of India in Kuwait, in a post on X, said it remains "fully engaged" in assisting Indian nationals affected by the disruption. "Embassy @indembkwt remains fully engaged in assisting Indian passengers stranded in Kuwait due to the temporary shutdown of airspace. Embassy officials are in regular contact with the stranded passengers, and are closely liaising with Kuwaiti authorities, managements of the respective hotels and airlines," the embassy said. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways announced that all its scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 pm (UAE time) on Wednesday, March 4. In an operational update, the airline said some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict safety approvals. "Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and advised to do so," the airline stated, adding that passengers must check flight status on its website before travelling and ensure contact details in bookings are up to date. Etihad further said guests holding tickets issued on or before February 28 for travel up to March 7 may rebook free of charge on Etihad-operated flights up to March 18. Refunds are also being offered for affected passengers. Budget carrier SpiceJet reported several flight cancellations from the UAE due to the airspace closure. In a separate statement, Akasa Air said it would operate select flights to and from Jeddah on March 3 and 4 following a comprehensive safety review. The airline announced Mumbai to Jeddah and Ahmedabad to Jeddah services on specified dates, while clarifying that operations are subject to prevailing conditions. However, Akasa Air said its flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 4. "The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority," the airline said, urging travellers to check flight status before heading to the airport. Adding to relief measures, the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia, in a post on X, said IndiGo will operate special flights to India from Jeddah to facilitate stranded passengers. The Embassy said, "IndiGo Airlines to fly special flights to India from Jeddah." Authorities and airlines continue to monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf region, with safety assessments guiding the gradual resumption of flight operations across the region. - ANI Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava has decided against personal celebration of Holi and Rangpanchami following a water contamination incident in Bhagirathpura that caused several deaths. He expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, calling the incident "very unfortunate." However, the city's traditional and renowned Rangpanchami 'Ger' procession will proceed as usual with full municipal support and arrangements. Police have heightened security for the festivities with patrolling, CCTV, and drone surveillance to ensure law and order. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava will not celebrate Holi or Rangpanchami in solidarity with families affected by a fatal water contamination incident. Indore, March 3 Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava has decided not to celebrate Holi and Rangpanchami this year following the water contamination incident in Bhagirathpura locality, which claimed the lives of several people and left many families affected. Mayor Bhargava called the incident "very unfortunate" and expressed solidarity with the affected families. "The incident in Bhagirathpura is very unfortunate. We have lost our family members, so I have decided not to celebrate Holi and Rangpanchami. In such a situation, we stand with the bereaved families," Bhargava told ANI. Notably, several people had died, and many others fell ill after consuming contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore district. Additionally, Mayor Bhargava affirmed that preparations for Indore's traditional and world-renowned Rangpanchami 'Ger' procession would continue as per custom, stating necessary instructions were issued to ensure adequate arrangements for the purpose. "Ger is a tradition of Indore, and this world-renowned Rangpanchami Ger should be taken out in its grandeur. For which, whatever resources, facilities, security arrangements, water supply, or any other requirements are needed, we have issued instructions to ensure proper arrangements. As per tradition, the municipal corporation team will also participate in it, but I will not take part in the Ger," he further said. The Rang Panchami festival is celebrated on the fifth day after Holi and people put colours and gulal on each other to mark the occasion. People also spray gulal and colours with the aid of water tankers and celebrate this festival with great pomp. While in Indore, a grand procession is being taken out, which is known as "Rang Panchami Ger" on the occasion. On this day, a huge crowd of people gather in Rajwada and the surrounding areas in Indore city and showers colours on each other. According to information, it is a long-standing tradition in Indore city. People drenched in colours, dancing to music and putting Gulal on each other, spreading happiness and unity across the city. Meanwhile, the police security also tightened for Holi celebrations and deployed an adequate number of police personnel to monitor the law and order situation in the district. "After assessing all aspects of security and the various safety arrangements, extensive and effective measures have been put in place. These include police patrolling, CCTV monitoring, and deployment of drone cameras. The police force will remain on duty at all times," said Santosh Singh, Commissioner of Police (CP, Indore). He further added that strict action would be taken against any anti-social or criminal elements found creating a nuisance. - ANI Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, a representative of Iran's Supreme Leader, states Iran is engaged in two conflicts: a military war against the United States and Israel, and a "narrative war" driven by fabricated news about regime change. He claims the death of Ayatollah Khamenei unified the nation, with millions demonstrating support for the government in Tehran. Ilahi asserts that Iran's military actions are aimed at American bases hosted by neighbours, not at the neighbouring countries themselves. He accuses the international community of turning a blind eye to this domestic support while amplifying voices of dissent from Iranians living abroad. Iran's Supreme Leader's representative claims the country is fighting a military war against the US and Israel and a "narrative war" of fake news. New Delhi, March 3 Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, Special Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran, said the country is fighting a "military war" against the United States and Israel as well as a "fake news war" driven by what he described as fake news and claims of regime change. Ilahi, in a conversation with ANI, said that several Iranians came out to protest the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. "Actually, we are facing two wars. The first war, which is very heavy and is a big war, is a narrative war, and the second war is a military war. We can handle our military war against America and Israel. But there is another war which is much bigger than this first one. And the second major war is narrative war. In narrative war, they fabricate a lot of fake news, which is not true and which is not correct. And they say the people of Iran want the regime change. Okay, who are the people of Iran?" "The people of Iran are living in Iran. Not, for instance, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 10,000 Iranians who are living out of Iran, and they are against the Islamic Republic of Iran. But during the last times, when they said that the regime changed and they wanted to do something against Iran. More than five million people just only in Tehran came out and declared that they are supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added. Ilahi said that the world closed its eyes towards those who supported Iran and saw those who spoke against the regime. "Now at the moment, in this situation and in these circumstances, all Iranians have come out, and they show their sympathy, solidarity and also support to the government. Not every Iranian wanted regime change. But unfortunately, they closed their eyes to the reality, and they just looked for some people who are living out of Iran, and no one observed anything about them, and they will not account for it," he said. Ilahi then told ANI that the loss of the Supreme Leader is a huge loss, and his death has united Iran. "I would like also to offer my condolences for all free people in all the world for the martyrdom of Shaheed Aytullah al-Azmah, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And this is a very big loss, and we became offered, and we hope that we will win in this situation. Regarding your question, actually, the situation in Iran is very, very, very good with high ambition. And the people of Iran are united after the attack on our country," he said. "And especially when the people heard the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, they came out. And till that day up to now, they never go back to their houses, even at midnight in the snow or in the rain. They are in the street, and they support Iranian government. They support Iranian army. They support Iranian military, and they are looking for victory in this war," he added. He said that the regime is in the heart of Iranians, and it is much in control. "Of course. Please, if you want to know the position of the regime in the hearts of Iranians, you have to see it in the rally of Iranians when they come out for 22nd of Bahman, which is day of victory of Iran on National Day. When they came out after the martyrdom of General Soleimani, how they came out and you could see them! They are Iranian. They are not from outside. They are not from our neighbours. They are exactly Iranian. And they came out, and they showed there's some party and support for the government," he said. Ilahi said that Iran's attacks on its neighbours are to destroy American bases and not hostility towards its neighbours. "Actually, it's a very good question. You raise it, and thank you very much for this question. Iran, during the last hundreds of years, has never attacked any neighbours and always wants to have a good relationship with its neighbours. And actually, in our relationship with our neighbours, it was very, very, very good. And never, ever did we attack our neighbours. But there is something which we have to know. America is far from Iran by thousands of kilometres. America is not our neighbour. America is not in this region. But America and Israel used some bases from our neighbour's country, especially in the Persian Gulf. They used these bases and attacked Iran. These bases actually are American bases," he said. He said that Iran is trying to protect itself from American bases. "It's not for our neighbours. It's not for Arab countries. We don't have any other option. If we want to defend ourselves, what can we do? We have to attack these American bases, and we inform Arab countries, our friends, our good neighbours, that we are not going to attack you. We respect all conditions or borders; we don't have any options. We have to defend ourselves. If we keep quiet, we sit silent; America, from these bases, attacks us day and night. 24-7 hours," he said. Ilahi said he was not sure whether Saudi Aramco had been attacked, but added that if it had been, it was because it was in the hands of the Americans. "Actually, Aramco, I'm not sure it was attacked by Iran. But this refinery was also attacked because they were supporting aircraft, American aircraft. Actually, we hope that immediately and at this second, the war stops. But this is not in our hand. This is in the hands of America and the Zionist regime. They started; they have to stop it," he said. Meanwhile, Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson of Qatar's Foreign Ministry, has stressed in a social media post that the country "has not been part of the campaign" against Iran. "We are exercising our right in self-defence and deterring Iranian attacks against our country. We urge media outlets to use credible Qatari sources when reporting on Qatar," he said. - ANI The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has launched its tenth wave of missile strikes, targeting a government complex in Tel Aviv and installations in East Al-Quds. Simultaneously, the Israel Defence Forces announced the elimination of top Iranian intelligence officials, including Deputy Minister Sayed Yahya Hamidi, in a strike on Tehran. This escalation is part of a wider coordinated US-Israeli military operation targeting Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure. World leaders are calling for de-escalation as the conflict shows no signs of abating. IRGC launches 10th missile wave targeting Tel Aviv as IDF eliminates senior Iranian intelligence officials in Tehran strike, escalating Middle East conflict. Tehran, March 2 In a significant escalation of Middle Eastern hostilities, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on Monday confirmed the commencement of the "tenth wave of the True Promise 4 Operation", claiming to have struck a government complex in Tel Aviv alongside targets in East Al-Quds, according to reports from Tasnim News. In its ninth official statement, the IRGC's Public Relations Department detailed the deployment of "Khaybar missiles" during this phase of the offensive. The department asserted that the strike "opened doors to a massive inferno" across various occupied territories, marking a major peak in the ongoing aerial campaign. Alongside the strikes, the IRGC issued a stern warning to residents within the occupied territories, advising them to "evacuate immediately from areas near military bases, security centres, and governmental facilities." According to Tasnim News, this latest wave specifically prioritised the government hub in Tel Aviv, as well as high-security and military installations in Haifa and East Al-Quds. This follows previous declarations by the IRGC, maintaining that "siren sounds in Israel would never cease," suggesting a period of persistent alerts. Tasnim News further reports that "illegal settlers" have been urged to stay clear of military or administrative buildings and to "evacuate immediately from the occupied territories" to avoid fallout from the missile volleys. Amidst these exchanges, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced the elimination of top-tier members of the Iranian regime's Ministry of Intelligence during a military offensive dubbed Operation 'Roaring Lion'. In a statement released on X on Monday, the IDF confirmed that the strikes targeted high-ranking figures within Tehran's intelligence apparatus. Among those killed was Sayed Yahya Hamidi, identified as the "Deputy Minister of Intelligence for 'Israel Affairs,' who led terrorist activities targeting Jews, Western actors, and regime opponents in Iran and abroad". The military also confirmed the death of Jalal Pour Hossein, the "Head of the Espionage Division". According to the IDF, the mission was "Guided by precise IDF intelligence," and the officials "were targeted and eliminated during the opening strike of Operation 'Roaring Lion'". The IDF further noted that "Additional senior officials were also eliminated" and stated that "The IAF also struck the Ministry's headquarters in Tehran". This latest escalation follows a full-scale conflict that erupted in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI Israel launched new waves of strikes on Tehran, specifically targeting the Evin neighborhood, less than an hour after issuing an evacuation warning to residents. The Israel Defence Forces confirmed hitting the official Iran Broadcasting studio complex, describing it as a communications center used to advance military activities. Strikes also targeted headquarters of Iran's internal security bodies, intelligence service sites, and missile arrays, marking a significant escalation. In a coordinated move, the IDF also issued evacuation warnings to civilians in parts of southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs ahead of strikes on Hezbollah-linked targets. Israel launches new waves of strikes on Tehran, targeting IRIB broadcast center and military sites after warning residents to evacuate. IDF also issues warnings in Lebanon. Jerusalem, March 3 Israel launched new waves of strikes on Iran's Tehran on Monday, less than an hour after issuing an evacuation warning to nearby residents, according to the Israel Defence Forces. This came after a coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, which targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials. The IDF confirmed an attack on a studio complex of the official Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), saying it had "dismantled the Iranian terrorist regime's communications center." Iran's state-affiliated Press TV posted on Telegram that the broadcaster's headquarters "has been targeted by US-Israeli airstrikes." The media company, however, insisted that "there has been no disruption and the IRIB channels are functioning without problem," CNN reported. Israel said the center struck was "recently used by the Iranian regime's forces to advance military activities under the guise of civilian activity and assets, in addition to the propaganda activities that emanate from the communications center," IAF said in its post on X. The strikes followed an unprecedented evacuation notice from the IDF to residents of Tehran's Evin neighbourhood, where state media and other targets are based. An IDF spokesperson warned that Israeli forces would target Iranian military infrastructure "in the coming hours" and urged civilians to leave, saying, "For your safety and well-being, we request that you immediately evacuate the designated area..." and warned that not evacuating "puts your lives at risk," CNN reported. The targeted area is the same site hit in a previous strike in June, when a loud explosion was heard during a live broadcast, and Iran's state media later reported that one of its workers was killed. In coordination with its operations in Iran, the IDF issued warnings to civilians in parts of southern Lebanon, urging people in multiple villages to evacuate ahead of strikes on Hezbollah-linked targets. In a video posted in Arabic, an IDF spokesperson said Hezbollah's activities were prompting Israeli action, and that civilians should move north of a designated line for their safety. Separately, the Israeli military also issued guidance for residents of buildings in Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik to leave, stating, "You are in close proximity to Hezbollah facilities... For your safety and the safety of your families, you must evacuate these buildings immediately and remain at a distance of at least 300 meters." In addition to the broadcast studio complex, the IDF said its strikes hit "headquarters, bases, and regional command centers of the Iranian terrorist regime's internal security bodies," as well as "more than 10 sites belonging to the regime's main intelligence services" under Iran's Ministry of Intelligence. It also said multiple missile launchers and ballistic missile arrays were targeted, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have confirmed that missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of Israel. Israeli defence systems have been activated to intercept the incoming threat, and air-raid warnings were issued to civilians in various regions. "The Air Force has identified that a short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defence systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command has issued a preliminary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives, they save lives," the post read. "One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain in them until a new announcement. Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command directives," the post further added. On February 28, the US and Israel conducted coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI Travellers impacted by the US-Iran conflict have been urged to lodge travel insurance claims if they have suffered any losses, even if they are not sure of their coverage. Thats the advice of the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) as the tension in the Middle East plunges world travel into chaos. The industry body encouraged claims to be made despite exclusions for war and conflict being standard across most insurance products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conflict has left more than 115,000 Australians stuck in the region with many more stranded in Europe as thousands of flights have been suspended. To amplify industry support, the ICA declared the conflict in the region a significant event, allowing itself, policymakers and insurers to assess the insurance impact. We encourage those in transit, or with upcoming travel plans, to speak to their insurer if they have suffered a loss and believe they have a claim, ICA chief executive Andrew Hall said. Each claim is assessed on its own merit and insurers are armed with information to support those impacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICA said an industry-wide taskforce had been established and it had started collecting data and analysis. ICA claimed that they are prioritising support for those in impacted countries. Picture: iStock The move follows prices for return flights with a major airline soaring as high as $15,900 amid the travel fallout. Singapore Airlines prices have fluctuated since the start of the conflict, with an average economy flight through to Australia costing as much as $2600. On airlines website, a one-way business class flight from Zurich, Switzerland to Brisbane, Australia is estimated to cost $15,900 if booked for Wednesday. In a statement, a Singapore Airlines spokesman said: Our airfares are dynamic and subject to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including proximity to proposed travel date, seat availability, the booking class selected, and the specific dates of the flights or itineraries. One-way tickets on economy seats from China Eastern, Cathay Pacific and British airlines to Sydney from Rome or Frankfurt are also priced highly between $3000 to $3500. The price hikes mean thousands of Australians left stranded overseas are likely to be spending a small fortune just to get home, as the conflict throws the global airspace into chaos. Thousands of Australians are left stranded in airports. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer Irans response to the US and Israel strikes on Saturday has resulted in airspaces across the Middle East region being shut, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With many flights from Australia to Europe being trafficked through this region, numerous flights are being delayed, rerouted, or cancelled. Airspace and airlines Virgin Australia continues to cancel its upcoming flights between London Heathrow and Dubai as well as flights between London Heathrow and Riyadh. Virgin Australia services operated by Qatar Airways also remain affected by the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace. Nineteen flights scheduled for Tuesday till Thursday have been cancelled. This includes flights departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Doha. The airline is offering free booking changes, travel credits and refunds for travellers booked on its flights to Doha up to and including March 6. Airlines are providing extra flexibility to their customers amid the ongoing conflict. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass Qantas said there were no impacts on its scheduled flights, including flights between Singapore and London. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a flight from Perth to London may operate via Singapore for a fuel stop due to adjustments required for flight path. This is because airlines, including Qantas, that normally fly above the Middle East are rerouting and using longer alternative routes. Qantas does not operate any aircraft into Middle East airports but is providing extra flexibility for customers who have booked flights to or from or via the UAE, Qatar, Israel, Jordan and Oman through Qantas partner airlines. Many airspaces across the Middle East have been shut. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Emirates, which had temporarily suspended all flights to and from Dubai, operated a limited number of flights on Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, travellers have been notified to not go to the airport unless you have been notified and that all other flights remain suspended until further notice. On Tuesday alone, the airline has cancelled almost 500 flights. Qatar Airways said it would resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announced the safe opening of Qatari airspace. The airline has cancelled 423 flights on Tuesday. The UAE government has committed to covering hotel accommodation cost for affected travellers until flights can be arranged. Airlines including British Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Wizz Air have all paused flights to and from the region. Best advice for Aussies The Australian government has warned against all travel to the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has advised Australians to not travel to Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the UAE, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. They have also warned Australians in Iran to leave as soon as possible if safe. Smartraveller has raised its level of advice, enforcing a do not travel notice to Israel, Kuwait and the UAE. Due to the overall security situation in the region, the level of advice for Jordan has been raised to reconsider your need to travel. Smartraveller says there is risk of further reprisal attacks and escalation across the region, with travel in the region being heavily advised against. The Middle East region labelled by Smartraveller. Picture: Smartraveller These notices are in place due to retaliatory and military strikes, flights, roads and borders being subject to sudden closure and a volatile security situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Travel insurance polices tend to normally exclude cover for loss or injury arising from war, armed conflict or civil unrest. This is because it could inadvertently encourage travellers to take risk. Some policies can cover limited cancellation cost but cover can be voided if travellers proceed to travel against official warnings. For flight issues involving delays, cancellations and rerouting, the Insurance Council of Australia has advised for travellers to contact their airlines or travel providers directly. The DFAT has also opened registration for Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family members in Iran and Israel to send updates directly. Airlines operating between Australian, Europe and the UK are rerouting and using longer alternative routes to avoid the region. Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, states that Israel and the United States are jointly controlling the skies over Iran and are actively targeting more than 2,500 military objectives. He expresses a strong hope for a regime change in Iran, driven by the Iranian people, following what he describes as the regime's ruthlessness. Azar also speaks highly of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the warm bilateral relationship between India and Israel. The envoy asserts that Iran's recent escalatory actions, including attacks on civilian targets, will ultimately fail as their military capabilities are degraded. Israel's envoy says Israel and the US control Iran's airspace, targeting over 2,500 military sites and hoping for regime change in Tehran. Jerusalem, March 2 Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Monday said that Israel and the United States are controlling the skies of Iran and are continuing to target over 2,500 military targets. In an exclusive chat with, he also expressed hope that a regime change will take place in Iran. Azar stated that Israel has been able to neutralise and intercept majority of missiles that are coming towards the country. He asserted that Israel, just like India, always seeks peace, stability and prosperity in the region. He also spoke about the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel. Excerpts: IANS: How is the situation in Israel right now following the massive attacks on Iran? Reuven Azar: The situation is that we are embracing the attacks where we are in Israel, intercepting most of the missiles and drones that are coming both from Iran and since last night also from Hezbollah in the north. Israel is right now controlling the skies of Iran together with the United States and we are continuing to target more than 2,500 military targets. Unfortunately, yesterday we had nine civilians killed as a result of direct hit of ballistic missile in Beit Shemesh and about 50 people injured. But on the positive side, we have managed to neutralise, intercept most of the missiles that are coming into our country. IANS: Do you think a regime change can happen in Iran? Reuven Azar: We certainly hope so. I think it's up to the Iranian people to decide. There's no doubt that millions of Iranians have shown their interest to change this regime when they demonstrated a few weeks back. Unfortunately, we saw the cruelty and the ruthlessness of the Iranian regime that killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians. Now, by this attack, we are neutralising not only the capability of the Iranian regime to attack us, but also hitting hard a lot of the headquarters of the Basij, the Revolutionary Guards all around Iran... Hopefully, the Iranian people will get the confidence to go back to the streets and demand a change that they deserve. IANS: What is your next challenge in Iran, especially after the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Reuven Azar: Well, the challenge is to continue the degradation of the military capabilities to create a situation in which Iran is no longer capable of attacking Israel and other countries in the region and the American bases, to create a situation in which the rest of the leadership that still is alive will understand that they have to change course unless, because if they don't do so, they will be the next in line. IANS: How do you view leadership of Prime Minister Modi in the current scenario? Reuven Azar: We appreciate very much the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, especially his last visit to Israel, in which he felt the warmth of the Israeli people towards India and vice versa. Also, Israelis have felt the warmth and the closeness that we have between our countries, not only in interest, but also in values, in common heritage and this has been a historic landmark in our relations. We feel that India is a partner we can trust, and we, like India, seek peace, seek stability, seek prosperity in our region and we are sure that in the future, we will be able to re-engage in these positive activities as a result of the neutralization of those terrible threats that are coming from the...regime of Iran. IANS: Can there be boots on ground in Iran too? Reuven Azar: Israel is at this point taking action from the air, there might be pinpoint necessities for action in order to remove one threat or the other. But, I'm not aware that the major invasion of soldiers, boots on the ground is planned. IANS: What was your first reaction on Iran's attack on an oil tanker? Reuven Azar: I think that the Iranians have created escalation that is going to work against them. Their decision to attack civilian targets, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and other countries in the region, is creating escalation that is completely unnecessary. They are trying to disrupt oil trade. I think that it will fail because as this military operation continues, their capabilities will be degraded to the extent that they won't be able to create the chaos that they want to create. They won't be able to deter neither the United States, Israel, or the countries in the region from taking action to defend themselves and at the end of the day, we're going to see de-escalation, hopefully, in the coming days or weeks. - IANS Congress MP Jairam Ramesh credits the 2008 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, championed by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for making the new India-Canada Strategic Energy Partnership possible. The new deal includes a $2.6 billion long-term uranium supply contract from Canadian firm Cameco and cooperation on next-generation Small Modular Reactor technology. This partnership serves as a key economic anchor for the recently reset relationship between the two nations, which had been frozen for decades after India's 1974 nuclear test. The agreement aims to support India's massive projected energy demand growth and its net-zero strategy. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh credits the 2008 Indo-US nuclear deal for enabling the new India-Canada uranium supply and SMR partnership. New Delhi, March 2 Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday credited Congress for the current India-Canada Strategic Energy Partnership Agreement, made possible by the 2008 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement. The 2008 deal, pushed through by then-PM Dr. Manmohan Singh despite intense domestic political opposition (including from the BJP at the time), ended India's "nuclear apartheid." In a post on X, the Congress MP wrote, "The agreement that Canada and India have signed today has been made possible ONLY because of the Indo-US Nuclear Agreement finally signed in Oct 2008. This agreement was ENTIRELY because of Dr. Manmohan Singh's insistence and persistence. The agreement had been vehemently opposed by the BJP then." Once the US and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted India a waiver, it paved the way for Canada to sign its own Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA) with India in 2010, which has now reached its full potential under the Carney-Modi administration. "India and Canada have signed an agreement on the supply of uranium and on cooperation in building small modular reactors," the post read. The deal, which includes a $2.6 billion long-term uranium supply contract and a partnership on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), serves as the ultimate "economic anchor" for the newly reset India-Canada relationship. The agreement marks a sophisticated evolution from traditional large-scale reactors to next-generation technology. Canadian giant Cameco will supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium concentrate to India over the next decade. This ensures fuel security for India's existing fleet of pressurised heavy water reactors. Both nations agreed to collaborate on SMR technology. These reactors are easier to build, safer, and can be deployed in remote areas or integrated into industrial grids, making them a cornerstone of India's "Net Zero" strategy. Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress MP said that Canada was assisting India in setting up heavy water reactors at various places, following which India conducted its first successful nuclear test at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. The significance of this moment is rooted in a turbulent history. India's nuclear journey began with the US (GE) at Tarapur, but Canada became the primary partner for India's domestic program. Canada helped develop the CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors, which used heavy water and natural uranium. Following India's "Peaceful Nuclear Explosion" (Pokhran-I) on May 18, 1974, Canada accused India of using plutonium from the Canadian-supplied CIRUS reactor for a weapon. This led to a total freeze on nuclear cooperation that lasted decades. "After India's very first commercial nuclear reactor, supplied by the US company GE at Tarapur, Canada was assisting India in setting up heavy water reactors at Kalpakkam and other places. This assistance was stopped after the peaceful nuclear explosion at Pokhran on May 18, 1974. These reactors were actually called CANDU reactors for Canada Deuterium Uranium," he added. With global energy markets volatile and both nations seeking to diversify away from traditional power blocks, the partnership combines Canadian natural resources (uranium) with Indian engineering capability (SMR deployment). His remarks come after India and Canada, earlier today, launched a Strategic Energy Partnership aimed at significantly expanding bilateral energy trade and deepening cooperation across clean energy, critical minerals and nuclear sectors. Delivering a joint statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the partnership marks the beginning of a new phase in India-Canada ties with "generational opportunities" for both nations. Carney noted that India's energy demand is projected to double by 2040 and that New Delhi plans to add 500 gigawatts of renewable capacity by the end of the decade, while nearly doubling the share of LNG in its primary energy mix. Highlighting cooperation in the nuclear sector, Carney said a major uranium supply agreement was signed between the Government of India and Cameco. The USD 2.6 billion deal is expected to support India's nuclear energy programme and strengthen clean, reliable baseload power generation. - ANI Jio Platforms has appointed Dan Bailey as its new President to lead the company's international business initiatives. Based in London, Bailey will report directly to Chairman Akash Ambani and join the firm's Executive Committee. He brings over 35 years of experience from senior roles at major financial institutions like Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC. This move signals Jio's strategic shift to expand its transformative digital platforms beyond the Indian market. Jio Platforms appoints Dan Bailey as President to lead its global expansion. Bailey will report to Chairman Akash Ambani from London. Mumbai, March 3 Jio Platforms Limited today announced the appointment of Dan Bailey as its new President. Jio Platform announced the appointment through a press release which stated, "he will lead the company's international business initiatives. Based in London, Dan will report to Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited." Dan will join the Executive Committee of Jio Platforms Limited and will contribute more broadly across the business as well. Commenting on the appointment, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, said: "We are delighted to welcome Dan to Jio. Dan has been a trusted advisor to us for many years, and his counsel has been invaluable as we have grown and evolved." "He has spent his career at the centre of the global telecom and technology ecosystem and brings deep relationships, strategic insights, and a strong understanding of the industry's complexity. Just as importantly, he shares our ambition and energy for what lies ahead. I look forward to working closely with him," he added. Dan brings more than 35 years of experience across consulting and investment banking, having held senior leadership roles at Schroders/Citi, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC. Most recently, he served as Chairman of Deutsche Bank's highly regarded TMT practice. Over the course of his career, Dan has advised many of the world's largest corporates and financial sponsors on a broad range of transformative transactions, including some of the most consequential telecom deals in history. On his appointment, Dan Bailey said, "I have long admired what Jio has built in India -- the scale, the speed, and the genuine impact on people's lives. The chance to help take that story global is the kind of opportunity you don't think twice about. I am delighted to be joining Akash and the team and cannot wait to get started." As outlined at Jio Platforms Limited's most recent Annual General Meeting, Jio's next chapter extends beyond India. Over the past decade, Jio has built innovative digital platforms and technologies that have transformed connectivity and access for over a billion people. With a clear strategy, strong partnerships, and a defined roadmap, Jio is now poised to take these capabilities to global markets -- creating long-term value for customers, partners, and shareholders. - ANI Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar to assess the situation following developments in Iran. The meeting, attended by top military and police officials, reviewed counter-terror operations, border management, and intelligence coordination. It focused on strengthening synergy between security agencies for a swift response to emerging threats. Consequently, complete restrictions have been imposed in the Kashmir Valley, with closures of institutions and businesses, and slowed internet speeds. J&K Lt Governor chairs high-level security meeting, reviews counter-terror ops and border management. Restrictions imposed in Kashmir Valley. Srinagar, March 3 J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has chaired a high-level security review meeting here to assess the situation in the aftermath of the developments in Iran, officials said on Tuesday. Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting at Lok Bhavan on Monday evening to assess the prevailing security scenario in the Union Territory. "The meeting was attended by Northern Command chief, Lt. Gen. Pratik Sharma, J&K Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Srinagar-headquartered 15 Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Prashant Srivastava, and the Northern Command's Major General General Staff, Maj. Gen. Balbir Singh. "During the in-depth deliberations, the Lt Governor reviewed the overall security preparedness across the Union Territory. Senior officials briefed the L-G on counter-terror operations, border management, intelligence coordination, and the current ground situation in sensitive districts," an official said. "The meeting also focused on strengthening synergy between the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other security agencies to ensure a swift and coordinated response to any emerging threats. Area domination measures, surveillance mechanisms, and proactive operational strategies were discussed in detail," the official added. According to the official, the Lt Governor emphasised maintaining a high level of alertness and operational readiness to safeguard peace and stability in the region. "He directed the security leadership to continue adopting a robust and proactive approach to ensure the safety and security of citizens," the official said, adding that the review meeting came amid evolving regional developments and reflects the administration's continued focus on maintaining law and order and strengthening the security grid across Jammu and Kashmir. Complete restrictions have been imposed in the Valley on Tuesday to maintain law & order. Public gatherings and processions are being disallowed. All educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, remained closed today. Businesses and public transport remained suspended. Internet speed has been slowed down to prevent miscreants from uploading provocative content on social media. - IANS Several Kannadigas stranded in the UAE due to flight cancellations from the Israel-Iran conflict have begun returning to Bengaluru, bringing relief to their families. Among the returnees were Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda and badminton star P.V. Sindhu, with Bhojegowda describing a tense "war-like atmosphere" and hearing explosions. In response to the crisis, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has set up a dedicated Help Desk at Terminal 2 to assist affected passengers. Meanwhile, the Kannadigas Helpline team, led by Ronald Colaco, is providing support and urging government assistance for those still stranded as flights remain fully booked. Kannadigas stranded in UAE due to Israel-Iran conflict return home. Bengaluru airport sets up help desk. MLA Bhojegowda and PV Sindhu among returnees. Bengaluru, March 3 Indians, including several Kannadigas, who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates following flight cancellations triggered by the Israel-Iran conflict, have begun returning home, bringing relief to families in Karnataka. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. A flight that departed from Dubai on Monday night landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport near Devanahalli in Bengaluru Rural district in the wee hours of Tuesday. Among those who arrived were Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda and badminton star P.V. Sindhu. Speaking to the media after his arrival, Bhojegowda said he had travelled to South Africa and was returning to Bengaluru via Dubai when the situation escalated. "Only after reaching Dubai did I learn about the problem. Initially, there was a delay in departure. Later, we were informed that the flight had been cancelled. There was such a heavy rush at Dubai airport that there was hardly any space," he said. He said Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy contacted him over the phone and arranged hotel accommodation. "There was bombing near the hotel as well. Later, we were shifted to a safer location. Even then, there was constant concern about safety," he said. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also called to enquire about the situation. Ministers Krishna Byre Gowda and H.K. Patil contacted to gather information, he said. Bhojegowda recalled tense moments, stating that he heard the sound of explosions while speaking to Krishna Byre Gowda over the phone. "Three missiles fell at that time. A bomb fell near Burj Khalifa, but it did not have much impact," he said. He added that even on the morning of departure, bombs were falling. "I saw three bombs fall. Because of that, our route was changed and we were sent back. A war-like atmosphere prevailed there. I had never imagined I would return so soon," he said. One Gautham, who returned to Bengaluru from Dubai, described the fear he experienced during the attacks. He said they were extremely scared as strikes were taking place, though he did not directly witness bomb explosions. He expressed disappointment that there was no contact or assistance from the Indian Embassy at the time. "Several of my friends are still stranded in Dubai. Flights are fully booked and they have been there for five to six days," he said. He, however, praised the UAE authorities for maintaining strong security arrangements and handling the situation effectively. Amid the crisis, the Kannadigas Helpline team led by non-resident Kannadiga patron Ronald Colaco extended support to stranded individuals. The team collected details of those affected and appealed to the government for urgent assistance. It also expressed readiness to bear emergency expenses and urged those in need of medical services to contact the helpline. Kannadigas in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman were advised to reach out for help. Ronald Colaco said the UAE remains a safe country and the situation is expected to return to normal soon. He urged people to follow the guidance of the UAE government and cooperate with authorities. He also called on the Karnataka government to announce emergency relief assistance for affected travellers. Authorities in Karnataka and the UAE are said to be in contact as efforts continue to facilitate the safe return of stranded passengers. Several Kannadigas who had travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for business, personal visits or work were stranded due to the escalating tensions. Many expressed relief after returning safely, while others remain stuck as flights continue to be fully booked. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. According to the statement from airport authorities, the 'Help Desk' is managing passenger queries and providing on-ground support until airline representatives arrive. It is facilitating assistance such as coordination of ground transport, access to emergency services and handling of general enquiries. With multiple international airlines operating from the airport, the Help Desk is functioning as a single-window support system. It is guiding passengers to the respective ground handlers responsible for specific airline operations, ensuring smoother coordination during delays and cancellations, the statement said. In addition to logistical support, the airport has arranged several basic amenities for passengers. These include chairs, drinking water, snacks, medical assistance, sanitary pads and charging stations. A makeshift feeding facility has also been set up at the kerbside to cater to stranded travellers. Wheelchairs are being provided on request, the airport authorities stated. Airport officials said the measures are aimed at ensuring passenger comfort and safety during the period of disruption. - IANS Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, M.K. Stalin, expressing strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations. He emphasized that federalism is part of the Constitution's basic structure and criticized increasing centralization in fiscal and legislative matters. Siddaramaiah urged the Union Government to provide an institutional platform, like a revitalized Inter-State Council, for states to deliberate. The development occurs amid political activity in Tamil Nadu, with parties negotiating alliances for the 2026 Assembly elections. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah writes to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, advocating for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations and cooperative federalism. Bengaluru, March 3 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressing strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations, underscoring the importance of cooperative federalism in India's constitutional framework. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, "I have written to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin expressing Karnataka's strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations. Federalism is not a political demand - it is part of the basic structure of our Constitution. Over the years, increasing centralisation in fiscal and legislative matters has disturbed the delicate balance envisioned by our Constitution makers. States must have the authority and fiscal space to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to them." He further stressed that India's strength lies in "cooperative federalism, constitutional trust, and respect for diversity," and added, "I will urge the Union Government to provide an institutional platform - such as a revitalised Inter-State Council - for all States to deliberate and restore balance in our federal structure. Karnataka stands ready to engage constructively in strengthening India's democratic and federal framework." The development comes amid heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai are scheduled to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence on Tuesday to resolve the seat-sharing formula between the DMK and Congress within the ruling alliance. Selvaperunthagai on Monday dismissed speculation of a rift, stating that negotiations are routine before elections. "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here," he said, reiterating that the DMK-Congress partnership under the INDIA bloc remains an ideological alliance. Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss strategies for the 2026 polls. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly is expected to go to elections in the first half of 2026, with alliances gearing up for a high-stakes contest. - ANI Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal celebrated their first Holi festival since becoming parents to son Vihaan. The couple shared a joyful, intimate family photo from their home celebration. They had previously announced their son's name, Vihaan Kaushal, in a heartfelt social media post in January. The actors welcomed their baby boy in November 2025 after marrying in December 2021. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal share an intimate Holi celebration, marking their first festival as parents to son Vihaan. See the family photo. Mumbai, March 3 Holi festivities turned out to be a little special for actor Katrina Kaif this year, as she celebrated the festival for the first time after becoming a mother. Marking a new chapter in her life, Katrina shared a heartwarming frame from her intimate Holi celebrations at home, surrounded by her husband Vicky Kaushal and their family. The picture shows newbie parents Vicky and Katrina looking joyful, posing for the camera. Dressed in simple whites, Katrina appeared every bit the happy, clearly radiating the post-motherhood glow. Notably, this also marked one of Katrina Kaif's rare glimpses since her son's birth. "The Happiest Happy Holi", she wrote in the caption. They also had their siblings, Sunny Kaushal and Isabelle Kaif, for company. As the couple soaked in the festive spirit, fans couldn't help but shower love on the adorable family moments. Earlier in February, Katrina was spotted stepping out of a building with fitness instructor Yasmin Karachiwala in Mumbai. In a hurry, she quickly made her way to the car, trying to dodge the paparazzi. In January, Vicky and Katrina shared a joint post to announce their son's name. The picture showed Katrina's hand, Vicky's hand, and their baby's tiny hand placed together. Along with the photo, the couple shared their feelings as new parents. "Our Ray of Light. Vihaan Kaushal. Prayers are answered, Life is beautiful. Our world is changed in a instant. Gratitude beyond words," the caption read. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal welcomed their first child in November last year. At the time, the couple had shared the news of their baby's arrival through a joint post on social media. "Our bundle of joy has arrived. With immense love and gratitude, we welcome our baby boy. 7th November, 2025. Katrina & Vicky", their note read. Katrina confirmed her pregnancy in September 2025 with an adorable picture from what appeared to be a maternity photoshoot. The couple tied the knot on December 9, 2021, at Six Senses Fort Barwara in Rajasthan. - ANI South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced a plan to create a $300 million global AI investment fund in Singapore by 2030 during the AI Connect Summit. He emphasized that the partnership aims to combine South Korea's strengths in semiconductors and manufacturing AI with Singapore's advanced governance and data hub status. The fund will focus on investing in promising AI startups from both nations and facilitating cross-border joint research. This strategic industrial partnership seeks to position the two countries as a leading innovation hub in Asia, beyond the current dominance of the US and China. South Korea and Singapore partner to create a $300 million global AI investment fund by 2030, aiming to lead in niche AI sectors like manufacturing. Singapore, March 2 President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday that South Korea will push to create a global investment fund in Singapore by 2030 to attract investments worth $300 million in startups and the artificial intelligence sector. Lee made the commitment during the AI Connect Summit in Singapore, where company and government officials and experts in the AI sector of both countries gathered to seek joint research and investment opportunities, reports Yonhap news agency. "We are now in the midst of a massive civilisational transformation driven by AI," he said. "Amid these waves of change, it is inevitable that South Korea and Singapore, both of which possess world-class AI capabilities, join hands." The South Korean president arrived here on Sunday for a state visit that included a bilateral summit with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Acknowledging that the global AI industry is currently led by the United States and China, Lee expressed hope that South Korea and Singapore, widely seen as distant followers behind the two giants, can take the lead in niche areas, including AI manufacturing. "If the two countries set clear goals and collaborate to fill in each other's gaps, I am confident that they can lead in specific areas," Lee said. "They can build competitiveness in human-centric research and development and new applications." AI is one of the key areas of cooperation between the Asian tech powerhouses. South Korea has strengths in semiconductors, data center infrastructure and manufacturing AI, while Singapore has advanced AI governance and regulation and serves as a hub for AI data in Southeast Asia. Lee said bilateral AI cooperation should evolve beyond simple technology exchanges into a "strategic industrial partnership" to explore new AI-driven markets and position the two countries as "Asia's leading innovation hub." "The Korean government will support substantive cooperation between the two countries through the AI Cooperation Framework," he said, adding Seoul will create a $300 million "Korea Venture Capital Corporation (K-VCC) global fund by 2030." As part of the plan, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced plans to establish the government's first offshore global fund in Singapore in the second half of this year, with a goal of drawing $300 million by 2030. The ministry expects the envisioned fund to focus investments on promising AI startups in both countries while serving as a bridge connecting global investors with innovative startups. He pledged to support cross-border joint research to develop AI technologies that will help address pressing challenges and launch joint projects and exchange programs between researchers next year. In this vein, the Ministry of Science and ICT said it will launch an international joint research program worth 50 billion won (US$34.2 million) in the AI and digital fields over five years starting in 2027, giving priority to projects involving Singapore. - IANS Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep concern for Indians stranded in the Middle East due to airspace disruptions from geopolitical tensions. He has called for urgent measures, including potential special evacuation flights and enhanced embassy support for citizens. The CM also proposed creating an inter-ministerial task force and a centralized digital system to track and assist stranded individuals. Siddaramaiah assured the Centre of the state government's full cooperation in ensuring a swift and compassionate response. CM Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi, calls for special flights & coordinated action to bring back Kannadigas & Indians stranded in West Asia. Bengaluru, March 2 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressing deep concern over the escalating geopolitical tensions in parts of the Middle East and their impact on Kannadigas and other Indian nationals stranded in the region. In his letter, the Chief Minister highlighted that advisories issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding airspace restrictions and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) across several West Asian countries have severely disrupted international flight operations. As a result, a large number of Kannadigas and other Indian nationals have been stranded, particularly in major transit hubs such as the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai. He noted that the evolving security situation, including hostilities and closure of civilian airspace, has caused widespread uncertainty and distress among affected individuals and their families in Karnataka and across India. Siddaramaiah stated that the Chief Secretary's office has already communicated with the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking urgent coordination to safeguard Kannadigas and explore appropriate repatriation measures. The Chief Minister said the Ministry of Civil Aviation has also been requested to coordinate with airlines to ensure necessary assistance, including flexible rescheduling, waiver of penalties, and interim support for stranded passengers. He urged the Government of India to take several immediate measures, including enhanced engagement through Indian embassies and consulates to ensure continuous monitoring, protection, and guidance for Indian nationals in affected areas. He also called for preparedness to initiate priority evacuation or special repatriation flights, if required, to facilitate the safe return of stranded citizens. Siddaramaiah further recommended the establishment of an inter-ministerial task force to streamline coordination between central ministries, state governments, and airline operators. He also proposed creating a centralized digital system for registration, tracking, and real-time dissemination of information to families of stranded individuals. Additionally, he requested the Centre to issue advisory directions to airlines to provide travel flexibility, waive additional charges, and extend humanitarian assistance wherever necessary. The Chief Minister said the Karnataka government has already activated the State Emergency Operations Centre and all District Emergency Operations Centres to function round-the-clock. He added that the state is in continuous coordination with the Karnataka Resident Commissioner's Office in New Delhi and the Rapid Response Cell of the Ministry of External Affairs. Senior nodal officers have also been designated to ensure immediate liaison with Union authorities. Emphasising the importance of the Indian diaspora in West Asia, including thousands of Kannadigas, Siddaramaiah said a swift, coordinated, and compassionate national response is essential to safeguard lives and reassure citizens. He expressed hope that the Government of India would take timely and necessary steps to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of all stranded individuals, and assured the state government's full cooperation in these efforts. - IANS Zendaya's mother, Claire Stoermer, sparked more intrigue by responding to wedding rumors with a laughing emoji and the caption "The laugh...". The rumors began after the star's stylist, Law Roach, claimed in an interview that Zendaya and Tom Holland's wedding had "already happened". The couple, who confirmed their romance in 2021, have always been intensely private about their relationship. Adding fuel to the fire, Zendaya was recently seen wearing a new gold band on her left ring finger. Zendaya's mom Claire Stoermer posts cryptic "laugh" emoji after stylist Law Roach claims the couple had a secret wedding. Details inside. Washington, March 3 Zendaya's mom just dropped a tiny, teasing emoji and the internet is officially obsessed. Claire Stoermer's cryptic Instagram response comes a day after stylist Law Roach claimed the 'Euphoria' star and Tom Holland may have quietly tied the knot, leaving fans scrambling for answers. The comments, made during an Actor Awards red carpet interview on March 1, sent fans into a frenzy. Roach, 47, revealed that the couple's wedding "already happened," sparking speculation about a secret ceremony. Zendaya and Holland confirmed their romance in 2021 but have consistently kept their relationship private. Sharing Roach's interview on her Instagram Story, Stoermer appeared to respond with amusement rather than clarification. Accompanying the post with a laughing emoji, she wrote only, "The laugh...," leaving fans intrigued about whether the couple had indeed exchanged vows behind closed doors. The pair has long been protective of their relationship. Holland previously told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2023, "Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible. We don't think that we owe it to anyone, it's our thing." Roach, who has been a close confidant to Zendaya, has also hinted at a future wedding. In a July interview with E! News, he noted, "The process hasn't even started yet. Zendaya is working on so many movies. She's now filming the next iteration of Dune, so she's away doing that. It's so many movies, so we have time. We have a lot of time." Despite the coy remarks, he added, "They really love each other and they have for a really long time. The fact that the world has been able to share in that love story, I think it's really beautiful." Adding to the speculation, Zendaya was seen wearing a gold band on her left ring finger just two weeks before Roach's remarks. As per E! News, the piece differed from her engagement ring, a 5.02-carat east-west cushion-cut diamond by British designer Jessica McCormack- further igniting curiosity about a possible private wedding. Holland has often spoken about cherishing the bond he shares with Zendaya. In an interview, he said, "I'm lucky that I have someone like Zendaya in my life. You can share your experiences and all that sort of stuff- and that's worth its weight in gold," as quoted by E! News. Neither Zendaya nor Holland has publicly confirmed the wedding. - ANI Qatar has joined the United Arab Emirates in saying it will pay for the hotels and meals of passengers who are stuck in the country due to airspace closures. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE announced on 1 March that the state is bearing all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers. In light of the current circumstances and given that some guests have reached their check out date but are unable to travel for reasons beyond their control, you are kindly requested to extend their stay until they are able to depart, a circular issued to hotels from the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cost of the extended stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi. The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) also contacted hotels to "support affected guests by facilitating extensions to stays under existing booking conditions". "Dubai has a strong and proven track record of managing periods of global disruption with agility and coordination, consistently prioritising care of citizens, residents and visitors, while maintaining world-class service standards," a spokesperson for DET said. "This integrated approach across government and private sector partners enables the city to respond quickly and effectively." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 20,200 passengers have been affected by the cancelling or rescheduling of flights in the UAE. Qatar Tourism issued a circular on 2 March requesting that hotels extend stays for those who cannot leave due to the airspace closures. Around 8,000 transit passengers have been affected. The authority added that it will "cover the additional costs incurred, as the safety, security and wellbeing of all visitors remain among our highest priorities". Flight cancellations across the region The UAE has suspended all commercial flights in the country but has begun to operate exceptional flights to help stranded passengers depart. Airlines including Emirates and Etihad Airways are contacting customers directly to share flight details. Those who have not been contacted should remain at home and not travel to the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Etihad Airways has said commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 2 pm local time (12 pm CET) on 5 March, while Emirates has extended its suspension until 11.59 pm (9:59 pm CET) on 4 March. In Qatar, Hamad International Airport has suspended all flight operations, with passengers advised not to travel to the airport. Qatar Airways has said it will provide a further update on 6 March by 9 am local time (7 am CET). Kuwait has also closed its airspace. Terminal One of Kuwait International Airport was struck by a drone on 28 February, with nine workers injured. The Public Authority for Civil Aviation said on 1 March that damage assessments were taking place with a view to carry out repairs in order to restore operations as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oman Air has said that flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, and Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad and Khasab have been cancelled until 7 March. Other flights are operating as scheduled but delays are to be expected. Saudia has also cancelled flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow and Peshawar until 11:59 pm local time (9:59 pm CET) on 4 March. The Lebanese army has withdrawn troops from advanced positions along the Israeli border following a major escalation between Hezbollah and Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced authorization for the IDF to advance and hold additional territory deeper inside Lebanon to create a security buffer. The escalation follows Israeli strikes that killed a senior Hezbollah intelligence commander and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader, prompting Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the aggression and reiterated that the state alone holds the authority for war and peace, rejecting military actions launched from its territory by non-state actors. Israeli forces advance into southern Lebanon as Lebanese army redeploys. Hezbollah retaliates with rockets after senior commander killed. Beirut, March 3 Lebanon's state-run National News Agency on Tuesday said that the Lebanese army has redeployed its troops from several of its "advanced positions" along the Israeli border, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. This comes amid the Israeli military stating today that its soldiers are "operating in southern Lebanon" as it continues strikes against Hezbollah. The Israeli army launched airstrikes across Lebanon early Monday after intercepting a rocket fired from Lebanese territory, local media in Israel reported. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that their military has been authorised to advance and take control of additional positions deeper in Lebanon. He said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 's move to advance in southern Lebanon is intended to prevent "direct fire" on Israeli communities and "working to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel." "To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there," Katz said in a statement. "The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organisation is paying and will pay a heavy price for the fire toward Israel," the Israeli Defence Minister said. Hezbollah had launched rockets and drones at northern Israel early on Monday in response to Israel's killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomenei. The terror group fired more rockets and drones overnight and this morning, the Times of Israel reported. Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon, widely considered Iran's most powerful and significant proxy. Israel said Monday that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group's military activities, hours after the Iran-backed organisation fired rockets and drones at Israel, leading to major retaliatory strikes overnight and throughout Monday. Lebanon's National News Agency and the Times of Israel reported that an overnight strike in southern Beirut killed Adham al-Othman,41, a senior commander in Palestinian Islamic Jihad's al-Quds Brigades. Israel had said on Monday that Hussein Makled, the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike on Beirut. The Israeli military said Makled was responsible for "forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organisation with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel." Yesterday, Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun condemned the aggression by Israel targeting the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. A report by Qatar News Agency (QNA) cited a statement by the Lebanese Presidency in which Aoun said that the launching of rockets from Lebanese territory at dawn on Monday "targets all efforts and endeavours made by the state to keep Lebanon distanced from the dangerous military confrontations in the region." He emphasised that "the Lebanese state has repeatedly warned of the consequences of regional escalation on the country and has called for prudence and responsible action guided by the national interest." Aoun also warned that "persisting in using Lebanon once again as a platform for 'support wars' we have no part in will expose the country to new risks." Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had in a statement after a cabinet meeting, said Lebanon had rejected any military actions launched from its territory "outside the framework of its legitimate institutions and affirmed that the decision of war and peace is exclusively in its hands." Salam was cited by NNA, Lebanese news agency as saying that "The Lebanese state declares its absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security operations launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions." "It affirms that the decision of war and peace rests solely with the state, necessitating the immediate prohibition of all Hezbollah's security and military activities, deeming them illegal. Hezbollah is obligated to surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state and confine its activities to the political sphere within constitutional and legal frameworks," Salam said. Salam ordered the military and security agencies to take "immediate measures" to implement the cabinet decision and prevent "any military operation or the launching of missiles or drones from Lebanese territory." - ANI Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the family of Special Security Force personnel SGCT Sunny Salgotra, who died in a road accident, to offer condolences and assurances of government support. In a separate event, he attended the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme in Jammu, emphasizing the need to bolster India's domestic manufacturing capabilities. He stated that while Naxalism has been eradicated, religious terrorism remains a key national challenge. Sinha expressed confidence that Jammu and Kashmir could be freed from terrorism through collective public and security force efforts. J&K LG Manoj Sinha offers condolences to SSF personnel's family, addresses Atmanirbhar Bharat event, and highlights challenges of terrorism. Jammu, March 3 Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the family of Special Security Force personnel SGCT Sunny Salgotra on Monday, following his tragic death in an unfortunate road accident. The Lieutenant Governor paid homage to the departed soul and expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family members. During the visit, he assured them of full assistance and unwavering support from the government. In a separate event on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor earlier attended the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Swadeshi Apnao) programme in Jammu. During the programme, he said that the main challenge ahead of the nation was terrorism, which now shrunk to some places only. He also said that Naxalism has been wiped out, while "religious terrorism" remains a challenge to the nation. Addressing the public, he said, "Everyone has seen the developments in the Middle East. The biggest need is to strengthen the domestic manufacturing capability of India. India has skills. In the last 11-12 years, there has been a huge change in the country. The entire economy of the world is being rewritten." He further stated,"In this situation, the biggest need is to make manufacturing stronger. I believe in trade agreement ... and only countries survive when they are capable of investing in manufacturing readiness before a crisis arrives. More investing in Indian manufacturing means more jobs, a strong economy that is cacapble facing any situation." Speaking about security in the region, he said that the soldiers of our security forces, the Jammu and Kashmir police, the administration, everyone is trying together. "Jammu and Kashmir can be completely free from terrorism if the people of Jammu and Kashmir stand together. I have complete faith, and this is very important for Jammu and Kashmir. This is very important. Some people must be thinking, what difference does it make to us? We do our job. But it does make a difference," said Sinha. - ANI Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has officially nominated 15 members to the Committee of Privileges, with BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad appointed as its Chairman. The committee is critical for examining breaches of parliamentary privilege and maintaining the dignity of proceedings. The article also details the reconstitution of a separate inquiry committee examining grounds for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma. This judicial inquiry panel includes Supreme Court Justice Arvind Kumar and was initiated following allegations related to the discovery of burnt cash. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla nominates 15 MPs to the Committee of Privileges, with BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad as Chairman, to examine breaches of parliamentary conduct. New Delhi, March 3 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday officially nominated members to the Committee of Privileges, effective from March 3, 2026. The panel, which is tasked with examining issues related to breaches of parliamentary privilege and recommending necessary action, will be chaired by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. The other members nominated include Brijmohan Agrawal (BJP), Tariq Anwar (INC), Manickam Tagore B (INC), TR Baalu (DMK), Kalyan Banerjee (AITC), Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne (Shiv Sena), Ramvir Singh Bidhuri (BJP), Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo (BJP), Jagdambika Pal (BJP), Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP), Arvind Ganpat Sawant (Shiv Sena (UBT), Jagadish Shettar (BJP), Manish Tewari (INC), and Dharmendra Yadav (Samajwadi Party). The Committee of Privileges plays a critical role in safeguarding the privileges of Members of Parliament, addressing complaints of contempt, and ensuring the dignity of parliamentary proceedings is maintained. Its formation is seen as a routine yet significant step in strengthening legislative oversight. The panel will be responsible for examining cases referred by the Speaker and reporting on matters where breaches of privilege are alleged, thereby ensuring that parliamentary decorum is upheld. When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee. Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker under Rule 227, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the Table of the House. Recently, Om Birla reconstituted the three-member inquiry committee tasked with examining the grounds for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma. The reconstituted panel will come into effect from March 6, 2026, according to an official Lok Sabha notification. The committee was originally constituted in March last year following demands for Justice Varma's removal after bundles of burnt cash were allegedly discovered at his residence, triggering widespread concern and calls for an inquiry. As per the notification, the reconstituted committee comprises Justice Arvind Kumar, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice, Bombay High Court, B V Acharya, Senior Advocate, Karnataka High Court. Justice Arvind Kumar and B V Acharya were members of the previous panel, while Justice Chandrashekhar has been inducted as a new member. He replaces Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The panel will continue examining the allegations and circumstances that led to demands for Justice Varma's removal. The committee is expected to review evidence and submit its findings as part of the prescribed parliamentary process. The case pertains to the recovery of unaccounted and partially burnt cash from the official residence of Justice Varma, then a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court. Following the internal inquiry, the former CJI, Sanjiv Khanna, forwarded a recommendation to the President and the Prime Minister of India to initiate the procedure for his removal. Subsequently, on July 21, 2025, a motion was moved in both Houses of Parliament for Justice Varma's removal. On August 12, 2025, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha formed a three-member Inquiry Committee to investigate the charges against Justice Varma. The Lok Sabha Speaker's decision came after he received a notice of the motion, signed by 146 Members of Parliament, seeking Justice Yashwant Varma's removal. - ANI The Madhya Pradesh cabinet has approved a comprehensive package worth approximately 27,500 crore for the agriculture, irrigation, and allied sectors. The decisions were taken during the first Agriculture Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in Barwani district. Key approvals include a new Integrated Fisheries Policy, substantial funds for animal healthcare, horticulture development, and interest-free crop loans for farmers. The ministers attended the meeting in traditional tribal attire to emphasize the government's commitment to tribal community welfare. Madhya Pradesh cabinet sanctions massive 27,500 crore package for agriculture, irrigation, fisheries & animal husbandry to boost farmer income and tribal welfare. Barwani, March 2 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav chaired the first Agriculture Cabinet meeting held in Nagalwadi, Barwani district on Monday and the Council of Ministers approved various schemes worth around Rs 27,500 crore related to agriculture, irrigation, animal husbandry, fisheries, horticulture and cooperation. According to an official release, the agriculture cabinet, organised as part of the declared Farmer Welfare Year 2026, gave a nod to projects worth Rs 25,678 crore aimed at farmers and those engaged in allied productive activities. Additionally, Rs 2,068 crore was granted for the construction of two irrigation projects in Barwani district at the Narmada Control Board meeting held at the Agriculture Cabinet on the occasion, according to an official release. The funds approved for these schemes will be spent over the next five years. The cabinet ministers, including the Chief Minister, attended the meeting in traditional tribal attire, conveying a message of respect and welfare for tribal communities. The council of ministers also approved the Madhya Pradesh Integrated Fisheries Policy 2026, which aims to attract an investment of Rs 3,000 crore over the next three years and generate around 20,000 employment opportunities (10,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs). A provision of Rs 18.50 crore has been approved under the policy. The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 610.51 crore for animal healthcare in rural areas over the next five years from 2026 to 2031, including infrastructure development of veterinary hospitals and other buildings. An additional Rs 200 crore was approved for the continuation of the Chief Minister Fishermen Prosperity Scheme for 2026-27 and 2027-28, covering fish seed development, training, interest subsidy and employment generation, the release read. The Council of Ministers also approved Rs 1,150 crore to continue the National Horticulture Mission for five years, focusing on improving efficiency and impact across agricultural components. Along with this, Rs 1,375 crores were approved for extending the Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme for five years to support the modernisation of existing micro food processing units and the establishment of new units with Centre-State participation. In the horticulture sector, Rs 1,739 crore was approved for nursery development, ensuring the availability of high-quality plants and seeds at subsidised rates for the next five years. Additionally, Rs 3,502 crores was sanctioned for 20 farmer welfare and agricultural development projects with individual financial outlays below Rs 500 crore for continuation till March 31, 2031. The Cabinet further granted Rs 1,975 crore for the Cooperative Banks Share Capital Assistance Scheme to ensure crop loan availability through district cooperative banks. A sum of Rs 3,909 crore was approved for the continuation of the short-term crop loan interest subsidy scheme, enabling farmers to avail loans up to Rs 3 lakh at zero per cent interest through primary agricultural credit societies, the release read. To strengthen cooperative institutions, Rs 1,073 crore was approved for 12 ongoing schemes, and Rs 1,229 crore was sanctioned for various cooperative department programmes for the next five years. In the livestock sector, Rs 656 crore was approved for the Sorted Sexed Semen Production Project under the National Gokul Mission to promote breed improvement. Another Rs 1,723 crore was sanctioned for 14 schemes related to animal health protection, breeding and conservation. Further, Rs 6,518 crore was approved for 11 schemes in animal husbandry and dairy development, covering breeding, poultry, sheep and goat development, disease eradication, vaccination and intensive livestock projects. - ANI Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in the vibrant Bhagoriya festival in Barwani district, describing it as a celebration of joy in harmony with nature. He announced that the state government has granted Bhagoriya the status of a State Festival to preserve the rich tribal tradition. During the event, he highlighted agricultural development initiatives, including decisions worth Rs 27,500 crore from the first Agriculture Cabinet. Key projects announced include cold storage facilities, micro lift irrigation schemes, and a model seed production centre to benefit farmers in the region. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav celebrates Bhagoriya festival in Barwani, declares it a State Festival and unveils agricultural development plans worth Rs 27,500 crore. Barwani, March 2 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in the 'Bhagoriya Fest' in Barwani district on Monday, describing it as not merely a festival, but a celebration of joy in harmony with nature. According to an official release, CM Yadav also announced various agricultural and development initiatives while addressing a gathering on the occasion. "Bhagoria is not merely a festival, but a celebration of joy in harmony with nature. During the festival, men and women dance together in unison, adorned in traditional attire, showcasing the vibrant beauty of folk culture. The enjoyment of traditional beverages such as Tadi is also part of the celebration. Tribal culture has its own distinct identity and significance. To preserve this rich tradition, the State Government has accorded Bhagoria the status of a State Festival, thereby enhancing its dignity," the CM said. The Chief Minister's presence infused the entire fairground with excitement, colours, and traditional fervour. The rhythmic beats of the mandal drum, captivating performances by dancers in traditional attire, and the vibrant hues of gulal made the celebration even more enchanting. He joined the tribal artists, stepping to the rhythm of the mandal, expressing his respect for their art and traditions. The CM further said, "The Nimar region is renowned for its cultural richness, festive spirit and joyful outlook on life. The tradition of celebrating festivals in tune with each season has preserved a sense of collective happiness and unity. Established by ancestors, this joyful tradition remains alive today. For centuries, Bhagoria has symbolised enthusiasm, vitality and the spirit of folk life in the region." The Chief Minister added that to honour the joy of Bhagoria and the progressive agriculture of Barwani, the first Agriculture Cabinet of Krishak Kalyan Varsh was organised, where development decisions worth Rs 27,500 crore were taken. According to the release, highlighting agricultural development in Barwani district, CM Yadav said that horticulture crops are cultivated over a significant area in the district. To support this, cold storage facilities, food processing units, and a modern vegetable market will be established. Administrative approval has been granted for the Pansemal and Varla Micro Lift Irrigation Projects in tribal-majority areas, which will provide permanent irrigation to thousands of hectares and directly benefit tribal farmers. The Khetia Agricultural Produce Market will be developed as a model mandi. To promote natural farming, 25 farmers will be trained in other states and prepared as master trainers. A model seed production centre will be established across 50 acres to boost seed production, the CM said. Bhagoriya is a week-long festival, observed seven days before Holi across Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khargone, Barwani, and Dhar districts by the Bhil, Bhilala and Barela tribal communities. The festival is known for its vibrant weekly haat markets, traditional music and dance, and the age-old custom of choosing life partners during the fest. The festival begins seven days before Holi and continues until Holika Dahan. It is organised mainly on weekly market days in villages across Jhabua, Alirajpur, Dhar, Barwani and Khargone districts. Bhagoria offers a unique opportunity to closely witness tribal culture, enthusiasm and lifestyle. - ANI The Maharashtra government is actively coordinating efforts to assist its citizens stranded in Gulf countries, particularly Dubai, due to escalating regional tensions. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are leading the response, maintaining contact with central agencies and stranded groups. A dedicated WhatsApp helpline has been established in coordination with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai for those needing assistance. The state is compiling lists of affected individuals and working with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure their safe repatriation. Maharashtra government coordinates with central agencies to assist citizens stranded in Dubai due to Gulf tensions. Contact number provided. Mumbai, March 3 The state government is in contact with various citizens from Maharashtra who are stranded there due to the conflict situation in the Gulf countries, said the Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday. The CMO's intervention comes after tensions escalate between Iran, Israel, and the US. The ripple effects have severely impacted Gulf nations, leaving a significant number of citizens from Maharashtra stranded in Dubai and other countries. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself is continuously in touch with various agencies and is also maintaining constant contact with the central government. He has instructed state minister Girish Mahajan to oversee the coordination efforts. The central government is also extending all possible assistance to the Maharashtra government. In coordination with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai, the Maharashtra government has issued a WhatsApp number, and those in need of help are urged to contact this WhatsApp number. WhatsApp number: +97150 365 4357," stated the CMO on its X handle. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday took the lead to ensure the safety and repatriation of these citizens. Following the outbreak of conflict-like conditions, residents from various parts of the state, including Thane, Murbad, Pune, and Ahilyanagar, who are currently in Dubai, reached out to the Deputy CM's office for assistance. Among those seeking urgent help are 84 students from the Indira School of Business Studies in Pune, who are currently stuck in Dubai. Deputy CM Shinde established direct communication with these students through Dr Sanjeev Paithankar and Somnath Patil of the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal in Dubai. During his interaction, DY CM Shinde provided much-needed reassurance to the anxious students and citizens. "Do not worry; Eknath Shinde stands firmly behind you in this difficult hour. Every possible effort is being made to ensure you are brought back to Maharashtra safely," he stated. Shinde further informed the stranded individuals that the state government is working closely with the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal to ensure that their immediate needs, including food and shelter, are met while they remain in Dubai. Dy CM Shinde has personally reached out to stranded groups via video calls to assess their safety and mental well-being. He has publicly assured them that the state is working closely with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation for their safe return. Reiterating the state's commitment, Dy CM Shinde assured all affected citizens that the Maharashtra government is monitoring the situation closely and is coordinating with relevant authorities to facilitate their safe return to their homeland. Meanwhile, the state administration has instructed local district collectors, tehsildars, and talathis (village officials) to compile lists of residents currently in the Gulf. This helps the government track specific groups, such as the 84 MBA students from Pune's Indira School of Business and over 40 senior citizens from Pimpri-Chinchwad. Officials have confirmed that prominent figures, including Jalna MP Kalyan Kale, are among those safe but stuck in Dubai, ensuring high-level attention to the crisis. The state government is acting as a bridge between the families in Maharashtra and the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai. The state has issued a formal advisory urging all Maharashtrians currently abroad to remain calm, avoid unnecessary travel, and rely only on official information to avoid scams. While the UAE government is currently covering hotel stays for many stranded transit passengers, the Maharashtra government is coordinating with private travel agencies to ensure that independent tourist groups are not left without shelter or food. - IANS The Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain celebrated Holi during its early morning Bhasma Aarti ritual. Lord Mahakal was worshipped with Panchamrit and a special abhishekam using Vijaya (bhang) and saffron water. The deity was divinely adorned with bhang, sandalwood, and dry fruits as priests showered the sanctum with gulal. Devotees, including international visitors, immersed themselves in the colors and devotion, seeking blessings at one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas. Witness the unique Holi celebration at Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, where Lord Mahakal was adorned with bhang, gulal, and sacred ash during the Bhasma Aarti. Ujjain, March 3 The world-famous Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain celebrated Holi festival during the early morning Bhasma Aarti on Tuesday, with the sanctum sanctorum drenched in gulal and Lord Mahakal adorned with bhang and dry fruits in a divine decoration. The temple gates were opened at 4 AM during the Bhasma Aarti. After performing abhishekam (ritual bathing) of Lord Mahakal with water, the deity was worshipped with Panchamrit made from milk, curd, ghee, sugar and fresh fruit juices. Specially for the occasion, abhishekam was performed with Vijaya (bhang) and saffron-infused water. Lord Mahakal was divinely adorned with bhang, sandalwood and dry fruits. Priests and pujaris celebrated Holi with the deity, during which gulal was showered in the sanctum sanctorum. Devotees who attended the Bhasma Aarti appeared immersed in the colors of gulal and devotion. Bhog (sacred offering) of fruits and sweets was offered to Baba Mahakal. A large number of devotees who reached the Bhasma Aarti sought the blessings of Lord Mahakal. On behalf of the Mahanirvani Akhara, sacred ash (bhasma) was offered to Lord Mahakal. It is believed that bhasma is most dear to Baba Mahakal, and therefore, on this day, the deity was drenched with sacred ash. According to belief, after offering bhasma, the Lord gives darshan transforming from formless to manifest form. Speaking to ANI, Raghav Pujari, a priest at Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, said Holika Dahan was performed in the Mahakal complex on Monday evening, and from Tuesday morning, grand decoration and Panchamrit offerings were made. "Yesterday evening, Holika Dahan was performed in the Mahakal complex, and from this morning, grand decoration and Panchamrit have been offered. Gulal was offered to Nandi and Shiv Parivar. Lakhs of people come for darshan. We prayed that everyone remains healthy and there is peace in the country and abroad," Raghav Pujari said Neha Sharma, a devotee from Canada, expressed her joy at witnessing the unique Holi celebrations at the ancient temple. "Seeing the colors gave me immense happiness. There was positive energy. I am happy after having darshan of Mahakal," Neha Sharma said. The Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and holds immense religious significance for devotees across the world. The Bhasma Aarti, performed in the early hours of the morning, is a unique ritual where Lord Shiva is worshipped with sacred ash. - ANI West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended Dol Yatra and Holi greetings, calling for "holy harmony" among people. She shared lines from a song by Rabindranath Tagore that describes the festival's unifying spirit. Banerjee also emphasized the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, linking his ideals of love and equality to secularism and tolerance in Bengal. She highlighted her government's project to develop Navadwip, the saint's birthplace, as a heritage town. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee shares Rabindranath Tagore's verses and highlights Sri Chaitanya's ideals for unity on Dol Yatra and Holi. Kolkata, March 3 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for "holy harmony" among the people on Dol Yatra and Holi. She stated on the wall of her social handle with two lines of a song on Dol Yatra festival, penned by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, where the Nobel laureate Indian poet-cum-writer narrated how the festival of colours brings the spirit of harmony and togetherness among the people. "I convey my heartfelt wishes and congratulations to all on the auspicious Dol Jatra. May the Holi of peace and the swing bring sacred harmony to humanity," the Chief Minister said in her social media post. The Dol Yatra festival on Tuesday also coincides with the occasions of Gaur Purnima and the birth anniversary of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Chief Minister, in another social media post, had given a call to the people of West Bengal to take the lesson of "unity" from the life of the great Indian spiritual philosopher and influencer. "The life of Sri Chaitanya Dev and his ideals of humanity have been guiding and inspiring us for the past 500 years. His genuine love for humanity brought together all people, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. By binding them in the chain of love, he showed the path to equality and unity, which resulted in the renaissance of Bengal. Therefore, for me, the religion of Mahaprabhu means the religion of humanity," the Chief Minister added. She also said that on this special day, the people should take the oath that they will not allow Sri Chaitanyadev's Bengali tradition of secularism and tolerance to be tarnished. In her post, she had also narrated the work done by her government at Nadia district of West Bengal, the birthplace of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in memory of the great Indian spiritual influencer. "Our government is developing Navadwip, the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, as a 'Heritage Town'. The state government has allocated 700 acres of land to build this holy pilgrimage city of ISKCON in nearby Mayapur," the Chief Minister claimed. The leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had also wished the people on Dol Yatra and Holi festival. "Wishing everyone a joyful Dol Purnima, spring festival, and heartfelt greetings and congratulations on Holi," Adhikari said in his brief social media statement. - IANS The escalating Middle East conflict is severely disrupting India's gems and jewellery sector, with Surat's diamond exporters raising urgent concerns. Key markets like Israel and Dubai, crucial for high-value diamond exports and raw material imports, are facing major logistical hurdles due to flight cancellations and airport closures. Surat, which exported gems and jewellery worth USD 10.55 billion last fiscal year, sees daily parcel flows grinding to a halt. Industry stakeholders warn that prolonged instability could critically impact supply chains and export commitments for the globally integrated sector. Surat's diamond exporters warn of major trade disruption due to Middle East war, affecting exports to Israel and Dubai. Key data and industry concerns. Surat, March 3 The ongoing conflict in the Middle East following the joint military action by the United States and Israel against Iran is expected to significantly impact India's gems and jewellery sector, particularly exports and imports to Israel and Dubai, industry stakeholders said. Speaking to ANI, diamond trader Dinesh Navadiya said the escalating tensions and disruption in international flight operations could adversely affect trade flows, especially high-value diamond exports. "If we analyse the statistics, from April 2024 to March 2025, our exports to Israel stood at USD 548.27 million. After tariff-related issues were resolved, exports between March 2025 and February 2026 were USD 514.20 million. Our business with Israel was growing," Navadiya said. He further stated that imports from Israel in 2024-25 were valued at USD 259.17 million, while exports between February 2025-26 stood at USD 337.07 million, reflecting steady growth, particularly in high-value and solitaire diamonds. "Israel is a major market for raw materials and high-cost diamonds. Due to the war, tension in the industry will increase. International flight delays, airport closures in Israel and many countries are closed too, due to which problems can arise here.," he added. Highlighting the importance of Dubai as a global trading hub, Navadiya said exports to Dubai in 2024-25 were valued at USD 7,868.16 million, while imports during the same period stood at USD 11,000.51 million. "Dubai is the world's largest trading market for raw materials. We import raw materials from there. Due to the war, export and import activities will face difficulties. If the conflict continues for a long time, the gems and jewellery sector will face a major impact," he said. Navadiya noted that Surat and Mumbai together export around 400 to 500 parcels daily and import approximately 250- 300 parcels via Dubai. However, flight cancellations and airport shutdowns in Israel and other countries have disrupted the whole industry. "Due to flight cancellations and the ongoing tense situation, everything has come to a halt," he said. Surat, often referred to as the Diamond City of India, plays a pivotal role in the global diamond supply chain. According to official data, the city achieved exports worth USD 10.55 billion in FY 2024-25, with the gems and jewellery sector accounting for nearly 70 per cent of total outbound trade. The United States, Hong Kong, and the UAE remain key export destinations, while Israel and Belgium are also significant partners. The sector's strong global integration makes it vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions, industry representatives said, adding that prolonged instability in the Middle East could affect supply chains, raw material availability, and export commitments. Stakeholders have called for close monitoring of the situation, as the industry braces for potential volatility in international trade flows. - ANI Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has disbursed Rs 1 crore to each district under the new District Catalytic Intervention Plan Fund. He stated this is the first time dedicated funds have been provided to empower districts to implement their own prioritised development projects. The initiative is a key part of the government's Bana Kaih scheme, with Deputy Commissioners playing a central role in project execution. Officials hailed the move as a progressive step for grassroots governance, with future allocations contingent on effective fund utilisation. Mizoram CM Lalduhoma disburses Rs 1 crore to each district under a new catalytic plan to empower local development and grassroots governance. Aizawl, March 2 Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Monday disbursed the District Catalytic Intervention Plan Fund at the Planning & Programme Implementation Committee Room in Aizawl. An amount of Rs 1 crore has been allocated to each district to facilitate the effective implementation of their respective District Plans. In his address, the Chief Minister stated that although District Planning Committees had been constituted earlier, no dedicated funds had been provided to meaningfully implement their plans. "For the first time in Mizoram, we are disbursing Rs 1 crore to each district to fulfil their prioritised projects," he said. He emphasised that the Government is committed to empowering districts by enabling them to formulate their own development plans and by providing the necessary financial support to ensure successful execution. He described the initiative as a key component of the Government's flagship scheme, Bana Kaih. The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) have been entrusted with substantial authority, and project proposals have been prepared under their leadership. The success of the fund will largely depend on the responsibility and commitment of the DCs. "This is only the beginning. If we utilise the funds efficiently, further allocations can be made in the future," he said. The Chief Minister formally handed over the funds through bank cheques. Vanlaldina Fanai, Commissioner, Planning, noted in his speech that "this marks the first instance of funds being directly provided to Deputy Commissioners to proactively advance district development." He described it as a progressive and commendable step toward strengthening grassroots governance. The function was chaired by Lalmalsawma Pachuau, Secretary, Planning, who also outlined the broad modalities for implementation of the Catalytic Plan. Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Commissioners, Lalhriatpuia, Deputy Commissioner, Aizawl, expressed gratitude to the Government for the initiative. He stated that district projects would align with the Mizoram District Transformation Programme and adopt a convergence approach with other schemes wherever feasible. "We are grateful for the Government's support and are fully committed to delivering results," he said. The Fund has been provided under Component 5 (Handholding Scheme) of the Decentralised Plan. Further allocations will be made based on performance and effective utilisation. - ANI Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth ceremonially flagged in the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Kaundinya in Mumbai Harbour, marking the successful completion of its first overseas voyage to Oman. The traditionally constructed stitched ship, built using ancient Indian techniques, retraced historic maritime routes to strengthen cultural and diplomatic linkages with Oman. The voyage highlighted the Indian Navy's role as a custodian of India's civilisational maritime legacy and the revival of traditional nautical craftsmanship. The vessel, conceptualised from a 5th-century depiction in the Ajanta Caves, served as a floating symbol of heritage during its port visit in Muscat. MoS Sanjay Seth flags in INSV Kaundinya in Mumbai after its successful maiden overseas voyage to Oman, reviving ancient Indian shipbuilding. Mumbai, March 2 Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, on Monday, ceremonially flagged in the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Kaundinya in Mumbai Harbour, marking the successful completion of her maiden overseas voyage to the Sultanate of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, an official said. The flag-in at Mumbai marked the culmination of a landmark maritime heritage revival project and underscored India's continuing commitment to maritime outreach, cultural diplomacy and the preservation of traditional nautical craftsmanship, the official said in a statement. The flag-in ceremony also signified the revival of INSV Kaundinya's historic return passage across the Arabian Sea, reaffirming India's enduring maritime heritage and India-Oman linkages across the Indian Ocean, the statement added. INSV Kaundinya is a traditionally constructed stitched ship, built entirely using ancient Indian techniques in which wooden planks are hand-stitched together using coir rope and sealed with natural resins. The vessel represents a revival of India's centuries-old maritime craftsmanship and reflects the nation's commitment to rediscovering and preserving its Indic knowledge systems, the statement said. Conceptualised from a 5th century CE depiction in the Ajanta Caves and constructed under the supervision of the Indian Navy in collaboration with traditional artisans, the vessel embodies the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern naval engineering validation. "INSV Kaundinya sailed from Porbandar on December 29, 2025, for Muscat, retracing ancient maritime routes once used by Indian mariners. She arrived at Port Sultan Qaboos on January 14, 2026, where she received a ceremonial welcome in the presence of Omani dignitaries and members of the Indian diaspora," the statement added. "During her stay, the vessel was opened to visitors, serving as a floating symbol of maritime heritage and cultural diplomacy. The voyage significantly strengthened India-Oman linkages, rooted in millennia of trade in spices, textiles and frankincense, and reinforced shared seafaring traditions across the Arabian Sea," the statement said. The expedition highlighted the Indian Navy's role not only as a maritime security provider but also as a custodian of India's civilisational maritime legacy. Named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, the vessel symbolises India's ancient tradition of oceanic navigation and outreach across the Indian Ocean. Her successful voyage stands as a testament to the resilience of traditional maritime construction practices and the professionalism of her crew. - IANS Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated BJP President Nitin Nabin and other party candidates nominated for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The BJP's central election committee released a list of nine candidates, including prominent leaders from states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. The election process involves key dates, with the last date for filing nominations on March 5 and polling set for March 16. The counting of votes will occur on the same day, aiming to complete the process by March 20. MP CM Mohan Yadav congratulates BJP nominees like Nitin Nabin for Rajya Sabha polls. Full list of candidates and election schedule details inside. Bhopal/New Delhi, March 3 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on Tuesday, extended his best wishes to the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, including the party's President Nitin Nabin, from Bihar. Reacting to the party's decision to appoint BJP President Nabin and others for the Rajya Sabha, Chief Minister Yadav expressed that their presence will further accelerate the cause of national interest. "Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to BJP President Nitin Nabin and all other esteemed candidates on being nominated for the Rajya Sabha. I am fully confident that your dignified presence in the Rajya Sabha will further accelerate the cause of national interest," the Chief Minister said on social media platform X. Madhya Pradesh BJP President Hemant Khandelwal also extended his greetings to Nitin Nabin and other candidates for their nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. "Heartiest congratulations and best wishes for victory to the respected BJP President Nitin Nabin on being nominated by the Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar," Khandelwal said on X. The BJP's central dealership on Tuesday released a list of nine candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, fielding party's President Nabin from Bihar and its former West Bengal unit Chief Rahul Sinha and Chhattisgarh unit Vice-President Laxmi Verma from the respective states. Assam Public Works Department Minister Jogen Mohan and BJP MLA Terash Gowalla will be the party's candidates from the state for the election to the Upper House of Parliament. The BJP has also nominated its Odisha unit President Manmohan Samal and party leader Sujeet Kumar, an incumbent Rajya Sabha MP, as candidates from the state for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. BJP leader Shivesh Kumar will join the fray from Bihar and Sanjay Bhatia, a former BJP Lok Sabha MP, will be the party candidate from Haryana. Shivesh Kumar is currently the Bihar BJP's General Secretary. The names of the candidates have been approved by the party's central election committee, BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh said. According to the Election Commission's press note dated February 18, notifications will be issued on February 26. The last date for filing nominations is March 5, followed by scrutiny on March 6. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9. Polling will be held on March 16 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The counting of votes will begin at 5 p.m. on March 16. The election process is scheduled to be completed by March 20. - IANS Researchers at Nagaland University have conducted an extensive study on the genetic diversity of 'Musa sikkimensis', a wild banana species native to the Eastern Himalayas. The species is a crucial genetic reservoir with traits for disease resistance and climate adaptability, making it invaluable for future banana breeding programs. The study underscores the urgent need to conserve this endangered germplasm in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, where it faces threats from deforestation and a shift to hybrid varieties. The findings demonstrate the potential of wild banana genetics to contribute to climate-resilient agriculture and food security. Nagaland University study on wild 'Musa sikkimensis' banana highlights its genetic traits for disease resistance and climate adaptability, crucial for future food security. Kohima, March 3 Researchers at Nagaland University, the only Central varsity in the state, have conducted an extensive study on the genetic diversity of 'Musa sikkimensis', a wild banana species native to the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India, underscoring its significance for climate resilience, food security and sustainable agricultural development. According to the research team, Musa sikkimensis, commonly known as the 'Darjeeling banana' or 'Sikkim banana', is a wild-seeded species that serves as a crucial genetic reservoir. It possesses traits linked to disease resistance, environmental stress tolerance and climate adaptability, making it an invaluable resource for future banana breeding and crop improvement programmes. Although not widely cultivated for edible fruit, it plays a crucial role in strengthening crop resilience and ensuring sustainable production. The research team found that local banana germplasm exhibits strong adaptive potential across diverse environmental conditions, reinforcing its importance for conservation and future breeding initiatives. Nagaland, located within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, hosts a rich diversity of indigenous banana genotypes. However, increasing anthropogenic activities, environmental pressures and deforestation have placed many wild genotypes at risk of decline and possible extinction, making conservation research critical. The research titled 'Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Musa sikkimensis Land Races in Nagaland', India underscores the urgent need to conserve endangered banana germplasm in one of the world's richest biodiversity regions. The findings were published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes research on plant and animal biology, biodiversity, ecology, and environmental conservation. The paper was co-authored by Nagaland University Research Scholars K. R. Singh and Dr. S. Walling and Dr Animesh Sarkar. Highlighting the need for such research to conserve the rich biodiversity of the Northeast, Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, "I am pleased to announce a significant scientific breakthrough achieved by researchers of Nagaland University, who have successfully developed a biodiversity corridor to conserve the indigenous banana germplasm which was facing the risk of extinction." He said that this pioneering initiative reflects our University's deep sense of accountability and responsibility toward safeguarding the wild flora of the hilly terrains of Northeast India. "It also highlights our commitment to scientific advancement rooted in local genetic resources and traditional ecological wealth. In the climate changing scenario, this research will pave the way for future crop improvement programmes by strengthening genetic resilience, enhancing adaptability, and ensuring nutritional security," the VC said. The study builds on a series of postgraduate and doctoral research projects conducted under the supervision of Dr Animesh Sarkar, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture of the Nagaland University, focusing on banana biodiversity, germplasm mapping, characterisation of wild species and evaluation of genetic resources in the state. Highlighting the role of this research in addressing conservation challenges and safeguarding local germplasm, Dr Sarkar, said, "We aimed to address challenges in identifying and conserving local banana genotypes growing in remote forest regions of Nagaland. Through collaboration with banana experts from Northeast and South India, our research team successfully identified and documented several previously unclassified genotypes." He further said: "Field exploration presented significant challenges, including difficult terrain, limited accessibility to remote forest areas and low awareness among farmers regarding the importance of germplasm conservation. Our study also highlights a growing shift among farmers toward hybrid and tissue-culture banana varieties, which may accelerate the loss of traditional and wild genotypes." The findings demonstrate the potential of wild banana genetic resources to contribute to climate-resilient agriculture, food security and socio-economic development. Researchers noted that wild banana species could support the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties and new value-added products such as fibre-based materials and health beverages. The study also highlights the significant ethnobotanical value of wild bananas among indigenous communities in Nagaland. Different plant parts are traditionally used for food, fibre, medicine and cultural practices, with reported medicinal properties including treatment for dysentery, ulcers, diabetes and microbial infections. To strengthen conservation efforts, Nagaland University has established a Banana Biodiversity Corridor at its Department of Horticulture, ther varsity officials said. The corridor functions as a living field gene bank, linking in situ and ex situ conservation approaches while supporting genetic and molecular research, climate-resilient breeding programmes, student training and national germplasm security initiatives. The initiative aims to protect fragmented banana diversity, strengthen local value chains and support future agricultural development. Dr Sarkar has also established a network for exploration of banana biodiversity and its biotechnological research in Nagaland, funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Central government. - IANS An estimated 8,000 passengers are stranded in Qatar alone following the closure of airspace over several Gulf nations due to escalating military strikes in the region. Major airports like Hamad International and Dubai International are operating under severe restrictions, advising passengers not to travel without confirmed tickets. In response, the Indian government and domestic carriers like IndiGo have launched an emergency repatriation mission to bring citizens home. Indian embassies have activated 24/7 helplines and suspended regular services to focus entirely on the evacuation effort. Thousands stranded as Middle East airspace closes. Indian airlines launch emergency repatriation flights. Qatar says 8,000 stuck, airports restrict access. New Delhi, March 3 Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following military strikes involving the US, Israel, and Iran, thousands of citizens have found themselves caught in a massive aviation standstill. The situation remains fluid as major hubs like Hamad International (Doha) and Dubai International (DXB) operate under severe restrictions. As of March 3, 2026, the closure of airspaces over Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia has left an estimated 8,000 passengers stranded in Qatar alone, with tens of thousands more affected across the Gulf. Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday informed that nearly 8,000 people are stranded in transit in the country, Al Jazeera reported. Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that a large number of people are stranded as the airspace remains closed due to the ongoing counter-strikes by Iran following the US and Israel attack on the Persian Gulf country that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures. The Qatar Foreign Ministry said that the attempts to attack Hamad International Airport have failed, Al Jazeera reported, adding that there was no ongoing communication with Iran, which has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. The Qatar FM spokesperson asserted that the country has enough interceptor missiles to deal with the ongoing threat. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi airport has advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have confirmed tickets, since access to the airport is restricted to confirmed travellers only. "Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless they hold a confirmed ticket and have been explicitly advised by their airline to do so. Access to the airport will be restricted to confirmed travellers only. The safety and well-being of all passengers and staff remain our highest priority," the statement by Abu Dhabi airport said. Etihad Airways, one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), issued an airport advisory for travellers, advising passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by the airline and provided with confirmed ticket details. "Guests and members of the public are advised not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and provided with confirmed ticket details. Access to the airport will be restricted for those without confirmed travel documentation," Etihad Airways posted on X. "All others should check their flight status at etihad.com and await further communication from the airline. Safety remains our highest priority. We appreciate your cooperation," the airline said. Moreover, Oman Air informed cancellations of several flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad, and Khasab, due to regional airspace closures. "All other flights are operating as scheduled; however, some delays may be expected. The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. We are closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the appropriate authorities and will continue to share updates here and on our website," the airline posted on X. Meanwhile, the Indian government and major domestic carriers have launched an emergency repatriation mission to bring citizens home. Indian airlines are coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Indian embassies to operate "relief" and "repatriation" flights. Indian Embassies in the Gulf region have activated 24x7 helplines and suspended walk-in consular services to focus entirely on the emergency evacuation and assistance of stranded nationals. IndiGo has initiated the repatriation flights to rescue the stranded citizens in Gulf countries. "We understand how the ongoing situation has impacted travel plans, especially when they involve returning home or being with loved ones. We are progressively reinstating select flights as part of a carefully planned restoration of our schedule, with safety as our highest priority and close consideration of the evolving situation. Operations are being resumed in line with prevailing airspace conditions, with all necessary approvals already in place. If you are scheduled to travel, we kindly request that you wait for confirmation from us before proceeding to the airport," the airline posted on X. "Details of the routes being progressively restored, based on evolving airspace conditions, are as follows: Athens, Muscat, Jeddah, Madinah. And more repatriation flights in the UAE, based on slots and permits," IndiGo said. IndiGo said that repatriation flights from Dubai, Fujairah, and Jeddah are expected to arrive at Mumbai airport today. SpiceJet has announced to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Mumbai starting March 4. The airline will operate four special flights from the UAE today to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded there following the sudden closure of airspace. The airline will operate these special services from Fujairah to three Indian cities - Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi - including two flights to Mumbai, to ensure that passengers are able to return home at the earliest. In addition to these special services, SpiceJet will restore its scheduled flights between Fujairah and Delhi and between Fujairah and Mumbai starting March 4, helping normalise connectivity between the UAE and India. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, "At a time like this, our priority is to support Indian citizens who are facing uncertainty and want to return home. We are grateful to the authorities for their coordination, which has made these special flights possible. SpiceJet stands ready to operate more such services, wherever required, to assist our people." However, all scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 23:59 hrs UAE time on March 4, due to airspace closures across the region. This comes after the Civil Aviation Ministry said it was closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. According to an official release, the Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. - ANI Thousands of voters are leaving Kathmandu to return to their home constituencies to vote in Nepal's upcoming election. The election is being held six months after significant Gen-Z protests, with voters expressing a desire for change and candidates who can improve domestic opportunities. A mandatory two-day silence period has begun, prohibiting all campaign activities and materials near polling stations. Over 18.9 million citizens are registered to elect a new 275-member House of Representatives. Thousands of voters depart Kathmandu for Nepal's elections. Citizens seek change after protests, with a 48-hour silence period now in effect. Kathmandu, March 3 Thousands of voters have started to head home from the Nepali capital Kathmandu to exercise their franchise on Thursday as the poll day draws close in the Himalayan Nation. Carrying bags and rushing towards the vehicles to reach home, hundreds of voters on Tuesday morning departed from the Koteshwor Bus Park for the election, which is being held six months after the Gen-Z protest. "That sort of candidate who can bring on the change in the country and someone who can work on that front where the citizens of this country don't need to go to other countries in search of work should be elected, I want that sort of candidate," Raju Chaulagain, one of the voters waiting for his bus at the stand, told ANI. The Himalayan nation's poll preparation has entered the last phase as candidates wrap up their campaigning on Monday. The two-day silence period has already started, which allows voters to make up their minds before exercising their right to franchise. As per the Traffic Police's record, more than 3 lakh people have already left the capital for their respective districts to exercise their franchise via road. The number is expected to double by Wednesday as more are expected to vacate the valley for the election, which comes after the September's protest. "I am going to my hometown to cast my vote. I have my own business here (in Kathmandu), but to cast my vote, I am heading for my voting constituency for the election," Bidur Nepali, another voter, told ANI. "The country has traversed through a dire situation; we voters also should have an understanding of the capacity of the candidate. We have already seen the work of the old parties, but they performed very badly. Looking at the incident of September 8 and 9, I would vote for that party which really can work for the good of the country," Bidur added. As per the Election Code of Conduct, which includes the provision for a silence period, all campaign materials of political parties or candidates placed within a 300-metre radius of polling stations must be removed once the silence period comes into force. Similarly, posting, sharing, or disseminating any message, information, or campaign material in favour of or against any political party or candidate through social media, online platforms, print, or any other electronic medium is prohibited. The code of conduct also states that from three hours before voting begins until the completion of the voting process, no one is allowed to obstruct voters or officials involved in conducting the polls at the polling centres. Playing musical instruments, organising singing and dancing, hosting public feasts, holding processions, or any kind of gathering or ceremony, or creating or inciting crowds and disturbances have also been prohibited for 48 hours before the vote. A total of 18,903,689 citizens have registered to vote on March 5. They will elect a 275-strong lower house, of which 165 will be elected under first-past-the-post and the remaining 110 under proportional representation. - ANI Argentina and India have explored new avenues for strategic cooperation in the mining sector during a high-level session convened by India's Ministry of Steel. The session outlined the framework for the upcoming 'Bharat Steel 2026' international conference, set for April 2026 in New Delhi. Indian officials highlighted the sector's ambitious expansion and transition toward low-carbon, technologically advanced production. The engagement aims to foster global partnerships for raw material security and sustainable steel manufacturing. Argentina's Ambassador highlights new mining cooperation with India ahead of the Bharat Steel 2026 conclave, focusing on sustainable steel and supply chains. New Delhi, March 3 Argentina and India explored new avenues for cooperation in the strategic mining sector during a high-level interactive session hosted by the Ministry of Steel. The engagement aimed to advance international collaboration and outline the framework for Bharat Steel 2026, an International Conference-cum-Exhibition scheduled for April 16-17, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Mariano Caucino, Argentine Ambassador to India, highlighted the potential for bilateral synergy following the session. "Grateful for the opportunity to participate in the interactive session chaired by Hon'ble Steel Minister on the 2026 Bharat Steel conclave. Presenting new possibilities of cooperation between Argentina and India in the strategic field of mining," the Ambassador said on X. The Ministry of Steel, Government of India, convened a high-level interactive session with senior diplomats from across the globe to advance strategic collaboration in the steel sector and outlined the roadmap for its flagship international event, 'Bharat Steel 2026.' Addressing the diplomatic community, Sandeep Pondrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, underscored the steel industry's pivotal role in powering India's industrial and economic transformation. He highlighted the sector's ambitious expansion plans, with capacity targets of 300 million tonnes (MT) by 2030 and 400 MT by 2035--positioning India as a global leader in steel production. Emphasising the sector's rapid modernisation, Poundrik invited global partners to collaborate with India as the domestic steel industry transitions toward low-carbon production pathways and advanced process technologies. He reaffirmed India's commitment to building resilient and sustainable global supply chains rooted in innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Providing a preview of 'Bharat Steel 2026,' he highlighted India's commitment to forging enduring and sustainable international partnerships. India's strategy is focused on strengthening raw material security, accelerating technology transfer, advancing green and sustainable steel production, and fostering meaningful global collaboration. The session witnessed strong engagement from the diplomatic community, with representatives expressing appreciation for India's forward-looking vision and enthusiasm for participating in Bharat Steel 2026. The upcoming summit is poised to serve as a premier global platform for dialogue, innovation exchange, and strategic partnerships in the steel sector. - ANI BJP National President Nitin Nabin received a grand welcome in Patna during Holi celebrations, marking his first visit to the city for the festival since assuming the national role. He was greeted by senior state leaders including Deputy Chief Ministers and shared light-hearted moments, dancing with party workers. Nabin emphasized that the festival was for music and enjoyment rather than speeches, highlighting his connection with the grassroots cadre. The event was seen as a display of organizational unity and strength within the Bihar BJP. BJP National President Nitin Nabin dances with workers in Patna during his first Holi Milan after assuming the national role, joined by top Bihar leaders. Patna, March 3 BJP National President Nitin Nabin arrived in Patna from Delhi on Tuesday, where he was accorded a warm welcome by party leaders and workers at the airport. This year's Holi Milan celebration of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Patna turned special as it marked his first visit to the city for Holi after assuming charge as national president. The BJP Patna Metropolitan unit organised a grand reception in his honour. Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, state president Sanjay Saraogi, along with several state ministers, MPs, and MLAs, were present at the event. The atmosphere was filled with Holi fervour. As he arrived on the stage, Nitin Nabin greeted party workers with festive wishes, saying, "Many congratulations to all the workers on Holi. I salute all the senior workers of Patna Metropolitan." Striking a light-hearted note, he added, "Holi is meant for listening to songs, not speeches. Enjoy the music - don't mind, it's Holi." His remark drew cheers and applause from the gathering. In a cheerful moment, Nitin Nabin was seen dancing to Holi songs along with party workers. When women workers insisted that he pose for photographs before leaving, he smiled and responded, "We'll take it from here," triggering laughter across the pandal. Nitin Nabin has been an active figure in Bihar BJP politics for years. Having established himself as an MLA from Patna, he has held several key organisational responsibilities. His strong connection with grassroots workers and organisational skills eventually paved the way for his elevation to national leadership. This Holi celebration was his first after becoming the BJP national president and was viewed both as a show of organisational strength and a heartfelt interaction with party workers. Through the Holi Milan programme, the BJP sought to send a message of unity and enthusiasm, with Nitin Nabin emphasising that the real strength of the organisation lies in its dedicated cadre. - IANS Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly condemned the recent US-Israel military strikes in Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. He asserted that no international law permits regime change through external bombing and emphasized that only the Iranian people have the right to determine their government. Abdullah appealed for calm within Jammu and Kashmir, urging citizens and religious leaders not to let tensions escalate locally. He also confirmed that authorities are coordinating with the External Affairs Ministry to ensure the safety of Indian students in Iran. J&K CM Omar Abdullah condemns US-Israel strikes in Iran, appeals for local calm, and states no international law permits external regime change. Jammu, March 3 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday appealed for restraint and calm in the wake of escalating US-Israel military strikes in Iran, emphasising that the people of Iran alone have the right to determine their government. Speaking to the media, Abdullah condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and his family, stressing that no international law permits regime change through external bombing. "It is up to the people of Iran to decide what kind of government will be in place in Iran. No international law allows for a regime change through external bombing. First, the way Iran's Supreme Leader was brutally assassinated, along with his family members. What law allowed the US or Israel to do this?" Abdullah said, expressing sympathy for the people of Iran. "First, I express my sympathy to the people of Iran and condemn that attack," he said. The Chief Minister also urged citizens in Jammu and Kashmir not to let tensions spill over locally. He called on religious leaders to express grief responsibly and avoid taking the law into their own hands. "But at the same time, I appeal to our people in Jammu and Kashmir not to let the situation escalate. Some people are trying to disrupt the atmosphere. Religious leaders are requested to express their grief but not to take the law into their own hands," he said. Abdullah confirmed that authorities are in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and that Indian students in Iran have been moved to safer locations, though some remain unable to leave. He urged them to follow embassy guidelines. "We are in contact with the Ministry of External Affairs. Our students and others who are in Iran have been shifted to safe places. Some students are not being allowed to leave. I would urge them to follow the guidelines issued by the embassy," he added. His remarks come as the conflict in West Asia enters its fourth day following US and Israeli strikes on February 28, which targeted Iran's leadership, military installations, and strategic assets. The strikes killed Supreme Leader Khamenei along with other senior figures, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran on American and Israeli interests in the region. - ANI Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly defended the joint US-Israeli military strikes against Iran, framing the action as necessary to protect the world from "theological thuggery." He accused Iran of decades of terrorism, including targeting Americans and attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Netanyahu lavished praise on Trump's leadership, calling him a decisive global leader crucial for Israel and the free world. The strikes, part of Operation Epic Fury, have triggered a wider regional conflict with Iranian retaliatory attacks, as world leaders call for de-escalation. Israeli PM Netanyahu justifies Operation Epic Fury, calling it a defense against Iran's "theological thuggery" and praises President Trump's decisive leadership. Tel Aviv, March 3 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday backed the US-Israeli military action against Iran as a part of Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, noting that it protects not only US, Israel but also the world at large from 'theological thuggery'. In an interview to Fox News, the Israeli PM said, "It's not a terrible thing to protect humanity, to protect America, to protect Israel, to protect the free world from this theological thuggery. These fanatics who don't care -- who just export death, mass death, everywhere." In a slew of scathing remarks, he slammed Iran for murdering thousands of Americans and spreading a worldwide web of terror. He said, "Iran for 47 years has been chanting death to America. They have murdered and maimed thousands of Americans. They bombed your embassies. They tried to assassinate Donald Trump, the President of the United States, twice. They murdered their own people, they massacred so many. And they spread a worldwide web of terror. This is a regime committed to destroying the United States of America." Netanyahu praised the leadership of Trump and added, "There's never been a President like Donald J. Trump. His resoluteness, his decisiveness, his clarity of thinking, the way he gets things -- gets right to the crux of things. He cuts through all the fluff, cuts through the chase, gets down to the main point, and it gets down to the main action that needs to be taken." He further said, "I think for Israel and I think for the countries of the free world, let me tell you, I think for the world. We're very lucky to have him as the leader of the free world, and in fact the leader of world. He's brought America back to being the leader the world." Netanyahu told Fox News, "This is not an endless war, this is a gateway to peace. There is great danger and it's time to act." Earlier, US Vice-President JD Vance on Tuesday (local time) said President Donald Trump decided to take action against Iran in order to protect America's national security. Vance added that Trump had determined to ensure America remains safe not only for a few years during his tenure as the President, but to ensure that Iran could 'never' to have a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, in a video message on Monday to the Joint Force, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called it a "generational turning point America has waited for since 1979". He urged them to stay determined and re-iterated Trump administration's slogan--peace through strength. As developments follow in wake of the tensions in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to US, Danny Danon met US First Lady Melania Trump ahead of the UN Security Council session and underlined that the alliance between Israel and the United States stands firm. Also on Monday in a post on Truth Social, Trump attacked the "radical left" for their response to the American strikes. A full-scale conflict erupted in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI The Vantara initiative, founded by Anant Ambani, has completed one year of operations since its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has restored the health of thousands of rescued animals, including over 250 elephants, and conducted complex veterinary procedures. The project has earned international recognition, including the Global Humane Award, and has successfully rewilded animals like spotted deer in partnership with the Gujarat Forest Department. It functions as a National Referral Centre, integrating advanced scientific research with large-scale rescue and community engagement efforts. One year after PM Modi's inauguration, Anant Ambani's Vantara initiative has rescued thousands of animals, won global awards, and rewilded endangered species. Jamnagar, March 2 One year after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vantara initiative marked its Foundation Day in Gujarat's Jamnagar, sharing details of its work in wildlife rescue and care over the past year. Founded by Anant Mukesh Ambani, Vantara has restored thousands of rescued wild animals to health across various species, including big cats, reptiles, primates, birds, and other mammals. Over the past year, its veterinary teams have carried out various complex surgical procedures and rewilded many animals into their natural habitats, while also returning some animals to the wild following rescue, treatment, and recovery. According to a press release, Anant Ambani, in its first year, "received the prestigious Global Humane Award for his remarkable global contribution to wildlife care and conservation, underscoring a commitment to compassionate, science-led conservation." "Vantara's work has also been recognised internationally through memberships with EARAZA and SEAZA, the Global Humane Conservation Certification, and the Prani Mitra Award 2025. Beyond recognition, the organisation has focused on building lasting impact, training hundreds of veterinarians in conservation medicine, hosting more than 50 national and international knowledge-sharing events, and engaging thousands of children through outreach programs designed to inspire the next generation of conservation stewards," the release added. Over the last year, "veterinary teams at Vantara carried out several medical procedures and provided long-term care to animals that could not be released immediately. The centre has also handled animals rescued from circuses, logging sites, begging, and overcrowded facilities. This includes care for more than 250 elephants and thousands of crocodiles." Designated as the National Referral Centre for Wildlife (West Zone), Vantara has strengthened India's One Health ecosystem by integrating wildlife health into broader disease surveillance and coordinated response systems. Its scientific backbone includes a Scientific Laboratory and 11 satellite laboratories, supported by over 70 specialists and processing more than 2,000 diagnostic samples daily, with capabilities spanning bio-banking, next-generation sequencing, molecular diagnostics, pathology, parasitology, and toxicology. Supporting thousands of animals daily, Vantara, as per the release, "produces 156,000 kg of high-quality nutrition through fully automated systems, delivered via 50 temperature-controlled vehicles and managed by 200 qualified professionals, supported by more than 1,000 farmers cultivating fodder and animal feed. This scale of integrated care is matched by a 200-member round-the-clock response team that has supported over 50 international rescue operations and 15 Wildlife Rapid Response and Rescue Team deployments." Conservation is ultimately about giving species a second chance at survival. Over the past year, structured breeding and rewilding programs have helped restore hope for a large number of endangered species. Among the most meaningful milestones was the release of 53 spotted deer into Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in partnership with the Gujarat Forest Department, as well as the snake-necked turtle rewilding initiative in Indonesia. Each of these efforts reflects Vantara's deep commitment to science-led ecosystem restoration and the careful, compassionate return of wildlife to their natural homes. When devastating floods struck Punjab, Vantara stood alongside affected communities, supporting humanitarian and disaster response efforts that safeguarded thousands of animals and supported over one million people. This response reinforced a simple but powerful truth: ecological resilience and human wellbeing are deeply interconnected, and caring for one means caring for the other. One year after its inauguration, Vantara has grown into an integrated, science-led conservation ecosystem, advancing rescue, research, rewilding, and community engagement at scale. At its heart remains a clear and compassionate mission: to create measurable conservation impact that protects wildlife, strengthens communities, and contributes to a more sustainable future in India and around the world. - ANI An elderly couple drives through Wuerzburg (Lower Franconia) in a Volkswagen Beetle convertible. Sales of convertibles in Germany continue to decline, with just 33,924 new registrations in 2025, down 17% from the year before, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). David Ebener/dpa Sales of convertibles in Germany continue to decline, with just 33,924 new registrations in 2025, down 17% from the year before, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). The 2024 figure had already marked a long-term low. Only one in 84 newly registered cars in Germany was a convertible. The decline likely reflects a shift in lifestyle and consumer preferences. The sense of freedom that once boosted convertible demand has increasingly been taken over by SUVs, which have expanded their market share significantly in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the number of models on offer has fallen sharply. Many brands no longer produce convertibles, while others offer only one or two models. Volkswagen's T-Roc was the best-selling convertible in Germany in 2025 with 8,179 units. BMW followed with 6,499, ahead of Mercedes with 4,951, Porsche's 4,946 and Mini with 4,926. Together, these five brands accounted for around 87% of convertible sales. Despite years of declining new registrations, about 2.2 million convertibles remain on German roads, often maintained as classic cars by their owners. The figure, as of January 1, 2025, has decreased slowly due to limited new supply and the total was around 24,000 higher a year earlier. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has announced the upcoming state budget, scheduled for presentation on International Women's Day, March 8, will be historic. He highlighted significant revenue gains, with excise collections reaching Rs 37,975 crore in 46 months compared to Rs 27,395 crore under the previous Congress government. GST revenue also saw a marked increase, rising to Rs 83,000 crore in four years from Rs 61,000 crore. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the Meri Rasoi scheme to provide ration kits to 40 lakh families. Punjab FM Cheema announces historic budget on Women's Day, citing major excise and GST revenue gains compared to previous Congress government. Chandigarh, March 3 Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday said that the Punjab government's upcoming state budget, to be presented on March 8, will be a "historic" one, highlighting gains in excise and GST revenues over the past four years. Speaking with ANI, Cheema said, "Our budget, coming on Women's Day on March 8th, will be a historic budget. We have made significant gains in the last four years. Whether it's excise or GST, when the Congress government was in power, its treasury received Rs 27,395 crore in excise revenue. To date, in 46 months, we have received Rs 37,975 crore. Furthermore, if I talk about GST, when the Congress government was in power, they only brought in Rs 61,000 crore, but during our four-year tenure, we have recorded revenue of Rs 83,000 crore." Citing revenue figures, the minister said that excise collections have witnessed a substantial rise compared to the previous Congress government. He further stated that GST revenue has also seen a marked increase during the current government's tenure. Earlier, on February 26, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Secretariat issued a notification summoning the Sixteenth Vidhan Sabha of the State of Punjab to meet for its Twelfth Budget Session on March 6. As per the notification dated February 26, the session has been summoned by Gulab Chand Kataria in exercise of the powers conferred under Clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India. The House will assemble at 11:00 am on March 6 in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Hall, Vidhan Bhavan, Chandigarh. Earlier, addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, "We have decided to hold the budget session of the Punjab Assembly from March 6 to March 16. Depending on the BAC (Business Advisory Committee), if needed, the session will be extended. We will present the budget on Sunday, March 8th. If PM Modi can run Parliament on Sunday, can't we? March 8 isn't just a Sunday; it's also International Women's Day." Bhagwant Mann further announced the Meri Rasoi scheme for 40 lakh families, under which the state government will distribute ration kits. "The scheme impacting 40 lakh families, Meri Rasoi. The wheat given under the public distribution system will continue, and the quality of the wheat has also improved. Now, to make Punjab's food more nutritious, we are launching the scheme, under which the Punjab government will distribute food kits to 40 lakh families. Along with wheat, two kilograms of dal, two kilograms of sugar, one kilogram iodised salt, 200 grams of turmeric powder and one litre of oil," he said. - ANI A report highlights Pakistan's emerging role as a key collaborator and promoter of Chinese defense systems, notably the JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft. This partnership allows China to maintain a low profile while Pakistan serves as the system's operator, exporter, and political advocate. However, the operation of these systems has exposed tensions, with the Pakistani Air Force experiencing several non-combat losses and structural weaknesses being suggested. Furthermore, significant flaws in Chinese-origin air defense systems, like those deployed in Venezuela, have raised international doubts about China's credibility as a reliable arms supplier. Report details Pakistan as key promoter of Chinese defense systems like JF-17, as operational shortcomings raise global credibility concerns. Vienna, March 2 Pakistan is steadily emerging as a key collaborator and promoter of Chinese defence systems amid growing global concerns about the performance of China's military equipment in real-time operations. Under joint production and co-branding frameworks - most notably the JF-17 Thunder multirole combat aircraft developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation - Beijing maintains a low public profile, while Islamabad serves as the system's "operator, exporter, and political advocate", a report highlighted recently. "Technical or operational shortcomings are thus primarily attributed to Islamabad, not Beijing. For example, in recent export projects, such as reports of deliveries to forces in eastern Libya, Pakistan is formally listed as the contracting partner. Final assembly takes place at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, and the aircraft type is not even part of the regular inventory of the Chinese Air Force," a report in an Austria-based news website, 'Militar Aktuell' detailed. The report stated that JF-17 Thunder, referred to as the FC-1 Xiaolong in China, was designed as an affordable alternative to Western aircraft such as the Eurofighter, Gripen, or F-16, while enabling countries with limited budgets to access modern air combat capabilities. However, it said, the operation exposed tensions between ambition and resilience. "According to publicly available data, the Pakistani Air Force experienced several non-combat-related total losses under routine conditions between 2011 and 2024. While accidents in military flight operations are not uncommon, the clustering of incidents in the early years of service suggests structural or systemic weaknesses, including reports of cracks in the vertical stabiliser," the report noted. It highlighted that Chinese arms facing performance problems in real-world scenarios are raising international doubts about China's credibility as a reliable global arms supplier. In the wake of the US military operation in Venezuela in early January, it said, significant flaws of the deployed Venezuelan air defence systems became apparent - including systems of Chinese origin. "Venezuela had invested heavily in Chinese radar networks, particularly in the JY-27 series long-range and anti-stealth radar systems, which were promoted at international arms fairs such as Airshow China in Zhuhai and IDEX. These long-wave radars are theoretically considered especially suitable for detecting modern fighter jets with reduced radar signatures. However, during the operation, they apparently showed no discernible effect," the report mentioned. "No official statements have been issued so far, and public reports remain contradictory. A combination of several factors is likely: possible operational inactivity or technical failures, deficiencies in integration and training, and effective electronic countermeasures by the US armed forces. In any case, the JY-27 systems, whose unit price is typically in the tens of millions of euros, have failed to demonstrate their advertised capabilities," it added. - IANS Indian medical students in Isfahan, Iran, are living in fear as they hear explosions near their campus and face pressure from university authorities to vacate their dorms. They are surviving on limited resources with shops closed and online ordering unavailable. Communication with anxious families in India is severely hampered by internet disruptions. The students have made an urgent appeal to the Indian government for evacuation or relocation to a safer place until the regional situation stabilizes. Indian medical students in Isfahan, Iran, report explosions, panic, and scarce supplies, urgently appealing to the Indian government for evacuation. Isfahan, March 2 Fear and uncertainty have gripped several Indian students stranded in Iran as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, with many appealing to the Indian government for evacuation or relocation to safer places. Fatima, a student at the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, said around 25 to 30 Indian students are currently stuck in the region and are living in constant anxiety. "Right now, there are 25 to 30 of us here, and we earnestly request the government to take us to a safe place or evacuate us to our parents in our home country until the situation stabilises," she said. Explaining why they have been unable to leave earlier, Fatima said academic commitments had made it difficult. "We had to stay here because of the university. We didn't want to, but due to classes, exams, rounds, and hospital shifts, staying here was unavoidable," she said. According to her, the university administration has informed first- and second-year students that their next semester will be conducted online, giving them the option to either remain in Iran or return home and come back in April for examinations. However, final-year students nearing graduation are required to continue attending hospital shifts daily. "They have just told us to stay safe in the dorms and not go outside. On top of that, they are pressuring us to move to another dorm. They are pressuring us day and night to vacate the current dorms," she claimed. Fatima further said that several students are currently not on campus but staying indoors in residential accommodations, surviving on limited resources. "We are not on campus right now; we are at home, making do with whatever resources we have. We are sharing supplies with our friends and eating what we have. The shops are also closed, and we can't even order online. We are not supposed to step out," she said. Communication with families back in India has also become increasingly difficult due to internet disruptions. "It is very difficult for those with internet access to contact them. For those without internet or VPN, they are forced to make international calls, which are rare. As a result, we have very limited communication with our parents," she said. Describing the tense atmosphere, Fatima said explosions were heard near their area, though the exact location remained unclear. "It happened near the campus, though some say it occurred farther away. We do not know the exact location yet, but it feels very close to the campus," she said. "I am currently in the state of Isfahan, Iran. Given the current situation, even while staying in the dormitory, we do not feel safe at all. There is no sense of security at home. We are hearing a lot of explosions around us. There is a lot of panic and uncertainty," she added. She also highlighted the distress being faced by their families back home. "Parents are worried more than us, as they are constantly monitoring the situation through news updates. They are even more scared than us," she said. With the security situation remaining volatile, the stranded students have urged Indian authorities to intervene at the earliest and ensure their safety until normalcy returns to the region. - IANS Officials from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs convened to take a pledge upholding the ethos of 'Seva' or service, transitioning from a sense of entitlement. The meeting, chaired by Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal, emphasized placing citizens at the core of all decisions and actions. Discussions covered achievements toward 'Viksit Bharat', structural reforms, and strengthening transparency and accountability in governance. The pledge is part of a wider government adoption of the Seva Sankalp Resolution, reflecting the Prime Minister's vision for nation-building. Ministry officials pledge to transition from entitlement to service, focusing on citizen-centric governance and the Viksit Bharat goal. New Delhi, March 3 In pursuance of the "Seva Sankalp Resolution" adopted by the Union Cabinet in its first meeting at "Seva Teerth", the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs convened a meeting of all officials to take the pledge to uphold the ethos of 'Seva' or service, an official said on Tuesday. The meeting was held on Monday under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal, the official said in a statement. Addressing the officers, the Secretary emphasised the need for transition from a "sense of entitlement" to the "sense of service" in public administration. He underscored that citizens must remain at the core of every decision and action, and that governance must be driven by dedication, integrity and responsiveness. Secretary Dhal highlighted the importance of performing official duties with a spirit of sincerity and devotion and encouraged officers to work in a manner that leaves a lasting institutional legacy. "Various achievements made in past 12 years in various fields towards achieving the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' were discussed. Various structural changes and reforms being undertaken across government departments were also deliberated," the statement added. Discussions also focused on strengthening transparency, accountability, time-bound disposal of work, and effective coordination in the discharge of parliamentary and administrative responsibilities. Officers reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the ethos of Seva and citizen-centric governance towards achieving the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' as envisaged in the Resolution. Similar pledge was taken at other Central government offices as well where officials recited the three-page resolution adopted by the Union Cabinet during the first meeting in the new Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Seva Teerth, last week. The Seva Sankalp Resolution is a mission statement for the Union government reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for nation building and serving the 1.4 crore citizens of the country. Earlier, to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Modi on September 17 last year, volunteers on the NaMo App launched a unique 15-day digital volunteering initiative under Seva Parv 2025. The 'Seva Parv 2025' celebrations observed till October 2025, honoured PM Modi's lifelong commitment to the spirit of service to the nation. 'Seva Parv 2025' brought to life a collection of interactive experiences on NaMo App, inviting citizens and karyakartas to join hands in acts of service during the auspicious occasion of PM Modi's birthday. - IANS Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after 107 flight movements were cancelled due to airspace restrictions stemming from the West Asia conflict. Travelers, including those bound for Umrah and Dubai, reported sleeping on floors and facing a lack of basic facilities as their flights were rescheduled or cancelled. The disruptions have extended to other major Indian airports in Kolkata and Delhi, prompting the Civil Aviation Ministry to establish a 24x7 assistance control room. In response, travel agencies are operating special charter flights from the UAE to repatriate Indians affected by the regional tensions. Passengers stranded at Mumbai airport as 107 flights cancelled due to Middle East airspace restrictions. Ministry sets up 24x7 control room. Mumbai, March 3 Passengers were stranded at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as several flights were cancelled following the West Asia conflict. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set up a 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room to review preparedness in view of the evolving airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East. A stranded passenger told ANI that his family was going for Umrah and had a flight on March 1, which was rescheduled due to the situation in the Middle East. "My family and I were going for Umrah and had a flight on March 1st, which was rescheduled due to the situation in the Middle East. It is now scheduled for this evening," the passenger said. Another passenger who came from Chapra to Mumbai said his Dubai flight was cancelled at night, "I came from Chapra to Mumbai. I had a flight to Dubai and at night I came to know that the flight is cancelled. There is no facility at the airport, I am sleeping on the floor. We need a place to sleep, to stay and to eat." A third passenger said they have been at the airport for three days after their flight was cancelled. "We have been here for three days, our flight was cancelled. Today we have a flight at 6 PM for Umrah," the passenger said. According to sources, a total of 107 air traffic movements (ATMs) were cancelled at Mumbai Airport on March 3, including 54 arrivals and 53 departures. Flight operations have also been impacted at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata due to the prevailing war situation. According to Kolkata airport officials, Emirates has cancelled four arrivals and four departures scheduled for the day. Passengers have been advised to check with their respective airlines for updated flight information and further assistance. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as developments continue. Several westbound international flights from the IGI Airport were delayed as well. The Delhi Airport officials have urged the passengers to check the latest flight updates and consider alternate routes for travelling. The flight disruptions come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following military strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran, which have led to widespread airspace closures and flight cancellations across the region. Meantime, Travel company EaseMyTrip on Tuesday announced that it is operating special charter flights from Fujairah, a city in the UAE, to Delhi and Mumbai to help Indians return home safely amid the prevailing war situation in parts of the West Asia. - ANI Union Minister Piyush Goyal met Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu to advance the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. PM Modi highlighted that Canadian pension funds have already invested $100 billion in India, signaling strong confidence in its economy. The leaders exchanged MoUs and engaged with the business community to lay a roadmap for deeper economic cooperation. PM Modi and Canadian PM Carney set a $50B trade goal by 2030 as ministers advance the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). New Delhi, March 2 Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday met Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu to discuss the advancement of the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The meeting aimed to ensure a fair and balanced outcome while reinforcing the commitment of both nations to strengthen their bilateral economic partnership. Goyal shared details of the interaction on X, stating, "Held a productive meeting with @MSidhuLiberal, Minister of International Trade, Canada. Discussions focused on advancing the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) engagement and ensuring a fair and balanced outcome. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work to strengthen the overall bilateral economic partnership." This high-level meeting followed a joint press statement delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the national capital today. During the address, Prime Minister Modi hailed the growth of ties with Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark J Carney and said that the two countries aim to further deepen their economic cooperation with the goal to touch USD 50 billion in trade by 2030. In this regard, he further mentioned that Ottawa and New Delhi have decided to finalise a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in the near future. "Today, we discussed transforming this vision into a next-level partnership. Our goal is to reach $50 billion in trade by 2030. Unlocking the full potential of economic cooperation is our priority. Therefore, we have decided to finalise a comprehensive economic partnership agreement soon", PM Modi said. He underlined how the decision would open up new investment and employment opportunities in both countries. "Canadian pension funds have invested $100 billion in India. This is a symbol of their deep faith in India's growth story", PM Modi added. He said that later in the day, the leaders will also meet the members of the business community, whose suggestions will help lay the roadmap for economic cooperation between the two countries. PM Modi hailed Carney's visit to India as an important milestone. He recalled a warm meeting with him during the G7 meeting in Canada last year and also praised Carney for his role in the central banking leadership of two countries. "Since our first meeting, our ties have garnered new energy, trust, and positivity. I credit my friend PM Carney for the growing momentum in every area of cooperation. India and Canada share strong faith in democratic values. We celebrate diversity. The well-being of humanity is our shared vision. This vision inspires us to move forward in every area", PM Modi said. The two countries also exchanged several MoUs in the presence of both Prime Ministers. The Canadian Prime Minister arrived in India on February 27 for an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. This marks Carney's first official visit to the country, which began when he arrived in Mumbai. He will depart from India today following his engagements in the national capital. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar called on the Canadian Prime Minister and appreciated his commitment to building a forward-looking partnership between the two countries. The Canadian Prime Minister landed in the national capital on Sunday evening following the conclusion of a productive visit to Mumbai, marking the next phase of his official tour of India. This visit comes at an important juncture in the normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations, focusing on key strategic and economic issues of mutual interest between the two nations. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate phone calls with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Bahrain's King, strongly condemning recent attacks and discussing the safety of the Indian community. These calls are part of a broader diplomatic outreach that included conversations with the leaders of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by PM Modi, met to review the escalating situation and express serious concern for Indian nationals in the region. The committee directed all departments to assist affected Indians and emphasized a return to dialogue. PM Modi discusses Middle East conflict with Saudi & Bahrain leaders, condemns attacks, and prioritizes safety of Indian community abroad. New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday engaged in separate telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to intensify following recent escalations. During these discussions, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the recent attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He also enquired about the safety and well-being of the large Indian community residing in these countries, reflecting India's priority to safeguard its diaspora amid the regional turmoil. These calls build on PM Modi's ongoing diplomatic outreach since the conflict erupted involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. On Sunday, he held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he reiterated India's call for an early cessation of all hostilities in the region to restore peace. In a parallel engagement that day, PM Modi spoke with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He condemned Iranian attacks on Gulf countries and urged immediate de-escalation, while expressing appreciation to the UAE leader for ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community there. These high-level engagements underscore India's consistent diplomatic push for stability in West Asia and protection of its citizens abroad, even as the situation remains volatile. The diplomatic efforts follow a critical review by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday at his official residence. The CCS was briefed on the air strikes in Iran on February 28 and the subsequent escalation, including retaliatory attacks in several Gulf countries. The Committee expressed serious concern over the safety and security of the large Indian expatriate community in the region. It also assessed the difficulties faced by Indian travellers transiting the area, students appearing for scheduled examinations, and the broader implications for regional security, as well as economic and commercial activities. The CCS directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist affected Indian nationals. It emphasised the importance of an early cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy as the path forward. PM Modi returned to Delhi shortly before the CCS meeting, following a two-day visit to Puducherry and Madurai, where he participated in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) election campaign events ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and inaugurated key central government infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu focused on national highways and railways to enhance connectivity and drive economic growth. The CCS deliberations came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. US President Donald Trump described the strikes as necessary to "ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon". In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the escalating military situation in Iran and the Gulf region with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, emphasizing the need for dialogue, diplomacy, and the protection of civilians. The Ministry of External Affairs stated India is deeply concerned and has urged all sides to exercise restraint. Modi held similar discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, reinforcing that dialogue is the only path forward. The region remains volatile with reported casualties, attacks on energy sites, and a continued US military stance. PM Modi discussed Iran tensions with Canada's PM, emphasizing restraint, civilian safety, and dialogue. He also spoke with Israeli and UAE leaders. New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the military escalation in Iran and the Gulf region after a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. During the Ministry of External Affairs briefing on Canadian PM Mark Carney's official visit to India, Secretary (East) P Kumaran stated that PM Modi emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve underlying issues, avoiding targeting of civilians. He said, "As you would expect, this is a hot issue right now, and therefore it was discussed (between PM Modi and Canadian PM). Prime Minister Modi took the opportunity to convey that India is deeply concerned about the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region in general. He said we have urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritise the safety of civilians. He also said dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address the underlying issues. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be mentioned. Our missions in the region are in touch with Indian nationals and various community associations and have issued advisories asking them to remain vigilant, stay in contact with the missions and follow local security guidance." Notably, PM Modi held discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE's Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on March 1 and said that "dialogue and diplomacy" are the only path forward. His emphasis was placed on the protection of civilians, with PM Modi telling Netanyahu that the safety of non-combatants must be the "utmost priority. "Prime Minister Modi did mention that he had a conversation late last night with the Prime Minister of Israel and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed of UAE. In addition, the thrust of the discussions was about how we are all concerned about the escalating situation in Iran, how dialogue and diplomacy should be the norm to resolve all underlying issues, and how there should not be any targeting of civilians who have nothing to do with this," Kumaran added. Iran continues to strike Israel and US assets in the Gulf, as the number of casualties rises across the region amid intensifying Israeli and US attacks on Iran. In Iran, the joint US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 555 people, while security chief Ali Larijani has refuted US media claims that he had made a fresh push to resume nuclear talks with Washington, Al Jazeera reported. In Kuwait, the Defence Ministry says "several" US warplanes crashed in the country, with all the crew surviving. The US military said the jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences. In Lebanon, at least 31 people have been killed in Israeli attacks launched after Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Lebanon's prime minister has announced a ban on Hezbollah's military activities, as per Al Jazeera. Elsewhere, an oil tanker has been attacked in the Gulf of Oman, killing one person, while drone attacks have been reported at energy sites in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. US President Donald Trump has warned that attacks on Iran will continue until all objectives are achieved, and has promised to avenge the deaths of three US soldiers. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on the evolving situation in West Asia. Both leaders agreed on the importance of restoring regional peace and stability, with Modi condemning recent attacks on Saudi Arabia. The conversation occurred after a drone attack caused limited damage at the Ras Tanura oil refinery, though no casualties were reported. Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned Iranian attacks targeting its territory, vowing to take all necessary defensive measures. PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discuss regional stability, condemn attacks on Saudi Arabia, and address safety of Indian community. New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, during which he also condemned the recent attacks on the country. PM Modi and Mohammed bin Salman agreed that earliest restoration of regional peace and stability remains important. "Discussed the evolving situation in West Asia with Crown Prince and PM of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman. India condemns the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia in violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that earliest restoration of regional peace and stability is of utmost importance. I thanked him for looking after the well-being of the Indian community in these difficult times," PM Modi posted on X. Earlier in the day, Ras Tanura oil refinery suffered limited damage due to debris from the interception of two drones in its vicinity, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday, citing an official source at the Ministry of Energy. The incident caused limited fire, which was contained by emergency response teams. No casualties were reported in the incident. Some operational units at the refinery were closed as a precautionary measure, without any impact on the supply of petroleum products to local markets, Saudi Press Agency reported. On February 28, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Iranian attacks that targetted the Riyadh Region and the Eastern Province, expressing readiness to take all measures to defend the country's security and safeguard its people and territory. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks that targeted the Riyadh Region and the Eastern Province, which were successfully intercepted. These attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way whatsoever, and they came despite the Iranian authorities' knowledge that the Kingdom had affirmed it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran," Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X. "In light of this unjustified aggression, the Kingdom affirms that it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and safeguard its territory, its citizens, and its residents, including the option of responding to the aggression," it added. The latest conflict in West Asia began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, aimed at degrading Tehran's missile capabilities and broader military infrastructure. The opening wave of the operation killed senior figures in the Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sweeping response from Iran in the form of drone and missile attacks targetting US assets, regional capitals and allied forces across West Asia. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged in a series of diplomatic calls with leaders across West Asia amid escalating regional tensions. He spoke with the Amir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, and the Crown Prince of Kuwait, condemning attacks on sovereignty and discussing community safety. These conversations follow calls with the King of Jordan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, and Bahrain's King, focusing on regional stability. The outreach underscores India's commitment to diplomacy and the protection of its large diaspora in the region. PM Modi holds calls with leaders of Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, condemning attacks and ensuring safety of Indian diaspora. New Delhi, March 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, amid escalating tensions in West Asia. In the last 48 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. PM Modi, in his call with the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, condemned the attacks on Qatar and thanked the Amir of Qatar for support and care of the Indian community in Qatar. "Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. We stand firmly in solidarity with Qatar and strongly condemn any violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We emphasised the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. I also conveyed my appreciation for his continued support and care for the Indian community in Qatar during this challenging time," he said in a post on X. PM Modi spoke to two important leaders from the Gulf region this afternoon. He had a phone call with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik. He also had a conversation with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. "Had a productive telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. India condemns violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stands with its people in this difficult hour. We underscored the significance of dialogue and diplomacy in restoring regional peace and stability. Appreciated the Kuwaiti leadership's continued support to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait." "Spoke with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Condemned the violation of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Deeply appreciated Oman's continued support to the Indian community," PM Modi said in a post on X. During both discussions, the Prime Minister expressed concern at the attacks in the respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. On Monday, PM Modi spoke with the King of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II, and affirmed India's support for the "peace, security and the well-being" of Jordanians. The Prime Minister expressed concerns over the "evolving situation" in West Asia while thanking His Majesty for looking out for the Indian diaspora in Jordan during this "difficult hour". In a post on X, the PM wrote, "Spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. Conveyed our deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. We reaffirm our support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan. I thanked him for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour." Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in separate telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as the conflict in West Asia continues to intensify following recent escalations. During these discussions, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the recent attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He also enquired about the safety and well-being of the large Indian community residing in these countries, reflecting India's priority to safeguard its diaspora amid the regional turmoil. These calls build on PM Modi's ongoing diplomatic outreach since the conflict erupted involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. On Sunday, he held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he reiterated India's call for an early cessation of all hostilities in the region to restore peace. - ANI The hybrid SUV race is still being led by the usual suspects. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid continue to dominate thanks to loyal buyers and massive dealer networks that keep them comfortably on top. But Januarys sales numbers show the gap might be shrinking. The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is putting up real momentum, and this latest version is easily the most polished and well-equipped one yet. Hyundai has been steadily refining the Tucson for years, and the 2026 model feels like the payoff. Its more upscale, more complete, and suddenly looks less like an alternative and more like a legitimate threat. Advertisement Advertisement To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Hyundai and other authoritative sources, including Edmunds, the EPA, iSeeCars, J.D. Power, and TopSpeed. Smart updates that make it more competitive Small changes that add up in a big way Hyundai For 2026, the Tucson Hybrid gets a few behind-the-scenes tweaks aimed at sharpening its edge. Hyundai adds a new entry-level Blue SE trim, bumps the old Blue up to SEL, and quietly drops the N Line hybrid from the lineup. Theres also a software update for the six-speed automatic that smooths out the handoff between electric and gas power, especially at low speeds. Its not flashy, but it makes the SUV feel more polished in everyday driving. On the outside, things look familiar following last years refresh, though a new Ecotronic Gray paint option joins the palette. Inside, the dual 12.3-inch panoramic screens remain, but Hyundai trims a couple of extras, dropping the fingerprint scanner and the previously standard three years of complimentary maintenance. Where the Tucson Hybrid stands in todays market Hyundai The Tucson Hybrid has quietly become the best-selling electrified model in Hyundais global lineup. It sits neatly between the smaller Kona and the three-row Santa Fe, acting as the brands sweet spot for families who want efficiency without jumping to a full EV. Advertisement Advertisement Hyundai pitches it as a smart, slightly upscale alternative for buyers who still care about value. In that sense, it goes straight at the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid by offering a more premium feel without pushing into luxury pricing. Owner feedback has generally been solid. J.D. Power gives it an 81 out of 100 overall, with particularly strong marks for quality, reliability, driving experience, and resale, while Edmunds reviewers average a 4 out of 5 and frequently praise its fuel economy and value; resale data from iSeeCars suggests it could lose about 44.9 percent of its value over five years, a bit steeper than some key rivals. The Tucson Hybrid doesnt back down How it goes toe-to-toe with the segment leaders Hyundai Hyundai closed out 2025 with the Tucson as its top seller, moving a record 234,230 units in the U.S., up 14 percent year over year. The brand doesnt break out hybrid sales by model, but electrified vehicles made up 30 percent of its retail mix, and hybrid sales jumped 71 percent in December alone, with the Tucson leading that charge; assuming roughly a 35 percent electrified split, that could mean around 82,000 Tucson Hybrids sold last year. That momentum carried into January 2026, even as overall Tucson sales dipped four percent to 14,428 units. Hybrid sales across the brand surged 60 percent, suggesting the electrified version is increasingly doing the heavy lifting as gas-only demand cools. Advertisement Advertisement Even so, its still chasing the segment heavyweights. The Toyota RAV4 posted 479,288 total sales in 2025, with roughly half being hybrid or plug-in models, while the Honda CR-V cleared 400,000 units with more than half hybrids; in January 2026 alone, the CR-V moved 27,019 units with a 55 percent hybrid mix, translating to nearly three times the estimated hybrid volume of the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid for the same month. Pricing is a big part of the appeal Hyundai Advertisement Advertisement The 2026 Tucson Hybrid lineup now spans four trims, starting with the $32,450 Blue SE. From there, the Hybrid SEL comes in at $33,900, the SEL Convenience at $34,900, and the range-topping Hybrid Limited at $42,075. Like most brands, Hyundai adds a $1,600 destination charge on top. Even so, it still slips in below the Honda CR-V Hybrids $35,630 starting price, though the Toyota RAV4 keeps its reputation as the value benchmark with a $31,900 base MSRP. A well-rounded feature list boosts its appeal The kind of equipment buyers actually care about Hyundai The new Blue SE trim sets the tone with a surprisingly tech-heavy base setup. It comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, Bluelink+ connectivity, dual-zone climate control, stain-resistant cloth seats, and a 4.2-inch digital instrument display. Move up to the SEL and everyday comfort gets a boost. Youll pick up a hands-free smart liftgate, an eight-way power drivers seat with lumbar support, heated front seats, 18-inch alloys, roof rails, and rear air vents to keep backseat passengers happier. Advertisement Advertisement The SEL Convenience trim is where things start to feel properly upscale. It adds Hyundais dual-curved 12.3-inch panoramic display setup, Digital Key 2 with smartphone access, a power sunroof, wireless charging, H-Tex leatherette seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and customizable 64-color ambient lighting that genuinely elevates the cabin. The Limited trim leans into luxury Hyundai At the top of the lineup, the Limited trim is where the Tucson Hybrid starts feeling legitimately upscale. It adds an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system, a 12-inch head-up display, genuine leather seats, ventilated fronts, heated rears, and a memory system for the drivers seat and mirrors. Tech gets a noticeable upgrade here, too. Remote Smart Parking Assist lets you move the SUV in and out of tight spaces with the key fob, and the Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor add extra confidence by showing live camera feeds directly in the cluster. Hyundai keeps the ordering process simple, so most features are bundled by trim rather than sold as add-ons. Your main extras are premium paint colors like Serenity White Pearl or Ultimate Red, which add $450 to the sticker. A hybrid setup that gets the balance right Strong power without sacrificing everyday efficiency Hyundai Under the hood, the 2026 Tucson Hybrid sticks with Hyundais turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder, making 178 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with a permanent magnet electric motor adding 64 horsepower and another 195 lb-ft, for a combined 231 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. Advertisement Advertisement Power runs through a six-speed automatic thats been tuned specifically for hybrid duty, then out to Hyundais standard HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. The result is a 060 mph time of about 7.1 seconds and a top speed capped at 120 mph, which feels plenty quick for a compact family SUV. Fuel economy is one of its strongest cards Hyundai Advertisement Advertisement The most efficient version of the Tucson Hybrid is the Blue SE, which earns an EPA-rated 38 mpg in the city, 38 on the highway, and 38 combined. With its 13.7-gallon tank, that works out to an estimated 521 miles of range, about $1,200 a year in fuel, and roughly $2.09 to drive 25 milesor around $2,000 in savings over five years compared to the average new vehicle. The other trims arent far behind, posting 37 city, 36 highway, and 36 combined. That translates to about 493 miles of range, $1,350 in annual fuel costs, $2.27 per 25 miles, and roughly $38 to fill up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged in a rapid series of diplomatic calls with leaders from eight West Asian nations over 48 hours. The outreach comes amid escalating regional conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. In each conversation, Modi condemned attacks on the countries' sovereignty and discussed the welfare and security of the large Indian communities residing there. The Prime Minister consistently emphasized the urgent need for diplomatic engagement to restore peace and stability in the volatile region. PM Narendra Modi holds calls with leaders of UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar, condemning attacks and discussing Indian diaspora safety. New Delhi, March 3 Over the last 48 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. This comes amid the fast-evolving conflict situation in the region, triggered by the joint US-Israeli military offensive against Iran and attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed groups on Israel and the Gulf states as well as US military targets in the region. PM Modi spoke to Amir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He condemned the attacks on Qatar and thanked Amir of Qatar for support and care of the Indian community in Qatar. "Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. We stand firmly in solidarity with Qatar and strongly condemn any violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We emphasized the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. I also conveyed my appreciation for his continued support and care for the Indian community in Qatar during this challenging time," PM Modi said in a post on X. PM Modi also spoke to two important leaders from the Gulf region this afternoon. He had a phone call with Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik and also had a conversation with the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. During both discussions, the Prime Minister expressed concern at the attacks in the respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. "Spoke with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Condemned the violation of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Deeply appreciated Oman's continued support to the Indian community," PM Modi said in a post on X. Yesterday PM Modi had spoken with the King of Jordan, King Abdullah II and affirmed India's support for the "peace, security and the well-being" of Jordanians. The Prime Minister expressed concerns over the "evolving situation" in West Asia, while thanking him for looking out for the Indian diaspora in Jordan during this "difficult hour." In a post on X, the PM wrote, "Spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. Conveyed our deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. We reaffirm our support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan. I thanked him for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour." Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in separate telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. During these discussions, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the recent attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He also enquired about the safety and well-being of the large Indian community residing in these countries, reflecting India's priority to safeguard its diaspora amid the regional turmoil. These calls build on PM Modi's ongoing diplomatic outreach since the conflict erupted involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. On Sunday, he held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he reiterated India's call for an early cessation of all hostilities in the region to restore peace. - ANI Union Minister Chirag Paswan celebrated Holi with his family and Lok Janshakti Party workers in Patna. He extended warm Holi greetings to the people of the country during the festivities. Paswan expressed hope that the festival would bring peace, happiness, and new progress to a world facing challenges. He also shared pictures from the celebration on his social media platform. Union Minister Chirag Paswan celebrates Holi in Patna, extends greetings, and prays for peace, happiness, and new colours of progress for the world. Patna, March 2 Union Minister Chirag Paswan celebrated Holi with his family and Lok Janshakti Party workers on Monday. In the visuals, Chirag Paswan was seen joyfully playing with colours, sharing light-hearted moments with his family members as well as party colleagues. The event reflected the festive spirit, with attendees partaking in traditional Holi rituals, laughter, and camaraderie. While talking with the media, the Union Minister extended his Holi greetings to the people of the country. He also expressed hope for peace, happiness and progress in the world amid current challenges. "On behalf of my party and my family, I extend Holi greetings to the people of the country. At a time when this festival brings colours of joy, the world is facing difficulties. I hope we can overcome the challenges before us. On this Holi, I pray there is peace and happiness in the world, and this festival brings new colours of progress. I am happy that the party MPs, MLAs and our leaders are celebrating together as a family today," said Chirag Paswan. Paswan also posted heartfelt pictures of himself celebrating the festival of colours in Patna alongside family and party workers. He posted on X, "Today, at the Holi Milan ceremony organized at the Bihar Pradesh Office located at 1 Wheeler Road in Patna, I extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for Holi to the party's esteemed legislators, office-bearers, and dedicated workers." "May this sacred festival of colors bring happiness, prosperity, and new energy into all our lives. Heartfelt Holi wishes to you all!" he said. - ANI US Vice President JD Vance stated that President Donald Trump authorized action against Iran to protect America's national security and prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. The remarks follow a major US-Israeli military offensive, Operation Epic Fury, which struck targets across Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation against regional US assets and allies. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the moment a "generational turning point," while Trump attacked critics on social media. World leaders are now urging de-escalation as the conflict risks expanding further across West Asia. US VP JD Vance says President Trump took action to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Conflict widens in West Asia after US-Israel strikes. Washington DC, March 3 As escalations widen across West Asia, US Vice-President JD Vance on Tuesday said President Donald Trump decided to take action against Iran in order to protect America's national security. He made the remarks in an interview with Fox News. Vance said that Trump had determined to ensure America remains safe not only for a few years during his tenure as the President, but to ensure that Iran could never' to have a nuclear weapon. He said, "What the president determined is he didn't want to just keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term. He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime." Vance further told Fox News, "So he saw that the Iranian regime was weakened, he knew that they were committed to getting on that brink of a nuclear weapon, and he decided to take action because he felt that was necessary in order to protect the nation's security." In a video message on Monday to the Joint Force, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called it a "generational turning point America has waited for since 1979". He urged them to stay determined and re-iterated Trump administration's slogan--peace through strength. He added, "We will finish this on America-first conditions of President Trump's choosing. Nobody else's. As it should be. And know this above all: President Trump and I have your back, always. Through fire, through criticism, through fake news, through everything. We unleash you because you are the best, most powerful, most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen". As developments follow in wake of the tensions in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to US, Danny Danon met US First Lady Melania Trump ahead of the UN Security Council session and underlined that the alliance between Israel and the United States stands firm. Also on Monday in a post on Truth Social, Trump attacked the "radical left" for their response to the American strikes. In the post he said, "The Radical Left Democrats, a Party that has completely lost its way, are complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack, by the United States and Israel, on Iran. What most people understand is that they are only complaining BECAUSE I DID IT and, if I didn't do it, they would be screaming -- Why didn't "TRUMP" attack Iran, he should do it, IMMEDIATELY? There's nothing surprising about this!" A full-scale conflict erupted in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI President Donald Trump is scheduled to host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House for a series of bilateral meetings and a lunch. The talks are expected to cover pressing issues including the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, as well as trade tariffs. Chancellor Merz arrives amid a complex diplomatic landscape, having expressed Germany's support for the US and Israel while acknowledging a legal and moral dilemma regarding recent attacks. The visit, long-planned, occurs under dramatically altered global circumstances. President Donald Trump meets German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for bilateral talks on Iran, Ukraine, and trade at the White House. Washington DC, March 3 President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Friedrich Merz, at the White House on Tuesday, according to the President's daily guidance and press schedule. The engagement will begin at 11 am (EST) with a formal greeting at the White House, followed by a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at 11:15 am (EST). The bilateral meeting will be covered by the White House press pool, while the initial greeting will be closed to the press. The President will then host a bilateral lunch with the German Chancellor in the Cabinet Room at 11:45 am. The lunch will also be held behind closed doors. The meetings are expected to focus on key areas of US-Germany cooperation, although the official agenda has not been publicly disclosed, amidst the ongoing West Asia, Ukraine-Russia, Tariff, and Greenland conflict. Later in the day, President Trump will participate in Executive Time at the White House. Later in the afternoon, he is scheduled to hold meetings with the Secretary of Energy in the Oval Office, followed by two policy meetings. According to DW News Agency, it is a visit that had been planned for a long time, but under very different circumstances. On Tuesday, the German Chancellor will meet with US President Donald Trump amid an escalating conflict in Iran and the Middle East. Merz had a range of issues with him that have been turned upside down by current events. On Sunday, Merz highlghted that Germany stood behind the US and Israel. He condemned Iran's attacks on the Gulf states, US military bases and Israel, the DW News Agency reported. But he also said that Germany finds itself in a dilemma regarding the original attacks by Israel and the US. In other words, the attacks are not covered by international law. But, Merz continued, the German government shares "the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end." And given decades of unsuccessful attempts to persuade Tehran to back down on its nuclear and missile program, now is not the time to "lecture our partners and allies." Though Merz did add that the US and Israeli attacks were not without risk, the DW News Agency reported. - ANI UAE says its territory damaged, not used for attacks Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held an urgent call, jointly calling for an immediate ceasefire amid a rapidly escalating military confrontation in West Asia. The crisis was triggered by a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, leading to retaliatory Iranian strikes. The UAE leader emphasized that his country's territory suffered damage from these strikes and was not a staging ground for attacks on Iran. Russia strongly condemned the initial operation as a premeditated act of aggression and expressed readiness to assist in stabilizing the regional situation. Russia and UAE urge ceasefire after US-Israel campaign kills Iran's leader, sparking retaliatory strikes. Read the latest on the escalating crisis. Moscow, March 2 Russian President Vladimir Putin and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a telephone conversation focusing on the rapidly escalating military confrontation in West Asia, according to a Kremlin statement cited by Russia Today. The discussion comes after the United States and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and several senior commanders. Tehran has since responded with missile and drone strikes targeting American and Israeli assets across the Gulf region. According to a Kremlin readout released on Monday, Putin and Sheikh Mohammed discussed "the unprecedented tragic events in the Middle East in the context of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and Tehran's harsh retaliatory actions". Both leaders stressed "the need for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the political-diplomatic process," Russia Today reported. According to Russia Today, during the call, Putin noted that Russia had made considerable efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution around Iran's nuclear programme and to reach mutually acceptable compromises, with the UAE also playing what he described as an active role. However, the Russian leader said that progress had been derailed by what the Kremlin termed as "an unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign UN member state, in violation of the fundamental principles of international law". Sheikh Mohammed, for his part, emphasised that Iran's retaliatory strikes had directly impacted the UAE, causing damage and posing risks to civilians. He stressed that the Emirates' territory was not being used as a staging ground for attacks on Iran and described the strikes as unjustified. Putin expressed readiness to convey these concerns to Tehran and offered possible assistance in efforts to stabilise the broader regional situation, according to Russia Today. The US-Israeli military campaign, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by Washington, has entered its third day, with US President Donald Trump stating that operations would continue "until all of our objectives are achieved." Moscow has strongly condemned the strikes, describing them as a "premeditated and unprovoked act of aggression" aimed at toppling a government that "refused to yield to the dictates of force and hegemonic pressure". Putin had earlier called Khamenei's killing a "cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law". In a separate official statement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was concerned about the widening scope of hostilities across West Asia. "It has become evident that, beyond seeking regime change in the Islamic Republic of Iran through the most unscrupulous means - including the killing of the leadership of a sovereign state - Washington and Tel Aviv are attempting to provoke a breakdown in the process of normalising relations between Iran and its Arab neighbours," the ministry said. The statement called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities by all sides" and prioritising "comprehensive measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in all countries of the region". The ministry said, "For our part, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all sides and for the adoption - as an unconditional priority - of comprehensive measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in all countries of the region." In an official statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned reported strikes on civilian targets, including a girls' school in the Iranian city of Minab. She said, "The strike on a girls' school in the Iranian city of Minab, which reportedly killed dozens of innocent children, warrants unequivocal condemnation." "Any attacks on civilian facilities - whether in Iran or in Arab states - are unacceptable and must cease immediately," Zakharova said. She added, "We once again urge the parties to renounce the use of force in addressing their differences and to return to a political and diplomatic path towards resolving all outstanding issues, with full respect for the legitimate security interests of every state in the region", urging all parties to renounce the use of force and return to political and diplomatic engagement. - ANI Raiza Wilson's upcoming film "Nova: Phase One - The Arrival," a sci-fi supernatural fantasy thriller, is in its final stage of post-production. Director Milo makes his feature debut with this project, which boasts a unique multi-lingual cast including actors from Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali cinema. The film has been shot in the exotic locales of Kerala's Western Ghats, and its Telugu theatrical rights have already been acquired. The audio and trailer launch for the film is scheduled to happen soon. Actress Raiza Wilson returns in 'Nova: Phase One - The Arrival,' a horror sci-fi fantasy thriller with a unique multi-lingual cast, now in final post-production. Chennai, March 3 Actress Raiza Wilson's next film, a sci-fi supernatural fantasy thriller called 'Nova: Phase One - The Arrival', is now in its last stage of post-production. Sources close to the unit of the film say that Royal Fortuna Creations, the production house that had earlier produced the Aadhi, Hansika Motwani-starrer 'Partner', was producing this film. They add that the makers want to enthrall audiences with a first-of-its-kind theatrical experience with 'Nova'. Director Milo, who has directed over 20 commercial advertisements, is to make his directorial debut with this film. The film features Raiza Wilson of 'Pyar Prema Kadhal' fame as the protagonist. Apart from Raiza Wilson, the film will also feature actors 'Aanmai Thavarel' Dhruva, Advithi Shetty, Bengali Actress Hridika Biswas, Malayalam actor Joe John Chacko, Sendrayan, Swathika and Krishna in pivotal roles. On the technical front, the film has music by Yuvaraj Chandran, who had earlier worked with top music director SS Thaman, and cinematography by Christo Bob, who had earlier assisted ace cinematographer K.V. Guhan. Editing of the film is being done by Prem B and art direction has been handled by Devendran. Rambo Vimal has choreographed the action sequences in this movie. Talking about his film, director Milo says, "This film has been crafted as a horror science-fiction supernatural fantasy thriller. The story simply cannot be confined to a single genre." Interestingly, Raiza Wilson will mark her return to the big screen after two years with this film. The director points out, "We have brought together a unique multi-lingual cast, featuring one actor each from Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali cinema, for this film. Adding to the excitement, Joe John Chacko, brother of renowned Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko, is making his Tamil debut with this film." The director says that the film is in its final stage of post-production. "The film's audio and trailer launch is scheduled to happen soon," the director said and informs, "The entire film has been shot across the exotic locales of the Western Ghats in Kerala. After watching the film, a leading production-distribution house has acquired the Telugu theatrical release of this film. Significantly, the Telugu dubbing process is briskly progressing." - IANS Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja and observed 'Holika Dahan' at his official residence in Jaipur. The ceremony included Vedic chants and performances by the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion. Separately, the Jaipur City Palace hosted its own historic ceremony, led by member of the former royal family Sawai Padmanabh Singh and attended by Deputy CM Diya Kumari. Meanwhile, other leaders like Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami also celebrated, emphasizing the festival's message of unity and inclusive development. CM Bhajanlal Sharma performed Holi puja in Jaipur, praying for the state's happiness. The ceremony featured traditional songs and was attended by senior officials. Jaipur, March 3 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja at his official residence in Civil Lines shortly after midnight. The Chief Minister offered prayers for the continued happiness and prosperity of the people across the state. According to a release, Chief Minister Sharma performed Holi puja at the Shri Raj Rajeshwari Temple premises. Later, the state Chief Minister observed the 'Holika Dahan' amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. During the ceremony, soldiers from the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion performed traditional Holi songs and danced to the rhythmic beat of the Chang. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to meet with the soldiers and offer them words of encouragement. Senior officers and employees from the Chief Minister's Office were also in attendance for the Holika Dahan proceedings. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Jaipur's City Palace hosted its traditional Holika Dahan ceremony, upholding a centuries-old heritage. The Holika bonfire was officially lit at 1:26 am following a series of traditional prayers and rituals led by Sawai Padmanabh Singh, a member of the former royal family of Jaipur. The ceremony was attended by prominent members of the Jaipur royal family, including Rajasthan's Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari. Following the palace rituals, the sacred fire was carried to various locations across the city to light neighbourhood Holika bonfires, as is the custom every year. Several other political leaders across the country joined the Holi 2026 celebrations. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Holi Milan celebration at the BJP State Office in Dehradun, where he played Holi with party office-bearers and workers and extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to everyone on this auspicious festival. On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the sacred festival of Holi symbolises love, harmony, and social unity. It conveys the message of eliminating differences and binding society together in a single thread. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party, guided by this spirit, remains committed to the principles of Antyodaya, service, and "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," and is dedicated to taking every section of society along on the path of inclusive development. - ANI The makers of Ram Charan's upcoming film 'Peddi' have released its second song, 'Rai Rai Raa Raa'. This vibrant, high-energy track features Ram Charan's dance moves and is composed by AR Rahman. It follows the first single 'Chikiri Chikiri', which amassed over 200 million views. The film, directed by Buchi Babu Sana, is scheduled for a worldwide release on April 30, 2026. Watch the second high-energy song 'Rai Rai Raa Raa' from Ram Charan's 'Peddi', featuring music by AR Rahman. The film releases April 30, 2026. Mumbai, March 3 The makers of Ram Charan's much-awaited 'Peddi' have unveiled a second track from the film titled 'Rai Rai Raa Raa'. Yet another high-energy anthem, with Ram Charan showcasing his effortless dance moves, style, and undeniable swag; adding to the magic is the music by AR Rahman, whose vibrant composition elevates the song into a pulsating and upbeat number. Prior to this, the film's first single, 'Chikiri Chikiri', created quite a buzz soon after its release. The track has already garnered over 200 million views across various platforms, reflecting the growing excitement around the film's music. The second song is also set to take the internet by storm and become a chart-topping hit. Written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana, 'Peddi' stars Ram Charan in the titular role, alongside Shiva Rajkumar, Janhvi Kapoor, Divyendu Sharma, and Jagapathi Babu. Produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under his banner, Vriddhi Cinemas, and in collaboration with leading production house Mythri Movie Makers, the film is scheduled for release on April 30, 2026. Ever since its announcement, the project has generated immense buzz and excitement worldwide. - ANI The Reserve Bank of India has announced the results of its latest State Government Securities auction, with a total allotment of 44,330 crore against a notified amount of 43,130 crore. Major states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu were significant issuers, raising thousands of crores through bonds with tenors ranging from 5 to 30 years. The auction saw strong demand, with competitive bids worth over 2 lakh crore received. Cut-off yields for the securities varied from 6.91% to 7.7037%, reflecting state-specific demand and tenor dynamics. RBI announces results of state bond auction with 44,330 crore allotted. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu among top issuers. Check cutoff yields and state-wise details. New Delhi, March 3 The Reserve Bank of India announced the results of the auction of State Government Securities held on March 2, 2026, with total allotment amounting to Rs 44,330 crore against a notified amount of Rs 43,130 crore. According to the RBI, competitive bids worth Rs 2,07,027.237 crore were received across securities, of which Rs 42,564.241 crore were accepted. Non-competitive bids aggregating Rs 2,179.872 crore were received, with Rs 1,765.759 crore accepted. Among major issuances, Rs 1,000 crore each was allotted for Assam SGS 2035 (9-year tenor) at a weighted average yield of 7.4748 per cent and Chhattisgarh SGS 2038 (12-year) at 7.5311 per cent. Chhattisgarh SGS 2043 (17-year) and Gujarat SGS 2032 (6-year 6-month) were also fully allotted at Rs 1,000 crore each. Gujarat accepted an additional Rs 500 crore in the 10-year Gujarat SGS 2036, taking the total allotment in that security to Rs 1,500 crore. Karnataka raised Rs 2,000 crore each through multiple securities, including SGS 2033 (7-year 6-month), SGS 2034 (8-year), re-issue of 7.47 per cent SGS 2036, SGS 2037 (11-year 6-month) and SGS 2039 (13-year). Madhya Pradesh mobilised Rs 1,800 crore through SGS 2035 (9-year), Rs 1,600 crore each via SGS 2039 (13-year) and SGS 2049 (re-issue of 7.72 per cent), and Rs 1,300 crore through SGS 2041 (15-year). Maharashtra accepted Rs1,550 crore each in SGS 2034 (8-year) and re-issue of 7.43 per cent SGS 2040, including an additional Rs 350 crore in both securities. It also raised Rs 800 crore each through SGS 2047 (21-year) and SGS 2052 (26-year). Tamil Nadu raised Rs 2,000 crore through SGS 2031 (5-year) and SGS 2035 (9-year), Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2033 (7-year) and SGS 2036 (re-issue of 7.43 per cent), and Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2056 (30-year). Telangana mobilised Rs 1,000 crore via SGS 2046 (20-year) and SGS 2055 (29-year), Rs 500 crore through SGS 2052 (26-year) and Rs 1,000 crore via SGS 2046, with weighted average yields ranging between 7.6500 per cent and 7.6692 per cent. Uttar Pradesh raised Rs 500 crore through the re-issue of 7.57 per cent SGS 2036 and Rs 1,500 crore via SGS 2041 (15-year). Uttarakhand raised Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2041 (15-year), while West Bengal mobilised Rs 1,500 crore via re-issue of 7.67 per cent SGS 2046 and Rs 2,000 crore through SGS 2049 (23-year). The cut-off yields across securities ranged from 6.91 per cent to 7.7037 per cent. The weighted average yields varied depending on tenor and state-specific demand dynamics, said the RBI release. - ANI RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J addressed IIM Jammu students, presenting a three-principle "career compass" for future leaders. He emphasized that sustainable success in finance hinges on respecting the customer, financial statements, and governance structures. The deputy governor urged students to look beyond profits and develop the skill of asking critical, risk-sensitive questions. He concluded that achieving India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision will require leaders who blend performance with principles and ambition with discipline. RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J outlines a three-part "career compass" for IIM students, emphasizing customer focus, financial prudence, and strong governance. Jammu, March 3 Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Swaminathan J outlined a three-part "career compass" for management students at the Indian Institute of Management, Jammu, urging them to build leadership grounded in discipline, integrity and customer focus as India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047. Delivering the keynote address at the Third International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC) at IIM Jammu last week, whose excerpts were released, he spoke less like a regulator and more like someone speaking to future leaders. Emphasising the nature of leadership in finance, he noted, "Leadership in finance is not just about intelligence. It is about judgement. It is about discipline. It is about what you choose to reward, what you choose to question, and what you choose to fix early." Introducing his "career compass", he gave three lessons to the IIM students. The three principles, he explained, are "Respect the customer", "Respect the financials", and "Respect governance". "First part of the compass is to respect the customer. In the long run, customer outcomes are the strongest business strategy. They reduce disputes, lower reputational risk, and sustain participation in formal finance," he told the IIM students. "Many problems in finance start small, sometimes, quite literally, in the 'small print'. A fee not explained clearly; A clause buried in the terms; A loan that is easy to take but hard to repay; or A product sold to meet a target, not to meet a need." Putting a spotlight on the second compass, which is respecting the financials, he urged the students to look at financial statements closely to gauge asset quality. "The financial statements tells you what is sustainable and what is not. It tells you whether you are building strength, or simply postponing risk. Look beyond profits to the quality of assets, the stability of funding, the adequacy of buffers, and the concentration of exposures. Strength is built in good times and revealed in stress." The third and last part of the career compass, the central bank deputy governor said, is to respect governance. "Many failures in finance are not failures of knowledge. They are failures of governance. People knew what was going wrong, but they did not speak up. Or they spoke up, but no one listened. Or everyone noticed red flags, but incentives pushed them to look away," he explained. He also urged the students to ask critical questions such as, "What could break?", "What assumptions are we making, and what happens if they go wrong?", "What happens if the customer's cash flows fall?", "What happens if the system is down for a day?", "What happens if a third-party service provider faces an outage?", and "What happens if fraud spikes in a new channel?". "These questions are not the mark of a pessimistic 'doubting Thomas'; they are the risk-sensitive questions, mark of a prudent leader. One of the most valuable skills in finance is not giving answers. It is asking the right questions at the right time," the deputy governor said. In conclusion, he stressed that India's 2047 vision would require leaders who can combine performance with principles and ambition with discipline. "If we align capital with capability, innovation with safeguards, and inclusion with well-being, the aspiration of 2047 will steadily become a lived reality for millions. It will call for leaders who can combine performance with principles, and ambition with discipline," Swaminathan J said. - ANI It's a given that one of the top things people look for when purchasing a new vehicle is reliability. Whether it's a car, SUV, or truck, you are investing thousands of dollars into a piece of machinery that you hope is going to last you for many years, and will ultimately not cost you very much money down the line in dealing with repairs. Brands like Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru are so consistently ranked among the most reliable car brands in the world, that thinking of them as reliable has become second nature. Some brands, like Genesis, do not fare as well. The luxury arm of South Korean automaker Hyundai debuted its first vehicle (as a separate brand) in the 2017 model year, and while the Hyundai itself earns decent reliability scores, Genesis does not, particularly from owners surveyed by Consumer Reports. Among the 26 car brands that the publication inquired about, Genesis' average reliability score only ranked higher than five companies, with GMC and Jeep being among those. Consumer Reports has rated seven of the eight Genesis models currently available, and every single one of them has a below average score from owners. The biggest trouble spot that owners have found is in-car electronics, which includes things like the infotainment system and backup camera display. This is unsurprising, considering that six of these models are currently dealing with a recall for electrical system failures, primarily related to the instrument panel failing to show critical safety information. The 2026 GV70 also has an additional recall for malfunctioning side curtain airbags. All of this sounds bad, but there is reason to be optimistic about Genesis. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 5 Car Battery Models To Steer Clear Of, According To Consumer Reports Genesis reliability is improving, minimally White 2026 Genesis G90 driving down the road, front 3/4 view, mountains in the background - Genesis While the reliability scores for Genesis from Consumer Reports are quite poor, that does not mean it is all bad news for the automaker. With one exception, every single model that was surveyed saw its reliability score either improve from the 2025 model year to 2026 or stay the same. Some of these improvements are minimal, but as long as that line is going up and not down, that is a good thing. Going into the particulars of reliability, you see consistent improvements in the powertrains, suspensions, and climate systems of these vehicles, but these are not universal. For instance, the 2026 GV70 and G70 models both saw an uptick in their expected powertrain reliability, but the GV80 essentially remained neutral when compared to the 2025 model. As mentioned, there was one exception when it came to the 2026 model year being more reliable than 2025, and that would be with the 2026 Genesis G80. Going back to the 2025 model, the G80 was the rare Genesis model that Consumer Reports determined as average. In fact, among cars of a similar stripe, like the 2025 BMW 5 Series, it blew away the competition for reliability. SlashGear's Travis Langness also praised the 2025 G80. Advertisement Advertisement When compared to the similar vehicles for the current model year, the G80 plummets to being one of the least reliable models on the market, falling behind the aforementioned BMW 5 Series and being destroyed by the likes of the Lexus ES. Hopefully, the 2027 Genesis model lineup can continue the general upward reliability trend and bring the G80 along with it. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashGear. Lily Collins has reflected on the emotional impact of publicly sharing her struggle with an eating disorder, calling it terrifying but rewarding. She marked Eating Disorder Awareness Week by emphasizing the importance of awareness and support to end silence and shame. Collins described her role in the 2017 film "To The Bone," where she played a woman seeking treatment for anorexia, as a deeply personal experience that helped her process her past. She highlighted the lifesaving work of the National Eating Disorders Association and noted that sharing her story helped her connect with others in recovery. Lily Collins reflects on her eating disorder journey, advocacy work, and how sharing her story in "To The Bone" helped her and others feel less alone. Washington, March 3 Hollywood star Lily Collins has opened up about the emotional journey of publicly sharing her struggle with an eating disorder, describing it as "one of the most terrifying but rewarding" experiences of her life. Nearly a decade after revealing her struggles, the 'Emily in Paris' actress marked Eating Disorder Awareness Week by reflecting on the personal and professional impact of sharing her story. In an Instagram Story captured by People magazine, she emphasised the importance of awareness and support for those facing similar challenges. "As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder--and was able to tell the story of so many others like me through my character in To The Bone- I've always advocated for more awareness and understanding surrounding eating disorders, so no one has to struggle in silence or shame," she wrote. Collins played a woman seeking treatment for anorexia in the 2017 drama, a role she described as a deeply personal experience. She highlighted the work of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) as "lifesaving" and explained that speaking out had helped her connect with others navigating recovery. "Recovery looks different for everyone and is an ongoing process," she wrote, adding, "Through the help of organizations like NEDA and films like To The Bone, I've learned to connect with others who share similar experiences and feel less alone." The actress, who welcomed daughter Tove Jane via surrogate last year with husband Charlie McDowell, has previously discussed her struggles with anorexia and bulimia in her 2017 memoir 'Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me.' Collins revealed that her eating disorder began at age 16 following her father Phil Collins's divorce from stepmother Orianne Cevey. Reflecting on taking the role in 'To The Bone,' Collins said the film helped her process her experiences. "It was like the universe kind of putting these things in my sphere to help me face, kind of dead on, a fear that I used to have," she told in an interview, as quoted by E! News. Despite the project's personal challenges, Collins described the process as liberating. "Chilled to the bone but feeling so free," she wrote in a 2017 Instagram post, as quoted by E! News, adding, "Owning my past, being open, and having no shame or regrets about my experiences... Remember, you are never ever alone." - ANI Retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain stated the recent US-Israel military action against Iran represents a significant tactical achievement, particularly in suppressing air defenses. However, he emphasized that achieving actual regime change in Iran is a vastly more complex objective due to the regime's ideological support. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a strike site, framing the operation as a necessary global mission to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. He accused Iran of targeting civilians while asserting the allied forces target the regime's leadership and infrastructure. Retd. Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain analyzes the Iran-Israel conflict, calling the US-Israel strike a military achievement but warning regime change is a bigger, complex objective. New Delhi, March 3 Retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, while sharing his perspective on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asserted that the tremendous military achievement of the US-Israel partnership does not automatically lead to regime change in Iran. He emphasised that regime change remains a far more complex objective, noting that Iran has already signalled its intent to push back and escalate the situation. "But it does not lead to regime change. Regime change is something bigger... There is a tremendous amount of ideological support, sentimental and emotive support from the Shia communities around the world and therefore escalation is on, and today is the third day. People may have expected that this war would come to an end, perhaps in a day or two, after the Supreme Leader had been eliminated. But I think Iran has decided to push back and escalate..." said Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.). The retired Lieutenant General, on Monday further contended that the attack on Iran represented a tremendous military achievement for the United States-Israel partnership. He noted that both the USA and Iran executed a total suppression of air defences within Tehran and across the entirety of Iran. However, the retired Lieutenant General characterised the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a significant military achievement for the United States. "... This war was impending for the last two months. We knew that a buildup was taking place, and anytime a trigger would have brought this war up. After Venezuela, especially, we knew that the Americans had the right technologies for penetration, for intelligence requirements. So a big deception plan was probably in place and they lulled Iran into complacency, and I think the attack was launched thereafter. It was a tremendous military achievement on the part of the United States-Israel Combined in achieving this penetration and carrying out a total suppression of all air defence inside Tehran, or rather all around Iran. So the killing of the Supreme Leader is a big military achievement for the United States," said Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.). Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, marking the third day of a massive joint military offensive against the Iranian regime. Standing amidst the wreckage of the targeted civilian area, the 76-year-old leader framed the ongoing conflict as a global mission alongside the United States to neutralise a nuclear-capable Tehran. While speaking to reporters here, Netanyahu stated, "This is the third day of Operation Roaring Lion, the operation the Israeli army and the state of Israel set out to, with our great friends, the United States of America and President Trump, to thwart existential threats to Israel and great threats to America and the entire world." The Prime Minister's visit to the bombarded site was intended to highlight the contrasting military strategies of the two warring sides. He accused the Iranian leadership of deliberately targeting non-combatants, while maintaining that the joint forces were focused on the regime's infrastructure. "When I stand here in a place that was bombarded by the terrorists in Tehran against innocent civilians, you see the difference. The tyrants of Tehran target civilians. We target the tyrants of Tehran to protect civilians," he said. Netanyahu further warned that the current "military offensive" was a necessary preventative measure to ensure that Iran's ballistic missile capabilities do not reach a point where they could threaten global humanity with nuclear payloads. "And if this regime, this terrorist regime of the kind we've never seen in the world, if they get nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles, they will threaten all of humanity," he cautioned. The Prime Minister reiterated that the Israeli-American alliance is serving a broader humanitarian purpose through Operation Roaring Lion. - ANI Indian passengers returning from Muscat and Oman have expressed relief and gratitude after landing safely back home. Many travelers, especially those with children, decided to return due to fear and uncertainty caused by missile interceptions in the region. Flight services had been temporarily suspended after Iranian drones and missiles targeted parts of the area, disrupting air travel. Operations have now partially resumed, bringing significant relief to stranded passengers and their families. Indians express relief after returning home safely from Oman and Muscat as flight services resume following regional missile incidents and airport disruptions. New Delhi, March 3 Indians returning from Muscat and Oman, on Tuesday, expressed relief upon reaching home safely and appreciated the authorities' efforts in managing the tense situation in the region. Many passengers said they were happy and relieved after landing in India, especially those travelling with children. IANS spoke to several passengers who arrived in Delhi from Muscat. Anisha Agarwal, one of the passengers, told IANS, "Missiles were being intercepted, and out of fear, we decided to return. The Dubai government handled the situation very well. Since our children were with us, we were quite worried. We panicked due to the prevailing situation. The loud sounds caused by interceptions were disturbing for the kids." Another passenger from Muscat said, "We came back because we were not feeling completely safe there. The missile interception system was working very effectively. I personally was not very afraid, but since we had children with us, we thought it would be better to return to India. Everything is fine now." Adil, another returnee, shared his experience, saying, "We faced a lot of uncertainty there. We were worried about missing our flight as several flights were cancelled. We contacted the Indian embassy for assistance. I feel very relaxed and happy after returning to India. Initially, flights were suspended, but now services have been restored. My journey back was smooth, and I did not face any major issues during travel." The return of passengers comes days after Iranian drones and missiles reportedly targeted parts of the region, leading to the temporary suspension of airport operations. Thousands of Indians stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced disruptions as flights were cancelled and airspace was closed across parts of the Middle East. Several flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi resumed operations, with aircraft landing in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru on Monday night after days of suspension. Dubai Airports confirmed the partial resumption of operations and advised travellers not to proceed to the airport unless they have been directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure schedule. The restoration of flight services has brought significant relief to stranded passengers and their families awaiting their safe return. - IANS Bangladesh has reinforced security in Dhaka's Diplomatic Area, deploying Border Guard Bangladesh alongside police. During a meeting, US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen emphasized the need to implement the SPEAR initiative to augment security for the US Embassy and the entire zone. The discussions also covered the Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV) program for immigration and ongoing US support for counter-terrorism, including the training of thousands of Bangladeshi police officials. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed assured the government's commitment to advancing these cooperative security measures. Bangladesh strengthens security in Dhaka's Diplomatic Area. US Ambassador discusses SPEAR initiative, ENV program, and counter-terrorism cooperation. Dhaka, March 2 Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has stated that security measures in the Diplomatic Area, including the United States Embassy, have been strengthened in view of the ongoing global situation. The Minister made these remarks during a courtesy call by the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, at his office in the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat this morning. The Minister noted that, in addition to regular police forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed to reinforce security in the Diplomatic Area. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies have been directed to remain on high alert and take necessary precautionary measures. During the meeting, both sides discussed various issues of mutual interest, including law and order, security cooperation, curbing illegal migration, counter-terrorism, the SPEAR programme for enhancing diplomatic security, and the implementation of Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV). Welcoming the Ambassador at the beginning of the meeting, the Minister described the United States as a close ally of Bangladesh, noting that the US has been a steadfast partner in security and counter-terrorism efforts since the beginning. During the discussion, the Ambassador stated that the United States is keen to strengthen its bilateral relations with Bangladesh. Ambassador Christensen emphasised that the US is keen to implement the 'Special Programme for Embassy Augmentation and Response (SPEAR)' to consolidate security for the US Embassy and the entire Diplomatic Area in Dhaka. He stressed the need for the swift signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), noting that otherwise, the dedicated US funding might be diverted elsewhere. In response, the Minister expressed the government's commitment to the quick implementation of the programme, following approval from the highest levels of the government. The Ambassador also congratulated the Minister on his new portfolio. Regarding illegal migration, the Ambassador stated that the US intends to implement the 'Electronic Nationality Verification' (ENV) programme in Bangladesh. Successful implementation would place Bangladesh in the 'Green Zone' with regard to US immigration. The Ambassador further highlighted that the US has been supporting Bangladesh's counter-terrorism efforts for a long time. Since 2010, the US has trained approximately 30,000 Bangladesh Police officials, ranging from investigating officers to Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and provided necessary equipment. However, he noted that the impact has been limited due to the retirements and transfers of trained personnel. The Minister assured that necessary steps would be taken in this regard and directed relevant ministry officials to organise a meeting or workshop with concerned stakeholders. - ANI India has stated it trusts Canada's legal process and is awaiting the outcome of the jury trial concerning the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an event that severely strained bilateral ties. During a briefing on Canadian PM Mark Carney's visit, MEA officials emphasized that sensitive matters should proceed through legal channels without public commentary. Both nations are actively following up on pending extradition and mutual legal assistance cases, with India having 26 such requests with Ottawa. The diplomatic reset is supported by revived security cooperation, including meetings between NSAs and a reactivated counter-terrorism working group. India calls for focus on legal procedures in Hardeep Singh Nijjar case, awaiting jury trial outcome, as bilateral ties see diplomatic reset. New Delhi, March 2 India called for focusing on the rule of law rather than political narratives, adding that it trusted Canada's legal process, awaiting the outcome of the jury trial in 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the event that originally "ripped apart" bilateral ties. During the Ministry of External Affairs briefing on Canadian PM Mark Carney's official visit to India, Secretary (East) P Kumaran stated that India "trusts Canada's legal process" and is awaiting the outcome of the jury trial. "We understand that the criminal investigation is proceeding as per established legal procedures... It will move to the full jury trial stage. The Canadians have an established legal procedure, and it will proceed as per that procedure. India has consistently maintained its commitment to the judicial process. We believe that sensitive matters are best allowed to proceed through established legal processes without public commentary...," he said. Ties between both nations had briefly soured due to concerns over Canada's perceived leniency towards Khalistani separatist elements and Canada's allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Canada in 2023. India had strongly rejected the allegations and termed them "politically motivated". While the visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney has been defined by "economic anchors" like uranium and $107 billion in investments, the resolution of long-standing extradition and criminal cases remains the "litmus test" for the newly restored trust. Kumaran stated that both countries are committed to actively following up on the process, exchanging information on pending extradition and mutual legal assistance cases. India and Canada are engaged in ongoing extradition talks, with the latest meeting held in Delhi on September 19, 2025. "Extradition is regularly discussed in the Consular Dialogue. The extradition teams from both sides had their last meeting in Delhi on the 19th of September 2025. There was an exchange of information on all pending extradition and mutual legal assistance cases, and that's a continuing process, and we are determined that we will actively follow up this process...," he said. India has 26 pending extradition requests with Ottawa, alongside several "provisional arrest" requests. These requests primarily concern individuals linked to organised crime, gang violence (notably the Lawrence Bishnoi gang), and separatist extremism. In a major symbolic move ahead of Carney's visit, Canada initiated proceedings to revoke the citizenship of Tahawwur Rana (linked to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks), signalling a newfound willingness to use administrative tools where legal ones are slow. Recent reports indicate that Canadian intelligence officials are now "confident" that the alleged transnational activities have ceased, allowing PM Carney to pursue this diplomatic reset. Moreover, India denied involvement in transnational violence or organised crime, calling claims baseless and politically motivated. "India categorically rejects allegations of involvement in transnational violence or organised crime. These claims are baseless, politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence despite repeated requests. India believes that concerns of this nature must be addressed through credible law enforcement and judicial processes, not through public or politicised narratives...," said Kumaran. Notably, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin met twice recently (September 2025 in Delhi and February 2026 in Ottawa) to create a "shared work plan" on law enforcement. The Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism has been reactivated to share real-time intelligence on extremist networks and a dedicated mechanism has been established to handle "Lookout Circulars" and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) requests. "On criminals getting space in Canada, let me try and give you some broader context on the current security cooperation between Canada and India. Based on the guidance provided by the leaders, we had a meeting between the national security advisors of the two countries in Delhi on 18 September 2025 and for a second time again on 7th February, 2026 in Ottawa. The two sides acknowledge progress on initiatives aimed at supporting the safety and security of their countries and citizens. It was also agreed to continue senior official-level discussions on security and law enforcement cooperation," he said. He further said, "We have a JWG on counter-terrorism. We have a consular dialogue mechanism in place that addresses all issues, including extradition, lookout, and circular notices. We will be holding the next edition of the Consular Dialogue sometime in the coming months. At the meeting held on 6th February, both sides agreed to a shared work plan to guide bilateral cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues and to enable practical collaboration on the respective priorities." Kumaran said that both parties had agreed that both nations would cooperate on issues of mutual interest. "It was also agreed that each country would establish security and law enforcement liaison officers to build on working relationships, streamline bilateral communications, and enable timely information sharing on issues of mutual interest to Canada and India, including issues such as illegal flow of drugs, fentanyl precursors and transnational organised criminal networks," he said. - ANI Veteran actor Shabana Azmi and lyricist Javed Akhtar hosted their famed annual Holi celebration at their Mumbai residence. The festive gathering saw a host of Bollywood celebrities, including Urmila Matondkar and Richa Chadha, playing with colours and greeting the media. The event continues a long-standing tradition held at the home of Shabana's late father, poet Kaifi Azmi. The report notes that Holi celebrations are occurring on different dates across Western and North India this year. Bollywood stars like Urmila Matondkar and Richa Chadha celebrated Holi at Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar's traditional Mumbai gathering. Mumbai, March 3 Veteran actor Shabana Azmi and lyricist-poet Javed Akhtar hosted their annual Holi celebration on Tuesday, welcoming friends and colleagues from the film industry to their residence in Mumbai. Continuing their long-standing tradition of celebrating the festival of colours with members of the film fraternity, the couple organised a lively gathering that saw several prominent personalities in attendance. Several celebs such as Urmila Matondkar, Richa Chadha, Manish Malhotra, Ali Fazal, Divya Dutta, Anjali Anand and Meiyang Chang were spotted playing Holi at Shabana and Javed Akhtar's festive gathering. The stars also greeted the paps with a splash of Holi colours. The gathering took place at the residence of Shabana Azmi's late father, noted poet Kaifi Azmi, a venue that has, over the years, become synonymous with the couple's Holi celebrations. Here are highlights from the annual Holi celebration hosted by Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar. Holi marks the arrival of spring and the harvest season. The celebration is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The festival of Holi begins with the ritual of lighting a bonfire, known as Holika Dahan. The following day marks the more widely celebrated aspect of Holi, when people immerse themselves in joy and togetherness by playing with colours. This year, the celebration of the 'Festival of Colours' is being observed on two separate days. While several states in Western India, including Mumbai and Gujarat, have already begun the festivities today, Tuesday, March 3. North India is set to mark its main celebrations tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4. - ANI Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging swift action to protect Kannadigas and other Indian nationals affected by escalating Middle East tensions and related airspace closures. He expressed concern over the large number of people stranded, particularly in transit hubs like Dubai, due to flight disruptions. The Chief Minister outlined a five-point plan including strengthened diplomatic outreach and a repatriation preparedness framework. Siddaramaiah assured that the Karnataka government is ready to fully cooperate with Union authorities to ensure the safe return of citizens. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi, urging urgent diplomatic and repatriation measures for Kannadigas and Indians stranded due to Middle East tensions. Bengaluru, March 2 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take swift measures to safeguard Kannadigas and other Indian nationals affected by escalating tensions in the Middle East region. In a post shared on X, Siddaramaiah said, "I have written to the Prime Minister seeking urgent action to safeguard Kannadigas and other Indians affected by the escalating Middle East tensions. I have urged strengthened diplomatic outreach, preparedness for special repatriation flights if required, and coordinated support through embassies and airlines. Karnataka stands ready to fully cooperate to ensure the safety and safe return of our people." In his letter addressed to PM Modi, the Karnataka CM expressed concern over the impact of recent airspace restrictions and NOTAMs issued by multiple West Asian countries, which have disrupted international flight operations. He noted that these developments have left a large number of Kannadigas and other Indians stranded, particularly at major transit hubs such as the UAE (Dubai). "As per recent advisories issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, multiple countries across West Asia have declared airspace restrictions and NOTAMs, leading to significant disruption of international flight operations. These developments have resulted in a large number of Kannadigas and other Indian nationals being stranded, particularly in major transit hubs such as the UAE (Dubai)," it read. The Chief Minister noted the "evolving security environment, including hostilities and civilian airspace closures, has generated widespread uncertainty and distress among affected individuals and their families in Karnataka and across India". He added that the Office of the Chief Secretary has already coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to safeguard Indian nationals and explore repatriation measures, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been asked to work with airlines for flexible rescheduling, waivers of penalties, and interim support to stranded passengers. Siddaramaiah suggested five key measures for the Government of India to consider in his letter, including a strengthened diplomatic outreach, a repatriation preparedness framework, a dedicated national coordination mechanism, an integrated registration and information system, and passenger protection protocols. "Strengthened Diplomatic Outreach: Enhanced engagement through Indian Embassies and Consulates to ensure continuous monitoring, protection, and guidance for Kannadigas and other Indian nationals in affected areas. Repatriation Preparedness Framework: Preparedness to initiate priority evacuation or special repatriation flights, should circumstances so require, to facilitate the safe and timely return of stranded citizens," the letter read. Siddaramaiah added that the Karnataka government has activated the State Emergency Operations Centre and all district centres to function round-the-clock and liaise with Union authorities, ensuring timely assistance for stranded citizens. He further stressed, "India's vibrant diaspora in West Asia, including thousands of Kannadigas, has long contributed to our nation's economic strength and global engagement. At this critical juncture, a swift, coordinated, and compassionate national response will not only safeguard lives but reaffirm the unwavering commitment of the Republic of India to every Kannadiga and every Indian national, wherever they may be." Siddaramaiah concluded the letter by assuring that "the Government of Karnataka will cooperate fully in all efforts undertaken in this regard". Meanwhile, the latest wave of strikes and Iranian counter-attacks follows a full-scale conflict that erupted in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, after a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, missile batteries, and leadership compounds. Al Jazeera indicated that amid mounting casualties and widespread strikes, world leaders and international bodies are pressing for urgent de-escalation to prevent a wider regional war, though the conflict shows no immediate signs of abating. - ANI Actor Sonu Sood and his son Ayaan have gifted a life-size mechanical elephant named Airavatham to the Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Temple in Chennai. The initiative, done in partnership with PETA India and PFCI, supports the temple's decision to not use live elephants in ceremonies. Sonu Sood stated the gift allows sacred traditions to continue without causing suffering to animals. His son Ayaan, a recipient of PETA's Compassionate Youth Award, expressed pride in helping ensure ceremonies are safe and compassionate. Actor Sonu Sood and his son Ayaan gift a life-size mechanical elephant to a Chennai temple, supporting ethical ceremonies with PETA India. Chennai, March 2 Actor Sonu Sood and his son Ayaan have gifted life-size mechanical elephant to Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Temple in Chennai. The father-son duo partnered with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and People for Cattle in India (PFCI) to gift Airavatham to Chennai Temple, supporting an initiative that "honours the temple's progressive decision to never hire or keep real elephants for ceremonies." Speaking about the initiative, Sonu in a press note said,"Temples are places of compassion, faith, and humanity. When devotion and kindness walk together, divinity shines. I am grateful to support the gifting of this mechanical elephant, Airavatham, so that sacred traditions can continue without causing suffering to any living being. May this initiative bring blessings to devotees and freedom to the elephants." Ayaan Sood, winner of PETA India's Compassionate Youth Award, added, "I feel honoured to be part of gifting Airavatham to Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Temple. By supporting this initiative, we are helping ensure that sacred ceremonies continue in a safe and compassionate way, while real elephants remain free in their natural homes with their families." Sonu has been actively involved in philanthropy through his charity club, focusing on education, skill development, healthcare access, and crisis relief, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. - ANI Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the arrangement of two special flights to bring back 164 stranded Maharashtrians from Dubai, with their safe return to Mumbai expected by evening. He made the announcement while extending festive greetings for Dhulivandan and Rangpanchami, paying tribute to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe. Shinde noted that this year's Holi celebrations would be subdued due to the recent passing of former Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and tragedies affecting some party workers. He also appealed to citizens to use natural colours during the festivities, praising the public's positive response to avoiding chemical-based alternatives. Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde arranges 2 special flights to repatriate 164 stranded citizens from Dubai, ensuring their safe return to Mumbai. Thane, March 3 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed that two special flights have been urgently arranged to safely bring back 164 tourists and citizens from Maharashtra who are stranded in Dubai. All of them are expected to return safely to Mumbai by evening. He announced this while speaking on the occasion of Dhulivandan and extended festive greetings to the people of the state. Extending wishes to the people of Maharashtra on the occasion of Dhulivandan and Rangpanchami, Shinde said he prayed at the feet of Goddess Jagdamba for health, happiness, and a shower of vibrant colours in everyone's lives. He expressed his wish that farmers (Baliraja), workers, labourers, beloved brothers and sisters, and senior citizens -- every individual -- be blessed with joy. On this occasion, he paid tribute to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe. While visiting Anand Ashram of Anand Dighe, he described Thane as the "Pandhari (holy land) of festivals". He noted that Anand Dighe played a major role in establishing and spreading the traditions of festivals like Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Govinda, Holi, and Dhulivandan in Thane and across Maharashtra. He said that although these festivals are celebrated every year with enthusiasm and grandeur, this year's Holi-Dhulivandan is overshadowed by the sad demise of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajitdada Pawar. Additionally, tragic incidents in the families of some close Shiv Sena workers have led to a decision to avoid grand celebrations and instead focus on preserving traditions in a simple manner. He clarified that the decision has been taken to celebrate the festival modestly while preserving cultural values. He appealed to citizens to use natural colours while celebrating Dhulivandan and Rangpanchami. He added that the government's appeal to avoid chemical-mixed colours has received a positive response from the public, and the use of chemical colours has significantly reduced. Speaking about the citizens stranded in Dubai, Shinde said that over the past two days, they had contacted authorities seeking help. He personally spoke to them over the phone to reassure them. Sanjeev Paithankar in Dubai, office bearers of Maharashtra Mandal, and Yuva Sena's Rahul Kanal were in constant touch with tourists and students there. The sudden cancellation of flight services had created serious difficulties for passengers. - ANI Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported detecting five Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of Tuesday morning. The armed forces monitored the situation and responded accordingly, noting no Chinese aircraft were detected during this period. The incident occurs within the long-standing and complex dispute over sovereignty, where China claims Taiwan as an inseparable part of its territory. Taiwan functions with its own government and military but avoids a formal declaration of independence to prevent conflict. Taiwan's defense ministry detected five Chinese naval vessels operating near its territory, monitoring the situation amid ongoing sovereignty tensions. Taipei, March 3 Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected the presence of five Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6am on Tuesday. The armed forces monitored the situation and responded. In a post on X, the MND said, "5 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." Earlier on Monday, the MND detected five Chinese naval vessels around itself. In a post on X, the MND said, "5 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements. Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India. China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised. In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC, United Service Institution of India states. - ANI The News in Brief Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Israel's Ambassador to Georgia, H.E. Walid Abu Hayam, has requested a meeting with Georgian officials as the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate."Against the background of the developing events, I have a desire to meet with official representatives from the Georgian government," Ambassador Abu Hayam stated. He noted that while a meeting has not yet taken place, he hopes it will happen soon.The ambassador addressed the situation of the thousands of Israelis currently in Georgia. He acknowledged that many are anxious about the events unfolding in their homeland, especially with Israel's airspace currently closed to travel."Currently, several thousand Israelis are in Georgia, and they like being here. I am sure they are very worried about what is happening in their homeland, but right now Israel's airspace is closed," the ambassador said. He added that once flights resume, his office will assist those looking to return.Ambassador Abu Hayam also offered reassurances regarding the safety of Georgian citizens currently in Israel. He emphasized that the Israeli government is working to protect everyone within its borders, regardless of their nationality."There are Georgian citizens in Israel as well, and I want them to know that we are protecting not only our own citizens but everyone who is in Israel," he said.The ambassador confirmed that diplomatic channels remain open between the two nations. He noted that his team is in constant contact with the Georgian Embassy in Tel Aviv, which is also communicating with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem."If they need anything, they will receive maximum assistance," the ambassador promised.Judge Nino Galustashvili ruled on Monday to close the court proceedings against former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia, granting a motion filed by the prosecution. The decision, which the defense strongly opposed, means the public and media will be barred from the hearings.During the session, Akhalaia personally addressed the judge to argue against the closure. He claimed there was no legal or security-related reason to keep the trial behind closed doors."My opening statement, my closing statement - why should they be closed?" Akhalaia asked the judge. He suggested that the only secrets involved in the case were "illegal actions" by law enforcement.Akhalaia further warned the judge that granting the prosecution's request would be a violation of the law. "If you make this decision, it will be an official crime," he stated. He also accused the court of an "abuse of authority" regarding his legal representation and the handling of the case.The prosecution argued that closing the trial was necessary based on specific circumstances of the case, though these details were not made public. Judge Galustashvili agreed with their reasoning."In the present case, the motion to close and the circumstances pointed out by the prosecution side are well-founded and should be granted," Galustashvili stated.The former minister insisted that the "essential interest of justice" requires evidence to be presented openly if someone is accused of a crime. Despite his protests, the judge finalized the order to fully close the case. A new chapter in Porsches global club culture just started in Italy, and it is focused entirely on electric models. The Registro Italiano E-motion has been recognized as the first official Porsche club in the world created exclusively for owners of battery electric Porsches, and it has already completed its first group tour. The inaugural gathering brought together 131 participants and 73 vehicles for a multi-day drive that began at the Porsche Experience Center Franciacorta in northern Italy and ended at the Hans Peter Porsche Traumwerk museum near Salzburg, Austria. A Taycan And Macan Electric Caravan Through The Alps Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. The mix of cars reflected Porsches current EV lineup. Participants drove 42 examples of the Porsche Taycan and 31 examples of the Porsche Macan in various trims and configurations. Several vehicles stood out for their individualized specifications, including multiple cars finished in special colors from Porsches Paint to Sample program, which allows buyers to select unique factory-approved shades beyond the standard palette. Advertisement Advertisement The convoy also included two Taycan Turbo GT models equipped with the Weissach Package, the track-focused option set that sharpens the cars performance intent and visual character. Even in an EV-focused event, the presence of the Turbo GT variants underlined that this community is not only about efficiency and charging strategy but also about Porsches traditional performance identity. The route took the group through Brixen and across the Brenner Pass, one of the best-known crossings of the Alps, before the caravan continued into Austria. From A Chat Group To An Official Porsche Club The origins of Registro Italiano E-motion are modern and very on brand for the EV era. The club grew out of a private chat group created in 2021, when Italian Taycan owners began comparing notes during the pandemic. Early discussions centered on the realities of electric ownership, including charging routines, software updates, trip planning, and the day-to-day experience of living with a high-performance EV. Interest expanded quickly, and with support from Porsche Italia, the group was formalized into an official club earlier this year. Club president Massimo Piccino framed the mission as a community that embraces change as part of Porsches long-term story. Group Charging Without Making It A Race Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Managing a large EV convoy requires planning, and Porsche supported the trip with two mobile fast charging units so the group could recharge during coordinated stops. Organizers emphasized that the event was not intended to be a demonstration of maximum pace or minimal charging time. The point was the shared experience, the scenery, and the social side of traveling together in a Porsche, even when the drivetrain is silent. Advertisement Advertisement That approach also highlights how EV ownership can reshape road trip dynamics. Charging stops naturally become longer breaks, creating more time for conversation, meetups, and a less hurried rhythm that many owners find appealing. A Younger And More Family-Oriented Porsche Crowd According to Andrea Gruppah, president of the Italian federation of Porsche clubs, electric models are also broadening the brands enthusiast base. He noted that EV ownership appears to be drawing in more younger members and more families and that electric drivetrains lend themselves to a different style of group travel than traditional high-performance gasoline tours. A Museum Welcome In Salzburg Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. At the finish, the group was welcomed by Hans Peter Porsche, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, at the Traumwerk museum, which houses his private collection and is open to the public. The destination choice added a heritage element to a trip focused on Porsches newest propulsion technology, connecting the brands past with its present shift toward electrification. A New Kind Of Porsche Community Photo Courtesy: Porsche. Advertisement Advertisement With its first tour completed, Registro Italiano E-motion is positioning itself as a template for an EV-centered Porsche club experience. The formula is familiar to Porsche enthusiasts: shared driving, curated destinations, and access to brand culture, but the center of gravity has moved. For this group, Taycan and Macan Electric ownership is not a side note. It is the point, and the community is built around it. This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review. Read More Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran has called for the lighting of the ceremonial Deepathoon lamp atop Thiruparankundram Hill, performing a Girivalam on Purnima. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the DMK government, linking its opposition to the court order with the death of a devotee who self-immolated. The political clash centers on a Madras High Court verdict allowing the lamp lighting, which the DMK opposed and even led to MPs seeking impeachment against the judge. The Supreme Court recently declined to interfere with related High Court orders on religious practices at a nearby dargah. TN BJP chief Nagendran demands lamp lighting on holy hill, as PM Modi slams DMK over devotee's death and court order controversy. Madurai, March 3 Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran performed the Girivalam around Thirupparankundram Hill on Monday on the occasion of the full Moon, during which he called for the lighting of the Deepathoon atop the hill. Speaking to ANI, the Tamil Nadu BJP President stated that they offered prayers for global peace and the prosperity of India. He called for the lighting of the lamp on Thiruparankundram Hill in Madurai. "Today is Purnima Day... So, we visited the Murugan temple in Thiruparankundram. We are praying for peace all over the world and prosperity for our India... One of my demands is lighting the lamp in Thiruparankundram Hill..." Nagendran told ANI. Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the family of the devotee Poornachandran, who set himself ablaze over the Karthigai Deepam row. Slamming the DMK for opposing the Madras High Court verdict allowing the devotees to light the ceremonial lamp on the Deepa Thoon at the summit of the Thiruparankundram hill, the Prime Minister said that "truth and Lord Murugan will win." PM Modi also blamed the DMK for Poornachandran's demise, calling the state government "insensitive." "Today, in Madurai, I remembered Thiru Poornachandran. This happened due to the insensitivity of the DMK Government in the state. And, no matter what they do, the truth will win. Devotees of Lord Murugan will win. I met his wife, Thirumathi Indumathi Ji, as well as his sons," PM Modi wrote on X. "Before coming here, I went to Thiruparankundram to get the darshan of lord Murugan for the divine experience. I prayed for the prosperity of Tamil Nadu and the entire nation. At the same time, my heart felt heavy, and I remembered the young devotee who sacrificed his life. Today, I met his wife and their two little children. I felt that sadness and offered my deepest condolences to them. No matter what DMK does, the truth and devotees of Lord Murugan will win," he said while addressing the gathering in Madurai. The DMK government in the state opposed the court order allowing the devotees to light the lamp atop the hill, while the BJP rallied in favour of the devotees. During the Winter Session of Parliament last year, over 100 INDIA bloc MPs submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an impeachment motion against Justice GR Swaminathan, who gave the order. In January 2026, Madras High Court Justice G R Swaminathan expressed strong displeasure over the failure of Madurai district authorities to file their response in a contempt of court case concerning the non-lighting of the ceremonial lamp on the Deepa Thoon at the summit of the Thiruparankundram hill. The contempt petition was filed against government officials for allegedly failing to comply with an earlier order passed by Justice Swaminathan. Last month, the Supreme Court declined to interfere with the Madras High Court's October 2025 judgment. Upholding the High Court's ruling, the apex court held that Muslims are entitled to offer prayers at the Sikandar Badusha Avuliya Dargah only on the occasions of Ramzan and Bakri-Id, and not on a daily basis. The court also affirmed the prohibition on animal sacrifice within the Dargah premises. - ANI Financial aid for fishermen during ban Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated nine modern libraries with 'Chief Minister's Creative Centres' in Chennai. He also announced the extension of financial aid schemes, crediting funds to women, the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities. Additional support was declared for fishermen during the ban period and for tea farmers in the Nilgiris district. These announcements come ahead of the crucial Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, where the DMK aims to retain power. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin opens modern libraries with creative centres and extends financial aid to women, elderly, and fishermen ahead of state elections. Chennai, March 3 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday inaugurated nine modern libraries with 'Chief Minister's Creative Centres' built by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for Rs 16.87 crore. CM Stalin also inaugurated a modern library with a 'Chief Minister's Creative Centre' constructed by the Greater Chennai Corporation at a cost of Rs 4.24 crore. Earlier today, the Tamil Nadu government credited Rs 2,000 and a monthly pension into the accounts of women and beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, including elderly, widows, elderly transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced. In an X post, MK Stalin announced the extension of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme for women to vulnerable groups as well. Under the social security schemes, the state government has provided Rs 3,200 each to 29.29 lakh elderly and widows beneficiaries, Rs 3,500 each to 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities, and Rs 4,000 to 2.58 lakh persons with disabilities receiving caregiver assistance. Also, the Tamil Nadu government announced an assistance of Rs 8,000 per family as fishing ban period assistance for the period from April to June for 1,62,900 beneficiaries. For the benefit of 14,870 tea farmers from the Nilgiris district, the state government announced Rs 8.53 crore funding as a base price of Rs 2 per kg for green tea procured through 15 cooperative tea factories. On Monday, Stalin inaugurated a Fintech Tower built at a cost of Rs. 249 crores. These announcements come ahead of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, to be held in the first half of the year, where the DMK-led alliance aims to retain power in the state, pushing the "Dravidian Model" as its poll plank The BJP-AIADMK alliance will look to form the government, defeating DMK and Congress, while actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) might turn the polls into a three-way contest. - ANI Congress leaders are meeting CM MK Stalin to negotiate a seat-sharing agreement for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, dismissing rumours of a rift. The state Congress chief asserts it is a natural alliance and that asking for more seats is part of normal negotiations. Meanwhile, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami met Amit Shah to discuss strengthening the NDA ahead of the polls. The stage is set for a contest between the DMK-led INDIA bloc and the BJP-AIADMK alliance in 2026. Congress MP P Chidambaram meets CM MK Stalin to resolve seat-sharing for 2026 Tamil Nadu polls amid alliance talks with AIADMK & BJP. Chennai, March 3 Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai are meeting Tamil Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence on Tuesday to resolve the deadlock around the seat-sharing formula between DMK and Congress. This meeting comes in the backdrop of the ongoing discussions for a seat-sharing pact among the parties in the DMK-led alliance. Amid a rumoured rift between the alliance partners in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, Selvaperunthagai, on Monday, clarified that a settlement between Congress and DMK about seat sharing would be reached after negotiation, adding that there's no confusion between the two parties. "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here. We're asking for a few more seats, and a settlement will be reached," the State Congress chief said. "The DMK and Congress, the INDIA Bloc Alliance, is a natural alliance, an ideological alliance. Where's the disagreement? In every election, all parties, even smaller ones, demand more seats. We'll ask for whatever we need. Our Chief Minister, Stalin, will certainly consider it. There's no problem; everything is running smoothly," he added. He also dismissed the rumours about Congress talking to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), stating, "We did not speak to TVK. Who said we spoke to TVK? I am the PCC president. My high command also did not give me any direction to speak to them directly or indirectly. We do not have any backdoor politics." Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday left for Chennai after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the political situation in Tamil Nadu and strategies ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Addressing reporters at the airport, Palaniswami said the meeting at the Union Home Minister's residence focused on the current political landscape in the state and ways to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the polls. He added that the AIADMK is in talks with several other parties regarding potential alliances, and some are expected to join the NDA bloc. He also clarified that there have been no discussions about including VK Sasikala's party in the alliance. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. - ANI The Tamil Nadu government has credited a one-time payment of Rs 2000 along with the March monthly pension to beneficiaries including the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities. Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the extension of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme to these vulnerable groups. The aid package also includes Rs 8000 per family for fisherfolk during the fishing ban period and support for tea farmers in the Nilgiris. These announcements come ahead of the upcoming state legislative assembly elections. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin announces Rs 2000 aid and monthly pension for elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities under KMUT scheme extension. Chennai, March 3 The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday credited Rs 2,000 and a monthly pension into the accounts of women and beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, including elderly, widows, elderly transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced. In an X post, MK Stalin announced the extension of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme for women to vulnerable groups as well. Under the social security schemes, the state government has provided Rs 3,200 each to 29.29 lakh elderly and widows beneficiaries, Rs 3,500 each to 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities, and Rs 4,000 to 2.58 lakh persons with disabilities receiving caregiver assistance. MK Stalin wrote, "Special financial aid for those on the margins too. The summer special package of Rs 2,000 provided to women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam has received widespread acclaim, and alongside that, demands have arisen to extend such special financial aid to the elderly, widows, elderly transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities who live on the fringes of society and are currently receiving the government's monthly pension assistance." "Today, we have fulfilled the demand they placed with hope! As special relief aid to alleviate hardship, we have credited Rs 2,000 along with the March pension into their bank accounts! Accordingly, to a total of 29 lakhs 29 thousand beneficiaries--including the elderly and widows benefiting under various social security schemes--we have provided Rs 3,200 each; to 5 lakh 92 thousand persons with disabilities, Rs 3,500 each; and to the families of 2 lakh 58 thousand persons with disabilities receiving caregiver assistance, Rs 4,000 each, this morning," the Chief Minister added. Also, the Tamil Nadu government announced an assistance of Rs 8,000 per family as fishing ban period assistance for the period from April to June for 1,62,900 beneficiaries. "In addition, as a fishing ban period assistance for the period from April to June, Rs 8,000 per family has been provided to a total of 1,62,900 fisher families. Similarly, for the benefit of 14,870 tea farmers from the Nilgiris district, Rs 8.53 crore in funding has been provided as a base price of Rs 2 per kg for green tea procured through 15 cooperative tea factories. At this moment, I reiterate once again-- In Tamil Nadu's journey of growth, we will leave no one behind," the X post read. These announcements come ahead of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, to be held in the first half of the year, where the DMK-led alliance is looking to yet again defeat the NDA and retain power in the state. - ANI Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran stated that while geopolitical tensions in West Asia introduce instability, the Tata Group does not foresee significant disruption to its supply chains. He highlighted the group's close monitoring of limestone procurement and sufficient inventory at Tata Steel, with plans to diversify sources. Chandrasekaran emphasized that employee safety is the top priority, with active measures in place for their well-being. He underscored the need for organizations to plan for multiple scenarios to ensure resilience amid global uncertainty. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran says the group is prepared for Middle East instability, with no significant supply chain disruption expected. New Delhi, March 3 Tata Sons Chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said on Tuesday that the emerging geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the evolving situation in Iran and the broader Middle East could introduce a degree of instability, requiring corporations to remain vigilant and prepared for a range of possible outcomes. Focusing specifically on supply chain stability, Chandrasekaran said that the Tata Group is closely monitoring its limestone procurement from the affected region. He acknowledged that while the current developments may create short-term uncertainty, there should not be any significant disruption to the company's supply chain. "What we are seeing right now in Iran and the Middle East is that there will be some instability, but there should not be any problem with the supply chain. Our limestone procurement is being done from there. Tata Steel has enough inventory. Tata Steel will diversify into alternative sources. We are confident that there will be no problem because of that," he stated. His remarks underscored the group's preparedness and its proactive approach in maintaining operational continuity. Chandrasekaran further observed that the conflict, which has escalated in recent days, points to a broader environment of geopolitical uncertainty. He emphasised the need to anticipate risks arising from such developments, not only for the Tata Group but also for India and the global economy. According to him, organisations must plan for multiple scenarios and account for emerging risks in order to remain resilient in the face of instability. Highlighting the group's priorities amid the regional tensions, Tata Sons Chairman made it clear that employee safety remains paramount. He said that over the past three days, the group has been fully engaged in ensuring the safety and well-being of its workforce and their families. "The safety of all our employees is our priority. For the last three days, our group has been fully active, and we are taking care of everyone's safety and everyone's family. All that is going on as a priority. If a few days or a few months of business are affected, we will recover. So that is something we have planned for. We plan for all the scenarios and risk mitigation," he added. The Chairman's comments come amid escalating tensions in West Asia, which have led to disruptions in supply chains for companies around the world, reinforcing the need for careful planning and risk management at both corporate and global levels. - ANI Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply condemned Iran, labeling it a "terrorist regime" that targets civilians, while framing Israel's military actions as defensive and protective. He detailed Operation Roaring Lion, a campaign involving air strikes aimed at degrading Iran's missile capabilities and defense systems. The conflict escalated dramatically following joint US-Israel strikes that resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with widespread missile and drone attacks across the region, further heightening tensions and civilian risks. Israeli PM Netanyahu says Iran targets civilians as Israel strikes back to protect its people and aid Iranians seeking freedom. Latest on Middle East conflict. Jerusalem, March 3 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned Iran's actions as a "terrorist regime", claiming that Tehran is targeting civilians while Israel is focused on protecting its people. He also stressed that Israel's ongoing military operation, Operation Roaring Lion, is to defend against "existential threats" posed by Iran. "The terrorist regime in Tehran is shooting at civilians, and we are shooting at the terrorist regime to protect civilians," Netanyahu wrote in his X post on Monday (local time). He stressed that Israel's military campaign aims to ensure the safety of its people while also creating conditions for the Iranian populace to overthrow their oppressive government. "This day is coming, and when it comes, Israel and the US will be there," Netanyahu added, expressing unwavering support for the Iranian people. Netanyahu also urged Israeli citizens to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command, which he said has saved many lives. He expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones in the conflict and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He also praised the efforts of rescue and reconstruction teams, saying, "We will rebuild - and build even more." Describing Operation as Israel's mission to dismantle Iran's threats, Netanyahu reiterated that this military action is not only to protect Israel but to aid the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom. "We are working together with the United States in the name and for the sake of all humanity," he added. Israeli Prime Minister also warned that Iran's actions are a direct threat to regional stability, stating, "They fired at a large part of the countries in the region, and I also said: 'They also fired at Europe.' Well, they fired at Europe." He emphasised that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a global threat. "If this regime of terror has nuclear weapons, they will threaten all of humanity," he said. He also visited the site of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, marking the third day of a massive joint military offensive against the Iranian regime. Standing amidst the wreckage of the targeted civilian area, the 76-year-old leader framed the ongoing conflict as a global mission alongside the United States to neutralise a nuclear-capable Tehran. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force completed three waves of strikes over western Iran, aiming to target missile launchers, defence systems, and other fire arrays used by Iran's terror regime. In a post on X, IAF said that hundreds of munitions were dropped on several missile launchers and defence arrays, significantly damaging Iran's missile capabilities. The strikes are intended to reduce the threat posed by Iranian missile fire towards Israel. "As part of the strike waves, the Air Force dropped hundreds of munitions on dozens of missile launchers, defence systems, and additional fire arrays that were in use by the Iranian terror regime. To date, in Operation "Roaring Lion," the Air Force has carried out dozens of strikes against the Iranian regime's ballistic missile array and defence systems, in order to damage the regime's missile arrays and reduce as much as possible the firing toward the State of Israel," the IAF post read. This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia following US-Israel joint military strikes on Iran that led to the death of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family on Sunday. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. Earlier, the Times of Israel reported, citing Lebanon's Health Ministry, that at least 31 people were killed and 149 others injured in overnight strikes carried out by the IDF across southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern Dahiyeh district. According to the Times of Israel, the areas are known for being Hezbollah strongholds; however, the ministry's figures do not distinguish between civilians and members of Hezbollah among the casualties. - ANI Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao participated in Holi celebrations at Osmania University's College of Arts and Social Sciences in Hyderabad. He extended greetings and commended students for using non-chemical, eco-friendly colours during the festivities. Rao, an alumnus, expressed happiness at being invited annually and connected the festival to the symbolic victory of good over evil. Meanwhile, Holi was celebrated with traditional enthusiasm across India, including in Mathura and Vrindavan, marking the arrival of spring. Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao participates in Holi at Osmania University, extends greetings and praises students for eco-friendly celebrations. Hyderabad, March 3 Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party President N Ramchander Rao participated in Holi festival celebrations at the Osmania University College of Arts and Social Sciences in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Rao further extended his Holi greetings to the people and appreciated the students for celebrating the festival in an eco-friendly manner. Speaking on the occasion, Rao told ANI, "As an ex-student of the Osmania University Arts College, I studied MA Political Science here... I feel happy to be invited every year by the students for Holi celebrations. Hundreds of students play Holi here with non-chemical colours... Holi means it is a festival of colours. We celebrate Holi because evil has been ended by the good. Therefore, this festival becomes important for the students also, and I thank the Osmania University ABVP unit for inviting me here. " Holi, the festival of colours, is being celebrated across the country with enthusiasm and traditional fervour. The festivities of Holi began in several places, with people coming together to celebrate with colours, music, and traditional festivities. From temples to streets, vibrant hues and joyous gatherings mark the onset of the festival, symbolising the triumph of good over evil." In Mathura and Vrindavan, famous for their grand Holi celebrations, devotees began the traditional rituals, including the famous Lathmar Holi. Holi, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the arrival of spring and the harvest season. The celebration is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The festival begins with Holika Dahan, where a bonfire is lit to mark the death of Holika, a symbol of evil and a special Puja to burn evil spirits is performed. The festival of colours also follows a Hindu mythology, where Demon King Hiranyakashyapu, who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to the God Bishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad. - ANI The wife of a stranded tourist has appealed to the Indian government for help evacuating her husband and five others from Bahrain. The group, which includes elderly individuals with health conditions, is struggling without access to prescribed medicines and has exhausted its funds. They became stranded after their return flights were cancelled due to escalating conflict in West Asia. The tourists have directly appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for immediate assistance. Families appeal to PM Modi and state CMs for help as six tourists from Telangana and Andhra are stranded in Bahrain amid West Asia conflict. Hyderabad, March 3 The wife of a stranded tourist in Bahrain has appealed to the Centre and the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to ensure the safe return of her husband and five others stuck amid escalating tensions in West Asia. Speaking to ANI, Hanna Elizabeth said, "I am the wife of Salmon Raj, who has been to Bahrain for a trip along with his friends, a group of six members. He went on 24 February and was supposed to return on 28 February, but the flights were cancelled because of the war. They were asked to vacate the airport without any help. Now, I request the Indian, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to take care of our citizens and help to bring them back." The tourists had travelled to Bahrain on February 24 on a tourist visa and were scheduled to return after four days. However, escalating tensions and reported missile and bomb attacks disrupted normal flight operations, leaving them stranded. In a video message, Salmon Raj described the situation as "very dangerous," stating that when they reached the airport to board their return flight, check-in counters were shut and there was no official assistance. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to arrange immediate evacuation. Raj said the group includes elderly members suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure who are struggling without access to medicines. "Without prescriptions, medicines are not being given. We are staying in crowded apartments. Telugu people here are somehow providing us one meal a day," he said. An elderly woman in the group said their funds have been exhausted, making survival difficult. The stranded tourists have urged authorities to ensure safe passage back to India at the earliest. Another 73-year-old woman said her medicines for blood pressure and diabetes had run out. "They are not giving medicines without a prescription. Please show compassion and help us reach home quickly," she appealed. This comes as the conflict in West Asia enters its fourth day following US and Israeli strikes on February 28, which targeted Iran's leadership, military installations, and strategic assets. The strikes killed Supreme Leader Khamenei along with other senior figures, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran on American and Israeli interests in the region. - ANI Temples across multiple Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Sambalpur, Kanpur, and Ranchi, closed their doors as the inauspicious Sutak Kaal period began ahead of the year's first lunar eclipse. A priest from Kanpur detailed that temple doors would reopen at 7:00 pm, followed by ritual bathing and adornment of the deities. The Sutak Kaal is a traditional period where religious activities are suspended and devotees avoid auspicious tasks. Following the eclipse, temples perform purification rituals before welcoming devotees back. Temples across India closed doors for the Sutak Kaal period ahead of the lunar eclipse. They will reopen after evening purification rituals. Details inside. New Delhi, March 3 Temples across India closed their gates on Tuesday as the 'Sutak Kaal' began ahead of the first lunar eclipse of the year, with priests saying the doors will reopen after the eclipse ends in the evening. In Bengaluru, the gates of Shri Kadu Malleshwara Swamy Temple were closed as the Sutak Kaal commenced. Similarly, in Sambalpur, Odisha, the gates of Maa Samaleswari Temple were closed as the inauspicious period began ahead of the lunar eclipse. In Kanpur, the Nageshwar Shiva Temple remained closed during the Sutak Kaal of the lunar eclipse. Similarly, in Ranchi, the gates of the Pahari Temple remained closed as the Sutak Kaal begins today in the early morning. A temple priest in Kanpur explained the rituals and timings for reopening the temples. He said that the doors are scheduled to reopen at 7:00 pm, followed by ritual bathing and adornment of the deity. "This is the first lunar eclipse of the year. All doors (of the temples) have been closed after Mangala Aarti. At 7:00 pm, all doors will be opened, baths will be given, and adornments will be performed. After Bhog Aarti, the doors will remain open until 11:00 pm," the priest said. According to Hindu tradition, Sutak Kaal is considered an inauspicious period that begins several hours before a lunar or solar eclipse. During this time, temple doors are closed, religious activities are suspended, and devotees are advised to avoid eating or undertaking any auspicious activities. After the eclipse ends, temples undergo purification rituals, including bathing of deities and performing special prayers before reopening for devotees. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a total lunar eclipse will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, across several time zones. The phenomenon occurs when the entire Moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow. A partial lunar eclipse, in contrast, takes place when only a part of the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. The lunar eclipse is a celestial event that holds significant religious and astrological importance in Hindu culture, with specific rituals and observances followed during and after the phenomenon. Meanwhile, the world-famous Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain celebrated the Holi festival on Tuesday during the early morning Bhasma Aarti. - ANI Israel conducted simultaneous strikes on military targets in Tehran and Beirut, marking a significant escalation. The US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by a drone attack, prompting the cancellation of consular services in Saudi Arabia. Bahrain's ambassador reported its air defenses intercepted a major barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed a retaliatory attack on a US air base in Bahrain, as world leaders call for de-escalation. Escalation in West Asia as Israel hits targets in Tehran & Beirut. US Embassy in Riyadh struck by drone, Bahrain intercepts Iranian missiles. Latest updates. Tel Aviv, March 3 As the conflict escalates in West Asia, Israel conducted strikes in both Tehran and Beirut, while the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by drone on Tuesday. The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X that it is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut. As per Al Jazeera, the IDF strikes took place in Beirut's Haret Hreik area. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reported citing Reuters that the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by a drone attack. It also shared that two more US soldiers killed in Operation Epic Fury, taking the American toll to six. As per Al Jazeera, US has now cancelled all consular services in Saudi Arabia following attack on embassy and the US embassy in Iraq has ordered non-emergency government employees to leave, prohibiting the use of Baghdad airport. As the tensions spill over in the neighbouring Gulf countries in wake of Operation Epic Fury by the United States and the retaliation strikes by Iran, Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa- Bahrainian Ambassador to the US said on Monday that Bahrain's air defenses intercepted 70 Iranian ballistic missiles and 59 drones targeting the country. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that the US forces carried out sustained operations targeting key Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on the US air base in Bahrain. Iran's IRGC said it destroyed the main command building of a US air base in Bahrain during a drone and missile attack early Tuesday. It said that 20 drones and 3 missiles struck the Sheikh Isa base, also setting fuel tanks on fire. Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Iran will continue to defend itself decisively for as long as the US-Israeli aggression persists. The scope of the conflict continues to widen with the Gulf States now drawn into it. In response to the joint American-Israeli strikes, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI Credit: UFC We still dont have many details about the upcoming UFC event at the White House, but TKO President & COO Mark Shapiro wants to make it clear that the company does not stand to profit from it. Shapiro spoke at Morgan Stanleys technology, media, and telecom conference on Monday morning and touched on the event planned for the South Lawn of the White House in June to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. UFC CEO Dana White previously pledged that his organization would cover the cost of the entire event, and Shapiro previously admitted that they expect the price tag to be over $60 million while generating around $30 million in sponsorship revenue. However, according to Shapiro, thats a small price to pay for the benefits the UFC will gain from the event. Whatever we lose [a projected] $3o million at this point on the event, are we really losing? Other properties would kill to have the opportunity were going to have, Shapiro said, via SBJ. This is going to be enormous in terms of attention, in terms of earned media, in terms of our fans being happy. We are going to fully capitalize on the stage that is the White House, but were not going to capitalize on America; we will not profit from this event no matter what. The event, which is expected to be simulcast on CBS and Paramount+, still doesnt have a fight card. TKO CEO Ari Emanuel said in February that the event would feature six or seven fights. Several UFC fighters have made it clear they dont want to be associated with the event or President Donald Trump, who stands to involve himself in yet another major sporting event in which a potential unifying moment could become one of political division. Tiger Shroff marked his 36th birthday with a grateful message on Instagram, thanking fans for their love and wishes. He received warm greetings from industry friends, including his 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' co-star Akshay Kumar, who called him a younger brother. Actress Kriti Sanon also wished him a year of strength and success. The actor, son of Jackie Shroff, is celebrated for his action-packed roles in films like 'Heropanti', 'Baaghi', and 'War'. Tiger Shroff celebrates his 36th birthday with a grateful Instagram post. Co-star Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon send heartfelt wishes to the action star. Mumbai, March 3 Actor Tiger Shroff on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to fans, friends and well-wishers who extended birthday greetings on March 2, as he turned 36. Taking to Instagram, Tiger shared a heartfelt message and wrote, "Another whirl around the sun thank you so much for all your love and wishes! Stay healthy stay blessed." Known for his flexibility and fitness, Tiger also shared his pictures in which he could be seen balancing his body in mid-air while supporting himself with just one hand on the edge of a concrete ledge. Tiger turned 36 on Monday. On his birthday, he received heartfelt greetings not only from fans but also from his friends from the industry. His 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' co-star Akshay Kumar wished him on Instagram and wrote, "Happy Birthday @tigerjackieshroff. More than a co-star, you're like my younger brother. Keep smashing goals on volleyball courts and in life. Love & prayers." Kriti Sanon added, "Happy Birthday Tiger. Wishing you a year full of strength, success and new milestones! Lots of love and a bigggg hug." Son of veteran actor Jackie Shroff, Tiger made his acting debut with 'Heropanti' in 2014 and quickly became a favourite among young audiences for his action-oriented roles and charismatic screen presence. Over the years, he has starred in successful films like 'Baaghi', 'Student of the Year 2', 'Singham Again', 'War' and 'Munna Michael', cementing his position as one of Bollywood's leading action stars. - ANI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has thanked his Karnataka counterpart, Siddaramaiah, for endorsing a report calling for a renewed national dialogue on Union-State relations. Both leaders emphasize that India's unity relies on constitutional trust and cooperative federalism, not uniformity. They argue that increasing centralization has disturbed the federal balance and states need more fiscal and legislative authority. The exchange occurs amid political activity in Tamil Nadu, with Congress leaders set to meet Stalin over alliance seat-sharing. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin thanks Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for backing a national dialogue on Union-State relations to restore constitutional balance. Chennai, March 3 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin responded to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's letter backing a renewed national dialogue on Union-State relations, saying federal renewal must be pursued collectively to preserve constitutional balance. In a post on X, Stalin wrote, "Thank you, Hon'ble Thiru. @Siddaramaiah avare, for your warm response to Part I of the Report of the High Level Committee on Union - State Relations constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu. I deeply appreciate your thoughtful endorsement of our initiative and your recognition that federal renewal must be a collective effort. As you rightly observed, 'Unity in a diverse republic like India is sustained not through uniformity, but through constitutional trust.'" The exchange follows Siddaramaiah's earlier communication to Stalin expressing Karnataka's strong support for reopening a structured national conversation on federalism. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, "I have written to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin expressing Karnataka's strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations. Federalism is not a political demand - it is part of the basic structure of our Constitution. Over the years, increasing centralisation in fiscal and legislative matters has disturbed the delicate balance envisioned by our Constitution makers. States must have the authority and fiscal space to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to them." He further stressed that India's strength lies in "cooperative federalism, constitutional trust, and respect for diversity," and added, "I will urge the Union Government to provide an institutional platform - such as a revitalised Inter-State Council - for all States to deliberate and restore balance in our federal structure. Karnataka stands ready to engage constructively in strengthening India's democratic and federal framework." The development comes amid heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai are scheduled to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence on Tuesday to resolve the seat-sharing formula between the DMK and Congress within the ruling alliance. - ANI US Assistant Secretary of State S Paul Kapur is in India for meetings focused on regional security and shared priorities. The visit builds on recent momentum, including a new framework for an interim US-India trade agreement. This interim pact aims for early results and was launched following talks between the two countries' leaders. Prime Minister Modi recently expressed strong support for President Trump's efforts and the deepening partnership. Top US diplomat S Paul Kapur meets Indian officials to advance trade pacts and regional security in the Indo-Pacific. Details inside. New Delhi, March 2 US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, S Paul Kapur, currently on an official visit to India, is scheduled to meet top Indian officials and hold discussions on regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific. "Welcome to India, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur! Looking forward to productive meetings with Indian partners this week as we continue advancing US-India partnership," the US Embassy in India stated in a post on X. The US Embassy in India noted that Kapur's March 1-3 visit builds upon recent momentum to advance US President Donald Trump's vision for robust and mutually beneficial partnership between India and the US. Kapur was sworn in as US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs last October. He is on leave from the United States Naval Postgraduate School, where he was a Professor in the Department of National Security Affairs. Previously, Kapur was a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, served on the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, and taught at Claremont McKenna College. Last month, India and the US announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade, a step aimed at advancing talks toward a broader bilateral trade pact as the White House formally announced to reduce the tariff on imports of Indian products. According to a joint statement, the framework reaffirms both sides' commitment to negotiations on a US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement. Those talks were launched by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025. The interim deal is designed to deliver early results and support more resilient supply chains, officials said. "The Interim Agreement between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in our countries' partnership, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes," the announcement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump last month. "President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights," said PM Modi after the phone call. - IANS Two senior DMK ministers from Tamil Nadu have formally submitted applications to contest the upcoming 2026 state assembly elections from constituencies in the Trichy region. The move comes amid ongoing negotiations between the ruling DMK and its ally, the Congress party, regarding seat-sharing arrangements for the polls. Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai clarified that a settlement will be reached through negotiation and firmly denied any backchannel talks with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The state is set for a major electoral battle in 2026, with the DMK-led alliance aiming to secure another term. Ministers KN Nehru & Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi submit applications to contest 2026 Tamil Nadu polls as Congress-DMK seat talks continue. Trichy, March 2 Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru on Monday submitted his application expressing interest in contesting as the party's candidate from the Tiruchi West assembly constituency in the upcoming elections. Nehru is the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) principal secretary. The application was submitted to DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi. Several party leaders and functionaries were present, including Perambalur Member of Parliament Arun Nehru, Trichy Central District Secretary Vairamani, Trichy North District Secretary Kaduvetti Thiagarajan, Trichy Corporation Mayor Anbalagan, Treasurer Durairaj, and party executives, including Mathur Karuppaiah, Kajamalai Vijay, and Tollgate Subramani, among others. On the same occasion, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and Tirchy South District DMK Secretary Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi also submitted his application seeking to contest from the Thiruverumbur Assembly constituency in Tiruchi district. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai clarified that a settlement between his party and DMK about seat sharing would be reached after negotiation, adding that there's no confusion between the two parties. He stated that negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. He also dismissed the rumours about Congress talking to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), stating, "We did not speak to TVK. Who said we spoke to TVK? I am the PCC president. My high command also did not give me any direction to speak to them directly or indirectly. We do not have any backdoor politics." The statements come amid ongoing discussions between the Congress and the DMK over seat-sharing arrangements in the state. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress incharge Girish Chodankar also expressed optimism over the seat-sharing discussions with the DMK leadership. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. - ANI Threatened to cut off business with Spain US President Donald Trump used a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to sharply criticize key European allies Spain and the United Kingdom. He accused Spain of resisting higher NATO defense contributions and limiting US military access to its bases. Trump also faulted the UK's energy and immigration policies while criticizing London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Chancellor Merz attempted to frame the dispute within existing NATO spending commitments. US President Donald Trump criticized Spain and Britain over NATO spending, military access, and policy during a meeting with Germany's Friedrich Merz. Washington, March 3 In a meeting intended to underscore Transatlantic unity, US President Donald Trump instead delivered a pointed rebuke of two key European allies, calling Spain and the United Kingdom "very, very uncooperative" and faulting them over Nato spending, military access, immigration, and energy policy. "Spain has been very, very uncooperative. And so has the UK," Trump said on Tuesday during the Oval Office session with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "This is not the age of Churchill." Trump said that Spain had resisted higher defence contributions. "Every European nation, at my request, paid 5 per cent," he said, adding: "And Spain didn't do it." He added that Madrid had limited US access. "Spain actually said that we can't use their bases." He escalated the rhetoric. "I told (Treasury Secretary) Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with Spain," Trump said, adding: "I could tomorrow, stop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain." Merz sought to frame the dispute within Nato commitments. "We are trying to convince Spain to catch up with the 3 per cent or 3.5 per cent which we agreed on in Nato," the German Chancellor said, describing a structure of "3.5 per cent for military and another 1.5 per cent for our military infrastructure". Trump turned to Britain, citing what he called "that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease," saying it complicated US military logistics. Though he said, "I love that country," Trump criticised its domestic direction. "The UK, what they're doing with energy and what they're doing with immigration is horrible." He urged Britain to expand fossil fuel production. "You have the North Sea," Trump said. "Open up the North Sea." He criticised wind energy, saying, "They got windmills all over the place that are ruining the country." Trump broadened his critique to Europe at large. "That's not only UK there. That's other parts of the European Union. They have the same problem, immigration and energy," the US President said. He also attacked London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him "a terrible Mayor of London, terrible.... he's an incompetent guy." - IANS The White House released a compilation showing President Donald Trump delivered the same warning to Iran at least 74 times over 15 years before authorizing military strikes. The consistent message, spanning from 2011 to 2026, was that Iran would never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump framed the issue as critical for Middle East peace and global security, often stating it was his primary demand. The administration described this position as a continuation of longstanding American policy to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. White House releases compilation showing Trump's consistent warnings to Iran over 15 years: "They can't have a nuclear weapon." Washington, March 3 , Before taking a call on military strikes against Iran, US President Donald Trump had already delivered the same message at least 74 times: Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The White House said Monday that Trump has been "unequivocal and consistent for decades" that Iran will never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. It released a compilation of his statements spanning 15 years, beginning in November 2011. The language rarely changed. The emphasis never did. On February 24, 2026, Trump said: "After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons programme, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue. They're starting it all over... One thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon." Five days earlier, on February 19, 2026, he said: "They can't have nuclear weapons. It's very simple. You can't have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon. And they can't have a nuclear weapon, and they've been told that very strongly." On February 13, 2026, he rejected enrichment outright: "We don't want any enrichment. We don't want enrichment." Sometimes the remarks were brief, almost clipped. On February 9, 2026: "No nuclear weapons..." On February 6, 2026: "The one thing, and right up front - no nuclear weapons." On January 29, 2026: "Number one, no nuclear." On June 25, 2025, Trump said: "I've said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon - I've said that for 15 years, long before I decided to do the political thing." The message stretches back well before his presidency. On November 3, 2024, he warned: "Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapons are the greatest single threat to our country, but to the entire world." On October 7, 2024, he said: "I only wanted one thing. You can't have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let them have a nuclear weapon." On August 27, 2024, he added a regional warning: "They can't have a nuclear weapon. We just can't let them have a nuclear weapon. I'll say this. If they do have a nuclear weapon, Israel is gone. It'll be gone." Further back, on January 6, 2020, Trump declared in capital letters: "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!" On June 22, 2019, he said: "Iran cannot have Nuclear Weapons!" And on November 4, 2011, years before entering the White House, he stated: "We can't allow Iran to go nuclear." Across rallies, interviews and official statements, the phrasing shifted. The core demand did not. The White House described the position as rooted in longstanding American policy to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Iran's nuclear programme has dominated US policy in West Asia for more than a decade. Disputes over uranium enrichment, sanctions and inspections have triggered diplomatic standoffs and periodic escalations. - IANS TV BRICS will host an international telebridge titled "Russian Winter in Literary Texts" for students from 14 Indian universities. The event, organized with Indian and Russian cultural partners, aims to explore Russian culture through its literary depictions of winter. Participants will discuss classic authors and analyze themes like blizzards, alongside film screenings and talks on traditional holidays. The session represents the ninth edition of the "Modern Russian" project's educational series. TV BRICS hosts "Russian Winter in Literary Texts" telebridge connecting Moscow with students from 14 Indian universities to explore Russian culture. Moscow, March 2 The TV BRICS International Media Network will host a telebridge on March 2, 2026, under the theme "Russian Winter in Literary Texts" for students from India. The central studio for the event will be set up at the IM Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow. According to TV BRICS, Students from 14 Indian universities will participate in the telebridge. The participants represent 13 cities across nine states, including Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolhapur, and institutions from Gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, and other regions. An Indian postgraduate student currently studying at the State University of Education in Moscow will also join the online session. The event is being organised under TV BRICS' "Modern Russian" project in collaboration with the Indian Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (INDAPRYAL) and Russian House in New Delhi. Tamara Skok, Director of the Department of Innovative Linguistic Projects at TV BRICS and Project Head of "Modern Russian," said that over the years, cooperation between Russian studies experts in India and TV BRICS has resulted in several linguistic and cultural telebridges on diverse themes. She noted that each edition focuses on relevant topics aimed at expanding academic discussion beyond stereotypes and broadening the linguistic horizons of international students. This year's theme highlights the dual nature of the Russian winter, beautiful yet harsh as portrayed in literature. Winter also reflects traditional celebrations and rich poetic imagery, offering significant insights into Russian culture and identity. During the telebridge, participants will discuss works by renowned authors such as Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, and Nikolai Gogol. Special attention will be given to the literary depiction of blizzards and the etymological links between the Russian words for blizzard, rebellion, and confusion. The programme will also include discussions on winter proverbs, screenings of excerpts from film adaptations such as "Anna Karenina," and conversations about traditional holidays including Svyatki, Christmas, and Epiphany. The session will conclude with creative activities, including poetry recitations by students and performances of songs related to winter and the New Year. The telebridge marks the ninth edition of the "Modern Russian" project's international educational series. - ANI UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has conducted urgent diplomacy with Gulf leaders amid escalating regional conflict. The UN expressed deep concern that military activities could severely impact the global economy, with oil prices already spiking over 5%. Guterres is particularly alarmed by the expansion of attacks to countries like Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon that were not initially involved. The UN spokesperson called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to genuine dialogue to stabilize the region. UN chief Antonio Guterres holds urgent Gulf talks as oil prices spike, warning military escalation hits world economy and vulnerable hardest. United Nations, March 3 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has carried out a round of diplomacy with leaders in the Gulf region as the world organisation expressed concern over the global economic fallout of the Iran war. The UN is "worried about the negative impacts that the military activities in the region as a whole could have on the world economy", Guterres' Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday. "And those impacts, as they often do, hit the most vulnerable the hardest", he said. Oil prices, most sensitive to instability in the Gulf region, rose by 5.63 per cent on Monday, and a closure of navigation in the Gulf of Hormuz could further impact energy prices. Guterres is "particularly worried" about "the expansion of attacks to countries that were not involved in the initial attacks", Dujarric said, "whether we are talking about Gulf countries, Jordan, Syria or Lebanon". "What is needed now in the region more than anything is a way out", Dujarric said. "To that end, the Secretary-General again calls for de-escalation, an immediate cessation of hostilities, and genuine dialogue and negotiations", he said. The Spokesperson said that Guterres spoke with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, and the ambassadors of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council. Al-Thani and Guterres discussed the "situation in the region and the urgent need to end the current military escalation and return to dialogue in the interest of regional stability", Dujarric said. During his conversation with Albusaidi, Guterres thanked Oman for its mediation efforts between Iran and the US, and reiterated his condemnation of the attacks against Iran and the Iranian attacks on Gulf countries", Dujarric said. The US-Israel attacks on Iran came two days after the last session of negotiations between Iran and Israel in Geneva, facilitated by Oman. - IANS The United Nations has reported at least 34 people killed and 89 injured in Pakistani military attacks on Afghanistan from February 26 to March 1. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated the victims included women and children, and that conflict is restricting humanitarian aid. In response to Pakistani airstrikes, Afghan forces have launched retaliatory attacks, capturing several Pakistani military posts along the Durand Line. The escalation includes Pakistan's "Operation Ghazab lil-Haq," with airstrikes targeting Afghan provinces, marking a severe surge in bilateral tensions. UN confirms 34 dead, 89 injured in Pakistani military attacks in Afghanistan. Tensions escalate with retaliatory strikes along the Durand Line. Kabul, March 3 The United Nations has announced that at least 34 people were killed and 89 others injured in Pakistani military attacks in Afghanistan from February 26-March 1, local media reported on Tuesday. While addressing a press briefing, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that victims include children and women, and the figures remain preliminary. He stated that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues to document incidents of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Pajhwok Afghan News reported. Dujarric said that restrictions on movement in border areas due to the active conflict have affected the work of humanitarian agencies and their partners to provide life-saving and other assistance in the most impacted areas, leaving Afghan refugees from Pakistan vulnerable. He warned of an increase in the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. As fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Durand Line entered consecutive days, Afghan forces have carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military bases following recent air raids by the Pakistan Air Force inside Afghanistan. The Afghan defence ministry said its forces targeted several key military locations near the 2,600-km Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including areas linked to Kabul, the Ali-Sher district in Khost, Jalalabad and Kandahar. The escalation marks the latest surge in tensions along the Durand Line, where hostilities have intensified since Pakistan's February 21-22 strikes on what it described as terror camps. According to Afghan officials, their forces have captured multiple Pakistani military posts in Kandahar province, specifically in the Spin Boldak and Shorabak districts. Three posts were reportedly seized in Spin Boldak, resulting in the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers and the capture of one serviceman. In addition, two Pakistani posts were taken over in the Ali-Sher district, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported. Over the past four days, both the Pakistani and Afghan militaries have engaged in cross-border targeting of each other's positions. On February 27, Afghanistan launched attacks on Pakistani Army posts and military centres along the Durand Line in response to Islamabad's airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktika on February 21. Following Afghanistan's attacks, Pakistan launched 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' (Righteous Fury) in response to what it described as "unprovoked firing" by the Afghan forces across multiple border sectors, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carried out airstrikes targeting military installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. In recent months, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have increased, with both sides accusing each other of cross-border attacks and harbouring militant groups. - IANS Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion at the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, positioning India at the forefront of global telecom innovation. He emphasized that India's telecom transformation, under national leadership, is built on indigenous research and integration into global value chains. The pavilion hosts over 40 Indian companies showcasing advancements from 4G/5G to emerging 6G, AI, and semiconductor technologies. Scindia toured various booths, interacting with innovators and highlighting India's commitment to building secure, competitive networks for global export. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates the Bharat Pavilion at MWC 2026, highlighting India's indigenous tech and global digital ambitions. Barcelona, March 3 Union Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Tuesday inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, one of the world's foremost technology and telecommunications platforms. Addressing the media, the Union Minister stated that as the world deliberates the future of connectivity in the "IQ Era", India stands at the intersection of intelligence and infrastructure where connectivity meets capability and innovation meets inclusion. According to a press release, he emphasised that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's telecom transformation has been anchored in indigenous R&D, trusted telecom ecosystems, production-linked incentives, and deep integration into global value chains. "Today, as we stand in Barcelona, the message is clear. India is not only building networks for its 1.4 billion citizens but building trusted digital bridges for the world," the Minister said, adding, "Guided by the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we believe connectivity must empower humanity, strengthen partnerships, and create shared prosperity. The Bharat Pavilion this year brings together over 40 Indian telecom innovators across the value chain, spanning 4G/5G and emerging 6G technologies, Open RAN, optical and satellite communications, semiconductor design, AI-driven network intelligence, cybersecurity, telecom software, and digital platforms. The expanded participation reflects growing global confidence in India's telecom capabilities and its rapidly deepening innovation ecosystem. During his visit to the Pavilion, the Minister toured multiple company booths and interacted with representatives from Anant Systems, XS Infosol Pvt. Ltd, SignalChip, RV Solutions, Neosoft Technologies, Cellcom, C-DOT, and GX India, among others. He reviewed their indigenous technologies and innovative solutions across telecom hardware, semiconductor design, AI-enabled platforms, and next-generation network infrastructure, appreciating their contribution to strengthening India's self-reliant and globally competitive telecom ecosystem. He noted that the strong presence of Indian innovators at the Pavilion demonstrates India's commitment to building secure networks, advancing AI-driven telecom infrastructure, promoting trusted ecosystems, and expanding telecom exports worldwide. - ANI US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, S Paul Kapur, has arrived in New Delhi for a three-day visit to strengthen bilateral ties. His meetings with senior Indian officials will focus on regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific. The visit follows US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor's meeting with Gujarat's Chief Minister to explore cooperation in trade, technology, and manufacturing. Gor highlighted India's emerging role in semiconductor manufacturing, citing major projects as a testament to national leadership. US Assistant Secretary S Paul Kapur begins a 3-day visit to New Delhi to advance US-India partnership & Indo-Pacific security cooperation. New Delhi, March 2 The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with India as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur began a three-day visit to New Delhi on Sunday. In a post on X on Monday, the US Embassy in India said, "Welcome to India, @State_SCA Assistant Secretary Paul Kapur! Looking forward to productive meetings with Indian partners this week as we continue advancing the U.S.-India partnership." According to an official statement released by the embassy, Kapur's visit from March 1 to 3 will include meetings with senior Indian officials to discuss regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the statement, the visit is aimed at building on recent diplomatic momentum to advance US President Donald Trump's vision of a robust and mutually beneficial US-India partnership. Officials said discussions are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in regional security, strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific, and strengthening the broader bilateral framework between the two countries. Earlier on Saturday, United States Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, met with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the key sectors of trade, technology, and manufacturing. In a post on X, after the meeting on Saturday, Sergio Gor said, "Thank you to @CMOGuj Bhupendra Patel for a productive discussion today and a very warm welcome. We explored new opportunities to deepen U.S.-Gujarat cooperation in trade, technology, and manufacturing. Incredible potential for Gujarat to work closely with the U.S. ahead!" Gor praised India's entry into the global semiconductor supply chain, highlighting that India is becoming a major player in semiconductor manufacturing. He also spoke about the growing relationship between the United States and India. Gor mentioned that there are currently 10 semiconductor projects worth 19 billion dollars being developed in India, which shows the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Modi. Speaking at the inauguration of Micron's new semiconductor facility in Gujarat, Gor said, "Today marks India's entry into the global semiconductor supply chain as a manufacturing nation. This is just the beginning. With 10 semiconductor projects worth $19 billion underway across India, that is a direct testament to your Prime Minister's leadership, to his vision, and to his ability to secure the future for India and for our global partners, including the United States." - ANI US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will lead the American delegation at the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi and hold meetings with Indian officials. Concurrently, Finnish President Alexander Stubb will visit as the Chief Guest for the forum, marking his first presidential trip to India. Both visits aim to deepen bilateral cooperation, with discussions spanning defence, economic ties, and shared regional visions. President Stubb's itinerary includes meetings with India's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb to attend Raisina Dialogue 2026, meet Indian PM Modi to bolster bilateral ties. Washington DC, March 3 Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to New Delhi from March 3-6, where he will lead the US delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue, India's premier geopolitical forum. According to a US Embassy statement, the Deputy Secretary will also meet with senior Indian officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on defence, critical minerals, and counternarcotics. It will deepen commercial and economic ties to increase market access for American businesses and "advance our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region." Furthermore, Finnish President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4 to March 7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. The visit, which will include the participation of a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials, and business leaders, is aimed at deepening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between India and Finland across various sectors, MEA said in its release. As per the release, the visit will be Stubb's first visit to India in his current role as President. In addition to his engagement at the Raisina Dialogue, President Stubb will hold discussions with the Prime Minister, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional and global issues of mutual interest. A key highlight of the visit will be an exchange of views on cooperation in multilateral forums, with an emphasis on deepening people-to-people connections and economic partnerships. Following the discussions, Prime Minister Modi will host a luncheon in honour of President Stubb. During his visit, the Finnish President will also meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also meet President Stubb. - ANI The US State Department has ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and urged all American citizens to immediately leave multiple Middle Eastern countries due to escalating tensions and serious safety risks. The advisory covers nations including Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, with the US Embassy in Jerusalem stating it cannot assist with evacuations. Security incidents are reported, including a drone attack on the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Concurrently, the Indian Embassy in Doha has advised its nationals to remain indoors as Qatari airspace remains closed. US embassies issue urgent travel advisory for multiple Middle Eastern countries as tensions with Iran escalate, including reports of drone attacks. New Delhi, March 3 Amid the escalating tensions across the West Asia region, the US State Department updated the travel advisory for Qatar, Kuwait and other Middle Eastern countries to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel. Secretary Marco Rubio and the US Department of State have urged Americans across Middle Eastern countries to leave immediately due to "serious safety risks" amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. "Secretary Marco Rubio and Department of State urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar posted on X. The advisory includes countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. The US Embassy in Jerusalem said that it was not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. The embassy informed that the Israeli Ministry of Tourism has initiated operating shuttles to the Taba Border Crossing as of March 2. "To be added to the passenger list for a shuttle, you must register via the Ministry's evacuation form. The US Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourism's shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety. The information is provided as a courtesy to those wishing to leave Israel. Passengers who wish to cross to Jordan may take the shuttle to Eilat and continue independently (by taxi) to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing," the embassy posted on X. As this happened, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) completed additional waves of strikes in western Iran targeting the Iranian regime's missile launchers, defence systems, and live-fire arrays. Meanwhile, the US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones, Al Jazeera reported Saudi authorities as saying. As this happened, the US Consulate in Dhahran urged citizens to take cover. "There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the US Consulate. Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside. The U.S. Consulate in Dhahran urges US citizens in Dhahran to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and to stay alert in case of additional future attacks. U.S. Consulate personnel are sheltering in place," the embassy posted on X. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Doha on Tuesday issued an advisory for the Indian community in Qatar, asking them to remain indoors and stay safe. The Indian Embassy said that residents are urged to rely only on verified information issued by the Qatari authorities through official channels. "The Indian community is requested to closely follow news and guidance issued by Qatari authorities through official channels. Residents are urged to rely only on verified and official information. The Ministry of Interior of Qatar has emphasised the importance of remaining. indoors and staying in safe, enclosed places to safeguard public safety. Residents are advised not to go out except in cases of extreme necessity," the Embassy of India in Doha posted on X. The Indian Embassy urged all Indian nationals to adhere to the instructions provided by Qatar's Ministry of Interior. It said that passengers should refrain from proceeding to the Hamad international airport without checking with their respective airlines for the latest updates. "All Indian nationals are strongly urged to strictly adhere to these instructions. The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that Qatari airspace remains closed. Accordingly, operations at Hamad International Airport are suspended and will resume once the Authority announces the safe reopening of airspace. Passengers are advised not to proceed to the airport and to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates," the embassy said. "The Embassy remains in close contact with the concerned authorities and is committed to the safety and welfare of all Indian nationals. Indian nationals are advised to remain calm, stay indoors, follow local authority guidelines, and avoid unnecessary movement," the statement read. Meanwhile, Qatar has strongly condemned Iranian attacks on US Embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the two embassies contravene international agreements and diplomatic norms. "The State of Qatar strongly condemns the Iranian attacks that targeted the embassies of the United States in Riyadh and Kuwait, deeming them a blatant violation of international conventions and laws. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that the Iranian attacks on the two embassies contravene international agreements and diplomatic norms that criminalise assaults on diplomatic missions and grant immunity to their premises and staff," Qatar's MFA said in a statement. "The Ministry affirms the State of Qatar's full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait in all measures they take to safeguard their security and the safety of their territories," the statement further said. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. - ANI The U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman, has instructed its staff and all American citizens in the country to shelter-in-place and take cover due to ongoing regional activity. This alert follows a broader U.S. State Department advisory urging Americans to immediately depart from over a dozen Middle Eastern nations due to serious safety risks. U.S. Central Command has confirmed the deaths of six American service members amid ongoing hostilities following initial Iranian attacks. The region remains tense after U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted Iran, leading to retaliatory counter-strikes by Tehran against American and Israeli assets. US Embassy in Muscat issues shelter-in-place order for staff and American citizens in Oman following Iran's retaliatory strikes in the region. Muscat, March 3 As tensions rise in West Asia amid the strike and counter-strike fiasco, the US Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday instructed its staff to take cover. The alert also urged all Americans in the country to do the same until further notice. "Due to ongoing activity, the US Embassy in Oman has instructed staff to shelter-in-place (i.e., take cover). We recommend all Americans in Oman do the same until further notice," the US Embassy in Muscat posted on X. The embassy's directive calls on US citizens to immediately find a secure location within their residence or another safe building and remain there. Americans are advised to prepare by having essential supplies on hand, including food, water, and medications. "Monitor media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive the latest updates on security in Oman," the embassy said. Earlier, the US issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to "depart now" from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to "serious safety risks". Sharing a video message in a post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged its citizens to immediately depart from several Middle Eastern countries. The advisory, updated on March 2 at 4 pm EST, applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six US service members have been killed in action amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East following Iran's initial attacks in the region. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. - ANI The US Embassy in Islamabad has cancelled all visa appointments at its missions in Pakistan through March 6, citing the current security situation. This follows widespread and violent protests across Pakistan over the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which have resulted in multiple fatalities. Protesters have set fire to United Nations offices in Gilgit and Skardu, and Pakistani authorities have implemented Section 144 to control unlawful assemblies. Iran has declared a period of mourning and vowed a devastating offensive against US and Israeli targets in retaliation. US Embassy in Islamabad cancels all visa appointments through March 6 due to security concerns amid violent protests over Iranian leader's death. Islamabad, March 3 The US Embassy in Islamabad announced the cancellation of all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the current security situation, amidst the ongoing Iranian protests for the death of the Supreme Leader Ayotallah Khamenei. In a post on X, the embassy said, " Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6." The advisory applies to the US Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi as well, as authorities monitor evolving situations in the country. Earlier on Monday, in Pakistan, multiple roads were closed in Karachi's West and South districts, in view of the prevailing security situation due to countrywide protests over the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Dawn. The Dawn reported that 10 people were killed in Karachi and two in Islamabad as protests erupted countrywide against the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks. The Pakistani law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation. Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was also implemented across Sindh. Section 144 of the PPC deals with "joining an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons". Multiple road closure alerts were issued in the morning; the alerts cited "security" as the reason. The protests across Gilgit-Baltistan continued to intensify on Monday over the attack on Iran and the killing of Khamenei, with violent clashes leaving seven demonstrators dead and several others injured. In Gilgit and Skardu, angry protestors set fire to local offices of the United Nations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Gilgit. In Skardu, the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) and several government buildings were also torched during the unrest. As a result of firing on the protesters, seven demonstrators were killed, and more than a dozen others were injured. Iran had declared 40 days of public mourning following the death of their Supreme Leader. Ayatollah Khamenei succeeded the Revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, and his tenure was marked by consistent opposition to Western influence. Following his death, Iran has vowed "the most devastating offensive operation" against US bases and Israel in retaliation. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has pledged revenge and says it has launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops in West Asia, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv. - ANI US First Lady Melania Trump made history by presiding over a United Nations Security Council meeting focused on children, education, and conflict. She promoted her "Fostering the Future Together" initiative, which aims to use technology like AI to democratize knowledge and build a peaceful future. The meeting occurred against the backdrop of ongoing military actions involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Iran's UN ambassador criticized the US, calling it hypocritical for hosting such a meeting while being involved in conflicts that harm children. US First Lady Melania Trump presided over a historic UN Security Council meeting promoting peace through education and technology, amid ongoing regional tensions. New York, March 3 United States First Lady Melania Trump presided over a United Nations Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict, in New York on Monday, even as the military action on Iran conducted by the US and Israel continued. This is the first time that the spouse of any world leader has presided over the meeting of the 15-member UNSC, which Melania did on behalf of the US as it assumed the rotating presidency of the UN council this month. A White House readout of the meeting said that Melania's decisive message to the UNSC members was that "Peace does not need to be fragile." Further, it said that the message of tolerance is rooted in the concept of "democratizing knowledge" for everyone, during the new "age of imagination" when artificial intelligence provides the global community with access to learn about each other's cultural norms, including but not limited to customs, race, and religious beliefs. A report in the NYT said that Melania's chairing the UNSC meeting comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is in the process of dismantling the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign promise, and has threatened to withhold funding from public schools. His education secretary, Linda McMahon, has said that the changes were an attempt to "refocus education on students, families and schools." The Security Council serves as the UN's principal organ responsible for safeguarding international peace and security. The American First Lady challenged the UN Security Council members to "pledge to safeguard learning ... to build a future generation of leaders who embrace peace through education." Melania stressed the imperative of respecting knowledge to foster durable peace. "Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all societies," Melania said as per the White House readout. "Now is the time for our generation to elevate our children above ideology through access to wisdom," she said. This is the first time that a sitting First Lady presided over the Security Council as its members contemplated technology, education, peace, and security. The US First Lady also offered her condolences to the families of US service members who have been killed. Meanwhile, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, on Monday said Iran doesn't seek escalation but will continue to defend itself. He said that it is "deeply shameful and hypocritical" for the US to host a meeting on protecting children, technology and education in armed conflict while at the same time bombing schools and killing children. "Iran does not seek war. It does not seek escalation, Iran will not surrender its sovereignty," Amir Saeid Iravani told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. The US and Israel are deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, he said. Asked about Iranian strikes around the region since Saturday, he said, "We are not attacking the interests of other neighbouring countries. We are defending ourselves." In Iran, he said, the US and Israel have bombed hospitals, Red Crescent facilities, residential buildings and schools, including one in Minab where 165 girls were killed. Ahead of Monday's meeting, the UNSC said that it builds on Mealania's "Fostering the Future Together" initiative, which she launched in September 2025. The initiative aims to form a global coalition of nations which are "committed to enhancing the well-being of children through the promotion of education, innovation, and technology". Among the initiative's goals is to promote cooperation with the private sector to provide access to innovative education technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and blockchain. Attacks against schools and hospitals are one of the six grave violations included in the UN-led Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) for violations against children established by resolution 1612 in 2005. Resolution 1998, adopted in 2011, designated these attacks as a grave violation that could trigger the listing of parties in the annexes of the Secretary-General's annual report on children and armed conflict. Resolution 2601 of October 29, 2021, on the protection of education emphasised the need to facilitate the continuation of education in situations of armed conflict. In this regard, it called on member states to "promote the adoption of remote learning solutions, including digital learning, literacy, and skills" as well as to provide assistance for the continuation of education for refugee and displaced children. - ANI The United States Central Command announced sustained operations that destroyed key Iranian military infrastructure, including IRGC command facilities and missile sites. In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed a massive drone and missile attack on a major US air base in Bahrain. The conflict is widening, as Israel reported killing a senior Hezbollah intelligence commander in a strike in Lebanon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the operation aims to eliminate Iranian missile and naval threats and warned that "the hardest hits are yet to come." US destroys IRGC command; Iran hits Bahrain base. Conflict spreads to Lebanon. Officials warn of harder hits to come. Full coverage of the escalating crisis. Washington DC, March 3 The United States Central Command said on Tuesday that the US forces carried out sustained operations targeting key Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In a post on X, CENTCOM said, "U.S. forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations. We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime." CENTCOM also said that multiple squadrons of F/A-18s are supporting sustained operations against Iran. According to CENTCOM U.S. forces are flying day and night to deliver overwhelming firepower. U.S. B-1 bombers also struck deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic missile capabilities. This enhanced use of firepower comes amid escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran. Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on the US air base in Bahrain. Iran's IRGC said it destroyed the main command building of a US air base in Bahrain during a drone and missile attack early Tuesday. It said that 20 drones and 3 missiles struck the Sheikh Isa base, also setting fuel tanks on fire. Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Iran will continue to defend itself decisively for as long as the US-Israeli aggression persists. The conflict has also spread to Lebanon with Israel mounting an offensive against the Hezbollah. Israel said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike. The IDF said Makled was responsible for "forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organization with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel." The Israeli Air Force also intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles that crossed from Lebanon Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US military operation against Iran was aimed at "eliminating" the threat posed by Iran's short-range ballistic missiles and its naval capabilities, particularly regarding threats to global shipping. Echoing US President Donald Trump he said that the hardest hits were yet to come. "The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now... The world will be a safer place when we're done with this operation," Rubio said "Our mission and our focus is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and their ability to manufacture them, as well as the threat posed by their Navy to global shipping," he aded. The scope of the conflict continues to widen with the Gulf States now drawn into it. - ANI A think tank analysis indicates combined US-Israeli airstrikes have severely damaged at least three buildings at Iran's critical Natanz nuclear facility. The strikes are part of a broader campaign targeting Iranian air defenses, internal security sites, and proxy forces like Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US assets and allies across the region, widening the conflict. World leaders are calling for de-escalation as the risk of a full-scale regional war continues to grow. ISW analysis reveals severe damage to buildings at Iran's Natanz nuclear site after US-Israeli strikes, escalating regional conflict risks. Washington DC, March 3 The Institute for the Study of War- a leading international policy research organization observed that the US-Israeli strikes into Iran on Monday struck the Natanz Nuclear facility, causing severe damage to at least three buildings. Sharing the analysis in a series of posts on X, ISW said, that the combined US-Israeli force continued to degrade Iranian air defenses to maintain air superiority over western Iran and Tehran. "The combined force struck the Natanz Nuclear Facility in Esfahan Province on March 2, which marks the first attack on an Iranian nuclear site since the start of the US-Israeli campaign on February 28. An Israeli analyst, citing March 2 satellite imagery, reported that strikes targeted Natanz and severely damaged at least three buildings", the post said. It further noted that the combined and several airstrikes on March 2 targeted Iranian internal security sites responsible for maintaining security, suppressing protests, and spreading regime propaganda. In another post it mentioned that the IDF continued to conduct airstrikes targeting Hezbollah military sites and institutions in Lebanon on March 2 and said that it degraded Hezbollah's ability to conduct retaliatory attacks against Israel. It further noted that the IDF reported that it struck over 70 Hezbollah weapons depots, launch sites, and launchers in southern Lebanon. It also mentioned that several attacks targeted Iranian-backed Iraqi militias in Iraq on March 1 and 2. ISW also said that Iran is attempting to disrupt international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and likely seeks to push the Gulf states to pressure the US and Israel to end its operations against Iran. The observation comes as a full-scale conflict erupted in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. - ANI The US Embassy in Islamabad and its consulates in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar have temporarily suspended all operations and visa services due to major security concerns. This decision follows deadly nationwide protests in Pakistan triggered by the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a reported US-Israeli strike. Clashes between protesters and authorities have resulted in at least 23 fatalities, with significant unrest outside diplomatic compounds in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. American citizens have been advised to restrict movements and avoid large gatherings as authorities impose Section 144 to ban public assemblies. US Embassy and consulates in Pakistan suspend visa services amid deadly nationwide protests following the killing of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei. Islamabad, March 3 Amid escalating protests across Pakistan following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a US-Israeli strike, the US Embassy in Islamabad and its consulates in Lahore and Karachi have temporarily suspended operations. The move comes as authorities struggle to contain unrest that has already left at least 23 people dead nationwide. In a message posted on X, the US Embassy in Islamabad said, "Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6." According to The Express Tribune, the US Consulate General in Peshawar also temporarily halted operations starting Monday due to security concerns and protests near diplomatic premises. All visa and American Citizen Services appointments at the US embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi and Lahore for March 2 were cancelled after demonstrators gathered near the sites. A US security alert issued on March 1 warned of ongoing demonstrations at the Lahore and Karachi consulates, as well as potential protests outside the Islamabad embassy and Peshawar consulate. US personnel were instructed to restrict their movements, while American citizens in Pakistan were advised to stay alert, avoid large gatherings, follow local news, and ensure their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program registration is current. The protests erupted after the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei, triggering nationwide unrest. Clashes have claimed at least 23 lives, including 10 outside the US Consulate in Karachi, 11 in Skardu, and two in Islamabad. In Karachi, demonstrators gathered outside the consulate where witnesses reported gunfire. In Lahore, hundreds protested outside the consulate, with clashes occurring as officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd. In Islamabad, protesters attempted to march toward the embassy despite roadblocks and heavy security. Authorities in Punjab and Islamabad invoked Section 144, banning public gatherings and rallies, while key roads near the Karachi consulate remained closed for a second day due to security concerns. The US Embassy emphasised that operations will resume only once the situation stabilises and urged all American citizens in Pakistan to exercise caution. - IANS Campaign aims to degrade Iranian military, not regime change Over 100 US aircraft launched after Trump's order US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly praised Israel's airstrike that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a successful operation. He and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine detailed the close coordination, noting the US assault was triggered by Israeli action and involved over 100 aircraft. The officials framed the campaign as focused on degrading Iranian military capabilities, not regime change. They emphasized the historic level of joint integration across air, cyber, and intelligence domains, underscoring years of planning between the two militaries. US Defense Secretary praises Israel's airstrike killing Iran's Supreme Leader, detailing close US-Israel coordination in Operation Epic Fury. Washington, March 2 US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, on Monday, publicly praised Israel's airstrike that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a successful operation and underscoring close US-Israel coordination in the opening phase of Operation 'Epic Fury'. "I think Israel did a great job in the conduct of that operation," Hegseth said when asked about Israel's decision to carry out the strike. US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine provided additional detail, saying the initial US assault was "a daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces enabled by the US Intelligence community." That formulation indicated that Israeli military action set the conditions for the broader US offensive that followed within hours. Caine said that once President Donald Trump gave the final order approving the operation with "no aborts", more than 100 US aircraft launched in a synchronised wave from land and sea. But he made clear that Israeli forces were already active. "Israel has separately executed hundreds of sorties against hundreds of targets beyond Air Force and Navy aircraft strike packages," Caine said, describing parallel but coordinated action. Hegseth framed the campaign as tightly scoped. "This is not a so-called regime change war," he said, adding that US objectives are focused on degrading Iranian military capabilities. He also linked Israeli and American actions rhetorically, saying, "The regime who chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" was gifted death from America and death from Israel." Beyond the strike on Khamenei, Israel was referenced repeatedly during the briefing as an operational partner. Caine described coordination across domains, including intelligence support and sequencing of strikes. The opening assault, he said, demonstrated "the level of joint integration displayed across every element of the joint force". Hegseth also said Israel has "clear missions as well, for which we are grateful capable partners", adding, "As we've said since the beginning, capable partners are good partners." The remarks underscored that Israeli operations were not limited to a single leadership strike but extended to sustained aerial activity alongside US forces. While the Pentagon did not provide specifics about Israeli targeting decisions, officials emphasised that the two militaries were acting in concert against Iranian command, missile and naval infrastructure. Caine noted that the scale of integration reflected years of planning and trust between the two forces. He described the broader operation as historic in scope and execution, highlighting coordinated cyber, space and air actions. - IANS The United States is dispatching two senior officials to India this week, highlighting the strategic importance Washington places on its partnership with New Delhi. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will lead the US delegation at the Raisina Dialogue and meet Indian officials to discuss defense, economic ties, and critical minerals. Assistant Secretary S. Paul Kapur is also in New Delhi for talks on regional security and shared Indo-Pacific priorities. The visits occur against a backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia, underscoring India's growing role in US foreign policy calculations. Senior US officials visit New Delhi for Raisina Dialogue, focusing on defense, Indo-Pacific strategy, and economic ties amid regional tensions. Washington, March 3 The United States is sending two senior officials to India this week, signalling the importance Washington attaches to New Delhi at a time of rising tensions in West Asia. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to New Delhi from March 3 to 6. He will lead the US delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue, described by the State Department as "India's premier geopolitical forum." The Department said Landau will advance "President Trump's America First policy priorities" during the visit. He is scheduled to meet senior Indian officials. The talks will cover "bilateral cooperation on defense, critical minerals, and counternarcotics." The two sides will also seek to "deepen commercial and economic ties to increase market access for American businesses" and "advance our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region." The visit comes "against the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia," the statement said, placing the India outreach in a wider regional context. In parallel, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapur is in New Delhi from March 1 to 3. According to the US Embassy, Kapur is meeting Indian officials to discuss "regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific." The embassy said his visit "builds upon recent momentum to advance President Trump's vision for a robust and mutually beneficial US-India partnership." The Raisina Dialogue has become India's flagship strategic forum. It draws global leaders, ministers, and security experts each year. A high-level US presence underlines India's growing weight in Washington's Indo-Pacific calculations. Over the past decade, India and the United States have expanded defence and strategic cooperation. They have signed key agreements and stepped up coordination in the Indo-Pacific. Cooperation has also widened to include critical minerals, emerging technologies, and energy security, areas that are likely to feature prominently in this week's talks in New Delhi. - IANS The United States has issued an urgent advisory for American citizens to immediately depart from over a dozen Middle Eastern nations, citing serious safety risks. The warning follows coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader and senior officials. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on U.S. assets and allies across the region. The conflict has also claimed the lives of six U.S. service members, as confirmed by CENTCOM. US urges Americans to leave over a dozen Middle East countries after strikes kill Iranian leaders and six US troops. Safety advisory issued. Washington DC, March 3 The United States has issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to "depart now" from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to "serious safety risks," as tensions escalated following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes against the US allies in the Gulf. Sharing a video message in a post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged its citizens to immediately depart from several Middle Eastern countries, citing "serious safety risks." "To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority. Sign up to receive STEP alerts at http://step.state.gov. Get information at @TravelGov and you can call the department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444," Rubio wrote in its post. Separately, in a post on X, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar wrote, "The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," the post read. The advisory, updated on March 2 at 4 pm EST, applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Meanwhile, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six US service members have been killed in action amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East following Iran's initial attacks in the region. In a post on X, CENTCOM wrote, "TAMPA, Fla. - As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted-for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification." This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. Earlier today, President Donald Trump said that the United States will continue its military operation against Iran to "eliminate the regime's missile capabilities", nuclear ambitions, and support for terrorism. - ANI Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed preparations in Haridwar for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit on March 7, which will feature a major event marking four years of the state government. Dhami stated the event will showcase the achievements of the "double-engine government" and expects large-scale participation. Separately, he confirmed that preparations for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, beginning April 19, are in their final stages. The state government aims to ensure a smooth and well-organized pilgrimage for the expected lakhs of devotees. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reviews prep for Amit Shah's March 7 visit in Haridwar to mark 4 years of state govt & finalizes Char Dham Yatra arrangements. Haridwar, March 3 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday reviewed preparations in Haridwar for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's proposed visit on March 7, during which a major event will be held to mark the completion of four years of the state government. Speaking about the upcoming programme, Dhami said that large-scale participation is expected from across Uttarakhand, particularly from the surrounding areas of Haridwar. "There's a big event here, and people from the surrounding areas of Haridwar and across Uttarakhand will participate. Our prominent workers, office bearers, and others working in various sectors of society will all participate," he said. The Chief Minister conducted an on-site inspection to assess arrangements and ensure that all preparations are in place ahead of the Union Home Minister's visit. Shah is scheduled to take part in events organised to commemorate four years of the Dhami-led government in the state. Dhami further stated that the programme will showcase the achievements of the "double-engine government" and highlight key developmental initiatives undertaken in Uttarakhand in recent years. "Additionally, there will be an event showcasing the work done by the double-engine government in recent years and the achievements of the state of Uttarakhand. There's a lot of enthusiasm among the people, and extensive preparations are underway," he added. Speaking about the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, the Chief Minister said that the state government had begun preparations well in advance and that arrangements are now in the final stages. "We began preparations for the Char Dham Yatra long ago, and preparations are in the final stages," Dhami said, expressing confidence that the yatra will be conducted smoothly. The upcoming Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand is set to begin on April 19. The yatra will commence with the opening of the gates at Yamunotri and Gangotri on April 19. The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham and Shri Badrinath Dham are also set to reopen for devotees on April 22 and April 23, respectively. With lakhs of devotees expected to undertake the sacred journey this season, the state government is focusing on ensuring a safe, well-organised and hassle-free pilgrimage experience. - ANI The Tamil film 'Thodakkam', starring Vidaarth, has officially commenced production with a traditional pooja ceremony in Chennai. The family drama, produced by Son of Wind Studios, features a cast including Chandini Tamilarasan and Esther Anil and is directed by Thulasi Raman. The film's shooting is planned for Pollachi to provide a fitting backdrop for its emotional narrative. The technical crew includes cinematographer Srikanth and music director Bharath Shankar. Actor Vidaarth's new family drama 'Thodakkam' begins filming. The cast includes Chandini Tamilarasan and Esther Anil. Directed by Thulasi Raman. Chennai, March 3 Actor Vidaarth's next film, 'Thodakkam', has now gone on floors with a traditional pooja ceremony that was attended by the entire cast and crew along with certain distinguished guests from the film fraternity. Sources close to the unit of the film say that it will promise to deliver a heartfelt and emotionally engaging cinematic experience. Produced by the production house, Son of Wind Studios, sources claim 'Thodakkam' will be a family drama that will delve into relationships, emotions, and the subtle bonds that shape human lives. With a story rooted in realism and strong emotional depth, the film aims to resonate with audiences across all sections. The film, which will feature Vidaarth and Chandini Tamilarasan in the lead, will feature a talented ensemble cast that will include Esther Anil, who is best known for her performances in the 'Drishyam' franchise, Shreya Rukmini, Goparaju,Ramana, Akshatha and Keshav. The film is to be directed by Thulasi Raman, a well-versed cinematographer and filmmaker with a diploma in cinematography. He has previously directed the short film 'Doppio' and has gained significant experience directing series' including 'Tom and Jerry' and 'Ms. Priya'. Cinematography for the film is to be by Srikanth, while music for the rooted family drama will be by music director Bharath Shankar. The film is to have editing by - Vachu Laksmin while art direction for the film is to be handled by Ralibedinez. Jonny JD has been roped in as the production designer for this film, which will have costumes designed by Kadhir. Sources close to the unit of the film say that the film's shooting is scheduled to take place in Pollachi, in a bid to have a backdrop that complements the emotional tone of the narrative. With the pooja ceremony marking a promising beginning, the team is all set to commence principal photography shortly. - IANS Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, condemns the ongoing conflict between Iran, Israel, and the US, stating Palestinians are completely against it. He argues the current battle cannot be isolated from its root cause, which he traces to the issuing of the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1970the day war in the Middle East was declared. The Ambassador emphasizes that the "Palestinian question" remains at the centre of the broader Middle East issue. He also criticizes Iran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf states while noting no one knows how the war, started by the US and Israel, will end. Palestine's Ambassador to India says the Middle East war was declared on the exact day of the 1970 Balfour Declaration, condemning the US-Israel-Iran conflict. New Delhi, March 3 Palestine Ambassador Abdullah Abu Shawesh on Tuesday condemned the ongoing conflict backed by the United States between Iran and Israel that has escalated tensions in the Middle East, bringing the region to a standstill. He said the events that are unfolding between Iran, Israel and other Gulf countries can't be discussed without highlighting the issuing of the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1970. Shawesh added that Palestinians view it as the exact day when war in the Middle East was declared. "When you talk about our view as Palestinians, because we had been suffering from the wars and battles a long time ago, we are totally against any war which erupts anywhere around the world. So, when it came to the current battle between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other side, we are completely against this war. It is reprehensible for us, as Palestinians, and it should be reprehensible for any human being," the Palestinian Ambassador to India told ANI. Shawesh argued that the current conflict between Iran and Israel was related to the Middle East issue, and the "Palestinian question" was at the centre of it. "But when it came to this issue, we could not isolate it as to what is happening right now between Iran, the Gulf States and Israel. We cannot isolate it from its root, which we as Palestinians take back to November 2, 1970, by issuing the Balfour Declaration - the war in the Middle East was declared on that exact day. We should analyse and discuss the battle that is going on right now, and at a macro-level, it is related to the Middle East issue, and in the centre of it is the Palestinian question," he added. The Balfour Declaration was a letter, signed by Arthur James Balfour, who was the British Foreign Secretary, addressed to Lord Walter Rothschild that declared "sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations". The letter talked about the British government's support for establishing a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Meanwhile, talking about the impact of Iran's counter-strikes on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Palestine Ambassador said that even though the US and Israel started this war, there was no way to figure out how to end the war. "Israel and the USA started this war, started this battle. But how to end this war, no one knows how this war will end, or who can end this war. So, unfortunately, Iran also attacked the Gulf States, attacked the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. This is completely unacceptable from our side," Shawesh said. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. - ANI BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh expressed hope that Israel and Iran would move towards restoring peace despite escalating retaliatory attacks. Retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain analyzed that the military success of US-Israel strikes does not equate to simple regime change in Iran, citing deep ideological support for the Iranian leadership. The conflict began with US-Israel airstrikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader and senior officials, prompting a widespread Iranian missile and drone response against regional US assets and allies. The widening conflict has heightened risks for civilians and expatriates across the Middle East. BJP's RP Singh calls for peace as Israel-Iran conflict escalates. Retired General Ata Hasnain analyzes the complexities of regime change in Iran. New Delhi, March 3 BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh on Tuesday hoped that both Israel and Iran would move towards the restoration of peace as the tensions in West Asia rise. "They killed their (Iran's) Supreme Leader, and in retaliation, they attacked the office of Benjamin Netanyahu. Still, we expect that the process will move towards restoration of peace from both sides," he said. Earlier, Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), while sharing his perspective on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asserted that the tremendous military achievement of the US-Israel partnership does not automatically lead to regime change in Iran He emphasised that regime change remains a far more complex objective, noting that Iran has already signalled its intent to push back and escalate the situation. "But it does not lead to regime change. Regime change is something bigger... There is a tremendous amount of ideological support, sentimental and emotive support from the Shia communities around the world and therefore escalation is on, and today is the third day. People may have expected that this war would come to an end, perhaps in a day or two, after the Supreme Leader had been eliminated. But I think Iran has decided to push back and escalate..." said Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.) US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. - ANI The White House has issued a statement cataloging a decades-long pattern of attacks it links to Iran that have resulted in American casualties. It accuses Iran of being the world's top state sponsor of terrorism and claims more Americans have been killed by Iran than any other terrorist regime. The listed incidents span from the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran to recent drone strikes in 2024. The statement frames the Trump administration's actions as a decisive break from past policies to finally eliminate the threat. White House releases partial record of attacks linked to Iran and its proxies since 1979, detailing American casualties in the Middle East and beyond. Washington, March 3 For nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused by successive US administrations of orchestrating or backing attacks that killed and wounded American citizens and service members across the Middle East and beyond. In a statement issued on Monday, the White House described Iran as "the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism" and said more Americans "have been killed by Iran than any other terrorist regime on Earth." President Donald J. Trump "is doing what Presidents over the last five decades have refused to do - eliminate the threat once and for all," the White House said. It added that by "destroying Iran's missiles, annihilating their navy, and ensuring they can never obtain a nuclear weapon, the Trump Administration's bold and decisive action is protecting American lives and advancing American interests." Outlining what it called a partial record of attacks linked to Iran and its proxies, the White House said that in November 1979, Iranian students backed by the regime seized the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 66 Americans hostage in a 444-day standoff. In April 1983, a suicide car bombing at the US Embassy in Beirut killed 17 Americans. Months later, in October 1983, 241 US military personnel were killed in a truck bombing at a Marine compound in Beirut. Through the 1980s and 1990s, a series of bombings, hijackings, and kidnappings was attributed to Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad. These included the 1996 truck bombing at a US Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 US airmen and wounded nearly 500 others, and the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. The statement also cited attacks during the Iraq war. Between 2003 and 2011, Iran-backed militias killed at least 603 US troops in Iraq, described as "roughly one in every six American combat fatalities in Iraq." In January 2007, gunmen affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force killed five US soldiers in Karbala, Iraq. In March 2007, former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran and likely died in prison, according to US officials. More recently, the White House listed rocket and drone attacks in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. In January 2024, Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militants killed three US service members and wounded more than 40 others in a drone attack on a US base in Jordan. It said that between October 2003 and November 2024, Iran and its proxies conducted more than 180 attacks against US forces in the Middle East, wounding more than 180 service members and killing three. The White House also referred to October 2023, when "Iran-backed Hamas terrorists killed 46 Americans and kidnapped at least 12 Americans" during the October 7 attacks in Israel. "November 2024: An Iranian national and IRGC asset was charged for plotting to assassinate President Trump," it said. The United States has designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984, citing its support for armed groups across the region. - IANS Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated the government will examine and take legal action if any laws were violated during protests in Bengaluru condemning the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He clarified that foreign policy is determined by the Centre and states follow its guidance. The minister also detailed the state's efforts, including correspondence with the Centre, to assist Kannadigas stranded in the Middle East amid regional conflict. He noted there has been no official communication regarding injuries or deaths among Indians there. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara says legal action will follow if protests condemning Ayatollah Khamenei's death violated law. Updates on efforts to aid stranded Kannadigas. Bengaluru, Mar 3 The Karnataka government on Tuesday said it would examine and initiate action if any violation of law was found during protests in Bengaluru to condemn the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, state Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the law is equal for everyone and any breach would invite action. Referring to the protests, he said, "If they wanted to stage a protest, they should have done it at Freedom Park. It does not matter even if MLAs have participated. The same rules apply to everyone. We have to think of initiating legal action if there is a violation," he said. When asked about reports that the Centre had instructed states to monitor protests condemning Khamenei's death, Parameshwara said he had no specific information. "It may have come to the Chief Secretary or the Home Department. If any instruction has come, the Director General would have brought it to my notice. I have only seen media reports that those supporting Ayatollah Khamenei would be monitored. I have not received any official update," he said. On whether he had issued any directions in this regard, the Minister said there was no concerning situation at present. "If anything comes to our notice, we will initiate action," he added. Calling the issue one of geopolitics, Parameshwara said foreign policy is determined by the Centre and states follow its guidance. Responding to questions about the Congress party raising concerns over the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits and the bombings in Iran, Parameshwara declined to comment. He also refrained from commenting on Sonia Gandhi's criticism of the Prime Minister, stating that it was a national and international matter beyond the state's purview. On the situation of Kannadigas in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, Parameshwara said the state government has written to the Centre seeking assistance for stranded Indians, including Kannadigas. "Thousands of people are working in the Middle East. Some have settled there for 10 to 20 years. Others have gone for holidays, business trips or meetings. Those who do not know whom to contact are the ones who need help," he said. He stated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Chief Secretary of Karnataka have written to the Government of India requesting that stranded individuals be protected and brought back to the state. "Many Indians are stranded there and all of them have to be brought back. Hopefully, all our Kannadigas will return safely," he said. Parameshwara said there has been no official communication regarding deaths or injuries in the conflict. "The Ministry of External Affairs has not provided any official information. Without that, it would only be speculation," he said. He added that even some legislators were reportedly in the region and efforts were being made to contact them. Referring to JD(S) MLC S.L. Bhojegowda, Parameshwara said he had spoken to him and was informed that a missile had landed close to where he was staying, after which he and others were shifted to bunkers before returning safely. The Minister also mentioned that Ronald Colaco, based in Dubai, had shared his contact details with people seeking assistance. "I tried contacting him, but it has been difficult to get through due to network issues," he said. The state government said it continues to monitor the situation and remains in touch with the Centre regarding the safety and evacuation of Kannadigas from the conflict-hit region. - IANS Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra has assured a group of 61 Kannadigas stranded in Dubai that he will speak to the Central government to facilitate their safe return. The individuals, who had travelled for an award function, are facing flight cancellations due to the escalated tensions between Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has established a dedicated help desk to assist affected passengers. While some, including badminton star P.V. Sindhu, have already returned, others remain stranded as flights are fully booked. BJP's BY Vijayendra assures Kannadigas stranded in UAE due to flight cancellations, promises to engage Centre for their safe return amid Israel-Iran tensions. Bengaluru, March 3 Amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday spoke to Kannadigas stranded in Dubai and reassured them. He assured that he would speak to the Central government to ensure that those caught in the crisis are brought back to Karnataka at the earliest. A total of 61 people had travelled to Dubai to receive an award and are currently staying there, members of the team said. Five persons from Arsikere are also part of the group and are staying at a hotel, they said while sharing their concerns. "It has now been seven days. Even the flight scheduled for tonight has been cancelled," they explained. Vijayendra said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given priority attention to the issue. "Earlier, when a similar situation arose in Ukraine, the Central government resolved it and made arrangements to bring back those stranded there. This war has started suddenly. I will also speak to the concerned authorities in Delhi," he said, while offering reassurance. He stated that he would urge the authorities to take steps to ensure the team returns safely. "Do not panic. I will request that necessary action be taken to bring all of you back safely," he added. Indians, including several Kannadigas, who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following flight cancellations triggered by the Israel-Iran conflict, have begun returning home, bringing relief to families in Karnataka. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. A flight that departed from Dubai on Monday night landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport near Devanahalli in Bengaluru Rural district in the wee hours of Tuesday. Among those who arrived were Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda and badminton star P.V. Sindhu. Amid the crisis, the Kannadigas Helpline team led by non-resident Kannadiga patron Ronald Colaco extended support to stranded individuals. The team collected details of those affected and appealed to the government for urgent assistance. It also expressed readiness to bear emergency expenses and urged those in need of medical services to contact the helpline. Kannadigas in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman were advised to reach out for help. Several Kannadigas who had travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for business, personal visits or work were stranded due to the escalating tensions. Many expressed relief after returning safely, while others remain stuck as flights continue to be fully booked. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. - IANS 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. Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. "Growing up, nothing was given to Keaton. He earned everything he got when it came to any kind of competition, including driveway basketball" with the family, said Logan Wagler, who called into Wednesday's 30th show from Kansas. Also on: United Way retiring CEO Sue Grey, ESPN's Charlie Creme and Tuscola native Blake Woodard. Azenta, Inc. today announced that its affiliate, Azenta Germany GmbH, has signed a binding agreement for the sale of Azentas B Medical Systems business to THELEMA S.A R.L., for a purchase price of US$63 million. The transaction is expected to close on or before March 31, 2026. The agreement to sell B Medical Systems marks a major step forward in simplifying the portfolio to prioritize our core capabilities with the highest strategic impact, The proceeds from this sale will be deployed to strengthen the company and drive long-term profitable value creation for our shareholders. John Marotta, President and CEO, Azenta Life Sciences B Medical Systems is a global manufacturer and distributor of medical refrigeration devices based in Luxembourg. William Blair served as exclusive financial advisor and Taylor Wessing served as legal counsel to Azenta for this transaction. Children who received Early Intervention (EI) services before age 3 were more likely to meet third-grade academic standards in math and English language arts (ELA), according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the New York City Health Department. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open. While prior research has documented the benefits of targeted developmental therapies, few studies have examined the long-term academic impact of EI services provided under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) the federal grant program to aid states in implementing a system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. This study is among the first to offer population-level evidence that EI participation is associated with measurable improvements in later school performance. Our findings demonstrate that Early Intervention Programs have quantifiable academic benefits for children with moderate to severe developmental delays or disabilities living in a large urban center. This study provides strong, population-level evidence that investments in Early Intervention are not only beneficial for children and families, but also for educational systems and communities. As policymakers consider funding priorities, these findings underscore that supporting children early can translate into measurable academic gains years later." Jeanette Stingone, PhD, assistant professor of Epidemiology, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health "This research demonstrates what we already know to be true -- Early Intervention has lasting positive impacts for children with developmental delays," said Lidiya Lednyak, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Family and Child Health, and Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Early Intervention. "The New York City Health Department is committed to supporting healthier, more equitable futures for children and families. Evidence-based programs like EI create a solid foundation for lifelong learning and development." The researchers analyzed linked public health and education records for 214,370 children born in New York City between 1994 and 1998 who had third-grade test data. Of these, 13,022 children (6 percent) received EI services before age 3. Using matched administrative records and regression analyses, the team compared standardized test scores and the likelihood of meeting grade-level standards between children who did and did not receive EI services. Children who received EI had higher English language arts test scores and were more likely to meet academic standards in both math and English. The strongest associations were observed among children who later required special education services. In this group, those who had received EI were 28 percent more likely to meet ELA standards and 17 percent more likely to meet math standards compared to peers who had not received EI. Benefits were particularly pronounced among Latino/a children-especially those whose mothers were born outside the United States-as well as among children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, including those whose mothers had lower educational attainment or were enrolled in Medicaid at the time of delivery. Third grade represents a key developmental milestone, when students transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." The findings suggest that EI may provide foundational skills that strengthen later educational supports and underscore the importance of continued investment in early intervention services. The study's strengths include its large, population-based sample and the linkage of EI and New York City Department of Education records-systems that are typically separate. The authors note that some subgroup findings should be interpreted cautiously, but overall they support continued investment in EI services and strong transitions from Early Intervention to school-based programs. "Early childhood represents a critical window of opportunity," Stingone said. "By identifying developmental delays early and connecting families to services, we can help set children on a stronger academic trajectory. These findings reinforce the importance of sustaining and strengthening Early Intervention programs so that all children-regardless of background-have the opportunity to thrive in school and beyond." In an accompanying commentary, researchers at the University of California, Davis write that the study by Stingone and colleagues provides timely and compelling evidence that Early Intervention programming is associated with improved educational outcomes at the population level. The commentators note that the academic benefits associated with EI may be even greater today, as tools for identifying and supporting children with developmental disabilities have improved since the study period. The NYC Health Department administers the Early Intervention Program across the five boroughs. Approximately 30,000 infants and toddlers suspected of having a developmental delay or disability are referred to the New York City program each year. Early Intervention services are free and are delivered to eligible children regardless of race, ethnicity, income or immigration status. A new retrospective cohort study examining the impact of Minnesota's first-in-the-nation mandated universal newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) shows that universal screening significantly decreased the age at first audiology visit and increased identification of mild hearing loss in infants. The findings, published in OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), add to a growing body of evidence supporting universal cCMV screening programs as a critical public health tool. Congenital cytomegalovirus is the leading infectious cause of birth defects and the leading non-genetic cause of hearing loss in infants, affecting approximately 1 in every 200 newborns. CMV-related hearing loss can be progressive, with over 55% of both asymptomatic and symptomatic children developing hearing loss after the newborn period. The narrow therapeutic window for antiviral treatment-most effective when initiated within the first month of life-makes early identification through universal screening essential for ensuring timely intervention. "Our experience in Minnesota shows that universal screening for cCMV enhances our ability to catch mild hearing loss early on in life and has the potential to improve the life of children who are diagnosed with the disease. Our hope is that our experience in Minnesota will guide policymakers in other states as we continue to learn more about cCMV and the best way to screen for and treat this common condition," said Andrew J. Redmann, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Children's Minnesota. Researchers examined 132 patients diagnosed with cCMV at Children's Minnesota between 2021 and 2024, comparing outcomes before, during, and after the rollout of universal screening. Key findings include: Faster path to hearing evaluation : Infants were seen by audiology significantly sooner-at roughly 25 days of age on average after mandated screening, compared to about 8.5 months before screening existed. : Infants were seen by audiology significantly sooner-at roughly 25 days of age on average after mandated screening, compared to about 8.5 months before screening existed. More mild hearing loss caught : Mandated screening identified four times as many cases of mild hearing loss compared to the prior year, while the number of severe hearing loss diagnoses stayed the same. : Mandated screening identified four times as many cases of mild hearing loss compared to the prior year, while the number of severe hearing loss diagnoses stayed the same. Dramatic increase in diagnoses: The number of cCMV diagnoses jumped from about 3 per year before 2022 to 61 per year once universal screening was in place. The number of cCMV diagnoses jumped from about 3 per year before 2022 to 61 per year once universal screening was in place. Proportionally fewer interventions needed: While a similar number of infants overall required treatment such as antiviral medication or hearing devices, these cases represented a smaller share of all positive screens-reflecting a larger population of milder, previously unidentified cases now being captured. Connecting research to academy advocacy The findings come as the AAO-HNS continues to advance cCMV screening as one of its top legislative priorities at both the federal and state levels. "The evidence from Minnesota's pioneering program-and from studies across the country-overwhelmingly supports universal screening," said Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO. "As the physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing health conditions, we know that early identification through screening is essential to timely intervention and to the long-term developmental success of children." Federal advocacy: The Stop CMV Act The Stop CMV Act (H.R. 5435/S. 2842) was successfully reintroduced during the first session of the 119th Congress by U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Deborah Ross (D-NC) and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), thanks to the efforts of AAO-HNS working in partnership with other key allies and medical societies. This important legislation would authorize federal funding for cCMV screening programs that improve early detection and intervention of hearing loss in infants. State-level momentum building in 2026 The Academy's advocacy efforts continue to gain traction across the country: New York: The Academy submitted a letter to the New York State Legislature in strong support of Assembly bills A.3956 and A.3074, which would establish universal newborn CMV screening and require reporting of positive results to ensure timely referral and coordinated follow-up care. Oregon: Carol MacArthur, MD, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Oregon Health & Science University, testified on behalf of AAO-HNS before the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on rules implementing the state's targeted cCMV screening program. Dr. MacArthur urged OHA to include otolaryngology as a first-line referral for infants with confirmed cCMV and emphasized the role of telehealth in reaching rural and underserved families. The OHA issued final rules on December 31. Vermont: AAO-HNS submitted a letter to the Vermont House Committee on Human Services in strong support of H.533, legislation that would require the Department of Health to add cCMV to the newborn screening panel, provide education for expectant parents and healthcare providers, and create a multidisciplinary advisory committee to support coordinated, evidence-based implementation. Massachusetts: The Academy submitted testimony in support of H. 4367, which would require universal cCMV screening for all newborns, establish a statewide public education program, and create an advisory committee to guide implementation and ensure equitable access. Looking ahead: Several additional states are expected to move forward with cCMV screening proposals soon, including Michigan, Illinois, and Vermont. Poverty can affect babies' motor development as early as six months of age. This is the conclusion of the first Brazilian study to examine the quantity and quality of motor development month by month and its relationship with socioeconomic vulnerability during the first months of life. The study, conducted by researchers at the Federal University of Sao Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of Sao Paulo, followed 88 babies from three to eight months of age. Fifty of the babies were from families experiencing socioeconomic vulnerability. The results were published in the journal Acta Psychologica. "In addition to these babies reaching motor milestones [such as grabbing objects, rolling over, and sitting up] later than those not exposed to poverty, they showed less diversity in their movements, always repeating the same strategy to pick up a toy, for example," explains Carolina Fioroni Ribeiro da Silva, a FAPESP scholarship recipient whose study was the subject of her doctoral thesis. For Eloisa Tudella, a professor at UFSCar and research advisor, these subtle delays in infants exposed to poverty can have important impacts later on in preschool and school. "Although it was not the direct focus of the research, evidence indicates that mild motor delays in the first year of life can influence overall development and be associated with behavioral problems at school age, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and coordination disorders," she says. Good news The study also showed that reversal is possible, as the delays were no longer significant by eight months. This possibility of improvement is attributed to the mothers' engagement, as they began to follow the guidelines given during the visits at home (no fathers presented themselves as responsible for receiving the researchers). "Most of the mothers exposed to poverty were teenagers and didn't know how to stimulate their babies after birth. During the visits, we taught them simple practices, such as placing the child on their stomach, using crumpled paper as a toy, or talking and singing to the baby. All the mothers were very receptive, copied the actions during the evaluations, and began to interact more with their children, favoring their motor development," says Silva, who is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Heinrich Heine University in Germany. These short periods when the baby lies face down on a mat, awake and supervised, are known as "tummy time." They are recommended for strengthening the head, neck, shoulders, back, and arms. This contributes to the development of the muscles and coordination necessary for the baby to roll over, sit up, crawl, and stand. "In many homes, the babies spent more time confined to strollers, with few opportunities to explore their surroundings, strengthen their muscles, and try out different ways of moving, as there was no space for that," says Silva. The study used the Infant Motor Profile (IMP) for the first time in Brazil. The IMP is an instrument developed by researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Unlike scales that only assess whether the baby has reached a certain motor milestone, the IMP also analyzes the quality of movements, including variation, fluidity, symmetry, and performance. This allows for the early identification of neuromotor risks, the planning of more precise interventions, and the monitoring of children's progress over time. According to Tudella, another advantage of the IMP is that it reduces the need for more expensive and complex assessments, such as magnetic resonance imaging in babies, which usually requires sedation. Domestic chaos Throughout the 334 assessments conducted for the study, the researchers identified the male sex as a risk factor. Boys were found to be 2.57 times more likely than girls to exhibit atypical motor development. The researchers cannot explain exactly why this difference exists. However, previous studies suggest that male babies are biologically more susceptible to inflammatory processes. Combined with poverty and unstimulating environments, this susceptibility increases the risk of motor delay. Another aspect associated with worse outcomes is the presence of many adults in the same household, possibly because it creates a more chaotic environment with fewer safe spaces and opportunities for the baby to move around. Protective factors include the availability of toys that stimulate fine motor skills, even improvised, economical ones, and older mothers. In the study, the average maternal age was 24, with a variation of seven years; most mothers exposed to poverty were teenagers. Those with better socioeconomic conditions were closer to 38 years of age. Living with both parents and higher maternal education were also associated with better outcomes. Silva explains that the first two years of life are the period of greatest neuroplasticity, when children intensely absorb stimuli from their environment. "Since it isn't possible to immediately eliminate structural factors such as poverty or teenage pregnancy, home visit programs would be an excellent palliative measure," says the researcher, who advocates creating programs with community health workers and physical therapists to give greater visibility to the needs of this population. Tighter regulations and an influx of federal money in recent years have helped communities across the U.S. initiate efforts to clean up lead contamination in soil, drinking water, and older homes. But Congress and the Trump administration have partially rolled back those rules and resources, potentially making it more challenging for cash-strapped cities and towns to undertake sweeping lead remediation programs. That's the case in New Orleans, where an investigation by Verite News found high lead levels in about half of the playgrounds on city property and found detectable levels of the toxic metal in most homes that tested their drinking water in a voluntary program. No level of lead exposure is safe, according to federal environmental officials, but undertaking a comprehensive cleanup can be financially prohibitive. New Orleans is facing a $220 million budget deficit that has led to city employee furloughs and layoffs. Congress allocated $15 billion over five years to lead pipe replacement under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a Biden-era measure set to expire at the end of this year. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency also tightened the standards for lead-contaminated soil for the first time in 30 years and mandated that water systems replace all lead service lines by late 2037. But a spending package passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in January redirected $125 million of that lead remediation money to wildfire prevention. And since October, the EPA has partially rolled back protections against soil contamination, raising the federal hazard level in urban areas and the threshold for removing contaminated soil. Tom Neltner, the national director of the nonprofit advocacy group Unleaded Kids, said it was the first time an administration had loosened the limits on lead in soil. " We've seen the Trump administration say positive things about its commitment to lead but then take actions that undermine that," Neltner said. But, he added, progress is still being made in some communities. EPA press secretary Brigit Hirsch said the changes made under the Trump administration have reduced confusion and uncertainty that could hamper cleanup efforts. "The Trump EPA's record on protecting Americans especially American children from lead is unmatched," Hirsch said in an emailed statement. "In just the last year, the Trump EPA backed up its commitment to reducing lead exposure in children with BILLIONS of dollars and historic action." She cited a November EPA announcement of $3 billion available to pay for water pipe replacement. That money is from the 2021 infrastructure law passed during the Biden administration. Verite News spoke with people in Michigan, Indiana, and Rhode Island to learn how they addressed their lead pollution, with the aim of finding options that could be applied in New Orleans and other cities. " We don't need to do research on lead anymore," said Tulane University professor Felicia Rabito, an epidemiologist who researches the toxic metal and its sources. "What we need are policies to get the lead out of the environment." Benton Harbor, Michigan: Lead pipes begone Benton Harbor, a predominantly Black beach town of about 9,000 people on the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan, spent three years out of compliance with federal drinking water standards. The concentration of lead in the water remained dangerously high until residents and organizations petitioned the EPA in 2021, drawing responses from state and federal officials. "Nobody should be drinking lead in their water for this long," said Elin Betanzo, an engineer who provided the petitioning residents with technical support. That year, federal officials issued an enforcement order for the Michigan city to bring its water supply into compliance, and the state required Benton Harbor to replace all its lead pipes within 18 months. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, committed to securing funding in the state budget for the $35 million effort, which included bottled water distribution and paying outstanding water bills for low-income residents. The state, alongside the city, allocated money from its general fund, secured regional water loans, and cobbled together grants from several federal programs to cover the total. By the end of 2023, city officials had completed the project. Now it's one of 21 municipalities in Michigan that have replaced all their lead pipes. Benton Harbor had more than 4,500 pipes to replace. The Trump administration has said it would defend the Biden-era mandate for lead pipe replacement by 2037 against a lawsuit challenging it. Betanzo recommended that utilities in other cities reduce barriers to line replacement to increase efficiency, as Benton Harbor's water system did. City officials saved time after assuming most pipes would be lead. They decided to go street by street, digging up, inspecting, and replacing nearly every pipe. If the pipe wasn't lead, it wasn't replaced, but nearly all were, Betanzo said. Concentrating the mass replacement in one zone at a time made the contracts more cost-effective, Betanzo added. Contractors bid on zones in the city, and multiple contractors worked in different neighborhoods simultaneously. For transparency, progress was published on a public database. The city also passed a law requiring lead lines be replaced, including those on customers' side of the water meter. All residents had to allow the contractors onto their property or face disconnection. The residents didn't pay for the line replacements. " The health benefits of lead service line replacement are greatest the sooner you get it done," Betanzo noted, referencing a 2023 study she co-authored. "If you do it wrong, you can absolutely increase exposure to lead through a lead service line replacement." Completion of full pipe replacement is rare in the U.S., because of the cost, poor service line tracking, the time it takes, and the prioritization of other issues. In New Orleans, the process could require up to $1 billion of investment over 10 years, according to the city's Sewerage and Water Board. Indianapolis: Safe dirt for kids It's not just lead pipes that are problematic. In 2024, a study published in the academic journal GeoHealth estimated that nearly a quarter of homes in the U.S. have unsafe levels of lead in the soil on their properties. To that end, Indianapolis has taken some actions that other cities can learn from, said Gabriel Filippelli, a professor at the Indiana University-Indianapolis School of Science who led the study and has researched the risk of lead exposure through soil for years. The Indy Parks & Recreation department partnered with Filippelli's team to test a dozen parks relatively close to the contaminated site of a shuttered lead smelter. Out of all the parks tested, Filippelli's team found only one hot spot, beneath an old bench from which lead-based paint had flaked off into the surrounding soil. The parks department followed Filippelli's suggestion to replace the bench and add concrete and a thick layer of mulch and plants on the ground, so kids wouldn't be able to play directly in the contaminated dirt. "It was a relatively low-cost intervention," he said, estimating it cost a few thousand dollars. The ground wasn't excavated, and new dirt wasn't brought in. "If you deal with it by dilution and by capping, remove the source, you're solving the problem for today and probably many, many years to come." The contaminated dirt may need to be removed in some cases and replaced with clean soil, such as after severe, widespread pollution from industrial sources. But Filippelli said such extensive remediation can be impractical and too expensive for cities to undertake on their own. Where full remediation is cost-prohibitive, Filippelli said, there are more creative solutions, like landscaping, covering the area with new dirt, or mulching. These methods won't eliminate the lead entirely, but they will significantly reduce exposure risk. "You can eliminate the hazard at a fraction of the cost," he said. Cities could also look to New York City's free Clean Soil Bank program, which places uncontaminated soil left over from construction projects in neighborhood-level banks for volunteers to distribute, he said. Rhode Island: Stopping lead at the source New England, home to some of the nation's oldest homes, has led the U.S. in mitigating one of the largest ongoing sources of lead contamination: paint. In 2023, the state legislature in Rhode Island, where most of the homes were built before lead paint was banned in 1978, passed a package of laws strengthening the state's ability to enforce tenant protections. Prior to 2023, the state had long required most landlords to have their property inspected to ensure it met "lead safe" guidelines, said DeeAnn Guo, a community organizer for the Childhood Lead Action Project. Although no level of lead is considered safe, replacing windows and doors that have lead paint, painting over all interior and exterior walls, and mitigating contaminated soil significantly reduce the risk of exposure. But for years "there was no incentive to do it," Guo said, "aside from it being the right thing to do." Now, landlords can be fined if they don't have an active lead certificate on file for homes built before 1978, and the property has to be inspected every two years to remain in compliance. Before the new law, less than 15% of rentals were certified. In late 2025, that had increased to 40%, Guo said. The state has also seen a steady decline in the levels of lead found in children's blood. Guo said it helps that the state has federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to subsidize its LeadSafe housing program. If a homeowner or landlord owns an old house, they can apply for the state to send an inspector. If lead is found, the state will then send a certified contractor to address the problem at little to no cost to the property owner. Rhode Island prioritizes low-income households and homes with pregnant women or children under 6 years old, because of the heightened health risk. It can also help pay to remediate homes if a child living there has elevated levels of lead in their blood. States and communities looking to start a successful lead paint abatement program using HUD money should combine strong enforcement, public education, and offers of subsidies, Guo said. It also helps to include community members in the planning process, she said. Under the Trump administration, however, it might become harder for more communities like New Orleans to receive money for a "lead safe" program. Last year, HUD asked Congress to eliminate new funding for its lead hazards program, stating it would be restored in 2027. But advocates for more lead protections argue that once funding is lost, it is unlikely to be approved again. "It shows the White House's hypocrisy, where they talk about lead as being important and then propose eliminating the funds that are essential to cleaning up affordable housing," said Neltner, the Unleaded Kids director. "This administration talks about the importance of children and then seems to be careless about children's brains." This article was produced in collaboration with Verite News. The four-month investigation was supported by a Kozik Environmental Justice Reporting grant funded by the National Press Foundation and the National Press Club Journalism Institute. It was also produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism's National Fellowship fund and Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journalism. A sweeping new peer-reviewed study published in Genomic Psychiatry has introduced a concept that could reshape how psychiatrists and geneticists think about mental illness: genetic specificity. Led by Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler at Virginia Commonwealth University, the research team analyzed data from over two million individuals born in Sweden between 1950 and 1995, asking a deceptively simple question. When someone is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, how much of their genetic vulnerability actually points toward that specific condition, and how much spills over into risk for entirely different diagnoses? The answer, it turns out, varies enormously. And it is anything but static. A question as old as psychiatry itself The debate is not new. In the 19th century, when family studies of mental illness first emerged, clinicians argued fiercely about whether hereditary transmission was specific to individual disorders or represented some diffuse predisposition to madness in general. That question has resurfaced in every generation of psychiatric genetics since. Twin studies, molecular analyses, and polygenic risk scores have all demonstrated that genetic risk factors for one psychiatric condition frequently overlap with those for others, sometimes dramatically so. Yet until now, nobody had tried to put a single number on the phenomenon. How specific, in percentage terms, is the genetic architecture of schizophrenia versus depression versus drug addiction? Could these illnesses that clinicians spend careers distinguishing from one another actually share the bulk of their inherited vulnerabilities? And if specificity varies, what makes it change? Measuring the unmeasured Dr. Kendler and colleagues, including Dr. Henrik Ohlsson, Dr. Jan Sundquist, and Dr. Kristina Sundquist at Lund University in Sweden, devised an elegant approach. They selected nine major and diverse psychiatric and substance use disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, PTSD, major depression, anxiety disorder, and drug use disorder. For each diagnosis, they calculated family genetic risk scores (FGRS) derived from morbidity patterns across first- through fifth-degree relatives, adjusting for cohabitation effects. Then, within each diagnostic cohort, they used linear regression to determine what proportion of the total genetic risk signal across all nine conditions was attributable specifically to the diagnosed disorder. The ratio they computed is genetic specificity. A value near 100 % would mean that virtually all the genetic liability carried by, say, individuals with bipolar disorder relates specifically to bipolar disorder. A low value suggests that most of their genetic burden actually predisposes to a range of other psychiatric disorders. Sample sizes were formidable. The depression cohort alone included 674,955 individuals. Schizophrenia, at the other end, comprised 18,348. The total dataset encompassed over two million diagnostic records drawn from Swedish national patient and primary care registers with full population coverage. A striking hierarchy of specificity The results painted a vivid picture. Schizophrenia stood apart with the highest genetic specificity at 73.1 % (95 % CI: 66.3 to 79.8), meaning that nearly three quarters of the aggregate genetic risk carried by individuals with schizophrenia "coded" only for that disorder. Bipolar disorder followed at 54.8 %, then alcohol use disorder at 54.1 %. A middle tier included ADHD (48.2 %), autism spectrum disorder (47.5 %), and PTSD (47.4 %), three conditions that on the surface share relatively little clinical territory. Then came the conditions with the least specific genetic profiles. Major depression registered 41.1 %, anxiety disorder 38.6 %, and drug use disorder a mere 29.5 %. That last figure is remarkable. It means that for every unit of genetic risk carried by an individual diagnosed with drug use disorder, less than a third actually relates to drug use disorder itself. The rest scatters across schizophrenia, depression, ADHD, and the other conditions in the panel. "What surprised us was the sheer range," said Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler, VIPBG Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University and corresponding author of the study. Schizophrenia carries a genetic signature that is overwhelmingly its own. Drug use disorder, by contrast, looks more like a downstream expression of genetic risks that cut across many conditions. That difference has real implications for how we design genetic studies and how we think about diagnostic categories." Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler, VIPBG Distinguished Professor, Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University Could these patterns reshape how we conceptualize diagnostic boundaries? Will low-specificity disorders eventually be understood as clinical expressions of a broader genetic susceptibility, rather than truly distinct entities? Specificity is not destiny Perhaps the most provocative finding is that genetic specificity is not a fixed property of any disorder. It shifts, sometimes profoundly, with three clinical features: age at onset, number of recurrences, and where treatment occurs. Bipolar disorder showed the most dramatic variability. Early-onset bipolar cases had substantially higher genetic specificity than late-onset cases, and the decline with advancing age at onset was steep. Individuals with many recurrent episodes of bipolar disorder were far more genetically specific than those with few episodes. And bipolar patients treated in hospital settings demonstrated markedly higher specificity (63 %, 95 % CI: 60 to 67 %) than those seen exclusively in primary care (31 %, 95 % CI: 16 to 46 %), a gap of over 30 percentage points (p < 0.001). PTSD moved in the opposite direction. Its genetic specificity actually increased with later age at onset and was highest among individuals treated only in primary care (53 %, 95 % CI: 50 to 56 %) rather than those who were hospitalized (41 %, 95 % CI: 37 to 45 %). For all nine disorders without exception, greater recurrence was associated with higher genetic specificity. The effect was most pronounced for bipolar disorder and ADHD. This finding carries intuitive appeal: an individual who experiences many episodes of a single condition likely carries a genetic burden that is genuinely tilted toward that particular illness, rather than reflecting a generalized vulnerability that happened to manifest in one clinical form. What does this mean for the practicing clinician who encounters a first episode of depression in a 45-year-old? Is that presentation genetically different from recurrent depression beginning at age 20? The data suggest yes, and considerably so. "Genetic specificity is not some abstract property locked inside the genome," Dr. Kendler explained. "It moves. It responds to clinical features that every psychiatrist can observe at the bedside. A hospitalized bipolar patient and one seen only in primary care carry substantially different levels of genetic specificity.." Why depression and bipolar disorder diverge at the hospital door One of the study's most intellectually satisfying findings involves the contrasting behavior of major depression and bipolar disorder across treatment settings. For bipolar disorder, hospitalized cases were more genetically specific. The researchers suggest this makes sense: what lands a bipolar patient in a hospital bed is typically the severity of their primary manic illness, which concentrates disorder-specific genetic risk. Depression tells the opposite story. Hospitalized depression cases were less genetically specific than those treated in primary care. Why? Dr. Kendler and colleagues propose that what drives depressed individuals into the hospital is often not the depth of their sadness but impulsive behaviors, suicidal ideation, and substance-related crises, all of which reflect elevated genetic risks for externalizing disorders like ADHD, alcohol use disorder, and drug use disorder. Primary care depression, by contrast, may represent a purer genetic signal for mood pathology. This distinction raises practical questions. Should researchers studying the genetics of depression preferentially recruit from primary care rather than inpatient units? Would doing so yield cleaner, more replicable genetic signals? Robustness and replication The investigators took pains to test the stability of their findings. Sensitivity analyses explored how correcting for comorbidity affected specificity estimates. Removing the 6.0 % of depression cases who also carried a lifetime bipolar diagnosis, for instance, barely moved the needle, shifting specificity from 41.1 % to 41.8 %. Similar corrections for schizophrenia and bipolar overlap produced equally modest changes. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that genetic specificities were remarkably similar between men and women for most disorders. The two notable exceptions were alcohol use disorder and drug use disorder, where men showed substantially and significantly higher genetic specificities (p < 0.001). This raises the question of whether social and environmental factors may dilute disorder-specific genetic signals differently across sexes for substance-related conditions. A leave-one-out analysis examined whether any single disorder in the panel disproportionately influenced another's specificity estimate. For most conditions, removing any one comparator had little effect. The most notable dependencies existed between pairs already known to share high genetic correlations: major depression and anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder and drug use disorder. These findings are consistent with the existing literature on genetic overlap among psychiatric conditions, and they underscore that genetic specificity is partly a function of the comparison group. Convergence with molecular genetics The results align compellingly with recent molecular genetic analyses. A large multivariate study by Grotzinger and colleagues, published in Nature in 2026, examined 14 psychiatric disorders using polygenic risk scores and identified a general psychopathology "P-factor" along with five subfactors. Their internalizing factor, which included major depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD, the three conditions with the lowest genetic specificity in Dr. Kendler's analysis, shared over 90% of its genetic variance with the overarching P-factor. By contrast, the schizophrenia-bipolar factor shared only 35% with the P-factor. The convergence across entirely different methodologies and datasets is striking, reinforcing the conclusion that some psychiatric disorders possess far more genetically distinct identities than others. Limitations and honest caveats The study rests on Swedish national registry data, not research-grade structured diagnostic interviews. Diagnostic practices inevitably vary across clinicians and time periods, although Sweden maintains a long tradition of careful psychiatric diagnosis, and validation studies support the quality of registry diagnoses for the conditions examined. The family genetic risk scores used here differ fundamentally from polygenic risk scores derived from DNA sequencing, though prior work by this team has demonstrated that both approaches behave consistently as measures of additive genetic liability. The findings derive from a Swedish population born to Swedish-born parents, and generalizability to other ethnic and geographic populations remains to be established. It is also important to note the specificity of genetic risk is likely substantially influenced by the well- known concept of comorbidity. If a disorder is only modestly heritability like major depression and frequently co-occurs with other comorbid disoders, which is true for depression which typically shows high comorbidity with anxiety and substance use disorders then we can predict that it will have low levels of genetic specifity. By contrast, if a disorder is highly heritable and has relatively low levels of comorbidity, as is true of schizophrenia, that would predict high specificity. Both of these predictions are born out in these results. Could replication in non-Scandinavian cohorts reveal different specificity hierarchies? Might populations with different genetic architectures or healthcare structures produce different patterns? These remain open questions of considerable importance. The road ahead This study opens several avenues. If genetic specificity varies predictably with clinical features, then researchers designing genetic studies could select participants to maximize or minimize specificity depending on their scientific goals. Clinicians might eventually use specificity-related clinical markers, such as age at onset, recurrence pattern, and treatment history, to inform prognosis and treatment selection. And nosologists grappling with the perpetual problem of psychiatric classification now have a quantitative framework for evaluating how genetically distinct any proposed diagnostic category really is. "We have been debating whether psychiatric disorders are truly distinct since the 1800s," Dr. Kendler reflected. "Now we can actually put numbers on it. Some of our diagnostic categories carve nature much more cleanly at the genetic joints than others, and clinicians and researchers alike need to reckon with that." This peer-reviewed research represents a significant advance in psychiatric genetics, offering new insights into the genetic architecture of mental illness through rigorous population-based investigation. The findings challenge existing assumptions about diagnostic boundaries by demonstrating that genetic specificity varies widely across disorders and is modifiable by clinical features. By employing family genetic risk scores calculated from national Swedish registries encompassing over two million affected individuals, the research team has generated data that not only advances fundamental knowledge but also suggests practical applications in genetic study design and clinical stratification. The reproducibility and validation of these findings through the peer-review process ensures their reliability and positions them as a foundation for future investigations. This work exemplifies how cutting-edge research can bridge the gap between basic science and translational applications, potentially impacting psychiatric researchers, genetic epidemiologists, and clinicians in the coming years. The comprehensive nature of this investigation, spanning decades of registry data and involving over two million individuals across nine major disorders, provides unprecedented insights that will reshape how we approach the classification and genetic dissection of psychiatric illness. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary collaboration between psychiatric genetics and primary care epidemiology demonstrates the power of combining diverse expertise to tackle complex scientific questions. Starting elementary school is a major milestone, but it can be a difficult transition as children can experience separation anxiety or have trouble adapting to school rules and structure. However, a team led by Penn State researchers found that consistent routines in the home can reduce the likelihood that children will struggle with the school transition. In a publication in Developmental Psychology, the researchers found that when rural, low-income families had stronger routines - such as regular bedtimes and shared meals - parents reported lower levels of behavior problems and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms from their children. However, higher levels of harsh or aggressive parenting - such as yelling or threatening by the mother or father - diminished the benefits associated with household structure. "You need routines, but you cannot be overly rigid about them," said co-author Lisa Gatzke-Kopp, professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State. I always say the two most important things for parenting are consistency and flexibility. It may sound like a contradiction, but these results indicate that balance really matters." Lisa Gatzke-Kopp, Professor and Head, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State The researchers examined data from 999 rural, low-income families in North Carolina and Pennsylvania who participated in the Family Life Project, a long-running research collaboration among Penn State, the University of North Carolina and New York University. Participants in the Family Life Project were recruited when a child was born into the family, and the study concluded when the cohort of children turned 19 years old. The current study used information from three waves of data collection, beginning in 2007-08 when the children were approximately four years old. These measurements captured the children in preschool, kindergarten and first grade to document the full transition to primary school. At each annual assessment, parents answered questions about family routines, harsh parenting behaviors, child behavior problems and child ADHD symptoms. At the start of the study, the researchers also measured the parents' capacity for cognitive flexibility - the ability to adapt their thinking to a specific or changing situation. Parents took surveys to measure harsh parenting, which included questions about them yelling, swearing, throwing things, stomping out of the room and engaging in other aggressive actions; child behavior problems, which included aggressive, oppositional and rule-breaking behaviors; and child ADHD symptoms, which included indications of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Parents also answered questions about the existence of family routines around bedtime, regular family meals and household schedules. In families with high levels of routine and low levels of harsh parenting throughout the study, parents reported lower levels of child behavior problems and ADHD symptoms. In families where harsh parenting fluctuated from year to year, child ADHD symptoms were lower when parents reported they engaged in less harsh parenting. Harsh parenting undermined the protective effect of family routines, the researchers explained. Children in households with high levels of routine and high levels of harsh parenting displayed levels of misbehavior similar to those of children in households with low levels of routine. Additionally, parents who demonstrated cognitive flexibility were less likely to parent harshly. "Children are trying to figure out how the world works," said Gatzke-Kopp, a Penn State Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member. "The more consistent and supportive their environment is, the easier it is for children to remain calm and understand how to behave in a new setting, like school." For parents looking to add structure to their household, Gatzke-Kopp recommended a consistent bedtime routine that includes calming activities like reading to the child. She also identified regular, low-demand, screen-free, family time and shared meals as great opportunities for any parent to add routine to their households. The effects of all factors identified in the study were small, but Gatzke-Kopp said that was expected. "You can't assume that if you establish good routines, your child will have perfect behaviors," Gatzke-Kopp said. "There are a lot of things that influence whether your child has behavior problems, and routines and parenting style are only part of the picture." Every family will deal with some level of conflict, she continued. "All children can be difficult," Gatzke-Kopp explained. "Parents should be reassured that negative behaviors do not mean your child has a problem. And it does not mean the parents are doing anything wrong." Kylee Witmer, graduate student in human development and family studies at Penn State, also contributed to this research. More information about collaborators and funders is available in the paper. 18 of 283 stranded Karnataka residents return from West Asia Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 21:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bengaluru, Mar 3 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Tuesday said 18 of the 283 people from Karnataka stranded in conflict-hit West Asian countries returned home on Tuesday morning. Details of all those people from the state stranded in the Gulf region have been forwarded to the MEA and Karnataka Bhavan for necessary coordination and assistance, they said. As of 10 am on March 3, details of 283 stranded people from Karnataka received at SEOC (State Emergency Operations Centre) and DEOC (District Emergency Operations Centre), and they were forwarded to MEA and Karnataka Bhavan. Out of which, 18 have returned this morning, some are in transit," the office of Munish Moudgil, Relief Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government, Revenue Department said in a statement. As per the calls received at the SEOC and various DEOCs, 265 people from Karnataka (excluding returnees) are stranded at the conflict-hit regions of the West Asian countries. Of these, 198 people from Karnataka are stranded in the UAE, 31 people in Bahrain, 14 in Qatar, 13 in Kuwait, four in Saudi Arabia, four in Iran and one in Turkey. Meanwhile, as many as 42 flights were cancelled at the Kempegowda International Airport here till 3 pm on Tuesday due to prevailing airspace restrictions, airport authorities said. A total of 21 arrivals and 21 departures were affected, disrupting services on key international sectors including Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dubai and Doha, they said. According to the official statement, flight operations have partially resumed from the UAE and other West Asian countries. Passengers should check flight status with their airlines before going to the airport and rely only on official sources for updates. Passengers can reach out to the AirSewa portal (https://airsewa.gov.in/#/home) or call the MOCA helpline number 011-24604283/011-24632987 for information on flight status, it said. The SEOC and DEOCs are regularly updating advisories issued by the MEA and Indian Embassies/Consulates in the affected countries. The Karnataka Resident Commissioner has also activated the Karnataka Bhavan team in New Delhi for coordination, they said. The state government has urged people from Karnataka residing in the affected West Asian countries to strictly adhere to the guidelines and advisories issued by the local governments. They have been advised to contact the respective Indian Embassies/Consulates through helpline numbers and register on the Sarthi Sahayata portal and other official portals of the concerned Embassies/Consulates. Further, for transit visa-related matters, it is requested to contact the nearest FRRO, the statement added. PTI AMP ADB First Published: March 03, 2026, 21:15 IST News agency-feeds 18 of 283 stranded Karnataka residents return from West Asia 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... BRICS Melody Calls India's Finest Traditional Musicians to the Global Stage Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) VMPLNew Delhi [India], March 3: The BRICS Melody International Music Project has announced an open competition inviting professional Indian musicians and ensembles specializing in traditional musical instruments to participate in a prestigious international cultural initiative. The selected artists will represent India at the international music festival to be held on April 25, 2026, in Moscow, Russia, and will contribute to the creation of a collaborative global music album titled Melody of the BRICS." Applications will be accepted until March 15, 2026. International travel and accommodation expenses for selected participants will be fully covered by the organizers.The BRICS Melody project aims to preserve and promote traditional musical heritage while strengthening humanitarian cooperation and cultural dialogue among BRICS nations. The festival in Moscow will bring together leading musicians representing traditional music schools and rare national instruments from across the BRICS countries, offering solo and ensemble performances that showcase the diversity and richness of their cultural heritage.An important component of the project is the creation of the international music album Melody of the BRICS." Each selected participant will record a composition performed on their traditional instrument, after which the individual tracks will be compiled into a unified album. This format will preserve the authenticity of each musical tradition while collectively presenting a musical portrait of the BRICS nations. The album is planned for distribution across digital platforms and will also be used in educational and cultural programs.The BRICS Melody project was conceived as a space of cultural dialogue in which music becomes a universal language of communication. Traditional musical instruments are the living history of nations, and it is through them that we can talk about cultural identity without words or boundaries," said Natalia Aksenova, Author and Project Leader.To participate, professional musicians and ensembles must complete the official application form by March 15, 2026, providing information about themselves and their instrument. The project is being implemented by the Ulyanovsk Regional Branch of the Russian Youth Union in partnership with the Russia-BRICS Youth Cooperation Project Office, with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.Under Indias BRICS Presidency in 2026, the BRICS Melody Project will travel to India and the BRICS Youth Alliance will host the BRICS Melody Program in Gujarat, India later this year.We are proud to support Indias participation in the BRICS Melody International Music Project through the BRICS Youth Alliance. After the festival in Russia, we are preparing to bring the next edition to India, where the project will expand to include youth masterclasses and collaborative residencies among BRICS musicians. Our vision is to build this into a sustained platform for cultural dialogue and youth-led artistic cooperation across BRICS nations." says Madhish Parikh, Founding Director of the BRICS Youth AllianceFor more information, interested applicants may visit the projects official Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/bricsmelody or access the application form at https://forms.gle/iLYAQ4nTuGG4oESD8(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.) First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:00 IST News agency-feeds BRICS Melody Calls India's Finest Traditional Musicians to the Global Stage 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... Govt sets up inter-ministerial group to monitor West Asia developments: Goyal Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 18:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) The government has set up an inter-ministerial group, which is meeting daily to closely monitor developments in West Asia, Commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Exporters have expressed apprehensions that escalating tensions in the West Asian region due to joint attacks by the US and Israel on Iran may impact Indias trade. We have set up an inter-ministerial group that meets on a daily basis and is closely monitoring the developments in West Asia to assess any vulnerabilities in our shipping, logistics, export or even critical imports, and we will coordinate with inter-ministerial actions," Goyal said while addressing a post-Budget webinar. During the first meeting of the group on Tuesday, he said, different ministries have suggested certain things. We shall work on those and continue to look for your valued suggestions in the Ministry of Commerce so that we can ensure the minimal impact of the West Asia crisis," he added. PTI RR TRB First Published: March 03, 2026, 18:45 IST News agency-feeds Govt sets up inter-ministerial group to monitor West Asia developments: Goyal 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 shows 'renewed interest' in buying more Russian crude: Deputy PM Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Moscow, Mar 3 (PTI) Russia on Tuesday claimed that India has signalled renewed interest" in importing larger volumes of Russian crude oil amid disruptions in energy supplies following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is the worlds most critical oil shipping chokepoint. It is facing disruptions after Iranian actions in response to US and Israeli strikes. Yes, we are getting signals of renewed interest from India," Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the state-run TV Rossiya 1 on the sidelines of an event in Moscow. Nearly a fifth of the worlds oil supply and a significant share of liquefied natural gas exports pass through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with global markets. Any prolonged restriction on traffic through Hormuz threatens to disrupt energy supplies to major importers, including India, China and Japan, and drive up global crude prices. Novak, who oversees Russias energy sector, did not rule out the possibility that the European Union could also ease its decision to curtail imports of Russian hydrocarbons in view of the unfolding energy crisis. Meanwhile, Russias NTV channel, owned by energy giant Gazprom, said the escalation of hostilities and Irans strikes on oil and gas infrastructure in Gulf countries could help Moscow reduce the deep discounts" it has been offering to Asian buyers, including India. PTI VS SCY SCY First Published: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds India shows 'renewed interest' in buying more Russian crude: Deputy PM 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... Israel steps up airstrikes in Tehran, as Iran widens its response across region Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 01:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Dubai, Mar 3 (AP) Israel stepped up airstrikes on Iranian missile launchers and factories Tuesday, and Iran retaliated against Israel and across the Gulf region, disrupting energy supplies and travel. As explosions rang out in Tehran and in Lebanon where Israel said it struck back at Hezbollah militants the American embassy in Saudi Arabia came under drone attack. Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks but perhaps longer, hundreds of people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, setting off air raid sirens across the country. The pace of the attacks appeared to be slowing and Israel has intercepted most of the incoming fire, but some missiles have landed, killing 11 people. The spiralling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive US military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground. The administration has given various objectives. While the initial US-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal. Trump said Monday the military campaigns four objectives were to destroy Irans missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied armed groups. Trump said Tuesday that someone from within" the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the US-Israel campaign is finished. Speaking from the Oval Office Tuesday, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans toppled Shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over. As far as possible leaders inside Iran, the people we had in mind are dead," Trump said. I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen," Trump said. We dont want that to happen." Irans leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. Its only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Information coming out of Iran has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. But across Irans capital, aircraft were heard overhead and explosions rang out. The Israeli military said it conducted a wave of airstrikes on sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, in Tehran and Isfahan. The United Nations nuclear watchdog said Irans Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained some recent damage," though there was no radiological consequence expected." The US hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Irans nuclear program. Without offering evidence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran was rebuilding new sites, new places" underground for making atomic bombs. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear program is peaceful. After Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, Israel retaliated. On Tuesday, the Israeli military hit Beirut with more airstrikes and said it had moved additional troops into southern Lebanon. New rounds of US and Israeli airstrikes rattled Tehran and several other Iranian cities. Since midnight, I and my wife are hearing sound of explosions," said Ali Amoli, an engineer living in north Tehran. Sometimes from the west side of the city and sometimes from other directions." Streets and gas stations appeared quieter than in recent days. Local media published images of a damaged commercial plane at Bushehr airport that broke apart following an airstrike on Tuesday. A north Tehran resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation described growing fears in the capital as it comes under heavy bombardment. The resident said most stores in the normally bustling area of Tajrish were closed and that ATMs were mostly out of cash." Bakeries and supermarkets were open, though, the resident said. Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes. Recent targets included two Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. Iran has also struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, sending global oil and natural gas prices soaring. The Strait of Hormuz is closed," declared Iranian Brig Gen Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowing that any ships that passed through it would be set on fire. (AP) SCY SCY First Published: March 04, 2026, 01:00 IST News agency-feeds Israel steps up airstrikes in Tehran, as Iran widens its response across region 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... Latest: Primary voters head to the polls in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 03:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington, Mar 4 (AP) The midterm elections officially begin on Tuesday with primaries in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas. As war with Iran breaks out, Democrats and Republicans are figuring out who they want to lead their party into Novembers general election, when control of Congress and statehouses around the country will be up for grabs. The most hotly contested races of the day are in Texas, with fierce competition on both sides of the aisle for US Senate nominations. Its possible that the Republican campaign will continue into a runoff. Heres the latest: Michael Whatleys political past and future are linked closely to Trump - Whatley received Trumps endorsement in North Carolinas US Senate race last summer, weeks after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced he wouldnt seek reelection after facing criticism from the president. The 57-year-old is his partys highest-profile candidate in the party, and hes repeatedly pledged to defend Trumps agenda in the Senate if hes elected. Trumps endorsement highlighted Whatleys work as Republican National Committee chairman during his 2024 reelection campaign. Whatley also previously served as state party chair in North Carolina, whose electoral votes Trump won all three times that he ran for president. Whatley has never run for public office until now. Hes spent a lot of time accusing Cooper of going soft on crime as governor, which Cooper denies. Rep. Henry Cuellar got Trumps pardon but not his support - The president accused the congressman of disloyalty for not leaving the Democratic Party after Trump pardoned him and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case. Cuellar doesnt have a high-profile primary opponent in his district on the Mexico border. But he stands to face Republican Tano Tijerina whom Trump endorsed in the general election. Cuellar is a moderate Democrat who kept his seat in 2024 even though Trump carried his district. Last years Republican redrawing of the states congressional map sought to make his heavily Hispanic district more winnable for the GOP. In January, a federal grand jury indicted his brother, Martin Cuellar, on charges of misusing public funds during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was sheriff in Webb County, home to Laredo. Martin Cuellars attorney has called the charges baseless. Rep. Chip Roy is saying goodbye to Congress in bid for Texas AG - Hes been a fiery and high-profile ringleader of GOP revolts that bucked the party when he thought legislation wasnt conservative enough. Now Roy wants to return to Texas, where the attorney generals office has become a driver of the conservative legal movement. Hes running to replace three-term incumbent Ken Paxton, nearly six years after Roy urged his onetime boss to step down after Paxtons top aides accused him of corruption. Roy has clashed at times with Trump and other Republicans in Congress over federal spending bills. And he drew Trumps ire when he was willing to certify the 2020 election results. Roy is in a crowded Republican field that includes two state senators, Joan Huffman and Mayes Middleton, and former Paxton senior aide Aaron Reitz. New electoral map set off a national redistricting fight - Republicans redrew Texass 38 congressional districts in hopes of giving the GOP five more winnable House seats in the state. Republicans in Missouri and North Carolina followed suit, hoping to pick up one more seat each. But in November, California voters approved a plan championed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to give his party five additional winnable seats there, seeking to cancel out Texas redrawn map. President Trump pushed mid-decade redistricting to help Republicans preserve their slim House majority. But Democrats have shown they can win in tough places ahead of the primary, including a stunning special election victory in a Texas state Senate district that Trump carried by double-digits. A billion-dollar affair? North Carolina Senate race could break spending record - US Senate campaigns are usually expensive affairs, given the number of television markets in the ninth-largest state. More than USD 300 million was spent in the 2020 race that ultimately came down to Thom Tillis vs. Cal Cunningham. That amount could be easily surpassed should Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley win their primaries Tuesday. The North Carolina seat is considered a pickup opportunity for Democrats trying to retake the Senate. Both Cooper and Whatley have deep ties to state and national party donors, and outside groups will seek to influence the outcome with their own spending. How much could be ultimately spent? Some pundits say USD 1 billion isnt out of the question. That would blow past USD 515.5 million spent overall on a US Senate race in Georgia in 2020, which was ultimately won by Democrat Jon Ossoff. Thats from Open Secrets, which tracks political spending. So far, Coopers campaign has raised USD 21.1 million through mid-February compared to USD 6.3 million by Whatley. Talarico says people are struggling with cost of living - Like many Democrats, Talarico is targeting Trump over affordability concerns. I dont know what world the president is living in, because here in Texas life is more unaffordable than its ever been before," he told the Associated Press on Sunday. People are struggling with the high price of groceries but also struggling with the high price of housing, the high price of childcare, the high price of prescription drugs." In particular, Talarico noted that, if Trump has to tell people its getting better, it might not be. You can either believe the president or you can believe your own pocketbook," he says. Ken Paxtons strong Senate run has showcased his political durability - The state attorney general was just six months into the job in 2015 when he was indicted on felony securities fraud charges, threatening to sink his political career just as it was taking off. Top Paxton aides later reported him to the FBI over accusations of corruption, leading to his historic impeachment in 2023 before his acquittal in the state Senate. But past challengers who went after Paxton over his legal troubles found no success with voters he won reelection twice while gaining popularity with conservative activists. Supporters point to a record that includes leading Texas lawsuits seeking to restrict immigration, abortion access and transgender rights. Critics say hes untested on a big stage and his nomination would put GOP control of the Senate at risk in November. El Paso County deals with some delays at voting locations on election day in Texas - The final day of voting in the Texas primary was mostly smooth, with no major problems reported. In El Paso County, the election department said on its Facebook page that several voting sites had experienced problems with the electronic voter check-in system. That caused delays and forced some polling sites to do a manual check-in" for voters. Glitches with electronic poll books occur to some degree in most elections around the country. The Associated Press left messages for the El Paso County Elections Department seeking additional information. The election department reminded voters that they can vote at any polling location within their county. Talarico says fundraising is a sign of his momentum - The Democratic candidates campaign has spent USD 15 million, and Talarico told the Associated Press that we have more people contributing to this campaign than any other in the state." Our momentum is undeniable," he said while campaigning in San Antonios Historic Market District on Sunday. I cant tell you have come up to me whispering that theyre not a Democrat. I cant tell you how many young people have said its the first time that theyve ever voted. I am just so proud." In his case, Talarico said, the money means people. We have had more than a quarter million people donate to our campaign," he says, And that is proof of the movement we are building in Texas." The fight is already brewing over the 2028 Texas primaries - Voters dont register by party in the state and can cast a ballot in either the Republican or the Democratic primary, regardless of how they lean politically. The Texas Republican Party has sued in a bid to change that before the 2028 elections, seeking a closed primary system that would allow only Republicans to vote on the GOP ballot. Republicans have dominated Texas politics for a generation. Still, GOP activists claim that Democrats have tried to sabotage their primaries with crossover" votes to try to get moderate or weak candidates to the general election. Texas is one of 14 states that has open primaries. A court has not ruled on the lawsuit. Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett travels the state on election day - State Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat running for US Senate, was set to make appearances across eastern Texas on Tuesday as the 2026 midterm election cycle kicked off. The lawmaker was scheduled to make stops in Houston, in Waco, at Prairie View A&M University and end at an election night watch party in Dallas. Accompanying her on some of the stops is US Rep Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat. Im on the move all day because this fight is bigger than one stop, one speech or one person," Crockett posted on social media. US Rep. Jasmine Crockett says voters think that if you put up with disrespect, you wont fight for them - The two-term Democrat from Dallas built a national profile ahead her Senate campaign by publicly answering personal insults and castigating Republicans. Crockett, who previously was a public defender and civil rights attorney, says her background as a trial lawyer allows her to be quick on her feet. She was elected to the Texas House in 2020 and then to Congress two years later. Her profile rose in 2024 thanks to a viral video of an exchange during a committee hearing with then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Greene suggested Crocketts fake eyelashes" kept her from reading legislation, and Crockett responded by saying Greene had a bleach-blond, bad-built butch body." Crockett has acknowledged that she can be edgy but says voters want a fighter and that she delivers for her district. State Rep. James Talaricos path from seminarian to Democratic Senate hopeful - The boyish-looking Texas House member from the Austin area is studying to be a Presbyterian minister, and thats been a key part of his appeal as he runs for the US Senate. He won his legislative seat in 2018. The former middle school teacher has excited Democrats nationwide by talking openly about his Christian faith and how it informs his liberal views. He has often recalled Jesus command for people to love their neighbours and appeals to potentially disaffected Republicans, troubled by the divisiveness of American politics. But Talarico has also cited the biblical account of an angry Jesus driving commerce out of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as he calls for fighting the influence of billionaires in politics. North Carolina voters say Senate race is about blocking or preserving Trumps agenda - If Democrats are going to retake control of the US Senate, theyre likely going to need to win in North Carolina. Democrat Pam Rehbock of Raleigh voted early and said she favoured Cooper as her partys nominee. She said a lot of people are just tired of all thats going on" with Trump and dont see prices going down like he promised. Stop the lies," she said. Republican Gary Grimes of Wake Forest chose Whatley in his partys primary. Grimes said Democratic control of Congress could lead to more impeachment efforts against Trump that would be costly to taxpayers. They cant see anything except getting Trump, at any cost," Grimes said. Early voting has increased in North Carolina - Election officials in North Carolina said Tuesday that about 25 per cent more people cast early voting ballots this year than in the last midterm primaries in 2022. About 714,000 ballots were cast early in 2026, North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes said. Only isolated issues with precincts have been reported on Tuesday, and those have been addressed, Hayes said. A poling place in Warren County did catch fire Monday, but the state sent a mobile voting unit to the site and voting started normally Tuesday morning, officials said. A local sheriffs race in central Arkansas is getting attention - Thats because an Arkansas father accused of killing his daughters alleged abuser is running for sheriff while awaiting trial for murder. Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and farmer, is running as a Republican against Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley, whose department arrested Spencer in October 2024. A third Republican, David Bufford, also is on the ballot in that race. Spencers trial was scheduled to start in January, but was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case. Republican Sen. John Cornyn says absolutely theres a chance Democrats could flip the seat blue - And he argues that the scenario is especially plausible if he doesnt win the GOP primary in Texas. Republican voters are going to need to decide, do we want to win? Do we want to keep Texas red? If the Attorney General (Ken Paxton) is the nominee, that risks everything weve been working on for decades in Texas, with Republican leadership and conservative policies making Texas the envy of the nation," Cornyn said on Fox News on Tuesday morning. Cornyn faces a crowded field in the party primary, drawing challenges from Paxton, US Rep. Wesley Hunt and five others. From Texas voters in the Senate Democratic primary - Tanu Sani, a Democrat, said she had been undecided on who to vote for but ultimately chose state Rep. James Talarico, saying he really spoke to me in the way he tries to unify." Andrew Kern, who said he leans Democrat, said he went the same way. Kern said he feels Talarico is taking an approach thats bridging some of the divisiveness." Competitive statewide nomination contests have been relatively rare in Arkansas - Sen. Tom Cotton was unopposed in his 2014 and 2020 primaries, and Sanders and Republican US Sen. John Boozman won their 2022 primaries with 83 per cent and 66 per cent of the vote, respectively. Cotton faces two challengers this year. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is seeking a second term, is running unopposed in the primary. The states Republican lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor and treasurer also face no primary challengers in their reelection bids. How the AP calls races - In almost all cases, races can be called well before all votes have been counted. The APs team of election journalists and analysts will call a race as soon as a clear winner can be determined. In competitive races, AP analysts may need to wait until additional votes are tallied or to confirm specific information about how many ballots are left to count. Competitive races in which votes are actively being tabulated for example, in states that count a large number of votes after election night might be considered too early to call." A race may be too close to call" if a race is so close that theres no clear winner even once all ballots except for provisional and late-arriving absentee ballots have been counted. The APs race calls are not predictions and are not based on speculation. They are declarations based on an analysis of vote results and other election data that one candidate has emerged as the winner and that no other candidate in the race will be able to overtake the winner once all the votes have been counted. Collecting the vote - The APs vote count brings together information that otherwise might not be available online for days or weeks after an election or is scattered across hundreds of local websites. Without national standards or consistent expectations across states, it also ensures the data is in a standard format, uses standard terms and undergoes rigorous quality control. The AP hires vote count reporters who work with local election officials to collect results directly from counties or precincts where votes are first counted. These reporters submit them, by phone or electronically, as soon as the results are available. If any of the results are available from state or county websites, the AP will gather the results from there, too. In many cases, counties will update vote totals as they count ballots throughout the night. The AP is continually updating its count as these results are released. In a general election, the AP will make as many as 21,000 vote updates per hour. A mess in Texas? What to watch in Tuesdays primaries - The 2026 midterm season begins in earnest Tuesday with two of the nations most consequential Senate primaries playing out in Texas, a political behemoth Democrats have been fighting to flip for decades. Is this the year? Republican leaders in Washington openly fret that a victory by conservative firebrand Ken Paxton over four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn would give Democrats a rare shot of winning the seat come November. The contest has already cost Republicans tens of millions of dollars, and there will be much more spent ahead of a May 26 runoff if no one gets 50 per cent in the three-way primary that also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt. Democrats, meanwhile, are picking between two rising stars with conflicting styles. Theres US Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who made a name for herself through confrontation, and state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school teacher whos working toward a divinity degree. Why the AP calls races - The United States doesnt have a nationwide body that collects and releases election results. Elections are administered locally, by thousands of offices, following standards set by the states. In many cases, the states themselves dont even offer up-to-date tracking of election results. The AP fills this gap by compiling vote results and declaring winners in elections, providing critical information in the period between Election Day and the official certification of results, which typically takes weeks. Voting in Texas largest county is still under GOP scrutiny - Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said in January that the state should seize control of elections in Harris County, which includes Houston and is a key battleground. His comments continued years of Republican criticism over how elections are run in the county of more than 5 million, where Hispanic and Black residents make up a majority. Democrats have controlled the county since 2018. Abbott signed laws that eliminated Harris Countys independent elections administrator and banned drive-thru voting in Houston. And last year, he waited nine months to hold a special election to fill a US House seat representing Houston, saying the county needed extra time to prepare for a vote without any problems. Democrats accused Abbott of delaying that election to help Republicans maintain their razor-thin margin in the House. Sarah Sanders, Tom Cotton among Republicans on Arkansas ballot - Republican incumbents, including US Sen. Tom Cotton, are heavy favourites to win their primaries in Arkansas. Cotton, who is seeking his third term in office, will face Jeb Little, an Arkansas State Police trooper, and Micah Ashby, a minister from Bradford. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as President Donald Trumps press secretary during Trumps first term, is seeking her second term in office. She did not draw a Republican opponent. Arkansas hasnt elected a Democrat statewide since 2010, and Sanders and Cotton will be heavy favourites to win reelection in November. All polls in Texas are now open - Polls have now opened for voters in El Paso and Hudspeth counties, an area of about 1 million people on the western tip of Texas in the Mountain Time Zone. Voting is underway in Arkansas - Polls in Arkansas are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and voters are required to show photo identification before voting. Primary election day starts in North Carolina, with US Senate nominations at stake. - About 2,600 sites opened statewide at 6:30 a.m. ET and will close at 7:30 p.m. ET. Some ballots have already been cast by mail or during an early in-person voting period that ended Saturday. Theres an open race for a seat in the US Senate because Republican Sen. Thom Tillis decided not to seek reelection after clashing with Trump. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is seeking the Democratic nomination, while former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is running to represent his party. Voters are also picking nominees for US House seats, including the Republican choice to challenge Democratic Rep. Don Davis in the 1st District. That district became more Republican as state legislators redrew it during Trumps redistricting effort to help his party maintain control of the House. (AP) AMJ AMJ First Published: March 04, 2026, 03:00 IST News agency-feeds Latest: Primary voters head to the polls in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas 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... Man beaten to death over petty dispute; 4 arrested Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Mumbai, Mar 3 (PTI) A 22-year-old man was beaten to death by four persons following a petty dispute in Wadala area of the city on Tuesday, police said. The deceased was identified as Tushar Ujjainwala. Those arrested included Suresh Yadav, Santosh Yadav and Karan Sonar. The fourth accused was not identified by the police. The accused were consuming alcohol in an open space when Ujjainwala along with his elder brother and some friends reached the spot. An argument broke out between the two groups and the four accused allegedly attacked Ujjainwala. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The accused, who are drivers by profession, were arrested for murder. Further investigation is underway, the official added. PTI ZA KRK First Published: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds Man beaten to death over petty dispute; 4 arrested 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... Nagaland Assembly condemns racial attack on NE people in big cities Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 19:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kohima, Mar 3 (PTI) The Nagaland Assembly on Tuesday condemned incidents of racial discrimination against people from the Northeastern region in big cities in various states and called for sensitivity and constitutional balance while addressing concerns over the singing of Vande Mataram. The condemnation and appeal were made by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio while responding to NPF MLA Achumbemo Kikon, raising serious concerns over incidents of racial discrimination against people from the Northeast. Kikon cited the alleged humiliation of three women from Arunachal Pradesh who were subjected to racial slurs and intimidation by their neighbours in Delhi, following a dispute over some repair work at their rented flat in February. He also mentioned the incident in which a third-year resident doctor from Nagaland posted at the AIIMS Gorakhpur was allegedly subjected to racial slurs, stalking and physical assault by three men near the institute last month. Replying to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governors Address, Rio said the recent racial attacks and discriminatory behaviour against people from the Northeast, including Nagaland, in mainland cities were deeply disturbing and unacceptable." He asserted that such acts go against the spirit of unity and equality enshrined in the Constitution and stressed that citizens from the region must be treated with dignity and respect across the country. The chief minister said the state government stands in solidarity with victims of racial discrimination and reiterated that such incidents must be addressed firmly. He joined members of the House in condemning the attacks and emphasised the need for greater awareness and stronger enforcement to prevent recurrence. Earlier, Kikon also proposed large-scale jatropha cultivation for biofuel production as a long-term solution to human-elephant conflict in his constituency, Bhandari, in Wokha district. Jatropha plants and seeds are unpalatable to wild elephants, making the crop a potential deterrent while also creating economic opportunities, he said. He said repeated elephant intrusions had forced many farmers to abandon paddy fields and farmlands due to crop destruction. The NPF MLA also suggested how jatropha can be an effective production can be an effective model for revenue generation. Kikon, the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Environment and Climate Change, said the proposed initiative aligns with global and national commitments to renewable energy, including Indias National Policy on Biofuels and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on affordable and clean energy. PTI NBS NBS NN First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:45 IST News agency-feeds Nagaland Assembly condemns racial attack on NE people in big cities 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... Russian National Ballet 'Kostroma' dance show dazzles audience in Delhi Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) A dazzling dance show depicting Russias cultural diversity and evolution of its national identity was held here on Tuesday evening under the Global Dance Overture project, with Russian envoy Denis Alipov saying that such cultural initiatives will bring Russia and India closer together, as culture and dance speak without words". The Global Dance Overture was announced at the BRICS Summit in Kazan in 2024. And, this project comes under the Alliance of BRICS Folk Dance set up in September that year, shortly before the Summit, Alipov said in his address at the event hosted at Kamani Theatre. Following its successful presentations in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and China in 2025, the programme has now arrived in New Delhi. This year and next, it will continue its journey to further reinforce cultural ties across the BRICS community," he said. The envoy said the grand show, presented by globally acclaimed Russian National Ballet Kostroma, is a vast artistic canvas, a sweeping journey through the centuries of Russian history told entirely through the language of dance". Through a carefully constructed dramatic arc, Kostroma traces the evolution of the nation from its ancient traditions and regional folklore to the resilience, lyricism and strength that define Russias cultural identity," he added. It was a vibrant display of colours, costumes and choreography on stage that also marked a milestone" for India-Russia cultural cooperation. Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the event, Alipov said, We feel that such initiatives, cultural initiatives, will bring the nations of Russia and India closer together. It will bring the BRICS countries closer together in culture, because culture speaks without words. Dance speaks without words." The show, held on the eve of Holi, witnessed a full house, with many eminent personalities in the audience. It was supported by the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in India, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Ministry of Culture. Alipov said that through masterful choreography, stirring music and striking visual design, the performance evokes the vastness of Russias landscapes, the richness of its multi-national heritage and the enduring spirit that unites its people. This evening is especially meaningful as artistes of the Kostroma show shared the stage with their Indian colleagues. A living testament to the vibrant creative dialogue between our two great civilisations," he added. In a special highlight, Indian dancers presented the composition Jayati Jaya Mama Bharatam, a curated choreographic tribute to Indias pluralistic cultural identity, integrating selected folk traditions from across the country into a unified artistic narrative, and towards the end, joined each other on stage, marking a moment of cultural confluence and camaraderie. The members on stage also played Holi with flower petals. The show presented the dance cultures of the peoples of the sunny Caucasus, Buryatia, Siberia, the Far North, and Central Russia, and the southern regions of the country. Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal said, In todays world where divisions are often amplified, culture reminds us of our shared humanity". Art speaks a universal language. It transcends geography and ideology. It invites us to see the world through anothers eyes and to recognise ourselves in others. The Russian national dance show that you will witness tonight represents the vibrant cultural mosaic of a great civilisation. Through its regional tradition and historic narratives, it reflects the strength and soul of Russia," he said. He termed the event a celebration not merely of artistic excellence, but also of the India-Russia friendship that has gracefully endured the passage of time". India and Russia share a truly time-tested relationship. Ours is a bond nurtured through decades of mutual trust, strategic partnership and deep people-to-people connections. Diplomacy and agreements, along with our culture and our cultural ethos and the sharing that we have done, have consistently strengthened this relationship," he said. Aggarwal said the Government of India believes that cultural diplomacy is a vital pillar of international engagement". Heritage must not remain static. It must travel, interact and inspire India and Russia, we hope, will continue to walk together as trusted partners in development, in dialogue, and in culture. Our friendship is rooted in respect, strengthened by shared values, and elevated by artistic collaboration. May this evening deepen the bonds between our two great nations and contribute to a more harmonious and culturally connected world," he said. PTI KND NSD NSD First Published: March 04, 2026, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds Russian National Ballet 'Kostroma' dance show dazzles audience in Delhi 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... Someone from within Iranian regime might be best choice to take power: Trump Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 01:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington, Mar 3 (PTI) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said someone from within" the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the US-Israel campaign is finished. In an exchange in the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans toppled Shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over. He looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody thats there thats currently popular, if theres such a person we have people like that," Trump said. He noted that some people like" Pahlavi but that he was not someone the administration had thought about too much as Irans next ruler. As far as possible leaders inside Iran, the people we had in mind are dead," Trump said. The president told reporters at the White House that in addition to that group of people that he says the US had been eying for leadership, We have another group. They may be dead also." Trump said there is a third wave" coming in but we dont know those people." I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen," Trump said. We dont want that to happen." Irans leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. Its only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. (AP) SCY SCY SCY First Published: March 04, 2026, 01:00 IST News agency-feeds Someone from within Iranian regime might be best choice to take power: Trump 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... Bank Holiday Today: Are Banks Closed On March 3 Or 4 for Holi? Check State-Wise List Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:08 IST There is confusion over bank holidays for Holi in 2026, with closures falling on either March 3 or 4, depending on the state; Check list Are Banks Open Or Closed Today? Holi Holiday 2026: There is widespread confusion over bank holidays for Holi in 2026, with closures falling on either March 3 or March 4, depending on the state. Bank holidays in India are state-specific, and for Holi this year, some states will observe the holiday on March 3, while others will mark it on March 4. In a few states, banks will remain shut for two consecutive days. States Where Banks Are Closed on March 3, 2026 Banks will remain closed on March 3, 2026, on account of Holi, Dol Jatra, Dhulandi, Holika Dahan and Attukal Pongala in the following states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh. States Where Banks Are Closed on March 4, 2026 Banks will remain shut on March 4, 2026, for Holi, Dhuleti and Yaosang (second day) in: Tripura, Gujarat, Mizoram, Odisha, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh. Where Will Banks Be Closed for Two Days? Banks will remain closed for two consecutive days in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand due to overlapping Holi-related observances. Major Bank Holidays in March 2026 Apart from Holi, banks in different states will remain closed in March 2026 for various regional and religious festivals such as: Holika Dahan, Holi (Second Day), Dol Jatra, Dhulandi, Attukal Pongala, Dhuleti, Yaosang (Second Day), Chapchar Kut, Shab-I-Qadr, Gudhi Padwa, Ugadi Festival, Telugu New Years Day, Sajibu Nongmapanba (Cheiraoba), First Navratra, Eid-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan), Jumat-ul-Vida, Ramzan-Id (Id-Ul-Fitr), Khutub-E-Ramzan, Sarhul, Shree Ram Navami, Mahavir Janmakalyanak and Mahavir Jayanti. Since bank holidays vary by state, customers are advised to check the Reserve Bank of Indias holiday calendar for their respective region. Holi 2026 Holi, also known as Rangawali Holi or Dhulandi, will be celebrated in March 2026. The dates change each year as they are determined by the Hindu lunar calendar. According to Drik Panchang, Holika Dahan will be observed on March 3, 2026. The auspicious muhurta is from 6:22 pm to 8:50 pm. Holi (Rangwali Holi) will be celebrated on March 4, 2026. Holi celebrations begin a day earlier with Holika Dahan, also known as Chhoti Holi, when families gather around a bonfire, perform rituals and offer prayers. When Are Banks Usually Closed? Banks in India remain closed on national, religious and regional holidays as notified for each state. In addition, banks are shut on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, as well as on all Sundays. Are Online Banking Services Available on Bank Holidays? Yes. Even on bank holidays, digital banking services continue to function nationwide. Customers can access internet banking and mobile banking platforms for most transactions. Services such as NEFT and RTGS fund transfers, demand draft requests, cheque book requests, credit and debit card services, ATM services, account maintenance requests, standing instructions and locker applications remain accessible online, ensuring minimal disruption despite physical branch closures. First Published: March 03, 2026, 09:06 IST News business banking-finance Bank Holiday Today: Are Banks Closed On March 3 Or 4 for Holi? Check State-Wise List 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-Iran Conflict: Drone Attacks Disrupt Amazon AWS, Close Abu Dhabi Fulfilment Centre Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 12:44 IST Amazon closed its Abu Dhabi centre and paused deliveries after drone strikes hit AWS sites in UAE and Bahrain. Staff in Saudi Arabia and Jordan told to stay inside. AWS Data Centres Hit In UAE And Bahrain Amid Middle East Conflict Amazon has temporarily shut its fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi and suspended deliveries across parts of the Middle East after drone strikes impacted its cloud-computing facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, according to company statements. Drone Strikes Impact AWS Facilities Amazon Web Services (AWS) said on Monday that drone strikes affected its facilities in the UAE and Bahrain, leading to power and connectivity disruptions. The company did not specify the extent of the physical damage but said recovery efforts may be prolonged due to the nature of the physical damage" involved. AWS added that it is working to restore data access and service availability in the affected regions. It advised customers operating workloads in the impacted areas to consider mitigating measures, including backing up data or migrating workloads to other AWS regions. The company indicated that further updates could be issued if developments occur. Deliveries Suspended, Travel Halted Separately, Amazon has closed its Abu Dhabi fulfilment centre and paused deliveries across parts of the region, Business Insider reported, citing an internal memo shared with employees and stakeholders. Customers in affected markets are experiencing delays in deliveries and returns, according to the report. The memo also stated that Amazon has halted business travel to Israel and Lebanon. Employees in Saudi Arabia and Jordan have been instructed to remain indoors, while many staff across the region have shifted to remote work. No employee injuries have been reported so far, Business Insider said. Our priority is the safety of our employees and partners across the region, and were working closely with our local teams to ensure they have the support they need," an Amazon spokesperson told the publication. Regional Supply Chains Under Pressure The disruption highlights the vulnerability of global supply chains to escalating geopolitical tensions. Amazon expanded its logistics footprint in the Middle East following its $600 million acquisition of Souq.com in 2017, with the UAE serving as a central hub for operations spanning Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. First Published: March 03, 2026, 11:25 IST News business markets US-Iran Conflict: Drone Attacks Disrupt Amazon AWS, Close Abu Dhabi Fulfilment Centre 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 Burn Sonam, So We Burnt Her Sari': Raja Raghuvanshi's Family Marks Holi With Symbolic Fire Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:20 IST Raja Raghuvanshi's family in Indore marked Holi eve by burning Sonam's wedding sari, symbolising the end of evil after her alleged role in Raja's murder in Meghalaya Rapid Read It was around the same festival last year that Sonam had allegedly called Raja and invited him to her home to celebrate Holi. (News18 Hindi) As bonfires were lit across the country to mark Holika Dahan on the eve of Holi, a grieving family in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, turned the ritual into a deeply personal act of mourning. On the holy occasion observed on Monday night, the family of slain businessman Raja Raghuvanshi burnt the wedding sari of Sonam, Rajas wife who is accused of plotting his murder, describing the act as symbolic of ending evil" in their lives. Standing beside the fire, Rajas mother had said the decision was taken after much emotional turmoil. Holika Dahan symbolises the victory of good over evil," she said, adding, Sonam is in jail; we cannot burn her. So we burnt her sari and the memories attached to it." The act was laden with painful memories. It was around the same festival last year that Sonam had allegedly called Raja and invited him to her home to celebrate Holi. Come, lets play" she had told him. Raja had joined the celebrations, and his mother had recorded a video of him playing Holi, a video that has since become a reminder of a life cut short. Last year, I recorded my son playing Holi," she said tearfully, Now I watch that same video to remember him." The family said that since Rajas death, festivals had ceased to hold meaning. After Raja left us, there was no colour left in our lives. There was no Holi, no Diwali, no celebrations," his mother said. Raja Raghuvanshis murder case had drawn widespread attention in May 2025. The Indore-based businessman had travelled to Meghalaya for his honeymoon with his wife Sonam when he was allegedly killed under suspicious circumstances. According to investigators, the murder was premeditated. Police alleged that Sonam had conspired with her acquaintance Raj Kushwaha and hired three men, namely Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi, to execute the crime. Authorities said all five accused had travelled to Meghalaya around the time of the incident, where Raja was allegedly attacked and killed. The case took a dramatic turn when police claimed to have uncovered call records and travel details linking the accused to the crime scene. Following their arrest, all five were remanded to judicial custody. The matter is currently under trial, and all the accused remain in jail. Location : Indore, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:20 IST News cities indore 'Can't Burn Sonam, So We Burnt Her Sari': Raja Raghuvanshi's Family Marks Holi With Symbolic Fire 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... Iran-Israel War: As Netizens Track Celebs, UP-Bihar Families Pray For Their Plumbers & Students Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 13:37 IST From villages in Bihar to Uttar Pradesh, families describe sleepless nights and tearful exchanges with expatriates in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Gulf cities Rapid Read Countless families in India are currently in a state of worry, clinging to every phone call and WhatsApp message from relatives stuck across the Gulf countries. (News18 Hindi) The ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict has spilled beyond military targets and into civilian life, disrupting air travel across the Gulf and leaving thousands of Indians stranded in cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. While Indian netizens are focussed on celebrities like Tamil superstar Ajith Kumar, Bollywood actor Sonal Chauhan, Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and others stuck in Dubai following the suspension of flights, away from the limelight, families of scores of Indian migrant workers are waiting for their safe return. Countless families in India are currently in a state of worry, clinging to every phone call and WhatsApp message from relatives stuck across the Gulf countries. From villages in Bihar to Uttar Pradesh, friends and families describe sleepless nights and tearful exchanges with expatriates in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Gulf cities, where flights have been cancelled and skies closed, leaving return routes uncertain. Champaran, Bihar A quiet village tucked away in Bihars East Champaran district has been gripped by anxiety as families await word from loved ones working in Dubai amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. Villagers in Pathanpatti, located in the Harsidhi block of East Champaran, say that more than 50 residents from Pathanpatti are currently employed in Dubai. With reports of bombings and rising hostilities in the region, concern has deepened across the village, where anxious families spend sleepless nights tracking news updates and making frantic phone calls. Wasir Alam Khan, a resident of the village, said his two sons, Rafiuallah Khan and Sarwar Ali Khan, work barely a kilometre from an area that has reportedly witnessed explosions. We speak to them regularly over the phone. They say the situation is frightening. The bombings continue through the night, and they cannot sleep," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. According to him, routine life has been disrupted in the area where his sons are employed, with work coming to a halt in several places. They remain awake all night out of fear. We are constantly worried about their safety," he added. Wasir Alam said his sons had been working as plumbers in Bihar before moving to Dubai two years ago in search of better opportunities. They left to secure their childrens future and education. Today, we cannot even eat properly because of tension," he said, breaking down. He appealed to the government to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of Indians working in the conflict-affected region. The government should bring them back before anything worse happens," he urged. Another villager, Afsar Alam Khan, echoed similar concerns. He said several residents from Pathanpatti are employed in Dubai across different professions. So far, there has been no report of any casualty among people from our village, but the fear is constant," he said. Amethi, Uttar Pradesh Stress also hangs heavy over Bhanauli village in Uttar Pradeshs Amethi district, where seven students who travelled to Iran for higher studies have reportedly lost contact with their families amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. Residents of the Musafirkhana area say the students, all from Bhanauli village under the Musafirkhana police station limits, left for Iran around 3 months ago to pursue their education. Until recently, they were in regular touch with their families. However, since the conflict intensified, communication has abruptly stopped, leaving relatives distressed and fearful. When the Local18 team visited Bhanauli, an unusual silence had descended upon the village. Family members gathered in small groups, anxiously refreshing their phones for any message or call. Amjad Khan, a relative of one of the students, said the families have been unable to establish contact for the past four days. The situation there is becoming tense with each passing day. We can only look towards the government for help now. If conditions worsen, our children must be brought back safely," he said. He recalled that when the students had left three months ago, there was no indication of trouble. Everything was normal. They went with hope and dreams. Today, we do not even know if they are safe," he added. Another family member said his brother had also travelled to Iran for studies and had been in regular contact until a few days ago. We used to speak frequently. Suddenly there is no news. We only pray that he returns home safely," he said. Safina Bano, whose son is among those stranded, said she has not spoken to him for four days. Struggling to contain her emotions, she appealed for urgent intervention to ensure the safe return of all the students. Engineer Haider, another relative, drew parallels with past evacuation efforts. Referring to the rescue of Indians during the Ukraine conflict, he expressed hope that the Centre would act swiftly to safeguard students from the village. Just as our people were brought back safely from Ukraine, we expect the same support now," he said, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government to intervene. According to villagers, those stranded include 18-year-old Jabbar Khan, Syed Imam, Ali Mohammad, Amir Kumari, Tarheer, Sada (35) and Nusrat (55). Families say they remain in the dark about their whereabouts and condition. Bagaha, Bihar However, Saurabh Mishra, a resident of Bagaha in Bihar, who is currently based in Abu Dhabi, described the situation as completely normal". During a telephonic conversation, Mishra said that life in the emirate remains unaffected. Flights have been cancelled, but everything here is completely normal," Mishra said, Shops and malls are open, traffic is moving smoothly, and there is no panic among residents." Mishra added that his family had planned to travel from Lucknow to Abu Dhabi for a month-long visit. However, their flights were cancelled due to the prevailing airspace restrictions. We were looking forward to celebrating together, but the trip has been postponed. That is the only disappointment," he said. He also noted that the UAE government has been issuing timely advisories and keeping residents informed, urging people to remain calm. According to him, there has been no visible disruption to daily life in the areas where Indian expatriates reside. In recent days, the confrontation involving United States, Israel and Iran has intensified, raising security concerns across West Asia. Several Middle Eastern nations have reported heightened alerts, and airspace restrictions have forced airlines to suspend or reroute flights. Aviation authorities worldwide are monitoring the situation closely as thousands of services stand affected. Among the impacted destinations is Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, home to a large Indian migrant population. With the Holi festival being celebrated across India, many families had planned travel to reunite with loved ones. However, flight cancellations have disrupted these plans, leaving passengers anxious. Globally, aviation data indicates that thousands of flights have been affected as airlines avoid sensitive air corridors. The crisis has left millions of travellers stranded or forced to reschedule their journeys. Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting lasting nearly 3 hours to review contingency plans and ensure the safety and possible evacuation of Indian nationals if required. First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:37 IST News cities patna-news Iran-Israel War: As Netizens Track Celebs, UP-Bihar Families Pray For Their Plumbers & Students 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... ICAI CA Foundation And Inter January 2026 Result Date Announced, Check Details Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:47 IST ICAI CA Foundation And Inter Exam Result: Once declared, students will be able to check their scorecards by visiting the official website icai.nic.in. Candidates will need to enter their registration number and roll number to check their CA results. (AI Image) The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has announced that the results for the CA Foundation and CA Intermediate examinations held in January 2026 will be released by noon on March 8, 2026. The results will be available online. Students will be able to check their scorecards by visiting the official website icai.nic.in. Candidates will need to enter their registration number and roll number to check their results. A link will be activated on the website after the results are released. Students will be able to view their marks online and download their scorecards. The results of the Chartered Accountants Intermediate and Foundation Examination held in January 2026 is likely to be declared by the afternoon of 8th March 2026 and the same can be accessed by candidates on the website icai.nic.in. It may be noted that for accessing the result at the above mentioned website, the candidate shall have to enter his/her Registration Number along with his/her Roll Number," reads the official notice. What Is CA Foundation? The CA Foundation exam is the first stage of the Chartered Accountancy course. Students who pass this exam become eligible for admission to the next level, Intermediate. This exam marks the beginning of a students professional career. What Is CA Intermediate? The CA Intermediate exam is the second important stage of the course. After passing it, students move on to the final level, which also involves articleship, or mandatory practical training. This stage brings students closer to professional qualification. ICAI CA Foundation And Inter Result 2026: How To Download? After the result is released, students can follow these simple steps: Step 1. Visit the official website, icai.nic.in. Step 2. Click on the CA Foundation or CA Inter January 2026 result link on the home page. Step 3. Enter your registration number. Step 4. Enter your roll number. Step 5. Click the Submit or View Result button. Step 6. Your result will appear on the screen. Step 7. Download your scorecard and print it for future reference. ICAI advises candidates to regularly check the official website for complete information regarding the results and further processing. All important updates will be released there. First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:47 IST News education-career ICAI CA Foundation And Inter January 2026 Result Date Announced, Check Details 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... Tamil Nadu TN SSLC Class 10 Hall Tickets 2026 Out At dge.tn.gov.in; Direct Link Here Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 14:31 IST Tamil Nadu has released SSLC Class 10 hall tickets for 2026 exams starting March 11. Over 9 lakh students will appear for the exams. TN SSLC Class 10 hall tickets released; over 9 lakh students to appear from March 11. The Directorate of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu, has released the hall tickets for the 2026 Class 10 board examinations. More than 9 lakh students will appear for the exams starting March 11. The Tamil Nadu Secondary School Leaving Certificate examinations will be held from March 11 to April 6. The results are expected to be announced around May 20. A total of 9.09 lakh students have registered this year. Of them, 8.82 lakh are regular candidates and 26,196 are private students. Regular school students do not have to download the hall ticket themselves. Headmasters will log in through the official portal, download the admit cards in bulk and distribute them to students. It is mandatory to carry the hall ticket to the examination centre on all exam days. Private candidates must download their hall ticket from the official website using their registration number and date of birth. They should take a clear printout and keep extra copies for safety. How To Download TN SSLC Hall Ticket 2026? Step 1: Visit the official website at dge.tn.gov.in. Step 2: Click on the Hall Ticket" link available on the homepage. Step 3: Select the TN SSLC March Hall Ticket 2026 link. Step 4: Enter the required login credentials and submit. Step 5: Download the hall ticket and take a printout. TN SSLC Class 10 Hall Ticket 2026 Direct Link ALSO READ: CBSE Defers Class 10, 12 Board Exams Scheduled For March 5-6 In Middle East Students have been advised to check all details on the admit card carefully, including their name, photograph, exam centre, subject codes and exam dates. In case of any discrepancy, they should immediately inform their school authorities for correction. The exams will be conducted at designated centres across the state under strict supervision. Candidates must not carry electronic devices such as mobile phones or smart watches inside the examination hall. Students are advised to reach the exam centre at least 30 minutes before the reporting time to avoid any last-minute inconvenience. First Published: March 03, 2026, 14:31 IST News education-career Tamil Nadu TN SSLC Class 10 Hall Tickets 2026 Out At dge.tn.gov.in; Direct Link Here 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... When Holi Meets Board Exams: Balancing Festivities And Long-Term Goals; How Do Students Manage? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:14 IST For some, Holi becomes a skipped celebration; for others, a shortened one. So how do students manage festivities with board exams? Balancing fun with education teaches students discipline, balance, and maturity. (AI Generated Image) Every year, as spring sets in and streets fill with colour, lakhs of students across India sit at their desks with textbooks instead of pichkaris. The festival of Holi almost inevitably overlaps with the countrys crucial board examinations, forcing teenagers to make a difficult choice between celebration and concentration. The board exam season conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and various state boards typically falls in February and March the same window when Holi is celebrated. For many, it is not a new dilemma. The clash has become a familiar annual ritual: colour outside, revision inside. For some, Holi becomes a skipped celebration; for others, a shortened one. So how do students manage festivities with board exams? 18-year-old Prajjawal Bisht, a Class 12 student from Dehradun, says he has already made his choice prioritising board exams. Being in Class 12 means I need to prioritise my studies since I will be sitting my board exams in a few months. The results will determine my eligibility for university and entrance exams which makes them really important.I have built a timetable to manage my time effectively and I aim to complete a few past exam papers to get me ready for the exams. I will not be celebrating Holi as I want to focus on my academics first," he said. For Class 12 students, the stakes feel especially high. Board results influence college admissions and eligibility for competitive entrance examinations. The pressure to perform often overshadows festive enthusiasm for many students. The Balancing Act However, not all students are willing to give up the festival entirely. Especially, for Class 10 students, this is their first major public examination. While the pressure is real, so is the desire to hold on to childhood traditions. Sakshi Sharma, a Class 10 student at DAV Public School, Vasant Kunj, says she is trying to strike a balance. As a Class 10 student, I have board exams coming up, which is a very important stage in my life because these marks will determine my future prospects in education. I will be spending 3 to 4 hours of my time celebrating Holi with my friends and family and will focus on my exam around that time," she told News18. Stress, Pressure And Long-Term Goals For others, the overlap creates emotional strain. Shashi Kant Yadav, a student of Radiant Academy Senior Secondary School, describes the tension that builds when exams fall amid festivities. As a student exams falling in the middle of festivals make me and every other student feel stressed and confused. Board exams are very important, so there is constant pressure to study well. Even when friends plan to meet, we feel guilty for not preparing. Parents worry a lot, and relatives keep asking about exams, which increases our stress and pressure," he says. ALSO READ | Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026: PM Modi Interacts With Students, Tells Them To Balance Skills And Studies His words echo a common sentiment: the guilt of stepping out to celebrate, even briefly. In many households, Holi gatherings are replaced with hushed environments to accommodate study schedules. Visitors lower their voices; televisions remain switched off. For Naisha Panthry, a Class 12 Humanities student of DPSGV Vasundhara says the festival this year arrives just a day before her Psychology board exam. This year it falls just a day before my first board exam, so yes, somewhere I do feel Ill miss celebrating it the way I used to. But I think thats also part of growing up, learning to prioritise long-term goals over one day of fun," says Naisha. Board exams already come with pressure, and when a festival falls right in between, it becomes a test of balance. Ive decided to celebrate in a quieter way- maybe apply a small tilak of gulaal at home, spend time with family, and then get back to revision. It doesnt make the festival smaller; it just makes the celebration more mindful," Naisha added. Her perspective reflects a growing trend among students, shifting from loud, all-day celebrations to quieter, more environmentally conscious observances. This clash also underscores a broader aspect of academic life in India: festivals and exams often coincide, requiring students to navigate both. Balancing fun with education teaches students discipline, balance, and maturity. First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:04 IST News education-career When Holi Meets Board Exams: Balancing Festivities And Long-Term Goals; How Do Students Manage? 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... Did Israel Shatter Irans Axis Of Resistance With US Help? What Is It & Who Are Its Members? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 14:32 IST US-Israel-Iran war: What is Iran's Axis of Resistance? Who are its members? Why was it formed? Is it fully broken now? News18 explains Rapid Read Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AFP File File) The joint strikes by the United States (US) and Israel have put Irans Axis of Resistance in a state of unprecedented disarray. The military operations have severely degraded the networks leadership and logistical capabilities. What is the Axis of Resistance? Who are its members? Is it fully broken? News18 explains WHAT IS THE AXIS OF RESISTANCE? The Axis of Resistance is an informal, Iran-led military and political coalition in the Middle East. It is primarily composed of state and non-state actors united by their opposition to the influence of Israel and the United States in the region. The coalition is a decentralised network of groups that coordinate strategically while maintaining varying degrees of autonomy: Iran: The central anchor and primary provider of funding, weapons, and ideological guidance. Hezbollah (Lebanon): Widely considered the most powerful non-state member, acting as a strategic arm" for Iran. Hamas & Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Gaza/West Bank): Palestinian militant groups that have received extensive Iranian support for their fight against Israel. The Houthis (Yemen): A Zaydi Shia movement that has used Iranian-supplied missiles and drones to target Israel and Red Sea shipping. Iraqi Militias: Groups under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), such as Kataib Hezbollah, which target U.S. and Israeli interests. Syria (Former Full Member): The regime of Bashar al-Assad was a core state member until its fall in December 2024, which severed a critical supply link between Iran and Lebanon. WHY WAS IT FORMED? The term was coined in the early 2000s as a direct counter to U.S. President George W. Bushs Axis of Evil". The coalitions roots trace back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which established a doctrine of resistance" against Western hegemony. The primary goals of the Axis include: Denying Israels legitimacy and supporting Palestinian armed struggle. Opposing American military presence and political dominance in the Middle East. Creating a land bridge" from Tehran to the Mediterranean to project Iranian power. WHAT IS ITS CURRENT STATUS? A joint US-Israeli air campaign on February 28, 2026, resulted in the confirmed death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This followed the earlier assassinations of key proxy leaders, including Hezbollahs Hassan Nasrallah in 2024. The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024 and the installation of a new government in early 2025 severed the vital land bridge connecting Tehran to its proxies in Lebanon. Extensive strikes have crippled Irans ability to produce long-range ballistic missiles and rendered its energy facilities vulnerable. The alliance currently resembles isolated islands" rather than a unified war machine, say analysts. While Hamas and Hezbollah have been significantly weakened, groups like the Houthis remain active and are deepening ties with other extremist elements to continue the fight. Despite these setbacks, Irans interim leadership council has vowed revenge, and retaliatory missile strikes were launched against Israel and US facilities across the Middle East. First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:12 IST News explainers Did Israel Shatter Irans Axis Of Resistance With US Help? What Is It & Who Are Its Members? 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 / Local by Nqobile Tshili THE Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo has commended the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for employing residents to patch-up potholes in the city.Gumbo, after touring some of the city's suburbs yesterday, said the initiative to empower residents should be emulated by other local authorities. The local authority's director of engineering services, Engineer Simela Dube, had told Gumbo that the council was engaging residents to patch-up roads in their suburbs.Dube said the residents undergo a two-day crash course in road maintenance before being engaged. Gumbo said allowing residents to work on their roads gives them a sense of ownership for projects in their areas."I'm impressed by the local authority's approach to rehabilitating its roads. The initiative of engaging ordinary people in patching and mending roads with the assistance of the city's engineering department is very commendable. I wish this could be emulated by the other cities and rural councils," said Gumbo.He was also encouraged to note that most of the funds being released to the BCC by Zinara were being put to good use. Gumbo was, however, unimpressed that BCC failed to take him to some of the worst roads in the city."I would've loved to be taken to some of the worst roads. I thought you were going to take me to Cowdray Park and Luveve roads. This would've put me in a better position to seek funds for Bulawayo," he said.Gumbo said suburbs like Cowdray Park need urgent road rehabilitation, as they're adjacent to resettlement areas where people were allocated land before the government could improve their infrastructure.The council showed the minister work that has been done on the City-Hillside Road, City-Cecil Drive before being taken to Mzilikazi suburb where he was shown a road which was being patched by the locals. Iran To Venezuela, President Donald Trump Dragged US Into At Least 7 Conflicts | Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:44 IST While campaigning on a promise to avoid endless wars, Trump-led US administration has engaged in strikes across at least 7 countries, including Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria & Somalia Rapid Read US President Donald Trump. (AP Photo) In his second term, United States President Donald Trump has shifted from his initial non-interventionist" stance toward a power-first" foreign policy characterised by maximum pressure" and targeted military actions. While campaigning on a promise to avoid endless wars", the administration has engaged in strikes and operations across at least seven countries, including Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, and Somalia. Military engagements since 2025 Iran (Operation Epic Fury): On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched joint major combat operations against Iran. The strikes targeted nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, as well as naval assets and missile infrastructure, with the stated goal of preventing nuclear breakout and achieving regime change. Venezuela: In January 2026, U.S. forces conducted a high-stakes operation in Caracas that resulted in the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro. This followed a narco-terror" campaign launched in late 2025 targeting vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific suspected of drug trafficking. Nigeria: On December 25, 2025, the U.S. conducted powerful and deadly" airstrikes against ISIS-affiliated operatives in Sokoto State. Trump previously warned of intervention if the Nigerian government did not address what he characterized as a genocide" against Christians. Somalia: In February 2025, the administration directed airstrikes against Islamic State operatives, described as a coordinated effort with the Somali government to eliminate senior planners. Emerging Threats and Directives Cuba: Following the operation in Venezuela, the administration has reportedly turned its attention toward Cuba, citing its close ties to the former Maduro government. Other Interests: Trump has publicly floated the idea of annexing Greenland and has threatened military force or significant tariffs against European nations over the territory. He also proposed a plan to take over the Gaza Strip by relocating Palestinians to neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, threatening Egypt with aid cuts if they refuse. War and peace The administration has renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of War and established a Board of Peace" with Trump as the permanent chairman to manage global conflicts. Experts describe this approach as transactional nationalism" a preference for short, sharp military force (especially airpower and special ops) to achieve specific deals" rather than long-term conventional ground wars. This might makes right" mentality has drawn widespread criticism from the United Nations Security Council and various legal groups. First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:38 IST News explainers Iran To Venezuela, President Donald Trump Dragged US Into At Least 7 Conflicts | 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... Khomeneis Grandson Hassan As Irans Next Supreme Leader After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 14:10 IST Iran's next supreme leader: Hassan Khomeini is one of three clerics Ayatollah Ali Khamenei nominated to Assembly of Experts as potential replacements in case of his assassination Rapid Read Hassan Khomenei is viewed as a relative moderate. (Wikipedia) Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Islamic Republics founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, has emerged as a prominent figure in the deliberations to find a successor following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28. While the Assembly of Experts is constitutionally tasked with selecting the next leader, several reports indicate that Hassan Khomeini is not just finding" a successor but is actually a top contender for the position himself, according to Reuters and other reports. Who is Hassan Khomeini? The Independent reported that Khomeini is one of three senior clerics whom Khamenei reportedly nominated to the Assembly of Experts as potential replacements in the event of his assassination. He is viewed as a relative moderate and is closely associated with reformist figures like former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani. ALSO READ | How Is The Supreme Leader Of Iran Picked? Explained His primary strength is his lineage as the grandson of the revolutions founder, which provides significant religious and revolutionary legitimacy during a time of extreme instability. He serves as the custodian of his grandfathers mausoleum in Tehran and has not previously held formal government office. The Progressive Theologian: When Hassan Khomeini voiced dissent International media reports show Hassan Khomeini has a history of voicing moderate dissent, primarily by calling for political reform and government accountability, while still maintaining his overall loyalty to the Iranian system. 1. In the wake of the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police," Hassan Khomeini publicly demanded that authorities transparently and precisely account for what has happened". He questioned the pretext of guidance and education'" used for her detention. 2. Khomeini strongly criticized the Guardian Council in 2021 after it disqualified numerous reformist and moderate candidates for the presidential election. Expressing frustration with the lack of choice for voters, he famously stated, You cant pick someone for me and tell me to vote for them!". 3. He was widely seen as challenging the power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 2008. He argued that those truly loyal to his grandfathers legacy should follow the original order that the military must remain independent of political affairs. 4. When he was barred from running for the Assembly of Experts in 2016 due to alleged lack of religious credentials, he expressed dissent by appealing the decision at the publics request. He noted that the council had ignored his publications and the support he received from senior clerics. Despite these instances of dissent, Khomeini remains a progressive theologian" who often balances his reformist views with institutional loyalty: He supported the Rouhani government and the 2015 nuclear deal. During the intense 20252026 unrest, he rallied behind the establishment, criticising protesters who chanted against the Supreme Leader and accusing rioters of serving foreign interests. He had praised Khameneis wisdom and courage" in managing national crises and supported Irans military actions against Israel. Who are the other successors? The succession race involves several other influential figures and factions, according to news reports: Mojtaba Khamenei: Ali Khameneis son, who has strong ties to the IRGC but faces internal opposition due to concerns over establishing a hereditary" rule. Alireza Arafi: A senior cleric and deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, currently serving on a three-person interim leadership council. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei: The hardline head of the judiciary and also a member of the interim leadership council. Who was Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini? Khomeini was the architect of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the founder of the modern Islamic Republic of Iran. A senior Shia cleric, he served as the countrys first Supreme Leader (Rahbar) from 1979 until his death in 1989. In the early 1960s, he became a prominent opponent of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, criticizing the monarchs pro-Western policies and the White Revolution". After being arrested for dissent, he spent 15 years in exile in Turkey, Iraq, and France. During this time, he smuggled recorded sermons into Iran to fuel revolutionary sentiment. He returned to Iran in February 1979 following the Shahs flight from the country. Millions welcomed him, and within days, the monarchy collapsed. Khomeini introduced the doctrine of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist"), which argues that Islamic jurists have the right to rule the state. In 1979, Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days with Khomeinis eventual endorsement. Most of his tenure was defined by the brutal eight-year Iran-Iraq conflict (19801988), which he eventually ended by accepting a UN-brokered ceasefire, famously likening the decision to drinking a poisoned chalice". Khomeini died on June 3, 1989. His funeral was one of the largest in history, attended by an estimated 10 million people. He was succeeded as Supreme Leader by Ali Khamenei. With Agency Inputs First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:52 IST News explainers Khomeneis Grandson Hassan As Irans Next Supreme Leader After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? 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... Like Trumps Khamenei Attack, Bush Too Had Tried To Killed Saddam Hussein In 2003, But Failed Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 14:45 IST George W Bush had attempted a decapitation strike on Iraqs Saddam Hussein on March 20, 2003. Did the strike kill Hussein? What happened later? News18 explains Rapid Read Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein during his trial in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2006. (AP) Before US President Donald Trumps Iran attack which killed their Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, George W. Bush had attempted a similar decapitation strike on Iraqs Saddam Hussein on March 20, 2003. Did the strike kill Hussein? What happened later? News18 explains The 2003 attempt on Saddam Hussein Acting on CIA intelligence that Hussein and his top leadership was in an underground bunker at Dora Farms, a compound on the outskirts of Baghdad, Bush ordered two F-117 Stealth fighters to drop four 2,000-pound bunker-busting bombs, while warships fired nearly 40 cruise missiles. The strike missed. Post-war investigations revealed that Hussein was not at the compound during the attack and had not visited it since 1995. While the strike destroyed the buildings, it failed to kill the Iraqi leader, who appeared on television shortly after to prove he was alive. Hussein remained at large for nine months, moving between safe houses in civilian neighborhoods until he was finally captured in a spider hole" near Tikrit on December 13, 2003. 2003 vs 2026: The attacks compared Unlike the missed strike on Hussein, the March 2026 joint U.S.-Israeli operation was reported as successful in killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at his compound. Both the presidents used these strikes as wars of choice" to eliminate long-standing regional threats. However, Bushs missed strike led to a protracted 8-year war and the eventual capture and trial of the leader, whereas the 2026 strike on Khamenei resulted in immediate regional escalation, including retaliatory drone and missile strikes across the Gulf. What happened after the 2003 strike? The failed attempt transitioned immediately into a full-scale invasion of Iraq. Roughly three hours after the strike, Hussein appeared on Iraqi state television. Wearing a military uniform, he condemned the attack and called on Iraqis to resist the invaders". Iraqi forces fired Scud and other smaller missiles at the Kuwaiti border, where U.S. and British troops were massed. While the initial strike was limited, the main Shock and Awe" bombing campaigna massive aerial bombardment involving over 1,700 air sortiesbegan on March 21. Coalition forces launched a ground incursion from Kuwait, securing the Al-Faw peninsula and the port of Umm Qasr. U.S. and British forces moved through southern Iraq, engaging in the Battle of Nasiriyah on March 23. Most Iraqi military resistance crumbled quickly due to the speed of the coalitions advance and demoralization caused by the air campaign. On April 9, 2003, just 22 days after the initial strike, coalition forces captured Baghdad. This was marked by the iconic toppling of Saddams statue in Firdos Square. Following the fall of Baghdad, Saddam Hussein and his top leadership went into hiding. On May 1, 2003, President Bush declared the end of major combat operations. Husseins sons, Uday and Qusay, were killed in a raid in Mosul on July 22, 2003. Hussein himself was eventually captured in a spider hole" near Tikrit on December 13, 2003. He was executed in December 2006. With Agency Inputs First Published: March 03, 2026, 14:45 IST News explainers Like Trumps Khamenei Attack, Bush Too Had Tried To Killed Saddam Hussein In 2003, But Failed 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 Oman, A US-Iran Mediator, Eventually Faced Tehrans Strikes: Will Gulf Nations Retaliate? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:20 IST Oman is friend to all, enemy to none, was brokering peace between US and Iran: Why haven't Gulf nations retaliated? What happens to Islamic nations' unity? Explained Rapid Read Smoke billows out from a Palau-flagged oil tanker with 15 Indian crew members after it came under attack from the Iranian military off Oman's Musandam peninsula. (PTI) Oman initially stood as the only Gulf state spared from Irans retaliatory campaign in response to the US-Israel strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, as the war expanded, even this mediator found itself under fire, exposing a profound disconnect between Irans diplomatic and military wings. What happened to Omans shield of neutrality? What has changed? Why Arab countries havent attacked Iran despite being hit, explained OMAN: SWITZERLAND OF THE MIDDLE EAST Oman is frequently called the Switzerland of the Middle East or the Switzerland of Arabia due to its long-standing foreign policy of friend to all, enemy to none". Hours before the US-Israeli strikes on February 28, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi was brokering what he described as unprecedented progress" in nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran. Initially, Oman remained untouched by the missile barrages that struck Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar. This immunity was because unlike its neighbours, Oman does not host major permanent US combat hubs used for the initial strikes on Iran. Moreover, a 50-year security partnership, dating back to Iranian support during the Dhofar rebellion, has maintained institutional trust even after the 1979 Revolution. Hours before the US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi was brokering what he described as unprecedented progress" in nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran. THE STRIKE ON THE MEDIATOR However, the immunity didnt last for long. On March 1 and 2, 2026, when Iranian drones and projectiles targeted the Port of Duqm and vessels off the Omani coast. NOT THE GOVERNMENTS CHOICE: DECODING IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DEFENCE Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi remarkably claimed these strikes were not the governments choice". Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iranian military units were acting independently and somehow isolated" based on general prior instructions, rather than specific diplomatic directives. Despite the diplomatic apology, analysts suggest the IRGC intended to send a clear message: in this total war" no safe havens exist, and mediation offers no protection. FRAGMENTED UNITY AMONG MUSLIM NATIONS The targeting of a neutral Arab mediator has highlighted the fragile unity within the Muslim world. While Oman urged for inclusive dialogue" and warned that Israel is the primary source of regional insecurity, other Gulf nations like Bahrain and the UAE have increasingly viewed Israel as a strategic partner against Iran. Irans strategy of ratcheting up the pain" on Gulf statesincluding the closure of the Strait of Hormuzis intended to force them to pressure the US to end the war. Instead of unifying the region against the US-Israeli campaign, the strikes on civilian infrastructure and mediators like Oman are reportedly pushing Gulf capitals into closer military alignment with the West for protection. As of March 3, 2026, the conflict has forced all regional actors to choose sides, effectively ending the era where a nation could be a friend to all" in the Persian Gulf. Oman was initially spared due to its lack of offensive US bases and its role as a key mediator, but was eventually struck by Iranian military units acting independently of their own foreign ministrys diplomatic goals. This escalation has shattered the mediators shield" and deepened the divide between Muslim nations, as Iran uses strikes on civilian and neutral targets to pressure its neighbours into abandoning their ties with the West. WHY ARAB COUNTRIES HAVENT ATTACKED IRAN DESPITE BEING HIT Arab countries have refrained from direct military retaliation against Iran primarily due to a strategic calculation that favors containment over a devastating regional war. Despite facing significant strikes on energy facilities, airports, and civilian infrastructure, Gulf leaders are balancing several critical factors: Economic Vulnerability: Gulf economiesheavily dependent on oil exports, tourism, and global shippingwould be the first to collapse in a prolonged conflict. Strikes have already hit the Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia and energy hubs in Qatar, signal ing that direct war could permanently cripple their national visions for the future. Risk of Internal Chaos: Analysts suggest Gulf policymakers fear a total collapse of the Iranian state more than its current hostility. An imploding Iran could trigger massive refugee flows and empower uncontrollable splinter militias across the region. The Muslim Ummah Factor: Arab leaders are wary of being perceived as fighting alongside Israel against another Muslim nation. In the wake of the assassination of a prominent Shia leader, any direct Arab strike could be framed by Tehran as slavery to the West," potentially sparking domestic unrest within Sunni-majority states. U.S. Alliance Management: While these states host U.S. bases, President Trump has indicated that direct participation from Gulf allies in offensive strikes is not currently required. This has allowed Gulf capitals to maintain a defensive only" posture, shielding them from being labeled full combatants. Defensive Focus: Most Gulf states are currently prioritizing the preservation of their air-defense stockpiles, which are being rapidly depleted by Iranian drone swarms. Irans Total War" Threats: Iranian military sources have explicitly threatened to target the palaces of kings" and civilian heartlands if Arab regimes join the offensive, a level of direct threat that most Gulf monarchies are unwilling to test. The Role of Mediators: Even after being hit, nations like Oman and Qatar continue to insist that the door to diplomacy remains open". They view themselves as essential bridges that will be needed to negotiate an eventual ceasefire, a role that would be permanently destroyed by a retaliatory strike. With Agency Inputs First Published: March 03, 2026, 17:09 IST News explainers Why Oman, A US-Iran Mediator, Eventually Faced Tehrans Strikes: Will Gulf Nations Retaliate? 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... Praying Mantis, Midnight Hammer & Epic Fury: How US-Iran Warfare Became Algorithmic Over 4 Decades Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 22:57 IST The transition of US-Iran conflicts from 1988 to 2026 illustrates a profound shift in the nature of power US Central Command released images from Operation Epic Fury, showcasing Tomahawk cruise missiles, advanced fighter jets, and drones used in strikes on Iran. (File image: X/@CENTCOM) The strategic rivalry between the United States and Iran has, over nearly four decades, transitioned from a series of tactical maritime skirmishes to a state of high-tech, full-spectrum warfare. By comparing Operation Praying Mantis (1988), Operation Midnight Hammer (2025), and the ongoing Operation Epic Fury (2026), one can trace the evolution of modern combat from analogue retaliation to AI-driven decapitation. The Analogue Standard: Operation Praying Mantis (1988) In April 1988, the US Navy engaged in what remains its largest surface action since the Second World War. Triggered by the mining of the USS Samuel B Roberts, Operation Praying Mantis was a textbook example of proportional" 20th-century warfare. The American objective was limited: to neutralise the Iranian naval assets and oil platforms being used to coordinate attacks on merchant shipping. The technology of 1988 was defined by manual coordination and radio-frequency communication. US A-6 Intruders and surface combatants utilised early-generation Harpoon missiles and laser-guided bombs to sink the Iranian frigate Sahand and cripple the Sabalan. Despite the intensity, the One-Day War" was carefully managed to avoid escalating into a broader conflict. It was an era of gunboat diplomacy where the goal was to send a message" rather than topple a government. The Surgical Shift: Operation Midnight Hammer (2025) Thirty-seven years later, the strategic landscape had shifted from the sea to the subterranean. Operation Midnight Hammer, launched in June 2025, focused specifically on Irans hardening nuclear infrastructure. This was a preemptive containment" mission, marked by the first operational use of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)a 30,000-pound bunker buster" designed to reach facilities buried deep within mountains. Unlike the surface battles of 1988, Midnight Hammer was a precision-engineered aerial campaign. Seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers flew an 18-hour nonstop sortie from the United States to deliver a crushing blow to sites like Fordow and Natanz. The operation demonstrated a new level of strategic stealth," where the US could bypass entire air-defence networks to strike a handful of critical nodes. While the damage was extremely severe", the operation remained a single-issue" strike, aiming to reset the nuclear clock rather than dismantle the Iranian state. The Digital Decapitation: Operation Epic Fury (2026) The joint US-Israeli strikes of February 28, 2026, represent the final evolution into corporate warfighting". Operation Epic Fury is not a measured response or a surgical strike; it is a full-scale, multi-domain offensive aimed at systemic degradation and regime collapse. For the first time, the kill web" has replaced the traditional chain of command, integrating AI, cloud computing, and autonomous swarms into a singular lethal organism. In the first 24 hours of Epic Fury, over 1,000 targets were struckranging from leadership compounds in Tehran to the remnants of the Iranian navy. The introduction of Task Force Scorpion Strike"utilising low-cost, one-way attack drones (LUCAS)showcased a shift toward asymmetric, high-volume warfare. By targeting the Supreme Leader himself, the US and Israel have abandoned the measured" logic of Praying Mantis and the containment" logic of Midnight Hammer in favour of an absolute decapitation strategy. The Verdict of Evolution The transition from 1988 to 2026 illustrates a profound shift in the nature of power. Praying Mantis proved the US could dominate the oceans; Midnight Hammer proved it could reach through mountains; Epic Fury proves it can now delete" the central nervous system of an entire state using a synchronised wave of silicon and steel. As the world watches the fallout of the 2026 conflict, the era of the policing action" appears to have been permanently replaced by the era of the automated finish". First Published: March 03, 2026, 22:57 IST News explainers Praying Mantis, Midnight Hammer & Epic Fury: How US-Iran Warfare Became Algorithmic Over 4 Decades 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... Strategic Autonomy 2.0: How Indias 'Multi-Alignment' Is The Antidote To Picking Sides In US-Israel War With Iran Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:33 IST Despite closer military and technological ties with Tel Aviv, India has not chosen a side in the sense of joining a rigid military bloc Israeli strikes hit Tehran. (File photo: Reuters) For decades, Indias approach to West Asia was defined by a cautious, ideological adherence to non-alignment and an unwavering, singular focus on Palestinian solidarity. However, as the region stands at a volatile crossroads in 2026, New Delhis strategy has undergone a profound transformation. Moving away from the reactive" diplomacy of the 20th century, India has embraced a proactive" and multi-dimensional policy that prioritises national interest over historical dogma. This shift is not merely a change in tone but a structural recalibration of how India views its extended neighbourhood". From Ideology to De-hyphenation Historically, India viewed the Israel-Palestine conflict through a zero-sum lens. Support for one was often perceived as a betrayal of the other. Today, India employs a policy of de-hyphenation. This means New Delhi treats its relationship with Israel and its support for Palestine as two distinct, independent tracks. While India remains committed to a sovereign, independent state of Palestineas evidenced by its observer status in recent 2026 peace initiativesit no longer allows this stance to limit its special strategic partnership" with Israel. The state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in February 2026, where he became the first Indian leader to address the Knesset, underscored this confidence. By elevating ties to a Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation, and Prosperity", India has moved its relationship with Israel from the shadows of covert pragmatism" into the sunlight of high-level public diplomacy. Has India Chosen a Side? Despite closer military and technological ties with Tel Aviv, India has not chosen a side in the sense of joining a rigid military bloc. Instead, it has mastered the art of multi-alignment." Even as it signs multi-billion dollar defence deals with Israel, India is simultaneously deepening its integration with the Arab world. The landmark India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA) framework are prime examples of this. New Delhi continues to balance its relations between rival camps: the Hebrew state, the Sunni Arab monarchies (UAE, Saudi Arabia), and Shia Iran. When US-Israeli strikes targeted Iran in late February 2026, Indias response was a masterclass in strategic autonomy. It did not condemn the strikes, nor did it endorse them; instead, it called for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states" to be respected while immediately engaging in phone-call diplomacy" with counterparts in Tehran, Tel Aviv, and the Gulf. The Meaning of the New Normal This new stance signifies Indias emergence as a pragmatic middle power. For India, West Asia is no longer just a source of crude oil or a destination for migrant labour; it is a theatre for maritime security, counter-terrorism, and advanced technology. Economic Interdependence: With over 9 million Indians in the Gulf and 50% of energy imports coming from the region, stability is a domestic necessity for India. Defence Evolution: India has transitioned from being a mere buyer of Israeli arms to a partner in joint development, such as the Barak-8 missile systems. Strategic Autonomy: By refusing to join formal alliances, India preserves its strategic autonomy", allowing it to act as a credible mediator or stabilising influence" in a region where few other global powers can talk to all sides simultaneously. Ultimately, Indias message is clear: it is a friend to all and an enemy to none", but its friendships are now anchored in the cold, hard realities of 2026 geopolitics rather than the sentimental solidarities of the 1970s. First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:48 IST News explainers Strategic Autonomy 2.0: How Indias 'Multi-Alignment' Is The Antidote To Picking Sides In US-Israel War 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... The Reagan-Era Ban On Assassinations In US & The Loophole That May Have Killed Khamenei Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:47 IST The ban was a direct response to the Church Committee investigations of 1975, which exposed several CIA plots to neutralise foreign leaders, such as Fidel Castro in Cuba Rapid Read A protestor holds a portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a demonstration against the US and Israel attack of Iran and the killing of the Supreme leader in front of Israel Consulate in Istanbul. (AFP) Can a foreign military legally kill an enemy head of state? The joint military strikes by Israel and the United States, which killed Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have brought into focus a crucial questionhow did America take down a world leader when it is explicitly banned from assassinations? The question takes us back to an Executive Order (EO) titled United States Intelligence Activities, which was signed by then President Ronald Reagan in December 1981. It sets the rules and structure for US intelligence agencies (CIA, NSA, Defense Intelligence, etc.), including outlining clearly what they are not allowed to do. The ban is specifically articulated in Section 2.11, which states: No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination." This is further reinforced by Section 2.12, which prohibits any agency within the intelligence community from participating in or requesting that any third party undertake activities forbidden by the order. Simply put, this means members of the US government, including intelligence personnel, are prohibited from planning, directing, aiding, or carrying out assassinations. The language, however, is broadit applies to assassination in general, not just political" assassination. Why Was The Ban Put In Place? The ban was a direct response to the Church Committee investigations of 1975, which exposed several CIA plots to neutralise foreign leaders, such as Fidel Castro in Cuba and Patrice Lumumba in the Congo. These operations were part of Cold War covert actions and drew major criticism in Congress. In response, then Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter earlier issued orders restricting assassination and Reagans EO 12333 maintained and broadened that prohibition. The goal was not only political but ethical to show to the world that the US government would not condone assassination as a tool of foreign policy. Does It Mean Every Killing Is Banned? This is where the order becomes open to interpretation. EO 12333 doesnt define assassination" and because of that, US legal advisers and officials often distinguish between an assassination and lawful targeting during war or self-defence. Legally, the US seeks to define an assassination as a premeditated killing for political purposes, especially in peacetime or outside of armed conflict. On the other hand, lawful targeting during war or self-defence would be described as killing combatants or leaders who are part of a military threat or engaged in hostilities. By this definition, killing an enemy leader in a war or in self-defence may not count as assassination" under EO 12333. By contrast, secretly killing a foreign leader outside the context of armed conflict for political ends would violate the order. Cases Where The Order Was In Focus In 2020, the US drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani raised major debate about whether it violated EO 12333 or was lawful self-defence. The death became a grey area exactly because the order forbids assassination but doesnt define it. The newest example would be the case of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei where the US and President Donald Trump are characterising the strikes and the killing as part of a broader military operation against Irans nuclear-linked and missile threats, not as a political assassination. They argue that the actions were taken in the context of an ongoing war-like conflict with Iran and its proxies. Speaking to TIME, an expert said by framing the operation as a military campaignnot a targeted killing outside armed conflictthe US effectively places it in the same category as other wartime strikes against enemy command and control. Under international law (Article 51 of the United Nations Charter), countries can claim self-defence if they face an imminent attack. However, legal scholars say governments must justify imminence ie immediate threat must be demonstrable, and necessity and proportionality, which means force must be necessary to stop the threat and proportionate to it. So far, the US hasnt publicly laid out detailed evidence showing an imminent threat from Khamenei himself, which is why critics (including other states) call the legality dubious. For America, the killings of enemy leaders during armed combat operations are lawful military actions, not prohibited assassinations." This interpretation was used to justify lethal strikes against terrorist leaders in the past (for example, ISISs Abu Bakr alBaghdadi). By placing the action within a recognised armed conflict, US officials can argue that EO 12333s ban on assassination doesnt apply to wartime targeting of enemy leadershipeven if that leadership includes a head of state. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:47 IST News explainers The Reagan-Era Ban On Assassinations In US & The Loophole That May Have Killed Khamenei 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-Israel-Iran War: How Flights, Tourism, And Indian Workers In The Gulf Are Hit Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 13:15 IST Middle East is a key global aviation hub, and whenever conflict erupts in the region, flight routes and schedules are hit. Airlines are now rerouting flights due to airspace limits Rapid Read Delhis IGI Airport has issued advisories urging passengers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport. (Getty Images) The Iran-Israel-US conflict may be unfolding thousands of kilometres away, but its tremors are already being felt across India. Beyond the geopolitical headlines and oil market anxieties, the conflict is beginning to disrupt flights, holidays, and jobs. West Asia is not just a theatre of global power politics; it is a lifeline for millions of Indians who live and work across the Gulf. Indian carriers operate hundreds of flights through Gulf airspace each week. Amid the conflict, Indian airlines cancelled nearly 357 international flights on Monday. Moreover, in just three days, starting February 28, Indian carriers cancelled 1,117 international flights to several destinations due to the conflict. The escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, alongside the involvement of the US, are creating deep anxiety for over 8-9 million Indian workers across the Gulf. Even without direct conflict in countries like the UAE or Saudi Arabia, airspace closures, project slowdowns, and oil volatility affect aviation, construction, and hospitality jobs. Safety concerns are not just physical; they are financial and psychological. Students and workers fear sudden repatriation, visa uncertainty, and salary delays. Crisis-ready and strategic HR now means evacuation protocols, mental health access, remote continuity plans, and clear communication," said Sonica Aron, Founder & Managing Partner, Marching Sheep, a global HR consulting firm. As tensions rise in the Middle East, three sectors stand particularly exposed aviation, tourism, and Indias vast Gulf-based workforce. Let us understand the repercussions for each sector and what lies ahead. Turbulence In The Skies The most immediate fallout of the Iran-Israel escalation has been felt in aviation. The Middle East lies at the heart of global air corridors linking India to Europe, North America, and parts of Africa. Any disruption to Gulf airspace forces airlines to reroute aircraft, extending flying time, increasing fuel burn, and pushing up operating costs. The impact has already been visible. IndiGo cancelled more than 163 flights on Monday, while Air India and Air India Express together scrapped over 110 services. SpiceJet called off at least 20 flights, and Akasa Air did not operate eight services. Disruptions continued into Tuesday, with Akasa suspending flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh. IndiGo, too, extended the temporary suspension of select international flights operating through parts of the Middle Eastern airspace. Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the countrys busiest gateways for westbound travel via Gulf hubs, issued advisories urging passengers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said several westbound international services were facing delays or schedule changes due to the ongoing political situation in the Middle East," and advised travellers to explore alternate routes if necessary. The Middle East is a key global aviation hub, and whenever conflict erupts in the region, flight routes and schedules are inevitably disrupted. Airlines are now rerouting flights due to airspace restrictions, leading to longer travel times, higher fuel costs, and the possibility of increased ticket prices. Temporary suspensions to several destinations have also created confusion among holidaymakers. The Indian outbound tourism market, particularly travellers heading to Europe and North America via Gulf hubs, has been affected by flight cancellations, schedule changes, and rising fares. This situation is directly impacting tour planning and group departures," said Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The Ministry of Civil Aviation has said airlines have made calibrated schedule adjustments, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights gradually resuming via alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Special measures are also being put in place to assist stranded passengers. Early aviation data suggested that nearly 90,000 passengers a day were affected across Gulf hubs during the initial phase of disruptions. Major transit carriers such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, which form the backbone of the modern EastWest travel network, either halted or significantly curtailed operations. The financial strain could deepen if oil prices climb further. Aviation turbine fuel accounts for roughly 25-35% of an airlines operating costs. A sustained rise in crude prices, combined with longer flying times, can quickly squeeze margins. Even airlines not directly operating in the Gulf are exposed to higher global fuel benchmarks. If instability lingers, travellers may have to brace for elevated fares, unpredictable schedules, and continued volatility in international air travel. Tourism Caught In The Crossfire Tourism is another sector vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. India relies significantly on transit routes through the Gulf for both inbound and outbound travel. Roughly 9.5 million foreign tourists visit India, including via hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. If transit routes become complicated or perceived as risky, travel decisions change. Indian travellers, too, are reassessing plans. Leisure travel to Europe or the US may be deferred if flight routes lengthen or fares surge. Pilgrimage travel to West Asian destinations could also be affected by security advisories and insurance considerations. The short-term decline in tourism, driven largely by sentiment, will impact international travel to destinations that travellers perceive as being close to the conflict zone. During periods of political unrest, international travellers tend to postpone non-essential trips due to security concerns and insurance-related issues. Travel demand usually remains unsettled until there is greater clarity on the situation. We are likely to see a shift in travel patterns towards Southeast Asia and domestic destinations as tourism to affected regions declines. Historically, Indian travellers have shown resilience, but the current uncertainty will make West Asia and transit-dependent routes less attractive until the situation stabilises," said Gosain. The psychological factor cannot be ignored. Even when flights continue to operate, the perception of instability can dampen travel sentiment. Holiday bookings often decline during periods of international tension, particularly when news cycles are dominated by images of missiles and airstrikes. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged foreign nationals to contact their nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if they require assistance with visa extensions or need to regularise their stay. How The War Impacts Indians In The Gulf Perhaps the most sensitive dimension of the crisis lies in the Gulf diaspora. More than 9 million Indians live and work in West Asia, with a significant concentration in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. These people work in construction, healthcare, retail, logistics and hospitality sectors in different countries. They also send billions of dollars in remittances back home each year, supporting families and contributing to Indias foreign exchange inflows. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, India received a record high of $135.46 billion, roughly Rs 12.53 lakh crore, in remittances in the fiscal year 2024-25. Moreover, the Gulf region alone accounts for around 38% of Indias total remittances. Out of this, nearly half comes from the UAE. While the Gulf states are not direct combatants in the Iran-Israel confrontation, the regions proximity to flashpoints creates unease. Any escalation that threatens infrastructure such as ports, oil facilities, or urban centres could heighten anxieties among expatriate communities. Airspace disruptions complicate evacuation logistics if tensions escalate sharply. During previous regional crises, India has mounted large-scale evacuation operations. Though there is no immediate sign of such a scenario unfolding, contingency planning remains essential. Which Sectors Have Likely Been Affected By The War? Even when bombs fall far from Indian shores, oil prices act as a direct transmission channel. India relies on imports for more than 85% of its crude oil needs, with a substantial supply coming from West Asia. If shipping routes face disruptions, particularly around strategic chokepoints, markets react swiftly. Petroleum-based derivatives are used in products such as soaps, shampoos and creams. These account for over 25% of production costs for FMCG companies and nearly 40% for paint manufacturers. Any rise in crude oil prices could translate into higher costs of these items. Moreover, natural gas prices could also be impacted as Qatars state-run energy has halted LNG production, triggering a sharp spike in European gas prices. Gosain cited an Ernst & Young report, stating that multiple sectors are being affected, with direct impacts on aviation, tourism, travel agencies, and hospitality due to flight cancellations and booking changes. Operational disruptions and airspace closures in the Middle East have also led to a drop in stock prices of airlines and tour operators. Business travel, MICE events, cruise tourism, and international supply chains are facing disruptions amid the ongoing conflict. The EY geopolitical analysis highlights that prolonged instability can disrupt trade, trigger financial market stress, and adversely affect sectors that rely heavily on international travel and tourism." Government Response And Diplomatic Balancing Indias diplomatic posture in West Asia has historically been one of careful balance. New Delhi maintains strong ties with Israel, Iran, and Gulf Arab states alike. In times of crisis, that balanced engagement becomes critical. On the aviation front, authorities closely monitor route advisories and coordinate with airlines to ensure passenger safety. On the diaspora front, embassies and consulates typically activate helplines and advisory mechanisms when tensions rise. The challenge lies in preparing for contingencies without triggering panic. Communication becomes key both for travellers and expatriates. Indian expatriates need three key forms of support: timely official announcements, access to emergency helplines, and active assistance from Indian embassies. There must also be preparedness for evacuation, documentation support, and coordination with airlines in case the situation escalates beyond normal procedures. Businesses may require financial relief measures, and workers could need temporary employment support if operations slow down. The Ministry of External Affairs should communicate clearly to prevent the spread of misinformation. Strengthening diplomatic engagement with Gulf nations will be crucial to safeguarding the rights of Indian workers, who form a significant part of the local workforce," stressed Gosain. Whether the conflict stabilises quickly or widens will determine the scale of its impact. For now, uncertainty is the dominant variable. And in globalised economies, uncertainty travels fast. First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:15 IST News explainers US-Israel-Iran War: How Flights, Tourism, And Indian Workers In The Gulf Are Hit 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 Is Busy With Israels War Against Iran, Can China Exploit This Strategic Vulnerability? Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 21:12 IST US With Israel, China With Iran: With US and China on the opposite sides, how will the Israel-Iran impact the two superpowers? News18 explains Rapid Read US President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (File) Amid escalating tensions in the West Asia region, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that it was too late" for Iran to restart negotiations. China, meanwhile, has expressed clear support for Iran. With the US and China on the opposite sides, how will the Israel-Iran war impact the two superpowers? News18 explains. What did Trump say on Israel-Iran war on Tuesday? Trump said that Irans leadership, along with its air defence, Air Force, and Navy are gone". Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late," the US President posted on Truth Social. This comes as Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, representative of the late Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in an interview with ANI, said, Iran is ready for negotiations but with dignity." Meanwhile, Israel claimed that a senior commander was targeted through a strike in Iran, Al Jazeera reported. The Israeli Army didnt provide further information on the outcome of the operation that was carried out recently. Earlier, Fox News reported that Trump had sent an official letter to Congress about the US strikes against Iran, where he justified military action. In his letter, Trump said that the strikes were conducted at his direction on February 28 to protect US interests, ensuring free flow of maritime commerce via the Strait of Hormuz and for the collective self-defence of regional allies, including allies. What is Chinas stance on Israel-Iran war? Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Wang said China supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and in upholding its lawful rights and interests. China urged the US and Israel to immediately halt military operations, prevent further escalation, and stop the conflict from spreading across the Middle East. Many even feel that while Beijing has officially denied direct arms deals, it has played a role in Irans defensive rebuilding of air and missile defence in the face of the United States-Israel war. China can exploit strategic vulnerabilities? Analysts suggest that Trumps intensified military focus on the Middle East culminating in the February 28 joint U.S.-Israel strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei creates strategic vulnerabilities that China is positioned to exploit. While the show of force" is intended to project strength, it risks overextending American resources and diverting attention from the Indo-Pacific, according to The Guardians assessment. Resources: The ongoing conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, requires a massive deployment of naval and air assets, including Carrier Strike Groups 3 and 12. This preoccupation leaves a vacuum in Asia, potentially allowing Beijing to accelerate its activities in the South China Sea or toward Taiwan. Munitions Depletion: The U.S. is expending high-end interceptors and munitions in the Middle East. Analysts note that drawing down these stockpiles lowers the resources available for a potential contingency in the Pacific. Supply Chain Leverage: Chinas dominance in critical minerals like gallium, essential for high-tech U.S. defense systems, provides it with significant leverage. Beijing could restrict these supplies to hamper the U.S. ability to manufacture and repair the very weapons being used in the Middle East, said The Guardian report. Diplomatic and Image Gains: Beijing is framing the U.S.-Israel strikes as unacceptable" unilateral force. By positioning itself as a defender of international rules and the United Nations, China aims to boost its image in the Global South relative to Washington, say analysts. Energy Security Buffers: Anticipating geopolitical shocks, China spent 2025 building massive oil stockpiles. This allows it to weather disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or the loss of Iranian oil for several months, while the resulting price spikes could harm the U.S. economy, according to the report. What may work for the US? The strikes have severely weakened Iran and Venezuelatwo of Chinas primary sources of cheap, non-Western-aligned oil. Some observers believe Trump may use the regional chaos" as a position of strength to seek reciprocal gains or unconventional humility" in upcoming meetings with Xi Jinping. China remains the worlds largest buyer of Iranian oil (roughly 13.4% of its sea-imported total in 2025), making it uniquely exposed to prolonged regional instability, according to reports in foreign media. With ANI, agencies inputs First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:58 IST News explainers US Is Busy With Israels War Against Iran, Can China Exploit This Strategic Vulnerability? 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... Airfare Chaos For Indians Flying To London Amid Iran Tension: 9 Lakh For Non-Stop Flight Or 25-Hour Detour Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 10:21 IST Direct India-London flights have dropped amid Middle East conflict, forcing travelers to pay more or take longer routes. Relief measures are underway. File photo for representation. People flying between India and London are stuck in an unexpected bind as direct services from Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad have virtually disappeared from booking platforms, leaving passengers to choose between long one-stop journeys or a single non-stop seat priced at over 9.12 lakh. The squeeze on available capacity comes against the backdrop of heightened regional instability linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and Israel. Follow Live Updates Here For departure on March 6 from New Delhi to London Heathrow, the only direct service available is Virgin Atlantic VS303 (Airbus A350-1000), scheduled to leave at 5 am and reach London by 09:30 after a 10-hour flight, but it carries a hefty fare of 9 lakh one-way. All other viable options require at least one stop, mostly via Dubai, with the best priced at Rs 43,928 for flights lasting around 25 hours and 45 minutes. On the Mumbai to London route, too, direct flights are missing. One-stop Emirates flights via Dubai start from about Rs 28,266 with travel times close to 26 hours, while other connections range above Rs 30,000 depending on the airport of arrival and layover duration. Some itineraries extend beyond 30 hours, reflecting the routing challenges passengers now face. The sharp contrast between sub-50,000 one-stop tickets and the lone direct fare exceeding 9 lakh highlights the unusual market imbalance. With conflict in the Middle East prompting airlines to adjust schedules and airspace usage, capacity on long-haul routes like IndiaUK has been disrupted, forcing flyers to contend with steep prices, extended travel times and limited choices. Also Read: Israel Hacked Tehrans Traffic Cameras To Track Khamenei, Senior Iranian Officials: Report India is closely tracking the evolving airspace situation across parts of the Middle East and assessing its impact on international flight operations following the US-Israel strikes on Iran. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said Indian carriers have made calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul services gradually resuming through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning efforts are underway to restore operational normalcy at the earliest. Follow Dubai News Here Authorities are also making special arrangements for stranded passengers. Airlines are adding capacity where needed and coordinating with foreign aviation authorities as well as Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly travel. Also Read: Satellite Image Shows Major Damage At Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura After Iran Drone Strike IndiGo has scheduled 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to necessary approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. The airline is working closely with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to support passenger movement. Foreign carriers operating between India and Gulf destinations are conducting limited services, depending on operational feasibility and airspace restrictions, according to an official release issued on Monday. First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:21 IST News india Airfare Chaos For Indians Flying To London Amid Iran Tension: 9 Lakh For Non-Stop Flight Or 25-Hour Detour 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 Wealthy elites are paying up to 260,000 to escape the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia emerging as a key evacuation route.The exodus comes after Iranian missiles and drones struck Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, and Bahrain last weekendregions previously considered safe for high-net-worth individuals. Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport has become one of the few operational hubs in the region, offering a route out for those seeking safety.Private security firms are reportedly coordinating fleets of SUVs to transport individuals on the ten-hour drive from Dubai to Riyadh, after which private jets are chartered to fly evacuees to Europe and beyond. Among those leaving are senior executives from global finance firms and other wealthy individuals holidaying or on business in the Gulf.The surge in demand has driven prices for private transport through the kingdom to unprecedented levels, with jet fares from Riyadh to Europe reportedly reaching $350,000 (260,000).Saudi Arabia's appeal as an evacuation point has been further boosted by its relaxed visa rules, allowing many nationalities to obtain visas upon arrival rather than in advance. However, the kingdom is not entirely insulated from the conflict. Earlier this morning, its Ras Tanura oil refinerythe world's largest - was hit by an Iranian drone, forcing its temporary closure.Torbjorn Soltvedt, Middle East analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, warned that Gulf energy infrastructure is now "squarely in Iran's sights," and predicted the attacks may push Saudi Arabia and neighboring states closer to joining U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.The Saudi defence ministry confirmed two drones were intercepted and destroyed earlier today, though it did not attribute the weapons to Iran. The kingdom's energy facilities have previously been targeted, including drone and missile strikes in 2019 on Abqaiq and Khurais plants and Houthi attacks on Ras Tanura in 2021.As the crisis unfolds, the wealthy continue to leverage Saudi Arabia as a corridor for rapid, high-cost evacuation, underscoring the widening regional instability and the premium placed on security and mobility for the elite. Khameneis Death Spotlights Lucknow Suburb: House With Giant Khomeini Portrait Houses Iran Leaders Kin | Video Proof Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 14:25 IST Iran-Israel War News: Kintoor is known as the ancestral home of Syed Ahmad Musavi who was the grandfather of Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini Rapid Read Kintoor is located in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Credit: Instagram) Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint strike by Israel and the United States. US President Donald Trump was the first to announce the development and said it offered Iranians their greatest chance" to take back" their country. Iranian media later confirmed the news. In Tehran, crowds gathered in public squares and held placards with Khameneis image. At the same time, videos circulating online showed some people dancing, bursting crackers and honking car horns in celebration. But in Kintoor, a village about 70 kilometres from Lucknow in Barabanki district, the atmosphere turned heavy. For residents there, the developments in Iran are tied to family history. Why UPs Village Kintoor Suddenly In Spotlight Amid US-Iran Tensions Kintoor, located along the banks of the Ghaghara river, is known as the ancestral home of Syed Ahmad Musavi who was the grandfather of Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, the leader of Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic. When news of Khameneis death spread through social media, prayers were offered in local mosques. According to a report in India Today, families gathered in courtyards and elders revisited stories passed down through generations. Saiyyadwara was once home to hundreds of Musavi families. Today, only a handful of households remain. A video shared by Republic Bharat shows the lanes of the village where Musavi once lived before leaving India for West Asia, a journey that would eventually shape Irans political future. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Republic Bharat (@republicbharat) 70-year-old Syed Nihal Kazmi who has a framed photograph of Khomeini hanging in his drawing room told India Today, Our connection is not merely emotional. It is genealogical." Who Was Syed Ahmad Musavi Hindi? The story connecting Kintoor to Iran begins nearly two centuries ago. Syed Ahmad Musavi was born in this village in Barabanki district in the early 1800s, at a time when British control in India was steadily expanding. He was known as a religious scholar who supported reform within the Muslim community during a period of social and political change. In the 1830s, he left India and travelled westward. His journey first took him to Najaf in present-day Iraq where he spent several years in religious study and pilgrimage including visits to important Shia shrines. Later, he moved to the Iranian town of Khomeyn where he eventually made his home. Even after settling abroad, he continued to identify strongly with his Indian roots and adopted the surname Hindi" as part of his name. In Iran, he married three times and became father to five children. One of them, Mostafa, would later become the father of Ruhollah Khomeini who was born in 1902. Syed Ahmad Musavi died in 1869 and was laid to rest in Karbala. Although he did not live to see the dramatic changes that would unfold in Iran decades later, his religious influence remained within the family. That legacy would eventually shape the thinking of his grandson who went on to lead the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Revolution That Changed Iran In 1979, Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and ended centuries of monarchy in Iran. He became the countrys first Supreme Leader and established the Islamic Republic. Under his leadership, Shiite clerics were placed at the centre of governance. Supporters viewed him as a figure who resisted foreign interference. Critics argued that he built a strict religious state. After his death in 1989, Ali Khamenei took over as Supreme Leader who strengthened the clerical establishment and expanded the influence of the Revolutionary Guard. What Happens After Khamenei? With Khameneis death, questions about Irans political future have grown louder. The task of selecting the next Supreme Leader falls to the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a body of senior clerics. But there is no clear successor at present. Under Irans constitution, a temporary three-member leadership council now handles responsibilities, CNN reported. It includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and senior cleric Alireza Arafi. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said the government had prepared ourselves for these moments" and planned for all scenarios." At the same time, Israeli strikes have killed several senior military leaders. As per the report, the armed forces chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi; the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour; and the secretary of Irans Defense Council, Ali Shamkhani, have all died. Unlike in 1989, when Khamenei was named successor within a day of Khomeinis death, the current transition may take longer due to ongoing tensions. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:46 IST News india Khameneis Death Spotlights Lucknow Suburb: House With Giant Khomeini Portrait Houses Iran Leaders Kin | Video Proof 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... F-35 vs Su-57: How The S-400 Deal Complicates Indias 5th-Gen Fighter Choice Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 18:29 IST The IAF is examining options to induct 5th-gen fighters, and two global contenders dominate the conversation - Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 and America's F-35 Lightning II Rapid Read F-35 vs Su-57: A comparison of stealth, strategy and the geopolitical hurdles shaping India's fifth-generation fighter choice. The character of warfare in the 21st century has undergone a dramatic transformation. As nations race to deploy ultra-modern air defence systems capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft at long ranges, parallel efforts are underway to outsmart those very shields. At the heart of this contest lies fifth-generation stealth fighter technology, a capability currently possessed by only a handful of countries. The United States, Russia and China have operational 5th-gen fighter jets designed to penetrate advanced air defence networks. India, however, does not yet field such an aircraft. The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates 4th and 4.5-gen fighters but has no 5th-gen platform in its inventory. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and amid a rapidly shifting regional security landscape, the absence of stealth aircraft is increasingly being viewed as a strategic gap. Reports suggesting that Pakistan is exploring the acquisition of a 5th-gen fighter jet from China have further sharpened concerns in India. India shares contested and sensitive borders with both Pakistan and China, where periodic standoffs and military escalations are not uncommon. Simultaneously, Chinese military deployments near Leh-Ladakh and Tibet to sectors facing Arunachal Pradesh have kept Indian forces on high alert, reinforcing the urgency of air superiority in any future conflict scenario. Against this backdrop, the IAF is examining options to induct 5th-gen fighters. Two global contenders dominate the conversation, Russias Sukhoi Su-57 and Americas F-35 Lightning II. India has already launched its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme aimed at developing a home-grown 5th-gen jet. However, production timelines indicate that the aircraft will take years before induction becomes feasible. As a result, the government is reportedly considering the procurement of a limited number of foreign fifth-generation jets as an interim solution. Russias Sukhoi Su-57 Russia has been a longstanding defence partner of India, backing New Delhi during critical junctures in its security history. Moscow has reportedly offered the Su-57 to India, along with provisions for technology transfer, a key demand under Indias push for indigenous manufacturing. However, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh recently clarified that no final decision has been taken regarding the Su-57. While he did not elaborate on specific technical shortcomings, he acknowledged that multiple factors are under consideration. The Su-57 is designed with stealth in mind. Its composite-heavy airframe and internal weapons bays reduce radar visibility, allowing it to operate deep inside hostile territory. The aircraft is capable of supercruise, sustained supersonic flight without afterburners, and features 3D thrust vectoring engines that enhance manoeuvrability. Equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and multi-sensor fusion systems, the jet can track and engage multiple targets simultaneously while providing 360-degree situational awareness. It is a multi-role platform capable of conducting air-to-air, air-to-ground and potentially hypersonic strike missions, supported by a long operational range and heavy payload capacity. Yet questions reportedly persist around lifecycle costs, engine reliability, stealth performance benchmarks and long-term logistics support. Indias emphasis on maximum technology transfer, local assembly, and assured spare parts availability is believed to be central to ongoing deliberations. Geopolitical considerations also weigh heavily, given Indias balancing act between Russia and Western partners. Americas F-35 Lightning II On the other side stands the F-35 Lightning II, widely regarded as one of the most advanced stealth fighters currently operational. Its low-observable design, special radar-absorbent coating, and integrated sensor architecture allow it to penetrate sophisticated air defence systems. The aircrafts hallmark is its sensor fusion capability, which integrates radar, infrared and electronic warfare inputs into a single real-time battlefield picture for the pilot. Its helmet-mounted display system enables pilots to see through" the aircraft, providing unprecedented situational awareness. Beyond its stealth profile, the F-35 is designed for network-centric warfare. It can act as a flying data node, sharing information with other aircraft, drones and ground systems, significantly multiplying combat effectiveness across a fleet. However, the F-35 option faces its own complications. According to defence observers, Washington has expressed concerns over Indias deployment of the Russian S-400 air defence system. There are apprehensions that operating the F-35 alongside the S-400 could risk exposure of sensitive stealth signatures or electronic data, potentially compromising the jets technological edge. Analysts note that India is unlikely to proceed without sovereign operational flexibility. If a formal offer materialises, India may seek customisation rights similar to those granted to Israel for its F-35I variant. The central issue is not merely procurement, but the strategic conditions under which such an acquisition would be acceptable. As Pakistan explores closer defence ties with China and Beijing expands its military footprint along contested borders, Indias air power calculus is evolving. The decision before policymakers is complex, shaped by technology, cost, geopolitics, interoperability, and long-term strategic autonomy. While the indigenous AMCA remains the cornerstone of Indias future air combat doctrine, the immediate requirement for a stealth-capable force multiplier is pressing. First Published: March 03, 2026, 18:25 IST News india F-35 vs Su-57: How The S-400 Deal Complicates Indias 5th-Gen Fighter Choice 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... Flights From Dubai, Abu Dhabi Land In India As Airlines Begin Limited Operations Amid Conflict Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 06:21 IST An Emirates flight, landed at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, while the first flight from Abu Dhabi touched down at Kempegowda International Airport. Indians Return Home as Gulf Flights Gradually Resume Operations. (PTI) In a major relief to thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi began landing in India on Monday night as airlines resumed limited operations following days of suspension due to the ongoing IsraelIran conflict. An Emirates flight, EK 500, landed at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, while the first flight from Abu Dhabi touched down at Kempegowda International Airport. Another service landed safely at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport and Chennai Airport amid heightened tensions in West Asia. VIDEO | Iran-Israel conflict: Abu Dhabi-Delhi flight lands at IGI airport.A returnee named Shiv says, We could see missiles being constantly intercepted. The airspace is very busy. There was not a very visible impact in Abu Dhabi." (Full video available on PTI Videos- pic.twitter.com/ZuK1wbzEnr Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2026 Onboard Emirates flight EK568 from Dubai to Bengaluru, passengers described an emotional atmosphere as services resumed. Welcome onboard this flight to Bengaluru. Yes, this is the first flight," an air hostess announced, drawing smiles and applause, reported news agency ANI. Sanjeev Mehta, a passenger on the Dubai-Bengaluru Emirates flight, expressed his gratitude and excitement as the aircraft prepared to depart. Thanks to the UAE authorities for starting the flights. We just boarded the flight to Bengaluru, India. This is one of the first few flights which have started," he told the news agency. Mehta added that travellers had little time to prepare. We were given a very short notice to book the tickets but we were able to book some tickets and rush to the airport. As of now, I am excited that I am going back home," he said. #WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Amid the flight disruptions in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict from the past few days, the flight from Dubai to Chennai has landed at the Chennai International Airport.A passenger says, The situation was very scary, and we heard explosions every pic.twitter.com/Hqf4RxNGrB ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2026 #WATCH | Maharashtra: An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai has landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.Ajay, a passenger, says, We had a flight to the USA from Dubai. When it didnt take off, we thought there might be some issues with the flight. pic.twitter.com/5dbauumf4A ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2026 Four special evacuation flights operated by Etihad Airways brought back stranded Indians from Abu Dhabi. According to schedule details, flight EY216 landed in Delhi around 8 pm, EY204 reached Mumbai at approximately 7:40 pm, EY238 arrived in Bengaluru at 9:45 pm, and EY334 touched down in Kochi at 10:10 pm. Passengers said that airlines arranged hotel accommodations during the disruption. Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi airport, Etihad Airways took good care of us. They booked the hotels for all the passengers whose flights were cancelled," one traveller said as quoted by the news agency. Earlier on Monday, Dubai Airports confirmed a partial restart of operations from Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International. However, authorities urged travellers not to head to the airport unless directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time. Civil Aviation Ministry Announces Special Relief Operations Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced that IndiGo would undertake 10 special relief operations from Jeddah on March 3 to help stranded passengers, subject to approvals and airspace conditions. The airline is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. IndiGo has planned 10 special relief operations from Jeddah to India on March 3 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India at Jeddah for passenger facilitation," the Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations.Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) March 2, 2026 Additionally, the Ministry highlighted that foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also conducting limited operations, taking into account operational and airspace considerations. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations," it added. Travel platform EaseMyTrip also announced special charter flights from Fujairah to Delhi and Mumbai to assist those affected. Meanwhile, Air India extended the temporary suspension of all its Middle East flights until 11:59 pm on March 3, citing continued airspace closures. The airline said it would assist affected passengers with refunds or complimentary rescheduling while maintaining scheduled services to the US, Canada, Europe and the UK. The air travel disruptions followed joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and subsequent retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Iran, leading to widespread airspace closures across West Asia. Many passengers were left stranded as flights were cancelled or rerouted. (With inputs from agencies) First Published: March 03, 2026, 06:21 IST News india Flights From Dubai, Abu Dhabi Land In India As Airlines Begin Limited Operations Amid Conflict 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 Tehran To Srinagar: Ayatollah Khamenei's Jamia Masjid Visit That Transcended Sects Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 23:08 IST In 1981, Seyyed Ali Khamenei visited Kashmir, invited by Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq. He joined Sunni prayers at Jamia Masjid and spoke at Imambara Budgam, promoting unity. Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei also spoke to a gathering in Imambara of Budgam in March month of 1981. In 1981, just two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran toppled the Shahs regime, a young cleric, Seyyed Ali Khameneia close confidant of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiniset out on a journey that would leave a lasting mark, connecting the revolutionary spirit of Iran with the enduring resilience of India. Ayatollah Khomeini himself had deep personal ties to Kashmir; during his exile in Iraq, he had received an invitation from Aga Syed Yusuf al-Moosavi al-Safavi, a prominent Kashmiri Shia leader from Budgam, to visit the valley if circumstances ever allowed. Khomeini, in an interview with a French journalist had even expressed his preference to seek refuge in Kashmir over other places, highlighting the profound affection between the Iranian leadership and the Kashmiri people. It was in this context of mutual admiration that Ali Khamenei visited to Kashmir. The call also came from Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq, the influential Mirwaiz chief preacher of Kashmir and a key Sunni leader based at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar. ALSO READ: Kintoors Quiet Tribute: Why This UP Village Is Praying For Peace After Khameneis Death Mirwaiz Farooq was a towering figure in Kashmiri politics and spirituality. He extended the invitation as part of a broader effort to strengthen ties between the Muslim communities of Iran and Kashmir, inviting Khamenei to address the faithful at Jama Masjid Srinagar. This was no ordinary visit; it was a spiritual pilgrimage, aimed at bridging sectarian divides. Khamenei, at the time a rising star in Irans new republic, having served as Tehrans Friday prayer imam and a member of the Revolutionary Council, accepted eagerly. His trip was one of the first high-profile outreach efforts by the nascent Islamic Republic to the Indian subcontinent. As news of Khameneis impending arrival spread through Srinagar in the early 1981, local leaders and ordinary citizens alike prepared fervently. He arrived a full day late, missing the grand reception that had been planned for him. The government in Delhi, prioritising his security, had insisted on last-minute arrangementsleaving crowds of eager people disappointed and waiting in vain that day. The young cleric on his arrival was dressed in his simple black turban and robe, stepped out to a thunderous welcome. Khamenei, in a gesture of profound unity, joined the Sunni congregational prayers led by Mirwaiz Farooq himself at the Jamia Masjid, a 14th-century architectural marvel built by Sultan Sikandar, which stood as a symbol of Kashmirs Islamic heritage. Its vast courtyard, capable of holding tens of thousands, was packed on that fateful day. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the locals, he prayed, a powerful act that transcended sectarian lines. After the prayers, he took to the pulpit for a 15-minute speech that would be remembered for years. Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei also spoke to a gathering in Imambara of Budgam in March month of 1981. He met with local leaders, scholars, and families. He toured the valleys shrines, including the revered Hazratbal Shrine on the banks of Dal Lake, where he offered prayers later. The visits legacy rippled far beyond those few days. Khamenei, upon his return to Iran and eventual ascension as Supreme Leader in 1989, continuing. Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 23:08 IST News india From Tehran To Srinagar: Ayatollah Khamenei's Jamia Masjid Visit That Transcended Sects 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 Abu Dhabis BAPS Hindu Mandir Is Keeping Faith Alive For Indian Expats Amid The Israel-Iran Conflict Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 11:23 IST As regional tensions rise, the doors of BAPS Mandir remain shut as a precaution. Yet, rituals continue within its halls, sustaining hope and faith for Indian expats in the UAE. Rapid Read From a 402-pillar stone marvel to a spiritual refuge amid tensions, the BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi connects Indian expats to faith, heritage, and community. (Image- Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha) In the heart of Abu Dhabi, the BAPS Hindu Mandir has become a living slice of India, inviting expats to reconnect with their heritage, strengthen community bonds, and rediscover a sense of devotion and belonging in a foreign land. Nestled amid the glittering skyline of Abu Dhabi, the BAPS Hindu Mandir rises as more than a spiritual site; it is home away from home, a bridge to centuries-old traditions for Indian expats. Even as regional tensions prompt temporary closures, the Mandirs daily rituals continue, quietly sustaining the cultural heartbeat of thousands. Within its intricately carved walls and serene halls, echoes of India find enduring resonance and solace. The Temporary Closure Of Temple Amid escalating regional tensions, the BAPS Hindu Mandir temporarily suspended public access until Monday, March 09, citing security advisories. The precaution follows recent missile strikes in the Gulf, explosions in Dubai, and temporary airspace closures. While entry is restricted, Swamis continue prayers within the Mandir, offering peace, protection, and collective well-being. Temple authorities urged calm, advising devotees to avoid spreading unverified news, remain indoors when instructed, and adhere to official guidance. Despite external uncertainties, the Mandir continues to serve as a spiritual anchor, demonstrating faiths enduring strength and its role in sustaining community resilience during crises. A Spiritual Bridge For Expats For Indian expatriates, the Mandir is a bridge to home, a place where identity, spirituality, and community converge. Swami Brahmaviharidas remarked, The Mandir stands today not merely as a temple of stone, but as a living beacon of harmony and devotion proclaiming to the world that even in the heart of the desert, faith can blossom into an oasis of peace and unity." Through rituals, volunteerism, and educational programs, the Mandir nurtures continuity of tradition, provides moral grounding, and strengthens intergenerational bonds. The temple allows Indian expats to maintain meaningful connections to their heritage, while welcoming visitors from all backgrounds. Even with the looming global tensions and regional instability, the Mandirs presence reassures the diaspora that faith transcends boundaries. As a spiritual and cultural hub, it remains a living testament to Indias traditions. Abu Dhabis Majestic 402-Pillar Temple The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, inaugurated in February 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the first traditional Hindu stone temple in West Asia. Marking its second anniversary on February 14, the Mandir has emerged as a spiritual and community landmark. Located in Abu Mureikha, along Sheikh Zayed Road, the temple is built entirely of hand-carved pink sandstone from Rajasthan and Italian marble. Remarkably, no steel was used in its superstructure. Thousands of artisans sculpted 402 intricately carved pillars, domes, and facades following centuries-old temple-building techniques. The hand-carved pillars depict flora, fauna, celestial cycles, ceremonial processions, and stories from Indian scriptures. Some pillars alone required four artisans an entire year to complete. The temple reportedly cost USD 84.2 million, excluding the land donated by the UAE government. As it enters its third year, the temple continues to draw thousands of devotees for daily prayers, festivals, and ceremonies. Open to people of all faiths, the BAPS Mandir has become a spiritual home for the Indian diaspora while serving as a cultural bridge for the UAEs diverse population. The seven spires of the temple symbolise the seven emirates, and its streams of water represent the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. The Divine Eye sculpture, inspired by the third eye, further reflects the universality of faith and humanitys potential. The temples seven shrines honour Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj, Shri Radha-Krishna, Shri Jagannathji, Shri Shiv Parivar, Shri Ram Parivar, Shri Ayyappaji, and Shri Padmavati Srinivasji. Visitors consistently describe the Mandir as a sensory journey; the scent of incense, soft ringing of bells, and sunlight filtering through carved marble create a serene ambience ideal for meditation and spiritual reflection. Cultural And Spiritual Significance Beyond its grand architecture, the Mandir serves as a spiritual and cultural anchor for the Indian community. Festivals such as Diwali, Janmashtami, Navratri, and the Hindu New Year are celebrated with great zest and fervour, drawing devotees from across the UAE and the world. During 2025s Diwali, over 60000 visitors celebrated in a spirit of devotion, participating in Sharda Pujan, sanctifying account books with flowers and rice grains, and reflecting on prayers for prosperity, harmony, and divine guidance. Janmashtami celebrations are equally immersive here. Last year, 15000 devotees attended Ashtami Puja and Krishna Janmotsav, enjoying the Jhula Darshan of Shri Krishna, recitals of Bhagavad Gita shlokas, devotional bhajans, and theatrical performances highlighting timeless teachings. The Mandirs annakut offerings feature sacred trees representing divine principles, from Neem, symbolising enlightenment, to the Tulsi plant, signifying devotion. Through such practices, expats find not just religious solace but a deep connection to Indian heritage, spirituality, and moral values. Community And Social Role The BAPS Mandir is a thriving social hub as well. From fostering volunteerism to community engagement and networking, the temple allows Indian expatriates to serve through seva and participate in cultural and educational programs. The Mandir also offers classes in Indian languages, music, philosophy, and ethics, ensuring that younger generations born abroad can engage with their roots. These initiatives help maintain a sense of belonging in a foreign land, providing emotional and social support. Even during times of regional tension, the Mandir continues to play a vital role in promoting calm, unity, and resilience, reassuring devotees through its unwavering commitment to faith and community. First Published: March 03, 2026, 11:23 IST News india How Abu Dhabis BAPS Hindu Mandir Is Keeping Faith Alive For Indian Expats Amid The Israel-Iran Conflict 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 Calls For Restraint As Iran Conflict Escalates: 'Dialogue And Diplomacy Are The Only Way Forward' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 16:49 IST India urged restraint amid the Iran-Gulf conflict, emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi called the situation a "matter of grave concern." Black smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike. (AFP) India reiterated its call for restraint as the conflict in Iran and the wider Gulf region intensifies, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to de-escalation and the prevention of further civilian casualties. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi was deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region" and urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians." The ministry further emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues," adding that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected." The remarks come amid a sharp escalation in the Middle East following recent military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The MEA underscored the direct implications of the crisis for India, particularly the safety of its citizens in the region. Indian missions in affected countries, it said, are maintaining close contact with expatriate communities, issuing advisories and extending assistance where required. Our Missions in the region are in touch with Indian nationals and have issued appropriate advisories asking them to remain vigilant, stay in contact with the Missions, and follow local security guidance," the statement said. New Delhi also pointed to the strategic and economic stakes involved. A significant share of Indias crude oil and liquefied natural gas imports passes through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, making stability in the region critical to national energy security. The MEA cautioned that any disruption to shipping lanes or commercial logistics would carry serious economic consequences. It reiterated that India is firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping," and confirmed that some Indian nationals have been killed or remain missing in recent incidents. Describing India as a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region," the ministry highlighted the scale of Indian exposure. Nearly one crore Indian citizens live and work across Gulf countries, forming one of the largest overseas communities globally. Their safety and well-being, the government said, remains an overriding priority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately termed the situation in West Asia a matter of grave concern" and reiterated that India consistently advocates the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:43 IST News india India Calls For Restraint As Iran Conflict Escalates: 'Dialogue And Diplomacy Are The Only Way Forward' 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 Rolls Out Evacuation Plan, Relief Flights Bring Back Stranded Tourists From Dubai Curated By : Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 12:41 IST The Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with airlines like IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet to evacuate stranded Indian passengers amid Middle East airspace disruptions. A SpiceJet flight lands in Delhi from Dubai; (R) Stranded passengers deboard an Air India flight. (News18) The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and assessing its impact on international flight operations, as tensions in the region disrupt travel plans and leave several Indian tourists stranded abroad. Follow Live Updates Here On Tuesday morning, special relief flights operated by IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet brought back some of the stranded passengers from Dubai, as authorities moved to implement evacuation measures and stabilise flight operations. The ministry had earlier said Indian carriers have made calibrated schedule adjustments, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul services gradually resuming through alternative routes that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning efforts are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest possible time. Also Read: Virtually Unlimited Weapons: Trump Says US Ready For Prolonged War Amid Israel-Iran Conflict Authorities have put in place special arrangements to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity wherever required and are coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities as well as Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly travel. IndiGo has scheduled 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3, 2026, aimed at bringing back stranded passengers, subject to necessary approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. The airline is working in coordination with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to support passenger facilitation. Foreign carriers operating between India and destinations in the Gulf region are also conducting limited services, depending on operational feasibility and airspace restrictions. Also Read: Israel Hacked Tehrans Traffic Cameras To Track Khamenei, Senior Iranian Officials: Report The ministry reiterated that passenger safety remains paramount and has advised all airlines to maintain transparent communication with travellers while ensuring compliance with regulatory norms related to refunds, rescheduling and passenger assistance. Passengers have been advised to verify the latest flight status directly with their respective airlines before heading to the airport and to rely solely on official sources for updates. The situation was reviewed in a high-level meeting chaired by Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, with Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and senior officials in attendance. The ministry said it remains in constant coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe flight operations, orderly restoration of services and support for affected passengers. Further updates will be issued as required. First Published: March 03, 2026, 12:41 IST News india India Rolls Out Evacuation Plan, Relief Flights Bring Back Stranded Tourists From Dubai 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 Flight Cancellations Continue Amid West Asia Conflict, Partial Ops Resume In UAE Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 08:54 IST Flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi began landing in India on Monday night as airlines resumed limited operations following days of suspension. Airspace was shut after following the US-Israel strikes against Iran and subsequent Iranian strikes. (Representational) Flight disruptions between India and West Asia continued on March 3 as Indian airlines cancelled flights amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, while gradually restarting limited operations on select routes. Delhi Airport said that 36 departures and 44 arrivals are cancelled for today. IndiGo cancelled 43 flights to and from the region on March 3 due to prevailing circumstances. In a travel advisory, the airline said it would operate four dedicated flights from Jeddah to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad on Tuesday to help customers who were already booked but unable to travel earlier. These flights are being arranged to cater to customers who were already booked on our flights and have been unable to travel due to the prevailing circumstances," IndiGo said. The airline urged passengers not to proceed to the airport unless notified and to ensure their booking and contact details are updated to receive timely information. Travel AdvisoryAs part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to Mumbai Hyderabad Ahmedabad These flights are being arranged to cater IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) March 2, 2026 SpiceJet has also announced flight cancellations between India and the UAE due to airspace closures. According to the airline, cancelled departures from India to Dubai on March 3 include flights from Kolkata, Delhi (two services), Pune, Mumbai, Amritsar and Madurai. It has also cancelled multiple return services from Dubai to Indian cities, including Pune, Mumbai, Amritsar, Jaipur, Madurai, Kochi, Delhi and Jaipur, across March 3 and early March 4. It further said that it will operate four special flights on Tuesday to bring stranded passengers. It also announced to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Fujairah-Mumbai starting March 4. Tata-owned Air India extended the temporary suspension of all its flights to and from the Middle East until 11:59 pm (IST) on March 3, 2026, citing continued closure of multiple airspaces in the region. The airline said it has resumed scheduled operations to destinations in the United States, Canada, Europe and the UK. Air India said affected passengers would be assisted with alternative arrangements, full refunds or complimentary rescheduling, and advised travellers to check flight status online or contact its 24/7 support centre. Air India is closely monitoring and assessing the evolving situation in the Middle East and has commenced scheduled operations to all its destinations in the USA, Canada, Europe and UK, giving highest priority to the safety and security of our customers and crew," it said. #TravelAdvisoryAir India is closely monitoring and assessing the evolving situation in the Middle East and has commenced scheduled operations to all its destinations in the USA, Canada, Europe and UK, giving highest priority to the safety and security of our customers and Air India (@airindia) March 2, 2026 Akasa Air said it would operate select flights to and from Jeddah on March 3 and March 4 following a safety review, but services to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh remain suspended until March 4. Akasa Air flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait, and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 04, 2026. We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Middle East and are carefully assessing operational conditions across our international network" it said. #TravelUpdate: March 03, 2026 | 00:30 ISTFollowing a comprehensive safety review, we are operating select flights to and from Jeddah on March 03 and March 04, 2026: March 03, 2026 QP 561 Mumbai Jeddah I ETD 19:20 QP 562 Jeddah Mumbai I ETD 23:55 Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) March 2, 2026 Partial Flight Ops Resume In a major relief to thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi began landing in India on Monday night as airlines resumed limited operations following days of suspension due to the ongoing IsraelIran conflict. Earlier on Monday, Dubai Airports confirmed a partial restart of operations from Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International. However, authorities urged travellers not to head to the airport unless directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced that IndiGo would undertake 10 special relief operations from Jeddah on March 3 to help stranded passengers, subject to approvals and airspace conditions. The airline is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end. Following the US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory attacks, using drones and missiles targeting multiple Arab countries in the region as a retaliatory action, which resulted in flight cancellations. First Published: March 03, 2026, 08:30 IST News india Indian Flight Cancellations Continue Amid West Asia Conflict, Partial Ops Resume In UAE 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's NOTAM For Air Force Drill Puts Pakistan On The Edge Amid Regional Tensions | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 10:53 IST Pakistan is currently engaged in border monitoring along Afghanistan and Iran, while also maintaining naval vigilance in the Arabian Sea amid the broader Middle East crisis Rapid Read According to official aviation notifications, the temporary airspace reservation is intended for a scheduled Indian Air Force drill in the region. India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reserving airspace for an Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise near the southern sector of its border with Pakistan from March 5 to March 12 in a move that has prompted heightened vigilance across the border. According to official aviation notifications, the temporary airspace reservation is intended for a scheduled Indian Air Force drill in the region. Such notices are routinely issued ahead of military exercises to ensure civilian aircraft avoid designated zones. However, security sources told CNN-News18 that the development has triggered concern within Pakistans defence establishment, which is already managing heightened operational demands along multiple fronts. Pakistan is currently engaged in border monitoring along Afghanistan and Iran, while also maintaining naval vigilance in the Arabian Sea amid the broader Middle East crisis. The latest Indian airspace reservation has reportedly prompted Islamabad to redeploy additional air and ground assets to observe the Indian exercise from March 5 onward. A senior security source familiar with regional deployments said Pakistans military and aerial capabilities are stretched beyond their optimal capacity", given concurrent security pressures on its western borders and maritime domain. The southern sector of the India-Pakistan border, spanning areas near Rajasthan and Sindh, has historically seen military exercises from both sides, particularly during periods of elevated regional tension. The March 5-12 drill comes against the backdrop of wider instability in West Asia, where ongoing hostilities have already disrupted civilian air traffic and heightened military readiness across the region. Since Operation Sindoor, this kind of strategic signalling has become a regular feature of India-Pakistan ties, with both sides frequently issuing NOTAMs along their borders to cordon off airspace for military drills. First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:10 IST News india India's NOTAM For Air Force Drill Puts Pakistan On The Edge Amid Regional Tensions | 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... Kintoors Quiet Tribute: Why This UP Village Is Praying For Peace After Khameneis Death Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 20:23 IST The village in Sirauli Gauspur tehsil shares a historic and emotional link with Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Khamenei's spiritual mentor As news of Khameneis death spread through television and social media, a visible silence descended upon Kintoors narrow lanes. (File image: AFP) Special prayers were offered in Kintoor village of Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki district on Tuesday evening following the death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an Israel-US airstrike amid the intensifying West Asia conflict. Residents gathered in mosques and homes to pray for the departed soul and for peace among nations as tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate. The quiet village in Sirauli Gauspur tehsil shares a historic and emotional link with Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and spiritual mentor to Khamenei. According to local accounts, Khomeinis ancestors hailed from Kintoor before migrating to Iran in the 19th century, a connection that villagers say binds them symbolically to developments unfolding thousands of kilometres away. On Tuesday evening, after Maghrib prayers, clerics led a special dua seeking peace for the departed leaders soul and harmony across conflict-ridden regions. We prayed for eternal peace for him and for calm between nations," said Maulana Syed Raza, a senior cleric of the village. War brings only sorrow. Our prayers are for humanity and stability." A Village Linked to History As news of Khameneis death spread through television and social media, a visible silence descended upon Kintoors narrow lanes. Small groups gathered outside mosques, reflecting on the rapidly changing situation in West Asia. Villagers say the roots of Khomeinis family can be traced back to Syed Ahmad Musavi, believed to have been born in Kintoor in the early 19th century. Historical accounts suggest that in 1830, Musavi left India for Najaf, a major Shia religious centre in present-day Iraq, before eventually settling in the Iranian town of Khomein. To preserve his Indian identity, he added the word Hindi" to his name, becoming known as Syed Ahmad Musavi Hindi. Local residents claim that Iranian records still carry this name, symbolising his origins in Barabanki. Our elders always told us that Syed Ahmad Musavi belonged to this soil," said Syed Nihal Miyan, a 70-year-old resident who claims ancestral ties to the Musavi family. When we heard about Ayatollah Khameneis death, it felt like a loss connected to our own extended history." Legacy of the Islamic Revolution In 1979, Ruhollah Khomeini led Irans Islamic Revolution, overthrowing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and establishing the Islamic Republic. After the revolution, he became the countrys Supreme Leader, shaping Irans political and religious framework. Following Khomeinis death in 1989, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assumed the role of Supreme Leader and remained one of the most influential figures in Irans contemporary history. Though Khamenei himself had no direct personal link to India, villagers say the ancestral connection of his mentor keeps Barabanki symbolically tied to events in Iran. Dr Rehan Kazmi, a local resident, described the death as a profound moment for the community. This is not about politics for us," he said. We are praying for peace. We believe that conflicts only deepen human suffering." Mourning and Reflection The atmosphere in Kintoor remains subdued. Some families have organised Quran recitations, while others have continued offering individual prayers at home. Elders recall the villages historic status as a centre of Shia learning and speak of the pride associated with its centuries-old connection to Iran. For us, this connection is part of our identity," said Mohammad Yasin, a retired schoolteacher. We may be a small village, but history has linked us to global events. Our only hope is that peace prevails." As the West Asia conflict unfolds and geopolitical tensions rise, Kintoors response has remained spiritual rather than politicaloffering prayers for the departed soul and seeking harmony among nations. First Published: March 03, 2026, 20:22 IST News india Kintoors Quiet Tribute: Why This UP Village Is Praying For Peace After Khameneis Death 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... After the complete end of the Karabakh conflict, Armenia continues its attempts to get out from under Russian influence. She does this slowly, without sudden movements, fearing that the former "big brother" might be distracted from Ukraine and pay close attention to his southern outpost. This possibility still exists, even though Moscow is tied to the Ukrainian campaign. On January 1, 2025, Russian border guards began to leave the Armenian-Iranian border. According to the Armenian media, joint patrols with the border troops of the National Security Service of Armenia are currently underway at a number of sites, but there are no more Russians at the checkpoint and the process will be completed, that is, the border with Iran will be completely under the control of the RA border guards. However, now, in connection with what is happening in Iran, some are calling for Russia to be returned to the border, fearing that the Armenians themselves will not be able to cope. But such calls are very rare. Recently it became known that Armenia has withdrawn Russian border guards from the state border with Turkiye. This was reported by the Armenian media with reference to the report on the implementation of the program of the Government of the Republic of Armenia for 2025. Starting from March 1, 2025, military personnel of the Border Troops of the National Security Service of Armenia will serve exclusively at the Margara checkpoint on the Armenia-Turkiye border. Since the beginning of 2026, a similar procedure has been established at the Akhurik checkpoint. For some reason, the authorities had not previously confirmed these facts. Now the government has officially confirmed this. Thus, there are no more border posts on the Armenian borders that are not fully controlled by Armenian border guards. Russian and Armenian experts are trying to link the withdrawal of Russian border guards to Armenian-American relations and the peace process with Azerbaijan. In particular, the acceleration of the transition of borders under Armenian control was associated with the Memorandum signed in Washington on August 8, 2025 and the initialing of the peace treaty. The Armenian Foreign Ministry denied these versions, stating that the agreement with Azerbaijan does not discuss the issue of Russian border guards, and, in general, this issue is regulated exclusively by bilateral agreements with the Russian side. In particular, the agreements reached at the meeting of the leaders of the two countries in Moscow in May 2024. We would not so categorically deny that these steps of Armenia are somehow connected with Azerbaijan. They have a direct connection with the events of recent years in the region. Yes, the Washington agreement has nothing to do with it, but the opportunity to get a taste of sovereignty is precisely the result of the end of the conflict and the beginning of the peace process, which strengthened Armenia's position as a member of the world community. It should be noted that the FSB border guards were in Armenia in accordance with the international agreement of September 30, 1992 "On the status of Russian border troops in the territory of the Republic of Armenia and the conditions of their operation." According to the agreement, four Russian border guards were based on the territory of the country, which were subordinate to the border directorate of the FSB of the Russian Federation.: in Gyumri, Armavir, Artashat and Meghri. They guarded Armenia's border with Turkiye (330 km) and Iran (45 km). At the Armenia checkpoint at Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport, Russian border guards served together with their Armenian counterparts. Armenia independently guarded the border with Georgia (220 km), the border with Azerbaijan (1,000 km), as well as three air checkpoints at Zvartnots, Erebuni and Gyumri airports. After the 2020 war, and especially after September 2023, Yerevan began to seriously consider withdrawing Russian forces from the borders. Due to the complete completion of the Karabakh conflict and the prospects that opened up for Armenia, the fact of control over the borders of a sovereign state by another country looked very unsightly and had to be disposed of. Having lost foreign lands, Armenia had the opportunity to become a truly sovereign state, and it should have started with borders. 2024 was a year of change in this regard. Since August 1, Armenian border guards have been on duty at Zvartnots Airport. Yerevan and Moscow also agreed on the withdrawal of Russian border guards stationed in the Ararat, Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik, Syunik and Tavush regions, that is, on the borders with Azerbaijan. According to Russian media, Pashinyan stated that due to the changed conditions, there is no longer a need to deploy Russian military and border guards in Armenia, who were stationed there after the 2020 war. These issues were resolved in May 2024 during the talks between Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan in Moscow. The Kremlin's press service reported at the time that "at the request of the Armenian side, Russian border guards will remain on the Armenian border with Turkiye and Iran." However, this turned out to be not entirely true. Because by the end of the year, it became known about completely different plans of Yerevan. In early 2025, Russian border guards left the only checkpoint on the Armenian-Iranian border, Karchevan, and now they have left the Margara and Akhurik checkpoints on the Armenian-Turkish border. Perhaps the meaning of what happened is still not well understood in Armenia itself. For most, this is just a break with dependence on Russia and a transition to dependence on the West. But in fact, we are talking about the sovereignty of Armenia as a state. Since gaining independence, this country has not been sovereign in the full sense of the word for almost a single day. Status News / National by Stephen Jakes The Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in the United Arab Emirates has urged Zimbabwean nationals living in the UAE to remain calm and exercise caution following heightened regional tensions linked to clashes involving Iran, the United States and Israel. In a statement, the Embassy said it was monitoring the situation and advised Zimbabweans to minimise nonessential movements.In the wake of the current situation in the United Arab Emirates, the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe advises Zimbabwean nationals residing in the UAE to remain calm, exercise caution and minimise nonessential movements, the statement read.The Embassy encouraged citizens to follow official safety guidelines issued by UAE authorities.Zimbabwean nationals are advised to continue following official safety guidelines and advisories being issued from time to time by authorities of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, it said.Those requiring urgent consular assistance were directed to contact the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate in Dubai.Embassy of Zimbabwe Abu DhabiTel: +971 2 622 2088Email: info@zimembassyuae.com / zimabudhabi@zimfa.gov.zwZimbabweans in the UAE were also urged to register their presence through the official diaspora link:https://www.zimembassyuae.com/diaspora-engagements/The Embassy said further updates would be issued as necessary. Men Too Have Dignity: Kerala High Court Allows Correction Of Fathers Name In Birth Certificate Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 20:26 IST The case involved a woman seeking to replace her ex-husbands name with that of her new husband as the father of her daughter born during an adulterous relationship. The court directed the Thrissur Municipal Corporation to make a marginal entry correcting the fathers name. The Kerala High Court allowed the correction of the fathers name in the birth certificate of a child born out of an extra-marital relationship, observing that men too have dignity, pride and self-respect. The case involved a woman seeking to replace her ex-husbands name with that of her new husband as the father of her daughter born during an adulterous relationship. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan described the case as a sad story of an unfortunate man whose wife led an adulterous life with another man while the marital relationship with him was in existence." The judge emphasised that in societies where marital fidelity is highly valued, a husband or ex-husband could feel publicly ridiculed if his name is used as the father of a child not biologically his. I am of the opinion that all should stand behind the men as well, because they too have dignity, pride, self-respect and social identity a husband may feel publicly ridiculed as if his manhood and status have been mocked," the court observed. The court acknowledged the ex-husbands gentlemanly attitude" for not opposing the petition, prioritising the childs welfare despite being aware of the circumstances. The petitioner, the mother, married her ex-husband in 2006 and had a son. During the marriage, she entered an extra-marital relationship with another man and gave birth to a daughter in 2017. At the time of birth, the husband, believing the child was his, registered his name as the father. The couple divorced in 2023 by mutual consent under the Hindu Marriage Act. The mother later married her extramarital partner and sought to correct the fathers name in the childs birth certificate, claiming school authorities required the amendment. The court directed the Thrissur Municipal Corporation to make a marginal entry correcting the fathers name without altering the original entry and to issue a fresh birth certificate within 30 days of application. It also ordered the registry to mask the names of the minor child and the ex-husband when uploading the judgment online. Considering the plight of the minor child and the gentlemanly attitude of the ex-husband, I think the correction can be allowed Let the name of the childs father be correctly mentioned in the birth register before she becomes major. Let there be a quietus," the court added. Location : Kerala, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 20:24 IST News india Men Too Have Dignity: Kerala High Court Allows Correction Of Fathers Name In Birth Certificate 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... NIA Recovers GoPro Camera Used In Pahalgam Attack, Seeks China's Assistance To Trace Distributor Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 12:19 IST The GoPro was supplied to China-based AE Group International Limited more than a year before the deadly terror attack. Terrorists carried out massacre at Baisaran in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. (Image: AP/File) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recovered a GoPro Hero 12 Black camera linked to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 tourists. The camera is considered crucial in establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement patterns and operational preparations of the terror module in the Pahalgam terror attack. It has been learnt that the GoPro was supplied to China-based AE Group International Limited more than a year before the deadly terror attack. The device was activated on January 30, 2024, in Dongguan, China. The manufacturer stated that it does not have downstream transaction details or end-user records. The camera is among various material objects and electronic devices found and examined by the investigators connected with the conspiracy. In order to trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records of the GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, the NIA is set to issue a Letter Rogatory or LR to the competent judicial authority of the Peoples Republic of China. The LR is a formal and diplomatic request from a court in one country to the judiciary of another country. The Ministry of Home Affairs has given its concurrence for the issuance of an LR to China for seeking legal assistance in the investigation. The development came after a special court in Jammu on March 2 allowed the NIA to seek judicial assistance from China to trace the purchaser and end-user of a GoPro camera. The NIA informed the court that it had issued a lawful notice under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to the manufacturer GoPro BV, seeking details regarding the supply chain and activation of the device. The information linked to the seized GoPro Hero 12 Black camera is important in establishing the chain of custody, user, attribution and evidentiary linkage as it was supplied to Chinas AE group International Limited. The court, on March 2 given its nod to the NIA based on its application to issue the LR to the competent judicial authority of the Peoples Republic of China for seeking assistance and tracing the purchaser, end user and associated technical records to unearth the larger conspiracy. The NIA took over the case from the Jammu and Kashmir Police five days after the incident, which is considered the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in almost twenty years. Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 12:19 IST News india NIA Recovers GoPro Camera Used In Pahalgam Attack, Seeks China's Assistance To Trace Distributor 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 Discusses Iran Conflict With Gulf Leaders, Flags Security Of Indian Nationals Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 18:34 IST PM Modi spoke with Sultan Haitham of Oman and Crown Prince Sabah of Kuwait with respect to West Asia tensions and the safety of the Indian community. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate telephone conversations with two key Gulf leaders as tensions in West Asia continue to escalate following recent military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran. PM Modi spoke with His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultan of Oman, and later with His Highness Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince of Kuwait. In both calls, the Prime Minister conveyed concern over the attacks reported in their respective countries and reviewed the evolving regional security situation. Had a productive telephone conversation with Crown Prince of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. India condemns violation of Kuwaits sovereignty and territorial integrity and stands with its people in this difficult hour.We underscored the Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2026 He also discussed the welfare and safety of the Indian community residing in Oman and Kuwait, reiterating that the protection of Indian nationals abroad remains a priority amid rising volatility in the Gulf. PM Modi also spoke with the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and condemned the recent attacks on Qatar and expressed concern over the evolving security situation. He also thanked the Amir for the continued support and care extended to the Indian community residing in Qatar. Spoke with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Condemned the violation of Omans sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for earliest restoration of regional peace Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2026 The outreach follows a series of conversations PM Modi has held with leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. Read more: Traffic Cameras Hacked Or Mossad Mole? Competing Theories Around How Khamenei Was Tracked Earlier, India reiterated its call for restraint amid the intensifying conflict in Iran and the wider Gulf region, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to de-escalation and the prevention of further civilian casualties. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi was deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region" and urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians." Read more: India Calls For Restraint As Iran Conflict Escalates: Dialogue And Diplomacy Are The Only Way Forward The ministry further emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues," adding that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected." The conflict in and around Iran has sharply escalated into a broader West Asia crisis following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targets that began on February 28. Those strikes, aimed at crippling Irans military infrastructure and leadership, triggered fierce retaliation by Tehran, which has launched waves of ballistic missiles and drone attacks at Israel, US military bases in the Gulf and neighbouring states. The crisis has disrupted critical global supply routes and heightened international economic anxieties. Irans threat to fire on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz- a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments- has effectively halted tanker traffic, contributing to surging oil and natural gas prices and suspended marine insurance coverage in the area. Several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have condemned Iranian strikes on their territory, and some attacks have directly impacted civilian targets and commercial facilities. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 17:07 IST News india PM Modi Discusses Iran Conflict With Gulf Leaders, Flags Security Of Indian Nationals 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... Safety Of 1 Crore Indians Top Priority: India Moves To Evacuate Citizens From War-Hit West Asia Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 01:12 IST Dedicated control rooms and helplines will go live from March 4 to assist Indians stranded in West Asia as airspace closures disrupt flights. Rapid Read Indians who were stranded in West Asia due to flight disruptions amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, upon their arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, in Mumbai. (IMAGE: PTI) India is gearing up an evacuation plan with helplines for expatriates stranded in war-hit West Asia, as the conflict disrupts commercial flight operations across the Gulf region. Top government sources told CNN-News18 that the safety and well-being of nearly one crore Indian citizens living and working in the Gulf remains the highest priority" for the Government of India. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is establishing dedicated control rooms from March 4, 2026, along with helplines to assist Indians stranded in Gulf countries where the ongoing conflict has disrupted flights," sources said. Indian embassies and consulates in affected countries are in close touch with Indian nationals, issuing regular advisories and extending all possible assistance to those impacted by the escalating situation. Sources said the government is prioritising the safe return of all affected citizens and is coordinating with missions abroad to track their whereabouts and estimate the number of Indians stranded in various countries. Control rooms will operate in key locations including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran and Jordan, among other affected areas where airspace closures have halted commercial operations. This initiative aims to gather accurate data on stranded Indians and will enable the government to devise effective repatriation mechanisms once conditions allow," sources said. The Centre is fully prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region and remains in constant touch with Indian missions abroad to ensure their safe return as soon as the situation stabilises. The focus remains on welfare, with special flights planned as soon as airspace reopens," sources added. Officials said the government is monitoring the evolving situation closely and will activate evacuation logistics in phases once civilian flight corridors are restored. First Published: March 04, 2026, 01:12 IST News india Safety Of 1 Crore Indians Top Priority: India Moves To Evacuate Citizens From War-Hit West Asia 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... Stranded In West Asia? India Issues Emergency Helpline Numbers As Conflict Enters Fourth Day Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 18:43 IST The resources include phone numbers, WhatsApp contacts, and email addresses of Indian embassies and consulates across the region. Iranian nationals arrive in Turkey after passing through the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing in Van, north-eastern Turkey. (AFP photo) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has released a list of emergency helplines and contact details for Indian citizens in the Middle East amid escalating conflict in the region. The numbers cover the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Palestine. The resources include phone numbers, WhatsApp contacts, and email addresses of Indian embassies and consulates across the region. Indian nationals are urged to reach out to the relevant helpline or embassy. The country-wise contacts provided by the MEA are: India (MEA 247 Control Room, New Delhi): 1800-11-8797 | WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 | Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in Bahrain: +973-39418071 Iran (Tehran): +98-9128109115 | WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 | Email: cons.tehran@mea.gov.in | Locations: Bandar Abbas, Zahedan, Pamar Elailat Iraq: +964-13-17 | Email: cons.tehran@mea.gov.in Jordan: +91-11-23014104 | Email: jordan@mea.gov.in Israel (Tel Aviv): +972-54-7520711 / +972-54-2428378 | Email: cons.telaviv@mea.gov.in Kuwait: +964-771-6511183 | Email: cr.kuwait@mea.gov.in Oman (Muscat): Toll-Free: 8007-1234 | Phone: +968-9828-2270 | WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 | Email: cons.muscat@mea.gov.in Palestine (A): +970-592916418 | Email: repoffice@mea.gov.in, cons.ramallah@mea.gov.in Palestine (B): +964-771-6511183 Saudi Arabia (Riyadh): 00-966-11-4884697 | WhatsApp: +91-996299988 / 5642637 | Email: cw.riyadh@mea.gov.in Syria (A Damascus): +963-993385973 | Email: cons.damascus@mea.gov.in Syria (B Damascus): +963-993385771 | Email: c.damascus@mea.gov.in Qatar (Doha): +974-55647502 | Email: ccs.qatar@mea.gov.in United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi): Toll-Free: 8007-8797 | Phone: +91-11-301197 | WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 | Email: cm.abudhabi@mea.gov.in ALSO READ: PM Modi Discusses Iran Conflict With Gulf Leaders, Flags Security Of Indian Nationals The government have emphasised that the safety and well-being of the nearly one crore citizens living and working in the Gulf region is the highest priority. Statement by official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Indian embassies and consulates remain in close touch with nationals and community organisations, providing assistance and regular advisories as the situation evolves. We had expressed our deep concern at the commencement of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on 28 February 2026. Even at that time, India had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritize the safety of civilians," the spokesperson said. First Published: March 03, 2026, 18:40 IST News india Stranded In West Asia? India Issues Emergency Helpline Numbers As Conflict Enters Fourth 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... Why Has Modi Govt Not Condemned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Assassination? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:06 IST The opposition has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government issue a formal condolence statement on Khamenei's assassination. PM Narendra Modi (Image file: PMO/PTI) The death of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 1, 2026, has now triggered a deeply political debate at home. The opposition has demanded that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government issue a formal condolence statement on Khameneis assassination by the American-Israeli forces. No less than Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has written an article accusing the government of picking a side in the conflict. Critics of the opposition argue that when Muammar Gaddafi was killed in 2011 during a NATO-backed operation, the UPA government did not issue any high-profile political mourning statement. India had strong ties with Libya then; seven ministers, including former External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had visited Tripoli between 2004 and 2007. Yet there was no moral grandstanding, no domestic political storm. US-Israel-Iran War News Today LIVE The same question is being raised about the execution of Saddam Hussein in 2006. There was no categorical condolence statement. The UPA was in power then as well. Also, a priority for India is the safety of over 8 million Indians living in the Middle East. PM Narendra Modi has been on the phone lines with various top leaders in the Gulf, impressing upon them the priority of keeping Indians safe. Strikes by Iran on civilian infrastructure in the Middle East impact the safety of Indians living in the region too. That is why India has condemned these actions by Iran. Supporters of the government argue that global reactions to Khameneis death were largely muted. With the exception of a handful of nations Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, North Korea and a few others most major democratic powers did not issue formal condolences. The US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia and even several Gulf states either remained silent or maintained a critical posture. Of the 57 OIC member states, fewer than ten formally condoled his passing. Equally relevant is Khameneis own record vis-a-vis India. Between 2017 and 2024, he publicly commented on Indias internal matters multiple times on Kashmir, on Article 370, on the Delhi riots and on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Each time, India summoned the Iranian envoy, calling the remarks misinformed" or unacceptable." In March 2020, during the Delhi riots, Khamenei tweeted that India should confront extremist Hindus" and warned of isolation from the world of Islam." In 2019, after Article 370 was revoked, he urged India to adopt what he called a just policy" on Kashmir. In September 2024, he placed India alongside Gaza and Myanmar in a widely viewed social media post. These were not neutral comments. They were seen in New Delhi as interference in sovereign affairs. Foreign policy practitioners argue that diplomacy cannot be selective. If a leader repeatedly intervenes in Indias domestic debates, public silence at the time of his death is not extraordinary it may simply be strategic restraint. It shows a clear pattern: governments across political lines have often chosen pragmatism over performative diplomacy. In geopolitics, silence is sometimes not an absence of policy. It is policy. India seems to be following the same approach. A latest government statement on Tuesday evening said that India remains deeply concerned about the escalating conflict in Iran and the Gulf region, which began on February 28 and has since intensified and spread. Reiterating its earlier position, India has once again urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians. The statement makes it clear that Indias foremost priority is the safety and well-being of nearly one crore Indian citizens living and working in the Gulf. With reports of casualties and disruptions, the government has directed its embassies and consulates in the affected countries to remain in close contact with Indian nationals, issue regular advisories, and extend all necessary assistance to those impacted by the conflict. India has also underscored its critical economic stakes in the region. The Gulf is central to Indias energy supplies and trade routes, and any prolonged instability poses serious consequences for the Indian economy. The government has strongly opposed attacks on merchant shipping, especially after Indian nationals were affected in recent incidents. Calling for dialogue and diplomacy, India has reiterated its demand for an early end to hostilities, expressing grief over the loss of lives. The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister are in touch with regional leaders and key international partners, and the government has said it will continue to closely monitor developments and take decisions strictly in the national interest. First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:17 IST News india Why Has Modi Govt Not Condemned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Assassination? 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... Holi 2026: Whats Open And Whats Closed Banks, Schools, Offices And Stock Market Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 08:28 IST Holi 2026 Holiday: In many states, Holi 2026 will be celebrated on March 4. Check state-wise bank, school, office and stock market holiday details before planning. Rapid Read The most memorable Holi breaks are not necessarily the loudest; they are the ones that allow celebration to unfold in a setting that adds its own character to the festival. The festival of colours, Holi, is approaching, bringing with it vibrant celebrations, bonfires and a break from daily routines. In 2026, Holika Dahan will take place late at night on March 2, while the main day of colours Dhulandi will be observed on March 4. As families prepare to mark the auspicious occasion, questions arise about whether banks, schools, offices and markets will remain open or closed during the festivities. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, educational institutions, banks and offices so remain closed, providing everyone the chance to celebrate with family and friends. ALSO READ: Happy Holi 2026: Wishes, Images, Messages, Quotes, WhatsApp, Facebook And Instagram Status In many states, Holi is notified as a gazetted holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, which typically results in the closure of banks, government offices, and schools. Holi 2026: School holidays Most schools across India typically close for one or two days around Holi. According to early state-level schedules: Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR: Schools and offices will observe a restricted holiday on March 3 and a public holiday on March 4. Rajasthan: The state usually declares a full public holiday on Holi. Some local schools may also remain closed on March 3 for community events. Punjab: Schools will remain closed on March 4 for the festival of colours. Maharashtra: Schools in Mumbai, Pune, and other cities are confirmed to remain closed on Dhulandi. ALSO READ: Happy Holi 2026: Wishes, Messages, Quotes, Greetings And WhatsApp Status Southern states: In some southern states, where regional festivals such as Attukal Pongala take priority, schools may remain closed on March 3. Parents and students, however, are advised to check official school circulars, as private institutions may adjust holiday schedules. Holi 2026: Bank Holidays Banks will follow the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), with holidays varying across states. In Uttar Pradesh, banks will remain closed on March 2 (Holika Dahan) and March 4 (Holi). On March 3, banks will be closed in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Telangana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh for Holi, Dol Jatra or Dhulandi. On March 4, banks will remain closed in Tripura, Gujarat, Mizoram, Odisha, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh for Holi, Dhuleti or Yaosang. However, customers can continue to access online banking services and ATMs during bank holidays. Since holiday notifications may differ from state to state, citizens are encouraged to check official announcements issued by their respective state governments and institutions. Holi 2026: Holiday In Offices And Markets Government offices and many private companies are expected to remain closed on the main Holi celebration day, March 4, in most states. The 2026 Central Government administrative holiday calendar lists March 3 as a restricted holiday. Stock markets, including the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), will remain closed on March 3, 2026. First Published: March 03, 2026, 06:45 IST News lifestyle events Holi 2026: Whats Open And Whats Closed Banks, Schools, Offices And Stock Market World Hearing Day 2026: Theme, History, Early Signs, And Hearing Care Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:15 IST World Hearing Day 2026 highlights hearing care for children. Know its theme, history, WHO data and why early detection of hearing loss is important. World Hearing Day 2026 Theme is, From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children. (AI generated image) World Hearing Day 2026: Celebrated on March 3 annually, World Hearing Day is a global advocacy event meant to spread awareness about the loss of hearing and why individuals, especially children, should look after their ear health just as seriously. The occasion encourages individual and collective action against hearing loss and related issues. Introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Hearing Day has a specific theme each year. According to which the WHO and its partners carry out activities and programmes associated with hearing loss and overall care. These programmes usually include promotional and educational activities to raise awareness about the ongoing issue. World Hearing Day 2026: History World Hearing Day acts as a campaign for hearing loss and ear care as an important matter under the Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Why the WHO chose March 3 as the date for the occasion to raise global awareness for the issue has an interesting story behind it. The date 3/3 of the year was picked as it represents the design of the two ears, according to an official WHO explanation. World Hearing Day was originally discussed by the WHO during the 1st International Conference on Prevention and Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment, held in Beijing, China, in 2007. The event was jointly hosted by the China Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Deaf Children and the WHO. It was initially called the International Ear Care Day before the formal establishment of World Hearing Day in 2012. World Hearing Day 2026 Theme The theme for World Hearing Day 2026 is From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children. World Hearing Day 2026: Early Signs, Risks And Hearing Care The global campaign for World Hearing Day calls for action to prevent avoidable childhood hearing loss by ensuring early diagnosis of the ear health risks. Those taking part in the World Hearing Day programmes usually reach out to local communities, schools and other educational institutions as they give access to students, parents and teachers. The occasion facilitates the integration of hearing care into the schools health practices and other child health awareness programmes. These activities are essential considering the WHO data on child patients with hearing loss and ear-related problems. According to the WHO, around 90 million children aged 5-19 years are living with hearing loss right now. The global health body says about 60 per cent of the hearing loss cases in children are preventable through simple and cost-effective public health measures. The WHO considers early identification of ear diseases and partial hearing loss as key to the goal. It encourages the launch of systematic screening and early intervention programmes in schools and communities by local authorities. First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:15 IST News lifestyle events World Hearing Day 2026: Theme, History, Early Signs, And Hearing Care World Wildlife Day 2026: Theme, PM Modis Quotes And India Milestones Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:10 IST World Wildlife Day raises awareness about protecting animals, plants, and their habitats. World Wildlife Day urges people to take action against illegal wildlife trade. (AI generated image) World Wildlife Day is observed every year on March 3 to highlight the significance of animals and plants in our lives. In 2026, the day falls on a Tuesday. It reminds people that wildlife helps keep nature in balance and supports clean air, food and a safe environment. The day also calls on people, schools and groups to take small steps to protect nature. When wildlife is safe, the planet stays healthy for future generations. World Wildlife Day 2026 Theme This year, the theme for World Wildlife Day is Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods." It draws attention to plants that are used in medicines, traditional healing and daily life. These plants also support local jobs and small businesses. The theme highlights the need to protect such plants from overuse and loss of habitat so they can continue to benefit people in the future. World Wildlife Day 2026: History World Wildlife Day was set up by the United Nations in 2013 after Thailand suggested creating a day for wildlife awareness. On December 20, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly announced that March 3 would be marked as World Wildlife Day. The first celebration took place in 2014. The date was chosen because the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on March 3, 1973. CITES is a global agreement that makes sure trade in wild animals and plants does not harm their survival. World Wildlife Day 2026: Significance The United Nations has warned that more than one million species are at risk of extinction due to growing environmental problems. World Wildlife Day spreads awareness about the need to protect animals, plants and natural habitats. It also encourages action against illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction. The goal is to support simple and responsible practices that protect nature. World Wildlife Day 2026: PM Narendra Modis Quotes For wildlife to thrive, it is important for ecosystems to thrive. This has been happening in India. Protection of wildlife is a universal issue. This is a day to celebrate the incredible diversity of life on our planet and to reiterate our commitment towards protecting it. Every part of India is not only sensitive towards nature but is also committed to wildlife protection. We do not believe in conflict between ecology and economy, but give importance to co-existence between the two. It is heartening to see many start-ups emerging in this field. Let us all encourage and appreciate the people dedicated to protecting nature. Wildlife conservation is ingrained in our ethos and has always been an integral part of our tradition and culture. With a robust and wide network of protected areas our commitment towards wildlife protection is as strong as ever. Human empowerment is incomplete without a better environment. And so, the way ahead is in collectiveness instead of selectiveness. We need to take a broad-based and holistic look at environmental conservation. World Wildlife Day 2026: Indias Wildlife Conservation Milestones India has made significant progress in wildlife conservation through focused policies, scientific research, and collaborative programmes. The governments efforts aim to protect biodiversity, support endangered species, and strengthen conservation systems across the country. One of the major achievements is Project Tiger, Indias flagship conservation initiative launched in 1973. Over 50 years, this programme has helped revive tiger populations through protected reserves and strict protection measures. According to PIB press release, the country now hosts over 70 per cent of the worlds wild tigers, showing the strength of sustained conservation work. Another milestone is Project Dolphin, which completed its first steering committee meeting and published its newsletter. India achieved a global first by satellite-tagging the Ganges River Dolphin, improving understanding of their movement and habitat needs. A conservation zone has also been proposed for river dolphins in the Chambal basin to protect these species more effectively. Project Lion focuses on the Asiatic lions recovery. It works on restoring and expanding lion habitats, managing disease, and involving local communities, contributing to the growing lion numbers in protected areas. Research and monitoring have been strengthened with initiatives like a Next Generation DNA Sequencing facility at the Wildlife Institute of India, boosting genetic research for wildlife protection. Community awareness is also part of the effort, with campaigns such as Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam encouraging tree planting to support ecosystems. Celebrations on World Wildlife Day and other events help engage the public in conservation work. First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:10 IST News lifestyle events World Wildlife Day 2026: Theme, PM Modis Quotes And India Milestones Did You Know Iran's Golestan Palace Once Hosted The Royal Wedding Of The 'Dior' Bride Of Tehran Whose Wedding Dress Had 6000 Diamonds? Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:21 IST Once the setting for a royal fairytale wedding of the Shah and Princess Soraya in Christian Dior, Tehrans Golestan Palace now bears signs of damage amid the Iran-Israel conflict Did You Know The Golestan Palace Once Hosted The Royal Wedding Of The 'Dior Bride Of Tehran' Whose Wedding Dress Had 6000 Diamonds? Credit: X/Instagram As missiles fly between Iran and Israel in their escalating 2026 conflict, Tehrans Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reports fresh damage from stray strikes, shrouding its opulent halls in uncertainty. Once home to the fabled Peacock Throne and lavish royal weddings, this 19th-century gem now symbolises a fragile cultural heritage caught in modern warfare. Lets step back to its golden days. In 1951, it hosted one of the worlds most talked-about weddings. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi married young Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary right there in its grand halls. Soraya Esfandiarys Iconic Wedding Sorayas gown was a fashion legend. Christian Dior crafted 37 yards of silver lame, studded with pearls, 6,000 diamond pieces, and 20,000 marabou feathers. A matching jacket and veil completed it. At 66 pounds (30kg), it overwhelmed the teen bride. It is reported that midway, a lady-in-waiting had to snip the train for relief. Soraya, half-German and a Paris socialite, became empress but got divorced a few years later due to her inability to bear an heir. The Shah married Farah Diba and had four children. But Sorayas story doesnt end there. Exiled, Soraya lived fancy in Europe. She acted in movies like I Tre Volti. In Paris, she partied at fancy spots like Hotel Plaza Athenee. But happiness slipped away. Her boyfriend died in a plane crash, and when the Shah got sick, she rushed back to him but it was too late. He died in 1980. She passed away alone in 2001. Peacock Thrones Lost Glory Golestans mirrored throne room also housed the Peacock Throne until 1739, when Persian invader Nadir Shah looted it from India. Studded with 191-carat diamonds and peacock motifs, it epitomised imperial splendor before vanishing into Russian hands post-1828 war. Golestan Palace is far more than a royal residence; it is one of Tehrans most enduring symbols of Persian power, artistry and cultural continuity. Today, as tensions escalate in the 2026 Iran-Israel conflict and reports of damage emerge, the palace stands as a reminder of how fragile cultural heritage can be in times of war. First Published: March 03, 2026, 17:18 IST News lifestyle fashion Did You Know Iran's Golestan Palace Once Hosted The Royal Wedding Of The 'Dior' Bride Of Tehran Whose Wedding Dress Had 6000 Diamonds? News / National by Staff reporter The Harare City Council (HCC) has come under fire after proposing to facilitate loans for its doctors to purchase top-of-the-range vehicles, a move critics say is ill-timed as the city's health services struggle with staff shortages and deteriorating infrastructure.The proposal has angered ratepayers who argue that priority should be given to improving service delivery at clinics and hospitals rather than supporting the acquisition of high-end vehicles. Residents say the city's healthcare system is already overstretched, with many facilities failing to meet growing demand.The Harare Master Plan, developed by Development Studio Africa and adopted last year, revealed that primary healthcare centres are under-utilised, with patients bypassing them in favour of quaternary institutions such as Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe hospitals. The report highlighted declining service quality and structural weaknesses within the city's health system.Harare mayor Jacob Mafume defended the initiative, saying the city faces a severe shortage of doctors, with only seven currently serving the municipality. He said the loan facility is meant to assist doctors with mobility, particularly during emergencies."Our doctors should be able to move from one point to another, including for emergencies," Mafume said. "We have facilitated loans for them to buy vehicles."He stressed that council would not be purchasing the vehicles directly but merely facilitating access to financing. The doctors have already met acting finance director Godfrey Kusangaya to discuss modalities, and Kusangaya confirmed the meeting.Mafume attributed the staffing crisis to brain drain and mounting pressure on existing personnel. He said Harare's 14 polyclinics deliver about 3 000 babies each month and attend to roughly 100 000 patients monthly."Our main worry is that we are nowhere near where we want to be, as we want more doctors, but we are going to fight to have more doctors," he said, adding that health workers are doing their best under difficult conditions.However, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from civic groups. Harare Residents Trust executive director Precious Shumba accused the council of failing to prioritise transparency and accountability."The City of Harare should be transparent in its procurement. The Harare Residents Trust has come to realise that corruption thrives in procurement, where proxies of key decision-makers secure contracts to supply goods and services at inflated prices. A closer examination of the vehicle costs will reveal this trend," Shumba said.He argued that any improvements to employment conditions should apply across all 16 grades within council, rather than favouring specific groups."This discriminatory approach creates the misleading impression that the mayor is addressing a brain drain problem, when in reality the council is compromising equal treatment of workers," he said.Shumba further warned that ratepayers' funds must not be used for political expediency and questioned whether the proposed loans were properly budgeted for."These ad hoc payouts and purchases of vehicles are unbudgeted for. This means the procurement is driven by corruption, incompetence and lack of planning," he said, adding that serious investment in doctors' welfare should be clearly reflected in the 2026 council budget.The controversy comes as the City of Harare has reportedly struggled to meet salary obligations in recent months, at one point falling three months behind on payments to workers. Hailey Bieber Steps Out In Archival Issey Miyake For Justin Biebers Birthday In Tokyo Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:50 IST Sculptural, rare and collectible, here's why Hailey Biebers vintage Issey Miyake set is a masterclass in timeless dressing. Hailey Bieber wears a vintage Issey Miyake set from 2000. Some birthday dinners are memorable. Others quietly turn into fashion moments. When Justin Bieber celebrated his 32nd birthday in Tokyo, the spotlight wasnt just on the cake or the candlelit snaps, but it was on Hailey Bieber, who showed up in a piece of design history. Not trending, not new-season, but archival. And that distinction matters. For the evening, Hailey Bieber stepped out in a rare vintage set from Issey Miyake the kind collectors hunt for years. Instead of predictable party glamour, the Rhode founder chose texture and technique. Her beige skirt suit came from Miyakes Fall 2000 runway, featuring the labels distinctive egg carton surface a sculptural, bubbled fabric that looks almost architectural. The tactile dimples ripple across the blazer and skirt, transforming what could have been a simple neutral set into a wearable art piece. Its less outfit and more artefact. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hailey Rhode Bieber (@haileybieber) Originally developed under the then-creative director Naoki Takizawa, the motif became a signature of early-2000s Miyake experimentation, where fabric manipulation replaced embellishment. Why Japan Is A Vintage Goldmine Heres where it gets interesting for Indian fashion lovers. Tokyos secondhand scene is legendary. From designer archives to near-pristine runway pieces, the city treats resale like curation. Many global stylists source directly from Japan because garments are preserved meticulously, often looking untouched decades later. But Miyakes sculptural pieces? Rare and expensive. Sets like Biebers seldom dip below $2,000 in resale markets, making them investment fashion rather than impulse buys. For Indian shoppers increasingly exploring pre-loved luxury and conscious fashion, this signals a shift: true style isnt always about new drops. Its about discovery. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Justin Bieber (@lilbieber) The look also reflects a broader celebrity move toward quiet, intellectual fashion less flash, more craft. Paired against Justin Biebers relaxed loungewear from his label, the archival Miyake felt intentional and elevated, like a nod to design literacy rather than occasion dressing. Its proof that the most modern wardrobes often look backwards. Because sometimes, the future of fashion is already hanging in a vintage store. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 09:50 IST News lifestyle fashion Hailey Bieber Steps Out In Archival Issey Miyake For Justin Biebers Birthday In Tokyo DIY Cleaning Hacks After Holi? ENT Specialists Say Youre Doing More Harm Than Good Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:41 IST Post-festival itching or blockage? Experts explain why DIY ear and nose cleaning hacks are risky and what to do instead. After festivals, care should be gentle and based on what doctors say, not viral trends. After the colours fade and the music stops, the instinct to deep clean kicks in. You wash your hair twice, scrub away stubborn stains and then comes the uncomfortable part: that blocked, itchy feeling in your ears or a stuffy nose from dust and smoke. For many, the solution seems simple: cotton buds, hairpins, oil drops, or quick internet remedies. But what feels like relief could quietly be setting you up for infection, pain, and even hearing problems. According to Dr Amit Sharma, Director and Senior Consultant ENT at Narayana Hospital, Gurugram, this post-festival habit is far riskier than most realise. After colourful celebrations like Holi, many people feel the urge to deep clean everything, including their ears. ENT specialists warn that this habit creates more harm than relief." Similarly, Dr Shilpi Budhiraja, Senior Consultant ENT at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, cautions that quick home fixes may look harmless but can backfire. She says, These methods, like using cotton buds, pouring oil into the ears or trying home remedies found online, may seem safe. But ENT doctors strongly advise against them and for good reason." Why Your Ears Dont Need Cleaning The biggest myth? That earwax is dirt. The ear canal remains extremely delicate and sensitive. It protects itself with earwax, which traps dirt and prevents infection," explains Dr Sharma. When you try to dig inside, the wax doesnt come out. It gets pushed deeper. This can lead to blockage, pain, and even temporary hearing reduction. Dr Budhiraja reinforces the point: Earwax is not dirt. Putting things in your ear doesnt really get rid of the wax. You push it deeper into the ear canal instead." In severe cases, lodged debris near the eardrum may even require anaesthesia or sedation for removal, especially in children. The Hidden Dangers Of Cotton Buds And DIY Tools Cotton buds feel soft and safe, but theyre misleading. Dr Sharma notes, Earbuds press debris deeper and may scratch the inner lining." These tiny scratches create entry points for bacteria and fungi, particularly after exposure to contaminated water, colour powders and sweat during festivals. The result? Outer ear infections, also known as otitis externa, cause swelling, discharge and persistent discomfort. Add lifestyle habits like long earphone use, swimming or humid weather, and the risk multiplies. Pouring oil, hydrogen peroxide, or herbal liquids is equally problematic. As Dr Budhiraja says, These can make the irritation worse and raise the risk of infection." Nose And Throat Hacks Arent Safe Either Its not just ears that suffer. Hard nose blowing to clear smoke or dust can irritate delicate tissues or even push mucus toward the ears and sinuses, increasing blockage and infection risk. Homemade saline solutions made with unclean water may worsen the problem. For throats irritated by festive indulgence and acid reflux, aggressive gargling or very hot liquids can further inflame sensitive linings. Gentle care, not force, is key. What You Should Do Instead The safest solutions are surprisingly simple. Dr Sharma recommends letting gravity work: tilt your head to drain water and wipe only the outer ear with a clean towel. Never insert anything inside. If theres a blockage, use only the prescribed wax-softening drops. Persistent symptoms such as pain, ringing, discharge, or hearing changes need professional evaluation. Dr Budhiraja sums it up best: Your ears, nose and throat are very sensitive. After festivals, care should be gentle and based on what doctors say, not what you see on the internet." After the festivities, restraint is the smartest hygiene move. The ear is designed to clean itself. Overhandling it often creates the very problems youre trying to fix. When in doubt, step back and let your body do its job. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:41 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness DIY Cleaning Hacks After Holi? ENT Specialists Say Youre Doing More Harm Than Good Cillian Murphy Says 'Im Categorically Not' Playing Voldemort In Harry Potter Reboot Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:55 IST Cillian Murphy confirms he is not playing Lord Voldemort in HBO's Harry Potter reboot. Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton lead the new cast. Cillian Murphy Playing Lord Voldemort In Harry Potter Reboot Series? Speculation, fan edits and endless casting debates but heres the truth straight from the source. Despite months of rumours, Cillian Murphy has firmly denied that he is stepping into the role of Lord Voldemort for the upcoming Harry Potter series. The Oscar-winning actor, known for his performance in Oppenheimer and his long-running portrayal of Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders, addressed the speculation in a recent interview with The Times. Shutting down the chatter once and for all, Murphy said, Im categorically not. Can you make that the headline?" Rumours about Murphy playing the Dark Lord began circulating over a year ago and gained further momentum after Ralph Fiennes, who originally portrayed Voldemort in the film franchise, appeared to endorse the idea. In January 2026, during an interaction with Lets Talk Film, Fiennes said in a clip that later went viral on TikTok, I think Cillian Murphy is very good. A very good choice." At the time, he also suggested he had heard that the role had already been filled. However, Murphys latest statement makes it clear that he is not part of the wizarding reboot. The HBO adaptation, based on the seven-book series by J.K. Rowling, is currently filming in the United Kingdom and is expected to premiere in 2027. The makers are reportedly shooting the first two seasons back-to-back to minimise the wait between releases. The long-term plan is to dedicate one season to each of the seven novels. Meanwhile, a new generation of actors is set to lead the franchise. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Alastair Stout has been cast as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger roles famously brought to life on screen by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. The supporting cast includes Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, John Lithgow as Headmaster Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. Notably, Davis is the only returning actor from the original film series. As for Murphy, he is set to reprise his iconic role as Tommy Shelby in the upcoming Netflix film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, scheduled for release on March 20. First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:55 IST News movies hollywood Cillian Murphy Says 'Im Categorically Not' Playing Voldemort In Harry Potter Reboot Eric Danes Cause Of Death Confirmed As Respiratory Failure Linked To ALS Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 10:24 IST The actor was battling with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before he passed away on February 19. Rapid Read Eric Dane died at the age of 53.(Photo Credit: X) Eric Dane died at the age of 53 on February 19. The American actor, who was most popular for portraying Dr Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, in the hit medical drama Greys Anatomy, passed away following a courageous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The news of his death came 10 months after he shared his diagnosis of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease, with the public. Days later, the real reason behind his death was revealed. According to his death certificate obtained by People, Eric died of respiratory failure. The document also lists amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as an underlying cause. ALS is a progressive disease that affects nerve cells and causes muscle weakness and paralysis. There is no cure, though medications and physical therapy can help slow its progression, per the Mayo Clinic. Eric Danes Familys Statement The actors family confirmed that he passed away on Thursday, February 19, nearly a year after he publicly shared his ALS diagnosis. With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world," his family said in a statement. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13. The statement further mentioned, Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support hes received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time." When Eric Dane Confirmed His ALS Diagnosis Eric first revealed his ALS diagnosis in April 2025. At the time, he said he was grateful to have his familys support and planned to continue working. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time," he said. Just days after announcing his condition, he returned to filming season three of Euphoria, where he played Cal Jacobs. The new season is scheduled for release in April 2026. Later in 2025, he appeared on an episode of Brilliant Minds, where he portrayed a firefighter and 9/11 hero who struggles to tell his wife he has ALS. First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:24 IST News movies hollywood Eric Danes Cause Of Death Confirmed As Respiratory Failure Linked To ALS Rashmika Mandanna Flaunts Sindoor, Mangalsutra As She Walks With Husband Vijay Deverakonda | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 23:55 IST The newlyweds were seen holding hands after performing post-wedding rituals in Vijays Telangana village, embracing tradition. Vijay and Rashmika tied the knot in February 2026. Newlywed actor Rashmika Mandanna was spotted wearing a mangalsutra and sindoor as she walked hand in hand with husband Vijay Deverakonda following their traditional visit to his native village in Telangana. The couple, who tied the knot on February 26 in Udaipur, appeared relaxed and radiant during their latest public outing. Videos circulating online show the pair smiling and interacting warmly with locals as they returned from Thummanpet village in the Nagarkurnool district. Their visit was part of customary post-wedding rituals conducted with family members and well-wishers. Rashmika Embraces Bridal Traditions Rashmika opted for an elegant beige printed saree accentuated with a bold red border. She completed her look with layered gold chains, her mangalsutra (thali), and sindoor adorning her hair parting. Her soft curls and minimal makeup added to the understated bridal glow that fans quickly praised across social media. Vijay complemented her in a white floral print kurta paired with crisp white pyjama trousers, keeping his look classic and traditional. The couple walked closely, often pausing to greet villagers who had gathered to catch a glimpse of them. Following their intimate wedding ceremony in Udaipur, attended by close friends and family, the duo reportedly performed a Satyanarayana Swamy Vratham and gruhapravesam ceremony at their newly built home in Thummanpet. The house-entering ritual marked the beginning of their married life in keeping with long-held customs. Locals welcomed the star couple with festive cheer, music and blessings. The atmosphere reflected both celebration and pride, as residents turned out in large numbers to witness the couples visit. Temple Visit And Grand Reception Ahead Soon after returning from Rajasthan, Rashmika and Vijay also visited the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam temple in Hyderabad to seek divine blessings. They distributed sweets to devotees and briefly interacted with fans, further amplifying the buzz around their wedding. Clips from their temple visit and village ceremonies have since gone viral, with admirers appreciating the pairs decision to honour cultural traditions despite their demanding film schedules. The celebrations are set to continue with a grand reception in Hyderabad on March 4. The event is expected to host prominent names from the film fraternity and political circles. However, reports suggest the reception will remain strictly invitation-only, given heightened security and overwhelming public enthusiasm surrounding the wedding. First Published: March 03, 2026, 23:55 IST News movies telugu-cinema Rashmika Mandanna Flaunts Sindoor, Mangalsutra As She Walks With Husband Vijay Deverakonda | Watch Opinion | PM Modi And Carney Unlock New Era In India-Canada Ties As Khalistanis Seethe Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:32 IST The Carney-Modi meeting is about better sense finally prevailing in Canadas approach to India Rapid Read Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney before their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on March 2. (AFP photo) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys meeting with Indias Narendra Modi in New Delhi has effectively transitioned what was a frozen, distrustful relationship into an ambitious strategic partnership centred on trade, energy, and security. The two countries have moved past the Trudeau decade to usher in an era of constructive, far-sighted strategic engagement. At the heart of the meeting was trade. India and Canada have agreed the terms of reference for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with Carney and Modi publicly backing a timeline that aims to finalise the pact by the end of 2026 and raise annual trade to about $50 billion by 2030. At a time when India has cracked five major deals in the last year alone with the EU and the US, among others, this is not a hollow announcement. This sits on top of existing Canadian pension investments in India and a shared recognition that without a serious India strategy, Ottawa cannot diversify away from its heavy dependence on the United States in a more volatile global economy. The most eye-catching announcement is the $1.9 billion, 10-year uranium pact under which Canadian producer Cameco will ship around 22 million pounds of uranium ore concentrate to India between 2027 and 2035, securing long-term fuel for Indias expanding civil nuclear footprint. This is packaged with a broader energy partnership, including cooperation on small modular and advanced reactors, and a critical-minerals MoU that plugs Canadian lithium and other key inputs into Indias electric vehicle, battery, and semiconductor ambitions, essentially locking a G7 resource power into Indias clean-energy and industrial growth story. Thats a key ambition of the new government in Ottawa, reflecting how forward-looking it has become after moving past Justin Trudeau and pro-Khalistan politics. The chatter in the run-up to Mark Carneys meeting with PM Modi had mixed signals. A report insinuated that Canada had taken India off its active foreign interference" and violent-crime threat radar, with a senior official saying, that activity is not continuing". This cleared the political space for a dense package of agreements that both sides are openly describing as a reset. Yet there was another source-based report on the Globe and Mail claiming that there was evidence of a member of the Indian consular staff supplying information to assist in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The report dropped right around the time of Carneys New Delhi visit. Even in the midst of such internal differences, Carneys pro-India decision-making seems to have prevailed with Canada making a power-packed push to enhance ties. Both governments have flagged they see themselves as natural partners" in frontier technologies, with plans to deepen collaboration in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, and supercomputing, including a new trilateral innovation framework with Australia that ties Canada into a wider Indo-Pacific tech network. Security and defence are part of this scheme, as the leaders agreed to formalise a defence dialogue, boost maritime domain awareness, and expand law-enforcement and intelligence cooperation on issues such as terrorism, fentanyl trafficking, and organised crime, institutionalising the quiet security contacts that helped pave the way for this thaw. The education and people-to-people track is equally striking. The University of Toronto has announced a $100 million scholarship fund for up to 200 Indian students, while Canada has unveiled a talent and innovation strategy that rests on 13 new partnerships between Canadian and Indian universities, plus hybrid or joint campuses in India focused heavily on AI and other high-skill disciplines. For Canada, this doubles down on Indian students and professionals as a core asset in its innovation and demographic future. For India, it gives its youth expanded high-quality pathways without being hostage to ad-hoc visa politics. All of this would have been politically impossible in Ottawa without a fundamental reframing of how Canada talks about India and security. In the days before Carneys arrival, senior Canadian officials told journalists in background briefings that Ottawa no longer believes India is linked to ongoing violent crimes on Canadian soil and that any such activities are not continuing", a point they stressed upon by saying the visit itself would not be happening if they thought otherwise. That U-turn is a result of months of quiet engagement between national security advisers and law-enforcement agencies on both sides, and marks a deliberate break from the Trudeau-era rhetoric that had publicly accused India as a hostile interference actor after the Nijjar killing in 2023. For Khalistani extremist networks that enjoyed a near-veto on India-Canada relations, the symbolism and substance of this shift deal a serious blow. Their narrative depended on portraying India as a pariah state engaged in a campaign of transnational repression and political meddling. Ottawas new line that it is no longer concerned about active interference or Indian-linked violent crimes undercuts that framing at its root. More tangibly, the same security dialogue that reassured Canada has also produced closer cooperation on terrorism and organised crime, even though there is still a long way to go. From Indias perspective, this is a substantial strategic win. It secures long-term nuclear fuel and critical minerals, strengthens supply-chain resilience, opens the door to a high-ambition trade pact, and validates Delhis core contention that its conflict is with violent extremism and threats to its sovereignty. The quiet sidelining of Khalistan-aligned players in Canada is read in New Delhi as vindication of a firm, no-concessions stand that refused to normalise terrorism under the guise of domestic pluralism. India firmly rejected Canadian political mischief over Khalistan, and that message, though shrugged off by a myopic Justin Trudeau, was heard loud and clear by Carneys government. For Canada, the reset is driven by Canadian self-interest. Carney sees the world differently in comparison to his predecessor. He is confronting a world where Trumpian politics is unpredictable and relations with China are fraught, and he needs new major markets and partners if he is to deliver on promises to diversify Canadas options. India offers scale, an enormous consumer base, a deep tech and services ecosystem, and an Indo-Pacific geoeconomic position that lets Canada hedge both economic and strategic risk, while also tapping into a large, increasingly influential Indian-origin community at home. Seen from Ottawa, choosing pragmatic cooperation with a rising India over performative estrangement driven by a loud but narrow domestic lobby is less a concession and more a course correction forced by hard realities. In that sense, the Carney-Modi meeting is about better sense finally prevailing in Canadas approach to India. Instead of loud public accusations and diplomatic expulsions, the two democracies have moved to a model of structured security dialogue, and an unapologetically interest-driven agenda in trade, energy, and technology. For India, this is proof that steadfastness on core security concerns will always prevail and for Canada, it is a bet that treating India as a central strategic and economic partner will yield significant dividends at a time when uncertainty has become the norm. First Published: March 03, 2026, 17:29 IST News opinion Opinion | PM Modi And Carney Unlock New Era In India-Canada Ties As Khalistanis Seethe 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 | Sonia Gandhi Is Wrong: Calibrated Diplomacy Is Not Silence, It Is Statecraft Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 19:58 IST Indias measured response to the West Asian crisis reflects strategic prudence, not silence A plume of smoke ascends after a military strike on Iran's capital. (Photo: AFP) Congress leader Sonia Gandhis recent article attempts to portray Indias calibrated response to the ongoing West Asian crisis as silence". That characterisation is not only misleading, it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how responsible diplomacy works. Diplomacy cannot be reduced to appeasement, nor conducted through public posturing designed for domestic political consumption. India has not been silent. It has consistently called for restraint, respect for sovereignty and de-escalation. A nation with nearly nine million citizens living and working across the Gulf, many of them from Kerala, cannot afford reckless commentary. Their safety is not an abstract talking point; it is a daily concern. Reports of CBSE examination disruptions, risks faced by Indian seafarers, and vulnerabilities in the energy sector underscore how directly this crisis affects Indian families. Responsible governments weigh every word against national interest. They do not issue statements to satisfy partisan narratives; they act to safeguard their people. Yet the outrage appears selective. There is little acknowledgement of the anxiety of Indian workers and students caught in the crossfire. It is ironic that some who were silent when Hindus were attacked in Bangladesh now describe Indias measured approach as abdication. Selective outrage cannot form the basis of foreign policy, nor can foreign policy be communalised for electoral calculations. Consider also the record of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Over the years, he has repeatedly commented on Indias internal affairs, amplifying propaganda around the Delhi riots, drawing inflammatory comparisons with Gaza, and calling upon the Muslim world to mobilise over Kashmir, Article 370 and the CAA. Despite these intrusions, India maintained diplomatic composure. Even after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, there was disappointment over sections of Iranian commentary that appeared sympathetic to Pakistan, with reluctance in some quarters to explicitly acknowledge the terrorists origins. These complexities are conveniently forgotten by those now portraying Iran as an unwavering civilisational partner. History deserves honesty. When the Congress-led UPA was in power, India voted against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, 2006 and 2009 during negotiations over the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement. Strategic calculation prevailed then. History also offers a reminder. In 2011, when Muammar Gaddafi was killed while fleeing a NATO-backed assault during the Libyan uprising, the Congress-led UPA neither issued a condolence nor mounted any public condemnation. India had strong ties; seven ministers, including Pranab Mukherjee, visited between 2004 and 2007. Yet the UPA remained silent. Why? Because Gaddafi was a brutal dictator who openly supported independent Kashmir", much like Ali Khamenei repeatedly interfered in Indias internal affairs. Questions of consistency also arise elsewhere. When Saddam Hussein was executed, there were no emotional articles or public speeches from the Congress leadership. Even senior Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh had, in the past, raised objections to such double standards. What has changed now? Are principles constant, or do they shift with political convenience? So, which is it? Was the UPA wrong in 2011, or is the Modi government right today? One cannot have two foreign policies one in opposition and another in power. Where was Sonia Gandhi then? There were no lectures on moral responsibility", no grandstanding about civilisational ties. National interest guided Indias response then, just as it does now. The broader global context is instructive. Most major powers, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia and Canada, have exercised caution in their public responses. Even Russia has limited itself to carefully calibrated language. When much of the international community avoids dramatic positioning, India is under no obligation to become the loudest voice. Ultimately, this debate is less about Iran and more about domestic politics. There is an attempt to frame calibrated diplomacy as moral failure. But sovereign nations respond to global developments based on strategic interest, regional stability and the safety of their citizens, not on political theatrics. India will decide when to speak and how to speak. That is not silence. That is statecraft. (The writer is the National Head of Information & Technology and Sah Prabhari of West Bengal. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.) First Published: March 03, 2026, 18:42 IST News opinion Opinion | Sonia Gandhi Is Wrong: Calibrated Diplomacy Is Not Silence, It Is Statecraft 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: March 03, 2026, 13:40 IST 1 / 10 Iran has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the military strikes coordinated by the United States and Israel. The media reported that he died in the early hours of Saturday, February 28. With his demise, a hugely consequential chapter in Irans modern history came to an end. He was a key religious figure during the upheavals that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which transformed Iran into an Islamic republic. He had been in power since 1989. 2 / 10 But long before Iran became an Islamic republic, it was a Western-oriented, secular country that encouraged education and economic development, all because of King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, popularly known as the Shah. He took control of the country after his father stepped down during World War II. From 1941 to 1979, he ruled Iran and led the country through a series of changes. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 Due to Irans large oil reserves, proximity to India, and shared border with the Soviet Union, the country received strong backing from Britain and the United States. The Shah also became a key ally of the West in the Middle East during a tense and changing political era. 4 / 10 The Shahs continuous push to make Iran a pro-Western country received backlash from the communists and religious members of the society. In 1953, the country faced major political unrest. Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh tried to nationalise Irans oil industry, which angered Britain. After a failed first attempt, a second Western-backed coup removed him from power. The Shah, who had briefly fled the country, returned and strengthened his control. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 In the following years, the Shah pushed rapid modernisation and also introduced social reforms. Women were encouraged to attend school and work outside their homes. Veils were banned in public, and Western-style clothing became common in cities. Men and women mixed more freely, and the capital city adopted a lifestyle that was influenced by European and modern cultural trends. 6 / 10 Leading the charge of modernisation in the country was the royal family. The Shah married Soraya in 1951. During their wedding ceremony, she wore a Dior gown featuring thousands of diamonds. The two got divorced in 1958 after Soraya failed to produce an heir. In 1959, the Shah married Farah Diba and had four children. They became the symbols of glamour and the Western lifestyle, with renowned celebrities from around the world visiting the country. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Such changes upset many religious and traditional communities. Some felt the reforms completely ignored Islamic values and weakened Irans cultural identity. Political opponents and religious leaders began criticising the Shahs growing authoritarian rule. 8 / 10 In 1967, the Shah crowned himself Shahanshah, meaning King of Kings, at a ceremony in Tehran. Government-funded celebrations were launched throughout the country to honour Irans Persian roots. By the mid-1970s, the Shah tightened his grip on power. He abolished the multiparty system and concentrated power in his own hands under the government-permitted Rastakhiz (Resurrection) party. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Iranians felt disconnected from the leadership despite growth and development across the country. Soon, people began protesting against corruption, brutality, the suppression of individual rights, and government extravagance. As a result of the protests, the Shah fled Iran. He left the country on January 16, 1979. Shivakumar To Host Dinner For Karnataka Congress MLAs, MLCs Amid Leadership Change Buzz Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 19:51 IST The announcement comes at a time when discussions around the Chief Ministers post and internal dynamics within the Congress have intensified. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar (Image: News18) In a significant political move amid renewed speculation over a possible leadership change in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has announced that he will host a dinner for all Congress MLAs and MLCs on March 10. The dinner, he said, is being organised to mark six years of his tenure as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president (KPCC). Shivakumar clarified that it will be a celebratory gathering and that all legislators and members of the Legislative Council will be invited. When asked whether Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would also be invited, he responded, I will invite everyone." The announcement comes at a time when discussions around the Chief Ministers post and internal dynamics within the Congress have intensified. ALSO READ: BJP Alleges Karnataka Govt Used Intel Department To Spy On MLAs After Shivakumar Camps Dinner Meet Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at Opposition leaders R Ashok and HD Kumaraswamy over their allegations that he was snooping on or keeping surveillance on DK Shivakumar. Dismissing the charge, Siddaramaiah described his relationship with Shivakumar as being like milk and honey". Echoing that sentiment, Shivakumar said, Indeed our relationship is like that of milk and honey. We are good, and we will be good even after 2028." On the perceived tussle over the Chief Ministers chair, he maintained that there is nothing to comment on at this stage. Time will answer. I dont know about any talks between high command leaders about anything," he said. Shivakumar also sought to position himself as someone who does not engage in internal power struggles. I am a street fighter. I dont fight for power. I dont fight within the party, I fight outside the party," he said. Emphasising his role as the KPCC president, he added that he is careful not to damage the party. We built this party. I am aware of whatever is happening or what is not happening. I am being patient. I dont want anyone to point out tomorrow that Im doing anything that damages the partys image, after all Im the KPCC president first and then the Deputy CM," he said. First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:51 IST News politics Shivakumar To Host Dinner For Karnataka Congress MLAs, MLCs Amid Leadership Change Buzz 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... Siddaramaiah Slams Surveillance Charge, Says Bond With Shivakumar Is Milk and Honey Strong Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 18:39 IST The Karnataka CM clarified that Congress MLAs are loyal to the party rather than to individuals and possess the freedom to express personal opinions Siddaramaiah asserted that the opposition's persistent attempts to drive a wedge between him and Shivakumar would only result in their own frustration rather than any actual rift. File pic/PTI Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued a scathing rebuttal to allegations made by Opposition Leader R Ashoka and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy regarding the alleged surveillance of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. In a formal press statement, the Chief Minister characterised these accusations as a classic case of the thief suspecting others", describing the claims as the desperate utterances of restless souls" unable to reconcile with their political unemployment since the Congress party assumed power. He emphasised that the bond between himself and Shivakumar remains as solid as milk and honey," asserting that the oppositions persistent attempts to drive a wedge between them would only result in their own frustration rather than any actual rift. The CM pointed out that the individuals making these accusations have themselves held high offices, including the roles of Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister, during which the intelligence department was under their direct control. He suggested that their allegations seem to stem from their own past experiences and methodologies rather than any current reality. Unlike the BJP, where leaders reportedly tremble before the Prime Minister, or the JD(S), which he described as being under the dominance of a single family, Siddaramaiah highlighted that the Congress operates under internal democracy. He clarified that Congress MLAs are loyal to the party rather than to individuals and possess the freedom to express personal opinions within the disciplinary framework of the organisation. Drawing from recent political history, Siddaramaiah reminded the public of the Operation Kamala" era, resort politics, and past instances of betrayal that led to frequent changes in leadership between 2004 and 2023. He specifically recalled allegations made by current BJP leader BY Vijayendra against HD Kumaraswamy regarding the tapping of phones belonging to prominent seers, including the pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Mutt. He noted that a CBI investigation had previously confirmed the surveillance of several religious leaders during Kumaraswamys tenure, suggesting that those who have proven themselves untrustworthy in the past are now projecting their own patterns of behaviour onto the current administration. The Chief Minister further criticised the central government, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently misused state machinery, including the CBI, ED, and IT departments, to intimidate not only opposition figures but also potential rivals within his own party. Despite such perceived threats, Siddaramaiah declared that neither he nor any leader in his party would succumb to pressure. He concluded by advising Ashoka and Kumaraswamy to focus on constructive opposition rather than crooked politics," reaffirming that the Congress government has a clear mandate from the people of Karnataka to complete its five-year term under a Congress Chief Minister. First Published: March 03, 2026, 18:39 IST News politics Siddaramaiah Slams Surveillance Charge, Says Bond With Shivakumar Is Milk and Honey Strong 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 More than 480 inmates were released yesterday from Harare Central Prison after benefiting from a Presidential Clemency granted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with many expressing gratitude for what they described as a life-changing second chance.The prison's high walls echoed with whistles, ululation and song as 484 inmates celebrated their release, chanting messages of appreciation for the Head of State."VaMnangagwa huchi. Murichibaba, munerudo. Tinotenda nekutipa umwe mukana," they sang, thanking the President for the opportunity to rebuild their lives.Spencer Chaparapadza, who had been serving a 48-month sentence for gender-based violence and was released after serving 21 months, said he deeply regretted his actions and urged men to abandon abusive behaviour."I want to thank our President for this early release, allowing me a chance to rebuild my life for my family and my country," he said. "We must respect our wives, and to all men out there, please stop domestic violence."Brian Muzondiwa, whose sentence for unlawful entry was shortened, said his time in prison had helped him grow spiritually and gain practical skills for reintegration."I have learned to pray and become a true worshipper. I urge everyone to be God-fearing. I am grateful to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services for preparing me for life outside," he said.Chandafira Chigo, who served nine months for assault, described the clemency as the beginning of a new chapter."We are immensely thankful for what our father and President has done for us. This marks a new life for me, and I believe society will accept my reintegration. The skills I acquired through rehabilitation programmes will guide me in living peacefully among my fellow citizens," he said.The release programme is being carried out in phases, with a further 66 inmates expected to be freed soon.Across the country, prisons in Harare Metropolitan Province released 960 inmates, Bulawayo Metropolitan freed 392, Masvingo 384 and Midlands 501, contributing to a national total of 4 305 inmates released under the clemency order, which shortens sentences for selected offences. Silence Is Abdication: Sonia Gandhi Questions Indias Stand On Khamenei Killing In Editorial Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 10:57 IST Sonia Gandhi argued that such silence reflected a departure from Indias long-standing foreign policy based on sovereignty, non-intervention and adherence to international law. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi | File Image As the West Asia war entered its fourth day, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi questioned the Indian governments response to the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei in a US-Israel strike, in an editorial published in The Indian Express. What Sonia Gandhi said? In her article titled Governments silence on killing of Iran leader is not neutral, it is abdication," Sonia Gandhi wrote that Iran confirmed on March 1 that its Supreme Leader had been assassinated in a targeted strike carried out the previous day by the United States and Israel. She said the killing of a sitting head of state during ongoing negotiations marked a grave rupture in international relations, adding that New Delhis silence stood out as strongly as the event itself. According to her, the Government of India refrained from condemning the assassination or the violation of Iranian sovereignty. She noted that the Prime Ministers Office issued only a brief condolence message, avoiding reference to the circumstances of the killing, and that this ambiguity later turned into conspicuous quiet" despite global diplomatic reactions. Sonia Gandhi on Indias foreign policy Gandhi argued that such silence reflected a departure from Indias long-standing foreign policy based on sovereignty, non-intervention and adherence to international law. She wrote that India had historically opposed targeted assassinations and extra-territorial use of force across regions including West Asia and Latin America. She added that Indias credibility as a voice of the Global South, advocating dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution, had been weakened. By not condemning what many view as a breach of international norms, she said India risked appearing selective in its principles. The editorial stated that silence during crises sends signals to allies, adversaries and the international community, suggesting geopolitical convenience may outweigh commitments to norms. Gandhi warned this could affect Indias strategic autonomy and its ambition to help shape a rules-based multipolar world order. She acknowledged Indias deepening ties with Israel in defence, technology and political cooperation but argued that partnerships should not come at the cost of foundational principles. Foreign policy, she wrote, requires balance. Sonia Gandhi cautioned that allowing powerful nations to eliminate foreign leaders without consequence could push the international system towards retaliatory violence and instability. Smaller nations, she said, rely on international law for protection against coercion and unilateral aggression. She added that Indias civilisational ethos and constitutional values emphasise peace, dialogue and respect for sovereignty, and abandoning these principles could erode both moral standing and global trust. Calling for clarity, she wrote that democracies are judged by courage when principles are tested and urged India to reclaim its voice, saying a clear articulation of concern would reaffirm commitment to a just and stable world order. She concluded that silence, in this context, is not prudence. It is abdication." Political reactions Reacting to the editorial, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that when the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from India, it raises doubts about the direction and credibility of the countrys foreign policy. He said India must stand for sovereignty and peace and rediscover its moral strength. When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country, and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy. Silence, in this instance, is not pic.twitter.com/LJECs5jPHR Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 3, 2026 Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also backed the remarks, stating that the governments silence was not neutral" and calling the column an important piece, adding that when India stops standing for something, it risks falling for anything. Governments silence on killing of Iran leader is not neutral, it is abdicationLike I said earlier, the moment India stops standing for something it is ready to fall for anything.Couldnt agree more, do read, an important column by Smt Sonia Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/dwSL95g4gO Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) March 3, 2026 A full-scale war erupted in West Asia on February 28, when the US and Israel jointly struck Iranian strategic sites, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeting nuclear, military, and leadership figures amid stalled nuclear talks. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:57 IST News politics Silence Is Abdication: Sonia Gandhi Questions Indias Stand On Khamenei Killing In Editorial 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... Man Shoots Himself On Holi Night Over Marital Stress In UPs Etah Curated By : PTI Last Updated: March 05, 2026, 11:33 IST On receiving information about the incident, a police team from Jalesar reached the spot and inspected the scene. A country-made pistol was recovered from the site. Rapid Read Though the reporting time was 9 am, the student reached the centre at 9:15 am, by which time the gates were closed. (Image used for representation) A 32-year-old man allegedly upset that his wife had not come home for nearly 10 months shot himself dead with a country-made pistol, police said on Thursday. The man who had consumed alcohol died on the spot around 11 pm on Wednesday in Punhera village, they said. Locals told police that Dushyant had been under stress for the past several months due to some family issues. His wife had been staying at her parental home for nearly 10 months and had not returned, which reportedly disturbed him, they said. On receiving information about the incident, a police team from Jalesar reached the spot and inspected the scene. A country-made pistol was recovered from the site. The body has been taken into custody and sent for post-mortem examination, Station House Officer Amit Kumar said. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of suicide, though the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report, he added. Location : Etah, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:28 IST News viral Man Shoots Himself On Holi Night Over Marital Stress In UPs Etah 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... Mumbai MD Picks A Jacket With 600 Employees Faces To Ring NSE Bell: Simple But Powerful Gesture Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 15:41 IST At Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Limited's NSE listing, MD Kuldeep Jain wore a specially designed jacket that displayed photographs of all the 600 employees. Kuldeep Jain made a powerful statement at Clean Maxs listing ceremony. (Photo Credit: Instagram) Kuldeep Jain, Managing Director at Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Limited, made the companys listing on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) an unforgettable moment by wearing a specially designed jacket that displayed photographs of all the 600 employees. Rather than a traditional suit usually associated with such ceremonies, Jain decided to mark the listing with an unusual gesture as he rang the opening bell. He opted for an outfit that represented the companys workforce, incorporating images of all the staff members into the design. Multiple visuals of the moment were later shared across social media platforms, drawing multiple reactions from many the users. What Did The CleanMax Culture Officer Say Sweta Sajnani, Chief People and Culture Officer at CleanMax, released a video on LinkedIn that provides details about how the jacket made. The clip documents the entire process from the initial planning to final execution, including how the hundreds of employees coordinated by providing their photographs. He wore a jacket with photographs of all 600 Cleanmax employees printed on it. A simple but powerful gesture that said this milestone belongs to all of us. What people saw was the final moment on stage. What they didnt see was the journey behind it coordinating 600 photos, multiple design rounds, tight timelines. I had the opportunity to bring this idea to life, and it was truly a project in itself. Sharing a small glimpse of that journey here," Sajnani wrote. What Are The Reactions Within The Organisation Seeing the happiness and sense of belonging this created across the team made it incredibly special. In a milestone like an IPO, it reminded us that success is always about the people behind it. Very proud to have played a part in this," she added. Check out the post here: Reacting to Kuldeep Jains gesture, Aditya Kondawar, Partner and Vice President at Complete Circle, wrote on X, What an amazing way to honor employees! Cleanmax founder, Kuldeep Jain wears a suit with photos of all 600 employees to the companys listing ceremony." Another X user highlighted that this has literally won the heart," adding that it is the need of the hour." One person added, Great to see the employee recognition". Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Jain said he did not want to stand alone on the big day. He added that he wanted the entire team to feel that they were all in it together. Notably, the public issue got valued at nearly 3,100 crore, marking a significant financial milestone for the renewable energy firm. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 15:40 IST News viral Mumbai MD Picks A Jacket With 600 Employees Faces To Ring NSE Bell: Simple But Powerful Gesture 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... Mumbai Engineer Stuck In Moscow Cries For Help Amid Rising US-Iran Tensions: I Have Zero Cash Left, Not Even For Food | Video Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 10:19 IST Flight operations across the Middle East continue to face major disruption ever since US-Israel launched joint military operations in Iran. Rapid Read The engineer claimed that Etihad Airways had left him helpless with no support.(Photo Credit: X) Rising tensions in the Middle East are beginning to disrupt global air travel and leave ordinary travellers facing unexpected delays. After joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehrans retaliatory missile attacks across parts of the Gulf, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, airspace restrictions and safety concerns have forced cancellations, rerouted flights, and sudden travel chaos for passengers around the world. For one Indian engineer from Mumbai, the crisis turned into a nightmare. Stranded at Moscow International Airport, he took to social media where he claimed that Etihad Airways had left him" helpless with no support. Im Completely Stranded: Mumbai Engineers Emotional Plea From Moscow Sunil Gupta shared a distressing post on X (formerly Twitter), detailing his situation. He wrote, Im completely stranded at Moscow airport alone, helpless, and running out of hope. No one from MakeMyTrip or Etihad Airways is answering my desperate messages. Russia doesnt accept Visa or Mastercard anymore. I have ZERO cash left. Not even for food or water. The Etihad ground staff is avoiding me more than my ex ever did literally turning their faces away and telling me just call customer care which has been busy for hours. Im standing here like a beggar in my own nightmare. I dont know how Im going to get home. Im scared. I feel abandoned by the very companies I trusted with my journey. My family is waiting and I cant even tell them Im safe. Please if anyone from Etihad, MakeMyTrip, or even the Indian embassy sees this HELP ME. And if youre reading this, just one RT could save me. Im begging," he further added. Im completely stranded at Moscow airport alone, helpless, and running out of hope.No one from @makemytripcare or @etihad is answering my desperate messages. Russia doesnt accept Visa or Mastercard anymore. I have ZERO cash left. Not even for food or water. The Etihad Sunil Gupta (@HeySunilGupta) March 2, 2026 Along with the post, Sunil shared a video describing what he went through. He claimed his flight was cancelled without warning. No notice, no help, no humanity flight cancelled without any warning," he said and added that no hotel vouchers were offered and nobody even checked if he had money for food. He also criticised the booking platform, saying, MakeMyTrip who is middleman is silent no rebooking, no hotel support. No coordination at all. Im surviving only on the free water at the airport. Cant even leave the terminal, cant buy anything." Calling it bigger than just his own problem, he said, This isnt just my story, it is a warning. When big companies like Etihad and MakeMyTrip fail to support customers in real-time especially when internationally there are sanctions and disruptions, travellers pay the price." Think twice before booking with @etihad & @makemytripcare.Share this to warn others and get me urgent help. Your RT could prevent someone else's nightmare. #Moscow #Russia https://t.co/XTYALgxONM pic.twitter.com/8x0CBht78l Sunil Gupta (@HeySunilGupta) March 3, 2026 Political Leaders React, Embassy Steps In His appeal caught the attention of political leaders back home. AAP leader Ruben Mascarenhas responded and said he had spoken to the Indian Embassy in Russia. Have spoken with the Indian Embassy in Russia, they have said they will make some arrangements for stranded Indian passengers. Requesting Sanjay Singh and Dr. Sandeep Pathak ji to please take up this issue of Indians stranded abroad due to the US-Iran War," he stated. This is @etihads response to passengers stuck across Europe & the US.You cant cancel flights without providing alternatives on partner carriers. You must provide food and accommodation until the new flight. Hope @makemytrip @IndEmbMoscow intervene. This is ridiculous. https://t.co/7ZSPbmFtyg Anish Gawande (@anishgawande) March 2, 2026 NCP spokesperson Anish Gawande also criticised the airlines handling of the situation. This is Etihads response to passengers stuck across Europe & the US. You cant cancel flights without providing alternatives on partner carriers. You must provide food and accommodation until the new flight. Hope MakeMytrip and India Embassy in Russia intervene. This is ridiculous," he wrote. This is @etihads response to passengers stuck across Europe & the US.You cant cancel flights without providing alternatives on partner carriers. You must provide food and accommodation until the new flight. Hope @makemytrip @IndEmbMoscow intervene. This is ridiculous. https://t.co/7ZSPbmFtyg Anish Gawande (@anishgawande) March 2, 2026 Airspace Closures And Exceptional Flights Flight operations across the Middle East continue to face major disruption. While some aircraft have managed to depart from the UAE, the overall situation remains tense and uncertain. According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, more than 4,000 flights a day have been cancelled across the region, which has impacted hundreds of thousands of passengers. Amid the disruption, a Euro News report stated that the UAEs General Civil Aviation Authority later confirmed the start of special departures to ease the pressure on stranded travellers. The General Civil Aviation Authority has announced the commencement of exceptional flight operations at UAE airports, enabling stranded passengers affected by recent regional developments to depart," the authority said. Etihad flight EY67 to London Heathrow was the first to take off after the airspace shutdown. It departed from Zayed International Airport at 2:39 PM local time. These exceptional services cannot be booked by the public. Instead, airlines are reaching out directly to affected passengers with updated information. Only travellers who receive official notification are advised to proceed to the airport. On Monday, the flights that resumed operations included EY843 to Moscow, EY41 to Amsterdam, EY33 to Paris Charles de Gaulle, EY204 to Mumbai, EY300 to Islamabad, EY216 to Delhi, EY555 to Riyadh and EY611 to Jeddah. Flights heading to Europe are currently taking a longer route through Oman before entering Saudi Arabia, as neither country has closed its airspace. But several airlines have cancelled services to destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Kuwait. Dubai Airports has also confirmed that a limited number of flights are operating from Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International (DWC). First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:19 IST News viral Mumbai Engineer Stuck In Moscow Cries For Help Amid Rising US-Iran Tensions: I Have Zero Cash Left, Not Even For Food | Video 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... Cant Guarantee Your Safety: US Embassy Says It Cannot Evacuate Americans From Israel Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 13:46 IST US Embassy cannot evacuate or directly assist Americans leaving Israel, advising citizens to make their own plans. US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed over 550 people. (AFP) The US Embassy has said that it is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist American citizens seeking to leave Israel, urging individuals to make their own security plans amid the evolving situation. Follow Live Updates Here In an advisory, the embassy stated that it is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel," and provided information about alternative travel options being arranged by Israeli authorities. Also Read: India Rolls Out Evacuation Plan, Relief Flights Bring Back Stranded Tourists From Dubai The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttle services to the Taba Border Crossing as of March 2. Americans wishing to use the shuttle must register through the Ministrys evacuation form. The embassy clarified that it cannot endorse or discourage the shuttle option. The U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourisms shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the US government cannot guarantee your safety," the advisory said, adding that the information was shared as a courtesy for those planning to exit Israel. Also Read: China Helped Iran Build Its Air & Missile Defence Ahead Of US-Israel War? Exclusive From Intel Note US Warns Citizens To Depart Now The US State Department urged Americans to leave much of the Middle East, including Egypt and the Gulf states, due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The State Department urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks," wrote Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, in a social media post. The countries or territories included in the warning were Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Also Read: Prediction Market Bets On Removal Of Irans Khamenei Trigger Concerns Over Insider Trading What Trump On US Might President Donald Trump said the United States is not where we want to be" in terms of stockpiles of its most advanced weapons, even as American forces continue deploying significant quantities of munitions in operations against Iran. Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote, At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be," while asserting that the US has ample reserves of medium and upper medium grade" weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!)," he added, referring to those mid-tier weapon stockpiles. First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:13 IST News world Cant Guarantee Your Safety: US Embassy Says It Cannot Evacuate Americans From Israel 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... China Supports Iran: Wang Yi Talks To Araghchi, Urges US And Israel To Halt Military Operations Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 12:52 IST Wang Yi said China supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and in upholding its lawful rights and interests. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. China has expressed support for Iran in the ongoing West Asia conflict. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Wang said China supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and in upholding its lawful rights and interests. China urged the US and Israel to immediately halt military operations, prevent further escalation, and stop the conflict from spreading across the Middle East. Iran has expanded attacks on American and Israeli targets in the Gulf. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia was hit by suspected Iranian drones. Explosions occurred in Iraq, and sirens sounded over Bahrain. Meanwhile, Israel carried out strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, as tensions continue to rise in the region. Location : China First Published: March 03, 2026, 12:52 IST News world China Supports Iran: Wang Yi Talks To Araghchi, Urges US And Israel To Halt Military Operations 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... Could Reza Pahlavi Lead Iran? Trump Says Hes A Very Nice Person But...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 23:16 IST Trump emphasised that a leader who is already in Iran and enjoys domestic support would be a better candidate. Rapid Read Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (Image: Sourced) US President Donald Trump downplayed the possibility of exiled Iranian activist Reza Pahlavi assuming leadership of Iran, saying he preferred that a figure from within the country take charge. Some people like him, and we havent been thinking too much about that," Trump said, adding, It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate." While acknowledging Pahlavi as a very nice person," Trump emphasised that a leader who is already in Iran and enjoys domestic support would be a better candidate. Somebody thats there, thats popular, if theres such a person," he added. Trump expressed concern over the potential rise of another hardline leader in Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. The worst-case scenario for Iran would be if somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person. That could happen. We dont want that to happen. Wed like to see somebody in there, bring it back to the people, and well see what happens," he said. Read more: Trump Says Iran Needs More Moderate Leadership, Says He Wasnt Pushed Into War By Israel Trump indicated that the White House had considered multiple candidates for leadership. Pretty soon, were not going to know anybody," he said. He reiterated that a moderate leader from within Iran would be the most suitable choice, saying, If theres such a person, but we have people like that. We have people more moderate." Who Is Reza Pahlavi? Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran who was overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Born in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the revolution and has become a prominent voice of the Iranian opposition, advocating for secular governance, human rights and democratic reforms in the country. Over the years, he has positioned himself as a symbol of change for Iranians seeking an alternative to the clerical leadership in Tehran. Location : Iran First Published: March 03, 2026, 23:02 IST News world Could Reza Pahlavi Lead Iran? Trump Says Hes A Very Nice Person But...' 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... Cut Off All Dealings With Spain: Trump Calls Madrid Terrible For Not Backing US War On Iran Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 01:30 IST Trump voiced particular anger at Spain, whose left-wing government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has not permitted US forces to launch attacks on Iran from Spanish bases. Rapid Read US President Donald Trump greets Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during a summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to cut off all trade" with Spain and criticised the UK for not fully backing the US-Israeli military assault on Iran, escalating tensions with key European allies. Were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We dont want anything to do with Spain," Trump said at the White House, accusing Madrid of being terrible" and unfriendly over access to military bases. He said he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with Spain." Trump also lashed out at Britain, saying he was not happy with the UK" after Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to join the assault launched with Israel on Saturday. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with," Trump said. Britain allowed US fighter jets to use two air bases one in Gloucestershire and the joint UK-US Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean for what Starmer described as a specific and limited defensive purpose." However, London did not authorise the use of UK bases in Cyprus for offensive operations. One of those bases was later struck by an Iranian-made drone. Trump further criticised Britains plan to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back Diego Garcia, calling it a stupid island" issue. Spains left-wing government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has not permitted US forces to launch attacks on Iran from Spanish bases. Trump also pointed to Sanchezs refusal to commit to NATOs proposed defence spending target of five percent of GDP, a level he has strongly advocated. Responding to Trumps trade threat, the Spanish government said it has the resources to contain the possible impact of any US embargo. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares earlier said Madrid would only allow the use of Naval Base Rota and Moron Air Base for activities consistent with the United Nations Charter. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2026, 01:30 IST News world Cut Off All Dealings With Spain: Trump Calls Madrid Terrible For Not Backing US War On 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... DEPART NOW: US Tells Americans In West Asia To Leave Immediately Amid Conflict With Iran Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:45 IST Advisory applies to Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Americans Told to Depart 16 Middle East Countries Over Safety Risks. (Image: REUTERS) The US Department of State on Monday called on Americans to immediately leave more than a dozen countries in the West Asia, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, amid US-Israeli strikes against Iran. Mora Namdar, the State Departments assistant secretary for consular affairs, said US citizens should depart using available commercial transportation due to safety risks". The warning followed updated travel advisories issued in recent days recommending against travel to several countries across the region. Countries covered by advisory Mondays advisory applies to Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Earlier on Monday, the US Embassy in Amman, Jordan, announced that its personnel had departed the site due to a threat". The US Embassy in Riyadh was attacked by Iran on Tuesday. The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from pic.twitter.com/vdplAik2Sq Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) March 2, 2026 Emergency response activated The US State Department has activated an inter-agency emergency task force to manage the situation and coordinate the United States response to the conflict, according to a US official. Strikes and retaliation On Saturday, the United States and Israel carried out a barrage of strikes on various targets in Iran, killing many top officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran responded with strikes at multiple US and Israeli sites across the region. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the conflict had been projected to last four to five weeks but could continue for longer. West Asia war and energy concerns The conflict has pushed the region into war, leaving scores of people dead and causing a sharp rise in energy prices. Iranian officials threatened to fire on any ship attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for the worlds oil supply. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are expected on Tuesday to announce steps to mitigate rising energy prices, according to Washingtons top diplomat Marco Rubio. We anticipated this could be an issue, and Secretary Wright and Bessent will begin to roll out those steps, starting tomorrow, to mitigate, to mitigate against the impact that could have," Rubio said ahead of a briefing with congressional leaders about the strikes. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:45 IST News world DEPART NOW: US Tells Americans In West Asia To Leave Immediately Amid Conflict 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... Drone Strike Sparks Fire Near US Consulate In Dubai; Marco Rubio Says All Staff Safe Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2026, 02:15 IST A drone strike caused a fire near the US consulate in Dubai, with authorities saying the blaze was contained and no injuries were reported. Rapid Read Streets were cordoned off around the consulate as emergency teams responded to the drone-related blaze near the diplomatic compound. (IMAGE: X) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Tuesday that a drone struck near the US consulate in Dubai, saying all American personnel were accounted for. The confirmation came after a government statement said a drone attack caused a fire near the US diplomatic mission. Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained," the Dubai Media Office posted on X. Nearby residents told news agency AFP they heard a loud explosion, with one person saying she saw flames near the consulate shortly after. Streets around the area were cordoned off as police in plain clothes moved onlookers away from the site. Emergency teams responded immediately and no injuries were reported. Dubai and other Gulf cities have been under bombardment since Saturday, following escalating US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks. Emirati officials have now confirmed that an Iranian one-way attack drone struck the U.S. Consulate tonight in Dubai, causing no injuries and a small fire which has since been contained and extinguished. pic.twitter.com/g6jm0O3Ezy OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 3, 2026 The incident in Dubai came hours after two drones sparked a small fire at the US embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday, according to the Saudi defence ministry. On Monday, the US embassy in Kuwait City was also struck by drones. Footage which appears to show the moment that an Iranian one-way attack drone, likely a Shahed-136, struck the U.S. Consulate tonight in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/NytVrqgrYL OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 3, 2026 Videos purportedly showing the moment of impact and smoke rising near the consulate have gone viral on social media. However, News18 has not independently verified the footage. Earlier in the day, loud jet sounds were heard over Dubai, adding to heightened tensions in the West Asian commercial hub. Location : Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) First Published: March 04, 2026, 02:13 IST News world Drone Strike Sparks Fire Near US Consulate In Dubai; Marco Rubio Says All Staff Safe 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 Government has reaffirmed and expanded its ban on the export of raw minerals, clarifying that the suspension applies to all unprocessed minerals and not only lithium concentrates. Authorities also confirmed that the restriction, which came into effect last week, is indefinite.The move aligns with President Emmerson Mnangagwa's policy thrust that Zimbabwe's mineral wealth should drive domestic industrialisation and benefit the broader population. Officials say the focus is shifting from the simple extraction and export of raw materials toward value addition, beneficiation and long-term economic transformation.In a statement, Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura said the Government was committed to promoting transparency, strengthening domestic processing and ensuring strict compliance in mineral exports."The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development wishes to advise all stakeholders that Government has suspended export of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect until further notice," he said."This suspension includes all minerals currently in transit. To this effect, ZIMRA, MMCZ and regulators are advised to observe the suspension without exception."Under the new regulations, only mining companies with valid mining titles and approved beneficiation plants will be permitted to export minerals. Agents and third-party traders are barred from exporting on behalf of mining title holders.Minister Kambamura said applicants for export permits must attach a recommendation letter from the relevant provincial mining office, confirming beneficiation capacity and compliance with statutory requirements. Exporters will also be required to disclose the mineral composition of each shipment, with the ministry reserving the right to conduct verification tests at any time.The use of expired or depleted export permits will be treated as a serious violation and may result in the revocation of both export permits and mining titles. Authorities warned that no mineral shipments lacking valid documentation will be cleared.Government says the ban is intended to accelerate the establishment of beneficiation plants, create employment and position Zimbabwe as a key player in the global green energy transition. With significant reserves of lithium, nickel, graphite, gold, platinum group metals and chrome, officials believe local processing will enable the country to capture greater value from rising global demand for battery and industrial minerals.Mining has become a cornerstone of Zimbabwe's economy in recent years, growing from US$2.7 billion in 2017 to US$6.5 billion last year, with projections to surpass US$7 billion this year. The sector contributes about 12 percent to Gross Domestic Product and accounts for more than 80 percent of export earnings, underscoring its central role in the country's goal of attaining upper-middle-income status by 2030. EU Pressures Ukraine To Allow Access To Russian Oil Pipeline As Iran War Spikes Prices: Report Curated By : Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 19:38 IST The move comes as US and Israeli strikes on Iran rattle global energy markets, with Brussels seeking clarity on disrupted Russian oil flows. Rapid Read Von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa reportedly asked to inspect the pipeline damage during talks in Kyiv but their request was declined. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) The EU is putting the Zelenskyy administration under pressure, urging the government in Kyiv to allow the bloc to inspect a damaged pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The development comes amid the war in West Asia after the US and Israel struck Iran, sending energy prices soaring and disrupting global oil and gas supplies. A report by the Financial Times said some pro-Ukraine EU governments and the European Commission are asking Kyiv to allow a visit to prove that it is trying to restore oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline. The Druzhba pipeline is one of the longest oil pipelines in the world. The word Druzhba" means friendship" in Russian. It was built in the 1960s when the Soviet Union sought to send oil to countries in Europe. The pipeline starts in Russia and splits into two main branches. One branch goes through Belarus to Poland and Germany. The other passes through Ukraine and supplies oil to Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Oil from this pipeline is refined into petrol, diesel and other fuels. Because many European countries depend on it, the Druzhba pipeline is important for energy supply and politics in Europe. Hungary and Slovakia, two pro-Kremlin countries, accuse Kyiv of overstating the impact of an attack by Moscow on the 4,000-kilometre-long pipeline. Ukrainian officials say they have evidence of extensive destruction and need time to repair the Druzhba pipeline. But Hungary and Slovakia claim that Kyiv intentionally shut it off. Following the standoff, the administration in Budapest led by Viktor Orban delayed approval of an EU loan for Ukraine until it is reopened. They have also proposed sending a fact-finding mission to Ukraine, together with Slovakia. Two officials told the newspaper that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa specifically asked the Zelenskyy administration to permit access to the Druzhba pipeline in order to assess the damage independently. Ukraine denied the request. Ukrainian officials close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the newspaper that technicians from state-run Naftogaz presented evidence to European counterparts showing Druzhba had been badly damaged. Orban has delayed approval of a 90bn EU aid package for Kyiv over the dispute, and Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico said his and Orbans offer of a fact-finding mission" to Ukraine was also denied. Location : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:38 IST News world EU Pressures Ukraine To Allow Access To Russian Oil Pipeline As Iran War Spikes Prices: 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... 'Everyone Knows Enemy Has Limited Stockpile': Iran Says It Is Prepared For 'A Very Long War Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 22:05 IST The remarks come after Donald Trump said that Irans air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone," Iran said it is prepared for a long war. Iran signalled that it is prepared for a protracted conflict, cautioning against the use of its most potent weapons at the outset, even as US-Israeli airstrikes continue to escalate across the country. Iranian Ministry of Defense spokesman said, We have prepared for a very long war, and therefore it would be foolish to use our most effective weapons in the very beginning. The enemy has a limited stockpile and everyone is aware of this fact." The statement comes after US President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that Irans air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone," adding: They want to talk. I said Too Late!" Trumps post included a link to an opinion piece in The Washington Post by Marc Thiessen defending the strikes as part of a new Trump Doctrine," described as a mix of sanctions, diplomacy and targeted military action without deploying ground troops. The ongoing strikes in Iran have reportedly killed several senior Iranian leaders, including Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces; General Mohammad Pakpour, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi, Head of the Military Office; Aziz Nasirzadeh, Minister of Defense; Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Irans Defense Council and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier, Iran released a photograph showing rows of freshly dug graves for more than 160 schoolgirls killed in a US-Israeli strike on Shajare Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the graves were for more than 160 innocent young girls" whose bodies were torn to shreds" in the bombing. This is how rescue promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood," he wrote. The Iranian Red Crescent initially reported the death toll at 108 before provincial authorities confirmed 165 fatalities, including school staff, following the completion of search and debris removal operations. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 22:05 IST News world 'Everyone Knows Enemy Has Limited Stockpile': Iran Says It Is Prepared For 'A Very Long War 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... Flights To Oman, Saudi Arabia Resume Today. Which Airlines Are Running Special Services? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 11:34 IST The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has announced special relief operations to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. File photo for representation. West Asia Conflict: In a major relief to thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi began landing in India on Monday night as airlines resumed limited operations following days of suspension due to the ongoing IsraelIran conflict. Indian aviation authorities have said flights are being resumed only to destinations where airspace has been declared safe and open, including Oman and Saudi Arabia. MoCA Announces Special Relief Operations The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has announced special relief operations to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. It said that airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement. Which Airlines Are Running Special Flights? IndiGo The Ministry said that IndiGo would undertake 10 special relief operations from Jeddah on March 3 to help stranded passengers, subject to approvals and airspace conditions. The airline is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. In a travel advisory, the airline said it would operate four dedicated flights from Jeddah to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad on Tuesday to help customers who were already booked but unable to travel earlier. These flights are being arranged to cater to customers who were already booked on our flights and have been unable to travel due to the prevailing circumstances," IndiGo said. The airline urged passengers not to proceed to the airport unless notified and to ensure their booking and contact details are updated to receive timely information. Travel AdvisoryAs part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to Mumbai Hyderabad Ahmedabad These flights are being arranged to cater IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) March 2, 2026 SpiceJet SpiceJet also announced that it will operate four special flights on Tuesday to bring stranded passengers. It also announced to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Fujairah-Mumbai starting March 4. At a time like this, our priority is to support Indian citizens who are facing uncertainty and want to return home," said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet. We are grateful to the authorities for their coordination, which has made these special flights possible. SpiceJet stands ready to operate more such services, wherever required, to assist our people," the airline said in press release. Air India and Air India Express Air India has resumed its long-haul operations to the United States, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom, though some Middle East services remain suspended. Air India Express is resuming scheduled flights between Muscat and Indian cities including Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappalli. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations. Dubai Airports confirmed a partial restart at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport but advised passengers to travel only if directly contacted by their airline, as most flights remain suspended. Emirates The UAE-based airline on Monday said that it will begin operating a limited number of flights commencing on the evening of March 2. It started a limited number of flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi after partial reopening of airspace. It operated select services to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai, prioritising passengers who were earlier booked but stranded. Emirates will begin operating a limited number of flights commencing on the evening of 2 March.We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates. Please pic.twitter.com/YATNz5gSdh Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 2, 2026 Etihad Etihad operated evacuation services from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kochi. The airline also arranged hotel accommodations for stranded passengers during the suspension period. However, it announced that scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday, March 4. Regional Airspace Disruption Operational UpdateAll Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 2, 2026 Flydubai The Dubai-based airlines also announced to run special flights from Dubai to rescue stranded passengers. Additionally, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Gulf Air,Oman Air, Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Cathay Pacific, United Airlines and Delta have resumed partial operations from the region to evacuate stranded passengers. With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end. Following the US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory attacks, using drones and missiles targeting multiple Arab countries in the region as a retaliatory action, which resulted in flight cancellations. Location : Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) First Published: March 03, 2026, 11:34 IST News world Flights To Oman, Saudi Arabia Resume Today. Which Airlines Are Running Special Services? 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... Satellite Image Shows Major Damage At Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura After Iran Drone Strike Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:14 IST Satellite images show Iranian drone attack damage at Ras Tanura refinery, disrupting Aramco and raising fears of Middle East conflict and energy turmoil. This refinery is considered the largest oil refining complex in the world. High-resolution satellite images have revealed visible structural damage at Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura oil refinery following what authorities describe as an Iranian drone attack, highlighting the scale of the strike on one of the worlds most critical energy hubs. Follow Live Updates The imagery shows burn scars, impact zones and damaged sections of infrastructure at the Aramco-operated facility on the Persian Gulf. Ras Tanura processes millions of barrels of crude daily and serves as a cornerstone of Saudi oil exports. Analysts say the strike is likely to send shockwaves through global energy markets already strained by regional instability. Also Read: Trump Takes U-Turn On Boots On Ground Remark, Warns Iran After Attack On US Embassy In Riyadh The refinery, considered the largest oil-refining complex in the world, was forced to suspend operations temporarily after drones struck the site and triggered a major fire. While Saudi Aramco is assessing the full extent of the damage, no official statement has yet detailed casualties or the broader impact on export volumes. Follow Dubai Live News Here Sources said the drones originated from Iran, though Tehran has not formally confirmed involvement. Security officials warn that the attack signals an alarming expansion of the ongoing Middle East conflict into strategic energy infrastructure. One senior government source described the development as a significant escalation" that could trigger further military responses from the US, Israel or Saudi-led coalitions. Also Read: US Embassy In Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Struck By Iranian Drones; Warning Issued The strike comes amid heightened volatility in global oil markets. Crude prices have surged to multi-year highs as tensions involving Iran disrupt maritime activity near the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 per cent of the worlds oil supply passes. Although the passage remains officially open, shipping firms have scaled back operations over safety concerns, creating what analysts describe as an informal blockade of a vital global energy corridor. With high-resolution satellite imagery now confirming visible damage at Ras Tanura, the focus shifts to how quickly repairs can be made and whether the conflict will escalate further into energy chokepoints that underpin the global economy. First Published: March 03, 2026, 09:12 IST News world Satellite Image Shows Major Damage At Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura After Iran Drone Strike 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... Iran Claims Missile And Drone Strike Destroyed US Command Building In Bahrain Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 11:00 IST The IRGC said that the US air base in Sheikh Isa was targeted with an intensive attack using drones and missiles. Iran launched retaliatory attacks after joint US-Israeli strikes. (Image: Representative/Reuters) Iran on Tuesday claimed that it had destroyed the US command building in Bahrain during its missile and drone strikes. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its naval forces targeted the US air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain, declaring the destruction of the bases main command building. The IRGC said that the US air base in Sheikh Isa was targeted with an intensive attack using drones and missiles. According to the reports, 20 drones and three missiles hit designated targets, resulting in the destruction of the command building and the main headquarters of the US air base, and igniting fires in fuel storage tanks, with flames and smoke rising from the site". Israel-US Launched Joint Operation Against Iran In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions in the Middle East, Israel and the United States initiated a joint operation against Iran on Saturday aimed at neutralising what they describe as the existential threat posed by Iran. The repeated strike follows weeks of high-stakes nuclear negotiations and mounting military posturing in the region. In retaliation to the US and Israels joint attack near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at Israel, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The conflict has entered its fourth day today and seems to be widening by the hour, drawing in other countries across the region, sparking fears for the global economy and leaving thousands of travelers stranded. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that the US has the capability to go far longer" than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran. Location : Iran First Published: March 03, 2026, 10:20 IST News world Iran Claims Missile And Drone Strike Destroyed US Command Building In Bahrain 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's Rescue Promise': Iran Shares Pic Of Graves Dug For 160 Schoolgirls Killed In US-Israel Strike Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 16:55 IST Iran held a mass funeral for 165 schoolgirls and staff killed in the strike, which Tehran says was carried out by the United States and Israel. Iran has accused the United States and Israel of being responsible for the strike on the primary school in Minab. (Images via AFP and X/@araghchi) Iran on Tuesday released a photo showing rows of freshly dug graves said to be for more than 160 schoolgirls killed in the joint USIsrael strike on a primary school in the southern city of Minab. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted the image on X, saying the graves were for more than 160 innocent young girls" whose bodies were torn to shreds" in the bombing. This is how rescue" promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood," the Iranian minister wrote. These are graves being dug for more than 160 innocent young girls who were killed in the US-Israeli bombing of a primary school. Their bodies were torn to shreds.This is how rescue" promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood. pic.twitter.com/cRdJ3BELOn Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 2, 2026 Earlier today, Iran held a mass funeral for 165 schoolgirls and staff who were killed in the strike. The attack reportedly targeted the Shajare Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran, as tensions and fighting across the region continue to escalate. According to Iranian authorities, the strike on Saturday killed more than 100 people. The Iranian Red Crescent later reported the death toll had reached 108 before provincial officials announced on Sunday that the total had risen to 165, following the completion of search and debris removal operations. In response to the attack, an Israeli military spokesperson on Sunday had said the country was not aware of any US or Israeli strike on the school and stressed that its operations are carried out with extreme accuracy". At this point not aware of an Israeli or an American strike there Were operating in an extremely accurate manner," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani has stated. The US military, through CENTCOM, told The New York Times that it was aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations" and that it is taking the reports seriously while continuing to take all precautions available to minimise the risk of unintended harm." (With inputs from agencies) Location : Iran First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:44 IST News world 'Trump's Rescue Promise': Iran Shares Pic Of Graves Dug For 160 Schoolgirls Killed In US-Israel Strike 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... May Close Pakistan Embassy In Kabul If.: Afghan Talibans Warning Decoded | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Manjiri Joshi Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 17:13 IST The conflict was sparked last week by what Afghanistan's Taliban rulers said were retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations in response to Islamabad's attacks Rapid Read Armed Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun watch the sky for Pakistani airstrikes during ongoing clashes between Taliban security personnel and Pakistani border forces in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar Province on October 15,2025. (Photo: AFP) The deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Hamdullah Fitrat stated in a press briefing today that the Afghan government may close the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul if Pakistan continues its alleged aggression on Afghan territory. Fitrat warned that continued hostile actions by Pakistan could prompt decisive diplomatic measures, including the suspension of the embassys operations, as a response to safeguard Afghanistans sovereignty. Tensions soar At least 42 civilians have been killed and 104 wounded in Afghanistan in the fighting with Pakistan between February 26 and March 2, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Tuesday, as the military conflict between the neighbours entered its sixth day. Military tensions between the South Asian Islamic nations remained high on Tuesday, with Afghanistan saying it had captured another Pakistani post in the Kandahar region and the fighting between the allies-turned-foes was still ongoing". The civilian casualties include those caused by indirect fire in cross-border clashesas well as those caused by airstrikes," the UN agency said, adding that the numbers were preliminary". The conflict The conflict the worst between the countries in years was sparked last week by what Afghanistans Taliban rulers said were retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations in response to Pakistans targeting of militants in Afghanistan. Afghanistan says Pakistani forces targeted its civilians, a charge Islamabad denies. Islamabad has launched air-to-ground missiles at Taliban military sites over the last week, and even directly targeted the Taliban government for the first time over allegations it harbours militants executing attacks on Pakistan from its soil. Pakistani forces destroyed a military base in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan in a successful air operation, Pakistani security sources said on Tuesday. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing a joint session of parliament on Monday, reiterated that Islamabad would not allow territory in its neighbourhood to be used for attacks against it. The soil of Pakistan is sacred. We will not allow any entity domestic or foreign to use neighbouring territory to destabilise our peace," he said. With Reuters Inputs First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:33 IST News world May Close Pakistan Embassy In Kabul If.: Afghan Talibans Warning Decoded | 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... No So-Called Iranian Threat: Araghchi Slams US Over War Of Choice As Rubio Defends Strikes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:13 IST In a post on X, Araghchi said, Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian threat." Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. (File photo) West Asia Conflict: Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday hit out at Washington and accused it of entering a war of choice" on behalf of Israel, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended military action against Iran. In a post on X, Araghchi said, Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian threat." He further alleged that the shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters," adding that the American people deserve better and should take back their country." Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian threat".Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country. Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 3, 2026 Araghchis remarks came after Rubio outlined Washingtons rationale for the military operation, saying that Washingtons decision to attack Iran was shaped by prior knowledge that Israel was preparing its own strike, arguing that the United States acted to prevent higher casualties among American forces. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," he said Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill on Monday (local time), Rubio said the primary objective was to neutralise Irans missile manufacturing capacity and its ability to launch such weapons. Our mission and our focus is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and their ability to manufacture them, as well as the threat posed by their Navy to global shipping," Rubio said, adding that the US sought to prevent risks to its forces and regional allies. He also acknowledged that Washington anticipated retaliation from Tehran. We knew that if Iran was attacked, they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded," Rubio said, describing the operation as a preemptive move to avoid higher casualties. Rubio maintained that allowing Iran to continue developing short-range ballistic missiles would pose an unacceptable risk" and said the action was taken while Tehran was at its weakest point." While expressing hope for political change in Iran, Rubio clarified that the immediate goal of the mission was to ensure Tehran no longer possessed weapons capable of threatening the United States and its allies. Location : Tehran, Iran First Published: March 03, 2026, 09:13 IST News world No So-Called Iranian Threat: Araghchi Slams US Over War Of Choice As Rubio Defends Strikes 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... Not An Endless War But A Gateway To Peace: Netanyahu Backs Iran Strike, Praises Trump Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 08:42 IST Netanyahu calls the military action against Iran a gateway to peace, credits joint action with Trump for Abraham Accords, and urges continued cooperation for regional stability. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (IMAGE: REUTERS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military campaign against Iran is a gateway to peace" and not an endless conflict, arguing that joint action with US President Donald Trump would pave the way for broader regional stability and additional peace agreements. Follow Live Updates Here This is a gateway for peace, for a broader peace, and I believe that we can achieve it," Netanyahu said, adding that cooperation with Trump had previously resulted in major diplomatic breakthroughs. Also Read: Youll Find Out Soon: Trump Warns Iran Of US Response After Drones Hit Embassy In Riyadh The most important thing to understand is that when we worked together, President Trump and I, we achieved, in fact, four breakthroughs for peace, brokered by President Trump, working together with me. We brokeredwe brought forward the Abraham Accords, which were four peace treaties with four Arab countries." He added that continued coordination against Iran" could result in many, many more peace treaties," stressing, So, this is not an endless war. This is a gateway to peace. Its the exact opposite of what people are saying." Also Read: US Embassy In Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Struck By Iranian Drones; Warning Issued Netanyahu also strongly praised the US president. Theres never been a president like Donald J. Trump. His resoluteness, his decisiveness, his clarity of thinking, the way he gets things gets right to the crux of things." He said Trump cuts through all the fluff, cuts through the chase, gets down to the main point, and it gets down to the mean action that needs to be taken." He added, And I think for Israel and I think for the countries of the free world, let me tell you, I think for the world. Were very lucky to have him as the leader of the free world, and in fact the leader of world. Hes brought America back to being the leader the world." Also Read: Flights From Dubai, Abu Dhabi Land In India As Airlines Begin Limited Operations Amid Conflict Explaining why the strike on Iran was necessary, Netanyahu said, Iran for 47 years has been chanting death to America." He accused Tehran of attacking US interests and spreading terror. They bombed your embassies. They tried to assassinate Donald Trump, the President of the United States, twice. They murdered their own people, they massacred so many. And they spread a worldwide web of terror." He concluded, This is a regime committed to destroying the United States of America." First Published: March 03, 2026, 08:42 IST News world Not An Endless War But A Gateway To Peace: Netanyahu Backs Iran Strike, Praises Trump 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... Nuclear Talks To Air Force One Flight: The 3 Hours That Led To Trumps Iran War Order Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 13:12 IST What led to US President Donald Trumps order to launch Iran operation that took out many of the country's top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Rapid Read US President Donald Trump. (File Photo: Reuters) United States President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon that he was not pleased with the way that nuclear talks had been going with Iran. Three hours later, he gave the order to launch the operation that would take out many of the countrys top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of top military chiefs. The Associated Press detailed how the operation unfolded: 12:25 p.m. EST: Trump emerges from the White House on his way to Texas and tells reporters about the indirect negotiations with Iran: Im not happy with the way theyre going." No, I havent," Trump says when asked if he had made a final decision on what to do next. 3:38 p.m. EST: As he flies aboard Air Force One to events in Texas, Trump gives the order to launch the operation, termed Epic Fury. The president directed, and I quote, Operation Epic Fury approved Good luck," Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a briefing Monday. That order, Caine said, set up every element of the joint U.S. forces making their final preparations, with air defense batteries readying themselves and pilots and crews rehearsing their strike packages for the final time. Meanwhile, air crews began loading their final weapons and the two U.S. carrier strike groups began to move toward their launching points, Caine said. During the nearly three-hour flight to Corpus Christi, Trump asked a small group of Republican lawmakers flying with him for their feedback on a potential strike on Iran. The group debated the merits of continuing negotiations vs. going ahead with a strike, but the general sentiment among those present was that the talks were largely a delay tactic by the Iranians, according to a person with direct knowledge of the Air Force One discussion. Among those on the plane were Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, hawkish lawmakers who have both applauded Trumps decision to strike Iran, and a handful of House Republicans from Texas. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private discussion with Trump. As he continued on to Texas, Trump posts several times on Truth Social, including nine minutes after giving the strike order a directive that the U.S. government stop using Anthropic artificial intelligence technology after an unusually public dispute between the company and the Pentagon over AI safeguards. 4:03 p.m. EST: Landing in Texas, Trump speaks with reporters at the Port of Corpus Christi, fielding questions about the negotiations. Again, he says hes not happy" but did not indicate that an operation had been approved. He did not answer a question on how close he was to making a decision on strikes. Id rather not tell you," Trump says. You would have had the greatest scoop in history, right? Yeah." 1:15 a.m. EST: The actual operation begins, according to a timeline that Caine laid out Monday. Across every domain land, air, sea, cyber," U.S. forces delivered synchronized and layered effects designed to disrupt, degrade, deny and destroy Irans ability to conduct and sustain combat operations on the U.S. side," Caine said. At the Pentagon briefing, Caine said the operation included thousands of service members from all branches, hundreds of advanced fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, dozens of refueling tankers, the Lincoln and Ford carrier strike group and their embarked air wings." He said munitions and fuel supplies kept flowing and had support from a vast network that included intelligence and surveillance. He also noted that more forces are still flowing into the region. The operation follows months of work by the CIA to track the movements of senior Iranian leadership, including Khamenei. Intelligence was shared with Israel, and the timing of Saturdays strikes was adjusted as a result, according to a person familiar with the operation who like others was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. In Tehran, explosions are heard, and Israels defense minister declares a state of emergency. A barrage of three strikes in three locations hit within a single minute killing Khamenei and some 40 senior figures, including the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the countrys defense minister, an Israeli military official said. 4:37 p.m. EST: On his Truth Social social media site, Trump announces Khameneis death, saying the supreme leader was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems". Cornyn, the Texas senator, told reporters on Saturday that Trump didnt tell us what he was going to do." While campaigning ahead of the states primaries on Tuesday, Cornyn said Trump posted the question of whether Iran must be stopped by whatever necessary action that he might choose to take." 12:21 p.m. EST: On Truth Social, Trump says U.S. forces have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships," would be going after the rest" and largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters." 4:06 p.m. EST: In a video message, the Republican president said the U.S. military and its partners hit hundreds of targets in Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities and Iranian air defense systems all in a matter of literally minutes." Trump says he expected the strikes would continue until all of our objectives are achieved." He does not spell out what those objectives are. Also Sunday, Trump administration officials tell congressional staff in private briefings that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S., according to three people familiar with the briefings. The administration officials instead acknowledged that there was a more general threat in the region from Irans missiles and proxy forces, two of the people said. A senior White House official also says Sunday that Irans new potential leadership" has suggested it is open to talks with the United States. 8 a.m. EST: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon briefing that the U.S. is not engaged in a nation-building effort in Iran and that ongoing strikes wont be the prelude to a long, sustained conflict. This is not Iraq. This is not endless," he said. This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it." Also Monday, Trump said at an unrelated event at the White House that he expects the operation in Iran to last four to five weeks but that we have the capability to go far longer than that." In a brief phone interview with the New York Post, the president said he wasnt ruling out U.S. forces in Iran if they were necessary." I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground. Like, every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it," Trump told the newspaper. Other nations in the region took a defensive posture. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted nine ballistic and six cruise missiles and 148 drones Monday. Qatar said its air force shot down 2 Iranian warplanes. During market trading, the price of oil jumpedas tanker disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz raised fears about supply shortages from the Persian Gulf. Global markets also were rattled by the strikes, with U.S. futures following markets in Europe and Asia lower. Inputs from the Associated Press First Published: March 03, 2026, 11:54 IST News world Nuclear Talks To Air Force One Flight: The 3 Hours That Led To Trumps Iran War Order 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 All schools in Zimbabwe will be required to adopt the Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC) as their core syllabus from next year, with foreign curricula such as the Cambridge pathway permitted only as optional add-ons subject to approval by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.The policy shift is aimed at standardising education nationwide and ensuring that all learners are grounded in Zimbabwe's history, culture, languages and national development priorities, while still allowing institutions to offer international qualifications as supplementary programmes.Currently, Zimbabwe operates under three main curricula. Government, council and mission schools primarily teach the Heritage-Based Curriculum. Some private and trust schools offer both the HBC and the Cambridge curriculum, which is administered by Cambridge Assessment International Education. A limited number of institutions, including Harare International School, follow the International Baccalaureate (IB), a globally recognised programme largely catering to expatriate and diplomatic communities.The Heritage-Based Curriculum focuses on national values, indigenous knowledge systems, science, technology, skills development and local languages. In contrast, the Cambridge curriculum follows a British-based international examination model with globally benchmarked standards, while the IB emphasises inquiry-based learning and international-mindedness.Responding to questions in the Senate last week, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerai Moyo said the new requirements would be enforced in line with constitutional provisions."According to Section 63 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, everything that is learnt in the country is supposed to be taught under the same curriculum, which is given by the Permanent Secretary," he said. "If we are to look at the Constitution of Zimbabwe, we realise that the Heritage-Based Curriculum is the one that is supposed to be learnt in all schools."Minister Moyo said Cabinet had resolved that the HBC would become mandatory across all schools, regardless of ownership."As of now, we have three curricula," he said. "The Heritage-Based Curriculum is taught in Government schools, council schools and church schools. Other private schools offer Heritage-Based Curriculum. We also have what we call the Association of Trust Schools and independent colleges and other private schools that offer Cambridge. We also look at Harare International School, which is for the children of ambassadors. They have what they call the International Baccalaureate."If we are to look at this law, the Bill was presented to Cabinet and we said that all the schools in the country are supposed to teach the Heritage-Based Curriculum."Schools wishing to continue offering Cambridge will be required to formally apply to the Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education, detailing how they intend to implement it alongside the national curriculum."To those who want to continue doing Cambridge, they will do it as an option. However, they have to first write a letter to the Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education explaining how they are going to do it," said Minister Moyo. "That is to say, Heritage-Based Curriculum will be the first and they will also be doing Cambridge."The minister said the changes were prompted by concerns that some schools were neglecting Zimbabwe's history and indigenous languages."We realise that many schools no longer teach the history of Zimbabwe where we came from and where we are going," he said. "Our indigenous languages, which include Shona, Ndebele, Kalanga, Shangani and Tonga, are not taught in many ATS schools. They are now learning French, Chinese and no longer learning our local languages."So, we encourage that by the year 2027, all the children in Zimbabwe be taught the Heritage-Based Curriculum and also be learning indigenous languages. We are not saying they must not do international languages like French and German."Government is also intensifying teacher training and capacity-building efforts to support nationwide implementation of the Heritage-Based Curriculum (20242030), which aims to equip learners with skills, values and attitudes for life and work while aligning education with Zimbabwe's broader industrialisation and skills development agenda. Pakistan Shuts Part Of Its Airspace As West Asia Conflict Intensifies, Over 300 Flights Cancelled Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 16:22 IST Pakistan shut parts of its airspace through March 31, issuing a NOTAM. Over 300 Gulf flights are down as US-Israeli strikes on Iran send regional aviation into a tailspin. Rapid Read A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet rolls down the runway, (Image Courtesy: Aviation News Online) Pakistan has partially closed its airspace to commercial flights through the end of March, as the ongoing conflict in West Asia continues to disrupt air travel across the region. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) stating that selected Air Traffic Service (ATS) route segments in the Karachi and Lahore flight zones would be unavailable daily from 9am to 3pm local time PKT (04:00 to 10:00 GMT) until March 31. The authority cited operational reasons" behind its decision without going into further detail, reported Al Jazeera. The move comes after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began Saturday, triggering a chain of regional airspace closures. Irans counterstrikes against Israeli and American bases in Gulf countries further tightened air corridors, forcing airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights across the region. Adding to the strain on Pakistani airspace, the country has also been locked in an escalating conflict along its western border with Afghanistan. Pakistan has carried out multiple cross-border military strikes targeting militant positions inside Afghan territory, drawing sharp condemnation from Kabul. The Taliban-led Afghan government has repeatedly signalled the possibility of retaliation, raising security concerns over flight paths that run close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. Furthermore, Afghan forces on Tuesday, March 03 seized key Pakistani military posts along the border as clashes along the Durand Line entered the fifth consecutive day. The Afghan Defence Ministry said that its forces carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani bases following recent air raids by the Pakistan Air Force inside Afghan territory and claimed that multiple Pakistani posts had been captured in Kandahar province, including three in the Spin Boldak district and two in the Ali-Sher district. The compounding pressure from West Asia, the Afghan border, and the evergreen contentious Radcliffe Line with India has placed Pakistani aviation authorities in an increasingly difficult position. Flight corridors near conflict-adjacent zones require constant monitoring and, at times, active rerouting. Aviation analysts note that managing airspace becomes considerably more complex when a country faces simultaneous military activity on more than one front. The impact on Pakistani aviation has been significant. An airport official, on the condition of anonymity told Arab News PK, that since the conflict started, more than 300 flights between Pakistan and Middle Eastern destinations had been cancelled nationwide, with over 100 flights cancelled on Monday alone. In just the past 24 hours, around 184 international flights were grounded, hitting popular routes to Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Sharjah, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Karachi airport reported the highest number of cancellations, with at least 32 flights scrapped on Monday alone. Lahore followed with 22 cancellations to Gulf destinations. Airports in Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Multan also recorded cancellations, though exact numbers were not disclosed, reported Arab News PK. First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:22 IST News world Pakistan Shuts Part Of Its Airspace As West Asia Conflict Intensifies, Over 300 Flights Cancelled 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 Ready To Help India With Energy Supplies If West Asia Conflict Causes Disruptions: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 20:08 IST Russia is ready to assist India with energy supplies in case of disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia between Iran and US and Israel. Rapid Read News18 Russia is prepared to support India with energy supplies if disruptions occur, Reuters reported, citing a Russian source on Tuesday. Indian government officials said the country currently holds sufficient crude and fuel inventories to meet domestic demand for petrol, diesel and other fuels for six to eight weeks. They added that New Delhi is scouting alternative sources for importing crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas in case the conflict in West Asia lasts beyond 10 to 15 days. An official said the government is monitoring the situation on a daily and hourly basis" and remains confident of navigating a crisis that some estimates suggest could last a week or 10 days. India has crude stocks to last about 25 days and fuel reserves for a similar period. Contingency plans including drawing from strategic petroleum reserves, using commercial inventories and diversifying sourcing from the US, Russia, West Africa and Latin America are expected to ensure supply continuity even if disruptions persist longer. Separately, the oil ministry in a statement said Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri briefed the media on the countrys preparedness in the current circumstances" and it was informed that the country is well stocked with crude oil and inventories of key petroleum products including petrol, diesel and ATF to deal with short-term disruptions arising from the Middle East." No details of the stock were given. The Ministry has established a 247 control room to continuously monitor the supply and stock position of petroleum products across the country," the statement said. At present, the government is reasonably comfortable in terms of stocks. Safeguarding the interests of Indian consumers remains the highest priority. Based on continuous monitoring, the government is cautiously optimistic that phased measures can be taken, if required, to further mitigate the situation." India is the third largest importer, fourth largest refiner, and fifth largest exporter of petroleum products globally. It was further apprised that in the last few years, India has ensured both availability and affordability of energy for its population by diversifying its sources. Indian energy companies now have access to energy supplies that are not routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Such cargoes will remain available and help mitigate supplies that may be temporarily affected enroute through the Strait of Hormuz," the statement further added. (with additional inputs from PTI) Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:48 IST News world Russia Ready To Help India With Energy Supplies If West Asia Conflict Causes Disruptions: 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... Soon Peace Will Be Yours: Melania Trump Leads UN Security Council Amid Middle East Tensions Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 05:50 IST It marked the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has presided over a session of the Council, the UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security. US First Lady Melania Trump speaks as she chairs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York. (AFP) US First Lady Melania Trump chaired a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, pressing the cause of children caught in conflict amid escalating Middle East tensions. It marked the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has presided over a session of the 15-member Council, the UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security. The meeting, titled Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict," was planned before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend. Opening the session with a strike of a ceremonial gavel, the First Lady emphasised education as a path toward tolerance and peace. The Us stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours," she said as quoted by news agency AFP, without directly referencing the ongoing military operations. Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies. Societies ruled by knowledge and wisdom are therefore more peaceful," she added. Her remarks came days after the US and Israel launched massive strikes on Iran, which killed the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. The strikes prompted warnings from the UNICEF about the safety of millions of children in the region. UNICEF described the escalation as a dangerous moment for millions of children," echoing Antonio Guterres call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Meanwhile, Irans UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, accused the United States and Israel of striking a girls primary school in Minab, claiming 165 schoolgirls were killed. Iravani called it deeply shameful and hypocritical" for the US to convene a meeting on protecting children while conducting military strikes. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States will not deliberately target a school." Israels UN ambassador said there were conflicting reports about the Minab incident but expressed regret over any civilian loss of life. Without directly mentioning Iran, Chinas UN ambassador Fu Cong said attacks on schools were among the gravest violations against children and called for robust investigations and accountability. Despite tensions, Melania Trump was warmly received by ambassadors from across the Council, including Russia and China. She closed the two-hour session by honoring US service members killed in the conflict and telling delegates, I wish you all strength and resolve to succeed in preserving peace and security throughout the world." (With inputs from agencies) Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 03, 2026, 05:49 IST News world Soon Peace Will Be Yours: Melania Trump Leads UN Security Council Amid Middle East Tensions 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... Israel Hacked Tehrans Traffic Cameras To Track Khamenei, Senior Iranian Officials: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:37 IST Iran's cameras are believed to be part of the states surveillance system used to identify and track protesters and opponents of the regime. Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AFP File File) February 28, 2026 The day Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hacked to death following the missile attacks launched by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets. However, the question that still remains is: How did Israel manage to kill Khamenei? Israel infiltrated Tehrans extensive traffic camera network to monitor the bodyguards of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials, the Financial Times reported, citing two sources familiar with the situation. Irans cameras, which are believed to be part of the states surveillance system, are used to identify and track protesters and opponents of the regime. However, Israels Mossad managed to turn these cameras against the Iranian regime. According to the FT report, Israel gained access to the cameras years ago and found that one particular camera was angled in a way that it showed where members of Khameneis security team parked their cars. Through the cameras, Israeli intelligence built files on the guards addresses, work schedules, and who they were assigned to protect. In addition to this, Israel and the US also disrupted cellular service on Tehrans Pasteur Street, where Khamenei was assassinated, so those trying to reach the bodyguards and deliver possible warnings would receive busy signals, the report suggested. We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem," an Israeli intelligence official tells the Financial Times. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place," the official added. It has been learnt that Israel used AI tools and algorithms to sort through mountains of data it was amassing on Irans leadership and their movements. The data allowed them to track Khamenei to the Saturday meeting where the Supreme Leader met with an end. Additionally, the United States CIA also had a human source who provided key intelligence, report suggested. Location : Israel First Published: March 03, 2026, 09:22 IST News world Israel Hacked Tehrans Traffic Cameras To Track Khamenei, Senior Iranian Officials: 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... These People Are Sick And Demented: Trump Blasts Democrats Over Iran Strikes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:59 IST Trump defends US-Israel strikes on Iran, criticises Democrats' opposition, cites State of the Union, and says ending Iran Deal stopped nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump. (AP Photo) US President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on Democrats after criticism over the recent US-Israel strikes on Iran, accusing them of opposing the action simply because he ordered it. Follow Live Updates In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, The Radical Left Democrats, a Party that has completely lost its way, are complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack, by the United States and Israel, on Iran. What most people understand is that they are only complaining because I did it and, if I didnt do it, they would be screaming Why didnt Trump attack Iran, he should do it, immediately? Theres nothing surprising about this!" Also Read: Youll Find Out Soon: Trump Warns Iran Of US Response After Drones Hit Embassy In Riyadh He continued his criticism by referencing reactions during his recent State of the Union address. Its the same people that the other night at The State of the Union Address wouldnt stand for anybody, including a mother who lost her beautiful daughter to an illegal alien, a Great and Brave Helicopter Pilot, who got the Congressional Medal of Honour, or a 100-year-old Veteran Warrior whose Bravery is Legend!" Trump wrote. The fact is, whatever I do, they will be on the opposite side. These people are sick, crazy, and demented, but America, despite them all, is now bigger, better, and stronger than before. Make America great again!" he added. Also Read: US Embassy In Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Struck By Iranian Drones; Warning Issued The remarks come amid escalating tensions following US military operations against Iran. Trump has also defended his earlier decision to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal during his first term, arguing that the agreement would have allowed Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. He claimed that had he not terminated the deal, Iran would have acquired a nuclear weapon years ago, calling the accord the most dangerous transaction we have ever entered into." First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:59 IST News world These People Are Sick And Demented: Trump Blasts Democrats Over Iran Strikes 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... Top Member Of Irans Quds Force Killed In Navy Strike In Beirut: IDF Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 14:53 IST The IDF said that Reza Khazaei served as the right-hand man of the corps commander and was considered a key figure in Hezbollahs force buildup. A plume of smoke acends after a military strike on the capital Tehran. (Photo: Representative/AFP) A top member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force who worked with Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli Navy strike in Beirut on Monday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced. The military said that the strike in the Lebanese capital killed Reza Khazaei, who headed the IRGC Quds Forces efforts to assist Hezbollah with rebuilding its capabilities. Khazaei also served as chief of staff at the Quds Forces Lebanon Corps, according to the IDF. As per Times of Israel, the IDF said that Khazaei served as the right-hand man of the corps commander and was considered a key figure in Hezbollahs force buildup. The military says he was responsible for liaising between Hezbollah and Iran, particularly for bridging between the needs of the Hezbollah terror organisation and the resources provided by Iran". IDF said that Khazaei led extensive processes within the Lebanon Corps and the Hezbollah terror organisation, including force buildup processes involving Iranian weapons and equipment. He also helped in the rehabilitation of the terror groups offensive capabilities following the 2023-2024 war with Israel. According to the IDF, Khazaei worked to transfer weapons from Iran to Hezbollah and oversaw Hezbollahs weapon production programs in Lebanon. Location : Israel First Published: March 03, 2026, 14:53 IST News world Top Member Of Irans Quds Force Killed In Navy Strike In Beirut: IDF 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... Top Oil Reserve Nations In 2026: Which Country Leads? Where Do US, Russia And Iran Stand? Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 19:41 IST The ongoing United States-Israel-Iran conflict have once again pushed oil markets into uncertainty, underlining how deeply energy and geopolitics remain intertwined Rapid Read Iran ranks among the top three, with reserves estimated between 157 and 158 billion barrels. Crude oil continues to shape the global economy and influence the balance of power among nations. Countries endowed with vast petroleum reserves often wield significant geopolitical leverage, and tensions over energy security have repeatedly spilled into diplomatic and military confrontations. The ongoing United States-Israel-Iran conflict have once again pushed oil markets into uncertainty, underlining how deeply energy and geopolitics remain intertwined. 1. Venezuela At the top of the global reserves list stands Venezuela, with an estimated 303.22 billion barrels of crude oil. Despite its economic turmoil, the South American nation possesses the worlds largest proven reserves. Over the years, it has maintained close strategic ties with Russia, which has extended military equipment, investment and diplomatic backing. The US, meanwhile, has sought to increase pressure through sanctions and political manoeuvring, keeping Venezuela at the centre of a broader energy power struggle. 2. Saudi Arabia Second on the list is Saudi Arabia, holding around 267.2 billion barrels. Long regarded as Americas strongest ally in West Asia, the kingdom plays a pivotal role in stabilising or tightening global oil supplies. Much of its crude exports flow to Western markets, reinforcing its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States. 3. Iran Iran ranks among the top three, with reserves estimated between 157 and 158 billion barrels. Iran-US relations have been adversarial for decades, often revolving around sanctions and oil exports. In recent years, Iran has strengthened its engagement with Russia and China, positioning energy cooperation as a counterweight to Western pressure. 4. Canada Canada, with roughly 170 billion barrels, also figures prominently. A member of NATO and a close neighbour of the United States, Canada exports the bulk of its crude southward, making energy trade a cornerstone of bilateral ties. 5. Iraq Iraq holds about 145.02 billion barrels. Since the 2003 invasion, American influence has been significant, though recent years have seen growing involvement from both Russia and Iran in Iraqs energy and political landscape, reflecting a complex balance of interests. 6. United Arab Emirates (UAE) The United Arab Emirates possesses around 113 billion barrels. While it remains a key American strategic partner, the UAE has simultaneously expanded energy cooperation with Russia and China, signalling a more diversified foreign policy approach. 7. Kuwait Kuwait, with approximately 100 billion barrels, continues to align closely with the US. Since the Gulf War, the United States has played a central role in Kuwaits security architecture, which in turn shapes its oil policy and export strategies. 8. Russia Russia, with an estimated 80 billion barrels in reserves, remains a global energy heavyweight. Beyond reserves, it is one of the worlds largest oil exporters and has frequently leveraged energy supplies as a geopolitical instrument, particularly in its rivalry with Western powers. 9. United States The United States itself holds between 35 and 50 billion barrels of proven reserves. States such as Texas, North Dakota and New Mexico anchor the countrys production capacity. In recent years, America has emerged as the worlds largest oil producer, reshaping global supply dynamics even though its proven reserves are smaller than several Middle Eastern and Latin American producers. 10. Libya Rounding out the top ten is Libya, with 48.36 billion barrels. Ongoing civil conflict has divided the nation, with rival factions drawing support from competing international backers, turning oil infrastructure into both an asset and a flashpoint. Oil today is far more than a commodity powering vehicles and industries; it is a strategic asset that shapes alliances and rivalries. Venezuela and Iran lean towards Russia, while Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Canada maintain strong alignment with the United States. Iraq and Libya illustrate how influence can be contested, with multiple powers vying for strategic footholds. Decades into their rivalry, the US and Russia continue to view energy as a critical lever of global power, a reminder that the politics of oil remain as combustible as the fuel itself. First Published: March 03, 2026, 19:41 IST News world Top Oil Reserve Nations In 2026: Which Country Leads? Where Do US, Russia And Iran Stand? 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... Traffic Cameras Hacked Or Mossad Mole? Competing Theories Around How Khamenei Was Tracked Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 16:32 IST The US and Israel conducted a joint operation in Iran, killing Ayatollah Khamenei. Trump and Netanyahu called it a measure against Iran's nuclear threat. The limited verified information fueled a surge of speculation online. (AI Generated Image) The United States and Israel carried out a joint operation inside Iran that resulted in the death of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Officials in Washington and Jerusalem described the strike as a coordinated effort aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities. US President Donald Trump said the operation was necessary to counter what he described as an imminent nuclear threat while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike a defensive measure against Irans regional military ambitions. Yet the mechanics of how Israeli intelligence located Khamenei with precision have remained opaque. The limited verified information fueled a surge of speculation online. Heres a look at the theories around Khameneis death: The Tooth Fairy" Theory: Dental and Medical Implants One of the more sensational claims to gain traction on social media alleges that Israels intelligence agency Mossad embedded operatives inside Iran posing as dentists and physicians. According to posts widely shared on X, these undercover agents allegedly implanted tracking devices into the dental fillings of senior Iranian officials, including members of the military and political elite. Variations of the theory claim that gastroenterologists similarly inserted tracking microchips during medical procedures. The Inner-Circle Mole Theory: Compromised IRGC Leadership A second theory centers on the possibility of a high-level mole within Irans security establishment. Online discussions, particularly on Reddit, focused on Esmaeil Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Posts allege that Qaani acted as a covert informant for Mossad and possibly the CIA, citing his reported proximity to Khamenei shortly before the strike and his survival afterward. Some unverified reports suggested that Qaani faced scrutiny or possible arrest over alleged links to Israeli intelligence. However, no authoritative source has publicly confirmed that he functioned as a mole or that he directly facilitated the targeting operation. The Traffic Camera Hack Theory: Compromised Surveillance Infrastructure In contrast to the more speculative narratives, reporting by the Financial Times lent credibility to claims that Israeli intelligence compromised Irans urban surveillance systems. Citing current and former Israeli officials familiar with the operation, the newspaper reported that a substantial portion of Tehrans traffic camera network had allegedly been infiltrated over several years. According to the report, video feeds were encrypted and transmitted to servers in Israel, providing detailed insight into movement patterns around key government compounds. One camera angle near Pasteur Street in Tehran was reportedly instrumental in identifying security routines, including where bodyguards parked their vehicles and how access to Khameneis residence was managed. The Prayer App Hack: Psychological Warfare Component Separate from the question of physical tracking is the verified cyber operation targeting Irans digital ecosystem. Reports confirmed by Reuters indicate that Israel hacked BadeSaba, a widely used Iranian religious calendar and prayer-time application with millions of users. The app reportedly displayed messages urging members of Irans armed forces to defect and encouraging public dissent. In addition, several major Iranian media outlets were reportedly compromised to display anti-regime messages. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 16:32 IST News world Traffic Cameras Hacked Or Mossad Mole? Competing Theories Around How Khamenei Was Tracked 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 Open To Supporting Groups That Back Regime Change In Iran After Khameneis Death: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 22:39 IST Trump reportedly spoke with Kurdish leaders and continues to engage other local actors who could exploit perceived weaknesses in Tehran. US President Donald Trump. (File Photo: Reuters) US President Donald Trump is reportedly open to supporting groups inside Iran willing to take up arms against the Iranian regime. The development comes as US-Israeli strikes continue to escalate tensions in the region following the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Journal reported that Trump spoke with Kurdish leaders and continues to engage other local actors who could exploit perceived weaknesses in Tehran. The Kurds have a sizable force along the Iraq-Iran border, and Israel has bombed positions in western Iran, leading to speculation that it is paving a path for a Kurdish advance," the report said. The US President has not made a final decision on whether to provide arms, intelligence or training to these groups, as per the report. This comes as Trump reiterated his hardline stance on Tehran in a Truth Social post, writing, Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late!" In contrast to speculation about regime change, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the primary objective of US strikes in Iran is to dismantle Tehrans missile and nuclear capabilities. The objectives of this operation are to destroy their ballistic missile capability and make sure they cant rebuild, and make sure that they cant hide behind that to have a nuclear program," Rubio said. While Rubio noted there were no objections to Khamenei being killed, he emphasised that US forces are not explicitly seeking a regime change. We would love for there to be an Iran thats not governed by radical Shia clerics. While we would love to see a new regime, the bottom line is that no matter who governs that country a year from now, theyre not going to have these ballistic missiles and theyre not going to have these drones to threaten us," he said. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 03, 2026, 22:39 IST News world Trump Open To Supporting Groups That Back Regime Change In Iran After Khameneis Death: 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 Embassy In Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Struck By Iranian Drones; Warning Issued Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:23 IST Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry confirmed that two drones attacked the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. The United States Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to the State Department. West Asia Conflict: Smoke was seen billowing from the US Embassies in Saudi Arabias Riyadh and Kuwait after Iranian drones struck the diplomatic missions on Tuesday. According to the US State Department, the Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Embassy Riyadh has been struck by two UAVs that hit the roof and the perimeter of the chancery. Post is sheltering in place and reported no injuries." the department said. Later, Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry confirmed that two drones attacked the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. : . pic.twitter.com/YuCukrePkH (@modgovksa) March 3, 2026 Additionally, a third drone was also en route to US Embassy in Riyadh, according to official source. Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN that the drones were Iranian. The overnight barrage reportedly coincided with a separate missile salvo launched across Israel, as tensions in the region intensified. BREAKING: MASSIVE EXPLOSION AT US EMBASSY RIYADH pic.twitter.com/RNzHLhkAqr Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) March 3, 2026 Embassy Issues Security Alert Following the strike, the US Mission in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert, ordering a shelter-in-place for Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran and limiting non-essential travel to military installations in the region. The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region we recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately," the alert stated. The mission said it continues to monitor the regional situation and urged Americans to maintain a personal safety plan, review recent security alerts and reconsider travel plans in case of disruptions. Subject: Security Alert Shelter in Place U.S. Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (Mar. 3, 2026)Location: Saudi Arabia Event: Security AlertThe U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) March 3, 2026 Among the actions advised were sheltering in place, enrolling or re-enrolling in the State Departments Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), ensuring passports are valid for short-notice travel, avoiding demonstrations and large gatherings, monitoring official sources, and following local authorities instructions. Emergency numbers in Saudi Arabia were also highlighted, including 911 for unified emergency services, 999 for police, 996 for highway security and 997 for ambulances. The embassy provided contact numbers for its offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, as well as the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Washington. Trump Warns Youll Find Out Soon US President Donald Trump warned Iran of Washingtons strong response over the attack and said, You (Iran) will soon find out Washingtons response to the attack on its embassy in Riyadh and to the killing of American soldiers." I dont think deploying ground forces will be necessary in Iran," the US President added. When asked if Trump is worried about other potential attacks on the US sites, Trump answered, No, its a part of war. Its part of war, whether people like it or not. Thats the way it is." Drones Hit Embassy In Kuwait Earlier on Monday, the United States Embassy in Kuwait was also struck by drones launched by Tehran, news agency AFP reported. One Kuwait-based diplomat and a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the embassy had been damaged by a number of drones. A second Kuwait-based diplomat said the embassy building was struck directly in the attack. An AFP correspondent reported seeing smoke billowing from the compound on Monday, Irans third day of retaliatory Gulf attacks. The embassy later warned of a continuing threat of missile and UAV (drone) attacks over Kuwait" and urged people not to come to the facility. A witness told news agency Reuters that firefighters and ambulances were present at the scene on Monday as emergency services responded to the situation. The embassy issued a shelter-in-place warning to American citizens in Kuwait, instructing them to remain indoors and review their security plans in case of further attacks. Embassy personnel were also sheltering in place. Authorities advised residents to stay inside, move to the lowest available floor of their residences, remain away from windows and exterior walls, and avoid going outdoors. The embassy said those who hear explosions or sirens should seek immediate cover. People inside buildings were told to move to the lowest level with the fewest exterior walls, close doors, and sit near an interior wall away from windows or openings. Those caught outside were advised to seek shelter in a hardened structure or lie down and cover their heads if no shelter was available. Officials also warned that falling debris from intercepted missiles or drones could pose serious risks. Residents were urged to stay away from debris and monitor major news outlets for official guidance following any attack. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Kuwait City, Kuwait First Published: March 03, 2026, 05:28 IST News world US Embassy In Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Struck By Iranian Drones; Warning Issued 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 Daniel Munyanyi, the man suspected of killing two detectives during a shootout in Zaka, has been arrested, while four of his alleged accomplices appeared in court in Harare facing armed robbery and attempted murder charges.The fatal gun battle occurred in Ndume Village, Zaka, on Sunday and claimed the lives of Detective Sergeant Bernard Chindeke (38) and Detective Constable Casper Antonio McKenzie Chitsowe (42).National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed Munyanyi's arrest in a statement, saying he was apprehended on Monday afternoon at Nyika Area in Bikita, Masvingo Province, where he had allegedly been hiding."The arrest was effected by members of the public. The firearm used in the commissioning of the murder cases has also been recovered. The ZRP commends the people in Nyika for working together with the police to effect the arrest," Nyathi said.Meanwhile, Aphel Muzanenhamo Chiro (34), Nashe Gasva (18), Hughsters Chiro (24) and Spencer Madimutsa appeared before Harare magistrate Jessie Kufa. The State alleges the quartet was arrested at the scene following the Zaka shootout.Prosecutors further claim the group had been involved in a string of armed robberies in Harare prior to the deadly incident.The court heard that on February 27 at around 2am, the suspects allegedly targeted Juliet Chapura (31) of Retreat, Waterfalls. It is alleged they armed themselves with a pistol and iron bars, wore police uniforms and balaclavas, and forced entry into her home. They allegedly pointed a firearm at her and demanded cash, taking US$15 before searching the house for more money.Before leaving, they allegedly told her they had shot her father, Gift Chapura (61), at his home in Rafingora. The total value stolen in that incident was US$30, and nothing was recovered.In a separate incident on February 28 at around 2am, the gang allegedly targeted Wellington Mukandabvi (54) at Polokwane Bar in Vantage, Spitzkop, Harare. Armed with a pistol, knife and taser, and wearing balaclavas, they allegedly entered the bar, closed the doors and demanded cash. One of the suspects allegedly took US$700 from a bucket at the selling point.During the robbery, patrons reportedly attempted to apprehend the suspects, resulting in a violent confrontation. Tichaona Tafadzwa Chitengu was allegedly shot once in the left buttock, while Rumbidzayi Katembwe, Please Magada and Tendayi Chikwiyo were allegedly stabbed on different parts of their bodies. The suspects allegedly fired multiple shots before fleeing through a back door to a getaway vehicle.Property valued at US$1,000 was reportedly stolen, with items worth US$100 recovered following the arrests.The State opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the offences. Magistrate Kufa advised the accused to approach the High Court for bail as they are facing Third Schedule offences. Last Updated: March 05, 2026, 09:30 IST Firefighters extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Haret Hreik neighbourhood in Beiruts southern suburbs. (Image: AFP) US Iran Israel War News News Today: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told neighbouring Gulf states that Tehran had strived to avoid war but was forced to defend itself after what he called American-Zionist military aggression, adding that Iran respects the sovereignty of regional countries and believes security should be ensured collectively by states in the region. His remarks came as Iranian drones and missiles struck across the Gulf, with the UAE intercepting three ballistic missiles and 121 drones, while Qatar shot down 10 drones and two cruise missiles. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone targeting the Ras Tanura oil refinery, and two drones were also downed near Baghdad airport, signalling the conflicts widening footprint. The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes that killed Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has begun rippling beyond the region. Flights across the Gulf have been disrupted, wealthy residents are fleeing Dubai, energy markets are rattled, and the conflict is even affecting Ukraine peace talks and global oil politics. Follow for live updates on US Israel Attacks On Iran Today. 'Virtually Unlimited Weapons': Trump Says US Ready For Prolonged War Amid Israel-Iran Conflict Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 11:44 IST While expressing confidence in mid-tier weapons reserves, Trump acknowledged that at the highest grade of weaponry. US President Donald Trump. (AFP file photo) US President Donald Trump claimed that America has a virtually unlimited supply" of medium and upper-medium grade weapons, highlighting that the country is fully stocked and prepared for prolonged conflict if necessary. Follow Live Updates In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that US munitions stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better," adding, As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!)." Also Read: Israel Hacked Tehrans Traffic Cameras To Track Khamenei, Senior Iranian Officials: Report While expressing confidence in mid-tier weapons reserves, Trump acknowledged that at the highest grade of weaponry, supplies were not yet where he wanted them to be. At the highest end, we have a good supply, but we are not where we want to be. Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries," he wrote. Trump also criticised former President Joe Bidens handling of military inventory, accusing him of sending vast amounts of advanced weaponry to Ukraine without replenishing domestic stockpiles. Also Read: Satellite Image Shows Major Damage At Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura After Iran Drone Strike Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Countrys money, GIVING everything to PT Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didnt bother to replace it," Trump wrote. He added that he had strengthened the military during his first term and continued to do so. Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term, and continue to do so. The United States is stocked, and ready to win, big! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President Donald J. Trump," the post concluded. US President Donald Trump formally notified Congress about the US military strikes on Iran, defending the action as necessary to safeguard American interests, Fox News reported. In a letter sent to lawmakers, Trump said the operation was carried out under his direct orders on February 28. He stated that the strikes were aimed at protecting US forces, ensuring the free flow of maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, and supporting the collective self-defence of regional allies. Also Read: Trump Takes U-Turn On Boots On Ground Remark, Warns Iran After Attack On US Embassy In Riyadh At my direction, on February 28, 2026, United States forces conducted precision strikes against numerous targets within Iran, including ballistic missile sites, maritime mining capabilities, air defences, and command and control capabilities. These strikes were undertaken to protect United States forces in the region, protect the United States homeland, and advance vital United States national interests, including ensuring the free flow of maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, and in collective self-defense of our regional allies, including Israel," Trump wrote. He further noted that no US ground troops were deployed in the operation and that the mission was carefully planned to limit civilian casualties, deter future attacks and neutralise what he described as Irans malign activities. First Published: March 03, 2026, 11:10 IST News world 'Virtually Unlimited Weapons': Trump Says US Ready For Prolonged War Amid Israel-Iran Conflict 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... We Would Suffer If: Marco Rubio Says Israel's Strike Plan Triggered US Attack On Iran Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:41 IST Rubio said that Iranian commanders had been instructed to automatically respond against US if Iran came under attack. We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow, he said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. (Reuters) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washingtons decision to attack Iran was shaped by prior knowledge that Israel was preparing its own strike, arguing that the United States acted to prevent higher casualties among American forces. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," he said as quoted by news agency AFP. The State Secretary said that Iranian commanders had been instructed to automatically respond against US forces if Iran came under attack. We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow," he said, adding that if the US had waited and been hit first, officials would be questioned for failing to act. If we stood and waited for that attack to come first before we hit them, we would suffer much higher casualties. And so the president made the very wise decision" to hit alongside Israel, Rubio said. Asked if the United States faced an imminent threat from Iran a key threshold in the United States as Congress constitutionally has the power to declare war Rubio again pointed to the Israeli plans. There absolutely was an imminent threat, and the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked and we believed they would be attacked that they would immediately come after us," Rubio said. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier said Israel carried out the strike in Tehran that killed Khamenei and other top officials after intelligence indicated they were meeting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the timing of the operation, saying Iran had begun building underground facilities that would soon make its ballistic missile and nuclear programs immune from attack. If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future," Netanyahu told Fox News. Despite backing the strike, Rubio said regime change was not the formal objective of the mission. We hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government and establish a new future for that country. We would love for that to be possible," he said, adding But the objective of this mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and of their naval capabilities." Rubios comments drew criticism from some US lawmakers, with Representative Joaquin Castro saying that it indicated that Israel put US forces in harms way by insisting on attack on Iran." This is unacceptable of the President, and unacceptable of a country that calls itself our ally," Castro wrote on X. The remarks came before the US military confirmed that its death toll in the conflict had risen to six, after two additional bodies were recovered from a facility struck by Iran in the region. Tehran retaliated against the joint US-Israeli strikes which killed Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with senior officials by launching drones and missiles at US bases and assets across the Gulf. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:41 IST News world We Would Suffer If: Marco Rubio Says Israel's Strike Plan Triggered US Attack On 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... Weeks After Claiming BLA Operation Was Concluded, Pakistan Signals Continued Offensive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 23:08 IST Pakistans army says the abduction and killing of its soldiers triggered renewed action against BLA, despite declaring in Feb that the offensive had been successfully concluded. Rapid Read An army soldier stands guard at a deserted entry point at the Friendship Gate, following the exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, at the border crossing between the two countries, in Chaman, Pakistan. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Pakistans military has said it is avenging the killing of its soldiers allegedly at the hands of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), describing the incident as cold-blooded murder" and ruling out any negotiations with the group, according to an unofficial response shared with CNN-News18 by sources. The execution of Pakistan Army soldiers by the BLA is not war. It is cold-blooded murder," the statement said. The soldiers had gone missing on January 3031, 2026. From that point, special forces units, army formations and intelligence agencies were mobilised, the response said, adding that assets were pooled across Balochistan" and intelligence operations were activated to track those responsible. The development comes weeks after Pakistans military announced in early February that it had successfully concluded" Operation Radd Al-Fitna 1 in Balochistan following coordinated attacks by the BLA across more than a dozen locations. However, the latest statement signals that the objectives of neutralising the group may not have been fully met. According to a February Reuters report, the BLA stormed schools, banks, markets and security installations, seized government buildings and police stations, and briefly took control of the desert town of Nushki before being pushed back using helicopters and drones. Pakistans military claimed 216 militants were killed in targeted offensives that began on January 29, two days before the large-scale separatist attacks. It said 22 security personnel and 36 civilians were killed. However, a provincial Home Ministry official cited by Reuters gave a higher toll of 45 security personnel and 40 civilians. The BLA, in a separate statement last month, claimed it had killed 362 soldiers during its operation, without providing evidence. According to the unofficial remarks, the BLA allegedly issued demands including the release of detainees such as Mahrang Baloch and other proscribed individuals. Terror bargaining disguised as politics," the response said. It added that intelligence inputs suggested the captives were being shifted constantly in hostile terrain, with unconfirmed reports indicating possible movement toward Afghanistan. During these operations a large number of BLA terrorists were eliminated and more than 100 taken," the statement claimed. It added that Operation Ghazab lil-Haq with all its fury" was avenging the abduction of the soldiers from what it described as the Master Proxy of BLA." There will be no negotiation with murderers. BLA and their sponsors will continue to pay a heavy price. These dogs of hell will be hunted till they are found and sent to hell. Retribution is very heavy and painful," the statement said. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was described by Pakistani authorities as a military offensive against the Afghan Taliban in late February 2026, launched as tensions escalated along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Multiple explosions and gunfire were reported from Kabul on Tuesday as Afghan and Pakistani forces continued clashes along the frontier. Fighting has been ongoing since February after Islamabad said its air strikes targeted militants, while Kabul accused Pakistan of attacks that killed civilians. At least 39 civilians have been reported killed since the escalation began, according to Afghan authorities. First Published: March 03, 2026, 23:08 IST News world Weeks After Claiming BLA Operation Was Concluded, Pakistan Signals Continued Offensive 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... Will Set It Ablaze: Iran Vows To Attack Any Ship Trying To Pass Through Strait Of Hormuz Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 07:20 IST A senior official of Irans IRGC said the country would use force to block traffic through the strait, one of the worlds most critical oil transit routes. A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes, on March 1, 2026. (Image: AFP) Amid mounting West Asia tensions, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday (local time) said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed" for shipping traffic and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through the strategic waterway would be attacked. A senior official of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the country would use force to block traffic through the strait, one of the worlds most critical oil transit routes. The strait (of Hormuz) is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze," Brigadier General Sardar Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the Guards commander-in-chief, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media. The declaration came days after Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike, an event that has sharply escalated tensions across the Middle East. In response, Iran fired several barrages of missiles at its Gulf neighbours hosting US military bases such as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Tehran also fired missiles at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman. The Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran to the north and Oman to the south, is a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, it is about 33 kilometres (21 miles) wide. Roughly 20% of the worlds daily oil consumption passes through the channel, making it the most vital oil export route globally. The threat to Hormuz has raised fears in global energy markets, with analysts warning that any sustained disruption could choke oil supplies and drive crude prices sharply higher. Most oil shipped through the strait is destined for Asian markets, particularly China. However, US Central Command said the Strait of Hormuz remains open, disputing claims by Iranian officials that the crucial oil shipping route has been shut, news agency Reuters reported, citing Fox News. Iran has previously threatened to block the passage during periods of heightened tension but has not completely sealed it since the 1980s Tanker War," when both Iran and Iraq targeted commercial vessels. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Cairo, Egypt First Published: March 03, 2026, 07:20 IST News world Will Set It Ablaze: Iran Vows To Attack Any Ship Trying To Pass Through Strait Of Hormuz 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 Takes U-Turn On 'Boots On Ground' Remark, Warns Iran After Attack On US Embassy In Riyadh Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 09:00 IST Trump's statement came after US Embassy in Riyadh and Kuwait were struck by Iranian drones. US President Donald Trump warns Iran of US response over attack on Embassy in Riyadh. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said boots on the ground" may not be necessary, with tensions escalating in the Middle East. Trump warned Iran of Washingtons strong response after its drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. You (Iran) will soon find out Washingtons response to the attack on its embassy in Riyadh and to the killing of American soldiers," Trump said in an interview with NewsNation. I dont think deploying ground forces will be necessary in Iran," the US President added. After launching Saturdays strikes on Iran, Trump had told New York Post, Every President says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it. I say probably dont need them, [or] if they were necessary." When asked if Trump is worried about other potential attacks on the US sites, Trump answered, No, its a part of war. Its part of war, whether people like it or not. Thats the way it is." Trumps statement came after the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by Iranian drones. According to the US State Department, the Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 2 Drones Attack US Embassy In Riyadh A loud blast was heard and thick smoke was seen rising above the US Embassy in Saudi Arabias Riyadh on Monday night. This was the latest Washington consulate in the Middle East to come under attack after Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones in response to Israeli military action. Embassy Riyadh has been struck by two UAVs that hit the roof and the perimeter of the chancery. Post is sheltering in place and reported no injuries," the department said. BREAKING: MASSIVE EXPLOSION AT US EMBASSY RIYADH pic.twitter.com/RNzHLhkAqr Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) March 3, 2026 The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the US Embassy was attacked by two drones, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building". Earlier on Monday, the US embassies in Kuwait and Jordan were also struck. The embassy located in the Jordanian capital, Amman, staff was temporarily evacuated. Out of an abundance of caution, all personnel at the US Embassy have temporarily departed the embassy compound due to a threat," the US Embassy said in Jordan said in a security alert posted on social media. Iran War Could Last Weeks, Says Trump Meanwhile, as the war in the Middle East is intensifying with both sides attacking each other, Trump on Monday said that the US has the capability to go far longer" than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran. The US and Israel have continued to pound Iran since killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, while Tehran and its allies have hit back against Israel, neighbouring Gulf states, and targets critical to the worlds production of oil and natural gas. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 03, 2026, 06:55 IST News world Trump Takes U-Turn On 'Boots On Ground' Remark, Warns Iran After Attack On US Embassy In Riyadh 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... Zelenskyy Offers Assistance To Gulf Nations Amid Iran Offensive, But There's A Catch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2026, 13:26 IST Volodymyr Zelenskyy offers Gulf nations help against Iranian drone threats, linking it to a Ukraine ceasefire. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (IMAGE: AFP) West Asia Conflict: As tensions intensify in West Asia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered assistance to Gulf nations facing Iranian drone and missile threats but linked the proposal to a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said that the Gulf leaders have strong economic ties and relations with Russia and could play a role in persuading Moscow to agree to a pause in hostilities. He said that if Gulf leaders send a signal to Russia to implement a ceasefire, Ukraine could deploy specialists to help protect civilian populations in the region. If they give Russia a signal to cease fire, for example, for a certain period of time, (0:14) a month, two months, we can then send our specialists to protect the civilian population.The peace talks should take place between the 5th and the 8th or 9th of this month.," he said as quoted by news agency Reuters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine is ready to send drone defense specialists to protect Middle East cities if nations there help it get a ceasefire with Russia pic.twitter.com/R9nO6PH6B5 Reuters (@Reuters) March 3, 2026 Zelenskyy further said that peace negotiations related to the Ukraine war were tentatively planned between the 5th and 8th or 9th of this month, with Abu Dhabi proposed as the venue a suggestion he said came from the American side. In principle, we plan to hold the negotiations in Abu Dhabi," he said, adding that if developments in the Gulf alter plans, Ukraine would be open to meeting in another location. We are prepared to meet in Switzerland and we are also prepared to meet in Turkey, as I mentioned today. Turkey and Switzerland were both possible venues, as were the Emirates," he added. In separate interview with Bloomberg, the Ukrainian leader said that Kyiv has developed unique expertise in intercepting drones, many of them Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), during the ongoing war with Russia. Once a ceasefire is declared, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would send its best operators of drone interceptors" to assist Gulf countries in defending against aerial threats. He said that the ceasefire could last two months or even two weeks, so that Ukrainians can help Middle Eastern countries protect civilians." A full-scale war erupted in West Asia on February 28, when the US and Israel jointly struck Iranian strategic sites, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeting nuclear, military, and leadership figures amid stalled nuclear talks, prompting retaliatory strikes by Tehran across the Gulf region. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: March 03, 2026, 13:25 IST News world Zelenskyy Offers Assistance To Gulf Nations Amid Iran Offensive, But There's A Catch 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 Zimbabwe is racing to expand hotel capacity after winning the bid in 2025 to host the headquarters of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) Company, organisers of the Inter-African Trade Fair.The IATF is run by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).As part of the hosting agreement, the designated host city - Harare - must have at least 20,000 three-to-five-star hotel beds by the end of 2027.However, current estimates indicate that Harare has fewer than 11,000 beds in that category, leaving a shortfall of about 9,000 beds that must be filled within the next two years.Zimbabwe is scheduled to begin hosting a series of IATF fairs from 2028, prompting urgency within the tourism and hospitality sector to mobilise investment and upgrade infrastructure.The Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ), which represents tourism operators, says the gap presents a major business opportunity."This is an opportunity for tourism industry players to refurbish their assets, repurpose real estate holdings and/or enter into strategic partnerships with landlords amenable to win-win property management arrangements," TBCZ said in a statement.Industry players are now accelerating efforts to attract hotel investment, with a focus on upgrading existing facilities and converting suitable properties into hospitality establishments.TBCZ said it is engaging financial institutions to develop "tourism industry-focused financial products for refurbishments, retooling and re-purposing of tourism assets."Analysts say meeting the accommodation requirement will not only ensure compliance with IATF hosting conditions but could also leave a lasting legacy for Zimbabwe's tourism sector by improving standards and increasing capacity to host major continental events.The IATF is one of Africa's largest trade and investment platforms, bringing together governments, businesses and investors from across the continent, and is seen as a key instrument in advancing intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework. News / National by Staff reporter The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. The following is provided for your information as you make your own security plans. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttles to the Taba pic.twitter.com/E6a5z0mE58 U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (@usembassyjlm) March 3, 2026 The United States Embassy in Israel has advised that it is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist American citizens seeking to depart the country.In a public notice, the embassy said the information provided is intended to assist individuals as they make their own security and travel arrangements.According to the advisory, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism began operating shuttle services to the Taba Border Crossing as of March 2.Americans wishing to use the shuttle service must register through the Ministry of Tourism's evacuation form to be added to the passenger list.The embassy emphasized that it cannot make any recommendation for or against the use of the shuttle service. It further stated that if individuals choose to use this option to depart Israel, the U.S. government cannot guarantee their safety. The information, the embassy noted, is being shared as a courtesy to those seeking to leave.For those intending to travel to Jordan, passengers may take the shuttle to Eilat and then proceed independently by taxi to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing.The embassy reiterated that American citizens should continue monitoring official communications and make personal security decisions based on their individual circumstances. The White House on Monday attributed a large red spot on President Trump's neck to a skin cream he is using, without elaborating on what condition it is treating. The redness drew widespread attention Monday, when news photographers captured close-up images of the president's neck during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, the AP reports. "President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor," Sean Barbabella, the president's doctor, said in a statement. "The President is using this treatment for one week, and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks." The White House did not immediately respond to follow-up questions, such as what the cream is, when Trump began the treatment and what condition it is supposed to prevent. Zoomed-in photos from at least as far back as Trump's visit to Rome, Georgia, on Feb. 19 show visible redness on the president's neck. The president's medical report from his April 2025 physical noted that he was taking mometasone cream "as needed" for an unspecified skin condition. Trump, 79, became the oldest president to have taken the oath of office when he was sworn in last January. In particular because of his advanced age, Trump's health is closely scrutinized. Barbabella said in December that Trump had MRI imaging on his heart and abdomen in October as part of preventive screening for men his age, with the results being "perfectly normal." That October physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center found that Trump is in overall "exceptional health," according to Barbabella. Frequent bruising on the back of both of Trump's hands has also raised questions about his health, CNN reports. He says they are caused by frequent handshaking, and by taking more than the recommended daily dose of aspirin. Melania Trump stepped into a role no sitting world leader's spouse has held before on Monday, chairing a United Nations Security Council session even as the US-led war on Iran hung over the room. Presiding over a meeting titled "Children, Technology and Education in Conflict," the first lady urged member states to shield schooling from war and to treat learning as a cornerstone of stability. "The US stands with all of the children throughout the world," she said, calling education "sacred" and arguing that nations that protect books and science safeguard their future. She also pitched artificial intelligence as a potential "great equalizer," pressing governments to expand access to knowledge. The Guardian notes that the first lady called for nations to protect children's access to education just two days after an airstrike on a girls' school in southern Iran killed at least 165 people, according to Iranian state media. Most countries on the Security Council didn't mention the war on Monday, with France's envoy comparing her to Eleanor Roosevelt and even Russia's representative offering only "polite praise," per AFP. She posed for a photo with the 15 member state representatives before the meeting. Before the meeting, however, Iran's ambassador to the UN said, "It is deeply shameful and hypocritical that on the very first day of its presidency of the Security Council, the United States convened a high-level meeting on protecting children." The US is holding the council's rotating presidency last month and the first lady's meeting was scheduled before the war began. The AP reports that in her remarks, she drew a connection between knowledge and peace, saying, "Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies." The Supreme Court has temporarily reinstated Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' New York congressional district, halting a state judge's order that the lines be redrawn before the next election. In a brief order Monday, the court granted Malliotakis' emergency request to block a New York trial court ruling that found her Staten Island-Brooklyn district unlawfully weakened the voting power of Black and Latino residents under the state constitution. The stay keeps the current boundaries in place for now, including for upcoming midterm elections, the Hill reports, while the legal fight continues in state courts. The decision appeared to divide the court along familiar ideological lines. Justice Samuel Alito noted that he would grant Malliotakis' request, while the three justices picked by Democratic presidents publicly dissented; the other GOP-nominated justices did not disclose their votes. The case centers on New York's 11th Congressional District, which now links Staten Island with parts of Brooklyn. Some advocates have pushed to pair Staten Island with Lower Manhattan instead, a shift that could benefit Democrats. Any permanent remapping would be handled by an independent state commission. The dispute in New York is part of the redistricting battle that was spurred by President Donald Trump when he urged Republicans in Texas to redraw the state's congressional districts for political gain. The battle is part of the larger jockeying for advantage in the House that began when President Trump pushed Texas to redraw its districts, per the AP. Malliotakis, the first minority representative of the district, argued with several voters and state election officials that the state court's directive amounted to a racial gerrymander barred by the US Constitution's equal protection clause. Their filing warned that changing the map so close to the petitioning period would create "unconstitutional chaos." The challengers, represented by Democratic-aligned Elias Law Group, called the Supreme Court application "grossly premature" and said New York's courts should resolve how to interpret the relevant state constitutional provision. The Trump administration backed Malliotakis in a brief, with Solicitor General D. John Sauer contending the state judge had ordered "an open and unabashed racial gerrymander." The Supreme Court seemed likely Monday to loosen a federal law that bars marijuana users from owning guns in a case that crossed typical political lines , the AP reports. A majority of justices appeared to lean toward a narrow ruling in favor of a Texas man who argued he shouldn't have been charged with a crime just because he owned a gun and smoked marijuana a few times a week. The Trump administration asked the high court to revive a criminal case against Ali Danial Hemani under a law that bans all illegal drug users from owning guns. But both liberal and conservative justices seemed skeptical. "What is the government's evidence that using marijuana a couple of times a week makes someone dangerous?" said conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The Trump administration has asked the court to strike down other gun control laws in the past, but Principal Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Harris defended the illegal drug user law as a reasonable measure to keep firearms from potentially dangerous people. The law was also used in the case of Hunter Biden, who was convicted of buying a gun when he was addicted to cocaine. He was later pardoned by his father, then-President Joe Biden. Cannabis, though, is now broadly legal in about half the country, though it remains illegal on a federal level. "What do we do with the fact that marijuana is sort of illegal and sort of isn't, and that the federal government itself is conflicted on this?" Justice Neil Gorsuch said. He was part of the conservative majority that expanded gun rights with a landmark case in 2022 known as New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. The court said that any gun laws must have a strong grounding in the nation's historical traditions. Liberal-leaning Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said a ban on firearms for cannabis users didn't seem to have the required historical roots. "I think your argument sort of falls apart under the Bruen test," she said. The case made for some unusual political alliances. The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association both supported Hemani's case, as did cannabis legalization groups like NORML. On the other side were gun-safety groups like Everytown that usually oppose the Trump administration on Second Amendment issues. Some justices appeared concerned that a ruling for Hemani could allow more weapon possession by people who use more dangerous drugs, like methamphetamine or heroin. Moving away from the current ban could require courts to frequently make in-depth considerations about the level of dangerousness presented by a given substance. "It just seems to me that this takes a fairly cavalier approach to the necessary consideration of expertise and the judgments we leave to Congress and the executive branch," Chief Justice John Roberts said. It's the second gun case the court is hearing this term in the wake of its 2022 decision. In the other, the justices appeared likely to strike down a Hawaii law restricting guns in stores and hotels. The court is expected to decide the case by the end of June. Some of the United States' most important historical documents are beginning a first-of-its kind journey Monday as part of the country's 250th anniversary commemoration. Typically housed in highly controlled vaults under the watch of preservation experts at the National Archives, documents such as the 1783 Treaty of Paris that formally ended the Revolutionary War and the 1774 Articles of Association that urged colonists to boycott British goods are rarely moved. But those documents, signed by George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other American revolutionary leaders, will be making their way across the country and put on display for free at local museums, reports the AP . "It's tangible history, and tangible history inspires," said Jim Byron, senior adviser to the acting archivist of the United States. "These documents have not traveled, and they've certainly not traveled collectively, ever. They are here in vaults." The Boeing 737 "Freedom Plane" transporting the documents is just one of many events and activities planned across the country to mark America's upcoming 250th anniversary celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. A congressionally chartered commission, America 250, and a separate White House-led initiative, called Freedom 250, are both coordinating events, an overlap that has faced some criticism in Washington. Among the planned activities are a fleet of mobile museums driving across the country, a story collection initiative, and a Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The "Freedom Plane" departed DC on Monday and headed to its first stop in Kansas City, Missouri, where the documents will be transferred to the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The records include a rare original engraving of the Declaration of Independence printed in 1823 from a copperplate of the original; the Oaths of Allegiance signed in 1778 by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and other officers of the Continental Army; and a rare draft copy of the Constitution that includes handwritten notes by the delegates. Other planned stops will be in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Miami, the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, and Seattle. "The reality that these documents are leaving DC and coming to the heartland is fantastic," said Matt Naylor, president and CEO of the National World War I Museum and Memorial, where they will be on display for a little over two weeks starting Friday. Naylor said the early response has been overwhelming. Local schools have already booked visits for more than 5,000 schoolchildren. "That's indicating that there's a lot of enthusiasm for this," he said. The "Freedom Plane" tour was inspired in part by the "American Freedom Train" that toured 48 states in 1975 and 1976 as part of America's bicentennial celebration. A 25-year-old newcomer to the world of TV crab fishing died while working aboard a boat featured on Deadliest Catch. Todd Meadows, a rookie deckhand on the Aleutian Lady in the Bering Sea, died Wednesday in what sources told TMZ was a fishing-related incident during filming. It's not yet known whether cameras were rolling at the time. The show was nearing the end of filming for its 22nd season when the tragedy struck, and filming is now over, Deadline reports. Captain Rick Shelford called it the "most tragic day" on his boat and said Meadows quickly earned the crew's respect through his enthusiasm and work ethic. In a Facebook tribute, Shelford described Meadows' laughter and devotion to his children and family, adding that the deckhand "will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood." A memo was reportedly sent to Deadliest Catch producers after the incident, outlining grief resources for those involved. Discovery Channel said in a statement it was "deeply saddened" by Meadows' death and extended condolences to his family, crewmates, and the fishing community. Meadows is survived by his wife and three children, and a GoFundMe campaign has been launched for the family, People reports. One of Alabama's longest-serving death row inmates could soon receive a new trial after the US Supreme Court rejected the state's appeal of a lower court's ruling that prosecutors violated his rights by intentionally rejecting potential Black jurors. The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the summer ruling from the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, reports the AP . The decision paves the way for Michael Sockwell, 63, to receive a new trial. "We appreciate the Supreme Court's decision. Michael has been denied his right to a fair trial for more than 35 years. We'll continue to fight for his freedom," Michael Rayfield, one of Sockwell's lawyers, said in a statement. Sockwell was convicted in 1990 of killing Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputy Isaiah Harris. Harris was shot in the face in 1988 on his way to work in what prosecutors described as a murder-for-hire arranged by Harris' wife. The appellate court in June issued a 2-1 opinion finding Alabama prosecutors violated Sockwell's 14th Amendment rights by intentionally rejecting potential Black jurors believed to be more sympathetic to him. The Alabama Attorney General's Office sought a review of that decision but the petition was rejected by the Supreme Court. A federal judge in November said prosecutors must take steps by March 18 to pursue a new trial or Sockwell should be released from prison. A spokeswoman for the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said Monday that the office intends to retry the case but declined additional comment. The jury that convicted Sockwell voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life imprisonment, but a judge overrode that recommendation and handed down a death sentence. Alabama no longer allows judges to override a jury's sentence decision in capital cases. Harris' wife was convicted of capital murder; she was initially sentenced to death but that was later reduced to life in prison. Cuba's leader is publicly pushing for economic change as the island buckles under US pressure, but critics say it's more talk than a serious overhaul attempt. In a Monday speech reported by state media, President Miguel Diaz-Canel called for "urgent" shifts to Cuba's economic system, including more autonomy for local governments, expanded private-sector activity, greater foreign investment in energy, and a "resizing" of state bureaucracy, reports the New York Times . Diaz-Canel also advocated for a "macroeconomic stabilization," more food production, and investment from Cubans abroad, building on recent steps that allowed for more small and medium private businesses to pop up. The move comes as the Trump administration's clampdown on fuel deliveriesmainly from Venezuelahas deepened shortages, triggering blackouts, cutbacks in public transport and school hours, and higher food prices. The AP notes that US sanctions against Cuba also deprived it of nearly $8 billion in revenue from March 2024 to February 2025. But economists, and even some insiders, are questioning whether the proposals amount to real reform without loosening state control, per the Times. One Cuban-born economist called it "change so that everything remains the same." The speech landed amid tougher US rhetoric: President Trump recently floated a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said Washington is open to economic and political shifts on the island that come in steps. As for how Cuba feels about talks with the US, Diaz-Canel has said he's open to them, "but without pressure or preconditions," per Le Monde. It's Election Day in Texas, with competitive Senate primaries for both Republicans and Democrats on the ballot, reports the Hill. At stake is whether Democrats will ultimately pull off the rare feat of flipping a GOP seat in their favor in the state. GOP: On the Republican side, four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is battling to hang on against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who leads in most surveys, and Rep. Wesley Hunt. No candidate is expected to clear 50%, likely forcing a May 26 runoff. All three tout ties to President Trump, who has stayed neutral so far, as national Republicans warn that Paxton's scandals could put a safe GOP seat at risk. News / National by Staff reporter Democratic members of the US Congress have criticised claims by the Trump administration that the strikes on Iran were justified because of the threat posed by Tehran to Washington, saying any threat posed was to Israel.Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia and vice-chair of the select committee on intelligence, told reporters after a briefing that there was "no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians"."There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory," he said.Joaquin Castro, a House Representative from Texas, criticised remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that "it was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by the United States or Israel or anyone, they were going to respond against the United States.""Secretary Rubio's remarks indicate that Israel put US forces in harm's way by insisting on attacking Iran," said Castro. "And the administration was complicit joining their war instead of talking them down."He continued: "This is unacceptable of the President, and unacceptable of a country that calls itself our ally." President Trump is quietly working the phones as the US-Israeli war with Iran unfoldsand he's reaching out to the Kurds. Sources tell Axios that on Sunday, Trump spoke with Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani, leaders of Iraq's two main Kurdish factions, in conversations described as being "sensitive," though with no further details on what was said. The outreach underscores how pivotal Kurdish forces could become: They control key territory along the Iran-Iraq border and maintain close links to Kurdish communities inside Iran. The calls cap months of pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long pushed for strikes on Iran and regime change there, sources said. Netanyahu has advocated using Kurdish forces as a ground component to complement the current bombing campaign, similar to how the US backed rebel minority fighters in Afghanistan in 2001. One official said Netanyahu believes Kurds "are going to rise up," though some US officials reportedly think he may be overestimating the scale of any armed Kurdish role. Still, "one of the biggest fears of the Iranian political leadership is that instability will encourage ethnic-based opposition groups to revolt and fragment the country," Amwaj Media notes. A Kurdish-Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, the Kurdistan Freedom Party, on Sunday accused Iran of hitting it with missile and drone strikes, per Axios. Days earlier, five dissident Kurdish groups in Iraq formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, aimed at challenging Tehran. Kurdish fighters, known as peshmerga ("those who face death"), have decades of experience in the field, including battles against ISIS. There are tensions, however, between these Kurdish dissidents and exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavimainly because, under the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Pahlavi's father, "Kurds were marginalized and repressed," per the AP. Stephanie Kirsop didn't believe her son when he phoned to say a crocodile was lurking in a creek near their home. The family lives in the temperate coastal city of Newcastle, which is 1,200 miles south of Australia's crocodile habitat in the tropical north. Lionel Saunders, 12, and his friends had spotted the 39-inch-long juvenile croc early Saturday afternoon, per the AP . Authorities were initially skeptical of the reported find but had caught the elusive reptile by Sunday night. "My son took videos because he was trying to convince me it was real and I didn't believe him," Kirsop said Tuesday. "It did look like a crocodile, but I was like, no, it's a log." Kirsop said her son called back shortly after, insisting: "I'm so serious, Mom. You have to come down here and have a look," according to Kirsop, who added that "the whole drive down there, I'm thinking this is going to be a trick. They're going to laugh at me." She had no doubt it was a crocodile when she arrived. Kirsop then phoned a wildlife rescue service and was told crocodiles don't live in the area, but she sent her own photos and video as proof. Kirsop was then referred to the Australian Reptile Park, which keeps its own crocodiles in a temperature-controlled environment. Park manager Billy Collett said he suspected the images might have been artificial intelligence-generated fakesbut police confirmed there was a croc in Ironbark Creek. "I was a bit suspicious because we get a lot of phone calls. These days with AI, it's just so crazy," Collett said. He recognized it was an Australian freshwater crocodile, or crocodylus johnstoni, a smaller and less dangerous species than saltwater crocodiles. Still, "they're capable of inflicting a serious injury," Collett said of the smaller species. Collett's team caught the croc Sunday night, 2 miles from where it was first spotted. "I just wanted to get him out of there, because he would've perished in winter," Collett said. It's currently autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The croc is healthy and will stay at the park until authorities decide where it should go permanently, Collett said. Crocs are protected under Australian law. Collett suspects the croc was a pet that had been released into the wild after growing too big for a fish tank, or too dangerous. Federal judge John Coughenour has needed round-the-clock protection while overseeing key cases, including that of an al-Qaeda bomber. But never before has he received as many death threats as when he ruled in a case involving President Trump . Coughenour tells CBS News he faced "dozens if not hundreds" of death threats after ruling Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship was " blatantly unconstitutional "and he's not the only one. In a 60 Minutes report, correspondent Bill Whitaker and producer Heather Abbott spoke with 26 current and former federal judges, appointed by both parties, who describe a sharp rise in violent threats after rulings that anger Trump or his allies. While most judges refused to appear on camera in fear for their safety, Reagan-appointed Coughenour spoke openly of being "swatted" by armed deputies responding to a fake murder report, then hit with bomb threats on back-to-back days. "I've been at this for 44 years. I have never encountered the hostility toward the judiciary that has existed in this country in the, the last year," he tells CBS. The US Marshals Service tracked serious threats against about 400 federal judges last year, up 78% in four years, as Trump and senior officials publicly frame some jurists as political enemies. Trump has called judges lunatics and radicals, accusing them of obstructing law enforcement and assuming the duties of the president. Retired Judge John Jones, a George W. Bush appointee, calls it an effort to "delegitimize" the courts by "a president who means to really say what the law is." He warns "if we're not careful we're gonna get a judge killed ... It's that serious." "I have a duty to call this out," adds Judge Esther Salas. "That's why I'm talking to you." For the full, on-the-record interviews, read the original piece. The US-Israeli assault on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the very first day of strikes. In a New York Times analysis, Charlie Savage points out that it "is extraordinarily rare for a country to deliberately and openly kill the leader of another sovereign nationeven during legally uncontested wars." Rare, for sure. In a CNN analysis, Zachary B. Wolf suggests it's the "first time in modern history" that the US has done so. But is it legal? The answer to that turns out to be murky. Civilian leader: Savage runs through several of the legal issues at play. For example, Khamenei was head of Iran's armed forces, which would seem to make him a legit war target. But he was also a civilian, not a general, which complicates things. He was also killed in the first strike, raising the question of whether he was a "lawful military target" at the time. A small single-engine plane ended up in the Hudson River on Monday night, and both people on board walked away with minor injuries, reports News 12. Authorities say the Cessna 172, which had departed Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, was headed to New York Stewart International Airport when its engine failed near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. The aircraft went down in the water east of the airport, north of New Windsor, just after 8pm, according to Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. New York State Police said the pilot and passenger managed to get out of the plane on their own and were found on shore near 401 Water Street. They were taken to St. Luke's Hospital and treated for minor injuries, Gov. Kathy Hochul said on X, calling it "another miracle on the Hudson." Neuhaus echoed the sentiment, calling it "'Miracle on the Hudson' part two." A Georgia man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a high school was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter Tuesday. As the AP reports, Colin Gray was also found guilty of all other charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray is one of a number of parents across the country who have been charged after their children were accused in fatal shootings. He showed little emotion as he watched each juror being polled by the judge. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defense table, consulting with his lawyer. He will be sentenced at a later date. Gray was found guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children. Gray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the killings of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Prosecutors said Gray gave his son, Colt, access to a gun and ammunition "after receiving sufficient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger the bodily safety of another." Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was indicted on a total of 55 counts, including murder. He has pleaded not guilty and the judge in his case has set a hearing for mid-March. Investigators said Colt Gray carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school. He boarded the school bus with a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, investigators said. Colin Gray had given his son the gun as a gift the Christmas before the shooting and allowed him to have access to the gun and ammunition, despite his awareness that his son's mental health had deteriorated, a prosecutor said. Student survivors gave emotional testimony at the father's trial. Tens of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travelers are getting outby paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks. Demand for charter flights has skyrocketed, with some people paying up to 200,000 euros ($232,000) with major airports in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar shut down, per the AP . Travelers from the UAE's Dubai, usually known as a safe and luxurious destination, are seeking to evacuate by traveling overland either to Muscat, Oman, about a four-hour drive, or to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, more than 10 hours away. Then they board one of the few available commercial flights or take a charter flight, whose costs have soared since the start of the war. "The demand is huge, and we can't deliver enough aircraft to respond to the demand," said Altay Kula, CEO of the France-based private jet broker JET-VIP. Whereas normally a charter flight on a private jet that can accommodate up to 16 passengers from Riyadh to Porto in Portugal may cost around 100,000 euros ($115,800) these days, the cost has doubled. Ian McCaul of Alma Risk, a UK risk management and security firm, estimates his company has made transfer arrangements for more than 200 people and advised several others in recent days. Those seeking to leave are predominantly stranded travelers, as opposed to residents, he said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill Tuesday over her department's immigration crackdown. One big theme: Multiple senators criticized her over the shooting deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, but Noem declined to apologize for the characterization of them as domestic terrorists, reports the Hill . Pressed by both Democrats and Republicans on the issue, Noem said her comments were based on real-time accounts from agents at the scene. "I was getting reports from the ground," she said, describing a "chaotic" situation but stopping short of acknowledging any error. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin scoffed: "You believe calling the victims of violence 'domestic terrorists' is a way to calm the scene?" he asked. Noem did offer her condolences to both families, but declined to make apologies when given the opportunity, per USA Today. Noem's account clashed with earlier testimony from the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, and another agency chief, who told senators they never gave her any assessment that Good or Pretti were domestic terrorists and said they had seen no evidence to support that claim, reports the New York Times. "What we've seen is a disaster under your leadership, Ms. Noem," said GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. "What we've seen is innocent people getting detained that it turns out are American citizens." News / National by Staff reporter Mbusi Dakamela, widely known as Chief Dakamela, has been making headlines for his remarkable leadership since assuming the role of traditional leader for Nkayi's KoDakamela at the age of 24.As chief in Nkayi District, Chief Dakamela has consistently demonstrated a blend of heritage, unity, and forward-thinking community development. His approach to leadership has emphasized both preserving cultural traditions and embracing modern strategies to uplift his community.Among his most notable initiatives is Imiklomelo KaDakamela (Chief Dakamela's Appreciation Awards), launched in 2022. The annual awards recognise individuals and institutions for their significant contributions to society while they are still alive, allowing communities to celebrate impact in real time.The awards have been widely praised for reflecting Chief Dakamela's innovative approach to leadership, merging cultural values with contemporary recognition and fostering a sense of pride and achievement within Nkayi and beyond.Community leaders and residents have lauded his vision, commitment, and dedication to promoting unity and progress. Chief Dakamela continues to inspire through his initiatives, which highlight the importance of service, recognition, and development in our community, one local leader said.As he continues to guide his people, Chief Dakamela's leadership is setting a standard for young traditional leaders across Zimbabwe, blending cultural stewardship with modern community engagement. Email: online@newsofbahrain.com Manama: Cyprus has expressed its solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain following recent missile and drone attacks that targeted the Kingdom. The Ambassador of Cyprus to Bahrain, Andreas Eliades, said his country stands firmly with Bahrain during what he described as a difficult and challenging period. He characterised the attacks as random and deeply unfortunate. Ambassador Eliades said that the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, personally conveyed his countrys support during a phone call with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. According to the ambassador, President Christodoulides stressed that Nicosia stands alongside Bahrain as it confronts the recent attacks. He also commended the professionalism and efficiency of Bahrains security and defence agencies in intercepting the threats and ensuring the safety of citizens and residents. In addition, Ambassador Eliades expressed Cyprus appreciation for the efforts of the Bahrain Defence Force, the Ministry of Interior of Bahrain and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain for their continued cooperation and support in safeguarding the Cypriot community living in Bahrain amid the current circumstances. TORONTO, March 3, 2026 /CNW/ - The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada and Canadian Car of the Year Awards announced their participation in 3 additional Canadian AutoShows this season. On February 12 at the Canadian International AutoShow, the winners for the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year were announced in four categories. 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Award winners at Canadian AutoShows Speed Speed 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Honda Civic 2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year Hyundai Palisade 2026 Canadian Electric Car of the Year Porsche Taycan 2026 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year Kia EV9 "Every year, AJAC is proud to partner with our auto show friends in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver to bring the Canadian Car of the Year Awards winners to customers in those major cities. That's why this year I'm ecstatic that we're expanding. AJAC is bringing this year's winners, the Honda Civic, Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia EV9, to Calgary, Edmonton, and, beginning this week, L'international de l'auto de Quebec in Quebec City. That gives even more Canadian car buyers and enthusiasts the chance to see the winners in person and to understand why our expert jurors have declared them the best vehicles in Canada this year" said AJAC's President, Evan Williams. Canadian consumer can vie the winning vehicles up close over the next month in Quebec City, Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton. L'International de l'Auto de Quebec ( March 3-8, 2026) Calgary International Auto & Truck Show (March 12-15, 2026) Vancouver International AutoShow (March 25-29, 2026) The Auto Experience: Edmonton Motor Show (April 9-12, 2026) About Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) The Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) awards have been presented since 1986. Since its inception, the goal of the program has not changed: it seeks to provide Canadians with reliable car buying advice, sourced from professional, well-respected automotive journalists from all corners of the country. The CCOTY awards are conducted by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), a professional association that connects Canada's best auto journalists and provides consumers with unbiased car buying advice from across the industry, across all media. For more information, visit www.canadiancaroftheyear.ca or follow us on social media @canadiancaroftheyear About the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) is an association of professional journalists, writers, photographers, videographers and corporate members whose focus is the automobile and the Canadian automotive industry. Collectively, our primary objectives are to promote, encourage, support, and facilitate professionalism in Canadian automotive journalism and to ensure factual and ethical reporting about the automobile and automotive issues to Canadian consumers. This is achieved through the work of our members and AJAC's annual vehicle testing and evaluation events: the Canadian Car of the Year Awards (CCOTY), AJAC Innovation Awards and EcoRun. SOURCE Automobile Journalists Association of Canada For further information: Evan Williams, AJAC President C: 902-401-1784 E: [email protected]; Stephen Elmer, CCOTY Chair, C: 647-523-6494 E: [email protected]; Cindy Hawryluk, AJAC Managing Director C: 905-978-7239 E: [email protected] TORONTO and VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2026 /CNW/ - Building on its success as Canada's largest artificial intelligence (AI) and technology gathering, ALL IN today announced the launch of ALL IN Talks, a new series of one-day satellite events designed to accelerate the adoption of homegrown AI, while strengthening Canada's innovation ecosystem from coast to coast. ALL IN Talks will take place in two of Canada's leading technological hubs: ALL IN Talks West, in Vancouver on April 15, 2026, and ALL IN Talks Toronto, on May 28, 2026. These gatherings will extend the signature ALL IN experience, mobilizing industry leaders and solution providers to advance AI adoption across British Columbia and Ontario. The ALL IN Talks series connects organizations ready to deploy AI with Canadian tech providers offering market-ready solutions. Each event will showcase sector-specific applications and local success stories, while offering high-value networking opportunities that support real-world implementation for the benefit of the Canadian economy. With the launch of ALL IN Talks, the organization is responding to a global landscape where artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are no longer simply tools for productivity, but strategic assets that shape economic resilience, national competitiveness, and technological sovereignty. In this rapidly evolving environment, expanding the ALL IN experience nationwide strengthens Canada's innovation capacity and supports long-term economic growth. ALL IN Talks West: Mobilizing Western Canada's Innovation Strength In Vancouver, ALL IN Talks West will bring together enterprise leaders, government, decision-makers and innovators to spotlight British Columbia's highly collaborative innovation culture and technology ecosystem. Presented by TELUS and SCALE AI, the program will engage dozens of regional leaders to showcase how B.C. and Western Canada are positioning themselves as a premier destination for global organizations to build, deploy and scale transformative AI solutions while maintaining the governance, security, and data control that modern enterprises demand. The event will give participants the opportunity to explore solutions already delivering value across organizations and industries. ALL IN Talks Toronto: Showcasing Ontario's Applied AI and Tech Leadership ALL IN Talks Toronto will convene business leaders, AI practitioners, researchers, and policymakers around a curated program aligned with Ontario's economic priorities. Anchored in the TorontoWaterloo corridor and presented by the Vector Institute and SCALE AI, the event will draw on Ontario's globally recognized research institutions, innovative enterprise companies, a concentrated network of startups and scale-ups, and strong culture of industry and research collaboration. The program will showcase applied AI use cases across healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, energy, and other strategic sectors, positioning Ontario-based solutions as technologies ready to be adopted and deployed at scale across organizations and industries. ALL IN's flagship event continues to be held annually in Montreal, with the 2026 edition taking place September 16-17 and expected to welcome more than 7,500 business leaders from 40 countries. The introduction of ALL IN Talks extends that momentum through targeted convenings in Canada's key economic regions, bringing the community together year-round and building toward the annual gathering in Montreal. Quotes "Canada's economic resilience and prosperity rely on a thriving innovation ecosystem. The launch of the ALL IN Talks series highlights the commitment of Scale AI , one of Canada's global innovation clusters, to strengthening the AI ecosystem and connecting organizations with cutting-edge solutions across the country. By bringing together leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs in Vancouver and Toronto, SCALE AI is creating new opportunities for collaboration and growth. This initiative advances the Government of Canada's vision for a future where Canadian excellence leads global advancements, ensuring our economy remains dynamic, strong and forward looking." -- The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Government of Canada "Artificial intelligence is more than a productivity tool. It is a transformative force shaping Canada's prosperity and competitiveness. Initiatives like ALL IN Talks accelerate adoption by connecting sector-specific expertise with the right decision-makers. Thats how ideas become real-world impact and how innovation translates into sustainable growth. Our focus is clear: help Canadian companies adopt AI, scale faster, and compete globally, while ensuring its developed and deployed responsibly in ways that build trust and benefit Canadians.-- The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Government of Canada "Canada's AI ecosystem is one of the country's most strategic assets. With ALL IN Talks, we support innovators and adopters across the country, mobilizing regional leaders and organizations to accelerate responsible AI adoption and deliver measurable results for businesses and communities from coast to coast." -- Helene Desmarais, Founder and Co-chair of the Board, SCALE AI; Co-founder and Chair of the Board, ALL IN "Over the past few years, we've built an event that has earned the trust of Canada's innovation ecosystem. ALL IN has proven its value as a global hub bringing business and tech leaders together to shape the future of the AI-powered economy. To extend that impact, the launch of ALL IN Talks will allow us to engage innovators in key markets and unlock new opportunities for collaboration and real-world AI adoption across Canada." -- Isabelle Turcotte, Co-founder and CEO, ALL IN "Canada's AI strength has always been in our research excellence, but our competitive advantage will come from deployment at scale. ALL IN Talks, which Vector is thrilled to co-present with SCALE AI in Toronto, brings together business leaders, researchers, and policymakers connecting organizations that need AI solutions with Canadian providers who have built them. This is how we turn our research leadership into economic leadership." -- Glenda Crisp, President and CEO, Vector Institute "Canada stands at a pivotal moment, and conversations like ALL IN Talks are essential to bringing our country's AI ecosystem together. Canada's AI leadership depends on collaboration, trust, world-class talent, and the confidence that our AI innovations are built on an infrastructure foundation we control. When Canadian businesses, researchers, and public institutions can access cutting-edge AI capabilities while maintaining sovereign control over their data and intellectual property, Canada becomes unstoppable in the global AI race. That's the future we're building together." -- Hesham Fahmy, Chief Information Officer, TELUS About ALL IN (allinevent.ai) ALL IN is Canada's largest artificial intelligence and technology event, and the international showcase of Canadian technological leadership. Designed by SCALE AI, Canada's AI Cluster, and supported by the entire Canadian innovation ecosystem, ALL IN brings together the decision-makers, builders, and visionaries shaping the economy of tomorrow. ALL IN takes place annually in Montreal, with satellite events hosted across Canada. In 2026, ALL IN Talks will be held in Vancouver, and Toronto. SOURCE ALL IN Media Contacts: [email protected] TORONTO, March 3, 2026 /CNW/ - Sheridan College and International Business University (IBU) have formalized a collaborative new partnership designed to transform academic mobility and unlock advanced opportunities for business learners. IBU and Sheridan Group MOU Signing (CNW Group/International Business University) Through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, the two institutions will work together to create pathways that enable Sheridan business graduates to move seamlessly into IBU's master's programs. This work recognizes the exceptional caliber of Sheridan's business students and sets the stage for future collaboration that could expand access to IBU's master's programs through a jointly developed academic delivery model, grounded in shared faculty expertise and thoughtful, collaborative program design. The partnership also includes joint development of undergraduate and graduate pathways, transfer credit agreements, student and faculty exchanges, and expanded research collaboration - providing new, flexible options for learners at every stage of their academic journey. "We are committed to providing our students with creative and flexible learning opportunities," says Shahrzad Farzinpak, Dean, Pilon School of Business at Sheridan. "This partnership represents a bold step toward creating transformative avenues for our students and faculty. Together, Sheridan and IBU are building advanced pathways that elevate our learners, recognize their achievements, and strengthen our academic communities." With strong faculty engagement and ongoing program review, the collaboration will continue to evolve to meet the needs of learners and the rapidly shifting business landscape. "This partnership reinforces Sheridan's commitment to fueling our communities and economy through the development of future-ready business leaders," says Mary Vaughan, Provost and Vice President, Academic at Sheridan. "By co-creating new pathways--including graduate-level progression--we're opening doors to opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach for many students." "This collaboration with IBU reflects Sheridan's commitment to expanding accessible, world-class educational pathways for our learners," says Dr. Cindy Gouveia, President and Vice Chancellor at Sheridan. "Through faculty expertise and a shared vision for academic excellence, we are creating a future where Sheridan students can advance seamlessly from diploma to degree to master's programming right here on our own campuses." "IBU is proud to partner with Sheridan in strengthening the pathways that help learners advance through the higher education system with clarity and purpose," says Dr. Asima Vezina, President and Vice Chancellor at IBU. "When colleges and universities work together as a connected network, we create powerful opportunities for students to build on their achievements and pursue higher level credentials that might otherwise feel out of reach. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to opening doors, expanding access, and supporting learners as they move confidently toward graduate level study and future career success." "At IBU, we believe that strong partnerships are the foundation of meaningful academic innovation," says Dr. Istvan Imre, Executive Dean and Vice President Academic at IBU. "By aligning our graduate programs with Sheridan's exceptional business curriculum, we are creating clear, impactful pathways that empower learners to advance their education with confidence and purpose. This collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to developing future ready professionals who will lead with insight, integrity, and global perspective." About Sheridan Sheridan is one of Canada's leading postsecondary institutions, known for its applied research, strong skilled trades programs, and deep industry partnerships. With campuses in Brampton, Mississauga, and Oakville, Sheridan offers a broad range of credentials -- from apprenticeships and certificates to diplomas and degrees -- designed to prepare learners for real-world problem solving and job-ready success. About International Business University International Business University (IBU) is Ontario's first independent, not-for-profit university exclusively dedicated to business education. Guided by its mission to provide accessible, affordable, and personalized learning, IBU prepares graduates to thrive in a global, purpose-driven economy. With Centres of Excellence such as the Future Talent Research Institute and the Centre for Sustainable Business, IBU ensures its curriculum is continuously aligned with employer demands and emerging workforce needs. Through small class sizes, industry-engaged faculty, and innovative teaching methods, IBU delivers a higher education that is practical, globally relevant, and deeply connected to the real world of business. From its foundation, IBU has integrated sustainability, innovation, and industry collaboration into every program--positioning itself as a forward-looking institution committed to shaping Canada's next generation of business leaders. SOURCE International Business University For media inquiries, please contact: Sheridan College, Media Relations, Email: [email protected]; International Business University, Flossy Lobo, Email: [email protected] Israel (via Unit 8200/Mossad cyber ops) spent years hacking into Tehrans public traffic cameras and related feeds specifically to track the daily movements and bodyguards of Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This intel directly fed into recent assassination/strike planning. They found the useful traffic cameras and used those to track Khamenei, IRGC and others. Everyone spies on everyone. It is called Mutual Assured Espionage. The big five (US, China, Russia, Israel, UK) all play at this level. Israel penetrated Iranian (and reportedly other) feeds. US has China feeds and China has US Feeds especially via Chinese hardware. China has US infrastructure access. How Screwed Are Countries Without Sophisticated Cyber Capabilities? Very. In a real shooting war, real-time movement tracking via hacked traffic cams, city CCTV, private security systems, and even webcams becomes a massive asymmetric advantage. Troop convoys, leader movements, supply lines, civilian panic all visible if the adversary owns the cameras. Blackmail/flipping are standard operating procedure. Intelligence agencies have been turning people with kompromat (sexual, financial, family) from hacked cameras/webcams for decades. The footage does not even need to be live as archived recordings work fine. There are no secure cameras. Anyone a major power cares about can be seen. The only real question is whether the target is high-value enough for a nation-state to burn resources maintaining access. For leaders, military sites, or key infrastructure? Often yes. For random street cams in a small neutral country? Probably not until the shooting starts. Public traffic cams are often the easiest targets many stream openly online or use default passwords. Script-kiddie level hacks are common. Nation-states just do it quieter and deeper and have AI facial recognition and processing. This is part of what the Palantir AI doesprocess the info to get useful results. Chinese CCTV & Surveillance Chinas domestic Skynet/Hikvision/Dahua system is one of the most pervasive on Earth but it is extremely locked down internally. Foreign access (US/Israel) is harder but not impossible. The US has hacked Chinese networks repeatedly in the Snowden-era and later. China is so paranoid it just banned multiple US and Israeli cybersecurity products in domestic firms over backdoor fears. Chinese-made cameras exported globally (including to the US) are the bigger vector for Beijing than foreigners hacking Beijings own feeds. Iranian Kurdish groups (PDKI, Komala, PAK, PJAK, etc.) formed a formal anti-regime coalition in late February 2026. They are preparing for potential self-rule in Kurdish-majority areas (northwest Iran). Some small-scale successes like Kurds freed Kurdish prisoner in Mariwan by Killing prison Guards. US officials are coordinating armed groups as proxies. Netanyahu pushing for Kurdish involvement. It would be easy for US and Israel to give loads of weapons to about 200,000 Kurd fighters in Iraq and 50,000+ Kurd fighters in Iran. They would be boots on the ground with air cover from US drones and planes. US/Israeli joint strikes have deliberately hit Iranian security forces (IRGC, Basij, police/intelligence offices) in Kurdish regions of western Iran. Weaken regimes ability to crush protests and encourage internal revolt. Some local security presence has been disrupted. Iran arms Hezbollah to attack Israel in a connected by land location. Israel arming Kurds would be militarily the same. Population Base (Recruitment & Logistics Pool) Hezbollah (Lebanon) Operates within ~12 million Shia communities in southern Lebanon and Beirut suburbs. Not an ethnic nation but a political-military movement. Kurds in Iraq (KRG) is about 5.56 million Kurds (majority in the Kurdistan Regional Government). Kurds in northwest Iran is about 810 million (up to 1215 million total in Iran, concentrated in Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, and Ilam provinces). Kurdish advantage is a vast ethnic population across two countries for potential recruitment and safe havens. Six provinces with very large or dominant Kurdish populations. Number of Fighters (2026 Estimates) Hezbollah has 40,00050,000 active combatants + 30,00050,000 reservists. Elite Radwan special forces ~2,5003,000 (rebuilt after getting killed last 2 years). Iraqi Kurds (Peshmerga) has 150,000190,000 total (KRG Minister of Peshmerga Affairs figure). Includes ~150,000 from the two main parties (KDP Unit 80 + PUK Unit 70); unification into a single ministry command ongoing through 2026. Only ~50,000 fully integrated so far. Northwest Iran Kurds (opposition groups) is about 5,0008,000 total at most. PJAK (largest, PKK-affiliated) is about 1,0003,000 active fighters. KDPI/PDKI is about ~1,0002,000 (mostly symbolic, not battle-ready). PAK, Komala, others are about Hundreds each. New coalition formed February 2026, but no unified army. Kurd + US/Israeli air scenario. Total air dominance (especially right now in March 2026). Iranian air defenses and air force have been hammered over 200 systems destroyed, command centers gone, local air superiority already declared by the US. US/Israeli drones and fighters could loiter safely over Iraqi Kurdistan and NW Iran border zones. Kurds could advance, hold territory, and strike deep into Iran without fear of Iranian air strikes or heavy artillery. With US and Israeli air and drone cover, an armed Kurdish force would actually be more dangerous to Iran than Hezbollah currently is to Israel in conventional terms larger numbers + air dominance is an enormous multiplier. They could realistically threaten Iranian border regions or tie down Iranian troops in the northwest. President Trump announced today (March 3) that the Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait if needed, and the U.S. government will provide political-risk insurance so commercial ships can operate. This is modeled directly on the 198788 Operation Earnest Will tanker convoy system during the Iran-Iraq Tanker War. Oil tankers are waiting by Oman ready to go. The US military is determining what can and cant be done. Trump just approves or disapproves. Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are positioned in the Persian Gulf right at the northern entrance to the strait (ships such as USS Canberra and USS Tulsa have been confirmed in the area). They are flying over it. They have damage assessment. They will pass US ships through it to see it is clear. U.S. Navy minesweepers / mine countermeasures (MCM) assets currently in the Persian Gulf / Strait of Hormuz area are three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) with specialized MCM mission packages. USS Canberra (LCS-30) USS Tulsa (LCS-16) USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32) These are forward-based in Bahrain and equipped with MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, unmanned surface vessels, towed sonars, and remote mine-hunting systems. When GPS lies, ships stop moving. GNSS spoofing, the deliberate manipulation of satellite navigation signals, has been confirmed in the Gulf. Ships cant trust where they are, so many are choosing not to go at all. The result: a sharp drop in vessel traffic through the Strait pic.twitter.com/RQrmvbjdBg Kpler (@Kpler) March 1, 2026 Step-by-step how it would work (standard doctrine + current assets) 1 Pre-transit clearance (MCM phase): LCS minesweepers (with helicopters and unmanned drones) sweep and clear a safe channel ahead of any convoy. Unmanned systems go first so no manned ship takes the initial risk. 2 Convoy formation: Tankers grouped into small convoys (usually 26 ships) to reduce exposure. Transit timed for optimal conditions. 3 Escort screen LCS or Arleigh Burke destroyers (e.g., USS Mitscher, USS Michael Murphy already nearby) on close escort. One or more LCS often leads the formation as the mine-hunter vanguard. 4 Air cover & overwatch: F/A-18s, F-35s, and E-2 Hawkeyes from the Abraham Lincoln and Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups provide 24/7 combat air patrol. Land-based Air Force fighters, drones, and surveillance aircraft from regional bases add extra layers. 5 Threat suppression Any Iranian boat, missile site, or drone detected is immediately struck by air or ship-launched weapons (already proven in the first 48 hours of Operation Epic Fury). 6 Command & control: U.S. 5th Fleet coordinates everything from Bahrain, with real-time intelligence. How safe can they make it? Extremely safe near 100% success rate for escorted, U.S.-insured tankers. Irans surface navy is already gutted (911 warships sunk in the first days). They have almost no air cover left. The U.S. has total air and sea superiority in the Strait. The only realistic remaining threats are sporadic drones or coastal missiles, which U.S. escorts and fighters are already shooting down routinely. Insurance + Navy escort removes the commercial risk that caused the current pause in shipping. There would be a lead escort that could take any mine hit The LCS with MCM packages (or unmanned vehicles they deploy) would lead. These ships are specifically designed with low magnetic signatures, shock-resistant hulls, and standoff systems so the manned ship itself is rarely the first thing to trigger a mine. In a worst-case scenario the lead LCS is the one that might absorb damage not the commercial oil tanker behind it. Why the Houthi Red Sea effort had problems (and why this is different) Against the Houthis (20232025), the U.S./UK coalition: Could not fully eliminate hundreds of mobile, cheap drone/missile launchers hidden on land. Faced constant low-level attacks that drove insurance rates sky-high. Ships rerouted around Africa anyway because even one hit was too risky for insurers and owners. This situation is fundamentally different: Irans threats were mostly sea-based (boats, coastal batteries, larger missiles) and have already been heavily destroyed. The Strait is a narrow, confined waterway where U.S. forces now dominate both the air and the surface. No endless supply of unsuppressible land-based attackers like the Houthis. U.S. response is far more aggressive and decisive (full carrier groups + ongoing strikes vs. limited airstrikes in Yemen). On March 3, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov held a phone conversation with Chairman of the Government of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, AzerNEWS reports, citing Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet noted that the two sides discussed current issues on the agenda of AzerbaijanRussia trade and economic cooperation. The parties noted positive growth dynamics in bilateral trade turnover and reviewed prospects for implementing joint projects across various sectors of mutual interest. During the conversation, the Russian side expressed its gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for assisting in the swift evacuation of Russian citizens from the Iran amid the complex regional situation. The prime ministers also underscored the importance of the recent visit to Baku by a delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government. They welcomed the agreement to hold the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Azerbaijan in April this year. Taking the opportunity, Asadov congratulated Mishustin on his 60th anniversary and wished him continued success in his state duties. News / National by Staff reporter President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cautioned that escalating conflict in the Middle East could make it harder for Ukraine to secure critical air defence systems, warning that global attention and military resources may shift away from Kyiv's fight against Russia.In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Zelenskyy said Ukraine could face shortages of interceptor missiles if allies redirect supplies to the Gulf."We could find ourselves having difficulty obtaining missiles and weapons to defend our skies," he said. "The Americans and their allies in the Middle East might need them to defend themselves, for example Patriot missiles."Zelenskyy acknowledged there is "a risk" that the United States and the European Union could become distracted by the Middle East conflict, sidelining Ukraine's defence against Russia's full-scale invasion."Of course, it's a risk," he said. "But I hope the Iranian crisis remains a limited operation and doesn't turn into a long war. We know first-hand how bloody it risks being."Ukraine has relied heavily on Western-supplied air defence systems to counter near-daily drone and missile attacks. Zelenskyy noted that a similar situation occurred last year when Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities slowed missile deliveries to Kyiv."Israel was under Iranian attack then, and missile delivery programs for us were slowed down," he said. "It hasn't happened yet, but I fear it could happen again."While former U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed on Truth Social that the United States has an "unlimited supply" of weapons, Zelenskyy remains concerned about global stockpiles being stretched by simultaneous conflicts.Zelenskyy suggested that strikes on Iranian military facilities could reduce Tehran's ability to supply Russia with weapons, particularly Shahed drones that have been widely used against Ukrainian cities."I think attacking Iranian military targets was a good decision," he said, arguing that Iran may struggle to continue supplying Russia with drones and missiles.However, analysts note that Russia has developed domestic production of Shahed-style drones, modifying Iranian designs for its own war effort.Zelenskyy also argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown weakness by failing to decisively support Iran."He talks, but doesn't act, demonstrating that he is a weak ally of the Iranians. Just as he was with Bashar Assad's Syria," Zelenskyy said.Some Ukrainian lawmakers believe supporting U.S. actions in the Middle East could strengthen ties with Washington. Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign relations committee, said Kyiv could demonstrate alignment with U.S. interests."The US does not view us as allies, but as partners," he said. "This gives us a chance to show that we are allies. We are fighting against the same coalition Iran and Russia."Others, however, caution that Russia may benefit from rising global oil prices triggered by Middle East instability. Higher oil revenues could help sustain Moscow's war effort.At the same time, analysts say it is unlikely Iran could sustain a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz sufficient to deliver long-term economic gains to Russia.Beyond military logistics, Zelenskyy's remarks reflect deeper anxieties in Kyiv that prolonged global crises could intensify war fatigue among Ukraine's partners.Despite recent commemorations marking four years since Russia's invasion, diplomats describe a sombre mood in the Ukrainian capital."There is a lot of exhaustion," one diplomat said. "There is a deep sense of betrayal from the Americans. Less trust in the Europeans. And now all this distraction."For Kyiv, the greatest concern may not only be missile shortages but the risk of becoming a secondary conflict in an increasingly unstable world. Iran cannot use 60% enriched uranium directly in its current form (UF, which is stored as a solid in cylinders but handled as a gas or liquid during processing) to build a gun-type nuclear bomb. It must first be converted to metallic uranium, which is required for any fission weapon core. However, once converted they could technically build a crude gun-type device using that material without further enrichment. Conversion from UF to Metal This is a straightforward two-step chemical process UF UF (using hydrogen) UF + magnesium or calcium (thermite-style reduction) uranium metal Iran has prior experience with uranium metal conversion (including at facilities like Isfahan) and the chemistry is well-known. Experts note that even a small laboratory-scale setup could produce the needed quantities in months it is not a significant technical or time bottleneck for weaponization. Feasibility of a Gun-Type Bomb with 60% Enriched Uranium Metal Gun-type designs (like the Hiroshima Little Boy bomb) work by shooting one subcritical piece of uranium into another to form a supercritical mass. They are simpler than implosion bombs (no precise high explosives needed) but require more material and produce lower efficiency. Recent 2025 technical analyses show 60% enriched uranium is weapon-usable for a crude gun-type device. Matt Caplan at Univ of Illinois has a arxiv on Improvised Nuclear Weapons with 60%-Enriched Uranium. Maybe as little as ~40 kg of 60% enriched uranium metal could produce a kiloton-range yield (115 kt) when paired with a large neutron-reflecting tamper (such as tungsten carbide, ~13 tons for optimal performance). Other estimates suggest ~60120 kg per device (still feasible given Irans stockpile of hundreds of kilograms of 60% material). Yield and performance are achieved by using an oversized tamper to reflect neutrons and slow disassembly, compensating for the lower enrichment (Little Boy used ~64 kg at ~80% average enrichment). Simulations confirm this works with the same basic gun mechanism. The resulting device would be. Crude and bulky (potentially 10+ tons total, suitable for a shipping container or truck, not a missile). Lower efficiency (only a few percent of the uranium would fission). Reliable enough that it would not require full-scale testing (similar to how the U.S. deployed Little Boy without one). Bulky Tamper is Needed to Get Militarily Relevant Explosion If an aspiring terrorist desires a yield of at least 1 kt, only about 40 kg of 60%-enriched uranium is required. Yields also grow rapidly with core mass. With only 38 kg of uranium a 70 cm tamper may suffice. Note that yield predictions below 0.1 kt may be suspect in this model. The tamper mass is approximately 1020 tonnes, so yields of this order may be contained by the tamper, with the explosion only shattering and dispersing it. This is not a problem for this analysis, as we consider it unlikely that an aspiring nuclear terrorist would be content with yields lower than 1 kt. Such a yield would be comparable to the Beirut port explosion of 2020, and while still devastating, it could be achieved much more easily by loading a ship with a few thousand tonnes of ammonium nitrate. Such a conventional attack would also be much easier to disguise as regular commerce, and less likely to attract attention. The maximum yield could approach 100 kt, but this strains the limits of delivery mass and has higher risks of predetonation, especially as each of the two core pieces become comparable to a tamped critical mass. Any larger than this and a device may require both core halves to be launched into the tamper, complicating the device and creating more opportunities for the weapon to fail. We also note that a shortage of tungsten may not limit the yields, if an outer tamper made of steel is added. The tamper is a layer of dense material surrounding the fissile core that reflects escaping neutrons back into the active volume and delays the disassembly of the core during detonation by inertial confinement, sustaining the chain reaction for a longer duration increasing the overall yield. Most importantly, a tamper reduces the critical mass of a fissile material by improving the neutron economy of the core. They would need 10-50 centimeter thick tungsten or even thicker steel. Little Boy weighed 4.4 tons but it had 80% enriched uranium. Iran would need to drive a large truck or ship to wherever they would want to deploy the 10+ ton mass. Pretty sure, Israel and the US would be tracking truck and ship movement out of Iran. Especially anything going from Iran to Israel. News / National by Staff reporter Iran has launched drone attacks targeting the United States' largest military installation in the Middle East, warning that "the gates of hell will open" in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes.Iranian forces said they had targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts up to 10,000 troops and serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.The attack came as Israel carried out fresh airstrikes on Tehran, warning civilians to evacuate the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and areas around Payam Airport in Karaj ahead of strikes on what it described as military targets.The conflict has rapidly expanded across the region, with Iran launching hundreds of drones toward Israel and U.S. positions, as well as toward regional states including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed reports that America was running low on anti-drone interceptors, declaring the U.S. has "unlimited mid to upper tier weaponry." He also claimed Iran's leadership was "gone" and that Tehran was seeking talks, writing on Truth Social: "Too late."However, Iranian officials signaled continued resistance. Ali Mohammad Naini of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned on state television that "the gates of hell will open more and more, moment by moment, upon the United States and Israel."The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued an urgent security alert warning of "imminent" missile and drone attacks over Dhahran, a key oil hub and home to Saudi Aramco's headquarters. Americans were instructed to shelter in place.U.S. diplomatic facilities in Kuwait were also closed, and the State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and families from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. Washington has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though widespread airspace closures have left many stranded.According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 787 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes. Iranian missile attacks have killed 11 people in Israel. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, has joined the conflict, prompting Israeli retaliation that has reportedly killed 52 people in Lebanon.The U.S. military confirmed six American troop fatalities, while additional civilian casualties have been reported in the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain.Oil prices surged after Iran ordered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's crude oil passes. U.S. gasoline prices rose to $3.11 per gallon, up from under $3 at the start of the week, according to the American Automobile Association.The war has severely disrupted global energy supplies, shipping lanes and air travel.The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran's Natanz enrichment facility sustained "some recent damage" but reported no expected radiological consequences.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran was rebuilding underground nuclear sites, though he offered no public evidence. Tehran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful and says it has not enriched uranium since June.The conflict has spilled into Lebanon, where Israeli ground troops have reportedly taken up new positions near the southern border following missile exchanges with Hezbollah.In Qatar, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said Iranian strikes on the gas-rich nation "will not go unanswered."Analysts warn that the breadth of Iranian retaliation, the intensity of U.S.-Israeli strikes and the absence of a clear diplomatic exit strategy point to a potentially prolonged and destabilizing regional war. By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW, March 3 (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, some Russian hardliners were cautiously optimistic, hoping his unpredictability and transactional nature might benefit Moscow on Ukraine. But his attack on Iran means many now see him as a growing threat to Russia itself and are questioning if Trump is the pragmatic, potentially pro-Moscow strongman ready to deal in realpolitik that they thought he was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some hawks are publicly demanding that Moscow abandon U.S.-brokered peace talks with Ukraine and double down on fighting there instead, arguing that the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks which preceded the U.S.-Israeli air war were a cynical ploy which showed Washington cannot be trusted. "The unprincipled United States is a threat to the entire world," said nationalist tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev, who is married to a top Kremlin official. "This is the United States we are trying to negotiate with regarding Ukraine. Yes, it wants a weak Europe. But it also wants a weak Russia." Boris Rozhin, an influential war blogger who goes by the moniker, "Colonel Cassad" and has nearly 800,000 followers on the Telegram app, said Trump was a monster, driven mad by impunity. "To seriously count on any agreements or deals with it (the monster) is either foolishness or treason," opined Rozhin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Andrei Sidorov, a prominent academic, went further, telling state TV that Trump was "a dangerous man" and that he regretted that the U.S. president had survived an assassination attempt in July 2024 before he was re-elected later that year. "Now we understand who is in charge of the world," said Sidorov. "If you look at what Trump is doing now, step-by-step, practically nobody is able to stop him. Let's be honest - Russia is bogged down in Ukraine. Practically all we do now is deal with the Ukrainian question. (And) our main adversary (the U.S.) is acting as an intermediary in those negotiations." The Kremlin, which still hopes that Trump may be able to help end its war in Ukraine on its own terms and oversee a wider lucrative U.S.-Russia rapprochement, has condemned U.S. actions as "unprovoked aggression." But it has avoided criticising Trump personally and has not offered any tangible material help to Iran beyond diplomatic support. It has also said it believes that it is in its own interests to continue peace talks on Ukraine - even if events in Iran mean there is uncertainty about the timing and venue for the next round of talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kremlin's statement on Ukraine was a signal that it will, for now at least, keep trying to pull off a delicate balancing act - staying on good enough terms with Trump to keep him engaged on Ukraine while also calling out his policies with which it disagrees. Russian and Western analysts do not believe there is much Moscow, which has imported, refined and then started to manufacture its own Iranian-designed drones, can do to help Tehran at this stage anyway. Some also see a potential silver lining for Russia due to the Iran events. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy, has raised the possibility that increasing oil prices - which have not yet shot up as much as Moscow needs to balance its budget - could help the state budget which is under strain, while discounts on Russian oil sold to countries like China and India could fall. Ukraine might also get fewer supplies of U.S. arms and munitions, with air defence missiles sent to Gulf states instead, and less overall U.S. attention and support if the Middle East conflict goes on for some time, some Russian analysts have suggested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The harsh rhetoric emanating from hawks does however reflect genuine unease among Russia's security and political establishment. They see an increasingly aggressive U.S. president weakening Moscow's influence on the world stage at a time when Russia is tied down in Ukraine and unable to protect its own interests in the same way the Soviet Union once did. Trump, say the hawks, is systematically taking out Russia's allies. They point to the fate of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in December 2024 by opposition forces whose leader was later feted by Trump in the White House; to Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, who was seized at gunpoint by U.S. forces in January; and to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated at the weekend in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. The fate of long-time ally Cuba, also in Washington's sights, is something that worries them too. Trump's critics accuse him of being too soft on Moscow and of mistakenly bringing Putin in from the cold with a summit in Alaska last year, but some Russian hardliners are so spooked by Trump's removal of important Moscow allies that they fear he might even one day turn his attention to Russia, something he has never indicated is on his agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If Iran holds out, everything could go the other way. If it collapses, we're next," ultra-nationalist philosopher and hardline ideologue Alexander Dugin - who once viewed Trump as a great hope for Russia - told his followers. "With Trump, when he was faithful to the original MAGA ideology, we had common ground. As Trump rapidly distanced himself from MAGA and moved closer to the neocons, those points of contact rapidly disappeared. It is better to have nothing to do with Trump as he is today," said Dugin. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn, editing by Jon Boyle) French President Emmanuel Macron announced the updates to France's doctrine on the potential use of nuclear weapons in a keynote speech delivered from a military base hosting the country's ballistic missile submarines. Macron said France was entering a new phase in its nuclear deterrence strategy, one that would complement NATO's nuclear mission and he invited European allies to participate in nuclear deterrence exercises. "What I'd like is for Europeans to regain control of their own destiny," Macron said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France is poised to increase its nuclear warheads for the first time in decades. Macron emphasised that the country's nuclear power would be in the service of peace. However, he warned of the country's capacity to potentially draw on its significant nuclear arsenal in a way "that no country, no power, however strong, could recover". Watch moreFrance to allow temporary deployment of nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries The president added that France would host a summit in Paris on March 10 to encourage the development of nuclear energy and its uses, acknowledging that France is well placed "to promote civilian nuclear energy". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech primarily aimed to spell out how French nuclear weapons fit into Europes larger security posture in the wake of new questions raised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and recurring tensions with US President Donald Trump over Ukraine, Greenland and NATO. European leaders have voiced growing uncertainty about the US commitment to defend Europe under its own nuclear umbrella, a policy long intended to ensure that allies particularly NATO members would be protected by US nuclear forces in the event of a threat, without developing their own nuclear capabilities. France is the only nuclear power in the European Union. The long-planned speech went ahead despite the expanding Middle East conflict following joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran that decapitated much of its leadership at the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read moreFrance 'ready' to defend Gulf states against Iran as Middle East conflict widens World's fourth-ranking nuclear power We have to re-articulate nuclear deterrence," Macron told the Munich Security Council last month, adding that France has already had a strategic dialogue with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders on increasing cooperation. Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power," he told Munich. France and Britain adopted a joint declaration in July that allows both nations' nuclear forces to be coordinated while remaining independent. The UK, no longer an EU member but a NATO ally, is the only other European country with a nuclear deterrent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France's deterrence doctrine relies on a defensive strategy intended to safeguard the countrys vital interests. While France is also a member of NATO, it maintains full independence over its nuclear forces while contributing to the alliances broader deterrence posture. Under the French Constitution, the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the sole to decide on the potential use of nuclear weapons. Frances Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is the only surface warship in Europe capable of carrying nuclear weapons deployed by French Rafale fighter jets using catapult-assisted takeoffs. France has four nuclear-armed submarines: Le Triomphant, Le Temeraire (The Fearless), Le Vigilant and Le Terrible, based in Ile Longue on the Atlantic coast, one of the nation's most secretive military sites. Since 1972, at least one nuclear-armed submarine has been on patrol at all times, ensuring Frances permanent capacity to carry out a strike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France has an estimated 290 nuclear warheads, according to latest figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). More than 80% of France's warheads are submarine-launched, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. That makes France the worlds fourth-largest nuclear power after Russia in the top spot (with more than 4,300 warheads) followed by the United States (with 3,700) and China (600). The United Kingdom which is no longer an EU member but still a NATO ally is estimated to have about 225 warheads, according to SIPRI and FAS. (FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and Reuters) Dans un contexte politique camerounais marqu? par des d?bats r?currents sur la justice, la responsabilit? et l?engagement citoyen, une r?cente r?flexion attribu?e ? Maurice Kamto relance la discussion sur le sens profond du combat politique. L?universitaire et homme politique insiste sur un principe qu?il juge fondamental : la clart? de la cause d?fendue. Dans la lutte politique comme sur un champ de bataille, la force, le courage et la domination de la peur viennent de ce pour quoi ou au nom de quoi on se bat. Il faut toujours avoir une claire conscience de la cause dune lutte pour consentir le sacrifice que la conquete impose. A travers ces mots, Maurice Kamto etablit un parallele fort entre la lutte politique et lexigence morale qui laccompagne. Son propos met en avant une idee centrale : lengagement ne peut etre durable sans une comprehension lucide des enjeux poursuivis. Dans un Etat de droit, cette conscience devient un socle essentiel pour orienter les actions individuelles et collectives. Pour de nombreux observateurs, cette pensee sinscrit dans une tradition politique ou la quete de justice ne releve pas uniquement de la confrontation institutionnelle, mais aussi dune discipline personnelle. Le courage evoque nest pas seulement physique ou strategique ; il est presente comme une force interieure nee de la conviction. Dans le paysage camerounais, ou la participation citoyenne et le debat public occupent une place croissante, ce type de discours alimente la reflexion sur la responsabilite des acteurs politiques et des citoyens. La notion de sacrifice, mentionnee dans la citation, renvoie a la realite des choix difficiles que toute lutte politique ou sociale peut impliquer. Au-dela de la figure de son auteur, cette declaration rappelle que la politique reste, avant tout, un terrain de valeurs. Elle pose une question intemporelle : quelle est la cause qui justifie lengagement, et jusquou peut-on aller pour la defendre dans le respect des principes de justice et de legalite ? Maurice Kamto: Clarity of purpose as a moral compass in political struggle In Cameroons evolving political landscape where justice, accountability, and civic engagement remain central themes a recent reflection attributed to Maurice Kamto has reignited debate about the deeper meaning of political commitment. The academic and political figure emphasizes what he views as a foundational principle: clarity of purpose. In political struggle as on a battlefield, strength, courage, and mastery of fear come from what or in whose name one fights. One must always have a clear awareness of the cause of a struggle in order to accept the sacrifice that conquest demands. Through this statement, Kamto draws a powerful parallel between political action and moral discipline. His message suggests that lasting engagement is impossible without a lucid understanding of the goals being pursued. Within a rule-of-law framework, such awareness becomes essential in guiding both individual and collective action. Observers note that this perspective aligns with a political tradition where the pursuit of justice extends beyond institutional confrontation to include personal responsibility. The courage described is not merely strategic; it is portrayed as an inner strength rooted in conviction. In Cameroon, where civic participation and public debate are increasingly prominent, this reflection fuels broader conversations about the responsibilities of both political actors and citizens. The reference to sacrifice underscores the difficult choices inherent in any political or social struggle. Beyond the individual behind the words, the statement serves as a reminder that politics is fundamentally about values. It raises a timeless question: what cause justifies commitment, and how far can one go in defending it while respecting justice and legality? Maurice Kamto, politique camerounaise, justice au Cameroun, engagement citoyen, lutte politique, Etat de droit Cameroun, debat politique Cameroun, responsabilite politique, pensee politique, actualite Cameroun Ange NGO Watertown, NY (13601) Today Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 62F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds overnight. Low around 40F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata : BHMS Admission 2026 on the basis of NEET (UG) 2026 https://career.webindia123.com/career/dates_and_events/entrance/medi/national-institute-of-homoeopathy-bhms-admissions.htm Details of National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata : BHMS Admission 2026 on the basis of NEET (UG) 2026 2026-2-16 2026-3-8 https://career.webindia123.com/career/images/exams.png India India National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata : BHMS Admission 2026 on the basis of NEET (UG) 2026 Medical National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata - Admission for BHMS Course 2026 Category : Medical Admissions 2026 Published : On February 16, 2026 By Webindia123 Editor Important Dates Last date for submission of application form March 8th, 2026 (upto 4PM) NEET (UG) Examination Date May 3rd, 2026 The Institute is conducting the 5 years Degree Course in Homoeopathy viz., Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (B.H.M.S). The Institute is affiliated to The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata. Form can be downloaded from the Institute website. Photocopy of the downloaded form will also be accepted. Application in any other format will not be accepted. Eligibility Age/ Physical Fitness - The candidate must confirm the eligibility, age, physical fitness criteria as prescribed for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) Session 2026 conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). Selection : The candidate must have qualified National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) Session 2026 conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). Provisional list of candidates shall be prepared basing upon the NEET 2026 All India Rank published by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in its website www.nta.ac.in. The Ministry of Human Resource development (MHRD), Government of India (GOI) has established National Testing Agency (NTA) as an independent autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation for conducting efficient, transparent and international standard test in order to access the competency of candidates for admission to premier higher education institutions. As per regulations framed under the Indian Medical Council Act -1956 and the Dentists Act-1948 and as amended from time to time, NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY CUM ENTRANCE TEST (UG) 2026 (NEET (UG) - 2026) will be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to MBBS/BDS Courses in Indian Medical/Dental Colleges run with the approval of Medical Council of India/Dental Council of India under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India except for the institutions established through an Act of Parliament i.e. AIIMS and JIPMER Pondicherry. During the academic Session seats shall be available for admission to the BHMS Degree Course, out of which following seats are earmarked for different categories of candidates. Fourteen (14) seats are earmarked for the candidates nominated from the following States/Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir (1), Manipur (1), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (2), Sikkim (1), Tripura (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (1), Daman Diu (1) and Nagaland (2). Number of seats earmarked for States/Union Territories may vary as per the Govt. of India orders prevalent at the time of admission Six (06) seats are earmarked for Foreign Nationals; out of which Five (05) seats are earmarked for candidates from Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectorial Technical & Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC) countries to be nominated by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India and One (01) seat is reserved for Foreign National candidates under self-financing scheme to be nominated by the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. Ten (10) seats are earmarked for candidates sponsored by Govt. of Sri Lanka through the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. If the requisite number of candidates are not sponsored by Govt. of Sri Lanka, those seats shall remain vacant; no other candidate will be admitted against these seats. The remaining 63 seats will be filled up basing upon the merit list of the All India Rank, of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) Session 2026 conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) Distribution of seats to various categories may be modified by competent authority. Reservation policy as per the Govt. of India norms shall be applicable. Application Procedure : Filled in application form (in candidates own handwriting) is to be sent along with application Fees, in the shape of crossed Demand Draft of Rs.1000/- (Rupees One Thousand only) in favour of Director, National Institute of Homoeopathy, payable at Kolkata drawn on any Nationalized Bank. Application fees once paid will not be refunded under any circumstances. IPO/Cheque/Cash/Money Order will not be accepted. Demand draft is not required in case of SC & ST category candidates; but SC & ST category candidates are required to enclose self-attested photocopy of the valid Caste Certificate issued by competent authority as prescribed in the NEET - 2026 Information Bulletin. Candidates claiming reservation under OBC category are required to enclose a self-attested photocopy of valid OBC Certificate in the prescribed proforma from competent authority as published in the NEET 2026 Information Bulletin. Persons having benchmark disability and entitled for reservation under The Rights of Persons with Disability Act. 2016 are required to enclose a self-attested photocopy of Disability Certificate in the prescribed proforma from competent authority as published in the NEET 2026 Information Bulletin. Candidates are required to enclose with the application form, two recent, high contrast colour photographs of identical copies, size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, clearly showing full head, face, shoulder and both ears without wearing any cap/hat/glasses. Photograph must have been taken on or after 1st May, 2026 with a placard clearly indicating the name of the candidate and date of taking the photograph. Candidates must put their full signature and date in all the places asked for at all the stages of admission process. Documents to be enclosed along with Application Form Photocopy of the following documents (self-attested) are required to be enclosed along with the Application Form while submitting. Application without the following documents will be rejected Demand Draft Rs. 1000/- to be enclosed in original (not photocopy). Candidate must mention Full Name and Mobile no. behind the Demand Draft. Print copy of Confirmation page of Online application form of NEET 2026.- self-attested Admit Card of NEET 2026 - self-attested NEET 2026 result sheet - Downloaded copy of from the website www.cbseresults.nic.in - selfattested AADHAR Card self-attested Caste Certificate in prescribed proforma as prescribed in NEET 2026 Information Bulletin selfattested Certificate of Disability as prescribed in NEET 2026 Information Bulletin self-attested Two Passport size Photographs as described above Two self-addressed envelopes as described above More Details can be available from the website. Contact Details Address : Headquarters NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY (An Autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India) BLOCK - GE, SECTOR - III, SALT LAKE, Kolkata - 700 106 Phone : 2337 0969 / 70 Fax : Mobile : - E-mail : Contact I Website : https://nih.ayush.gov.in Find it Useful ? Help Others by Sharing Online Comments and Discussions The Exeter branch of Scottish craft beer chain BrewDog has closed with immediate effect after the company entered administration and agreed the sale of much of its UK business. The move follows a day in which all BrewDog bars across the country were closed as the company worked to complete the transaction and hold staff briefings. Earlier on Monday, Clare Kennedy, Ian Partridge and Ben Browne of AlixPartners were appointed Joint Administrators to BrewDog PLC and related UK entities. Shortly afterwards, a deal was agreed with Tilray Brands UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Tilray Brands Inc., to acquire key parts of the business. The transaction includes BrewDogs brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, its national distribution centre in Motherwell, and 11 retail bars in the UK and Ireland. READ NEXT: Exeter new-builds: Drainage delays 'most common cause' for unadopted roads In total, 733 UK jobs are being preserved through the sale, with affected employees transferring under TUPE arrangements. However, 38 bars across the UK have closed with immediate effect, leading to 484 redundancies. BrewDogs Exeter site is among those listed for closure. In a statement, the Joint Administrators said no offer had been made during the sales process that would have preserved the business in its entirety. They added that specialist support is being provided to redundant staff, including help with claims for outstanding pay and efforts to identify alternative employment opportunities within the leisure sector. There will be no return to equity holders, including investors who participated in the companys high-profile Equity for Punks crowdfunding scheme. The developments come just weeks after BrewDog confirmed it had been put up for sale following a strategic review. Consultants from AlixPartners were brought in after the firm failed to make a profit in recent years. In October 2025, the company announced job cuts after posting a 37m loss, and earlier this year it closed 10 bars across the UK. Founded in 2007 in Aberdeenshire by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog grew from a small craft brewery into an international brand with around 60 bars in the UK and breweries in the United States, Australia and Germany. It currently employs about 1,400 people globally. In an internal email to staff ahead of Mondays closures, chief executive James Taylor said a series of company-wide meetings would be held to explain what would happen next. We appreciate this is an unsettling time for everyone, and we want to ensure that all colleagues have the opportunity to hear directly from us about what happens next, he said. To enable everyone to attend, and to comply with licensing issues arising from an anticipated change of ownership, we have taken the decision that none of our bars will open tomorrow (Monday 2 March). All sites will remain closed for the day. We have also cancelled food and beer deliveries, as well as customer bookings, for that day. The company had already halted production of its gin and vodka brands at its Ellon distillery last month in a bid to sharpen its focus on core operations. BrewDog has faced a number of challenges in recent years. In 2024 it drew criticism after announcing it would no longer hire new staff on the real living wage, opting instead to pay the legal minimum wage. A BBC documentary also examined allegations about the conduct of co-founder James Watt, prompting a complaint to Ofcom, which was later rejected. James Watt subsequently stepped down as chief executive, moving into a captain and co-founder role. Martin Dickie left the business last year for personal reasons. BrewDogs 18 franchise bars in the UK and internationally are unaffected and will continue to operate. Torquays popular seafront restaurant, The Bay, has officially closed, with its final day of operation on March 1, 2026. The closure marks the end of a chapter for the venue, which has become known for its exceptional dining experience, breathtaking views over Torbay, and relaxed, coastal charm. In a statement, the team at The Bay said: It is with a heavy heart that we announce The Bay has officially closed its doors. The UKs current hospitality sector has put pressure on all businesses from suppliers to consumers, and the numbers simply no longer add up for an independent business like ours to sustainably operate. The restaurants current iteration dates from August 8, 2024, when it reopened under new ownership and management by entrepreneur Lewis Poulier, following a period of refurbishment and sale. The venue featured a ground floor seating over 50 guests, alfresco dining for more than 50 patrons, and a first-floor private function room ideal for special events. The sale of The Bay to Mr Poulier was handled by agents Charles Darrow. James Sanders, Associate Director at Charles Darrow, said: The Bay has an exceptional pitch overlooking Torbay, and sites of this nature seldom become available, especially of this quality and high level of fittings within - hence the level of interest received while marketing, and the robust purchase price achieved. During his ownership, Mr Poulier had assembled a team of local managers and chefs, poised to elevate The Bays offerings while maintaining the high standards patrons had come to expect. For booking deposits or enquiries, the restaurant asked customers to email info@thebaytorquay.co.uk. Barnstaple Town Council has officially backed a bid for the town to become the UK Town of Culture 2028, entering a high-stakes competition that could bring millions of pounds in investment to North Devon. The bid, launched under the rallying cry #BigUpBarny, sees the council partnering with community groups and local creatives to compete for a 3 million top prize. The UK Government's inaugural Town of Culture competition is designed to celebrate towns that can tell a "unique story" and deliver an ambitious cultural vision. While the winner secures the multi-million pound windfall, runners-up are also set to receive 250,000 to help realise their cultural projects. Supporters of the bid believe Barnstaple has the "raw potential" required to win. Daniel Argent, a director and founder of the Growforward Project, a community interest company based in nearby Chelfham focused on sustainable food and social growth, says the award is "game-changing." Having worked in Hull during its transformational 2017 City of Culture year, Mr Argent told the Gazette that these awards are often given to "diamonds in the rough" rather than places already at their peak. "The process can align lots of groups to share focus on the same outcomes and totally rejuvenate and reignite towns and cities," he said. "Barnstaple absolutely has what it takes." The bid process has highlighted a unique cultural density in North Devon, with the district council supporting two separate entries. Barnstaple finds itself in friendly competition with the coastal town of Ilfracombe, which has also submitted an "equally passionate" bid. Mayor of Barnstaple, Councillor Janet Coates, said the council was proud to work with the community to showcase the town's heritage. "This bid is about bringing people together and celebrating everything our town has to offer, from our history and cultural events to the talent and passion within our community," she said. For residents, the bid represents more than just a title; it is a chance to improve the future for the next generation. Jess Taylor, a local resident raising a young family, said she is looking forward to seeing "what the power of our community can do. Peter Buffery, who also lives in the town, noted that the opportunity would help "elevate" the many positive activities already happening in the area. Shortlisted towns will receive 60,000 in development funding to flesh out their full bids. The successful town will follow in the footsteps of previous "City of Culture" winners, but as part of a new format specifically designed to recognise the distinct identity of UK towns. The local bid group concluded: "Culture belongs to everyone, and each of us has a role in shaping what it becomes." The lease for a third floating windfarm in the Celtic Sea 30 miles off North Devons coast has been agreed with European renewable energy giant Ocean Winds. The Crown Estate announced today (Tuesday, March 3) that as part of the Round 5 process the Spanish, Portuguese and French-owned company now has exclusive rights to take the 1.5 gigawatt development forward. Ocean Winds will join Equinor and Gwynt Glas in progressing the three sites between the North Devon and Cornwall coasts and South Wales. READ MORE: Rights to third floating wind farm off North Devon awarded to European company Each site could potentially produce enough power for more than one million homes and the Crown Estate says together they would be enough to power four million homes and could lead to the creation of more than 5,000 jobs and deliver a 1.4billion boost to the UK economy. Ocean Winds is a 50-50 venture between EDP Renewables - which has its headquarters in Madrid but whose parent company is Portuguese utility company EDPR and France-based ENGIE. Ocean Winds delivered the worlds first semi-submersible floating wind farm, WindFloat Atlantic, in Portugal in 2020 and has UK locations including Moray East and Moray West. The company will now focus on developing project designs, delivering onshore and offshore site surveys, environmental impact assessments (EIA), public engagement and securing planning consents. Once these have been completed, it can apply to obtain a lease from the Crown Estate to build and operate the wind farm, which could be up and running by the mid-2030s. Julia Rose, head of offshore wind at The Crown Estate, said: Round 5 is such an exciting opportunity to establish an innovative new technology at commercial scale in the UK, supporting many new jobs whilst also contributing to our national energy security and clean energy transition. Ocean Winds entering into an agreement for lease for their site in the Celtic Sea is a significant moment and testament to the attractiveness of the UKs world-leading offshore wind sector. Were delighted they have achieved this milestone and look forward to working closely with them as they begin their development stage. READ NEXT: Have your say on a fast ferry linking North Devon and Somerset to Swansea Adam Morrison, UK country manager at Ocean Winds added: Signing the Agreement for Lease for the Celtic Sea site demonstrates our commitment to the development of commercial scale floating offshore wind in the UK. Over the coming years we will begin early-stage development work, engaging with local stakeholders to identify opportunities to deliver lasting benefits to our local communities whilst supporting the UKs energy security and net zero objectives. Energy minister Michael Shanks called it a big step forward for Britains clean energy future. He added: Were seeing real momentum behind floating offshore wind and we're backing an industry where the UK has the expertise to lead. "This project will mean new skilled jobs and opportunities for communities across Wales and the South West of England. Offshore wind is the backbone of a secure energy system, and todays milestone shows were getting on with the job - investment, jobs and clean, home grown power that we control. The Sisters community is invited to come to Sisters Elementary School Commons at 2155 McKinney Butte Road on Sunday, March 8, 4 to 5:30 p.m. to gather for an action-oriented community conversation exploring how Sisters can work together to better serve the older adults in the community. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The event will begin with a welcome from C4C Executive Director Kellen Klein followed by short remarks by Jane Paxson and Kris Bergstrom, board members of C4C and co-founders of the SOS Action Team, Joann Herrigel, former deputy director Elders in Action, and Lauren Lebien, community engagement manager for ClearPath Healthcare. Attendees will then participate in small action-oriented community conversations exploring how we can work together to better serve older adults in our community, at tables denoted as: a central location for senior information and activities; affordable and accessible senior housing; expansion of transportation options for seniors; senior resource coordinator; neighbors helping neighbors; framework for planning ahead; and two tables for miscellaneous topics. Each table will have a facilitator and notetaker, and will have approximately 45 minutes for discussion. The goal of the forum is to have attendees leave inspired, having made connections and tactical plans needed to catalyze new initiatives supporting local seniors. On Monday, March 9, at noon, at the Hub located at 291 E. Main Ave. (across from First Interstate Bank), there will be a brown bag lunch gathering for those who have concepts or ideas they would be willing to work on to get them established. Many hands will bring to life viable programs and services for our seniors. At the Sunday forum you will be able to indicate your intention to attend Mondays lunch. There will be room for approximately 30 people. Serving Our Seniors, a volunteer action team of Age Friendly Sisters Country, has been working since April 2025, meeting with older citizens to collect data and information regarding seniors in Sisters how many, what services are currently available, whats missing, and what seniors and their families or caregivers need and want to facilitate aging in place in our community. They have also reached out to programs in other Oregon communities that have established programs for meeting senior needs. The forum is free, open to the public, and accessible both in person and online via YouTube livestream. Light refreshments will be provided as well as free on-site childcare. Email C4C if you need a ride to the event. Please contact Kellen Klein, C4Cs executive director, with any questions at [email protected]. C4C is sponsoring the forum in partnership with The Nugget Newspaper, AFSC, and SOS. The City of Sisters annexation process is under review for the next few months to improve the process flow, update applicable code, and align with or update the Citys comprehensive plan goals. The City recently filed the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion application with the City and Deschutes County. The Planning Commissions are reviewing the respective applications. After review and presumed approval of the applications, the City Council and Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will have public hearings on the applications. Both entities may have a joint public hearing. The final approval is not expected until July. Once the UGB applications are approved, and assuming no appeals within the 21-day period following approval, the comprehensive plans of both entities will be updated to reflect the expanded UGB map around the City. The Citys comprehensive plan may also include modifications to reflect new requirements for annexations. For example, over the past three years, Council discussions have mentioned having a 30 percent affordable housing requirement for new residential developments within the UGB. Affordable percentage was discussed in the February 25 workshop, regarding where best to locate such a requirement. The open question remained whether the requirement is more effective in either the Citys development or municipal codes, rather than the comprehensive plan. Community Planning Director Scott Woodford briefed City Council members about what annexations are, current City policy, and then he focused on the example of policies and procedures of Ashland, Oregon. Woodford expressed his deep appreciation to staff for the extensive research and development of the prepackaged materials, and the slide presentation prepared for Council. The prereading materials also included parts of the annexation policies and procedures from Redmond, Bend, and Medford. Council concurred with Woodford that the Ashland annexation example was the most comparable to the City of Sisters. It included policies assuring affordable and workforce housing, various ways to preserve open spaces, manage density of developments, required width of transportation accesses, a minimum square footage specified for each home type (studio, one, two, three, or four bedrooms), and incentives for developers to build affordable units for renters/buyers at 80 percent or below the area median income. Councilor Michael Preedin was not too interested in aligning with the Bend example, adding that Bend, Redmond, and Medford were too different in surrounding geography or too slow growing to provide applicable examples. Mayor Jennifer Letz suggested Council would benefit from a couple more annexation examples from similar-to-Sisters cities. Letz noted that finding similar cities might be quite difficult, and thanked staff for the wealth of details thus far. Generally, annexation policies allow a city council to initiate an annexation in the case of an emergency. For example, an owner or group of owners in an area of a UGB, may find that their well water sources are failing. A city may decide, in order to preserve human health and safety, the acreage will be annexed in order to be connected to city utilities. No matter if an annexation is initiated by an owner, a group, or by a city council, the property will be subsequently connected with whatever services a city provides (water, sewer, electricity, garbage removal, street maintenance, fire and safety departments, etc.). A property owners annual county tax bill will show what percentage of their taxes the City receives. Property taxes and value are not increased as part of an annexation. A propertys value changes when developed or sold. City staff and Council will be having a few more annexation workshops to determine which policy and procedural changes to apply, which code to change (development or municipal), and if any such changes also apply to the Citys comprehensive plan. Councilor Cheryl Pellerin raised the question of timing and Council gave a nod to have final approval by June. This would give interested property owners within an extended UGB time to review and prepare annexation applications about the same time the extended UGB becomes official. Republic Services is not popular in Central Oregon, Sisters Habitat for Humanity is out of development land soon, the Deschutes County Sheriffs office reports the City is safe, and the City of Sisters will have Crystal Clean restrooms. Those were assessments that came out of the February 25 meeting of the Sisters City Council. City Manager Jordan Wheeler noted that the City has had solid waste franchise agreements since 2008. Republic Services (RS) is a national waste removal company with 851 branches. The RS franchise agreements are, in the Citys estimation, outdated and have inadequate performance standards, service metrics, enforcement and remedies, financial reports, and service level expectations. The City believes that financial oversight is wanting, and the service is inconsistent. Deschutes County, Redmond, and Bend worked with the two haulers in Central Oregon, RS and Cascade Disposal, to complete an updated franchise agreement to no avail. In 2023, Redmond gave their hauler a notice of termination, the County gave notice in December 2025, and Bend did so in February 2026. After a notice of termination with RS, a period of six years passes before actual termination. The question Wheeler brought to Council was whether shall staff prepare a notice of termination of the RS franchise for council approval. The Countys Director of Solid Waste Tim Brownell was present to provide information as to what happens over the six-year period if the City does submit a notice of termination. Council later gave a nod to Wheelers question. Director Brownell shared that the County would hire consultants, identify stakeholders, review flow controls, land fill processing and composting, and create a decision process. Overall, Brownell felt the County and its cities need a shared 30-year waste plan, should work to keep our waste here, manage construction waste down (it is 40 percent of all waste collected), and assure a franchise contract is a 10-year term with price controls. The current franchise renews for seven years annually. Sisters Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Peter Hoover gave status on the increases in affordable housing and units which will soon be complete. Hoover was deeply grateful for the support of the City, that of the many construction volunteers, and of the donors. Qualifying Habitat home buyers wait time has been reduced from four years to nine months. Habitats dilemma: It will not own any more land in the City on which to develop by September 2027. Village Meadows has had a 10-year Habitat project to complete 21 affordable homes. Two completed this month and are owned, and the last two will complete and be owned in early April. Habitat created their first workforce unit in this project. Workforce units go to a buyer who is at or below 120 percent of area median income (AMI). In Sisters Woodlands, as of April, Habitat will have constructed six units in six months, including transferring ownership to identified buyers who are at or below 80 percent AMI. The Larch Commons infrastructure is complete and vertical work begins early summer to build 19 affordable and six workforce units for completion and transfer of ownership by June 2027. All 25 units will not change affordability (buyers qualifying AMI) through new owners into perpetuity. This is because under a land trust model, Habitat owns the land under the units, and thus controls the purchase price. The Citys fiscal year 2025-26 budget for the policing services of the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office is $1,121,483. The City has contracted for these services since 1998. As a comparison with Oregon cities having 4,300 to 3,600 in population; Reedsports budget is over $3 million this fiscal year for their police department, Aumsville has budgeted $,2,783,991, and North Plains has also budgeted $2.7 million. Lieutenant Chad Davis shared the community services, public engagement and educational events, and policing services that he and three deputies provide to the City. Lt. Davis observed that as the weather warms and the daylight lasts longer, juvenile issues increase. Davis recommended installing cameras in the Village Green and Fir Street parks outside the restrooms, as they are problem areas. Comparing DCSO annual statistics for the City from 2024 to 2025: Arrests rose from 110 to 124, Criminal Citations from 40 to 43; thefts from 39 to 64, and hit-and-run traffic incidents from one to 17. Compared to the neighboring cities, Lt. Davis said the City has, similar crimes, less frequently. Council was asked by Public Works Operations Manager Jackson Dumanch to approve the janitorial services agreement with I & I Crystal Cleaning and the City. Crystal Cleaning had served the City in years past, but were not the most recent contract with the City to clean public restrooms and City Hall. A request for proposals had six responses. Crystal Cleaning requested $27.50 per hour for the initial term. That is 50 cents less per hour than the former contract. Council approved the agreement. 2025 was a big fire season year for the Sisters- Camp Sherman Fire District, with the Flat Fire consuming over 23,000 acres northeast of Sisters last summer. In Whychus Canyon, more than 887 homes were threatened; five structures were lost. Many of the efforts by the Fire District, the Fire Marshal's office, and more were recognized at the annual Awards and Recognition ceremony last Friday, February 27, held at FivePine Conference Center. The banquet is a chance for the staff, Fire Corps, district board, and families and spouses to gather together over a meal and reflect on the past year for the district. Photo by Cody Rheault Chief Tony Prior led the event, introducing special guests and thanking the spouses and families of crew members who do the behind-the-scenes work while their family member is out protecting and looking after their community. "It is an important part of stress relief on this job to talk to people, and having family is so important," said Prior. District board president Kristie Miller spoke to the local option levy coming up for a vote in May, and what it would allow for within the district. The levy would help fund additional personnel positions within the department and programs. Miller and the board this year looked at the budget, the rising number of calls and walk-ins, which are taking more resources, the importance of wildfire community protection, and the local option levy, which helps fund what the district plans to do and is already doing. "It's clear to the board that we depend on the team and the community; get out and vote in May," said Miller. Photo by Cody Rheault Chief Prior also recognized the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association. The Association is a social group comprising paid personnel, volunteers, and Fire Corps members, and it supports educational programs, events, and more. This year, they presented a new mission statement: "The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association proudly serves our community by dedicating our time, talents, and resources to support and protect those we care for." Chief Prior spoke to the importance of the community and volunteer programs, especially given the number of community members serving in a small area. A special presentation was made to the Oregon State Fire Marshal's office and the 87 agencies that sent personnel and equipment to fight the Flat Fire in August 2025. Chief Prior presented the office agencies with a metal sculpture depicting a firefighter silhouette, all hand-carved metal, recognizing their work with the district during the Flat Fire. Photo by Cody Rheault "They were a great support during the incident, and we were able to declare conflagration very quickly and were supportive of our needs during the effort. We wanted to give something that will stay around in remembrance," said Chief Prior. Several engine crews also received metal artwork commemorating their participation in the effort to defend Whychus Canyon and Sisters Country. The efforts of the Fire Marshal's office and the quick response of the engines gave the teams a chance to succeed. Throughout the evening, Deputy Chief Tim Craig and Chief Prior alternated in handing out service awards, as did Fire Corps Chair Beverly Halcon, recognizing the Fire Corps Volunteer of the Year. The ceremony commemorated the year's efforts and the people behind the successes, and celebrated the programs coming forward this next year. "We really are stronger together," Chief Prior concluded. July 13, 1945 February. 17, 2026 The Rev. Susan Jo Owen was born in Vincennes, Indiana, on Friday, July 13, 1945. She died unexpectedly February 17, 2026. Sue grew up in her beloved town of Cazenovia in upstate New York. She attended Indiana University, graduating in 1969. Go Hoosiers! She arrived in Oregon in 1975, and her daughter Vanessa was born in 1976. Later Sue received an MSW from Portland State University and worked for Child Protection Services in Oregon. Sue entered ministry in the early 1980s and attended San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, California, receiving her Master of Divinity in 1985. She was ordained in The United Methodist Church and served congregations in Medford, Astoria, Ashland, Bend, Salem, and Lebanon, Oregon. During her ministry she served as a District Superintendent in Central Oregon and Portland. She and the Rev. Jim Monroe married in 2001. Best friends! They took their first team to Kenya in 2006. They moved to Maua, Kenya, in 2012, returning to the United States in 2015 - grandkids will do that! Sue and Jim continued taking teams to Kenya every year, most recently in July. At the time of her death, Sue and Jim were serving Astoria United Methodist Church, which she saw as coming full circle in her lifelong service to Christ and the church. Sue is survived by her husband, Jim Monroe; her daughter, Vanessa; her daughters Trish and Nina; and sons-in-law Travis and Tim. As a blended family, Sue loved her circle of loved ones deeply. She is survived by six grandchildren - Ava, Carter, Micah, Cora, Ethan, and Finley - her brother Patrick; sisters-in-law Janet Owen, Mary Anne LeCompte, and Glenda Monroe; brothers-in-law Bill Monroe and Tim LeCompte; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Sue loved dogs, birds, and any living creature, and had a wide, global circle of dear friends. She loved Cathlamet, having moved there in 2023. Her life was a living witness to God's grace and love, and she would ask only that we all use kind words with each other. Those who received cards and calls from her over the years felt that love. Sue's Celebration of Life will be held at Woodburn United Methodist Church in Woodburn, Oregon, on Saturday, April 11 at 11 a.m., with a gathering and lunch to follow. Memorial gifts may be sent to Astoria United Methodist Church, 1076 Franklin Ave., Astoria, OR 97103 to continue her work in Kenya. Urban renewal To the Editor: Last week the City of Sisters opened bids for the Adams Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project. This public works project will add new features to make the road safer for vehicles and pedestrians similar to what you see on Hood and Main avenues. It will add parking, multiuse pathways, street trees, and new pavement. The majority of the project is being funded through the use of urban renewal dollars. What is urban renewal? Like many other cities in Oregon, Sisters has a designated urban renewal area with an urban renewal plan that describes a set of projects that will be funded by debt financing that is paid back using tax dollars that are generated by the growth in property value in the area. In Sisters, our urban renewal area encompasses the downtown commercial district, and the program has been widely successful. Over the last several years, urban renewal has funded the Cascade Avenue improvements, Hood Avenue improvements, facade and small business grants, Fir Street Park, bike and pedestrian paths, the Village Green Park improvements, and the Gateway Park and Mobility Hub acquisition. The Sisters City Council also acts as the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) Board and makes decisions about the budget and what projects in the plan to pursue each fiscal year. For the current year, in addition to the Adams Avenue project, the budget includes funding for the Westside Sewer Pump Station, public art at the US 20 and Locust roundabout, a workforce housing grant, landscaping and irrigation at the new roundabout, and public art pedestals. Any changes to the budget or the project list need to be approved by the Board. No changes have been made to the funding plan for this year. Once the urban renewal projects in the plan have been completed and the URA has issued and paid back the full maximum indebtedness that was set in the plan, the district is sunsetted. The increased value from private development that is spurred by the public investments in the area results in additional tax revenue for all the overlapping districts such as the Fire District and the Sisters Park & Recreation District. The URA Board is committed to completing the projects and beginning the process to pay off the debt and wind down the URA in 2030. To read the plan or budget, or learn more about the Urban Renewal Agency, visit the citys website, http://www.ci.sisters.or.us/urban-renewal-agency. And to find out more about the Adams Avenue project, visit: https://www.ci.sisters.or.us/publicworks/page/adams-avenue-streetscape-project. Jordan Wheeler, Sisters City Manager Limits on commentary To the Editor: Id like to offer a few thoughts from the peanut gallery on best practices for small-town journalism. The job of a newspaper editor is a challenge. Even if youre doing it right, half the people think youre too conservative and the other half are firmly persuaded youre WAY too liberal. I lean into being appreciative of news outlets rather than critical, knowing how many long days, tough calls, and undeserved headaches are involved. So I have been delighted to financially support The Nugget, finding great value in its coverage of town issues and activities, as well as the wildlife and recreation we all treasure. However, over the past couple years, Ive gone from astonishment (the bizarre decision to publish a letter saying women dont have the innate capacity to hold leadership roles), to puzzlement to frank dismay at The Nuggets editorial judgment. What does editorial judgment mean? Well, a lot of it is old-fashioned common sense: Is this letter true? Does the writer have thoughts to share that are fresh and of value? Do we have a good and reasonably fair balance of viewpoints, including extremes, in the paper? Will this letter to the editor (or column which, in The Nugget, often describes a letter thats outgrown its britches in length, originality, or quality) provide benefit and uplift or at least not do any harm to our broader community? Or does it just make people feel more discouraged, suspicious, angry, and alienated in a time when people with good hearts are doing whatever they can to extend kindness, aid, and acceptance to each other, including those we disagree with. Is this letter just another mean-spirited flex by someone with apparent ego issues? If the answer is yes, there is a little icon of a trash you can click. Admittedly, this requires a bit of discernment and gumption. Heres the bottom line: When readers open The Nugget and have to roll their eyes at the sight of another long-winded, antagonistic and mind-numbingly predictable screed from the same source, we have a hard time not coming to the conclusion that these nonconstructive positions may align with those of the newspaper. Because why else would they be printed with such prominence and frequency? And thats the trouble with a loose-hand-on-the-reins approach to leadership: Its risky because it erodes our trust in the credibility of the whole outfit. One result is that many of us may find a nice mustang rescue thats being run with kindness and sound management to share our financial resources with instead of paying for toxic opinions to be shared out on our dime. And given all the excellent work The Nugget does on our behalf, that would be a real shame. Its never a good practice to point out a problem without offering possible solutions. Here are three ways you can address this concern. 1. We dont come to The Nugget for amateur-hour commentary on national or world events (especially not barstool-level political axe-grinding) so consider maintaining a local or regional focus (meaning, do what you do best). 2. Simply introduce a word-count and publication limit on opinions from folks whose incessant chest-thumping is fast running the rest of us off. 3. Should you have empty columns to fill, do reprint Jim Andersons inspiring, illuminating, and exquisitely written pieces. Now theres something we all admire and can agree on! Sarah Smith Brunswick Group handles Zurich Insurance as it agrees to buy UK-based Beazley specialty insurer in a deal valued at $11B. Zurich says the transaction combines two highly complementary businesses to establish the global leader in specialty insurance with $15B of gross written premiums, headquartered in the UK, that leverages Beazleys Lloyd's of London presence. The combined firm will create the leading specialty underwriter globally, with exceptional underwriting expertise and data capabilities, and leading access to distribution channels. Zurich CEO Mario Greco told the Financial Times that Beazley will help his company expand in the construction, energy, cyber, shipping and aviation sectors. He also stressed the importance of the immediate access to Lloyds among the major reasons for the acquisition. Brunswick Groups Nick Cosgrove, Susan Gilchrist and Freya Semken represent Zurich Insurance. 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. Rubenstein Public Relations is renamed agency of record for Pactum, a leader in procurement innovation and agentic AI. As agency of record, RPR will implement a focused, strategic communications program designed to align all external communications with Pactums updated brand messaging framework, appealing to a wider audience and positioning Pactum as the company procurement professionals associate first with AI-powered negotiation. Pactums AI-powered negotiation platform lets large organizations automate and optimize high-volume, complex supplier negotiations, delivering audited savings, improved supplier relationships, and stronger resilience across global supply chains. Rubenstein Public Relations understands both the enterprise landscape and the scrutiny AI companies face. Together, we aim to advance a more transparent, data-driven conversation about what agentic AI can achieve in global procurement, said Pactum CEO Kaspar Korjus. SolComms, which works with startups and scale-ups across healthcare, consumer and technology, is representing Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, co-founders of poppi, a prebiotic soda brand that was acquired by PepsiCo last year. The agency is tasked with driving executive communications, which will encompass storytelling and personal brand building, media relations, thought leadership across major conferences and more. Following the PepsiCo acquisition, the Ellsworths are focused on advising consumer brands on marketing strategy, angel investing in companies across various sectors, and hitting the speaker circuit. SolComms shares our grit and hustle when it comes to public relations and brand marketing, and were looking forward to partnering with them as we begin writing our next chapter, said Allison and Stephen Ellsworth Trevelino/Keller signs on to provide a comprehensive communications strategy for CartiNova, an advanced regenerative medicine platform that offers minimally invasive, in-office knee and spine procedures as an alternative to traditional orthopedic surgery. Trevelino/Keller will work with the company to boost its visibility in Atlanta and expand its national reach. CartiNova's model emphasizes individualized treatment plans tailored to each patient's anatomy, activity level and performance goals. "I chose Trevelino/Keller for their experience in medical technology and disruptive companies. Their strategic approach to launching CartiNova and supporting my company's ongoing full-service needs aligned well with my vision to make CartiNova a differentiated brand in orthopedics," said CartiNova founder Dr. Trevor Turner. The monastic community based in Mount St Joseph's Abbey near Roscrea have announced they intend to relocate to Mellifont Abbey in County Louth following a vote last week. News that the monastic community intend to leave the Roscrea Abbey for their new "long-term home" in Mellifont was met with sadness locally on Monday in Offaly and North Tipperary. In January 2025, the Community of Our Lady of Silence, comprising the members of the former Cistercian Abbeys of Mount Melleray, Mount Saint Joseph, and Mellifont, made the decision to come together for an interim period at Mount Saint Joseph Abbey near Roscrea. "This arrangement afforded us the necessary space and time to reflect carefully on our long-term future and to engage in a prayerful process of discernment regarding a permanent home for the Community," Dom Rufus Pound OCSO Superior of Our Lady of Silence Abbey, said. "Last week, following a formal vote of the Conventual Chapter, the monastic community decided to relocate to Mellifont Abbey, Co. Louth, as our long-term home. We understand that this decision will bring great disappointment locally. READ NEXT: Tipperary and Offaly mourns loss of beloved Roscrea businessman "We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the wider community for its steadfast support, friendship, and generosity over many generations. The strong bonds formed here are enduring and deeply valued. "We anticipate that the transition will take place over at least the next eighteen months, allowing a proper opportunity to mark our departure and to say farewell in an appropriate and respectful manner," Dom Rufus said. Dom Rufus said a special word of appreciation is due the staff at the Abbey, whose dedication, professionalism, and loyalty have "supported our life and work in countless ways," he said. "For their generous commitment over so many years, we are profoundly grateful. We will now enter into diligent and respectful discussions with them, with the aim of supporting and guiding all through this period of transition. "We are committed to ensuring that appropriate provisions are made and that everyone is treated with fairness, dignity, and care. While we will no longer reside on the grounds we have shared for so long with Cistercian College, our bond remains strong and enduring. "We will continue in our role as Patrons and remain fully committed to the future of the College, to its mission, and to the ethos and values that have shaped generations of students," Dom Rufus Pound said. He added the monastic community has "every confidence" in the Board of Management and in the leadership of College President, Colm Maloney, and his team. Under their stewardship, the College will act as custodian of our shared heritage and will carry forward the legacy entrusted to it, ensuring that the values intrinsic to the Cistercian tradition continue to flourish in the years ahead, he said. "We were particularly encouraged by the decision to transition to a co-educational model and remain immensely proud of the Colleges legacy and its past pupils, whose contributions to both the monastic and wider community are beyond measure. Their loyalty, service, and faithfulness remain a source of encouragement to us all. "We recognise that our departure will offer new opportunities for the College to expand and grow, and we look forward to remaining partners in its continued development long into the future. "We ask the whole community of Roscrea to keep us in prayer as we take this significant step on our journey. Please be assured that you all remain close to our hearts and in our prayer. Difficult decisions require deep trust in God, and, with that trust, we move forward in faith, confident that the Lord has guided us on this path and will continue to do so in the years ahead. "With gratitude for the past and hope for what lies ahead, we entrust ourselves, the College, and the whole wider community of Roscrea to Gods faithful blessing and loving care," Dom Rufus Pound said. Colm Maloney, President of the Cistercian College Roscrea, said "this is an important moment in the shared history of the monks and the Cistercian College." The Cistercian College is preparing to transition to a co-educational model in September and welcome female students for the first time. READ NEXT: Green light for new cafe at Roscrea's Damer House The College President said he wants to offer "clear reassurance" the decision will not impact the "strength, leadership or future direction of the College." He said Dom Rufus will remain Patron of Cistercian College and said he has reaffirmed his full commitment to its future and assured his ongoing support for the Board of Management and College leadership. "This move will be deeply felt by parents, Pastment, students, staff and especially by the wider local community and personally by me. So many have grown up with Mount St. Joseph as part of their faith, family life and shared history," Mr Maloney said. "We are proud to be their living legacy here at Mount St. Joseph, carrying their mission forward into the future through the education and formation of young men and women. "This development also presents opportunities for the College to grow and expand, particularly as we prepare to transition to a co-educational model in September and welcome girls for the first time in our history," Mr Maloney said. "Our focus remains firmly on providing an outstanding education, strong pastoral care in boarding, a proud tradition in sport and music and a living Cistercian tradition for our students. "Cistercian College stands on strong foundations and looks to the future with confidence and clarity. We are grateful for the continued trust and support of our parents and Pastmen and for the enduring bond we share with the monastic community," The Cistercian College President, Mr Maloney said. Offaly County Councillor, Peter Ormond, told the Tribune that there is "sadness in the air throughout the community" as news broke that the community of Our Lady of Silence Abbey will relocate to Louth. Cllr Ormond said the monastic community made an enormous contribution to our area and will be sadly missed. "I want to take the opportunity to wish them every success and to thank them," he said. Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan, said It is with great sadness that I learned in recent days of the decision of the Cistercian Community of Our Lady of Silence Abbey, Roscrea (formerly Mount Saint Josephs Abbey), to relocate to Mellifont Abbey.Since 1878, the Cistercian Abbey has been an integral part of the pastoral life of the Diocese of Killaloe. "It holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Roscrea - those who prayed and worshipped there, the generations of pupils and staff associated with the school on the abbey grounds since 1905, and the many people who participated in spiritual retreats while availing of the outstanding hospitality of its welcoming guesthouse. The farm on the college grounds also formed an important part of the fabric of the local hinterland, he said. READ NEXT: New Dean Maxwell for Roscrea welcomed by RCDC Chairman The contribution of the monks and school staff to the life of education through the work of the boarding school is respected and appreciated all over the country and particularly with the strong sporting ethos. I and the diocese of Killaloe am grateful that the Cistercians will continue as patrons of the College and the Cistercian spirit will continue to animate its life. Perhaps the greatest gift given by Abbey is to the spiritual life of the Church. This has been immense with so many deepening their faith through interaction with the monastery. The constant availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the Abbey has been a great source of solas always. One is particularly mindful of the enduring spiritual legacy of people like Dom Eugene Boylan OCSO, former Abbot, whose writings continue to be widely read by students of prayer and spirituality throughout the world, he continued. While there is a deep sense of sadness and disappointment at local level, I understand that this decision follows a prolonged period of prayerful discernment and reflects the necessary rationalisation taking place in many areas of Church life at present. I express my sincere gratitude to Dom Rufus and to all members of the Cistercian Community, past and present, for their prayerful, contemplative, and pastoral presence in the Diocese of Killaloe. I assure them of my good wishes and prayers as they undertake this transition. The motto of Cistercian College, 'Insideat coelis animo sed corpore terris' - with the mind fixed on heaven, the body dwelling on earth - aptly captures the enduring witness of this community. May the monks continue to offer a prayerful and pastoral witness to Jesus Christ for as long as they remain in Ireland, said Bishop Monahan. A CALL has gone out to the general public of Birr and the wider region to bring along your vintage vehicle in support of a Bishop's charity visit to Birr. Bishop Michael Burrows is once again bringing his fundraising charity tour, which he calls his peregrinations, around the Diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe and will be in Birr this Friday March 6th. People are invited to bring their vintage vehicles (of any sort, whether car, tractor or bike) to Oxmantown Mall at 1 o'clock on Friday the 6th where the Bishop will view the vehicles and chat with the owners. Then everybody will proceed into St Brendan's Church for hymn singing at 1.30. Rev Arthur Minion is asking those with any questions to please contact him on his mobile 086 8251065. All are welcome to this special event, he told The Midland Tribune, whether you have a vehicle or not. As well as cars and tractors, lawnmowers and small machines will also be welcome. In 2023 the Bishop peregrinated around the Diocese over a number of days, during which he met many people who gave generously for a number of good causes. It was a slightly eccentric form of sponsored activity on my part, said the Bishop, but it was very fruitful in financial, sociable and indeed spiritual terms. And it seemed to bind the Diocese harmoniously together in a common task. Now in Lent 2026 I am doing something similar again. The funds raised will be divided evenly into three parts. One third will go to Embrace FARM, the charity that works to support farm families in Ireland where there is crisis, sudden death, life-changing accident or suicide. Another third will go towards agencies working to assist the suffering people in Gaza. The final third will go towards the Bishops' Appeal, the church's own trusted and effective agency in the areas of World Development and Emergency Relief. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com . To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here I've only shot a gun once in my life. When I went to camp as a kid, there was a rifle range and, at age 12 or 13, I shot 22s at a target. And I've only had a gun in an apartment I lived in once. When my father, a World War II veteran, died in 1983, I spent time in the New York apartment my parents had moved to after I went off to college. I began cleaning out his closet and, among all the war memorabilia he had (including his Air Force hat, his canteen, piles of wartime documents, and so much else), was an unloaded pistol, which I turned over to the New York City police. And I only remember someone arriving at my house with a gun once -- when my wife mistakenly called the police, thinking there was a crisis in our building and a couple of policemen appeared at our door with holstered pistols. That makes me a distinct anomaly. After all, here are the figures that Ammo.com offers: there are an estimated 500 million -- no, that is not a typo! -- guns in private hands in the United States (only six million of which are registered). It's estimated that almost 83 million Americans (and 43% of all households) owned at least one firearm in 2023. And civilians in this country, according to Wikipedia, "account for an estimated 393 million (about 46%) of the worldwide total of civilian-held firearms." (No other country on this planet, it seems, has nearly as many firearms per citizen in private hands.) Oh, and in 2024, more than 44,000 Americans died from gunshot wounds (which, believe it or not, was down slightly from 2023), with gun deaths outnumbering motor vehicle fatalities for eight straight years. Oh (again!), and as The Trace reports, "Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, his administration has cut funding for gun violence research, slashed grants to intervention programs, and ended the Biden administration's zero-tolerance policy for lawbreaking gun dealers." And if that doesn't take your breath away, I wonder what possibly could! Well, with that in mind, let me suggest that you check out TomDispatch regular and author of the new novel The Angle of Falling Light Beverly Gologorsky's latest piece on our distinctly over-armed nation in this grim Trumpian moment when ICE officers are shooting down American citizens in our streets. Tom Why Guns? From Personal Power to Autocracy in Donald Trump's America By Beverly Gologorsky Power is felt, attributed, invisible, all-important, descriptive, without shape, and so much more. There is personal power, governmental power, and the collective power of the people. Power can be bought, sold, traded, bestowed, even rescinded. It can be good or bad, positive or corrupt.However you might wish to describe power, one thing is clear: how it's used depends on the society in which we live. At present, of course, our society is one in which President Donald J. Trump is the quintessential seeker of power, a man who needs power the way most of us need food. And as it happens, he has at his beck and call not just the entire military establishment, but ICE (and so much more). With him in the White House, power is distinctly in fashion. Personal Power Married and with children, my brother, who was a veteran, kept guns in his basement. "To hunt," he told me when I objected.But he didn't hunt, not in Nassau County where he lived, not by taking part in a sport that cost money he didn't have to travel somewhere, get licenses, and who knows what else. Did he keep guns because he felt afraid? Absolutely not, he insisted. Was his neighborhood one with many break-ins? No, he assured me.So, why did he need weapons in his basement?He couldn't say, except that it was important to him to own them. Why? I kept asking him.As a soldier, he reminded me, he had been taught that without his gun he was in danger of being killed. Had he been a man of means, that inculcation wouldn't, I suspect, have been as powerful, but he wasn't and never did feel empowered. He's gone now, but his world isn't. Guns remain as much a staple in the United States as potatoes. Well-off families keep guns, too, hopefully in locked places and have the money to buy hunting rifles, licenses, and whatever other paraphernalia they need. But in the United States today, all too many guns -- sometimes even untraceable "ghost guns" -- aren't locked in boxes, but carried by young people on the streets and even sometimes into schools. The guns on the streets of inner cities, in rural areas, and even in some suburbs are all too often unlicensed stolen ones. And a desire/need to be seen/known/heard all too often leads to someone shooting others with one of those weapons in a mall, movie theater, or school. Nearly 47,000 people died of gun-related injuries in this country in 2023. Such shootings occur more often in the United States than in any other nation. Why? Under the Trump administration, when more is taken away from so many people than given to them, guns offer those who carry them a reprieve from a sense of powerlessness over their daily lives and futures. Many of them are young people alienated by a society that cares little about their well-being. With gun in hand, they experience steadiness, security, and yes, hope (however false it may prove to be). Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Costa Rica, March 3, 2026 - Leading cryptocurrency exchange Bitrue has today launched its brand new XRP trading event with more than 70,000 XRP in By Alimat Aliyeva Facing thousands of cheering supporters, 35-year-old Balendra Shah lifted his signature black rectangular sunglasses, met the crowds gaze, and said simply: I love you, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. It is a sentiment that millions of young Nepalis seem eager to return. Balen as he is popularly known was virtually unknown until 2013, when he skyrocketed to fame as a rap sensation almost overnight. Nearly a decade later, in May 2022, he stunned Nepals deeply entrenched political establishment by winning the mayoralty of Kathmandu as an independent candidate. When the Himalayan nation of 30 million erupted in mass protests against then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in September 2025, Balen emerged as a prominent supporter of the movement. Many Gen Z activists saw him as their first choice for interim leadership after Olis resignation. Instead, he backed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki a strategic move that is now seen as highly tactical. As Nepal approaches its first election since the protests, and with Karkis brief tenure ending, Balen is positioning himself as the countrys next potential prime minister. True to his unconventional style, he is making a bold statement: he is contesting the parliamentary elections from Jhapa-5, roughly 300 km (186 miles) southeast of Kathmandu, against Oli, the man protesters ousted just five months ago. On paper, the odds seem stacked against him. The region is a stronghold of Oli and the Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML). Balen is running as a candidate of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a centrist party founded less than four years ago, which won 10% of the national vote in the 2022 elections. Balens brash public style criticizing mainstream parties, India, China, and the United States, and threatening to burn down symbols of power in Nepal has drawn both praise and skepticism about his readiness for high office. Yet he defied the critics when he captured the Kathmandu mayoralty. Analysts say that for many young Nepalis, Balen represents a breath of fresh air in a country where over 40% of the population is under 35, but the leadership of major parties is entrenched in their 70s. Young Nepalis see him as a decisive actor, not beholden to traditional political or business interests, said Pranaya Rana, a journalist with the Kalam Weekly newsletter. Many admire his macho persona and willingness to challenge entrenched political networks. Observers note that Balens mix of charisma, outsider appeal, and confrontational style has turned him into a symbol of generational change, potentially reshaping Nepalese politics for years to come. " " Email security is more important than you think. LAONG / Shutterstock If you are searching for the most secure email service, you are really asking one question: Who can read your email messages? In an age of constant internet traffic, sensitive data, and multiple online accounts tied to a single inbox, email security matters more than ever. Advertisement A secure email service uses strong encryption technology, protects encryption keys, and aims to protect user privacy. Here are 10 options for privacy conscious users who want secure communication without giving up a user friendly interface. Metsa Fibre's Joutseno pulp mill has the capacity to produce 690,000 tonnes per year of high-quality softwood pulp. Metsa Fibre's Joutseno pulp mill has the capacity to produce 690,000 tonnes per year of high-quality softwood pulp. Metsa Fibre to Take Market-Related Production Downtime at Joutseno Pulp Mill March 3, 2026 - Metsa Fibre announced that it is initiating a production shutdown at its Joutseno pulp mill in Finland on March 31. Metsa Fibre said the production shutdown will be used to "adjust pulp production to match the current uncertain demand situation in the Asian markets." The Joutseno pulp mill has the capacity to produce 690,000 tonnes per year of high-quality softwood pulp, which is used as raw material for paperboard, tissue and printing papers, as well as specialty products. The mill's pulp is made of both sawmill chips and Nordic pine and spruce. "We are monitoring the market situation, and the decision to restart production will be made based on it," the company said. This will be the second market-related shutdown of the Joutseno pulp mill in the past nine months. The mill was shut down from June of 2025 until its restart on December 8. Metsa Fibre, a member of the Metsa Group, is a leading producer of wood-based bioproducts, such as pulp, sawn timber, biochemicals and bioenergy. The company produces pulp and bioproducts at four mills and sawn timber products at four sawmills in Finland. SOURCE: Metsa Fibre The Japan Rail train or the JR train is one of the best ways to travel around Japan, but even though the train is fast and easy, things can still go wrong. Things like leaving one of your bags on the train? Just like I did with a Shupatto bag I forgot I had stored in the overhead rack. After all, you have a shorter amount of time to get off the train compared to a place, but the train leaves for the next stop pretty much immediately. That means you wont be able to run in or ask a staff member to get it for you once you get off the train. I didnt even realize I had left one of my bags until about ten minutes after. The language barrier made it a little difficult at first to figure out how to get my bag back, but once I figured it out, it was pretty easy to retrieve it. Heres how I retrieved my lost bag, and other options if this particular method doesnt work for you. First, keep your ticket for all the information Its important to have all the information about the trip in order to retrieve your bag, so the best thing to do is keep your ticket handy. Theyll need information on the train line you took, the date and time you took it, and ideally your seat number and where you left the item. Of course, youll need to provide a detailed description of the item you left as well. Option 1: Pick it up at the final stop This is the option that I ended up going for. Any bags left on the train will be unloaded by the staff once the train reaches the final stop. They generally keep the items for seven days, after which point the items get turned over to the regional police station. Im not sure how to get your item back if it reaches this stage, so youll definitely want to contact JR immediately once you realize you left your stuff behind. Dont wait a few days. Advertisement Advertisement In my case, the trains final stop was about an hour away from where I originally got off, so I decided to take the next train to the end of the line. Fortunately, I had a JR Pass so I didnt have to pay again for the extra trip. The Lost & Found counter at Akita Station (Fiona Chandra) Once you get to the final station, youll want to find the Lost & Found counter. In my case, this was very easy to spot as it was a small station. The counter is marked in English and there was a staff member sitting at the desk. I gave them a description of my bag and the train I was on, and they immediately got the bag. They knew immediately which bag I was talking about and where it was. I then had to fill out and sign a form (basically a receipt indicating theyve handed the bag to me), but all in all it only took me five minutes after getting off the train to get my bag. Then I was off on the next train back to my actual destination. Option 2: Get a courier to deliver it If you dont have time to take the train to the terminus yourself, you can get your bag delivered to you (youd have to pay for the courier service). To do this, youll need to call the right JR Lost and Found Center or contact them via chat. By the right center, I mean that there are different contacts whether you were on a JR East, JR Central or JR West train when you lost your bag. With the courier service, it might take a couple of days or more to get the item delivered. I wasnt able to use this option as I was only staying at one location for one night at a time, so it was risky as the bag might arrive after Ive left for my next destination. For me it had made more sense to travel directly to the final stop on my own, but depending on the situation, you can opt for the courier service instead. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Areas of fog early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 81F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. 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. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 62F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Mostly cloudy with some showers this afternoon. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 62F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-03 04:05:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 544 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY AND NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / March 2, 2026 /Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with substantial losses that they have untilMarch 23, 2026to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between November 19, 2024 and August 4, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of BellRing and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-brbr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byMarch 23, 2026 .About the LawsuitBellRing and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On May 6, 2025, the Company disclosed that "several key retailers lowered their weeks of supply on hand, which is expected to be a mid-single-digit headwind to our third quarter growth," and that "[w]e now expect Q3 sales growth of low single digits." On this news, the price of BellRing's shares fell $14.88 per share, or 19%, from $78.43 per share on May 5, 2025, to close at $63.55 per share on May 6, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume.Then, on August 4, 2025, post-market, the Company reported its fiscal 3Q 2025 financial results, disclosing a disappointing new 2025 sales outlook, stating "BellRing management has narrowed its fiscal year 2025 outlook for net sales to [a] range between $2.28-$2.32 billion," due to "several other competitors" gaining space to sell their products with a large retailer and that "it is not surprising to see new protein RTDs enter[ed]" the convenient nutrition market. On this news, the price of BellRing's shares fell $17.46 per share, or nearly 33%, from $53.64 per share on August 4, 2025, to $36.18 per share on August 5, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume.The case is Denha v. BellRing Brands, Inc., No. 26-cv-00575.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action ServicesTo learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedInSOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-03 04:10:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 479 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY AND NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / March 2, 2026 /Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., notifies investors in Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. ("Kyndryl" or the "Company") (NYSE:KD) of a class action securities lawsuit.CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of investors of Kyndryl who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between August 7, 2024 and February 9, 2026. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:Kyndryl investors should contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850, or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-kd/ to learn more.CASE DETAILS: On February 9, 2026, the Company disclosed that it would be unable to timely file its Form 10-Q Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 and that "the Company anticipates reporting material weaknesses in the Company's internal control over financial reporting for the period covered in the Quarterly Report, as well as for the full fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, and the first two fiscal quarters of fiscal year 2026, which are expected to include, but may not be limited to, the effectiveness and strength of certain functions at the Company, including with respect to controls related to information and communication and tone at the top," as well as the departure of its C.F.O and General Counsel. On this news, the price of Kyndryl's shares fell $12.90 per share, or 55%, to close at $10.59 on February 9, 2026.The case is Brander v. Kyndryl Holdings, Inc., et al., No. 26-cv-00782.WHAT TO DO? If you invested in Kyndryl and suffered a loss during the relevant time frame, you have until April 13, 2026 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff; however, your ability to share in any recovery does not require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action ServicesTo learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedInSOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC The Tomorrow Company Launches With a Bold Mandate to Build the Infrastructure Layer of the AI-Native Financial Era. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-03 16:14:34 Press Information Published by ACN Newswire +65 6304 8926 e-mail https://www.acnnewswire.com/ # 856 Words ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926 Vancouver, BC, Mar 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - The Tomorrow Company (TMRW) today announced the completion of its strategic merger with Carbon Distributed Technologies AG (CUT) and Plato Technologies Inc., forming an integrated Web3 infrastructure platform positioned at the convergence of artificial intelligence, tokenized real-world assets, and programmable climate markets.The Company is launching with a clear conviction: the next decade of value creation in digital finance will belong to those who build and own infrastructure not interfaces. Systems that are programmable. Intelligence that is embedded. Assets that are verifiable. Rails that institutions can scale on.Global markets are entering a structural transformation. Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded into capital allocation, enterprise operations, and regulatory oversight. Digital assets are evolving from trading vehicles into programmable utility frameworks capable of moving value instantly and transparently. Climate accountability is moving from narrative commitments to measurable, auditable instrumentation.The Tomorrow Company is designed to operate at the intersection of these structural shifts and to grow with them. The merger unites two powerful and complementary platforms.CUT Carbon Distributed Technologies AG contributes a tokenized carbon utility framework structured around verifiability, traceability, and retirement mechanics. Built within Liechtensteins Blockchain Act framework and deployed on Ethereum Mainnet, CUTs model emphasizes measurable CO reduction linkage and immutable audit trails across issuance, transfer, and retirement. As regulators, institutions, and global enterprises demand higher standards of disclosure and impact validation, programmable carbon infrastructure becomes foundational to next-generation capital markets.Paul Thomson, Co-Founder of CUT Carbon Distributed Technologies AG, commented:Tokenized commodities are moving from intention to instrumentation. For tokenized carbon credits, what matters now is verifiabilitytraceable assets, defensible controls, and retirement mechanics that stand up to real scrutiny. By integrating into The Tomorrow Companys broader infrastructure platform, we believe we can accelerate adoption and bring institutional-grade carbon instrumentation to global markets. Complementing this climate utility layer is Plato Technologies Inc., which brings an AI-driven intelligence engine purpose-built to convert fragmented global data into deployable, decision-ready workflows. Platos vertically focused intelligence products are designed for repeat enterprise usage and global distribution, with an operating discipline centered on scalable infrastructure and cost efficiency.Bryan Feinberg, CEO and Founder of Plato Technologies Inc., stated:AI is only transformative when it moves from insight to execution. This merger connects measurable data verticals with a distribution-driven intelligence engine designed to operate at scale. The opportunity ahead is not incremental it is to embed AI directly into the infrastructure layer of emerging digital markets. The Tomorrow Company is structured as a diversified Web3 infrastructure holding platform with multiple reinforcing value engines. The strategy extends beyond a single asset class or vertical. Leadership intends to expand tokenized asset frameworks beyond carbon into additional real-world asset categories where verifiability and programmability unlock new liquidity. The Company plans to accelerate the deployment of vertical AI intelligence products across sectors where data fragmentation creates inefficiencies. It also intends to pursue selective acquisitions and integrations aligned with durable utility, regulatory alignment, and institutional capital flows.Management believes that over the coming years, the convergence of AI and tokenization will redefine how capital is raised, allocated, verified, and measured. Markets will increasingly reward platforms that can demonstrate programmable accountability, embedded intelligence, and infrastructure resilience. TMRWs long-term objective is to build a compounding portfolio of infrastructure assets that operate beneath market cycles generating value through adoption, integration, and scale rather than volatility.The Companys growth roadmap includes expanding institutional partnerships, deepening blockchain-native infrastructure capabilities, and deploying AI systems that integrate directly into financial and enterprise workflows. As tokenized real-world assets and AI-native markets expand globally, The Tomorrow Company aims to position itself as a foundational infrastructure layer enabling new asset classes, accelerating measurable climate action, and embedding intelligence into digital capital flows.This launch represents the beginning of an expansion strategy, not its culmination. The leadership of The Tomorrow Company believes that the coming cycle will see a dramatic re-rating of infrastructure-layer platforms that combine regulatory alignment, programmable assets, and deployable AI systems. TMRW is entering the market with the ambition to help define that category.About The Tomorrow CompanyThe Tomorrow Company is a Web3 infrastructure and digital asset holding company focused on building foundational rails for the AI-native financial era. Through strategic acquisitions, tokenized utility frameworks, and vertically deployable intelligence products, TMRW seeks to architect scalable systems designed for institutional-grade adoption and long-term compounding growth.About CUT Carbon Distributed Technologies AGCUT Carbon Distributed Technologies AG operates CUT.eco , a tokenized carbon utility platform focused on verification, traceability, and transparent retirement mechanics under Liechtensteins blockchain regulatory framework.About Plato Technologies Inc.Plato Technologies Inc. develops AI-powered, vertically focused intelligence products designed to transform aggregated global data into deployable workflows and scalable Web3 AI capabilities.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements relating to anticipated strategic benefits, expansion initiatives, market opportunities, and future performance. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by law.ContactBryan Feinberg / COOThe Tomorrow Companybf@ tmrw-digital.com The International Energy Agency (IEA) says it is prepared to help stabilise the global oil market amid rising prices triggered by the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, according to a report by Bloomberg. Oil prices have trended upward since US President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of military action against Iran following stalled negotiations over the Gulf countrys nuclear programme. The rally intensified after the conflict escalated at the weekend. Brent crude has sustained its upward momentum since hostilities broke out, heightening concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East. The escalation has led to destruction, fatalities and humanitarian concerns in the region, while also rattling global energy markets. Gas and other petroleum product prices have increased amid fears of disruptions to crude oil and condensate shipments. On Monday, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria quietly adjusted its petrol gantry price. By Tuesday, several filling stations in Abuja had adjusted pump prices upward, reflecting the strain in product supply and higher landing costs. Market watchers attribute part of the disruption to constraints around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. IEA emergency stockpiles According to a document prepared by the IEA and seen by Bloomberg News, member countries collectively hold more than one billion barrels in emergency stockpiles. While oil production in the region remains largely unaffected, the agency noted in a document dated 2 March that flows through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as liquefied natural gas production, have been significantly impacted. The IEA is scheduled to hold a meeting at 2 p.m. Paris time to assess developments in the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter. The agency coordinates global releases of oil inventories during periods of market disruption. Although the document states that the IEA can bring additional supply to the market when necessary, it does not outline any immediate plan to do so, noting that the market is adequately supplied for now. It was reported that the organisation has coordinated five emergency stock releases over the past 35 years during the 1991 Gulf War, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, during the 2011 Libyan uprising, and twice following Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Oil futures climbed above $85 per barrel on Tuesday for the first time since July 2024, as the conflict intensified and a fire at a major storage facility in the United Arab Emirates heightened concerns about risks to critical energy infrastructure. Earlier on Sunday, the OPEC+ alliance agreed to a modest production increase, with key members of the bloc such as Saudi Arabia boosting exports. However, analysts say the move has not been sufficient to calm the market, particularly as shipping constraints through the Strait of Hormuz limit supply flexibility. The IEA comprises 32 member countries within the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, including the United States, Germany and Japan. Members are required to maintain emergency oil stockpiles equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports. Popular documentary photographer and biker, Orowole Kola Onifoto Kolapo, has died. He was 35. News of the former military officers death broke on Monday evening, with friends and associates confirming the development on social media, where tributes poured in. On Sunday, Kola Onifoto announced on his Facebook page that he was embarking on a solo motorcycle ride from Lagos State to Akure, Ondo State. Although authorities had yet to issue an official statement as of press time, some of his friends said he died following a motorcycle accident in Lagos. Journalist Shina Oludare confirmed the news on his X page, revealing that he spoke with him shortly before his death. According to Oludare, their conversation centred on the power bike he had recently acquired. We were just talking about that same power bike yesterday and now it has taken you from us. I never imagined that moment would be our last goodbye. Good night, my dear friend, Kola Onifoto. I will always remember how fiercely and fearlessly you lived, he wrote. Kola Onifoto Meanwhile, Punch newspaper reported that Kola had been involved in an accident and had been initially rushed to the Federal Road Safety Corps emergency unit at 7UP, Ojota. He was later transferred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, before news of his death emerged. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that on 15 January, Kola Onifoto posted that he had fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams by becoming a biker. He announced the milestone by posting a photograph of himself standing beside his newly acquired motorcycle on his social media pages. He wrote, I recently became a new biker. One of my life dreams clocked and achieved! I wont fall and die on this -Amen! Aside from being a biker, hes known as an Uber driver, a writer, and a naval officer. Tributes Friends of Kola Onifoto and several social media users who knew him took to their respective platforms to mourn his passing and pay heartfelt tributes. Below are some of the messages shared in his honour. Oni Foto was warned several times by people that loved him but he never listened, Lots of people were genuinely worried about his safety. It is well. Rest well kolapo https://t.co/7QGHe6XSer pic.twitter.com/rX1sJCHFes Uba (@isdoreTech) March 3, 2026 An actual soldier, life hit. He left and started street photography. He did it passionately and creatively, life hit. He started cab driving To contribute to the world around him, he started social media activism. E don tey wey person death shake me like this, e don tey. pic.twitter.com/pKJMqPwyXL NWA-ADA NNEWI SOUTH (@NWA_ADA_NNEWI) March 2, 2026 Kola Onifoto Very rugged guy, good night! SarkinFOTO (@FotoNugget) March 2, 2026 Rest in peace, Kola Onifoto. Rest easy! https://t.co/oFBYgIQy0s Titiloye Kikiope (@Olamide_Kiki) March 3, 2026 Knew Kola Onifoto from Facebook. He wrote so beautifully. When I saw him on blogs, I froze, resurrected my Facebook account and confirmed it. I pray his soul rests in peace Tamunoboma (@tamunoo_boma) March 3, 2026 Kola was a good man and a good friend. Its so hard to bear this loss. May his soul find eternal rest, Amen. https://t.co/uQpHbexjOi Akuabatalum (@Chimdimma92) March 3, 2026 I login to Facebook, only to see people typing RIP to Kola Onifoto Like how?? I watched his live video yesterday morning, he was so full of life. Kola is always fighting to help people retrieve their debts on Facebook. What exactly is life?? Why are we really here?? pic.twitter.com/4wkLKUMArC divya (@KunnujiC) March 2, 2026 Rest on Kola Onifoto.I may not know you personally but I rem meeting you @SlawGOlaide wedding You have a charisma thats highly contagious and definitely one of the very few down to earth and real guys I have ever metto think you didnt die whilst serving as a soldier pic.twitter.com/xwxogcqjcE Oke Samuel (@Sarhmkhinhg) March 3, 2026 The management of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has promised to track down and prosecute the producers of the same sex movie, The Best Guy. The movie, which has been trending on the internet, is generating questions about the legality or illegality of producing LGBTQ movies in the country. It is not the first time the Boards management has clamped down on producers of restricted content in Nigeria. In 2020, the government agency promised to track down the producers of the lesbian-themed movie, Ije and all those involved in it. Prosecution Reacting to the movie, the Executive Director of the Board, Shaib Husseini, said that although he has yet to see it, he has directed his operations team to track it, after which a formal report will be submitted to YouTube, where it is streaming. In a chat with PREMIUM TIMES, the Executive Director said that the Board will obtain information on the producers and pass it on to the respective law enforcement agency, which will take it from there. Nobody has the right to distribute same-sex movies in this country, and the movie did not pass through us for classification. Thats what we keep telling filmmakers: irrespective of the platform, the law says that once you produce a film or video, you must submit it to the Censors Board for registration and classification. If that film had been sent to us, we would have restricted it. It would get an R rating, which is restricted, because in this territory, the law says that you cannot be seen to be promoting same sex movies, he said. He also gave an example of a similar case in which the case was handed over to the police, but the movie producers settled, promising not to produce or promote such content again. The Best Guy Produced by Omeleme Studios and directed by Akpos Otubuere, the movie stars a small cast of Melvin Oduah, Edson Obi, Daniel Uzor, Ayanime Edem, Grace Abah and Chukwudi Udoye Eternal In The Best Guy, Reverend Peter (Melvin Oduah) is hours away from getting married, and his secret romantic partner Leslie (Edson Obi) is scared that it might be the end of their relationship. Unable to bear the thought of sharing him with a woman, Leslie ends things. After an emotionally charged disagreement, the reverend proposes to Leslie, his assistant. In a twist of events, Leslie finds out that his mans wife-to-be is not only in on their relationship but has greenlighted the proposal. The UN education agency, UNESCO, says the bombing of a primary school during the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law. Israel and the United States had on Saturday launched a major attack on Iran, killing Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The missiles reportedly destroyed a girls primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing around 150 and wounding almost 100. Many students are believed to be among the dead. In a statement on Monday, UNESCO expressed deep alarm at the impact of the military attacks, which continued into Sunday, and noted that pupils in a place dedicated to learning are protected under international humanitarian law, and that attacks against educational institutions endanger students and teachers and undermine the right to education. UNESCO joined a host of bodies from across the United Nations system and senior officials, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to condemn the military attacks, as well as the retaliatory strikes by Iran that hit several Middle Eastern countries. United Nations Messenger of Peace and Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai announced that she was heartbroken and appalled by the bombing of the school. The killing of civilians, especially children, is unconscionable, and I condemn it unequivocally, she said in a social media post, and called for the escalation of violence across the region to end, and for justice and accountability to follow. All states and parties must uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians and safeguard schools, she wrote. Every child deserves to live and learn in peace. Malala became an international symbol of the fight for girls education after she was shot in 2012 for opposing Taliban restrictions on female education in her home country of Pakistan. (NAN) Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, the Nigerian embassy in Kuwait has urged citizens in the region to take safety precautions to avoid becoming casualties. The Nigerian Mission, in a statement shared by an official on Tuesday but dated 1 March, said it is closely monitoring the situation, noting that Nigerians residing in or visiting the region must also do the same. It urged the Nigerian community in Kuwait and Bahrain to monitor local news and official Kuwaiti and Bahraini Government announcements. In view of the prevailing circumstances in the region, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the State of Kuwait with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain, wishes to advise all Nigerian nationals in both countries to remain vigilant, observe safety guidelines, advisories from the host (official) governments, and remain calm at all times, the statement read. Continuous US-Israel attack on Iran, and Irans responses targeting US facilities across the Gulf has made the region volatile. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Irans retaliatory attacks have targeted Gulf countries that host US bases. The strikes have affected ports, hotels and apartment buildings in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, and also Oman, a country that has served as an intermediary between Iran and the US. Early Tuesday morning, the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, caught fire after being hit by two suspected Iranian drones. READ ALSO: Dangote Refinery increases gantry price of petrol amid Middle East war The State Department confirmed that the embassy was struck by two UAVs that hit the roof and the perimeter of the chancery, according to the Wall Street Journal. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that the Kuwait Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in the strongest terms. It described the attack as treacherous and a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws. The ministry reiterates its affirmation of the State of Kuwaits right to take all necessary measures and actions to protect its security, the safety of its territories, its citizens, and the residents therein, it said. The US has now shut its embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and also asked its citizens to leave over a dozen Middle East countries, including Israel. Nigeria is preparing to introduce lenacapavir, a new twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention that global health experts say could significantly strengthen efforts to curb new infections. The injection, which offers an alternative to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is expected to arrive in Nigeria in March 2026, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). The agency says regulatory clearance has already been secured from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), while readiness assessments have been completed in 10 states, including Lagos, Kano, Akwa Ibom and Anambra. The introduction follows a landmark recommendation by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in July 2025 endorsing injectable lenacapavir as an additional HIV prevention option. What is Lenacapavir? Lenacapavir is a long-acting antiretroviral medicine that targets the HIV capsid, a protein shell that protects the virus and plays a key role in viral replication. By interfering with this capsid, the drug prevents HIV from replicating and establishing infection after exposure. Unlike daily oral PrEP, which must be taken consistently to remain effective, lenacapavir is administered as an injection once every six months. This reduces the burden of daily medication to just two doses per year. According to WHO, the long-acting injectable offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative for people at substantial risk of HIV infection, particularly those who face challenges with adherence, stigma, or limited access to health services. Global backing, WHO recommendation Lenacapavir gained international attention after trial results demonstrated substantial protection against HIV infection among high-risk populations. In July 2025, the WHO formally recommended the injectable as an additional PrEP option during the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda. The agency stressed that the injection should complement and not replace existing prevention tools such as oral PrEP and condoms. The recommendation came at a time when global HIV prevention efforts were showing signs of stagnation. According to the WHO, 1.3 million new HIV infections were recorded worldwide in 2024, while approximately 40.8 million people were living with HIV. About 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes that year, with nearly 65 per cent of those living with HIV residing in the WHO African Region. UNAIDS also welcomed the development, describing innovative prevention tools as essential to reversing new infections globally. Affordability breakthrough Despite its scientific promise, lenacapavirs initial cost created major access concerns. In high-income markets, the drugs annual list price was estimated at around $28,000 per person per year. However, in September 2025, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria joined other countries in announcing a major price-reduction agreement at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting. Under the arrangement, the cost of the twice-yearly injection was reduced to about $40 per person per year for eligible low- and middle-income countries. Following the rollout of the drug in South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia, marking the first public use of the twice-yearly injectable in Africa, Nigeria announced plans to adopt the drug in December 2025. Data shows the drug reduces HIV transmission by 99.9 per cent, making it one of the most effective prevention tools to date. Why it matters for Nigeria HIV remains a significant public health issue in Nigeria. According to data cited by NACA and global health partners, HIV prevalence among Nigerians aged 15 to 49 stands at 1.3 per cent, with an estimated 1.9 million people living with the virus. Nigeria has made progress in expanding treatment. Globally, the WHO reports that 31.6 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2024, up from 30.3 million in 2023. In Nigeria, more people living with HIV are enrolled in care than ever before, and the country has recorded a decline in new infections over the past decade. However, prevention gaps remain. Daily oral PrEP, which has been available for more than a decade, requires strict adherence. Globally, uptake has been limited, partly due to stigma, daily pill fatigue, and access barriers. Long-acting injectables like lenacapavir could help address these challenges by offering a more discreet and convenient option. Populations expected to benefit most include adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and other key and priority populations identified by WHO. Nigerias rollout plans According to NACA, preparations for rollout are ongoing. The agency says landscape and readiness assessments have been completed in selected states to evaluate service delivery capacity. A national training of trainers has also been conducted, followed by step-down training for healthcare workers in implementation states. Information and communication materials are also being developed to support awareness and demand generation ahead of distribution, according to the agency. READ ALSO: Court jails two over adulterated alcohol production in Lagos NACAs Director-General, Temitope Ilori, has described the introduction of lenacapavir as part of an effort to build a more sustainable and self-reliant HIV response, particularly amid global funding uncertainties. The federal government has also approved additional funding to support uninterrupted HIV prevention and treatment services. The expected arrival of lenacapavir in March 2026 marks an important milestone in Nigerias HIV prevention efforts. With twice-yearly dosing and the reduced price for low- and middle-income countries, the injection could expand access to protection for people who struggle with daily medication. A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted two men for producing and distributing adulterated alcoholic beverages, sentencing them to a combined 40 years imprisonment. The conviction was announced by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on its X account on Monday, following an enforcement operation conducted on 3 December 2025 at Kojo Street, Ijanikin, and the Vespa Market in Lagos. The conviction The convicts, Otuorimuno Nelson Aziakpono, 58, and Ikegwuonu Davidson Ikechukwu, 28, were found guilty of offences relating to the production, possession, sale and distribution of adulterated and unregistered alcoholic drinks. According to NAFDAC, enforcement officers recovered counterfeit and unregistered variants of popular brands, including Hennessy, Jameson Irish Whiskey, William Lawsons and Gordons. The agency said the products were unwholesome, misleadingly packaged and unsafe for consumption. The defendants were arraigned on eight counts bordering on possession of unwholesome products, manufacture and distribution of counterfeit beverages, and related offences under applicable laws. NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health, warning of the serious risks associated with adulterated alcoholic products. The agency said it would intensify enforcement nationwide and urged the public to report suspicious products or activities to the nearest NAFDAC office. Wider regulatory push The conviction comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of alcohol and drug distribution across Nigeria. This year, NAFDAC announced a phased ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small bottles, citing concerns over rising alcohol abuse, particularly among young people. The policy has since generated backlash from segments of the alcohol industry and some groups, who argue that it could lead to job losses and economic hardship. However, the agency has maintained that the measure is a public health intervention aimed at reducing access to cheap, high-strength alcohol and curbing abuse. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Drugs and Illicit Trafficking has commended NAFDAC for its efforts in combating drug abuse and regulating medicines nationwide. The committee, led by Timehin Adelegbe, said it is working to strengthen legislative measures aimed at curbing illicit drug trafficking and alcohol abuse across the country, reaffirming the National Assemblys support for tighter regulatory enforcement. The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), will enrol one million vulnerable residents under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. The initiative aims to expand access to essential healthcare services and strengthen financial risk protection for indigent and underserved populations across Kano State. The decision was reached on Monday in Kano during a meeting of senior technical officials and stakeholders reviewing operational frameworks, beneficiary targeting, data harmonisation and implementation plans. The Executive Secretary of KSCHMA, Rahila Muktar, described the initiative as a major step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage in the state. Ms Muktar said enrolling one million vulnerable residents marks a transformative milestone towards universal health coverage. We are committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and data integrity throughout the process, she said. She added that the exercise aligns with the present administrations healthcare reform agenda and would significantly reduce out-of-pocket health expenditure among vulnerable groups. Earlier, the NHIA State Coordinator, Adamu Abdullahi, said the authority is ready to provide regulatory guidance and technical support to ensure compliance with national standards. Mr Abdullahi said sustained collaboration between federal and state institutions is critical to strengthening healthcare financing reforms and achieving measurable health outcomes. He noted that the partnership would enhance coordination and improve service delivery at the primary healthcare level. Mr Abdullahi said the agencies agreed to finalise beneficiary validation using the National Social Register and deploy harmonised digital enrolment tools. He added that refresher training would be conducted for field registration officers, alongside a joint monitoring framework and statewide sensitisation campaign to boost participation. (NAN) The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised alarm over rising underage drinking in Nigeria, revealing that more than half of minors purchase alcohol on their own. Mrs Adeyeye disclosed this at a joint press briefing by NAFDAC and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja on Tuesday. In a statement issued after the briefing, she described alcohol as one of the most widely abused substances among youths, noting that increased availability, production, importation and consumption across age groups have worsened access among minors. National survey findings Citing a 2021 national survey conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the NAFDAC boss said the findings showed alarming levels of access and consumption among underaged persons. The survey, sponsored by DIBAN and carried out by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, between June and August 2021, involved 1,788 respondents across six states representing the countrys six geo-political zones. According to the findings, 54.3 per cent of minors and underaged respondents obtain alcohol themselves. About 49.9 per cent patronise retailers selling drinks in sachets and PET bottles. Similarly, 49.9 per cent access alcohol from friends and relatives, 45.9 per cent at social gatherings, and 21.7 per cent from their parents homes. Smaller proportions purchase from liquor stores (15.4 per cent), restaurants (12.6 per cent) and supermarkets (7.9 per cent). Among those who buy alcohol themselves, 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underaged respondents purchase drinks in sachets. Likewise, 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underaged respondents buy alcohol in PET bottles, while 27.6 per cent of underaged respondents purchase drinks in glass bottles. Procurement of sachet and PET bottles was highest in Rivers, Lagos and Kaduna states. Sachet purchases were more common among males (51.4 per cent) than females (41.5 per cent), and slightly higher in rural areas (50.1 per cent) than urban locations (45.3 per cent). Frequency, binge drinking The survey showed that 54 per cent of respondents were occasional drinkers, 24 per cent consumed alcohol daily and 11 per cent drank at least once a week. Among minors, 63.2 per cent drink occasionally, while 9.3 per cent consume alcohol daily. For underaged respondents, 54 per cent drink occasionally and 25.2 per cent drink daily. On binge drinking, 2.5 per cent of minors and 11.7 per cent of underaged children reported having engaged in it, with higher prevalence recorded in Gombe (16.3 per cent), the Federal Capital Territory (15 per cent) and Anambra (14.4 per cent). Peer pressure emerged as the leading driver of alcohol consumption, cited by 50.5 per cent of respondents. Other reasons included influence from parents and relatives (34.8 per cent), personal choice (34.2 per cent), and feelings of sadness or depression (34 per cent). Additional contributing factors identified were peer group influence (74.5 per cent), youth culture (49.4 per cent), parents and family relations (39.7 per cent), social media exposure (36.4 per cent), accessibility of alcohol outlets (32.6 per cent), perceived gaps in government regulation (22.7 per cent), and advertisement of alcoholic beverages (20.7 per cent). Ms Adeyeye warned that alcohol consumption during adolescence can damage parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning and impulse control. It also increases the risk of alcohol poisoning, liver and kidney damage, hypertension and long-term addiction. She added that early alcohol use is associated with depression, anxiety, poor academic performance, risky sexual behaviour, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and road crashes. Senate resolutions The NAFDAC boss said the findings reinforced Senate resolutions passed on 6 November 2025 and communicated to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 1 December 2025. The Senate urged NAFDAC not to grant further extension to the moratorium on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages in small PET bottles of less than 200ml, and to ensure strict enforcement of the ban. Lawmakers also called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to support the enforcement and release the National Alcohol Policy, which includes prohibition of alcohol in sachets and small-volume packaging. They further urged NAFDAC and NOA to intensify nationwide sensitisation on the dangers of alcohol sold in small packs. Ms Adeyeye concluded that limiting easily concealable pack sizes could significantly reduce underage drinking. Access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes such as sachets and small volume bottles are not available, she stated, reaffirming NAFDACs commitment to safeguarding public health in collaboration with NOA. President Donald Trump has said the US and Israels war with Iran could last about four weeks. Mr Trump, who spoke at the White House on Monday, said US action against Iran was a necessity as the countrys nuclear programme was growing rapidly and dramatically, and this posed a very clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas. Mr Trump also declared that the war could last longer than four weeks and pledged that Washington will do whatever it takes to destroy Tehrans missile and nuclear capabilities. The regime already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and our bases, both local and overseas, and would soon have missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America, Mr Trump said. He also repeated the claim that the US strikes on Iran in June of last year obliterated Irans nuclear programme, but insisted that the country was rebuilding rapidly. Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that the war in the region could take some time but would not be an endless war. He also declared that the campaign would be a quick and decisive action, later adding: It may take some time, but its not going to take years. Ground troops in Iran Mr Trump also told The New York Post that he is not ruling out the deployment of ground troops in Iran. The president said he would do this if it were necessary. He also declared that a big wave of strikes on Iran is still imminent, while adding that the US military is knocking the crap out of Iran. We havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon, he said. I dont want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks, and were a little ahead of schedule, he stated. Mr Trump also said the biggest surprise has been Irans attacks on neighbouring Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. We were surprised. We told them, weve got this, and now they want to fight, and theyre aggressively fighting. They were going to be very little involved, and now they insist on being involved. US Embassy on Fire Early Tuesday morning, the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, caught fire after being hit by two suspected Iranian drones. The State Department said that the embassy was struck by two UAVs that hit the roof and the perimeter of the chancery, according to the Wall Street Journal. But Saudi Arabia described the incident as a limited fire that caused minor damages, and warned the public to avoid the area. Also, Lebanons Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel. The group said it attacked in retaliation against Israels deadly strikes on several areas of Lebanon. It also said it targeted radar sites and control rooms at the base by deploying a swarm of drones at dawn today. But the death toll in Iran and Lebanon is now over 600 people. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam officially banned Hezbollahs military activities. He instructed the Lebanese army to speed up the groups disarmament by any means necessary. Israel has also issued an evacuation warning to residents living in 59 different areas of Lebanon as tension continues to rise. Hamas has also criticised what it described as aggression and dangerous escalation by Israel against Lebanese territory. Iran closes Strait of Hormuz as US attacks its military ships The Iranian armed forces officially declared the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a fifth of the worlds oil passes, closed. The adviser to the IRGC commander, Ebrahim Jabari, said Iran will set on fire any ships that wish to pass through this strait, according to Al Jazeera. The price of oil has reached $81, and the world is certainly waiting for it to reach at least $200. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Well also target their oil pipelines in the region, and we will not allow oil exports from this region until we put pressure on the enemy. The Americans have debts of hundreds of billions of dollars, and they are thirsty for the regions oil. They will not get a single drop, he said. Meanwhile, CENTCOM said it has eliminated the Iranian naval fleet in the Gulf of Oman. Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman; today, they have ZERO. The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades, it added. Those days are over, it wrote on X. Protests have erupted once more in Baghdad amid the military escalation in the region. Numerous supporters of the Shiite parties in the country gathered in the government district on Monday, where the US embassy is also located, according to eyewitnesses. Security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd. In videos, gunfire could also apparently be heard. Already on Sunday evening, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the so-called Green Zone, allegedly in an attempt to storm the US embassy. Security forces then used live ammunition, tear gas and water cannon. The United States and Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on Saturday, sparking a regional escalation as Tehran fired missiles at US bases in several Gulf states. Iran has significant political and military influence in Iraq. (dpa/NAN) The Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has launched a defence of his administration over the 76 oil wells dispute, dismissing critics as empty barrels who make noise. Speaking on Sunday during the monthly Church service at Government House, Uyo, Mr Eno said he was not a receptionist for the public to expect him to pick their calls and accused a former senator of dramatising a sensitive state matter. There are many ways to reach the governor, he said. Stop saying the governor does not pick up the phone. Am I your receptionist? That is even an insult to say the governor does not answer calls. Who are you? Who is even talking? Although Mr Eno did not mention any name, the instances cited in his remarks pointed to John Akpanudoedehes recent public statement regarding the 76 oil wells. Mr Akpanudoedehe, a former senator, had advised the governor against letting the state lose the oil wells. Empty Barrels Taking a swipe at his critics, Mr Eno said, When people discuss all these things, it does not have meaning. Empty barrels, they make noise, he said. Check their lives from beginning to the end, nothing to show noise. All of them making noise were in government at one time or another. Ask them what exactly they brought back home? Those that brought things back home are not talking. They are helping. The governor questioned what he described as the politicisation of a collective issue. Must everything be politics? Something that has to do with all of us, he said. If you know what else to do, why not approach us? At this time, we need prayers. Using a local parlance to describe his critics, he said, They keep crying like babies. Mr Eno criticised what he described as a trend of senior politicians posting online videos. This one comes on TV and makes a video. He is creating content to get money. Can you imagine? Big old men creating content so that they can drive traffic for Google to pay money. Are you really serious? Is this patriotism? he asked. He described some of the commentaries as comic relief. On a very hard day, when you finish your meeting at 11 p.m., you just look at some things and laugh. It is comic relief. They are drama. Background On 19 February, Mr Akpanudoedehe, on a Facebook live video said he had struggled to reach Governor Eno by phone and therefore decided to use the medium to advise him on the concerns about the oil wells dispute. I have been trying to reach the governor, but he barely returns calls, he said. But I am not going to bother because even if I call, the call would be misunderstood. You may see me as someone from the opposition, but I have the interest of Akwa Ibom at heart. He advised that the administrations failure to defend the oil wells would carry consequences. If you allow the 76 oil wells to be taken, the effort and energy of those living and dead who fought for them would have been in vain. I want to tell you that you will not be forgiven. With so much resources and political reach at your disposal, if you allow it to happen, you will be seen as a weak and unprepared governor. In another video released on 22 February, Mr Akpanudoedehe referenced his role during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying he played a critical role in securing the oil wells for Akwa Ibom. He referenced the tenures of former Governors Victor Attah and Godswill Akpabio, suggesting that no oil well would have been taken under their watch. Udoedehe speaks on Enos Swipe When PREMIUM TIMES reached Mr Akpanudoedehe on Monday for his reaction to the governors comments, he said he would not descend into personal attacks. There are things to respond to immediately. There are things you are not supposed to respond to. You allow Akwa Ibom people to judge, he said. I did not hear him mention my name, but assuming he is referring to my video, I dont respond to insults. I was advising him. I dont want to go to the gutters with him. He said he expected appreciation rather than dismissal. I expected him to say, Senator Udoedehe and other citizens who have shared thoughts on the issue, thank you for your advice. Even myself, I wont forgive myself if they take even one oil well from the state. It is not an insult. What he said shows his level. It is beneath me. I am bigger than that. I wasnt in any way insulting him. I was advising him because of my vantage position and what I hear. He added: If he is speaking about me and said those things, it reflects his upbringing and character. I am not in that level. I wont respond immediately. Once you say something, you think through it. Citizens react The exchange has drawn reactions from citizens, with many criticising the governor for his remarks. In the comment section of the video posted on a local newspapers Facebook page, David Okon described Mr Akpanudoedehe as a seasoned politician with a long public service record that the governor should not abuse. Power is transient, he said. The office of the Governor is held in trust for the citizens. The governor is accountable to the citizens even if he was a primary school pupil. Michael Akpanidem said respectful communication was essential for the Akwa Ibom State Government. Public communication is a skill. Senator Udoedehe deserves respect. He has a full right as an Akwa Ibom son to speak on the issues concerning the 76 oil wells. Let not pride make us lose what rightly belongs to us, he stated. Another resident, Itoro Udoada, expressed disappointment. One day you will retire as a governor, and someone saying this to you wont sit well. Life is turn by turn, he said. The University of Calabar, Cross River State, has suspended nine students over alleged examination malpractice and forgery of result. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspension is contained in a statement by the institutions registrar, Chukwuka Icha. Mr Icha said that the decision to suspend the students was reached at the 252nd Senate meeting following reports presented by the Ad-Hoc Senate committee on examination malpractice and the senate students disciplinary committee. According to him, while five students were suspended for examination malpractice, the other four were found to have submitted forged results to the university. After reviewing the reports and recommendations of the committees, the management resolved that the affected students should be suspended for two academic sessions and the suspension will take effect from the 2024/2025 academic year. READ ALSO: Two displaced pregnant women die in Benue host community NAN reports that those suspended include Akwuba Enestina, 300 Level Pharmacy; Udom Iboro, 300 Level Pharmacy; Nwankwo Daniel, 200 Level Pharmacy; Ore Israel, 500 Level Pharmacy; and Chisom Ejafa, 500 Level Pharmacy. Others are, Lazarus Ebogo, Home Economics department; Ele Godwin of the department of Zoology, Ofem Patrick of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, and Makailu Pamilo of the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies. Heads of departments and the deans of the affected faculties and the institutions acting chief security officer have been assigned to ensure full compliance with the suspension order. Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) have been staging protests since Sunday against the joint attack on Iran by the United States and Israel, which began on 28 February. The Shia group, under the leadership of Ibrahim Zakzaky, has staged street demonstrations in Lagos, Niger, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kano, according to an IMN official who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday. The US and Israel launched missiles on Tehran, killing more than 160 schoolgirls in Minab, southern Iran. The countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed in the attack alongside his wife and other family members. The decades-long geopolitical and ideological war dates back to 1979, following the Islamic revolution that overthrew the Western-backed autocratic government with a theocratic system of governance rooted in Shia Islamic principles. The renewed crisis broke out months after a 12-day war in which the US and Israel, launched large-scale airstrikes on Iranian nuclear, military and strategic sites. Iran responded with a barrage of missiles and drones on the same day, firing over 150 ballistic missiles and more than 100 drones toward Israel. A ceasefire was later brokered by President Trump and Qatar, bringing an end to active combat. The ceasefire, signed on 24 June 2025, temporarily stopped the exchange of strikes, but major disagreements over Irans nuclear programme, regional influence, and sanctions remained unresolved, leaving relations tense and contributing to renewed military escalation last Saturday. Iran has been aggressively responding to the Saturday attack, firing airstrikes into Israel and at US targets across the Middle East. Protests in Nigeria Adam Rogo, a member of the IMN media unit, told this newspaper that their members have staged protests in various parts of the country, including Maryland in Lagos and Suleja in Niger State. We held a demonstration today (3 March) in Suleja, he said. Video of the demonstrations seen by our reporters showed protesters chanting Death to America, death to Israel. Demonstrators, including women and children, carried Mr Khanemeis portraits and waved Iranian flags while they dragged American and Israeli flags on the floor. Mr Rogo said their message was clear: condemning the killing of the Iranian leader and Israels illegal occupation in Gaza. Police in these states, where IMN members have staged protests, have not issued any official statements. While the spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she would need to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Maryland for a detailed report, her colleagues in the other states havent responded to messages sent to them. The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has issued a final summons to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, and the Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP), Olufemi Akinyelure, following their repeated refusal to appear before it. The committee is investigating the management of grants, loans, and investments in Nigerias renewable energy sector between 2015 and 2024, with particular focus on fund disbursement, project implementation, and compliance with statutory and financial regulations. At its resumed investigative hearing on Tuesday, the committee chairman, Afam Ogene, expressed frustration over what he described as persistent non-compliance by the agencies leadership. The MD of the Rural Electrification Agency, despite his subterfuge to avoid appearing before this committee, will not get away with it lightly. The Constitution is quite clear that this committee of the House of Representatives has the power to compel appearance. However, in the spirit of magnanimity, we are issuing a last and final invitation for them to appear on Thursday, the 5th day of March 2026, at 2 p.m., failing which, this committee will have no other option but to issue a warrant of arrest, Mr Ogene said. He emphasised that the probe aligns with the National Assemblys constitutional mandate to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public and donor funds, especially in the renewable energy sector, which is critical to rural development and national economic growth. Previous ultimatum ignored The House had previously issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Mr Aliyu to appear before the committee to explain the agencys expenditure of loans and grants. The resolution, following a motion by Paul Kalejaiye (APC, Lagos) at a public hearing, also urged the Inspector-General of Police to enforce compliance if the MD failed to respond. Shina Oyedeji (PDP, Oyo) noted that repeated invitations prompted the ultimatum Mr Aliyu ignored. This hearing was another opportunity for the managing director to appear, yet he failed to attend or send a representative, Mr Oyedeji said. Jurisdictional dispute over REA oversight Meanwhile, tensions have erupted within the House over which committee has primary oversight of the REA. In a letter dated 27 February, Muhammad Bukar, Chairman of the House Committee on Rural Electrification, asserted that his committee is the duly constituted standing committee of the House vested with primary oversight over the REA, including financial operations, grant utilisation, project implementation, and institutional performance. The letter stressed that while the Committee on Renewable Energy has a broad sector-wide mandate, specific operational, financial, and administrative matters of the REA fall solely under the Rural Electrification Committees jurisdiction. Mr Bukar directed the agency to channel all legislative oversight requests, inquiries, and documentation strictly through the Rural Electrification Committee, avoid responding to or engaging in parallel correspondence with other House committees on matters under his oversight, and refer communications from other committees regarding REA-specific issues for coordination and guidance. He warned that uncoordinated or parallel inquiries risk undermining institutional order and creating unnecessary friction. The letter also highlighted that the current House Committee structure, now expanded to over 120 specialised panels, was deliberately designed to prevent overlapping responsibilities. Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, says her decision to contest for the Ogun governors seat is in response to public demand and a renewed commitment to service. She spoke during a visit to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday. Mrs Obasanjo, who served in the Senate as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also said she joined the APC because most of her political allies are now in the APC. The former Ogun State Commissioner for Health said her decision to re-enter politics was driven by persistent appeals from her supporters across Ogun State, who she said believe in her capacity to lead. As you must have read in the news, Ive joined APC. As a card-carrying member, I have also put myself in the ring to be nominated by the party as the governorship candidate for APC in Ogun State, she said. I have not been in active politics for many years. I am back because the people of Ogun State asked for my return. Most of those I have worked with and had positive experiences with are now in APC, and that informed my choice. Mrs Obasanjo seeks to take over from the current governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, an APC member who has held the office since 29 May 2019. He is serving his second and final term after being first elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023. Mrs Obasanjo emphasised science and technology-driven education as a cornerstone of her agenda, noting that fostering innovation and expanding ICT skills would prepare young people to compete nationally and globally. She said infrastructure development, particularly in transportation, is also central to her plans. She highlighted Ogun States strategic role as a gateway to Nigeria, stressing the need for improved road networks and urban planning to reduce congestion and stimulate commerce. Mrs Obasanjo also said she plans to boost agriculture and manufacturing, pledging policies to support farmers, increase food production, and consolidate Oguns status as an industrial hub. Reflecting on her public service record, she cited her experience as commissioner for health and as a senator for Ogun Central, saying she is equipped for the responsibilities of executive leadership. When I serve, I serve with all my strength and purpose, she asserted. On womens political participation, she expressed confidence that more women are ready to take on leadership roles, emphasising that competence and results should guide political selection. Addressing questions about the zoning arrangement in Ogun State, particularly whether the governorship might be micro-zoned to Ogun West, Mrs Obasanjo described the race as open and competitive. For me, Im joining the race because I think its open. Nothing is impossible. Ive been in politics, so Im not naive, she said. While recognising the longstanding calls for Ogun West to produce a governor, she argued that every zone deserves a fair chance and that the APC must field a candidate capable of winning support across all three senatorial districts. Addressing speculation about her fathers influence, she insisted that her political decisions were personal, grounded in conviction and alignment with her supporters rather than family pressure. Mrs Obasanjo concluded by describing the governorship contest as competitive but expressed confidence that her experience, grassroots support, and development-focused agenda would give her and the APC a strong position in the upcoming election. Profile of Mrs Obasanjo Mrs Obasanjo is a Nigerian politician, medical doctor, and academic. She served as Commissioner for Health in Ogun State between 2003 and 2007 before being elected to represent Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party on whose platform her father ruled as president from 1999 to 2007. The former president now describes himself as non-partisan. During her term in the Senate, she chaired the Senate Health Committee and served on several others, including Science & Technology and Education. After losing her reelection bid in 2011, she returned to the United States, where she pursued an academic career and rose to the rank of professor. Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is closed and it will fire on any ship trying to pass, Iranian media has reported. About a fifth of the worlds total oil consumption passes through the Strait. The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran. It links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond. It is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point, with the shipping lane just 2 miles (3 km) wide in either direction. More than 20 million barrels of crude, condensate and fuels passed through the strait daily last year on average, data from analytics firm Vortexa showed. OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq export most of their crude via the Strait, mainly to Asia. Qatar, among the worlds biggest liquefied natural gas exporters, sends almost all of its LNG through the strait. However, even before the Iranian announcement, ships have been reluctant to pass through the Strait for fear of attack. The announcement by Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is the latest escalation of the war started on Saturday by the US and Israel, when they attacked Iran. Iran has since fired retaliatory strikes on Israel and US interests in the region, leading many Middle Eastern countries to close their airspace and shut schools and businesses. On Monday, the US asked its citizens in over a dozen Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, to leave for safety reasons. Over 600 people have been killed in Iran, while six US soldiers have been killed, and 10 people have been confirmed killed in Israel. The Benue State Government has commenced the resettlement of victims of the 14 June 2025 attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area, marking the first phase of efforts to return displaced residents to their ancestral homes. The Secretary to the State Government, Deborah Aber, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Makurdi. Mrs Aber, who also chairs the Technical Committee for Donations for Internally Displaced Persons in the state, said the affected persons had begun returning home under a structured resettlement plan developed by the government in collaboration with international partners. Yelewata was among the communities attacked in June 2025 when gunmen killed more than 100 people, forcing thousands to flee. The incident formed part of a wider pattern of violence across several local government areas in the state. N1.27 billion in donations Mrs Aber said the state received a total of N1.27 billion in donations from four contributors to support victims of attacks across Benue. She listed the donors as the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who donated N1 billion; the Nasarawa State Government, N150 million; United Bank for Africa, N100 million; and the Director-General of the State Security Services, N25 million. According to her, the funds are not limited to Yelewata victims but are intended to assist all affected communities in the state. She said the committee had achieved over 85 per cent of its mandate and that Governor Hyacinth Alia constituted the body to ensure transparency and effective application of the funds. Breakdown of allocations Mrs Aber said the committee conducted a needs assessment covering food, health, shelter, education, livelihood support and water supply. She gave the following breakdown of allocations: N56 million for cash transfers; N224 million for nutrition and food; N125 million for water, sanitation, and hygiene; N56 million for security; N56 million for agriculture; N277 million for resettlement; and N112 million for health services. In addition, N16 million was earmarked for peace and reconciliation initiatives; N127 million for host communities; and N148 million for education. She said the education component funded the construction of four classrooms in Yelewata and the provision of textbooks and school bags for pupils. Mrs Aber also disclosed that 5,883 internally displaced persons had been enrolled in the Benue State Health Insurance Agency, with each person paying a premium of N10,000 to access medical care. She added that water projects had been executed in some affected communities and that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was constructing a clinic in Yelewata. Resettlement model Explaining the approach adopted by the state, Mrs Aber said the government, working with international partners, developed a resettlement model that seeks to return displaced persons to locations close to their original communities. It seeks to settle people close to their locations in decent houses close to their farms so they can continue with their livelihood, she said. She disclosed that land had been earmarked for the project and that 60 two-bedroom houses were being constructed for displaced families in Yelewata. Of these, 38 are at the roofing stage, while three have been fully roofed. She acknowledged that the 60 units would not be sufficient to accommodate all displaced persons from the area, but said the construction reflected what the available funds could cover at this stage. She added that beneficiary mapping was conducted to ensure that assistance reached intended recipients, noting that some displaced persons were living with host communities rather than in formal camps. Amnestys warning The state governments announcement comes months after Amnesty International warned of a looming humanitarian disaster in Benue. In a 10 July 2025 statement titled Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster, Amnesty said at least 510,182 internally displaced persons were in camps across the state as of the end of 2024, with more displaced in 2025 following fresh attacks in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum, Kwande, Logo and Guma, including Yelewata. The organisation described conditions in several camps as dire, citing overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate shelter and limited access to food, clean water and healthcare. It said children and pregnant women were among the most vulnerable, with reports of frequent births in camps lacking proper hygiene facilities. READ ALSO: Two displaced pregnant women die in Benue host community Amnestys Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, said at the time that the authorities had repeatedly failed to protect residents and ensure adequate humanitarian support, warning that persistent impunity for attacks was fuelling insecurity. The rights group urged the Nigerian authorities to provide sufficient relief, including shelter, food, water, sanitation, healthcare and compensation for victims, and to take steps to prevent further attacks. While the Benue government says the resettlement programme aims to restore dignity and livelihoods to displaced residents, humanitarian organisations continue to stress the need for sustained protection, accountability and long-term support to address the scale of displacement in the state. Armed men on Monday night attacked the Lawiri River area of Odo-Ere, headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, shooting a resident and reportedly abducting an unspecified number of persons. A video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES and recorded by residents at the scene showed a man identified as Mr Elijah lying on the ground with a gunshot wound. Voices heard in the footage said the attackers operated around the river axis before fleeing. The exact number of people kidnapped during the incident could not be immediately confirmed as of press time. Residents who spoke in the video, without giving their names, said the attack caused panic across the community, with many fleeing their homes for safety. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kogi State Command were unsuccessful, as calls to his telephone line did not connect at the time of filing this report. Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incident. The latest attack comes a day after PREMIUM TIMES reported that armed men set ablaze a vehicle conveying cashew products along the EgbeEruku Road in Yagba West. In that incident, which occurred on 2 March, the driver and his companion escaped, but the vehicle and its goods were destroyed. Yagba West and other parts of Kogi West Senatorial District have witnessed repeated security breaches in recent months. On 4 February, the Kogi State Government ordered the temporary closure of schools across the state, citing credible intelligence and the need to protect pupils and teachers. Days later, on 8 February, the government announced the temporary shutdown of selected markets and motor parks in parts of Kogi West to support ongoing security operations aimed at flushing out bandits and other criminal elements. In December 2025, gunmen attacked worshippers at Ayetoro-Kiri in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, abducting more than 30 residents. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project earlier showed that Kogi recorded at least 150 fatalities and 365 abductions linked to armed violence between January and mid-December 2025, with Yagba West, Lokoja and Kabba among the worst-affected areas. Residents of Odo-Ere said Monday nights incident has further heightened fear, particularly in communities located near forest corridors and riverine routes that connect Kogi to neighbouring states. The situation remained fluid as of press time, with residents calling for increased patrols and a sustained security presence in the area. Patty Etete, a former member of the House of Representatives, has resigned as senior legislative aide to the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, citing sustained hostility, alleged physical assaults and administrative irregularities within the Senate Presidents office. In a letter dated 27 February and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Mr Etete said his decision to resign was long overdue and followed years of humiliation, discrimination and denial of access to Mr Akpabio. Mr Etete, who represented the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, said he accepted what he described as a downgraded designation in good faith. You invited me to be part of your first eleven of appointees, given my roles and contributions both at the senatorial election and the contest for the Senate presidency, he wrote, adding that although his appointment was announced as a special assistant, he was later made to serve as a senior legislative aide, a situation he considered as being demeaning. He alleged that while working with Mr Akpabio, he operated in a hostile environment, was denied privileges and was severally assaulted physically by fellow aides. Mr Etete claimed that some of the incidents occurred with Mr Akpabios knowledge. The former lawmaker also raised concerns over a symposium on the creative economy that he coordinated to support the Senate presidents legislative agenda. According to him, the event attracted participants from Nigeria and abroad, including resource persons who reportedly funded their own travel, accommodation and presentation materials with the expectation of reimbursement. He alleged that more than six months after the event, the interim report had yet to receive the Senate presidents attention for legislative follow-up, and that outstanding bills submitted by service providers remained unpaid. Mr Etete asked Mr Akpabio to approve payment of an attached bill covering expenses incurred during the symposium, arguing that settling the debts would preserve the reputation of the Senate Presidents office and honour the contributions of those he described as patriotic Nigerians. The former aide also claimed he mobilised over 240 support groups in Akwa Ibom State for Mr Akpabios ambition and President Bola Tinubus, but lamented that promises made to engage and appreciate the groups were not fulfilled. In his letter, Mr Etete referenced a vow allegedly made with some political associates regarding Akpabios ambition before a statue of Mary. Mr Akpabio is a Catholic. He said Your Excellency, sir, each time I remember how yourself, myself, Rt. Hon Ubong Etiebet and the current Minister for State, Gas, knelt down before the statue of Mary, making a vow concerning your ambition, my heart bleeds. Mr Etete added, Yet, your former Deputy Chief of Staff insisted that unless I pledged allegiance to him, the support groups and I would not be accommodated. Did we meet and make the vow at the foot of the sculpture of Christ Jesuss real mother? When PREMIUM TIMES asked for clarification, Mr Etete said the vow before the statue of Mary took place at Mr Akpabios home in Asokoro, Abuja. To me, it was a chapel and not a shrine, he said. Mr Etete said the vow was that those who took it would not betray the Senate President and he in turn, would not betray them either. Senate Presidents office responds When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Eseme Eyiboh, the special adviser on media and publicity to the Senate president, he said he was not aware of Mr Etetes resignation. Hon Patty Ettete was my colleague in the House of Representatives and for about three years now, we have both shared mutual trust and respect as colleagues in the office of the President of the Senate. Im not aware of his resignation as a senior legislative aide in the office, Mr Eyiboh said. He added that, because he was unaware of the resignation, the circumstances surrounding it were beyond his knowledge. Mr Eyiboh, however, described the work environment within the Senate presidents office as structured and coordinated in compliance with public service rules and constitutional guarantees. I can attest to the robust and healthy relationship that staff members enjoy within and around the office of the President of the Senate. The office is well-structured and coordinated by experienced personnel, in substantial compliance with public service rules and protocols. Human rights in the office are subsisting within the remit of guaranteed constitutional rights, he said. The US Embassy in Jerusalem has issued an official advisory urging American citizens to make their own security arrangements as the fallout from US-Israel attacks on Iran and Iranian retaliation continues across the wider Middle East. The mission, on Monday, said it is currently unable to assist with departures from Israel, and urged its workers and their families to seek shelter close to their residence. It further told its workers that the security condition in the region remains volatile and unpredictable, adding that Americans still present in the country must maintain heightened vigilance and personal safety planning. The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel, the statement said. The mission emphasised the rapidly changing security environment. It noted that it is likely to impose additional restrictions on the movement of US government employees as tension increases. The US Embassy reminds US citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert, as security incidents, such as mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) intrusions, often take place without any warning, it added. These restrictions might limit or prohibit travel to specific areas within Israel, including the Old City of Jerusalem, as well as to the West Bank. The US Embassy further provided travel-related information. It disclosed that the Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttle services to certain areas, such as the Taba Border Crossing. Passengers who wish to cross to Jordan may take the shuttle to Eilat and continue independently (by taxi) to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing. Buses will be stationed at meeting points across the country, including Herzliya: Train Station Parking Lot. ALSO READ: US Embassy asks staff to leave Israel amid plans to attack Iran The embassy, however, said it cannot guarantee that even the shuttles will be safe. The US Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourisms shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the US government cannot guarantee your safety, it said. Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the US Department of State urged Americans to immediately leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, due to safety risks as it continues its war on Iran. The US State Department urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks, Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar said in a post on social media platform X. No less than 787 people have now been killed in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Irans Red Crescent Society has said. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the health organisation, similar to the Red Cross, had put the death toll at 201 people, with 747 people injured. The number of deaths rose to 550 days after. The war, which has entered its fourth day following the US and Israels unprovoked attack against Iran on Saturday morning, has affected 153 different counties in the country. The Iranian Red Crescent on Tuesday said at least 1,039 attacks have taken place across the country, according to Al Jazeera. Among the victims are 13 Iranian soldiers killed in a US-Israeli strike on a military base in Kerman province. According to the Iranian army, the attack targeted the base in the south of the country. Also, five IRGCs air force and navy operatives have been killed in US-Israeli attacks in the cities of Jam and Dir in the central province of Bushehr. Meanwhile, Israels attack on Lebanons capital, Beirut, has been going on for two consecutive days, creating another front in the regional war. We have positioned soldiers in additional points on the border area to defend our civilians, to prevent Hezbollah from attacking them. This is not a ground operation. This is a tactical measure to ensure the safety of our people, Israels military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said, according to Al Jazeera. Hezbollah has also carried out an attack on an airbase in northern Israel. 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PREMIUM TIMES reported that the toll first rose to 95, and then to 118 before rising to over 160. CNN reported that it geolocated the site of the wreckage and found that the elementary school is 61 meters from an Iranian military base. It reported that the school appeared to have been formally part of the base but had been separated since at least 2016. Iran, on Sunday, declared that the crime against the Iranian People will not go unanswered. Irans Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called the attack on the school a blatant crime. While the Israeli military claimed it was not aware of any Israeli or US attacks in that area, the US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins said that the US is aware of the attack and has begun looking into them. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimise the risk of unintended harm, he said. The attack on the school has been condemned UNICEF. A yet-to-be-identified woman has allegedly abducted three siblings in a community in Ebonyi State, days after renting an apartment in the area. The incident, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, occurred on Saturday in Nwezenyi Community in Igbeagu, Izzi Local Government Area of the state. This newspaper identified the victims as Favour, Obinna and Kamso Okeoha. They were said to have been abducted while their parents were away. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited the area on Tuesday observed that the suspects apartment was the only one painted in the compound. The apartment has the inscription, One Love on the wall. Residents of the area, who asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES that they were shocked over the development. One resident said the woman rented her apartment in the area on Thursday and moved in on Friday. She stayed just one day before the children were abducted on Saturday. We do not even know her identity, the resident said. A neighbour said the suspect appeared friendly and even painted her room with the inscription One Love on the wall, apparently to create a positive impression among other tenants. The parents of the abducted children were not available for comment during the visit. Meanwhile, many sympathisers were seen in the compound awaiting the arrival of the grieving parents. Police speak When contacted on Tuesday, the police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Ukandu, a superintendent of police, said the police are investigating the matter to track down the suspect and rescue the victims. Not the first time There have been cases of child abduction in Ebonyi in recent times. The incident occurred barely a month after three children were abducted from the same compound at Nkwegu, opposite the Nkwegu Military Cantonment gate in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state. The victims a two-year-old boy and two girls aged four and two were abducted on 7 February this year. Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufais rights enforcement suit against Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and four others suffered a setback on Tuesday over the inability of his lawyers to serve the respondents. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr El-Rufai is demanding N1 billion in damages against the ICPC and the others. The other respondents are a chief magistrate of the Magistrates Court of the FCT, Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). The matter, which is before Judge Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, was called on Tuesday but could not proceed. Only Mr El-Rufai, who is still in ICPCs detention, had legal representation in court for the proceedings. Ubong Akpan appeared for the ex-governor. No lawyer represented the respondents. Mr Akpan therefore informed the court that although the matter was scheduled for mention, his team had been unable to serve the respondents. He sought an adjournment to take the necessary actions and Ms Abdulmalik fixed 11 March for further mention. The former governor put forward seven prayers in the originating motion on notice, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026 and filed on 20 February. NAN reports that Mr El-Rufai, through his team of lawyers led by Oluwole Iyamu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged court to declare that the search warrant issued on 4 February by a chief magistrate in Abuja, which authorised the search and seizure at his residence was invalid, null and void. He asked the court to declare the search warrant null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause thereby constituting an unlawful and unreasonable search in violation of Section 37 of the Constitution. He prayed the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on 19 February at about 2 p.m. by the and ICPC and Inspector-General of Police amounts to a gross violation of the applicants fundamental rights. He said it amounted to a violation to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution. He also urged the court to declare that any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards. Mr El-Rufai, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further relying on, using, or tendering any evidence or items seized during the unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution, or proceedings involving him. He sought an order directing the ICPC and the inspector-general of police to forthwith retum all items seized from the applicants premises during the unlawful search, together with a detailed inventory thereof. He also sought an order awarding the N1 billion as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages. Mr El-Rufai did the breakdown of the N1 billion in damages to include a N300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security; N400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies and vindicate the applicants rights. N300 million as aggravated damages for the malicious, high-handed and oppressive nature of the respondents actions, including the use of a patently defective warrant procured through misleading representations. He equally sought a N100 million as cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and associated expenses. Grounds of application In his grounds of argument, tMr El-Rufais lawyer argued that the search warrant was fundamentally defective, lacking specificity in the description of items to be seized, containing material typographical errors, ambiguous execution terms, overbroad directives, and no verifiable probable cause. He said this was in contravention of Sections 143-148 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015; Section 36 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act, 2000, and constitutional protections against arbitrary intrusions. Specifically, Mr Iyamu argued that Section 143 of the ACJA requires that an application for a search warrant be supported by information in writing and on oath, setting forth reasonable grounds for suspicion, which was absent here as evidenced by the incomplete initiating clause; He said Section 144 mandates particular descriptions of the place to be searched and the items sought, to prevent general warrants. He, however, argued that the instant warrant vaguely referred to the thing aforesaid without any detail. Mr Iyamu stated that the execution of the invalid warrant on Feb. 19 resulted in an unlawful invasion of his clients premises, constituting violations of the rights to dignity (Section 34), personal liberty (Section 35), fair hearing (Section 36), and privacy (Section 37) of the Constitution. He further argued that the search was conducted without legal justification and in a manner that inflicted humiliation and distress. (NAN) The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to prosecute five security officials for allegedly receiving bribes from former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to obstruct a lawful security operation during his return to the country last month. A statement from security authorities said the five suspects received bribes to facilitate unauthorised access to restricted areas of the airport. It said they will face prosecution following a joint investigation by the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation. The statement identified the suspected officials as Ayuba Yakubu (police), Murtala Inuwa (SSS), Najeeb Murtala (NIS), Musa Adamu (Aviation Security AVSEC) and Salihu Victor (AVSEC). PREMIUM TIMES reported that SSS operatives attempted to arrest Mr El-Rufai on 12 February, following his arrival from Cairo, Egypt. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in a court filing recently obtained by this newspaper explained that it contacted the SSS to help arrest Mr El-Rufai upon hearing he had arrived at the airport. The ICPC submitted the filings, including a counter-affidavit, at the Federal High Court in Abuja to oppose Mr El-Rufais fundamental rights enforcement suit. While the arrest was not successful, the security operatives seized the former governors international passport. Ubong Akpan, the counsel for Mr El-Rufai condemned the dramatic incident, linking the attempted arrest to a letter of invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Akpan explained that the EFCC letter was delivered when his client was already outside of Nigeria. He added that his law firm wrote to the agency, notifying it that Mr El-Rufai would honour its invitation on 16 February. The former governor was later detained after honoring the invitation. He was released two days after, and subsequently re-arrested by SSS operatives who handed him over to the ICPC. He has since been in the custody of the anti-corruption agency which is investigating him for alleged money laundering and abuse of office as the governor of Kaduna State. Arrested officers to face prosecution by ICPC A statement the statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday said the security operatives confessed to helping Mr El-Rufai to escape arrest. They have all confessed to receiving bribes to facilitate unauthorised entry into Restricted Areas, to obstruct lawful security operations in an unprecedented manner, the statement read, adding they had been handed over to ICPC for prosecution. The SSS also stated that other immigration and customs officers were also involved in the case, but did not receive bribes. Noting that their offense was abusing their uniforms to facilitate unauthorised access, the secret police said they will face administrative action. Although, Mr El-Rufai has yet to respond to the allegations, he has always denied wrongdoing since coming under scrutiny by government agencies after returninng from his Cairo trip last month. Mr El-Rufai, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) last year after falling out with President Bola Tinubu, frames his investigations by security and anti-corruption agencies as political persecution. A statement by his son, Bello El-Rufai, who is a member of the House of Representatives, denied ICPCs claim in a court filing that its agents recovered a phone-tapping device during a search of the former governors residence in Abuja. Other allegations against El-Rufai Mr El-Rufa is also being prosecuted by the SSS for allegedly intercepting phone conversations of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The former governor, on a live television interview on Arise TV claimed that Mr El-Rufai made a claim on a live interview on Arise TV that Mr Ribadus phone conversation was tapped, and that he heard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him. The SSS, thereafter, filed a cybercrime charge against Mr El-Rufai, arguing that the alleged interception of the NSAs phone contravenes Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024. The claim also prompted security operatives to search the Abuja residence of the former governor. A few days after the search, the ICPC said it retrieved phone-tapping devices among other documents and electronic items, during the search. While the family of the former governor acknowledged that electronic devices like old phones and laptops were found in their house, they disputed the claim that a phone-tapping device was among the items found. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has disclosed the 15 electronic devices it recovered after searching the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The agency disclosed this in its filings it submitted at the FCT High Court in Abuja to oppose the fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by Mr El-Rufai, who is still detained and being interrogated over corruption allegations. The filings include a counter-affidavit dated 26 February, sworn by David Efuk, the litigation officer at the ICPC Legal Service Department. Also included are two documents titled Device Documentation Form 001. The documents appear to be completed by Mr El-Rufai, who is still being detained by the ICPC, denying the agencys operatives consent to access the devices. This newspaper reported that the embattled former governor filed a N1 billion suit against ICPC and others at the Federal High Court in Abuja, praying that the court declare the search on his home as invalid, null and void. On 4 February, a magistrates court in Abuja issued a search warrant authorising ICPC and police personnel to search Mr El-Rufais residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja. Describing the warrant as lacking particularity and containing drafting errors, the former governor argued it is unconstitutional and in breach of Section 37 of the Nigerian constitution which guarantees the right to privacy. Mohammed Shaba, a principal secretary to the former governor who swore an affidavit filed in support of the suit, stated that the raid amounted to a gross violation of his fundamental rights guaranteed under the Nigerian constitution. Mr Shaba argued that the action violated the former governors right to dignity of the human person (Section 34), personal liberty (Section 35), fair hearing (Section 36); and privacy (Section 37). Devices recovered, phone-tapping equipment claim The declarations in the form attached to the ICPC affidavit comprise 15 devices. Six of them are identified as storage devices, five as mobile phones, two as tablets and two as laptops. However, the ICPC said in its counter-affidavit that its agents found electronic magnetic equipment capable of tapping conversations during the search on Mr El-Rufais home. The search, according to the commission, was witnessed by his wife, Hadiza and son, Mohammed. A document containing the list of items recovered during the raid was signed by the duo. A consent form marked as Exhibit ICPC 5 and attached to the counter affidavit shows that 15 electronic devices including laptops and phones were found in Mr El-Rufais home. This was in addition to other sensitive security documents which the commission said could compromise national security. The commission noted that Mr El-Rufai refused to give the commission access to the device. It added that Mr El-Rufai refused to respond to questions after he was confronted with the documents retrieved from his home. The former governor appended to the Exhibit 5, noting that he did not grant consent for any access to the devices listed as found in my home. The search on his home came after Mr El-Rufai made a claim on a live interview on Arise TV that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadus phone conversation was tapped, and that he heard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him. He made the claim a day after security operatives attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. Barely three days after making this claim, the State Security Services (SSS) filed a cybercrime charge against Mr El-Rufai, arguing that the alleged interception of the NSAs phone contravened Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024. Family denies phone-tapping claim On Monday, Bello El-Rufai, Mr El-Rufais son and a member of the House of Representatives, denied ICPCs claim of recovering a phone-tapping device during a search of the former governors residence in Abuja. The statement said only personal effects were taken from the searched home. WE WERE PRESENT WHEN THESE ITEMS WERE SEIZED. No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones storage devices like flash drives and laptops were seized from the property, the younger El-Rufai said. According to them, the alleged sophisticated tapping equipment exists only in the fevered imagination of the ICPC and its press team. El-Rufais travails The former governor has been in detention since 16 February when he honored an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial misconduct during his tenure. The EFCC invitation, initially issued in December 2025, is part of ongoing investigations into allegations that Mr El-Rufai misappropriated approximately N432 billion in public funds. Although the EFCC released him on 18 February, he was immediately re-arrested by security operatives with ICPC confirming that it had taken him into custody. In the counter-affidavit, the ICPC explained that the EFCC released the former governor to SSS which later handed him over to the commission. The commission said it subsequently obtained a remand order to keep Mr El-Rufai for 14 days. The order which it said was obtained on 19 February will elapse on 5 March. The ICPC stated that, contrary to the claims made by the former governor in his supporting affidavit, he is being lawfully detained in the commissions custody and that none of his fundamental rights has been violated as alleged. Full list of 15 recovered devices 1. Sony / HD- EG5 (Storage) 2. 1 TB Transcend (Storage) 3. A storage device with serial number WX31AA2V2721 4. Toshiba (storage) 5. Samsung (phone) 6 . Nokia N95 8GB (phone) 7. Blackberry (phone) 8. Google IDEOS (phone) 9. Samsung /SP0802N 10. Remarkable tablet (tablet) 11. Remarkable tablet (tablet) 12. Apple Macbook Pro (black) 13. Apple Macbook Pro (black) (laptop) 14. Seagate Freeagent Desk External DRWE (1) (1000 GB) (storage) 15. ZTE mobile phone (phone) The National Assembly has again postponed the resumption of plenary sessions, further delaying full legislative activity as lawmakers continue to grapple with budget scrutiny and other pressing national matters. The latest postponement was conveyed in a memo signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, on Tuesday. Although no reason was provided for the adjustment, the memo informed senators and members of the House of Representatives that plenary would no longer resume on Thursday, 5 March, as earlier scheduled. This is to inform Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the National Assembly that the resumption of plenary sessions, which is scheduled for Thursday, 5th March 2026, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 10th March 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members are kindly requested to take note of the change in the resumption date and adjust their engagements accordingly. The leadership of both Houses of the National Assembly regrets any inconvenience the change in resumption date may cause, the memo read. The development marks yet another shift in the legislative calendar since lawmakers returned from the Christmas and New Year recess. Upon resumption in January, both chambers had adjourned for two weeks to enable standing committees to conduct budget defence sessions for ministries, departments and agencies in respect of the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The move was aimed at fast-tracking committee-level scrutiny before the passage of the budget. However, lawmakers were compelled to reconvene on 17 February to address issues described as constitutionally significant, particularly developments surrounding the 2027 general election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The session culminated in the consideration and passage of the harmonised version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, after which plenary was adjourned to Tuesday, 24 February. On 23 February, the leadership of the National Assembly, through the Acting Clerk of the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Sidi, announced another postponement of plenary. The adjustment was said to allow committees conclude work on the 2026 budget defence process. Under legislative practice, both chambers are expected to sit for a minimum of 181 days in a legislative year, in line with constitutional provisions. However, with the repeated adjournments and rescheduling of plenary sessions since January, concerns are mounting over whether the current legislative calendar can accommodate the required number of sitting days without compressing business in the months ahead. The repeated changes to the plenary schedule have effectively kept legislative business largely at the committee level for weeks, with priority given to the 2026 budget. Meanwhile, it is expected that upon resumption, both chambers will hold a valedictory session in honour of Barinada Mpigi, who died in February. Mr Mpigi represented the Rivers South-east Senatorial District in the Senate before his death. Lawmakers are expected to pay tributes to the late legislator and reflect on his contributions to debates and committee work in the red chamber. Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Nigerian lawyer, social activist, and co-founder of the Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori, has declared his intention to contest the House of Representatives seat for Jaba/Zangon Kataf Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC. The seat is presently occupied by Amos Gwamna Magaji, who also serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Health. Making his intentions known on his Instagram page, the record label said that he would be running with a simple formula: Vision Action Results. Ambition Declaring his ambition to run for the office, Mr Maikori said that he is proud to be a Nigerian from Southern Kaduna. According to him, his legal career took him inside Nigerias most complex infrastructure transactions, including the privatisation of PHCN, the Nigerian Ports concession, the Abuja Mass Transit framework, the Nigerian Railway Concession, as well as building Chocolate City into one of Africas most recognised music companies. Earlier on, I had served on the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Presidential Committee (SURE-P ) as not only the youngest board member but as the Project Convener I helped to create jobs for 370,000 young Nigerians and internship opportunities for over 23,000 interns across Nigeria Ai Namu ya dawo! (Our son has come home!) Today, I formally declare my intention to contest the House of Representatives seat for Jaba/Zangon Kataf Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC in the 2027 General Elections. Lokaci ya yi. The time is now, he wrote. Social critic Before formally launching into politics, Maikori, 51, was known for his vocal criticism of the government, particularly the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. In 2017, Mr Maikori was arrested in Lagos after the Kaduna State Government filed a petition over a post on his social media pages that turned out to be false. He then filed a N10 billion lawsuit against Governor El-Rufai and the Kaduna State government, alleging that the state violated his human rights. In 2020, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed that the Kaduna State Government violated the rights of the Chief Executive Officer of Chocolate City when it took him from Lagos to Kaduna in 2017. It then awarded N10.5 million in damages in favour of Mr Maikori. He had also been vocal about the persistent crisis in Southern Kaduna, the constituency he seeks to represent. The Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council was inaugurated with promise. However, promise does not create unity. Structure does. The public denial of its existence by a respected monarch is not merely opposition; it is a warning about the cost of optional unity. Legitimacy cannot be assumed. It must be earned through inclusivity, clarity, and shared commitment. At the National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health held in Abuja on 17th February, attended by President Tinubu, an unexpected institutional fault line surfaced as an Enugu monarch and the Ooni of Ife openly disputed the existence of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council. Speaking at the health summit, the revered Eze Ogbunaechendo 1 of Ezema Olo in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, a former Chairman of the Enugu State and South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, seasoned diplomat, and elder statesman, challenged references to a Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council. He stated: Now again, they were talking about the Southern Traditional Rulers Committee on Health, and the eminent Professor Pate was saying that this will be an annual event what we are doing today if I heard him correctly. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing like a Southern Traditional Rulers Council. If you come here and give money to people on that basis, it is not correct. The South is not the North. We have our systems. We need unity in diversity. So, if you want to deal with us, deal with us in the South East. If you have resources for us, give it to us. Dont give it to people who come and say they represent a traditional rulers council. Democracy is representative government, and anybody who goes to present himself without his people is not democratic or traditional. So, get it right. The interposition was not casual, it was categorical, yet it stands in sharp contrast to what occurred barely eighteen months earlier, when on 30th July 2024, the inauguration of Southern Monarchs Council occurred. The event hosted by Governor Hope Uzodinma, was presided over by President Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, as monarchs and political dignitaries gathered under the banner of southern regional cohesion. Months later, a harder question emerged: Does the Council exist beyond ceremony? It was inaugurated with political and symbolic weight; does it exist institutionally? Public inauguration grants visibility; collective consent grants legitimacy. The dissent exposes the Councils core vulnerability. When a former South-East Council Chairman declares that there is nothing like a Southern Traditional Rulers Council, the matter shifts from organisational to existential. Membership is very optional, Ooni professed. If membership is optional, can unity or regional cohesion, by definition, be optional? Southern Traditional Rulers Council The inauguration in July, 2024 saw the respected Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, appointed as chairman, with Cletus Ilomuanya and Jaja of Opobo as co-chairmen, and Benjamin Ikenchuku Keagboreku as secretary. The intent was unmistakable: To create a coordinated Southern platform comparable, though not identical, to the more centralised structures historically associated with Northern traditional leadership. During the inauguration, Governor Uzodinma explicitly urged collaboration with northern counterparts, and support for President Tinubu, while George Akume reaffirmed the presidents respect for traditional rulers as custodians of Nigerias heritage. The Ooni of Ife, Ogunwusi framed it as a new era of unity across the Southern protectorate of the country. Yet, at inauguration, while some southern governors were represented, the absence of several others raised quiet questions about the breadth of consensus underpinning the initiative. Absences could be linked to limited consultation, concerns over the councils inclusivity, and sub-regional balance. Similarly, the absence of notable traditional rulers reflected reservations about process, political perceptions, and representation. Institutions are sustained by consent and validated by acceptance. What appeared, in July 2024, as a historic consolidation was, in February 2026, openly contested. The public rejection by an elder statesman, Igwe Ambassador LOC Agubuzu, whose career reflects a rare fusion of ancestral authority and modern diplomacy, did not merely contradict a claim. It punctured the presumption of collective mandate, shifting the issue from symbolism to structure. The Import of Agubuzus Interposition Igwe Agubuzus remarks deserve serious engagement, not dismissal. When he warned against individuals presenting themselves as representatives of Southern traditional rulers without broad consent, he was not merely contesting nomenclature. He was defending legitimacy; emphasising that the South is not the North, that its strength lies in diversity, and that democracy, whether traditional or modern, rests on representation grounded in the people. These are not trivial concerns. They echo long-standing anxieties about the centralisation of traditional institutions and sub-regional dominance. They reflect a historical wariness of imposed structures masquerading as consensus. Yet, diversity without coordination does not automatically produce strength. When respected monarchs deny the existence of a Council inaugurated by the President of the Republic before him, the issue is not opposition, but rather, structural ambiguity. Such a council cannot function in a state of suspended definition. Why Optional Membership Undermines the Council First, authority cannot be selective. A council that some of the most prominent traditional rulers feel free to ignore will never command national, let alone international respect, particularly in a political environment where access and voice matter. Second, legitimacy requires completeness. Governments engage more seriously with institutions that demonstrably represent the full spectrum of leadership. Optional membership creates parallel voices, rival claims, and confusion over representation. Third, conflict resolution demands comprehensiveness. Traditional rulers remain critical actors in mediating identity tensions. A partial council lacks the moral authority to intervene across sub-regions. Fourth, cultural preservation is collective work. No single monarch or bloc can safeguard Southern Nigerias diverse traditions alone. A coordinated platform prevents selective recognition and marginalisation. Finally, legacy matters. Institutions endure only when they are cohesive. A voluntary council risks becoming ceremonial, useful for optics, politics and symbolism; but fragile in substance and importance. Politics, Acknowledged, But Not Determinative It would be naive to ignore the political undertones surrounding the Councils formation. Governor Hope Uzodinma played a central role in the inauguration, signalling alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress. The presence of Dapo Abiodun, chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum, and Mai Mala Buni, underscored the inauguration events political weight. However, institutions of consequence must outlive political moments. If the Southern Traditional Rulers Council is perceived primarily as a political artefact, it will wither with shifting alignments. If, however, it evolves into a rule-bound, inclusive, and representative institution, it can transcend its origins. The burden now rests with the appointed chairman, the Ooni of Ife. His role is both symbolic and strategic. The surrounding contestation demands engagement, not assumption; persuasion, not proclamation. Direct dialogue with dissenting voices is essential. So is a formal charter defining representation, decision-making, membership obligations, rotational leadership, sub-regional balance, and structured joint programmes. Conclusion The Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council was inaugurated with promise. However, promise does not create unity. Structure does. The public denial of its existence by a respected monarch is not merely opposition; it is a warning about the cost of optional unity. Legitimacy cannot be assumed. It must be earned through inclusivity, clarity, and shared commitment. If Southern Nigeria is to speak with authority in Nigerias evolving governance architecture, its most revered institutions (traditional) must be binding as well as symbolic, representative as well as ceremonial. Unity cannot be optional. It must be institutional. David Okelue Ugwunta, a public policy and economic planning specialist, is a senior adviser with Thoughts & Mace Advisory. In Nigerias elite circles, it is common to meet accomplished Muslims who live carefully structured lives. They plan their finances, childrens education, retirement, household expenses, and pilgrimage months ahead. They save deliberately, invest in various enterprises, and diversify their earnings over time. They also give generously; to family members, people back home, mosque projects, the payment of third-party school fees, medical bills, and emergency needs. Yet, among this same group, the obligation of giving Zakat,one of the fundamental pillars of Islam remains persistently misunderstood and often unmet. My interest in this matter did not arise from abstraction or moral inquisition. It grew from my direct involvement as a council member of the NASFAT Agency for Zakat and Sadaqat (NAZAS), an organisation that has collected and distributed close to 1 billion through structured Zakat and Sadaqat administration in Nigeria since 2014. In my interactions with the elites who made this possible, a sobering reality has emergedconfusion about eligibility, uncertainty over who should pay Zakat, and ignorance of how to calculate. In a country with a sizeable Muslim population of middle and upper class comprising accomplished individuals, the pool of compliant contributors remains remarkably thin. In Nigeria, where about 56 per cent of the population is identified as Muslim (Pew Research Center), Zakat collection remains modest. For example, in 2024, the five leading Zakat agencies in Nigeria disbursed roughly 736 million to just over 4,200 beneficiariesa modest figure when placed against the size and potential of the Muslim population. Globally, the picture is similar. Studies indicate that while 85 per cent 95 per cent of Muslims fast during Ramadan and 70%85% observe daily prayers, only 20 per cent 40 per cent of eligible Muslims actually pay Zakat. By any objective measure, it is the least observed of Islams five pillars. Part of this weak performance is a deeper problem of a knowledge gap among eligible (Zakatable) Muslims. As earlier noted, Nigerian Muslims are instinctively generous. However sincere, the intention may be, that is not a substitute for the obligation of Zakat. This is when generosity is not enough. Confusing them undermines the deliberate injunction of Allah that places Zakat as the third pillar of Islam, alongside faith (Iman), prayer (Salat), fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage (Hajj). More importantly, the purpose of Zakat goes far beyond charity. It is a moral, social, and economic system designed to purify wealth, uplift society, and strengthen faith. The obligation of Zakat requires the payment of a fixed rate of 2.5 per cent of ones net wealth once it reaches the threshold of nisab and has been held for one lunar year. Using the gold benchmark prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the nisab is measured at 87.5 grams of gold, which today is approximately 19.1 million, using the current exchange rate. This means that anyone whose combined eligible assets, held for a lunar year, meet or exceed this figure is obligated to pay Zakat. The calculation itself must be properly understood. It is not about having this amount sitting idle in a single bank account. Rather, it involves adding up ones working assets and subtracting immediate liabilities. It is therefore imperative to understand the calculation. Firstly, identify what counts as zakatable wealth Zakatable wealth includes what you own today that represents stored or growing value. These typically fall into the following categories: (i) Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash at home; money in bank accounts; mobile wallets; digital balances; and foreign currencies (converted to naira). (ii) Business Assets Goods or stock meant for sale; money owed to you that is likely to be paid (trade receivables). This does not include fixed assets such as buildings, machinery, or office furniture. (iii) Gold and Silver Gold or silver held as savings or investment. Many women hold jewellery partly for this purpose. While scholarly opinions differ on jewellery kept purely for personal adornment, many choose to include it to be safe. Zakat applies to its current market value. (iv) Shares and Investments This is where most modern confusion arises. Shares represent ownership in companies, whether listed on the Nigerian Exchange or held abroad. Investments include equities, mutual funds, Sukuk, bonds, treasury bills, cooperative schemes, and even digital assets such as cryptocurrencies. Secondly, deduct immediate liabilities you are owing. Deduct short-term obligations like rent due, utility bills, school fees due, salaries due, supplier payments, and loan instalments currently due. (Long-term debts not immediately payable are generally not deducted). Thirdly, apply the rate of 2.5 per cent to the resulting net amount (or simply divide by 40). This is the same rate applied during the time of the Prophet (SAW). Once the net amount reaches the nisab (19.1 million), then you must Zakat. Among Muslim elites the question is rarely poverty. It is the way we handle it with levity. Many assume they are below nisab because they glance at a bank balance and stop there. But Zakat is assessed on accumulated wealth; cash savings, shares, business capital, receivables, retained profits etc. The nisab today of roughly 19.1 million sounds imposing until one begins to aggregate properly. 8 million in savings, 5 million in investments, 4 million tied up in business asset, 3 million in receivables and one has quietly crossed the threshold. What disguises eligibility is fragmentation. Wealth sitting in different compartments and not assembled in one place feels smaller than it is. For many reaching nisab is not extraordinary. The challenge is not capacity but the discipline to calculate what is held personally or within a business. Zakat is orderly, predictable, and capable of quietly redistributing opportunity in a society where too much wealth often circulates within too few. Perhaps the time has come for Muslim elites to apply the same rigour to Zakat that they apply to other pillars of Islam. May Allah grant us clarity, sincerity, and the courage to fulfil this obligation properly. May He accept our obedience and purify our wealth. Ameen. The streets of Lagos and Enugu witnessed an inspiring sight on the morning of Saturday, 28 February 2026, as Union Bank employees gathered for Healthwalks in both cities. In Lagos, hundreds of staff walked together from the Banks historic Head Office in Marina to its facility in Surulere, known as The Stable. Simultaneously in Enugu, employees embarked on their own route through the city, united by the same purpose: to celebrate health, community, and the conclusion of the Banks annual Fitfeb wellness initiative. Fitfeb 2026 marked Union Banks most geographically inclusive wellness programme to date. Throughout February, employees across all branches and departments participated in daily stretch-out sessions held at noon. These brief but consistent breaks encouraged staff to step away from their workstations, stretch their muscles, and refresh their minds before returning to their duties. The initiative featured health webinars accessible to employees nationwide, providing valuable information on maintaining physical and mental wellbeing. Aerobic classes offered more intensive fitness opportunities for those seeking to elevate their exercise routines. The celebrations reached their peak on Friday, 27 February, with fitness parties held simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Enugu. These events brought employees together in vibrant celebrations of health and camaraderie, transcending geographical boundaries to reinforce a shared organisational culture. The Healthwalks on Saturday served as both a physical culmination and a symbolic gesture. In Lagos, the route from Marina to Surulere represented a journey of commitment, with employees walking side by side through the citys bustling streets. In Enugu, participants moved through their own neighbourhoods, demonstrating that Union Banks commitment to employee welfare extends beyond its headquarters to every location where its people work. Fitfeb has established itself as an annual highlight in Union Banks calendar. While each edition builds on the successes of previous years, the core objective remains unchanged: to demonstrate the Banks genuine commitment to the welfare of its workforce across Nigeria. The nationwide execution of Fitfeb 2026 reflects the Banks understanding that employee wellbeing cannot be confined to a single location. By extending the initiative to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and beyond, Union Bank affirms that every employee, regardless of location, deserves equal investment in their health and happiness. Union Banks wellness initiatives align directly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages. By investing in the health of its employees nationwide, the Bank contributes to national health objectives while setting an example for other organisations. The programme also supports Goal 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Healthy employees are more productive, more engaged, and better equipped to deliver exceptional service to customers across every region the Bank serves. Union Bank recognises that the wellbeing of its employees directly impacts the quality of service provided to customers. When staff members feel valued, supported, and healthy, they bring greater energy, patience, and creativity to their interactions with clients, whether in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, or any other location. This philosophy extends beyond transactional banking relationships. It reflects the Banks understanding that financial institutions have a responsibility to nurture the human element within their operations nationwide. By caring for employees in every region, Union Bank ultimately enhances the experience of every customer who engages with the institution. The success of Fitfeb 2026 demonstrates that corporate wellness programmes can be both meaningful and geographically inclusive. Union Banks approach avoids superficial gestures in favour of substantive, nationwide investment in employee health. The synchronised execution across multiple cities ensures that wellness is not a privilege reserved for headquarters staff but a right extended to every employee. Other organisations in Nigerias corporate landscape would do well to note the tangible benefits of such inclusive initiatives. Beyond improved health outcomes, nationwide wellness programmes foster loyalty across regions, strengthen organisational cohesion, and demonstrate genuine commitment to every member of the workforce. As Union Bank concludes another successful Fitfeb, the focus turns to sustaining the momentum generated throughout February across all locations. The challenge for any organisation is to ensure that wellness remains a priority beyond designated awareness months and across every branch. Union Bank appears committed to this long-term, nationwide vision. The consistency, evolution, and geographical expansion of the Fitfeb initiative suggest a genuine, enduring dedication to employee welfare rather than a fleeting corporate trend. The Healthwalks in Lagos and Enugu, and the fitness parties spanning four major cities, may have concluded on the last weekend of February, but their message continues to resonate. Union Bank of Nigeria has once again demonstrated that caring for employees is not merely a business strategy but a reflection of institutional values. In doing so, the Bank reinforces its position as an employer that prioritises people across Nigeria, a financial institution that serves communities with authenticity, and a corporate citizen contributing meaningfully to national development goals. The document automation and contract intelligence market has matured rapidly, driven by the convergence of AI, natural language processing, and enterprise workflow automation. In 2025, the intelligent document processing market reached $2.8 billion growing at a 35% compound annual rate, while the broader contract lifecycle management market exceeded $1.24 billion and is projected to grow at 13% CAGR through 2034. For business professionals in legal, procurement, sales, or finance, the right platform can compress contract cycles from weeks to hours, surface hidden obligations and financial risks, and turn static document repositories into strategic business intelligence assets. The tools in this guide are organized into seven subcategories reflecting meaningful differences in buyer profile, use case, and deployment philosophy from enterprise-grade CLM systems recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant and Forrester Wave, to AI-native legal intelligence platforms, procurement-integrated contract tools, document assembly engines, lightweight repositories, and workflow-embedded contract intelligence. Each entry is written to help business professionals quickly identify whether a given tool matches their organizational scale, primary use case, and technology ecosystem. Tool AI / Key Features Deployment Key Integrations eSig Best For Icertis Contract Intelligence AI clause analysis, risk scoring, obligation tracking Cloud / On-Prem SAP, MS Dynamics, Salesforce Yes Global enterprises, regulated industries Ironclad CLM Jurist AI assistant, 175-clause detection, AI redlining Cloud Salesforce, Slack, Google Workspace, 8,000+ apps Yes (native) Enterprise legal teams, tech companies Sirion CLM AI obligation tracking, NL querying, SLA reconciliation Cloud 1,000+ via integration studio, SAP, CRM Yes Global enterprises, financial/professional services DocuSign CLM & IAM AI metadata extraction, Navigator AI, Maestro automation Cloud Salesforce, Google Workspace, MS 365, SAP, 1,000+ Yes (native) DocuSign ecosystem users, sales-driven orgs ContractPodAi (Leah) AI agents for authoring, negotiation, Leah Legal copilot Cloud Salesforce, MS 365, ServiceNow, SAP Yes Enterprise legal depts, pharma, financial services Agiloft CLM ConvoAI chatbot, 100+ data point extraction, no-code AI Cloud / On-Prem Salesforce, Jira, MS Office Yes Govt, healthcare, highly customized workflows Conga CLM AI clause/obligation extraction, playbook comparison Cloud Salesforce (native), DocuSign, Adobe Sign Yes Salesforce-native enterprises, quote-to-cash Luminance Legal-Grade AI, LPT model, multi-agent negotiation Cloud MS Word, Outlook, Salesforce No (review-focused) Law firms, Big Four, M&A due diligence Kira Systems (Litera) ML clause detection, 100s of provision types, trainable models Cloud Litera ecosystem, MS Office No (review-focused) Law firms, M&A due diligence, lease abstraction Robin AI AI contract review, redlining suggestions, risk flagging Cloud MS Word, contract repository No Mid-market, in-house legal with small teams SpotDraft VerifAI playbook scanning, AI drafting & review Cloud Salesforce, HubSpot Yes Fast-growing tech companies, SaaS businesses Juro Juro AI drafting, redline summarization, triage Cloud (browser-native) Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Google Workspace, Workday Yes (native) B2B SaaS, marketplaces, cross-functional teams LinkSquares LinkAI agentic engine, SmartValues extraction, risk scoring Cloud Salesforce, MS Word Yes In-house legal & finance, high-growth enterprises Malbek CLM AI-infused authoring, contextual insights at every stage Cloud Salesforce, HubSpot, SAP, NetSuite, Coupa, DocuSign Yes (integrated) Mid-market to enterprise, AI-first approach Evisort 230+ contract type ID, 50+ clause extraction, ML improvement Cloud Salesforce, MS Office, DocuSign Yes (via DocuSign) Legal/procurement/finance, large legacy repositories SAP Ariba Contracts Joule AI copilot, clause extraction, compliance checking Cloud (SAP BTP) SAP S/4HANA, SAP ERP, SAP Business Network Yes (via SAP) SAP-stack enterprises, global manufacturing Coupa Contract Management AI contract creation, spend analysis vs. contract terms Cloud SAP, Oracle, MS Dynamics, NetSuite Yes Procurement-led orgs, CPO-level buyers Zycus CLM Smart contract creation, real-time risk clause detection Cloud SAP, Oracle, MS Dynamics, Salesforce, NetSuite Yes Energy, chemicals, automotive, healthcare devices Gatekeeper AI contract analytics, vendor risk scoring Cloud MS Office, Salesforce, DocuSign, SAP, SharePoint Yes Vendor-heavy orgs, retail, healthcare, media Aavenir Contractflow AI authoring & automation natively in ServiceNow ServiceNow (cloud) ServiceNow (native), Salesforce, Coupa, SAP Yes ServiceNow-standardized enterprises HotDocs (Mitratech) ML-assisted contract generation, conditional logic templates Cloud / On-Prem Back-office systems via API Yes (integrated) Govt, financial services, insurance, high-volume docs PandaDoc AI content suggestions, document tracking analytics Cloud Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier, 2,000+ apps Yes (native) SMB & mid-market sales teams, proposals Concord Basic automation, approval workflows, collaboration Cloud Google Drive, Dropbox, Salesforce, MS 365, Zapier Yes (native) Growing companies, self-service contracting ContractSafe AI Chat, AI Contract Review, Smart Search, OCR Cloud Salesforce, DocuSign, Okta No (manages signed docs) Mid-market legal teams, 501,000 employees ContractWorks (Onit) AI Smart Tagging, GPT-assisted drafting Cloud DocuSign, MS Office, Salesforce via API Yes (integrated) Smallmid legal teams, first-step CLM adoption Lexion AI date/party/term extraction, NL contract search Cloud MS 365, Salesforce No (manages signed docs) Mid-market legal teams, spreadsheet replacers CobbleStone Contract Insight VISDOM AI extraction, compliance scoring, predictive analytics Cloud / On-Prem DocuSign, Salesforce, MS Office Yes Healthcare, govt, utilities, multi-entity portfolios Summize AI contract summarization, clause extraction, risk flagging Cloud (Teams/Slack-native) MS Teams, Slack, DocuSign, Adobe Sign Yes (integrated) Legal teams in MS 365 / Slack environments Enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Platforms These are full-suite, enterprise-grade platforms that manage the entire contract lifecycle from authoring and negotiation through execution, obligation tracking, and post-signature governance at the scale and complexity demands of large, global organizations. They are the systems of record for enterprise contracting and typically integrate deeply with ERP, CRM, and procurement ecosystems. Common buyers are Chief Legal Officers, Chief Procurement Officers, and VP-level Legal Operations leaders at companies managing thousands of contracts annually. Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI) Icertis Contract Intelligence is widely regarded as the incumbent leader in enterprise CLM. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the platform transforms contracts from static documents into structured, analyzable business assets extracting obligations, risks, and performance metrics across entire portfolios. Customers include Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, and Daimler. Icertis surpassed $250 million in ARR and has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contract Lifecycle Management for multiple consecutive years. Features: Features include AI-powered clause analysis and risk scoring, automated obligation tracking across 30 distinct performance metrics, deep ERP integration with SAP and Microsoft Dynamics, configurable approval workflows, multilingual support for global deployments, and pre- and post-signature governance. The platforms contract analytics engine surfaces actionable insights across large repositories, enabling commercial, legal, and procurement teams to work from a single authoritative contract record with full audit trail transparency. Best for: Best for large enterprises in regulated industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and high-tech that require deep cross-functional contract governance across procurement, sales, and legal. Organizations with complex, high-volume global contracting needs and existing SAP or Microsoft Dynamics environments will find the deepest value, particularly those managing multi-tier supply chain obligations or government compliance frameworks. Ironclad CLM Ironclad is a workflow-driven CLM platform built specifically for in-house legal and commercial teams at high-growth companies and Fortune 500 organizations. Named a Leader in both the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CLM and the Forrester Wave CLM Q1 2025 for the third consecutive year, Ironclad has processed over one billion contracts for customers including LOreal, OpenAI, and Cisco. The platform reached $150 million in ARR in 2025 and is valued at $3.2 billion, reflecting strong enterprise demand for legal-team-centric workflow automation. Features: Features include a no-code Workflow Designer for building multi-stakeholder approval chains, a collaborative Editor for redlining and negotiation, a dynamic contract Repository with advanced search, native e-signature via Ironclad Signature, and the AI assistant Jurist purpose-built for legal contract review. The platform detects 175 standard clauses, generates over 10 million AI predictions annually, and integrates with Salesforce, Slack, Google Workspace, and over 8,000 applications through its open platform architecture. Best for: Best for enterprise legal teams and commercial operations at technology companies and multi-stakeholder organizations that prioritize workflow automation, AI-assisted drafting, and compliance-ready contracting. Ironclad is particularly strong where legal teams need granular approval controls and deep CRM integration without engaging IT or developer resources across a long, complex contract lifecycle. Sirion CLM Sirion is an AI-native enterprise CLM platform distinguished by its industry-leading post-signature governance capabilities. Positioned as a top-tier performer in both the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CLM and the Forrester Wave CLM Q1 2025 for four consecutive years and ranked first on Ability to Execute in 2025 Sirion manages over seven million contracts for global enterprises. Its 2024 acquisition of Eigen Technologies strengthened capabilities in finance, insurance, and compliance-heavy sectors. The platforms AI agents actively track obligations, monitor compliance, and reconcile invoices against contract terms. Features: Features include AI-powered obligation tracking, issue-based contract analysis with explainable reasoning, multilingual clause extraction, natural language querying of contract data, SLA and pricing reconciliation against ERP and CRM systems, and a code-free integration studio connecting with over 1,000 enterprise systems. Sirion enables conversational AI interactions users can query expiring contracts, high-risk clauses, or performance dashboards in plain language without navigating complex interfaces. Best for: Best for global enterprises with complex, long-term commercial and procurement contracts where ongoing obligation management and financial reconciliation are as critical as pre-signature workflows. Organizations in financial services, technology, and professional services managing high-volume supplier and customer contracts particularly those navigating complex SLA governance or cross-currency pricing reconciliation will benefit most. DocuSign CLM & Intelligent Agreement Management DocuSign is the worlds most recognized name in electronic signatures, and its evolution into a full-spectrum Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) platform marks a major expansion of its capabilities. Serving more than 1.5 million customers across 180 countries, with over 150 million agreements housed in its Navigator repository, DocuSign brings unmatched scale and ecosystem breadth to contract automation. Named among the top CLM market leaders with over 30% collective market share in 2025, the platform integrates pre-signature workflows, collaborative drafting, execution, and post-execution analytics into a single connected experience. Features: Features include DocuSign Maestro for no-code agreement workflow automation, DocuSign Navigator for AI-powered contract storage and relationship mapping, DocuSign AI for automated metadata extraction and contract review acceleration, and over 1,000 pre-built integrations with Salesforce, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and SAP. The platform supports conditional clause logic, automated approval routing, renewal alerts, detailed audit trails, and real-time analytics dashboards giving legal, sales, and finance teams full portfolio visibility. Best for: Best for organizations already embedded in the DocuSign ecosystem that want a unified platform spanning e-signature through post-execution analytics. An excellent fit for sales-driven organizations on Salesforce, as well as enterprises prioritizing breadth of integration and global compliance particularly in healthcare, financial services, and real estate where stringent audit trail requirements are a baseline expectation. ContractPodAi (Leah) ContractPodAi, rebranded as Leah in January 2026, is an enterprise CLM platform built around AI agents that automate legal, procurement, and finance workflows. Named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape 2025 for CLM and a Gartner Visionary for five consecutive years, the platform deploys AI agents that handle contract authoring, negotiation assistance, and portfolio analysis with reduced human intervention. Founded in 2012 in London, it serves global enterprises with a legal-first architecture designed for compliance-intensive environments where legal department efficiency is a strategic priority. Features: Features include AI agent-driven contract authoring and negotiation assistance, the Leah Legal generative AI copilot with a library of legal operation playbooks, Cloud Risk & Compliance tools, a legal intake system with granular approval routing, obligation tracking, multi-party redlining capabilities, and enterprise-grade security with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance. The platform integrates with Salesforce, Microsoft 365, ServiceNow, and SAP across the full contract lifecycle. Best for: Best for enterprise legal departments at global organizations that need a legal-first CLM with strong AI agent capabilities for handling high volumes of contracts autonomously. Particularly well-suited for companies in financial services, pharmaceuticals, and technology with complex multi-jurisdictional compliance obligations and a mandate to reduce reliance on outside counsel through smarter legal operations automation. Agiloft CLM Agiloft is one of the most established platforms in the contract management space, founded in 1991 and recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CLM. Operating on a Data-first Agreement Platform (DAP), Agiloft enables organizations to model virtually any contracting process without writing a single line of code. The platform boasts a 99.6% implementation success rate and a 97% customer retention rate figures that reflect extraordinary flexibility and the ability to adapt to complex enterprise requirements across healthcare, finance, government, and technology sectors where one-size-fits-all CLM solutions consistently fall short. Features: Features include a highly configurable no-code workflow engine capable of multi-variable conditional routing, AI-powered data extraction across 100-plus contract data points via ConvoAI, dynamic contract generation with conditional logic, automated approval processes, multi-language support, cloud and on-premises deployment options, collaboration tools, ADA-compliant mobile applications, and integrations with Salesforce, Jira, and Microsoft Office. The ConvoAI chatbot interface enables conversational contract review and risk identification. Best for: Best for organizations with highly specific or complex contracting processes requiring deep platform customization without ongoing developer dependency. An ideal choice for government agencies, healthcare systems, higher education institutions, and enterprises in heavily regulated industries where the ability to model unique, multi-variable approval logic without custom code is a strategic requirement for legal operations at scale. Conga CLM Conga is a revenue lifecycle management platform with deep roots in Salesforce-native contracting and document generation. Born from the 2020 merger of Apttus and Conga, the combined platform serves enterprise customers across communications and media, banking and securities, and healthcare. Its Contract Intelligence module uses AI to extract clauses, terms, and obligations from large contract sets, compare them against playbooks, and surface risks within CLM and CRM workflows. Conga Composer, its document generation engine, automates the creation of proposals, orders, and agreements from structured CRM data. Features: Features include AI-powered clause and obligation extraction, a reusable clause library with version-controlled templates, Salesforce-native integration with two-way data sync, automated approval workflows, redlining and negotiation tools, contract performance dashboards, and e-signature integration. Congas contract intelligence layer identifies critical clauses around liability, pricing, and renewal dates, surfacing risk insights directly to sales and legal users within their existing Salesforce interface for maximum adoption. Best for: Best for enterprises running commercial operations on Salesforce that want contract automation natively embedded in their CRM. Particularly strong for sales, procurement, and legal teams in regulated industries needing a tightly coupled quote-to-cash and contract-to-close workflow with robust clause governance, high-volume document generation, and direct line-of-sight between contract obligations and revenue recognition. AI-Native Legal Intelligence & Contract Review Platforms These platforms lead with AI as their primary value proposition for contract analysis, due diligence, and legal review rather than workflow management. They are purpose-built for legal professionals who need to process, understand, and extract intelligence from large volumes of complex legal documents at speed. Buyers are General Counsel, law firm partners, legal operations managers, and compliance officers. Luminance Luminance is a Legal-Grade AI platform developed by AI experts from the University of Cambridge, trusted by over 1,000 organizations in more than 70 countries including all four of the Big Four accounting firms and over a quarter of the Global Top 100 law firms. In January 2026, the company launched the largest platform update in its ten-year history: a multi-agent architecture that retains negotiation history and legal decision-making context across the entire portfolio, addressing the costly problem of institutional knowledge loss. Company revenue doubled in 2025 for the second consecutive year, with North America growing 127% year-on-year. Features: Features include Legal-Grade AI agents for automated contract creation, negotiation, review, and compliance monitoring; a proprietary Legal Pre-Trained Transformer (LPT) trained on over 150 million legal documents; AI-driven compliance modules for enterprise-wide risk tracking; the Lumi conversational AI assistant; workflow orchestration agents that trigger appropriate actions as contracts progress; and deep integration with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Salesforce. The platform analyzed over 18 million contracts across industries in 2025. Best for: Best for law firms, Big Four professional services firms, and enterprise legal teams requiring both high-volume M&A due diligence capabilities and ongoing post-signature governance. Especially powerful for organizations dealing with large, multilingual document sets across multiple jurisdictions, and for those prioritizing institutional knowledge retention as experienced legal staff transition with reported contract negotiation time reductions of 70 to 90%. Kira Systems (Litera) Kira Systems is an AI-powered contract analysis platform renowned for exceptional accuracy in large-scale contract review and due diligence. Acquired by Litera in 2022, Kira has become a foundational tool for law firms and corporate legal departments undertaking M&A due diligence, lease abstraction, and regulatory review. The platform uses machine learning to identify and extract hundreds of clause types from unstructured legal documents with the precision demanded by professional services firms where errors carry legal and financial consequences measured in millions of dollars. Features: Features include AI-powered clause detection and extraction across hundreds of provision types, risk assessment tools flagging high-risk contract language, automated document classification, detailed exportable reports for legal and business stakeholders, enterprise-grade security and access controls, and human-in-the-loop validation workflows. Kiras machine learning models can be trained on an organizations own contract corpus to improve accuracy over time for jurisdiction-specific or industry-specific legal language patterns. Best for: Best for law firms, corporate legal departments, and professional services organizations conducting high-volume contract review, due diligence, or regulatory compliance analysis where extraction accuracy and auditability are paramount. Especially well-suited for M&A transactions, lease portfolio reviews, and any scenario involving large sets of complex, unstructured legal documents where clause language variance across counterparties creates material risk exposure. Robin AI Robin AI is a legal AI platform founded in 2019 in London, designed to make contract review dramatically faster for in-house legal teams and organizations managing contracts without large legal departments. The platform combines AI-powered contract review with a network of specialist lawyers creating a hybrid model where AI handles first-pass analysis and human legal experts provide escalation support when complexity demands it. This approach has made Robin AI particularly attractive to mid-market and scale-up companies needing the speed of AI without entirely removing human legal judgment from high-stakes decisions. Features: Features include AI-powered contract review identifying risk clauses and deviations from standard positions, contract summarization with plain-language explanations of key terms, AI-assisted redlining and clause replacement suggestions, access to a network of specialist lawyers for complex legal questions, a contract repository with searchable metadata, document comparison tools, integration with Microsoft Word for in-context review, negotiation playbooks, and support for over 20 agreement types including NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, and vendor agreements. Best for: Best for mid-market companies, scale-ups, and in-house legal teams with limited headcount needing rapid AI-assisted contract review combined with accessible specialist legal support for complex matters. Particularly well-suited for commercial teams in technology, financial services, and professional services that regularly handle NDAs, MSAs, and vendor agreements and need a platform that accelerates first-pass review while maintaining a human escalation path for high-value contract situations. Mid-Market & Fast-Growth CLM Platforms These platforms are designed for legal and business teams at growing companies and mid-market organizations that need modern, capable contract management without the six-figure implementation budgets or six-month deployment timelines of enterprise CLM systems. They prioritize ease of use, fast time-to-value, and cross-functional adoption enabling legal, sales, HR, and operations teams to work with contracts collaboratively. SpotDraft SpotDraft is an AI-driven contract lifecycle management platform founded in 2017, having raised $82 million in funding including a $54 million Series B. Designed for in-house legal teams at fast-growing companies with clients including Panasonic, Mixpanel, Airbnb, and Chargebee SpotDraft balances powerful legal functionality with ease of use that enables broader business team adoption. The platform operates dual innovation tracks: rapid feature deployment for near-term wins alongside long-term AI R&D, and it deploys in four to six weeks with a dedicated implementation manager at no additional cost. Features: Features include SpotDraft AI for automated contract drafting, review, and negotiation with clause risk flagging; VerifAI for scanning contracts against policy playbooks; Clickthrough for managing digital acceptance of clickwrap terms; a LegalHub knowledge base for pre-approved templates and clauses; CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot; customizable workflow automation; e-signature capabilities; and contract analytics dashboards. Implementation is free and includes unlimited training and a dedicated success manager. Best for: Best for fast-growing technology companies, SaaS businesses, and mid-market enterprises with in-house legal teams needing a capable, affordable CLM deployable without long IT involvement. Especially well-suited for companies seeking to reduce routine legal workload through contract self-service while maintaining compliance guardrails and where transparent, predictable pricing is a purchasing priority alongside feature depth and implementation speed. Juro Juro is an AI-enabled contract automation platform founded in 2016 in London, serving over 6,000 organizations including Deliveroo, Trustpilot, and Cazoo. Recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CLM for its user-friendly, business-centric approach, Juro is the number one rated CLM for user adoption according to independent review aggregators. The platform consolidates contract creation, editing, negotiation, e-signing, and tracking into a single unified browser-native workspace, eliminating the app-switching friction that burdens teams using disconnected word processors, email chains, and standalone signature tools. Features: Features include a browser-native rich-text editor with template-driven workflows, Juro AI for clause drafting, redline summarization, and metadata extraction from PDFs, intelligent contract triage for incoming third-party agreements, no-code approval workflow automation, integrated e-signature with full audit trails, a centralized searchable repository with version history and metadata tagging, automated milestone and renewal alerts, and native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Google Workspace, and Workday. Best for: Best for mid-market and fast-growing businesses, particularly in B2B SaaS, food and beverage, and marketplaces, where legal, sales, HR, and finance teams need to collaborate on contracts without creating legal bottlenecks. Ideal for organizations that want rapid deployment, high cross-functional adoption, and a modern contracting experience that feels more like a collaborative productivity tool than traditional CLM software requiring specialist legal operations knowledge to operate. LinkSquares LinkSquares is an AI-powered contract lifecycle management platform built specifically for in-house legal and finance teams, trusted by more than 1,200 customers and recognized in Forbes Cloud 100 and Deloittes Technology Fast 500. The platforms agentic AI engine, LinkAI, provides accurate contract analysis and enables organizations to manage contracts end-to-end within a centralized, intelligent environment. LinkSquares has been a G2 Leader in contract management software for 17 consecutive quarters, earning a 9.9 out of 10 customer support rating a meaningful differentiator given that implementation support quality is consistently the top predictor of CLM adoption success. Features: Features include a dual-platform structure covering Finalize for pre-signature drafting and workflows and Analyze for AI-powered post-signature intelligence, SmartValues AI for automatic contract data extraction and metadata tagging, agentic AI for risk scoring and custom analytics dashboards, unlimited templates with conditional logic, legal project management capabilities, Salesforce and Microsoft Word integrations, and real-time reporting on contract status, obligations, and compliance performance across the full portfolio. Best for: Best for in-house legal teams, finance departments, and GC offices at mid-market to high-growth enterprises prioritizing fast implementation, strong AI-driven post-signature analytics, and deep insight into their existing contract portfolio. Particularly valuable for organizations seeking to move beyond spreadsheets and shared drives into a structured CLM without the months-long implementation timelines typical of enterprise platforms, and where customer success responsiveness is a non-negotiable procurement criterion. Malbek CLM Malbek is a modern contract lifecycle management platform built around a proprietary AI core that infuses intelligence throughout the contracting process from initial request through final renewal. Designed for enterprises wanting current-generation AI embedded natively in CLM rather than bolted on as an afterthought, Malbek provides contextual insights and recommendations at each stage of the contract workflow. The platform maintains strong customer retention metrics, with the vast majority of customers reporting plans to renew, reflecting its emphasis on usability and continuous AI-driven value delivery across commercial and legal teams. Features: Features include AI-infused contract authoring, automated workflow routing, clause library management, contract repository with advanced search and filtering, version control and redlining tools, configurable approval workflows, contract analytics and performance dashboards, obligation tracking, e-signature integration, and an extensive integration ecosystem including Salesforce, HubSpot, SAP, NetSuite, Slack, Coupa, OneTrust, Adobe Sign, and DocuSign. Malbeks AI layer provides contextual insights and recommendations at every workflow stage without requiring manual data entry to trigger intelligence. Best for: Best for mid-market to enterprise legal and commercial teams wanting a modern, AI-first CLM platform with strong enterprise integration capabilities and a shorter implementation timeline than legacy enterprise systems. Particularly well-suited for revenue operations, procurement, and legal teams working across Salesforce and financial systems that want a CLM delivering intelligent guidance rather than simply automating document storage and basic approval routing. Evisort Evisort is a contract intelligence platform co-founded by lawyers and data scientists with the goal of making contract data as accessible and actionable as financial data. The company has built one of the broadest AI contract analysis engines available, capable of identifying over 230 distinct contract types and extracting more than 50 key clauses, dates, and metadata fields from any document. Evisort enables organizations to transform static contract repositories into searchable, queryable intelligence systems surfacing renewal deadlines, financial exposures, and compliance obligations across the full portfolio without requiring manual document review. Features: Features include AI-powered data extraction across 230-plus contract types, automated contract lifecycle workflows, self-service contract creation using pre-approved legal templates, real-time alerts with customizable notification triggers, a secure permissions-based contract repository, open API for custom integrations, reporting and analytics dashboards tracking milestones and risk, and native integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft Office, and DocuSign. Extraction models continuously improve based on each customers document corpus to increase accuracy for industry-specific language over time. Best for: Best for legal, procurement, and finance teams in mid-market and enterprise organizations needing deep AI-driven contract analytics on top of lifecycle management workflows. Evisort excels particularly in use cases involving large legacy contract repositories where organizations need to rapidly extract and operationalize buried contract data including renewal obligations, payment milestones, and indemnification caps without months of manual attorney review or data entry projects. Procurement-Integrated Contract Management Platforms These platforms embed contract management within broader source-to-pay, spend management, or procurement ecosystems. Contracts in these systems are not standalone legal instruments but living operational data tied directly to purchase orders, supplier performance, and spend analytics. Buyers are Chief Procurement Officers, Procurement Operations teams, and Finance leaders seeking contract compliance within the procure-to-pay workflow rather than as a separate legal function. SAP Ariba Contracts SAP Ariba is the worlds largest procurement network, connecting over four million suppliers and buyers globally, and its contract management module integrates natively within its broader source-to-pay suite. As part of SAPs next-generation Ariba platform redesign, the company is deploying Joule its AI copilot directly into contracting workflows to automatically extract key information, generate contract summaries, and identify discrepancies against compliance standards. This positions SAP Ariba as the primary choice for organizations wanting contract intelligence natively embedded in procurement processes rather than managed as a separate legal function. Features: Features include AI-powered clause extraction and compliance checking via SAP Joule, integration with SAP S/4HANA and SAP ERP for seamless procure-to-pay workflows, supplier collaboration within the SAP Business Network, automated contract creation from sourcing event outcomes, approval workflow orchestration, contract performance tracking against negotiated terms, spend analysis against contracted rates to identify off-contract purchases, and comprehensive audit trails for regulatory compliance across global operations in over 190 countries. Best for: Best for large enterprises already operating on the SAP technology stack particularly those using SAP S/4HANA or SAP ERP that want procurement and contract management tightly unified within a single ecosystem. SAP Ariba Contracts delivers maximum value when procurement, sourcing, and contract governance need to operate as a single data-connected workflow, making it a natural choice for global manufacturing, automotive, energy, and retail organizations managing complex multi-tier supplier relationships at scale. Coupa Contract Management Coupa is a leading cloud-based business spend management platform that integrates contract management as a core module within its broader procurement and finance ecosystem. Recognized as one of the top seven companies controlling over 30% of the CLM market in 2025, Coupa enables organizations to convert contract terms into operational data ensuring that what was negotiated in the contract is actually being executed in the supply chain. This gap between negotiated terms and operational reality costs organizations billions annually in value leakage, making Coupas procurement-contract integration a strategic differentiator for procurement-heavy industries. Features: Features include AI-driven contract creation automation, portfolio-based spend visibility against contracted terms, supplier collaboration portals enabling counterparty negotiation within the platform, real-time structured contract data for amendment and termination decisions, compliance enforcement through automated obligation tracking, integration with SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, and NetSuite, and advanced spend analytics linking contract commitments to actual purchase orders and invoices. A supplier risk module flags vendors with deteriorating compliance or financial health scores. Best for: Best for procurement-led organizations in manufacturing, retail, financial services, and healthcare wanting contract intelligence deeply embedded within spend management workflows. Coupas greatest value emerges when organizations need tight alignment between negotiated contract terms, real purchase order data, and supplier invoice reconciliation making it especially powerful for Chief Procurement Officers seeking to reduce off-contract spend, recover supplier rebates, and enforce preferred vendor commitments at measurable scale. Zycus CLM Zycus is a comprehensive source-to-pay suite with a dedicated contract management module that integrates AI-powered contract intelligence across procurement, supplier management, and compliance workflows. Serving global enterprises across manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and financial services, the companys contract management capabilities are embedded within its iContract platform, spanning procurement intake, sourcing, contract execution, and invoice management. This enables procurement professionals to manage contracts as living business instruments tied directly to sourcing outcomes and supplier performance rather than as isolated legal documents managed in a separate system. Features: Features include AI-powered smart contract creation with real-time risk clause detection, contract benchmarking against internal templates and industry standards, automated approval workflows with escalation paths, supplier performance tracking aligned to contract SLAs, integration with SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, and NetSuite, compliance management with automatic alerting for regulatory obligations, a centralized searchable contract repository with version control and audit history, and procurement analytics connecting contract commitments to realized savings and spend data. Best for: Best for large global enterprises with procurement-heavy operations wanting contract management deeply integrated into sourcing, supplier, and spend management workflows. Zycus delivers particular value for organizations in complex industries such as energy, chemicals, automotive, and healthcare devices where high-value supplier contracts require simultaneous governance of commercial terms, compliance obligations, SLA performance, and financial reconciliation within a single operational platform rather than across fragmented tools. Gatekeeper Gatekeeper is a contract and vendor lifecycle management platform that uniquely positions itself at the intersection of contract management and supplier relationship management. Trusted by enterprise customers including AstraZeneca, The Telegraph, and Randstad, Gatekeeper enables organizations to manage not just their contracts but the entire vendor ecosystem connected to those contracts including risk profiles, compliance status, performance metrics, and renewal decisions. This dual focus makes it a compelling choice for procurement teams that need to govern both the legal terms of agreements and the ongoing performance of the parties bound by them. Features: Features include AI-driven contract analytics and compliance tracking, integrated vendor management with risk scoring and due diligence workflows, automated e-signature workflows, a self-service vendor portal enabling counterparties to update their own compliance documentation, contract repository with full-text search and metadata extraction, renewal management with automated notifications, real-time KPI dashboards for contract and vendor performance, and integrations with Microsoft Office, Salesforce, DocuSign, Dropbox, Google Drive, SharePoint, and SAP. Best for: Best for organizations where vendor relationship governance is as strategically important as contract lifecycle management particularly in procurement-heavy industries including retail, healthcare, media, and professional services. Gatekeeper is an excellent fit for legal and procurement teams wanting to reduce vendor risk through ongoing compliance monitoring and performance tracking, and who find standard CLM platforms focus too narrowly on documents while neglecting the supplier relationships those documents govern. Aavenir Contractflow Aavenir Contractflow is a purpose-built contract lifecycle management platform natively constructed on ServiceNow, making it the platform of choice for organizations running IT, procurement, and legal operations within the ServiceNow ecosystem. By embedding contract intelligence directly within ServiceNow workflows, Aavenir eliminates the need for separate system integrations and enables legal, procurement, and IT teams to manage contracts alongside their existing service management and operational workflows. This native architecture has made it particularly popular among enterprises already invested in ServiceNow that want to extend their platform investment to cover the full contract lifecycle. Features: Features include AI-powered contract authoring and workflow automation natively within ServiceNow, obligation tracking and compliance monitoring integrated with IT and procurement service workflows, pre-built templates and clause libraries accessible from within ServiceNow, approval routing with conditional logic, contract repository with full-text search and metadata extraction, renewal alerts and obligation reminders, supplier management tools, integration with Salesforce, Coupa, and SAP, real-time contract analytics dashboards, and SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance for enterprise security requirements. Best for: Best for enterprises standardized on ServiceNow for IT, HR, or procurement operations that want to extend their platform investment to manage the full contract lifecycle within the same environment. Aavenir is especially compelling for IT procurement teams, legal departments managing technology contracts and SaaS agreements, and compliance-focused organizations in financial services and healthcare that want contract governance embedded directly into their operational workflow engine rather than as a separate standalone system. Document Automation & Assembly Platforms These platforms specialize in the automated generation of high-volume, structured documents from templates and data sources eliminating manual document drafting, reducing errors from copy-paste processes, and ensuring consistency across large document libraries. Their primary use case is document creation rather than contract intelligence or lifecycle governance. Buyers include legal operations teams, HR departments, financial services compliance teams, and sales enablement leaders. HotDocs (Mitratech) HotDocs is one of the original and most enduring document automation platforms, operating since 1993 and now part of the Mitratech product suite. Built on a template-driven assembly model, HotDocs transforms existing Word and PDF documents into intelligent, logic-driven templates that generate accurate, consistently formatted documents at scale. Trusted by organizations ranging from small law firms to Fortune 500 companies across financial services, insurance, and government, HotDocs has evolved into a cloud-capable platform with machine learning-assisted contract generation, making it a durable choice for teams with established, complex document automation requirements. Features: Features include template creation via HotDocs Developer with support for conditional logic and business rules, centralized template libraries with version control, interview-based data collection mapping user input to template variables, multi-language deployment capabilities, cloud and on-premises deployment options, e-signature integration, and machine learning-assisted contract generation in HotDocs Advanced. The platform supports enterprise-level access controls, audit trails, and API-based integration with back-office systems for fully automated document assembly pipelines. Best for: Best for legal, financial, and enterprise teams requiring highly structured, compliance-grade document generation with conditional logic and robust template governance at scale. A particularly strong fit for organizations with legacy template libraries seeking to modernize without abandoning established processes, as well as government agencies, financial institutions, and insurance carriers with strict formatting standards, complex variable logic, and high-volume document production requirements measured in thousands of documents per day. PandaDoc PandaDoc is a popular, user-friendly document automation and contract management platform with strong traction among small to mid-market businesses and sales teams within larger organizations. Known for its intuitive interface and rich template library, PandaDoc streamlines the full lifecycle of business documents from interactive proposals and quotes to contracts and order forms integrating e-signature, payment collection, and document analytics into a single workflow. Serving over 50,000 customers globally across construction, education, healthcare, and professional services, PandaDoc has built a reputation as the go-to platform for commercial teams that measure success in deal velocity. Features: Features include a rich library of customizable contract and proposal templates, real-time in-document collaboration and commenting, legally binding e-signatures with audit trails, integrated payment collection at the point of signing, automated approval workflows, CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot, over 2,000 app integrations via Zapier and native connectors, document tracking and analytics showing recipient engagement metrics, and AI-assisted content suggestions for accelerating document creation. A developer API enables custom document generation workflows. Best for: Best for sales-driven organizations, SMBs, and mid-market companies needing a fast, approachable platform for creating professional proposals, NDAs, and contracts with built-in e-signature and payment capabilities. Particularly well-suited for teams in industries such as construction, education, healthcare, and professional services where document volume is moderate, ease of use drives adoption, and the ability to collect payments at the moment of signature meaningfully accelerates the revenue cycle. Concord Concord is a contract management platform designed for accessibility and fast deployment, enabling both legal and non-legal business users to create, negotiate, sign, and manage contracts without specialized training or lengthy onboarding. Built on the philosophy that contracts should be as easy to manage as any other business document, Concord is a popular choice for growing companies wanting contract visibility and e-signature across the entire organization without creating dependencies on legal team availability. The platform is well known for its transparent pricing, intuitive user experience, and the ability to go from setup to active contract management within hours. Features: Features include real-time contract creation and editing with a built-in rich text editor, multi-party negotiation and redlining within the platform, legally binding e-signature with a full audit trail, a centralized contract repository with metadata search, deadline reminders and renewal alerts, approval workflows with multi-stakeholder routing, version tracking across the full negotiation history, unlimited storage for active and archived contracts, and integrations with Google Drive, Dropbox, Salesforce, Microsoft 365, and Zapier for connecting contracts to the broader business application stack. Best for: Best for mid-market businesses, growing startups, and commercial teams across sales, HR, operations, and procurement wanting to bring all contract activity into one place without routing every request through a legal team bottleneck. Concord is ideal where self-service contracting the ability for any employee to initiate, negotiate, and execute a contract with guardrails is a higher priority than deep AI analytics or complex workflow customization requiring legal operations expertise to configure and maintain. Lightweight, Repository-Focused & SMB Contract Tools These platforms serve organizations that need practical, accessible contract storage, search, and alert functionality without the complexity or cost of enterprise CLM systems. They are the right first step for companies moving off spreadsheets and shared drives, or for mature organizations that want a lightweight tool for a specific team or use case. Buyers tend to be small legal teams, operations managers, and compliance officers at companies with straightforward contracting needs. ContractSafe ContractSafe is a contract management platform purpose-built for mid-market in-house legal and administrative teams that need a practical, actively evolving tool rather than a static repository. Over the past year the platform has launched significant AI-powered features including Smart Search, AI Chat, AI Contract Review, in-app editing, Word integration, expanded AI extracted fields, and contract lifecycle tracking positioning it as one of the fastest-innovating platforms in the mid-market CLM segment. Unlike legacy platforms acquired into larger enterprise suites, ContractSafe remains independently focused on mid-market contract management, driving a faster product roadmap aligned to actual user feedback. Features: Features include AI Chat for natural language queries across the entire contract portfolio, AI Contract Review for automated risk identification and clause flagging, OCR converting scanned contracts into searchable text, Smart Search for natural language contract retrieval, custom metadata fields and tagging, automatic reminders for key dates and renewal deadlines, role-based access controls with encryption, drag-and-drop document upload, integrations with Salesforce, DocuSign, and Okta, and in-app contract editing that eliminates toggling between multiple tools for routine changes. Best for: Best for mid-market legal teams, compliance departments, and operations teams at companies in the 50 to 1,000 employee range needing a practical, modern contract repository with growing AI capabilities without the expense or implementation complexity of enterprise CLM platforms. Particularly valuable for teams that tried simple shared drives or basic repositories and need the next step up in intelligence, searchability, and deadline management without sacrificing the simplicity that drives actual platform adoption across the organization. ContractWorks (Onit) ContractWorks is a contract management software platform known for its simplicity, predictable flat-fee pricing, and rapid time-to-value for organizations centralizing contracts without a lengthy implementation process. Acquired by Onit in 2022 as part of a broader legal operations portfolio, ContractWorks provides practical features for teams transitioning from paper-based or spreadsheet-driven contract management to a centralized digital system. The platform has added AI Smart Tagging for metadata extraction and GPT-assisted drafting to modernize its feature set, making it viable for smaller legal and operations teams needing reliable contract storage with emerging AI capabilities. Features: Features include AI Smart Tagging for automatic metadata extraction and contract tagging, GPT-assisted contract drafting tools, centralized contract storage with role-based permissions and encryption, integrated e-signature keeping signing and storage in a single platform, full-text search and keyword filtering across the entire contract repository, automated deadline and renewal reminders with configurable notification settings, version history and audit trails, and API connectivity enabling integration with external business systems including DocuSign, Microsoft Office, and Salesforce. Best for: Best for small to mid-sized legal teams, compliance offices, and operations departments needing a simple, reliable, and affordable contract repository with e-signature and basic AI capabilities to replace manual file systems or shared drives. An ideal choice for organizations taking their first step into formal contract management software, where simplicity and low administrative overhead matter more than deep workflow automation or sophisticated AI analytics and where predictable flat-fee pricing removes budget uncertainty from the procurement decision. Lexion Lexion is a contract management platform designed for businesses wanting to stay organized and contract intelligently without overcomplicating their legal operations. Built with AI-powered automation for legal teams and cross-functional business users alike, Lexion helps teams track contracts, manage approvals, and find key information instantly without requiring manual data entry or weeks of implementation work. The platform has become popular particularly among mid-market in-house legal teams needing fast access to contract insights and deadline tracking, backed by integrations with the tools their teams already use daily including Microsoft 365 and Salesforce. Features: Features include AI-powered contract tracking with automatic extraction of key dates, parties, and terms; no-code workflow automation for contract approvals and reviews; a simple, intuitive dashboard providing clear overview of contract status and upcoming deadlines; deadline and renewal reminders with configurable lead times; Microsoft Office and Salesforce integrations; custom reports and analytics tracking contract performance; fast natural language contract search; and document import tools that make migrating an existing contract archive a low-effort task with minimal manual tagging required. Best for: Best for mid-market in-house legal teams and operations teams at growing businesses wanting an accessible, easy-to-adopt contract management platform with strong AI search and alerting capabilities without the implementation complexity or cost of enterprise CLM systems. Particularly well-suited for organizations transitioning from spreadsheet-based contract tracking to a centralized, intelligent platform for the first time, where ease of setup and intuitive design are the primary success factors for cross-functional adoption across legal and business teams. CobbleStone Contract Insight CobbleStone Contract Insight is a feature-rich CLM platform built for organizations with intricate contracting needs requiring advanced contract intelligence, predictive analytics, and deep compliance capabilities. Recognized in the CLM software market for its robust governance toolset, CobbleStone serves large organizations across healthcare, government, financial services, and higher education managing thousands of contracts across multiple entities, jurisdictions, and regulatory frameworks. The platforms VISDOM AI capabilities surface compliance risks and provide analytics that help risk and legal teams make more informed decisions about both individual contracts and the health of the broader contract portfolio. Features: Features include VISDOM AI for automated contract data extraction and compliance scoring, predictive intelligence for contract renewal and obligation outcomes, comprehensive contract workflow automation, vendor management modules, configurable approval trees with multi-level escalation, contract templates and clause libraries, detailed reporting and audit trails, integration with DocuSign, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office, role-based access controls with SOC 2 compliance, and both SaaS cloud and on-premises deployment options for organizations with strict data residency or sovereignty requirements. Best for: Best for large organizations in regulated industries particularly healthcare systems, government agencies, utilities, and financial institutions requiring advanced contract compliance automation, predictive risk analytics, and granular governance capabilities within a single platform. An especially strong fit for enterprises managing complex, multi-entity contract portfolios where VISDOM AI-driven insights need to flow directly into compliance reporting and board-level governance dashboards on a continuous, real-time basis. Workflow-Embedded & Teams-Native Contract Intelligence Tools These platforms take a fundamentally different approach by embedding contract intelligence directly into the productivity tools and workflow platforms that business users already use every day rather than requiring adoption of a standalone CLM application. They remove the friction of context-switching and drive adoption by meeting users in Microsoft Teams, Slack, ServiceNow, or Microsoft Word, making contract work a native part of existing business workflows. Summize Summize is a contract intelligence platform built around the insight that the biggest barrier to CLM adoption is requiring users to learn and log into yet another application. By integrating directly into Microsoft Teams and Slack, Summize meets legal and business users in the productivity tools they use daily, enabling contract request intake, AI-powered review, approval routing, and status tracking to happen entirely within existing communication platforms. This embedded approach has earned particularly strong adoption among legal operations teams and commercial functions handling high volumes of routine agreements where speed and minimal friction matter most. Features: Features include AI-powered contract summarization highlighting key obligations, risks, and commercial terms in plain language; automated contract intake and request management within Microsoft Teams and Slack; clause extraction and risk flagging against pre-defined playbooks; a contract repository with metadata tagging and search; workflow automation for approval routing; e-signature integration with DocuSign and Adobe Sign; deadline and renewal alerts; reporting and analytics dashboards; and a self-service contract creation tool enabling business users to generate approved documents without requiring legal team involvement in routine transactions. Best for: Best for legal teams and commercial operations wanting to accelerate contract review and request handling without requiring users to leave Microsoft Teams or Slack to interact with their CLM system. Summize is particularly well-suited for organizations managing high volumes of routine agreements NDAs, vendor contracts, and employment agreements where the bottleneck is legal team bandwidth and the solution is embedding AI review into existing workflows rather than adding another application to an already complex technology stack. How to Choose the Right Platform Start with the subcategory before the vendor. If your primary challenge is managing complex enterprise contracting across legal, procurement, and sales simultaneously, evaluate Category 1 platforms Icertis, Ironclad, Sirion, DocuSign CLM, ContractPodAi (Leah), Agiloft, or Conga and shortlist based on your existing ERP and CRM ecosystem. If your primary need is AI-powered contract review and due diligence accuracy, Category 2 Luminance, Kira Systems, or Robin AI addresses that directly without the overhead of a full CLM deployment. For fast-growing companies where legal team bandwidth is the constraint and cross-functional adoption is the goal, Category 3 SpotDraft, Juro, LinkSquares, Malbek, or Evisort delivers enterprise-grade capabilities at mid-market price points and deployment timelines. For organizations where contract management is fundamentally a procurement function, Category 4 SAP Ariba, Coupa, Zycus, Gatekeeper, or Aavenir integrates contract governance directly into the procure-to-pay workflow rather than treating contracts as separate legal artefacts. Organizations focused primarily on generating high-volume, structured documents from templates should evaluate Category 5 platforms HotDocs, PandaDoc, or Concord. Those simply needing to centralize and search an existing contract archive should look to Category 6 ContractSafe, ContractWorks, Lexion, or CobbleStone before investing in a full CLM. And for teams in Microsoft 365 or Slack-native environments where CLM adoption has historically failed because of context-switching friction, Category 7 Summize offers an embedded alternative that drives adoption by meeting users exactly where they work. Regardless of category, the most successful implementations share one foundation: a clear definition of the contract types, stakeholders, and workflow bottlenecks that automation should address first. Starting with a focused pilot scope, measuring cycle time and error rate improvements against a baseline, and expanding systematically from there is consistently the fastest path to measurable ROI across all categories of document automation and contract intelligence tooling. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. In the spirit of the Chinese New Year, Bracken Media Solutions hosted leading media stakeholders to a strategic meet-and-greet session aimed at strengthening collaboration and appreciating long-standing partnerships. The engagement, held in Brackens head office in Ikeja Lagos, brought together journalists and editors who have supported the agencys client portfolio over the years. The session provided an opportunity for reflection, appreciation, and alignment on shared goals for 2026. Speaking at the gathering, Managing Director, Mahmood Oyewo, reaffirmed the agencys commitment to deeper media collaboration. Bracken has come to stay. Beyond amplifying our clients, we are intentional about building lasting partnerships within the media ecosystem. This year, we are open to stronger collaboration from supporting media initiatives and industry events to creating platforms that elevate shared visibility and impact, Mr Oyewo said. He further noted that 2026 would see Bracken intensify strategic media placements for its clients while also strengthening the agencys own brand positioning. The media representatives in attendance commended the agency for the engagement and expressed readiness to deepen collaboration in the year ahead. The session concluded with renewed commitments on both sides to foster mutual growth, transparency, and impactful storytelling throughout 2026. Oyewo Sheds More Light on Bracken and its media partnership Below are excerpts from a conversation with Managing Director, Mahmood Oyewo on the imperative of the meeting and partnership with the media: Q: Why was this engagement important? Mahmood Oyewo: The media has played a significant role in helping us deliver value to our clients. It was important to appreciate that support and begin the year aligned on expectations and opportunities. Q: What should the media expect from Bracken in 2026? Mahmood Oyewo: Greater collaboration. We are not only focused on positioning our clients more strategically, we are also investing in strengthening Brackens visibility and credibility. If media partners have events, industry conversations, or initiatives, we are open to supporting and participating meaningfully. Q: How will this impact your clients? Mahmoud Oyewo: Our clients will benefit from more deliberate media engagement, stronger placements, and deeper storytelling partnerships. We are refining how we connect brands to audiences through credible platforms. Q: What is your outlook for the year? Mahmood Oyewo: 2026 is a year of consolidation and expansion. We are building stronger bridges and we are doing it collaboratively. In Nigerias federal arrangement, most states have been trained by habit and by history to govern with one ear and both hands permanently tuned to Abuja. The month begins, not with an internal reckoning of productivity, but with anticipation: what will FAAC bring? In that culture, budgets can become ceremonies, and revenue is often just allocation. What is unfolding in Enugu is interesting because it tries to reverse that reflex. It is a deliberate attempt to redesign the states fiscal DNA shifting from an allocation-dependent government to a revenue-governed one. The headline is dramatic. At a recent press briefing, the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) disclosed that the state generated 406.774bn in internally generated revenue (IGR) in 2025about 80% of its target of 509.947bn for the year. Compared to the 180.5bn reported for 2024, this represents a 125% jump in one year. And the longer arc is even more striking: from 26.8bn in 2022, to 37.4bn in 2023, to 180.5bn in 2024, and then 406.774bn in 2025. But numbers alone can mislead if we dont interrogate what sits beneath them. Enugus story is not just more revenue. It is a new architecturenew rules, new rails, new incentivesbuilt around three hard truths of public finance: you dont scale what you cant see; you cant sustain what citizens dont trust; and you cant modernise a state on a revenue system designed for the analogue age. Start with the composition: in the same 2025 disclosure, ESIRS reported that only 51.5bn12.6%came from tax revenue, while 355.2bn87.4%came from non-tax revenue. That mix matters. Nationally, the NBS reports that in 2023, states and the FCT generated 2.43tn in IGR, with taxes constituting about 80% of total IGR. Enugus 2025 ratio flips the typical Nigerian pattern on its head: the surge is being driven less by squeezing taxpayers and more by recovering, revitalising, and optimising assets and non-tax streams that previously leaked, slept, or disappeared into the fog of fragmented collections. This is where the phrase financial architecture earns its keep. Architecture is not decoration; it is structure. In Enugus case, the structure begins with a governing discipline: officials say the administration issued a matching order that salaries, pensions, and overheads should be funded internallypushing the bureaucracy to treat IGR as the first line of survival, not a nice-to-have. That single instruction is more revolutionary than it sounds. Once a government insists on paying its basic bills from what it generates, it forces a new seriousness: leakages become existential, and idle assets become unaffordable luxuries. Next is institutional redesign. Governor Peter Mbahs administration signed a law creating a one-stop shop for taxation and making the revenue service more autonomousexplicitly framed as a consolidation that gives the government full line of sight into revenue flows, and professionalises the agency with clearer targets and operational latitude. The same account argues that the revenue gains were driven by widening the tax net, plugging leakages, and deploying technologynot by simply increasing tax rates. In other words, the model being advertised is not tax people harder, but see more, capture more, lose less. The third pillar is taxpayer experience because coercive revenue systems create resistance rather than compliance. Enugus single yearly unified tax payment via e-ticketing is a practical example: instead of multiple collectors and overlapping levies, informal sector operators pay once a year through an e-ticket platform, with the payment split across relevant MDAsreducing harassment and making obligations more predictable. For the formal sector, the Consolidated Demand Notice approach similarly bundles obligationsso businesses arent paying the same state through scattered windows that breed confusion and rent-seeking. This is how you turn revenue from a daily fight into a governable system: simplify, unify, digitise. There is also an important political-economy point buried in the debate over taxes in many Nigerian states: legitimacy. When people believe the system is arbitrary, they look for ways around it; when they believe it is lawful and fair, compliance rises. Amid misinformation, ESIRS has publicly anchored its position on legality (e.g., PAYE for formal workers and direct assessment for informal operators) and argued that non-state actors historically undermined informal-sector compliance, claiming that 99% of informal-sector players were not paying before reforms. Whether one accepts every detail or not, the underlying logic is correct: you cannot grow IGR sustainably if collection is outsourcedformally or informallyto chaos. Still, Enugus numbers also raise the question serious analysts must ask: how repeatable is non-tax revenue at this scale? Asset recoveries, concessions, and one-off optimisations can produce spectacular spikesbut a mature financial architecture distinguishes between windfalls and workhorses. The reassuring detail in the 2025 disclosure is that tax revenue itself grewfrom 30bn in 2024 to 51.5bn in 2025 (a 72% increase), even if it remains a relatively small share of the total. That matters because taxespecially broad-based personal income tax and consumption-linked levies administered transparentlyis typically the most reliable revenue engine over time. The finaland most decisivetest of this architecture is the social contract: do citizens feel the translation of revenue into public value? ESIRS itself links improving compliance to visible governance outputs 260 Smart Green Schools, 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres, transport and other infrastructure, among others arguing that taxpayers are encouraged when they can see the impact. This is the correct theory of democratic taxation: revenue is not simply collected; it is explained, accounted for, and returned as measurable public benefit. Where that loop is credible, IGR becomes self-reinforcing. Enugu is now projecting IGR of 870bn for 2026. Targets are easy; credibility is harder. The states opportunityif it wants this moment to become a model rather than a headlineis to publish the architecture as a public system: clearer breakdowns of recurring versus one-off revenue, stronger independent audit visibility, open dashboards where citizens can track what their money built, and a tax culture that protects small businesses from nuisance collections while widening compliance through simplicity and fairness. If Enugu sustains this trajectory, its most important export will not be the naira figure, however impressive it may be. It will be the lesson that fiscal sovereignty is designed, not wished into existence. And that in a country where too many budgets still begin with FAAC expectations, the boldest development strategy may simply be this: build a government that learns to stand on what it generates and then governs as if every naira must be justified to the people who earned it. Dr Ukachukwu, a public affairs analyst writes from Enugu The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has officially flagged off a Joint Nationwide Campaign on the enforcement of the Federal Governments ban on sachet alcoholic drinks and alcohol packaged in PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres. The campaign, launched at the NOA Headquarters in Abuja, is being implemented in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), with NOA serving as the lead agency for public sensitization and behavioural change. The Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the campaign as a decisive national intervention to safeguard the health, safety and future of Nigerians, particularly young people who are most vulnerable to the dangers of cheap and easily accessible alcohol. The Federal Government, through NAFDAC, has prohibited the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and in PET or glass bottles smaller than 200ml, effective January 1, 2026. The measure is aimed at reducing underage access to high-concentration alcohol and curbing harmful consumption patterns across communities. Mr Issa-Onilu emphasised that the enforcement action did not come abruptly, noting that the government had engaged stakeholders for eight years with understanding, cooperation and encouragement to adjust practices that are not in the best interest of the country. He stated that what is harmful to national wellbeing cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. He further stressed the responsibility of the media in advancing the objectives of the campaign, describing it as a matter of Development Journalism and shared national duty. According to him, when individuals openly violate lawful regulations and demonstrate against a public health policy designed to protect citizens, such actions should not be seen merely as protests against the government. They are not demonstrating against the Government of Nigeria; they are demonstrating against the Nigerian people, against you in the media, against your children and our children. This is about public protection, he said. He clarified that the initiative goes beyond three institutions. It is not just NAFDAC, FCCPC and NOA. It is NAFDAC, FCCPC, NOA and the Media. You listen, you report, and you shape public understanding. We may not invite the media to deliver speeches, but you are partners in safeguarding the nation, the Director-General added. Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, referenced findings from a 2021 national survey on underage drinking which revealed that over 54 percent of minors and underaged persons purchase alcohol themselves, with nearly half accessing it through sachet packs and small PET bottles. The study also indicated significant levels of daily and weekly consumption among underaged persons, underscoring the urgency of decisive regulatory intervention. The FCCPC reaffirmed its commitment to stand firmly with NAFDAC in ensuring strict compliance, stating that consumer protection remains central to national interest. As the lead agency for nationwide sensitization, NOA will deploy its 818 offices across the 774 Local Government Areas to drive grassroots awareness. Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers will engage youth groups, market associations, transport unions, schools, faith-based institutions and community leaders through town hall meetings, market outreaches and multilingual advocacy. The Agency will further reinforce the campaign through sustained media engagement, digital platforms and the NOA CLHEEAN App to enable citizens report violations and support enforcement efforts. The National Orientation Agency calls on parents, guardians, community leaders, retailers, distributors and all citizens to support the ban and prioritise the wellbeing of Nigerias youth. Through awareness, compliance and collective vigilance, the National Orientation Agency, in collaboration with NAFDAC and FCCPC, remains committed to building a healthier, safer and more responsible nation. The political dynamics in Gombe State shifted on Monday as top executive members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Labour Party (LP) in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defectors, drawn from the local government and ward structures, were formally received by the member representing the Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Inuwa Garba. Speaking at the reception, Mr Garba described the development as a major boost for the ruling party. Today marks a significant moment for our great party in Yamaltu/Deba. The decision of these respected executives to join the APC reflects the growing trust our people have in our leadership and vision, he said. He assured the new members of fairness and full inclusion within the party. The APC is a family. We do not discriminate. Everyone who joins us will be given equal opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the party, Mr Garba stated. The lawmaker added that the APC remains focused on grassroots development and responsive representation. Our commitment is to deliver dividends of democracy to our people. This movement is not just about politics; it is about progress, unity, and sustainable development, he added. One of the defectors, who spoke on behalf of the group, said their decision was driven by the need to align with a party they believe can better serve the people. After wide consultations, we resolved to join the APC because we are convinced that it offers a more practical platform to advance the interests of our communities, the spokesperson said. READ ALSO: Court halts APC congress in Ondo The event attracted party stakeholders, supporters, and community leaders, signalling what observers described as a strengthening of the APCs structure in the area. Although the invitation to cover the event came at short notice, members of the chapel were present to represent and document the proceedings. The latest defections are expected to further consolidate the APCs influence in Yamaltu/Deba as political realignments continue across the state. A Nigerian army major and some soldiers paid the supreme price as security forces fought off coordinated attacks by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on Nigerian military formations in Borno State. Sources, including jihadi experts, said the terrorists launched the attacks between Saturday and Sunday. The Nigerian Army confirmed the attack in a statement on Sunday, saying the terrorists were repelled by the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east. The spokesperson for the operation, Sani Uba, a lieutenant colonel, said in the statement that the troops demonstrated resilience and battlefield dominance by foiling the attacks on military formations in Mayanti, Gajigana and Gajiram. In a propaganda message published by its media wing, Amaq, ISWAP said it attacked military camps in Gajiram and Mayinti, as well as the Kajeri military camp at Banki junction in Borno. The group claimed that the major and two other soldiers were killed during the assaults. A video seen by our reporter showed injured soldiers being evacuated by a military helicopter. Sources said the injured officers were flown to the 7 Division Military Hospital in Maiduguri for urgent medical attention. According to the propaganda message, the insurgents also destroyed nine military vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, and carted away weapons and motorcycles from the affected bases. Military confirms attacks Although the Army did not name the officer, it confirmed that an officer paid the supreme price during the raid on Mayanti. Describing it as a failed assault, Mr Uba said the attacks were launched between the late hours of 28 February and the early hours of 1 March. Mr Uba said the attack on Gajigana was successfully thwarted with five terrorists confirmed dead. According to him, many terrorists were killed and combat equipment was recovered during the assaults at Mayanti and Gajiram. At Mayanti, the Army said it recovered three PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 tubes, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, three RPG bombs and large quantities of 7.62mm ammunition. In the early hours of 1 March 2026, Mr Uba stated, the terrorists armed with PKT guns, RPGs and armed drones attacked the military formation in Gajiram. The attack, he said, was thwarted by determined troops supported by air assets. He said three terrorists were confirmed killed. The weapons and ammunition recovered from that battle include four AK-47 rifles, five anti-tank bombs, three locally fabricated mortar bombs, one armed drone and six fully loaded 7.62mm NATO magazines. Other items included barbed wire cutters, specialised ammunition, poisoned arrows and other items abandoned in flight. Mr Uba said one soldier was wounded in the attack and airlifted by a Nigerian Army Aviation helicopter for advanced medical care. He said the attacks underscored the growing desperation of terrorist elements under sustained pressure on their enclaves, logistics corridors and leadership structures. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the troops of Operation Hadin Kai arrested terror logistics suppliers, including a man suspected of supplying armed drones to ISWAP. This was in addition to sustained offensives against the insurgents. Borno has remained a flashpoint of insurgency, with Boko Haram and ISWAP continuing to target military positions and civilian communities despite ongoing counter-insurgency operations. The United States recently deployed about 200 soldiers to Nigerias North-east to support counterterrorism operations. The deployment came after weeks of diplomatic tension between the Nigerian government and the United States, sparked by remarks from President Donald Trump, who claimed that a Christian genocide was carried out by Islamist militant groups in Nigeria. Mr Trump had redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and warned of possible military action if the Nigerian government failed to stop attacks against Christians. The Nigerian government rejected the claim, describing it as a misrepresentation of the security situation and maintaining that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of terrorist violence. On the eve of 25 December 2025, President Trump ordered a military strike on targets in Nigeria, launching missiles from the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Ghana to locations in North-west Nigeria, where he believed Islamic State camps were situated. However, while Islamic State-affiliated fighters are primarily active in the North-east, their operational presence in the North-west remains disputed among security analysts. Media reports indicated that the missiles did not strike the intended targets, as debris was later discovered in parts of the North-central and North-west regions. Kwara North Senator, Sadiq Umar, has declared his intention to contest the Kwara State governorship election in 2027. Mr Umar, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the declaration on Monday while appearing on Politics Tonight, a political programme on TVC. The senator said he is fully prepared for the position, noting that his over seven years of experience at the national level have equipped him with a solid understanding of governance. First and foremost, thank you very much for asking me that question because already, primary elections have been scheduled in the country. So, for the record, Im saying here now that me, Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, Im going to run for the governorship of Kwara State come 2027 on the platform of All Progressives Congress. What it takes Im more than prepared to run, to win, and to govern. Because I think, Alhamdulillah, I have been in government for over seven years at the national level, and I understand the dynamics of government, he said. He assured residents that if elected governor, he would deploy his development management expertise to advance growth across all sectors of the state. I have worked in the development sector. I understand what development management is all about. And I can assure you that I will bring all of that to bear and I will be successful, by the grace of God, he said. Mr Umar is the second serving lawmaker from the state to declare interest in the governorship race. In February, Kwara South Senator, Oyelola Ashiru, also announced his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election. He made the declaration while receiving executive members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council, at his country home in Offa. Messrs Umar and Ashiru are members of the APC. The incumbent governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, also of the APC, is from the Kwara Central Senatorial District and will complete his tenure in 2027. His predecessor, Abdulfatah Ahmed from Kwara South, served two consecutive terms from 2011 to 2019. Kwara North, which Mr Umar represents, has not produced a governor since Shaaba Lafiagi, who served for 22 months between January 1992 and November 1993. This has fueled agitation for the district to produce the next governor in 2027. However, the aspirants will still have to contest in party primaries at the state level before the APC selects its flagbearer for the election. Insecurity ravaging Kwara In recent years, Kwara State has witnessed increasing insecurity, particularly in parts of Kwara North and some border communities. Armed bandits, suspected to have infiltrated from neighbouring Niger and Kebbi states, have carried out attacks on rural settlements, killing residents, kidnapping victims for ransom, and displacing families. Communities in local government areas such as Kaiama, Baruten, and Edu have recorded repeated invasions. In several instances, gunmen stormed villages at night, shooting sporadically and abducting residents. Some attacks resulted in fatalities, while farmlands were abandoned due to fear of further assaults. Speaking on insecurity in the state, Mr Umar said communities in his senatorial district have been significantly affected. He, however, commended both the state and federal governments for their interventions, noting that peace is gradually being restored in affected communities. The lawmaker urged residents to remain hopeful and continue supporting lawful efforts aimed at tackling insecurity across the state. The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL)/Seplat Energy Joint Venture has graduated 623 teachers and education inspectors under the 2026 Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme aims to reinforce a multi-year investment in improving classroom standards across Edo and Delta states. The graduation ceremony, held in Benin on Monday, drew senior government officials, education administrators and development partners, who described the programme as a strategic intervention in public education. In her speech, Chioma Afe, director of external affairs and social performance at Seplat Energy, charged participants to translate the training into measurable classroom impact. Teach, inspire and transform is not a slogan, it is a responsibility, she said, urging the graduates to deploy their enhanced skills with confidence and purpose. On his part, Nicolas Foucart, NEPL managing director, who was represented by Oluwaseyi Orimoloye, described STEP as a partnership delivering meaningful social impact. He noted that the programme equips educators with critical thinking competencies, leadership capacity and technology-enabled instructional tools designed to improve learning outcomes. Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Emmanuel Okoebor, affirmed that the initiative aligned with the states education reform priorities. He said strengthening teacher quality remained central to the administrations long-term human capital development strategy. At the federal level, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, represented by Caroline Ikem, underscored the governments emphasis on teacher effectiveness. She urged participants to cascade the knowledge gained, stressing that the future of the nation depends on it. Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, Donna McGowan, represented by Chikodi Onyemerela, highlighted the imperative of continuous professional development, particularly in digital literacy and modern pedagogy. Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, and Edo State Commissioner for Education, Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, commended the joint venture partners for sustaining the programme and encouraged beneficiaries to replicate best practices within their respective schools. NAN reports that the highlight of the ceremony was the Teacher Innovation Contest, which showcased market-ready solutions developed during the training. Stephen Egbeburu presented an Eco Fueless Generator concept, Matthew Nwokoye presented Learning Solutions, and Faith Igbayo unveiled Live FaceFoods. Launched in 2020, STEP has now trained 1,957 educators, integrating STEAM-focused pedagogy, digital literacy, leadership development and structured mentorship. Stakeholders at the event agreed that the scale and continuity of the initiative position it as a significant private-sector contribution to strengthening foundational education in host communities. Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State is facing public backlash, including from civil society groups, for describing his critics as empty barrels. Mr Eno had also said that he is not a receptionist, and should not be expected to pick up calls when people ring him. The remarks, delivered on Sunday, 1 March, at a church service at the Government House, Uyo, sparked commentary across Akwa Ibom and beyond, with many accusing the governor of using language unbefitting of his office. There are many ways to reach the governor, Mr Eno said. Stop saying the governor does not pick up the phone. Am I your receptionist? That is even an insult to say the governor does not answer calls. Who are you? Who is even talking? Taking a swipe at his critics, he added, When people discuss all these things, it does not have meaning. Empty barrels make noise. Check their lives from beginning to the end, they have nothing to showjust noise. Although Mr Eno did not mention any name, his references correlated with recent criticisms surrounding the disputed 76 oil wells and remarks by John Akpanudoedehe, a former senator and minister, who had urged the governor to protect the states interests in the oil wells battle with Cross River State. Public condemnation On social media, users accused the governor of belittling opposition voices and failing to demonstrate the restraint expected of a public office holder. Some argued that describing citizens or a former public officialwho held several political offices long before he entered politicsin such terms risks deepening political divisions in a state already grappling with prosecutions and threats of arrest against dissenting voices. Beyond serving as a senator from 1999 to 2003 and minister of state, FCT under President Umaru YarAdua, Mr Akpanudoedehe also served as the national secretary of the caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress. He was the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011, and the 2023 governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Akwa Ibom. He is currently the leader of the African Democratic Congress in Akwa. Peace Point Development Foundation, a governance and peace-building-focused civil society organisation, said public officials must be mindful of their tone and language. Speaking through its Coordinator, Umo Isuaikoh, the foundation said the governors remarks did not come across as humorous as the state government claimed. The Governors non-verbal cues and choice of words did not sound like a joke. Even if it was intended as a joke, the language and tone matter. When a governor calls critics empty barrels, it sends a message that dissent is unwelcome, Mr Isuaikoh said. Similarly, Faith Paulinus, programme officer on governance reforms and anti-corruption at Policy Alert, said the governors recent public engagements have increasingly featured remarks attacking dissenting voices and perceived political opponents. He said that elected officials must remember they are accountable to the people. Akwa Ibom people have been unfortunate to now have a governor who uses his office at every given opportunity to castigate the citizens. The governor should understand that he is serving the people. Classifying yourself as too exalted and not a receptionist who can respond to calls is quite uncalled for. You are being paid with taxpayers money. When citizens make demands, criticise or give advice, you should respond with decorum because they are your employers, he said. In recent times, we have experienced scenarios where the governor leaves the main focus of the event to throw tantrums at perceived political opponents or other dissenting voices. It does not in any way befit the office of the governor. It shows clearly that the administration is losing focus and having divided attention, Mr Paulinus said. He expressed concern that the remarks were made at a prayer gathering. The sad part is that the governor made this statement at the forum where they gathered for a monthly prayer. You come out in an outburst of anger at a platform for prayers? The managers of the governor or those the governor listens to should call the governor to order. This act impinges negatively on the citizens out there. His speech should reflect his office from time to time, he said. Mr Paulinus added that democratic leadership comes with scrutiny. In a democracy, public office comes with scrutiny, and anyone occupying an elected office must be ready to get questioned by their actions and policy direction, he said. He dismissed the governments defence of the remarks as a joke, as an attempt to save face. That wasnt a joke, the countenance and tone of the governor says it all, the reply is just the work of his media handlers trying to redeem his image, knowing that their boss goofed big time. Government says the remarks were humorous In response to the backlash, the Akwa Ibom State Government issued a defence, insisting that the remarks had been taken out of context. In a statement titled When Humour Becomes Headline: A Governor, A Joke, and the Path of Distortion, the State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, accused online platforms of sensationalising a light-hearted comment. Mr Umanah said the governor spoke in a relaxed atmosphere and that his rhetorical questionOr am I your receptionist? drew laughter from the audience. It was humour, pure and simple, the commissioner said, adding that Mr Eno was explaining the need for structured communication channels through commissioners, special advisers and aides rather than personal phone access. A human rights lawyer, Joseph Opute, has given the Lagos State Police Command a two-day ultimatum to pay N10 million awarded against it by the Federal High Court in Lagos for violating the fundamental rights of #EndSARS memorial protesters. PREMIUM TIMES obtained a copy of the letter dated 3 March and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh. According to the letter, Mr Opute is acting on behalf of Hassan Taiwo, who is also known as Soweto, and 24 others who were detained for hours following #ENDSARS peaceful memorial procession. The victims were unjustly harassed and their rights infringed upon. Mr Opute referenced the 24 July 2025 judgement of the court, which held the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Police Command liable for breaching the applicants fundamental rights during the 20 October 2024 #EndSARS memorial protest. The court awarded N10 million in general damages jointly and severally against the police authorities. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the court ruled that although the police have constitutional powers to enforce laws, such powers must be exercised in line with democratic principles and the rule of law. In the fresh letter, the plaintiffs lawyer demanded immediate payment of the judgement debt and provided their client account details with Stanbic IBTC Plc for remittance. In the light of the foregoing, we herewith demand payment of the Judgment debt as per the details herein stated: Account Name: Opute & Akinwumi Legal, Account number: 0076006110 and Bank Name: Stanbic IBTC Plc. We trust as a senior law enforcement officer you will promptly comply with the Judgment of the Honourable Court accordingly, the letter read. The lawyer warned that if the judgement sum remains unpaid two days after receipt of the letter, it would advise its clients on appropriate legal steps in what it described as a disobedience of the court order. As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command had not responded to the demand. The police have also not yet responded to the letter. Background The judgement stemmed from a suit filed by Soweto and other applicants who participated in a peaceful protest on 20 October 2024 at the Lekki Tollgate to commemorate victims of the 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations. In its ruling delivered on 24 July 2025, the court held that the applicants were entitled to their constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, peaceful assembly and freedom of movement. The judge M. Kakaki also ruled that a Lagos State High Court judgement restricting protests to designated parks could not be retroactively applied to the October 2024 memorial procession. The applicants had told the court they were dispersed with tear gas, arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, before being released without charge. The 20 October memorial protest formed part of the annual commemorations of the 2020 #EndSARS movement, a youth-led campaign against police brutality. Although the federal government announced the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in October 2020, activists have continued to demand accountability for past abuses. With the two-day ultimatum now issued, attention shifts to whether the police authorities will comply with the subsisting court judgment or face further enforcement proceedings. In a separate but similar case, the court addressed the case involving human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore. The same Lagos State Commissioner of Police had declared Mr Sowore wanted on 3 November 2025 for allegedly attempting to lead a protest on the Third Mainland Bridge over demolitions in poor settlements of Oworonshoki. The court declared this designation was illegal, ruling that it violated the Nigerian constitution. Mr Kakaki awarded N30 million in damages against the Nigeria Police Force, the then-Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and Mr Jimoh for unlawfully pronouncing Mr Sowore a wanted person. The judge emphasised that no Nigerian can be criminalised for speaking, protesting, or holding the government accountable. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has suspended three doctors for for alleged medical negligence and professional misconduct in the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the 21-month-old son of author Chimamanda Adichie. The panel issued the suspension order after establishing that the doctors have a case to answer regarding the tragic incident. The findings follow an investigation triggered by a formal complaint lodged with the Council on 16 January. Medical practitioners from Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital and Atlantis Paediatric Hospital responded to the complaint, submitting affidavits and presenting oral testimony before the MDCN Investigative Panel. At the conclusion of its 25th session held in Abuja from 17 and 18 February, the panel determined that a prima facie case of medical negligence had been established against three doctors namely, Tosin Majekodunmi, Medical Director of Euracare; Titus Ogundare, Anaesthesiologist at Euracare; and Atinuke Uwajeh, Chief Medical Director of Atlantis Paediatric Hospital. The Council issued interim suspension orders against the three doctors pending the outcome of formal disciplinary proceedings. The panel also found professional misconduct on the part of 10 other practitioners from Atlantis Paediatric Hospital. These cases have been referred to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal for formal hearing and determination in line with the Councils statutory mandate. The MDCN emphasised that the findings are preliminary and do not constitute a final determination of liability. The affected practitioners are entitled to a full hearing before the Disciplinary Tribunal, where evidence will be examined and a final decision rendered. Further proceedings before the tribunal are expected to commence in due course, with the Council pledging transparency and adherence to its regulatory framework throughout the process. Background PREMIUM TIMES had reported that a Lagos State coroners court at Yaba began an inquest into the death of Nkanu Nnamdi Esege in late February. The 21-month-old died under controversial circumstances in a Lagos hospital in January, following complications during medical procedures at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital. The toddlers parents, Ms Adichie and her husband Ivara Esege, a medical doctor, alleged in a legal notice served through Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro that Master Nkanus death resulted from medical negligence. The notice cited sedation with propofol, inadequate monitoring, improper dosing, lack of supplemental oxygen, insufficient staff, and delays in responding to his deteriorating condition. Euracare denied wrongdoing, insisting the child was critically ill upon referral and all care followed clinical protocols. The Lagos State Government directed the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) and MDCN to investigate hospital practices, professional conduct, and patient safety standards. During preliminary court proceedings, Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji noted the Lagos State Government considers itself bereaved and directed parties to file witness statements ahead of the next hearing. The inquest aims to determine whether a full judicial investigation should proceed, with autopsy results serving as the starting point. The family plans to present evidence alleging gross medical negligence, overdose, improper administration of propofol, and misdiagnosis, calling five independent medical experts, including anaesthesiologists, a paediatric anaesthesia specialist, a radiologist, an intensivist, and Mr Esege. The court adjourned the matter until 14 April. The COSBOA National Small Business Summit 2026 will be held on 3 to 5 August at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Australias peak small business body is bringing its national Summit back to Sydney in August, with an agenda shaped around the issues that are defining the small business experience in 2026. The COSBOA National Small Business Summit will run from 3 to 5 August at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, drawing together association leaders, policy makers, government representatives, regulators, economists and small business owners for two days of focused discussion on the sectors most pressing challenges and opportunities. Super Early Bird Ends 31 Jan COSBOA Members, dont wait! Save up to $500 on the 2026 COSBOA National Small Business Summit. Not a Member or Associate? Contact us to learn how to join & access these exclusive benefits. Register now: https://t.co/jok6DdIqP0#SmallBusiness pic.twitter.com/VTWV4TsKop COSBOA (@COSBOA) January 18, 2026 The Sofitel sits along the Darling Harbour waterfront, a 20-minute drive from Sydney Airport and within easy reach of the CBD and public transport. Discounted accommodation rates are available exclusively for Summit attendees. The agenda in full The 2026 program is built around ten themes, each reflecting a live pressure point for Australian small businesses. Regulation and compliance leads the agenda, recognising that navigating overlapping and changing requirements continues to consume significant time and resources for small business owners across every industry. Tax and investment settings follow, addressing the policy levers that directly influence whether businesses invest, hire and grow. Productivity drivers feature as a dedicated theme, alongside AI, cyber security and digital developments, reflecting the growing urgency around both the opportunity and the risk that technology presents for small businesses at different stages of their digital journey. Competition and fair markets, workforce and skills, and regional realities round out the core business themes, with the Summit also dedicating program time to the state-by-state policy landscape and the broader economic outlook. Real stories from entrepreneurs and a session on political leaders and the policy agenda ensure the program connects lived experience with the decision-making environment. Media and the small business narrative closes out the themes, recognising that how small business is covered and understood in public discourse shapes the political and policy appetite for reform. Who it is built for COSBOA describes the Summit as Australias leading event dedicated to strengthening outcomes for the 2.5 million small businesses powering the economy. The program is designed for small business peak bodies and industry associations, CEOs, board directors and senior advocates, government and regulators, policy makers and advisors, business leaders, economists, analysts, and entrepreneurs with direct experience to contribute. If you influence small business policy, support small business capability, or work at the intersection of business and government, the Summit is built around the conversations that matter to your work. Full registration includes access to all Summit sessions and the exhibition, the Summit dinner, networking drinks, and catering across both days. Early bird registration is open until 31 May 2026, with COSBOA members and associates receiving exclusive early bird pricing. Standard registration opens from 1 June 2026, with invoicing available from that date via direct deposit. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are also available for organisations looking to engage with the small business community at a national level. Register now: http://cosboansbs.com.au MONTREAL, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - The record label ATMA Classique enters a new era with the arrival of Nicholas Choiniere, Gabriel Felcarek, and Francis Choiniere as its new owners. The three entrepreneurs, who founded GFN Productions in 2018, present more than 100 large-scale symphonic concerts across Canada each year. Gabriel Felcarek, Francis Choiniere, Nicholas Choiniere Credit: TamPhotography (CNW Group/ATMA Classique) ATMA, Canada's leading classical music label, has a catalogue of 780 albums and releases dozens of new recordings each year by Canadian artists. Its parent company, Les Editions Ad Litteram, along with its sister companies Studio Esplanade and Livetoune, will also come under the direction of the new owners. Together, they intend to bring renewed energy while continuing ATMA Classique's mission, particularly the promotion of Quebec and Canadian artists on the international stage. As part of this reorganization, the following appointments take effect: Nicholas Choiniere, General Manager of ATMA Classique General Manager of ATMA Classique Gabriel Felcarek , President of Groupe Ad Litteram , President of Groupe Ad Litteram Francis Choiniere, Artistic Director of both labels Day-to-day operations will remain under the management of ATMA's current team. With several recordings already to their credit, including award-winning releases, the trio is well acquainted with the dynamics of the classical music world, both artistically and in terms of international distribution. Aware of the current challenges facing the sector, they aim to strengthen the presence of Quebec and Canadian artists in a rapidly evolving market. "With this acquisition, we are securing the future of ATMA Classique while cultivating an innovative vision. We are committed to supporting local artistic excellence by providing a premier platform for established artists as well as new talent across the country," said Nicholas Choiniere, General Manager of ATMA Classique. "ATMA and its subsidiaries have a bright future ahead in classical music and beyond. We are determined to honour the group's 30 years of excellence while taking it to new heights," added Gabriel Felcarek, President of Groupe Ad Litteram. Acknowledgements The buyers wish to thank Guillaume Lombart and Denise Lefebvre for their commitment to keeping ATMA in Canada. They also thank the SODEC Business Bank, their legal advisor Mr. Eric Lemieux, and the employees of ATMA and Ad Litteram for their collaboration throughout the transition. About ATMA Classique Founded in 1994 by Johanne Goyette, ATMA Classique has built a strong reputation for superb sound quality recordings, featuring performances by some of the world's most distinguished musicians. Distributed in 25 countries and available on all digital platforms, the ATMA catalogue now includes more than 780 albums spanning a wide range of musical stylesfrom medieval music to contemporary repertoire, as well as tango, folk, and baroque. ATMA recordings stand out for their high standards and original, creative programming, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards over the years. SOURCE ATMA Classique CAMPBELL, Calif., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Acton ADU, a Bay Area Design-Build company with more than 35 years of experience guiding homeowners through residential construction, announced the launch of Acton ADU Week, a multi-event initiative introducing its new Build-Ready ADU product line. Acton ADU Week runs from February 27 through March 7, featuring a major debut at the ADU Expo followed by a free educational seminar and resource day for homeowners. Acton ADU Build Ready Signature Series The new Build-Ready ADU line is designed to help homeowners save time and money without sacrificing quality. These thoughtfully designed ADU plans and packages streamline the design and permitting process while maintaining Acton's long-standing standards for craftsmanship and durability. Many Build-Ready models are configurable online, allowing homeowners to personalize layouts, finishes, and features before building, and new models are added every month. There is also a large number of Build Ready Options not yet published online, but are available for homeowners. ADU Expo Debut: February 27 March 1, 2026 Acton ADU Week kicked off at the ADU Expo, held February 27 through March 1 at Hayes Mansion (200 Edenvale Ave., San Jose, CA 95136). On Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 PM, Acton ADU, Founder Stan Acton delivered a featured presentation exploring the powerful role ADUs can play in homeowners' lives, addressing their impact on health, society, and long-term financial security. During this talk, Acton debuted Family Integrity Planning, a new long-term planning framework that integrates housing, health considerations, and financial investment strategies to help families plan for multi-generational living and future needs. Expo attendees were invited to visit the Acton ADU booth to explore the Build-Ready ADU lineup, learn how to configure models online, and speak directly with Acton's ADU team about their property and goals. The ADU Expo was Free to the general public. Free ADU Seminar & Resource Day: March 7, 2026 Acton ADU Week concludes with a Free ADU Seminar & Resource Day on Friday, March 7, hosted at the Willow Glen Community Center, Multi-Purpose Room (2175 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, CA 95113). Click here to register for the Seminar: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adu-accessory-dwelling-unit-seminar-resource-day-tickets-1980572312101 Event Schedule: 1:00 PM ADU 101 Seminar: How to Get Started and What to Look Out For 2:00 PM ADU Resource Center: One-on-one conversations with ADU specialists and industry professionals. The resources center closes at 4:00 PM The seminar includes a brief introduction by Stan Acton on Family Integrity Planning, followed by an in-depth ADU 101 presentation led by Kevin Lee. After the seminar, homeowners can visit the Resource Center to ask project-specific questions, review Build-Ready ADU options, and begin planning with experienced professionals. A Smarter Path to Building an ADU "Acton ADU Week is about education, clarity, and confidence," said Stan Acton, Founder of Acton ADU. "Our new Build-Ready ADU line gives homeowners a faster, more predictable way to build without settling for lower quality options. We're also excited about our seminars and resource day. We'll help homeowners understand the process, the opportunities, and the long-term value an ADU can provide for their family." With more than three decades of experience serving homeowners across the Bay Area, Acton ADU continues to focus on transparent guidance, high-quality construction, and forward-thinking planning solutions. For more information, to register for events, or to explore Build-Ready ADU models, visit: https://www.actonadu.com About Acton ADU Acton ADU is a full service Bay Area design-build company specializing in accessory dwelling units, home remodeling, and custom residential construction. With over 35 years of experience, Acton ADU provides end-to-end guidance, from planning and design through construction, helping homeowners create durable, high-quality living spaces that support long-term family and financial goals. SOURCE Acton ADU SHANGHAI, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AGIBOT, a global leader in embodied intelligence and robotics, today officially announced the launch of the AGIBOT World Challenge at ICRA 2026, opening registration for its two flagship tracks: the Reasoning to Action Track and the World Model Track. Following the success of its inaugural edition, this year's competition returns to the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) with a broader vision and a record-breaking $530,000 USD prize pool. Cutting-Edge Tracks, Ultimate Challenges AGIBOT World Challenge @ICRA 2026 1. Reasoning to Action Track This track is designed to evaluate a model's reasoning and action execution capabilities, encompassing both online simulation and offline real-robot stages. Participants will train models capable of solving a series of complex tasks based on the AGIBOT WORLD open-source dataset. The track focuses on bridging the Sim2Real Gap, achieving robust generalization from open-vocabulary understanding to real-world physical interaction. Tasks are designed in conjunction with real deployment scenarios and the Genie Sim 3.0 simulation platform, spanning common environments such as logistics, industrial, supermarket, food service, and home settings with multiple challenges of varying difficulty levels. Featured Task Scenarios: Continuous Sorting & Barcode Scanning Logistics Sorting Workpiece Inversion Shelf Stocking & Straightening Tilted Items Popcorn Scooping Door Opening Desk Clearing Dual-Arm Pot Handling Dataset We have carefully curated competition tasks and collected a dedicated set of high-quality data, with each task containing hundreds of complete manipulation trajectories. The dataset is fully open-sourced on Hugging Face and ModelScope for easy download: https://huggingface.co/datasets/agibot-world/AgiBotWorldChallenge-2026 https://modelscope.cn/datasets/AgiBotWorld/AgiBotWorldChallenge-2026 Baseline Model The competition will provide ACoT-VLA as the baseline model to help you quickly get up to speed with the training, testing, and submission workflow. You can compare the performance of different baseline models and select the most suitable one for development. We look forward to seeing your innovations built upon these models! https://github.com/AgibotTech/ACoT-VLA Evaluation Tool For model evaluation, we provide Genie Sim 3.0 the industry's first open-source simulation platform driven by large language models. This comprehensive evaluation platform integrates 3D reconstruction and visual generation to create a photorealistic, digital-twin-grade environment. Scenes, assets, and tasks within Genie Sim 3.0 are consistent with the test server, enabling participants to perform closed-loop evaluation locally. Genie Sim 3.0 utilizes AGIBOT's proprietary embodied brain Genie Reasoner to achieve fully automated VLM-based evaluation. Before submitting to the competition server, you can first validate your model and environment dependencies in the local simulation environment. https://agibot-world.com/genie-sim Competition Server Starting now, participants can log in to the competition homepage to access event resources and submit their trained models compete directly with the world's top developers and keep climbing up the ranking list!competing head-to-head with top developers worldwide and climbing the leaderboard! https://agibot-world.com/challenge2026/reasoning2action/quick-start 2. World Model Track The World Model Track focuses on the core capability of embodied world models accurately modeling physical environment dynamics based on robot actions. Participants are required to train video generation models on the AGIBOT WORLD dataset, generating interaction videos of robots operating across 10 real-world task scenarios, based on provided real robot observations and action signals. Tasks span multiple real-world environments including furniture, retail, and industrial settings, providing a comprehensive evaluation of model generation quality. This track features an online-only competition stage. Dataset We have constructed a World Model training set of 10 diverse tasks based on the AGIBOT WORLD public dataset, covering over 30,000 real trajectories. The data encompasses a wide variety of robot-environment interaction types, such as grasping, placing, pushing, and pulling. The test set includes both expert trajectories and imperfect action trajectories (e.g., missed grasps, collisions), designed to comprehensively evaluate the generalization capability of generative models. https://huggingface.co/datasets/agibot-world/AgiBotWorldChallenge-2026/tree/main/WorldMode Baseline Model The competition adopts EVAC AGIBOT's proprietary open-source model as the baseline. EVAC is the first embodied world model driven by robot actions, pre-trained on the full AGIBOT WORLD dataset. Participants may develop on top of EVAC or use other models to compete. We encourage participants to innovate boldly and showcase their technical capabilities! https://github.com/AgibotTech/AgiBotWorldChallengeICRA2026-WorldModelBaseline Evaluation Tool The competition evaluates generated results using EWMBench, an embodied world model evaluation benchmark, assessing across multiple dimensions including image quality, scene consistency, and trajectory adherence accurately reflecting generative model performance and providing reliable feedback. https://github.com/AgibotTech/EWMBench Evaluation Server Starting now, participants can log in to the evaluation server hosted on HuggingFace, submit results according to the competition guidelines, and compete with developers worldwide with the leaderboard updated in real time! https://huggingface.co/spaces/agibot-world/ICRA26WM Key Milestones Mark Your Calendar The AGIBOT World Challenge @ ICRA 2026 follows a rigorous selection process, culminating in the live finals this summer: February 12, 2026: Global Registration officially opens Global Registration officially opens February 28, 2026: Competition servers for both tracks go live Competition servers for both tracks go live April 20, 2026: Competition server closes for final submissions Competition server closes for final submissions April 30, 2026: Announcement of online stage results and finalists Announcement of online stage results and finalists June 1, 2026: Offline real-robot finals begin at ICRA 2026 The stage is set for the world's most elite teams to demonstrate their prowess. As the AGIBOT World Challenge at ICRA 2026 unfolds, it will serve as a definitive arena where technical ingenuity meets physical capability, and where the strongest innovators will rise to define the next era of robotics. Join the Community AGIBOT invites developers and researchers worldwide to join the official Lark (Feishu) community. Connect with global peers, access real-time technical support, and stay updated on the latest challenge milestones through the following link: https://applink.feishu.cn/client/chat/chatter/add_by_link?link_token=b03mea0a-1212-428a-8b78-f77cf6f591e3 For more information, please visit AGIBOT at AGIBOT.com and follow AGIBOT on: https://www.facebook.com/AGIBOT.zhiyuan https://x.com/AGIBOT_zhiyuan https://www.instagram.com/AGIBOT https://www.youtube.com/@AGIBOT-robot About AGIBOT AGIBOT is dedicated to driving innovation through the integration of AI and robotics, creating world-leading general-purpose embodied robot products and an application ecosystem. Built on the foundation of the robotic body and powered by the fusion of interaction, manipulation, and locomotion intelligence "1 Robotic Body + 3 Intelligence" AGIBOT is a leading robotics company in the industry to deliver a complete product portfolio and deploy across all major application scenarios. SOURCE Agibot CHICAGO, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Buffalo, the leading modern alternative to traditional smokeless tobacco, proudly announces its 2025 Herd Preferred Award winners, an elite group of retail partners recognized for outstanding performance across key metrics. Each year, Black Buffalo recognizes the top-performing retail partners across the United States based on objective performance metrics, including total can volume and cans per week (CPW), as measured through shipment data provided by Management Science Associates, Inc. (MSAi). Herd Preferred Winners for 2025 While this award is grounded in objective performance, each of these chains has also shown remarkable commitment to growing the category through true incrementality and serving adult nicotine consumers responsibly. 2025 Total Can Volume Leaders (YTD) Sheetz Inc. Wawa Inc. Pilot Company Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores 2025 Top Convenience Store Cans Per Week (CPW) Performers Town Pump Weigel's Newcomb Oil Co. (dba FiveStar) GetGo Rutter's 2025 Top Tobacco Store Cans Per Week (CPW) Performers Smoker Friendly (CO) Jackson BevCo Smokin' Joe's (IA) Puff Cigarette Discount Stores (PA) Discount Tobacco Outlet (TN) "Comfort doesn't drive growth evolution does," said Matthew Spillane, VP of Sales, "These exceptional retailers embrace where the backbar is going, not where it's been. They've earned the respect of our team and more importantly, the loyalty of our adult consumers, which we affectionately call The Herd. On average, a member of The Herd drives almost 13 miles to reach a store carrying Black Buffalo, showing just how critical our retail partners are in connecting the Black Buffalo brand with adult consumers. Further, it demonstrates how much the Black Buffalo product portfolio and brand resonate with adult consumers." Born in the Midwest and raised in the South, Black Buffalo continues to responsibly expand retail accessibility nationwide. If you are a retail partner interested in carrying Black Buffalo in your store, please reach out to [email protected] . About Black Buffalo Founded in 2015, Black Buffalo has created America's leading smokeless tobacco alternative products, backed by over 25,000 hours of research and development. The Company is a 4-time recipient of the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America award (most recently in 2025), and Black Buffalo has won major Best New Product awards from the convenience trade. Black Buffalo smokeless tobacco alternative products are sold in-store and online. To learn more about Black Buffalo, visit the Company's website or use the Company's store locator to find Black Buffalo products at a local retailer near you. Interested retailers may contact [email protected] to learn more about Black Buffalo. Certain Black Buffalo smokeless tobacco alternative products contain pharmaceutical-grade, tobacco-derived nicotine, which is an addictive chemical, and all of Black Buffalo's products are intended for adults aged 21 and older who are consumers of nicotine or tobacco. Black Buffalo's Forward-Looking Statements Any projections or other estimates herein are forward-looking statements and are based upon certain assumptions that Black Buffalo Inc. ("Black Buffalo," the "Company," "we," "us," "our," "ours," et. al as noted in context herein) has deemed reasonable. Financial, market, economic or legal conditions, the performance of the Company, regulatory developments, and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements herein. The business and prospects of the Company may have changed materially since the date hereof. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation: (i) the contraction or lack of growth of markets in which we compete and in which our products are sold, (ii) unexpected increases in our expenses, including manufacturing expenses, (iii) delays or cancellations in spending by our suppliers or customers, (iv) delayed action on or issuance of marketing denial orders in response to our Premarket Tobacco Product Applications, or other negative actions taken by, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and (v) the impact of pandemics or natural disasters on our sourcing operations and supply chain. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Black Buffalo Media Contacts Jeffery David (JD), Co-Founder + Chief Brand Officer [email protected] Matthew Hanson, Chief Growth Officer [email protected] SOURCE Black Buffalo Inc. LLANTRISANT, Wales, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- If you really really really wanna own a piece of pop history, you better make it fast. The British Royal Mint is celebrating 30 years of iconic Girl Power with an official Spice Girls coin, honouring the groundbreaking debut of "Wannabe" and their first album "Spice." The collectable 5 coin celebrates the best-selling female group of all time. The Spice Girls exploded into the charts in 1996, reaching number one in 37 countries, launching a 'Girl Power' movement that inspired millions. The Royal Mints 2026 Spice Girls 5 Commemorative Coin celebrating 30 years of Girl Power The striking design, created by artist Ffion Gwillim, captures all five members striking a pose in silhouette, alongside their authentic autographs, immortalising 90s fandom and nostalgia. In a first for The Royal Mint's Music Legends collection, fans can celebrate the iconic Spice Girls with five limited-edition packaging designs, each limited to 15,000 coins worldwide, showcasing a different member of the group: Baby Spice, Ginger Spice, Posh Spice, Scary Spice and Sporty Spice. This official tribute allows fans to own a piece of pop history, celebrating a group whose message of Girl Power conquered the world. The Band, said: "It's a huge honour for us to be celebrated by The Royal Mint and follow in the footsteps of some true music icons. 2026 marks a special year for us as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our debut single and album. We could never have imagined that we would be recognised in this way - the first female group to be given their very own coin...what a moment for Girl Power!" Lucy Mackenzie, Director of Product Concept at The Royal Mint, said: "The Spice Girls didn't just dominate pop music, they defined the 90s. Now, fans and collectors can own a piece of that legacy. The unique packaging celebrating each Spice Girl makes it one of our most collectable Music Legends releases. Girl Power is back! We're anticipating huge demand from devoted fans and collectors worldwide looking to spice up their collection.' The Spice Girls join Freddie Mercury, Elton John, David Bowie, George Michael, Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney in The Royal Mint's Music Legend coin series. Available from 3 March 2026 on The Royal Mint website, the coin features the official portrait of His Majesty King Charles III on its obverse and is also available in Gold Proof, Silver Proof, and as limited-edition prints. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2921570/The_Royal_Mint.jpg SOURCE The Royal Mint Stock Market Symbols GIB.A (TSX) GIB (NYSE) cgi.com/newsroom Recognition highlights CGI's success in delivering business value and AI-powered outcomes for clients COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A), one of the world's largest independent IT and business consulting services firms, has been named European Channel Partner of the Year by Informatica, a global leader in enterprise cloud data management. This marks the second consecutive year that CGI has earned the recognition, reflecting the company's sustained delivery excellence across Europe in helping clients generate measurable business value using Informatica's market-leading solutions for intelligent data management and accelerated AI readiness. "Earning Partner of the Year for the second year is a meaningful recognition of our approach to helping clients drive business outcomes from AI. I'm incredibly proud of our teams across Europe who prove every day that when deep expertise meets industry knowledge and strong collaboration, great things happen," said Dirk de Groot, President for CGI's operations in Scandinavia, Northwest and Central-East Europe. "CGI is a long-standing Informatica partner, proactively engaging with our joint customers to modernize their data ecosystems to deliver real business value for data and AI programs," said Arcene Goossens, Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Partners EMEA-LATAM at Informatica from Salesforce. Informatica's Partner of the Year Awards celebrate partners that demonstrate excellence in customer success, innovation and execution, helping organizations turn data and AI ambitions into real business outcomes. The award is shared across CGI teams in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, highlighting a broad, pan-European collaboration and consistent client impact. About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 94,000 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2025 reported revenue is CA$15.91 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com. SOURCE CGI Inc. The distributed energy developer has delivered 33 projects for a total of 125 megawatts of solar and storage across the United States and Italy. Six years of growth reflect a company built on disciplined development, deep community investment and an expanding vision for the future of distributed energy. ROCKVILLE, Md., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Chaberton Energy is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a milestone that reflects the scope and pace of its growth. The company has completed development on 33 projects totaling more than 125 megawatts (MW) of distributed energy capacity. Given that most of Chaberton's projects range from 2 MW to 10 MW in size, the achievement represents dozens of communities across the United States and Italy being powered by locally generated, affordable energy. The team at Chaberton Energy has completed development on 33 distributed energy projects representing 125MW of local, affordable power. "Six years ago, we started Chaberton with the conviction that distributed energy community solar, battery storage, projects sized for the places they serve was the right way to build a more equitable, efficient and resilient grid while contributing to the clean energy transition," said Stefano Ratti, CEO and founder of Chaberton Energy. "Crossing 125 megawatts of developed projects is a meaningful proof point, but what I'm most proud of is that we got here by earning the trust of landowners, communities and partners one project at a time." Building a Foundation for What's Next The 125 MW milestone sits within a broader portfolio that now includes more than 100 projects representing over 500 MWdc of distributed energy under site control, with a development pipeline exceeding 1 gigawatt. In 2025 alone, six of Chaberton's community solar projects totaling 17 MW in Delaware and Maryland reached mechanical completion, bringing affordable, locally generated electricity to the subscribers and communities that need it most. Expanding Battery Energy Storage Offerings Chaberton's sixth year also marked a deliberate focus on bringing more battery energy storage systems (BESS) to our markets. Where conventional generation is fixed, storage is flexible. It can capture excess energy when supply is high and deliver it when demand peaks. Whether paired with solar or developed as standalone resources, BESS positions Chaberton and the communities it serves at the leading edge of grid resilience, addressing a need that goes beyond managing solar variability. "Battery storage changes the conversation," said Mike Doniger, Chaberton's president and co-founder. "More than solving generation needs, BESS helps provide electricity when and where it's most critically needed. That's a more complete answer to what communities and grid operators need to address the current energy affordability challenge." Investing in the Communities We Serve Growth at Chaberton has never been measured in megawatts alone. Through Chaberton Cares, the company gives back to the communities where it develops projects. The program provides $5,000 per megawatt of new distributed energy built and has supported 25 nonprofit organizations focused on expanding opportunities for future leaders and providing resources to underserved populations. Looking Ahead With a 1+ GW pipeline, growing BESS capabilities and an enduring commitment to the communities it serves, Chaberton enters its next chapter as a company that has grown from a regional community solar developer into a national distributed energy company. "We're proud of what we've built," Ratti said. "And we're just getting started." Learn more about the local energy projects Chaberton develops at www.chaberton.com. About Chaberton Energy Founded in February 2020, Chaberton Energy is a public benefit corporation developing community-scale energy projects, with a focus on distributed solar and battery energy storage. A national developer with roots in the communities it serves, Chaberton is a two-time Inc. 5000 awardee, ranking in 2025 as the No. 53 fastest-growing private company in America and the No. 2 energy company on the list. With a commitment to creativity, excellence, and humanity, Chaberton's team develops distributed solar and battery energy storage projects that improve grid reliability and resilience while lowering electricity costs for community members and businesses. Media Contact Lia Morrison [email protected] 412-573-9095 SOURCE Chaberton Energy Scholarships will support first-generation, Pell-eligible student participation in a study abroad program focused on history and democratic responsibility PORTLAND, Maine, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and Karen Collias, founder of Knowledge Without Borders, today announced a $50,000 philanthropic agreement to establish the Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship, which will support student participation in a 12-week, Berlin-based study abroad program focused on exploring the past to better understand the present. CIEE's Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship in Berlin will support first-generation, Pell-eligible student participation in a study abroad program focused on history and democratic responsibility. The Fellowship will provide a minimum of four $10,000 scholarships for first-generation, Pell-eligible undergraduate students to enroll in CIEE's Berlin Open Campus Block program for 12 weeks (two six-week academic blocks), opening the door to study abroad for students who might otherwise never have the chance to engage in transformative international learning. In addition to taking courses at CIEE Berlin or online through CIEE's global host institution Arizona State University, Fellows will attend lectures by local historians, activists, and civic leaders; participate in curated site visits; and engage in small-group discussions and workshops. They will examine Berlin's historyfrom the Holocaust to Germany's postwar reckoningand explore how remembrance is a moral obligation and cornerstone of democratic citizenship. Knowledge without Borders Democracy and Memory Fellows must be Pell-eligible and will be selected based on their demonstrated interest in history, political science, civic leadership, social justice, and global affairs. The application deadline is May 1, 2026. "This partnership reflects a shared belief in the transformative power of study abroad to advance peace by fostering empathy, critical thinking, civic awareness, and cross-cultural understanding," said James P. Pellow, Ed.D. President and CEO of CIEE. "We are grateful for Karen Collias' commitment to increasing access to study abroad and her generosity in launching a CIEE initiative dedicated to preparing future leaders to confront difficult issues with compassion and without prejudice." "The Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship will enable U.S. university students a study abroad experience in Berlin that focuses on how Nazism rose in Germany and how, in its aftermath, accountability, historical memory, and democratic institutions were deliberately rebuilt," said Karen Collias, Ph.D. "By engaging directly with this history, students gain a deeper understanding of how democracies fail, how they can be repaired, and why safeguarding them remains an urgent responsibility today." About CIEE Since 1947, CIEE has built bridges between different people, countries, and cultures through study abroad and international exchange programs that advance peace in our world. We change lives; our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org. Media Contact: Leslie Taylor [email protected] (207) 553-4274 SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) (CPKC) today unveiled a commemorative locomotive livery honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and celebrating the founding of the United States of America. CPKC debuts 1776 locomotive to celebrate America's 250th anniversary (CNW Group/CPKC) "This locomotive, built and painted in Fort Worth, Texas, honors the remarkable and proud history of America as we prepare to mark the nation's 250th anniversary," said Keith Creel, CPKC President and Chief Executive Officer. "As a U.S. Army veteran, I am proud to join my 6,000 fellow railroaders living and working across America in celebrating the contributions of all Americans throughout our history. Together, we join the nation in looking forward with vision and hope to the accomplishments of generations yet to come." KCS 1776, a new Tier 4 ET44AC locomotive from Wabtec's Fort Worth manufacturing facility, is the first of five such locomotives that will bear the commemorative America 250 livery. It features Old Glory Red and Old Glory Blue colors as well as the logo of America250, the national nonpartisan organization established by Congress to lead the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations. Other features include graphic representations of the Declaration of Independence opening phrase "In Congress" and the famous first words of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, as well as 13 stars encircling the date July 4, 1776. "America's 250th anniversary is a moment to reflect on the industries and individuals who have helped build and connect our nation," said Jen Condon, Executive Vice President at America250. "Freight rail has played a vital role in America's growth and progress, and CPKC's commemorative locomotive is a powerful tribute to that legacy as we approach this historic milestone." Freight railroads take pride in their role in facilitating the country's progress through the centuries. CPKC operates in 19 U.S. states as one of the largest freight railroads in America with an extensive network spanning the central United States. It stretches from North Dakota through the Upper Midwest and south to the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas, along with operations in the Northeast from New York to Maine. At 8,800 miles, the U.S. network represents nearly 40 percent of CPKC's three-nation North American railroad. About one third of CPKC's employees live and work in the United States, serving thousands of businesses in the agriculture, automotive, steel, energy, chemical and consumer markets across America. CPKC's roots stretch back to the founding age of American railroading with the Delaware & Hudson and the expansion age of American railroading in the late 19th century with Arthur E. Stilwell's founding in 1887 of the Kansas City Suburban Belt Railway. About CPKC With its global headquarters in Calgary, Alta., Canada, CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States and Mexico, with unrivaled access to major ports from Vancouver to Atlantic Canada to the Gulf Coast to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico. Stretching approximately 20,000 route miles and employing 20,000 railroaders, CPKC provides North American customers unparalleled rail service and network reach to key markets across the continent. CPKC is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpkcr.com to learn more about the rail advantages of CPKC. CP-IR SOURCE CPKC Woman kidnapped at knifepoint to be sold to Cambodia escapes when captors stop for lunch Suspects in a kidnapping case arrested along seized evidence in southern Vietnam. Photo by Nam An A 41-year-old woman was ambushed on a Vietnamese highway, held overnight in a guesthouse where she was beaten and forced to transfer her savings, then loaded into a car headed for the Cambodian border, but managed to escape when her captors made one mistake: they stopped to eat. Police in Tay Ninh Province that borders Cambodia on Feb. 27 announced the arrest of eight suspects in connection with the abduction, which began as a business meeting gone violently wrong. The victim, identified only as L.T.M., had arranged to meet Vo Van Tuong, 44, in Binh Hiep Commune to resolve a financial dispute over a shared business, according to reports from Tuoi Tre and Doi Song Phap Luat. What she encountered instead was an ambush. On the evening of Feb. 21, as the woman rode her motorbike along National Highway 62 near Moc Hoa bridge, Tuong and an accomplice pulled up in a rented white sedan and blocked her path. Tuong held a knife to the woman and forced her into the car while another man, Nguyen Van Nhan, 27, seized her motorbike, phone, handbag and identification documents, Tay Ninh police said. The group drove her more than 70 km to a guesthouse in Tay Ninh, according to Tien Phong newspaper. There, Tuong and his accomplices beat the woman with a broom and a water pipe, and forced her to transfer VND157 million (US$6,030) from her bank account to Tuong's, police said. The next morning, the group loaded the woman into a seven-seat vehicle and headed toward Binh Hiep Commune near the Cambodian border, telling her she would be sold to Cambodia. But the captors made a critical mistake. When they stopped at a roadside restaurant on National Highway 62, the woman found a moment when her guards were distracted, burst out of the car and ran. She reached Binh Hiep Commune police station and reported her ordeal. Officers rushed the woman to hospital, where doctors documented injuries across her head, face, arms, legs and other parts of her body, police said. The Criminal Police Division of Tay Ninh provincial police quickly launched a manhunt. Investigators first summoned Vo Van Tuan and Ly Kim Toan, both 30, then tracked down and arrested six more suspects: Tuong, who was identified as the ringleader; Nguyen Thanh Tho, 25; Le Thi Nhu Linh, 26; Nguyen Van Qui, 23; Truong Thanh Cong, 23; and Nhan. All eight face charges of robbery and unlawful detention. At the guesthouse where the woman was held overnight, police also found suspected methamphetamine paraphernalia. Vietnamese authorities have dealt with a surge in trafficking cases in recent years, with criminal networks luring or forcing victims across the border to work in online fraud operations. In the first two months of 2025 alone, police in the northern city of Hai Phong rescued 12 citizens kidnapped and sold to Cambodia, according to the city's Department of Home Affairs, nearly matching the total from all of 2022 to 2024. In February 2025, Tay Ninh border guards received 177 Vietnamese nationals repatriated from Cambodia, most of whom had been involved in scam operations in Svay Rieng Province. The investigation is ongoing. FRESNO, Calif., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PrideStaff, a nationally franchised staffing organization , awarded the 212 Degrees Award to Owner/Strategic-Partner Amy Linn and her Inside Sales team at PrideStaff Dallas (North) during the company's 2026 Annual Conference. The 212 Degrees Award recognizes PrideStaff teams that demonstrate the disciplined effort and consistency required to turn strong performance into exceptional results. At 211 degrees, water is hot but at 212 degrees, it boils and creates steam, generating power. The award reflects that same principle in business; one additional degree of focus, follow-through, and accountability can create meaningful impact. Recipients are honored for moving beyond transactional sales to build trusted client relationships that drive measurable growth and sustained workforce results. In a market where employers continue to face high turnover, talent shortages, and inconsistent staffing performance, Amy Linn's team was recognized for building long-term hiring pipelines that help clients reduce repeat hiring costs and improve workforce continuity. By staying connected with candidates as their careers progress and focusing on relationship-driven engagement rather than one-time transactions, the Dallas (North) team has created a more stable, predictable talent flow for the businesses they serve. This approach helps local employers strengthen retention, protect productivity, and plan with greater confidence. It also aligns directly with Our Mission to "Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most." By prioritizing trust, responsiveness, and long-term partnership over short-term gain, the Dallas (North) team creates measurable impact in a competitive market. "We believe every conversation matters because our clients' success depends on the strength of the relationships behind every hire," said Linn. "By staying connected with candidates as their careers evolve, we're able to give employers access to talent they may not find through traditional job postings. That long-term approach helps our clients hire more strategically, reduce turnover risk, and build teams that contribute not just today, but well into the future. Our focus has always been on creating lasting partnerships that deliver measurable business results." About PrideStaff PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100% company-owned units and began franchising in 1995. It operates offices in North America to serve thousands of clients and is headquartered in Central California. With 45-plus years in the staffing business, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm, with the spirit, dedication, and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRated's prestigious Best of Staffing 15-Year Diamond Awards three years in a row, highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality. For more information on our services, or for staffing franchise information, visit our website . SOURCE PrideStaff SINGAPORE, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dyna.Ai, a leading AI solutions company headquartered in Singapore, today announced the close of an undisclosed eight-figure multimillion-dollar (USD) Series A round led by Lion X Ventures, a Singapore based venture capital fund, advised by OCBC Bank's Mezzanine Capital Unit. The round also included participation from ADATA, a Taiwan-listed technology company, a Korean financial institution, and a group of finance veterans with decades of industry experience. Dyna.Ai showcases its 'AI Workforce, Better Results' branding at SFF 2025 Tomas Skoumal, Chairman and Co-Founder of Dyna.Ai The funding will accelerate the deployment of Dyna.Ai's Agentic AI solutions, helping enterprises turn AI pilots into fully operational systems that deliver measurable business outcomes. Dyna.Ai's Results-as-a-Service approach prioritizes measurable revenue outcomes and has been validated across regulated financial services and enterprise environments. Its solutions combine domain-specific expertise, AI agent builders, task-ready AI agents, and fully operational agentic applications capable of executing tasks within defined workflows while ensuring compliance, controls, and accountability. The solutions are already deployed in live enterprise environments, helping organizations including leading global and regional banks as well as financial institutions across Asia, Americas, and the Middle East streamline operations, enhance customer, experience, and optimize employee workflows. The investment reflects confidence in Dyna.Ai's execution-led approach, supporting continued delivery, governance, and long-term platform development. This momentum comes as Southeast Asia's AI market is projected to exceed US $16 billion by 2033, which is indicative of the opportunity to augment talent with AI capabilities. Singapore continues to be a regional leader in AI with initiatives to support the responsible development of AI technology in addition to a commitment to invest over S$1 billion (US $778.8 million) in public artificial intelligence research over the next five years. "Fundamentally, we are innovative-driven and commercial people who have experienced the same operational challenges we are solving today," said Tomas Skoumal, Chairman and Co-Founder of Dyna.Ai. "While much of the industry was focused on how broadly AI could be applied, we doubled down early on a specific, pressing problem and built with outcomes in mind. That focus continues to guide how we work with enterprises today and has built trust with C-suite leaders across institutions around the world." "Enterprise AI is entering a phase where execution and measurable outcomes matter more than experimentation," said Irene Guo, CEO of Lion X Ventures. "Dyna.Ai differentiates itself through strong domain expertise, operational discipline, and the ability to deploy agentic AI within complex, regulated enterprise environments. We are pleased to support the team as they scale across global enterprise and financial services markets." "Across the region, we're seeing a shift in how enterprises approach AI," said Cynthia Siantar, Head of Investor Relations and General Manager for Singapore and Hong Kong. "The focus has moved past pilots and experimentation to how AI can be deployed in day-to-day operations and deliver real outcomes. With Dyna.Ai, we are proud to take a Singapore built platform to leading BFSI enterprises in the region and across the world." Founded in 2024, Dyna.Ai was built to address structural bottlenecks in enterprise operation, adopting a results-driven approach that prioritizes commercial outcomes over experimentation as enterprises move from proof-of-concepts to enterprise-grade AI. About Dyna.Ai Dyna.Ai is a leading AI-as-a-Service company headquartered in Singapore, delivering enterprise-grade AI solutions that turn advanced AI into measurable business results. The company provides AI-powered products and services that enhance customer experience (CX), improve employee experience (EX), and optimize core business operations, with solutions designed for practical enterprise deployment. With a global presence across Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, Dyna.Ai powers financial institutions, contact centers, and enterprises worldwide. SOURCE Dyna.Ai NEW YORK, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds sellers of Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) Class A common stock between January 15, 2025 and March 24, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 18, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you sold Endeavor Class A common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Endeavor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51048 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] 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 March 18, 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 achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: The lawsuit seeks to recover damages on behalf of investors that were damaged as a result of allegedly false and misleading statements and omissions of material facts in the January 15, 2025 Information Statement (filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to the securities laws) and subsequent amendment issued by defendants, and related filings with the SEC. Among other things, the complaint alleges the Information Statement and other solicitation materials misled investors regarding the true value of Endeavor's shares, failed to adequately disclose the earnings of Endeavor's executives under the terms of the Merger (a take-private merger), and failed to disclose conflicts of interests with Endeavor's special committee and financial advisor. To join the Endeavor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51048 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. Two-Part Training Series Provide Practical Tools for Multicultural Communities to Advance Health Equity Nationwide WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when too many families are still forced to choose between buying groceries or paying rent, seeking care or staying silent, HCN Global is launching the ninth edition of the Culture of Health / la Cultura de Salud, a multicultural, bilingual multimedia programming series that addresses social determinants of health affecting Latino and Black communities in the US. This year the multimedia series will feature a new webinar series to help community leaders identify and address one of the root causes of health inequity: structural racism. Families and communities play a vital role in promoting health, stability, and well-being across generations. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the initiative builds on more than 40 years of HCN Global's work alongside communities of color, creating culturally grounded campaigns and storytelling that connect inspire, and empower communitiesat a moment when communities of color continue to face compounding barriers to health access, education, and economic opportunity. Now, the focus turns to equipping local leaders with practical tools to recognize how systems shape health outcomes and how to organize for lasting change. "Community partners are on the front lines witnessing how structural barriers show up in daily lifefamilies choosing between rent and groceries, children attending underfunded schools, immigrants afraid to access healthcare," said Alison Rodden, HCN Global CEO. "This series gives them the language, frameworks, and practical examples of how to name these structures, connect them to health outcomes, and mobilize for change." Structural racismthe policies, systems, and practices built into society that create and maintain racial inequitiescontinues to shape who has access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, and educational opportunities. These barriers disproportionately impact Latino, Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities, resulting in measurably worse health outcomes and reduced life expectancy. Health and economic data reveal persistent racial disparities in the United States. Black women and infants experience significantly higher mortality rates than their white counterparts, while Latino communities have faced higher uninsured rates and disproportionate impacts from COVID-19. Economically, white households hold substantially more wealth than Black and Latino households, and homeownership rates a key source of generational wealth are markedly higher among white families. These gaps stem from longstanding discriminatory policies such as redlining and unequal lending practices. Because these disparities persist across systems and remain even when accounting for income or education, they are considered structural embedded in enduring institutions and policies. Building Equity: Tools for Community Leadership Webinar Series This two-part training series equips participants to understand how structural racism shapes health outcomes and how to take meaningful action in their communities. Webinar 1: Seeing the Structures examines how inequities in housing and food systems, education and health literacy, and immigration policy impact community health and access to care. Webinar 2: From Knowledge to Action is an interactive workshop where participants map local barriers, develop messaging that connect community issues to structural causes, and create action plans for organizing, advocacy, and systems-level change. Building Community Capacity to Address Structural Racism HCN Global's research helps identify the gaps in how community organizations understand and communicate about structural racism as a driver of health inequities. While leaders witness these impacts firsthand, many lack shared language and frameworks to connect lived experiences to systemic causes or advocate effectively for change. This webinar series addresses those gaps by providing evidence-based, culturally relevant tools; elevating community expertise; and offering bilingual resources and peer learning opportunities. Leveraging national networks including La Red Hispana, Melanin Thriving, and LatinEQUIS, the initiative will expand access to trusted community partners. To further support these partners, dedicated webpages were launched to house resources designed to help community leaders and organizers continue this work beyond the live sessions. For Spanish resources visit laredhispana.org/liderazgo-para-una-cultura-de-salud/. For English-preferring Latino and Black audiences visit melaninthriving.com/leadership-for-culture-of-health and wearelatinequis.com/leadership-for-a-culture-of-health. Registration Information Community leaders, health workers, advocates, and partner organizations interested in participating can register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/A4d9Hx10RdGvjIiHg4i5NQ#/registration. Webinars are free and open to all who work with communities impacted by health inequities. For more information about the webinar series or to request media interviews, contact Ana Sarai Pena. About HCN Global and Owned Channels La Red Hispana, LatinEQUIS and Melanin Thriving HCN Global is the leading producer and syndicator of multimedia programming and content focused on health equity and social determinants of health in the United States and is 100% for and by BIPOC communities. For more information, visit: hcnglobal.com | LaRedHispana.org | WeAreLatinEQUIS.com | MelaninThriving.com. Contact: Ana Sarai Pena Email: [email protected] Phone: 915 667 3803 SOURCE HCN GLOBAL, LLC CALGARY, AB, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") is today providing an update on the previously-announced unsolicited, non-binding proposal made by Parex Resources Inc. ("Parex") to acquire all of Frontera's upstream Colombian exploration and production business (the "Frontera E&P Assets"), being the same assets that Frontera has agreed to sell to a subsidiary of GeoPark Limited ("GeoPark") under the previously announced arrangement agreement between Frontera and GeoPark dated January 29, 2026 (the "GeoPark Arrangement Agreement"). Since receipt of the non-binding proposal, consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities, the Frontera Board of Directors, in consultation with its outside legal counsel and independent financial advisors, has carefully reviewed and considered the Parex non-binding proposal and has had ongoing discussions and negotiations with Parex, including providing it with certain non-public information regarding Frontera pursuant to a confidentiality agreement. Today, Frontera received a binding proposal from Parex (the "Parex Binding Proposal") to acquire the equity interest of the Frontera E&P Assets for $525 million, and is currently awaiting confirmation of certain terms. As a result, the Frontera Board of Directors, in consultation with outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisors, has determined that the Parex Binding Proposal at this time does not constitute a "Superior Proposal", as defined under the GeoPark Arrangement Agreement. The GeoPark Arrangement Agreement remains in full force and effect, and the Frontera Board of Directors continues to recommend the GeoPark arrangement to the Frontera shareholders and that Frontera shareholders vote in favor of the resolution to approve the GeoPark arrangement at the upcoming special meeting of Frontera shareholders to be held on April 10, 2026. About Frontera: Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 18 exploration and production blocks in Colombia and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner. If you would like to receive News Releases via e-mail as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe. Social Media Follow Frontera Energy social media channels at the following links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/ LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp. Advisories: Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "estimate", "will", "would", "believe", "plan", "expected", "potential", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by such words. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. In particular, and without limiting the foregoing, this news release contains forward looking statements with respect to a potential transaction involving a proposal made by Parex to Frontera, and the process and timing for the transaction between Frontera and GeoPark. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: there can be no assurance that any transaction will result from the binding proposal from Parex or that Parex and Frontera will ultimately enter into a definitive agreement for Parex to acquire the Frontera E&P Assets; and the failure to obtain all necessary court, third-party and shareholder approvals to complete the transaction with GeoPark or Parex and the risk that such transaction may be varied, accelerated or terminated in certain circumstances. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. www.fronteraenergy.ca SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation Agencies open in Huntsville and Hemphill to meet growing needs in area PLANO, Texas, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Heart to Heart Hospice, one of the country's largest private providers of hospice care, has opened two new agencies in East Texas, significantly expanding its ability to serve patients and families in the region. Heart to Heart Hospice of Huntsville and Heart to Heart Hospice of Hemphill are now making a broad range of hospice services available in nine additional Texas counties. The Huntsville agency serves the counties of Brazos, Grimes, Houston, Madison, Polk, Trinity, and Walker. The Hemphill location covers Sabine and San Augustine counties. "It's exciting to expand our care services in this part of the state," said Kelly Mitchell, founder and chief executive officer of Heart to Heart Hospice. "The need for quality, comprehensive hospice care continues to grow," he said, "and we welcome the opportunity to provide more patients and their loved ones with the compassionate care and support they deserve." Heart to Heart Hospice of Huntsville is located at 1217 15th St., Suite 2, Huntsville, TX 77340. Phone: 936.339.4020. Heart to Heart Hospice of Hemphill is located at 384 Sabine St., Hemphill, TX 75948. Phone: 409.399.2850. "Our mission is to care for the whole person, as well as provide guidance and practical support for their family, in the place they call home," said Dr. Michael Bond, the chief medical officer and national medical director for Heart to Heart. "We develop a personalized care plan that will honor their wishes and values and truly make a difference." About Heart to Heart Hospice Heart to Heart Hospice, founded in 2003, is one of the largest private providers of hospice care in the United States. Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Heart to Heart provides a broad range of hospice services to patients with life-limiting illnesses across 67 locations in Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas. At Heart to Heart, we understand both the physical and emotional challenges for our patients and their loved ones and our compassionate care team is committed to providing them with what they need most: comfort, support, and dignity. Learn more about Heart to Heart Hospice. SOURCE Heart To Heart Hospice From robotics innovation to flagship devices, HONOR expands its AI device ecosystem at MWC 2026 BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At MWC 2026, HONOR advanced its Augmented Human Intelligence (AHI) vision and accelerated ALPHA PLAN through three connected pillars: Alpha Phone, Alpha Store and Alpha Lab. Building on its long-term commitment to human-centric AI, HONOR offered a preview of Robot Phone, a bold exploration of embodied intelligence and a new species of smartphone that reimagines how future AI devices could integrate motion and spatial awareness. image1 image2 Alongside this futuristic innovation, HONOR unveiled Magic V6, the pinnacle of its foldable innovation, combining breakthrough silicon-carbon battery technology, advanced display engineering and AI-enhanced productivity in its most refined foldable design to date. Together with new ecosystem devices, HONOR MagicPad 4 and MagicBook Pro 14, these announcements reinforce HONOR's roadmap to integrate intelligent hardware and software around real human needs. James Li, CEO of HONOR, said: "With Human-centric as our lighthouse, we navigate the growth of AI through the two beams of IQ and EQ, bringing three forms of intelligence together. We are exploring the new paradigm of AI devices with Alpha Phone; hosting the new paradigm of AI ecosystem with Alpha Store; and building the new paradigm of a silicon-carbon civilization with Alpha Lab. With three waves of the Alpha Plan, we now have all the components in place and we are driving this journey at full warp speed." Take a Sneak Peek at the HONOR Robot Phone: A New Species of Smartphone Robot Phone is a new species of smartphone, combining embodied AI interaction with robot-grade motion and cinematic imaging capabilities. Rather than reacting solely through screens and voice commands, HONOR is, figuratively, giving its next generation of devices not only a brain, but also hands and feet, combining AI with more physical, expressive interaction through motion and camera movement. It goes beyond what a static smartphone can offer, bringing more human, expressive interaction into everyday technology and adjusting its perspective in real time. Multimodal perception means it can identify sounds, track motion and maintain visual awareness, creating a more natural, sensory, and intuitive interaction model. Robot Phone also introduces embodied AI interaction designed to feel more natural and expressive. It supports all-angle AI video calling that follows the user through robot-grade motion control. It also responds with emotional body language, including expressive nods and head shakes, and can even dance to the beat of music, bringing playful, lifelike interaction to the smartphone experience. Packing a robot into a smartphone required rethinking space, strength, and weight at a microscopic level. HONOR applied high-performance materials and reliability know-how developed for foldables to Robot Phone engineering, enabling a self-developed micro motor designed for extreme compactness and strength. By significantly reducing motor size, HONOR was able to fit an ultra-compact 4DoF gimbal system into the phone, creating the hardware foundation for robot-grade embodied motion control. This mechanical architecture supports a three-axis gimbal stabilization system, delivering smooth and precise motion even in dynamic environments. Super Steady Video mode enhances stability in high-movement scenarios, while AI Object Tracking allows Robot Phone to intelligently follow subjects in real time. AI SpinShot further expands creative control, supporting intelligent 90 and 180 rotational movement for fluid, cinematic transitions, even when shooting one-handed. Built around a 200MP sensor and a stabilized gimbal camera system, Robot Phone is designed to help users move beyond capturing moments and toward capturing life stories. Through stabilization, intelligent tracking, and cinematic-style camera movement, it aims to close the gap between smartphone video and professional-looking storytelling. Together, these capabilities demonstrate how embodied AI can unlock new forms of capture and interaction, positioning Robot Phone as a defining step in HONOR's evolution toward more intelligent and adaptive devices. As HONOR continues to advance its ALPHA PLAN, Robot Phone offers a glimpse into how embodied intelligence may shape the next generation of mobile technology. About HONOR HONOR is a global leading AI device ecosystem company. It is committed to revolutionizing human-to-device interactions to bridge the AI ecosystem with all consumers in the agentic AI era and beyond. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923358/image1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2923359/image2.jpg BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yang Chaobin, CEO of Huawei's ICT Business Group, today called on the ICT industry to intensify efforts in ensuring everyone can access the fast track of AI at MWC Barcelona 2026. This call included recommendations on spectrum and network capabilities for scaling 5G-Advanced to support emerging AI applications, and an appeal to expand inclusive connectivity to bridge the digital divide in underserved regions. Yang Chaobin, Huawei ICT BG CEO, speaking at MWC Barcelona 2026 (PRNewsfoto/Huawei) In his keynote, Yang said, "The intelligent era is approaching fast. New AI applications are emerging every day, and so it is time for the industry to come together to unleash the full potential of 5G-A. We must efficiently utilize new spectrum resources like U6 GHz to create new value for the industry while paving the way for evolution to 6G." As AI applications like text-to-video and AI-powered shopping become more and more common, token consumption will surge. The number of tokens consumed daily has grown 300 times over the past two years. Yang believes that this is creating enormous opportunities for the mobile industry. However, these achievements have highlighted gaps that he says the industry must address. First, Networks must move away from being downlink-centric and deliver ultra-high bandwidth both uplink and downlink to support multimodal data exchanges between devices and clouds for AI. Second, networks must provide secure, reliable, and ultra-low-latency connectivity to support real-time AI collaboration and intelligent decision-making. 6G standardization is also already underway, and its standards are not expected to be frozen before March 2029, according to 3GPP. Yang explained that the next five years will create a window of opportunity both for mobile AI services to boom and for the industry to create new value, so long as carriers invest effectively in 5G-A. This half-generation step between 5G and 6G is already playing a key role in the industry, as it delivers 10 times higher uplink speeds, superior AI service experience, new IoT technologies like reduced capability (RedCap) and passive IoT, and AI for differentiated network capabilities. 5G-A has been commercially deployed at scale in more than 300 cities around the world, and its deployment is expanding to all frequency bands. New and refarmed spectrum resources are needed to make 5G-A even more capable, particularly in countries and regions where C-band resources are scarce. The U6 GHz band is becoming the key to unleashing this network potential. After multiple rounds of discussion at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), U6 GHz has been established as a mainstream frequency band for future mobile communications. 5G-A already supports U6 GHz, and mainstream device chips and the industry chain for 5G-A devices are also mature. This means 5G-A is ready for large-scale commercial use. Yang urged his speech attendees, all of whom are players in the telecom industry, to lean deeper into collaboration on 5G-A and frequency bands like U6 GHz to support surging AI service demand. The second focus of Yang's speech was the industry's urgent need to address global imbalances in digital access. According to GSMA, more than 300 million people are not covered by a mobile broadband network. Over the past two decades, the communications industry has made great efforts to bridge the digital divide, but the rapid growth of AI seems to be widening this gap. Stronger digital inclusion drives and continued innovation are needed. Yang encouraged further exploration of inclusive connectivity strategies like diversified frequency-band combinations and more cost-effective solution design. Huawei itself has launched innovative all-scenario RuralStar solutions to provide inclusive mobile access to 170 million people in 80 countries, as well as a number of additional inclusion programs. These include the DigiTruck classrooms providing rural students digital skills training in Kenya, inclusive financial services for rural residents in Bangladesh, and mobile medical services for villages in Argentina. Wrapping up his keynote, Yang called on all industry players to continue working together on commercial 5G-A adoption at scale in order to address the pressing needs from emerging AI services and pave the way for evolution to 6G. MWC Barcelona 2026 will be held from March 2 to March 5 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. The era of agentic networks is now approaching fast, and the commercial adoption of 5G-A at scale is gaining speed. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to unleash the full potential of 5G-A and pave the way for the evolution to 6G. We are also creating AI-Centric Network solutions to enable intelligent services, networks, and network elements (NEs), speeding up the large-scale deployment of level-4 autonomous networks (AN L4), and using AI to upgrade our core business. Together with other industry players, we will create leading value-driven networks and AI computing backbones for a fully intelligent future. For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/minisite/events/mwc2026/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2924724/image1.jpg NEW YORK, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of KDDI Corporation (OTC: KDDIY) resulting from allegations that KDDI may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased KDDI securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52883 https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=47559or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. What is this about: On February 6, 2026, KDDI posted an announcement on its website entitled "Notice Regarding Expectation that Disclosure of Earnings Report for the Third Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 2026 Will Exceed the 45-Day Period Following the End of Such Quarter." The announcement stated that KDDI has "decided to postpone the disclosure of its earnings report" and that the reason for postponement was due to uncertainties regarding the quarterly results, in light of a previously announced internal investigation. On this news, KDDI American Depositary Receipts' (under the ticker symbol "KDDIY") fell 11.4% on February 6, 2026. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. At the time Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. Double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Ari Hyman, one of only a few surgeons in the country to complete fellowship training with Dr. Dean Toriumithe father of structural rhinoplastyintroduces an enhanced online resource for patients seeking elite-level primary and revision rhinoplasty in Southern California. LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Ari Hyman, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon recognized as one of the nation's leading authorities in rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty, has launched a comprehensive new website at www.arihymanmd.com. The site serves as an educational resource for patients considering primary rhinoplasty, complex revision procedures, and ultrasonic rhinoplasty techniques, providing detailed insights into the structural approach that has defined Dr. Hyman's practice and positioned him among the elite rhinoplasty surgeons in the United States. Ari Hyman, MD. Dr. Hyman's credentials place him in a rare category of rhinoplasty specialists. He is one of only a handful of surgeons nationwide to have completed fellowship training under Dr. Dean Toriumi at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Toriumi is widely recognized as the father of structural rhinoplasty and the world's foremost authority on revision rhinoplasty, having trained generations of surgeons in techniques that prioritize long-term stability, natural aesthetics, and functional preservation. This elite training, combined with Dr. Hyman's dual board certifications from the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, provides patients with access to the highest level of rhinoplasty expertise available. Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Hyman has made significant contributions to the academic advancement of rhinoplasty. He has authored peer-reviewed articles and multiple textbook chapters on modern rhinoplasty techniques, nasal anatomy, and structural approaches to nasal reconstruction, including chapters published by Elsevier on costal cartilage harvest and correcting the overresected nose. His work extends internationally, with contributions to the Korean rhinoplasty textbook series and invited lectures on advanced structural and revision rhinoplasty techniques. Dr. Hyman also served as an Editorial Fellow at JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, working directly with the editorial board on peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts. The new website reflects Dr. Hyman's patient-centered philosophy of listening deeply, educating clearly, and partnering closely with each patient to achieve results that feel natural, balanced, and uniquely right for them. Prospective patients can explore detailed information about primary rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty for those seeking to correct previous surgical outcomes, and ultrasonic rhinoplasty techniques that allow for precise bone reshaping with minimal tissue trauma. The site also features extensive before-and-after photography demonstrating Dr. Hyman's meticulous attention to detail and his ability to deliver profoundly stunning results while maintaining each patient's individual character. "Rhinoplasty is both an art and a science that requires years of specialized training to master," says Dr. Ari Hyman. "My fellowship with Dr. Toriumi taught me that achieving beautiful, lasting results depends on understanding the structural foundation of the nose and planning each procedure with precision and foresight. This new website is designed to educate patients about what separates elite rhinoplasty from average outcomesthe structural approach, the surgeon's training, and the commitment to individualized care. I want every patient to feel informed and confident before they ever step into my office." More About Dr. Ari Hyman: Dr. Ari Hyman is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon specializing in rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, ultrasonic rhinoplasty, facelifts, necklifts, and advanced facial rejuvenation. He earned his medical degree from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Hyman then pursued fellowship training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Illinois Chicago under Dr. Dean Toriumi. He holds board certifications from the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Hyman was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, where he served as chapter president, and received the Walter G. Sterling Award for Excellence from McGovern Medical School. He is affiliated with Encino Hospital Medical Center and Sherman Oaks Hospital. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please visit www.arihymanmd.com or call (818) 275-8223. The office is located at 16311 Ventura Blvd, Suite 970, Encino, CA 91436. Media Contact Ari Hyman, MD Ari Hyman MD Facial Plastic Surgery (818) 275-8223 https://www.arihymanmd.com SOURCE Ari Hyman, MD. Tourists select lanterns at the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Li Wenbao/Xinhua) A girl looks at a fish-shaped lantern during a parade in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Ninghai County of Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Hu Xuejun/Xinhua) A drone photo taken on Feb. 28, 2026 shows dragon dance teams marching during a parade in Deqing County of Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) A Shehuo team performs lion dance in Dingxi, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 1, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Chen Yonggang/Xinhua) Visitors enjoy lantern installations in Nanyang, central China's Henan Province, March 1, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Gao Song/Xinhua) Volunteers give deliverymen Yuanxiao, sweet glutinous rice dumplings for celebrating the Lantern Festival in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Wang Jianmin/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 27, 2026 shows people performing dragon dances in Hengyang County, central China's Hunan Province. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua) A girl showcases her lanterns during an event featuring the Lantern Festival in Taixing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Gu Jihong/Xinhua) A girl tastes cotton candy in Deqing County of Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 27, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Ni Lifang/Xinhua) Editor: GSY In the news release, Mazda Reports February Sales Results, issued 03-Mar-2026 by Mazda North American Operations over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows: Mazda Reports February Sales Results IRVINE, Calif., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total February sales of 33,497 vehicles, flat compared to February 2025. With 24 selling days in February, compared to 25 the year prior, the company posted an increase of 4 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis. CPO sales totaled 5,954 vehicles in February, an increase of 6.4 percent compared to February 2025. (PRNewsfoto/Mazda North American Operations) Sales highlights include: 2nd Best February Total Sales ever Best February Retail Sales since 2020 for Mazda 3 Best February Total Sales ever for both CX-50 ICE and Hybrid Mazda Canada, Inc., (MCI) reported February sales of 4,616 vehicles, an increase of 1.3 percent compared to February last year. Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported February sales of 8,321 vehicles, a decrease of 11 percent compared to February last year. About Mazda North American Operations Proudly founded in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda has a history of sophisticated craftsmanship and innovation, and a purpose to enrich life-in-motion for those it serves. By putting humans at the center of everything it does, Mazda aspires to create uplifting experiences with our vehicles and for people. Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Colombia through approximately 795 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ontario; operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City; and operations in Colombia are managed by Mazda de Colombia in Bogota, Colombia. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at news.mazdausa.com. Follow @MazdaUSA on social media: Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and Threads. Month-To-Date Year-To-Date February February YOY % % MTD February February YOY % % MTD 2026 2025 Change DSR 2026 2025 Change DSR Mazda3 3,129 2,838 10.3 % 14.8 % 5,602 5,821 (3.8) % (3.8) % Mazda 3 Sdn 1,516 2,094 (27.6) % (24.6) % 2786 4,190 (33.5) % (33.5) % Mazda 3 HB 1,613 744 116.8 % 125.8 % 2816 1,631 72.7 % 72.7 % Mazda6 0 0 - - 0 0 - - MX-5 Miata 330 843 (60.9) % (59.2) % 725 1,524 (52.4) % (52.4) % MX-5 194 382 (49.2) % (47.1) % 414 645 (35.8) % (35.8) % MXR 136 461 (70.5) % (69.3) % 311 879 (64.6) % (64.6) % CX-3 - 0 - - - 0 - - CX-30 2,339 5,709 (59.0) % (57.3) % 4762 12,366 (61.5) % (61.5) % CX-5 13,701 10,876 26.0 % 31.2 % 23574 21,609 9.1 % 9.1 % CX-9 0 0 0.0 % 0.0 % 0 0 - - CX-50 TTL 10,094 7,280 38.7 % 44.4 % 20,509 13,615 50.6 % 50.6 % MX-30 0 0 - - 0 0 - - CX-70 TTL 928 1,223 (24.1) % (21.0) % 1600 2170 (26.3) % - CX-90 TTL 2,976 4,769 (37.6) % (35.0) % 5683 10114 (43.8) % (43.8) % CARS 3,459 3,681 (6.0) % (2.1) % 6,327 7,345 (13.9) % (13.9) % TRUCKS 30,038 29,857 0.6 % 4.8 % 56,128 59,874 (6.3) % (6.3) % TOTAL 33,497 33,538 (0.1) % 4.0 % 62,455 67,219 (7.1) % (7.1) % *Selling Days 24 25 50 50 Correction: The second bullet point has been updated from, "Best February Retail Sales since 2020 for Mazda 3 Sedan" to "Best February Retail Sales since 2020 for Mazda 3". SOURCE Mazda North American Operations MIDLAND, Texas, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Bridge Hydrocarbons, Inc. ("Next Bridge," "our," "we," or the "Company"), an oil and natural gas exploration and production company with interests in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma today announced the following: The Company has posted an updated list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (an "FAQ") to our website. This FAQ document is created for investor convenience and addresses questions commonly posed to our Investor Relations team. It is available for review and download at www.nextbridgehydrocarbons.com/investors. About Next Bridge Hydrocarbons, Inc. The Company is an independent public reporting energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation and/or development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. We have minor well interests in the eastern edge of the Midland Basin in Texas, two minor well interests in Oklahoma and exploration prospect leaseholds in the onshore southern Louisiana Gulf Coast area. Please visit the Company's website www.nextbridgehydrocarbons.com for more information. Next Bridge is a private company insofar as its common stock is not traded on a public stock exchange of any kind. The Company is expected to update shareholders about certain operational and financial matters related to Company business. To receive emails regarding this, visit https://www.nextbridgehydrocarbons.com/investors and complete the Email Alert / Investor Form. You may also choose to follow our social media channels at @nbhydrocarbons on X (formerly Twitter) and "Next Bridge Hydrocarbons" on LinkedIn. Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein. Although the Company believes the expectations in such statements to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Information concerning the assumptions, uncertainties and risks that may affect the actual results can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available to view at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website. Investor Relations Contact: Dennard Lascar Investor Relations [email protected] SOURCE Next Bridge Hydrocarbons, Inc. SALT LAKE CITY, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pura, a home-fragrance company committed to creating meaningful experiences through scent, is proud to debut the Pura x Malala Fund Collectionfour fragrances inspired by the courage of girls who are pursuing their right to learn and by Malala Fund's transformative work across Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Pakistan. Pura x Malala Fund Fragrance Collection Malala Fund, founded by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, champions a world where every girl can access and complete 12 years of education. Their work spans some of the world's most challenging contexts globally, where girls face steep barriers to completing their education, and where locally led, community-rooted solutions are creating powerful, lasting change. After four years of partnership, Pura's philanthropic collaboration with Malala Fund finds new expression through a collection that scents with a purpose. Each fragrance draws inspiration from the dedication of local advocates, the strength and hope of girls fighting for their education, and the beauty and spirit of the communities they call home. Together, these elements shaped a scent collection designed to honor Malala Fund's mission through the evocative power of scent. "Malala Fund's work reminds us that when girls learn, communities grow stronger and the world becomes more equitable," said Bruno Lima, Pura's CEO and Founder. "We created this collection as a love letter to the girls and the places that inspired iteach fragrance a tribute to their courage, creativity, and hope." From Brazil's lush rainforest and salty beaches to Nigeria's red-earth villages, from Pakistan's soaring mountain ranges to Tanzania's chai-scented spice markets, each country holds a distinct rhythm and beauty. These landscapes, rich in culture and alive with possibility, inspired the fragrance design of the Pura x Malala Fund Collection. The collection was designed to reflect both the diversity and unity of Malala Fund's global movement: girls advocating for their futures, local leaders driving change, and communities evolving to build a brighter and more inclusive world. Every fragrance embodies the belief that education is freedom and that unlocking opportunity for girls unlocks opportunity for everyone. Brazil: Breath of Courage Bold. Determined. Creative. Inspired by Brazil's vibrant heritage of tropical fruits and by the determination and creativity embodied by the girls who call Brazil home. Passionfruit | Acai | Coconut Pakistan: Future in Bloom Ambitious. Brave. Purposeful. Inspired by Pakistan's national fruit and flower, mango and jasmine, and by the hope and encouragement embodied by the girls who call Pakistan home. Mango | Jasmine | Cedarwood Tanzania: Heart on Fire Optimistic. Fearless. Dynamic. Our perfumers wanted to capture the rich spices rooted in the region's long history while celebrating the bright, joyful energy of the girls who call Tanzania home. Cardamom | Clove | Black pepper Nigeria: Hope for Tomorrow Resilient. Resourceful. Passionate. Our perfumers wanted to pay homage to the land, its arid scents, and celebrate the youthful and energetic spirit of the girls who call Nigeria home. Starfruit | Hyacinth | Patchouli "Pura has been a thoughtful partner for four years, and this collection reflects a shared belief that girls' education is one of the most powerful investments we can make," said Lena Alfi, CEO of Malala Fund. "We hope these fragrances spark curiosity, conversation, and action to support girls and the local leaders defending their right to learn and helping them unlock their potential." In addition to Pura's annual investment in Malala Fund, 8% of net revenue from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection will be donated directly to Malala Fund in support of their mission. The Pura x Malala Fund Collection is available now at pura.com. To learn more about Malala Fund's mission and impact, visit malala.org. About Pura Pura is a home fragrance company dedicated to enhancing everyday life through meaningful scent experiences. Guided by a belief in connection, community, and purpose, Pura partners with organizations around the world to help tell stories that matter. About Malala Fund Malala Fund works for a world where all girls can learn and choose their own futures. Founded by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, the organization helps ensure every girl can access and complete 12 years of education to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to shape her own life. Media contact [email protected] SOURCE Pura MECHANICSBURG, Pa., March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Select Medical Holdings Corporation ("Select Medical," "we," "us," or "our") (NYSE: SEM) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Merger Agreement") pursuant to which an entity affiliated with a consortium led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Executive Chairman, Co-Founder and Director of Select Medical, Martin F. Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President of Strategic Finance and Operations of Select Medical, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe ("WCAS" and, together with Mr. Ortenzio and Mr. Jackson, the "Consortium") will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Select Medical not already owned by the Consortium for a price per share of $16.50 in cash (the "Merger Consideration"), representing an enterprise value of $3.9 billion, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (such transaction, the "Merger"). The Merger Agreement was unanimously approved by the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of Select Medical (the "Board") upon the recommendation of a special committee of disinterested and independent directors (the "Special Committee"), which negotiated the terms of the transaction. The Merger Consideration represents a premium of approximately 18% over Select Medical's unaffected share price as of November 24, 2025, the last trading day prior to a publicly disclosed proposal being submitted by Mr. Ortenzio to the Company's Board of Directors, and a premium of approximately 25% over Select Medical's 90-day volume-weighted average closing share price for the period ending on that date. Mr. Ortenzio, Mr. Jackson and certain of their affiliates have agreed to roll over their equity to the parent entity of the surviving corporation in the Merger in lieu of receiving the cash Merger Consideration. The Consortium may invite other members of management and the Board of Directors of Select Medical (other than members of the Special Committee) to roll over their outstanding equity as well (all participants in such roll over, the "Rollover Participants"). Select Medical will continue to operate as usual during the pendency of the Merger, with the same commitment to its patients, employees and partners. Select Medical's current management is expected to remain in place following the completion of the Merger. As Mr. Ortenzio and WCAS are "Permitted Holders" under certain of Select Medical's existing debt documentation, Select Medical expects its existing indebtedness to remain outstanding following completion of the Merger, facilitating the Consortium's ability to finance the transaction. Special Committee and Board Approval The Special Committee, consisting entirely of disinterested and independent members of the Board and advised by its own independent financial and legal advisors, reviewed and evaluated the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Special Committee unanimously determined that the Merger Agreement and the Merger are fair to, and in the best interests of, Select Medical's stockholders that are unaffiliated with the Consortium and recommended approval of the Merger Agreement to the Board. The disinterested members of the Board, acting upon the recommendation of the Special Committee, unanimously approved the Merger Agreement and the Merger and resolved to recommend that Select Medical's stockholders vote to adopt the Merger Agreement. Transaction Details and Conditions to Closing The Merger is expected to close mid 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including (a) approval by a majority of the votes cast by holders of the shares of outstanding Select Medical common stock that are not held by any members of the Consortium, the Rollover Participants or their affiliates, (b) the expiration or termination of any waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and (c) the receipt of certain other required regulatory approvals. The Merger is not subject to a financing condition. The initial Rollover Participants, which collectively beneficially own approximately 11.8% of the outstanding shares of Select Medical common stock, have agreed to vote their shares in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement. Any future Rollover Participants will also agree to vote their shares in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement. Upon completion of the Merger, Select Medical will become a privately held company, and its shares of common stock will be deregistered under applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full terms of the Merger Agreement, for which Select Medical will file a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Advisors J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo are serving as joint lead arrangers and joint lead bookrunners in connection with the committed debt financing of the Consortium. Goldman Sachs is serving as the exclusive financial advisor, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal counsel, to the Special Committee. Dechert LLP is serving as legal counsel to Select Medical. Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan are serving as financial advisors, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is serving as legal counsel to, the Consortium. Barclays is serving as financial advisor, and Ropes & Gray LLP is serving as legal counsel, to WCAS. Paul Hastings LLP is serving as legal counsel to the debt financing sources. About Select Medical Select Medical is one of the largest operators of critical illness recovery hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and outpatient rehabilitation clinics in the United States based on number of facilities. As of December 31, 2025, Select Medical operated 104 critical illness recovery hospitals in 28 states, 38 rehabilitation hospitals in 15 states, and 1,917 outpatient rehabilitation clinics in 39 states and the District of Columbia. At December 31, 2025, Select Medical had operations in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Information about Select Medical is available at www.selectmedical.com. About WCAS WCAS is a leading U.S. private equity firm focused on two target industries: technology and healthcare. Since its founding in 1979, the firm's strategy has been to partner with outstanding management teams and build value for its investors through a combination of operational improvements, growth initiatives, and strategic acquisitions. The firm has raised and managed funds totaling over $33 billion of committed capital. For more information, please visit www.wcas.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements use words such as "expect," "anticipate," "outlook," "intend," "plan," "confident," "believe," "will," "should," "would," "potential," "positioning," "proposed," "planned," "objective," "likely," "could," "may," and words of similar meaning, as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances. Statements that describe or relate to Select Medical's plans, goals, intentions, strategies, financial outlook, are examples of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate, and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are out of Select Medical's control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and you should not place undue reliance on Select Medical's forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Select Medical's actual results in future periods to differ materially from those projected or contemplated in the forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. There is no assurance that the proposed Merger will be consummated, and there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: (1) the inability to consummate the proposed Merger within the anticipated time period, or at all, due to any reason, including the failure to obtain the required stockholder approval to adopt the Merger Agreement, the failure to obtain any required regulatory approvals for the proposed Merger, including the termination or expiration of any required waiting periods, or the failure to satisfy the other conditions to the consummation of the proposed Merger; (2) the risk that the Merger may be terminated in circumstances requiring Select Medical to pay a termination fee; (3) the risk that the proposed Merger disrupts Select Medical's current plans and operations or diverts management's attention from its ongoing business; (4) the effect of the announcement of the proposed Merger on the ability of Select Medical to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with those with whom it does business; (5) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the proposed Merger on Select Medical's operating results and business generally; (6) the significant costs, fees and expenses related to the proposed Merger; (7) the risk that Select Medical's stock price may decline significantly if the proposed Merger is not consummated; (8) the nature, cost and outcome of any litigation and other legal proceedings, including any such proceedings related to the proposed Merger and instituted against Select Medical and/or their respective directors, executive officers or other related persons; (9) other risks that could affect Select Medical's business, financial condition or results of operations, including those set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings; and (10) other risks to the consummation of the proposed Merger. Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in Select Medical's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Select Medical's most recent annual report on Form 10-K. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Any forward-looking statements, whether made in this press release or elsewhere, should be considered in the context of the various disclosures made by Select Medical about its businesses including, without limitation, the risk factors discussed in Select Medical's filings with the SEC. Select Medical does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional Information and Where to Find it This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed acquisition of Select Medical by the Consortium. In connection with the proposed transaction, Select Medical intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including Select Medical's proxy statement on Schedule 14A in preliminary and definitive form for its special meeting of stockholders to approve the proposed transaction, and may file or furnish other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction from time to time. In addition, Select Medical and certain affiliates of Select Medical intend to jointly file a transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 (the "Schedule 13E-3"). INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF SELECT MEDICAL ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING SELECT MEDICAL'S PROXY STATEMENT AND SCHEDULE 13E-3 (IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE) BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The definitive proxy statement will be filed with the SEC and mailed or otherwise made available to Select Medical's stockholders. Investors and stockholders are or will be able to obtain the documents (if and when available) filed with the SEC free of charge either from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, or from Select Medical's Investor Relations webpage at https://www.selectmedical.com/investor-relations/. Participants in the Solicitation Select Medical and its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees, including the Rollover Participants, under SEC rules, will be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders of Select Medical in favor of the proposed transaction. Information about Select Medical's directors and executive officers is set forth in Select Medical's Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on February 20, 2026 (the "2026 Proxy Statement"). To the extent holdings of the Select Medical's securities by its directors or executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in the 2026 Proxy Statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information concerning the interests of Select Medical's participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of Select Medical's stockholders generally, will be set forth in Select Medical's proxy statement relating to the proposed transaction when it becomes available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. No Offer or Solicitation This press release is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements. Media inquiries: Shelly Eckenroth Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Marketing & Branding Officer 717-920-4035 [email protected] Investor inquiries: Robert S. Kido Senior Vice President and Treasurer 717-972-1100 [email protected] SOURCE Select Medical Holdings Corporation The group experienced their best funding month in five years in December 2025, following the acquisition of SMPC origination assets by Union Home Mortgage in September 2025. STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Home Mortgage (UHM), a high-growth independent mortgage banking company with a world-class culture, announced today that following its acquisition of Sierra Pacific Mortgage (SPM), the group's Wholesale team had experienced its best funding month in five years in the month of December. The group credits Union Home's welcoming and supportive culture as well as its technology and tools for this milestone. "The support that the Union Home team has given the Sierra Pacific team since the acquisition has been amazing, and to me, the most exciting part of this acquisition is not resting on past results," says Corey Moore, SPM Regional Vice President of Wholesale Sales. "Union Home Mortgage has the focus and drive to continue to provide us with the best tools we need - whether that is the price, products, technology, service, or leadership to be a Top 5 Wholesale lender." According to Jonathan McCash, SPM Vice President and Wholesale National Sales Manager, first impressions matter, and what has stood out to him the most about Union Home Mortgage is the undeniable power of its culture. "From bringing new employees to Strongsville, Ohio headquarters for training early on, to being given a continuous feedback forum in daily touch-base calls and monthly townhalls, there is no shortage of engagement at UHM," says McCash. In addition to the over 60 Partners who traveled to UHM headquarters, training sessions were also hosted in other core cities for SPMC, including Boston, Folsom, and Wichita. Similarly to McCash, SPM Wholesale Sales Assistant Mariah Anderson names her early experiences at Union Home as essential to a successful transition. "The momentum following the acquisition has been incredible, with improved pricing and clear communication driving increased broker outreach," Anderson states. "Union Home has been welcoming from day one, and the collaboration we're seeing across both groups has been a huge positive." Brian Mcginley, SPM's Executive Vice President of National Retail Sales, has noticed a common thread in the feedback received from his group. "One thing I keep hearing is how nice Union Home Partners have been, which is a testament to the leadership and overall work environment," Mcginley says. "I'm confident that at any point, each of our team members has two to three people who are ready to pick up the phone, share their screen, and hold the hand of whomever needs help. It's clear that Union Home Mortgage is truly invested in the human element of this business people come first, and you feel it here. At no point have we ever been alone or lost." Coming from the Union Home Mortgage side of the acquisition, Vice President of Wholesales Matt Langley places emphasis on the outstanding mortgage professionals themselves who have joined the company from SPM. "We spend a lot of time these days in the mortgage industry talking about technology and products, and not enough about people," says Langley. "What we've learned since the acquisition is that the people at Sierra Pacific are smart, talented, and world-class. We're lucky to call them Union Home Partners now." In preparation for a successful year in 2026, Wholesale and Retail Sales Partners will be converging at an internal conference in Sarasota, Florida in March. This event will give Partners an opportunity to connect with each other in-person and set a strong foundation for the year, which they anticipate will yield more of the same kind of success. "While many companies across the mortgage industry have slashed culture events from their budgets, Union Home continues to invest," adds McCash. "Throughout the year, the organization comes together in-person to collaborate, strategize, share best practices, and execute on growth initiatives a commitment that fuels connection, momentum, and shared success." About Union Home Mortgage Union Home Mortgage Corp. (UHM) is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct independent mortgage banking company with branches across the U.S. in 48 states + D.C. UHM is an in-house loan servicer offering world-class customer service through high touch communication & technology. A privately held family business, with a collaborative culture that stands out in the mortgage industry, UHM Partners (employees) are guided by a Code of Conduct that emphasizes respect, open communication, and accountability. All these principles translate to industry-leading customer retention and satisfaction. Some honors include being one of USA Today's Top Workplaces and an Eleven-Year Northeast Ohio Top Workplace. Learn more at www.uhm.com. SOURCE Union Home Mortgage CEO Jung Jaihun hosted the AIDC conference, presenting the role and vision of telcos as key players in AI infrastructure. SKT introduced the 'Sovereign AI Package' strategy, which combines AI infrastructure, proprietary models, and industry services. Jung also discussed AI cooperation with major telecom operators and technology groups across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. BARCELONA, Spain, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, hereinafter referred to as "SKT") announced that its CEO, Jung Jaihun, met with senior executives from major global telecom operators during MWC Barcelona 2026 (MWC26) to discuss collaboration in key areas including AIDCs, AI models, and next-generation networks. Hosting AIDC Conference to Present New Role and Vision for Telcos in the AI Era On March 2 in Barcelona, SKT held its 'AIDC Conference,' under the theme 'Redesigning Telco Infra for the Next Phase of AI.' The conference was attended by Jung Jaihun, CEO of SKT; Chung Suk-geun, CTO and President & Head of AI Company-in-Company (CIC) at SKT; Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel Digital InfraCo; Sabri Albreiki, CTO of e& international; Khalid Murshed, CEO of e& enterprise; and Tadao Yanase, Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO) at NTT. During his keynote speech, CEO Jung emphasized that "Telecom operators' proprietary infrastructure and operational expertise are key to building AI infrastructure and expanding AI services, and that telcos must move beyond the rapid and secure delivery of data to play a leading role in shaping AI infrastructure." SKT also introduced its 'Sovereign AI Package,' which integrates AIDC infrastructure built on SK Group capabilities, SKT's sovereign AI foundation model, A.X K1, and AI services tailored for industrial and enterprise use. This strategy involves building a proprietary AI foundation model that understands local language and culture on infrastructure that is controlled and operated domestically, taking data sovereignty into account, and providing integrated AI services that have been validated in real industrial settings. Through this approach, SKT aims to protect national AI sovereignty while accelerating business innovation. Panel discussions covered a broad range of topics, including AIDC innovation, regulatory considerations and strategic direction. Participants agreed that, given AIDCs simultaneously require large-scale power supply, high-performance equipment, and ultra-high-speed networks, greater efficiency can be achieved through joint collaborative efforts among telecom operators. Discussions on AI Cooperation with Major Global Telcos and Technology Groups On the same day, CEO Jung also met with e& Group CEO Hatem Dowidar and Group Chief Strategy Officer (GCSO) Harrison Lung to further strengthen their strategic partnerships in expanding global AI infrastructure. On March 3, CEO Jung is scheduled to meet with CEO Christel Heydemann, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO) Bruno Zerbib, and other executives of Orange Group, which serves 340 million customers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This will be the first meeting between the CEOs of the two companies. SKT also plans to explore AI collaboration with its long-standing European partner, Deutsche Telekom. Jung will meet with Deutsche Telekom's CEO Tim Hottges to introduce SKT's AIDC technologies and operational capabilities, its experience in developing the proprietary AI foundation model A.X K1, and its AI RAN technologies. CEO Jung stated, "Competitiveness in the AI era depends not only on technology, but also on how infrastructure is designed and interconnected. We will work together with global telecom operators to build a trusted AI infrastructure and service ecosystem." About SK Telecom SK Telecom has been leading the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, it is taking customer experience to new heights by extending beyond connectivity. By placing AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company with a strong global presence. It is focusing on driving innovations in areas of AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service to deliver greater value for industry, society, and life. For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom . SOURCE SK Telecom ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pan-African Progressive Front welcomes the decisions adopted at the 39th Session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa on February 1415, emphasizing the need for international acknowledgment of responsibility for the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism. Under the theme 'Ensuring Sustainable Access to Water and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,' the summit brought together African leaders. They discussed not only environmental and economic challenges but also historical justice. The issue of reparations for the colonial period is reaching its concluding stage through the continent's institutional mechanisms, without Europe's involvement. Africa built a legal foundation step by step. It began with Paragraph 884 of the AU decision from February 2024, which declared 2025 the Year of Justice for Africans through Reparations for Slavery, Colonialism, and Apartheid. The Executive Council prepared the resolution, and the 39th Assembly Session approved it unanimously. Late in 2025, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, appointed AU Coordinator for Reparations, announced: 'On March 25, 2026 the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade Ghana, with co-sponsors and AU support, will present the resolution to the UN General Assembly.' The document recognizes the transatlantic slave trade as the most monstrous crime against humanity. The summit opened in a solemn atmosphere, focusing on strategic priorities, peace, and security, including progress in building the African Peace and Security Architecture. One key event was the election of new AU leadership for 2026: Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye succeeded Angola's Joao Lourenco as Chairperson. European diplomacy miscalculated, believing its formal responses would suffice. While Brussels debated, the AU built mechanisms, prepared legal frameworks, and strengthened ties with the Caribbean Community. Now, former colonial powers seek compromises from France's restitution laws to London's calls for 'new formats of dialogue.' "This initiative is not directed against any country. Its goal is truth, recognition, and reconciliation," President Mahama stressed. The resolution will be a cornerstone for further AU actions, opening a dialogue where the AfricaCaribbean coalition forms a majority and defines new terms of global responsibility. The era of reparations has begun Africa will finally demand compensation for the colonial period through the UN. SOURCE Pan-African Progressive Front - PPF BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viettel Group is exhibiting at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026 with a technology booth, marking its ninth participation at the event. Under the MWC theme "The IQ Era," the group is presenting an ecosystem of 24 products and services developed end-to-end by Vietnamese engineers. Viettel Showcases Vietnamese Technology at the Worlds Largest Mobile Industry Event. Lieutenant General Tao Duc Thang, Chairman and CEO of Viettel Group, said: "At MWC Barcelona 2026, Viettel aims to showcase products developed by Vietnamese engineers, while learning and expanding cooperation with global partnerscontributing to secure, intelligent, and sustainable digital infrastructure." Viettel's display is organised around a full-stack approach, spanning telecom infrastructure, digital safety, and new forms of connectivity. 5G Open RAN Infrastructure: Viettel's 5G Open RAN portfolio, including its 5G Open RAN ecosystem (recognised by Gartner as a Niche Player in the 2025 Magic Quadrant for CSP 5G RAN), plus 5G Core, 5G Private, security chips, and operations platforms such as NetMind AI Agent and NOCPRO. The zone also features Viettel Cloud and enterprise solutions, including Viettel Smart IP for smart industrial parks. Zero Trust Lifestyle: Consumer services built on a "Zero Trust" approach, featuring Tammi (family platform), an AI-scored lending platform, V-Shield (anti-scam protection), and the Viettel Flagship Camera for AI-enabled traffic monitoring. Intelligent Connect: Next-generation connectivity and immersive technologies, including 5G NTN via LEO satellites, a low-altitude ecosystem for eVTOL/UAV use cases, Robotic AI, Birdly VR, and the Xense AR platform. Alongside product demonstrations, Viettel is signing cooperation agreements with international partners during MWC, including with Qualcomm on 5G Advanced, 6G, and Agentic AI. Viettel is also working with Cisco, Nokia, ZTE, Texas Instruments, Amdocs, and ByteDance on next-generation networks, AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Viettel Telecom, a member company of Viettel Group, has had its network optimisation initiative nominated for the GSMA GLOMO Awards. Viettel will also deliver its first presentation in an official MWC conference session, addressing rising energy demand driven by AI data centres, advances such as specialised AI chips and more efficient system designs, and whether sustainability could become a competitive advantage for telecom operators over the next decade. Event and booth details MWC Barcelona 2026: March 25, 2026 Venue: Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain Viettel Group booth: Hall 4, Stand 4E30 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2924669/Viettel_Group_MWC_2026.jpg ALPINE, Utah, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Somerled, the short-term rental (STR) design and strategy firm redefining how design drives performance, is celebrating a milestone year of growth in 2025, marked by national expansion, deepened partnerships, and record-setting creative output across the U.S. Custom-designed outdoor activity area by Somerled. The STR market becomes increasingly crowded, with supply rising and performance varying widely between properties in the same location. Somerled helps owners and investors avoid the "race to the bottom" by positioning strategic design as one of the fastest, most reliable ways to stand out, justify higher rates, and capture demand. Somerled's clients see a 30% to 50% increase in revenue after working with the team, driven by a repeatable, data-informed methodology grounded in guest behavior and market insights. Since its founding in 2022, Somerled has completed more than 1,500 design projects and expanded into all 50 states. "Most spaces are designed to look good," said Bri West, Co-Founder of Somerled. "We built Somerled to close the performance gap where research and strategy lead, design follows, and every decision has a job: help properties book faster, earn more, and stand out among competition." Co-founded by Bri West and Jordan McDonough, Somerled blends investor-minded market research with experiential, brand-forward design, positioning design as a strategic lever for brand differentiation and ROI not just aesthetic appeal. By the Numbers: Somerled's 2025 Impact In its biggest year to date, Somerled scaled both creative output and operational support to meet rising national demand, delivering: 615 STR designs completed 251 branding projects launched Projects delivered in 295 cities nationwide Top markets: Broken Bow, Oklahoma; The Poconos; The Florida Panhandle 100+ hires across design, operations, project management and client success 100,000+ miles traveled for on-site installations 1,571,357 square feet designed 202 couples retreat designs (the firm's most-requested category) Most-requested guest amenity: Fire pits Strategic Partnerships Extend STR-Focused Design In 2025, Somerled expanded its presence within the STR and real estate ecosystem through partnerships aimed at improving operator efficiency, guest conversion and long-term asset performance. Custom Neon x Somerled: Hospitality-grade LED signage designed to increase listing differentiation and social sharing. Hospitality-grade LED signage designed to increase listing differentiation and social sharing. Sage & Rose x Somerled: An art provider focused on vacation-rental-ready print s that arrive framed, ready to hang, and built for guest traffic. An art provider focused on vacation-rental-ready print that arrive framed, ready to hang, and built for guest traffic. Wayfair Professional x Somerled: A furnishings and amenities collection focused on durability, guest comfort and ease of replacement for hospitality-driven portfolios. A furnishings and amenities collection focused on durability, guest comfort and ease of replacement for hospitality-driven portfolios. Master Spas x Somerled: A leading manufacturer of premium hot tubs and swim spas known for performance, durability, and energy efficiency. The partnership integrates high-quality spa installations that enhance outdoor amenities and guest appeal. A leading manufacturer of premium hot tubs and swim spas known for performance, durability, and energy efficiency. The partnership integrates high-quality spa installations that enhance outdoor amenities and guest appeal. Cowboy Pools x Somerled: Cowboy Pools designs and fabricates customizable, design-forward stock tank pools that offer a compact, visually distinctive alternative to traditional pools. The collaboration brings scalable, experience-driven water features to STR properties. Cowboy Pools designs and fabricates customizable, design-forward stock tank pools that offer a compact, visually distinctive alternative to traditional pools. The collaboration brings scalable, experience-driven water features to STR properties. Minoan x Somerled: A hospitality procurement platform that connects property owners with brand-direct pricing across furniture, decor, and home essentials. Through this partnership, Somerled clients gain access to streamlined ordering and preferred trade pricing from top consumer brands. Strategic Team Growth Strengthens Leadership and National Scale In 2025, Somerled expanded from 43 to 136 team members, more than tripling its workforce to meet accelerating demand. The growth was not only creative; it was structural. The firm made significant investments in leadership, operations, and internal infrastructure to support quality control, client experience and long-term scalability. Key home office hires included Chief Operating Officer Steph Byrnes, Chief Revenue Officer Leann Capraro, a dedicated HR manager, finance manager, and installation director, formalizing executive oversight across operations, revenue strategy, people development, financial management and field execution. In tandem, Somerled established new dedicated HR and Finance departments, strengthening compliance, reporting, performance management and organizational structure. "This year was about building the backbone of the company," West said. "We've proven the demand for strategy-led STR design. Now we're building the infrastructure to support it at scale without compromising quality." The expansion supports enhanced quality checks, tighter execution standards, improved client communication and more consistent project delivery nationwide. As a female-founded, remote-first company, Somerled continues to pair performance culture with distributed flexibility proving that high standards and scalable growth are not mutually exclusive. Looking ahead to 2026, Somerled plans to further mature its executive leadership with the addition of a Chief Executive Officer and Chief Experience Officer. With strengthened leadership and a refined operational model, Somerled enters its next chapter positioned not only for growth but for disciplined, performance-driven scale. For more information about Somerled and its strategic approach to short-term rental design, visit somerleddesigns.com. ABOUT SOMERLED Founded in 2022, Somerled is a short-term rental (STR) design and strategy studio where design meets strategy. Guided by data and vision, the firm has designed 1,500+ vacation rentals and helped clients increase revenue by 3050% through guest-first, market-informed design. Led by co-founders Bri West, an STR investor and marketing strategist, and Jordan McDonough, an experienced interior designer, Somerled blends research with experiential design to create guest-centered spaces that deliver memorable experiences and measurable ROI. Learn more at somerleddesigns.com. Media Contact Ashlyn Pinkowski, Account Executive Fishman Public Relations [email protected] SOURCE Somerled 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. The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) holds a meeting to mark International Women's Day, which is observed on March 8, and to honor outstanding female role models across the country, in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2026. Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin, who is also president of the ACWF, addressed the event and extended her greetings to women in various sectors and ethnic groups, as well as her congratulations to the awardees. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) held a meeting in Beijing on Monday to mark International Women's Day, which is observed on March 8, and to honor outstanding female role models across the country. A total of 607 individuals, 400 groups and 600 workplaces received awards at the event. Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin, who is also president of the ACWF, addressed the event and extended her greetings to women in various sectors and ethnic groups, as well as her congratulations to the awardees. Shen called on women across the country to contribute actively to the country's high-quality development, and to work diligently in advancing China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). She also encouraged them to engage deeply in global governance, and to share Chinese wisdom in promoting women's causes globally and advancing human civilization. The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) holds a meeting to mark International Women's Day, which is observed on March 8, and to honor outstanding female role models across the country, in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Female role models, who were granted the title of national "pacemakers," pose for photos after a meeting marking International Women's Day, which is observed on March 8, and honoring outstanding female role models across the country in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2026. The meeting was held here by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Editor: GSY 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 Jamie Ashcroft Jamie Ashcroft, the News Editor for Proactive UK, has developed an impressive career in financial journalism, focusing on the small-cap sector for over fourteen years. Before joining the Proactive team, he was a stockbroker during the global financial crisis, a role that complemented his educational background - a first-class degree in Business and Economics and qualifications in software design and development. As one of the early external hires at Proactive in 2009, Jamie contributed... 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 Lisa Uhlman Lisa Uhlman is an equities reporter at Proactive Investors, covering ASX-listed companies across the mining, energy, biotech and emerging tech sectors. With a background in legal and financial journalism, Lisa brings a sharp analytical lens to market news and corporate developments. Prior to joining Proactive, she reported for national trade publications and newswires, with a focus on court reporting, regulatory affairs and ESG-related business issues. Based in Sydney, she is... 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. Hungarys MOL accepted approximately 35,000 tons of Ukrainian oil through the Druzhba pipeline at the request of Kyiv following shelling that triggered a fire near the pipeline, Reuters reports. "The pipeline itself did not sustain any damage. (...) Our Ukrainian colleagues reached out to us after the fire started with a request to accept this oil to prevent problems and the further spread of the fire. We accepted and purchased 35,000 tons of Ukrainian oil, which arrived over the course of two to three days," the report quotes MOL CEO Zsolt Hernadi as saying during a broadcast on the ATV television channel. Russian oil supplies via Druzhba to Hungary and Slovakia have been suspended since January 27. Ukraine explains this as being due to damage from Russian shelling and the necessity for repairs, which are being delayed by ongoing attacks. Meanwhile, the leaders of Slovakia and Hungary have accused Kyiv of having political motives for stopping the supplies. About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government. She earned a Bachelor of... 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. 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 The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) has reviewed energy resilience plans for Ukraines regions, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced during a briefing following the councils meeting on Tuesday. "Our task is to prepare for future heating seasons. Understanding all threats, we must draw conclusions from this winter. Therefore, our objective today at the NSDC meeting was to consider the resilience plans of cities and regions. We primarily heard from frontline regions and major cities; they are our highest priority," Svyrydenko said. The Prime Minister drew attention to the fact that the city of Kyiv submitted its resilience plan without the signature of the mayor. "It is vital that every city head and every regional head, along with us as the government, bears full personal responsibility for the preparation of regions and cities for the next heating season. They must also be held accountable for the implementation, non-implementation, or untimely execution of these plans," she emphasized. Svyrydenko noted that by the NSDCs decision, Kyiv has been granted a one-week deadline to submit a properly formalized plan. According to her, the resilience plans consist of four core components: protection of critical infrastructure objects with second and third-level defenses, the construction of additional cogeneration capacity, decentralized heat supply, and decentralized water supply. The Prime Minister added that the total cost for implementing all resilience plans amounts to UAH 215 billion. She also noted that the leadership of Naftogaz, Ukrenergo, and GTSOU presented plans for the protection of their respective facilities. "Regarding cogeneration, there is a government document defining a strategic goal of 4 GW to be built. Some facilities are already partially equipped with cogeneration units. We currently plan that by the start of the heating season, an additional 1.5 GW will be brought online at the state level. Approximately 400 MW will come from state enterprises, and 330 MW will be provided based on the results of previous tenders for distributed generation. The remainder is expected to come from the private sector, which we want to see actively involved in building cogeneration units," Svyrydenko stated. She further explained that the NSDC discussed which barriers need to be removed to provide incentives for the private sector to more actively develop cogeneration. As previously reported on February 23 by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration Oleksiy Kuleba, all regions of Ukraine have submitted energy resilience plans covering measures to protect critical infrastructure and ensure alternative and decentralized energy supplies. New Delhi, March 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a Post-Budget Webinar on the theme "Sustaining and Strengthening Economic Growth" on Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. via video conferencing. New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a Post-Budget Webinar on the theme "Sustaining and Strengthening Economic Growth" on Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. via video conferencing. The webinar is part of the government's continued outreach following the Union Budget and aims to focus on turning budget announcements into effective action on the ground. The event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to discuss ways to accelerate growth and strengthen key sectors of the economy. "Prime Minister will address the Post Budget Webinar on the theme 'Sustaining and Strengthening Economic Growth' on March 3 at 11:15 a.m. via video conferencing," according to the official statement. Under the broad theme of sustaining and strengthening economic growth, four separate sessions are being organised. These will cover manufacturing, industrial upgradation and strategic sectors; MSMEs, finances and market access; city economic regions; and infrastructure, logistics and freight. The discussions are expected to explore how reforms announced in the Budget can help expand industrial capacity, improve competitiveness and boost job creation. "Under this theme, four different webinar sessions are being held covering various sectors including manufacturing, industrial upgradation & strategic sectors, MSMEs, finances & market access, city economic regions and infrastructure, logistics & freight," it added. The Post-Budget Webinar will highlight the government's forward-looking reform push aimed at increasing industrial scale, deepening technological leadership and strengthening critical sectors of the economy. The focus will also be on ensuring that policy measures are implemented smoothly and effectively. Industry participants will share their on-ground experiences and suggestions during the deliberations. "The deliberations will focus on translating these priorities into effective action, guided by insights from industry participants whose onground experience will support more effective implementation," as per the official statement. Their inputs are expected to guide better coordination between the government and businesses, helping translate policy priorities into real economic outcomes. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, March 3 : A fierce political battle erupted in Washington over President Donald Trump's military campaign in Iran, with senior Republicans defending the action as lawful and necessary, while top Democrats accused the President of launching a war without Congressional approval. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed criticism that the administration had failed to properly notify lawmakers. "Why not notify Congress?!" Rubio told reporters at the US Congress. "We can't notify 535 members of Congress. Vote on whatever they want. There's NO law saying we have to do that." Rubio said the administration briefed the so-called Gang of Eight and complied with legal requirements. "We did notify the Gang of 8...NO LAW requires the president! NO presidential administration has ever accepted the War Powers Act as Constitutional! That said, we followed the notifications of 48 hours [after]." He added: "I've done more Gang of 8 briefings than I got in 4 years of Biden! I was in the Gang of 8. We complied with the law and we will CONTINUE to comply with it." Republican lawmakers rallied behind the President. Congressman Tom Cole said, "It's a time of reckoning for those who chant 'Death to America.' President Trump is right when he calls the effort to eradicate Iran's nuclear weapons program and give its people the opportunity to seize their freedom 'a noble mission.'" Congressman Blake Moore described the operation as "a major blow to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world" and said President Trump "took decisive action to halt Ayatollah's power under the 2001 Authorized Use of Military Force approved by Congress." Congressman Patronis called the operation "peace through strength in action" and urged Senate Democrats to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security amid heightened tensions. But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticised the move on the Senate floor. "Today, the Senate grieves the deaths of four US servicemembers who were killed in action this weekend," Schumer said. He accused the President of acting "without a plan, without an endgame, and without authorization from Congress, or even a debate in full view of the American people." "Make no mistake about it, this is a war of choice, not necessity," Schumer said. "Congress must act to rein in Donald Trump's belligerence." Senator Maria Cantwell echoed the constitutional concerns. "The President should not have initiated a large-scale attack on Iran without Congressional approval," she said, adding that "the Congress must demand that the President seek our Constitutionally required approval if he intends to engage in a protracted conflict." The Senate is expected to vote this week on a bipartisan War Powers Resolution led by Senators Tim Kaine, Schiff, and Rand Paul. The measure would require the President to remove US forces from hostilities against Iran unless specifically authorised by Congress. The strikes, described by administration officials as part of "Operation Epic Fury," reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader and several senior officials. The operation marks one of the most significant US military engagements involving Iran in decades. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted after the Vietnam War to limit a president's ability to commit US forces to prolonged conflict without Congressional approval. However, successive administrations from both parties have challenged its constitutionality. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, March 3 : The deadline set by the DMK for the Congress party to finalise the number of seats it will contest in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections ends on Tuesday, intensifying speculation over the future of the alliance amid a continuing stalemate. According to party sources, the DMK leadership has asked the Congress to communicate its final position within a fixed timeframe, as the ruling party is keen to wrap up seat-sharing arrangements and move ahead with campaign preparations. With the clock ticking, uncertainty looms over whether the two allies will be able to bridge their differences. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Congress party was allotted 25 seats as part of the DMK-led front. Reports indicate that the DMK has decided to retain the same formula for the forthcoming polls, offering the Congress 25 Assembly constituencies once again. In addition, the ruling party is said to have agreed to provide one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress as part of the broader alliance understanding. However, the Congress party is reportedly demanding at least 35 Assembly seats this time, arguing that its organisational presence and electoral performance justify a larger share. The partyas insistence on a higher number has led to a deadlock in negotiations over the past few days. Sources within the DMK maintain that increasing the Congress quota would be difficult, especially as new parties have joined the alliance. With multiple allies seeking representation, the ruling party is attempting to balance competing claims while ensuring that seat allocation remains strategically viable. There are also indications that Congress may reassess its position in the alliance if its demand for 35 seats is not met, though no formal announcement has been made. As the deadline expires, all eyes are on the leadership of both parties to see whether a compromise can be reached or whether the impasse will deepen, potentially reshaping the political equations ahead of the crucial Assembly election in Tamil Nadu. Kozhikode, March 3 : K.P. Unnikrishnan, former Union Minister and six-time Member of Parliament from Vadakara, Kerala, passed away at the age of 89, marking the end of a political career that spanned more than three decades in national public life. Born on September 20, 1936, into a family from the Malabar coast, he was the son of E. Kunhikannan Nair. Unnikrishnan was educated at Madras Christian College, Chennai, and later completed his law degree in the city. His early political leanings were shaped by his association with the Socialist Party and the Praja Socialist Party before he joined the Indian National Congress in the 1960s. By 1962, he had become a member of the All India Congress Committee. Before entering full-time politics, Unnikrishnan worked as a journalist and contributed articles to Mathrubhumi and other periodicals as a special correspondent. His electoral journey began in 1971 when he was fielded as the Congress candidate from Vadakara. Unnikrishnan went on to win six consecutive Lok Sabha elections, 1971, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989 and 1991, an achievement that underscored his enduring connect with the constituency. Despite shifting political affiliations, moving to Congress(U) in 1980 and later to the Indian Congress (Socialist) in 1984, he remained electorally undefeated until 1996, when he suffered his only loss in Vadakara. Between 1981 and 1984, he served as leader of Congress (Secular) in Parliament and was a member of the Public Accounts Committee from 1980 to 1982. Unnikrishnan served as Union Minister for Telecommunications, Shipping and Surface Transport in the Cabinet of V. P. Singh (1989-90). During his ministerial tenure, he played a key role in overseeing the evacuation of Indians during the Gulf War crisis. It appears a strange coincidence as he breathed his last at a time when West Asia has turned into a war zone. After stepping away from active politics following his 1996 defeat, he divided his time between New Delhi and his ancestral home at Panniyankara in Kozhikode district, devoting himself to reading and writing. Indian Wells, March 3 : Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will open the Indian Wells Open, season's first ATP Masters 1000 event, against former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov or Terence Atmane, with five-time champion Novak Djokovic also looming in his half of the draw. Alcaraz played Dimitrov in the California desert last year, losing just two games to the Bulgarian in the fourth round. But Dimitrov has shown comfort at Indian Wells, reaching the semi-finals in 2021 and the quarter-finals in 2022, according to ATP stats. Atmane will be making his main draw debut at Indian Wells after previously competing in qualifying. The Frenchman broke through last year in Cincinnati with a dream run to the semi-finals and is at a career-high No. 52 in the ATP Rankings Djokovic, who is tied with Roger Federer for the most titles in tournament history (5), will play Kamil Majchrzak or Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his first match since the Australian Open final. The Serbian suffered a stunning opening defeat here to Botic van de Zandschulp last year and will try to make a good start on his chase to a 102nd tour-level title. Seventh seed Taylor Fritz, the 2022 Indian Wells champion, is also in Djokovic's quarter of the draw. The top-ranked American opens against Damir Dzumhur or Jacob Fearnley. Second seed Jannik Sinner is chasing his first title in the desert and is in the same quarter as eighth seed Ben Shelton, who brings momentum to California after winning the Dallas title. The Italian opens his Indian Wells campaign against James Duckworth or a qualifier and could face Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Denis Shapovalov or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round. He will meet Shelton if both men reach the quarter-finals. Sinner reached back-to-back Indian Wells semifinals in 2023-24, losing to Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions. New Delhi, March 3 : Indians returning from Muscat and Oman, on Tuesday, expressed relief upon reaching home safely and appreciated the authorities' efforts in managing the tense situation in the region. Many passengers said they were happy and relieved after landing in India, especially those travelling with children. IANS spoke to several passengers who arrived in Delhi from Muscat. Anisha Agarwal, one of the passengers, told IANS, "Missiles were being intercepted, and out of fear, we decided to return. The Dubai government handled the situation very well. Since our children were with us, we were quite worried. We panicked due to the prevailing situation. The loud sounds caused by interceptions were disturbing for the kids." Another passenger from Muscat said, "We came back because we were not feeling completely safe there. The missile interception system was working very effectively. I personally was not very afraid, but since we had children with us, we thought it would be better to return to India. Everything is fine now." Adil, another returnee, shared his experience, saying, "We faced a lot of uncertainty there. We were worried about missing our flight as several flights were cancelled. We contacted the Indian embassy for assistance. I feel very relaxed and happy after returning to India. Initially, flights were suspended, but now services have been restored. My journey back was smooth, and I did not face any major issues during travel." The return of passengers comes days after Iranian drones and missiles reportedly targeted parts of the region, leading to the temporary suspension of airport operations. Thousands of Indians stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced disruptions as flights were cancelled and airspace was closed across parts of the Middle East. Several flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi resumed operations, with aircraft landing in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru on Monday night after days of suspension. Dubai Airports confirmed the partial resumption of operations and advised travellers not to proceed to the airport unless they have been directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure schedule. The restoration of flight services has brought significant relief to stranded passengers and their families awaiting their safe return. Kolkata, March 3 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for "holy harmony" among the people on Dol Yatra and Holi. She stated on the wall of her social handle with two lines of a song on Dol Yatra festival, penned by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, where the Nobel laureate Indian poet-cum-writer narrated how the festival of colours brings the spirit of harmony and togetherness among the people. "I convey my heartfelt wishes and congratulations to all on the auspicious Dol Jatra. May the Holi of peace and the swing bring sacred harmony to humanity," the Chief Minister said in her social media post. The Dol Yatra festival on Tuesday also coincides with the occasions of Gaur Purnima and the birth anniversary of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Chief Minister, in another social media post, had given a call to the people of West Bengal to take the lesson of "unity" from the life of the great Indian spiritual philosopher and influencer. "The life of Sri Chaitanya Dev and his ideals of humanity have been guiding and inspiring us for the past 500 years. His genuine love for humanity brought together all people, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. By binding them in the chain of love, he showed the path to equality and unity, which resulted in the renaissance of Bengal. Therefore, for me, the religion of Mahaprabhu means the religion of humanity," the Chief Minister added. She also said that on this special day, the people should take the oath that they will not allow Sri Chaitanyadev's Bengali tradition of secularism and tolerance to be tarnished. In her post, she had also narrated the work done by her government at Nadia district of West Bengal, the birthplace of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in memory of the great Indian spiritual influencer. "Our government is developing Navadwip, the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, as a 'Heritage Town'. The state government has allocated 700 acres of land to build this holy pilgrimage city of ISKCON in nearby Mayapur," the Chief Minister claimed. The leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had also wished the people on Dol Yatra and Holi festival. "Wishing everyone a joyful Dol Purnima, spring festival, and heartfelt greetings and congratulations on Holi," Adhikari said in his brief social media statement. Chennai, March 3 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that an additional Rs 2,000 has been credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries under various social security pension schemes, describing it as a "special fund for the marginalised". In a post on his official X page, the Chief Minister said the move was in response to growing requests from vulnerable sections of society who sought additional financial assistance. "Special funds for the marginalised!" he wrote, reaffirming the government's commitment to inclusive welfare. The announcement follows the positive public response to the Rs 2,000 summer special package extended to women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme. Encouraged by its reception, several groups, including senior citizens, widows, elderly transgender persons and persons with disabilities who receive monthly pension benefit, had urged the government to extend similar support to them. Responding to their appeal, the State government has credited Rs 2,000 along with the March pension as a special poverty alleviation grant. As a result, 29.29 lakh beneficiaries, including elderly persons and widows covered under various social security schemes, have received Rs 3,200 each. Additionally, 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities have been credited Rs 3,500 each. Further, 2.58 lakh families of persons with disabilities who receive maintenance allowance were granted Rs 4,000 each on Tuesday morning. Expanding the welfare outreach, the Chief Minister also announced that 1,62,900 fishing families would receive Rs 8,000 per family as fishing ban allowance for the April to June period. In another significant measure, the State government will allocate Rs 8.53 crore as price support for green tea procured through 15 cooperative tea factories. The support, at Rs 2,000 per kilogram, is expected to benefit 14,870 tea farmers in the Nilgiris district. Reiterating his government's social justice plank, Stalin said, "On this occasion, I once again pledge that no one will be left behind in Tamil Nadu's development journey." Observers note that much like the earlier Rs 5,000 grant announced for women under the Kalaignar scheme, the latest Rs 2,000 special fund - introduced without prior announcement - has been widely welcomed by beneficiaries across the State. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mumbai, March 3 : Actress Kristen Bell penned a heartfelt note for her husband Dax Shepard, thanking him for being her constant support system, even as he humorously revealed he showed up for her during his "colonoscopy prep day." Mumbai, March 3 (IANS) Actress Kristen Bell penned a heartfelt note for her husband Dax Shepard, thanking him for being her constant support system, even as he humorously revealed he showed up for her during his "colonoscopy prep day." Bell took to Instagram and shared that while she may appear confident on stage, she doesn't do it alone. She wrote on Instagram: "In case you were wondering what I was doing when I wasn't on stage last night. Not for one moment do think I could do this job on my own." The actress highlighted how the people in one's corner are not just a bonus but the very foundation that fuels dreams and ambitions. "Never underestimate your tribe. The goals you've set, the dreams you're chasing none of it happens in isolation. The people in your corner aren't a bonus. They're the foundation." Calling her family her source of creative energy, Bell added that the space she gets to perform and entertain comes from the stability and love she receives at home. She also promised to always hold the same space for her loved ones when they need it. "Thank you @daxshepard for being so continuously supportive and present. You have never not been there to help calm my nervous system when it's crunch time. Our family unit gives me the fuel to be creative and perform and entertain, which I so love to do." "I am thankful for the space I can take up, and will always make the same room for all three of you when you need it." Responding to her emotional post, Shepard brought his trademark humour into the mix. He wrote in the comment section: "I don't deserve this, but I kinda do in thIS case because yesterday was my colonoscopy prep day (if you know you know), so the visit was one of the bravest/most arrogant decisions of my life. Also you CRUSHED." It was in 2007, when Bell began dating actor Dax Shepard. They announced their engagement in January 2010. They co-starred in the 2010 film When in Rome, the 2012 film Hit and Run, and the 2017 film CHiPs. They were married at the Beverly Hills County Clerk's Office in 2013. They have two daughters, born in March 2013 and December 2014 Indore, March 3 : A day after two sanitation workers died due to asphyxiation caused by toxic gas while cleaning a sewerage chamber in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh each for their families. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav on Tuesday informed that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved financial assistance of Rs 30 lakh to the next of kin of both deceased workers. "In response to the tragic incident near Choithram Hospital gate, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved a compensation amount of Rs 30 lakh for each victim's family," Bhargav wrote in a post on X. The incident occurred in front of the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Fruit and Vegetable Market, where the two sanitation workers of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) were engaged in cleaning a sewerage chamber. According to police, the mishap took place when a pipe attached to a sewer suction machine broke during the cleaning operation. One of the workers fell unconscious after being exposed to toxic gas inside the chamber. Another municipal worker who entered the chamber to rescue him also collapsed due to the toxic fumes. Police officials said both workers died of asphyxiation caused by the poisonous gases present inside the sewer line. Their bodies were later retrieved with the assistance of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrikrishna Lalchandani told the media late Monday night that the deceased have been identified as Karan Yadav and Ajay Dodi. An eyewitness, Amit Rajak, alleged that the two workers had entered the sewer chamber without proper safety equipment. He further claimed that police personnel, municipal officials, and ambulances did not reach the spot for nearly two hours after the incident. Local passersby reportedly attempted to rescue the workers by pulling them out of the chamber before emergency teams arrived. --IANS pd/skp The electricity deficit in Ukraine has decreased to 1 GW from the 5-6 GW observed during the winter, allowing for a relaxation of power outage schedules, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal has announced. "As of today, the electricity deficit has decreased due to several factors. Naturally, we are carrying out rapid repairs, for which I am immensely grateful to our energy workers. Currently, the deficit stands at 1 GWfive to six times lower than it was during the winter. This, of course, allows us to reduce the number of outage groups for the public," he said during a briefing following the NSDC meeting on Tuesday regarding the Comprehensive Resilience Plan for Ukrainian cities and regions. Shmyhal also noted that this reduction allows for "slightly easier" schedules for businesses. However, he emphasized that businesses are already being forced to adapt quickly to power interruptions by implementing their own distributed generation. The Energy Minister pointed out that the cheapest and fastest method for this is solar power plants (SPPs). He stressed that these must be equipped with energy storage systems to balance the daily schedule during periods of high solar energy surplus. Hyderabad/Amaravati, March 3 : Governors and Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have greeted people on the occasion of Holi, which is being celebrated in both the Telugu states on Tuesday. Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma conveyed greetings and good wishes to the people of Telangana on the occasion of Holi festival. "Holi is a colourful and vibrant festival which strengthens fraternity and togetherness amongst the people and signifies peace and prosperity in the society. The festival reinforces our trust and confidence in National Integration through joyful celebration of sprinkling of colours," Governor Varma said in his message. "The festive spirit of Holi transcends across all social barriers and strengthens the social fabric. Legends associated with Holi are symbolic of the power of truth and good triumphing over evil," he added. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended greetings to Telangana people on the occasion of the colourful festival of Holi. He wished that people celebrate Holi with joy and enthusiasm. Holi stands for a rainbow of love, affection, happiness and also a symbol of peace and brotherhood, the Chief Minister said in his message. He appealed to people to celebrate the festival by using natural colours in a traditional way. CM Revanth Reddy said that Holi is a festival which also symbolises the unity of people irrespective of caste and religion. Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer conveyed warm greetings and good wishes to the people of Andhra Pradesh on the occasion of Holi festival. He said that Holi signifies a colourful and vibrant festival that strengthens the feeling of fraternity and goodwill amongst the people and fosters peace and prosperity in the society. "'Holi' festival reinforces our trust and confidence in the national integration through joyful celebration of sprinkling of colours. The festive spirit of 'Holi' transcends across all social barriers, reinforces the social fabric, and symbolizes the power of truth and the triumph of good over evil," he added. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu greeted people on Holi. "On the occasion of Holi festival, heartfelt wishes to everyone. The Holi festival, beginning with 'Kama Dahana' as a symbol of the triumph of good over evil, will add new colors to all our lives," he said in his message. He wished that everyone shares joy with relatives, friends, and neighbors and remains filled with happiness and peace. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, March 3 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday for his comments on sensitive international issues during the ongoing conflict between Israel-US and Iran, accusing him of making impulsive remarks on India's foreign policy. In a strongly worded statement addressed to Siddaramaiah, the Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka stated, "Karnataka expects 'maturity' from its Chief Minister and not commentary that could create controversy during delicate global situations." He stressed that India's foreign policy is determined in New Delhi, guided by strategic depth and national interest, and not influenced by domestic electoral considerations. Referring to Operation Sindoor, Ashoka alleged that the Chief Minister's earlier remarks had created unnecessary controversy and embarrassment for the state, claiming that his comments were amplified by hostile foreign media. It further charged that at a time when global tensions are escalating, responsible leaders must exercise restraint. Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of reacting in a "knee-jerk" manner and engaging in what it described as appeasement politics instead of demonstrating statesmanship. He asserted that foreign policy should not become a platform for ideological positioning, but must focus on safeguarding India's sovereignty, maintaining strategic balance, and strengthening the country's global standing. Ashoka also underlined that the Chief Minister's words carry weight and urged him to rise above partisan considerations and uphold the dignity of his office. It can be noted that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday condemned the United States' "unwarranted" attack on Iran, while assuring that Kannadigas stranded in Arab countries would be brought back safely. Condemning the US action, the Chief Minister said the attack on Iran was "unwarranted". He said that while the United States speaks about peace on one hand, it engages in war on the other, calling it a contradictory stand. He also expressed condolences and prayed for eternal peace for the soul of Iran's President Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed. Amid tensions over US-Israel strikes on Iran and the retaliatory actions, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar condemned the attack on a school in which several children were killed. Talking to media persons, Shivakumar said, "The war currently taking place between the United States, Israel and Iran is not right. Children have died in airstrikes. Why should a school of innocent children who have done nothing be attacked? This is condemnable. Indian citizens stranded in Gulf countries, including Dubai, must be protected." Guwahati, March 3 : Assam on Tuesday marked Dol Jatra, one of the State's most vibrant Vaishnavite festivals, with colour, music and devotional fervour, as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma extended greetings on the occasion and highlighted its deep cultural significance. In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said that the arrival of spring coincides with the celebration of Dol Jatra, which symbolises the eternal love between Lord Krishna and Radha. He noted that during the festival, idols of Krishna and Radha are placed on decorated swings, locally known as 'dolas', and taken out in processions across towns and villages, accompanied by devotional songs, traditional instruments and the joyous play of colours. "You must experience this unique celebration," Sarma said, inviting people to witness the festival that blends devotion, culture and community bonding. Dol Jatra, also referred to as Dol Utsav, holds a special place in Assam's religious and cultural calendar and is closely associated with the Vaishnavite traditions propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva. The festival is widely observed in satras and Namghars, where prayers, naam-kirtan and cultural programmes are organised. In Assam, Dol Jatra is more than a religious observance; it marks the arrival of spring and reflects harmony, inclusiveness and shared joy. People of all age groups participate in the festivities, applying coloured powders, singing devotional songs and exchanging greetings, making it a celebration of social unity. Several regions of the State, including Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon and Guwahati, witness large gatherings during Dol Jatra, with traditional performances and rituals adding to the festive spirit. Local administrations and cultural bodies make special arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations. The Chief Minister's message resonated with the broader effort to promote Assam's rich cultural heritage and festivals, which continue to draw visitors from within and outside the State. Dol Jatra, with its blend of devotion, colour and tradition, remains one of Assam's most distinctive springtime celebrations. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kolkata, March 3 : Eyeing the crucial state elections in West Bengal and keeping in line with his focus to give Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a tough fight in her constituency of Bhabanipur in South Kolkata, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, organised a mass interaction there on Tuesday on the occasion of the Dol Yatra festival. Adhikari celebrated the festival in Bhabanupur with monks and the voters from the constituency. The participation of the LoP in the Dol Yatra festival at Bhabanipur was met with enthusiasm from both the local people and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, who were present in large numbers. Adhikari is the legislator from Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district. He was elected from that constituency in 2021, defeating no one else, but the Chief Minister, by a margin of just under 2,000 votes. Later, Mamata Banerjee got elected in the bypolls from Bhabanipur and retained her chair as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third consecutive term. While interacting with the local people of Bhabanipur in the morning, the LoP also issued a note of caution against "pseudo-secularism" and "atheism" and called for the "larger Hindu unity" in the forthcoming Assembly polls. To give the Chief Minister a tough fight in Bhabanipur this time, the BJP has set up a 'war room' in that constituency, and the LoP is personally supervising the activities. This 'war room' has been set up on the ground floor of a house at 8/1B Chakraberia Road (South) in Ward No. 70 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. It may be noted that the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency was formed with eight wards of KMC -- 63, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 77 and 82. Since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has been consistently receiving decent votes in six wards of the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency. Political observers feel that Adhikari has taken a tactical move by focusing on Bhabanipur this time to limit the movement of the Chief Minister within that constituency during the campaign phase, leaving little room for her to move around the state for campaigning. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mumbai, March 3 : Amid the escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday arranged two special aircraft to rescue citizens stranded in the UAE. The closure of Middle Eastern airspace had left several Indians including Maharashtrians stuck in Dubai and surrounding regions, prompting immediate intervention from the leadership. Following personal coordination by the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, two special Star Air flights are scheduled to depart from Fujairah Airport on Tuesday, Flight VTGSO: Scheduled takeoff at 3:30 PM and Flight VTGSH: Scheduled takeoff at 4:30 PM, said Dy CM Shinde's office in a release. A total of 164 passengers are expected to touch down at Mumbai Airport between 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM on Tuesday night. The group includes 84 students from Pune's Indira School of Business Studies, along with residents from Thane, Murbad, Ahilyanagar, and other parts of the state, said the release. Two days ago, Deputy CM Shinde personally interacted with the stranded citizens to reassure them of their safety. "You are all safe; do not worry. The Maharashtra Government and I personally stand firmly behind you. Every possible effort will be made to bring you back home safely," Shinde had promised. By maintaining constant communication with various international and aviation authorities, the Deputy CM ensured a clear passage for these 164 passengers to return to India. In a related development, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar assured the stranded Maharashtra citizens that the state government is committed to ensuring the safety and safe return of every one of its citizens. In her post on X, Dy CM Sunetra Pawar said, "In the backdrop of the tense situation, ensuring the safety of citizens from Maharashtra stranded there is of utmost priority for the state government. Continuous contact is being maintained with all citizens through the relevant agencies, and efforts are underway at a war footing to provide them with the necessary assistance and guidance." She further stated, "In collaboration with the Dubai-based Indian People's Forum, the Maharashtra government has made available a special WhatsApp helpline for assistance and coordination. Those in need of urgent help, information, or guidance are urged to contact on WhatsApp Helpline: +97150 365 4357." Earlier, the Chief Minister's Office said in its post on X that the state government is in contact with various citizens from Maharashtra who are stranded due to the war-like situation that has arisen in West Asia. The CMO's intervention comes after tensions escalate between Iran, Israel, and the United States and the ripple effects have severely impacted Gulf nations, leaving a significant number of citizens from India stranded in Dubai and other countries. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself is continuously in touch with various agencies and is also maintaining constant contact with the central government. He has instructed state minister Girish Mahajan to oversee the coordination efforts. "The central government is also extending all possible assistance to the Maharashtra government. In coordination with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai, the Maharashtra government has issued a WhatsApp number, and those in need of help are urged to contact this WhatsApp number +97150 365 4357," stated the CMO. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, March 3 : AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has clarified that his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi was focused on coordinating strategy for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and strengthening the existing alliance framework. With only a few months left for the Assembly polls, political activity in Tamil Nadu has intensified. The ruling DMK has already initiated seat-sharing negotiations with its allies, while expectations are mounting that the AIADMK will soon begin formal discussions with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. Amid this backdrop, Palaniswami travelled to Delhi on Monday and held a nearly two-hour meeting with Amit Shah, sparking speculation about potential political realignments in the state. Speaking to reporters at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning, Palaniswami dismissed rumours of any new political developments beyond alliance coordination. "I discussed working together in the Tamil Nadu elections with Amit Shah. Our talks were about how to effectively conduct the campaign and strengthen our cooperation," he said. Addressing speculation about a possible tie-up with a new party reportedly launched by V.K. Sasikala, Palaniswami categorically denied any such discussion. "I did not speak about forming an alliance with the new party started by Sasikala," he asserted, putting to rest conjecture about internal shifts within the AIADMK. The former Chief Minister described the AIADMK's alliance as "harmonious and energetic", expressing confidence that it would mount a strong challenge to the ruling DMK in the 2026 elections. He emphasised that discussions with HM Shah centred on election management, campaign coordination, and strategic planning. Palaniswami also took a swipe at the DMK-Congress alliance, suggesting that uncertainty prevailed within the ruling coalition. "There is confusion in the DMK-Congress alliance. I am not sure whether the Congress will remain in that alliance," he remarked. As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a high-stakes electoral contest, the meeting between Palaniswami and HM Shah is being seen as a key step in consolidating opposition forces, even as alliance arithmetic and seat-sharing negotiations continue to shape the political landscape. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, March 3 : Indians, including several Kannadigas, who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following flight cancellations triggered by the Israel-Iran conflict, have begun returning home, bringing relief to families in Karnataka. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. A flight that departed from Dubai on Monday night landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport near Devanahalli in Bengaluru Rural district in the wee hours of Tuesday. Among those who arrived were Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda and badminton star P.V. Sindhu. Speaking to the media after his arrival, Bhojegowda said he had travelled to South Africa and was returning to Bengaluru via Dubai when the situation escalated. "Only after reaching Dubai did I learn about the problem. Initially, there was a delay in departure. Later, we were informed that the flight had been cancelled. There was such a heavy rush at Dubai airport that there was hardly any space," he said. He said Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy contacted him over the phone and arranged hotel accommodation. "There was bombing near the hotel as well. Later, we were shifted to a safer location. Even then, there was constant concern about safety," he said. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also called to enquire about the situation. Ministers Krishna Byre Gowda and H.K. Patil contacted to gather information, he said. Bhojegowda recalled tense moments, stating that he heard the sound of explosions while speaking to Krishna Byre Gowda over the phone. "Three missiles fell at that time. A bomb fell near Burj Khalifa, but it did not have much impact," he said. He added that even on the morning of departure, bombs were falling. "I saw three bombs fall. Because of that, our route was changed and we were sent back. A war-like atmosphere prevailed there. I had never imagined I would return so soon," he said. One Gautham, who returned to Bengaluru from Dubai, described the fear he experienced during the attacks. He said they were extremely scared as strikes were taking place, though he did not directly witness bomb explosions. He expressed disappointment that there was no contact or assistance from the Indian Embassy at the time. "Several of my friends are still stranded in Dubai. Flights are fully booked and they have been there for five to six days," he said. He, however, praised the UAE authorities for maintaining strong security arrangements and handling the situation effectively. Amid the crisis, the Kannadigas Helpline team led by non-resident Kannadiga patron Ronald Colaco extended support to stranded individuals. The team collected details of those affected and appealed to the government for urgent assistance. It also expressed readiness to bear emergency expenses and urged those in need of medical services to contact the helpline. Kannadigas in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman were advised to reach out for help. Ronald Colaco said the UAE remains a safe country and the situation is expected to return to normal soon. He urged people to follow the guidance of the UAE government and cooperate with authorities. He also called on the Karnataka government to announce emergency relief assistance for affected travellers. Authorities in Karnataka and the UAE are said to be in contact as efforts continue to facilitate the safe return of stranded passengers. Several Kannadigas who had travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for business, personal visits or work were stranded due to the escalating tensions. Many expressed relief after returning safely, while others remain stuck as flights continue to be fully booked. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. According to the statement from airport authorities, the 'Help Desk' is managing passenger queries and providing on-ground support until airline representatives arrive. It is facilitating assistance such as coordination of ground transport, access to emergency services and handling of general enquiries. With multiple international airlines operating from the airport, the Help Desk is functioning as a single-window support system. It is guiding passengers to the respective ground handlers responsible for specific airline operations, ensuring smoother coordination during delays and cancellations, the statement said. In addition to logistical support, the airport has arranged several basic amenities for passengers. These include chairs, drinking water, snacks, medical assistance, sanitary pads and charging stations. A makeshift feeding facility has also been set up at the kerbside to cater to stranded travellers. Wheelchairs are being provided on request, the airport authorities stated. Airport officials said the measures are aimed at ensuring passenger comfort and safety during the period of disruption. New Delhi, March 3 : The South East Delhi Police have launched 'Operation Aaghat 4.0,' a major crackdown aimed at curbing crime and maintaining law and order in the district. The operation resulted in the arrest of 200 criminals and action against a total of 948 individuals. During the drive, police recovered 10 weapons from those apprehended and seized more than 10,000 bottles of illicit liquor. Officials said the operation was conducted through coordinated raids and intensive checking across vulnerable and sensitive areas of the district. According to the South East Delhi Police, the action taken includes the following: Four persons were arrested under the NDPS Act with the recovery of 6.66 kg of ganja and 12.70 grams of MDMA. Thirty-eight individuals were arrested under the Excise Act, leading to the recovery of 8,276 quarter bottles, 110 beer bottles, and 28 beer cans. Twenty-nine persons were arrested under the Arms Act. Police recovered 11 country-made pistols (CMP), 13 live cartridges, and 20 knives. Sixty-two individuals were arrested for gambling, with Rs 82,210 seized. A fine of Rs 11,500 was collected from 63 people for violations of COTPA. As many as 252 people were bound down in 160 kalandras for violations of Sections 40A and 40B of the Excise Act (open drinking). Nine persons were bound down under preventive action under Sections 126 and 169 of the BNSS (earlier Sections 107/150 CrPC). A total of 149 people were bound down in 77 kalandras under Sections 126/170 of the BNSS (earlier 107/151 CrPC). Thirty-nine people were bound down in 23 kalandras under Section 129 of the BNSS (earlier 110G CrPC). Action was taken against 273 people under the Delhi Police Act. Officials said Operation Aaghat 4.0 builds upon the success of previous editions. In December 2025, Operation Aaghat 3.0 led to the arrest of over 660 individuals across South and South East districts ahead of New Year celebrations. Earlier, in September and October, the first two phases of the operation resulted in the arrest of hundreds of habitual offenders, bootleggers, and drug peddlers, along with the seizure of firearms, narcotics, illicit liquor, and stolen property. Police officials reaffirmed their commitment to continuing such drives to ensure public safety and deter criminal activities in the national Capital. Kolkata, March 3 : Names of more voters are likely to be deleted from the electoral roll of Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in West Bengal, represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at the end of the ongoing judicial adjudication of the voters' documents, sources said. As per statistics available from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, the number of voters' documents that have been referred for judicial adjudication after being classified under the "logical discrepancy" category is quite high at 14,154. In the final voters' list for West Bengal, minus the cases referred for judicial adjudication, a total of 47,111 names have already been deleted from Bhabanipur. Now, the names that are likely to be deleted in the judicial adjudication process will be added to the figure of 47,111 that have already been deleted. The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had already said that the high number of voters already deleted in Bhabanipur and those heading for deletion in the judicial adjudication process is a "danger signal" for the Chief Minister. "In Bhabanipur, an adequate number of voters are not there anymore who can ensure the Chief Minister's victory in the Assembly polls scheduled later this year," Adhikari said. However, Mamata Banerjee had expressed confidence that she would win from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency "even if one voter is left" there. However, at the same time, she had maintained her scathing attacks against the Election Commission of India (ECI). "ECI has deliberately deleted genuine voters. I am shocked. This is a very sad and inhumane state of affairs. They have deleted the names of so many voters in my Bhabanipur constituency. It is a conspiracy hatched by the Election Commission with the help of the BJP. Despite massive deletions in my constituency, I will win even if there is one voter left," CM Banerjee said. Patna, March 3 : Speculation over the possible political entry of Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has once again intensified amid the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state. Senior JD(U) leader and Water Resource Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary addressed the issue, stating that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is confident of winning all five seats. He said that, as per current calculations, JD(U) is expected to secure at least two seats. Chaudhary emphasised that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the National President of the party, will take the final call on the partyas candidates. However, he acknowledged that discussions about Nishant Kumaras political entry are widespread within party ranks, with many workers expressing their desire to see him take on an active role. Another senior minister, Ashok Choudhary, said that party MLAs, MPs, and grassroots workers are keen on Nishant Kumaras participation in Bihar politics. He described the possibility of Nishant entering public life as a significant development for both the party and the state. Ashok Choudhary added that Nishantas entry could energise party workers and strengthen the organisation. However, he clarified that any decision regarding a Rajya Sabha candidature would ultimately rest with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. For some time, workers of the JD(U) have been voicing demands for Nishant Kumar to assume an active leadership role in the party. With elections to five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar scheduled later this month, political circles are abuzz with speculation that Nishant may formally enter politics through the Upper House. Out of the five Rajya Sabha seats, two are considered certain for the JD(U) and two for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the ruling alliance is strategising for the remaining seat. Within this backdrop, discussions around Nishant Kumaras potential nomination have gained traction. While there has been no official confirmation regarding Nishant Kumaras entry into politics, the renewed speculation has added a new dimension to Biharas political discourse ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls. Observers note that any such move would mark a significant development in the leadership dynamics of the JD(U) and state politics. Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/ President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he has proposed to his advisor on infrastructure and interaction with communities, Oleksandr Kubrakov, to assist with the energy situation in Kyiv. "The situation in the capital is difficult. I want Kubrakov, if there is to be any joint work with the capitalat least I wanted him to help a bitto focus specifically on the energy sector of the capital," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Tuesday. Japur, March 3 : The search for the skeletal remains of four-year-old Tillu alias Prince, who went missing six years ago under the Bandikui police station limits in Rajasthan's Dausa district, entered its third consecutive day on Tuesday. The search is being carried out after the accused referred to the area where the child's body was likely to have been buried during the investigation. Excavation, which started on Sunday, is currently underway on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, resulting in the closure of three out of five traffic lanes. Police also conducted a drone camera survey of an area of aaapproximately one km. The operation intensified following fresh leads in the murder investigation. On Monday, authorities carried out extensive excavation across an approximately 80-metre stretch, about four metres wide and nearly 12 feet deep, using JCB machines and heavy excavators. However, no skeletal remains were recovered, prompting officials to resume digging on Tuesday. Sources said the excavator deployed at the site costs around Rs 10,500 per hour and consumes nearly 20 litres of diesel per hour. On Sunday, the first day of the operation, the road surface was removed using a milling machine. Subsequently, sensitive locations were identified with the help of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology. Based on a location earlier indicated by the accused -- near a peepal tree -- two to three highly sensitive zones were marked. A Swedish-made GPR machine, brought from Jaipur, scanned the area for nearly five hours, examining the ground to a depth of about six metres. The technical team searched for signs of pits, voids, or unusual underground disturbances and marked suspected spots for excavation. Additional Superintendent of Police Yogendra Faujdar, Station House Officer Zaheer Abbas, Tehsildar Rajesh Saini, and other senior officials are present at the site, overseeing the operation. Police authorities stated that excavation will continue using scientific methods until all identified points are thoroughly examined. Due to the ongoing search, traffic movement on three lanes of the expressway has been suspended, while two lanes remain operational. Barricading has been put in place, and certain sections have been levelled with soil to maintain safety standards. Family members and local residents have been camping at the site, hoping for closure in the six-year-old case. Despite sustained efforts, the remains have yet to be recovered, leaving the family in continued distress as the search progresses. Prince, a resident of Ramdeva Ki Dhani in the Bandikui police station area of aaDausa district, was murdered on August 16, 2020. His neighbour, a young man and his sister conspired to murder Prince and bury his body beneath the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Police arrested both accused approximately 15 days ago. During interrogation, they confessed to killing Prince and burying his body beneath the expressway. Since then, police have been continuously attempting to recover Prince's skeleton. New Delhi, March 3 : The Indian Army has intensified surveillance and monitoring along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir as drone sightings have gone up considerably. The heightened surveillance comes in the wake of Pakistan trying to push more drones and balloons resembling aircraft into Jammu and Kashmir. The police in Jammu and Kashmir spotted and then seized a balloon that resembles an aircraft. The police found that the object had the inscription of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on it. The preliminary probe found no electrical or electronic components that were fixed on it. The police are looking for more details into the case and the probe is ongoing an official informed. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the object did not cause any harm. However, it cannot be considered to be a stray incident. This development comes in the wake of the Indian Army thwarting multiple drone intrusions from Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). Most of these incidents were reported at the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. In recent months, the Army has noticed that the Pakistanis have been making multiple attempts to send drones into India. Last month, at least two quadcopters attempted to breach the Indian airspace along the LoC in the Poonch area. This has led the Army to conduct swift counter drone actions. Officials say that they do not see these incidents as isolated ones. Another official said that what has been different this time is that most of these drones have not intended to smuggle in narcotics or arms. The intention has also not been to harm to carry out surveillance. The official added that this is a deliberate ploy on part of the Pakistanis to keep the Indian security agencies engaged. This is meant to cause a distraction so that the launch pads at Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) can be activated and infiltrations can take place. Since 'Operation Sindoor', the Pakistanis have not managed to infiltrate a single terrorist into India. An Intelligence estimate states that there are over a 1,000 terrorists of both the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad who are waiting at the launchpads. Many have made multiple attempts to enter India, but all such attempts have been thwarted. This is leading to a sense of desperation among these terror groups. The Intelligence agencies say that Pakistan is looking to send in more such suspicious objects into India. Currently they are coming in smaller numbers, but this could increase dramatically. They would want to keep the security agencies engaged for a longer period of time and then choose an opportune time to push multiple terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI is desperate to get operations in Jammu and Kashmir up and running. It is under immense pressure from the terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Earlier, the Pakistan Army would indulge in firing to distract the Indian armed forces. Another official explained that Pakistan is finding it hard to beat the security systems in place at the border. The security forces operate on multiple layers, which are designed in such a way that it can handle intrusions, firing and also prevent infiltration, all at the same time. Hence Pakistan is bound to come up with various tricks to distract the security agencies and then try and get the infiltration process going, the official also added. Chennai, March 3 : Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday amid escalating tensions within the DMK-Congress alliance over seat-sharing for the upcoming Assembly elections. Chennai, March 3 (IANS) Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday amid escalating tensions within the DMKa"Congress alliance over seat-sharing for the upcoming Assembly elections. The meeting comes against the backdrop of mounting speculation that the Congress could reconsider its position in the alliance if a compromise is not reached soon. Negotiations between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian National Congress have remained inconclusive, with both sides holding firm on their respective demands. As the State moves closer to the election schedule, the absence of a consensus has triggered intense political debate and uncertainty. The Congress is reportedly seeking more than 40 Assembly constituencies in the upcoming polls. However, the DMK has made it clear that it is willing to offer only 25 seats - the same number allocated in the 2021 Assembly elections - along with one Rajya Sabha berth. Party sources said the DMK leadership believes expanding the Congress quota would weaken its own electoral prospects in a crucial contest. The deadlock has led to unease within Congress circles. A section of Congress leaders has been pressing the leadership to rethink its alliance strategy. Some have suggested exploring alternative political options, including a potential understanding with actor-turned-politician Vijay and his party, the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). These concerns are said to have been conveyed to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, intensifying internal discussions. Adding urgency to the situation, the DMK has reportedly set March 3 as the deadline for the Congress to communicate its final decision. If no agreement is reached within this timeframe, the DMK is expected to proceed with its electoral preparations independently. For the DMK, securing a decisive majority on its own is viewed as essential to ensuring political stability and strengthening its long-term position in Tamil Nadu politics. Consequently, it has shown little inclination to accommodate additional seat demands. New Delhi, March 3 : Recently concluded $2.6 billion uranium supply agreement of Canada with India strengthens Ottawa's economic ties in the IndoaPacific, uses India's sheer "scale of industrial growth" and helps reduce reliance on US as a single market, a report has said. New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Recently concluded $2.6 billion uranium supply agreement of Canada with India strengthens Ottawa's economic ties in the IndoPacific, uses India's sheer "scale of industrial growth" and helps reduce reliance on US as a single market, a report has said. The report from One World Outlook said the agreement, announced as part of a broader Strategic Energy Partnership, links a premium Canadian resource to one of the world's fastest-growing energy markets marking a shift from Ottawa's tendency "to treat India as either a diaspora story or a diplomatic headache." In New Delhi, Canada and India announced a "Strategic Energy Partnership" that will see Cameco supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium from 2027 to 2035 to fuel India's civil nuclear reactors. The pact spans across fuels such as "LNG, LPG, uranium, solar, and hydrogen, an intentional bundle that treats energy not as a commodity transaction, but as the anchor for a wider economic reset," the report said. With this partnership Ottawa started viewing India as "simply, scale: scale of population, scale of energy demand, scale of industrial growth, and scale of geopolitical weight," it said. The Canadian readout leans into that reality, calling India the world's fastest-growing major economy and emphasizing its rising energy demand, it added. Further analysts said the transformative element of increased bilateral ties is Canada and India moving to conclude a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with chief negotiators meeting and terms of reference signed. The Canadian government is explicitly tying CEPA to a goal of more than doubling two-way trade to $70 billion by 2030, it suggested. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney discussed restoring diplomatic staffing levels in both countries to their previous strength, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Monday. After Carney took over as the Canadian PM, some calibrated steps to restore India-Canada ties have been taken, leading to the appointment of Dinesh K Patnaik as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. IANS aar/pk Kabul, March 3 : The United Nations (UN) has announced that at least 34 people were killed and 89 others injured in Pakistani military attacks in Afghanistan from February 26-March 1, local media reported on Tuesday. While addressing a press briefing, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that victims include children and women, and the figures remain preliminary. He stated that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues to document incidents of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Pajhwok Afghan News reported. Dujarric said that restrictions on movement in border areas due to the active conflict have affected the work of humanitarian agencies and their partners to provide life-saving and other assistance in the most impacted areas, leaving Afghan refugees from Pakistan vulnerable. He warned of an increase in the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. As fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Durand Line entered consecutive days, Afghan forces have carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military bases following recent air raids by the Pakistan Air Force inside Afghanistan. The Afghan defence ministry said its forces targeted several key military locations near the 2,600-km Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including areas linked to Kabul, the Ali-Sher district in Khost, Jalalabad and Kandahar. The escalation marks the latest surge in tensions along the Durand Line, where hostilities have intensified since Pakistan's February 21-22 strikes on what it described as terror camps. According to Afghan officials, their forces have captured multiple Pakistani military posts in Kandahar province, specifically in the Spin Boldak and Shorabak districts. Three posts were reportedly seized in Spin Boldak, resulting in the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers and the capture of one serviceman. In addition, two Pakistani posts were taken over in the Ali-Sher district, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported. Over the past four days, both the Pakistani and Afghan militaries have engaged in cross-border targeting of each other's positions. On February 27, Afghanistan launched attacks on Pakistani Army posts and military centres along the Durand Line in response to Islamabad's airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktika on February 21. Following Afghanistan's attacks, Pakistan launched 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' (Righteous Fury) in response to what it described as "unprovoked firing" by the Afghan forces across multiple border sectors, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carried out airstrikes targeting military installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. In recent months, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have increased, with both sides accusing each other of cross-border attacks and harbouring militant groups. Thiruvananthapuram: A group of people performing a ritual during the Pongala Mahotsavam at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, popularly known as the 'Sabarimala of women,' in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, March 03, 2026.. Image Source: IANS Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : As lakhs of women converged on Thiruvananthapuram for the famed Attukal Pongala festival, Palayam which is located in the heart of the state capital city and is a modest but symbolically powerful junction, quietly reaffirmed Kerala's culture of coexistence. Within a few metres of one another stand the Palayam Juma Masjid, the St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Palayam Mahaganapathy Temple, a rare streetscape that has long embodied the city's plural ethos. At the spiritual centre of the festival is the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, popularly known today as the "Sabarimala for Women." Dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, the temple is steeped in legend. Folklore links the deity to Kannaki of the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, believed to have stopped at Attukal on her way to Kodungallur after avenging her husband's injustice. Over time, the shrine evolved into one of the largest congregations of women in the world, with Pongala, the ritual offering of sweet rice cooked in earthen pots entering the Guinness record books for mass participation. An estimated over four million people take part in the event, that began on Tuesday morning and winds up around 3 pm. Even as devotion defined the day, it was compassion that shaped Palayam's response. Ahead of last Friday prayers, the Imam of Palayam Juma Masjid called upon the faithful to extend wholehearted hospitality to the women and children arriving for Pongala, a message that resonated widely on social media as a testament to Kerala's secular fabric. Facilities for freshening up, resting spaces and drinking water were arranged at the mosque premises. At the nearby St. Joseph's Cathedral, arrangements for drinking water and resting spaces were made available. Local collectives in Palayam prepared and distributed breakfast and lunch. Across the city, various groups joined in by offering food, water, buttermilk, fruits and juices. In doing so, Palayam once again transformed the festival into a celebration not just of faith, but of shared humanity and social harmony. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, March 3 : Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday criticised Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for questioning the Centre over its stand on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death in the joint US-Israel strikes. Sonia Gandhi stated that the lack of any official statement on this matter is not neutral; rather, it amounts to an "abdication" of responsibility. Gandhi also highlighted Tehran's support for New Delhi at the UN when the Kashmir topic was raised in 1994. In an op-ed published in The Indian Express, titled 'Government's silence on killing of Iran leader is not neutral, it is abdication', Sonia Gandhi said, "The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence." The Government of India, she said, has "refrained from condemning the assassination or the violation of Iranian sovereignty". Leaders of the ruling NDA said that Sonia Gandhi's questioning of the Centre's stance is "incorrect" and "inappropriate", adding that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has always advocated for peace. Reacting to this, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal told IANS, "If she (Sonia Gandhi) has said something like that, the government will take whatever action it deems appropriate. The government has responded in Parliament from time to time regarding such arrangements, and it will decide what action to take on this matter." UP Minister O.P. Rajbhar, speaking to IANS, said, "She is speaking incorrectly. The Prime Minister has held talks with both countries and has taken initiatives for peace. Now, there is a huge difference between her thinking and the Prime Minister's thinking. PM Modi has always advocated for peace." Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav said the government has acted "responsibly" in the situation. Speaking to IANS, Yadav said, "Our government is a responsible one, and it has never stepped away from its responsibilities. The government is closely monitoring all these matters and will take appropriate action and make the right decisions at the appropriate time. We are peace-loving people." JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar also criticised the CPP Chairperson's remarks and said, "Sonia Gandhi questioning India's foreign policy does not seem appropriate. Debate will occur when necessary, and the session will be convened accordingly." Congress, however, backing Sonia Gandhi, said that the Government of India has "never been so weak" as it "has not expressed any opinion on it". Congress leader Udit Raj, speaking to IANS, said, "The Indian government has never been so weak, so insignificant. For the first time, it is being seen that when such a big event is happening at the global level, and the entire Middle East has been drawn into war, the Indian government has no opinion coming out -- no solution, no intervention, no opinion." Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi, in her op-ed, stressed that "Silence, in this instance, is not neutral" and asserted that the assassination was carried out "without a formal declaration of war and during an ongoing diplomatic process". She stated that Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. "A targeted killing of a serving head of state strikes at the heart of these principles. If such acts pass without principled objection from the world's largest democracy, the erosion of international norms becomes easier to normalise," she said. The Congress Rajya Sabha member also slammed the Prime Minister for his "unequivocal support" of the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the Gaza conflict, and said that India's "high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure". She further reiterated Congress' stand on the assassination of the Iranian Supreme Leader, calling the act a "dangerous escalation with grave regional and global consequences". -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, March 3 : Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi's scathing condemnation of India's so-called "silence" over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei doesn't hold water, several leaders and experts reckoned on Tuesday. While the West Asia is caught up in throes of a full-blown war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes leading to the killing of Khamenei, the opposition parties in India are questioning the country's standing and its diplomatic handling of affairs in the Middle-Eastern region. Congress and INDIA bloc have criticised Centre's stand, particularly with regard to Iran, with Sonia Gandhi condemning India's alleged silence over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader. This has elicited strong counters from BJP, which sought to show it the mirror by digging out 'uncomfortable' instances from the past when the Congress-led government didn't stand with the dictatorial regimes like Ayatollah and Gaddafi (Libya) and rather sided with the US-led forces. The all-out war in West Asia will soon spiralling effect on economies around the world, with countries like India facing the heat owing to its energy dependency on Iran. However, experts opine that India's stand is driven by its "national interests" and not any external factors. A host of experts and political watchers believe that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acted with "utmost caution" and chosen to prioritise its national interests above everything. Other weighing on their views on the matter, stated "India has decided when to speak and how to speak. It will do so based on its assessment of national interest, regional stability and the safety of its citizens. That is not silence. That is statecraft." Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi in her scathing article accused the Centre of taking a side, mentioning that the government refrained from condemning the assassination of Khamenei or violation of Iranian sovereignty and the PM confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE, without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. However, experts have cited multiple instances where the Congress-led governments maintained a neutral stand or rather chose to stand with global forces while maintaining a distance from oppressive and dictatorial regimes, including those led by Saddam Hussain in Iraq and Muhammad Gaddafi in Libya. When the Congress-led UPA was in power, India voted against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, 2006 and 2009. These votes aligned with Western powers during negotiations over the IndiaUS Civil Nuclear Agreement. At that time, there was no hesitation in sidelining what is now described as a civilisational relationship. In 2011, when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed during the uprising, the Congress-led UPA government neither issued a formal condolence nor mounted any dramatic condemnation. "In 2011, when Gaddafi was killed fleeing a NATO bomb strike, the UPA government said nothing. India had strong ties with Libya then too with seven ministers including Pranab Mukherjee visiting the country between 2004 and 2007. Was UPA wrong then or is the Modi government wrong now?" questioned one analyst. BJP, referring to these instances, has hit back at Congress party, stating that the grand old party must refrain from "lecturing on moral responsibility" and the selective memory cannot be the basis of selective outrage. Moreover, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regime's repeated attempts to intervene in India's national matters explains New Delhi's stance and blunts Opposition's attack on morality. Over the years, Khamenei spoke on India's internal affairs, seeking to build an opinion against India and isolate it globally. He amplified propaganda around the Delhi riots, attempting to portray them as a one-sided massacre while ignoring documented violence against Hindus. He compared India with Gaza, an inflammatory analogy clearly designed to provoke Muslim nations and isolate India diplomatically. In 2017, he called upon the Muslim world to mobilise support for what he termed the "oppressed Muslims of Kashmir." He spoke on Article 370 and the CAA as well. Despite these repeated intrusions, India did not indulge in rhetorical retaliation. It maintained diplomatic composure and engagement. Even after the horrific 2008 Mumbai attacks, India had reason to feel disappointed with Tehran's response. Contemporary reporting indicated that sections of Iranian media commentary appeared sympathetic to Pakistan, and an Iranian official reportedly avoided explicitly acknowledging that the terrorists had come from Pakistani soil, instead describing Pakistan itself as a victim of terrorism. On the other hand, even as hostilities in West Asia rage on, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Israeli PM and Gulf counterparts in the West Asia and expressed solidarity while calling for an end to armed confrontation and pursuing dialogue as the way forward. "Besides political bickering, one thing that does hold water is that India's foreign policy has been guided by the national interest, as much as during previous dispensations, as of now, and therefore the rhetoric and propaganda about country's diplomatic stand with regard to Iran is nothing more than politics and political grandstanding," another expert highlighted. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Surat, March 3 : A livestock artificial insemination technician from Vaheval village in Gujarat's Surat district, has recorded an unusually high conception success rate, significantly improving reproductive performance and milk yields in dairy cattle in the region. Deepak Patel, 63, who has only completed education up to the fifth standard, has recorded an 80 per cent conception rate in cattle through artificial insemination, according to officials at the Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (SUMUL Dairy). After receiving a call last week, he visited a farmer's home to examine a cow, advising the owner to wait several hours before insemination because the animal was not yet in the optimal stage of heat. "This is the correct time for artificial insemination," he told the farmer before returning later in the day to perform the procedure. The careful timing is key to the high success rate. The national average success rate for artificial insemination in India is estimated at 35 to 40 per cent. Dr Ajitsinh Jadve, head of the veterinary department at SUMUL Dairy, said that the cooperative conducts an estimated 5,00,000 artificial insemination procedures annually across Surat and Tapi districts, with an overall success rate of approximately 53 per cent. He further added, "Patel's individual success rate was significantly higher and that farmers in his area had benefited from an increase in the number of productive dairy animals and higher milk output." According to figures cited in a book on Patel's work by Dr P. R. Pandya, a former managing director of SUMUL Dairy, average daily milk production from a crossbred cow in India is about 7.4 litres and 8.05 litres in Gujarat. In Mahuva taluka, crossbred cows inseminated by Patel's method have been reported to produce 11.3 litres per day on average. Patel joined SUMUL Dairy in 1999 and has since performed more than 80,000 artificial insemination procedures, maintaining a consistently high level of success, colleagues say. Dr Pandya said the cooperative recognised Patel's talent early and that his work had "increased farmers' incomes and accelerated livestock improvement", particularly in Mahuva. Patel attributed part of his success to precise timing of insemination. Patel has also trained his soninlaw in artificial insemination work, ensuring continuity of the technique in the local community. An English biography of Patel, The Miracle Boy Dipak Patel, has been coauthored by Dr Pandya and Shashwat Adhvaryu. In addition, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has produced a short documentary, Safal Bijdan, to help inspire others in the field of livestock breeding. Patel has also been honoured by the Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah for his contributions. India continues to lead the world in milk production, and officials say efforts in Gujarat's dairy sector are expanding under national and state leadership. Patel's work in artificial insemination, they add, has contributed to improved livestock productivity and incomes for farmers in parts of southern Gujarat. Bengaluru, March 3 : The sleuths of the Bengaluru City Crime Branch (CCB) Anti-Narcotics Wing on Tuesday arrested two drug peddlers, including a woman, and busted an inter-state drug trafficking racket, seizing narcotics and drugs worth Rs 10 crore. The accused have been identified as Ashwin and Mubeena, residents of Prestige Pansberry Heights Apartments in the Bagaluru locality of Bengaluru. Mubeena hails from Kerala. The police seized 8,335 LSD strips weighing 124 kilograms, five kilograms of hydro ganja, 534 kilograms of charas, two mobile phones and a two-wheeler. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted an operation in Bagaluru and busted the racket. The accused had been residing in Bengaluru for the past year. They allegedly procured drugs from a person from Kerala who is now settled in Thailand and, as per his directions, supplied the banned narcotics to customers to make money. A case has been registered under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In another case, a team headed by CCB Inspector H.K. Mahanand seized 1.5 kilograms of hydro ganja that had been procured from abroad through postal services. To evade suspicion, the accused had packed the hydro ganja in chocolate and biscuit boxes. The value of the seized hydro ganja is estimated at Rs 1.5 crore. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act and the police have launched a hunt for the accused. In a separate operation against illegal immigrants, CCB sleuths detained two women within the limits of the Mico Layout police station, following instructions from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). Photo: Red Cross of Ukraine A team from the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided assistance to those affected by another Russian drone strike in Kharkiv. "The Ukrainian Red Cross rapid response team in Kharkiv region conducted a door-to-door visit to the apartment building, and volunteers provided first aid to the victims," the Ukrainian Red Cross reported on Facebook. The URCS is distributing humanitarian aid to residents of the damaged building based on their needs. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, a Russian drone struck the balcony of a nine-story residential building in Shevchenkivskyi district of Kharkiv on March 2. No fire broke out. Two people, including a child, were injured in the attack. Garhwa : , March 3 (IANS) A minor dispute over the death of goats turned into a deadly clash between two families in Jharkhand's Garhwa district, leaving one person dead and four others seriously injured, police said on Tuesday. Garhwa (Jharkhand), March 3 (IANS) A minor dispute over the death of goats turned into a deadly clash between two families in Jharkhandas Garhwa district, leaving one person dead and four others seriously injured, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place in Dubiyathi Tola of Hesatu village under the Bargarh police station area in Tehri Panchayat. The deceased has been identified as 55-year-old Suryadev Yadav. According to locals, tensions flared after three goats belonging to Suryadev Yadav allegedly died after being poisoned. His family accused Ramkishun Yadav, also known as Dubai Yadav, and his wife Kawalia Devi of poisoning the animals. Following the incident, Suryadev Yadav approached the Panchayat head, Vinko Toppo, to lodge a complaint and seek intervention. It has been alleged that while he was attempting to take photographs of the dead goats on his mobile phone as evidence, members of the accused family confronted and attacked him. Police said that around 11 people, including Ramkishun Yadav, Raju Yadav, Santosh Yadav, and Kawalia Devi, allegedly assaulted Suryadev Yadav with sticks and a sickle. He sustained grievous injuries and died on the spot. During the violent altercation, Suryadevas sons -- Mahesh Yadav and Ganesh Yadav -- were also severely injured. Two other individuals were reported injured in the clash. The injured were rushed to a nearby health facility for initial treatment. Given the seriousness of his condition, Mahesh Yadav was later referred to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi for advanced medical care. Upon receiving information, the Bargarh police reached the village, brought the situation under control, and sent the body for post-mortem examination. Security has been tightened in the area to prevent further escalation. Ganesh Yadav, son of the deceased, lodged a written complaint at the police station, demanding strict action against those involved in the attack. Police have registered a case of murder and attempt to murder against 11 named accused. The Sub-Divisional Police Officer said that raids are being conducted to arrest the accused persons and said that a detailed investigation is underway. New Delhi, March 3 : India's steel sector is targeting a capacity of 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 400 million tonnes by 2035, to position the country as a global leader in steel production, the government said on Tuesday. New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Indiaas steel sector is targeting a capacity of 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 400 million tonnes by 2035, to position the country as a global leader in steel production, the government said on Tuesday. Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel highlighted the sectoras ambitious expansion plans as the government convened a higha'level interactive session with senior diplomats across the globe to advance strategic collaboration, an official statement said. The ministry provided a preview of aBharat Steel 2026,a an international conference-cum-exhibition scheduled for April 16a"17, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Senior diplomats across the globe were also asked suggestions to outline the roadmap for Bharat Steel 2026, it said. Poundrik emphasised the sectoras rapid modernization and invited collaboration from global partners as the domestic steel industry transitions toward low-carbon production pathways and advanced process technologies. He reaffirmed Indiaas commitment to building resilient and sustainable global supply chains rooted in innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility, the statement from the Ministry of Steel said. Indiaas strategy is focused on strengthening raw material security, accelerating technology transfer, advancing green and sustainable steel production, and fostering meaningful global collaboration, he said. The session witnessed strong engagement from the diplomatic community, with representatives expressing appreciation for Indiaas forward-looking vision and enthusiasm for participating in Bharat Steel 2026, the statement noted. The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) one ton of recycled steel saves 1.1 tons of iron ore and 630 kg of coking coal and cuts emissions by 28 per cent, making scrap indispensable to Indiaas growth. Analysts said that scrap offers a practical short-term decarbonisation solution, with Indiaas carbon intensity at 2.55 tonnes of COa per tonne of steel. Steel demand growth in India is projected to remain steady at around 8 per cent for FY26, generating an incremental demand of 11-12 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). a"IANS aar/pk New Delhi, March 3 : Investigations into several narcotics cases in India, especially down South, are increasingly being linked to cartels run from Thailand. While Thailand itself is a big market in terms of consumption, there are various cartels that are doing business in India. Investigators have learnt that Thai cartels hold a huge clout in various parts of India. However, their operations in South India have increased over the last couple of years. The agencies have also learnt that Thai cartels are not necessarily run by the locals. In many cases, it has been found that the operations from Thailand are being handled directly by Indians. The Narcotics Control Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), which falls under the jurisdiction of the Bengaluru Police, has busted a module after arresting two interstate drug meddlers. The duo, identified as Ashwin and Mubeena, were peddling drugs in Karnataka, the police said. LSD strips and charas were found on them, according to the police. The duo from Kerala were residing in Karnataka for a year and had been organising illegal drug distribution networks on the order of their bosses based out of Thailand. The arrested persons were in touch with a Kerala-based operative in Thailand and were getting their supplies from him. After receiving the drugs, the duo would distribute them across the state, the preliminary investigation has also found. An official said that a couple of years back, the drug problem was at its highest in Punjab. However, the narcotics market grew at a rapid pace in Kerala over the last couple of years. In 2024 alone, there were over 27,700 cases registered in Kerala under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS). When comparing the number of cases registered in Punjab during the same period, the number in Kerala was three times higher. While Pakistan-based operatives focus largely on the northern states, cartels from Mexico, China and Thailand are operating more on the southern side of the country. States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been a hot hub for smuggling drugs from countries such as Thailand. Drugs that are smuggled in from Mexico with the help of the Chinese cartels and Myanmar nationals contain methamphetamine. This substance has a huge demand in the South Indian states. A large part of the consignment that lands in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is moved to the southern states and then transported to the rest of the country and even to Myanmar. From Thailand, the drugs that come in most commonly are LSD, charas and cocaine. Drug cartels from Thailand have chosen Kerala as the main landing point for India operations since the state has a long coastline of 590 kilometres. This makes the state vulnerable to smuggling. From Kerala, drugs that land from Thailand make their way into Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, an official said. While the Thai cartels have managed to capture the southern market, they have also been found moving into states such as Maharashtra to further their operations. These drug syndicates have found to be operating in Pune. The Pune Police had recently busted a module that was operating from Thailand and Bhutan. The syndicate was found to be involved in an international drug peddling network. Following the arrest of five persons in connection with this case, it was found that these persons were using the dark web and were making payments using the hawala network. It was also found that these persons had used cryptocurrency and the dark web to buy LSD and marijuana and bring them into India. It was found that the drugs were brought in from Thailand and then distributed in Pune, Assam and Bhutan. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the current Indian drug market is a crowded one. All these years, the agencies spent time dealing with the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. Today, there are many players and cartels in Thailand, which have Indian bosses too, and are becoming a major menace as they are trying to flood the markets with their contraband. The official added that the relevant agencies are working closely with their counterparts in the respective states to curb this menace. Bengaluru, March 3 : Amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday spoke to Kannadigas stranded in Dubai and reassured them. He assured that he would speak to the Central government to ensure that those caught in the crisis are brought back to Karnataka at the earliest. A total of 61 people had travelled to Dubai to receive an award and are currently staying there, members of the team said. Five persons from Arsikere are also part of the group and are staying at a hotel, they said while sharing their concerns. "It has now been seven days. Even the flight scheduled for tonight has been cancelled," they explained. Vijayendra said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given priority attention to the issue. "Earlier, when a similar situation arose in Ukraine, the Central government resolved it and made arrangements to bring back those stranded there. This war has started suddenly. I will also speak to the concerned authorities in Delhi," he said, while offering reassurance. He stated that he would urge the authorities to take steps to ensure the team returns safely. "Do not panic. I will request that necessary action be taken to bring all of you back safely," he added. Indians, including several Kannadigas, who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following flight cancellations triggered by the Israel-Iran conflict, have begun returning home, bringing relief to families in Karnataka. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. A flight that departed from Dubai on Monday night landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport near Devanahalli in Bengaluru Rural district in the wee hours of Tuesday. Among those who arrived were Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda and badminton star P.V. Sindhu. Amid the crisis, the Kannadigas Helpline team led by non-resident Kannadiga patron Ronald Colaco extended support to stranded individuals. The team collected details of those affected and appealed to the government for urgent assistance. It also expressed readiness to bear emergency expenses and urged those in need of medical services to contact the helpline. Kannadigas in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman were advised to reach out for help. Several Kannadigas who had travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for business, personal visits or work were stranded due to the escalating tensions. Many expressed relief after returning safely, while others remain stuck as flights continue to be fully booked. Meanwhile, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has set up a dedicated Help Desk at the kerbside of Terminal 2 to assist passengers amid ongoing disruptions to flight operations. New Delhi, March 3 : Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday met Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister of State Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani at Parliament House to discuss welfare and job schemes, an official said. During the meeting, the Vice-President was briefed on various initiatives of the Ministry aimed at rural transformation and public welfare, including housing for all, rural employment, skilling and capacity building. The Ministers and the officials also informed Radhakrishnan about measures taken for the improvement of rural livelihoods, community infrastructure, road and connectivity, social assistance, watershed management, and digital land records modernisation. The Vice President was also apprised of key government schemes such as Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM-G), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAYa"NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-GraminPMAYa"G, and other flagship programmes. The Vice President appreciated the Ministry for the transformative initiatives being undertaken in the rural development sector. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi's words, "India lives in its villages," he emphasised that strengthened rural development, supported by enhanced employment and skilling opportunities, will enable the nation to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat. Earlier last week, the Vice President highlighted the growing challenge of fake news and misinformation, emphasising that journalists have a responsibility to uphold the truth. Speaking at the 57th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi, the Vice-President called upon mass communication graduates to become agents of positive change in society. He said journalism and mass communication will play a key role in the country's journey towards Viksit Bharat. Stressing the power of the pen, the Vice-President said that opinion makers can lead the nation by shaping the right and positive opinion based purely on truth. "Write truth fearlessly, and you will make Viksit Bharat," he told the graduating students. He urged them not to be driven by ratings or shortcuts, but by the correctness and integrity of their writing. Recalling his admiration for veteran journalist A.N. Sivaraman, former Editor of Dinamani, he said socially conscious and informative journalism can shape leaders and create leaders. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kota, March 3 : Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, led Holi celebrations in Rajasthan on Tuesday, extending greetings to the nation and calling the festival a symbol of unity, resolve and collective joy, as vibrant festivities were witnessed across several states. Speaking to IANS, in Rajasthanas Kota, Speaker Birla celebrated Holi with the public at his ancestral residence, extending warm wishes to the nation. Interacting with people who had gathered to greet him, the Lok Sabha Speaker highlighted the cultural and spiritual significance of the festival. "Wishing everyone a very happy Holi. May Holi bring joy and enthusiasm to all. Everyone should collectively strive to bring enthusiasm, happiness, and joy into the life of every person in society. This is a festival of resolve and a festival of togetherness," Speaker Birla said. Emphasising India's rich traditions, the Lok Sabha Speaker added, "All our festivals inspire us through our spiritual culture. The celebration of Holi, in the same way, is a festival of unity -- a time to share in each other's joy and to spread cheer and happiness in everyone's lives." Meanwhile, in Jaipur, a large number of foreign tourists took part in Holi celebrations at a special event organised in the Khasa Kothi area, adding an international flavour to the festivities. Drenched in colours, participants danced to traditional and Bollywood songs, capturing the festive spirit of Rajasthan's capital. In Mumbai, huge crowds gathered at the Juhu Beach to celebrate Holi with family and friends. Revellers smeared each other with colours and enjoyed music and dance by the seaside. A local resident said, "We come here every year, and the weather and atmosphere are very pleasant. Everyone comes to enjoy and have fun. As you can see, we have celebrated, jumped, danced, and sung songs." In Maharashtra's Jalna district, former Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raosaheb Patil Danve celebrated Holi at his Bhokardan residence, joining party workers and supporters in the festivities. In Ranchi, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth described Holi as a festival that strengthens social bonds. "Holi is a very dear festival. It is a festival of embracing each other, of forgetting mutual differences and disagreements. It is a festival of hugging -- if there are any differences or disputes throughout the year, once you embrace on Holi, all differences vanish," he said. Across cities and towns, Holi was celebrated with traditional fervour, as people came together to exchange greetings, apply colours and reinforce the message of unity and communal harmony that the festival symbolises. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Patna, March 3 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, naming Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram for two seats. Nitin Nabin, who is currently an MLA from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, was appointed a minister after the NDA formed the government following the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. However, he later resigned from the ministerial post after being appointed as the BJPas national president. Shivesh Kumar previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Sasaram (SC-reserved) constituency but lost to Congress candidate Manoj Kumar Ram by 19,157 votes. His nomination to the Rajya Sabha is being seen as a strategic move by the party. With the BJP announcing its nominees, attention has now shifted to the Janata Dal (United) list. As part of the NDA arrangement, JD(U) is expected to get two of the four NDA-backed seats. Among the names doing the rounds are Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. There had been intense speculation that Bhojpuri film star Pawan Singh would be nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha. However, the partyas announcement has put all such speculation to rest. Elections are scheduled on March 16 for five vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with nominations to be filed by March 5. The outgoing members include Ramnath Thakur (JDU), Harivansh Narayan Singh (JDU), Upendra Kushwaha (RLM), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), and Amarendra Dhari Singh (RJD). According to the current Assembly strength, NDA has 202 MLAs and winning one Rajya Sabha seat requires 41 votes. To win all five seats, 205 MLAs would be required. The ruling NDA alliance is considered certain to win four of the five seats based on current numbers, while the fifth seat could witness a contest, as neither the NDA nor the opposition Grand Alliance has a clear majority for it. By announcing candidates for its share of seats, the BJP has signalled its strategy of fielding leaders who can strongly represent Biharas interests at the national level. The development has intensified political discussions across the state as parties finalise their strategies for the upcoming election. Chaibasa : , March 3 (IANS) An officer of the excise department was injured after a mob attacked the team during a raid in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, officials said on Tuesday. The excise department team had gone to raid an illicit liquor manufacturing unit in the area when the attack took place. The incident occurred in Argundi village along the Chaibasa-Chakradharpur road, where the department had received specific information about illegal liquor being produced in a house. Acting on the tip-off, eight to ten members of the excise department team reached the village to verify the information and conduct a search operation at the premises. However, the situation escalated dramatically during the raid. According to officials, a man inside the house allegedly attacked the team with a sharp weapon. Assistant Sub-Inspector Mantu Agarwal was reportedly targeted in the assault and sustained serious injuries to his neck and back. The sudden attack created panic among the officials. As the news of the raid spread, a large number of villagers gathered at the spot, armed with bows and arrows, and other traditional weapons. The agitated mob reportedly chased the excise personnel, forcing them to retreat to avoid further escalation. In the chaos, other members of the team managed to escape safely. The injured officer was immediately rushed to Chaibasa Sadar Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment. Doctors attending to him said his condition is stable. Excise Commissioner Niranjan Tiwari visited the hospital after receiving information about the incident and met the injured officer. Following the attack, the Chaibasa Mufassil police swung into action. A police team led by Station House Officer Vinod Kumar reached Argundi village and launched an investigation. Security has been tightened in the area to prevent further unrest. Police sources said that one suspect involved in the attack has been detained for questioning, though an official confirmation is awaited. Further investigation into the illegal liquor operation and the assault on government officials is underway. New Delhi, March 3 : Everyday usage of AI by the Indian consumers is among the highest in the world, Samsung Southwest Asia President and CEO, JB Park, said on Tuesday, adding that the privacy on the new Galaxy S26 series has been upgraded given that "we are now in the era of AI." New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Everyday usage of AI by the Indian consumers is among the highest in the world, Samsung Southwest Asia President and CEO, JB Park, said on Tuesday, adding that the privacy on the new Galaxy S26 series has been upgraded given that "we are now in the era of AI." Samsung recently unveiled its newest flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the new Privacy Display feature on the smartphone has found universal appeal across the technology landscape. "India plays a strategic role in Samsung's global innovation ecosystem. Our engineers from the Bengaluru and Noida R&D facilities have made significant contributions in the development of Galaxy S26 series," said Park. "The Galaxy S26 series is being manufactured at Samsung's Noida factory in India," he added. Park further stated that the industry-first feature heralds a new era of privacy for the smartphone industry. "The privacy on Galaxy S26 series has been upgraded given that we are now in the era of AI. Unlike third-party filters, Privacy Display is integrated directly into the display, preserving the viewing experience in everyday use while limiting visibility from side angles. Users can limit privacy to specific parts of the screen or customise when it activates, making discreet protection feel seamless and intuitive," he explained. Galaxy S26 series also enhances on-device privacy with personal context processing that ensures sensitive data never leaves the device. While the S26 series offers an array of AI agents, users remain in control of exactly how and when their personal information is shared, maintaining full autonomy over their data. "Even when interacting with partner AI agents through Samsung apps (including Samsung Note, Calendar, Gallery, Reminder and Clock), users can control whether data is shared to train partner models or to profile users for targeted advertising," Park said. Additionally, Privacy Alerts use intelligent monitoring to proactively notify users when apps attempt to access device admin controls or sensitive data, such as precise location, call logs or contacts, helping users manage security permissions with greater clarity and control. "We ensure that AI follows your command and will. We cannot let it spill out of your control and start generating things that are not authentic," he said. Galaxy S26 series, Samsung's third generation AI phone, introduces AI agents by combining enhanced contextual awareness with proactive suggestions to simplify everyday tasks. Park said multiple AI agents are involved on Galaxy S26, but access to personal information is strictly limited to what's needed to complete a specific task. "All Galaxy AI experiences operate within Samsung's Knox security framework, which applies consistent technical and policy safeguards across the device even when partner services are involved. Personal data remains protected on-device, is shared only when required, and is not used for advertising purposes," he added. The Galaxy S26 series is up for pre-orders in India across leading online and mainline retailers. Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at Rs 1,39,999, while Galaxy S26+ starts at Rs 1,19,999. The most affordable S26 base variant starts at Rs 87,999. IANS na/ Bhubaneswar, March 3 : The ruling BJP on Tuesday named party Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal and incumbent MP Sujeet Kumar as the candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls from Odisha. Notably, with the retirement of four Rajya Sabha members from Odisha scheduled for April 2, elections are now necessary. The outgoing representatives include Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan from BJD, along with Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta of the ruling BJP. The BJP's Central Election Committee on Tuesday announced the names of nine candidates, including two from Odisha, for the Rajya Sabha polls in different states. Following the announcement of his candidature, BJP Odisha president Samal thanked the party leadership at the centre and state for nominating him for the Rajya Sabha seat. "We are committed to working in close coordination with all party teams, the Chief Minister, and senior leaders to build a 'Samruddha Odisha,' make Odisha the number one state in the country, and ensure the fulfillment of basic amenities for the people," said Samal. Similarly, senior BJP leader Sujeet Kumar thanked the people of Odisha and the party's leadership for having faith in him. "I would like to thank Lord Jagannath, the 4.5 crore people of Odisha, and the party's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party national president Nitin Nabin, the party's parliamentary board, as well as every BJP worker, for reposing faith in me," said Kumar. He further added that the decision of the party's parliamentary board is a surprise for him. Kumar also noted that he will work for the development of the Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) region, the state's tribals, and other areas. "Over the past six years, I have consistently raised my voice in Parliament and other forums in the interest of Odisha and India. I will continue to do so with even greater intensity. I assure the people of Odisha and the country that I will discharge, with dedication, the responsibility entrusted to me by the party and live up to the faith reposed in me," added Kumar. The party nominated Sujeet Kumar again for the Rajya Sabha as a reward for his work in western Odisha, while BJP Odisha chief Samal, who earlier served as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2000 to 2004, nominated him for his role in the BJP's win in the 2024 general elections. Over the past 24 hours, Russian forces shelled populated areas in Donetsk region 13 times, killing six people and injuring 18 more, according to Vadym Filashkin, head of the Regional Military Administration. "Kramatorsk district In Kramatorsk, three people were killed and two were injured In Druzhkivka, three people were killed and 16 were injured," he wrote in a daily update on Telegram. According to him, infrastructure was damaged in Mykolaivka and Raihorodok in Kramatorsk district. Eight private homes were damaged in Kramatorsk. A car was destroyed in Lvivka, Oleksandrivska community. In Druzhkivka, seven multi-story buildings, six private homes, two stores, a bank, a pharmacy, a post office, and 14 vehicles were damaged. A house was damaged in Platonivka, a part of Siversk community, in Bakhmut district. Some 273 people, including 69 children, were evacuated from the front lines. Bhopal/Indore, March 3 : With the Holi being celebrated on Wednesday across Madhya Pradesh, the security has been intensified especially in major cities -- Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and others, officials said on Tuesday. Even though Holi will be celebrated on Wednesday, a significantly strengthened security system was visible in the state capital Bhopal from Tuesday morning. The state government has declared a holiday from Tuesday. Following directives from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, authorities are focusing on maintaining law and order, particularly in sensitive and over-sensitive areas. Chief Minister Yadav had chaired a meeting with senior police officials on March 1. The Madhya Pradesh Police has issued an advisory regarding Holi, cautioning the citizens to be vigilant against cyber fraud during the festival, and also appealed not to share any objectionable posts on social media. "Sharing any objectionable or edited content, photos, videos, or misleading posts related to Holi, or circulating or forwarding them through any social media platform, is a crime. The police have clarified that criminal cases will be filed against those who commit such acts and punitive action will be taken," the advisory issued by Madhya Pradesh Police said. Indore Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that extensive checking has been initiated across the city to ensure that people celebrate Holi maintaining the law and order. He added that Indore police have taken action against 543 miscreants, anti-social elements, including two knife attackers who were arrested in the last 24 hours and have booked 280 drunk drivers under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Drone patrolling and police flag marches have been started for two days since Tuesday. Holi, popularly known as the 'festival of colours', is one of India's most vibrant and widely celebrated festivals. It symbolises the triumph of good over evil, the arrival of spring, and a fresh beginning. The festival is marked by people smearing colours on each other, enjoying music, sharing festive delicacies, and spending time with family and friends. The origins of Holi trace back to the ancient Indian mythology. One of the most well-known legends associated with the festival is the story of Prahlad and his aunt Holika. According to the legend, the demon king Hiranyakashyap opposed his son Prahlad's unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu. Enraged by his son's faith, Hiranyakashyap conspired to kill Prahlad. New Delhi, March 3 : Popularising nature-based solutions to make Holi and other festivals vibrant, joyful, and eco-friendly, the Environment Ministry conducted workshops across Eco-Clubs to promote safe and sustainable celebrations aligned with Mission LiFE, an official said on Tuesday. Through hands-on sessions, students are learning to prepare natural colours using edible and leafy vegetables. Green is derived from fresh leafy greens, red from beetroot, yellow from turmeric (haldi), and orange from Gogupuvvu (Palash), said an official statement issued by the Ministry. Under the Environment Education Programme (EEP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, eco-friendly Holi colour preparation workshops are being conducted across the country, it said. These colours are completely free from chemicals and harmful substances, ensuring celebrations that are safe for both people and the environment, said the statement. The campaign is gaining strong momentum across Eco-Clubs, engaging students in practical learning and encouraging them to adopt sustainable festive practices, it said. By replacing synthetic colours with biodegradable alternatives, young learners are becoming ambassadors of environmentally responsible celebrations within their communities, it said. This initiative highlights how simple, nature-based solutions can make festivals vibrant, joyful, and eco-friendly, said the statement. Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is a global, India-led public movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to trigger individual and collective action for environmental protection. It aims to transform people into "Pro-Planet People" (P3) by adopting sustainable daily habitsa"such as reducing waste, saving energy, and avoiding single-use plasticsa"to replace a "use-and-dispose" economy with a circular one. Meanwhile, in Maharashtraas Nagpur, eco-friendly colours are a big hit in the markets, and their demand is growing rapidly in multiple cities across the state. The cityas Adamane family is one of the driving forces behind the switch from traditional to eco-friendly colours because their family has been making organic colours for the past three generations. This year, they have also readied their stock of organic colours and are encouraging people to use them for a natural advantage over artificial colours. Roshan Adamane, sharing an update about the family's ancestral legacy, told IANS, "Our grandfather started this business. We use arrowroot (arrowroot powder) as the main ingredient. We mix it with food-grade, safe colours. No harmful chemicals are added. The mixture is prepared by mixing water and colour, then dried in the sun, filtered through a machine, and then packaged. This produces a total of 7-8 attractive colours, including green, blue, red, and yellow." Roshan further said, "Our goal isn't just business and earning money. We want to help people celebrate Holi without harm, with safe and environmentally friendly colours." This gulal is supplied to Vidarbha, as well as other parts of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, he informed. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka BJP on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his criticism of India's stand amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict. It can be recalled that amid the West Asia conflict, LoP Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak up and answer as to whether he supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order. LoP Gandhi said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other nations in West Asia, must be condemned. "Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world," he stated. Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, said in a statement on Tuesday, "Before sermonising on moral clarity and world order," Rahul Gandhi must clarify whether he supports the slogan "Modi Teri Khabar Khudegi (your grave will be dug)" allegedly raised by Congress workers. Ashoka questioned whether the Congress leader endorses language targeting the democratically-elected Prime Minister. He accused him of maintaining silence over what he termed as 'political intimidation'. "Silence means complicity," Ashoka claimed, asserting that it is easy to preach restraint to world leaders but difficult to enforce discipline within one's own party. He asked whether LoP Gandhi would condemn what he described as a culture of political intimidation if he truly believes that "violence begets violence." Ashoka further stated that India's foreign policy is guided by national interest, strategic depth and calibrated diplomacy, and not by social media commentary or statements made for headlines. He said governments must act responsibly in sensitive situations and avoid public posturing that could compromise national interests or the safety of Indians abroad. Referring to the presence of a large Indian diaspora in West Asia, he said their safety requires maturity and responsibility rather than political rhetoric. "If Rahul Gandhi wants India to speak plainly, he should first speak plainly to his own cadre," Ashoka said, again asking whether the Congress leader rejects threatening slogans and supports civil political discourse. He added that India's global standing has risen due to steady leadership and said that during times of international tension, responsible leaders must strengthen the country's voice rather than weaken it for domestic political considerations. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday dismissed allegations by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that phones were being tapped to monitor Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, calling the charges "baseless" and politically-motivated. Bengaluru, March 3 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday dismissed allegations by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that phones were being tapped to monitor Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, calling the charges "baseless" and politically-motivated. In a media statement, Siddaramaiah said the accusations were akin to the proverb that "a thief believes everyone else is a thief," and described them as remarks born out of frustration. He alleged that ever since the Congress returned to power in the state, Opposition leaders had been attempting to create a rift between him and Shivakumar. "As much as they try to sow discord, it will not affect the cordial relationship we share," the Chief Minister said, asserting that both he and Shivakumar remained committed to the party's high command. He reiterated that the Congress party functioned with internal democracy and was neither run by fear nor dominated by a single family. Siddaramaiah noted that those making the allegations had themselves held key positions, including Chief Minister and Home Minister, during which the Intelligence Department functioned under their authority. He suggested that their claims appeared to stem from their own past experiences in office. The Chief Minister accused the BJP and JD(S) of spreading false narratives with the intention of damaging his relationship with Shivakumar. He said Shivakumar had faced several cases and even imprisonment in the past but had remained loyal to the Congress party despite political pressure. Referring to Karnataka's recent political history, Siddaramaiah said episodes such as 'Operation Kamala,' resort politics and frequent changes in leadership were the result of internal mistrust and conspiracies within Opposition parties. He pointed out that the state had witnessed five Chief Ministers between 2004 and 2013 and three between 2018 and 2023. He also cited past allegations of phone tapping during previous administrations. In 2018, when Kumaraswamy was Chief Minister, allegations had surfaced that phones of seers, including that of the Adichunchanagiri pontiff, had been tapped. A subsequent probe had reportedly found that multiple phones were under surveillance. Turning his criticism towards the Centre, Siddaramaiah alleged misuse of central agencies such as the police, CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department against political opponents. He said neither he nor leaders of his party would succumb to intimidation. The Chief Minister further urged Kumaraswamy and Ashoka to function as a constructive Opposition rather than engage in what he termed "malicious politics." He expressed confidence that the Congress government would complete its full five-year term despite Opposition attempts to destabilise it. Siddaramaiah concluded by stating that the people of Karnataka had given the Congress a clear mandate to govern and that the Chief Minister of the state would continue to be from the Congress party. Los Angeles, March 3 : Actor and filmmaker Alan Cumming, who recently hosted the BAFTA, has reacted to the recent controversy that unfolded at the recent edition of the award ceremony. The actor took to Instagram to address the outburst of Tourette's campaigner John Davidson at the 79th edition of the ceremony, during which he shouted the N-word while 'Sinners' stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage, reports 'Variety'. He wrote, "What should've been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering s*******. I'm so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed around the world. I'm so sorry the Toruettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition". He continued, "The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured". As per 'Variety', Cumming added he felt "let down" that the BBC allowed the N-word to be audible on air while at the same time choosing to "censor free speech". The two-time Emmy winner is likely referring to the fact that the network cut out Akinola Davies Jr. saying "free Palestine" during his speech for winning the outstanding British debut for "My Father's Shadow". At the 79th BAFTA Film Awards in London, John Davidson, a Scottish Tourette syndrome activist and the real-life subject of the film 'I Swear', was seated in the audience when several of his involuntary vocal tics were audible during the ceremony. One such tic included the N-word, which was heard as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award. The BBC's tape-delayed broadcast initially carried the offensive language before it was later removed from streaming versions. Davidson publicly expressed remorse for the "pain" caused while clarifying his tics do not reflect his beliefs. The incident prompted criticism of how the broadcast was handled and broader discussion about disability representation at awards shows. Cumming concluded his post by congratulating all the BAFTA award winners. Srinagar, March 3 : Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Tuesday chaired a high-level security review meeting at the police control room (PCR) in Srinagar city. Officials said the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, chaired a high-level meeting of senior police and civil administration officials at the Police Control Room in Batmaloo area of Srinagar city to review the law and order situation. The Lieutenant Governor directed the officers to remain on "heightened alert" and take all necessary measures to ensure public peace and tranquillity. The Lieutenant Governor also appealed to the citizens and community leaders to uphold harmony and contribute to an atmosphere of calm and goodwill in society. "Preserving peace and sustaining the progress of society is a shared responsibility that rests equally upon each one of us," he said. The Lieutenant Governor said, "Chaired a meeting of senior police and civil administration officials at the Police Control Room, Kashmir, to review the law and order situation. Directed the officers to remain on heightened alert and take all necessary measures to ensure public peace and tranquillity." The L-G shared that he also appealed to the citizens and community leaders to uphold harmony and contribute to an atmosphere of calm and goodwill in society. "Preserving peace and sustaining the progress of society is a shared responsibility that rests equally upon each one of us," he said. The meeting was attended by Nalin Prabhat, DGP Jammu and Kashmir; S.J.M Gillani, Special DG (Coordination); Anand Jain, ADGP Armed; Nitish Kumar, ADGP CID; V.K Birdi, IGP Kashmir; Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Rajiv Pandey, DIG, CKR, Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and other senior officials. The L-G on Monday also chaired a security meeting at the Lok Bhawan in Srinagar. Authorities said that except for Srinagar and Budgam districts, educational institutions will reopen in all other right districts of the Valley on Wednesday. Kashmir University has postponed all exams scheduled today adding that fresh dates for these exams will be announced shortly. Internet services continued to be available only at 2G speed. This was done to prevent anti-social elements from uploading provocative content on the social media. No report of any untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the Valley today except for a short skirmish between the protesters and the security forces in Pattan area of Baramulla district. New Delhi, March 3 : The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Iran for relocating Indian medical students from Tehran to a safer location amid escalating conflict in the region. AIMSA and FAIMA Doctors Association Vice President, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, said that Indian medical students who were in Tehran have been shifted to the comparatively safer city of Qom by the Indian Embassy. "As you are aware of the tensions in Iran, our Indian medical students who were in Tehran have been relocated to the safer city of Qom by our embassy, and they reached safely this morning, with others still arriving. We are very grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Iran for ensuring the safety of Indian citizens amid the situation," he said. He added that the associations are in constant touch with the students and embassy officials to monitor the situation and ensure that all remaining students are moved to secure locations at the earliest. Earlier, student bodies had urged the government to initiate evacuation measures for Indian students studying in Iran in view of the prevailing security concerns. Jammu and Kashmir Students Association national Convenor Nasir Khuehami had appealed to the Centre to prioritise the safety of Indian students and facilitate their evacuation if the situation worsens. The associations reiterated their appeal for continued coordination between the MEA and Indian missions abroad to safeguard students pursuing medical education in foreign countries, especially in conflict-hit regions. They also advised students and their families to remain in contact with the embassy and follow official advisories until normalcy is restored. Mumbai, March 3 : As flight operations gradually resume amid disruptions in the Middle East, passengers returning to India recounted challenging journeys and tense moments, even as they described conditions in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi as largely normal. Speaking to IANS at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, travellers shared how rerouted flights, temporary airspace closures, and uncertainty over possible escalation prompted many to cut short their trips and head home as a precautionary measure. A passenger returning from Abu Dhabi expressed appreciation for the coordinated efforts that ensured their evacuation. "I would like to thank Air India and my entire leadership team, who worked hard to bring us back. There was a group of 580 people from our company, and they are all on their way; all of them are on the flight. The airspace there is closed, but we still managed to reach here," the passenger told IANS. Another traveller who arrived from Dubai said he had to reroute his journey through Muscat due to the prevailing situation. "I was in Dubai for business and exited to Mumbai via Muscat. As of now, Muscat is the only way out, and it takes around 12 hours to exit through Muscat. I think people who are held up in Dubai should take the Muscat route to travel to India," he said. Echoing similar sentiments, another passenger arriving via Muscat described the situation there as calm but uncertain. "Things are normal there very peaceful. It is very disturbing because the war may escalate at any time," the passenger said, highlighting the underlying anxiety among travellers despite the apparent normalcy. A traveller who recently flew in from Dubai noted that airport operations were limited but functional. "The journey was fine. The airport is operating on a limited basis right now. They are allowing people to enter with their flight tickets. Dubai started operations today, while Abu Dhabi resumed yesterday," the passenger said. Another traveller returning from Dubai praised the city's security preparedness. "Dubai was amazing. Their defence system worked really well. We felt very safe. Of course, the sounds were there, but we felt very safe. The people of Dubai were very helpful in every possible way," the passenger added. Meanwhile, a passenger arriving from Oman expressed gratitude towards the local residents. "I'm grateful to the Omani people. All the arrangements people made people were very kind. We are just praying for peace," the passenger said. Passengers arriving in Mumbai described a mix of relief and concern, as many opted to return home as a precautionary measure amid uncertainties in the region. Itanagar, March 3 : A hardcore insurgent of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) surrendered to security forces at Khonsa in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap district on Tuesday, officials said. Itanagar, March 3 (IANS) A hardcore insurgent of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) surrendered to security forces at Khonsa in Arunachal Pradeshas Tirap district on Tuesday, officials said. A defence spokesman said that based on credible intelligence inputs about the presence of a hardcore cadre of the ULFA (I) faction in the Horu Chinghan area, a focused operation was conducted by the Khonsa Battalion of the Assam Rifles from its Company Operating Base (COB) at Noglo. On reaching the suspected location, sources were activated and tasked with establishing contact with the insurgent and persuading him to surrender, the spokesman said. Sustained operational pressure and persistent negotiations eventually convinced the insurgent to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream. The efforts yielded a positive response, and the insurgent agreed to lay down arms. He was subsequently taken into custody at COB Noglo. The surrendered militant has been identified as self-styled 2nd Lieutenant Bitul Baruah (31), a member of the ULFA (I) faction. During the surrender, he deposited one .40 calibre pistol with a magazine and two live rounds of .40 calibre ammunition. An official statement said that the successful surrender underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-based operations and the humane, persuasive approach adopted by the Khonsa Battalion of the Assam Rifles. The force remains committed to maintaining peace, security and stability in the region and continues to motivate misguided youth to return to the mainstream, it added. Khonsa, a small hill town nestled in a valley and surrounded by the Himalayas, is the headquarters of Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh. The ULFA (I), led by 68-year-old Paresh Baruah, has been involved in insurgent activities mainly in Assam for over four decades. Meanwhile, security forces in Arunachal Pradesh last month foiled a major terror plot by arresting a militant of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition during a joint operation in the border district of Longding. New Delhi, March 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday afternoon spoke with two important leaders from the Gulf region as India remains in touch with the governments of the region as well as other key partners with regard to the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region. Welfare and security of Indian diaspora in focus as PM Modi speaks with Oman Sultan, Kuwait Crown Prince In his phone conversations with Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, PM Modi expressed concern at the attacks in the respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. The significant discussions took place as India on Tuesday reiterated its call for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region, making it clear that it continues to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest. "We had expressed our deep concern at the commencement of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on 28 February 2026. Even at that time, India had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritize the safety of civilians. Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA spokesperson mentioned that India remains in touch with the governments of the region as well as other key partners with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also having held discussions with their counterparts. In the last two days, PM Modi has spoken to leaders of UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. "In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt. As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety," the statement added. The MEA spokesperson mentioned that India is in touch with the governments of the region as well as other key partners with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also having held discussions with their counterparts. "There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days," the MEA stated. "In this background, India strongly reiterates its call for dialogue and diplomacy. We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict. Already, many lives have been regrettably lost and we express our grief in that regard. Indian Embassies and Consulates in the affected countries remain in close touch with Indian nationals and community organizations, issuing regular advisories as appropriate. They have also extended all possible help to those stranded by the conflict. The Embassies and Consulates will continue to be proactive in addressing various consular aspects of this conflict," it added further. The total area of Russian occupation of Ukraine last week, from February 23 to March 2, decreased for the first time since 2022, according to maps from the OSINT project of DeepState. Despite the enemy continuing its offensive in Donetsk region on several fronts simultaneously, it captured a total of only 14.68 square kilometers in the past week. Meanwhile, in Oleksandrivka direction along the administrative border of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia regions, thanks to the actions of the Defense Forces, the area of enemy occupation decreased by 30.89 square kilometers in the past week. The project does not mention the liberation of specific settlements in Oleksandrivka axis direction, only the transition of the corresponding territories to the penetration zone. At the same time, the penetration zone has been expanded in both directionsa total of 47.66 square kilometers in this single direction. In Pokrovsk direction of Donetsk region, the enemy advanced only 1.51 square kilometers in the past week (the penetration zone has shrunk by 0.76 square kilometers). In the previous weeks of February, the enemy advanced 16-24 kilometers in this direction weekly, indicating that the Defense Forces have almost completely halted the enemys advance in Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration. In Chasiv-Yar, Kostiantynivka, and Siversk directions in the east and north of Donetsk region, the enemys advance slowed by almost a third to 9.91 square kilometers (from 14.02 square kilometers the week before last), but remained within the typical range for these directions since last year. In the neighboring Lyman direction, the enemys advance also slowed by a third (from 4.66 square kilometers to 3.26 square kilometers). The penetration zone in these directions began to shrink after a long period of growth, decreasing by more than 9 square kilometers in total over the past week. There were no changes on other front lines last week. Thus, the total area of occupied Ukrainian territory decreased by 16.21 square kilometers over the week, while the penetration zone increased by 38.25 square kilometers. Last week, the occupiers lost an average of 2.3 square kilometers daily, while the penetration zone increased by an average of 5.5 square kilometers daily. Last week, the occupiers increased their area of control by an average of 1.7 square kilometers per day. Imphal, March 3 : In a unique display of ethnic harmony, 24 young people from four different communities of Manipur -- Meitei, Kuki, Naga and Meitei Pangal (Muslim) -- have embarked on an 11-day National Integration Tour that will take them to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal, officials said on Tuesday. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed happiness that the participants are representing an integrated Manipur, as they belong to various communities residing in the state. The Chief Minister on Tuesday flagged off the National Integration Tour 2025-26 at the Assam Rifles complex in Keithelmanbi. The tour, organised by the 33 Battalion of the Assam Rifles, will cover Imphal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari, Mumbai and Kolkata from March 3 to 13. A total of 24 youths -- six each from the Meitei, Kuki, Naga and Meitei Pangal (Muslim) communities -- are part of the initiative. CM Khemchand Singh said that during the ethnic conflict in the state, more than 47,000 people belonging to both the Meitei and Kuki communities were relocated to safer zones by the Assam Rifles to ensure their security and well-being. He commended the prompt and dedicated efforts of the Assam Rifles in carrying out the relocation process during the hostilities. The Chief Minister further said that despite differences, elders should not jeopardise the future of children. "We should forgive and forget the past and jointly move towards bringing peace and development in the state," he observed. As part of the programme, an interactive session was held during which the Chief Minister personally engaged with the participating youths. While interacting with the Kuki participants, he greeted them in the Kuki dialect, asking, "Bu nanehtaham" (Have you eaten food?). The six Kuki youths responded, "Ka Ne Tai" (We have eaten food). During the interaction, he encouraged the participants to make the most of the opportunity and gain meaningful experiences during the tour. He also assured them that the state government would extend unwavering support and assistance. In a symbolic gesture of unity and inclusiveness, a group comprising one member from each community was formed, and a flag was handed over to them to represent collective harmony and shared identity. Kits were also distributed to the participants. During the event, officials of the Assam Rifles also introduced the Chief Minister to a group of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets drawn from various communities across the state, highlighting the spirit of unity among the youths. The programme was attended by former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Tarun Vijay, Brigadier Pratyush Kumar and students, among others. New Delhi, March 3 : A city-based defence entrepreneur received two threatening phone calls from abroad recently, warning him of dire consequences if he doesn't agree to their demands. New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) A city-based defence entrepreneur received two threatening phone calls from abroad recently, warning him of dire consequences if he doesnat agree to their demands. The callers, allegedly the kingpin of international extortion rackets in foreign locations, warned of directly targeting him despite the security cover provided to him, months after his house in Amritsar came under attack from armed assailants in August last year. Delhi Police have taken cognisance of a complaint filed by defence entrepreneur Sahil Luthra, who claimed fresh death threats from an international network operating from Portugal and Germany. The case has been transferred to the Delhi Police Special Cell for thorough investigation. According to the complaint filed by Sahil Luthra at the Chanakyapuri police station, he received two calls from international numbers originating in Portugal and Germany on February 26, where the callers not only claimed responsibility for the firing that occurred at his Amritsar residence on the intervening night of Nov 29a"30 last year but also warned him of further action. The callers allegedly told Luthra that future attacks would directly target him and indicated awareness of the security cover provided to him, asserting that it would not prevent an attack. The Delhi Police investigating team is examining similarities between this case and threats previously reported by actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Rohit Shetty. Luthra is the Managing Director of Vijayen Trishul Defence Solutions (VTDS), a defence manufacturing firm. According to the complaint, he has been receiving threats since October 2024, around the time the company announced expansion plans in Punjab. Luthra was allegedly asked to pay Rs 10 crore in August 2025. Authorities are assessing whether the demand and the method used align with other high-profile extortion cases under investigation. The firing incident at his Amritsar residence remains under probe. In several recent cases involving public figures, shots were fired outside properties as a form of intimidation. Police are verifying whether there is any operational link. The complaint further states that the threats were routed through VoIP calls traced to multiple countries, including Portugal, Germany, Canada, and the United States. In May 2025, the company reportedly faced attempted cyber intrusions targeting official email accounts and social media handles. The complaint alleged that some digital activity appeared to originate from accounts believed to be operated from Pakistan. Jaipur, March 3 : Khadim Haji Syed Salman Chishty, Chairman of the Chishty Foundation, on Tuesday urged the Government of India to implement proactive measures to protect Indian citizens in the Middle East. He called for immediate evacuation preparedness due to the escalating crisis following reports of the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Chishty expressed deep concern, stating that the development is not only political but also a significant spiritual provocation with global repercussions. "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not merely a head of state. For millions within the global Shia Muslim community, he occupied the position of a supreme religious authority, a Marja and spiritual guide whose influence extended far beyond the borders of Iran," he stated. Chishty compared Khamenei's stature in Shia Islam to the Pope's global leadership role in the Roman Catholic Church, highlighting the significance of the loss. He condemned the reported targeted attack on the 86-year-old leader at his official residence, describing it as a serious violation of international norms and humanitarian law. He also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced legal proceedings and arrest warrants through the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, emphasizing that European states are bound by legal obligations under international conventions. When leadership already under international legal scrutiny escalates military confrontation in a manner that targets high-ranking religious and political leadership authorities, the world must not remain silent," he said. In his statement, Chishty strongly denounced "any act of targeted assassination, disproportionate military aggression, and reckless escalation that threatens to engulf the region in wider war." He emphasised that no political leader represents an entire faith community, stating, "The Jewish faith, like Islam, Christianity, and any other faith, stands for justice, moral accountability, and the sanctity of life. Political actions must never be conflated with religious identity." Highlighting India's longstanding ties with Iran through Sufi heritage, Persian scholarship, language, and cultural exchange, he said India's role as a civilizational bridge carries moral weight at this critical time. "From the blessed threshold of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, the message is simple and urgent: violence cannot secure legitimacy, bombardment cannot create peace, assassination cannot bring stability, and history shows that unchecked militarism only increases grief," he declared. Chishty concluded with a prayer from Ajmer Sharif, stating, "Humanity cannot afford another prolonged war in the Middle East. May Allah protect the innocent, grant patience to the grieving, guide global leadership toward restraint, and prevent humanity from descending into wider catastrophe. From Ajmer Sharif, we pray for justice, wisdom, and universal peace." New Delhi, March 3 : President Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday, greeted fellow citizens on the eve of Holi, saying that the festival is a symbol of unity in diversity. In a message, the President said, "On the joyous occasion of Holi, I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all Indians living in India and abroad." Holi is a festival of joy and celebration that conveys the message of social harmony. The festival spreads love and hope in the society and strengthens the spirit of social cohesion, President Murmu added. "May the colours of Holi bring happiness into everyone's life and together we contribute to building a developed nation," the President said. Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also extended greetings to people on Holi eve, an official said. In his message, Speaker Birla said, "Heartfelt greetings to all on the joyous festival of Holi, the celebration of colours, enthusiasm, and mutual harmony." He added that the festival of colours is a vibrant expression of our rich culture, traditions, and brotherhood. "Holi reminds us that no matter how many challenges life may bring, the colours of love, faith, and positivity can dispel every darkness. When we apply colours to one another, we break down the walls of discrimination and convey a message of equality and unity. This is the greatest strength of our nation," he said. "Our country is full of diversity, yet the celebration of Holi binds us together in a thread of unity and brotherhood," Speaker Birla said. "On this year's Holi, let us pledge to fill our society with the colours of love, peace, and harmony, and to share the joy of the festival with those who may be alone or in need," he added. "Once again, heartfelt wishes to all on Holi. May your life always be filled with vibrant colours of happiness, and may our nation continue to shine with the colours of love, progress, and unity," he said. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday endorsed his Tamil Nadu counterpart M. K. Stalin's call for a national dialogue on recalibrating Union-State relations and restoring the constitutional balance of Indian federalism. Bengaluru, March 3 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday endorsed his Tamil Nadu counterpart M. K. Stalin's call for a national dialogue on recalibrating Uniona"State relations and restoring the constitutional balance of Indian federalism. Reiterating Karnatakaas readiness to work with Tamil Nadu and other States, Siddaramaiah said unity in a diverse republic like India must rest on constitutional trust and collaborative partnership rather than unilateral assertion. In his letter dated March 2, he acknowledged receipt of Stalinas letter dated February 20, along with Part I of the Report of the High-Level Committee on Uniona"State Relations constituted by the Tamil Nadu government and commended the initiative as a thoughtful exercise aimed at constitutional correction and renewal. Referring to the framing of the Constitution against the backdrop of Partition and national integration, the Chief Minister noted that the Constituent Assembly had consciously created a Union with unitary features under exceptional historical circumstances. However, he emphasised that India was envisaged as a "Union of States", not a unitary state in disguise, and that federalism was designed as a structural safeguard against concentration of power. Siddaramaiah expressed concern over what he termed incremental centralisation over the decades, citing expansive interpretations of the Concurrent List, conditional fiscal transfers, centrally designed schemes with reduced flexibility for states, and delays in gubernatorial assent to state legislation. He observed that what was intended as cooperative federalism had increasingly resembled coercive federalism. Highlighting constitutional provisions, he said the spirit of Article 246 read with the Seventh Schedule, and the framework under Articles 245 to 254, required principled recalibration. On fiscal federalism, he stressed that Articles 268 to 281, along with the role of the Finance Commission under Article 280 and the GST framework under Article 279A, must not operate in a manner that dilutes the fiscal sovereignty of states. He also referred to the Supreme Courtas judgment in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, which declared federalism part of the basic structure of the Constitution. The Chief Minister stated that Karnataka shared many of the concerns articulated in the Tamil Nadu committeeas report and had consistently asserted the constitutional space of states in matters such as language policy, education, public health, fiscal devolution, and legislative autonomy. He described these as constitutional claims rooted in pluralism, diversity, and democratic accountability. Calling for collective action, Siddaramaiah said federal renewal could not remain the endeavour of one or two states but must emerge as a broader national articulation cutting across political affiliations. The objective, he said, was not to weaken the Union but to right-size it, allowing the Centre to focus on genuinely national priorities while trusting states with constitutionally assigned spheres. He urged the Union government to provide an institutional platform for structured deliberation, suggesting options such as a revitalised Inter-State Council under Article 263, a special conclave of Chief Ministers, or a formal constitutional review dialogue. The absence of such engagement, he said, had contributed to the perception that cooperative federalism had receded in practice. Kolkata, March 3 : The National Commission for Women (NCW), on Tuesday, took suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual harassment of a woman civic volunteer by a Officer-in-Charge of the Kolkata police station and asked the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP), Peeyush Pandey, to file an action taken report regarding the incident within five days. In an X post, the NCW said, "National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of a grave and disturbing news report... published on March 2, 2026, regarding allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of authority by an Officer-in-Charge of a police station in Kolkata against a woman civic volunteer under his supervision." The women rights panel also condemned the incident, saying misconduct by a senior police officer undermines public trust in law enforcement agencies. "The Commission strongly condemns this reprehensible act, which constitutes a serious violation of the victim's dignity, equality, and protection from workplace sexual harassment under the Constitution of India and the POSH Act, 2013. Misconduct by a senior police officer gravely undermines public trust in law enforcement institutions," it said. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar asked the West Bengal DGP to ensure action against the accused police officer and registration of an FIR. "The NCW Chairperson has directed the DGP of West Bengal to ensure immediate and lawful action, including registration of an FIR under appropriate provisions, a fair and time-bound investigation, strict departmental action, preservation and examination of evidence, and protection of the complainant from any form of retaliation," the NCW said. "The West Bengal DGP has been asked to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within five days, including the status of the FIR, investigation progress, and measures taken to strengthen safeguards against workplace sexual harassment within police units," it added. According to police sources, a woman civic volunteer alleged that the officer-in-charge of a police station in South Suburban division of Kolkata Police sexually harassed her. According to a source in the Kolkata Police headquarters, the civic volunteer said that the incident took place at February-end. The female civic volunteer filed a written complaint on Sunday. According to police sources, a departmental investigation was started against the accused as per the guidelines for sexual harassment at work as soon as the complaint was received. However, there was no report of an FIR or the case being filed till Monday evening. Police sources said that further action will be taken after the initial investigation. The accused police officer has already been transferred to another police station in the state. Bengaluru, March 3 : Actresses Rukmini Vasanth, Ashika Ranganath and Sapthami Gowda have condemned photos and videos of female actors being shot from inappropriate angles at public events. Taking to their social media timelines to share a statement in which they unequivocally condemned deliberate zoom-ins and inappropriate angles on Tuesday, the actresses said, "As women in the film industry, we stand together in addressing a recurring issue. Repeatedly, videos and photographs of female actors at public events are shot and circulated from inappropriate angles, with unnecessary zooms that focus on our bodies rather than our work." The actresses further said, "This behavior, carried out by a few individuals, is disrespectful and unacceptable. We are here for our craft. We are here for our cinema." Stating that they unequivocally condemned deliberate zoom-ins and inappropriate angles, the actresses said, "They are clear violations of dignity and will not be normalized or tolerated." The actresses further said, "We expect those covering events to maintain professionalism, basic respect, and decency. We stand united in setting this boundary. We stand in solidarity with every woman who has experienced this- and we will continue to support one another in demanding respect." Actress Ashika Ranganath, who shared the statement on her stories section of Instagram, also went on to state, "Let's normalise respect- not violation. Deliberate zoom ins and inappropriate angles are disrespectful and unacceptable." Actress Sapthami Gowda, who also shared a Kannada version of the statement on her Instagram stories section, went on to state, "There are journalists and media friends who have shown immense respect and with whom we have felt extremely secured with. We request them to support us against these handful who are brutal in how they capture and project the ladies." Kannada actor Daali Dhananjaya was among those who shared the statement put out by the actresses. Bengaluru, March 3 : BJP MLC C.T. Ravi on Tuesday alleged that the Congress party places political interests above national interests and criticised its stand on issues relating to national security and foreign policy. He said India, as a sovereign nation, takes decisions based on its national interest and in accordance with the demands of the situation. He noted that the policy of non-alignment was a temporary approach adopted in a specific historical context and asserted that, on matters of national security, India takes necessary decisions from time to time in line with its strategic interests. "For the Congress, political interest appears to be more important than national interest," he alleged. Ravi further claimed that the Congress was primarily concerned about protecting its vote bank. He alleged that the BJP does not adopt such an approach and maintained that there should not be different stands on national issues based on party or community lines. Ravi expressed hope that the situation would become clearer after March 4, adding that two flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai had already arrived in Bengaluru and that the situation was gradually stabilising. The Ministry of External Affairs, he said, had advised against panic and shared the contact details of consulate offices for assistance. He added that India had previously rescued citizens stranded in places such as Syria and parts of Africa, and reiterated that there was no need for concern. On allegations of surveillance and phone tapping, Ravi said that a former Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition had made such claims and suggested that they must have had some clues or evidence to do so. He said that tapping the phones of one's own legislators might help understand their plans and could be seen as an attempt to safeguard the government and the chair. He also questioned what steps were being taken to understand the people's sentiments. The remarks come amid an ongoing political row in Karnataka over allegations of phone tapping and internal discord within the ruling party. Bengaluru, Mar 3 : Karnataka BJP on Tuesday accused the state government of diverting funds meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under the Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) for other purposes, terming it a "betrayal" of Dalits. Bengaluru, Mar 3 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Tuesday accused the state government of diverting funds meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under the Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) for other purposes, terming it a "betrayal" of Dalits. The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, claimed that the government had used Rs 39,000 crore from SCP and TSP allocations over the past three years for purposes other than those intended. He said more than 60 Dalit organisations participated in the meeting and collectively condemned the alleged diversion of funds. According to him, the representatives at the meeting unanimously felt that the government was deceiving the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and called for a large-scale agitation against the administration. Questioning the funding pattern of the state's guarantee schemes, Narayanaswamy said the programmes required around Rs 52,000 crore annually. "After earmarking Rs 52,000 crore in the Budget, why should SCP and TSP funds be drawn for the same purpose?" he asked. He further questioned whether financial assistance extended to other communities was being sourced from their respective development corporations. He asked if benefits given to Vokkaliga women were drawn from the Vokkaliga Development Corporation, whether allocations for Lingayats came from the Lingayat Development Corporation, and whether guarantees for Muslims were funded through the Minorities Development Corporation. "When it comes to Scheduled Castes and Tribes, why are their earmarked funds being utilised?" he asked. Narayanaswamy also alleged that while the government projects SCP and TSP allocations at Rs 42,000 crore, the actual amount directly benefiting SC and ST communities is significantly lower. He said that out of the total allocation covering 34 departments, Rs 21,000 crore is distributed among them, and of the remaining Rs 21,000 crore, about Rs 14,000 crore is being used for guarantee schemes. This, he claimed, leaves only around Rs 7,000 crore effectively available for the targeted communities. "If only Rs 7,000 crore reaches them, why claim an allocation of Rs 42,000 crore?" he questioned. Former Union Minister A. Narayanaswamy, former Minister N. Mahesh, retired IAS officer Lakshminarayan, and several other leaders attended the meeting. The allegations come ahead of the state Budget, with the Opposition intensifying its criticism of the government over welfare allocations and implementation of guarantee schemes. Beit Shemesh : , March 3 (IANS) A sudden and devastating strike amid escalating Israel-Iran tensions have wreaked havoc in Beit Shemesh, nearly 30 km west of Jerusalem in Israel's Jerusalem district, on Tuesday, leaving homes shattered and multiple residents dead, including children. Beit Shemesh (Israel), March 3 (IANS) A sudden and devastating strike amid escalating Israela"Iran tensions have wreaked havoc in Beit Shemesh, nearly 30 km west of Jerusalem in Israel's Jerusalem district, on Tuesday, leaving homes shattered and multiple residents dead, including children. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and disbelief as the attack obliterated entire neighbourhoods within seconds, sending shockwaves through the local community. Speaking to IANS, Shimon Ganon, a resident of Beit Shemesh, described the horrifying aftermath of the attacks. "Within three or four seconds, everything here was destroyed. You can see what happened. My neighbours were taken to the hospital, and the entire house is shattered. It feels like a dream, like something unreal. No one here understands what happened. It's crazy, yes, crazy," he said. The attacks have caused widespread devastation in the city, leaving families grieving and communities in shock. Ganon added that the human cost has been severe. "Nine people died here, they were my neighbours and their children. What can I tell you? Yesterday, I saw them all, today they are all gone. Nine people died, yes including children. Three children were killed. That's the tragedy," he said. Authorities in Beit Shemesh are still assessing the full extent of the destruction, and rescue operations continue amid ongoing tensions in the region. Hospitals are treating the injured, while emergency services work to secure affected areas. Residents described scenes of chaos and disbelief, with many struggling to comprehend the suddenness and severity of the attacks. Local officials have called for calm and urged people to stay indoors until further notice. The incident in Beit Shemesh is part of the broader escalation between Israel and Iran, which has prompted heightened security measures across affected areas. Relief efforts are being coordinated to assist the families who have lost loved ones and homes in the attack. Next trilateral meeting not postponed; it could take place on March 5-6, possibly not in Abu Dhabi Zelenskyy Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official A previously scheduled trilateral meeting between the Ukrainian, American, and Russian sides regarding ending the war in Ukraine has not been postponed, despite the ongoing military operation in Iran, and may take place on March 5 or 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced, suggesting that the location will still be changed. "Nobody postponed the next trilateral meeting with the Americans, even after the strike on Iran, so I believe it can take place on March 5 or 6, as planned," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Italys Corriere Della Sera, published on Tuesday, when asked whether negotiations with Russia had reached a dead end. "Its possible this [meeting] wont take place in Abu Dhabi. I would prefer it to be in Geneva or any other European city, because the war is taking place on our continent. If Russia wants a neutral location, then Austria, the Vatican, or Turkey would be suitable. We hope that a new prisoner exchange will take place," the Ukrainian president added. As reported, on February 26, following a meeting between the Ukrainian negotiating team led by Rustem Umerov and David Arakhamia and US President Donald Trumps envoys, Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Zelenskyy announced increased readiness for the next trilateral meeting, likely to take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in early March. The most recent round of talks took place in Geneva, Switzerland, and the previous ones were held in Abu Dhabi. On February 2, Zelenskyy clarified that the trilateral Ukraine-US-Russia meeting was tentatively scheduled for March 5-6 in Abu Dhabi. However, due to the ongoing fighting, the Ukrainian side cannot confirm that the meeting will take place there, although it has not been cancelled. Kolkata, March 3 : In fresh action in connection with the Sahara Prime City land case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided multiple premises of the company and its officials in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and seized electronic evidence, an official said on Tuesday. The ED's Kolkata Zonal Office conducted the search operations on February 2 at Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Ballari (Karnataka), Bhubaneswar and Berhampur (Odisha), an ED statement said. Digital evidences such as WhatsApp communications, contact and call records were recovered and seized during the searches, the central probe agency said. "The financial records and books of accounts of the concerned entities, as well as other incriminating documents were seized for detailed examination," it added. "During the searches, statements of various persons were recorded under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002," the ED said. The searches were linked to the sale of a land parcel of Sahara Prime City Limited at Berhampur in Odisha. The searches were carried out under Section 17(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an ongoing investigation in the case of Humara India and Others," an ED statement said. "It was revealed during the search that around 32 acres (out of total 43 acres) of land in Odisha's Berhampur were fraudulently sold in December 2025 based on a revoked Board Resolution in favour of a Sahara employee and in violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court," the ED said. "The sale was found to have been carried out on the directions of senior management of Sahara Group. Discrepancies have been noticed between the declared sale consideration and the estimated market value," the ED added. "Earlier, the ED initiated the investigation based on FIRs registered under Sections 420 and 1208 of the IPC, 1860, against Humara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited (HICCSL) and others in several states," the ED statement said. "More than 500 FIRs have been registered against various Sahara Group entities, with over 300 involving scheduled offences under the PMLA, alleging large-scale cheating of depositors through forced redeposits and denial of maturity payments," the statement added. The ED investigation revealed that Sahara Group was operating a Ponzi scheme. The funds collected were managed in an unregulated manner without depositor oversight, maturity proceeds were not repaid instead reinvested, and books were manipulated to camouflage such non-repayments. Various intra group transactions reflected that huge liabilities were shifted from one concern to another without any commercial wisdom, the central agency said. "Finally, huge liabilities were being reflected in four cooperative societies. Despite financial incapacity, the Sahara Group continued to collect fresh deposits. Due to continuous non-repayment of matured amounts of depositors, the outstanding liability, which is having large interest component, has escalated disproportionately as compared to the principal sum originally collected from the depositors over the years," the ED added. "It is revealed that substantial deposits were siphoned away to create benami assets, extending loans and misused for personal use, thereby depriving depositors of their legitimate dues," the ED said. In this case, five provisional attachment orders have been issued attaching multiple land parcels of Sahara Group, including benami lands and assets of other individuals. "Three persons have also been arrested in the case and the arrested persons, Anil Vailaparampil Abraham and O.P. Srivastav, continue to remain in judicial custody. A charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet have been filed earlier," the ED added. New Delhi, March 3 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with his Cyprus counterpart Constantinos Kombos on Tuesday, discussing the current situation in West Asia. Following their conversation, EAM Jaishankar in a post on X wrote, "Spoke with FM Constantinos Kombos of Cyprus, holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Exchanged views on the situation in the Gulf." Cyprus government on Monday said that two drones flying towards the country, possibly targetting the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Akrotiri in the southern part of Cyprus island, were intercepted on Monday. Cyprus Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that three British aircraft scrambled from the base and "dealt with" the drones in a timely manner, Xinhua News Agency reported. The incident marked a second attack within hours, after a drone hit the runway shortly after midnight, causing minor damage, however, no casualties were reported. Base authorities directed non-essential personnel to leave and ordered residents of the nearby Akrotiri village on the southern coast of the island to evacuate. UK authorities are carrying out a probe into the overnight strike. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides discussed the incident with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who termed it a matter of serious concern for European security and reaffirmed the EU's support for its members. The latest conflict in West Asia began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, aimed at degrading Tehran's missile capabilities and broader military infrastructure. The opening wave of the operation killed senior figures in the Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sweeping response from Iran in the form of drone and missile attacks targetting US assets, regional capitals and allied forces across West Asia. Kombos had met EAM Jaishankar in Washington last month and congratulated him on the India-US trade deal and the recent Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU). Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : With tensions rising in the Middle East amid the Israel-US and Iran conflict, Kerala has moved to proactively assess the safety of its expatriate population, particularly in the Gulf. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday night chaired an online meeting of representatives of the Gulf region in the Loka Kerala Sabha, underscoring that safeguarding Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) remains the state governmentas top priority. Describing the situation as one that demands unity, he said this was a time for expatriates to set aside differences and act collectively. He expressed satisfaction at the coordinated response from the Malayali diaspora so far, even as anxieties persist over the evolving security landscape in the region. The state has formally alerted the Centre on the need to ensure the safety of Indian expatriates and to facilitate travel for those requiring urgent return. "Kerala will extend all possible support within its mandate," Vijayan said. Key concerns, including flight cancellations, refund delays, exorbitant ticket fares, the possibility of chartered services and the plight of transit passengers stranded at Gulf airports, will be brought before the Union government. The Chief Minister also pointed to the Gulfas deep trade and commercial linkages with India, cautioning that any prolonged instability could have economic ripple effects back home, potentially impacting livelihoods and supply chains in Kerala. Representatives attending the meeting said that while there is palpable concern over the conflict, the situation in their respective countries remains calm, and there is no immediate atmosphere of panic. However, they highlighted practical challenges such as expatriates needing emergency travel, students required to return home for examinations, passengers stranded due to cancelled flights, and those stuck on transit visas. The Chief Minister urged expatriates to strictly adhere to advisories issued by local authorities and Indian embassies, and to refrain from spreading or acting on unverified information. He assured that the state would intervene wherever feasible to ease the difficulties faced by Keralites abroad during the crisis. Over 2.5 million Keralaites eke out their living in the various Middle East countries. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Male, March 3 : China's treatment of religious and spiritual communities has once again come under scrutiny in the US Congress following remarks by a former senior American official who condemned the Chinese Communist Party's policies as a "war on belief systems", a report said on Tuesday. Male, March 3 (IANS) China's treatment of religious and spiritual communities has once again come under scrutiny in the US Congress following remarks by a former senior American official who condemned the Chinese Communist Party's policies as a "war on belief systems", a report said on Tuesday. Addressing US lawmakers recently, Sam Brownback, former US AmbassadoratLarge for International Religious Freedom, accused the Chinese Communist Party of waging a worldwide persecution campaign targetting religious believers, a report in Maldivian media outlet Etruth MV highlighted. At a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, the remarks portrayed Beijing's actions not as isolated human rights abuses but "as a coordinated campaign to suppress belief systems perceived as threats to state authority." "The testimony, combined with recent legislative moves and earlier international findings, has renewed focus on allegations that China is using surveillance, detention, and coercive medical practices to dismantle independent faith communities at home while projecting pressure abroad," the report mentioned. Brownback said that "the campaign targets a wide spectrum of faiths, including Christians, Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and practitioners of Falun Gong." According to the report, Brownback alleged that Beijing allocates vast financial and institutional resources aimed at suppressing religion. He told lawmakers that the Chinese government spends billions of dollars each year to control or dismantle independent belief systems, arguing that the "most severe repression is reserved for Falun Gong practitioners". "Brownback characterised believers inside China as individuals operating 'behind enemy lines', describing them as uniquely positioned to challenge state control because their convictions allow them to overcome fear. His testimony emphasised that faithbased resistance, rather than political ideology, is viewed by the Chinese state as a destabilising force," the report said. The report stressed that a central focus of Brownback's testimony was the use of advanced surveillance technology to enforce religious repression. He said China's extensive monitoring apparatus enables authorities to identify and neutralise individuals considered capable of mobilising others through faith. The Capitol Hill hearing, the report said, "placed China's domestic religious policies within a broader international context." Brownback characterised the repression as global, asserting that pressure extends beyond China's borders through coercion of diaspora communities and use of diplomatic influence. "As lawmakers consider further action, the allegations outlined during the hearing add to an expanding body of claims that frame religious persecution as central, rather than incidental, to China's political system. The description of a 'war on belief systems' may be rhetorical, but the policies and practices discussed surveillance, detention, alleged forced organ harvesting, and transnational pressure reflect a sustained effort to control belief," the report noted. "For US lawmakers, the issue now sits at the intersection of human rights, foreign policy, and legislative oversight, with implications that extend far beyond China's borders," it added. Hyderabad, March 3 : The Telangana government will undertake 99-day public outreach programme from March 6 to June 12 in five phases to take welfare schemes, development works and public services closer to people, government officials said on Tuesday. The programme titled 'Praja Palanaa"Pragati Pranalika' (people's governance-progress plan) will cover 10 different themes under various departments. These decisions were taken at a meeting Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had with the district Collectors here on Tuesday. The Planning Department will act as the nodal department for this programme, under which gram sabhas will be held at the village level on April 2. This will be followed by meetings at the Mandal level on April 16. Constituency-level programme will be organised on May 2 followed by district level programme on May 22. The programme will conclude with State formation day celebrations from June 2. The department-wise themes to be covered are cleanliness from village level to state level and clearance of pending files in government offices; health; road safety drive; welfare; child safety and drugs control; farmers' welfare and agriculture; education; youth and sports; women and environment. Preparatory meetings will be held under the auspices of Ministers in all erstwhile districts on March 6. During the 99-day programme, foundation will be laid for various development works or they will be inaugurated in the state. A special mobile app will be developed for monitoring the 99-day programme. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed the officials concerned to take steps to ensure that welfare schemes launched by the state government reach all eligible beneficiaries. He said that during gram sabhas, officials should explain to the people the welfare schemes that are being implemented by the state government. He directed that ward members, sarpanches, municipal ward members, chairpersons, Corporators, and Mayors must be actively involved in the programme. For capacity building of local representatives, a one-day training programme should be organised at district headquarters for ward members, sarpanches, chairpersons, Corporators, and Mayors. They must be provided clear orientation on their roles and responsibilities, along with printed reference material. The Chief Minister added that farmers should be educated about replacing agricultural pump sets with solar pump sets and informed about their benefits. "Awareness should be created in every village regarding rooftop solar installations, grid connectivity, and income generation through surplus power supply." Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed that beneficiaries under new ration cards, fine rice distribution, Indiramma houses, free electricity up to 200 units, loan waivers, free bus travel, and Rs 500 gas cylinder schemes must be presented in Gram and Ward Sabhas. The overall benefits accrued at village, mandal, constituency, and district levels should be transparently shared, he said. The Chief Minister added that services of all 35 government medical colleges in the state must be effectively utilised. "Primary health centres, community health centres, and other local health institutions should refer cases to government medical colleges. Advanced equipment, medical students, doctors, and professors available in these colleges must be optimally utilised for public benefit." The Chief Minister has directed that facial recognition must be implemented across all government schemes to ensure benefits reach only eligible persons. "Saying that through facial recognition in Aasara pensions, three lakh ineligible beneficiaries were removed," CM Revanth Reddy said proper use of technology is essential to prevent misuse. CM Revanth Reddy asked officials to fully digitise transport department data. "Fitness tests for school buses and other vehicles must be conducted regularly. Eye-testing camps should be organised for Regional Transport Corporation drivers as well as drivers of lorries and goods vehicles, particularly at locations where they gather in large numbers." "The Transport Department should provide a WhatsApp number for reporting potholes and accident-prone locations. Immediate repairs and precautionary measures must be taken based on public inputs," the Chief Minister said. Hyderabad, March 3 : Responding to an appreciation post penned by his dad Megastar Chiranjeevi, Telugu star Ram Charan has now told his father that his encouragement meant everything to him. Megastar Chiranjeevi had penned an appreciation post after watching Ram Charan's introduction song 'Rai Rai Raa Raa' from his upcoming film 'Peddi'. Sharing the 'Rai Rai Raa Raa' track on his X timeline, Chiranjeevi had said, "#RaiRaiRaaRaa from #Peddi is sheer fire on screen, a stunning blend of energy, emotion, and cinematic brilliance. Watching @AlwaysRamCharan light up the screen with effortless grace and electrifying speed fills me with immense pride. The way he moves is a joy to watch! (sic)." Giving a shout out to 'Peddi' director Buchi Babu Sana, Oscar-winning composer A. R. Rahman, and all the others responsible for bringing the track to life, the Megastar had gone on to add, "Kudos to @BuchiBabuSana for the brilliant picturization, @arrahman for the magical composition and vocals, and @AlwaysJani for the power-packed choreography." "Compliments to @RathnaveluDop for the magnificent visuals, @IananthaSriram for the meaningful lyrics, and producer @venkataskilaru for backing this spectacular vision", he had further said. Chiranjeevi had concluded the post by wishing the entire team of "Peddi" "many more milestones ahead!" Now, Ram Charan has responded to his dad's appreciation post. Ram Charan replied to Chiranjeevi's post, saying, "Thank you, nanna (dad) (heart emoji). Your encouragement means everything. It reminds me to stay grounded, work harder and keep raising the bar." For the unaware, Buchi Babu Sana's 'Peddi' has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs. Janhvi Kapoor plays the lead along with Ram Charan in this film, whcih will also feature actors Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyendu Sharma, and Boman Irani. The film has cinematography by one of the best in the business, R. Rathnavelu, and editing by National Awarda"winner Navin Nooli. Backed by Venkata Satish Kilaru under the banner of Vriddhi Cinemas, and presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings, 'Peddi' is slated to hit screens across the globe on April 30 this year. New Delhi, March 3 : The CBI has booked three accused and launched an investigation into illegal drug manufacturing by at least two companies in Puducherry, after getting a go-ahead from the Union Home Ministry, an official said. The federal agency filed an FIR against Vivek Venkatesan, Amman Pharma, Puducherry; Raja, Puducherry; and A.K. Rana, Meenakshi Pharma, Puducherry, on the recommendation of the Puducherry government to take over the case, said the official. CBI's Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Yadav ordered the registration of FIR under penal provisions dealing with offences of criminal conspiracy, adulteration of drugs, cheating, illegal manufacture and sale of drugs, and spurious drugs. The case was taken over by the CBI on the recommendation of the Puducherry government's home department. The FIR said, "... the investigation of Cr. No 27/2025, PS-CBCID, Puducherry, has been taken over by CBI by re-registering the same as Case RC-2182026A0003." Earlier, Under Secretary (Vigilance), Government of Puducherry, wrote a letter on December 12, 2025 and conveyed the approval of the Lieutenant Governor, Union Territory of Puducherry, for investigation of all criminal cases registered in connection with illegal drug manufacturing, storage, distribution and allied offences detected at Mettupalayam and Sedarapet areas of the Union Territory, including related FIRs, by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), said an official. The Special Secretary (Home), Puducherry, in a letter written on December 31, 2025, requested the Director, CBI, to take over the investigation, the official said. The Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, in a letter on February 24, conveyed the 'No Objection' of the Ministry in taking over the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the official said. While seeking a CBI probe into the case, the Puducherry government said that multiple arrests and seizure of incriminating materials by the police "reveal possible inter-State ramifications, complex supply chains, financial transactions, and involvement of multiple persons operating across different States, indicating the presence of organised criminal networks engaged in illegal drug manufacturing and distribution". Justifying its recommendation for a CBI probe, the Puducherry government said, "The investigation has also revealed the likelihood of illegal financial flows and organised activities having potential implications for public health, economic security, and national interest, with possible linkages extending beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the Union Territory of Puducherry." "The Crime Branch, Puducherry Police, has conducted commendable and effective investigation so far. However, it is felt that further investigation in the matter may need specialised multi-disciplinary expertise, inter-State coordination, Financial investigation capability, and possible international liaison capabilities of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has nationwide jurisdiction," said the letter written to CBI Director. New Delhi, March 3 : The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Tuesday appealed to the Indian leadership, the UN and the international community to take immediate, serious and practical measures to stop the aggression carried out by the US and Israel against Iran. A statement issued by AIMPLB Spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas strongly and unequivocally condemned the aggression, seeking an immediate stopping of war. Ilyas said that at such a critical and decisive moment, our country could have played a balanced and dignified mediatory role. "However, the current approach has adversely affected the credibility of the country's foreign policy," he said. The Board urged the UN and the international community to take steps to ensure a ceasefire and prevent the region from descending into a devastating war. Ilyas stated that significant progress had been made in negotiations between Iran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear programme. According to Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi, who was mediating the talks, Iran had agreed to almost all of the United States' conditions. Despite this, the sudden announcement by the US to terminate the negotiations, followed immediately by a joint attack on Iran with Israel, indicates that the negotiations were merely a pretext rather than a serious diplomatic effort, he said. Ilyas expressed grief over the "martyrdom" of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, describing it as a great loss for the Muslim Ummah. He expressed concern that no Indian official condolence message was issued on the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, which, he said, goes against our moral and diplomatic traditions. He stated that targeting the central leadership of a sovereign country during wartime and openly speaking of regime change constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. He further noted that this war has engulfed the entire West Asia in instability. While several European countries are supporting the US, Russia and China are backing Iran. "If immediate and effective diplomatic intervention is not undertaken, this conflict could escalate into a wider global war. A prolonged war would not only deepen the humanitarian crisis but also severely impact the global economy, with developing and weaker nations bearing the greatest burden," Ilyas added. Ahmedabad, March 3 : A Special Court in Ahmedabad sentenced two drug traffickers to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh each in the 2019 case related to possession of 3.983 kg of charas, a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official said on Tuesday. Bharuch Additional District and Sessions Court has convicted both the accused -- Malek Shirin Bano, 40, and Firoj Khan Pathan, 48, and sentenced them to 15 years of RI along with a fine under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 (as amended). The NCB said that Malek Shirin Bano, a resident of Gujarat's Bharuch, and Firoj Khan Pathan, a resident of Dariyapur in Ahmedabad, were arrested at the Bharuch Railway Station on October 12, 2019, when they arrived on the Paschim Express. "Both accused were found in conscious and exclusive possession of 3.983 kg of charas, which were seized under a duly drawn panchnama in the presence of independent witnesses," an NCB statement said. A complaint was filed before the Bharuch Additional District and Sessions Court on April 7, 2020, for offences punishable under Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii)(C) and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The statement said the meticulous investigation and diligent prosecution by the NCB Ahmedabad Zonal Unit have ensured that justice is delivered, protecting communities from the devastating consequences of narcotic drug abuse. In another case, a Special Court in Ahmedabad sentenced a drug trafficker to 12 years of RI and slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh in a mephedrone smuggling case of 2023, an NCB official said on Monday. An Additional Sessions Judge at Ahmedabad convicted Mohammad Irfan Usmangani Saiyad, a resident of Kalupur in Ahmedabad, in the case. The case pertained to the seizure of 155 grams of mephedrone and 43 grams of charas at Kalupur Railway Station in Ahmedabad in February 2023, which led to the arrest of the drug trafficker. Washington, March 3 : In the world's largest economy, entire Native American communities still haul water for miles, rely on crumbling irrigation systems, and face fiscal collapse after the closure of a single mine, a reality laid bare at a U.S. Senate hearing that underscored the stark development gaps inside the United States.a Washington, March 3 (IANS) In the world's largest economy, entire Native American communities still haul water for miles, rely on crumbling irrigation systems, and face fiscal collapse after the closure of a single mine, a reality laid bare at a U.S. Senate hearing that underscored the stark development gaps inside the United States. At a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs session, tribal leaders described living conditions more commonly associated with drought-stricken developing regions than with a G7 country. Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren told lawmakers that "Roughly, a third of the Navajo Nation households lack running water, and that is how I grew up, without running water." He said thousands of families haul water "over 30 miles round trip on unpaved dirt roads, washboard roads, to meet the daily water demands." The Navajo Nation is the largest indigenous nation in the country. The cost disparity is equally striking. Families who haul water "spend the equivalent of $43,000 per acre foot, compared with $600 per acre foot from a typical suburban water user in the region," Nygren said. He called it "absolutely unacceptable, in 2024, more than one-third of our people, including our children and our elders, do not have running water." The hearing focused heavily on a proposed $5 billion water settlement for tribes in northeastern Arizona. Interior Department official Bryan Newland said the measure "will provide reliable and safe water" and "authorize $5 billion for essential water development and delivery projects." The department supports the bill's "goals and purposes," he said, though "important issues" still need to be addressed. For the Hopi Tribe, the infrastructure deficit is similar. Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma said, "On our reservation, approximately 30 percent of Hopis lack running water." He framed water access as fundamental to survival and culture. "Water is sacred. Water is our life." The Zuni Tribe in neighboring New Mexico described the collapse of traditional agriculture after upstream diversions and failed federal dams. Governor Arden Kucate said the once-perennial Zuni River "is now a bare trickle." The proposed settlement would fund the rehabilitation of irrigation systems and the construction of modern drinking water and wastewater facilities. In Montana, Crow Tribe Chairman Frank White Clay warned senators that the closure of a major coal mine triggered "a 95 percent reduction in revenue." He said the tribe is facing a fiscal "cliff," with funds for elders, social services, and public safety at risk. The testimony offered a stark contrast. The United States leads globally in GDP and technological innovation. At the same time, some Indigenous nations within its borders still struggle for basic utilities. Large-scale settlements require congressional approval and can take decades to negotiate, leaving communities in limbo. As a result of the Russian Federations attacks on the energy infrastructure of frontline and border regions, there are new power outages in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy and Chernihiv regions this morning, NPC Ukrenergo reported. "Where security conditions allow, emergency restoration work is already underway. Power engineers are doing everything possible to restore power to all affected consumers as quickly as possible," the company said on its Telegram channel Tuesday. At the same time, Ukrenergo said electricity consumption continues an upward trend, and this morning its level was 1.1% higher than Monday morning. The company said the increase is due to fewer restrictions applied in most regions of Ukraine. It stressed that the need for energy conservation remains in regions where hourly outages are in effect. Ukrenergo said no outage schedules were applied overnight Tuesday. They began at 8 a.m. in some regions and are scheduled through the end of the day. New York, March 3 : As the war continued unrelentingly, Iran's drone hit the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday leading to its closure while the US and Israel continued to pound targets across Iran. Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said that two drones hit the Embassy damaging it slightly, and there were no reports of casualties. On Monday, the Washington's Embassy in Kuwait was also hit and it has been closed. Meanwhile, the US asked its citizens to leave 14 countries across the Middle East, from Egypt to Yemen as threats heightened on the fourth day of the war. Fox News, quoting a senior Israeli official, reported that it had struck an Iranian Supreme Council meeting on Tuesday to choose a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 when the conflict began. It was not known if there were casualties in the attack on the Iran complex. US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday appeared to distance Washington from the killing of Khamenei. He said that it was an Israeli operation while the US was focused on destroying Iran's military capacity. Extending its arc of attacks, Israel bombed targets in Beirut associated with the Hezbollah, which had launched rocket attacks on Israel. The Israeli troops also captured more territories in Southern Lebanon. In a sign that the attacks would be extending, Israel's military warned Iranians through social media posts of imminent attacks in several places, including two areas in Tehran, and asked them to evacuate. The toll in the war continued to rise, crossing the 1,000-mark across the region. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that nearly 790 people have been killed, Lebanon put the toll there at 31, Israel reported 10, and Gulf countries six, in addition to the six American military personnel. Mumbai, March 3 : Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has yet to decide on the Rajya Sabha seat, adding that it will be done soon. a Mumbai, March 3 (IANS) Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has yet to decide on the Rajya Sabha seat, adding that it will be done soon. He confirmed that NCP SP leaders Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil met with Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, reiterating that the discussions are still underway. In his post on X, Aaditya Thackeray said, "NCP SCP leaders Supriya Sule ji and Jayant Patil ji met Uddhav Thackeray ji at Matoshri today. No decision has been made on the Rajya Sabha seat as yet, and it will be made soon. All MVA partners will be together for discussions on the seat and the political alignments." Incidentally, the last date for filing no-action papers is March 5, while polling will take place on March 16. Today's meeting between Uddhav Thackeray and NCP SP is crucial, especially when the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has staked its claim over the Rajya Sabha seat. Similarly, the Congress party has also expressed its desire, while NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar has not claimed the seat. However, Sule has recently said that many MVA leaders want Pawar senior to be nominated as the MVA nominee for the Rajya Sabha seat. Earlier, Aaditya Thackeray said on Monday that there is no deadlock in talks for the Rajya Sabha elections, as all parties associated with the Maha Vikas Aghadi are in communication with each other. "We have put forward our claim on the upcoming Rajya Sabha seat, as numerically and in terms of the rotation policy fixed for the MVA, the seat should be contested by the @ShivSenaUBT_.This also aligns with all the political stands that we have taken as the INDIA alliance," said Aaditya Thackeray in his post on X. Similarly, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai last Friday made the party's position clear, stating that the seat rightfully belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray-led group. "We will not give up our claim on the Rajya Sabha seat at any cost. Our MLAs have already expressed their views to party chief Uddhav Thackeray. In 2020, we supported the NCP SP candidate Fauzia Khan. Now, based on the current legislative strength, our numbers are higher. If our MP is completing his term, then the candidate for this seat must be from our party," he told reporters. Addressing the stature of the veteran NCP SP leader, Sardesai added, "Sharad Pawar is a great leader. Even if Sharad Pawar is interested in the seat himself, or if such a proposal comes from the MVA leadership, we will still not give up our claim." Sardesai's statement comes days after NCP SP working president and MP Supriya Sule said, "It is the wish of everyone that Pawar saheb be re-elected to the Rajya Sabha. The overwhelming support reflects the respect and affection people have for him. Senior leaders from our party and I will request the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) to ensure his unanimous re-election." The dispute intensified after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray recently insisted that since his party holds the highest number of MLAs among the MVA allies, the seat should be allotted to them. While the alliance's current strength allows them to safely elect at least one candidate, an internal tug-of-war has broken out over which party will claim that seat. Despite a high-level meeting between leaders of the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), no resolution was reached. Amidst these deliberations, leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) have taken a firm stand, declaring they will not relinquish their claim to the seat under any circumstances. MVA sources indicate that leaders of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) requested the seat for Sharad Pawar during recent meetings. When Congress leaders inquired whether Sharad Pawar had personally expressed a desire to return to the Rajya Sabha, NCP representatives clarified that the wish was voiced by Supriya Sule. As Sharad Pawar himself has not yet made a public or official statement regarding his candidacy, the Congress party has also maintained its claim on the seat, further complicating the alliance's seat-sharing formula. The ruling Mahayuti has 233 members 131 of the Bharatiya Janata Party, 57 of the Shiv Sena, and 40 of the NCP and is likely to win six seats, with the support of nine smaller parties and independents. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has 46, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20, the Congress 16, and the NCP (SP) 10, and can therefore win only one seat. --IANS sj/dan Kohima, March 3 : The Nagaland Assembly on Tuesday decided to refer the issue of singing the national song "Vande Mataram" in the house to a Select Committee for detailed examination, following objections raised by several legislators. a Kohima, March 3 (IANS) The Nagaland Assembly on Tuesday decided to refer the issue of singing the national song "Vande Mataram" in the house to a Select Committee for detailed examination, following objections raised by several legislators. Speaker Sharingain Longkumer announced the decision after members, including those from the Naga People's Front (NPF), expressed serious reservations over the directive to play or sing "Vande Mataram" preceding the national anthem during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in an order dated January 28, stated that the official version comprising all six stanzas of "Vande Mataram" shall be sung at official functions. It further said that when both the national song and the national anthem are performed together, "Vande Mataram" will precede "Jana Gana Mana". Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the views expressed by legislators had been duly noted and respected. While acknowledging the historical significance of the national song, he emphasised that the nation's strength lies in its diversity, secular values, and adherence to constitutional principles. Rio proposed that the matter be referred to a Select Committee of the House for comprehensive examination, including legal consultation, before arriving at a considered decision. MLA Tseilhoutuo Rhutso, speaking on the issue of singing "Vande Mataram" as a prelude to the national anthem, opposed it, citing concerns about religious conscience in a predominantly Christian state. While affirming respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the principle of inclusive governance, he said patriotism must remain inclusive and constitutional. He emphasised that India's strength lies in its secular fabric and asserted that Nagaland's patriotism is reflected in its respect for the Tricolour and the national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana". Rhutso noted that only the first two stanzas of "Vande Mataram", composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his novel Anandamath, were adopted as the National Song in 1950. He also cited a 1986 Supreme Court observation that singing "Vande Mataram" is not compulsory and that compelling it could infringe upon the freedom of religion under Article 25(1) of the Constitution. In the context of Nagaland, he pointed out that Article 371A provides constitutional safeguards for religious and customary practices, and said any directive must respect the state's unique identity. Rhutso maintained that refusing to sing the song does not undermine the Constitution or the sovereignty and integrity of India, asserting that patriotism is demonstrated through loyalty, service, and respect for constitutional values. He urged the government to review the directive in consultation with the House, to ensure that national unity remains inclusive and respects individual conscience. MLA Ar. Jwenga, also participating in the discussion, raised concerns over the compulsory singing of "Vande Mataram" following the MHA notification. While acknowledging the song's historical importance, he said making it mandatory in Nagaland could raise constitutional and religious concerns in a predominantly Christian state. --IANS sc/dan Washington, March 3 : A US Senate oversight hearing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) turned sharply confrontational on Tuesday, as Democrats accused the agency of excessive force and civil liberties violations, while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem rejected the claims and defended enforcement actions as lawful. Senator Richard Durbin, the committee's top Democrat, said that under Noem's leadership the department has been "devoid of any moral compass or respect for the rule of law". He alleged that immigration agents have acted with "unspeakable cruelty against children, immigrant families, and American citizens". Referring to fatal encounters, the powerful Democratic Senator challenged Noem over public statements labeling certain individuals as "domestic terrorists". He said such characterisations caused "immeasurable pain" to families and asked whether the DHS Secretary would retract them. Noem responded that in such cases the department offers "condolences to those families" and works "to provide the American people with as much information as possible", relying on "reports from the ground and from agents that are there". She said that DHS will "continue to do all that we can to provide the accurate information and the facts". Durbin also pointed to statistics showing that less than 14 per cent of immigrants arrested during US President Donald Trump's first year back in office had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses. He said that broad enforcement actions risk sweeping up individuals who are not serious offenders. He referenced what he described as a "3,000 person a day arrest quota", suggesting such a target would require aggressive and indiscriminate enforcement. Noem did not directly address the quota figure but said the department is enforcing laws "that the US Congress has passed". Illinois Senator Durbin accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of arriving in cities without coordinating with local law enforcement and acting in "paramilitary gear". He also alleged violations of court orders and constitutional protections, including the Fourth Amendment's safeguards against warrantless entry. Noem defended the department's use of administrative warrants as "the process that Congress has given us". She said that in "400,000 cases that ICE has used these administrative warrants, only 28 times have they been used to enter a home", and noted that the process "has been affirmed by the Supreme Court as the correct way to follow the law". Washington, March 3 : Nearly three million "illegal aliens" have left the United States of America during President Donald Trump's second term as a result of stepped-up enforcement, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers on Tuesday, anchoring her defence of the administration's immigration policy in a cascade of numbers. "Nearly three million illegal aliens have left the United States as a result of the administration's enforcement efforts," Noem said. That total includes "2.2 million that have voluntarily left and returned back to their native countries" and "more than 675,000 detainments and deportations". The DHS Secretary said border enforcement metrics have shifted sharply. "Daily encounters along the southwest border declined by 96 per cent compared to the Biden administration's daily average," Noem testified, adding that the US has reached "the lowest levels ever recorded in US Customs and Border Protection's history". For "ten straight months", she said, "the Border Patrol has released zero illegal aliens into the interior of the United States." Chairman Charles Grassley cited separate figures that "in 2025, border crossings decreased 93 per cent". Noem also stressed arrests tied to national security and gangs. ICE has arrested "over 1,500 known and suspected terrorists" and "more than 7,700 known gang members," she said. "A majority of the aliens that were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have a criminal record." On narcotics, she said that fentanyl trafficking at the southern border "has been cut by more than 56 per cent" compared to the same period in 2024. Total interdiction efforts, she added, have prevented "1.7 billion lethal doses of drugs" from reaching American communities. Unaccompanied minors were another focus. Under the previous administration, "more than 450,000 unaccompanied alien children went missing or were lost," Noem said. DHS has "located about 145,000 of them," she added, pledging, "we will not stop until every single one of those children is found." She also pointed to what DHS has documented as an "8,000 per cent increase in death threats" against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and their families, and "more than 1,300 per cent increase in assaults". Democrats countered with their own figures. Senator Richard Durbin said less than 14 per cent of immigrants arrested during Trump's first year back in office had charges or convictions for violent criminal offences. He also referenced what he described as a "3,000 person a day arrest quota", saying that such a target would require sweeping enforcement beyond the "worst of the worst". Noem said that DHS is enforcing laws "that US Congress has passed" and defended the use of administrative warrants as "the process that Congress has given us". In "400,000 cases that ICE has used these administrative warrants, only 28 times have they been used to enter a home," she said. The hearing reflected how immigration policy in Washington has become a battle of statistics as much as ideology. Republicans cite falling encounters, mass departures and drug interdictions as proof of restored border control. Democrats say that headline numbers obscure due process concerns and the human toll of enforcement. Immigration remains one of the most divisive issues in US politics. The DHS, created after the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans, now sits at the centre of that debate -- balancing border security, enforcement and constitutional limits in a polarised political climate. Washington, March 3, : President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the Oval Office on Tuesday and cast the US-led campaign against Iran as decisive and overwhelming, saying Tehran's military infrastructure had been "knocked out" and warning that its leadership faced "a lot of hurt." Washington, March 3, (IANS) President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the Oval Office on Tuesday and cast the US-led campaign against Iran as decisive and overwhelming, saying Tehran's military infrastructure had been "knocked out" and warning that its leadership faced "a lot of hurt." Seated alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior cabinet officials, Trump praised Merz as "a very successful man" who was "doing a very good job. In my opinion, really a great job, very popular," and said the two leaders would discuss trade, Ukraine, and Iran. On Iran, Trump described a sweeping military blow. "They have no navy; it's been knocked out. They have no Air force; it's been knocked out. They have no air detection; that's been knocked out, their radar has been knocked out," he said. "We have a great military, and they're doing a fantastic job." Merz signalled alignment on the Tehran issue. "We are on the same page in terms of getting this terrible regime in Tehran away," he said, adding that the leaders would discuss "the day after, what will happen then if they are out." When asked whether Israel had forced Washington into action, Trump replied, "No, I might have forced their hand." He said negotiations had convinced him Iran was preparing to strike first. "It was my opinion that they were going to attack first," he said. Trump accused Iran of targeting civilians and neighbouring states. "They hit countries that had nothing to do with what's going on," he said, calling it evidence of "the level of evil that we're dealing with." He added, "They're also hitting only civilian places, hotels and apartment buildings, and we're hitting them where it is much more appropriate." He warned, "They're going to be in for a lot of hurt. These are bad people." Trump claimed, "35,000 over the last three weeks, protesters. 35,000 violently killed," and said leadership ranks had been struck. "49 people were taken out in the first hit. And I guess there was another hit today on the new leadership." On Ukraine, Merz said, "We all want to see this war coming to an end as soon as possible. But Ukraine has to preserve its territory and their security interests." Trump called the conflict "very high" on his list and described "tremendous hatred between President Putin and President Zelensky." He said, "32,000 soldiers died in that stupid war," adding, "It takes two to tango." Germany is one of Washington's principal allies in Europe and a central actor in NATO and European Union policymaking. Berlin has coordinated closely with the United States on Ukraine assistance and sanctions policy since Russia's 2022 invasion. Washington, March 3 : In a meeting intended to underscore Transatlantic unity, US President Donald Trump instead delivered a pointed rebuke of two key European allies, calling Spain and the United Kingdom "very, very uncooperative" and faulting them over Nato spending, military access, immigration, and energy policy. "Spain has been very, very uncooperative. And so has the UK," Trump said on Tuesday during the Oval Office session with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "This is not the age of Churchill." Trump said that Spain had resisted higher defence contributions. "Every European nation, at my request, paid 5 per cent," he said. "And Spain didn't do it." He added that Madrid had limited US access. "Spain actually said that we can't use their bases." He escalated the rhetoric. "I told (Treasury Secretary) Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with Spain," Trump said, adding: "I could tomorrow, stop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain." Merz sought to frame the dispute within Nato commitments. "We are trying to convince Spain to catch up with the 3 per cent or 3.5 per cent which we agreed on in Nato," the German Chancellor said, describing a structure of "3.5 per cent for military and another 1.5 per cent for our military infrastructure". Trump turned to Britain, citing what he called "that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease," saying it complicated US military logistics. Though he said, "I love that country," Trump criticised its domestic direction. "The UK, what they're doing with energy and what they're doing with immigration is horrible." He urged Britain to expand fossil fuel production. "You have the North Sea," Trump said. aOpen up the North Sea." He criticised wind energy, saying, "They got windmills all over the place that are ruining the country." Trump broadened his critique to Europe at large. "That's not only UK there. That's other parts of the European Union. They have the same problem, immigration and energy," the US President said. He also attacked London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him "a terrible Mayor of London, terrible.... he's an incompetent guy." Bengaluru, March 3 : Expressing unhappiness over Andhra Pradesh objecting to increasing the height of the Alamatti dam to 524 meters, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged the Centre to intervene in the matter.a Bengaluru, March 3 (IANS) Expressing unhappiness over Andhra Pradesh objecting to increasing the height of the Alamatti dam to 524 meters, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged the Centre to intervene in the matter. Shivakumar, who also holds the Irrigation portfolio, said that Andhra Pradesh has written a letter to the Centre not to allow land acquisition for the project. "I appeal to the Centre to intervene and allow the project to progress as per the Tribunal's order." "In its letter, Andhra Pradesh has written to the Centre not to issue a Gazette notification on increasing the Alamatti dam from 519 meters to 524 meters, and also to stop land acquisition for the project. It is not appropriate for Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to interfere in this matter," he said. He said that in the Cabinet held on September 16, 2025, it was decided to acquire 1.33 lakh acres of land for the project. "We are planning to release Rs 70,000 crore in three phases. I did not think Andhra Pradesh would go to this extent. We have been putting pressure on the Centre to issue a Gazette notification for the last 12 years. The Tribunal in 2010 had allowed increasing the usage of water from 177 TMC to 330 TMC," he explained. "We have informed the Board that we would take our share of 30 TMC of water by building the Navile Balancing reservoir, but Andhra Pradesh hasn't been coming to the meetings. Both states have to make a decision together," he said. He said that the Parliament session would start on March 10. Our MPs must put pressure on the Centre and protect the State's interests. Otherwise, it would affect the state's interests. "The Union Jal Shakthi minister is under political pressure from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. We will visit Delhi during the session. Andhra Pradesh has been getting its share of water; I don't know why they are objecting. Andhra CM is an experienced politician. I don't know why he is doing this," he said. He is not coming to the meetings on Tungabhadra, either. We are losing 30 TMC of water, and we are trying to harness that water through a balancing reservoir," he expressed unhappiness. "We have initiated land acquisition as the cost of land is increasing, but Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are not allowing us continue with it. We are doing land acquisition in Karnataka, not in their state. We have already spent Rs 20,000 crore for this project. When the Tribunal issued the order, our state went to the Supreme Court, and the decision was bad. I don't know who took that decision, but it is hurting us now," he explained. Asked if land acquisition has been approved, he said, "We have decided on it in the Cabinet. We are preparing to allocate funds in the budget." When it was pointed out that there was no objection to land acquisition now, he said, "We are giving out a statement in this regard before the Centre writes us a letter asking us to stop the project. The other states will go to Court with that letter." When it was pointed out that the State could just follow the Tribunal's order, he said, "Nothing happens if you go through the Court. Maharashtra had raised concerns about flooding, and the Centre's report said there was no such risk. There is no stay from the Supreme Court, yet these states have moved the court." When it was suggested that former PM H. D. Deve Gowda's suggestion can be obtained on the matter, he said, "His health is not good. They can do whatever is possible from their side as well." --IANS mka/dan Kathmandu, March 3 : The Nepali government has formed an Emergency Response Team to address the safety concerns of Nepali nationals residing in West Asia as the ongoing US-Iran conflict engulfs the region. More than 1.7 million Nepali nationals are residing in 12 countries in the region, and their safety remains a high priority of the government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. "The government has formed an Emergency Response Team under the coordination of the Foreign Secretary to effectively address concerns about the safety of nearly 1.8 million Nepalis living in the region," Ram Kaji Khadka, joint secretary at the ministry, told the press on Tuesday. The team comprises joint-secretary-level representatives from several government agencies, including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers; the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Law, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Education; as well as the Department of Foreign Employment and the Department of Consular Services, among other agencies. The mechanism aims to ensure coordinated, prompt, and effective action. Given the large number of Nepalis residing in the war-hit Middle East, their safety and employment have become major concerns for the Himalayan nation, as remittances sent by them are a key lifeline of the Nepali economy. As retaliatory strikes by Iran in response to joint attacks by the US and Israel hit several civilian installations in Gulf countries, millions of Nepalis most of them migrant workers face potential safety risks. The government has already confirmed that a Nepali youth, Diwas Shrestha, from the western Gorkha district, was killed during a drone interception operation at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The ministry, however, said that other Nepali nationals have remained safe so far. It also stated that the Department of Consular Services has developed a secure online system to collect updated information on Nepali nationals in the affected region. Nepali diplomatic missions have already issued public notices to facilitate the process. According to the ministry, the system is intended to enable swift rescue, counselling, and other consular services as required. Khadka further said that the ministry has instructed Nepal's 10 diplomatic missions in West Asia the embassies in Tel Aviv, Doha, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Kuwait, Muscat, and Cairo, as well as the consulates general in Jeddah and Dubai to send regular "situation analysis reports." The ministry has also urged Nepalis to avoid unnecessary risks and to follow advisories issued by the respective governments, as well as official information released by the ministry and Nepali missions in the region, and to fully comply with safety measures. Bhubaneswar, March 3 : Odisha Police have made extensive security arrangements in view of Holi celebrations across the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, informed Suresh Dev Datta Singh, Commissioner of Police, on Tuesday. Speaking to media persons, Singh said that Holi is celebrated on a large scale in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack every year. So, comprehensive safety and security measures have been put in place, with additional steps introduced this year. He further noted that nearly 30 platoons of police force and around 100 officers will be deployed across sensitive and high-footfall areas. The Commissioner stated that special emphasis will be laid on preventing unruly behaviour and ensuring that safety norms are not compromised. The police aim to ensure that no citizen faces inconvenience during the festivities. He added that fire Services and ODRAF personnel will be deployed at 10 bathing ghats and along riverbanks to avert any mishaps. In addition, four quick-response teams will remain on standby to handle emergencies promptly. As part of enforcement measures, 17 mobile teams equipped with breath analysers will be on patrol. Drunken driving checks will be conducted at around 85 locations across the cities. The Commissioner made a special appeal to young people to prioritise their safety and avoid venturing into risky areas, especially under the influence of intoxicants. Police have identified vulnerable riverbanks and water bodies where incidents tend to rise during Holi, and forces have been deployed accordingly. He cautioned against dangerous competitions, such as swimming deep into rivers or engaging in risky stunts, which often lead to accidents during the festival. "Every young person is an invaluable asset to their family. No loss can ever be compensated," he said, urging both parents and youth to exercise restraint and responsibility. He further advised against organising mass bathing events at unsafe locations and warned that strict enforcement would be carried out jointly by the Excise Department and the police to ensure that celebrations remain within the ambit of law and order. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported a conversation with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which the parties discussed key aspects of the situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. I expressed my condolences over the lives lost as a result of Irans insane strikes. The President noted that the Iranian regime is targeting not only military facilities but virtually everything residential buildings, shopping malls, even mosques. We discussed how we can help in this situation and support the protection of lives. It was agreed that our teams will work on this, Zelenskyy wrote on X following the talk. Patna, March 3 : A tragic incident unfolded in Bihar just ahead of Holi, where six children drowned in a river in East Champaran district on Tuesday, police said The incident took place in Rakhawa panchayat under the Kesaria police station area while the children were bathing in the Raghava river after a lunar eclipse. According to local residents, the children had gone to the river on Tuesday evening. One minor child reportedly ventured into deep water and began drowning. In an attempt to rescue the child, the others entered the river one after another and were swept away. People present on the riverbank raised an alarm, but before help could arrive, all six children had disappeared under the water. Upon receiving information, the local administration and police rushed to the spot. With the assistance of villagers and divers, the bodies were recovered after extensive efforts. As the bodies were brought out, heart-wrenching scenes unfolded, with grieving family members breaking down, and the entire village plunged into mourning. The deceased have been identified as Diksha Kumari (12), Sonakshi (9), and Priya Kumari (6), all daughters of Dharmendra Sahani; Prince Kumar (11) and Chhoti Kumari (8), both children of Manoj Sahani; and Sonali Kumari (12), daughter of Kameshwar Sahani. Kesaria police confirmed that all bodies have been recovered, and further legal procedures are underway. Officials said the bodies are being sent for post-mortem examination, and a detailed investigation is being conducted. Saurabh Jorwal, the District Magistrate of East Champaran, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and termed it extremely unfortunate. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased from the Disaster Relief Fund. Chakia Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar and Station House Officer Rahul Kumar also confirmed that the children had drowned while bathing in the river. The administration has appealed to the public not to allow children to bathe alone in rivers or ponds, especially during festive occasions, to prevent such tragic incidents in the future. The entire Rakhawa panchayat and surrounding areas remain in deep mourning following the heartbreaking loss of the young lives. 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Colleagues on the ALAWU organizing committee were outside of the building at 7:00, as their coworkers started coming in, AFSCME Council 31 director of public affairs Anders Lindall told PW. At the same time, the union organizing committee sent an email to all employees, so that they got word first. At noon, we went to the news media and onto all of the social platforms, to share the good news publicly at midday. Council 31 represents approximately 3,000 Illinois library workers in Chicago and its suburbs, major Illinois cities, and state universities. Nationwide, AFSCME represents more than 35,000 library workers. The open letter, signed by 40 ALA workers, states that recent multi-round layoffs, increased workloads, benefit reductions, financial crises, ingrained salary disparities, and lack of transparent decision-making have motivated us to come together in our union. Their list of concerns refers to the streamlining goals in the ALA strategic plan released last summer and the associations acknowledgement of workforce reductions in October 2025. Some 30 employees left the association last year, through buyouts and layoffs. Despite these many challenges, we still believe ALA is an inspiring place to work and we want to see it succeed, the organizers wrote in their letter. They emphasized that they seek a sustainable future for the association, which will celebrate 150 years at its annual June convention. ALA executive director Dan Montgomery, who came to ALA in November 2025 after serving five consecutive terms as president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers union, responded in a statement that "ALAs mission has always been rooted in the belief that people deserve a voice in their communities, in their institutions, and in the decisions that affect their lives. That belief extends to our own workplace. We respect our employees' legal right to organize and will engage in this process thoughtfully and in good faith." Montgomery wrote that "our shared focus continues to be advancing the ALAs mission of supporting libraries, defending intellectual freedom, and serving our members, while ensuring long-term organizational stability." Next Steps for ALAWU Librarian and archivist Colleen Barbus, a 20-year ALA employee, spoke with PW on behalf of the nascent ALA Workers United. ALA staff started conversations with Council 31 last year, and it's been ongoing since then, Barbus said. We very much believe in the mission of this organization and the potential that it has moving forward, she continued. But we want to make sure that all employees are protected as part of that mission and that new strategic plan. Barbus spoke about the difficulty of losing colleagues to workforce reduction, not just your day-to-day interactions with them, your friendship with them, but also their institutional knowledge, their connections with our membership. Workers began to fear they were devoting themselves to ALAs mission at the cost of our own day-to-day existence, she said. She also noted that we have 100 members that are eligible for our bargaining unit, and a supermajority of signatures is required to move forward to ensure ALAWU support. Once eligible members sign union cards, the organizing committee can ask ALA leadership for voluntary recognition of the union, which the National Labor Relations Board would certify before a collective bargaining committee could form. We would hope for that process to take probably a matter of weeks, not months, AFSCMEs Lindall said. The union effort is a milestone in ALAs 150 years, according to Barbus. Not to sound too grandiose, but this has never happened before in the history of the organization, she exclaimed. This has been months of planning amongst ourselves, and were excited to spread the word to our colleagues. While the surge of ICE agents first deployed to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area in December has receded, Minnesotas authors and publishers havent slowed their efforts to support and spotlight the states immigrant community. Last week, on Thursday, February 26, the Loft literary center and Milkweed Editions, which are both housed inside the Open Book complex in Minneapolis, co-sponsored a group reading called Minnesota Writers Respond, featuring nine authors including Sarah Ghazal Ali, Michael Kleber-Diggs, and Curtis Sittenfeld. The event, organized and hosted by Jessica Nordell at Open Book, who also read her work that evening, was also a fundraiser for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, raising $3,000. (Donors also had the option of donating directly to the Immigrant Law Center via the event landing page.) This is a night to be in community, to begin to process whats happened, to push back against the tsunami of disinformation, and most of all, to be together, Nordell said in a statement. Also this past weekend, a delegation of international writers representing PEN America, in partnership with Lerner Publishing Group, Milkweed Editions, and Graywolf Press, conducted public conversations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, focusing on the role of writers amid the deployment of ICE and ongoing protests. The first event took place on Friday, February 27, at St. Pauls Eastside Freedom Library, and featured Kao Kalia Yang, who is Hmong American and immigrated to the US when she was six years old. The second event, a Saturday evening panel on February 28, billed as Bread, Borders, and Belonging, took place at Open Book and featured Padma Lakshmi, who immigrated to the U.S. from India when she was four years old. A release stated that the conversations are designed to explore how literature has served as witness and refuge as well as igniting resistancea recognition that writers and the creative community are essential to the fight against authoritarian tactics. Authors step up and out On Saturday, February 28, more than two dozen bookstores hosted close to 60 authors for Authors for Minnesota Day, during which authors gave out signed copies of their books in return for a donation to the Immigrant Law Center or the Womens Foundation of Minnesotas Rapid Response Fund. Jess Lourey, who organized the event and appeared at Inkwell Booksellers in Minneapolis, told PW afterwards that "the response blew us away: 26 bookstores across the state saw record turnout, with readers hopping between locations, discovering new favorites, and meeting nearly 60 generous authors who donated their time and books to support the Immigrant Law Center and the Womens Foundation." The event raised $60,000 for the two organizations. Lourey added, I was in tears several times throughout the day seeing how many people in our community want to support small businesses and immigrant rights. Shannon Gibney, who appeared at Black Garnet in St. Paul, described the day as lots of people coming out to support the cause, buy books, and connect with local authors and indie bookstores. Gibney estimates that she gave away close to 25 copies of her books. Margi Preus appeared at Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, and gave away 20 signed copies of Shadow on the Mountain, a YA historical novel about a Norwegian teenager who joins the resistance to Nazi occupation during World War II. There were so many people, we ended up asking people to record their donations themselves, she told PW. And lots of books being soldat least it looked that way to me. Preus said that she told her fellow authors that if there was such a crowd in a bookstore in Duluth, Minn., where Preus lives, it had to be because the author was famous. Then I caught sight of Kate DiCamillowho was trying hard not to be noticedso of course I had to add, oh, well I guess there is someone famous here after all. This story has been updated for clarity. Michelle Montague has been named head of sales and marketing at Behrman House. The news follows the recent announcement from Behrman that longtime owners David Behrman and Vicki Weber are retiring, with industry veteran Derek Stordahl acquiring the company. As part of Behrmans executive team, Montague will spearhead educator engagement, marketing campaigns, and strategies for revenue growth. She will report to Behrman House president and publisher Stordahl, who said in a statement, Having seen Michelles marketing expertise and outstanding results across a range of categories, Im delighted to have her join our leadership team. Montague was most recently VP of trade marketing and publicity at Walker Books Group, which includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House Publishing, and Peachtree Publishing. Previously, she held marketing roles at Abrams, Simon & Schuster, and Putnam. She oversaw campaigns for notable titles including Pura Belpre Award winner Dreamers by Yuyi Morales, Sydney Taylor Book Award winner The Passover Guest by Susan Kussel, and I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith, which earned the Schneider Family Book Award, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and was a New York Times Best Childrens Book of the Year Montague said in a statement, Joining Behrman House is a rare opportunity to align my passion for book marketing with my devotion to my Jewish heritage. There are so many important books on both the Behrman House and [childrens imprint] Apples and Honey Press lists, books that are vital to build knowledge, cultivate resilience, and to support Jewish families and our larger community. Californias $200 billion-a-year Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, is one of the largest public healthcare systems in the nation. Behind the staggering price tag lies a program repeatedly flagged for waste, mismanagement, and fraud, raising fresh doubts as state leaders propose taxing billionaires to keep it afloat. For years, audits and federal investigations have documented everything from improper payments to large-scale fraud schemes. State officials have acknowledged that fraud has reached alarming levels in some sectors, including hospice services and in-home healthcare. California AG Rob Bonta says "Hospice fraud has become an epidemic." Hospice fraud has become an epidemic, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who in early February announced the arrests of seven individuals accused of cheating Medi-Cal of $3.2 million through fraudulent hospices in Monterey County. Despite these long-standing problems, the state legislature has continued to expand Medi-Cal with Gov. Gavin Newsoms approval. As part of Newsoms drive for universal healthcare, the expansion of the program to undocumented migrants proved particularly costly. The plot now thickens as Medi-Cal collides with a new fiscal reality: Federal cuts to Medicaid under President Trump are expected to reduce funding over the coming years, placing additional strain on Californias budget. Progressive lawmakers and labor unions are pitching a first-in-the-nation wealth tax on billionaires as a response to those cuts. While advocates say the funds are needed to sustain coverage for 15 million Californians, critics argue that the wealth tax ignores Medi-Cals core problem of mismanagement, which undermines any attempt to save it. With no desire to stop the fraud, California politicians insist that they will start taxing the assets of the richest Californians, Silicon Valley tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya wrote on X. When the richest Californians leave, the middle class will be the only group left to plug the hole because they are the largest collective taxpayers in the state. Wealth Tax Bonanza Proponents of the wealth tax are gathering the 900,000 signatures required to qualify the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act for Novembers ballot a possibility that has divided Democrats. Perhaps positioning himself for a presidential run, Newsom warns that the unprecedented levy on wealth could accelerate the flight of rich residents to low-tax states. But progressive lawmakers like Representative Ro Khanna, whose district includes Silicon Valley, are willing to take the risk. In a statement to RealClearInvestigations, Khanna said the wealth tax is necessary to make up for the severe Trump cuts to Medicaid that will cost 2 million Californians healthcare and 200,000 healthcare workers their jobs. Californias Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that the new federal legislation will increase state spending [by] $3.2 billion over the 2026-27 budget period. If approved by voters, the wealth tax could raise an estimated $100 billion in five years, far surpassing the budget gap caused by federal spending cuts. Under the proposal, billionaires residing in California on Jan. 1, 2026, would owe a one-time tax equal to 5% of their net worth, payable in 2027. This retroactive levy would apply to most assets, including unrealized investment gains, with limited exemptions for real estate holdings, pensions, and retirement accounts. Rep. Ro Khanna says a billionaire tax is necessary "to make up for the severe Trump cuts to Medicaid." Ninety percent of the revenue raised from the measure would be allocated to Medi-Cal, the largest program in the state budget, comprising 40% of spending across all funding sources, according to LAO. The rest of the money would support state-wide education and food assistance programs areas also impacted by federal funding reductions. Republican lawmakers and business leaders say that Californias problem is not insufficient taxation but chronic fiscal mismanagement. The state with the highest income tax rates in the nation is facing a budget shortfall of $18 billion for fiscal year 2026-27, according to LAO. One affluent business executive from Khannas district, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of harassment, expressed frustration with the states budgetary issues. Its unconscionable to tax us more, the executive said, noting that Texas and Florida operate without state income taxes. Sacramento had persistent budget gaps long before Congress passed Trumps bill. Chronic Mismanagement Medi-Cals accountability issues date back at least to 2007, when the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which administers the program, was first cited as high risk for mismanagement problems by the state auditor. Not much has changed two decades later. The auditors December 2025 High Risk Audit report continued to cite the department for poor oversight, accusing it of enabling waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement that may result in serious detriment to the State or its residents. Requests for comment from DHCS were not returned. The audit found that the department continued to make costly errors in determining which Medi-Cal applicants were eligible for the program. In some cases, eligible applicants were wrongly rejected for benefits, while others were erroneously approved. Two previous investigations conducted by the auditor in 2018 and 2020 identified discrepancies in MediCal eligibility records resulting in at least $4 billion in questionable payments. The issue persists. As of April 2025, the number of eligibility discrepanciesremains only somewhat below the level that we identified in 2021 that was estimated to have caused the State to disburse $1.9 billion in questionable payments, the latest report says. DHCS Director Michelle Baass disagrees with audits finding her department has done little to address billions in questionable payments. DHCS Director Michelle Baass has defended her agency, saying she has a different view from the audits findings. In an October 2025 letter to the auditor, Baass asserted that DHCS has implemented system enhancements to improve oversight, which includes expanding monitoring statewide. Improper payments are the tip of the iceberg. The preliminary results of a federal audit by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services allege that DHCS illegally utilized more than $1 billion in federal reimbursements to expand Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented migrants an allegation the department rejects as flatly false. Magnet for Scammers Medi-Cal has also been a magnet for scammers who run fraudulent businesses or bill the program for services never rendered. In 2022, the auditor raised concerns about the excessive geographic clustering of hospices with no clear correlation of increased need in places like Los Angeles County, which has experienced a 1,500% increase in its number of hospice agencies between 2010 and 2022. In a single building in the community of Van Nuys, there were more than 150 licensed hospice and home health agencies a number that exceeds the structures apparent physical capacity, the auditor noted in a report. Lax hospice licensing requirements in California contributed to a sharp increase in the number of facilities. To obtain a license, an applicant is simply required to complete a form and pay a fee of $2,971. Although licenses must be renewed every two years, the Licensure Act does not require the state to conduct an inspection as part of the process. State auditors suspect that many of these hospice agencies may have been created to fraudulently bill Medicare and Medi-Cal for services rendered to ineligible patients or services not provided at all, the report said. Last year, 75-year-old Nita Almuete Paddit Palma was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after she fraudulently billed Medi-Cal roughly $10.6 million for hospice-related services beginning in 2015. Palmas business was charging Medi-Cal for purported hospice care for patients that were not dying, according to Bonta, Californias attorney general. She had already been prosecuted in a similar fraud case and had been barred from operating hospice facilities in the state, which underscores the lax oversight cited by auditors. Since Bonta began serving as attorney general in April 2021, Californias Department of Justice has investigated 101 criminal enterprises, and 109 individuals have been charged with hospice-related offenses, according to a January press release from Newsoms office. In Monterey County, state prosecutors allege that the defendants owned and operated three hospice companies simultaneously and used the businesses to enroll patients for unnecessary services. Some patients did not suffer from a terminal diagnosis. Others were unaware they had been enrolled in a hospice in the first place. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has banned all new hospice licenses through Jan. 1, 2027. Newsom has banned all new hospice licenses through Jan. 1, 2027, in an effort to address concerns about fraud and abuse. But Medi-Cals fraud problem extends to other services, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), which are designed to provide aid to patients at home instead of an expensive facility. While the motivation behind IHSS was to cut healthcare costs, the opposite has happened. The total number of in-home service providers in California grew from 532,073 in December 2019 to nearly 800,000 by December 2025, according to data from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). The 2025-26 spending plan provides a total of $29.9 billion for IHSS, according to LAO, or 12% above the prior years expenditures on the program. Social Services reported that the state spent $22.7 billion on in-home services just two years earlier. Much like hospice services, in-home providers are highly concentrated in specific geographic areas. Of the 303,269 recipients of such care in Los Angeles County, the most recent data indicates 44,580 are Armenian speakers. Armenians represent a little over 2% of the population in LA County, yet account for 14.7% of in-home care recipients. Critics like Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley, who represents Californias 3rd Congressional District, argue that the state isnt doing enough to investigate obvious signs of fraud. For example, 28 counties reported a total of 964 completed in-home care fraud investigations in fiscal year 2023-24, identifying just $8 million in losses and $4.6 million in administrative overpayment recovery, according to the Department of Social Services. The identified losses account for less than 1% of the $22.7 billion California spent on IHSS in that fiscal year. Im asking the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the scale of fraud in California, Rep. Kevin Kiley said in a speech on the House floor. Kiley requested that the nonpartisan agency produce a report identifying the perpetrators of fraud and to provide a breakdown of fraud by economic sector, such as transportation, healthcare, and housing. Medi-Cals Costly Expansion The soaring costs and ongoing mismanagement of Medi-Cal are tied to its expansion. In 2022, Californias lawmakers expanded the pool of eligible Medi-Cal recipients by raising the asset limit for new enrollees from $2,000 to $130,000. Two years later, with the goal of achieving universal healthcare, lawmakers eliminated the asset test entirely. Applicants could qualify for Medi-Cal regardless of their wealth as long as their income didnt surpass 138% of the federal poverty line. Medi-Cals senior caseload increased by at least 112,000 enrollees within the first year of the asset test elimination, costing the state an additional $1.4 billion, according to LAO. Faced with major deficits, California restored the asset limit of $130,000 beginning this year. Medi-Cals move to include non-citizens has proven costly. Medi-Cals move to include non-citizens proved to be the most costly expansion. Undocumented children were already eligible for Medi-Cal prior to Newsom taking office. But Newsom went further than previous governors by signing legislation that expanded full-scope coverage to undocumented young adults ages 19 to 25 in 2022. The state budget reached its breaking point in 2024, when full-scope Medi-Cal was open to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status or age. Enrollment surged far beyond projections, sending costs soaring. State data showed the expansion covered about 1.8 million noncitizens, making up roughly 11% of all Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Lupe Manriquez from the Department of Finance revealed in a February 2025 subcommittee hearing on the state budgetthat providing Medi-Cal to noncitizens was costing the state $9.5 billion [a year], which drew the ire of Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio. I dont think covering $9.5 billion of illegal immigrant health carewould be at the top of the list of priorities for Californias taxpayers. By March 2025, Newsom announced that the Department of Health Care Services needed a $3.4 billion loan from the states general fund. A week later, the department asked for another $2.8 billion bailout to cover Medi-Cals obligations for the next two months. Confronted with a $12 billion budget gap, lawmakers partially retreated from their ambitious expansion efforts and ended full-scope Medi-Cal coverage for new undocumented applicants at the start of 2026. However, cuts in federal Medicaid spending will place significant financial stress on the program. The California Budget and Policy Center estimates that the state will lose up to $30 billion a year in federal funding and jeopardize coverage for 3.4 million people. Will Billionaires Fund or Flee? Khanna concedes that we do have a problem with waste, fraud and abuse in California. He says similar complaints from constituents compelled him to work on federal legislation to make sure that there is an audit of waste in every state. Billionaire tech investor Ron Conway is actively working to quash the proposed wealth tax. In the meantime, billionaire tech investors Ron Conway and Daniel Tierney have joined forces with Newsom to roll out a campaign seeking to squash the wealth tax. Some ads are expected to feature the governor making the case that the levy will drive away wealthy Californians. Others will include several of the candidates vying to replace him in this years gubernatorial race. Polling on the wealth tax is scarce. However, one Mellman Group poll that was commissioned by Republican strategist Mike Murphy shows that 48% of voters support it. Thirty-eight percent rejected the idea, and 14% were undecided. Roughly half of the respondents said it is either very likely or almost certain that the wealth tax will be tied up in courts and that billionaires will flee the state. But not all of them will. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang told Bloomberg hes perfectly fine with it when asked about the tax. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky told CNBC that he plans to stay in California. Whatever the outcome of the wealth tax, the bigger issue for Californians is whether the state will get serious about cleaning up the underlying abuses in Medi-Cal that waste billions of taxpayer dollars. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ Defense forces have recaptured 460 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory during counterattacks since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. "Since the beginning of the year, we have recaptured 460 square kilometers," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Italys Corriere Della Sera, published on Tuesday. Commenting on the issue of Russias demographic advantage over Ukraine, he emphasized that "we are actually striving for dialogue, we want peace," but at the same time, "we are trying to be strong, producing technical resources and more drones, which will compensate for the shortage of soldiers." "Were diversifying our forms of war, which allows us to resist. Were not losing, but Russia is still dissatisfied. Theyre losing a lot of people, up to 35,000 a month. Thats a gigantic figure. Putin is currently planning to mobilize 400,000 new soldiers, but his army has stopped growing, losses are equal to the number of new recruits, theyre blocked, close to crisis. Serious negotiations will begin when his army starts to shrink," the Ukrainian leader said. He also noted that Ukraine is also facing a shortage of military personnel, and thats why we want to end the war. "But meanwhile, Putin has lost his winter offensive. He attacked power plants in the depths of the cold, wanted to divide us, and tried to turn the civilian population against the army to force it to cease hostilities. But he failed: with the arrival of warmer weather, hope is reviving. Now the Russians will try a spring offensive, but I think they will lose again; many soldiers will die in vain," Zelenskyy said. As reported, on February 23, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky announced that Ukrainian troops had liberated 400 square kilometers of territory in southern Ukraine since the end of January. Morocco is emerging as a regional powerhouse central to the worlds trade network, and its easy to see why: its critical minerals and manufacturing have made it indispensable to China, the EU, and the U.S. In early February, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. The conversation centered on building trust, responsible development, and stabilizing investment in Moroccos critical minerals. The nation controls 70% of the worlds phosphate reserves that are essential to produce fertilizers and lithium phosphate battery chemistries. Given that Morocco has Africas only free-trade agreement with the U.S., it has continued to prudently invest in its basic infrastructure and establish free-trade zones. For example, Midparc, a free-trade zone focusing on aeronautics, defense, security, and space-related industries, operates near a major logistics network of modern rail, ports, and roads. These free-trade zones are export-oriented in nature, capitalizing on Moroccos geographical position straddling the Atlantic and Mediterranean trade routes. But policymakers in America and the EU should be aware that Morocco has become a major destination for Chinese activity associated with the electric car and battery industries. Similar to the Midparc free-trade zone, the Tangier tech hub, focused on EV battery production, and has notably received $10 billion in Chinese investment. Chinas Gotion High Tech, a company focusing on electric vehicle battery production, also underwrote $1.3 billion to scale production at a new gigafactory in 2024. Lastly, Chinas steel supply chain will also support the $26 billion buildout of the Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline. Because of Moroccos strategic position, huge natural resource reserves, and free-trade agreements with the U.S, and EU, China has increasingly looked upon the countrys free-trade zones as the solution to Western tariffs. While not meaning that every Chinese investment in Morocco is tariff circumnavigation, the incentive structure is certainly concerning. According to the World Bank, approximately 9% of the current Moroccan workforce are unemployed as of 2024 and over one in five young workers are unemployed. Thankfully, GDP per capita has been increasing by an average of 2.2% over the past 4 years, necessitating this infrastructure expansion. While these investments are a prudent start, The Heritage Foundations 2025 Index of Economic Freedomgives Morocco a score of 60.3 (placing it in the moderately free category) as the country continues to address issues with judicial effectiveness and government integrity. So, while Moroccos free-trade zone model is a bright spot for the African continent, the emulation of such a system needs to be evaluated alongside the national security concerns of large Chinese investment. Both Western and African policymakers need to balance the need for infrastructure development with the realities that China has leveraged the might of its Belt and Road Initiative to its own geopolitical advantage in areas like Sri Lanka. With that said, its free-trade zones can be a model for African industrialization, placing itself in long-term economic conversations. Morocco seeks to be economically close to the EU while fostering strong relationships with the worlds greatest 21st century superpowers, China and the U.S. With Africa notorious for unpredictability, bureaucracy, and stringent infrastructure regulations, Morocco serves as a shining example for what the continent can become. A discerning assessment is imperative to investigate the competing economic worldviews clashing within Moroccos free-trade zone. Miles Pollard is a Policy Analyst for Economic Policy in the Center for Data Analysis at The Heritage Foundation. Payton Kleidon is a member of Heritages Young Leaders Program. Eduardo Kaito Alzati Amano fulfilled one of his lifelong goals when he arrived in the U.S. to attend the University of Georgia. Inspired by his father, he knew he had one more goal to accomplish: entrepreneurship. Alzati, a senior management and international business major, founded Dawgy last year, a student-led nonprofit app that serves as a student marketplace, job listing platform and hub for local deals. A groundbreaking drone designed for the safe tranquilisation of violent elephants has been unveiled, showcasing innovative UAV technology to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and protect both animals and communities. Key Points A new drone has been unveiled to safely and accurately tranquilise violent elephants, reducing risks to forest personnel. The drone uses advanced UAV technology to improve operational efficiency in critical interventions with distressed elephants. Garuda Aerospace has a history of providing drones for wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching, and habitat mapping to conservation bodies like WWF. Drone-assisted darting offers a safer and more humane alternative to traditional ground-based approaches for managing human-elephant conflict. The customised drone represents years of technological upgrades and mission-focused research and development for wildlife conservation. A drone designed to tranquilise violent elephants without close human contact, recently unveiled by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, marks a significant milestone in the use of indigenous UAV technology for human-wildlife conflict mitigation, the manufacturing company said. The unveiling of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) took place on Sunday in the presence of Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi, underscoring the national importance of integrating advanced aerial systems into wildlife protection efforts, the company said in a release. "The customised drone is engineered to support safe and precise elephant darting operations by enabling aerial-assisted tranquilisation with enhanced accuracy. "The system significantly reduces on-ground risk to forest personnel, minimises disturbance to wildlife, and improves operational efficiency during critical interventions involving distressed or conflict-prone elephants," it said. It further said that nearly a decade ago, the platform marked the first drone designed by Garuda Aerospace for the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. "The latest customised solution represents the culmination of years of field learning, technological upgrades, and mission-focused research and development," it said. It also said that in the past, Garuda Aerospace has supplied multiple drones to leading conservation bodies, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), along with several forest departments across India. "These deployments have supported wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching operations, habitat mapping, and rapid-response missions in ecologically sensitive regions," the release said. Statements on the Drone's Impact Speaking on the occasion, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director of Garuda Aerospace, said that witnessing the Vice President unveil an evolved, customised solution for drone-aided elephant darting was "deeply fulfilling". "Our journey has been built on incremental innovation-continuously enhancing our technology to responsibly serve wildlife conservation. We remain committed to creating indigenous solutions that protect both animals and communities," he was quoted as saying. As India continues to address the growing challenges of human-elephant conflict, drone-assisted darting offers a safer, more efficient, and humane alternative to traditional ground-based approaches, Garuda Aerospace, a drone tech start-up, has said. India is taking a balanced approach to artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, prioritising both innovation and user safety, setting itself apart from the US and European Union models. Photograph: Kind courtesy ThisIsEngineering and Tiger Lily/Pexels.com Key Points India is pursuing a balanced AI regulatory approach, promoting innovation while protecting users, unlike the US and EU models. India aims to lead in high-value, industry-specific AI systems for sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and finance. Strengthening India's AI talent pipeline is crucial for becoming an AI-driven product nation. IAIRO is developing compact, custom AI models for specific tasks and industries, ensuring technological sovereignty. Specialised AI models are being designed for education, healthcare, agriculture, climate, manufacturing, and finance. India has adopted a balanced and pragmatic approach on AI, avoiding the extremes of lightly regulated US model and heavily compliance-driven framework of the European Union, said an Indian AI Research Organisation official. Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO), Founding Director, Amit Sheth said India has adopted balanced regulatory approach which enables innovation while safeguarding users. "India is adopting a pragmatic, balanced regulatory approach, avoiding both the lightly regulated model seen in the United States, which poses high risks to society, and the heavily compliance-driven framework of the European Union, which reduces innovation. The objective is to enable innovation while safeguarding users," Sheth told PTI in an e-mailed interview. He said that the US leads in frontier AI research and large, proprietary, consumer-centric models, supported by deep capital markets, advanced semiconductor ecosystems, and hyperscale compute infrastructure. He said China, despite export controls on advanced chips, has demonstrated that sovereign AI capability can still be built through coordinated investment in domestic infrastructure, efficient model design, and strong talent development. "By focusing on increasingly capable and open models, China has narrowed the performance gap while strengthening full-stack resilience across compute, models, and deployment. India's opportunity lies elsewhere. Rather than replicating capital-intensive consumer AI, India can lead in high-value, industry- and domain-specific systems that address national priorities across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, finance, and governance," he said. IAIRO members include academicians from leading universities, entrepreneurs who have built successful AI startups, and technologists from Amazon, Meta, Apple, Netflix, and Snap. Building Sovereign and Trusted AI in India Sheth said to build sovereign and trusted AI, India must strengthen its deep AI talent pipeline. "While we produce strong engineers for services and applications, becoming an AI-driven product nation requires more frontier researchers, system builders and IP creators," Sheth said. He said IAIRO is building a platform on the IndiaAI infrastructure to generate compact, custom, task- and industry-specific models, developed frugally, deployed rapidly, and optimised for quality in defined use cases rather than as generic "jack-of-all" LLMs. "Such SLMs are already being designed for education, healthcare, agriculture, climate, manufacturing and finance. These specialised models will form the core IP for startups and enterprises building AI solutions. Because the pre-training, post-training and knowledge-graph components are indigenous, this approach ensures technological sovereignty while delivering more robust and trustworthy AI for mission-critical applications," he said. Photo: Unsplash As of Tuesday, the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (DART) has not received any appeals from Ukrainian citizens currently in the UAE, the DART press service has told Interfax-Ukraine. "In the event that DART receives complaints regarding the improper fulfillment of obligations by tour operators, the agency will immediately review such appeals within its competence," the agency emphasized. It was noted that, according to current legislation, when purchasing a tourism product, citizens should first contact their tour operators, who, upon concluding a contract, assume responsibility for organizing the return and support of their clients in case of force majeure circumstances. Citizens who traveled independently and did not use the services of tour operators can, if necessary, contact the consular section of the Embassy of Ukraine in the UAE, which monitors the situation and provides a range of recommendations. DART does not have data on the specific number of domestic tourists currently in Middle Eastern countries. According to Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, there are currently about 250,000 Ukrainians in the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular service is in constant contact with citizens. Every embassy in the region has developed a form for citizens to complete to ensure rapid communication with the maximum number of individuals. Amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, India's strategic and commercial crude oil reserves offer a crucial buffer, potentially covering 40-45 days of import needs if the Strait of Hormuz faces disruption. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Reuters Key Points India holds about 100 million barrels of commercial crude oil stocks, including strategic petroleum reserves, which can cover 40-45 days of oil needs if the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted. A prolonged disruption through the Strait of Hormuz would lead to higher import costs, increased freight exposure, and the need to reroute oil supplies over longer distances for India. India can tap suppliers in West Africa, Latin America, the US, and potentially Russia to compensate for any shortfall in Middle Eastern crude oil supply. In a severe disruption scenario, the Indian government might prioritise domestic energy security by curbing refined product exports to ensure adequate internal supply. While India has diversification options and inventory buffers, a sustained disruption in oil flows would significantly increase the import bill and create macroeconomic pressures. India holds about 100 million barrels of commercial crude oil stocks - in storage tanks, underground strategic reserves and on ships voyaging towards the country - which could cover roughly 40-45 days of its requirement if flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, according to Kpler. India imports about 88 per cent of the crude oil it needs - the raw material for fuels such as petrol and diesel - with more than 50 per cent supplied by Middle Eastern countries and transiting the narrow Strait of Hormuz, flows from which have been disrupted amid the Iran crisis. If Middle Eastern crude supply were to halt completely for a temporary period, the immediate impact would be logistical and price-driven, with supply risks intensifying if movement through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted for longer, said Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst, Refining & Modeling at Kpler. A closure of Strait of Hormuz would at first impact prompt cargo liftings. "However, refiners typically maintain commercial inventories, and cargoes already on water would continue to arrive, providing some short-term cushioning to the system," he said adding in the event of a prolonged disruption, medium-term pressures would build through higher import costs, freight exposure and the need to reroute supplies over longer distances. "The country maintains strategic petroleum reserves alongside commercial inventories held by refiners and oil marketing companies. "These buffers are intended to manage temporary supply shocks rather than sustained outages," he said. "Based on Kpler inventory data, commercial crude stocks are around 100 million barrels, including volumes in the strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) facilities at Mangalore, Padur and Visakhapatnam." With imports via the Strait of Hormuz averaging roughly 2.5 million barrels per day - about half of India's just over 5 million bpd total crude imports - these combined reserves could theoretically cover around 40-45 days of imports in a crude disruption scenario, he said. Additional refined product inventories would extend effective coverage further. Impact on Oil Prices and Import Costs However, the immediate impact will be on prices. Brent, global benchmark, crossed $80 per barrel, roughly 10 per cent more since the Iran crisis. For India, higher prices means higher import bill. India spent $137 billion on crude oil imports in fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. During April 2025 to January 2026 - first ten months of current fiscal - it spent $100.4 billion on import of 206.3 million tonnes of crude oil. The United States and Israel launched military strikes on targets in Iran over the weekend. Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones aimed at Israel and countries hosting US forces, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Media reports suggest the conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global energy flows. Roughly one-third of the world's seaborne crude oil exports and about 20 per cent of liquefied natural gas shipments transit the narrow waterway. India, the world's third largest oil importer, imports roughly half of its crude needs through the narrow Strait. Its mainstay liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier in Qatar also uses the strait to ship the fuel to India. Alternative Supply Options for India In case of closure, India can tap suppliers in West Africa, Latin Amercia and the US to make up for the shortfall from the Middle-East. India could also tap Russian oil to make up for the deficit. India had agreed to wind down purchases of Russian oil as part of a trade deal with the US - a deal which now sits in limbo after the US Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump's country-based tariffs. "Russian cargoes currently floating in the Arabian Sea and wider Asian region without firm buyers could also be absorbed relatively quickly if required," Ritolia said. If the Strait of Hormuz - the narrow 33-kilometre passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea - were disrupted or shipping were forced onto longer routes, India's crude import bill would rise. Even without a full blockade, higher freight, war-risk insurance and geopolitical premiums would lift landed costs. "In a more severe scenario, policy intervention would likely become a key stabilising tool. "The government could prioritise domestic energy security by asking refiners to moderate or temporarily curb refined product exports to ensure adequate domestic supply," he said. Given that India is among the world's largest exporters of refined products, particularly diesel and jet, redirecting export volumes to the domestic market would provide an additional buffer. India exported 23.7 million tonnes (474,000 bpd) of petroleum products or 10 per cent of the country's fuel consumption, in 2024-25. During April-January, exports stood at 53.3 million tones. "If the Hormuz situation were to deteriorate meaningfully, safeguarding domestic fuel availability and price stability would likely take precedence over export optimisation, reinforcing internal supply resilience even at the cost of lower export revenues," he said. The worst-case scenario would involve a prolonged and severe disruption to Hormuz flows combined with sustained geopolitical escalation. In that case, crude prices would spike sharply, freight markets would tighten, and refiners could eventually be forced to trim runs if replacement barrels are delayed. "However, such a scenario would have major global economic consequences, making it a low-probability but high-impact risk," he said adding the near-term risk is primarily price volatility and higher import costs rather than immediate physical shortage, for now. India has diversification options and inventory buffers, but sustained disruption would materially increase the import bill and create macroeconomic pressures. Revolver Rita doesn't use its comic potential to its fullest and ends up a passable comedy that could have used more bite, observes Arjun Menon. Revolver Rita has an interesting enough story to hook you. A woman and her family are dragged into the world of gang wars, after an interaction with a gangster. Revolver Rita tries to be a black comedy but falls flat due to the overwrought writing, though some of the subversions work in favour of the film. Rita (Keerthi Suresh) leads a normal life alongside her family, consisting of her sisters and widowed mother (Radhika Sarathkumar). Their world is shattered with the arrival of a small-time gangster at their doorstep. Some unfortunate events lead to Rita being pushed into an ongoing gang war, with her family, with no one to fend for them. The initial setup is intriguing as you get a few ladies tasked with solving a crime, and meet an ensemble of weird, caricaturish gangsters. The woman also has a past with their dead father that ties back to dealings with a local land mafia. This is the kind of film where the tonal mismatch between the material and the predicament of the characters caught at the mercy of seemingly clueless but deadly gangster business is glaring. Rita is forced to partake in the illegal affairs of the gang and make sure that she prevents leaking out a terrible secret that could destroy them forever. The film tries to be too many things at once. It wants to be a laugh out loud comedy that thrives on eccentric performances and over-the-top acting, but at the same time, also wants you to feel the freshness of its setting as a searing gangster drama with a twist. Revolver Rita fails to make the laughs count for anything more than sporadic outbursts as the writing is too flat to make any real impact. There is a play with a group of women trying to hide the dead body akin to the classic female-centric comedy Magalir Mattum (1994). There are also shades of Nelson Dilipkumar's Kolamaavu Kokila in the way the family dynamic is etched out and how the drab humour plays out in between these characters. But Revolver Rita is too busy trying to be funny and a tense subversion of the tropes of gangster films that nothing lands as intended. Scenes play out with unintentionally comedic performances and the actors can be seen struggling to meet the tonal requirements of the genre. Typically, a film with a gangster son on the lookout for his missing mob boss dad with a buffoonish set of gangster cronies and a clueless cop on the trail should be ideal for an entertaining romp. But Revolver Rita simplifies and stereotypes its own central idea by throwing in untoward character details and quirky elements. Keerthy Suresh is effective as Rita and has the necessary star power to carry this loud, bombastic film. She is not given much by the material, but is well cast as the female hero who has to save the day. It's nice to see a female star who is able to command the screen and she manages to captivate with some intrigue in the latter half. Radhika Sarathkumar is perfectly pitted alongside Keerthi as the sometimes unhinged mother. She gets to walk away with some of the jokes that rely on her physicality. Redin Kingsley, Ajay Ghosh and Sunil as 'Dracula Bobby' are funny on screen and do their very best to elevate the sometimes flat material with over-the-top shenanigans. The film uses the gang wars as an effect for upscaling its narrative, but there is none of the observed humour that would make such a weird combination work. For instance, the gangster played by Redin Kingsley and a bunch of others have identifiable quirks as caricatures, but the over-the-top antics somewhat become grating with repetition. Nelson Dilipkumar was able to inject a lot of panache and minimalist humour to Kolamaavu Kokila with his deadpan affectations. But writer-director J K Chandru, who seems influenced by the Nayanthara starrer, fails to make the deadpan tone work here. Everything is a loud revelation and nothing is underplayed. Sean Rolden's score infuses the necessary energy to the confusion comedy, without being overbearing. Revolver Rita feels like the third or fourth draft iteration of a much more engaging exercise in genre subversion. The ideas are all there but could have been integrated better to yield a film that offers more laughs and the necessary thrills within its own weird world building. But the film does not use its inherent comic potential to its fullest and ends up being a passable comedy that could have used more bite. Revolver Rita Review Rediff Rating: This article was first published 1 year ago What makes Ullozhukku worth recommending is its ability to surrender to the surprises and yet grow with its characters, observes Divya Nair. When you think of the rains, one of the most common emotions is that of love, longing or even temporary relief. But there is also an eerie quality about the rains that some of us may have experienced, when we get stranded due to floods and feel helpless. Water, one of nature's most relaxing elements, when it stagnates or overflows, can also get discomforting, suffocating, and even fatal. How does one deal with this conflicting feeling? In Ullozhukku (meaning undercurrent), Director Christo Tommy (of the series Curry And Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case) attempts to showcase the undercurrents of family relationships against the backdrop of an overcast sky and a partly submerged home somewhere in the backwaters of Kerala. It is the story of two women dealing with their dysfunctional marriages. We are introduced to Anju (Parvathy Thiruvothu), a young, hopeful salesgirl who is forced to ditch her unemployed long-term beau and marry an incompatible Thomaskutty (Prashant Murali) only to regret her decision on the first night of their marriage. As Anju reluctantly embraces her persuasive husband, surrendering to the moment and fulfilling his carnal desires as the newly minted bride, the absence of consent is subtle. Later, when Thomaskutty walks away from her, exiting from the right side of the bed, the emptiness of company in Anju's life is evident. This emptiness soon turns into suffocation when Thomaskutty suddenly becomes ill and bedridden. The shift of dominance in the relationship, perhaps unintentional, is conveyed when Parvathy discourages Thomaskutty's advances and turns away to sleep on the right side of the bed. Thomaskutty's mother Leelamma (Urvashi) and Anju essay an unusual, envious pair of doting saas-bahu who are united by the common aim of nursing Thomaskutty, who is diagnosed with a peculiar illness that no one particularly talks about. While Anju continues her duties as a selfless wife, regularly sponging her flailing husband and patiently cleaning up the mess he creates, she uses every possible opportunity to sneak away from home and find comfort in her ex-boyfriend Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan) who promises to marry and rescue her from the marriage once he 'settles down'. When Leelamma talks about being married at a young age, and how she single-handedly brought up her two children after the death of her husband, she would like Anju to believe that God has been jealous of her happiness and yet kind in his own way, for always giving her a reason to hope even in her darkest hour. Leelamma mentions how Anju has been a blessing to her family, especially her ailing son, a sentiment the latter doesn't acknowledge or is interested in engaging in. The timing couldn't have been more perfect because when Anju discovers she is pregnant, Thomaskutty meets with an accident. Everyone, including Leelamma, believes it is their good news to celebrate, as the child could be a sign of hope. While Leelamma continues to boast about her beloved son and family to Anju, expressing her expectations, she is subconsciously also throwing her weight around, implying that Anju is going to be stuck here forever. There are umpteen moments of silence between Anju and Leelamma, and also between Anju and Thomaskutty where the tension is obvious through body language, but not acknowledged through words. It is only after Thomaskutty passes away that Anju truly starts expressing herself. It begins with her gently, but firmly stating that she will not stay back after the funeral. As the burial is delayed, an emotionally stubborn Leelamma discovers Anju's betrayal. The confrontation scene is perhaps one of the most sensitive and sincere conversations between a heartbroken mother-in-law who is yet to recover from the grief of losing her only son and a daughter-in-law who is guilty but isn't seeking approval or forgiveness. Ullozhukku is full of tense, unexpected moments that make you anxious and feel sorry for the protagonists. From deafening silences of a strained relationship to sprouting signs of revolt, in a desperate attempt to excuse, rather rescue oneself. From suppressed disappointment to unfiltered outbreaks of emotions, each relationship goes through its fair share of ups and downs, which beautifully coincides with the changing weather outside. Even though Ullozhukku may seem like a dark, gloomy premise, the story's slow-burn pace is neither stagnant nor mundane. Instead, there is a constant transformation between the characters as new truths surface, unveiling suppressed intentions and expectations that none of them is prepared for. Urvashi and Parvathy display rare camaraderie of action and reaction, turning familiar, preconceived situations into unpredictable ones with just the right dose of sensitivity. In fact, once Leelamma is convinced that Anju has made up her mind, you see an unexpected side of Leelamma, which is part stubborn, yet assertive enough to show her strong maternal instincts while also shielding her personal space and social dignity. Urvashi establishes herself as a fine performer capturing the nuances with ingenuity and Parvathy further complements in what might be the duo's career-best roles. They deserve a standing ovation. Ullozhukku's brilliance is conveyed not only in the way it pits one imperfect family member against the other, without discounting the vulnerability or the strength of the situation but also in its intelligent use of mundane props that come to life even without a voiceover. Like the perfect but loveless wedding photographs of the couple that Anju wants to get rid of or Thomaskutty's dusty cradle that embodies Leelamma's hope of a grandson. What makes Ullozhukku worth recommending is its ability to surrender to the surprises and yet grow with its characters. Much like Curry and Cyanide, Christo doesn't take sides but rather dwells on the intense, important moments just enough to grab you in its tension and then release you to decide for yourself. Like an unexpected flood that devastates you and robs you of the things you probably loved the most, the film reminds you that discomfort can also be a sign of change, a new beginning. Ullozhukku Review Rediff Rating: Millions of devotees have flocked to Mathura and Vrindavan to immerse themselves in the vibrant Holi celebrations, honouring the divine love of Radha and Lord Krishna, with police ensuring safety and order amidst the festivities. Photographs: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters Key Points Over 4.4 million devotees have visited Mathura and Vrindavan for Holi celebrations. Devotees from across India and abroad are participating in the Braj Holi festivities. Key attractions include darshan of Ladliji in Barsana and Huranga festivities in Baldev and Jab villages. Police have arrested individuals for disturbing the peace during Holi celebrations. Increased security measures are in place to ensure the safety of devotees during the Holi celebrations in the Braj region. More than 44 lakh devotees have visited Mathura, Vrindavan and other sites in the Braj region this year to take part in the famed Holi celebrations associated with the divine love of Radha and Lord Krishna, police said on Tuesday. Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat said the figure was based on inputs gathered from various events organised as part of the traditional Braj Holi festivities. "Devotees from across the country and abroad are continuing to arrive in Braj to participate in the celebrations," he said. Upcoming Holi Attractions Rawat said key attractions in the coming days include devotees gathering to have darshan of Ladliji in Barsana, the Huranga festivities in Baldev and Jab villages on Chaitra Krishna Paksha Dwitiya, and the traditional Charkula dance in Mukharai village, believed to be the maternal village of Radha Rani. He said an additional five to six lakh devotees are expected to visit the region in the coming days. Police Action and Security Measures Meanwhile, police have taken action against miscreants accused of forcibly throwing gulal at women and creating ruckus during the festivities. In the Govardhan and Magorra police station areas, 17 and nine persons respectively have been arrested for breach of peace and sent to jail, Rawat said. He added that elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety of devotees and the peaceful conduct of the Holi celebrations. Police have arrested Rohit Solanki, the main suspect in the shooting of a lawyer linked to notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, bringing a key development to the high-profile case in Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Rohit Solanki has been arrested as the main accused in the shooting of lawyer Deepak Khatri, who is associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The attack occurred near the ISBT in the Kashmere Gate area of north Delhi, with assailants firing on a car carrying Khatri and his associates. Gangster Naveen Boxer allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack via a social media post, which is currently under verification. Police used CCTV footage and technical evidence to identify and trace the attackers following the shooting incident. The FIR was registered under sections related to attempted murder and criminal conspiracy, along with provisions of the Arms Act. The main accused in the recent firing at a car carrying lawyer Deepak Khatri, who is associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday. The arrest comes a week after Khatri and his associates were shot at near the ISBT in the Kashmere Gate area of north Delhi. Investigation Details According to police, Rohit Solanki was involved in the conspiracy and execution of the attack that took place late at night near the Marghat Wale Hanuman Temple on February 25. Five people were travelling in the vehicle when unidentified assailants opened fire. One of the occupants sustained a bullet injury to his shoulder and was admitted to a hospital. He was later stated to be stable and out of danger. An FIR was earlier registered at Kashmere Gate Police Station under sections 109(1) (attempt to murder) and 3(5) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act. Gang Rivalry and Social Media Claims Police had said that gangster Naveen Boxer had claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post in which threats were allegedly issued to Khatri. The authenticity of the post is still under verification. Investigators scanned CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and examined technical evidence to identify the attackers and trace their escape route. More details are awaited. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma convened a meeting in Srinagar to assess the evolving security landscape in Kashmir and reinforce the commitment to citizen safety. Key Points Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma chaired a meeting in Srinagar to review the evolving security situation in Kashmir. The Army Commander engaged with Formation Commanders and representatives of sister agencies to discuss the prevailing security challenges. The Northern Command reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of citizens in Jammu and Kashmir. The security review comes amid protests in the valley. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma on Tuesday reviewed the evolving security situation in Kashmir. In a post on X, the Northern Command said Lt Gen Sharma engaged with Formation Commanders and representatives of sister agencies to deliberate on the prevailing security situation. "Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, #ArmyCdrNC, chaired a meeting in #Srinagar to review the evolving security situation in Kashmir Valley. #NorthernCommand remains resolute in its commitment to ensure safety & security of citizens of #JammuKashmir," the Army said. Security Concerns and Protests Protests have rocked many parts of the valley after the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Sanjay Bhatia, former Karnal MP, has been nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha election in Haryana, as the state prepares to fill two vacant seats in the upper house. Photograph: ANI Photo/Sansad TV Key Points The BJP has nominated Sanjay Bhatia, former MP from Karnal, for the Rajya Sabha election in Haryana. Two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana are becoming vacant, triggering the upcoming polls. The election schedule includes polling on March 16, with results expected the same day. The Haryana Assembly's composition, with BJP holding 48 seats, influences the Rajya Sabha election dynamics. Sanjay Bhatia is considered close to former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The BJP on Tuesday announced that it has nominated its former MP from Karnal, Sanjay Bhatia, for the Rajya Sabha poll from Haryana. Earlier, sources had said the 58-year-old leader's name was among the probables, which included former Haryana minister Capt Abhimanyu and senior party leaders Kuldeep Bishnoi and Sunita Duggal. In 2024, Bhatia, who was the sitting Karnal MP, made way for former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar -- fielded by the party from the parliamentary seat. Khattar was named BJP's Lok Sabha candidate on March 13, 2024, after he quit as the chief minister in a major shake-up in the state leadership by the party. The sitting MP from Karnal now and a Union minister, he was replaced as the chief minister by Nayab Singh Saini. Bhatia is considered close to Khattar. From Haryana, two Rajya Sabha seats are falling vacant ahead of the upcoming polls. BJP members Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra will complete their terms on April 9. Rajya Sabha Election Schedule According to the Election Commission's poll schedule, 37 Rajya Sabha seats fall vacant on April 2 and 9, from 10 states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Himachal, and Tamil Nadu. Notifications for the polls were issued on February 26. Polling, if necessary, will be held on March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, and votes will be counted from 5 pm the same day. The last date of filing nomination is March 5. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on March 6, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is March 9. The ECI has directed that only an integrated violet colour sketch pen of pre-fixed specification, provided by the returning officer, shall be used for the purpose of marking preference on the ballot paper. Haryana Assembly Composition In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the ruling BJP has 48 MLAs, Congress 37, the INLD has two, while three Independents support the ruling party. Thirty-one votes each are required for the two candidates to make it to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana. In August 2024, Kiran Choudhry, a former minister, was elected unopposed in the Rajya Sabha bypoll from Haryana. She had joined the BJP ahead of the October 2024 assembly elections after quitting the Congress. The bypoll was necessitated after the Congress' Deepender Singh Hooda was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak. His Rajya Sabha term was to end on April 9, 2026. A caretaker in Delhi has been arrested for drugging a family with sleeping pills and stealing their cash, highlighting the dangers of hiring unverified domestic help and the importance of vigilance. Photograph: ANI Video Grab Key Points A woman in Delhi was arrested for allegedly drugging a family by adding crushed sleeping pills to their food. The accused was hired as a caretaker and committed the crime on her first day of work. The family members fell unconscious after consuming the drugged food, leading to a theft of cash. Police investigation led to the arrest of the woman in Bareilly and the recovery of stolen cash. The woman confessed to using sleeping pills obtained from a previous job to facilitate the theft. A woman has been arrested for allegedly drugging members of a family in outer Delhi by mixing crushed sleeping pills in their food and decamping with cash on the same day she joined them as a caretaker, police said. The incident came to light on February 26 when a PCR call was received regarding a theft of Rs 30,000 to 40,000 at a residence in Paschim Vihar, they said. According to police, the family had hired the woman through an agency in Nihal Vihar to take care of a 59-year-old ailing family member. The accused joined duty the same day and participated in household chores. "She prepared and served lunch to the family members. After consuming the food, all of them fell unconscious under suspicious circumstances," a senior police officer said. Sensing foul play, the family alerted the police. A mobile forensic science laboratory (FSL) team was called to inspect the spot and food samples were seized for examination. The victims were shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for medical treatment. An FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered on February 27, and investigation was taken up. Arrest and Investigation Through technical surveillance, the accused was tracked to Bareilly. A police team conducted a raid there on February 27 and apprehended her. During interrogation, the woman allegedly confessed that she had taken six sleeping pills from a previous workplace in Noida, where an elderly woman under her care consumed such medication. She crushed the pills and mixed them in the food with the intention of committing theft, police said. However, a minor girl in the family did not eat the food, and the elderly woman reportedly grew suspicious and did not allow the accused to access an almirah, limiting the theft. At her instance, Rs 20,000 in cash was recovered and seized as case property. Further investigation is underway, police added. A Delhi court has denied bail to the alleged mastermind behind a Rs 8.94 crore bank fraud, underscoring the severity of the financial crime and the systematic manner in which it was executed. Key Points A Delhi court rejected the bail plea of Nitin Birmal Dongre, the alleged kingpin in a Rs 8.94 crore bank fraud case. The court cited the seriousness of the offence, its systematic execution, and Dongre's central role in the criminal conspiracy as reasons for denying bail. Forged documents were allegedly used to change account details and activate internet banking, leading to the fraudulent transfer of funds. The prosecution argued that Dongre benefited from the siphoned funds and that releasing him could lead to evidence tampering. The court distinguished Dongre's role from that of co-accused who had been granted bail, highlighting his primary involvement in the fraud. A Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of an alleged kingpin in an over Rs 8.94 crore bank fraud case, saying the offence was grave and committed in a systematic manner through layered transactions. Additional Sessions Judge Shunali Gupta rejected the bail application of accused Nitin Birmal Dongre in an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (South) under Sections 318(4) (cheating of valuable security), 319(2)(cheating by personation), 316(4) (criminal breach of trust), 336(3)(forgery), 338 (forgery of valuable security), 340(2)(fraudulent use of forged documents), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). "Considering the seriousness and gravity of the offence, the systematic manner in which huge amount of Rs 8.94 crores has been withdrawn from the bank account of the complainant by hatching a criminal conspiracy wherein the applicant was a kingpin and two other persons stated to be involved in the same are yet to be arrested, at this stage, I do not find any ground for grant of bail to the applicant," the court said in its order dated February 28. Details of the Fraudulent Activity On January 10, 2008, a current account in the name of Larsen & Toubro and Shanghai Urban Construction Operation was opened at Axis Bank's Lajpat Nagar branch in Delhi. On June 7, 2024, forged documents were allegedly used to change the phone number linked to the account. Subsequently, in July 2024, a person claiming to be an employee of Larsen & Toubro activated corporate internet banking at Axis Bank's Usmanabad branch in Maharashtra. Between July 11, 2024, and August 30, 2024, Rs 8.94 crore was allegedly debited in 94 transactions and transferred to 24 accounts. Investigation and Allegations The prosecution alleged that Dongre, in conspiracy with others, siphoned off the funds and that the mobile number used for internet banking was found operating from his handset. The investigation also revealed that the information regarding the complainant's account was provided by the accused Ashish Khandelwal, who was an assistant manager at Axis Bank. The investigating officer (IO) also claimed that large sums were credited to Dongre's bank account, and that he routed the siphoned money through accounts of fruit sellers, receiving goods and cash in return. Arguments and Court's Decision Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution submitted that two co-accused persons are yet to be arrested and there was an apprehension that Dongre might tamper with evidence if released. Dongre's counsel argued that he had been in judicial custody since April 2, 2025, and that the chargesheet had already been filed. He sought parity with co-accused who had been granted bail and relied on a 2012 Supreme Court judgment to contend that continued incarceration during trial was unwarranted. Rejecting the argument of parity, the court said, "I may note that the role of the applicant cannot be equated to the role of other persons involved in the conspiracy". "Prima facie the IO has stated that the applicant is the prime accused as he is the beneficiary of the siphoned off amount, the offence is grave and serious in nature and mere filing of the chargesheet does not by itself dilute the seriousness of offence or entitle the applicant to grant of bail especially where the role attributed to the accused is substantial or prime," said the court. Thereby, the court dismissed Dongre's bail application. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that the government has refused to provide state assistance to Kyiv for the implementation of the citys resilience plan, which was developed by local authorities and submitted for consideration to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). "The comprehensive resilience plan for the city presented by the capital at the NSDC meeting naturally requires the participation and assistance of the state, both financial and legislative, as well as the involvement of government structures. Proposals for the plan were submitted to the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development on time. Specialists and energy sector experts were involved in drafting the document. Unfortunately, today we were made to understand that Kyiv will not be assisted at this time," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday. According to him, "the government did not include Kyiv in the general national budget for aiding cities in the implementation of resilience plans." Therefore, as Klitschko noted, options are currently being worked out regarding "what and how we will do in this situation, and how we will adjust the plans we have formed." "P.S. Interestingly, the plans presented by other cities were signed by the heads of military administrations. The plan for Kyiv, which I remind you also has a head of military administration, they are forcing the mayor to sign. (And for this, the city council must still approve it). In other words, there is a special attitude toward Kyiv. Once again, politics is at play" Klitschko added. As reported earlier this day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he proposed to his advisor on infrastructure and interaction with communities, Oleksandr Kubrakov, to assist with the energy situation in Kyiv. "The situation in the capital is difficult. I want Kubrakov, if there is to be any joint work with the capital, at least I wanted him to help a bit, to focus specifically on the energy sector of the capital," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Tuesday. The President noted that all powers regarding this matter lie with the Mayor of Kyiv. "Therefore, if they (the capital) want the state to help, we will provide maximum assistance," Zelenskyy emphasized. Zelenskyy also reported that the capital was granted an additional week to prepare its resilience plan for the next winter. "We gave the capital an additional week. After all, it is necessary to work for the people, for the state. The issue here is: if the plan is not secured, the capital faces the same kind of winter," Zelenskyy said at the briefing. Previously, Zelenskyy announced the approval of resilience plans for future heating seasons for every region and regional center at Tuesdays NSDC meeting. Meanwhile, Kyiv, which is a city with special status and is not part of Kyiv region, received additional time to prepare the relevant documents. A Delhi court denied bail to a Mizoram cadre IPS officer accused of conducting unauthorised raids, illegal detentions, and extortion in Delhi, citing concerns about undermining the justice system and potential witness tampering. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A Delhi court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of an IPS officer from Mizoram accused of conducting unauthorised raids in Delhi. The IPS officer is accused of illegally detaining individuals and demanding money from a foreign national during the alleged unauthorised raids. The court cited the seriousness of the offences, including undermining the justice system and tarnishing the image of the police, as reasons for denying bail. An internal inquiry revealed procedural lapses and misuse of authority, including fabricating statements to link individuals to the detained foreign national. The prosecution argued that custodial interrogation was necessary due to the officer's potential to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. A Delhi court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a senior Mizoram cadre IPS officer who is accused of conducting unauthorised raids in the national capital, illegally detaining multiple persons and demanding money from a foreign national. The offences committed by the applicant "undermine the integrity of the justice system, erode public trust and tarnish the image of police as a whole", Special Judge (NDPS) Manu Goel Kharb said in an order while refusing bail to Shankar Chaudhary. The matter is related to alleged police operations conducted between November 21 and 29, 2023, when Chaudhary was posted as Superintendent of Police (Narcotics), Mizoram, and supervised the said raids conducted by the Mizoram Police in Delhi. In an order dated February 28, the court said, "Having considered the submissions and material on record, in particular, vigilance inquiry conducted at the behest of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the seriousness of the offences, this court is of the opinion that this is not a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant (IPS officer)". According to the prosecution, Chaudhary, while present in Delhi, led a team that allegedly carried out raids without lawful authority, conducted searches and seizures without preparing mandatory documentation such as seizure memos or panchnamas and detained several individuals without formal arrest or production before a magistrate within the stipulated time. Details of the Alleged Misconduct The court noted that CCTV footage allegedly showed Chaudhary entering the residence of a person identified as Harrison in the early hours of November 26, 2023, and leaving nearly two hours later. The footage purportedly showed Harrison carrying a locker and two bags. He was subsequently escorted to Mizoram House in Vasant Vihar, where he remained from November 26 to November 29. The court noted that the accused in the case is a high-ranking police official and the possibility of tampering with evidence and influencing the investigation could not be ruled out. "The report of the Mizoram Government suggests that the applicant also needs to be investigated qua the offences of creating false and fabricated documents. "The offences committed by the applicant are such which undermine the integrity of the justice system, erode public trust and tarnish the image of police as a whole," the court said. The court said that it was expected from a person of the rank of IPS to maintain integrity and honesty in public service, high ethical standards and discipline in discharge of his duties, but the accused failed to maintain transparency and accountability and conducted himself in a totally defiant manner. The prosecution further alleged that Chaudhary detained Harrison for over 72 hours without a formal arrest and similarly detained other individuals in connection with narcotics cases registered in Mizoram. It was also alleged that no proper documentation was prepared for seized items, which included cash, documents, electronic devices and other materials. Internal Inquiry and Prosecution's Argument An internal inquiry by the Mizoram government, referred to in the court order, reportedly found procedural lapses and misuse of authority. It also alleged fabrication of statements to link certain accused persons with the detained foreign national. Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution submitted before the court that the accused had misused his official position and that custodial interrogation was necessary. It submitted that most material witnesses were police personnel subordinate to him at the relevant time, raising apprehensions that he could influence witnesses or tamper with evidence. The court then dismissed his bail application in the case. A Delhi court discharged a man accused of rape, citing insufficient evidence and highlighting inconsistencies in the complainant's statements, raising questions about the validity of the rape allegations. Key Points Delhi court discharges man accused of rape due to insufficient evidence to frame charges under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. The court highlighted inconsistencies in the complainant's statements and the existence of a valid marriage between the accused and the complainant. The judge noted the case appeared to be a consensual relationship turned acrimonious, with the complaint potentially filed as 'pressure tactics'. The complainant's initial statement lacked allegations of forceful sexual intercourse, further weakening the prosecution's case. The court emphasised the need for 'grave suspicion' against the accused, which was absent in this case, leading to the discharge. A court here has discharged a man accused of raping a woman under the pretext of marriage, citing insufficient material on record to frame charges under the alleged offences. Additional Sessions Judge Harjeet Singh Jaspal was hearing a case registered in 2017 under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to the prosecution, the complainant had been in contact with the accused since December 25, 2012. The accused allegedly induced her to have sexual intercourse with him by making false promise of marriage. In September 2015, the accused married the complainant upon being told that she will be filing a case against him. Thereafter, the accused and the complainant started living together, and have been in a valid subsisting marriage since then. The accused moved back to Gurgaon soon after and allegedly told the complainant she cannot do anything against him. The complainant also alleged of criminal intimidation by the accused, and his friend, who apparently sent scandalous WhatsApp messages to her. Court's Reasoning for Discharge In an order dated February 12, the judge said, "This court is unable to discern any material that would warrant the invocation of Section 376(2)(n) (committing rape repeatedly on the same woman) of the IPC. The facts of the present case unmistakably indicate towards a classic case of a consensual relationship turning acrimonious." It is evident that the prosecutrix has filled the present case as a pressure tactics and not as a complaint under Section 376 IPC, the court held. Considering the valid marriage certificate on record, the court noted there is no case of rape on account of promise to marry since the complainant and the accused were already in a valid subsisting marriage for two years prior to the registration of the FIR. The judge noted the two being already married took away the scope of criminality. The additional public prosecutor had argued that despite the two being married, the charge under 376 IPC was still made out as the complainant was subjected to forceful sexual intercourse. However, the court noted that the complainant did not level any allegations of forceful sexual intercourse in her pre-trial statement before the metropolitan magistrate under Section 164 CrPC, and had confirmed that she had performed court marriage with the accused. "Taking holistic view of this statement, it appears that the prosecutrix is only complaining about the fact that the accused left her after marriage," the court said. Further, allegations of criminal intimidation were also missing in her statement under Section 164 CrPC, the court noted. The investigating officer initially sought the cell phone of the complainant to look into the allegations of scandalous texts. However she refused to submit her phone, leading to no evidence being recorded. "It appears that the complainant chose to file the present FIR on account of frustration post marriage and as pressure tactics to keep the accused with her," the judge said. The court noted that the complainant's statements under Section 164 CrPC took away the case from the domain of "grave suspicion". "There must be a grave suspicion against the accused with respect to the commission of the alleged offence. The court must not act as a mere post office and must not only be guided by the endorsement on the chargesheet," it said. The court found no material on record to frame charges under sections 376 and 506 of the IPC, and thereby discharged the accused. Delhi Police are ramping up security measures for Holi, including intensified border checks and a crackdown on drunken driving, to ensure a safe and peaceful festival for all. Key Points Delhi Police will deploy over 15,000 personnel for Holi security, focusing on border checks and maintaining high visibility. Operation Aaghat led to numerous arrests for offences including bootlegging and drug peddling ahead of Holi. Traffic police will target drunken driving, rash driving, and motorcycle stunts with increased pickets and breathalyser tests. Police data shows a rise in drunken driving cases on Holi over the past three years, prompting stricter enforcement. Citizens are urged to celebrate Holi responsibly, avoiding forceful colouring and public disturbances. The national capital will witness intensified vigil at all motorable Delhi-Haryana and Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders, as part of the elaborate security arrangements to ensure peaceful celebrations, an official said on Tuesday. More than 15,000 police personnel will be deployed across the national capital for Holi, he said. The deployment comes alongside a pre-Holi crackdown under 'Operation Aaghat', during which the southern range of Delhi Police arrested 204 people and apprehended 973 others under preventive provisions, according to the official. Special focus this year will remain on drunken driving, rash driving and motorcycle stunts, with multiple pickets to be set up at major intersections, sensitive locations, markets and residential colonies. Increased Border Security and Traffic Enforcement "Intensive checking will be conducted at all motorable borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Strategic barricading and naka picketing have been planned, and high-visibility policing will be maintained throughout the festival period," a senior police officer said. Traffic police teams equipped with breath analysers and speed detection devices will conduct day-long drives to identify and prosecute violators. Data shared by police show a steady rise in drunken driving cases over the past three years on the day of the festival -- 559 in 2023, 824 in 2024 and 1,213 in 2025. Action will also be taken against triple riding, over-speeding and performing wheelies or other stunts on two-wheelers, officials said. Cases of riding without helmets on Holi stood at 3,410 in 2023, 1,524 in 2024 and 2,376 in 2025. Operation Aaghat Details Under Operation Aaghat, launched across South and Southeast districts, police carried out an intelligence-based synchronised crackdown on habitual offenders, bootleggers, drug peddlers, property offenders and other 'bad characters', they said. Of the 204 arrests made under various provisions of the BNS, Arms Act, NDPS Act, Delhi Excise Act and Public Gambling Act, four proclaimed offenders and 29 bad characters were held, police said. In southeast Delhi alone, 137 accused were arrested and 449 persons apprehended under preventive sections. One proclaimed offender was nabbed, 63 challans were issued under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Rs 11,500 were collected as fine and 273 vehicles were deposited under the Delhi Police Act. In the South district, 67 people were arrested and 524 apprehended preventively. Police also arrested three proclaimed offenders and 29 habitual offenders during the drive. Recoveries during the operation included 12 illegal firearms, 14 live cartridges, 24 knives, 7.197 kg of cannabis, 12.7 grams of MDMA and 15,945 quarters of illicit liquor. Police also seized Rs 84,740 in gambling cases and recovered 18 stolen or lost mobile phones. One auto-lifter was arrested and nine stolen motorcycles were recovered. More than 350 personnel participated in the synchronised action across sensitive pockets, officials said, adding that women police personnel are also being deployed at key locations. Police have appealed to citizens to celebrate Holi responsibly, avoid forceful colouring and refrain from creating nuisance in public places. "We urge everyone to cooperate and help maintain peace and harmony during the festival," an officer said. The Delhi Traffic Police are ramping up enforcement for Holi, deploying personnel at major intersections and cracking down on drunken driving and other traffic violations to ensure a safe festival for all. Key Points Delhi Traffic Police to deploy personnel at 134 major intersections on Holi to enforce traffic rules. Strict action against drunken driving, over-speeding, and reckless driving, including suspension of driving licenses. Action will be taken against vehicle owners if minors or unauthorised persons are driving. Traffic Police will monitor social media for traffic violations and take appropriate action. Commuters are urged to follow traffic rules and cooperate with enforcement teams for a safe Holi. The Delhi Traffic Police will deploy personnel at around 134 major intersections across the city on Holi on March 4, with strict enforcement against drunken driving and a provision for suspension of driving licences for a minimum of three months in serious violations, an official said on Tuesday. Issuing a detailed traffic advisory, the police said special checking teams will be stationed at major junctions and vulnerable stretches to curb offences such as drunken driving, over-speeding, reckless and zig-zag driving, red-light jumping, triple riding, riding without helmets and performing stunts on two-wheelers. According to the directions of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, in cases of drunken driving, red-light jumping, using a mobile phone while driving, dangerous driving and over-speeding, the driving licence of the offender will be seized and liable for suspension for at least three months, the advisory stated. Action will also be initiated against registered owners if their vehicles are found to be driven by minors or unauthorised persons. Traffic Management Plan for Holi Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Gupta said elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure pedestrian and motorist safety. "Keeping the Holi festival in mind, the Delhi Traffic Police has issued a detailed traffic management plan. Our staff will be deployed at around 134 major intersections. Personnel will remain present across key areas, and senior officers will supervise the arrangements. Our primary focus will be to prevent drunken driving," Gupta said. He added that strict action would be taken against those driving without helmets, driving on the wrong side or indulging in dangerous driving. "We will make every possible effort to curb all traffic violations, and appropriate action will be taken wherever violations are found," he said. The advisory said PCR vans and local police teams will assist traffic personnel in enforcing norms across the city. Social Media Monitoring Gupta also warned that violations highlighted on social media will not be ignored. "If we see any violation on social media which is uploaded by someone, then we will take action on it and we keep on monitoring it continuously," he said. The Traffic Police has urged commuters to follow rules and cooperate with enforcement teams to ensure a safe and incident-free Holi. A 30-year-old man tragically died in Delhi after a scooter accident involving a car door and a DTC bus, prompting a police investigation into the fatal road incident. Key Points A 30-year-old man died in Delhi after his scooter collided with an open car door. The scooter rider fell onto the road and was run over by a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus. The accident occurred near Uttam Nagar West Metro Station. Police have registered a case under sections 281 and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rash driving and causing death by negligence. The deceased has been identified as a resident of Uttam Nagar. A 30-year-old man was run over by a DTC bus after he fell onto the road when his scooter crashed into an open car door near Uttam Nagar West Metro Station here on Tuesday, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Tuesday morning, they said. According to police, a car had stopped on the left side of the road after one of its occupants complained of uneasiness and requested that the vehicle be halted as he needed to use the washroom. "The passenger opened the right rear door of the car. At the same time, a scooter rider coming from behind collided with the suddenly opened door," a senior police officer said. Following the impact, the rider fell onto the road and was run over by a DTC bus that was approaching from behind, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said in a statement. The vehicles involved in the accident included a DTC bus, the scooter and the SUV car. The deceased was identified as Daksh, a resident of Uttam Nagar. He was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the police said. Police Investigation into Fatal Road Accident A case has been registered under sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway. A top official asserts that India's progress is intrinsically linked to holistic development and effective grassroots governance at the district level, ensuring that growth touches all layers of society. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points India's progress depends on the holistic development and effective governance at the district level, impacting education, healthcare, and employment. District-level initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, such as digital support for education in Kupwara and e-Seva centres in Ramban, are driving tangible change. Integrated development across sectors like education, health, and infrastructure is crucial for overall progress and effective service delivery. Technology and community participation are essential for effective last-mile delivery of services and ensuring policies reach the most vulnerable. The Aspirational Districts Programme demonstrates how focused attention and data-driven monitoring can accelerate progress in key sectors. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday said India's progress depends on the performance of its districts, asserting that holistic development and grassroots governance are key to building a stronger nation. Addressing a national conference in Jammu on good governance, Dulloo said it was a matter of pride that such important deliberations were being hosted in the Union Territory. "Holistic development of districts and transforming governance for the grassroots is important. We know that India does not grow from Delhi alone. India grows from its districts. And districts grow when governance touches life on all layers," Dulloo said. Citing Mahatma Gandhi, he said the soul of India lives in its villages. "Today we may say the strength of India lies in its districts. When a district performs well, a child gets education, a farmer gets irrigation, a patient receives treatment, and a young person finds employment. That is real governance affecting the lives of the people," he said. District-Level Initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir Highlighting examples from Jammu and Kashmir, Dulloo said district-level initiatives have brought tangible change on the ground. In Kupwara, he said, young girls from remote villages are preparing for competitive examinations with digital support and mentorship, many of them being first-generation learners. In Ramban, e-Seva centres have enabled citizens to access government services without travelling long distances through difficult terrain, saving time and money while strengthening trust in governance. "In Kargil, focused district planning has improved road connectivity and healthcare outreach in remote areas. Services now reach places that were earlier cut off for months. These are not just schemes; these are stories of hope," he said. Integrated Development and Effective Service Delivery Emphasising integrated development, Dulloo said education, health, nutrition, water, roads and digital access are interconnected. "A malnourished child cannot learn well. A village without roads cannot access markets. A district without digital governance cannot deliver services quickly. Holistic development means integrated action and a whole-of-government approach," he said. Citing the prime minister's emphasis on innovation, the chief secretary said good ideas can emerge from any corner of the country -- whether Koraput, Sukma or other remote districts -- and can inspire national transformation. Dulloo said technology and community participation are the two major force multipliers for effective service delivery. "Good governance is not about big announcements; it is about effective last-mile delivery. Policies are important, but their real value is measured only when they reach the poorest and the most vulnerable," Dulloo said. Referring to the prime minister's mantra of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas" (Development and trust of all, together with everyone's effort), he said development must be inclusive, participatory and built on trust. He also pointed to initiatives such as the Aspirational Districts Programme, which have demonstrated how focused attention, data-driven monitoring and healthy competition among districts can accelerate progress in key sectors such as health, education, agriculture and financial inclusion. Delhi police are investigating after shots were allegedly fired outside a residence in Bhajanpura, northeast Delhi, prompting a forensic investigation and search for the suspects. Key Points Shots were allegedly fired outside a house in Bhajanpura, northeast Delhi. No injuries were reported in the Bhajanpura shooting incident. Police have registered a case and are investigating the firing incident. A forensic team has collected evidence from the scene in Bhajanpura. Police teams are working to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in the Delhi shooting. Unknown people allegedly fired shots in the air outside a house in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura area on Tuesday, a police officer said. No one was injured in the incident, he said. The incident was reported at the Bhajanpura police station, following which a team was sent to the spot. The complainant, identified as Mohammad Abdul Kadir, 39, told police that two to three people opened fire in front of his house before fleeing. "A forensic team inspected the scene and collected evidence. A case has been registered," the officer said. Police teams have been deployed to identify and apprehend the accused. A new study reveals that the viability of green hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source hinges on the swift and comprehensive decarbonisation of global energy grids, highlighting the critical link between renewable energy and achieving net-zero emissions. Key Points Green hydrogen's sustainability is heavily dependent on the decarbonisation of national energy grids. Electrolysis technologies currently have high global warming impacts due to their energy-intensive processes and reliance on fossil fuel-powered grids. Proton exchange membrane electrolysis could be the most sustainable hydrogen production method by 2050 if electricity grids transition away from fossil fuels. Significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are projected by 2050 with cleaner electricity grids and a shift towards renewable energy sources for hydrogen production. The UK and US could establish an environmentally-friendly hydrogen supply chain if they meet their clean energy ambitions. Green hydrogen, the cornerstone of net zero strategies around the world, could fail in becoming a truly sustainable fuel unless countries rapidly decarbonise their energy grids, according to a new study. The study published in the journal Nature Communications Sustainability highlighted the decisive role that national energy mixes will play in determining the level of emissions involved in producing the fuel and its impact on the environment. The researchers, led by Professor Lenny Koh, an expert in supply chains at the University of Sheffield's Management School, evaluated 20 possible scenarios for producing and transporting green hydrogen across 14 countries from 2023 through to 2050. The countries included were the UK, Japan, China, France, Norway, Canada, Germany, South Korea, the USA, Austria, Ireland, Poland, Italy, and the Netherlands. The research focused on five different ways of making hydrogen fuel, three of which used electrolysis and two of which used biomass systems, the current main production methods globally. Electrolysis and Global Warming Impacts Results show that in 2023, electrolysis technologies had the highest global warming impacts, mainly due to their energy-intensive operation, maintenance and manufacturing stages, as well as how the electricity used in these systems largely came from grids that were powered by oil, gas or coal. However, the research suggests that making hydrogen via proton exchange membrane - a type of electrolysis - could be the most sustainable option by 2050, if the grids supplying the electricity have moved away from fossil fuels. Many of the study's scenarios project substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as long as electricity grids become cleaner and countries shift towards renewable energy. In some cases, hydrogen supply chains could reduce key environmental impacts by more than 90 per cent compared with current hydrogen production. UK and US Collaboration for Sustainable Hydrogen One of the most environmentally-friendly supply chains could involve both the UK and US, should they meet their clean energy ambitions, according to the research. This scenario is based on manufacturing hydrogen in the United Kingdom using proton exchange membrane, with significant exports to the United States, which could support the US and UK's ambition to transition to a more resilient energy system by 2050. Professor Lenny Koh, Professor of Operations Management at the University of Sheffield, said: "Green hydrogen is seen as the answer to the world's energy crisis in terms of reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, however at present, approximately 96 per cent of hydrogen is made using fossil fuels. "We cannot be successful in using hydrogen to reach net zero, if fossil fuels are still playing such a huge role in the hydrogen supply chain." Koh said the research suggests that hydrogen could still live up to its promise and play a vital role in the clean energy transition, but only if the electricity used to produce it comes from genuinely low-carbon sources and the full supply chain is designed with sustainability in mind. Dr Moein Shamoushaki, Research Associate at the University of Sheffield's Management School, and co-author of the study, said: "The sustainability of green hydrogen very much depends on energy mix and supply chains. Any delays in policy implementation or disruptions to renewable energy deployment could substantially alter the relative sustainability of green hydrogen supply chains." Haryana Police launched 'Operation Aakraman-21', a large-scale crackdown on crime and anti-social elements across the state, ensuring a safe and secure Holi celebration for all citizens. Key Points Haryana Police launched 'Operation Aakraman-21' targeting criminals and anti-social elements ahead of the Holi festival. The operation involved 1,460 teams and resulted in over 1,000 arrests under various acts including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and NDPS Act. Significant seizures were made, including cannabis, opium, heroin, poppy husk, smack, country-made pistols, and cartridges. Haryana Police reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order and creating a safe environment for citizens during Holi. Haryana Police launched a large-scale special drive 'Operation Aakraman-21' across the state ahead of Holi, taking stringent action against criminals and anti-social elements. Under the leadership of Director General of Police Ajay Singhal, the operation was conducted on March 2, sending a clear message that law and order is paramount in the state and no unlawful activity will be tolerated, an official statement said on Tuesday. During simultaneous raids carried out by 1,460 teams comprising 7,471 police personnel across Haryana, 461 cases were registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, NDPS Act, Excise Act and Arms Act, and 1,048 accused were arrested. DGP Singhal said that Haryana Police is fully committed to maintaining robust law and order in the state. He said that special drives like 'Operation Aakraman-21' are a clear demonstration of the zero-tolerance policy against criminals and anti-social elements. Keeping in view the festival of Holi, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure that citizens celebrate the festival in a safe and fear-free environment, he said. The campaign symbolises the victory of good over evil and further strengthens the spirit of peace, security and good governance in the state, the statement said. He reiterated that action against illicit liquor trade, drug trafficking, organised crime and illegal arms will continue unabated, and no offender will be spared at any cost. Seizures and Arrests Under the Excise Act, 299 FIRs were registered and 293 accused were arrested. Several liquor bottles were recovered. Under the NDPS Act, 46 FIRs were registered and 41 accused were apprehended. Police seized drugs including 25.189 kg of cannabis, 500 grams of opium, 191 grams of heroin, 5.050 kilograms of poppy husk and 34.64 grams of smack. This action further strengthens the resolve to make the state drug-free, the DGP said. Under the Arms Act, 19 FIRs were registered and 16 accused were arrested. From their possession, 20 country-made pistols and 11 cartridges were recovered. Police also arrested a total of 67 criminals, including 61 proclaimed offenders, 101 bail jumpers, five most wanted criminals, one reward-carrying criminal, one cyber criminal and one heinous offender. In addition, 68 non-bailable warrants and 48 arrest warrants were executed. The action taken under 'Operation Aakraman-21' clearly demonstrates that there is no place in Haryana for organised crime, drug trafficking, illicit liquor trade and illegal arms, the DGP said. This extensive and well-coordinated drive further strengthens law and order while reaffirming Haryana Police's commitment to providing a safe, secure and peaceful environment to the citizens of the state, he said. A hotel owner was fatally shot and three others injured in a brazen shooting in Rajasthan, raising concerns about law and order and sparking a police investigation into potential liquor trade rivalries. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Hotel owner Maniram Manda was shot dead in a Churu, Rajasthan hotel shooting. Three others were critically injured and referred to Jaipur for treatment after the hotel shooting. Police suspect the Rajasthan hotel shooting is linked to a rivalry between groups involved in the liquor trade. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the incident, alleging a deterioration of law and order in Rajasthan. The hotel has been sealed and a heavy police force has been deployed in the Bidasar area following the shooting. The owner was shot dead while three others were critically wounded after armed assailants opened fire inside a hotel in Rajasthan's Churu district, police said on Tuesday. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the incident, saying it has "shaken" the state, and alleged deterioration of law and order in Rajasthan. The incident occurred late Monday in Bidasar area where three assailants allegedly barged into the hotel premises and began firing indiscriminately, police said. Hotel owner Maniram Manda was shot dead on the spot, while three others sustained bullet injuries. The injured were referred to Jaipur for treatment late in the night and are stated to be in serious condition, they added. The hotel was sealed after the incident and heavy police force has been deployed in the area. Investigation into Possible Motives Police sources said Manda was associated with the liquor and hospitality business. Preliminary investigation suggests the murder may have been linked to an ongoing rivalry between groups involved in the liquor trade, they said. Political Reaction Questioning the role of the state government, Ashok Gehlot said the firing incident in Churu that left one person dead and three injured has "shaken" the state. "Criminals have no fear of law. Such brutal murders have created fear among traders and the general public," Gehlot said. He alleged that incidents of brazen killings were becoming frequent across the state, citing cases in Churu, Nagaur and Jodhpur, and urged the chief minister to prioritise governance and law and order. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/marektv As a result of fighting for the Ukrainian settlement of Berezove on the administrative border between Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, several Russian units suffered losses so heavy that they effectively lost combat capability, Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn told Interfax-Ukraine. "According to our intelligence, as a result of the fighting for the settlement of Berezove, located on the administrative border between Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, several Russian units suffered such losses that they effectively lost combat capability. And the occupiers asked not even for reinforcements, but specifically to be withdrawn from there and replaced," Voloshyn said. In addition, according to Ukrainian intelligence, the spokesperson said, the enemy is moving personnel of assault groups that underwent training at training centers in the temporarily occupied parts of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. "The enemy is now moving assault group personnel from their base areas to staging areas. That is, they will still need to move from those staging areas to forward positions, and then begin actions from those forward positions," he said. As a result, Voloshyn said, the pace of Russian assaults in some sectors, in particular on Oleksandrivka axis, has somewhat decreased. Overall, over the past day the enemy carried out six combat engagements on Oleksandrivka axis: three were small-arms clashes near the settlement of Zlahoda and two near the settlement of Ternove. According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the past day Ukraines Defense Forces inflicted significant losses on the enemy: over 260 personnel and 177 pieces of weapons and military equipment. These included four tanks, 12 armored combat vehicles, a Strela-10 air defense missile system, a Buk-M1 air defense missile system, as well as several multiple launch rocket systems, including the 2B26 Grad-K MLRS. In total, 48 combat engagements were recorded over the past day, 40 of them on Huliaipole axis. IIT Kharagpur is set to redefine AI innovation with the launch of its new School of Digital Learning, Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning, fostering collaboration between industry and academia. Key Points IIT Kharagpur launches a new school for digital learning, applied AI, and machine learning to drive innovation. The Jyoti Chatterjee School of Digital Engineering is designed as an innovation accelerator, integrating digital engineering and next-generation computing. The school will focus on industry-academia collaboration and real-world validation of AI-driven systems, particularly in healthcare. IIT Kharagpur aims to become a leading institution for responsible and ethical AI, aligned with India's technological self-reliance mission. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur on Tuesday announced the launch of a school of digital learning, applied artificial intelligence and machine learning. In a statement, the institute said the school is a transformative, research-centric initiative designed to redefine how artificial intelligence innovation is conceived, translated and deployed across sectors. "Envisioned as a fully horizontal, applied AI engine across all academic and industrial verticals, the school will function under the Office of the Dean (Research & Development) - marking a decisive shift from traditional degree-oriented structures toward a high-impact, translational deep-tech model with industry-academia collaboration at its core," the statement said. The initiative is supported by a philanthropic commitment from Dr Jyoti Chatterjee (BTech 1977), who has pledged up to USD 5 million over five years through the IITKGP Foundation USA. The framework includes an initial USD 1 million commitment upon signing of the MoU, followed by structured annual gap funding up to a cumulative cap of USD 5 million. Jyoti Chatterjee School of Digital Engineering Unlike conventional AI departments, the Jyoti Chatterjee School of Digital Engineering, Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning has been designed as an innovation accelerator embedded within a live multidisciplinary ecosystem integrating digital engineering and next-generation computing, artificial intelligence and deep neural systems. In the healthcare domain, the institute said, the school will leverage integration with the School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST), the Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) on Healthcare, and the clinical ecosystem of the Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Super Speciality Hospital to enable real-world validation of AI-driven systems from laboratory prototypes to field deployment. Operating directly under the Dean (R&D), the school will establish industry-hosted laboratories and AI testbeds, enable co-development platforms with industry and government. Vision for AI Development Director of IIT Kharagpur Prof Suman Chakraborty said the new school represents a structural shift in how applied AI is institutionalised. "This is a unique horizontal, research-driven applied intelligence architecture embedded within the framework of our end-to-end R&D ecosystem - designed to move from code to clinic, prototype to product, and research to national capability," Chakraborty said. "The Jyoti Chatterjee School will serve as a convergence platform where industry, academia and government co-create sovereign AI solutions for India and the world," he added. The institute said the school aims to position IIT Kharagpur as a lighthouse institution for responsible, ethical and sovereign AI aligned with India's technological self-reliance mission, fostering indigenous capabilities across healthcare, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and smart systems. In a major crackdown, Chandauli police intercepted a truck transporting illicit liquor worth 1.68 crore from Punjab to Bihar, arresting the driver and seizing the illegal consignment. Photograph: Reuters Key Points Chandauli police seized illicit liquor worth 1.68 crore being transported from Punjab to Bihar. The illegal liquor was concealed in a truck beneath sacks of potatoes and rice husk. The truck driver, identified as Mallaram from Rajasthan, was arrested. The seized liquor cartons were labelled 'For sale in Punjab only', indicating illegal transportation. Police here have seized 1,028 cartons containing around 10,000 litres of illicit liquor being transported from Punjab to Bihar in a truck, and arrested the driver, an official said on Tuesday. Superintendent of Police Aditya Langhe said the seized illegal liquor is valued at Rs 1.68 crore. He said a joint team of Alinagar police station and the Special Operations Group (SOG) was conducting vehicle checks near Singhitali bridge on National Highway-19 in view of Holi when they stopped a Rajasthan-registered truck. "The driver attempted to flee with the vehicle, but the police team surrounded and intercepted it," Langhe said. Illicit Liquor Concealed During a search, police found cartons of liquor concealed beneath 30 sacks of potatoes and 50 sacks of rice husk loaded in the truck. The official said the cartons were labelled "For sale in Punjab only". Arrest and Investigation The accused has been identified as Mallaram (30), a resident of Barmer district in Rajasthan. Police recovered Rs 1,200 in cash and two mobile phones from his possession. The truck has been seized under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and further legal proceedings are underway, police said. Amidst the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, the Maharashtra government is arranging evacuation flights to bring home 164 citizens stranded in the UAE due to airspace closures, offering a crucial lifeline and support. IMAGE: Passengers stranded at Abu Dhabi airport amid flight disruptions and cancellations due to the situation in the West Asia. Photograph: ANI Video Grab Key Points Maharashtra government arranges two flights to evacuate 164 citizens stranded in the UAE due to Middle East conflict and airspace closures. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde coordinated the evacuation efforts, arranging flights from Fujairah Airport to Mumbai. An emergency WhatsApp helpline has been launched by the Maharashtra government and the Indian People's Forum in Dubai to assist stranded citizens. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is personally monitoring the situation and coordinating with central government agencies for assistance. Hundreds of Maharashtra residents are affected by flight disruptions due to airspace closures in West Asia following US-Israel actions in Iran. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has arranged two aircraft to bring back 164 citizens of the state stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict, his office informed on Tuesday. The state government has also launched an emergency WhatsApp helpline for hundreds of state residents stranded in the Middle East. Shinde's office in a statement said two flights will take off from Fujairah Airport at 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm and are expected to land in Mumbai in the evening. The 164 passengers include 84 students of the Pune-based Indira School of Business Studies and residents from Thane, Ahilyanagar and Pune, it stated. CMO monitoring the situation The deputy chief minister has been in touch with those stranded since the West Asia conflict started on Saturday. According to officials, several hundred people from Maharashtra are stranded in the Middle East due to airspace closure caused by the Iran war, though all are safe. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO), in a post on X, said that CM Devendra Fadnavis is personally monitoring the situation and is in constant contact with various agencies. He is also coordinating regularly with the Central government, which is extending all possible assistance, while Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan has been tasked with coordination efforts. The CMO stated that the state government, in coordination with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai, has issued a WhatsApp helpline number +971 50 365 4357 for stranded citizens who require assistance. Conflict widens US President Donald Trump has said that the heavy and pinpoint bombing of Iran would continue through the week or as long as necessary. In the wake of the situation, many airspaces in West Asia have been closed, causing massive flight disruptions and leaving passengers stranded. Figures of stranded citizens are being collected from more places across Maharashtra, officials have said. Among those stranded in Dubai is the Congress's Jalna Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Kale, who had gone there on Friday, just a day before the joint US-Israel strike in Iran, his brother Jagannath Kale said. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha convened a high-level security meeting to review the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir following widespread protests related to international events. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha conducted a security review meeting in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting addressed the prevailing security scenario in the region. Discussions were prompted by widespread protests following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader. Top security officials, including Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma and DGP Nalin Prabhat, attended the meeting. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a meeting with top security officials here, officials said. "The lieutenant governor held in-depth deliberations on the prevailing security scenario in the UT of Jammu Kashmir," an official spokesman said. The meeting was held in the wake of widespread protests in Kashmir and parts of the Jammu region against the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the joint strike by the US and Israel. The meeting was attended by GoC-in-C Northern Command Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, DGP Nalin Prabhat, GoC 15 Corps Lieutenant General Prashant Srivastava and MGGS Northern Command Major General Balbir Singh at the Lok Bhavan here. Two jail staffers in Thane have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for allegedly accepting a bribe to allow a visitor access to an undertrial prisoner, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat corruption. Key Points Two jail staffers in Thane's Aadharwadi Kalyan District Jail arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught the staffers accepting Rs 1,500 to allow a visit to an undertrial prisoner. A prison subedar and a jail constable are accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The complainant was initially asked for a larger bribe to facilitate the meeting. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested two staffers of a jail in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1,500 to allow a man to visit an undertrial prisoner, an official said on Tuesday. The ACB on Monday caught Satish Tanaji Bhosale (55), a prison subedar, and jail constable Sharad Nana Panpatil (39) posted at Aadharwadi Kalyan District Jail, while accepting a bribe from the complainant, inspector Sunil Karote of Thane ACB said. The complainant had gone to the jail on February 25 to meet his friend, who was lodged as an undertrial prisoner, he said. Details of the Bribery Case "The staff on duty in the interview room demanded Rs 1,000 since the complainant was not a relative of the inmate," Karote said. Bhosale demanded a bribe of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 from the complainant to facilitate the meeting with his friend, and the jail staffers subsequently settled for Rs 1,500, he said. A case has been registered against both the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Karote said. Police in Jharkhand busted a sex racket operating out of an ice cream factory, leading to the arrest of seven individuals involved in the illegal operation. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A sex racket operating illegally at an ice cream factory in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district has been busted by police. Seven individuals, including five women, have been arrested in connection with the sex racket. The police raid was conducted in the Boram area following complaints about flesh trade activities. The arrested individuals have been remanded to judicial custody by a local court. Seven people, including five women, were arrested after a sex racket operating illegally at an ice cream factory in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district was busted, police said. A majority of the arrested women were from neighbouring states, a police officer said. Police Raid and Arrests Acting on complaints about flesh trade in Boram area, police conducted a raid on Monday evening and nabbed the seven persons, who were produced before a court which sent them to judicial custody, Boram police station officer-in-charge Manoranjan Kumar said. Kanpur police have busted a massive GST fraud racket, exposing a scheme where unsuspecting individuals' identities were used to create fake firms and siphon off nearly Rs 250 crore in fraudulent transactions. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Key Points Kanpur police uncovered a GST fraud racket involving approximately Rs 250 crore in fraudulent transactions. The accused allegedly used identity documents of poor individuals to create fake firms and evade taxes. Two people have been arrested, and five others are absconding, indicating a wider inter-state tax evasion network. The gang lured victims with promises of easy loans, misusing their documents to register fake firms and obtain GST numbers. Police have frozen around Rs 1.5 crore in bank accounts linked to the fake firms and identified 38 fraudulent companies. The Kanpur police have unearthed an organised GST fraud racket in which the accused allegedly used identity documents of poor and unsuspecting individuals to float fake firms and route transactions worth nearly Rs 250 crore, a senior official said on Tuesday. Two people have been arrested while five others are absconding, they said, adding that the fraud appears to be part of a wider inter-state tax evasion network. The arrested accused have been identified as Kapil Mishra and Amardeep alias Raj. Addressing a press conference, Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the gang targeted e-rickshaw drivers, students and economically weaker persons by luring them with promises of easy loans. "The accused collected PAN, Aadhaar and signed documents on the pretext of arranging loans. These were later misused to register fake firms, obtain GST numbers and open bank accounts to commit large-scale Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud," he said. The racket came to light after a resident of the Nazirabad area, Anurag Verma, complained that documents he had submitted while seeking a loan for his sister's wedding were being misused. A probe by the Cyber Cell revealed that a company had been registered in his name without his knowledge and financial transactions were being carried out through it. Technical investigation involving bank account analysis, call detail records and digital transaction tracking exposed a structured network operating multiple shell companies using stolen identities. Details of the Fraudulent Activities In one case, police traced transactions worth Rs 117 crore to a bank account opened in the name of Ujjawal Gupta, son of an e-rickshaw driver from neighbouring Unnao district. The officials said the family had unknowingly submitted documents while seeking a medical loan and had no knowledge that a firm and bank account were operating in their name. The police said many victims were students, daily wage earners and private employees who were completely unaware that companies existed in their names. Investigations suggested that the accused registered shell firms using forged rent agreements and utility documents. These firms existed only on paper and issued fake invoices without any actual supply of goods or services. Fake e-way bills were generated and invoices circulated among interconnected firms to inflate turnover and claim fraudulent ITC benefits. The illegally obtained tax credit was then used to reduce tax liabilities or obtain GST refunds, with funds routed through multiple accounts to project them as legitimate, Lal said. Recovery and Ongoing Investigation During raids, police recovered 30 mobile phones, fake SIM cards, 52 keys, signboards of firms, cheque books, ATM cards, registration documents, digital devices and vehicles, indicating the operation of numerous bogus firms from limited premises. Authorities have frozen around Rs 1.5 crore lying in bank accounts linked to three fake firms. So far, 38 fraudulent companies have been identified and further financial scrutiny is underway, the commissioner said. The police said coordination with GST authorities and banks is in progress for action related to tax evasion and financial fraud. Cases have been registered under charges of cheating, forgery and other relevant provisions of law, and efforts are on to trace the remaining members of the racket. The officials said more disclosures are expected as the investigation progresses. A medical store owner in Kanpur has been apprehended for his alleged involvement in the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrup, sparking a wider investigation into pharmaceutical narcotics in Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: Steffen Frank/Pixabay Key Points A medical store owner in Kanpur has been arrested for alleged involvement in the illegal purchase and sale of codeine-based cough syrup. The arrest is part of a larger Uttar Pradesh probe into the illegal stocking and trade of codeine-based syrup, estimated to be worth hundreds of crores. The accused, Vishal Singh Sisodiya, allegedly purchased over 10,500 bottles of restricted cough syrup without maintaining proper records. Authorities recovered a laptop, mobile phone, and documents allegedly linked to the illegal trade from Sisodiya's possession. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, with further investigation ongoing. The Kanpur Crime Branch, in a joint operation with Hanumant Vihar police, has arrested a medical store owner allegedly involved in the illegal purchase and sale of codeine-based cough syrup, a senior official said on Tuesday. The arrest comes amid a wider probe by the Uttar Pradesh authorities into alleged illegal stocking and trade of the regulated codeine-based syrup, with officials estimating the nexus to be running into hundreds of crores and spread within and outside the state. The accused, Vishal Singh Sisodiya (23), proprietor of M/s Sisodiya Medicine House, had been absconding for nearly four months after an FIR was registered against him in November. He was arrested on Tuesday and later sent to judicial custody. Investigation Details Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shrawan Kumar Singh said the case was registered on November 5 following a complaint by the drug inspector regarding suspected unlawful dealing in codeine-containing cough syrups. "During investigation, it was found that the accused had procured and sold large quantities of restricted codeine-based cough syrup, branded FancyPic-T, without maintaining mandatory sale records or stock registers," Singh told PTI. Police said Sisodiya had purchased 5,250 bottles of the syrup from a Lucknow-based pharmaceutical firm, Idhika Lifesciences, while total procurement from multiple sources exceeded 10,500 bottles. During inspection, no valid documents relating to the sale or distribution of the medicines were produced, the officer said. The medical store was found closed during inspection visits, and the accused allegedly failed to provide stock registers, billing records or purchase and sale documents, indicating deliberate concealment and suspected diversion of controlled drugs into illegal channels, police said. A laptop, mobile phone and documents allegedly linked to the illegal trade were recovered from his possession. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Police said further investigation is underway to trace suppliers, associates and the wider network involved in the illegal trade of narcotic pharmaceutical substances. The Kanpur Police Commissionerate said action against the unlawful sale of narcotic and restricted medicines will continue and urged citizens to share information about such activities with the authorities. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is taking action to support Keralite expatriates in the Gulf region by addressing their concerns and safety amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan convened a meeting with Loka Kerala Sabha members to address the impact of the West Asia conflict on Keralite expatriates in the Gulf region. The meeting emphasised the importance of following local administrations' precautions and maintaining contact with Indian Embassies for expatriate safety. Kerala's NORKA has established a helpline and a control room at Delhi Kerala House to assist expatriates affected by the Gulf crisis. The Chief Minister pledged to consider seeking central government intervention on issues like travel facilities for expatriates. Expatriate organisations are urged to unite and intervene to ensure the safety and well-being of Keralites in the Gulf region. In view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday held an online meeting with Loka Kerala Sabha members in the Gulf region regarding helping the expatriate community living there. In a Facebook post, the CM said that in view of the crisis in the Gulf region, members of the Loka Kerala Sabha were requested to support those on transit visas, those who cannot travel urgently due to fear of attacks, the sick, and those who need medicine. The meeting clarified that precautions given by the respective administrations must be strictly followed and that constant contact should be maintained with the Indian Embassies there, Vijayan said in his post. He advised the members of the Loka Kerala Sabha, a platform for the cultural, socio-political and economic integration of non-resident Keralites, that only official channels of information in the Gulf region should be relied upon and no one should believe baseless news or rumours. It was also suggested that care should be taken not to act in a way that arouses concern, the CM said, and to behave with "a sense of unity and vigilance". Vijayan, in his post, also said that the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) has set up a helpline system to communicate with expatriates, and a control room has been established at the Delhi Kerala House. Besides these, the date of the SSLC - Higher Secondary Examination held in the Gulf countries has been changed, the CM said. He urged all expatriate organisations working in the Gulf region to intervene with a united spirit in the context of the war. Vijayan said that during the meeting, some members of the Loka Kerala Sabha complained that certain media outlets were reporting news that was causing concern among relatives about the situation in the Gulf and sought government intervention on the issue. The CM said that he requested them to ensure the safety of expatriate Keralites and that he would consider writing a letter seeking the central government's intervention on various other issues, including travel facilities. Escalating Conflict in West Asia The conflict in West Asia intensified with the US and Israel carrying out fresh attacks on Iran while Tehran continued to pound several Gulf countries in retaliation. Iran is carrying out fresh strikes targeting Israel and American military bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday. The US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said. At least 11 people were killed in Israel, according to reports. A Kerala court has ordered compensation for a retired army officer who was subjected to malicious prosecution, illegal detention, and false implication by the police, highlighting issues of police misconduct and abuse of authority. Key Points A Kerala court awarded Rs five lakh in damages to retired army officer Willington for malicious prosecution by the police. The court found Willington was illegally detained, falsely implicated, and maliciously prosecuted by police officers. The court ruled the police actions constituted illegal trespass, abuse of authority, and malicious arrest. Willington alleged assault, property damage, and false implication in a crime by the police. The court determined Willington suffered physical injury, mental agony, reputational loss, and property damage due to the police's unlawful acts. A Kerala court has awarded damages of Rs five lakh to a retired army officer for "malicious prosecution" by the police. Principal Munsiff Ragi S directed the state government and six of its police officers to jointly pay the compensation to 54-year-old Willington, a retired Naik Subedar, for his "illegal detention, harassment and malicious prosecution". The retired army officer, who was implicated in a criminal case in 2013, was exonerated in 2017 following a re-investigation ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Thiruvananthapuram Range. The munsiff court ruled in favour of the plaintiff army officer by relying on an official communication from the Kerala Legislative Secretariat confirming his illegal detention and malicious prosecution. "... from the acknowledgment by the state it can be concluded that the actions of the defendants (six police officers) amount to illegal trespass, abuse of authority and malicious arrest, all carried out with the malicious intent to harass the plaintiff without any fault on his part. "There was no reasonable and probable cause for initiating proceedings against the plaintiff. ... it is evident that the plaintiff was illegally detained, falsely implicated, and remanded to judicial custody based on false allegations," the court said. It further said that the conduct of the defendant police officers is alleged to have been "actuated by malice" and carried out in excess of lawful authority, thereby disentitling them from the protection of sovereign immunity. "Even if it is assumed that the officers acted maliciously or in excess of their lawful authority, such conduct does not absolve the state of liability where the acts were committed in the course of employment and were enabled by the official position held by them. ... the State is vicariously liable for the consequences of such abuse of authority," the court said. Allegations Against the Police Willington, represented by advocates S R Prasanth and Vayanakam K Somasekharan Pillai, had alleged that on the night of March 4, 2013, a police team forcibly entered his residence at Kizhakkekallada here by breaking open the front gate and main door, assaulted him in front of his wife and children, ransacked his house, killed two pet rabbits and contaminated the family's well with turpentine. He had also alleged that he was forcibly taken to the East Kallada Police Station, where he was illegally detained for two days in his undergarments and denied access to his family. He was subsequently falsely implicated in a crime and accused of harbouring his brother who was wanted in another case, the retired army officer had claimed. Court's Decision After hearing Willington, the police officers and the state, the court said that the "plaintiff has successfully established that he was subjected to unlawful trespass, illegal arrest, wrongful confinement, and malicious prosecution at the hands of the defendants (police) acting under the colour of official authority but without lawful justification". The court said that the materials on record prove that he suffered physical injury, mental agony, reputational loss, and damaged property "as a direct consequence of the unlawful acts committed by the defendants". "It is well settled that wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution, and illegal detention constitute actionable civil wrongs entitling the victim to compensation. "The injuries suffered by the plaintiff are not merely pecuniary but extend to mental trauma, humiliation, and loss of social standing, all of which are compensable under the law of torts. In view of the above circumstances, this court finds that the plaintiff is entitled to compensation for the wrongful acts of the defendants," it said. Willington had claimed damages of Rs five lakh which the court said was not excessive or disproportionate. "On the contrary, the claim represents a reasonable assessment of the loss of reputation, mental suffering, and financial burden sustained by the plaintiff. "The quantum of damages claimed, amounting to Rs 5,00,000, being supported by evidence and commensurate with the injury suffered, is found to be just, reasonable, and liable to be awarded," it said. The court held that Willington was entitled to recover from the defendants a sum of Rs 5,00,000 as damages, together with interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum from the date of the suit till realisation, with costs. Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn, in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine, refuted enemy claims about the alleged occupation of the settlements of Veselianka and Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhia region. The spokesperson called fake the information about the alleged "capture" of the village of Mali Shcherbaky near Orikhiv. "This is complete nonsense; there were not even any assault actions there. The Defense Forces are holding the line there, and the settlement remains under our control," he said. Responding to a question about Veselianka, Voloshyn also described reports of the settlements occupation as fake. Separately, Voloshyn said Russian propaganda regularly "reports on the capture" of various settlements, including Zaliznychne, where up to two dozen combat engagements take place daily, "but they fail to achieve this." "The Russians are trying with all their might to capture this settlement. It is located southwest of Huliaipole. But our soldiers are successfully repelling all assault actions and pushing the enemy back," the spokesperson said. In addition, the enemy has already dropped 40-50 unguided aerial rockets on the village of Charivne (Huliaipole district, Zaporizhia region), which is a very large number, Voloshyn said. An associate of foreign-based gangster Rohit Godara has been arrested for allegedly shooting at a lawyer linked to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, highlighting ongoing gang violence and police efforts to apprehend those involved. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points An associate of gangster Rohit Godara has been arrested for allegedly shooting at lawyer Deepak Khatri, who is linked to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The accused, Rohit Solanki, was tracked through social media and arrested after being deported from Thailand. The shooting occurred near the Marghat Wale Hanuman Temple in Delhi, with multiple assailants involved. Gangster Naveen Boxer, associated with Goldy Brar-Rohit Godara, claimed responsibility for the attack via social media. Police are investigating the weapon, SIM card, and vehicle used in the attack, and are searching for the remaining suspects. An associate of foreign-based gangster Rohit Godara has been arrested for allegedly firing at a car carrying lawyer Deepak Khatri, who is associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, police said on Tuesday. Khatri was tracked through his social media profile, where the accused, identified as Rohit Solanki, came to know that he visits the Marghat Wale Hanuman Temple every Tuesday through reels and leaves only when the temple is closed, Joint Commissioner of Police (Central) Madhur Verma said. Solanki was arrested at Delhi Airport on March 2 after he was deported from Thailand due to procedural issues. The arrest comes a week after Khatri and his associates were shot at near the ISBT in the Kashmere Gate area of north Delhi. Investigation Details According to police, Solanki was involved in the conspiracy and execution of the attack that took place late at night near the Marghat Wale Hanuman Temple on February 25. He was in direct touch with Godara through the Signal app, Verma said. Five people were travelling in the vehicle when unidentified assailants opened fire. Eyewitnesses alleged that there were three shooters, and the hunt for the remaining two is on, he said. The police are also tracking down the weapon, SIM, and vehicle supplier. One of the occupants, Sandeep, suffered two bullet injuries on his back and was admitted to a hospital. He was later stated to be stable and out of danger. An FIR was earlier registered at Kashmere Gate Police Station under sections 109(1) (attempt to murder) and 3(5) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act. Gang Warfare and Claims of Responsibility Police had said that gangster Naveen Boxer, associated with Goldy Brar-Rohit Godara, had claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post in which threats were issued to Khatri. Investigators scanned CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and examined technical evidence to identify the attackers and trace their escape route. Further details are awaited. The Maharashtra government has launched an emergency WhatsApp helpline to assist hundreds of its residents stranded in the Middle East due to airspace closures resulting from the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. Photograph: Rula Rouhana/Reuters Key Points Maharashtra government launches WhatsApp helpline (+971 50 365 4357) for residents stranded in the Middle East due to conflict-related airspace closures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is personally monitoring the situation and coordinating with central government agencies for assistance. Hundreds of Maharashtra residents are reportedly stranded in the Middle East, with figures being collected from across the state. The state government is working with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai to provide support to stranded citizens. Airspace closures in West Asia have caused significant flight disruptions, leaving many passengers stranded, including a Congress MP. The Maharashtra government has launched an emergency WhatsApp helpline for hundreds of state residents stranded in the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, officials said on Tuesday. According to officials, several hundred people from Maharashtra are stranded in the Middle East due to airspace closure caused by the Iran war, though all are safe. The Chief Minister's office, in a post on X, said that CM Devendra Fadnavis is personally monitoring the situation and is in constant contact with various agencies. He is also coordinating regularly with the Central government, which is extending all possible assistance, while Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan has been tasked with coordination efforts. The CMO further stated that the state government, in coordination with the Indian People's Forum in Dubai, has issued a WhatsApp helpline number +971 50 365 4357 for stranded citizens who require assistance. US President Donald Trump has said that the heavy and pinpoint bombing of Iran would continue through the week or as long as necessary. In the wake of the situation, many airspaces in West Asia have been closed, causing massive flight disruptions and leaving passengers stranded. Figures of stranded citizens are being collected from more places across Maharashtra, officials have said. Among those stranded in Dubai is the Congress's Jalna Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Kale, who had gone there on Friday, just a day before the joint US-Israel strike in Iran, his brother Jagannath Kale said. A man accused of murdering his wife in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, allegedly died by suicide in a hospital bathroom, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A 60-year-old man accused of murdering his wife allegedly died by suicide in a Raisen district hospital. The man was accused of burning his wife to death following a family dispute and was charged under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused had a history of suicide attempts, including a recent rescue by the Government Railway Police. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death in the hospital bathroom. A 60-year-old man accused of killing his wife allegedly hanged himself in the bathroom of Raisen district hospital in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday morning, police said. Jamuna Prasad, a resident of Murel Kala village under the Kotwali police station limits, had allegedly burnt his wife to death following a family dispute, said area Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Neelam Choudhary. Police registered a case against him on February 21 under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and he had remained absconding since the incident, he added. According to his family members, he had earlier attempted suicide twice. Last week, he tried to kill on the path of a train in Vidisha, but the Government Railway Police (GRP) rescued him and admitted him to the district hospital there. The police officer said Prasad reached Raisen district hospital on March 1 after his health deteriorated while absconding, and doctors admitted him. Discovery of the Body At around 9 AM on Tuesday, a staff nurse on duty found Prasad hanging in the bathroom of the orthopaedic ward and informed the hospital authorities. Findings of a preliminary inquiry suggested that he had hanged himself using the drawstring of his pyjama. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. A man has been arrested in West Bengal for sending hoax bomb threat emails to schools and courts in Gujarat, causing widespread alarm and prompting a major police investigation. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo Key Points A man has been arrested in West Bengal for sending hoax bomb threat emails to schools and courts in Gujarat. The accused, Sourav Biswas, used a VPN to conceal his identity while sending the threatening emails. The Ahmedabad crime branch and cyber cell conducted a joint operation leading to the arrest. The hoax bomb threats caused significant public alarm and disruption to schools and courts in Gujarat. Police are investigating the suspect's motive, potential accomplices, and technical methods used. In a joint operation, the Ahmedabad city crime branch and cyber cell have arrested a man from West Bengal for the recent wave of hoax bomb threat emails targeting schools and courts in Gujarat, police said on Tuesday. In the past few months, several schools in Gujarat and courts have repeatedly received bomb threat emails, causing significant public alarm and a nightmare for security agencies. All these bomb threat emails later turned out to be a hoax. "In a landmark joint operation, the Ahmedabad crime branch and the Ahmedabad cyber crime unit have successfully arrested the individual responsible for the recent wave of hoax bomb threat emails targeting schools and courts. This operation marks a major breakthrough in maintaining public safety and digital security," said a police release. The accused, Sourav Biswas, was nabbed from West Bengal and brought to Gujarat, where he is currently in police remand, according to the crime branch release. Investigation Details Investigative teams are currently interrogating the suspect to uncover the motive, potential accomplices, and technical methods used to bypass security protocols. Biswas had used sophisticated methods, including a VPN (virtual private network), to conceal his identity, it said. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G S Malik and the leadership of Joint Commissioner of Police (crime branch) Sharad Singhal. Recent mass hoax bomb threats sent via email to educational institutions and judicial courts had caused significant public alarm, said the release. Previous Incidents As many as 34 schools in Ahmedabad and Vadodara had received bomb threat emails on February 16. Police had promptly evacuated these campuses and thoroughly checked them before declaring the emails a hoax as nothing suspicious was found during the searches. On February 17, six courts in Gujarat had received bomb threats via email, after which authorities had conducted extensive searches, which yielded nothing suspicious. Around a dozen schools in Ahmedabad had received an email threatening bomb blasts on January 22, which also turned out to be a hoax. On December 25, as many as 10 private schools in Ahmedabad had received an email threatening bomb blasts, but nothing suspicious was found during searches by police. A man was apprehended at the India-Nepal border in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, after attempting to use fake documents to enter Nepal, prompting a police investigation and raising concerns about border security. Photograph: SSB/ANI Photo Key Points A man was arrested at the India-Nepal border in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, for attempting to cross into Nepal with fraudulent documents. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) made the arrest during a routine check at the Koilabas border crossing. The suspect claimed to be a Nepalese citizen, but the documents he presented were found to be fake. A case has been registered at the Jarwa police station following the incident, highlighting increased border security measures. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) arrested a man at the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district when he was attempting to enter Nepal using fake documents, officials said. Circle Officer (Tulsipur) Jitendra Kumar said during a checking at the Koilabas border to curb illegal activities in view of the festivals, soldiers of the SSB's 9th Battalion stopped a suspect who claimed to be Sundar KC, a citizen of Nepal's Gulmi district. Upon checking, several documents on the suspect were found to be fake. The CO said that based on the complaint of a sub-inspector of the SSB's 9th Battalion, a case was registered at the Jarwa police station. A deadly dispute over poisoned goats in Jharkhand, India, has resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man and injuries to his two sons, sparking a police investigation and raising tensions in the village. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A man in Jharkhand was allegedly killed following a dispute over the poisoning of three goats. The victim, Suryadev Yadav, and his sons were attacked with sickles and sticks. An FIR has been lodged against 11 people in connection with the incident. The dispute arose after the victim's goats allegedly grazed on crops in another man's field and were subsequently poisoned. A 55-year-old man was allegedly killed and his two sons injured after a group of people attacked them over a dispute related to the poisoning of three goats in Jharkhand's Garhwa district, police said. The incident happened on Sunday night in Hesatu village in the Badgarh police station area, they said. The deceased was identified as Suryadev Yadav. His sons, Mahesh Yadav and Ganesh Yadav, sustained injuries and have been admitted to a hospital. A case was lodged against 11 people in connection with the incident on Monday, Badgarh police station's in-charge Deepak Kumar Maurya said. Details of the Goat Poisoning Incident According to the FIR, Suryadev's three goats were allegedly poisoned to death by one Ramkishun Yadav after the animals strayed into and grazed on crops in his field. Following the incident, Suryadev and his sons went to Ramkishun's field and began taking photographs of the dead goats, the FIR said. At this point, a group of people, mostly members of the same family, allegedly attacked them with sickles and sticks. Suryadev was killed at the spot, while his two sons were injured in the assault, police said. Amidst escalating conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged with Gulf leaders to address concerns over regional attacks and ensure the safety and welfare of the Indian community. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: Gil Cohen-Magen/Pool via Reuters Key Points Prime Minister Modi spoke with leaders from Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar, expressing concern over the escalating conflict in West Asia. Modi discussed the welfare and security of the large Indian community residing in these Gulf nations. The discussions follow increased tensions and attacks in the region, disrupting flight services and stranding many Indians. The Cabinet Committee on Security has directed measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the West Asia developments. Indian missions in the region are in contact with citizens, and helplines have been activated to provide support during the crisis. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman, Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday, and expressed concern over attacks on their countries during the ongoing conflict in West Asia. During his telephonic conversations, Modi also condemned the violation of the three countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed with the leaders the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. Over the last two days, the prime minister has spoken to the leaders of eight West Asian countries, in the wake of a coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf, as also at the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha. Modi said he has spoken to Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. 'Condemned the violation of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Deeply appreciated Oman's continued support to the Indian community,' he said in a post on X. During Modi's talks with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the two leaders underscored the significance of dialogue and diplomacy in restoring regional peace and stability. "Had a productive telephone conversation with Crown Prince of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. India condemns violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stands with its people in this difficult hour," the prime minister said. He appreciated the Kuwaiti leadership's continued support to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian community in that country. During Modi's talks with the Amir of Qatar, both leaders emphasised the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. "Spoke with my brother, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. We stand firmly in solidarity with Qatar and strongly condemn any violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Modi said. Hundreds of Indians stranded in West Asia The prime minister also conveyed his appreciation for the Amir's continued support and care for the Indian community in Qatar during this challenging time. Over the last two days, Modi has spoken to the King of Bahrain and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and condemned attacks on the two countries, asserting that India stands in solidarity with their people in this difficult hour. The prime minister has also spoken to King Abdullah II of Jordan and conveyed deep concern over the evolving situation in the region. Modi has spoken to United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu too. Around 90 lakh Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. About 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, while more than 40,000 live in Israel. Currently, the airspace of West Asia is almost closed. With flight services disrupted due to the military escalation in West Asia, hundreds of Indians are stranded in Dubai, Doha and other key hub airports. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met on Sunday, expressed concern over the safety and security of the large Indian-expatriate community in the region. The CCS also directed all departments concerned to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments. "It (CCS) expressed serious concern over the safety and security of the large Indian expatriate community in the region," an official statement issued after the meeting said. India has in the past successfully evacuated thousands of its citizens from different parts of the world, including West Asia, amid conflicts. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said Indian missions across the region are in continuous contact with Indian citizens and helplines have been activated. Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US on Saturday. His death was confirmed on Sunday. US President Donald Trump has said the heavy and pin-point bombing of Iran would continue through the week or for as long as necessary. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is actively mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran to de-escalate the conflict and ensure the safety of Pakistani citizens in the region. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters Key Points Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and Iran following the outbreak of war. Dar conveyed assurances between Saudi Arabia and Iran, emphasizing Pakistan's defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Iran's request to prevent Saudi soil being used against them. Pakistan is actively working to end the war and has been in contact with numerous foreign ministers from Turkiye, Bangladesh, and other nations. The Pakistani government is focused on ensuring the protection and welfare of millions of Pakistani citizens residing in Arab countries. A crisis management unit is operational at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist those affected by the conflict, with hundreds of people already repatriated from Iran. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that he was involved in shuttle communication with leaders from Saudi Arabia and Iran in the wake of the outbreak of war. Addressing the media in Islamabad, Dar said he was in Saudi Arabia to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)A meeting when the conflict started and he got in touch with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran. "I told my Iranian counterpart that we have a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia. He asked me to ensure that Saudi soil is not used against us," he said. Dar said that after this communication, "there has been minimal impact of war on Saudi Arabia". He also said that Pakistan was actively playing its role to end the war. Dar said he has held talks over the phone with foreign ministers of Turkiye, Bangladesh, Palestine, Iran, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan, the Deputy PM of the UAE and the Vice President of the EU after the start of the hostilities. Efforts to Protect Pakistani Citizens Dar said that millions of Pakistanis were living in different Arab countries and the Pakistan government was in contact with the host nations to ensure their protection and welfare in the wake of war. Dar confirmed that one Pakistani national was killed in the UAE in a missile attack. He said that the Pakistani missions were working in all these countries and were ready to help anyone trying to come back. He said so far, 792 people have returned from Iran. He also said that the crisis management unit is operational 24/7 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help those affected by the conflict. Pakistani security forces claim to have killed dozens of Afghan Taliban fighters in recent border clashes as part of Operation Ghazab lil Haq, escalating tensions in the region. IMAGE: An Afghan man stands next to a damaged car following airstrikes, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on February 28, 2026. Photograph: Stringer/File Photo/Reuters Key Points Pakistan security forces killed 67 Afghan Taliban personnel in overnight operations, repulsing attacks at 16 locations along the southwestern border. Operation Ghazab lil Haq was launched in response to Afghan Taliban raids, with ongoing operations in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Attacks were repulsed in Northern Balochistan districts, resulting in casualties for the Afghan Taliban and injuries to Pakistani soldiers. Pakistani security forces claim to have killed 435 Afghan Taliban combatants and injured 630 in recent operations. Pakistan armed forces reportedly conducted an air operation in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, destroying the Khogani base. Pakistan security forces killed another 67 Afghan Taliban personnel in overnight operations, repulsing their attacks at 16 locations along the southwestern border early Tuesday, officials said. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar provided updates on the ongoing Operation Ghazab lil Haq, launched on Feb 26 in response to the Afghan Taliban raids. Tarar said that 40 Afghan Taliban personnel were killed in overnight operations in the border region along the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. 'Physical attack was attempted at one place, while a fire raid was conducted on 12 locations, which were all repulsed without any loss of life,' he said in an update posted on X. 'At least 40 Afghan Taliban were killed in the overnight operations in KP,' he said, adding that 'follow-up' operations continued. Clashes in Balochistan Separately, the Afghan Taliban resorted to physical attack from across the border on 16 locations in Northern Balochistan in Qilla Saifullah, Noshki and Chaman districts while engaging Pakistan troops on 25 locations in a fire raid. "The attacks at all the locations were repulsed with Afghan Taliban suffering 27 killed and scores injured," he said. The minister also said that one soldier of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan North was killed while five soldiers were injured. Previous Operations On Monday, the minister said in a statement that Pakistani security forces killed 435 Afghan Taliban combatants and another 630 of them were injured. He said that 188 tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed, 31 Afghan posts were captured and 51 locations across Afghanistan were successfully targeted in air strikes. Air Operation in Nangarhar Meanwhile, state-run PTV reported that the Pakistan armed forces successfully conducted an air operation in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, destroying the Khogani base. "Fitna al-Khawarij and Afghan Taliban face massive setbacks on every front after unprovoked aggression," PTV reported, citing sources. It further reported that security sources said Operation Ghadab-ul-Haq is still ongoing and will continue until its objectives are achieved. Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the approval of the loan to support Ukraine and other priority issues with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Just spoke with President of Ukraine Zelenskyy. We are focused on our shared priorities: conclude the adoption of the Ukraine Support Loan and of the 20th package of sanctions. We also discussed the wider impact of the developments in the Middle East on energy prices, on energy security and on availability of badly needed defence materials," von der Leyen wrote on social media X. A pistol discovered near Rajghat in Delhi has been linked to a shooting incident involving an advocate connected to the notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, sparking a police investigation. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A pistol found near Rajghat is linked to a shooting targeting an advocate connected to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The firearm was recovered after a delivery worker was accidentally shot. Police matched the pistol to ballistic evidence from the February 25 shooting case. The pistol was allegedly found in an abandoned scooter near Rajghat. An investigation is underway to determine the full circumstances of the shooting and the pistol's origin. A pistol, allegedly found by a delivery person in an abandoned scooter near Rajghat here, was used in a February 25 shooting incident targeting an advocate linked to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, a senior police officer said on Tuesday. The firearm, a loaded foreign-made pistol, was recovered by police after the 20-year-old delivery worker sustained a gunshot injury after the weapon accidentally went off. "The recovery followed an incident near the Ghazipur vegetable market where Rajkumar, employed with a private logistics firm in Noida, was hit in the leg after the weapon went off inside a truck," the officer said. Police said Rajkumar allegedly found the pistol from a scooter without a number plate which was parked near Rajghat. He picked up the pistol and kept it in the delivery truck, where it went off by accident -- injuring him in the leg. He was rushed to a nearby hospital. Upon receiving information, police reached the hospital and recovered the pistol on the instance of Rajkumar's companion. During inspection, police traced the abandoned scooter and impounded it. Investigation Links Pistol to Shooting Police matched the recovered pistol with ballistic evidence from the February 25 shooting case involving an advocate associated with Bishnoi. "The weapon recovered from the scooter has been confirmed to have been used in the February 25 firing incident, Further investigation is underway," the officer said. A couple from Punjab, wanted for running a 'kabootarbaazi' racket involving illegal immigration and visa fraud, has been arrested in Vrindavan, exposing a scheme that swindled aspiring immigrants out of large sums of money. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A Punjab-based couple was arrested in Vrindavan for allegedly running a 'kabootarbaazi' racket, an illegal immigration scheme. The couple allegedly defrauded people by promising to send them abroad, particularly to Canada, using forged documents. They charged victims between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2.5 crore for the fraudulent immigration services. The couple had been living in Vrindavan, maintaining a low profile and posing as spiritually inclined, while allegedly continuing their illegal operations. Punjab Police had been searching for the couple for two months following multiple complaints of fraud. A Punjab-based couple accused of operating a 'kabootarbaazi' racket that duped people on the pretext of sending them abroad on forged documents was arrested from Vrindavan here, police said on Tuesday. 'Kabootarbaazi' is a north Indian coinage commonly associated with illegal immigration and visa fraud operations. The duo was arrested during a raid conducted on Tuesday morning. After being produced before a lcoal magistrate, they were taken to Malerkotla on transit remand by Punjab Police for further investigation, officials said. The accused, identified as Saurabh Gupta and his wife Pragati Gupta, residents of Punjab's Patiala, were wanted in connection with multiple cases registered in Malerkotla for allegedly duping people aspiring to move to Canada and pilfering large sums of money. According to police, the couple allegedly charged between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2.5 crore per person on the pretext of sending them abroad using forged documents. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Peetam Pal Singh, quoting Malerkotla DSP Manavjeet Singh Sandhu, said several complaints were lodged against the couple after the alleged fraud came to light, prompting Punjab Police to launch a search operation around two months back. Couple's Hideout and Modus Operandi Investigation led police to a multi-storey residential society in Sunrakh area of Vrindavan, where the couple had been living in a flat in the Hare Krishna Orchid Society. Police said they were residing there with their two children and maintaining a low profile. "They were dressed in religious attire and presented themselves as spiritually inclined. Neighbours and society members had no idea about the allegations against them," an officer said. Police suspect the couple continued their alleged illegal immigration operations from the Vrindavan flat and amassed crores through fraud. The AAP government in Punjab is under fire for allegedly misusing public funds by repainting state-owned buses in the Aam Aadmi Party's signature colours, sparking outrage from opposition parties who decry the move as a wasteful publicity stunt. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo Key Points Opposition parties accuse the AAP government in Punjab of misusing state funds by repainting PRTC buses in the party's colours. Congress and SAD leaders criticise the move as a waste of public money and an attempt to promote the Aam Aadmi Party. The AAP government has previously faced criticism for painting schools and hospitals in blue and yellow, the party's colours. Opposition leaders argue that the repainting scheme is a superficial gimmick that distracts from the real issues facing Punjab. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal claims the AAP is focused on propaganda and looting rather than genuine development. Opposition SAD and Congress on Tuesday targeted the AAP government in Punjab, accusing it of misusing the state exchequer by painting state-owned PRTC buses in blue and yellow colours, associated with the ruling party's flag and posters. Earlier, the government schools and hospitals were painted in blue and yellow colours, which also drew criticism from various quarters, they said. And now, state-owned PRTC (Pepsu Road Transport Corporation) buses are also being painted in the colours of the Aam Aadmi Party flag, they said. Opposition Condemns Alleged Misuse of Funds Slamming the Bhagwant Mann government over the alleged misuse of government funds, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said, "When you have nothing else to show after four years of power, you only end up showing your true colours." He said the "true colour" of the AAP is to "cheat and deceive people with fake and false claims through advertisements at the cost of public exchequer". Warring wondered what purpose it would serve for the party to paint the already painted buses in "AAP colours". "You painted the hospitals in the name of Aam Aadmi Clinics followed by schools and now the buses," he said in a statement. "This only shows the extreme levels of insecurity the ruling party is suffering from," he alleged. The Punjab Congress president observed that this will prove counterproductive for the AAP as people are already fed up with the government and the moment they see such type of things by the ruling party they get further annoyed and agitated. He pointed out never ever has any government in Punjab or elsewhere in the country changed the colour of the state run buses. "The existing colours have been there for years and one can easily identify the Punjab Roadways bus from a distance," Warring said, adding, such things are seen as symbols of particular states which should not be changed at any stage at any cost. SAD Echoes Concerns Over Government Spending Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that the AAP government was misusing the state funds by painting PRTC buses in the colours of the Aam Aadmi Party's flag. Questioning the CM, Majithia said, "Bhagwant Mann, is this the revolution you had promised to the people of Punjab? Will AAP leaders and workers now also be asked to wear blue shirts and yellow pants?" "It appears the AAP has turned into an 'Always Advertisement Party', which has done nothing for the real development of Punjab. Instead, through widespread advertisements across Punjab and the country, the government has drained the public exchequer and misled the people of the state," Majithia alleged. The government's time is now limited and every single rupee of Punjab will be accounted for, he said. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal too hit out at the AAP government. "The fake revolutionaries are at it again! After bankrupting Punjab, wrecking law & order and ruining the economy, @AamAadmiParty is busy in a repainting spree: Sewa Kendras (built by @Akali_Dal_) repainted & renamed sham Mohalla Clinics. Meritorious Schools (established by Badal Sahab) splashed in jhadoo party colours. Now PRTC buses being painted in AAP's blue, yellow & white," said Badal in a post on X. "But these gimmicks won't fool Punjabis. They know that it was Shiromani Akali Dal alone which developed the State- AAP is only good at looting & propaganda!" he alleged. A violent gang attack in Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu, has left two dead and several injured, sparking protests and political backlash against the DMK government over law and order concerns. Key Points Two individuals, including a migrant worker from Odisha, were allegedly killed in a gang attack in Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu. Five others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at a local hospital following the violent incident. Local residents staged protests demanding the arrest of the perpetrators, threatening to boycott upcoming elections if action is not taken. The opposition AIADMK party criticised the ruling DMK government, citing negligence and a failure to maintain law and order. Police have launched an investigation and increased security in the area to prevent further unrest. Two persons including a migrant worker from Odisha were allegedly hacked to death by a nine member gang and 5 others sustained injuries in Nanguneri, police said. The deceased were identified as John Mark (47), a resident of Perumpathu village, and 57 year-old Srinath Gadda, who hails from Odisha. The injured who are under treatment at the district government hospital are A Nelson, P Prabhakaran, V Ramaswamy, A Ganesan and S Sasikumar. Police said the victims were at a tea shop on Monday night when the nine member gang travelling in three motorcycles, allegedly attacked them with sickle and other weapons following which John Mark and Gadda died on the spot. Special teams have been formed to nab the culprits and to identify the reason behind the attack, police said. On Tuesday, the locals staged a road roko in the region demanding the perpetrators be arrested. Top police personnel including district Superintendent of Police Prasannakumar met the agitators and pacified them. The members of the public warned that the police arrest those involved or they would be boycotting the forthcoming election. "We do not know what is the reason behind this incident.... we demand the police to arrest the accused or we will boycott the election" a resident said. Following the incident, security has been beefed up in the area with police personnel deployed in large numbers. Political Reactions to the Nanguneri Incident Meanwhile, the Opposition AIADMK slammed the ruling DMK government over the incident and said it is a "major crime" that cannot be accepted. The AIADMK in a social media post on Tuesday, said, "two people tragically lost their lives and 5 others are receiving treatment with grievous injuries." "...this incident is a consequence of the negligent attitude of the DMK government," AIADMK alleged. The party ridiculed the DMK government for the incident and asked whether it was the intention of the DMK government to keep this region in a perpetual "state of tension". "We urge the DMK government to take the most stringent legal action against all those involved in the incident," it said. Actor-politician Vijay led TVK expressed shock over the incident and hit out at the ruling DMK government stating, "In an administration that says it competes with the world, where is the guarantee for the lives of the general public?" "Where is the Law and Order DGP for the Police department." "It is certain that the DMK administration which does not think about the welfare of people or their safety will be removed in the upcoming assembly polls," the party alleged in a social media post. A violent gang attack in Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu, resulted in two deaths and sparked protests, leading to police investigation and political backlash against the DMK government. Key Points Two individuals, including a migrant worker from Odisha, were allegedly killed in a gang attack in Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu. Five others sustained injuries in the violent attack, prompting hospitalisation and police investigation. Police have arrested some suspects and are conducting a detailed enquiry, including reviewing CCTV footage. Local residents staged protests demanding the arrest of all perpetrators, threatening to boycott upcoming elections. Opposition parties, including AIADMK, TVK, and PMK, have criticised the DMK government over the incident, citing negligence and demanding compensation for victims' families. Two persons, including a migrant worker from Odisha, were allegedly hacked to death by a nine-member gang in Nanguneri, police said. Five people sustained injuries in this attack, they added. The deceased were identified as John Mark (47), a resident of Perumpathu village, and 57-year-old Srinath Gadda from Odisha. Top government sources said 'some of the assailants' were traced and arrested later in the day. Those who sustained injuries and were admitted to the district government hospital are A Nelson, P Prabhakaran, V Ramaswamy, A Ganesan and S Sasikumar. "Police is taking tough action. They have traced and arrested some people. They are conducting a detailed enquiry," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity. Police said the victims were at a tea shop on Monday night when the nine-member gang, travelling on three motorcycles, allegedly attacked them with a sickle and other weapons, following which John Mark and Gadda died on the spot. Responding to a query, the official said, "(Among the injured) two are in critical condition at the hospital. We have alerted medical teams, and they are providing all the necessary support." The Police formed six special teams late on Monday night and are holding an enquiry by collecting the CCTV footage and other data, he said. "It is a sensitive case. The police will take tough action," he said, without further elaborating. Protests and Political Reactions On Tuesday, the locals staged a road roko in the region demanding that the perpetrators be arrested. Police officials, including District Superintendent of Police Prasannakumar, pacified the protesters. The protesters warned the police that they would boycott the forthcoming election if they didn't arrest the perpetrators. "We do not know the reason behind this incident.... we demand the police to arrest the accused, or we will boycott the election," a resident said. Following the incident, security has been beefed up in the area. Meanwhile, the Opposition AIADMK slammed the ruling DMK government, terming the incident "a consequence of the negligent attitude of the DMK government". The Opposition also asked whether the DMK government intended "to keep this region in a perpetual state of tension". Actor-politician Vijay-led TVK criticised the government for the incident, saying, "In an administration that says it competes with the world, where is the guarantee for the lives of the general public?" "Certainly, the DMK government, which does not think about the welfare of people or their safety, will be removed in the upcoming Assembly polls," the TVK said in a social media post. Meanwhile, PMK Founder S Ramadoss criticised the DMK government, alleging that since the reason behind the attack was not known, the attack might be carried out under 'ganja influence'. "The gang that is involved in the attack must be arrested immediately. The government should give a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of the deceased and Rs 10 lakh to those injured," he said in a statement. A woman court official was allegedly assaulted in Thane during a flat foreclosure, leading to charges against five individuals for obstructing the court order and assault. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Key Points A woman court official was allegedly assaulted during a flat foreclosure procedure in Thane, Maharashtra. The incident occurred when the court commissioner was executing a court order to take possession of a flat due to loan default. Five people, including the flat owner, his family members, and a lawyer, have been booked for allegedly assaulting the court official. The court official was acting on the orders of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thane, to take possession of the flat. Police are investigating the case following a complaint filed regarding the obstruction of the court order. A case has been registered against five persons, including an 85-year-old man, for allegedly assaulting a woman court official during a flat foreclosure procedure in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at a housing society in the Mahagiri area, an official said. According to the police, a woman court commissioner was acting on the orders of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thane, to take possession of a ground-floor flat belonging to Chandrakant Vishnu Jadhav (49) after he defaulted on a loan taken from a finance firm. "The court commissioner, accompanied by legal managers from the finance firm and a police contingent, was executing the court's order, but Jadhav refused to hand over possession," the official said. Four other accused persons, including a lawyer and Jadhav's family members, allegedly assaulted the court official and obstructed the action, he said. Based on a complaint, a case has been registered against Chandrakant Jadhav, his wife Pallavi, father Vishnu Sahadu Jadhav, advocate Ashwini Bhosale and her son, the official said, adding that a probe is underway into the incident. In a shocking incident in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, a woman is accused of murder after allegedly setting her house on fire with her husband inside, prompting a police investigation into the domestic dispute. Key Points A woman in Maharajganj is accused of murdering her husband by setting their house on fire. The victim, Rampat, was asleep when his wife, Sumitra, allegedly set the house ablaze and locked it from the outside. Police have registered a murder case against Sumitra and are currently searching for her. Preliminary investigations suggest a domestic dispute may have been the motive for the crime. Police forces have been deployed in the village as a precaution. A woman was accused of murder after she allegedly set her house on fire after locking her sleeping husband inside in Baspar village of Maharajganj district, police said on Tuesday. Rampat (65) was asleep in his home when his wife, Sumitra (60), set the house ablaze, locked the door from the outside, and fled the scene, police said, adding that the husband's burnt body was found inside the house. Villagers noticed smoke rising from the house and became concerned about the situation, prompting them to inform the police. Upon arriving at the location and opening the door, the police discovered Rampat's charred remains. According to the villagers, there had been an ongoing conflict between Rampat and Sumitra. Police mentioned that she had previously attempted to kill her husband. Investigation into the Alleged Murder An investigation is currently underway to determine if there had been any prior threats or incidents of violence between the couple. Abhishek Singh, Station Officer (SO) of Shyamdeurwa police station, stated that a murder case has been filed against Sumitra under Section 103(1) (punishment for murder) of the BNS. The deceased's body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and efforts are being made to apprehend Sumitra, police said. Preliminary investigations suggest that a domestic dispute may have been the motive for the murder. Additionally, police forces have been deployed in the village as a precaution, and the situation is being closely monitored, Singh added. The BJP has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections across multiple states, setting the stage for a crucial contest in the Upper House of Parliament. IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Nabin. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points BJP nominates Nitin Nabin as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Bihar for the upcoming elections. The party has announced a list of nine candidates across states including West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Odisha. Key candidates include Rahul Sinha (former West Bengal unit chief) and Laxmi Verma (Chhattisgarh unit vice-president). The Rajya Sabha elections for 37 seats across 10 states are scheduled for March 16. Nitin Nabin's nomination follows a pattern of BJP presidents being elected to the Upper House. Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Nabin is all set to enter Parliament with the party on Tuesday naming him as one of its two candidates from Bihar for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections. Nabin, who currently holds the Bankipur assembly seat in the state, has been named along with Shivesh Kumar, a former MLA who had unsuccessfully contested the Sasaram Lok Sabha seat in the general elections held two years ago. Nabin, 45, was catapulted to the top party post in January, when he replaced two-term national president and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a surprise decision which is said to have signalled the rise of the 'third generation leadership' in the BJP, which grew under the likes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, and reached the pinnacle of success under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. While the rise to prominence of Nabin, a Kayasth, could also be seen as the BJP's attempt to assure its core base of upper castes that they will get a good share despite being numerically small, the choice of Shivesh Kumar can be seen as part of the party's Dalit outreach. The name of Nabin as a possible candidate from Bihar had been doing the rounds ever since the Rajya Sabha elections were announced a few weeks ago. Speculations were rife that for the other seat, the party might consider Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, who turned down the BJP ticket in 2024 from the Asansol Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal and contested as an Independent from Karakat in Bihar, thereby spoiling the chances of the National Democratic Alliance candidate there. State BJP welcomes announcement Soon after the announcements came from the BJP's national headquarters in Delhi, state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi said, "It is a matter of pride for Bihar that Shri Nitin Nabin will represent his home state in the Rajya Sabha." "Both Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar will file their nomination papers on March 5. Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha will also file his nomination papers on the same day," added Saraogi. The statement put paid to rumours in a section of the media in Patna that Kushwaha, whose party is the smallest NDA partner in Bihar, with four MLAs and no MP in Lok Sabha, has been asked to merge the Rashtriya Lok Manch with the BJP. A former Union minister who failed to win Karakat in the 2024 general elections because of Pawan Singh's rebellion, Kushwaha got elected to the Upper House shortly afterwards from a seat that fell vacant upon BJP's Vivek Thakur entering the Lok Sabha from Nawada. Elections are due in Bihar for five Rajya Sabha seats, and although none of these was held by the BJP, the party, with 89 MLAs in the 243-member assembly, has more than the required strength for getting two MPs elected to the Upper House from the state. Nitish's son likely to replace Harivansh Two of the remaining seats are to be contested by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United, which is understood to have made up its mind to consider Ram Nath Thakur, a Union minister and son of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, for a third consecutive term. The JD-U seems to have decided not to give a ticket this time to journalist-turned-politician Harivansh Narayan Singh, who has been the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman since 2020. Speculation is rife that the other JD-U candidate could be Nishant, the son of Nitish Kumar, whose political entry will be formally announced in a couple of days. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the main opposition party in Bihar, has made it clear that it will contest one of the five Rajya Sabha seats, throwing a spanner in the NDA's hopes of making a clean sweep, by virtue of its brute majority in the state assembly. The opposition party, which is yet to announce its candidate, hopes to get support from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which has five MLAs, besides the lone Bahujan Samaj Party legislator, though neither of the two parties has, so far, publicly promised to back the RJD. Amid rising tensions in the West Asia, Rahul Gandhi challenges Prime Minister Modi to break his silence and address the alleged assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, urging a clear stance on international law and peaceful conflict resolution. IMAGE: Shia Muslims stage a protest over the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US strikes, at Bada Imambara, in Lucknow on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Rahul Gandhi urges PM Modi to address the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict and clarify India's stance on the alleged assassination of the Iranian Supreme Leader. Gandhi condemns unilateral attacks on Iran and Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, advocating for dialogue and restraint. Gandhi stresses the importance of India maintaining a morally clear foreign policy rooted in sovereignty and peaceful dispute resolution. Gandhi highlights the potential impact of the conflict on millions, including a significant Indian population in the region, emphasizing the need for India to defend international law and human lives. Amid the United States-Israel-Iran conflict, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak up and answer as to whether he supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order. He said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. 'Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world,' the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said on X. His remarks come days after Iran confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out the previous day by the US and Israel. Gandhi said escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty, he said. "While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence -- dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace," the former Congress chief said. "India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes -- and it must remain consistent," Gandhi said. He said Modi must speak up. Sonia criticises govt's 'silence' Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order, Gandhi asked. Earlier, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the Modi government's silence on the targeted assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not neutral but an abdication, and raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy. She also demanded that when Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session, the government's 'disturbing silence' over the breakdown of international order must be debated openly and without evasion. Sharing Sonia Gandhi's article on X, Rahul Gandhi said, 'Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji writes at this critical global juncture, emphasising that India must stand for sovereignty and peace, and rediscover our moral strength.' The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979. According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the base on Tuesday, describing the move as retaliation for Israeli strikes. IMAGE: Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters Key Points Hezbollah claimed a drone attack on Israel's Ramat David Air Base, targeting radar and control facilities. IDF confirmed killing of Hussein Makled, described as Hezbollah's intelligence chief, in a Beirut strike. US CENTCOM reported sustained strikes inside Iran, targeting IRGC-linked infrastructure. Iran claimed attacks on a US base in Bahrain, escalating tensions across the region. Hezbollah claimed a dawn attack on Israel's Ramat David Air Base, Al Jazeera reported. According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the base on Tuesday, describing the move as retaliation for Israeli strikes. Earlier, IRNA News Agency reported that Israel attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. However, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting minutes after the reported strike. Israel also said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that the strike in Beirut killed Hussein Makled, whom it described as the head of Hezbollahs intelligence headquarters. The IDF said Makled was responsible for forming intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel. Israel intercepts UAVs from Lebanon The Israeli Air Force also intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles that crossed from Lebanon. Amid escalating hostilities in West Asia, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces carried out sustained operations targeting Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a 'massive missile and drone' attack on a US air base in Bahrain. Iran's IRGC said it struck the Sheikh Isa Air Base, targeting the main command building and fuel tanks. Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said Tehran would continue to defend itself as long as US-Israeli actions persist. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine Members of volunteer fire brigades in the Volyn region have joined volunteer activities within the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS). "The Ukrainian Red Cross Society has expanded its ranks by 89 volunteers members of volunteer fire brigades from Volyn region. Recently, 15 of them have already received volunteer identification cards and officially become part of the Red Cross movement," the Ukrainian Red Cross Society reported on its Facebook page on Tuesday. People of different ages and professions joined the initiative, including educators, medical workers, engineers, community representatives, and members of the clergy. This format of cooperation is taking place for the first time. The step strengthens the role of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society in local communities, reinforces partnerships on the ground, and helps form a unified emergency response system. In addition, with the support of the German Red Cross, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society handed over 25 mobile communication enhancement kits and portable charging stations to the units. The equipment will help increase the teams' operational autonomy and ensure stable communication during emergency response efforts in coordination with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Amidst escalating conflict in West Asia, India has relocated the majority of its students from Tehran to safer locations, providing essential support and issuing safety advisories for remaining nationals. IMAGE: A woman walks on the street following an Israeli and US strike on a police station, in Tehran, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters Key Points India relocates most of its students from Tehran due to heightened security risks amid escalating conflict in West Asia. The Indian embassy in Iran has arranged transportation, food, and accommodation for the relocated students outside of Tehran. An advisory remains in place for Indian nationals still in Iran, urging them to stay indoors and exercise caution. The conflict in West Asia has intensified with Iran carrying out strikes and blocking the Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil prices. The US-Israeli strikes have resulted in significant casualties, further destabilising the region. India on Tuesday said its mission in Iran has relocated the majority of Indian students from Tehran in view of the precarious security situation in the Iranian capital city. India's move came as the conflict in West Asia intensified with the US and Israel carrying out fresh attacks on Iran while Tehran continued to pound several Gulf countries in retaliation. "Due to the heightened risk perception in Tehran city, the embassy of India has relocated most Indian students who were in Tehran," the Indian mission said. The students were taken to locations outside of Tehran. The embassy said it has made arrangements for the transportation, food, and accommodation of the students. "Only a small number of students who declined the embassy's offer remain in Tehran," it said. "For other Indian students and Indian nationals who still remain in Iran, the advisory issued earlier remains unchanged: stay where you are, remain indoors as far as possible, and stay away from windows," the embassy said. In the fresh advisory, the embassy also urged the Indians to exercise caution at all times, avoid visiting areas of protests or demonstrations and remain in regular contact with the mission. Around 9,000 Indians including students are learnt to be stuck in Iran. The exact number of Indian students in Iran is not immediately known. Escalation of Conflict in West Asia The conflict in West Asia intensified with Iran carrying out fresh strikes targeting Israel and American military bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday. As part of its offensive, Iran has blocked the strategically located strait of Hormuz shipping route triggering surge in global oil prices. The US military has said six of its personnel were killed in the conflict so far. The US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said. At least 11 people were killed in Israel, according to reports. The defence ministry will soon take up the case to clear the Indian Air Force proposal to buy the additional five squadrons of the Russian air defence missile systems, which will be deployed on both the eastern and western fronts. IMAGE: File image of S-400 air defence system. Photograph: Reuters At a time when Chinese air defence systems have failed globally, India is fast moving towards buying five more squadrons of the S-400 Sudarshan air defence missile systems from Russia, which proved their mettle successfully last year during Operation Sindoor, bringing down multiple Pakistani aircraft. Key Points India is buying the additional five squadrons of the AI defence systems after achieving major success against Pakistan last year. The Indian air defence systems not only brought down multiple Pakistani aircraft but also destroyed the cruise and ballistic missile from Pakistan. The S-400 air defence system of the Indian Air Force brought down five to six Pakistani fighter aircraft and one spy plane. The Indian side is buying the additional five squadrons of the AI defence systems after achieving major success against Pakistan last year, where they also secured the longest ever air kill when a high-value Pakistani spy plane was hit by the S-400 missile. The defence ministry will soon take up the case to clear the Indian Air Force proposal to buy the additional five squadrons of the Russian air defence missile systems, which will be deployed on both the eastern and western fronts, defence officials told ANI. In Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had deployed additional squadrons of the Chinese-origin HQ-9 air defence systems, which could not do much against the Indian aircraft when they brought down multiple terror targets inside Pakistan. The HQ-9 air defence system also failed to protect the Venezuelan leadership during American action there last month, while they also failed during the Operation Epic Fury against Iran by the American and Israeli Air Force. The Indian air defence systems not only brought down multiple Pakistani aircraft but also destroyed the cruise and ballistic missile staunched from Pakistan side. The S-400 air defence system of the Indian Air Force brought down five to six Pakistani fighter aircraft and one spy plane at a distance of over 300 Km deep inside Pakistan during the four-day conflict and has been termed as a game-changer by the Indian Air Force. "The Indian Air Force is also looking to buy the missiles in significant numbers to further bolster its air defence capabilities. The discussions with the Russian side are already on in this regard and a tender for the same is being reissued very soon," sources said. India and Russia had signed a deal in 2018 for buying five squadrons of the S-400 air defence missile systems. The Indian side is also looking to add more S-400 squadrons to its inventory and is asking Russia to supply the remaining two squadrons of the missile systems, of which three have already been inducted and operationalised. The Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is also working towards developing its own long-range air defence system under the prestigious Project Kusha. Amidst escalating conflict in Iran, Indian parents are desperately seeking government intervention to ensure the safe evacuation of their children studying in Tehran, fearing for their well-being as the situation deteriorates. IMAGE: Smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters Key Points Indian parents are increasingly anxious about the safety of their children studying in Iran due to the escalating conflict. Parents are appealing to the Indian government to urgently evacuate Indian students from Iran. Students in Tehran report hearing sirens and explosions near their campuses, causing significant distress. Food and necessities are reportedly running low for students, and movement outside campuses is becoming increasingly risky. CBSE has postponed Class 10 and 12 board exams in the Middle East due to the current situation. Another day brought with it yet more anxiety and fear as parents and family members eagerly waited for updates about the safety of their children stuck in Iran. As the situation escalates, parents continue to appeal to the Indian government to evacuate their children at the earliest. For 30-year-old Altaf Khan, currently residing in Srinagar, Tuesday started with checking his phone and waiting for updates on his sister's safety. "My sister, Sobia, is a first-year medical student in Tehran. We were able to connect with her yesterday for a couple of minutes and the fear was evident in her voice. She told us that sirens have been going off frequently and that they could hear loud explosions near their campus," Khan said. He added that his parents have neither been eating nor sleeping. The constant anxiety has been very taxing for his family, he added. "My sister is only 19. I cannot imagine what she must be feeling, how scared she must be," Khan added, his voice choked with emotion. Another parent, 44-year-old Aafroza (goes by first name), based out of Srinagar, said, "It is our urgent request that the Indian government get all our children out safely and immediately. I was able to connect with my daughter for a little bit on Monday and she said that they were running out of food and other necessities as well. Movement outside the campus has become very risky, with the escalated security concerns." Aafroza's daughter is a third-year medical student in Tehran. "All other countries had already evacuated their respective students. The situation has escalated so much and we are just living every second in fear that we will receive bad news. We are constantly glued to our phones, in the hope of getting some updates or reassurances," Aafroza told PTI. Aafroza confirmed that she had not been able to connect with her daughter till Tuesday afternoon. Student Relocation and Exam Postponements The national representative of All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) Mohammad Momin Khan, said, "Indian students who were relocated from Tehran have safely reached Qom as part of precautionary arrangements. The movement was carried out in coordination with the Embassy of India in Tehran to ensure the safety and well-being of all students." Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday postponed the Class 10 and 12 board exams scheduled for March 5 and 6 in the Middle East region amid the Iran-Israel conflict, officials said. "Due to the current situation in parts of the Middle East -- Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE -- the board has decided to postpone Class 10, 12 exams on March 5 (Thursday) and March 6 (Friday)," said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj. Earlier in the day, India advised its nationals in Iran to exercise utmost caution and remain indoors as far as possible as the security situation in the Persian Gulf nation deteriorated in view of fresh military strikes by the US and Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu defends the recent US-Israeli strikes against Iran, asserting they were crucial to prevent Tehran from developing an invulnerable nuclear weapons programme and destabilizing West Asia. IMAGE: Debris at the historical monument Golestan Palace after it was damaged in an Israeli and US strike, in Tehran, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters Key Points Benjamin Netanyahu claims strikes against Iran were necessary to prevent its nuclear programme from becoming immune to attacks. Netanyahu asserts Iran was constructing new underground sites to protect its nuclear and missile programmes. The Israeli prime minister believes the joint US-Israeli strikes will create conditions for regime change in Iran. Netanyahu argues that Iran is the source of '95 per cent' of the Middle East's problems and its fall would lead to regional peace. Netanyahu denies accusations that Israel dragged the US into war, praising Trump's leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that Israel and the United States struck Iran because Tehran had restarted its nuclear programme and it would have gone 'immune within months'. Netanyahu told Fox News early Tuesday that an attack against Iran was urgently needed because Tehran was building new underground sites to shield its missile and nuclear programmes from attacks. "They started building new sites, new places, underground bunkers that would make their ballistic missile programme and their atomic bomb programme immune within months. If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future," he said. "The reason that we had to act now is that after we hit their nuclear sites and their ballistic missile programme (in the 12-day war last year in June)... they started building new sites...underground bunkers that would make their ballistic missile programme and their atomic bomb programme immune within months," the Israeli Premier told the TV channel. "If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future," he stressed. This is contrary to the claims made last year by Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. The Israeli leader had said that Israel had "achieved a historic victory" over Iran that would "abide for generations" and Trump claimed that the Iranian nuclear programme had been totally "obliterated". Critics, however, had started expressing doubts over the claims, saying that Iran may have moved and secured the enriched uranium in some other location prior to the bombings. Netanyahu on the Scope and Impact of the Strikes Netanyahu, in the interview, denied that the US and Israel were engaging in an "endless war" against Iran, insisting that the operation would end quickly. "I hear people are telling you that you're going to have an endless war here - You're not going to have an endless war because... this terror regime in Iran is at its weakest point" since its founding, the Israeli Premier said. "This is going to be a quick and decisive action," he emphasised. The Israeli Prime Minister also argued that the joint US and Israeli strikes would create the conditions for regime change in Iran. Netanyahu also said that "95 per cent" of the problems in the Middle East are generated by Iran, and that the fall of the regime would lead to a flood of peace deals between Israel and its Arab and Muslim neighbours. He stressed that the joint US-Israeli operations would "usher in an era of peace that we haven't even dreamed of". Netanyahu Responds to Criticism Responding to accusations that Israel had dragged the US into the war, the Israeli leader debunked the criticisms. "That's ridiculous. Donald Trump is the strongest leader in the world. He does what he thinks is right for America. He also does what he thinks is right for future generations," Netanyahu said, arguing that the US president understands the threats posed by the Islamic Republic. The Israeli military said its forces had taken up new positions at several strategic points near the border as part of a 'forward defence' posture. IMAGE: Smoke rises at the site of an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebanon, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters Key Points Israel deployed additional ground troops into southern Lebanon and ordered evacuations in over 80 villages. Hezbollah declared readiness for an 'open war' following Israeli strikes. Israeli airstrikes killed 40 people in Lebanon; 246 were injured, according to revised official figures. UN peacekeepers reported Israeli cross-border movements amid rising tensions along the frontier. Israel on Tuesday sent additional troops into southern Lebanon and warned residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate, as Hezbollah declared it was ready for an 'open war' amid escalating regional hostilities. The Israeli military said its forces had taken up new positions at several strategic points near the border as part of a 'forward defence' posture. The army's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, urged civilians in southern Lebanon not to return to evacuated areas until further notice. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that the Lebanese army was evacuating some border positions and redeploying troops. A Lebanese military official confirmed that Israeli troops had moved into multiple areas, prompting the army to reposition. Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill 40 The escalation followed Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes that killed 40 people in Lebanon, according to a revised toll issued by the Lebanese health ministry. The ministry said 246 people were wounded and tens of thousands displaced. The Israel Defense Forces said the deployment aims to bolster security for northern Israeli residents. Israeli forces have continued to occupy five positions in southern Lebanon since a US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said its peacekeepers observed Israeli troops making incursions across the border before returning to Israeli territory. A senior Hezbollah official said the groups patience had run out after months of Israeli strikes despite the ceasefire. "If it is an open war, then so be it," he said. Lebanon's health ministry also said that 397 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since the November ceasefire and before Hezbollah's latest attacks. Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, India voices strong concerns over the safety of its nationals and the potential disruption to energy supplies, urging dialogue and diplomacy for a swift resolution. IMAGE: Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone following a fire caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defences, according to the Fujairah media office, in Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/Reuters Key Points India expresses concern over the intensified conflict in West Asia and its potential impact on one crore Indian nationals residing in the region. India highlights the risk of disruptions to trade and energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, which could have serious consequences for the Indian economy. India strongly advocates for dialogue and diplomacy to achieve an early resolution to the conflict in West Asia, emphasising the need to avoid further loss of life. The safety and well-being of Indian citizens in the Gulf region is India's utmost priority amidst the escalating tensions in West Asia. India opposes attacks on merchant shipping, given its significant presence in the global workforce and reliance on maritime trade routes. India on Tuesday emphasised the interest of one crore Indian nationals in the region and voiced concern over possible disruptions in energy supplies because it could have serious consequences for the Indian economy. New Delhi also strongly called for 'dialogue and diplomacy' to ensure an early end to the conflict, while noting that India has critical stakes in the security and stability of the region as a proximate neighbour and the current developments 'evoke great anxiety'. In its second statement since the US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran's subsequent retaliation, India said the safety and security of Indians living in West Asia is its 'utmost priority'. 'In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. 'As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety,' it said. Some Indian nationals have lost their lives: MEA The MEA, however, did not mention the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the United States-Israel strike. 'There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them,' it said. 'Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. 'As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping,' it said. The MEA said that already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of the attacks in the last few days. 'In this background, India strongly reiterates its call for dialogue and diplomacy. We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict. Already, many lives have been regrettably lost and we express our grief in that regard,' the MEA said. Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is poised to enter the political arena, with the JD(U) party preparing to formally announce his arrival and a significant role within the party. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with his son Nishant Kumar, in Patna. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, is confirmed to be entering active politics, with a formal announcement from JD-U expected soon. JD-U leaders anticipate Nishant Kumar will be given a significant role and responsibility within the party. The decision to bring Nishant Kumar into politics has been welcomed by JD-U workers and the BJP, an ally in the NDA. Speculation arises regarding a potential Rajya Sabha seat for Nishant Kumar as five seats from Bihar are up for election. Eschewing aversion for 'dynasty politics', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday agreed to launch his only son Nishant in politics, a development that led to jubilations in the Janata Dal-United and triggered speculation of a Rajya Sabha berth for the scion. The announcement came from state Rural Development Minister and senior party leader Shrawon Kumar, who has been a close aide of the JD(U) supremo since the Samata Party days, in the 1990s. "On the eve of Holi, I have some good news to share with the people of Bihar. It has been some time since there have been demands, from within the JD-U as well as from among the state's youth, that Nishant, the son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, join politics. Decks have been cleared for that and a formal announcement will be made in a day or two," Shrawon Kumar told PTI. When he was asked whether the JD-U supremo's son, an engineering graduate who is in his 40s, could be one of the two party candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections, the JD-U leader replied, "Anything is possible. All would be made known in a day or two after top party leaders sit down to discuss these things." As soon as the news spread, celebrations erupted at the JD-U's state headquarters in Patna, the walls of which have for some time been adorned with posters demanding that the supreme leader's son take over the reins from his father. Party workers distributed sweets, smeared each other's faces with 'gulaal' and raised slogans to express their delight over the imminent political entry of their supremo's son. "It is great news. Nishant is adored by the people of Bihar who are impressed with his graceful conduct in public. He is an engineer like his father whom he resembles in many other respects," state minister and JD-U national general secretary Ashok Choudhary said. Bristling at the suggestion that the son's political entry could raise questions about Nitish Kumar's public posturing on 'dynasty politics', Choudhary said, "Our leader is not imposing on the party an offspring who does not have the required competence. Nishant has all the makings of a good leader and it was the party that wanted him to be in public life." Not much is known about the reclusive son of Bihar's longest chief minister, who is a bachelor and is said to have few interests besides spirituality and listening to devotional songs. On the rare occasions that he is seen in public, Nishant has endeared himself to the people by his humility. Also, while interacting with the media, he has given glimpses of the close track he keeps of the good work done by his father. BJP welcomes Nishant's entry into politics Allies also welcomed the development. Former state BJP president and minister Dilip Jaiswal said, "If Nitish Kumar's son enters politics, it will be great. It is time for a new generation of leaders to emerge." Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who supports the Congress, had an interesting take: "I welcome Nitish Kumar's decision to launch his son. I would suggest that he make Nishant the chief minister as he is now quite old and not in very good shape." Rumours were afloat that on Thursday, a day after Holi and the last date for filing of nomination papers for Rajya Sabha polls, a function will be held at the JD-U office where Nishant will be formally inducted into the party. Altogether five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar are going to polls in the biennial elections and the BJP, which is the single-largest party in the state assembly with 89 MLAs, is contesting two of these, its other candidate being former legislator and Dalit leader Shivesh Kumar. State BJP president Sanjay Saraogi has also confirmed that former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, will seek a second consecutive term in the Upper House as an NDA candidate. Of the five seats in Bihar, the JD-U holds two. The party is understood to have made up its mind to let Ram Nath Thakur, a Union minister and son of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, enjoy a third consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha. However, the party is said to have decided against a hat-trick for journalist-turned-politician Harivansh Narayan Singh, who has also been the deputy chairperson of Rajya Sabha since 2020. Speculations are rife that Nishant, known to be reticent but with a good grasp of public affairs, could be fielded from the seat that Singh would vacate. Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively engaging with regional leaders to de-escalate the Gulf crisis and prevent further conflict. IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photograph: Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via Reuters Key Points Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively trying to de-escalate the Gulf crisis following Iranian strikes on US facilities. Putin is in close contact with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain to find a political and diplomatic solution. The Kremlin has expressed serious concern over the escalating conflict and the potential for catastrophic consequences in the Middle East. Putin has conveyed his deep concern regarding the strikes on Iranian infrastructure to Iranian leadership. Russia has reaffirmed its readiness to use all available means to stabilise the situation in the region and prevent a full-scale war. Russian President Vladimir Putin is making all possible efforts to de-escalate the crisis in the Gulf and is in close contact with the regional leaders as Iran is retaliating with massive strikes on the United States facilities and infrastructure on their territories, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. The US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on Saturday, assassinating 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, alongside family members, including his daughter and grandchildren. Since then, Iran has targeted multiple US bases in the surrounding Gulf States. Putin's Mediation Efforts "Putin will certainly make every effort to facilitate at least a minor easing of tensions. In this regard, we discussed with virtually all of our interlocutors yesterday," the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Taking advantage of the dialogue we maintain with the Iranian leadership, (President) Putin will convey his deep concern regarding the strikes on their infrastructure to our colleagues in Iran," he added. According to the Kremlin, Putin spoke by telephone with leaders of Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. In his telephonic conversation with Crown Prince and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, Putin discussed the escalating situation in the region as a result of the American-Israeli armed aggression against Iran. "Both sides expressed serious concern over the real risks of escalation of the conflict, which has already affected several Arab countries and is fraught with catastrophic consequences. In this context, Vladimir Putin underscored the urgent need to resolve the current extremely dangerous situation through political and diplomatic means," the Kremlin said. On Monday, Putin also had telephonic contacts with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who currently chairs the Gulf Cooperation Council, Emir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. "Exchange of views was held regarding the unprecedented escalation around Iran as a result of US and Israeli aggression, which is bringing the entire region to the brink of a full-scale war with unpredictable consequences. Sides underscored the need for a swift cessation of hostilities to prevent the situation from spiralling completely out of control and to return it to a political and diplomatic framework," the Kremlin said. The current developments, in particular, threaten the security of many Arab states with which Russia maintains friendly relations. Given this, President Putin reaffirmed Russia's readiness to use all available means to actively contribute to stabilising the situation in the region, the Kremlin said, adding that contacts with the Gulf leaders will continue. Sonia Gandhi strongly criticises the Modi government's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, arguing it compromises India's foreign policy credibility and international standing. IMAGE: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Photograph: AICC/ANI Video Grab Key Points Sonia Gandhi criticises the Modi government's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, questioning India's foreign policy. Gandhi argues that India's silence on the assassination undermines its credibility as an independent actor and its commitment to international law. She highlights the importance of India maintaining its diplomatic space and advocating for restraint, given its relations with both Iran and Israel. Gandhi calls for a parliamentary debate on the government's stance, emphasising the need for strategic clarity and democratic accountability. She stresses India's historical commitment to justice, peace, and dialogue, urging a rediscovery of moral strength in foreign policy. In a scathing criticism of the Modi government, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said its silence on the targeted assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not neutral but an abdication, and raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy. The former Congress president also demanded that when Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session, the government's 'disturbing silence' over the breakdown of international order must be debated openly and without evasion. In her article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi said there is an urgent need for 'us to rediscover' the moral strength and articulate it with clarity and commitment. 'On March 1, Iran confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out the previous day by the United States and Israel. The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations,' Gandhi said. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence, she said. The Government of India has refrained from condemning the assassination or the violation of Iranian sovereignty, she noted. 'Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US,' Gandhi said. 'When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy,' Gandhi said in her article. Sonia hits out at Modi for 'endorsement of Israel' Silence, in this instance, is not neutral, she asserted. Gandhi pointed out that the assassination was carried out without a formal declaration of war and during an ongoing diplomatic process. 'Article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. A targeted killing of a serving head of state strikes at the heart of these principles,' she said. If such acts pass without principled objection from the world's largest democracy, the erosion of international norms becomes easier to normalise, she argued. 'The unease is compounded by the timing. Barely 48 hours before the assassination, the Prime Minister returned from a visit to Israel, where he reiterated unequivocal support for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, even as the Gaza conflict continues to draw global outrage over the scale of civilian casualties, many of them women and children,' Gandhi said. At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India's partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure, she said. 'The consequences of this event extend beyond geopolitics. The ripples of this tragedy are visible across continents. And India's stance is signalling tacit endorsement of this tragedy,' she claimed. Gandhi pointed out that the Congress has unequivocally condemned the bombings and targeted assassinations on Iranian soil, describing them as a dangerous escalation with grave regional and global consequences. 'We have extended condolences to the Iranian people and to Shia communities worldwide, reiterating that India's foreign policy is anchored in the peaceful settlement of disputes, as reflected in Article 51 of the Constitution of India. These principles -- sovereign equality, non-intervention and the promotion of peace -- have historically been integral to India's diplomatic identity. The present reticence, therefore, appears not merely tactical, but discordant with our stated principles,' she said. Vajpayee's reaffirmed India's deep ties with Iran: Sonia The present government would do well to remember that in April 2001, the then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during an official visit to Tehran, warmly reaffirmed India's deep ties with Iran, both civilisational and contemporary, Gandhi said. 'His (Vajpayee's) acknowledgement of those long-standing relations seems to hold no relevance for our current government,' she said. Noting that India's ties with Israel have, in recent years, expanded across defence, agriculture and technology, the Congress leader said it is precisely because India maintains relations with both Tehran and Tel Aviv that it possesses diplomatic space to urge restraint. 'But such space depends on credibility. Credibility, in turn, rests on the perception that India speaks from principle rather than expediency. 'This is not merely a moral proposition; it is a strategic necessity. Nearly 10 million Indians live and work across the Gulf. In past crises -- from the Gulf War to Yemen to Iraq and Syria -- India's ability to safeguard its citizens has rested on its credibility as an independent actor, not as a proxy,' she argued. She further asked as to why should countries in the Global South trust India to defend their territorial integrity tomorrow if it appears hesitant to defend that principle today. 'The appropriate forum for resolving this dissonance is Parliament. When it reconvenes, this disturbing silence over the breakdown of international order must be debated openly and without evasion,' Gandhi said. The targeted killing of a foreign head of state, the erosion of international norms, and the widening instability in West Asia are not peripheral matters; they touch directly upon India's strategic interests and moral commitments, she asserted. 'A clear articulation of India's position is overdue. Democratic accountability demands no less, and strategic clarity requires it,' Gandhi said. 'India has long invoked the ideal of vasudhaiva kutumbakam 'A the world is one family. That civilisational ethos is not a slogan for ceremonial diplomacy; it implies a commitment to justice, restraint and dialogue, even when doing so is inconvenient. 'At moments when the rules-based order is under visible strain, silence is abdication,' Gandhi said. 'Urgent need to rediscover India's moral strength' India has long-aspired to be more than a regional power and it has sought to serve as the conscience-keeper of the world, she said. That stature was built on a willingness to speak for sovereignty, peace, non-violence and justice even when doing so was inconvenient, she said. 'At this moment, there is an urgent need for us to rediscover that moral strength and articulate it with clarity and commitment,' Gandhi said. Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the US in the early hours of Saturday. The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979. Amidst escalating tensions and military actions in West Asia, 37 Indian ships and over 1,000 seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. IMAGE: Tankers are seen off the coast of the Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/Reuters Key Points 37 Indian-flagged ships with over 1,000 seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz closure is a result of ongoing military actions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The Directorate General of Shipping is monitoring the situation and coordinating with shipping companies. The Shipping Ministry has established a quick response team to assist Indian seafarers and their families. Maritime operators are advised to assess voyage-specific risks due to disruptions and geopolitical developments in the region. As many as 37 Indian-flagged ships with over 1,000 seafarers are stuck in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the adjoining sea areas as the key shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz is closed due to the ongoing military actions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. While some ships are carrying crude oil and LNG to Indian ports, others are on the way to bring petroleum products from the Gulf nations. A total of 37 Indian-flagged ships with 1,109 sailors are stuck in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the adjoining sea areas due to the closure of the key shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, an official privy to the development told PTI. The Directorate General of Shipping is in regular touch with the shipping companies and is closely monitoring the situation. At least three Indian seafarers on board foreign-flagged vessels were killed, and one was injured in West Asia due to the current conflict. Response and Safety Measures A dedicated quick response team has been set up by the Shipping Ministry to enable timely coordination among authorities, ensure immediate response to emerging situations and facilitate prompt assistance to Indian seafarers and their families. Shipping companies and Recruitment and Placement Service Licensees (RPSLs) have been advised to exercise caution in crew deployment and maintain regular communication with seafarers and their families. Helpline numbers have also been activated and shared with the families of the seafarers through RPSLs. The Directorate General of Shipping also issued an advisory for maritime operators to assess voyage-specific risks following the disruptions of the shipping route and closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. It is closely monitoring the evolving maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the adjoining sea areas, and the threats of the recent geopolitical developments, including missile and drone activity, electronic interference, and other maritime security concerns. On Tuesday, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a review meeting to assess the prevailing security environment in the Persian Gulf region and examine its implications for Indian maritime assets and personnel. Close coordination is being maintained with the Indian Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and Indian missions abroad. On Tuesday, American and Israeli airstrikes continued to pound Iran since killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Iran and its allies have hit back against Israel, the neighbouring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world's production of oil and natural gas. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported holding a phone conversation with Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi, during which they agreed to intensify political dialogue and maintain close coordination, including further high-level contacts. "I had a good call with my colleague from Jordan, Ayman Safadi, on the situation in the Middle East. Ukraine condemns Irans reckless attacks against countries in the region, which primarily harm civilians and risk further destabilization. We stand in solidarity with Jordan and other countries affected by these actions," Sybiha said on X on Tuesday. He also thanked Jordan for its consistent support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for voting in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution "Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine." "This principled position is highly valued," the foreign minister said. The sides agreed on further steps and maintaining contacts. "We agreed to intensify our political dialogue and maintain close coordination, including further high-level contacts and cooperation on the international stage. We all seek lasting peace and security in Ukraine and in the Middle East," Sybiha said. Amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia, Indians returning home share their harrowing experiences of flight disruptions, financial strain, and constant fear, highlighting the urgent need for assistance for those stranded. IMAGE: Indian passengers at the IGI. Airport as they arrive safely from Dubai amid the ongoing international tensions, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points The West Asia conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran has caused significant travel disruptions, leaving many Indians stranded and anxious. Returnees from Dubai and Muscat describe experiences of flight cancellations, financial burdens, and witnessing explosions, causing immense fear. Families with members in Iran express deep concern due to the proximity of missile strikes to residential areas and hostels. Passengers are urging authorities to provide faster clearance and better arrangements for those trying to return home amid the crisis. Special arrangements are needed to assist stranded Indians facing financial difficulties due to the ongoing conflict and travel disruptions. Whether in transit or on a trip to Dubai, fliers who returned to India after being stranded in the conflict-hit region narrated their ordeal, from hearing sounds of explosions to experiencing financial woes, long waits and confusion during their stay there. Several passengers said they heaved a sigh of relief only when their aircraft touched the Indian soil after a long and arduous journey, and thanked the central and the respective state governments for the arrangements. Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Chandni Chowk in Delhi, Praveen Khandelwal, on Tuesday said his daughter, who was stranded in Dubai for the last three days amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, returned safely to India. He said she had travelled to Dubai on a business trip and was unable to return due to flight cancellations. Tensions have escalated following a coordinated offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. The US and Israel jointly launched military strikes on the Islamic country on Saturday. Iran responded by firing drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations across the Gulf, and also at the global business hub of Dubai. "I didn't feel any relief, not even during the flight, until I finally landed in Delhi," said Sunil Gupta, one of the several passengers who returned home shaken. Gupta, who was returning from Dubai, said the uncertainty was overwhelming. Stranded Tourists Face Financial Hardship Arvind, a resident of Noida who also returned from Dubai, said many people were stranded after flights got cancelled. "People had just gone there for a few days and are not able to handle the expenses. The stranded tourists are facing a serious financial burden. That is the biggest problem right now," he said. He said the flight that he had initially booked was cancelled, forcing him to stay back for four extra days. "During that time, we kept hearing about and seeing incidents around us. I personally saw explosions in the sky, but they (missiles) were being intercepted. Even though the missiles were intercepted, witnessing something like that creates fear," he said. For some families, the distress has been far more personal. Kunwar Shakeel Ahmed, father of an Indian student studying in Iran, said the situation near his daughter's hostel is frightening. "Sounds of blasts can be heard. Whatever missiles are being fired are landing very close to where they are staying. She told me that after one blast nearby, parts of the roof and the plaster of the hostel building fell off. You can imagine what the girls must be going through," Ahmed said. 'Delays, uncertainty worsened situation' Another passenger, Suhail Ahmed, returning from Muscat, said delays and uncertainty at airports worsened the situation. "There were long waits and confusion. Families with children were struggling and many people were running short of money. In such times, authorities should ensure a faster clearance and better arrangements for those trying to return," he added. Relief was writ large on the faces of Indian passengers who arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru from the UAE, ending a period of high tension fueled by the conflict in West Asia. Upon arrival on Monday night, the passengers recollected the tense moments of a missile attack in the Gulf nation, before flying towards safety. Saurabh Shetty, who hails from Mangaluru and works for an oil company in Abu Dhabi, described the situation as 'worrisome and scary'. "When I came to catch my flight on February 28, everything seemed alright. Suddenly, near the check-in area, we got an alarm and were asked to sit down. We were cautioned not to sit near the windows because of a missile threat," he told PTI videos. "Someone said, 'Missile is going to hit.' We were shocked. We were like we are in the safest city -- Abu Dhabi. How can this happen here? Later, when we looked outside, we saw a missile. We never thought such things could happen here...," Shetty added. 'Coming back here is like freedom' Girimalappa Kerur, originally from Bilgi in Bagalkot district and currently based in Bengaluru, said he was travelling to Paris on a business trip but got stranded. "We could hear explosions, and we were told around 15 missiles were intercepted in Abu Dhabi. One person reportedly died due to debris. Etihad arranged a safe hotel away from the airport... I cancelled my onward trip to Paris and returned to Bengaluru. I'm relieved to be back," he said. Shubha, a passenger from New York, who was supposed to return to Chennai on Sunday, described how the roads wore a deserted look following the conflict and added it was a 'scary situation' in Dubai. "Coming back here is like freedom. I am coming from New York. I had a layover in Dubai on Saturday. In the afternoon around 1 pm that day, they (Airline authorities) said that the Dubai airspace had been closed," she told reporters at the airport in Bengaluru. A passenger Syed Ali said, "Upon hearing the news, several children started crying due to the situation at the Dubai airport. However, the hotel authorities helped us a lot and accommodated us." "Nearly 20,000 people were seen standing in long queues and were sent to various hotels," Ali, who hails from Nagoor in Tamil Nadu said. A drone attack near their hotel in Dubai and a sense of insecurity kept 23 tourists from Kolhapur district on tenterhooks, but thanks to Indian and UAE authorities, the group on Tuesday landed safely in Mumbai and returned to their hometown. Following events in Iran, Jammu and Kashmir is experiencing widespread protests, prompting authorities to heighten security measures and appeal for calm amid rising tensions and misinformation concerns. Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff IMAGE: People shout slogans during a protest against the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Syed Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes, on the outskirts of Srinagar on Tuesday, on March 3, 2026. Key Points Mass protests erupted in Jammu and Kashmir in solidarity with Iran, condemning recent events. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed officials to be on high alert and appealed for peace amid rising tensions. Authorities imposed strict restrictions and cancelled security force convoys as protests turned violent in some areas of Kashmir. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the strikes and questioned the authority of the United States and Israel to take such actions. Police are investigating the spread of misinformation and unverified content allegedly inciting unrest in the region. Several places erupted in mass protests in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday in solidarity with the Iranians and condemning the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed officials to be on high alert and chaired a meeting of top officials of the police and army at Lok Bhawan. 'Chaired a meeting of senior police & civil administration officials at the Police Control Room, Kashmir, to review the law and order situation. Directed the officers to remain on heightened alert and take all necessary measures to ensure public peace and tranquillity,' Sinha said on X. He appealed to the people and community leaders to maintain peace. 'I also appeal to the citizens and community leaders to uphold harmony and contribute to an atmosphere of calm and goodwill in society. Preserving peace and sustaining the progress of society is a shared responsibility that rests equally upon each one of us,' he said. On Tuesday, the second day of protests, authorities imposed strict restrictions in Kashmir. All movement of security force convoys in the valley was cancelled as protests started turning violent at some places. On Monday, educational institutions were ordered to be shut for two days and mobile internet speed was throttled. Protests Across Jammu and Kashmir On Tuesday, fresh protests broke out at several places, including Sumbal and Pattan areas of North Kashmir, in Rajouri district of the Jammu region. In Sumbal of Bandipora district, security forces resorted to force to disperse the demonstrators. In Budhal, people gathered in front of the Sheikh-ul-Alam Masjid to condemn the military action by the US and Israel in Iran. Raising slogans, they termed the attack a violation of international law and an act of aggression against the Muslim world. In the main town of Rajouri, Muslim youth organised an Iran Solidarity march. At least 14 people, including six security personnel, were injured on Monday in protests across the Union Territory that erupted following Khamenei's assassination. Authorities have barred access to the iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk with barricades. A large number of police and paramilitary forces has been deployed in Srinagar. Concertina wires and barricades were placed at all key intersections leading into the city. Police Response Some media outlets and individuals faced police heat for allegedly circulating misleading information. They were accused of inciting unrest. A Srinagar police spokesperson said these elements are 'systematically attempting' to spread distorted narratives and unverified content with the clear intent to incite unrest, disturb public order, and create disharmony in society. "Such malicious misinformation campaigns pose a grave threat to peace, security, and the integrity of the nation," the spokesperson said. An FIR was filed at the Cyber Police Station in connection with the allegations, according to him. "All such actions are under close watch, and necessary measures are being taken," he added. Political Reactions Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday condemned the strikes on Iran and questioned the authority of the United States and Israel to take such actions. He asserted that no international law justifies foreign military aggression, the assassination of a nation's leader, or the killing of civilians. Abdullah urged people to exercise restraint and express their anger or grief through lawful and peaceful means. "Using external force and displaying military power to overthrow governments is not permitted under any international law. The brutal killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, along with members of his family, raises a serious question ... which law gave the United States or Israel the authority to do this?" Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar. In an advisory posted on X, the embassy urged all American citizens in Oman to remain indoors until further notice. IMAGE: Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, in Lebanon, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters Key Points US Embassy in Muscat directed staff to shelter in place amid escalating tensions. Americans in Oman advised to remain indoors and keep emergency supplies ready. US issued 'depart now' advisory for over a dozen Middle Eastern countries. CENTCOM confirmed six US service members killed as regional conflict deepens. Amid rising tensions in West Asia following a series of strikes and counter-strikes, the United States Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday instructed its staff to shelter in place. In an advisory posted on X, the embassy urged all American citizens in Oman to remain indoors until further notice. 'Due to ongoing activity, the US Embassy in Oman has instructed staff to shelter in place (i.e., take cover). We recommend all Americans in Oman do the same,' it said. The directive asked US citizens to immediately move to a secure location within their residence or another safe building and remain there. US advises citizens to keep essential supplies Americans were advised to keep essential supplies such as food, water and medicines ready, monitor local media, keep phones charged and maintain contact with family members. The embassy also urged citizens to enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for security updates. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to 'depart now' from more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to 'serious safety risks'. The advisory applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the UAE and Yemen. Meanwhile, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six US service members have been killed in action amid the ongoing hostilities, which entered their fourth day following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks targeting American military bases and Israeli assets in the region. The incident followed a similar strike on the US Embassy in Kuwait, which has since been closed until further notice. IMAGE: Vehicles drive along a street near the Diplomatic Quarter, following drone strikes that hit the US embassy compound and were intercepted by Saudi air defences, according to the Defence Ministry, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 3, 2026. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters Key Points Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh; Washington has begun evacuating staff from multiple Gulf countries. The war has entered its fourth day, with Israeli ground operations expanding into southern Lebanon. President Donald Trump signalled a prolonged campaign and did not rule out deeper US military involvement. The conflict has killed at least 787 people in Iran, along with casualties in Israel, Lebanon and among US forces, while disrupting global oil and shipping markets. Iran expanded its targets on Tuesday by striking the United States Embassy in Riyadh, even as Washington, DC began pulling staff out of several West Asian countries amid an escalating conflict that has disrupted global oil and gas supplies, shipping lanes and air travel. Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said two drones hit the US diplomatic compound in the capital, causing a 'limited fire'. The embassy urged Americans to avoid the facility. The incident followed a similar strike on the US Embassy in Kuwait, which has since been closed until further notice. The US State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family members from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. Washington has also advised its citizens to leave more than a dozen countries in the region, although widespread airspace closures have left many stranded. The conflict entered its fourth day with Israel deploying additional ground troops into southern Lebanon and fresh explosions reported in Tehran. War could last for weeks: Trump US President Donald Trump said the war could last four to five weeks and indicated the US was prepared for a longer campaign, without ruling out the possibility of ground troops. The initial US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, after which Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government. However, senior US officials later clarified that regime change was not an official objective. 787 killed in Iran so far According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 787 people have been killed in Iran since the strikes began. In Israel, 11 people have died in Iranian missile attacks. Hezbollah attacks and Israeli retaliatory strikes have left 52 dead in Lebanon. The US military has confirmed six American service members killed, while additional casualties have been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. The widening hostilities have intensified concerns of a prolonged regional conflict with significant global economic repercussions. The US appeal comes anticipating 'serious safety risks,' as tensions escalated following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes against the US allies in the Gulf. IMAGE: An F/A-18E Super Hornet takes off from the U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran February 28, 2026. Photograph: US Navy/Handout via Reuters The United States has issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to "depart now" from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to "serious safety risks," as tensions escalated following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes against the US allies in the Gulf. Key Points The US has issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to 'depart now' from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries. The US Central Command said that six American service members have been killed in action as major combat operations continue. US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities continued to target military command centres and air-defence systems The United States Central Command said on Monday that six American service members have been killed in action as major combat operations continue in the region. Sharing a video message in a post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged its citizens to immediately depart from several Middle Eastern countries, citing "serious safety risks." "To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority. Sign up to receive STEP alerts at https://step.state.gov. Get information at @TravelGov and you can call the department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444," Rubio wrote in its post. Separately, in a post on X, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar wrote, "The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in https://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," the post read. The advisory, updated on March 2 at 4 pm EST, applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Meanwhile, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six US service members have been killed in action amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East following Iran's initial attacks in the region. In a post on X, CENTCOM wrote, "TAMPA, Fla. - As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six US service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted-for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification." This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. Earlier, President Donald Trump said that the United States will continue its military operation against Iran to "eliminate the regime's missile capabilities", nuclear ambitions, and support for terrorism. The camera is considered crucial in establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement patterns and operational preparations of the terror module in the Pahalgam attack on April 22 IMAGE: A view of the terror attack site in Baisaran, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, April 22, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought China's judicial assistance to trace a GoPro Hero 12 Black camera linked to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 tourists. Key Points GoPro Hero 12 Black was supplied to China-based AE Group International Limited more than a year before the deadly terror attack To trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records of the GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, the NIA will soon issue a Letter Rogatory to the competent Chinese judicial authority. A special court in Jammu on March 2 allowed the NIA to seek judicial assistance from China to trace the purchaser and end-user. The camera is considered crucial in establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement patterns and operational preparations of the terror module in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, as it was supplied to China-based AE Group International Limited more than a year before the deadly terror attack. The camera was activated on January 30, 2024 at Dongguan--an industrial metropolis in China, and is among various material objects and electronic devices found and examined by the investigators connected with conspiracy and execution of terrorist attack which left 26 tourists dead, including a Nepali citizen, when terrorists started gunfire around 2 pm on April 22, 2025 in Baisaran picturesque meadow which is located around five kilometres from Pahalgam town in Kashmir's Anantnag district. To trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records of the GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, bearing serial No.C3501325471706, the National Investigation Agency (NIA)-- the Indian probe agency of the case-- would soon issue a Letter Rogatory or LR to the competent judicial authority of the People's Republic of China. LR is a formal and diplomatic request from a court in one country to the judiciary of another country. The ministry of home affairs has given the concurrence for issuance of LR to China for seeking legal assistance in the investigation of the case (RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU) dated April 27, 2025. A special court in Jammu on March 2 allowed the NIA to seek judicial assistance from China to trace the purchaser and end-user of a GoPro camera allegedly linked to the conspiracy based on an application presented by the agency in Jammu court seeking approval for issuance of an LR to the competent judicial authority of the People's Republic of China, through the ministry of external affairs. The NIA had stated in its application in the Jammu court that "during the course of investigation of the aforesaid case, various material objects and electronic devices connected with the conspiracy and execution of said terrorist attack have been examined. One such crucial electronic device is a GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, bearing serial No.C3501325471706, which is relevant for establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement and operational preparation of the terrorist module involved in the Pahalgam attack." The NIA informed the court that it had issued a lawful notice under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to the manufacturer GoPro B V, seeking details regarding the supply chain and activation of the device. "In its official response, GoPro BV has informed that the camera was supplied to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in the People's Republic of China. The camera was activated on January 30, 2024 at Dongguan, People's Republic of China. The manufacturer has further stated that it does not possess downstream transaction details or end-user records of the said device," NIA mentioned in its application. NIA moved the application as the activation, initial use and commercial trail of the camera lie within the territorial jurisdiction of China, and the information necessary to trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records can only be obtained through judicial assistance of the Chinese authorities. Since India and China are not signatories to any mutual treaty, such as the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Agreement (MLAT) on the subject, in such an eventuality, resort is taken to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) for seeking assistance as requested, as both nations have ratified the UNTOC. The information linked to the seized GoPro Hero 12 Black camera is important in establishing the chain of custody, user, attribution and evidentiary linkage as it was supplied to China's AE group International Limited. The court, on March 2 given its nod to the NIA based on its application to issue the LR to the competent judicial authority of the People's Republic of China for seeking assistance and tracing the purchaser, end user and associated technical records to unearth the larger conspiracy. The NIA formally registered a First Information Report in the case on April 26 night following an order issued from Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the MHA, considering the gravity of the case as Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's proxy, the Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for the attack. The NIA took over the case from the Jammu and Kashmir Police five days after the incident, which is considered the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in almost twenty years. The incident occurred at around 2 pm on April 22, 2025, when terrorists came down from the mountain in Baisaran valley and started firing at the tourists who frequent the place, which is often dubbed as 'mini Switzerland' because of its long, lush green meadows. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that ending the Russian-Ukrainian war remains one of his important priorities. "This issue [Ukraine and Russia] is on my priority list very high," the U.S. leader said during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The U.S. President expressed hope that a settlement will be reached. "Sometimes I blame one side [for the lack of a settlement], sometimes I blame another [side]," he added. BRATTLEBORO Education, housing and infrastructure are agreed to be important ongoing priorities for legislators in the new session as they t Photo: https://t.me/Ukraine_MFA Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha held a conversation with Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Sabah regarding the security situation in the Middle East. "My colleague informed me about the current developments. Ukraine condemns Irans unjustified attacks against countries in the region and stands in solidarity with Kuwait and its people. For Ukraine, this threat is not abstract. We face daily missile and drone attacks, including Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia against our cities and civilians. Over the past years, we have developed unique and advanced expertise in countering such aerial threats and stand ready to share this experience with our partners," Sybiha said on X. He thanked Kuwait for its consistent support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. "We also agreed to continue strengthening our cooperation. I invited my Kuwaiti counterpart to visit Ukraine," Sybiha said. Acquire marked 25 years in business with a vibrant summer glam themed event that brought together staff, valued vendors and distributors for a night of music, memories and reflection. Inspired by the atmosphere of a Bali beach club, the event encouraged guests to embrace the best of summer style with DJ Karn Hall setting the tone from the decks. The relaxed, upbeat ambience reflected the companys journey over the past quartercentury: collaborative, peoplecentred and full of momentum. In a moment of gratitude and recognition, special acknowledgment was given to Acquire directors Kelly Raines and Simon Scott, whose vision sparked the creation of the company 25 years ago. What began as a simple idea has since evolved into a thriving business shaped by enduring partnerships and a loyal network of industry supporters. The night also served as a thank you to those who have been part of the journey, many of whom were present to celebrate the milestone together. As the company enters its next chapter, Acquire signalled its commitment to continued innovation, growth and collaboration. Acquire 25 years Acquire 25 years acquire 25 years acquire 25 years Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Acquire 25 Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov was consulted by the creators of the hit Netflix series The Queen's Gambit to ensure game play was accurate and compelling. The show follows the rise of an American girl who goes from chess prodigy to challenging the Soviet world champion in Moscow. Kasparov told RFE/RL's Russian Service how he helped make the action on and off the chess board believable. Videos shared online on March 2 show the massive impact of missiles hitting Tehran on the third day of a military campaign against Iran by the United States and Israel. The Iranian Red Crescent Society put the death toll in the country at more than 500 and said that dozens more had been killed in Iranian counter-strikes across the region. Thousands of mourners filled the streets of Minab in southern Iran to grieve for more than 100 students who were killed in a strike on a girls' school on February 28. The United States says it would not deliberately strike a school, but Iranian authorities are blaming the US and Israel. Iranians are gripped by fear -- and hope -- as the United States and Israel wage a massive bombardment designed to cripple the country's clerical rulers. The air strikes since February 28 have decimated much of Iran's leadership, including killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But they have also resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, according to local humanitarian groups, and destroyed schools and hospitals. "We were happy with the news of Khamenei's death," a 56-year-old man in Tehran, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, told Radio Farda. "But now these heavy bombings are worrying me. Iran should not be destroyed and disintegrated. I hope the future is bright." The death of Khamenei, an autocrat who ruled the country with an iron fist for nearly 40 years, was celebrated by some on the streets of Iran. But for many, attention has quickly turned to what comes next. The US and Israeli air campaign poses an existential threat to Iran's theocracy. If the Islamic republic collapses, some fear the multiethnic country of some 90 million people could slide into civil war and anarchy like its neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan. "The bombings are terrifying, and we heard them [US and Israeli air strikes] hitting residential areas," a 49-year-old mother in Tehran told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "We can't sleep at night, and one of my dogs hides in the bathroom out of fear," she added. The United States and Israel have urged Iranians to rise up and "take over your government." But there has been no sign of an uprising on the eerily quiet streets of major Iranian cities that are patrolled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Basij paramilitary force. In January, the authorities waged a brutal crackdown on mass protests, killing thousands of people, in the biggest threat to their rule in decades. In Tehran, a city of 10 million people, many are staying indoors as the United States and Israel continue to pound security and government targets. The number of people killed in the country since the US-Iran attacks began on February 28 reached 787 on March 3, according to the Iran's Red Crescent Society. Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran reported that 742 civilians have died, including 176 children. "Many were waiting to hear the news of the leader's [Khamenei's] death, but the sounds of missiles and explosions, and children and people losing their lives, have left little room for joy," said a 27-year-old woman in Tehran. As United States and Israel wage war against Iran, Tehran is widening the theater of the conflict and raising the costs for Washington in a bid to secure an eventual cease-fire, experts say. Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones targeting US military bases as well as key energy and commercial sites in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar -- all American allies -- since February 28. "The objective is to increase the costs for the United States -- both directly and indirectly -- in order to convince Washington that it cannot succeed in this war," Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told RFE/RL. "Tehran wants to demonstrate that this is a war the United States cannot win, and that it therefore needs to bring it to an end as soon as possible." From Signaling To Survival Iran has targeted US military bases and commercial interests in the region during previous bouts of conflict -- including during Tehrans 12-day war with Israel and the United States in June 2025 -- but those actions were largely symbolic and highly choreographed. Irans military posture now, experts say, is fundamentally different after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several key security officials were killed in Israeli air strikes on February 28. "Iran seems to be betting on the sensitivity of the US administration -- and of its allies worldwide -- to rising energy prices," Azizi said. "This is not just about regional pressure. It is about adding weight to an already fragile global market still reeling from the repercussions of the war in Ukraine." About one-fifth of the world's oil supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran has previously considered closing the route, a move that would disrupt global oil flows. Speaking to Al Jazeera TV, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi acknowledged on March 1 that the countrys Arab neighbors were not happy with Iran but urged them to understand that the United States and Israel started the war. They [Gulf states] shouldnt pressure us to stop this war. They should pressure the other side, he said. Saturation And 'Loitering' Threats On the ground, the military reality is one of grueling attrition. Farzin Nadimi, a defense specialist at the Washington Institute, noted that Iran has learned from past failures, deploying its most advanced assets like the Fattah-1 and Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles to overwhelm sophisticated Western-made air defenses deployed by US allies in the region. "The goal is to ensure that air defense systems and the civilian population in shelters are under constant tension," Nadimi told RFE/RLs Radio Farda. He observed that Iran has maintained a steady rhythm of firing roughly 25 ballistic missiles per hour, a pace designed to deplete interceptor stockpiles. In just over a few days, Iranian drones and missiles have struck a major gas plant in Qatar, an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, a US base in Kuwait, and a major airport in the United Arab Emirates among other targets. The United States and Israel, for their part, have responded with a new level of persistence. "US Air Force tankers are providing the necessary support to allow Israeli jets to remain over their target areas [in Iran] for longer periods -- what we call 'loitering,'" Nadimi added. "If they can keep these aircraft in the sky with larger ordnance, they can permanently take Iranian [missile] launchers out of the cycle." 'Survival At Stake' For Washington, the challenge is whether the force of its air campaign can break Tehran before the economic fallout breaks the resolve of its allies. Gulf capitals, once vocal supporters of containing Iran, are reportedly growing wary as their US-provided Patriot and Aegis defense systems are being overwhelmed. Nadimi warned that "blinding one of these 'eyes' [radars] can affect the performance of the entire missile defense network in the region." Ultimately, the conflict has moved beyond traditional cost-benefit analysis. "When regimes perceive their survival to be at stake, they may resort to extreme measures that do not fully conform to rational calculations," Azizi noted. "In existential situations, most other considerations recede. Decision-making centers on survival, and that is the frame through which this war of attrition must be understood." Shahin Bashiri of RFE/RLs Radio Farda contributed to this report. In just a few days, the United States and Israel's massive bombardment of Iran has sprawled into a regional war that has dragged in key America allies in the Middle East and sent global energy prices soaring. Iran has responded to the joint US and Israeli campaign, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, by unleashing unprecedented barrages of missiles and drones at US military and diplomatic facilities and striking key energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. Fighting an existential threat, experts say, Tehran is aiming to raise the economic, political, and military pain of the conflict for the United States and secure an end to hostilities. "Tehran appears to be wagering on [US President] Donald Trump's reluctance to become entangled in messy and costly wars, seeking to demonstrate that it possesses the capability to prolong the conflict and make it increasingly complex and expensive," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Incurring Direct Costs On US Iran is imposing direct costs on the United States, which has so far lost six service members in the war. Iranian ballistic missiles and drones have hit at least six of the estimated 19 US military facilities across the Middle East that house around 40,000 American troops. That includes sites in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Iraq. Tehran has also targeted US diplomatic facilities in the region. The US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by two suspected Iranian drones on March 3, causing a fire. A fire was also reported near the US Embassy in Kuwait on March 2 following Iranian drone attacks. Global Energy Rattled Iran is also pressuring the United States by targeting Washington's Arab partners. Iranian attacks on the Gulf states have not been limited to US military installations. Major airports, luxury hotels, and key energy facilities have also been struck. Iranian drones targeted a power plant and energy facility in Qatar on March 2, leading one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas to stop production. A key oil refinery in Saudi Arabia was partially shut down after Iranian drones targeted the facility. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed, and vessels have rerouted since the start of the war. About a fifth of the world's oil supply flows through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. The combination of attacks on key energy facilities and disruption to shipping in the Persian Gulf, a region that produces around 40 percent of the world's oil, has sent the prices of oil and natural gas soaring and raised fears over global supplies. New War Front Iran's key nonstate ally, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, opened a second front in the war when it launched rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2. Israel has retaliated with air strikes that have killed scores of people and sent in additional forces into southern Lebanon on March 3. Other members of Iran's so-called axis of resistance -- Tehran's regional network of armed proxies and partners -- have pledged to join the war, including Yemen's Huthi rebels and pro-Iranian Shi'ite militias in Iraq. The Huthi rebels have threatened to withdraw from a cease-fire deal reached with the United States last year. The armed group agreed to halt their missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. In exchange, the United States pledged to stop air strikes targeting the group. "The potential entry -- or deeper engagement -- of Hezbollah and possibly the Huthis would significantly expand escalation boundaries," said Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher on Iran at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University on March 2. "Such involvement would both increase pressure for de-escalation internationally and raise the economic and security costs for Israel and Gulf states. This aligns with Tehran's longstanding doctrine of expanding the geographic scope of confrontation in order to dilute direct pressure on the Iranian homeland." Kian Sharifi contributed to this report. War is war, but dont forget about the cash. Get yours, a Russian officer texted to a subordinate who was about to succeed him as commander of a division fighting in Ukraine, apparently advising him to take advantage of the moneymaking opportunities presented by the position. Delete this message later, the officer added. A trove of text and audio messages, photos, and videos purportedly sent and received over a three-year period by the officer, Roman Demurchiev, and provided to reporters from Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, includes ample evidence of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. WATCH: The Original Documentary By Schemes On The Russian General's Messages (in Ukrainian with English subtitles). The materials examined by Schemes and Systema, RFE/RLs Russian investigative unit, also paint a picture of pervasive corruption, including bribery and nepotism, in sometimes granular detail. They open a window on the way power dynamics are structured in the Russian military, who answers to whom in the hierarchy, and how the system operates. Working with forensics laboratories in the United States and data researchers in Germany, Schemes verified the authenticity of the communications, which were provided by a person serving in the Ukrainian military. RFE/RL agreed not to disclose the person's identity or how they obtained the files. The Power Of Money Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over four years ago, several high-level Russian military officers have been dismissed and accused of corruption, with upticks in cases coming after Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin led an abortive mutiny in June 2023 and after President Vladimir Putin replaced long-serving Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu with a former economy minister, Andrei Belousov, in May 2024. In some of those instances, accusations of bribery, embezzlement, or fraud range into millions of dollars. Most of the amounts that the materials examined by Schemes and Systema suggest were solicited by or sought from Demurchiev are smaller, but they seem to add up: such requests are a frequent subject of correspondence. Putin promoted Demurchiev from colonel to major general in June 2023, months after an exchange in which, as RFE/RL revealed, he told his wife that his soldiers had captured four Ukrainian prisoners, sent her a photo of what appeared to be several blackened human ears hanging from a metal pipe, and joked about making a garland out of them. Soon afterward, Demurchiev suspended his command and enrolled in the General Staff Academy in the Russian capital -- where he quickly found the high cost of living daunting. "Moscow is stressing me out. It's like a vacuum cleaner" sucking up money, he wrote to his former adjutant Magomedrasul Biisoltanov, a senior corporal far below his generals rank. Multiple times, in messages laden with slang and sometimes with expletives, he asked Biisoltanov, whom he called Rasul, to send him 100,000 rubles ($1,290). The relationship was not one-sided, the correspondence indicates. At one point, after Demurchiev tells Biisoltanov he needs money for dental work and has only 2,000 rubles ($26) on his bank card, the reply includes a request for help getting an acquaintance transferred from a combat unit to a construction or communications battalion. Demurchiev quickly complies, without asking for an explanation, and again implores Biisoltanov to send him money: Come on, bro, Im waiting. My card is empty -- just zero. A General's Demise Evidence suggests that seeking or offering a bribe for a transfer or promotion is common in the Russian military. Media outlets have documented cases of draftees or soldiers paying from 100,000 to 1 million rubles ($1,290 to $12,900) to avoid being sent into combat in Ukraine. Sometimes, favors are sought that may not involve money. In one voice message, Demurchiev urges Biisoltanov to help him retrieve a pair of underwear that an officer who is a military prosecutor fears he left at a bathhouse by mistake. The prosecutor did not respond to a request for comment sent by Internet messenger. The correspondence attributed to Demurchiev suggests that he was not always on the receiving end of money transfers: The messages point to an informal system in which, with some frequency, officers receive money from subordinates and send money to superiors. In messages in June 2024, Demurchiev wrote that he had been questioned by prosecutors who grilled him over whether he had sent money to General Ivan Popov, a former superior. Other parts of the trove analyzed by Schemes and Systema indicate that Popov several times asked Demurchiev for "a couple hundred" thousand rubles, and that Demurchiev told a colleague that he had helped Popov financially over a period of six years. Popov was relieved of his command of the 58th Army in 2023 and sent to Syria, where Russian forces helped prop up President Bashar al-Assad until he was ousted and fled to Moscow the following year. Popov claimed at the time that he was dismissed because he had written of ammunition shortages and heavy Russian battlefield losses in Ukraine in a report to the General Staff chief, General Valery Gerasimov. Popov was arrested on fraud charges in May 2024, accused of misappropriating more than 100 million rubles ($1.3 million) worth of metal that was supposed to be used to build defensive structures in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraines Zaporizhzhya region. Popov, who denied the charges, was convicted last April and sentenced to five years in prison. 'He Shot People' The materials investigated by RFE/RL journalists also include messages in which Demurchiev, 49, indicates that he helped a younger cousin with his military career, first arranging a relatively safe posting for him as a guard at a military units headquarters and then keeping him close to his side in an informal role as a driver and aide. He also suggested that his cousin had quickly been able to amass several million rubles while serving, though he did not explain how. I helped him a great deal, Demurchiev told his cousins mother in March 2024, according to the materials. In another voice message to his cousins mother, in January 2024, Demurchiev told her that her son had shot people on my command, referring to Ukrainian soldiers in wording that suggested they were captives. He buried them. It's hard work with a shovel. This happened several times, he said, adding that his cousin was [not] afraid of death. And he kills firmly, without even the twitch of an eye. Since 2024, according to Ukrainian military sources, Demurchiev has been a deputy commander of Russias 20th Combined Arms Army, which has been fighting in eastern Ukraine. He declined to comment when contacted by Schemes by phone. English adaptation by Steve Gutterman. Exclusive interview with Victor Hartwall, Chairman of K. Hartwall Invest Oy Ab and owner of Leopolis Hotel Lviv Text Oxana Gryshyna Q: Your family invested in the Leopolis Hotel over 17 years ago. Given that the payback period for hospitality projects is typically around 20 years, are you satisfied with the financial performance? How close is the asset to reaching its break-even point? Victor Hartwall: Hospitality projects are indeed long-term plays, usually with a 20-to-30-year ROI cycle. We have nearly recouped our initial capital. Our peak financial performance occurred between 2012 and 2016. While 2020 was challenging due to the pandemic, we utilized the wartime period to complete a comprehensive renovation. Regarding 2025 performance, the results are the strongest weve seen in last five years. Our occupancy rate reached 53%, outperforming the Lviv 5-star segment average of 45%. We maintain the highest Average Daily Rate (ADR) in the city at 125 (excl. VAT), nearly double the local market average. Total revenue for 2025 reached approximately 2 million, representing 40% growth in local currency. This project exemplifies long-term, people-centric investment. The data also suggests a shift in risk perception: our core guest demographic remains foreign nationals, indicating that international travelers no longer view visiting Ukraine as an insurmountable risk. Q: The renovation took place during the war (20222023). What was the Capex, and what is the future development strategy? Victor Hartwall: The renovation was already underway when the war began. We chose to proceed; the hotel remained operational while adapting to wartime exigencies. It was inspiring to see how our corporate culture and team spirit bolstered our resilience. As investors, we placed full trust in the local management, which enabled the agility required to respond to the situation. Regarding energy security, we initially installed a small generator for critical functions but later upgraded to a high-capacity unit. Cumulative investment into the hotel since inception is approximately 20 million, with the final renovation phase accounting for 2.5 million. This year, we strengthened our Supervisory Board by appointing Leena Turunen, who manages a hotel chain in Finland. We expect her to some new ideas and help in driving operational efficiency and further optimizing business KPIs. Q: What are the primary wartime operational challenges in the hospitality sector? Victor Hartwall: Personnel mobilization is critical. We risk losing specialized competencies built over decades, such as senior engineers. Additionally, the uneven competitive landscape is a concern. Unlike many local players, we operate with full transparency (white operations) and undergo annual external audits. While this is a competitive advantage for talent acquisition - we offer the highest official salaries in the market - it somewhat limits our ability to compete on price. We will not engage in price-cutting, in fact, we are discussing a rate increase with the local team. European hotels offering comparable service levels charge significantly higher premiums. Our strategy focuses on product quality and our specific audience, over half of whom are international. Q: How severe is the labor shortage? Victor Hartwall: Our core team is deeply rooted. 50% of our management has been with us for over a decade. However, labor remains scarce. Weve had to be creative - for instance, in housekeeping, weve partnered with other hotels to share staff during peak dates. Q: Regarding your agribusiness interest, CPG (Strong Energy West LLC), how has the hubs development plan changed following the wind-down of USAID programs? Victor Hartwall: CPG represents our investment in Ukraines innovative agrisector - a full-cycle operation from potato cultivation to the production of starch and biopolymers. The construction of our energy-efficient short-term storage facility was supported by the USAID AGRO program. Part of the funding was secured through that program, while the remainder was sourced from other partners. Q: What is Hartwall Invests equity stake and capital commitment to this project? Victor Hartwall: We hold approximately a 10% stake, representing about 2.5 million. We intend to scale this direction. While some produce goes to the snack industry, the focus is on processing into starch, which has a long shelf life. Exporting starch is a high-growth vertical where the company is a market leader. We are also focused on developing innovative biopolymers for the global market. Q: K. Hartwall (logistics) has operated in Ukraine for 15 years. What is your current market share? Victor Hartwall: Our market share in Ukraine is modest, but our client portfolio includes the countrys largest retailers, such as Epicentr and Fozzy Group. In Finland, we serve major players like S Group and Kesko. Q: In Europe, your company is expanding its logistics and industrial footprint with a focus on R&D, e-commerce, and robotics. Do you see similar opportunities in Ukraine? Victor Hartwall: We are currently building a new plant near Hamburg to scale production of our LiftLiner tow tractors, A-MATE automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and mobile robots. While we don't have immediate plans for similar manufacturing investments in Ukraine - given that even the European automotive industry is currently facing a cyclical downturn - our automation solutions are highly relevant for the Ukrainian market, particularly for warehouse optimization. Q: Logistics hubs are rapidly developing near Ukraine's western border. Will you target this segment? Victor Hartwall: Modern logistics centers require high levels of automation. Our solutions are tailor-made for them. While Ukraine currently has other immediate priorities, I expect a surge in demand within a few years. I remain in close contact with Ukrainian retail leaders; they are very interested in our R&D. We look forward to discussing these solutions with them at the LogiMAT trade fair in Germany in March 2026. Q: How do you assess the outlook for new foreign direct investment (FDI) into Ukraine? Victor Hartwall: There is significant interest, currently in the "market appraisal and risk assessment" phase. In Finland, we see new initiatives organizing "exploration tours" to Ukraine. The Leopolis Hotel has become a hub for these activities. Many visitors between 2022 and 2025 arrived as part of humanitarian missions - people who perhaps never considered Ukraine as an investment destination before. Their firsthand experience of the country's potential will likely drive future industrialization and logistics expansion. It is here [at the hotel] where they meet, build strategic relationships and launch business initiatives. Amd vice versa, we often see business-led initiatives pivot toward humanitarian aid and philanthropic activity. A prime example is our charitable organization, 'Caravan to Ukraine,' which brings together partners not only from Finland but from various other nations. Overall, I anticipate an investment boom. I am already in discussions with partners who are actively conducting due diligence on projects while awaiting the war to end to finalize their entries. A critical challenge moving forward will be Ukraine's capacity to absorb such a significant influx of capital. Every successful project will act as a catalyst for further investment, and on the other hand, any operational delays or transparency issues - such as corruption scandals - will serve as a deterrent to the international investment community. Q: In your view, what measures would facilitate the process of establishing and operating a business in Ukraine? Victor Hartwall: First and foremost, the elimination of corruption at both the national and municipal levels. While I do not have a definitive solution on how to achieve this, even the smallest instance of corruption erodes investor confidence. Secondly, investors seek stability. Currently, regulatory frameworks in Ukraine are subject to constant change. While local businesses may have adapted, it is extremely difficult for a foreign investor to continuously adjust and forecast future conditions. Without regulatory predictability, strategic planning becomes impossible. Q: What are your expectations for 2026, and which potential projects are currently under review? Victor Hartwall: I optimistically hope that this year will outperform 2025. Our current focus is on optimizing the performance and ROI of our existing portfolio; therefore, we are not considering new ventures at this time, despite a steady stream of incoming proposals. However, should our investors decide to diversify further, any new projects would likely leverage our European expertise - specifically in expanding logistics infrastructure, industrialization and related sectors. The White House has outlined four objectives of its ongoing aerial assault against Iran, carried out in tandem with Israel, now in its fourth day. Announcing the aims of Operation Epic Fury, as the campaign has been named, the White House wrote on X on March 3 that "America will win. The terrorist Iranian regime will be defeated." It listed the steps to this goal as being to "destroy the Iranian regime's missiles," "Annihilate their Navy," Ensure their terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the world," and "Ensure Iran can NEVER obtain a nuclear weapon." Analysts, however, were quick to note that "regime change" was absent from the objectives. "White House releases objectives for Operation Epic Fury. Regime change not [any longer] a specific goal," wrote political scientist and author Ian Bremmer on X. Meanwhile, speaking at the White House alongside the visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, US President Donald Trump said that "something had to be done" about Iran. "I had a feeling Iran would have attacked us first," he told journalists on March 3. "They are even attacking countries, which were kind of friendly with them and were doing nothing hoping to sit it out," Trump continued, noting that Iranian drones and missiles have hit the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman -- which had been mediating talks between Washington and just days before the aerial campaign began on February 28. Merz later told reporters it would be "good news" for Iran and its people if the current regime in Tehran were to come to an end. He added, though, that he was unsure if military strikes would bring internal government changes there and said he supported the Iranian people's right to decide their future. "This [action against Iran] is not without risk, and we would also have to bear the consequences," he told reporters. Merz said Iran was threatening Israel's security, destabilizing the region, and spreading terror, adding that he wanted to work toward a deal with Tehran that would end Iran's nuclear program for all time. Earlier, in an opening statement before his talks with Trump, Merz said, "We are on the same page [with Washington] in terms of getting this terrible regime in Tehran away," although he added that there has not been a request for German direct participation in hostilities. Trump, asked about rising oil and gas prices as the result of the conflict, said he was confident they would return to normal as soon as military actions are over and that it would not be in too distant future. "Pretty much everything is being knocked out" in Iran already, he said. 'Too Late' For Talks Earlier on March 3, Trump said it was "too late" for talks with Iran after Tehran made a bid to hold discussions amid the US-Israeli strikes. "Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said 'Too Late!'" Trump wrote in a social media post on March 3. He did not say when Iranian officials had indicated they were willing to enter talks. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva also cast doubt on any talks, saying that "for the time being we are very doubtful about the usefulness of negotiation." With diplomacy appearing at a standstill, air-raid sirens wailed across the Middle East. Reports from inside Iran indicate that American and Israeli fighter jets attacked a number of military, police, and intelligence sites in various Iranian cities on March 3. Among these places are the Assembly of Experts building in Qom, intelligence news headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Urmia, the Revolutionary and Public Court in Urmia, the IRGC's "Unity" base in the city of Paveh, and the Najafabad missile base in the north of Isfahan Province. US Diplomatic Posts, Allies Hit As the United States and Israel wage war against Iran, Tehran is widening the theater of the conflict and raising the costs for Washington in a bid to secure an eventual cease-fire, experts say. Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones targeting US military bases as well as key energy and commercial sites in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar -- all American allies -- since February 28. Officials in Qatar said an Iranian ballistic missile hit the US military base at Al-Udeid on March 3 without causing casualties. Explosions were heard in Tehran and Beirut, while Iranian drones slammed into the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, which subsequently said it was suspending in-person services a day after Washington's embassy in Kuwait did the same. The US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by two drones, causing a "limited fire" and "minor material damage," Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said, as tensions escalate across the Middle East. The ministry said an initial assessment pointed to a drone attack on the diplomatic compound in the Saudi capital. Later reports said additional drones were targeting the site as Iran continued its retaliatory attacks across the Persian Gulf following US and Israeli strikes that have resulted in rocket and drone fire across the region. The Riyadh embassy building was empty at the time of the attack and no casualties were reported. A fire was contained near the US Consulate in Dubai on March 3 after a drone strike, US authorities confirmed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a drone had struck a parking lot near the consulate and said all personnel were safe and accounted for. Senior State Department officials told RFE/RL that the affected diplomatic outposts were continuing to operate, although most of the work was being done remotely. Rubio told reporters that "our embassies and diplomatic facilities are under direct attack from a terroristic regime." Injuries In Israel Israel, meanwhile, said at least seven people were injured in the central part of the country after Iranian missiles rained down on the area, which includes Tel Aviv. "Search and rescue forces, together with numerous emergency teams, are currently operating at the impact sites in central Israel," the military said. "The circumstances of the impact are under review." The fighting has reverberated outside the region, with stock markets, currencies, and commodities prices reflecting concerns that the conflict may spin out of control. The price of Brent crude oil in global markets rose to more than $82 per barrel on March 3, about $10 higher than it was before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. For the first time in at least two years, Russian forces appear to have lost territory in Ukraine, according to battlefield experts and open-source researchers, as Ukrainian forces eke out small battlefield gains and push back Russian troops. The findings, reported by DeepState, an open-source group with ties to the Ukrainian military, and Black Bird Group, a Finnish research organization, do not appear to signal a wholesale turning of the tides in the Ukraine war, now in its fifth year since Russia's full-scale invasion. But they do highlight a growing consensus that Russia's war has ground to a near stalemate, with Moscow unable to decisively achieve its goals and Kyiv unable to push out Russia's invading forces. Russia appears to still have a slight upper hand across most of the 1,100-kilometer front line. In Pokrovsk, for example, Russian forces have occupied the southern Donbas city almost entirely after a grueling, yearlong campaign. The most intense combat is currently concentrated on the city's northern edges. Ukraine has yet to acknowledge the loss of the city. But the Russian gains have also been incremental: By some estimates, Russian forces are advancing at a pace measured in just meters, on par with the most grueling trench warfare during World War I. For their part, Ukrainian forces are exhausted, outmanned, and in many places outgunned. Porous defenses in some parts of the front line have given Russian troops the opportunity to race past pockets of Ukrainian positions, using motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles -- often at great toll. But Kyiv has still managed to both inflict near-debilitating casualties and now, even recapture territory -- a point that Ukraine's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, tried to emphasize on March 2. "In February 2026, for the first time since the Kursk offensive operation, the Ukraine's Defense Forces restored control over more territory than the enemy could capture," he said in a Facebook post. In Kupyansk, Ukrainian troops last year fully recaptured the Kharkiv region city in part by thwarting Russian troops using unused underground pipelines to sneak past Ukrainian defenses. Ukrainian officials now say they are conducting "mopping-up" operations to wipe out the last pockets of Russian positions in the city. In January and February, Ukrainian troops conducted a series of small, localized counteroffensives mainly in the southern parts of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhya regions, where the pace of Russia's operations have been relatively slow. Deep State, a Ukrainian volunteer organization whose maps are closely watched in and out of the country, including reportedly by Syrskiy, as well as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russian troops occupied just 126 square kilometers last month. That's their lowest monthly gain since July 2024. According to Black Bird Group, Russia has now lost a total of almost 37 square kilometers since January. That would be the first net loss of territory by Russian forces since November 2023, at the tail end of a bigger Ukrainian counteroffensive that military and political leaders -- and their Western backers -- hoped would land a decisive blow against Russian troops. In the end, the Ukrainian counteroffensive failed. The causes of the battlefield shifts appear to be varied, though many experts point to this winter's colder than usual temperatures, which have curtailed the ability of both sides to move fast or pull off bigger offensive operations. Emil Kastehelmi, a Finnish analyst and co-founder of Black Bird Group, said the recent cutoff of Starlink satellite Internet transmissions had a noticeable effect on Russian forces. Also, the recent Ukrainian counterattacks took place in a swathe of open territory near the town of Hulyaypole and the Haychur River, where forces were able to move easily and quickly. "Relatively large areas can change hands easily," he told RFE/RL. "A few hundred kilometers doesn't really matter that much, like it would in other places, where it would be more significant." "There's no one single variation that explains this," Kastehelmi said. "But this should probably be treated as an anomaly to the trend. It's likely the Russians will continue to advance into the spring and summer and unlikely that that Ukrainian forces will be able to continue these sorts of counterattacks on a large scale in other directions." WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump will meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on March 3, with transatlantic security and Ukraine high on the agenda. But as Washington intensifies military operations against Iran, European officials fear the war in the Middle East will divert attention from supporting Ukraine as it battles Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fifth year. The concern is not only political, that Washingtons attention may drift. It's also practical: Ukraine's defense depends heavily on American-made interceptors, cruise missiles, and other precision munitions that the Pentagon is now expending in significant quantities elsewhere. In an interview with RFE/RL in Washington on March 2, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged the strain. "If we look at the American involvement in the Middle East and how it affects Europe, Poland, and Ukraine -- it involves the supply of military equipment, missiles for Patriot systems, supplies for Ukraine, and the production capacity of American industry," he said. "It will have an impact." How large that impact will be remains unclear, he added, because "it depends on the duration of the conflict." But he warned that "the center of gravity of interest is shifting to the Middle East," stressing that "Europe must do more." For Ukraine, that shift could prove decisive. Retired US Army Colonel Richard Williams, a former senior NATO defense official, described Kyiv's position as increasingly fragile if the conflict in the Middle East widens or drags on. "I'd say the Ukrainian strategic situationis precarious -- and increasingly so if this conflict is prolonged or worsens," he told RFE/RL. Key American munitions stockpiles, he warned, "are going to be increasingly low, at a time when no one can accurately predict the US's top priority need for them." The consequences, he suggested, are straightforward. Cruise missiles, anti-aircraft interceptors, and other guided munitions are finite, and replenishment "takes months." Given likely US priorities, Ukraine "must be ultra cautiousespecially with munitions of US origin." A Supply Chain Shock In Kyiv, officials are already bracing for turbulence in the global defense market. Kateryna Chernohorenko, a former deputy defense minister, warned on social media that the Middle East escalation could quickly ripple into Ukraine's defense industry. "The situation in the Middle East can very quickly escalate into a crisis of defense industry in Ukraine," she wrote on March 2, predicting sharp changes in "prices, quotas, and supply chains." Her message was urgent and practical. Ukrainian manufacturers -- from FPV drone producers to electronic-warfare and rocket companies -- should "act very quickly" to secure remaining stocks of critical components and form reserves for the next 12 to 24 months. Firms should combine purchases and book production quotas together, she said, while the government must accelerate localization of key components "at maximum speed." The underlying fear is that global competition for parts and finished weapons will intensify, pricing out or delaying Ukrainian orders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced his concern over the matter in an interview published by the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera on March 3. "It could become difficult to procure missiles and weapons for the defense of our airspace," Zelenskyy said. "The Americans and their allies in the Middle East could need them for defense, for example anti-Patriot missiles." Russia Watches -- And Profits Beyond supply chains, European officials also see strategic risks. Kosiniak-Kamysz warned that turmoil in the Middle East could benefit Moscow economically. Higher oil and gas prices, he said, are "dangerous, because that money pumps up the defense and arms industry, which threatens the security of Poland and NATOs eastern flank." For Poland and other frontline NATO states, Russia "has long been the greatest threat," he stressed. A distracted United States could compound that danger. Yet there are countervailing dynamics. Retired US General David Petraeus, former commander of US Central Command and CIA director, argued that Iran's capacity to assist Moscow has been significantly reduced. "Iran is no longer in a position to help Russia with Shahed drones or other capabilities," he told RFE/RL, though Tehran had previously provided "significant assistance" and transferred intellectual property that enabled Russia to produce and improve them domestically. Photo Gallery: Return To Sender? America's 'Shahed Clone' Included In Military Buildup Around Iran A US-made kamikaze drone that mimics the design of Iran's infamous Shahed 136 is currently deployed in the Middle East and could be used in military strikes. At the same time, Petraeus dismissed the notion that Moscow could meaningfully bolster Iran's air defenses. Russia, he said, cannot even keep its own advanced systems operational, as Ukrainian drones regularly destroy radars and launchers. More broadly, he suggested the US campaign sends a signal of deterrence. It demonstrates both "considerable" capabilities and a willingness to use them -- a combination that shapes adversaries' calculations. The Balancing Act For Ukraine, the implications cut both ways. On one hand, a weakened Iran could mean fewer drones and less technological cooperation flowing to Russia. On the other, a United States deeply engaged in the Middle East may conserve high-end munitions for its own contingencies. Williams cautioned that even Ukraine's other suppliers could hesitate amid uncertainty. As the conflict escalates, he said, partners may become "increasingly hesitant to meet Kyiv's needs." That places a premium on conservation, diversification, and domestic production -- the very steps Chernohorenko urged. As Trump hosts Merz in Washington, European leaders are expected to seek reassurances that Ukraine will not be sidelined. But the arithmetic of war -- industrial capacity, stockpiles, and competing theaters -- may prove harder to manage than diplomatic messaging. For now, Europe faces a stark reality: If Americas center of gravity shifts, it will have to shoulder more of Ukraines defense, and do so quickly. For years, Oralkhan Aben has fought to keep her family together -- first campaigning for the release of her husband, Tursynbek Qabiuly, from a jail in China and now demanding transparency from Kazakhstans courts after he was jailed again over an anti-Beijing protest. Qabiuly was originally detained in China in 2017 and returned to Kazakhstan after a year and a half of appeals by his wife and other activists in Kazakhstan. Last November, he was arrested again, this time by Kazakh authorities, alongside 18 others accused of inciting interethnic discord during a protest targeting Chinas policies in Xinjiang. As the trial proceeds largely behind closed doors, relatives say they are left in the dark while several legal experts have pointed to serious procedural violations and claim it is clearly political in nature. The ongoing trial highlights the country's precarious balancing act between rising domestic anger over events in Chinas northwestern region and deep economic ties with Beijing. We asked for an open trial, Aben said outside the courthouse in the southeastern Kazakh city of Taldyqorghan. Is this a Kazakhstan we dreamed about? My husband was torn from his family for almost two years before, and now this! The case also reflects the sensitive position Kazakhstan finds itself in as it deals with domestic activism over reported abuse of ethnic Kazakhs and Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Astanas burgeoning ties with its neighbor. Kazakhstan shares a long border with China and counts Beijing among its largest trading partners and investors. Chinese-funded energy pipelines, industrial projects, and transport corridors form a central pillar of Kazakhstans economic development strategy and its role as a key transit hub between Asia and Europe. Preserving stable relations with its powerful neighbor is therefore a strategic priority for Astana. At the same time, public sympathy has grown for ethnic Kazakhs and Uyghurs detained in Chinas Xinjiang region. Thousands of Kazakh families have relatives across the border, and activist groups have repeatedly pressed authorities to take a stronger stance. From Xinjiang To A Kazakh Courtroom According to investigators, the charges against Qabiuly and his co-defendants stem from a November protest near the village of Qalzhat in the Almaty region, where activists burned Chinas flag and a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Demonstrators demanded the release of ethnic Kazakhs and Uyghurs detained in Xinjiang and called for visa-free travel between the two countries to be scrapped. Following the protest, the Chinese Consulate in Almaty delivered a diplomatic protest note to Kazakhstans Foreign Ministry. Several international human rights groups later urged authorities in Astana to drop criminal charges against the activists. Most of those detained, including Qabiuly, are ethnic Kazakhs from Xinjiang who moved to Kazakhstan and were linked to the unregistered Atazhurt (Fatherland) activist movement, which has long highlighted cases of detention in Xinjiang. A Family Marked By Detention For Aben, the current trial revives painful memories of her husbands earlier detention across the border. She said he traveled to China for work in September 2017 but disappeared soon afterward. His passport was confiscated, she said, and he remained under restrictions for some 18 months without formal charges. During that time, she wrote appeals to Kazakh officials and international organizations, seeking help. When he finally returned, she said, he was in poor health. Doctors later discovered unexplained medical complications, and she alleged he suffered injuries while in custody. Chinese authorities have consistently denied allegations of abuse in Xinjiang, describing detention facilities as vocational education centers aimed at preventing extremism. Abens mother, who remained in Xinjiang, was held for 10 months in what Beijing calls a training center. International rights organizations, however, have described the network of facilities as mass detention camps targeting Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other mostly Muslim, Turkic-speaking ethnic groups in Xinjiang. What they do at those detention camps? They teach Chinese, force people to denounce religion, that is what they teach there, those who spent time there say, Aben stressed, adding that it all looked like a policy of Sinicization. Starting 2018, Chinese authorities started the policy of forcing all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to speak only what they called a common language, which is Chinese. They started banning schoolchildren from speaking Kazakh to their parents, Aben said. Now, those who remain in Xinjiang tell us that all television programs in Kazakh had been shut down. If you switch on a television set, everything is in Chinese, all cartoons, movies are in Chinese. Closed Trial Raises Questions The current proceedings in Taldyqorghan have drawn criticism from relatives and supporters who say the lack of transparency undermines trust in the judicial process. Court sessions have been closed to the public after one defendant reportedly argued that an open hearing could threaten his safety and dignity. Most defendants opposed the move, but the judge upheld the request. Under Kazakh law, participants in closed hearings are barred from discussing details of the case, leaving families reliant on limited information. Aben said that on multiple occasions she traveled hundreds of kilometers hoping to attend hearings, only to be told proceedings had already begun or that she could not enter despite earlier assurances. Each time they give a promise, saying that although we are not allowed to attend the trial now, we will be allowed to do so next time," Aben said after one hearing on February 12. "They said that to us last time too, and now, today, they again told us that we cannot attend, but we will be allowed to enter the courtroom next time. Is there any state secret here? she asked outside the courthouse. We dont see one. After weeks of demands, Aben and relatives of other defendants were eventually given permission on February 20 to attend the trial as public defenders of the activists. Daily Struggles Between Almaty And Taldyqorghan Away from the courtroom, Abens life revolves around long pre-dawn trips from Almaty to Taldyqorghan -- more than 260 kilometers. She works as a school cleaner and takes unpaid leave to attend hearings or deliver food packages to detention facility No. 71, where her husband is being held. Each visit involves filling out forms and she must ask for help from other people as she struggles to write in Cyrillic script, a reminder, she said, of the cultural and linguistic challenges faced by families who in recent years moved from Xinjiang, where Kazakhs use their historic Arabic script, to Kazakhstan, where the Kazakh language has been based on Cyrillic script since 1940. Aben said that since moving to Kazakhstan in 2016 she and her family members have faced challenges related to the language. We do not speak Russian at all. We have never used Russian in our lives," she said. "That is a major problem we have faced as in many official and public places in Kazakhstan Russian is mostly used. In shops, we often are unable to explain what we want to buy as we need to speak Russian. Then some Kazakhs help us translating for us to workers behind the counter who do not speak Kazakh. For her, the case is less about geopolitics than family. I have never stopped my struggle and will not stop it. I have managed to get my husband out of the brutal Chinese penitentiary system, and I believe that Kazakhstan will not sentence him to years in prison, she said. I never thought I would have to fight again here. She emphasizes that she will continue campaigning for her husbands release regardless of the verdict. I want my children to grow up with their father, she said. We believe Kazakhstan is a free and independent country. We hope for a fair decision. Stories of High-Quality DevelopmentHow to unleash the value of data as a production factor People's Daily Online) 17:14, March 02, 2026 In the age of the digital economy, data has become the new oil. The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan outline the need to "advance the development and utilization of data resources." Currently, China's digital economy ranks second in the world, with massive data resources and ever-expanding application scenarios. A profound understanding of the foundational and strategic value of data elements is both a critical support and an inevitable requirement for seizing opportunities presented by scientific and technological revolutions and industrial transformations, as well as for solidly advancing high-quality development, according to Hu Jianbo, director of the National Data Development Research Institute, when hosting an episode of People's Daily's "Stories of High-Quality Development." "The key to accomplishing this task lies in the following words: availability, smooth flow, effective utilization and security," he said. Cross-region flow of data enables targeted financial services Lishui in Zhejiang is known as China's cradle of supermarket entrepreneurship, with Lishui natives running over 60,000 supermarkets across the country. Yet these supermarkets generally face financing difficulties. With high inventory turnover and rented spaces, they have little to offer as collateral. High travel costs and information asymmetry also make it difficult for banks to approve loans, even when they are willing to lend. Solving this predicament requires tearing down data silos to enable collaborative data development and sharing. With data support from the Lishui Data Bureau, People's Bank of China Lishui branch integrated and applied multiple data sources including government services, merchant operations and bank credit to build the Lijitong platform, which creates precise profiles of Lishui merchants operating across the country. This helps banks gain clearer insights and greater confidence in lending, while allowing merchants to access and utilize loans more efficiently. As of Jan. 15, 2026, the Lijitong platform had served over 32,900 micro and small businesses from Lishui operating outside the region, with credit extended to merchants totaling 7.95 billion yuan. According to Hu, ensuring that data is available and flows smoothly is a key breakthrough in moving from zero to one in the process of transforming data into a production factor. This requires robust property rights and data transaction systems to regulate and protect data, allowing it to break down barriers, flow in compliance with regulations and truly enter the economic cycle to serve the real economy. Integrating data into scenarios makes rights and interests information more transparent The biggest pain point in the traditional construction labor market is information asymmetry. Labor management dependent on personal relationships creates significant uncertainty for both project contractors and workers. The Jianzhugang intelligent scheduling system moves away from the old model of person-based project management. By using data to make the entire process transparent, it established a fast-track system for resolving labor disputes. In November 2025, construction worker Ye Kun received his payment ahead of schedule through the platform, relieving his family's urgent need to cover renovation expenses. Since its launch three years ago, the platform has processed more than 1 billion yuan ($145 million) in labor settlements and helped construction companies reduce costs and improve efficiency by more than 15 percent. It is necessary to accelerate the "Data Elements X" action to make data elements come alive across different industries, gaining value as they flow. By enabling low-cost reuse and delivering increasing returns, it optimizes resource allocation, empowers the real economy, and continuously fuels the development of new quality productive forces. 'Available but invisible' data makes digital life more secure Six months ago, Ms. Wu, a resident of Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, received a call from someone claiming to be a customer service representative. The caller accurately recited her personal information and, under the pretext of an "insurance deduction," demanded she download an app. As she began to panic, a fraud alert suddenly appeared on her phone screen, prompting her to calm down and hang up immediately. The timely alert came from an invisible line of defense, a joint protection mechanism built on China Mobile's IDaaS secure foundation for trusted data circulation and its trusted account risk control platform. When a scam call is made, the caller's behavioral pattern triggers a cloud-based joint defense query. The trusted account risk control platform then conducts real-time analysis based on multi-dimensional risk characteristics, issuing warning instructions to the China Mobile Security Assistant on the user's phone to alert them of suspected fraud. Throughout this process, call content, caller identities and other raw data are "available but invisible," ensuring the protection of users' data and privacy. Today, data assets are moving from concept to balance sheet. Data pricing and trading mechanisms continue to improve, and systems for authorized data operations and compliant use are taking shape. Each step ensures more abundant data, smoother flow, and more precise and secure use, Hu said. When data truly integrates into the economic fabric and becomes infrastructure as fundamental as water and electricity, it will nourish every industry, connect innovation across all domains, and generate powerful momentum for high-quality development. (Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang) Various activities held across China to celebrate Lantern Festival Xinhua) 08:33, March 03, 2026 Tourists select lanterns at the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Li Wenbao/Xinhua) A girl looks at a fish-shaped lantern during a parade in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Ninghai County of Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Hu Xuejun/Xinhua) A drone photo taken on Feb. 28, 2026 shows dragon dance teams marching during a parade in Deqing County of Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) A Shehuo team performs lion dance in Dingxi, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 1, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Chen Yonggang/Xinhua) Visitors enjoy lantern installations in Nanyang, central China's Henan Province, March 1, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Gao Song/Xinhua) Volunteers give deliverymen Yuanxiao, sweet glutinous rice dumplings for celebrating the Lantern Festival in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Wang Jianmin/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 27, 2026 shows people performing dragon dances in Hengyang County, central China's Hunan Province. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua) A girl showcases her lanterns during an event featuring the Lantern Festival in Taixing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 28, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Gu Jihong/Xinhua) A girl tastes cotton candy in Deqing County of Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 27, 2026. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or March 3 this year. (Photo by Ni Lifang/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) A sold-out charity night at Glenamaddy Community Centre has raised 23,350 for three organisations supporting children with Down syndrome and their families. The event drew a crowd of around 500 people from Glenamaddy and neighbouring communities, filling the hall with goodwill, generosity and emotion. The fundraiser was organised by Hannah Morgan and Kevin Dolan, along with their families, inspired by their son Jonah, who has Down syndrome. They were strongly supported by Martina and Tony Gibbons of Heneghans SuperValu Glenamaddy, whose involvement helped elevate the event into a standout success. One of the biggest highlights of the night was a lively cookery demonstration by SuperValu brand ambassador Sarah Butler, who delighted the audience with her humour, warmth and infectious energy. Guests enjoyed a thoughtfully curated evening featuring local crafts and charity stalls, live music, finger food, wine, goodie bags, spot prizes and a bumper raffle. The atmosphere throughout the night was described as uplifting, emotional and full of positive energy. Liz Mulry, Roscommon branch of DSI, Kevin Morgan, Hannah Dolan, Sinead Fidgeon (The Perfect Gift), Laura Horan (The Extra Special Parent & Toddler Group), Nancy Healy (The Extra Special Parent & Toddler Group), Cian Mulry, Martina Gibbons, Tony Gibbons, Tommy Mulry (Roscommon Branch of DSI) at the presentation of the cheque following the sold-out event. The funds raised will be shared between three organisations - Roscommon Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland, The Perfect Gift, and The Extra Special Parent & Toddler Group. Speakers on the night included Hannah Dolan, Martina Gibbons, Tommy Mulry (Roscommon Down Syndrome Ireland), Sinead Fidgeon (The Perfect Gift) and Laura Horan, founder of The Extra Special Parent & Toddler Group. Laura recalled how her group began in 2022 during the Covid period, a time when families struggled to access community support. Our group began with a simple vision to create a safe, supportive and welcoming space for families of children with Down syndrome, she said. In just a few short years, it has grown into a vibrant community of over 40 families. She outlined the groups expanding range of supports, including parent and toddler sessions, therapeutic yoga, baby massage, play therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language services, physiotherapy-based workshops, family days out and seasonal celebrations. Some of the gathering at the sold-out charity event held in Glenamaddy Community Centre. Everything we do is guided by one core belief that our children are amazing and deserve opportunity, joy and community, and that no family should feel alone on this journey. She extended sincere thanks to the Dolan and Morgan families, Martina Gibbons, all SuperValu staff, Sarah Butler and every volunteer and supporter, noting that the funds raised will allow the group to continue its essential work and create new opportunities for families. Sinead Fidgeon spoke about founding The Perfect Gift in 2016 after her own experience of having a child with Down syndrome. When I was pregnant with my daughter Grace, the negativity started straight away. It was suddenly as if she was less and that hurts, she said. Since then, The Perfect Gift has delivered over 1,000 gift baskets to families of newborns with Down syndrome across Ireland. Each basket funded entirely through donations and crowdfunding includes books, toys, clothes, candles and a personal letter. Entertaining the crowd on the night. The whole message of the basket is: congratulations. Youve just had a beautiful, perfect baby, Ms Fidgeon said. Families then receive an invitation to join Down Right Perfect, the charitys online support group, when they feel ready. Tommy Mulry of Down Syndrome Ireland (Roscommon) also expressed gratitude to Sarah Butler for her generosity and professionalism, and thanked all volunteers, sponsors and attendees who made the event possible. With proceeds exceeding all expectations, the 23,350 raised will now support the vital work of the three beneficiary organisations across Roscommon and Galway, ensuring families continue to access the services, connection and community they deserve. A Dexter farm between Castlerea and Loughglynn has brought home gold at the World Steak Challenge, putting this rare Irish breed firmly in the spotlight. John Cunniffe, originally from Galway, runs an organic Dexter farm between Castlerea and Loughglynn - Aughaloor Dexters. Just four years after beginning his organic journey, he has already achieved global recognition for the exceptional quality of beef produced on his farm. A trained horticulturist, he first became interested in Dexter cattle five or six years ago. I wanted to go into organics because I dont see the need for chemicals, he explained. Im not against them, but organic farming works for my situation. Becoming an organic farmer was surprisingly straightforward. John applied, completed a four week course, received certification, and now undergoes routine annual inspections like all organic producers. John is also an active member of the Dexter Cattle Society, which works in conjunction with the Agricultural Products Board (APB) in Nenagh. It was through the society that the opportunity to enter the World Steak Challenge arose. As luck would have it, he had four cattle ready for slaughter when a society member was looking for entries. I sent them in, and it just so happened that one of my bullocks won the challenge, he said. Reflecting on the win, he believes it will bring tremendous attention to the Dexter breed. Even before we won, we noticed more people getting interested in Dexters because farming is changing. This will help the breed big time. William O'Halloran, chairman, Irish Dexter Cattle Society; Lesley Sandes, administrator, Irish Dexter Cattle Society; Don O'Brien, general manager, ABP; John Cunniffe, Aughaloor Dexters; Pajo Fogarty, ABP Nenagh; Brid Torrades, Irish Dexter Cattle Society, and Tom McDonald, Irish Dexter Cattle Society. Pic: Odhran Ducie Despite the growing popularity of Dexter cattle, the breed has long faced outdated perceptions. John explained: They used to be known as the poor mans cow, and some people said they were no good for anything. Ive proven the opposite. Most Dexter cattle are grass-fed, out wintered, and never receive meal feed. They are 100% pedigree and one of Irelands rare native breeds, dating back to the 1800s. Their smaller size makes them lighter on the land, easier to manage, and less expensive to keep than commercial cattle. He was drawn to Dexters and to organic farming because of their environmental benefits. I wanted to get into something differentfor biodiversity and all that goes with it, he said. While Dexters are traditionally more common in the west of Ireland, the Dexter Cattle Society continues to grow, now boasting 800 to 1,000 members nationwide. For John, the biggest advantage is how well the Dexters suit his life and land. It works for me, and theyre easier managed, he said. Come hungry and ready to laugh at this year's MonDak Ag Days & Trade Show Pitchfork Fondue, with comedian Tim Harmston. The Friday social starts at 5 p.m., March 6 at the Richland County Event Center, 2118 W. Holly St., Sidney. Harmston is a comedian from Portwing, WI, who draws much of his humor from his upbringing in Menomonie, WI, and connects people through common experiences. Prior to his comedic career, he worked in the Chicago Film Industry as an art director, where he spent roughly 20 years making TV commercials. He joined improv classes at Chicago's Second City, which ultimately led him to the life of a stand-up comedian. "I decided I wasn't a team player," Harmston laughed. "I had my own ideas and I was going to live or die with my own ideas, but it was a great introduction to being around funny, talented people." Harmston worked in the film industry while starting his stand-up career, and began performing at open-mic nights in and around Minnesota and Wisconsin in 2002. "I was the most nervous I've ever been for any moment in my life! I was in front of four people in a bar, so the stakes weren't high," he recalls of his very first open-mic night. "But that goes away with repetition, like anything. Then you start to stack victories." He was awarded Minneapolis Comedy Club's Acme's Funniest Person in the Twin Cities in 2003, which is the biggest amateur comedian contest in Minneapolis, with about 300 amateur comedians in the running. "It's a legendary comedy club, one of the best in the country, so it was a good launching pad and opened doors," said Harmston. It was also in 2003 that he met his wife, fellow comedian Mary Mack, at a comedy contest. In 2008, the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival, a website that had cameras in comedy clubs all over the country, honored him with a Rusty Nail award for best newcomer. He went on to compete on "Last Comic Standing" in 2014, and has made appearances on "The Late Show With David Letterman", Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham", and was a regular voice on Wisconsin's Public Radio's "Big River Radio Wave". Harmston has released several comedy albums including his latest, "Frozen Badger", which debuted at number 1 on the Apple Music Comedy charts. He encourages anyone with stand-up comedian dreams to start by just jotting it down whenever they think of something funny, and then sit down and try to find the truth in why it's funny and how people can relate. "With the podcast boom, comedy is more prevalent than ever, and people have more access to it than ever before in history. We're fortunate with the internet. People can make a comedy career from just about anywhere," he explained. When he and his wife aren't touring, they enjoy the quiet life: fishing, hiking and soaking up as much nature as possible. "We retreat into the woods and reset ourselves," he added. This won't be Harmston's first time in Montana, and he's gotten close to Sidney having performed in both Dickinson and Williston, but this will be a debut performance for the Eastern Montana town. "I'm excited to be there! It sounds like a fun event and my wife and I always enjoy our time in Montana," he said. To preview the hilarity, check Harmston out on his website, http://www.timharmston.com, listen to him on Sirius XM's comedy channels, or find his funny antics at "Dry Bar Comedy" on Youtube. The entire Mon-Dak community is invited to attend MonDak Ag Days & Tade Show, March 57, at the Richland County Event Center. This annual celebration of agriculture brings together producers, ag professionals, businesses and families for three days of learning, connection and community fun. MonDak Ag Days isnt just for those working in agriculture, its an event designed for the whole family. Whether youre interested in the latest farming technology, want to enjoy great food with neighbors, or are simply looking for something fun to do in early March, theres something for everyone. The large trade show will showcase the latest in agriculture - from equipment and tools to feed, seed, breeding and agricultural technology. Its a great opportunity to visit with exhibitors, ask questions, and even let the kids see impressive equipment up close. Throughout the event, attendees can connect with regional ag experts and industry representatives who help keep our local economy strong. Educational sessions will be hosted by the MSURichland County Extension Office and are designed to provide timely, practical information for producers and ag professionals. Several sessions qualify for pesticide points and continuing education credits, making it both informative and valuable. Thursday Education Sessions: 1 p.m. Improving Management of White Mold in Pinto Beans and Soybeans (1 Pesticide Point) 2 p.m. Estate Planning 10 3 p.m. Cattle and Beef Market Situation and Outlook Friday Education Schedule: Fridays schedule begins at 10 a.m. with a full lineup of relevant and engaging topics, including a special Lunch and Learn session. 10 a.m. Weed Management Update for Montana (1 Pesticide Point) 11 a.m. Supplementation and the Use of Salt: Considerations for Cattle Nutrition Programs 12 p.m. Lunch and Learn with the Montana Bureau of Mines & Geology Update on the Fox Hills/Hell Creek Aquifer in Eastern Montana 1 p.m. A Pulse Crop Pest and Disease Survey Program for Eastern Montana (1 Pesticide Point) 2 p.m. Upterra: Maximizing the Value of Your Water to Improve Efficiency and Profitability 3 p.m. Fort Peck Dam Test Flow Updates The addition of the Lunch and Learn with the Montana Bureau of Mines & Geology offers an update on the Fox Hills/Hell Creek aquifer, an important topic for landowners, producers and families. Customer appreciation breakfasts will be held both days of the event, giving attendees a chance to start the morning with good food and great company. Farm Bureau will host breakfast on Friday, and Butler Ag Equipment will host on Saturday. A free-will lunch will be provided Friday by the Sidney FFA, showcasing local youth involvement in agriculture. Friday evening will bring the entire community together for food and fun. A free social hour runs from 5-6 p.m., followed by the popular Pitchfork Fondue Dinner from 6-8 p.m. The evening will feature nationally renowned comedian Tim Harmston, promising plenty of laughs. A full cash bar will be available. Tickets are required for the fondue dinner and comedy show and are available online or at the Sidney Chamber of Commerce. MonDak Ag Days continues to be a cornerstone event for the region, a place where agriculture, education and community come together under one roof. Whether you farm, work in ag, support a local business, or simply want to enjoy a day out with your family, MonDak Ag Days offers something for everyone. Bring your family, invite your neighbors and join us March 5-7 as we celebrate the industry that supports and sustains the Mon-Dak region. WILLISTON, ND--American State Bank & Trust Company (ASB) is proud to support the community by donating a collection of handmade quilts to the Family Crisis Shelter. These quilts, which were purchased at the recent St. Joseph's Mardi Gras Auction, will provide warmth and comfort to families in need. "At ASB, we believe in giving back to the community in meaningful ways," says Dave Hanson, President/CEO. "We are pleased to donate these beautiful handmade quilts in hopes that they bring a sense of comfort to those who need it most." ASB has a longstanding commitment to community service and outreach. This donation is part of the bank's broader efforts to support local organizations that make a difference in the lives of residents. The Family Crisis Shelter is a 24-hour, 7 day-a-week, crisis intervention program for victims and families of domestic violence and sexual assault, serving a tri-county area of northwestern North Dakota. "We are incredibly grateful for ASB's continued support and for always thinking of our organization and the work we do," said Marie Collins, Executive Director. "Quilts are more than just blankets; they represent comfort, safety, and care. One of my most cherished gifts is a quilt my grandmother made for me, and I know these quilts will become treasured keepsakes for the survivors who receive them. Founded in 1976, Interstate Engineering is celebrating 50 years of delivering innovative engineering, surveying, planning, and landscape architecture solutions throughout the Great Plains. For five decades, the firms work has been guided by a steadfast commitment to integrity, quality, and loyalty. These values continue to define every project and client relationship. While the name represents a legacy of service, the people behind it truly define Interstate Engineering. Interstate Engineerings story began with five men and a shared mission to deliver the necessary improvements to cities and counties across North Dakota. They were not only business partners but friends who shared common values, work ethics, and a vision for serving small communities. Founded in Jamestown, the companys name reflects the founders early vision of expanding beyond the community and serving a broader region. That humble beginning laid the groundwork for a company built on hard work, strong core values, and a belief in doing the job right the first time. Today, Interstate Engineering has grown into a multi-state firm with nearly 200 employee-owners across five states (MN, MT, ND, SD, & WY) and 19 strategically located offices. As a structured employee-owned company, Interstate Engineering fosters a culture of ownership, accountability, and shared success. This strong local presence, combined with a broad range of expertise, enables the firm to deliver customized solutions efficiently for projects of all sizes. Interstate Engineering serves a diverse client base, including rural communities, expanding urban centers, water resource districts, tribal communities, and private developers. Guided by its mission, vision, and values, the firms culture emphasizes collaboration, long-term relationships, and pride in the work performed for the communities it serves. As Interstate Engineering marks its 50th anniversary, the company reflects on its proud past and looks ahead with confidence. With a people-first culture at its core, Interstate Engineering remains committed to strengthening communities and shaping infrastructure for generations to come. National Girl Scout week is right around the corner, March 8-14, and area Girl Scout troops are getting ready to honor 114 years of leadership, kindness and community. Juliette Gordon Low registered the very first 18 Girls Scouts in Savannah, GA, March 12, 1912. Today, Lows dream has grown to nearly 2 million Girl Scouts throughout the years. Richland County troops 2433, K-5th grade Daisies, Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts, and Troop 2434, middle-school Cadettes, will work towards completing 100 acts of service and share the message of Girl Scouts with the community. One unique aspect of this organization is that it is led by the members themselves. The girls look at the badges they can earn and the activities we could do, and they vote on the activities. They get to decide, and that can be empowering, said Nicole Davidson, troop leader. We try to do activities that get them out into the community as well. In the last year, Richland County Girl Scout Troops visited the Richland County Food Bank to learn more about local food insecurities, and donated cookies to both Richland County and Dawson County Food Banks. They helped sort and organize food donations and gifts for Gifts from the Heart at Christmas time, Cadettes are going on their 7th year of assisting with this service project. Each year troop members that are available participate in the Flags of Honor parade on Memorial Day. The Richland County troops had an Archery Unit thanks to the local archery club, and some attended Troop Camp in Butte. Each year the Girl Scout Council of Montana & Wyoming organizes Troop Camps in Butte, and Red Lodge, MT, and Casper, WY. This gives the girls an opportunity to work on attaining outdoor badges such as Leave No Trace, Cooking Outside and Outdoor Art. Plans are in the works to do another Archery unit and to plan a camp and horseback riding for the summer. Other area troops have also been out-and-about in their communities making a difference. In Culbertson, Troop 2027, Brownies and Juniors, cooked and distributed Thanksgiving dinners to those in need and have led activities at their local Senior Center at Christmas time. Theyve also been busy on learning and earning badges. The Medicine Lake/Froid area welcomed Troop 1034, K-5th grade, last fall. Its exciting because we havent had a troop in that area before, commented Davidson. Troop 1034 has posted the colors for home games, earned quite a few badges including first aid and have plans to go on a horseback riding adventure. They made Christmas cards for their local nursing home and caroled at businesses and the Senior Center for Christmas. Right now, girls are in the middle of their busiest season of the year: cookie sale season. Girl Scout cookies will be on sale through the beginning of April. Keep an eye out because Richland County troops will have booths set up around town in the coming weeks. Go to http://www.girlscouts.org and use the cookie finder to place your orders or find where booths will be set up once locations are finalized. The GIrl Scouts have their membership drive in October, but interested girls can join anytime. Go to http://www.gsmw.org for more information or reach out to local leaders including Davidson, 406-478-0138. The Richland Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, Sidney, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tyson Taylor as its new Chief Executive Officer. Taylor brings more than 15 years of credit union experience, including the past seven years in executive leadership roles. Most recently, he served as Black Hills Federal Credit Union vice president of the Mountain Market, where he led the development of new BHFCU locations across Montana. "We are incredibly pleased and excited to have Tyson join us as our new CEO." RFCU Board Chair Beth Redlin said in announcing the appointment. "Tyson brings extensive expertise and a wealth of experience at all levels of the credit union movement which we believe will significantly contribute to the continued success and growth of our credit union. His team building, mentoring and community-minded leadership skills, in addition to his financial training, will allow him to hit the ground running." Taylor will officially begin his tenure at RFCU on Monday, March 9. In his new role as CEO at Richland Federal, he will oversee all aspects of the credit union, including the impending modernization of the credit union's core computer system, which will greatly expand member services and increase internal efficiencies. "It is truly an honor to join Richland Federal Credit Union as its next CEO," said Taylor. "RFCU's commitment to its members and the community aligns closely with my own values. I am excited to listen, learn, and work collaboratively with the board, staff, and members as we move the credit union forward together." A special Open House/Business After Hours event is planned at RFCU to introduce Taylor to the membership, local business leaders and the general public in a relaxed atmosphere. The event will be held Thursday, March 19, at Richland Federal Credit Union from 4-6 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome. Richland Federal Credit Union is a $116 million, not-for-profit, financial cooperative, dedicated to its core mission of "People Helping People." RFCU earnings are not paid to outside stockholders, but rather returned to its members in the form of higher dividends on savings, lower loan rates and low cost services. As a financial cooperative, RFCU is owned by its members and controlled by a democratically elected, all volunteer board of directors. To learn more about RFCU and how to become a member, visit https://www.richlandfederalcreditunion.com/. Punjab unveils India's first permanent all-weather tent city for Hola Mohalla File Photo S. Harjot Singh Bains announced that this year's Hola Mohalla will be celebrated as Green Hola Mohalla. Punjab unveils Indias first permanent all-weather tent city for Hola Mohalla CHANDIGARH, 2 March 2026: In a major step to strengthen pilgrimage infrastructure and promote environmental sustainability, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Monday announced comprehensive arrangements, including a permanent all-weather tent city, for the ongoing Hola Mohalla celebrations at Sri Anandpur Sahib. Advertisement Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains unveiled a series of landmark initiatives, including Indias first permanent air-conditioned tent city and the observance of Green Hola Mohalla. The permanent tent city was conceived after the success of a temporary structure last year and a subsequent inspection by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, following which the facility has now been established in the holy city, he added. The Education Minister said, This is a historic moment for Punjabs religious tourism. We are dedicating a permanent, fully air-conditioned tent city to the public today. This facility, the first of its kind in the country, will address the accommodation shortage faced by devotees year-round. It will not only serve pilgrims under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme but also provide a significant fillip to Sri Anandpur Sahibs tourism potential, offering visitors an experience of a lifetime. Reaffirming the Bhagwant Mann Governments commitment to environmental conservation, S. Harjot Singh Bains announced that this years Hola Mohalla will be celebrated as Green Hola Mohalla. He informed that a comprehensive ban has been enforced on single-use plastics, with the Punjab Pollution Control Board bearing the entire cost of providing biodegradable alternatives at all langar establishments. Advertisement S. Harjot Singh Bains said, Given the massive scale of langars serving lakhs of devotees, we have prioritised environmental concerns. Every plate, cup and utensil used will be made of biodegradable, non-plastic material. Extending an invitation to the global Sikh sangat, the Minister stated that after commemorating the sacred martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji Sahib and the Shaheedi Sabha at Fatehgarh Sahib with deep devotion, the Bhagwant Mann Government now turns to Hola Mohalla with renewed vigour. He invited devotees to join the celebrations with their families and experience the spiritual grandeur of this historic occasion. The holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib has been illuminated and decorated elaborately, creating an otherworldly ambience during night hours. The revamped Panj Piaras Park reflects the Punjab Governments focus on heritage restoration, while the Bhai Jaita Ji Museum and other historic sites continue to attract visitors with their rich exhibits. Advertisement To manage the influx of devotees arriving on tractors and trolleys from across Punjab, the Rupnagar district administration has set up 28 dedicated parking zones along with two specialised Trolley Cities and designated trolley streets. These facilities are equipped with bathrooms, CCTV surveillance and LED information screens and have been strategically located to serve different regions. Devotees from Majha and Doaba will be directed to the Trolley City near Charan Ganga, while those from Malwa and the Chandigarh side will be accommodated at the facility in village Jhinjri. Harjot Singh Bains further informed that 100 e-rickshaw shuttle services will operate to ferry devotees to key religious sites such as Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and Qila Anandgarh Sahib, ensuring seamless movement during the festivities. He also announced that the evening sky will light up with a grand display of fireworks on March 2 and 3 at Virasat-e-Khalsa, adding further splendour to the Hola Mohalla celebrations. Advertisement Detailing the health and security arrangements, Harjot Singh Bains said that fully equipped ambulances have been stationed at Charan Ganga Stadium and Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, while Aam Aadmi Clinics remain operational at every parking lot and major congregation point. Security measures have been significantly strengthened with a three-layer barricading system along the main procession route near Charan Ganga Stadium to ensure the safety of the sangat while providing Nihang Singhs sufficient space to perform their traditional martial displays smoothly, he added. A network of 20 large LED screens has been installed at key locations to provide real-time information and live broadcasts of the main processions. This initiative will keep devotees in parking areas connected with ongoing events, including heritage games and the craft fair. Harjot Singh Bains also thanked officials for their months-long preparation and hard work in ensuring the successful organisation of this historic celebration. What to know about regional repercussions of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran? Xinhua) 09:17, March 03, 2026 This photo taken on March 1, 2026 shows thick smoke in Tehran, Iran. (Xinhua/Shadati) CAIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Israel continued airstrikes on Iran on Monday, while Tehran retaliated against U.S. bases and Israeli targets in the Middle East, with violence spreading across the region. Civilians in the affected areas have expressed hopes for a swift ceasefire and a return to stability. Here's a quick overview of the repercussions of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as the exchange of fire enters its third day: Iran -- Tehran warned on Monday its offensive against Israel would intensify, saying Israel's alarms would "never cease." President Masoud Pezeshkian appointed Islamic Revolution Guard Corps General Sayyed Majid Ebn Al-Reza as acting defense minister. -- The Iranian Red Crescent reported 555 Iranian deaths in U.S.-Israel attacks. -- Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran will not negotiate with Washington and is prepared for a prolonged conflict. The United States -- The U.S. military confirmed that 6 of its service members have been killed in its conflict with Iran. -- U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is not ruling out sending U.S. ground troops into Iran if necessary, while predicting there would be more U.S. casualties in the coming days. -- The U.S. Central Command announced that three U.S. F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jets crashed over Kuwait after being hit by "friendly fire," while Iran's armed forces said it shot down three U.S. jets. Israel -- Israeli media reported most incoming missiles were intercepted, but some struck targets, killing 11 and injuring dozens. -- The Israeli military said it has mobilized about 110,000 reservists since Saturday's strikes on Iran, firing 2,500 munitions and hitting roughly 600 Iranian targets. -- Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem is now a target. Lebanon -- Israeli airstrikes hit the Jnah and Bir Hassan districts in Beirut's southern suburbs Monday evening, the first strikes near central Beirut since a November 2024 ceasefire. -- Lebanese authorities reported at least 52 dead and 154 wounded. Bombings across southern and eastern Lebanon have displaced more than 28,500 people. -- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Hezbollah would be banned from military operations nationwide and ordered to surrender its weapons. Flares from flying missiles are pictured over Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Feb. 28, 2026. (Xinhua/Wen Xinnian) The United Arab Emirates -- Dubai and Abu Dhabi faced repeated attacks over the past two days. -- The UAE Civil Aviation Authority said special flights would assist stranded passengers. Dubai Airports announced the partial resumption of operations at Dubai International and Al Maktoum airports from Monday evening, after a total closure. -- Xinhua reporters have observed that pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the streets of Dubai noticeably decreased compared to usual. On Sunday, the Ministry of Defense reported that Iran's retaliatory strike has resulted in 3 deaths and 58 injuries in the country. Kuwait -- The Kuwait Army General Headquarters announced that one Kuwaiti naval service member was killed and 19 more people injured on Monday. -- The Kuwait Ministry of Health reported that Iran's retaliation against had resulted in one death and 32 injuries in Kuwait. -- Over the past two days, Kuwait's airport and a military base have been targeted by multiple drone and missile attacks. This screenshot from a video clip taken with a mobile phone shows smoke billowing from an area near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua) Qatar -- Qatar halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production Monday after Iranian strikes prompted precautionary shutdowns. Qatar supplies roughly 20 percent of global LNG. -- The Defense Ministry said Qatari forces shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft and intercepted multiple missiles and drones. While most missiles targeting U.S. bases were intercepted, falling debris caused fires and injured 16 people. Iraq -- Four booby-trapped drones were shot down on Monday over a U.S. military base at the Erbil International Airport in Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and the nearby U.S. consulate. -- The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority on Monday extended the closure of the country's airspace for an additional 48 hours amid ongoing regional tensions. -- An airstrike in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala killed four members of the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces and wounded two others on Sunday. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Punjab will deliver 100 seats in 2027, marking beginning of end of BJP's authoritarian rule at Centre: Bhagwant Singh Mann File Photo. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann congratulated the entire AAP team on a historic victory of truth in Indian politics. Punjab will deliver 100 seats in 2027, marking beginning of end of BJPs authoritarian rule at Centre: Bhagwant Singh Mann NEW DELHI / PUNJAB, 1st March 2026: At the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)s mega public rally led by National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal at Jantar Mantar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann declared that the recent court verdict marked a historic victory of truth in Indian politics and affirmed that AAP has emerged stronger as a national force. Launching a direct political challenge, Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that Punjab will deliver 100 seats in 2027 to defeat as authoritarian rule, adding that the victory against such politics will begin from Punjab. Where Punjab moves, the nation follows, he said, maintaining that 2027 will mark the beginning of change across the country and that Punjab has never bowed before authoritarianism. Advertisement Referring to the withholding of GST dues and the non-release of the a1,600 crore flood relief announced for Punjab, he said injustice will be answered through a resounding democratic mandate. He underlined that authoritarian politics cannot suppress Punjab and that from here will begin the march toward national victory, reiterating that this is not a fight for any one individual but a larger battle to safeguard the Constitution and democratic values of India. Addressing party leaders and supporters via video conferencing, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann congratulated the entire AAP team on a historic victory of truth in Indian politics following the recent court verdict. He said, I extend heartfelt congratulations to everyone. The day before yesterday will be remembered as a historic day in Indian politics, a day when truth prevailed. I congratulate the entire AAP team, those who worked behind the scenes and those who worked in the forefront, on this massive victory we have received from the court. The Punjab CM reflected on the journey of the party and said, Whenever any crisis befalls the AAP, the party emerges two or four times stronger. I do not know why, but destiny or God always brings us back to the very tree under which the AAP was born, here at Jantar Mantar. Todays programme was pre-decided, but we did not know that such a verdict would come from the judge. Today we have an opportunity to tell the entire country that truth remains truth. The biggest advantage of speaking the truth is that you do not have to remember it again. Wherever you speak, you speak the same truth. Those who lie have to remember what they said earlier. Advertisement Taking aim at policy reversals, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, There have been several instances where GST was opposed and later implemented. Many decisions were opposed earlier and later changed. There were statements about rising oil prices. Now prices are even higher, yet it is called a masterstroke. This is the difference between truth and falsehood. Recalling the partys founding principles, he said, Under this very neem tree, where our foundation was laid, we renew our pledge to transform the politics of this country and infuse honesty into it. Earlier, party manifestos were filled with talk of hatred and religion. Arvind Kejriwal compelled other parties to write about schools, hospitals, electricity, employment, and infrastructure in their manifestos. Otherwise, they only spoke about religion and caste. He added, Arvind Kejriwal is our leader. He has shown that if 140 crore citizens of this country decide to do something, it happens. God stands with those who stand for truth. Advertisement Calling upon AAP karyakartas to spread the message, he added, We must go across the country and tell our relatives, friends, and acquaintances that this is the victory of truth. We must explain how conspiracies were hatched. When government hospitals improved, pressure came from private interests. When government schools improved and children shifted from private schools, those who benefited from donations felt threatened. When electricity was made free, medicines were made free, infrastructure expanded, and the budget grew from a300 crore to a60,000 crore, it became difficult for opponents to face elections. So they decided to find some scam and jail Arvind Kejriwal and his team. They jailed everyone. Describing the ordeal of repeated court hearings, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, In our country, perhaps punishment is not as harsh as the repeated court dates. Date after date after date is the real punishment. He recalled the challenging period when senior leaders were in jail during the Jalandhar by-election. At that time, the entire think tank of the party was inside jail. Decision-making authority was affected. Yet, with our backup team, we continued. In meetings, Arvind Kejriwal always asked about Punjab. He asked whether free electricity was reaching people, whether irrigation work was progressing, and directed that anyone found corrupt should be sent to jail. Despite the circumstances, we won the Jalandhar by-election and another MP seat by a large margin. That strengthened our resolve. Advertisement Drawing a parallel with the freedom movement, he said, History repeats itself. When Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh volunteered to court arrest and used the courtroom to present his arguments in English before the media, it gave a boost to the movement. Similarly, even from jail, Arvind Kejriwal sent us messages not to bow down. He said, Bhagwant, do not bow before them. Take action where needed, but do not bend. The Aam Aadmi Party will emerge stronger. And that is what has happened. The party has emerged as a national force. Sending a message to the central leadership, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, Those sitting on the throne must remember they are tenants, not owners. The soil of this country contains the blood of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Kartar Singh Sarabha, and Ashfaqullah Khan. This nation does not belong to anyones father. He raised concerns over financial allocations to Punjab and said, Punjabs a8,000 crore RDF has been withheld. GST dues have not been given. When Punjab faced historic floods, only a1,600 crore was announced, and not even 16 paise of that has been given so far. Yet they want to fight elections in Punjab. Highlighting Punjabs contribution to the nation, he said, When the country needed food, Punjabis ushered in the Green Revolution and filled the nations granaries. When the country needed freedom, Punjabis gave 90 percent of the sacrifices. Whenever the first bullet is fired at the border, it hits the chest of a Punjabi soldier. He asserted, Punjab will always stand with you. We are in government in Punjab, and in 2027 we will present you with the gift of a resounding mandate by scoring a century with an overwhelming majority. Where Punjab moves, the country follows. In a poetic remark on truth, he said, Those who live in falsehood tell each other to speak the truth, while their house is a marketplace of lies. Truth may have to pay a price, but the sun of truth never remains hidden behind clouds forever. It rises. Concluding his address, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, From Punjab, we have come here to give you rock-solid support. Move ahead. We are with you. Punjabis always step forward when the nation faces any crisis. Whether it is an earthquake in Turkey, a tsunami in Sri Lanka, or floods in Nepal, even before aid agencies arrive, the langar of Guru Nanak Dev Ji begins. We stand for the welfare of all. We are people of sacrifice. We salute the manner in which the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji was observed with dedication in Delhi. Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji sacrificed his life to protect Hindu dharma and the honour of Kashmiri Pandits. We will always stand with truth. Sharing a few snippets from the rally on X, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated: Todays massive gathering at Jantar Mantar is clear proof that not only Delhi, but the entire nation stands firmly with its peoples leader, Arvind Kejriwal. The conspiracy through which the BJP attempted to eliminate the AAP using its agencies has now been exposed before the country. Democracy cannot be crushed through pressure and fear. From the soil of Punjab, I want to state unequivocally that wherever there is injustice, we will stand there with strength and resolve. This is not a fight for any one individual; it is a battle to defend the Constitution of India and the democratic values of this nation. The struggle will continue. Inquilab Zindabad. March 3, 2026 UPDATE A roundup of local and world news March 3, 2026 UPDATE Newsroom, 03.03.2026, 20:00 300 Romanians back home from the Middle East Over 300 Romanians have returned home from the Middle East after being transported by land from Israel into Egypt on Monday night. They were brought to Bucharest on two special flights operated by the national airline, TAROM, from Cairo, against the backdrop of ongoing regional instability. The Romanian Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu, stated that she has reached an agreement with her Egyptian counterpart to continue working together to assist tourist groups. However, the Romanian authorities currently recommend that citizens remain where they are for the time being, until air traffic in the region is no longer so heavily disrupted. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Romanian citizens in the United Arab Emirates that activity at Dubai and Abu Dhabi international airports has only partially resumed. The Ministry recommended that Romanians do not travel to the airport without a certain confirmation of their flight. Meanwhile, the Defense Committee of the Chamber of Deputies has requested a strategic evaluation and briefing regarding developments in the Middle East and their impact on Romanias security. According to official data, thousands of Romanians remain stranded in the Gulf area. Most of themroughly 14,000are in the United Arab Emirates, a figure that includes both residents and tourists. The Romanian authorities are currently preparing to repatriate citizens from the countries affected by the war. Officials have confirmed that children and medical cases will be given priority. War might last up to five weeks, Donald Trump says President Donald Trump has stated that operations against Tehran will likely last four to five weeks, though he is prepared to continue for much longer, as the war with Iran enters its fourth day. According to reports from AFP, Israel announced on Tuesday that it has carried out air strikes against the Iranian presidential palace and the offices of the Supreme National Security Council in Tehran as part of the offensive launched on Saturday. Also on Tuesday, the UN Atomic Energy Agency reported recent damage to buildings at the entrance to Irans underground fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, though it noted there were no radiological consequences. In response, Tehran has continued its attacks across the region, striking Israel and various targets in the Gulf states, including energy facilities in Qatar and the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Iran now claims that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and has threatened to attack any vessel attempting to pass through this vital sea route. The conflict has already led to an increase in oil prices and higher shipping costs. Against this backdrop, the European Commission held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, providing assurances that EU countries are not currently facing problems with energy supplies. Oana Toiu on a visit to Poland The Romanian Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu, paid an official visit to Warsaw on Tuesday at the invitation of the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski. The agenda covered bilateral and European cooperation, international security challenges, and negotiations for European funds in the next EU multiannual budget. Minister Toiu highlighted the excellent level of relations between the two nations, built on a tradition of close cooperation and a Strategic Partnership. However, given the need to prioritize the security situation and consular crisis in the Middle East, the visitoriginally scheduled for three dayswas reduced to a single day. Ambassador Nirenberg presents his credentials In Bucharest, the new U.S. Ambassador, Darryl Nirenberg, presented his credentials to President Nicusor Dan on Tuesday. Ambassador Nirenberg was confirmed at the end of last year. During his Senate hearing in November, he affirmed that the relationship with Romania has never been more important, describing the country as a key NATO ally with a strategic position on the Black Sea. He further noted that Romania offers significant opportunities for American companies and has the potential to be a decisive factor regarding energy resources. Nirenberg takes over the position from Kathleen Kavalec, who left the post in May 2025. Unemployment statistics Romanias national unemployment rate stood at 3.35% at the end of January. This is 0.06% higher than the previous month, but slightly lower than in January 2025. The total number of registered unemployed persons is 268,111. The majority of those seeking work are aged between 40 and 49, followed by those over 55. Those with a middle-school education represent 34% of the total, while university graduates account for nearly 5%. Romania at the Berlin Tourism Fair Romania is participating in the 60th International Tourism Fair in Berlin after a five-year absence, represented by 30 tour operators. Adrian Voican, Vice-President of the National Association of Travel Agencies, suggested that following the conflict in the Middle East, this participation represents an opportunity to attract foreign clients looking for safe holiday destinations. Ana Barbosu Europes top gymnast in 2025 In gymnastics, Romanias Ana Barbosu has been voted the best female gymnast of 2025 in Europe in a poll organized by the continental governing body. Barbosu won the womens category with 64% of the vote, followed by Ukraines Taisia Onofriciuk with 25% and Spains Melania Rodriguez with 4%. At last years European Championships in Leipzig, Ana Barbosu secured four medals: gold on the floor, silver on the beam, and bronze in both the individual all-around and the uneven bars. (VP) Measures for the Romanians in areas of conflict The repatriation of Romanian citizens who are currently in areas of conflict in the Middle East is Bucharests number one priority. Romanian foreign minister Oana Toiu (Photo: www.mae.ro) Roxana Vasile, 03.03.2026, 14:00 From the very first day of the now expanding conflict in the Middle East, the Romanian authorities said their priority is to bring home all Romanian citizens who are now in the region, whether on holiday, for work or as residents, and whose number is quite high. As the situation has been escalating constantly, the ministries are coordinating among themselves to provide Romanian citizens with the necessary assistance, including monitoring of serious medical cases. According to foreign minister Oana Toiu, 14,000 Romanian nationals are currently in the United Arab Emirates alone. She urged them to make their whereabouts known, in order to keep track of their numbers. The solution is to fill out the form available at econsulat.ro, the mobile application or using one of the many phone numbers available. Some calls are taken by our colleagues in Dubai, others by our colleagues in Bucharest, who, both in Dubai and in Bucharest, will be able to provide a limited set of information, because neither they, nor we, nor any other member state of the European Union, has certain knowledge about the opening of airspace until the respective authorities do so. Romanians were urged to follow, first of all, the official advice received in the countries they are currently in. Meanwhile, at home, the authorities are coordinating with travel agencies, tour operators and airlines to facilitate repatriations. The launch of two WhatsApp channels was announced, providing information from diplomatic missions and another for Romanians in the Middle East, to facilitate their access to official information. The number of foreign ministry call centre operators has also been boosted. At European level, the civil mechanism for emergency situations has been activated. Oana Toiu explains: It means coordinating with the other member states of the European Union, so that, when a member state can send plane, whether its civilian aircraft or military aircraft, well see if that transport can also take urgent cases from other member states, what is the fastest option for each urgent case, which in some cases it can be together with another member state, just as we can also, sometimes, depending on the number of places available, help other member states. It is also a mechanism that provides joint financial resources necessary for these operations. Although the situation is extremely difficult, the authorities are telling Romanians in the Middle East to be cautious, to remain calm and to be patient, assuring them that they are considering all options to bring them home. A large new study published in the journal Nature Communications has highlighted the need for deeper research into the possible risks of living close to nuclear power plants. For the study, researchers reviewed data from all nuclear facilities and counties across the U.S. between 2000 and 2018. They took into account various factors such as income levels, education, smoking habits, obesity, environmental conditions, and access to healthcare. Even after adjusting for these influences, the results showed that cancer death rates were higher in communities located nearer to nuclear power plants. According to the analysis, counties situated closer to nuclear facilities recorded increased cancer mortality over the study period. The researchers estimate that around 115,000 cancer deaths nationwide, roughly 6,400 each year, may be linked to living near nuclear power plants. The connection appeared strongest in older populations, suggesting they could be more vulnerable to potential long-term environmental exposures. "Our study suggests that living near a NPP may carry a measurable cancer risk -- one that lessens with distance," said senior author Petros Koutrakis, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation. "We recommend that more studies be done that address the issue of NPPs and health impacts, particularly at a time when nuclear power is being promoted as a clean solution to climate change." The findings also support earlier research conducted by the same team in Massachusetts, which found higher cancer incidence among people living closer to nuclear sites. However, the researchers emphasized certain limitations in their work. The study did not directly measure radiation exposure and instead assumed a similar level of impact across all nuclear facilities. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Health News JPMorgan Chase & Co. is set to begin marketing about $20 billion of syndicated debt next week to help finance the $55 billion takeover of Electronic Arts Inc. by a consortium led by private equity firm Silver Lake Management. The financing will include an $8 billion term loan, $2.5 billion of unsecured bonds, $5 billion of secured bonds, and a $2 billion liquidity facility. EA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Wilson is seeking anchor commitments of at least $500 million from major speculative-grade investors ahead of pre-marketing scheduled for March 9. The bank is hosting meetings in Miami Beach, where the financing, denominated in dollars and euros, will be presented to potential lenders. About 20 banks, including Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley, and Barclays Plc, are participating in the financing. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Assa Abloy (ASAZF), a Swedish provider of products and services related to locks, doors, gates, entrance automation, and others, said on Tuesday that it has acquired Sennco Solutions, an American provider of asset protection and solutions for retail security. The acquisition will be accretive to the earnings per share of Assa Abloy. Nico Delvaux, CEO of Assa Abloy, said: "I am very pleased to welcome Sennco into ASSA ABLOY, an exciting technological addition that will reinforce our current offering within the retail area, and provide complementary growth opportunities." Founded in 2000, Sennco is based in Plainfield, Illinois, the U.S. For 2025, Sennco posted sales of $33 million with a strong EBIT margin. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News After President Donald Trump issued a warning that the "big wave" of the United States' attack on Iran is yet to come, the US State Department ordered non-emergency personnel in Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait to depart. It also urged American citizens currently in the Middle East to leave immediately. In a message posted on X Monday, the State Department's Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar urged Americans to "DEPART NOW" from 15 countries in the Middle East using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. The countries specified in the alert are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. "Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). Enroll in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," the message says. Separately, Secretary Of State Marco Rubio released a video message emphasizing that the safety and security of American citizens is the Department of State's highest priority. "At my direction, the Department has activated a 24/7 task force that is providing American citizens with up-to-the-minute safety and security information." He urged all Americans located abroad, particularly those in the Middle East, to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest messages and updates from their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. U.S. citizens overseas are also urged to follow the State Department's "Security Updates for U.S. Citizens" channel on WhatsApp and to follow @TravelGov on social media. The latest alerts can be found at travel.state.gov as well. President Donald Trump told CNN the "big wave" of the US attack on Iran is yet to come, while Marco Rubio told reporters that "the hardest hits" on Iran are "yet to come from the U.S. military." As the Israeli military launched fresh attacks on Iran and Lebanon's military targets, the U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones, apparently from Iran, reports say. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio has warned that "hardest hits" on Iran are yet to come from the U.S. military. Addressing a news conference he said the next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now. When asked how long will the conflict in the Middle East last, Rubio replied, "I don't know how long it'll take. We have objectives. We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives, and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we're done with this operation." The State Department head told reporters that the clear objective of the United States' military operation was to eliminate the threat of Iran's short-range ballistic missiles, drones and the threat posed by their navy to international shipping. He said the U.S. was forced to strike now because "Iran in about a year or a year and a half would cross the line of immunity, meaning they would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones, that no one could do anything about it because they could hold the whole world hostage." Iran is producing, by some estimates, more than 100 ballistic missiles a month, according to Rubio. He said that though currently the Trump administration is not "postured for ground forces" to have their footsteps in Iran, the President has those options. "He's never going to rule out anything. But right now our focus is on the destruction of their ballistic missile launchers, their ballistic missile stockpiles, and their ballistic missile manufacturing capability, as well as their one-way attack drones and their navy because of the threat it poses to global shipping." To mitigate concerns about rising energy prices given the spiking of oil prices, Rubio said the U.S. government has a program in place and that Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Treasury Jeff Bessent will begin to roll out those steps on Tuesday. In a separate news conference on Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth echoed Rubio's ideas regarding U.S. objectives in the war against Iran. "This operation [has] a clear, devastating, decisive mission: destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes." Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said planning for an operation such as Epic Fury has been underway for a significant amount of time. That effort included thousands of service members, hundreds of advanced fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, a sustained flow of munitions, fuel and supplies, and the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups, along with their air wings. More capabilities continue to flow into the region, Caine said. As the violent escalation in the Middle East entered a fourth day on Tuesday sparked by the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States, more than 550 civilians have been killed in Iran. Iran retaliated with missile strikes in U.S.-allied Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Israel, whose military responded to Hezbollah strikes from Lebanon on Monday. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Fireworks, acrobatics and martial arts bring Monkey King Myth to life (People's Daily App) 15:19, March 03, 2026 The legendary golden cudgel of the Monkey King bursts into life in Yiyang, Hunan Province, as a daring performer wields it like a human Catherine wheel to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Combining acrobatic mastery, martial arts prowess and pyrotechnics, he transforms the night sky into a dazzling display of motion and light. The Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, is a mythical hero famed for his extraordinary abilities and rebellious spirit in the Chinese classic Journey to the West. (Edited by Huang Jingjing, Li Zhuoman and Liu Yunyun) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Accenture (ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Ookla. Headquartered in Seattle, Ookla operates a portfolio of globally recognized brands in connectivity. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. By integrating Ookla's data products, including Speedtest, Downdetector, Ekahau, and RootMetrics, Accenture will help Communications Service Providers, hyperscalers, and enterprises optimize the mission-critical Wi-Fi and 5G networks that power their digital core. "With the Ookla portfolio, we will offer end-to-end network intelligence services essential for AI-based transformation," said Manish Sharma, chief strategy and services officer, Accenture. In pre-market trading on NYSE, Accenture shares are down 0.72 percent to $204.36. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Tuesday, Private equity firm American Securities LLC announced an agreement to sell its portfolio companies, CPM Holdings Inc. and ASP MWI Holdings Inc., to Rosebank Industries plc (ROSE.L) for an enterprise value of $3.25 billion, including a potential earnout payment of upto $200 million. Michael Fisch, Founder & CEO of American Securities, commented, "With Dave Webster's leadership at CPM and Tom Amato's leadership at MW Components, both businesses have built durable platforms for sustained success. We are confident that CPM and MW Components are well positioned to build on their momentum and pursue their next phase of growth with Rosebank." The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. On February 16, Rosebank's stock closed at 328.00 pence, down 2.38 percent on the London Stock Exchange. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The UN Security Council convened a meeting on "Children, , and education in conflict", chaired by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. The United States, which holds the rotating presidency for March, decided to have President Donald Trump's wife to chair the meeting. Usually, the UN ambassador or senior official takes the gavel. While there have been instances of First Ladies taking part in Security Council meetings, Monday was the first time a sitting First Lady has formally presided over a Council meeting. With 234 million children in conflict situations in need of educational support, and 85 million completely out of school, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Council. She said the debate comes at "a moment of exceptional relevance". Technology can help to sustain access, but without safeguards, children are vulnerable to recruitment, exploitation and widening inequality. The meeting comes at a time when 473 million children one in every five children are living in or fleeing a conflict zone. Council resolution 2601 (2021) is a crucial element in the normative framework aimed at ensuring children's access to education during conflict. Among other provisions, it calls on Member States to "promote the adoption of remote learning solutions, including digital learning, literacy, and skills", as well as to provide assistance for the continuation of education for refugee and displaced children. DiCarlo noted that these days prove that children are among the most affected by conflict. Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have closed and moved to remote learning. Noting reports from Iran about the death of dozens of children in a strike that hit an elementary school in the town of Minab, she added: "United States authorities have announced that they are looking into these reports." In 2024 alone, the UN verified a total of 2,374 attacks on schools and hospitals. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News To establish a strong foothold in the market, JSW Motors plans to target segments with significant untapped potential JSW Motors is geared up to commence its journey as an independent car brand, distinct from the JSW MG Motor. Such an approach can help strengthen market reach and support portfolio diversification. JSW Motors first product is likely to be the Chery Jetour T2 i-DM PHEV SUV, which was recently featured in a full-page newspaper advertisement. In the latest update, the Chery Jetour T2 i-DM has been patented in India for JSW Motors. Lets check out the details. Chery Jetour T2 design patented As evident from the design patent images, the Chery Jetour T2 has a robust boxy profile. Overall design approach seems comparable to the Land Rover Defender. Jetour describes the SUVs design theme as Rugged Simplicity, which is quite apt. The SUV looks tough and has a striking presence. Key features include rectangular headlamp housings, a blacked-out grille with studded elements and a prominent bumper. Side profile has squared wheel arches, traditional door handles, running boards, rectangular ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, robust roof rails and a shark fin antenna. The alloy wheel design shown in the patent images appears the same as seen with the international-spec model. At the rear, the SUV has vertically stacked tail lamps, T2 badging, a flat tailgate and a chunky bumper. The tailgate holds a spare tyre, which is fully enclosed for protection with a robust cover. Interior, features Jetour T2 i-DM packs in a comprehensive range of premium features. Key highlights include a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch instrument display and intelligent voice control. Also included are features such as a leather wrapped steering wheel, premium 12-speaker audio system, wireless charging, Wi-Fi hotspot, Type-C USB ports, 220V power supply in trunk and Vehicle-to-Load power (220V). Powertrain, specs While the Jetour T2 has petrol powertrain options, the PHEV version is sold as the Jetour T2 i-DM. In India, only the PHEV version will be available. JSW Motors is yet to reveal the SUVs name for the Indian market. The PHEV version utilizes a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain, which generates 156 PS and 220 Nm of torque. It is paired with a 3-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT). Jetour T2 i-DMs transmission is engineered to boost hybrid efficiency. It allows seamless switching between electric, hybrid and engine modes. In pure electric mode, power is supplied by a 26.7 kWh battery pack. Certified range (NEDC) in pure electric mode is 139 km. When using a fast charger, 30% to 80% charge can be achieved in around 30 minutes. With a standard charger, 30% to 100% charge will take around 4 hours. Similar to the international-spec model, the Jetour T2 i-DM in India is expected to be offered in both FWD and AWD formats. It is expected that the Jetour T2 i-DM could be launched around the 2026 festive season. The SUV will be locally assembled at the brands upcoming greenfield manufacturing facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. It could be offered at a starting price of around Rs 45 lakh. In that case, it will emerge as the most accessible PHEV model in India. Tata Motors has announced that deliveries of the new Sierra SUV have crossed the 10,000-unit milestone. Official deliveries had commenced on 15 January 2026, and the company confirmed the achievement on 2 March 2026 via social media indicating strong early momentum for the nameplates comeback. The Sierra has generated significant interest since launch. Within 24 hours of bookings opening in December 2025, Tata Motors had received over 70,000 orders. The company later confirmed that cumulative bookings crossed the 1 lakh mark, underlining the SUVs strong market acceptance. Strong Demand, Focus Shifts To Production With deliveries now underway and production in full swing, Tata Motors has shifted its focus toward production optimisation and supply chain alignment. During its Q3 FY26 media interaction, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director and CEO Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, had stated that bookings had entered six-digit territory and that ensuring timely deliveries would be the next priority to avoid cancellations. However, like much of the Indian auto industry, Tata is facing supply-side constraints. Passenger vehicle volumes across the industry have risen sharply following GST reforms, with monthly volumes increasing from around 3.5 lakh units to nearly 4.24.5 lakh units. This rapid demand surge has put pressure on suppliers, particularly for components such as castings and select powertrain parts. Tata is working closely with suppliers to address bottlenecks and streamline logistics. Production Ramp-Up Plans The Sierra is being manufactured in Sanand, at the same facility as Nexon, another high-demand product in Tatas lineup. In the coming months, Tata aims to scale Sierra production to around 15,000 units per month. If supply constraints ease, annual production could potentially reach 1.5 lakh units. The Sierra is offered with multiple powertrain options, including internal combustion engines, with an electric version also in development. Tata Motors has confirmed that the Sierra EV is planned for launch by June 2026. Export Potential Under Assessment While the immediate focus remains on meeting domestic demand, Tata is also evaluating export opportunities. With India entering new trade agreements and negotiating additional FTAs, Tata sees long-term potential in expanding its global footprint. The initial strategy will prioritise right-hand-drive markets. Tata has already re-entered South Africa and is assessing opportunities in the UK and Europe, particularly for its electric portfolio. Integrating grassroots perspectives into China's legislative process 11:03, March 03, 2026 By Zhang Tianpei ( People's Daily Citizens join a legislative consultation meeting at the Gubei civic center in Hongqiao subdistrict, Changning district, Shanghai. (Photo/Liu Ying) Shanghai recently hosted a legislative consultation meeting on the draft law on promoting ethnic unity and progress at the Gubei civic center in Changning district's Hongqiao subdistrict. The meeting fostered an engaged discussion, with attendees -- including deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), academics, legal professionals, and members of non- Communist Party of China political parties -- offering a wealth of valuable insights. For Sheng Hong, an NPC deputy and Party branch secretary in the local Ronghua No. 4 Residents' Community, this marked her 11th such consultation meeting within a year. "Over the past year," Sheng noted, "the scope of these legislative consultations have covered critical areas like ecological and environmental protection, urban governance, and public well-being. Participants contribute diverse perspectives and specific revision suggestions based on their professional expertise. This process effectively integrates grassroots voices and professional insights, ensuring draft laws are more grounded in reality." Sheng reflected on the evolution of public participation. Initially, residents visited grassroots legislative outreach offices primarily to understand how laws are made. Gradually, she observed, they evolved from passive recipients of legislative information into active advocates for legal awareness. Today, a robust network for gathering public opinion has taken shape, with participation expanding significantly. A notable moment came in July 2025, Sheng recalled, when the State Council issued guidelines on gradually implementing free preschool education. Residents who had previously contributed to consultations on the draft preschool education law felt a profound sense of accomplishment. "They recognized that ideas debated at our grassroots offices were being reflected in national policy," Sheng explained. She emphasized the shifting public expectations: "The focus is no longer just on whether laws exist, but on their effectiveness, practicality, and ability to solve real-world problems." During the legislative process of the preschool education law, factors such as demographic changes in school-age populations and household financial capacity were fully considered. The resulting legislation aims to encourage increased government investment to reduce family burdens while simultaneously strengthening kindergarten teaching staff and improving facilities. "Beyond ensuring access," Sheng stated, "the law actively addresses the public's demand for high-quality early education, enhancing its relevance and timeliness." Promoting "public well-being" with "public voices," a steady stream of practical, experience-based legislative suggestions is being conveyed from grassroots legislative outreach offices to the Great Hall of the People for legal adoption. To date, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee has set up 60 local legislative outreach offices nationwide. Additionally, provincial and city-level legislatures operate a network of over 7,800 such offices. In 2025 alone, opinions and suggestions were solicited from these offices on 26 draft laws, yielding more than 34,000 submissions, many of which have been adopted in legislation. "Matters of the people should be discussed by the people themselves," Sheng said. "As an NPC deputy from the primary level, I will continue to stay close to the people, listen to their voices, pool their wisdom, and bring more of their views to the Great Hall of the People, contributing to the practice of whole-process people's democracy at the grassroots level and to improving the quality of legislation." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) After learning that they carry a mutated version of the BRCA1 gene, their options were to undergo intensive monitoring every six months or to have preventive surgeries involving profound changes to their bodies and their lives Four years ago, Maria, Adriana, and Paula Lopez Fontanals received one of those life-changing pieces of news: it would change their bodies, their relationships with motherhood, with their daughters, with their health... A cousin alerted them after she developed a rapidly progressing breast tumor. In September, she was cancer-free, and in January, she found a lump that had grown very quickly. Her mother had died of breast cancer. They told her, Somethings wrong here, and they did a genetic test, the sisters explain. Thats how she learned she carried a mutated version of the BRCA1 gene, known as the Angelina Jolie gene, whose name comes from BReast CANcer 1. Carrying this mutation means having a greater than 60% chance of developing breast cancer, between 39% and 58% of developing ovarian cancer, and it is now known to be also linked to prostate, pancreatic, and melanoma cancers. She was also told to tell the whole family. Maria, Adriana and Paula received a message in their cousins WhatsApp group. She told us, This happened to me, get checked out because if you have it, it can be caught in time. She hasnt died, but she went through a very difficult process. In the end, she lost a breast. The three sisters underwent genetic testing, a blood test that cost them 100. Three weeks later the results came in: all three had inherited a pathogenic mutation in the BRCA1 gene, discovered by the scientist Mary-Claire King. Maria is an optimistic woman and repeated the tests twice, thinking the results might be different, but they werent. Yes, I had it, she admits. At that time I wasnt afraid. As I got older, I was, but not in the same way as if you have cancer, because you live with the possibility that it wont happen to you. You always count on the possibility that you might avoid it. Paula, the youngest of the three, accepted from the beginning that she carried the mutated gene deep within her cells. I know Im going to die from this, she says. I dont know when, but Im going to die of cancer. Its clear, I have it inside my body. Adriana thought she was safe because shed been told that, statistically, 50% of children are carriers, and her two sisters had already tested positive. Her plan was to have another baby. And the same week she found out she was a BRCA1 carrier, she got pregnant: I wasnt feeling well and I thought: Wait, they told you you have BRCA1, not cancer. It turns out it was the pregnancy. They say that when they learned of the diagnosis, they cried a lot and that only the women in the family wanted to know if they were carriers. None of the men have been tested, as if it didnt apply to them. But it does apply to them. Theyre just afraid. The geneticist drew them a family tree, placing cancers on it like a detective. My grandmothers sister died of breast cancer; one of our aunts had pancreatic cancer and also diedyou cant escape that one. Our father had colon cancer, and the cousin who raised the alarm had cancer, says Maria. Thats how they discovered the hereditary trait came down the paternal line, and they believe that their grandmother, who died at over 80 without developing the disease, was a silent carrier of the gene. Within the same family with the same mutation, there is variability in risk, and not everyone develops the disease. The gene predisposes you [to develop cancer], but it doesnt cause cancer. Environmental factors and genetic background also play a role, explains Rogelio Gonzalez Sarmiento, coordinator of the genetic counseling and hereditary cancer unit at the Cancer Research Center in Salamanca. And it is precisely this variability that has presented these three women with a dilemma: what to do about a disease that hasnt yet manifested and perhaps never will, but which poses a significant risk to their lives? Hereditary cancers are rare tumors, occurring in less than 10% of diagnosed cancer cases. In the last decade, the number of known genes susceptible to mutation and potentially inherited has increased from around 40 to nearly 100. Maria, Paula and Adriana Lopez Fontanals. Since receiving their diagnoses, the sisters have been attending genetic counseling clinics: Maria at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital in Madrid, Adriana at the Vall dHebron University Hospital in Barcelona, and Paula at the San Jorge University Hospital in Huesca. Their options are to undergo intensive monitoring every six months or to have preventive surgeries that would remove a significant portion of their breast tissue (bilateral mastectomy), ovaries, and fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). These operations involve profound changes to a womans body, such as breast implants or early menopause, in addition to the inherent risks of the surgeries themselves, and of course, life-altering onesthey would never be able to have children againbut they would likely prevent the need for chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and more extreme surgeries should they become ill. There are also estrogen-reducing drugs that, to some extent, can prevent these hormone-dependent tumors. Genetic counseling isnt about getting your breasts or ovaries removed. Its about having these options and choosing based on your life circumstances and goals. What do you want? Are you young and want children? Are you breastfeeding? Doctors provide the information, but its your decision, says Gonzalez. The three sisters made different choices. Maria, journalist, 47 years old Just over a year ago, Maria had both breasts, ovaries, and fallopian tubes removed. She spent more than seven and a half hours in the operating room, where she also received breast implants. Shes not entirely happy with them. Although she was a healthy woman, with no trace of illness, the entire protocol surrounding her operation was that of a cancer patient. She says that from the moment the idea was raised, she was absolutely certain she would have the surgery. She is the eldest of the three sisters. I was terrified, and I didnt want to live with that fear my whole life. When you havent had surgery, you have a mammogram, breast and gynecological ultrasound, and tumor marker tests every six months They even checked my freckles. Even so, I postponed the surgery for a year. One night, I dreamt I was being skinned alive. I called them and told them no, and they were a little angry. The following year, I had the surgery, she explains. Although they were able to save both nipples and the ducts that supply them, she hasnt finished her breast reconstruction yet and is on the waiting list to have her nipples tattooed. Since the surgery, she has gone through early menopause. Its shocking. They remove your ovaries one day, and the next you start having insomnia. I realized that the emotional low I was feeling wasnt so much because of the surgery as because of the menopause, so I started medication. Maria has a nine-year-old daughter who cried a lot when she found out her mother had to have her breasts removed. I had breastfed her for a long time she would fall asleep with her hand on them, she recalls. Paula, fashion designer, 40 years old My daughter asks me why I have to have the surgery. I tell her, because Mommy is in danger, says Paula, the youngest of the three. A mother of a seven-year-old girl, she was 35 when she was told she carried a pathogenic version of BRCA1 and she still wanted to have another child. Since then, she has had several miscarriages, but she has now made her decision and will have a mastectomy this year. My doctor told me its more important that Im alive for the daughter that I have than dead for the one I might have. She prefers to have the two surgeries separately and plans to have her ovaries removed in a couple of years to avoid going through menopause too early. I knew that sooner or later Id have to have surgery, but I saw it as something further off. She also says that she now finds the tests every six months difficult; the CT scan makes her want to vomit, the Pap smears hurt, the injections in her breasts But what am I supposed to do? she says. Put up with the pain or find out if something has grown, given my genetics? Because they never just give me a mammogram and send me home. They always find something with me: You can all go home except Paula Lopez. And that time feels like an eternity. Adriana, photographer, 44 years old Adriana has two daughters and is still breastfeeding, so for now she has checkups every six months. Until her second daughter turned two, she participated in a breast milk study program to determine if breast cancer can be detected at an earlier stage in breast milk, even before imaging techniques or blood tests. She hasnt decided to have the surgery yet. Because of long breastfeeding periods and my job, where I spend all day surrounded by babies, Im still more connected to childbirth than to menopause. And thats a big deterrent to surgery. Its such a big undertaking for my body, and I still dont know if Ill develop [cancer]. But Im very grateful for the gene because it makes me happier, allows me to enjoy my daughters and life more. It makes me aware of how lucky I am to be here, that its a gift. Interestingly, all three have had daughters and hope that, by the time they grow up, they will face less definitive dilemmas than their own. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Pelagic ctenophores are a type of gelatinous animal that gets carried along by water currents. The country has now registered 15 of these species six for the first time It is as if they were designed to go unnoticed. Pelagic ctenophores, a type of gelatinous plankton that gets carried along by currents, are apparently transparent, sometimes tiny, and made up of more than 90% water. Also known as sea ghosts or comb jellies, this ability to camouflage themselves is an advantage for them but an obstacle for science. Little is known about the life of ctenophores. If they are taken out of the sea, they fall apart, and photographing them is an epic feat that few experts have achieved. Besides being beautiful, it was visually captivating, says Juan Mayorga, a researcher with National Geographics Pristine Seas program, who was part of the mission to explore uncharted areas of Colombias waters in 2022. There, together with a group of scientists and photographers, he was able to capture images of the elusive animals and thus take a step toward building what has just become the countrys first inventory of sea ghosts or comb jellies a species that resembles the jellyfish. The photos and videos taken during the expedition, together with additional research, show that a total of 15 ctenophores have been recorded in Colombia. In eight of the cases, it was possible to identify the species, according to the study published in the journal of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences; six have been recorded for the first time. The existence of these so-called sea ghosts is somewhat paradoxical. Although they are believed to have first emerged in the Cambrian period, approximately 540 million years ago, making them one of the oldest known species, Colombia had not been able to compile an approximate list of the species that glide through the Caribbean and Pacific. Ctenophores always show up in plankton samples when plankton nets are dragged, says Cristina Cedeno Posso, lead author of the study, marine biologist and researcher at Invemar. But they are very damaged and difficult to preserve. They disintegrate in alcohol and degrade very quickly in formaldehyde, turning into a white mass. When Cristina saw the images we brought back, she took the initiative, says Mayorga. She said, Wow, theres a lot of valuable information here that we can use. In science, some things also happen by coincidence. Although Pristine Seas carried manned submarines and cameras capable of descending 600 meters below the oceans surface, the team also wanted to dive in open water. There, diving to a depth of between five and 40 meters from the surface, they encountered gelatinous plankton, either near the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary or above the National District for Integrated Management of Underwater Hills and Ridges in the North Pacific Basin. We never expected it to become a scientific contribution, we were really just photographing it because it was beautiful, says Mayorga. The expedition not only helped Colombia to protect 30% of its marine areas, but also provided scientific material that can be analyzed for many years to come. The second step was to dig through all the available information to see what other records existed. Cedeno led this effort, scrutinizing other published scientific studies, undergraduate theses, research projects, and freely accessible databases. She and her team also looked at citizen science initiatives, such as iNaturalist, which has collected information on reports of gelatinous plankton in Colombia since 2009, and the Gelatinous Animals Research Project (PIAG Medusozoa), which Cedeno herself leads. I started it about 20 years ago to teach people what gelatinous plankton groups are, she says. I cant be at sea all the time, but people who dive and students can make reports. A total of 58 records of ctenophores were found for Colombia: 28 in the literature, eight thanks to citizen science, and 18 photos from the Pristine Seas expedition. To understand what was being seen, an expert eye was needed. At first glance, you might think sea ghosts are jellyfish, but ctenophores have no sting and do not move with the same rhythm. Instead, they move using cilia which could be described as legs, arms, hairs, or combs, hence the name, comb jellies. A diver observes a hydromedusa. Manu San Felix (National Geographic Pristine Seas) When I received the videos, it was fantastic, says Cedeno who works out of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University. Because its very different to be able to observe them in all their positions, swimming, pausing the videos. Every time a ctenophore turns, its a different perspective. The results go beyond this list of species: Beroe forskalii, Ocyropsis maculata, Ocyropsis maculata immaculata, Cestum veneris, Leucothea pulchra, and Thalassocalyce inconstans. They are a first step toward better understanding an animal that, despite its abundance and antiquity, has only 200 species recorded globally. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition New research from the University of Kansas untangles a decades-old astrophysical puzzle, showing how competing forces gravitys pull and magnetospheric plasma split the radio emissions emanating from the Crab Pulsar, the remnant of a supernova observed by ancient astronomers in 1054 CE, into perfectly spaced stripes. In the year 1054 CE, Chinese astronomers were startled by the appearance of a new star, so bright that it was the brightest object in the night sky, second only to the Moon, and was visible in broad daylight for 23 days. The stellar explosion was also recorded by Japanese, Arabic, and Native American stargazers. Today, the Crab Nebula is visible at the site of that bright star. Also known as Messier 1, M1, NGC 1952 and Taurus A, it lies approximately 6,500 light-years away in the constellation of Taurus. The Crab Nebula was first identified in 1731 by English doctor, electrical researcher and astronomer John Bevis and was rediscovered in 1758 by French astronomer Charles Messier. It derived its name from its appearance in a drawing made by Irish astronomer Lord Rosse in 1844. The Crab Pulsar, also known as PSR B0531+21, is the central star in the Crab Nebula. Because its nearby and easily observed, study of the Crab Nebula and Crab Pulsar gives astronomers insight into nebulae, supernovae and neutron stars in general. Gravity changes the shape of spacetime, said University of Kansas Professor Mikhail Medvedev, author of the new study. Light doesnt travel in a straight line in a gravitational field because space itself is curved, he said. What would be straight in flat spacetime becomes curved in the presence of strong gravity. In that sense, gravity acts as a lens in curved spacetime. While gravitational lensing has been discussed extensively in the context of black holes, this is the only case where astronomers see a tug-of-war between plasma and gravity shaping the observed signal. In black hole images, gravity alone shapes the structure, Professor Medvedev said. In the Crab Pulsar, both gravity and plasma act together. This represents the first real-world application of this combined effect. Theres a remarkable pattern in Pulsars spectrum, Professor Medvedev said. Unlike ordinary broad spectra such as sunlight, which contains a continuous range of colors the Crabs high-frequency inter-pulse shows discrete spectral bands. If it were a rainbow, its as if only specific colors appear, with nothing in between. Most pulsar radio emissions are spectrally broader and noisy, not banded so cleanly like the Crab Pulsar. The stripes are absolutely distinct with complete darkness between them, Professor Medvedev said. Theres a bright band, then nothing, bright band, nothing. No other pulsar shows this kind of striation. That uniqueness made the Crab Pulsar especially interesting and challenging to understand. While earlier model could reproduce stripes, the high contrast of the bands actually observed in the Crab Pulsar couldnt be accounted for. Indeed, Professor Medvedev recently determined the Crab Pulsars plasma matter causes diffraction in the electromagnetic pulses largely responsible for the neutron stars singular zebra pattern. But now he has factored in Einsteins theory of gravity into the mix, finding it plays a pivotal role in the Crab Pulsars zebra pattern. The previous theoretical model could reproduce stripes, but not with the observed contrast. The inclusion of gravity provides the missing piece, Professor Medvedev said. The plasma in the pulsars magnetosphere can be thought of as a lens but a defocusing lens. Gravity, by contrast, acts as a focusing lens. Plasma tends to spread light rays apart; gravity pulls them inward. When these two effects are superimposed, there are specific paths where they compensate each other. The combination of a defocusing magnetospheric plasma and a focusing gravity create in-phase and out-of-phase interference bands of radio-wave intensity that appear as the Crab Pulsars zebra stripes. By symmetry, there are at least two such paths for the light, Professor Medvedev said. When two nearly identical paths bring light to the observer, they form an interferometer. The signals combine. At some frequencies, they reinforce each other (in phase), producing bright bands. At others, they cancel (out of phase), producing darkness. That is the essence of the interference pattern. There appears to be little additional physics required to explain the stripes qualitatively. Quantitatively, there may be refinements. For example, the current treatment includes gravity in a static, lowest-order approximation. The pulsar is rotating, and including rotational effects could introduce quantitative changes, though not qualitative ones. The new study will be published in the Journal of Plasma Physics. _____ Mikhail V. Medvedev. 2026. Theory of striped dynamic spectra of the Crab pulsar high-frequency interpulse. Journal of Plasma Physics, in press; arXiv: 2602.16955 Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has turned his foreign policy into a balancing act between two major powers. In March 2019, before taking office, he traveled to Washington and disparaged Beijing: China does not play by the rules; they do not respect the rules, he said in English in front of a conservative audience. They are not a democracy, but they intervene in your democracy. Six months later, already in the presidency, he celebrated an agreement with a sister nation: more than $500 million in non-reimbursable aid from Beijing for infrastructure projects that would boost his popularity. Seven years later, in March 2026, Bukele will attend an anti-China conference at the invitation of Donald Trump, whom he considers his closest ally. Like a chameleon, the president has changed his tune more for convenience than ideology, analysts say. Bukele, like all Latin American presidents, is trying to navigate difficult times: on the one hand, he needs to maintain trade, political, and security relations with the United States, and on the other, with China, a potential investor, says Margaret Myers, senior advisor at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank. Diplomatic relations between San Salvador and Beijing were still in their infancy when Bukele visited Washington in 2019. Just a few months earlier, in August 2018, former president Salvador Sanchez Ceren had severed ties with Taiwan to establish official relations with the Peoples Republic of China. Bukele questioned that decision at the time, warning of debt traps and a loss of sovereignty. But he soon changed his tune: in December 2019, he traveled to Beijing accompanied by his brother and advisor, Karim Bukele, and signed a $500 million agreement to build the National Library, a gigantic building that serves as a tourist attraction in downtown San Salvador, and a stadium that promises to be the largest in Central America. The Chinese ambassador to El Salvador, Ou Jianhong, publicly thanked Karim Bukele for his mediation, attributing the success of the visit to him. Ironically, months earlier, she hadnt even been invited to the presidential inauguration. Chinese investment in El Salvador remains limited: barely 5% of foreign direct investment between 2018 and 2021, according to the IMF. What has grown, however, is the import of Chinese products, especially in the automotive sector, where Beijing has now surpassed the United States, Japan, and Mexico traditionally the countrys main suppliers after increasing its sales by 400% compared to 2016 levels. Experts say something similar has happened with other Central American countries seeking permanent investment from Beijing. China has a great need to export because of its excessive production capacity. In that sense, no matter how small a country is, it will never see it as a customer to be ignored, Myers said. Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele in Washington, in April 2025. Daniel Torok (White House) Between 2019 and 2024, the Bukele administration held three meetings with representatives of Xi Jinpings government to reach a Free Trade Agreement, which would create the conditions for China to establish factories in El Salvador, for example; however, the agreement has not yet been finalized. During the Covid-19 pandemic, China donated more than six million doses of the Sinovac vaccine to El Salvador. Bukele publicly thanked Xi. In January, the Chinese Embassy announced the donation of 344,000 computers and tablets for Salvadoran students. We want to work together to deepen educational cooperation, the embassy wrote on its X account. Bukele has used the relationship with China as a counterweight to Washington. During Trumps first presidency, he cultivated a close relationship with the White House. But with Joe Bidens arrival, the State Department added officials close to Bukele to corruption lists, and relations cooled. The Salvadoran president then turned toward Beijing. El Salvador is offering its few natural resources to China. In December 2024, Bukele lifted the ban on metallic mining amid widespread public opposition. Residents of Santa Marta, one of the communities with the greatest mining potential in the country, have reported activity by Chinese companies in the area. This information has not been confirmed by official entities. According to Nestor Hernandez, the Salvadoran director of the Confucius Institute, the organization that promotes Chinese culture, language, and traditions in El Salvador, China is not seeking to displace the United States in its relations with El Salvador; it is seeking to do trade. It is not seeking to have a cultural presence like the United States or anything of the sort. Convenience as a rule With Trumps return to the White House, Bukele has re-established a close relationship with Washington. This renewed rapprochement has coincided with a weakening of investigations led by the U.S. Attorneys Office, in which MS-13 gang members in U.S. custody could provide information about their agreements with the Salvadoran government. At the same time, Chinese cooperation continues library, stadium, donations of school equipment but the Salvadoran president is now aligning himself with Trumps agenda, even offering his country as an extension of the U.S. prison system. Washington has sent dozens of people detained in anti-immigrant raids to the Central American nation. The leader who warned in 2019 that China does not play by the rules now operates in a gray area where expediency is the primary rule. As Myers summarizes: Latin American countries need to think more carefully about their relations with China. If they cooperate on issues sensitive to the United States, such as security, the reaction could be strong. But China also doesnt quite know how to protect the investments it has already made. The stage is set for tension. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Islamic Republic, which in the days leading up to the offensive that now threatens its survival asserted it would limit any response to attacks against Israeli and U.S. military bases in the region, has escalated its retaliation by bombing energy facilities and civilian targets. Far from being isolated incidents, Iranian forces attacked an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia and a liquefied gas plant in Qatar on Monday. In the two days prior, Tehran had already targeted numerous airports, ports, and hotels in the Gulf countries, undermining the image of these locations perceived as safe havens for recreation and investment by the worlds wealthy elite. These attacks have intensified the rhetoric of the targeted governments and have shaken energy markets three days after the administrations of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a military offensive that has already claimed nearly 800 lives in Iran, according to the Red Crescent. The bombs are tracing increasingly diverse trajectories across the map of the Middle East, after Hezbollah, the largest of the pro-Iranian militias, entered the conflict by opening fire on Israel this Monday. The Israeli army has responded forcefully, striking all areas of Lebanon where the organization is present, causing 52 deaths according to figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, a Kurd, lamented that his country like millions of citizens in the region is powerless in the crossfire. Iran continues to bomb the [Iraqi] Kurdistan region, especially Erbil, while the opposing side [alluding to the U.S. and Israel] attacks [pro-Iranian Iraqi militia] targets in southern and western Iraq, he stated. The Iraqi complaint has been echoed by the Saudi Arabian Defense Minister, who denounced in a statement that two drones attempted to attack the Ras Tanura refinery, located on the countrys east coast. It is one of the worlds largest crude oil processing facilities and a cornerstone of the Saudi energy sector. The small fire mentioned in the statement following the interception of the projectiles contrasts sharply with images circulating on social media verified by Reuters showing the evacuation of workers and enormous plumes of smoke rising from various points within the plant. The Qatari Ministry of Defense reported two attacks: one against an energy facility in Ras Lafan Industrial City, belonging to the state-owned Qatar Energy, and a second against a power plant. According to the statement from Qatari authorities the worlds third-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) the attacks resulted in no fatalities, while the economic damage and losses are still being assessed. They have, however, caused a 45% increase in the price of LNG on the European market, to 46 ($53) per megawatt-hour, and have also subjected the market to significant volatility. An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boat in the Persian Gulf, April 29, 2024. Morteza Nikoubazl (NurPhoto/Getty) Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz Irans Revolutionary Guard announced Monday a new attack against oil tankers in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the worlds oil passes daily. Reports from Iranian news agencies, cited by Reuters, indicate that a vessel caught fire after being struck by two drones. These reports, which do not specify who carried out the attack, suggest that the target was a Honduran-flagged vessel accused of having ties to the United States. Tehran had already announced similar attacks in the preceding days. The strait is a strategic route for the global supply of crude oil, connecting the largest oil producers Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the UAE with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. This has been disrupted since Saturday with the outbreak of fighting in the region and threats from Tehran, whose geographic control over this channel on the southern coast of Iran grants it significant influence over global affairs. The insecurity has led to fewer and fewer ships venturing through this bottleneck. Iranian authorities have declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, a waterway that has faced numerous threats throughout modern history without ever being completely shut down. Iran has not only set its sights on energy resources. Sources within the Qatari Foreign Ministry told CNN on Monday that they had intercepted attacks against an international airport. The ministrys spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, known for his conciliatory role in the mediations Doha is promoting to resolve conflicts in the region, broke with his usual tone: he asserted that contact with Tehran is currently nonexistent and that these attacks cannot go unanswered. Former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has taken to social media to warn against a clash between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries after all member states Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain were bombed by another member, Iran. Both sides would exhaust their resources, giving other forces an opportunity to control us under the pretext of helping us escape the crisis, Al Thani warned. The gradual shift of Iranian attacks toward civilian targets began with the bombing of luxury hotels, skyscrapers, and ports in several Gulf monarchies, which along with attacks on other countries other than Israel, Iran, and Lebanon have resulted in a dozen deaths. Irans state news agencies have frequently covered the offensive by the national armed forces as if it were limited to military targets. On Saturday, speaking to the Qatari network Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that what happened in Oman, referring to an Iranian attack on the port of Duqm, was not our choice. Despite these apologetic words, the diplomat concluded his statement with a troubling message for neighboring states, asserting that the [Iranian armys] military units are now acting independently and are, in a sense, isolated. These units, he specified, are acting on instructions they have received in advance. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The September protests forced Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign and triggered an electoral process marked by the risk of new outbreaks of violence Nepal has become a pressure cooker in the run-up to the March 5 snap elections, triggered by the September Gen Z riots that shocked the world and ousted the then-prime minister, communist party boss, Sharma Oli. The protests forced the resignation of the then prime minister, Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, and opened the door to change in this mountainous country of 30 million people after years of nepotism, corruption and a lack of opportunities for the younger generation. But few believe that meaningful change is on the cards, at least for now. With so many different agendas, fresh protest could break out from any direction as Nepalis go to the polls to elect a new government and prime minister who could turn out to be the deposed Sharma Oli, 73, who has bounced back. Among the 3,000-odd member of parliament candidates hoping to fill the 275 seats in Congress, there are those who want to see the monarchy reinstated, while others come from the very same government that resigned after the protests, which erupted following the government ban on 26 social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Finally, there is the Gen Z Alliance, which is waiting to see if any of its demands will be met. Violence could erupt at any time, said Mahabir Pun during an interview with EL PAIS, adding that the security forces are prepared for any eventuality. Mahabir served for several months as education minister in the non-political interim government led by former chief justice, Sushila Karki after the September riots. In line with the Gen Z collectives, Mahabir wants to see social justice, development and an end to the corruption as he runs as an independent to represent the Myagdi district west of Pokhora. Mahabir Pun in a file image. Heather Galloway A favorite with Gen Z, Mahabir is the antithesis of a nepo baby. During his time as minister of education, he set up his sleeping quarters in his office in the ministry and refused to use a secretary or security detail unless on official business. He is also renowned in Nepal as a social entrepreneur who founded the National Innovation Center Nepal to nurture grassroots initiatives after establishing Wi-Fi in some of Nepals most remote villages in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now 71, he does not rule out running for prime minister one day. Change will only come when we vote for people with a different approach to power and a different mindset. This will take time. The culture of favoritism is the cross of Nepali society, he told EL PAIS. Along with Sharma Oli, one of the main contenders for the top job is 35-year-old rapper, engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu, Balendra Shah, or Balen as he is known locally from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party. A rare new face on the political circuit, he is the favorite to win with Gen Z because of his age. Others angling for the top job include Harka Sampang, 42, from the grassroots populist nationalist Shram Sanskriti Party and the Nepali Congress 49-year-old Gagan Thapa who is focusing his campaign on blitzing corruption. From left to right, the main candidates for prime minister in the Nepal elections: former prime minister Khadga Prassad Oli; Gagan Thapa, president of the Nepali Congress; and former mayor of Kathmandu Balendra Shah. umesh karki (AP) A country of young people Gen Z activists Sudip Seth and Ashutosh Jha are among those skeptical that change is around the corner, even with Balen in power. Both engineers who belong to one of the 13 collectives under the Gen Z Alliance umbrella, they were involved in the September protests and participated in drawing up the 10-point agreement subsequently signed by members of the alliance and the interim government. This agreement demands accountability for the deaths caused by the authorities during the protests and systematic reform leading to opportunity for marginalized groups and the young. Sudip, along with other members of the Gen Z Alliance, has been pressing political parties to include these 10 points in their manifesto, during a Manifesto Consultation in January. If conditions dont change in Nepal, it will be reduced to a country of old people, protestor Roshan Khatri told EL PAIS. Fifty-six percent of the country is under 30, according to the 2021 census. Around 1,500 leave the country to seek opportunities abroad every day, reports Rastriya Shramik Mahasangh Nepal, a national federation of labour unions. Gen Z activists Sudip Seth and Ashutosh Jha. Heather Galloway In 2024 alone, more than 741,000 Nepalis were given permits to work outside the country, according to the Ministry of Employment. Seventy-seven percent of these were between 18 and 34. Meanwhile, the Institute for Integrated Development reports that the remittances from overseas workers account for 26.2% of the countrys GDP. With a World Bank estimate of 20.8% young people between the ages of 15 to 24 within Nepal unemployed in 2024, it is hardly surprising that the country is clamoring for opportunities for its young people. The World Bank describes Nepal as one of Asias poorest and slowest-growing economies. The average salary for a public school teacher ranges from 120 ($140) to 240 ($280) per month. Other salaries are as low as 60 ($70). A new outbreak of violence? If whoever comes to power doesnt respect the 10-point agreement and dialogue doesnt work, more protest is the only way to go, Sudip told EL PAIS, adding that neither he nor Ashutosh are in favor of violence. The protests got out of control because there was no single leader. The 20 killed by police on September 8 in Kathmandu [later the toll rose to over 50] made the anger much worse and then thousands more came out onto the streets, he said. On the second day of the two-day demonstrations, after Oli had resigned, the situation descended into anarchy with government buildings and the prime ministers office torched, along with the Supreme Court, police stations, high-end stores, the Hilton and private residences including that of Oli. The few police still present were stripped of their clothes and pelted with stones as they ran into the filthy Bagmati river to escape the mob, the activists told EL PAIS. At least three were killed. The problem, political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told EL PAIS, is that politics in Nepal has been hijacked by the same clique of professional politicians for 30 years. And it has become musical chairs they all want a shot at being prime minister. We want to see new faces, said Ashutosh who is currently helping Sudip set up a Gen Z party with an eye on the local and provincial 2028 elections and the aim of attracting like-minded figures, such as Mahabir Pun. When told of their ambition, Mahabir responded, I am happy to join any party of people who want to work together for the development of Nepal. As the elections loom, many ordinary Nepalis are placing their faith in Balen, whose credentials as an engineer have raised expectations that he might focus on infrastructure if he is voted in, though not so much on social justice some call him the Trump of Nepal. But it is unlikely his Rashtriya Swatantra party will get a majority. The elections will result in a coalition, and coalitions have always failed in the past, the political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told EL PAIS. The likelihood of more protests is high. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The doctor has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging 10 women into having sex with other men. S. I. prescribed cocaine, heroin and other hallucinogens to his female patients until they became addicted Magic spells, orgies, cocaine and heroin use, human trafficking... The trial of a psychiatrist in the city of Fez who was accused of drugging and raping 10 women who had come to his office for treatment has shocked Moroccan society. The trial, held in a court in the religious capital of the country, concluded on Monday night with a 20-year prison sentence for the doctor, after the victims presented a detailed account of the horrors they endured. It began as a story of jealousy. The psychiatrist S.I. had declined to accompany his wife on a trip to France that they had arranged the previous year. Suspecting a possible infidelity, the wife examined her husbands cell phone upon her return. She discovered videos of group sex recorded in their home, including acts of deviant behavior, according to the court testimony cited by the weekly magazine Tel Quel, alluding to homosexual relationships. The wifes complaint of adultery filed with the Fez police led to an investigation that has uncovered one of the largest cases of sexual abuse committed by a doctor in the North African country. S.I. has been in prison since June 2025. Six other people have been arrested for their involvement in the sexual abuse. Morocco is a conservative country in terms of customs. The Penal Code prescribes up to one year in prison for the crime of fornication: having sexual relations outside of marriage. The penalty increases to two years in cases of adultery, if a complaint is filed by the legal spouse, and to three years for homosexual relations. In his testimony before the court, the psychiatrist admitted that the videos were his. One of the recordings showed him with several men and women, all naked, while being caressed in the living room of his home in Fez. The images depicted the use of plastic sex toys. The photographer who took them, who has been sentenced to six years in prison, testified that he also recorded the sexual encounters he himself had with the addiction specialist. However, Dr. S. I. denied having coerced his patients and claimed that all participants in the group sex acts had given their free consent. He alleged that his pregnant wife had reported him to the police as revenge after he suspected he might not be the father and demanded a paternity test. One of the patients who accused him refuted the doctors arguments in court. Before the judges, she said she had been a victim of sexual exploitation and subjected to rituals through a kind of spell in which she had to play the zither, which the psychiatrist presented as therapy. I had a deep feeling of fear, she recounted at the trial, and he kept repeating to me: Youre safe here, dear. Other patients had testified to police that they had been sexually abused by the doctor in his office, at his home, in his car, or at a riad in the historic medina. At this traditional hotel, libertine evenings of group sex were organized with Gnawa music (a fusion of African and Arabic rhythms). The owner of the riad and one of his employees have been sentenced to one year in prison, as has a nurse who collaborated with the psychiatrist. A cousin of the doctor, responsible for supplying the drugs, received a five-year prison sentence. All those convicted must pay tens of thousands of euros in compensation to the victims. In a therapy he himself had undergone, Dr. S. I. prescribed cocaine, heroin, and other hallucinogens to the women he treated in his practice until they became addicted. One of them testified that she had to sell her apartment to pay for her drug use. Fear of reporting Only four of the 10 patients presented as victims of the psychiatrist attended the trial, and one of them had to be summoned by the prosecution after initially refusing to appear. In Morocco, barely 3% of women who report having been victims of sexual assault file a formal complaint with the courts or security forces, according to a study by the High Commissioner for Planning, the Moroccan statistical institute. They are afraid to report. If the facts are not clearly proven, they risk being prosecuted for fornication. Sentences for rape handed down by Moroccan judges are often lower than the maximum penalties stipulated by law. In 2023, the case of a young girl who was raped by three men for months, starting at age 11, shocked the nation. The child was threatened with death if she reported the abuse, but her pregnancy ultimately led to the sexual assault being exposed. In the initial trial, the rapists received a sentence of only two years in prison, as the judges applied mitigating factors such as poverty and lack of education. Following a public outcry, a higher court sentenced the perpetrators to between 10 and 20 years in prison. Chemical submission Fourteen percent of Moroccan women reported having suffered sexual abuse in a social survey published in 2019. Ten years earlier, only 9% had dared to speak out. A rape allegation filed in 2024 by a young French lawyer against three men from the most powerful economic class appeared to break the code of silence. The three businessmen were arrested and jailed on charges of rape, kidnapping, assault and drug use in an alleged case of chemical submission during a nighttime party held at a luxury villa in Casablanca where alcohol and cocaine were flowing. The young lawyer said she woke up disoriented hours later, with no memory of what had happened. Her pants were askew, her underwear was torn, and she had pain in her genital area. The homeowner and party organizer, considered the prime suspect by police, denied the accusations and claimed that the sexual encounter with the young woman was consensual. He also alleged that everyone had consumed alcohol and cocaine. In an unexpected turn of events, the French lawyer withdrew the charges she had filed in March 2025. The case against the son of the owner of one of the countrys largest pharmaceutical companies, the son of the head of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, and a third young businessman was dismissed. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Imagine if the leftover stalks from South Dakota cornfields could power the next generation of electric vehicles, AI data centers and even NASA space missions. Researchers at South Dakota Mines are proving that they can. Through a U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded in 2019, Rajesh Shende, Ph.D., interim department head and professor in the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and his team have developed a process to convert corn stover, the stalks and residue left after harvest, into high-quality, battery-grade carbon materials. The carbon, held in large mason jars at the off-campus warehouse, is being used to dramatically improve the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries and supercapacitors, technologies widely regarded as the future of energy storage. Despite a two-year delay due to COVID, the team achieved its first successful batch on Christmas Eve 2025 and is now ready for its next step commercialization. Shende and his team competed in the South Dakota Governor's Giant Vision Open Competition and won third prize with $5,000 in prize money. This started as a lab-scale idea, Shende said. Our goal was to find value in what is currently waste and turn it into products that can generate revenue, reduce fuel costs and benefit farmers. The carbon material Shendes team is producing in its pilot-scale reactor is high-quality and superior to that from its lab trials. The milled corn stover utilized for the pilot-scale processing was supplied by Idaho National Laboratory. South Dakota produces millions of tons of corn each year. While the grain is processed into biofuels, roughly half of the plants mass often remains in the field or is used for grazing and low-value purposes. Shende and his team, including Bharath Maddipudi, Ph.D., Mines postdoctoral researcher, and newly joined students Ibukunoluwa Paul Olasesan, doctoral student in chemical and biological engineering, and Afolabi Abraham Odesanmi, chemical engineering graduate student, are using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technology, a process of converting wet biomass and waste into high-energy-density biocrude oil, to transform that agricultural waste into carbon. Maddipudi played a key role in installing, commissioning, and testing a pilot-scale reactor system, successfully producing ultra-high-surface-area porous carbon from corn stover. Aside from the current team working on the project, several Mines students across various disciplines have been involved with the research and production. Processing a single one-ton bale of corn stover yields approximately 0.4 tons of carbon, Shende said. This process transforms low-value agricultural residues into high-value advanced materials, with projected revenues that are much greater than the baseline price of a corn stover bale. From the raw material, different types of carbon can be produced and used for batteries and supercapacitors, which can then be stacked and used to support grid stability and emerging AI infrastructure, Maddipudi said. The good thing about this carbon is that it is sustainable, Maddipudi said. It lasts longer than current devices, staying active more than 10,000 charging and discharging cycles, and then the material can be regenerated and reused. In addition, Shende said the technology could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent compared to fossil-based carbon materials, often imported, and can be integrated into biorefineries and distributed manufacturing, creating new revenue from agricultural residue. The project has reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5, meaning it has been validated in a relevant environment on a pilot scale. This type of technology has yet to be commercialized in the region, and the team is now focused on scaling production, identifying commercial partners and defining customer specifications. Aside from the states Giant Vision Competition, Shende and his team are exploring additional commercialization pathways such as the National Science Foundation I-Corps and sending carbon samples to potential customers in the energy storage industry. And while the current focus is on batteries and supercapacitors, the carbon can be used for products from carpets to water purification systems. This technology could position South Dakota as a leader in advanced carbon manufacturing, turning agricultural waste into high-demand materials. As the team moves toward commercialization, the project also highlights how research at Mines is driving economic growth and delivering sustainable innovation with global impact. ASIA Afghanistan Expected Council Action In March, the Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) ahead of its expiry on 17 March. The Council is also scheduled to convene for its quarterly open briefing on Afghanistan. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political) and Officer-in-Charge of UNAMA Georgette Gagnon is expected to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing. Key Recent Developments On 26 February, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed Council members on her visit to Kabul from 24 to 25 January during an informal meeting organised by China at its mission to the UN in New York. While in Kabul, DiCarlo met with the Taliban, members of the diplomatic community, Afghan women (including national UN staff), and civil society representatives. According to a press release, DiCarlo raised concerns in her meetings with the de facto authorities regarding restrictions on UN Afghan female staff and broader limitations on womens access to education, employment, and public life, calling for their immediate reversal. She also encouraged the de facto authorities full engagement in the Doha Process and stressed the need to address international obligations necessary for Afghanistans reintegration into the international community. DiCarlo further underscored the importance of ensuring unimpeded cross-border humanitarian assistance and sought the de facto authorities support in facilitating aid delivery. The working groups on counter-narcotics and the private sector, established as part of the Doha Process, held meetings on 3 and 9 February, respectively, bringing together member states and international organisations, Taliban representatives, and subject matter experts. On 16 February, an extraordinary meeting of the Regional Contact Group of Special Representatives of Central Asian countries on Afghanistan was held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Special representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting, which focused on coordinating a regional approach to Afghanistan, including issues related to regional security, trade, and economic cooperation. Tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have continued to increase, with clashes in late 2025 marking a significant escalation in cross-border frictions. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of allowing militant groups to target Pakistan from Afghanistan, allegations the Taliban deny. On 6 February, a suicide bombing at a Shiite Mosque in Islamabad killed 31 people. The attack was reportedly claimed by the regional affiliate of the Islamic State, known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K). On 16 February, a militant attack in Bajaur District, in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulted in the deaths of 11 security personnel. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) subsequently claimed responsibility. On the night of 21 February, Pakistan launched airstrikes along the Afghan border, targeting what it described as terrorist camps and hideouts in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces in Afghanistan. Pakistans military said the strikes killed at least 70 militants. Taliban authorities, however, stated that the strikes hit civilian areas and resulted in dozens of casualties, including women and children. The Talibans defence ministry condemned the attack as a violation of the countrys sovereignty and said that an appropriate and measured response would be taken. In a 23 February statement, UNAMA reported that preliminary casualty figures from 21 February airstrikes in Nangarhar province indicate that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured, including women and children. In Paktika province, one airstrike reportedly struck a madrassa and partially damaged a nearby mosque, while another hit and partially destroyed a vacant private residence. In response to Pakistani airstrikes, on 26 February, the Taliban reportedly launched attacks across multiple locations in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Media reports citing Taliban sources indicated that the attacks resulted in multiple casualties among Pakistani security forces and the capture of several military outposts. Pakistani authorities, however, rejected claims regarding the seizure of outposts and disputed the extent of casualties alleged by the Taliban. Subsequently, Pakistani forces reportedly carried out retaliatory airstrikes targeting locations in Kabul, Kandahar, and four provinces along the AfghanistanPakistan border. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Pakistans Defence Minister described the situation as an open war with Afghanistan. Satellite imagery reviewed by The New York Times confirmed that at least one ammunition depot in Kabul was struck. At the time of writing, the full extent of casualties and material damage reportedly remains unclear, with both sides claiming to have inflicted significant losses. The human rights situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate, particularly for women and girls. In early January, the Taliban introduced a new criminal procedural code containing stringent and discriminatory provisions that, among other things, further curtail womens rights, normalise violence against women, and raise concerns about the legitimisation of practices amounting to slavery. The code reportedly defines certain offences in vague terms and grants sweeping discretionary powers to judges and authorities, creating broad scope for interpretation and enforcement. Afghanistan continues to face one of the worlds most severe humanitarian crises, with nearly half of the countrys population, 21.9 million people, projected to require humanitarian assistance this year. Food insecurity levels are especially high, with an estimated 17.4 million Afghans experiencing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity between November 2025 and March. The large-scale returns to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan have also compounded the situation. In a 13 February press release, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that nearly 150,000 Afghans have returned so far this year, bringing the total number of returnees to approximately 5.4 million since October 2023. Sanctions-Related Developments The latest report of the Monitoring Team assisting the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, dated 3 February, highlighted persistent terrorist threats linked to Afghanistan. The report notes that the de facto authorities continued to provide a permissive environment for several terrorist groups, notably TTP, and raised concerns about the growing exploitation of commercial satellite communications and their increasing proficiency in using artificial intelligence. It further assessed that Al-Qaida continued to benefit from the patronage of the de facto authorities and acted as a facilitator for other groups, particularly the TTP, including through training and advisory support. The report describes the TTP as one of the largest terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan, noting that its increasingly complex attacks against Pakistani security forces have contributed to cross-border military confrontations. At the same time, ISIL-K was assessed to be under sustained pressure, primarily as a result of regional counterterrorism operations and Taliban military actions. Human Rights-Related Developments In a 19 January press release, UN experts stressed the importance of codifying gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and upholding gender-responsive provisions in the proposed Treaty on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity. The UN General Assembly formally launched the intergovernmental process on the draft treaty in January, with the Preparatory Committee meeting from 19 to 30 January. The experts urged member states to ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan women in civil society, as well as gender justice activists in the treatys negotiations, underscoring that the treatys legitimacy hinges on whether it enables the inclusion of those who are living under the atrocities it seeks to address and prevent. Among other matters, the UN experts called on member states to strengthen other modes of support for Afghan women, girls, and gender-diverse persons, including through actively preventing normalisation of the de facto authorities and providing sustained funding for women-led civil society organisations. Key Issues and Options The renewal of UNAMAs mandate is a key priority for the Security Council in March. One option would be for the Council to extend the missions mandate for another year without making any changes to its priorities and tasks. Another option is for Council members to reflect the evolving human rights and humanitarian situation in the country and to express concern about the Talibans restrictions on the missions operations. The current policy approach of the US administration towards UN special political missions may influence the tenor of the negotiations. In its remarks at the Councils last open briefing on Afghanistan, the US suggested that if Taliban-imposed restrictions prevent UNAMA from effectively implementing its mandate, the Council may need to consider realigning the missions tasks to reflect prevailing realities, with a sharper focus on core peace and security priorities guided by clear and achievable benchmarks. The Talibans continuing refusal to adhere to many of Afghanistans international obligations, especially those relating to women and girls, is a major issue for several Council members. Following the Talibans decision to prohibit Afghan women from working for the UN in early April 2023, the Council adopted resolution 2681 of 27 April 2023, which was co-drafted by then-Council members and co-pens on Afghanistan, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The resolution called for the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women and girls in Afghanistan and called on the Taliban to swiftly reverse the policies and practices that restrict women and girls enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. In light of the continued and expanding restrictions, Council members could consider a follow-up product reaffirming these commitments and urging the Taliban to ensure that women and girls are allowed to participate fully in public life, including education, employment, and engagement with the UN. Council members could also consider reflecting these concerns in the context of negotiations on UNAMAs mandate. The threat of terrorism coming from Afghanistan remains an issue. Members could consider convening informal meetings with regional counterterrorism experts to assess emerging terrorism risks and discuss possible responses. Expert-level discussions could help monitor trends, including the activities of terrorist groups operating from or within Afghanistan, and enhance situational awareness. Such engagement could also advance deliberations on harmonising approaches and strategies to address the evolving threat. The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, coupled with severe funding shortfalls, remains another significant issue for the Council. During the Councils most recent open briefing on Afghanistan in December 2025, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher underscored that women humanitarian staff must be able to carry out their work without restrictions, stressing that there can be no effective humanitarian response without their full participation. In this context, members could consider convening an informal meeting with humanitarian actors to explore options for mobilising additional funding and identifying steps the Council might take to facilitate sustained and principled humanitarian access. Council Dynamics Council members have generally been united in their desire to see Afghanistan ruled by an inclusive government, complying with its international obligations, and free from terrorism, but they are divided over how to achieve this goal. The US position on Afghanistan appears to be evolving. During an 11 February hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapur indicated that various US agencies are in the process of formulating the Trump administrations policy toward Afghanistan, although no timeline was provided. The US has stated that its top priorities in Afghanistan remain protecting US citizens, mitigating terrorist threats, and securing the release of US detainees. It has accused the Taliban of engaging in hostage diplomacy by using detainees as leverage in negotiations and has criticised what it views as insufficient progress on counterterrorism commitments. The US has also signalled a more sceptical approach toward international assistance and engagement in Afghanistan, stressing the limited results of past assistance efforts. China and Russia, for their part, have contended that the international community should provide economic and development assistance to Afghanistan without linking it to other issues, such as the rights of women and girls, and favour engagement and dialogue without increased pressure. Both members have repeatedly called for the release of frozen assets belonging to Afghanistans central bank, the bulk of which were seized by the US after the Taliban became the de facto authorities in August 2021 and have also pushed for the reinstatement of the standing exemption to the travel ban that expired in August 2022. Both members have also underlined the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan as a destabilising factor in the country. Pakistan has linked its dispute with the Taliban to the alleged harbouring of terrorist groups, particularly the TTP, which Islamabad claims plans and conducts attacks against Pakistani security forces from across the border. Pakistan has accused India of supporting armed groups targeting its territory, allegations that India has strenuously rejected. Meanwhile, India has taken steps to re-engage with Taliban authorities, meeting with senior Taliban representatives and re-opening its embassy in Kabul in October 2025. This months quarterly meeting will mark the first time that new Council members Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia deliver statements on Afghanistan since joining the Council in January. It will also mark the first time that China, as a sole penholder, takes the lead in negotiations on the mandate. (For background, see our 15 March 2025 Whats in Blue story.) Sign up for SCR emails Subscribe UN DOCUMENTS ON AFGHANISTAN AFRICA Democratic Republic of the Congo Expected Council Action In March, the Security Council will hold a briefing and consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). During the month, the Council is expected to consider a draft resolution adjusting the mandate of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in light of recent developments, including efforts to implement the ceasefire between the DRC government and the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) rebel group. Key Recent Developments On 19 December 2025, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2808, renewing the mandate of MONUSCO for one year, until 20 December 2026. The resolution requested the Secretary-General to provide, by 1 March, an assessment of progress towards establishing the ceasefire oversight and verification mechanism agreed within the framework of the Doha process, a Qatari-led mediation effort to facilitate talks between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group. The resolution also requested the Secretary-General to provide proposals on the scope of MONUSCOs engagement to support the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, with a particular focus on hotspot areas in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces of eastern DRC. Furthermore, it expressed the Councils intention to consider further changes to MONUSCOs mandate, taking into account the Secretary-Generals proposals and the evolving security situation on the ground. In February, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix visited Kinshasa to engage with the Congolese authorities on the implementation of MONUSCOs mandate, including its support for a permanent ceasefire pursuant to resolution 2808. While in Kinshasa, he met with President Felix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, and other senior government officials and relevant stakeholders. He also travelled to Beni, in North Kivu province, to assess the situation on the ground and meet with provincial authorities and peacekeepers deployed in the area. Lacroixs discussions during this visit are expected to inform the Secretary-Generals 1 March report to the Security Council. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Interim Head of MONUSCO, Vivian van de Perre, visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu, to lay the groundwork for the missions role in ceasefire monitoring and verification. It marked the first time that a MONUSCO helicopter had landed at Goma airport since it was shut down in January 2025, when the M23 captured the city. This appears to have rekindled some hope for a gradual reopening of the airport, which is considered critical by humanitarian actors for the delivery of assistance. During her stay in Goma, van de Perre met with delegations from the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) headquartered in the city as well as with the leadership of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), of which the M23 is a principal component. Despite the ceasefire agreed in Doha, the Congolese government and the M23 have continued to trade accusations of violations. On 2 February, the Congolese authorities accused the M23 of launching a drone attack against Kisangani airport in northeastern DRC. The next day, the group claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging that the Congolese government had been using the airport as a staging ground for aerial operations against its positions. On 2 February, the Congolese government and the M23 signed in Doha a terms of reference for implementing the ceasefire. MONUSCO was also requested to dispatch the first field mission to the city of Uvira, in South Kivu, to monitor the ceasefire. The M23 captured this city located on the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in December 2025 but has since withdrawn. MONUSCO is expected, pursuant to resolution 2808, to notify the Council in writing when it is required to carry out activities in South Kivu in support of ceasefire monitoring and verification because its area of operation is limited to North Kivu and Ituri provinces. It seems that the mission has sent notifications to the Security Council accordingly, through a white note circulated to members in February. On 17 January, the President of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, in his capacity as AU Mediator, convened a high-level meeting in Lome attended by the five co-facilitators appointed by the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as representatives of Angola, Burundi, France, Qatar, Rwanda, Uganda, the US, the AU, EAC, SADC, and ICGLR, among others. (For more information on the co-facilitators, see our 11 April 2025 Whats in Blue story.) In the communique adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, participants emphasised the need to enhance harmonisation, coherence, and coordination among all peace initiatives, with a view to leveraging existing synergies and avoiding the fragmentation of mediation efforts. Following the meeting, Gnassingbe and the co-facilitators travelled to Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda in late January and early February to meet with regional leaders as part of their efforts to finding a lasting solution to the conflict in eastern DRC. Meanwhile, Tshisekedi has travelled to Angola multiple times this year to meet with his Angolan counterpart, Joao Lourenco, in an apparent effort to revive Angolas role in the ongoing mediation efforts. Angola had previously facilitated the Luanda Process, an African-led initiative aimed at supporting talks between the Congolese government and M23, which was later overtaken by the Doha process. Amid mounting pressure internally and the M23 consolidating its position in territories it controls, Kinshasa appears to be seeking Angolas support in advancing an inclusive national dialogue, an initiative spearheaded by Congolese church leaders, which so far has struggled to gain traction. On 11 February, Lourenco announced a ceasefire between the Congolese government and the M23, to take effect on 18 February, following its acceptance by both parties. The Congolese government accepted the call for a ceasefire and noted that it did so within the framework of the ceasefire mechanism agreed in Doha. The M23 likewise reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Doha agreement, while condemning what it described as Kinshasas diplomatic fragmentation strategy. Key Issues and Options A key issue for the Council in March will be to make the necessary adjustments to MONUSCOs mandate based on the Secretary-Generals report and recommendations. In this regard, France, the penholder on DRC, is expected to circulate a draft resolution to Council members following the reports submission. The draft resolution could clearly articulate MONUSCOs role in support of ceasefire monitoring and verification based on the terms of reference agreed by the parties in Doha and encourage the mission to work closely with the EJVM. The challenges facing MONUSCO in effectively discharging its mandated tasks will be another key issue for Council members in March. They will be receiving the Secretary-Generals regular report which, among other things, is expected to provide updates on MONUSCOs activities and mandate implementation in areas occupied by the M23 in North Kivu, including its protection of civilians functions based on lessons learned since January 2025, when M23 significantly expanded its control of territory in North Kivu. How to harmonise and consolidate the various mediation initiatives on the DRC remains an ongoing concern for Council members. This issue has become even more critical in light of the revival of the Luanda process and its implications for the ongoing Doha process. The AU mediator, together with the five EAC/SADC co-facilitators, has also become active lately in an apparent attempt to reassert the AUs lead role in mediation. While there is recognition of the complementarity among the various processes, enhancing greater harmonisation to avoid forum shopping and ensuring a focus on implementing existing commitments remains a challenge. A possible option for Council members is to hold an informal interactive dialogue to facilitate a discussion on this issue with all the actors involved in mediation efforts. Another issue that continues to preoccupy Council members is the UNs liquidity crisis and its impact on MONUSCO. Although the Trump administration may continue to provide funding for MONUSCO, given its strategic interest in the DRC and the US involvement in ongoing mediation efforts, it also wants the mission to become more effective by eliminating unnecessary expenses and redundancies. The US dispatched a delegation to Kinshasa recently to discuss this matter with the missions leadership. Council and Wider Dynamics The unanimous adoption of resolution 2808 demonstrated Council members support for MONUSCO and the ongoing mediation efforts to address the conflict in eastern DRC. This year, Council dynamics are likely to be influenced by the DRCs membership for the 20262027 term. The country is expected to advocate strongly for punitive measures against M23 and Rwanda, which it accuses of supporting the rebel group. In a 4 February letter (S/2026/62) to the President of the Security Council, the DRC called for such measures, citing remarks made by Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana, Rwandas ambassador to the United States, before the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on 22 January. In her remarks, Mukantabana noted that Rwanda does engage in security coordination with AFC/M23. Rwandas support for M23 and DRCs support to the Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) has been corroborated by past reports of the Group of Experts assisting the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee. It seems the DRC may face challenges in securing the necessary backing within the Council for such measures. Outside the Council, this issue appears to be gaining traction. In particular, in the USwhich has been spearheading the Washington process to facilitate talks between the DRC and Rwandalawmakers have threatened sanctions against Rwanda over its support for M23 and its alleged failure to uphold the Washington Accords signed by the DRC and Rwanda in December 2025 under US auspices. In a 16 February interview, US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos did not rule out the possibility of such measures. The US seems particularly keen to advance its strategic interests in DRC, as demonstrated in a meeting between Tshisekedi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in early February. The DRC has included Rubaya, a mining site in North Kivu estimated to supply over 15 percent of global tantalum production and currently under M23s control, in the list of strategic assets to be offered to the US as part of a bilateral minerals cooperation framework, according to an 18 February media report. Recently, the AU has become more active in addressing the situation in eastern DRC. AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf visited Kinshasa in December 2025 and met with Tshisekedi. On 6 February, he also issued a statement condemning the M23 drone attack that targeted Kisangani airport, endangering civilian populations. This elicited a reaction from the rebel group, which denied targeting civilians and accused the AU of bias. In another development, South Africa notified MONUSCO in early February of its decision to withdraw its peacekeepers. The decision was reportedly prompted by the South African governments desire to consolidate and realign the resources of its national defence force. The South African contingent was a key part of MONUSCOs Force Intervention Brigade that also includes Malawian and Tanzanian forces. Sign up for SCR emails Subscribe UN DOCUMENTS ON THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO In Hindsight: UN Peace Operations at a Crossroads Introduction UN peace operations have traditionally been among the most important tools available to the Security Council for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. They are perhaps the most visible aspect of the UNs work. Most importantly, as the 2015 High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations demonstrated, UN peace operations have played an important role in saving lives and resolving conflicts.[1] Today, however, they face mounting challenges in an increasingly fractured multilateral environment. Geopolitical tensions among Council members, coupled with severe budgetary constraints, have weakened political consensus and eroded financial and operational support for these missions. Additionally, host governments are questioning the continued presence of UN peace operations, with several of them calling for the drawdown and exit of these missions from their countries. This has resulted in the departure of three UN peace operations from Mali, Sudan, and Iraq, respectively, over the past three years, while one Special Political Mission (SPM), the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), is going through a transition process as it winds down its operation and handover responsibilities to the Somali authorities and the UN Country Team (UNCT). Against this backdrop, this months In Hindsight examines Security Council deliberations on UN peace operations in 2025 and highlights emerging trends. It also considers what lies ahead for UN peace operations this year at a time of great uncertainty. 2025: A Challenging Year As the UN marked its 80th anniversary, UN peace operations experienced a particularly difficult year. While the Council renewed the mandate of eight peacekeeping missions and five SPMs last year, the mandates of four peacekeeping missions and one SPM were adopted non-unanimously. This reflects a broader trend of lack of consensus within the Council and the flagging political support for UN peace operations. Last year, the UNs liquidity crisis hindered the operational capacity and effectiveness of peace operations. The crisis is the result of member states being unwilling or unable to pay their annual contributions to the UNs regular and peacekeeping budgets in full and on time. At the end of the year, the UN was facing significant arrears for its peacekeeping and regular budgets, largely due to the US, which contributes roughly 22 percent of the regular budget and 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget. To mitigate the impact of the liquidity crisis, UN peace operations were forced to implement contingency measures, including a 15 percent cut in expenditures and the repatriation of 25 percent of uniformed personnel. Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the US has sought to overhaul UN peace operations as part of a go back to basics strategy designed to cut costs and to focus the UN on what it believes is its core peace and security mandate. It has pushed for some missions that it believes are ineffective to wind down their operations and withdraw. During several mandate renewal negotiations of missions as discussed below, the US has also called for strategic reviews and benchmarks to assess mission progress and performance, as well as for the Secretary-General to present options for determining the future of specific missions. The US position influenced the decisions adopted by the Council last year regarding several missions, despite concerns expressed by some members about a hasty drawdown and the implementation of benchmarks that may not be in sync with realities on the ground, among others. These positions have had a significant impact on peace operations in Lebanon, Yemen, and Western Sahara. In August 2025, the Council renewed the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for a final time until 31 December, requesting the mission to begin an orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal. During the negotiations, the US signalled its readiness to veto the mandate renewal if it did not contain a clear date for the end of the mission, while the other members did not apparently seek the termination of UNIFIL and seemed to favour prioritising conditions on the ground rather than a specific end date for the mission. The result was a compromise that tempered US insistence on a set date for the missions exit, with a final, longer-than-usual mandate renewal of 16 months. During negotiations in July 2025 on the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), the US expressed the view that it should be shuttered, and as noted below, the Council renewed the mandate at the start of the year for one last time until 31 March. In resolution 2797, which was drafted by the US and adopted on 27 January, the Council requested a strategic review to determine the future of MINURSO. The US also asked the Secretary-General to provide a report by 15 September on the feasibility of an eventual handover of tasks from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to the host country authorities or the UNCT. In terms of partnerships for peacekeeping, the adoption of resolution 2719 of 21 December 2023 on the financing of African Union (AU)-led Peace Support Operations (AUPSOs) had rekindled a sense of hope and optimism for enhanced cooperation between the UN and the AU. Through this resolution, the Security Council determined that AUPSOs authorised by the Security Council should receive up to 75 percent of their annual budgets through UN-assessed contributions. However, efforts to trigger the implementation of this landmark resolution in the case of Somalia, which hosts the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), failed last year due to strong opposition from the US. (For more, see our 10 May 2025 Whats in Blue story.) On the other hand, the Council authorised support for the deployment of a Gang Suppression Force in Haiti in September 2025 through the establishment of a support officea model also envisaged under resolution 2719 to assist AUPSOs. In November 2025, the Council also authorised the establishment of a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza. These developments appear to have prompted discussion about the future direction of UN peace operations, particularly in the context of a perceived shift towards non-UN-authorised missions. Comprehensive Review of UN Peace Operations Last year, the Secretary-General launched a comprehensive review of UN peace operations as requested by UN member states in the 2024 Pact for the Future amid enormous difficulties facing UN peace operations. This review is being conducted internally by the UN Secretariat, with the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) leading the process. The two departments have conducted a series of consultations with the various intergovernmental bodies and received written input from member states, regional organisations, civil society, and academia. The review is expected to be submitted to the General Assembly and the Security Council later this year in the form of a Secretary-Generals report. In 2025, the Security Council held three open debates organised by the peacekeeping trioDenmark, Pakistan, and the Republic of Korea (RoK)which allowed Council members and the wider UN membership to share their views and perspectives on the future of UN peace operations. With RoK having completed its Council term at the end of 2025, Denmark and Pakistan are expected to continue to work together on peacekeeping issues, particularly with respect to the review. While the aim of this review was to help shape the future of UN peace operations, expectations among member states regarding its outcome appear to be quite modest. Based on the informal consultations held so far and the key pillars of the review shared with member states last December, there is a sense that the review may not produce any groundbreaking recommendations. A theme that has emerged in discussions about the future of peace operationsand one that may also feature prominently in the outcome of the reviewis how to implement a networked approach that continues to capitalise on the UNs comparative advantages while also leveraging partnerships with regional organisations, host countries, and the broader UN system. Additionally, given that member states will need to review the recommendations, and that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres term will end on 31 December, the responsibility of implementing the reviews recommendations will most likely fall on the next Secretary-General. The future of peace operations is likely to be one of the key questions asked of candidates during the informal interactive dialogue sessions in the General Assembly, which will begin on 20 April. At this stage, it is unclear how the next Secretary-General will approach this issue and whether or not it will be a priority. Most importantly, it seems that the discussions about reforming UN peace operations have been overshadowed by the urgent need to mitigate the impact of the ongoing liquidity crisis, which is forcing drastic cuts to field operations. At the same time, there are ongoing discussions on the UN80 Initiative, launched by the Secretary-General last year and aimed at overhauling the UN system to make it more effective, cost-efficient, and responsive. In his 24 March 2025 briefing to the Security Council on peace operations, Guterres expressed the hope that the comprehensive review of UN peace operations would help inform efforts under the UN80 Initiative by finding efficiencies and improvements. Member states also appear curious to know how the two processes could mutually reinforce each other. Apparently, this is quite a delicate issue at a time when the organisation is being forced to scale back its operations and cut costs. It seems that the issue was raised but not fully explored during informal consultations on the review. What Lies Ahead? The year started with the Council requesting the Secretary-General to prepare a transition and liquidation plan for another SPM, UNMHA, which is expected to transfer its tasks and responsibilities to the Special Envoy for Yemen. The US explanation of vote could be an indication of its approach in upcoming negotiations on peace operations mandates. Its Deputy Permanent Representative Tammy Bruce stated: The Security Council has a responsibility to look at all special political missions with the same critical eye with which it has examined UNMHA. The Council must adapt or end missions if conditions on the ground are not tolerable.[2] Looking ahead, Council members will negotiate the mandate renewal of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) this month. The US has already argued that the mission needs to adapt to changing conditions on the ground, underscoring the importance of realigning its mandate through clear and achievable benchmarks. In March, the Council is also expected to consider further adjustments to the mandate of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), based on the Secretary-Generals report and recommendations to be submitted by 1 March. In April, the mandate renewal of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is anticipated. The mission has had to implement austerity measures at a time when South Sudan is relapsing into yet another cycle of conflict and violence. Last year, the mission had apparently faced difficulties with the host country in implementing these measures. Recently, the South Sudanese government reportedly ordered the mission to evacuate its personnel from three counties in Jonglei State ahead of its planned military operations against opposition forces in the region. In a 10 February Security Council meeting on South Sudan, the US, the penholder on South Sudan, warned that any further non-cooperation by South Sudan will constitute a threat to the missions viability, adding that this will inform future decisions regarding the missions future.[3] However, other Council members appeared cautious, mindful of the potential ramifications of such signals at a time when the country is sliding back into violence. In November, the Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), although both the renewal and the missions future will depend on progress by both Sudan and South Sudan in implementing the benchmarks set out in resolution 2802 of 14 November 2025. Against this backdrop, South Sudan requested the AU to place the issue of Abyei on the agenda of its Summit on 14-15 February. However, with the war in Sudan showing no sign of abating and South Sudan itself on the brink of another cycle of conflict and violence, prospects for meaningful progress on the benchmarks appear bleak. In October 2024, the Council approved a two-phase transition for the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), subsequently renamed UNTMIS, expressing its intention to complete the transition by 31 October. This decision aligned with the host governments request for the mission to hand over responsibilities to the Somali authorities and the UNCT. The UK, the penholder on Somalia, apparently explored the possibility of a Council outcome to address the second phase of UNTMIS transition. It was also keen to test options for a successor UN presence in recognition of Somalias continuing needs. However, in the absence of host-country support, it did not appear that a product would be possible. As a result, it appears that it will be very difficult for the UK and other like-minded members to try to revive the discussion of a possible successor mission to UNTMIS in October. Furthermore, the Council is expected to consider proposals for a possible drawdown of MINUSCA, informed by the Secretary-Generals report due in September. Any drawdown is likely to begin with the closure of the missions electoral division following the conclusion of national electoral processes. Lastly, the Council is scheduled to review the implementation of resolution 2719 three years after its adoption, in December of this year. Over the past three years, the UN and the AU have undertaken joint efforts to lay the groundwork for the resolutions implementation. These efforts were outlined in the Secretary-Generals most recent annual report submitted pursuant to the resolution. Although there is currently a sense that the review may be largely proceduraland resolution 2719 has yet to be applied in practiceit is too early to predict how Council dynamics could shape the process. Observations UN peace operations expanded significantly after the end of the Cold War. Today, however, as the world enters another turbulent period, the utility of UN peace operations is increasingly being called into question, especially by the US, a permanent member of the Security Council and the worlds most powerful country, and by host countries themselves. While last year was challenging for UN peace operations, this year could be even more difficult. Several UN peace operations are slated to wind down their operations and leave. Others could be forced to initiate drawdown processes. In light of these developments, transitions have become central to Council discussions on UN peace operations. The implementation of resolution 2594a landmark text spearheaded by Ireland in September 2021 on peace operationsis therefore all the more critical to ensuring the gradual, orderly, and responsible withdrawal of UN peace operations. However, its application has been uneven, particularly in the face of a strong push over the past five years for accelerated drawdown and exit of UN peace operations. There is no doubt that this issue warrants particular attention in the ongoing review of peace operations. While all missions are expected to engage in early and integrated transition planning, some may be reluctant to do so in the absence of a clear mandate from the Security Council or a formal request from the host government. The Secretariat may be similarly hesitant, aware that initiating discussions on transitions could send the wrong signal regarding the drawdown and exit of UN peace operations. A related issue concerns the utility of strategic reviews, assessments, benchmarks, and options in informing Council decisions on the drawdown, reconfiguration, or exit of UN peace operations. It is important to look at how these tools are effectively utilised to facilitate smooth and successful transitions. In some cases, these tools have informed the Councils decisions. In others, however, they have fallen short of expectations, or Council members proceeded to make decisions based on political considerations. The more pressing issue remains the liquidity crisis, which does not show any sign of a sustainable solution. What this means is that UN peace operations will continue facing significant operational limitations in effectively carrying out their mandated tasks. The UN is expected to run out of cash in July if member states do not pay their dues. The Secretary-General has said that the organisation faces a major risk of imminent financial collapse. In this context, the US 2006 contribution is a critical factor. There was a bipartisan effort in the US Congress to approve a budget that would cover US contributions to both the regular and peacekeeping budgets. The key question is whether the US administration will be willing to disburse the funds approved by Congress. Last year, the administration rescinded some of the approved budget, citing ongoing mission failures. In a 6 February interview with Reuters, the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Mike Waltz, was quoted as saying that the UN would receive an initial tranche of money very shortly, while noting that the specific figures had not yet been decided. In an increasingly resource-constrained environment, there are growing calls within the Councilparticularly from permanent members, including but not limited to the USfor UN peace operations to focus on core tasks. In practice, this would entail scaling back the multidimensional nature of some peace operations by narrowing mandates that encompass a broad range of peacebuilding activities and refocusing them on key security and political objectives. Taken together, all these developments underscore the daunting challenge facing UN peace operations as they seek to preserve their role and relevance in a time of geopolitical uncertainty and financial austerity. [1] United Nations, Report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on Uniting Our Strengths for Peace: Politics, Partnership and People, A/70/95S/2015/446 (17 June 2015). [2] U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement, January 27, 2026, https://usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a-un-security-council-briefing-on-the-un-mission-to-support-the-hudaydah-agreement/. [3] U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on UNMISS, U.S. Mission to the United Nations, 10 February 2026, https://usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a-un-security-council-briefing-on-unmiss/ MIDDLE EAST Lebanon Expected Council Action In March, Security Council members expect to receive a briefing in consultations on the Secretary-Generals report on the implementation of resolution 1701. Adopted in 2006, resolution 1701 called for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The Secretary-Generals report, which is due on 10 March, will cover the period from 21 October 2025 to 20 February. Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert are the anticipated briefers. Council members are also likely to watch developments in Lebanon and the region closely following the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran on 28 February and the retaliatory strikes that followed, and evaluate whether additional Council action is required. Key Recent Developments On 1 March, the day after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah fired projectiles at Israel, stating that the action was taken in response to Khameneis assassination. The projectiles reportedly landed in open areas or were intercepted. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) undertook a series of airstrikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in several areas of Lebanon, including Beirut, the Bekaa, and the south. Israeli airstrikes resulted in the killing at least 31 people and the wounding of 149. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that the launch of projectiles toward Israel was an irresponsible act endangering Lebanons safety and security, while Justice Minister Adel Nassar ordered the arrest of those responsible for these launches. Hennis-Plasschaert has called for restraint, adding that [n]o argument justifies gambling the countrys stability and future. These developments create uncertainty regarding the future of the 26 November 2024 cessation-of-hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon. Broadly based on the framework established by resolution 1701, the arrangement, which was brokered by the US and France, stated that the IDF would withdraw south of the Blue Line and, in parallel, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) would deploy to positions south of the Litani River. (The Blue Line is a withdrawal line set by the UN in 2000 to confirm Israels withdrawal from southern Lebanon. While not an international border, the Blue Line in practice acts as a boundary between Lebanon and Israel in the absence of an agreed-upon border between the two states.) The cessation-of-hostilities arrangement established that Israel would not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets in the territory of Lebanon, and that the Lebanese government would prevent Hezbollah and all other armed groups from conducting operations against Israel. In addition, the LAF would dismantle unauthorised infrastructure and confiscate unauthorised arms, among other tasks. According to Israeli media reports, also cited by Lebanese news outlets, the US bilaterally provided additional guarantees to Israel with respect to the cessation-of-hostilities arrangements implementation, including recognising Israels right to respond to Hezbollah threats. Since the arrangement, Israel has carried out near-daily airstrikes and shelling in Lebanese territoryparticularly in southern Lebanonsaying that it was targeting members of Hezbollah and its facilities to prevent the group from rebuilding its capabilities. These included the 20 February airstrikes in the Bekaa valley that reportedly killed at least 10 people and wounded 24, including three children. Hezbollah had not been retaliating, and prior to 1 March, the most recent report of rocket launches from Lebanon towards Israel occurred in March 2025. In mid-February 2025, Israel withdrew from most of southern Lebanon, but has since occupied five positions and two buffer zones in Lebanese territory near the Blue Line, with the IDF reportedly saying that it will remain there until Israel is certain that Hezbollah will not return to the area south of the Litani River. Prior to the current escalation, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed frequent IDF military activities in the missions area of operation and reported several incidents in which the IDF opened fire or dropped grenades in proximity to peacekeepers during the months of January and February. On 2 February, the IDF dropped glyphosate, a herbicide, over areas near the Blue Line. UNIFIL also continued to detect unexploded ordnance and unauthorised weapons in its area of operations in southern Lebanon, a region where Hezbollah has historically maintained significant influence. Before the latest onset of hostilities, the LAF had announced on 8 January that it had achieved the objectives of the first phase of the plan to extend state authority over the entirety of Lebanese territory, an indirect reference to the disarmament of non-state groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. The announcement said that the first phase focused on expanding the Armys operational presence, securing vital areas, and extending operational control over the territories that have come under its authority in the South Litani Sector [the area south of the Litani River], with the exception of lands and sites that remain under Israeli occupation. It added that continued Israeli attacks and the occupation of several sites in Lebanese territory negatively affect the completion of the required tasks and hinder the extension of state authority. On 16 February, the LAF presented its plan to move to the second phase of its disarmament plan to the Lebanese government, which is expected to focus on the region between the Litani and the Awali River, estimating that it would take between four and eight months to complete. Hezbollah officials stated several times that the group had no intention to disarm in areas north of the Litani River, arguing that Israeli strikes and occupied positions must be addressed first. Following an emergency meeting on 2 March, the Lebanese government reportedly asked the LAF and Lebanese security services to immediately take all necessary measures to prevent any military operation or any rocket or drone fire from Lebanese territory. It also called on the LAF to immediately and firmly begin implementing its disarmament plan north of the Litani River, using all necessary means. On the same day, IDF officials reportedly said that the Israeli military will continue the war until the threat posed by Hezbollah is eliminated. UNIFIL has entered the final year of its mandate. On 28 August 2025, the Security Council adopted resolution 2790 extending UNIFILs mandate for a final time until 31 December and directing the mission to begin an orderly drawdown and full withdrawal from that date, and within one year. (For more information, see our 28 August 2025 Whats in Blue story on UNIFIL.) A UNIFIL spokesperson has recently announced that the mission is planning to withdraw most of its uniformed personnel by mid-2027. Separately from the planned drawdown, the mission has had to reduce the number of peacekeepers in its area of operations by approximately 2,000 in recent months as a result of the UN liquidity crisis and measures implemented across UN missions to cut costs. Resolution 2790 requested the UN Secretary-General to explore, by 1 June , options for the future of the implementation of resolution 1701 following the withdrawal of UNIFIL, including regarding assistance in respect of security and monitoring of the Blue Line and the ways to enhance the support to the redeployment of the LAF south of the Litani River through the UNs tools. Lebanese officials have called for a continued international presence in southern Lebanon. Resolution 2790 also urged the international community to intensify its support, including equipment, material and finance to the LAF in order to ensure their effective and sustainable deployment and enhance their capacities to implement resolution 1701. An international conference in support of the LAF in the implementation of its plan to establish the monopoly of arms across the country was expected to take place in Paris on 5 March, but it was postponed on 1 March due to the escalating tensions. A preparatory meeting was held in Cairo on 24 February. From 2 to 7 December 2025, the Security Council travelled to Syria and Lebanon on an official visiting mission. In Beirut, the Council delegation held meetings with Lebanese authorities, including President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, and Salam. The Council also met with the Commander of the LAF, General Rodolphe Haykal, and the Chair of the Cessation of Hostilities Mechanism, US Lieutenant General Joseph Clearfield. In addition, the Council travelled to Naqoura, where it received a briefing by UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara and visited a nearby UNIFIL position. The deteriorating security situation has heightened uncertainty regarding the timely holding of elections. Parliamentary elections were anticipated in May. However, in addition to the recent military escalation, disputes over the electoral law, particularly regarding diaspora representation, as well as broader speculations about a possible postponement of the elections, had already raised concerns about possible delays. Human Rights-Related Developments On 19 January, the UN Human Rights Councils Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group examined Lebanons human rights record, marking its fourth review under the UPR mechanism. At the outset, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed highlighted recent human rights developments in the country on issues such as the death penalty, violence against women, and the rights of people with disabilities. Recommendations received by Lebanon during the review focused on freedom of expression, safety of journalists, gender equality and womens rights, human trafficking, independence of the judiciary, migrant workers rights, and LGBTQ rights, among other issues. Key Issues and Options A pressing concern is that any further deterioration of the security environment could draw Lebanon into a dual crisis, facing both internal strife and a wider regional confrontation. Returning to a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon and averting a full-scale regional conflagration are pivotal issues for the Security Council. Council members may consider issuing a presidential statement urging all relevant parties to immediately cease fire, and recommit to, and fully implement, the 26 November 2024 cessation-of-hostilities arrangement, as well as Security Council resolution 1701. The presidential statement could also call for the protection of civilians and respect for international law. It is unlikely, however, that the US will in the short term support any direct calls for a cessation of hostilities. Members could request emergency closed consultations to receive an update on the situation in Lebanon and across the Blue Line. Alternatively, for a more holistic understanding, members could ask for a closed briefing on the impact on the wider Middle East region of the war that has broken out between US-Israel and Iran. Council Dynamics There is broad consensus among Council members in support of Lebanons sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security. While Council members have regularly expressed their support for UNIFILs work in Lebanon, during the negotiations of resolution 2790, the US demanded a clear date for the missions termination and signalled its readiness to veto the mandate renewal if it did not contain such a date. On the other hand, none of the other 14 members had approached the negotiations seeking the termination of UNIFIL. The result was a compromise that tempered US insistence on a set date for the missions exit, with a final, longer-than-usual mandate renewal (16 months) reflecting the other members concern that an accelerated drawdown could have undermined the process of Lebanon achieving full control over its territory. Differences persist in Security Council members views of Hezbollah. Some members distinguish between Hezbollahs political and military wings and have designated only its military wing as a terrorist organisation; other members, including the UK and the US, have listed Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. On the other hand, Russia sees Hezbollah as a legitimate sociopolitical force in Lebanon. France is the penholder on Lebanon. At the same time, since the cessation-of-hostilities arrangement, the US has assumed a more active role in Lebanon, exerting pressure on Lebanese authorities for the timely implementation of commitments to disarm non-state actors, particularly Hezbollah. Sign up for SCR emails Subscribe UN DOCUMENTS ON LEBANON Overview In March, the US will hold the presidency of the Security Council. The US is expected to organise two signature events: one on Children, technology, and education in conflict and the other on Energy, critical minerals, and security. Both will be held under the Maintenance of international peace and security agenda item. The first meeting, which will be held this afternoon (2 March), will be chaired by First Lady Melania Trump. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is the anticipated briefer. The US also plans to convene briefings on the work of the 1737 Sanctions Committee concerning Iran and the 1540 Committee, which assists member states in preventing non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction. (At the time of writing, committee chairs had not been appointed as Council members continue to negotiate this years allocation of subsidiary bodies chairs. If the chairs are not appointed by the time the meetings are scheduled to take place, the US may brief in its capacity as Council president.) Other Middle Eastern issues scheduled for March include: Syria, meetings on the political and humanitarian situations and on the chemical weapons track; Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF); The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, the monthly meeting; and Lebanon, consultations on the implementation of resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 and called for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The only African issue planned for March is a briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Council members are also expected to consider a draft resolution adjusting MONUSCOs mandate based on the Secretary-Generals report and recommendations due to be submitted by 1 March pursuant to resolution 2808 of 19 December 2025. Regarding Asian issues, the Council will hold its quarterly meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. Members also expect to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Additional meetings on other issuessuch as Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and the military escalation in the Middle Eastcould be raised in March, depending on developments. Status Update since our February Forecast Counter-Terrorism On 3 February, Security Council members issued a press statement condemning terrorist attacks in Balochistan Province on 31 January that resulted in the deaths of 48 Pakistani nationals, including 31 civilians (SC/16287). The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks. On 4 February, the Security Council held a meeting (S/PV.10101) on the Secretary-Generals 22nd biannual strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) to international peace and security (S/2026/57). The briefers were Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and Head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Alexandre Zouev and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Natalia Gherman. Chris Elmore, the UKs Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, chaired the meeting. On 13 February, Council members issued a press statement condemning a suicide terrorist attack on a mosque in Islamabad on 6 February that resulted in the deaths of 32 Pakistani nationals and injured 92 (SC/16296). On 17 February, Council members agreed on a press statement condemning in the strongest terms the 3 February terrorist attack in Kwara State in Nigeria, which resulted in the loss of the lives of at least 100 people and the destruction of properties (SC/16297). The members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and to bring them to justice. UN Peacekeeping On 5 February, the Security Council received its annual briefing from the heads of police components of UN peace operations (S/PV.10102). The briefers were Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix; UN Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar; Police Commissioner of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Mamouna Ouedraogo; and Police Commissioner of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Meinolf Schlotmann. Sudan On 9 February, Security Council members held closed consultations on Sudan. The meeting was requested by the UK (the penholder on Sudan), together with Bahrain and Denmark (the Councils co-focal points on conflict and hunger), following the issuance of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) alert on Sudan on 5 February. Director of the Crisis Response Division at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Edem Wosornu and Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations at the World Food Programme (WFP) Matthew Hollingworth briefed. On 19 February, the Security Council held an open briefing on Sudan (S/PV.10109). UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper, chaired the session. The briefers were Wosornu, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, and Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa Hala Al-Karib. On 24 February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Pekka Haavisto as his new Personal Envoy for Sudan, succeeding Ramtane Lamamra in this role. On 24 February, Council members agreed to a press statement expressing deep concern over the continued violence across Sudan, including in the Kordofan and Darfur regions (SC/16304). They called on the parties to the conflict to immediately halt the fighting and strongly condemned reports of repeated drone attacks targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian personnel, as well as related premises and assets. They condemned the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for its continued assaults and destabilising activities in the Kordofans region, and all forms of violations and abuses committed against the civilian population. They also expressed grave concern over conflict-induced famine and extreme food insecurity in parts of the country. On 24 February, the 1591 Sudan Sanction Committee approved the listing of four RSF-affiliated individuals, subjecting them to the measures imposed by the Security Council (SC/16303). South Sudan On 10 February, the Security Council held an open briefing (S/PV.10103), followed by closed consultations, on the situation in South Sudan and the work of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Lacroix briefed on the Secretary-Generals 90-day report (S/2026/58), which covered developments from 16 October 2025 to 15 January. The Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Major General (retired) George Aggrey Owinow, and Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization Edmund Yakani also briefed. On 13 February, Council members agreed on a press statement expressing grave concern at the escalating violence in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria, and across South Sudan (SC/16295). They recalled that, under international law, individuals who order the commission of war crimes may be held accountable. Council members called on all parties to de-escalate, immediately cease renewed hostilities, and resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue. Yemen On 12 February, the Security Council held a briefing on Yemen (S/PV.10105). UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Director of the Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilization Division at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Lisa Doughten briefed the Council. Libya On 18 February, Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), briefed the Council on Libyas political, security, and humanitarian situation (S/PV.10107). She expressed concern over the lack of progress toward the political roadmaps key milestones, including national elections and unified institutions. Tetteh also warned that unaddressed economic instability could jeopardise national security. Council members echoed these concerns and reaffirmed their support for UNSMILs efforts to advance the political process. Middle East, including the Palestinian question On 18 February, the Security Council held its regular monthly open briefing on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (S/PV.10108). The UKthe Councils president in Februaryinvited Council members to participate at the ministerial level, and Cooper chaired the meeting. Council members were briefed by DiCarlo and two civil society representatives: Hiba Qasas, Founding Executive Director of the Principles for Peace Foundation, and Nadav Tamir, Executive Director of J Street Israel. Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the Observer State of Palestine also participated in the meeting. West Africa and the Sahel On 19 February, the Council agreed to the contents of a letter (S/2026/83) responding to the Secretary-Generals 20 January letter (S/2026/53) recommending the extension of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) mandate. In its letter, the Council decided to extend the UNOWAS mandate from 20 February to 31 January 2029. The Council expressed its intention to convene two regular UNOWAS briefings annually, while noting that additional briefings could be requested as needed. It also requested the Secretary-General to submit two annual reports on UNOWAS activities. The Council further welcomed the Secretary-Generals decision to conduct an independent strategic review of the UNOWAS mandate and activities and requested that the review be finalised and submitted by 30 September. Ukraine On 20 February, Russia convened an Arria-formula meeting titled The Information Dimension of the Ukrainian Crisis: How Media Narratives Shape Conflict. The briefers were Glenn Diesen, a Norwegian political scientist, and Andrea Lucidi, an Italian independent journalist. On 24 February, the Security Council held a high-level briefing on Ukraine (S/PV.10110). The meeting was requested by Ukraine, with support from the Councils European members (Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, and the UK), to mark the fourth anniversary of Russias invasion of the country on 24 February 2022. The UKs Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, chaired the meeting, at which DiCarlo briefed. Ukraine and several regional countries participated under rule 37 of the Councils provisional rules of procedure. Children and Armed Conflict On 24 February, Panama convened an Arria-formula meeting titled Red Hand Day 2026: Safe Education to Prevent the Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Conflict. The meeting was co-organised by Greece and Liberia, together with non-Council members Austria, Japan, and Uruguay. The briefers were Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell; the Director of the Liaison Office in New York of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Eliot Minchenberg; and the Haiti Operations Director at Save the Children, Johnny Cesar Etienne. Central African Republic On 25 February, the Security Council held an open briefing on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) (S/PV.10111). The briefers were Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR and Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) Valentine Rugwabiza and the Chair of the CAR configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Omar Hilale (Morocco). Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) On 25 February, Council members met in consultations to discuss the work of the 1718 DPRK sanctions committee. Bosnia and Herzegovina On 25 February, Security Council members discussed recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) under any other business (AOB) following the consultations on the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee. Members convened at the UKs request against the backdrop of recent secessionist rhetoric by the former president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik. There were no briefers. Situation in the Middle East On 28 February, the Security Council convened for an emergency briefing under the agenda item The situation in the Middle East to discuss the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began earlier that day and the retaliatory strikes by Iran on Israel and several other countries in the region hosting US military facilities (S/PV.10112). UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres provided the briefing. MIDDLE EAST Syria Expected Council Action In March, the Security Council is expected to hold two meetings on Syria: the monthly meeting on political and humanitarian developments in Syria, and another on the chemical weapons track. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone, and a representative from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are expected to brief at the political and humanitarian meeting. The Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo is expected to brief at the chemical weapons meeting. Key Recent Developments In February, the Syrian interim government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced steps to implement the 30 January US-brokered ceasefire and comprehensive agreement between the two parties. The agreement includes the phased integration of the SDF into government institutions and the Kurds relinquishing their control over vast swathes of resource-rich territory in northeast Syria. In line with the framework of the agreement, on 3 February, Syrian government forces deployed into SDF-stronghold cities of al-Hasakah and Qamishli in al-Hasakah governorate, where Interior Ministry security units will reportedly take over control of state institutions, while Kurdish police will maintain security operations until they are fully merged with the Interior Ministry. Reportedly, some Arab Sunnis and Kurds living in these territories are welcoming the integration process; however, other Kurds are more apprehensive, fearing potential violence. The agreement also includes provisions focusing on the return of displaced persons and on Kurdish civic and educational rights. Although these provisions and the 16 January Presidential Decree No. 13 recognising Syrian Kurdish identity are the first official steps recognising Kurdish rights and identity made by the Syrian government, neither the comprehensive agreement nor the decree mentions the constitutional enshrinement of Kurdish rights, which has been a strong demand from Kurdish political leaders. On 12 February, the members of the Council issued a press statement on northeast Syria and counterterrorism, which was authored by the US. The statement welcomed the agreement between Damascus and the SDF and its ongoing implementation; stressed the need for the parties to protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and continue Syrias recovery; encouraged progress on the integration of Kurdish representatives into the Syrian government; and reaffirmed the governments duty to protect all citizens. The statement further stressed intensified counterterrorism cooperation against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) and al-Qaida. It called on parties to avoid any security vacuum surrounding the detention facilities housing thousands of ISIL fighters in northeast Syria, which the Syrian government took control of from the SDF in January. The statement also welcomed Iraqs role in temporarily detaining ISIL detainees who were moved from Syrian to Iraqi facilities in a US-led operation undertaken by the Global Coalition Against Daesh (the Coalition). According to a 13 February statement by US Central Command (CENTCOM), the 23-day operation saw the transfer of 5,700 adult male ISIL fighters. Furthermore, al-Holone of Syrias largest camps housing around 24,000 ISIL affiliates, most of whom are women and childrenhas reportedly experienced an exodus of thousands of its residents, raising security and human rights concerns. On 22 February, Syrian authorities reportedly said that the camp was fully evacuated and shut down. The Secretary-Generals 2 February report on the threat posed by ISIL to international peace and security said that ISIL continues to maintain thousands of fighters in Syria and seeks to destabilise the country by carrying out attacks and inciting sectarian tensions. This included five foiled assassination attempts in 2025 on Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and on Syrias interior and foreign ministers. According to media reports, the US plans to fully withdraw from Syria in the next few weeks. In February, US forces reportedly pulled out of al-Tanfa key military base in southern Syria used for Coalition operationsand al-Shaddadi and Qasrak bases in northeast Syria, handing over control to the Syrian authorities. On 14 February, CENTCOM issued a statement saying that US forces had killed or captured over 50 ISIL fighters and struck over 100 ISIL infrastructure targets in Syria over the course of two months. Despite advancing steps to consolidate its control over the northeast, the Syrian government continues to face challenges to Syrian unity and territorial integrity, particularly in southern Syria. On 31 January, a large group of protestors in the southern Druze-majority governorate of Suwayda reportedly called for self-determination and accountability for crimes committed against Druze during clashes in the governorate in July 2025. The Israeli military also continues to maintain a presence in southern Syria and to conduct incursions into Syrian territory. (For more information, see the brief on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan in our March 2026 Monthly Forecast.) Damascus newly established control over the northeastern governorates of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and al-Hasakah has renewed efforts to hold elections in these governorates, which had been postponed during the October 2025 indirect Peoples Assembly elections due to security concerns. In the Councils monthly meeting on Syria on 13 February, Syrian Permanent Representative to the UN Ibrahim Olabi said that parliamentary elections will soon be held in these governorates. In the same meeting, Cordone briefed the Council for the first time since he was appointed Deputy Special Envoy for Syria and stressed the importance of the Peoples Assembly being fully inclusive of Syrian society. On 19 February, Cordone commenced a multi-day visit to Syria in which he met with Syrian high-level officials, UN entities, and civil society to discuss how his office can further support the Syrian political transition. Syrian authorities also continue to take steps aimed at rebuilding the country and its economy. On 7 February, Syria and Saudi Arabia reportedly signed a multi-billion-dollar investment package involving Saudi investors funding aviation, infrastructure, and telecommunications projects in the country. Additionally, on 11 February, Syrian senior officials held meetings with a World Bank delegation to look at potential financing for development projects geared towards Syrias recovery. The country continues to rely heavily on aid as it grapples with insecurity and chronic humanitarian needs. In her briefing to the Council on 13 February, OCHA Director of the Financing and Partnership Division Lisa Doughten said that in the aftermath of the clashes in the northeast, an estimated 130,000 people remain displaced and are particularly vulnerable, especially to inclement weather events. (There are some 5.5 million internally displaced people in Syria.) Doughten stressed that for Syria to decrease its reliance on aid, it will need support in preventing further violence, increased investment in recovery and development, and funding for humanitarian aid in the near term. Between 17 and 19 February, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, visited Syria to discuss new ways to collaborate with and support the Syrian government on strengthening the protection of children. Frazier said that she witnessed a commitment to build a Syria where children are central to the governments vision. The SRSG expressed concerns that challenges to the protection of children remain, including deprivation of liberty, unexploded ordnance, and mines. Regarding the chemical weapons file, on 21 January, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) released its fifth report of its Investigation and Identification Team (IIT), which identified the Syrian Arab Air Forces as the perpetrators of a 2016 chemical weapons attack in Kafr Zeita. It also welcomed thatfor the first time since the IITs creationthe Syrian authorities facilitated and cooperated with the team during its investigations. In his 8 January briefing to the Council, Ebo spoke of good coordination between the OPCW and Damascus, including on continued deployments by the OPCWs Technical Secretariat to visit Syria and identify potential chemical weapons-related sites. Human Rights-Related Developments In a 29 January press release, UN experts called for the restoration of peace, human rights, and the security of detainees and prisoners in northeast Syria following military operations in the region. The experts noted that, since going into effect, there have been reports of breaches to the ceasefire agreement, and condemned shocking alleged violations of international law, including summary executions, attacks on civilians, torture and the desecration of bodies and graves. They urged all parties to peacefully resolve the conflict with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including humanitarian assistance for the many displaced persons. Among other matters, the experts also called on the authorities to investigate allegations of violations by any actors and to ensure accountability. They further expressed concern at the US transferring 7,000 alleged ISIL prisoners to Iraq without any publicly known screening or legal process, oversight or protection for human rights. Women, Peace and Security On 13 February, prior to the Councils monthly briefing on Syria, the Council members which have signed on to the Shared Commitments on WPSColombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Panama, and the UKdelivered a WPS-focused statement to the press. The statement called for the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in all political and decision-making processes in Syria. The statement recognised recent steps taken by the Syrian government while also calling for further efforts towards an inclusive transition and to protect womens rights. It expressed concern at reports indicating that women and girls have faced sexual and genderbased violence and called for expanding efforts to strengthen prevention and protection measures. The Co-Founder of the Syrian Womens Political Movement, Muzna Dureid, briefed the Council during the 13 February meeting. Noting that Syrian authorities had not granted permission to her organisation to convene in Damascus and highlighting the near absence of women in cabinet and diplomatic posts, she questioned the Syrian governments commitment to womens participation. Dureid noted that Syrian women continue to face security threats, including sectarian abduction, killing, and patriarchal mindsets in the system and society. She underscored the importance of accountability, transitional justice, and investment in education. Dureid also linked national security to human security, stressing that [n]o amount of military strength can stabilize a country if its people live in fear, poverty, and injustice. Key Issues and Options A key issue for the Council is to ensure that Syrias interim government pursues a credible, transparent, and inclusive political transition, while navigating a fraught security context compounded by intercommunal tensions, terrorism, and external interference. By sustaining a united position anchored in the principles of resolution 2254, Council members can condition increased support for the Syrian government on its progress on key issues, such as pursuing disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) and fostering social cohesion and transitional justice, including through accountability and reconciliation processes. Members are also likely to continue closely monitoring the governments counterterrorism efforts, particularly given recent ISIL attacks, the security shifts in northeast Syria, and the evacuation of ISIL-linked affiliates from the al-Hol camp. The UNs future role in Syria is another key issue for the Council. Based on an integrated strategic assessment internal report prepared by the UN Secretariat in mid-2025, the Secretary-General has considered what types of UN presence in Syria would be most suitable to meet the countrys current needs. Efforts are also underway to move the Special Envoys office to Damascus and for a new representative to be appointed following the resignation of the former Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen in October 2025. Council members could convene an Informal Interactive Dialogue with the participation of Syria and relevant UN entities to discuss the most viable options for future UN engagement in Syria (including by the Council) and how the UN can effectively support Syrias transition. Another issue is the need to raise funding for humanitarian aid in the near term and to support Syrias transition into long-term recovery and development. Council members could consider holding a public briefing focused on the humanitarian situation and the countrys need for support in reconstruction and economic rehabilitation. Such a meeting could include briefings from OCHA and representatives of the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank and provide an opportunity to amplify calls for an international pledging conference to support Syrias reconstruction. Council members could also choose to request a closed briefing from SRSG Frazier following her recent visit to Syria to hear more on the humanitarian and socioeconomic challenges facing Syrian children. Council and Wider Dynamics Council members are aligned on the need for the Syrian authorities to advance an inclusive, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process based on the key principles of resolution 2254. They broadly agree that the threat of intercommunal violence cannot be addressed without advancing inclusive accountability measures, DDR, and security sector reform (SSR) efforts, together with a credible political process in the country. The Councils December 2025 visit to Damascus represented an important signal of unified support to Syrias transition, following years of division on the Syria file. Earlier in 2025, the US and Russia worked together on the 14 March presidential statement following violence perpetrated in Latakia and Tartous, while Denmark authored the 10 August presidential statement in response to violence in Suwayda. Furthermore, the Councils decision to delist Sharaa and his interior minister from the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL and al-Qaida sanctions list through the US-authored resolution 2799 of 6 November 2025 was a significant step towards legitimising the interim government. The integration agreement on northeast Syria has been welcomed by Council members, with many viewing Damascus increased consolidation of control over Syrian territory as an integral step towards restoring Syrian unity and territorial integrity. Many Council members also agree on the need for the Syrian interim government to take decisive measures to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and ISIL/Daesh. China has been particularly vocal in calling on Damascus to take a stronger stance on FTFs in the country, some of whom have reportedly been integrated into the Syrian armed forces. Several FTFs constitute part of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, which China considers a terrorist organisation and is also listed under the ISIL/Daesh and al-Qaida sanctions regime. Sign up for SCR emails Subscribe UN DOCUMENTS ON SYRIA UNDOF (Golan) Expected Council Action In March, Council members will hold their quarterly consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan. An official from the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is expected to brief on the Secretary-Generals latest 90-day report on UNDOF and the most recent developments. Background and Key Recent Developments UNDOF was established following the conclusion of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement (the 1974 agreement) between Israel and Syria, which ended the Yom Kippur War. Its mandate is to maintain the ceasefire between the parties and supervise the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces, as well as the areas of separation (a demilitarised buffer zone) and limitation (where Israeli and Syrian troops and equipment are restricted) in the Golan. On 29 December 2025, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2811 renewing UNDOFs mandate for six months, until 30 June. Israel continues to maintain a presence in the area of separationwhich it expanded into following the ouster of Bashar al-Assads government in December 2024and from where it also routinely conducts incursions across the ceasefire line, in violation of the 1974 agreement. In recent weeks, Israel has reportedly continued to conduct frequent operations in the Syrian southern governorates of Daraa and Quneitra, including by setting up checkpoints, conducting raids, arbitrarily arresting Syrians, and through artillery shelling. At the beginning of February, Israel also reportedly sprayed chemicals over agricultural land in Quneitra, threatening food security and the livelihoods of the local population. Israel has cited national security concerns as the basis for its continued violations and has said that it will occupy the buffer zone indefinitely to ensure the demilitarisation and mitigation of threats from southern Syria. Since July 2025, Israel has said that some of its operations have been aimed at protecting the Druze community in Syrias southern Suwayda governorate from intercommunal violence. Under its new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to the 1974 agreement, and despite strongly condemning Israeli attacks, it has not retaliated militarily. Sharaa has sharply criticised Israeli actions, warning that such demands could lead to a dangerous place, and he has called for Israel to withdraw its forces and respect the 1974 agreement. Since Sharaa took power, the US has seemingly adopted a policy of supporting Syrias progress towards stability and peace with its neighbours, including with Israel. On 6 January, Israel, Syria, and the US held discussions in Paris, following which they issued a joint statement affirming a commitment to achieving mutual security. The statement said that Israel and Syria agreed to establish a joint communication mechanism, which would be supervised by the US, to facilitate coordination on intelligence, military de-escalation, diplomacy, and commercial opportunities between the two sides. On 14 February, Syrian interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani reportedly clarified that the discussions were focused on Israels withdrawal from Syrian territory occupied since December 2024 and excluded the issue of control over the Golan, which has existed since the 1973 war. In January, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix visited UN peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, including UNDOF. In a 16 January briefing to journalists, he noted that the missions area of operations had experienced significant changes due to Israels positions established inside the area of separation and demanded a return to the situation where UNDOF would be the only military presence in the area of separation. Lacroix further described the ongoing talks between the two parties as positive. The Secretary-Generals most recent report on UNDOFs activities, dated 2 December 2025 and covering the period from 18 August to 15 November 2025, reported continued violations of the 1974 agreement, including the continued presence of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the Syrian side of the buffer zone. The report said that as at 3 November, the IDF maintained and reinforced ten positions that it had established in both the areas of separation and limitation on the Syrian side, adding that UNDOF observed continued engineering and construction activities by the IDF in the area of separation. It also reported that the movement of UNDOF personnel was restricted six times, including through IDF roadblocks and constructed gates, and said that on one occasion IDF soldiers aggressively confronted an UNDOF patrol, for which the IDF later made a formal apology. The next UNDOF report by the Secretary-General is due on 11 March. Key Issues and Options The shift in security dynamics in the Golan and ongoing violations of the 1974 agreement are key issues for the Council. Israels presence in the buffer zone and repeated violations of the 1974 agreement could risk further destabilising internal security dynamics in Syria or lead to a significant escalation between the parties. A related issue is the increased challenges UNDOF faces in implementing its mandate, including through movement restrictions imposed on mission personnel due to Israeli activities in the area of operation. Members could consider adopting a presidential statement urging the parties to uphold international law and their obligations under the 1974 agreement, underscoring that there should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation, other than those of UNDOF. The statement could also express concern over risks posed to local civilian populations by violations of the 1974 agreement and call upon the parties to ensure that UNDOF is accorded the ability to operate safely, securely, and freely in accordance with the agreement. The Council could further urge de-escalation and express support for ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a security agreement between Israel and Syria in such a statement. Council and Wider Dynamics The Council remains united in its view that UNDOF plays an important role in regional stability. Despite historical divisions about who holds sovereignty over the Golan, Russia and the US have traditionally considered UNDOF as a separate issue on which they can agree, serving as co-penholders on the file. In addition, following the ouster of Assad, the dynamic between Russia and the US on the Syrian file has shifted. The two countries, once holding strongly opposing views, have shown increased alignment, as demonstrated by their co-penholdership of a 14 March 2025 presidential statement addressing sectarian violence and key issues on Syrias political transition. During negotiations on the latest UNDOF mandate renewal in December 2025, the penholders chose to streamline the resolution to focus on the core issues, including the obligation of both parties to respect the 1974 agreement. The resolution also called on the parties to avoid any breaches of the ceasefire and the area of separation, and to regularly liaise with and support UNDOF. The mandate was renewed for the customary period of six months. Apparently, China wanted to include language in the text that recalled Syrias counterterrorism obligations; however, this was not included by the penholders. Since Sharaas government established control of Syria, China has been particularly vocal in calling on Damascus to take a stronger stance on foreign terrorist fighters, some of whom have been integrated into the countrys security forces and are members of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which China considers a terrorist organisation and a threat to its security. The IDFs recent actions and presence in the Golan have generated criticism from several Council members. Most Council members have consistently demanded Israels full withdrawal from Syria, while calling on all parties to adhere to the 1974 agreement. One of the main contentious issues during negotiations on the Councils 10 August 2025 presidential statement on Syriawhich contained a reference to the 1974 agreement and UNDOFs mandatewas over whether Israels military actions in Syria should be explicitly referenced and condemned in the text, with the A3 Plus members at the time (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana) and Pakistan arguing for such language. Conversely, the US was unwilling to include a direct reference to Israel or its actions. (For more information, see our 9 August 2025 Whats in Blue story.) Sign up for SCR emails Subscribe UN DOCUMENTS ON UNDOF More than 400,000 people of Iranian descent live in the country. Some celebrate Washingtons attacks, while others warn that regime change will be very difficult The attack on Iran launched by the United States and Israel last weekend has elicited a mixed reaction from the Iranian diaspora in the United States. Some people have been euphoric since the early hours of Saturday, when the strikes began, while others have a more critical view of a conflict that the Trump administration has unilaterally unleashed without consulting Congress or taking the international community into account. Its a dream come true, says Mike Oveysi, speaking from his restaurant, Amoos. Located in McLean, Virginia, this small, family-run establishment serving traditional Iranian food is a favorite among the Iranian community in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. This isnt an attack against Iran. This attack is for Iran, he asserts. Its to help the 90 million people who are being held hostage by a group with a brutal ideology. They use our wealth, our money, our country just to enrich themselves and mass-murder anyone who doesnt subscribe to their narrative. Mike Oveysis family arrived in the United States in 1994, fleeing the ayatollahs regime. Mikes father was a pilot for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last monarch of Iran, dethroned by the Islamist revolution in 1979. He spent seven years in prison before escaping to Turkey. From there, he traveled to the United States in 1994, where he sought refuge with his wife and children. Mike Oveysi was 16 years old at the time. As an adult, he has become one of the most vocal critics of the ayatollahs regime. He organizes and participates in numerous protests, which he promotes through his Instagram page, where he has approximately 250,000 followers. Like him, more than 400,000 people of Iranian descent live in the United States, according to 2020 census data. More than half of them live in California, primarily in the city of Los Angeles, in an enclave known as Tehrangeles. They are also scattered throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, which includes Maryland and Virginia, and in New York. Oveysi still has family in Iran, including a sister, uncles, and cousins, but he is confident that civilian deaths from the conflict will not be high because they say the attacks are very precise. Through his social media and a podcast, he stays in touch with Iranians who remain in the country and asserts that 90% of the population supports change. In his opinion, it will happen: There will definitely be a revolution. Since the weekend, protests have taken place across the country, both celebrating and condemning the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. In DC, a group of demonstrators gathered in the area of Georgetown on Saturday to celebrate the death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and to pay tribute to the thousands of Iranians killed by the ayatollahs regime during protests last month. A day later, in New York, a crowd marched from the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan to Times Square, carrying red, green, and white flags, some bearing the Arabic word Allah. Demonstration in Westwood, California, on March 1. Qian Weizhong (VCG via Getty Images) Reza Ebrahimi participated in that protest. The young man, who belongs to the Lion Sun NY group, a movement for a free Iran led by Prince Reza Pahlavi, says that, like him, other Iranians in the United States have begun to have hope of regaining their homeland. Its been 47 years, we were fighting for this regime change, we lost many lives, [people] have paid a high price for this, but we are finally getting it, he says. The feeling is one of emotion; Iranians inside and outside Iran are happy, we are finally getting our freedom. People are so happy, you have no idea, we cant sleep at night. We are worried about our families, but we finally did it. Bombs are not the solution Others, however, are more critical of the Trump administrations actions. This Monday, dozens of people gathered at Columbus Circle in Manhattan, holding signs that not only called for a halt to a new war in the Middle East, but also demanded that the Iranians decide their own future, not the United States or Israel. Yehuda Litan arrived at the site after being called upon by the National Iranian American Council and other organizations to protest a conflict that, they say, has the potential to rapidly escalate into a devastating regional war that will bring unimaginable death and destruction. Civilized people are fed up with war, he asserts. There is no reason to kill thousands of people for no reason. Americans are fed up with war. So we came here to show our solidarity with all the people of the region who have been subjected to the relentless Zionist American and Israeli attacks. The United States should mind its own business. For Majid Sadeghpour, political director of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), which unites the Iranian diaspora that advocates for a democratic and secular republic in Iran, bombing Iran is not the solution. A political solution is needed, he points out. Protest against the war in Iran, in Boston, Massachusetts, this Monday. Brian Snyder (REUTERS) Sadeghpour left his country when he was 17 and spent a year in Turkey before seeking refuge in the United States in 1984. He experienced the brutality of the Ayatollahs government firsthand when his brother was executed in 1988. The OIAC brings together many Iranians who have had similar or worse experiences, he says, but they do not support international intervention like the one being carried out by the U.S. and Israel. If you come from a culture that is at least 3,000 years old, you should be outraged when your country is bombed from abroad, regardless of who is in charge, he asserts. I want the fight against these bastards to be waged by Iranians, he explains. Sadeghpour defends the legitimacy of Irans National Council of Resistance (NCRI), which has opposed the Islamist regime for years, to lead a transitional period. His feelings about the current situation are mixed, because he admits he is pleased to see Irans Revolutionary Guard feeling the pain they have inflicted on the people all these years, but insists that a political solution is necessary. Regime change is very difficult to achieve from the air. After all, this is Iran. This isnt Gaza. This isnt Venezuela, Sadeghopour emphasizes. This country is twice the size of Texas. It has an impenetrable geography, and those sitting there right now are wounded animals cornered by their opponents, with only their teeth left, ready to bite until theyre destroyed. This has to be fought on the ground. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Global stock markets suffered huge sell-offs on Tuesday, with London's FTSE 100 dropping nearly 3%, as conflict across the Middle East sapped investors' appetite for risk. The Footsie fell for a second straight day, completely erasing the past two weeks' rally that sent it a record high on Friday (10,910.55), dropping 296 points (-2.75%) to settle at 10,484.13 its lowest finish since 16 February. Just seven of the index's 100 constituents finished in positive territory including BP as oil prices jumped and Babcock as defence contractor stocks gained in response to the conflict while mining stocks tanked. Over in Europe, major benchmark indices fell between 3% and 4.5%, while Wall Street's three main indices all opened around 1.5% lower. All eyes remained firmly on developments in the Middle East, as Israel launched new strikes on Beirut and Tehran, with Israeli defence minister Israel Katz authorising the IDF to advance and take control of "additional strategic positions" in Lebanon. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House that he will do "whatever it takes" in Iran and that the conflict could last a month or longer. "Were already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, its OK," he said. "Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that." Axel Rudolph, chief technical analyst at IG, said the rising conflict was worsening the global economic outlook. "Monday's relatively muted reaction to the Middle East conflict across US equity markets gave way to sharp selling on Tuesday as the situation escalated," he said. "In the UK yields jumped as markets scaled back on Bank of England rate cut expectations for March," he added. The yield on a 10-year UK Gilt jumped 12.6 basis points to a three-week high of 4.436%. In other markets, Brent crude surged again after a significant jump on Monday, this time rising 5.7% to a 20-month high of $82.18 a barrel, while European natural gas futures rocketed nearly 40% to top 60/MWh, a level not seen since 2023, as the conflict disrupted production. Intertek sinks, miners provide a drag Testing and inspection specialist Intertek tumbled 18% after annual results revealed a deceleration in organic growth in November and December, and higher-than-expected restructuring costs. RBC Capital Markets said there was "too much for the bears to get their teeth stuck into". BA and Iberia owner IAG and budget airline easyJet flew lower as the Middle East conflict disrupted travel and sparked a jump in oil prices. Heavily-weighted miners lost ground as copper prices fell, with Antofagasta, Anglo American and Glencore all down. Precious metals miner Fresnillo lost its shine as gold prices fell, with investors taking profits on the yellow metal despite the escalation in the Middle East. Banks remained under pressure, with HSBC, Barclays and NatWest all weaker. On the FTSE 250, Keller Group shot higher as the geotechnical specialist contractor hailed a record full-year performance, ahead of expectations, hiked its dividend and announced a further 100m share buyback. Specialist manufacturer Morgan Advanced Materials slumped after posting lower fullyear profits and margins as weaker demand weighed on revenue. Aloke Singh to step down as MD of Air India Express on March 19 after five years of leadership. Under Singh, the airline grew to become Indias 3rd largest narrow-body operator with over 100 aircraft. Captain Hamish Maxwell to take over as accountable manager, while the airline plans to double its fleet within 4-5 years. Aloke Singh, the Managing Director of Air India Express, is set to step down on March 19 after five years at the helm, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday. Under Singhs leadership, the airline, Air India's low-cost arm, has grown to become Indias third-largest narrow-body operator, operating over 100 aircraft and employing around 8,300 people. In the memo, Singh reflected on the airline's transformative journey, stating, "Together, we have taken the airline through a period of defining transformation navigating an intricate merger, a complex integration, creating a new brand, and growing our fleet four-fold. Singh led the airline from being a niche player to a major operator in the Indian aviation industry. While Singh did not name his successor, he mentioned that Captain Hamish Maxwell, who previously served as an advisor to the MD, will take over as accountable manager. This regulatory role will focus on ensuring the airlines safety and operational standards. Also Read: Air India Express Unveils Upgraded Boeing 737 with New Cabin Air India Express is poised to report its first operating profit since being acquired by Tata Group in 2022, driven by an increase in capacity and market share. The airline, which currently operates more than 100 Boeing and Airbus narrow-body jets, has ambitious plans to double its capacity over the next four to five years, aiming to expand its fleet to more than 200 aircraft. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions in West Asia, emphasizing India's commitment to peace, dialogue, and stability in the region. Modi chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting to assess the situation, stressing the safety of Indian nationals and ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. India remains focused on protecting its citizens, maintaining regional peace, and advocating for a peaceful resolution to the growing conflict, despite strains with Iran. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed serious concern over the escalating situation in West Asia, emphasizing India's longstanding commitment to peace, dialogue, and stability in the region. His remarks came shortly after he chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which is the highest decision-making body on security and strategic issues in the country. The CCS meeting was convened to assess the rapidly developing crisis in the Middle East, triggered by fresh conflicts involving several regional powers. Addressing a joint press briefing with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Modi said, The situation in West Asia is a matter of grave concern, highlighting Indias concern over the ongoing tensions. He reiterated Indias long-held stance on such disputes, saying that the country advocates for dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means of resolving conflicts. Modi assured that the Indian government is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with countries in the region to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian nationals. We are working closely with every country to safeguard the safety of our citizens in the region, he emphasized. The Prime Ministers comments followed a high-level meeting the previous day, during which senior security officials assessed the situation in West Asia, considering both the immediate risks to Indian citizens and the broader implications of the conflict for regional stability. After the meeting, Modi spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussing the rapidly escalating tensions and the wider geopolitical ramifications of the ongoing violence. In recent days, the situation in the Middle East has taken a dangerous turn, with the United States and Israel launching large-scale military strikes against Iran. These airstrikes, which are some of the most significant attacks on the country in recent decades, have led to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the sinking of Iranian warships, and the destruction of over 1,000 targets across Iran. In retaliation, Iran launched a series of missile and drone attacks on military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as on US and UK oil tankers in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Also Read: Key Stocks to Watch Amid US-Israel-Iran Conflict India, which has historically maintained strong relations with several countries in the Middle East, including Iran, has been closely monitoring the developments. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has expressed concern about the potential for further destabilization in the region, given its deep strategic, economic, and energy interests. At the same time, Indias diplomatic efforts have been focused on protecting its citizens living and working in the region, especially as Indian nationals are present in countries like Israel, Iran, and the Gulf states, where the violence has been concentrated. The growing military escalation in the Middle East also highlights the fraught relationship between India and Iran. Tensions between the two countries had been rising over the years, particularly after Irans Supreme Leader Khameneis interference in Indias internal affairs multiple times between 2017 and 2024. These interventions prompted India to summon Iranian envoys on four separate occasions, signaling growing diplomatic strains. Despite these tensions, Indias foreign policy remains centered on preserving regional peace and stability. Prime Minister Modis remarks underscore the countrys consistent approach to resolving conflicts through dialogue rather than military means. As the situation in the Middle East continues to unfold, India is likely to play a key role in advocating for de-escalation and peace efforts, both at regional and international levels, while working to protect its citizens in the affected areas. In light of the growing conflict and the heightened security concerns, India remains focused on maintaining its diplomatic ties with the various stakeholders in the region while prioritizing the safety of its people. Sonia Gandhi condemns Indias silence on Khameneis assassination. She questions Indias foreign policy credibility and stance on sovereignty. Gandhi highlights Irans past support for India, especially on Kashmir. Veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has raised concerns over the Indian government's silence regarding the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it an 'abdication' of responsibility rather than 'neutrality'. In a recent report, Gandhi questioned the government's lack of response to such a significant event, particularly given the deep civilizational and strategic ties between India and Iran. She also reminded the Narendra Modi government of Iran's past support for India, including its crucial role in blocking efforts to internationalize the Kashmir issue. On March 1, Iran confirmed that Khamenei had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out by the United States and Israel. Gandhi described the killing of a sitting head of state during ongoing diplomatic negotiations as a major disruption in global relations. Despite this, the Indian government has refrained from issuing a statement on the matter, instead calling for restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East. Government sources have defended this stance, suggesting it mirrors the responses of other global powers, focusing on national interests. Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to the unfolding events, noting that initially, Modi condemned Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE but failed to address the sequence of events leading up to it. Later, Modi expressed 'deep concern' and advocated for "dialogue and diplomacy," but Gandhi argued this was insufficient in the face of such a serious incident. She emphasized that when the targeted killing of a foreign leader occurs without any clear defense of sovereignty or international law, it raises serious questions about India's foreign policy direction and credibility. Gandhi also pointed to the timing of the assassination, which occurred shortly after Modi's visit to Israel, where he reaffirmed support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit has drawn criticism, particularly due to the ongoing Gaza conflict, which has resulted in global outrage over civilian casualties. Gandhi argued that India's failure to take a principled stance on such a major international incident would make it easier to normalize the erosion of international norms. She also reminded the government of Irans past support during critical moments, especially in 1994 when Tehran played a key role in blocking a resolution against India at the UN Commission on Human Rights over Kashmir. Also Read: India Advocates Peace Amid Rising Tensions in West Asia This intervention helped prevent the internationalization of the Kashmir issue at a delicate time for India. Furthermore, Gandhi highlighted that Irans strategic cooperation with India includes supporting Indias diplomatic presence in Zahedan, which is critical for counterbalancing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Gandhi also referred to the deep-rooted ties between India and Iran, pointing out that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had reaffirmed these relations during his visit to Tehran in 2001. She expressed concern that the current government seems to have ignored the significance of these long-standing diplomatic ties. The US president initially spoke of seeking regime change, then of preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He has repeatedly changed the timeline for the offensive, and said the big wave of attacks is coming soon As the days go by, the goal and expected duration of the offensive against Iran is increasingly unclear. The conflict is expanding across the Middle East, and despite Washingtons enthusiastic pronouncements, seems to be growing ever more entangled. U.S. President Donald Trump, on the one hand, suggests that his objective is regime change, but on the other, he also asserts that the goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. And he is offering increasingly long timeframes. If on Monday he spoke of four or five weeks, now he is warning that this deadline could be extended and added that we have the capability to go far longer than that. The Pentagon, for its part, says the war will require time and has announced the deployment of reinforcements. And before a closed-door briefing with lawmakers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeated his administrations argument that the reason for the attack was preventive. But this time he added a new piece of information: that Israel was going to strike Iran first and that Tehran, in that case, would have bombed U.S. positions in retaliation. That the operation is going to be longer than a euphoric Trump suggested on Saturday seems to be one of the conclusions the White House is reaching, despite the president insisting that the campaign is progressing faster than expected and that successes are accumulating by the hour. Trump even claimed Operation Epic Fury could be concluded in two or three days. On Sunday, he said the estimate had always been four or five weeks. At a veterans medal ceremony at the White House this Monday, the Republican once again extended the timeline. Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that, Trump declared during the ceremony at the White House, in the presence of his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, and his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (left) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine (right) at Monday's press conference at the Pentagon. Madelyn Keech (DPA/Europa Press) Since the operation began on Saturday, Trumps explanations have come through unorthodox channels. Unlike previous military interventions, he has not held a televised press conference. Instead, he has released two videos announcing the launch and continuation of the attacks, posted a few messages on social media, and made numerous comments to various media outlets in telephone interviews. The result has been a peculiar mix of conflicting accounts, in which the White House occupant has contradicted himself and the reports coming from the Pentagon. This weekend, senior U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity justified the offensive as a preemptive strike because, they said, Iran was planning to bomb U.S. targets imminently. On Sunday, representatives of the Trump administration informed congressional staff in closed-door briefings that U.S. intelligence services did not believe Iran was preparing preemptive attacks against the U.S., according to the Associated Press, which cited three sources familiar with those briefings. In a closed-door briefing at the Capitol to inform key lawmakers from both parties about the conflict, State Secretary Rubio offered a new variation on the reason for the preemptive strike: the U.S. believed that Israel was preparing to bomb the Islamic Republic and, in that case, Tehran would in turn strike U.S. forces in the Middle East. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties, he said. Over the weekend, the U.S. president and his inner circle offered divergent objectives. In his opening remarks, Trump urged the Iranians to rise up and seize control of their government. A day later, the White House issued a statement asserting that the goal of the attacks was in fact to dismantle Irans nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump supporter who frequently acts as his informal spokesperson, expressed similar sentiments in various appearances on U.S. television programs. The president himself also hinted at his willingness to keep the new leaders of the ayatollahs regime in power, following the death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in bombings on Saturday. This would be a solution very similar to the formula used in Venezuela, where after the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro, the old Chavista leaders remain in power. According to a telephone interview with The Atlantic, the Republican leader is prepared to engage in talks with these new leaders. A Super Hornet aircraft prepares to take off from the deck of the aircraft carrier 'Abraham Lincoln.' US Navy (via REUTERS) Later, Trump pointed out that the same missiles that killed Khamenei also eliminated 48 high-ranking regime officials, including some names he had considered to take over the country. Hours later, in a second video, he again urged Iranians to take back their country and wrest control from the regime, and called on the armed forces to lay down their weapons under the promise of immunity. The United States will be there to help, he promised. This Monday, however, he made no mention of those appeals. And in another news conference on Monday, the first by the U.S. government since the bombing began, the Pentagon reiterated that the objectives do not include the end of the theocratic system. This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it, Hegseth maintained. They have a goal, but its not regime change. Its regime implosion, says Trita Parsi, vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. The hope is to degrade Iranian capabilities, or the repressive capabilities of the state, as much as possible, in the hope that miraculously the Iranian people will rise up and seize power. And that whatever remains of support for the Iranian system will somehow dissolve. For now, the Pentagon is preparing for a prolonged conflict. At the news conference, the administration warned a public with very little tolerance for combat casualties that there will be more deaths and injuries among its soldiers. On Monday, the Department of Defense announced the death of one of the service members wounded on Sunday by an Iranian missile at a U.S. military base in Kuwait, bringing the number of American deaths to six. Another 18 soldiers are seriously wounded, triple the number that Central Command provided on Sunday. It is unclear whether Washington plans to deploy troops on Iranian soil as part of the operation, something experts consider essential if the objective is to seize control of the country or impose regime change. The Pentagon has stated that it currently has no soldiers on the ground, but has declined to clarify whether it plans to do so in the future. Trump, for his part, has not ruled it out. And in statements to CNN, he warned that the conflict could still escalate: according to him, we havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement BusinessCompaniesMiddle East at war Australians stranded in Middle East by Iran war consider travel options Chris Zappone Updated March 3, 2026 6:14pm ,first published 3:23pm 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 Australians stranded in the Middle East are flying via destinations as far away as South Africa to get back home after the Iran war forced the closure of crucial airspace in the region and limited options for flights. Those unable or unwilling to wait for the resumption of air travel are finding alternative routes to leave the region which is home to a vital corridor linking Australasia to Europe accounting for 11 per cent of global air travel. Smoke billows from an airstrike near Dubai International Airport, which has been closed since Sunday. AP Mark Trim, founder of Adelaide-based Complex Travel Group, said travellers who had long-haul flights from Europe or Africa through the Middle East were rebooking via Asia at significantly higher price points, and seat availability was moving quickly at a premium. His company has been making alternative arrangements for travellers in nations in the region where airspace is open such as Saudi Arabia or Oman but who had affected flights on Emirates or Qatar Airways. Advertisement Some are flying out through Johannesburg, and home on Qantas from there, Trim said. We just re-booked some clients in Cairo on that routing. Since Israel and the US began attacking Iran on Saturday evening (AEDT), 12,903 of the 32,003 flights that were scheduled to arrive or depart from the Middle East or 40 per cent had been cancelled, according to flight analytics data company Cirium. Emirates airplanes are grounded at Dubai International Airport. AP At any time, about 11,000 Australians are transiting through the region, which is a hub for Emirates, Virgin Australias partner Qatar Airways, and Etihad. Five Emirates A380s departed Dubai for Europe and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, Flightradar24 posted on X. Travellers caught out by the military strikes during their transfer are unable to fly out of the war-affected part of the Middle East. Advertisement The Oman option Some travellers are planning to cross land borders to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman, on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, southeast of Iran, where flights to leave the region can be boarded. Ciriums Asia editor Ellis Taylor said Muscat [in Oman] has the potential to offer a way out of the Middle East for some passengers who are willing to take land transport from neighbouring countries. Oman Air operates flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta that could offer a way back to for Australian travellers, he said. Oman also has flights to Phuket and Manila, but not to Singapore, he said. Tourists take photos at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman. AP Advertisement Anthony Goldman, a joint managing director of the Melbourne-based Goldman Travel Group, also said Muscat was a possibility, if you want to drive in the middle of a situation. Related Article Aviation Missiles too close for comfort for airlines in Iran-Israel war Another scenario to leave the Middle East is for people in the island nation of Bahrain to travel by land to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, fly to the Indian cities of Delhi or Mumbai and transit from there. There are plenty of options; youve just got to be creative and be prepared to spend the extra money. Online travel agency Webjet said that in the past few days, we have seen travellers opting to redirect through Asian hubs such as Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, as well as the Perth-London direct service. Advertisement We are working closely with airline partners and, where flights are operating, helping customers explore alternative routes across different airlines whether they are in Europe trying to return to Australia, or vice versa, a spokesperson said. Flight routes The airspace over Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Israel, Iran and Iraq remains closed, and Ciriums Taylor said that meant there were two clear corridors around the conflict area: Oman and Saudi Arabia in the south and Turkey in the north. To the south, there are flights routing over Oman and the south-west part of Saudi Arabia, while to the north, flights are going over the subcontinent to Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey to dodge Iranian airspace, Taylor said. Advertisement That northern path seems to be allowing flights to operate from India and South-East Asia through to Europe with relatively little deviation. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson said the Australian airline had customers on code-share services with Emirates who were stuck in the Middle East, while Qantas-operated services such as those flying to Europe via Perth and Singapore were not materially impacted. Related Article Aviation The airlines fighting to take Australians on trips to Europe Qantas said that from Wednesday, its previously non-stop Perth-to-London flight would stop in Singapore, adding up to 60 extra passengers. The move increases capacity to Europe as passenger traffic is constrained by the war. Advertisement Qatar Airways, a partner of Virgin Australia, has cancelled its Doha services until March 5, due to the ongoing security situation in the Middle East and the closure of Qatari airspace. Bookings Goldman, of the Goldman Group, urged stranded Australians to speak to travel agents, who could help navigate complex travel arrangements. He also noted that the UAE announced it was bearing all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers in hotels. Loading Advertisement With Clancy Yeates The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement NationalCBD An exclusive kayak ride with Malcolm Turnbull? Thatll cost $80,000 Fiona Byrne John Buckley and March 4, 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 Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy have long been supporters of the Randwick and Westmead Childrens Hospitals. So it was no surprise to hear the couple donated in the region of $100,000 to the Sydney Childrens Hospital Foundation Lunar New Year gala over the weekend. More intriguing, at least to CBD, was the competitive bidding that took place to secure an exclusive kayak tour on Sydney Harbour with the Prince of Point Piper. Malcolm Turnbull kayaking on Sydney Harbour in late 2024. Malcolm Turnbull/Instagram. The prize went for $80,000 at the auction, hosted by Monika Tu, of Luxe Listings fame. We hear the losing bidder was so bummed to miss out on some one-on-one time with Turnbull they approached Tu at the function and asked if the former PM would do them the honour of hosting a second kayak tour, for another $80,000. All up, were told the foundation, run by former NSW premier Kristina Keneally as CEO, raised some $2.8 million to support projects like cancer treatment trials and new AI tools for rare diseases. Advertisement The best auction prizes are often money-cant-buy experiences and kayaking with Malcolm obviously delivers that in spades, Keneally said when reached by CBD on Tuesday. From a foundation perspective, we were delighted by the Turnbulls generosity of time and their own donation it will make such a difference for sick kids in hospital. But not everyone can command the same figures. It was only a year or two ago that one of the prizes auctioned off at a similar gala event run by the foundation was a dinner with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. On that occasion, Albanese struggled to crack $100,000. Whod have thought Turnbull would enjoy such lasting popularity. Well, at least outside the Liberal Party. TikTok deepens its Labor bench Every so often, we get to witness a picture-perfect illustration of the revolving door between public office and the multibillion-dollar public affairs industry built around it, in all of its glory. Advertisement Such was the case when TikTok mounted a full court lobbying press last year, when it was looking like the platforms competitor, YouTube, may get an exemption from the governments under-16 teen social media ban. Of course, the government later walked back the carve-out, handing TikTok a massive win. So when TikTok was on the hunt for a new boss for its public policy operation last year, we couldnt blame the platform for turning to yet another former Labor comrade. Among the most recent Labor formers to arrive at the platform was Jessika Lofstedt, a former Albo adviser, who joined the company from PsiQuantum late last year to head up TikToks policy shop. She arrived in the thick of a policy agenda that includes the under-16s social media ban, and, more recently, data centres. TikTok declined to comment. Lofstedt, of course, isnt alone. The ByteDance-controlled video giant also has Sabina Husic among its ranks, a socialist brawler known for her time working in the Daniel Andrews government, who also served a stint advising Albo and is the sister of Labor MP Ed Husic. She has taken the lead on TikToks policy work after the platforms policy boss Ella Woods-Joyce left around the time Labors under-16 social media ban took effect last year. We hear Lofstedt has since poached erstwhile Coalition staffer Simon Edwards from Amazon Web Services, who will bring balance to a team that also includes former Coalition staffer Tom Fardoulys. Together, the boys make up the platforms token Tories. Advertisement ABCs Laura Tingle stranded amid Middle East conflict With flights cancelled to and from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Israel and Bahrain, countless Australians were left stuck in the Middle East this week following the eruption of conflict in the region after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran over the weekend. Among them was the ABCs global affairs editor Laura Tingle. The ABC said it is monitoring official advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as the situation evolves, but did not comment specifically on the steps it is taking to support Tingle and other staff in the region. The ABCs Laura Tingle is among the countless Australians who have been left stuck in the Middle East after conflict erupted in the region. James Brickwood Just in the last few minutes, theres been some very big thuds just outside the building where I am now, which is down near Palm Island, that very famous land reclamation development here in Dubai, Tingle told the ABCs PM show on Monday, hosted by Samantha Donovan. Advertisement The ABC has a Middle East bureau in Jerusalem, but declined to confirm the number of staff it has based in the region. The ABC is monitoring the official advice from DFAT. We have well-established protocols in place for the safety of our international teams. Obviously, its an evolving situation and story, and in terms of travel were adapting to circumstances. Our Middle East bureau is based in Jerusalem and we have deployed other resources to support the coverage. 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 EnvironmentConservationWildlife A dog was off leash on a Sydney beach. A little penguin paid the price Caitlin Fitzsimmons March 3, 2026 4:22pm 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 An off-leash dog is the likely killer of a little penguin found dead on Warriewood Beach, in the latest blow to Sydneys struggling penguin colony. Manly is the site of the only breeding colony of little penguins, also known as fairy penguins, on mainland NSW. The local population has declined precipitously from 70 pairs of little penguins in 2013-2014 to 15 pairs in 2024-2025, based on National Parks and Wildlife Service surveys. Theyre on the front line of climate change through water temperature changes, through food resource availability, and then on top of that, impacts by foxes, cats, dogs, so the poor little buggers are really up against it, said Australian Wildlife Conservancy chief executive Tim Allard. Loading The dead penguin was taken to Taronga Zoo on January 30 where staff at the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health performed a necropsy. The results suggested the bird suffered a fatal puncture wound to its neck from a suspected dog attack. Advertisement The registry processed 11 dead little penguins last year, four of them from suspected dog bites, three with boat or propeller injuries, three that were young and emaciated, and one where the cause of death is yet to be determined. Libby Hall, wildlife rehab coordinator from the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, said the zoo ran Project Penguin with local schools and Northern Beaches Council to try to educate the public about responsible dog ownership and wildlife protection. A little penguin found dead on Warriewood Beach with injuries consistent with a dog attack. Northern Beaches News Hall said the penguin killed on Warriewood Beach was emaciated and possibly sick, but either way, the dog shouldnt have been off leash. It is not known why the bird was at Warriewood, but the flightless seabirds spend most of their lives in the ocean and travel large distances up and down the coast, coming ashore occasionally to rest. Advertisement Sydneys penguins are particularly vulnerable to predators when they return to rocky outcrops around North Head for extended periods to breed or moult. In 2015, NPWS figures show, foxes killed 27 penguins on Collins Beach at Manly. In 2011, a dog killed seven penguins near Manly Wharf. The Northern Beaches Council area has about 60,000 registered dogs and there is strong demand from the community for open space and off-leash areas to exercise their pets. While dogs are not permitted on most beaches, the council is partway through a 12-month off-leash dog trial at the southern end of Mona Vale Beach, which started last October. A council spokesperson said council rangers and parks staff regularly patrolled the area and found people were generally adhering to the times and area permitted, but members of the public could submit feedback online. Phillip Island in Victoria is the worlds largest little penguin colony. Phillip Island Nature Parks The spokesperson said council understood the communitys concern about the recent penguin death, noting that it was aware of the incident only through social media as it had not been formally reported to council. Advertisement Northern Beaches Council rangers undertake regular proactive patrols of beaches and public spaces to ensure responsible use of public spaces by dog owners and their pets, and enforcement action to address any concerns, the spokesperson said. Recognising that enforcement alone is not enough to change community behaviour, Council appointed a companion animal education officer in October 2025 to enhance education efforts, engage with residents, and promote responsible pet ownership. The dead penguin on Warriewood Beach. Northern Beaches News NPWS oversees the little penguins at Manly, which was listed as an endangered population in 2002, with its critical habitat designated an area of outstanding biodiversity value. A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said it worked with council on pet management, while using daily camera checks and fox baiting to control foxes on North Head. Advertisement NPWS also manages more than 50 volunteer penguin wardens who support education, habitat maintenance and issue reporting. More than a decade ago, this group actively guarded a small group of penguins that nested under Manly Wharf from off-leash dogs, but the birds no longer use the site. A juvenile little penguin currently in care. Taronga Zoo Little penguins are doing relatively better in the southern states, even in cities. The colony at St Kilda in Melbourne has about 1400 penguins, Parks Victoria says, and the area is fenced off. Hall said the Warriewood penguin could have been thin because it had just finished moulting, an annual event that typically occurs in March for the Sydney colony. The bird was an adult with no longstanding injuries. During moulting, the penguins sit still on a rocky outcrop for three weeks and shed and replace all their feathers. They do not eat, and they can lose up to half their body weight. Advertisement Hall said the penguins were especially vulnerable to predators while moulting because they were out of the water, trying to hide in the rocks, while quite a mess of feathers and droppings built up around them. Related Article Wildlife Skeletal seal seeks respite in the Cooks River Theyre easy to find if youre a fox or a dog because it becomes very smelly and theyre just sitting there, Hall said. Theyre totally exposed and vulnerable during that time. Its a very stressful time for a penguin in the penguin year. Hall said people who find moulting penguins at Manly could bring them to Taronga, where they could moult safely and then be released. Taronga Zoo took in six little penguins for rehabilitation last year, mostly for moulting but also injuries from boat strikes. The birds attacked by dogs and foxes usually did not survive, Hall said, though adult penguins could sometimes withstand a cat attack. Advertisement The team is now looking after a juvenile penguin, which still had some of its baby fluff, that was found at North Steyne. The zoo releases the little penguins back to the wild at Curl Curl Beach because it is relatively quiet with direct access to the ocean and in the middle of two known breeding and foraging colonies, both Manly and Lion Island in Pittwater, as well as other offshore islands. Get to the heart of whats happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter. Lucia Orlando Settembrini, sitting in an office at the hospital where she works, is emphatic: Without them, we couldnt keep the Emergency Room open. It simply wouldnt exist. They are the 12 Cuban doctors under her supervision, who, for the past three years, have allowed the ER at the John Paul II Hospital in Lamezia Terme, Calabria, in southern Italy, to function. They are part of a contingent that arrived in 2022 in this region, one of the poorest in Europe, which has resorted to the exceptional hiring of doctors from Cuba to address a chronic shortage that was forcing the closure of entire hospital units. I think we have helped to lighten the workload in the ER, since there are thousands of admissions. Calabrian people are very similar to Latinos. With our Italian colleagues, we have been able to work well together in a job that is not easy, says Miladis Hernandez Velazquez, who for a few minutes switches back to her native language and leaves behind the Italian she has learned to speak fluently. Calabria is not her first posting abroad. She previously spent two years in Venezuela on one of those international missions that for decades have been a source of foreign currency and soft power for Cuba and which, with the escalating pressure from the United States to increase the economic strangulation of the island, have once again come under scrutiny from the Trump administration. So much so that the U.S. charge daffaires in Cuba, Mike Hammer, traveled to Calabria last Monday to discuss the matter with the regions president, Roberto Occhiuto, in a visit reported days earlier by Bloomberg and which has caused quite a stir. The John Paul II Hospital in Lamezia Terme, Calabria. Mariangela Paone Occhiuto, a prominent leader of Forza Italia, the party founded by Silvio Berlusconi, made the decision to hire Cuban doctors after receiving little response to calls for professionals. The situation was critical: the regions healthcare system had been under central government intervention for 15 years due to its disastrous financial situation. To alleviate the emergency and recalling how Cuban doctors had been employed in northern Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic the president had a hunch, or, as a spokesperson for his administration put it, opted for a desperate move: to introduce new vital resources through an agreement with the Cuban Medical Services Marketing Company, which is controlled by the Cuban government. The agreement was signed in August 2022, and the first 51 doctors arrived on December 28 of that year. Calabrians will be happy to welcome you because they know your professional qualities and the quality of Cuban medical services, Occhiuto said that day, receiving the newcomers amid applause. Calabria had planned to attract 1,000 Cuban doctors by the end of 2026. However, the regional government launched a new call for applications in January to recruit professionals from EU and third countries. The region denies that the call is due to U.S. pressure and attributes it to the worsening situation in Cuba, which could jeopardize further arrivals. It is inappropriate to speak of U.S. pressure on Calabria to end its collaboration with Cuban doctors. The U.S. administration, even during Joe Bidens presidency, has never hidden its lack of enthusiasm for this initiative, but it cannot be considered interference or imposition, Occhiuto stated in response to this newspaper. Regarding his meeting with Hammer, he adds: I explained frankly that the Cuban doctors present today are indispensable for keeping hospitals and emergency rooms operational. I clarified that our healthcare system is open to professionals of all nationalities. He emphasizes that the U.S. State Department has expressed its willingness to provide concrete assistance in the process of hiring doctors. The specifics of this support have not been disclosed. However, the 400 doctors who have already arrived will remain at least until 2027. Without them, the region says, all the hospitals would have to close. In a region that still lacks a specialized emergency medicine school, having trained doctors is an irreplaceable resource, says General Antonio Battistini, former head of the Italian Army Medical Corps and, for the past three years, extraordinary commissioner for health in the province of Catanzaro, where the Lamezia hospital is located. Around 20 Cuban doctors are currently working there. A total of 48 doctors have arrived in the province, and 45 remain after three left the program. Initially, the agreement stipulated that of the 4,700 gross salary, approximately 1,200 would go directly to the doctors and the remainder to the Cuban government agency. However, this was changed two months later, and now the doctors receive a lump sum payment, which they then send back to Cuba. Battistini oversaw the selection of the professionals, whose hiring, without requiring the validation of their academic degrees, was made possible by the extension of a regulation adopted during the pandemic to allow the arrival of foreign personnel. I evaluated their resumes, their professional experience, and I also studied the Cuban healthcare system, which is very similar to ours, the general commented, emphasizing the clinical competence of the Cuban doctors. Dr. Jose Adrian Fernandez examines a patient in the cardiology unit of the Lamezia Terme hospital last Thursday. Mariangela Paone I was skeptical at first because the system is very complex. However, after a period of physiological adaptation, their contribution has been noticeable not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively, acknowledges Gerardo Mancuso, head of Internal Medicine at the Lamezia Terme hospital. At this facility, they dont even want to imagine their possible departure. They never miss a day, they dont ask for vacations or sick days. They are an example of dedication and work ethic. If they werent here, we would miss the people first. Then, as professionals, we would have more problems, adds Roberto Ceravolo, head of Cardiology. Dr. Jose Adrian Fernandez reports to him. Before working in Calabria, he was in Panama during the pandemic. It definitely represents an important contribution from a personal point of view, but obviously the most important aspect, at least for me, is professional, always with the goal of providing extra help to a healthcare system in this country that needed medical assistance, says Fernandez, in the room where he performs echocardiograms. When asked about the situation in Cuba, he comments: The situation in Cuba is complex because of what is happening internationally. Life in the world is complex. The professionals are uncomfortable with the attention they have received in recent weeks. I think weve done something good here. Politics isnt important to us. If we attract attention, let it be for good things, says Dr. Hernandez Velazquez. Battistini acknowledges that there has been concern among the Cuban doctors about not being able to continue this work. The pressure exerted by Washington Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last February a restriction on visas for officials of foreign governments involved in what the U.S. defines as forced labor has already had an effect: Honduras has just announced that it will close the program, as countries like Guatemala, Paraguay, and the Bahamas have already done. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement Exclusive Eating outComing soon One of Tokyos best pizzerias, Pizza Studio Tamaki, is opening in Sydneys CBD Itll be its largest global location to date and will sell its famous five-cheese pizza sweetened with honey, plus local-inspired options. Lee Tran Lam March 4, 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 American celebrity chef David Chang called it back in 2018: The best pizza in the world is in Tokyo. The Momofuku founders bold declaration made on his Ugly Delicious Netflix show has been validated over the years as Japans capital became increasingly famous for its take on Neapolitan-style pizza. One of Tokyos most essential places for savouring excellent crusts and toppings is Pizza Studio Tamaki and now its coming to Sydney. The signature at Pizza Studio Tamaki in Tokyo. Pizza Studio Tamaki The first Australian Tamaki outpost will open in the CBD on May 15. Seating up to 78 guests at 259 George Street, it will be the pizzerias largest global location to date. Founder Tsubasa Tamaki opened his first location in 2017, in a tiny space in Tokyos Higashi-Azabu district. The signature hit was the Tamaki pie, its charred crust encircling smoked mozzarella and Pecorino romano, basil leaves and whole cherry tomatoes hit by the ovens heat. The pizzas interactive charm includes popping the tomatoes with a fork so their juice splashes over each cheesy slice. Advertisement Our pizza is renowned for its unique Japanese style wood-fired pizza with a light and chewy crust and a distinctive, balanced salty finish, says Tamaki. That taste could be due the particular way he throws Okinawan sea salt into the oven to flavour the dough. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Shaping dough at Pizza Studio Tamaki. Luke Burgess Tamakis 18-year dedication to finding the right flour might also be why The New York Times named him one of the most talked-about pizzaioli in the world. His Australian fan base includes chefs Michael Ryan (from Beechworths two-hatted Provenance) and Luke Burgess (of Hobarts Schole) who called Tamakis pizza minimalist masterpieces in their travel and photography book Only in Tokyo. Pizza Studio Tamaki opened its second Tokyo location in 2018, and media recognition has surged in tandem with Tamakis footprint. Following more branches in Japan (Okinawa, Niseko) and overseas (Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, New York), Tamaki will launch its first Sydney restaurant in partnership with Kaizen Food Group, the company that brought Japans queue-attracting Mensho Tokyo to Sydney in 2024. After experiencing PST firsthand in Tokyo on several occasions, we were convinced it represents one of the most distinctive and refined pizza styles, says Kaizen Food Group chief executive Nixon Alex. Advertisement Rendering of the PST Sydney location. Last week, Tamaki was in town to view the site. This was my first visit to Sydney and I was immediately impressed, he says. Although he didnt try any local pizza slices, he dropped by Lune, Fabbrica and the Sydney Fish Market, and became acquainted with Pizza Studio Tamakis Sydney location, a busy square with restaurants and offices nearby. It reminds me of Rome, where the finest pizzerias are often located around a lively piazza, forming part of the citys social and cultural fabric, he says. Alex says the core offering at Tamaki Sydney will remain true to PST Tokyos celebrated menu, which is good news for fans of the pizzerias five-cheese topping sweetened with honey, and the Bismarck with pork sausage and egg. Advertisement We also hope to collaborate on a special menu that incorporates select local influences for Sydney, says Alex. Tamaki will return closer to the launch date. Related Article 13.5 / 20 Review Our critic reviews the Sydney outpost of the Eat Pray Love pizzeria Advertisement NationalQueenslandCity council Lord mayor says zoning change could help your online shopping arrive sooner William Davis March 3, 2026 9:51pm 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 Hundreds of properties across Brisbane would be rezoned for uses including warehousing, logistics and distribution under a proposal that Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said could speed up online shopping deliveries in the future. Under the plan, more than 200 properties on about 82 hectares of land in Brisbanes industrial precincts would be rezoned to encourage cleaner uses. The three precincts are the Northern Industrial Area, along the Bruce Highway; Australia TradeCoast, on both sides of the river near the airport and Port of Brisbane; and the South West Industrial Gateway, along Ipswich Road. The council is hoping the new zoning changes will lure more companies like Amazon to Brisbane. The move was debated during a fractious meeting of Brisbane City Council on Tuesday afternoon, amid widespread sledging and allegations of corruption and conspiracy over technical issues with the live video stream. Advertisement I get excited about [the rezoning proposal] because this is us adapting to a very rapidly changing industrial and commercial landscape, Schrinner told the chamber. Theres a huge demand out there in the community, and weve seen investment by a whole range of companies including Amazon in Brisbane, where they built their facility and that facility allows, in many cases, same-day delivery of products that maybe a few years ago we would wait weeks for. By updating our planning scheme and updating the mapping, we can make sure that Brisbane residents can get what they need sooner, and that they can have access to faster deliveries. The properties would be rezoned from General Industry C which typically applies to higher-impact and potentially noxious industrial activities to General Industry B. Council argues this would attract more suppliers to base their warehouses locally. Advertisement The zoning changes would only apply to new applications. The Labor opposition supported the plan but accused the LNP and their federal counterparts of having contributed to the demise of manufacturing industries across the country. Related Article City council Its been a battle: WWI memorial park still battered weeks out from Anzac Day [The lord mayor] spoke a lot about the company Amazon, interestingly, and I guess he and Amazon share a lot of values of being anti-union, being hard and harsh on workers with intense monitoring and quotas for workers, leader Jared Cassidy said. I understand why the lord mayor probably focused a fair amount of his time praising that company. Advertisement The changes are in line with the market, essentially where its heading. It does make sense to a degree. The amendment also sought to rezone nine council-owned properties used for drainage, biodiversity or waterway purposes from General Industry C to Open Space or Conservation areas. The changes have already gone through a public consultation process and will be sent to the state government for approval, before returning to council for official adoption in the City Plan. Tuesdays vote came after an extended period of disruption and sledging from both sides of the chamber, with a threat to refer allegations to the corruption watchdog, claims of a conspiracy to tamper with the YouTube livestream of proceedings, and accusations of paranoia. Councillor Emily Kim appears blurred on the Brisbane City Council livestream. YouTube Advertisement On several occasions, councillor Emily Kim and several others appeared blurred or out of frame on the video feed, leading Labor to suggest the LNP was intentionally obscuring them, possibly to prevent visuals being clipped for social media. All these matters will be referred for investigation I think a serious matter is the tampering of public records, Kim said. The LNPs Andrew Wines later responded that he was concerned she was paranoid and acting crazy, before withdrawing the comment. The lord mayor added it was a full moon. The LNP outright denied anything had been done intentionally to disrupt the stream. Chair Sandy Landers said the feed used AI facial recognition software to direct cameras at councillors, and this system had been confused by Kim sitting in a different seat this week. Related Article City council Brisbanes food trucks have boomed, but some vendors say the system is failing Advertisement This masthead has seen a draft letter to the Crime and Corruption Commission, written by Kim, requesting investigation of potentially corrupt conduct. Cassidy said in a statement: Its very strange that LNP councillors were seen clearly, and Labor and other non-LNP councillors were blurred out or off the screen. The explanation as to what went wrong left more questions than answers. Council pays an external contractor a lot of money to stream these meetings, and we want to make sure its being done without reproach. 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 Updated NationalQueenslandCrime Police shoot man dead during welfare check in Brisbanes east Catherine Strohfeldt Updated March 3, 2026 4:23pm ,first published 3:15pm 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 man has been shot dead by police after officers were called to an address in the east Brisbane suburb of Tingalpa for a welfare check. Acting Chief Superintendent Heath McQueen said officers were called to the 21-year-old mans home on Thurston Street about 10.30am on Tuesday. We attempted to negotiate with a male person at that address who armed himself with a knife and threatened police, and was shot, McQueen said. Loading He said multiple officers were at the scene at the time of the shooting, alongside paramedics, who were unable to revive the man, despite rendering immediate first aid. Advertisement One police officer suffered a minor injury and was treated by paramedics at the scene. This is a devastating incident, McQueen said. My thoughts are with all the officers involved, emergency services in attendance, and the family of the man involved. These types of incidents are a reminder to us a clear reminder of the inherent danger that our police face across the state on a daily basis. The caller who requested a welfare check for the 21-year-old expressed concerns for his mental health. McQueen could not reveal who made the call, or their relationship with the man. Advertisement He would also not be drawn on whether the man had previous mental health issues or a criminal history, but said he was confident that the use of force used is appropriate, given the circumstances. Our police, they attend incidents daily, as you can appreciate. These incidents are often dynamic in nature and split-second decisions need to be made, McQueen said. Acting Chief Superintendent Heath McQueen. Catherine Strohfeldt Police union president Shane Prior said the officers had first tried to use a taser on the man, but it failed to subdue him. Prior extended sympathies to the 21-year-olds family and described him as having a mental health episode at the time of the welfare check. Advertisement This is not a job that police in Queensland want to go to, but unfortunately, these are the kind of jobs that our police are confronted with every single day, Prior said. He said union officials had been sent to the scene to assist officers with their emotional and mental wellbeing. The Ethical Standards Command opened an investigation into the fatal shooting, which McQueen said would be overseen by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission. Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. Cairns Labor MP Michael Healy has just risen to his feet to deliver a second speech in the space of a year about his social media activity, under not dissimilar circumstances. Last August, it was some pretty on-the-nose one-liners posted by an official BBC account and reshared by Healy brought up in parliament by a government facing questions about the chief health officer recruitment saga. Today, he was in the governments sights for criticising the criminal element now running Israel and calling for diplomatic engagement with the state to be ended as we did with Germany during World War II. The Labor MP also liked a comment calling for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled and describing Israel as a terrorist state with cells in many countries which it activates when things arent going [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahus way. Tabling the posts during question time, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie described Healys comments as anti-Israel, antisemitic, and playing into racist tropes. You are an antisemite, Bleijie repeatedly yelled at Healy. Several government MPs used the posts to call on Opposition Leader Steven Miles to sack Healy from his shadow cabinet, or stand down as leader himself. Bleijie called the comments unforgivable, as Premier David Crisafulli interjected with calls of its over. It all comes as the government prepares to debate and pass its contentious hate speech and gun control laws, slightly changed from what were originally proposed. Government MPs returned to the subject after the lunch break. Healy responded, saying the claims were the furthest thing from the truth, and that he had deep connections with the Jewish community and stood against antisemitism and racism. What also is unacceptable is the killing of innocent men, women and children. I will always voice my concerns about what is happening in Gaza, in Israel, in Iran, in Ukraine, and anywhere where innocent lives are being indiscriminately lost, Healy said. The theatrics of this morning are a smoke screen for the division within the LNPs own ranks and for this governments failure to deliver what matters for Queenslanders. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. A Perth teenager has admitted he made threats to kill both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns in a direct Instagram message. Will James King, 19, appeared in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill after police traced his online activity to an address in Meadow Springs, about 70 kilometres south of Perth, and arrested him in January. Will James King, 19, was arrested by police after he sent messages to the Prime Minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns threatening to kill them. 9 News Perth He was charged by officers from the state security investigations group after an anti-Semitic message was sent to Minns Instagram on January 14, which the court heard was as a result of King seeing the news and getting annoyed. Youre a Jew, not a real Semite. Ill assassinate you and Albo and the country will be a better place, King wrote. Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Absence of reflection: Senior Liberals blame each other for election disaster James Massola Updated March 3, 2026 4:44pm ,first published 1:49pm 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 Liberals interviewed about the disastrous 2025 election loss blamed others and did not reflect on their own shortcomings, according to a leaked copy of the partys secret election review that even accuses some participants of changing their story. The review also asserts that the partys capacity to thoughtlessly offend migrant voters, particularly Chinese-Australians and Muslim voters, was potentially a bigger problem for the Liberals than the number of female voters deserting the party. Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor during the 2025 election campaign. James Brickwood This masthead has seen the second and final version of the scathing review, which was partially rewritten in January after the first draft was presented to the federal executive in December and rejected. The Liberal Party federal executive announced on Friday, after a fiery meeting, that it would suppress the report. It contains new information from central players to the campaign, including former leader Peter Dutton and his former chief of staff Alex Dalgleish, who met with the reports authors in January, and disputed some of its earlier findings about Duttons relationship with party headquarters and the work of his staff. Advertisement The final version deleted a paragraph that described Dutton as grim and introverted during the campaign. The reports authors, Liberal Party elders Nick Minchin and Pru Goward, have argued for the reports release, and wrote within the review that there was little feedback from those decision makers in this campaign about their own shortcomings. Loading While every submission criticised the actions of other decision makers and provided examples, there was a notable absence of reflection on how a decision maker that is a campaign director, paid official, MP or candidate could have done better, Minchin and Goward wrote. Furthermore, recollections of the campaign have also changed since we began the review and some have drastically changed their accounts of what happened. This has made the task of determining what went wrong more difficult and we have often been left with opposing accounts of events. Advertisement Critical self-reflection must become part of the partys professional practice. Housing Minister Clare ONeil brandished a copy of the report at a doorstop interview on Tuesday morning, and said she had spent an hour of my morning reading what is an incredibly important report for the Australian people, and I urge the Liberal Party of Australia today to release this report to the public. Housing Minister Clare ONeil brandished a leaked copy of the review on Tuesday. Alex Ellinghausen Speaking shortly after ONeil, opposition home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam said: I would have thought a minister of the crown had better things to do than read a Liberal Party election review. In question time on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tabled the first draft of the review from December. Advertisement Albanese tables the review during question time, to laughter from the Labor frontbench. Alex Ellinghausen While the final version from February is not substantially different, it contains one additional recommendation: to ensure political research is well understood by the parliamentary party in its policy and communications preparations, the federal director, when in opposition, should attend all shadow cabinet meetings and regular party-room briefing. This point was made because Dutton did not have Liberal federal director Andrew Hirst attend shadow cabinet. The final version deleted a paragraph from the first draft that stated, the takeover of campaign management by the leader and his office had several consequences, one being that the leader did not appear to enjoy the campaign. Advertisement Campaigning is a daunting task, but also an exciting one and should be full of energy, engagement, even humour. The electorate expects to see and hear an upbeat and inspiring leader. All of that was lacking and the leaders grim and introverted demeanour, clothed in the ubiquitous suit whatever the occasion, did not change during the campaign and perhaps reflected the heavy and additional burden he imposed on himself. Other tweaks to the 18 recommendations include a change in the second version that the partys pollster should not communicate directly with the leader unless the federal director is aware. The first draft stated the party leader should receive permission from the director before speaking to the pollster. Related Article Exclusive Political leadership Unprofessional attempt at a hit job: Dutton lets fly as Liberal review leaks The review was discussed at the Liberal Party room meeting on Tuesday morning, as MPs agreed the party must learn from election defeats regardless of whether the review was made public. Dutton told this masthead on Monday that the review was a gratuitous and personal hit job on him, a claim rejected by report author Minchin. Advertisement In the review, Minchin and Goward warn the Liberal Party is facing an existential threat and state our recommendations cannot be put on the back burner or implemented over the course of five years. The partys survival requires urgency, determination and unity. Furthermore, it is our view that the publication of this report, including the views of the authors and interview subjects as set out in the report and the recommendations we have made, is in the public interest. The alienation of recent migrants to Australia is a central feature of the report, as is the partys ongoing problem of attracting and retaining female voters and supporters. Former Menzies MP Keith Wolahans submission to the review was praised for its insightful analysis, and it was noted that when first elected in 2022, Wolahan had suffered a 6.3 per cent swing against him, which was largely attributed to the party losing support with a growing Chinese diaspora. To counter this, Wolahan developed a three-year campaign to win back voters in a seat that has the highest proportion of voters with Chinese heritage in the country, and the MP believed he had made inroads despite his loss in 2025. Advertisement But it collapsed in the final days with the dominant coverage Senator Humes unfortunate Chinese spies comment, which went viral in local Chinese language platforms, the review states. On the partys failure to attract women voters, the decision to announce an end to working from home for Commonwealth public servants later dumped was identified as a major campaign mistake. A significant minority of submissions also said that the leaders change of heart on the policy, after consistent attacks, then reduced his credibility as a strong leader, and so the party lost both ways, the authors stated. Related Article Updated Liberal Party Explosive Liberal election review to be suppressed Such a misstep could have been easily avoided had the party ensured it tested the responses of female voters, including its own female MPs, to the policy proposal. The policy was not brought to the federal secretariat and tested, as a matter of course, before its announcement. Advertisement The report also noted that several female candidates told us that Peter Dutton was disliked by women and asked for him not to visit their electorates. The policies were also seen as female unfriendly. At least one regional candidate considered the working from home policy was the turning point which cost her the seat. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement Updated PoliticsNSWCrime Confronted by something very violent: Police shoot man dead after attack on Sydney women Jack Gramenz and Perry Duffin Updated March 3, 2026 6:49pm ,first published 12:21pm 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 Warning: Graphic Content A man armed with a knife attacked two women, leaving them with horrific injuries before police shot him dead in a very violent scene in an apartment building in one of inner Sydneys most affluent suburbs. One woman is preparing for surgery as a critical investigation is launched into the attack and police response. A man accused of assaulting two women has been shot dead by police in Potts Point. Steven Siewert NSW Police were called to St Neot Avenue at Potts Point at about 10.50am on Tuesday after reports an armed man had attacked the women in the complex. The man was shot with one round when he allegedly lunged at officers. Advertisement Neighbours had heard shouting in the hallways after women from two separate units were attacked, police said. Sources describe the attack as a home invasion, with one woman set upon in her unit, and the second in the apartment block laundry. Police were called to a Potts Point unit block on Tuesday morning. Nine News Both were rushed to St Vincents hospital in a stable condition. The woman attacked in her apartment will undergo surgery on Tuesday night, having suffered a broken nose. One witness told Nine News he heard a woman screaming for help before police barged down the door to a unit and the man tried to flee. Advertisement He was trying to jump out the window and they said Get the f--- back in the house. Officers found the man, unsure if he was a resident of the apartment block himself, and fired a Taser in an attempt to disarm him. The witness reported hearing the crackle of the stun weapon. Loading Then next minute, I hear some gunshots, he said. After that, I can see him laying on the floor surrounded cops trying to do CPR. Advertisement The attacker died on their stretcher in the laneway outside as police held up white sheets, and then a blue tent, to shield the scene from horrified locals and news cameras. Police were still working to identify him. The police officers are pretty traumatised at the moment, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said. Police at the scene on St Neot Avenue. Steven Siewert They dont come to work to be confronted by this type of thing or to take a life, thats the last thing we want to do. Police were responding to help people in distress. Unfortunately, today someone has lost their life. That is tragic. Advertisement Officers had Tasered the man, but McKenna said it had failed to subdue him. McKenna said he was very pleased his officers were going home physically safe. Ive got police officers going home today after being confronted by something very, very violent, who are going home safe and well, although traumatised, McKenna said. Second police shooting in NSW Advertisement The fatal shooting at Potts Point was the second involving NSW Police on Tuesday after another man was shot in Newcastle. Officers, including members of the high-risk domestic violence offender team, forced entry to a unit on Honeysuckle Drive about 8.30am to arrest a man wanted on five outstanding warrants. The 36-year-old allegedly confronted police armed with an edged weapon and was shot in the shoulder after two Tasers were deployed but proved ineffective, police said in a statement. The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital under police guard and the incident is under investigation. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Advertisement PoliticsNSWHospitals Editorial NSW hospital crisis underscores publics need to know The Herald's View Editorial March 3, 2026 5:08pm March 3, 2026 5:08pm 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 lack of transparency by the Minns government and NSW Health over outbreaks of fatal fungal infections at a major Sydney hospital and animal infestations in other hospitals can only jeopardise public confidence in the system. Health Minister Ryan Park and Sydney Local Health District chief executive Deb Willcox have faced tough questions on the deadly fungus cluster at RPA Hospital. Michael Howard For months, the public was kept in the dark. And, somewhat astoundingly, authorities also spared Health Minister Ryan Park from being informed too. Health professionals responded to the emergency that emerged around Christmas, chasing a likely cause of mould at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and preparing to move patients out of harms way. Meanwhile, NSW Healths upper echelons drafted a media statement in case journalists asked questions. The document neglected to mention the deaths or the potential seriousness of the outbreak. Parks office was alerted to the cluster, but he was none the wiser for weeks no one bothered to tell him until well after he returned from Christmas holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Admirable work by the state opposition uncovered the RPA cluster emergency. Related Article Exclusive Hospitals Patients catch bird lice in NSW hospital infested with pigeons Opposition health spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell put in a parliamentary document request that also revealed further mould issues at Cumberland, Wyong, Ryde and John Hunter hospitals. She said Park must explain why the public wasnt informed about the RPA cluster months ago. The fact that the government is only now being transparent about multiple deaths and serious illnesses linked to a fungal outbreak at a major Sydney hospital is completely unacceptable, Mitchell said. Patients go to hospital to get better, not to be exposed to life-threatening infections. The past summer was a challenging one for NSW Health; Park and RPA were both busy responding to the Bondi tragedy. NSW Health rightly waited for expert advice on remedying the RPA situation, and responded accordingly. Advertisement But there are some things that the public has a right to know about, and this reaches that threshold. NSW Health should have taken responsibility for informing the public in consultation with the government. Instead, there is an abiding suspicion that public safety had been overlooked as the bureaucrats went about their business. The editor sends a newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive the Note from the Editor. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Hospitals For subscribers Editorial Opinion The Herald's View Since the Herald was first published in 1831, the editorial team has believed it important to express a considered view on the issues of the day for readers, always putting the public interest first. Judge Jia M. Cobb believes that the policy promoted by Kristi Noem is likely illegal and violates budget restrictions imposed by Congress A federal judge in Washington dealt another blow to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by blocking its latest policy requiring members of Congress to give seven days notice of any visits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. The decision marks the third time the court has intervened to halt attempts by President Donald Trumps administration to limit unannounced inspections by lawmakers. Judge Jia M. Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia concluded on Monday that the policy pushed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is likely illegal. The requirement forced lawmakers to give a weeks notice before entering immigration detention facilities. Cobb argued that Congress has been clear in prohibiting the use of annually allocated funds to prevent or restrict lawmakers access to DHS facilities for oversight purposes. In her ruling, she said: The power of the purse rests with Congress, and even a deep-pocketed agency must comply with Congresss restrictions on the permissible uses of appropriated funds. Federal agents arrest a man in Illinois in September 2025. Jim Vondruska (REUTERS) The judge considered it highly likely that the administration would use restricted funds to create and implement the pre-negotiation policy. She rejected the Justice Departments argument that the measure would be funded exclusively from Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill, passed last year. According to the government, any spending related to the policy could subsequently be accounted for as coming from that budget package. However, Cobb dismissed those arguments as unpersuasive and determined that the oversight language included in the annual appropriations laws is undoubtedly broad and extends to the most incidental, but nonetheless necessary, expenditures that make the creation and implementation of the notification policy possible. In other words, the prohibition on using funds to limit congressional visits applies not only to direct expenses, but also to indirect costs necessary to create and implement the policy, such as the salaries and resources of DHS officials and ICE congressional relations office staff who coordinate visits by lawmakers. The decision blocks the application of the notification requirement against any member of Congress while litigation filed by 13 House Democrats continues. The lawmakers sued after an earlier version of the policy was reinstated in January, just one day after an ICE agent shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. Vehicle in which Renee Nicole Goodman was traveling in Minneapolis on January 7. Alex Kormann (Star Tribune via Getty Images) Three days after the shooting, three Democratic congresswomen in Minnesota Ilhan Omar, Kelly Morrison, and Angie Craig were barred from entering an ICE facility near Minneapolis. According to the plaintiffs attorneys, DHS did not disclose the new version of the policy until after the lawmakers were turned away. In her most recent ruling, Cobb acknowledged that the plaintiffs are frustrated by the governments repeated attempts to reimpose the advance notice requirement and stated: Defendants are required to abide by the terms of the Courts order and act consistently with the legal principles announced in this opinion. The judge also questioned the administrations argument that the measure was necessary for security reasons. She noted that the government did not present concrete examples of safety issues posed by congressional visits without advanced notice. In addition, she determined that lawmakers have demonstrated a significant need for real-time, on-the-ground information about conditions in facilities, the status of detainees, and Defendants practices. Federal agents operation in Minneapolis, January 21. Leah Millis (REUTERS) The ruling comes amid growing scrutiny of immigration operations and conditions in detention centers. The controversy also coincides with a partial government shutdown that affects DHS funding. However, Cobb said that situation does not change his decision and that the department remains obligated to comply with budget restrictions that guarantee Congress access to the facilities. For its part, the administration announced its intention to appeal. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security defended the policy as a commonsense measure to ensure the safety of staff, law enforcement, visitors, and detainees alike. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Opinion Irans regime wont just fall over. This war is likely to be long and bloody Amin Saikal Professor of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Islamic Studies March 4, 2026 5:10am March 4, 2026 5:10am 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 Despite being badly bruised by the joint US-Israel air and naval campaign, Irans Islamic regime has so far proved to be more resilient and resistant. The Israeli killing of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with many senior political and military leaders, has not diverted the regime from its conduct of the war, which is now set to intensify. The US and Israels stated goal has been to bring about a positive regime change in Iran. Their aim has been to disable the regime and empower the oppressed Iranian people, as put by President Donald Trump, to overthrow the theocratic system and take over power once the military campaign is finished, for a democratic transformation of Iran. Mourners attend a memorial vigil for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Getty Images Khameneis assassination last Friday is a serious blow to the regime but not an insurmountable one. Many Iranian leaders have been killed in the past, (albeit nobody of the rank of supreme leader). Yet they have been replaced smoothly. A three-member interim governing council is now established to perform Khameneis functions until a permanent supreme leader is appointed by a constitutional body, the Assembly of Experts. This factionalised cleric-dominated body will decide to appoint someone from its own ranks or from outside after a great deal of horse-trading. If the appointee comes from the hardline factions, he can be expected to follow Khameneis path, but if he emerges from the moderate/reformist factions one can anticipate some political and economic reforms to ease theocratic restrictions, improve the dire economic situation and promote conciliatory foreign relations, including with the US. Advertisement Khamenei was a polarising, theocratic Shiite Islamic political and spiritual leader. He was opposed by many Iranians, as evidenced by the mass protests crushed by the regime at the cost of thousands of lives early this year. He has also been revered by many, who have mourned his passing, with a call for revenge, inside and outside Iran. As he was killed in an Israeli operation, with US involvement, some of his followers are likely to perceive his assassination as a sign of a Judeo-Christian alliance against Shiite Islam a historical minority in a predominant Sunni Muslim world, whose cause was championed by Khamenei. This has already spurred emotional scenes in Iran and protests by the Shiites in several Muslim countries, carrying the potential to give rise to more anti-Western violent extremist groups parallel to such entities as al-Qaeda, Islamic State and the Taliban. The longer the current conflict continues, the more space there will be for such extremist groups to become more active. Related Article Opinion Trump diplomacy Trumps attacks are not about Iran. Hes after a much bigger fish Clinton Fernandes Academic and former intelligence officer For the Islamic regime, this conflict is a matter of survival. It has the necessary coercive means, including an array of advanced short and long-range missiles and drones, to deal with any domestic uprisings and to operate against Israel and the US for quite a while. They include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the paramilitary Basij forces, the military, religious circles, and a vast body of bureaucrats and administrators whose fortunes are tied to the regime. They are all now on a war footing and, so far, no major cracks have appeared in their entrenched and institutionalised commitment to fight for preservation of the system. The regimes survival will become very tenuous only when there are defections from these elements. Irans strategic location also favours the regime, which has already choked the Strait of Hormuz, with serious implications for global energy and liquefied gas supply. Advertisement On the other hand, the US and Israel have deployed overwhelming firepower to destroy the regime, but without a clear and appropriate strategy for regime change. They started their military campaign with a conviction that within days, they would demolish the regimes defensive and offensive capability by aerial and naval operations, paving the way for the opposition to put oil-rich Iran on a path of democratic change and development in alliance with the West. However, it seems that they did not make a full assessment of the nature and tenacity of the Islamic regime. Nor did they see the imperative that regime change requires boots on the ground something that Trump has not ruled out, but appears unlikely to consider given Americas recent bitter experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and his criticism of US involvement in those wars. Another perspective Opinion Middle East at war Why Iranians are celebrating being bombed Kylie Moore-Gilbert Political scientist and writer The level of the regimes resistance has come as a bit of a surprise, prompting Trump now to declare that war may endure for a month or more and to water down his emphasis on regime change. On Monday, he redefined the US mission as to destroy the regimes nuclear program, despite having declared it as obliterated in a US air operation in June 2025, and to eliminate its missile capability as a threat to the United States. This runs contrary to Benjamin Netanyahus goal of total regime destruction. As the situation stands, the Islamic regime is likely to survive this crisis. All the parties involved in the conflict find themselves in a tight corner. Ultimately, the future of the regime and Iran has to be decided by the Iranian people, not by outside intervention for geopolitical gains. Advertisement Advertisement Six crisis teams will be dispatched to the Middle East to help stranded travellers and expats, as the first commercial flight to Australia is due to arrive in Sydney late Wednesday night. Warning that the conflict was spreading and intensifying as Iranians bombarded 10 other nations in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on the rogue nation since the weekend, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the teams were sent to help deal with the demand for help in an unprecedented situation. It is not limited, and it is not contained in the way that we have seen previously, which is why we see so many countries affected and so many travellers disrupted, she said. Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong during a press conference Alex Ellinghausen In a terse press conference, Wong pushed back at Coalition criticisms that Australians didnt get the same level of warning delivered to families of the diplomatic corps in Lebanon and Israel when they evacuated a week ago. Advertisement We certainly did not know that Iran was going to hit 10 countries in the region. And you know, for those who are criticising, if they think they knew that, then they probably should have told us, she said. There were some 41 different warnings, updates on travel advice about the possibility of conflict or instability in the Middle East. What I would say to Australians is... please look at their travel advice. Emirates flight EK414 took off from Dubai shortly after 9.20am (AEDT) and is set to land in Sydney after 10.30pm on Wednesday, as the Australian Defence Force confirmed they were preparing to help evacuate Australians stranded in the Middle East, amid calls from the opposition for every option to be considered. Chaos at Dubai Airport over the weekend. Mohammed Chowdhury Speaking to ABC Radio National on Wednesday morning, Wong said: This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people. Advertisement The foreign minister of the Arab Emirates explained to me that around 24,000 Australians are in his country. We discussed when I spoke with him ... that the best way to get people out is to get commercial flights started. Since the closure of airspace over the Middle East on Saturday evening (AEDT), government ministers have consistently argued that commercial flights are the most practical way for the 115,000 stranded Australians to return home. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have all either announced or begun operating charter flights to return stranded citizens. The United States has urged Americans to use available commercial transport to exit the region. Speaking to journalists at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Ted OBrien said the government had betrayed Australian citizens by offering different travel guidance to diplomats and tourists in the lead-up to the joint US-Israeli strikes. Advertisement Australia should be looking at every option to ensure that the 115,000 Australians in the Middle East are kept safe, but most importantly, they can be evacuated. This is a very dangerous region. There has been double standards by the government in how they treat the Australian people on this that is unacceptable, OBrien said. On the 25th of February, the government decided that the risk was so high that diplomats [and] their dependents should be evacuated from the region, but it took three more days and over 100 ballistic missiles before the government treated the everyday Australian public in the same way. It took three days and over 100 ballistic missiles before the government changed their travel advice to do not travel. That is not acceptable. Bags filled the floor at the Abu Dhabi baggage carousel, as travellers desperately worked to find alternative arrangements. Wong did note that Australia was exploring further options for bringing home Australians, but argued that commercial airlines were the most effective way to bring home the tens of thousands looking to leave the region. In a statement on Wednesday, the ADF said: Defence remains ready to support DFAT-led whole-of-government contingency planning. Advertisement A defence force task force is exploring options for mass evacuations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last night spoke to Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and thanked him for the hospitality shown to Australians stranded in the Emirates, and discussed the imperative of restarting commercial flights. About 11,000 Australians transit through the major international hub at any time. Among the stranded travellers were Australians Chloe and Cinty both of whom asked that their second names not be published who departed Sydney for Madrid on Friday night, less than 24 hours before the Trump administrations Operation Epic Fury began. They were meant to stay in Abu Dhabi for nine hours, which has now stretched beyond three nights as their flights remain cancelled. We were sitting at the gate and all of a sudden, Spanish passengers started getting all of these intense phone notifications and alarms from their phones, safety alerts, we had no idea what was going on, and people started to panic at that point, Chloe said. Advertisement Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaCrime Father who gave teen a rifle for Christmas found guilty of murder after school shooting Jeff Martin March 4, 2026 6:29am 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 Winder, Georgia: A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun hes accused of using to kill two students and two teachers at a high school was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray now joins a growing number of parents being held responsible in court after children were accused in shootings across the country. Colin Gray listens during closing arguments in his trial. AP Colin Gray was found guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children. Gray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the killings of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Another teacher and eight other students were wounded. Gray was also convicted of multiple counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to children. Advertisement He showed little emotion as the verdict was read and each juror was polled by the judge. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defence table, consulting with his lawyer. He will be sentenced at a later date. Second-degree murder is punishable by at least 10 but no more than 30 years in prison, while involuntary manslaughter carries a penalty of one to 10 years in prison. Some relatives of victims wept as the verdicts were read. They declined to comment after court. Grays defence lawyers left without speaking to reporters. Colin Gray, left, and his son, Colt Gray. AP We talk a lot about rights in our country, Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said after the verdict. But God gave us a duty to protect our children, and I hope that we remember that, as parents, as community members, to protect our children because that is our God-given duty. The teens mother, Marcee Gray, wasnt charged. She testified that she had urged her estranged husband to take any guns and lock them inside his truck so they would not be not accessible to their son. She and Colin Gray were separated in the months leading up to the shooting, and the boy lived mostly with his father during that time. She declined to comment when reached by phone after the verdict. Advertisement Prosecutors said Gray gave his son, Colt, the gun as a Christmas gift and allowed him access to it along with ammunition despite the boys deteriorating mental health. They said he had sufficient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger other people. Related Article Mass shooting Tip from Australia among those warning of risk of Georgia school shooting: report Fourteen at the time of the shooting, Colt Gray pleaded not guilty to a total of 55 counts, including murder. His judge set a status hearing for mid-March. Investigators said Colt Gray carefully planned the September 4, 2024, shooting at the school attended by 1900 students. He boarded the school bus with a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, investigators said. Advertisement Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to Nikolas Cruz, the gunman in the 2018 massacre at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors said. It wasnt like one parent missed one warning, Smith told reporters. This was multiple warnings over a lengthy period of time and, like we said, you just had to do one thing take that rifle away and this would have been prevented. Gray in court in December. AP Jennifer and James Crumbley, the first US parents held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by a child, are serving 10-year prison terms for involuntary manslaughter after their son Ethan killed four students and wounded others in Michigan in 2021. Colin Gray was the first such parent to be charged in Georgia. Smith said Marcee Gray had seen what happened in Michigan and asked her husband to remove the weapons as a result. So Michigan was able to move the needle to the point that it almost stopped this tragedy, he said. We hope weve moved the needle a little further. Advertisement AP 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 Gun control USA Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMelania Trump Melania Trump just did something no first lady has ever done Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri March 3, 2026 10:42am 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 United Nations: US first lady Melania Trump presided over a UN Security Council meeting focusing on children in conflict, one of her signature issues, and acknowledged she was doing so at challenging times as the US has joined Israel in attacking Iran. The US stands with all of the children throughout the world, she said, speaking generally and not specifically about the new war in the Middle East. I hope soon peace will be yours. Loading Trump was the first spouse of a world leader to take the presidents seat at the United Nations most powerful body, which is charged with ensuring global peace and security. The wife of President Donald Trump was given the opportunity as the US takes over the council presidency for the month of March. In the past, presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers have often wielded the gavel. Advertisement Hanging over the meeting on Monday (New York time) was what Iranian state media says was an airstrike that hit a girls school in southern Iran, killing at least 165 people and wounding dozens more. The Israeli military said it was not aware of strikes in the area. The US military said it was looking into the reports, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the United States will not deliberately target a school. US first lady Melania Trump presides over the United Nations Security Council on Monday. AP Shortly before Mondays session began, Irans ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, said it was deeply shameful and hypocritical for the US to convene a meeting on protecting children during conflict while launching airstrikes on Iranian cities. For the United States, protecting children and maintaining international peace and security clearly mean something very different from what the UN Charter provides, he told reporters. Advertisement UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the world body was aware of the reports of deaths at the girls school. She noted the impact the US-Israeli strikes and the Iranian retaliatory strikes were having on children across the region. We have been reminded of this truth over the last two days, she told the Security Council. Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have closed and moved to remote learning owing to the ongoing military operations in the region, she said. Trump arrives at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of the meeting. AP In her address, Melania Trump said peace does not have to be fragile. Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies, she said, urging members of the Security Council to safeguard learning. Advertisement While the first lady spoke of a need to protect children and their access to education and technology in conflict, her husbands administration has cut funding for a number of UN agencies and other international organisations that address these issues. Among them is the U.N. Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict, which provides detailed reporting on the impact that conflicts have on children around the world. This information can help trigger action to prevent rape and violence against women and children. President Trump withdrew US support in January. The meeting in session on Monday (New York time). AP The US has also dramatically cut funding for the UN childrens agency, UNICEF, and has withdrawn from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO. DiCarlo told the council the world is facing the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II. The number of civilians killed in these conflicts is the highest in decades, she said. Our reality is clear: When conflicts erupt, children are among those most severely affected. Advertisement The first lady arrived at UN headquarters in a motorcade and was greeted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. She shook hands with each of the 15 Security Council members and posed for a group photo. The rotating president of the council gets to choose the subject and participants for some meetings. Mondays meeting was scheduled before the war began. The councils last meeting, on Saturday, was a contentious emergency session called in response to the start of the war. Guterres condemned the US and Israeli airstrikes as violations of international law, including the UN Charter. He also condemned Irans retaliatory attacks for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations in the Middle East. Melania Trump took the unusual step last year of writing a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin before his summit with her husband and later announced that the effort had led to a group of children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war being reunited with their families. Putins invasion of Ukraine in 2022 resulted in Russia taking Ukrainian children out of their country so they could be raised as Russians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lobbied world leaders for help to reunite families. Advertisement AP 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. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMiddle East at war This isnt Winston Churchill were dealing with: Trump sprays Starmer, says Iran decimated after more strikes Michael Koziol March 4, 2026 7:58am 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 Washington: Fresh Israeli strikes on the headquarters of Irans remaining leadership have likely eliminated more candidates the US had in mind to take over the country, US President Donald Trump said, as he denied Israel forced his hand to launch the initial attacks. He also escalated tensions with Britains Keir Starmer over the use of UK military bases, saying of the prime minister: This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. Loading Israeli forces reportedly targeted a building where dozens of top Shia clerics were due to meet to select a new supreme leader of Iran, although it was not immediately clear whether the building was being used for that purpose or how many casualties, if any, were sustained. An Israeli official told US news site Axios that the strike was timed to occur while votes were being counted: We wanted to prevent them from picking a new supreme leader. Advertisement The Israel Defence Forces said on X that a compound housing the Iranian regimes most senior forum was struck in Tehran. The leaders behind this terror regime, and the headquarters in which they sat, have been eliminated, it said. Trump, taking questions at the White House for the first time since Operation Epic Fury began days ago, said strikes had taken out multiple rounds of potential candidates to replace former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in initial strikes. A plume of smoke rises following a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran on Tuesday. AP Most of the people that we had in mind are dead, he said. We had some in mind from that group that is dead. Now we have another group, they may be dead also, based on reports. So, I guess you have a third wave coming in. Pretty soon, were not going to know anybody. Trump said the worst possible outcome, in his view, was to install a new leader who, in five years time, turned out to be no better than the previous one. Advertisement He once again played down the idea of drafting the exiled son of the former shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in Washington, has encouraged anti-regime protests and says he is ready to lead. Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war updates: Khameneis son tipped as likely new leader as Trump says US decimated Iran; Israeli ground troops in Lebanon; Death toll continues to rise It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate, Trump said. He [Pahlavi] looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody thats there, thats currently popular if theres such a person [would be better]. We have people like that, we have people that were more moderate. Well see what happens, but first we have to finish off the military. Meanwhile, Trump announced he was instructing the US Development Finance Corporation to provide free political risk insurance and guarantee the financial security of all shipping, especially energy, in the Gulf. Advertisement He said the US Navy would escort oil tankers through the Iranian-controlled Strait of Hormuz if necessary. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD, Trump posted on social media. President Donald Trump used the meeting with the German chancellor to excoriate Britains Keir Starmer and Spain. AP Iran decimated Trump said Iran had been decimated but gave no indication of how long the US and Israeli military campaign might continue. He has previously given varying estimates, from two to six weeks, while also saying in a social media post on Monday night (US time) that US munitions stockpiles meant wars could be fought forever. There have also been mixed signals about what prompted the timing of the strikes, which came amid ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Oman. Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday there had been an imminent threat to the US because Israel was about to attack Iran, and Tehran would have responded by attacking US bases and assets. But Trump denied Israel had forced his hand into the conflict. Trump denied Israel had forced his hand into starting the military conflict, saying it was probably the other way around. AP No, I might have forced their hand, he said. We were having negotiations with these lunatics [Iran], and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they were going to attack first. I didnt want that to happen. So if anything, I might have forced Israels hand. Advertisement A senior Trump administration official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said that after a third meeting with Iranian officials mediated by Oman, it became clear that they werent willing to make the kind of deal that President Trump would have been satisfied with. They told Trump that while a deal on nuclear enrichment was probably possible, it would take months, and the Iranians appeared to be stalling for time. Its going to take a lot for us to get there, the official said they told the president. Theyre basically playing games with us all over the place. Starmer is no Winston Churchill As the military operation entered its fourth day, Trump took aim at US allies he believed were not sufficiently supportive of the strikes, particularly Spain and Britain, who denied the US the use of their military bases. Advertisement Related Article Middle East at war How Donald Trump made the decision to go to war Britains Starmer later relented and allowed use of the bases for defensive purposes, but has publicly stated that the USs campaign might breach international law. That included a base on the island of Diego Garcia, which Starmer had planned to lease to Mauritius. We were very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, Trump said, referring to the legendary British wartime prime minister. Its taken three, four days to work out whether we can land there. It would have been much more convenient landing there, as opposed to flying many extra hours. Trump kept criticising Starmer later. The UK has been very, very un-cooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away, he said. But this is not the age of Churchill they ruin relationships, its a shame. Advertisement The US president said Spain had been terrible and unfriendly, and he was instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to sever all US trade with the European nation. Trump suggested he could use Spains military bases without their permission. We could use their base if we want; we could just fly in and use it. Nobodys going to tell us not to use it. He made the comments during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance also present in the Oval Office. Read more on the US-Israel-Iran war: Advertisement PHILIPSBURG:---The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) has officially announced that the traffic incident which occurred in the early morning hours of March 2, 2026, on Arlet Peters Road (Old Cake House Road), is now being investigated as a double homicide. The case is currently under investigation by personnel of the Detective Department. Authorities stated that further details will be shared as the investigation progresses. While police have remained tight-lipped, they have confirmed that the incident involves more than a simple vehicular accident. Reports indicate the two individuals, one from Trinidad and the other an American, were leaving a festive event when they became involved in an altercation with two other people from the French side. One of the deceased, the businessman, has been identified as Damon Sylvester, known for installing and selling PVC pipes. Sylvester operates his business on Welgelegen Road, Cay Hill. After the deadly discovery, police were seen at his business place, digging deeper to find out the cause of the incident. According to unconfirmed accounts, the situation escalated after Sylvester allegedly reversed his vehicle and accidentally struck one of the other men. This is said to have sparked a chase that ultimately led to a shooting. Police officials have not yet confirmed the sequence of events or the cause of death. They are actively investigating the case and have urged the public to await official information rather than rely on speculation. The discovery has prompted a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. KPSM has since made the following statement:- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) hereby informs the public that the traffic incident which occurred in the early morning hours of March 2, 2026, on Arlet Peters Road (Old Cake House Road), is now being investigated as a double homicide. The case is currently under investigation by personnel of the Detective Department. Further details will be shared as the investigation progresses. Click Here for the Video with Police at the Scene PHILIPSBURG:--- The governments operational capacity is facing a severe crisis, not from budget cuts but from a systemic breakdown within its own Human Resources framework. Internal sources confirm that years-long delays in updating departmental structures, combined with a stalled recruitment system, have led to critical understaffing, threatening the delivery of public services. Formation Updates Stalled for Years, Blocking Vital Hires At the center of the issue are "formation updates"the official blueprints for departmental staffingwhich have been pending for years. This administrative limbo has left many departments legally unable to fill vacant positions or create new ones essential for their operations. "We cannot fill vacancies because the current formation doesn't allow for the position," one internal report states, describing a situation where departments are blocked from hiring personnel they urgently need. Despite the pressing need, no clear timeline for finalizing these crucial updates has been provided, leaving department heads in a state of prolonged uncertainty. Severe Understaffing Creates "Unsustainable" Pressure The direct consequence of this bureaucratic paralysis is severe understaffing across numerous government ministries. Departments are operating with far fewer staff than required, placing immense workload pressure on the existing civil servants. The strain is leading to operational delays and postponements, with many tasks being pushed aside as staff struggle to keep up. Insiders describe the environment as "structurally unsustainable." This internal slowdown has created an operational domino effect. When one understaffed department cannot complete its tasks, others that depend on its output are also delayed. This chain reaction slows down the entire government apparatus, delaying projects and impacting the ability of ministries to meet their deadlines. Recruitment Process Described as a "Black Hole" Even when departments receive approval to hire, the recruitment process itself is reportedly broken. Potential candidates face months-long delays with little to no communication from HR departments. Multiple qualified applicants have withdrawn their interest after being left in the dark, often accepting positions elsewhere. As a result, critical roles remain unfilled for extended periods, worsening the internal staffing crisis and actively repelling talent. Calls for Accountability and a Concrete Plan The growing crisis has prompted urgent questions about accountability and the path forward. Officials and civil servants are demanding answers to why the system has been allowed to deteriorate to this point. Key questions remain unanswered: Who is responsible for the multi-year delays in finalizing formation updates? Why are recruitment processes taking months without basic communication to applicants? What is the government's concrete plan to resolve these capacity issues and prevent further decline in public service delivery? Without immediate and decisive action to overhaul the formation and recruitment systems, the government's ability to function effectively remains in jeopardy. The current gridlock not only burns out dedicated public servants but also directly compromises the services that citizens rely on every day. ~At Year-End Blessing Ceremony~ PHILIPSBURG:--- You are the real doers of this community, said Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina at the Tzu Chi St. Maarten 2025 Year-End Blessing Ceremony, held two days before the Chinese New Year on February 15, 2026. The event gathered government officials, volunteers, beneficiaries, and community members at Tzu Chis new location to celebrate the foundations achievements and the impact of its humanitarian work. The ceremony carried the theme May We Never Forget the Initial Spirit of the Bamboo Bank. May We Always Remember the Great Vow of the Tzu Chi Path, emphasizing Tzu Chis long-standing commitment to service and compassion. Prime Minister Mercelina, warmly interacting with attendees, praised the foundations quiet dedication: While everybody is talking about what they are doing, the Tzu Chi Foundation is quietly doing what has to be done for the community I was very impressed to see that just over 2,200 families are being assisted by Tzu Chi Thank you very, very much for what you are doing, he said I go every day to work as Prime Minister and Im surrounded by negativism It's an enlightening moment today to see that there are great souls here in St. Maarten with a great intention for a better St. Maarten tomorrow. Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs also spoke about the foundations cultural and social impact: Ive known a bit of what Tzu Chi has done over the years in my own community work with organizations that collaborated with you. What I really appreciate, also as Minister of Culture, is that culturally the ideology you exhibit is actually what we used to be. My grandmother always said: You help the neighborhood, and the neighborhood will help you. Tzu Chi embodies that spirit. Volunteers shared moving stories of personal transformation since joining Tzu Chi. Sister Maxima reflected on her life before joining the foundation, saying she used to drink and smoke, and everything she did in life failed. She conveyed the message that the greatest achievement in life is to stand up from failure. Another volunteer recounted learning to embrace happiness and positivity: Before, I just worked and never laughed. I learned that I have to be happy in life. A hurricane survivor who became a volunteer shared her journey: After Irma, I had depression and went to a psychologist. When I joined Tzu Chi, I asked [Tzu Chi Commissioner] Sister Sandra [Cheung] what I could do to get better. She told me, You just need to do good. I started volunteering, and now I feel better, happy, and grateful to Tzu Chi. Nothing is impossible if you believe. Another volunteer added that she had a very difficult past, used to drink a lot, and often felt hopeless, lying on the ground. Tzu Chi changed my life. Sandra always talks to me. I am very happy, and I believe anything is possible. The ceremony included the reenactment of the Bamboo Banks founding. Volunteers dramatized Master Cheng Yens early encounter with a woman in labor denied hospital care due to lack of funds. Deeply moved, Master Cheng Yen vowed to dedicate her life to helping those in need. This moment sparked the foundations enduring mission of service and volunteerism, which has now expanded to education, medicine, environmental protection, disaster relief, international aid, and community volunteer work. Tzu Chis achievements in Sint Maarten for 2025 were highlighted, with 4,564 volunteer participations, 14,115 families served, 30,171 family members benefited, and 204 foundations and partners connected. Volunteers detailed ongoing programmes including monthly relief efforts in Cay Bay and Cul-de-Sac, school breakfast programmes, school bags, uniforms, educational supplies, and support to rehabilitation centers, prisons, and other organizations. Volunteer Carolina said when they support schools, churches, rehabilitation centers, and prisons, these organisations can reach people they cannot directly reach, demonstrating how compassion multiplies. Several other volunteers shared their experiences. Sister Gassant said she had many problems in the past, but she learned from Master Cheng Yen that nothing is impossible if you believe. Sister Natacha highlighted the Hong Bao, or red pocket, which shows how giving multiplies and motivates volunteers to share and help people around the world. One volunteer spoke about one of the foundations long-term projects, saying that Phase 1 is a kindergarten project, Phase 2 is to expand this into primary schools, and Phase 3 is to expand in high schools. This is part of a 20-year plan to create the future. I am happy to do my part, she said. Prime Minister Mercelina praised volunteers dedication, stating that even government can learn from Tzu Chis ideology, principles, and values. My dream is a community that carries the mindset of Tzu Chi. Thank you for being an example for humankind and the world. May God bless you. The ceremony also included a vegetarian buffet and storytelling of Tzu Chis founding in Hualien, Taiwan, highlighting Master Cheng Yens vision and the origin of the Bamboo Bank, which encourages everyday acts of giving. Volunteers acted out these stories, showing how Tzu Chis principles inspire local and global humanitarian work. Through decades of quiet dedication, the Tzu Chi Foundation continues to serve St Maartens community with care, compassion, and a long-term vision of positive change. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset proudly hosted its Home Ownership Session, From Dream to Deed, at Carls Unique Inn & Conference Facilities, drawing an impressive turnout of approximately 100 attendees. The informative and empowering event brought together key professionals in Banking, Insurance, Real Estate, Construction, and Land Administration to provide practical guidance on the homeownership journey. The evening was further distinguished by the presence of the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure, Patrice Gumbs, and Member of Parliament Egbert Doran, who attended in support of the initiative. The session was skillfully moderated by Ms. Valerie Brazier, whose professionalism and poise ensured the program flowed smoothly. Each presenter was given the opportunity to share insights into their respective fields, followed by an engaging question and answer segment that allowed attendees to seek clarity and practical advice directly from the experts. Originally scheduled to conclude at 9:00 PM, the event extended beyond its planned time as attendees remained actively engaged, eager to continue the discussion and networking. One participant remarked that the session was so valuable, it should have been an all-day event. President Alex Pierre expressed his satisfaction with the evenings outcome, noting that the strong turnout and community engagement reflected the true spirit of Rotary. This is what Rotary is all about bringing together knowledge, resources, and community to create meaningful impact, he stated. He extended heartfelt thanks to the presenters, members, and attendees for their participation and encouraged the public to look out for upcoming initiatives. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset is one of the newest and fastest-growing Rotary Clubs in District 7020. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month at Carl N Sons Unique Inn and Conference Facilities in Cole Bay at 7:30 pm. The club can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/rotarysxmsunset PHILIPSBURG:--- The Permanent Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations (CKAIR) of Parliament will meet on March 3, 2026. The Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 14.00hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda points are: 1. Debriefing IPKO and Tripartite Consultations held from February 19-23, 2026, in Aruba 2. Discussions regarding the SSS Cooperative meeting to be held in April 2026 Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament and www.pearlfmradio.sx The US president lashed out at the Spanish government after it blocked Washington from using its bases U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized Spain after the Spanish government denied the use of its military bases for U.S. flights connected to a military offensive against Iran. Speaking in the Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump called Spain a terrible ally and said he had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut all trade ties with the country. The Spanish government replied that trade policy is handled at the European Union level, not by Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will address the nation on Wednesday at 9 a.m. from La Moncloa, the seat of government. Trump said that some European nations have been helpful and some havent, and Im very surprised. Germanys been great [...] Others have been very good. I think that the head of NATO, Mark Rutte, is fantastic. But some of the Europeans, like Spain has been terrible. He went on to deliver his harshest remarks yet against Spain, possibly his toughest since last June, when at the NATO summit in The Hague he threatened extraordinary tariffs over Spains refusal to commit to defence spending of 5% of GDP. An hour later, the Spanish government responded by stressing that Spain is a reliable partner. It underlined that Spain is a key member of NATO and a major exporting power within the EU. Any change to trade relations with Washington, it said, would have to respect international law and existing EUU.S. agreements. The government still hopes the threat will come to nothing, as with previous warnings made by Trump. The statement struck a firm tone, arguing that Spain could withstand a blockade by the United States and that it has the resources to mitigate any impact, support affected sectors and diversify supply chains. Relations between the Republican administration and the Spanish socialist government have been tense for some time. Over the past 13 months, Trump has built up resentment over Spains positions on NATO defence spending, the war in Gaza, and now over the use of the bases at Rota and Moron for operations against Iran. This last issue has been the final straw. A single general question from a journalist about Europes response to the conflict in Iran was enough for the White House occupant to go straight for the jugular, with Trump threatening to cut off relations with Spain. I told Scott [Bessent] to cut off all dealings with Spain, said Trump. First of all, it all started when every European nation, at my request, paid 5% [of GDP to NATO], which is what they should be doing. And everybody was enthusiastic about it Germany, everybody and Spain didnt do it. And now, he continued, Spain actually said we cant use their bases. And thats alright we can use their base if we want. We can just fly in and use it. Nobodys going to tell us not to use it. But we dont have to. But they were unfriendly, so I told them we didnt want to. Spain has absolutely nothing that we need, other than great people. They have great people. Trump went on to say that Spain, were the only country that in NATO would not agree to go up to 5%. I dont think they would have agreed to go up to anything they wanted to keep it at 2%, and they dont pay the 2%. So were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We dont want anything to do with Spain. A little further on in his remarks, Trump returned to the same idea. I could tomorrow, or today, even better, stop everything having to do with Spain, he said. All business having to do with Spain, I have the right to stop it: embargos, do anything I want with it, he added. Trump had not finished venting. Spains refusal and the United Kingdoms had irritated him almost personally. And after answering another series of questions about the military operation he said, for example, that the worstcase scenario for Iran would be a leader almost as bad as the previous one, Ali Khamenei, killed in Saturdays bombings he once again lashed out at London and Madrid. Spain has been very, very uncooperative and so has the U.K., the U.S. president declared, clearly irritated with both governments. Regarding Spain, he recalled that it is the only country that has not committed to reaching the goal of 5% of GDP in military spending. As for the United Kingdom, he pointed out that London had denied him the use of the joint base on Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Archipelago. The U.S. president and the German chancellor met in a longscheduled appointment in the Oval Office which, given the avalanche of recent events, shifted its focus to the new war in Iran and to the impact that the conflict, initiated by Trump, could have on the war in Ukraine in these challenging times, according to Merz. In addition, the two leaders were expected to discuss trade and the post-war Tehran, the German head of government said. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Rubio, Hezbollah and Qatar: Latest developments in Iran war Washington, United States, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2026 President Donald Trump said US strikes were the "last, best chance" to stop Iran building a nuclear bomb, as the war raged through a third day and Israel traded fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Here are the latest developments: - Iran 'will burn any ship' passing through Hormuz - A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to "burn any ship" seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments. "We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days," General Sardar Jabbari said in a post on the Guards' Telegram channel. - Israel was about to strike Iran, says Rubio - The United States attacked Iran after learning that ally Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters. - UNESCO palace in Tehran damaged - Iran's UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran has been damaged in US and Israeli strikes, local media reported. "Following the joint US-Israeli attack on Arag square in southern Tehran on Sunday evening, parts of the Golestan Palace...were damaged," the ISNA news agency reported, adding that windows, doors, and mirrors were hit by reverberations from blasts. - US says hit 1,250 targets so far - The United States hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of the war against Iran, the US military said. Targets struck included command-and-control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian navy ships and submarines, and anti-ship missile sites, according to a fact sheet released by the US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the region. - Qatar downs Iran jets - Qatar downed two Iranian bombers and halted LNG production, as Tehran widened its attacks to hit oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a sharply escalating Gulf crisis that has sent prices soaring. Qatar's air force shot down two Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, the defense ministry said -- the first time a Gulf country has hit Iranian planes, after Tehran began region-wide attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that have devastated its leadership. - Trump warns of longer war - Trump signaled that US strikes on Iran could go much longer than originally predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the war's goals. In his first public comments since launching the military operation, the president laid out what he said were four key objectives for hitting Iran. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities...Second, we're annihilating their navy...Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. "Finally we are ensuring the Iranian regime can't continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." - Israel-Hezbollah clashes - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for restraint as clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon intensified amid the Israeli and US war on the armed group's main backer Iran. "We're seriously concerned about the exchange of fire across the Blue Line. The situation on the ground is evolving rapidly, and we're monitoring developments closely," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. - US mulls ground forces - Trump said he would not rule out sending ground troops into Iran. "I don't have the yips with respect to boots on the ground -- like every president says, 'There will be no boots on the ground.' I don't say it," he told the New York Post. Trump later said at the White House he had taken the "last, best chance" to stop Iran's alleged nuclear bomb program and "eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime." - Second day of Iraq protests - Dozens of Iraqis clashed with security forces near the US Embassy in Baghdad for a second day, an AFP journalist said. Iraqis protesting against the US-Israeli attack on Iran hurled stones at security forces, who responded with tear gas. - Nuclear site allegations - Iran said Israel and the United States had attacked its nuclear facility at Natanz, one of the main targets of the previous conflict between the three countries last June. The UN nuclear agency's head had earlier said there was "no indication" any nuclear installations had been hit. burs-bgs/jgc Daily Mail US urges to 'depart now' from Middle East: Latest developments in Iran war Washington, United States, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2026 President Donald Trump said US strikes were the "last, best chance" to stop Iran building a nuclear bomb, as the war raged through a third day and Israel traded fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Here are the latest developments: - Israel responds to latest missile strikes - Just after midnight local time Tuesday, Israel's military said it was working to intercept a large wave of missiles launched from Iran targeting multiple locations, including Jerusalem. "A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said. - US warns citizens in Middle East to 'depart now' - The US State Department urged Americans to leave much of the Middle East, including Egypt and Gulf states, due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The State Department "urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks," wrote Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, in a social media post. The 14 countries included in the warning were Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. - Iran state broadcaster headquarters 'struck and dismantled' - Israel's military claimed it had "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), saying it had "called for the destruction of the State of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons." "A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck and dismantled the Iranian terrorist regime's communications centre" in Tehran, the military said, referring to IRIB. - Iran 'will burn any ship' passing through Hormuz - A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to "burn any ship" seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments. "We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days," General Sardar Jabbari said in a post on the Guards' Telegram channel. - Israel was about to strike Iran, says Rubio - The United States attacked Iran after learning that ally Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters. - UNESCO palace in Tehran damaged - Iran's UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran has been damaged in US and Israeli strikes, local media reported. "Following the joint US-Israeli attack on Arag square in southern Tehran on Sunday evening, parts of the Golestan Palace... were damaged," the ISNA news agency reported, adding that windows, doors, and mirrors were hit by reverberations from blasts. - US says hit 1,250 targets so far - The United States hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of the war against Iran, the US military said. Targets struck included command-and-control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian navy ships and submarines, and anti-ship missile sites, according to a fact sheet released by the US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the region. - Qatar downs Iran jets - Qatar downed two Iranian bombers and halted LNG production, as Tehran widened its attacks to hit oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a sharply escalating Gulf crisis that has sent prices soaring. Qatar's air force shot down two Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, the defense ministry said -- the first time a Gulf country has hit Iranian planes, after Tehran began region-wide attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that have devastated its leadership. - Trump warns of longer war - Trump signaled that US strikes on Iran could go much longer than originally predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the war's goals. In his first public comments since launching the military operation, the president laid out what he said were four key objectives for hitting Iran. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities...Second, we're annihilating their navy...Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. "Finally we are ensuring the Iranian regime can't continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." burs-jgc/msp Daily Mail Trump warns of longer Iran war as violence spreads Washington, United States, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2026 US President Donald Trump warned Monday that his attack on Iran could extend longer than a month, as the war spread with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Tehran targeting oil facilities in Gulf countries. New powerful explosions shook windows in Tehran early Tuesday as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital, AFP journalists witnessed, while the United States urged Americans to flee all of the Middle East from Egypt east. Trump said that the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going "substantially" ahead of schedule but that the United States was equipped for a prolonged conflict. "From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the White House. He also for the first time laid out objectives -- destroying Iran's missiles, navy and nuclear program and stopping its support for armed groups across the region -- which notably did not include toppling the Islamic republic. Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a strikingly new narrative of how the conflict started, saying that the United States joined only after learning ally Israel was set to strike Iran. Iran was ready to strike US forces in the region in response to Israel, so Trump decided to strike "pre-emptively" alongside Israel. "The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked -- and we believed they would be attacked -- that they would immediately come after us," Rubio told reporters before briefing lawmakers. Rival Democrats voiced disbelief, with Senator Mark Warner saying it was "unchartered territory" for the United States to be triggered into action by Israel's perception of a threat. Iran has responded to the attack by unleashing missiles and drones across the Middle East, threatening explicitly to drive up the global energy costs, which could wreak havoc on the global economy. "We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari said of the strategic waterway to the Gulf through which about 20 percent of global seaborne oil travels. European natural gas prices surged more than 39 percent after Qatar's state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas production following Iranian attacks. Qatar, which had comparatively good relations with Iran before the war, said it shot down two Iranian bombers, the first time a Gulf Arab country has hit planes from their giant neighbor. - Major bombardment of Lebanon - Loud explosions throughout the day rocked Beirut as Israeli warplanes struck the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs. The strikes killed at least 52 people and wounded at least 154, according to the Lebanese government. In the southern city of Sidon, cars of families fled on packed roads with mattresses tied to their roofs. Hezbollah, the armed Shiite movement affiliated with Iran, had vowed retaliation for Khamenei's death and launched rockets and drones toward Israel. In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam took the unprecedented step of ordering an "immediate prohibition of all of Hezbollah's security and military activities" and calling on the group to hand over its weapons. Six US military personnel have been killed in the war, according to US Central Command. Iranian media have reported hundreds of Iranian casualties, although AFP reporters have not been able to verify tolls independently. Iran claimed that 168 people were killed in a strike on a girl's school in the southern town of Minab and that a hospital in Tehran was also struck. "The world must condemn it," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said. Rubio said the school incident was under investigation but that the United States "would not deliberately target" it. - US doesn't rule out troops - Trump warned that the United States had more firepower in store, saying, "The big wave hasn't even happened." In an interview with the New York Post, Trump -- who campaigned on promises to end US involvement in wars -- refused to rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran "if they were necessary." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also signaled Monday that deploying troops inside Iran had not been ruled out, saying: "We'll go as far as we need to go." Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, vowed that Iran would defend itself "regardless of the costs and will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation". Tehran had the air of a ghost town on Monday, and many residents seemed to have left. Some, suitcases and luggage in hand, were preparing to do the same, AFP journalists saw. Many residents were torn between fear of the bombings and hope that the government's days might now be numbered. "Every time we hear the noises, we get scared for just a second. But we experience some joy and excitement every time we hear a hit," a 45-year-old lawyer said, also in a voice message to Europe. - Cyprus base hit - An Iranian drone hit the runway of a UK air force base in Akrotiri in Cyprus, whose government announced that the major airport in its town of Paphos and the area around the British facility would be evacuated. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British military bases in Cyprus would not be allowed to be used by US forces in their war with Iran. On Sunday, he had announced that he had agreed to a US request to use British military bases for a "specific and limited defensive purpose." But on Monday he told parliament that this would not include the Cypriot bases. Flights through the region's hubs have been cancelled, disrupting international travel for many thousands of people, but Dubai airports partially reopened late Monday. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have urged Iranians to overthrow the government in Tehran, the sworn foe of Israel and the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah. Rubio said Monday that the United States would "love" regime change but that it was not the goal, which instead was focused on destroying Iran's missile and other programs. burs/sct/msp Explosions near Iran's state television HQ but no broadcast disruption: statement Tehran, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Iran's state broadcaster reported two explosions near its Tehran headquarters on Tuesday, but said it was continuing to broadcast amid the ongoing Israeli-US strike campaign. "Smoke from two explosions around IRIB's premises / No disruption to IRIB's operations," the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting wrote on Telegram. The Israeli army claimed overnight Monday to Tuesday that it had "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of the IRIB in the Evin district of northern Tehran, which it described as a "communications centre of the Iranian terrorist regime." It had previously urged residents of the district "to evacuate immediately." US President Donald Trump warned Monday that his attack on Iran could extend longer than a month, as the war spread with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Tehran targeting oil facilities in Gulf countries. US Congress to debate Trump's war powers Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 The US Congress is scheduled to vote this week on motions seeking to curb President Donald Trump as he wages war against Iran, but the Republican majority will probably shield him. Trump has sought to expand executive power drastically since returning to the White House in 2025, overshadowing the legislature. So some lawmakers now want to reassert the role of Congress, which under the US constitution is the only body that can declare war. "Trump has launched an unnecessary, idiotic, and illegal war against Iran," Senator Tim Kaine wrote on X shortly after the United States and Israel began it overnight Friday into Saturday. In late January, as a huge US military buildup in the Middle East rumbled on, Kaine introduced a bill designed to force Trump to obtain authorization from Congress to engage in any military conflict with Iran. On Saturday he urged Congress to return immediately from recess to take up his resolution, and a vote is expected this week. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth visited the Capitol on Monday to discuss the new Middle East war with administration officials. "There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel," Senator Mark Warner, the lead Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters after the meeting. "If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory," he said. - Is the war legal? - This issue of whether there was an imminent threat from Iran is at the heart of the debate over the war that Trump has now begun with Israel. Although only Congress can declare war, a law dating from 1973 allows the president to launch a limited military intervention in response to an emergency situation created by an attack on the United States. At a news conference Monday, Hegseth used the word "war" to describe the conflict with Iran, not just a limited military intervention. In a video broadcast in the middle of the night from Friday into Saturday to announce the start of major combat operations, Trump asserted that Iran posed an "imminent" threat to the United States. Daniel Shapiro, an analyst with the Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington, said Trump failed to explain "the urgency or the imminent threat that required a war now." It is typical for presidents and their senior advisors to make their case to the American people and define what they are trying to achieve, in addition to briefing Congress broadly, Shapiro added. But Trump did not do any of this, he said. - Sixty days - The White House said Sunday that just before the attack started it gave eight top Congressional leaders formal notice of hostilities. The 1973 War Powers Act states that Trump must now obtain permission from Congress if he wants to keep fighting beyond a 60-day limit. Republican congressman Thomas Massie, one of few in Trump's party who speaks out regularly to challenge him, condemned the Iran war on Saturday. Massie said he would present a bill in the House of Representatives along with his Democratic colleague Ro Khanna to force a vote by Congress on the war with Iran, which could as soon as this week. "The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war," Massie wrote on X. Most Republicans, who are against tying Trump's hands, are expected to vote against both of the bills. And even if they pass, they would probably not survive a veto by Trump because overriding him requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Trump warns of longer Iran war as Riyadh, Beirut hit Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 US President Donald Trump warned that his attack on Iran could extend longer than a month, as the war spread Tuesday with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Tehran targeting US allies in the Gulf, including drones hitting the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. Shortly after the United States urged Americans to flee all Middle Eastern nations from Egypt eastward, smoke rose above the US embassy in Riyadh after it was hit by two drones, a Saudi defense spokesman said, although there were no immediate reports of injuries. New powerful explosions also shook windows in Tehran as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital, AFP journalists witnessed, as the Pentagon boasted that it had achieved air superiority over the country ruled since 1979 by Islamic clerics virulently opposed to the United States. Trump said that the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going "substantially" ahead of schedule but that the United States was equipped for a prolonged conflict. "From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the White House. He also for the first time laid out objectives -- destroying Iran's missiles, navy and nuclear program and stopping its support for armed groups across the region. The goals notably did not include toppling the Islamic republic, even though on Saturday Trump had urged the people of Iran to rise up and overthrow their government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a strikingly new narrative of how the conflict started, saying that the United States, which built up its military to levels not seen since the 2003 Iraq invasion, attacked only after learning that ally Israel was set to strike Iran. Iran had been ready to strike US forces in the region in response to Israel, so Trump decided to intervene "pre-emptively" alongside Israel, Rubio asserted. "The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked -- and we believed they would be attacked -- that they would immediately come after us," Rubio told reporters before briefing lawmakers. Rival Democrats voiced disbelief, with Senator Mark Warner saying it was "unchartered territory" for the United States to be triggered into action by Israel's perception of a threat. Iran has responded to the attack by unleashing missiles and drones across the Middle East, threatening explicitly to drive up energy costs, which could wreak havoc on the global economy. "We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari said of the strategic waterway to the Gulf through which about 20 percent of global seaborne oil travels. European natural gas prices surged more than 39 percent after Qatar's state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas production following Iranian attacks. Qatar, which had comparatively good relations with Iran before the war, said it shot down two Iranian bombers, the first time a Gulf Arab country has hit planes from their giant neighbor. - Major bombardment of Lebanon - Loud explosions throughout the day rocked Beirut as Israeli warplanes struck the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs. The strikes killed at least 52 people and wounded at least 154, according to the Lebanese government. In the southern city of Sidon, cars of families fled on packed roads with mattresses tied to their roofs. Hezbollah, the armed Shiite movement affiliated with Iran, had vowed retaliation for Khamenei's death and launched rockets and drones toward Israel. In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam took the unprecedented step of ordering an "immediate prohibition" of Hezbollah's military activities and called on the group to hand over its weapons. Six US military personnel have been killed so far in the war, according to US Central Command. Iranian media have reported hundreds of Iranian casualties, although AFP reporters have not been able to verify tolls independently. Iran claimed that 168 people were killed in a strike on a girl's school in the southern town of Minab and that a hospital in Tehran was also struck. "The world must condemn it," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said. Rubio said the school incident was under investigation but that the United States "would not deliberately target" children. - US doesn't rule out troops - Trump warned that the United States had more firepower in store, saying, "The big wave hasn't even happened." In an interview with the New York Post, Trump -- who campaigned on promises to end US involvement in wars -- refused to rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran "if they were necessary." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also signaled Monday that deploying troops inside Iran had not been ruled out. In a combative public appearance, he rejected "stupid rules of engagement" that would constrain the United States and said, "We'll go as far as we need to go." Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, vowed that Iran would defend itself "regardless of the costs and will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation." Tehran had the air of a ghost town on Monday, and many residents seemed to have left. Some, suitcases and luggage in hand, were preparing to do the same, AFP journalists saw. Many residents were torn between fear of the bombings and hope that the government's days might now be numbered. "Every time we hear the noises, we get scared for just a second. But we experience some joy and excitement every time we hear a hit," a 45-year-old lawyer said in a voice message to Europe. - Cyprus base hit - An Iranian drone hit the runway of a British air force base in Akrotiri in Cyprus, whose government announced that the major airport in its town of Paphos and the area around the British facility would be evacuated. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declined to participate in the war but said US forces could use British military bases for "specific and limited defensive" purposes. But on Monday he told parliament that this would not include the bases in Cyprus. Flights throughout the region was canceled, stranding thousands of people, even as the State Department urged Americans to leave by commercial flights. Limited flights resumed late Monday in Dubai, the world's busiest airport for international travel. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have urged Iranians to overthrow the Islamic republic, the sworn foe of Israel and the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah. Rubio said Monday that the United States would "love" regime change but that it was not the goal, which instead was focused on destroying Iran's missile and other programs. burs/sct/dw Fresh Israel, Iran attacks across region: Latest developments in Middle East war Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 New strikes were reported Tuesday across the Middle East, including Israeli strikes on Lebanon and a drone attack on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. The conflict started by US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, which sparked retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region, showed no sign of abating as it entered its fourth day. Here are the latest developments: - Israel responds to latest missile strikes - Just after midnight local time Tuesday, Israel's military said it was working to intercept a large wave of missiles launched from Iran targeting multiple locations, including Jerusalem. "A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said. - Fresh Gulf explosions - Loud explosions were heard and clouds of smoke seen in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies and diplomats' residences, four witnesses told AFP early Tuesday morning. Attacks by two drones hit the US embassy in the Saudi Arabian capital and sparked a fire, a Saudi defence ministry spokesman said. In Qatar, the military intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday morning, the country's defence ministry said, after AFP reporters heard loud explosions across Doha. Qatar downed two Iranian bombers and halted LNG production on Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks to hit oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the sharply escalating crisis that has sent prices soaring. - New Israel strikes on Hezbollah - Israel's military said Tuesday that it had launched strikes on Hezbollah targets including "command centres and weapons storage facilities" in Lebanon's capital Beirut, after warning it would press ahead with its campaign against the Iran-backed group. The Lebanese militant group said just after midnight that its rocket and drone attack on Israel was a "defensive act" after more than a year of Israeli strikes despite a ceasefire. - US warns citizens in Middle East to 'depart now' - The US State Department urged Americans to leave much of the Middle East, including Egypt and Gulf states, due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The State Department "urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks," wrote Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, in a social media post. The 14 countries included in the warning were Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. - Iran state broadcaster headquarters 'struck and dismantled' - Israel's military claimed it had "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), saying it had "called for the destruction of the State of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons." The IRIB wrote on Telegram there had been explosions near its headquarters in Tehran but that there was no disruption to its operations. - Iran 'will burn any ship' in Hormuz - A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to "burn any ship" seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments. "We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days," General Sardar Jabbari said in a post on the Guards' Telegram channel. - Israel was about to strike Iran, says Rubio - The United States attacked Iran after learning that ally Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters. - UNESCO palace in Tehran damaged - Iran's UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran has been damaged in US and Israeli strikes, local media reported. "Following the joint US-Israeli attack on Arag square in southern Tehran on Sunday evening, parts of the Golestan Palace... were damaged," the ISNA news agency reported, adding that windows, doors, and mirrors were hit by reverberations from blasts. - US says hit 1,250 targets so far - The United States hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of the war against Iran, the US military said. Targets struck included command-and-control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian navy ships and submarines, and anti-ship missile sites, according to a fact sheet released by the US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the region. - Trump warns of longer war - Trump signaled that US strikes on Iran could go much longer than originally predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the war's goals. In his first public comments since launching the military operation, the president laid out what he said were four key objectives for hitting Iran. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities...Second, we're annihilating their navy...Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. "Finally we are ensuring the Iranian regime can't continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." - Australia Middle East HQ hit - Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said he could confirm reports that its military headquarters, the Al Minhad Air Base located just 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Dubai in the UAE, had been hit over the weekend. burs-jgc/msp/jfx/ceg Daily Mail Attack by two drones on US embassy in Saudi capital sparks 'limited' fire Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 An attack by two drones early Tuesday on the US embassy in Riyadh sparked a small fire, a Saudi defence ministry spokesman said in a statement, while Iran pressed on with retaliatory strikes across the Gulf. "The US Embassy in Riyadh was attacked by two drones, according to initial assessments. The attack resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building," the statement said. Two witnesses told AFP they saw fire engines around the embassy. Earlier, witnesses said they had seen smoke over the building housing the US mission and heard loud explosions in the diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies in the Saudi capital. A source close to the Saudi army told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, that Saudi air defence intercepted four drones targeting Riyadh's diplomatic quarter in the attack. In the aftermath, the US embassy issued shelter in place notifications for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and limited non-essential travel to any military installations in the region. The attacks in Saudi coincided with a wave of missiles and drones launched at Gulf states with the UAE defence ministry saying it was dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles coming from Iran. In Qatar, military intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday morning, the country's defence ministry said in a statement. New explosions were heard again later in Riyadh on Tuesday, an AFP journalist and residents said. Tehran began region-wide attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that have devastated its leadership. Iran's salvos have hit ports, airports, residential buildings and hotels along with military sites across the wealthy region of oil giants. On Monday smoke poured out of Kuwait City's US embassy, an AFP correspondent saw. Later, a Kuwait-based diplomat and a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP the embassy had been damaged by several drones, while a second Kuwait-based diplomat said the building had been struck directly. Israel army issues new evacuation warnings in Lebanon Jerusalem, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on Tuesday, including warning residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of an imminent operation. Israel's military on Monday vowed to intensify its attacks on the country and make Hezbollah pay a "heavy price" after rocket and drone fire from the Iran-backed militant group. "Urgent warning to the residents of Lebanon, specifically in the villages which names are shown," said a statement by the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee on Telegram, which listed 50 locations. "For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately." Most of the locations were across the south of Lebanon, which Israel regularly targets with the aim of hitting Hezbollah infrastructure. He told the residents of southern Beirut neighbourhoods Ghobeiry and Haret Hreik in another evacuation warning to avoid two buildings. "You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the IDF will operate in the near future," he said. "For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately and stay away from them for a distance of no less than 300 metres (984 feet)," he added. In a later warning, he told "those in the southern suburbs of Beirut, especially in the Hadath neighbourhood" to avoid a third building. Lebanon's government on Monday took the unprecedented step of banning Hezbollah's military and security activity, prompting the Iran-backed group to lash out at the decision. Hezbollah is represented in both the government and parliament, and the move came hours after it announced it had launched rockets and drones towards Israel early Monday to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks. Israel bombarded Beirut's southern suburbs and dozens of villages in south Lebanon on Monday in response. The Lebanese government said the Israeli strikes have killed at least 52 people and wounded 154. Indian airlines to resume limited Middle East flights New Delhi, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Indian airlines said Tuesday that they were resuming limited commercial services to the Middle East in a bid to collect thousands of passengers stranded by war. Millions of South Asian citizens live and work across the Middle East. IndiGo said it would operate four return flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to "progressively normalise" operations between the countries. Air India Express said it would resume flights to and from the Omani capital Muscat from Tuesday. But services to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates remain suspended, the airlines said in a statement. Budget carrier Akasa Air said it would operate select flights to Jeddah. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to multiple Middle East leaders, including the leaders of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, in which he thanked them for "taking care of the Indian community", in posts on social media. Several South Asian citizens have been killed in the strikes, including at least one Nepali in Abu Dhabi and two Bangladeshis in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Indian media reported one citizen killed on a vessel off Oman. Modi said Monday he had also spoken to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he "conveyed India's concerns over recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority". Trump warns of longer Iran war as Riyadh, Beirut hit Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 US President Donald Trump warned that his attack on Iran could run longer than a month, as Tehran retaliated to ongoing strikes by targeting US allies in the Gulf and drones hit the US embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Shortly after the United States urged Americans to flee all Middle Eastern nations from Egypt eastward, two drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh, sparking a quick vow by Trump to retaliate "soon", without elaborating how. New powerful explosions shook windows in Tehran throughout the night as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital, AFP journalists witnessed, and the Pentagon said it had achieved air superiority over the country, ruled since 1979 by Islamic clerics virulently opposed to the United States. Beyond launching missile and drone attacks that forced Qatar's state-run energy firm to halt liquefied natural gas production, Tehran also vowed to choke one of the world's most vital shipping lanes. "We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari said of the strategic waterway to the Gulf through which about 20 percent of global seaborne oil travels. Trump said that the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going "substantially" ahead of schedule but that the United States was equipped for a prolonged conflict. "From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the White House. -- 'Won't take years' -- The US president laid out for the first time the operation's objectives -- destroying Iran's missiles, navy and nuclear programme and stopping its support for armed groups across the region. The goals notably did not include toppling the Islamic republic, even though on Saturday Trump had urged the people of Iran to rise up and overthrow their government. As Iran ramped up its retaliation, Saudi Arabia, home to one of the region's largest oil refineries which has already been closed following an attack, said it intercepted eight more drones in two cities, including the capital, on Tuesday. The Saudi defence ministry confirmed two drones attacked the US embassy, which said that caused "a limited fire and minor material damage". Speaking to the NewsNation network, Trump said "you'll find out soon" how the United States would respond, without providing further detail. The US mission in Riyadh asked its citizens in the capital as well as the cities of Jeddah and Dharan to shelter in place, while the US State Department ordered its "non-emergency" staff and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. Qatar, which had comparatively good relations with Iran before the war, said it shot down two Iranian bombers, the first time a Gulf Arab country has hit planes from their giant neighbour. The Israeli military for the second day carried out strikes on Lebanon, with its military saying it was targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah after the militant group claimed rocket and drone attacks on Israel. As the conflict spread, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said its strikes with the United States on Iran would continue but not become "an endless war". "It may take some time, but it's not going to take years," he told Fox News in an interview broadcast Monday. -- 'Imminent threat?' -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a strikingly new narrative of how the conflict started, saying on Monday that the United States, which built up its military to levels not seen since its 2003 Iraq invasion, attacked only after learning that ally Israel was set to strike Iran. Iran had been ready to strike US forces in the region in response to Israel, so Trump decided to intervene "pre-emptively" alongside Israel, Rubio said. "The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked -- and we believed they would be attacked -- that they would immediately come after us," Rubio told reporters before briefing lawmakers. Rival Democrats voiced disbelief, with Senator Mark Warner saying it was "unchartered territory" for the United States to be triggered into action by Israel's perception of a threat. Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded that "there was never any so-called Iranian 'threat'." "Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel'," he posted on X. Netanyahu alleged on the interview with Fox that Iran had been working on new weapons sites since a 12?day conflict in June, when Israel and the United States also launched coordinated strikes on the Islamic republic. In an earlier interview with the New York Post, Trump -- who campaigned on promises to end US involvement in wars -- refused to rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran "if they were necessary." - Death toll rises - Israel's military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on Tuesday, following explosions rocking the capital the previous day as Israeli warplanes struck Beirut's southern suburbs and the south of the country. The Lebanese government said at least 52 people were killed in the strikes that came after Hezbollah, the armed Shiite movement affiliated with Iran, launched rockets and drones toward Israel in retaliation for Khamenei's death. In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam took the unprecedented step of ordering an "immediate prohibition" of Hezbollah's military activities and called on the group to hand over its weapons. Throughout the region, the death toll has steadily increased with six US military personnel killed so far in the war, according to US Central Command. Iranian media have reported hundreds of Iranian casualties, including at a girl's school, although AFP reporters have not been able to verify tolls independently. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Tuesday said there were 101 casualties inside Iran on the third day of the war, including "85 civilian deaths and 11 military personnel killed". Many residents in Tehran were torn between fear of the bombings and hope that the government's days might now be numbered. AFP journalists witnessed some residents with suitcases in hand preparing to leave the unusually quiet capital on Monday. "Every time we hear the noises, we get scared for just a second," a 45-year-old lawyer said in a voice message to Europe, "but we experience some joy and excitement every time we hear a hit." burs/sct/dw/ceg/hmn Pakistanis at remote border describe scramble to leave Iran Taftan, Pakistan, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Pakistani nationals hauled suitcases across the border from neighbouring Iran, describing missiles being launched and travel chaos as they scrambled to leave the country after the US and Israel launched strikes over the weekend. AFP journalists saw a steady trickle of people passing through large metal gates at the remote border crossing between Iran's Mirjaveh and Taftan in Pakistan's western Balochistan province. Powerful explosions have rocked Iran's capital Tehran since Saturday, with embassies from countries around the world telling their citizens to leave. "All our Pakistani brothers who were in Tehran and other cities had started to leave and were arriving at the terminal, which caused a lot of crowd pressure," 38-year-old trader Ameer Muhammad told AFP on Monday. "Due to the crowds, there were major transport problems." The isolated Taftan border lies around 500 kilometres (310 miles) from Balochistan's capital and largest city, Quetta. AFP journalists saw the Iranian flag flying at half-mast as soldiers stood guard. Most people wheeled bulky luggage over the frontier's foot crossing, while freight lorries formed a long line. Irshad Ahmed, a 49-year-old pilgrim, told AFP he was staying at a hostel in Tehran when he saw missiles being fired nearby. "There was an army base near the hostel, and we saw many missiles being fired," he said. "After that, we went to the Pakistani embassy so that they could evacuate us from there. They brought us here safely." Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a "violation" of international law. "It is an age old convention that the Heads of State/Government should not be targeted," Sharif wrote on X. The "people of Pakistan join the people of Iran in their hour of grief and sorrow and extend the most sincere condolences on the martyrdom" of Khamenei, he added. A teacher at Tehran's Pakistani embassy, who gave his name as Saqib, told AFP: "Before we left, the situation was normal. The situation was not that bad." The 38-year-old said the strikes on Tehran on Saturday "pushed us to leave the city". "The situation became bad on Saturday night, when attacks caused precious lives to be lost," he said. New Israel, Iran attacks across region: Latest developments in Middle East war Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 New strikes were reported Tuesday across the Middle East, including Israeli bombardment on Lebanon and a drone attack on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. The conflict started with US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, which sparked retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region, showed no sign of abating as it entered its fourth day. Here are the latest developments: - Israel responds to latest missile strikes - Just after midnight local time Tuesday, Israel's military said it was working to intercept a large wave of missiles launched from Iran targeting multiple locations, including Jerusalem. "A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said. It later said it was carrying out simultaneous strikes on Tehran and Beirut. - Fresh Gulf explosions - Explosions were heard and clouds of smoke seen in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies and diplomats' residences, four witnesses told AFP early Tuesday. Two drones hit the US embassy in the Saudi Arabian capital and sparked a fire, a Saudi defence ministry spokesman said. The embassy confirmed an attack and urged people to stay away, saying it would be closed on Tuesday. In Qatar, the military intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday, the country's defence ministry said, after AFP reporters heard loud explosions across Doha. - Trump: US to retaliate 'soon' - President Donald Trump suggested Monday that the United States would retaliate "soon" after its embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh was struck by two suspected Iranian drones. Speaking to the NewsNation network, Trump said "you'll find out soon" how the United States would respond, without providing further detail. - Netanyahu: no 'endless war' - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Fox News interview Monday that the US-Israeli operation against Iran would be "a quick and decisive action," later adding: "It may take some time, but it's not going to take years. - New Israel strikes on Hezbollah - Israel's military said Tuesday that it had launched strikes on Hezbollah targets including "command centres and weapons storage facilities" in Lebanon's capital Beirut, after warning it would press ahead with its campaign against the Iran-backed group. The Lebanese militant group said just after midnight that its rocket and drone attack on Israel was a "defensive act" after more than a year of Israeli strikes despite a ceasefire. - US warns citizens in Middle East to 'depart now' - The US State Department urged Americans to leave much of the Middle East, including Egypt and Gulf states, due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The State Department "urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks," wrote Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, in a social media post. The countries or territories included in the warning were Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. - US orders 'non-emergency' staff to leave three nations - The US State Department said in updated travel advisories on Tuesday that it has ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq for security reasons. The department said it had ordered the families of its non-emergency staff in Bahrain and Jordan to also leave. - Iran state broadcaster headquarters 'struck and dismantled' - Israel's military claimed it had "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), saying it had "called for the destruction of the State of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons." The IRIB wrote on Telegram there had been explosions near its headquarters in Tehran but that there was no disruption to its operations. - NGO new Iran death toll - The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Tuesday said there were 101 casualties inside Iran on the third day of the war, including "85 civilian deaths and 11 military personnel killed." - Iran 'will burn any ship' in Hormuz - A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to "burn any ship" seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments. "We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days," General Sardar Jabbari said in a post on the Guards' Telegram channel. - Israel was about to strike Iran, says Rubio - The United States attacked Iran after learning that ally Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters. - US says hit 1,250 targets so far - The United States hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of the war against Iran, the US military said. Targets struck included command-and-control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian navy ships and submarines, and anti-ship missile sites, according to a fact sheet released by the US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the region. - Trump warns of longer war - Trump signaled that US strikes on Iran could go much longer than originally predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the war's goals. In his first public comments since launching the military operation, the president laid out what he said were four key objectives for hitting Iran. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities... Second, we're annihilating their navy...Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. - Australia Middle East HQ hit - Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said he could confirm reports that its military headquarters, the Al Minhad Air Base located just 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Dubai in the UAE, had been hit over the weekend. burs-jgc/msp/jfx/cms Daily Mail US State Department orders 'non-emergency' staff to leave Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 The US State Department said Tuesday it has ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq, as Iran retaliates against US-Israeli strikes. The department, in posts on X, said it had updated travel advisories for Bahrain and Jordan "to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel." In a separate post, the department said its Iraq travel advisory was updated to reflect that it had on Monday "ordered non-emergency US government employees to leave Iraq due to security concerns." It did not mention their relatives. The growing war began on Saturday after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that Tehran said killed dozens of civilians and the country's supreme leader, sparking retaliatory salvos. Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted a United States air base in Bahrain, the Islamic republic's elite force said in a statement carried on Tuesday by the official IRNA news agency. In Iraq, hundreds of protesters in capital Baghdad, many dressed in black, attempted Sunday to storm the fortified Green Zone where the US embassy is located, after the killing of Iran's supreme leader. In Jordan, the US embassy in capital Amman said Monday it had temporarily evacuated its staff due to an unspecified threat. The kingdom said it has also intercepted more than a dozen missiles since Iran started retaliatory attacks on Saturday. burs-jfx/hmn New Israel, Iran attacks across region: Latest developments in Middle East war Paris, France, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 New strikes were reported Tuesday across the Middle East, including Israeli bombardment on Lebanon and a drone attack on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. The conflict started with US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, which sparked retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region, and showed no sign of abating as it entered its fourth day. Here are the latest developments: - Blasts in Jerusalem - A series of overhead explosions were heard from Jerusalem on Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, after the Israeli military said it had detected fresh missiles launched from Iran and was "operating to intercept the threat". - Explosions in Tehran - Loud explosions rocked Iran's capital as the war entered its fourth day. The blasts were heard in northern Tehran, but it was not immediately clear what was hit, AFP journalists said. Iranian media also reported explosions in Karaj city, outside of Tehran, as well as the central city of Isfahan. The Israeli military said it had carried out air strikes on Iran's presidential office and the National Security Council building in Tehran. - Iran Red Crescent says 787 killed - The Iranian Red Crescent said that more than 780 people have been killed nationwide since the US and Israeli strikes began. AFP was not in a position to verify the figure. - New gas-price surge - European gas prices jumped another 30 percent Tuesday morning, after surging on Monday over supply disruptions. The Brent crude price was meanwhile up 4.41 percent at $81.17 per barrel in afternoon trade in Asia. Stocks extended their losses. - Drones hit Amazon data centres - Tech giant Amazon said two of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates had been "directly struck" by drones, disrupting cloud services in parts of the Middle East. A facility in Bahrain was also damaged by "a drone strike in close proximity", the provider said. - Trump says US-UK ties damaged - President Donald Trump said the US-UK relationship was "not like it used to be", amid a major transatlantic fallout over Prime Minister Keir Starmer's initial refusal to let the United States use British military bases. "This was the most solid relationship of all," Trump said in an interview with Britain's The Sun. Trump said Starmer "has not been helpful", adding: "It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was." - France deploys jets over UAE France has deployed Rafale fighter jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its naval and air bases against Iranian attacks, said Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. - China urges Hormuz safety - China called on all sides involved in the Middle East war to maintain safety in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas, urging "all parties to immediately cease military operations". - Drones in UAE, Oman, Iraq - Debris from a drone interception caused a fire at an oil industry zone in the city of Fujairah on Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates, authorities said, adding operations had resumed once the fire was contained. Drones also targeted an Omani port, hitting a fuel tank, state media reported, saying the damage had been contained "without any human casualties". Also on Tuesday, drone strikes blamed on Iran hit a camp hosting Iranian Kurdish fighters and family members in northern Iraq, a local official and an exiled opposition group said. - US embassy in Kuwait closed indefinitely - The US embassy in Kuwait said it was closed until further notice, a day after an AFP correspondent saw smoke rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country. - Israeli deployment in Lebanon - The Israeli military said it had deployed troops to several locations in southern Lebanon, in what it described as a "forward defence" measure along the border. Lebanon also redeployed soldiers from several recently established border positions after Israel's "escalation", a military source told AFP, after Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said he had authorised his military to "take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon". Israel's military earlier said it had launched new strikes on Hezbollah targets, including "command centres and weapons storage facilities" in Lebanon's capital Beirut, after warning it would press ahead with its campaign against the Iran-backed militant group. Hezbollah said it had targeted three Israeli military bases in response to the assaults on its strongholds, calling its rocket and drone attacks a "defensive act" after more than a year of Israeli strikes carried out despite a ceasefire. - Israel responds to latest strikes - Just after midnight local time Tuesday (2200 GMT Monday), Israel's military said it was working to intercept a large wave of missiles launched from Iran targeting multiple locations, including Jerusalem. It later said it was carrying out simultaneous strikes on Tehran and Beirut. - US embassy in Riyadh hit - Explosions were heard and clouds of smoke seen in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies and diplomats' residences, four witnesses told AFP early Tuesday. Two drones hit the US embassy in the Saudi Arabian capital and sparked a fire, a Saudi defence ministry spokesman said. The embassy confirmed an attack and urged people to stay away, saying it would be closed on Tuesday. In Qatar, the military intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday, the country's defence ministry said. - Trump: US to retaliate 'soon' - President Donald Trump suggested Monday that the United States would retaliate "soon" after its embassy in the Saudi capital was struck by two suspected Iranian drones. Speaking to the NewsNation network, Trump said "you'll find out soon" how the United States would respond, without providing further detail. - US warns citizens in Middle East to 'depart now' - The US State Department urged Americans to leave much of the Middle East, including Egypt and the Gulf states, due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The State Department "urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks," wrote Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, in a social media post. The countries or territories included in the warning were Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. burs-jhb/kjm NATO 'welcomes' Macron's nuclear drive Brussels, Belgium, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 NATO on Tuesday said it welcomed "the opportunity to expand consultation on nuclear issues" with Paris after President Emmanuel Macron vowed to bolster France's nuclear arsenal. Macron said Monday France would expand its atomic arsenal and could deploy nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries for the first time, in a potential major shift for Europe's defence at a time of strained ties with the United States. "France's nuclear deterrent already contributes to the security of the alliance, and we welcome the initiative by President Macron to enhance deterrence further," a NATO official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We welcome the opportunity to expand consultation on nuclear issues with France in order to ensure a coherent, coordinated approach." Macron updated France's nuclear doctrine as Russia's war against Ukraine grinds into a fifth year and NATO allies worry whether Washington's commitment to Europe is wavering. Reassurances from US officials that the American deterrent would continue to cover Europe under the NATO alliance have done little to quell European fears of fickleness under US President Donald Trump. Macron announced that eight European countries, including Britain, Germany, Poland and Sweden, had agreed to participate in what he called a "forward" nuclear deterrence scheme. NATO's nuclear deterrence relies on the United States, while France remains independent of the alliance's nuclear planning group. Macron said the efforts by France -- the only European Union country with nuclear weapons, and the only on the continent besides Britain -- would complement NATO's mission. NATO chief Mark Rutte insisted earlier this month that "nobody" was pushing to replace the US nuclear umbrella in Europe. Stranded in paradise: Mideast war traps thousands in Bali Denpasar, Indonesia, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Passengers stranded on the Indonesian resort island of Bali clamoured for flight news Tuesday as the outbreak of war in the Middle East grounded planes and turned a tropical holiday dream into an ordeal for many. Hundreds were crowded at Ngurah Rai International Airport, many dressed in shorts, flip-flops and summer dresses, their expressions dour. Many sat on the floor, exhausted, and one man repeatedly hit a wall in frustration. "I just kind of want to see my family.... right now it's a bit stressful," British tourist Adam Woo, transiting through Bali after holidaying on the neighbouring island of Lombok, told AFP. The 23-year-old student said he saw the missiles start flying on the news "and I was a bit worried about my flight" -- especially after Dubai International Airport was hit in Iran's response to a US-Israeli attack. "Obviously, everyone around the world at the moment is kind of stuck," said Woo. "All the travel agencies are swamped with people calling in. So, it's literally impossible to even get on the phone with someone." He said he was looking for an alternative flight via China. - Frustration - Around Woo, many at the airport were lugging around heavy luggage with slumped shoulders, frustration etched on many a face. Many queued on foot and on chairs outside information centres hoping for news on replacement flights, receiving occasional briefings with little news. The airport's immigration office said in a statement at least 4,400 people had flights to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi cancelled between Saturday and Monday. With would-be passengers at risk of overstaying their visas, the Bali immigration office introduced a same-day emergency stay permit free of charge for affected foreigners. Thirty-five have applied so far, according to immigration head Felucia Sengky Ratna. Airports company Angkasa Pura said 15 flights from Bali to Doha and Abu Dhabi, and vice versa, have been cancelled between Saturday and Monday. National carrier Garuda Indonesia has grounded all flights to Doha until further notice. UN 'deeply shocked' by Middle East war's impact on civilians Geneva, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 The UN human rights chief said Tuesday he was "deeply shocked" by how the war in the Middle East was affecting civilians, with fear and panic spreading across the region. Volker Turk called for all parties to "come to their senses" and bring the conflict to an end. "The fear, the panic, the anxiety experienced by millions of people in the Middle East and beyond is palpable -- and was entirely avoidable," his spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a press conference in Geneva. "The situation is worsening and widening by the hour, playing out our worst fears." Turk "is deeply shocked by the impacts of the widespread hostilities on civilians and civilian infrastructure since the conflict erupted on Saturday with Israel and the United States of America's attacks on Iran, Iran's response against states across the region, as well as Hezbollah's subsequent entry into the conflict," she said. Shamdasani said the laws of war were clear: civilians and civilian objects are protected, and all states and armed groups must abide by the law. Turk called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, prevent further escalation, and take all feasible measures to protect civilians and critical infrastructure. "Returning to the negotiating table is the one and only way to bring an end to the killing, destruction and despair," Shamdasani said. "The high commissioner implores all parties to come to their senses, and to end this violence," she added. At least 30,000 displaced in Lebanon by Middle East war: UN Geneva, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 At least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, the United Nations said Tuesday. Israel is continuing to carry out air raids, particularly on Beirut's southern suburbs and the south of the country, after issuing evacuation warnings to residents. "Heavy displacement is being reported across parts of southern Lebanon, the Bekaa and southern suburbs of Beirut, after Israel issued evacuation warnings to the residents of more than 53 Lebanese villages and intense air strikes across all three parts of Lebanon," said Babar Baloch, spokesman for the UN refugee agency. "As of yesterday, the conservative estimates suggest that nearly 30,000 people were hosted and registered at collective shelters. Many more slept in their cars on the side of roads," the UNHCR spokesman told a press conference in Geneva. He said more were attempting to leave on foot, seeking safety in other areas. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Tuesday said it targeted three Israeli military bases in response to Israeli strikes on the group's strongholds in Lebanon, including the south Beirut suburbs. UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani added: "We are also gravely concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon after Hezbollah fired barrages of projectiles into Israel, and the heavy counterstrikes of Israel, including in Beirut. "We urge both parties to immediately end this major escalation in violence and to return to the agreed ceasefire." She cited reports suggesting civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, plus significant re-displacement following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Trump says US-UK relationship 'not like it used to be' London, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 US President Donald Trump has said the historical relationship between his country and Britain is "not like it used to be", amid a diplomatic bust-up over US-Israeli strikes against Iran. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who told parliament on Monday his government "does not believe in regime change from the skies", initially refused to have any role in the US's war with Iran. He later agreed to a US request to use two British military bases for a "specific and limited defensive purpose". The refusal sparked the ire of Trump who told British daily newspaper The Sun "this was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe", singling out France and Germany. Starmer has cultivated a warm relationship with the unpredictable Trump, who was given an unprecedented second state visit to Britain last year. The so-called special relationship between the World War II allies is largely built on long-standing defence co-operation and intelligence sharing. Any potential military action in the Middle East, however, is politically sensitive in the UK following former prime minister Tony Blair's disastrous support for the US-led invasion of Iraq. Trump said Starmer had "not been helpful", adding: "I never thought I'd see that. I never thought I'd see that from the UK. We love the UK." "It's just a much different kind of relationship... It's very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was," he said in the telephone interview. - 'Tight diplomatic tightrope' - The scathing comments come a day after Trump described Starmer's first reaction to the US request as "very disappointing" in an interview with another UK newspaper, The Daily Telegraph. Government minister Darren Jones defended Starmer's decision to only get involved in military action where there was a "legal basis" to do so and a "clear plan" that was in the UK's own national interest. "That's why we were not involved in the initial strikes in Iran in the Middle East," he said. "But it is also why we've consented to American Air Forces using our air bases and for British jets to be in the sky in order to defend British citizens who are currently in the region," he added. He said two UK bases -- one in Gloucestershire in western England and the UK-US Indian Ocean Diego Garcia base -- had now been cleared for use by the Americans. Starmer's Downing Street office said on Monday he took the decision after Iran fired missiles over the weekend that put British interests and people "at risk". "We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learnt those lessons," Starmer said later in parliament. The prime minister added that the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Akrotiri in Cyprus -- where the runway was hit early Monday by an unmanned drone -- was "not being used by US bombers". British politicians have been haunted by the 2003 Iraq war in which a reported 179 UK soldiers died. An official UK inquiry into the conflict later found that Blair acted on flawed intelligence when deciding to join the war. Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think tank said Starmer faced a "very tight diplomatic tightrope". "The UK wants to support the United States, not least to protect its own security interests and to show European value to the US, which remains critical in the context of Ukraine and Greenland," she told AFP. "At the same time, it is deeply cautious of engagement with a conflict that could rapidly increase global insecurity and of working closely with an increasingly unreliable United States, who keeps undertaking actions which don't align with UK interests," she added. TUI to fly stranded cruise ship passengers back from Gulf Frankfurt, Germany, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 German travel giant TUI said on Tuesday it planned to start flying home thousands of tourists stranded on two cruise ships in the Gulf due to the Middle East war. The ships are located at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar. They carry about 7,000 passengers and crew in total, according to the German Shipping Association. "Repatriation is our responsibility, which we take very seriously," TUI boss Sebastian Ebel told public broadcaster ZDF. He said the company was working with carriers including Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways. "Everything is organised but when you have 5,000 customers on ships and each plane has only 200 seats, it takes time." Speaking separately to NTV, Ebel said that TUI had about 10,000 customers on holidays in the region in total, including those not on cruise ships but staying in hotels. "We hope that we can begin the repatriation operation today," he said. Tuifly, the company's own airline, also had planes ready to "fly there as soon as we receive permission and pick up customers as quickly as possible", he said. Tourists have been affected by the biggest disruption to global travel since the Covid pandemic after US-Israeli struck Iran, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Tehran responded against US-linked targets in the Middle East. In total, roughly 30,000 German tourists are stranded across the Middle East at a time when thousands of flights have been cancelled. Germany's government said on Monday it would send charter flights to Saudi Arabia and Oman to evacuate the most vulnerable travellers, including children, the elderly and pregnant women. The foreign ministry said it was working with TUI, airline group Lufthansa and the German Travel Association. pca-vbw/fz/gil TUI AG Macron to address nation on Middle East war Paris, France, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 President Emmanuel Macron will on Tuesday speak to the nation about the war in Iran and its consequences, the Elysee said, after France vowed to protect its nationals and bases in the Middle East. Macron, who on Monday warned that a widening war between the United States, Israel, and Iran risks spilling over to Europe's borders, will deliver a televised address to the nation at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT). During a meeting of France's defence council on Sunday, the French president said France would raise its defence posture in the Middle East to protect its nationals and bases there, and to support countries in the region targeted by Iran in retaliation for the Israeli-US strikes. Earlier Tuesday Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France had deployed Rafale fighter jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its naval and air bases. France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the UAE. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at Al-Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi. "These Rafales and their pilots are mobilised to ensure the security of our facilities," Barrot told broadcaster BFMTV in response to a question on French action in the UAE over the weekend to neutralise Iranian drones. "They have carried out operations to secure the airspace above our bases." On Sunday, "a hangar at a French base in the United Arab Emirates was hit by a drone", Barrot said. "Exchanges are multiplying to determine both how the country can defend itself against future attacks and how France can protect its interests there," he added. France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was however in the North Atlantic, as part of a previously planned multinational exercise, Barrot said, after he was asked if it had been sent to the Mediterranean. The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday, killing Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded by targeting US allies in the Gulf region. Debris from a drone interception caused a fire that was contained at an oil industry zone in the Fujairah emirate on Tuesday, authorities said. In Abu Dhabi, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal on Monday, causing a fire though operations were not impacted. sv/ah-as/yad Ukraine offers Gulf states air defence swap Kyiv, Ukraine, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday offered US allies in the Middle East a swap of some of their air defence missiles in exchange for Kyiv's vaunted drone interceptors, to better protect them from Iranian drone attacks. The Israeli and US strikes on Iran have triggered retaliatory Iranian strikes -- including with drones -- across the region. Russia has been using Iranian-designed Shahed drones throughout its four-year invasion of Ukraine, and Kyiv has developed a range of cheap and effective drone interceptors -- aerial craft designed to hit incoming attack drones mid-air -- that it says are world-leading. At the same time, Ukraine is struggling with a shortage of PAC-3 air defence missiles -- expensive ammunition fired at incoming Russian missiles to defend Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. "The number one issue is how to protect their skies. We ourselves live with this question," Zelensky said. "Let's speak about weapons that we're short of: PAC-3 missiles -- if they give them to us, we will give them interceptors," he added. PAC-3 missiles, he said, do not work to protect against a barrage of hundreds of Shahed drones. "This is a fair exchange. We will certainly do this. And if the teams start working now, we'll see what the result is," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader spoke on the phone with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed on Tuesday. Iran's bombardment in the Gulf states has hit military bases but also civilian infrastructure such as residential buildings, hotels, airports and sea ports, rattling a region long seen as a refuge from Middle East conflict. Iran is relying heavily on its missile arsenal for its barrages -- weapons that can be intercepted by PAC-3 air defence systems. Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, briefed the press on the session. Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) Journalists work at a press conference of the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming) A journalist asks a question at a press conference of the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) A journalist asks a question at a press conference of the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming) Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming) Journalists raise hands to ask questions at a press conference of the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) Journalists work at a press conference of the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Press Release from Business Wire: Phasecraft (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026 (BSW) - Phasecraft , the world's leading quantum algorithms company, today announced it has commenced work on the University of Maryland's Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security's (ARLIS) new contract to support the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) ongoing Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). QBI's goal is to assess if it is possible to achieve utility-scale quantum computing by 2033. Phasecraft joins the contract as a technical expert and will leverage its proprietary software and quantum algorithms to develop optimized estimates of resource requirements for quantum applications to inform the U.S. Government (USG) verification and validation efforts. Evaluating Progress Towards Quantum Utility While the cutting-edge quantum hardware selected for QBI inches closer to commercial utility, ultra-efficient quantum algorithms like those Phasecraft develops are required to unlock the full potential of any quantum hardware. The company's hardware-agnostic algorithms, which in some cases are millions of times more efficient than the best previous work, enable the company to provide unique value to ARLIS, DARPA, and the USG. Specifically, Phasecraft's work will focus on two application areas: 1) materials and molecular modeling; and 2) hard optimization problems. In both cases, Phasecraft's algorithms have pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible, and radically shortened the timeline to quantum advantage - the point at which quantum computers will outperform classical methods. This enables the company to produce far more accurate estimates of when quantum will deliver true utility to users across application areas. "The team at DARPA has long understood the strategic importance of quantum computing and we are thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate on this vital work, working alongside ARLIS," saidAshley Montanaro, co-founder and CEO of Phasecraft."For all the emphasis we see on hardware in the field, it is gratifying to have a government partner like DARPA appreciate the importance of quantum algorithms in the race to achieve industrially useful quantum computing. Our quantum algorithms are delivering meaningful results today, and we're excited to join the impressive QBI team." Building on Momentum A preferred research partner for all the leading hardware companies like Google Quantum AI, IBM, Quantinuum and QuEra, Phasecraft prioritizes making quantum useful in the near term. InOctober, Phasecraft unveiled Mondrian, its first-of-a-kind quantum-enhanced software platform designed to speed up classical optimization algorithms and apply them to hard optimization and constraint satisfaction problems across several industries. Mondrian demonstrates how classical and quantum computing can work together to tackle some of the most complex optimization problems facing industries such as energy, finance, and logistics. This contract comes on the heels of the company's recent $34M Series B fundraising announcement. The new funding brings the total raised to over $50M - including grant and contract funding - and will allow the company to double down on its R&D breakthroughs and expand industrial efforts, building real-world solutions for end users. About Phasecraft Phasecraft is the UK and U.S-based quantum algorithms company whose mission is to accelerate the practical application of quantum computing by redesigning quantum algorithms for the imperfect quantum computers of today. Phasecraft was founded in 2019 by Toby Cubitt, Ashley Montanaro, and John Morton, expert quantum scientists who have spent decades leading top research teams at UCL and the University of Bristol. Phasecraft works in partnership with leading quantum hardware companies, including Google, IBM, Quantinuum, and QuEra, academic and industry leaders, to develop high-efficiency algorithms to move quantum computing from experimental demonstrations to useful applications. Learn more: www.phasecraft.io View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303517174/en/ Contact Meredith Bell+447451298769[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. New Israel, Iran attacks across region: Latest developments in Middle East war Paris, France, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Loud blasts rocked Tehran on Tuesday even as Iran hit industrial and diplomatic targets across the Middle East and threatened to open "the gates of hell" on the United States and Israel. The conflict, started on Saturday with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, showed no sign of abating as it entered its fourth day. Here are the latest developments: - Israel targets Iran missile production - Israel's military said it struck Iranian industrial sites used to produce weapons, "particularly ballistic missiles". - Tehran airport hit - Tehran's Mehrabad airport -- located inside the capital and which mainly handles domestic flights -- was targeted by strikes, according to the Mehr news agency. - Stocks slip, oil rises - Wall Street stocks tumbled on opening, joining a global sell-off, while oil prices soared as the war disrupted supplies, with the crucial Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and energy infrastructure across the region hit. The Brent North Sea crude contract, the international benchmark, jumped to $85.12 a barrel, its highest level since July 2024. Gold and silver prices fell sharply as traders piled into bets on energy and the US dollar. - 'Large scale' blasts in Tehran - Loud explosions rocked Tehran, AFP journalists heard, with Israel's military later saying it had launched a new "large scale" wave of strikes on the capital "targeting the Iranian terror regime's infrastructure in Tehran". Iranian media said central Tehran was struck, as well as the religious city of Qom to the south, where the building used by the official body that select Iran's new supreme leader was hit. - 'Too late' for talks - US President Donald Trump said that it was "too late" for talks with Iran, writing on his Truth Social platform that Iran's "air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone" "They want to talk. I said 'Too Late!'" Trump said -- two days after saying he had agreed to talks. - Reported Israeli and Iranian tolls - Israeli authorities said at least 12 people were wounded in the latest salvo of missiles fired from Iran, including in Tel Aviv and in several sites in central Israel. Earlier, the Iranian Red Crescent said that more than 780 people have been killed nationwide in Iran since the conflict began. AFP was not in a position to verify the figure. - Strikes on Beirut - Israeli air strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs, an area where Hezbollah holds sway, with Lebanon's state news agency reporting "extensive damage to buildings". Hezbollah said it targeted a military facility in Israel in response, using rockets to hit the Maayan Baruch site. - Iran appeals to UN Security Council - Iran urged the United Nations Security Council to do its "duty" and take action to stop the war. "It can certainly act, because there is no obstacle to its action except its own will," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei. - Iran threatens foes - Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned of more intense attacks on US forces and Israel, with a spokesman telling state TV: "The gates of hell will open more and more." - Israel wants Lebanon 'buffer' - Israel ordered its forces to take control of more positions inside Lebanon to create a buffer zone. In response, the Lebanese army pulled back some of its forces after Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israeli bases. - Iran nuclear site damaged - The UN nuclear watchdog said the key Iranian nuclear site of Natanz suffered "recent damage", a day after Tehran said the underground uranium enrichment plant was attacked. "No radiological consequence expected," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a post on X. burs-pdw/rmb What we know about alleged strike on Iran school Paris, France, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Mourners gathered in the Iranian city of Minab on Tuesday for the funerals of victims of an alleged air strike at a school which Iran has blamed on Israel and the US, state media reported. Neither the US nor Israel has said it was behind the strike, although US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the Pentagon was investigating. Iranian authorities said the explosion in Minab took place on the first day of the war on Saturday and is one of the largest single losses of civilian life reported in the conflict, with Iranian officials saying 150 people were killed. AFP has been unable to access the location to independently verify the toll or the circumstances. Iranian authorities have to give explicit approval to foreign media organisations wishing to report outside Tehran. Here is what we know: - Verified footage - Footage filmed from a parking lot showed black smoke billowing from a damaged building adorned with murals featuring drawings of crayons, children and an apple. AFP has geolocated the clip to a building in Minab in Iran's southern Hormozgan province that appeared to be a school, though it has not been able to independently verify the nature of the site. AFP has confirmed the building was located in close proximity to two sites controlled by the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Shahid Absalan clinic, under the supervision of the IRGC navy's medical command, lies 238 meters (780 feet) from the site, while the Seyed al-Shohada IRGC cultural complex is 286 meters away. Minab is strategically located close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital shipping lanes, especially for oil and gas. AFP could not independently verify the date the footage from the parking lot was filmed. Iranian state television and a local official identified the site as the Shajare Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab. - What Iran says - Iran has said more than 150 people were killed in what President Masoud Pezeshkian described as US-Israeli strikes on the school near the strategic sea route of the Strait of Hormuz. According to state media, Iran on Tuesday held funerals for at least 165 people including students killed in the alleged strike. State television carried images showing a large crowd of mourners in Minab weeping over what appear to be bodies wrapped in white shrouds. Other images released by state media on Tuesday show individuals preparing coffins draped in the Iranian flag -- some bearing photographs of children. A third clip also shared by state media shows a large crowd gathered around similar caskets with a caption in Persian reading: "Prayer service for the children of Minab who perished." Another aerial image showed excavators digging out at least 100 graves at an unidentified mass burial site. AFP has been unable to independently verify the date the images were taken or access the location to verify the circumstances surrounding the events. - Pentagon investigation - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that the United States would not intentionally target a school. "The United States would not deliberately target a school. Our objectives are missiles, both the ability to manufacture them and the ability to launch them," he told reporters. The Pentagon was investigating the alleged incident, he added. - Israel not aware - For its part, Israel's military said Sunday it was not aware of any US or Israeli strike on a school. "At this point not aware of an Israeli or an American strike there... We're operating in an extremely accurate manner," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters. - Human rights group - Norway-based rights group Hengaw said it was investigating the identities of the victims. In a statement, the organisation said the Shajare Tayyebeh school was holding its morning session at the time of the incident, which reportedly had about 170 students present. The rights group said that the strike's intended targets were reportedly the nearby IRGC facilities -- a claim that AFP has not been able to independently verify. ekf/adp/rh Iraq reduces production at key oil field after Strait of Hormuz disruption Baghdad, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Iraq reduced production at a major oil field on Tuesday after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, according to an official document and oil ministry sources. The document, which was confirmed by two ministry sources, indicated that the operation manager at Iraq's Rumaila oil field ordered a reduction of "production and pumping... by 100 percent from" the south part of the field starting early Tuesday afternoon. The document stated that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused a "shortage of tankers" in Iraq's southern ports, which led to stockpiling "reaching critical levels". The ministry sources told AFP that Iraq will use its oil production for its own refineries. BP works in partnership with the state-owned Basra Oil Company in Rumaila. The oil field there produces almost a third of Iraq's output. Nearly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared it closed on Saturday, prompting several international shipping groups to halt passage through the waterway. Iraq is a founding member of the OPEC cartel, and crude oil sales make up 90 percent of the country's budget revenues. It currently exports 3.5 million barrels per day. Oil production has also been disrupted in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region due to the ongoing Middle East war. A source at an oil company in Kurdistan told AFP that most foreign oil companies have "temporarily" halted production as a precautionary measure. The Kurdistan region hosts US-led coalition troops, and its capital Erbil is home to a major US consulate complex. Since the Israel-US attack on Iran, Kurdistan has been the target of drone attacks, the majority of which were intercepted by air defences. Oil fields in Kurdistan have been hit several times in recent years in attacks blamed on Iran-backed groups. rh/amj Israel strikes Islamist group's HQ in Sidon, south Lebanon: state media Beirut, Lebanon, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Israel struck a headquarters belonging to the Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya, an ally of Hamas and Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon on Tuesday, state media reported. "The Israeli enemy carried out an air raid a short while ago, targeting a headquarters of the Jamaa Islamiya" in the coastal city, state media said. Sidon was largely spared of major Israeli attacks during the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, which a November 2024 ceasefire sought to end. The strike almost entirely destroyed a seven-storey building, according to an AFP photographer, and ambulances rushed to the scene. It caused a powerful blast in a densely populated area, as seen on local media. The Israeli military then issued an evacuation warning for another building in Sidon, saying it will hit "Hezbollah military infrastructure... in light of its prohibited attempts to rebuild its activities in the area". The Jamaa Islamiya had previously been the target of Israeli strikes in Lebanon after claiming responsibility for rocket launches towards Israel during the war between Israel and Hezbollah that began in October 2023. Last month, it accused Israel of seizing one of its officials from a town near the border. The Israeli military said that it "apprehended a senior terrorist" in the group who was then "transferred for further questioning in Israeli territory". France sends aircraft carrier amid new Israel, Iran attacks: Latest developments in Middle East war Paris, France, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 French President Emmanuel Macron ordered an aircraft carrier group to the Mediterranean in response to the widening Middle East conflict and said the US-Israel strikes on Iran were outside international law. Israel hit targets across Tehran as President Donald Trump boasted of widespread damage and said it was "too late" for talks. Here are the latest developments: - US, Israel acted 'ouside internationl law' - Macron said US and Israel had acted outside international law in attacking Iran. He ordered the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and frigates to the Mediterranean near Cyprus and said French forces had shot down drones early in the war to protect allies in the Gulf. - Israel struck 'covert' nuclear site - Israel claimed it struck an underground nuclear site on the western outskirts of Tehran where it said scientists were developing a key component for an atomic weapon. "In the site, a group of nuclear scientists operated covertly to develop a key component for nuclear weapons," Israel's military said, adding the scientists had been working at the underground location since Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites in June. - New missile salvo fired at Israel - Iran fired 'a large number of missiles and drones' at Israel, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement. Iran is ready for a long war and has yet to use its most advanced weapons, its defence ministry said. - Israel's airspace to 'gradually' reopen - Israel's transport minister said the country will gradually reopen its airspace overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. - Khamenei to be buried in Mashhad - Iranian media announced that supreme leader Ali Khamenei is to be buried in Iran's second-largest city Mashhad. No date for the burial was disclosed. - Israel to 'continue attacking Hezbollah' - Israel army chief says will continue attacking Hezbollah until it is disarmed, as the military said several projectiles had been fired from Lebanon towards Israel, adding that most were intercepted. - Iran response 'wrong strategy' - Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told state-run TV that Iran's indiscriminate bombings across Gulf states was the 'wrong strategy' and "significantly increases the risk in the region". He said the United States should limit its attacks to undermining Iran's military capabilities as forcing regime change would bring "risks" to the region. - Bushehr airport hit - US-Israeli strikes damaged the airport in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr, Iran's Mehr news agency reported. It said an Airbus plane and another aircraft, as well as the airport terminal had been damaged. - Air strike hits Iraq base of pro-Iran group - An air strike hit a military base in southern Iraq housing the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group, a source from the armed faction said. The Jurf al-Nasr base, which serves as one of the main bastions of the powerful Tehran-backed group, has been struck several times since the start of the war on Saturday. - Trump hails impact of strikes - "Just about everything's been knocked out," Trump said of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, as he met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Washington. Trump told reporters he acted to stop Iran attacking first, and "might have forced Israel's hand". - Most potential Iran leaders are dead: Trump - Trump said two waves of US-Israeli attacks on Iran had killed figures he had eyed as potential new leaders. "Most of the people we had in mind are dead," Trump said. He said the "worst case" would be "somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person". - EU and Gulf foreign ministers to talk - EU and Gulf foreign ministers will hold video talks on Thursday, officials told AFP. - Russia calls for de-escalation - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged de-escalation in a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Moscow said. - UK dispatches warship - Britain will send a warship and helicopters with anti-drone capabilities for "defensive operations" to Cyprus after a UK military base there was hit by a drone, Prime Minster Keir Starmer said. - 'Large scale' blasts in Tehran - Loud explosions rocked Tehran, with Israel's military later saying it had launched a new "large scale" wave of strikes on the capital "targeting the Iranian terror regime's infrastructure in Tehran". Iranian media said central Tehran was struck, as well as the religious city of Qom, where the building used by the official body that select Iran's new supreme leader was hit. - 'Too late' for talks - Trump said that it was "too late" for talks with Iran, writing on his Truth Social platform that Iran's "air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone" "They want to talk. I said 'Too Late!'" Trump said -- two days after saying he had agreed to talks. burs-db/tw Turkey says Iran's indiscriminate bombings is 'wrong strategy' Istanbul, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Iran's indiscriminate retaliatory attacks on targets across the Gulf states are the "wrong strategy," Turkey's top diplomat said in a televised interview on Tuesday. "Iran's bombing of Arab countries without making any distinction -- Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan - all of them - is, in my opinion, an incredibly wrong strategy," Hakan Fidan told state-run TRT HABER television. "It significantly increases the risk in the region. But from Iran's own perspective as well, it is an extremely mistaken strategy," he added. Iran has broadened its targets in its war with the United States and Israel to include infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which are American allies. Oil infrastructure came under Iranian attack in Gulf countries on Tuesday, with Qatar's state energy firm halting some production of key materials after strikes on two facilities. Fidan said most of the Gulf countries "actually worked very hard to prevent the war". "These countries had not harmed Iran, they had not opened their airspace to the attacking side, they had not allowed aircraft to take off from their territory," he said. Iran's response demonstrates how serious its threat perception has become, according to Fidan. "The underlying strategy seems to be: 'If I am going to sink, I will take the region down with me'". -'Risks'- While Iran has retaliated by aiming drones and missiles at Israel, Iraq, Jordan and the Gulf states in the hope of striking US bases and assets, Turkey has so far been spared Tehran's wrath. A majority Sunni-Muslim nation which is a member of NATO, Turkey shares a 500-kilometre (315-mile) border with Iran. On Tuesday, Fidan said that the United States should limit its attacks on Iran to degrading its military capabilities as forcing regime change would cause "risks" for the region. Attacking military targets and regime change were the two main options for the war, he said. "Moving toward the second (regime change) means introducing very different scenarios and risks for the region," he declared. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a key regional player, had previously expressed his sadness at the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Saturday's strikes along with much of the Islamic republic's leadership. "Perhaps the new leadership in Iran could adopt a more flexible stance at this point. I believe that the new leadership could, in fact, represent an opportunity to stop the war," Fidan said. The minister added that any resolution should avoid excessively humiliating Iran while still addressing the concerns of other parties. "Otherwise, the prolongation of the war itself will lead to consequences far worse than any concessions that might be made," he said. Trump threatens Spain ties over Iran war refusal Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 US President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to sever all trade with Spain after it refused to let US planes use its bases to attack Iran, while also lashing out at Britain for not cooperating more. Spain's left-wing government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of Europe's most defiant leaders against Trump, has said that bases long used by US forces could only be allowed for activities consistent with the United Nations Charter. "Spain has been terrible," Trump told reporters as he met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. He also pointed to Sanchez's refusal to join NATO allies in a pledge to boost defense spending to five percent of GDP, a level pushed by Trump who says the United States bears too much of a burden. "So we're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump said, adding that he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings with Spain." It remains unclear what power Trump would have to "end" trade with Spain, after the Supreme Court struck down his use of emergency powers to impose arbitrary tariffs. Musing on the legalities, the 79-year-old property tycoon turned president said, "I could tomorrow stop -- or today, even better -- stop everything having to do with Spain, all business." "I have the right to... do anything I want with it," he said. The Spanish government quickly responded that it had a "mutually beneficial" trading relationship with the United States and other countries. "If the US administration wishes to review this relationship, it must do so while respecting the autonomy of private companies, international law and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the US," it said. "Our country has the necessary resources to contain possible impacts, help sectors that may be affected, and diversify supply chains." Sanchez has called for dialogue to end the war on Iran, saying that "One can oppose a hateful regime and at the same time oppose an unjustified and dangerous military intervention." Sanchez is also an outspoken critic of Israel, accusing it of carrying out genocide in its massive military operation in Gaza, an assertion Israel denies. US forces use the Rota naval base and Moron air base in Spain. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, Spain, then under conservative prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, staunchly backed the United States. - 'Not happy' with Britain - Britain, a steadfast ally of the United States throughout the two World Wars and in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, also decided not to join the assault on Iran. "I'm not happy with the UK," Trump said, as he added of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with." Starmer said US fighter jets could use two UK air bases -- one in Gloucestershire in western England and the other at the joint UK-US Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean -- for a "specific and limited defensive purpose." But Starmer said the United States was not authorized to use UK bases in Cyprus, one of which was struck by an Iranian-made drone. "It's taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land," Trump said in apparent reference to Diego Garcia. "There would have been much more convenient landing there, as opposed to flying many extra hours." Trump, after a series of flip-flops, has denounced Starmer for agreeing to return the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base and whose people were expelled by Britain, to Mauritius, and instead to lease the base. "I will say the UK has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have," Trump said. US sends charter flights to help Americans leave Mideast war area Washington, United States, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 The United States said Tuesday that it had arranged charter flights to help Americans leave the Middle East after Washington joined Israel in attacking Iran. US officials have helped arrange charter flights from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates "and will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions allow," the State Department said. It said that more than 9,000 Americans have returned from the Middle East since the United States and Israel started the war on Saturday, with more than 300 of them from Israel. The State Department on Monday urged Americans in all of the Middle East from Egypt eastward to leave commercially for their own safety, though airports are shut down or operating at sharply reduced capacity across much of the region. Fire contained near Dubai's US consulate after drone attack: govt Dubai, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 A drone attack caused a fire near the US consulate in Dubai on Tuesday, a government statement said, after the US embassy in Riyadh was hit by an Iranian strike. Nearby residents told AFP they heard a loud bang, and one person said she then saw a fire at the consulate. Dubai and other Gulf cities have been under bombardment since Saturday. "Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained," the Dubai Media Office posted on X. Streets around the area were cordoned off, while police in plain clothes shooed away onlookers trying to see the consulate. Earlier, loud jet sounds could be heard over Dubai, the Middle East commercial hub. The attack came after two drones sparked a small fire at the US embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh in the early hours of Tuesday, the Saudi defence ministry said. The US embassy in Kuwait City was struck by drones on Monday, three diplomatic sources told AFP. An AFP correspondent saw smoke pouring out of the building. DOHA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Qatar affirmed on Tuesday that it remains fully prepared to confront ongoing security challenges, warning that violations of its sovereignty will draw a firm response, following what officials described as a serious escalation involving missile and aerial attacks targeting multiple locations across the country. Speaking during his weekly press conference, Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Qatar has demonstrated that it cannot be intimidated and continues to maintain complete operational readiness. His remarks came after the Ministry of Defense announced the downing of two Iranian Sukhoi fighter jets and the interception of several ballistic missiles and drones. Al-Ansari stated that the two Iranian fighter aircraft were warned before being shot down over the waters of the Arabian Gulf, adding that efforts are underway to determine the status of their crews. He stressed that such attacks will not pass unanswered. He noted that Qatar had not received any prior notification from Iran regarding the missile strikes, characterizing the incident as a dangerous escalation. According to Al-Ansari, the attack included missiles directed toward Al Udeid Air Base, along with attempts to strike other sites, including Hamad International Airport. He emphasized that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted incoming threats. The Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said Qatar has full coordination with regional and international partners, noting that communication and cooperation with U.S. forces stationed in Qatar remains strong. According to Al-Ansari, U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss developments and express support. He said that no direct communication is currently taking place between Qatar and Iran. He noted that once sovereignty is violated in such a manner, all options remain available to the Qatari leadership. In response to a question from Xinhua regarding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, Al-Ansari confirmed that LNG output has been temporarily suspended following a military attack on QatarEnergy's operational facilities in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan. He stated that the decision was taken as a precaution to ensure the safety of personnel and infrastructure after the strike on key production and processing sites. The spokesperson said that while Qatar chooses dialogue whenever possible, it will decisively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He added that when conditions allow for constructive engagement, Qatar will participate, though safeguarding the nation remains paramount amid escalating threats. Khamenei to be buried in holy city of Mashhad: Iranian media Tehran, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, the Fars news agency said Tuesday. Khamenei, who led the country for 36 years, was killed at 86 during a wave of US-Israeli attacks on Saturday. He was originally from Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, where his father is buried at the Imam Reza shrine. Before the burial, a "large farewell ceremony" will be held in Tehran, the Revolutionary Guards said on their Telegram account. No date for the burial was disclosed. After Khamenei's death, power was entrusted to a three-man interim council until the Assembly of Experts elects his successor. It includes the president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council, the body that oversees legislation and vets electoral candidates. Fars, citing an official familiar with the process, reported that "for security reasons", the assembly's final meeting could be postponed until after Khamenei's burial. Iranian media said the building housing the 88-member body in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, was hit Tuesday by US-Israeli strikes. Its main headquarters in the Iranian capital was also struck the day before. Israeli airspace to 'gradually' reopen overnight Wednesday-Thursday: minister Jerusalem, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Israel's transport minister said the country will gradually reopen its airspace overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, after it was closed to civilian flights as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The initial approved flights will be to repatriate Israelis, a transport ministry spokesperson told AFP, adding that there will be no departures for now. "The airspace will reopen gradually starting already on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, and of course subject to security developments," Miri Regev said during a press conference at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. The reopening had initially been scheduled for next week but was moved up "following security assessments with professional and security experts," Regev said. Sharon Kedmi, director general of the Israel Airports Authority, told reporters the re-opening will begin "very cautiously, with one aircraft per hour during the first 24 hours -- a narrow-body aircraft." "After 24 hours, if everything works as planned, we will increase to two narrow-body aircraft per hour or one wide-body aircraft," he added. Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights Saturday after announcing the launch of a campaign of "preventive strikes" against Iran together with the US. Midnight struck again in Reykjavik, when the sun seemed to be setting and rising at the same time. At the very top of the hotel is The Roof, a panoramic bar that feels purpose-built for the occasion. From here, the city stretched out below like a map: the formidable silhouette of Hallgrimskirkja rising above the streets, Harpa Concert Hall shimmering on the harbours edge, and the looming majesty of Mt. Esja across the water. Cocktails are inspired by Icelandic themes, from Basalt a vodka, raspberry, and vanilla skyr creation to Aurora, made with blue gin, cucumber, basil, and citrus. Over a supposed nightcap, I immersed myself in the quiet energy of Reykjavik and its understated beauty. Few places in the world, let alone Europe, offer such serenity at the height of summer; in Iceland, that stillness arrives in abundance. 'You're right to worry about your bills and jobs,' Starmer tells Britain on Trump Iran war economic threat 'You're right to worry about bills and jobs,' PM tells UK on Trump war 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 But factoring in the high volumes of normal daily traffic and the high capacity of aircraft such as the A380 and the Boeing 777, plus the fact that other flights covering similar routes operate at high occupancy, then it will certainly be quite a period of time which would likely run into weeks. BARCELONA, Spain, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese acrobatic troupe wrapped up its performances on Monday at a major international circus festival held in Spain. At the International Circus Festival Gold Elephant in Girona, northeastern Spain, held from Feb. 26 to March 2, the Jiangsu Yancheng Jianhu Acrobatic Troupe impressed audiences with a dazzling blend of precision, rhythm and mid-air acrobatics. Their program, featuring teeterboard and trampoline acts, sent performers into synchronized flips and rapid aerial rotations, drawing audible gasps and prolonged applause. One segment featured two artists juggling umbrellas -- a classic element of Chinese acrobatics -- blending technical difficulty with theatrical flair. Gao Yuanjie, one of the performers, said he felt nervous at first but was encouraged by the audience's enthusiastic response. "For me, performing in Europe for the first time is very meaningful," Gao said. Jianhu, a county in Yancheng City in east China's Jiangsu Province, is widely regarded as one of the birthplaces of the southern school of Chinese acrobatics. Listed as part of China's national intangible cultural heritage, Jiangsu acrobatics continue to evolve while preserving their traditional essence. Asked whether the UKs assessment was that there was not a legal basis for the initial military action over the weekend, Mr Jones said: We were not involved in the first wave because it didnt meet the test the Prime Ministers set out, whereas what we have agreed to this week is legal, because what were doing is defensive action to protect British citizens in the region, of whom there are over 300,000 across the area. But before that we took the material away, the material was identified as contaminated so we then had to deal with getting rid of contaminated material and then Covid happened so we had to pause and then unfortunately Noah happened. We will always be deeply sorry: for the unimaginable harm done to Sarah, for the trauma endured by her family who have shown extraordinary dignity in the face of unbearable grief and for the profound damage inflicted on the trust Londoners should be able to place in their police service. WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Argentina have agreed to deepen cooperation to boost business, education and people-to-people links, a New Zealand government statement said Tuesday. The statement was released after New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters met with Argentine President Javier Milei while leading a parliamentary and business delegation through Latin America. Peters said the discussions highlighted shared efforts by both countries to make their economies more efficient "in order to deliver more jobs and higher living standards through export growth." The discussions "demonstrated our growing business, education and people-to-people links with Argentina, while stressing our joint commitment to open, rules-based trade," the statement quoted Peters as saying. The parliamentary and business delegation visited Argentina's National Congress, and held talks with its New Zealand Parliamentary Friendship Group. Rhyma Castillo is a trending reporter for the Express-News and a member of its Digital Go Team. She can be reached at Rhyma.Castillo@express-news.net. A native of San Antonio and a Texas A&M University graduate, she is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. She has reported on politics, immigration, climate change, gun violence, and workers rights. Additionally, she excels in lifestyle and entertainment writing, covering music, television, video games, technology, and relationships. In her free time, she enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, hiking, climbing, gardening, playing video games, cuddling with her cats, and making music with her band. Julianna Duennes Russ is a breaking and trending news reporter at the Austin American-Statesman. She covered business as a Dow Jones intern for the San Antonio Express-News and has bylines with the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She holds Bachelors degrees in journalism, international affairs and comparative literature from the University of Georgia, where she also earned a certificate in sports media. When shes not writing, you can find Julianna strolling Zilker Park or cuddling with her orange cat, Colby. Reach out to her at julianna.russ@statesman.com with news or notes. AUSTIN, TEXAS - DECEMBER 8: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference at the Governor's Mansion on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025 in Austin. Governor Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Patrick announced a new effort to encourage the increase of the number of Turning Point USA chapters in Texas schools. (Photo by Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images) Austin American-Statesman/Hearst/The Austin American-Statesman vi Abbott is seeking a fourth term. Texas has not elected a Democratic governor since Ann Richards, whose term lasted from 1991 to 1995. As the state heads into the primaries, voters will see a range of candidates. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here are the Democratic and Republican candidates running in the Texas primaries. Who are the Democratic candidates in the primary race for Texas governor? Of the nine Democratic primary candidates, only three are polling above 5%, with one clearly ahead of the pack, according to a recent poll from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who represents a significant portion of Austin and Travis County, is polling at 37%, about 30 points ahead of the next candidate. As the likely nominee, she was only 7 points behind in a general election poll by the Hobby School. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democratic candidate for governor Gina Hinojosa speaks at Democratic Senate candidate James Talaricos campaign event at El Palacio Event Center in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Hinojosa is a five-term Democratic state representative from House District 49, which spans central Austin and includes the University of Texas at Austin. At the Capitol, she sits on the House Public Education and Business & Industry committees and has chaired the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Her campaign pitch is heavily kitchen-table: public schools, health care costs and day-to-day affordability. On her policy page, she argues Texas should crack down on profit-over-patients practices including private equity ownership in health care while also taking direct aim at insurance and drug costs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hinojosa has also tried to frame her candidacy as the best-positioned Democratic challenge to the incumbent Abbott and shes backed that up with a mix of endorsements and fundraising claims. Chris Bell is a former congressman, Houston City Council member and Democratic nominee for governor. Hes using that experience as a selling point in his campaign for U.S. Senate. [RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AMERICAN-STATESMAN] Austin American-Statesman Chris Bell served on the Houston City Council before winning a term in Congress from 20032005, then later became the Democratic nominee for governor in 2006. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This cycle, Bell is running on a familiar anti-corruption lane; hes framed Abbott-era politics as pay-to-play and has centered his case on cleaning up state government while boosting public education and tackling rising costs. His campaign biography leans hard into his watchdog origin story a University of Texas journalism alumnus who worked in broadcast news before becoming an attorney and he positions that background as the reason hes comfortable going after entrenched power. Bobby Cole is a retired firefighter, cattleman and poultry producer an East Texas-rooted candidate making a working-class pitch in a primary dominated by better-known political names. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He is running with an emphasis on property taxes and public education, aiming to connect with rural and small-town voters who feel priced out or overlooked. His issues page lists populist reforms like raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers ability to organize, and legalizing marijuana. Other Democratic candidates: Here is a list of the remaining candidates: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Patricia Abrego Carlton Hart Jose Navarro Balbuena Zach Vance Angela Villescaz Andrew White (ended his campaign in early January, but will appear on the March ballot) Whos running against Greg Abbott in 2026? The Republican primary candidates HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 9: Gov. Greg Abbott announces his re-election campaign for Texas governor in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Abbott is seeking a historic fourth term, which would position him to become the longest-serving governor in Texas history, surpassing the 14 years served by Rick Perry. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Abbott is expected to be the Republican nominee in the 2026 gubernatorial election. He has served as governor since 2015, and Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in more than 30 years. With more than $100 million in campaign funds, he holds a significant financial advantage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Abbott faces 10 challengers in the Republican primary. The winner of that race will face the Democratic nominee in November. While Abbott remains sternly in the lead, the Republican primary candidates challenging him are: R.F. Achgill Evelyn Brooks Pete Chambers Charles Crouch Arturo Espinosa Mark Goloby Kenneth Hyde Stephen Samuelson Ronnie Tullos Nathaniel Welch An FBI agent investigates the scene on West 6th Street at West Avenue following a shooting on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman Law enforcement authorities on Monday offered scant additional details about the shooter suspected of killing two college students and injuring 14 others early Sunday on a bar-lined strip of West Sixth Street. But public records and interviews paint a picture of an elusive man who investigators say may have operated as a lone terrorist. At a news briefing Monday, an FBI official said Ndiaga Diagne, 53, had not been on the agencys radar before the attack, while Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said only that he appeared to have purchased the guns he used in the attack legally in 2017 in San Antonio. Neither speculated about Diagnes motive though the attack is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Diagnes path to Austin began in 2000, when he came to the U.S. on a visa from his native Senegal, the westernmost country in West Africa. He became a legal permanent resident in 2006 through marriage and a naturalized citizen in 2013. Public records show Diagne married a woman, Aissatou Savare, in March 2012, and moved to San Antonio from the Bronx in New York in 2017. The couple settled into a two-story, middle-class home in the Candlewood Park subdivision in northeast San Antonio, online records show. They separated more than seven years later, in October 2019, according to court records. Savare did not respond to phone calls requesting comment. Law enforcement and federal investigators carried out a search warrant at a home in Pflugerville, Texas, on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman In 2020, Diagne moved to a more modest home located nearby in the 4000 block of Indian Sunrise, also in northeast San Antonio. He was never listed as an owner of that residence or any other in Bexar County, property records show. 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 Savare, who worked at one time as a Texas real estate agent, filed for divorce from Diagne in Bexar County in March 2022, according to court records. Savare retained an attorney to represent her during the divorce, but Diagne did not and instead chose to represent himself, online records show. In the divorce petition, Savares lawyer said Diagne was guilty of cruel treatment toward petitioner of a nature that renders further living together insupportable. Diagne responded to the divorce petition in a two-page handwritten letter, filed with the court on March 28, 2022. In the letter, he accused Savare of refusing to let him see their two sons. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I totally disagree and quite frankly feel insulted by the many false statements in the filing, Diagne wrote. The only reason I am here is out of care and mercy for my ex-wife or about to be ex-wife, because she knows full well in our culture and religion we do not need a marriage certificate to be husband and wife. The divorce was finalized in September 2022, according to Bexar County records, which indicate the couples two sons are now 9 and 12 years old. That same year, records show Diagne was arrested related to damage to a vehicle. Until about a year ago, Diagne lived in a modest residential area in Northeast San Antonio, according to a neighbor. The home is in the 4000 block of Indian Sunrise, a neighborhood of one-story wood-frame houses in a mixed industrial-residential part of the city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Monday, a folding chair was positioned outside the front door of Diagnes former residence. On the chair was a Ruko security camera equipped with a speaker. When a reporter knocked on the door, a male voice said through the speaker, Get off the property. A neighbor who lives across the street said Diagne moved out of the house about a year ago, and that the current occupants have no connection to him. Its unclear why Diagne moved to the Austin area. Broken glass and a boarded-up patio door are seen at the home of Austin mass shooting suspect Ndiaga Diagne at the Eastridge Apartments in Del Valle on Monday, March 2, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman On Sunday, law enforcement breached a home in Pflugerville as part of their investigation. They also breached a unit at a sprawling apartment complex in Del Valle, where Diagne is believed to have lived most recently. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Residents of neighboring units in Del Valle are still in disbelief that their community might be connected to such a shocking incident. John Santana, a resident for the past year, was preparing to move out Sunday when a law enforcement operation involving local and federal officials began unfolding outside his door around 9:45 a.m. I couldnt see the whole thing, but I heard APD, FBI here, open up, Santana told the American-Statesman Monday. Santana said that he and his roommate stepped out onto their balcony to see what was going on but were quickly ordered to go inside by FBI officials. About 90 minutes later, Santana reported hearing what he described as law enforcement breaking a window and the sound of officers pulling the door off its hinges. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The heavy law enforcement activity came as a shock to Santana, who described the Southeast Travis County apartment community about one mile from Del Valle High School as normally quiet and peaceful. Santana said law enforcement would occasionally respond to what seemed like domestic disputes at the property, but he had never witnessed an operation on the scale of what officials executed Sunday morning. I just cant believe that happened here, Santana said. San Antonio Express-News reporter Sig Christenson contributed to this report. Dawson Elementary School, Feb. 8. 2026. Dawson is one of ten schools slated to close at the end of the 2025/26 school year. The district has tentatively marked the school as a "surplus" property. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman The Austin Independent School District plans to find new non-education uses for five of the 10 campuses slated for closure this summer, but district administrators say they havent yet determined what theyll do with the properties. District officials hope new life for the properties will generate funding that will help the district offset future spending and reduce the likelihood of any future budget deficits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad District officials have tentatively selected Becker, Dawson, Ridgetop, Sunset Valley, and Widen elementary schools as surplus, along with a 28-acre portion of the property around Bedichek Middle School. Declaring a property surplus requires a school board vote. The five campuses selected are part of a group of 10 that trustees voted in November to close as part of an effort to tackle a decades-long decline in enrollment and a $65 million budget deficit. Officials expect to end the school year with a $49 million deficit. Declaring a property surplus doesnt mean that the district intends to sell it, said Jaime Miller, senior executive director of operations. Instead, the status means that the district wont use it for education. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source That could mean selling the campus properties, but a sale would only bring a one-time cash infusion for the district, Miller said. Repurposing a property could also mean finding some new use, such as the project at the old Anita Ferrales Coy site in East Austin where the NRP Group plans to build affordable housing in partnership with AISD. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The housing project is an example of the kind of revenue-generating projects AISD officials would like to invest in, Miller said. Thats our hope is that some of these (properties) become great opportunities to serve the community and generate revenue, Miller said. The Anita Coy project doesnt take a single dollar away from students. It generates revenue thats not subject to recapture. Theres other ideas out there too. Recapture, sometimes called Robin Hood, pulls funds from school districts with high property values like Austin and redistributes the money to other Texas school districts that cant raise enough funding locally to educate their students. The system typically takes half of Austin ISDs property tax revenue. The district plans to find a future use for each property by scoring them on a rubric that considers community feedback, market value, the buildings condition, historical relevance and zoning and land use. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres no specific timeline for determining the properties' next use, but Miller wants to find a balance of urgency and diligence, she said. It would be fiscally irresponsible to sit and sit on these properties, Miller said. The district plans to continue using at least four of the closed schools for purposes directly related to education, Miller said. Barrington Elementary may be used as extra space for students and staff while nearby Wooldridge Elementary undergoes renovations funded by the districts 2022 $2.4 billion bond. Winn Montessori School will serve the same purpose while nearby Andrews Elementary is remodeled. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bedichek Middle will be used by the special education department to host programming for students ages 18 and up at Rosedale School, which caters to students with significant special needs. Martin Middle School, which was undergoing a $61.4 million bond renovation, will need additional construction to make the campus secure, according to the district. Portions of the campus will be used to stage equipment and furniture during the shifts caused by school closures and bond projects. AISD officials have said they want to work with community members to determine the long-term use of Martin and Bedichek middle schools. The district also plans to combine students from Blackshear and Oak Springs elementary schools but hasnt yet announced which building will house the students moving forward. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district also has several other properties that havent been used as schools in at least six years. AISD may use those spaces for other purposes or sell the properties. These schools include Sims, Metz and Brooke elementaries in East Austin and Pease Elementary in Central Austin, all of which were closed in 2019. The Pease building requires renovations to reopen the building as a childcare center operated by the nonprofit United Way, but construction likely wont begin until at least the fall, Miller said. Next year, Sims will house the districts alternative learning center, which serves students with greater discipline needs. The center is currently operating out of Mendez Middle School, but the Dove Springs middle school campus will likely gain more students next year from rezoning caused by Bedichek Middles closure. With the added students, the school will need all of its available space, the district has said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Metz has been and will continue to be used as by administrative staff and community partners, like the Native American Cultural Center. A voter heads into the Ben Hur Shrine polling place in Austin as early voting begins for the March primary elections in Texas, Feb. 17, 2026. Voters can cast their ballots to decide who represents Republicans and Democrats in the November midterm elections. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman A rare mix of competitive races up and down the ballot has voters turning up to the polls in droves ahead of Tuesdays primary election, which will set match-ups in the high-stakes midterms in November. Voters will decide if U.S. Sen. John Cornyn gets to keep the seat hes held for more than two decades and which candidates will likely take a slew of redrawn congressional seats meant to give Republicans an edge. The races could decide control of Congress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad TEXAS VOTER GUIDE 2026: What's on the ballot in Austin on March 3? Plus, there are multiple statewide office openings for the first time in more than a decade. And voters will decide who will challenge Gov. Greg Abbott as he seeks a record fourth term in office. Here are the key races. U.S. Senate After more than two decades in the U.S. Senate, John Cornyns political career hangs in the balance. 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 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has led most of the public polling leading into the election, as he campaigns on a Make America Great Again platform that seeks to paint the more establishment Cornyn as out of touch. Further complicating Cornyns path to reelection is U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston, whose campaign has focused attention on Cornyns 74-years of age. The primary is expected to be one of the tightest statewide races in recent history, with most political observers predicting it will go to a runoff. On the Democratic side, two of the partys fastest-rising stars are facing off in a race that has largely been a contrast of styles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a 44-year-old former public defender, has cast herself as a partisan fighter who is unafraid to go toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. State Rep. James Talarico, a 36-year-old former middle school teacher in San Antonio, skyrocketed to national fame last year by leaning into his Christian faith and warning that Republicans are trying to use religion as a wedge by pushing such legislation as requiring public schools to post placards of the Ten Commandments. Attorney General The race for attorney general has become one of the most closely watched elections this cycle after Ken Paxton opted to leave the job to run for U.S. Senate, opening up the seat for the first time in more than a decade. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A crowded field of candidates is vying for the job and raising eye-popping totals. It's become the second-most expensive race for political ad spending in Texas after the contest for U.S. Senate. On the Republican side, state Sens. Joan Huffman and Mayes Middleton, former DOJ official and former Paxton aide Aaron Reitz, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy are competing. Public polling has shown Roy ahead, but more recent surveys indicate Middleton is gaining ground. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, for whom both Roy and Reitz worked as chief of staff, is backing Roy, while Reitz nabbed his own major endorsement from Paxton. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Democrats gunning for a chance to be the states top lawyer include former federal prosecutor and FBI agent Tony Box; lawyer, mediator and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski; and lawyer and state Sen. Nathan Johnson. Jaworski and Johnson have emerged as early leaders, but many voters were still undecided, public polling showed. Comptroller The fight to run Texas top financial agency features an expensive GOP brawl. Gov. Greg Abbott is backing his ally Kelly Hancock, who is currently serving as acting comptroller, against former state Sen. Don Huffines, an antagonist of the governors who has lined up support from grassroots activists. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick is running, as well, with support from the oil and gas industries. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin appears to be the favorite for her partys nomination and faces former Houston ISD trustee Savant Moore and Houston resident Michael Lange. The winner will have an outsized role in Abbotts property tax-slashing agenda should he win a fourth term in office. They will also oversee the states new $1 billion private school voucher program. Agriculture Commissioner Three-term incumbent Sid Miller is battling beekeeper and entrepreneur Nate Sheets, who has the endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott and several Republican lawmakers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Miller, a onetime rodeo champion, has won the endorsement of President Donald Trump, who made his choice known in a social media post after his visit to Corpus Christi on Friday. Congressional District 31 U.S. Rep. John Carter of Georgetown is facing a crowded field of Republican primary challengers, including a one-time TV pitchman as he pushes for a 13th term in Congress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Carter has President Donald Trump's "complete and total endorsement. Supporter Victoria Lyons (center) and others waits for Congressman Jasmine Crockett who is expected to give a speech later during an election night watch party at Club Vivo in downtown Dallas, March 3, 2026. Crockett is running for US Senate against State Rep. James Talarico. Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Longtime Travis County Precinct 2 Commissioner Brigid Shea, center, celebrates her commanding lead in the Democratic primary Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Austin Sanders Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico addresses supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters cheer for Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Supporters wait for an appearance from Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters watch election results at Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talaricos election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters watch election results at Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talaricos election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters wait for an appearance from Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters cheer during MS Now reporter Jacob Soboroffs live broadcast at at Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talaricos election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Varun Prasad waits for Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico to speak at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico addresses supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters wait for an appearance from Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico addresses supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Bruce Ney cheers for Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters cheer for Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Lesa Haney, left, Beth Fuston, right, and supporters react to election results at Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talaricos election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Supporters listen as Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Campaign material for Gov. Greg Abbott at his primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott greets Cassidy Schnoor, center, Chair of the Young Conservatives of Texas, and Derrick Wilson, Chair of the Texas Young Republicans, before speaking at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to an active polling station at the Ben Hur Shriners Ballroom in north Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to cast their votes and take part in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman People wait in line to vote in the primary election at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Voters will decide which candidates will represent the Democratic and Republican parties on the ballot in the November general election. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Voters exit the polls at St. Edwards University in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman People wait in line to vote in the primary election at the Randalls grocery store on Brodie Lane in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Voters will decide which candidates will represent the Democratic and Republican parties on the ballot in the November general election. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman A voter exits the polls at South Austin Recreation Center in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to active polling stations on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Ariel Hernandez, a recent graduate of the University of Texas, takes notes on candidates as she waits in line to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to an active polling station at the Ben Hur Shriners Ballroom in north Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to cast their votes and take part in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students walk past election signs as campus becomes a polling place in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Scott Bredensteiner, a voter in central Texas, leaves an active polling station in Pflugerville, Texas after casting his vote on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to take part in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Samantha Lopez Resendez, a Democratic candidate for Texas House District 50, holds a campaign sign as voters arrive at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center on Election Day in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Voters are deciding which candidates will represent the Democratic and Republican parties on the ballot in the November general election. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Voters head to the polls at South Austin Recreation Center in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students walk past election signs as campus becomes a polling place in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Voters head to the polls at South Austin Recreation Center in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Randall Slagle and his son holds a sign to guide incoming voters as they head to active polling station in Pflugerville, Texas on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to cast their votes and participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to an active polling station at the Ben Hur Shriners Ballroom in north Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to cast their votes and take part in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Herve Picherit, a University of Texas French Professor, reads a book in line to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to active polling stations on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman Voter James Y. Bryce leaves an active polling station at the Ben Hur Shriners Ballroom in north Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, after casting his vote to participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas head to active polling stations on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman Voters in central Texas make their way to an active polling station in Pflugerville on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to cast their votes and participate in the democratic process. Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman University of Texas students and community members line up to vote in the Texas Primary Election in the Union Building on campus, March 3, 2026. This primary election will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for positions up and down the ballot running in the midterm elections this November. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a primary election night event hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Young Republicans at Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill in Austin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Abbott is seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Members of the press sets up their equipment before state Rep. James Talaricos election night watch party as he runs for the democratic U.S. Senate candidacy in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he will face a run-off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican primary election, March 3, 2026 at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Scott Bredensteiner, a voter in central Texas, leaves an active polling station in Pflugerville, Texas after casting his vote on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to take part in the democratic process. Faith Bugenhagen Texans have cast their ballots to determine which party nominees will run for some of the states highest offices. These positions include the U.S. Senate, Texas attorney general, key congressional seats and numerous state posts. Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Travis County participates in the states Countywide Polling Place Program, which allows registered voters to cast a ballot at any poll in their county of residence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 2026 Texas primary live results tracker: Updates may slow overnight. Follow the latest updates from the Texas primary election: In the battle between two of the Democratic Partys fastest rising stars, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas in Tuesday's primary election and will carry his partys high hope heading to the fall campaign. 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 The Associated Press called the race around 1:38 a.m. Wednesday. Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Incumbent Gregory Klaus has defeated Donald Loucks to win the Republican primary for Bastrop County judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Klaus won 5,602 votes, or 65%, to Loucks' 3,176 votes, or 36%. Klaus will again face Dock Jackson, the only Democrat vying for the position, in November. This is the second time in four years that Klaus and Loucks have run against each other to be the Republican nominee for county judge. In 2022, Klaus received 55% of the vote to defeat Loucks in a GOP primary runoff in May before being elected county judge by winning the general election in November against Jackson. Claire Osborn Incumbent Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea declared victory in the Precinct 2 Democratic primary Tuesday night after early returns showed she held a commanding lead in a four-way race. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I feel great and I feel exhausted, Shea said in an interview at an election night watch party where she snapped photos with supporters. We have two-thirds of the early vote, which is a strong indication of how we campaigned and the support we received. Shea, a political stalwart, faced three challengers: civil rights attorney Amanda Marzullo, public health policy consultant Rick Astray-Caneda III and high school senior Reese Armstrong. Austin Sanders Advertisement Article continues below this ad David McDonald is leading a three-way race to be the Republican nominee for the Precinct 2 seat on the Williamson County Commissioners Court with nearly 48% of the early votes. Jeffrey Mayes is second with nearly 28%, and Rupal Chaudhari had almost 25%. The trio are are vying to succeed Commissioner Cynthia Long, a fellow Republican who is not seeking re-election after serving five terms. She was first elected in 2007. A candidate would be need to win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. Claire Osborn Advertisement Article continues below this ad Williamson County spokesperson Connie Odom said officials could not say when the final voting results from Tuesday's elections would be announced. She said election workers would be counting votes all night but could not estimate how long that would take because of the new way the county is tabulating the Republican ballots. She said the votes must be counted within 24 hours of the polls closing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Republican Party had voters place their ballot in separate boxes for each precinct, with multiple precincts voting at one location. Odom said it is likely that at least some voters will place their ballot in the wrong ballot box. She said each precinct must be reconciled with the number of voters and the ballots cast, which will take time. Claire Osborn In a stunning upset, beekeeper and businessman Nate Sheets was on track to unseat three-term Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in Tuesday's Republican primary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sheets, a 56-year-old Navy veteran, had the backing of Gov. Greg Abbott in a rare internal GOP dustup with an entrenched incumbent who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. He declared victory in a post on X late Tuesday night, though the race had not been called. "While a few votes remain to be counted, the direction of this race is clear," Sheets said. "Texans are ready for new leadership, and we are ready to get to work." John C. Moritz David Heath said he waited three hours to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday night at Northstar Georgetown, a retirement community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said he had never previously waited that long to vote in Georgetown and didnt like having to vote within his precinct instead of being allowed to vote at any location in the county. I feel like this is voter intimidation, he said. Heath said he watched several people walk away from the poll without voting because of the long lines. He said he was voting for the first-time as a Democrat because Trump doesnt care about middle-class people. Vanessa Gruhlke and her husband Dustin Gruhkle said they also waited three hours Tuesday night to vote at Northstar. A line of about 200 people snaked out of the retirement center and around a pool when they arrived shortly before 6 p.m., they said. David Gruhkle said he hadnt waited that long to vote in the 10 years hes been in Georgetown. It usually just takes 10 minutes to get in and out, he said. This is dumb. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Laura Giovannetti, a Round Rock resident, said her husband went to the wrong location to vote because he didnt realize that Williamson County voters werent allowed to cast their ballots except in their precincts. She said she had to wait an hour and a half to cast her ballot at the Baca Center after arriving to vote at 5 p.m. She said there should have been better communication about where people were supposed to vote. People were waiting to vote in the Democratic primary in a line several hundred feet long outside the Baca Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Republican primary was at the same polling location but there was no wait for Republicans, said a poll worker. Cortez James, one of the people waiting in line at the Baca Center to vote in the Democratic primary, had just a few words to describe the situation. It sucks, he said. Neil McCaskey, who also was waiting in line to vote at the Baca Center, said having to vote by precinct instead of countywide was a way to disenfranchise voters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One Republican voting location in Round Rock at the Randalls grocery store on Gattis School Road was done with voting by 7 p.m., according to a poll worker. Claire Osborn Incumbent Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea declared victory in the Precinct 2 Democratic primary Tuesday night after early returns showed she held a commanding lead in a four-way race. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shea, a political stalwart, faced three challengers: civil rights attorney Amanda Marzullo, public health policy consultant Rick Astray-Caneda III and high school senior Reese Armstrong. Marzullo was the clear runner-up in early returns, accruing just under one-third of the vote in early returns. Armstrong, who had accrued 5% support, said Shea's decision to declare victory was premature and that there were "more than enough" Election Day votes to swing the final result. Austin Sanders Allison Bush and Stephanie Limon Bazan appear headed to a runoff to become the Democratic candidate for District 5 on the Texas State Board of Education, according to incomplete and unofficial results. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bush and Limon Bazan remained neck-and-neck for most of the night. By 10:37 p.m., Bush had 37% and Limon Bazan had 21% of the more than 150,100 votes cast, according to incomplete and unofficial results. Limon Bazan, a former St. Edwards University professor who works with nonprofits, and Bush, a former teacher who has served in top roles in education foundations at Bastrop and Pflugerville independent school districts, rose to the top of a crowded six-candidate field in the Democratic primary. The winner of a May 26 runoff will face Mica Arellano who ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Keri Heath Former state Sen. Don Huffines won the GOP primary for comptroller on Tuesday, making the conservative firebrand the Republican nominee to lead an agency with vast influence over the states finances, as well as the new private school voucher program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Huffines defeated acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who was endorsed and supported by Gov. Greg Abbott, and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin won the Democratic primary. She has campaigned on watchdogging the state budget and opposes the private school voucher program. Isaac Yu With 15 of 16 voting centers reporting, incumbent Gregory Klaus is poised to defeat Donald Loucks to win the Republican primary for Bastrop County judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Klaus was winning 64% of the vote to Loucks' 36%. The winner will face off against Dock Jackson, the only Democrat vying for the position, in November. This is second time in four years that Klaus and Loucks have run against each other to be the Republican nominee for Bastrop County judge. In 2022, Klaus received 55% of the vote to defeat Loucks in a GOP primary runoff in May before being elected county judge by winning the general election in November against Jackson. Klaus, 75, is a Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War. He previously owned an air-conditioning and heating business. During the campaign, he touted his experience as county judge. Im familiar with county operations, budgeting and working with the Commissioners Court and other departments, he said. Claire Osborn Advertisement Article continues below this ad Allison Bush took a lead over Stephanie Limon Bazan in the race for the Democratic nomination for the District 5 seat on the Texas State Board of Education, according to early and unofficial results. The two lead four other candidates. Bush had 37% of the votes and Limon Bazan had 21% of the votes, according to incomplete and unofficial results. The vast majority of the more than 147,400 votes cast come from people who early voted, according to Texas Secretary of State. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As of 10:15 p.m., only nine of the 554 precincts that make up District 5 had reported. District 5 covers Travis, Bastrop, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe and Blanco counties. Limon Bazan, a former St. Edwards University professor who works with nonprofits, and Bush, a former teacher who has served in top roles in education foundations at Bastrop and Pflugerville ISDs, will head to a May 26 runoff if neither candidate get a majority of the votes. Republican nominee Mica Arellano is running unopposed for the 15-member board that oversees statewide education matters, such as new charter schools and student learning standards. Keri Heath Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is headed to a runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his bid for a fifth term in Washington. Early returns showed Cornyn with a modest lead over Paxton in the high-profile GOP primary election, but with not enough votes to secure the majority needed to win outright. James Osborne Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Sen. Mayes Middleton and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy will duke it out this May in a runoff election after neither managed to secure a majority of votes in Tuesdays GOP primary. Middleton was the top vote-getter in the contest, maintaining a wide margin over Roy, according to unofficial results. The freshman state senator self-funded more than $10 million of his own money to the campaign. The race for attorney general has become one of the most closely watched elections this cycle after Ken Paxton opted to leave the job to run for U.S. Senate, opening up the seat for the first time in more than a decade. It became the second-most expensive race for political ad spending in Texas after the contest for U.S. Senate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Taylor Goldenstein U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt told a few dozen supporters at a sports bar in Houston that it was an opportunity of a lifetime to run for the U.S. Senate even if the results didnt go his way. Clearly the people of Texas have chosen them, Hunt said of Cornyn and Paxton who seemed headed for a runoff in May. At the end of the day, I wish them the best of luck in the runoff and whoever the people choose to go to the general election they will have my undying support. We have got to keep Texas red. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hunt said despite the loss, the support he saw from supporters around the state make him determined to do more in the future in politics. And I will say this will not be the last time you see my name on a ballot. I can assure you that, he said. Jeremy Wallace State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt wins the Democratic nomination for Texas comptroller, besting Savant Moore and Michael Lange by a wide margin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Eckhard received 62.5% of the vote compared with Moores 19.6% and Langes 17.9%. Eckhardt will face off against the Republican primary winner. As of 9:35 p.m. Don Huffines was leading opponents Kelly Hancock, Christi Craddick and Michael Berlanga in the GOP race. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa wins the Democratic nomination for governor in Texas primary election, The Associated Press reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hinojosa will face off against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who won the GOP primary, in November. Although Attorney General Ken Paxton was unexpectedly trailing in U.S. Senate primary early voting returns, supporters at his watch party took the results in stride, saying they are excited for the top-two runoff that is likely the races next phase. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I wasnt sure what to expect, but it seems 50-50, said Dallas resident Gerald Leonard, adding that he supports Paxtons conservative values and was attending his first political event. He expects to vote again for Paxton in a runoff. Most polling throughout the primary season had shown Paxton leading both of his opponents, incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston. Paxton previously told Hearst Newspapers that he hoped to win the primary outright by taking at least 50% of the vote and avoiding a runoff. But he trailed Cornyn slightly as of 9 p.m., and was struggling even in his home base of Collin County as well as other areas of North Texas. A runoff would be an expensive all-out war, said state Rep. Mitch Little, a Republican from Lewisville who was Paxtons defense attorney in his 2023 impeachment trial. But Little and other supporters believe Paxtons chances will improve in a runoff, when turnout is generally lower and thought to be concentrated with the partys hard-right base. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ken Paxton lives for runoffs, said Little. Theres a clear indication from the voting results that a majority of Texas Republicans want change. Isaac Yu A district judge ordered two Williamson County polling locations to stay open until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Voters faced long lines after some voters were turned away because they showed up at the wrong polling place. The two Democratic polling locations are: Advertisement Article continues below this ad NorthStar Senior Living at 2401 Westinghouse Rd. Georgetown Annex at 100 Wilco Way Votes cast after 7 p.m. are considered provisional ballots under the Election Code, meaning they will not be processed Tuesday night and will be reported on Monday with other provisional ballots. Alex Driggars State Sen. Mayes Middleton emerged as the early front-runner Tuesday in the Republican race for attorney general, positioning himself at the front of a four-way contest to replace Ken Paxton. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Middleton is facing U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, state Sen. Joan Huffman and former Justice Department attorney Aaron Reitz in a closely fought Republican contest triggered by Paxtons decision to run for the U.S. Senate. Middleton, who is running for statewide office for the first time, was ahead with 43% of the vote at 8:35 p.m. Roy was in second place at 29%. Reitz was in third with 15% and Huffman had 13% of the vote. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson had the early lead with 47% over former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworskis 29% of the vote. Former FBI agent Tony Box was not far behind with 24% of the vote. Philip Jankowski Advertisement Article continues below this ad Early voting results show incumbent Gregory Klaus leading Donald Loucks by a wide margin in the Republican primary for Bastrop County judge. A county judge oversees the commissioners court. Klaus was leading the race with 65% of the vote to Loucks' 35%. The winner will face off against Dock Jackson, the only Democrat vying for the position, in November. Claire Osborn Advertisement Article continues below this ad Williamson County Democratic Party officials expect a district judge to extend voting hours until 10 p.m. at two Democratic polling locations in Georgetown: the Georgetown Annex at 100 Wilco Way and the NorthStar Senior Living at 2401 Westinghouse Rd. The order had not yet signed as of 8:20 p.m. Voters at the two precinct locations faced long lines after some voters were turned away because they showed up to the wrong polling place. The lines, county party Chair Kim Gilby said, show the Democratic base is particularly engaged this midterm cycle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People are excited to make a change in Williamson County, Gilby said. Claire Osborn and Alex Driggars With Greg Abbott already having served three terms as governor, it brings up a question: How many terms can a governor serve in Texas? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under Texas law, there is no term limit for governor. The Texas Constitution sets the governors term at four years but does not cap how many times a governor can run and win. Dante Motley Greg Abbott wins Republican nomination for governor in Texas primary election, the Associated Press reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Allison Bush and Stephanie Limon Bazan have pulled ahead of four other candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for the Texas State Board of Educations District 5 seat, according to early and unofficial results. Allison Bush has 39% of the votes and Limon Bazan has 21% of the votes, according to early results. Advertisement Article continues below this ad District 5 encompasses Travis, Bastrop, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe and Blanco counties. The Texas State Board of Education is a 15-member board that oversees what students learn in schools, determines textbook use, approves new charter schools and establishes graduation requirements. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the top two vote getters will face off in a May 26 runoff. The other Democratic candidates running include Abigail Gray, Kevin Jackson, Neto Longoria and Victor Sampson. Republican nominee Mica Arellano is running unopposed. Candidates are vying to replace current SBOE member Rebecca Bell-Metereau, who is not running again and has held the seat since 2020. Keri Heath Advertisement Article continues below this ad Results from the Williamson County Republican primary are not expected to be announced until Wednesday morning, county spokesperson Connie Odom said Tuesday. Traditionally, she said, the county has used precinct ballot scanners to accumulate votes cast at a polling place, with the results then tabulated at central counting station. That process is being followed by the Democratic Party on Tuesday, but a change in the process for ballot counting by the countys Republican Party will delay those results, Odom said. The Republican Party is having voters place their ballot in separate boxes for each precinct. The boxes will be taken to the central counting station and individually scanned after the polls close. Odom said that because multiple precincts are voting at combined locations, it is likely that at least some voters will place their ballot in the wrong ballot box. Each precinct must be reconciled with the number of voters and the ballots cast, which will take time, Odom said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Additionally, she said, some voters may mark their ballots in a nonstandard way, which would normally be caught by precinct scanners and rejected at the polling place. In this case, Odom said, those ballots will have to be examined by election judges and remade so they are machine readable. Claire Osborn The Dallas Police Department said in a statement that officers arrested the man who showed up to Ken Paxtons watch party for traffic violations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officers located ammunition during a search of the mans vehicle, which did not have a proper license plate, the statement said. The suspicious individual was transported to police headquarters, where an investigation remains ongoing. Isaac Yu Dallas-area businessman Don Huffines took a big early lead in the GOP primary field for Texas comptroller, besting two other heavyweight candidates despite Gov. Greg Abbott campaigning against him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With counties beginning to post early results, Abbotts pick for the job, acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, was a distant second. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick was in third. Isaac Yu State Sen. Mayes Middleton took an early lead in the GOP primary for attorney general on Tuesday, a race thats drawn increased attention and eye-popping fundraising totals after incumbent Ken Paxton stepped aside to run for U.S. Senate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to early vote totals with five of the states largest counties reporting, Middleton led the four-way GOP primary. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy is closest behind. The counties reporting their early vote totals include Harris, Fort Bend, Dallas, Tarrant and Williamson. The race for attorney general has become one of the most closely watched elections this cycle after Ken Paxton opted to leave the job to run for U.S. Senate, opening up the seat for the first time in more than a decade. A crowded field of candidates is vying for the position and raising eye-popping totals. Its become the second-most expensive race for political ad spending in Texas after the contest for U.S. Senate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The other candidates include state Sen. Joan Huffman, former DOJ official and former Paxton aide Aaron Reitz. Taylor Goldenstein Anna Lopez confessed to feeling jittery as the first election results began showing up on the TVs scattered around the venue of Democratic Senate hopeful James Talaricos watch party in South Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The first votes came from Dallas, homebase for U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who is Talaricos rival for the nomination. Im just worried in general. I just want him to win so bad, Lopez said as country music filled the crowded hall at a nightspot called Emos. He deserves it. I think hes a really honorable person, and hes run his campaign really clean. Asked about the size of the crowd, which was still swelling just before 7:30 p.m., Lopez said it gave her some optimism. I think its really encouraging, she said. So many people I know and love are going for Talarico My grandmother lives in Beaumont, Texas, which is very deep red, and she is all for James. Advertisement Article continues below this ad John C. Moritz Carol Stall, an Austin voter who cast her ballot Tuesday afternoon at the Terrazas Branch of the Austin Public Library in East Austin, said she makes a point not to miss elections even lower-turnout primaries. We dont miss elections, Stall said. Any of them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stall said she supported U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Senate race and was frustrated by what she described as increasingly negative campaign messaging. Some of the ads were vicious, Stall said, adding that the tone of the race felt kind of ugly and divisive. The Democratic Senate primary has seen escalating outside spending, including a pro-Talarico super PAC TV ad attacking Crocketts electability. Talaricos campaign said it had no involvement in the ads and noted that federal law bars coordination between campaigns and super PACs. Stall said she hopes voters will push back against that tone as the election cycle continues. She emphasized a need for the Democratic Party to evolve; she sees Crockett as a vessel for that change. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We need some reforms, she said. It is going to hurt, but we dont have it. Its just, the status quo has gone on too long. A voter exits the polls at South Austin Recreation Center in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Hannah Aronson, another voter, said electability factored heavily into her decision in the Democratic Senate primary. Aronson said she ultimately voted for state Rep. James Talarico, even though she said she agrees more with Crockett on many issues. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its hard, because I do agree more with Jasmine Crockett, Aronson said. But unfortunately, we are in a red state. She believed Talarico could have broader appeal in a statewide race. I think that James Talarico appeals more to straight white men than they would a woman of color, Aronson said. And I really hate to say that. Voter Philip Thomas pointed to the broader political climate and said the importance of elections has only grown in recent years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its just how utterly, utterly, utterly critical it is, Thomas said. Before, elections came and went and things pretty much went on as they always did. But clearly theres no guarantee things are going to go on the way they always do. Dante Motley Voting has officially ended across most of the Lone Star State, and ballots are starting to be counted by election officials. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Well be sharing live results here as they come in. Check back soon for more details on some of the states highest offices, including the U.S. Senate, Texas attorney general, competitive congressional seats and dozens of state positions. Sanchali Singh George Morales, a longtime law enforcement officer and Travis County Precinct 4 constable, was out at polling places Tuesday as voters decided who will succeed retiring Commissioner Margaret Gomez representing Precinct 4 on the Commissioners Court. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He was posted outside the Dittmar Recreation Center alongside a representative for one of his opponents, Susanna Ledesma Woody. Ive been to several polls. Its been going great very active and busy, Morales said about his Election Day outreach. He says he feels strong about it Tuesdays turn out. Seconds after arriving, one voter came to shake his hand saying, Nice to meet you. You are the man Im voting for. Pressed on how he sets himself apart in a crowded field, Morales spoke about his priorities and connection to the community, saying, community first. He has made safety, healthcare access, housing and infrastructure key issues in his campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He also described his view of county government: For me, Travis County government is something that still needs work. We can also do better. To me, it means being more accessible to the people and making sure people understand how Travis County government works. When asked how hes communicating that message today, Morales summed it up simply: The same way I just told you. A district judge has ordered the polls to remain open until 9 p.m. in the Dallas County Democratic primary amid mass voter confusion on Tuesday, according to county judge Clay Jenkins. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under new rules requested by the local Republican party, voters are only able to cast a ballot at their assigned precinct, instead of at any polling location in the county. Jenkins said up to 90% of Dallas County voters who showed up to polling locations in Tuesdays primary election had been rerouted to different ones. A similar situation was unfolding in Williamson County Tuesday. Theres not yet any word on if polls will stay open longer there. Bayliss Wagner Senate Democratic candidates James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett said they are advocating for an extension of voting hours in two key counties after a change in voting procedures left many unable to cast ballots at locations where they initially showed up. In Dallas and Williamson Counties, voters can only cast a ballot at their assigned precinct, instead of any polling place countywide. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We will continue to evaluate the situation on the ground and are calling for an extension of voting hours to ensure all Texans voices are heard in this critical election, Talarico said in a news release. Jasmine Crockett, Talaricos main primary opponent, said in a statement her team is monitoring the situation and working with our local county party to explore all solutions, including an extension of election day voting hours. Do not give up and do not give in, Crockett continued. Texans dont appreciate having their votes suppressed and we wont take it lying down. John C. Moritz and Alex Driggars Advertisement Article continues below this ad Reporters from Texas and some national outlets began queuing up before 4 p.m. outside the Austin watch party venue for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, even though supporters are not expected for about three hours and polls dont close until 7 p.m. The watch party for Talaricos primary rival, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, will take place in her hometown of Dallas. The race is the highest-profile Democratic contest of the night and has helped drive record early voting turnout. Advertisement Article continues below this ad John C. Moritz Some voters in Williamson County were turned away at the polls after heading to the wrong voting location on Election Day, according to county officials. A spokesperson for the county confirmed to the American-Statesman that We have had long voting lines, we have had people going to the wrong precinct locations but could not say exactly how many people were affected. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tuesdays confusion comes after the Williamson County Republican Party requested precinct-specific polling locations for the primaries, departing from the countys recent tradition of using countywide vote centers. Democratic and Republican primary voters also vote in different locations. In surrounding counties like Travis, voters can head to any polling location in the county to cast a ballot for either party primary. Its a mess, reads a statement in its entirety from the Williamson County Democratic Party. Texas Democrats are framing the shift in polling locations, which also occurred in Dallas County, as voter suppression. Democrats pushed for a joint election. As it has been for eight years, It would have been cheaper, simpler, and more accessible for every voter in the county. Republicans said no, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Michelle Evans, chair of the Williamson County GOP, told the Texas Tribune and Votebeat in January that restricting voters to assigned locations would bring a higher level of confidence that the people that are coming in are people that are registered voters in that area, because that is their community. Evans did not immediately respond to the Statesmans request for comment on Tuesday. Voters who are turned away because they went to the wrong polling location can still vote at the correct location. The full list is at wilcotx.gov/elections. Bayliss Wagner and Alex Driggars Advertisement Article continues below this ad KJ Juett waited in a poll line estimated to be around an hour long at the Dittmar Recreation Center to vote for Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary. While a minority of the polling places in Travis County have an estimated wait time of 0-20 minutes, according to the county clerks website, Dittmar is one of a handful where voting has picked up this afternoon, creating a line that stretched out the door. I didnt time it, Juett said. I played some iPhone games, just people-watched for a little bit. Its probably longer than some people want, but its the price to pay. Juett resonated with what she said was Crocketts willingness to stand up to the Trump administration, citing actions the U.S. representative has taken like walking out of a joint session of congress while the president spoke. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Juett a Black woman said she respects the voice Crockett uses on social media as reflective of her own identity. I felt supported and felt represented, she told the American-Statesman. Juett said she didnt know much about the down ballot races, saying that voting for Crockett was the most important vote for her. Dante Motley Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wait times at four popular Travis County polling locations are stretching past 50 minutes, according to the county clerks website. While most of the countys more than 150 polling places are reporting waits between 0 and 20 minutes, four sites are nearing the one-hour mark: Westoak Woods Baptist Church and Pleasant Hill Branch Library in South Austin, Austin City Hall downtown, and Gus Garcia Recreation Center in North Austin. Polling locations in Travis County are often only a few blocks from each other, so voters may want to look into alternative locations if they are planning to vote at one of those four spots. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dante Motley If youre accustomed to hitting refresh on the Travis County election results page right at 7 p.m. when polls close plan to wait a little longer this year. Travis County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado announced today that her office will likely be delayed in publishing early voting results for two reasons: Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Travis County Republican Party requested that the clerks office hold off on tabulating early vote totals until Election Day. Typically, those votes are counted the Saturday before Election Day to ensure they are ready to be posted shortly after polls close on Tuesday. Mercado said in a news release that the count of early votes can take several hours The clerks office has decided not to post any election results until the last Election Day voter has cast their ballot. In the release, Mercado said during the early vote period some polls stayed open for 90 minutes past closing time to ensure all eligible voters had time to cast a ballot. The clerks office did not respond to questions about Mercados decision to delay publication of early vote results. But Mercado made the same decision during the Nov. 4, 2025 election. We have the discretion on when we post results and want to make sure everyone has had a chance to vote before we do it, Mercado told the American-Statesman at the time. Austin Sanders Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hilda Duarte volunteers for Texas House District 50 Democratic candidate Kate Lincoln Goldfinch at the PFISD Rock Gym Gymnasium voting location in Pflugerville. Faith Bugenhagen Across the polling locations we visited Tuesday morning and afternoon, every poll worker and volunteer said Friday the last day of early voting was the busiest theyd seen at their locations. There were like twenty or thirty cars every ten minutes, said Hilda Duarte, a volunteer with Texas House District 50 Democratic candidate Kate Lincoln Goldfinch. Right now, were having two or three cars every twenty minutes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Duarte has been volunteering at polling locations for 27 years. She has been coming from Dallas, where she lives, every Thursday through Sunday to volunteer for Goldfinchs campaign. I think she is the best candidate, and I want to make sure she is elected, Duarte said. Goldfinch is running in the Democratic primary for the seat currently held by U.S. Senate hopeful Rep. James Talarico. Faith Bugenhagen Ramon Rodriguez, a Pflugerville resident, pulled up in his white pick-up truck at the PFISD Rock Gym Gymnasium to cast his vote for U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rodriguez described Talarico as more for him and his family, adding that Crockett was an excellent candidate and floated a potential presidential bid for her. As of right now, what the [two candidates] are looking for and what theyre doing for people healthcare and public schools I have little kids, they go to school, so I think that is a little more important for my family right now, Rodriguez said, giving a nod at one of Talaricos policy priorities. Faith Bugenhagen This years election will determine if Gov. Greg Abbott remains in office for a fourth term or if Texas will have a new governor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad R.F. Bob Achgill Evelyn Brooks Pete Chambers Pete Doc Chambers Charles Andrew Crouch Arturo Espinosa Mark V. Goloby Kenneth Hyde Stephen Samuelson Ronnie Tullos Nathaniel Welch Democratic candidates include: Patricia Abrego Chris Bell Bobby Cole Carlton W. Hart Gina Hinojosa Jose Navarro Balbuena Zach Vance Angela Tia Angie Villescaz Andrew White Advertisement Article continues below this ad Alexis Simmerman Edward Howell, a volunteer for Randall Slagle, who is running for reelection as Travis County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2. Faith Bugenhagen Edward Howell, a volunteer for Randall Slagle, who is running for reelection as Travis County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2, said election workers are expecting to see lines tonight at the Ben Hur Shrine Center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats usually how this particular polling place is, Howell noted. Like other voters and election workers on Tuesday, Howell stressed the need to back lower ballot candidates, We dont want anyone just to come in and vote for either Talarico or Crockett, and walk out. Faith Bugenhagen Texas Attorney General candidate Nathan Johnson greets voters through car windows. Faith Bugenhagen Nathan Johnson, Democratic candidate for Texas Attorney General, greeted voters through their car windows as they passed by him after casting their ballots at the Ben Hur Shrine Center in North Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I feel good, weve worked really hard, and I have a fantastic team. Weve run a positive message the whole campaign, and weve gotten a great response, Johnson said. Primaries are competitive, theyre difficult, theyre ugly, and I am just glad were at the end of it. Were looking forward to the other side. Weve been channeling all our energy toward November, and this is the necessary first step. Johnson was surprised to hear the Statesman ran into his kids at the UT Texas Union polling location. Really, Sophie and Finn? Johnson said. Im glad you got to say hi to them! That is so funny. Johnson will be making the rounds at several polling locations across the city throughout the day, as will other candidates featured on Tuesdays ballot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Faith Bugenhagen Students walk by the UT Texas Union voting location. Faith Bugenhagen Mike a freshman at UT, member of the university Democrats and volunteer with Josh Reynas campaign said hes spoken with voters who are coming to the UT Texas Union vote location and are confused or unaware of the lower ballot races. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is so much attention on the Senate race, and a lot of information on lieutenant governor and governor, so people really forget state races like Texas House Districts 47, 49 and 50, Mike said. Those really matter because if you live in those districts, youre going to be personally affected by what happens in the Texas Legislature. He said foot traffic at the polling location had been heavy throughout Tuesday morning, and that a line had formed before they opened the doors at 7 a.m. Typically, Mike said, voting picks up from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Students at the UT Texas Union voting location. Faith Bugenhagen Faith Bugenhagen Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas Attorney General candidate Nathan Johnsons children stood outside the UT Texas Union polling location. His son had flown into Texas today to surprise his dad on Election Day. Its been a really good feeling out poll greeting today, were hopeful that well get a lot of people out to vote, we want to see people vote no matter what, said daughter Sophie Johnson, a junior at the University of Texas. Faith Bugenhagen Advertisement Article continues below this ad Central Texas voters have important decisions to make in the Republican and Democratic primaries, from a high-stakes U.S. Senate race to high-impact local races. The American-Statesman Editorial Board is here to help. We met with nearly 100 candidates in more than 30 races so we could present our recommendations to voters. Working completely separately from the news reporting side of the Statesman, we researched the candidates' backgrounds and platforms to offer our perspective on who deserves your vote. Read more about our process here. As youre preparing to vote, you might pull up your sample ballot, or plug your address into our search bar below, and notice that your congressional district has changed. About half of us 663,341 of Travis Countys 1.3 million people were shuffled into new districts during last years mid-decade redistricting. While the maps may be engineered, your vote is not. We urge you to make your voice heard wherever the lines now place you. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bridget Grumet Five voters slowly trickled into the Travis County Clerk's Office vote location around 8:20 a.m. Faith Bugenhagen There were as many poll workers as voters at one voting location. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Five voters slowly trickled in to the Travis County Clerks Office around 8:20 a.m. About five poll workers were stationed out front of the doors to collect the mail-in ballots voters opted to drop off on Election Day. Faith Bugenhagen Andrea Black and Thomas M. routinely cast their votes at the East Austin Carver Branch Library polling location. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I love coming here, said Black, a resident in the neighborhood. Thomas now lives in Crestview, but he used to live in East Austin and keeps coming back to his familiar voting spot: I have strong ties to the area. Black said she is incredibly excited for U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Andrew Hairston, a candidate for Justice of the Peace in Travis County Precinct 1. Getting more progressive candidates in office is so important in Texas, Black told the Statesman. I feel like theyre going actually to stand up for all of Texans and they care about equity, racial justice and equitable living for everyone so everyone can thrive and not just have people in power or incredibly wealthy benefit from the system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She joked she hadnt had her coffee yet, but that operations ran smoothly in the polling location despite of a several-minute wait. Thomas, who works in the social justice and mental health field, said Hairston also drew him out to the polls. He described the justice of the peace candidate as a great guy. I wanted to make sure I came out and did my due diligence, Thomas said, saying he tried to pay attention to the hyper-local contest as much as possible. Faith Bugenhagen Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Republican U.S. Senate showdown between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton with Wesley Hunt in the mix is the defining Republican battle of the cycle, pitting establishment experience against hardline, base-first politics in a race that could reshape the GOPs direction. Democrats have their own high-profile U.S. Senate matchup between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, a contest that will test the partys strategy for winning statewide heading into November. Below that, the open Texas attorney general race is flashing signs of a possible runoff. Two other Republican-held U.S. House seats Districts 10 and 21 are also being decided. And in Travis County, Democratic commissioner primaries will help determine control over transportation, criminal justice policy and county spending. Advertisement Article continues below this ad These are the contests that will decide who governs and how in Texas after 2026. Dante Motley & Alexis Simmerman At the Carver Branch Library, voters wait to cast their ballots Tuesday morning. Faith Bugenhagen Roughly 15 people waited outside the Carver Branch Library just before 7 a.m. on Tuesday to cast their ballot. A poll worker opened the doors, and voters streamed into the East Austin vote center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Others walked in shortly after the polling location opened. One woman passing by in her pickup truck, who opted not to be named, said she voted early but was happy to see people turning out. Faith Bugenhagen As Austin-area residents prepare to vote in Tuesdays primary election, they can check their nearest polling locations and, in some counties, find the ones with the shortest wait times. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Heres a full list of voting locations for Travis, Bastrop, Williamson and Hays counties. You can also use our interactive map to find a polling place near you: Loading... Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico addresses supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters cheer for Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Primary candidate for U.S. Senate, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks to her supporters during an election night watch party at Club Vivo in downtown Dallas Wednesday, March 3, 2026. Tom Fox/AP Supporters on the floor wait for Congressman Jasmine Crockett to speak during an election night watch party at Club Vivo in downtown Dallas, March 3, 2026. Crockett, who is running for US Senate against State Rep. James Talarico, spoke about the Texas Supreme Court decision to shut down the Dallas County polls after they stayed open. Tom Fox/Staff Photographer A supporter of Texas state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, wears a Texas state flag in their hat during a primary election watch party Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay/AP Lesa Haney, left, Beth Fuston, right, and supporters react to election results at Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talaricos election night watch party in South Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Congressman Jasmine Crockett spoke to her supporters during an election night watch party at Club Vivo in downtown Dallas, March 3, 2026. Crockett, who is running for US Senate against State Rep. James Talarico, spoke about the Texas Supreme Court decision to shut down the Dallas County polls after they stayed open. Tom Fox/Staff Photographer In the battle between two of the Democratic Partys fastest rising stars, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin defeated Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in Tuesday's primary election and will carry his partys high hope heading to the fall campaign. Were about to take back Texas, Talarico said in a statement shortly after the Associated Press called the race early Wednesday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad READ MORE: Texas Democrats set new turnout record in heated primary Crockett, in a statement Wednesday morning, said she called her opponent to congratulate him. "Texas is primed to turn blue, and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person," she said. "With the primary behind us, Democrats must rally around our nominees and win. I'm committed to doing my part and will continue working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot." 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 At an earlier election night watch party, Talarico stopped short of declaring victory, but he brimmed with optimism in a short speech to supporters who had watched and waited as votes were counted for about five hours in the contentious primary. "Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little bit of hope, and a little bit of hope is a dangerous thing," Talarico said to loud cheers just before midnight. He acknowledged the controversy stemming from the voter confusion in Crockett's home turf of Dallas County and his own home base of Williamson County, where polls were also open late Tuesday in response to court orders. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Every every vote must be counted, every voice must be heard," Talarico said. "The voter suppression in my home county and in Congresswoman Crockett's home county underscores the gravity of this moment." Crockett told supporters at her own watch party in downtown Dallas just before 9:15 p.m. that she didnt expect any results Tuesday night. We need to see the Dallas County votes to see where they are, she said. The high-stakes race has been packed with drama as Democrats are more optimistic than they have been in years about their chances in the Nov. 3 general election. Texas Democrats are hoping to break a 32-year losing streak in statewide elections and take their first U.S. Senate seat since 1988. A Democratic victory in November would reverberate across the national landscape and could help the party wrest control of the upper chamber after the November elections. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Talarico and Crockett were heading into the final weekend of campaigning at a sprinter's pace. Crockett charged into the Democratic battleground of South Texas on Thursday with rallies in Laredo and Edinburg. From there she planned to barnstorm across North and East Texas with stops that included Tyler, Denton, Grand Prairie and her hometown of Dallas. Underlying the importance of the South Texas Hispanic vote, Talarico was planning stops there, in San Antonio and Edinburg, before heading to Houston on Monday. Both candidates come from the partys progressive wing, but the primary has been a contrast of styles. Crockett, a 44-year-old former public defender, has cast herself as a partisan fighter who is unafraid to go toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 36-year-old Talarico, a former middle school teacher in San Antonio, skyrocketed to national fame last year by leaning into his Christian faith and warning that Republicans are trying to use religion as a wedge by pushing such legislation as requiring public schools to post placards of the Ten Commandments. The largely civil primary was upended in early February when social media influencer Morgan Thompson, who had been a Talarico supporter, claimed Talarico called his one-time primary foe Colin Allred a mediocre Black man. The accusation went viral and Allred, the 2024 U.S. Senate nominee who left the race after Crockett joined in early December, was withering in his criticism of Talarico, who is white. "This man should not be our nominee for United States Senate, Allred said on X. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Talarico insisted his criticism of Allred centered on what he sees as a lackluster Senate campaign in 2024. But Talarico got a boost in February, when his scheduled appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was bounced from television under pressure from the Federal Communications Commission, which said it would run afoul of the regulating agencys equal time requirement. Talarico framed the ensuing controversy as an effort by the Trump administration to silence his voice. The interview was instead posted on YouTube, where it racked up millions of views far more than it would have drawn in the late-night broadcast. The Talarico campaign raked in a one-day record of $2.5 million in contributions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A third candidate in the race, Ahmad R. Hassan, drew a small fraction of the vote on Tuesday. Election signs decorate the sidewalk at the Ben Hur Shrine polling place in Austin as early voting begins for the March primary elections in Texas, Feb. 17, 2026. Voters can cast their ballots to decide who represents Republicans and Democrats in the November midterm elections. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman If youre trying to figure out where power in Texas may actually shift in the 2026 primaries, start here. The Republican U.S. Senate showdown between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton with Wesley Hunt in the mix is the defining Republican battle of the cycle, pitting establishment experience against hardline, base-first politics in a race that could reshape the GOPs direction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democrats have their own high-profile U.S. Senate matchup between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, a contest that will test the partys strategy for winning statewide heading into November. Below that, the open Texas attorney general race is flashing signs of a possible runoff. Two other Republican-held U.S. House seats Districts 10 and 21 are also being decided. And in Travis County, Democratic commissioner primaries will help determine control over transportation, criminal justice policy and county spending. These are the contests that will decide who governs and how in Texas after 2026. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Advertisement Article continues below this ad Republican Senate primary: John Cornyn vs. Ken Paxton vs. Wesley Hunt Incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is challenged by Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt in the Republican Senate primary. Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman Incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is challenged by Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt in the Republican Senate primary. Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman The biggest race on the ballot is the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. John Cornyn, first elected in 2002, is a longtime incumbent and former Texas attorney general who also served as Senate Republican whip. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hes challenged by Paxton, Texas attorney general since 2015, and one of the most polarizing figures in state politics. Paxton survived a 2023 impeachment trial in the Texas Senate and continues to face scrutiny tied to past legal and ethics issues. Hunt, a Houston-area congressman and military veteran, entered the race later, complicating the anti-Paxton lane and reshaping the dynamics. Cornyn allies argue hes the safer general election bet. Paxtons backers counter that a more combative nominee would energize the Republican base, even if it carries added controversy. Five lesser-known candidates are also running: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady and Gulrez Gus Khan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democratic Senate primary: Jasmine Crockett vs. James Talarico U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (left) and James Talarico (right) are vying for votes in the Democratic Senate primary. LM Otero, Associated Press/Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (left) and James Talarico (right) are vying for votes in the Democratic Senate primary. LM Otero, Associated Press/Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman On the Democratic side, the headline matchup is between U.S. Rep. Crockett and state Rep. Talarico. Crockett, a former member of the Texas House, has built a national profile with high-visibility moments and sharper-edged messaging. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Talarico has cultivated a public persona rooted in values-based language and faith-adjacent rhetoric, backed by a strong online presence and fundraising network. The winner will head into November against the Republican nominee in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. Texas attorney general race: Runoff territory? With Paxton running for Senate, the race to replace him as Texas attorney general has drawn several high-profile Republicans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad GOP primary field (4 candidates) Chip Roy U.S. congressman aligned with the House Freedom Caucus; campaigning as a hardline conservative willing to pick fights. Mayes Middleton state senator positioning himself as the legislative conservative in the race. Joan Huffman longtime state senator and former prosecutor/judge, emphasizing experience and law-and-order credentials. Aaron Reitz former DOJ official, tied publicly to Paxtons political orbit and campaigning on enforcement and litigation themes. The four candidates running for Texas attorney general are Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton, Joan Huffman and Aaron Reitz. Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman/Bob Daemmrich, Special Contributor/Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman The four candidates running for Texas attorney general are Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton, Joan Huffman and Aaron Reitz. Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman/Bob Daemmrich, Special Contributor/Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman Open congressional seats: District 10 and 21 Two Central Texas-area congressional seats are open, and both districts remain rated safely Republican under current lines. That means the March GOP primaries could effectively determine who wins in November. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Congressional District 10 (post-Michael McCaul) Michael McCauls retirement triggered a crowded Republican primary in a district stretching from the Austin area eastward. McCaul won 64% to 34% in 2024, reinforcing the view that the primary is the decisive contest. Full GOP primary field (10 candidates): Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rob Altman retired Army major Ben Bius real estate agent and broker Robert Brown corporate consultant Chris Gober attorney Brandon Hawbaker software engineer Jessica Karlsruher executive director for the Texas Credit Union Association Kara King mayor of Bee Cave Scott MacLeod retired Army colonel Jenny Garcia Sharon community volunteer Jeremy Story businessman and chaplain for the Republican Party of Texas Congressional District 21 (post-Chip Roy) Roys statewide bid left open a district spanning the Hill Country and into the AustinSan Antonio corridor. The race has drawn attention beyond political circles, including a high-profile former athlete. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Full GOP primary field (11 candidates): Daniel W. Betts attorney Jason Cahill CEO Jacques DuBose consultant Ezekiel Zeke Enriquez account manager Weston Martinez businessman Paul Rojas software engineer Kyle Sinclair health administrator Mark Teixeira former MLB star; running as an America First candidate and pulling major endorsements. Heather Tessmer Trey Trainor attorney and former FEC commissioner; campaigning on election-law credentials and conservative legal fights. Peggy Wardlaw Mike Wheeler Travis County commissioner primaries: Who controls local government? In Travis County, Democratic primaries for commissioner seats are widely seen as decisive, as no Republican candidates are on the March 3 primary ballot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Commissioners oversee transportation projects, county services, criminal justice policy and major budget decisions. Precinct 2 Four Democrats are running: Brigid Shea (incumbent) commissioner since 2015; previously on Austin City Council; long history in environmental organizing. Reese Ricci Armstrong nonprofit unionist campaigning on social housing and Central Health expansion. Rick Astray-Caneda III consultant and researcher emphasizing policy implementation and affordability. Amanda Marzullo civil-rights attorney critical of Sheas approach to growth and transportation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Precinct 4 Margaret Gomezs retirement created a rare open race. Candidates: Advertisement Article continues below this ad N'DJAMENA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Boko Haram militants were killed after Chadian security forces repelled a coordinated attack in the Lake Chad region, President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said on Tuesday. The militants launched the assault late Monday on an advanced position of Chad's Defense and Security Forces, but the "valiant soldiers vigorously retaliated," killing eight attackers, the president said in a statement posted on social media. He said one soldier was killed and two others were wounded in the attack, adding that those wounded in the clashes were receiving medical treatment. "Chad remains steadfast, and the hunt for the remnants of terrorism continues relentlessly," he added. The terror group Boko Haram has been active in the Lake Chad basin for more than a decade, inflicting heavy human and material losses across the region. A voter heads into the Ben Hur Shrine polling place in Austin as early voting begins for the March primary elections in Texas, Feb. 17, 2026. Voters can cast their ballots to decide who represents Republicans and Democrats in the November midterm elections. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Ahead of Election Day, some Central Texas voters have been alarmed to discover that their registration status is listed as in suspense. Here's what we know about why that might be and what to do if it happens to you. The most important thing to know is that you can still cast a ballot today, it just might require you to jump through some additional hoops. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What does in suspense mean? A voter whose registration status is listed as suspense has not had their residence confirmed by the county. When a registrar is uncertain about a voters current address, the county sends a notice requesting confirmation. Once that notice is issued, the voter is automatically placed on the suspense list. 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 Christopher Davis, director of the Travis County Voter Registration Division, said state law requires counties to conduct a mass cancellation of registrations in late November or early December after a voter has remained on the suspense list for two federal election cycles. Most voters end up in suspense after moving without updating their voter registration, Davis said. When we still think theyre active and we send them a piece of mail, likely a voter registration certificate every two years, and it comes back to us as undeliverable from the post office, thats generally how most people find themselves in suspense, Davis said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How many voters are impacted? Between the November 2025 election and the March 2026 election, voter registration in Travis County increased by about 13,000. During that same period, the number of voters on the suspense list declined by roughly 2,500. Still, more than 71,000 Travis County voters nearly 8% of the countys total registered voters remain in suspense for the March 2026 election. Overall, more than 849,000 Travis County voters are registered and not in suspense for Tuesdays election, an increase of almost 16,000 since November. In Williamson County, voter registrations rose by about 4,000 between November 2025 and March 2026. The number of voters in suspense declined by approximately 2,000, leaving around 36,000 voters on the suspense list. Total registered voters in Williamson County reached nearly 420,000, also an increase since November. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Can voters in suspense still cast a ballot? Yes. Voters whose registration status is listed as in suspense can still vote, as long as they are voting in the same county where they are currently registered. If you they have moved to a new address within the same county, they should cast a ballot in the precinct where they previously lived. But in order to cast a ballot whether in person or by mail those voters must complete a Statement of Residence form first. Those forms should be available at polling locations. Severe weather season has arrived in Central and South Texas with the highest threat being hail storms from March through May. Roberto Villalpando March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, the old proverb says but in Texas, the script often flips. Rather than calming down, the weather tends to grow more active as the month marches on. Atmospheric moisture from the Gulf of Mexico increases and clashes with dueling dry air masses, triggering more frequent rounds of rain and thunderstorms. And thats just the beginning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Severe weather season is here and will increase through May, said Mack Morris, a climate meteorologist with the National Weather Service office for Austin and San Antonio, during a spring climate briefing Monday. May typically brings the highest risk for hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. It is also the wettest month of the year, so the threat of flash flooding increases. Texas temperatures will climb into the 80s after morning temps dipped into the upper 50s and low 60s Pivotal We are only a few days into the new month, but its been pretty tranquil: morning clouds, afternoon sunshine, breezy winds and above-normal temperatures in the 80s. The short-term forecast calls for similar weather Tuesday, with morning clouds and early temperatures in the 60s, followed by a partly cloudy sky in the afternoon, gusty south winds and peak temps in the middle to upper 80s. 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 The long-term forecast is where our quiet and predictable weather pattern will drastically shift. Our recent stretch of dry weather will give way to heavy rainfall and the growing possibility of severe weather later this week and the upcoming weekend. A cold front will move into Texas on Wednesday and then stall out, bringing the potential for heavy rainfall and severe storms, especially in North Texas. Weather Prediction Center The ridge of high atmospheric pressure that dominated our weather during the last week of February will finally move east. This will allow a cold front to move into the Lone Star State, but not before losing momentum and stalling across the region. This will be the focal point for the first round of rain midweek. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the same time, an upper-level system of low pressure out west will steer several atmospheric disturbances into Texas over the next week or so. Thats why the weather service's Storm Prediction Center has placed parts of Texas under a threat of severe weather through the weekend. Severe weather chances will increase this week. A level 2 out of 5 risk (Slight) is currently forecast from Wednesday to Saturday. Forecast specifics remain uncertain, but an extended period of active severe weather appears likely. pic.twitter.com/fgX6NRQ4sw NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) March 2, 2026 We will initially see rain and thunderstorms beginning Wednesday, with the axis of heavy rainfall and strong storms just north of Austin. Still, well maintain a 30-40% chance of storms in Central Texas. Thursday will be dry, and then rain chances ramp up again Friday and will continue through the weekend. Rain chances will begin in South and Central Texas on Wednesday and then ramp up with a second storm moving across the state by this weekend. National Weather Service Since we remain in a very moist environment with modest (atmospheric) instability, any storms that do form could produce heavier rainfall, weather service meteorologists wrote in a forecast discussion posted online Monday. The caveat right now is there is very high uncertainty how this all unfolds as models are still all over the place and will likely remain that way until we get closer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What is more concrete is that forecast temperatures will continue to be 10 to 15 degrees warmer than our early-March average maximum temp of 70 degrees for the rest of the week and upcoming weekend. TEHRAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian military advisor said on Monday the country's armed forces will not let any oil be exported through the Strait of Hormuz. Ebrahim Jabbari, an advisor to the chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV while warning that the country's armed forces will take action against any movement by oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. He said the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, and the naval forces of the IRGC and Iranian army will set any ship seeking to pass through it on fire. Jabbari said oil pipelines in the region will also be targeted by Iran and "we will not let oil be exported from the region." He added that the United States is dependent on the West Asia region's oil, "but they should know that not a single drop of oil will be supplied to them." THE HAGUE, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government on Monday accepted France's offer to discuss closer cooperation on nuclear weapons, the country's defense and foreign ministers said in an open letter. "This offers the Netherlands an opportunity to reinforce the European dimension of nuclear deterrence together with our NATO allies," Minister of Defense Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen wrote in a letter addressed to parliament. According to the letter, Europe is facing fundamental security challenges driven by geopolitical threats, shifting international dynamics, and rapid technological developments. "This calls for greater European responsibility for its own security. Strengthening Europe's contribution to both conventional and nuclear deterrence forms part of that effort. France's offer to deepen dialogue on this issue with European partners aligns with this objective, and the Cabinet considers it desirable to accept the proposal," the letter states. The ministers emphasized that NATO remains the cornerstone of European security for both the Netherlands and the continent as a whole. They added that enhanced cooperation with France would not replace NATO's collective defense and nuclear deterrence framework, but complements it. French President Emmanuel Macron said earlier on Monday that France will strengthen its nuclear arsenal and incorporate "a European dimension" into its deterrence posture, while stressing that any decision on the use of French nuclear weapons will remain a sovereign French responsibility. Macron said France is offering interested European partners closer cooperation that could include consultations, joint exercises and other forms of coordination, and countries including Sweden, Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and Denmark have expressed interest. January 23, 2026: The capital, Sanaa, is experiencing an environmental catastrophe with water shortages, air pollution, deforestation and infrastructure collapse. The city is in need of foreign aid to prevent starvation and deaths from disease. The year began with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates/UAE ending their cooperation in Yemen. They are now acting on their different views on what kind of government Yemen should have and what to do about the Houthi rebels who control the northern half of Yemen. The UAE supported the southern tribes and their Southern Transitional Council/STC association of Sunni tribes. The STC wanted to partition Yemen, leaving the northern half to the Houthi rebels and continue to fight Houthi efforts to take control of all of Yemen. The Houthis recently got bad news from Iran, which is currently in chaos with most of the populations demanding the end of Islam and religious rule. The Houthis will get no more weapons or any other support from Iran. Saudi Arabia supports efforts to keep Yemen a united country. Saudi warplanes are bombing weapons shipments from the UAE that arrived in Yemen for the STC. The Saudis armed and supplied Yemeni forces to fight the STC militias and prevent the STC from taking control of southern Yemen. Since the Saudi Air Force is the strongest in the Arabian Peninsula, they control the air and the UAE can do nothing about that. Currently it appears that the Saudis will prevail and Yemen will revert to its situation in the 1990s. When the British left Yemen in 1967, their former colony in Aden became one of two countries called Yemen. The two Yemens finally united in 1990 but another civil war in 1994 was needed to seal the deal. That fix didn't really take and the north and south have been pulling apart ever since. This comes back to the fact that Yemen has always been a region, not a country. Like most of the rest of the Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa region, the normal form of government until the 20th century was wealthier coastal city states nervously coexisting with interior tribes that got by on herding or farming or a little of both plus smuggling and other illicit sidelines. This whole nation idea is still looked on with some suspicion by many in the region. This is why the most common forms of government are the more familiar ones of antiquity like kingdom, emirate or their modern variation in the form of a hereditary secular dictatorship. Yemen had plenty of other problems. Last year people were coming down with the deadly Ebola virus brought into the country by refugees from the war in Sudan. Most of those refugees were living in special camps. There has been violence in those camps over Sudanese politics. There have also been clashes on the South Sudan border, leaving soldiers on both sides injured. There was a major controversy over the politics of coffee and tribal politics. There were also disputes over how government employees should be paid. There were significant improvements in farming and livestock management. Ugandan participation in a growing number of peacekeeping operations in Africa continues to make Uganda the major supplier of peacekeepers in Africa. In 2024 the Iran-backed Shia Houthi militia began hijacking passing merchant ships, as the Al Shabab militants in nearby Somalia have been doing for decades. CMF 151, the international maritime patrol off Somalia was created in 2009. For the last seven years CMF 151 hasnt had much to do, but now the pirates are back, in Yemen and Somalia. The Houthis also fired some missiles at Israel, causing damage and casualties. The Israelis responded with air and naval attacks on the main Yemeni port of Hodeidah and the capital city Saana. The United States also launched a series of airstrikes across Yemen. The Houthis are also accused of cutting underwater cables in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Throughout all this refugees from Africa were crossing from Somalia or Ethiopia, some of these boats dont make it and hundreds of refugees have died this way in 2025, At the end of the year the tribal militias of the Southern Transitional Council took control of eight provinces in southern Yemen, including Aden, the largest port in Yemen. This new entity will become another independent entity in Yemen. The Houthi militia is losing but refuses to make peace out of fear of the consequences. They used their Iran-supplied rockets and missiles to fire at merchant ships heading up the Red Sea to the Suez Canal, and occasionally at Israel and Saudi Arabia. One of those missiles landed in Israel. Because of all this Houthi mischief both Israel and the United States launched air strikes on Houthi operations as well as economic targets in Yemen. Iran is no longer able to resupply the Houthis with missiles and UAVs because Israeli air strikes destroyed key elements of the Iranian missile production industry. Its been a bad year for the Houthi militia and several countries plan to make 2026 an even worse year. A century ago, before oil income dominated Arabian politics, Yemen was the land of promise as it is the only portion of the Arabian Peninsula that receives enough rain for crops. Since World War II Iran has become wealthy and powerful because of oil wealth but made so much trouble that since 2015 economic sanctions have crippled the economy and military adventurism has brought devastating armed reprisals. Yemen proved to be an embarrassment for Iran and the Saudi/UAE-backed Yemen government. The other Arabs are not willing to suffer the heavy casualties a quick victory would require over militant Yemen. The war dragged on into 2025 but is now faltering because Iran is no longer sending missiles to Yemen. Iranian withdrawal from Houthi support occurred this year because Iran was overwhelmed by sanctions, Israeli reprisals, and the current internal chaos and rebellion against the religious dictatorship. Yemen unrest evolved into a full-scale civil war in 2015. That was when Shia Houthi rebels sought to take control of the entire country. Neighboring Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, quickly formed a military coalition to halt the Yemeni rebel advance. The Arab coalition succeeded and by 2016 pro-government forces were closing in on the rebel-held capital. The coalition did not go after the capital itself because of the expected heavy casualties and property damage in the city. The coalition concentrated on rebuilding the Yemeni armed forces, recruiting allies from the Sunni tribes in the south and eliminating al Qaeda and ISIL groups that had grown stronger as the Shia rebels gained more power. As the fighting intensified in early 2015 Iran admitted it had been quietly supporting the Shia rebels for a long time but now was doing so openly, and that support was increasing. For a long time, the most active Yemeni rebels were the Shia Islamic militants in the north. They have always wanted to restore local Shia rule in the traditional Shia tribal territories, led by the local imam religious leader. This arrangement, after surviving more than a thousand years, was ended by the central government in 1962. After 2007 Yemen became the new headquarters of AQAP/Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula when Saudi Arabia was no longer safe for the terrorists. Now there is ISIL and an invading army composed of troops from oil-rich neighbors. By late 2017 the rebels were slowly losing ground to government forces who, despite Arab coalition air support and about five thousand ground troops, were still dependent on Yemeni Sunni tribal militias to fight the Shia tribesmen on the ground. While the Shia are only a third of the population, they are united while the Sunni tribes are divided over the issue of again splitting the country in two and with no agreement on who would get the few oil fields in central Yemen. Many of the Sunni tribes tolerate or even support AQAP and ISIL. The Iranian smuggling pipeline continued to operate, and the Yemen rebels were able to buy additional weapons from other sources because they received cash from nations or groups hostile to the Arab Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Shia rebels live in northern Yemen and control the border with Saudi Arabia. Over the last decade the rebels launched more and more attacks on Saudi targets. The rebels obtained more powerful weapons as well, including Iranian ballistic missiles, which were disassembled so they could be smuggled from Iran to Yemen, where Iranian technicians supervised the missiles being assembled and launched into Saudi Arabia. In the last few years, the rebels have received longer range ballistic missiles that could hit Saudi and UAE oil production facilities on the Persian Gulf coast. The rebels also fired more missiles at targets passing the Yemen Red Sea coast controlled by the rebels. This has always been a potential threat to ships using the Red Sea to reach the Suez Canal in Egypt, at the north end of the Red Sea. Transit fees from ships using the canal are a major source for Egypt, bringing in nearly $10 billion a year. Egypt and Iran are enemies and reducing Suez Canal income is a win for Iran, which supported the Yemen rebels for more than a decade to make that success possible. At the end of 2023 Iran ordered the Yemen rebels to open fire on shipping in the Red Sea, which moves along the Yemen coast on its way to or from Saudi ports or the Suez Canal. Ships unable to use the canal must take the longer route around the southern tip of Africa. This takes more time and increases costs for the shipping company and their customers. In 2024 Americans and Israeli airstrikes devastated ports on the west coast of Yemen and destroyed most of the missiles smuggled in from Iran. Meanwhile Iran was running out of missiles and a tighter naval blockade reduced the number of weapons reaching the Shia Houthi militia in Yemen. Air Force Maj. William Walker, assigned to the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, died on April 22, 2024, in Indonesia as the result of heat injury and acute kidney failure. (U.S. Air Force) A 42-year-old Air Force major died from heat injury and acute kidney failure in 2024 while scouting a potential parachute drop zone in Indonesia, an Air Force investigation has concluded. Maj. William Walker, with the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, was leading a drop zone survey team in the vicinity of Bandung when he failed to show up at a rendezvous point on April 22, 2024, according to the investigation report released Feb. 23. The drop zone was being surveyed to determine its suitability for the exercise Super Garuda Shield scheduled for later that summer. Walker was highly experienced in providing risk assessments of air-ground operations and had conducted dozens of drop zone surveys in at least five countries, according to the investigation. His death underscores the perils of working in high-heat, high-humidity settings, even for those experienced in such terrain. The high temperature on the day of his death was 93 degrees, with an average 60% humidity. The team was sent to survey the drop zone a strip just under two miles long and a half-mile wide because it lacked a current survey assessment as required by the United States. The 82nd Airborne Division had last used it as a drop zone in 2013, which led to a significant number of injuries and challenging medical evacuations due to the terrain and hazards, the investigation states. While still on the ground, the survey team concluded that the drop zone was unusable but decided to walk the entire site to document all relevant hazards to support a definitive decision, the investigation states. To cover more area, the team broke into smaller groups, with Walker going solo at one point. He was last seen with a half-filled 32-ounce water bottle and was not showing signs of fatigue or stress, the investigation states. Some team members began feeling adverse effects from the heat as they walked and were cutting short their routes, resting under trees and removing their shirts. At about 1:30 p.m., Walker messaged a team member that he was dangerously tired, was curtailing his walk of the zones boundary and returning to the rally point. The team began searching for him when he was 90 minutes overdue and did not respond to messages. His body was found under a small tree shortly after midnight. Beside him was the still half-filled bottle. An autopsy was performed four days later by a medical examiner for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The official cause of death was determined to be exertional heat injury with acute renal insufficiency, the investigation states. Acute kidney injury is common to exertional heat injury or heat stroke. Walker also suffered from a buildup of fluid in his brain and lungs, another indicator of heat injury, the investigation states. (Scott Schonauer/Stars and Stripes) Naval Station Rota, Spain, 2003: Reservists Petty Officer 1st Class Edward Sanchez, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Quinones help tie down a fuel ship to the pier. About 1,000 reservists choose to come to Rota each year for their mandatory two weeks of training. Because of the war on terrorism, the base is hoping more reservists will elect to come to the naval station. Read the full article on the training here. A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force landing craft air cushion re-enters the water during an Iron First drill at Nakayama Beach on Tanegashima, Japan, March 2, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) TANEGASHIMA, Japan Japans only amphibious unit carried out a beach-landing drill this week in heavy rain and rough seas, adjusting operations as part of a joint exercise with U.S. Marines aimed at strengthening defense of the countrys remote islands. Mondays training, held on Tanegashima, an island south of Kyushu, was part of the three-week Iron Fist exercise, which includes at-sea maneuvers, amphibious assaults and ground combat operations at multiple sites across Japan through March 9. The Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force unit established in 2018 and modeled in part on the U.S. Marine Corps tweaked its plans Monday because of worsening weather conditions. Strong winds and high waves forced commanders to cancel a scheduled joint boat landing involving both U.S. and Japanese troops. The boat landing was canceled due to weather, taking into consideration the size of the waves, Lt. Col. Masanobu Takahashi, spokesman for Japans Ground Component Command, said before the drill. A waterspout appears during Iron Fist drills off Tanegashima, Japan, March 2, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) Anchored offshore were the U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, alongside the Japanese transport ship JS Osumi and helicopter destroyer JS Ise. Both the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade commanders are on board the Tripoli and the Ise, respectively, reviewing weather and sea conditions to create training plans, and both commanders make their own decisions, he added. U.S. Marines watch as a Japanese landing craft air cushion lands at Nakayama Beach on Tanegashima, Japan, March 2, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) Five Marines remained ashore to observe as Japanese forces proceeded with limited landing operations. Two Japanese landing craft air cushions, or LCACs, departed from the Osumi, roughly eight miles offshore, and approached Nakayama Beach at about 9 a.m. The first craft unexpectedly turned away about 500 feet from shore before attempting another approach. A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force landing craft air cushion makes a sudden turn about 500 feet from the shore while training off Tanegashima, Japan, March 2, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) I have never seen something like this before, Capt. Arinori Suzuki, a brigade spokesman, said during the drill. I believe it was because the boat was pushed by the strong waves and couldnt find the right angle. Capt. Sean Powell, the Marine expeditionary brigades exercise control officer-in-charge at Tanegashima, said such adjustments are not unusual. It might have been the landing spot, he said. The pilot may have been thinking of landing there but decided against it and tried again. A second Japanese landing craft reached the beach without incident. Marine Corps landing craft operations slated for the day were canceled because of the weather. Regardless, U.S. and Japanese forces achieved valuable training objectives including integrated staff planning and coordination for a complex amphibious maneuver, said Maj. Edward Pingel, spokesman for the Marine expeditionary brigade, by email Monday. A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force landing craft air cushion comes ashore during an Iron Fist drill at Nakayama Beach on Tanegashima, Japan, March 2, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) Later, MV-22 Ospreys flew about 50 Marines from the Tripoli to shore, while similar helicopter operations by Japan were canceled because of weather conditions. Japan created the amphibious brigade amid growing concerns about the security of its southwestern island chain, which stretches toward Taiwan and includes territory near disputed islands in the East China Sea. The units are practicing to improve, Suzuki said. There are many procedures involved in these amphibious assaults, and one small mistake can delay the entire operation. We are training for that. E.C. Killin Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade on Camp Foster, Okinawa. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Elementary school students on this Marine Corps base were asked to bring their own water to class Tuesday after a pipe break rendered taps undrinkable. The water main break occurred Monday afternoon somewhere near E.C. Killin Elementary School impacting water pressure after students released for the day, said a post that evening on the MCCS Okinawa School Liaison Officers Facebook page. The break was repaired, but water was not potable Tuesday, according to the post. Parents are asked to send their students to school with bottled water, the message said. The school will also have bottled water available at school. About 400 students attend E.C. Killin in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, according to the school website. The information in the post also was distributed to parents Monday evening, Department of Defense Education Activity-Pacific spokeswoman Miranda Ferguson told Stars and Stripes by email Tuesday. She referred further questions to Marine Corps Installations Pacific. E.C. Killin is situated alongside tower housing units in a separate area north of the bases main area. Also Monday, a non-scheduled water outage occurred in the southern portion of Camp Foster, according to a post that afternoon on the Camps Foster & Lester Facebook page. Maintenance is currently involved, the message said. No estimated completion at this time. The post had not been updated as of Tuesday morning. Marine Corps Installations Pacific did not immediately respond to an email query on Tuesday. Chinas annual two sessions have drawn global attention. In this special coverage of the two sessions, parliamentarians from around the world share their observations and expectations about the event. In this episode, Marina Ragus, deputy speaker of Serbias National Assembly, said the two sessions are an important window for understanding todays China. Serbia looks forward to listening to and witnessing the voices that China will soon send forth. She noted that whole-process peoples democracy is people-centered, always operating around the needs of the broad masses, and this is worthy of appreciation by the international community. For decades, China has proven with concrete actions that this political system is effective and serves as a model for the international community. Yokota Air Base is home of U.S. Forces Japan, 5th Air Force and the 374th Airlift Wing in western Tokyo. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes) YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan U.S. military bases across the Indo-Pacific have raised security levels as a precaution amid threats tied to the conflict in the Middle East, officials said. All installations across U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility raised their Force Protection Condition (FPCON) level as a precautionary measure, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in an unsigned email Monday in Hawaii. Commanders retain authority to further adjust security measures based on local threat assessments, the command said. Employees and visitors to installations should plan for increased security measures on the installation and/or longer wait times to access the installation, the statement said. For example, U.S. Army Garrison Japan said its force protection level was at Bravo on Sunday, indicating an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity, according to a post on the commands Facebook page. The Army said additional vehicle inspections and random security measures were in effect at its installations, including Camp Zama, headquarters of U.S. Army Japan about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue working to ensure the safety and security of our community, the post said. USINDOPACOM, headquartered in Hawaii, oversees U.S. military operations across a region that spans more than half the globe and includes Australia, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea. Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks with Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing during a visit to Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Philippines, April 18, 2025. (Erica Padgett/U.S. Marine Corps) Philippine officials said this week that military facilities shared with U.S. forces are not involved in the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, rejecting suggestions that the sites could become targets. Some groups are using the Middle East conflict to sow fear and apprehension among Filipinos, Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong told the state-run Philippine News Agency on Monday. The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes Saturday on Iran, killing its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and prompting Iran to retaliate with missile strikes against neighboring countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Six American have died in the conflict so far. In the Philippines, attention has focused on sites covered under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, a 2014 deal that grants U.S. forces access to nine Philippine military facilities. Certain groups are using the events in the Middle East to justify their disdain for EDCA sites in the Philippines, completely ignoring the fact that EDCA sites are not U.S. bases, but Philippine facilities, developed and used jointly for training, [humanitarian assistance and disaster relief], and the defense and security of our country, Andolong said. The U.S. vacated its permanent bases in the Philippines in 1992. Under EDCA, American forces may operate from designated Philippine facilities on a rotational basis. The chairman of the Philippine Senates foreign relations committee, Erwin Tulfo, warned that EDCA sites could become targets, the Philippine Star reported Tuesday. Andolong said hostilities are confined to the Middle East and that EDCA locations are not being used to stage attacks. The Philippines is not a participant in the theater of conflict, he said. As such, there is no credible direct threat to the Philippines or facilities therein. Philippine national security adviser Eduardo Ano echoed that position in remarks carried by the Philippine News Agency. The U.S. presence in the sites is not permanent but rotational and serves to strengthen the capabilities of the [Philippine military] and advance the modernization program, he said. There are no verified threats to Philippine territory related to the Iran conflict, Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales and lecturer at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said by email Tuesday. However, he added: Given the hostile demonstrations by some Muslim communities in Pakistan, Malaysia and Australia in response to U.S. intervention in Iran, one cannot discount some sort of violent attack directed at American diplomatic missions, American diplomats and military officials or American businessmen, expatriates and tourists serving in or visiting the Philippines. In a Feb. 25 post on X, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said disaster readiness experts were expanding emergency supply depots at EDCA sites, describing the resources as intended to support humanitarian response. The facilities are also expected to host U.S. forces during the upcoming annual Balikatan exercise, which last year involved thousands of troops from the U.S., Philippines and allied countries in island defense training. A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck Monday amid the U.S.Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Israel said it launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site Tuesday, and Iran struck back against Israel and across the Gulf region, targeting U.S. embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel. Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or perhaps longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country. Explosions rang out Tuesday in Tehran and in Lebanon, where Israel said it retaliated against Hezbollah militants. The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began. In other developments, the Pentagon identified four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who were killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. The strike also killed two other service members. The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. The administration has offered various objectives, including destroying Irans missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensuring it cannot continue to support allied armed groups. While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal. Trump on Tuesday seemed to downplay chances of the war ending Irans theocratic rule, saying that someone from within the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel campaign is finished. Trump says people the US had in mind to lead Iran are dead Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans toppled shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over. As far as possible leaders inside Iran, the people we had in mind are dead, Trump said. I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen, Trump said. We dont want that to happen. Irans leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. Its only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Israel and US strike nuclear facilities and other targets in Iran Information coming out of Iran has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. But across Irans capital, aircraft were heard overhead, and explosions rang out. The Israeli military said it conducted a wave of airstrikes on sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, in Tehran and Isfahan. It also said it destroyed what it called Irans secret, underground nuclear headquarters. Without providing evidence, it said the site was used for scientific research to develop a key component for nuclear weapons. The regime attempted to rebuild its efforts and conceal them, thinking we wouldnt notice. They were mistaken, said Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin. There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to do so and says its nuclear program is peaceful. The United Nations nuclear watchdog said Irans Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained some recent damage, though there was no radiological consequence expected. The U.S. hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Irans nuclear program. Fears rise in Tehran as bombardment of capital intensifies New rounds of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes rattled Iran. Since midnight, I and my wife are hearing sound of explosions, said Ali Amoli, an engineer living in north Tehran. Satellite images published Tuesday by Colorado-based company Vantor showed the domed roof of Irans presidential complex in Tehran had been destroyed, supporting Israels claim of an overnight strike. Iran did not acknowledge the damage or report any casualties. A north Tehran resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation described growing fears in the capital as it comes under heavy bombardment. The resident said most stores in the normally bustling area of Tajrish were closed, though bakeries and supermarkets remained open. Iran hits the US Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. An Iranian drone struck a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Washington. He said all personnel were accounted for. The United Arab Emirates said it has intercepted the vast majority of more than 1,000 Iranian missile and drone attacks against it. U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public. The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. also urged its citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed, many were stranded. The State Department said Tuesday its preparing military and charter flights for Americans who want to leave the Middle East. Several other countries also arranged evacuation flights for their citizens. The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, according to the Red Crescent Society. In Lebanon, where Israel launched retaliatory strikes on the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah, 50 people were killed, including seven children, Lebanons health ministry said. The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. The four dead American soldiers who were identified Tuesday were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa. Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday criticized Irans attacks against Gulf neighbors that had worked to prevent war as an incredibly flawed strategy that threatened to widen the war if those states decide to retaliate. Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, David Rising in Bangkok, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Giovanna DellOrto in Miami, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. An Airbus A380 from Abu Dhabi lands without passengers, in Munich, Germany, on Monday due to safety reasons as a cabin crew of at least 17 people would have been required to take passengers on board, which, according to Lufthansa, was not available and could not be flown in due to massive restrictions. (Malin Wunderlich/AP) A State Department official on Tuesday confirmed in a post on X that the agency was actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for U.S. citizens wishing to leave the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran expands regionally. The department is in direct contact with about 3,000 Americans abroad, said Dylan Johnson, the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs. The department said Tuesday that more than 9,000 Americans had safely returned from the Middle East since the weekend, many of them without government assistance, and that it was actively assisting those who have reached out for help, including by securing military aircraft and charter flights. Weve had a couple instances in which we have planes in the air, and on the way, and unfortunately, the airspace gets closed, and they have to turn back around, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. In countries where airports or airspace was closed, the department said, it is organizing land travel to countries where flights are available, including Egypt and Oman. Efforts to evacuate Americans from the Middle East have been hampered by disruptions to embassies, consulates and airports. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar posted on X Monday that Americans in Iran and Israel, as well as Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, should DEPART NOW using any available commercial transportation. The agency has also ordered government workers in several countries to depart. But at least eight countries have had their airspace closed since the start of hostilities Saturday, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Israel, according to an online flight tracker, Flightradar24. Dubais main airport was partially damaged by a suspected strike on Saturday, and earlier that day smoke was seen rising from a U.S. base near an airport in Irbil, Iraq, while an attack days later from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, caused a limited fire. The American embassies in Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia were closed as of Tuesday, and U.S. citizens were told to stay away until further notice. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, late Monday offered advice to Americans wishing to leave Israel but noted the U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist them. The U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, was also disrupted when protesters clashed with security forces in an incident that left at least 22 people dead and more than 120 others injured. The embassy in Pakistan is monitoring for further protests at its sites throughout the country. The State Department has urged Americans abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov to receive alerts from their nearest consulate, as well as to follow @TravelGov on social media. Those in the Middle East can contact the department any time at 1-202-501-4444. Contributing: The Washington Post, The Associated Press. Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black fires a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile in support of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, 2026. (U.S. Navy) WASHINGTON Lawmakers from both parties are pushing for a vote on a war powers resolution to restrain President Donald Trumps administrations military operations in Iran. The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran last weekend that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Operations are now targeting the countrys nuclear capabilities, missile infrastructure and navy, defense officials said. Counterattacks have claimed the lives of six U.S. service members. A war powers resolution would curb further combat operations against Iran without explicit authorization by Congress. Article I of the Constitution explicitly provides Congress with the authority to declare war. Period, full stop, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the House Minority Leader, told CNN. Defense officials, speaking at a news conference Monday, said that the U.S. is sending more forces to the Middle East and has not ruled out limited ground force operations. They are scheduled to brief Congress on Tuesday in closed-door sessions about the strategy and scope of continuing joint military operations. Trump has estimated that the joint combat operations are likely to continue for four or five weeks. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., are leading the bipartisan concurrent war powers resolution in the House. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., are leading a corresponding effort in the Senate. The resolution directs the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. Several Republican lawmakers pledged to join Democrats to push for passage. War requires congressional authorization. There are actions short of war, but no case has been made, said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a former Army Ranger. But the resolution if passed in the GOP-led Congress could largely be symbolic, as it would face a near-certain veto from President Donald Trump. Congress would need to override a Trump veto, which would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Kaine said Saturday that every single senator needs to go on the record with their votes. For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war especially wars that arent authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and dont have a clear objective, Kaine said. Rosalyn Tonai, Executive Director at the National Japanese American Historical Society, walks through the "I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience" exhibit during an interview at the Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center in San Francisco, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (Jeff Chiu/AP) SAN FRANCISCO After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, second-generation Japanese American soldiers signed up to fight for the United States in World War II even as their families were locked up in government-run internment camps and declared alien enemies of the state. Decades after they returned home from the war to face more racism and discrimination, the soldiers now are being honored in a new traveling exhibit kicking off in San Francisco called I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience. The title of the show comes from a large sign posted to a Japanese American storefront in Oakland, California, the day after Pearl Harbor. The 1,500-square-foot exhibit features family photos, mementos and short bios of the Nisei men shared by their relatives to ensure that stories of past bravery endure for younger generations, especially as questions of nationality still persist. People walk outside of the Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center, which is displaying the "I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience" exhibit, in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Terry Chea/AP) A travel bag, ID card and handmade note holder On display is a travel bag that belonged to Sgt. Gary Uchida, marked by drawings he made of his native Hawaii and places he went while in the Army. There is a U.S. Army identification card on which Oregon-born George S. Hara wrote under nationality: American. Rihachi Mayewaki made a note holder from lumber scraps while imprisoned at Jerome camp in Arkansas. It features an American bald eagle and a blue star banner with three stars, one for each son: Ben, who helped collect, evaluate and interpret enemy intelligence; Charles, who trained as a rifleman with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team; and Hachiro, who trained as a linguist and worked as a translator. At the bottom of the holder is written nintai, the Japanese word for endurance. The father was incredibly proud he had three sons serving in the American army, Christine Sato-Yamazaki, executive director of the National Veterans Network and co-curator of the exhibit, said last month at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibit. Fighting for their country About 33,000 Japanese Americans fought in World War II, despite the U.S. government shipping an estimated 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to desolate camps. Thousands were elderly or children too young to know the meaning of treason. Two-thirds were U.S. citizens. Their homes and businesses were seized while they were imprisoned, often in overcrowded, wooden bunk houses in bleak locations with harsh conditions. The United States didnt offer a formal apology until 1988. These soldiers wanted to prove they were loyal patriotic Americans, part of the greatest generation at that time and they were American just like anybody else, said Sato-Yamazaki, whose grandparents did not talk about their time in camp or at war. The garrison cap worn by her grandfather, Tech. Sgt. Dave Kawagoye, is featured in the exhibit. It contains the words Go for Broke, the motto of the famed 442nd. Japanese Americans joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team or 100th Infantry Battalion, both highly awarded yet segregated units. They also served as linguists in the Military Intelligence Service. Some 800 Nisei soldiers were killed in action. The five-year exhibit runs in San Franciscos Presidio through August before heading off to 10 other cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. It is presented by the National Veterans Network, National Museum of the United States Army and the Army Historical Foundation. The Medal of Honor awarded to Pfc. Sadao Munemori is displayed in the "I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience" exhibit at the Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center in San Francisco, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (Jeff Chiu/AP) A class ring is found in France and returned Among those featured in the exhibit is Staff Sgt. Robert Kuroda, who was unable to get work as a second-generation Japanese American in Hawaii solely because of his ancestry. So he signed up to fight in World War II, reasoning that if he fought for his country employers could no longer deny him a job. On Oct. 20, 1944, Kuroda advanced through heavy enemy gunfire to take out two enemy machine gun nests after helping liberate the French town of Bruyeres from Nazi occupation. He continued his assault until sniper fire killed him. He was 21. Kuroda was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. The medal citation noted that his courageous actions and indomitable fighting spirit ensured the destruction of enemy resistance. On display in the exhibit are Kurodas Medal of Honor and high school class ring, which was prized in his family as he was the first of nine siblings to graduate. The ring was missing until 2021 when a metal detector hobbyist named Sebastien Roure found it buried in a forest near Bruyeres. Roure worked tirelessly to return the Farrington High School class ring to the Kurodas and now, the two families visit, using an app and high school French and English to communicate. Before the exhibit, both the ring and medal had been displayed in a glass case at a cousins auto body shop near Honolulu. The family just felt if we could, in our own ways, help others, the country, know the sacrifices of the previous generation and what they did for our lives, then, even better, said Kevin Kuroda, a nephew who traveled from Hawaii for the exhibits opening. HANOI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism has requested travel agencies to suspend tours to conflict zones and dangerous areas in the Middle East, in line with advisories issued by Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam News Agency reported Tuesday. The move comes amid instability and clashes in several parts of the region, particularly in Iran, Israel and neighboring Middle Eastern areas, which have significantly disrupted travel activities, the authority said. The tourism authority urged travel firms to closely monitor developments in conflict-affected destinations and strictly comply with relevant recommendations from competent authorities. For tour groups currently in affected locations, travel companies are required to maintain close contact with their partners and Vietnamese diplomatic missions in host countries to ensure travelers' safety and promptly implement citizen protection measures when necessary. Several Middle Eastern destinations favored by Vietnamese tourists include Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye and Egypt, the state-owned agency reported. SIDNEY - Local Sidney business Pedalers Corner received a memorial plaque Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, for its sponsorship of the George A. Wyman Memorial Project. The plaque was presented to owner Doug Loghry by Waypoint Coordinator David Hoover. Loghry said the recognition coincides with what would have been the building's 100-year anniversary as a service station, though the original structure is no longer standing. To mark the milestone, Loghry said the business has been giving special caps to customers who have their bicycles serviced at the store. Loghry also said a 1903-era gas pump will be acquired to display the memorial plaque, noting he had been told one had already been located. "We're trying to make it all historically significant," Loghry said. The Wyman Project commemorates the first coast-to-coast motorized vehicle journey in the United States. In 1903, George Wyman traveled from San Francisco to New York City in 50 days. Unlike later travelers, Wyman did not drive a car. He rode a California Moto Bike, which closely resembled a traditional bicycle but included a small motor. "He was obviously a person who was in very good physical condition to enter the trip," Hoover said. "Because he did it on his own. He didn't have any kind of support team." Wyman's journey is notable in the Sidney area because his route intersected the future Lincoln Highway at several points, including Sidney, nearly a decade before the highway was completed. Wyman documented the journey in five articles published in The Motorcycle Magazine between June and October of 1903. His account notes that he arrived in Sidney on June 7, shortly after 10 a.m. "When I rode into the place, which is a division town, I passed as tough a bunch of citizens as I met all through the West," Wyman wrote. "They were young fellows loafing on a corner, and they tossed all manner of taunting comment at me, as if inviting trouble. I kept on my way without replying, which was wise, but not easy to do." No exact mileage was recorded for Wyman's ride. After his fourth cyclometer broke, he stopped tracking distance. Current estimates suggest he traveled approximately 3,800 miles. Hoover said Wyman encountered numerous challenges, including snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, desert conditions in Nevada, and rough terrain. At times, Hoover said, Wyman rode along railroad tracks because they provided better footing than the available trails. Wyman's accomplishment was later overshadowed by Horatio Nelson Jackson, who completed a coast-to-coast trip by automobile in 63 days. Despite taking longer, Jackson's journey received greater attention, even though Wyman completed his ride in a shorter time frame and under more physically demanding conditions. Pedalers Corner received the plaque through the project's Memorial Plaques initiative, one of several efforts designed to raise awareness of Wyman's ride. Loghry donated at least $500 to receive the plaque, saying he decided to participate after being contacted by the project. Hoover credited the Cheyenne County Tourism office for connecting him with Loghry. The Wyman Project also sponsors a Memorial Grand Tour, which guides riders and the public through each documented waypoint of Wyman's journey. The project installs signs and plaques and works with local historical preservation groups to highlight the route. "We've used his journal, sort of like the Lewis and Clark Trail," Hoover said. "We're doing that with the Wyman Project, marking these locations that Wyman noted in his journal." The project has also partnered with the Iron Butt Association to create two endurance challenges based on Wyman's ride. One follows the Memorial Grand Tour over 50 days during May and June. The second, known as Memorial Gold, requires participants to travel from San Francisco to New York City in less than 50 hours. "The Iron Butt Association was really instrumental in starting this project," Hoover said. "They have the ride guide on the website." China's judges enhancing global role 09:05, March 03, 2026 By Cao Yin ( China Daily Chinese judges are making a significant mark on the global judicial arena by upholding the rule of law, adhering to professional ethics and sharing their mediation practices internationally. Shen Hongyu, a veteran in handling foreign-related commercial and maritime cases at China's Supreme People's Court, is a notable figure on the international stage. She became a part-time judge of the International Labour Organization's Administrative Tribunal in July 2021, following a nearly nine-month selection process. "Serving internationally marks a new chapter in my career and reflects the strong trust and recognition that international organizations have in China's judicial system and its judges' capabilities," Shen said. As the first Chinese judge on the tribunal in nearly a century, she has been a strong advocate for introducing Chinese mediation practices to the international platform. Shen emphasized that Chinese judges have extensive experience in dealing with complex cases and coordinating across departments, which has contributed to the success of the mediation approach. In Chinese courts, mediation is a dispute resolution mechanism, in which the people's court, during the process of hearing cases, facilitates an agreement between the parties based on the principle of voluntariness. Shen highlighted the importance of mediation in resolving disputes, saying that the method addresses legal issues and effectively resolves the underlying causes of conflicts. Shen said that successful mediation relies on establishing trust through professional competence, efficiently identifying facts and setting clear mediation goals. "Judges need to guide litigants to adjust their expectations, understand their interests and narrow differences to achieve a resolution satisfying all parties," she said. Shen added that what greatly encourages her is the acceptance by the international community. Last year, the ILO Administrative Tribunal adopted mediation rules and named its first mediator, integrating this Chinese-originated approach into the global system, she noted. Sun Xiangzhuang, a full-time judge at the United Nations Dispute Tribunal since July 2023, also emphasized judicial mediation as an "added value" of Chinese judges in the international community. He shared a recent case in which an applicant had filed over 20 applications to the tribunal. "I highlighted the advantages of judicial mediation in a case management discussion, encouraging him to resolve his disputes amicably. Soon, he submitted a motion to withdraw a couple of applications," said Sun, the first Chinese elected as a judge of this tribunal. His term runs until June 2030. He noted that as Chinese judges integrate into the international judicial environment, both the UN Dispute Tribunal and the Appeals Tribunal now have the capacity to process cases in Chinese. "This is a remarkable achievement in geographic distribution and cultural inclusivity within the UN's internal justice system, allowing more non-English-speaking parties to experience judicial fairness directly," he said. He stressed that embracing diversity is a core value that judges of the UN Dispute Tribunal should uphold. Shen, from the top court, said,"International service has strengthened my belief that judges, whether at home or abroad, have the honorable mission of upholding justice and fairness." Sun has also gained from his international role, improving his English and international law skills, as well as learning the importance of finding common ground and complementing each other's strengths while working with judges from diverse legal backgrounds to achieve optimal outcomes in every case. He pointed out that sincerity and professionalism are key to bridging gaps and advancing work efficiently, saying that meaningful exchanges and interactions among judges who come from different countries are beneficial to handling cases and broadening perspectives. Given that the UN is currently the world's most important platform for multilateral cooperation, the relatively low number of Chinese international employees is a concern. Sun suggested that there should be an increased focus on training legal professionals with international expertise and encouraging young talent to pursue opportunities on the global stage. Shen has also championed multilateralism, emphasizing that it fosters mutual understanding among legal systems and helps to shape a more inclusive and respectful international judiciary. Gao Xiaoli, vice-president of China's Supreme People's Court, expressed similar sentiments about multilateralism. She said that her motivation to run for a UN judicial position stemmed from her extensive practice and research in international law, as well as the UN's crucial role in maintaining world peace, protecting human rights and promoting sustainable development. "Contributing my judicial expertise and strength on such a multilateral stage is very meaningful," said Gao, who was elected as a judge on the UN Appeals Tribunal in 2022. The term of Gao, the first Chinese national to serve on the tribunal, runs until June 30. In June 2023, Gao was elected as First Vice-President of the tribunal. In October that year, she was elected as president of the tribunal. She said the experience gained from Chinese courts has been crucial in her work at the UN Appeals Tribunal, helping her effectively resolve complex cases and earn respect from international judges. She also called on more Chinese judges to participate in international exchanges and gain cutting-edge theoretical and practical experience in international law. China's international judicial engagement has continued to grow in recent years. Zhang Lingling, a judge from China's Supreme People's Court, is set to start her tenure at the UN Appeals Tribunal on July 1. Zhang pledged to uphold professional ethics and enhance judicial transparency and efficiency to address the increasing caseload, and safeguard the legitimate rights of every party involved, thereby supporting the UN's reform process and showcasing the image of justice and integrity in the Chinese judiciary. "True justice transcends nationality, race, gender and rank, and I am aware that behind every dispute are real people whose careers, reputations and families are at stake," Zhang said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) MOSCOW, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom warned on Tuesday of a growing threat to the Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) in Iran as military hostilities in the region intensify. Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev said explosions have been heard just kilometers away from the plant's physical protection perimeter since nearby military facilities were bombed by Israel and the United States. The Bushehr plant is a nuclear facility, and any breach of the integrity of its reactor or fuel storage facilities could lead to radioactive contamination across vast territories, with the movement of radioactive particles depending unpredictably on atmospheric conditions, putting the entire region at risk, said Likhachev. "All parties to the conflict must proceed from the unconditional priority of ensuring the safety of a nuclear facility, regardless of their political positions," he said, adding that 639 Russians still remain at the Bushehr plant. Russia has been involved in the Bushehr plant, on Iran's southern coast, since signing a construction contract in 1995. The plant began feeding electricity into the national grid in September 2011. In 2014, Iran and Russia agreed to build two more reactors at Bushehr, with an option for six additional units at other sites. Construction began in March 2017. Most recently, in September 2025, the two countries signed a 25-billion-U.S.-dollar deal to build nuclear plants in southeastern Iran. On Saturday morning, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. SIDNEY - Several law enforcement agencies, including the Sidney Police Department, participated in specialized active-attack response training over a two-day period on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 1819, 2026, at the former Sidney Regional Medical Center hospital. The training was part of the ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) program, a nationally recognized curriculum developed through Texas State University. ALERRT Adjunct Instructor Robb Furlow traveled from Texas to lead the course, marking the first time Nebraska Conservation officers have hosted the training. "It's vitally important," Furlow said. "People who don't know what to do are going to fail. These officers already have a solid base of knowledge, and this training reinforces priorities and decision-making under pressure." Although hosted by the Sidney Police Department, the training was overseen by Nebraska Wildlife Conservation officers. Nebraska Conservation Major Stacey Lewton said the program was selected to meet a growing need for realistic, scenario-based training, which can be difficult to conduct without proper facilities and certified instructors. "I'd like to thank the city of Sidney, the Sidney Police Department, and the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office," Lewton said. "They've been great partners with us during this training event. I'm looking forward to hosting more of these across the state." According to Furlow, ALERRT teaches the national standard for active-attack response, which has been in place since 2013 following an FBI directive issued after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. "You can rest assured that officers who have completed this training are prepared for a worst-case scenario," Furlow said. "Many of them have never experienced this level of instruction before, and they've received some very solid training over the past two days." Sidney Police Chief Sam Lovato said law enforcement response protocols have changed significantly since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, when officers were trained to wait for SWAT teams to arrive before engaging a suspect. That incident prompted a nationwide shift toward immediate threat engagement, ultimately leading to the creation of the ALERRT program. Since then, Lovato said, agencies have continued refining tactics, procedures, and communication to improve officer and public safety. Furlow explained that the three primary objectives of ALERRT training are to stop the killing, stop the bleeding, and safely evacuate victims. "I pray this never has to be used here," Lovato said. "But my job is to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and that's exactly what we're doing." Nebraska Conservation Officer Sgt. Jerod Hahn outlined the structure of the training. The first day focused on classroom instruction, covering tactics and approaches for various scenarios. The second day emphasized hands-on simulations that required officers to apply what they learned in realistic, high-stress environments. The course represented Level One ALERRT training, which focuses on foundational response skills. To conduct the training, seven instructors were utilized. Five were certified Nebraska instructors, while two, including Furlow, traveled from Texas to provide additional support. Lovato said realism is a key component of the program. Simulations included environmental stressors such as alarms, shouting, and time pressure to replicate the chaos officers may encounter during an actual incident. "When the pressure hits, people get nervous, their hands shake, and their bodies go into fight-or-flight mode," Lovato said. "We have to get officers used to functioning under that stress so they can think clearly, communicate, and make good decisions." Lewton noted the former hospital provided an ideal training environment, closely resembling "soft-target" locations where active-attack incidents often occur. "It allowed us to train properly in a realistic venue," Lewton said. "Conservation officers are frequently in schools and other public spaces that could be considered soft targets." Lewton said one of his goals is to ensure all Nebraska conservation officers receive at least Level One ALERRT certification. Furlow added that additional ALERRT courses are planned across Nebraska, though future locations have not yet been determined. Other training options include plain-clothes officer courses, live-fire training, and coordinated response classes. Lovato said the Sidney Police Department was glad to assist by providing the facility and handling logistics, including community notifications and equipment deliveries. "I apologize for the dust we create," Lovato said. "It's just part of the process." Other agencies participating in the training included the Cheyenne County and Deuel County Sheriff's Offices. "These are the kinds of officers you want protecting your community," Furlow said. "They will absolutely do what it takes to keep people safe." Vern A. Nelson, age 75 of Potter, NE entered into the presence of our Lord on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in Sidney with his loved one's present. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the Evangelical Free Church in Sidney with Pastor Kyle Larson Officiating. A private family burial will be held at a later date. Services will be livestreamed on the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel Facebook page and recorded for later viewing on our website. in lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions for Vern to the Sidney Evangelical Free Church AWANA Ministry, The Potter Volunteer Fire Department, or the Potter Community Hall Building Fund. Friends may stop by the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Monday, March 9th from 1:00-6:00 P.M. to leave their condolences for the family. Family present from 4:00-6:00 P.M You may view Vern's Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at http://www.gehrigstittchapel.com. Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Vern's care and funeral arrangements. Vern was born on December 29, 1950, in Sidney, NE to Virgil A. and Katheryn M. Nelson. He grew up on the farm northeast of Potter. He attended school and graduated from Potter High School in 1969. He went on to attend the University of Nebraska Lincoln and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. After graduation he returned home to farm and ranch. He met the love of his life Peggy Nickels in Sidney, Nebraska in 1978, and they were married on June 30, 1979, in Lincoln, NE. Their union was blessed with three wonderful children, Vaughn Aric, Dennis Wayne, and Casey Jane. Vern loved to serve others and belonged to a variety of organizations, boards, and committees in Potter and the surrounding area over the years. His faith was very important to him. While in college, he gave his heart to Jesus and made a commitment to live his life for Him. Vern pursued growing in his relationship with Jesus by studying God's Word and using his time and talents to serve others. Vern and Peggy became members of the Sidney Evangelical Free Church in 1991. Vern made a public profession of his faith in 1997 by choosing to be baptized. He was involved in various positions of volunteering and leadership in the church over the last three and a half decades. Vern is survived by his wife of 46 years, Peggy of Potter, NE, son Aric and his wife Sara of Sidney, NE, son Dennis and his wife Raechel and their daughters Paisley and Rebecca of Livermore, CO, and daughter Casey Brechtel and her husband Mike and their children Cormac, Kaden, Collin, and McKaley of Casper, WY. Vern is also survived by his siblings, siblings-in-law, nieces and nephews, several dear cousins, extended family, and honorary family members including his grandson Kaden's living kidney donor Haley. He is preceded in death by his parents, an unborn child, grandparents, father and mother-in-law, his beloved aunts and uncles, several dear cousins, and unborn grandchildren. Vern's family would like to express their sincere appreciation for the excellent doctors, nurses, and staff at the Sidney Regional Medical Center as well as the dedicated and compassionate volunteers of the Potter Rescue Unit. The Guardia Civil have informed the Montoro court, which is investigating the Adamuz train accident, of possible irregularities and manipulations in relevant documentation regarding the section of the tracks where the Iryo train derailed. According to the Guardia Civil's latest official report, the commission for the investigation of railway accidents (CIAF) has warned that, among other issues, key documents contain some "unwarranted signatures". In a previous statement from 17 February, the Guardia Civil warned the court that the CIAF had detected "various inconsistencies" in the documentation provided by state rail infrastructure company Adif. Adif has firmly denied any manipulation of these documents and sources say that all the required papers have been handed over to the commission "without any retouching". The investigation centres on the weld located at kilometre point 318+681, identified as the first point at which the rail fractured following the passage of the Iryo train travelling towards Madrid at 7.43pm. The working hypothesisis that the failure of this aluminothermic weld caused the rail to break, leading to the subsequent derailment. The alerts regarding potential irregularities in the documents concerning these welds stem from the analysis of documentation prepared by engineering firm Ayesa, which Adif had contracted in 2025 to oversee the renovation work at the Adamuz junction station (PB). According to a letter from 10 February, head of the CIAF Inaki Barron warned the court of "different inconsistencies after analysing the documentation presented by Ayesa". The investigators expressed "doubts about the validity" of certain reports. A document entitled 'Informe final de soldaduras aluminotermicas del PB de Adamuz (Cordoba - Sevilla)' was drawn up on 25 June 2025, but underwent modifications three days later. After the accident, a new version appeared on 1 February 2026. The CIAF speaks of an "inconsistency in the two versions" and stresses that "it is not possible to know exactly which part of the document has been modified at which point in time". According to the Guardia Civil, there are contradictions appearing in several documents. An entire chain of command under investigation Another highly sensitive aspect concerns the signatures appearing on the welding reports and neutralisation records prepared by Galician company Maquisaba, responsible for carrying out the joint on the night of May 24, 2025. According to the CIAF, several of the signatures are "scanned images of an easily manipulated handwritten signature". The police report states that "there are no guarantees regarding the signatures appearing on many of the documents", which could compromise the formal reliability of these files. The whole chain of control over the welding is now also under judicial and technical scrutiny. Earlier in the investigation, the Guardia Civil informed the court that Adif might have removed some sections of the track to transfer them to the Hornachuelos warehouse without judicial permission. Alekk M. Saanders Avila Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 15:45 Share The vibrant Lantern Festival, held today on 3 March, marks the conclusion of the 15-day celebration welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse. In Chinese astrology, the combination of the Yang Fire element and the Horse brings intense, fast-moving energy, urging people to pursue personal goals with newfound speed and boldness.However, this "Fire Horse" energy is not confined to the East. Every year on 16 January, the village of San Bartolome de Pinares in Avila (Castile and Leon) becomes a living embodiment of this symbol. Here, the ancient Fiesta de las Luminarias (Festival of Lights) draws thousands of spectators into a sensory whirlwind of smoke, embers, and thundering hooves. San Bartolome de Pinares in Castile and Leon, with a population of less than 500, hosts the traditional Fiesta de Luminarias (Festival of Lights), in which horsemen jump through bonfires The origins of the fiesta in San Bartolome de Pinares are a matter of debate. Various studies point to the possible existence of ancient purification rituals involving livestock and fire. (They were common in many pre-Roman cultures. In addition, both religious and livestock health reasons are cited as causes. According to one of the most common versions, in the 18th century, a serious horse disease threatened the lives of local village horses. Existing treatments were ineffective and the survival of the villagers themselves without horses seemed impossible. So the frightened people had no choice but to promise Saint Anthony that if the animals survived, they would burn the 'malas nieblas' (evil mists) with smoke from plants every year. Therefore, when the epidemic subsided, the ritual became an obligation, or rather amatter of honour, which has been observed continuously ever since. Since then, riders on their horses have been jumping over bonfires so that the smoke would purify the animals and rid them of diseases. Preventative measures Nowadays the ayuntamiento implements a number of preventative measures to minimise any risk. Both the town hall and the government of Castile and Leon hire veterinarians to attend the event. A few days before the festival, all horses are checked, and before the ritual begins, their tails and manes are braided and tied with cotton ribbons so that their hair does not catch fire. It is always stressed that the participating horses are accustomed to the environment and human handling, which helps reduce stress. Moreover, contact with fire is brief, and the bonfires, covered with ashes and green brooms, do not reach extreme temperatures on the ground. A feast ending Incidentally, before the ritual, the parish priest blesses the animals. The bonfires are tended by bonfire keepers, who use long poles to open up the bonfire just before the horse enters. This prevents the coals from burning the jumping animal. The bonfire keepers also add fresh branches to increase the amount of smoke. Crowds of people freeze in silence, then burst into cries. The event attracts tourists to the village from as far as eastern Japan and Korea, as well as Western Europeans, Maria Jesus Martin Gomez, the mayor of San Bartolome de Pinares told SUR in English. The bonfires are tended by bonfire keepers, who use long poles to open up the bonfire just before the horse enters Although this ritual is intended to purify, heal, and protect horses for the coming year, people do not forget about themselves either. The festival ends with a feast. After the ritual, the logs are used for a mass barbecue, where local meat products are grilled. Incidentally, the next Fiesta de Luminarias will be held in San Bartolome de Pinares on 16 January which according to the Chinese calendar will still be the Year of the Fire Horse (it will last until 5 February). This means that there is still opportunity to see horses and fires in a special context. Mercadona has donated 20,000 tonnes of food and products in 2025. C. P. S. Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 16:37 Share Mercadona donated 20,000 tonnes of food and products in 2025. In doing so, the Spanish supermarket chain contributes to food waste prevention and efficient resource management. According to Mercadona coordinator Laura Cruz, food donation occupies a "particularly relevant" place in the company. Mercadona's various strategies include the daily donation of food fit for consumption from its more than 1,670 shops and logistics blocks in Spain and Portugal. The company has donated these 20,000 tonnes to the more than 850 social organisations with which it collaborates on a daily basis. In addition, last year Mercadona donated 550 fridges and freezers to 130 organisations. This helps prolong "their useful life" and optimise "the use of resources". Residents of La Joya during the public meeting, in which some 300 people signed objections against the green hydrogen project. PLANS for one of Malagas largest green hydrogen infrastructures have been met with a wave of local resistance, with more than 300 residents of La Joya filing formal objections this week. The La Joya H2 project, a 250-megawatt (MW) facility proposed for the southern foothills of El Torcal, has sparked an "institutional and social outcry." Opponents warn the development will irreversibly damage the local ecosystem, agricultural economy, and water security. At a public meeting held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, residents from La Joya and surrounding hamlets joined experts and mayors to sign a collective petition against the 542-hectare industrial complex. The meeting, organised by two environmentalist and protest groups 'Plataforma por la Proteccion de la Zona Sur del Torcal' and the 'Asociacion Valle Natural Rio Grande', brought together residents, farmers, technical experts and municipal representatives from different parts of the surrounding area. As previously reported, the project envisages a large-scale infrastructure with a planned capacity of 250 megawatts (MW) and an estimated occupation of 542 hectares of rural land. The complex would include solar panels and wind turbines, electricity substations, energy storage systems, a hydrogen pipeline and a 48-kilometre network of pipes for water collection and discharge. The scale of this development and its location in the southern part of El Torcal have been the main sources of local opposition. Those attending the meeting insisted that the construction of such an infrastructure would substantially alter the landscape and the area's economic model, which is based on agriculture, livestock farming and rural tourism. Objections During the meeting, Adrian Pena Botello, the platform's lawyer, spoke, outlining the nature of the objections lodged with environmental file AAI/MA/05/25. He explained that the objections focus on potential technical and legal deficiencies in the submitted documentation, as well as the need for a more detailed assessment of the environmental and industrial safety risks. One of the points that generated most concern was the water supply. The project envisages a double pipeline from the Guadalhorce wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), located over 40 kilometres away, a solution that some of the local residents consider technically complex in an area that suffers from recurring water shortages. In previous meetings, concerns had already been raised about the potential for pressure to be placed on the local aquifers that supply agricultural operations and nearby municipalities, should the need arise. The proximity to populated areas was also a topic for debate. As has been pointed out in recent weeks, residents estimate that the direct impact could reach some 2,000 people in the area around La Joya and surrounding hamlets, within an area that has a total of over 8,000 residents potentially being affecetd in some way or other. Municipal officials also participated in the meeting. Mayor of Almogia, Antonia Garcia, expressed her opposition to the project, while the mayor of Villanueva de la Concepcion, Gonzalo Sanchez, confirmed that his council will submit its own objections and has set up an office to facilitate registration of any written objections by its residents. The day concluded with the signing of almost 300 individual objections, reflecting a mobilisation that is becoming more widespread. The main municipality of Antequera currently has three major green hydrogen projects , together with those planned by Antequera's 'dry port' logistics hub and the northern part of the municipality. In the case of La Joya, the planning process continues while the debate between energy transition and land protection gains intensity in the south of El Torcal. Eugenio Cabezas Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 16:23 Share Velez-Malaga-based tropical fruit cooperative Trops, the leading company in the subtropical sector in the Axarquia, has met with the president of the Mancomunidad association of town halls in the Axarquia, Jorge Martin, with a view to strengthening the sector with foreign markets and tourism. Martin visited the facilities of the agricultural company, where he was received by its new president, David Sarmiento and the general manager, Victor Luque. The meeting served to strengthen institutional collaboration and open up new lines of joint work, especially in the field of agrotourism. "Trops is a very important company for our region, which brings together more than 4,000 farmers, whose work is recognised for the quality of mango and avocado at national and international level. It is a source of pride that it has the Axarquia seal," Martin said in a statement, in which he stressed the need for the authorities to "work hand in hand" with local agricultural companies. During the meeting the connection between tourism and agriculture was discussed. Martin announced that the Mancomunidad will take Trops avocados to the Lisbon Tourism Exchange (BTL) as part of the promotion of the local products of the Axarquia. "We will include them along with raisins, sugar cane honey and extra virgin olive oil, accompanying the tourist map with the 31 QR codes of our villages," he explained. Agricultural landscape For the Mancomunidad, the commitment is to promote experiential, agro and gastronomic tourism in a part of Malaga province where the agricultural landscape is an essential part of its identity. The Axarquia has managed to position its subtropicals as a high added value product, especially after overcoming five years of drought, putting thousands of farms at risk of ruin. David Sarmiento said, "Tourism and agriculture are two fundamental pillars in the Axarquia. Our objective as a company and that of the Mancomunidad is the same: to improve the quality of life, fix the population and generate wealth." He called for "the defence of agriculture, from its crops to its water resources", in reference to the importance of water for the maintenance of the productive model. In this context, Jorge Martin summoned the cooperative to future technical meetings in which representatives of the public water company Axaragua will participate, with the aim of addressing issues related to water supply and planning, a strategic issue for the subtropical sector. Cartama participates in 5th Andalusian forum of child-friendly towns and cities The meeting in Seville was promoted by UNICEF Comite Andalucia, the representation in Spain of the United Nations Children's Fund Cartama was one of 70 Andalusian municipalities that participated in the forum. Tony Bryant Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 14:15 Share Cartama town hall has taken part in the 5th Andalusian forum of child-friendly towns and cities, a meeting and working space promoted by UNICEF Comite Andalucia, the representation in Spain of the United Nations Children's Fund. Youth and childrens councillor Beatriz Plaza attended the event in Seville last week, an initiative for those who advocate for local policies that protect and empower children. The meeting brought together 70 Andalusian municipalities holding the child-friendly city status (CAI), with the aim of sharing experiences in support of children across the autonomous community and addressing the challenge of creating safer and more protective environments for children at local level. Through this participation, the town hall strengthens its commitment to public policies that promote the wellbeing, equal opportunities and the full development of children and young people in the municipality, Plaza said. The councillor added that the local authority will continue working to maintain and reinforce its commitment to this recognition, promoting municipal management that incorporates a child-focused perspective across all areas. A child friendly city is any city, town, community or local government system committed to promoting the rights of girls, boys and adolescents in accordance with the convention on the rights of children. Irene Quirante Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 15:23 Share The inhabitants of a building in Malaga city lived through a terrifying experience early on Tuesday morning after the meter room of their building caught fire. Firefighters rescued many of them through the windows. The first calls came around 7.50am, when several inhabitants of the building in the Cruz de Humilladero district reported that smoke had started to seep into their homes through gaps in the wiring, sockets and other holes. In panic, some residents tried to leave the building via the stairs despite the poor visibility and the dense smoke in the communal areas. Some callers warned that there could be people trapped in the building. Upon their arrival, the firefighters evacuated 16 households due to smoke. The flames partially damaged one of the homes due to its proximity to the meter room, where the fire had originated. Fortunately, there were no casualties. One person received assistance for smoke inhalation and another inhabitant had to go to hospital after suffering a fall while going down the stairs. Nuria Triguero Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 12:23 Share After six consecutive months of employment losses, Malaga finally reversed the decline in February. The province had an average of 731,941 registered workers last month, which is 4,180 more than in January (an increase of 0.57 per cent). This was the second-highest growth in employment recorded in Andalucia after Huelva - a province in the middle of the strawberry season, thanks to which it added 17,000 contributors in February. Employment also rose in Almeria (+2,147), Cadiz (+793) and Seville (+605). In contrast, employment in Granada (-2,009), Cordoba (-2,207) and, above all, Jaen continued declining, with the end of the olive harvest resulting in almost 12,000 fewer registered workers than in the previous month. Overall, the region created 9,076 jobs in February. Unemployment rates also changed in February: the month ended with 495 fewer unemployed, to 110,430. The question is whether Malaga will be able to drop below 100,000 unemployed in the coming months, taking advantage of the tourist season. At the Andalusian level, the behaviour of unemployment was mostly positive, although without major variations. The provinces where unemployment fell are Cadiz (-889), Huelva (-654), Malaga (-495), Cordoba (-318) and Seville (-314). Unemployment rose, albeit slightly, in Almeria (+38) and Jaen (+26). Overall, the region recorded a decrease of 2,629 unemployed. This reduction in unemployment happened in all sectors in Malaga: 463 fewer job seekers in services, 100 in industry, 78 in construction and 43 in agriculture. In contrast, the number of people without previous employment increased by 189. 23,000 new jobs in one year From a year-on-year perspective, Malaga shows a positive balance both in terms of unemployment (it has 10,665 fewer unemployed than a year ago) and social security enrolment, which has increased by 23,257 people. In fact, it is the fourth province in Spain with the highest employment growth in absolute terms (after Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia). Monkeys are seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) YANGON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- World Wildlife Day is observed annually on March 3 to raise awareness of the importance of protecting wild animals, plants, and the ecosystems on which they depend. Myanmar is one of the world's biodiversity-rich countries. With its mountains, forests, rivers, wetlands, long coastline, and coral reefs, the country is home to an extraordinary range of wildlife and plant species. According to the Forest Department under Myanmar's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Myanmar hosts more than 11,800 plant species, about 365 mammal species, over 1,100 bird species, around 120 amphibian species, 290 reptile species, 1,100 freshwater and marine fish species, about 130 coral species, 11 species of seagrass, and 38 types of seaweed. Myanmar is also home to globally endangered species such as tigers, elephants, and whales among many others, highlighting the country's global importance in biodiversity conservation, it said. "This rich biodiversity, including rare and endangered animals as well as valuable medicinal and aromatic plants, is a precious natural heritage that must be protected," said Khin Nyein San, a staff officer from the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division under the Forest Department. Wildlife conservation is not only about saving animals from extinction, she said. Medicinal and aromatic plants play a vital role in ecosystems by providing food and shelter for wildlife, while also serving as essential sources of medicine, fragrance, and traditional remedies for humans. And they also contribute to livelihoods and the economy. Young people are encouraged to love and value nature and to actively participate in conservation efforts in the Southeast Asian country. "By protecting wildlife and plants today, we can preserve a greener, healthier, and more beautiful planet for future generations," Khin Nyein San said. Yangon Zoo plays an important role in wildlife and plant conservation. The zoo preserves more than 200 plant species and houses over 1,400 animals. Each year, it organizes World Wildlife Day activities to raise public awareness, an official from the zoo said. Hlawga Park in Yangon, established in 1989, is another key conservation site. According to Than Tun Oo, deputy general manager of the park, Hlawga is home to more than 3,000 animals. The park also contains more than 100 species of naturally grown trees and over 30 species of medicinal plants, he said. Hlawga Park preserves wildlife and forest ecosystems together, offering visitors the experience of a natural forest environment with water pools, deciduous and swamp forest areas, balanced weather conditions, and suitable habitats for animals, he added. The park also serves as an important learning site, where students and researchers conduct academic studies. San Lwin Oo, staff officer from the Forest Department, said the department conducts educational talks and training programs on wildlife conservation in collaboration with NGOs and international organizations. "In the past, some locals hunted wild animals for food, but through conservation programs, many now actively protect wildlife," he said. "While gems are valuable, wild animals and forests are equally precious as a part of national biodiversity," he added. A squirrel is seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) People visit Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) A bear is seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Elephants are seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) A tortoise is seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) A monkey is seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) People visit Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Monkeys are seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) A tortoise is seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) People visit Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Monkeys are seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Deer are seen at Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) People visit Hlawga Park in Yangon, Myanmar, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) The group of tourists from Malaga that are currently trapped in Kenya. Ignacio Lillo Malaga Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 14:23 Share More and more Malaga residents share their experience of not being able to return from their trips in different parts of the world due to the war escalation in the Middle East. The latest case SUR has learnt about is that of a group of 22 people, including two teenagers, who had to catch a Qatar Airways return flight from Nairobi to Malaga, through Doha, on 28 February. The aispace remains closed and they are still in Kenya. They have already looked into alternatives, but the flights are too expensive for many of them to afford - around 2,000 per person or 44,000 for all members of the group. The outbreak of the conflict caught them in the middle of lunch on the day they were due to return from their safari trip. "We found out about the airspace closure and we rushed to the airport, but there was nothing we could do," Dr Juan Maria Rodriguez told SUR. The embassy gives no reassurance Although they are physically safe and cared for in a hotel in the Kenyan capital, the tourists from Malaga are anxious. Dr Rodriguez described a feeling of "absolute helplessness" due to the lack of an adequate response from the Spanish authorities. The email they received from the embassy in Nairobi didn't provide them with solutions or flight options in case the hotel kicks them out. "The only thing they have told us is to ask our families for money or to apply for a loan to buy new tickets," Dr Rodriguez said. Days off work and missed classes Due to their prolonged 'holidays', they have had to ask for days off work, without being able to say when they would be back. Seven teachers and two students are missing school. "Qatar Airways has cancelled all flights. They are talking about a possible flight on 10 March, but they cannot provide us with any certainty," they said. "Our nerves are on edge. We just want to get back to our homes and our jobs," Rodriguez said. Nuria Triguero Malaga Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 11:27 | Updated 13:32h. Share The tension between the US and Iran has taken Malaga exporters in the Middle East by surprise. Although it is still early to estimate what losses the war escalation will bring, some exporters have already frozen shipments in the short term. Nearly 400 companies in the province do business with the area, which has become a consolidated destination for products such as olive oil, olives, nuts and subtropical fruits, as well as for services.Among them are some well-known names: Dcoop, Hutesa, Aceites Malaga, Aertec Solutions, Airzone, Mayoral, Aganova. According to Andalucia Trade, 76 of them have been 'regular' exporters in the past four years. Sales to the Middle East contributed almost 68 million euros in Malaga's last year trade balance, 3.9% less than in 2024. The areas of interest for the province were: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, the UAE, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Republic of Syria, Palestine and Yemen. Imports from this area amounted to 39.9 million, resulting in a significant trade surplus for Malaga with the Middle East. In the Andalusian ranking, Malaga is the fifth province with the highest volume of exports (ahead of Seville, Huelva, Cadiz and Cordoba). Malaga contributes only 6.9% of Andalucia's total sales, but nevertheless accounts for 26% of exporting companies. "The countries of the Middle East are markets of interest for the province of Malaga, mainly due to their exponential development and their opening up in recent years," the chamber of commerce says. The escalation of the war has set off alarm bells among companies with interests in the area, especially those with goods in transit or due to leave and those with displaced personnel. "If the conflict extends over time, there are companies that could be greatly affected by the decline in demand in these markets," the chamber of commerce points out. "Companies tell us that it is too early to evaluate the impact of this situation. Above all, it depends on the duration of the conflict," the chamber of commerce says. "Exporters say that they have temporarily frozen shipments. If the conflict extends over time, there are companies that could be greatly affected by the decline in demand in these markets. On the other hand, maritime routes are already feeling the impact, having to look for alternatives or include land routes from nearby ports." One example of a company hit hard by the crisis is Linasson, which specialises in fodder distribution: it sells almost half of its production in the Middle East. It has halted scheduled shipments and those already in progress are waiting in nearby ports or at sea, until the company finds the best alternative to get the goods to their destination. Hutesa, Dcoop and Aceites Malaga also have goods in transit. In addition, Malaga has more and more companies providing services in the area: companies that accompany foreigners to invest in real estate or specialised consultancies and tourist agencies. "Sectors such as tourism may be particularly impacted. There is an increasingly important segment of tourists from these markets with high purchasing power," the chamber says. Although it is not forbidden to export to Iran, in practice there are legal, financial and logistical constraints that make it very difficult to enter the country. Iran: the almost banned market The main market for Malaga exporters in the region is Saudi Arabia, which bought products worth almost 18 million last year. The second is Israel, with almost 17 million, and in third place is the UAE, with almost 13 million. Then come: Qatar (six million); Jordan (3.9 million, the fastest growing market); Lebanon (2.2 million); Kuwait (1.9 million); Bahrain (almost 1.4 million). At the bottom of the list is Iran, with an anecdotal 13,817 euros. While there is no official ban on exporting to Iran, there are serious constraints that make Iran a difficult market to access. The EU restricts the sale of 'dual-use goods': any technology, software or machinery that may have a military application (from chemicals to advanced electronics to carbon fibre). In addition, most banks refuse to process collections or payments to or from Iran and shipping lines do not call there. This was not always the case: a few years ago, there were companies from Malaga that regularly sold to Iran. In 2019, the chamber of commerce even organised a trade mission to Tehran. Pilar Martinez Enviada especial Berlin Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 15:18 Share As part of its agenda at the ITB tourism fair in Berlin, Turismo Costa del Sol has launched a campaign to thank the hospitality industry for supporting the Andalusian population during the recent floods. On the first day of the ITB, Turismo Costa del Sol highlighted that the most important part of the industry "are its people". The representatives of the destination stated that Malaga province's professionals have set an example of solidarity. With that said, it is worth noting that during the storms in February, many residents had to leave their homes in Andalucia. They were well-received by the residents and the hospitality industry of Ronda. A photo of the group of tourists who are now in Oman after a holiday in Sri Lanka. Chus Heredia Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 12:13 Share DOZENS of Malaga residents remain stranded across the Middle East and Asia following the closure of major flight corridors due to the escalating conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran. As of Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at least four distinct groups of holidaymakers from the Costa del Sol have reported being unable to secure return flights. Impacted travellers include families with young children currently located in Thailand, Oman, the UAE, and Dubai. Only a few flights might be able to depart from Dubai on Wednesday afternoon, but there has been no announcement regarding flights from Qatar. Emirates airline Etihad announced it was resuming flights, but also had to cancel. Four families with children in Thailand Juan Manuel Martin is one of the Malaga residents SUR has been able to contact. His and three other families are still in Thailand, after taking advantage of the school break last week to have a holiday. They are a total of 25 people, 13 of them children between the ages of seven and 13. "Our situation is one of uncertainty. The only way to contact Qatar Airways is through the website or the app. It is impossible by phone. The app tells us that we are on time and as we have to check in tomorrow [Tuesday], we will see what happens," Martin said from Bangkok. The challenge to their return comes from fact that they have a connecting flight from Doha (the capital of Qatar). "We are waiting to see what they tell us at the airport in person." Stranded in Sarja from the Maldives Ana Blanco is currently in Sarja (the UAE), on her way back from the Maldives. She was supposed to fly to Milan and then Malaga. "We were surprised to find ourselves waiting at the airport. They started telling us first separately and then over the loudspeakers that the airport was closing because all flights had been cancelled due to the war and the closure of airspace. Everyone was calm at first. We didn't know much. Some of us laughed, others started to worry," she told SUR. "Suddenly, the airport security came to look for us and told us to follow them, because we had to leave the airport quickly. We saw how only the foreigners were leaving, while they were staying inside. We were a bit scared, to be honest," Blanco said. She explained how the security would talk to them in English, but then they would also whisper between themselves, which increased the level of anxiety for the foreigners. After waiting for two hours to be taken to a hotel, they were told that they were going to take buses. There were around 1,000 people waiting, some of them pushing and shoving each other to get on the first bus. Blanco then saw how more people started coming and the crowd became more nervous. Among her travel companions is a seven-year-old girl, which is why they got scared when people started pushing each other. "We didn't want to get separated. I didn't have a mobile phone with me because it got damaged by water during my trip to the Maldives, so I had no way of contacting my companions," she said. "We began to feel anxious. It was horrible (...) nobody really told us what was going on," Blanco told SUR. It took four hours for the seven members of the group to get on a bus together. "We arrived at the hotel, they gave us a large room for four and another room for three people. The hotel was fantastic, but in the morning, when we got up, we started to see explosions. The news we were receiving was not good and we started to have anxiety attacks. We started to call our relatives to say goodbye and it was a very hard time because the consulate only told us to stay away from the windows, to send a WhatsApp with our names and phone numbers," Blanco said, adding that the consulate also didn't have enough information about what was happening. Without luggage and a return date in Oman Cristian Hidalgo is with another group of Malaga residents in Oman. Their departure point was Sri Lanka, where they had a holiday. "We were lucky because we know that things are worse in Dubai and Doha. Here, when we arrived, the company put us in a very good hotel, all included, and the embassy has been contacting us," he said. "We are all well, I want to reassure the families. The only thing is that we don't have our bags because the airport is full and we don't know how the company is going to get us back to Malaga." The Velez-Malaga group is still in Dubai SUR has also been in touch since Monday with the 27 people from Velez-Malaga that are still in Dubai. They are also waiting for more information about a possible return flight. Cybercriminals are increasingly staging fake data breaches to launch extortion attempts against KYC-AML companies. Recently, hackers devised a new method of targeting a KYC company by running a disinformation campaign. IDMERIT, a global identity verification platform, successfully averted one such attempt. The attackers demanded a payout under the guide of a bug bounty without ever gaining access to the companys network. These schemes prove why the financial sector remains a target for cyber-attacks. The anti-money laundering (AML) teams give access to vast amounts of sensitive personal information sitting on third-party servers. They create a big pool of information and therefore hackers tend to attack them with ransomware. There are three tricks that criminals employ; stealing data, propagating fake news and attacking via suppliers. The overdependence on psychological pressure, as opposed to technical penetration, is demonstrated by a fabricated IDMERIT data breach. Rumors of an IDMERIT breach reveals the shadow of digital business. Unconfirmed reports increase the impetus of ransomware attacks even in the scenario where the physical network is intact. What are the economic implications of extortion? Extortion causes direct financial burdens on the targeted organizations. Ransomware viruses drive their victims into paying large amounts of money to get their systems back. In 2025, officials indicated that there were three primary categories of losses; ransom payments, repair, and investigation fees. The bank has to comply with two primary laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act and the General Data Protection Regulation. These legislations compel them to disclose any ransomware attack immediately. The regulatory fines account to 3 billion USD, and the cost of a breach in monetary terms. What are the effects of disinformation campaigns to corporate leaders? Disinformation campaigns ensure that security chiefs deal with reputational issues, as well as technical issues, to the company. Ransomware attacks inflict massive losses of money to the concerned companies. An artificial data breach demonstrates the power of criminals in leveraging the popular opinion on their side resulting in three significant outcomes; governmental penalties, loss of clients, and increased insurance premiums. To overcome such attacks, the executives issue a transparent report as soon as possible. The main advantage of the open communication is the general elimination of the extortion threat on the spot. The case of a fake IDMERIT data breach can be used as the example of the whole financial sphere. Russian hackers identify a new method to extort a KYC firm, which demonstrates that ransomware attacks become ineffective when the companies check the integrity of their system in public. On whom do business leaders rely on network safety information? The business leaders are following the incident reports directly using the government portals and certified cybersecurity feeds. The increasing cyber threats determine that resilience to such requires a proactive approach and reporting of incidents based on facts. Set up network boundaries and deploy intrusion detection algorithms to prevent intrusions. There are 3 stringent defensive procedures that organizations employ to block ransomware attacks: Deploy immutable backups Observation abnormal behavior. Audit third-party vendors Tabletop exercises are used by Chief Information Security Officers to test these defenses. The teams recover segmented backups on their own to avoid using a decryption key. Employee training on how to identify phishing email prevents a ransomware attack in the perimeter. Cyber Threat Intelligence, when combined with Anti-Money laundering surveillance, forms a comprehensive response to high-tech financial criminals. Hackers take advantage of human weaknesses to make preliminary attacks. JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said early Tuesday that it has bombed Iran's communications center with dozens of munitions and "destroyed" it. The airstrikes came less than an hour after the military posted a warning in Farsi on social platform X, urging residents near the government-run radio and television headquarters in the Evin neighborhood to evacuate the area. "Over the years, the Iranian Broadcasting Authority called for the destruction of the State of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons," the military said, adding that the activities at the center were directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The military said it will continue to strike Iranian government infrastructure across Tehran. Endtiem Global talks on plastic pollution treaty were 'constructive': source Tokyo, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Talks in Japan aimed at salvaging efforts towards a landmark global treaty on plastic pollution were "constructive", a source involved in the negotiations told AFP Tuesday, with another meeting scheduled for May. Supposedly final talks in South Korea in 2024 towards an agreement failed, and a renewed effort in Geneva last August likewise collapsed in overtime. Delegates from dozens of countries held three days of "informal" discussions in Japan ending Tuesday, which were not expected to result in any official announcement. However, a source involved in the talks said they had gone better than feared. "Given the context of the more or less collapse of the negotiations in August, I think this is a restart of the conversation," the source said. The talks were "constructive" and "could provide... a pathway towards agreement", they added. "It could have been a lot worse." The negotiators will meet in Dakar for another meeting in May, the source said. Japan's lead negotiator Satoshi Yoshida also told AFP the negotiators "had good discussions" and more meetings would be held in the coming months. More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, with half for single-use items. A large bloc of states wants bold action such as curbing plastic production, while a smaller clutch of oil-producing states wants to focus more narrowly on waste management. Countries that were present in Tokyo include big oil producers like Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States as well as island states Antigua and Barbuda and Palau, plus China, India and the European Union. The UN's environment chief told AFP in an interview in October that a global treaty remains "totally doable". "No-one has walked away and said, 'this is just too hopeless, we're giving up,'" United Nations Environment Programme executive director Inger Andersen said. Malaysia renews Lynas licence despite waste concerns Kuala Lumpur, March 3 (AFP) Mar 03, 2026 Environmental watchdog Greenpeace voiced concern on Tuesday over Malaysia's decision to renew rare earths processor Lynas' licence for another decade, saying there were "unresolved long-standing concerns over radioactive waste management". Lynas announced on Monday a 10-year renewal of its licence to operate in the Southeast Asian nation, but under tighter conditions set by the Malaysian government. The Australian company's plant, situated at Gebeng in eastern Malaysia, is the largest commercial producer of separated rare earths outside of China. It is a major producer of materials used in everything from electric cars and mobile phones to missiles -- and has been operational since 2012. Lynas has previously faced controversy over elevated radiation levels in byproducts linked to its raw material processing methods, raising doubts about whether its licence would be renewed. Under the latest agreement, the Malaysian government said on Monday, the company must now halt all activities that produce radioactive waste within five years of its renewed operating licence. "This ensures there will be no continuous accumulation of radioactive waste in Malaysia," Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said. Existing radioactive waste will be stored in a permanent disposal facility, which is still being built and is set to be finished by the end of the year. But Greenpeace Malaysia said the government's measures failed to address the core problem: large volumes of radioactive waste already stockpiled in the country which will continue to be stored domestically. "Granting a long-term licence extension before fully resolving legacy waste management concerns risks normalising regulatory leniency in matters involving radioactive materials," it said. "Malaysia's participation in the global rare earth supply chain must not come at the expense of environmental governance integrity," Greenpeace said. The group also called for independent scientific checks, open real-time updates, and clear rules with specific targets to ensure compliance. An analyst said the extension granted to Lynas will ensure a steady supply of rare earth materials -- and boost investor confidence in Malaysia. Qarrem Kassim, based at Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and International Studies, told AFP with the extension of the new licence, the Malaysian government substantially tightened the conditions around Lynas' radioactive byproduct. But the agreement over radioactive waste production and storage for the next five years remained a compromise, Kassim added. "It is a compromise, whether good or not, we shall see," he said. llk-jhe/mtp BEIRUT, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah said on Tuesday that it launched a rocket barrage toward northern Israel in response to what it described as ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanese areas. In a statement, the group said the strike targeted the Ma'ayan Baruch site in the Upper Galilee region, adding that the attack came after Israeli airstrikes hit dozens of Lebanese cities and towns, including Beirut's southern suburbs. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side on the reported attack. 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 Sir Ringo Starr, the former Beatles drummer, has announced a new album and released its inaugural single. The 85-year-old musician's new 10-track record, titled Long Long Road, is set to feature collaborations with notable artists including Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow, and St Vincent. The album's first single, Its Been Too Long, which dropped on Tuesday, showcases guest appearances from Sarah Jarosz and Molly Tuttle. Co-written by Sir Ringo himself and American producer T Bone Burnett, Long Long Road is scheduled for release on 24 April. This new offering follows his 2025 album, Look Up, which notably secured his first number one spot on the UKs official country chart. Sir Ringo said: Im blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records. After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which Im calling Long Long Road, because Ive been on a long long road. This new offering follows his 2025 album, Look Up , which notably secured his first number one spot on the UKs official country chart ( ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images ) Recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, the album has a country and Americana sound and features much of the same bandmembers from Look Up. Sir Ringo added that the album includes musical influences from guitarist Carl Perkins and said: I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record and he found this beautiful track Id never heard before, I Dont See Me In Your Eyes Anymore. T Bone said the pair decided to write a song together after attending a poetry reading together, praising the musician for being of the highest calibre. He said: Ive loved Ringos playing and his singing for my whole life. I wrote him a Gene Autry type song because I always heard Ringo as a Texas artist, the way he played felt just like Texas music to me. Ringo Starr is a recording artist of the highest calibre, and I wanted to surround him with these young masters, bringing in some of this extraordinary young energy thats happening around Nashville for both of these records. Sir Ringo real name Richard Starkey rose to fame as part of The Beatles which was formed in 1960 and made up of Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison. The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time and one of the most influential groups in the world, having achieved 18 UK number one singles and 16 UK number one albums. Long Long Road will be released on April 24. 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 Chers son, Elijah Allman, has been arrested for the second time in three days. Days after his initial arrest for allegedly causing a disturbance at a private school with which he had no affiliation, Allman, 49, was arrested Sunday in Windham, New Hampshire, after he allegedly broke into a home. Local police said in a statement provided to The Independent that Allman was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail. Allman the only son of Cher and the late Allman Brothers band co-founder Gregg Allman was arraigned Monday and held on preventative detention, police said. The Independent has reached out to Chers representatives for comment. open image in gallery Gregg Allman was arrested twice in a three-day span in New Hampshire ( Courtesy of the Windham Police Department ) Allman was first arrested Friday after allegedly causing a disturbance and acting belligerently at St. Pauls School in Concord, police said in a statement per the Union Leader. After that incident, he was charged with two counts of simple assault, and one count each of criminal trespassing, criminal threatening, and disorderly conduct, police said. He was released and is scheduled to be arraigned April 20. Allman is Chers second son, whom she shared with her ex-husband, singer-songwriter Gregg, who died in 2017. The Believe singer is also mother to 56-year-old Chaz Bono, whom she shared with her late ex-husband, and former Sonny & Cher singing partner, Sonny Bono. He made headlines last year when he was rushed to the hospital after authorities found him acting erratically. In a statement at the time to People, Allmans estranged wife, singer Marieangela King, shared her support. open image in gallery Cher (right) and son Elijah Blue Allman (left) pictured in 2001 at the premiere of the film 'Blow' ( Getty ) While it is true that Elijah has faced personal challenges in the past, one constant has been his unwavering commitment to sobriety and his loyalty to those he loves, she said. Like many, he continues to confront his inner struggles but it is important to recognize that he does so from a place of strength, not defeat, King continued. Despite the assumptions that often color how his journey is portrayed, the reality is that Elijah remains grounded, focused and deeply committed to living with integrity and purpose. She concluded: I want to state, without hesitation, that I will always root for him. My support is steadfast and comes from a place of deep respect for the person he is and the resilience he continues to show. King, the frontwoman of British pop band KING, married Allman in 2013. He filed for divorce from the 37-year-old in November 2021. Allman has struggled with drug addiction and his mental health in the past. In December 2023, Cher filed for conservatorship of her son, over concerns that he was substantially unable to manage his financial resources due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues. However, the singer dropped her bid for conservatorship of Allman in September 2024, after they reportedly reached a private settlement. 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 Greys Anatomy and Euphoria star Eric Danes cause of death has been confirmed. Dane died on 19 February, aged 53, after what his family called a courageous battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He announced his diagnosis in April 2025. According to a death certificate, obtained by People Magazine, Dane died from respiratory failure, with the document listing ALS as the underlying cause. ALS, also known as motor neurone disease, is an incurable condition that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and causes increasing muscle paralysis over time. His family said the actor spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight, the family said in a statement. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support hes received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time. Dane married fellow actor Rebecca Gayheart in October 2004, and had two daughters together. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, citing "irreconcilable differences, but called the proceedings off after Dane was diagnosed with ALS. open image in gallery Eric Dane was diagnosed with ALS in April 2025 ( Getty Images ) We are best of friends. We are really close, Gayheart said in April 2025. We are great co-parents. I think its important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It wasn't a failure, she continued. It was a huge success. We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years, and we had two beautiful kids so I think thats a successful relationship, and thats how we look at it. Patrick Dempsey led the tributes to his Greys Anatomy co-star, remembering him as the funniest man during an interview on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show. Dempsey revealed that he had last spoken to a bedridden Dane about a week before his death when he was really starting to lose his speech. The quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly, he sad, describing Dane as a joy to work with. I just want to just remember him in that spirit, said Dempsey who played Derek McDreamy Shepherd opposite Dane on the hit medical drama. open image in gallery Eric Dane as Dr Mark Sloan in long-running medical drama Greys Anatomy ( ABC ) Dane was best known for playing Dr Mark Sloan in Greys Anatomy, a character nicknamed McSteamy who famously appeared in the shows third season wearing only a towel. He was introduced to a new audience in 2019 when he was cast in HBO drama Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordis character Nate. Euphoria creator Sam Levinson said he was heartbroken by Danes death, stating: Working with him was an honour. Being his friend was a gift. Erics family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing. 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 David Jaffe, the creator of the God of War video game franchise, has issued damning criticism of Amazon Prime Videos first-look image of lead character Kratos in its forthcoming adaptation. In a recent YouTube video, the video game designer ripped into the picture, which showed Ryan Hurst as the Spartan warrior Kratos, standing with his hands on his knees, watching his son Atreus (Callum Vinson) shoot a bow and arrow in the woods. Kratos in this pose with this expression, not the guys face, but this expression, he just looks stupid, Jaffe, 54, opined. If youre going to reveal, to most people, a brand new character that you hope is going to carry your series, for the first time, and theyve never really seen this before, and this is the way you introduce them? He considered that the characters appearance might be a conscious decision to portray Kratos as more than vengeful and rage-filled. Maybe theyre like, Well, what we really want to focus on is the father-son story. And if we focus on him being like, Spartan rage, and all that, maybe people are like, I dont want to watch that show, he suggested. OK maybe. But then, at that point, could you find a picture that doesnt look like hes s***ting in the woods? Cause thats what the picture looks like. open image in gallery God of War creator said Kratos' (left) expression in the first-look image was 'dumb' ( Prime ) open image in gallery David Jaffe (right; in 2006) clarified that he thinks showrunner Ron Moore is talented, and does not doubt the show will be good ( Getty Images ) Im sure everybodys trying real hard, [but] its so dumb, Jaffe said, laughing. But lets be incredibly clear, okay? he clarified. Two things can be true. This can be a terrible image, and it is. Its so bad in so many ways. He also emphasized that showrunner Ron Moore is awesome and talented, adding that he has no doubt the live-action series will ultimately be good. The Independent has contacted Amazon for comment. God of War was first released as a video game for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. The earlier games in the series are based on Greek mythology and follow Kratos on his path of vengeance against the Olympian gods. The later games draw on Norse mythology and depict Kratos on a path toward redemption, introducing his son, Atreus, as they interact with various Norse gods and figures. Amazon announced it had ordered a live-action series in 2022. The series, which is now in production in Vancouver, follows Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human, according to the series official logline. A release date has not yet been announced. 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 Longtime Good Morning America host Joan Lunden has alleged that a former boss sexually harassed her during her time working at New York news station WABC. The 75-year-old journalist, best known for co-anchoring the ABC morning show from 1980 to 1997, writes about the alleged incident in her new memoir Joan: Life Beyond the Script. Lunden was hired by WABC in 1975 when she was 25 and worked there until 1980. As USA Today reports, she writes in her book that a during this time a superior invited her to a work social event on Fire Island, saying it would be a good opportunity for you to socialize with the rest of the team. However, when she arrived with her boss she realized that there were only two other people on the trip a WCBS reporter and his girlfriend, so the event was really more of an overnight double date. Lunden writes: I was embarrassed that Id been so naive as to let this situation unfold, and I was offended as a woman that a guy my superior at work thought he could get away with this! He assumed that I would just go along with it. Joan Lunden, pictured in January 2026, writes in her memoir that she told her then-boss: 'This is not what I signed up for' ( Getty ) She does not identify who her boss was, using Ted as a pseudonym. She recalls telling him: Ted, you know this is not what I signed up for and that she was trying to be strong but not too offensive, since he was my boss. Lunden writes that he attempted to charm her, but that she decided to sleep on the couch rather than share a bed. After returning from the trip, she alleges that her boss began killing her stories to prevent them getting on air, which affected how much she was paid. She continues: Even more disturbing than the loss of pay was having to put up with his attitude and what it said to me and other women who only wanted to work as equals. His behavior clearly sent the message that women were not equal to men, and that when I'd refused his overtures, he was free to seek revenge. This was clearly sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. Lunden added that after consulting her agent and a lawyer, she was advised that she could sue for sexual harassment and discrimination. After telling her superior about the potential for legal action, she says he apologized. I could see by the look on his face that my punch had landed, writes Lunden. He walked out, and we both went back to work. Sometimes, you just have to put on your big-girl pants and stand up for yourself, even if it feels incredibly uncomfortable and scary. The Independent has approached ABC for comment. 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 Views regular panelists got into a heated debate with guest co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck about the recent joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which killed the countrys supreme leader and sparked a series of retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. Hasselbeck, 48, previously served as a regular co-host from 2003 to 2013. She returned for Mondays episode, during which Whoopi Goldberg opened the floor for her fellow hosts to discuss the presidents controversial military action in the region. I dont think [Americans are] going to support it if the president of the United States does not make a case and clearly explain why we went in there and what the end game is, Ana Navarro began. Clarifying that she is not an Iran expert, she noted: I am a regular American, and I can tell you my reaction, and it was mixed feelings. She shared that when she initially heard about Ayatollah Ali Khameneis death, she celebrated with Iranians around the world. But I also have such anxiety, she admitted. I am furious that we are going into war yet again without congressional approval. I am furious that the American people have not been brought into this. I am furious that we are doing this alone. Yes, Israel is part of it, but I look at Donald Trump, and I look at Netanyahu, and I see two leaders who I think politically, they benefit from war. open image in gallery 'The View' panel got into a heated discussion about President Donald Trump's decision to join Israel in bombing Iran ( ABC ) open image in gallery Former 'The View' co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck returned to the daytime talk show to step in for Alyssa Farah Griffin ( ABC ) Navarro went on to reference Trumps capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, saying: I think he thought Venezuela was incredibly successful, and hes been making comparisons with what happened in Venezuela with whats happening in Iran. I dont know Iran. I know Venezuela. Maduro was a pithy little third-world dictator. Venezuela is not Iran. We are seeing retaliation by the Iranians that the Venezuelans, they didnt have the ability to do. So I think that hes in love with this idea of being the conquerer and the emperor after Venezuela. Hes got this Napoleonic complex. He thinks hes Alexander the Great. But Venezuela is not Iran. Hasselbeck, known for her conservative views, pushed back to outline what she sees as positives from the airstrikes. We have 47 million Iranian women who now have a hope of freedom. Thats a good thing, she said. We have a disgusting, disgusting terrorist regime ended, and the people finally have hope to create their own nation again, so thats the hope. She added her belief that the war has effectively cut off Irans oil supply to China, preventing:China from having an absolute stronghold on the globe. She added: So this is a strategic move geopolitically that we may not fully understand, but I absolutely trust that this is best for our nation. We should be America first. Navarro interrupted to ask Hasselbeck what has led her to believe Irans regime has come to an end. Just as Sunny Hostin attempted to add her perspective, Hasselbeck cut in to respond to Navarro, causing the three hosts to speak over each other. Goldberg was then forced to step in and remind them not to crosstalk before telling Hostin to continue. I was just going to say, the bottom line is that this is an illegal war. This is an unconstitutional war. Only Congress can wage war. Thats the first thing. I think we have to call a thing a thing. So this is an illegal war. This is a presidential war, Hostin said. I think what Ana was about to say, Did the regime really change? No. At this point, Donald Trump has come out and said, I have some choices for who would lead, but they are dead now, too. And so now you have people that are in Iran picking their own people, so you dont have a regime change, just like you dont have a regime change in Venezuela, she insisted. Hostin further criticized Trump, saying: I thought this was going to be the president of peace. I thought this president wanted to win a Nobel Peace Prize for peace. That is not what Im seeing. I am not seeing America first. I think people that voted for Trump, I was not one of them I think you were those people wanted America first, she added, pointing to Hasselbeck, who quietly laughed. I proudly voted for Trump, Hasselbeck retorted, because the alternative was not great, and we would absolutely be under the wrong power if the alternative came to be. Hasselbeck returned to The View this week as a replacement for Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is currently on maternity leave. Last weeks guest host, MAGA-favorite Savannah Chrisley, prompted outrage from viewers. 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 Todd Meadows, best known as a deckhand on Deadliest Catch, has died while filming the show, aged 25. Meadows was the newest crew member on the Aleutian Lady, a boat featured on the high-risk Discovery Channel reality series. According to reports, the vessel was being filmed at the time of Meadowss death, which occurred on 25 February. A GoFundMe set up in his honour confirmed he died while crabbing out on Alaskan waters. Deadline claimed that the vessel was the last one featured in the forthcoming 22nd season that was still at sea, and that filming concluded shortly after Meadowss death. Captain Rick Shelford, who has been a regular on the show since 2023, called it the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady. Shelford continued: His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyones respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always. A spokesperson for Discovery Channel said his death was a devastating loss, adding: We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. Our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time. He is survived by his wife and three children. Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows has died during production on season 22 ( Discovery Channel ) Deadliest Catch premiered in 2005, following a group of king crab fishermen in Alaska as they embarked on the perilous journey to catch the seafood delicacy in the Bering Sea. The title is inspired by the high risk of injury or death linked to the line of work. In 2019, a boat set to appear on Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove capsized in Newport, Oregon, killing three fisherman: Joshua Porter, 50, James Lacy, 48 and Stephen Biernacki, 50. Discovery Channel paid tribute to the victims: We feel deeply saddened by the news, as we feel part of the crabbing community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and the entire community during this difficult time. A friend of Porter told local news he had planned for the voyage to be his last on this particular boat because he found the crew to be inexperienced. Those were his words, Celeste Paranto told The Oregonian. Its very sad. Because he was a responsible person. He went out on the trip and never returned home. Im really having a hard time with it. Oregon State Police said that the incident occurred after the fishermen asked the US Coast Guard (USCG) to assist them in crossing the Yaquina Bay bar shortly before 10 pm because of high seas. Shortly after, authorities discovered the boat had capsized with three people onboard. The fatal incident was witnessed by a Coast Guard crew who reportedly carried out a search and rescue mission. According to the USCG Pacific Northwests Twitter page, they were battling 12 to 14-foot waves. 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 An influencer based in Dubai is facing intense criticism after suggesting that wars are not meant to be happening here. Irans ongoing retaliatory strikes against the United States and Israel have extended into the Gulf, with missiles and drones damaging Dubais main international airport terminal and iconic landmarks such as the Burj Al Arab hotel and parts of the Palm Jumeirah. In a since-deleted Instagram video, Australian influencer Louise Starkey filmed from her hotel balcony as what appeared to be Iranian missiles streaked across the night sky toward a target in the United Arab Emirates. The video showed Starkey in a white bathrobe as she clutched her face. Im scared. Im actually so scared, she told her viewers. Its not meant to be happening here. Cant everyone just chill out? The influencer continued, I don't want anyone getting hurt, you know what I mean? Ive been hearing loud explosions in the background all day. The sound it shakes the windows. I dont know how to explain it. Its the weirdest sound ever and now Im seeing them. open image in gallery Influencer Louise Starkey posted a since-deleted Instagram video of what appeared to be Iranian missiles going over her hotel balcony ( @ellestarkos/instagram ) open image in gallery It's not meant to be happening here. Can't everyone just chill out? Starkey said ( @ellestarkosIinstagram ) This is not fun, guys. We are supposed to be in the safest place. I love the UAE, I love being here. I feel so safe all the time, and now I can see it. Please just stop. According to comments seen by Daily Mail, people were quick to criticize Starkey for saying the missile attack was not supposed to happen here. Dubai is home to many influencers, drawn by its luxury lifestyle, year-round sunshine and reputation as a global playground for content creators. Not meant to be happening here has to be one of the most selfish statements I have ever heard. As if its meant to happen anywhere, one person pointed out, while another agreed, The entitlement. It happens in Gaza, its fine. But if it happens to your luxury lifestyle, its not meant to happen. Other commenters tried to assure Starkey that she should stay calm instead of posting videos on social media. It will be over soon. Im in [Dubai], and Ive been seeing them all day, but I have a very strong belief that this land is a land of peace and wont be harmed, one person wrote, according to news.com.au. Its just a temporary disturbance that will end soon. Stay strong. Hang in there, girly. Its not nice for anyone. But worry about what you can control! And thats your mindset, a second person added. KIGALI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its senior officials, citing alleged support for the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In a statement, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the RDF has been "actively supporting, training, and fighting alongside" the M23, which is under U.S. and United Nations sanctions for alleged human rights abuses and a mass displacement crisis in the DRC. The U.S. Treasury also accused the RDF of deploying troops and military equipment into eastern Congo, contributing to the armed group's territorial gains, including the seizure of key cities and mining areas. Rwanda swiftly rejected the U.S. allegations, describing the sanctions as unfair and one-sided. In a statement released late Monday, Kigali said the measures "unjustly targeting only one party to the peace process misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo." 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 Royal Ascot has been scrubbed off Princesses Beatrice and Eugenies social calendar with the palace reportedly banning them from the event in light of their parents, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Fergusons links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Its a sad and cruel blow for the sisters, who until now have considered the horse racing event in June a favourite of their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II a basic normality of their existence. This was the place where the blood princesses could not only show their support for the wider family, but also show off some wild and wacky headgear too. But its over. No longer will they join senior royals in the royal procession in fancy carriages or take their seats in the royal box. In a situation described succinctly by friends of the princesses as a never-ending sh** show regarding their parents, this latest move has blindsided them, according to the Mail on Sunday. And it doesnt stop at a day at the races either. They are not invited to any other royal events for the foreseeable future. How much worse can it get? With millions of Epstein files still awaiting release, the answer to that question suggests, probably a lot worse. And the sisters will be left to pick up the pieces of the shattered lives left in their wake. Whatever their father may deserve, it cant have been much fun watching him being dragged by the police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. While the rest of the world may have revelled in the humiliation of the former prince as he was held at Aylsham Police Investigation Centre in Norfolk for 11 hours, the girls will have been left trying to explain it to his grandchildren. And now, thanks to their fathers public disgrace, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, have been cast out in the cold even further than they could ever have imagined possible. Prince William reportedly already warned royals not to be photographed anywhere near them for the rest of the year. The only royal left in a possibly worse position is Prince Harry, who, of course, understands exactly how it feels to be persona non grata, and is rumoured to have offered his cousins a listening ear and a safe refuge at his Montecito home with his wife, Meghan, in California. This is the most intense family cooling-off session imaginable and it must be blowing their minds. The sisters have their own, no doubt complicated, relationship with both their father and mother. They will need to make sense of any remaining sinew of loyalty to their disgraced parents, while disentangling themselves from the increasing horror of the situation. My heart goes out to them and yes, I feel huge sympathy for their plight. I never thought Id say that, or care so much, but the fact that Beatrice and Eugenie, like me, have young children and are mums makes the shame and rumours swirling around family dysfunction and wrongdoing far worse. open image in gallery The York brand is tarnished and there is no escape for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie ( PA ) How will they broach the ins and outs of their family madness with Beatrices daughters, Sienna, four, and Athena, one, as well as her nine-year-old stepson Edoardo, and Eugenies sons, August, five, and Ernest, two? How do you explain that they wont see parts of their wider family in public anymore unless its under the cover of darkness? Its one thing to reconcile their own egos and vanity with not being part of the royal show anymore, but how do you explain this new keep out of the way lifestyle to their children? While they are living this public reality, I know how painful it can be to feel like an outcast in an extended family. I became estranged from mine after a spat over my late dads will and the toxic fallout had started years earlier when I was his sole carer. I also have to explain a milder version of this to my children every Christmas and at birthdays and the sadness I feel about it is crushing. They will feel like they are dragging their own families into a drama that is not of their making. Known to be polite and thoughtful, the York sisters have had to cope with the chaos their parents have brought since they were small. On the surface, it might all look like pretty dresses and tea parties at the palace, but the girls have endured a life marked by divorce, lewd public headlines, and a father known for his arrogant demeanour, alongside a grift-prone mother all their lives. Despite Sarah calling herself and Andrew the happiest divorced couple in the world after separating and divorcing in 1996, it was clearly never the full picture. A childhood with a desperate, needy mother must have taken its toll on Beatrice and Eugenie. While Fergie would happily refer to herself and her girls as The Tripod, it hints that her daughters were propping her up instead of being parented properly. This might explain their own bad judgements. It has been reported that Beatrice helped advise her mother on how to get back into Epsteins good books, and that she also encouraged her father to take part in the catastrophic Newsnight interview in 2019. There are fears that the princesses may have had indirect financial links to Epstein. Anything feels possible with Sarah and Andrew at the helm. You only have to look at the family photo of the Yorks at Beatrices 18th birthday party at Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2006 which Jeffrey Epstein attended to realise how surreal their world was. Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie, dressed in period costumes resembling something from Frozen, with Andrew in military attire, looked more like characters on the set of Bridgerton than members of a modern royal family. open image in gallery Princess Beatrice excitedly watches the King George V Stakes during Royal Ascot in 2025 ( PA Wire ) Not only have they long been a laughing stock, now they are having to face the reality of seeing their father kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the floor and read how their mum once told Epstein that she was waiting for Eugenie to return from a shagging weekend. It just adds to the dysfunction that they have had to endure all their lives. The Epstein files revealed their mother told the disgraced financier, just marry me, referred to him as the brother I always wished for, and asked him, when are you going to employ me. We now know they were reportedly taken to lunch with Epstein in 2009 at his Palm Beach home less than a week after he was released from prison for soliciting a child for prostitution. We also know Andrew sent photos of Beatrice climbing Mount Blanc and Eugenie in a charity bike ride to Epstein in 2010 and 2011. Of course, what the girls are going through is nothing compared to the trauma of Epsteins victims, who recall years of being used and abused and trafficked to some of the most powerful men in the world. But the shame of knowing your father was cosying up with a paedophile and having his sex life sliced and diced by millions is bound to cause deep shame and pain. So where do they go from here? At one point, Beatrice was rumoured to be preparing to move Sarah into a modest granny annexe at her Cotswolds home after she was reportedly forced out of Royal Lodge. Luckily for Beatrice, that never materialised. Instead, Sarah is believed to have travelled to the French Alps to stay with friends before later taking refuge at the world-renowned 13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, over a month ago. How does any child come to terms with such parental betrayal and shame by association? I hope they both have access to strong emotional support and that, in time, they can build happy and stable lives far removed from the current nightmare. I truly believe the best thing Beatrice and Eugenie could do is step away from royal life, relinquish the public burden of their titles, and focus fully on raising their families in a calm and stable environment something they themselves were rarely afforded. They should devote their lives to meaningful work and ensure there is never even a whisper of hypocrisy in the paths they choose. The sisters have survived a childhood defined by chaos, scandal, and parental misjudgements. Now, as mothers themselves, they face the cruel irony of protecting their own families from a world their parents helped to make so incredibly messy. Walking away from the glare of public life may not erase the past, but it will gift them something more precious: the chance to raise their children in calm, stability, and dignity and finally live a life that belongs to them alone Good luck to them. Theyll need it. 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 The recent headlines detailing US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the looming threat of wider conflict have once again plunged many into a state of heightened anxiety, dominating conversations and social media feeds. As the world grapples with escalating tensions, medical experts are highlighting the critical need for individuals to protect their mental well-being amidst the relentless news cycle. It is entirely normal to experience stress and a sense that global events are spiralling into chaos, according to psychiatrists. Michael S Ziffra, a professor and psychiatrist at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, reassures that such reactions are a natural human response. "Fear, sadness, confusion... these are very normal reactions to very extreme circumstances," he told The Associated Press. "People shouldnt feel guilty, or they shouldnt feel like its wrong to feel anxiety. Its a very normal human response. The key is to know how to manage it." Since 2020, a year marked by the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, widespread social and political unrest, and numerous climate-related disasters, Professor Ziffra has observed a significant rise in patients reporting anxiety triggered by current affairs. While some express frustration or obsessively scroll through social media, these feelings, though challenging, can sometimes be channelled into positive action, such as engaging in advocacy or contacting lawmakers. However, moderation is key, as Ziffra warns against "wallowing" in distress. "The problem is, for a lot of people, they just kind of wallow in it. They ruminate and obsess and just sort of stew in it," he explained. In today's hyper-connected world, information is constantly at our fingertips, often pushed by algorithms or phone alerts. The 24/7 news cycle, coupled with the instant dissemination of images and videos from disaster zones, means people are "much more exposed" to current events than ever before, notes Dana Rose Garfin, a psychologist and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research into "cascading collective traumas" has shown how continuous media coverage, such as during the Covid pandemic, can significantly amplify anxiety. open image in gallery A student views her cell phone at Ronald McNair Sr. High School ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Professor Garfin explains that while it is a "logical, rational and helpful reaction" for people to seek information during a crisis, this often leads to a detrimental cycle. "What we've seen in our research is theres this sort of reciprocal effect. An event happens, people learn about it, they turn to the media to learn more about it, and theyre really distressed," she said. This distress then fuels a desire for more information, creating a loop that is difficult to break: "It sort of activates these processes where then theyre both more distressed and want to know more about this event because theyre distressed." To avoid becoming overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted, experts advise a conscious effort to manage news intake. A primary recommendation is to reduce or eliminate "doomscrolling" on social media. Roxane Cohen Silver, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine, who co-authored a study with Professor Garfin, consciously limits her social media use. "I dont immerse myself in social media, and thats a very conscious decision on my part to protect my own mental, and physical, health," she stated, highlighting concerns about the repeated exposure to graphic images and videos. "I think that one can stay informed without immersing oneself in graphic images." Professor Garfin suggests opting for more "enjoyable" and controlled ways to consume news, such as reading informative articles, listening to podcasts, or watching dedicated news segments, rather than passively allowing algorithms to dictate content. Practical steps include setting screen time limits on devices and carefully selecting news sources. Professor Ziffra advises choosing neutral outlets: "Try to avoid things where its very partisan and where theres going to be a lot of inflammatory content, because thats going to likely exacerbate your anxiety and make you feel anxious, angry, scared." open image in gallery ( Getty Images ) Even when global events unfold thousands of miles away, their psychological impact can be profound. Therefore, identifying and utilising personal coping mechanisms is crucial. Professor Garfin notes that "People have a lot of inherent knowledge of what helps them... and things that they find comfort in, which is different for everybody." Experts recommend redirecting attention through activities like breathing exercises, walks, engaging in hobbies, connecting with friends, seeking therapy, or pursuing creative outlets. As Professor Ziffra concludes, these are "Things that are going to get your mind off of all of the obsessing and worrying and really putting your thoughts on something more positive." 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 Authorities in California have arrested a man in connection with a homicide that unfolded nearly quarter of a century ago. Alex Anthony Uribe, a 46-year-old from La Quinta, just south of Palm Springs, was taken into custody on February 27 on a murder charge related to a killing in 2002. The Riverside County Sheriffs Office confirmed the arrest in a press release, adding that Uribe is now the prime suspect in the killing of 27-year-old Hernan Marquez. The case began on August 11, 2002, when officers responded to reports of a traffic collision in the La Quinta area at around 4.15 am. open image in gallery Alex Anthony Uribe has been arrested on a murder charge in connection with a killing that took place in 2002 ( Riverside County Sheriff's Office ) Deputies from the then-Riverside County Sheriffs Indio Station discovered Marquez inside his vehicle at the crash site. According to the press release, he was suffering from gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by medics. When homicide investigators took over the case, they quickly discovered that Marquez had attended a house party in the area before he was shot. An altercation is believed to have occurred at the gathering, which ended with the victim being shot as he left. The sheriffs office says that Marquez drove away from the home at high speed before losing control of his vehicle and crashing. An extensive probe into the shooting ultimately ended with no arrests, and the case went cold. It was re-examined years later as part of a push to review unsolved cases. Investigators used advancements in forensic testing in their renewed probe, although the Sheriffs Office has not yet revealed what evidence led to Uribe's arrest. open image in gallery Hernan Marquez is believed to have attended a party before being shot as he tried to leave ( Riverside County Sheriff's Office ) Uribe is believed to be the only suspect involved in the killing of Marquez, according to the press release. The Riverside Sheriffs Office would like to thank the public for their assistance in this investigation and for helping provide justice for Marquez and closure for his family after more than twenty years, the departments press release continued. Forensic technology has rapidly advanced in recent years, with police departments using new tools to analyse evidence found at crime scenes. According to Stevenson University, developments in artificial intelligence have been a boon to investigators. Artificial intelligence can analyze large volumes of digital evidence, such as emails and texts, and identify patterns and other relevant information in the data. The technology can also be used to enhance image and video quality and to recognize faces and voices in digital footage. The Independent has contacted the Riverside County Sheriffs Office for comment. 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 An elderly man aboard a JetBlue flight in Florida was arrested after he told airline staff he had a bomb in his bag, authorities said. Robert Albanese, 76, of Lindenhurst, New York, was arrested Sunday just before 10 a.m. at Terminal 4 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Broward County Sheriffs Office said. Police were called to the terminal after Albanese apparently became upset when he was unable to find space in the overhead bin for his carry-on luggage, according to an affidavit obtained by News 6. Witnesses, including flight attendants and a gate agent, advised that the defendant began arguing with airline staff regarding storage of his bag, the affidavit reads. Multiple witnesses reported that the defendant stated, I have a bomb in my bag, while gesturing to his carry-on luggage located inside the aircraft cabin, according to the affidavit. Deputies took Albanese into custody, and the plane, which was preparing for takeoff, had to be evacuated. A K9 was brought onto the aircraft to search for a potential bomb, but no such threat had been found, NBC Miami reported. open image in gallery An elderly New York man was arrested on a JetBlue flight leaving Florida on Sunday after making a bomb threat, police said ( Getty ) open image in gallery Robert Albanese was charged with a false report of a bomb explosion and criminal mischief ( Broward County Sheriff's Office ) It was not immediately clear where the flight was headed or how big a disruption the threat caused. Given the flight delays, operational disruptions, personnel costs, and other expenses, the threat cost the airline and airport over $1,000, according to News 6. Albanese was charged with a false report of a bomb explosion and criminal mischief over $1,000. He is being held at the Broward County Jail without bail, WPBF reported. 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 TikTok influencer who falsely accused a University of Idaho professor of being involved in the 2022 slayings of four college students has been ordered to pay her $10 million in damages. A federal jury in Boise deliberated for less than two hours on Friday before finding Ashley Guillard liable for defamation and awarding damages to history professor Rebecca Scofield, who testified that the online accusations shattered her mental health, career, and reputation. Guillard, 41, had built a following online theorizing about high-profile cases through what she described as spiritual intuition, often using Tarot cards. In a series of TikTok videos just after the November 2022 murders, she repeatedly claimed that Scofield was linked to the stabbing deaths of the four University of Idaho students, despite Bryan Kohberger being arrested six weeks later. In July 2025, Kohberger plead guilty to the murders of Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and was sentenced to life in prison. In the videos, which continued until 2025, Guillard also alleged that Scofield had been romantically involved with one of the victims and ordered the killing when the student threatened to expose the relationship. She posted Scofields photo and personal information online without evidence, The Idaho Statesman reported. open image in gallery In a series of TikTok videos, Ashley Guillard accused Rebecca Scofield of being responsible for the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students ( lordashleyg/TikTok ) In December 2022, Scofield filed a defamation lawsuit. But court records show Guillard continued posting videos even after receiving cease-and-desist letters and after Moscow police publicly stated Scofield was not a suspect. In June 2024, Guillards statements were ruled defamatory by Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco, who found that they were based only on her spiritual intuition and not on any objective basis. The most recent trial, which lasted four days and ended on Friday, focused solely on determining damages. Scofield testified that the accusations caused severe anxiety, PTSD, and nerve pain throughout her body, making it difficult for her to work as chair of the University of Idahos history department. She said she and her family avoided a vigil for the victims out of fear and felt cut off from their own community. There was a moment where it felt like I lost ownership of my face and my name, and it was no longer stitched to my body, Scofield told jurors during the trial. It was utterly terrifying. open image in gallery Scofield testified that the accusations caused severe anxiety ( University of Idaho ) Guillard represented herself at trial and called only one witness herself. She told jurors she believed she had psychic abilities and learned tarot reading through YouTube videos, numerology, and self-study. She said she began posting videos to raise awareness and push authorities to investigate possible leads. I kind of lost a little bit of hope that she would be investigated, but something in me wouldnt allow me to give up, Guillard testified. Guillard acknowledged she made more than 100 videos about the case, continuing until August 2025, after Kohberger had already pleaded guilty to the murders. open image in gallery In July 2025, Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty of all four murders in exchange for being spared the death penalty ( Getty ) open image in gallery Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed in November 2022 ( Instagram ) More than three years after the murders, and seven months after Kohberger was sentenced, Scofield confronted Guillard in federal court. You spoke lies into a camera, about me and my husband, Scofield told Guillard from the witness stand. You were making (dozens) of videos about me, someone you never met, you never talked to, someone you had no connection to. I dont know how anyone could not feel threatened by that level of interest from someone they had never met. At the end of the trial, Scofield was awarded $6.5 million for false accusations related to the murders and $3.5 million for claims of an inappropriate relationship with a student. Most of the award, $7.5 million, was punitive damages meant to punish Guillard and deter similar conduct from others in the future. The remaining amount covered medical costs and emotional distress. The $10 million verdict reinforces the judges decision and sends the clear message that false statements online have consequences in the real world for real people and are unacceptable in our community, Scofield said in a statement to PEOPLE after the verdict. The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, was the darkest chapter in our universitys history. Todays decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. HANOI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has approved a master plan to develop Da Nang International Airport through 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Vietnam News Agency reported Tuesday. The airport, located in Hoa Cuong and An Khe wards of Da Nang City, will maintain its role as a key aviation hub in central Vietnam while continuing to operate as a dual-use civil and military facility, according to the report. By 2030, annual capacity is set at around 20 million passengers and 100,000 tonnes of cargo, with passenger volume projected to remain stable through 2050 and cargo capacity rising to 330,000 tonnes per year. The plan retains two runways, expands apron space to accommodate 52 aircraft parking positions, and adds new taxiways to improve operations. The airport currently operates 24 direct air routes, of which 16 are international, serving around 112 flights per day. Jin Ruirui arranges Yi ethnic costumes featuring handmade embroidery at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. Jin Ruirui, president of the county-level Yi embroidery association, has been dedicated to preserving the millennia-old craft while leading local embroiderers toward cultural prosperity and rural revitalization. With a history of more than 1,300 years, Yi embroidery features exquisite patterns and diverse stitching techniques, serving as an important carrier of ethnic Yi culture. Over the years, Jin has helped more than 2,000 women find jobs. Through their efforts, the ancient craft has stepped out of the mountains and appeared on fashion week runways in cities such as Milan, New York and Paris. By blending with modern fashion design, it has repeatedly expanded into new markets and reached new audience. In 2023, Jin was elected a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC). During her tenure, she has put forward proposals on issues such as the protection of Yi embroidery and related industrial development, employment, education, and healthcare. At this year's "two sessions," Jin will focus on the industrial growth of Yi embroidery, youth mental health and the prevention of juvenile crime. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui (C) dances with locals in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui checks a piece of Yi ethnic costume featuring handmade embroidery at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui (R) talks with an embroiderer at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui promotes Yi ethnic costumes featuring handmade embroidery via livestreaming at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui arranges her headwear at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui poses for a photo in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) An aerial drone photo shows Jin Ruirui seeking suggestions from local embroiderers at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026.(Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui introduces Yi ethnic costumes featuring handmade embroidery to a customer at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui learns about youth mental health from a doctor at the People's Hospital of Mouding County, in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui embroiders with locals at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui files suggestions at her office in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Jin Ruirui seeks suggestions from local embroiderers at her studio in Mouding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Viking upgrades Nevada tungsten 16-fold in gravity win Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth March 3, 2026 4:17pm 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 Viking Mines has kicked off metallurgical test work at its Nevada-based Linka tungsten project with a result that reads more like a headline than a lab report - a 16-times increase in grade using the simplest processing method in the book. Initial gravity separation test work on a high-grade Linka Pit sample grading 1.4 per cent tungsten trioxide has delivered a rougher concentrate assaying 22.9 per cent tungsten trioxide with an impressive 63.7 per cent recovery at the coarsest grind size tested. Tungsten from deposits such as Vikings Mines Linka project is used in tungsten carbide cutting tools due to its unusually high melting point, as well as in the defence, aerospace, electronics and manufacturing sectors. Linka hosts high-grade scheelite mineralisation within a classic skarn system in Nevadas Spencer Hot Springs Mining District, about 7 kilometres south of Highway 50. The skarn has formed at the contact between Ordovician limestone and granitic intrusives - textbook tungsten terrain. Scheelite is one of the most common tungsten minerals, together with its heavier cousin wolframite. Advertisement A 16-times upgrade through the simplest and cheapest processing method available is a fantastic result. Viking Metals managing director and chief executive officer Julian Woodcock Gravity separation leans on scheelites density to mechanically separate it from waste and is the cheapest and simplest beneficiation route available. No exotic chemistry or complex circuits, just simple physics doing the heavy lifting. Viking Metals managing director and chief executive officer Julian Woodcock said: Achieving a 16-times upgrade through the simplest and cheapest processing method available is a fantastic result. We are fast-tracking flowsheet development to evaluate low-cost modular solutions and have commenced discussions with processing specialist Mineral Technologies. The 63.7 per cent recovery was achieved at the coarsest grind size, 200 microns, suggesting there may be room to further improve recoveries through staged grinding optimisation and cleaner gravity work. Notably, much of the unrecovered tungsten appears as fine scheelite in the tails - material Viking plans to chase up on with new flotation test work. The deposits mineralogy is also cooperating. Microanalytical automated mineralogy QEMSCAN analysis shows the primary waste mineral is garnet with minimal calcite. Calcite can complicate processing flowsheets and increase reagent consumption. Minor calcite, simple mineralogy and strong density contrast are a metallurgists trifecta. Advertisement Viking is wasting no time and is already in discussions with processing specialists to assess modular, low-cost gravity processing equipment. This kind of plug-and-play solution can dramatically reduce upfront capital and accelerate timelines. Technical consultants, IMO, and Base Met Labs are overseeing the program to ensure test work meets world-class standards. Beyond metallurgy, Viking is building momentum on the development front, advancing a 3D geological model, mapping out drill targets for the June quarter and lining up the required federal permitting to get rigs turning. Linka forms part of Vikings wider Nevada tungsten grounds, which it acquired late last year. Across four historic sites, the broader Nevada portfolio has previously churned out 123,000 tonnes of ore grading 0.54 per cent tungsten trioxide, underscoring the districts proven tungsten pedigree. The Linka project itself is no greenfield mystery. The historic mine produced tungsten during WWII and the Korean War era, with reported production grades between 0.69 and 0.98 per cent tungsten before government buying programs ended. Advertisement Tungsten is classified as a critical mineral by the US, UK and Australia due to the metals key role in the defence, aerospace, electronics, and manufacturing sectors. In addition, tungsten is characterised by high supply risk due to Chinas dominance in production. However, the biggest use of tungsten is in cemented carbides. Roughly 60 per cent of global tungsten consumption goes into tungsten carbide, which is used in drill bits for mining, oil and gas, as well as metal cutting tools for machining steel and alloys. Vikings timing could hardly be better. Global tungsten pricing remains near all-time highs, recently touching US$1,850 per metric tonne unit for ammonium paratungstate - the primary industrial intermediate product for tungsten. China, as usual, dominates global supply, and with Western governments scrambling to secure all-important critical mineral chains, US-based tungsten projects are suddenly enjoying geopolitical tailwinds barely whispered about a decade ago. If Viking can continue lifting recoveries while keeping capital intensity in check, Linka could evolve from a simple historic skarn revival into a strategically positioned domestic supply story. Advertisement Sixteen times uplift on the first shake of the table suggests there may be more weight to come. This may well be the story that lights up the tungsten space. 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 Shares Sharemarket Advertisement NationalInsolvency Ive waited 10 years for the truth: The billionaire, the French president and the satellite that crashed to Earth Sarah Danckert March 3, 2026 7:00pm 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 A decade ago, Singapore property mogul Ching Chiat Kwong made a promise to himself one day he would return to Australia and seek justice in the courts for the investors who were burnt in the collapse of satellite company NewSat. That day has now arrived. In April, the Supreme Court of Victoria will hear a $US5 billion ($7.06 billion) claim for damages by the liquidators for NewSat on behalf of creditors against the financiers and other backers of what promised to be the first Australian-made and owned satellite the Jabiru-1. Ching Chiat Kwongs wealth is estimated to have grown from $600 million in 2017 to more than $1 billion thanks to investments in property developments around the world. I am very determined to actually find out what happened, Ching now with a net worth touching $1 billion says in his first interview on the matter with the Australian media. Advertisement Ive waited more than 10 years for the truth to come out. Liquidators from WLP Restructuring brought the case in 2020 against some of the biggest lenders and project facilitators in the world. This includes the ultra-powerful US agency the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and French state-owned credit backer Coface, then overseen by French President Emmanuel Macron. The liquidators to NewSat are also suing the international banks involved in the project, including Societe Generale and Credit Suisse, whose assets were acquired by UBS. It is expected to be one of the biggest cases to be heard before the Victorian Supreme Court. Ching a former director of NewSat who owned shares in the company and provided short-term loans to keep it afloat has provided $20 million to fund the lawsuit. He estimates his losses from NewSat have topped $110 million. NewSat collapsed in 2015 without ever launching its satellite and wiping out $200 million of investor money after this masthead revealed a raft of governance issues. Advertisement Those problems included the conduct of its flamboyant chief executive, Adrian Ballintine, who in 2020 pleaded guilty to creating a false or misleading document relating to the transfer of money from NewSat to his private yacht-building business. It also famously included a stoush among the groups directors during a board meeting, which at one point nearly descended into fisticuffs an incident caught on video and published by this masthead. Loading NewSat was responsible for a project to launch Australias first satellite, long before Elon Musks Starlink satellites were able to offer telecommunication services in remote areas. It had contracts in place worth about $850 million. Under the planned rollout of the Jabiru satellite, Lockheed Martin would construct the satellite and would be funded by EXIM bank. Frances Coface had agreed to support the launch of the satellite by local company Arianespace, while several banks provided funding. Advertisement The project was never completed after finance was pulled, and its Jabriu-1 satellite was junked. The case brought by liquidators to NewSat alleges the projects backers and its lenders moved too quickly and acted unfairly in response to concerns about the groups governance. Ching, who was on the board of NewSat at the time, says the company was not given time to properly assess the allegations or to act in response to them. Flamboyant businessman Adrian Ballintine had big plans for NewSat. Drew Ryan There were some views about the CEO and the corporate governance of the company. Thats why a forensic consultant was hired [by EXIM] to do an investigation into all the allegations, Ching says. Advertisement You are innocent until proven guilty. So we were waiting for this report. Then a director, Ching did not attend the 2014 board meeting in which then-chairman Richard Green accosted fellow director Brendan Fleiter after Fleiter had asked why NewSat was paying a success fee to Greens son-in-law as part of a rescue package involving Ching. Approached by Green, Fleiter exclaimed: What are you going to do? Stand up and hit me? Well I might, yes, Green, who died in 2025, shot back. Despite the heat in NewSats board meetings, Ching says the company soon accepted his $10 million cash injection, though he says receivers were called in by NewSats lenders days later. Advertisement The liquidators also allege financiers acted unconscionably by putting in new requirements on the company that were impossible to meet and withdrew their support without having a proper commercial basis. There were great plans for the Jabiru satellite, but it never launched. It doesnt make sense for any lenders to stop the launch, says Ching, noting that had Jabriu-1 been sent into the sky, NewSat would have been able to pay back its lenders. But to my shock, somehow this irrational decision came about, and theres a reason, and these reasons will be established in court. Coface is vigorously defending the matter and has argued in its defence that its actions were driven by governance concerns. Its lawyers declined to comment. Advertisement EXIM and the bank respondents in the case, which are also vigorously defending the matter, were contacted for comment. The liquidators case against the financiers is set for a six-week trial starting in early April. It is expected to include dozens of witnesses. French President Emmanuel Macron at the 2021 G20 in Rome, where he said, I dont think - I know in response to questions about whether then-Australian prime minister Scott Morrison had lied about the joint submarine project between the two countries. Alex Ellinghausen One of the potential witnesses is Macron, though it is thought that the chances of a video link appearance by the French president is unlikely. Over the course of the past four years, Ching has learnt more about the events and decisions that led up to the decision by the financiers to pull their support for the project. Advertisement Just as Macron once said, I dont think I know, Ching is confident the case will shed new light on the machinations behind the French entitys withdrawal of support. We actually know the reason, and this all will be highlighted in the court case, and that is really a pleasure for me, says Ching. This is one legacy that I want to leave that I fought for, my friends, my partners, shareholders, all the shareholders in Australia, so that they actually know what went wrong. 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 NationalCBD Jane Bunns side hustle goes sideways owing $300,000 to ATO Fiona Byrne and John Buckley March 4, 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 A low front has formed for Channel Seven presenter Jane Bunn, her bespoke AI weather side hustle being voluntarily wound up with more than $300,000 owed to the Tax Office. One of Australias best-known TV weather presenters, Bunn pulled the pin on the company called Janes Weather, which she launched in 2021, on February 19 after exhaustive attempts to secure new investment failed. Jane Bunn has had to wind up her weather business. She has sold the Janes Weather website, assets and brand and in a heartbreaking decision has voluntarily placed her business into the hands of a liquidator. Documents lodged on February 24 with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission revealed the company had debts totalling more than $370,000. Advertisement The Australian Taxation Office is the biggest creditor with $305,983.52 owed, made up of four claimed debts related to GST and company tax. Editor's pick CBD Whats not to like? Allan and Wilson lock horns in Insta fight The Bureau of Meteorology is owed $16,324.25, just under $50,000 is owed to Amazon Web Services and a further supplier is owed $226.88. The companys two largest financial backers were Bunn and her mother. Bunn, who was listed as the forecast services chief executive on the ASIC documents, launched the start-up aiming to provide hyper-local, precision forecasts for the agricultural, construction and renewable energy sectors. Advertisement The site had a free component and sold more comprehensive forecasts for monthly subscriptions that cost from $10 to $99. This was a passion project and Im incredibly proud of what we created over the past seven years, Bunn said on Tuesday. As many start-ups know too well, despite our best efforts the business wasnt commercially viable and making the decision to place the company into liquidation has been heartbreaking. Were working closely with the liquidators to ensure all obligations are handled properly. Another company has now acquired the Janes Weather website, assets and brand, and I hope it continues to support the communities it was created for. Holding on for Kennett Advertisement A 250-year-old French chateau, not politics, is bringing two warriors from different sides of the Liberal/Labor divide together in Melbourne on Friday. Tim Holding and Felicity Selkirk at their chateau. Antoine Doyen Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett is opening up his Richmond man cave to former Labor minister for (among other things) tourism, police and finance Tim Holding and his wife, Felicity Selkirk, for an intimate evening for 50 guests focused on Holding and Selkirks epic French odyssey. The couple have spent the past five years restoring Chateau Purnon, a 105-room historic chateau set on 24 hectares in Verrue, 3 hours southwest of Paris. I have a lot of people who are Labor Party people, including politicians, who I would count as friends, Kennett said. Advertisement Related Article Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Good Weekend Maison detre: the Aussie MP who swapped politics for a grand French chateau I think what Tim and Felicity are doing in France is unbelievable, a most extraordinary application of perseverance. Tim has been to the man cave a couple of times and the last time he was here I said, If I can ever do anything for you, let me know. He asked if I could host a function for him and I said of course I would. This is much bigger than any political differences that may have existed. Holding and Selkirk bought the dilapidated chateau for $1.9 million in 2020 and have been immersed in a painstaking restoration ever since. The property has been a labour of love so it was only fitting that the couple wed in July in the chapel that they restored on the estate. Advertisement Turnbull pushes his boat out Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife, Lucy, have long been supporters of Sydneys Randwick and Westmead childrens hospitals. So it was no surprise to hear the couple donated in the region of $100,000 to the Sydney Childrens Hospital Foundation Lunar New Year gala over the weekend. Malcolm Turnbull kayaking on Sydney Harbour in late 2024. Malcolm Turnbull/Instagram. More intriguing, at least to us here at CBD, was the competitive bidding that took place to secure an exclusive kayak tour on Sydney Harbour with the Prince of Point Piper. The prize went for $80,000 at the auction, which was hosted by Monika Tu, of Luxe Listings fame. We hear the losing bidder was so bummed to miss out on some one-on-one time with Turnbull that they approached Tu at the function and asked if the former PM would do them the honour of hosting a second kayak tour, for another $80,000. Advertisement All up, were told the foundation, which is run by former NSW premier Kristina Keneally, raised some $2.8 million to support projects like cancer treatment trials and new AI tools for rare diseases. The best auction prizes are often money-cant-buy experiences and kayaking with Malcolm obviously delivers that in spades, Keneally said when reached by CBD on Tuesday. From a foundation perspective, we were delighted by the Turnbulls generosity of time and their own donation it will make such a difference for sick kids in hospital. But not everyone can command the same figures. It was only a year or two ago that one of the prizes auctioned off at a similar gala event run by the foundation was a dinner with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. On that occasion, though, Albanese struggled to crack $100,000. Whod have thought Turnbull would enjoy such lasting popularity. Well, at least outside the Liberal Party. TikTok deepens its Labor bench Advertisement Every so often, we get to witness a picture-perfect illustration of the revolving door between public office and the multibillion-dollar public affairs industry built around it, in all of its glory. Such was the case when TikTok mounted a full court lobbying press last year, when it was looking like the platforms competitor YouTube might get an exemption from the governments world-first under-16 social media ban. Of course, the government later walked back the carve-out, handing TikTok a massive win. Photo: AP So when TikTok was on the hunt for a new boss for its public policy operation last year, we couldnt blame the platform for turning to yet another former Labor comrade. Among the most recent Labor formers to arrive at the platform was Jessika Lofstedt, a former Albo adviser, who joined the company from PsiQuantum late last year to head up TikToks policy shop. She arrived in the thick of a policy agenda that includes the under-16s social media ban, and, more recently, data centres. TikTok declined to comment. Advertisement Lofstedt, of course, isnt alone. The ByteDance-controlled video giant also has Sabina Husic among its ranks, a socialist brawler known for her time working in the Daniel Andrews government, who also served a stint advising Albo and is the sister of Labor MP Ed Husic. She has taken the lead on TikToks policy work after the platforms policy boss Ella Woods-Joyce left around the time Labors under-16 social media ban took effect last year. We hear Lofstedt has since poached erstwhile Coalition staffer Simon Edwards from Amazon Web Services. Hell bring balance to a team that also includes former Coalition staffer Tom Fardoulys. Together, the boys make up the platforms token Tories. 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 NationalNSWPlanning Fancy living in Sydneys next inner suburb? A one-bedder will set you back $2m Megan Gorrey and Max Maddison March 3, 2026 5:24pm 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 state government is facing backlash over the amount of affordable housing proposed for its once-in-a-century redevelopment of Glebe Island on Sydney Harbour, triggering criticism that the rare transformation of publicly owned land will be dominated by multimillion-dollar apartments. Bulk port operations will be shifted from the industrial site by 2030, making way for a new suburb of 7000 to 8500 homes around a metro station due to open two kilometres west of Sydneys city centre in 2032, the Minns government revealed on Tuesday. Glebe Islands bulk operations will be scrapped for high-density housing around the future Bays West metro station. At least 10 per cent of homes proposed for the site would be so-called affordable housing, offered at below-market rent for those on low to moderate incomes. This would include a portion of dedicated homes for essential workers, such as nurses, teachers, paramedics, firefighters and police. Balmain Greens MP Kobi Shetty said the small proportion of affordable homes on public land was a disgrace, and the site should be used to deliver public good not be a cash cow for developers. Advertisement Without significantly more social, affordable, and public housing, this development risks becoming another exclusive waterfront enclave for the rich. The government cant pretend that young people or essential workers are going to be able to afford to buy these properties, Shetty said. Related Article Property development Revealed: Sydneys newest suburb in walking distance of the CBD Developers have estimated a one-bedroom apartment in the precinct would cost about $2 million. The publicly owned land in the precinct will be transferred to a new agency, which will mirror the now-defunct Barangaroo Delivery Authority. The land will remain in public hands, but developers will be able to tender for long leases to deliver housing. Premier Chris Minns said prescribing only 10 per cent of homes for affordable housing would allow the government to reinvest returns from the site into public use including parks and nightlife. Advertisement We need to get the yields in to make it special, Minns said. NSW Labor previously committed to ensuring developments on surplus public land would include a minimum of 30 per cent of social and affordable housing. Minns said his government had been able to meet this goal through the $6.6 billion investment in public and social housing in the 2024 state budget. We felt it was a better way of achieving our goal of a major net increase in social housing in NSW to directly fund it via the budget, rather than having unnecessary compromises on major land releases like this one, Minns said. The former Coalition state government in 2022 proposed to build high-density housing, 30 per cent of which was to be affordable and key worker housing, next to Rozelle Bay, which is a small part of the wider Bays West precinct. Advertisement Committee for Sydney think tank chief executive Eamon Waterford said the precinct would boost the supply of sorely needed housing with access to public transport, but said the 10 per cent provision of affordable and key worker homes was far lower than the original 30 per cent proposed for this site. Waterford said the publicly owned land represented a once-in-a-century opportunity to set a benchmark for a fairer Sydney, by creating a waterfront suburb for residents of all incomes. Related Article Planning This NSW housing authority has been inundated with proposals. Only two have been approved If we want to see working-class people back in Balmain, the [affordable housing] target needs to be closer to the governments original 30 per cent commitment. Comparable sites in London mandate 50 per cent affordable housing more ambitious targets for affordable housing would help ensure the people who keep our city running can live in or near the communities they serve. Advertisement Sydney Working Port Coalition spokesman Paul Nicolaou, who is also Business Sydney executive director, was very disappointed the government intended to remove all working port facilities from Glebe Island in favour of high-rise housing. The Glebe Society acting president Duncan Leys urged the government to devise a well-considered scheme, and said future buyers would be unlikely to get in for less than $2 million or $3 million. The long-awaited plan for Bays West reveals the Minns governments attempt to balance more intensive residential development with the working port near Rozelle, and represents the most radical reshaping of a harbour-front site in Sydney since the $10 billion Barangaroo foreshore. As many as 8500 homes will transform Bays West into a rare new suburb west of Sydneys CBD. NSW government Minns also disputed claims that moving Glebe Islands port operations would materially increase the cost of constructing homes. He said government advice found that rerouting concrete supplies to Port Kembla, south of Wollongong, would cost the equivalent of $50 per apartment. Advertisement Architect and former City of Sydney councillor Philip Thalis, part of the team that created an international competition-winning scheme for Barangaroo that was later abandoned, said designs for the site should prioritise generous public spaces and connections to the rest of the city. Related Article Planning 1400 homes, 35-storey towers: The plan to transform Sydneys old fish market site The danger is that its Barangaroo on steroids. You inevitably get, in these areas, super high-density, upmarket [developments]. Thalis said the proposed allocation of affordable housing was trivial it should be much higher. I think the big mistake, like with Barangaroo, is to cast this as [being about] a development opportunity, rather than public benefit. That is the key recalibration the city really needs. Advertisement Emeritus Professor James Weirick, who is former director of the University of NSWs graduate program in urban development and design, called for the genuine provision of public space and access to the waterfront, and an ensemble of towers that makes a contribution to the skyline of Sydney. We the citizens of NSW give that air space to developers wholl take over, its a gift from us to developers, its not a right, so we should really set the standard for what should be built. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Health Minister Ryan Park and Sydney Local Health District chief executive Deb Willcox have faced tough questions on the deadly fungus cluster at RPA Hospital. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A For the clinical teams at Sydneys Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the pieces of the puzzle came together slowly, then all at once. On December 3, a patient on the hospitals transplant ward was found to have contracted a potentially deadly fungal infection. The same infection was found in another patient on December 9. One or two infections over a year were not uncommon; most of these patients are on immunosuppression drugs to prevent their bodies from rejecting their transplants, making them easier targets for opportunistic infections. But two cases so close together set off alarm bells that reached the top of NSW Health. The most likely culprit was Aspergillus, a common mould found in soil, plants and damp environments. We inhale these spores every day, but they are easily cleared by healthy immune systems. In people with weakened immune systems, this doesnt happen. The spores lodge deep in the lungs, spawning filaments that can penetrate cells and blood vessels. It is devilishly difficult to treat; one in three immunocompromised patients who contract an Aspergillus infection dies within 90 days. This is why the air inside transplant wards is filtered and why the two cases in quick succession were so alarming. Clinical teams urgently reviewed their patients from previous months and discovered four more victims in a cluster stretching back to October. Another case from May was initially identified, but excluded because it was considered outside the normal incubation period. Mould found inside Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on January 19, after two transplant patients died in a fungal infection cluster. McCaskill Parry Consulting Patients and staff were transferred from the transplant ward. Air monitoring and filtration were inspected and upgraded. Walls and ceilings were examined, cleaned and fixed. By the time Sydney Local Health District chief executive Deb Willcox called the states chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, she was armed with laboratory results and case notes. They had reached a trigger point. On December 24, they convened an expert panel to go through the evidence, patient by patient, line by line, and declare the cases a cluster. Advertisement The Christmas Eve panel drew on experts from Westmead as well as RPA clinicians who had contact with the patients. As the teams began digging into potential sources of the Aspergillus infections, a prime suspect emerged: the $940 million construction site next door. But they could not be certain. On Friday, Chant said health authorities may never have a definitive answer. Other contingencies were made. A draft media statement was prepared in case journalists asked questions, but it did not mention how many cases were in the cluster, nor that two patients had died. It was around this time that NSW Health alerted Health Minister Ryan Parks office to the cluster. But Park himself was not told, nor was he briefed when he returned from leave in early January. Park told budget estimates on Monday that the first he knew of the cluster was early February, around the time the opposition put in a parliamentary document request that would have uncovered the deaths. Opposition health spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell, whose office has been trawling through 10 boxes of documents exposing maintenance issues across NSWs hospitals, seized the opportunity to go on the attack on Monday. So until I moved to call for papers, where, obviously, these documents were going to become available and in the public arena, you were not aware of this particular issue? she asked. Advertisement Not that particular issue, Park said. The public only learnt about the cluster two months later, when this masthead revealed the cluster had claimed two lives. Mitchell claimed a cover-up. Park has strenuously denied the government and the hospital deliberately obscured the cluster. We wanted to make sure staff were informed, patients were informed, he said on Monday. But we didnt want to unnecessarily concern the community about a mould that exists in the environment. Willcox said the expert panel, chaired by Chant, advised that a public statement was not necessary. The situation was under control, Willcox said. The air sampling had indicated the air was clear, and the patients and the outpatients and the clinical staff who were directly affected were absolutely aware. Related Article Editorial Hospitals Pigeons, mould, fungus: are these public hospitals or dodgy sharehouses? The Herald's View Editorial Willcox and Park still have questions to answer about how these vulnerable patients were exposed to the deadly fungus. In an email sent on January 15, Willcox said formal testing of the transplant unit had found mould levels on the transplant ward were around 10 times higher than other sites in the hospital. Additional testing on January 19 found widespread mould and water damage on at least four floors of the hospital. Advertisement Asked on Monday if the state of NSW hospitals was acceptable, Premier Chris Minns said: The short answer is no. Minns said the government was investing $10 billion over four years in the health system, in many cases to tear down old, dilapidated hospitals and build brand-new ones. It is a point Park has repeatedly made. It is an old hospital. Its part of the reason why theres a $900-plus million redevelopment taking place, he said during a nearly hour-long press conference on Friday. The prospect of the construction site being the source of the infections highlights a wicked problem for Park and for people running hospitals anywhere. Many of NSWs 4400 hospital buildings are ageing, water-damaged, and, in some cases, riddled with vermin. Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant chaired an expert panel that examined the evidence and declared the cases a cluster. Sitthixay Ditthavong The redevelopment of RPA is a vital refurbishment of a 150-year-old hospital riddled with mould and water damage. But in making these upgrades, construction teams may have unwittingly disturbed spores that could be deadly to some of the hospitals sickest patients. Air control monitoring on the construction site between September and December showed no issues of concern, estimates heard. Advertisement Police shoot man dead in Tingalpa Police have shot a man dead in the eastern Brisbane suburb of Tingalpa after being called to the scene for a welfare check. Advertisement Updated NationalVictoriaCrime Couple found dead in regional Victoria after neighbour heard gunshots Alexander Darling Updated March 3, 2026 4:49pm ,first published March 3, 2026 10:49am 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 man and a woman have been found dead in their home in Hernes Oak, two hours east of Melbourne. Police found the bodies of Aaron Hammond and partner Chamindika Jayawardena inside a house on McGraths Track at midday on Monday. Aaron Hammond and Chamindika Jayawardena. Neighbour Brenno Amarto said he was working on an exhaust system for his truck with his business partner when he heard two bangs. He said he didnt think anything of it at the time because duck shooting is common around the rolling hills near his home near Moe. Advertisement Investigations into the deaths continue, though Amarto said he was convinced what he heard on Saturday were gunshots. Ive known him for about a year and a half. Aaron used to let me put cattle and bulls on his property, Amarto said. Chami would always walk our street They were a very lovely couple. Jayawardenas friends came to the property on Tuesday with police to collect the couples cat. They did not wish to speak to the media. Advertisement Jayawardena would have been 47 on Sunday. The couple had no children. The tragedy has rattled the small community in the shadow of the Yallourn power station, where Hammond worked as a boilermaker. Its sad for all families involved, said Amato. It will shock everyone we all know each other. Police said: At this stage, investigators are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. The investigation remains ongoing. Advertisement Anyone who may have information that can assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Advertisement Exclusive NationalVictoriaHealth Melbourne device could prove game changing for sexual health Broede Carmody March 4, 2026 6:00am 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 say they have developed the worlds first rapid test that can detect all major sexually transmitted infections on a single device. Health experts say it will be a game changer for reducing common STIs such as syphilis which Australia has declared a disease of national significance which can be misdiagnosed or missed altogether. Dr Shivani Pasricha, a laboratory head at the Doherty Institutes department of infectious diseases. Jason South The testing device is roughly the size of a small laptop or briefcase and uses different technology to hunt down pathogens. Doherty Institute researchers in Melbourne are hoping their machine will be rolled out across sexual health centres, GP clinics and community health settings within the next five or so years. Where existing rapid tests look for antigens, or antibodies, which are what the body uses to respond to an infection, the institutes device searches for the infection itself by searching for distinct genetic barcodes. Advertisement Using urine, saliva or nasal samples, the device can test for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis and herpes and can run tests for all four STIs simultaneously, with results delivered within 50 minutes. In comparison, results for traditional STI swabs generally take a couple of days. Researchers demonstrate how the device is used. Jason South The idea is to reduce what is known as loss of follow-up where a patient doesnt return to the clinic for their test results or treatment. We need tests that can be performed where the individual is, and that are accurate and rapid. Tests that would allow the person to be treated in that same visit. Current technologies dont really allow for that, Dr Shivani Pasricha, a laboratory head at the Doherty Institutes department of infectious diseases, said. A laboratory trial showed the device can identify syphilis and herpes with an accuracy of more than 80 and 90 per cent, respectively. Sensitivity was not as high for gonorrhea (80 per cent). However, the device can also identify if a strain of gonorrhoea that is resistant to typical antibiotics, allowing for immediate tailored treatment. The findings were published on Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet Microbe. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Healthcare The silent sexually transmitted infection killing Victorian babies Between 2005 and 2025 in Victoria, STI rates jumped from 10,695 to 35,803 a 234 per cent increase, per federal government data. Concurrently, infections such as gonorrhoea are becoming increasingly resistant to available antibiotics. In her first interview about the findings, Pasricha said the federal government and the World Health Organisation had identified the need for better STI testing. We are having cases of congenital syphilis, and thats a real marker that things arent working and need to change, she said. Congenital syphilis is rising around the world, with the disease re-emerging in Victoria in 2017 after a 25-year hiatus. Advertisement Its resurgence coincides with a more than doubling of infectious syphilis cases in Victoria over the past decade, with 1450 cases reported last year compared with 637 in 2014. More than 280 cases have already been reported this year. The Age revealed in March last year that a surge in syphilis infections had led to the deaths of 10 babies in Victoria, triggering an overhaul of screenings for pregnant women. By August, Australias chief health officer had declared syphilis a communicable disease of national significance. In Australia, syphilis is typically tested at a lab via an intravenous blood sample. Our [test] works on urine, Pasricha said. It can work on swabs. So it really is a game changer for the individual. Advertisement Editor's pick Exclusive Commonwealth Games Seven was staring at a Comm Games disaster. Gina Rinehart may have saved the day She added that the technology would be particularly helpful in remote communities or countries without easy access to centralised laboratories. We do truly believe that it will improve access to testing and reduce disparity. The next step is to trial the device at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and Clinic 34 in Darwin later this year. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre clinician Marcus Chen said genital ulcers caused by syphilis were often visually indistinguishable from those caused by herpes. Advertisement They can look very, very similar, Chen said. Whats happening is some clinicians are thinking its herpes, but not necessarily that its syphilis. Herpes is quite a common STI. For most GPs, syphilis is not a common thing. He added that, to the best of his knowledge, there was nowhere in the world where someone can take a sample from a genital lesion and get a result for syphilis and herpes in less than an hour. So this would be a world first. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. FREETOWN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The government of Sierra Leone has evacuated 24 nationals, including embassy staff, from Iran amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, a senior official told Xinhua on Tuesday. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Musa Timothy Kabba said the evacuees were safely relocated to Armenia under emergency measures activated by the ministry in response to the deteriorating security situation. The group comprises 14 students, one private citizen, three Sierra Leonean diplomats, and six locally recruited staff members of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Tehran, he said. "The safety and welfare of Sierra Leonean citizens remain our top priority," Kabba said, noting that the government acted swiftly after assessing the risks posed by the deteriorating security environment. He said the foreign ministry had triggered emergency protocols and continues to closely monitor developments across the Middle East through its diplomatic missions. Kabba added that Sierra Leoneans residing in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Israel have been reported safe, according to updates from the country's missions in those states. Given the fluid security environment, the government has urged all Sierra Leoneans in affected areas to strictly comply with local safety directives, including curfews and emergency procedures, and to maintain regular contact with their families and Sierra Leone's diplomatic missions. Kabba reaffirmed that the government will continue to provide updates as necessary while remaining actively engaged to safeguard the interests of its nationals abroad. Advertisement Exclusive NationalBuilding Bad Watchdog lashes Victorias Big Build agency over poor records Nick McKenzie and Kieran Rooney Updated March 4, 2026 12:07pm ,first published March 4, 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 A secret Victorian ombudsman briefing has warned that the Allan governments agency managing its $100 billion Big Build program is exposed to corruption because it fails to keep adequate records about how it spends taxpayer dollars. The revelation of the ombudsmans concerns about the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority, in a briefing sent last month, adds to damning warnings about the waste and rorting of billions of the Big Build separately raised by corruption buster Geoffrey Watson, SC, Fair Work Commission chief Murray Furlong and project supervisors. Loading It came as Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday again rebuffed calls to urgently give the states anti-corruption watchdog powers to probe the extent of misspending on the Big Build. The ombudsmans criticism of Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA), which was created to deliver Big Build projects, is contained in a confidential agency document seen by this masthead. Advertisement The document deals with the ombudsmans handling of a Big Build insiders complaint that certain VIDA executives had acted improperly in the way they spent taxpayer funds. The specifics of the complaint is not being revealed by this masthead as the insider was deemed a whistleblower under Victorian laws that prevent the publication of information that could reveal their identity. Premier Jacinta Allan again rebuffed calls to expand the corruption watchdogs powers. Simon Schluter The ombudsman briefing note, dated February 2, said that while an initial assessment by an investigator did not locate the evidence to substantiate the insiders specific concerns about certain VIDA executives, it still uncovered troubling information. The ombudsman investigator reviewed VIDAs financial records and concluded that it was evident VIDA had not adequately recorded its procurement activities in a fair and transparent manner, the note says. Advertisement The ombudsman probe also found that the authority did not always adhere to its procurement policies and procedure and was stymied by abysmal record keeping at VIDA. Related Article Building Bad Rotting from the top: Bribery, drugs, bikies and billions of taxpayer dollars Many documents had gaps which created challenges and hindered our ability to fully interrogate the records, the ombudsmans note states. VIDAs poor financial record keeping and reporting increases corruption risks, and there is a need to strengthen its governance and reporting mechanisms to allow for effective oversight and accountability. The ombudsman said that while it would not launch an investigation into any VIDA executives named in the original insiders complaint, it would refer its concerns to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) as well as the Victorian Auditor-Generals Office (VAGO). Advertisement The ombudsman also said it was aware that VIDA has now taken steps to improve its financial governance and record keeping as a result of our involvement. As a result, we have confidence that the concerns you have raised will be addressed by VIDA, IBAC or VAGO, the ombudsman said. IBAC chief Victoria Elliott. Simon Schluter The briefing note was written weeks before IBAC went public with its concerns that it lacked the power to follow the money to test if the Big Build taxpayer funds had been corrupted. Under current rules, IBAC cannot pursue taxpayer funds through to subcontractors and labour-hire providers. Commissioner Victoria Elliott has asked the government for these powers, and they were also recommended by parliaments integrity and oversight committee. Advertisement Elliott told a parliamentary inquiry that it would help IBAC probe the Big Build alongside changes that would stop their investigations being limited to those with a link to a public officer. Editor's pick Exclusive Building Bad Big Builds dirty money: How gangland, bikie-linked firms funded Labor The opposition, Greens and some crossbenchers supported a push to legislate follow-the-money powers immediately this week by attaching an amendment to a larger omnibus bill, which included anti-vilification changes and tougher penalties on bestiality. Rather than lose the vote, the Allan government has decided to introduce the anti-vilification laws in a separate bill that will leave the omnibus bill lingering in parliament. Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny and Allan have said they will still consider the integrity committees response, which they must respond to by June. Advertisement On Tuesday, Kilkenny would not say whether the government would adopt the recommendation. Those matters will be reviewed by government, and the government will respond in due course, she said. Kilkenny said action is happening right now to tackle construction industry issues through the police and the cancellation of more than 140 labour hire licences. Allan said she wouldnt speculate on any future decisions the government might make. Advertisement The Coalition introduced its own private members bill on Tuesday that would give IBAC follow-the-dollar powers. However, the government does not support private members bills and has a commanding majority in the lower house. Victorians deserve a government that wants to stamp out crime, has a plan to clean up the corruption, and fix the problems is our state, shadow attorney-general James Newbury said. The Victorian Greens have also pledged to introduce their own integrity legislation in response to the governments decision to push back debate. Greens leader Ellen Sandell said Labor was relying on tricks and tactics to avoid giving IBAC the powers its needs. This is a cop-out from Labor, and the reality is that there is no excuse for not strengthening IBAC except that Labor doesnt want to, she said. Advertisement A damning report by integrity expert Geoffrey Watson released last month, commissioned by the administrator of the CFMEU, detailed a litany of misconduct on taxpayer-funded projects including allegations of drug distribution, graft and sexual exploitation. His initial version of the report estimated that CFMEU-related corruption might have cost $15 billion across $100 billion of Big Build work. These comments were removed by administrator Mark Irving in a copy of the report produced to a public inquiry in Queensland before being released publicly. He said he deleted the estimate as it was, in his opinion, untested. Allan has seized on this fact to dispute the figure, even after the Fair Work Commissions Furlong told Senate estimates he had heard a similar number from Victorian government officials. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Advertisement NationalWAHospitals Osborne Park Hospital expansion: Work begins on new facility for northern suburbs mums Hamish Hastie March 3, 2026 4:28pm 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 Work has started on the Osborne Park Hospital expansion, which will be a key component to expectant mothers in the northern suburbs as the state moves its major maternity hospital to Murdoch in Perths south. The milestone comes as the Cook government was forced to defend the WA hospital systems readiness for the upcoming flu season amid new record ambulance ramping figures. Osborne Park Hospital expansion artist impression. The government released renders of the new hospital on Tuesday, which included 70 new beds across a new six-storey and four-storey building with expanded women and baby facilities, a family birth centre, obstetrics theatres and outpatient clinics. The expansion is expected to be finished in 2029 and is included in the $1.8 billion cost for the new womens and babies hospital under construction in Murdoch, which is also anticipated to open in 2029. Advertisement The expansion was included in the new hospital build to boost higher-level maternity services in Perths north, owing to the controversial decision to move women and babies services 20 kilometres south of the Perth CBD. A leaked women and babies hospital tender update from April 2025 suggested both the Murdoch and Osborne Park projects were already $150 million over budget and running a year late. Loading Early last year, control of the project was taken off WA Health and given to the newly formed Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery. Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey stood by the original price and timeline when asked on Tuesday. Advertisement To date, all the advice to me is we are tracking very well, he said. What I would say is, through the new lens, through the Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery, we have re-looked at how we do things, and weve accelerated procurement processes, and thats being demonstrated in projects like today. Health data questioned The Cook government has faced increasing pressure from the opposition over health after it was revealed ambulance ramping figures hit a new February record this year, prompting concerns about the states ability to deal with the upcoming flu season. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said she continued to look at what they could do to address ramping. Advertisement We are putting a lot of additional money, effort and resources into addressing the issues of ramping, but Ive said many times before that we are dealing with a context, weve got a growing population and an ageing population as well, and we have seen more older West Australians who are medically cleared for discharge in hospital but unable to get the care that they need, she said. Osborne Park Hospital expansion artist impression. The state government last week announced its $140 million 2026 winter strategy aimed at improving bed capacity and diverting unnecessary emergency department presentations away from hospitals. Included in the strategy document was a claim that last year we saw almost 1.2 million emergency department visits and 700,000 public hospital admissions. That claim was repeated by Hammat last week but WA Healths own emergency department data shows from January to December 2025 there were only 1.03 million ED admissions. Advertisement When asked about the figure on Tuesday, Hammat said it was a rounded-up figure from the annual report, which suggested there were 1.17 million ED admissions from July 2024 to June 2025. We were relying on the information thats published in their annual report. Thats where that data came from, she said. When pressed whether the strategy could be believed if those crucial figures were not exact Hammat talked up the document. What weve done with the winter strategy is put significant funds into that plan, $140 million, she said. We are really focused on delivering outcomes that West Australians want to see in respect of ramping, thats the focus of that plan, and that is the work that we will continue to do. Advertisement Hammat also conceded she misspoke during the winter strategy announcement last week when she said the purchase of the St John of God Mount Lawley Hospital would add 200 beds to the public system, given 100 of those beds were already contracted to the public system. Hammat and Premier Roger Cook have previously acknowledged the purchase of the hospital would add 100 beds to the system. She said $61 million from the strategy set aside for the purchase of surge bed capacity from private hospitals would allow the public system to secure up to 200 beds during the winter period. 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 PoliticsVictoriaVictorian election Labor open to High Court challenge over work from home laws Chip Le Grand March 4, 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 Premier Jacinta Allan has left the door open to a High Court challenge before the state election by nominating a September 1 start date for the proposed laws tied to her work from home policy. The government has also confirmed it will legislate work from home through changes to the states Equal Opportunity Act, as revealed this week by The Age. Loading In effect, this will make it illegal for any boss to discriminate against a worker who reasonably refuses to come to the office two days a week. Earlier this week, the cabinet ruled out an exemption for small businesses and signed off on a plan to introduce legislation in July to give all employees a legal right to work remotely at least two days a week when feasible. If the legislation passes unamended, the laws will come into effect nearly three months before the November 28 election. Advertisement Related Article Victorian election Labor rules out work from home exemption for small business Labors time frame will force Opposition Leader Jess Wilson to take a clear position on whether the Coalition supports or opposes the governments legislation just as she heads into the campaign. Wilson has so far been noncommittal about whether she supports a guaranteed right to work from home. A government survey and a poll conducted for The Age by Resolve Political Monitor show the promise of legislated work from home rights is widely popular. But major business groups a traditional constituent of the Liberal Party see the proposed laws as an unnecessary and unwarranted regulatory burden. The July time frame also offers an opportunity for people or organisations opposed to the laws to challenge their constitutional validity. No state government has attempted to legislate a right to work from home. Victoria gave up its powers to make industrial relations laws nearly 30 years ago. When asked about the proposed laws on Tuesday, the premier said her government was ready for a High Court stoush. Advertisement We have advice that it is constitutionally valid, Allan said. But lets be clear: what does it say about someone who wants to race off to the High Court to strip away a workers right to work from home? To strip away something that saves workers time, to strip away something saves workers money and to strip away something that is good for the economy. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes and Premier Jacinta Allan are hoping that work from home laws will help Labor get the chocolates in November. Wayne Taylor Allans final point is contested by some business representatives. Committee for Melbourne chief executive Scott Veenker said that although three-quarters of Victorian companies already had staff working from home, mandated arrangements would impose an additional regulatory burden on business owners. The reality is this is legislation that we dont believe is warranted or needed, Veenker said. It is another reason to look at whether you consider having businesses operating in Melbourne and Victoria. Advertisement The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Industry Group and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia are all opposed to the governments plans. Related Article Victorian Parliament Inside story: Why work from home could return Jacinta Allan to office The government has signalled its intention to prosecute the case for working from home laws as a matter of gender equality. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, who came to prominence as a young Labor adviser who took the Victorian parliament to task for failing to pay the maternity leave she had accrued, recounted her own difficulties in returning to work as evidence of why the laws were needed. Chocolate and Peppa Pig for my kids while I was working that fifth day but getting paid for four, she said. That is the story of working women for too long. Advertisement The Liberal Partys review of its disastrous 2025 federal election campaign found that then-opposition leader Peter Duttons pledge to end working from home arrangements for public servants alienated women voters. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Advertisement Reviews & adviceCruises This cruise ship just broke an Antarctic record. It wont be the last Brian Johnston March 3, 2026 6:57pm 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 Antarctica is the ultimate expedition destination for many cruisers, and the race is on to push further into the White Continent. Last month Seabourn Venture sailed further south than any of the cruise lines ships had done before, crossing the Antarctic Circle and reaching 70 degrees south, where it disembarked guests on the ice at George VI Sound for celebratory champagne. Seabourn and other expedition companies have been pushing the boundaries of Antarctica sailings of late, helped by climate-change conditions that produce less icepack and have shifted giant icebergs to open up new navigational channels. Seabourn Venture at Booth islands, Antarctica. Kara Hunter/Seabourn Ponants ship Le Commandant Charcot set a record last year when it journeyed south from New Zealand to just over 78 degrees, the furthest south ever sailed by a cruise ship. Charcot, which has a Polar Class 2 rating, is capable of breaking through ice 2.5 metres thick. Advertisement Polar Class ratings range from one to seven, with one being the highest rating. Only Quark Expeditions former Soviet-era icebreaker claims that capability. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Most luxury expedition ships such as Seabourn Venture, Silver Endeavour and Scenic Eclipse carry a Polar Class 6 rating, which will take them through medium first-year ice no more than a metre or so thick. Itineraries are getting more ambitious. Ponant pushes ever further into the Weddell Sea. Scenic has sailed close enough to Snow Hill Island, which has the only Emperor Penguin breeding ground in Antarctica, to be able to land guests by helicopter. Scenic will return to Snow Hill again (conditions permitting) on two itineraries at the end of this year that also take in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Scenic passengers on the ice at Snow Hill. Advertisement At the end of last year, I reported on voyages to East Antarctica from Australia and New Zealand by intrepid companies Aurora, Chimu, HX, Ponant and Scenic, which are visiting previously inaccessible parts of the Ross Sea, such as Mawsons Huts and the Bay of Whales, formerly blocked by icebergs. For many, Antarctica is top of the dream travel list, and high demand coupled with restricted access means expedition cruises often book out long in advance. Aurora, HX, Lindblad, Ponant, Scenic, Seabourn and Silversea are among companies that sail the more-visited Antarctica Peninsula, most sending several ships and offering dozens of journeys. Related Article Cruises Think of the destination thats overwhelmed you most and multiply it 10 In 2028 Ponants Le Commandant Charcot will complete a cruise-ship first by circumnavigating the entire continent. Thats impressive, but Seabourn is offering a unique take with its Pole to Pole Grand Expedition in 2027. Over 94 days between Kangerlussuaq in Greenland and Ushuaia in Argentina, Seabourn Venture will sail 20,500 nautical miles from 82 degrees north to 66 degrees south. The journey takes in both the Arctic and Antarctic and the opportunity to thaw out in the Caribbean and South America in between. For those who dream big, there isnt much better. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Cruises Ocean cruises River cruises Brian Johnston seemed destined to become a travel writer: he is an Irishman born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland, who has lived in Britain and China and now calls Australia home. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. In an era during which travellers seek experiences rather than just ticking off destinations, it stands to reason that cruising, one of the travel industrys largest sectors, is in the vanguard via themed cruising. Themed cruising isnt new. In the latter part of last century, voyages were built around rock music, comedy or pop culture and attracted loyal followings. The rock band, Kiss, for example, has headlined its own annual branded cruises since 2010. Meanwhile, Ponants newly announced collection of themed journeys for 202627 occupies a very different space, positioning its ships as cultural salons at sea. Ponant will feature 40 themed cruises in 2026-27. Those ships typically carry fewer than 500 passengers often closer to 200 allowing access to smaller ports and more nuanced itineraries. With all-balcony cabins, Alain Ducasse-guided dining and a strong emphasis on sustainability, Ponants voyages are designed for travellers seeking cultural depth rather than spectacle. Advertisement WorldAsiaChina relations Xis China will be world-shaping in the coming months and years. Our return to Beijing could not be more timely or urgent Lisa Visentin March 3, 2026 3:45pm 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 Beijing: When the formidable journalist Margaret Jones landed in Beijing in 1973, she found a city that was dusty, noisy and endlessly fascinating. Her first impression of the Chinese capital has been echoing in my mind since I stepped off the plane at Beijings international airport a fortnight ago, at the tail end of the Chinese New Year holiday. More than 50 years after Jones blazed a trail as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Ages first China correspondent, Im following in her footsteps and reopening our news bureau to cover this vast, consequential country at a time of great upheaval in the international system. North Asia correspondent Lisa Visentin has arrived in Beijing to re-open The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age news bureau in China. Ironically, I landed in Beijing just as a sandstorm was hitting the city, with winds sweeping off Mongolias Gobi Desert, throwing grit into the air and greying the skies overhead. Clear-air days have otherwise become more common in this city of 23 million people as authorities have made inroads on Beijings air pollution over the past decade. Advertisement I also glimpsed Beijing as it rarely is quiet, its streets almost sleepy. The city had largely emptied for the holiday, save for the omnipresent yellow-clad delivery drivers zipping across town, charging up escalators in food malls to collect orders before racing back to their bikes. The Chinese New Year travel rush is the largest annual human migration on the planet, as hundreds of millions of people crisscross the country to be with family in their hometowns a sign of the enormous people-power China has to leverage. As for endlessly fascinating, well, thats guaranteed. Loading The China that Jones encountered was, of course, vastly different to the one that awaits me, but the ribbon of history runs through them. Peking ... almost another planet splashed the headline over one of Jones earliest dispatches, where she reflected that every Western value had been overthrown by a society that had absolute dedication to one single cause. Advertisement The headline is perhaps too anthropological to pass muster these days. Then again, while writing this piece, a robot arrived at my hotel room carrying the coffee I ordered from a nearby cafe using a food delivery app 20 minutes earlier. Flourishes of capitalism or socialism with Chinese characteristics, as the party likes to call it are everywhere. If you can get past the enormous human capital and environmental cost of millions of online orders being ferried by poorly paid drivers across the city each day, youll be amazed by what can land on your doorstep within the hour. The Herald and Ages first China correspondent, Margaret Jones, circa 1974. Jones coverage began at the tail end of the Mao Zedong era, in what was then an impoverished and isolated country still unfamiliar to journalists, and in the final throes of the violent Cultural Revolution. Advertisement My China posting coincides with another great political epoch the Xi Jinping era. Xi is Chinas most powerful leader since Mao and has reshaped the country to be more authoritarian and nationalistic, and a global superpower. Today, the US and China are fierce rivals, racing for supremacy in everything from AI and tech to military and economic might. Mr Jiang makes the new official seals for our Beijing bureau at his stamp shop in the citys east. Lisa Visentin On Xis watch, every goal of the Chinese Communist Party is funnelled through the lens of national security, backed by a formidable apparatus of state surveillance. The Chinese internet may not be another planet, but it is certainly a wholly different ecosystem, closed off from the outside world by the Great Firewall and heavily censored by the government. Advertisement Modern China runs on this internet, from WeChat, the messaging app that everyone uses to communicate, to the payment and delivery apps that have redefined how people dine and shop without leaving home. This ecosystem, though populated with apps from Chinas private tech giants, hands the Chinese government enormous control over its 1.4 billion subjects and the flow of information. Related Article China relations Farewell Singapore, ni hao Beijing Xis China contains multitudes. Its a cashless society, with dazzling technology powered by AI and automation, but underpinned by a multi-speed economy dragged down by a property market crash that refuses to bottom out, oversubsidised industries and heavily indebted local governments. Its high-speed rail system will transport you to most major cities within hours, futuristic electric vehicles are common, online groceries arrive at your doorstep within 30 minutes, while a network of CCTV cameras track your every move. Some 800 million people have been lifted out of absolute poverty since the Herald and The Age began reporting from inside China, but millions still live on less than $US8.30 ($11.69) a day, according to the World Bank. My arrival in Beijing marks our papers return to China after a six-year hiatus in our decades-long coverage, following the exodus of Australian news outlets in 2020 as the bilateral relationship between Beijing and Canberra plunged into the freezer. Advertisement Our return is timely. The coming months and years in China will be world-shaping, making it more important than ever that Australians better understand our countrys closest economic partner, but also our governments greatest security concern, and deepen our knowledge of the Chinese people, society and culture. Xi has anointed no successor, has purged his top military brass in sweeping anti-corruption campaigns, and many experts anticipate he will seek an unprecedented fourth term in office in 2027, extending his rule until at least 2032. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping shake hands after their talks in South Korea in October. They are due to meet again in Beijing in April. Getty In a few weeks, Xi will host Donald Trump in Beijing in what will be the US presidents first state visit to China of his second term. Expect the full pageantry. The meeting also has the potential to be consequential, against the backdrop of the simmering US-China trade war, questions about the future of Taiwan and Ukraine, and the eagerness of both men to assert their status as leaders of the global system. Advertisement The meeting will take place as allies confidence in the United States as a security guarantor and reliable partner wanes, and Trump upends the status quo with his might makes right approach to international order. Related Article Middle East at war Trumps removal of another Xi friend complicates planned summit With the Middle East on the brink of escalating conflict, Trump and Xi will be sitting down in the uncertain aftermath of US-Israeli strikes on Iran this week, which killed that countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and wiped out the political leadership of one of Chinas closest partners in the region. Iran also supplies about 13 per cent of Chinas oil imports. Before then, Xi will be centre stage at Chinas biggest political event of the year later this week, when the National Peoples Congress meets to rubber-stamp the partys 15th five-year plan. It will give China watchers a glimpse of how Xi intends to steer the worlds second-largest economy into his likely fourth term. Its not hard to find people in China who have lived with the scars of the Mao era, but who are also concerned about the current economic woes that have halted many peoples climb from poverty to prosperity. Advertisement Thirty years ago, people in both urban and rural areas were starving, Mr Li, a butcher in Beijings old hutong neighbourhood, tells me. Today, even peasants at remote corners of the country are free from food and clothing problems. Today, his business is flat, and he doesnt expect things to improve this year, but he is optimistic that Chinas trajectory is upwards. The economy and general business environment are not good. As long as China doesnt fight a war, it will go up. As was the case with Jones, our paper is again the beneficiary of stabilised political relations between Beijing and Canberra. She was dispatched by the Herald and The Age around the time that prime minister Gough Whitlam made his historic trip to China to normalise ties in November 1973. A year earlier, US president Richard Nixon had orchestrated his pivot to China, aiming to exploit the deepening rift between Beijing and Moscow. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Trump diplomacy Trumps attacks are not about Iran. Hes after a much bigger fish Clinton Fernandes Academic and former intelligence officer Today, Beijing and Moscow are tighter than ever a partnership without limits, if you take Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putins rhetoric at face value. Im joining a small squadron of Australian reporters already here, including correspondents from the ABC and The Australian, benefiting from the Albanese governments lower-volume approach to friction with Beijing, and Chinas decision to tone down its wolf-warrior diplomacy. Its discomforting as a journalist to have your fate shaped by a political relationship beyond your control, and one that can change on a dime. All up, hundreds of foreign journalists are working in China, but this figure belies the difficulty many Western outlets encounter reporting here. Surveillance is all but guaranteed, and tales of visa delays and even refusals are not uncommon. Advertisement But if Australian journalists were once persona non grata with China, then the messaging from the system at least for now is very different. The late Yvonne Preston was on the ground as foreign correspondent when Mao Zedong died in 1976. Janie Barrett For the past week, Ive been manoeuvring through bureaucratic hoops to set up the papers official licensing and bureau structure from scratch. I was expecting a Byzantine process that would take weeks, maybe months, and involve shuttling back and forth between Chinese government departments, securing elusive approvals and getting vast numbers of Australian documents translated into Chinese and vice versa. To my surprise (and delight), my credentials and the office licence were issued together, mere days after I submitted the paperwork. Within hours, I was sitting in a shop run by Mr Jiang, who was authorised by the Foreign Ministry to make the official seals and stamps for our Beijing bureau. Advertisement This breakneck speed of approvals is rare, Im told. Jones died in 2006. Her successor in Beijing, the equally inimitable late Yvonne Preston, was on the ground when Mao died in 1976, and she reported from a communist China in transition as it opened to the world. They paved the way for decades of Herald and The Age reporters to follow, covering Chinas rise from a poverty-stricken country to a global superpower. Today, we resume this tradition. 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 License this article More: China relations Lisa Visentin is the North Asia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. She was previously a federal political reporter based in Canberra. or email. Connect via X Advertisement WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Irans drones gave Russia a deadly boost in Ukraine. Now they are blitzing the Gulf March 3, 2026 3:30pm 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 The distinctive buzz of Iranian-designed drones has become a familiar sound in Ukraine over the past four years. Now, it is increasingly heard across the Persian Gulf as Tehran strikes back with these cheap but effective weapons following the attack by the US and Israel against Iran. Irans Shahed-136 one-way attack drones small, rudimentary cruise missiles have hit US bases, oil infrastructure and civilian buildings since the US and Israel airstrikes on Iran began on Saturday. The waves of drones are putting pressure on the defences of the US and its partners from Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates, depleting weapons stockpiles. The outcome of the fight may depend on which side runs out of munitions first. US-made Patriot air-defence missiles have been largely successful in stopping the Shaheds and other ballistic missiles, with interception rates over 90 per cent, according to the UAE. Advertisement But using $US4 million ($5.6 million) missiles to destroy $US20,000 drones illustrates a problem that has haunted Western military planners since early in the Ukraine war: cheap weapons can chew up resources meant for much more complex threats. The result is that both Iran and the US may run low on weapons in a matter of days or weeks. Whoever can last longer will gain a serious advantage. Irans regional proxies were severely weakened by the war in Gaza, and its missile capabilities were damaged by the previous Israeli-US attacks in a 12-day war in June 2025. Since then, the emphasis for Iran has been to escalate its warnings about the consequences and costs of a Trump strike, knowing that the US presidents supporters are broadly opposed to drawn-out, messy wars. Advertisement Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei who died in Saturdays airstrikes warned that a US attack would lead to a wider conflagration embroiling the whole region. Related Article Analysis Middle East at war Theres a wild violence to Irans retaliation and it has the firepower to do even worse Attrition strategy makes operational sense from Irans perspective, said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Centre think tank. They are calculating that the defenders will exhaust their interceptors and the political will of Gulf states will crack and put pressure on the US and Israel to cease operations before they run out of missiles and drones. Qatars stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles will last four days at the current rate of use, according to an internal analysis seen by Bloomberg News. Doha has been privately urging a swift end to the conflict. Advertisement Packing a punch at a fraction of the cost While ballistic and cruise missiles fly much faster and pack a bigger punch, they cost millions and are available only in limited quantities. A Shahed drone costs only tens of thousands of dollars a tiny fraction of a ballistic missile. In large numbers, the drones have demonstrated their ability to overwhelm air defences and inflict significant damage at very low cost. Following Russias botched attempt to capture the Ukrainian capital after its full-scale invasion with tanks, troops and missiles in February 2022, the fighting has turned into a war of attrition that has been increasingly shaped by drones. A Russian version of the Shahed zeroes in on its target in the skies above Kyiv. AP Advertisement While swarms of small drones have played a decisive role on the battlefield, Russia and Ukraine have also increasingly relied on longer-range drones to attack deep into each others territory. After reaching a deal with Tehran to import Shahed drones early in the war Shahed means witness in Farsi Russia localised its production. Russian engineers have increased its altitude, made it more resistant to jamming, and fitted it with more powerful warheads. Russias version of the Shahed known as Geran or geranium has been put into production at a plant in the Russian province of Tatarstan, which has exponentially increased output. Since then, Russia has battered Ukraine with hundreds of drones in a single night more than were used during some entire months in 2024. By using large numbers in a single attack, Moscows strategists seek to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences and distract them from engaging more expensive cruise and ballistic missiles that Russia often uses alongside the drones to hit high-value targets. Advertisement And while it flies relatively slowly at 185km/h, the Shahed has a range of about 2000 kilometres and packs a punch with a warhead of about 40 kilograms of explosives. Ukrainians have dubbed them mopeds for their distinctive buzz. Ukraine has relied on mobile teams armed with machineguns as a low-cost response to the drones to spare using more-expensive Western-supplied air defence missiles. It has also developed interceptor drones and is working to increase production, but the steady rise in Russian attacks has strained its defences. Patrick Bury, a professor of security issues at the University of Bath in Britain, said drones had transformed warfare, thanks to the combination of the persistent surveillance and the high-precision strike coupled with improved targeting systems and artificial intelligence. Smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah city near Dubai. AP He noted that Shahed drones could be easily hidden in the back of a truck. Advertisement What has taken people by surprise is the ferocity and the scale with which Iran has retaliated this time, compared with its response to the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025, Bury told the Associated Press. Related Article Kashmir conflict How a drone battle between India and Pakistan kick-started a new Asian arms race What the US and the Israelis are hoping, I think, and calculating, [is] that they can degrade that enough to basically then take some of the steam out. Many observers noted that the US and its allies could tap the experience that Ukraine gained in dealing with Russian drone attacks. Our military must do more ASAP to institutionalise defensive lessons from Ukraine, said Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment think tank, posting on X. Advertisement Attacks in the Gulf and beyond Officials in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that air defences had dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and more than 540 Iranian drones over two days. While officials said they had intercepted all air attacks on Saturday, debris from the knocked-down weapons sparked blazes at some of Dubais most well-known locations. Related Article Middle East at war How Donald Trump made the decision to go to war Social media footage from Sunday showed another Shahed drone falling to earth close to the citys Palm Jumeirah archipelago, exploding in a fireball. Other Iranian drones flew as far as a British military base in Cyprus. The runway at the Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri was struck by a drone probably launched by Irans Hezbollah allies in Lebanon on Sunday, according to British officials. Sirens blared there again a day later when two more drones heading towards the base were intercepted. Advertisement US urges citizens to leave Middle East immediately The US is urging its citizens to immediately leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East. PHNOM PENH, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Tuesday marked the 28th National Culture Day with a series of traditional songs, dances and performances. The event was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Civil Service Minister Hun Many and attended by more than 700 people. Hun Many said the celebration aimed at inspiring youth to actively participate in safeguarding, preserving and developing cultural properties. "Culture is the nation's soul and identity, so it's essential to educate and encourage people to join in protecting, promoting and developing our cultural heritage, customs and traditions for younger generations," he said. The Southeast Asian country was proud of its culture and traditions as a number of its cultural properties had gained international recognition, he said. To date, the kingdom has five tangible cultural properties and seven intangible cultural heritages inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Spring campaign features crews restoring, preserving and sustaining America's outdoor spaces Carhartt is donating $50,000 to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to fund recovery efforts, education initiatives and expand the volunteer program. DEARBORN, Mich., March 3, 2026 -- Building on the success of last year's inaugural "Made Possible" campaign, Carhartt is launching the next chapter of "Made Possible" to celebrate the people whose hard work behind the scenes brings the great outdoors to life. The campaign takes viewers on a journey through some of America's greatest adventures along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile drive in North Carolina and Virginia. The short film, "Making the Blue Ridge Parkway Possible," celebrates the workforce behind "America's Favorite Drive," documenting their efforts that support outdoor experiences enjoyed by millions of annual visitors. Hardworking crews, like the Maymead Road Crew, a family-run business that has led construction projects across four generations, are highlighted as they restore the Parkway from tough winter conditions and continue reconstruction following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in 2024. The campaign also spotlights key destinations along the Parkway, including Ecco Adesso Vineyards, North Carolina Arboretum, Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and the Adventure Center of Asheville. "Every great adventure begins with the hands of hardworking people," said Norma Delaney, Vice President of Marketing & Brand Creative at Carhartt. "From repaving our parkways to rescuing wildlife, these individuals don't just care for the outdoors they make it possible for all of us to connect with nature and create lifelong memories. At Carhartt, we are honored to shine a light on the efforts of those who work in the skilled trades and ensure they have the durable gear they need to get the job done." As an extension of the campaign, Carhartt is donating $50,000 to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to help fund ongoing preservation and education efforts, ensuring these cherished spaces thrive for future generations. The funding will expand the volunteer program and provide vital training, tools and equipment to support the hardworking people who make the Blue Ridge experience possible. "The recovery and restoration of the Blue Ridge Parkway after Hurricane Helene has been a monumental effort, showcasing the strength and resilience of our community," said Jordan Calaway, Chief Development Officer of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. "In the past year, crews have worked tirelessly to clear more than 50 landslides and reopen 85% of the Parkway. Carhartt's generous donation will help us continue our mission to protect this treasured landscape, inspire the next generation of land stewards and ensure the Parkway remains a beacon of cultural and environmental preservation for years to come." In addition to being featured on Carhartt's website and social media channels, the creative from the new campaign will run across digital platforms, as well as linear and connected TV. "The extension of the Made Possible campaign allows us to continue to celebrate hardworking people in the skilled trades," Delaney added. "Whether you're repairing roads or preparing the land for a new season of growth, we hope the campaign inspires the next generation to explore the countless career paths and opportunities available in the trades." An exclusive line of graphic t-shirts inspired by national parks, including Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park key destinations connected by the Blue Ridge Parkway will also be available for purchase this Spring. To learn more about Made Possible and how Carhartt is helping people get the job done to build a better world, visit Carhartt.com/JointheTrades. About Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the nonprofit fundraising partner of the Blue Ridge Parkway, helping to ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, educational outreach, and visitor enjoyment now and for future generations. Since 1997, the Foundation has supported one of America's most visited national parks with more than 15 million annual visitors. To learn more, visit BRPFoundation.org. The Dyrt Publishes Seven Road Trip Guides That Span America Each road trip guide contains a brief history of the route, some key facts about it, the recommended duration of the trip taking into account time for exploration, and the best time of year to hit the road. There are seven guides in total, and each one features 10 highly rated campgrounds. The Dyrt's Road Trip Collection Complete Guides: "There are so many iconic road trips to be taken and amazing camping properties in this vast country of ours," says Kevin Long, CEO of The Dyrt. "We wanted to combine these two delicious slices of Americana the best camping stays while traversing the renowned roads of the U.S. Each guide breaks the trips down into sections and highlights the best places to pitch your tent or park your rig along the way." Using the Route 66 Complete Road Trip Guide as an example, the total distance is 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica and the recommended time is two to four weeks, preferably in May-June or September-October. The guide points out landmarks, museums, restaurants and more, and offers tips on how to make the absolute most out of the trip. "The route begins with farmland and small towns, moves into plains, rises toward high desert plateaus, and eventually ends at the Pacific coastline," according to the Route 66 guide. "Many travelers in The Dyrt Community use Route 66 for long camping trips because it pairs history with steady access to parks and public land." The guides are filled with photos, local hikes and attractions, links to in-depth articles and, of course, great campgrounds. To assist with planning, the Road Trip Collection provides information on fuel and services, seasonal considerations, connectivity, budget considerations, state DOT resources, Bureau of Land Management camping guidelines, and Leave No Trace principles. Start planning now, pack your bags and choose your ideal road-trip companion. And even if it's a solo trip, you won't be alone when you have The Dyrt PRO, which gives you access to information on all RV parks and campgrounds in the U.S., the Free Camping Collection and the RV Trip Planner. About The Dyrt The Dyrt is the app to get the best campsites, built by the largest RVing and camping community in the U.S. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get all RV parks and campgrounds, the Free Camping Collection, and the RV Trip Planner. The Dyrt's 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks is informed by the largest online camping community and is the leading source of information for the camping industry. TEHRAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday the sole way to end the war is to stop the U.S. and Israeli "aggression" against Iran. He made the remarks at a weekly press conference held at a school in the Iranian capital Tehran that was damaged as a result of the recent attacks by the United States and Israel, while commenting on Iran's preconditions for ending the war. Baghaei said, "This military aggression has not been our choice. Our choice has always been diplomacy," adding Iran's diplomatic apparatus "bravely" continued the path of diplomacy with the government's support and did its best until the very last moment to avoid war, but the other side decided to begin a war. "The way to stop this war is to stop the aggression. The United Nations Security Council has a responsibility (in this regard)," he said. Baghaei said the international community must make its decision before it gets late and the scope of the war expands in the West Asia region. Asked about the possibility of certain Arab states' formation of an anti-Iran coalition with the United States, he noted that Tehran's principled policy is to continue its good relations with neighbors, emphasizing that Iran's actions against the United States are in no way indicative of the country's hostility toward regional states. Baghaei said Iran has been attacked unjustly and without any reason, warning that the "flames" of the war will spread everywhere if the necessary action is not taken. On Saturday morning, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. COLOMBO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A total of 205 flights have been cancelled in Sri Lanka due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, affecting operations to and from the country, Sri Lanka's Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka said on Tuesday. Of the total cancellations, 107 were arrivals and 98 were departures, said the minister following a special meeting held at the ministry to evaluate the impact on the aviation sector. The minister said visa extensions have been granted to tourists stranded in Sri Lanka as a result of the disruptions, covering the duration of their stay. He added that all airlines operating in the country have agreed to issue full refunds for cancelled tickets and permit rebooking on alternative flights without additional charges. Flights to Europe have resumed using alternative routes that avoid Middle Eastern airspace. However, due to increased fuel consumption on these longer routes, airlines have imposed cargo restrictions until normal conditions are restored. SriLankan Airlines is currently operating services to destinations including London and Paris through these adjusted routes, the minister confirmed. Airlines are also working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sri Lankan embassies to assist passengers stranded overseas to return home, he noted. Explosive storage lapses, illegalboiler in focus after blast in SBL By Dheeraj Fartode : Gross violation of mandatory safety norms contributed to severity of the explosion: PESO IMPROPER storage of explosives, lack of trained staff and unauthorised equipment - have emerged as key concerns in the probe into the deadly blast at SBL Energy Limited that claimed 19 lives. The safely lapses came to fore in the preliminary reports submitted The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH). The PESO and DISH officials inspected the accident spot on Sunday. They have submitted their preliminary reports to Nagpur Rural Police. Based on these reports, police have registered a case against the company officials. According to the PESO report, there were immense violations of safety compliance under the Explosives Rules, 2008. Officials noted that explosives produced each day must be cleared daily and large quantities should not be stored inside manufacturing buildings. However, the company allegedly stored explosives produced over three days within the premises. A senior police official said, The PESO report clearly points to gross violations of mandatory safety norms. Such negligence appears to have contributed to severity of the blast. Boiler installed without sanction THE DISH report also flagged multiple lapses. It stated that the company had failed to appoint safety officers as required under the Factories Act. In addition, a boiler was reportedly installed and operated without obtaining mandatory approval from the competent authorities. The installation and operation of a boiler without proper sanction is a serious breach of industrial safety rules, the police official said. Investigators also found that CCTV cameras at the plant were installed in a haphazard manner and were not properly positioned at critical locations. Workers sans training POLICE also noted serious gaps in worker training. Many workers deployed in high-risk operations were not properly trained. Some had not even received basic initial training before being assigned the job, the official added. Police said theinvestigation is ongoing and further action will follow based on technical findings. Cheap labour to cut cost proves fatal WITH a practice of hiring cheap labour to cut production costs, the company allegedly appointed unskilled workers, many of whom were women. In the absence of proper training, the company was operating in a completely unprofessional manner, an official said. Most of the labourers were hired from nearby villages as they were willing to work in the high-risk unit for a meagre salary of Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month, he claimed. This practice had reportedly been going on for several years. Now, the PESO and the DISH have raised objections over serious safety lapses at the company. However, the big question being asked is what these regulatory bodies were doing all these years while such unsafe practices continued unchecked. SBL Energy Ltd blast: Company officialsbooked for culpable homicide, 11 arrested Staff Reporter : All the accused have been remanded to six days of police custody KALMESHWAR Police have registered a case of culpable homicide in connection with the deadly explosion at SBL Energy Limited in Raulgaon village and arrested 11 accused persons, including Directors of the compnay, so far. The blast, which occurred between 6 am and 7 am on Sunday in Building No 16 (B) of the explosives manufacturing unit, killed 19 workers and injured 24 others. According to Kalmeshwar Police, preliminary inspection reports submitted by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) found serious violations of safety rules by the company. Based on the findings, a case has been registered under Section 105 (culpable homicide), Section 25(A)(B) (acts endangering life or personal safety of others) and Section 288 (negligent conduct with regard to explosives) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Nine company officials have been arrested. They are: Chandrashekhar Brijmohan Rajwad (50), Vice-President, a resident of 502 Rachnaji Apartment, Ambazari, Nagpur; SandeepHimmatlalSolanki (62), Senior General Manager, a residentof6465MaharanaBuilder, Katol Road, Nagpur; Pradeep RaghunathSharma (57),General Manager, a resident of Plot No. 57,JayavishnahartaSociety,Katol Road,Nagpur;RoshanBhaskrao Raut (43), Production Manager, aresidentofDattawadi,Nagpur; Neelkanth Thaniram Dongre (48),ProductionManager(training fordetonator fillingand framing), a resident of Vasant Apartment, Dabha, Nagpur; Pankaj Ramnaresh Pandey (32), Production Supervisor, a resident of Plot No. 303, Besa, Nagpur; Sudhakar Ramesh Uparkar (43), Loading Supervisor, a resident of Kohli, Taluka Kalmeshwar; Rajendra Devrao Pardhi (42),In-charge of Building16(A),aresidentofDorli (Bhingare), Kalmeshwar, and VilasAnkushMalve(45),responsible for Building 16(B), a resident of Chitnis Nagar, Nagpur. All the accused were taken into custodyandproducedbeforethe court, and remanded to six days of police custody. Intheaftermath,bodiesof victims were brought to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur. Officials said, many bodies were completely charred, while remains of three victims arrived in bundled form, making identification difficult. Theexplosionoccurredshortly after work began in the unit that manufactures gunpowder and detonators used in mining. Around 35 workerswerepresent in the department at the time. The powerful blast was heard acrossnearbyvillagesandreportedly caused part of the unit to collapse, followed by a massive fire and thick smoke. Police said, further investigation is underway and more arrests are likely. One more succumbs to injuries; toll reaches 19 WITH the death of worker Ranjana Uttam Ghagre (35) on Monday morning, the death toll in the blast has risen to 19. She was seriously injured in Sundays explosion. Earlier, 18 workers had died in the incident. Rakesh Tiwari, Ravi Kamre arrested after meeting RAKESH Tiwari and Ravi Kamra who also are the directors of the company came to the meeting of Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday morning. After the meeting, both were arrested by the police. CM for automation in explosive units, updated protocol and rules Staff Reporter CHIEF Minister Devendra Fadnavis after visiting the workers injured in blast SBL Energy Limited, on Monday, said, time has come for introduction of automation in manufacturing explosive, given the high risk involved in the production. Fadnavis was of the view that while humans can work in non-critical areas, machinery needs to be thought off where fuse or final filling of highly explosive stuff is carried out. With demand is rising for high intensity explosives in the market, the manufacturers and regulators need to sit together and work out measures to steer the industry towards more safer practices. Though theregulationof explosive manufacturing industry is under purview of Central Government, State will study the issue in depth as the aim is to avoid such incidents in future. Fadnavis earlierreached city from Mumbai in the evening and visited the private hospital where the injured workers are undergoing treatment. As happenswithburn victims, the doctors, he said, are monitoring the health aspects of the injured and company is bearing the cost of treatment. Interactingwithnewspersons at the hospital, Chief Minister also felt that there is a need to revisit the rules governing the industry engaged in manufacture of high end explosives, as currentregulationswereframed in 2008. With passage of time, the new explosive are more powerful and utilisation of more intense material is being done. Therefore,officialsof the PESO and other supervising agency needs to take a critical look as loss of human life in repetitivefashiondoesnothold good.The protocol needs to be further tightened and defended the officials saying after last such incident at an explosive company, all other units were audited. However, there is the need to standardise the practices, train the workers needs more intense training and without doubt automationisinevitable to prevent such incidents in future, he added. Katol MLA Charan Singh Thakur,local officials alsowere also present during the Chief Ministers visit COLOMBO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday warned that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could spill over into Sri Lanka's economy and daily life through disruptions to energy supplies and external earnings. Speaking in parliament as he outlined the government's position, Dissanayake said the conflict benefits no community and cautioned that modern weapons and military technology make conflicts increasingly destructive. He said Sri Lanka cannot insulate itself from the fallout and that the government will draw up a national response plan, stressing that a durable solution depends on international commitment to a peaceful world. The president said a prolonged conflict could disrupt oil and gas supplies and create serious difficulties for Sri Lankans overseas. He added that Sri Lanka's tourism industry, foreign remittances, and the maritime and aviation sectors could also face pressure. Dissanayake said the government is monitoring developments and that the central bank is reviewing the situation, with a report on potential impacts on the economy expected by Tuesday or Wednesday. He said the Ministry of Finance is also preparing an assessment of possible effects on people's daily lives and is working on plans to ensure essential services for Sri Lankans abroad and at home. BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- When China's national lawmakers and political advisers gather in Beijing for the annual "two sessions," one document will stand out: a draft 15th Five-Year Plan, the blueprint that will guide the world's second-largest economy from 2026 to 2030. Five-year plans have long been central to how China steers its development. But the upcoming plan is being closely watched not just for its economic ambitions, but for how a country of 1.4 billion people moves toward modernization amid technological disruption, demographic shifts, and an increasingly fractured global order. The new plan is anchored in recommendations adopted by the Communist Party of China Central Committee in October 2025. It is designed to align with the long-term vision of achieving major progress by 2035 in economic strength, technological capacity, national defense and global influence, while lifting living standards to the level of mid-tier developed economies. Public input was integral to the drafting process. A prime example was last year's month-long online consultation, which drew more than 3.11 million submissions. Authorities stated that these contributions were reviewed and considered in the plan's formulation. This inclusive approach served as a practical illustration of China's whole-process people's democracy. China's first five-year plan, launched in the early 1950s, came at a time when the country was still overwhelmingly rural and far from being industrialized. As China now is rolling out its 15th plan, the central goal remains unchanged: to build a modern socialist country. Along the way, China has built one of the world's most complete industrial systems, eliminated absolute poverty, grown into an economy of 140 trillion yuan (about 20.2 trillion U.S. dollars), and become a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions. Though originating in the planned economy era, the five-year plans have evolved into an effective instrument that leverages the roles of both market and government for sound macroeconomic management. These plans establish medium- to long-term objectives, define major priorities, and outline policy directions that steer national development. In practice, the market plays a decisive role, while the government is responsible for coordination and guidance. In the book "China's Megatrends," American scholar John Naisbitt vividly described China's planning approach as "framing the forest and letting the trees grow," highlighting how the plans set broad national priorities while giving individual sectors and enterprises the freedom to develop in their own ways. These dynamics have produced a set of distinct strengths in China's system of medium- and long-term planning. Perhaps the most visible is its ability to marshal resources toward major national priorities. This is especially important for a country like China, with a vast territory and significant regional disparities, where local authorities and ministries might pursue competing objectives. The five-year plans provide a common roadmap for policy, investment, and planning decisions across sectors and regions. China's campaign to end extreme poverty offers a concrete example of how national coordination works. The 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) set a clear, time-bound target: all rural residents living below the then poverty line would be lifted out of poverty. To that end, the plan laid out a detailed implementation framework. Initiatives included establishing an ongoing monitoring system to identify and assist poor households, mobilizing the state-owned sector to deliver aid, and channeling heavy investment into roads, housing and utilities in far-flung areas. More than 3 million officials were dispatched to villages to translate national targets into on-the-ground action. Analysts said that such large-scale, tightly coordinated action would have been difficult without a centralized political leadership capable of setting priorities, mobilizing resources, and ensuring implementation across multiple layers of government. The planning system also places a premium on foresight. In many countries, long-horizon issues, such as aging populations, energy transition, and industrial upgrading, are often crowded out by election-driven politics and short-term economic pressures. China's five-year and even longer-term plans are designed to counter that short-term drift. In the view of Chinese leaders, it is essential to begin with a well-defined plan and clear goals. The focus on foresight draws on a long-standing Chinese tradition of valuing long-term planning. As the British scholar Martin Jacques has observed, the five-year plan resonates with a political culture that prioritizes thinking ahead over short-term gain. China's push into artificial intelligence (AI) exemplifies this emphasis on foresight in practice. AI development was incorporated into national planning as early as the 13th Five-Year Plan a decade ago, a commitment that was followed by the release of a dedicated next-generation AI strategy in 2017. By 2021, the technology had been elevated again, listed in the 14th Five-Year Plan as one of the country's priority frontiers in science and technology. Proposals now for the new plan go further still, calling for an "AI Plus" approach that would weave the technology more deeply into the wider economy. By 2025, China's AI sector saw rapid growth. Companies were racing to develop large-scale AI models, the number of AI firms surpassed 6,000, and the core industry was projected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan. It is not just AI. The rapid growth of electric vehicles, solar power, lithium batteries, and 5G infrastructure also reflects the impact of long-term planning, particularly in areas that demand heavy upfront investment and patience, yet are crucial to sustaining technological and economic competitiveness. Observers said that China's approach seeks to anticipate and shape emerging trends before they fully take hold, while also managing potential risks. Amid short-termism and global uncertainty, China's five-year plans offer a rare form of strategic continuity. More than blueprints for development, they serve as a distinctive tool of governance. Since the first plan in the 1950s, China has pursued the steady goal of becoming a modern country. Policies have evolved with circumstances, but the overall strategy has remained remarkably consistent. Through a seamless policy-making relay, China has created a framework that allows major projects and reforms to advance steadily over time. For businesses and investors, this predictability matters. Long-term decisions depend less on temporary incentives than on the policy environment that can be anticipated. Five-year plans reduce the risk of sudden shifts and provide a measure of stability for the broader economy. That continuity is set to be reinforced through legislation, as the National People's Congress (NPC) prepares to review a draft law governing national development planning, aimed at bringing greater consistency to how plans are drawn up and enforced. China's five-year plans are formulated through a carefully structured, multi-stage process. Recommendations begin at the Party's plenary sessions, followed by a draft plan prepared by the State Council, and finally reviewed and approved by the NPC before being released. Once national priorities are set, local and specialized plans break them down into concrete steps to ensure they are carried out effectively. Analysts said the planning system offers insight into how China's institutions sustain policy continuity and carry out complex initiatives effectively, even amid a rapidly changing global environment. "China's five-year plans are a fully integrated system for turning goals into reality," said Dong Yu, executive vice dean of the Institute of China Development Planning at Tsinghua University. Crescent Park Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm bought 150,833 shares of the restaurant operators stock, valued at approximately $5,911,000. Chipotle Mexican Grill comprises approximately 2.4% of Crescent Park Management L.P.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest position. A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Lavaca Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp increased its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 106.7% in the third quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp now owns 775 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.30% of the companys stock. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance Shares of CMG opened at $36.70 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $47.79 billion, a PE ratio of 32.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.99. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a one year low of $29.75 and a one year high of $58.42. The companys fifty day moving average price is $38.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $38.02. Analysts Set New Price Targets 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 (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.96 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 47.99% and a net margin of 12.88%.The firms revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.25 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current year. A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. BTIG Research reissued a buy rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $44.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Wall Street Zen cut Chipotle Mexican Grill from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. Telsey Advisory Group dropped their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $50.00 to $48.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $47.24. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report). 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. Alger 35 ETF (NYSEARCA:ATFV Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest in the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 4,213 shares, a decrease of 34.6% from the January 29th total of 6,437 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 37,092 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Currently, 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Currently, 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 37,092 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Institutional Trading of Alger 35 ETF A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Alger 35 ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at about $460,000. DAVENPORT & Co LLC increased its holdings in Alger 35 ETF by 20.4% during the 3rd quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 24,207 shares of the companys stock worth $860,000 after purchasing an additional 4,095 shares during the period. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Alger 35 ETF by 5.5% during the 3rd quarter. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC now owns 36,851 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,323,000 after purchasing an additional 1,932 shares in the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Alger 35 ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $210,000. Finally, Beverly Hills Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Alger 35 ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $322,000. Get Alger 35 ETF alerts: Alger 35 ETF Trading Down 3.7% NYSEARCA:ATFV traded down $1.22 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $32.05. 9,026 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 34,342. Alger 35 ETF has a 12-month low of $18.98 and a 12-month high of $36.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $115.38 million, a P/E ratio of 29.96 and a beta of 1.29. The firms fifty day moving average is $34.70 and its 200-day moving average is $34.57. Alger 35 ETF Dividend Announcement About Alger 35 ETF The firm also recently announced an annual dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were given a dividend of $0.0708 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 21.0%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. (Get Free Report) The Alger 35 ETF (ATFV) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund is an actively-managed, non-transparent ETF that holds a concentrated portfolio of global growth stocks. The fund utilizes the Precidian non-transparent model. ATFV was launched on May 3, 2021 and is managed by Alger. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Alger 35 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alger 35 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Andritz (OTCMKTS:ADRZY Get Free Report) is expected to post its results before the market opens on Thursday, March 5th. Analysts expect Andritz to post earnings of $0.3817 per share and revenue of $2.7878 billion for the quarter. Andritz Stock Performance Shares of ADRZY remained flat at $17.77 during mid-day trading on Tuesday. 58 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 615. Andritz has a 52-week low of $10.79 and a 52-week high of $18.81. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $17.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $15.54. The stock has a market cap of $9.24 billion, a PE ratio of 17.25 and a beta of 0.97. Get Andritz alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a buy rating on shares of Andritz in a report on Monday, February 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Andritz Company Profile (Get Free Report) Andritz AG is a global technology group based in Graz, Austria, with a history dating back to its founding in 1852. The company specializes in providing equipment, systems, and services for industrial processes across four key business areas: Hydropower, Pulp & Paper, Metals, and Separation. Through a combination of engineering expertise and in-house manufacturing, Andritz develops tailored solutions that meet the demands of energy efficiency, resource optimization, and environmental sustainability. In its Hydropower division, Andritz designs and installs turbines, generators, and automation systems for run-of-river, reservoir and pumped storage plants. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Andritz Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Andritz and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bain Capital Specialty Finance (NYSE:BCSF Get Free Report) had its price target decreased by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $14.00 to $13.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an equal weight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price objective would indicate a potential upside of 3.96% from the stocks current price. Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised Bain Capital Specialty Finance from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $16.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $14.50. Get Bain Capital Specialty Finance alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on BCSF Bain Capital Specialty Finance Stock Down 2.8% BCSF traded down $0.37 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $12.51. The company had a trading volume of 80,763 shares, compared to its average volume of 539,141. The company has a market capitalization of $811.20 million, a PE ratio of 8.18 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.78, a current ratio of 1.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33. Bain Capital Specialty Finance has a one year low of $12.43 and a one year high of $18.58. The firms 50-day moving average price is $13.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $14.13. Bain Capital Specialty Finance (NYSE:BCSF Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $68.20 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.48 million. Bain Capital Specialty Finance had a return on equity of 10.69% and a net margin of 36.14%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Bain Capital Specialty Finance will post 2.06 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of Bain Capital Specialty Finance Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. North Ground Capital acquired a new stake in Bain Capital Specialty Finance during the third quarter worth approximately $2,494,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of Bain Capital Specialty Finance by 13.0% during the 2nd quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 366,542 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,513,000 after acquiring an additional 42,056 shares during the period. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Bain Capital Specialty Finance during the 2nd quarter worth $793,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Bain Capital Specialty Finance by 22.0% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 545,190 shares of the companys stock worth $7,769,000 after purchasing an additional 98,222 shares during the period. Finally, Muzinich & Co. Inc. grew its stake in Bain Capital Specialty Finance by 16.9% during the third quarter. Muzinich & Co. Inc. now owns 647,534 shares of the companys stock worth $9,227,000 after buying an additional 93,732 shares in the last quarter. Bain Capital Specialty Finance Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bain Capital Specialty Finance (NYSE: BCSF) is a closed-end interval fund organized as a specialty finance company. Since commencing operations in March 2017, the company has focused on originating and acquiring debt and equity investments in middle-market companies. It is structured to offer investors access to private credit and special situations strategies that are typically unavailable through traditional public debt markets. The firms core business activities include direct lending to U.S. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bain Capital Specialty Finance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bain Capital Specialty Finance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Best Buy (NYSE:BBY Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2027 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 6.300-6.600 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 6.680. The company issued revenue guidance of $41.2 billion-$42.1 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $42.2 billion. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts recently issued reports on BBY shares. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Best Buy from $93.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Best Buy from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $99.00 to $76.00 in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Best Buy from $75.00 to $70.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Barclays reduced their target price on Best Buy from $81.00 to $77.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Evercore decreased their price target on Best Buy from $80.00 to $70.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $80.05. Get Best Buy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on BBY Best Buy Stock Performance Best Buy stock opened at $61.64 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $12.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.46. Best Buy has a 12 month low of $54.99 and a 12 month high of $90.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The stocks 50-day moving average is $66.90 and its 200-day moving average is $72.94. Best Buy (NYSE:BBY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, March 3rd. The technology retailer reported $2.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.11. Best Buy had a net margin of 1.54% and a return on equity of 50.02%. The firm had revenue of $13.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.58 EPS. The companys revenue was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Best Buy has set its FY 2027 guidance at 6.300-6.600 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Best Buy will post 6.18 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of Best Buy Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Best Buy by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 3,158 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $211,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Best Buy by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,677 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $202,000 after buying an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. Lido Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Best Buy by 2.7% during the third quarter. Lido Advisors LLC now owns 11,918 shares of the technology retailers stock worth $912,000 after buying an additional 317 shares in the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Best Buy in the third quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in Best Buy by 30.0% in the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,466 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $98,000 after acquiring an additional 338 shares in the last quarter. 80.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Best Buy Company Profile (Get Free Report) Best Buy Co, Inc is a leading North American consumer electronics retailer that sells a broad range of products including computers, mobile phones, televisions and home theater systems, major appliances, smart-home devices, gaming hardware and software, wearables and related accessories. The company operates through a mix of large-format stores, smaller specialty locations and an e-commerce platform, offering national and private-brand merchandise from major consumer-technology manufacturers as well as third-party sellers. Beyond product retailing, Best Buy provides a suite of services aimed at installation, repair and ongoing technical support. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Best Buy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Best Buy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT) highlighted growing U.S. demand for its hyperhidrosis treatment Sofdra and outlined plans to improve margins and supply-chain flexibility during a webinar covering its fiscal 2026 half-year report for the period ended Dec. 31, 2025. Get alerts: Chief Executive Officer Dr. Howie McKibbon said the company has made significant progress since Sofdras commercial launch in February 2025, describing performance from the product, the commercial team, and its fulfillment platform as above expectations. U.S. Chief Financial Officer Chris Lesovitz added that the companys first-half results reflect a scaling commercial business where investment has preceded profitability. Sofdra launch metrics and prescription growth McKibbon reported that in the first 11 months since launch, Sofdra shipped 62,500 prescriptions, generated almost $100 million in gross revenue, and delivered $21.2 million in net revenue. He emphasized that Sofdra is indicated for primary axillary hyperhidrosis down to age nine and described it as the first and only new chemical entity for the condition. During the fiscal 2026 first half, Botanix said prescriptions shipped rose to 45,800, up from 16,800 in the second half of fiscal 2025. Management cited refill performance and rapid acceptance among physicians and patients as indicators of continued momentum. Botanix also framed hyperhidrosis as a large market opportunity, stating that more than 10 million people in the U.S. are affected and that roughly 3.7 million are actively seeking treatment. McKibbon said the company completed an expansion to 50 sales specialists in October, and that both new and existing hires have been productive. Revenue and profitability snapshot On the financials, Lesovitz reported total revenue of AUD 16.5 million for the half, including royalty revenue. Management also cited AUD 16.2 million in U.S. Sofdra net revenue for the half-year ended Dec. 31, 2025, compared with AUD 5.1 million in the second half of fiscal 2025. Key expense and earnings figures discussed included: Materials and related expenses of AUD 6.0 million Direct operating expenses of AUD 36.6 million, including sales and marketing, employee, corporate consulting, and G&A Sales and marketing expense of AUD 24.7 million Employee costs of AUD 7.0 million G&A expenses of AUD 3.2 million, which management said decreased slightly year over year Adjusted EBITDA loss of AUD 26.1 million Loss before tax of AUD 33.2 million Cash and equivalents of AUD 31.6 million at period end Lesovitz said the year-over-year revenue comparison was heavily influenced by timing, as Sofdra was not fully launched in the first half of fiscal 2025. He characterized the results as consistent with an early launch dynamic, adding that management expects revenue growth to begin outpacing the cost base as adoption increases. Physician feedback and the fulfillment platform Management repeatedly pointed to Botanixs fulfillment approachreferred to during the call as its platform and associated with its partner SendRxas a differentiator. McKibbon said the platform provides frictionless access for patients and physicians and is scalable for additional products. He also said it has produced a fill rate exceeding industry standards and a high rate of fully reimbursed prescriptions. Botanix cited market research conducted in Q2 in which 90% of surveyed healthcare professionals said they expect to increase prescribing in the next six months. Management said physicians attributed Sofdra usage to factors including streamlined access, strong efficacy, a unique applicator, and safety. In the Q&A, management clarified that Botanix does not own pharmacies and instead partners with them. McKibbon described the SendRx partnership as involving linked data feeds providing de-identified data to Botanixs data warehouse to monitor prescription, prescriber, and payer dynamics. He also argued that the platform can benefit other dermatology products, particularly those with low refill rates or insurance clearance challenges, and that consignment distribution can improve gross-to-net economics by bypassing wholesalers. McKibbon also addressed a question about fully reimbursed prescriptions versus gross-to-net. He said a fully reimbursed script is one where the payer has paid its contracted portion and the prescription is sent to the patient. He added that when clearance is delayed, Botanix may ensure a patient receives a prescription before it is reimbursed, and that all such activity is reflected in gross-to-net, which he expects to improve over time as a greater percentage of scripts become fully reimbursed. API supply plans and margin initiatives A major focus of the call was Sofdras active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) supply and expected cost improvements. Management said it is selecting an alternate API supplier, which it expects could reduce cost of goods sold by 25% to 40% while also de-risking reliance on a single source. In response to questions, McKibbon said there was only one supplier at the time Botanix acquired Sofdra and that, as a new chemical entity, the API is not available off the shelf. He said establishing an additional supplier requires technology transfer, process validation, FDA inspections, and validation batches, making it time- and cost-intensive. Management also detailed purchase obligations under its current supply agreement. McKibbon said purchases were scheduled for March 2026, April 2026, and January 2027, after which the contract requires one purchase per year in 2028, 2029, and 2030, with timing flexible up to as late as December in each year. He said Botanix is in advanced negotiations with its current supplier to push the April 2026 and January 2027 payments into future years to free up working capital during the launch phase. Capital raise and stated use of proceeds Botanix said it received firm commitments for an AUD 45 million capital raise after the reporting period, with AUD 14.9 million received to date. The balance is subject to shareholder approval at a meeting scheduled for April 1, 2026. During Q&A, Lesovitz outlined how the company plans to deploy the funds, citing the following allocations: AUD 12 million for API and manufacturing component purchases AUD 4 million for alternate API supplier setup AUD 13.5 million for advertising and marketing initiatives AUD 13 million for operating expenses and working capital Approximately AUD 2.5 million in transaction costs In closing remarks, management reiterated its focus on driving Sofdra performance, improving gross-to-net and cost of goods, and using the platforms scalability to pursue additional assets that could be immediately accretive without incurring development costs. McKibbon said the company is prioritizing revenue-generating, approved assets over clinical development programs, citing the goal of reaching profitability and increasing optionality over time. About Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT) Botanix Pharmaceuticals Limited engages in the research and development of dermatology and antimicrobial products in Australia. The company engages in development of novel treatments for common skin diseases and infections. Its product pipeline includes Sofpironium Bromide, a drug in development for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis that has completed Phase 3 clinical programs; BTX 1503, a transdermal gel formulation for the treatment of serious acne in adults and teenagers that has completed Phase II clinical trials; BTX 1801, which has completed Phase IIb clinical trials for the treatment of staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus; BTX 1702 that is in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of papulopustular rosacea; and BTX 1204A for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Read More Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR Free Report) Stock analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q1 2027 EPS estimates for Equity Residential in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, March 2nd. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the real estate investment trust will earn $0.99 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $1.00. The consensus estimate for Equity Residentials current full-year earnings is $3.98 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Equity Residentials FY2027 earnings at $4.24 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $4.35 EPS. Get Equity Residential alerts: Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.04 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $781.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $786.35 million. Equity Residential had a net margin of 36.20% and a return on equity of 9.98%. The companys revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.00 earnings per share. Equity Residential has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.940-0.980 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.020-4.140 EPS. Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on Equity Residential from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Piper Sandler set a $78.00 price target on Equity Residential in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Equity Residential in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Equity Residential from $68.00 to $62.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Equity Residential from $75.00 to $73.50 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.78. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on EQR Equity Residential Stock Performance EQR opened at $63.11 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $23.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.54, a P/E/G ratio of 4.76 and a beta of 0.75. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $62.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.58. Equity Residential has a 1 year low of $58.38 and a 1 year high of $75.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.31 and a quick ratio of 0.31. Institutional Trading of Equity Residential Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Equity Residential by 2.3% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 57,597,658 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,728,296,000 after acquiring an additional 1,281,354 shares during the last quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Equity Residential by 566.7% in the 3rd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 115,181 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $7,456,000 after purchasing an additional 97,906 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc boosted its position in shares of Equity Residential by 34.6% during the 3rd quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 568,408 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $36,446,000 after purchasing an additional 146,148 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service boosted its position in shares of Equity Residential by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 605,494 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $39,194,000 after purchasing an additional 26,590 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Andra AP fonden increased its holdings in Equity Residential by 30.3% in the second quarter. Andra AP fonden now owns 187,100 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $12,627,000 after purchasing an additional 43,500 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.68% of the companys stock. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, COO Michael L. Manelis sold 5,765 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.13, for a total value of $375,474.45. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 46,131 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,004,512.03. This represents a 11.11% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Robert Garechana sold 3,637 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.13, for a total transaction of $236,877.81. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,740 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,220,536.20. This trade represents a 16.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 10,058 shares of company stock valued at $655,078. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Equity Residential Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.6925 per share. This represents a $2.77 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Equity Residentials payout ratio is presently 94.54%. Equity Residential Company Profile (Get Free Report) Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that acquires, develops, owns and operates rental apartment properties. Headquartered in Chicago, the company focuses on delivering professionally managed, market-rate apartment homes and related services to renters. Its operations cover a range of property types, including high-rise and mid-rise assets, with amenities and on-site management designed to support resident retention and occupancy. The companys core activities include property acquisitions, development and redevelopment, leasing, and day-to-day property management. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Equity Residential Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equity Residential and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. An aerial drone photo taken on March 2, 2026 shows a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) JOHANNESBURG, March 2 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo told reporters at the scene that two individuals were confirmed trapped under the debris, while three others remain missing. One person has been successfully rescued. The incident occurred at Amethyst Business Park in Ormonde, where 12 workers were on the ground floor of a two-story building when part of the structure gave way, said Khumalo. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area to ensure emergency operations proceed safely. Search and rescue efforts are intensifying. Rescuers noted that the primary challenge facing the teams is the instability of the structure, warning that parts of the building are "already caving in." Officials said operations would continue until all missing persons are accounted for. The cause of the collapse remains unknown at this stage, and an investigation is underway. An aerial drone photo taken on March 2, 2026 shows people working at the site of a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) People work at the site of a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 2, 2026. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) People work at the site of a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 2, 2026. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) People work at the site of a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 2, 2026. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on March 2, 2026 shows a collapsed building in Johannesburg, South Africa. At least six people were killed and several others remained trapped after a building collapsed on Monday in a southern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities said. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Dollar General (NYSE:DG Get Free Report) had its price target cut by equities researchers at Evercore from $145.00 to $144.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. Evercores target price points to a potential downside of 4.10% from the stocks current price. A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. Wolfe Research lifted their price target on Dollar General from $141.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Dollar General in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Dollar General from $112.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Dollar General from $127.00 to $151.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Argus lifted their price objective on shares of Dollar General from $135.00 to $152.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $145.81. Get Dollar General alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on DG Dollar General Stock Down 1.6% DG traded down $2.47 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $150.16. 227,219 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,958,109. Dollar General has a 1 year low of $70.01 and a 1 year high of $158.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 1.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.05 billion, a PE ratio of 25.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.23. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $146.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $121.76. Dollar General (NYSE:DG Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.33. The business had revenue of $10.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.60 billion. Dollar General had a net margin of 3.03% and a return on equity of 18.59%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.89 earnings per share. Dollar General has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.300-6.500 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Dollar General will post 5.75 EPS for the current year. Insider Transactions at Dollar General In related news, EVP Rhonda Taylor sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.89, for a total value of $1,011,675.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 73,492 shares in the company, valued at $9,913,335.88. The trade was a 9.26% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Bryan D. Wheeler sold 9,776 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.32, for a total transaction of $1,322,888.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 22,295 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,016,959.40. The trade was a 30.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 58,673 shares of company stock worth $7,713,389. Company insiders own 0.56% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of DG. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Dollar General during the 3rd quarter valued at $8,803,000. Arista Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Dollar General in the 3rd quarter worth about $351,000. Allianz Asset Management GmbH lifted its position in Dollar General by 16.3% during the 3rd quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 805,645 shares of the companys stock valued at $83,263,000 after acquiring an additional 112,862 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Dollar General by 1.5% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 26,817,649 shares of the companys stock worth $3,067,403,000 after acquiring an additional 384,447 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in Dollar General by 483.1% in the second quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 30,630 shares of the companys stock worth $3,503,000 after purchasing an additional 25,377 shares during the period. 91.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Trending Headlines about Dollar General Here are the key news stories impacting Dollar General this week: Dollar General Company Profile (Get Free Report) Dollar General Corporation is a U.S.-based variety and discount retailer operating a large network of small-format stores that serve primarily rural and suburban communities. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DG and is headquartered in the Nashville/Goodlettsville, Tennessee area. Founded in 1939, Dollar General has grown from a regional operation into one of the nations prominent low-price retailers focused on convenience and value. Dollar Generals stores offer a wide assortment of everyday consumables and household goods, including food and beverage items, cleaning supplies, health and beauty products, paper goods, apparel basics, seasonal merchandise and small household items. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Dollar General Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dollar General and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Flowserve Corporation (NYSE:FLS Free Report) by 2.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,907,262 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 48,641 shares during the quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLCs holdings in Flowserve were worth $101,352,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Flowserve by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,181 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $222,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al raised its stake in Flowserve by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al now owns 44,128 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,345,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS lifted its position in Flowserve by 0.7% in the third quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 27,300 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,456,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its stake in Flowserve by 0.7% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 38,689 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,056,000 after acquiring an additional 263 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MJP Associates Inc. ADV grew its holdings in shares of Flowserve by 6.2% during the second quarter. MJP Associates Inc. ADV now owns 4,580 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $240,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. 93.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Flowserve alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have recently commented on FLS. Bank of America reiterated a neutral rating and set a $73.00 target price (up from $60.00) on shares of Flowserve in a research report on Friday, November 14th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Flowserve from $65.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Weiss Ratings cut Flowserve from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c) rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Flowserve from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Flowserve from $83.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $88.80. Flowserve Trading Down 1.1% Shares of FLS stock opened at $87.57 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $11.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a current ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The businesss 50 day moving average is $79.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $67.15. Flowserve Corporation has a twelve month low of $37.34 and a twelve month high of $92.41. Flowserve (NYSE:FLS Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The industrial products company reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.94 by $0.17. Flowserve had a return on equity of 21.19% and a net margin of 7.32%.The business had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.26 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.70 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Flowserve has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000-4.200 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Flowserve Corporation will post 3.18 EPS for the current year. Flowserve Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 27th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 27th. This is a positive change from Flowserves previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Flowserves payout ratio is presently 32.06%. Flowserve Company Profile (Free Report) Flowserve Corporation (NYSE: FLS) is a leading provider of fluid motion and control products and services. The company designs, manufactures and services engineered and industrial pumps, mechanical seals, valves and related flow management equipment. Flowserves offerings are utilized across a broad spectrum of end markets, including oil and gas, power generation, chemical processing, water management, pharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as mining and general industrial applications. Flowserves product portfolio encompasses a wide range of centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, high-performance control valves, butterfly and ball valves, as well as mechanical seals and seal support systems. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FLS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Flowserve Corporation (NYSE:FLS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Flowserve Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Flowserve and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fomento Economico Mexicano (NYSE:FMX Get Free Report) had its target price raised by analysts at Barclays from $116.00 to $118.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an equal weight rating on the stock. Barclayss price target would suggest a potential upside of 10.42% from the stocks current price. FMX has been the topic of a number of other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano from $113.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $108.83. Get Fomento Economico Mexicano alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on FMX Fomento Economico Mexicano Trading Down 4.9% Shares of NYSE:FMX traded down $5.47 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $106.86. 167,803 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 433,901. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $106.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $98.70. Fomento Economico Mexicano has a 12-month low of $83.08 and a 12-month high of $116.09. Fomento Economico Mexicano (NYSE:FMX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The company reported $0.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.50 by ($0.58). The firm had revenue of $12.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.98 billion. Fomento Economico Mexicano had a return on equity of 6.11% and a net margin of 2.29%. On average, research analysts expect that Fomento Economico Mexicano will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Fomento Economico Mexicano A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FMX. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano by 2,006.3% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 337 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 321 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Fomento Economico Mexicano in the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano by 42.5% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 439 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares in the last quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. bought a new stake in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $54,000. 61.00% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Fomento Economico Mexicano (Get Free Report) Fomento Economico Mexicano, SAB. de C.V. (FEMSA) is a Mexican multinational company active primarily in the retail and beverage sectors. Headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, FEMSAs operations span convenience store retailing, beverage bottling and distribution, and related logistics and consumer services. The companys business model combines high-frequency retail outlets with large-scale beverage production and a regional supply chain network. FEMSA Comercio, the companys retail arm, operates a large chain of convenience stores under the OXXO brand and has expanded its retail footprint with complementary formats and services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fomento Economico Mexicano Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fomento Economico Mexicano and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. William Blair Investment Management LLC decreased its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. (NYSE:ASR Free Report) by 3.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 42,912 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 1,616 shares during the quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLCs holdings in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste were worth $13,875,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ASR. Assetmark Inc. lifted its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste by 494.7% during the second quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 113 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste by 13,800.0% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 139 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming acquired a new stake in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste during the third quarter valued at approximately $46,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste by 766.7% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 156 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste by 38.2% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 181 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 10.57% of the companys stock. Get Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets ASR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Morgan Stanley cut Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $300.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Zacks Research raised Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Scotiabank raised Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $300.00. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste Trading Down 0.9% Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste stock opened at $356.50 on Tuesday. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. has a 12 month low of $249.21 and a 12 month high of $381.52. The company has a quick ratio of 2.69, a current ratio of 2.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market cap of $10.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.36 and a beta of 0.53. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $345.73 and its 200-day simple moving average is $326.87. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (NYSE:ASR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The transportation company reported $5.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $5.04 by ($0.01). Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste had a net margin of 27.93% and a return on equity of 21.10%. The firm had revenue of $636.39 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $500.58 million. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. will post 23 EPS for the current fiscal year. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste Company Profile (Free Report) Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, SAB. de C.V. (NYSE: ASR) is a leading airport operator in Mexico specializing in the development, operation and management of airports under long-term concession agreements. The companys core business activities include the operation of passenger and cargo terminals, the administration of retail and service concessions, the provision of parking and ground-support services, and the implementation of security and maintenance programs. ASR holds concession rights for nine airports across southeastern Mexico, including premier tourism hubs such as Cancun, Cozumel and Huatulco, as well as regional facilities in Merida, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Minatitlan. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ASR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. (NYSE:ASR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Imperial Oil Limited (NYSEAMERICAN:IMO Get Free Report) (TSE:IMO) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 5th will be paid a dividend of 0.87 per share by the energy company on Wednesday, April 1st. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 5th. This is a 20.8% increase from Imperial Oils previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. Imperial Oil has a payout ratio of 41.2% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Imperial Oil to earn $6.37 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.10 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 33.0%. Get Imperial Oil alerts: Imperial Oil Stock Performance IMO traded down $0.22 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $118.59. 113,319 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 726,308. Imperial Oil has a 52 week low of $58.76 and a 52 week high of $123.52. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $102.85 and a 200 day moving average of $95.18. The stock has a market cap of $57.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.89 and a beta of 0.66. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades IMO has been the topic of several research reports. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Imperial Oil from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Raymond James Financial cut shares of Imperial Oil from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of Imperial Oil from a sector perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $116.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, TD Securities restated a sell rating on shares of Imperial Oil in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Imperial Oil has a consensus rating of Strong Sell and a consensus target price of $116.00. View Our Latest Analysis on IMO Imperial Oil Company Profile (Get Free Report) Imperial Oil (NYSEAMERICAN: IMO) is a Canadian integrated energy company involved in the exploration, production, refining and marketing of petroleum and petrochemical products. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Imperial has operated in Canada for well over a century and is one of the countrys long-standing energy firms. The company is majority-owned by Exxon Mobil Corporation, which provides strategic and technical links to global upstream and downstream capabilities. Imperials operations span upstream activitiesexploration and production of crude oil, natural gas and oil-sands resourcesand downstream operations including refining, manufacturing of fuels and lubricants, petrochemical products, and retail distribution. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Imperial Oil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Imperial Oil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (OTCMKTS:ICAGY Get Free Report) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 287,927 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 447% from the previous sessions volume of 52,654 shares.The stock last traded at $9.71 and had previously closed at $10.74. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Zacks Research raised shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, International Consolidated Airlines Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get International Consolidated Airlines Group alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on International Consolidated Airlines Group International Consolidated Airlines Group Trading Down 6.1% The company has a market cap of $23.03 billion, a PE ratio of 2.55, a PEG ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.68. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $11.46 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $10.83. International Consolidated Airlines Group (OTCMKTS:ICAGY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 27th. The transportation company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.49. International Consolidated Airlines Group had a net margin of 10.21% and a return on equity of 167.88%. The business had revenue of $9.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.64 billion. Sell-side analysts forecast that International Consolidated Airlines Group SA will post 1.07 EPS for the current year. About International Consolidated Airlines Group (Get Free Report) International Consolidated Airlines Group (OTCMKTS:ICAGY) is a Europe-focused airline holding company formed in 2011 through the combination of British Airways and Iberia. The group owns and operates a portfolio of passenger carriers that provide short-haul, long-haul and low-cost services, together with associated aviation businesses. Its operations span international and domestic markets, with extensive networks across Europe, transatlantic routes and links to Latin America and other global destinations. IAGs principal airline brands include British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fisher Asset Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF (BATS:PICK Free Report) by 3.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,217,941 shares of the companys stock after selling 115,020 shares during the quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC owned 0.16% of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF worth $143,198,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PICK. Fifth Third Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,720,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF by 30.8% in the 3rd quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 72,529 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,228,000 after buying an additional 17,074 shares during the period. Allstate Corp acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $369,000. Advisors Preferred LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $155,000. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF by 3.9% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 87,253 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,281,000 after buying an additional 3,242 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF Price Performance Shares of PICK stock opened at $64.36 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $57.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $49.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.29 billion, a PE ratio of 13.28 and a beta of 1.08. iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF has a 1-year low of $29.96 and a 1-year high of $64.94. iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF Profile The iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in materials equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of global metals mining, extraction or production firms, excluding gold and silver mining firms. PICK was launched on Jan 31, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PICK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF (BATS:PICK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA:EWY Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 75,030 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $6,010,000. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sun Life Financial Inc. raised its position in shares of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. Sun Life Financial Inc. now owns 1,660,773 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $119,210,000 after buying an additional 111,000 shares in the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 85.5% during the 3rd quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 1,536,532 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $123,076,000 after acquiring an additional 708,000 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 1,753.0% in the second quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 1,296,271 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $93,047,000 after acquiring an additional 1,226,315 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 13.3% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,208,253 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $96,781,000 after purchasing an additional 141,996 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its stake in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 31,122.4% during the second quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,065,620 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $75,382,000 after purchasing an additional 1,062,207 shares during the last quarter. 49.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get iShares MSCI South Korea ETF alerts: iShares MSCI South Korea ETF Stock Performance Shares of EWY stock opened at $147.54 on Tuesday. iShares MSCI South Korea ETF has a fifty-two week low of $48.49 and a fifty-two week high of $154.22. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $119.09 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $97.35. The company has a market cap of $14.51 billion, a PE ratio of 10.35 and a beta of 1.22. iShares MSCI South Korea ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Stock Market Division of the Korean Exchange. The Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization weighted index with a capping methodology applied to issuer weights so that no issuer of a component exceeds 25% of the Index weight and all issuers with weight above 5% do not exceed 50% of the Index weight. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EWY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA:EWY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI South Korea ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI South Korea ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB) reported first-quarter 2026 results that management said showed continued momentum in its core commercial businesses, alongside significant adjusting items tied to transactions announced in December. Executives also provided an update on shareholder approval and progress toward closing agreements involving Fairstone and National Bank, while noting additional transaction-related charges are expected in the second quarter. Get alerts: First-quarter results included sizable transaction-related adjusting items President and CEO Eric Provost said the bank recorded after-tax adjusting items of CAD 54.7 million in the quarter, reflecting charges related to the transactions announced in December. CFO Yvan Deschamps detailed that these adjusting items totaled CAD 54.7 million after tax, or CAD 1.23 per share. CAD 15.8 million impairment of premises and equipment impairment of premises and equipment CAD 10.8 million charges related to interest contracts, leases, and other charges related to interest contracts, leases, and other CAD 8.4 million severance and employee benefits severance and employee benefits CAD 5.2 million accelerated amortization of software and other intangible assets accelerated amortization of software and other intangible assets CAD 4.8 million impairment of software and other intangible assets impairment of software and other intangible assets CAD 8.1 million transaction and conversion costs Deschamps said the transaction-related charges (totaling) included: In addition, Deschamps noted the bank purchased group annuity contracts from a Canadian insurer to transfer approximately CAD 60 million of obligations from two registered defined benefit pension plans, resulting in a CAD 1.6 million after-tax net settlement loss. On a reported basis, the bank posted a net loss of CAD 20.5 million and a diluted loss per share of CAD 0.58. On an adjusted basis, Deschamps reported net income of CAD 24.2 million and diluted EPS of CAD 0.65. Adjusted diluted EPS was down 17% year-over-year and down 11% sequentially, while adjusted net income was down 13% year-over-year and was stable compared with the prior quarter. Revenue edged higher; net interest income and margin improved Total revenue for the quarter was CAD 251.6 million, up 1% from the prior year and up 3% quarter-over-quarter. Deschamps said net interest income increased CAD 8.7 million, or 5%, year-over-year, driven by growth in average earning assets, higher commercial loan concentration, and favorable loan repayments. Sequentially, net interest income rose CAD 12.2 million, or 7%, citing similar factors and the impact of favorable loan repricing lags following a reduction in the U.S. Federal Reserve rate last December. The banks net interest margin was 1.89%, up 4 basis points year-over-year and up 10 basis points sequentially, including about half from non-recurring elements, according to the CFO. Other income was CAD 56.7 million, down 9% from both the prior year and the prior quarter, mainly due to lower income from financial instruments. Expenses rose and efficiency ratio increased; CET1 declined to 10.9% Non-interest expenses were CAD 192.9 million, up 4% year-over-year and sequentially, which Deschamps attributed mainly to seasonally higher employee benefits and vacation accruals. The adjusted efficiency ratio increased 240 basis points year-over-year due to strategic investments, and increased 110 basis points sequentially due mainly to annual salary increases and seasonally higher employee benefits. Adjusted return on equity was 4.5%, down 80 basis points year-over-year and down 50 basis points quarter-over-quarter. The banks CET1 ratio decreased by 40 basis points to 10.9%, which Deschamps said reflected charges stemming from the December-announced transactions and commercial loan portfolio growth. On funding and liquidity, Deschamps said total funding was stable sequentially and that the bank maintained a healthy liquidity coverage ratio at the high end of the industry. He added liquidity will remain very high for the remainder of the year, considering proceeds from the sale of the syndicated loan portfolio that closed on Feb. 17. Commercial loan growth led results; mortgage portfolio declined Provost said the banks core commercial businesses showed solid underlying momentum, with total loan growth of 4% in the quarter, in line with the banks transformation plan. The mix of commercial loans increased by 1% to reach 51% of the total loan portfolio, according to the CEO. Deschamps said the total commercial loan portfolio grew by about CAD 1.4 billion year-over-year and by about CAD 700 million sequentially. Inventory financing grew 7% quarter-over-quarter, supported by seasonal dealer inventory restocking, and utilization increased to 45%, up 5 percentage points from the prior quarter. Commercial real estate loan and pipeline growth were both 5%. Deschamps also highlighted that about two-thirds of the commercial real estate portfolio is residential, with most of it in multi-residential housing, and said the loan-to-value on the uninsured multi-residential portfolio was 61%. By contrast, total residential mortgage loans declined 3% year-over-year and 2% sequentially. Deschamps said the bank maintained cautious underwriting standards, noting 65% of mortgages are insured and the loan-to-value ratio on the uninsured portion was 51%. Credit quality improved; Q2 outlook includes more transaction costs Provost said the provision for credit losses ratio decreased to 18 basis points, and that gross impaired loans declined by 19% to 96 basis points. Deschamps reported total allowances for credit losses of CAD 192.6 million, up CAD 3.8 million from the prior quarter, mostly from higher allowances on commercial loans. Provision for credit losses was CAD 16.5 million, up CAD 1.3 million from a year earlier. Sequentially, PCL declined CAD 1.5 million, reflecting lower provisions on impaired commercial loans, partially offset by lower releases on performing loans. As a percentage of average loans, PCL increased 1 basis point year-over-year and decreased 2 basis points sequentially to 18 basis points. Gross impaired loans decreased by CAD 49 million year-over-year and CAD 75.1 million sequentially, driven by changes in commercial loans. Deschamps said about 95% of the loan portfolio is collateralized, helping the bank manage credit migration with minimal impact on allowance and PCL outcomes. Looking to the second quarter, Deschamps said the bank expects additional transaction-related charges in the CAD 40 million range post-tax, including a loss due to the discount on the syndicated loan portfolio sale to National Bank, which closed Feb. 17. He said the expected Q2 impact from the syndicated loan portfolio sale is a loss of about CAD 0.04 on adjusted EPS. Management expects loans to decline by roughly 2% to 3% in Q2 mainly due to the syndicated portfolio sale; excluding that, loans should remain relatively stable. Deschamps said net interest margin is expected to be slightly lower due to non-recurring items in Q1, while the adjusted efficiency ratio should be relatively in line with Q1. The bank expects PCL to remain in the high teens and the tax rate also in the high teens, while capital and liquidity are expected to remain strong. On the transaction timeline, Provost told analysts the bank is primarily awaiting approvals from OSFI and the Competition Bureau, after which ministerial approval would follow. When asked about timing, he said the bank remains still aiming for the late 2026 guidance. During Q&A, Provost also discussed drivers of inventory finance growth, citing a mix of continued onboarding success and dealer restocking. He pointed to a newly won exclusive program with Arctic Cat and said dealers have been restocking prudently with positive momentum. He added that customer reaction to the change in ownership has been quite good, and that the bank has seen additional volume and a good pipeline. In closing remarks, Provost said the bank is making steady progress toward closing the agreements with Fairstone and National Bank while keeping customers and employees at the forefront, adding that there is still work ahead but he is confident the bank will achieve its objectives. About Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB) Founded in Montreal in 1846, Laurentian Bank is committed to serving its customers and fostering deep relationships with specialized groups. Laurentian Bank runs operations across Canada primarily in Quebec and Ontario as well as in the United States and competes where it sees market opportunity and has an edge, while harnessing the power of partnerships and collaboration. Recommended Stories Macro Bank (NYSE:BMA Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Sunday. Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. HSBC cut shares of Macro Bank from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $80.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d) rating on shares of Macro Bank in a report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group started coverage on Macro Bank in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $130.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup upgraded Macro Bank from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Macro Bank from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Macro Bank has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $102.60. Get Macro Bank alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Macro Bank Macro Bank Stock Down 0.4% Shares of BMA opened at $76.86 on Friday. Macro Bank has a one year low of $38.30 and a one year high of $106.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.36, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.51. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $92.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $75.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.11. Macro Bank (NYSE:BMA Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The bank reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.60. Macro Bank had a net margin of 4.99% and a return on equity of 6.85%. The firm had revenue of $708.92 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $739.97 million. Equities research analysts forecast that Macro Bank will post 7.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Macro Bank Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new stake in Macro Bank during the third quarter worth about $46,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Macro Bank by 43.8% during the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 703 shares of the banks stock worth $63,000 after buying an additional 214 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp acquired a new stake in Macro Bank during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $72,000. Advisors Preferred LLC purchased a new position in Macro Bank in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $117,000. Finally, Aquatic Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Macro Bank in the third quarter worth $151,000. Macro Bank Company Profile (Get Free Report) Macro Bank (NYSE: BMA) is the American depositary receipt program of Banco Macro SA, one of the largest privately owned banks in Argentina. Headquartered in Buenos Aires, the institution delivers a comprehensive suite of banking solutions to retail, corporate and agricultural customers across the country. Through its extensive branch network and digital platforms, Macro Bank aims to serve diverse client segments with tailored financial products and services. The banks offerings span traditional deposit accountsincluding checking, savings and term depositsalongside payment and transaction services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Macro Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Macro Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MONTEVIDEO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday called for an "urgent de-escalation" in the Middle East. In a statement, the ministry expressed its "deep concern" about the escalation of violence, "which increases the number of civilian deaths, especially children," and urged all parties involved to respect international law and return to the diplomatic path. The ministry noted that Uruguay is closely following the situation in the Middle East and "stands in solidarity" with the states and peoples of the states involved in the conflict. Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPT Get Free Report) is one of 90 public companies in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its peers? We will compare Medical Properties Trust to similar companies based on the strength of its risk, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends and profitability. Dividends Medical Properties Trust pays an annual dividend of $0.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.5%. Medical Properties Trust pays out -78.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Real Estate Investment Trusts companies pay a dividend yield of 4.0% and pay out 102.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Medical Properties Trust is clearly a better dividend stock than its peers, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Get Medical Properties Trust alerts: Profitability This table compares Medical Properties Trust and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Medical Properties Trust -28.50% -5.87% -1.85% Medical Properties Trust Competitors -34.14% -18.20% -0.23% Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Medical Properties Trust 1 1 1 0 2.00 Medical Properties Trust Competitors 2346 4060 2396 22 2.01 This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Medical Properties Trust and its peers, as provided by MarketBeat. Medical Properties Trust currently has a consensus price target of $6.50, indicating a potential upside of 16.91%. As a group, Real Estate Investment Trusts companies have a potential upside of 16.11%. Given Medical Properties Trusts higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Medical Properties Trust is more favorable than its peers. Risk & Volatility Medical Properties Trust has a beta of 1.39, meaning that its stock price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Medical Properties Trusts peers have a beta of 1.15, meaning that their average stock price is 15% more volatile than the S&P 500. Insider and Institutional Ownership 71.8% of Medical Properties Trust shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 63.7% of shares of all Real Estate Investment Trusts companies are owned by institutional investors. 1.3% of Medical Properties Trust shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.9% of shares of all Real Estate Investment Trusts companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Medical Properties Trust and its peers revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Medical Properties Trust $972.02 million -$277.05 million -12.09 Medical Properties Trust Competitors $463.86 million $16.35 million 26.60 Medical Properties Trust has higher revenue, but lower earnings than its peers. Medical Properties Trust is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Summary Medical Properties Trust beats its peers on 9 of the 15 factors compared. Medical Properties Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report) Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed to capitalize on the changing trends in healthcare delivery by acquiring and developing net-leased healthcare facilities. MPTs financing model allows hospitals and other healthcare facilities to unlock the value of their underlying real estate in order to fund facility improvements, technology upgrades, staff additions and new construction. Facilities include acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and other medical and surgical facilities. Receive News & Ratings for Medical Properties Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medical Properties Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:NHS Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 108,604 shares, a decline of 36.5% from the January 29th total of 170,972 shares. Approximately 0.3% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 161,429 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 161,429 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days. Approximately 0.3% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NHS. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV acquired a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund in the third quarter worth approximately $80,000. Integrity Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund in the 4th quarter valued at $81,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund during the 3rd quarter worth $94,000. XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund during the second quarter worth $113,000. Finally, MRA Advisory Group grew its holdings in shares of Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund by 10.9% during the third quarter. MRA Advisory Group now owns 17,261 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $129,000 after buying an additional 1,693 shares in the last quarter. Get Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund alerts: Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Price Performance Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund stock opened at $7.73 on Tuesday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $7.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $7.43. Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund has a 1 year low of $6.62 and a 1 year high of $7.94. Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Dividend Announcement About Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a $0.0905 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 14.0%. (Get Free Report) The Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund (NYSE American: NHS) is a closed-end, fixed-income management investment company focused on delivering high current income with the potential for capital appreciation. The fund primarily invests in below-investment-grade corporate debtoften referred to as high-yield bondsissued by U.S. and select non-U.S. issuers. Through a diversified portfolio of high-yield instruments, NHS aims to provide enhanced yield relative to investment-grade alternatives. Under its investment policy, NHS allocates the majority of its assets to corporate securities spanning sectors such as communications, energy, consumer goods, and industrials. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fisher Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC Free Report) by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 174,786 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 6,755 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.12% of Northrop Grumman worth $106,502,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Parvin Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 200.0% in the third quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 48 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the period. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Northrop Grumman by 75.0% during the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 63 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 2nd quarter worth $31,000. 83.40% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $684.52, for a total value of $65,029.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,203 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,877,037.56. This represents a 2.21% 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, CAO Michael A. Hardesty sold 147 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $732.98, for a total value of $107,748.06. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 2,525 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,850,774.50. The trade was a 5.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 32,431 shares of company stock valued at $21,969,404. 0.23% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Northrop Grumman Trading Up 6.0% Shares of NOC stock opened at $767.57 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $108.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.35, a PEG ratio of 5.38 and a beta of 0.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $661.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $609.97. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a twelve month low of $450.13 and a twelve month high of $768.22. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The aerospace company reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.97 by $0.26. The company had revenue of $11.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.61 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 9.97% and a return on equity of 25.57%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $6.39 EPS. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 27.400-27.900 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 23rd will be given a $2.31 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 23rd. This represents a $9.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Northrop Grummans payout ratio is currently 31.72%. Trending Headlines about Northrop Grumman Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman from $630.00 to $690.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Sunday, February 1st. Truist Financial reiterated a hold rating and set a $623.00 price target (down from $688.00) on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Bank of America upped their price target on Northrop Grumman from $685.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Susquehanna reaffirmed a positive rating and issued a $752.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $680.00 to $815.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $693.60. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Profile (Free Report) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is a leading U.S.-based aerospace and defense company that designs, builds and sustains advanced systems, products and technologies for government and commercial customers. Formed through the combination of Northrop and Grumman businesses in the 1990s, the companys portfolio spans manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile defense, radar and sensor systems, and integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions. The companys work includes airframe and platform manufacturing, space hardware and satellite systems, advanced mission systems and cybersecurity services, as well as logistics, sustainment and modernization programs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Northrop Grumman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northrop Grumman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO Get Free Report) was down 2.3% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $60.04 and last traded at $63.20. Approximately 5,954,634 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 47% from the average daily volume of 11,284,658 shares. The stock had previously closed at $64.68. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In OKLO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Bank of America raised Oklo from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $111.00 to $127.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Oklo in a report on Monday, November 24th. B. Riley Financial raised their price objective on shares of Oklo from $58.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a buy rating on shares of Oklo in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Zacks Research cut shares of Oklo from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $98.93. Get Oklo alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on OKLO Oklo Stock Performance Insider Transactions at Oklo The stock has a market capitalization of $9.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -117.04 and a beta of 0.81. The business has a 50-day moving average of $79.06 and a 200-day moving average of $96.03. In other news, CFO Richard Craig Bealmear sold 9,726 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.93, for a total value of $748,221.18. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 196,913 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,148,517.09. The trade was a 4.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Jacob Dewitte sold 60,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.45, for a total transaction of $4,467,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 748,197 shares in the company, valued at approximately $55,703,266.65. This represents a 7.42% 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 1,744,726 shares of company stock valued at $151,549,790. Company insiders own 18.90% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Oklo by 125.0% in the second quarter. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC now owns 450 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. lifted its stake in Oklo by 75.0% during the 4th quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 350 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Oklo by 356.3% during the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 365 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 285 shares during the period. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. purchased a new position in Oklo during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Oklo in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. 85.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Oklo (Get Free Report) Oklo, Inc is a California-based energy technology company specializing in the design and development of advanced nuclear microreactors. Headquartered in Fremont, the firm focuses on small modular reactor (SMR) technology that leverages fast-neutron fission and liquid-metal cooling to deliver carbon-free power. Oklos core objective is to bring compact, factory-built reactors online within a decade, offering a low-footprint alternative to traditional large nuclear plants. The companys flagship product, the Aurora microreactor, is a 1.5-megawatt electric (MWe) fast reactor cooled by a sodium alloy. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Oklo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oklo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky lowered its holdings in Parker-Hannifin Corporation (NYSE:PH Free Report) by 7.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 87,144 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 6,988 shares during the period. Parker-Hannifin accounts for 0.5% of Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky owned about 0.07% of Parker-Hannifin worth $66,068,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Parker-Hannifin in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in Parker-Hannifin in the second quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Financial Consulate Inc. purchased a new stake in Parker-Hannifin in the third quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Finally, Sagard Holdings Management Inc. acquired a new position in Parker-Hannifin during the second quarter worth approximately $46,000. 82.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Parker-Hannifin alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have weighed in on PH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $1,083.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Parker-Hannifin from $945.00 to $1,038.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Parker-Hannifin from $1,000.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on Parker-Hannifin in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. They set an outperform rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Finally, Truist Financial set a $1,139.00 price objective on Parker-Hannifin in a report on Friday, January 30th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Parker-Hannifin presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $995.37. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Parker-Hannifin news, CFO Todd M. Leombruno sold 2,062 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,002.34, for a total value of $2,066,825.08. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 20,610 shares in the company, valued at $20,658,227.40. The trade was a 9.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Berend Bracht sold 1,457 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $946.48, for a total value of $1,379,021.36. Following the sale, the vice president owned 2,580 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,441,918.40. This represents a 36.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,551 shares of company stock valued at $12,117,502. Corporate insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. Parker-Hannifin Price Performance Shares of NYSE PH opened at $1,010.77 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.66. Parker-Hannifin Corporation has a 1-year low of $488.45 and a 1-year high of $1,034.96. The company has a market capitalization of $127.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.86, a PEG ratio of 3.25 and a beta of 1.23. The business has a 50-day moving average of $949.77 and a 200-day moving average of $847.04. Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $7.65 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.11 by $0.54. The business had revenue of $5.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.07 billion. Parker-Hannifin had a return on equity of 27.56% and a net margin of 17.29%.The companys revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $6.53 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Parker-Hannifin Corporation will post 26.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. Parker-Hannifin Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 6th will be given a dividend of $1.80 per share. This represents a $7.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 6th. Parker-Hannifins payout ratio is presently 26.26%. Parker-Hannifin Profile (Free Report) Parker-Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH) is a global manufacturer and provider of motion and control technologies and systems. The company designs, manufactures and services a broad range of engineered components and systems used to control the movement and flow of liquids, gases and hydraulic power. Its product portfolio is applied across demanding environments and includes solutions for industrial manufacturing, aerospace, mobile equipment and other engineered applications. Parker-Hannifins product and service offerings span hydraulic and pneumatic components, fittings and fluid connectors, valves, pumps and motors, electromechanical actuators and motion-control systems, filtration and separation products, and seals and sealing systems. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Parker-Hannifin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Parker-Hannifin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC increased its position in Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR Free Report) by 105.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 23,677 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after acquiring an additional 12,170 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.14% of Quaker Houghton worth $3,119,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Quaker Houghton during the third quarter worth about $28,000. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. purchased a new position in Quaker Houghton during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Quaker Houghton by 284.8% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 304 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Quaker Houghton by 87.1% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 348 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Quaker Houghton by 54.4% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 673 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 237 shares during the last quarter. 77.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Quaker Houghton alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently issued reports on KWR shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Quaker Houghton from $190.00 to $184.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $203.00 price objective on shares of Quaker Houghton in a research note on Thursday. Wall Street Zen cut Quaker Houghton from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday. Finally, Zacks Research raised Quaker Houghton from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $175.67. Quaker Houghton Price Performance Shares of Quaker Houghton stock opened at $145.70 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.52 billion, a PE ratio of -1,214.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.34. Quaker Houghton has a twelve month low of $95.91 and a twelve month high of $183.01. The company has a quick ratio of 1.72, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $156.95 and a 200 day moving average price of $143.50. Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 23rd. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.65 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.71 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $468.48 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $465.17 million. Quaker Houghton had a negative net margin of 0.13% and a positive return on equity of 8.99%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.33 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Quaker Houghton will post 7.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Quaker Houghton Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 16th will be issued a $0.508 dividend. This represents a $2.03 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 16th. Quaker Houghtons payout ratio is presently -1,691.67%. Quaker Houghton Profile (Free Report) Quaker Houghton is a global provider of process fluids, chemical specialties and sustainable solutions for industrial applications. The company develops and supplies metalworking fluids, coatings, and corrosion inhibitors, as well as heat transfer, lubrication and additive products designed to improve productivity and extend equipment life. Its portfolio addresses a range of end markets including automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, mining, agriculture and heavy industry. The company traces its roots back to the founding of Quaker Chemical Corporation in 1918 and Houghton International in 1865. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Quaker Houghton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Quaker Houghton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Raiffeisen Bank International AG (OTCMKTS:RAIFF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest during the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 38,766 shares, a drop of 36.3% from the January 29th total of 60,820 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 108 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 358.9 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 108 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 358.9 days. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades RAIFF has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Raiffeisen Bank International in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Raiffeisen Bank International in a research report on Monday, January 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Raiffeisen Bank International alerts: View Our Latest Report on Raiffeisen Bank International Raiffeisen Bank International Stock Performance About Raiffeisen Bank International OTCMKTS RAIFF opened at $49.95 on Tuesday. Raiffeisen Bank International has a 12 month low of $27.79 and a 12 month high of $52.59. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $44.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $38.06. (Get Free Report) Raiffeisen Bank International (OTCMKTS:RAIFF) is an Austrian banking group headquartered in Vienna, serving as the central and eastern European platform of the Raiffeisen Banking Group. The bank offers a comprehensive suite of financial services to retail, corporate and institutional clients, leveraging its strong regional presence to facilitate trade, investment and day-to-day banking needs. In its corporate and investment banking division, Raiffeisen Bank International provides lending, trade finance, project financing, cash management and capital markets services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Raiffeisen Bank International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Raiffeisen Bank International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Reckitt Benckiser Group (OTCMKTS:RBGLY Get Free Report) is expected to announce its results before the market opens on Thursday, March 5th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.5110 per share and revenue of $9.8490 billion for the quarter. Reckitt Benckiser Group Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:RBGLY traded down $0.19 on Tuesday, hitting $16.27. 41,267 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 504,240. The company has a current ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. Reckitt Benckiser Group has a 1-year low of $11.99 and a 1-year high of $16.80. The firms 50-day moving average is $16.80 and its 200 day moving average is $15.95. Get Reckitt Benckiser Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have commented on RBGLY. Barclays upgraded shares of Reckitt Benckiser Group from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada cut shares of Reckitt Benckiser Group from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Reckitt Benckiser Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Morgan Stanley cut Reckitt Benckiser Group from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating on shares of Reckitt Benckiser Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. About Reckitt Benckiser Group (Get Free Report) Reckitt Benckiser Group plc is a multinational consumer goods company that develops, manufactures and markets health, hygiene and home products. Its portfolio spans over-the-counter medicines and health products, personal and sexual wellness, surface and laundry cleaning, and household care. The company owns a number of well-known global brands across these categories, including Lysol and Dettol in disinfectants and hygiene, Durex in sexual wellness, Nurofen in analgesics, and Finish in dishwashing products. The firm has its corporate headquarters in the United Kingdom and sells products in markets around the world, serving consumers across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Reckitt Benckiser Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Reckitt Benckiser Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Roubaix Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA Free Report) by 14.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 62,055 shares of the energy companys stock after buying an additional 7,700 shares during the quarter. Ormat Technologies makes up 2.8% of Roubaix Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 12th largest holding. Roubaix Capital LLCs holdings in Ormat Technologies were worth $5,973,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 3.4% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,467,156 shares of the energy companys stock worth $122,902,000 after acquiring an additional 48,038 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its holdings in shares of Ormat Technologies by 62.6% in the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,073,639 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $89,928,000 after purchasing an additional 413,384 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Ormat Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $56,458,000. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its stake in shares of Ormat Technologies by 1.5% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 589,645 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $49,389,000 after purchasing an additional 8,593 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Groupama Asset Managment bought a new position in shares of Ormat Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $41,880,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.49% of the companys stock. Get Ormat Technologies alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Ormat Technologies from $110.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Roth Mkm set a $139.00 price target on Ormat Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Ormat Technologies from $108.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Ormat Technologies from $143.00 to $130.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Ormat Technologies from $99.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $129.50. Ormat Technologies Price Performance Shares of ORA opened at $107.37 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $118.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $108.49. The company has a market capitalization of $6.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.42, a P/E/G ratio of 4.21 and a beta of 0.84. Ormat Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $64.39 and a fifty-two week high of $132.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.81. Ormat Technologies (NYSE:ORA Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The energy company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.67. The firm had revenue of $276.04 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $257.75 million. Ormat Technologies had a return on equity of 5.21% and a net margin of 12.52%.The companys revenue was up 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.67 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Ormat Technologies, Inc. will post 1.94 earnings per share for the current year. Ormat Technologies Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 10th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Ormat Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.88%. Ormat Technologies Company Profile (Free Report) Ormat Technologies, Inc is a leading renewable energy company specializing in geothermal and recovered energy power plants. Through its vertically integrated business model, Ormat designs, develops, engineers, constructs, owns and operates clean energy projects worldwide. The companys core technology centers on the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), which converts heat from geothermal sources or industrial waste streams into sustainable electricity without combustion. Ormats offering includes turnkey power plant solutions, proprietary ORC equipment and ongoing operations and maintenance services. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ormat Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ormat Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Dakota Investment Council lowered its position in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT Free Report) by 11.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 222,971 shares of the retailers stock after selling 28,062 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Councils holdings in Target were worth $20,000,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in Target during the second quarter worth $25,000. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Target during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Tripletail Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Target during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Key Financial Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Target by 77.4% in the 3rd quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 346 shares of the retailers stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, VSM Wealth Advisory LLC grew its position in Target by 1,113.8% during the second quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 352 shares of the retailers stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 323 shares during the period. 79.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Target alerts: Key Headlines Impacting Target Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week: Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat expectations Target reported $2.44 EPS vs. $2.16 expected, and highlighted a 3.58% net margin and 22.7% ROE, which supports near-term earnings confidence. Read More. Q4 EPS beat expectations Target reported $2.44 EPS vs. $2.16 expected, and highlighted a 3.58% net margin and 22.7% ROE, which supports near-term earnings confidence. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Company pointed to category-level wins Food & Beverage, Beauty and Toys grew in Q4, and Essentials/Home showed improvement versus Q3, suggesting pockets of durable momentum. Read More. Company pointed to category-level wins Food & Beverage, Beauty and Toys grew in Q4, and Essentials/Home showed improvement versus Q3, suggesting pockets of durable momentum. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Investor day/webcast and guidance shaped expectations management presented a turnaround plan at the investor meeting, which investors are parsing for credibility and timing of results. Read More. Investor day/webcast and guidance shaped expectations management presented a turnaround plan at the investor meeting, which investors are parsing for credibility and timing of results. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Q4 net sales were in line with the companys expectations ($30.5B), limiting upside from top-line surprises even as margins and EPS beat. Read More. Q4 net sales were in line with the companys expectations ($30.5B), limiting upside from top-line surprises even as margins and EPS beat. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Annual sales declined (~1.7%), continuing multi-year top-line stagnation that keeps pressure on long-term growth expectations. Read More. Annual sales declined (~1.7%), continuing multi-year top-line stagnation that keeps pressure on long-term growth expectations. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Investor pushback and activist-like criticism of management tactics raise governance and execution risk as Target executes its turnaround under a new CEO. Read More. Investor pushback and activist-like criticism of management tactics raise governance and execution risk as Target executes its turnaround under a new CEO. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Analyst stance remains mixed to cautious Bank of America flagged an underperform view and some shops show neutral ratings or price targets below current levels, which can weigh on near-term sentiment. Read More. Target Trading Down 0.5% NYSE:TGT opened at $113.20 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $51.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.74 and a beta of 1.14. Target Corporation has a 1 year low of $83.44 and a 1 year high of $127.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.27. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $108.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $97.78. Target (NYSE:TGT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 3rd. The retailer reported $2.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.28. Target had a return on equity of 22.74% and a net margin of 3.58%. As a group, analysts expect that Target Corporation will post 8.69 EPS for the current year. Target Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 11th were issued a $1.14 dividend. This represents a $4.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 11th. Targets dividend payout ratio is presently 55.34%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have commented on TGT. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Target from $107.00 to $99.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Target from an underperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Target from $100.00 to $92.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Zacks Research raised Target from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on Target from $89.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $107.66. View Our Latest Stock Report on TGT About Target (Free Report) Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) is a U.S.-based general merchandise retailer headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company operates a network of full-line and small-format stores across the United States alongside a national e-commerce platform and mobile app. Targets retail assortment spans apparel, home goods, electronics, groceries and household essentials, plus beauty, baby and pet categories. The firm complements national brands with a portfolio of owned and exclusive labels and partnerships that help differentiate its merchandise assortment. Target traces its roots to the Dayton Company, founded by George Dayton in 1902; the Target discount chain was launched in 1962 and the parent company later adopted the Target Corporation name. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TGT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Target Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Target and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday urged Israel to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at the latter's request. South Dakota Investment Council increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP Free Report) by 187.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 49,189 shares of the railroad operators stock after buying an additional 32,083 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Councils holdings in Union Pacific were worth $11,627,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,252 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $532,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.4% during the third quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,186 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $753,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management grew its position in Union Pacific by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 1,880 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its position in Union Pacific by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 1,065 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $252,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CFO4Life Group LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. CFO4Life Group LLC now owns 3,754 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $887,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Union Pacific alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price objective on Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Raymond James Financial restated a strong-buy rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Susquehanna reiterated a buy rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $280.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Union Pacific from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $260.14. Union Pacific Trading Up 0.9% Shares of UNP opened at $267.32 on Tuesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $268.14. The stock has a market cap of $158.63 billion, a PE ratio of 22.33, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $242.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $231.95. Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.92 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.12% and a return on equity of 40.89%. Union Pacifics revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.91 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year. Union Pacific Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. Union Pacifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.12%. Union Pacific Company 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 twothirds of the United States. Recommended 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. TD Asset Management Inc lessened its position in Extra Space Storage Inc (NYSE:EXR Free Report) by 13.5% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 74,961 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 11,701 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Incs holdings in Extra Space Storage were worth $10,565,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Extra Space Storage in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,058,303,000. Resolution Capital Ltd boosted its position in Extra Space Storage by 116.2% during the second quarter. Resolution Capital Ltd now owns 1,950,842 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $287,632,000 after purchasing an additional 1,048,685 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP increased its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage by 60.1% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,477,404 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $217,828,000 after purchasing an additional 554,666 shares during the last quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 27.9% in the third quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,413,454 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $340,152,000 after purchasing an additional 526,163 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Extra Space Storage by 10.2% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,513,795 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $665,514,000 after buying an additional 419,240 shares during the last quarter. 99.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Extra Space Storage alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have recently commented on EXR. UBS Group lowered their target price on Extra Space Storage from $156.00 to $148.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Extra Space Storage from $145.00 to $156.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday. Bank of America downgraded shares of Extra Space Storage from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $143.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Mizuho raised their target price on Extra Space Storage from $137.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Extra Space Storage in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Extra Space Storage presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $144.73. Extra Space Storage Stock Up 1.1% Extra Space Storage stock opened at $152.75 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 1.24. The firms fifty day moving average price is $140.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $139.42. The company has a current ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Extra Space Storage Inc has a 1-year low of $121.03 and a 1-year high of $160.58. Extra Space Storage (NYSE:EXR Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.03 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $857.47 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $732.92 million. Extra Space Storage had a return on equity of 6.79% and a net margin of 28.84%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.03 earnings per share. Extra Space Storage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.050-8.350 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Extra Space Storage Inc will post 8.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Extra Space Storage Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.62 per share. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Extra Space Storages dividend payout ratio is 140.87%. About Extra Space Storage (Free Report) Extra Space Storage (NYSE: EXR) is a real estate investment trust that specializes in the ownership, development and operation of self-storage properties. The company provides storage solutions for residential and commercial customers, offering a range of unit sizes, climate-controlled units and specialized options such as vehicle and boat storage. Extra Space Storage markets itself as a customer-focused operator, with online rentals, contactless move-in options and ancillary retail products like packing supplies and insurance to support tenant needs. Its business model combines property ownership with third-party management and development activities. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EXR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Extra Space Storage Inc (NYSE:EXR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Extra Space Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Extra Space Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in shares of KB Financial Group Inc (NYSE:KB Free Report) by 8.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 347,200 shares of the banks stock after purchasing an additional 26,700 shares during the quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky owned approximately 0.09% of KB Financial Group worth $28,786,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cullen Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of KB Financial Group by 19.6% during the second quarter. Cullen Capital Management LLC now owns 111,477 shares of the banks stock worth $9,207,000 after buying an additional 18,255 shares in the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group grew its stake in shares of KB Financial Group by 24.3% in the second quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 64,244 shares of the banks stock valued at $5,306,000 after acquiring an additional 12,561 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Preferred LLC bought a new position in KB Financial Group during the third quarter worth about $391,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its position in KB Financial Group by 30.5% during the third quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 19,305 shares of the banks stock worth $1,601,000 after acquiring an additional 4,509 shares during the period. Finally, Caprock Group LLC acquired a new stake in KB Financial Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,396,000. 11.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get KB Financial Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have issued reports on KB shares. Zacks Research upgraded shares of KB Financial Group from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of KB Financial Group in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. KB Financial Group Price Performance Shares of KB stock opened at $109.50 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $97.73 and a 200 day simple moving average of $88.14. The company has a market cap of $40.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.38. KB Financial Group Inc has a twelve month low of $46.38 and a twelve month high of $119.71. KB Financial Group (NYSE:KB Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Saturday, January 31st. The bank reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter. KB Financial Group had a return on equity of 9.79% and a net margin of 16.96%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that KB Financial Group Inc will post 8.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. KB Financial Group Profile (Free Report) KB Financial Group Inc is a South Korea-based financial holding company that offers a broad range of banking and financial services. Headquartered in Seoul and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker KB, the group operates through a set of specialized subsidiaries to provide integrated financial solutions for retail, corporate and institutional clients. The companys principal businesses include retail and corporate banking, securities and investment banking, insurance (life and non-life), asset management, credit card and consumer finance, and leasing. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for KB Financial Group Inc (NYSE:KB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for KB Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KB Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky reduced its stake in Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET Free Report) by 26.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 167,939 shares of the companys stock after selling 59,877 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys holdings in Cloudflare were worth $36,038,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Reliant Investment Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Reliant Investment Partners LLC now owns 3,316 shares of the companys stock worth $718,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC raised its stake in Cloudflare by 1.8% in the third quarter. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC now owns 2,821 shares of the companys stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in Cloudflare by 22.8% in the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 280 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Cloudflare by 28.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 270 shares of the companys stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC boosted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 37.4% during the 3rd quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 224 shares of the companys stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.68% of the companys stock. Get Cloudflare alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO Matthew Prince sold 52,384 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.23, for a total value of $10,541,232.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Thomas J. Seifert sold 41,557 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.04, for a total transaction of $7,689,707.28. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 85,452 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,812,038.08. This trade represents a 32.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 607,646 shares of company stock worth $115,296,962. 10.89% of the stock is owned by insiders. Cloudflare Stock Performance NYSE NET opened at $180.99 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $63.40 billion, a P/E ratio of -624.08 and a beta of 1.98. Cloudflare, Inc. has a 52-week low of $89.42 and a 52-week high of $260.00. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $185.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $202.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Cloudflare (NYSE:NET Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.01. Cloudflare had a negative return on equity of 7.24% and a negative net margin of 4.72%.The firm had revenue of $614.51 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $591.67 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.19 EPS. The firms revenue was up 33.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Cloudflare, Inc. will post -0.11 earnings per share for the current year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently commented on NET shares. DZ Bank upgraded Cloudflare from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $215.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, February 13th. Needham & Company LLC dropped their price target on shares of Cloudflare from $285.00 to $250.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. BTIG Research raised their price objective on shares of Cloudflare from $199.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. TD Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Cloudflare in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Susquehanna set a $190.00 target price on shares of Cloudflare in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cloudflare presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $230.70. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on NET Cloudflare Company Profile (Free Report) Cloudflare, Inc is a global web infrastructure and security company that provides a suite of services designed to improve the performance, reliability and security of internet properties. Its core offerings include a content delivery network (CDN), distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection, managed DNS, and a web application firewall (WAF). Cloudflare also provides tools for bot management, SSL/TLS, load balancing and rate limiting to help organizations maintain uptime and protect web applications from attack. In addition to traditional edge and security services, Cloudflare has expanded into edge computing and developer platforms. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Cloudflare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cloudflare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky cut its stake in shares of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI Free Report) by 7.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 60,104 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 4,603 shares during the quarter. United Rentals comprises approximately 0.4% of Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky owned 0.09% of United Rentals worth $57,379,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in United Rentals by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,494,303 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $5,646,208,000 after purchasing an additional 72,267 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of United Rentals by 71.3% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,874,127 shares of the construction companys stock worth $1,411,968,000 after purchasing an additional 780,322 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in United Rentals by 6.1% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,231,108 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $927,517,000 after buying an additional 70,870 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its holdings in United Rentals by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,030,232 shares of the construction companys stock worth $776,177,000 after buying an additional 36,991 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in United Rentals during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $776,102,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.26% of the companys stock. Get United Rentals alerts: Insider Activity at United Rentals In other United Rentals news, EVP William E. Grace sold 1,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $790.89, for a total value of $1,184,753.22. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,872 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,434,996.08. This trade represents a 17.90% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Michael D. Durand sold 2,490 shares of United Rentals stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $791.14, for a total transaction of $1,969,938.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,458 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,900,322.12. This trade represents a 25.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.51% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have recently commented on URI shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of United Rentals in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on United Rentals from $995.00 to $1,071.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Citigroup reduced their price objective on United Rentals from $1,090.00 to $950.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Truist Financial set a $972.00 target price on United Rentals in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $970.00 price target on United Rentals in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $925.59. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on United Rentals United Rentals Stock Performance URI opened at $821.46 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. The company has a market cap of $51.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.24, a PEG ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.66. United Rentals, Inc. has a 52-week low of $525.91 and a 52-week high of $1,021.47. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $871.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $888.31. United Rentals (NYSE:URI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The construction company reported $11.09 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $11.86 by ($0.77). The company had revenue of $4.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.24 billion. United Rentals had a return on equity of 30.35% and a net margin of 15.49%.The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $11.59 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that United Rentals, Inc. will post 44.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. United Rentals declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase program on Wednesday, January 28th that allows the company to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the construction company to repurchase up to 8.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. United Rentals Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 11th were issued a dividend of $1.97 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 11th. This is an increase from United Rentalss previous quarterly dividend of $1.79. This represents a $7.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. United Rentalss payout ratio is currently 20.37%. United Rentals Profile (Free Report) United Rentals, Inc (NYSE: URI) is a leading equipment rental company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm provides rental solutions and related services to construction, industrial, commercial, and municipal customers. Its business model centers on providing access to a broad fleet of equipment on a short-term or long-term basis, enabling customers to avoid the capital expenditure of ownership and to scale equipment use to match project needs. The companys product and service offerings span general construction equipment and a range of specialty categories, including aerial work platforms, earthmoving and excavation machines, material handling equipment, pumps, power and HVAC systems, trench and shoring solutions, and tools. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for United Rentals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Rentals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky lowered its holdings in shares of Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE:APO Free Report) by 47.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 236,107 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 217,140 shares during the quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys holdings in Apollo Global Management were worth $31,467,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Apollo Global Management during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp boosted its stake in shares of Apollo Global Management by 99.0% during the 3rd quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 199 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Apollo Global Management during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 1,123.5% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 208 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 191 shares during the period. Finally, Nemes Rush Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Apollo Global Management during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.06% of the companys stock. Get Apollo Global Management alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes APO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on Apollo Global Management in a report on Monday, February 23rd. They issued a sector perform rating and a $142.00 target price on the stock. Evercore raised their price objective on Apollo Global Management from $145.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Barclays cut their price objective on Apollo Global Management from $158.00 to $131.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday. TD Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Apollo Global Management in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Apollo Global Management in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $159.47. Key Apollo Global Management News Here are the key news stories impacting Apollo Global Management this week: Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains: Barclays cut its price target to $131 but kept an overweight rating, implying material upside from current levels and signaling continued conviction in Apollos fundamentals. Barclays price target cut Analyst support remains: Barclays cut its price target to $131 but kept an overweight rating, implying material upside from current levels and signaling continued conviction in Apollos fundamentals. Positive Sentiment: Brokerage consensus is constructive analysts consensus recommendation is Moderate Buy, which should provide some support to the stock while litigation risk is resolved. Consensus recommendation Brokerage consensus is constructive analysts consensus recommendation is Moderate Buy, which should provide some support to the stock while litigation risk is resolved. Neutral Sentiment: Macro/research note: An Apollo economists work on S&P 500 company tenure drew media attention but is unlikely to move APO shares materially; its informational rather than company-specific. MarketWatch economist piece Macro/research note: An Apollo economists work on S&P 500 company tenure drew media attention but is unlikely to move APO shares materially; its informational rather than company-specific. Neutral Sentiment: Unrelated local CRE news (RXR loan) appears in the feed and has no direct impact on Apollos operating outlook. RXR loan Unrelated local CRE news (RXR loan) appears in the feed and has no direct impact on Apollos operating outlook. Negative Sentiment: Shareholder lawsuit alleges Apollo and cofounders Leon Black and Marc Rowan concealed business ties to Jeffrey Epstein, claiming investor fraud over several years a development that raises reputational risk and potential liability. Reuters: shareholders sue Apollo, Black, Rowan Shareholder lawsuit alleges Apollo and cofounders Leon Black and Marc Rowan concealed business ties to Jeffrey Epstein, claiming investor fraud over several years a development that raises reputational risk and potential liability. Negative Sentiment: Multiple securities firms (Rosen Law, Robbins LLP, Faruqi & Faruqi) have filed or solicited class actions on behalf of APO investors and issued deadline alerts (May 1, 2026), increasing the likelihood of consolidated suits, discovery, and potential settlement exposure that could pressure the stock. PR Newswire: Rosen Law Firm filing Apollo Global Management Price Performance NYSE:APO opened at $106.35 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $134.45 and its 200 day moving average is $133.75. Apollo Global Management Inc. has a 12 month low of $101.56 and a 12 month high of $157.28. The company has a market capitalization of $61.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The financial services provider reported $2.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.04 by $0.43. Apollo Global Management had a return on equity of 15.25% and a net margin of 10.90%.During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.39 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Apollo Global Management Inc. will post 8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Apollo Global Management Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 19th were given a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 19th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Apollo Global Managements dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.96%. Apollo Global Management Company Profile (Free Report) Apollo Global Management, Inc (NYSE: APO) is a global alternative investment manager that specializes in private equity, credit and real assets. The firm originates, invests in and manages a broad set of strategies across distressed and opportunistic credit, direct lending, structured credit, buyouts and real estate. Apollo provides investment management and advisory services to institutional clients and individual investors through pooled funds, separate accounts and publicly listed investment vehicles. Its private equity business pursues control and non-control investments across industries, often focusing on complex or distressed situations where operational improvement and capital solutions can create value. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding APO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE:APO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Apollo Global Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apollo Global Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD Get Free Report) (NYSE:TD) has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the ten ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is C$139.50. A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on TD shares. Scotiabank lifted their target price on Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$132.00 to C$142.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$133.00 to C$135.00 in a report on Friday. National Bank Financial increased their target price on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$138.00 to C$146.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday. Desjardins lifted their price target on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$139.00 to C$145.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$135.00 to C$144.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Get Toronto-Dominion Bank alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TD Toronto-Dominion Bank Trading Up 1.1% TD opened at C$134.38 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$225.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.00. Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 12 month low of C$78.06 and a 12 month high of C$136.49. The firms fifty day simple moving average is C$130.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$118.86. Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD Get Free Report) (NYSE:TD) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported C$2.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Toronto-Dominion Bank had a return on equity of 17.49% and a net margin of 19.11%.The firm had revenue of C$16.63 billion during the quarter. On average, equities research analysts predict that Toronto-Dominion Bank will post 7.2160149 EPS for the current fiscal year. Toronto-Dominion Bank News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Toronto-Dominion Bank this week: Toronto-Dominion Bank Company Profile (Get Free Report) Toronto-Dominion is one of Canadas two largest banks and operates three business segments: Canadian retail banking, U.S. retail banking, and wholesale banking. The banks U.S. operations span from Maine to Florida, with a strong presence in the Northeast. It also has a 13% ownership stake in Charles Schwab. Featured Articles 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. Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) reported record first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with management pointing to broad-based revenue momentum, moderating expense growth, and continued progress on strategic priorities, including U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) remediation and structural cost reduction. Get alerts: During the earnings call, CEO Raymond Chun said the bank delivered record earnings of CAD 4.2 billion and EPS of CAD 2.44. He also cited ROE of 14.2%, up 100 basis points year-over-year, and highlighted strong performance in markets-driven businesses, volume growth in Canadian personal and commercial banking, and margin expansion. Capital levels and shareholder returns TD reported aat quarter-end, which CFO Kelvin Tran said was down 15 basis points sequentially. Tran attributed the decline in part toin the quarter. Chun emphasized capital return plans, noting that TD completed an $8 billion share buyback in January and launched a new $7 billion buyback. By the end of the quarter, the bank had repurchased approximately 84 million shares across the two programs. Management said it is aiming to manage toward a 13% CET1 ratio by the second half of fiscal 2027. Revenue growth, expenses, and restructuring Tran said revenue rose 11% year-over-year, reflecting growth across all businesses. Total bank pre-tax, pre-provision profit (PTPP) increased 19% year-over-year after removing specified impacts (including the U.S. strategic card portfolio, foreign exchange, and insurance service expenses, as referenced on the banks slide materials). Expenses increased 7% year-over-year, with management attributing about 1% of that growth to variable compensation, FX, and the impact of the U.S. strategic card portfolio. The bank posted positive operating leverage for the third consecutive quarter, and Chun reiterated TD remains on track for its 3% to 4% expense growth target for fiscal 2026. TD recorded CAD 200 million pre-tax in restructuring charges in the quarter tied to workforce optimization. Tran said the bank has now concluded the restructuring program with total charges of CAD 886 million pre-tax, and it expects fully realized annual cost savings of CAD 775 million pre-tax. Management also reiterated a broader medium-term target of CAD 2.2 billion to CAD 2.5 billion in annualized cost savings, with initiatives spanning AI, process improvements, vendor optimization, and procurement. Segment highlights: Canada, U.S., wealth, and wholesale Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking posted record revenue, PTPP, earnings, deposits, and loan volumes, according to both Chun and Tran. Tran said average deposits increased 3% year-over-year (personal deposits up 3% and business deposits up 5%), while average loans grew 5% year-over-year (personal volumes up 5% and business volumes up 6%). Net interest margin was described as stable, up 1 basis point quarter-over-quarter, and the segment delivered more than 200 basis points of operating leverage. Management also cited continued progress in real estate-secured lending and strong credit card acquisition activity. US Banking (a renamed segment beginning this quarter) reported earnings up 22% year-over-year, PTPP up 7%, and ROTCE of 14.7%, up 330 basis points. Net interest margin was 3.38%, up 13 basis points sequentially. Management said the quarters margin expansion was driven by the remaining impact of loan repositioning actions taken last year, selective repricing across deposits and loans, and tracker on rates tailwinds, partially offset by Fed rate cuts. Looking ahead, the bank guided to a modest NIM increase in Q2. On volume trends, executives said core loans grew 2% year-over-year while total loans declined due to runoff and other factors. In Q&A, TDs U.S. leadership highlighted growth in bank cards (with 15% balance growth and 33% unit sales growth year-over-year) and said the bank is targeting net total loan growth in the U.S. by the third quarter, including runoff portfolios. TD also discussed a strategic milestone in its U.S. credit card business: the completion of the conversion of Nordstrom card clients onto TDs servicing platform. Management said TD will have a higher share of revenue and expected losses going forward, and it expects a $145 million receivable adjustment to be treated as an item of note in Q2, consistent with similar transactions. Executives also said the Nordstrom conversion drove an increase in U.S. staffingparticularly in call centers, collections, and fraudto support the larger volume now managed directly by TD. Wealth Management and Insurance delivered record earnings and assets, with management citing market share gains. Tran noted Direct Investing revenue share growth of 97 basis points year-over-year and said trades per day rose 10% year-over-year. ETF assets exceeded CAD 31 billion, up from CAD 17 billion at the end of fiscal 2024. In insurance, the bank said it remained focused on profitable growth and increased ROE by 80 basis points year-over-year, while also pursuing claims cost reductions through vendor optimization, AI, and fraud detection. Wholesale Banking produced record revenue and earnings, driven by client activity across global markets and corporate and investment banking. Tran cited strength in commodities, global equity derivatives, advisory fees, and equity underwriting, along with constructive market conditions. Segment ROE was 12.6%. Management noted impaired provisions increased due to a small number of borrowers across various industries. Credit quality and provision outlook Chief Risk Officer Ajai Bambawale said the banks credit performance was in line with expectations, with provision for credit losses (PCLs) of 43 basis points, within guidance. Gross impaired loan formations were 27 basis points, up four basis points sequentially, largely tied to wholesale banking and U.S. commercial lending exposures involving a small number of borrowers. Impaired PCLs rose to CAD 1.16 billion, up CAD 221 million quarter-over-quarter. Bambawale said more than half of the increase was tied to a single wholesale borrower and added that management does not expect the quarters wholesale impaired provisions to represent a typical run rate. The bank recorded a performing PCL recovery of CAD 125 million, which management attributed to an improved macroeconomic forecast and migration from performing to impaired in certain wholesale and U.S. commercial exposures. TD reiterated its expectation that fiscal 2026 PCLs will remain in a 40 to 50 basis point range. Bambawale also said the bank maintains more than CAD 500 million in reserves related to elevated policy and trade uncertainty. AML remediation progress and AI initiatives Group Head of U.S. Banking Leo Salom said the bank continues to make progress on its U.S. AML remediation program, with improvements in efficiency, efficacy, and accuracy. Salom noted that TDs new KYC platform went live to business users, creating a centralized customer information profile. He also said TD has deployed machine learning models in transaction monitoring and expects to roll out additional models in coming quarters. TD continues to expect $500 million of AML remediation spend in fiscal 2026, while noting spending will shift toward validation work and look-back costs. Management repeatedly pointed to AI as a driver of both growth and cost reduction. Chun said TDs medium-term AI target is $1 billion in value, and indicated the bank may ultimately exceed that figure as deployments scale, including agentic AI use cases such as simplifying real estate-secured lending (RESL) pre-adjudication processes. In closing remarks, Chun said fiscal 2026 is off to a strong start, citing robust top-line growth, continued positive operating leverage, and record earnings. About Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) 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 Valens Semiconductor (NYSE:VLN) reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results and provided 2026 guidance, highlighting continued momentum in its audio/video business and ongoing progress building an automotive connectivity franchise around the MIPI A-PHY standard. Get alerts: Leadership transition and strategic focus Chief Executive Officer Yoram Salinger, who said he joined the company a few months ago, used his first earnings call to outline strategic priorities. Salinger said Valens is concentrating resources on its core businessesaudio/video and automotivewhere the company believes it has unmatched technology leadership and sees sustained, profitable growth opportunities. At the same time, he said Valens will remain proactive in pursuing large opportunities in additional verticals that require high-performance connectivity in challenging environments, including industrial and medical markets, but with a stated preference for anchor deals that can materially impact results. Q4 results beat guidance as AV demand exceeded expectations Given reduced macro visibility, Salinger said the company will provide single-year growth projections going forward. Valens guided for full-year 2026 revenue of, with the midpoint representing approximatelygrowth over 2025. For Q4 2025, Valens delivered revenue of $19.4 million, above managements guidance range of $18.2 million to $18.9 million. The company attributed the upside largely to typical year-end budget dynamics, with management saying customers increased orders late in the year to utilize annual budgets. Guy Nathanzon, Chief Financial Officer, said revenue increased versus $17.3 million in Q3 2025 and $16.7 million in Q4 2024. By segment, the Cross-Industry Business (CIB) generated $13.9 million (about 70% of revenue) and Automotive contributed $5.5 million (about 30%). GAAP gross margin: 60.5% (above the companys 58% to 60% guidance range) 60.5% (above the companys 58% to 60% guidance range) GAAP net loss: $8.8 million (vs. $7.3 million in Q3 2025 and $7.3 million in Q4 2024) $8.8 million (vs. $7.3 million in Q3 2025 and $7.3 million in Q4 2024) Adjusted EBITDA: loss of $4.3 million (within guidance) loss of $4.3 million (within guidance) GAAP loss per share: $0.09; non-GAAP loss per share: $0.04 Segment margins were mixed. CIB gross margin in Q4 was 66.4%, down from 69.1% in Q3 due to product mix, while Automotive gross margin improved to 45.9% from 43.2% in Q3 due to cost optimization. Operating expenses in Q4 were $20.9 million, up from $19.0 million in Q3. R&D expense was $11.1 million, while SG&A rose to $10.1 million. Nathanzon attributed the quarter-over-quarter SG&A increase mainly to lower income from a certain batch production incident of $1.0 million and higher payroll expense. Full-year 2025: AV recovery offsets automotive declines tied to Mercedes-Benz program For full-year 2025, Valens reported revenue of $70.6 million, above its guidance range of $69.4 million to $70.1 million and up from $57.9 million in 2024. CIB revenue was $51.6 million (73% of total), up from $36.3 million in 2024, which management attributed to recovery in the audio/video market. Automotive revenue was $19.0 million (27% of total), down 12% from $21.6 million in 2024. Management tied the decline to gradual price erosion and fewer units sold to Mercedes-Benz. Salinger separately noted that the companys first-generation automotive chipset (VA6000) generated $18.4 million of 2025 revenue, down 12% year over year, driven by lower unit volume and average selling price. GAAP gross margin: 62.4% (vs. 59.2% in 2024) 62.4% (vs. 59.2% in 2024) Adjusted EBITDA: loss of $16.9 million (improved from a $21.1 million loss in 2024) loss of $16.9 million (improved from a $21.1 million loss in 2024) GAAP net loss: $31.6 million (improved from $36.6 million in 2024) The company ended Q4 with $92.6 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term deposits and no debt, down from $131.0 million at the end of 2024. Nathanzon said the decline was driven largely by the companys $24.0 million share repurchase program in 2025 and that Valens consumed $14.4 million in ongoing operations during the year. Product and ecosystem updates: VS3000, VS6320, and A-PHY momentum In audio/video, Salinger highlighted two chipsets he called unique and cutting-edge. He said the VS3000which he described as the only chip that can extend uncompressed HDMI 2.0 over widely used category cablestransitioned from high-end to more mainstream products in 2025. He said this contributed to a bounce back year, with VS3000 sales nearly doubling from 2024, and cited products from Crestron, Extron, Barco, and Atlona. He also discussed the VS6320, which Valens describes as a USB 3.2 extension solution built on a dedicated chip. Salinger said VS6320 sales grew nearly 25% in 2025, with products released by Hall Technologies, INOGENI, and Pro AV, and added that in January 2026 a top-three Pro AV manufacturer (unnamed) released a series of USB extenders based on the chip. In automotive, management emphasized the VA7000 A-PHY-compliant chipset for camera and radar connectivity in ADAS systems. Salinger said the company secured a fourth A-PHY design winan ADAS program at a premium global automotive OEM serving the Chinese market. In response to analyst questions, he said Valens expects revenue generation from these A-PHY design wins to begin somewhere in the second half of 2027, while cautioning that automotive program timing can slip and that model-year ramps can take multiple years. Salinger also highlighted partnerships and ecosystem developments, including Mobileye selecting Valens chips for sensor-to-compute connectivity in its most advanced ADAS product, interoperability testing with seven A-PHY silicon vendors, and ecosystem momentum including Sony Semiconductor Solutions introducing a sensor with integrated A-PHY extension. 2026 outlook: softer Q1, full-year growth target maintained For Q1 2026, Valens guided revenue to $16.3 million to $16.7 million, gross margin to 57% to 59%, and adjusted EBITDA loss to $7.9 million to $7.5 million. Addressing questions about the sequential step down after a strong Q4, management said Q1 is expected to be slower as customers work through purchases made in the prior quarter, while also citing macroeconomic instability and tariffs as factors affecting visibility. Salinger also discussed a workforce reduction announced in late January. Valens plans to reduce headcount by approximately 10% across departments, which management expects will save around $5 million annually in operating expenses. The CEO said the cuts were targeted and designed to optimize the cost structure while continuing to invest in the companys core segments. On profitability, management said its prior view of the revenue level needed for EBITDA breakeven remains unchanged, stating the company could be EBITDA positive at approximately $110 million to $120 million of revenue, assuming similar operating expense levels and gross margin. About Valens Semiconductor (NYSE:VLN) Valens Semiconductor Corp. is a provider of high-speed connectivity solutions, specializing in semiconductor chipsets that enable the transmission of uncompressed video, audio and data over common cabling such as twisted-pair and coax. The companys flagship technology, HDBaseT, supports the simultaneous delivery of multiple signal typesincluding HDMI, USB, Ethernet and powerover a single cable. This multi-service approach addresses the growing demands of both consumer electronics and automotive infotainment systems, where bandwidth, reliability and low latency are critical. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Israel, Valens maintains research and development operations across North America, Europe and Asia. Featured Articles W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Hold from the seventeen research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, nine have issued a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $69.6667. WRB has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price objective on W.R. Berkley in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of W.R. Berkley in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of W.R. Berkley from $69.00 to $66.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $75.00 price objective (down from $76.00) on shares of W.R. Berkley in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of W.R. Berkley from $68.00 to $66.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Get W.R. Berkley alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on WRB W.R. Berkley Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:WRB opened at $73.23 on Tuesday. W.R. Berkley has a 1 year low of $60.68 and a 1 year high of $78.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $69.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $72.24. W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, January 26th. The insurance provider reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.14 by ($0.01). W.R. Berkley had a net margin of 12.10% and a return on equity of 18.35%. The business had revenue of $3.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.13 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that W.R. Berkley will post 4.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. W.R. Berkley Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 4th. Investors of record on Monday, February 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 23rd. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. W.R. Berkleys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.09%. Insider Transactions at W.R. Berkley In other news, major shareholder Sumitomo Insurance Co L. Mitsui bought 370,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 26th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $67.07 per share, for a total transaction of $24,815,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 54,959,504 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,686,133,933.28. This trade represents a 0.68% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Over the last ninety days, insiders bought 9,675,686 shares of company stock valued at $669,388,681. 23.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 75.6% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 50,503 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,955,000 after acquiring an additional 21,737 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of W.R. Berkley by 9.7% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 33,990 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,419,000 after purchasing an additional 3,013 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of W.R. Berkley by 399.0% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 9,506 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $675,000 after purchasing an additional 7,601 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. increased its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 0.6% in the second quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 737,183 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $54,161,000 after purchasing an additional 4,423 shares during the period. Finally, Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC increased its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 1.3% in the second quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 19,569 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,438,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.82% of the companys stock. W.R. Berkley Company Profile (Get Free Report) W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) is a publicly traded insurance holding company that underwrites and sells commercial property and casualty insurance, specialty insurance products, and reinsurance. Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company operates a portfolio of underwriting businesses that focus on niche and specialty commercial risks, offering coverage tailored to industries such as transportation, construction, professional services and other commercial lines. The companys product mix includes primary and excess casualty, property, professional liability, environmental and other specialty lines, together with treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for W.R. Berkley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for W.R. Berkley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2026. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day before its annual session. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will hold its annual session from March 4 to 11 in Beijing, a spokesperson for the session said on Tuesday. The fourth session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee will begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and conclude on the morning of March 11, spokesperson Liu Jieyi said at a news conference. During the session, national political advisors will hear and deliberate on a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and a report on the handling of the political advisors' proposals, according to the spokesperson. They will sit in on the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, which is scheduled to open on Thursday, hear and discuss documents including a government work report, and discuss a draft 15th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development, Liu said. They are also expected to deliberate on and approve a political resolution of the annual session, a resolution on the work report of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, a resolution on the report on the handling of proposals since the previous session, and a report on the examination of new proposals submitted during this year's session, he said. The 2026 CPPCC National Committee session includes opening and closing meetings, group meetings and sector-specific consultations. Diplomatic envoys to China will be invited to observe the opening and closing meetings, Liu said. Looking ahead, political advisors will focus their consultations, deliberations and democratic oversight on helping the country secure a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), according to the spokesperson. Summarizing the work of the CPPCC National Committee over the past year, Liu said political advisors have concentrated their efforts on advancing Chinese modernization. Their efforts included research on economic resilience and security, the sound development of artificial intelligence, and the green, low-carbon transition. The CPPCC plays vital roles in multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Its members are drawn from political parties, people's organizations, personages without party affiliation and various sectors of society. The main functions of the CPPCC's national committee are political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs. Liu answered questions on a variety of topics at the news conference. On China's economy, he said that it rests on a solid foundation, with many advantages, strong resilience and great potential. When responding to a media query about the Hainan Free Trade Port, Liu noted that China will unswervingly expand high-standard opening up, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and inject more positive energy and certainty into global development. "China remains committed to its fundamental national policy of opening up; its door to the world will not close, but only open wider and wider," Liu said. Several analysts have recently updated their ratings and price targets for First American Financial (NYSE: FAF): 3/2/2026 First American Financial was upgraded by Stephens from equal weight to overweight. They now have a $81.00 price target on the stock, up from $70.00. 2/21/2026 First American Financial was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from buy to hold. 2/17/2026 First American Financial had its price target raised by Truist Financial Corporation from $76.00 to $82.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. 2/13/2026 First American Financial had its buy rating reaffirmed by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft. 2/13/2026 First American Financial had its price target raised by Barclays PLC from $68.00 to $70.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 1/6/2026 First American Financial had its price target lowered by Barclays PLC from $71.00 to $68.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. First American Financial Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 9th. First American Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.61%. Get First American Financial Corporation alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at First American Financial In other news, Director Parker S. Kennedy purchased 44,841 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $67.85 per share, for a total transaction of $3,042,461.85. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 251,552 shares in the company, valued at $17,067,803.20. This trade represents a 21.69% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 3.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. First American Financial Corporation is a leading provider of title insurance, settlement services and diversified real estate-related data and analytics. Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, the company serves customers throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Its business is built on the underwriting capabilities of its title insurance operations combined with comprehensive closing and escrow services for homebuyers, sellers, mortgage lenders and real estate professionals. The companys title insurance segment issues policies that protect property owners and mortgage lenders against defects in titles, liens or encumbrances that can arise during real property transactions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for First American Financial Corporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First American Financial Corporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. William Blair Investment Management LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Free Report) by 5.4% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 1,678,133 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 95,476 shares during the quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLCs holdings in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust were worth $19,114,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Amalgamated Bank increased its holdings in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 3.5% during the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 35,064 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $399,000 after purchasing an additional 1,170 shares during the period. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey increased its stake in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 5.8% during the 2nd quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 27,187 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $272,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500 shares during the period. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 168,200 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,680,000 after acquiring an additional 1,600 shares during the period. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 172,758 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,968,000 after acquiring an additional 1,795 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its position in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 69,089 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $690,000 after acquiring an additional 1,828 shares during the period. Get Pebblebrook Hotel Trust alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades PEB has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Barclays assumed coverage on 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. Zacks Research cut shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $10.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Compass Point cut shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from a neutral rating to a sell rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $12.00 to $11.50 in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $13.50 price objective on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and six have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $11.91. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Trading Up 1.0% Shares of NYSE PEB opened at $12.96 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $12.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $11.42. The stock has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a P/E ratio of -14.24 and a beta of 1.48. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has a 52-week low of $7.41 and a 52-week high of $13.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.09. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.04. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust had a negative return on equity of 2.88% and a negative net margin of 5.18%.The company had revenue of $349.02 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $342.03 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.20 earnings per share. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.190-0.230 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 1.500-1.620 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Pebblebrook Hotel Trust will post 1.5 EPS for the current year. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were paid a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Pebblebrook Hotel Trusts payout ratio is -4.40%. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Profile (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 Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PEB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Free Report). 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. World Kinect (NYSE:WKC Get Free Report) had its target price decreased by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $27.00 to $25.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an underweight rating on the stock. Morgan Stanleys target price suggests a potential upside of 2.04% from the companys previous close. WKC has been the subject of a number of other reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d) rating on shares of World Kinect in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research cut World Kinect from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Strong Sell and an average target price of $28.00. Get World Kinect alerts: View Our Latest Report on World Kinect World Kinect Trading Down 1.9% Shares of World Kinect stock traded down $0.48 on Tuesday, reaching $24.50. The company had a trading volume of 246,093 shares, compared to its average volume of 911,617. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $1.26 billion, a PE ratio of -2.21, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 1.14. The firms 50 day moving average price is $26.02 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $25.55. World Kinect has a 52-week low of $22.70 and a 52-week high of $29.85. World Kinect (NYSE:WKC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.47 by ($0.17). The business had revenue of $9.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.41 billion. World Kinect had a negative net margin of 1.66% and a positive return on equity of 6.62%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.62 EPS. World Kinect has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.200-2.400 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that World Kinect will post 2.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Royal Bank of Canada grew its holdings in shares of World Kinect by 2.2% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 68,228 shares of the companys stock worth $1,934,000 after buying an additional 1,481 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in World Kinect by 16.5% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 119,198 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,380,000 after purchasing an additional 16,874 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in World Kinect by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 33,972 shares of the companys stock worth $963,000 after acquiring an additional 1,497 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC lifted its holdings in World Kinect by 3.3% in the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 525,697 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,909,000 after acquiring an additional 16,738 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in World Kinect by 18.7% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 220,791 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,262,000 after buying an additional 34,807 shares in the last quarter. 97.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About World Kinect (Get Free Report) World Kinect Energy Services, Inc (NYSE: WKC) is a global energy services company specializing in fuel procurement, supply chain management and risk mitigation solutions. The company offers an integrated platform that facilitates the sourcing, trading and logistics of refined fuels, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable energy products. Its services are designed to help industrial, commercial and institutional clients optimize energy costs, comply with environmental regulations and manage price volatility. In addition to traditional commodity trading and delivery, World Kinect provides a suite of value-added services that include carbon offset and decarbonization strategies, energy efficiency consulting and emissions reporting. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for World Kinect Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for World Kinect and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military struck Iran's Presidential office and the building of the Supreme National Security Council, dropping dozens of bombs on the country's leadership compound in Tehran, military spokesman Effie Defrin said. In a press briefing, Defrin said that warplanes attacked the compound overnight. He added that the gathering compound, which he described as the site of Iran's most senior security decision-making forum, was targeted, as well as the institution for training Iranian military officers and additional key government infrastructure. The move came as the joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran entered its fourth day, and as Israel said it was now attacking both Iranian and Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. In southern Lebanon, the military struck more than 160 Hezbollah sites over the past day, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. According to the military, the strikes targeted Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force militants and military command centers, which were reportedly used to launch numerous attacks toward Israel. The death toll in Iran rose to 787, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, while the Lebanese Health Ministry reported at least 52 deaths. In Israel, missile strikes killed 10 people, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service. In recent years, Starbucks has marked International Womens Day with a special edition reusable cup, traditionally gifted to women customers as a token of appreciation. This year, Starbucks Bahamas is giving the cup deeper purpose. The limited-edition cups will be available for purchase, with 100 percent of proceeds donated to LUPUS 242, a Bahamian nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness, advocating for patients and supporting individuals and families affected by lupus, a disease that predominantly affects women. A 40-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and causing grievous harm after a domestic dispute allegedly left a woman injured. The case has renewed conversation about domestic violence and protection for victims. You voted: VIENNA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Damage has been confirmed to Iran's Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday. The United Nations nuclear watchdog said on social media that it has confirmed some "recent damage" to the entrance buildings of the underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, based on the satellite imagery. According to the IAEA, there is no radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at the plant. On Saturday morning, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the military campaign against Iran has "capability to go far longer" than four to five weeks. Also on Monday, Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted the country's Atomic Energy Organization chief Mohammad Eslami as saying in a letter to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi that the United States and Israel conducted two airstrikes on the Natanz nuclear facility on Sunday, calling them a violation of international law. On June 22, 2025, U.S. forces struck Iran's nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. The Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant "was severely damaged", according to the IAEA. BUJUMBURA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian government and United Nations agencies have signed an 82-million-U.S.-dollar response plan to support the repatriation of about 104,600 Burundian refugees by June 30. The signing was held on Monday in the commercial capital, Bujumbura, with Burundian Minister of Interior, Community Development and Public Security Leonidas Ndaruzaniye, UN Resident Coordinator in Burundi Violet Kakyomya and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representative to Burundi Brigitte Mukanga-Eno in attendance. The plan aims to issue a joint appeal to assess and address the needs of returnees upon their return, said Mukanga-Eno, stressing that repatriation must extend beyond border reception to sustainable reintegration in their home communities. "Every week, we welcome more than 8,000 returnees, whereas tripartite accords talk about a maximum of 3,000 returnees to be received. Though it is a good thing, it is a real solution only if it is accompanied by the reintegration of those returnees," she said. Ndaruzaniye thanked UN partners for mobilizing funds to ensure smooth operations and called for additional support from other partners. "The main objective of this response plan is to support the Burundian government in the operational management of returnees from countries of asylum in general and Tanzania in particular," said the minister. Of the estimated 104,600 Burundian refugees living abroad, about 93,000 are hosted in Tanzania. Most of them reside in the Nduta and Nyarugusu refugee camps, which are scheduled to close by March 31 and June 30, respectively. Faith Methodist Church in Orange will host NextGen's Brunch & Bunny Fundraiser on March 28, from 10am - 11. The church is located at 8608 MLK Jr Drive in Orange. This family-friendly event will feature a delicious brunch with the Easter Bunny himself, as well as story time and picture opportunities. Tickets are $10. Children under two will eat free. Tickets can be purchased through the church office, the QR code, or this link https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/10916408. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and celebrate the Easter season in a fun and memorable way. If you have any questions, please call the church office at (409) 886-1291 or email [email protected]. There will also be a free community Easter egg hunt beginning at 9:30 AM. Children from infants through fifth grade are invited to search for colorful eggs and enjoy a joyful morning filled with laughter, fun and special family memories. Children should bring their Easter baskets for egg hunting. The Orange County Retired Teachers will meet at Wesley United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall located at 401 N. 37th Street at at 10:30 a.m, on Monday, March 9. Guest speaker will be Officer Henry from the Orange Police Department. He will discuss things going on in Orange County that affects seniors. All Orange County retired teachers and school personnel are invited to attend. Membership Drive for the 2026-2027 year is March-July. Dues are $45 ($35 state, $10 local). Bring your dues to the meeting or mail to Judy Williams. It may be the best $45 you spend each year as we continue to advocate for retirement security. For more inromation, call 409-670-7703. Refreshments will be served. A senior Iranian military advisor said on Monday the country's armed forces will not let any oil be exported through the Strait of Hormuz. #XinhuaNews In the wake of escalating tensions in the Middle East with the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, flight operations have partially resumed as governments across the world urged citizens to evacuate. Flights from some key West Asian airports resumed on Tuesday. Limited flights have restarted at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports; however, passengers are urged not to arrive at the airport without a confirmed departure notice. Both Emirates and Etihad have shifted to a partial flight schedule due to ongoing regional airspace restrictions. Due to airspace restrictions across several regions, Dubai-bound Emirates flights from India were forced to return to their original airports shortly after takeoff. Regional Airspace Disruption Operational Update All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Wednesday 4 March. Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 2, 2026 Etihad Airways will operate relief flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Bengaluru. Customers who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates. Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified. https://t.co/SRg86r66M6 Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 2, 2026 Emirates will operate services from Dubai to Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad on March 3. Following the partial reopening of UAE airspace, five Emirates A380s departed Dubai this morning for Jeddah, Manchester, Paris, London, and Frankfurt. IndiGo is scheduled to operate special relief flights from Jeddah to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Travel Advisory As part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to Mumbai Hyderabad Ahmedabad These flights are being arranged to cater IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) March 2, 2026 Air India Express is resuming its Muscat operations, while its services to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain suspended till March 3. Akasa Air said it will operate select services to and from Jeddah on March 3 and March 4 following a comprehensive safety review. #TravelUpdate: March 03, 2026 | 00:30 IST Following a comprehensive safety review, we are operating select flights to and from Jeddah on March 03 and March 04, 2026: March 03, 2026 QP 561 Mumbai Jeddah I ETD - 19:20 QP 562 Jeddah Mumbai I ETD - 23:55 Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) March 2, 2026 Meanwhile, SpiceJet is operating special charter flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to support Indian nationals travelling home. #TravelAdvisory Air India is closely monitoring and assessing the evolving situation in the Middle East and has commenced scheduled operations to all its destinations in the USA, Canada, Europe and UK, giving highest priority to the safety and security of our customers and Air India (@airindia) March 2, 2026 Though Air India has suspended flights to West Asia till March 3, scheduled flights to the US, Canada, Europe and the UK have commenced. The developments followed an attack on the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in retaliation for the strikes launched on Iran. Since Saturday, 11,000 flights into, out of and within the Middle East have been cancelled, leaving hundreds of people stranded at airports. In the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is set to operate several Air Arabia services. Sharjah International Airport also showed signs of continued operations to Krakow, Dammam, Bahrain, and Moscow. India is one of the most vulnerable to crude oil supply disruptions caused by the escalating Middle East crisis and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say that a prolonged closure would deplete the countrys stock, as it had already cut purchases from Russia due to US pressure. New Delhi has far less oil in storage compared to China, which buys its crude from Iran. Ajay Parmar, director of energy and refining at ICIS, a commodities research group. said China has at least six months' worth of crude supplies in storage. Indian inventories are much lower, though, and so (it) is much more vulnerable in this situation As of January, about 55 per cent of India's crude exports came from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz. The country imported about 2.74 million barrels per day from the region, The highest since 2022. The increase is due to recent pressure from Washington to reduce the intake of Russian oil over the war in Ukraine. Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told lawmakers last month that India can store enough crude and fuel to last about 74 days; however, refining sources told Reuters that Indias current inventories cover only about 20 to 25 days. The Strait of Hormuz transports about a fifth of the global oil supply. Iran has announced that it would not let any ship pass through the 33-kilometre-wide strait as Tehrans tensions with the US escalated on Monday. Ships have come to a complete halt across the strait after five tankers were damaged and two personnel were killed. About 150 ships lay stranded in the waters of the region. Asian countries like China, India, Japan and South Korea are the at most risk from a disruption in the region. However, Japan's reserves can cover 254 days of consumptions and South Korea's stockpiles can cover 208 days. India, meanwhile, would be forced to seek alternatives in case of prolonged closure. This could include increasing Russian oil imports again, as the US has not clarified its position on possible waivers for Russian oil tariffs for India. However, Russian supplies would take almost a month to arrive. India could also look to get its crude oil from Venezuela, Brazil, West Africa and the US; however, this would increase the time. An analyst with Kpler said that if India were to import crude from other parts of the world, it would create a spurt in prices and insurance costs. Kpler analyst Sumit Ritolia told the media that crude oil dependency is the beginning and possibly the easiest to tackle. The second involves natural gas, half of which comes from overseas in the form of liquefied natural gas, predominantly from the Gulf. The third, or the central prong, is LPG, nearly all of which comes from West Asia, which is used for cooking by most Indian households in urban centres. Krishnakumar, former chairman, Bharat Petroleum, told Business Standard. India would be able to overcome the crude oil crisis. We are prepared and continuously look out for suitable sources, but will have to brace for supply and price challenges in the short term, he said. Matt Smith, an analyst with Kpler, said that Europe also could face challenges due to the interruption from the Strait of Hormuz. The Middle East accounts for around 45% of (Europe's) waterborne jet fuel imports," he said. Reports say that about 750 ships, including 100 container ships have been caught in backups after Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz after its war with the US began. Jeremy Nixon, CEO of container carrier Ocean Network Express, known as ONE, said that about 10 per cent of the world's container ships could start piling up at ports and transshipment hubs in Europe and Asia. Maritime insurers have ceased transport of oil through the strait after Iran began retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli strikes. A wave of more than 100 minor earthquakes was recorded in Nevada, USA, over the past week, triggering speculation that the tremors could be caused by nuclear testing activity. The tremors occurred close to the Tonopah Test Range, also called Area 52, amid the escalating US-Iran tensions. The range is about 3 hours northeast of Las Vegas and is close to Area 51. Area 51 is a highly classified US military installation operated by the Department of Energy and DoW. Over the past week, small magnitude tremors to minor earthquakes were felt in the region. Most of the tremors ranged from about 1.0 to 1.9 in magnitude. All of the tremors were reported within a 50 mile radius of Tonopah in the past week, the Daily Mail reported. The US Geological Survey said that the quakes began on Sunday afternoon and continued through early hours on Monday. The latest tremor, a 3.9 magnitude on the Richter scale, can be felt by a person on the ground. The Nevada range has been historically associated with weapons testing and classified defence research, which is what sparked the rumours. However, seismic events are not uncommon in the region as it lies within an active tectonic zone called the Central Nevada Seismic Zone, a narrow strip of land running from north to south for 200 to 300 miles. While nuclear testing activities do generate seismic signatures, security analysts caution against linking seismic events to weapons testing. The US, despite not being part of some global treaties, is still a signatory to international frameworks. Besides that, nuclear weapons also carry severe humanitarian and geopolitical consequences. Seismic signals generated by nuclear weapons testing and earthquakes differ with real quakes typically involving deeper fault slippage. Earthquakes also produce more shear waves. However seismic signals from nuclear testing can also create small aftershocks and fault movement. For now the the seismic events have come right as the US is embroiled in a war with Iran in the Middle East after coordinating an attack with Israel to assassinate the Supreme Leader of the country. The final nuclear weapons treaty signed by the US and Russia also expired early in February, just weeks before the seismic activity was picked by the USGS US President Donald Trump also warned that the biggest wave of the attacks against Iran hasn't even happened yet. In October 2025, Trump had directed the resumption of nuclear testing on an equal basis with Russia and China and rhetoric about potentially ending the long-standing voluntary moratorium on explosive tests. Officials with the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) warned America may soon have no choice but to restart its weapons testing programs amid reports that both Russia and China were expanding their programs. However, as of now, there have been no full-scale nuclear explosive detonations reported. As part of the initiatives to reinforce sea control and air defence capabilities in an evolving maritime security environment, the defence ministry, on Tuesday, inked 5,083 crore worth of contracts for advanced maritime helicopters and naval missile systems for both the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy. While the contract for the acquisition of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) for the Indian Coast Guard was signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the contract for Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch (VL) Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy has been signed with Russia's JSC Rosoboronexport. ALH Mk-III The Rs 2,901 crore contract has been signed with HAL, Bengaluru, under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category for the procurement of six ALH Mk-III (MR) helicopters. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India The twin-engine helicopters, equipped with advanced maritime role systems, are designed to undertake a wide spectrum of coastal and offshore security missions from shore-based airfields as well as ships at sea. Their induction is expected to strengthen the Indian Coast Guards capabilities in safeguarding artificial islands, offshore installations, fishermen and the marine environment, the defence ministry stated in a release. The deal is projected to involve over 200 MSMEs and generate approximately 65 lakh man-hours, reinforcing the governments push for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and domestic defence manufacturing. Vertical launch Shtil missiles The ministry also signed a Rs 2,182 crore contract with Russias JSC Rosoboronexport for the procurement of Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch (VL) Shtil missiles and associated missile holding frames. The acquisition is aimed at significantly enhancing the air defence capabilities of frontline Indian Navy warships against a wide range of aerial threats, strengthening layered maritime air defence. "The system will reinforce the layered air defence architecture onboard the platforms of the Indian Navy by providing rapid-reaction, all-weather engagement capability and improved survivability in contested maritime environments," the defence ministry stated in a release. In a significant push to curb the Centres mounting litigation burden, a national conference of Union secretaries and top law officers has resolved to improve the quality of pleadings in courts, harmonise positions taken by ministries, and discourage the routine filing of appeals. The brainstorming session on Efficient and Effective Management of Government Litigation, held last week, brought together over two dozen senior bureaucrats and legal officers to examine the governments role as one of the countrys largest litigants. Discussions focused on four major litigation clusters: service and pension disputes, infrastructure and contractual matters, fiscal and taxation cases, and regulatory and enforcement-driven litigation. Participants identified recurring structural problems behind the proliferation of cases involving the Union government. Among the most prominent concerns were repetitive service litigation caused by inconsistent implementation of legal positions, lack of inter-departmental consultation before filing affidavits, and divergent stands taken by ministries in the same matter. Officials also flagged poor coordination between departments and panel counsel, delays in implementing court rulings, and a systemic tendency to treat appeals as a default administrative response rather than a carefully weighed policy decision. Infrastructure and compensation-related litigation emerged as another major area of concern. Departments pointed to rising disputes over land compensation and mounting interest liabilities, frequent challenges to arbitral awards, and the technical complexity of infrastructure contracts often outpacing legal vetting processes. Fragmented coordination between technical wings and legal teams was cited as a recurring bottleneck, alongside the underuse of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and pre-litigation mediation. The conference emphasised the need for early dispute resolution and institutional filters to prevent avoidable litigation. Among the key recommendations was the creation of clear criteria for filing appeals in service and other matters, aimed at ensuring that only cases with broader legal or policy implications are pursued. Greater use of mediation and pre-litigation consultation was also emphasised to reduce fresh filings and mounting liabilities. It was also proposed that a nodal officer be designated to each ministry to coordinate litigation strategy, improve communication with legal counsel, and ensure consistency in pleadings. Time-bound implementation of court orders was stressed as a crucial step to prevent repetitive petitions and contempt proceedings arising from non-compliance. Improved coordination between technical divisions and legal teams was seen as critical to presenting consistent positions before courts. The broader objective, officials said, is to shift from reactive litigation management to a more strategic, policy-driven approach that prioritises compliance, accountability and institutional clarity. The deliberations come against the backdrop of the Centres vast litigation footprint. According to data shared in Parliament last year, the Union government is a party in nearly seven lakh cases pending across courts. Addressing the conference, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, "There are about seven lakh cases pending where the Government of India is a party. Out of these, in about 1.9 lakh cases, the Ministry of Finance is mentioned as a party." TEHRAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran had carried out a "large-scale drone and missile attack" targeting a U.S. air base in Bahrain, its official IRNA news agency said on Tuesday. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched "a large-scale drone and missile attack at dawn on the U.S. air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain," IRNA said in a post on Telegram. Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Riyadh confirmed it was hit by an attack, adding it would be closed on Tuesday. The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members from Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan. A day after the seat-sharing talks hit a deadlock, with the Congress high command refusing to accept the DMKs offer, former Union minister P. Chidambaram stepped in to ease the tension in the alliance. Chidambaram, who shook hands with the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, enquiring about his health at The Weeks The Tamil Nadu Leadership Summit: The Way Forward in Chennai on Monday, called on Stalin at his Chithranjan Avenue residence on Tuesday. Despite Chidambarams meeting, the stalemate in the alliance talks continued on Tuesday as the Congress high command was not ready to accept the numbers offered by the DMK, while the latter was adamant that it could not increase the number of seats from the existing 25. In an hour-long meeting, Chidambaram, who was accompanied by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief K. Selvaperunthagai, is said to have smoothened the impasse between the two parties. Both the Congress and the DMK want the alliance to continue, but there was a disagreement over the number of seats. The Congress, under its AICC in-charge, Girish Chodankar, started its demand with 60 seats for the party, which had apparently come down to less than 35, plus two Rajya Sabha seats. Initially, the DMK had offered one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress, and the talks hinged on the number of seats to contest in the upcoming assembly polls. Both the parties want the alliance to continue. There was an impasse with regard to the number of seats. Talks are continuing, and our leader Stalin will take a decision that benefits both the parties. Our leader wants to resolve the issue amicably, DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan told The Week. According to party insiders, the DMK has agreed to 28 seats plus two Rajya Sabha seats for the Congress one now and one in 2028 during the talks on Tuesday. It is said that Chidambaram had directly spoken with AICC leader Sonia Gandhi in the presence of Stalin to come up with an amicable solution. If the Congress does not come back before Wednesday morning with regard to the number of seats, the DMK will allot one to its new ally DMDK. The DMDK on Tuesday declared Vijayakanths brother-in-law L.K. Sudheesh as the Rajya Sabha nominee from its party. If the Congress responds positively to the offer given by the DMK, the national party will be given one seat, and the DMK will announce candidates for two out of the four seats that it has now. The last day for nominations to the biennial election is on March 5. A total of six seats from Tamil Nadu are falling vacant, out of which the DMK has four. For the Congress to retain its opposition stance in the Rajya Sabha, the seats offered by the DMK will apparently be an advantage. According to sources, Stalin had explained to Chidambaram and Selvaperunthagai how crucial the 2026 election will be for the INDIA bloc and sought the Congresss cooperation. The Congress, however, is not ready to come down from its demand of 41 seats that it was offered in 2016. Chidambaram, who met Stalin with the concurrence of Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjuna Kharge, is believed to have conveyed the Congress high commands demand for an increase in the number. But the DMK leadership seems to have categorically said that it has to accommodate the other allies, and an increase in the number will lead to unnecessary confusion in the alliance. Stalin is also believed to have conveyed to Chidambaram that he cannot wait beyond Wednesday morning as the nominations to the Rajya Sabha close on March 5. Sources also say that there is a divided opinion about the alliance among the Congress leadership itself. While Sonia and Kharge prefer to continue in the DMK alliance, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is still undecided. When her country is at war and at the centre of global tension, Anita Kamali from Zahedan in eastern Iran was quietly immersed in sessions at the 2026 Global Spirituality Mahotsav in Auroville. Kamali, 35, who describes herself as half Muslim and half Zoroastrian, grew up in Zahedan, about 41km south of the tripoint of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, in an open-minded family. Her mother, a Muslim, never imposed Islamic practices on her. Her father, now retired from government service, once visited her school and told the teachers not to make his daughter wear a hijab or participate in compulsory religious practices. They agreed. Her mother worked as a computer science teacher. I applied to Auroville in 2020 and was selected as a resident in 2022. I was inspired by an Iranian friend who lived here, she said. What I like about this place is that human unity is what we strive for. There is no religion or nationality in Auroville. Kamali said there are currently seven Iranians living as residents in Auroville. None of them were brought up in hardcore Islamic traditions. Their parents, even if they were Muslims, were open-minded. Many outside Iran perceive Iranians as strict Muslims. Thats not the full picture. It is mostly those connected to the government who are like that, she said. It is said that before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran was a rapidly modernising nation marked by secular reforms, oil-fuelled economic expansion and broader personal freedoms for women. We are desperate for change. The economy in Iran has collapsed. As an Iranian, I am exhausted by division. We need help from the outside world. We tried our best to change but did not succeed, Kamali said. Zahedan is located in Irans Baluchestan province. We have a different thought process compared to Balochistan in Pakistan. Baluchis in Iran love India and Indian culture. We have grown up influenced by Indian films and music. I have always loved India and classical music, she said. She added that recent bombings by US and Israeli forces have largely targeted Tehran and western Iran. Eastern Iran is mostly unaffected, so far. But there is no internet connectivity across the country. People are suffering because of the regime. It has been many days since I last connected with my parents. I cannot reach them. I hope to speak to them soon, she said. Though she identifies partly as Muslim, Kamali says she was brought up more in the Zoroastrian tradition. Every religion gets due respect in Iran. It is not how many Indians imagine Iran to be. It is only certain rigid sections, or the regime, that create problems there, she said. Kamali says she longs for the Iran that existed before the 1979 Revolution. Even though I am an Aurovillian now, I love my city of Zahedan and want to see a peaceful transformation in my country, she said. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are fellow travellers in our struggle to ensure that CentreState relations align with constitutional ideals, said Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas while speaking at THE WEEK Tamil Nadu Leadership Summit held in Chennai on March 2. There is real camaraderie and chemistry between the chief ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. When the Kerala government went to Delhi to protest discrimination, Tamil Nadu sent an emissary in solidarity, said the CPI(M) leader, one of the prominent Left voices in Parliament. The journalist-turned-politician said the country is witnessing a trend of centralisation across various domains. Whether on the legislative front or in executive decisions, power is gravitating toward the Centre. From Delhis perspective, the states are being reduced to the level of municipalities. Every piece of legislation passed in Parliament seems designed to reserve power for the Union, Brittas said, adding that it is important for states to come together to protect Indian federalism. Recently, they brought in something called VB-G RAM G in place of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. That move alone places an additional burden on states. Tamil Nadus expenditure will go up by Rs 6,000 crore; Kerala will have to spend Rs 3,500 crore. There is a conscious effort to concentrate power in Delhi, he said. Fund flows between the Centre and the states, he added, have become a major friction point. Asked whether states are losing fiscal space to design their own development models, Brittas replied, Absolutely. Take education. Tamil Nadus Samagra Shiksha funds are being withheld because it will not implement the three-language formula. Keralas funds are blocked because we have not introduced PM Shri schools. Its ironicSamagra Shiksha began in 2018, the National Education Policy came in 2020, and PM Shri in 2022. A subsequent scheme is being used to withdraw funds for an existing one. It is unconstitutional and immoral, he said. The Left MP also said that in recent years, greater unity has emerged among opposition-ruled states, especially in the south, as they perceive an agenda to discriminate against them. Look at the CBI charge sheets mentioning a South Groupas if being from the south is a criminal act, Brittas said. He also criticised the BJPs double engine narrative. The Double Engine rhetoric is a fraud. Gujarat has four enginesthe state, the Union, Amit Shah and Narendra Modiand yet it lags behind on several social indicators. What is the use of these engines if they do not help people? More than affluence, a state should be judged by its social indices and the health of its social fabric. In some states, that fabric is filled with hate, he said. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticised the Narendra Modi government for its disturbing silenceover the assassination of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a coordinated strike by US and Israeli forces. In an article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi called for a discussion on the issue in parliament when the Budget session resumes. The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations, Gandhi wrote. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence. She stressed the urgent need for India to reclaim its moral strength and communicate it with clarity and resolve. India has refrained from condemning Khamenei's killing and has, instead, urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid escalation, while asserting that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be respected. Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US, Gandhi said. She emphasised that when the targeted killing of a foreign leader goes unchallenged in terms of sovereignty or international law, and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy. Silence, in this case, is not neutral, she asserted. Citing Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, Gandhi pointed out that the targeted killing of a sitting head of state directly undermines these core principles. She also criticised Modis recent visit to Israel and his unequivocal support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government, especially as the Gaza conflict continues to provoke global outrage over civilian casualties. At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India's partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure, she said. Gandhi further recalled that former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during an official visit to Tehran, had warmly reaffirmed Indias deep, civilisational and contemporary ties with Iran. She stated that Indias civilisational ethos, embodied in the phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, is not merely a slogan for ceremonial diplomacy. Rather, it represents a deep commitment to justice, restraint, and dialogue, even when upholding these values proves inconvenient. "At moments when the rules-based order is under visible strain, silence is abdication," she said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought assistance from Chinese authorities to trace a GoPro Hero 12 camera allegedly linked to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 last year. A special court in Jammu has granted the central agency permission to request judicial assistance from China in tracing the purchaser and end-user of the camera. The NIA had earlier filed an application seeking approval to issue a letter rogatory (LR) to the competent judicial authority in the neighbouring country. An LR is a formal diplomatic request from a court in one country to the judiciary of another, seeking information in an ongoing investigation. During the course of investigation of aforesaid case, various material objects and electronic devices connected with conspiracy and execution of said terrorist attack have been examined, the NIA stated in its application to the Jammu court. One such crucial electronic device is a GoPro Hero 12 Black Camera, bearing serial No.C3501325471706 which is relevant for establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement and operational preparation of terrorist module involved in Pahalgam attack. According to the agency, the information linked to the camera is key to establishing the chain of custody, user, attribution and evidentiary linkage. The NIA had earlier approached GoPro BV, the camera's manufacturer, for details regarding its supply chain and activation. In its response, GoPro BV informed the agency that the camera had been supplied to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in the People's Republic of China. The camera was activated on January 30, 2024 at Dongguan, People's Republic of China, the agency told the court. The manufacturer has further stated that it does not possess downstream transaction details or end-user records of the said device. Dongguan is an industrial city in Guangdong Province, China. However, accessing the camera poses a significant challenge for the NIA, as India and China are not signatories to mutual legal assistance treaties like the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). According to an ANI report, the agency is now likely to seek assistance under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed as Pakistan-based terrorists sprayed bullets at them after verifying their religious identity in Baisaran Valley, a scenic village, near Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for what was described as the deadliest attack on civilians in the region in decades. The whole world is encouraging or incentivising better performance, but unfortunately, here, it's the other way around. If a state is performing well, you are penalised for it, Kerala MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan said at THE WEEK Tamil Nadu Leadership Summit held in Chennai on March 2. Speaking about the impending delimitation exercise, Kuzhalnadan, who represents Muvattupuzha constituency, noted that while there is a constitutional requirement to conduct the process based on population, it has been deferred since the 1970s precisely because it threatens to upset the federal balance and plurality of Indias democracy. Kuzhalnadan argued that the current push for delimitation is driven by political motives, warning that penalising southern states for their successful implementation of population control and developmental mandates is highly unacceptable and requires urgent national debate before being implemented. The Congress leader pointed out that while southern states contribute over 30 per cent to the national GDP with only 20 per cent of the population, a population-based delimitation would diminish their political voice. He argued it is time to rethink the constitutional framework to ensure that states are rewarded, rather than sidelined, for their economic and developmental progress. If I look at the case of Kerala, the 10th Finance Commission share from the Centre was around 4 per cent. Now, with the 15th Finance Commission, we are getting 1.1 per cent. There is a drastic reduction. The reduction is because we progressed well in literacy, education, and healthcare, he said. Kuzhalnadan emphasised that Indias linguistic state identities are deeply emotional, and warned that penalising states for their progress creates a sense of receiving a "raw deal" from the Centre, which could fuel regional resentment. He further cautioned that pushing delimitation solely on population without addressing these concerns could intensify these emotions and lead to significant political turmoil. Kuzhalnadan advocated for a balanced approach that supports lagging regions without disincentivising high-performing states. He warned that if the current "yardstick" remains, states may lose the motivation to excel if their progress results in diminished political and financial standing. While emphasising that southern states coming together for a fair deal when it comes to delimitation, Kuzhalnadan also gave a glimpse of the federal structure operated in identical democracies. If you look at the United States, they have a federal system where they have a House of Representatives strictly on the population base and a Senate. If you look at the Senate, every state has two Senators. California, which has a population of 39 million, has two representatives, and Wyoming, with less than 1 million population, also has two Senators. That shows every state is being equally represented, and their interests are being taken care of, he said. When asked how a national party like the Congress balances the competing aspirations of the North and the South regarding delimitation, Kuzhalnadan dismissed the idea that such a position is a handicap. "There is a slightly wrong notion of being a national party," he said, explaining that being national does not mean speaking only for the majority, but rather providing a platform where leaders can voice specific regional, linguistic, or cultural identities without being confined by them. He argued that national parties are actually better equipped than regional ones to navigate the complexities of delimitation. "When regional parties take up this issue, it can be seen as divisive or confined to a specific territory," he noted, whereas a national party can effectively mediate these concerns across the country. As the conflict in the Middle East continues to expand and escalate, two drones struck the United States Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday morning. Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry said in a statement that the attack caused a limited fire and some material damage. No injuries have been reported so far. The drone strike came as Iran escalated its retaliation following joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on its territory, targeting neighboring Gulf countries that host US military bases. Drone attack cause fire at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia 2 drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh, resulting in "a limited fire," MoD stated. US issued security alert for citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran, ordering them to shelter in place immediately. pic.twitter.com/MNtWFPuyDk Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 3, 2026 Citing unnamed sources, Reuters reported that a loud explosion was heard and flames were seen at the US Embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday. The report added that black smoke was rising over Riyadhs Diplomatic Quarter, which houses several foreign missions. As regional tensions intensified, the United States issued an urgent advisory urging its citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to what it described as serious safety risks. To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority. Sign up to receive STEP alerts at http://step.state.gov. Get information at @TravelGov and you can call the department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a post on X. In a separate statement, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said: The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The advisory applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. On February 28, US and Israeli forces launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple Iranian cities after negotiations over Tehrans nuclear program collapsed. Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military and security officials, was killed in the strikes, triggering a strong response from the countrys Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel and targeted neighboring countries hosting US military bases, raising concerns of a potential regional war. Reiterating that the safety and well-being of almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region is India's utmost priority, the external affairs ministry said India cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them, while making another fervent appeal to all parties for ending the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. As tensions continue, the ministry, in a statement lamenting the loss of lives, noted, "Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously." The remarks come even as US President Donald Trump said the US has "the capability to go far longer" than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran. The ministry said India has already urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritise the safety of civilians. "We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict," it added. Pointing out that in recent days, the conflict has intensified and spread to other nations, and that destruction and deaths have mounted, while normal life and economic activities have come to a halt, India said, "As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety." "There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being are of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy, it said. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days," the statement from the ministry read. Indian embassies and consulates in the affected countries remain in close touch with Indian nationals and community organisations, issuing regular advisories as appropriate, the ministry said, adding that they have also extended all possible help to those stranded by the conflict. "We are in touch with the governments of this region as well as other key partners. The prime minister and the external affairs minister have held discussions with their counterparts. The government will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest," the release added. Israels intelligence agencies reportedly spent years hacking Irans traffic cameras to track the movements of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before executing a targeted airstrike on his residence on February 28, according to a media report. The Financial Times, based in London, claimed that Israel had hacked the traffic cameras and gained access to mobile phone networks, allowing them to monitor Khameneis movements and security details. The report stated that nearly all traffic cameras in Tehran were compromised, with footage being encrypted and transmitted to Israeli servers. These cameras were also part of the state surveillance system, which helps identify and track protesters and regime opponents. Inside the plan to eliminate Ali Khamenei The Financial Times For years, Israel hacked into almost all of Tehran's traffic cameras: the videos were encrypted and sent to servers in Tel Aviv and the south of the country. One of the cameras was particularly helpful it pic.twitter.com/8jsL8QzSow Elisabeth Eliseeva AKHMAT (@Eliseevanews) March 2, 2026 Israeli agencies reportedly discovered that one particular camera was positioned to capture the area where Khameneis security team parked their cars. Over time, the intelligence agencies gathered details about the guards' addresses, work schedules, and the individuals they were assigned to protect. "We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem," an Israeli intelligence official told the Times. "And when you know [a place] as well as the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place." The report also revealed that Israel had developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and algorithms to sift through the vast data collected on Iran's leadership and their movements. Also, Israeli agencies reportedly disrupted over a dozen mobile phone towers near Pasteur Street, causing phones to appear busy when called. This prevented members of Khamenei's protection detail from receiving potential warnings. On February 28, Khamenei, along with several high-ranking security officials, was killed in a coordinated strike by Israeli and US forces, sparking a fierce retaliation from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The attack raised concerns about the risk of a regional war, as Tehran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel and targeted neighboring countries hosting US military bases. A Mumbai-Dubai Emirates flight had to make a rare double reverse before landing after receiving a missile alert, according to reports. The Emirates flight - EK501- was about to enter the Dubai airspace on Tuesday morning when it received a warning from the UAE Ministry of Defence that the countrys air defences were engaging ballistic missiles from Iran, according to a report by Hindustan Times. On receiving the alert that the plane could be at risk, the pilots performed a rare manoeuvre and were spotted heading back to Mumbai. However, it then reversed its course and headed back to Dubai before receiving the hold from authorities. A double reverse manoeuvre is described as an aerobatic move wherein the aeroplane reverses its path, before reversing again to return twice in quick succession. It is usually done to either shake off a pursuing aircraft or to force an overshoot. Though the UAEs air defence systems intercepted a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles, air travel in the country resumed with limited flights. According to reports, Indian airlines have adjusted schedules, resuming long-haul operations via alternative routes to avoid restricted areas. As many as 10 IndiGo flights also conducted relief services to transport stranded Indians, including from Jeddah. As per data, nearly 13,000 flights have been cancelled across the GCC and Middle East countries since the military conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran broke out on February 28. BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China now effectively conserves more than 80 percent of its nationally protected wild terrestrial animal and plant species, following marked improvement in the quality of wildlife habitats, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced on Tuesday. The overall populations of China's wild fauna and flora are showing a steady upward trend, according to the administration. Latest monitoring data indicates that wild populations of flagship species, including giant pandas, snow leopards and Siberian tigers, have kept growing. Wild populations of endangered plant species have also recorded notable recoveries. The number of Abies beshanzuensis in the wild has exceeded 4,000 individuals, while Manglietiastrum sinicum has grown to 15,000 individuals. The population of Paphiopedilum purpuratum has also increased to more than 200 individuals. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the administration said it will launch a series of key wildlife conservation projects and advance international cooperation regarding giant panda conservation and wildlife treaty compliance, in a bid to promote the high-quality development of wildlife conservation in China. The US attack on Iran has almost obliterated the Iranian Navy, with 11 warships destroyed, including its prestigious drone carrier Shahid Bagheri. Satellite images also showed the naval port of Bandar Abbas, one of Irans prized sea bases, burning for 24 hours following an overnight US attack. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed that it had destroyed 11 Iranian vessels, stating, Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman today it has none. The hit on Shahid Bagheri, a major Iranian Naval vessel, is a major setback to Iran as the 40,000-ton carrier could carry and launch around a formidable fleet of 60 drones and helicopters and could operate in the sea without refuelling for almost a year. The only carrier that has been hit is Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier. U.S. forces struck the vessel within hours of the start of Operation Epic Rage, the American name for the war, CENTCOM said. Continuing from @JosephHDempsey work zooming in on the satellite imagery we can get a picture of which ships were in the areas of the strike Likely Sunk IRIS Sahand IRIS Sabalan IRIS Zagros Heavily Damaged IRIS Makran Possibly Damaged but will need imagery when the https://t.co/lPfzLWW34Y pic.twitter.com/FzRO59LHjI Intelschizo (@Schizointel) March 2, 2026 CENTCOM has also claimed that it struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette that is now sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman. This came as US President Donald Trump claimed that an Iranian naval headquarters had also been significantly attacked. Other than that, theyre doing very well, he said. Soon after, satellite images emerged showing Bandar Abbas base, which hosts the Iranian Navys main headquarters and many of its most capable ships and submarines, burning. The images showed thick black smoke emanating from much of the central portion of the facility. Interestingly, the images also show IRINS Makran, the first forward base ship of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, burning. Moored at a berth at the southern end of the base, Makran has been heavily damaged, while IRIS Sahand, IRIS Sabalan and IRIS Zagros have been partially damaged. While smoke has been seen rising from the military vessels for more than 24 hours, no rescue attempts were spotted, according to The New York Times. The Iranian navy had not taken protective measures for its vessels, the report added. The U.S. military said that among the targets struck were also Iranian navy submarines and anti-ship missile sites. As the conflict escalated further on the fourth day and the US continued its military operation against Iran, President Donald Trump claimed that it was too late for peace talks. "Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said Too Late!" Trump said in a Truth Social post. His remarks come even as reports said the death toll in Iran has risen to 787, including children and school teachers. Trump had earlier said that the conflict could last four to five weeks, but that the US was prepared to go longer. There seems to be no indication of peace as the conflict continued with more strikes and counter-strikes. Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, causing minor damage and sparking a fire, after targeting the diplomatic mission in Kuwait earlier. In response, Washington closed those facilities and directed non-essential government staff and their families to depart several countries across the Middle East. A source told news agency Reuters that Israels campaign was initially planned to span two weeks but was progressing more quickly than anticipated. The source, who is familiar with Israels war strategy, said the objective was to topple Irans clerical leadership, with no fixed timeline for accomplishing that goal. However, according to the source, the Israeli military was moving through its list of targets faster than expected, following early successes that eliminated senior Iranian leaders and dismantled key defence systems. OpenAIs deal with the US Department of War has created a backlash from many of its users who are now mass-cancelling their subscriptions to ChatGPT. Many users are reportedly leaving the AI chatbot and switching to Anthorpics Claude after the company refused to give the Pentagon unrestricted access to its models. Over the weekend, cancel ChatGPT trended across Reddit and X. Reports said that uninstallations of the chatbot's mobile app jumped to 295 per cent on Saturday. ChatGPT downloads also fell by 13 per cent on Saturday. One-star reviews for the app also grew by about 775 per cent on Saturday and then grew by 100 per cent on the following day. Meanwhile, Anthropics Claude surged 37 per cent on Friday and 51 per cent on Saturday. The same day, Claude became the top free app on Apples App Store in the US, according to data from Sensor Tower. In an internal report, the company said that its free users grew by more than 60 per cent. U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered Federal agencies to stop using Anthropic after the company refused the deal. One website that called for the boycott of ChatGPT claims that more than 1.5 million users cancelled their subscriptions. They cite multiple reasons, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans acceptance of the Pentagon deal and their resume screening tool collaboration with the Trump administration's ICE. They also mention OpenAI president Greg Brockman and his wife's $25 million donation to MAGA Inc in 2025 and how Sam Altman donated $1M to Trump's 2025 Inaugural Fund. Altman had reassured on Friday that the deal they made with the Pentagon would have prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and maintain human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems. However, OpenAI immediately jumping to the deal has many wary of the assurance given. In one post, Altman said that he made a mistake and said that he shouldn't have rushed to the deadline on Friday. "The issues are super complex and demand clear communication. We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy. Good learning experience for me as we face higher-stakes decisions in the future, Altman wrote. In his most recent post, Altman said that the company was working with the DoW to make its principles very clear. The democratic process must stay in control, and we must democratize AI. OpenAI should not decide the fate of the world; no private company should. We need to work with governments, but also we need to make sure individuals get increasing power. He also said that he reiterated that Anthropic should not be designated as a Supply Chain Risk, and that we hope the DoW offers them the same terms weve agreed to. Amid escalating Middle East tensions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump Tower received a suspicious package on Monday. The timing of the delivery prompted an immediate response from the NYPD bomb squad and the US Secret Service, disrupting traffic across Midtown Manhattan. However, no evacuations or injuries were reported on the site. According to the police, a 911 call was received around 4:20 pm ET after the Secret Service located the package in the building's mail room at 725 Fifth Avenue. The bomb squad were dispatched to investigate and secure the area. Later, the authorities determined that the package was not a threat. BREAKING: A bomb squad rolled up to Trump Tower in NY after reports of a suspicious package came in. Its already messing with transit service around the area while they check it out. The threat remains unconfirmed!pic.twitter.com/KjKDRiCOnp https://t.co/feE1SHfjos Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 2, 2026 Videos on social media showed multiple police vehicles, fire trucks and tactical officers stationed outside the Fifth Avenue skyscraper. "Police Activity: Expect traffic delays, road closures, mass transit disruptions & emergency personnel near 5th Avenue & West 56th Street, Manhattan. Avoid the area," New York City's emergency notification system posted on X. US law enforcement agencies remained on high alert amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran. Anti-war protesters were reported outside the tower on Monday evening as well. Meanwhile, no arrests were made linked to the incident. Authorities are yet to release more details about the package. Trump Tower, a prominent 58-story landmark housing both corporate offices and luxury residences, remains under constant surveillance and heavy security as a high-profile site linked to President Donald Trump. Following the breakdown of nuclear talks, US and Israeli forces launched a series of strikes on Iran on Feb 28. The confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and key security officials has prompted an immediate vow of retaliation from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 2,827,328 shares, a decline of 45.4% from the January 29th total of 5,181,553 shares. Approximately 6.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 6,826,238 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 6,826,238 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Approximately 6.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of EWA. Comerica Bank increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 21.7% during the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 3,627 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 646 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 48.3% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 59,001 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,553,000 after purchasing an additional 19,204 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc. raised its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 7.6% in the second quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,629 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $280,000 after purchasing an additional 747 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the second quarter worth $337,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.69% of the companys stock. Get iShares MSCI Australia ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Australia ETF Trading Down 0.5% iShares MSCI Australia ETF stock traded down $0.16 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $29.93. The companys stock had a trading volume of 7,866,352 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,847,909. The stocks fifty day moving average is $27.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.38 billion, a PE ratio of 19.89 and a beta of 1.04. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a 1 year low of $20.50 and a 1 year high of $30.24. About iShares MSCI Australia ETF iShares MSCI Australia ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, of publicly traded securities in the Australian market, as represented by the MSCI Australia Index (the Index). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Australian equity market. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Australia ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Australia ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results that management said were well above expectations, citing broad-based comparable sales growth, improved margins, and continued customer traffic gains across most banners. Executives also outlined fiscal 2027 guidance calling for steady comp growth, continued merchandise margin improvement, and ongoing investment in new stores and remodels, while noting they are monitoring a shifting tariff environment. Get alerts: Q4 results topped internal expectations CEO Ernie Herrman said the company delivered an excellent quarter, with sales, profitability, and earnings per share above plan. On an adjusted basis (excluding the net impact of a litigation settlement related to credit card interchange fees and associated expenses), CFO John described Q4 performance as follows: Net sales: $17.7 billion, up 9% year over year $17.7 billion, up 9% year over year Comparable sales: up 5%, on top of a 5% comp in the prior-year quarter up 5%, on top of a 5% comp in the prior-year quarter Adjusted pre-tax profit margin: 12.2%, up 60 basis points from 11.6% 12.2%, up 60 basis points from 11.6% Adjusted gross margin: 31.1%, up 60 basis points from 30.5% 31.1%, up 60 basis points from 30.5% Adjusted SG&A: 19.1% of sales versus 19.2% last year 19.1% of sales versus 19.2% last year Adjusted diluted EPS: $1.43, up 16% from $1.23 Traffic and basket trends, pricing, and customer response John said results benefited primarily from lower shrink and expense leverage on above-plan sales, partially offset by higher incentive compensation accruals. He also noted that comp sales were trending higher before winter storms in North America late in the quarter, with sales picking up again after the storms passed. Management said the Q4 comp was driven by both a higher average basket and an increase in customer transactions. John added that transactions were up across divisions in the quarter, with the exception of HomeGoods, where transactions were essentially flat in Q4; he said HomeGoods transactions had been running up prior to the late-quarter storms. On pricing actions and higher ticket prices, Herrman said changes have been selective and tied to maintaining a value gap versus competitors. He also pointed to mix as a factor, citing more better goods at higher prices at Marmaxx in Q4. Herrman said the company has not seen negative customer reaction and that customer surveys indicated value perception actually improved over the last six months. Executives also said Q4 performance was balanced across income demographics, noting similar comps above and below $100,000 income in the U.S. Full-year performance: sales surpass $60 billion milestone For the full year, TJX reported net sales of $60.4 billion on an adjusted basis, up 7% year over year, with comps up 5%. Herrman highlighted surpassing $60 billion in annual sales as a milestone and said the company believes it attracted new shoppers in every country where it operates. John said full-year adjusted profitability also improved: Adjusted pre-tax profit margin: 11.7% versus 11.5% last year 11.7% versus 11.5% last year Adjusted gross margin: 31.0% versus 30.6% last year, including a 20-basis-point benefit from shrink favorability 31.0% versus 30.6% last year, including a 20-basis-point benefit from shrink favorability Adjusted SG&A: 19.5% versus 19.4% last year 19.5% versus 19.4% last year Adjusted diluted EPS: $4.73 versus $4.26 last year Executives emphasized shrink improvement, with John saying shrink is essentially back to pre-COVID levels after two consecutive years of 20-basis-point improvements. He said the company is not taking the foot off the gas on shrink, but suggested future gains may be smaller now that performance has returned near prior levels. Inventory rose 14% on the balance sheet, with inventory per store up 10%, but management said it feels great about inventory levels given excellent availability in the marketplace. Divisional highlights: HomeGoods tops $10 billion and international expansion continues Herrman said every division posted comp sales growth of 4% or better for the year and attracted new shoppers. He provided the following divisional updates: Marmaxx: Full-year sales of $36.6 billion; comp sales up 4% with strength in apparel and home; adjusted segment profit margin of 14.4%. Full-year sales of $36.6 billion; comp sales up 4% with strength in apparel and home; adjusted segment profit margin of 14.4%. HomeGoods: Annual sales surpassed $10 billion; comps up 5%; 27 stores opened; adjusted segment profit margin of 12%. Executives said HomeGoods benefited from sales leverage, merchandise margin improvement, freight favorability, shrink, and operational efficiencies. Annual sales surpassed $10 billion; comps up 5%; 27 stores opened; adjusted segment profit margin of 12%. Executives said HomeGoods benefited from sales leverage, merchandise margin improvement, freight favorability, shrink, and operational efficiencies. TJX Canada: Sales of $5.6 billion; comps up 7%; constant-currency adjusted segment profit margin of 13.8%. Sales of $5.6 billion; comps up 7%; constant-currency adjusted segment profit margin of 13.8%. TJX International: Sales of $8.0 billion; comps up 4% with strength in Europe and Australia; constant-currency adjusted segment profit margin improved to 7.3%. Herrman said the company expects to open its first stores in Spain in the spring. Herrman also discussed the companys joint venture in Mexico and minority investment in the Middle East, saying the Mexico business has made progress in merchandising and Brands For Less stores in the Middle East continue to perform well with plans for additional store openings. Fiscal 2027 outlook: steady comps, store growth, and shareholder returns Looking ahead, John guided to fiscal 2027 comp sales growth of 2% to 3% and sales of $62.7 billion to $63.3 billion, up 4% to 5%. The company expects pre-tax profit margin of 11.7% to 11.8% and gross margin of 31.1% to 31.2%, driven by an expected increase in merchandise margin. Full-year diluted EPS is projected at $4.93 to $5.02. Management said it is evaluating the potential impact of a recent ruling on tariffs and monitoring the changing tariff environment, but the companys full-year guidance assumes it will be able to offset tariff pressure. For Q1, TJX expects comps up 2% to 3%, sales of $13.8 billion to $13.9 billion, and diluted EPS of $0.97 to $0.99. The company forecast Q1 gross margin improvement driven by favorable inventory hedge comparisons and higher merchandise margin, while SG&A is expected to be higher as a percent of sales due primarily to incremental store wage and payroll costs. On capital allocation, John said TJX plans capital expenditures of $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion and expects to add 146 net new stores in fiscal 2027, with about 540 remodels and approximately 40 relocations. He also said the company expects its board to increase the quarterly dividend by 13% to $0.48 per share and plans to repurchase $2.5 billion to $2.75 billion of stock in fiscal 2027. About TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) TJX Companies, Inc is a leading off-price retailer of apparel, footwear, home fashions and other consumer goods. The company operates multiple retail concepts that offer discounted brand-name and designer merchandise, including well-known banners such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls in the United States, HomeGoods for home furnishings, TK Maxx in parts of Europe, and Winners and Homesense in Canada. Merchandise categories span womens, mens and childrens apparel, accessories, beauty, home decor, kitchenware and small furniture, with frequent changes in assortment that create a treasure-hunt shopping experience for consumers. The companys business model centers on opportunistic buying, purchasing excess, irregular or out-of-season inventory from manufacturers, department stores and other suppliers, and passing savings to customers through lower prices. Featured Articles First Horizon Corporation (NYSE:FHN Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the twenty analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $26.6579. Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of First Horizon from $28.00 to $28.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of First Horizon in a report on Monday, December 29th. Truist Financial set a $27.00 price target on shares of First Horizon in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on First Horizon in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. They set a buy rating and a $28.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group reissued a buy rating and issued a $29.00 target price on shares of First Horizon in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Get First Horizon alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on First Horizon Insider Activity Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Horizon In related news, EVP Anthony J. Restel sold 5,719 shares of First Horizon stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.35, for a total value of $139,257.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 619,132 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,075,864.20. The trade was a 0.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Corporate insiders own 1.04% of the companys stock. Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of First Horizon by 102.5% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,709,434 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $33,197,000 after acquiring an additional 865,109 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of First Horizon by 156.7% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,794 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,095 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in First Horizon by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 106,607 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,260,000 after purchasing an additional 6,648 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in First Horizon by 1,579.8% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,083 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 1,959 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strs Ohio lifted its holdings in First Horizon by 7.3% in the 2nd quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 346,908 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,354,000 after buying an additional 23,503 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.28% of the companys stock. First Horizon Trading Up 1.6% NYSE FHN opened at $24.16 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $24.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $23.07. First Horizon has a twelve month low of $15.19 and a twelve month high of $26.56. The company has a market capitalization of $11.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.85, a PEG ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.61. First Horizon (NYSE:FHN Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $888.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $863.87 million. First Horizon had a return on equity of 11.21% and a net margin of 19.67%.During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.43 EPS. Research analysts forecast that First Horizon will post 1.67 EPS for the current fiscal year. First Horizon Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. This is a boost from First Horizons previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. First Horizons payout ratio is currently 31.91%. First Horizon Company Profile (Get Free Report) First Horizon Corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, is a diversified financial services company providing an array of retail, commercial and wealth management solutions. As the largest bank-based financial services firm in Tennessee, First Horizon operates through a network of branches and digital platforms across the Southeastern United States, offering personal and business banking, mortgage origination and servicing, payment solutions and treasury management services. Tracing its origins to the First National Bank of Memphis established in 1864, First Horizon has grown through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion to serve customers in Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for First Horizon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Horizon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:TG Get Free Report) major shareholder William Gottwald sold 12,007 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.99, for a total transaction of $107,942.93. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 529,438 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,759,647.62. The trade was a 2.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a companys shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC. Tredegar Stock Up 4.2% Shares of TG stock opened at $9.57 on Tuesday. Tredegar Corporation has a 52 week low of $6.25 and a 52 week high of $9.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $334.09 million, a PE ratio of -6.06 and a beta of 0.63. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $8.33 and a two-hundred day moving average of $7.91. Get Tredegar alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth TG has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised Tredegar from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Tredegar in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Sell rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Sell. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Tredegar A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of TG. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its stake in Tredegar by 531.0% in the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,376 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 2,841 shares in the last quarter. Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Tredegar during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its position in shares of Tredegar by 53.2% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 5,273 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 1,830 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its holdings in shares of Tredegar by 225.3% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,889 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 4,771 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Heron Bay Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Tredegar during the 4th quarter worth about $76,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.24% of the companys stock. About Tredegar (Get Free Report) Tredegar Corporation is a diversified manufacturer specializing in high-performance plastic films and aluminum extrusions. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company operates through two primary segmentsFilms and Manufactured Productsserving a broad range of industries that include flexible packaging, medical devices, electronics, building and construction. Tredegars operations focus on delivering tailored solutions that meet demanding specifications for barrier properties, film strength and extrusion tolerances. The Films segment produces a variety of polyolefin films, including cast and blown polyethylene, BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene), barrier films and specialty medical-grade films. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Tredegar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tredegar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CS Disco, Inc. (NYSE:LAW Get Free Report) Director Krishna Srinivasan purchased 40,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $3.25 per share, with a total value of $130,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 45,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146,250. This represents a 800.00% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Krishna Srinivasan also recently made the following trade(s): Get CS Disco alerts: On Thursday, February 26th, Krishna Srinivasan purchased 5,000 shares of CS Disco stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $2.77 per share, for a total transaction of $13,850.00. CS Disco Price Performance NYSE LAW opened at $3.50 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $221.65 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.86 and a beta of 2.08. CS Disco, Inc. has a 12 month low of $2.45 and a 12 month high of $9.11. The companys fifty day moving average price is $5.72 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $6.24. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded CS Disco from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on CS Disco from $6.00 to $8.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of CS Disco in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price target on CS Disco from $9.00 to $6.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and set a $10.00 price objective on shares of CS Disco in a research note on Thursday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $8.00. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CS Disco Hedge Funds Weigh In On CS Disco Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LAW. CWM LLC raised its position in shares of CS Disco by 73.5% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 2,035 shares during the period. Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd acquired a new position in CS Disco during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $62,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its stake in CS Disco by 87.1% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 9,968 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 4,639 shares during the last quarter. Algert Global LLC acquired a new stake in CS Disco in the third quarter worth $70,000. Finally, Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC acquired a new stake in CS Disco in the second quarter worth $51,000. 58.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About CS Disco (Get Free Report) CS Disco, Inc is a provider of cloud-native, artificial intelligence-driven legal applications designed to streamline e-discovery, document review and compliance processes for law firms and corporate legal departments. The Austin, Texasbased company offers a unified platform that automates labor-intensive tasks using machine learning and predictive analytics, enabling legal professionals to process, search and review large volumes of data with greater speed and accuracy. At the core of CS Discos product suite is its flagship e-discovery application, which supports early case assessment, data processing, review analytics and production workflows. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for CS Disco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CS Disco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HSBC downgraded shares of Diageo (NYSE:DEO Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Several other research firms also recently issued reports on DEO. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $124.00 price target on Diageo and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised Diageo from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Barclays reissued an overweight rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Diageo from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $116.50. Get Diageo alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Diageo Diageo Price Performance Institutional Trading of Diageo Shares of DEO stock opened at $86.60 on Monday. Diageo has a 12-month low of $84.52 and a 12-month high of $116.69. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $91.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $95.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 1.60. Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Diageo during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 3,885.7% in the 3rd quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 279 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 272 shares during the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 123.6% during the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 322 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of Diageo by 94.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 292 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Finally, New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Diageo in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the companys stock. Diageo Company Profile (Get Free Report) Diageo plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of alcoholic beverages, headquartered in London, England. The company was created through the 1997 merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan plc and is publicly traded on multiple exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange. Diageo operates a worldwide business, selling products in a broad range of markets across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Diageos core activities cover the production, marketing and sale of a diverse portfolio of spirits, beer and liqueurs. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Diageo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Diageo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Photo taken on March 2, 2026 shows smoke rising over Bir Hassan after bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes hit the Jnah and Bir Hassan areas in Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday evening, the first strikes near central Beirut since a ceasefire in November 2024, local broadcaster al-Jadeed reported. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) BEIRUT, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes hit the Jnah and Bir Hassan areas in Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday evening, the first strikes near central Beirut since a ceasefire in November 2024, local broadcaster al-Jadeed reported. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hezbollah official but gave no further details. Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the government said, updating an earlier toll of 31 dead and 149 injured. The bombardment of southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs displaced more than 28,500 people, the government's disaster management unit reported. Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammed Raad, who heads the group's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, criticized a government decision declaring all armed activity outside state control illegal. He said the move targets groups confronting Israeli attacks while failing to halt what he described as ongoing aggression. Raad's statement came hours after social media reports claimed he had been killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahieh. His remarks appeared to refute those claims. He said Hezbollah's response to Israeli escalation signaled rejection of "submission" and the idea that reconciliation with Israel is the only path to security. Earlier Monday, Lebanon's Cabinet declared all military and security activity outside state authority illegal, affirming that decisions on war and peace rest solely with state institutions. It ordered security agencies to prevent rocket or drone launches from Lebanese territory, called for restricting weapons north of the Litani River, which runs roughly parallel to the frontier, and urged intensified diplomatic efforts to stop Israeli attacks. This photo taken on March 2, 2026 show the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in the town of Hosh al-Rafqa, near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the government said, updating an earlier toll of 31 dead and 149 injured. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) This photo taken on March 2, 2026 show the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in the town of Hosh al-Rafqa, near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the government said, updating an earlier toll of 31 dead and 149 injured. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) This photo taken on March 2, 2026 show the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in the town of Hosh al-Rafqa, near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the government said, updating an earlier toll of 31 dead and 149 injured. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) This photo taken on March 2, 2026 show the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in the town of Hosh al-Rafqa, near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the government said, updating an earlier toll of 31 dead and 149 injured. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) Fox Run Management L.L.C. trimmed its position in shares of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI Free Report) by 81.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,567 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 6,966 shares during the period. Fox Run Management L.L.C.s holdings in Armstrong World Industries were worth $307,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in AWI. Waddell & Associates LLC bought a new position in shares of Armstrong World Industries during the third quarter valued at approximately $226,000. AXQ Capital LP lifted its stake in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 22.9% during the 3rd quarter. AXQ Capital LP now owns 1,986 shares of the construction companys stock worth $389,000 after acquiring an additional 370 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Armstrong World Industries by 37.8% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,067 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $405,000 after acquiring an additional 567 shares during the period. Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its position in Armstrong World Industries by 12.2% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,012 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $198,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Koshinski Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Armstrong World Industries in the third quarter worth $338,000. Institutional investors own 98.93% of the companys stock. Get Armstrong World Industries alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets AWI has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating on shares of Armstrong World Industries in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Armstrong World Industries in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Armstrong World Industries presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $211.43. Armstrong World Industries Trading Down 0.9% NYSE:AWI opened at $171.90 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $191.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $192.21. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. has a one year low of $122.37 and a one year high of $206.08. The firm has a market cap of $7.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.46. Armstrong World Industries (NYSE:AWI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The construction company reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.67 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $388.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $400.87 million. Armstrong World Industries had a net margin of 19.05% and a return on equity of 37.80%. Armstrong World Industriess revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.50 earnings per share. Armstrong World Industries has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.050-8.350 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Armstrong World Industries, Inc. will post 6.18 EPS for the current fiscal year. Armstrong World Industries Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 5th will be issued a $0.339 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 5th. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Armstrong World Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.21%. Armstrong World Industries Company Profile (Free Report) Armstrong World Industries, Inc is a leading global manufacturer of commercial ceiling and wall solutions. The company offers a diverse portfolio of acoustical, decorative and specialty ceiling systems designed to enhance interior environments in offices, healthcare facilities, schools, retail outlets and other non-residential settings. Through its focus on performance, aesthetics and sustainability, Armstrong World Industries addresses both functional and design requirements for architects, contractors and building owners. Armstrongs product range includes mineral fiber, fiberglass, wood wool, metal and stone wool ceiling panels, as well as suspension and grid systems. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Armstrong World Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Armstrong World Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Family Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Timothy Plan International ETF (NYSEARCA:TPIF Free Report) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 21,015 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $701,000. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Winnow Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Timothy Plan International ETF during the third quarter worth approximately $56,000. Values First Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Timothy Plan International ETF by 34.6% during the 3rd quarter. Values First Advisors Inc. now owns 2,769 shares of the companys stock worth $92,000 after acquiring an additional 712 shares during the period. Kavar Capital Partners Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Timothy Plan International ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at $204,000. 49 Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Timothy Plan International ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $219,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its position in shares of Timothy Plan International ETF by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 7,452 shares of the companys stock worth $241,000 after purchasing an additional 484 shares during the last quarter. Get Timothy Plan International ETF alerts: Timothy Plan International ETF Stock Down 1.2% Shares of Timothy Plan International ETF stock opened at $38.19 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $36.53 and a 200 day simple moving average of $34.64. The stock has a market cap of $215.77 million, a PE ratio of 16.22 and a beta of 0.84. Timothy Plan International ETF has a 12 month low of $25.85 and a 12 month high of $38.85. Timothy Plan International ETF Cuts Dividend Timothy Plan International ETF Profile The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 9th were given a dividend of $0.0075 per share. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 9th. (Free Report) The Timothy Plan International ETF (TPIF) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in large cap equity. The fund tracks a volatility-weighted index of international stocks screened for defined Christian values. TPIF was launched on Dec 2, 2019 and is managed by Timothy. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TPIF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Timothy Plan International ETF (NYSEARCA:TPIF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Timothy Plan International ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Timothy Plan International ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Strive Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 10,000 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $4,043,000. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of WSO. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. raised its holdings in Watsco by 242.9% during the second quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 72 shares of the construction companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its stake in shares of Watsco by 2,366.7% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 74 shares of the construction companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Watsco during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. Capital A Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Watsco by 4,700.0% in the 2nd quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 96 shares of the construction companys stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in Watsco by 1,300.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 112 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.71% of the companys stock. Get Watsco alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets WSO has been the subject of a number of research reports. KeyCorp restated a sector weight rating on shares of Watsco in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Zacks Research raised shares of Watsco from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Mizuho set a $425.00 price objective on Watsco in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. UBS Group assumed coverage on Watsco in a report on Monday, January 5th. They set a neutral rating and a $370.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $349.00 price target on Watsco in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Watsco presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $409.00. Watsco Stock Down 1.4% Shares of Watsco stock opened at $411.45 on Tuesday. Watsco, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $323.05 and a fifty-two week high of $533.07. The businesss fifty day moving average is $386.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is $377.85. The firm has a market cap of $16.69 billion, a PE ratio of 33.98 and a beta of 1.03. Watsco (NYSE:WSO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The construction company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.94 by ($0.26). Watsco had a net margin of 6.87% and a return on equity of 15.49%. The business had revenue of $1.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.37 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Watsco, Inc. will post 14.62 EPS for the current year. Watsco Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Friday, January 16th were issued a $3.00 dividend. This represents a $12.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 16th. Watscos payout ratio is presently 99.09%. About Watsco (Free Report) Watsco, Inc is the largest distributor of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) equipment, parts and supplies in the United States. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, the company operates a network of more than 600 branches across the continental U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Watsco serves residential and commercial contractors by providing essential components for climate control systems, including air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, coils, refrigerants, controls and electrical and piping supplies. Founded in 1947, Watsco has grown from a single regional distributor into an industry leader through a combination of organic expansion, acquisitions and strategic partnerships with original equipment manufacturers such as Carrier, Trane, Goodman and Lennox. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WSO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Watsco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Watsco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Strive Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Molina Healthcare, Inc (NYSE:MOH Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 10,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,914,000. Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare during the second quarter valued at about $212,113,000. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Molina Healthcare by 25.9% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,601,574 shares of the companys stock worth $477,109,000 after purchasing an additional 329,759 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Molina Healthcare in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $56,592,000. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. purchased a new stake in Molina Healthcare in the third quarter valued at approximately $52,813,000. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP acquired a new position in Molina Healthcare during the second quarter worth $79,665,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.50% of the companys stock. Get Molina Healthcare alerts: Molina Healthcare Price Performance Shares of MOH opened at $152.14 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.77 and a beta of 0.52. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $167.63 and its 200-day simple moving average is $168.72. Molina Healthcare, Inc has a twelve month low of $121.06 and a twelve month high of $359.97. The company has a current ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Molina Healthcare ( NYSE:MOH Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported ($2.75) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.43 by ($3.18). The business had revenue of $11.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.90 billion. Molina Healthcare had a net margin of 1.04% and a return on equity of 13.60%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.05 EPS. Molina Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000- EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Molina Healthcare, Inc will post 24.4 EPS for the current fiscal year. Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Molina Healthcare from $167.00 to $124.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Mizuho set a $220.00 price target on shares of Molina Healthcare in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $141.00 price objective on shares of Molina Healthcare and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald reduced their target price on shares of Molina Healthcare from $180.00 to $144.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $160.00 price target on shares of Molina Healthcare in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $157.86. View Our Latest Research Report on MOH Molina Healthcare Profile (Free Report) Molina Healthcare, Inc is a managed care company specializing in government-sponsored health insurance programs. The company offers Medicaid managed care plans, Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, and individual Marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act. Through an integrated care model, Molina emphasizes preventive and primary care services, care coordination, and disease management to improve health outcomes for its members. The company traces its roots to the early 1980s, when Dr. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MOH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Molina Healthcare, Inc (NYSE:MOH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Molina Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Molina Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Strive Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 10,000 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $1,590,000. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC bought a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 3rd quarter valued at about $909,000. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,139 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,294,000 after buying an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co grew its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 11,175 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,776,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 24,494,146 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,893,590,000 after buying an additional 448,960 shares during the period. Finally, Journey Strategic Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 8,180 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,300,000 after acquiring an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. 84.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Morgan Stanley news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 30,330 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.62, for a total value of $5,569,194.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 280,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,501,921.22. This trade represents a 9.76% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Charles A. Smith sold 8,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.08, for a total value of $1,547,680.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 119,128 shares in the company, valued at $21,690,826.24. The trade was a 6.66% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 129,191 shares of company stock worth $23,736,506 in the last ninety days. 0.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Morgan Stanley News Summary Morgan Stanley Stock Up 0.1% Here are the key news stories impacting Morgan Stanley this week: MS stock opened at $166.64 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $264.60 billion, a PE ratio of 16.32, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.39. Morgan Stanley has a twelve month low of $94.33 and a twelve month high of $192.68. The stocks 50 day moving average is $179.57 and its 200-day moving average is $167.47. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $2.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.40. The business had revenue of $17.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.69 billion. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 16.78% and a net margin of 14.09%.Morgan Stanleys quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.22 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Morgan Stanley will post 8.56 EPS for the current fiscal year. Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. Morgan Stanleys payout ratio is 39.18%. Analyst Ratings Changes MS has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Evercore downgraded Morgan Stanley from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Morgan Stanley from $177.00 to $189.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Dbs Bank upgraded Morgan Stanley to a moderate buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Morgan Stanley currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $185.93. Get Our Latest Analysis on MS Morgan Stanley Company Profile (Free Report) Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1935 by Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley, the company provides a broad range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions and individual investors. Leadership has been guided by a senior executive team and board of directors; James P. Gorman has served as the companys chief executive and chairman in recent years. The firms primary business activities are organized around three principal businesses: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pampa Energia (NYSE:PAM Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The utilities provider reported $3.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.65 by $2.35, Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $507.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $737.30 billion. Pampa Energia had a net margin of 18.87% and a return on equity of 10.75%. Here are the key takeaways from Pampa Energias conference call: Get Pampa Energia alerts: Rincon de Aranda ramped materially (20k bpd target reached, Q4 avg 17.1k bpd) and contributed $126M EBITDA in 2025, with targets of ~28k bpd by mid?2026 and a 45k bpd plateau in 2027. ramped materially (20k bpd target reached, Q4 avg 17.1k bpd) and contributed $126M EBITDA in 2025, with targets of ~28k bpd by mid?2026 and a 45k bpd plateau in 2027. The power segment improved under new wholesale rules (Q4 power EBITDA +28% to $111M), and Pampa plans to self?procure ~40% of gas for its plants in 2026 to capture higher margins and vertical synergies. improved under new wholesale rules (Q4 power EBITDA +28% to $111M), and Pampa plans to self?procure ~40% of gas for its plants in 2026 to capture higher margins and vertical synergies. Financials strengthened consolidated EBITDA exceeded $1B, Q4 adjusted EBITDA was $230M (+26% y/y), year?end cash ~ $1.1B and net leverage ~1.1x after issuing a long?dated 2037 bond to extend debt maturity. Aggressive investment profile record CapEx of ~$1.4B in 2025 and a ~ $1.1B 2026 budget (?$1B to E&P) will drive about $500M negative cash flow this year, and management does not plan dividends in the near term. Operations and pricing are mixed production is seasonal (Q4 q/q decline), gas sales fell q/q, and while oil is hedged one year forward (providing downside protection), current hedges are producing mark?to?market losses versus spot Brent. Pampa Energia Trading Up 0.4% Shares of Pampa Energia stock opened at $78.90 on Friday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $82.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $77.82. Pampa Energia has a 12-month low of $54.95 and a 12-month high of $94.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 3.11 and a quick ratio of 2.33. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently issued reports on PAM. Zacks Research cut Pampa Energia from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Wednesday, December 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Pampa Energia in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Pampa Energia from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $113.00. View Our Latest Stock Report on Pampa Energia Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. PointState Capital LP purchased a new stake in Pampa Energia in the 4th quarter worth approximately $24,006,000. Seldon Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Pampa Energia during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $12,582,000. Invesco Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Pampa Energia during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $9,736,000. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pampa Energia by 85.4% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 162,521 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $12,547,000 after acquiring an additional 74,841 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. lifted its stake in Pampa Energia by 160.2% in the fourth quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. now owns 120,557 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,560,000 after acquiring an additional 74,228 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 12.77% of the companys stock. About Pampa Energia (Get Free Report) Pampa Energia SA is Argentinas largest independent energy company, with integrated operations spanning electricity generation, transmission, distribution and oil and gas activities. The company holds a diversified portfolio of thermal and hydroelectric power plants, along with growing investments in renewable energy projects, serving both domestic and regional markets. In its electricity business, Pampa Energia develops and operates plants that supply energy to Argentinas power grid. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pampa Energia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pampa Energia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky lifted its stake in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) by 8.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 274,950 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 21,100 shares during the quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys holdings in Novartis were worth $35,259,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Novartis in the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Country Trust Bank increased its holdings in Novartis by 47.4% during the 3rd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 342 shares of the companys stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP increased its holdings in shares of Novartis by 28.0% in the second quarter. Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP now owns 448 shares of the companys stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its holdings in Novartis by 1,804.2% during the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 457 shares of the companys stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 433 shares during the last quarter. 13.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Novartis alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. TD Cowen reissued a hold rating on shares of Novartis in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Novartis from a buy (b) rating to a buy (a-) rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Novartis from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $119.75. Novartis Stock Down 1.0% Shares of NYSE:NVS opened at $166.96 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $352.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.49. Novartis AG has a 1 year low of $97.71 and a 1 year high of $170.46. The businesss 50-day moving average is $150.51 and its 200-day moving average is $136.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 0.89. Novartis (NYSE:NVS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $2.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.99 by $0.04. Novartis had a return on equity of 40.53% and a net margin of 25.65%.The business had revenue of $13.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.98 EPS. The firms revenue was up 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Novartis AG will post 8.45 earnings per share for the current year. Novartis Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced an annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 11th will be given a dividend of $4.773 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 312.0%. Novartiss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.31%. About Novartis (Free Report) Novartis is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel that researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines and related health-care products. Formed through the 1996 merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, Novartis operates globally and focuses on bringing therapeutics from discovery through clinical development to commercial markets worldwide. The companys activities center on innovative pharmaceuticals across several therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuroscience and ophthalmology, alongside capabilities in advanced therapies such as biologics, cell and gene therapies. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky decreased its holdings in shares of Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report) by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 227,221 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 8,520 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys holdings in Phillips 66 were worth $30,907,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of PSX. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC grew its stake in Phillips 66 by 164.6% in the 3rd quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 31,009 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $4,282,000 after buying an additional 19,288 shares during the last quarter. Riverview Capital Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Phillips 66 by 1.1% during the third quarter. Riverview Capital Advisers LLC now owns 21,473 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,921,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares during the period. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Phillips 66 by 50.4% during the third quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 64,042 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $8,711,000 after acquiring an additional 21,458 shares during the period. Paragon Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Phillips 66 by 1.3% in the third quarter. Paragon Capital Management LLC now owns 13,292 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,808,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Phillips 66 by 21.5% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 9,381 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,276,000 after purchasing an additional 1,661 shares during the period. 76.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Phillips 66 alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms recently issued reports on PSX. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Phillips 66 from $152.00 to $164.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and set a $158.00 target price on shares of Phillips 66 in a report on Friday, February 20th. Barclays set a $158.00 price target on shares of Phillips 66 in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Phillips 66 from $150.00 to $152.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, UBS Group restated a buy rating and set a $172.00 target price on shares of Phillips 66 in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Phillips 66 presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $160.11. Insider Buying and Selling at Phillips 66 In other news, EVP Don Baldridge sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $1,200,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 38,488 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,158,080. The trade was a 16.31% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Vanessa Allen Sutherland sold 4,394 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $659,100.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 25,799 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,869,850. This represents a 14.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 16,288 shares of company stock worth $2,496,230. Corporate insiders own 0.22% of the companys stock. Phillips 66 Trading Up 3.8% Shares of Phillips 66 stock opened at $160.17 on Tuesday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $144.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $137.64. The company has a market capitalization of $64.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.80, a PEG ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Phillips 66 has a 12-month low of $91.01 and a 12-month high of $163.79. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The oil and gas company reported $2.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.15 by $0.32. The company had revenue of $32.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.81 billion. Phillips 66 had a net margin of 3.22% and a return on equity of 9.13%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.15) EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Phillips 66 will post 6.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Phillips 66 Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 4th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 23rd will be issued a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 23rd. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. This is a boost from Phillips 66s previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. Phillips 66s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.95%. Phillips 66 Profile (Free Report) Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is an independent energy manufacturing and logistics company engaged primarily in refining, midstream transportation, marketing and chemicals. The company processes crude oil into transportation fuels, lubricants and other petroleum products, operates pipeline and storage infrastructure, and participates in petrochemical production through strategic investments. Phillips 66 serves commercial, industrial and retail customers and positions its operations across the value chain of the downstream energy sector. The companys principal activities include refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and feedstocks for petrochemical production; operating midstream assets such as pipelines, terminals and fractionators that move and store crude oil and natural gas liquids; and marketing and distributing fuels and lubricants through wholesale and retail channels. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Phillips 66 Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Phillips 66 and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Free Report) by 74.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 238,774 shares of the banks stock after buying an additional 102,000 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentuckys holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $26,017,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of BK. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 71,092,148 shares of the banks stock worth $6,477,206,000 after purchasing an additional 517,081 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 4.3% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 18,898,373 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,717,074,000 after purchasing an additional 785,478 shares in the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership grew its holdings in Bank of New York Mellon by 0.9% during the second quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 15,803,214 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,439,831,000 after purchasing an additional 139,544 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon during the second quarter valued at about $1,081,847,000. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. increased its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 36.4% in the third quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 2,166,052 shares of the banks stock worth $236,013,000 after buying an additional 577,621 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.31% of the companys stock. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Bank of New York Mellon Trading Up 0.4% Shares of BK opened at $119.57 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $82.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation has a 1 year low of $70.46 and a 1 year high of $128.76. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $119.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $112.38. Bank of New York Mellon Announces Dividend 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 firm had revenue of $5.07 billion during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 13.62% and a return on equity of 14.37%. On average, equities analysts expect that The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation will post 6.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 23rd. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is 28.61%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently weighed in on BK. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $133.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $119.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. New Street Research set a $143.00 price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $120.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $131.92. View Our Latest Stock Report on Bank of New York Mellon Bank of New York Mellon Company Profile (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. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Free Report). 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. Red Hill Minerals Limited (ASX:RHI Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Tuesday, March 3rd, MarketIndexAU Dividends reports. Investors of record on Monday, March 23rd will be given a dividend of 0.116 per share on Monday, March 23rd. This represents a yield of 230.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Sunday, March 8th. Red Hill Minerals Stock Performance The company has a market cap of $330.90 million, a PE ratio of 36.26 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a quick ratio of 5.16, a current ratio of 10.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Get Red Hill Minerals alerts: About Red Hill Minerals (Get Free Report) See Also Red Hill Minerals Limited engages in the exploration of gold and base metals in Western Australia. It also explores for battery metals and aggregates. The company holds 100% interest in the Red Hill Minerals West Pilbara project covering 1,600 square kilometers, located adjacent to the western margin of the Hamersley Basin. It holds 100% interests in the Pannawonica iron ore project; and the Three Peaks Hard Rock Deposit. The company was formerly known as Red Hill Iron Limited and changed its name to Red Hill Minerals Limited in December 2022. Receive News & Ratings for Red Hill Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Red Hill Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JOHANNESBURG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The South African government has urged its citizens in Israel to evaluate their personal safety and act without delay amid escalating regional tensions, according to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). In an advisory issued on Monday, DIRCO said that safety takes absolute precedence and advised avoiding unnecessary movement. "If you feel unsafe or uncertain, we strongly advise that you act without delay," it said. The warning comes after intensive airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday, which have led several countries in the Middle East, including Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Bahrain, to partially or fully close their airspace. DIRCO recommended South Africans consider land border crossings with Jordan and Egypt as primary evacuation routes, citing the Allenby Crossing to Jordan and the Taba Crossing to Egypt. Additionally, the government urged all citizens in the Middle East to contact relevant South African embassies to ensure they are registered and their whereabouts are known. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. trimmed its position in shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report) by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,838,973 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 70,343 shares during the period. Deere & Company comprises 1.1% of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.s holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. owned approximately 1.05% of Deere & Company worth $1,298,149,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new stake in shares of Deere & Company in the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Activest Wealth Management increased its stake in Deere & Company by 69.2% in the third quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 66 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the period. United Community Bank grew its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 67.3% in the third quarter. United Community Bank now owns 92 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Lynch Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Deere & Company in the 3rd quarter worth about $46,000. Finally, Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new stake in Deere & Company in the 3rd quarter valued at about $46,000. Institutional investors own 68.58% of the companys stock. Get Deere & Company alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently weighed in on DE shares. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $765.00 price target on shares of Deere & Company in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on Deere & Company from $541.00 to $736.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on Deere & Company from $521.00 to $615.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating and set a $715.00 target price on shares of Deere & Company in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Deere & Company from $515.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Deere & Company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $637.70. Deere & Company Stock Up 0.2% Deere & Company stock opened at $631.04 on Tuesday. Deere & Company has a 1-year low of $404.42 and a 1-year high of $674.19. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $541.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $496.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 1.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $170.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.57, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.96. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The industrial products company reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.52. Deere & Company had a return on equity of 18.93% and a net margin of 10.29%.The company had revenue of $9.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.50 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.19 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Deere & Company will post 19.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. Deere & Company Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. Deere & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.53%. Insider Activity at Deere & Company In other Deere & Company news, CEO John C. May II sold 41,472 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.49, for a total transaction of $20,797,793.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 117,970 shares in the company, valued at approximately $59,160,775.30. The trade was a 26.01% 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 Cory J. Reed sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated 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 of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,603,920. The trade was a 36.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Deere & Company 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. Read More 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. Oak Grove Capital LLC lessened its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 34.7% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 25,022 shares of the companys stock after selling 13,282 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 2.7% of Oak Grove Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Oak Grove Capital LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $19,092,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Steph & Co. raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% in the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 263.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 40 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Freedom Capital raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $976.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,200.00 to $1,280.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,150.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,230.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,229.59. Eli Lilly and Company Stock Down 3.2% LLY stock opened at $1,017.97 on Tuesday. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $623.78 and a fifty-two week high of $1,133.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $1,051.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $934.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $960.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.36, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.40. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $7.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.48 by $0.06. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 102.94% and a net margin of 31.66%.The business had revenue of $19.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $5.32 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 42.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 33.500-35.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $1.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.15%. Eli Lilly and Company News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM Free Report) by 33.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,925,237 shares of the basic materials companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,244,845 shares during the quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Newmont were worth $414,270,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in NEM. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Newmont during the 2nd quarter worth about $919,170,000. Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in Newmont by 45.0% during the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 15,587,917 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $908,152,000 after purchasing an additional 4,839,447 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc increased its position in Newmont by 6.3% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 7,444,729 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $433,236,000 after buying an additional 438,748 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners increased its position in Newmont by 4,090.7% during the second quarter. Boston Partners now owns 4,643,057 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $272,558,000 after buying an additional 4,532,263 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service raised its stake in Newmont by 2.7% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 4,354,264 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $367,108,000 after buying an additional 114,949 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.85% of the companys stock. Get Newmont alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Argus lifted their target price on Newmont from $75.00 to $94.00 in a research note on Friday, November 21st. National Bank Financial raised their price target on Newmont from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on shares of Newmont from $111.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on shares of Newmont from $115.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Newmont from $136.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $129.73. Newmont Stock Down 0.9% NEM stock opened at $128.82 on Tuesday. Newmont Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $41.93 and a fifty-two week high of $134.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 2.29 and a quick ratio of 2.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $140.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.16, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.39. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $116.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $95.77. Newmont (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The basic materials company reported $2.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.81 by $0.71. Newmont had a net margin of 31.25% and a return on equity of 23.28%. The company had revenue of $6.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.18 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.40 earnings per share. Newmonts quarterly revenue was up 20.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Newmont Corporation will post 3.45 earnings per share for the current year. Newmont Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. This is a boost from Newmonts previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Newmonts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.65%. About Newmont (Free Report) Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) is a leading global gold mining company engaged in the exploration, development, processing and reclamation of gold properties. The companys core business centers on the production of gold, with additional byproduct metals produced from its operations. Newmont operates a portfolio of long?lived mines and development projects, and its activities span the full mine life cycle from early-stage exploration through to mining, milling and closure. Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Newmont has grown through organic development and strategic acquisitions. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NEM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Newmont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) had its target price upped by research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $115.00 to $130.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the energy producers stock. BMO Capital Markets price objective points to a potential upside of 9.69% from the companys previous close. COP has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Zacks Research lowered shares of ConocoPhillips from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Friday. Capital One Financial lifted their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $98.00 to $103.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed an underperform rating and set a $102.00 price target on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research report on Friday, January 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $116.96. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on COP ConocoPhillips Price Performance Shares of COP stock traded up $0.27 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $118.51. The company had a trading volume of 2,505,878 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,779,263. ConocoPhillips has a 12-month low of $79.88 and a 12-month high of $122.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.30. The company has a market capitalization of $146.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.55, a PEG ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.32. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $102.21 and a 200-day moving average of $95.54. 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 for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.23 by ($0.21). ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 11.90% and a net margin of 12.98%.The company had revenue of $13.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.35 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.98 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at ConocoPhillips In other ConocoPhillips news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the companys 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 represents a 60.57% 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. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On ConocoPhillips Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of COP. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips in the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Board of the Pension Protection Fund purchased a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Strive Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.36% of the companys stock. Key ConocoPhillips News Here are the key news stories impacting ConocoPhillips this week: Positive Sentiment: Geopolitical shock lifts oil prices and COP shares Fighting in the Middle East (US/Israeli strikes on Iran) pushed WTI sharply higher, prompting a rally in US oil names including ConocoPhillips and helping the stock reach a 52-week high. Cheniere, Exxon, Chevron Stocks Rise Again Geopolitical shock lifts oil prices and COP shares Fighting in the Middle East (US/Israeli strikes on Iran) pushed WTI sharply higher, prompting a rally in US oil names including ConocoPhillips and helping the stock reach a 52-week high. Positive Sentiment: Citi raises price target to $135 and reiterates Buy Citigroup boosted its PT (from $125 to $135), signaling analyst conviction that COP has meaningful upside based on oil exposure and FCF upside. Citigroup price target raise Citi raises price target to $135 and reiterates Buy Citigroup boosted its PT (from $125 to $135), signaling analyst conviction that COP has meaningful upside based on oil exposure and FCF upside. Positive Sentiment: Analyst cash-flow upgrades and long-term bull cases Goldman and other analysts are projecting strong FCF growth (Goldman noted a potential ~24% FCF CAGR) and media pieces highlight scenarios where COPs FCF could nearly double by 2029 at ~$70 oil, supporting higher capital returns. Analyst sees bigger gains ahead Analyst cash-flow upgrades and long-term bull cases Goldman and other analysts are projecting strong FCF growth (Goldman noted a potential ~24% FCF CAGR) and media pieces highlight scenarios where COPs FCF could nearly double by 2029 at ~$70 oil, supporting higher capital returns. Positive Sentiment: Portfolio moves could boost capital returns Reports say COP is exploring sale of select Permian assets for roughly $2B as part of an expanded divestiture program; management may use proceeds to accelerate buybacks/dividends or redeploy into higher-return projects. Is ConocoPhillips Using Permian Sales Portfolio moves could boost capital returns Reports say COP is exploring sale of select Permian assets for roughly $2B as part of an expanded divestiture program; management may use proceeds to accelerate buybacks/dividends or redeploy into higher-return projects. Positive Sentiment: Market momentum & technicals Coverage notes and price action (stock recently hit $119.02 52-week high) have drawn momentum buyers; some investors are considering option strategies to monetize elevated volatility. COP hits 52-week high Market momentum & technicals Coverage notes and price action (stock recently hit $119.02 52-week high) have drawn momentum buyers; some investors are considering option strategies to monetize elevated volatility. Neutral Sentiment: Investor tactics and option flow Rising shares and near-term volatility have prompted suggestions to sell out?of?the?money covered calls to capture elevated option yields; thats a shareholder income strategy rather than company fundamental news. Time to sell covered calls in COP? Investor tactics and option flow Rising shares and near-term volatility have prompted suggestions to sell out?of?the?money covered calls to capture elevated option yields; thats a shareholder income strategy rather than company fundamental news. Neutral Sentiment: Political / ownership headlines Coverage listing members of Congress who hold oil stocks is informative for market narrative but has limited immediate impact on fundamentals. Congress members who own shares About ConocoPhillips (Get 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. Featured Articles 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. Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR Get Free Report) and Givaudan (OTCMKTS:GVDNY Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, risk and earnings. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Quaker Houghton and Givaudans top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Quaker Houghton alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Quaker Houghton $1.89 billion 1.28 -$2.49 million ($0.12) -1,161.67 Givaudan $9.02 billion N/A $1.29 billion N/A N/A Dividends Givaudan has higher revenue and earnings than Quaker Houghton. Quaker Houghton pays an annual dividend of $2.03 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.5%. Givaudan pays an annual dividend of $0.96 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.3%. Quaker Houghton pays out -1,691.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Quaker Houghton has raised its dividend for 17 consecutive years. Quaker Houghton is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth. Insider and Institutional Ownership 77.5% of Quaker Houghton shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Givaudan shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.1% of Quaker Houghton shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability This table compares Quaker Houghton and Givaudans net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Quaker Houghton -0.13% 8.99% 4.42% Givaudan N/A N/A N/A Volatility & Risk Quaker Houghton has a beta of 1.34, meaning that its share price is 34% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Givaudan has a beta of 0.78, meaning that its share price is 22% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Quaker Houghton and Givaudan, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Quaker Houghton 1 2 3 0 2.33 Givaudan 1 1 2 1 2.60 Quaker Houghton currently has a consensus target price of $175.67, indicating a potential upside of 26.02%. Given Quaker Houghtons higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Quaker Houghton is more favorable than Givaudan. Summary Quaker Houghton beats Givaudan on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Quaker Houghton (Get Free Report) Quaker Chemical Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets various formulated specialty chemical products for a range of heavy industrial and manufacturing applications in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It offers metal removal fluids, cleaning fluids, corrosion inhibitors, metal drawing and forming fluids, die-cast mold releases, heat treatment and quenchants, metal forging fluids, hydraulic fluids, specialty greases, offshore sub-sea energy control fluids, rolling lubricants, rod and wire drawing fluids, and surface treatment chemicals. The company also provides chemical management services. It serves steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, offshore, container, mining, and metalworking companies. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. About Givaudan (Get Free Report) Givaudan SA manufactures, supplies, and sells fragrance, beauty, taste, and wellbeing products to the consumer goods industry. The company operates through divisions, Fragrance & Beauty, and Taste & Wellbeing. The Fragrance & Beauty division offers fine fragrances; consumer products, such as personal, home, fabric, and oral care; fragrance ingredients; and active beauty products. The Taste & Wellbeing division provides beverages, such as fizzy drinks, bottled waters, ready-to-drink juices, alcoholic beverages, and others; dairy and cheese products, including dairy drinks, yoghurt, ice cream, chilled desserts, cream cheese, and spreads; snacks; givaudan flavour ingredients; savory, and supplements and nutraceutical products; and biscuits, crackers, and cereals, as well as confectionery products, such as chewing gums, chocolates, and sweets. It operates in Switzerland, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. Givaudan SA was founded in 1796 and is headquartered in Vernier, Switzerland. Receive News & Ratings for Quaker Houghton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Quaker Houghton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia (The) (NYSE:BNS Get Free Report) (TSE:BNS) has received an average recommendation of Hold from the five analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $106.00. Several brokerages have recently weighed in on BNS. Weiss Ratings upgraded Bank of Nova Scotia from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b) rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on Bank of Nova Scotia from $97.00 to $106.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Raymond James Financial started coverage on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. They set an outperform rating on the stock. Finally, TD Securities reiterated a hold rating on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia in a research note on Tuesday. Get Bank of Nova Scotia alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on BNS Bank of Nova Scotia Stock Down 4.3% Shares of NYSE BNS traded down $3.28 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $72.28. The companys stock had a trading volume of 287,656 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,987,380. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. Bank of Nova Scotia has a fifty-two week low of $44.09 and a fifty-two week high of $78.28. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $74.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $68.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $89.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.08, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.10. Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS Get Free Report) (TSE:BNS) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The bank reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.06. Bank of Nova Scotia had a net margin of 12.40% and a return on equity of 12.49%. The business had revenue of $7.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.99 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.76 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Bank of Nova Scotia will post 4.91 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank of Nova Scotia Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Canerector Inc. grew its stake in Bank of Nova Scotia by 8,899.0% in the third quarter. Canerector Inc. now owns 26,997,000 shares of the banks stock worth $1,745,356,000 after purchasing an additional 26,697,000 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia during the 4th quarter valued at $1,368,456,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 83.4% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 13,148,255 shares of the banks stock worth $726,704,000 after buying an additional 5,979,338 shares during the period. FIL Ltd grew its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 49.5% in the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 16,489,540 shares of the banks stock worth $1,216,157,000 after buying an additional 5,461,052 shares during the period. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 3,120.1% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,556,295 shares of the banks stock worth $262,284,000 after acquiring an additional 3,445,856 shares in the last quarter. 49.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Bank of Nova Scotia Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bank of Nova Scotia, commonly known as Scotiabank, is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company founded in 1832 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It is one of Canadas largest banks and provides a broad range of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. The bank combines a domestic Canadian franchise with an extensive international presence to serve customers across multiple markets. Scotiabanks core activities include personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, capital markets, and global transaction banking. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday after Scotiabank lowered their price target on the stock from $12.50 to $11.50. Scotiabank currently has a sector perform rating on the stock. Douglas Emmett traded as low as $9.40 and last traded at $9.3850, with a volume of 146254 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $9.72. DEI has been the subject of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Douglas Emmett from $18.00 to $16.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Douglas Emmett from $12.00 to $10.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $11.00 price objective on shares of Douglas Emmett in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Douglas Emmett from $20.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Evercore set a $12.00 price target on Douglas Emmett in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Douglas Emmett currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $13.28. Get Douglas Emmett alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on DEI Hedge Funds Weigh In On Douglas Emmett Douglas Emmett Trading Down 2.4% Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in Douglas Emmett by 18.8% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,684,450 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $88,507,000 after purchasing an additional 899,233 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Douglas Emmett by 1.1% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,362,611 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $65,620,000 after acquiring an additional 46,651 shares during the last quarter. Capital Fund Management S.A. bought a new stake in Douglas Emmett during the second quarter worth about $1,987,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in Douglas Emmett by 93.6% during the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,311,991 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $34,772,000 after purchasing an additional 1,117,668 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Douglas Emmett by 10.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,866,279 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $28,069,000 after purchasing an additional 181,418 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.37% of the companys stock. The company has a market cap of $1.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 105.18, a PEG ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 3.33, a quick ratio of 3.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $10.67 and a 200-day moving average price of $12.72. Douglas Emmett (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.35. The business had revenue of $249.43 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $252.91 million. Douglas Emmett had a net margin of 1.62% and a return on equity of 0.46%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.38 earnings per share. Douglas Emmett has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.390-1.450 EPS. Analysts forecast that Douglas Emmett, Inc. will post 1.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Douglas Emmett Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.0%. Douglas Emmetts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 844.44%. About Douglas Emmett (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. Read More 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. HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS Get Free Report)s share price was up 3.7% on Tuesday after Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on the stock from $280.00 to $325.00. Cantor Fitzgerald currently has an overweight rating on the stock. HubSpot traded as high as $273.85 and last traded at $273.28. Approximately 388,969 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 79% from the average daily volume of 1,868,356 shares. The stock had previously closed at $263.60. A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an outperform rating on shares of HubSpot in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on HubSpot from $650.00 to $300.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on HubSpot from $800.00 to $400.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Needham & Company LLC decreased their price target on shares of HubSpot from $700.00 to $300.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of HubSpot from $600.00 to $350.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $454.20. Get HubSpot alerts: Read Our Latest Report on HUBS Insider Transactions at HubSpot Key Headlines Impacting HubSpot In other HubSpot news, Director Brian Halligan sold 8,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $303.38, for a total value of $2,578,730.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 487,344 shares of the companys stock, valued at $147,850,422.72. This trade represents a 1.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Also, insider Erika Ashley Fisher sold 841 shares of HubSpot stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.01, for a total value of $200,166.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 10,119 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,408,423.19. The trade was a 7.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 26,691 shares of company stock worth $8,136,702. Insiders own 4.00% of the companys stock. Here are the key news stories impacting HubSpot this week: Positive Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $325 and moved to an overweight rating, signaling roughly ~20% upside from recent levels and giving institutional validation to HubSpots growth trajectory. Read More. Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $325 and moved to an overweight rating, signaling roughly ~20% upside from recent levels and giving institutional validation to HubSpots growth trajectory. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Zacks/Yahoo featured HubSpot in lists highlighting high-liquidity, growth-oriented names a visibility boost that can attract momentum and growth-oriented flows. Read More. Zacks/Yahoo featured HubSpot in lists highlighting high-liquidity, growth-oriented names a visibility boost that can attract momentum and growth-oriented flows. Read More. Positive Sentiment: HubSpot made Zacks Best Growth Stocks / Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists, which may pull in retail and advisory buying from investors screening for top-ranked growth stocks. Read More. HubSpot made Zacks Best Growth Stocks / Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists, which may pull in retail and advisory buying from investors screening for top-ranked growth stocks. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Zacks also included HUBS among Top-Performing Liquid Stocks, highlighting its liquidity and operational attributes supportive for investors concerned about tradeability and volatility. Read More. Zacks also included HUBS among Top-Performing Liquid Stocks, highlighting its liquidity and operational attributes supportive for investors concerned about tradeability and volatility. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Media deal coverage notes HubSpot expanding its media reach via a Starter Story partnership, which can help content/brand distribution and customer acquisition efforts over time. Read More. Media deal coverage notes HubSpot expanding its media reach via a Starter Story partnership, which can help content/brand distribution and customer acquisition efforts over time. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Analyst note summarizing HubSpots recent Q4 results and previous price-target revisions reiterates the companys solid revenue growth but also underscores valuation considerations after strong run-ups. Read More. Analyst note summarizing HubSpots recent Q4 results and previous price-target revisions reiterates the companys solid revenue growth but also underscores valuation considerations after strong run-ups. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: A MarketWatch press release about an Aircall partner expansion mentions ecosystem activity in the broader martech/cx space but does not directly affect HubSpots core financials. Read More. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in shares of HubSpot by 2.5% during the third quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,076 shares of the software makers stock valued at $503,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its stake in HubSpot by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 597 shares of the software makers stock valued at $332,000 after buying an additional 27 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of HubSpot by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC now owns 470 shares of the software makers stock worth $262,000 after buying an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of HubSpot by 5.7% in the 3rd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 522 shares of the software makers stock worth $244,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of HubSpot by 9.1% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 335 shares of the software makers stock worth $156,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the companys stock. HubSpot Price Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $14.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 313.34, a PEG ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 1.40. The firms fifty day moving average price is $307.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $393.58. HubSpot (NYSE:HUBS Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The software maker reported $3.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.99 by $0.10. HubSpot had a return on equity of 3.64% and a net margin of 1.47%.The firm had revenue of $846.75 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $830.65 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.32 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 20.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that HubSpot, Inc. will post 1.01 earnings per share for the current year. About HubSpot (Get Free Report) HubSpot, Inc is a software company that develops a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform designed to help organizations attract, engage and delight customers. Its primary business activities center on providing integrated marketing, sales and customer service tools that support inbound marketing strategies, content management, lead nurturing, sales automation and customer support workflows. The companys product suite is organized around modular hubs built on a central CRM: Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, CMS Hub and Operations Hub. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for HubSpot Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HubSpot and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. XPENG Inc. Sponsored ADR (NYSE:XPEV Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $15.51 and last traded at $15.4410, with a volume of 2201651 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $16.99. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on XPEV. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating on shares of XPENG in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of XPENG in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Macquarie Infrastructure set a $26.00 price target on shares of XPENG and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Daiwa Securities Group upgraded shares of XPENG from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $29.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated a reduce rating on shares of XPENG in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $25.78. Get XPENG alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on XPENG XPENG Trading Down 7.5% Institutional Investors Weigh In On XPENG The firms 50-day simple moving average is $19.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $20.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.92 billion, a PE ratio of -37.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 18.24 and a beta of 1.21. Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in XPEV. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of XPENG by 33.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 23,657 shares of the companys stock worth $490,000 after buying an additional 5,945 shares during the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its stake in XPENG by 3.9% in the second quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 17,613 shares of the companys stock worth $315,000 after buying an additional 655 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP grew its holdings in shares of XPENG by 228.7% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,639,403 shares of the companys stock worth $29,313,000 after acquiring an additional 1,140,593 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its stake in shares of XPENG by 29.4% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 127,533 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,280,000 after purchasing an additional 28,983 shares during the period. Finally, Greenleaf Trust boosted its holdings in shares of XPENG by 4.7% during the 3rd quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 17,005 shares of the companys stock valued at $398,000 after buying an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.09% of the companys stock. About XPENG (Get Free Report) XPENG Inc (NYSE: XPEV) is a China-based developer and manufacturer of smart electric vehicles. The company designs, engineers and sells battery-electric sedans and sport-utility vehicles along with related software and services. Founded in 2014, XPENG positions itself as a technology-driven automaker with a focus on vehicle connectivity, software-defined features and advanced driver assistance systems. Product offerings center on passenger EVs spanning compact crossovers and midsize sedans, supported by in-house software platforms and over-the-air update capabilities. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for XPENG Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for XPENG and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $2.11 and last traded at $2.1150, with a volume of 1573504 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $2.16. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Wipro to an underweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Wipro presently has an average rating of Reduce. Get Wipro alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on WIT Wipro Stock Performance The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $2.61 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.69. The company has a market capitalization of $22.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.86 and a beta of 1.07. Wipro (NYSE:WIT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The information technology services provider reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.04. Wipro had a return on equity of 15.35% and a net margin of 14.61%.The business had revenue of $2.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.63 billion. On average, equities analysts expect that Wipro Limited will post 0.14 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of Wipro A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WIT. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in Wipro by 17.3% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 28,113 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 4,153 shares during the period. Tidal Investments LLC raised its holdings in Wipro by 19.3% in the 2nd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 27,260 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $82,000 after acquiring an additional 4,403 shares during the period. Lido Advisors LLC increased its position in Wipro by 11.7% during the 4th quarter. Lido Advisors LLC now owns 42,485 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 4,454 shares during the period. Fragasso Financial Advisors Inc increased its position in Wipro by 30.5% during the third quarter. Fragasso Financial Advisors Inc now owns 19,317 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 4,511 shares during the period. Finally, Diversified Trust Co lifted its stake in Wipro by 6.5% during the third quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 82,813 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $218,000 after purchasing an additional 5,036 shares during the last quarter. 2.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wipro Company Profile (Get Free Report) Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT) is an Indian multinational corporation that provides information technology, consulting and business process services. Headquartered in Bengaluru, India, the company traces its origins to 1945 when it was founded as Western India Vegetable Products and later diversified into technology and IT services. Today Wipro positions itself as a provider of enterprise IT solutions and digital transformation services for large and mid-sized organizations across multiple industries. The companys service portfolio includes application development and maintenance, cloud and infrastructure services, data analytics and AI, cybersecurity, digital consulting, product engineering and research and development, as well as business process services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Wipro Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wipro and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The 2026 Mobile World Congress opened on Monday in Barcelona, Spain, with a focus on intelligent infrastructure, AI connectivity and integration, enterprise-level AI applications, AI ecosystem collaboration, inclusive technology and innovation-driven transformation. #MWC2026 Figma, Inc. (NYSE:FIG Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 28,584,415 shares, an increase of 47.5% from the January 29th total of 19,384,096 shares. Approximately 6.5% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 16,884,043 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.7 days. Based on an average trading volume of 16,884,043 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.7 days. Approximately 6.5% of the shares of the company are short sold. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have commented on FIG shares. Barclays upgraded Figma to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley set a $44.00 price objective on Figma in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Figma from $52.00 to $42.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Piper Sandler reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $35.00 target price on shares of Figma in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Figma from $38.00 to $31.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $43.25. Get Figma alerts: View Our Latest Report on FIG Figma Price Performance Shares of NYSE:FIG traded up $0.41 on Tuesday, reaching $29.70. 4,821,032 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 15,010,415. The companys 50 day moving average is $29.90 and its 200-day moving average is $43.93. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.10 billion and a PE ratio of -9.52. Figma has a fifty-two week low of $19.85 and a fifty-two week high of $142.92. Figma (NYSE:FIG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.08 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.20) by $0.28. Figma had a negative net margin of 121.87% and a negative return on equity of 97.03%. The business had revenue of $303.78 million during the quarter. The businesss revenue was up 40.1% on a year-over-year basis. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Figma news, CTO Kris Rasmussen sold 205,438 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.01, for a total transaction of $5,138,004.38. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 10,418,905 shares in the company, valued at $260,576,814.05. The trade was a 1.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Dylan Field sold 250,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.66, for a total transaction of $8,665,000.00. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 1,971,995 shares of company stock valued at $63,547,409 over the last 90 days. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Figma Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. purchased a new position in Figma during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Figma in the third quarter worth $26,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in shares of Figma during the third quarter worth $27,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Figma during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE purchased a new position in Figma in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. About Figma (Get Free Report) Figma is a San Franciscobased software company that offers a web-based platform for interface design, prototyping and collaboration. Its flagship product, Figma, enables teams to create and refine user interfaces, vector graphics and design systems directly in a browser, eliminating the need for local installations. The platforms real-time collaboration features allow multiple stakeholdersdesigners, developers and product managersto edit and comment simultaneously, streamlining workflows and reducing version control issues. In addition to its core design tool, Figma provides FigJam, a digital whiteboarding solution that facilitates brainstorming sessions, wireframing and diagramming. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Figma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Figma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Natural Resources, Celsius, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Canadian National Railway, TC Energy, and Bank Of Montreal are the seven Canadian stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Canadian stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that are incorporated in Canada or primarily listed on Canadian exchanges (such as the Toronto Stock Exchange or TSX Venture Exchange). For investors they represent ownership in Canadian businesses and provide exposure to Canadas economy and common sector concentrations (e.g., financials and natural resources), along with country-specific risks like Canadian-dollar fluctuations and commodity-price sensitivity. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Canadian stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO). Celsius (CELH) Celsius Holdings, Inc. develops, processes, markets, distributes, and sells functional energy drinks and liquid supplements in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canadian, European, Middle Eastern, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company offers CELSIUS, a fitness drink or supplement designed to accelerate metabolism and burn body fat; various flavors and carbonated and non-carbonated functional energy drinks under the CELSIUS Originals and Vibe name, as well as functional energy drink under the CELSIUS Essentials and CELSIUS On-the-Go Powder names; and CELSIUS ready-to drink products. Read Our Latest Research Report on CELH Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP) Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; merchandise freight, such as forest products, energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals, consumer products, and automotive; and intermodal traffic comprising retail goods in overseas containers. Read Our Latest Research Report on CP Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Read Our Latest Research Report on CM Canadian National Railway (CNI) Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail, intermodal, trucking, and marine transportation and logistics business in Canada and the United States. The company provides rail services, which include equipment, custom brokerage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services, such as temperature controlled cargo, port partnerships, and logistics parks. Read Our Latest Research Report on CNI TC Energy (TRP) TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through five segments: Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines; U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines; Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines; Liquids Pipelines; and Power and Energy Solutions. The company builds and operates a network of 93,600 kilometers of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. Read Our Latest Research Report on TRP Bank Of Montreal (BMO) Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products. Read Our Latest Research Report on BMO Further Reading TCL Electronics (OTCMKTS:TCLHF Get Free Report) and Samsung Electronics (OTCMKTS:SSNLF Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for TCL Electronics and Samsung Electronics, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Get TCL Electronics alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score TCL Electronics 0 0 0 0 0.00 Samsung Electronics 0 0 3 1 3.25 Valuation and Earnings This table compares TCL Electronics and Samsung Electronicss gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio TCL Electronics N/A N/A N/A $0.05 29.25 Samsung Electronics $197.69 billion 0.04 $18.45 billion $2.68 24.33 Samsung Electronics has higher revenue and earnings than TCL Electronics. Samsung Electronics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than TCL Electronics, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares TCL Electronics and Samsung Electronics net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets TCL Electronics N/A N/A N/A Samsung Electronics 9.12% N/A N/A Institutional & Insider Ownership 1.8% of TCL Electronics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Samsung Electronics shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Summary Samsung Electronics beats TCL Electronics on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About TCL Electronics (Get Free Report) TCL Electronics Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, operates as a consumer electronics company in the People's Republic of China, Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates in five segments: Smart Screen; Internet Business; Smart Mobile, Connective Devices and Service; All-Category Marketing; and Smart Commercial Display, Smart Home, Photovoltaic and Other Businesses. The company manufactures and sells television sets, smartphones, smart connective devices, smart commercial display and smart home products, and photovoltaic equipment. It also engages in membership cards, video-on-demand, advertising, vertical application, and other businesses. In addition, the company distributes TCL branded air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, and other household appliances. Further, it is involved in trading TV products and components, and white goods; research and development of software on smart TV devices, and mobile devices; operation of the Internet platform; and distribution of mobile devices and components. The company was formerly known as TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings Limited and changed its name to TCL Electronics Holdings Limited in June 2018. The company is based in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. TCL Electronics Holdings Limited is a subsidiary of TCL Technology Group Corporation. About Samsung Electronics (Get Free Report) Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. engages in the consumer electronics, information technology and mobile communications, and device solutions businesses worldwide. The company offers smartphones, tablets, watches, and accessories; TVs, projectors, and sound devices; home appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines and dryers, vacuum cleaners, cooking appliances, dishwashers, air conditioners, and air purifiers; monitors and memory storage products; displays, and smart and LED signages; and other accessories. It also engages in venture capital investments, cloud services, network devices installation, semiconductor equipment maintenance services, digital advertising platforms, marketing, consulting, connected services, logistics, financing, and software design activities; toll processing of display panels and semiconductors; development and sale of network solutions; manufactures semiconductors and food; provision of repair services for electronic devices; and development and supply of semiconductor process defect and quality control software, as well as digital televisions, foundry, system large scale integration, connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions, and connected services. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was incorporated in 1969 and is based in Suwon, South Korea. Receive News & Ratings for TCL Electronics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TCL Electronics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ealixir (OTCMKTS:EAXR Get Free Report) and Yirendai (NYSE:YRD Get Free Report) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, dividends, earnings, profitability and risk. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Ealixir and Yirendai, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Get Ealixir alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Ealixir 0 0 0 0 0.00 Yirendai 0 1 0 0 2.00 Profitability This table compares Ealixir and Yirendais net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Ealixir 0.98% N/A N/A Yirendai 20.19% 12.66% 8.93% Insider & Institutional Ownership Volatility & Risk 2.0% of Yirendai shares are held by institutional investors. 7.2% of Ealixir shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 42.2% of Yirendai shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Ealixir has a beta of 0.29, indicating that its share price is 71% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Yirendai has a beta of 0.85, indicating that its share price is 15% less volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Ealixir and Yirendais top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Ealixir $3.62 million 23.09 $100,000.00 N/A N/A Yirendai $795.41 million 0.40 $216.77 million $1.99 1.85 Yirendai has higher revenue and earnings than Ealixir. Summary Yirendai beats Ealixir on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks. About Ealixir (Get Free Report) EALIXIR Inc. operates as an internet technology company in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Its services include Ealixir Removal that protects the online reputation of individuals and companies, and ensures the right to be forgotten by removing negative information on the web; Newsdelete to solve problems related to financial reputation; WEBiD, which drafts detailed reports on online contents and conversations regarding individuals, brands, or companies; Ealixir Story that assists client in writing articles about them; and Ealixir Event Launch helps the companies to promote their event on an international scale. The company was founded in 2018 and is based in Miami, Florida. About Yirendai (Get Free Report) Yiren Digital Ltd. provides financial services through an AI-powered platform in China. Its platform provides a suite of financial and lifestyle services. The company offers financial services, which provides a portfolio of loan products to borrowers; insurance brokerage services; and consumption and lifestyle services, including non-financial products and services to meet various consumer needs. It supports clients at various growth stages, addressing financing needs arising from consumption and production activities, and augmenting the well-being and security of individuals, families, and businesses. The company was formerly known as Yirendai Ltd. and changed its name to Yiren Digital Ltd. in September 2019. Yiren Digital Ltd. was founded in 2012 and is based in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. Yiren Digital Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of CreditEase Holdings (Cayman) Limited. Receive News & Ratings for Ealixir Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ealixir and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Inchcape plc (OTCMKTS:IHCPF Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 667,456 shares, a growth of 23.9% from the January 29th total of 538,730 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently ? days. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently ? days. Inchcape Price Performance Shares of Inchcape stock remained flat at C$12.00 during trading on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of C$10.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$9.73. Inchcape has a twelve month low of C$9.13 and a twelve month high of C$12.00. Get Inchcape alerts: Inchcape Company Profile (Get Free Report) Inchcape (OTCMKTS:IHCPF) is a London-based global automotive distribution, retail and after-sales services company. As an independent operator, Inchcape partners with a broad portfolio of vehicle manufacturers to distribute new cars, manage dealer networks and deliver comprehensive maintenance, parts and warranty support. The companys integrated model also encompasses vehicle financing, insurance and used car remarketing, positioning Inchcape as a full-service provider across the automotive value chain. The companys distribution operations secure exclusive or preferred rights for leading brands, while its retail division oversees a network of dealerships that span showroom sales, customer care and parts supply. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Inchcape Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Inchcape and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kunlun Energy (OTCMKTS:KLYCY Get Free Report)s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $10.0870, but opened at $10.68. Kunlun Energy shares last traded at $10.68, with a volume of 1,049 shares changing hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, Zacks Research raised Kunlun Energy to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Kunlun Energy alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Kunlun Energy Kunlun Energy Trading Up 5.9% About Kunlun Energy The stock has a 50-day moving average of $9.92 and a 200-day moving average of $9.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 1.85. (Get Free Report) Kunlun Energy Company Limited is a China-based energy company engaged primarily in the exploration, production, distribution and sales of natural gas and crude oil. As a publicly traded entity on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the OTC Markets under the ticker KLYCY, the company focuses on developing upstream reserves in key basins across northwest China, including the Tarim, Junggar and TurpanHami basins. Kunlun Energys upstream activities are supported by a combination of proprietary drilling technologies and strategic partnerships that enable it to target both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources. In its midstream operations, Kunlun Energy has established an extensive pipeline network that links its production areas to major consumption centers. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Kunlun Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kunlun Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fraport AG (OTCMKTS:FPRUY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 20 shares, a decrease of 31.0% from the January 29th total of 29 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 10.0 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 10.0 days. Fraport Price Performance Shares of Fraport stock remained flat at $40.90 during trading on Tuesday. Fraport has a 1 year low of $28.75 and a 1 year high of $45.66. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $40.76 and its 200 day simple moving average is $42.40. Get Fraport alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on FPRUY shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating on shares of Fraport in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Fraport from an underperform rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. About Fraport (Get Free Report) Fraport AG is a global airport management company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. The companys primary business revolves around the operation and development of Frankfurt Airport, one of Europes leading aviation hubs, as well as a portfolio of regional and international airports. In addition to airport infrastructure, Fraport offers ground handling services, security screening, retail management and real estate development within its terminals. These diverse operations aim to enhance passenger experience and maximize airport efficiency through integrated service offerings. Beyond its flagship airport in Frankfurt, Fraport has expanded its footprint to airports in more than 30 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fraport Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fraport and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Ethernity Networks Ltd. (LON:ENET Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as GBX 140 and last traded at GBX 0, with a volume of 2147000000 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0. Ethernity Networks Stock Performance The firm has a market capitalization of 40,000.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 0.00 and a beta of 0.58. The firms 50-day moving average is GBX 0.01 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 0.01. The company has a current ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.15. About Ethernity Networks (Get Free Report) Ethernity Networks Ltd. provides technology solutions for telecom, mobile, security, and data center markets in Asia, Europe, Israel, and the United States. The company develops and delivers data processing technology and solutions for carrier Ethernet switching. It provides ENET flow processors for telco/cloud network; ACE-NIC40 SmartNIC, an open flow enabled software acceleration NIC; ACE-NIC50 SmartNIC, which offers 10/25G Ethernet connectivity and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) acceleration; and ACE-NIC100 SmartNIC that provides flexible 10/25/40/100G Ethernet connectivity and programmable FPGA acceleration. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Ethernity Networks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ethernity Networks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPT Get Free Report) is one of 90 public companies in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Medical Properties Trust to similar businesses based on the strength of its earnings, profitability, risk, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends and analyst recommendations. Dividends Medical Properties Trust pays an annual dividend of $0.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.4%. Medical Properties Trust pays out -78.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Real Estate Investment Trusts companies pay a dividend yield of 4.0% and pay out 102.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Medical Properties Trust is clearly a better dividend stock than its competitors, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Get Medical Properties Trust alerts: Institutional & Insider Ownership 71.8% of Medical Properties Trust shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 63.7% of shares of all Real Estate Investment Trusts companies are owned by institutional investors. 1.3% of Medical Properties Trust shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.9% of shares of all Real Estate Investment Trusts companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Medical Properties Trust -28.50% -5.87% -1.85% Medical Properties Trust Competitors -34.14% -18.20% -0.23% Earnings and Valuation This table compares Medical Properties Trust and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. This table compares Medical Properties Trust and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Medical Properties Trust $972.02 million -$277.05 million -12.15 Medical Properties Trust Competitors $463.86 million $16.35 million 26.60 Medical Properties Trust has higher revenue, but lower earnings than its competitors. Medical Properties Trust is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Medical Properties Trust and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Medical Properties Trust 1 1 1 0 2.00 Medical Properties Trust Competitors 2346 4060 2396 22 2.01 Medical Properties Trust currently has a consensus price target of $6.50, suggesting a potential upside of 16.28%. As a group, Real Estate Investment Trusts companies have a potential upside of 15.52%. Given Medical Properties Trusts higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Medical Properties Trust is more favorable than its competitors. Volatility and Risk Medical Properties Trust has a beta of 1.39, suggesting that its stock price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Medical Properties Trusts competitors have a beta of 1.15, suggesting that their average stock price is 15% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Medical Properties Trust beats its competitors on 9 of the 15 factors compared. About Medical Properties Trust (Get Free Report) Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed to capitalize on the changing trends in healthcare delivery by acquiring and developing net-leased healthcare facilities. MPTs financing model allows hospitals and other healthcare facilities to unlock the value of their underlying real estate in order to fund facility improvements, technology upgrades, staff additions and new construction. Facilities include acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and other medical and surgical facilities. Receive News & Ratings for Medical Properties Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medical Properties Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Aperam (OTCMKTS:APEMY Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $50.79, but opened at $44.4520. Aperam shares last traded at $45.20, with a volume of 1,162 shares changing hands. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Aperam in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Zacks Research cut shares of Aperam from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating on shares of Aperam in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Oddo Bhf cut shares of Aperam to a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a buy rating on shares of Aperam in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Aperam currently has an average rating of Hold. Get Aperam alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on APEMY Aperam Price Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 3.15 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The firm has a market cap of $3.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 292.08 and a beta of 1.10. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $45.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $38.77. Aperam (OTCMKTS:APEMY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 6th. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.13. Aperam had a net margin of 0.17% and a return on equity of 1.05%. The firm had revenue of $1.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.69 billion. Equities research analysts predict that Aperam will post 2.84 EPS 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. See Also 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. WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's tourism sector contributed a record 46.6 billion NZ dollars (27.69 billion U.S. dollars) to the economy in the year to March 2025, up 3.3 percent from the previous year, Stats NZ reported Tuesday. Overseas visitor expenditure climbed 7 percent to 18.1 billion NZ dollars (10.75 U.S. dollars) during the period, as tourist arrivals jumped 4.3 percent to over 3.32 million, said the statistics department. "Tourism contributes 7.7 percent of GDP, and continues to be our second highest export," Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston was quoted as saying. Tourism now supports 327,888 jobs, or about one in nine of New Zealand's workers, spanning accommodation, food and beverage and transport services, according to Stats NZ's tourism satellite account, which provides an overview of tourism's role in the New Zealand economy in terms of expenditure and employment. "Increased visitor spending flows directly into our regions, supports local jobs, and creates opportunities for communities and businesses up and down the country," Upston said. Gold Springs Resource Corp. (TSE:GRC Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.12 and last traded at C$0.12, with a volume of 60564 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.12. Gold Springs Resource Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of C$35.38 million, a PE ratio of -9.00 and a beta of 0.36. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$0.09 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$0.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. About Gold Springs Resource (Get Free Report) Gold Springs Resource Corp is a growth-focused mineral exploration company advancing the district-scale Gold Springs gold project situated in mining-friendly Nevada and Utah. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Gold Springs Resource Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gold Springs Resource and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vertiv Holdings Co. (NYSE:VRT Get Free Report)s share price was down 5.3% on Tuesday following insider selling activity. The stock traded as low as $234.72 and last traded at $244.18. Approximately 6,790,567 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 12% from the average daily volume of 6,060,934 shares. The stock had previously closed at $257.75. Specifically, Chairman David M. Cote sold 40,000 shares of Vertiv stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.29, for a total value of $10,211,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman directly owned 22,258 shares in the company, valued at $5,682,244.82. The trade was a 64.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Jan Van Dokkum sold 38,647 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $254.87, for a total transaction of $9,849,960.89. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 25,000 shares in the company, valued at $6,371,750. This trade represents a 60.72% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In other news, Director Roger Fradin sold 101,666 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.13, for a total value of $25,633,048.58. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Get Vertiv alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on VRT shares. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Vertiv in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and issued a $285.00 price target on shares of Vertiv in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Barclays raised their price objective on Vertiv from $200.00 to $281.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Vertiv from $198.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Vertiv from $220.00 to $286.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $230.28. Vertiv News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Vertiv this week: Positive Sentiment: Vertiv launched a compact, high?capacity double?stack PowerBar Track busway aimed at hyperscale/colocation AI data centers a product that addresses power?density and white?space constraints and could drive incremental large-system orders and aftermarket services. Read More. Vertiv launched a compact, high?capacity double?stack PowerBar Track busway aimed at hyperscale/colocation AI data centers a product that addresses power?density and white?space constraints and could drive incremental large-system orders and aftermarket services. Read More. Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat and other coverage highlight Vertivs strategic position in AI infrastructure, citing a roughly $15B backlog, integrated power/thermal systems, and strong demand visibility supports revenue certainty for the next 1224 months. Read More. MarketBeat and other coverage highlight Vertivs strategic position in AI infrastructure, citing a roughly $15B backlog, integrated power/thermal systems, and strong demand visibility supports revenue certainty for the next 1224 months. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Analyst and thematic coverage from Zacks and others profile Vertiv as an attractive growth/AI?infrastructure play, reinforcing investor interest and supporting buy/overweight opinions. Read More. Analyst and thematic coverage from Zacks and others profile Vertiv as an attractive growth/AI?infrastructure play, reinforcing investor interest and supporting buy/overweight opinions. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Vertiv appears in AI?infrastructure ETF rosters and ETF thematic writeups, which can channel passive and active ETF flows into the stock as investors buy AI exposure. Read More. Vertiv appears in AI?infrastructure ETF rosters and ETF thematic writeups, which can channel passive and active ETF flows into the stock as investors buy AI exposure. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Several investor?interest pieces note heavy watchlist activity and volatility around VRT higher attention can amplify moves both up and down but does not change fundamentals by itself. Read More. Several investor?interest pieces note heavy watchlist activity and volatility around VRT higher attention can amplify moves both up and down but does not change fundamentals by itself. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling disclosed (Feb. 2627): Chairman David Cote and multiple directors/executives (Jan Van Dokkum, Roger Fradin, Anders Karlborg, Steven Reinemund) sold large blocks cuts in holdings often exceeded 4070%, totaling tens of millions of dollars and increasing available float, which likely pressured the stock today. Representative SEC filings: Read More., Read More., Read More. Vertiv Stock Down 5.3% The companys 50-day moving average is $196.87 and its 200 day moving average is $172.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $93.42 billion, a PE ratio of 71.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 2.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Vertiv (NYSE:VRT Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.07. Vertiv had a net margin of 13.03% and a return on equity of 49.55%. The business had revenue of $2.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.89 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.99 EPS. Vertivs revenue for the quarter was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Vertiv has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.950-1.010 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.970-6.070 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Vertiv Holdings Co. will post 3.59 EPS for the current year. Institutional Trading of Vertiv A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Abundance Wealth Counselors raised its holdings in Vertiv by 313.7% during the third quarter. Abundance Wealth Counselors now owns 10,165 shares of the companys stock worth $1,533,000 after purchasing an additional 7,708 shares during the last quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA raised its position in Vertiv by 35.5% during the third quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 272,608 shares of the companys stock worth $41,126,000 after acquiring an additional 71,361 shares during the last quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Vertiv by 272.7% in the third quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd now owns 8,825 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,321,000 after purchasing an additional 6,457 shares in the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS grew its position in shares of Vertiv by 5.5% in the third quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 143,100 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,588,000 after purchasing an additional 7,400 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Westpac Banking Corp grew its position in shares of Vertiv by 100.2% in the second quarter. Westpac Banking Corp now owns 12,812 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,645,000 after purchasing an additional 6,411 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.92% of the companys stock. Vertiv Company Profile (Get Free Report) Vertiv is a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions for data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial environments. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the company designs, manufactures and services equipment and software that support power availability, thermal management and IT infrastructure management for a broad set of end markets, including hyperscale and enterprise data centers, colocation providers, telecom operators and industrial customers. The companys product portfolio includes uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), power distribution units (PDUs), battery and DC power systems, precision cooling and thermal management equipment, racks and enclosures, and integrated modular infrastructure. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Vertiv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vertiv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) fell 1.4% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $657.56 and last traded at $667.12. 2,138,542 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 9% from the average session volume of 1,969,195 shares. The stock had previously closed at $676.70. Trending Headlines about Lockheed Martin Here are the key news stories impacting Lockheed Martin this week: Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently commented on LMT. DZ Bank lowered shares of Lockheed Martin from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $665.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $592.00 to $673.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Lockheed Martin from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Lockheed Martin from $540.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Sunday, February 1st. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Lockheed Martin from $550.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $612.50. Lockheed Martin Stock Performance The stock has a market capitalization of $153.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.22. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $585.64 and its 200 day simple moving average is $512.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.05. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $5.80 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.33 by ($0.53). The company had revenue of $20.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.84 billion. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 108.53% and a net margin of 6.69%.The businesss quarterly revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $7.67 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 earnings per share for the current year. Lockheed Martin Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a $3.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $13.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio is 64.22%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,995 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,941,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 973 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $451,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in Lockheed Martin by 17.3% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 1,460 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $676,000 after buying an additional 215 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. grew its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 29.0% during the second quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 2,189 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,014,000 after buying an additional 492 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 54.8% during the second quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $463,000 after buying an additional 354 shares in the last quarter. 74.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Lockheed Martin Company Profile (Get 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. Read More 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. JUBA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has condemned an ambush by unidentified armed elements targeting a peacekeeping convoy along the border between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). In a statement issued on Monday, the UN mission said its engineering contingent, escorted by armed peacekeepers, came under fire at an unauthorized roadblock while traveling from Akobo in Jonglei to Pibor in the GPAA. Peacekeepers responded in self-defense, in accordance with their mandate and rules of engagement, the statement said, adding that no UN personnel were injured. "Attacks against our peacekeepers are unacceptable," said Anita Kiki Gbeho, officer in charge of UNMISS, urging authorities to undertake a swift, thorough, and impartial investigation to ensure those responsible are held to account. UNMISS stressed that attacks directed against UN peacekeepers may constitute a war crime. The incident comes amid renewed clashes between the South Sudan People's Defense Force (SSPDF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in parts of Jonglei and the GPAA since February. Tensions between the two forces escalated after an attack on the SSPDF base in Nasir, Upper Nile State, in March 2025 by the White Army, a militia which the government claimed to be linked to the SPLA-IO. Irish travellers have been urged to avoid travelling to the UAE amid ongoing tensions in the region that could bring potentially life-threatening risks. The Department of Foreign Affairs has updated its travel advice for Irish citizens living in, visiting, or planning to travel to parts of the Gulf region following a series of strikes and military activity across the Middle East. READ NEXT: Afghan man living in Ireland convicted of sexual assault of vulnerable woman in steam room The advice comes amid an ongoing conflict triggered by joint military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, which has since sparked multiple counter-attacks that have reached the United Arab Emirates, including popular destination Dubai. Irish holidaymakers planning to go to the UAE have been urged to avoid any non-essential travel to the region and Irish citizens living in the UAE have been urged to adopt a "shelter in place" strategy. Advice from the Department says, "In light of the current security situation in the Middle East and Gulf region, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade strongly advises Irish citizens against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates until further notice. "Irish citizens in the United Arab Emirates should shelter in place, avoid unnecessary movement, and follow the advice of the local authorities. Irish citizens are also advised to avoid military and security force installations. "There is significant disruption to travel across the Middle East and Gulf regions. Citizens traveling through or to these regions should contact their airline directly. "Irish citizens in need of consular assistance should contact the Embassy of Ireland in the United Arab Emirates on +971 024 958 200. READ NEXT: Have you seen Frederique? Concern growing for missing 53-year-old woman "Alternatively, you may contact the Duty Officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000. "Irish citizens in the UAE should register with the Department via the Citizens Registration facility if they have not already done so." Officials estimate tens of thousands of Irish citizens may be living or travelling in the region, with a particularly large community based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Department also urged Irish citizens to track official updates closely, remain in secure accommodation when possible, and avoid large gatherings or public areas where risk remains elevated. Garda investigations into the generation of child sex abuse images by the AI chatbot Grok could lead to prosecutions of senior management, a Garda assistant commissioner has suggested. Appearing before the Committee on Artificial Intelligence on Tuesday morning Angela Willis said Gardai have received 244 referrals about AI images abuse generated by Grok. She said around half of those relate to child sex abuse imagery. Asked by People Before Profits Paul Murphy if any of the investigations are into Grok itself, Ms Willis said An Garda Siochana are not ruling anything out. She added that evidence might first involve users of the technology but said they will spare no effort in trying to identify all of the different opportunities to bring perpetrators before the courts. The Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime did say these investigations can be quite complicated and a quite lengthy process because of their trans-national nature and the involvement of multiple other jurisdictions. She said the Gardai will take them as far as we can from an evidential perspective, and then we will obviously bring that information before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Earlier she was asked by Fine Gaels James Geoghegan if there is a distinction, in Irish law, between the enabler of the production and the producer. She said historically investigations have focused on whoever generated the material but said their investigations will go wherever the evidence leads us, adding it would be up to the DPP to decide if a prosecution would follow. Ms Willis said: But certainly in order to initiate an investigation, there is ample scope to investigate if somebody is aiding or abetting, the generation of such material when it relates to a child. Quizzed on the generation of sexual abuse images by AI image generating tools by the Dublin Bay South TD she agreed investigating the generation of non-consensual images of adults is more complicated. Asked if An Garda Siochana, in their conversations with the Minister, are exploring proposals to strengthen laws in this area, including Cocos Law she said yes, and Im aware thats already under consideration. 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. The housing crisis could lead to the death of the Irish language, protesters said outside Leinster House on Tuesday. The demonstration was held by a coalition of campaign groups outside the Houses of the Oireachtas to highlight the disproportionate impact the shortage of affordable housing is having on Gaeltacht areas. They called on the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to take measures to protect the areas unique communities. Domhnall O Braonain, who travelled from the Connemara in County Galway, said people are leaving the area because they are unable to find or afford housing. He said there is also an influx of people who can afford those houses, people not from Gaeltacht areas meaning there are fewer and fewer people in the area speaking Irish. He fears the day might come that there wont be many, if any, Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht, adding thatll be the death of the language. The 25-year-old said he is living with his parents and does not think it will be possible for him to find his own home in the area. My family doesnt own any land even if we did own land, it would be very difficult to get planning permission. And the options to buy are too costly, and as far as renting goes, they are not there at all. One of the protests organisers, John Prendergast, said: As were all very aware that the housing crisis is all around Ireland, but its disproportionately affecting Irish speaking areas. The group, Tintean, have four main demands for Government. They want Udaras na Gaeltachta, the regional authority responsible for the Gaeltachts, to have housing powers. Housing and planning guidelines promised in 2021 should be published without any delay, they say, and a housing and population strategy should be created for each Gaeltacht. Also, a housing grant scheme should be reinstated to provide support for Irish speakers who would like to build or renovate a house in the Gaeltacht. Mr Prendergast said holiday lets are also having an outside affect in Irish-speaking areas: We see the rate of growth in Airbnbs, for example, as twice the national average in the last six years. He said people returning from emigration or university cannot find places to live: In Dingle today, theres 112 places in and around West Kerry available on Airbnb, and theres zero to rent on Daft.ie. So, if youre trying to increase the amount of people speaking Irish in an area, or if youre trying to empower a community, you really need to have people able to stay in the area. Fianna Fails Naoise O Cearuil was at the protest and said: The minister for housing has announced that there would be guidelines for housing in the Gaeltacht in the first half of 2027. The vice chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community said they will be dealing with this specific issue from April. He said the crux of the issue is that Gaeltacht areas should not be treated as another remote rural area but instead as areas of distinct heritage and language that need to be protected, and particularly, the younger community there need to be helped as well. Speaking about specific measures that could help, Mr O Cearuil said changes to planning guidelines should be put in place: There should be exceptions for those that are fluent Irish speakers and from the area in relation to planning permissions. Obviously any planning permission needs to be in keeping with planning law, he added, but the guidelines need to be adapted in order that people from the Gaeltacht that speak Irish are able to actually build in their locality. Gardai are appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision involving a car and a pedestrian which occurred in the Tubrid More area, Ardfert, county Kerry on Monday, March 2, 2026, at approximately 9:20 pm. The pedestrian, a male in his 30s, was conveyed to University Hospital Kerry where he remains in critical condition. READ NEXT: ALERT! Parents warned as popular toy sold in Ireland recalled over serious choking fears The driver of the vehicle had left the scene before arrival of Gardai. The scene has been examined and the road has since fully reopened to traffic. Gardai are appealing to anyone with information regarding this incident to contact them. READ NEXT: Irish motorists warned of potential increase in fuel prices amid war in Middle East Any road users who were travelling between Ardfert village, Tubrid More, Doon North, Lislosse, R556 Tralee /Abbeydorney Road and the main road between Abbeydorney and Ardfert between 7.30pm and 9.30pm on Monday the 2nd of March 2026, who witnessed anything or may have camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make contact with investigating Gardai. Anyone with any information should contact Tralee Garda Station on (066) 7102300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Tonight we wanted to roundup aftermath reports and a quick summary of tech overlords laying claim to the plebs on the outskirts of town . . . Here's the damage . . . "The council voted 5-2 in favor of the plan. Councilmember Brice Stewart, and Mayor Rory Rowland voting against the plan. "The data center will include four main buildings on about 400 acres, a site about twice the size of Arrowhead Stadium. It will cost $6.6 billion to construct and will contain up to $144 billion in specialized equipment, for a total project cost around $150 billion. Councilmembers approved about $6.2 billion in tax breaks for Nebius future U.S. flagship facility Monday night, forfeiting potential property tax revenue for the next 20 years. Under the financing plan, the city will hold ownership of the property and lease it back to the developer. "The city now has the authority to issue Taxable Industrial Development Revenue Bonds. These bonds, issued under Chapter 100, allow the city to provide property tax abatement and sales tax exemptions for business development projects. "Nebius will receive an estimated 20-year abatement on both real and personal property taxes, along with sales tax exemptions on construction materials and equipment." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Independence approves hyperscale AI data center, issues $150 billion in bonds The city of Independence approved plans for a Dutch company to build a hyperscale AI data center off Little Blue Parkway and Highway 78. Independence City Council votes to approve tax breaks for Nebius data center On Monday, the Independence City Council voted to approve a tax incentive plan tied to the proposed Nebius data center. Developing . . . Sorry for the fancy post title, trying to step up online Wordle chops . . . Precis: A concise summary of essential points, statements, or facts. And this leads us to one more peek at pop culture, community reporting and top headlines for Kansas City night owls & early birds . . . Check TKC news gathering . . . Local Angle On Iran Neighbors near Whiteman Air Force Base describe seeing B-2 bombers B-2 stealth bombers based at Whiteman Air Force Base played a role in the latest U.S. military strikes targeting Iran. Courting More Adverts New LED court unveiled at T-Mobile Center for Big 12 tournaments The court can replicate any of the Big 12 teams' home courts and will animate when a player makes a 3-pointer or a slam dunk. South Side Checks Bill City's $2.5 billion budget for 2026-27 revealed to south Kansas City audience The budget proposal garnered comments from the public and from the Sunrise Movement KC. Sneak Peek At Patriotic Dox Freedom Plane arrives in Kansas City in 1st stop for historic documents For the first time in history, several rare documents are traveling together across the country to mark America's 250th birthday, and the first stop is in Kansas City. Kangroos Honcho Multitasking Chancellor, engineer, artist? C. Mauli Agrawal showcases his artwork at local exhibition Some would never expect the UMKC chancellor to be an artist, but he suggests not to expect anything at all. Mauli Agrawal's work in "Impressions, Seen and Felt" invites movement and stillness to live in one space. With 21 pieces on display, he uses art to balance his professional life, experimenting with various... Enjoy Old School Achievement Dick Van Dyke, 100, celebrates 14 years of marriage to wife, 54 Dick Van Dyke and wife Arlene Silver just celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary. The 100-year-old lifelong entertainer and 54-year-old makeup artist tied the knot on February 29, 2012. MAGA Not On Clock Trump news at a glance: president offers goals but no end date for military offensive against Iran Trump said military campaign could 'go far longer' then initial four-to-five week projection as violence and chaos ripple across Middle East - key US politics stories from Monday 2 March at a glance Progressive Strategy?!? Inside Democrats' long game on Iran A potential funding debate could expose deeper foreign policy disagreements among Democrats. Right-Wing Already Declares Victory Poll: Republicans Surge in General Ballot, Move Closer to Defying History of Congressional Midterms Republicans are surging after President Donald Trump's State of the Union address and might be in position to defy history in the midterm elections, polling shows. | Politics Iran Conflict Keeps Growing U.S. Embassy in Riyadh hit by drones, Saudi officials say The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia issued a "shelter in place" notification for Riyadh and 2 other Saudi cities in response. Flight Paths Shrink Airlines are being squeezed into this sliver of sky to avoid closed airspace Flightradar24 shows flights being funneled into narrow corridors north of Iran, or forced into longer detours over Saudi Arabia and other regions. Historic End Game Hospital evacuated after 8-inch WWI artillery shell discovered in patient's butt A hospital in France had to be evacuated after a male patient arrived with a WWI artillery shell lodged in his rectum. Local Late Night Snack Eat This Now: Bar Nachos at Jim's Alley Bar Bar Nachos at Jim's Alley Bar // Photo by Elle Bui Tucked in a little alley of the Crossroads is a place aptly called Jim's Alley Bar. It is cozy and deeply Midwestern with unpretentious booth and table seating, and the kind of nostalgic dark wood paneling that evokes a childhood basement hangout with your cousins. More Deets On Soggy Week Impacts ahead: Rain, storms on the way this week in Kansas City metro Scattered showers on Tuesday with highs in the low 50s. Rain and thunderstorms will pop up Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Some storms could have hail. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has sufficient petroleum products to cushion the country from any potential supply disruptions due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, from where its petroleum product supplies are sourced, a senior official said on Tuesday. Opiyo Wandayi, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, said in a statement that Kenya currently has enough fuel stocks to meet both domestic demand and regional obligations. "We have scheduled imports for delivery up to the end of April 2026, and therefore, as it stands, we are assured of security of supply," said Wandayi. He said the government is closely monitoring the evolving situation and engaging with its government-to-government suppliers for contingency planning. The statement came amid concerns that escalating tensions in the Middle East may disrupt global petroleum supply routes, particularly shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. "We wish to assure the public and all stakeholders that the ministry remains alert and shall continue taking necessary actions to ensure there is an uninterrupted supply," he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The EU-Azerbaijan partnership plays a strategic role in bolstering Europes energy security, Cristina Lobillo, Director of the EU Energy Platform and International Relations Task Force (Directorate F) at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), said at a meeting of the Advisory Councils on the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) and Green Energy in Baku, Trend reports. According to her, the global political landscape has changed significantly in recent years, and the EU has invested significantly in diversification and resilience, particularly in ensuring access to the global market. "In this context, we attach great importance to maintaining strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with reliable suppliers such as Azerbaijan. Recently, we have been working on a new regulatory framework within the EU. One of the most important areas is reviewing the energy security architecture to assess further reforms beyond storage measures and to prevent potential disruptions to gas supplies in the face of geopolitical instability," she also said. The director noted that the EU's gas policy is shifting from dependence to resilience. "Legal restrictions on imports from Russia, as well as supplier diversification, strengthening storage mechanisms, and increasing market flexibilityall contribute to the development of a more sovereign energy policy. The European Commission is structuring its approach to ensure security of supply while simultaneously meeting climate goals and maintaining cost competitiveness. By jointly ensuring stable supplies, competitive conditions, regulatory coherence, and gradual emission reductions, we can strengthen Europe's energy security while supporting Azerbaijan's role as a key, reliable, and future-oriented partner. Let's continue to deepen our energy cooperation in the spirit of trust, stability, and shared prosperity between the EU and Azerbaijan," concluded Lobillio. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Details added: first version posted on 12:54 BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. A memorandum on cooperation priorities between Montenegro and Azerbaijan may be signed in the coming weeks, Montenegro State Secretary Dino Tutundzic told Trend on the sidelines of the meeting of the Advisory Councils on the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy in Baku. "It's a great honor for me to be in Baku these days. This ministerial meeting and council are an excellent opportunity to establish contacts with our Azerbaijani partners, as well as with all the ministers and countries present," he said. According to Tutundzic, the Advisory Council is seen as an opportunity to deepen relations with Azerbaijan, which Montenegro considers a friendly country. He noted the country's great potential, particularly in the oil and gas sector. "Furthermore, I see this as an opportunity to establish contacts on the sidelines of the meetingto interact with the Western Balkan countries, with European countries, and, together with Azerbaijan, to achieve concrete results and implement useful initiatives," the minister explained. He also emphasized the need to diversify energy cooperation and strengthen the energy system for the coming decades. The minister said that he held a productive meeting with a deputy minister of energy of Azerbaijan the previous day. "We have agreed on further steps for our cooperation and may sign a memorandum of understanding with the Azerbaijani ministry in the coming weeks to define the priorities of our cooperation," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev received Pyotr Gorodov, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, during his official visit to Azerbaijan, and discussed strengthening cooperation, Trend reports, citing the Prosecutor Generals Office. The meeting highlighted the dynamic development of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia, driven by the joint efforts and political will of the two countries leaders. Moreover, it was noted that the high level of strategic partnership and sustained intergovernmental dialogue between the two countries provides a strong foundation for deepening cooperation in political, economic, transport-logistics, and humanitarian sectors. It is also of critical importance for strengthening relations between law enforcement and prosecutorial bodies. Gorodov expressed gratitude for the hospitality extended during the visit and emphasized the strong ties between the prosecutorial institutions of the two nations. He praised the professional handling of criminal inquiries and the successful prosecution of crimes committed in Russia many years ago, but investigated in Azerbaijan. He also extended an invitation to participate in key international events scheduled for this year. Aliyev underscored that engagement in international events and the development of partnerships are of great importance to the Prosecutor Generals Office. Both sides expressed confidence that the close cooperation and friendly relations between their prosecutorial institutions will continue to thrive across all areas. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The LuxembourgAzerbaijan Friendship Association (LuxAz), operating in Luxembourg, has organized a series of events within the framework of the international awareness campaign Justice for Khojaly! dedicated to the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports. With the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, a large-scale awareness campaign was held at Place Emile-Hamilius and in major business centers across Luxembourg to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy. The initiative aimed to inform both the local and international public about historical facts related to the genocide in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic. As part of the campaign, video materials highlighting the Khojaly genocide were broadcast on digital screens in ninety-seven strategically important office buildings across Luxembourg. The videos, shown continuously throughout the day in high-traffic locations, emphasized the historical facts of the tragedy, the memory of the victims, the scale of the events, and calls for justice. In addition, informational materials outlining the historical background and international legal aspects of the crime committed against humanity on February 26, 1992, the Khojaly genocide, were distributed to residents and visitors at Place Emile-Hamilius Square. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. On March 3, the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council were held at the Baku Convention Center, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event. Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov said: - Your Excellency, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, Distinguished EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr. Dan Jrgensen, Dear ministers, ladies and gentlemen, It is my great honor to welcome you to the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. This gathering marks another significant milestone in our successful efforts to promote the balanced development of natural gas and renewable energy, as well as to further diversify regional energy connectivity. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to His Excellency, President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, for his steadfast leadership and unwavering support in driving this success. It is now my distinct privilege to invite President Ilham Aliyev to deliver the keynote address. x x x The President of Azerbaijan addressed the event. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I'd like to welcome all our guests. A special welcome to Mr. Commissioner he has just arrived and probably needs to be in bed now, but instead he is with us. We highly appreciate that he is participating in this important event, although we know that he had very busy meetings back in Brussels. So really, your presence once again demonstrates the strong partnership between European institutions and Azerbaijan in the area of energy, and not only. As always, we at the annual Advisory Council review what has been done since the last meeting and also plan our joint future steps in order to strengthen partnership cooperation in the field of energy security and sustainable energy supply. It has already been more than a decade that this initiative has demonstrated sustainability, and now we understand, maybe more than when we launched this initiative 12 years ago, how important it is to gather together and address important issues of energy security. Especially if we look back at these 12 years, we see different scenarios, different complications, challenges, and problems. But despite all those difficulties and very hard times in our region, energy security provided by Azerbaijan and its partners, to a number of countries, has really become something that we can feel on a daily basis. If we look at what has been done since we met last time in Baku last year, we again see progress. Every time we talk about progress. Last time I was addressing the audience, saying that we supply gas to 12 countries. Now the number of countries where Azerbaijani gas has reached its consumers has reached 16. And by this number, Azerbaijan is number one in the world with respect to the number of countries it supplies with pipeline gas. Last time I touched upon our plans to expand the geography of gas supplies. So, as you see, it has been done. Also, I think an important event was that our gas supplies have already reached other destinations beyond Europe. For the first time, we started to supply gas to Syria in order to help the Syrian people reduce the dramatic electric energy deficit. By supplying 1.5 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas to Syria, we helped the population be better protected and have more opportunities to do business and make enterprises functional, because everybody knows very well that without electricity you cannot achieve any development. So this was important for Syria, for the region, and for Azerbaijan because diversification of gas supplies for us, as for every country, is very important. We understand the challenges that countries which receive gas face with respect to diversification. But also for producers, diversification is an important factor. And again, we see positive dynamics in cooperation between the producer, Azerbaijan, transit countries, and consumers. And this unity and shared interests and shared benefits, I think, are the main reasons for our successful journey for more than a decade. With respect to our plans, yes, we want to increase our presence in the European energy market. We have already started to supply two more countries in Europe Germany and Austria. Thus, today, 10 members of the EU receive gas from Azerbaijan. In the coming years, with respect to the new production of gas from Azerbaijani fields, we may increase the output. But for that, definitely and we spoke about that last time we need to think about the expansion of the existing gas transportation infrastructure, because today the Southern Gas Corridor is already fully packed. We are looking for other extensions and interconnections in order to be able to supply as much as the market needs and probably will need even more, taking into account the current situation in the world, and in order to be able to export as much as we can. This year, we expect the beginning of production from the ACG deep gas field. We expected production to start last year, but it did not happen. But definitely, this year production will start. In two or three years, we expect the beginning of the full-phase development of the Absheron field, which will increase gas production from Absheron three times. We also expect the beginning of gas production from the second phase of the Umid field. With respect to our major source of natural gas, Shah Deniz, in 2028, we expect the beginning of production from a new phase of Shah Deniz. All these gas production profiles will allow us, at the maximum level of production, to reach an additional 10 to 15 billion cubic meters of gas. As I said earlier, for that we will need new markets, expansion of the existing pipeline system, and of course, we need to look at how to diversify our gas distribution network. Part of the discussions for several years at the Advisory Council has been the green agenda. And here also we can report good results. This January, we inaugurated the biggest wind power station in the region so far 240 megawatts financed and constructed by ACWA Power. This is an additional source of green energy to what we already had. In 2023, Masdar built a 230-megawatt solar power station. Several projects are already in the implementation phase, and we expect the inauguration of new renewable power stations in the coming years. Here, we have a good combination of foreign investors and local companies. Local companies, definitely SOCAR, but not only SOCAR private companies have also started to invest in renewables because we know that there is great potential and market demand. There are already transmission lines, but there will be more transmission lines. We need to work on that. We need to work jointly on energy cables, including the energy cable stretching from Azerbaijan to Europe across the Black Sea and the energy cable from Central Asia to Azerbaijan. Both agreements have been signed. The feasibility study has almost been completed for one project and will be completed for the other. If we look forward to when all these projects are materialized, we will see that they will be very sustainable and, I would say, existential for many countries' energy corridors. Our renewable plans are based on contracts that have already been signed. I would like to underline that they are contracts, not MOUs so they are contractual obligations. By 2032, we expect 6 to 8 gigawatts of electric power from renewable sources. This, of course, is a big asset. We need to export it and use this electricity for domestic purposes to substitute the natural gas that we are currently using to produce electricity and to provide conditions for a growing economy and growing industry, including our plans with respect to the communications sector, AI, and data centers all of which are projects already in the pipeline, especially after the signing last month here in Baku between the Vice President of the United States and myself of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan, which covers many areas, including AI, energy, connectivity, and many others. So the realization of our plans, having the United States the biggest power as our strategic partner seems to be absolutely realistic. We have been investing and continue to invest in hydropower stations. These projects are being implemented in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation. So far, 307 megawatts of hydropower stations have already joined our system. Our plans are to almost double that, maybe in two or three years, which will give us additional potential and cheap energy. So hydro, solar, wind, potentially thermal we are now investigating this issue gas, and all the combinations that is how it should be. Coming back to what we discussed even at COP29, when we were hosting this climate conference, I said then though I realized it was not in line with the trend at that time that you cannot ignore fossil fuels. If you ignore fossil fuels, that means you live in your dreams. We all want to have a safe and clean planet. We all do not want to see the complications of climate change. And by the way, here one can see how the Caspian Sea is shrinking year after year. But at the same time, we need to treat this issue from the point of view of pragmatism and realism, not from the point of view of ideology. The combination of fossil fuels and renewables, and especially appreciation of the efforts of countries like Azerbaijan which has reserves that can be enough for the country and its neighbors for 100 years of fossil fuels, but nevertheless is investing billions in renewables I think this is how it should be. I am sure all these issues will be discussed at today's event, and we will come up with good solutions. I would also like to underline that Azerbaijan plays an important role as a reliable transit country for energy resources. We provide important oil transit for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and year after year, the volume of oil transported through our system is growing. We are capable and have the infrastructure to receive more oil from the eastern shores of the Caspian. With respect to our efforts on the European energy market, I think it is important for the audience to know that we recently acquired one of the biggest power stations in Turkiye 870 megawatts. Last month, a contract was signed with Serbia to build a 500-megawatt power station there. Our contribution to energy security is not limited to our boundaries or to the Southern Gas Corridor. Among important achievements for us is also the acquisition of two refineries in Italy with a total capacity of 10 million tons. If we add that to what we already have on the Turkish Aegean coast a 12-million-ton refinery in total we will have 22 million tons of refinery capacity in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions, which will definitely help provide sustainable supplies of oil products. Thousands of petrol stations are also part of the deal. So I do not want to take much of your time. I know that you will be very busy, but I just wanted to underline the main milestones that are important to understand our plans, what has been done, and what we are planning to do. I am sure that, as always, the meeting will be productive, constructive, and result-oriented. Thank you very much. x x x Parviz Shahbazov: Your Excellency, Mr. President, we are extremely grateful for your invaluable remarks. The Advisory Council established with a visionary initiative has evolved into a vital platform, as you have mentioned already in your speech, and it underscores the importance of diversification, predictable investments, and partnership in ensuring energy security and connectivity. We deeply appreciate your continued support and extend our heartfelt thanks. With your permission, I now turn to the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr. Dan Jrgensen. Azerbaijan's key energy projects are Europe-focused, shaping the ever-evolving Azerbaijan-EU strategic energy partnership. Mr. Jrgensen, the floor is yours. x x x Speech by Commissioner Dan Jrgensen - Thank you, Minister, President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I am extremely delighted to be here today, and I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the warm welcome extended here in Baku, and I thank all of you for accepting our invitation today. They say that good things come in threes. So today is the third day of the third month, so it seems appropriate that I share with you three key points for our discussion. First of all, energy security. In 2020, gas started flowing from Azerbaijan to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor. In 2022, the strategic importance of the corridor became abundantly clear. When Russia began its war of aggression and its weaponization of energy, the European Union took the decision to diversify our energy supplies. To replace Russian energy, we turned to our most trusted and reliable partners, and Azerbaijan was chief amongst these. Since then, we have significantly increased natural gas deliveries through the Southern Gas Corridor. And since late 2020, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline has already delivered more than 50 billion cubic metres of Caspian gas to Europe. With the help of Caspian gas, the EU's dependency on Russian gas fell from 45% of overall imports in 2022 to 12% in 2025, and these numbers will continue to fall. In less than two years, the remaining 35 billion cubic metres of Russian gas that we are still importing every year will be out of our markets. The 10 billion euros per year that the EU spends on this gas bill will no longer finance Russia nor its aggression against Ukraine. We continue to reduce our dependencies on Russian gas, and the importance of our partnership with Azerbaijan will increase, bringing benefits for Europe's energy security and Azerbaijan's economy. Since the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline started commercial deliveries, Azerbaijan has earned around 24 billion euros in natural gas export revenues from EU buyers through 2024. My visit today is an opportunity to make it very clear. Azerbaijan's gas supplies will remain an important backbone of the EU's energy security. The EU will remain a reliable purchaser of Azerbaijani gas for the foreseeable future, underpinning structural transformation in the Azerbaijani economy. Let me turn to my second point. The future of energy security lies in the clean transition and electrification. In the EU, we are deploying renewable energy capacity at record levels. In 2025, for example, renewables generated 45% of our electricity, while EU retail electricity prices remain stable compared to the year before. I know that Azerbaijan also foresees electrification as a catalyst to reduce domestic fossil fuel consumption, therefore opening additional opportunities for gas export revenues. Moreover, I know that there is enormous potential for electrification throughout the whole region, especially when it comes to heating in households and industries. With a view to COP31 in Turkiye, let us therefore put the electrification higher on the agenda and identify concrete areas for closer collaboration. Here, let me highlight the role of the EU cleantech industry. The EU offers a world-class cleantech ecosystem from grid technologies and storage to renewables and hydrogen, as well as digital and cyber security solutions. To unlock the potential of this offer and to mobilize private capital at scale, we need transparent and competitive procurement schemes, clear market-driven regulation, and long-term predictability. With these conditions in place, EU companies are ready to engage and commit, bringing financing capacity, technological excellence, and high standards in cybersecurity and system reliability. So, let me turn to my final point, regional connectivity. In the Black Sea Strategy, the EU committed to a connectivity agenda, aiming to improve transport, energy, and digital connections with the Black Sea region, Turkiye, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. The connectivity agenda does three things. One, it provides a shared strategic framework. Two, it prioritizes reforms. Three, it links investments with policy. There is a mutual interest in advancing this agenda. Regional electricity connectivity helps to reduce energy system costs, facilitate the integration of renewable energy, and enable two-way electricity flows and trading. This will increase regional power trade and ensure that we make the best use of regionally distributed renewable energy resources. Connectivity must also be understood in an integrated way, encompassing both hard infrastructure and soft connectivity, including regulatory convergence, market integration, and improved governance frameworks. The EU stands ready to explore further opportunities to strengthen energy connectivity and the energy transition in the region, including through the mobilization of guarantees and blended finance instruments. The active involvement of the private sector will be essential, and EU companies bring significant added value in expertise, innovation, and standards. The EU will also stand ready to support partner countries in the region to go further in strengthening their energy regulations. The recently launched third phase of the EU4Energy programme will further advance this work and provide concrete technical support on bilateral and regional levels. It is great to see the plans for cross-border electricity interconnections that have been announced over the last years. Considering the number of initiatives announced, it is important that these projects are implemented based on sound economic and system integration analysis. I look forward to the results of the feasibility studies currently being implemented. Dear friends, to conclude, let me once again thank you, Your Excellency, President Aliyev, for welcoming us here today, and let me thank you for giving us the opportunity to deepen our discussions and reinforce our relationships. In these turbulent times, these relationships are more important than ever. President, last year when we met, we did indeed say These are complex times. Now, unfortunately, they're even more complex. And with these objectives in mind, I thank you for your time and look forward to our discussions. Thank you. x x x Parviz Shahbazov: Commissioner Jrgensen, thank you for your insightful speech. With your co-chairmanship, we believe that the strategic energy dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EU will continue to develop and yield fruitful results. This concludes our opening session. Mr. President, thank you very much for being with us today. x x x The meeting was attended by representatives from 27 countries, including Azerbaijan and various European nations, 11 international financial institutions and organizations, and 49 energy companies. Participants include ministers, deputy ministers, and other high-ranking officials. Following the opening session, the summit continued with a Ministerial Meeting and plenary sessions titled Southern Gas Corridor Session: Sustaining Success and Driving the Next Phase of Development of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Projects. The EU-Azerbaijan Green Connectivity Investment Roundtable will be held as part of the Advisory Council. At the end of the event, a press conference will be held on the outcomes of the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting has been held since February 2015. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. As the crisis heats up, the exodus of foreign and Azerbaijani citizens from Iran is in full swing, Trend reports. From 08:00 (GMT+4) on February 28 through 10:00 (GMT+4) on March 3, a total of 615 people from various countries were safely evacuated to Azerbaijan. The evacuated persons include 157 Azerbaijani, 150 Chinese, 127 Russian, 66 Pakistani, 52 Tajik, 18 Saudi Arabian, seven Georgian, six UAE, five Serbian, four Jordanian, three Qatari, and three Bangladeshi citizens. The list also includes five citizens of the Philippines, Nepal, Kazakhstan, France, and Uzbekistan. One evacuated person each was from Turkiye, Italy, Poland, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, and Brazil. Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Trend reports. "Dear Madam President, I cordially congratulate you and your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Bulgaria. We are pleased with the current level of traditionally friendly relations and the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria. Our bilateral relations are developing in a spirit of mutual respect and trust; cooperation spanning various fields is expanding day by day and being enriched with new content. Our high-level political ties create a solid foundation for cooperation in trade, economic, transport, humanitarian, and other spheres. The active interaction we demonstrate in the energy sector one of the priority areas of our cooperation is commendable. I recall with the fondest impressions our recent meeting in Munich and the exchange of views we held regarding the prospects for developing Azerbaijan-Bulgaria relations. I believe that, by utilizing existing opportunities, we will continue to successfully pursue joint efforts aimed at strengthening interstate relations and expanding cooperation on both a bilateral and multilateral basis. I wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, and to the friendly people of Bulgaria continued well-being and prosperity," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov exchanged views on military escalation and rising tensions in the Middle East region during the phone talk with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Ishaq Dar, a source in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The ministers emphasized the impact of the current situation on regional and global security as well as noted the importance of observing humanitarian law, protecting civilians and facilities, and resolving issues on the basis of international legal norms and principles through dialogue and diplomatic means. At the same time, the Pakistani side briefed on the current situation regarding the clashes that occurred on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The conversation also discussed the current state of the strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan and their future development prospects. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov held a phone conversation with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to discuss current issues in Azerbaijan-Russia trade and economic cooperation, the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. During the discussion, positive trends in bilateral trade were reviewed, as well as the implementation of joint projects in various sectors of mutual interest. Moreover, the Russian side expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for assisting in the rapid evacuation of Russian citizens from the Islamic Republic of Iran amid a complex regional situation. The heads of government also emphasized the importance of a delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia that visited Baku yesterday and welcomed the agreement to hold the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Azerbaijan in April. Taking the opportunity, Prime Minister Asadov congratulated Mishustin on his sixtieth birthday and wished him success in his future state activities. BAGHDAD, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella body for Iraq's pro-Iranian militias, announced on Monday evening that it had carried out 28 military operations against "enemy bases" in Iraq and the broader region since dawn. It said in a statement that the operations involved "dozens of missiles and drones" targeting various installations throughout the day. The brief statement did not provide further details about the targets or casualties. The attacks came amid heightened tensions following the joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran on Saturday, to which Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The ministers exchanged views on the current volatile security situation in the region and the growing military escalation. They noted that any further deterioration could pose serious risks to both regional and international security, emphasizing the importance of restoring diplomatic efforts and dialogue. The French minister expressed gratitude for Azerbaijans support in facilitating the evacuation of French citizens from the Islamic Republic of Iran under the current complex circumstances, highlighting the significance of cooperation in this direction. The sides also discussed the current state of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France and prospects for future cooperation. Following the meeting between the Presidents of the two countries in Copenhagen, the ministers underscored the importance of continuing dialogue in areas of mutual interest. In addition, they exchanged views on other regional security issues of shared concern. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Parliament of Azerbaijan has adopted the report of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan for 2025, Trend reports. This issue was discussed at today's plenary session of the parliament. In a recent report presentation, ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva revealed that she received a total of 42,685 appeals in 2025. The Ombudsperson's 916 Call Center, operating around the clock, has reported an impressive total of 14,718 calls received. Throughout the year, the Ombudsperson, along with the Ombudsman's Office and regional centers, received a total of 9,060 individuals. Employees of the Ombudsman's Office and regional centers conducted observations independently and on their own initiative at 708 polling stations in 38 cities and regions, including 101 constituencies in the autonomous republic. On election day, no complaints or appeals were received by the Ombudsman. During the year, the Ombudsperson, taking into account the appeals of prisoners and their family members for pardon, regularly sent his proposals to the Pardon Commission under the President of Azerbaijan and participated in the meetings of the commission. A total of 900 prisoners were pardoned on the basis of the Ombudsperson's appeals, and 21 prisoners in 2025. In 2025, a total of 355 visits were carried out within the framework of the Ombudsman's National Preventive Mechanism activities, 93 of which were unplanned. A total of 3,462 people were reached during the visits. After discussions, the draft resolution on the report was put to a vote and adopted in the first reading. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan and Turkiye have discussed the application and development of defense systems, the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense Industry says, Trend reports. The discussion was held during meetings of the Minister of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan, Vugar Mustafayev, with the Minister of National Defense of Turkiye, Yasar Guler, as well as the Chairman of the Defense Industry Committee, Haluk Gorgun, within the framework of an official visit of a delegation led by Mustafayev to Ankara. The discussions included the current state and further development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye in the field of the defense industry, as well as increasing mutual exchange of experience and implementing new projects. The meetings emphasized the great importance of strengthening cooperation in the security and defense sectors of the two brotherly countries and exchanged views on the application and development of modern technologies and defense systems. The parties also discussed scientific exchange in the field of the defense industry, joint training, and deepening cooperation on strategic projects. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. In the lead-up to the 13th session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held in Baku from 17 to 22 May 2026, the WUF13 Spectrum Management Portal has been launched as part of the events technical preparations, Trend reports. The portal, which has recently been developed, is intended to ensure the safe, uninterrupted and well-coordinated use of wireless equipment during the event. Through the portal, accredited participants can register in advance the wireless devices they plan to operate and submit applications electronically for the allocation of the necessary spectrum. All participants intending to use wireless equipment within the framework of WUF13 must first obtain accreditation through the official UN-Habitat registration system, the GEMS portal. Once accreditation has been confirmed, participants are required to create a personal user account on the Spectrum Management Portal, submit the necessary technical specifications for each device and apply for the temporary allocation of spectrum. Following the processing of applications, participants will receive email confirmation of the frequencies assigned to their approved devices. A corresponding QR code for each device will then be activated via the portal. All approved devices will undergo technical inspection and labelling at the event venue. Only wireless equipment that has successfully passed this procedure and been properly labelled will be permitted for use. The deadline for registering wireless devices and submitting spectrum applications is 30 April 2026. For further information or technical support regarding the WUF13 Spectrum Management Portal, participants may contact [email protected]. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan and Japan have discussed cooperation in cybersecurity, the Azerbaijani Electronic Security Service (ESS) under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport told Trend. The discussion was held during the meeting between delegations of ESS and Japan Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (JPCERT/CC). At the meeting, the guests were provided with detailed information about the work done in the field of cybersecurity in Azerbaijan, and their questions were answered. At the same time, Japanese representatives shared their country's experience in defense mechanisms against cyber attacks and international cooperation. The meeting discussed the issues of further strengthening cooperation between Azerbaijan and Japan in the field of cybersecurity and expanding mutual information exchange this year. The ESS and JPCERT/CC have been maintaining fruitful cooperation relations since 2025. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. A classical music evening dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide was held in the city of Haifa, Israel, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend. The event took place at The Krieger Center for the Performing Arts with the support of the Azerbaijan Diaspora Support Fund and was organized by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra. The Committee noted that the memory of the heroic sons of the Motherland who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijans freedom and territorial integrity, as well as the victims of the Khojaly genocide, was honored with a minute of silence. Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan and conductor Yalchin Adigozalov provided detailed information about the Khojaly tragedy, recalling the atrocities committed against the Azerbaijani people on the night of February 26, 1992. A video dedicated to the genocide was also screened. The artistic segment of the evening featured performances by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Adigozalov. Works by prominent Azerbaijani composers, including Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Asaf Zeynalli, Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Tofig Guliyev, Arif Malikov, and Vasif Adigozalov, were performed. Soloists Kamelia Ioffe, Lev Solodnikov, and Aleksandr Kotlyar delivered moving performances, creating an emotional atmosphere for the audience. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. An international academic and awareness conference titled Khojaly: Truth, Memory and Future Generations has been held at the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States, the State Committee for Diaspora Affairs told Trend. The event was organized by the Azerbaijani Students Association of the University of Illinois with the support of the Azerbaijan Center of Midwest America (ACMA) and the Committee. The conference began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and the United States, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs. Riyad Babayev, a representative of the Azerbaijani Students Association at the University of Illinois, welcomed the guests with an opening address. Co-founder of ACMA, Mehriban Mammadova, then delivered remarks, noting that the organization holds educational events of this nature annually. She recalled that a similar conference had been organized last year at Harper College in Chicago. Farid Mammadov, founder of ACMA and one of the organizers of the event, emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the Khojaly tragedy, promoting historical truths, and raising awareness to counter disinformation. The conference continued with panel discussions moderated by Riyad Babayev. During the discussions, Vusala Mehdiyeva, adviser at the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United States, underscored the importance of safeguarding humanitarian values, protecting civilians, and informing younger generations about such tragedies. Student presenter Nazrin Mammadova delivered a presentation on the historical aspects of the Khojaly tragedy and the responsibility of future generations to preserve historical memory. As part of her presentation, a video message from a Khojaly witness was screened. International security expert Ali Mammadov gave an extensive presentation on the regional situation in the early 1990s, the geopolitical background of the conflict, and the impact of armed conflicts on civilians. Legal expert Samaya Habibova presented a legal perspective on the norms of international humanitarian law, accountability for war crimes, and the principles of civilian protection. She highlighted the role of documentation and academic research in raising global awareness of such events. During the event, the book Tovuz to Karabakh by Pakistani journalist and geopolitical analyst Malik Ayyub Sumbal, which addresses Armenias occupation policy, was presented as a gift to foreign experts and professors. A special corner reflecting Azerbaijans national values was also set up. ACMA operates to promote Azerbaijans history and culture, while also fostering intercommunity dialogue across the Midwestern United States. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. A memorial event titled Return to Khojaly was held at the Santa Maria de Valldonzella Royal Monastery in Barcelona to honor the victims of the Khojaly genocide, the State Committee for Work with Diaspora told Trend. The event was organized by the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Community in Barcelona, and the Azerbaijan House, with the support of the Azerbaijani government. According to the Committee, Azerbaijans Ambassador to Spain, Ramiz Hasanov, official guests, local Azerbaijani residents, and representatives of the broader community attended the ceremony. The event began with a moment of silence to honor the memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, as well as the victims of the Khojaly genocide. Participants were then briefed on the horrific events of the night of February 25-26, 1992, when Armenian armed forces committed atrocities in Khojaly. The significance of international efforts to recognise the Khojaly tragedy was highlighted, including the Justice for Khojaly! campaign initiated in 2008 by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The artistic program featured classical music performances by the choir of the University of Barcelona, the Artinity Vocal Group, the Salvat Chamber Orchestra, and soloists. Under the direction of conductor Ahmet Suleyman Bilgin, the pieces focused on themes of memory, peace, and hope. The musical pieces, centred on themes of memory, peace, and hope, were performed under candlelight, creating a reflective and emotional atmosphere, sending a powerful message that the memory of Khojaly will never be forgotten while promoting peace, mutual respect, and intercultural dialogue. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Northern California Azerbaijani Cultural Society (ACSNC) recently dedicated its Azerbaijani Youth Dance Ensemble classes to the memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend. At the outset of the session, students paid tribute to the innocent lives lost in Khojaly by placing flowers in a designated memorial area, reflecting deep respect and remembrance. Anar Allahverdov, the artistic director, offered a poignant reflection on the tragic events of February 26, 1992, underscoring the importance of honoring the victims of Khojaly, preserving their memory, and ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated. The session also highlighted the vital role of safeguarding historical memory and passing it on to future generations, reinforcing the collective responsibility to keep these memories alive. Founded more than four decades ago, the ACSNC has consistently worked to promote Azerbaijani culture and history in the United States, organizing various cultural and educational activities for the diaspora. With the ongoing support of the State Committee, the Azerbaijani Youth Dance Ensemble continues to offer national dance classes, thereby strengthening cultural identity among young Azerbaijanis living abroad. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The United Kingdom's growing interest in Central Asia is increasingly evident, with its engagement gradually taking the shape of a long-term strategic approach. In the wake of its departure from the European Union, the UK has found itself in a position where forging independent economic pathways outside Europe has become essential. In this context, Central Asia emerges as a region of considerable importance, marked by a burgeoning market, valuable resources, and its strategic role as a crucial transit hub connecting East and West. In this broader framework, Uzbekistan plays a pivotal role. In recent years, the country has solidified its position as one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Asia, alongside becoming a significant node in the regional logistics network. As a result, Tashkent has become an indispensable partner for London. Economic indicators further underscore the increasing interest in bilateral relations. Over the past five years, trade between the two nations has witnessed a remarkable doubling. As of February 1, 2026, 251 enterprises with British capital are now operating within Uzbekistan, while Uzbek sovereign and corporate bonds amounting to over $15 billion are listed on the London Stock Exchange, emphasizing the importance of the UK financial market for Tashkent. Furthermore, the Joint Economic Committee, which began its work last year, will convene for its next meeting in the spring of 2026. The London summit, the first meeting of foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and the United Kingdom in the C5+1 format, marked the institutionalization of Britains sustained interest in the region. However, its significance lies not in the meeting itself, but in the substance of the follow-up agreements. During talks between Uzbekistans Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the focus was placed on trade, investment, green infrastructure, energy, and regional connectivity. These areas reflect the United Kingdoms own strategic priorities - from its climate agenda to the diversification of supply chains. The signed memoranda are aimed at launching concrete projects, expanding green financing instruments, and developing educational cooperation. Particular importance attaches to cooperation with UK Export Finance (UKEF). The signing of a memorandum on the use of the agencys financial instruments signifies a shift from political declarations to mechanisms of practical support. Export guarantees and credit lines enable British companies to participate in infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan with government-backed risk insurance. This increases the likelihood of real contracts rather than merely protocol agreements. Ahead of the summit, the visit to Tashkent by the UK Trade Envoy for Central Asia and Azerbaijan, Lord John Alderdice, further confirmed a systematic approach. The British side expressed readiness to provide up to 4 billion in export guarantees for infrastructure and mining projects. A roadmap for the development of investment cooperation was signed following the visit. This effectively creates a financial cushion that makes British participation in Uzbek projects competitive against Chinese, European, and Russian initiatives. The issue of critical minerals deserves particular attention. Central Asia possesses reserves of lithium, uranium, rare earth elements, manganese, and chromium. For the United Kingdom, which is pursuing a green transition strategy and seeking to reduce dependence on a limited number of raw material suppliers, diversifying sources has become a matter of economic security. Uzbekistan, with its developed mining base and intention to attract foreign technologies, could become part of new resilient supply chains. Thus, British activity carries a dual calculation. On the one hand, it offers access to a rapidly growing market and infrastructure projects. On the other hand, it facilitates the formation of long-term raw material and logistics ties necessary for Britains own industrial and energy transformation. For Uzbekistan, deepening cooperation with the United Kingdom fits into its broader strategy of partner diversification. At a time when China maintains a large-scale investment presence, Russia remains an important economic actor, and the European Union advances its own transport initiatives, Tashkent seeks to expand its circle of partners without becoming dependent on a single center of power. British financial instruments, educational opportunities, and technological solutions complement existing areas of cooperation. It is also significant that relations are moving to an institutional level - through the Joint Economic Committee, roadmaps, and concrete financing mechanisms. This reduces the risk that agreements will remain declarative. However, success will depend on implementation. Announced guarantees and memorandums create a framework, but their translation into specific contracts will determine whether the United Kingdom can establish itself in the region as an independent economic player rather than a secondary partner. Overall, the British-Uzbek rapprochement reflects a broader trend: Central Asia is becoming a space of competing economic strategies. How effectively the agreed initiatives are implemented will determine whether London can transform political engagement into a sustainable economic presence and whether Tashkent can use this interest to accelerate its own modernization. ALMATY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan's new power generation projects will require more than 19 million tons of coal annually by 2032, the country's Energy Ministry said Monday. The ministry said it is developing a national project to expand coal-fired power generation to cement coal's role as a strategic asset for Kazakhstan, which holds more than 33 billion tons of coal reserves. The initiative extends beyond power generation to encompass comprehensive industrial development, including attracting investment, modernizing infrastructure, adopting environmental technologies and strengthening the workforce, it said. Earlier, the ministry said it plans to allocate more than 8 trillion tenge (16 billion U.S. dollars) for the implementation of the national plan through 2030, which is aimed at providing a long-term solution to energy shortages and modernizing the country's aging power generation capacity. Under the plan, Kazakhstan would commission and modernize 7.6 gigawatts of generating capacity, build six major power facilities, and carry out technical upgrades at existing plants. Special emphasis will be placed on facilities using "clean coal" technologies and incorporating advanced systems, the ministry said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkiye amounted to $431.7 million in January 2026. Data obtained by Trend from the State Customs Committee indicates that this figure represents a decrease of $51.6 million, or 10.7%, compared with the same period in 2025. In January 2026, Azerbaijan exported goods worth $268.2 million to Turkiye, down $39.9 million, or 13%, year-on-year. Of the total exports to Turkiye over the reporting month, $19.5 million accounted for crude oil and crude petroleum products obtained from bituminous minerals. Export volume for this category reached 41,800 tons. Compared with January 2025, Azerbaijan's exports of these products to Turkiye increased by $15.3 million, or 4.6 times in value, and by 33,100 tons, or 4.8 times in volume. In addition, non-oil exports to Turkiye totaled $31.4 million during the reporting month, which is $5.7 million, or 15.3%, less than in January 2025. Non-oil exports to Turkiye accounted for 11.72% of Azerbaijans total non-oil exports. As a result, Turkiye ranked 4th among the destinations for Azerbaijans non-oil exports during the reporting period. During the same period, exports from Turkiye to Azerbaijan amounted to $163.6 million, marking a decrease of $11.6 million, or 6.6%, compared with the same period last year. Overall, in January, Azerbaijan conducted foreign trade operations worth $3.53 billion with other countries, which is $1.5 billion, or 30.5%, less than a year earlier. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 3. Seven international highway corridors have been established in Kazakhstan, Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev said at a government meeting, Trend reports. According to the minister, Kazakhstans public road network totals 95,000 km, including 25,000 km of national roads managed by the ministry, 94% of which are in standard condition. Another 70,000 km fall under local executive authorities, with 91% meeting standard requirements. Sauranbayev said that over the next three years, together with local authorities, the ministry plans to increase regional highway repairs fivefold, bringing 32,000 km of local roads to 95% standard condition. To implement these measures, corresponding amendments to departmental regulations have been adopted. Work is currently being completed on updating existing standards. A meeting with representatives of akimats was also held, and local executive bodies have begun practical implementation of the tasks, he said. The minister noted that regional connectivity is currently ensured through the national road network, within which seven international highway corridors have been formed. He added that four major projects - Kalbatau-Maikapchagay, Taldykorgan-Ust-Kamenogorsk, Atyrau-Astrakhan, and Karaganda-Almaty - have been completed, with a total length of 2,000 km. The minister outlined that in view of rising traffic volumes and certain corridors operating at capacity, further modernization and development of specific road sections are planned. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekneftegaz and US-based Schlumberger have discussed prospects for carrying out additional geological exploration and further development at the 25 Years of Independence field, Trend reports via the Uzbek company. The matter was reviewed during a working meeting between Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz Abdulgani Sanginov and Gokhan Yarim, Vice President for Projects at Schlumberger. During the talks, the parties also addressed measures to eliminate the emergency situation at the field and considered the possible involvement of Schlumberger in these efforts. Company representatives noted that previously submitted technical and commercial proposals would be refined and resubmitted for consideration in the near future. Both sides emphasized the importance of introducing advanced technologies, improving the efficiency of oil and gas operations, and expanding the use of innovative solutions in exploration, field development, and reservoir management. Earlier, an outflow of hydrocarbon-bearing fluid was reported at the 25 Years of Independence hydrocarbon field located in the Surkhandarya region in southern Uzbekistan, one of the largest fields in the country. The fields reserves are estimated at around 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 3. The Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan has informed Russian citizens about the availability of additional border crossings for evacuation from Iran through Turkmenistan, Trend reports via the Embassy. According to the embassy, in addition to the Sarakhs checkpoint, four more crossings are functioning in accordance with established procedures and may be used for organized evacuation: Artk-Lutfabad, Gaudan-Bajgiran, Akyayla-Incheborun, and Altyn Asyr-Incheborun. The procedure and requirements are the same for all five checkpoints. As the evacuation is organized, border crossing is possible only after submitting the required personal data and documents to the Russian embassy in Iran for coordination. The mandatory list of documents includes the intended date of arrival, full names of travelers, passport copies, evacuation route with flight details, and ticket copies. The embassy urged citizens to follow official instructions and share the information with others who may need assistance. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 3. Turkmenistan and Greece discussed the possibilities of beefing up their bilateral relations and boosting cooperation within the Turkmenistan-EU framework, Trend reports via the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Belgium. The discussions took place during a meeting between Turkmenistans Ambassador to Brussels Sapar Palvanov and Permanent Representative of Greece to the European Union Ioannis Vrailas. During the talks, the sides reviewed the current state and future prospects of Turkmen-Greek relations, noting positive trade dynamics and recent progress at the political level. It was emphasized that the bilateral dialogue is becoming more stable and substantive. Particular attention was paid to cooperation in the Turkmenistan-European Union format. The parties underlined the need to intensify engagement, further strengthen the legal and contractual framework between Turkmenistan and the EU, and ensure consistent institutional development of interaction. The meeting confirmed a shared commitment to expanding areas of cooperation and elevating the partnership to a higher qualitative level in line with the interests of both sides. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The 12th meeting of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor and the 4th meeting of the Advisory Council on Green Energy were held in Baku, Trend reports. The meeting was attended by 27 countries, including Azerbaijan and the European Union, 11 international financial institutions and organizations, as well as 49 energy companies. Ministers, deputy ministers, and other high-ranking officials are participating in the event. Speaking at the meeting, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov noted that the Southern Gas Corridor and Azerbaijani gas continue to play an important role in ensuring energy security and stability of supply through diversification. Despite existing restrictions, Azerbaijan has increased gas supplies to Europe by more than 56 percent since 2021, and the capacity of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has been expanded by 1.2 billion cubic meters. Azerbaijan has also started supplying gas to Syria, Germany, and Austria, expanding its supply network from Southeast Europe to the Middle East and Central Europe. Currently, Azerbaijani gas is exported to 16 countries, including 10 European Union member states," the minister added. Parviz Shahbazov noted that natural gas will remain the main pillar of energy security in the coming decades, which must be ensured by timely investments and a transparent political framework. We live in an era of electricity driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, and digitalization. Electricity demand is growing rapidly, and natural gas remains the only scalable and flexible resource capable of reliably supporting this growth. This reality requires a pragmatic reassessment of the approach to natural gas. Gas will remain the foundation of energy security for decades to come, and timely investments and a clear policy framework will guarantee this," the minister noted. According to him, advisory councils offer practical solutions, stimulating cooperation in the field of natural gas, renewable energy, and diversified supply routes, thus forming the basis of this platform. In his speech, Artem Nekrasov, First Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine, noted that cooperation between the EU, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine is shaping a new energy architecture for Europe. "For Azerbaijan, the development of cooperation with Ukraine and Central European countries opens up new prospects for expanding natural gas exports to the European market. The development of additional transport routes and the use of regional infrastructure allows for the diversification of sales markets, increases the efficiency of the Southern Gas Corridor, and creates new commercial opportunities for Azerbaijani energy companies," he said. Nekrasov noted that the further development of the Southern Gas Corridor, the expansion of the capacity of the TANAP and TAP gas pipelines, and the commissioning of new fields in the Caspian region create the conditions for a significant increase in natural gas supplies to Europe. "In this system, Azerbaijan acts as a reliable supplier of resources, the European Union as a key market, and Ukraine can play the role of an important infrastructure and logistics hub, ensuring the flexibility and stability of energy flows in the region. Thus, the development of cooperation between the European Union, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine in the field of natural gas has the potential to become one of the key elements in the formation of a new, more sustainable, and diversified energy architecture in Europe," the deputy minister said. Furthermore, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Caleb Orr stated that the United States highly values the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor. "The Southern Gas Corridor is at the heart of our successful partnership in the region and reflects our shared view that energy security is closely linked to national security. The United States has supported the Southern Gas Corridor since its inception and highly values its strategic importance as a route connecting the Caucasus region with Europe," Orr said. He also emphasized that the US sees significant opportunities for cooperation in realizing the full potential of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and the broader Trans-Caspian route, strengthening regional economic integration, and expanding trade routes for the supply of energy, strategic minerals, and other goods. The UK Trade Envoy for Azerbaijan and Central Asia, Lord John Alderdice, emphasized that the UK sees great potential for cooperation with Azerbaijan in the context of green energy corridors. "Azerbaijan plays a highly professional role as a supplier of regional and European energy security. For more than 30 years, cooperation in the energy sector has formed the basis of relations between the UK and Azerbaijan. The UK sees great potential for joint work on green energy corridors and clean energy projects. These initiatives will bring significant benefits not only to Azerbaijan, but also to the wider region and European markets," he said. Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkiye, Zafer Demircan, noted that the Southern Gas Corridor plays a strategic role in ensuring long-term energy security. There is a common understanding of the strategic role that the Southern Gas Corridor plays in ensuring long-term energy security. This valuable concept is now evolving into a Green Energy Corridor connecting the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia with Europe, the deputy minister noted. He stressed that Turkiye is not only the most advantageous route for transporting natural gas, but also for transmitting electricity. Stuart Shaw, bp's vice president for production in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye, noted that the company is working to develop new gas sources outside Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field. The key part of this is developing the independent gas fields at Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG). These fields have a lot of potentialup to 4 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. We have already drilled the first production well on the West Chirag platform and expect to receive the first gas in the coming months. This well will also provide important data for evaluation, which will help determine the next steps in the development of the ACG independent gas fields," he said. Shaw recalled that last year bp joined the Karabagh and ADUA projects. "We are focused on exploring and developing new oil and gas fields in the Caspian region. Together with SOCAR, we are evaluating development options that make the most effective use of existing infrastructure. As the operator, we are applying our global experience and technology to advance these projects safely and efficiently. As a first step, we are conducting seismic surveys on both projects to better understand the reservoirs. This data will be key in designing concepts for future development. We are also continuing our appraisal work on the Shafag-Asiman block, now with a new partner, TPAO. This collaboration provides additional technical and financial support, helping to accelerate work on this promising structure," added the bp vice president. Furthermore, Peter Sztaray, State Secretary for Security Policy and Energy Security at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, noted that Hungary considers the Southern Gas Corridor to be a key project for diversifying natural gas supply routes to Europe and actively supports its expansion. The main goal of the Hungarian government is to ensure stable, rational, and climate-neutral energy supplies, which requires diversification of sources and import routes. Hungary considers increasing the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to be a key project for diversifying Europe's gas supply, Peter Sztaray noted. He stressed that Hungary's participation in the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council reflects the recognition of Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in energy cooperation, adding that Hungary actively supports increasing the corridor's capacity. Sasa Kokovic, Acting Deputy Minister of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia, stated that the Southern Gas Corridor represents a new energy reality for Europe. He noted that Serbia had gained access to natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan and other sources via the Southern Gas Corridor for the first time with the commissioning of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector. "The Southern Gas Corridor is not just an infrastructure project. It represents a new energy reality for Europe, based on reliable partnerships and mutual trust. Serbia's cooperation with Azerbaijan is of particular strategic importance and is primarily based on the friendly relations between President Aleksandar Vucic and President Ilham Aliyev. The results of our cooperation to date have been confirmed by agreements covering the exchange of experience in the field of natural gas, renewable energy sources, and the introduction of new technologies," he said. Erlind Sulo, Albania's Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, noted that Albania is in a favorable position to access natural gas supplies via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). "This opens up the possibility of meeting domestic energy needs, reducing dependence on electricity as the sole source, and making energy resources more accessible and economical for households, businesses, and industry. We have decided to work in this direction on two parallel projects. The first is the revival of the Vlora Thermal Power Plant (TPP), implemented as an integrated project connected to the TAP exit point and a floating LNG terminal. The second project is the gasification of Korce, one of Albania's major cities," he said. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. In light of the current situation in the Middle East, Uzbekistan has introduced an emergency support mechanism for exporters, Trend reports via the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade. According to the ministry, the complex geopolitical environment in the Middle East is directly affecting transit routes and foreign trade operations conducted through the region. As a result, businesses are facing logistical disruptions, transport delays, difficulties in customs clearance procedures, and challenges related to international payments. In response, the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade has launched an emergency assistance mechanism for enterprises engaged in foreign trade activities. Under this framework, exporters can directly apply for support, including through the 24/7 Call Center operating under the Republican Export Headquarters. The system is designed to facilitate the swift resolution of arising issues and to mitigate risks for Uzbek exporters in the context of persistent regional volatility. In the interim, hostilities in the Middle East have intensified due to the impasse in nuclear discussions between Washington and Tehran. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Turkmen branch of Russias Tatneft bids tender for fire extinguishers supply The Turkmenistan branch of Tatneft PJSC has opened a tender for the supply of fire extinguishers for its operational needs. Interested companies can submit applications electronically in PDF and Excel formats within the specified deadline. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Photo: The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 3. A delegation from Turkmenistan, headed by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Atakhaliev Tangriguli, arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on March 3, Trend reports via the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan. The delegation arrived to engage in the 14th session of the Turkmenistan-Tajikistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission focused on trade, economic, and scientific-technical collaboration. The session, scheduled for March 3-4, will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation, expanding ties between the two countries, and exploring new opportunities for mutually beneficial development. The delegation was received at Dushanbe International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Ziyozoda Suleyman and other officials. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Kazakhstan is poised to become a reliable supplier of green electricity under the green energy corridor connecting Central Asia and Azerbaijan, Sanzhar Zharkeshov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, told Trend. Zharkeshov said that the integration of energy systems in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan for the export of green energy is being planned with a clear sequence of steps. We have a clear understanding of the process. All three participants are discussing key issues, capacity volumes, tariffs, and technical schemes, as well as forecasts for energy consumption and distribution, he said. The deputy minister highlighted Kazakhstans active development of renewable energy. More than 160 renewable energy projects with a total capacity exceeding 6 gigawatts are currently underway in the country, with new facilities commissioned annually. By the time the Green Corridor project is implemented, we will have even greater capacity. We know that Uzbekistan is also actively expanding its renewable energy capacity. Therefore, I believe the project has significant potential, and Kazakhstan, as an exporting country, will become a reliable supplier of green electricity, Zharkeshov added. Regarding oil supplies, he noted that Kazakhstan plans to increase volumes via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, although this will depend on tariffs and market demand. The Green Corridor project is being implemented under a Strategic Partnership Agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan for the development and transmission of green energy. A joint venture, the Green Corridor Alliance, has been established to oversee the project. Following an international tender for the preparation of a feasibility study, the Italian company CESI S.p.A. was selected as the winner. The feasibility study will be carried out with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel LOS ANGELES, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A United Airlines flight returned to Los Angeles for an emergency landing on Monday morning shortly after takeoff due to an engine issue, authorities said. "United Airlines Flight 2127 returned safely to Los Angeles International Airport around 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday, March 2, due to a left engine issue," the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement, adding that passengers deplaned on a taxiway. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was heading to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, according to the FAA. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed in an alert that the plane "has landed safely and is clear of all passengers and crew members following reported engine problems." "No patients requiring hospital transport have been identified at this time," the department said. A total of 256 passengers and 12 crew members were on board, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing a spokesperson for the airline. The FAA said it will investigate the emergency landing. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistan and Chinas Fang Yuan have explored the launch of high-tech production of advanced glass products, Trend reports via the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan. The discussions took place at the ministry between Deputy Minister Ilzat Kasimov and Chang Xiaolong, General Director of Fang Yuan. The initiative aims to establish modern manufacturing facilities to serve both the domestic market and potential export destinations. During the meeting, the parties reviewed practical aspects of project implementation and exchanged ideas on next steps to strengthen cooperation. Both sides emphasized their commitment to continuing dialogue and promoting joint initiatives. Fang Yuan is a global leader in glass and related materials, operating in over 20 countries. The company is actively involved in projects across construction materials, the chemical industry, and agriculture, bringing innovative solutions to multiple regions worldwide. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan and Austria have discussed cooperation in the energy sector, the country's Energy Minister, Parviz Shahbazov, wrote on his X page, Trend reports. "We met with Severin Gruber, Secretary General at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism of the Republic of Austria, and Berislav Gaso, Executive Board Member for Energy of OMV. We are pleased to note that our cooperation with Austria, one of the principal natural gas transit hubs in Central Europe, covers both only crude oil and the natural gas supply. We shared our views on the importance of pursuing a pragmatic policy on natural gas in order to ensure sustainable energy security," the post reads. Azerbaijan and Austria are strengthening energy cooperation, focusing on diversifying Europe's supply through the Southern Gas Corridor and developing renewable energy, particularly solar and hydro projects in Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Key areas include Austrian investment in green energy, regulatory exchange, and increased Azerbaijani gas exports to Austria. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Kazakhstan highly values its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan in the energy sector and sees significant potential for its further development, Kazakhstan's Deputy Energy Minister Sanzhar Zharkeshov said at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Trend reports. According to Zharkeshov, the agreements reached between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan on the implementation of a large-scale project for the production and transmission of green energy are of particular importance. He emphasized that the agreement signed by the heads of state contributes to strengthening the resilience of national energy systems and directly supports the countries' environmental goals of reducing emissions by attracting green investments. "Through our joint efforts and the creation of new routes, we are laying the foundation for strengthening the region's energy independence and security," the deputy minister added. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistan and Belarus have discussed the establishment of an Uzbekistan Trade House in Minsk, Trend reports via the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The issue was reviewed during a meeting between the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, Davron Vakhabov, and the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mikhail Myatlikov, held in Belarus. Meanwhile, it is planned that the Trade House will serve as a platform for the presentation and sale of agricultural and electrical engineering products. However, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Belarus increased by 25% in 2025, reaching nearly $1 billion. In February 2026, contracts worth almost $110 million were signed during the official visit of a Belarusian government delegation to Uzbekistan, underscoring the countries intention to further expand economic cooperation. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistan and Belarus discussed the implementation of joint projects in the areas of livestock farming and potato cultivation, Trend reports via the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan. The issue was brought to the table during a sit-down between Davron Vakhabov, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, and Mikhail Myatlikov, the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which took place in Belarus. The talks were attended by Belarus Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Igor Dorofeychik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus Rakhmatulla Nazarov, as well as representatives of Uzbek businesses. The sides considered the possibility of implementing joint agricultural projects in the Vitebsk region, Belarus, on an area of 15,000 hectares. Discussions focused on cooperation mechanisms, attracting investment, processing agricultural products, and organizing their export. In addition, within the framework of developing the HoReCa sector, the parties reviewed an initiative to open a restaurant of Uzbek national cuisine in Belarus. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to proceed to the practical phase of cooperation and to further elaborate specific projects. Meanwhile, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Belarus increased by 25% in 2025, reaching nearly $1 billion. In February 2026, contracts worth almost $110 million were signed during the official visit of a Belarusian government delegation to Uzbekistan, highlighting both countries intention to further expand economic cooperation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistans airline Centrum Air is increasing the frequency of its flights on the Tashkent-Delhi route, Trend reports via the company. According to the information, starting from March 29, flights will operate three times a weekon Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Services will be performed using modern and comfortable Airbus A320 family aircraft. The expansion of air connectivity with India aligns with Centrum Holdings strategy to strengthen Tashkents position as an international aviation hub connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Centrum Air is a privately owned airline in Uzbekistan that launched its commercial operations in 2023 following a strategic initiative by the government of Uzbekistan. The carrier offers a wide range of scheduled and charter services, connecting passengers to numerous international destinations, including China, Egypt, Russia, Germany, Israel, Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Turkiye, among others. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan plans to significantly expand its renewable energy (RE) sector, aiming to reach a total capacity of 6 gigawatts by 2030 and 8 gigawatts by 2033, creating a surplus of electricity available for export, said Javid Abdullayev, director of the State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources under the Ministry of Energy, Trend reports. Speaking at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (SGC) and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council (GEAC) in Baku, Abdullayev stated that this expansion will create an electricity surplus that can be transmitted through four interconnectors, which are presently in different phases of development. While we discussed these interconnectors extensively at the Advisory Council, I will not go into the technical details here. Alongside solar and wind energy, research is ongoing on other renewable energy sources with the participation of specialized scientific institutes," he said. Abdullayev also highlighted geothermal energy development, noting the recent World Bank-supported report, "Geothermal Resource Assessment for Direct Use Developments in Azerbaijan," presented at Baku Energy Week 2025. The report evaluates geothermal resources nationwide, reviews the legal framework, and outlines a detailed action plan. The official emphasized Azerbaijans focus on green hydrogen production. During COP29, the country presented its "National Hydrogen Strategic Outlook," defining three development scenarios, balanced, accelerated, and ambitious, and specifying internal consumption, export potential, and renewable energy capacity required for green hydrogen production. A detailed implementation plan for this strategy is being prepared with technical support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Furthermore, Azerbaijan has designated the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, as well as Nakhchivan, as green energy zones. Comprehensive concepts and implementation plans for the first two zones have already been prepared and are underway. The initiative aims to promote efficient use of clean energy and expand its potential applications nationwide. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. TotalEnergies, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), and XRG are exploring the second phase of the Absheron gas condensate field development, TotalEnergies Senior Vice President Martina Opizzi said at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Trend reports. "Absheron exemplifies what can be achieved through close and long-term cooperation between TotalEnergies, SOCAR, and XRG, combining international expertise with strong national and regional partners. This field is located in the Caspian Sea at depths ranging from 45 to 450 meters. The production commenced in July 2023, and production has remained stable since then, demonstrating high reliability and a high level of industrial safety, creating a solid foundation for further development," she explained. Opizzi highlighted that the subsequent phasecomprehensive field developmentencompasses two primary elements. She stated that the initial phase includes the drilling of three subsea wells and the installation of 114 kilometers of multiphase offshore pipelines. "The second component entails the development of an onshore gas processing facility aimed at optimizing products for distribution to both local and global markets. This will bolster Azerbaijan's energy security and enhance its position as a dependable regional gas provider," she noted. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf met with Juraj Ondris, Chairman of the Board of the Slovak SPP company, to discuss energy collaboration and future cooperation prospects, Trend reports. The meeting, held on March 3, 2026, highlighted the successful energy partnership between Azerbaijan and Slovakia. The parties emphasized the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) in ensuring Europes energy security and noted the significance of the start of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Slovakia in December 2024. During the discussion, the officials explored opportunities to expand cooperation between SOCAR and SPP, as well as other mutually beneficial initiatives in the energy sector. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistans Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and Irans Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the evolving regional situation and the risks of further escalation, the Uzbek FM wrote on his X page, Trend reports. I extended to the Iranian minister condolences over the loss of civilian lives and conveyed compassion to the families affected by the recent events, Saidov stated. He remarked that he had conferred with his colleague regarding the dynamic regional landscape, cautioning that any additional escalation could lead to serious humanitarian and security ramifications. I reaffirmed our consistent and principled position that all differences and disputes must be resolved exclusively through peaceful means, dialogue, and diplomacy, he concluded. In the interim, hostilities in the Middle East have intensified due to the impasse in nuclear discussions between Washington and Tehran. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel on Tuesday as falling missile fragments struck more than a dozen locations, leaving at least five people injured, according to Israeli sources. Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that 18 sites were hit by fragments of the intercepted missile, causing damage and sparking fires. The police said the results of the attack were still under review, and bomb disposal experts are currently managing multiple impact sites involving munitions fragments across the Tel Aviv District. Forces are working to secure and isolate the areas to prevent further harm to the public. Home Front Command search and rescue forces were scanning the impact sites, searching for possible casualties among the debris. The missile attack came as the joint operation by Israel and its allies entered its fourth day, with Israel engaged in active hostilities against both the government of Iran and its allies in Lebanon, amid retaliatory missile and drone attacks from both fronts. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan becomes an exemplary model in the field of green energy for the region, Sule Kilic, Head of the Energy Department for the Eurasian Region of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), said at the 12th meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministers and the 4th meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council Ministers, held in Baku today, Trend reports. According to her, connectivity encompasses cooperation between Azerbaijan and other countries in both transport and digital areas Georgia, Turkiye, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. EBRD operates in all of the countries. Azerbaijan has an important central position, bringing all these countries together, acting as a real bridge between two continents of the world. These ambitious infrastructure projects will require large volumes of renewable energy. Azerbaijan and the region as a whole can provide this potential. The EBRD is one of the main supporters of the decarbonization agenda here, including in Azerbaijan. The bank has financed more than 1.2 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity in the country. This includes Azerbaijans first two large-scale, privately owned power plants the 230-megawatt Garadagh Solar Power Plant and the 240-megawatt Khizi-Absheron wind power project, as well as the two largest renewable energy projects in the Caucasus, 445-megawatt and 350-megawatt solar power plants in Bilasuvar and Neftchala districts, respectively. These projects are expected to generate approximately 3,000 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity annually and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.4 million tons per year," Kilic explained. She noted that the EBRDs support for Azerbaijans energy transition and renewable energy development isn't limited to investments. Over the years, the bank, working closely with the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan, has supported the formation of an enabling environment that encourages investments in the renewable energy sector through various policy initiatives. For example, since 2018, the EBRD has been providing technical assistance in Azerbaijan to develop relevant energy legislation. This legislative framework is one of the main conditions for attracting international investors to the Azerbaijani energy sector, and its successful results can already be seen. The EBRD also supported the preparation of the first renewable energy auction held in Azerbaijan, the results of which were announced within the framework of COP29. The auction was an important milestone in the countrys renewable energy sector and resulted in the formation of highly competitive tariffs. At the same time, Azerbaijan has taken an important step towards a greener future with the presentation of the National Hydrogen Strategy, developed with the support of the EBRD within the framework of COP29. This is a continuation of the bank's support for the preparation of a market study on a low-carbon hydrogen economy in Azerbaijan in 2023. That study identified the commercial viability of green hydrogen production, its supply opportunities for the regional energy market, as well as domestic consumption areas. Currently, the EBRD continues to support the Ministry of Energy in developing a low-carbon and climate-resilient development roadmap for the electricity generation sector, as well as in the implementation of the National Hydrogen Strategy. We believe that both of these initiatives will create numerous investment opportunities for private investors not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the region as a whole. In fact, Azerbaijan plays the role of an exemplary model for the countries of the region in these areas," the bank official added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Black Sea Submarine Cable project, which envisages the transportation of green energy from Azerbaijan and Georgia to Europe, will be an important step towards strengthening connectivity between Europe and the South Caucasus, Cristina Lobillo, Director of the EU Energy Platform and International Relations Task Force (Directorate F) at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), said, Trend reports. She made the remark at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (SGC) and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council (GEAC) in Baku According to her, the European Commission recently included the Black Sea Submarine Cable project in the list of projects of mutual interest (PMI). This status will allow it to apply for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility program. The project will be an important step towards strengthening connectivity between Europe and the South Caucasus. We look forward to the outcome of the ongoing discussions to link this project more closely to the Green Energy Corridor connecting the Caspian Sea with Europe, Cristina Lobillo said. Meanwhile, on December 17, 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement providing for the construction of a 1,000 MW submarine power cable across the Black Sea with a length of 1,195 kilometers. The cable is designed to transmit green electricity generated in Azerbaijan and Georgia to Romania, with subsequent transportation to Hungary and other European countries, which will expand Europe's access to renewable energy sources in the Caucasus region. In September 2024, Romanian electricity transmission system operator Transelectrica, Georgian operator Georgian State Electrosystem, Azerbaijani energy company AzerEnerji, and Hungarian energy company MVM established a joint venture to lay the submarine cable across the Black Sea. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan demonstrates a clear vision for the development of green energy, the Director of Business Development at ACWA Power, Polina Liubomirova, said, Trend reports. She made the remark at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (SGC) and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council (GEAC) in Baku "ACWA Power is proud to be part of this process and looks forward to contributing to the achievement of further development goals. Our projects are not just about infrastructure; they are about creating jobs, developing local supply chains, improving energy security, and reducing carbon emissions. They also strengthen Azerbaijan's role as a bridge between the European Union, the Middle East, and Central Asia," she said. Liubomirova noted that the country is undergoing a significant transformation, from a recognized leader in the hydrocarbon sector to a regional hub for green projects. With the active support of the government, a solid foundation for this transition has already been laid. "In January this year, we successfully commissioned a 240 MW wind farm, the largest in the region. It will provide electricity to around 300,000 households in Azerbaijan. We are also at an advanced stage of developing the Caspian water desalination project with a capacity of 300,000 cubic meters per day," she noted. According to her, the world is at a turning point today. Energy demand continues to grow, while the need for decarbonization is becoming increasingly urgent. The challenge is not simply to increase generation, but to do so in a smarter, cleaner, more efficient, and financially sustainable way. 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. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. In light of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, Uzbekistan has temporarily halted all flight operations from its airports to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, and Israel, Trend reports via Uzbekistan Airports. According to information, all resident and non-resident airlines have halted operations on these routes until further notice. At present, resident and non-resident carriers are operating special flights to return passengers to Uzbekistan who departed before February 28, 2026. Passengers are advised to contact airlines directly through their official websites and hotlines for updated information. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. On March 3, 2026, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf met with Traycho Traykov, Bulgarias Acting Minister of Energy, Trend reports via the SOCAR. According to information, the meeting highlighted the successful development of long-term strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in the energy sector. The opening of SOCARs office in Bulgaria was noted as a key step in deepening cooperation in the energy industry. During the discussion, the strategic role of the Southern Gas Corridor, including the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the GreeceBulgaria Interconnector (IGB), was emphasized in ensuring reliable and uninterrupted gas supplies to Bulgaria. The parties also explored opportunities to expand cooperation between SOCAR and Bulgarian energy companies and discussed other matters of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. There is potential to increase gas supplies from Azerbaijan in the future, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jrgensen said, Trend reports. He made the statement at a press conference following the 12th meeting of ministers within the framework of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor and the 4th meeting of ministers within the framework of the Advisory Council on Green Energy. The gas we receive from Azerbaijan is extremely important to us. We are very pleased with the cooperation and how we have managed to increase imports. We believe that there is potential to purchase even more in the future, he said. The European Commissioner noted that the EU is in the process of transitioning to independence from fossil fuels in the future. By 2050, we must become carbon neutral. But at the same time, it is clear that in the short and medium term, we will still need a significant amount of gas, he said. Jrgensen noted that Azerbaijan and the EU are also cooperating in the field of renewable energy sources. I am very impressed with Azerbaijan's potential and how you are using it and planning to expand it in the coming years. Obviously, this is also an area where companies from the European Union can contribute to this transition for mutual benefit. The same applies to energy efficiency, he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Baku is set to take center stage once more in crafting the Eurasian energy narrative today: the Azerbaijani capital will host the 12th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th ministerial meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. The very fact that they are being held simultaneously reflects the strategic transformation of the country's rolefrom a traditional hydrocarbon exporter to an integrated pan-European energy supplier, capable of simultaneously supplying the market with both natural gas and clean electricity. The relevance of the Baku meetings is underscored by the swiftly shifting geopolitical landscape. The war in Ukraine in 2022 marked a turning point for the European energy architecture, forcing the EU to accelerate the diversification of its supply sources. However, the current escalation in the Middle East has once again demonstrated the vulnerability of global energy routes. The risk of disruptions through the Strait of Hormuza critical artery for oil and liquefied natural gas supplieshas brought supplier reliability and logistics resilience back into the spotlight. Under these circumstances, the importance of partners capable of guaranteeing predictable and long-term supplies is clearly increasing, and such players are few in the market. This is why the upcoming meetings in Baku are perceived not simply as an annual industry dialogue but as a golden opportunity to take stock of energy priorities. The parties can discuss accelerating the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, demonstrate a clearer understanding of the role of long-term contracts, and reconsider unilateral approaches to limiting funding for fossil fuel projects, which, in the current environment, are increasingly facing pragmatic reassessment. Back at the 11th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting held in April 2025, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, in fact, outlined the philosophy of the current stage. "It is clear today, more than ever before, that energy security is an integral part of the national security of countries. I would also say that today we can also talk about industrial security, because in order to develop industries, we need energy resources, we need petrochemicals, and we need fertilizers. And Azerbaijan is a producer and exporter of crude oil, natural gas, oil products, petrochemicals, and fertilizers," the head of state emphasized. The ongoing volatility renders this evaluation particularly pertinent, and it's noteworthy that an analogous signal is emanating from Brussels. European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jrgensen said in an exclusive interview with Trend ahead of the Baku meetings that Azerbaijans contribution to European energy diversification will only grow in importance. My message in Baku will be one of continued partnership and shared strategic interest. The European Union remains a steady and reliable partner for Azerbaijan, and we deeply value our energy cooperation. In these challenging times, Azerbaijan has played a crucial role in helping Europe diversify away from Russian gasand that contribution will only grow in importance given that we now have a full ban on Russian gas imports in the EU, he said. Jrgensen gave indicative dynamics that since the war in Ukraine began, Caspian gas has been instrumental in slashing EU dependence on Russian importsfrom 45% of European gas supply to just above 10% this year. Thats not just a statistic; its a strategic success for European energy security," he emphasized. At the same time, the European Commissioner particularly noted that the partnership goes far beyond the gas agenda. "My message this week will be that this partnership isnt just about gas. Its also about supporting the green transition, as both the EU and Azerbaijan are accelerating electrification, modernizing infrastructure, and remaining committed to the Paris Agreement. This is a win-win for both our economies and our energy future, noted Jrgensen. The factual basis for these statements has already been established. In January 2026, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) began supplying Azerbaijani natural gas to Austria and Germany via Italy, marking a new milestone in the evolution of the European gas market. In 2025, gas production in the country reached 51.5 billion cubic meters (bcm). Of this, 27.9 bcm came from Shah Deniz, 14.1 billion from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block, 1.6 bcm from Absheron, and another 7.9 bcm from SOCAR. Total exports amounted to 25.2 bcm, including 12.8 bcm to Europe, 9.6 bcm to Turkiye (including 5.6 billion via TANAP), 2.3 bcm to Georgia, and 0.5 bcm to Syria. The European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor (TAP) has delivered 56 bcm of gas to EU countries to date, significantly strengthening its diversification. Moreover, in January of this year, TAP underwent its first expansion by 1.2 bcm per year, which will provide additional supplies to the European market as early as 2026. The economic impact is also significant: according to Jrgensen, gas exports to Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria have generated approximately 24 billion euros in revenue for Azerbaijan by 2024, since the start of commercial deliveries via TAP. However, the strategic peculiarity of the current stage is that Azerbaijan is simultaneously accelerating its green transformation, creating an energy synergy model. Two large renewable energy projects with the participation of international investors have already been implemented. The 240 MW "Khizi-Absheron" Wind Power Plant, officially opened on January 8, 2026, and built by ACWA Power, will generate approximately one billion kWh of electricity annually, saving up to 220 million cubic meters of gas and preventing the emission of over 400,000 tons of CO. The 230 MW Garadagh Solar Power Plant, developed jointly with Masdar and commissioned in October 2023, will generate approximately 500 million kWh annually, equivalent to saving 110 million cubic meters of gas and reducing emissions by 200,000 tons of CO. President Ilham Aliyev outlined an ambitious trajectory in Davos. "In the coming six years, we will dramatically increase our capacity to generate energy from solar and wind. In other words, by 2032, we expect to have eight gigawatts of solar and wind energy," he said. According to industry forecasts, the share of renewable energy in electricity generation will reach 25 percent by 2027 and 30 percent by 2030. The development of trans-regional green energy corridors is becoming a key element of the long-term strategy. Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov told Trend that the Italian CESI company has been selected as a consultant to prepare a feasibility study for the Central Asia-Azerbaijan Green Energy Corridor project, which is expected to be completed in early 2027. "Selecting a consulting firm at this stage is crucial to ensure the project is completed on time and to a high standard, as advancing to the investment and construction phases is impossible without a feasibility study," he stressed. According to Soltanov, the project envisions connecting the power systems of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan and creating a new green energy supply route to Europe. The Caspian-Black Sea-Europe corridor is also being developed, with a joint venture between transmission system operators from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary already established. Completion of the feasibility study is expected in the first quarter of this year, and the project's phased implementation is scheduled to last until 2040. The offshore wind energy in the Caspian Sea has a promising potential, with estimates reaching a notable 157 GW. Thus, the upcoming meetings in Baku are taking place at a time when Europe is essentially rebalancing energy security and decarbonization. The reality of recent years has shown that a rapid abandonment of reliable energy sources without the creation of sustainable alternatives is fraught with serious economic and industrial risks. In this new configuration, Azerbaijan finds itself in a unique positionas a supplier of gas, critical for medium-term stability, and simultaneously as an emerging exporter of green energy in the long term. With the war in Ukraine casting a long shadow, the Middle East in a state of flux, and traditional supply routes facing mounting challenges, the need for dependable partners is becoming ever more crucial. The Baku meetings on March 3 could, in fact, become one of the crystallization points of a new Eurasian energy architecture, in which Azerbaijan cements its status as a key, systemically important, and predictable pan-European energy supplier. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The timeline for the capacity of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) reaching above 20 billion cubic meters is primarily driven by market developments, TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati said in an exclusive interview with Trend ahead of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Councils meeting in Baku. He pointed out that the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council is a key forum that brings together representatives from all over the world, international organisations, financial institutions and the energy industry, providing a platform to reflect on the strategic relevance of the Corridor as critical infrastructure underpinning Europes energy security and supply diversification. In 2025, TAP achieved several important milestones, from reaching the 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas transported to Europe, to completing five years of operations and successfully delivering the first level of expansion on time and within budget without interrupting continuous gas flows. This performance would not have been possible without close coordination with national regulatory authorities, the governments of our host countries, European Union institutions, adjacent TSOs and upstream partners, demonstrating the importance of cooperation across the broader gas network. So, in this context, the SGC Advisory Council provides an important opportunity to engage directly with these partners and exchange views on the future of this strategic energy corridor, said the managing director. Schieppati pointed out that since the start of the year, TAP has been making available the additional 1.2 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/a) of long-term capacity booked during the 2021 Market Test. This additional long-term capacity has been enabled through the successful completion of project works at TAPs compressor station in Greece, delivering the first level of capacity expansion. Initiated in January 2024, the project was completed on time and safely demonstrating TAPs operational resilience, strong planning discipline, and execution excellence. Provided there is interest from the market, TAP has the potential to further increase its capacity, with the ability to reach over 20 bcm per year. Any further expansion could be initiated through an open, transparent and non-discriminatory market test process, held at least every two years. The scale and timing of any additional expansion will depend on the level of accumulated binding capacity requests received during a market test and their economic viability. So, the timeline for reaching capacity level above 20 bcm per year is primarily driven by market developments, he explained. The managing director recalled that the 2025 Market Test, launched in July, is currently ongoing. TAP offers capacity for short-term products to the market through the PRISMA capacity booking platform and in line with the ENTSOG Auction Calendar, he added. As for the volumes delivered, Schieppati noted that since the start of the operations, the pipeline has transported over 55.7 bcm to Europe. Of this, 46.4 bcm was delivered to Italy, 5.3 bcm to Greece, 3.7 to Bulgaria. So far in 2026 we have delivered over 1.5 bcm to Europe. (cut-off date: 21 February 2026). Regarding emission reduction policy, the managing director noted that TAP fully recognises its role in supporting Europes energy transition, alongside its contribution to energy security. In parallel with its operational mandate, TAP is in a decarbonisation pathway for its own operations. As part of TAPs Long-Term Energy Transition Strategy towards 2050, the Company implemented a Carbon Management Plan covering the period 20222025. This plan included more than 50 initiatives designed to reduce TAPs carbon footprint by 5%, methane emissions by 8% compared to forecast levels, and fugitive emissions by 54% compared to LDAR baseline data over the same period. TAP is well on track to meet its near-term targets. In 2025, TAP achieved an overall reduction of more than 25% in greenhouse gas emissions and over 50% in methane emissions compared to forecast, as well as a reduction of more than 85% in fugitive emissions compared to the baseline data. Our decarbonisation efforts focus on reducing direct CO emissions through energy-efficiency measures, electrification studies, the potential use of hydrogen and biomethane, and the implementation of a Methane Emissions Reduction Plan, with the objective of achieving OGMP 2.0 Gold Standard later this year, Schieppati concluded. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The U.S. will be represented at the 12th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and the 4th Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting in Baku by Amy Carlon, Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan, the embassy told Trend. Moreover, Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs at the U.S. State Department Caleb Orr will deliver a video message to the event participants. On 3 March, Baku is hosting the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council. 27 countries, including Azerbaijan and the European Union, 11 international financial institutions and organizations, as well as 49 energy companies will attend at the meeting. Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other high-level representatives will participate in the event. Following the inaugural session, the meeting will continue with the Ministerial session, Southern Gas Corridor Session: Sustaining Success and Driving the Next Phase of Development of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Projects. EU-Azerbaijan Green Connectivity Investment Roundtable will be held within the Advisory Council. At the end of the event, a press conference will be held on the outcomes of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council 12th Ministerial Meeting and the Green Energy Advisory Council 4th Ministerial Meeting. The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting has been held since February 2015. JOHANNESBURG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a building collapse in Johannesburg has risen to eight, with one person still unaccounted for, local emergency services confirmed on Tuesday. Providing an update on the rescue on Tuesday morning, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said two individuals had been located. "Rescue teams are currently working to extract them from beneath the concrete slab, and one remains unaccounted for," the spokesperson added. EMS team responded to the Amethyst Business Park in the southern suburb of Ormonde, where the incident occurred, at around 2 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) on Monday. Khumalo briefed the media at the scene on Monday that 12 workers were on the ground floor of a two-story building when part of the structure gave way, and six workers had died and three were hospitalised. Reports indicate the collapse occurred shortly after workers finished pouring a concrete slab for the second-floor deck. Within seconds, tonnes of wet concrete and steel crashed down, burying the workers beneath. Preliminary investigation found no record of approved building plans for the structure. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an urgent inquiry into the incident, stressing the need for measures to prevent such a tragedy from recurring. Johannesburg City Manager Floyd Brink said the case has been handed over to the police, adding that there will definitely be consequences for those responsible. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Moldova is interested in attracting investments from Azerbaijan in petroleum product storage infrastructure, Moldovas Minister of Energy Dorin Junghietu said in an exclusive interview with Trend ahead of the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku. Given the considerable efforts undertaken by the Republic of Moldova to diversify its natural gas supply routes, Republic of Azerbaijan represents a potential strategic partner for our country, he said. In this context, Junghietu noted that in line with the objectives pursued during his participation in the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council, one of the priorities is to strengthen energy ties with Azerbaijan, including exploring potential cooperation with SOCAR regarding the export of natural gas and petroleum products. The Republic of Moldova is open to expanding cooperation with Republic of Azerbaijan beyond natural gas supplies, including in the field of energy infrastructure and joint projects. One area with concrete potential for cooperation is the petroleum products sector, particularly the storage of petroleum products, said the minister. He pointed out that in this context, the Republic of Moldova is in the process of transposing Directive 2009/119/EC on the obligation to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products, which entails developing adequate storage capacities and appropriate institutional mechanisms. The implementation of this framework creates opportunities for foreign investment and partnerships with international actors that have relevant experience in the field, Junghietu added. The minister noted that the authorities of the Republic of Moldova are interested in attracting investments from Republic of Azerbaijan in petroleum product storage infrastructure, as well as in other related energy projects, under transparent and competitive market conditions aligned with European standards. Such initiatives would contribute both to strengthening the Republic of Moldovas energy security and to diversifying bilateral economic cooperation. The Republic of Moldova is looking for a strategic investor, given that Lukoil will exit the petroleum products market. In this context, Republic of Moldova encourages Azerbaijani companies, such as SOCAR, to explore the opportunities available on the national market. It is essential that the new investors integrate with existing partners and contributes to the development of the country's energy infrastructure. SOCAR, recognized as a reliable business partner, provides high-quality services and adheres to rigorous safety standards in the petroleum products sector. The proposed collaboration could also include exchanges of information on the investment climate in the energy sector of the Republic of Moldova, with the aim of attracting new investments and facilitating strategic partnerships between the two states, he added. The minister recalled that on an official visit to Baku for the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council, he held a series of high-level meetings. Discussions focused on opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector, with a particular emphasis on diversifying natural gas supply sources and implementing modern technologies for electricity generation and distribution, he said. During the meeting with Rovshan Najaf, President of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Minister Dorin Junghietu underlined the Republic of Moldovas interest in diversifying energy sources and in importing petroleum products and natural gas from Republic of Azerbaijan. The Minister also discussed attracting investments from Azerbaijani companies into Republic of Moldovas energy market, noting that mutually beneficial cooperation opportunities are available. At the same time, the petroleum products market in the Republic of Moldova is a liberalized, open, and competitive market that allows access for all suppliers that meet the applicable legal and regulatory requirements. In this regard, the market is also open to suppliers of petroleum products from Republic of Azerbaijan. The supply of petroleum products is carried out on a commercial basis, in line with market conditions, and the state does not conclude long-term supply contracts for petroleum products. Decisions regarding the import of petroleum products, including from Republic of Azerbaijan, are taken by private economic operators, which are free to choose their sources of supply based on economic and logistical considerations, Junghietu explained. He pointed out that the authorities of the Republic of Moldova ensure the necessary regulatory and institutional framework for the efficient functioning of the market and for the diversification of supply sources, including by creating favorable conditions for the entry of new suppliers, in accordance with European standards. Prospects for long term gas contracts Junghietu said that the Republic of Moldova, through its state-owned energy trader JSC Energocom, maintains an ongoing and constructive dialogue with Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR. He noted that at present, JSC Energocom, has a framework agreement in place with SOCAR that establishes general commercial terms and allows for transactions on a spot or short-term basis, depending on market conditions. In this context, companies are already able to trade gas volumes flexibly in line with prevailing market conjunctures. At the same time, the main limiting factor for economically viable gas procurement from Republic of Azerbaijan, including on a potential long-term basis, remains logistics specifically, the cost of transportation along the available routes. Current tariffs applied by transmission system operators along the relevant corridors are still significant and materially affect the price of gas delivered, said the minister. Junghietu pointed out that JSC Energocom, is closely monitoring developments related to the Trans-Balkan route and other regional transport corridors. Should further infrastructure optimization and tariff reductions improve the overall economics of transportation, JSC Energocom would be ready to consider advancing discussions on longer-term contractual arrangements, including with SOCAR. At this stage, however, no negotiations on a binding long-term gas supply contract have been finalized, he said. As for gas supplies via the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), the minister recalled that the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) decided, in November, to introduce two new special bundled cross-border capacity products Route 2 and Route 3 aimed at facilitating natural gas flows from Greece to Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan infrastructure. These products will be available for the period December 2025 April 2026. This decision complements ANREs earlier decisions adopted in May and October 2025, which approved the proposal submitted by LLC Vestmoldtransgaz (Natural gas transmission system operator of the Republic of Moldova) to introduce the monthly capacity product Route 1, intended for the use of interconnection points along the Trans-Balkan pipeline connecting the natural gas transmission systems of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, he said. At the same time, Junghietu noted that the involved transmission system operators and national regulatory authorities agreed on the application of a 50% discount on the transport tariff, as a bundled product along the entire route. This measure is intended to facilitate the filling and utilization of gas storage facilities, as well as to cover Ukraines gas consumption needs during the winter period. Both the two special cross-border bundled capacity products Route 2 and Route 3 as well as Route 1, introduced earlier, represent concrete steps toward further integration of the Republic of Moldova with the European natural gas markets. These initiatives aim to promote the use of the Trans-Balkan route as an integral part of the Vertical Gas Corridor. Depending on regional developments in the natural gas market, the Republic of Moldova remains open to all opportunities for further integration that can contribute to strengthening energy security, diversifying supply sources and routes, and increasing the resilience of the national energy system, he added. Moldova eyes joining green corridor from Azerbaijan to Europe The minister said Moldova expresses its interest in the Green Energy Corridor project, a regional initiative aimed at exporting green electricity from Azerbaijan to European markets. Azerbaijan aims to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 6 GW by 2030, a goal that will transform the country into a regional green energy hub. This opens opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation in the field of electricity, including through regional projects to transport green energy to Europe. In this context, the Republic of Moldova expresses its interest in the Green Energy Corridor project, a regional initiative aimed at exporting green electricity from the Republic of Azerbaijan to European markets, including through the Black Sea submarine electricity transmission cable project, enshrined in the Memorandum on the Development and Transmission of Green Energy, signed on December 17, 2022, by the governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, he added. The minister noted that in this regard, Moldova positions itself as a potential beneficiary, importer, and participant in the regional interconnection architecture and expresses its willingness to continue the dialogue with the Azerbaijani side and regional partners in order to examine its possible involvement in the project, given that, according to publicly available information, the expected transmission capacity in the first stage is up to 4 GW. Republic of Moldova's participation in these initiatives would help diversify electricity supply sources and strengthen national energy security. In this regard, the Moldovan side expresses its willingness to examine, together with the Azerbaijani side and relevant regional partners, options for technical and institutional cooperation, including the possibility of obtaining observer status within the project's coordination structures, Junghietu said. He also touched upon the issue of attracting investment in local green projects by connecting to Azerbaijani initiatives. Given the interest of companies such as Masdar and ACWA in the region, Republic of Moldova can promote its potential for solar and wind projects, possibly as complementary packages to large investments in Republic of Azerbaijan. For example, if Masdar develops 500 MW of solar power in Republic of Azerbaijan, a 50 MW investment in solar panels in Republic of Moldova could be seen as part of the regional expansion of their portfolio (also benefiting from EU support schemes for the Green Eastern Partnership), the minister added. Moreover, he noted that Moldovas Ministry of Energy encourages Azerbaijani companies to participate in tenders for renewable energy projects. The Ministry of Energy encourages Azerbaijani companies to participate in the new round of tenders for the granting of large eligible producer status from renewable sources, which aims to develop onshore wind power plants with a supported capacity of up to 170 MW, with a mandatory battery energy storage system (BESS) of 0.25 MWh for each MW of supported wind capacity. The official tender documentation was published on December 19 on the Ministry of Energy's website, he explained. Junghietu noted that the deadline for submitting bids (technical and financial) is March 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EET): In this context, on January 29, 2026, an Investor Conference dedicated to onshore wind projects and BESS was held in Chisinau. Potential investors and developers of wind projects, technology solution providers, representatives of public authorities and relevant institutions, representatives of the business community and the media, as well as other parties interested in obtaining the status of a large eligible producer participated in the event. The minister recalled that in April 2025, the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency and the National Center for Sustainable Energy of the Republic of Moldova signed a Memorandum of Understanding on renewable energy cooperation, which aims to expand exchange of experience, joint research, and development of innovative renewable technologies between the two countries. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Approaches deepening the energy dilemma must be rejected, Azerbaijan's Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov said at the 12th meeting of the Ministers of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor and the 4th meeting of the Ministers of the Advisory Council on Green Energy being held in Baku, Trend reports. According to him, of the 25.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas exported last year, about 51% went to Europe, while the remaining 49% went to Turkiye, Georgia, and Syria. This shows that if the real support provided to the first phase of the Southern Gas Corridor had been extended to the subsequent phases, doubling gas supplies to Europe would have become a reality today. The minister stressed that Azerbaijan is a reliable supplier to Europe and that demand for Azerbaijani gas remains high. "However, the institutional and financial support from the demand side for expansion is still insufficient. Energy security cannot rest solely with the supplier. We are advancing four upstream projects scheduled for commissioning between 2026 and 2029. This year, the first natural gas is expected to be produced from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field. In addition, four new exploration projects are being implemented onshore and offshore," he explained. Shahbazov noted that the participation of the United Arab Emirates as a shareholder in the Southern Gas Corridor is also an important positive development: "However, despite such positive developments, a clear and long-term policy framework, supported by specific financial mechanisms, is required to significantly increase gas volumes to Europe. Hydrocarbons still occupy a significant place in global energy supply, while renewable energy faces network constraints. Therefore, we must abandon approaches that deepen the energy dilemma and adopt a realistic, investment-based strategy for natural gas," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. North Macedonia aims to balance electricity production with gas supplies from Azerbaijan, Goran Nikolovski, Head of the Gas Sector at the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia, told Trend on the sidelines of the 12th meeting of the Ministers of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor and the 4th meeting of the Ministers of the Advisory Council on Green Energy in Baku. "As part of our long-term strategy, we plan to secure gas supplies from Azerbaijan. The goal is to use this gas in our coordination plans," he explained. According to him, this will allow meeting base and peak loads as well as ensure the flexibility of renewable energy sources. "Our country has about two gigawatts of renewable energy capacity. We aim to balance electricity production through gas supplies from Azerbaijan. This balancing is especially important at night and during periods of low production. As for expanding cooperation in this area, some progress has been made so far. Working groups have been established with relevant Azerbaijani agencies, and it is intended to further increase cooperation between the two ministries through this mechanism," he said. On the matter of signing new documents, the minister pointed out that a pertinent memorandum was inked between the two countries back in December 2024. "In the coming period, after the completion of gas projects in our country, a new memorandum is planned to be signed. On the basis of that document, a broader cooperation agreement is planned to be concluded. We have high expectations for this conference. We expect new members to join this meeting at the ministerial level. There are sufficient natural gas reserves, especially in the southeastern part of Europe. In this regard, we see the initiative as a real opportunity to diversify the sources of gas supplies to Europe. At the same time, this process can contribute to strengthening Europe's energy security," the minister added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. For Hungary, cooperation with Azerbaijan and countries of the region is, of course, very important, Peter Sztaray, State Secretary for Security Policy and Energy Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, told Trend on the sidelines of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council meeting in Baku. "For us, cooperation with Azerbaijan and countries of the region is, of course, very important. For Hungary, energy security is a part of our sovereignty. We are a landlocked country, so we have to build as many cooperation lines with different countries and different regions as possible. And Azerbaijan is, of course, one of the countries with whom we have a very good cooperation," Sztaray said. He stressed that this meting reviewing the situation at the present time because there are many challenges. We have the war in Ukraine, we have the war in Iran, and this will have a very serious impact on oil prices, gas prices. So cooperation between our regions and between the countries is a long-term task, he said. The State Secretary added that Hungary advocating in the European Union for a long time for closer cooperation with Azerbaijan: "Azerbaijan has the resources and is eager to work together with Europe. So in that respect, I think we have come a long way already. Our national companies are more and more together." Peter Sztaray paid particular attention to renewable energy: "It's a very strategic cooperation because it's about renewables, renewable energy coming from this region and the focus is on Azerbaijan, Central Asia, to Europe. And if we want to be successful to bring them traditional, we have to be able to integrate them, which is the future." BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and TotalEnergies emphasized Azerbaijan's importance in Europe's energy security, a source in SOCAR told Trend. The issue was discussed during the meeting of SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf with Martina Opizzi, Senior Vice President of TotalEnergies, on the sidelines of the meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor and the Green Energy Advisory Councils. The meeting noted the importance of energy projects implemented at the initiative of Azerbaijan, including the Southern Gas Corridor, in Europe's energy security. The parties reviewed the implementation status of jointly implemented projects, including the results of operational activities at the Absheron gas and condensate field and the work done on the full-scale development of the field. The conversation also discussed energy security, digitalization, sustainable development priorities, and other issues of mutual interest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan has held discussions with the European Union (EU) on natural gas supply, as well as electricity generation and transmission projects, the countrys Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, said in a post on his official X page, Trend reports. "Within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council's 12th Ministerial Meeting and the Green Energy Advisory Council's 4th Ministerial Meeting, we discussed natural gas supply and electricity generation and transmission projects, as well as cooperation on attracting European companies with Dan Joergensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing," the post further noted. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. A memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of renewable energy has been signed between the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency (AREA) under the Ministry of Energy and the Croatian Energia Naturalis d.o.o. company, Trend reports. The memorandum was signed today in Baku within the framework of the 12th meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministers and the 4th meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council Ministers. The document was signed by the AREA Director Javid Abdullayev and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Energia Naturalis d.o.o. Bostjan Napast. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Azerbaijan and Bulgaria have discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in the energy sector, the countrys Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, wrote on his X account, Trend reports. "The meeting was held with Traycho Traykov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria, within the Advisory Council Ministerial Meetings. We exchanged views on the current status and future prospects of our cooperation in natural gas supply, Bulgarias gasification project, and green energy corridors. Last year, Azerbaijan supplied 1.65 bcm of gas to Bulgaria," the post reads. Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are strengthening a strategic energy partnership focused on diversifying European energy supplies, with Azerbaijani gas covering roughly one-third of Bulgaria's consumption via the IGB pipeline. Beyond supplying over 1.65 bcm of natural gas annually, the countries are developing "Green Energy Corridors" for Caspian renewable energy transmission and exploring further cooperation in nuclear, hydrogen, and storage. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The U.S. highly values the strategic importance of Southern Gas Corridor, Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs at the U.S. State Department Caleb Orr said in his video message for the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Trend reports. The Southern Gas Corridor stands at the center of our successful partnership in the region and reflects our shared view that energy security is closely linked to national security. The United States has supported the Southern Gas Corridor since its inception and highly values its strategic importance in directly connecting the Caucasus region with Europe, he said. Moreover, Orr pointed out that the U.S sees significant opportunities for joint cooperation to realize the full potential of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and the broader Trans-Caspian route, to strengthen regional economic integration, and to expand trade routes for energy, critical minerals, and other goods. The Southern Gas Corridor, which delivers gas to Turkiye and Europe, consists of the following 4 elements: - Second stage of development of Shah Deniz - Expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX); - Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline; - Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. To date, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor has delivered 56 bcm of gas. Moreover, in January of this year, TAP underwent its first expansion by 1.2 bcm per year, to provide additional supplies to the European market as early as 2026. Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. Shehuo is a type of traditional Chinese folk art form. Longxian County held a special local Shehuo parade on Monday, which features performers on horseback adorned with simple yet exquisite facial make-up. The Shehuo parade is a long-standing and widely popular performance in rural China. It originated in ancient sacrificial ceremonies held to pray for good harvests about 2,000 years ago. Over time, as dance and song performances were incorporated, it gradually evolved into a folk custom staged during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, believed to ward off bad luck and usher in a fresh start for the new year. The Shehuo folk performance in Baoji was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. In recent years, the local Shehuo tradition in Longxian County has continued to thrive through ongoing inheritance and innovation. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Members of a Shehuo parade team chat in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Villagers greet a team of a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) An aerial drone photo shows performers attending a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Villagers greet a team of a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) People follow a team of a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Villagers help a member of a Shehuo parade team put on performance costumes in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in the early morning of March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Members of a Shehuo parade team have breakfast in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in the early morning of March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) An elderly artist applies facial make-up for a Shehuo parade team member in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in the early morning of March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Two children from a Shehuo parade team are pictured during a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Performers attend a Shehuo parade in Huanghuayu Village in Longxian County of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Southern Gas Corridor plays strategic role in ensuring long-term energy supply security, Turkiyes Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Zafer Demircan said at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Trend reports. There is a shared understanding of the strategic role the Southern Gas Corridor plays in ensuring long-term energy supply security. This valuable concept is now developing in the direction of the Green Energy Corridor, which connects the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia with Europe, said the deputy minister. He noted that Turkiye serves not only as the most favorable route for natural gas transportation but also for electricity transmission. Cooperation and partnership are the only effective tools we can use to strengthen energy supply security and enhance the welfare of our peoples, as well as socio-economic development. The Southern Gas Corridor, which delivers gas to Turkiye and Europe, consists of the following 4 elements: - Second stage of development of Shah Deniz - Expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX); - Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline; - Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. To date, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor has delivered 56 bcm of gas. Moreover, in January of this year, TAP underwent its first expansion by 1.2 bcm per year, to provide additional supplies to the European market as early as 2026. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. bp is progressing construction of both topsides and jacket for Deniz Compression project, said Stuart Shaw, bp vice president, production, AGT region, at the 12th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting in Baku, Trend reports. As we look to the future, our focus is on maximizing recovery from the Shah Deniz reservoirs. The next major step on this journey is the Shah Deniz Compression project. We took the final investment decision last June and moved quickly to advance the work. Our aim is to reach lowpressure gas reserves and extend the productive life of the field, he said. Shaw noted that the SDC project represents around $2.9 billion of investment. It will enable us to unlock roughly 50 billion cubic metres of additional gas and about 25 million barrels of extra condensate. Volumes that would otherwise remain out of reach. This will further strengthen regional and European energy security. At the heart of the project is a new offshore platform with electric compression facilities - the model you are seeing on the screen. The project also includes brownfield work on Shah Deniz Alpha and Bravo, and at the Sangachal terminal, he said. bps vice president noted that the SDC platform has been designed with the future in mind. It will run entirely on electricity and operate remotely, without a fulltime crew. And it will open the door to electrifying Shah Deniz Bravo and, ultimately, the entire field. Since FID, we have awarded several major contracts. And are now progressing construction of both the topsides and the jacket. These works are underway in local yards, making strong use of local resources and capability. We plan to complete the platform in 2029. It will receive lowpressure gas from Shah Deniz Alpha that same year, and from Shah Deniz Bravo in 2030, he said. Shaw noted that this project is a major investment in the future of Shah Deniz. It will help keep the field a key energy supplier and ensure we maximize recovery for years to come. We also plan to begin seismic surveys on Shah Deniz late this or early next year. These will help us enhance our understanding of the reservoir and plan future activities. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. bp is working to unlock new sources of gas beyond Shah Deniz, said Stuart Shaw, bp vice president, production, AGT region, at the 12th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting in Baku, Trend reports. A key part of this is the development of Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) non-associated gas reservoirs. These reservoirs hold significant potential up to 4 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. We have already drilled the first NAG production well from the West Chirag platform and expect first gas in the coming months. This well will also provide important appraisal data to guide next steps in the ACG NAG development, he said. Shaw recalled that last year, bp also joined the Karabagh and ADUA projects. Aiming to explore and develop new oil and gas fields and prospects in the Caspian. Together with SOCAR, we are assessing development options that make the best use of existing infrastructure. And as operator, we are applying our global expertise and technology to progress these projects safely and efficiently. As a first step, we are carrying out seismic survey programmes across both projects to better understand the reservoirs. These insights will be essential for designing future development concepts. We are also continuing appraisal work on the Shafag-Asiman block - now with a new partner, TPAO. This collaboration brings added technical and financial strength. Helping us accelerate work on this promising structure, he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Hungary regards the Southern Gas Corridor as a key project for diversifying Europes natural gas supply routes and strongly supports its expansion, said Peter Sztaray, State Secretary for Security Policy and Energy Security at Hungarys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Trend reports. He made the remarks at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku. The main goal of the Hungarian government is to ensure a stable, rational, and climate-neutral energy supply that requires diversification of import sources and routes. Hungary considers increasing the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor a core project for diversifying Europes gas supply, Sztaray said. He noted that Hungarys participation in the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council reflects recognition of Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in energy cooperation, adding that Hungary actively supports the enhancement of the corridors throughput capacity. The Green Energy Corridor project is a unique initiative not only at the regional but also at the global level. It has the potential to serve as an advanced example of interregional cooperation and therefore carries key importance for Europe, he added. The Southern Gas Corridor, which delivers gas to Turkiye and Europe, consists of the following 4 elements: Second stage of development of Shah Deniz; Expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX); - Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. To date, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor has delivered 56 bcm of gas. Moreover, in January of this year, TAP underwent its first expansion by 1.2 bcm per year, to provide additional supplies to the European market as early as 2026. Photo: Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of eight EMEA emerging markets networks, including the Southern Gas Corridor Closed Joint-Stock Company, following updates to its Corporate Rating Criteria and the Sector Navigators Addendum on 9 January 2026, Trend reports. Fitch confirmed that the ratings and Outlooks of these companies remain unchanged despite the criteria updates. For the Southern Gas Corridor, Fitch highlighted key factors: - Business and financial profile factors (assessment, relative importance): Management (bbb-, Lower), Sector Characteristics (bbb+, Moderate), Market and Competitive Positioning (bbb, Moderate), Diversification and Asset Quality (bbb, Moderate), Company Operational Characteristics (bbb, Higher), Profitability (bbb, Lower), Financial Structure (a+, Moderate), and Financial Flexibility (bbb+, Moderate). - The Governance assessment of 'Good' results in no adjustment. - The Operating Environment assessment of 'bb' results in an adjustment of -1 notch(es). - The SCP is 'bbb-'. Other companies whose ratings were affirmed include Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), Namibia Water Corporation Limited, GDZ Elektrik Dagitim Anonim Sirketi, Nama Electricity Distribution Company SAOC, Oman Electricity Transmission Company SAOC, Regional Electrical Power Networks JSC, and Private Joint Stock Company National Power Company Ukrenergo. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The future delivery of renewable energy from Azerbaijan to Europe via Turkiye represents a realistic and achievable prospect, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkiye Zafer Demircan told Trend. Speaking on the sidelines of the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (SGC) and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council (GEAC) in Baku, Demircan emphasized that both regional and international initiatives present significant opportunities for trade and cooperation, benefiting both the region and the broader international community. Particularly in the energy sector, prioritizing cooperation is advisable. Such regional cooperation models can be considered successful and exemplary practices in ensuring the security of countries energy supply. At todays meeting, many countries will exchange views on how cooperation can be further developed and discuss projects that can be implemented jointly, he said. The deputy minister further underscored Turkiyes commitment to actively participating in such regional endeavors. Turkiyes engagement will not be confined to the gas sector. In the near future, Turkiye intends to assume a pivotal role in regional electricity projects as well, he explained. Azerbaijan and Turkiye have so far jointly developed and successfully implemented many large-scale projects, and this cooperation continues today, with new initiatives set to be realized in the future. The existing experience and extensive knowledge base create a solid foundation for new undertakings, he added. Demircan added that all regional and international projects involving Azerbaijan and Turkiye are expected to succeed. We believe that all regional and international projects involving Azerbaijan and Turkiye will be successful. The cooperation experience gained in the gas sector can also be applied at a new stage in the field of renewable energy. In the future, the delivery of renewable energy to Europe via Azerbaijan and Turkiye is also a real and feasible prospect, he noted. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Garadagh solar power plant in Azerbaijan has generated over 1.1 billion kilowatt-hours of green energy to date, supplying it to the national grid, Country Manager at Masdar Azerbaijan, Murad Sadigov, said at a meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Advisory Councils in Baku, Trend reports. "As Azerbaijan expands its renewable energy capacity, we are witnessing the next stage of development the integration of various generation sources into a balanced and sustainable energy system," he said. Sadikhov noted that Masdar is proud to contribute to this process. "Our partnership in Azerbaijan began with the construction of the 230 MW Garadagh solar power plant the country's first industrial-scale solar project implemented with foreign investment. This project demonstrated Azerbaijan's ability to attract international capital for renewable energy projects, develop local expertise, and implement complex infrastructure at a high level," he noted. The director of Masdar Azerbaijan added that today the plant provides reliable and affordable electricity to more than 100,000 households and is part of Azerbaijan's more diversified energy balance. "To date, it has generated more than 1 billion 100 thousand kilowatt-hours of 'green' energy, supplied to the national energy grid," he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) actively supports the formation of green energy corridors in the Caspian region, Sunnia Durrani-Jamal, Head of the ADB Country Office in Azerbaijan, said at a meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Advisory Councils in Baku, Trend reports. "We are already witnessing a broader structural evolution in the Caspian region, and ADB is actively supporting this transformation. Green energy corridors are emerging alongside existing gas infrastructure," she explained. She stated that ADB is engaged in advancing offshore wind energy, enhancing regional transmission networks and interconnections, and facilitating the digital transformation and modernization of electricity grids. "These efforts are not isolated initiatives. Together, they contribute to systemic transformation, strengthening electricity grids to integrate renewable energy on a large scale and creating new routes for green energy exports. The path forward requires pragmatism, coordination, and a long-term vision. Investments must simultaneously ensure stability and support future decarbonization," she noted. The director added that ADB stands ready to remain a reliable and committed partner in this transformation, promoting the development of balanced, resilient, and sustainable energy systems. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Active cooperation has been established between the European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency, said Dan Jrgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Trend reports. Speaking at a press conference held within the framework of the meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Jrgensen emphasized the EUs high regard for Azerbaijans renewable energy potential. The European Union highly appreciates Azerbaijans potential in the field of renewable energy, as well as the steps being taken to expand it in the coming years. This direction opens up additional opportunities for the participation of European companies and contributes to a mutually beneficial energy transition, he stated. According to Jrgensen, as discussed in a broader context, there are also prospects for further strengthening connectivity between the EU and Azerbaijan. The commissioner described the discussions as highly productive. We agreed to hold a high-level energy dialogue in Brussels later this year, he added. BANGKOK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand welcomed 3.26 million foreign tourist arrivals in February, marking a 4.63 percent increase compared to a year earlier, official data showed on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Southeast Asian country generated an estimated 160 billion baht (about 5 billion U.S. dollars) in inbound tourism receipts last month, representing an expansion of 6.06 percent year-on-year. With arrivals surpassing 1 million, China was the leading source market for the Thai tourism sector during the first two months of 2026, followed by Malaysia and Russia, the ministry said in a statement. Thailand has recorded over 6.62 million foreign arrivals so far this year, the ministry data showed, with a full-year target of 36.7 million. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. There is potential for cooperation between German and North Rhine-Westphalian companies and Kazakhstan in the fields of green technology and modernization of industrial facilities, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia told Trend. "Kazakhstan is striving to gradually move away from fossil fuels. The country aims to be climate neutral by 2060. The Kazakh steppe offers good conditions for generating green electricity from wind and solar energy. This means there is potential for German and North Rhine-Westphalian companies in the field of green tech and in the modernization of existing industrial plants," the spokesperson said. He added that further potential can be found in the raw materials sector. Kazakhstan has deposits of a large number of critical raw materials. "Therefore, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with our foreign trade promotion agency NRW.Global Business, held an "Economic Roundtable NRW-Kazakhstan: Raw Materials, Technology, and Industry Partnerships" to deepen cooperation in these key areas and highlight the potential for our companies. The event took place in October 2025. In this context, we are in continuous contact with the Kazakh embassy and the chambers of commerce and industry in North Rhine-Westphalia," he said. The ministrys press service also noted that Kazakhstan is Germany's most important trading partner in Central Asia, accounting for 83% of foreign trade in the region. Some companies from North Rhine-Westphalia have already invested in Kazakhstan, including Wilo, Claas, Henkel, Bayer, and OBI Group. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 3. Kyrgyzstan built and renovated 117 schools in 2025, including 76 new facilities, while 41 schools underwent major repairs, Trend reports via the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers. This was stated by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Edil Baisalov, during a national meeting chaired by the president of the Kyrgyz Republic. He delivered a report on the performance of the social sector in 2025 that last year, teacher professional development programs were conducted for 41,081 educators across the country. Furthermore, he emphasized that five leading universities in Kyrgyzstan have been ranked among the worlds top institutions. Baisalov also noted that, to support talented youth and train specialists of a new generation, 52 citizens are studying abroad under the President of the Kyrgyz Republics international scholarship program at universities ranked among the global top 100. Meanwhile, education has been a key priority in Kyrgyzstans social policy, with efforts focused on expanding access, improving quality, and modernizing infrastructure. Over recent years, the government has increased funding and implemented programs to support early childhood, primary, and secondary education. These measures aim to ensure broader access and strengthen human capital development across the country. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Press Service of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 3. On March 3, 2026, the fourteenth session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan on Trade, Economic, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation began in Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan. The session was co-chaired by the commission's co-chairsDeputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Sulaimon Ziyozoda, and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Tangryguly Atakhallyevwith the participation of representatives from ministries and agencies of both sides. At the opening of the meeting, it was noted that, thanks to the political will and support of the heads of statePresident of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedowbilateral ties in all areas are steadily expanding and reaching a qualitatively new level. The parties discussed key issues of bilateral relations, including the state and prospects of trade and economic cooperation, the activation of mutual trade, the development of collaboration in transport and communications, energy and water resources, industry and construction, agriculture, education and science, healthcare, medical industry, civil aviation, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, youth policy and sports, as well as further expansion of the legal and contractual framework of mutual relations. The session was held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding, with confidence expressed that the parties will continue to expand trade, economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation. Per the agenda, on March 4, the protocol from the fourteenth session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan regarding trade, economic, and scientific-technical cooperation will be concluded and executed. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Iranian Ministry of Agriculture has banned the export of eggs, tomatoes, and dates, the statement of Iranian Customs Administration says, Trend reports. According to the statement, the Ministry of Agriculture has imposed a ban on the export of a number of products in order to regulate prices in the country's market under the current special circumstances. The ban on the export of the mentioned products will continue indefinitely. The previous day, Iran had also imposed a ban on the export of potatoes. Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Five members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the Bushehr Province in southern Iran as a result of U.S. and Israeli military airstrikes on Iran, Trend reports. Members of the IRGC Air Force and Navy were killed in the Dayyer and Jam counties of the province. Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Iranian army has announced that it carried out missile and drone strikes targeting United States military bases in regional countries as well as Israeli military positions, starting from the early morning, the statement of the Iranian army says, Trend reports. According to information, the attacks were conducted by ground, air, and naval forces across various parts of the country. The statement noted that United States military facilities in Qatar, including the Al Udeid base, were targeted with destructive drones and various types of missiles. Following the 2nd round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran on February 17, the United States significantly increased its military presence near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases across Europe and the Middle East. This escalation occurred in the wake of the third round of nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. in Geneva on February 26. Under the administration of President Donald Trump, these negotiations were regarded as a final diplomatic opportunity for a deal. However, no agreement was reached, as Tehran refused to cease uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. In response, Israel initiated airstrikes, with Defense Minister Katz underscoring that these actions were preemptive. The situation further intensified when military airstrikes carried out by both Israel and the United States on the previous day reportedly resulted in the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several of his family members. Moreover, several high-ranking Iranian military and security officials were killed in the strikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leaders advisor and Secretary of the Defense Council Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The recent military airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran were aimed at leaving foreign diplomatic missions unprotected, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), said at a press conference in Tehran, Trend reports. Baghaei explained that, as part of this strategy, the building of Irans Diplomatic Police Service was targeted with missiles. In Iran, the protection of foreign diplomatic missions is the responsibility of the Diplomatic Police, a division of the countrys Law Enforcement Forces. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Iran convened the 3rd session of its Interim Leadership Council, Trend reports. According to Iranian media reports, the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian, Head of the judiciary Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and a member of the Experts Council Alireza Arafi, attended the meeting The Interim Leadership Council was established in accordance with the constitution following the death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and will serve until a new leader is selected by the Experts Assembly. The first and second sessions of the council were held in recent days. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, is alive and actively involved in managing family affairs and participating in consultations on the countrys critical issues, Trend reports, citing the Iranian media. According to the Iranian media reports, Seyyed Mojtaba is presently navigating the complexities surrounding the recent familial losses while concurrently participating in governmental discussions. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council "must act firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity" on the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, said Monday. In a statement to the press, Iravani said the United States, in full coordination with Israel, launched "a second deliberate and unprovoked" military attack against Iran, which was "a calculated act of aggression." "Major cities and densely populated civilian areas were targeted. Hundreds of innocent civilians lost their lives, many more were wounded," he said. "This is a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations ... which strictly prohibits the threat or use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any state," Iravani said. "It is a direct assault on the foundations of international law," he said. "The facts were clear. The aggression was clear. Responsibility also was clear." Noting that the United States and Israel deliberately targeted Iran's supreme leader and many high military officials, Iravani said targeting the highest official of a sovereign UN member state is "an egregious breach of international law and a direct attack on sovereign equality." "Such conduct endangered the entire international system," he said. Iravani also accused the United States and Israel of "deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure," resulting in the death of 165 schoolgirls in a school in southern Iran's Hormozgan province, saying that "these acts constitute aggression. They constitute war crimes. They constitute crimes against humanity." "The United Nations can not remain silent. Accountability is not optional," Iravani said, adding that "the Security Council must act firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity." He stressed that there was no imminent threat from Iran, its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, and the country was engaged in serious diplomatic negotiations. However, "for the second time, the United States chose force over diplomacy and violated the Charter. There are no legal grounds that justify this attack," he stated. "Iran is exercising its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter," and its response is "lawful, necessary, and proportionate" by targeting only the military objectives of the hostile forces, Iravani said. "Iran does not seek war. Iran does not seek escalation, but Iran will not surrender its sovereignty," he stressed. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. In the current special circumstances, Iran has not stopped, and all activities throughout the country continue, the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on his X account, Trend reports. According to him, Iran is in direct contact with the governors of all its provinces, and the governors have been given the necessary powers to make urgent decisions in accordance with local conditions. Pezeshkian noted that national unity in the country is Iran's top priority. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 as a result of an attack by Israel and the United States, will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad, Trend reports, citing the Iranian media. Khameneis body is planned to be transferred to Mashhad following a farewell ceremony in Tehran. Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Georgia serves as a reliable transit country within the Southern Gas Corridor, contributing to the diversification and security of energy supplies for regional and European markets, said Georgias Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, Trend reports. She made the remarks at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku. Georgia plays a reliable transit role within the Southern Gas Corridor, contributing to the diversification and security of energy supply for regional and European markets. Sustainable regional cooperation and enhanced connectivity remain the cornerstone of a secure and resilient energy future. Georgia aims to achieve full self-sufficiency in electricity generation by 2036. This goal will be achieved through significant investments in renewable energy and transmission infrastructure, including the development of new cross-border interconnections, she said. The Southern Gas Corridor, which delivers gas to Turkiye and Europe, consists of the following 4 elements: - Second stage of development of Shah Deniz - Expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX); - Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline; - Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. To date, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor has delivered 56 bcm of gas. Moreover, in January of this year, TAP underwent its first expansion by 1.2 bcm per year, to provide additional supplies to the European market as early as 2026. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced the start of a new series of attacks on government targets in Tehran, the IDF press service said, Trend reports. The Israel Defense Forces have launched a series of strikes against targets in Tehran, the statement said. The military added that further details of the operation will be announced at a later stage. Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Israeli Air Force carried out a series of strikes against the Iranian Broadcasting Company in Tehran, destroying the facility, the IDF press service said, Trend reports. The statement noted: Israeli Air Force jets dropped dozens of bombs and destroyed an Iranian communications center. For years, the Iranian Broadcasting Authority has called for the destruction of the State of Israel and the use of nuclear weapons. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Iran has carried out another missile attack against American military facilities in Kuwait, Trend reports, citing Iranian media. The statement reports that a few minutes ago, Iran launched a new missile attack on American facilities in Kuwait, Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East. The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive. In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Irans Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. Additionally, several of Irans most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. On Sunday, Pakistani airstrikes struck the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, causing significant damage, Trend reports. At least two large warehouses and an aircraft hangar in the northern section of the base were destroyed. Earlier, the Afghan Ministry of Defense stated that, in response to the attacks on Bagram Air Base, Kabul and other areas in Afghanistan were targeted by strikes on military facilities in Pakistan. BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have developed a novel neural network that enables artificial intelligence (AI) to form concepts from raw sensory data like sight and sound, simulating a fundamental aspect of human cognition, according to a study published recently in the journal Nature Computational Science. A remarkable capability of the human brain is to form more abstract conceptual representations from sensorimotor experiences and flexibly apply them independent of direct sensory inputs. However, the computational mechanism underlying this ability was previously poorly understood. This meant that large language models were fundamentally limited by their dependence on pre-existing linguistic data, making them incapable of spontaneously generating new concepts from experiential learning. The researchers from the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University proposed their new neural network framework, named CATS Net, as a means to overcome these limitations. The framework consists of a concept-abstraction module and a task-solving module that can precisely instruct the framework to perform tasks like recognition and judgment when processing visual information, such as images. The framework can also autonomously generate a vast array of new concepts, building its own unique "concept space." Once the concept space of different AI systems are aligned, they can directly transmit knowledge using these concepts, bypassing the need for retraining on raw data. Notably, this process simulates how humans communicate using language. Via brain imaging studies, the researchers revealed that the conceptual space constructed by CATS Net aligns closely with human cognitive and linguistic logic, and its operational mode closely matches activities in the human brain's concept-processing areas. This suggests that the model does more than just imitate brain function, shedding light on the computational mechanisms by which humans form and use concepts in the brain. By Nicole Lyons, March 2, 2026 Author Roland Smith calls on a student during his presentation at the 2025 Childrens Literature Festival at UCM. Smith will be the Gilbert-Sadler Speaker at the 2026 event. The University of Central Missouri (UCM) will celebrate the 57th annual Childrens Literature Festival March 8-10, welcoming 25 nationally recognized authors and illustrators to its Warrensburg campus. The festival kicks off with a luncheon featuring visiting authors and illustrators at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Elliott Student Union. This years Gilbert-Sadler Speaker is Roland Smith, who will be celebrating his 25th invitation to the festival. Smith previously enjoyed a 20-year career as a zookeeper in the Pacific Northwest, and his adventure-filled books blend action, nature, science, survival and mystery. Everyone loves Roland! His presentations are terrifically popular and help our young attendees understand that their everyday lives can inspire them to be writers, said Maya Kucij, assistant dean of the James C. Kirkpatrick Library and festival director. Festival programming continues Monday and Tuesday, March 9-10, with authors and illustrators presenting at locations across campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sessions are designed for students in grades 3-10; registration is required. Book sales will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days in the Elliott Student Union Ballroom. New this year, the UCM community will have the opportunity to view the powerful documentary The Librarians, which follows librarians across Texas, Florida, Louisiana and other U.S. states as they confront a surge of book bans and censorship efforts. The film screening is co-sponsored by UCMs Department of Educational Technology and Library Science and UCMs campus affiliate of the American Democracy Project. Screenings will be at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, at the Union Cinema, and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Union Auditorium. The showings are free and open to the public. The 2026 Childrens Literature Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. The Childrens Literature Festival has a long and proud history at UCM, bringing students in grades 3-10 to campus to hear and meet nationally recognized childrens authors and illustrators. The festival is the longest-running childrens literature festival in the United States, dating back to 1969 when Philip Sadler, professor of childrens literature, and Ophelia Gilbert, laboratory school librarian, invited five Missouri authors to campus. Students from Central Elementary School (Campus Laboratory School) heard the authors speak about their experiences and had their books autographed. The following year, 13 authors participated, and the festival has grown steadily in both the number of presenters and student attendance. For more information, visit clf.ucmo.edu or contact Kucij at kucij@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4306. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine will technically be ready to join the European Union by 2027, although some EU member states are still blocking the opening of negotiation clusters. The head of state said this while answering journalists' questions, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "In just a few days, Ukraine will be technically ready to open all six clusters. We are ready, but not all leaders of the European Union are [ready]. You know why, you know who is the reason, who is blocking it. That is, not everyone is ready to give Ukraine this opportunity. Ukraine has repeatedly said that by 2027 it will be technically ready to become a member of the EU. Of course, this does not depend on Ukraine. Ukraine will do its work," Zelensky said. In this context, he stressed the need to include a fixed date for Ukraine's accession to the EU in the peace plan, which currently consists of 20 points. "We clearly understand that Putin, whatever he promises today to America or Europe, that he will not block Ukraine in the EU, is all a lie. He will block it through Hungary, through someone else," Zelensky said, explaining the need to include a fixed accession date in a peace agreement. As reported, negotiations on the accession of new member states to the European Union are divided into 35 chapters, 33 of which are grouped into six thematic clusters that are opened sequentially. For each chapter, the European Commission first conducts an official screening to assess the compliance of Ukraine's legislation with EU law. Hungary, using the principle of unanimity required for EU enlargement decisions, has been blocking the start of accession negotiations. File photo The European Commission has stated that it has not yet received a letter from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in which he reportedly asked to increase pressure on Ukraine over the "undamaged" Druzhba pipeline. At the same time, the Commission announced a planned phone call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. The European Commissions chief spokesperson Paula Pinho stated this during a briefing in Brussels, Ukrinform reports. Responding to a question about Orbans letter, she said: "This afternoon, President von der Leyen will have a call with President Zelensky, as she has it so often. They will be speaking about energy security related items, so this could also come up in the talk." Another spokesperson, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, said that the European Commission has not yet received the letter from Orban criticizing Zelenskyy that the journalist referred to. "We will read it, we will study it, and then we will reply to it," she said. The spokesperson added that the European Commission continues contacts with all interested parties, including Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia. It was also noted that the European Commission has not received a request to participate in an expert mission to assess the situation concerning the Druzhba pipeline. "Our priority remains the security of supply of our Member States, but as regards the operation of the pipeline, I do not have any update to make," Itkonen stated. In addition, other issues may be discussed during the phone call between von der Leyen and Zelenskyy, including the situation in the Middle East and the EU loan to support Ukraine, Pinho said. Speaking about developments surrounding the unblocking of the loan, which Hungary vetoed, she noted that possible options "may not be invisible," but the European Commission is "working on options to precisely unblock the EUR 90 billion loan, and we are very much aware of the fact that the clock is ticking." Earlier, Viktor Orban called for the restoration of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline and filed a complaint with the European Commission. In a video posted on the social network X, Orban showed himself signing another letter. As previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that during the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline after its initial damage, Ukrainian citizens were affected. However, there were no calls from Hungary or Slovakia urging Russia not to strike the pipeline. He also noted that Hungary and Slovakia blocked the EUR 90 billion EU loan, the next EU sanctions package, and the opening of negotiation clusters, while at the same time demanding the restoration of the pipelines operation so that Russia could receive funds for the war. Responding to Orbans claim that the pipeline appears intact from satellite images, Zelensky said: "One large reservoir was destroyed, that is what can be seen. You cannot see the control panel from a satellite, nor the pipe underground. Perhaps Orban is a magician and can see what is happening to the pipe underground? I am surprised, but anything is possible." The Ukrainian President also reiterated that he had invited Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Ukraine to discuss all issues related to the pipeline. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home From 1830 Algeria to Gaza and Minab A Moral Crisis of International Order Since October 2023, Gaza has endured one of the most intense bombardment campaigns in the contemporary world. amd now the brutal killing of girls in the US-Israeli attack on a school in Minab, Iran The colonized person who writes history makes it as the story of a people from whom truth has been systematically stolen. Frantz Fanon The Simplest Test There is a simple test for the sincerity of any international order: apply the same moral and legal standard to the same act, regardless of who commits it. If a missile struck a school in Washington, Paris, or London and killed even a single child, the word would be immediate: terrorism. Emergency sessions would convene. Moral outrage would be unambiguous. But when schools are struck elsewhere, the vocabulary shifts. Collateral damage. Operational complexity. Intelligence failure. The law does not change. The child does not change. Only the flag changes. That shift reveals hierarchy. When Words Adjust to Power Since October 2023, Gaza has endured one of the most intense bombardment campaigns in the contemporary world. UN agencies have documented repeated destruction of civilian infrastructure, including schools sheltering displaced families. UNICEF has warned of disproportionate harm to children. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have raised serious concerns about distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law. The deliberate targeting of civilians by non-state actors including Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 is criminal under the Rome Statute. The same principles bind states. The law does not fragment depending on political alignment. Self-defense is recognized. It does not suspend distinction, proportionality, or precaution. On 28 February 2026, a girls primary school in Minab, Iran, was struck during U.S. and Israeli operations . Footage was verified by Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Factnameh. According to Iranian authorities, at least 148 people were killed, the majority children. UNESCO condemned the strike as a grave violation of international humanitarian law. The Israeli military said it was checking. The U.S. military was looking into it. The U.S. Ambassador to the UN called the broader operation a moment of moral clarity. Moral clarity declared over the ruins of a school. Normalization is erosion. Algerias Method Algeria learned early that vocabulary precedes legitimacy. In 1830, invasion was called civilization. Mass repression was called pacification. During 19541962, resistance was called terrorism. Language was the first conquest. Malek Bennabi described colonisabilite not just domination, but the internalization of the dominators categories. Ibn Khaldun had observed centuries earlier that defeated peoples tend to adopt the intellectual frameworks of their conquerors. Who defines terrorism? Who defines legitimate defense? Who defines proportionality? When identical acts receive divergent classifications depending on geopolitical position, universality collapses into hierarchy. Mohammed Harbi showed that this analysis is not nationalist sentiment. It is structural critique. Algerias history is not invoked as grievance. It is invoked as methodology. The Politics of Grief Achille Mbembe argued that sovereignty includes the power to decide whose death matters. When a child dies in a Western capital, the death becomes an event named, mourned, memorialized. When children die in Gaza or Minab, deaths accumulate as numbers. This asymmetry is structural. Media infrastructures, diplomatic reflexes, and institutional vocabularies were built within particular centers of power. Mahmood Mamdani demonstrated how identical violence is labeled differently according to alliance. Aime Cesaire exposed the structural exception embedded within proclaimed universalism. Yet critique must apply equally. The killing of civilians is criminal regardless of flag, grievance, or cause. The principle either holds universally or it disintegrates. Law and Power The Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute are binding instruments. Antony Anghie showed that modern international law emerged from colonial encounters structured in favor of imperial powers. Mohammed Bedjaoui argued that law reflects power at the moment of codification. B.S. Chimni described selective enforcement as structural, not accidental. Universality requires application. If enforcement is selective, law becomes instrument. The Cost of Inconsistency Consistent humanitarian law is not merely ethical. It is strategic. Credibility erodes when standards fluctuate. Power can compel. It cannot indefinitely manufacture legitimacy. Partha Chatterjee described populations formally included within universal norms but materially excluded from protection. Orders collapse quietly through withdrawal of credibility. Ngugi wa Thiongo reminded us: control definitions, control political existence. When definitions lose acceptance, authority thins. One Standard Or None Gaza and Minab differ in context. They require independent investigation. But the principle is shared. Does international humanitarian law apply to the act or to the actor? If to the act, then a school is a school. A child is a child. The legal analysis does not change with the flag. If to the actor, then universality is fiction. The standards already exist. They do not require invention. They require application. Inconvenience is not an exemption. It is irrelevant. [The writer, Laala Bechetoula, is an independent Algerian writer and analyst.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Tamil Nadu SSLC 2026 Hall Ticket Released: Link, Steps to Download The Directorate of Government Examinations Tamil Nadu Monday released the Hall Ticket and Admit Card of the students who have registered for the Secondary School Leaving Ceritificate (SSLC) 2026 Examination on its official website. TN SSLC 2026: The Directorate of Government Examinations Tamil Nadu Monday released the Hall Ticket and Admit Card of the students who have registered for the Secondary School Leaving Ceritificate (SSLC) Class 10 2026 Examination on its official website. The Secondary School Leaving Ceritificate (SSLC) Class 10 board exam in Tamil Nadu will start on March 11 and continue till April 06, 2026. The exam will be held at exam centres located in various districts and cities of Tamil Nadu. Can I download my SSLC Hall Ticket? Candidates appearing in TN SSLC exam should note that they will not be allowed tp download their admit card. Instead, they will be required to visit their school and collect the hall ticket. Meanwhile, all headmasters in Tamil Nadu have been advised to download the SSLC hall tickets of the registered candidates using the link provided on the official website, and hand them over to the students. On the other hand, private students should visit the board's official website and download their hall ticket. Steps to download SSLC Hall Ticket Go to Tamil Nadu SSLC website: " dge.tn.gov.in " " Click on the link marked as SSLC March 2026 Examination Hall Ticket Download Enter your application number and date of birth Click on Submit button The hall ticket will be displayed on the screen Take a printout Candidates should note that Hall Ticket is a compulsory document and without it they will not be able to appear in the board exam. Hence, they are advised to check all their details and photo are correctly printed on the admit card. In case of any error, they should immediately contact the school headmater. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Directorate is preparing for the board exam which will be attended by over 9 lakh students from across the state. The directorate has also issued guidelines to the students advising them to reach the exam centre at least 30 minutes before the exam start time. The name and address of the exam centre is mentioned on the admit card. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Who After Ayatollah Khamenei? Under Iran's political system, the Supreme Leader holds the ultimate authority over all branches of government, including the military, judiciary, state media, and key policy decisions The latest Israeli-US war on Iran began with airstrikes on the home and offices of the Late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Apparently, the strategy behind this stemmed from the wishful thinking that Khameneis sudden elimination would pose a dire threat to the current ruling system of Iran and after his elimination the country would be thrown in chaos. Further, these chaos would be exploited by anti-Iran elements present in the country to foment anti-government mass movement, resulting in the formation of a new government in Iran. These calculations might have been supported by what happened earlier in Libya or Syria, after the elimination of Muammar Al-Qaddafi and Bashar al-Assad, respectively.However, the point of difference between them and Iran is that whilein those countries, the states future was tied to a single person, in Iran the situation is completely different. Few contemporary governments concentrate as much visible authority in a single office as Iran does in that of the supreme leader. Religious legitimacy, command of the armed forces, and ultimate political arbitration converge in this one post. Immediately in the aftermath of Khameneis death, top surviving regime officials appointed a three-person Leadership Council consisting of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice GholamhosseinMohseniEjei and Alireza Arafi, a cleric and member of the Guardian Councilthe powerful 12-person body that vets political candidates and can veto legislation passed by parliament. Subsequently, the Leadership Council will step into the role of supreme leader until the next one is chosen.Irans Assembly of Experts - an elected group of 88 clerics whose candidacies were approved by the Guardian Council, will then be tasked with choosing the next supreme leader. In 2024, the Guardian Council barred former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate whose administration signed the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, from election for the Assembly of Experts. Additionally, the clerics from Qom will also hold the key to the election of the next supreme leader. Qom is a historical city in central Iran, and is considered to be one of the most important religious cities in Iran. The city of Qom, its seminaries, clerical networks, and religious institutions, play a key role in Irans theological circles. Qom is home to one of the largest and most influential Shia seminaries (hawza) in the world, the Hawzah Ilmiyya Qom'. This network of religious schools includes hundreds of institutions that train tens of thousands of clerics, jurists, and scholars from Iran and across the Islamic world. The city's religious prominence is tied to the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, a major pilgrimage site. Qom acts as the ideological brain and leadership pipeline of Iran's theocratic state. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, clerics trained in Qom have shaped the Islamic Republic's ideology and guided its system of governance. Many of Iran's political elite, including Supreme Leaders (from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), spent crucial years of their training or teaching in Qom's seminaries. The title Ayatollah (Sign of God) is not elected by public vote. It is a scholarly honorific awarded through recognition by peers and religious authorities, often within centres like Qom's seminaries. A cleric must show exceptional mastery of Islamic law, ethics, and jurisprudence. Importance of The Supreme Leader Under Iran's political system, the Supreme Leader holds the ultimate authority over all branches of government, including the military, judiciary, state media, and key policy decisions. Presidents and parliamentary bodies operate within limits set by the Leader's guardianship. This comes from the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), a principle put forth by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini that places a senior cleric at the top of both religious and state authority. Originating from the Arabic and Persian languages, the term Ayatollah symbolises a sign of god or religious authority. The title is granted to high-ranking clerics in Shia Islam to demonstrate their advanced theological knowledge and moral authority in the community. The title emerged in the late 19th century and became more prominent due to the Safavid dynasty in Iran, which made Shia Islam the state religion. Notable personalities like Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi helped cement the status of scholars, leading to the formalisation of the title. Ayatollah Khomeini gained immense influence in the 1970s, particularly during the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which led to the establishment of a theocratic government in the country. The title is generally given to those who have completed extensive studies in Islamic jurisprudence and theology. The Ayatollahs serve as spiritual leaders who provide guidance on both ethical and religious dilemmas. It usually requires years of education to gain the title. In modern times, the title is still widely used in Shia communities in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon, with Ayatollahs continuing to shape Shia identity and political dynamics in the Middle East. In Iran's political-religious system, a Supreme Leader must be someone with religious legitimacy and authority. An Ayatollah (and ideally a Grand Ayatollah) provides jurisprudential legitimacy to the office. The top contenders for the job in Tehran Mojtaba Khamenei - Khameneis second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is among the top contenders to succeed his father as the next supreme leader.He is known to wield significant influence among the administrators and the IRGC, the most powerful military body. However, Khameneis lineage is also among the biggest barriers he faces. Late Ayatollah Khamenei was reportedly opposed to the father-to-son succession. It is also frowned upon in Iran, particularly after the US-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was toppled in 1979. Alireza Arafi- a 67-year-old cleric, is an influential figure in the Islamic Republics religious establishment, but not a widely accepted political actor.He serves as the deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for overseeing the selection of the supreme leader, and has been a member of the Guardian Council, which vets election candidates and laws passed by parliament.He is also the Friday prayer leader of Qom Irans most important religious centre and heads the countrys seminary system, overseeing clerical education nationwide. Mohammad MehdiMirbagheri - is an ultra-hardline clerical voice in the establishment and a member of the Assembly of Experts.He is widely known for his world view critical of the West and currently heads the Islamic Sciences Academy in the northern city of Qom. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei- is a senior Iranian cleric,who currently heads the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, appointed to the role in July 2021 by the late Khamenei.He previously served as minister of intelligence from 2005 to 2009 and later as prosecutor-general and first deputy chief justice. He is regarded as a hardline figure aligned with the conservative wing of the regime. Hassan Khomeini - is among the most discussed names in succession talks for the next supreme leader.He is the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and also the custodian of his grandfathers mausoleum in Tehran.While he has not held any public office, Khomeini is a reformist figure known for his rather moderate views on public life and policy. He attempted to run for the Assembly of Experts in 2016, but the vetting council disqualified him. The coming days will reveal whether the IRGC and other elements of the country's religious scholars can remain cohesive in the absence of its long-serving supreme leader. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Mossad agents planning bombings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar arrested: US Journalist Tucker Carlson, a renowned American Journalist and Political Commentator, has claimed that Mossad agents planning bombings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been arrested by the authorities in the two countries. Tucker Carlson, a renowned American Journalist and Political Commentator, has claimed that Mossad agents planning bombings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been arrested by the authorities in the two countries. Mossad is the notorious Israeli secret agency known for conducting false flag operations. In his live show Monday March 02, 2026, Tucker Carlson claimed that Saudi Arabia and Qatar had caught and arrested Israeli Mossad agents planning bombings in those countries. Why would the Israelis be committing bombings in Gulf countries, which are also being attacked by Iran? Carlson said on his show. Arent they on the same side? he quipped. Israel wants to hurt Iran - and Qatar, and the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, and Oman and Kuwait, he added. RED ALERT: Tucker Carlson is reporting that Israel just got caught in a massive attempted false flag pic.twitter.com/p1KZmZprq4 Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) March 3, 2026 Carlson also alleged that Israel deliberately sows chaos among Americas Arab allies. Tucker Carlson did not cite the source for the claim. There has been also no official comment on Carlsons claims by Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Israel though the show is widely shared online and being viewed by millions of people across the world. Carlson was recently in news after he interviewed American Envoy in Israel, Mike Huckabee. In the interview aired days before US and Israel targeted Iran in a joint military operation, Mike Huckabee had endorsed Israeli bid to expand its borders across the Middle East. Mike Huckabees endorsement of Israels illegal expansion had sparked outrage. On the other hand, Carlson along with his team was arrested by the Israeli forces soon after the interview. Iran warns of false flag operations Carlsons claims came at the backdrop of Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman saying the Israeli regime is deliberately attempting to expand the scope of the current Israeli-American-initiated war on Iran, and drag the region into a broader conflagration. Speaking at a press conference held inside a school targeted by US-Israeli assaults in Tehran on Tuesday, Esmaeil Baghaei said destabilizing the region is the project of the Zionist regime, and the United States was also drawn onto this path. The Zionist regime will undoubtedly seek to exploit the situation, expand the scope of fire, and carry out acts of sabotage in regional countries in order to transform the war it has initiated together with the United States against Iran into a widespread regional conflict, Baghaei said. Meanwhile, Iran also distanced itself from the military strikes against the territory or ports of the Sultanate of Oman, following reports of drone attacks at the Duqm and Salalah ports. In a statement released via its Communications Center, the General Staff categorically rejected claims of aggression against its "friend and neighbor," Oman. In a related development, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Muhammed bin Salman, in phone calls with the Arab neighbors asked them to avoid any action that could further escalate the already tense situation with Iran. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic BEIRUT, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah's political council, said Tuesday that the group had "no option but to return to resistance" following what he described as continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon. In a statement addressed to the Lebanese public, Qomati said Hezbollah had exercised restraint for months in hopes that diplomatic efforts by the Lebanese state would lead to an end to hostilities, a withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a halt to what he called daily violations. "We said patience has limits," Qomati stated, adding that the group had complied with the ceasefire agreement and handed over its weapons south of the Litani River, but Israel continued its strikes while the government failed to secure gains related to territory, detainees, or reconstruction. "If the enemy wants it to be an open war, then let it be an open war," Qomati said, warning that Hezbollah's recent response would not remain "symbolic" following what he described as Israel's latest escalation. Also on Tuesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged members of the Quintet Committee to intensify pressure on Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon, reaffirming that the Lebanese state alone holds the authority over decisions of war and peace. The developments come amid rising tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border, despite a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire that took effect in November 2024. In recent days, Israeli airstrikes have targeted areas in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut's southern suburbs. Israeli authorities say the strikes are aimed at Hezbollah military infrastructure, while Hezbollah and Lebanese officials accuse Israel of violating the ceasefire and targeting civilian areas. People celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. In the Upper Galilee region near the Lebanese border, rockets fired by Hezbollah hit a residential house, causing significant damage. The rescue service said a 64-year-old man sustained light injuries and needed treatment. People sleep on the platform of a metro station in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 2, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People play table tennis in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) A man reads a book on the platform of a metro station in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 2, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) A bride and groom are pictured at their wedding in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People walk towards the exit of an underground shelter after the air-raid siren was lifted in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People rest on the platform of a metro station in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 2, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People attend a wedding in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People are pictured in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People attend a wedding in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) Children play in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) People spend the night on the platform of a metro station in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 2, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) A man carrying a rifle takes part in the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim in an underground shelter in downtown Tel Aviv, Israel, March 3, 2026. Missiles and rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon struck central and northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said, injuring one person and setting off air raid sirens in major cities. Warning sirens sounded in areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem around midday, sending millions of residents to bomb shelters. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that "it's getting very close" to achieving objectives in Iran, noting that he doesn't think boots on the ground will be necessary. In a series of posts on X on Monday evening, Kellie Meyer, White House Correspondent for News Nation, said she just spoke to Trump in a two-minute call. In his first reaction to the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Trump told Meyer that "you'll find out soon" what his retaliation will be. When asked on the threshold of U.S. boots on the ground, Trump said, "I wouldn't give you anything on that. I mean I don't think they'll be necessary." Trump's remarks came a few hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration believes that its objectives against Iran "can be achieved without ground forces." "Right now, our focus is on the destruction of their ballistic missile launchers, their ballistic missile stockpiles and their ballistic missile manufacturing capability, as well as their one-way attack drones and their Navy," Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill before a classified briefing for congressional leaders on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, called on the UN Security Council to "act firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity" in response to the U.S. and Israeli attacks. In a statement to the press, Iravani said the United States, in full coordination with Israel, launched "a second deliberate and unprovoked" military attack against Iran, which was "a calculated act of aggression." Iravani accused the United States and Israel of "deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure," resulting in the death of 165 schoolgirls in a school in southern Iran's Hormozgan province, saying that "these acts constitute aggression. They constitute war crimes. They constitute crimes against humanity." PARIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the military operations launched by the United States and Israel were conducted "outside international law" and could not be approved by France. In a televised address on the situation in Iran and the Middle East, Macron confirmed that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was en route to the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel had been in Sweden for military exercises. For every dollar America's regional accreditors spend evaluating college quality, they unlock $1,693 in federal student aid. This staggering ratio$75 million in accreditor spending governing access to $120 billion in taxpayer fundsreveals the extraordinary leverage held by six private nonprofit organizations that function as higher education's gatekeepers, operating with minimal oversight while wielding power that can make or break institutions serving millions of students. The Power Structure: Meet the Six Since the mid-20th century, American higher education accreditation has operated through six regional bodies that divided the nation like feudal territories: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) - Covering Delaware, DC, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Led by President Heather F. Perfetti, MSCHE accredits approximately 500 institutions including Columbia, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania. New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) - Covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Accredits roughly 200 institutions including Harvard, MIT, and Yale. Higher Learning Commission (HLC) - Formerly the North Central Association, covering 19 states from Arizona to West Virginia. The largest regional accreditor with over 1,000 member institutions including the University of Chicago, Northwestern, and most Big Ten universities. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) - Covering 11 Southern states from Virginia to Texas plus Latin America. Accredits approximately 800 institutions including Duke, Emory, and the University of Texas. WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) - Covering California, Hawaii, and U.S. territories in the Pacific. Accredits roughly 200 institutions including Stanford, USC, and the University of California system. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) - Covering Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Accredits approximately 160 institutions including the University of Washington and Washington State University. Together, these six organizationsplus the regional accreditor for community collegesaccredit virtually every traditional nonprofit college and university in America, controlling which institutions can access federal student aid that finances the majority of higher education. The Money: Shockingly Low Spending for Enormous Power A 2017 Center for American Progress analysis of federal tax filings revealed the stark financial reality of accreditation: the nation's 12 main institutional accreditors (six regional plus five national plus community college) collectively spent approximately $75 million annually on quality assurancedespite providing access to $120 billion in federal financial aid. This means accreditors spend roughly 0.06% of the federal aid they control. Put differently: for every $1 spent on oversight, $1,693 flows to colleges. Individual accreditor budgets vary dramatically. The Higher Learning Commissionoverseeing 1,000+ institutionsoperates on a substantially larger budget than smaller regional accreditors covering fewer than 200 institutions. But even the largest remain remarkably lean operations. Why such modest spending? Because accreditors depend entirely on membership dues and fees collected from the colleges they oversee. They're funded by the very institutions they're supposed to regulatean inherent conflict of interest that shapes every aspect of how accreditation functions. The Fundamental Conflict: Funded by Those They Judge Imagine if restaurants paid health inspectors directly, with fees scaled to restaurant size. Would inspectors maintain rigorous standards knowing that harsh findings might prompt restaurants to switch to more lenient inspectors? Would inspectors face pressure to expand membership to increase revenue? This is precisely how accreditation operates. As the Council for Higher Education Accreditation acknowledged in a 2007 analysis: "The financing of accreditation by those who are accredited means that there is ongoing pressure on accreditation to avoid conflict of interest such as deriving financial benefit from expanding the number of accredited institutions or programs." The analysis continued: "Governing accreditation by those who are themselves accredited raises other conflict concerns, such as avoiding temptation to relax the rigor of quality standards in order to expand membership." These aren't hypothetical concernsthey're structural features of the system. Accreditors must balance: - Rigorous quality enforcement (their public mission) - Maintaining positive relationships with member institutions (their revenue source) - Avoiding lawsuits from sanctioned institutions (legal liability) - Keeping members from defecting to competitor accreditors (market pressure) When Institutions Fight Back: The Legal Warfare When accreditors do attempt to revoke accreditation, institutions frequently sueand these legal battles consume enormous resources. The 2013 case of City College of San Francisco exemplifies the financial drain. When the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) moved to revoke the college's accreditation, City College sued. Tax documents show ACCJC brought in $3.7 million in revenue in 2014 but spent $4.4 millionhalf going toward legal fees. The accreditor ran a deficit defending its decision. The outcome? A federal judge sided with City College of San Francisco, overturning the accreditation revocation. This case demonstrates the asymmetry: colleges have powerful incentives to fight accreditation losses (institutional survival) and often possess deeper resources than the accreditors attempting to sanction them. Small wonder that accreditors might hesitate before picking fights with well-funded institutions. The Peer Review Problem: Foxes Guarding the Henhouse? Accreditation relies heavily on "peer review"faculty and administrators from other institutions evaluating colleges seeking accreditation or reaccreditation. This system, defenders argue, ensures that academics judge academic quality rather than distant bureaucrats imposing arbitrary standards. Critics see a different dynamic: peer review creates a mutual non-aggression pact where no institution wants standards so rigorous they might fail to meet them. If Harvard faculty serve on evaluation teams that could sanction Yale, and Yale faculty likewise evaluate Harvard, both have incentives toward lenience. Moreover, peer reviewers come from the same institutions that fund the accreditorscreating multiple layers of financial interdependence. The system isn't designed for aggressive quality enforcement so much as collaborative continuous improvement among institutions that share interests in maintaining the status quo. The Monopoly Era: Geographic Territories and Transfer Credit Discrimination For decades, regional accreditors operated explicit geographic monopolies. Middle States accredited institutions in its region, Southern Association in its region, and so forth. Institutions couldn't easily switch accreditors, and the regional bodies faced no meaningful competition. This geographic monopoly enabled what critics call the system's most pernicious feature: transfer credit discrimination. Colleges accredited by regional bodies routinely refused to accept transfer credits from institutions accredited by "national" accreditorseven though federal law recognized both as legitimate. This practice forced students to repeat coursework they'd already completed and paid for, extending time to degree and multiplying costs. The discrimination wasn't based on actual quality differencesmany "nationally" accredited institutions maintained perfectly acceptable academic standards. Rather, it reflected the regional accreditors' successful campaign to establish themselves as the higher-status option and protect member institutions from competition. In 2019, the Trump administration's first-term Education Department under Betsy DeVos eliminated the geographic monopoly rules, theoretically allowing accreditors to compete across regions. But the practice of transfer credit discrimination largely continued, embedded in institutional policies and attitudes. Enter CHEA: The Accreditors' Lobby The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) functions as the accreditation industry's primary advocacy organization. Founded in 1996 as a successor to earlier coordinating bodies, CHEA recognizes accreditors (separate from federal recognition), maintains databases of accredited institutions, andcruciallylobbies Congress and federal agencies on behalf of accreditation interests. CHEA's history illuminates accreditor political engagement. Its predecessor, the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA), dissolved in 1993 partly because regional accreditors were "dissatisfied with COPA's political representation in the U.S. Congress which was widely viewed as ineffective." Wikipedia's CHEA entry notes that organizers of CHEA's predecessor were explicitly concerned with "improving the ability to lobby the Federal government"a revealing statement of priorities. When reform threatens accreditor interests, CHEA mobilizes. The organization issued statements opposing Trump's April 2025 executive order on accreditation reform, characterizing it as threatening "the value and independence of accreditation." CHEA President Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond has positioned the organization as defender of traditional accreditation against federal "interference"framing any outside pressure for reform as attacks on academic quality rather than legitimate accountability demands. The Trump Administration's War on Accreditation President Trump declared accreditation his "secret weapon" for reforming higher education, and his second-term Education Department has made dismantling the regional accreditor monopoly a central priority. Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent has emerged as accreditation's most aggressive critic, repeatedly characterizing the system as "broken" and accusing accreditors of functioning as "a tool for political and ideological enforcement." In a January 2026 speech at CHEA's annual conference, Kent delivered a blistering 35-minute critique: "I want to start by saying a bold and uncomfortable truth: Accreditation today is no longer a reliable indicator of the gold standard of education." Kent railed against what he termed the "accreditation-industrial complex," arguing that accreditors have become a monopoly that shields existing institutions, fuels rising costs, and fails to hold colleges accountable for poor student outcomes. The Trump administration's multi-front assault includes: The April 2025 Executive Order: Trump signed "Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education," directing the Education Department to encourage new accreditors, ease institutional switching between accreditors, and push the system toward transparency and outcomes measurement. The order specifically called for evaluating whether the American Bar Association should retain its law school accrediting role due to "unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements." Ending the New Accreditor Moratorium: The Biden administration had frozen recognition of new accreditors. Trump reversed this immediately, opening pathways for alternative accrediting bodies. The "Regional" Terminology Ban: In February 2026, the Department issued a proposed interpretive rule barring use of "regional accreditor" terminology, arguing it creates artificial prestige distinctions unsupported by quality differences. The AIM Committee: Most ambitiously, the Department announced the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking committee to comprehensively rewrite accreditation regulations. Sessions scheduled for April and May 2026 will address: - Simplifying recognition of new accreditors - Examining accreditation's contribution to rising costs - Safeguarding against undue influence from trade associations - Eliminating standards that discriminate based on race - Refocusing quality assurance on student outcomes rather than inputs Targeting Columbia's Accreditor: In June 2025, the Department's Office for Civil Rights notified Middle States CommissionColumbia University's accreditorthat Columbia allegedly violated the Higher Education Act, thereby failing to meet accreditation standards. This unprecedented move signaled that accreditors themselves could face sanctions for perceived failures to hold institutions accountable. The DEI Battleground Among the Trump administration's specific grievances: several regional accreditors incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards into their accreditation criteria, effectively requiring institutions to demonstrate commitment to DEI principles to maintain accreditation. Robert Manzer, president of the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE)a new accreditor seeking federal recognitiondocumented in a 2024 report that Western and Northwestern regional accreditors particularly "include DEI standards that require programmatic changes and equity-minded data collection practices, impeding institutional autonomy." For Christian colleges, conservative institutions, and schools philosophically opposed to DEI frameworks, these standards created untenable pressure: compromise institutional mission and values, or risk losing accreditation and federal aid access. The Trump administration views DEI-based accreditation standards as illegal discrimination violating federal civil rights lawand as evidence that accreditors have become ideological enforcers rather than neutral quality assessors. The New Accreditors: Competition Emerges With the Trump administration opening pathways for new accreditors and regional accreditors under siege, alternative accrediting bodies are rushing to fill perceived market gaps: American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE): Led by Robert Manzer (Ph.D. in political philosophy from University of Chicago), AALE currently operates as a programmatic accreditor promoting "excellence in liberal education" and "traditional, text-based, and classical liberal education." AALE has applied for institutional accreditor status, positioning itself as the anti-DEI alternative for institutions emphasizing great books curricula and classical education. Postsecondary Commission: Another applicant seeking institutional accreditor recognition, details of its philosophy and approach remain emerging. National Association of Academic Excellence (NAAE): A third new entrant into the institutional accreditation space. State-Level Accreditors: Some states are exploring creating their own accrediting agencies, potentially breaking federal accreditors' monopoly entirely by establishing state-based alternatives. Traditional accreditors dismiss these upstarts as "fly-by-night agencies willing to toe the party line"the American Association of University Professors characterized them as threats to quality that would "upend protections for students and degrade their experience on campus." But supporters see genuine alternatives for institutions dissatisfied with existing accreditors' ideological requirements, high costs, or bureaucratic burdens. The Outcome Metrics Revolution Perhaps the most fundamental challenge to traditional accreditation: the bipartisan push to tie federal aid eligibility to quantitative student outcome metrics rather than accreditor approval. The Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) established new accountability frameworks based on completion rates, employment outcomes, and earnings data. Institutions failing to meet thresholds would lose federal aid eligibilityregardless of accreditation status. Similarly, the proposed earnings indicator in the new FAFSA warns students when institutions' graduates earn less than high school graduates. These outcome-based approaches fundamentally threaten accreditors' gatekeeping role. If federal aid eligibility depends primarily on quantitative outcomes rather than accreditor approval, what purpose do accreditors serve? Manzer characterizes this trend as replacing "'higher' education based on high-quality classical liberal values with 'hire' education focused on jobs"a critique shared across ideological lines by those who believe education has intrinsic value beyond labor market outcomes. But for reformers frustrated by accreditors' failure to prevent poor outcomes at low-quality institutions, outcome metrics offer objective standards replacing peer review's subjective judgments. The Coming Negotiated Rulemaking Battle The April-May 2026 AIM Committee sessions promise to be among the most contentious regulatory negotiations in higher education history. The Department must select negotiators representing: - Regional accreditors defending their model - National accreditors seeking parity - New accreditors wanting easier recognition - Traditional universities satisfied with current system - For-profit colleges seeking less scrutiny - Christian colleges wanting religious freedom protection - Student advocates demanding accountability - State regulators - Federal aid administrators Middle States President Heather Perfetti was nominated to serve on the committeeputting her in the room where regulations affecting her own organization will be written. Whether this constitutes appropriate expertise or conflict of interest depends on one's perspective. The Department seeks consensus on proposed regulations, but consensus may prove impossible given stakeholders' divergent interests. If negotiations fail to reach consensus, the Department can proceed with proposed rules anywaybut faces higher legal and political risk. The Case FOR Regional Accreditors Despite withering criticism, regional accreditors maintain significant support, particularly within traditional higher education: Peer Review Works: Academics reviewing academics ensures that quality standards reflect educational values rather than purely economic metrics. Peer reviewers understand institutional context, mission differences, and academic culture in ways external auditors cannot. Institutional Autonomy: Accreditation's decentralized, non-governmental structure protects academic freedom and institutional diversity against federal homogenization. Government-controlled accreditation would make every college subject to whatever party controls Washington. Continuous Improvement Model: Accreditation emphasizes helping institutions improve rather than punishing failure. This collaborative approach builds institutional capacity rather than simply sanctioning poor performers. Comprehensive Quality Assessment: Traditional accreditation evaluates multiple dimensionsfaculty qualifications, library resources, governance structures, financial stability, student servicesrather than reducing quality to employment and earnings metrics. Protection Against Diploma Mills: For all their flaws, regional accreditors have largely prevented fraudulent institutions from accessing federal aid, protecting students and taxpayers from the worst predatory actors. International Recognition: U.S. regional accreditation has global credibility. Employers and graduate schools worldwide recognize regionally accredited degrees, which might not be true of new alternative accreditors. The Case AGAINST Regional Accreditors Critics from left and right unite around several damning charges: Failure to Prevent Poor Outcomes: Many accredited institutions produce terrible resultslow completion rates, high debt, poor earnings, high default rates. Accreditation clearly doesn't guarantee quality. Input-Based, Not Outcome-Based: Accreditors evaluate what institutions have (library books, faculty credentials, facilities) rather than what students achieve (learning, completion, employment). This enables mediocre institutions to maintain accreditation while producing poor results. Structural Conflicts of Interest: Being funded by those you regulate creates irresolvable tensions between rigor and revenue, accountability and relationships. Ideological Capture: Whether imposing DEI requirements (left critique of right-leaning institutions) or suppressing progressive pedagogy (right critique of left-leaning accreditors), accreditors use their power to enforce ideological conformity. Transfer Credit Discrimination: The system created artificial barriers that cost students billions in duplicated coursework while protecting incumbent institutions from competition. Cost Contribution: Accreditation requirementsfrom administrative positions to facility standards to documentation burdensdrive up college costs without clear quality benefits. Innovation Barriers: Traditional accreditation standards favor conventional models, making it difficult for institutions experimenting with competency-based education, shorter programs, or alternative delivery to gain accreditation. Accountability Void: Who accredits the accreditors? CHEA provides voluntary peer recognition, and the Department of Education recognizes accreditors, but neither exercises vigorous oversight. Accreditors largely self-regulate. What Happens Next: Three Scenarios Scenario 1: Accreditor Adaptation Facing existential threat, regional accreditors implement meaningful reforms: adopt outcome-based standards, eliminate ideological requirements, reduce costs, streamline processes, and increase transparency. The Trump administration declares victory, new accreditors gain limited market share, but the basic structure survives. Probability: Moderate. Accreditors have incentives to adapt, but fundamental reforms threaten their business model and institutional culture. Scenario 2: System Fragmentation Multiple new accreditors gain federal recognition, institutions switch accreditors based on philosophical alignment, transfer credit chaos ensues, and a fragmented patchwork replaces the old regional monopoly. Some new accreditors maintain rigor; others become rubber stamps. Quality becomes harder to assess as accreditor proliferation creates confusion. Probability: High if AIM negotiations fail to produce consensus and the Department proceeds aggressively with new accreditor recognition. Scenario 3: Federal Takeover Outcome-based metrics largely replace accreditation as the primary gatekeeper for federal aid. Institutions must meet quantitative thresholds regardless of accreditor. Accreditation continues but becomes less relevant to federal aid eligibilitymore voluntary quality seal than essential gatekeeper. Probability: Growing. Bipartisan support for outcome accountability and distrust of accreditors creates momentum toward this model. The International Context: How Others Do It America's accreditation system is nearly unique internationally. Most developed nations use government agencies for quality assurance: - United Kingdom: Office for Students (government agency) - Australia: Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (government) - Germany: Accreditation Council (government-authorized) - France: High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (government) The U.S. relied on private accreditation partly by historical accidentcolleges existed before strong federal oversightand partly by design to protect institutional autonomy and academic freedom from government control. But this decentralized model creates accountability challenges that centralized systems avoid. When Australia's regulator identifies quality problems, it has direct authority to act. American regulators must work through accreditors, creating layers of indirection and diffused responsibility. The Stakes: $120 Billion and 20 Million Students The coming accreditation overhaul will determine: - Which institutions can access federal student aid - What standards define college quality - Whether innovation or tradition prevails - How much ideological conformity accreditation demands - Whether outcome metrics or input standards govern - If competition or monopoly structures the system - How much federal versus institutional control exists For 20 million students attending colleges annually, for taxpayers funding $120 billion in aid, for institutions whose survival depends on accreditation, and for employers who rely on degrees as quality signals, the stakes could not be higher. Conclusion: Breaking Point or Breaking Through? American higher education accreditation stands at an inflection point. The regional accreditor monopoly that structured higher education for generations faces coordinated assault from a presidential administration determined to break its power. Whether this represents long-overdue reform of a self-serving cartel or reckless destruction of quality assurance that protects students depends largely on one's priors about whether traditional higher education is fundamentally sound but needing accountability, or fundamentally broken and needing disruption. What's certain: the comfortable arrangement where six organizations controlled access to $120 billion in federal funds while spending $75 million on oversight, funded by the institutions they regulated, governed by those they accredited, and protected by geographic monopoliesthat arrangement is over. What replaces it will shape American higher education for decades to come. UW WWAMI students meet with Gov. Mark Gordon in Cheyenne. From left, UW President Ed Seidel and students Cherol Minton, Annabel Hagen, Gabrielle Reimann, Winston Littlejohn, Dalton Nichols, Zoe Robison, Jordan Moore, Carlos Garcia, Maggie Kuehl, Gov. Gordon, Ali Lange, Samantha Johnson, Rachael Harrower, Easton Couch, Brooklyn Prince, Daniel Shumway, Linsey Lancaster, Alexis King, Elizabeth Girling, Logan Jensen and University of Washington President Robert J. Jones. (Kyra Wright Photo) Hailing from across Wyoming, first-year medical students from the University of Wyomings College of Health Sciences met with state political and medical leaders in Cheyenne during the annual WWAMI Medical Education Program Legislative Day Wednesday, Feb. 17. The students, part of the Wyoming WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program, had the opportunity to be part of the legislative process and engage in meaningful discussion about health and education in the state. During the morning sessions, Sheila Bush, executive director of the Wyoming Medical Society, and Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyomings state health officer, talked with the students about current health issues around the state as well as opportunities and challenges the students will encounter when they return to practice in the rural communities of Wyoming. The WWAMI students then met with Gov. Mark Gordon, who took the time to hear each students motivation to go into medicine before inviting more in-depth questions. Annabel Hagen, a medical student from Jackson and Wyoming Medical Society student representative, asked the governor about the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. I wanted to understand whether the RHT could create space for physicians to focus more meaningfully on patient care, Hagen says. As future physicians who may practice in Wyoming, these structural decisions will shape how we deliver care. Hagen added that, while the details of how the funding will be used are still taking shape, there was encouraging discussion about how the goal of this fund is to make sure it is sustainable after the federal funding ends, and how the immediate funds will hopefully be used to establish more integrated primary care centers to better serve our rural populations. WWAMIs Legislative Day also included a luncheon attended by several state legislators and representatives of Wyomings congressional delegation. The luncheon included a student speaker for the first time, with Hagen taking the stage to provide a students perspective on the opportunity to have this day at the Wyoming Capitol. UW, Wyoming and the University of Washington value the WWAMI Program and care about student perspectives, Hagen says. Throughout the day, we heard repeatedly that student voices can influence legislative decision making, she says. It is a rare opportunity to engage with state leaders at this level, and the emphasis they place on our education felt very sincere. Representing the leadership of UW at the Legislative Day were President Ed Seidel; Interim Provost Anne Alexander; Patrick Hardigan, dean of the College of Health Sciences; and Todd Guth, Wyoming WWAMI director. From the University of Washington, President Robert J. Jones; Tim Dellit, dean of the University of Washington School of Medicine; Suzanne Allen, vice dean for academic, rural and regional affairs; and Robert Monger, Wyoming WWAMI assistant clinical dean, joined the group for the days activities. The 2026 Legislative Day marked the first time since the creation of WWAMI that the president of the University of Washington has visited Wyoming. My proudest moment of the day was when our 20 students were announced to both chambers of the legislative body to rounds of applause and cheers, Guth says. It brought a big smile to my face and a small tear to my eye to hear their names read aloud at the Capitol and watch their individual reactions as they stood up for the legislators. Representatives of the UW Family Residency Programs were present during the Legislative Day and included program directors Dr. Evan Norby, of Cheyenne, and Dr. Brian Veauthier, of Casper, as well as Graduate Medical Education Designated Institutional Officer Dr. Beth Robitaille and several residents from their respective residency programs. A great part of the day was for the Wyoming WWAMI team to experience the excitement of Legislative Day alongside our University of Wyoming family medicine colleagues and residents from the Casper and Cheyenne programs, Guth adds. Before the end of the day, students, faculty, staff and WWAMI administrators toured the Wyoming State Capitol. Faculty members met with legislators and colleagues from the UW Family Medicine Residency Programs at an evening reception hosted by the Wyoming Health Resources Network in the Paramount Ballroom. Legislative Day in Cheyenne is an important part of our WWAMI Medical Education Program, giving our students a meaningful opportunity to engage directly with Wyomings top policy leaders, Hardigan says. This years event was especially notable as we welcomed Dr. Robert J. Jones, president of the University of Washington, to join our delegation -- further underscoring the strong and enduring partnership between our institutions in preparing Wyomings future physicians. Through direct conversations with Gov. Gordon and members of the legislature, our students gain firsthand insight into the rural health challenges and policy decisions they will one day navigate as practitioners, Hardigan continues. Within the College of Health Sciences, we are proud to see our homegrown medical talent stepping into leadership spaces and advocating for the health of Wyoming communities. Members of the 2025 entering class of first-year WWAMI medical students, listed by their hometowns, are: Casper -- Gabrielle Reimann. Cheyenne -- Erica Farris, Samantha Johnson, Winston Littlejohn, Brooklyn Prince and Daniel Shumway. Evanston -- Linsey Lancaster. Gillette -- Dalton Nichols. Jackson -- Elizabeth Girling, Rachael Harrower and Hagen. Kemmerer -- Alexis King. Moorcroft -- Cherol Minton. Powell -- Jordan Moore. Rawlins -- Easton Couch. Rock Springs -- Ali Lange. Sheridan -- Logan Jensen, Maggie Kuehl and Zoe Robison. Wheatland -- Carlos Garcia. About the Wyoming WWAMI Medical Education Program The Wyoming WWAMI Medical Education Program is a partnership between UW and the University of Washington School of Medicine. WWAMI Medical Education reserves 20 seats each year for qualified Wyoming residents. Students accepted to the program spend 18 months on the UW campus. Students spend their third and fourth years at selected clinical sites throughout the WWAMI region. Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam. DUBAI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Dubai said Tuesday that they have extinguished a limited fire near the U.S. consulate caused by a drone targeting incident earlier in the day. No injuries were reported, and the situation was brought under control swiftly, according to competent authorities. A joint military strike by the United States and Israel on Iran, which started on Saturday morning, triggered a sharp escalation across the Middle East, setting off waves of missile exchanges, mounting casualties, and far-reaching political and security repercussions. Following the U.S.-Israeli joint strike, Iran subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes, targeting sites in Israel and U.S. military bases in Gulf countries and Jordan. The United Arab Emirates, which has closed its embassy in Tehran amid deteriorating security situation, said Tuesday evening on social media platform X that it has detected 186 ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles, and 812 UAVs launched by Iran. DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - For those prepping to brave the cold, Decatur's Polar Plunge will make its return this weekend. The plunge will take place at noon on Saturday, March 7, on Lake Decatur Beach. This marks the 25th year the event has taken place, and it will benefit Special Olympics of Illinois. Participants will take a dip in Lake Decatur after fundraising $100 each. It will also include a free brunch for plungers and an exclusive Polar Plunge hoodie. Ken Frye from the Decatur Park District said residents can still donate to the cause despite the short deadline. "Never too late to give a donation to help out Special Olympics, it helps out the athletes with their participation in sporting events year-round," Frye said. Those interested can register online. Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) A proposal moving in Springfield could help close gaps in protection for survivors of domestic violence and stalking. Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said Illinois should ensure emergency orders of protection remain in effect until the final order of protection has been served. This comes as many survivors are harassed and threatened under the current system where emergency orders are no longer in effect after a judge grants a plenary order. "This bill would mean protection for victims of abuse remains fully enforceable and protects survivors from dangerous loopholes and paperwork timing," Stadelman said. "The intent is clear Domestic violence victims deserve protection all the way through the process." Stadelman was inspired to file this plan after a constituent told his office about the troubling loophole. Elizabeth Malone was granted a no-contact stalking order after a year of being harassed and threatened, but she said the system she trusted failed to protect her. 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. "When my harassment continued, law enforcement was not able to intervene as there was no order on file, because by then my emergency order had expired and the respondent had not yet been served the final order," Malone explained. The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence said this issue is critical, as the organization served more than 50,000 women, children and families last year. Advocates said service delays can leave survivors unprotected and make it more difficult for the legal system to respond to abuse and harassment. "It's an important piece of paper because it gives law enforcement the tools to respond to an abuser who is escalating in violence," said ICADV Chief Policy Officer Jennifer Welch. The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Criminal Law Committee last week. The full Senate could vote on Senate Bill 3044 this week. Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. TOKYO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Japanese newspaper Tokyo Shimbun recently published an editorial titled "The U.S. attack on Iran is an outrageous act that threatens the international order," condemning the military strikes by the United States and Israel as violations of the UN Charter and international law. According to the editorial published on Monday, U.S. and Israeli forces bombed Iran's capital Tehran and several other cities, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties and killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes. The newspaper criticized the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran as nothing less than an outrage that disregards the UN Charter and international law, arguing that the U.S. military action lacked authorization from Congress as required under the U.S. Constitution. The editorial noted that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire, amid grave concerns over the potential escalation of the conflict. It stressed that the international community must intensify diplomatic pressure to achieve an immediate ceasefire. The paper further pointed out that the United States and Iran resumed negotiations in February on the nuclear issue. Oman's foreign minister, who served as a mediator, expressed anger that "serious negotiations have once again been undermined." The editorial described the reaction as "not unexpected," adding that Washington's approach of forcing the other side to choose between "surrender or war" as gunboat diplomacy is utterly unworthy of being called diplomacy. While the Japanese government has refrained from commenting on the U.S. military action, the editorial said, Tokyo should work with the United Nations and Middle Eastern countries to press the United States and Israel for an immediate ceasefire. Author Sam Blake will join Waterford City and County Librarian, Mary Conway, in Tramore Library on Saturday, March 7th at 3 pm to discuss her latest book, Your Every Move. The Irish Examiner has described this book as a spectacular thriller that is impossible to put down. It is a crime thriller about a young woman who is relentlessly stalked, with many clever plot twists throughout the story. She is a multiple No.1 bestselling Irish crime writer and has been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year four times and twice for Irish Teen and Young Adult (YA) Novel of the Year. Her debut Little Bones which came out in 2016 was an instant bestseller and since then she has been on the Irish Times bestseller list for over fifty weeks. Sam Blake is a pseudonym for Vanessa Fox OLoughlin, founder of Europe's biggest writing resources website, the award-winning writing.ie, the Writers Ink online writing group, and Murder One - Ireland's International Crime Writing Festival. Sams second YA novel, Something's About to Blow Up was winner of the International Education Services Teen & YA Novel of the Year 2024. This event is free but booking is essential. To book your place, contact Tramore Library on 051 849594. A Waterford TD has said the latest capital funding figures for Technological Universities exposed "a clear regional imbalance" with the south east. Sinn Fein's, Deputy David Cullinane, said the figures left SETU (South East Technological University) bottom of the table in terms of the funding. He said Waterford and the South East are not getting a fair share of investment in higher education infrastructure, despite the regions growth, skills needs and the central role SETU must play in supporting jobs, innovation and services. Deputy Cullinane said the figures presented to him showed that overall capital funding allocated to the Technological Universities totalled 236.87 million since their establishment, with Atlantic TU receiving 58 million (24.60 per cent), Munster TU receiving 53 million (22.54 per cent), TU of the Shannon receiving 50 million (21.34 per cent), TU Dublin receiving 44 million (18.61 per cent) and South East TU receiving 30 million (12.91 per cent), placing SETU bottom of the table. Commenting on the matter, Deputy Cullinane said: "SETU is at the bottom of the table and that speaks volumes. The South East has been forced to make do with the smallest share of capital funding and it is simply not good enough. Its the same old story with Waterford and the region faring badly under Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Ministers who accept second best for our county." "This has real consequences for students, staff and for the ability of SETU to deliver the education facilities the region needs," he said. "When the South East is short-changed, opportunities are lost and the knock-on effect is felt across our economy and public services," he added. Read More SETU leads major international health tech education project Deputy Cullinane said the Government talks about balanced regional development but he said the figures told a different story. "The South East repeatedly comes last," he said. "This is scandalous and the regional imbalance must be addressed," he added. He called for a step-change in capital investment for SETU "to bring the South East up to where it should be". "That means moving from piecemeal allocations to a fair, strategic funding plan that matches the scale of need in Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow and across the wider region," he said. "A priority within that must be the One Health building earmarked for the new Glass site," he added. Commenting that the aforementioned project was "vital to expanding capacity, supporting health and life sciences, and delivering for students and the region". "It should be prioritised immediately and progressed without delay," he said. "The South East deserves fair funding. SETU must be properly funded, the One Health building must be fast-tracked, and this Government must finally back up its regional rhetoric with real investment. A former foster parent has been found not guilty of child cruelty after a trial in Waterford. The woman recently stood trial at Waterford Circuit Court before a jury of eight men and four women. Judge Eugene O'Kelly presided over the trial, which was held in-camera with reporting restrictions applied. Prosecutor Shane O'Callaghan BL acted on behalf of the State. The defendant had been charged with a single charge of cruelty against a child on dates between mid-2017 until early 2021. The complainant, now a teenager, alleged that she had been subjected to punching, slapping, pinching, bullying, threats and verbal abuse by the defendant. Background In March 2021, Gardai received a report from a neighbour of the accused. The neighbour was well-known to the child and had found her outside her home crying. The neighbour spoke to the child and brought her into her home. It was there the child alleged that her foster parent had been "hurting" her. The neighbour found bruises on the child's arms and a lump between her shoulder blades. The neighbour took photos of the injuries and alerted the authorities. TUSLA Child and Family Agency removed the child from the house. The child said in her specialist interview with Gardai: "She would call me an ugly disgusting animal. She said my mam doesn't care about me, she don't love me. "I told her my mam loves me, just because she never took care of me don't mean she don't love me." According to the child, the accused said that her mother would have chosen a bottle of beer over her daughter. She claimed that during one incident, the accused said to her: "I'm not hurting you but if you say that again I will hurt you. I'm going to murder you." The child told Gardai that her foster parent punched and slapped her on her back and arms on numerous occasions. While being cross-examined the child said of the accused: "She did actually spoil me in a lot of ways," referencing a holiday she went on with her family and saving money to buy her an expensive gift. However, she later said: "Money, gifts and a holiday will not make up for what she did." In her interview with Gardai, the accused vehemently denied all allegations put to her. She told Gardai that the child had a difficult early life and that she would scratch herself in her sleep. The accused said: "It wouldn't have been a nice background. Her mother was a drinker." 'Never aggressive' The defence brought forward two witnesses. The Court heard from a woman who was cared for by the defendant from the time she was a child well into her teens. The witness said she was "never aggressive" and had remained a close friend. Mr O'Callaghan asked her if there was a "marked difference between minding a child from 9-5 and caring for a child 24/7". The second witness was a doctor who confirmed that the accused had several serious medical conditions that would leave her lethargic. Closing In his closing speech, Mr O'Callaghan urged the jury to "not forget" common sense. Mr O'Callaghan referenced the specialist interview given by the complainant, wherein she described being slammed onto a tiled floor by the accused. He said: "There is very clear, very consistent evidence, it went into a lot of detail." Mr O'Callaghan referenced the testimony of the neighbour supporting the claims of the complainant. He ended: "Ultimately that's what this comes down to; who do you believe?" Defence counsel Gareth Hayden BL warned the jury to leave aside emotion and sympathy when deciding on the case. Mr Hayden pointed to 'glaring' inconsistencies in the child's testimony, including the child incorrectly naming the day of the alleged assault in 2021. He said: "I'm not saying she's a liar, I'm saying a 10-year-old believes in Santa. It doesn't make them liars that they believe in something. They believe in lots of things." Mr Hayden said the child's injuries were the result of 'rough and tumble' and that the defendant was physically incapable of hurting her. The jury spent over three hours in deliberations before returning a 10-2 majority not guilty verdict. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme West Waterford councillor Kate OMahoney has said she is appalled by the announcement that 80 newly-qualified paramedics will have to reapply for their own jobs. Cllr OMahoney said in a post on social media that she has been contacted by a number of students and newly-qualified paramedics concerned about new changes to HSE NAS contracts. This makes zero sense and has left newly qualified paramedics in complete limbo. I cannot imagine the stress, frustration and upset that this has caused. This development risks undermining retention in the ambulance service - which is already at risk as paramedics may undertake strike action. Paramedics play such a crucial role in our society and it is not right that are not being treated with the upmost respect that they deserve. The Minister for Health and the HSE must step in immediately to reverse this situation, provide certainty to those affected and confirm that permanent jobs will be offered to those currently in post, wrote Cllr OMahoney. Final-year paramedic trainees are employed by the National Ambulance Service and are usually retained after their training. However, RTE reported that almost 80 students were informed that their contracts would only be extended by 16 weeks to facilitate an internal recruitment process. A petition has been started calling for the reconsideration of the change, and at time of publishing, that petition had 7,911 signatures. In Fairbanks, Alaska the population is usually 33,000. But last week 220 people from across the world travelled to this little-known city to take part in the international ice sculpture competition. Countries such as Thailand, the Philippines and Mongolia were represented, but this was the first year an Irish person has taken part. John Hayes travelled 26 hours to get there. The Waterford man gave an interview to the Waterford News & Star live from the competition. Its the largest ice in the world. You cant do this scale of ice sculpting anywhere else in the world." The multi-block round consists of getting nine blocks of ice weighing over two and a half tonnes each. Each team is made up of four people and they are given six days to complete the sculpture. Competition days begin at 6am and dont finish until 11pm. Its brutal for those six days, John said. However, it was worth it because he was awarded fourth place in the competition. We lost out on the bronze, but being fourth in the world is not too bad. John said that the ice is so pristine, you can read a newspaper from the opposite side of the block. The ice is harvested from a quarry, which uses a type of gravel to filter the water. When John spoke to the Waterford News & Star, he was in the middle of the double block event, which is a two-person competition that takes two days. His was one of 80 teams. Im already delighted because I was only coming to gain experience and learn, but even to complete the piece; a lot of teams didnt even finish their piece," he said. Because of the low temperatures, theres a completely different science to how you adapt to the ice. If it's too cold or too hot, you cant weld it together because it will crack. At the final, I saw four carvings break when they cut out the supports. He added: Weve been made feel very welcome by the Alaskan people and the committee. Its been quite an experience. John is well-known for his wood carving. His world record-breaking Dragonslayer piece - the longest ever sculpture from a single piece of wood - is on display in the Viking Triangle in Waterford City. South East Waterford Rotary Club presented cheques totalling 18,000 to Waterford Hospice and Solas Cancer Support Centre at a special evening held in the Granville Hotel on February 23. The reception, organised by Waterford Rotary, was attended by representatives of both beneficiary charities, Rotary members, and many of the businesses and organisations who supported the clubs 28th Annual Memorial Christmas Tree Appeal, through which the money was raised. The appeal took place in John Roberts Square, Waterford City, in 2025. UPMC Whitfield also hosted a Rotary Memorial Tree and collections took place at Waterford Shopping Centre, Lisduggan, Supervalu Hypercentre, Quishs Supervalu in Tramore, Ardkeen Quality Food Store, and Jabil Healthcare. A spokesperson for Waterford Rotary highlighted how Christmas is an important time for family, but its also a time when "we miss loved ones who are lost to us". "The Rotary Memorial Tree has become an important and cherished way for all of us to remember our friends and family," said the spokesperson. "This is why the Rotary clubs partnership with Waterford Hospice and Solas Cancer Support Centre at that time of year is so vital and appropriate, and why the Memorial Tree was, as always, a central feature in Waterford Citys Winterval Festival." Commenting on the success of the appeal, Aedin Hassett, President of the Rotary Club of Waterford, said: For so many years, the Memorial Christmas Tree has been at the heart of Christmas in Waterford. We are delighted that the appeal raised 18,000 for Waterford Hospice and Solas Cancer Support Centre this year, thanks to the incredible support of the community. The Rotary Memorial Tree organiser Orm Kenny said: We are very grateful for the support received from the people of Waterford and from the many volunteers and organisations who supported the appeal." Those organisations included: Waterford City and County Council; Winterval; UPMC Whitfield; Waterford Shopping Centre, Lisduggan; Supervalu The Hypercentre; Ardkeen Quality Food Store; Quish's Supervalu, Tramore; McDonalds; Phelans Pharmacy; Nolke Opticians; AIB; Sheridan Kia; Jabil Healthcare; and Sun Life. "We remember our dear friend, Kathleen Fitzgerald, who was the first female president of Waterford Rotary Club and a dedicated supporter of the memorial tree for many years," said Orm. "Our deep sympathies and sincere thanks go to her family and her colleagues in Georges Court Shopping Centre. Read More Waterford in mourning: City stalwart is laid to rest Barbara Murphy, Chairperson Waterford Hospice expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the appeal. "We are so grateful to Waterford Rotary Club for their continued support of Waterford Hospice," she said. "Funds raised help to provide benefit to patients and their families of the South-East Palliative Care Service in their own home or place of residence in Waterford Community Care Area and to those availing of the services of the South-East Palliative Care Centre, through the provision of patient comforts and including equipment, amenities and complementary therapies, counselling and support services. Meanwhile, Tracy McDaid, Manager of the Solas Cancer Support Centre, explained what the money mean to the service: We are very appreciative of the support of the Rotary Club in both raising funds and creating awareness of the free services we provide. These funds will help the charity continue to provide free support services to people impacted by a cancer experience in Waterford and throughout the Southeast." This week, we reveal the nominations in the Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards 2026 - recognising and honouring those immensely talented people who contribute in myriad ways to the arts in Waterford. While the Deise might not gain the exposure of other Irish urban centres when it comes to the arts - Galway Arts Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival and Wexford Festival Opera are well-known in the national lexicon - there is no denying that the calibre of arts offering here is on a par with, if not quietly surpassing, what is happening elsewhere across the country. The work of Pat McEvoy, Waterford News & Star arts correspondent, in highlighting this work, week in, week out, across the year, is essential to bringing such a rich part of our culture to a wider audience, and essentially educating and informing us on what is happening on our own doorsteps, what new ground is being broken, the new kernels of talent that are emerging. Incredible theatre is not the sole domain of the Abbey and the Gate in Dublin - it happens in theatre houses across Waterford, whether in the staging of the work of long-established playwrights, or in performances of new writing. It happens in the city, Tramore, Dungarvan, and smaller community spaces in villages the length and breadth of the county, including in our wonderful Gaeltacht. Exhibitions across multiple arts practices are continuously curated and opened to the public in our gallery spaces; dance broaches new heights of creativity; and youth groups nurture the creativity of future Deise generations. This year, a number of our long-established groups celebrated big birthdays, including Waterford Panto Society and Waterford Youth Arts, both marking the big 4-0 before Christmas. Credit must go to Waterford City and County Council, which has long supported the arts in Waterford, with the establishment of the dedicated Waterford Gallery of Art (WGOA) in recent years on O'Connell Street a case in point. If you haven't been through its doors yet to take in an exhibition, make it your business to do so. It features Waterford's municipal art collection, as well as temporary exhibitions, and is free to the public, so it won't cost you anything only some well-spent time. Waterford Council has also been actively engaging in Tramore's quest for a dedicated theatre space, and, hopefully, this will progress in the not-too-distant future. A plethora of arts events, dependent on Council funding, happen across the year thanks to the backing they receive - and they in turn bring new guests and audiences to events across the Deise. The majority of the arts' activities, as reflected in the Green Room Awards nominations, are voluntarily run, by people passionate about what they are doing. The musicals and pantomimes might gain the largest audiences, and they are a hugely important part of what is happening, but creativity also takes place on much-smaller scales, whether it is an open mic poetry night, or a play to a small, intimate audience. Hamnet has put the talent of actor Jessie Buckley firmly in the spotlight of international acclaim - there are countless more actors like Jessie across the country. Just like in sport, bulwarking our local arts paves the way for these people to find their niche and to flourish. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association The housing crisis could lead to the death of the Irish language, protesters said outside Leinster House on Tuesday. The demonstration was held by a coalition of campaign groups outside the Houses of the Oireachtas to highlight the disproportionate impact the shortage of affordable housing is having on Gaeltacht areas. They called on the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to take measures to protect the areas unique communities. Domhnall O Braonain, who travelled from the Connemara in Co Galway, said people are leaving the area because they are unable to find or afford housing. He said there is also an influx of people who can afford those houses, people not from Gaeltacht areas meaning there are fewer and fewer people in the area speaking Irish. He fears the day might come that there wont be many, if any, Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht, adding thatll be the death of the language. Domhnall O Braonain joined calls for the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to take immediate action on the housing and language crisis in the Gaeltacht (Niall Carson/PA) The 25-year-old said he is living with his parents and does not think it will be possible for him to find his own home in the area. My family doesnt own any land even if we did own land, it would be very difficult to get planning permission. And the options to buy are too costly, and as far as renting goes, they are not there at all. One of the protests organisers, John Prendergast, said: As were all very aware that the housing crisis is all around Ireland, but its disproportionately affecting Irish speaking areas. The group, Tintean, have four main demands for Government. They want Udaras na Gaeltachta, the regional authority responsible for the Gaeltachts, to have housing powers. Housing and planning guidelines promised in 2021 should be published without any delay, they say, and a housing and population strategy should be created for each Gaeltacht. Also, a housing grant scheme should be reinstated to provide support for Irish speakers who would like to build or renovate a house in the Gaeltacht. Prendergast said holiday lets are also having an outside affect in Irish-speaking areas: We see the rate of growth in Airbnbs, for example, as twice the national average in the last six years. He said people returning from emigration or university cannot find places to live: In Dingle today, theres 112 places in and around West Kerry available on Airbnb, and theres zero to rent on Daft.ie. So, if youre trying to increase the amount of people speaking Irish in an area, or if youre trying to empower a community, you really need to have people able to stay in the area. Protesters are calling on the minister, James Browne, to take immediate action on the housing and language crisis in the Gaeltacht (Niall Carson/PA) Fianna Fails Naoise O Cearuil was at the protest and said: The minister for housing has announced that there would be guidelines for housing in the Gaeltacht in the first half of 2027. The vice chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community said they will be dealing with this specific issue from April. He said the crux of the issue is that Gaeltacht areas should not be treated as another remote rural area but instead as areas of distinct heritage and language that need to be protected, and particularly, the younger community there need to be helped as well. Speaking about specific measures that could help, O Cearuil said changes to planning guidelines should be put in place: There should be exceptions for those that are fluent Irish speakers and from the area in relation to planning permissions. Obviously any planning permission needs to be in keeping with planning law, he added, but the guidelines need to be adapted in order that people from the Gaeltacht that speak Irish are able to actually build in their locality. NEW YORK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary. "If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible," Trump said in a post on social media. Trump said he has ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide so-called political risk insurance and guarantees for maritime trade, especially energy, "traveling through the Gulf." Nestled between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz serves as the only sea passage from the Gulf to the open ocean, cementing its status as one of the world's most strategically vital chokepoints. Iranian media reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, declaring the vital oil and gas waterway unsafe due to U.S. and Israeli attacks. On Saturday morning, U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. Eva Osborne The conflict in Iran dominates the front pages of Irish newspapers yet again on Tuesday. Fears of a protracted and complex war deepened as missile strikes were exchanged by countries across the Gulf yesterday, pushing the Middle East into a new chapter of volatility, The Irish Times reports. New taser guns provided to gardai have yet to be discharged nearly three months into a new pilot project, according to the Irish Examiner. While tasers have been drawn as a de-escalation tool four times since mid-December, gardai and Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan confirmed they have yet to be used. The Echo leads with a Cork family who travelled to Dubai for the 'holiday of our dreams' being among thousands of Irish citizens stranded as airstrikes in the Middle East continue to ground flights out of the city's airport. The "big wave" is yet to come in the war with Iran, US president Donald Trump warned as concerns mounted over a prolonged conflict that could spread through the Middle East, the Irish Independent reports. The Irish Daily Mirror leads with energy bills in Ireland potentially rocketing as the war in the Middle East spreads across the region. A man who died after he tried to save six people who were struggling in a deadly rip current was hailed as a hero at the inquest into his death yesterday, the Irish Daily Star reports. Thousands of Irish citizens have registered with the Government as being 'stranded' in the Middle East in order to be prioritised for future evacuations, according to the Irish Daily Mail. The Herald reports on a 79-year-old man being jailed for 10 years for raping a teenage girl in her own bed over 30 years ago. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesMiddle East at war Australians stranded in Middle East by Iran war consider travel options Chris Zappone Updated March 3, 2026 3:14pm ,first published 12:23pm 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 Australians stranded in the Middle East are flying via destinations as far away as South Africa to get back home after the Iran war forced the closure of crucial airspace in the region and limited options for flights. Those unable or unwilling to wait for the resumption of air travel are finding alternative routes to leave the region which is home to a vital corridor linking Australasia to Europe accounting for 11 per cent of global air travel. Smoke billows from an airstrike near Dubai International Airport, which has been closed since Sunday. AP Mark Trim, founder of Adelaide-based Complex Travel Group, said travellers who had long-haul flights from Europe or Africa through the Middle East were rebooking via Asia at significantly higher price points, and seat availability was moving quickly at a premium. His company has been making alternative arrangements for travellers in nations in the region where airspace is open such as Saudi Arabia or Oman but who had affected flights on Emirates or Qatar Airways. Advertisement Some are flying out through Johannesburg, and home on Qantas from there, Trim said. We just re-booked some clients in Cairo on that routing. Since Israel and the US began attacking Iran on Saturday evening (AEDT), 12,903 of the 32,003 flights that were scheduled to arrive or depart from the Middle East or 40 per cent had been cancelled, according to flight analytics data company Cirium. Emirates airplanes are grounded at Dubai International Airport. AP At any time, about 11,000 Australians are transiting through the region, which is a hub for Emirates, Virgin Australias partner Qatar Airways, and Etihad. Five Emirates A380s departed Dubai for Europe and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, Flightradar24 posted on X. Travellers caught out by the military strikes during their transfer are unable to fly out of the war-affected part of the Middle East. Advertisement The Oman option Some travellers are planning to cross land borders to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman, on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, southeast of Iran, where flights to leave the region can be boarded. Ciriums Asia editor Ellis Taylor said Muscat [in Oman] has the potential to offer a way out of the Middle East for some passengers who are willing to take land transport from neighbouring countries. Oman Air operates flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta that could offer a way back to for Australian travellers, he said. Oman also has flights to Phuket and Manila, but not to Singapore, he said. Tourists take photos at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman. AP Advertisement Anthony Goldman, a joint managing director of the Melbourne-based Goldman Travel Group, also said Muscat was a possibility, if you want to drive in the middle of a situation. Related Article Aviation Missiles too close for comfort for airlines in Iran-Israel war Another scenario to leave the Middle East is for people in the island nation of Bahrain to travel by land to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, fly to the Indian cities of Delhi or Mumbai and transit from there. There are plenty of options; youve just got to be creative and be prepared to spend the extra money. Online travel agency Webjet said that in the past few days, we have seen travellers opting to redirect through Asian hubs such as Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, as well as the Perth-London direct service. Advertisement We are working closely with airline partners and, where flights are operating, helping customers explore alternative routes across different airlines whether they are in Europe trying to return to Australia, or vice versa, a spokesperson said. Flight routes The airspace over Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Israel, Iran and Iraq remains closed, and Ciriums Taylor said that meant there were two clear corridors around the conflict area: Oman and Saudi Arabia in the south and Turkey in the north. To the south, there are flights routing over Oman and the south-west part of Saudi Arabia, while to the north, flights are going over the subcontinent to Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey to dodge Iranian airspace, Taylor said. Advertisement That northern path seems to be allowing flights to operate from India and South-East Asia through to Europe with relatively little deviation. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson said the Australian airline had customers on code-share services with Emirates who were stuck in the Middle East, while Qantas-operated services such as those flying to Europe via Perth and Singapore were not materially impacted. Related Article Aviation The airlines fighting to take Australians on trips to Europe Qantas said that from Wednesday, its previously non-stop Perth-to-London flight would stop in Singapore, adding up to 60 extra passengers. The move increases capacity to Europe as passenger traffic is constrained by the war. Advertisement Qatar Airways, a partner of Virgin Australia, has cancelled its Doha services until March 5, due to the ongoing security situation in the Middle East and the closure of Qatari airspace. Bookings Goldman, of the Goldman Group, urged stranded Australians to speak to travel agents, who could help navigate complex travel arrangements. He also noted that the UAE announced it was bearing all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers in hotels. Loading Advertisement With Clancy Yeates The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesRadio Kyle Sandilands suspended, Jackie O exits show after on-air feud Calum Jaspan Updated March 3, 2026 4:04pm ,first published March 3, 2026 7:56am 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 KIIS FM has terminated Jackie O Hendersons $100 million contract after she told executives she could not continue to work with Kyle Sandilands following an on-air feud with her co-star. The decision, announced on the stockmarket late on Tuesday by KIISs parent company, ARN, said Henderson would no longer present The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which is in just the second year of a 10-year, $200 million contract signed in 2023. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson in happier times. Facebook Her controversial colleague Sandilands has been suspended for two weeks because of his serious misconduct and will have to show he has fixed his contractual breach or have his own contract torn up by ARN as well. Henderson has been off-air after Sandilands berated her during a live broadcast on February 20, criticising her work ethic because she had looked into horoscopes during a discussion on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, which he said was part of a wider pattern. Advertisement Youre off with the fairies, you are unfocused, you dont give a shit everyone in this building has mentioned it to me, Sandilands told Henderson during the show as she fought back tears. Henderson has been offered an alternative show on KIIS after the disintegration of her working relationship with Sandilands, which came amid pressure to reverse their shows disastrous performance in the Melbourne market that had become a drag on ARNs share price. Representatives for both Henderson and Sandilands were approached for comment. The announcement marked a sharp reversal from Tuesday morning, when Sandilands had said Hendersons camp was preparing a statement that would say she was returning in the future, though he did not give any further details about when that would be, or in what capacity. Its a tender situation here with the Jackie situation. And its sort of out of my hands, even though I lit the match, Sandilands said at the beginning of Tuesdays show. Advertisement I signed off yesterday on some sort of a statement from Jackies camp and at the end I noticed, this is the only thing I really noticed, that Jackie will be returning in the future. That was a good sign. So the intention is to come back, which is fabulous. Instead, ARN announced on Tuesday afternoon that Henderson had told the company she cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands. As a result, it said, ARN had terminated her contract. The same announcement said ARN considers that Mr Sandilands behaviour during the show on 20 February 2026 is an act of serious misconduct and he would be off air for at least two weeks, during which time he could remedy the alleged breach or have his contract cancelled. Sandilands and Henderson had, by some distance, the most lucrative radio contract in Australian media. It was designed to reflect the pairs growing dominance in Sydney and planned expansion to other key metropolitan markets, such as Melbourne and Brisbane. Advertisement The show was launched into Melbourne two years ago, but floundered in the city. In the breakfast slot, which traditionally demands more advertising revenue than any other time of day, KIIS has lost more than 220,000 listeners under Sandilands and Henderson, or 36 per cent of its audience. Hundreds of staff have been made redundant by KIISs owner, ARN, over the two years since the contract was signed, and there were more job cuts this week, this masthead has confirmed. ARN declined to comment. Last year, ARN was forced to rethink its approach to the Kyle and Jackie O Show national rollout, which was part of the contract the pair signed running until 2034. It was forced to deploy additional censors on the show after breaches of industry codes relating to decency 12 times in 2025 alone. Poor ratings have been compounded by a prolonged campaign by activist group Mad F---ing Witches, which has resulted in falling metro advertising revenue and lost ground to its main competitors, Nova and Southern Cross Austereo. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Kyle Sandilands Are we all being played by Kyle and Jackie O? Sandilands has a long history of controversial remarks. In 2009, he suggested actor Magda Szubanksi would be thinner if she had been in a concentration camp. Two years later he called a journalist a fat slag for critiquing him. He also came under fire for a stunt in which a teenager was questioned into admitting she had been raped as a 12-year-old. Right ... is that the only experience youve had? Sandilands said in response. Sandilands has repeatedly apologised at various points for his derogatory comments. Advertisement In Brisbane, KIIS brought back the previously dumped breakfast trio Robin, Kip & Corey for 2026, and it has also hired former Nova and triple j personalities Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton to start in Adelaide next month. Sandilands and Henderson do not broadcast in those markets. In the companys full-year results released last week, ARN said KIISs performance suffered from heightened advertiser sensitivity to brand safety impacting revenue. ARNs metro revenue across both of its networks, KIIS and Gold, declined by 16 per cent, or $28.3 million. Last month, The Kyle and Jackie O Show dropped to a 5 per cent share in the eighth and final radio ratings survey of the year for Melbourne. It remained one of the top shows in Sydney, but its share has suffered somewhat during the same period, as have total listeners to the show. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement CultureMoviesCelebrity life Jim Carrey responds to wild clone theories following rare public appearance India McTaggart March 3, 2026 6:10am 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 Jim Carrey has built a storied acting career on elastic faces and reality-bending performances. In the past week, however, fans worldwide appeared to believe the Hollywood actor had pulled off his most audacious transformation yet replacing himself with a double. Jim Carrey poses after receiving the Cesar of Honour award during the 51th Cesar Awards ceremony in Paris. AP After Carrey made a rare public appearance at the Cesar Awards in Paris to accept an honorary accolade, online speculation quickly spiralled into claims that an impostor had taken the 64-year-olds place. The theories gained so much traction that the awards organisers felt the need to step in and clarify that it was, in fact, the real Carrey on stage and that he had spent months planning his acceptance speech in French. Advertisement The actors representatives later confirmed to The Telegraph that the actor did attend the Cesar Awards on February 26. Carrey in The Truman Show in 1998. The reclusive star of The Mask, The Truman Show and Dumb and Dumber had shocked fans with his changed appearance at the event, where he was sporting a new hairstyle and displayed different mannerisms to usual in red-carpet interviews. While receiving this years Honorary Cesar, Frances national film award, Carrey also took to the stage to make an emotional speech honouring his profession and father. His candid words about his career, however, did not stop conspiracy theories from spreading online, gaining particular momentum after Alexis Stone, a British drag performer and make-up artist, suggested that they had impersonated Carrey, sharing pictures of prosthetics and a wig resembling the actors look that night. Advertisement Now, both Carreys representatives and Gregory Caulier, the awards general delegate, have dismissed the speculation. On Monday, Caulier told Variety that the rumours were a non-issue, saying: Jim Carreys visit has been planned since this summer. From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academys invitation. Eight months of ongoing, constructive discussions. He worked on his speech in French for months, asking me about the exact pronunciation of certain words. Caulier added that Carrey had attended the French film festival with a large entourage, explaining: He came with his partner, his daughter, his grandson and 12 close friends and family members. Advertisement His long-time publicist accompanied him. His old friend Michel Gondry, who has made a film and two series with him, was there, and they were delighted to see each other again. In his speech on the night, delivered entirely in French, Carrey said: As an actor, each character you play is like clay in the sculptors hands, which you shape to your hearts desire. Related Article Film awards The Oscars race has been blown wide open by this unexpected win How fortunate I have been to share this art with so many people who have truly opened their hearts to me. Cauliers intervention has followed days of speculation online from fans, with one posting two videos of the actor from months apart, saying: You cannot tell an entire generation of people that watched this mans face on repeat for over two decades, that the person in the second video in Paris is Jim Carrey. Advertisement Another claimed the American-Canadian actor was actually an impersonator, while another fan said: Im no conspiracy theorist but thats not Jim Carrey. Related Article AI Why this video of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise brawling has Hollywood alarmed One individual went so far as to suggest his eye colour had changed, saying: This is NOT Jim Carrey! Jim Carrey has dark brown eyes for onethis copycat/clone creature has light eyes. The actor is known for staying out of the limelight and, until last week, had not been seen in public since November. While promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in April 2022, Carrey said he was fairly serious about retiring from acting, saying he felt he had done enough and wanted to pursue a quieter life. Advertisement He returned, however, to the franchise in 2024 for the third film, claiming his retirement talk had been hyperbole. The Telegraph, London Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Celebrity life Cinema Advertisement LifestyleHealth & wellnessHome accessories Do you know how often to replace your sponge? How about your mattress? Stacey Colino March 3, 2026 2:00am 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 Youre not the only one under your roof thats getting older. Your stuff is ageing, too. We all have products that we continue to use, even though theyre well past their prime. It may be hard to let go of certain things, like the beloved towels youve washed too many times to count or your favourite oven mitts burn marks and all. Go ahead, hang onto those. But there are some household items you should replace, even if theyre not showing signs of excessive wear and tear. Its smart to do a room-by-room assessment periodically, with an eye toward figuring out what you need to toss before things lose their efficacy or even harm your health. Heres what to look for. Are you replacing your sponge as often as you should be? Probably not. Getty Images The kitchen Sponges: You cant always tell by smelling or looking at them, but perpetually damp sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria that could make you sick, says Chuck Gerba, a professor of environmental science at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Advertisement In our research, weve found that the bacteria get to really high numbers in three to four days. Thats why its important to disinfect sponges every day or two by putting them in the microwave for 30 seconds or running them through the dishwasher. Even if you do that, replace sponges every one to two weeks, says Kristin DiNicolantonio, senior director of stakeholder communications at the American Cleaning Institute in DC. Mops: Their job is to clean floors, so you may expect them to be dirty. But its wise to replace mop heads every two to three months because dirty mops spread grime instead of removing it, says DiNicolantonio. Toss it sooner if it smells bad or the fibres are worn down. To extend the life of a mop, rinse it thoroughly after each use and let it air dry. Editor's pick Opinion Social media The male equivalent of girl dinner is here. And it looks like a dogs breakfast James Colley Comedian, author and TV writer from Western Sydney Cleaning products: These lose their effectiveness over time, says DiNicolantonio, and they dont always have an expiration date printed on the bottle. In general, cleaning products should be replaced after one to two years, she says. Toss them sooner if they show changes in colour, smell or texture. Cutting boards: If they have lots of cuts or scratches, its time to replace them because those indentations can harbour bacteria that could make you sick, Gerba says. (Youve probably heard that you should use separate cutting boards for meats and produce and thats still true.) To prolong their lifespan, plastic cutting boards can be put in the dishwasher for cleaning; wooden ones can be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant. Advertisement Nonstick pots and pans: Stop using them and toss them if the surface is scratched or flaking, says Ryan Sinclair, a professor of environmental microbiology at Loma Linda University. Nonstick cookware contains forever chemicals called PFAS that are potentially carcinogenic, he says. If the surface is flaking, microparticles can get in your food and stay in your body. When its time to replace nonstick cookware, Sinclair suggests choosing cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans. Check before you next chop. Getty Images Plastic food-storage containers: If theyre changing colour or texture or becoming brittle, its time to get rid of them, Sinclair says. The reason: as they degrade, many plastic containers shed oxidised compounds that can get into your food and your body. When its time to replace them, glass or metal food-storage containers are healthier options. Fire extinguishers: They often have a manufactured date stamped on them, and they typically have a lifespan of 10 to 12 years from that date, says Susan McKelvey, communications manager for the National Fire Protection Association. Its wise to check a fire extinguisher on a monthly basis to make sure its still pressurised (the needle should be in the green zone). And if you do use it, even for a small fire, you need to replace it. Hallways Advertisement Editor's pick Health How this kaleidoscopic condition can help your life and career Smoke detectors: These should be replaced every 10 years from the date they were manufactured, not when you bought them, says McKelvey. Use one for too long and the risk is that it wont effectively recognise smoke and activate the alarm when you need it. Carbon monoxide detectors: Depending on the model, carbon monoxide detectors have a lifespan of seven to 10 years from the manufactured date. Here again, if you continue using it beyond that, it might not recognise a problematic level of this colorless, odorless, poisonous gas in your home. Bathrooms Toothbrushes: The Australian Dental Association recommends replacing toothbrushes every three months, sooner if the bristles are noticeably matted or frayed. A worn-out toothbrush wont clean your teeth effectively, leaving you more vulnerable to plaque and cavities. Advertisement Toilet brushes: Replace these about every six months or sooner if the bristles are bent or if there are signs of discoloration or lingering odour, DiNicolantonio says. Worn brushes clean poorly and can harbour bacteria. To prolong their use, be sure to disinfect and rinse toilet brushes thoroughly after each use and let them air dry, she says. Related Article Sponsored Fashion accessories To find a bra that looks as good as it feels, start with one simple thing Shower curtain liners: Because of the moisture-rich environment theyre in, shower curtain liners can harbor mould and mildew growth, which can become airborne during a shower, potentially irritating your lungs or skin. Washing the liners regularly can help prevent that buildup, but if stains or odours persist, its best to replace them. The bedroom Mattresses: The typical lifespan of a mattress is between seven and 12 years, depending on the type and quality. But you dont need a calendar to tell you when to replace it. If you regularly wake up with stiffness, soreness or lower-back pain, its time to consider getting a new mattress, says Michael Breus, a psychologist and founder of SleepDoctor.com. A mattress has two functions support, which is all about making your spine aligned, so the muscles have a chance to relax, and comfort, which involves how long the product will keep you in that relaxed position. Advertisement Washington Post Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Home accessories Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Like the opening scenes of a horror movie, last month scientists described the discovery of ancient bacteria entombed within a Romanian ice cave that was resistant to 10 modern antibiotics. The 5000-year-old bacteria thawing from the ice could theoretically pass their drug-resistant genes to infectious microbes, highlighting yet another way microbial evolution can render once-lifesaving drugs useless. But as efforts to craft new antibiotics flail, and many pharmaceutical companies give up all together, a Sydney researcher has turned to a natural yet potent elixir in the fight against antimicrobial resistance: honey. Microbiologist Dr Kenya Fernandes has turned to honey to address the critical global health crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Janie Barrett The current arsenal of antimicrobial drugs that we have is not going to be very effective for resistant bacteria much longer, Dr Kenya Fernandes, a microbiologist at the University of Sydney, said. Superbugs kill an estimated 100 Australians a week and about 5 million people globally each year. Honey is a really unique solution because its a natural product. Its been honed by millions of years of evolution, and its really, really complex in a way thats hard for us to replicate. For a new study published in Microbiology Open, Fernandes took 56 Australian honeys from 35 apiaries and put it to work in Petri dishes festering with E.Coli and golden staph (Staphylococcus aureus). Advertisement Three-quarters of the different honeys killed both bugs even when diluted to 10 per cent. The crucial finding was that bees which fed on a diverse range of flowers made the most antimicrobial honey. The study, in some ways, draws a direct line between the biodiversity of the Australian bush and potential human health benefits. A range of honeys were tested against E.Coli and golden staph, which causes drug-resistant skin infections. Janie Barrett Dr Fernandes took swabs of bacteria and fundi from bee hives at the Tocal Bee Research and Training Centre. Steven Siewert It actually turned out that its not this or that one plant thats important in a medicinal honey sense. It is just having that biodiverse native forest available, Fernandes said. The honeys in Fernandes study were made from the nectar of a range of eucalyptus trees such as jarrahs and ironbarks, and other natives including marri bloodwoods and jellybush, a type of tea tree. Honey evolved as a crucial carbohydrate source to get bees through cold winters. Advertisement They need to generate heat to stay alive. And they do that by taking honey, rehydrating it, consuming it, and then that gives them energy to vibrate flight muscles, which generate heat, honey bee technical specialist for the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Liz Frost, said. But a hives honey is essentially a delicious, ultrarich lump of sugar sitting out in the open. The honey must withstand attack from ravenous bugs and microbes; otherwise, bacteria quickly would spoil the bees smorgasbord. Liz Frost checks a bee for varroa mite. Expanding the medicinal market for honey could help an industry under extreme stress. Steven Siewert Thats why honey has evolved to be so antimicrobial, with more than 200 compounds acting to kill invading bacteria. Part of that bug-busting power is borrowed from plants, with botanical antimicrobial defence compounds passing from nectar into the honey. Bees also inject an enzyme called glucose oxidase into the honey from their salivary glands. When bees dilute the viscous honey to feed the queens babies, the compound forms hydrogen peroxide an antiseptic. Theres a lot of stuff we dont know as well, Fernandes said. We know that there are antimicrobial peptides, maybe bee immune defence peptides, but many of them havent been characterised. Advertisement Unlike traditional antibiotics, which might target one part of a bacterium to kill it, honey can kill a microbe in seven or eight different ways, which makes it far harder to out-evolve, Fernandes said. Thats why its so good against bacteria because its so complicated. But its one of the problems with standardisation. The finding that diverse flowers create better honey and healthier hives draws a direct link between bush biodiversity and the health of bees and humans. Steven Siewert Addressing that issue will partly form the next stage of research. Fernandes says the most realistic medical application is to expand honeys potential to treat topical wounds such as scrapes and cuts. But also, chronic wounds are a huge problem. Diabetic ulcers, pressure sores, burn wounds, that kind of thing particularly in those cases where patients have resistant bacteria, so normal antibiotics are not able to work. Golden staph frequently inflicts drug-resistant skin infections, particularly in hospital patients, and could be a target for new honey-derived creams or gels. Frost said the research into the medicinal potential of Australian honey nourished by our uniquely diverse native bush could open new commercial opportunities for beekeepers as the industry battles the parasitic varroa mite. Advertisement Advertisement NationalInternational affairs Opinion O Canada, O Albanese: This middle power roars as Australias exemplar George Brandis Former high commissioner to the UK and federal attorney-general March 1, 2026 10:30am March 1, 2026 10:30am 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 When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses a joint sitting of parliament in Canberra on Thursday, he will, no doubt, make a plea for middle powers such as Canada and Australia to work more closely together in the face of disruptions to the world order. He can be expected to reprise some of the themes of his instantly famous speech at the World Economic Forum at Davos in January. Leaders of other important democracies (notably, Donald Trump) also spoke at Davos, but it was Canadas prime minister who grabbed the worlds attention not just by the erudition of his remarks, but by their unsparing candour. While European leaders hedged their words with careful euphemisms about threats and challenges to the rules-based global order, Carney dismissed such diplomatic legerdemain as a pleasant fiction. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Canada PM Mark Carney at the Global Progress Action Summit in London in September. Dominic Lorrimer Criticising the strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety, he bluntly warned his fellow leaders: Well. It wont. Rather, he declared, the world faced the beginning of a brutal reality, where geopolitics among the great powers is subject to no limits, no constraints Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. In years to come, the speech may come to be seen as a defining moment. (It certainly reads as if it were written with one eye on the history books.) Its impact was, to a degree, attributable to Carneys gravitas and prestige. He is unusual among world leaders in being at once a political neophyte he was shoe-horned into the prime ministership from outside parliament by Canadas Liberal Party and a well-established member of the so-called global elite. Advertisement It is unimaginable that Anthony Albanese could have made such an impression: someone whose biggest job before he was an MP was assistant secretary of the NSW branch of the Labor Party is never going to speak with the authority of a former governor of not one but two of the worlds leading central banks (the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England). Related Article Opinion US politics Why Trump just proved Mark Carneys point Ezra Klein US commentator and journalist Whatever one may think of Carneys analysis, the powerful impression it made typified the significant influence, disproportionate to its size, which Canada has on shaping the dialogue of global politics. It is the smallest member of the G7 in both population (42 million) and by GDP. Its armed forces (68,000 full-time personnel) are only slightly larger than Australias (61,000). Canadas contribution of intelligence product to the Five Eyes is roughly the same as ours. According to the latest World University Rankings, it is home to only three of the worlds 100 highest-rated universities. (Australia has six.) Canadas outsized influence in global politics is largely due to its soft power: its reputation as a good global citizen, with a deep-seated commitment to internationalism. Only last week, the UKs leading conservative magazine, The Spectator, described Canada as the moral leader of the middle powers. For instance, by one of the few empirically reliable measures of soft power foreign aid Canadas contribution is one of the worlds largest in per capita terms, almost double that of Australia (0.33 per cent of gross national income versus 0.18 per cent). In the decades after World War II, Canada was also important because geopolitics had a largely Atlantic focus. The division of Europe between NATO states and the nations of the Warsaw Pact was the frontline of the Cold War. Although they fought proxy wars in Asia and elsewhere, Washington and Moscow glowered at each other across the Atlantic Ocean. Canada, as a significant NATO nation both Anglophone and Francophone was in every important conversation. Advertisement We no longer live in a predominantly Atlanticist world. Canadas own National Security Strategy, launched in 2024, recognised: The Indo-Pacific is rapidly becoming the global centre of economic dynamism and strategic challenge. Every issue that matters to Canadians ... will be shaped by the relationships Canada and its allies and partners have with Indo-Pacific countries. Related Article Opinion Political leadership Somethings brewing for Albanese on the global stage Peter Hartcher Political and international editor In the era when the main fault line of geopolitics lay through the Western hemisphere, Canadas leaders projected global influence as they still do. In the 21st century, however, it is Australia situated at the inverse apex of the Indo-Pacific that finds itself in the most contested and strategically fragile region of the world. Yet too many Australians and an alarming number of politicians still indulge the happy complacency inherited from the days when ours seemed a sequestered part of the globe, where crises happened on the other side of the world, and international politics were somebody elses problem. In a sense, we still live in the long shadow of Donald Hornes assessment of Australia as a mediocre, insular, unimportant nation. Australians are anonymous, featureless, nothing-men, he sourly wrote. The Lucky Country was published in 1964. White Australia was still a bipartisan policy (until Harold Holt began to dismantle it in 1966), the word multiculturalism did not exist, and hardly any of the people Horne was describing are still alive. But there is one thing Horne said that remains as true today as it was two generations ago. Speaking of our engagement with Asia (although in very different circumstances), he wrote: Australias problem is that it now exists in a new and dangerous power situation and its people and policies are not properly re-orientated towards this fact. Advertisement Canada has, for decades, been an exemplar of how a middle power can also be a global leader if it appreciates that its interests are international, not just regional, and addresses global issues with the authority that comes from seeing itself as an important player in the great game of geopolitics. There has never been a time when it was more important for Australia to do the same and for our foreign policy to reflect that realisation. George Brandis is a former high commissioner to the UK, and a former Liberal senator and federal attorney-general. He is a professor at the ANUs National Security College. Advertisement NationalVictoriaPress freedom Opinion Everybody hates you every single day: Why the Silvagni case is the tip of the iceberg Michael Bachelard Senior writer, The Age March 3, 2026 2:00am March 3, 2026 2:00am 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 a magistrate, and later a judge, ruled that young rapist Tom Silvagni could hide his identity behind suppression orders throughout his prosecution, they were disrupting hundreds of years of legal doctrine. English 18th-century philosopher Jeremy Bentham wrote that publicity was not just part of the legal system, it was the very soul of justice. Why? Because exposing the workings of courts to public discussion and questioning means people feel ownership of a socially crucial system. When it works well, theyll feel faith in it. When its going badly, they can lobby for change. Tom Silvagni (left) during his County Court trial in November. Nine News Unfortunately, in the past decade or more, an aversion to this soul of justice has infected parts of Victorias justice system. In the case of Silvagni the son of an AFL great for almost 18 months, journalists were barred from reporting his name, any personal information about him or his family that might cause him to be identified, or any details about how and why the gag order had been made. Advertisement Silvagnis expensive lawyers used expert evidence gathered from psychiatrists to convince the magistrate and judge that, if he was named, his safety meaning his mental health was in danger. They said he was so disturbed by the prospect of his name being made public that he was a suicide risk. Related Article Courts Son of AFL great revealed to have been convicted of rape, after gag order lifted Silvagni is just one of a growing number of high-profile people using this loophole to hide from the embarrassment of the criminal charges against them. Silvagnis identity leaked out on social media, then, in December, a judge finally let the rest of us in on the secret. The outrage that followed suggested most Australians dont see open justice as some esoteric principle. They see it as a way ordinary people can check the system is not bent out of shape by money, fame and secrecy. If only Victorias courts felt the same way. The raw figures available dont capture every order and dont account for each states throughput of cases but they show Victoria makes more suppression orders than all other states, territories and federal courts combined. Advertisement Not all of them are as egregious as Silvagnis, and some are absolutely necessary. But the mental health exemption for those who can afford lawyers and psychiatrists to argue it is just one way in which a cloak of mystery has increasingly fallen over public discussion in this state. A new report commissioned by the Melbourne Press Club shows how far the publics right to know has slipped. Associate Professor Johan Lidberg and Alicia McMillan from Monash University found that, in Victoria, journalists can effectively never interview prisoners despite rules saying they can. Ministers often fail to answer probing questions with anything other than silence, or boilerplate. Public servants, including police, are out of bounds to journalists, even for background briefings. The freedom of information system is so broken that a parliamentary committee found in 2024 that the government should push information out, rather than retaining the current system which is more like pulling teeth. The spin-addicted Victorian government has, predictably, still not responded. The overarching conclusion of this study is that the limitations to conducting public interest news journalism in Victoria are now so severe that the crucial role of news reporting holding powerful institutions and individuals to account is under significant strain, Lidberg and McMillan wrote. Working journalists from across the media told the researchers that the courts were particularly frustrating. Magistrates and judges were frequently breaching the law the Open Courts Act by issuing suppression orders without following the rules. Advertisement Some defence lawyers have issued instruction manuals for their colleagues on how to use the mental health loophole enjoyed by Silvagni to keep their well-heeled clients names under wraps. Many judges deny documents to journalists. Reporters are not allowed to tape record proceedings despite this being permitted in other states so they are stuck taking hard copy notes in real time. Then they get complaints about inaccuracies. Reporters at the coalface talk of a hostile attitude towards them in the courts as if they are an annoyance rather than the eyes and ears of the public. Journalists are no longer viewed as part of the open justice system in Victoria, Lidberg and McMillan wrote. One of those interviewed, The Ages court reporter Erin Pearson, said: I watch young journo after young journo come in and out of court reporting, just burning out and leaving Everybody just hates you every single day and it is just getting worse and worse. Solutions to all this will take time and goodwill on both sides. Lidberg and McMillan suggest regular round tables of judges and journalists. Advertisement But when the researchers sought out court chiefs for their input, nobody was available. The director of public prosecutions insisted the number of suppression orders issued in Victoria was not inappropriate or excessive. Related Article Note From The Editor If justice needs to be seen to be done, its playing hide and seek in Victoria Nothing to see here. The Melbourne Press Club wants to engage with the courts and prompt a broader discussion about respect for the medias crucial role, beginning with a public discussion on Tuesday March 3, featuring The Ages editor, Patrick Elligett, former Supreme Court judge Betty King and Herald Sun editor Sam Weir. When, thanks to Pearson and other reporters, we were obsessing over the trials of people like mushroom killer Erin Patterson, we all felt part of the process. We could see the system in full flight, working out the issues involved. We could apply the pub test; argue about the case. Advertisement This is how it should be. Its good for both the system and our faith in it. Unfortunately in Victoria today, none of this is guaranteed because theres far too much were just not allowed to know. Michael Bachelard is a senior writer at The Age, and president of the Melbourne Press Club. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Press freedom Courts Opinion Michael Bachelard is a senior writer and former deputy editor and investigations editor of The Age. He has worked in Canberra, Melbourne and Jakarta, has written two books and won multiple awards for journalism, including the Gold Walkley. or email. Connect via X Advertisement TechnologySocial media Meta destroyed key evidence in Twiggy Forrests scam ad fight David Swan March 3, 2026 2:28pm 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 Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta allegedly deleted crucial evidence in a landmark US lawsuit brought by mining billionaire Andrew Twiggy Forrest, who says the tech giants advertising systems helped criminals loot Australians savings at industrial scale. The US civil case is the highest-profile legal challenge to date to the way Metas advertising machine handles scam content, and its outcome could reshape the rules for tech platforms globally. Andrew Forrest is leading the legal challenge. Forrests fight began in 2021 when he sued Meta in a California court after years of having his face used on fraudulent crypto ads on Facebook and Instagram, which were allegedly used to lure ordinary Australians into handing over their savings to criminals. Forrests legal team argues that Meta is not merely a passive bulletin board for fraudsters, but that its automated, AI-driven ad tools such as its Advantage+ system actively generate and amplify scam content. Advertisers supply basic text, images and video, they say, and Metas software then rewrites headlines, highlights key phrases, crops and augments images and selects thumbnails using generative AI to make the pitches more enticing before its targeting systems push those ads at users most likely to click including vulnerable investors in Australia. Advertisement In US legal filings viewed by this masthead, Forrest accuses Meta of ruining ad data crucial to the case by failing to preserve any final versions of nearly 30,000 scam ads that misused his name and image, despite being sent a letter in August 2019 warning of impending litigation and demanding it preserve all data about the advertisements. Related Article AI From jail to the C-suite: The AI firm co-founded by a former insider trader Forrests claims carry echoes of one of Australias most notorious document destruction scandals. In 2002, Victorian Supreme Court judge Geoffrey Eames found that law firm Clayton Utz and client British American Tobacco had systematically destroyed thousands of scientific documents to deny dying cancer patient Rolah McCabe a fair trial a finding that, while overturned on appeal, led to law reform and a reckoning over corporate evidence destruction. Meta plans to argue that Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act which shields platforms from liability for third-party content protects it from Forrests claims. But Forrests lawyers say Meta let key databases keep autodeleting and now cant show what the scam ads actually looked like on screen, or exactly how its systems changed the original ad material before people saw it. Advertisement Without that data, Forrest says, he cannot rebut Metas argument that anything unlawful came solely from rogue advertisers. Meta denies wrongdoing and has been granted extra time to respond. A hearing has been set for April 16. AP Related Article Exclusive Energy Dud project: How Andrew Forrests green dreams cost taxpayers $80m Forrest is asking US District Judge P. Casey Pitts to find Meta violated federal evidence preservation rules and to impose sanctions that would effectively sink its Section 230 defence. He wants the judge to find sufficient doubt about Metas claim to legal immunity that a jury must decide it; to stop Meta arguing that gaps in the record are Forrests problem; and to tell jurors they can assume Metas ad tools were switched on and working at full power on the scam ads for which the detailed data is now missing. In a February 24 hearing, fellow judge Virginia DeMarchi ordered Meta to explain what, if any, fraud or scam review it carries out after an advertiser hits publish but before it is delivered users. The judge also ordered Meta to explain any internal scoring it uses to rate the likelihood an advertisement breaches its own scam policies, and to report back on what it has produced. Advertisement Meta denies wrongdoing and has been granted extra time to respond. A hearing has been set for April 16. The company also told the court it has acted diligently in discovery and pushed back on Forrests spoliation claims, saying it does not routinely store every final ad impression and that some of the data he wants either had not existed in the form he describes or was unduly burdensome to retrieve. Andrew Forrest is not the only famous Australian used by fraudsters in their scam ads. Nathanael Scott Roughly one-tenth of Metas total revenue comes from scam ads and banned goods, according to internal documents reported by Reuters in November 2025. They showed Meta projected it would earn roughly $US16 billion ($22.6 billion) in 2024 - about 10 per cent of its annual revenue - from ads for scams and banned goods, with one internal slide estimating the company was serving users 15 billion higher risk scam ads every day across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta has called the figures rough and overly inclusive, saying the analysis was done to justify planned integrity investments. Australians lost more than $2 billion to scams in 2024 according to the National Anti-Scam Centres combined data. Globally, losses topped $1.4 trillion according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. Australias competition watchdog the ACCC is running its own Federal Court case accusing Meta of profiting from scams including a scheme that used images of former NSW premier Mike Baird to lure victims into bogus crypto investments. That case is still before the courts. Advertisement Meta and Forrest were contacted for comment. The case continues. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement WorldAsiaAustralians abroad What a joke: Family of Australian shot dead in Bali told to come back next week Zach Hope and Amilia Rosa March 2, 2026 4:45pm 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 Bali: The family of slain Australian Zivan Radmanovic is furious at travelling to Bali for the court verdicts on three men accused over a fatal ambush at a luxury villa last year, only to be told proceedings had been postponed until next week. Ten family members, including one of Radmanovics six young children, waited for three hours for the judges to arrive and hand down their decision on Australians Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou and Darcy Jenson before the unexpected adjournment. Jazmyn Gourdeas (centre), the widow of Zivan Radmanovic, consoling one of their children outside court in Bali after the judges postponed the verdicts. Zach Hope Radmanovic was killed in the early hours of June 14 inside the villa he and his wife, Jazmyn Gourdeas, were sharing with her sister and her sisters partner, Sanar Ghanim the apparent intended target of the attack. The months-long, off-and-on trial heard that the accused were promised cash and a holiday by a mysterious figure in Australia in exchange for bashing or threatening Ghanim as a warning to pay back a debt. Advertisement But it was an amateurish operation. No one was supposed to get shot, Coskun and Tupou told the court in December, and certainly not Radmanovic. Ghanim was also shot but survived. Related Article Exclusive Melbourne gangland Bali shooting widow pulls out of trial over security fears Coskun and Tupou are accused of premeditated murder and firearm offences. Jenson is accused of assisting premeditated murder. Gourdeas had to leave five of the couples other children at home to make the journey for the verdicts. It is believed the family is supposed to be flying home to Australia on Tuesday. Outside court, Gourdeas, who had to explain the situation to her visibly devastated child, described the process as a f---ing joke. The judges had given no notice that they were going to adjourn. They finally appeared in the courtroom about midday local time, already hours after the session was due to begin. Advertisement Everyone inside the room had believed the session was about to start when guards marched the suspects to their seats in the centre of the room. In bizarre scenes, the media crowded in front of Gourdeas and her family, blocking their view of the ultra-short proceedings. But the judges then told the court that they had not reached a unanimous decision in the case of Jenson and wanted to read all three verdicts together next week. Radmanovic and Gourdeas had been in Bali on holidays. Family members traded shocked glances as their lawyer translated. What a joke, one woman said. Its shocking. Gourdeas said on Monday the family had no idea what to do next. Advertisement Your government hasnt helped. Our government hasnt helped. Nobody has helped us every time, we have attended at our own cost, and were told today its adjourned, without being notified prior, she said. Related Article Crime The underworld hit in Bali was brazen. But the firebombing in Melbourne sent a message Now what? What do we do? Go home and not be able to afford to come back next week, or wait in Bali and spend more money. Gourdeas Indonesia lawyer, Sary Latief, said the court should have found a way to give the family notice, describing the events as a failure of the Indonesian justice system. The court should have known that theyll be coming here today, she said. This is the entire family flying and the way the court was late [starting] today was already a huge distress for the family. 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. NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Experts convened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on Tuesday for a five-day forum aimed at strengthening the use of emerging technologies such as drones to promote wildlife conservation and ecosystem restoration. The Global Conservation Tech and Drone Forum 2026 brought together more than 200 conservationists, technologists, and community leaders from around the world to explore how innovation can help protect wildlife, support livelihoods, and restore degraded ecosystems. Erustus Kanga, director general of the Kenya Wildlife Service, said that the integration of advanced technologies into conservation strategies is key to tackling rising threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and climate change. "Technology is the way forward for Kenya to conserve wildlife, protect biodiversity, enforce laws, and safeguard marine ecosystems," Kanga said. He said that traditional methods alone can no longer tackle sophisticated wildlife crime, climate change, and intensifying human-wildlife conflict. Jonathan Slater, co-chairman of the African Drone Forum, urged wildlife stakeholders to pivot decisively to technology-driven operations. Slater said that drones, sensor networks, sound monitoring, and real-time data platforms can transform raw field intelligence into predictive tools to protect endangered wildlife species. Two weeks later, the president took the United States to war. He authorised a vast military bombardment in conjunction with Israel that swiftly killed the countrys supreme leader, pummeled Iranian civilian buildings and military nuclear sites, thrust the country into chaos and triggered violence across the region, leading to the deaths so far of four US troops and scores of Iranian civilians. Trump has said more American casualties are likely as the United States digs in for an assault that could last weeks. Asked by reporters if he wanted regime change in Iran, Trump said it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen . Days later, the US president made clear publicly that he was sceptical of the diplomatic route, dismissing the history of negotiating with Iran as merely years of talking and talking and talking. US President Donald Trump at the White House during military operations against Iran. Over nearly three hours, the two leaders discussed the prospects of war and even possible dates for an attack, as well as the possibility however unlikely that President Donald Trump might be able to reach a deal with Iran. For weeks, the United States and Israel had been secretly discussing a military offensive against Iran. But Trump administration officials had recently begun negotiating with the Iranians over the future of their nuclear program, and the Israeli leader wanted to make sure that the new diplomatic effort did not undermine the plans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel walked into the Oval Office on the morning of February 11, determined to keep the American president on the path to war. Two months later, he got something even better: a full partner in a war to topple the Iranian leadership. The US decision to strike Iran was a victory for Netanyahu, who had been pushing Trump for months on the need to hit what he argued was a weakened regime. During a meeting at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in December, Netanyahu had asked for the presidents approval for Israel to hit Irans missile sites in the coming months. This reconstruction of Trumps decision to launch a sustained attack against Iran is based on the accounts of people with direct knowledge of the deliberations, as well as those on all sides of the debate, including diplomats from the region, Israeli and US administration officials, the presidents advisers, congressional lawmakers and defence and intelligence officials. Almost all spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions and operational details. But behind the scenes, his move towards war grew inexorably, fuelled by allies like Netanyahu, who pushed the president to strike a decisive blow against Irans theocratic government, and by Trumps own confidence after the successful US operation that toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January. In public, Trump appeared to take a circuitous path to military action, alternating between saying that he wanted to strike a deal with Irans government and that he wanted to topple it. He made little effort to try to convince the American public that a war was necessary now. And the limited case he and his aides made included false claims about the imminence of the threat that Iran posed to the United States. A photo provided by the White House shows Trump with CIA director John Ratcliffe (left), Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday as Operation Epic Fury began. Other administration officials were similarly misleading in private sessions with lawmakers. During a February 24 meeting with the so-called Gang of Eight the leaders of the House and Senate and heads of the intelligence committees Secretary of State Marco Rubio made no mention that the Trump administration was considering regime change, according to people familiar with his comments. In the same meeting, Trumps top military adviser, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine, told the president that a war could lead to significant American casualties. Days later, Trump told the public that his military adviser had been far more reassuring. He wrote on Truth Social that Caine had said that any military action against Iran would be something easily won. Toward the end of the negotiation, I realised that these guys werent going to get there. I said, Lets just do it. Few in the presidents inner circle voiced opposition to military action. Even Vice President JD Vance, a longtime sceptic of US military interventions in the Middle East, argued in a White House Situation Room meeting that if the United States was going to hit Iran, it should go big and go fast, according to people familiar with his remarks. In a statement on Monday, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said Trump made a courageous decision to take on a threat that no previous president had been willing to confront. In the middle of January, when Trump first threatened to strike Iran in support of the anti-government protests roiling the country, the Pentagon was in no position to wage a lengthy war in the Middle East. In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, the president said he simply became convinced that Iran would never give him what he wanted. Toward the end of the negotiation, I realised that these guys werent going to get there, he said. I said, Lets just do it. The talks delivered nothing, but for Trump, they served a different purpose: time to complete the largest US military buildup in the Middle East in a generation and carry out, in Trumps words, a war of overwhelming strength and devastating force. The White House insisted that its diplomatic talks with Iran were not mere theatre. But it became clear over the past month that there was never the space for a deal that could satisfy Trump, Netanyahu and Iranian leaders at once or one that could put off a war for more than a few months. Three days later, while flying on Air Force One to an event in Corpus Christi, Texas, Trump gave the order for a sustained attack that would begin with the killing of the supreme leader . Operation Epic Fury is approved, Trump said. No aborts. Good luck. Two aircraft carriers and a dozen supporting ships sailed toward the Middle East, and the Pentagon sent fighter jets, bombers, refuelling tankers and air defence batteries. By late January, the protests in Iran had been brutally quashed, but the war planning hummed along. The US military presented Trump with an expanded range of options, including sending in US forces to carry out raids on sites inside Iran. The two leaders would speak several times in the following weeks. Netanyahu also conferred with Vance, Rubio and Steve Witkoff, the lead White House negotiator with Iran. Top Israeli military and intelligence officials flew to Washington, and Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the Israeli militarys chief of staff, communicated regularly with Admiral Brad Cooper of US Central Command. The worlds largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is one of two carrier strike groups in the region. On January 14, Netanyahu called Trump and asked him to delay any military strike until later in the month, when Israels defence preparations were complete. Trump agreed to wait. Israel was also not ready for the military campaign that Netanyahu had discussed with Trump during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in December. It needed more time to bolster its supply of missile interceptors and to deploy air defence batteries across Israel. There were no aircraft carriers in the region. Squadrons of fighter jets were sitting in Europe and in the United States. And the bases scattered across the Middle East that are home to roughly 40,000 US troops were low on air defences to protect them from an expected Iranian retaliation. By the middle of February, the Pentagon had put into place a force capable of sustaining a military campaign for several weeks. By then, Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, were having indirect nuclear talks with the Iranians, under orders from Trump. But there were signs that the administration was wary. Steve Witkoff, Trumps long-time friend and Middle East envoy with the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner. NYT We have to understand that Iran ultimately is governed and its decisions are governed by Shia clerics radical Shia clerics, OK? Rubio told reporters in Budapest, Hungary, on February 16. These people make policy decisions on the basis of pure theology. Thats how they make their decisions. So, its hard to do a deal with Iran. The message was apparent: Even though the talks were about dismantling Irans nuclear program, the goal could be removing Irans leadership. A telling moment came when Witkoff spoke to Fox News in an interview on February 21 and described Trumps reaction to the Iranian reluctance to agree to zero enrichment that is, to dismantle its ability to produce nuclear fuel. Hes curious as to why they havent I dont want to use the word capitulated, but why they havent capitulated, Witkoff said. He added: Why, under this sort of pressure, with the amount of sea power and naval power that we have over there, why havent they come to us and said, We profess we dont want a weapon, so heres what were prepared to do? And yet, its sort of hard to get them to that place. It was clear to the presidents advisers that he was strongly considering some kind of military offensive. The question was the scale of the campaign and exactly what it was trying to achieve. Assessing the options On February 18, on an unseasonably warm day in Washington, Vance, Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, gathered with Trump in the Situation Room to discuss military planning. During the meeting, Caine discussed an array of options, among them that US forces could carry out a limited strike as a way to push Iran in the negotiations, or a larger campaign with the goal of toppling the government. Ratcliffe (second from right) and General Dan Caine (right), the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among those to meet Trump in the Situation Room on February 18 to discuss military options. NYT The latter option, in particular, he said, carried a high risk of American casualties, could destabilise the region and significantly deplete stocks of American munitions. Caine underscored that all of the options under consideration would be much more difficult than the successful capture of Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro, an operation that the president viewed as a sign of potential US success in Iran. Joe Holstead, a spokesman for Caine, declined to comment, saying that options and considerations provided to the president and defence secretary are confidential. For his part, Vance argued that a limited strike was a mistake. If the United States was going to hit Iran, he told the group, it should go big and go fast. A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment. Before the meeting, Trump appeared to have been leaning toward a strategy of a smaller strike, followed by a bigger one if Iran did not give up its nuclear enrichment. But Vances arguments seemed to resonate. And in the coming days, more officials moved toward the idea that the United States and Israel should jointly take aim not just at the Iranian missile and nuclear programs, but also at the leadership itself. The CIA had produced a series of scenarios that might play out if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the countrys supreme leader, were killed in an offensive. They laid out multiple possible outcomes, as the number of variables made it difficult for the agency to assess with confidence what might happen. Vice President JD Vance, a long-time sceptic of military action against Iran, argued the US should go big and go fast. AP One envisioned a hard-line cleric replacing Khamenei perhaps even a leader more bent on acquiring a nuclear weapon. Another scenario predicted an uprising against the government, a possibility many intelligence officials thought was remote, given the weakness of Irans opposition. A number of senior Trump administration officials seized on a third scenario: that a faction of Irans Revolutionary Guard, more pragmatic than the hard-line clerics, might take power. Even though a cleric was likely to still be nominally in charge, that group of Guard leaders would actually lead the country. Such a move would be a dramatic turn for an officer corps that had been staunchly anti-American for four decades and deeply intertwined with Irans clerical leadership. But the CIA analysis suggested that as long as the United States did not interfere with the economic activities of this faction, such as its influence in the oil industry, a group of officers might be conciliatory toward the United States. They might even give up Irans nuclear program or prevent Irans proxy forces from attacking the United States. The CIA declined to comment. Few voices lobbied against military action. One exception was Tucker Carlson, the right-wing podcaster and close ally of the president, who has met with him in the Oval Office three times in the past month to argue against an attack. He outlined the risks to US military personnel, energy prices and Arab partners in the region if the United States went to war with Iran. He told the president that he should not be boxed in by Israel, arguing that its desire to attack Iran was the only reason the United States was even considering a strike. He encouraged Trump to restrain Netanyahu. The president said he understood the risks of an attack, but he conveyed to Carlson that he had no choice but to join a strike that Israel would launch. After Carlson left the White House midday on February 23, he told others he thought Trump was leaning toward military action. One last round of diplomacy The White House ignored demands by some lawmakers that Trump get consent from Congress to launch a campaign against Iran, and made few efforts to make the case for war on Capitol Hill. But on February 24, hours before Trumps annual State of the Union address, congressional leaders from the so-called Gang of Eight gathered in a secure conference room in the Capitol to speak on video teleconference with Rubio and Ratcliffe. The two officials were just down Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House, but security arrangements for the presidents speech made the two-mile trip onerous. During a February 24 meeting with congressional leaders, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made no mention that the Trump administration was considering regime change in Iran, according to people familiar with his comments. AP Rubio and Ratcliffe discussed the intelligence behind the strikes, the possible timing, and the potential off-ramp if the Iranians were to give up nuclear enrichment at upcoming talks. And yet, Rubio never mentioned that the administration was considering a regime-change operation. In the briefing, Rubio argued that, no matter if Israel or the United States struck first, Iran would respond with a powerful barrage of weapons against US bases and embassies. It was logical, then, Rubio said, that the United States should act in concert with Israel, since America would be dragged in anyway. And Israel, Rubio said, was determined to act. This logic sat poorly with some Democrats, who thought the Trump administration was letting Netanyahu dictate US policy and was making a circular argument that the United States had to attack because its military build-up could prompt Iran to strike. On Thursday, two days after the State of the Union address, Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Geneva to negotiate one more time with Abbas Araghchi, Irans English-speaking, America-savvy foreign minister. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a news conference at UN headquarters last week. AP The Iranians presented the Americans with a seven-page plan with proposed levels of future nuclear enrichment, numbers that alarmed Witkoff and Kushner. The Americans still wanted the Iranians to commit to zero enrichment, and proposed giving them free nuclear fuel for a civil nuclear program, but the Iranians refused, a US official said. After the talks ended, Witkoff and Kushner told Trump they did not think a deal could be reached. That day, Trump hosted four Republican senators in the Oval Office for a meeting on his legislative agenda. The conversation eventually turned to Iran. Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal proponent of striking Iran, said the president was frustrated and did not think the Iranians were interested in making a deal. I think President Trump really felt like he needed to pursue diplomacy, that he wanted to pursue diplomacy, that the military option was the last option, Graham said in an interview. He said he told Trump that he should not let the Iranians drag out the negotiations for too long. He was very comfortable with the idea that he tried, Graham said. Others believe that the diplomacy was just a pantomime, always doomed to fail. Barbara Leaf, a retired career diplomat who was an assistant secretary of state in the Biden administration overseeing Middle East policy, said it was obvious that Trump was heading inevitably toward military action, noting he deployed a second carrier strike group to the region in the midst of the talks. That was evidence of war planning, she said. You dont need that for more leverage in diplomacy. I was never in any doubt he would go for a military strike. An intelligence coup In fact, the United States and Israel were already discussing a potential strike on Wednesday, the day before the scheduled talks in Geneva. The White House moved it to Thursday night to give the Iranians one last chance to give up their nuclear enrichment ambitions. It was then pushed again until Friday, with the idea of hitting Tehran, Irans capital, under the cover of darkness. The timing was ultimately determined by a remarkable intelligence coup. The CIA, which had been closely tracking Khameneis movements, learned that the supreme leader was planning to be at his residential compound in central Tehran on Saturday morning. Senior Iranian civilian and military leaders were also set to convene at the same location, at the same time. The CIA passed the intelligence to the Israelis, and leaders of both countries decided to kick off the war with a bold decapitation strike in daylight. As he flew to Corpus Christi on Friday afternoon to deliver a speech about energy, Trump gave the official go order. Once on the ground, the president hinted that diplomacy had hit a wall, telling reporters that he was not happy with the negotiation. For decades, he said, Iran had been blowing the legs off our people, blowing the face off our people, the arms. Theyve been knocking our ships one by one, and every month theres something else. While there were ample clues that the Americans were preparing a possible assault, the Iranians believed a strike was unlikely to happen in daylight, according to four Iranian officials. It was Saturday morning, the beginning of the workweek in Iran, when children were at school, and people headed to work. Loading Those who attended the meeting of the Supreme National Security Council felt no urgency to meet in underground bunkers or other secret locations that might be unknown to US or Israeli spies. Khamenei told a close circle that, in the event of a war, he preferred to stay in place and become a martyr rather than be judged by history as a leader who had gone into hiding, according to the officials. He was in his office in another part of the compound as senior leaders gathered for their meeting, and asked to get a briefing when it concluded. The missiles struck soon after it began. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Read more on the US-Israel-Iran war: 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. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMiddle East at war This isnt Winston Churchill were dealing with: Trump sprays Starmer, says Iran decimated after more strikes Michael Koziol March 4, 2026 4:58am 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 Washington: Fresh Israeli strikes on the headquarters of Irans remaining leadership have likely eliminated more candidates the US had in mind to take over the country, US President Donald Trump said, as he denied Israel forced his hand to launch the initial attacks. He also escalated tensions with Britains Keir Starmer over the use of UK military bases, saying of the prime minister: This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. Loading Israeli forces reportedly targeted a building where dozens of top Shia clerics were due to meet to select a new supreme leader of Iran, although it was not immediately clear whether the building was being used for that purpose or how many casualties, if any, were sustained. An Israeli official told US news site Axios that the strike was timed to occur while votes were being counted: We wanted to prevent them from picking a new supreme leader. Advertisement The Israel Defence Forces said on X that a compound housing the Iranian regimes most senior forum was struck in Tehran. The leaders behind this terror regime, and the headquarters in which they sat, have been eliminated, it said. Trump, taking questions at the White House for the first time since Operation Epic Fury began days ago, said strikes had taken out multiple rounds of potential candidates to replace former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in initial strikes. A plume of smoke rises following a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran on Tuesday. AP Most of the people that we had in mind are dead, he said. We had some in mind from that group that is dead. Now we have another group, they may be dead also, based on reports. So, I guess you have a third wave coming in. Pretty soon, were not going to know anybody. Trump said the worst possible outcome, in his view, was to install a new leader who, in five years time, turned out to be no better than the previous one. Advertisement He once again played down the idea of drafting the exiled son of the former shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in Washington, has encouraged anti-regime protests and says he is ready to lead. Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war updates: Khameneis son tipped as likely new leader as Trump says US decimated Iran; Israeli ground troops in Lebanon; Death toll continues to rise It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate, Trump said. He [Pahlavi] looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody thats there, thats currently popular if theres such a person [would be better]. We have people like that, we have people that were more moderate. Well see what happens, but first we have to finish off the military. Meanwhile, Trump announced he was instructing the US Development Finance Corporation to provide free political risk insurance and guarantee the financial security of all shipping, especially energy, in the Gulf. Advertisement He said the US Navy would escort oil tankers through the Iranian-controlled Strait of Hormuz if necessary. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD, Trump posted on social media. President Donald Trump used the meeting with the German chancellor to excoriate Britains Keir Starmer and Spain. AP Iran decimated Trump said Iran had been decimated but gave no indication of how long the US and Israeli military campaign might continue. He has previously given varying estimates, from two to six weeks, while also saying in a social media post on Monday night (US time) that US munitions stockpiles meant wars could be fought forever. There have also been mixed signals about what prompted the timing of the strikes, which came amid ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Oman. Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday there had been an imminent threat to the US because Israel was about to attack Iran, and Tehran would have responded by attacking US bases and assets. But Trump denied Israel had forced his hand into the conflict. Trump denied Israel had forced his hand into starting the military conflict, saying it was probably the other way around. AP No, I might have forced their hand, he said. We were having negotiations with these lunatics [Iran], and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they were going to attack first. I didnt want that to happen. So if anything, I might have forced Israels hand. Advertisement A senior Trump administration official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said that after a third meeting with Iranian officials mediated by Oman, it became clear that they werent willing to make the kind of deal that President Trump would have been satisfied with. They told Trump that while a deal on nuclear enrichment was probably possible, it would take months, and the Iranians appeared to be stalling for time. Its going to take a lot for us to get there, the official said they told the president. Theyre basically playing games with us all over the place. Starmer is no Winston Churchill As the military operation entered its fourth day, Trump took aim at US allies he believed were not sufficiently supportive of the strikes, particularly Spain and Britain, who denied the US the use of their military bases. Advertisement Related Article Middle East at war How Donald Trump made the decision to go to war Britains Starmer later relented and allowed use of the bases for defensive purposes, but has publicly stated that the USs campaign might breach international law. That included a base on the island of Diego Garcia, which Starmer had planned to lease to Mauritius. We were very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, Trump said, referring to the legendary British wartime prime minister. Its taken three, four days to work out whether we can land there. It would have been much more convenient landing there, as opposed to flying many extra hours. Trump kept criticising Starmer later. The UK has been very, very un-cooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away, he said. But this is not the age of Churchill they ruin relationships, its a shame. Advertisement The US president said Spain had been terrible and unfriendly, and he was instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to sever all US trade with the European nation. Trump suggested he could use Spains military bases without their permission. We could use their base if we want; we could just fly in and use it. Nobodys going to tell us not to use it. He made the comments during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance also present in the Oval Office. Read more on the US-Israel-Iran war: Advertisement Sustained, measurable and visible impact is a key objective of capacity-building activity, underpinned by performance data and ownership of reform. Clear communication of impact builds trust, partner engagement and institutional credibility. Shared ownership for impact and for the wider elements of the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm is key to translating our vision into reality. More than 320 representatives of Customs administrations, international organizations, academia and the private sector gathered at WCO Headquarters in Brussels from 25 to 27 February 2026 for the 17th Session of the Capacity Building Committee (CBC17). Held under the theme The Impact Imperative: Exploring Ways to Measure and Communicate Capacity-Building Success, the session marked a significant milestone in advancing the WCOs core function of building the capacity of Customs administrations to better serve society. Opening the session with his keynote address, the WCO Secretary General, Ian Saunders, said that the conditions facing Customs, that capacity building is intended to help administrations address, are unrelenting. Growing trade volumes, increasing supply chain complexity, uncompromising demands from consumers and stakeholders, and continued abuse of the system by illicit actors none of these are things that Customs can avoid dealing with. Capacity-building assistance, however, helps the community manage these very serious challenges. Embedding performance culture and reform ownership The session opened with a forward-looking panel discussion on measuring impact differently. Participants reflected on practical approaches to assessing the effectiveness of capacity-building interventions and explored how more structured and inclusive methodologies could enhance consistency and credibility. Building on these exchanges, the Committee examined how performance evidence can boost national ownership of reforms and ensure sustainability beyond the period of external support. Members shared experiences demonstrating that when administrations integrate performance tools into internal planning and monitoring processes, reforms become institutionally embedded rather than externally driven. The Committee encouraged the continued use of performance measurement to support sustained outcomes and long-term impact and provided guidance on increasing the integration of performance insights across the full capacity-building cycle, including the delivery and follow-up stages. Against this backdrop, Members took note of the outcomes of the Third Meeting of the Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM) Project Team and of the launch of the second self-assessment cycle (PMM V.2). The Committee acknowledged the PMMs role in promoting a performance measurement culture, and supported the use of PMM results to inform national reform efforts and capacity-building dialogue. Turning strategic commitments into operational mechanisms At the heart of the CBC17 was a comprehensive review of progress in operationalizing the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm - in line with the WCO Strategic Plans capacity-development objectives. The Secretariat presented a comprehensive update on the implementation of the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm Roadmap during the 2025/2026 financial year, outlining progress achieved, initial lessons learned and the proposed next steps for continued implementation. The update provided Members with a structured overview of how the Paradigm is being progressively embedded into planning, coordination and delivery processes across the Organization. The Committee reviewed and endorsed the progress report presented by the Secretariat, including the proposed next steps. Members approved the extension of the remaining Roadmap actions into the following financial year and endorsed revised actions related to blended learning and curriculum development. By confirming these implementation measures, the Committee bolstered the structured and accountable framework for capacity delivery and demonstrated continued progress in translating strategic objectives into operational practice. Communicating results to strengthen trust and partnership The CBC17 also examined how capacity-building achievements can be presented in a transparent, credible and accessible manner, with strategic communication being a key principle of the WCOs new strategic approach. Participants explored practical avenues for translating technical progress into institutional narratives that resonate with stakeholders, partners and donors. By linking performance evidence to clear communication, Members increase accountability and boost confidence in reform efforts. Modernizing learning and strengthening expertise Recognizing that sustainable impact ultimately depends on people, the CBC17 reviewed progress made in the implementation of the WCO Distance Learning Strategy and modern learning frameworks. The Committee provided guidance on the Draft Curriculum Development Framework and endorsed the Draft Blended Learning Design and Delivery Guidelines as a living document. Member presentations illustrated how national upskilling initiatives are being aligned with WCO tools and methodologies to enhance competency development and practical application of reforms. Concerning the WCO pool of experts, Members supported a future review of the WCO Policy Document for the Management and Mobilization of WCO Experts, with a view to ensuring that the pool remains responsive, high-performing and active. Strengthening coherence across the Organization The Committee reviewed and endorsed the CBC-related activities embedded in the unified Work Plan. By integrating activities into a single planning framework, the WCO has enhanced strategic coherence, cross-Directorate coordination and performance monitoring, which are key elements of the Strategic Plans governance and improvement agenda. Over three days of focused exchanges, the CBC17 demonstrated how the WCO Strategic Plan 2025-2028 is being translated into practical systems that embed impact assessment, performance culture and structured delivery into the Organizations core capacity-building function. The session reaffirmed the WCOs commitment to working with Customs administrations and partners to build institutional capacity, strengthen accountability, and deliver measurable and sustainable reform outcomes. Next steps A Summary Report of the 17th Session of the Capacity Building Committee will be made available on the WCO Members website in the coming weeks. CAIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- As U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran entered their fourth day, global reactions remained sharply divided, with some condemning the initial strikes, others criticizing Iran's retaliatory actions, and many urging de-escalation. Here's a quick look at the international responses: THOSE CRITICIZING U.S.-ISRAELI STRIKES: -- Russia Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday described U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran as an act of aggression and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, warning that attacks on Iran could push not only Tehran but its neighbors to seek to acquire nuclear weapons. The widening conflict in the region raises the risk that nuclear proliferation issues could spin out of control, Lavrov said. -- Spain Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday condemned U.S.-Israeli "unilateral military action" against Iran, calling it an "unjustified" and "dangerous military intervention" outside the bounds of international law. In a firm break from U.S. policy, the Sanchez government has also denied U.S. permission to use Spanish bases or facilities for military operations against Iran, saying any such use must comply with international law. While criticizing the initial strikes, Spain also condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks on Gulf countries. Madrid called for Europe to adopt a stance of "balance and moderation," urging all parties to pursue de-escalation and a return to diplomatic negotiations. -- Pakistan In a social media post on Tuesday, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif called Israel a driving force behind instability in the Muslim world and a "threat to humanity," warning that the war on Iran threatens Pakistan's security. THOSE CONDEMNING IRAN'S RETALIATION: -- Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia slammed on Tuesday an overnight Iranian attack on the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, describing it as a "treacherous" assault in an official statement. The Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced the attack "in the strongest terms" and reaffirmed the kingdom's right to take all necessary measures to defend itself and its interests, including the option to respond to any "aggression." -- Kuwait Kuwait's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest terms" an Iranian attack on the U.S. embassy in the country, calling it "treacherous" and "a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws." It also reaffirmed the country's right to take all necessary measures to "protect its security, the safety of its territories, its citizens, and the residents therein." -- Bahrain The General Command of Bahrain Defence Force on Tuesday condemned Iran's strikes as a violation of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, noting that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure run contrary to international conventions and humanitarian standards. It said that its air defence systems have destroyed 73 missiles and 91 drones launched by Iran. -- Qatar Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned Iranian attacks targeting civilian areas and facilities, stating that the strikes have crossed "every red line." The Qatari military said it shot down two Iranian Su-24 military aircraft Monday evening and intercepted multiple missiles and drones. -- Britain British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday accused Iran of pursuing a "scorched-earth strategy" in the region, saying that his government has agreed to a U.S. request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites. Yet Starmer stressed that Britain has learned lessons from the "mistakes of Iraq," emphasizing that Britain was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and "will not join offensive action now," citing the need for a lawful basis and a clear plan. THOSE URGING DE-ESCALATION: -- China Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday that China calls for an immediate cessation of military operations to prevent the conflict from further escalating and spiraling out of control. "The use of force cannot truly resolve the issue," Wang said. "Instead, it will create new problems and grave repercussions." -- Oman Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi said on Tuesday that off-ramps for de-escalation remain "available" and urged "an immediate ceasefire and a return to responsible regional diplomacy." Oman had been mediating indirect talks between Iran and the United States before the U.S.-Israeli strikes starting on Saturday. -- India India on Tuesday renewed its call for dialogue and diplomacy, urging an early end to the ongoing conflict. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed that it has urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritize the safety of civilians. -- The United Arab Emirates The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday reiterated the country's call for de-escalation and dialogue to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the region. The ministry also reaffirmed that it has not changed its defensive posture though having detected more than 1,000 Iranian attacks, a number exceeding the total number faced by all other targeted countries combined. It stated that it remains a non-party to the ongoing conflict. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) A second arrest was made Monday in connection with a shooting at a Louisville lounge that injured four people. A 17-year-old boy was arrested and charged with four counts of assault and possession of a handgun by a minor in the Jan. 4 shooting at Lenny's Lounge, according to Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis. Officers responded what was described as a chaotic scene in the 3700 block of Klondike Lane at 5:32 a.m. Jan. 4 in the city's Klondike neighborhood. They found two young adults had been shot. According to police, two more victims were self-transported to local hospitals but rerouted to University of Louisville Hospital. The victims included three young adults, ages 18 to 21 and a 17-year-old. Police said at the time one of the victims was in critical condition. No update has been given on their condition. The teen's arrest is the second in the case. About two weeks after the shooting, Ezekiel C. Dean, 32, was arrested and charged with assault and possession of a handgun by a felon. LMPD said Flock security cameras helped them find Dean, linking a rental car at the shooting scene to him. Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) Tracy Davenport pleaded guilty Feb. 19 to defrauding more than 50 customers with her fraudulent pool business. Last year, Davenport was indicted on 19 new federal charges after being sentenced to six years in prison on state charges. The indictment alleged Davenport's company, Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas Inc., engaged in a scheme to induce Louisville-area customers into signing a contract for a pool installation and paying a large down payment up front. That money was then used for purposes other than what was agreed upon. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky said in a news release Monday that Davenport pled guilty to wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud and money laundering. Davenport will be required to pay $3,398,536.75 in restitution. She's scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2026. "This fraudulent conduct had a significant financial and emotional impact on many people," U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said in a news release. "This defendant created numerous truly innocent victims who worked hard and, in some cases, worked their entire lives to be able to purchase a pool only to have their money stolen. I am thankful to our law enforcement partners for everyones contributions toward attempting to right this wrong." Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) The six U.S. military personnel killed so far in the conflict in Iran have been identified. Since the initial strike on Iran early Saturday morning, the U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. The Pentagon released the names Tuesday evening of four of the troops killed in Kuwait. The troops, assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, were killed in a drone strike. Those killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa. Wednesday, the Pentagon identified the final two officers as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento and Maj. Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa. According to CNN, at the time of their deaths, the soldiers were serving with 1st Theater Sustainment Command. 1st Theater Sustainment Command is a standalone group based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, comprised of troops from units from around the country. Beshear said Tuesday morning that the six soldiers killed included "those based out of my home state, Kentucky." Wednesday, the Pentagon issued a clarification on where the soldiers were based. "Six soldiers supporting Fort Knox-based 1st Theater Sustainment Command were killed in action March 1 while deployed to Kuwait. "The soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, that is operating under 1st Theater Sustainment Command. The soldiers were not assigned to Fort Knox or permanently assigned to 1st TSC. "(First) TSC is the U.S. Army's only permanently deployed sustainment command in the Middle East. It serves the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and is compromised of Active, Reserve and National Guard personnel." "Well work with our channels, organizations like KRDA (Knox Regional Development Alliance), the folks on Fort Knox to ensure that we as a community are doing everything we can to support and understand and be there for the families that unfortunately paid the ultimate sacrifice," Radcliff Mayor J.J. Duvall said. According to The Associated Press, Amor was just days away from returning home to her husband and two children. Coady, one of the youngest in his class, had just been recommended for a promotion from specialist to sergeant, a rank he received posthumously. Khork was drawn to serving the U.S. from a young age. He enlisted in the Army Reserve and joined Florida Southern College's ROTC program. A lover of history, he held a degree in political science. Tietjens was married with a son, living in the Washington Terrace mobile home park in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue. John Tindall, is a retired U.S. Army Major General who fought in Vietnam, now lives in Radcliff. He told WDRB he has been to Fort Knox countless times and knows the pain of military loss first hand. "The families should be our focus at this point, not our particular feeling for or against (the war) because they are the ones who we need to reach out to and make sure they are taken care of and that their needs are first and foremost," Tindall said. Starting over the weekend, U.S. and Israel battered Iran with airstrikes in what President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a war that has severely disrupted the worlds supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel. In total, the U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In Israel, where Iranian missiles struck several locations, 11 people were killed. The Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah has also attacked Israel, whose retaliatory strikes killed 52 people in Lebanon. Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press also contributed to this report. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) A man was found dead Sunday morning after a house fire in Hardin County. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that officers responded to a structure fire in the area of Summit Baptist Church Road at 11:14 a.m. First responders found a man dead inside. His identity hasn't been released at this time. Police said no foul play is suspected. Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. The Beginning Of The March 2, 2012 Tornado Outbreak Friday, March 2, 2012, is a day that we will never forget. We compiled an archive of radar images to show what StormView 3D displayed as the tornadoes moved through southern Indiana / northern Kentucky. This will be an opportunity for you to see inside a storm from the perspective of a meteorologist, plus what we saw from spotters on the ground. Check out this in-depth analysis... The devastating day began as one supercell thunderstorm developed in southern Illinois, then came into Indiana. Notice there appear to be small showers ahead of this supercell near Evansville. This was the beginning of the devastating supercell thunderstorm. As these showers began to move to the east, they intensified into three supercells. This became incredibly important. At this point normally the southern storm takes over, and we would have to watch this closely. Within about 10 minutes, the southern storm dominated and it was clear this would be an incredibly dangerous storm. It should be noted that if these showers developed 3-5 minutes earlier and further south, then that could have altered the trajectory of these storms and likely would have moved them into Louisville. Only minutes made that difference in the ultimate storm's track. The night before this event, Marc wrote in his weather blog: The NAM has a parameter called the "significant tornado probability" index. It can show you where the best chance of tornadoes exist. Notice is pegs values off the chart for us tomorrow (March 2)!!! Literally, these values are as high as they get! NAM Significant Tornado Probability at 4 PM Friday (March 2) The SPC had a rare "High" (level 5/5) risk out for our area that day as well... The Storms Intensify Between Milton, IN & Hardinsburg, IN These "twin" supercells were now moving through southern Indiana around 1:45 pm on Friday evening. Both had "hooks" indicating significant rotation on them. Remember a hook forms because the rotation on the southwest side of the storm is so intense that it pulls the rain from the storm around the rotation center. As the storms near Palmyra, the rotation started to increase. Remember we look for greens next to red to indicate where the rotation is located. There is clearly a very strong rotation showing up on this storm. The eastern most storm was the storm that did the most damage, so let's focus a little more on that storm. The Palmyra Tornado As the storm moved into the Palmyra area, we felt strongly that it did have a tornado on it from the radar display. At this point, you can see a very distinct hook on the storm and a bright circle on the end of the hook. This could be and in my opinion was debris being picked up and lofted by the destructive tornado. The velocity data at this point showed greens and reds VERY close to each other indicating powerful rotation and what I felt was a definite tornado on the ground. That rotation is 149 MPH rotation showing up on StormView 3D. StormView 3D can also tell the user if it thinks a tornado is on the ground. Green's are a good indicator of a tornado, yellows are only on rare strong tornadoes, and reds almost never show up because they are indicative of strong to violent tornadoes. As the storm left Palmyra, a debris ball showed up. What is a debris ball? A debris ball is an area of bright reflectivity (purples and yellows and blacks) indicating a tornado has caused extensive damage and the tornado is now lofting that damage up into the air. StormView 3D indicates that debris was lofted up 5,000 to 8,000 feet. The Pekin/Borden Tornado The storm continued to move toward the east, and the debris ball stayed just as intense indicating severe damage was being caused by this tornado. The rotation on this storm was simply off the charts. The greens even started to look blue indicating extreme wind velocity in this tornado. StormView 3D shows an area of rotation was spinning at 185 mph now. Now StormView 3D didn't just indicate a tornado, it indicated a strong to violent tornado. The Tornado Moves Into Henryville, IN Once the Palmyra tornado formed, we knew it was a long track tornado event that was occurring and tried to warn Henryville for about 30 minutes. The storm had a clear debris ball as it moved into Henryville, IN. The rotation came down just a touch on StormView 3D as it entered Henryville, IN, but it was still a force. StormView 3D showed the storm was spinning around 137 mph. StormView 3D still showed a definite sign of a tornado right over Henryville. The tornado "tube" on StormView 3D was scary at this point. You can see the clear tube of the tornado touching the ground and extending 25,000 feet up. Tornado Moves Into Marysville, IN As we know, the destruction was incredible on this storm. The debris ball was a little smaller here, but still very visible. I (Marc) suspect the debris from Henryville may have fallen out of the storm a little at this point. The rotation was picking up again as it moved through Marysville, IN. Rotation was about 164 mph on StormView 3D at this point. StormView 3D continued to show reds at this point, indicating a high probability of a tornado and likely violent. The tornado tube was remarkable at this point. It extended 30,000 feet into the atmosphere and was clearly connected to the ground. Tornado Moves Through Chelsea, IN The tornado continued to move east and now it took aim on Chelsea, IN. StormView 3D continued to show a debris ball on the storm, but it wasn't as sharp as when it went through the heavily populated Henryville, IN. The rotation remained extremely intense. StormView 3D indicated 137 mph of rotation as the storm hit Chelsea, IN. Once again, the tornado tube was incredible and may even indicate there were two on the ground at this point. Some of the data suggest this possibility at a few times during the storm. Summary There were two supercell storms that moved across southern Indiana on March 2, 2012. These were "cyclic" supercells that appear to have produced multiple tornadoes. The largest tornado started near Fredricksburg, IN and continued on the ground for 49 miles ending 3 miles NW of Bedford, KY. This tornado was ranked as an EF-4 with 175 mph winds at its strongest. The tornado at its largest was around 1/2 miles wide. EF-4 tornadoes comprise only 2% of all the tornadoes to hit the U.S., so this was a very rare event. You can cycle through the images below to see some of that destruction. LONDON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The UK is sending helicopters and a warship to Cyprus, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday. "The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. We're continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region," he said in a post on social media X. The British air base at Akrotiri on the southern coast of Cyprus was hit by a drone early Monday. KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's travel activities recorded a net inflow of 49.2 billion ringgit (12.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, a significant rise from the 37.4 billion ringgit recorded in 2024, driven by strong inbound tourism, according to the finance ministry. Due to a stronger ringgit, the spending by Malaysians traveling abroad rose to 61.4 billion ringgit in 2025, compared to 57.9 billion ringgit in 2024, the ministry said. Despite this higher outbound expenditure, inbound travel receipts remained exceptionally robust, totaling 110.6 billion ringgit, a sharp rise from the 95.3 billion ringgit collected in 2024. Malaysia also welcomed 42.2 million international visitors in 2025, a significant increase from the 38 million recorded the previous year. "Inbound tourist performance is set to stay strong throughout 2026. This growth is supported by increased flight frequencies, easier visa access, and a surge in promotional campaigns leading up to the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 launch," it said. (1 ringgit equal 0.25 U.S. dollars) BEIRUT, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and two others wounded on Tuesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in south Lebanon's Qabrikha municipality, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported. The NNA said the attack was carried out by an "enemy drone" in the Marjayoun district. Separately, the agency reported Israeli airstrikes targeting a commercial center in As-Saksakiyah and towns in the Nabatieh district. Drone overflights were also reported over Zahrani and neighboring villages. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fighters claimed they had shot down an Israeli drone over the city of Nabatieh, according to the NAA. The group said the strike was a response to continuing Israeli attacks on dozens of Lebanese towns, including Beirut's southern suburbs. On Tuesday afternoon, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for residents of about 80 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, signaling an expansion of its military operations in the region. Israel said it was attacking both Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. And its ground troops crossed the Israeli-Lebanese border and have been deployed at "several points." If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Louisiana National Guard soldiers receive an initial briefing for Task Force Defender at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, Dec. 30, 2025. Guardsmen from the 61st Troop Command and the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team supported law enforcement operations during New Years Eve celebrations and the 92nd annual Sugar Bowl. The Louisiana National Guard assigned Soldiers from the 61st Troop Command, headquartered in Carville, and the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Lafayette, to assist local and state law enforcement with security operations in the New Orleans French Quarter during New Years Eve celebrations and the 92nd annual Sugar Bowl, Dec. 29, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Danny Hough) By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association The Taoiseach has been accused of offering a defence for brazen breaches of international law, as opposition parties charged him with refusing to condemn US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Micheal Martin was further accused of soft pedalling the Governments approach to appease the US administration, ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump later this month. During Leaders Questions in the Dail dominated by the Governments response to the conflict, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the US-Israel assault on Iran was an act of aggression that threatens to set the entire Middle East ablaze. She said: A sovereign state has been bombed, its leader assassinated, 185 innocent schoolgirls killed. These are not defensive actions, they are the actions of powerful states acting in defiance of international law. McDonald said the Iranian government is brutal and repressive but this did not license another state to set aside international law and engage in military aggression. History will see October 7 as a disastrous catalyst for the uncertainty and instability in the world Micheal Martin She asked Martin to condemn the US-Israeli strikes without qualification and state clearly that they are in breach of international law. Martin replied: Ireland is in favour of a multilateral, rules-based international order, and have consistently advocated for same. And we believe in immediate de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and particularly in Iran and we believe these issues ultimately, in terms of sustainable resolution of this, has to be via the diplomatic channels. However, he argued that the multilateral order has been dysfunctional for quite some time and said the UN Security Council has been paralysed and powerless in holding repressive regimes to account. For a long time now, Iran has been a very malign influence in the world and in the Middle East. Why is it that you will not call out this aggression and name it for what it is? Mary Lou McDonald He added: There was no UN mandate for this action. No one is saying there was. There wasnt. But its impossible to get a UN mandate for even peacekeeping now. Martin went on to blame Hamass attack on Israel in 2023 for the wider instability in the region. I think history, in reflecting on this period, will see October 7th as a disastrous catalyst for the uncertainty and instability in the world. McDonald said his response was very dangerous and criticised his concern for stopping short of condemning those that have launched this attack. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Niall Carson/PA) She told the Taoiseach: You have effectively offered a defence and a rationale for the indefensible and brazen breach of international law. These strikes were launched while negotiations over Irans nuclear programme were reportedly making progress, while diplomacy was under way and while talks were described as constructive and now, instead of dialogue, we have missiles. Instead of dialogue and negotiation, we have assassination and we have dead schoolgirls in large, large numbers. So why is it that you will not call out this aggression and name it for what it is? Martin contended he was a multilateralist who believed in peaceful resolution to conflict. He said: You can put whatever spin you like on my contribution, but Im very clear in respect of those basic principles in terms of the conduct of international affairs. The Fianna Fail leader further accused Sinn Fein of a lack of clarity for supporting the US Republican Party and Maga candidates, which was met with objections among the partys benches. Labour leader Ivana Bacik (Brian Lawless/PA) Labour leader Ivana Bacik accused Martin of doublespeak by criticising the mechanisms of the UN Security Council while failing to recognise that multilateral institutions had contained Irans nuclear capabilities. She accused Martin of soft pedalling the national response in fear of upsetting Washington before he meets Trump for St Patricks Day. The Taoiseach said: St Patricks Day will come and go its the more enduring, sustainable relationship between the US and Ireland thats important. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns also accused Martin of a very long-winded way of saying the Government will not condemn the breach of international law. By Rebecca Black, Press Association The Government is to charter a flight to assist its citizens in the Middle East. It comes after several days of escalating tensions and attacks between Iran, Israel and the United States, which has spread to neighbouring nations in the Middle East. The missiles have also caused major disruption to flights in the region. The government has estimated that between 22,000 and 23,000 Irish citizens are in the area, and a relatively low number have already left. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, said she hopes the flight from Oman will be the first of many. I am highly aware of the large numbers of Irish citizens in the UAE as the current conflict continues Helen McEntee She told RTE that the government will be contacting Irish citizens in the Middle East on Wednesday to travel home on a charter flight for around 280 people. The first and the quickest and the best option is still for commercial airlines to bring people home, particularly given so much of our population is in the UAE, is in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and weve seen over the last few days a number of flights that have been taking off, she said. Not all of them to the west, many of them are heading east, but on those flights we have Irish people, and were engaging directly with those airlines to see if we can we in the coming days, ensure that some of those direct flights are coming to Dublin. In a statement, Ms McEntee said the first flight will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in the UAE, particularly those who are non-resident and who are vulnerable. I am highly aware of the large numbers of Irish citizens in the UAE as the current conflict continues, she said. In this context, I asked our consular crisis team today to activate plans for an assisted departure. Our team will now take the necessary steps to finalise a first government of Ireland charter flight for Irish citizens to depart the region from Oman airport in the coming days, provided security and operational considerations permit. This first charter flight will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in the UAE, particularly those who are non-resident, and who are vulnerable and require assistance most urgently. She said: Those citizens requiring the most assistance will be contacted directly by my department in the coming days. I would ask for everyones patience as our most vulnerable citizens are contacted in this first phase of our response to this crisis. We will continue to offer consular assistance to all citizens in the region. All citizens should register with the appropriate embassy if they have not already done so and continue to follow our embassy social media accounts for the latest updates. Tanaiste Simon Harris said ministers were monitoring the situation in the Middle East (PA) Earlier, Tanaiste Simon Harris said the Government is continuing to monitor the situation globally and any potential impact for Europe. He said all options are on the table to assist Irish citizens who need help out of the region. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there was no question US strikes on Iran took place without a UN mandate, as he called for de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table. JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli airstrike in Iran on Tuesday killed Daoud Alizadeh, the commander of the Lebanon Corps in Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, the Israeli state-owned Kan news reported, citing Israeli officials. The strike, part of the ongoing joint military campaign by the United States and Israel, targeted high-level leadership within the Iranian government. Alizadeh was reportedly responsible for coordinating operations between Tehran and regional allies in Lebanon. Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said in a statement that it targeted a senior commander in Tehran, adding that further details would be released later. The Iranian side has not commented on the attacks yet. Over 50 jobs have been lost in Claremorris following the closure of Cosmetic Creations. The contract manufacturer, formerly known as Lynoslife, specialised in cosmetics, food supplements and nutraceuticals and closed its doors last Friday week. It is understood all 53 staff members were made redundant as a result of the closure at the company which has been in business for over 40 years. Aontu TD for Mayo Paul Lawless told the Western People the closure of the business is a huge loss to the town. This is a company that was there for decades. There was a great culture and atmosphere there. This is not just a loss for these staff members economically but to lose their colleagues as well, it was like a big family in there and is a big loss emotionally and on a personal level, he said. For it to happen almost overnight has added to the hurt and the shock. It will be important going forward Government seek a meeting with IDA Ireland to build a business case to ensure a business locates or relocates to this site. Local Independent councillors Richard Finn and Patsy OBrien both highlighted the spiralling cost of doing business in Ireland as a major factor in the closure. They said measures introduced in isolation such as a minimum wage increase, increase in Employers PRSI, the introduction of auto-enrolment pension contributions, rising commercial rates and soaring costs of insurance and electricity have resulted in the perfect storm for businesses like Cosmetic Creations. Cllr Finn said Cosmetic Creations closure must serve as a wake-up call. Fifty jobs gone in a town the size of Claremorris is not just a statistic. These are families, mortgages, and livelihoods, he said. We cannot ignore the reality the cost of doing business in this country has reached unsustainable levels. Cllr OBrien said the fact a modern, innovative manufacturer had been forced to close raised serious concerns about national policy. This was a state-of-the-art facility with a skilled workforce and a strong reputation for quality, he said. If a company like that cannot survive in the current climate, then something is fundamentally wrong with how business is being treated in this country. Cosmetic Creations has been contacted for comment. Reading, PA (19601) Today Becoming partly sunny and milder by the afternoon with highs into the low to mid 60s; a dry day outside of maybe an early morning lingering shower, mainly south and east. It will also be a little breezy with winds gusting to 25mph in the afternoon.. Tonight Turning out mainly clear. Weather Alert Bulletin: ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EDT THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog. * WHERE...Portions of northern Delaware, central, northern, northwest, and southern New Jersey, and southeast Pennsylvania. * WHEN...Until 9 AM EDT this morning. * IMPACTS...Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. && Info: Type: Dense Fog Advisory start_time_local: 2026-03-08T06:20:00-04:00 end_time_local: 2026-03-08T09:00:00-04:00 county_name: state: PA headline: Dense Fog Advisory until SUN 9:00 AM EDT county_fips: category: Met url: urgency: Expected severity: Moderate certainty: Likely geographicname: Upper Bucks County state_name: Pennsylvania KAMPALA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has evacuated 42 students from Iran to Turkiye as the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel continues, a top government official said here. The students were transported by road from Tehran to Istanbul on Saturday and are currently awaiting repatriation to the East African country, John Mulimba, Uganda's minister of state for foreign affairs in charge of regional cooperation, told reporters late Monday. "We have a number of students who are in Iran pursuing different studies. Some were in Tehran, the capital city, which is actually the center of the conflict. Others are in different cities," Mulimba said. "As [the] government of Uganda, we gave priority to those students who are studying within Tehran. We have managed to evacuate 42 of them. As we speak now, they arrived safely in Istanbul," he added. The official said that the government's plans to evacuate and facilitate the return of Ugandan nationals trapped in Iran have been complicated by the rapidly changing security situation and the closure of airspace in the region. "It's a bit complex and difficult to evacuate now." Malimba said. "We are going to get those that we shall manage to get out [from Iran] and make them safe. We have tried to give advisory to our people who are out there to keeping being safe, operate from home, don't get out to the streets and make sure that you communicate to our embassies through the internet," he said. According to the ministry, Ugandan diplomatic missions in the region will deploy officers to receive the evacuees and facilitate their return home through neighboring countries. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Becoming partly sunny and milder by the afternoon with highs into the low to mid 60s; a dry day outside of maybe an early morning lingering shower, mainly south and east. It will also be a little breezy with winds gusting to 25mph in the afternoon.. Tonight Turning out mainly clear. Security forces fire tear gas to disperse a protest against U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, at a bridge leading to the fortified Green Zone where the U.S. Embassy is located in Baghdad, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) ANTANANARIVO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar reported its first death related to mpox since the disease was detected in the country last December, according to a report published Monday by the Malagasy Ministry of Public Health. The ministry's spokesperson Mamy Randria confirmed that the deceased was a three-year-old child who had been hospitalized in critical condition, with her health worsening due to complications. According to the report, as of March 1, there are a total of 457 confirmed cases in the country. Health services continue to monitor and manage cases to contain the spread of the disease. The ministry indicated that the vaccination against mpox would begin soon, targeting primarily healthcare workers, close contacts of patients, people living with HIV, and transport workers. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease typically transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. JOHANNESBURG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A notorious serial robber allegedly linked to 42 cases of armed robbery was arrested near Johannesburg over the weekend, local media reported on Tuesday. According to the South African Government News Agency, the 64-year-old suspect was apprehended on Saturday, hours after he and his accomplices robbed three senior police officials from another African country. Citing the police, the agency reported that the victims were intercepted along the R24 highway en route to OR Tambo International Airport by assailants traveling in a silver Suzuki vehicle. The suspects, posing as police officers, robbed the officials of cash, wristwatches and mobile phones. The South African Police Service (SAPS) traced the vehicle hours later and apprehended the man. SAPS said in a statement that the car had been used repeatedly in criminal activities in areas surrounding the airport, particularly along the R24 highway. "During the investigation, police found that the suspect is linked to 42 other cases where he was arrested and charged with armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm, fraud and impersonating a police officer," the police said, adding that these cases date as far back as 1998. A manhunt is underway for three additional suspects believed to have been involved in the weekend robbery, the police added. LUSAKA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Tuesday launched a national rebranding initiative aimed at repositioning the country as a preferred investment destination and strengthening its international image. The initiative, branded under the tagline "Zambia Moves You," seeks to project a unified national identity while promoting the country's economic potential and rich natural resource base to global audiences. Speaking at the launch in the capital, Lusaka, President Hakainde Hichilema said the government embarked on the rebranding strategy to address negative perceptions that emerged after Zambia became the first African country to default on its Eurobond debt, following a missed coupon payment in 2020. Hichilema noted that after assuming office in 2021, his administration began actively marketing Zambia internationally to restore confidence among investors and development partners. Two years ago, he added, the government undertook a comprehensive reassessment of the country's domestic and international standing, which informed the development of the new national brand. According to the president, the rebranding initiative is strategically designed to align Zambia's identity with its economic ambitions, emphasizing its business potential and competitive advantages in a globalized world where national image plays a critical role in attracting capital and partnerships. He also urged citizens to play an active role in shaping the country's image abroad through responsible use of social media, noting that online content significantly influences international perceptions. Promoting a positive and coherent national image, he said, is essential to sustaining economic growth through increased investment inflows. Little Foot gets a virtual facelift Digital reconstruction of iconic fossil reveals unexpected similarities with Ethiopian specimens, contributing to debates on early hominin relationships. A new digital reconstruction of the face of the 3.67millionyearold Australopithecus fossil, Little Foot, provides new insight into the evolution of the human face. The new findings, published in Comptes Rendus Palevol, offer fresh insight into the diversity of the fossil hominin (i.e., extant human and their ancestors and relatives) face across Africa 4-3 million years ago. Little Foot was discovered at the Wits Sterkfontein Caves, located about 40km North West of Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. It is the most complete early hominin skeleton ever found. While much of the skeleton has been, and continues to be, studied, the face has been distorted by millions of years of geological processes that were impossible to correct using physical reconstruction methods. Using highresolution synchrotron scanning at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron in the UK and advanced virtual reconstruction techniques, an international research team led by Dr. Amelie Beaudet and Professor Dominic Stratford has now digitally reassembled the facial bones, producing one of the most complete Australopithecus faces known. The team analysed nine linear facial measurements and applied threedimensional geometric morphometrics to compare Little Foot to those of several other extant great apes as well as with three other Australopithecus fossils. These included a younger specimen from South Africa and two Ethiopian specimens. The results show that the overall size of the face, the shape and dimensions of the eye sockets, and the general facial architecture of Little Foot more closely resemble the East African fossils than the younger South African comparative specimen, although the study is limited to a couple of fossil specimens due to the scarcity of complete faces. This pattern is unexpected, given the geographic origin of Little Foot and suggests a more dynamic evolutionary history than previously assumed, says Beaudet, a previous post-doctoral fellow and current honorary researcher of Wits University. Little Foot, for instance, may represent a lineage closely related to East African populations, while later South African hominins developed more distinct facial features through local evolutionary processes. The study also identified evidence of selective pressures acting on the orbital region (the eyes), which may relate to changes in visual capacity and ecological behaviour. Besides the fact that our study, limited to one anatomical region and a couple of comparative fossil specimens, provides additional data on the affinities between Australopithecus populations across Africa, we demonstrate that the orbital part of the face has possibly been under evolutionary pressure at that time, says Beaudet. While we know that the hominin face evolved through time to become less projected and more gracile, we still ignore when such changes occur, and the nature of the evolutionary mechanisms involved. Rather than viewing early hominin evolution as occurring in isolated regions, the study supports the idea of Africa as a connected evolutionary landscape, with populations adapting to ecological pressures while remaining linked through shared ancestry, says Stratford, who is also Director of Research at the Wits Sterkfontein Caves. Through digestive, visual, respiratory, olfactory, and non-verbal communication systems, the face plays a central role in the interactions primates have with their physical and social environments. In this context, the face is a key anatomical region for understanding how the hominins adapted to, and engaged with, their surroundings. Only a handful of Australopithecus fossils preserve an almost complete face, making Little Foot a rare and valuable reference point. Little Foots face preserves key anatomical regions involved in vision, breathing and feeding, and its skull will offer further key elements for understanding our evolutionary history, says Beaudet. As further virtual reconstructions are completed, the researchers hope to refine our understanding of how early hominins moved, interacted and diversified across Africa. The face is only part of the story. Other parts of the skull, especially the braincase, remain distorted by plastic deformation and will require similar digital reconstruction to better understand brain size and organisation in this early hominin, says Beaudet. The project that's remapping migration in urban Africa And with it, a glimpse into the world's future cities. The population of African cities is expected to double to 1.4 billion people by 2050, with much of this growth being driven by those arriving from elsewhere. Yet the way planners and policy-makers talk about these spaces using words like failure, ungoverned, and problematic is unfit for this era of global political, economic and environmental instability. The Atlas of Uncertainty asks: What if African cities aren't behind the curve, but ahead of it? Launching at the Origins Centre at Wits University on 18 April, the Atlas of Uncertainty is a collaborative, interdisciplinary knowledge project part book, part interactive website, part travelling exhibition that challenges how we understand and interpret migration and African cities. Built on surveys from gateway neighbourhoods in Accra, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, it braids hard data with essay, poetry, soundscape, artwork, and new forms of cartography to convey what statistics alone cannot a deliberate movement from the census to the senses. The Atlas contributors argue that uncertainty is not a problem to be solved but a productive condition to be understood; that knowledge about African cities and migration must be generated differently, from the ground up and across disciplines, if it is to reflect these spaces as they actually are; that migrants are not a burden on cities but their makers; and that Africa may offer the clearest map of where the world is headed. Out of words After decades of research, urban sociologist Caroline Wanjiku Kihato and political scientist Loren B Landau found that the tools of their disciplines were unable to capture what they were seeing. The language of margins and centres, inclusion and exclusion, formal and informal, didnt fit the complexity of how people actually lived. "We needed a new vocabulary," says Landau, Research Professor at Wits Universitys African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), Professor of Migration and Development at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the Wits-Oxford Mobility Governance Lab. "And we needed new maps." The Atlas of Uncertainty not only tracks where people are and from where they have come, but where they dream of being and what their futures might hold. "We often map movements of people, supply chains, agricultural goods," says Landau. "But we weren't capturing the circulations of moralities, of ideas, of imagination. If you've come from a place, but you're living in a city, and you're dreaming of Minnesota how can we capture that?" What lies beneath In Johannesburg's Somali community, clan legal infrastructure from Somalia resolves local conflicts through WhatsApp, a system of governance invisible to any official map, yet functioning and real. Witchcraft accusations determine who can stay in one Nairobi neighbourhood, invisible forces as powerful as any landlord or law. In Accra, development schemes carry the repackaged logic of colonial planning, an attempt at scripting who and what goes where. Among the artworks, a central figure is surrounded by fish; a meditation on family in motion, on relationships not destroyed but constantly reconfigured as people move. "The fish are in a fluid space that itself is moving," says Landau, reflecting how we move together in shifting waters, like a school of fish, until someone goes off on their own. A papier-mache canoe built in Nairobi from the street posters of prophets, healers, and miracle-workers that plaster the city's walls captures something harder to name. Nobody travels to Nairobi by boat. But the vessel suggests that migration is not always a rational calculation it is also speculative, mysterious, spectral. People move toward something they cannot fully see, drawn by forces that don't appear on the map. "We're trying to see what lies beneath the map," says Kihato, a Research Associate at ACMS and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxfords Department of International Development (ODID). "We've got to think about the city as all of these things, as part of an ecosystem of both the visible and the invisible." The Atlas is also a reimagining of how knowledge is generated, who generates it, where it comes from, and to what end? How many times have we returned to neighbourhoods in Joburg or Nairobi or Accra where we intervened, and it doesn't seem that anything has changed? asks Kihato. We have not eliminated the fundamental issues around inequality, lack of employment. These solutions have not worked, even with the certitude that comes with their implementation. What this project is asking us to do is take a pause and think, if the knowledge we have on hand has not helped us build these spaces the way policy intends, what could we be missing? Citymaking in uncertainty The Atlas also flips the script that depicts African migrants as streaming into Europe or North America. Most migrants, the data show, are moving to other African cities 80% of African migrants stay on the continent. The vast majority of movers remain in their own countries, largely uncounted. But their journeys are rarely linear or final. Nairobi, Accra, and Johannesburg are not endpoints but gateways where people arrive, reconfigure their lives, and reshape their spaces. This reframing carries implications well beyond the continent. With instability becoming a defining condition globally, Africa's long experience of navigating uncertainty looks less like a local handicap and more like hard-won knowledge. "What Africa has on its side is that we have never been certain about anything, except uncertainty," says Kihato. "It's not just about resilience. It's a way of being. Because we have had very little to rely on, there's always been this looking at life otherwise to make things work, and knit things up in order to survive. And that skill is what we have to offer the world." About the Atlas of Uncertainty The Atlas of Uncertainty is a project of the Oxford/Wits Mobility Governance Lab and Wits University's African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), the continent's leading scholarly institution for research and teaching on human mobility. The book, Atlas of Uncertainty: Transforming African Cityscapes (Actar/Wits Press), will be released in January 2027. The opening exhibition runs at the Origins Centre, Wits University, Johannesburg, from 18 April to 3 July 2026. Exhibitions in Accra, Nairobi, and Amsterdam are planned for 2027. MOGADISHU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) and Somali security forces on Monday recaptured two strategic towns in southern Somalia from al-Shabaab militants. El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, special representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia and head of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), said the joint operation, carried out with international partners, secured the towns of Daarusalaam and Mubarak, long used as strongholds by the extremist group. "The liberation of Daarusalaam and Mubarak sends a clear message that terrorist strongholds will not endure in the face of our unified and sustained action," Diene said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Monday evening. The AU envoy, who commended the courage, professionalism and sacrifice demonstrated by Somali and AUSSOM forces during the operation, reaffirmed the AU mission's commitment to supporting Somalia's stabilization efforts. "AUSSOM remains steadfast in its mandate to support the government of Somalia in defeating al-Shabaab, protecting the Somali people, extending state authority, and advancing Somali-led peace and stability," he said. The operation was conducted under the newly launched Operation Rolling Thunder, which aims to dismantle key al-Shabaab strongholds, cut off routes used for terrorist activities, weaken al-Shabaab's operational capacity, and protect civilians and key strategic sectors. Diene emphasized that these operational successes demonstrate enhanced operational planning, coordination, and a strong partnership between Somalia and the AU in advancing the shared objective of restoring peace, security, stability, and state authority across the entire country. HARARE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean Cabinet on Tuesday approved a ban on raw minerals and lithium concentrates exports, following an announcement by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in late February. Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing, Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura said the indefinite ban was imposed in the national interest to promote local value addition of minerals. He said the government previously announced a ban on lithium concentrate exports for January 2027, but reversed the decision after observing malpractices in the lithium mining industry. "After the notice on the intended ban, the industry responded otherwise by increasing its level of production and also increasing export volumes. There was also an increased appetite for lithium export permits, and the rationale behind it was to export as much product as possible before the notice period," he said. "So we had to come in with this intervention of banning the export of lithium concentrates and also any raw minerals or minerals that are not value-added with effect from Feb. 26, 2026," the minister said, adding that the ban will remain until government conditions or expectations are met. Zimbabwe has seen significant investment in its lithium sector in recent years due to growing global demand for the mineral, which is critical to the global energy transition. 1,243 miners employed at Polyak Eynez Mining in the Knk district of Izmir, Turkiye, seized the lignite coal mine on Monday, March 2, breaking through a gendarmerie/riot police barricade. The workers refused to back down in the face of pepper spray and water cannon. The wildcat strike began on February 20 under the leadership of a grassroots union, Bagmsz Maden Is (Independent Mine Workers Union). The union has announced that if its demands are not met, the mine will be run by the workers themselves. Turkish miners [Photo: Independent Mine Workers Union] Security forces attacked the miners and detained union organizer Basaran Aksu, union attorney Abdurrahim Demiryurek, and two miners. The Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi, the Turkish section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, called on all workers in a post on X to support this struggle and demand the immediate release of those detained and the fulfilment of the miners demands, adding: The trade union confederations, which have become extensions of the state and corporations, will not do this. Independent rank-and-file committees must be built for this fight. Before his detention, Aksu addressed the workers: This is what they think: If the miners seize the mine now, they will seize the power of the country next. They are afraid of this. They dont want the power of the bosses to be shaken. If the miners run their own mine, then they can run their district, their province, and their own country. Isnt that right, comrades? They are afraid of this. The state attack and the miners determined dismantling of the barricade were covered by major national news outlets and the international press. Reuters posted a video report on X stating: Workers at a Turkish mine clashed with police forces at a picket line in front of the mine entrance. The miners went on strike over wage and benefit losses. The miners at Polyak are demanding the immediate and full payment of their unpaid wages; the granting of promotion rights; payment of retroactive entitlements arising from the contract; guaranteed severance and notice pay rights; and the implementation of necessary occupational health and safety measures. On February 25, miners walked 16 kilometers from the mine to the district centre of Knk and held a large rally with the support of the local community. On Monday, the miners rejected the companys offer to pay compensation in exchange for workers leaving. The use of water cannon vehicles and the gendarmerie assault on the mine entrance have exposed the Erdogan governments real stance toward the working class. Security forces were unleashed to protect the interests of domestic and foreign capital. Union officials, lawyers, and workers demanding their legitimate rights were detained. Discontent is spreading among broad sections of the Turkish working class amid the Erdogan governments brutal austerity program, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the deterioration of working and living conditions, now compounded by the escalating imperialist war against Iran. The miners militant struggle is inspiring workers facing similar conditions across the country. It marks the beginning of a new period in the class struggle. After decades during which trade union confederations suppressed workers struggles, the initial stages of a new movement are emergingone that is reviving traditions of militant struggle. While the fight of the Polyak miners has received widespread support from the population, the silence of all trade union confederations, including the left-wing Progressive Confederation of Trade Unions (DISK), stands in stark contrast. It reflects the fear and hostility of the union apparatusan extension of the state and the corporationstoward the development of an independent movement within the working class. The events that drove the Polyak miners into struggle began with the murky transfer of Polyak Eynez Mining by Fiba Group, one of Turkeys leading holding companies, to the Chinese firm Qitaihe Longcoal Mining. This represents a joint assault on workers by a Turkish billionaire in alliance with Chinese capitalists. According to a statement by Bagmsz Maden Is, 70 percent of the mines shares were transferred to Qitaihe Longcoal last December. During the transfer process, 1,700 workers were laid off with severance pay under the oversight of Oz Maden-Is, a union affiliated with the pro-government Hak-Is confederation. The 1,243 workers who remain employed have been unable to obtain their wages and contract entitlements, totalling 450 million liras (US$10 million). According to Bagmsz Maden Is, the Polyak mine is an operation located below sea level, carrying earthquake risk, with high methane gas levels, and requiring advanced engineering work due to roof pressure. The mine, where workers lives are at risk, is located a few kilometers from the Soma mine, where 301 miners died in a mining disaster in 2014. Will Lehman, the US autoworker who announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United Auto Workers (UAW), drew attention to this in a solidarity statement with the Turkish miners. He said, The Soma disaster led to a rebellion, which spread nationally, against the pro-corporate unions and the Erdogan governments program of privatization, austerity, and the sacrifice of workers lives for profit. Following Mondays gendarmerie assault and the detentions, Bagmsz Maden responded to Lehmans call for solidarity on X, stating: Thank you for your solidarity. Our union staff member Basaran Aksu and two miner comrades were detained today for taking part in the struggle and are still being held in custody. We were on strike at Polyak Mining for ten days. We gave the company a deadline until 3:00 PM; the time expired, and, as we promised, we overcame all obstacles and occupied the facility. Be our voice. Thank you for your solidarity. Long live international working-class solidarity!! The Polyak miners resistance has galvanized workers facing similar conditions. Around 2,000 workers at Yeni Anadolu Mining in Soma walked off the job, while 3,000 workers at Imbat Mining halted production for four days. The Imbat miners returned to work on Monday after their demands were met. The struggle of the Polyak miners represents a fightback against the decades-long capitalist offensive. As in other countries around the world, the privatization of mines in Turkey has been accompanied by the gutting of workers basic social and economic gains, their benefits, and their jobs. This assault was carried out with the complicity of the union apparatus. It has been implemented not only by Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) government but also with the open or tacit support of the entire political establishmentincluding the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), which endorsed sweeping deregulation and privatization. The Polyak miners direct confrontation with the states security forces, and their discussion of running not only the mine but the country itself, raises the critical question of which class should rule society. The rule of the capitalist class has been a complete failure in terms of the social welfare of the overwhelming majority of the population. It is essential to seize the power and ill-gotten wealth of the ruling class to meet the basic social, economic, democratic, and cultural needs of working people. Transforming militant class battles into lasting gains means expanding the struggle against the major corporations and the state apparatus at their service, nationwide and internationally, with the aim of transferring power to the working class. Lehmans call for solidarity makes clear what instrument Turkish workers must build to forge unity in struggle with their class brothers and sisters in the US and around the world based on a revolutionary international strategy: Corporations operate globally. Our response must also be global. This means building the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) to coordinate our struggles across national borders. The newly elected party leaders of the Left Party, Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, at the Left Party conference in Halle (Saale) on October 19. 2024. [Photo by Ferran Cornella / CC BY-SA 4.0 The chairman of the German Left Party, Jan van Aken, initially responded to the illegal attack by the US and Israel on Iran with what appeared to be a condemnation. In an official statement, he spoke of a major danger for the population and the entire region and described the attack as a violation of international law. But this criticism is merely a political cover. Behind a few phrases about diplomacy and international law, the Left Party openly aligns itself with the strategic aims of the imperialist war. Van Aken made this unmistakably clear at a press conference on Monday. There, he openly celebrated the killing of Iranian head of state Khamenei and other leading figures by Israeli and American bombs. He declared verbatim: There is absolutely no doubt that we allI personally as wellam glad that Khamenei is dead, that many figures from the regime are dead. One should never rejoice over the death of a human being, and yet I think it is good that they are gone and may they rot in hell. Everyone should take note of these words. The leader of a party that officially describes itself as pacifist and left-wing welcomes the targeted killing of a countrys political leadership through foreign bombardment. The attack itself is, as van Aken acknowledges, a clear violation of international law. At the Nuremberg trials, such a war of aggression was condemned as a crime against peace. Anyone who applauds the results of this crimemoreover in language reminiscent of the fascistic US President Trumppolitically identifies with it. Substantively, van Akens position differs little from that of the federal government under Friedrich Merz (CDU). While Merz openly supports the attack and justifies the enforcement of fundamental interests, if necessary with military force, van Aken merely worries that this violence could have the wrong consequences, such as a years-long civil war like in Iraq or Libya. His objections are directed not against the imperialist character of the war but against its tactical execution. This becomes particularly clear in his central argument regarding an Iranian nuclear bomb. It is right that an Iranian nuclear bomb must be prevented at all costs, van Aken declared. Only this should preferably not be done with bombs but through negotiations and close-meshed monitoring on the ground. In doing so, he fully adopts the premise with which Washington and Tel Aviv have justified their aggression for years: that Iran represents an existential nuclear threat whose elimination has the highest priority. That it was the United States which unilaterally withdrew from the Vienna nuclear agreement, even though Iran demonstrably adhered to the agreed inspections, is mentioned by van Aken only in passing. That the most recent negotiations themselves served as a cover for preparing the attack, he ignores entirely. His insistence on monitoring is in reality nothing other than the demand for an even tighter subordination of Iran to the imperialist powers. This is not about peace but about enforcing the same strategic aims by other means. Van Aken openly speaks of the hope that the Iranian democracy movement might now prevail. Here lies the core of his position: The war is not rejected in principle but judged according to whether it is suitable for bringing about a pro-Western regime change. He does not fear imperialist intervention as such but rather its possible failure. If the bombardment achieves the goal sought by the imperialists, he supports it. The attempt to bomb democracy into existence from the outside is, I believe, very difficult, he cynically declares. Nevertheless, it is not automatic that the country will disintegrate, that there will be a civil war. Therefore, he still has hope that in the end the democracy movement could prevail after all. In reality, neither the fascists and perpetrators of genocide Trump and Netanyahu nor the no less criminal European governments are concerned with democracy. Iran is a historically oppressed country that, due to its geostrategic position and rich natural resources, stands in the crosshairs of imperialist war policy. In its statement Stop the criminal US-Israeli war against Iran!, the Socialist Equality Party in the United States characterizes the war as follows: The war against Iran is, in this sense, a war for global hegemony, directed not only at Tehran but at Beijing, Moscow and the European capitals whose dependence on Middle Eastern energy gives Washington an instrument of coercion. The Trump administration has threatened not only Iran but also its nominal alliesimposing tariffs on European goods, threatening Greenland, seizing control of Venezuelan oil, and making clear that in the emerging era of great-power competition, the United States intends to use its military supremacy to maintain dominance over every strategically significant region on Earth. The German bourgeoisie does not want to stand aside in the imperialist redivision of the world and therefore largely supports US war policyat least as long as it is not yet in a position to act militarily independent of, and ultimately even against, Washington. When some of its left representatives, such as van Aken, raise the issue of the obviously illegal actions of the US and call on the Merz government to do the same, this reflects not only growing transatlantic conflicts but also concern that the war of aggression against Iran could undermine the propaganda with which NATO justifies its war offensive against Russia. If the West itself violates international law, it will be all the more difficult to win global support for Ukraine and the fight against the violator of international law Putin, van Aken complains. For Putin, February 28 was therefore once again a good day. This once again makes clear what is actually at stake for him: not principled opposition to imperialist wars but their ideological justification. This argumentation corresponds to the entire function of the Left Party as an extended arm of the federal government and German militarism. It supported the multibillion-euro war credits in the Bundesrat and helped Merz secure a rapid election as chancellor in the Bundestag. As with the genocide in Gaza and last year, when it politically flanked the attacks on Iran, it now once again stands firmly in the camp of German imperialism. That van Aken calls on the federal government to initiate investigations under the principle of universal jurisdiction against Iranian officials underscores this course. Such measures do not serve the protection of human rights but the legal preparation of regime change. They are part of the same political project that is being advanced militarily with bombs and politically with sanctions. The aggressive pro-imperialist course of the Left Party does not come out of nowhere. It was never a socialist or anti-imperialist party. It emerged as a bourgeois project to integrate social opposition into the framework of capitalism. Its social base lies in privileged middle class layers, state institutions and academic milieus whose orientation is closely tied to the interests of German imperialism. In times of escalating great-power conflicts, this emerges ever more openly. Workers and especially young people who voted for the Left Party in opposition to war and social inequality in last years federal elections must draw conclusions from this. The notion that pressure can be exerted from the left through this party is a dangerous illusion. On decisive questionsrearmament, NATO war policy, illegal regime-change warsit stands firmly on the side of the ruling class. A genuine struggle against war requires a political break with all parties of imperialism, including the Left Party. It must base itself on the international working class and consciously oppose the capitalist system, whose internal contradictions continually produce new wars. Only on this basis can a new socialist anti-war movement be built that puts an end to the barbaric course of the ruling elites. The Trump administration is setting the entire Middle East region ablaze, threatening to drag the world into a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. As the war escalates, with Israel invading Lebanon and Iran striking US bases and closing the Strait of Hormuz, concern is mounting within the Turkish political establishment. Calls for a ceasefire and negotiations are taking centre stage. A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. [AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement on Monday that the attacks targeting Iran were illegal, adding, Our priority is to secure a ceasefire and open the door to dialogue. If the necessary intervention is not made, the conflict will have serious consequences for regional and global security. No one can bear the economic and geopolitical uncertainties that such a process would create. Therefore, the fire must be extinguished before it grows any further. Erdogan refrains from condemning the aggressiveness of the US under the leadership of his friend Trump, while primarily targeting his regional rival Israel and holding it responsible for the war. The Turkish president has at the same time characterized Irans act of legitimate self-defense in targeting US bases as an attack on the sovereignty of other countries. On Sunday, Erdogan stated on X that he was saddened by the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a result of the attacks carried out, following his assassination by the US and Israel. He did not condemn the killing of the leader of a sovereign state and failed to even mention the fact that the attack was carried out by US-Israeli forces, let alone that the order to attack Khamenei was approved by his friend Trump. Ankara nevertheless fears that this imperialist attack, which could lead to the collapse of the Iranian regime, could in turn increase Israels influence on its own borders, trigger a new wave of migrants, and encourage separatist initiatives by Kurdish nationalist forces linked to the US and Israel. Turkiye, a NATO member hosting US bases, could quickly be drawn into the vortex of war. The global rise in oil and natural gas prices already caused by the conflict will further deepen the cost-of-living crisis in Turkiye, intensifying class tensions. Despite these risks and concerns, Ankaras policy is guided by the Turkish bourgeoisie and the states thousands of economic, military, and strategic ties to US-NATO imperialism and international financial capital. Even as the war escalated by US imperialism to establish complete domination in the Middle East drags the entire region, including Turkiye, into disaster, Ankaras policy seeks to protect its interests by aligning with Trumps policies. Republican Peoples Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel said in a speech Monday that they oppose the US-Israel attack on Iran: We reject exposing our region to interventions by the US and Israel that disregard international law and do not hesitate to target innocent civilians. With this understanding, we oppose the attack on our neighbor Iran. Ozel also criticized the Erdogan governments stance, saying, We absolutely cannot accept the Justice and Development Party governments stance of standing by the Trump administration under all circumstances, and its shy and timid attitude towards the new world order desires based on the aggression of the United States and Israel, as if it had staked its entire existence on it. Ozel criticized the dismantling of international law under Trumps leadership, continuing: We are witnessing how the United States and Israel are attempting to establish a system where they can intervene in any country they choose, use force to change regimes, and seize territory, as seen in the cases of Palestine, Venezuela, Syria, Greenland, and Iran. However, the CHP, which defends the interests of the same ruling class as Erdogan and voices the same concerns, was unable to advance its opposition as far as promising to take steps to end Turkiyes subordination to imperialism and NATO once it came to power. Instead, Ozel assured that his partys pro-European Union and pro-NATO stance would not change, stating, We will take all steps towards full membership in the European Union quickly and effectively. In a statement, Ekrem Imamoglu, the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul and potential presidential candidate from the CHP, said, Turkiye, due to its historical and geographical responsibility, should never take sides in this conflict... Our national interests are protected not by personal relationships established with the US, but by rational diplomacy pursued with the goal of regional stability. The CHPs criticism of the Trump administration is a pragmatic manoeuvre seeking to exploit overwhelming popular opposition to the US and Israel. Only 4 percent of participants in a public opinion poll conducted by Asal Research in 26 provinces support Israel in the war. The overwhelming majority (72.5 percent) preferred Turkey to act as a mediator, reflecting their concern about the war, while 16 percent stated that Iran should be supported. A report submitted by the CHP to NATO in September reveals the partys true stance. The report echoed US and Israeli propaganda, declaring Iran the source of regional instability and recommending NATOs expansion into Middle Eastern countries. While there is no verified information that US and NATO bases in Turkiye have been directly used in attacks on Iran, it is acknowledged that the radar base in Kurecik and AWACS surveillance aircraft taking off from Konya provide intelligence for US-Israeli forces. The situation at the Adana-Incirlik air base used by the US is particularly noteworthy. At the weekend, ANKA News Agency Editor-in-Chief Kenan Sener, Koza TV General Manager Mehlika Bilen, and two reporters were detained for broadcasting live on ANKA News Agencys social media account under the headline, Operational activity at Incirlik Air Base. After giving their statements, the journalists were released with a restriction on leaving the country and under judicial supervision. It has been announced that restrictions have been imposed on passenger crossings at the Agr-Gurbulak, Van-Kapkoy, and Hakkari-Esendere border gates between Turkiye and Iran. Only commercial cargo and Turkish citizens will be allowed to cross from Iran. This is a step to prevent civilians from fleeing to Turkiye in the event of an escalation of imperialist aggression in Iran, despite Erdogans claim that they stand with the brotherly Iranian people. In recent days, it was claimed that a plan for the Turkish Armed Forces to enter Iran and establish a buffer zone to prevent such a wave of migration was being discussed in Ankara. This was denied by the Ministry of National Defense. Meanwhile, the statement issued by the Alliance of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, formed by Kurdish nationalist forces in Iran following the US-Israel attack, confirmed the accuracy of the Socialist Equality Partys analysis of this alliances pro-imperialist and reactionary character. The alliance, which refuses to oppose the imperialist attack by the US and Israel aimed at colonizing Iran, an oppressed country, declared in its statement that this war is not a conflict between Iranian society and its nations on one hand, and the United States, Israel, or the international community on the other. It called on the Iranian armed forces in Kurdistan to separate from the remnants of the Islamic Republic, stating, We advise them not to miss this final opportunity to turn their backs on the enemy [the Iranian regime] and choose the side of their own nation. Alhurra reported that the headquarters of four Iranian Kurdish parties in the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq were attacked by Iranian drones on Sunday. According to an analysis published Monday by the Israel-based Zionist JFEED, Israeli jets have initiated strikes on Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) border guard positions along the Iraq-Iran frontier. These attacks... could facilitate the return of armed Iranian Kurdish opposition groups currently based in Iraqs Kurdistan Region. The experiences of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East since the beginning of the 20th century are filled with countless examples showing that imperialist aggression leads not to freedom and democracy, but to massacre, plunder, and increased oppression. The task of fighting against the bourgeois-clerical regime in Iran falls to the working class of all nationalities in Iran. This requires a principled struggle against imperialist aggression targeting all the peoples of Iran and the Middle East, regardless of the reactionary character of the regime. This is inextricably linked to the struggle for a Socialist Federation of the Middle East. The Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi (Socialist Equality Party), together with its sister parties affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) in the United States, Europe, and around the world, is fighting to build an international anti-war movement based on the working class and puts forward the following demands: The war waged by the US and Israel against Iran must be stopped immediately and unconditionally. All US armed forces in the Middle East must be withdrawn, and military bases, including in Turkiye, that serve as the infrastructure of imperialist domination must be closed. The NATO summit to be held in Ankara in July must be cancelled, Turkiye must leave NATO, NATO must be dissolved, and all resources spent on militarism and war must be reallocated in line with the needs of society. All sanctions and economic warfare against Iran and all other countries must end. All war criminals must be held accountable. On Friday, the Council of State, Frances highest administrative court responsible for reviewing the legality of government decisions, upheld the classification of La France Insoumise (LFI-France Unbowed) as far left, despite the partys appeal. This decision is part of a broader campaign aiming at the very least disciplining or more probably criminalising Jean-Luc Melenchon and his party. This attack is not only directed against LFI, but against all those who aspire to an independent left-wing politics, and aims to prepare the working class for the acceptance of authoritarian and neo-fascist measures. It reflects an international trend: governments use the pretext of security and public order to criminalize popular opposition, restrict democratic rights, and facilitate the rise of authoritarian and far-right forces. Jean-Luc Melenchon, center, delivers a speech after the second round of the legislative elections, July 7, 2024 [AP Photo/Thomas Padilla] Despite well-documented and irreconcilable political differences with La France Insoumise and Jean-Luc Melenchon, the WSWS and the Parti de legalite socialistethe French section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)unconditionally defend LFI against attacks by the state and the government, in order to protect the democratic rights of workers and young people to oppose the government and the far-right without being criminalised. On Wednesday, the Council of State rejected LFIs appeal against this classification. Rapporteur Alexandre Tremoliere explained: The dividing blocks must not be too numerous and therefore aim for a broad range. The [government] circular is not intended to provide an analysis of political philosophy. The nuanced classification is an administrative practice whose sole purpose is to offer an analysis of the results. By presenting the classification as a simple technical operation devoid of ideological significance, the rapporteur seeks to conceal its obvious political nature. However, in a context of crisis and increasing polarization, the administrative definition of electoral blocks cannot be considered neutral. Laurent Nunez, the Minister of the Interior, justified his extreme label for LFI as follows: Within La France Insoumise, there is a refusal of parliamentary debate, systematic calls for censure votes, and a refusal to meet with the government for working sessions. As Minister of the Interior, I take into account the reality of the situations. LFI has been accused of delegitimizing the justice system, making sweeping accusations against the police and security forces, calling for civil disobedience, and seeking to break with capitalism. It has not been accused of inciting violence or breaking the law. This means the party is being denounced as far left because it exercises its democratic right to criticize the government, state institutions, and capitalism. The extremist that threatens democracy is not Melenchon, but President Macron, a defender of genocide and the repressor of the Yellow Vest movement. This decision must be seen as part of an international trend, a shift in ruling circles towards authoritarian and fascist methods. France is going through a profound political and economic crisis. Faced with massive deficits and unprecedented social tensions, Macrons government is seeking to impose austerity measures and suppress any worker protests. Macron has openly supported the genocide in Gaza, and the French elite denounce any opposition to Zionism as antisemitic. They seek to delegitimize La France Insoumise, break its electoral alliance, and pave the way for the National Rally (RN) to come to power. The leader of the National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, mentioned a potential cost of 100 billion linked to the controversial social cuts, illustrating the scale of the direct confrontation between the state and the working class. The ruling classes and the government are creating the conditions for bringing a far-right party to power to directly wage a policy of class warfare and external war. In the last two presidential elections, Melenchon garnered nearly 8 million votes among the working class in major cities, expressing support for an independent left-wing policy. In this context, the attack against LFI goes beyond the strictly electoral realm: it criminalizes the aspirations of millions of people for a left-wing, anti-war, anti-genocide, and anti-austerity policy, whose votes have shifted to LFI and Melenchon. The political front mounted against LFI, encompassing far-right groups, the Socialist Party (PS), the National Rally (RN), and Macrons government, is waging an offensive against democratic rights and the growing opposition to the establishment of a police state. The objective is clear: to enable Marine Le Pen or Jordan Bardella to come to power after the upcoming municipal and presidential elections. On February 21, the leader of The Republicans party, Laurent Wauquiez, stated that La France Insoumise (LFI) is toxic to our democratic life, and Bruno Retailleau (The Republicans) advocated for a cordon sanitaire against LFI. This authoritarian logic is not unique to France. It is reminiscent of recent experience in the United States, where the police state under Trump used violence and repression to control the population, particularly in Minneapolis. European imperialist governments, confronted with growing social movements, are adopting similar measures, intensifying judicial and police repression against political opponents. Traditional democratic forms are being junked by the ruling class. The witch hunt against LFI seeks to demonize young peoples opposition to fascist groups and to conscription for war. Defending LFI against this attack does not imply any support for its policies or its alliances with the Socialist Party (PS), which have served as a pillar of bourgeois power for decades. It is about defending the right of the millions of workers and young people who voted for LFI to express themselves and resist without being criminalized. For the same reason, we defended LFI against the slanderous accusations that it was responsible for the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in February. Deranque died from injuries sustained in a fight near the scene of the incident, after supporting a far-right provocation against a rally organized by LFI MP Rima Hassan. Among those arrested, several are members of the Young Guard group, which is close to LFI and was banned by the Ministry of the Interior in the summer of 2025. No evidence proves the charges, nor has the claim that the Young Guard provided security at the rally with Rima Hassan. Both LFI and the Young Guard deny any involvement in Deranque s death. Nevertheless, a broad coalition, ranging from avowed fascists to the far-right National Rally, and including President Macron and the Socialist Party, has held LFI responsible for this death and launched a virulent smear campaign against Melenchon. We reject the ban on the Young Guard imposed last year by the Ministry of the Interior. Equating left-wing violence with fascist violence, as the state and its allies do, amounts to politically disarming the working class. Workers must be able to defend themselves against fascist groups without being placed in the hands of the police or repressive forces. Lyon, where Deranque was killed, has been a far-right hotbed for over 20 years, where groups terrorize Muslims, migrants, students, and left-wing workers. Between 2019 and 2023, six people were killed in France by far-right violence. The Young Guard group was formed in response to this. The security forces are closely linked to this far-right milieu. According to an Ipsos poll for the Sciences Po Centre for Political Research (Cevipof), 60 percent of law enforcement officers indicated they would vote for Marine Le Pen in the second round of the 2022 presidential election. The social base on which the Macron government reliesnamely, the policeis favourable to the National Rally coming to power. This crisis also reveals the political bankruptcy of LFI. The party refuses to call for an independent mobilization of the working class against Macron, the RN, and the entire capitalist establishment. LFI and the petty-bourgeois social strata it represents, instead of mobilizing the working class against the neo-fascist threat, are demanding state and police intervention against the far right, while the state is collaborating with the far right against workers. With the New Popular Front, an electoral alliance with the Socialists, Communists, and Greens, and electoral agreements with Macrons camp, Melenchon strengthened these very parties in the 2024 legislative elections that are now attacking him. The New Popular Front did not curb the rise of the National Rally, but as we predicted at the time reinforced the far right. To justify classifying LFI as far left, the rapporteur cited the lack of an alliance between LFI and its NFP allies in the first round of the municipal elections: LFI is presenting its own list in major cities, while the Socialist Party and Europe Ecology The Greens (EELV) are joining forces. Melenchons party is therefore distancing itself from the left. Regardless of its role in bringing people together in previous elections through Nupes and then the NFP, this time it is going it alone. The circular applies solely to the upcoming municipal elections. The reference to not forming an alliance with the Socialist Party (PS) and Europe Ecology The Greens (EELV) is an attempt to force LFI to back down, abandon all rhetorical radicalism, and fall into line. The Council of State and Macron are not so much afraid of Melenchon or LFI, which is a pseudo-left party integrated into the state apparatus, but the forces that voted for them. Le Monde reports the reaction of LFIs lawyer, Mr. Thiriez: LFI has never advocated a Lenin-style revolution, a revolution by street protests or violence. The movement advocates a citizen revolution, through the ballot box, which differentiates it from other far-left parties, he declared. Deputy in the National Assembly and national coordinator of LFI, Emmanuel Bompard, clearly explains that LFIs policy is exclusively within the framework of parliamentary manoeuvres: There is an extreme left in France and it identifies as such. It considers elections as a platform and not as a means of gaining power, which is not the case for La France Insoumise. LFIs perspective rests on the illusion that it is possible to put pressure on the state through parliamentarism to obtain concessions from the government while the latter is strengthening repression against workers and young people. Workers and young people must learn from this situation. The defense of democratic rights and the fight against the far right cannot be entrusted to parties integrated into the state and engaged in parliamentary alliances with those who are preparing these attacks. The only progressive response lies in building an independent working-class political movement, based on an internationalist socialist programme, to oppose war, austerity, and the authoritarian drift of French and European capitalism. The WSWS calls on workers to build the ICFI and its French section, the Socialist Equality Party. President William Ruto, the Kenyan lackey of imperialism, has condemned the retaliatory strikes by Iran following the coordinated imperialist assault by the United States, the worlds pre-eminent military power, and its nuclear-armed and genocidal ally, Israel. Secretary Marco Rubio meets with Kenyan President William Ruto at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., December 4, 2025. [Photo: US State Department / Freddie Everett] The attack included the murder of Irans head of state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, other senior leaders of the Iranian government, and the killing of hundreds of civilians in major cities across Iran, including schoolchildren. In response, Ruto posted on X, Kenya strongly condemns the strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in the evolving conflict in the Middle East. It is evident that the regionalisation of this conflict poses a grave threat to international peace and security. Iran, the victim of the unprovoked and illegal attack by Washington and Jerusalem, was not even mentioned. Responding to Rutos statement, Irans Ambassador to Kenya Ali Gholampour countered, Right before this aggression in Iran, our authority has, time and again, declared and announced that Iran must defend itself All the bases and facilities that are in the services of the US and the Zionist regime of Israel will be legitimate targets. He subsequently clarified that US bases in Kenya would not be targeted. The US-Israeli assault on Iran is waged in flagrant violation of the US Constitution and international law. The assault was launched while US and Iranian negotiators were still engaged in talks, which Israel has confirmed were a ruse as far as Washington was concerned with a plan to launch the attack a week earlier thwarted for logistical reasons. The aim is to install a puppet regime in Iran that would open its vast oil and gas reserves to Western corporations and fully integrate the country into Washingtons war preparations against China. Ruto, himself once indicted by the International Criminal Court over crimes against humanity related to 2007 post-election violence, is aiming to draw Nairobi ever more tightly into Washingtons agenda of global domination through military means. He seeks to consolidate Kenyas position as a major non-NATO ally and a strategic anchor state for Washingtons operations in the Horn of Africa. Nairobi already hosts foreign military bases that tie it directly to Western military strategy, including the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Laikipia and the US Camp Simba base at Manda Bay. They serve as training, logistics and air strike hubs for operations across East Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Months into office, Ruto backed the genocide in Palestine. The current war arises directly out of the post-October 2023 US-Israeli drive to impose a final solution to the Palestinian question as part of the assertion of unbridled US imperialist control over the Middle East. Kenyan troops remain deployed in Somalia against the al-Shabaab insurgency. Located at the entrance to the Red Sea, Somalia sees around $700 billion in maritime shipping pass by its coast every year, including nearly all of Europes trade with Asia. It is one of Washingtons chokepoints in case of war against China. Ruto has extended this role beyond East Africa. He has dispatched special forces funded by Washington, known for their brutality in anti-terror operations, to the Western Hemispheres most impoverished country Haiti to terrorise the population and ensure gang warfare does not precipitate an outflow of refugees to the US and Canada, and destabilise the Caribbean region. Nairobi has also sent peacekeeping troops to Congos mineral-rich east to stabilise the war-torn region and allow imperialism to plunder minerals such as cassiterite, columbite-tantalite, wolframite, beryl, gold, and monazite. Congos resources are viewed by Washington and its European imperialist allies as key to waging war against Beijing. Ruto has no cares for the fate of the 400,000 Kenyan workers scattered across the Middle East who may become victims of this imperialist war. The Kenyan elite has long treated these workers, primarily women employed as domestic servants, as well as guards, drivers, airport staff, and construction labourers, with disdain. Recruited through private agencies linked to Kenyas political class, including Rutos own family, they are sent into restrictive sponsorship systems that bind their legal status to their employers and leave them vulnerable to passport confiscation, unpaid wages, and physical abuse. The export of labour has become a lucrative channel of enrichment for the Kenyan bourgeoisie. The Kenyan ruling elite will also be concerned about its $261 million in property investments in Dubais opaque real estate marketapproximately 0.3 percent of Kenyas GDP. Much of this wealth was looted from the Kenyan state and shielded behind shell companies and secrecy laws in the United Arab Emirates. Ruto will be personally concerned by how the war will affect his business dealings in the Sudan Civil War. Nairobi is a bridge in the trade of gold plundered by the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces militia, whose networks are deeply intertwined with Gulf markets. For the Kenyan masses, the imperialist war will be felt immediately in the price of fuel, food, and transport. The effects will unfold in a society marked by staggering inequality. A minuscule layer of the super-rich has amassed obscene fortunes: the richest 125 individuals now control more wealth than 77 percent of the populationover 42 million people. Meanwhile, average real wages have fallen by 11 percent since 2020, while the cost of food has surged by roughly 50 percent over the same period. Public spending continues to face cuts under the boot of IMF-dictated austerity, exposing millions to collapsing health and education. The war on Iran comes just weeks after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended a neo-colonial programme of predation and domination as a civilisational mission in the Munich Security Conference. Rubio urged Europe to cast off guilt and shame over empire and openly lamented the decline of the great Western empires. For the Kenyan masses, such rhetoric is a warning. They know very well what this civilisational mission means. Under British colonial rule, Africans were reduced to semi-slave labour through the kipande systemmetal identification passes worn around the neck, fingerprints recorded, employment histories monitored by the state. Movement without permission was criminalised. This colonial architecture existed to guarantee a tightly controlled workforce for settler estates carved out of stolen land and reserved for European settlers, while Africans were driven into overcrowded reserves. Alongside dispossession came cultural assault. Christian missionaries worked day and night to destroy peoples languages and spiritual systems. Tribes, once a fluid identity, became entrenched as part of divide-and-rule, a legacy that is whipped up today by the Kenyan elite. When masses resisted, the response was brutal and murderous. Strikers and protesters were shot and leaders jailed in the 1920s and 1930s. During the Mau Mau uprising of the 1950s, British authorities unleashed counterinsurgency terror: detention camps, kangaroo courts, forced villagisation, and collective punishment. As many as 300,000 people may have died from violence, starvation, disease, and abuse in the camps. Survivors recounted beatings, castrations, and the forced insertion of broken glass bottles into womens vaginas. Dedan Kimathi, leader of the Mau Mau, was captured, subjected to a show trial, and executed in 1957; another 1,100 Kenyans were hanged. When the British flag was lowered, hopes that formal independence would ensure social equality were soon dashed. The post-independence regimes led by Jomo Kenyatta and later Daniel arap Moi, backed by Washington and London, carried forward a system of land looting while intensifying repression against the left and Somali communities. In Nairobi, the basement cells of Nyayo House became infamous torture dungeons where left-wing activists and students were detained without trial, beaten, electrocuted, and waterboarded. Western governments continued to arm and fund these regimes. The Ruto regime has retained the full backing of Western governments as security forces have killed at least 246 protesters and detained thousands over the past year, after demonstrations erupted against the soaring cost of living, tax hikes, and austerity measures dictated by the IMF. Rutos statement has been met with contempt by broad layers of the Kenyan masses. Hundreds of replies on X, along with comments on Instagram and Facebook and beneath online newspaper articles, voice a common sentiment: his statement does not represent Kenyan workers. But anger on social media is not enough. It must be transformed into a conscious political struggle against imperialism and the capitalist system that breeds war. US President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House Oval Office, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney rushed to declare Canadas full-throated support for the criminal US-Israeli war against Iran, in a statement issued just hours after the first wave of missiles and bombs rained down on the country Saturday morning. Speaking for the Canadian ruling elite as a whole, Carney justified this unprovoked, illegal war of aggression that is aimed at imposing regime-change on Iran and asserting unchallenged US hegemony over the worlds most important energy-exporting region. Some 72 hours after its launch, the joint US-Israeli assault has included strikes on more than 2,000 targets across Iran, the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans head of state, and dozens of other leading government and military officials, and the slaughter of over 500 civilians. Repeating would-be dictator Donald Trumps lying war propaganda, Carney declared from India, Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from threatening international peace and security. Canadas position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the worlds worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons. In an official statement issued almost simultaneously, Carney deplored that despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups. Carney also asserted that Israel has the right to defend itself. The truth of the matter is that Iran has always insisted that its nuclear activities are for civilian use only. No evidence has ever been produced to support the claim that Tehran is seeking to build nuclear weapons, as the western-dominated International Atomic Energy Agency has itself repeatedly stated. Moreover, it was Trump who in 2018 torpedoed the UN-backed Iran nuclear accord and unilaterally imposed massive, globally-enforced economic sanctions on Iran with the stated aimed of crashing its economy and precipitating regime change. For decades Iran has been the target of aggression by the US, Israel and their NATO allies including war threats and Irans encirclement by a massive complex of military bases, cyber-warfare and assassinations of nuclear scientists, punishing economic sanctions, and imperialist regime-change wars in neighbouring states (Iraq and Afghanistan)making a mockery of Carneys assertion that it is the main aggressor in the region. Irans bourgeois-clerical regime has attempted to counter imperialist pressure and defend its regional ambitions by developing alliances with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza, while at the same time seeking an accommodation with imperialism. The principal disturbers of international peace and security throughout the Middle East have been for decades American imperialism and its allies, including Canada. They have waged virtually uninterrupted war in the Middle East and Central Asia for over three-and-a-half decades. As US and Israeli forces struck targets across the country, including a girls school in which reportedly 153 people were killed, Carney cynically asserted that Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Irans oppressive regime. He emphasized Canadas longstanding support for regime change in Iran, recalling that Canada has listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, and has sanctioned 256 Iranian entities and 222 individuals in recent years. In offering its unreserved and enthusiastic support for the war against Iran, Carneys statement went even further than the initial comments offered by other allies of US imperialism. Whereas the EU foreign policy chief hypocritically called for maximum restraint, and French President Emmanuel Macron decried the ongoing escalation and said it must stop all in an effort to cast Iranian retaliation as aggression and offer their own support for the regime-change operationCarney did not even attempt to conceal or soften Canadas total support for the illegal US-Israeli war. The Liberal governments enthusiastic embrace of this war of aggression illustrates in stark terms the true nature of its conflict with the Trump administration and the call Carney issued at the World Economic Forum in Davos for an alliance of middle powers that could act together to navigate a world riven by great-power conflict. In the context of Trumps threat to annex Canada and his America first trade war policies, Carney acknowledged that the rules-based international order under US hegemony was at an end and had, in fact, always been a fraud. But when the interests of Canadian imperialism align with those of the US hegemon, as they do in the imperialist drive to reorganize the Middle East, Canada will not hesitate to support any crime. Canada supports the imperialist drive for a New Middle East The ongoing war against Iran is the most recent escalation of a wider regional war unleashed by US imperialism, alongside its Israeli proxy, to assert its unchallenged dominance of the Middle East and deny its chief geopolitical rival China access to the regions immense energy resources and key trade routes. At every step, Canadian imperialism has lined up behind the US and offered its full political support. Canada eagerly backed the illegal 12-day US-Israeli war on Iran launched last June, in which the US and Israeli launched a massive and unprovoked series of airstrikes that killed over 1000 Iraniansmostly civilians. The Carney government, parroting the same baseless claims that Iran was seeking to develop a nuclear weapon used to justify the ongoing war, welcomed the Trump administrations military intervention and demanded that Tehran not retaliate. Likewise, successive Liberal governments under Carney and his predecessor Justin Trudeau have offered their steadfast political support to Israel throughout its imperialist-backed genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. The Zionist regime has also enjoyed Ottawas unflinching support for the series of wars it has waged against what it terms Iranian proxies in neighbouring countries. US imperialisms key regional military ally has pursued a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing and extermination against the Palestinians in Gaza, killing far more than the 75,000 officially acknowledged dead, and instituted a regime of brutal repression and illegal occupation in the West Bank, in an effort to wipe out any Palestinian resistance. It invaded Lebanon to wage a massive assault against Hezbollah, struck the Houthis in Yemen, and occupied even more territory in southern Syria as the Assad regime fell to US and Turkish proxy forces. Throughout this imperialist rampage, in which the US and Israel have committed some of the gravest war crimes of the 21st century, Canada has consistently asserted Israels right to defend itself, i.e. to commit any act of aggression against its perceived enemies, no matter the horrific toll on the civilian population. Canada has funnelled millions of dollars of weaponry through the US to Israel since October 2023, despite its repeated claims to have stopped arms exports. Working with provincial governments of every political stripe, it has systematically suppressed opposition to the genocide and the war at home. From Trudeau on down, government ministers denounced students and workers protesting Israels mass slaughter and Canadas complicity in it as antisemites and gave a free hand to far-right Zionist organizations to intimidate activists. It is highly likely that Canadian forces are directly involved in the present war. So-called exchange officers from the Canadian Armed Forces were based at the US Fifth Fleets headquarters in Bahrain and would have been involved in operational planning, a former CAF senior officer told CBC. The Department of Defence has unconvincingly sought to assert that this was not the case. People watch from a rooftop as a plume of smoke rises after an US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. [AP Photo/Vahid Salemi] A lesser imperialist power, Canada seeks its share of the profits from exploiting the natural resources and economic opportunities opened up by the fall of the Iranian regime and the broader reorganization of the Middle East under US leadership. As the US confronts China with trade war, a massive military build-up, and increasing violent outbursts of imperialist aggression, Canadian imperialism has desperately sought to prove its worth as a junior partner. It is in an effort to obfuscate the fact that the current US-Israeli war on Iran is part of this wider drive to forge a New Middle East that Carneys statement downplays Israels role in the assault. He made no reference to its key role in planning and executing military operations, referring only to Israels right to defend itself. Carney no doubt recognizes that there is massive popular opposition to Israels war crimes and its genocide in Gaza, which would render his attempt to cast this war as an effort to defend human rights and international peace absurd. Moreover, minimizing Israels role in the war against Iran helps conceal the ways that US imperialisms garrison state will be rewarded in the imperialist carve-up of the Middle East, given carte blanche to intensify its attempts to impose a final solution to the Palestinian question and create a Greater Israel by ethnically cleansing the West Bank and Gaza. Canadian imperialism seeks its seat at the table The Carney governments eager support of the US-Israeli war against Iran exposes Carneys high-flown rhetoric in Davos about a coalition of middle powers. Middle powers must act together, he declared, because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu. Hardly a month later, Canadian imperialism is making clear its intention to secure its seat at the table in the carve up of the Middle East with its endorsement of US imperialisms war crimes. Canada is a second-rank imperialist power which has historically pursued its economic and political interests on the world stage through alliances with a dominant imperialist partnerfirst as part of the British Empire and subsequently as a close ally of US imperialism. What Carney termed in Davos the rupture in international relations is the final breakdown of the post-war world order upon which the Canada-US alliance rested. In the new redivision of the world among the imperialists that is well underway, Canadian imperialism seeks to retain some form of collaboration with its erstwhile US ally, while at the same time asserting more forcefully its own predatory interests. While pushing back against Trumps threats to Canadian sovereignty and desperately seeking leverage against the US through diversified international trade and by expanding military-security ties with the European and Asian-Pacific imperialist powers, Canadas capitalist elite hopes to secure its share of the spoils in the Middle East by lining up behind Washingtons war on Iran. The Canadian political and media establishment has fully supported the campaign for regime change in Iran, enthusiastically promoting the pro-imperialist protest movement of Iranian emigres that has called for the fall of the Islamic Republic and the return of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the US-back Shah overthrown by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Like Carney, the Official Opposition Conservative Party, under far-right ideologue Pierre Poilievre, rushed to enthusiastically endorse the US-Israeli war. Poilievre called Iran the principal source of terror in the Middle East and around the world, declaring that Conservatives support a democratic, free and permanently-denuclearized Iran and that Conservatives support the United States, Israel, and our allies across the Gulf to defend their sovereignty and dismantle the clerical military dictatorship of Iran. The two major pro-Quebec independence parties have also made clear they support the predatory objectives of the US-Israeli war and that international law is for them a matter of expediency, to be invoked only when it is in ones self-interest. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the leader of the Parti Quebecois, the principal separatist party, shared a tweet from one of the PQ members of the Quebec National Assembly revelling in the assassination of Khamenei. This underscores what the Quebec separatists mean when they pledge that an independent Quebec would be aligned with US strategic interests. Yves-Francois Blanchet, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, the PQs sister party in the federal parliament denounced the Iranian regime in Carney and Trump-type terms as a persistent threat ... to the security of the region and declared his full support for the Israeli aggressors right to ensure the security of its people. However, he expressed concern that the Trump administration had launched the war without support from the US Congress or the European and Canadian imperialist powers. As a result, continued Blanchet, a BQ endorsement of the US-Israeli war on Iran would be premature. The New Democratic Party (NDP) was the only major party to issue a statement opposing the war. Canadas social democrats strongly condemned the American and Israeli bombing of Iran and deplored the Carney governments decision to support it. The statement asserted that we want Canada to be a voice for diplomacy, peace, and international law. Interim NDP leader Don Davies lamented the fact that the war on Iran contradicts numerous values PM Carney claimed he supported in Davos. Nobody should take this position for good coin. The NDP has propped up the Liberal government in parliament since 2019 and continued to do so while it plays a major role in US/NATO-instigated war on Russia, supports the Gaza genocide, and massively expands military spending. The NDP has systematically suppressed anti-war and anti-genocide voices in its own ranks, and been prominent in the campaign to stoke anti-Chinese sentiment as part of the imperialist powers preparations for war with Beijing. Workers and young people in Canada must unequivocally oppose the US-Israeli war on Iran, and the Carney governments complicity in this naked act of imperialist aggression against a historically oppressed country of 93 million people. This war threatens to plunge the Middle East into a devastating conflict with catastrophic consequences for civilians across the region and has the potential to trigger a global conflagration. The Canadian ruling elite is planning to ruthlessly pursue its imperialist interests in the ongoing redivision of the world, slashing spending on public services to pay for a massive military build-up and clamping down on any domestic opposition to its complicity in the horrific war crimes unleashed by US imperialism and its allies. Imperialist war cannot be stopped by moral appeals to the capitalist political establishment, to uphold peace and international law. Only a politically independent movement of the international working class, leveraging its social power as the source of all productive labour, is powerful enough to halt imperialist war that threatens humanity with destruction. Since its launch on December 12, Socialism AI has provided thousands of users throughout the world with access to the revolutionary perspective of Marxism, drawing from more than 175 years of historical material and nearly three decades of WSWS coverage. With each interaction, it is helping workers and young people understand the world and how to change it. This feature highlights selected questions and answers from Socialism AIconcise, clear and politically insightful responses to some of the most pressing issues of our time. If you come across an answer that you think should be featured in a future installment, use the form at the bottom of this article to submit it for consideration. People walk past buildings damaged during a strike on a police station during ongoing and illegal U.S.-Israeli military attacks in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. [AP Photo/Vahid Salemi] Question for Socialism AI: How is the new war against Iran connected to the wars waged by US imperialism over the past 35 years throughout the Middle East? How is this different from the 2003 invasion of Iraq? What must workers do to oppose this war? Its clearly rapidly spiraling into a region-wide war, despite the claims of the Trump administration that it will end soon. Answer: Global context: Continuity of imperialist policy in the Middle East The new USIsraeli war against Iran is the latest chapter in a continuous 35year trajectory of imperialist intervention, regimechange operations and proxy warfare across the Middle East. Since the 1990s the United States, backed by its NATO partners and regional client states, has repeatedly relied on military force, economic strangulation and covert action to reshape the regions political economy in favour of transnational capital. The WSWS has repeatedly shown that these operations are driven by strategic competition over energy, trade routes and the balance of power among rival capitalist statesnot by humanitarian concerns or the defence of democracy. Key continuities include: the use of military force to secure control over energy supplies and chokepoints (the Strait of Hormuz), the projection of power through forward bases across the Gulf, the weaponization of sanctions and finance, and the reliance on local proxies and allied states (Israel, Gulf monarchies, Turkey) to do much of the ground work. These methods have underpinned US campaigns from the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq invasion to the ongoing interventions in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Gaza. How the current war connects to past interventions Strategic objective of resource control : The assault on Iran continues the pattern of trying to subordinate oil and gas producers to Western corporate interests. The SEP warned that the seizure of Venezuelas oil and the attack on Iran are components of the same strategy to control energy supplies in preparation for confrontation with China (SEP analysis). : The assault on Iran continues the pattern of trying to subordinate oil and gas producers to Western corporate interests. The SEP warned that the seizure of Venezuelas oil and the attack on Iran are components of the same strategy to control energy supplies in preparation for confrontation with China (SEP analysis). Sanctions and economic warfare : Longterm sanctions campaigns have been used to destabilize regimes (Iraq in the 1990s, Iran since 1979) before direct military intervention became feasible. Economic strangulation serves as a prelude and complement to kinetic operations. : Longterm sanctions campaigns have been used to destabilize regimes (Iraq in the 1990s, Iran since 1979) before direct military intervention became feasible. Economic strangulation serves as a prelude and complement to kinetic operations. Proxy warfare and regional fragmentation : The US has repeatedly exploited sectarian, ethnic and national divisionsbacking militias, fostering client regimes and enabling proxy conflicts (Syria, Yemen, Lebanon). The current strikes and anticipated proxy reprisals follow the same playbook, aiming to break Iranian regional influence while containing costs to US forces. : The US has repeatedly exploited sectarian, ethnic and national divisionsbacking militias, fostering client regimes and enabling proxy conflicts (Syria, Yemen, Lebanon). The current strikes and anticipated proxy reprisals follow the same playbook, aiming to break Iranian regional influence while containing costs to US forces. Normalization of extrajudicial strikes: The pattern of targeted assassinations and decapitation operations (from strikes on Iraqi leadership to the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani and now the assassination of Irans leadership) reflects the increasing resort to executive unilateralism and the commission of war crimes. Differences with the 2003 invasion of Iraq While there are continuities with previous wars in the Middle East, including the disastrous Iraq War, there are also critical differences that make the present conflict more dangerous and systemic: Immediate scale and objectives : The 2003 invasion sought regime change through occupation and attempted state reengineering. The current USIsraeli assault began with the targeted assassination of a head of state and massive bombardment of citiesan explicit attempt to decapitate leadership and to rapidly degrade Irans warmaking capacity without an immediate largescale ground occupation. The goal appears both punitive and strategic: to break Irans regional autonomy and to deny rivals, especially China, reliable access to Iranian energy. : The 2003 invasion sought regime change through occupation and attempted state reengineering. The current USIsraeli assault began with the targeted assassination of a head of state and massive bombardment of citiesan explicit attempt to decapitate leadership and to rapidly degrade Irans warmaking capacity without an immediate largescale ground occupation. The goal appears both punitive and strategic: to break Irans regional autonomy and to deny rivals, especially China, reliable access to Iranian energy. Greater risk of regional and greatpower escalation : Irans deeper economic ties to China and strategic links with Russia raise the likelihood that escalation will pull in other major powersthrough sanctions, naval confrontations or proxy movesin a way that 2003 did not immediately. The ICFI has warned that such conflicts can be preludes to confrontation with China and Russia. : Irans deeper economic ties to China and strategic links with Russia raise the likelihood that escalation will pull in other major powersthrough sanctions, naval confrontations or proxy movesin a way that 2003 did not immediately. The ICFI has warned that such conflicts can be preludes to confrontation with China and Russia. Integrated use of precision strikes, cyberwar and economic siege : Modern campaigns blend highprecision aerial attacks, cyber operations and financial measures to achieve strategic aims while attempting to limit visible occupation costs. This hybrid warfare makes conflicts more opaque and enduring. : Modern campaigns blend highprecision aerial attacks, cyber operations and financial measures to achieve strategic aims while attempting to limit visible occupation costs. This hybrid warfare makes conflicts more opaque and enduring. Domestic political crisis in the imperialist centers : The current US administration launched the assault without congressional authorization, announcing it to a political base rather than a national consensusreflecting a growing resort to executive unilateralism and fascistic maneuvers. The political situation at home is more fractured and the public more opposed to new wars than in 2003, changing the imperialist calculus but not its willingness to wage war regardless of popular will. : The current US administration launched the assault without congressional authorization, announcing it to a political base rather than a national consensusreflecting a growing resort to executive unilateralism and fascistic maneuvers. The political situation at home is more fractured and the public more opposed to new wars than in 2003, changing the imperialist calculus but not its willingness to wage war regardless of popular will. Likelihood of rapid regional escalation: Irans geography, its alliances with militias and states across the Levant and the Gulf, and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz make spillover almost inevitable. Attacks on shipping, strikes on bases in neighboring states, and retaliatory assaults on Israel are already occurring. Regional governments, concerned for their own survival and economic stability, may be drawn in directly or become battlegrounds for proxy confrontations. The disruption to oil markets and supply chains will amplify economic shocks globally, increasing pressure on ruling classes to militarize responses. The working class response and the way forward Stopping the imperialist spiral requires conscious, international working class action: Build independent rankandfile committees in workplaces, ports, universities and neighborhoods to organize strikes, blockades and solidarity actions that can disrupt the logistics of war. Demand immediate cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of foreign forces and closure of US bases; rescind sanctions and end all economic warfare. Expose the complicity of bourgeois parties and trade union bureaucracies; refuse to be corralled by patriotic propaganda. Unite workers across borders around a socialist program that links antiwar demands with jobs, public services and democratic rights. Join and build the Socialist Equality Party in your country to coordinate international working class opposition. Imperialism will not be contained by appeals to the powers that created it. Only the organized international working class, acting independently and on a socialist program, can halt the drive to regional catastrophe and open the path to truly democratic, egalitarian solutions. DAR ES SALAAM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Tanzanian government is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in the Middle East and has urged its citizens in the region to exercise heightened caution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation said in a statement on Tuesday. In light of the deteriorating security environment, the government advised Tanzanians residing in or planning to travel to Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman to take necessary precautions. The ministry noted that during periods of heightened insecurity, the provision of in-person consular assistance may be limited depending on location and prevailing conditions. Tanzanians in the region are therefore advised to avoid non-essential travel to or from the Middle East, remain indoors where possible, adhere strictly to directives issued by local authorities, and avoid areas with security or military activity, said the statement. It said citizens are also encouraged to rely on official communication channels for updates and to keep their passports and identification documents in secure, easily accessible locations in case of an emergency. The government further urged Tanzanians in the Middle East to register through the ministry's official diaspora registration platform to facilitate close monitoring and timely assistance, the statement added. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player Over the three days since the United States and Israel launched their illegal and unprovoked war on Iran, the character of the assault has become clear: a massive bombardment aimed at the systematic destruction of the Iranian state and the subjugation of an entire population. Reports indicate that in the first 48 hours alone, US and Israeli forces struck roughly 1,200 targets, using 2,000-pound bombs and conducting decapitation strikes to murder senior political and military leadership. The bombardment has focused on disabling Irans air defenses and the basic nervous system of the countryanti-aircraft batteries, radar, communications networks and command-and-control systemsin preparation for an even more devastating assault. As of Monday afternoon Eastern Time, at least 742 civilians have been reported killed in Iran, including 176 children, with more than 900 injured, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA). Trump has reveled in the slaughter. Were knocking the crap out of them, he told a cable TV anchor, issuing an explicit threat of far greater killing to come: We havent even started hitting them hard. The big one is coming soon. Trump has declared that the war could last four to five weeks and possibly far longer. In a social media post late on Monday night, Trump declared that wars can be fought forever with US weapons stockpiles. Speaking to the far-right New York Post, Trump declared, I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground. Like every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it. The pyromaniacs in the Trump administration and their allies in Israel are setting the entire region aflame and threatening to plunge the world into a catastrophe of staggering dimensions. The justifications and explanations issued by the White House shift by the day and even by the hour. Trump and his aides cannot give a consistent account of why this war was launched, what threat it supposedly answers or what outcome they claim to be pursuing. Trump himself has acknowledged that his plans for a transition after the murder of Ayatollah Khamenei were disrupted by the fact that they had killed everyone in the leadership of the Iranian state. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein] What predominates in Washington is utter gangsterism. This was the political content of the first official military briefing at the Pentagon since the attack began, held Monday morning. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth used the briefing to proclaim, Two days ago, under the direction and direct orders of President Donald J. Trump, the Department of War launched Operation Epic Fury, the most-lethal, most-complex and most-precise aerial operation in history. The most lethal aerial operation in history? Presumably that means more lethal than the firebombing massacres of the Second World War, including the incineration of Tokyo, which killed at least 100,000 people, and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed 90,000 and 60,000, respectively. Hegseth made clear in his remarks that there is no line that the US military will not cross. The war would be fought, he boasted, All on our terms, with maximum authorities, no stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win This is a declaration of intent to wage war as the Nazis did. Hegseth, imitating Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, declares total war: the US wont be constrained by international or domestic law. This is precisely what the Nuremberg Tribunal condemned in judging the Third Reich: the launching of aggressive war as a crime against peacethe supreme international crimewhich led ultimately to the execution of those responsible. Baying for blood, Hegseth extolled the warrior ethos, declaring: We are not defenders anymore. We are warriors, trained to kill the enemy and break their will. At one point, Hegseth hailed Israel as capable partners unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force. That is, the Israeli genocide in Gaza is to be the model for Iran. The entire briefing had a menacing tone: A regime that has launched an illegal war and is preparing mass killing is simultaneously declaring that it owes the American people no explanation and will tolerate no questioning. When a reporter cited Trumps statement that the bombing would continue for four to five weeks, Hegseth sneered that it was a gotcha question. The White House and the Pentagon recognize no constraint on their actions other than what Trump earlier described as his own morality. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convened an emergency Board of Governors session on March 2 after Iran alleged that the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility was struck. In his statement, Director General Rafael Grossi warned that we cannot rule out a possible radiological release with serious consequences, including the necessity to evacuate areas as large or larger than major cities if attacks on nuclear sites continue. Hegseths remarks also pointed to the next stage of escalation. Refusing to rule out boots on the ground, he echoed Trumps own statements and left open the prospect of a US-led invasioni.e., a full-scale land war against a country of roughly 93 million people. The 2003 Iraq invasion began with about 145,000 US troops, which US officials described as only a fraction of what would be needed to invade Iran. Iran is larger, more mountainous, and more populous than Iraq, and far more capable of sustaining prolonged resistance. Any attempt at regime change by ground conquest would, by any serious measure, require several hundred thousand troops at the outset, with vastly larger forces demanded by occupation and internal control. Standard counterinsurgency and occupation planning by the strategists of US imperialism uses a benchmark of roughly 2025 security personnel per 1,000 residents; applied to Irans population, that implies a total presence on the order of roughly 1.9 to 2.3 million troops. A war on this scale cannot be fought without the total subordination of American society to war. The immense costs will be imposed through a massive assault on the working class. At the same time, the government will be compelled to suppress opposition by force. A prolonged war against a country of 93 million people requires not only bombs and troops abroad but a ferocious police state at home. The utter criminality of the Trump administrations foreign policy is inseparable from its war on the Constitution and democratic rights within the United States. The regime is openly preparing measures to rig the 2026 electionsor even suspend them entirelythrough bogus claims of mass voting by illegal aliens, while issuing threats that opponents of its policies of war, austerity and repression will be rounded up en masse. The Trump regime has initiated a war whose consequences they neither foresee nor control. There is an element of insanity in its actions, but it is an insanity rooted in class interests. The war against Iran arises out of decades of expanding US aggression, driven by the imperative of American imperialism to counter its economic decline through military violence. At the same time, the Trump administration confronts an escalating political crisis at home, intensified by the Epstein revelations, which have ripped away any remaining veil from the operations of a criminal oligarchy. A government mired in crimes and threatened by growing popular anger responds as such governments always do: It seeks salvation in war. In the corporate media and throughout the political establishment there is no serious explanation, let alone indictment, of the origins and consequences of this war: for the Iranian people, for the region threatened with conflagration and for the entire world. It is not the Democratic Party that Trump fears. He knows very well that the Democratic leadership is on its knees, begging only for a seat at the war table. This week, Senate and House Democrats are proceeding with two separate political charades, pretending to oppose the war but actually doing nothing. The Senate will vote on legislation under the War Powers Act restricting Trumps actions in Iran. Even if it passes, which is unlikely, it would not be by the margin required to overcome the inevitable Trump veto. The House Democrats avoided this problem by presenting their antiwar bill as a mere resolution, which does not have the force of law and would not represent the slightest obstacle to Trumps criminal war. This is not opposition to war but collaboration. The Democratic Party is a party of Wall Street and American imperialism. It defends the same class interests as the Republicans and is committed to the global operations of US militarism. Its principal fear is not Trumps war and dictatorship, but the emergence of a movement from below. The intensifying war crisis underscores the urgency of the statement issued by the Socialist Equality Party National Committee yesterday, Stop the criminal US-Israeli war against Iran! The statement outlined the basis upon which the fight against war must be waged: First, the struggle against war must be based on the working class, the great revolutionary force in society, uniting behind it all progressive elements in the population. Second, the new anti-war movement must be anti-capitalist and socialist, since there can be no serious struggle against war except in the fight to end the dictatorship of finance capital and the economic system that is the fundamental cause of militarism and war. Third, the new anti-war movement must be completely and unequivocally independent of, and hostile to, all political parties and organizations of the capitalist class. Fourth, the new anti-war movement must, above all, be international, mobilizing the vast power of the working class in a unified global struggle against imperialism. We call on workers and youth to mobilize against this criminal war and the entire US-Israeli assault on the Middle East. The factories, ports, logistics hubs, schools and hospitals must become centers of discussion and organized resistance. Call meetings to demand the immediate end of this war. Expose the lies that justify this aggression, reject every attempt to silence opposition, and take up the fight for an international socialist program against war and dictatorship. Grad student instructors and supporters march during the strike at University of Michigan On February 12, Michigans Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer intervened to suppress the contract struggle of academic workers at the University of Michigan (U-M). Micki Czerniak, a state mediator appointed by the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC), ordered a mandatory 28-day pause in negotiations between the university administration and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO). This cooling-off period functions as a de facto state injunction. It is a political maneuver designed to break the workers momentum, criminalize their use of their basic democratic rights and shield the university administration from the demands of the rank and file. The mediators directive stipulates that the suspension must be used to establish stringent security protocols for future sessions, explicitly aiming to limit the number of rank-and-file participants, implement identification procedures and potentially relocate the talks entirely off campus to Detroit. The pretext used by the U-M administration and the MERC mediator for this intervention was a peaceful protest on February 6. Approximately 100 GEO members mobilized outside a private caucus room to demand transparent, face-to-face bargaining, ending the administrations reliance on closed-door shuttle bargaining. When workers approached the room to deliver handwritten letters, Human Resource representatives slammed the door shut and refused to engage. The administration fled the premises and manufactured a narrative of safety concerns and escalating emotions to justify suspending the talks. The timing is decisive. The state and university have chosen a window in the academic calendar when the GEOs most potent leveragethe withholding of teaching, grading and end-of-term workcan be neutralized. Pushing bargaining into the final weeks before terms end reduces picket pressure as students disperse and allows the administration to dock pay and to prepare scab staffing or automated replacements over the summer. It forces exhausted, cash-strapped graduate workers to choose between immediate survival and sustained resistance. This is a repetition of the exact Summer Break trap that led to the 2023 betrayal. Poverty wages, soaring rents within the military-industrial complex The immediate driver of the contract dispute is a brutal economic grinder that is systematically reducing academic workers to destitution. Non-PhD graduate student workers at U-M are currently paid poverty wages, with annual stipends stagnating around $29,000. Against this fixed income, the cost of living in Ann Arbor has become entirely unlivable. Studio apartments in Ann Arbor now average $2,043 per month, a staggering 17 percent annual increase. The persistent claim by the Board of Regents that there is no money to meet the unions demands for a living wage is a transparent, empirically verifiable lie. The refusal to pay is a deliberate class policy designed to protect the universitys multibillion-dollar endowment. While starving its educators, the university is awash in massive infusions of defense funding, functioning as an intellectual node in the logistical and strategic preparations for global imperialist war. In January 2024, the U.S. Army extended its relationship with the U-M Automotive Research Center (ARC), signing a five-year agreement to provide up to $100 million in funding. The ARC focuses on developing autonomous off-road vehicles and virtual prototypes for military application. The university announced in September 2025 the Center for Prediction, Reasoning and Intelligence for Multiphysics Exploration (C-PRIME), backed by a $19.4 million grant from the Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration. Directed by Aerospace Engineering Professor Venkat Raman, C-PRIME utilizes exascale supercomputing to develop an AI oracle specifically geared toward next-generation hypersonic weapons. The university administration is directly complicit in the preparation for military confrontation with China by collaborating in the witch-hunt persecution of five Chinese-born plant biologists. The IYSSE at U-M has raised a principled defense of these researchers. The lessons of 2023 The current impasse and state repression characterizing the 2026 negotiations are the direct continuation of the historic betrayals orchestrated by the union apparatus during the 2023 U-M GEO strike. The 2023 strike was systematically isolated, financially starved and ultimately liquidated by the leadership of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the parent union of the GEO. AFT President Randi Weingarten, who draws an extortionate annual salary of over $426,000, was a staunch defender of the Biden-Harris administrations war policies and a prominent Zionist. During the 2023 strike, the AFT bureaucracy completely withheld its massive national strike fundwith net assets of $55 millionrefusing to provide any meaningful strike pay. The AFT leadership kept the struggle sealed off from simultaneous academic strikes at Rutgers University and in Chicago. The executive leadership of the GEO, politically dominated by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), serves as the left face of this bureaucracy. While deploying performative, radical rhetoric, they consistently channel genuine working class dissent back into the legalistic framework of the capitalist state. Confronted by the MERC injunction, the DSA-led leadership is prioritizing procedural maneuvering over mobilizing the broader working class to defy the states dictates. The broadening attack: the crisis in Ann Arbor Public Schools The assault on graduate workers is part of a comprehensive offensive against the entire working class. Within the local public school district, Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS), nearly 2,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff are currently working under a contract that expired on December 31. In 2024, to maintain a $45 million fund balance and satisfy credit rating agencies, the school board aggressively slashed $20.4 million from the budget. This austerity resulted in the elimination of 141 critical positions, including 94 teachers, devastating essential programs like elementary world languages, STEAM and music. The struggle of AAPS educators is being actively suppressed by the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) and the Michigan Education Association (MEA). AAEA President Fred Klein allowed the contract to lapse without organizing any fight, explicitly endorsing the districts strategy of reducing staff through attrition. The union bureaucracys limited job actions, such as suspending voluntary extracurricular supervision, are cynical pressure tactics designed to let off steam while avoiding a genuine confrontation with the Democratic Party establishment that oversees this austerity. Build rank-and-file committees of educators Educators must draw the necessary political conclusions. The fight for living wages in Michigan is inextricably linked to the global fight against World War III and capitalist barbarism. GEO members must immediately convene rank-and-file meetings. They should elect an accountable strike committee, publish a non-negotiable demands list (a living stipend indexed to local cost-of-living, immediate backpay, no reprisals, public livestreamed bargaining with elected worker delegates, and a categorical pledge by the university not to cooperate with ICE), and begin a city-wide and cross-sector solidarity outreach to faculty, service workers, AAPS educators and municipal unions in Detroit. They should demand the release of national union strike resources and prepare for continuous picketing that prevents the administration from simply waiting out the term. Publicize every instance of university collusion with military and intelligence funding so the campus fight becomes a political issue the administration cannot hide. The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) launched an Index of Repression last Wednesday, in collaboration with Forensic Architecture. Their Index collects 964 UK instances of repression against pro-Palestinian speech and protest between January 2019 and August 2025. Amira Abdelhamid, Sajia Iqbal, Bob Trafford, and Tara Mariwany at the launch of the Index of Repression. Visualised in a searchable database, these instances are broken down into acts of censorship, disinformation and smearing; legal threats; arrest or other intervention by law enforcement; workplace sanctions; harassment, violence and surveillance; financial and professional repercussions; threats to employment or funding; and protest bans, event cancellations and refused services. They are also categorised by the actor instigating these actions, most prominently the police, members of educational institutions, Israeli advocacy or lawfare groups, journalists or media figures, and their targets, including activists, students, teachers and academics, public sector workers and cultural figures. The ELSC provides free legal advice and assistance to groups and individuals advocating for Palestine across Europe. It has fought cases including Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittahs unlawful barring from speaking in Germany and the false accusation of two Birmingham University students of intimidation. Speaking on the panel, Assistant Director at Forensic Architecture Bob Trafford explained the value of the database in making clear system-wide characteristics, behaviours and ambitions which may not be legible in each individual incident. The data revealed the operation of a system, not something which is centrally directed but something which is multipolar and self-reinforcing. A system which seeks to raise, intolerably, the personal cost to individuals who speak out and act. Tara Mariwany, Senior Monitoring Officer with ELSC, ran through the key findings. Nearly a third of people targeted are activists, 22 percent are students, and 13 percent are within the category of academics, writers and teachers. A written introduction to the database produced by ELSC explained, This system, while far-reaching, concentrates deliberately on sectors fundamental to shaping public discourse and holding public trust. The repression strategically targets the core pillars of the solidarity movement: its intellectual foundation, its public organisers, and its trusted public voices. Tara added, significantly, that 119 of the recorded incidents showed journalists or media institutions as the actors of oppression. Also on the panel was secondary school teacher Sajia Iqbal, who spoke publicly for the first time after being targeted by UK Lawyers for Israel, the Jewish Chronicle and GB News for taking part in a protest against Israel: an organised smear campaign to break my spirit and destroy my livelihood. Sajia, in a personal capacity, while in a larger group of protesters, removed Israeli goods from the shelves of a Sainsbury's shop and placed them in a shopping trolley, which was draped with a Palestinian flag. No complaints were made, and the police were not called. Amid widespread public smears, UKLFI wrote to her school claiming she had committed aggravated trespass and was an unsuitable role model. The school began an investigation into her. Sajias case was taken up by the ELSC and she announced she was now taking her employer to an employment tribunal. Amira Abdelhamid, ELSCs Research Officer, summed up the findings: Anti-Palestinian repression is justified through the allegation of, one, antisemitism and, two, support for terrorism. You can think of this as the master narrative attached to the Palestine solidarity movement in Britain. Obviously also beyond Britain, but in the British context they are given particular force by powerful tools such as the IHRA definition of antisemitism and the Terrorism Act. Amira Abdelhamid She continued, The whole point is to create a chilling effect The system of repression is designed to make us believe that speaking out will always lead to punishment. The immediate goal is to convince us that the Palestine solidarity movement is not a legitimate ethical and political struggle. The WSWS asked during a Q&A whether the panellists felt this campaign could be used to set a precedent for attacks on democratic rights in a broader context. Two examples that spring to mind are the injunctions against persons unknown, which were used widely against student protesters for Palestine; a similar injunction has now been used against supporters of an ongoing strike in Birmingham. The other example is were meeting under the looming threat of a potential US-led war against Iran and it seems the whole architecture [of repression] that has been built up here could be very easily applied to attacking an anti-war movement. Multiple UK universities have secured injunctions against persons unknown (that is, anyone), pre-emptively ordering such persons not to carry out protest activity on university property, on pain of a two-year jail sentence, a 2,500 fine, or both. The process is extremely anti-democratic, going ahead without a defendant who can be legally represented and often with an extremely short notice period. Birmingham City Council has recently secured such an injunction against people protesting in support of striking bin workers at their depots, coming on top of an injunction against the workers themselves and putting the final brick in a legal wall against effective picketing. ELSCs senior legal officer for Britain, Anna, spoke to note that these injunctions had had a broad impact, especially against the climate justice movement. Their use against students was quite extraordinary as it represented a move from private organisations and private property rights to an educational institution which has duties to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom on campus. It was a real disappointment to see universities engaging in these kinds of tactics against their own students and weaponising their codes of freedom of speech against protesters. The ELSC had intervened in those cases to try and at least have a presence in the court and be able to put forward some of the human rights arguments. We really exposed the way that our legal system privileges property rights. Anna pointed to an ongoing case being fought by Friends of the Earth in the European Court of Human Rights, challenging persons unknown injunctions under Articles 10 and 11 (freedom of expression and assembly) and 6 (the right to a fair trial). Amira explained that the Index of Repression project was describing a process of a de-politicisation. And that means this can be used over and over again: these kinds of processes of depoliticising movements and securitising them. This was connected with the rise of fascism and the success of these reactionary movements. Germanys ruling class is preparing to introduce a social media ban for young people. This has become clear in public debates and party conference resolutions in recent weeks. Parties and media of every stripe are clamouring for a crackdown on social media. Icons of various social media platforms The first step was taken by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentary group with a position paper calling for a comprehensive social media ban for young people in three stages: For children and youth under 14 years there should be a complete ban. Platforms should be required to introduce technically effective control mechanisms. Violations would face the threat of appreciable sanctions. For 14- to 16-year-olds there should be a youth version of platforms that dispenses with so-called addiction-enhancing factors, such as infinite scrolling, and has no personalised feeds. And for 16- to 18-year-olds, personalised feeds should only be available as an on-off feature. At its party conference in Stuttgart, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the chancellors party, then adopted calls for a similar ban by a broad majority. While the CDU resolution, compared with the SPD paper, remains generally rather vague about the concrete design of the ban, it also calls for a complete ban for under-14s and restrictions for 14- to 16-year-olds. The Greens have already announced their support for a social media ban. Asked about the resolutions of the CDU party conference, the Greens chairwoman, Franziska Brantner, said, I have been calling for this for a long time. At the same time, she criticised the CSU for its hitherto hesitant stance: Protecting our children and young people would definitely be worth showing a clear edge here even against [Christian Social Union, CSU chairman Markus] Soder. The Left Party, which has so far spoken out against a ban, does not do so on principle, but merely from the standpoint of optimal implementation. Left Party parliamentary leader Heidi Reichinneck said on the ntv talk show Pinar Atalay that such a ban would be difficult to implement because young people were too clever. Instead, she relies on tried-and-tested methods: in news weekly Der Spiegel she demanded that existing censorship measures, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), be finally implemented consistently. Germany is not alone in these plans. After Australia introduced a social media ban for young people under age 16 last December, dozens of countries worldwide are planning similar bans. The French National Assembly recently passed a social media ban for young people under age 15. President Macron is pushing for its enforcement by the new school year. Similar restrictions are also being discussed or put in place in Spain, Italy, Belgium and Denmark. The social media ban is being justified in that it would allegedly protect children and young people. It is supposed to especially protect against mental health problems such as online addiction, sleep or eating disorders as a result of the use of social media. Claims the planned bans are about the well-being of young people is a blatant lie. Scientifically speaking, the positive benefit of a social media ban for young people is at best disputed. In Australia, the overwhelming majority of mental health advocacy groups rejected a social media ban. With a ban, the risk of social isolation increases sharply, especially among vulnerable groups. Coming from the government and parliamentary parties, the claim that they care about the welfare of young people is particularly hypocritical. For decades they have been smashing apart the welfare state, letting schools and other educational institutions rot, and robbing young people of any future prospects. During the COVID-19 pandemic they systematically allowed the population to become infected, especially in schools, leading to the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands. Now, with the reintroduction of conscription in Germany, youth are to die again at the front for German imperialism. So while at 16 one is just old enough to watch short videos on social media, two years later one is old enough to kill with a weapon and die in battle. The ruling class is completely indifferent to the well-being of youthwhether it is young people in Germany who have been neglected for decades, Ukrainians and Russians who must give their lives in the interests of imperialism, or Palestinian children who are being killed by the thousands by Israel with support from Germany. What the social media ban is really about is the attempt to curb the growing politicisation, radicalisation and international networking of youth. In a situation where bourgeois media are only broadcasting war propaganda, it is often social media that offers young people a differentiated perspective. Through live reports about wars and crises around the world, young people are increasingly recognising that capitalism has nothing left to offer them except poverty and death, and that the explanations of official politics are empty rhetoric and lies. At the same time, young people are searching for an alternative perspective and not infrequently encounter a socialist one through social media. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world have participated in protests against the genocide in Gaza, which they were able to follow on social media. At present, a movement against war and the reintroduction of conscription is developing among young people and young adults. Both movements are based on information that young people obtain through social media. At the same time, they enable young people to network internationally. The new Sinus Youth Study by health insurer Barmer shows that among the concrete fears of young people, the issue of war is clearly at the top, at 63 percent, an increase of 10 percentage points within three years. Behind it follow climate change, populism and extremism and environmental pollution, each at 43 percent. Young people who are worried about the development of war are now to be isolated and pacified. The social media ban is an authoritarian act of censorship that is intended to make it impossible for young people to independently verify facts and network with each other. They are to only have the right to hear the ruling classs propaganda and must trust it unconditionally. Germany today is thereby ideologically tying itself to the Prussian authoritarian state of Bismarck, and even going beyond it. While in 19th century Prussia articles were excised from newspapers, today youth are to be excluded and isolated from central parts of the internet. Workers and young people must firmly reject this ban. The plans to ban social media are a serious warning. Germany is rearming as has not been seen since Hitler and is preparing for a third world war, for which the youth are to be sent into the trenches and brought into line. This must be prevented. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) call on all young people to resist this. Independent rank-and-file action committees must be formed at schools and universities to organise international resistance against war and enforced conformity. And above all, a socialist organisation must be built to lead this struggle. We call on all young people who agree with this perspective: sign up today via the form below to get in touch with the IYSSE and wage this struggle. No time must be lost. New Zealands National Party-led coalition government has lined up squarely behind the criminal USIsraeli onslaught on Iran, signalling once again that NZs ruling class fully supports Washingtons imperialist war to conquer the Middle East and impose its global hegemony. New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon speaks in Waitangi on February 5, 2026 [Photo: Facebook/Christopher Luxon] In a statement dripping with lies and hypocrisy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on March 1: We acknowledge that the actions taken overnight by the US and Israel were designed to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security. Echoing almost word for word the Trump administrations war propaganda, Luxon and Peters declared, The Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future. They cynically condemned Irans retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and US bases in the Middle East, saying, We cannot risk further regional escalation, and civilian life must be protected. Speaking to Radio NZ (RNZ), Luxon called the Iranian regime evil and said our position is the same as the Australian position. Australias Labor Party PM Anthony Albanese has fully endorsed the US war. To call Washington and Tel Aviv the guardians of international peace and security and protectors of civilian life turns reality upside down. Israels fascistic government, led by the wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu, is continuing its genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which has killed well over 75,000 people and reduced whole cities to rubble. The Trump administration, like the Biden administration before it, is fully complicit in these atrocities. The renewed attack on Iranlike the 12-day war in June 2025, which NZ also endorsedis an unprovoked act of aggression. In addition to murdering Ayatollah Ali Khameini and other leaders of the Iranian government, US and Israeli bombs have killed hundreds of people, including around 200 children at the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in Minab. Gandhi Hospital in northern Tehran has also been hit. Asked whether he supported the bombing of the girls school, Luxon told reporters yesterday that it was up to them [the US and Israel] to present what has happened there because Im not in a position to judge that from sitting in New Zealand. Effectively giving a blank check to imperialist aggression, Luxon declared that any actions that stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is a good thing. In fact, it is well-known that Iran is nowhere near having the ability to produce such weapons. The aim of US imperialism is to reverse its economic decline by unleashing military violence across the planet, with catastrophic consequences. The US operations against Venezuela and Iran, and the ongoing war against Russia over Ukraine, are stepping stones in a broader strategy to secure energy supplies, shipping routes and regional dominance in preparation for war against China. New Zealand, a minor imperialist power, is a key US ally in the Pacific region and part of the US-led Five Eyes global surveillance network. Like Australia, Canada and Britain, the NZ ruling class is determined to have its seat at the table in the violent carve-up of the worlds resources and markets. Successive governments have actively supported criminal US wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. The last Labour government deployed NZ soldiers to Britain to assist in training Ukrainian conscripts, and the present National government has sent military personnel to assist in the US-led bombing of Yemen. New Zealand is integrated into US and Australian warmongering against China. The government, with Labours full support, aims to double military spending from 1 to 2 percent of GDP and is preparing to rapidly increase recruitment. This is being paid for with harsh cuts to public healthcare, education and other vital services. With an election approaching in November, the opposition parties are highly conscious of anti-war sentiment among ordinary people and are trying to keep it under control. Former Labour PM Helen Clark called Luxon and Peters statements a disgrace and denounced the attack on Iran as illegal. In a mealy-mouthed statement, Labour leader Chris Hipkins did not condemn the US and Israel but said: The attacks on Iran and the retaliatory strikes undermine international peace and security and put civilian lives at risk. He called on the Luxon government to urge all partiesincluding close alliesto show restraint, pursue diplomatic solutions and first and foremost, protect the rights and safety of Iranian civilians. Labour agrees, in other words, that NZ must remain a close ally of the fascist Trump regime as it rampages across the globe. Hipkins and Clark have sought to rewrite history by again claiming that Clarks Labour government did not support the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In fact, it deployed dozens of army engineers to join the criminal war in order to protect NZs commercial interests and ties with US imperialism. Hipkins was prime minister when Israel launched its onslaught against the people of Gaza in October 2023. In words nearly identical to Luxons recent statements, Hipkins said he was not going to make a judgement about Israels bombing of civilians and slandered opponents of the genocide as anti-semitic. Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson issued a statement calling the US-Israeli attack on Iran an illegal and unprovoked act against the people of the region and any genuine pathway to peace. She declared that Luxons failure to condemn Trumps illegal actions again demonstrates his lack of leadership or moral courage. The Green Party, however, spent six years in a coalition government with Labour from 2017 to 2023, which strengthened the alliance with the US. The party backed the US-NATO war against Ukraine and argued for a major increase in NZs military spending. At a recent parliamentary committee hearing where Defence Force leaders demanded a rapid increase in recruiting, Greens MP Teanau Tuiono voiced no objections and stated: I hear what youre saying around being combat ready. The Greens, along with middle-class groups like the International Socialist Organisation and Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, played a major role over the past two-and-a-half years in channeling mass protests against the Gaza genocide into futile appeals to the NZ and US governments to change course and stop supporting Israel. Workers and young people must draw fundamental political lessons from the failure of this perspective. Despite the largest and most sustained anti-war and anti-genocide protests the world has ever seen, imperialist violence has only continued to escalate. The plunge into World War III will not be stopped by appealing to the conscience of imperialist and fascist governments. It can only be halted by mobilising the working class internationally based on a socialist program to abolish the source of war: the capitalist system. This struggle requires new organisations. In opposition to the union bureaucracywhich supports war and has prevented strikes against the Gaza genocideworkers must form rank-and-file committees that they themselves control. These committees must coordinate industrial actions across national borders to stop the production and shipment of weapons. The most urgent task facing workers and young people is to build the socialist and internationalist party that is required to lead the revolutionary struggles that will inevitably erupt. We urge readers in New Zealand to contact the Socialist Equality Group and join the fight to build it as the NZ section of the International Committee of the Fourth International. ACCRA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Ghana has rolled out its 5G internet network to boost network reliability and digitalization, according to a statement on Tuesday. Next Gen Infraco (NGIC), the company licensed by the government to build and operate the wholesale 4G and 5G networks in the country, said in a release that the National Communications Authority (NCA) had approved its preparation and requirements processes, paving the way for the commencement of operations. "Following inspections and technical validation processes, the NCA has confirmed that NGIC is cleared to proceed in accordance with its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure License. With that confirmation, Ghana's wholesale 4G/5G platform is now live in selected locations in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale," the statement announced. It said the network is also live in other key locations, but nationwide expansion will progress in phases, marking a significant milestone in Ghana's digital development agenda. "Today, Ghana moves from 5G ambition to 5G execution. The shared backbone is commercially active and positioned to scale," NGIC Chief Executive Officer Tenu Awoonor said. According to Awoonor, the NGIC structure enables nationwide coordination of infrastructure investment while preserving innovation and competition at the retail level. The NCA licensed NGIC in 2024 to build, deploy and operate the 4G/5G network platform on a wholesale basis, enabling licensed mobile network providers to deliver competitive retail services over a common national backbone, as Ghana seeks to achieve 70 percent 5G network coverage by 2027. MAPUTO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) on Tuesday donated about 50,000 U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid to Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) to support post-disaster recovery efforts in affected communities. The donation ceremony was held at INGD headquarters in Maputo and attended by Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Zheng Xuan, INGD President Luisa Meque and CNPC Mozambique General Manager Yang Jin. The INGD expressed appreciation for the assistance, noting that the funds will help ease humanitarian pressure, improve living conditions for affected families and support reconstruction efforts in disaster-hit areas. Zheng said China and Mozambique share a long-standing traditional friendship and maintain close cooperation across various fields. She reaffirmed China's support for Mozambique in addressing humanitarian challenges and advancing post-disaster recovery. Yang said that since entering the Mozambican market, CNPC has adhered to the principles of mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, integrating corporate social responsibility into its operations while contributing to the development of the local oil and gas sector. The donation reflects CNPC's commitment to supporting local communities and responding to Mozambique's urgent needs, Yang said, adding that the company will continue to promote energy cooperation and public welfare initiatives to contribute to the country's socio-economic development. Meque thanked CNPC for its timely support and said the INGD will ensure the proper management and effective use of the funds to strengthen disaster response capacity and provide assistance to those most in need. ISLAMABAD/KABUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has carried out fresh airstrikes on Taliban positions in eastern Afghanistan, targeting sites in Jalalabad, security sources said on Tuesday. The strikes destroyed an ammunition depot and a drone storage facility in Jalalabad, the sources said. Pakistani security forces repelled multiple cross-border attacks in the southwest Balochistan and northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces overnight, killing at least 67 Afghan militants, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday. Separately, the Pakistan Air Force struck the Bagram air base during an operation early on Sunday, security officials confirmed on Tuesday. Enayatullah Khwarizmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of National Defense, confirmed the air base strikes during a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday. However, the attack resulted in no casualties and did not cause any significant damage, according to Khwarizmi, who emphasized that war is not Afghanistan's preferred course of action. Leslie Wheelock, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the first Native American to serve as a trustee at Cornell University, became the new chair of the board of directors for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts in Santa Fe earlier this year, succeeding Dawn Houle. The organization is best known for producing the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, billed as the largest and most prestigious Native art event in the world, taking place each August on the Plaza and surrounding streets. Wheelock owns and operates Wheelock Consulting PLLC, a firm that specializes in tribal legal business and management consulting. She also serves on the board of directors for Phillips Collection in Washington and has served on the SWAIA board since 2024. Advertisement Advertisement The New Mexican recently submitted several questions to Wheelock about her career and her plans for SWAIA. Some of her responses have been edited for clarity and style. Question: What attracted you to SWAIA initially and what has your experience with the organization been like since you joined the board in 2024? Answer: I began working close to Native art and artists in a number of positions at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., as it was beginning to open. The education and interests I gained at the NMAI continued well beyond the NMAI and back again as I served in several committee positions at the NMAI in New York as well as on the board of trustees for the institution. My introduction to the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts came through visiting their summer and winter Indian Markets while I was visiting my family in Santa Fe. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to support the art and artists that make up the Santa Fe Indian Market when the SWAIA board chair invited me to bring my board experiences to work with the SWAIA board. I started out working with the Governance Committee on updating the SWAIA bylaws and other governance concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Question: What are some of the more significant challenges the organization faces and what will you be concentrating on as the new board chair? Answer: From the perspective of someone relatively new to the organization, I see a lot of room for growth. The highest hurdle has always been supporting a full-time staff on inconsistent revenue from the summer and winter Indian Markets alone. As SWAIA has opened the door to Native fashion and branched out with partners throughout Santa Fe as well as other arts, I see a growing interest in supporting SWAIA and its partner nonprofits in the city and beyond. I have two additional areas of concentration. One is completely internal to SWAIA and consists of ensuring that the organization is strong financially as well as operationally so that it is ready to open up grant opportunities that support its work and its maintenance of a high quality for the artists it features during the summer and winter markets. The other is to find ways to work with and support the work of IAIA and its students and graduates. SWAIA has education in its mission, and I believe that the two organizations share goals of supporting young and growing artists. Advertisement Advertisement I began visiting IAIA when I worked for the National Congress of American Indians and then learned more about the university during visits when it was part of my portfolio as the director of tribal relations for USDA. That background, combined with the history of my Wheelock/Gonzales/Ninham relatives at the school already had me interested. The day I arrived in Santa Fe in December, the local Santa Fe newspaper featured an article describing how the Santa Fe art scene doesnt support young Native artists. Along with other goals, I am hoping SWAIA, along with its nonprofit partners, can work together to create or adapt a more supportive art scene for our young Native artists so they do not need to move away in order to survive. Question: How has the other work youve done over your career prepared you for this position? Answer: I have been working with boards and on boards for about 26 years initially as the corporate secretary of a small commercial company and then on the boards of the Oneida Nation government contracting company, the NMAI advancement in New York, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Cornell University, the Phillips Collection and now SWAIA. While all of these roles have helped prepare me for the actual board work of a nonprofit entity, nothing could prepare anyone for the engine that is SWAIA and the work it does with a handful of employees and a boat load of volunteers. I am learning every day while working to make the organization stronger. Question: This years Indian Market will be your first as the board chair. Whats your favorite element of that event and do you think your perspective on the market will change in your new role? Advertisement Advertisement Answer: My favorite element is listening to the artists share their stories with interested shoppers. There are many lessons one can learn from walking through Indian Market and stopping to listen as well as asking questions of the artists. Question: Is there anything about Indian Market youd like to see evolve or grow while you serve as board chair? Answer: While it would take a lot, I would like to see Indian Market become more financially self-sufficient and less expensive for the vendors. At the same time, I would like to see an outlet for more contemporary artists and diverse art forms the way that you see symphony orchestras educate listeners about new and contemporary composers. Finally, I would like to see SWAIA continue to grow beyond Indian Market to continue to bring diverse arts and artists to Santa Fe for programs, exhibitions and education. Hollywood loves a rebrand, and this years Actor Awards the new name for the SAG Awards fully embraced the reset. Kristen Bell returned to host, kicking things off with the beloved Im an actor segment, in which Michael J. Foxs appearance set an emotional tone that carried through the evening, from Catherine OHaras posthumous win to Harrison Fords funny, heartfelt speech. But this wasnt just a room full of actors getting misty. The energy inside was buzzy, starry and surprisingly loose. Sinners and especially Michael B. Jordan felt like clear favorites with applause that bordered on deafening and more than a few very famous fans (Jacob Elordi among them) jumping to their feet at every mention. And despite what a few quieter moments might have sounded like on TV (justice for presenter Woody Harrelson, who had our table cracking up), the celebrities inside the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles were far more animated between segments than the broadcast fully captured. During the limited commercial breaks, celebs sprinted to one another's tables to talk. Guests at the bar offscreen occasionally had to be gently shushed because everyone was too busy catching up. The whole evening felt a little like a high school reunion just with a lot more famous people. Advertisement Advertisement Let me take you inside. One (very) loud thing With less than two weeks until the Oscars, consider this a potential plot twist. If a room full of actors many of them academy voters is any indication, Sinners could absolutely play spoiler to awards-season favorite One Battle After Another. When Jordans name was called for best actor, beating presumed frontrunner Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme), the reaction inside the room was truly deafening. He looked stunned the kind of surprise winners often claim, but you could tell he meant it and the standing ovation was so long he couldnt even begin speaking for several beats. The most emotional moment came when he thanked his mom, Donna, his date for the night, recalling how she drove him to auditions in New York even when money was tight. When we didnt have enough for the Holland Tunnel when we were looking for gas money, parking spaces, he said, making direct eye contact with his mother as she held back tears. Advertisement Advertisement And in a very SAGs-specific reminder that this room is just a sea of stars navigating the same maze of security and scanners as everyone else: I actually walked into the show alongside Jordan, who wasnt the one holding his digital ticket at the various checkpoints. A member of his team smoothly handled the logistics as he moved through a small, funny glimpse of how even the nights biggest winner still follows the same security protocols as the rest of us. Hands full: Michael B. Jordan shows off his two Actor Awards backstage. (Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images) One political thing It became clear pretty quickly starting with Bells opening monologue that overtly political jokes werent the vibe. The ceremony largely steered toward celebration and escapism, with one exception. Before the show, SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland acknowledged whats probably on all our minds, referencing global tensions, and said "we mourn those whose lives have been lost." The moment was somber but restrained, a quick nod before the night shifted back to honoring the work. He also struck a pragmatic note about the industry itself, speaking about efforts to revive and rebuild U.S. production amid economic uncertainty and ongoing negotiations with studios and streamers negotiations, he joked, that are happening in real time. He told A-listers in attendance that if they ran into someone from the other side of the bargaining table, be warm. Hug them. Then excuse yourself to the bathroom and text your negotiating team, 'They seem nervous move in.' One sentimental thing From his first line, the 83-year-old had the room in the palm of his hand ... and not just because hes Harrison Ford. The actor had them laughing, then quiet, then misty-eyed, all in the span of a few minutes as he accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award. Advertisement Advertisement Ford spoke about struggling for 15 years, bouncing between acting jobs and carpentry before finally landing a breakout role, a pointed reminder that even the most iconic careers arent handed out. The biggest laugh came when he joked that accepting this, while still alive, "at the half point of my career" is "a little early, isnt it? Im still a working actor. Jacob Elordi, Timothee Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow were among the stars cracking up. But the emotional undercurrent crept in slowly. Hannah Einbinder, Chalamet, Emma Stone and Keri Russell all appeared teary at different points. By the time he wrapped calling the honor very encouraging, in classic dry Ford fashion the entire room was on its feet. Stone was one of the first to stand. It was tender, funny and deeply earned. One of the nights most genuinely moving moments. Seth Rogen had the room in tears as he accepted the award for Catherine O'Hara, his costar inThe Studio. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images) One tearjerking thing It was a moment that stopped the room cold when OHara was posthumously awarded best actress in a comedy series for The Studio, following her death on Jan. 30 at age 71. Seth Rogen accepted on her behalf, and the tone in the room shifted instantly from celebratory to reverent. Advertisement Advertisement Fighting emotion, he reflected on her legacy, noting that she showed you can be a genius and be kind, a line that landed with particular weight in a room full of comedians and collaborators who had long admired her. Jenna Ortega, OHaras Beetlejuice Beetlejuice costar, was visibly wiping away tears, while Rose Byrne and Russell looked similarly moved and truthfully, so did just about everyone else. It was the rare awards show moment that didnt feel like a segment but a collective pause to honor someone whose impact clearly stretched far beyond the screen. Bromance alert: Jacob Elordi and Timothee Chalamet at SAG's Actor Awards. (Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards) One vibey thing If there were a camera trained on pure vibes inside the room, it probably wouldve stayed on Elordi. Losing best supporting actor to Sean Penn did nothing to dampen his mood the Frankenstein star seemed genuinely thrilled just to be there, bouncing between chats, laughs and enthusiastic applause all night. He and Timothee Chalamet shared a few animated catch-up moments at their table (would love a transcript of that conversation), and Elordi was consistently the gentleman, pulling out chairs for the women at his table, including costar Mia Goth, after they presented. Advertisement Advertisement He also appeared to be a full-on Sinners fan, cheering loudly during the film preview, jumping to his feet for Jordans win and again when the cast took ensemble. In a room full of carefully managed reactions, his felt refreshingly unfiltered. Matthew Lillard would have loved it. One couples thing You could tell early it was going to be a fun, unpredictable night when Russell won best drama actress for The Diplomat, beating frontrunners Britt Lower (Severance) and Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus). She looked genuinely stunned and no one was more excited than her longtime partner, Matthew Rhys, who practically knocked over his chair jumping up to celebrate. His The Beast in Me costar Claire Danes, seated beside them, was just as ecstatic, turning their corner of the room into a mini celebration before Russell even reached the stage. Russell and Rhys, both in custom Louis Vuitton, had the best date-night energy. In a room packed with A-listers, they mostly had eyes for each other sharing quick whispers, a little PDA and those quiet, grounding check-ins between awards. It felt less like a campaign stop and more like two parents on a night out together. Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell, who took home one of the night's big awards, on the red carpet. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images) One good problem to have thing Amy Madigan is running on fumes for the best reason. On the red carpet, the Weapons star told me that she's obsessed with, hopefully, getting some sleep in the near future. As it turns out, that probably didnt happen last night. Advertisement Advertisement Madigan took home best supporting actress, beating fellow nominees Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), and looked both shocked and delighted when her name was called. The room loved it, as she got loud cheers and a standing ovation. Suddenly that exhaustion she mentioned earlier felt like the best possible problem to have. One food thing Its always amusing to see which celebrities make other celebrities starstruck and more often than not, its people behind the scenes. This year that honor went to Evan Funke, the force behind hot-spot restaurants Funke, Mother Wolf and Felix, who served as executive chef for the evening. Its close to 1,000 people, its the first time hot food has been served at the Actor Awards, and were going to do it in under five minutes, he told me on the red carpet, noting his team had been prepping for a week to pull it off. He did: Timballino Siciliano arrived swiftly during one of the few commercial breaks, alongside grazing boards of cheese and his signature focaccia on every table. It was genuinely delicious though in a room full of actors in awards season mode, some of the more carb-heavy dishes remained mostly untouched. She's a vibe! Hannah Einbinder had a blast at the Actor Awards in downtown Los Angeles. (Michael Buckner via Getty Images) One fun thing I cant end this without shouting out the two most fun tables in the room and, honestly, it wont surprise you. The casts of The White Lotus and Hacks seemed to be having the best time all night, even though both shows were shut out of awards. The groups kept mingling, which only made it more entertaining to watch from afar. Parker Posey lingered nearby to catch up with Hannah Einbinder and company, while Aimee Lou Wood and Leslie Bibb made a beeline over to Megan Stalter after her hilariously unhinged Hamnet bit onstage presumably saying what the rest of us were thinking: That was incredible. Chet Hanks has a lot to think about while he is stuck in Colombia. The 35-year-old son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who revealed over the weekend that he is stranded in the city of Medellin without his U.S. passport to get back home, shared a lengthy 20-minute video to Instagram in which he pondered life and sobriety. 3:46 a.m. Medellin, Colombia, he shared in the video update posted Monday, March 2. Trying to go to sleep. Cant sleep. Why? Im full of life. Im sober, bro. Advertisement Advertisement The Running Point actor told fans that this isnt the kind of I cant fall asleep like Im coked out and Im up. Instead, he said, This is me five years four-and-a-half years sober. Lisa OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA During the lengthy video message, in which Chet appeared shirtless and smoking from what appeared to be a disposable nicotine vape, he told fans, Theres a lot of s**t I could say about why Im sober why I still choose to be sober and I can go on forever. If Im getting high, drinking, doing drugs, Im a bitch. Im a weak little bitch. Im Shia LaBeouf getting his ass whooped in the street, he said, referencing the recent news of the Transformers actor getting arrested in New Orleans. No disrespect to Shia, the Empire alum added. I f**king love Shia, but Im Shia LaBeouf all skinny, scraggly beard, getting mollywhopped in the French Quarter. Just cooked. Advertisement Advertisement Chet said that when hes sober, hes also LaBeouf but the version of the actor who is dressed up and walking the red carpet. The musician went on to explain the difference of hitting rock bottom while on substances and while completely sober, also telling fans what keeps him motivated throughout his own personal journey. He also shared a photo update on his Instagram Story, writing on a selfie taken at the gym, WE'RE FINE, DON'T WORRY. Instagram/Chet Hanks On Friday, February 27, Chet explained via Instagram that he went to Puerto Rico last week for a friends birthday and decided to make his way to Medellin before heading home. Advertisement Advertisement Chet said he was traveling with his Greek passport because he is a dual citizen and his U.S. passport is about to expire. Sometimes they dont let you in the country even if it hasnt expired, but its about to expire, he said to his Instagram followers. But on his way home, They tell me that if Im using a foreign passport, I need a green card to get back into America, Chet said. I dont have a green card because Im an American citizen. I dont have my American passport with me. So Im literally stuck in Colombia. Im stuck in Medellin, he said. So, yeah, free me. Free me. Chet Hanks says hes stranded in Medellin, Colombia where he spent the weekend trying to resolve a passport issue. The 35-year-old son of Hollywood royals Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson told his 600,000 Instagram followers after celebrating a friends birthday in Puerto Rico, he decided to drop in on a friend in Colombia. According to Hanks a dual-citizen traveling with his Greek passport airport officials stopped him from re-entering the U.S. when he tried coming home. Advertisement Advertisement They tell me that if Im using a foreign passport, I need a green card to get back into America, he says. I dont have a green card because Im an American citizen. Hanks said the issue could probably be resolved if he went to the U.S. embassy in Bogota, but he wasnt interested in making that 250-mile trip. He said he left his U.S. passport at home because its about to expire, which he worried could be problematic. So, yeah, free me, he says. Free me. Hanks appeared to make the most of his time in the South American city. On Sunday, he posted video showing him singing in a bar and a photo taken in a Medellin gym. Advertisement Advertisement Estamos bien, no te preocupes, he posted on the latter image. That translates to Were fine, dont worry. His famous parents aside, Hanks is best known as a singing, acting, lifestyle influencer who shares fitness tips on social media. ------------ NEED TO KNOW Coco Austin and her daughter Chanel wore matching bikinis on a recent vacation to the Bahamas The TV personality shared that it's a "ritual" for her and her daughter to wear their matching bathing suits on trips together "We've been doing it ever since she was 6 months old and we plan on not stopping anytime soon!" shared Austin, who shares daughter Chanel with husband Ice T Coco Austin and her daughter are enjoying a matching moment on vacation together. On Monday, March 2, the TV personality, 46, shared a series of new Instagram photos with her 9-year-old daughter, Chanel, in which the mother-daughter duo sport matching black-and-white polka-dot bikinis. Advertisement Advertisement The pictures feature Chanel and Austin hanging out by a pool together at the Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas, as well as holding hands while walking through the resort grounds. In her caption, Austin, who shares her daughter with husband Ice T, explained that the matching swimsuits are a special tradition for her and Chanel. "Its been a ritual for Chanel and I to match sometime during our vacations or trips. We've been doing it ever since she was 6 months old and we plan on not stopping anytime soon!" she shared. "Thank you to @sugardollllz for being apart of our matching journey I love modeling your suits ." 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. Coco Austin, Chanel Nicole and Ice-T attend the Haddad Fashion Show at Macy's Herald Square on September 18, 2025 in New York City. Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty In November, Chanel shared an emotional message on Instagram to her mom, praising Austin for being the "person who has shaped my whole world." Advertisement Advertisement At the start of the video, Chanel showed her message, which had been written in the Notes app, How much longer until I have with my mom. Sometimes that question drifts into my mind. Not because anything is wrong, but because loving someone so deeply makes you think about how precious every moment is," Chanel read. "I know Im still young but when Im mad at my mom, I always think that some people in the world dont even have a mom because they left for some odd reason," she continued. "And if something happens, theyre going to be there with me. She is going to be there. She carried me and birthed me. She stops everything to be with me." She went on to say, "When I look at my mom, I dont just see a parent, I see the person who has shaped my whole world. Someone who fills my life with comfort, laughter and love. That feels bigger than anything else." Advertisement Advertisement As the essay continued, Chanel thanked her mom for being there for her and helping her with her schoolwork. She said she sometimes thinks about how her mom might not be around forever and that makes her sad. "A message to my glorious precious amazing mother! ," Chanel wrote in her caption. In her comments, Austin wrote back an adorable message to her daughter. "Baby, this is sooooo special to me! Your words are beautiful! I know exactly what you mean . Will be together not in this life but for the next and eternity I love you sweetheart," Austin wrote. "Also im a very lucky girl that you picked me to be your mom ." Read the original article on People Jim Carrey has long been one of Hollywoods most beloved, expressive faces, but after a recent award show appearance, many of his fans hardly recognized him. After making a special appearance to be honored at the Cesar Awards in Paris, France, the award-winning actor went viral as fans and other internet users felt he looked like a completely different person. In red carpet footage and photos, users went as far as to think the actor had been cloned, and after days of chaos, his fanbase is there to back him up, noting that his new face is likely the result of aging. Read more about his viral look below. Social Media Users Think Jim Carrey Was 'Cloned' After Looking Unrecognizable At The Cesar Awards The Truman Show star has only been making rare public appearances over the last few years, but recently touched down in Paris, France, for the Cesar Awards, which are known as the country's version of the Oscars. Advertisement Advertisement It was a special night for Jim, as he was being given the Honorary Cesar Award for his outstanding work in film over the years. As he was delivering his acceptance speech, he even practiced and did a lot of it in French. However, his speech and award were overshadowed after the internet had a lot to say about his drastic facial transformation. The last time he made a televised award show appearance was during the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony a few months back, and fans began to call out his looks, believing he might've received Botox injections. Things were brought to the next level on the red carpet at the Cesar Awards, where, after a red carpet interview clip went viral, fans thought he looked like "a completely different person," and that "even his eye color has changed." "That is not our Jim Carrey," wrote an Instagram user. "Is this a clone?" asked another. Jim's Fans Defend Him From Internet Trolls & Plastic Surgery Rumors The public's reaction to the Grinch icon's viral appearance at the French award ceremony was super intense, as not only were there rumors flying around that he had been cloned, but even a famous makeup artist had the internet fooled that he had gone to the show on his behalf while wearing a prosthetic face mask. Advertisement Advertisement Stars from Megan Fox to Katy Perry commented on the post, which went so viral that a representative for Jim had to put out a public statement that it was the real him at the Cesar Awards, shutting down any rumors that it was someone else posing as him. Now, the actor's fans are coming out of the woodwork to defend him from any nasty or offensive comments related to his face, commenting that it's likely just a sign of him aging, and that it should not be taking attention away from his achievements. "He doesn't look that different, babes," wrote an Instagram user. "It's called aging," added another. Advertisement Advertisement "This is Jim Carrey," commented a fan. "Looks like Jim, sounds like Jim - let the guy be." "He's 64 and spent decades making his face do amazing things," wrote another. "This was inevitable. Also, if you listen to him, he sounds good and happy." "Back off this narrative that actors can't look different," added a fan. "He seems like he is really happy, and that's what people should be talking about." Michael B. Jordan may be racking up critical acclaim, but he hasnt forgotten his biggest supporter. The actor has been on a winning streak lately, earning widespread praise for his dual performance as brothers Smoke and Stack in the hit film Sinners. So, when he attended the 2026 Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) on March 1, it was only fitting that he brought his mom, Donna, as his plus oneespecially with a nomination for Male Actor in a Leading Role on the line. While seeing Michael and Donna at the star-studded ceremony was heartwarming, the night became even more memorable when he won the award. As he gave his acceptance speech, the Black Panther alum acknowledged everything his mom did to help him get to this moment in his career. Advertisement Advertisement Mom, thank you for driving me back and forth to New York when we didnt have enough money to go through the Holland Tunnel, Michael said in a clip posted on Instagram. When we were looking for gas money, parking spaces, you know what Im saying? When I went up there for auditionsthank you. Naturally, seeing the sweet way Michael paid tribute to his mom had fans emotional. I love how he brings his mom to every award show , one person wrote in the comments. I watched this live and couldn't contain my joy. You deserve all of it Michael, and God bless your mom, another penned. Class act congratulations , a different follower added. Michael loves to bring Donna with him to all sorts of award shows. In fact, he brought her to the 2026 NAACP Image Awards just a day earlier, on February 28, when Sinners picked up a whopping 13 trophies, too. We love this for Michael! You Might Also Like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilsons youngest son, Chet, is currently stranded in Medellin, Colombia, after experiencing an issue with his passport. Chet, 35, posted a video on Instagram on Friday explaining his frustrating situation with the caption, Free me. So y all ready for a story time? he says as he begins filming his clip, He explains that he traveled to Puerto Rico for a friends birthday. As he and his friends got ready to fly home, he decided to take a solo trip to Medellin, Colombia to visit another friend. But when the Shameless actor tried to leave Medellin, he ran into some major issues. Advertisement Advertisement Chet, who is a dual citizen, explained that he chose to travel with his Greek passport because his American one is nearing its expiration date. The reason I didnt use my American passport [is] because its about to expire, and sometimes they dont let you in the country even if it hasnt expired, he noted. However, airport authorities would not allow him to board his flight to the U.S. without his American passport. They tell me that if Im using a foreign passport, I need a green card to get back into America. I dont have a green card because Im an American citizen. I dont have my American passport with me. So, Im literally stuck in Colombia, he confirmed. While he acknowledged that theres worse places to be stuck, he admitted that he has no idea how to remedy the situation. Though he did note that there was a US embassy in Bogota. He ended his video with the following message: Free me. You know what Im saying? Free me. Advertisement Advertisement In a follow-up video posted on Monday, Chet shared that he was celebrating five years sober. While he appeared to still be in Medellin, he did not provide further updates on the situation. In 2020, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were granted honorary Greek citizenship to recognize their efforts in raising awareness and funds for the victims of the deadly 2018 wildfire near Athens. This honor was also given to their children, Chet, and their eldest son, Colin. Neither the Forrest Gump star or Invisible Child actress have yet to publicly comment on their sons situation. Read the original article on syracuse.com. Add syracuse.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. ISLAMABAD, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has repatriated 792 of its nationals from Iran, and border crossings between the two neighboring countries remain operational, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday. Speaking in the Senate on the situation regarding Iran, Dar said that the Taftan crossing in Pakistan and the Zahedan crossing in Iran were open and functioning. "We have repatriated 792 Pakistani nationals from Iran," he told lawmakers, adding that 46 students were among those brought back. He said that Pakistani citizens who reached the border without valid visas were being issued visas by Iranian authorities to facilitate their return. Dar said the government was making utmost efforts to ensure the safe repatriation of its citizens. Dar said about 35,000 Pakistanis were in Iran before the tension escalated, and the government is also in contact with Azerbaijan so that Pakistanis in the northern parts of Iran could cross into Baku if needed. He added that Pakistan had been prepared to play a mediatory role between the United States and Iran and was still trying to help resolve the issue through diplomatic means. Jamie Lee Curtis pointed out Daniel Radcliffe's resemblance to Harry Potter months before he was cast as the boy wizard. The Halloween star and British actor, who played mother and son in a 2001 film The Tailor of Panama, reunited for the first time in 25 years on the set of the Today show on Monday, where they were scheduled for separate interviews. However, Curtis urged Radcliffe to join her interview and recalled her experience working with the 10-year-old on the spy thriller, which was his first film. She revealed that one day on set, she looked at Radcliffe and noticed his resemblance to the wizard on the cover of J.K. Rowling's 1997 novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. "Daniel had to wear a fake tan because he was very pale and we were supposed to live in Panama, and all the kids were in the pool," Curtis remembered. "He couldn't go in the pool because he had a fake tan. And I remember he was sitting by the pool and I looked up at him at one point and I went, 'Wait, you know, you look like that kid who's on the cover of that book (Harry Potter).'" The Freaky Friday actress noted that this moment took place before Radcliffe was cast as Harry for the film adaptation, however, the casting team had already reached out to the youngster's parents about him potentially playing The Boy Who Lived in the franchise. "I don't think I knew about it at this point," the 36-year-old said. "I think my mum was probably looking at you like, 'No, no, no, don't mention it to him.' But yeah, so it was long before I was cast." Months after The Tailor of Panama's release, Radcliffe made his debut as Harry in 2001's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. He reprised the role for seven more films, concluding with 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. During their impromptu joint interview, Curtis applauded Radcliffe for the trajectory of his career post-Potter, praising him for his commitment to the art of acting. She added, "Daniel's now on Broadway singing, dancing, doing monologues, doing something very important." Kelly Osbourne, 41, spoke out against comments about her weight loss after her latest public appearance prompted concern over her health. The reality star accompanied her mother, Sharon Osbourne, 73, on stage at The BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester on Saturday. The pair accepted the Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of Kellys late father, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy, the frontman of the metal band Black Sabbath, passed away on July 22, 2025. He was 76 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Photos and videos of Kelly at the BRIT Awards began circulating on social media, drawing worried comments and criticism about her recent weight loss. Kelly Osbourne wore a black gown with a black feathery shawl for The BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester. / Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein/WireImage Under the BRIT Awards YouTube video of the pairs speech, commenters voiced uneasiness with Kellys appearance. Kelly looks sick! one person wrote, while another added, Kelly looks like she nearing her 70s. Kelly and Sharon Osbourne accepted the 'Lifetime Achievement' award on behalf of Ozzy Osbourne at The BRIT Awards 2026. / JMEnternational / JMEnternational/Getty Images As much as I hate to comment about someones appearance...Kelly has hit the danger zone. Thats extremely concerning, one person wrote. Some of the more blunt commenters deemed her appearance scary, comparing her to a walking skeleton. YouTube/BRITs Kelly took to her Instagram stories to stand up for herself and to rebuke the negativity. Kelly Osbourne at The BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester. / Gareth Cattermole / Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement There is a special kind of cruelty in harming someone who is clearly going through something, Kelly wrote. She continued, Kicking me while Im down, doubting my pain, spreading my struggles as gossip, and turning your back when I need support and love most. Kelly Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne on the red carpet of The BRIT Awards 2026. / Jeff Spicer / Jeff Spicer/Redferns None of it proves strength; it only reveals a profound absence of compassion and character. Im currently going through the hardest time in my life. I should not even have to defend myself. But I wont sit here and allow myself to be dehumanized in such a way! she wrote. Although Kelly did not specify which comments she was referring to, her shrunken appearance has garnered attention on social media for months. Advertisement Advertisement Under her latest Instagram post, one commenter called her a skeleton in a dress, while another asked, Is she a zombie? Other commenters accused her of going on Ozempic. Sharon, Ozzy, and Kelly Osbourne at The BRIT Awards 2008 in London. / JMEnternational / JMEnternational/Getty Images This latest defense comes as the second time within a week that Kelly has addressed online hate. On Feb. 23, she posted an Instagram story that highlighted a particularly cruel comment. It read, Looks like a dead body... Shes tooooo thin and fragile... Looks like shes going to see her dad soon. Kelly shared a screenshot of the comment and wrote, Literally cant believe how disgusting some human beings truly are! No one deserves this sort of abuse! Kelly with father Ozzy Osbourne at the 21st Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where Black Sabbath was inducted. New York City, 2006. / KMazur / KMazur/WireImage Kelly has received criticism over her weight throughout her career. Advertisement Advertisement She first rose to fame in 2002, following the premiere of MTVs The Osbournes, a reality series that chronicled the lives of her famous family. In May 2024, Kelly opened up about the constant scrutiny and attention to her body on her familys podcast, The Osbournes Podcast. She recalled her agency telling her she needed to lose weight and that she was too fat for TV when she was just a child. Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Jordan trip is drawing palace heat. A source reported on February 28, 2026, that The Palace is livid. The insider added, It looks like a full-scale royal tour without the permission slip. The report said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex flew into Amman for two days. It described motorcades, hospital walkabouts, and a refugee camp visit. It also said they joined a World Health Organization roundtable after being invited. Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Jordan trip looks like full-scale royal tour, per source Rob Shuters Substack described the schedule as a two-day charm offensive. He wrote one line. If it walks like a royal tour and talks like a royal tour darling, its a royal tour. He also wrote, Official? No. He added, Indistinguishable from official? Absolutely. The Substack said they were greeted by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It said they embraced diplomats and delivered remarks about regional peace. Advertisement Advertisement However, the report wrote that the timing raised eyebrows inside the Royal family. For context, he noted Jordan is close to Prince William and Kate Middleton. He tied the trip to the ex-Prince Andrew crisis dominating headlines at home. He wrote the Sussexes were out there playing global statesman and humanitarian-in-chief. Another insider said, This feels like kicking the family while theyre down. The source added, Andrew is a five-alarm fire, and the Sussexes just lit a match of their own. Rob Shuter also wrote, To be clear, Andrew is the bigger crisis. He added, Strategic? Oh, very. Still, the Substack stressed the Jordan trip was not an official Royal family tour. The piece added that they stepped down from royal duties in 2020. Even so, Rob Shuter wrote they remain polished, poised and pointedly royal-adjacent. For now, the Suits alum and the Duke of Sussex keep drawing comparisons whenever they go abroad. As a result, the Jordan trip may set the tone for how the Royal family reacts next. Originally written by Santanu Das on Reality Tea. The post Meghan Markle & Prince Harrys Jordan Trip Has Royals Livid Source appeared first on Mandatory. Meghan Markle is reportedly preparing for a highly anticipated return to the United Kingdom, and insiders claim the timing may not be accidental. According to sources, the recent arrest of ex-Prince Andrew has reshaped how the Duchess of Sussex views a potential comeback. While no official plans have been confirmed, those close to Meghan allegedly say she feels newly motivated to reintroduce herself to the British public. Meghan Markle wants to show the British public what they threw away, per source According to claims published in Rob Shuters Naughty But Nice, Meghan is said to be energized about a potential UK comeback in 2026 with Prince Harry. One insider alleged that the recent royal controversy has left her feeling vindicated. They added that the duchess feels a sense of, We tried to tell you. The source further suggested that Meghan sees the moment as an opportunity rather than a setback. Friends quoted in the report allege the upcoming visit is about more than charity appearances. While the trip is expected to align with early events connected to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, sources claim Meghan views the moment as an opportunity to reshape public perception. One friend reportedly said she wants to show the British public what they threw away. Its not anger its confidence, they added. Advertisement Advertisement Preparations, according to the same outlet, are already underway. Meghan is allegedly collaborating with leading stylists and designers to curate the best wardrobe ever seen on a British royal, per the source. The claim suggests careful image planning, signaling that any return would be deliberate and highly visible. Logistics are also reportedly being considered. Rather than staying at a hotel in Birmingham, sources claim the couple is leaning toward a private residence for greater privacy and control. Security, long a point of contention for the Sussexes during UK visits, is said to remain an unresolved issue. However, insiders allege discussions are ongoing. Prince Harry is also reportedly hopeful the trip could open the door to family conversations, including time for King Charles III to see his grandchildren. Whether reconciliation is realistic remains unclear. As one insider allegedly put it, much will depend on how Meghan is treated. Originally reported by Zahrah Patel on Reality Tea The post Meghan Markles Resolve for UK Comeback Strengthened After Arrest News Source appeared first on Mandatory. Actor and producer Marsai Martin will host this years Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, with Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Ryan Coogler, Teyana Taylor and Jurnee Smollett joining the program as presenters. The 19th annual luncheon will salute Chase Infiniti, Kerry Washington, LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Zinzi Coogler, as well as feature a special tribute to all the women of Sinners, including cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, production designer Hannah Beachler, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, hair designer Shunika Terry-Jennings and stars Wunmi Mosaku and Jayme Lawson. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Jordan and Ryan Coogler will take the stage together for the special presentation to Oscar-nominated producer and Proximity Media co-founder Zinzi Coogler and the women who turned the film into a cultural phenomenon. Meanwhile, Lindo will be on hand to salute Washington, with whom he starred in the Hulu dramedy UnPrisoned. Taylor, who was feted at last years Essence luncheon, will salute her One Battle After Another co-star Infiniti. Smollett will present to her godmother, stage and screen legend Richardson Jackson. The ceremony, set to take place on March 12 at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, will also include a special performance by Grammy winner Mya. This years program is themed Off Script to reflect how Black women are changing the narrative in Hollywood by expanding beyond traditional roles and exerting increased creative control and long-term ownership across the industry. The ceremony and the pre-show, hosted by Scott Evans and Stacy Ike, will stream on Essences official YouTube channel. The preshow will also feature the presentation of both the Essies Choice Award with the casts of CBS Beyond the Gates and Hulus Reasonable Doubt, as well as Netflixs Beauty in Black and Forever, as nominees and the inaugural Creators Award. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Rumors Quentin Tarantino was killed in a missile attack in Israel are all just BS -- and TMZ has learned the film director's family is just fine! A source close to Quentin tells TMZ Quentin is alive and well and his family is all good too," despite speculation on X that he was blown up during an Iranian missile attack on Israel. U.S. And Israel Wage War Against Iran - Click image to open gallery Over the weekend, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran, killing the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other top government officials. Iran retaliated, firing ballistic missiles at Israeli and American bases around the world. Advertisement Advertisement As you may know, Quentin and his family spend half their time in Israel and the other half in his hometown of Los Angeles. His wife, Daniella Pick, is an Israeli actress, musician and model who has 2 kids with Quentin. Shutterstock Premier Quentin has previously said he loves living in Israel ... even though there are major tensions between Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East. Deadline was first to report on the bogus social media post about Quentin's death, which received thousands of likes. Making matters worse, several A.I. images also surfaced on X purportedly showing Quentin in a bomb shelter in Israel, but those images are also fake. Content creator Ashley Guillard, a social media influencer, has been hit with a $10 million judgment after falsely accusing an Idaho professor of playing a role in the 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students. On February 27, a federal jury ordered Guillard to pay University of Idaho professor Rebecca Scofield $10 million in damages over a series of TikTok posts that claimed Scofield was responsible for the brutal murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Guillard, who built her following by speculating about high profile crimes and consulting tarot cards, first made the allegations against Scofield in 2022, according to court documents obtained by People. Scofield filed a complaint against Guillard in December 2022, alleging that the TikTok star falsely tied her to the murders, which Bryan Kohberger later pleaded guilty of committing. He is currently serving four life sentences behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement According to the complaint, Guillard also suggested that Scofield had either implied or directly engaged in a romantic relationship with one of the victims. The filing further stated that Scofield sent multiple cease and desist letters demanding the videos be taken down, but Guillard continued posting content accusing the professor of orchestrating the murders after a student allegedly threatened to expose their relationship. In a June 2024 ruling, a federal judge found in Scofields favor, determining that Guillards claims were defamatory and based only on her spiritual intuition about the murders rather than any objective basis. The judge also pointed out that the posts remained online even after the Moscow Police Department publicly confirmed in December 2022 that Scofield was not considered a suspect. Advertisement Advertisement During last weeks trial, the jury ultimately awarded Scofield $6.5 million in damages related to the murder allegations and $3.5 million for the false statements regarding an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student, bringing the total to $10 million. The $10 million verdict reinforces the judges decision and sends the clear message that false statements online have consequences in the real world for real people and are unacceptable in our community, Scofield said in a statement to People. The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, was the darkest chapter in our universitys history. Todays decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. Guillard later responded in a 21-part TikTok series posted on Monday, March 2, and Tuesday, March 3, and disputed the outcome, calling it unfair and ridiculous. In a statement to the publication, Guillard argued that the verdict does not reflect the evidence, questioned whether certain jurors were truly impartial and indicated she may pursue an appeal. Read More From National Enquirer This story Tarot Card Influencer Slapped With $10 Million Verdict in Idaho Murder Smear Case Against Professor first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. First came Hollywood, obviously, but it was not long before the copycats popped up. The Bengali film industry, based in the Tollygunge neighbourhood of Kolkata, was the first to pinch the suffix and was christened Tollywood in the early 1930s. Bollywood (in Mumbai), Nollywood (in Nigeria) and even Brollywood (a short-lived and not widely adopted attempt to rebrand the British film industry) followed. If the French get their way, there will soon be another entry added to the exhaustive Wikipedia page of 60 Hollywood-inspired nicknames for clusters of international film production: Frollywood. An influx of Hollywood stars who want to call the country home, combined with tax breaks that make filming in Paris and beyond increasingly attractive, has helped bring some more international showbiz glamour to France. The list of Hollywood transplants to France in recent years can be read as a Whos Who of film-making talent. And everybody who has made the move seems to be gushing about their decision, variously claiming that it is a blessed escape from the vulgarity of living in the US under Donald Trump; a creative playground where they are freed from the strictures of a Hollywood studio system obsessed with franchises and instead able to do what they like; or a place where they can live under-the-radar without being molested by the international tabloid press. A Whos Who of film-making talent I find it very enriching as an artist and as a woman to be in France, Angelina Jolie, who has lived there on-and-off for years and owned a wine estate in southern France when she was married to Brad Pitt, told Le Monde last week. I feel that more of myself comes out here. The conversations seem deeper and more enriching to me. Advertisement Advertisement Jolie is still locked in a bitter battle with Pitt over the 1,200-acre Chateau Miraval property, but is reportedly planning to live and work in France (as well as Cambodia and Africa) in the coming years. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been locked in a long-running dispute over ownership of the Chateau Miraval vineyard estate - Michel Gange/AFP/Getty The director Wes Anderson has lived in Paris for years and has said how anytime I walk down a street I dont know well, its like going to the movies. Its just entertaining. His fellow long-time resident of the capital, Natalie Portman has said there is always something fascinating and stimulating happening and the frequent vacations are so clutch. Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul moved his family to France after last years wildfires in Los Angeles and enthused about the change in a recent interview with Travel + Leisure. Love the food, the history, the people, Paul said. Every time I came to Paris, I never wanted to leave. We wanted our kids to learn another language and be surrounded by another culture. It was very important to us. Crash star Matt Dillon, meanwhile, held his first art exhibition in Paris in 2024 and says he plans to spend more time in France after appearing in Claire Deniss The Fence (aka Le Cri des Gardes). Matt Dillon with then-partner Roberta Mastromichele at Paris Fashion Week 2018 - Swan Gallet/WWD/Penske Media/Getty There are signs that the at-times snooty French film establishment is happy at this influx. Richard Linklater, whose directing credits include Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, became the first American film-maker to win the best director prize at the Cesar awards for Nouvelle Vague, which paid homage to Jean-Luc Godard and the French New Wave of cinema. Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the most famous Hollywood transplant to France is George Clooney, who lives on a Provencal former wine estate with his Anglo-Lebanese wife, Amal. The actor has made no secret of how he was partly moved to make his home in France because the country has stricter privacy laws than his native US, and wanted his eight-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, to have as normal an upbringing as possible. Well, as normal as any childhood could be when your dad is George Clooney. They have a much better life. I was worried about raising our kids in LA, in the culture of Hollywood, Clooney told Esquire. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France they kind of dont give a s--- about fame. I dont want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I dont want them being compared to somebody elses famous kids. Amal and George Clooney leaving a Paris hotel in February 2017; the couple live on a Provencal former wine estate - Mehdi Taamallah/Nurphoto SRL/Alamy There was even a minor hoo-ha over the New Year period, when Clooney was awarded French citizenship even though, by his own admission, he cannot speak the language terribly well especially as rigorous comprehension tests were introduced in January. I love the French culture, your language, even if Im still bad at it after 400 days of courses, he told the RTL radio station (in English, of course) in December. His lawyer wife, however, is fluent. When liberals pride in America has been diminished by their aversion to Trump, la belle France seems to be providing a refuge. Clooney, for instance, became involved in a public war of words with the US president about his French citizenship. A less censorious alternative to Hollywood On the flip side, France can also be less censorious than a woke Hollywood that has spent recent years becoming embroiled in all manner of culture war issues. It is telling that, after the end of Johnny Depps legal cases with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, that the stars first film role was playing Louis XV in a French film, Jeanne du Barry. Roman Polanski also fled to France in 1978 after being convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, the Trump era has encouraged a kind of cultural exodus, the French director Rebecca Zlotowski has said. But she reckons there is more at play, and that the country is uniquely attractive to those who have become disillusioned with a Hollywood that has had a tumultuous few years (something that the proposed merger of Paramount with Warner Bros may only exacerbate). This love of France perhaps also reflects Hollywoods loss of power, a decline for which the major Los Angeles fire in the summer of 2025 serves as a metaphorical image, she said. Between the writers strike, which was necessary but damaging, and Covid-19, the industry lost some of its strength, people lost their jobs and now, for some of them, even their homes. I feel it is a moment of destruction and rebuilding for Hollywood. In the meantime, European auteur cinema is a space of creativity that makes them want to invest in this territory. Woody Allens film Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson was a cinematic love letter to the French capital - Film Stills In some ways this is nothing new, of course. The likes of Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker and James Baldwin all chose to make France their home at one point or another (the latter two partly in order to get away from the racial and homophobic bigotry in the US in the first half of the 20th century). More recently, Woody Allen has had a deep and enduring relationship with France: 2011s Midnight in Paris was a cinematic love letter to the French capital, and when he released Coup de Chance three years ago it marked the first time that he had made a film entirely in the language. Generous tax breaks for filming What is novel is the fact that France is becoming a production hotbed, with much of the credit being placed on a competitive new set of tax breaks that make filming in France that much more attractive to often cash-strapped studios and broadcasters. Without going into minutiae, productions can get a rebate as large as 30m (26m) on qualifying spending. Advertisement Advertisement And so the next series of The White Lotus starring the likes of Helena Bonham-Carter and Steve Coogan is set in the plush Chateau de La Messardiere in St Tropez, while the visual effects industry is also booming: the French outfit One of Us worked on Anglophone films such as Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man and The Bride!. On the average day, around 18 film and TV productions are shooting in and around Paris. And lets not forget that the animated Despicable Me and Minions movies, which have so far grossed more than $5.5bn (4.2bn), are made almost entirely in France. I love being in France: Half-French Timothee Chalamet arrives at the Marty Supreme pop-up store in Paris - Backgrid Then there is the age-old cultural cachet of a country like France, with its centuries of history, that younger nations such as the US or Canada cannot match. When he collected his honorary Cesar award at the weekend, an odd-looking Jim Carrey said he was partly so pleased to be garlanded with the French version of an Oscar because his great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather, Marc-Francois Carre was born in France some 300 years ago before migrating to Canada. The Truman Show star was even said to have spent months learning French so he could deliver his speech like a native. That, coupled with his appearance, led some of the madder internet dwellers to claim he had been secretly cloned or replaced by a French doppelganger. This was obviously bunkum. Hollywoods hottest young star is a huge Francophile but does not live there at least, not yet. As the spelling of Timothee Chalamets name suggests, he is half-French and spent his childhood summers on holiday near Lyon. Advertisement Advertisement I love being here, I love being in France, he said while promoting Marty Supreme. There is a real appetite for cinema. 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. MEDELLIN, Colombia Chet Hanks, the 35-year-old son of actor Tom Hanks, says he is stuck in Colombia because of a passport problem. Hanks shared his situation on social media, telling followers he cant get on a plane back to the United States without the right travel document. Hanks explained that he had been in Puerto Rico for a friends birthday when he decided to make a short trip to Medellin, a city in Colombia. He said he only brought his Greek passport with him because his U.S. passport was close to expiring. Hanks has both U.S. and Greek citizenship. When he went to the airport to board his flight home, officials told him he could not fly back into the United States on his Greek passport without a green card. A green card is issued to legal permanent residents not citizens. Hanks said he does not have a green card because he is a U.S. citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Because he did not bring his U.S. passport, airline staff would not let him board the plane to the U.S. Hanks posted a video online saying he was literally stuck in Colombia and that he had no idea how to fix the problem without visiting the U.S. Embassy. The nearest U.S. Embassy is in Bogota, about an hours flight from Medellin. Officials with the U.S. State Department say that American citizens must use a U.S. passport when entering or leaving the country by air. Consulates and embassies can help issue emergency documents for travelers who lose or forget their passports. Wise advice: when traveling, famous or not. Make sure you have your documents in order, said Peter Chakerian, Life & Culture Editor for Cleveland.com. Hanks left his near-expired U.S. passport at home and was denied boarding because he lacked the Green Card to accompany his foreign [Greek] passport. That kind of move makes any traveler famousin a way theyd rather not be. Hanks later posted another update saying he and his friends were safe and not in danger. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Add cleveland.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Blguunee Hiroshi Mongolian folk metal masters The Hu have announced their biggest UK and European headline tour to date. Starting in Glasgow on September 29, the tour will wrap up its UK leg in Norwich on October 11 before moving on to Europe from October 14, ending in Luxembourg on Halloween (October 31). In a statement released by the band, The Hu said their new setlist is full of hope and energy". Advertisement Advertisement "As usual The Hu fashion, we will have brand new performance with fiery attitude," they add. "Come to our long-awaited shows and lets have some fun together! Support for all dates comes from French Nordic folk group Skald. This tour comes amidst a busy year ahead for the Mongolian band. In May, they will tour the US on a co-headline run with Apocalyptica, and will also support Iron Maiden at the band's special 50th anniversary gig at Knebworth in July. While the band haven't officially announced a follow-up to 2022's Rumble Of Thunder, earlier this year they released the decidedly Maiden-flavoured single The Real You, hinting towards a stylistic shift for their next album. Credit: Press The Hu UK/European Headline Tour 2026 Sep 29: UK O2 Academy Glasgow, Glasgow Oct 1: UK Prospect Building, Bristol (UK) Oct 2: UK O2 Academy Bournemouth, Bournemouth Oct 3: UK O2 City Hall, Newcastle Oct 5: UK The Telegraph, Belfast Oct 6: IE 3Olympia Theathre, Dublin Oct 8: UK O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham Oct 9: UK O2 Academy Brixton, London Oct 10: UK O2 Apollo, Manchester Oct 11: UK UEA, Norwich Oct 14: BE Ancienne Belgique, Brussels Oct 15: GER Sporthalle, Hamburg Oct 17: GER Tonhalle, Munich Oct 18: GER Columbiahalle, Berlin Oct 19: POL Stodola, Warsaw Oct 20: POL Stodola, Warsaw Oct 22: GER Palladium, Cologne Oct 23: NED Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht Oct 24: NED 013, Tilburg Oct 27: FRA LOlympia, Paris Oct 28: FRA Le Radiant, Lyon Oct 30: SWI X-tra, Zurich Oct 31: LUX Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette VIENTIANE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government, in collaboration with development partners, launched the national action plan on transition toward sustainable food systems transformation (2025-2030) to boost farmers' incomes, nutrition, climate resilience, and sustainable environments for future generations. The plan, unveiled in the Lao capital Vientiane on Monday, outlines 20 strategic action areas and 62 priority milestones to build inclusive, resilient and nature-positive food systems. The initiative supports Laos' progress toward graduation from least developed country status, Lao News Agency reported on Tuesday. The action plan marks a paradigm shift, from viewing food and agriculture as a single sector to understanding food and agriculture as the backbone of national development, connecting production, nutrition, health, environmental protection, climate resilience and inclusive growth. The initiative also aims to promote green agricultural innovation, improve nutrition for women and youth, and strengthen the regional competitiveness of high-quality Lao products. They step forward on a crowded stage to tell their stories. An Irish fisherman dreams of working on a boat in the United States, free from the conflict in his homeland. Farmers rhapsodize about land with richer soil. A woman carefully instructs her son to hide the disability that may prompt immigration officials to reject them. An Armenian man dies from pneumonia on Ellis Island asking God why he was able to make the whole journey only to not see the United States. A crowd of singers portray a variety of people from numerous countries on New York's Ellis Island hoping to immigrate to the United States in the opening scene of "A Nation of Others." The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) Composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell s opera A Nation of Others puts the stories of the huddled masses yearning to breathe free in Emma Lazarus iconic poem on the Statue of Liberty to music, finding operatic drama in the stories of humble people forced to find new homes and clinging to the promise of America on Ellis Island in 1921. Advertisement Advertisement You sense these parallel experiences, even though theyve come from completely different places, and it really gives a sense like that overview effect that they talk about astronauts having when they see the world from above that they feel like that engenders a greater love for their fellow human being, says stage director Sarah Ina Meyers, who is directing the world premiere production of the opera for the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre . Theres something about the opera that is conveying that message: We are all tied to each other. The opera, with performances Friday through Sunday at the Lexington Opera House, comes from the same team that created Sanctuary Road, an opera about the Underground Railroad that UK Opera Theatre presented last year. The weekend after that production, UK Opera presented a workshop performance of A Nation of Others, with plans to produce the world premiere here already underway. UK Opera Theatre director Everett McCorvey said these were important stories to tell with Lexingtons 250th anniversary last year and the United States 250th anniversary this year. UK Opera Theatre director Everett McCorvey conducts a rehearsal of "A Nation of Others." The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) While there is hope in the United States promise in the opera, it also portrays hardships people immigrating to the U.S.A. faced on Ellis Island and as they settled in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Its not rose-colored glasses, Meyers says, also acknowledging, along with McCorvey, how controversial immigration currently is in the United States. We have to commemorate all of it, McCorvey says. We have to tell that story, and we have to be unashamed of telling that story. Its history. I wanted to make sure that our students had an important part of telling stories about our country. Dylon Crain leads the opening scene of "A Nation of Others." The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) William Middleton, a first -year masters student who plays one of the Ellis Island immigration officials says, Most of my family came in through Ellis Island. Thats just how we got here. We all came from Europe, and I think its really important to talk about, especially in todays climate, with everything thats going on, just the importance of immigration to this country when its what America was created with. CoryOn Brooks, a freshman from Paducah, does not have the personal connection to Ellis Island Middleton does, but shares the sense of importance in telling the story of Immigrations role in the United States. Director Sarah Ina Meyers talks to singer CoryOn Brooks during a rehearsal. The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) It is a powerful and prevalent story in todays world, Brooks says. We all are lucky to be a part of this. A lot of people dont understand how much of a big deal it is for UK to be putting on this show. Thats rare with universities and educational institutions for them to be premiering operas. We are particularly blessed to be able to have the opportunity to put this show on, and to be able to help tell the story. Advertisement Advertisement Not long after that workshop production, the project was met with tragedy when Sanctuary Road director Dennis Whitehead Darling, who was set to direct A Nation of Others, was killed in an accident in New York City. After grieving the loss, McCorvey said several people said Meyers was the obvious choice to see the show through. Stage director Sarah Ina Meyers talks to the cast of "A Nation of Others" during a rehearsal. The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) I have been obsessed with Ellis Island for a while, and Ive been talking to Mark and Paul about this piece for some time because of my obsession with Ellis Island, Meyers says. The productions creative team focused a lot of attention on getting details of Ellis Island right, including trips to the historical site to get visual details in the set, costumes, and digital images right. The walk through the hospital all by itself, you just feel it in terms of, you walk in, and you feel the presence of the people, McCorvey says. Advertisement Advertisement As the world premiere, UKs production becomes a reference point of sorts for other productions to come, and it does so with an opera that shows the art form is far from a museum piece. At one point talking about music Moravec is still writing for the opera this week, McCorvey punctuates the story saying he can, because hes alive! Fairynne Rogers (right) portrays a mother trying to immigrate to the United States with her son, played by Asher Fitzgerald (left). The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Nation of Others," an opera by Paul Moravec with a libretto by Mark Campbell. This photo was taken at a rehearsal February 28, 2026 in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, Kentucky. (Rich Copley/Rich Copley for the Lexington He) You cant ask Mozart for a few extra bars of music, he and Meyers joke. McCorvey says some of the music, particularly a trio sung mourning the passing of the Armenian man, may become standard vocal repertoire, in years to come. McCorvey says, Were trying to show our students that opera is relevant, that its alive, and its telling amazing stories. A Nation of Others, presented by the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre When: March 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m.; March 8 at 2 p.m. Where: Lexington Opera House, 405 West Short St. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Paradise Season 2, Episode 4 Season 2 of Paradise kicked off with a slew of new twists and questions to be answered. The fourth episode, A Holy Charge, sees what happens after Sterling K. Browns Agent Xavier Collins is injured by a survivor and found by Shailene Woodleys character Annie. Annie is a former Graceland tour guide in Memphis, Tennessee, who survives the catastrophic events from Season 1 when the world seemingly ends. Advertisement Advertisement Years later, a group of survivors run into her at the Elvis Presley estate. Its leader, Link (Thomas Doherty), and Annie develop a romantic relationship and after one night together she becomes pregnant. Link, however, doesnt know of her pregnancy since he left the following day in search of the bunker in Colorado. Shailene Woodley in "Paradise" Season 2, Episode 1 Graceland. (Ser Baffo / Disney) (Ser Baffo) After she finds an injured Xavier, Annie, a former med student, helps heal him. He insists on traveling to Atlanta, Georgia, to search for his wife, Teri. Annie, however, tells him that he will take her to Colorado to find Link. The two finally decide that they will travel in search of Teri, and then head to Colorado. As Xavier, on foot, and Annie, on horseback, head out on their journey, she starts to experience pregnancy complications. They run into a group of people, who Annie warns are not their friends and to avoid contact. "Paradise" Season 2, Episode 4, A Holy Charge (Gilles Mingasson / Disney) (Gilles Mingasson) Annie begins to feel worse and reveals to Xavier that she is suffering from preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can lead to serious if not fatal results for the mother and baby. Advertisement Advertisement Im sorry, I thought if I told you you wouldnt take me, she tells Xavier, as they prepare for her to give birth. An overwhelmed Xavier decides to go ask the group of people they passed for help despite Annie's pleas. She's worried that they will be dangerous and hurt them instead of helping them. To Annies surprise, the whole group arrives just in time to deliver her baby girl. Annie's health begins to decline and one of the women helping tells Xavier that the placenta wont come out and the bleeding wont stop. Theres nothing we can do, Annie says, begging the women to stop helping her. It's OK. No, I knew..." Advertisement Advertisement She hands Xavier a note she had written for her baby. Xavier, give this to her when shes old enough... Xavier, look at me, she says as shes dying. It has to be you. Find her father. He was leading a group to the bunker to start the world. You will not let her be afraid of people. Promise me, Xavier. This is your holy charge. OK? Annie dies. Xavier and the group bury her, and they offer to take the baby. He declines since he made Annie a promise. Headed to Atlanta, he makes a stop and reads the letter Annie wrote to her daughter. "Hello, darling. If you're reading this, I'm sorry that we never got the chance to meet. I don't know how old you'll be, or who you'll be with, the letter reads. All I know is that you were born into a hard world and I hope you can feel the love that I have for you, especially in your darkest moments and the longest nights. Advertisement Advertisement There are good people in this world, the letter continues. There always have been and there always will be. I trust that youve become one of them. I trust that love travels across death, across time. That it bridges impossible distances and binds people whove never known each other. I will always imagine you grown and brave and beautiful. I love you so much, my beautiful baby. Love, your mama. The episode ends with Link and his group arriving outside the bunker and sending a message to those inside. Xavier is also seen arriving in Atlanta, at the location where Teri sent out the radio broadcast from. He runs into a man who says he's a friend of Teri's and that she has been taken. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Today fans cant get enough of Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones childhood photos. On Thursday, February 26, the official Today With Jenna & Sheinelle Instagram page took fans on a trip down memory lane by sharing throwback photos of the two hosts as kids. This is whos co-hosting the fourth hour of TODAY , the post read. In the caption, the show wrote, We couldnt help but jump on this trend Look how cute baby #JennaandSheinelle are ! Advertisement Advertisement Bush Hagers photo featured her younger self sporting bangs, a red headband, and an American flag shirt. Bush Hager was only 7 years old when her grandfather, George H.W. Bush, became the President of the United States. Jones photo, meanwhile, appeared to be a school yearbook snap. She smiled for the camera while wearing a blue hoodie, pink hair accessories, and a seashell necklace. Fans gushed over the adorable throwback photos in the posts comments. Adorable then and lovely now!!! one person wrote, while another added, How do your faces looks exactly the same as they do now?!? Yall are aging gracefully . Someone else shared, They look exactly the same!! Too cute . Another person posted, Two cuties that have become successful women Advertisement Advertisement . A separate user stated, The question to ask is would these two have been friends? I suspect yes and havoc would have ensued. While many noted that Bush Hager and Jones have not aged much, others highlighted how much they each resemble their children. They havent changed one bit! Jenna just copied and pasted her girls lol, one user quipped. Someone else commented, Clara is Sheinelles mini me. Bush Hager shares her daughters, Mila and Poppy, and son, Hal, with her husband, Henry Hager. Jones shared her three kids son Kayin and twins Clara and Uche Jr. with her late husband, Uche Ojeh, who died at the age of 45 in May 2025. Bush Hager has been cohosting the fourth hour of Today in 2019, having taken over for former cohost Kathie Lee Gifford. Hoda Kotb stepped down from the series in January 2205, after which Bush Hager continued to cohost with a series of celebrity guest hosts on Today With Jenna & Friends. Jones returned from a months-long hiatus from Today in September 2025, and officially took over as Bush Hagers fourth hour cohost in January. Advertisement Advertisement Bush Hager and Jones reminisced about their childhoods on the Wednesday, February 25, episode of Jenna & Sheinelle, particularly about how they spent a lot of time at the mall as kids. My mom would drop us off, and wed be there all day, Jones stated, to which Bush Hager added, The mall was a babysitter. Later in the episode, the pair announced that Jenna & Friends will be heading to Jamaica for the shows first-ever girls trip later this year. Were relaxing on the beach, were doing some shopping, were meeting some local celebrities, and crossing the entire island to see all the fun, warmth, culture, and beauty of Jamaica, Bush Hager revealed. Jones added, It only gets better because we are also going to be kicking back and relaxing by the pool at the all-inclusive, adults-only, Sandals Dunns River Resort in Ocho Rios. Fans can currently enter to join Bush Hager and Jones on their Jamaican getaway via the shows official website. Today With Jenna & Sheinelle, Weekdays, 10a/9c, NBC Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. In the spring of 2026 U.S. airlines are preparing for a truly historic travel rush. Industry data shows that approximately 171 million passengers will fly between March 1 and April 30, an increase over last years figures. Airlines are planning roughly 2.8 million passengers per day and are scheduling about 26 000 flights daily with nearly 3.5 million seats in the air. Travelers are flocking to warm weather destinations including South Florida beaches, Mexicos resorts and a range of Caribbean islands as Americans appear more committed than ever to vacation experiences despite rising fares and crowded airports. At the same time, safety concerns have suddenly moved to the fore in ways that make this year different from many previous spring breaks. Sign up for our newsletter and get hidden gems, travel secrets, and stories like this delivered straight to your inbox! Mexico Under the Microscope: Headlines, Reality, and What Travelers Should Know Over the past few weeks a wave of violent unrest in Mexico made national news. Events followed the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and leader of one of Mexicos most powerful cartels. Retaliatory violence erupted in about 20 of Mexicos 32 states, triggering road blockages, fires and armed clashes that affected infrastructure in parts of the country. Tourists and residents alike saw dramatic scenes unfold on social media and in breaking news coverage. Advertisement Advertisement At times U.S. Embassy staff were advised to shelter in place in cities like Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Ciudad Guzman, while roadblocks and security operations interrupted flights and ground movement. Cruise lines such as Norwegian and Carnival canceled Puerto Vallarta stops on their itineraries due to safety concerns and operational challenges. U.S. political figures even publicly urged spring breakers to cancel travel plans to Mexico until the situation stabilized. Related: U.S. Warns Americans in Mexico to Shelter in Place as Flights Are Canceled What the Official Advisories Say The U.S. Department of States travel advisory system is designed to describe risk levels for U.S. citizens abroad. Mexico currently sits at Level 2: exercise increased caution, reflecting concerns about crime and unrest. The advisory does not bar travel but advises Americans to be alert to local conditions and follow basic safety practices. "Every year, thousands of U.S. citizens visit Mexico during spring break," said U.S. Embassy and Consultants in an official statement on spring break. " While the widespread violence that took place on February 22 following Mexican security operations has ended, risks of crime and kidnapping remain." It is crucial to understand that a Level 2 advisory applies nationwide on a broad scale, even though conditions vary dramatically by region. Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and many other beach destinations continue to operate with robust tourism support and are far from some of the flashpoints of violence. Recent embassy updates lifted specific shelterinplace directives and airport curfews were eased, with both land and air travel resuming largely normal patterns in resort areas. Advertisement Advertisement If you have a trip booked, check your airlines policy right away. Some carriers have issued travel waivers that allow you to change flights at no extra charge if your itinerary includes certain Mexican airports that were previously affected by unrest. This provides flexibility for travelers who want to adjust plans without penalty. Caribbean and Nearby Destinations: Beach Plans with a Cautionary Eye For many this years Mexico developments have sparked interest in alternatives. Caribbean destinations from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico and The Bahamas continue to draw large numbers of spring breakers. According to U.S. travel advisory data, most Caribbean nations fall under Level 1 or Level 2, meaning travelers should exercise normal or somewhat increased caution depending on local conditions. For example, Turks and Caicos Islands has a Level 2 warning due to crime concerns and strict enforcement of local laws, including rules about firearms and even stray ammunition in luggage. Travelers have been detained for inadvertent violations of those laws, so awareness of local regulations is essential. Related: Budget Airline Refuses to Reschedule Couples Postponed Destination Wedding Flight Despite Travel Advisory Certain destinations like Haiti and Venezuela appear on official government lists at Level 4, do not travel, due to violent crime, political instability and limited infrastructure. Other countries including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas may carry Level 2 or Level 3 advisories, which means you must evaluate your comfort level with risk, consult uptodate government guidance and plan strategically if you choose to go. Advertisement Advertisement When I ask travel advisers about their favorite offthebeatenpath picks, their answers often include islands with wellestablished resort zones and stable local infrastructure. They also stress that reading the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program updates and following official embassy information will keep you more informed than relying on social media alone. Real World Travel Choices and Safety Practices Practical Steps Before You Go Heres the checklist I always share with friends who ask Is it safe to travel right now: Check official advisory levels frequently before departure and monitor embassy updates for your exact destination. Enroll in government travel alert services for realtime alerts while abroad. Purchase travel insurance that includes coverage for trip interruptions, evacuation and medical assistance. Plan airport and ground transfers through reputable services or hotels so you are not navigating unfamiliar streets after arrival. Stay aware in nightlife and urban areas and carry only what you need when you go out for the day. Explore the latest travel stories and updates by subscribing to our newsletter. Health and Safety Considerations Beyond violent crime and security warnings travelers also face everyday risks in warmer climates: mosquitoborne illnesses, strong sun, dehydration and crowded public spaces. Local health systems may vary in quality across destinations, so I always plan for basic medical needs before departure and keep easyaccess contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates. Advertisement Advertisement Traveling in groups, sharing your itinerary with friends or family and maintaining regular checkins are timeless safety practices that help mitigate unexpected situations. This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. PLATTSBURGH Over 16 years ago, Diana Camizan came to the U.S. with her five daughters and a dream to open her own restaurant to share her familys Peruvian recipes with the North Country. Diana, owner of Muncha Picchu, with the help of her daughters, offers Peruvian cuisine, including lomo saltado, empanadas, tallarin verde and, in the summer, ceviche. She also squeezes fresh juice from passion fruit, pineapples and mangos. Everything is handmade using authentic ingredients sourced from the Peruvian market in Paterson, New Jersey. She makes regular trips down to keep the restaurant stocked. Advertisement Advertisement New in the restaurant is a selection of authentic Peruvian products and ingredients not found at local grocery stores to make the dishes at home. They also carry other popular items, like Inca Kola, cancha, chica de jora and maiz morado. I want to sell Peruvian products so people can learn to cook dishes at home. It is a good opportunity to have everybody join in, Diana said. Three months ago, Diana moved Muncha Picchu to a new location on Bridge Street in downtown Plattsburgh. Before that, she had been open in South Hero, Vermont, for about a year. Her goal is to expose people to and encourage trying new things, especially food. Advertisement Advertisement I need to cook something different for people, Diana said. People sometimes come and try one plate, but then they dont try anything else because they know they like it. Born and raised in Piura, Peru, a city in the northwestern region of the country Diana said is known for its fresh seafood, she grew up learning how to cook from her godmother, Marauja Castro, who owned a restaurant in Peru where she remembers loving the tastes and the smells. Diana reflected on volunteering her and her godmothers time and kitchen to cook for her school class. I remember in school, when the teacher would ask who could make the empanadas for Mothers Day, I would raise my hand to say, Me, me, me, she said with a smile. Advertisement Advertisement Her daughter Gloria Chanduvi Camizan said she is proud of her mom and the hard work she put into raising them and opening a restaurant. She waited a long time. I was very little when we came here, and she worked hard, Gloria said. While there are a lot of food options in the area, there arent many that offer authentic dishes like Muncha Picchu, she said. She said it was always her dream to open a little restaurant in Plattsburgh because there isnt a lot of diversity, Gloria said. About two years ago, Diana was diagnosed with arthritis that mainly affects her hands, which often makes preparing foods and cooking a challenge. Advertisement Advertisement To help, her oldest daughters Cinthya Rondoy Camizan and Vanessa Rondoy Camizan often take over in the kitchen. Her other daughters also work at the restaurant. Its a great experience to be able to help mom and see people fall in love with the dishes, Vanessa said. I am proud. While Cinthya works full-time and her availability is limited, she is always happy to come and help. Gloria said working with her mom is great and keeps the family close. We love it, she said. This is just great. We love to see her and bring the kids. Diana said she is happy to be in the new location and is ready to serve the community authentic Peruvian dishes she remembers from her own childhood. Advertisement Advertisement This is my happiness, she said. Muncha Picchu Hours Muncha Picchu, located at 37 Bridge Street, is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and opens at noon on Saturdays. For more information and a full menu visit facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565752512743 More Information Lomo saltado includes sauteed beef strips with veggies mixed in, served with rice and fries. Tallarin Verde is a pesto sauce pasta with house seasoned steak and hot sauce. Ceviche is a seasonal seafood dish usually served in the Summer. Inka Cola is a carbonated beverage from Peru Cancha isa Peruvian snack made from Peru-native chulpe corn kernels Chica De Jora is a fermented beverage from the Andes mountains in South America Maiz morado is a special purple corn used in Peruvian dishes Burger King isn't afraid to take a big bite, at least that's how it appears in a recent viral video featuring the popular fast-food chain's president, Tom Curtis. Several hours after the internet began to poke fun at McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski for his less-than-convincing endorsement of the new Big Arch burger, BK shared a clip of Curtis taking a huge and enthusiastic bite from the new and improved Whopper. "Only one thing missing," Curtis says, seconds after taking a bite. "A napkin." Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, is pictured at Reuters' office, in New York, U.S. April 13, 2023. Burger King's subtle jab at McDonald's did not go unnoticed, with several users comparing and pointing out the differences between Kempczinski's and Curtis's reactions to their respective "products" in the comments. Advertisement Advertisement "Now THAT'S a man bite," one social media user wrote. "Take notes McDonald's." Kempczinski's review, his commentary and the taste test itself have garnered quite a bit of attention, as his reaction made some were dubious that he even liked the burger at all. "I love this product," Kempczinski says in the clip ahead of trying the burger. "It is so good. I'm gonna do a tasting right now, but I'm gonna eat this for my lunch, just so you know." McDonald's did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Tuesday, March 3. Burger King is making changes to the Whopper for the first time in nearly 10 years. The Whopper now has a "more premium, better tasting bun," and is "served in a box to ensure it makes it to Guests exactly the way it left the kitchen," according to the company. The sandwich, which continues to be served with lettuce, pickles, onions and tomatoes, is also dressed with "better tasting mayo." The improvements come after the fast-food chain's president Tom Curtis earlier this month invited customers to call or text him with feedback about their experiences at Burger King. The box solves complaints Burger King got about smushed Whoppers. Burger King is making changes to the Whopper for the first time in nearly 10 years. Burger King has upgraded the Whopper. See what's new 1 of 6 Burger King is making changes to the Whopper for the first time in nearly 10 years. How to get it: McDonald's biggest burger, the Big Arch burger, is coming in March Burger King shared taste test just for 'fun' Curtis's review, like Kempczinski's, was filmed and shared to highlight their menu items. Burger King said that the TikTok was a "fun way" to highlight the newly "elevated" Whopper, and "having Tom taste it firsthand felt like a natural way to mark that moment." A Burger King logo is seen on the facade of a Mexico City restaurant on July 24, 2024. "We love seeing our guests get excited about the Whopper, and Burger King President Tom Curtis is no exception," Burger King said in a statement on Tuesday, March 3. Advertisement Advertisement According to Burger King, Curtis's taste test was filmed in February and originally shared as part of a longer TikTok featuring direct feedback from a guest. USA TODAY tried the Big Arch burger, too USA TODAY Trending reporter Mike Snider tried the Big Arch a week ahead of its Tuesday, March 3, release and described the burger as "heavy." "You want to be hungry when you order one of these," Snider said in his taste test. More on the Big Arch burger McDonald's Big Arch burger is available for purchase at restaurants nationwide starting Tuesday, March 3. McDonald's Big Arch burger has already arrived at restaurants nationwide. The burger was already getting attention for its size, but now, it's also being noticed for the recent taste-test video. McDonald's is advertising the item as its "biggest and boldest burger, yet" featuring two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of melted white cheddar cheese, lettuce and pickles, along with crispy onions and Big Arch Sauce, as Kempczinski mentioned in his tasting video. Advertisement Advertisement The Big Arch Sauce is described as "a tangy, creamy sauce with a perfect balance of mustard, pickle and sweet tomato flavors," on McDonald's online Menu Spotter page. Contributing: Kate Perez and Mike Snider, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Burger King makes subtle jab at McDonald's CEO with huge Whopper bite At your local grocery store, you've probably noticed that chicken breast prices have gotten pretty steep. The $3.99-per-pound price point that felt normal years ago is basically a fantasy now. If you're buying a whole bird for the family dinner, you're likely looking at a bill that makes you wince. Interestingly, down south and beyond the border, there's a country where you can buy a whole chicken for the equivalent of a coffee and a pastry in the U.S. Head to Brazil, and a whole chicken runs you just a few dollars. Global Product Prices puts Brazilian chicken at $1.67 per kilo roughly 76 cents per pound. Compare that to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis that currently shows pricing of about $4 per pound in the U.S., and you're looking at quite the difference. But if you look into the economical factors between countries, this shouldn't have been the case. According to the USDA, the U.S. is the largest producer of chicken meat anywhere in the world at 21.34 million metric tons in the 2024 period. Meanwhile, Brazil sits at number three. The sheer abundance of our domestic production means we should be getting much cheaper chicken, right? Well ... not quite. While Brazil can't beat the U.S. in production volume, the country has the United States beat when it comes to production cost. In fact, Brazil can produce chicken meat for less than anywhere else in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: How Scrambled Eggs Are Different Around The World How Brazil built an industry that pumps out chickens at rock-bottom costs Chickens roaming on a farm - Ronald Almeida/Getty Images Brazil has a couple of advantages that lend themselves perfectly to poultry production. The southern Brazilian states, particularly Parana, have perfect geography to become a chicken meat factory as they're surrounded by massive corn and soybean farms. That means cheap feed, and because Brazil grows these goods locally, they don't have to bother with import tariffs or middleman markups. This isn't unique to Brazil, though, the U.S. has these advantages, too we're actually massive chicken feed producers. But Brazil still undercuts the U.S. because of one crucial difference: labor cost and currency valuation. Brazilian poultry workers earn significantly less than their American counterparts, being only paid 17 Brazilian real ($3.30 USD) per hour, as outlined by Economic Research Institute. Meanwhile in America, the hourly rate is $18 on average, according to ZipRecruiter. This massive labor cost advantage flows directly into the final price consumers pay. In Brazil, The Poultry Site reports that producers only need to pay about 80 to 90 U.S. cents to to yield a kilo of chicken meat. That's a figure that would be impossible for American producers operating under U.S. wage standards and regulatory frameworks. Currency also plays a quiet, but significant role. The Brazilian real's valuation makes exporting attractive for producers, which keeps domestic supply plentiful and prices stable. Add abundant raw materials, massive production scale, modern infrastructure, and favorable economics together, and you get a situation that's nearly impossible for other nations to replicate, plus a perfect storm of cheap chicken meat. Advertisement Advertisement Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Pancakes are delicious. They're even more delicious when they're free. IHOP is offering free pancakes on Tuesday, March 3, which they've crowned "National Pancake Day," according to a news release. The restaurant is also celebrating with TikTok sensation Mr. Fantasy but more on that later. First, here's how you can get yourself a stack of flapjacks for free. How to get free pancakes from IHOP today From 7 a.m. through 8 p.m., guests will receive a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes when they dine at participating IHOP restaurants nationwide, the company said in a release. Advertisement Advertisement The offer is available for dine-in only and is not valid with other discounts or promotions. Tax and gratuity are excluded from the deal, according to the release. IHOP near me IHOP has 35 restaurants in Ohio. You can find your nearest IHOP using the company's restaurant locator: https://restaurants.ihop.com/en-us/oh/ IHOP diners can support Feeding America Diners will also have the opportunity to support Feeding America, a U.S. hunger-relief organization, on National Pancake Day. Every $1 donated in IHOP restaurants on March 3 helps provide at least 10 meals to local Feeding America partner food banks, the release reads. IHOP partners with Mr. Fantasy for National Pancake Day Sorry, Ohioans! IHOP is partnering with TikTok creator Mr. Fantasy, widely speculated to be "Riverdale" star KJ Apa, for National Pancake Day, but Ohioans won't be able to meet him. Mr. Fantasy will be meeting fans at IHOPs Hollywood restaurant on Tuesday, March 3, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How to get IHOP free pancakes for National Pancake Day GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) WesternSlopeNows winner for the 2026 Remarkable Women contest is Dixie Burmeister. It means a lot. And it humbles me, Burmeister said. Dixie Burmeister is well known in the Grand Valley community. I dont know when Im gonna slow down, Burmeister said. Having lived here since the 60s, Dixies been involved in the Grand Junction and Palisade communities since she and her family moved here. Advertisement Advertisement Theres something about this area that grows on you, she said. From having a cooking show on KREX News to helping put on annual events like the Palisade Peach Festival, Honeybee Festival and Palisade Olde Fashioned Christmas, Dixie has become what some call a community icon. I have been honored by Palisade a few times, which really grabs my heart as well, Burmeister said. What keeps her coming back to volunteer year after year? Its the feeling of satisfaction and seeing some of the things that you have had perhaps a small part in helping along and the smiles on the people you help. Dixie says shes honored to have been named this years Remarkable Women. Advertisement Advertisement I will, of course, remember this the rest of my life. And it makes a big impact I hope to carry on and hold that confidence that you had in me. 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. Above: The open-windowed, lagoon-facing spa at GoldenEye. Generalizing about an entire country, even a small one, on the basis of a tiny sample of several days spent is, were told, dubious. But our eyes and ears and consciousness are never so alert and awake as they are in our first days in a new place, before they are submerged in the ocean of ourselves, impressions flooded by our own drearily familiar consciousness. The first blink often is the deepest. Arriving in Jamaica after a lifetimes imagining the place, to stay at GoldenEyethe Ian Fleming villa and extended property near the town of Oracabessaproduces observations quickly arrived at and therefore conceivably true. First, there are the sounds of the place. There is the local speech: Many of the characteristic phrases of the island patois have a humane inflection in reality that the constant caricatures of them cant supply. Jamaicans really do say Ya, mon!but it is a mumbled, warm, self-reflecting affirmation, not at all the snappy, stoned greeting of bad comic sketches. And there is the music. In no place I know is there as constant a stream of local (that is to say national) music as in Jamaica. At a time when American pop, often decades old, still dominates the world, in Jamaica any beachside baror, for that matter, any carhas local music playing. It is a sign of their seriousness of purpose that Chris Blackwellrum entrepreneur, reggae evangelist, and owner of GoldenEyeand Ricardo Hewitt, his hyperserious manager, insist on having real, serious Jamaican music on the property. Just as they insist on having real Jamaican food on the menu. (You can begin the day with the much-praised ackee and salt fish.) Advertisement Advertisement And then there are the sights. Jamaica, even if experienced within the slightly Petit Trianon protected space of GoldenEye, is a unique landscape, not so much lush or verdant, as the cliches of travel writing have it, but rather a poignant mixture of the arid and the ample. The road that takes one from the Montego Bay airport to Oracabessa is dotted with shacks and brightly colored hand-painted signage, but soon even a citybound eye senses the abundant wild and benign animal life sweetening the air, the trees, and the water, all of it especially apparent once one has settled into ones little cottage facing an ocean lagoon and mangroves. Brie Williams GoldenEye My own fascination with Jamaica dates to my own first experience of the James Bond films and books, when I was a kid. I will confess that, unduly aesthetic at that age, I was less overwhelmed by the sight of Ursula Andress in her famous white swimsuit and hunting knife than by the beautiful transition, in Dr. No, from nocturnal, clouded, blue-gray London to the glaring, blaring, sweet and sour and sunny precincts of the island. (The later elegantly erotic Diana Rigg was a different story.) Michael Ochs Archives/Getty The literary distinction of the novels lies here too, in the evocation of place. Fleming loved Jamaica, and could evoke it, even out of the context of a thriller, wittily, beautifully: There are innumerable butterflies and hummingbirds, he wrote once, and at night, fireflies of many kinds. In the distance, the sea will be breaking in silver on the reef, and because of the phosphorous, you will look like an Oscar if you bathe in some of the bays after dark. Jamaica has not receded in my mind over time; in Daniel Craigs last, long Bond film, I was stirred less by the countless expositive explosions than by the early image of Bond retired at sunset in Jamaica in a lagoon-facing hut. So, to actually be on that Fleming-blessed lagoon, in an open-windowed cottage, swimming in that salt water, allowed me to indulge an odd reverienot of being James Bond but of being the retired James Bond, finally escaping from my life of obligatory adventure to simple sensual pleasures. And indeed, the pleasure of swimming in the early morning, then making a cafetiere cup of Blue Mountain coffee, and then having an outdoor shower, pretty much touched all my key sensual pleasure centers (Diana Rigg having sadly passed away). GoldenEye Noel Coward, another expatriate, joked once that Flemings house should be called GoldenEye, Ear, Nose, and Throat, a gibe at what seemed to Coward the clinical purity of its decor. Seeing it today, with Flemings own chosen furniture still in situ (it is now rented to rock stars, or those who would like to be rock stars), it looks anything but clinically pure. The floors are a bright, polished white beneath the high tent-shaped ceilings, the furniture in a light aesthetic of raw bamboo and twisted cane that recalls the mangrove swamps outside. The effect is less Englishman abroadonly Flemings desk chair, its backrest made in the form of a captains wheel, suggests his naval backgroundthan modern cosmopolitan come to rest. Advertisement Advertisement That first Bond film, though it pretends to a wide span of Jamaican reference, was all filmed within a tight area around GoldenEye. The beach on the mythical Crab Key, where Andress appears, is a short drive away at now-crowded Laughing Waters. The resort that has grown up and expanded around the villa, Blackwell says, is not so much a tribute to Fleming as a monument to my mother. That mother, Blanche Blackwell, was a woman of appetite and audacity within the straitlaced Jamaican upper crust. Once reticent about her relationship with Fleming, Blackwell now speaks about it openly. After his marriage went wrong, he took up with my mother. Fleming was always so kind to me as a boy, because I think he loved her very much. We would have dinner, him and Noel Coward. Can you imagine? Brie Williams/GoldenEye An afternoon spent with Blackwell riding through the property introduces a curiously diffident, weather-beaten figure, with the melodious growl of an upper-class Brit. He talks freely of his past and regrets the superabundance in Jamaica today of dancehall over reggae music. Reggae was about feelings, chimes in his driver, McGyver, who works on the estate. Dancehall is about fee-males. At sunset, Ricardo Hewitt gathers a group of visitors on the shore to hear a band composed of five Jamaican, Rasta-oriented drummers. As the sun sinks, they sing and drum their anthemstartlingly, the Old Testament Psalm 137, the ancient song of the loss of Zion and exile in Babylon. It is one of the most beautiful adaptations of the longings of one culture into the longings of another that exists. Coexistence of many kinds is possible, one thinks as the sun sets over GoldenEye, vanishing with the green flash of legend, and the best places are made of the imaginings of many minds: yours with a favorite authors, a new sound, an old faith. Its a truth of the marriage of the near and the exotic, and the reason we travel so far to familiar places. Classic Caribbean Hotels Like Goldeneye, these resorts arent new, but who cares? They, too, nabbed the nabbed the choice island locations and are still going strong. Heres why. By Jen Murphy Jade Mountain, St. Lucia Courtesy of Jade Mountain Here are hands down the most dramatic views in the entire Caribbean: of Anse Chastanet beach and the Pitons, the two Jurassic Parklike volcanic cones. Its 24 sanctuaries have just three walls and butlers: Guests have been known to not leave their suites for five days. La Samanna, St. Martin La Samana For more than 50 years no one, not even sunphobic Andy Warhol, has been able to resist this star-magnets retro beach elegance, celebrated wine cellar, Cote dAzur vibe, and location: in the islands smartest neighborhood, on a private stretch of mile-long Baie Longue. (Now a Belmond.) Eden Rock Advertisement Advertisement Synonymous with seaside glamour for 70-plus years, it has largely shaped the islands identity. The draw: an impossibly private perch, food by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and staff that treat everyone like a VIP. (Postrecent reno, its more glam than ever.) Little Dix Bay, BVI Little Dix Bay In 1959 Laurance Rockefeller bought 500 acres on Virgin Gorda and told his architect to keep it simplebecause nature was the ultimate luxury for harried humans. Theyve come ever since (even Queen Elizabeth) to this sophisticated fishing village with a soaring central long house. (Now a Rosewood.) Cap Juluca, Anguilla Cap Juluca The blues and whites of Maundays Bay, along which the resorts Moorish-Greco villas are strewn, are almost shocking in their brightness. That palette has continued to draw loyalists since 1988. Renovations added restaurants, and a Guerlain spa opened in 2024. (Now a Belmond.) Malliouhana, Anguilla Malliouhana The other OG of the island, opened in 1984, overlooks yet another gorgeous (although slightly more built-up) beach, Meads Bay. There is no better start to a Caribbean evening than sunset drinks at its sky-high bar. Rockhouse, JamaicaRockhouse Rockhouse Hotel Advertisement Advertisement Another Jamaican classic we love (besides GoldenEye) is Rockhouse. The Taylor Swift of hotels, it has lured an absolutely devout following since it opened in 1974 on a Negril cliffside. Its authentic vibe, epic sunsets, and clear waters more than make up for the lack of beach. (Bob Marley, Mick Jagger, and many others agreed.) Hotel Le Toiny Le Toiny, on St. Barts rugged southeastern side, and family-owned since 2015, has long been where you go to escape the islands scene. Its 22 villa-style suites were recently spruced up, Land Rover Defenders whisk you to its beach and tree-shaded beach club, and guests are 80 percent repeats. Now, thats love. This story appears in the October 2025 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW You Might Also Like ZAGREB, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia announced on Tuesday that it will repatriate citizens stranded in the Middle East via charter flights. According to a statement issued by the Ministry, there are over 3,000 Croatian citizens currently in the Middle East, though the actual figure may be higher due to tourism. According to earlier reports, approximately 10 citizens and one official remain in Iran, following the prior evacuation of the embassy in Tehran. The Ministry reiterated its call for all Croatian citizens in crisis-affected areas to exercise extreme caution and strictly adhere to local directives. They are advised to remain indoors, minimize movement, avoid public gatherings, and monitor official updates closely. Furthermore, the Ministry strongly discourages all travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel. On Saturday morning, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the military campaign against Iran has "capability to go far longer" than four to five weeks. What could have been a horribly tragic ending has turned into a heartwarming new beginning for one lucky dog. Back in December, news outlets reported that a white pit bull mix was found chained to a tree near a bike path in Amsterdam, New York, during dangerously cold weather. A passerby walking his own dog spotted the abandoned pup and quickly alerted authorities. Police later said that if the dog hadnt been seen when he was, he likely would not have survived the freezing temperatures. SIGN UP to get pawsitivity delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends Advertisement Advertisement Officers used bolt cutters to free him from the short metal chain tethering him to the tree. He was then transported to the Montgomery County SPCA, where he began the recovery process and received a new name: Elfie. A Heartwarming Update Now, more than two months later, Elfies story looks very different. In an update shared by the Montgomery County SPCA on Feb. 19, the rescue revealed that Elfie has been adopted and is adjusting so well to his new life. Photos show the once-abandoned dog relaxing comfortably indoors, soaking in the warmth of a safe home. According to the shelter, Elfie has fully embraced his fresh start. He loves playing with toys, stretching out in sunny spots and learning new skills. Hes currently working on commands like stay and place as part of his early training. And perhaps most endearing of all, the shelter wrote, He also thinks he is a lap dog, alongside a photo of Elfie snoozing happily on his adopters lap. Related: California Puppy Safely Rescued After Getting Head Stuck in Tire Rim A Night and Day Difference Its a striking contrast to the fearful, cold pup police encountered that December day. When first discovered, Elfie reportedly barked and growled in distress while crouched near the tree, clearly frightened and unsure of his surroundings. Advertisement Advertisement His rescue sparked outrage and concern throughout the community, and the New York State Humane Society offered a reward for information leading to the person responsible for abandoning him. Authorities indicated that those involved could face serious charges. But today, the focus is on Elfies remarkable turnaround. From a life-threatening situation in the woods to sun naps, toy time and lap cuddles, Elfie is finally experiencing the safety and affection every dog deserves. The Montgomery County SPCA closed its update with a heartfelt message: Thank you for saving Elfie, he is an amazing boy. And judging by the photos, this lap dog is right where he belongs. Related: 'Heartbroken' Rescue Puppy Hit by Car Shows the 'True Meaning of Resilience' This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Mar 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates freedom and deliverance, begins March 2 at sundown. Purim is often misunderstood as "Jewish Halloween" because many who celebrate dress up to attend costume parties. But the concept of Purim is much more joyous than the goblins, ghouls, monsters and vampires that come with the Halloween season. Here's what Purim is, why it's observed, how it's celebrated and when Purim begins and ends in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement From Purim 2024: What is Purim? What to know about the Jewish holiday What is Purim? Is Purim 'Jewish Halloween'? Purim, commonly misunderstood as "Jewish Halloween," is a joyous Jewish holiday that celebrates the escape from the near-genocide of the Jewish people under Persian rule in the 4th century BCE. The reason why Purim is often misconstrued as "Jewish Halloween" is that many practicing Jews celebrate by throwing a feast or party and dressing up in costumes. But whereas Halloween focuses on the macabre, monsters, goblins and ghouls, Purim costumes are joyful. "Purim is dedicated to making others happy. Children and adults dress up as clowns and bring laughter. They visit retirement homes, hospitals, and even prisons to bring joy to the loneliest places," Chabad.org says. Advertisement Advertisement "They also dress up as the heroes and heroines of the Purim story. Young girls often dress as a brave young woman, Esther, who became the empress of the largest empire on earth, yet never forgot her heritage and her people, and risked her life to save them." Is Purim the story of Esther? What is the story of Purim in short? Yes, the Purim story can be found in the book of Esther in the Christian Bible. The story takes place in the Ancient Persian Empire in the 4th Century BCE. In the story, Haman is the antagonist. Haman was the prime minister to the Persian Emperor Xerxes I, also referred to as King Ahasuerus. In the story of Esther, she was selected to be the King's wife after he had his previous wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow orders. Unbeknownst to King Ahasuerus, Esther was Jewish. "Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esthers cousin), defied the kings orders and refused to bow to Haman," Chabad.org says. "Haman was incensed, and he convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar, a date chosen by a lottery Haman made." Advertisement Advertisement When Esther learned of Haman's plan to commit genocide against the Jewish people under Persian rule, she invited her husband, the king, to a feast. After their feast, she revealed her Jewish identity to him. After Esther revealed her identity to the king, he executed Haman and promoted Esther's cousin Mordechai to take Haman's place as prime minister. "Purim means lots in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme," Chabad.org says. "You can pronounce this name many ways. In Eastern tradition, it is called poo-REEM. Among Westerners, it is often called PUH-rim. Some Central-European communities even call it PEE-rim." When is Purim 2026? Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Adar. In 2026, Purim begins at sunset on Monday, March 2, and ends at nightfall on Tuesday, March 3. Advertisement Advertisement When does Lent 2026 end? See Ash Wednesday, Easter, Passover dates Jewish holidays 2026, Passover coming in April The Jewish holidays include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, fast days and other special occasions. After Purim, the next Jewish holiday will be Passover, which coincides with Easter in 2026. Here's a calendar of Jewish holidays and special occasions for the remainder of 2026, from Chabad.org: Purim, March 2 and March 3 - "Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the wicked Haman in the days of Queen Esther of Persia." Passover, April 1 through April 9 - "Passover (Pesach) celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt." Second Passover, May 1 - "Marks the day when someone unable to participate in the Passover offering in the proper time would observe the mitzvah exactly one month later." Lag B'Omer, May 5 - "Lag BaOmer is a festive day on the Jewish calendar, celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the great sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the end of a plague that raged amongst the disciples of the great sage Rabbi Akiva." Shavuot, May 21 through May 23 - "Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are read in synagogues, just as they were in the desert on Mt. Sinai over 3,300 years ago." The Three Weeks, July 2 through July 23 - "The 'Three Weeks' and Tisha BAv are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the galut (exile)." The 15th of Av, July 29 - "Our sages proclaimed the 15th of Av as one of the happiest days of the year, when Jewish maidens would go out to dance, hoping to attract fitting suitors." Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 11 through Sept. 13 - "Rosh Hashanah, first of the High Holidays, is the Jewish New Year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, and a day of judgment and coronation of God as king." Yom Kippur, Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 - "Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, when we fast, pray, seek forgiveness from God and our fellows, and come closer to God. It is the peak of the High Holidays." Sukkot, Sept. 25 through Oct. 2 - "The seven days of Sukkotcelebrated by dwelling in the sukkah, taking the Four Kinds, and rejoicingis the holiday when we expose ourselves to the elements in covered huts, commemorating Gd's sheltering our ancestors as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Four Kinds express our unity and our belief in Gds omnipresence. Coming after the solemn High Holidays, it is a time of joy and happiness." Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah, Oct. 2 through Oct. 4 - "Following the seven joyous days of Sukkot, comes the happy holiday known as Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah." Chanukah, Dec. 4 through Dec. 12 - "Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying mighty Greek armies." Fast of Tevet 10, Dec. 20 - "On Asarah B'Tevet, the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tevet, in the year 3336 from Creation (425 BCE), the armies of the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem. Asarah B'Tevet is observed as a day of fasting, mourning and repentance." How to celebrate Purim, What is Hamantaschen? Hamantaschen, traditional triangular cookies associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim, are served during the Part-tee for Purim event at Palm Beach Synagogue March 13, 2025 in Palm Beach. Purim is celebrated by hearing a reading of The Megillah, or "The Book of Esther," that tells the Purim story. Purim is also celebrated by giving money or food to the needy, sending food and gifts to friends and many throw feasts or costume parties, which attendees are encouraged to attend in joyful costumes. Advertisement Advertisement A traditional food at most Purim feasts and parties is Hamantaschen, which are traditional triangle-shaped cookies that can be stuffed with sweet or savory filling. According to Chabad.org, Hamantaschen is literally translated as "Hamans ears." This name led to the myth that the pastries celebrate the cutting off of Haman's ears before he was executed by the king. Ahead of the beginning of Purim, many observe the Fast of Esther, fasting from an hour before sunrise until sundown when Purim begins. This year, the Fast of Esther began an hour before sunrise on Monday, March 2, and will end at sundown. How do you wish someone a happy Purim? You can wish someone a "happy Purim" whether you're Jewish or not! Advertisement Advertisement If you'd like to say it in Hebrew, the traditional greeting is chag Purim sameach," which is pronounced "KHAG poo-REEM sah-MAY-akh." In Yiddish, the traditional Purim greeting is "ah freilichen Purim," which is pronounced "ah FRAY-likh-en POO-rim." This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Purim 2026 begins today. What to know about the Jewish holiday Homeowners looking to jumpstart spring projects can find ideas and meet local vendors at the 48th Annual Northern Michigan Home and Outdoor Living Show on March 13 and 14 in Petoskey. The Home Builders Association of Northern Michigan will host the event at North Central Michigan College, where more than 70 exhibitors will offer products and guidance related to home improvement, outdoor living and renovation trends. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 13, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 14. Dustin Hart of Renewit Deck Supply, who serves as HBANM president, said the vendor lineup includes companies specializing in building materials, landscaping, roofing, windows and remodeling services. Exhibitors include Birchwood Farms and Country Club, Drost Landscape and AllWeather Seal, among others. Advertisement Advertisement HBANM Executive Director Lyn Ann Reid said several new companies will participate this year, with a strong focus on kitchen and bath renovation. Additional vendors represent home construction, financing, system upgrades and other buildingrelated services. Homeowners can explore renovation ideas and outdoor living solutions at the 48th Annual Northern Michigan Home and Outdoor Living Show in March. The show will also highlight outdoor living products such as deck materials, patio features, fire pits, grills and outdoor furniture. Families are invited to bring children for a free building activity from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday hosted by Home Depot. Two seminars are scheduled Saturday: Wolverine Cabinet Company will present What to Expect When Renovating Your Kitchen at 11 a.m., followed by Harbor Brenn Insurances What HGTV Forgot to Tell You About Home Ownership at 1 p.m. New this year, students from Central Lake High School and Pellston High School will compete in a timed picnictable building challenge Friday morning, with finished tables available for purchase through sealed bids. Advertisement Advertisement Food will be available at the Iron Horse Cafe on campus. Admission is $5 for adults, and children 17 and younger may attend free. More information is available at HomeShowUpNorth.com. This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.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 Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan Home and Outdoor Living Show returns March 2026 I have just returned from Billings, Montana, where I had the honor of attending the Montana Aviation Conference. The annual event is three days of aviation organizations and pilots gathering to attend workshops and seminars, view exhibit wares, and listen to speakers. I was one of the speakers, administering the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Rusty Pilots seminar. I have been traveling around the country doing these seminars since 2017, and I must say they bring me great joy. The seminar is approximately three and a half hours of ground instruction and can be used to help satisfy the required ground component for the flight review. The presentation is part illustrated lecture and part guided discussion. Some of the people who partake of the events come in with looks of trepidation-they are worried it will be boring. According to the feedback I have received, thus far that hasn't happened. Most of the people who attend these seminars find the program to be a good review. Sometimes they are surprised at what they remember, as well as what they have forgotten. Advertisement Advertisement This time around the most frequently heard comment from the seminar attendees was how much the regulations have changed to support more opportunities for pilots to fly recreationally. Many of these changes have come in the past 10 years. MOSAIC The Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule was decades in the making and, in a nutshell, will make it possible for the holders of sport pilot certificates to, after receiving additional training and endorsements, fly larger, faster airplanes than those that were defined as light sport aircraft (LSAs) in 2004 with the LSA rule. LSAs were defined as aircraft weighing no more than 1,320 pounds for land planes with a maximum speed of 120 knots, and sport pilots were limited to flying these. Under MOSAIC, aircraft that were too heavy to be classified light sport, such as the Cessna 140, C-150 series, and C-172, can be flown by a properly trained and endorsed sport pilot. The new rule was discussed by conference attendees in terms of the revenue stream this potentially opens up at flight schools. Advertisement Advertisement CFIs voiced some concern about how sport pilots can qualify for the certificate in as few as 20 hours. The question was posed about whether or not that is enough experience to give them the skills they need to fly a larger, faster aircraft. That number is the minimum hours, but the metric for endorsing a pilot-any pilot for any certificate-has always been determined by the pilot receiving the training to ensure they demonstrate the knowledge and proficiency as set forth in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). Airspace Demon Airspace-the definitions, symbology, communication, and entry requirements-still presents a challenge to some pilots during the flight review. You were required to know the information for your check ride, and to know where to look it up if you were unsure, yet this is one of the areas of knowledge that disappears the quickest when it is not reviewed on a regular basis. If you don't use it, you lose it, is an apt description of "airspace fade." I could fund a pizza party for a Little League team if I had a dollar for every time I heard the excuse of "I don't fly in that airspace." Advertisement Advertisement If this is you, don't wait for your flight review to shore up the knowledge. Make a plan to go into "that airspace" and relearn the material. The same goes for your airport operations skills. Several pilots mentioned how long it had been since they had gone to a towered airport, and they had some concerns. What if they got buried on the radio or said the wrong thing? What if the traffic pattern was too busy for them? These are valid concerns but easily addressed by getting some preflight review dual instruction from a qualified CFI. Radio Mic Fright Mic fright affects many lapsed pilots, especially when they want to get flight following for a VFR flight or file a flight plan. The best advice I can give on this is to work with an instructor to create a "practice script" that you can use to become more familiar with the required phraseology, then go out and practice what you have relearned. EFB vs. Paper The use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and paper sectionals and charts also were debated. The FARs note the pilot should have all available information pertinent to the flight, which means navigational information, but the rules don't say in what form it has to be. Advertisement Advertisement The FAA has not stated a preference for one or the other. However, the flight school where you are training or the CFI you are training with might have a preference. The use of paper is growing less common, and the teaching of flight planning using analog paper, plotter, and mechanical E6B or even using a paper syllabus is discouraged along with the phrase: Theyre too hard to use. Please. Let's be candid. If you can read and follow directions, you can use a mechanical E6B and/or a syllabus. That being said, the EFB does cut down on cockpit clutter as you dont have to sift through stacks of paper or wrestle a section chart to find information. A fingertip swipe gets you the information you need, and you can use the technology to create your navlog. Just be sure you understand the theory and application of "TV MAKES DULL COMPANY" (True Course, Variation, Magnetic Course Deviation Compass heading) when you apply the technology. Advertisement Advertisement Be smart about EFB use. Carry an extra charging cord, and make sure the device has enough battery life to at least get you to your first fuel stop just in case the cord fails. There are some pilots who noted they have a rule that they dont take off unless the EFB and the backup devices that operate the apps are showing at least a 70 percent charge. How Long Will the Review Take? While there is a minimum hour requirement for the flight review, theres no maximum hour and you cannot fail one. But if you fail to meet the standards of your certificate, understand that you wont be endorsed until you get more training and practice. A good rule of thumb is to expect at least one hour of dual instruction for every year youve been away from aviation. Thats a guesstimate. How long it will take to get your skills back is like asking how long does it take for a bad haircut to grow out-it takes as long as it takes. The start of Lent began Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and that also means fish fries are happening at local churches. Here are some of the events happening in the weeks before Easter at area churches and elsewhere. Note that fish fries end before Good Friday, which is a traditional day of fasting for Catholics: Fry-yay! St. Mary's of Assumption Catholic Church in Hockessin is one of several churches in the state that offer Friday fish fry dinners during Lent. The first one begins Friday, March 7. 3/4/2025 St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Hockessin will continue hosting host its Fish Fry from 5 to 7 p.m. March 6, 13, 20, and 27, Parish Center, 7200 Lancaster Pike. Single ($15) and double ($20) dinners are available, as well as a $5 fish sticks and fries meal. Meal menus offer choices of baked or fried flounder or crab cake, with a choice of two sides and salad or chowder or gumbo. Cash or check only, carry out available. Visit smachurch.com/ for details. Advertisement Advertisement The St. John the Beloved Knights of Columbus will hold its Lenten Fish Fry dinners March 13, and March 27 at the Church Hall located on 907 Milltown Road in the Milltown area. Dinners will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. and include a choice of fried or baked flounder along with two side dishes plus a dinner roll. Dinners are $15 for adults and $8 for children. Take-out is available. The council is also offering Fish Sandwich To-Go meals from 4:30 to 6 p.m. March 6 and March 20. Each bag includes a breaded fish sandwich, a bag of potato chips, a cookie and a beverage. Meals are $10 each. A pint of Vegetable Lentil soup also is available for $5. Preorders only. See sjbkofcde.org/fish/ for more details on both events. St. Helena's Parish near Wilmington will hold a Fish Fry in Masci Hall, 602 Philadelphia Pike from 5 to 7 p.m. March 6, 13, 20, and 27, organized by the Knights of Columbus, Christopher Council No. 3182. Dinners feature specials like salmon and shrimp with pasta in addition to traditional fish meals, according to the Facebook page. For more information or to order, contact the church on Facebook at facebook.com/StHelenasParishDE/ or by calling or texting 302-598-8685. Fried fish is served for Lent on Feb. 27, 2026, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Des Moines. Holy Angels Church near Newark (St. Margaret of Scotland) will host a Boy Scouts Fish Fry from 4:30 to 7 p.m. March 20 at Hopkins Hall, 2431 Frazer Road. Visit margaretofscotland.org/ for more information. Advertisement Advertisement The Knights of Columbus of St. Joseph Church, Middletown, will host Lenten Fish Frys 5 to 7 p.m. March 6, 13, and 20 at the church hall, 371 E. Main St. Cost is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $12 children ages 8 to 12; $5 children under age 8. Takeout available for $18. Menu includes fried haddock, baked tilapia, stewed tomatoes, coleslaw, french fries, homemade mac and cheese, dinner roll, coffee and iced tea. Shrimp cocktail also available for $8. Cash, checks, and credit cards accepted. Desserts will be available for purchase from the Columbiettes. If you would like your church or organization included, email details to Tammy Paolino at tpaolno@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Where to find a Lenten fish fry in March in Delaware A man is dead following a two-vehicle crash at a busy south metro intersection that has been the focus of ongoing safety concerns. According to the Cherry Hills Village Police Department, officers responded to the collision at East Belleview Avenue and South Franklin Street. Investigators confirmed the crash involved two vehicles and no pedestrians. One man was pronounced dead at the scene and no other injuries were reported, police said. Lanes remained closed at the intersection as crash reconstruction teams continued their investigation, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Police have not released the identity of the man who died, pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Cherry Hills Village Police Department at 303-761-8711. Intersection subject of neighborhood safety debate The fatal crash comes nearly two years after another deadly incident nearby prompted renewed calls for traffic improvements. In May 2024, Andie Goldberg was struck and killed while jogging near Belleview Avenue and Franklin Street, just west of Interstate 25. Her husband, Gerry Goldberg, later launched a petition known as Andies Light, urging city leaders to install a traffic signal and make safety improvements at that intersection. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, city officials said the location sits along a shared jurisdictional boundary. A spokesperson for Colorado Department of Transportation previously said that Greenwood Village would be responsible for the design, installation and funding of a signal. CDOT approved maintain and operate it after installation. Greenwood Village described the signal as an unfunded capital project request and noted it would not be a unilateral decision. Cherry Hills Village officials did not respond to multiple previous requests for comment during that reporting. It is not yet clear whether Mondays fatal crash will renew calls for safety upgrades at nearby intersections along the Belleview corridor. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) One person is dead, and another is hurt following a crash on I-10 in West Baton Rouge Parish on Tuesday morning. According to the Louisiana State Police, 51-year-old Phillip Scott, of Albany, was killed in the crash. An investigation revealed that a 2025 International tractor-trailer was traveling eastbound on I-10 near the Iberville Parish line at around 4 a.m. Traffic was stopped due to construction in the area. At the same time, a box truck driven by Scott was traveling east and approaching the stopped traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities reported Scott did not stop and rear-ended the tractor-trailer. Scott was wearing a seat belt but was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the box truck was wearing a seat belt and had minor injuries from the crash. They were taken to a hospital. The driver of the tractor-trailer was properly wearing a seat belt and was not injured. Impairment is not suspected. Routine toxicology samples will be collected and submitted for analysis. 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 Louisiana First News. NEED TO KNOW A 13-year-old child has been taken into custody in connection with the death of an Oklahoma woman Malary Clayton, 31, of Oklahoma, was identified as the victim, who authorities say died from an apparent gunshot wound In moments like this, we lean on one another, we lean on our faith, and we move forward together, Bryan County Sheriff Joey W. Tucker said A 13-year-old Oklahoma boy is being held in a Texas juvenile detention center in connection with the death of a 31-year-old woman. In a statement to its Facebook page on Monday, March 2, the Bryan County Sheriff's Office identified Malary Clayton as the victim. Due to his status as a minor, the juvenile was not named. Advertisement Advertisement Citing investigators, Oklahoma local news station KXII reported that the child was the primary suspect in the woman's killing, which authorities say happened in Colbert on Friday, Feb. 27. Statement on Malary Clayton Credit: Bryan County Sheriff's Office/Facebook According to the outlet, an unidentified individual arrived at the residence and found Clayton, who appeared to be deceased. The Bryan County Sheriffs Office contacted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), and it was determined that she died as a result of a gunshot wound. Clayton suffered injuries consistent with homicide, KOCO reported, adding that investigators arrived at the home at approximately 6:45 p.m. Friday evening. A missing persons alert was issued for the 13-year-old by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, with authorities later learning that the child traveled south of the Oklahoma/Texas border, local media reported, citing a news release. Advertisement Advertisement The Oklahoma Highway Patrol issued a missing person's alert for the 13-year-old. Authorities later learned that the child traveled "south of the Oklahoma/Texas border," according to an OSBI statement. It was the next day, early morning hours, around 6:30 of the 28th, when the 13-year-old was found and placed into custody by the sheriffs office in that area, OSBI public information manager Hunter McKee said in a statement. PEOPLE reached out to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, who had no additional comment. Bryan County Sheriff Joey W. Tucker called Claytons death heartbreaking. Advertisement Advertisement A young mothers life was taken, and that is something no family, no friends, and no community should ever have to endure. On behalf of the Bryan County Sheriffs Office, I want to extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to everyone who loved her. Our prayers are with her family and friends as they walk through unimaginable grief, he said in a statement shared to the departments Facebook page. Tucker called the situation especially tragic due to the age of the alleged offender. There are no winners in a situation like this. Two lives and two futures are forever changed. As a father, as a member of this community and as your Sheriff, I cannot express strongly enough how heavy this weighs on all of us. We recognize that there is pain on multiple sides of this tragedy, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted, the sheriff continued. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. He added that with the help of other law enforcement agencies in the area, the suspect was safely located and taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Bryan County is a strong community. In moments like this, we lean on one another, we lean on our faith, and we move forward together, Tucker said. The investigation remains ongoing. Read the original article on People An 18-year-old died in a single-vehicle crash near Fredericktown, Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the crash happened on State Highway OO, just north of Fredericktown, at around midnight early Tuesday morning. The crash report said the 18-year-old driver from Fredericktown was heading south when he ran off the driveway and crashed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Madison County Coroner. GLENVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) Two people are in custody and are facing charges in Glenville after an infant in their care was allegedly found malnourished. According to a release from the West Virginia State Police, in January, an 11-month-old child was removed from a residence in Glenville after the childs parents, identified as Beraique Taylor, 21, and Joshua Taylor, 21, both of Glenville, allegedly failed to provide proper nutrition and care. The release said that after the child was removed, troopers initiated an investigation into the alleged neglect and malnutrition of the infant. Advertisement Advertisement In a criminal complaint, investigators said that the parents were given adequate feeding education by nurses, but failed to maintain consistent follow-up appointments between August and December 2025, during which time, the child only gained .6 pounds. Investigators said that they determined the childs malnourishment also didnt come from a lack of financial resources or inability to obtain food, as both Taylors had been approved for WIC benefits. Man claiming to be CPS worker charged for DUI while transporting minor in Barbour County On Feb. 28, both Beraique and Joshua were taken into custody and charged with child neglect, creating risk of injury or death and conspiracy to commit a felony. They are both being held in the Central Regional Jail. Advertisement Advertisement Troopers said that the investigation remains ongoing. As of Monday evening, neither Beraique nor Joshua appears in the West Virginia Division of Corrections system. Editors note: This article has been updated with information from a criminal complaint. 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 WBOY.com. HELSINKI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Five members of the same family died in a fierce apartment-building fire in the city of Vantaa, near the Finnish capital Helsinki, in the early hours of Tuesday, Finnish police said. The victims were a couple aged between 30 and 40 and their three children aged 3, 6 and 8, police told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. The family's baby was rescued and remains in hospital. Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat reported that the deceased were members of a Somali family. Police said a 70-year-old man who lived in the building is suspected of deliberately starting the fire and later turned himself in. He is being held on suspicion of murder and aggravated criminal damage, and police said additional charges could be brought as the investigation continues. Police added that the suspected act was not specifically directed at the family and said there was no racist motive. The fire broke out in the Pahkinarinne area of Vantaa's Hameenkyla district and was "exceptionally intense," rescue services said at the press conference. Fire chief Markus Kuosmanen said none of the fire officers at the scene had encountered anything similar in a long time. Rescuers entered the building by breaking windows, he said. Police and rescue services received the alert at 5:41 a.m. local time, and the blaze was extinguished later in the morning. All residents of the building were evacuated. Rescue services said residents who stayed inside their apartments survived, while the deceased family was found in a smoke-filled stairwell after apparently attempting to escape. Local authorities and institutions arranged crisis support for affected residents and children, Helsingin Sanomat reported. Local fire departments in southern Darke County have been awarded grants through the newly created Small County Volunteer Fire Department Grant Program (SCVFD). The grant program was established in the state budget that is championed by the House of Representatives Republicans, according to a spokesperson. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The funding will be used to purchase essential equipment, upgrade facilities, and enhance access to firefighter training. The two departments receiving those funds are the New Madison Community Fire, which is receiving $21,500, and the Gettysburg Rural Fire, which is getting $47,252. Ensuring our dedicated volunteer firefighters have the resources they need to protect our communities is essential, said State Representative Jonathan Newman. Newman said that in total, Darke County has secured 243,788 dollars through the SCVFD Grant Program. Overall, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal awarded a total of $7,997,960 to 190 departments across 49 Ohio counties. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Cincinnati police arrested two men in connection with a mass shooting at a Cincinnati concert venue that injured nine. Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, each face at least one count of felonious assault after the March 1 shooting at Riverfront Live, according to Cincinnati police. Department spokesman Sgt. Anthony Mitchell said either Cobb or Long was one of the nine injured. He declined to specify who, citing Marsy's Law, a victim's privacy law. Advertisement Advertisement A city database of shooting victims says a 29-year-old man was one of the nine people shot. More: Cincinnati police offering support to Riverfront Live shooting victims Cobb and Long are expected to be booked at the Hamilton County Justice Center shortly, Mitchell said. The investigation by the department's homicide unit is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 513-352-3542. Both Cobb and Long have criminal convictions prohibiting their possession of firearms, according to Hamilton County court records. Cobb pleaded guilty to felony-level cocaine trafficking in 2020, restricting his ability to legally own a gun. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to having weapons under disability. Then, last February, Cobb pleaded guilty to carrying concealed weapons and was sentenced to a year in prison. He was recently released prior to this shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Long similarly has convictions for carrying concealed weapons and having weapons under disability, according to court records. Most recently, he pleaded guilty to arson and receiving stolen property in 2023. He was sentenced to a year in prison. Six men and three women were shot inside the Cincinnati concert venue early Sunday morning. The shooting happened during a private party attended by about 800 people, according to the venue's owner. As of Monday afternoon, six victims had been treated and released from UC Medical Center, two remained hospitalized there in stable condition and a ninth person at Good Samaritan Hospital had been treated and released. This story may be updated. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police arrest 2 men after Riverfront Live mass shooting in Cincinnati Two people have been arrested in connection with a mass shooting at a music venue in Cincinnati over the weekend. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Cincinnati Police Departments Homicide Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Unit arrested Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, for felonious assault on Monday, according to our media partner WCPO-9 TV. As previously reported by News Center 7, the shooting happened around 1 a.m. on Sunday at Riverfront Live along Kellogg Avenue. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Nine people were shot at the venue and taken to area hospitals. They are all currently in stable condition. Cincinnati police said they did not have any information about what led up to the shooting or if they have any suspect information. As previously reported, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives announced a reward of $5,000 for any information that leads to the identification and arrest of any suspects involved in the shooting. WCPO-9 reported that Riverfront Live was hosting a party with multiple DJs when the shooting happened. Riverfront Live said in a social media post on Sunday that their hearts are with the victims and their families. Advertisement Advertisement We are devastated by the violence that occurred in the early hours of March 1st at Riverfront Live. Our hearts are with the victims and their families. We are profoundly grateful that, at this time, all of the victims are reportedly in a safe and stable condition. We want to take this moment to thank the staff, the first responders, and the community that supported us last night, as they have for the last eight years. The immediate reaction from CPD helped to prevent further casualties. To those brave men and women- THANK YOU. To the community that we are proud to be a part of, Thank You. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Election season officially kicked off on Tuesday, March 3, as voters across North Carolina and two other states headed to the first primary polls in the U.S. ahead of the midterm election in November. Votes are still coming in across North Carolina, and it won't be until later that winners begin to be named and even more time to confirm the results of the primary election. But those who win in the primary, and those who are unopposed in races, will be the names to grace the midterm ballots. Here's everything you need to know about what happens after the 2026 North Carolina primary. When will 2026 North Carolina primary election results be available? Preliminary results will be available at different times on March 3. Advertisement Advertisement Primary results for elections in communities in Western North Carolina will be available as soon as all of the votes are counted in each county on the evening of March 3, after polls close at 7:30 p.m. Results for statewide elections may take some more time to determine who came out on top. You can keep an eye on election results at ncsbe.org. For Asheville and Buncombe County results, keep up with the latest at citizen-times.com. When are 2026 midterm elections in North Carolina? There are still a couple of months before midterms. People will have a chance to vote once more for who will stay on or take over seats ranging from the federal to local city level on Tuesday, Nov. 3. I couldn't register to vote in the 2026 primary. Can I still register to vote for the 2026 midterm election? Yes. Advertisement Advertisement If you missed the deadline for the primary election, you still have time to register to vote in the upcoming midterm election. The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina is 25 days before Election Day, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Where can I register to vote for the midterm election? There are multiple ways you can register to vote in North Carolina: Register to vote by mail: Download and complete the appropriate voter registration application. Make sure to complete all required fields. Print it off and mail the form to your county board of elections. Register to vote online via the DMV: People who are N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles customers may submit an online voter registration application. Register to vote during early voting: Only certain qualifying people can register to vote during early voting periods. Check to see the qualifications here. Am I registered to vote in NC? Check your voter registration status You can check your voter registration status via the North Carolina State Board of Elections website's voter search portal at ncsbe.org. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 2026 NC primary decides who is on November ballot. When midterms are BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Throughout the month of March, we are introducing you to local women making a difference in their community as part of Nexstar Medias Remarkable Women initiative. On Tuesday, CBS 42s Sherri Jackson and David Lamb introduced us to central Alabamas 2026 Remarkable Women of the Year: Melinda MeGahee. MeGahee has been the executive director for the Lovelady Center since 2021, taking over the position from her mother Brenda Lovelady Spahn. The center is a womens shelter that helps women leaving prison find a new life on the outside through rehabilitation and healing. The program started in Spahns home with seven former inmates released from Julia Tutwiler Prison and now includes a shelter in Birmingham and two thrift stores in Irondale and Birmingham. 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 CBS 42. A swatch of picturesque open space in the Santa Cruz Mountains that could one day help connect the Bay Area Ridge Trial has been acquired and set aside for protection by conservationists. On Tuesday, the Peninsula Open Space Trust announced it had purchased a historic 1,921-acre ranch in the range's eastern foothills in Santa Clara County for $24 million. The parcel, called Mead Ranch, is wedged between a pair of open space preserves west of Morgan Hill within a grassy, oak-studded landscape that conservationists have highlighted as a critical corridor for ranging wildlife like mountain lions, which were recently listed as a threatened species in California. Advertisement Advertisement The newly acquired property fits like a puzzle piece into a patchwork of 50,000 acres of open space in and around the South Bay's Coyote Valley, the narrow lowland area where the Santa Cruz Mountains meet the southern tail of the Diablo Range. POST has purchased and helped conserve several large parcels there in recent years. "What we've seen is, in fact, this is pretty much one of the most vital linkages not just for apex species like mountain lions and bobcats but for a lot of other plant and animal species," said Marti Tedesco, POST's senior manager of media and communications. That includes the bay checkerspot butterfly and likely the monarch butterfly, California tiger salamander, western pond turtle and other endemic species. Views of 1,921-acre Mead Ranch, which was acquired by the Peninsula Open Space Trust in early 2026 to be set aside for protection. (Teddy Miller / Peninsula Open Space Trust) There's no firm plan to open the property to public access but it could, POST says, make for an appropriate connection along the in-progress Bay Area Ridge Trail. The trail calls for establishing a 550-mile loop that would support multiday thru-hiking around the region. About 415 miles of the trail have been laid down; the new property would add 1.5 miles. Advertisement Advertisement "You can see there's an obvious gap in the Ridge Trail there and there might be a couple of routes where a trail could go," Tedesco said. "But until we get out there and we know where the key species and habitats are, we can't really talk about a route. "We don't want to set expectations that we can't deliver on, but we're excited to have the keys to the gates so we can figure out how to make that happen," she said. This article originally published at This $24 million property could be a key piece of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. As 25 Investigates first reported in November, Massachusetts is on track to land its first hyperscale artificial intelligence data center, part of a broader push by lawmakers to attract big tech development through tax incentives. But as AI data centers expand, concerns are growing about rising utility costs, and whether residential ratepayers could end up footing the bill. U.S. Senator Ed Markey says safeguards are needed now. Advertisement Advertisement So, we have to make sure that any increase in electricity rates is not passed on to residential consumers. And we have to make sure the pollution isnt injected into residential neighborhoods, Markey told Boston 25s Kerry Kavanaugh. Across our nation, electricity rate payers are already seeing skyrocketing bills due to AI data centers being put in their neighborhoods. Markey says the massive facilities drive up energy demand, which in turn raises costs for ratepayers. In a November letter to federal regulators, Markey wrote in part, We urge you to protect residential ratepayers over corporate profits. Advertisement Advertisement The letter was sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as Massachusetts prepares for its first hyperscale AI data center. The planned hyperscale facility a $4 billion project spanning about 120 acres is slated for Westfield. Supporters say it would become the citys largest taxpayer and bring at least 100 good-paying jobs. However, AI data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, prompting Markey and others to call for federal protections before projects come online. Federal regulators have not responded to Markeys letter. But it appears President Donald Trump shares a similar concern. Advertisement Advertisement Tonight, I am pleased to announce I have negotiated the new ratepayer protection pledge, said President Trump during his State of the Union address February 24th. The President said major tech companies will have an obligation to provide for their own power needs around data centers so that energy prices dont go up. The President claimed rates could even go down. According to the Data Center Map website, Massachusetts currently has 50 data centers, but the rise of artificial intelligence has increased demand for larger, hyperscale facilities. During a late February event, Governor Maura Healey announced a partnership with Google to help Massachusetts residents develop A.I. skills. Advertisement Advertisement She says A.I. data centers are necessary but added Data centers--they just need to power themselves and they need to pay for it. Its pretty simple. Data Center Coalition representative Dan DiOrio told 25 Investigates the industry would pay its share. The data center industry is committed to paying our full cost of service for electricity, DiOrio said. But critics say the impact on communities tells a different story. Tristan Thomas of Alternatives for Community and Environment says hyperscale centers nationwide have been linked to higher electric bills. We need to protect ratepayers and community members, Thomas said. Advertisement Advertisement We need these AI centers to be good neighbors, Markey said. 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 Tulare Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened Friday evening on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and U Street. Sgt. German Barrios of the Tulare Police Department said that a group of children, ages 4-16, were playing in the front yard of a home when three suspects pulled out guns and started shooting toward them. The gunfire struck a 4-year-old twice, and police say the child is recovering. Advertisement Advertisement "That 4-year-old was transported to a local hospital and eventually airlifted to Valley Children's Hospital," Barrios said. "Detectives worked throughout the night and into the next day. During their investigation, they learned that a total of four suspects were involved, three of them who produced firearms and fired at the children who were playing in that area." Police say the four suspects ran off, and detectives reviewed surveillance video, which helped with the investigation. That led to the arrest of three boys, ages 16 and 17. "The following day, detectives were able to identify a residence of interest in the 800 block of South Q Street here in Tulare," Barrios said. "Upon their approach to the house, three individuals attempted to flee. One of them was quickly apprehended by detectives and was found to be in possession of the firearm. The other two went back into the house and barricaded themselves for quite some time. Despite the loudspeaker's announcements to come out of the house, they refused." Advertisement Advertisement Detectives obtained a search warrant for the home, and with the help of the SWAT team, were able to arrest all involved. Two guns were also recovered, and two of the four teenage suspects were known to police. "It's unfortunate. The reason why these individuals shot at those kids is currently unknown, and that is something detectives are still working to figure out," Barrios said. The Tulare Police Department said the investigation could take weeks, if not months, to complete. They encouraged anyone with information to contact the lead detective on the case. For South Valley news updates, follow Kassandra Gutierrez on Facebook, X and Instagram. LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) Insurance companies are cancelling war risk coverage for vessels in the Middle East Gulf as the widening Iran conflict disrupts shipping, leaving tankers damaged or stranded and at least two people dead. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of gas, has ground to a near halt after vessels in the area were hit as Iran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli strikes. One tanker in the region was ablaze on Monday, at least four others were damaged and about 150 ships were stranded. Advertisement Advertisement The disruption and fears of prolonged closure have caused oil and European natural gas prices to jump, with Brent crude futures up as much as 13% as the conflict triggered multiple oil and gas shutdowns in the Middle East. At least 150 vessels including oil and liquefied natural gas tankers had dropped anchor in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday. About 10% of the worlds container ships are ensnared in the broader backups, and cargo could soon start piling up at ports and transshipment hubs in Europe and Asia, Jeremy Nixon, CEO of container carrier Ocean Network Express, known as ONE, said on Monday. How gas prices are being affected in the US Iran has said it closed navigation through the critical waterway, prompting Asian governments and refiners to assess oil stockpiles. Irans Revolutionary Guards commander said Iran would fire on any ship attempting to transit the vital 21-mile-wide (34-km-wide) maritime chokepoint, Iranian media reported. Advertisement Advertisement The tankers were clustered in open waters off the coasts of major Gulf oil producers, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as LNG giant Qatar, according to ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform. In the latest incident, Irans Revolutionary Guards said the Honduran-flagged Athe Nova was burning in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by two drones, Iranian news agencies reported. The U.S.-flagged product tanker Stena Imperative was damaged by aerial impacts while berthed in the Middle East Gulf, the vessels owner Stena Bulk and its U.S. manager Crowley said in a statement on Monday. The impact killed a shipyard worker. On Sunday, a projectile hit the Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker MKD VYOM, killing a crew member as the vessel sailed off the coast of Oman, its manager said, and two other tankers were also damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Also on Sunday, a projectile hit the Gibraltar-flagged oil bunkering tanker Hercules Star, which supplies fuel to ships, off the UAE coast, manager Peninsula said in a statement. The tanker returned to anchorage in Dubai on Sunday morning and the crew were safe, Peninsula added. Insurance companies cancel war risk coverage As a result of the incidents, marine insurers are cancelling war risk coverage for vessels, and oil shipping rates are set to surge further. Companies including Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club said their cancellations would take effect from March 5, according to notices dated March 1 on their websites. Fourth day sees renewed air strikes in Iran Advertisement Advertisement These cancellation notices mean shipping companies with vessels in the region will need to seek new insurance cover at higher rates to maintain policies. As a result of this fast-moving situation, each underwriter is invariably increasing rates or in some instances, for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, even declining to offer terms right now, said David Smith, head of marine with brokers McGill and Partners. War risk premiums have risen up to 1% of the value of a ship in the past 48 hours, from around 0.2% last week, industry sources said on Monday, which adds hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for every shipment. The (war insurance) market is facing what is essentially a de facto close of the Strait of Hormuz, based primarily around perception of threat rather than a tangible blockade, said Munro Anderson of marine war insurance specialist Vessel Protect, part of Pen Underwriting. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, costs of shipping oil from the Middle East to Asia already at six-year highs are set to rise further as the widening Iran conflict is deterring shipowners from sending vessels to the region, market sources and analysts said. (Reporting by Emily Chow and Jeslyn Lerh in Singapore, Jonathan Saul in London and Lisa Baertlein in Long Beach, California; Additional reporting by Trixie Yap and Ruth Chai in Singapore, Nidhi Verma in New Delhi and Enes Tunagur in London; Writing by Nina Chestney; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker) 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. The first primaries of the 2026 election cycle kick off in North Carolina, Texas and Arkansas on Tuesday, with both Democratic and Republican primary voters getting first crack at saying where their parties should go in the second Trump era. The biggest races are in Texas, including two competitive Senate primaries. On the Democratic side, state Rep. James Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett are battling in a matchup of two politicians whose online profiles dwarf their offline power. On the GOP side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is expected to be forced into a runoff against state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Politics: Iran War Hammers Markets, Talarico Triumphs In Texas Democratic Primary: Live Updates Republicans fear they will end up with a battle between the populist Talarico and Paxton, a far-right Donald Trump ally whose numerous scandals might make him weak enough to give Democrats their best shot at winning the state in three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in Texas, mid-decade redistricting has led to a host of incumbent members of Congress Democrats Al Green and Julie Johnson, along with Republican Tony Gonzales and Dan Crenshaw facing surprisingly tough battles to reclaim their partys nomination. And in North Carolina, a super PAC backed by the artificial intelligence industry is shaping the next marquee battle in the ongoing war between progressives and centrists in the Democratic Party. What about Arkansas? Well, theres not a lot of interest happening in Arkansas. Sorry, Arkansans. Politics: Talarico Triumphs Over Crockett In Texas Here are five things HuffPost is watching Tuesday: The AI Wars Start In North Carolina The first time Rep. Valerie Foushee defeated Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam in a primary, it was in part because of support from super PACs closely linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. If she repeats the feat in 2026, it will be in part because of super PACs linked to the artificial intelligence industry. Advertisement Advertisement The battle between the more establishment-aligned Foushee and Allam, a progressive, is shaped by both a long-standing Democratic Party divide on Israel and a more recent one over how to regulate artificial intelligence and data centers. Foushee disavowed support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee last year. But that wasnt enough to stop a new anti-AIPAC super PAC, American Priorities, from spending over $1 million to support Allams challenge. At the same time, Jobs and Democracy PAC which is part of a network of super PACs funded by the AI firm Anthropic and is backing candidates who support some level of regulations on the technology is spending heavily to boost Foushee. Politics: Democrats Raise Alarms About Trumps War In Iran After Classified Briefing Allam has made much of Foushees support from Jobs and Democracy, and released an ad on Monday noting Anthropic was used in Trumps attack on Iran over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement As Election Day approaches, you will see nearly $2 million of ads for my opponent, funded by AI-backed super PACs the same AI corporation who powered Trumps attacks on Iran while my opponent takes donations from Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics, Allam says in the ad. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Progressives feel they got off to a strong start in 2026 with Analilia Mejias victory in a special election primary in New Jersey last month. An Allam win would continue their momentum. The race between Foushee and Allam isnt the only contest where AI industry-backed PACs are spending money ahead of Tuesday another PAC backed by OpenAI is supporting Republican candidates in Texas but it will be a vivid early test of their political power. Politics: This High-Profile Race Shows Exactly What Has Changed In The Democratic Party Electability Test In Texas During the first Trump presidency, Democratic primary voters prioritized the ability to beat Republicans in general elections above almost everything else. This led to moderates and establishment-backed candidates nearly sweeping key primaries throughout 2018 and 2020, culminating in Joe Bidens come-from-behind victory for the Democratic nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Republican voters have long had a different view. Since the tea party era, the partys voters have ignored their leaders claims about who can win and who cant, and have only had their instincts backed up by Trumps unexpected 2016 victory. These broad dynamics are driving GOP worry about the race, as they fear those two things coming to a head: that Talarico will be able to convince voters Crocketts brashness will be a general election liability, even as Cornyn struggles to convince Republican voters that Paxton who has already won statewide three times would potentially lose the Senate race. Talarico has avoided making direct claims about Crocketts electability. A super PAC backing him has been less shy, airing ads highlighting the GOPs desire to face Crockett in November. Politics: President Trump Was Right: Bernie Sanders Slams MAGA Chief By Quoting The Man Himself Crockett has pushed back with her own arguments about turning out Black and Latino voters who dont normally vote in the state, an approach many Democrats felt they tested out extensively in 2018 to 2022 with little success see Stacey Abrams losses in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement The goal has consistently been to go and get people that arent a part of the base, Crockett said in an interview with Vox, describing her view of past Democratic campaigns in the state. And then what happens is: The base feels like they are not getting courted, and instead theyre being ignored. And theres an assumption that they will come out. But with Democratic voters opinions of the party establishment in tatters, a Crockett victory would send a strong message that primary voters no longer value Washington leaders judgment about who can win general elections. Republicans Find Their Red Line Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing a strong challenge from Brandon Herrera, a YouTube gun nut known as The AK Guy, amid allegations that Gonzales had an affair with a staffer who set herself on fire and died. Several of Gonzales House Republican colleagues have said he should suspend his campaign, and some have even said he should resign, but the third-term moderate has soldiered on, insisting he had no affair, even as text messages show he asked the staffer for a sexy pic and made advances in late-night messages. Advertisement Advertisement Gonzales has claimed hes the target of a coordinated political attack, and even cast an attempt by his late staffers surviving family to reach a workplace misconduct settlement as blackmail. In an interview with HuffPost, an attorney representing the family called the blackmail claim a last act of desperation of a politician whos going down the toilet. But Gonzales troubles didnt start with his alleged philandering. Herrera first ran against Gonzales in 2024 after he voted for a bipartisan gun reform bill in 2022 in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, which is in the 23rd District. Gonzales also voted against a hard-line immigration bill. So while Herrera is now favored, it wasnt actually a scandal that got Gonzales in trouble. It was voting against the party line. Identity Politics After Biden More explicitly than most candidates in recent years, Crockett has used her identity to bat away criticism. Arguments about her ability to win in a general election, she has said, are a dog whistle aimed at tearing down a Black woman. Advertisement Advertisement For a significant segment of the party, defeating this worldview is mission-critical heading into the 2028 election. If James wins, it will show that 2028 can be about something other than race and gender, said one Talarico ally, speaking on condition of anonymity. But Crockett supporters argue D.C. Democrats want to move past identity politics because they have limited political imaginations. Shes not fiery just because thats her personality. She is articulating the sentiments of people who are being discriminated against on a daily basis in our society, said Steve Phillips, a Democratic strategist and donor who supports Crockett. The Democratic Party elite doesnt grasp or appreciate that energy and that force, and by extension, they just dont appreciate the political potential of tapping into that energy. At the same time, the possibility of seeing Crockett and Foushee defeated on the same day is alarming Black political leaders, who feel the partys prioritization of Black candidates during the first Trump and Biden administrations is pivoting, giving way to new emphases on age, ideology and outsider status. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a feeling of being threatened. From Obama to Clinton to Biden to Kamala, youve had either Black candidates or candidates with very strong ties to the Black parts of the Democratic establishment leading the party, said Adam Carlson, a Democratic pollster based in New York. Theres a feeling we need a seat at the table, and that were not going to have generational change at the expense of Black political representation. Beyond Democrats Ideological Wars Beyond the battle between Foushee and Allam, most of the Democratic primaries on Tuesday dont neatly match up with the partys standard center vs. left ideological battle. A race between Reps. Christian Menefee and Al Green for a Houston-based seat, for instance, is much more about the generational gap between the two men Menefee is 37, Green is 78 than it is about any policy difference. And notably, the race between Talarico and Crockett has scrambled ideological lines. The moderates and progressive political professionals who fill their days arguing with each other on social media have reached an unexpected point of agreement: Theyre almost uniformly supporting Talarico. This reflects, in part, Talaricos combination of left-wing and centrist messaging: He emphasizes populist economic messaging while disavowing pure partisan conflict and using his faith hes a seminary student to reach out to right-of-center voters. Advertisement Advertisement Whether youre a Democrat or a Republican, whether youre a progressive or a conservative, the real fight in this country is not left versus right, its top versus bottom, Talarico says in his stump speech. But it also reflects a distrust of Crocketts worldview, which tends to dismiss criticism of the Democratic Party as either the plotting of a biased media or evidence of racism and sexism among the electorate, while showing little desire to reflect on the partys shortcomings. Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said his group endorsed Talarico because the race will be a table-setter for both 2028 and for Democratic Senate primaries later this election cycle. We will get an early harbinger of whether bold, inspiring economic populous will defeat merely anti-Trump figures in future primaries, Green said. If he wins, it will put a bounce in the step and money in the pockets of other populists. But Crocketts intense partisanship did power her to social media fame and strong fundraising, indicating it has at least some appeal to the Democratic Partys base. A victory for her could indicate the path to the 2028 nomination will involve more ferocious attacks on the GOP than innovative policy ideas. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost PARIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that French Rafale fighter jets deployed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have carried out "air security operations" over French military bases in the country. Speaking on French news channel BFM TV, Barrot said that as France maintains naval and air bases in the UAE, the Rafale jets and their crews had been mobilized to ensure the security of French facilities. He claimed that France "has the right to intervene." On Monday, Barrot said France was ready to participate in the defense of the Gulf countries and Jordan under binding agreements. On Sunday, French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin said on social media that a hangar at France's naval base, located adjacent to an Emirati base, was hit in a drone attack targeting the port of Abu Dhabi. The damage was limited to material losses, and no injuries were reported. Early Saturday, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with several waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. A group of seven men has pleaded guilty to charges that stem from robberies along Pennsylvania highway rest stops in 2023. The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office says all members of the robbery group pleaded guilty to five counts of third-degree felony robbery on Monday, the same week they were set to go to trial. The men targeted truckers and other drivers at rest stops on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other highways in Somerset, Westmoreland and Dauphin counties. Advertisement Advertisement No one was ever hurt in the distraction-style robberies, but thousands of dollars in cash, jewlery and other belongings were taken. This group conspired in a series of brazen robberies that endangered motorists targeted at random, Attorney General Sunday said. The fine investigative work from our partners with the state police led to these appropriate plea resolutions. Each man was sentenced to at least three months in prison, followed by parole. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A suspected norovirus outbreak aboard a Holland America cruise ship sickened 76 people during a two-week voyage that ended in Hong Kong on March 1, PEOPLE reports. The outbreak affected 65 passengers and 11 crew members aboard the Westerdam during its 14-night journey from Yokohama, Japan. The ship was carrying approximately 2,000 passengers and 800 crew members when it departed February 15. Hong Kongs Centre for Health Protection said it began investigating after receiving notification February 27 that people on the ship were showing symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. The agency confirmed the investigation in a March 1 press release. Advertisement Advertisement Holland America said a number of guests reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness during the voyage in a statement to PEOPLE. The cruise line described the cases as mostly mild and quickly resolving. Health officials boarded the ship immediately when it docked at Hong Kongs Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Hong Kongs CHP said in its release. They conducted epidemiological investigations, inspected the ships hygiene conditions, and set up a temporary medical station at the terminal for health assessments. Holland America implemented enhanced sanitation procedures in response. As a precaution and consistent with our standard protocols, we implemented enhanced sanitation procedures and conducted additional deep cleaning when the ship completed its sailing in Hong Kong, a representative said. Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Edwin Tsui, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, noted heightened norovirus activity in the region, particularly in Japan and Korea. I urge cross-border cruise passengers and operators to pay special attention to personal, food, and environmental hygiene to safeguard individual health and public health, he said. The Westerdam was cleared to depart for its next voyage after officials deemed its hygiene conditions satisfactory following thorough cleaning and disinfection. The ship has since left for a new trip with stops in the Philippines, China, and Japan, according to CruiseMapper. According to the Cleveland Clinic, norovirus is a common and very contagious virus. Symptoms may be similar to the stomach flu, but is caused through close contact or contaminated food. There is no cure for the virus, but symptoms usually subside in a few days. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Add cleveland.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Mar. 2Eight people were arrested during joint law enforcement operations in Dayton and Cincinnati last week. In a release from the Ohio Governor's Office it said that the operations were part of the statewide Violent Crime Reduction Initiative that connects law enforcement agencies on operations to identify and arrest repeat offenders. The first operation was in Dayton on Feb. 25, followed by an operation in Cincinnati on Feb. 27. Arrests included charges of felonious assault, failure to comply, reckless operation, drug trafficking, drug possession, and driving while under the influence. Advertisement Advertisement In Dayton, one arrest occurred when a vehicle fleeing from law enforcement came into the Dayton area from Richmond, Indiana, after it earlier struck another vehicle in Preble County. OSHP reportedly watched the vehicle via helicopter as the driver threw items out of the vehicle, and soon after troopers successfully deployed a tire deflation device that allowed law enforcement to stop the car and take the man into custody. According to the release, a search of the vehicle and for the thrown items found suspected heroin, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and other drug trafficking-related items. The man was charged in Montgomery County Municipal Court Western Division on one charge of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. In addition to the highway patrol, law enforcement agencies involved in the Dayton operation include the Dayton Police Department; Montgomery County Sheriff's Office; Ohio Homeland Security; Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Adult Parole Authority; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Marshals Service, according to the release. A Hillsborough County high school teacher is among 89 suspects arrested in a human trafficking operation that resulted in over 1,200 felony charges, officials announced. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says its Human Trafficking Section and Internet Predator Unit conducted coordinated undercover operations between Jan. 1 and Feb. 6, targeting those seeking to exploit children. Deputies said all 89 suspects believed they were communicating with minors and would meet somewhere, expecting to pay for sex. Some instances reportedly involved negotiating prices and logistics with someone they believed was willing to sell a child. Advertisement Advertisement In every instance, they were communicating with law enforcement and arranging their own arrest, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. When they would arrive at their meetup point, they would be met by undercover detectives. Among those arrested was 41-year-old Stephen Fabic, a math teacher at Hillsborough High School. HCSO said Fabic offered to pick up a teenager and bring them to his home to engage in sexual activity during conversations with someone he thought was a minor. Others highlighted in this case include 69-year-old John Altieri, who reportedly arranged a rideshare to pick up a minor from their home and bring them to his. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Altieri was serving home confinement while on probation in Hernando County for two counts of possession of a controlled substance, the sheriff's office said. A warrant was obtained for Altieri's arrest, and he was taken into custody by the Florida Department of Corrections and the Hernando County Sheriffs Office. Another man, 42-year-old Petter Torres, was arrested after investigators received a tip that he was involved in sexually exploiting a sleeping 2-year-old child. The child was safely recovered. Deputies also discussed the arrest of 23-year-old Armani Hopkins, who they say trafficked a missing 17-year-old girl for commercial sex. Advertisement Advertisement Of the 89 arrests, the operation resulted in a combined total of 1,217 felonies. If you are using a hotel room, a chat app, or a fake profile to pursue a child, we are there, Chronister said. Our detectives will follow the digital trail all the way to your door. Victims in this operation are receiving support service assistance, including from Selah Freedom, One More Child, the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Corrections. Certain cases in this investigation are still active. The Boeing 367-80 Jet Transport prototype led to the development of the Boeing 707 and KC-135. Known as "Dash 80," the Boeing 367-80 flew for the first time in 1954 and revolutionized air travel. Only one was ever built, and it lives at the National Air and Space Museum's Virginia location. In the 1950s, Boeing made a $16 million bet. As Boeing manufactured newer, faster jet bombers for the Air Force, mid-air refueling aircraft lagged behind. The standard refueling aircraft at the time, the propeller-powered KC-97, flew much slower than the jet-powered bombers it was meant to refuel. To Boeing president William Allen, it seemed like only a matter of time before a jet tanker became necessary. Advertisement Advertisement The Air Force hadn't requested a jet-powered refueling aircraft, but Allen was sure that they'd buy it once they saw it fly. His $16 million bet eventually led to the creation of the 707 jetliner and the Air Force's KC-135 tanker. A 'Dash 80' demonstration Prototype Boeing 707; yellow and brown. On July 15, 1954, a graceful, swept-winged aircraft, bedecked in brown and yellow paint and powered by four revolutionary new engines first took to the sky above Seattle. Built by the Boeing Aircraft Company, the 367-80, better known as the Dash 80, would come to revolutionize commercial air transportation when its developed version entered service as the famous Boeing 707, America's first jet airliner. Artist Boeing Aircraft Co. Heritage Images/Heritage Images via Getty Images Development began in 1952. To keep the project under wraps and ensure they were the first to market, Boeing named the prototype the 367-80, nicknamed "Dash 80," to disguise it as a piston-powered aircraft from Boeing's 300 series. Sweeping the wings back 35 degrees resulted in a significant reduction in drag, allowing the plane to fly faster and carry heavier loads. Boeing demonstrated the Dash 80 for the first time on August 6, 1955, when airline executives were gathered in Seattle for the Gold Cup hydroplane races. Pilot Alvin M. "Tex" Johnston stunned onlookers and Allen himself when he performed two surprise 360-degree barrel rolls. Advertisement Advertisement "Now, by this time, Bill Allen is in medical distress because he has just seen $16 million of his money being cowboyed at a low level over Lake Washington," Richard Ledbetter, a docent at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center, said of the demonstration. Afterward, Allen called Johnston at Boeing Field, where he'd landed the plane, demanding an explanation. "He said, 'Boss, I was just trying to help you sell some airplanes,'" Ledbetter said. Boeing's big bet paid off North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker over Western Alaska Feb. 19, 2026. NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America and meeting presence with presence. U.S. Department of War photo The flashy demonstration worked. Pan-Am president Juan Trippe became the first customer after Boeing widened the Dash 80's design to seat more passengers, creating the Boeing 707. The jetliner shaved hours off cross-country and transatlantic flight times, revolutionizing air travel. Boeing manufactured over 1,000 707s before they were largely retired in the 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement Boeing also worked with the Air Force to develop the Dash 80 prototype into the KC-135, a military refueling aircraft that entered service in 1956 and remains in use today. KC-135 Stratotankers were deployed to Israel as part of Operation Epic Fury, in which the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iranian missile launch sites and military command centers. The Dash 80, the one and only Boeing 367-80 ever built, now resides at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Read the original article on Business Insider BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Baton Rouge couple was arrested after being accused of trying to defraud a Louisiana insurance company. According to a release from the attorney generals office, agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) were alerted to an insurance fraud allegation. During the investigation, agents learned that Rhashiedi Porter, 48, and Sarai Stansberry, 37, filed false insurance claims after a parking lot incident. Porter and Stansberry had given sworn testimony claiming they were wearing seatbelts at the time of a crash. They also said they had sustained injuries requiring medical attention for over five months. Further investigation revealed that netiher were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. After the footage was shared, both dismissed their lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement The release states that LBI agents confirmed the couple intentionally submitted a false claim to defraud the insurance company. Evidence pointed to the couple trying to defraud the insurance company for about $30,000. LBI agents secured arrest warrants for the couple, the release states. On Feb. 23, the couple was arrested and booked into the Orleans Parish Jail on charges of insurance fraud, perjury, false swearing and filing false public records. This is an ongoing investigation. 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 Louisiana First News. By Mike Stone WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - A senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday that commercial AI contracts signed under the Biden administration contained sweeping operational restrictions that threatened to paralyze U.S. military missions in real time, including the ability to plan and execute combat operations. Emil Michael, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, described a moment of alarm when he reviewed the terms governing AI models already embedded in some of the military's most sensitive commands. He did not name the AI provider whose contracts he was reviewing. Advertisement Advertisement His comments came at the American Dynamism Summit in Washington, a gathering of technology companies keen on space and national security work. The summit occurred just days after a disagreement over how the Pentagon could use Anthropic's powerful and widely used AI tools, leading President Donald Trump to ban the startup from government business and label it a national security risk. "I had a 'holy, holy cow' moment," Michael said at the American Dynamism Summit in Washington. "There were things ... you couldn't plan an operation ... if it would potentially lead to kinetics" or explosions. He described dozens of restrictions baked in to agreements covering commands responsible for air operations over Iran, China and South America. Michael said the contracts were structured in a way that, if an operator violated the terms of service, the model could theoretically "just stop in the middle of an operation." Anthropic's Claude had been the only AI model available to the Defense Department on its classified systems at the time Michael conducted his review. His concerns sharpened after a senior executive at an unnamed AI company raised questions about whether its software had been used in what Michael called one of the most successful military operations in recent memory. Anthropic's Claude was reported to have been used to help plan the U.S. government raid that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Advertisement Advertisement "What we're not going to do is let any one company dictate a new set of policies above and beyond what Congress has passed," Michael said. The disclosures may help explain the dispute between Anthropic and the Department of Defense. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the company a "supply-chain risk" for its refusal to back down in negotiations over restrictions on autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. Hours later, rival OpenAI struck its own deal with the Pentagon. A statement by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggested that the Department had agreed to similar restrictions with OpenAI's models. (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis) (FOX40.COM) One person was killed and another seriously injured in an early Monday morning solo vehicle crash on Highway 99 in South Sacramento, according to the California Highway Patrol. Video above: What to do if you witness a crash According to CHP, the crash was reported around 3:59 a.m. near the Mingo Road off-ramp. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a red Hyundai Santa Fe with major damage after it crashed into a tree. Image: CHP South Sacramento CHP said in a press release that the vehicle was traveling northbound on Highway 99 at an unknown speed when it left the roadway to the right, traveled through a dirt and grass median, crossed the Mingo Road on-ramp and struck a tree. Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters and paramedics arrived to find a passenger injured and worked to extricate the driver from the vehicle, CHP said. Both were transported to Kaiser South Sacramento Medical Center. At 4:20 a.m., CHP said the passenger was pronounced dead and the driver sustained major injuries and remains hospitalized. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, according to CHP. The identities of the driver and passenger have not been released pending notification of next of kin. 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. Sandy Bolzenius is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace, Central Ohio. Our nation's Feb. 28 attack on Iran shows that some lessons have not been learned. United States Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller hammered down on the Trump administrations reliance on military power to push its agenda during a Jan. 5 CNN appearance, We're a superpower. And under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the January interview, Millers poor understanding of the historical consequences of the "might makes right" dictum was on full display. Host Jake Tapper reminded Miller that sovereign states have the right to decide their own policies. Miller disagreed, contending that all rights lie with the most powerful entity. On the matter of Venezuela post the U.S. invasion in January, he was unequivocal. Americans are in charge, he claimed, because we have the United States military stationed outside the country. Tapper then asked if the standoff between Trumps demand for Greenland and Denmarks refusal to hand it over would involve force. Given the supremacy of U.S. might, Miller shot back, Nobodys going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland. Vengeance for the invasion Besides its baked-in moral degeneracy, "might makes right" is a demonstrably false assumption. Advertisement Advertisement Ask the rulers of ancient Persia, the largest empire of its era. Their attempt to conquer small independent Greek city-states instead united the Greeks, who forced the Persians to retreat. A century later, one of those city-states, tiny Macedonia, conquered all of Persia. Its young prince history's Alexander the Great cited vengeance for the Persian invasion. Miller would be wise to consider more recent examples as well. Czar Nicholas II reigned supreme over Russia and employed a network of Okhrana agents to ferret out challengers to his rule. In 1917, he lost his crown and later his life to revolutionaries who had no military and had to organize in secret. Advertisement Advertisement The ensuing Russian civil war ended when the newly formed Red Army defeated the White Army despite the latters international allies who sent money, arms and trained soldiers. Our View: 'A perplexed world is watching.' Congress must stop Trump's land lust During the Chinese civil war, Chiang Kai-sheks advantages included imperial forces, government arsenals, the public purse and, once again, powerful international allies. Nevertheless, in 1949 he lost to Mao Zedong and his ragtag army, many illiterate peasants. If military might determined the victor, each of these conflicts would have ended very differently. Notably, Americans supported the losing side in both civil wars. What might hasn't gotten America Our own history of wars as a superpower offers further proof that might does not make right. Advertisement Advertisement Since World War II, U.S. military incursions have been dismal failures. The Korean War produced a stalemate that exists today. The Vietnamese drove us out after 20 years of relentless bombings. The same with the Afghanis, in part due to our assistance in yet another war. Throughout the 1980s, when the Afghans were fighting the Soviet Union, the U.S. provided then-ally Osama bin Laden a powerful platform, weapons to arm his followers and the circumstances that created the Taliban, who rule Afghanistan to this day. Another view: Iran attack very necessary. This wasn't 'bravado' The U.S. has long relied on military might to pursue its interests as this scanty sampling indicates: blitz operations in Grenada, Libya and Panama; CIA coups in Guatemala, Chile and Iran; and in the year since Trump stepped back into the presidency, bombing missions in seven countries. Advertisement Advertisement Overwhelming forces racked up American victories, yet superficially. While often protecting corporate interests, they also led to fatalities, autocracies, destabilized economies and anti-American resentment. The wrong we've collected Aftermath of an air strike on a police station in Tehran on March 2, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. The evidence is clear. Might does not make right. It makes wrong. Given the historical record of hubris-driven wars, it also makes stupid. Once started, wars spin out of control. No one can predict any wars duration, fatalities, extent of destruction, ultimate battle zones or levels of resentment that so often boomerang on the aggressors. Top U.S. policy advisor Miller should know this. Indeed, a brief study of his target of Iran, once known as Persia, demonstrates how reckless reliance on military superiority ultimately backfires on presumed superpowers. Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 2,500 years of catastrophic warfare for all parties are not enough to convince our leaders of the might makes right fallacy. Sandy Bolzenius is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace, Central Ohio (Chapter 183). Sandy Bolzenius is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace, Central Ohio, Chapter 183 . This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Iran shows US hasn't learned from 2,500 years of catastrophe | Opinion Most Americans know the names of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two unarmed American citizens who were killed in January by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis because they dared to help the human targets of Donald Trumps cruel policies. Their moral stand against injustice led to their deaths. Many others have also suffered because of the Trump administrations policies. We must never forget their names. They are real human beings and not collateral damage. Power and policy are not abstractions they hurt real peoples bodies, minds and lives, and the well-being of the larger community. On Feb. 26, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Myanmar who spoke little English, was found dead on a street in Buffalo, New York. Reported missing on Feb. 19, he was dropped off by Border Patrol agents at a coffee shop, on a cold day, alone. He had no shoes, only the orange booties given to him at a detention center. Advertisement Advertisement Alam was in the country legally, but he had been detained for almost a year in the Erie County jail and released on a misdemeanor plea deal. Border Patrol took him into custody and determined they could not legally deport him. He had been arrested after a minor altercation with police; Alam was apparently too confused to follow their orders. His son told Reuters that his father could not read, write or use electronic devices. The family lives on the other side of the city, miles away from the coffee shop. After releasing him, Border Patrol apparently did not attempt to contact Alams family or his attorney. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan told CNN that Alams death embodies bad policing [and] bad human beings. The behavior of the federal agents, he said, was inhumane and an example of why we do not cooperate with ICE, Homeland Security and Border Patrol. In a statement to the Daily Beast, Customs and Border Protection said that Alam showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance and was left at a warm, safe location near his last known address. The Trump administration is supposedly investigating Alams premature death. Whatever the finding may be, bureaucratic legalese will not bring him back to life, and Border Patrols callous actions are part of a much larger pattern of behavior. Advertisement Advertisement There are widespread reports of inhumane treatment and violations of human and civil rights including excessive force, lack of medical care, and physical, sexual, emotional, and other forms of abuse in Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol detention centers across the country. Reports indicate that children and other vulnerable people are also being mistreated. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. These stories come in addition to other Kafkaesque reports about the real people being ensnared in the administrations cruel mass deportation machine. U.S. military veterans who served with distinction are being deported. Members of the LGBTQ community are being sent back to countries where they are likely to be killed. College students are being grabbed at airports or taken from their dorms by federal agents and put in detention for immediate deportation. According to the Guardian, 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025 three times the number of deaths in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement On CNNs NewsNight, commentator and GOP strategist Scott Jennings tried to minimize Alams death, arguing that its reasonable to assume youre going to have individual interactions where something goes awry. Host Abby Phillip was disgusted. I think some people would say there is a way to do this that respects human liferespects the lives of people who are here, trying to seek a better life, trying to do the best they can, and doesnt treat them as disposable, she responded. But moral callousness is a defining feature of the Age of Trump. The presidents approval ratings are in a tail spin, with only 39% of Americans approving of his immigration policy. Trump has also lost a modest amount of support among Republicans for his immigration policy. This reflects a broader collapse, where his overall approval is now at historic lows. But context matters in what constitutes a morality test of the American people. Despite the drop in Trumps levels of approval, the numbers remain damning. Tens of millions of Americans continue to support the administrations mass deportation policies. Advertisement Advertisement A Fox News survey taken between Jan. 23-26 the very time frame in which Pretti was killed in Minneapolis asked registered voters if ICE agents were too aggressive, not aggressive enough or about right. Seventeen percent said ICE is not aggressive enough. In essence, one in six Americans want federal agents to be even more violent and reckless. This pattern continues. According to the results of an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll taken in February after the killings of Pretti and Good, 31% of Americans support the tactics that ICE is using. The number is much higher 70% among Republicans. Why does such a large percentage of the public and, more specifically, Republicans and MAGA conservatives continue to support the administrations campaign of abuse and violence? Political polarization and media echo chambers have shaped a narrative where many Americans believe that immigrants are hardened, violent criminals. In reality, immigrants commit crimes at much lower rates than native-born Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans and Trump voters are more likely to be authoritarians, and research shows they possess a high social dominance orientation. Political scientists and other experts have repeatedly found that this group is also more likely to be nativist, racist and hostile to non-whites, and to believe that so-called real Americans are white. This corresponds to the centuries-long history of state-sponsored violence against non-whites, immigrants and those deemed to be the Other. The Trump administrations mass deportation campaign continues this history of violence. Perhaps most troubling, many people enjoy watching members of the marginalized, othered group being subjected to violence and other abuse. Research has also shown that members of Trumps MAGA coalition, along with self-identified conservatives more broadly, are more likely to possess what social psychologists describe as the dark triad of personality traits Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy and to lack empathy. Resisting its pull requires that people of conscience and others who support real democracy engage in acts of moral witnessing and radical empathy. They must not turn away. Bearing witness means physically standing with the stranger, the Other, the victim placing ones body between them and the power of the state and its enforcers. This will be scary and uncomfortable for many Americans. But overcoming that fear and engaging in collective action will build momentum, and a type of muscle memory, where the new rule becomes action and not inaction. Advertisement Advertisement Authoritarians and other bad actors depend on inertia among the public, and a type of collective decision rule where most default to accepting the daily horrors and wrongdoing. In this, they become complicit through tacit consent. More than ever, we should be standing up and saying Not in my name. Or in the names of Alex Pretti, Renee Good and Nurul Amin Shah Alam. The post Americas enduring appetite for Trumps deportation cruelty appeared first on Salon.com. BUCHAREST, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Romania's President Nicusor Dan on Tuesday signed a decree appointing Mihai Dimian as the new minister of education and research, the Presidential Administration announced. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan earlier on Tuesday submitted Dimian's nomination to the president for approval. Dimian has served as rector of Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava since 2024, after holding the position of pro-rector at the same institution from 2012 to 2024. He previously spent a decade as an assistant and associate professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The post of education minister had been vacant since Daniel David resigned on Dec. 22, 2025. Prime Minister Bolojan had been serving as interim minister since then. NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan A U.S. strategy aimed at prioritizing foreign arms sales to recipients that vigorously support themselves and have geopolitical value to Washington should help Taiwan receive advanced weapons faster than usual, according to defense analysts. While it does not call out any country or contain granular details for evaluating them for weapon sales, experts said the America First Arms Transfer Strategy ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 6 probably applies to Taiwan because it fits the strategys overall intent. The basic logic is that the United States will only prioritize military assistance to countries that contribute their own defense rigorously, and Taiwan would fit itself into that category at least for the time being, said Alexander Huang, a Taiwanese university professor and chairman of the Council of Strategic and Wargaming Studies in Taipei. Advertisement Advertisement The White House developed its strategy to ensure that future arms sales generate capital to build up American weapons production and that the United States has capacity to support allies and partners, especially as we increase burden-sharing. Chinas new nuclear submarine breaks cover amid shipbuilding spree It calls for avoiding arms sales backlogs that would impact allies or partner readiness and for prioritizing sales and transfers to partners that have invested in their own self-defense and capabilities, have a critical role or geography in United States plans and operations, or contribute to our economic security. Scholars say Taiwan has a critical role as an informal yet staunch ally in a chain of Western Pacific U.S. allies. Those allies, particularly Japan and the Philippines, are often seen together as a bulwark against Beijings maritime expansion. Advertisement Advertisement The strategy shifts from first-come delivery to prioritization based on strategic relevance and defense investment, said Nathan Attrill, a senior China analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Given Taiwans geography, that could mean faster delivery of key systems and fewer bottlenecks, which is operationally significant. Todays deliveries take time that invites strong backlashe from China, said Denny Roy, senior fellow at the East-West Center think tank in Hawaii. China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force, if needed, to unify the two sides. It resents the United States for helping arm Taiwan. The current process is slow, cumbersome and draws maximum PRC attention, increasing the likelihood of an intensified reaction from Beijing driven by nationalistic public opinion, Roy said. Washingtons arms sales to Taiwan date back to 1979, and Taipei said in December it would buy an unusually large $11.1 billion U.S. package including HIMARS rocket systems. Beijing strongly condemned the sale. Advertisement Advertisement Experts say the new U.S. arms-sales strategy is unlikely to raise or lower the odds of Washington actually coming to help Taiwan if China attacks. The U.S. has long remained vague about how it would respond. China for its part has stepped up naval and air drills near Taiwan since August 2022. The American First Arms Transfer Strategy does not make Trumps adoption of strategic ambiguity more clear, said Chen Yi-fan, assistant professor in the Diplomacy and International Relations Department at Taiwans Tamkang University. Chen believes the U.S. government already considers Taiwan a lower priority than Ukraine, Israel, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries and Asian allies Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. If it accelerates delivery of munitions and strengthens Taiwans capabilities, (the strategy) could improve deterrence by denial by making a rapid Chinese victory less plausible, Attrill said. But the decision to intervene would still depend on presidential judgement and escalation risks. Advertisement Advertisement The strategys focus on sales that fortify the American defense industry could backfire in Taiwan if it strengthens the narrative by the Chinese government and by some (Taiwan opposition) politicians that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are self-serving and exploitative, Roy added. A media liaison for Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said in late February the ministry had not announced any reaction to Trumps strategy and declined further comment. The Department of Defense in Washington also did not answer a request for information. On the morning of March 3, Kendyl Grender's partner company pulled the plug on her upcoming group trips to Egypt. Grender is a travel content creator who built a career on her blog about budget traveling and also hosts small group trips through her company, Kendyl Travels, in partnership with Intrepid Travel. They had two back-to-back trips with about 20 other travelers exploring Egypt, including Cairo, Aswan, and the Nile, scheduled for the end of March. As war broke out between the U.S., Israel and Iran, Grender said her travel companions began expressing concern over the trip, mostly about their flights. "Of course, everyone's been watching the situation very closely," she told USA TODAY. She started suggesting that those with connections in Doha or the Middle East look into changing their flights to go through Europe instead, including her own American Airlines flight. Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 28, the U.S. launched combat attacks in Iran, and shortly after, the State Department issued a worldwide security alert, specifically listing Egypt. Intrepid canceled all trips to Egypt, Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia for the rest of March in line with the government travel advisories, the travel company said. "That's when everything went downhill kind of quickly," said Grender, adding that she was surprised Egypt was included on the list, especially since commercial airlines are operating out of Cairo. She admits she's a more "open-minded" traveler, but still finds it "worrisome" that Americans are being urged not to go to so many places and will "think a little bit more" about her upcoming travel plans. Stranded passengers react as they queue at the Qatar Airways customer service at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport after flights to Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled following strikes on Iran launched by the United States and Israel, in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, on March 1, 2026. From the war in Iran to the recent civil unrest in Mexico and the current government shutdown, recent escalated political events are making more Americans hesitant about traveling abroad. After seeing airspaces shut down and people being told to shelter-in-place, travelers are not only worried about their safety but also getting stranded and unable to get a flight home, even if their final destination was somewhere that is not in a conflict zone. "It's completely understandable that Americans are feeling uneasy about international travel right now," said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip, in a statement to USA TODAY. "When you see airspace closures across Iran, the UAE, Qatar, and other major hubs like Dubai and Doha, it creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the Middle East." Advertisement Advertisement 'They're freaking out.' Should travelers cancel their Cancun trips following the civil unrest? Worldwide caution urged by the government Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. People gather at the site of a destroyed building at a school where, as the state media reports, several people were killed in an Israeli airstrike, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Minab, Iran in this screengrab obtained from a social media video released on February 28, 2026. Iranian state media reported on February 28 that Israel struck a school in southern Iran, resulting in 40 deaths. Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran February 28, 2026 in this screen grab taken from video. Iranian people run for cover in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026, as explosions are heard after a reported strike and Israel announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran, with sirens sounding in Jerusalem and phone alerts warning of an "extremely serious" threat. Smoke rises following an explosion after the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched an attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026, in this screen grab taken from video. A graffiti on a wall reads" Down with the U.S.A", after Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. People run for cover following an explosion, after Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran February 28, 2026. A plume of smoke rises after an explosion on February 28, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. After explosions were seen in the Iranian capital, the office of the Israeli Defense Minister issued a statement saying it had launched a preemptive strike against the country. A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital. Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat. U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 27, 2026. Hours later, Trump made live comments about the military strikes he launched against Iran. A plume of smoke rises over Tehran after a reported explosion on February 28, 2026, after Israel said it carried out a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and phone alerts warned of an "extremely serious" threat. A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital. Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat. Buildings inin Tehran stand after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, February 28, 2026. Iranians try to clear a street amid heavy traffic in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026, as explosions are heard following a reported strike and Israel announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran, with sirens sounding in Jerusalem and phone alerts warning of an "extremely serious" threat. Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese area of al-Qatrani on February 28, 2026. Lebanon's foreign minister said on February 24 his country feared its infrastructure could be hit by Israeli strikes if the situation with Iran escalates, after Israel intensified its attacks on Tehran-backed Hezbollah Anti-riot police stand in front of state building that is covered with a giant anti-U.S. billboard depicting the destruction of a US aircraft carrier in downtown Tehran on a main street in Tehran on February 21, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. In recent weeks, the United States had moved vast numbers of military vessels and aircraft to Europe and the Middle East. The US and Israel proceeded to launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, Latest photos capture US and Israeli strikes against Iran 1 of 16 Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. Americans are being warned to exercise "worldwide caution," not just when traveling to the Middle East, according to the State Department in its Feb. 28 alert. At first, U.S. citizens in the Middle East were told to shelter in place. On March 2, Americans in 14 countries including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan have been urged to depart as soon as possible. "It's all unfortunate; it's made a lot of people uneasy within the region, but kind of extended on throughout the world now. Am I actually safe being anywhere?" said Grender. William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, said the disruptions many travelers are experiencing to other destinations are "a lot of downline residual effects with these situations." Airline resources disrupted by the war may take a while to return to normal. Advertisement Advertisement "You see this a lot where people will say, well, I'm not going anywhere near that, why is my flight canceled or why is my flight delayed or rerouted around? Well, because right now we're facing problems with aircraft and crews that are out of place because of this," he said. "That's the same thing that happens with bad weather, natural disasters, and, you know, terrorist events, and certainly with wars." For Intrepid Travel, the decision to cancel its upcoming trips around the region was in accordance with the State Department guidance. "Its disheartening to see the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East," said Leigh Barnes, president of the Americas at Intrepid Travel, in a statement. "Our first priority is always the safety of our customers and teams, and were working hard to navigate the disruptions as best we can. We hope for a rapid de-escalation and return to stability for the region, but there is no doubt that this is an incredibly unsettling time." Canceling travel plans A traveler upon arrival from an Emirates passenger plane arriving at Frankfurt Airport from Dubai International on March 3, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany. The flight is among the first to begin ferrying the thousands of German tourists who have been stranded across the Middle East following the U.S.-Israeli air attacks against Iran. Some travelers are scrambling to postpone or cancel their upcoming trips abroad. Most major carriers are offering waivers to rebook or change their flights to and through the Middle East without fees. If your flight is canceled and you choose to no longer continue with your trip, you're entitled to a refund, according to the Department of Transportation. "It makes sense to be proactive, to not just assume that everything's going to go well," said McGee. "Check with the airline, check online, get the updates that you can have sent to your phone to make sure that your flights are going the way you want them to go." Advertisement Advertisement The State Department also urges travelers to enroll in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for real-time alerts from the government. If people are already abroad, they should register with the nearest embassy. Morrow added that travelers should also be understanding when it comes to their expectations on getting money back with travel insurance. Most standard policies exclude foreseeable events and acts of war or instability. Cancel for Any Reason or Interruption for Any Reason coverage will offer the most flexibility for cancellations, if that was purchased, but you should still check with your provider on potential limitations. "The key right now is staying informed, reviewing your coverage carefully, and documenting everything," said Morrow. "Preparation and clear information help travelers make confident decisions, even during uncertain times." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Everything went downhill': Travelers are anxious about going abroad By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - Iran is detaining at least six U.S. citizens or permanent residents, according to detainee advocates, raising fears they and thousands of Americans believed trapped in the country could be used as bargaining chips in the escalating war with the U.S. and Israel. The detainees are among what some experts estimate are possibly thousands of dual U.S.-Iranian nationals and green-card holders who have remained in Iran despite repeated U.S. warnings not to travel there because of the threat of being arrested. Advertisement Advertisement "The regime's history of seeking to leverage Americans for political aims is long established," said Ryan Fayhee, a board member of the Foley Foundation advocacy group. "I would have to imagine that any American is potentially at risk." The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran early on Saturday that have killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other officials, triggering retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region and escalating fears that Tehran will seek other ways to hit back at the U.S. "There are hundreds, if not thousands, if not more, of dual nationals that are back there that still have familial ties despite the risks," said Kieran Ramsey, a former FBI assistant director now with the Global Reach advocacy group who headed the U.S. hostage recovery unit. Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, meaning that other governments cannot provide diplomatic protection or consular services to their citizens who also hold Iranian nationality. Advertisement Advertisement A source familiar with the issue said that the U.S. State Department does not know precisely how many Americans are in Iran. The State Department and the office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "President Trump has been clear that he wants every American wrongfully detained to be returned home safe and sound, and that there will be dire consequences for regimes that treat Americans as political pawns," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in an emailed statement. Iran's mission at the United Nations also did not immediately respond. Advertisement Advertisement A FOCUS ON DETAINED AMERICANS U.S. President Donald Trump has made securing the release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained or held hostage overseas a foreign policy priority. More than 70 Americans have been freed since the beginning of his second term in January 2025, according to the White House. But Trump has not said how he would protect those detained since the start of the attacks on Iran on Saturday. Only hours before the U.S.-Israeli strikes began, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday designated Iran as the first state sponsor of wrongful detention under an executive order signed by Trump on September 5. Advertisement Advertisement The designation, he said, could trigger a ban on the use of U.S. passports to travel to and from Iran and other unspecified measures unless Tehran stops taking "hostages" and releases all Americans, the number of which he did not disclose. Detainee advocates saw the move as a message to Iran not to harm American detainees or any other Americans. But they expressed concern that it could go unheeded amid a breakdown in Iran's hierarchy from the strikes. "When you have kinetic action and military strikes like this, it just ups the risk factor for these folks exponentially," said Ramsey. JAIL FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS Advertisement Advertisement At least six dual U.S.-Iranian nationals or legal permanent residents are known to be held in Tehran's Evin Prison, a notorious jail for political prisoners and foreigners, or barred from leaving Iran, said Elizabeth Richards, the Foley Foundation research director. The identities of three of those people are not public. Israel bombed the prison during its 12-day air war with Iran last June, killing at least 71 people, Iran said. Those now held in Evin include Shahab Dalili, a green-card holder arrested in 2016 on his way to the airport after attending his father's funeral and given 10 years in jail for allegedly cooperating with a foreign government, according to the Foley Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Fayhee represents Reza Valizadeh, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen who was arrested in 2024 after returning to Iran to visit his elderly parents and also given 10 years in jail for "collaboration with a hostile government," according to the Foley Foundation. Valizadeh, a journalist, is being held in Evin Prison, Fayhee said. So too is Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Jewish Iranian-American jewelry shop owner arrested last year, according to Ramsey, who represents Hekmati's family. He was convicted of going to Israel under a law that bars such visits in the past 10 years, even though he provided documentation showing his last visit was 13 years before his arrest, Ramsey said. Advertisement Advertisement Hekmati, who is suffering from bladder cancer, was also charged with espionage, for which he has not been convicted. His lawyer was told it was for allegedly meeting Israeli intelligence agents. Iran often adds such a charge as a way of signaling that the detainee would be released only through an exchange with Washington, Ramsey said. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee, Matthew Lewis and Stephen Coates) WASHINGTON/BEIJING, March 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. military campaign against Iran has put Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the back foot ahead of an expected summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, who for the second time in as many months has turned America's military against one of Beijing's close partners. Trump is set to arrive in Beijing at the end of March following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a risky Caracas raid in January and the U.S.-Israeli air war that on Saturday killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former leaders of two countries that have been major oil suppliers for China. It is far from clear how that meeting, which the Trump administration has said will focus on trade, will play out, or indeed whether it will even go ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Just last week, it appeared Trump would go to Beijing in a weakened position following a U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating many of his tariffs. But now it is Xi who may be off-balance and struggling to mount a forceful response to the biggest U.S. military operation since the Iraq war. While Beijing has condemned the U.S.-led operations as "unacceptable" and called for restraint, its measured response shows both its limited ability to influence U.S. military action and the transactional nature of its diplomatic partnerships, experts say. China is "proving to be a feckless friend for its authoritarian allies," Nicholas Burns, the former U.S. ambassador to Beijing under President Joe Biden, said on X. Xi now faces the awkward prospect of feting Trump on the world stage, or backing out of the proposed March 31 to April 2 meeting. Beijing has yet to confirm the summit dates. Advertisement Advertisement Should Xi decide to proceed, he may do so betting that in the long run it is Washington that will be diminished if it becomes entangled in a drawn-out Middle East conflict. Trump has said the operation against Iran could run for about four weeks, which would bring it close to the eve of the China trip. China's embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on whether the Iran situation had changed plans to host Trump. Asked about the implications of the Iran strikes on talks with Xi, a White House official said Trump was "taking decisive action to eliminate major national security threats," but did not mention China. CHINA UNIQUELY EXPOSED Advertisement Advertisement For China, the danger from the U.S. military operation is both practical and symbolic. China, the world's largest buyer of Iranian oil, last year got 13.4% of its total oil imported by sea from the country. That makes it uniquely exposed to any supply disruption as the conflict unfolds, particularly in the event of a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most vital oil export route. While China can diversify its imports, it would suffer significant price pressure from a near-term loss of Iranian oil, tightening margins for its manufacturing base on which the Chinese economy is heavily reliant, analysts say. The U.S. attack on Iran also serves as a reminder to Beijing - and its partners - of the U.S. military's ability to strike not only in its backyard, but around the world. Advertisement Advertisement "The strikes on Iran and the potential regime change will severely impact China's interests," said Zhao Minghao, international relations expert at Shanghai's Fudan University. "China is assessing the deeper intentions behind U.S. actions in Venezuela and Iran, as the U.S. may increase pressure on China by controlling the international energy market," Zhao said. None of that would have been lost on the White House, which published the dates for Trump's China trip as it was staging for the Iran attack. A source familiar with U.S.-China discussions told Reuters the White House was still awaiting a formal invitation from Chinese officials. COUNTING ON LIMITED CHINESE RESPONSE Advertisement Advertisement For now, the United States is betting that its Iran operation will not trigger any Chinese military response. One U.S. official told Reuters there wasn't an expectation that China would provide material support to Iran during U.S. operations, or that a continued U.S. focus on the Middle East would embolden Beijing in the short term in the Indo-Pacific, where it has pursued a historic military build-up. The main U.S. concern is that difficulty in rapidly replenishing reserves of munitions would reduce "medium-term deterrence" over the threat of Chinese military action against Taiwan, the official said. Constrained in its ability to counter the U.S. military's global reach, China is likely to stand back and let the United States own any Middle East chaos that results, reinforcing Beijing's narrative that Washington is reckless and destabilizing, say analysts. Advertisement Advertisement Zha Daojiong, an expert in energy security at China's Peking University, told Reuters that Chinese officials would not feel compelled to aid Iran in the conflict and would push back against the "purely rhetorical construction" in the West that it had an alliance with Iran. "The direct parties to the conflict make their own bed and get to sleep in it," Zha said. (Reporting by Michael Martina, Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom in Washington and Mei Mei Chu, Antoni Slodkowski, Liz Lee and Laurie Chen in Beijing; Editing by Don Durfee and Bill Berkrot) United States President Donald Trumps second term in office has been defined by the abduction of Venezuelas left-wing President Nicolas Maduro, joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, among hundreds, and new threats against other leaders from Latin America to even Europe. This policy is testing alliances, legal norms, and the idea that shock action abroad yields predictable outcomes at home. At its core is a message Trump repeats in different ways: We can reach you and we might not protect you if you do not do what we want. Trump talks directly to foreign leaders, promising swift punishment or personal favour, and casts himself as the only US president with the gloves off. Advertisement Advertisement While his supporters see strength and candour, critics underline threats and deals aimed at domestic politics as much as foreign capitals. A doctrine built around enemies Trumps decision to attack Iran has been described as the biggest foreign policy gamble of his presidency, with analysts saying he has pivoted from swift, limited operations like last months lightning raid in Venezuela to what could be a more protracted conflict that is already morphing into a wider regional war. His doctrine is anchored in identifying adversaries Iran, China, Russia and North Korea alongside a cluster of actors such as Venezuela, Cuba, certain Latin American leaders, as well as drug cartels, Hezbollah and Hamas. Analysts at the Atlantic Council say Trumps National Security Strategy elevates great power competition with China and Russia while casting Iran and North Korea as rogue regimes, creating an organising map of enemies reflected in his rhetoric and operations. Advertisement Advertisement The Foreign Policy Research Institute describes Trumps strategy as a deeply transactional document, arguing that security guarantees and pressure on adversaries are framed around what others pay or concede to the US. Iran and the regional spread of war The Pentagon has named its Iran campaign Operation Epic Fury, with Trump insisting the US did not start this war, but intends to finish it a claim rejected by Irans foreign minister in an interview with Al Jazeera. Trump said US forces would lay waste to much of Irans military, deny Tehran a nuclear weapon, and give Iranians a chance to topple their rulers. Some media reports said he has privately claimed Iran would soon have a missile that can hit the US, even though intelligence assessments do not support that. Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say Trump is hoping the US-Israeli strikes would incite a popular uprising to oust Irans rulers, even though outside airpower has never directly achieved government change without ground forces. The Atlantic Council warns the Iran attack risks drawing Washington into a wider regional war without a clear endgame. A briefing from the Royal United Services Institute says if Irans retaliation causes significant US casualties, Washington will be under intense pressure to expand Operation Epic Fury into a larger military campaign. (Al Jazeera) Meanwhile, hawks in Washington see an opportunity. A report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies says the attacks on Iran provide a historic opportunity to help the Islamic Republic fall. Trump has told the US media the military operation could take four weeks or less, even as his defence secretary acknowledged it could be shorter or longer, depending on how Iran and its allies respond. Advertisement Advertisement Within days of the Iran strikes on Saturday, the war has spread across the region, with Israel on Tuesday saying it has launched ground operations in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Irans retaliatory attacks have targeted US assets and even civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and other Gulf nations. This is exactly the escalation experts had warned about: strikes framed as targeted decapitation of Irans leadership now pulling in a weakened Hezbollah and even Lebanese civilians, reinforcing the perception that the US is willing to put an entire region at risk to prove that it can reach one man or topple one regime. Like he did in Venezuela by capturing Maduro in an inandout raid in Caracas after a CIA tip an episode analysts say emboldens similar thinking elsewhere. Troubling precedent The Caracas raid came on the back of a maximum pressure campaign, which saw sanctions, criminal cases and asset seizures in a highvisibility operation. Maduros abduction gave the US considerable control over Venezuelas vast oil reserves. Advertisement Advertisement The Center for Strategic and International Studies calls the Maduro operation a military victory with no viable endgame, arguing that while the exfiltration of the president was tactically successful, the structural drivers of Venezuelas crisis remained in place. A Brookings analysis warned that the raid sets a troubling precedent for USled regime change by special forces, suggesting that other Latin American leaders may see it as a potential US template rather than a oneoff. Like Colombia, whose President Gustavo Petro was referred to by Trump as sick, suggesting a Venezuela-like intervention there sounds good to me, and warning Petro to watch his a**. Petro in January said the US was behaving like an empire that treats Latin American governments as subjects, warning that Washington risks shifting from dominating the world to being isolated from the world. Advertisement Advertisement The killing or abduction of leaders or prominent figures from other nations violates international law. Experts say Trumps expanding targeted killing doctrine erodes the taboo on assassinating political leaders, making reciprocity more plausible. Protection as transaction With allies, Trumps posture is less kinetic but equally blunt. Trump once boasted about telling a NATO partner, You didnt pay? Youre delinquent No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. The comments triggered alarm in European capitals and prompted what analysts described as efforts to Trumpproof NATO by locking in higher defence spending and deeper political commitments. Advertisement Advertisement The European Council on Foreign Relations alleges Trump has exported MAGA to Europe, turning NATO into a protection racket in all but name where security guarantees appear conditional on allies political and financial alignment. A declassified White House memo from 2019 remains the clearest example of how Trumps transactional logic extends to partners. The memo shows Trump responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys request for more weapons. I would like you to do us a favour though, Trump purportedly said before asking Zelenskyy to investigate former US President Joe Biden and his son a conversation that led to Trumps first impeachment. Who could be next? Put together, the Maduro raid, the Iran attack, threats to Petro and pressure on NATO suggest who could be next: Latin American leaders labelled soft on drug cartels; the Iranaligned groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon; or smaller European nations branded delinquent by Trump. Advertisement Advertisement US media reports say Trumps advisers have urged him to focus on the domestic economy, warning that a prolonged confrontation with Iran could alienate parts of his America First base that are sceptical of openended wars. Meanwhile, Trumps backers cite the rising NATO outlays, the Maduro raid and Iran strikes as proof that Trump does what he says. Some argue that degrading Irans nuclear programme, even without regime change, would still count as a victory for Trump. Critics, however, worry that the Iran campaign could escalate into the biggest US military campaign since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, with some of Trumps stated claims on Iran not backed by intelligence. Whether the US power produces durable outcomes without blowback in Iran, Lebanon, Latin America and inside the US is a key test for Trump in the days ahead. Andy Barr raised a toast to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a second TV ad for his Senate run, which his campaign released March 3. In the ad, Barr is inside a rickhouse full of bourbon barrels as he proclaims his love for ICE while dropping an ice cube into a glass he later fills with bourbon. As the ad continues, the Republican candidate seeking to fill Mitch McConnell's seat boasts about voting in favor of increasing the agency's manpower through President Donald Trump's signature tax legislation, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Barr also criticized his Democratic opponents. Advertisement Advertisement "Liberal extremists assault them and sabotage their work," he said in the 30-second ad. "What these idiots are doing puts themselves in harm's way and everyone else too. Im Andy Barr and I approve this message because the left hates ICE so much, I guarantee they wont like this: Cheers! To ICE," he continued. "They probably hate bourbon too." The new ad comes after the Barr campaign released a TV spot blasting diversity, equity and inclusion policies, which Barr called "dumb, evil, indoctrination" and said "it's not a sin to be White." His comments drew widespread backlash from Kentucky Democrats, including Senate candidates Charles Booker and Amy McGrath. Barr also took on criticism for invoking Martin Luther King Jr.'s name when addressing the controversial DEI ad in February. Barr is campaigning in May's Republican primary against Lexington businessman Nate Morris and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Polls from February showed Barr with a narrow lead in the race. In other news: Suspect charged over vandalism at Andy Barr's Senate campaign office Advertisement Advertisement Barr also had an edge in fundraising going into February, though The Courier Journal reported Morris is gaining momentum thanks in part to a $10 million donation from billionaire Elon Musk. All three Republican candidates have previously voiced their support for the Trump administration's policies on immigration, including increasing funding for ICE and border security measures. Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race. Lucas Aulbach contributed. Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Andy Barr ICE Senate campaign ad released in Kentucky Clergy from a conservative grouping of the Anglican Church are meeting this week in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to choose a rival to the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. The UK's Sarah Mullally will officially be installed as the leader of the world's Anglican communion at a lavish ceremony later this month but her appointment has divided opinion in Nigeria, and elsewhere. Many conservative Christians believe that only men should be consecrated as bishops. Advertisement Advertisement The Vining Memorial Church Cathedral in Nigeria's main city Lagos was full of women in gold, green and purple "geles" or headwraps and men resplendent in white-flowing "agbada" robes for its weekly highlight, the Sunday service. Some of the hymns and liturgy were the same as those sung by Anglicans around the world, but there were also differences, like the upbeat worship music that had the congregation dancing in the pews. Some congregants, like Bunmi Odukoya, were supportive of the appointment. "The work of God is an individual thing. If you're called - you can be a man, you can be a woman - you need to fulfil the calling of the Lord," he told the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Others, like Uche Nweke, strongly disagreed: "I don't think it's Christian. When you look at the Bible and the apostles, there was no woman in there, so a woman being the head of the Anglican church in England, I don't think it's going to go well." In addition to being the most senior cleric in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is also "primus inter pares" - or first among equals - of the primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion, meaning she is the spiritual leader of almost 95 million Anglicans. At its four-day meeting that has just started in Abuja, Gafcon, which describes itself as a global movement of "authentic Anglicans, guarding God's gospel", plans to elect its own "first among equals", just weeks ahead of Archbishop Mullaly's installation at Canterbury Cathedral. The move threatens to turn divisions within the global church into a full-on split. Advertisement Advertisement "This is a schism, even if they don't want to say that," Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford in England, told the BBC. "This is a set of leaders, all male, going to a conference in Africa to assert [an] identity which no longer satisfies many Anglican churches - that is an all-male episcopate calling the shots." Gafcon was formed in 2008 in response to theological differences within the Anglican Communion over the issue of same-sex unions. Worshippers at the Vining Memorial Church Cathedral were divided over the issue of being led by a woman [BBC] In recent years those divisions have deepened, and in 2023 the group rejected the leadership of the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, over proposals to bless same-sex couples, a position also held by his successor, Dame Sarah. Advertisement Advertisement The group says it speaks for the majority of the world's Anglicans, although that is contested. It does draw much of its support from Africa, but the view on the continent is by no means monolithic. For example, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and Kenya's first female bishop Emily Onyango, both celebrated Sarah Mullally's appointment. And while Gafcon accuses the Church of England of maintaining a colonial relationship with churches in the Global South and imposing its more progressive views, some of the organisers of this week's conference are based in the Americas and Australia, where the organisation also has a presence. Advertisement Advertisement In October last year, Gafcon resolved to "reorder the Anglican Communion", refusing to take part in meetings convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and encouraging members to cut remaining ties with the Church of England. The group said it had not left. Instead it claimed that it was the true Anglican Communion. The election of its own global spiritual leader will bring the Church a step closer to an irrevocable split, and is "a very aggressive thing to do", said Prof MacCulloch, who is an Anglican. The Anglican Communion is made up of 42 provinces in 165 countries around the world. Each has its own system of governance, but they share heritage, and ways of worshipping. Advertisement Advertisement "We see ourselves as a family of autonomous, yet interdependent churches," Bishop Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, told the BBC. It is the third largest Christian denomination after Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, giving its leaders a huge platform when speaking about issues such as climate change, human rights, or efforts for global peace. The former Archbishop of Canterbury (R) struggled to keep the Church together [AFP via Getty Images] Churches within it support each other spiritually and in terms of resources through what are known as companion links. "These are examples of very positive things that we get out of this relationship," Bishop Poggo tells the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement While there is no formal constitution, it is held together by four "Instruments of Communion", led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Proposals to broaden the leadership of the Anglican Communion to better reflect its global nature will be discussed at the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in June. But that is one of the instruments that Gafcon no longer recognises, so its members will not be there. According to Bishop Poggo, any church or province that wants to leave the Communion ought to follow the process by which they joined, but in reverse. "We need to go through our existing processes, namely, a standing committee, or the synods that we have in each of the provinces, rather than doing it outside of these processes." Advertisement Advertisement So what happens when one part of the family refuses to do so, but behaves as if it has left? "There is not much you can do," concedes Bishop Poggo, adding: "It saddens us." The relationship between the first Anglican church and the rest of the world is looking increasingly precarious. But there are still some who value the connection with Canterbury. Despite disagreeing with the Church of England's more liberal view, Nigerian youth pastor Alexander Olasinde says that the connection to the Church of England still matters to him "All of us [as Christians] have one goal, and that is to make [it to] heaven. We need to find a common ground," the 34-year-old told the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement "If we continue in this trend we'll have grudges, unsettled issues between us. So how do we even make it to heaven?" 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 Another former Winn-Dixie in Montgomery is celebrating its grand reopening under a new grocery chain name this week. Piggly Wiggly, a Memphis-born chain that uses a "cost-plus" pricing model, will open its newest location in a move that the company said will bring "convenient access to fresh food, household essentials, and everyday necessities." The new location at 4724 Mobile Highway in Montgomery opens at 10 a.m. on March 5. Advertisement Advertisement In October 2025, Winn-Dixie announced that the company was pulling out of every state except Florida where the company is based and south Georgia as part of a rebranding that focuses on their home state. More: Eastdale Mall has a new general manager. What's next? Were proud to continue growing in Montgomery and bring a second Piggly Wiggly Food For Less location to the community, the McDaniel family said, the owners of the new franchise location. Our focus is on providing an affordable, dependable grocery option while creating jobs and meeting the everyday needs of local families. The new Montgomery location isnt the only Central Alabama Winn-Dixie to be recently converted to a Piggly Wiggly. Former Winn-Dixies in Wetumpka, Prattville, and another location in Montgomery have all been reopened under the Piggly Wiggly brand in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement The store uses a cost-plus 10 percent pricing model, meaning customers pay the stores cost plus a modest 10 percent surcharge at checkout. The company said that this approach eliminates the need for coupons, loyalty cards, or promotional gimmicks while delivering consistent, everyday low prices on groceries throughout the store. Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at sclifton@montgome.gannett.com or follow her on X @sarahgclifton and TikTok @sarahgclifton. To support her work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Former Montgomery Winn-Dixie is now a Piggly Wiggly Months after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Arizona lawmakers are considering recognizing political hate crimes. A proposal at the Legislature would mandate, instead of allow, more severe punishments for criminal offenders who acted out of political bias. For the first time, the punishments would apply to certain misdemeanor offenses and offenses motivated by political hostility. If passed, Arizona would be the seventh state to make political affiliation a protected class, according to tracking from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Similar bills were proposed in Ohio, Florida and New Jersey since Kirk's killing. Advertisement Advertisement A civil liberty group has spoken out against the Arizona proposal, saying it could increase political prosecutions and chill protected, political speech. But supporters say Arizona needs better legislation to deter political violence and punish it when it occurs. They argue the bill safeguards constitutionally protected political speech. House Speaker Steve Montenegro (left) and Senate President Warren Petersen stand together after Gov. Katie Hobbs delivered her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. State of the State: Gov. Katie Hobbs highlighted her priorities in her annual address State Rep. Alexander Kolodin listens as Gov. Katie Hobbs delivers her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. Arizona Legislature returns on Jan. 12, 2026. House Speaker Steve Montenegro, left, and Senate President Warren Petersen listen as Gov. Katie Hobbs delivered her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs takes the floor to deliver her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. Senate President Warren Petersen leaves the podium after Gov. Katie Hobbs delivered her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. Rep. Oscar De Los Santos applauds Gov. Katie Hobbs as she delivers her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs delivers her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. House Speaker Steve Montenegro speaks before Gov. Katie Hobbs delivers her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. See the Arizona Legislature in action in 2026 1 of 9 House Speaker Steve Montenegro (left) and Senate President Warren Petersen stand together after Gov. Katie Hobbs delivered her fourth State of the State speech to the Arizona Legislature on Jan. 12, 2026. State of the State: Gov. Katie Hobbs highlighted her priorities in her annual address "We feel like with these particular types of crimes, and these particular types of offenders, there should be some mandatory enhancement," Rebecca Baker, legislative liaison for Maricopa County Attorney's Office, said. The Supreme Court has in the past unanimously ruled that bias-motivated crime penalties do not infringe on First Amendment speech rights. The proposal, from Rep. Julie Willoughby, R-Chandler, comes as concerns over political violence reach new heights. The assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of the Turning Point USA political advocacy group, sent shockwaves through the nation and found particular resonance in Arizona, where Kirk lived and grew his organization. Advertisement Advertisement Political violence also hit home in Arizona in 2011, when then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was attacked in a mass shooting during a constituent meeting. Willoughby's bill was advancing through the House at the end of February. It would need majority support from the House and Senate to make it to Gov. Katie Hobb's desk. Hobbs, a Democrat, broke the state's record for vetoes in 2025, but her public statements urging an end to political violence after the death of Kirk and attempted assassination of President Donald Trump could indicate a willingness to consider signing the legislation. House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby proposed House Bill 2175. What would change in Arizona hate crimes if the bill became law House Bill 2175 would make felony offenders motivated by bias against certain identities ineligible for probation, pardon, release or suspension of their sentence. Advertisement Advertisement The bill also would escalate assault against a person or property damage worth at least $250 from misdemeanor offenses to felonies if the perpetrator was motivated by hostility against a protected class. The protected classes would include: race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, political expression or political affiliation, antisemitism or disability." Existing law allows but does not mandate increased sentencing for bias-motivated crimes and does not apply to misdemeanors. Jewish advocacy group, county attorney support the bill The mandatory penalties combined with the application to misdemeanor crimes were key to the support from Maricopa County Attorney's Office and Anti-Defamation League. Advertisement Advertisement Baker, with the County Attorney's Office, told lawmakers Jan. 28 at the House Judiciary Subcommittee that escalating a misdemeanor offense to a felony, under this bill, would put the suspect in Superior Court where they can be placed on supervised probation and receive a "risk-needs assessment to determine what sort of interventions are appropriate to address their behavior." Sarah Kader, deputy regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy organization, told The Arizona Republic the bill's expansion to misdemeanor offenses would allow antisemitic vandalism at synagogues to be penalized more severely. Concern over politically retaliation from prosecutors Opponents of the bill have expressed heartburn over recognizing political hate crimes. The crux of the issue is that prosecutors would review an offender's intent. Investigators do this by looking at what a person says or does. Advertisement Advertisement "Some ways you can do that are by looking at a persons social media posts, digital evidence on their electronic devices, or by what they have said to friends, family, and coworkers in the past," Baker told The Republic. Katelynn Contreras, policy strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said allowing prosecutors to wade into suspect's political views could incentivize harsher treatment if their beliefs differed from the prosecutor's. Supreme Court has protected bias-motivated crime penalties The U.S. Supreme Court, however, in the 1993 Wisconsin V. Mitchell case said penalties for bias-motivated crimes don't violate the First Amendment. That's because the crime isn't the speech, it's the conduct in the same way that anti-discrimination laws don't criminalize bigoted beliefs, they criminalize actions that stem from bigoted beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement The court also rejected arguments that hate crime penalties would chill speech. "The prospect of a citizen suppressing his bigoted beliefs for fear that evidence of such beliefs will be introduced against him at trial if he commits a more serious offense against person or property ... is simply too speculative a hypothesis," the unanimous opinion written by then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist says. The 1993 case did not consider political expression as a protected class. However, First Amendment expert Ken Paulson, director of the free speech center at Middle Tennessee State University, told The Republic he still did not think Willoughby's bill would run afoul of the First Amendment. "It doesn't limit free speech; it does take past speech into account in assessing a motive for the crime," he said. The reason for that, which the Supreme Court recognized, is that hate crimes have greater consequences on society. Advertisement Advertisement "A murder is terrible and takes a toll on society. Murder of someone for being of a certain race, though, has even greater impact because it can instill fear in many more people," Paulson said. This bill, he said, would more harshly punish a crime "when it has the effect of intimidating or frightening others of the same political persuasion." He added, "It's important to remember (the hate crime penalty) doesn't come into play until someone actually is accused of committing a crime." Baker, from County Attorney's Office, said, "The ACLU has this legislation backwards." Advertisement Advertisement "Holding people accountable for targeting victims based on their political affiliation protects free speech and civic engagement," she said Taylor Seely is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at The Arizona Republic / azcentral.com. Do you have a story about the government infringing on your First Amendment rights? Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com or by phone at 480-476-6116. Seely's role is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona considers adding political affiliation to hate crime law Last week, Channel 2 Action News reported on thousands of lawsuits claiming that business owners dont have handicap-accessible websites. Now, Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray is looking into where the money from those lawsuits ends up. Gray says that when he looked at the lawsuits, he noticed the same plaintiffs over and over in hundreds of cases. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Business owners say they believe attorneys are taking advantage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to make money. Advertisement Advertisement As a small business, its just a wipeout machine, said store owner Sara Campbell. She said that even after consulting with a school for the blind and hiring special ADA coders, she still got sued again for her website. Of the nearly 4,000 cases filed in 2025, Gray found that 90% of them were filed by just 16 law firms. Each of those lawsuits does have a real, visually impaired person named as the plaintiff. Channel 2 Action News sister station in Florida spoke with attorney Victor Ariza in Miami. Arizas name was on 383 lawsuits between 2022 and 2025. Answering in Spanish, Ariza said he does this for people with disabilities like him. More than anything, he says, he does it to help. Advertisement Advertisement No one has an intention of making their business inaccessible, small business owner Nayan Padrai said. MORE FROM 2 INVESTIGATES: Padrai was sued in California and is now producing a documentary on the lawsuits. So the plaintiffs in New York that we spoke to were paid $500 for every settlement that had their name on them, Padrai said. However, the settlements run into the tens of thousands of dollars per business, meaning the vast majority of the money ends up going to the attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Theyre being kinda told that theyre doing good work by helping businesses become accessible. What theyre actually doing is getting the plaintiffs bar very rich, Padrai said. Unlike physical things like wheelchair-accessible ramps, there are no clear federal standards for what constitutes an accessible website. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] PARIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the military operations launched by the United States and Israel were conducted "outside international law" and could not be approved by France. In a televised address on the situation in Iran and the Middle East, Macron said the conflict triggered by the strikes carried out by the United States and Israel was now spreading across the region, posing serious consequences for peace and security. Macron confirmed that the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is being dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea in response to the deteriorating situation in the region. The vessel had been in Sweden for military exercises. He said the frigate Languedoc and additional air defense assets are also being deployed to Cyprus. The British air base at Akrotiri on the southern coast of Cyprus was hit by a drone early Monday. The French president added that France had responded immediately, shooting down drones "in legitimate defense" from the "very first hours of the conflict" involving Israel, the United States and Iran. On Sunday, French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin said on social media that a hangar at France's naval base, located adjacent to an Emirati base, was struck in a drone attack targeting the port of Abu Dhabi. The damage was limited to material losses, and no injuries were reported. Macron also announced that the first two flights repatriating French nationals from the war-affected Middle East would arrive in Paris on Tuesday evening. Attorney Martin Phipps' law firm and swanky rooftop bar have been locked out of a River Walk building for allegedly failing to pay rent. Phipps' firm and Holy Spirits LLC, which does business as Paramour cocktail bar, received notices on Monday that they were locked out of the building at 102 Ninth St. in downtown San Antonio. "Your rent is delinquent," reads a notice in bold capital letters on a white sheet of paper taped to a door leading to Paramour. "The locks on the premises have been changed." A notice on a door leading to the Paramour rooftop bar at 102 Ninth St. says it has been locked out of the premises for failing to pay rent. (Patrick Danner/San Antonio Express-News) The lockouts mark the latest entanglement for Phipps, who built the 30,000-square-foot building in 2014 and put his name on it before running into financial troubles. In 2024, Phipps alleged his firm and Paramour were forcibly locked out of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Phipps and his Austin lawyer, Craig Eiland, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. On Monday, Paramour posted on social media that it would be closed from Tuesday through Thursday. Updates would be given on Instagram and Facebook, the bar added. The 8,000-square-foot rooftop craft cocktail bar Paramour opened in 2015. On Monday, the bar told followers on social media that it would be closed Tuesday through Thursday. (San Antonio Express-News file photo) RELATED: S.A. attorney loses trial in battle with former pal over River Walk building Texas Property Code permits a commercial landlord to change the locks on a tenant who is delinquent in paying rent. Written notice must be placed on the tenant's front door stating how and where to get a new key when the rent is paid. San Antonio lawyer Glenn J. Deadman, attorney for building owner CDC Enterprises LLC, said similar language also is in the lease agreements the tenants signed. Advertisement Advertisement CDC had given Phipps' law firm and Holy Spirits a credit for the rent following a transfer of the property from Emet LLC, a Phipps company, to CDC in 2022. But as part of the rent, tenants are charged for common area maintenance, which includes property taxes, insurance, cleaning and other items. It's those charges that haven't been paid, Deadman said Tuesday. Phipps rose to prominence after representing Bexar County in a 2018 lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, resulting in a $14.5 million settlement. Attorney Martin Phipps' law firm and rooftop bar, Paramour, were locked out of the River Walk building at 102 Ninth St. on Monday after allegedly failing to pay rent. (San Antonio Express-News file photo) In 2024, he lodged an ethics complaint District 10 Council Member Marc Whyte over abusing his office for calls and texts made to Police Chief William McManus in April of that year over concerns that Phipps was allegedly physically abusing one of his two children during a court-ordered visit. Advertisement Advertisement The Ethics Review Board later decided 6-1 that Whyte violated sections of the city's ethics code. He was issued a letter of reprimand and ordered to complete ethics training. Jury verdict The lockouts come about four months after a San Antonio jury directed Phipps to pay more than $1.2 million in damages and attorneys' fees to CDC. The company is led by Fort Worth businessman Daren Connel, Phipps' childhood friend. "Since the judgment, they've paid nothing towards the common area maintenance," Deadman said of the tenants. The judgment, which was entered Nov. 24, also hasn't been paid. Neither Phipps or his counsel have contacted Deadman since the lockouts, Deadman said. Advertisement Advertisement Deadman said it was reported to him that Phipps was removing items from the building last week. "We certainly know that there was a moving truck there taking out artwork, fridges, freezers, that type stuff," Deadman added. "That's what prompted the lockout." READ MORE: Childhood friends square off in court over River Walk office building In late December, Phipps and related parties filed a motion for a new trial. They alleged various "irregularities" related to the case that "raised red flags as to potential misconduct." In the motion, Ryan Anderson, general administrative counsel for the state District Court in Bexar County, is alleged to have contacted an investigator working for Phipps. The investigator was informed that Anderson had been had been instructed by the court to contact jurors who served in the case to address alleged "serious concerns" that "the investigator had misrepresent[ed] the Court's role,' harass[ed],' and intimidat[ed]' jurors,'" the motion said. Advertisement Advertisement The motion added that the court's communications with jurors constituted ex parte contact - without notice to Phipps and related parties - and violated "core principles of judicial impartiality." Anderson, in an email, said he had been asked by the court to remind jurors that they were not required to speak with anyone regarding their jury service. He provided a Nov. 20 letter he sent to the investigative firm, saying its investigator had "no right to harass or otherwise intimidate a juror." "Communications with jurors about their obligation to speak to a party's investigator, if any, do not concern the merits of a pending judicial proceeding," he said in his email. On Feb. 9, Judge Angelica Jimenez - who presided over the trial - denied Phipps' motion. Connel's help Connel's involvement with the building started in 2022 after Phipps ran into financial difficulties. Phipps was forced him to find a new lender or face a potential foreclosure. Advertisement Advertisement SA INC.: Get the week's top local business stories in your inbox Nineteen financial institutions declined to do business with Phipps, so he turned to Connel for help. Connel agreed to buy the building from Phipps' Emet LLC for $11 million. CDC financed $8.25 million of the purchase price, while the remaining $2.75 million debt was intended to substitute for a cash down payment from CDC, it said. Phipps had said the parties agreed that the $2.75 million would be prepaid rent credit for his law firm and the bar. The law firm on the lease is Phipps Ortiz Talfuse PLLC, though Gabe Ortiz has not been with the firm for some time. Advertisement Advertisement In early 2024, CDC sued Phipps and Holy Spirits, seeking unspecified damages and a ruling that CDC was the owner of the building. Phipps, Holy Spirits, his law firm and Emet countersued for 16 claims, including one that sought to have the building sales contract declared void and unenforceable due to fraud. But during the trial, the judge granted CDC's motion for a directed verdict over ownership, essentially ruling that its title to the property is superior to any claims by Phipps' Emet. This article originally published at Attorney's law firm, swanky rooftop bar locked out of River Walk building that bears his name. The Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee voted Monday to back a package of bills aimed at forcing agencies to be more attentive to fixing problems uncovered by state audits. The bills follow a number of sometimes contentious hearings over the last year where lawmakers expressed frustration over the seriousness of the problems identified in audits, as well as the growing number of repeat findings, sometimes stretching back a decade or more. For a second year in a row, a significant amount of general funds were needed to resolve an increased need for deficiency funding, said Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County), Senate co-chair of the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Hettleman said the increase was a concern and highlights the need for better fiscal practices to ensure financial transparency and accountability in the management of taxpayer funds. But the concerns stretch beyond questions of fiscal accountability. A number of audits raised questions about how the state manages its office space and justifies when a contract is in the best interest of the state. In one report, auditors raised concerns about a lack of background checks for those who work with or live with foster children. The committee met Monday afternoon to discuss a package of bills aimed at improving audit compliance. The vote to back the bills sponsored by members of the committee was rare but not unexpected. Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee Co-chairs Del. Jared Solomon (D-Montgomery), left, and Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County), confer during a hearing in September. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) We are seeing a number of findings and a number of increased repeat findings, said State Legislative Auditor Brian Tanen. Advertisement Advertisement Tanen said the number of repeat findings is now at 34%. Ten percent of findings were repeated in two or more audits. Each agency is audited, on average, every three to four years. So they had not been corrected for quite a while, Tanen told the committee. The bills backed by the committee Monday would codify an existing group the Audit and Fiscal Compliance Unit into law. The bill not only makes the unit responsible for overseeing compliance but would also require it to report progress on a public dashboard. A second bill would set minimum education and experience standards for chief financial officers. The proposal would also allow exemptions in the state pay plan to recruit CFOs. An amendment to the House version of the bill would do the same for chief information officers. Advertisement Advertisement That same bill would also require agency heads to justify to the Board of Public Works why an agency does not go to court to force contractors to pay the state when they fail to live up to their end of contracts. A third bill sets requirements for mandatory criminal background checks and alerts of criminal activity that happens after those background checks occur. All three proposals have identical House and Senate versions. Even with the backing of the audit panel, the bills need the approval of standing House and Senate Committees. Hearings on the bills begins this week in both chambers All three bills have the backing of Gov. Wes Moore (D). Advertisement Advertisement We share the same objectives of strong financial management, meaningful accountability and effective oversight of state resources, which means instead, our work together has focused on implementation, making sure that these policies function well in practice, can be sustained over time and ultimately strengthen state government operations, Budget Secretary Yaakov Jake Weissmann told the panel Monday. Over the last year, the Office of Legislative Audits released a number of reviews of faltering government operations including: The failure of the Maryland Department of Human Services to conduct comprehensive background checks to prevent individuals with criminal histories from accessing children. Seven registered sex offenders were found living in homes with children under court-approved guardianships, according to that audit. A review of the Department of Juvenile Services found an individual with a recent assault conviction working with children at a Maryland facility, among other issues. Another audit involving state leases raised questions about whether taxpayers saved hundreds of millions from state leases as claimed by Moore. One audit found that the state lost the chance to recoup more than $750 million in unemployment overpayments because it failed to seek repayment in a timely manner. Another audit flagged $360 million in unauthorized expenses charged to federal projects by the State Highway Administration and raised questions about whether the state may ultimately have to cover those costs through the Transportation Trust Fund or state General Fund. Moore, reacting to the spate of poor audits, began an internal push to improve agency responses. A directive issued in February mandated internal reviews of audit findings. Advertisement Advertisement Agency heads have 60 days to review past audit findings and identify those that can easily be fixed. They have 180 days to identify repeat audit findings and resources needed to make fixes. Moore earmarked $24 million related to improving audit outcomes. That includes two new positions within the Audit and Financial Compliance Unit. The governors budget includes a proposed $5 million for addressing audit findings. The legislature must approve that request. If approved, the Department of Budget and Management would oversee how it is spent. Efforts to address audit findings are not new. More than a decade ago, then-Gov. Martin OMalley implemented StateStat. OMalley first used the tool in Baltimore City. He based it on the New York City Police Departments CompStat program. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Austin Independent School District plans to find new non-education uses for five of the 10 campuses slated for closure this summer, but district administrators say they havent yet determined what theyll do with the properties. District officials hope new life for the properties will generate funding that will help the district offset future spending and reduce the likelihood of any future budget deficits. Advertisement Advertisement District officials have tentatively selected Becker, Dawson, Ridgetop, Sunset Valley, and Widen elementary schools as surplus, along with a 28-acre portion of the property around Bedichek Middle School. Declaring a property surplus requires a school board vote. The five campuses selected are part of a group of 10 that trustees voted in November to close as part of an effort to tackle a decades-long decline in enrollment and a $65 million budget deficit. Officials expect to end the school year with a $49 million deficit. Declaring a property surplus doesnt mean that the district intends to sell it, said Jaime Miller, senior executive director of operations. Instead, the status means that the district wont use it for education. That could mean selling the campus properties, but a sale would only bring a one-time cash infusion for the district, Miller said. Repurposing a property could also mean finding some new use, such as the project at the old Anita Ferrales Coy site in East Austin where the NRP Group plans to build affordable housing in partnership with AISD. Advertisement Advertisement The housing project is an example of the kind of revenue-generating projects AISD officials would like to invest in, Miller said. Thats our hope is that some of these (properties) become great opportunities to serve the community and generate revenue, Miller said. The Anita Coy project doesnt take a single dollar away from students. It generates revenue thats not subject to recapture. Theres other ideas out there too. Recapture, sometimes called Robin Hood, pulls funds from school districts with high property values like Austin and redistributes the money to other Texas school districts that cant raise enough funding locally to educate their students. The system typically takes half of Austin ISDs property tax revenue. The district plans to find a future use for each property by scoring them on a rubric that considers community feedback, market value, the buildings condition, historical relevance and zoning and land use. Advertisement Advertisement Theres no specific timeline for determining the properties' next use, but Miller wants to find a balance of urgency and diligence, she said. It would be fiscally irresponsible to sit and sit on these properties, Miller said. The district plans to continue using at least four of the closed schools for purposes directly related to education, Miller said. Barrington Elementary may be used as extra space for students and staff while nearby Wooldridge Elementary undergoes renovations funded by the districts 2022 $2.4 billion bond. Winn Montessori School will serve the same purpose while nearby Andrews Elementary is remodeled. Advertisement Advertisement Bedichek Middle will be used by the special education department to host programming for students ages 18 and up at Rosedale School, which caters to students with significant special needs. Martin Middle School, which was undergoing a $61.4 million bond renovation, will need additional construction to make the campus secure, according to the district. Portions of the campus will be used to stage equipment and furniture during the shifts caused by school closures and bond projects. AISD officials have said they want to work with community members to determine the long-term use of Martin and Bedichek middle schools. The district also plans to combine students from Blackshear and Oak Springs elementary schools but hasnt yet announced which building will house the students moving forward. Advertisement Advertisement The district also has several other properties that havent been used as schools in at least six years. AISD may use those spaces for other purposes or sell the properties. These schools include Sims, Metz and Brooke elementaries in East Austin and Pease Elementary in Central Austin, all of which were closed in 2019. The Pease building requires renovations to reopen the building as a childcare center operated by the nonprofit United Way, but construction likely wont begin until at least the fall, Miller said. Next year, Sims will house the districts alternative learning center, which serves students with greater discipline needs. The center is currently operating out of Mendez Middle School, but the Dove Springs middle school campus will likely gain more students next year from rezoning caused by Bedichek Middles closure. With the added students, the school will need all of its available space, the district has said. Metz has been and will continue to be used as by administrative staff and community partners, like the Native American Cultural Center. Austin ISD is also seeking to sell two old campuses: the Rosedale and Brooke elementary sites. Sale of the Brooke property will likely close in August at the latest, but sale of the Rosedale property is caught up in rezoning and legal issues, Miller said. A final report from the National Transportation Safety Board reveals what went wrong in a December 2023 airplane crash that killed a Knoxville-based YouTuber. Jenny Blalock, who documented and shared her flight experiences online, was piloting the single-engine plane when it crashed in Giles County around 12:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 2023. The crash, which happened near Pulaski, Tennessee, killed the 44-year-old pilot and her father, James Blalock Jr. FlightAware data shows the airplane which took off around 10:48 a.m. from the Downtown Island Airport in Knoxville was en route to Saline County Regional Airport in Benton, Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement It was Blalock's actions, according to the NTSB, that caused the crash. Here's what we know about the crash based on the final report. Tennessee pilot killed in 2023 crash: Who is Jenny Blalock? Blalock was a certified private pilot whose TNFlygirl account on YouTube had 15.7K subscribers and 139 videos at the time of the crash. The account now has more than 19,000 subscribers, but only 10 videos. Blalock also had a significant following on Instagram, where she shared her aviation content. What caused the 2023 Giles County plane crash that killed Jenny Blalock? The aircraft had no technological or engine issues, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, and had no obstructions or precipitation to navigate during the flight. It was Blalock's own failure to maintain airplane control, the report says, that caused the fatal crash. Advertisement Advertisement The report asserts Blalock's Beech 35-C33 airplane, which she had owned for more than a year prior to the crash, was "beyond her level of pilot proficiency." The NTSB final crash report concludes Blalock's pilot-induced oscillations caused her to lose control of the airplane's pitch. An oscillation happens when a pilot's manual control contradicts the autopilot, according to SKYbrary. The airplane crashed into the ground at a descent rate of more than 10,000 feet per minute, according to the report, and at a groundspeed of about 228 knots. The NTSB found Blalock had alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, in her system at the time of the crash, along with other drugs used to treat anxiety and depression. The Federal Aviation Administration advises pilots against flying with alprazolam in their system due to the possibility of impairment. Why do airplane crash investigations take so long? Plane crash reports don't happen quickly. The NTSB carefully investigates every aspect of what may have caused an airplane to go down, according to the federal agency. And through the investigation process, NTSB gathers information at crash sites and puts together an intricate sequence of events to determine what went wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Investigations, according to the NTSB, typically take between one and two years. Blalock's report took just over two years to complete and was published on Feb. 19. Where is Downtown Island Airport? Downtown Island Airport is located just southeast of downtown Knoxville at 2701 Spence Place. This was Knoxville's first-ever commercial airport in 1930 but now only serves private flights. All commercial flights are routed through McGhee Tyson Airport. Allison Kiehl covers trending and breaking news from Knoxville for the Tennessee Connect Team. Email: allison.kiehl@knoxnews.com Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at knoxnews.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jenny Blalock 2023 plane crash: NTSB details TNFlyGirl's pilot error Offices in Sheffield city centre have been vandalised, with windows smashed and messages sprayed in red paint. Police confirmed they received reports of the "criminal damage" to the HSBC site at Grosvenor House building on Wellington Street at 02:13 GMT on Monday. Photos shared on social media also show the words 'Free Palestine' and 'Drop Elbit' painted across the entrance to the building. Elbit appeared to be a reference to Israeli-founded Elbit Systems UK, based in Bristol, which also sells military equipment to the UK armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement Police said, "a group of people wearing face coverings" vandalised the building before "leaving on foot in the direction of Pound's Park". Police asked anyone with information to get in touch [Ben Lafferty] A HSBC UK spokesperson said: "Criminal acts against our offices and branches threaten the safety of our colleagues, customers, and our ability to serve the community, including some of the most vulnerable people who rely on our network. "Safety is our priority, and we are actively assisting law enforcement to ensure accountability for these attacks." Last month, a similar incident happened at a HSBC branch in Norwich. Police asked anyone with information to get in touch. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North More on this story: Three people have been detained in Belgium as part of a probe into possible crimes against humanity and war crimes in Cameroon linked to the country's secessionist rebellion, Belgian prosecutors say. They are suspected to be leaders of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), a militia fighting for the independence of Cameroon's two Anglophone regions in what is a mainly French-speaking nation. "Money is reportedly being raised for the armed struggle and for the purchase of arms and ammunition, and instructions for attacks are said to be given from Belgium," the federal prosecutor's office said. Advertisement Advertisement The UN says more than 6,500 people have been killed since the conflict began nearly a decade ago. Separatist fighters in the country's two English-speaking regions - the North-West and the South-West - took up arms in 2017 calling for the creation of a breakaway state called Ambazonia. Human rights groups have accused both the rebels and state forces of committing widespread abuses. According to the Belgian prosecutors, four people were arrested on Sunday and followed co-ordinated searches in the city of Antwerp and in the Flemish town of Londerzeel. Advertisement Advertisement ''Three of the suspects were remanded in custody by the investigating judge," the office of the prosecutor said in a statement. It added that its investigation had been launched last summer into individuals living in Belgium who were suspected of being part of the leadership of the ADF. The arrests in Belgium follow similar investigations in both Norway and the US. Cameroon's Anglophone crisis began in 2016 when lawyers and teachers went on strike over the use of French in courts and schools. When activists - angered by what they saw as the marginalisation of Cameroon's minority Anglophone community by the Francophone-dominated government -declared the independent state of Ambazonia a year later, it triggered the conflict involving groups such as the ADF. Advertisement Advertisement According to the UN, the unrest has forced more than 490,000 people from their homes, left more than 1.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance and thousands dead. President Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for more than 40 years, says his government has made significant efforts to resolve the conflict. But his administration continues to draw criticism over its handling of the situation and its restrictions on political freedoms in the country. More about Cameroon 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 For more than 30 years, families in New Hampshire seeking to home school their children have followed a reporting process. Parents are required to notify either the state Department of Education, their local public school superintendent, or a principal of a nonpublic school that has partnered with the state that they will be educating their child at home. They must keep records of all materials and books used for learning. And they must conduct yearly academic evaluations of their children. That process first emerged in 1990, with the passage of the states home education statute: RSA 193-A. But to Rep. Kristin Noble, a Bedford Republican and the chairwoman of the House Education Policy and Administration Committee, many of those requirements are unnecessary and put too much bureaucratic onus on home-school parents. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Republicans on that committee endorsed a bill by Noble that would make both the one-time notification and the yearly evaluation optional. This bill is about putting parents in the drivers seat of their childs home education, but its also about firmly setting the default position that parents do the right thing by their children, Noble said during a committee debate Monday. The legislation, House Bill 1268, is part of an effort by Republicans to strengthen the rights of families looking for alternatives to public school, building on the creation and expansion of the education freedom account program in the last five years. But HB 1268 also seeks to address a schism that has emerged in recent years between home-schooling families who dont take education freedom account funding to avoid additional regulations, and families who do. The first group has raised concerns that the growth of the EFA program might lead to lawmakers lumping both home-schooling groups together, which could in turn lead to more regulation. The law explicitly states that students who fall under the home education act shall not include students receiving EFAs. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have praised the bill, known as the Home Education Freedom Act, as a way to fully empower families who dont want to participate in public education. But Democrats warn the bill would lower the standards for home education, which could leave children unprepared for adult jobs or for college. I think that all the stuff in here paints home education in a bad light, said Rep. Muriel Hall, a Bow Democrat. When Im hearing you dont have to educate your kids if you dont want to, I dont know, I vote no on it. In addition to making notification unnecessary, HB 1268 would relax other laws that affect home education. Advertisement Advertisement The bill would exempt home-schooled students from existing laws limiting the hours and days each week they may be employed. Current law restricts children under 16 from working more than three hours per day on school days and 23 hours per week on school weeks, with higher daily limits for weekends and vacation weeks. And the legislation would require that the Division for Children, Youth, and Families treat home education programs with the presumption that they are valid education, and prevent the agency from using a childs home schooling as a negative factor for school attendance or adequacy of meeting a childs education needs. The bill would also stop DCYF from treating any lack of notice, records, evaluations, or assessments of a home-schooled child as an indication of a failure to provide education as required by law. Rep. Mike Belcher, a Wakefield Republican, praised that change as a necessary corrective to the current approach to home-school families. Advertisement Advertisement There are some rules and laws that have been put in place that kind of cast an askance glance at home-school parents and kind of look at them like, Well, maybe youre doing something wrong, Belcher said. And we just want to make sure in law that we retain 100% the assumption of innocence on the part of parents who choose to home-school their own children. Rep. Loren Selig, a Durham Democrat, criticized the easier restrictions around employment. Im trying to make sure that were not by the language included in this subjecting those children to the types of things that currently theyre protected against by child labor laws, she said. But Katy Peternel, a Wolfeboro Republican, said the current employment restrictions could deprive some home-schooled children of meaningful opportunities that could benefit their future careers. Its not about child labor, its about, oftentimes, home-educated students get as much benefit out of their work experiences as they do out of their actual education, Peternel said. Advertisement Advertisement Other Democrats took issue with the changes to child-neglect laws. If a family keeps their kids home for home education but doesnt really educate them at all, and the kids dont get any education, is this saying that that is not a welfare issue? asked Hall. This doesnt say you dont have to educate your kids if you dont want to, Noble replied. What it does say is you cannot use education as a reason for neglect. There are people out there that actually think home-schooling is educational neglect. That is why thats in there. The committee recommended the bill, 10-8, along party lines; the bill heads next to the House floor. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was mentioned during former President Bill Clinton's testimony about Jeffrey Epstein last week. Both Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in person about the late sex offender after the House moved toward a vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released footage of the two's testimonies on March 2. What did Bill Clinton say about JB Pritzker? During his testimony, Bill Clinton was asked about 26 flights he took on planes "connected to Jeffrey Epstein," replying that many were taken on behalf of his charitable organization, the Clinton Foundation. He said at the time he "had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing." Advertisement Advertisement When asked who he typically brought on such flights, he replied that he often brought people he worked with, Secret Service members and "people who volunteered to help us." "For example, I think it was on one of these trips," Bill Clinton said. "I think that I had my first for the man who's now the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker and his wife. They gave me, they helped me get started." Clinton, Pritzker staff speak out about Epstein testimony Bill Clinton's Deputy Chief of Staff, Angel Urena, later said on X that the former president was "simply giving an example" of the people he traveled with to see the Clinton Foundation's work. "Governor Pritzker joined a Clinton Foundation trip in 2008," Urena said. "Not on Epsteins plane. Not with Epstein. Not with Maxwell." President Clinton was simply giving an example of the many people he traveled with to see the Clinton Foundations work. Governor Pritzker joined a Clinton Foundation trip in 2008. Not on Epsteins plane. Not with Epstein. Not with Maxwell. https://t.co/9dQmXNNa4I Angel Urena (@angelurena) March 3, 2026 A spokesperson for Pritzker told Capitol Fax, "Governor Pritzker was asked to travel with President Clinton on two trips, once in 2008 and once in 2013. Neither utilized Jefferey Epsteins aircraft, nor was he accompanied by that man or Ghislaine Maxwell. We understand that the GOP is desperate to deflect from the heinous accusations against President Trump in the Epstein Files, but this is a particularly weak effort to assign blame where there is none." Thomas Pritzker steps down following ties to Epstein Thomas J. Pritzker, a cousin of the Illinois governor, retired from his role as executive chairman of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation in February after his name appeared in the Epstein files, as reported by the Springfield Journal-Register. Advertisement Advertisement The University of Chicago student newspaper reported on Thomas Pritzker's two dozen or so email communications with Epstein between 2010 and 2019. In the emails, the two reportedly discussed current events, made plans to see each other and shared news articles. In the statement announcing his retirement, Thomas Pritzker expressed deep regret about his association with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. "I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner," he said. "I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims." CONTRIBUTING: Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register; Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bill Clinton mentions JB Pritzker during testimony about Epstein TOPEKA (KSNT) Lawmakers are discussing a bill this session that could lift restrictions on firearms in Kansas. Senator Joseph Claeys (R-Sedgwick County) introduced Senate Bill 503 on Feb. 10 this year. In a nutshell, the bill removes the criminal prohibition against firearm suppressors and firearm barrel length qualification requirements. Lawmakers discussed the bill during a committee session on March 2. During this meeting, they passed around what is known as a firearm suppressor, sometimes called a silencer, for examination. Advertisement Advertisement Depart now: Kansas senators issue urgent travel warning Activists are currently pushing for a change to Kansas law on these devices. They hope that SB 503 will make these items legal in Kansas for gun owners to posses. Firearm users can attach suppressors to their guns to help prevent ear damage while shooting. However, suppressors are currently illegal under Kansas law. Seventy-five thousand Kansans already own suppressors which reduce the noise of a shot, and theyve been given a registration stamp from the federal government which has approved it, but theres a provision in Kansas law right now that says its a crime to own that suppressor, said Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. We dont want Kansans to accidentally violate the law. Advertisement Advertisement SB 503 would also address short-barreled shotguns, which are also illegal to own in Kansas. The bill would, if approved in its current state, remove restrictions on these kinds of weapons. SB 503 would remove the prohibition against possessing any device or attachment designed, used, or intended for use in suppressing the report of any firearm from the definition of criminal use of weapons. The bill would also remove the prohibition against carrying a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length from the definition of criminal carrying of a weapon. SB 503 fiscal note excerpt Kansas gov. orders flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Rep. John Resman Supporters for SB 503 believe these restrictions are outdated. Meanwhile, opponents are worried criminals will be able to commit crimes if the current restrictions are lifted. I want to make it very clear Kansas Sheriffs protect peoples 2nd amendment rights, always have, said Sheriff Jeff Easter, Kansas Sheriffs Association. Our issue with this particular bill isnt the law abiding citizens of Kansas, its the criminals that we deal with on an everyday basis, that possess guns and use them in nefarious ways. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate Federal and State Committee is expected to take final action on the bill soon. SB 503 will then be sent to the Senate floor for further debate. For more Kansas Capital Bureau, 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 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. Early risers in Tallahassee Tuesday have good chance of witnessing a two-in-one, rare celestial event a blood moon and lunar eclipse. The astronomical event will draw out space enthusiasts and curious viewers during the early morning hours. It's even possible for people positioned with a wide-open view of the east and west horizons to see a stelenelion, a phenomenon where both the sun and the eclipsed moon appear in the sky at the same time for just a few minutes. Some believe natural wonders like a "blood moon" signal a bad omen. Others see it as a time for reflection. Advertisement Advertisement Whatever you believe, here's what to know about how to catch a glimpse of the moon's overnight transformation into a glowing red ball. When will it be visible for Tallahassee? In the early morning of Tuesday, March 3, the moon will redden during the total lunar eclipse. It will begin gently at 3:44 a.m. and will end at 7:03 a.m. as the moon falls below the horizon. The full eclipse starts a 6:05 a.m. and will be at its reddest and peak at 6:35 a.m. The total eclipse ends at about the same time the moon dips below the horizon at 7:03 a.m., three minutes after the sun rises at 7:00 a.m. Unlike a solar eclipse, special protective eyewear isn't needed for viewing. A "Blood Moon" will be visible in the wee hours of March 3 in the night sky. What will it look like? The moon will be dim due to the shadow cast onto it from the earth. Advertisement Advertisement But it will have a red-orange color, as sunlight is filtered through earth's atmosphere and projected onto the moon, which is why the rare event is often called a "blood moon." Some of the eclipse may be lost in the brightening sky as the sun rises. What is the weather forecast for the lunar eclipse in Tallahassee? It looks good! "We are looking at clear skies for most of the night," National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Young told the Tallahassee Democrat. The sky cover map from the National Weather Service is only calling for about 17% cloud cover in Tallahassee when the March 3, 2026 lunar eclipse approaches its maximum. During the main event, things will get a little more dicey, but the odds of clear skies remains good. "Once we get to the maximum, we are gonna start to see some clouds move in as we get closer to sunrise," he said. Advertisement Advertisement You may want a sweater too as temps will be in the mid to upper 50s. Will there be a selenelion in Tallahasssee? Pronounced sell uh NELL yun, the rare astronomical phenomenon occurs when both the eclipsed moon and the sun will be visible simultaneously above the horizon for a brief period of time. Theoretically, no one should ever be able to see the sunrise and a lunar eclipse at the same time a lunar eclipse means the Earth is directly between the sun and moon. But the Earths atmosphere refracts the image of both celestial bodies, allowing people to see the sun before it rises and the moon after it sets, according to Discovery. This means that Tuesday morning, stargazers could briefly see both sunrise and moonset at the same time for just a few minutes at most. Advertisement Advertisement The selenelion is so named because it is a combination of Selene (the Greek moon goddess) and helios (the sun). During a selenelion (also known as a "horizontal eclipse"), the moon and the sun can be seen at exactly opposite sides of the sky from each other. The sun appears to hover for a few extra minutes before it has actually risen and the moon before it has actually set, Space.com reported in 2014. But this is an optical illusion. When light travels through Earth's atmosphere and encounters obstacles, like atmospheric gases or water vapor, it tends to bounce around like a ball in an arcade pinball machine. This bouncing or bending of light's trajectory, known as refraction, causes any astronomical object to appear to its observers as higher up in the sky than its true geometric location. Advertisement Advertisement And seeing a selenelion is extraordinarily rare. "It's a phenomenon that's barely possible," Michael Zeiler, who has charted eclipses as the curator of Eclipse-Maps.com, told NBC News in 2014. "Besides being in the right location, you have to have the right conditions. Those right conditions require that you be at a high point, with an excellent view toward the horizon to the east and the west, and have transparent sky conditions to see both the sun and the moon." There may be a three minute shot to see a selenelion in the Tallahassee area. Sunrise is set for 7 a.m., while the moon is set to fall below the horizon at 7:03 a.m. When is the next total lunar eclipse for Tallahassee? The progression of the super blood moon lunar eclipse at Shell Point Beach, Florida, on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. A rare celestial phenomenon, the next total lunar eclipse will be on June 26, 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter/X: @AlaijahBrown3. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee blood moon eclipse: Final forecast, times RIYADH, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh released a security alert on Tuesday, warning of the threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks on the Saudi city of Dhahran. The development comes amid sharply heightened tensions following a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Saturday and subsequent retaliatory missile and drone launches by Tehran toward Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A pilot from Boulder City was killed in a plane crash Saturday morning near the Nevada-Utah border, according to information from the National Transportation Safety Board. Wreckage from the small plane was shown in photos posted by Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue early Saturday afternoon. The crash was reported at about 10 a.m. Saturday, officials said. The site of a small plane crash south of Hurricane, Utah, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo: Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue) The site of a small plane crash south of Hurricane, Utah, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo: Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue) The site of a small plane crash south of Hurricane, Utah, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo: Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue) The site of a small plane crash south of Hurricane, Utah, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo: Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue) Authorities did not release the pilots name, but they did indicate the pilot was female. An NTSB spokesperson said the pilot was flying with a group of pilots, and the wreckage showed what appears to be an older plane. A second pilot landed his plane near the crash site and called for help. The NTSB is now investigating the crash. Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Aviation Administration released this statement: A Vans RV-8 crashed in St. George, Utah, around 10:45 a.m. local time on Saturday, Feb. 28. Only the pilot was on board. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates. The rescue unit from Hurricane reported that the crash site was south of the city near the Utah-Arizona border. Paramedics found the pilot dead when they arrived on scene. 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. A 12-year-old boy who spent three nights alone in an airport due to travel restrictions caused by the US-Israel war with Iran says he is "so happy" to be home. Ahmad, from Swindon in Wiltshire, became stranded at Dubai Airport while travelling back from Pakistan during the military activity in the Middle East. It comes as other passengers from the UK say they have received "no information" from the Foreign Office, despite following the proper protocols. Advertisement Advertisement UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government was "working 24/7 with airlines and regional governments to pursue extra flights and safe routes" out of the Middle East. More from Somerset Ahmed was cared for by Emirates Airlines staff while he waited to be reunited with family. His mother, Hafsa, father, Shamshed, and younger sister, Noor, eight, tearfully greeted him at the arrivals gate on Tuesday. "When we realised he would be delayed in Dubai it was terrifying and we were looking at the news and social media to see what was going on," his mother explained. Advertisement Advertisement "It was very terrible for us because he is only 12 years old and he was alone. I can't express my feelings." Ahmed added he was "so happy" to be home following the "terrible" ordeal. Thousands of passengers were left stranded in Doha Airport on Saturday [Ian Scott] Ian Scott, from Wedmore in Somerset, has been stuck in Qatar since Saturday after his connecting flight was diverted back to the airport due to air space closures. He had been due to fly from Melbourne in Australia to Venice in Italy, via Doha, on Saturday to meet his wife. After his Venice-bound flight landed back in Doha, Scott spent 15 hours in the airport surrounded by explosions as missiles from Iran were intercepted. Advertisement Advertisement Eventually, staff evacuated the airport and thousands of stranded passengers were transported to hotels where they have remained, awaiting news of their departure. Ian Scott has been stranded in Doha, Qatar, since Saturday [Ian Scott] Although Scott registered his presence in Qatar with the FCDO, he said the British government had offered "no information" to stranded passengers. "We have no plan, no idea how we're going to get out at the moment and we're sort of just stuck here," he added. Salon owner Klaudia Lawrence flew out to Dubai for a holiday last week. She was due to return home to Oldland Common near Bristol yesterday, but is stranded abroad due to the ongoing conflict. Advertisement Advertisement She registered her presence the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, and was advised to follow local guidance and to contact her travel agency and airline. "We're constantly on phones trying to find a way out," she told BBC Radio Bristol. "It could literally be weeks - we have no idea. We don't have a flight home. "The hardest part for me personally is knowing that I'm not in control of this situation. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring is very, very scary." Much of the air space is closed above the Gulf countries [BBC] Cooper told the BBC there were an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries, where much of the air space is closed. Advertisement Advertisement She said many of those stranded were holidaymakers, passengers transiting through or people on business trips. In a statement posted on X, Cooper said: "The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. "Due to ongoing air strikes and safety restrictions, the situation on the ground is likely to remain challenging for some time." She added that limited commercial flights had restarted from the United Arab Emirates and a chartered plane prioritising the "most vulnerable" passengers would also fly from Oman later. Stranded Britons have been urged to follow local advice, keep in touch with their airlines and to register their presence in the Middle East with the UK government, as Iranian strikes continue across the region. Advertisement Advertisement A total of 102,000 Britons have registered so far, according to the government. 'Uncertain time' Johnny Whittaker, from Bristol, was due to fly out of Dubai for a holiday on Saturday but his flight was cancelled due to restrictions. Although he has seen fewer missiles above the city compared to the weekend, Whittaker said he still felt worried and would return to the UK if he could. "My concern is at the moment it doesn't seem that bad, but you don't know how long these things are going to last," he said. Whittaker said he had registered his presence in Dubai with the UK government, but had only received one email advising him to "stay safe" and "stay inside". Advertisement Advertisement The FCDO advised travellers planning to head to the Middle East to check its website for travel advice relating to their destination. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story Related internet links (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via AP) The Islamic Republic of Iran has reportedly chosen its new supreme leader. According to Iran International, a Persian-language outlet based out of London, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was been selected for the role by the regimes Assembly of Experts under pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday. Khameneis father perished in the initial wave of American and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets over the weekend. He had ruled the country with an iron fist since 1989, establishing a reputation for himself as one of the worlds most brutal dictators and his country as the worlds foremost state sponsor of terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement CNN had previously reported that the younger Khamenei is known to wield significant influence behind the scenes and has strong links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the most powerful military body in the country, as well as its Basij volunteer paramilitary force. And Karim Sadjadpour, a contributor writer to The Atlantic, called him a prominent contender to succeed his father, but warned that hereditary succession would directly betray one of the founding principles of the revolution: Khomeinis insistence that monarchy was un-Islamic' in a piece for Foreign Affairs last fall. Mojtaba has never held elected office, has virtually no public profile, and is known chiefly for his behind-the-scenes ties to the Revolutionary Guards. His image evokes continuity with his fathers generation, not the dynamism of a new era, added Sadjadpour. Risible attempts by his supporters to liken him to the dynamic Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmanincluding campaigns on social media with the hashtag #MojtabaBinSalman in Persianare an indication that even Khameneis revolutionary base recognizes that a forward-looking vision is more appealing than a backward-looking one. Israels Haaretz also reported on the news on Tuesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Online, the early reactions to the selection rolled in quickly. Interesting. Bear in mind that this very well may be the selection of a dead man by an assembly of dead people, published for propaganda. Ill believe this is real when Mojtaba and any of the assembly make a public appearance that can be verified as contemporary, warned HotAirs Ed Morrissey. Interesting. Bear in mind that this very well may be the selection of a dead man by an assembly of dead people, published for propaganda. I'll believe this is real when Mojtaba and any of the assembly make a public appearance that can be verified as contemporary. https://t.co/Z6hy5SeXb5 Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) March 3, 2026 Others, like Fox News Mark Levin, called for his targeting. Get the next Khamenei! Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 3, 2026 And still others, anticipating just that, began to preemptively mourn him. RIP Mojtaba https://t.co/9XHZIQ33z5 Lyman Stone (@lymanstoneky) March 3, 2026 This is a developing story and will be updated. The post Iran Reportedly Chooses New Supreme Leader With Familiar Name first appeared on Mediaite. A British businessman in Dubai has said he is "in good spirits", despite the threat of missile strikes amid the conflict in the Middle East. Max Wyatt, who has lived in the United Arab Emirates city for seven years, said he had seen or heard a number of explosions in recent days as Iranian missiles were intercepted overhead. It was one of the locations targeted by Iran in response to US and Israel strikes on Saturday, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Advertisement Advertisement Wyatt, originally from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, said the attacks on Dubai were "concerning" but he was not frightened. "I'm in good spirits. I know some people feel differently but I guess it's just how you look at it," he told BBC Radio Stoke. The travel company owner said he was walking along the city's marina a couple of days ago when he heard the "first few bangs" of missiles being intercepted. A hotel in the Palm Jumeirah area of Dubai suffered damage during missile strikes on Saturday [Reuters/Handout] Wyatt also said he saw explosions when he was in his high-rise apartment with a friend. "I heard a bang," he said. "It didn't shake the building but it was quite loud and you could see the smoke in the sky." Advertisement Advertisement Dubai International Airport (DXB), Jebel Ali Port and two luxury hotels in the city were damaged as a result of the Iranian strikes in recent days. While Wyatt described the experience as "insane", he said he had faith the government and military would protect the citizens. 'I'm not afraid' Wyatt said there had been a "weird energy" about Dubai in the wake of the attacks, with many roads quieter than usual and some people already panic buying. "It feels like being back in Covid times - the way people are acting and the vibe," he said. "I can sort of understand it when people have family and kids. Advertisement Advertisement "But the government and the military are always reassuring us that it's going to be fine and I really do believe that. Honestly, I'm not afraid." Despite reports of some expats fleeing Dubai and heading back to the UK, Wyatt said it had not crossed his mind and he would be staying put. He expected the conflict to have an impact on his travel company but added: "I think everything will be all sorted soon. I'm hoping so, anyway." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) A New Britain man was sentenced to five years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and elsewhere. According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, federal agents were investigating an organization allegedly shipping packages containing cocaine from Puerto Rican post offices to Connecticut and Massachusetts and intercepted 10 of these packages. Each of the packages contained around two kilograms of cocaine. Investigators additionally identified around 280 suspicious packages likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine shipped to various drop addresses. [PREVIOUS] Man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to mail cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut Advertisement Advertisement The suspected leader of the group was arrested on May 1, 2023 and investigators noticed a reemergence of the suspicious packages arriving in Connecticut in August of that year. Investigators also identified new stop addresses and observed 25-year-old Luis Torres Ortiz of New Britain as one of the people retrieving the package to deliver to the new leader before the cocaine was ultimately distributed. During this part of the investigation, investigators identified more than 90 suspicious packages, 24 of which had been delivered to Torres Ortizs home in New Britain. Four seized packages were searched and each contained around two kilograms of cocaine. Torres Ortiz was arrested on Dec. 19. 2024 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possesses 500 grams of more of cocaine with intent to distribute on Sept. 19, 2025. He is required to report to prison on April 21. 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. Sir Keir Starmer is sending a British warship to Cyprus after Emmanuel Macron ordered a major French naval deployment to the eastern Mediterranean. The Prime Minister has announced that HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, is being deployed after Iranian drones attacked a key airfield on the island. In a statement Sir Keir said the deployment would also include helicopters with counter-drone capabilities to defend RAF Akrotiri from further strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Macron, the French president, earlier ordered Frances nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its strike group to redeploy from the Baltic Sea. A French Army spokesman said: We are acting in coordination with our regional partners with a view to contributing to the stability of the region, particularly under existing defence agreements. Sir Keir, had come under growing pressure over his slow response to the Iran crisis and his lack of support for United States air strikes, which Donald Trump has criticised. The US president compared the Prime Minister unfavourably with Mr Macron, saying France had offered greater backing. He has not been helpful, Mr Trump, speaking to The Sun, said of Sir Keir. I never thought Id see that from the UK. Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday night, an Iranian drone hit the runway at RAF Akrotiri, a crucial UK airbase, although officials said it caused minimal damage. A further two drones bound for the base were intercepted on Monday, as Tehran launched a series of counter-attacks in response to the US air strikes. In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Sir Keir announced: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. Opposition politicians had earlier criticised the Governments response for being far too slow. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: HMS Duncan must go, and go now we need the highly capable air defence it provides to protect RAF Akrotiri. It begs the question why wasnt she already there? Advertisement Advertisement Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, described Sir Keirs response to Irans aggression as pathetic, telling The Telegraph: Keir Starmer has been dragged kicking and screaming towards doing the right thing. The decision to deploy HMS Dragon, and not its sister ship HMS Duncan, will also raise questions about the urgency of the Governments response. While HMS Duncan is ready to be deployed immediately, HMS Dragon is understood to be in dry dock, meaning it could require up to three days to mobilise. As well as redeploying his countrys flagship aircraft carrier, Mr Macron is also expected to send Horizon-class and FREMM-class frigates, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, two fuel supply ships and up to 40 aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement On top of this, the French president has also ordered anti-drone weapons and another frigate to the eastern Mediterranean. Early on Tuesday, Mr Macron contacted Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, to inform him of the decision, a Cypriot government source told Reuters. The French ships and planes would be able to defend RAF Akrotiri from Iranian attacks. On Monday, Mr Trump told The Telegraph that he was very disappointed in Sir Keir after he refused to let the US use the Chagos Islands base of Diego Garcia to launch strikes on Iran at the start of the war. Gulf states are also understood to have expressed concern at Sir Keirs reticence, even as about 300,000 Britons are in the countries under fire from Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Greece dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to Cyprus on Monday. Two frigates, one equipped with its anti-drone Centauros jamming system, were also sailing to the island. Centauros, which has been successfully deployed against Houthi rebels attacking shipping lanes off Yemen, could detect and incapacitate low-flying drones, such as the one that crashed into RAF Akrotiri, Cypriot defence sources said. The Royal Navy has six Type 45 destroyers, three of which are in deep maintenance. HMS Dragon is understood to be on three days notice to move. HMS Duncan is the sixth and last of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the Royal Navy. Advertisement Advertisement Launched in 2008, HMS Dragon has previously served in the Middle East, patrolling both the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, as well as spending time in the Atlantic. Last year the ship took part in Natos Formidable Shield operation, the largest at-sea, live-fire exercise in Europe. The ship would be able to defend RAF Akrotiri, though it has not been used to support any of the current air strikes against Iran. After the Iranian attack on RAF Akrotiri, in which a Shahed drone hit the base at midnight local time (10pm GMT) on Sunday, Paphos airport was evacuated and nearby airspace was closed. Before the strike, British servicemen received a warning of a security threat, telling them to take cover as explosions rang out in the Limassol area, where the base is located. Advertisement Advertisement There were no casualties, but the Ministry of Defence moved service members families away from the base. Shahed drones are a type of kamikaze drone that function like a guided missile and are designed to hit specific targets. They have become known for their effectiveness in Russias war against Ukraine. As well as housing RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus is a popular holiday destination with Britons, and is home to about 30,000 UK nationals. 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. British F-35s shot down drones over Jordan within the past 24 hours, the UK government said. It marks the first time a Royal Air Force F-35 has destroyed a hostile target during operations. The Middle East has been locked in an air defense frenzy as Iran fires waves of missiles and drones. British F-35s shot down drones over Jordan, marking the first time that one of the Royal Air Force's stealth fighter jets has destroyed a target in combat, the UK defense ministry said on Tuesday. British forces have shot down multiple drones across the Middle East over the past 24 hours as Iran continues to retaliate against countries across the region in response to US and Israeli strikes. Advertisement Advertisement The UK said that the interception of drones above Jordan marks "the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations." The fighters were supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft. The F-35B jets the UK operates are designed for air-to-air, air-to-surface, and electronic warfare missions. They have short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities that allow the fighter jet to operate from austere environments, amphibious assault ships, and aircraft carriers. The UK received its F-35 jets, manufactured by the American defense giant Lockheed Martin, in 2012. The stealth fighters reached initial operational capability status in 2018. The UK recently deployed additional defensive assets to its bases in Cyprus, including F-35 jets, radars, counter-drone systems, and ground-based air defenses, amid the soaring tensions in the Middle East. The F-35B has short takeoff and vertical landing capability. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adam Enbal Over the past day, British counter-drone forces have also intercepted hostile drones in Iraqi airspace, and an RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft used an air-to-air missile to down an Iranian drone heading for Qatar. Advertisement Advertisement Since the fighting began, Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and one-way attack drones at many Middle Eastern countries, including the Gulf States and Israel, as well as bases for US forces across the region. A strike on an American military installation killed at least six service members and wounded several others. British bases have also been hit in this conflict, in which the UK is not offensively involved. A UK defense ministry spokesperson said on Monday that a suspected drone had struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. There were no casualties, but the incident has triggered a response in London. On Tuesday, the UK announced that it is deploying the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon and Wildcat helicopters to the Eastern Mediterranean region to strengthen Britain's missile and drone defense. "We are moving quickly to further reinforce our defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean," Defense Secretary John Healey said. "HMS Dragon brings world-class air defense capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat." Advertisement Advertisement The Middle East has been locked in air defense battles since the US and Israel started striking Iran on Saturday. Washington and its allies in the region have shot down hundreds of Iranian retaliatory missiles and drones over the past three days. Read the original article on Business Insider (KTLA) A California family whose home was surrounded by FBI agents and SWAT Team members after suspicious items were found in its garage says there is nothing nefarious about the discovery. The investigation started on Feb. 23 when the landlord of the property, located in the gated Altair community in Irvine, called police to report suspicious materials. The FBI, along with Orange County Fire Authority personnel and the California National Guards Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, responded to the property to investigate. Throughout the probe, which has now lasted a week, agents covered in hazmat gear have been seen entering the home and removing unknown items. Advertisement Advertisement It was later revealed by Irvine police that the incident began after a juvenile at the residence mixed unknown chemicals. FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) FBI agents, hazmat personnel and law enforcement continue investigating a home in Irvine on Feb. 25, 2026, after suspicious materials were discovered. (KTLA) The specific substances involved, along with the surrounding circumstances, are being carefully and methodically evaluated by subject matter experts from multiple disciplines, police said at the time. Co-founder of Xbox says video game console will be sunsetted amid AI push In the wake of authorities descending upon the home, neighbors expressed shock, with one man telling Nexstars KTLA that the people who live there were just a family, he said. It wasnt the type of house where people would come and go often, said neighbor Ahmed Bajwa, who lives across the street. It wasnt anything that fits what you would think this type of [law enforcement] response would justify. Advertisement Advertisement Charles M. Ray, the attorney who represents the family who lives at the home, has spoken to the media about the situation, telling the Orange County Register that this is someone who is going to help cure cancer one day. He is not a terrorist. Ray described the equipment inside the teenagers home-based laboratory as benign, including items such as Bunsen burners and other materials found in a sixth-grade lab,' the O.C. Register reported. Ray also spoke with KTLA on Monday, further explaining what happened and how the 17-year-old at the center of all this is completely innocent. This is how it went down: there was a repair that needed to be done at the house, and over the course of that repair being conducted, the people that were there to check it out I believe it was a small water leak or something to that effect set it off the rails when it was reported, Ray said. Advertisement Advertisement The attorney described the young teen as brilliant and noted that he is about to graduate from college at the age of 17. He also runs a YouTube channel where he does science experiments in the familys garage, and even when hes not home, he is still devoted to his studies and to developing educational content. New billboards in L.A., across America decry ICE funding: Your tax money wasted Really what we have here is this 17-year-old kid who is brilliant and just wrapping up college [who] wants to be a doctor one day, and hes very interested in chemistry and biology, Ray explained. One of the experiments he was running was a synthesis of certain types of chemicals to create compounds and stuff like that. This is someone who wants to cure cancer one day; thats all this is. KTLA was over the home at the center of the investigation on Wednesday morning. Footage showed several boxes and barrels in the garage and the driveway, which had a pickup truck towing a trailer parked in front of it. Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) Investigators probe an Irvine home after suspicious items were found. Mar. 2, 2026. (Sky5) At least two people, presumably investigators, were seen coming out of the garage, and a police squad car was parked near the home. Advertisement Advertisement Zendaya and Tom Holland are married, stylist says The sight is a big difference from last week, when there was a large law enforcement presence in the neighborhood, and authorities had the street blocked off. Now, a week after the ordeal first began, attorney Ray said the family looks forward to resuming their normal lives as soon as possible. While the family maintains a deep respect for law enforcement and the immense responsibility officers carry in protecting our communities, it appears that this situation has been mischaracterized and escalated into something it simply is not, he said in a written statement. That possibility is being fully examined and investigated by this office as these events continue to develop. We are prepared to address any charge(s), if they are even brought, through the proper legal process and remain confident that the truth will prevail. Advertisement Advertisement KTLA reached out to the FBI for more information on the investigation, and a spokesperson said that they cleared the scene this weekend and that the Orange County Health Department officials are following up to prepare [the home] for occupancy. The investigation remains ongoing. The FBI spokesperson confirmed that no arrests have been made. Vivian Chow 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 The Hill. A young woman who was one of two Arcadia High School teens fatally shot while camping northeast of Phoenix last year died from gunshot wounds to the head and upper body, according to the first page of her autopsy report. Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were fatally shot. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025. Several months passed before detectives with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with the teens' deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remains in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond. Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriff's Office said detectives found Brown's DNA on gloves that had Kjolsrud's blood on them as well as inside Clark's SUV. The autopsy, which was performed two days after Kjolsrud's body was discovered, ruled her death a homicide. The Arizona Republic received the first page of Clark's autopsy report on March 3, which ruled his death a homicide as well and noted he had multiple gunshot wounds to the head. Document's release follows legal battle over public records Other pages from the autopsy weren't released since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora's mother, petitioned to have documents authored by the Maricopa County medical examiner sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, which may be included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the publics right to know. A Sept. 25, 2025, motion seeking to block the report's release argued that the report could contain information law enforcement hasnt yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughters Medical Examiners Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case, the motion stated. Kjolsrud asked that Clark's autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter's. Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, objected to the autopsy's sealing and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated. To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member," Kelley wrote in his objection. But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the publics right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance. Advertisement Advertisement Kelley told The Republic that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered that the autopsies remain sealed, ruled that only the first page of the report listing the manner of death, cause of death and very little else be unsealed. On one hand, the media and public certainly have the right to know what has occurred during a criminal investigation that has since led to an arrest and indictment," Fish wrote in his ruling. "On the other hand, the Court considers the impact the public release of the details in the reports may have on victims and considers the privacy interests of those involved." Fish ruled that the privacy rights of the victims generally outweighed the public's right to the 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 story has been updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Camping Arizona teen found dead was shot in the head, autopsy shows By Alasdair Pal SYDNEY, March 3 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Australia on Tuesday, aiming to bolster relations between the two so-called "middle powers" amid what he has called a "rupture" in world order. The leaders of both nations, close allies of the United States, are meeting as war escalates in the Middle East, and will look to strengthen ties as top producers of critical minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Carney is on a multi-leg trip across the Asia-Pacific region also taking in Japan and India, where he signed trade deals and reset relations with New Delhi after a year-long spat over Sikh separatism. Canada and Australia have warmer ties, with the two nations expected to deepen cooperation in areas such as defence and maritime security, critical minerals, trade and artificial intelligence, Carney's office said ahead of the visit. Carney is set to address Australia's parliament and meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described Canada last week as one of Australia's "closest friends, built on generations of trust", and urged closer ties to promote national interests. Western nations seek to build their own stockpiles of critical minerals, key for production of semiconductors and defence applications, as China, the world's dominant producer, tightens supply. Advertisement Advertisement "There's a lot Canada and Australia can do together on critical minerals as producer nations," Australian Resources Minister Madeline King said on Monday, when asked about Carney's visit. "Middle powers" needed to work more closely together, Carney said last month in a widely publicised speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "Middle powers must act together because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu," he said. In a speech on Wednesday at the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney, Carney is expected to press his point further, outlining shifts in the global order and the opportunities they offer middle powers such as Canada and Australia. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) NEW YORK, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A federal appeals court on Monday rejected a request by the administration of President Donald Trump to delay the start of the tariff refund process after the Supreme Court invalidated most of the tariffs in February. "Nothing about the refund issue warrants any delay in issuing this Court's mandate, let alone a staggering three months' delay," a court filing said, adding, "the proper time to issue the mandate is now." The mandate paves the way for the U.S. Court of International Trade to begin crafting relief measures for businesses that successfully challenged the global tariffs, local media reported Monday. In a 6-3 ruling on Feb. 20, the Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not grant the president authority to impose tariffs. But the ruling did not address the issue of refunds. On Friday, the Trump administration asked the Federal Circuit to delay issuing its mandate for 90 days to allow departments concerned to consider their options. Trump announced on April 2, 2025 that the United States had established a baseline tariff of 10 percent on practically all imported goods, along with higher rates on certain trading partners, claiming that the tariffs would generate government revenue and revitalize U.S. manufacturing. On April 23, a coalition of 12 U.S. states sued the Trump administration over the "illegal tariffs" in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York. On Aug. 29, a federal appeals court upheld the lower court's ruling, saying Trump wrongfully invoked IEEPA to issue the tariffs. In September, the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the tariffs. The Georgia state Capitol was bustling on Monday, but not because of the usual business of lawmaking. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is pictured on March 2, 2026, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder Instead, big names in politics trickled in and out of the Capitol building, some having travelled hours to face a long line to ensure their names appear on the ballot for the upcoming November elections. Among those who qualified on Monday are Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for reelection, and several sitting members of Congress, including one of Ossoffs Republican opponents, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter. Some candidates running for the states highest office also showed up Monday for the first day of candidate qualifying. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former state Sen. Jason Esteves, who are both Democrats, and Republican state Attorney General Chris Carr all qualified to run for Georgias open race for governor. Advertisement Advertisement This is what democracy looks like, said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, about the long line of candidates waiting to qualify. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Aspiring candidates up and down the ballot are showing up this week to file their paperwork and put down the required fee to run. Even the state Houses most powerful leader, Speaker Jon Burns, was there to defend his southeast Georgia seat. Not a day goes by as Speaker of the Georgia House that I dont remember my most important public office State Representative for House District 159, the Newington Republican said. Advertisement Advertisement The day brought a few surprises based on who did or did not stand in line to qualify. One of the big questions was whether longtime U.S. Rep. David Scott would seek another term. The Democrat defended his seat in 2024 but now faces a formidable field that includes a state representative, a former local school board member and a reality TV star. Rep. David Scott. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Scott, who was first elected in 2002, did show up to qualify early Monday morning but he was whisked away by aides as reporters and one of his challengers, Everton Blair, attempted to speak with him. Candidates commonly take questions from reporters when they qualify. Blair described the situation as indefensible, and frankly, its sad. Other elected officials have made the decision to hang it up. Among them is longtime state Rep. Mack Jackson, a Sandersville Democrat who was first elected in 2008 and who narrowly fought off a Republican challenger in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Jackson said Monday that he decided it was time to pass the torch to a new generation. The world is changing. Im not a tech savvy type person, and social media has taken over. AI has taken over, Jackson said. So, its time for them to take over. Its time for them to come up. Its time for us to move out of the way and stop reminiscing and talking about times past, because they will never come back again. And its their day. Its their day, and I realize that, and Im more than happy to promote them. Im more than happy to see them come into the place that theyre coming to. Georgia state Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Lilburn Democrat and candidate for the 13th Congressional District, is pictured at the Georgia state Capitol in Atlanta on March, 2, 2026. Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder State Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Lilburn Democrat who is also challenging Scott in the May 19 primary, said she would be the first woman with a Ph.D. in science to be elected to Congress. Clark, who is a microbiologist and a nursing school professor at Emory University, said that at a time when established scientific principles are being questioned by federal officials, its more important than ever to have someone with those credentials in higher office. Advertisement Advertisement At a time when you have RFK Jr. running our public health, Dr. Oz running health care as well, and them trying to confirm Casey Means, whos never even served as a doctor, we need people who actually can bring that perspective to Washington, D.C., Clark said. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr speaks with reporters about qualifying to run for governor of Georgia on March 2, 2026, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder More than 300 candidates seeking legislative, statewide or federal offices qualified Monday, with dozens from both sides of the aisle filing paperwork to run. Qualifying ends at noon Friday. Carr said now that hes qualified to run, the real campaign work begins. Well, I think of this like a race, and this is the starting gun. When you qualify, we now know whos actually going to be in each race. Everythings theoretical before this. So you kind of set the stage, youve done the training. Now the race is being run, so weve got a long way to go. I know it doesnt seem that way when its 78 days, but it does, and in politics, thats 100 political lifetimes. Carr said. So off we go. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A man is in custody, after leading troopers on a multi-parish chase and crashing into a Kenner canal Monday night, a Louisiana State Police spokesperson said. The pursuit started in St. Charles Parish around 8:30 p.m., when troopers attempted to pull over the suspect for a traffic violation, according to the spokesperson. It ended with the suspect crashing upside down into a canal on West Esplanade and Florida avenues. A woman who witnessed the crash told WWL Louisiana that the driver was driving erratically and cut off state police before crashing. Advertisement Advertisement "It was very disturbing. I've never seen a car fly like that before," said Kenner resident, Pamela Mudrick State police would not say whether the suspect was injured. We are told more information on the pursuit and crash will be released on Tuesday morning. Prime Minister Mark Carney has touched down on Tuesday in Sydney, Australia the next stop on his Indo-Pacific tour aimed at shoring up investment in Canada and building new trade alliances. On the agenda is a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a leader with whom Carney shares much common ground. Carney will also address Australia's parliament, becoming the first Canadian prime minister to do so in nearly 20 years. His remarks are expected to echo the themes of his widely noted speech in Davos, which urged "middle powers" to stand together. Advertisement Advertisement The visit follows a fourday trip to India, where Carney signed deals worth billions in a significant diplomatic breakthrough with Delhi. In Australia, Carney's office said the prime minister will discuss deepening cooperation on defence and maritime security, critical minerals, trade and artificial intelligence. Like India, a bulk of the Canadian prime minister's trip will include meetings with business leaders and investors "to attract new capital into Canada", his office said. Advertisement Advertisement Relations between Canada and Australia date back more than a century, anchored in a shared colonial history and Commonwealth status, as well as steady cooperation on security, diplomacy and trade. Albanese and Carney also have much in common as individual leaders. Both lead centre-left parties in their countries, and both have US President Donald Trump partly to thank for their political success. Benefiting from the socalled "Trump effect", the global uncertainty triggered by Trump's second inauguration last year helped both Carney and Albanese secure historic election victories within a week of each other, as voters saw them as the steadier hands for navigating turbulent times. Advertisement Advertisement "Canada is one of Australia's closest friends, built on generations of trust, with a shared commitment to supporting stability across the Indo-Pacific and beyond," said the Australian prime minister in a statement ahead of his meet up with Carney. "As our countries face new challenges and opportunities, we must deepen our cooperation with partners to promote our national interests." For Carney, the trip symbolises concrete action in line with his Davos speech, where he appealed to fellow middle powers to stand together in the face of economic "coercion" from great powers a message widely interpreted as being aimed at Trump and his tariff policy. "Middle powers must act together, because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Carney added that countries like Australia and Canada should instead "develop greater strategic autonomy" to preserve their interests. Albanese has praised the speech, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last month that it is "consistent" with how Australia sees the current state of affairs. Ahead of the address to Australia's parliament, Carney will make similar remarks on "on shifts in the global order and the opportunities they present for middle powers" at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank. In that spirit, Carney and Albanese intend to build on deals such as the one they signed in October to strengthen trade and cooperation on critical minerals. Advertisement Advertisement The visit will also include a "defence-focused" stop, officials with the Canadian government told reporters last week. Canada and Australia have cooperated on several military projects, including joint naval deployments in the South China Sea and the use of Australian technology for radar systems in Canada's Arctic region. The trip comes amid global turmoil following the US attacks on Iran over the weekend. The two leaders will likely discuss the fall-out and any impact on their respective countries. It is also the first meeting between Carney and a fellow Commonwealth leader since the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on 19 February. Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Albanese has said that he supports the removal of the former prince from the British throne's line of succession. Carney, however, has not yet made a public statement on the matter. Carney is scheduled to be in Australia until 6 March, first in Sydney and then in Canberra, after which he will depart to Japan for a meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. (The Center Square) Tennessee lawmakers spared a bill that would designate Sept. 10 as Charlie Kirk Day in Tennessee. Kirk was killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University."He's someone I think, is a luminary, not just for young folks but for all of us in public life," said Brentwood Republican Gino Bulso, the bill's sponsor.The bill spurred dissent from Democrats and heckling from a protester eventually escorted out of the committee room after the vote.Rep. Vincent Dixie, R-Nashville, told Bulso that he should be ashamed for bringing the bill."This is embarrassing and it's almost unfathomable that plenty of the bills that we have talked about here do nothing to help people's lives, do nothing to put more food on the table, do nothing to help the unhoused, do nothing to help people get health care," Dixie said. "But we're putting these bills here to create a divisive culture which we should be coming together."Dixie and Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, each referred to Kirk as a "racist" in opposing the bill. Jones called the bill "theological malpractice" and "a disgrace at the highest level of our state government.""It is unfortunate that Charlie Kirk was killed," Jones said. "I'm someone who will continue to advocate against gun violence against all people. But what we cannot do is try and make him some type of Christian martyr when his life went counter to everything that our faith and our state should stand for."Bulso defended Kirk, saying he was someone who conducted himself in public life without disparaging individuals."And although you may disagree with some of his political views," Bulso said. "That's not unique, because I obviously don't agree with everything Charlie Kirk said but there's no denying the fact that this was a once in a generation, conservative luminary who had a profound impact on our country and upon the world, and he's someone who certainly deserves a place of honor in our history."The bill passed 7-3 and moves to the House State and Local Government Committee. A Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, is in that chamber's State and Local Government Committee. Voters in Charlotte turned out in high numbers for a competitive sheriffs race that will determine the next officeholder during Tuesdays primary election. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mecklenburg County Sheriff candidates debate in front of primetime audience on Channel 9 The race featured four candidates: Garry McFadden, Ricky Robbins, Rodney Collins, and Antiwain Nance. Although the men are now competitors for the same office, they were all previously friends or colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement As of Tuesday night, the race had dwindled to McFadden vs. Robbins. McFadden, however, was leading by a couple of thousand votes. Ultimately, McFadden pulled out ahead, leading to his reelection. VIDEO: Mecklenburg County Sheriff candidates debate in front of primetime audience on Channel 9 Earlier this year, local governments across Maine were required to report how they spent their opioid settlement funds for the first time. Data collected by the attorney generals office and the Maine Opioid Settlement Support (MOSS) Center at the University of Southern Maine show the counties and municipalities spent $3 million in 2025 on projects ranging from behavioral health liaisons to prevention programs in schools. More than third of the funds went to programs within police departments or jails. Advertisement Advertisement Heres a closer look at what the data shows: Heres how much local governments spent last year Data collected by the MOSS Center shows how much each local government spent last year, and what remains in their accounts. About three-quarters of the local governments spent some funds last year, with others saying they had budgeted funds but had yet to spend them or were still in the planning phase. Heres what they spent the money on The money, which comes from nationwide settlements reached with more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies that made or sold prescription opioids, is intended to address the harms caused by the opioid epidemic by supporting treatment, harm reduction, recovery and prevention initiatives. The local governments reported spending around $3 million on 72 projects, including addiction treatment in jails, behavioral health workers, recovery centers, programs that help people in recovery re-enter the workforce, a van providing treatment to people living on the street, incentives for people to get tested for HIV, training sessions for community members to respond to overdoses, youth mentoring services, awareness campaigns and more. Heres who made the decisions In addition to collecting spending data, the MOSS Center asked each local government questions about their decision-making process, governance and monitoring. The subdivisions were not required by law to answer these questions; all but Knox County did so. Advertisement Advertisement Recovery from addiction is possible. For help, please call the free and confidential treatment referral hotline (1-800-662-HELP) or visit findtreatment.gov. This story was funded in part by a micro-grant from Reporting on Addiction. Chicago police said there was no immediate threat to the public after they were called to two separate incidents at Union Station on Tuesday morning. At about 9:15 a.m. police said a man with a knife was taken into custody inside Union Station, police said. The man was allegedly on the main platform when he threatened somebody. No injuries were reported and he was taken into custody. Around the same time, Chopper 7 was over the scene as first responders were called to check a "suspicious duffle bag" at the station. Advertisement Advertisement Video shows a red bag hanging above the tracks near Jackson and Canal. Police said the bag was determined to be safe, and the scene has since been cleared. INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood A tow truck driver has been accused of selling vehicles he stole. Illinois State Police arrested 36-year-old Saeed E. Mustafa of Chicago Ridge on Friday. Investigators say he used his tow truck to steal vehicles, before selling them for scrap metal. One of the thefts took place on Feb. 12 on the Bishop Ford Freeway, Illinois State Police said. SEE ALSO: 1 in custody after shots fired at 2 CPD squad cars on South Side: Chicago police Advertisement Advertisement Several had been stolen out of Chicago and Indiana, according to police. Mustafa has been charged with conspiracy to receive/possess/sell a stolen motor vehicle. He is being held, pending his first court appearance. INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER | Track crime and safety in your neighborhood CHICAGO Heading into his second term, President Donald Trump promised to immediately target the immigration system with sweeping enforcement pushes and a hardline approach to granting asylum in the U.S. Hes pursued that pledge with headline-grabbing efforts like Operation Midway Blitz, but also structural changes. One result: Chicagos immigration court has lost nearly half the judges who worked there roughly a year ago. Of the 21 judges who worked at the citys immigration court in January 2025, nine judges have resigned, taken buyouts or been terminated, a Tribune review found. Currently, the court has 14 permanent and two temporary judges to handle more backlogged cases than the court has seen at nearly any time in its history. Theyre doing so in an environment where the gears are tightening for immigrants fighting their cases in court and theres mounting disagreement over basic tenets of the legal process like whether immigrants in custody are eligible for money bond all shot through with politics and supercharged through sprawling, splashy enforcement operations. Advertisement Advertisement The Tribune interviewed eight of the nine who left the bench, mirroring a larger exodus of immigration judges around the country. Many of them described a changing court system where the idea and process of seeking asylum was being stood on its head and judges ability to rule based on the letter of the law was being tested by a slew of directives from the new administration. Some who left of their own accord said they wanted to depart on their own terms after watching their national supervisor be fired only hours into the new administration and receiving a series of ominous, belittling messages about their work as federal employees. Others said they wanted to avoid participating in a remake of the system that they saw being reshaped in line with Trumps hardline immigration priorities. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which supervises the court, didnt return a request for comment by press time. Besides the logistical and workload issues that result from so many departures, the former judges say they are concerned about what the administrations new policies mean for their remaining colleagues ability to ensure that immigration laws are administered fairly. In her first public comments since being fired a few hours after Trumps inauguration last January, Sheila McNulty, the former chief immigration judge, said the resulting situation for the remaining judges was one of unbelievable pressure. Advertisement Advertisement And between fewer judges to hear cases and guidance from the administration to process those cases as quickly as possible, McNulty said, the overall impression is that theyre slowly trying to do away with the process itself. A wave of change Many of the judges who spoke to the Tribune said theyd expected things to change as the second Trump administration got underway. Chicagos former Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jennifer Peyton said that thats just how things go in a part of the government that changes hands every four years. Its always a political punching bag depending on whoever sits in the White House, she said. Because thats who our boss is. Some had expected a return to policies theyd dealt with during the first Trump administration, like the Remain in Mexico policy and an increased emphasis on enforcement at the border. Advertisement Advertisement But they hadnt anticipated anything dramatic. As hot as the presidents rhetoric around immigration was throughout his first term, most of the judges who served during that period said it hadnt had a significant impact on the way they did their jobs or ran the court. Even the official who took over the Executive Office for Immigration Review was a figure from the first Trump term. But a few hours after the inauguration last January, word spread that McNulty, the chief immigration judge who was based in Chicago, had been fired along with a group of other senior officials around the immigration court system. It sent a message, former immigration Judge Sebastian Patti said. New regime. Were taking everything thats on that chalkboard and were going to take the eraser and were going to erase it. February brought the first burst of retirements, firings and resignations, when the so-called fork in the road email hit inboxes. Advertisement Advertisement Patti was one of several Chicago judges to take the buyout known among court personnel as taking the fork which placed him on administrative leave until September of last year. In December, to address a shortage of judges, he was recalled to Cook County Circuit Court. Sitting in an out-of-the-way office at the Daley Center a few blocks from where he used to hear immigration cases, Patti recalled joining the immigration court in the early days of the first Trump administration and making a promise to himself: If there is any sense that these people are expecting a particular outcome from me, then I am out-the-door-Baltimore. But in spite of the intense anti-immigrant rhetoric that had already defined the Trump brand in 2018, what Patti found when he joined the immigration court was a group of people whose priorities looked much like the other groups of judges hed been a part of in his 30-year career as a judge. Everyone was of the same mind, he said. Due process, opportunity to be heard, fairness, neutrality, detachment. Advertisement Advertisement The judges and everyone else who works at the court have their jobs cut out for them. According to the immigration data clearinghouse TRAC, Chicagos immigration court has a backlog of roughly 220,000 cases. Thats down from a peak of more than 260,000 in 2024, but still 10 times higher than it was a decade before. As judges leave the court, their dockets get distributed among their remaining colleagues. But Patti and many of the other judges who spoke to the Tribune feared that the flurry of memoranda and other directives out of the EOIR are chipping away at their remaining colleagues ability to uphold those priorities in the already fast-paced environment of immigration court. Last spring, judges received an email informing them that they could rule immediately on a motion to dismiss a case from the bench. Carla Espinoza, then a probationary judge with a long history in immigration case work, immediately raised an eyebrow. The idea that she or another judge would dismiss a case based on one partys motion without giving the other side a chance to respond struck her as very strange. A second directive in that message instructed the judges that if they couldnt issue an oral ruling at the conclusion of a hearing, then they werent allowed to schedule a follow-up hearing to issue a decision and would need to instead issue a written opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Written decisions take a significant amount of time to put together that isnt easily available to an immigration judge who spends most of his or her time on the bench. Under ordinary circumstances, they already have a substantial time incentive for them to rule orally when they can. In some cases that works out, the judges said. But in many other cases, theres a stack of evidence and testimony to consider before they feel they can issue an informed ruling. Under the new rule, Espinoza said, if you cant issue an oral decision during that courtroom session, then you have to write it. And that takes months. McNulty, the former chief immigration judge, said the directive effectively shortened the already limited time a judge has to review a case and pressured them to issue a ruling based more on pressure to get cases off the docket as quickly as possible and less on the strength of the evidence presented. Advertisement Advertisement It feels as though there is a very concerted effort not just to streamline cases but to cut off peoples chances at a full and fair hearing, she said. Holding the line Former judges said they and their colleagues did their best to follow the rules theyd been handed but werent willing to compromise the requirements for due process in order to do so. Some, like Espinoza, continued to give asylum claimants and their lawyers 10 days or more to respond to a motion from DHS to dismiss their cases. She was one of two probationary judges fired that July, alongside the assistant chief judge of the Chicago court, Jennifer Peyton. Espinoza has made a point of being public about her termination, questioning whether her past record and her race and gender were factors in the decision to let go of her and many other members of her probationary class of judges. Advertisement Advertisement Peyton and McNulty, who ran the entire system, have both filed administrative lawsuits against the government through the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board regarding their firings. Other judges who watched those terminations play out said the public and people with cases in court would be within their rights to be skeptical about whether the Trump administration was trying to reshape the court to ensure outcomes in line with its political priorities. It is legitimate for people on the outside looking in to believe that somebody has his finger on the scales of justice for all this to be happening, Patti said. But he feared the cost that perception not to mention the presence of ICE officials in courtrooms could have for public trust in the court and its decisions. Advertisement Advertisement The immigration court is a structure, and the foundation, I believe, is an individual judges commitment to hearing a case with an open mind and an open heart and open ears, he said. If thats compromised, then the whole goddamn building collapses. They do not feel safe on their bench Over the years, Chicagos immigration court has had fewer than 10 judges and its been as big as 21. Almost every former judge who spoke to the Tribune said they were worried for their remaining colleagues ability to do their jobs effectively in an environment where the caseload is growing, the experienced workforce is shrinking and the federal government has shown open contempt for its employees. According to the National Association of Immigration Judges, 103 immigration judges have been fired and about that many again have taken buyouts or quit. The associations vice president, Judge Jeremiah Johnson himself a recently fired judge noted that means even more backup in a system thats already suffering from serious backlogs. (In Chicago, one terminated judge said that even when there were 21 of them at the court, the only contested hearing dates her courtroom had available mid-2025 were in 2028.) Judges who remain on the bench are frequently working 14-hour days, Johnson said, and that could have consequences for cases. Your judge should not be frazzled and fried and beaten down when theyre making a decision, he said. It is not good. The government is starting to bring in military judges to help staff immigration courts, including two in Chicago. Espinoza, one of the recently terminated Chicago judges, said her concern about the replacements was less the fact that they came from the military and more that many dont appear to have experience with the notoriously complex world of immigration law. Most judges have a lot of experience in immigration doing these types of cases, she said. At six months you wouldnt even know the law well, much less feel comfortable on the bench. Espinoza and many of her former colleagues have kept up with the judges who remain with the court and described a sense of pressure that Johnson said was a national phenomenon. Because immigration judges are appointed and not elected, she said, theyve historically been insulated from political winds pushing them to make decisions in a particular way. You could deny relief or grant it and not worry about being scrutinized because that was the right thing to do and the lawful thing to do, she said. Now, she continued, there is a lot of concern and fear. They do not feel safe on their bench, they do not feel like they have job security. This has never happened before. Impact of Midway Blitz Of the nine judges who have left Chicagos immigration court over the last year, Kristi Nelson was the only one to leave without a fork in the road buyout or termination. She just quit, not wanting to work for an entity that showed open contempt for its employees and where institutional knowledge was walking out the door. When Operation Midway Blitz began a few months later, Nelson honestly couldnt really believe what (she) was seeing. She remembered sitting in court as a judge and hearing people testify about how they fled their home countries because of law enforcements response to people who protested the government. Sometimes, if that was extreme enough, that would be grounds for asylum in the United States, she said. And so I found it very ironic that now its our government doing the same thing. She was relieved that she was no longer on the bench because she didnt want to be part of the forces that were propelling people into court and disrupting their cases and their families lives. McNulty, whose termination marked the first shot over the bow to many of the judges in Chicago, also watched Midway Blitz play out with horror. In my opinion, theres a need for enforcement, but theres a way to do it properly, she said. And were way off when weve done it this way, when weve allowed this Midway Blitz to continue the way it was. Since shes landed back in private practice, shes represented clients who were swept up in the blitz scrambling to file habeas petitions to keep them in jurisdictions where they would have a chance at money bond and trying to help their families locate them after theyd been taken states away for detention. For the people who still have court dates and cases to argue, McNulty fears theyll encounter an institution whose main function has been diluted by the turnover and vacancies, and where theres such a sense of apprehension among those who are still at the court. I think they fear that if they rule a certain way, McNulty said of the judges who remain, thats being watched. ____ NEED TO KNOW Glenn Canyon Childers, 32, was arrested on charges of rape and possession of child pornography Childers is accused to sexually assaulting an unconscious underage girl after giving her illicit drugs If convicted, Childers faces up to eight years and eight months in prison and one year in county jail A childrens party DJ has been charged with raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl and possessing child pornography in California. On Feb. 24, Glenn Canyon Childers, a DJ who works at children's parties, was arrested in connection with the sexual assault of an underage girl. The police were notified of the incident on Aug. 31, 2025, the Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDAO) said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Childers, 32, has been charged with one felony count of rape of an unconscious person, one felony count of rape by use of drugs, one felony count of possession of child pornography, and seven misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, according to the OCDAO. The underage victim has not been identified at this time. Childers was arrested at his Los Alamitos home and booked into the Orange County Jail before being released on a $100,000 bond. He is set to be arraigned at the Stephen K. Tamura West Justice Center in Westminster on March 26. DJ Glenn Ganyon Childers was arrested and charged with rape and possession of child pornography. Credit: Los Alamitos Police Department This arrest demonstrates our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our community, said Los Alamitos Police Chief Michael Claborn. I am incredibly proud of the diligent work our detectives have done to move this case forward. We urge anyone who may have been impacted to come forward your voice matters, and you will be heard and supported." Advertisement Advertisement If found guilty on all counts, Childers faces a maximum sentence of eight years and eight months in prison and one year in the Orange County jail. PEOPLE has contacted the OCDAO and Los Alamitos Police Department for further comment. Los Alamitos Police Department car Credit: Los Alamitos Police Department Facebook 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. Authorities are now asking any other potential victims to come forward. The trauma endured by victims of sexual assault is a sentence that they can never escape, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. Crimes of sexual violence will never be tolerated and those individuals who prey on children for their own sexual gratification will be identified, they will be arrested, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Advertisement Advertisement The OCDAO is asking anyone with any relevant information in connection with this case or any knowledge of other potential victims to contact Los Alamitos Police Detective Smith at 562-431-2255 ext. 490 or by email at ssmith@cityoflosalamitos.org. Read the original article on People NEW YORK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran sparked a wave of nationwide protests in around 50 cities across the United States on Monday, as heightened tensions in the Middle East have stretched for days. The conflict has the potential to quickly expand into a devastating regional war which will bring unthinkable death and destruction, Answer Coalition, one of the organizers of the protests, said in a statement issued on Monday. "Already, other countries in the region have been drawn into the war. (U.S. President Donald) Trump is lying when he says that Iran poses any kind of threat to the United States," said the statement. Answer Coalition, which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, called for a mass anti-war movement to "put an end to this destruction." The United States and Israel began massive airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning, triggering Iran's retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East. Trump said on Monday the military campaign against Iran has "capability to go far longer" than four to five weeks. Hundreds of people rallied at Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York City, calling on Trump's administration to end Washington's military involvement in Iran. This was the second major protest in New York City in recent days against the U.S.-Israeli joint airstrikes targeting Iran. Speaking at the rally, protesters expressed strong opposition to the ongoing military action. "The attack that the United States waged on Iran was not only illegal against international law, but ... also unprovoked," said Gabriela Silva, a volunteer with Answer Coalition. The attack left many dead, "including little girls and their teachers at school," Silva added. On Saturday, a girls' school in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan was targeted in the Israeli and U.S. attacks, leaving at least 165 people killed and 95 others wounded. The U.S. attack on Iran does not protect the interests of American people, and the proposed over-1 trillion U.S. dollar-budget that the United States spends on war, death and destruction should be invested in sustaining life for people here, Silva said. Carrying Iranian flags and banners, a group of protesters gathered outside the White House on Monday evening in protest of the strikes against Iran. "We are sick and tired of the bloodshed nonstop wars. This is wrong, this is immoral, and this is a crime against humanity," Yehuda Littmann, a protester from New York, told Xinhua. "I'm Jewish. I'm embarrassed." He added that the United States is now becoming involved in another war, which he said would harm the lives of ordinary Iranians as well as working-class Americans like himself. "It's already causing death. It's already causing chaos. It's not the right way to go about whatever they're doing," Malinda Dunn, a protester from New York, told Xinhua. "The administration's not even going to Congress. We need to stop whatever we were doing in Iran. Nobody knows what they're doing. There's no goal. There's no plan. My feeling is I hope our Congress gets back and can stop this madness," Dunn said. On the West Coast, hundreds of people took to the streets in San Francisco, San Jose and other major Bay Area cities during the anti-war protests in the evening as part of a coordinated day of action around the country. Representative Lateefah Simon, who represents Berkeley and other East Bay cities in Congress, swiftly condemned the military actions. "The attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran absent Congressional approval demonstrate once again President Trump's callous disregard for the rule of law," she posted on social media platform Bluesky. A further round of nationwide protests is scheduled for March 8, according to organizers. A Southern California disc jockey accused of raping a 17-year-old girl while she was unconscious was charged Monday by the Orange County district attorney's office, and authorities are seeking additional victims. Glenn Canyon Childers, 32, of Los Alamitos worked as a DJ at children's parties, according to the district attorney's office. In addition to drugging and raping the girl, he had a cache of child sexual abuse images, authorities allege. Childers faces one felony count of rape of an unconscious person, one felony count of rape by use of drugs, one felony count of possession of child pornography and seven misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance. Orange County DJ Glenn Canyon Childers is facing multiple felony charges. (Orange County District Attorney's Office) If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years and eight months in prison and one year in Orange County Jail. Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an August incident in which the Los Alamitos Police Department received a report of an underage girl who was given drugs and sexually assaulted. In a statement, the district attorneys office said, Childers was identified as a suspect in the sexual assault as well as being in possession of child pornography. The police investigation took a pivotal turn last week when they arrested Childers at his home. He was released Wednesday after posting a $100,000 bond, according to jail records and the district attorney's office. Police investigators did not immediately respond to questions from The Times about why it took six months to apprehend Childers. Advertisement Advertisement But a spokesperson for the district attorneys office said the Police Department was conducting additional investigation to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime had been committed. Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in the statement that victims of sexual assault endure trauma for many years and that sexual violence can never be tolerated. And those individuals who prey on children for their own sexual gratification will be identified, they will be arrested, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he wrote. Anyone with information about additional victims is asked to contact the Los Alamitos Police Department. 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. China has called for security to be ensured in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel war with Iran and its regional repercussions. Energy security is vital for the global economy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing. All parties should guarantee stable energy supplies, she added. "China will take the necessary measures to safeguard its energy security," Mao said. Advertisement Advertisement The strait between Iran and Oman is one of the worlds most important maritime routes. It is the only sea passage connecting the Gulf with the open oceans. Major oil-producing countries border the Gulf, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The International Energy Agency says nearly 30% of the worlds seaborne oil trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2023. Fresh threats have raised concerns that Iran will use the waterway as a form of economic retaliation. The strait is closed, Ebrahim Jabari, a brigadier general and senior adviser to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said on state television on Monday. "The ships of all those who want to pass will be set on fire by the heroes of the navy, the Revolutionary Guard, and the army," he threatened. "We will not allow them to transport a single drop of oil." China's top political advisory body voted to remove three generals, state media said, a week after nine military officials were ousted from its legislature. Beijing has escalated a sweeping purge of military officials in the days before thousands of delegates from across the country meet for the annual Two Sessions political conclave that starts on Wednesday. Simultaneous gatherings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and a separate political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will be held over the course of a week. Advertisement Advertisement The CPPCC voted at a Standing Committee meeting to remove retired military generals Han Weiguo, Liu Lei and Gao Jin, Xinhua reported on Monday. While they can theoretically appeal the ruling, such decisions are usually final. The CPPCC also voted to remove two other members. No reason was specified. Ten other members were officially ousted following an earlier vote to remove them. The vote comes after the NPC removed 19 of its delegates on Thursday, including nine military officials. Last week's removals also included the minister of emergency management, Wang Xiangxi, and the head of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) military court, Liu Shaoyun. Advertisement Advertisement President Xi Jinping has launched a massive drive to root out graft at all levels of the Chinese Communist Party and state since coming to power more than a decade ago, with the campaign mainly targeting the military in recent years. Xi hailed the military's "fight against corruption" last month in a rare acknowledgement of graft, weeks after Beijing launched a probe of its top general. Beijing's defence ministry said in January 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 detention of Zhang Youxia was the capstone arrest of the greatest series of purges in the history of China's PLA," experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in a note. Advertisement Advertisement Only one general remains on the CMC, which usually has six officers of that rank. In the near term, given the significant vacancies in the top ranks of China's PLA, "it would be incredibly difficult for China to launch large military campaigns against Taiwan", the experts said. China's Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan, but Beijing claims the island of 23 million people is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to annex it. China's defence budget "outpaces the wider" Asia-Pacific region, accounting for some 44 percent of regional military spending, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in its annual report. bur-isk/pbt/lb BEIJING, March 3 (Reuters) - China opposes the military strikes launched by Israel and the U.S. against Iran and demands an immediate cessation of hostilities, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on Tuesday, according to his ministry. "Force cannot truly solve problems; instead, it often creates new ones and leaves serious long-term consequences. The real value of military power lies not on the battlefield but in preventing war," it quoted Wang as telling Saar in a call. Explosions tore through Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday and financial markets around the world tumbled at the prospect of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies from the U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Wang told Saar that China believes in resolving international and regional issues through dialogue and negotiation and will continue to play a constructive role in easing the situation. Tuesday's call follows three calls the top Chinese diplomat held on Monday with the foreign ministers of Iran, Oman and France, in which he urged Gulf countries to unite to oppose external interference. Wang also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday about the Iran crisis. However, Wang has not spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio since the launch of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among a number of senior Iranian officials killed. (Reporting by Shi BuYukun Zhang and Ryan WooEditing by Aidan Lewis and Gareth Jones) BEIJING (AP) The day the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, China waited several hours before taking its first official position. It said it was highly concerned and called for an immediate halt to military operations and the resumption of dialogue. The next day, Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the strikes as unacceptable and again called for more talks. There were no indications of direct intervention but such an expectation wouldnt be realistic. As in other recent conflicts, including last years attack on Iran, China has condemned the use of force while remaining on the sidelines, keeping in mind its long-term interests. Advertisement Advertisement This time, those interests include a highly anticipated visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing, expected to take place around early April. Why China is staying out of the fight Chinas military has grown rapidly. It has conducted military drills with Iran and established a base in Djibouti in East Africa in 2017. But its overwhelming focus is defending its interests in Asia, from Taiwan to the South China Sea. It has waded into Middle East diplomacy where it sees an opportunity, helping to broker a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023. But it views the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as cautionary tales to be avoided, said William Yang, an analyst with the International Crisis Group. China is reluctant to project military power beyond its immediate periphery and it is also unwilling to play the role of security guarantor in unstable regions like the Middle East, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, it has provided diplomatic and economic support to Russia and Venezuela, but steered away from any military action in Ukraine or Latin America. Chinas position on the sidelines shows the limits to its influence in global geopolitics, said Craig Singleton, a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute. Beijings response has been predictably restrained, underscoring Chinas limited ability to shape events once hard power is in motion, he said. Beijing can signal unease; however, it cannot meaningfully deter or influence U.S.-Israeli military action. Ties with U.S. outweigh those with Iran China's unhappiness with the strikes against Iran is unlikely to upend ties with the U.S. or plans for Trump to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in about a month, analysts say. Advertisement Advertisement For Chinese leaders, the relationship with the U.S. is much more crucial than with Iran on multiple fronts, from trade and the economy to Taiwan. Beijing may have a war of words with Washington over Iran, but the downside to creating a new conflict with Trump outweighs the upside, said George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group. U.S.-China relations are already complicated enough for President Trump and Xi to handle," he said. Adding Iran to the mix "wont be something that both sides are keen to do. Still, it is possible that Beijing could postpone the Trump visit, he said. Energy concerns go beyond Iran's oil China is the top importer of oil from Iran, but the government is deeply concerned with energy security and has developed alternatives. What's most worrisome is rising prices and potentially losing access to oil and natural gas from the broader Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement China imported about 1.4 million barrels a day or 13% of China's total seaborne oil imports from Iran last year, according to Kpler, a data and analytics company. But the firm estimates that enough oil is already in transit to last another four to five months. That would give China's independent refineries time to adjust and seek alternatives, with discounted Russian oil as their primary option, said Muyu Xu, a senior analyst with Kpler. China has spent years diversifying its supplies and building up its reserves, Singleton said. The loss of Iranian oil appears marginal, not material, at least in the short-term, he said. Iran's attempts to shut down the Strait of Hormuz the narrow mouth to the Persian Gulf is of greater concern, as are any attacks on liquefied natural gas facilities in the Gulf states. QatarEnergy, a major supplier, halted production of liquefied natural gas Monday after its facilities were attacked. Why China may not help arm Iran China is unlikely to send arms to Iran to help it fight the U.S. for several reasons, analysts say. Advertisement Advertisement Tangible military aid, if any, would be limited to existing long-term defense trade arrangements rather than rapid battlefield support, and it would be constrained by Beijings interest in avoiding direct confrontation with the U.S. and its allies, said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies in Indonesia. China has criticized the U.S. for supplying arms to Ukraine, saying it prolongs the fighting. Irans missile program is based on Chinese technology, said James M. Dorsey, an adjunct senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. But he predicted that China would err on the side of caution rather than sell any missiles to the countrys military. What China wants is this to end, he said. ___ Associated Press writers Kanis Leung in Hong Kong, Didi Tang in Washington, E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing and Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed. The City of Troy is looking to expand its existing Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, otherwise known as DORA. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the city council is considering a proposal to expand its outdoor drinking areas by approximately 16 acres. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The city currently maintains a permanent DORA boundary of 30 acres and a much larger activation boundary spanning more than 160 acres. The proposed expansion would not be full-time, as the city council must pass a specific ordinance to activate it for individual events. For the expansion to be valid, the new area must remain continuous with the existing permanent DORA boundary. As part of the update, the city also intends to remove a small portion of the current boundary. Troy Public Safety Director Patrick Titterington explained that the new boundaries are designed to incorporate specific community landmarks and government buildings. To include the senior citizen center, the stadium, and the Miami County complex, court complex, Titterington said. And that would be the temporary activation. Advertisement Advertisement Unlike the permanent DORA zone, which allows outdoor drinking regularly, the activation boundary requires legislative action for use. Titterington noted that the council maintains oversight of when and where the rules apply. So it would require their approval, it would be only when they requested, and you approve it, its not part of the permanent dora at all, Titterington said. City leaders held a public meeting on Monday to seek input from residents regarding the expansion. Despite the opportunity for comment, no members of the audience offered an opinion during the meeting. The proposal is expected to be reviewed during a committee meeting next Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement If recommended by the committee, it will move to a full council meeting for a final vote. You will see that at your committee meeting next Monday night, hopefully for approval by council and the following at the next council meeting, Titterington said. Its very simple, its an amendment, a new application, but the only thing that is changing would be amending the map. Then the city will submit an application to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control to formally amend the temporary activation boundaries. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The US war in Iran, joined by Israel, is in its third day, with no sign of slowing. On Monday, President Donald Trump estimated that it could last about four weeks and were a little ahead of schedule, he said. Already, the US has accomplished some of its military objectives, including sinking part of Irans navy and striking Iranian ballistic missile and nuclear facilities. Israel, with targeting assistance from the US, also killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the wars first day. In the process, at least six US servicemembers have been killed, and four more injured. The conflict has also produced a substantial and growing civilian death toll, both in Iran and in Israel and the Gulf states that Iran has targeted with missile and drone strikes in retaliation. The civilian death toll in Iran One of the worst single incidents occurred shortly after the war began on Saturday morning, when a missile struck a girls elementary school in Minab, Iran. The strike reportedly killed at least 175 people, many of them children. Advertisement Advertisement Irans six-day workweek, which begins on Saturday, means that the school was full of students when it was hit. According to CNN, classes had been canceled shortly before the deadly strike, but students had not yet had time to evacuate. Much remains unclear about the attack, including whether it was launched by the US or Israel; CENTCOM, the US military command overseeing the Middle East, said in a statement on Saturday, We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them. The death toll from the attack, which has continued to rise since the weekend, comes from Iranian health officials and has not been independently confirmed, but video of the aftermath has been verified by the New York Times and other outlets. It is far from the only such incident: In Tehran, Irans capital, a high school was hit, reportedly killing at least two students. Multiple Tehran hospitals have also been damaged in strikes since Saturday, though there are no known deaths associated with those strikes. Advertisement Advertisement All told, according to Irans Red Crescent, a humanitarian group, at least 555 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, though the breakdown of civilian versus military casualties is uncertain. The Human Rights Activist News Agency, or HRANA, a US-based human rights monitor for Iran, reported a minimum reliable estimate of 133 civilian deaths on Saturday alone, with 200 more Iranian civilians injured. As of Monday, those figures had grown substantially: According to HRANA, at least 742 civilians have now been killed in Iran, with nearly 1,000 injured and more than 600 deaths still under review. Death tolls are likely to increase from early reports as groups like HRANA continue to document strikes inside Iran. As Al Jazeera reported Monday, citing Iranian news outlets, US and Israeli attacks have hit residential buildings in Tehran and other Iranian cities. Casualties in the Gulf and Israel Iran has responded to attacks by the US and Israel with missiles of its own, as well as drone strikes by Irans single-use Shahed drones against multiple countries in the Persian Gulf. Advertisement Advertisement All told, according to Al Jazeera, Iran has struck at least nine countries: Bahrain, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, many of which are home to US military bases. Relatively few of those attacks more than 800 drones and nearly 400 missiles have been launched as of Sunday have made it to their targets; the majority have been intercepted. However, some have, resulting in deaths in Israel, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman and injuring many more. Among countries targeted by Iran, the highest death toll has been in Israel, where a missile struck the city of Beit Shemesh, killing nine; a woman was also killed by shrapnel in Tel Aviv. The civilian death toll on both sides of the Gulf is almost certain to grow as the conflict continues, particularly if Gulf nations begin to run short of US-supplied Patriot interceptors. The open-ended nature of the conflict could also make things worse. As Robert A. Pape wrote for Vox on Sunday, the US wont be able to bomb its way to a new government in Iran but that doesnt mean Trump isnt going to try. Japan's conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has vowed tougher measures on immigration, but a video circulating online does not show her ordering the deportation of foreigners who are "unable to adjust to Japanese culture" after Muslims prayed at a famous castle in the country's western city of Himeji. The footage stitched unrelated clips and there are no official reports of Takaichi's purported directive. "Japan's heated reaction! PM Takaichi moves to deport foreigners deemed 'unable to adjust to Japanese culture' after Muslims perform prayers at Himeji Castle without permission," reads a Thai-language Facebook reel published on February 16, 2026. The post included a video of a young lawmaker raising her hand and speaking, followed by clips of Japan's house speaker and the prime minister bowing. Advertisement Advertisement It was published by local media outlet BrightTV, while the post has since been shared over 4,000 times (archived link). Screenshot of the false post taken on February 26, 2026, with a red X added by AFP An AFP reporter confirmed with an official at the Himeji castle that the public worship did take place at the premises in March 2025. The claim surfaced after Takaichi's ruling Liberal Demoratic Party secured a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house from a snap election on February 8, 2026 (archived link). Takaichi has promised to tighten rules surrounding immigration, even though Asia's number two economy is struggling with labour shortages and a falling population (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement The LDP manifesto published in early 2026 did not mention any specific measures against Muslims (archived link). Another version of the claim spread elsewhere on Facebook, X and TikTok which said that Japan had banned large mosques, Muslim prayers and production of halal food. The claims were also shared in multiple languages such as Dutch, English, Korean. But the videos are unrelated and AFP found no official reports that Japan's new government had announced mass deportations or anti-Islam laws in February (archived link). Burial grounds debate Reverse image and keyword searches on Google found a matching YouTube video published on the official account of far-right lawmaker Mizuho Umemura from the anti-immigration Sanseito party on November 27, 2025 (archived here, here and here). Advertisement Advertisement The footage shows Mizuho addressing parliament on the topic of Muslim burial grounds, reigniting a debate about a plea for more land for burials from the Muslim community in Japan. Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (L) and YouTube video originally published on the MP's YouTube channel on November 27, 2025 She strongly opposed the proposal of dedicated cemeteries, saying Muslims in Japan "can either be cremated or have their remains repatriated" at their own expense. The first clip in the false post corresponds to the 11:58 mark of the YouTube video (archived link). Although there are no bans on burials in Japan, Muslim communities' efforts to secure dedicated burial grounds have been met with local resistance due to the country's limited cemetery space, Japanese media reported (archived here and here). Parliament dissolution Separate reverse image searches using keyframes of the second clip led to a video published on the verified YouTube account of Japanese media program TBS News Dig on January 23, 2026 (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement Parts of the Japanese-language description says that the footage shows Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolving the lower house of parliament, triggering a snap election with a 16-day campaign period -- the shortest since the end of World War II. Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (L) and YouTube video published on January 23, 2026 The falsely shared clip corresponds to the 0:13 mark of the YouTube video, where the speaker of the House of Representatives announces the dissolution "in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution of Japan." AFP distributed a similar photo of Takaichi among other lawmakers as they shouted "banzai," a traditional rallying cry (archived here and here). Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) attends the House of Representatives plenary session at the Diet in Tokyo on January 23, 2026. KAZUHIRO NOGI AFP (KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP) AFP has previously debunked misinformation about Japan's purported mass deportation of foreigners. A southern Oregon state senator announced Tuesday that he would seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. The campaign of Sen. David Brock Smith, a Republican from Port Orford, pointed to his long roots in southwest Oregon, describing him as a third-generation resident and former restaurant owner who led his familys business for 45 years. Though it did not offer any specific policy positions, his announcement cited his experience before working in Salem as a former leader of Port Orfords Chamber of Commerce and in local governments at the city and county levels, saying he has worked to balance budgets and support residents and businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Oregonians are tired of partisan bickering, political grandstanding and headlines that produce nothing but noise, Brock Smith said in a statement. Ive never operated that way. As your next United States senator, I wont start now. My focus will be squarely on the people of Oregon. Ill fight to make everyday life more affordable for working families, restore safety to our streets, address addiction and homelessness with accountability, and ensure every Oregonians voice is heard and respected in Washington. The former state representative served in the Oregon House for about six years and reached the Oregon Senate when local county commissioners appointed him in 2023 to fill the coastal Senate seat of Republican Dallas Heard, who had resigned. Brock Smith appears to be the only elected official running for the GOP nomination, and he has developed a reputation in Salem for working across the aisle. Hes a member of the bipartisan Oregon Legislative Sportsmens Caucus, which advocates for protecting hunting, recreational shooting, trapping and fishing, and of the bipartisan Coastal Caucus. But he faces an uphill battle if he ends up representing the GOP in November. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, who is running for another term, has held the seat since winning election in 2008. Oregon hasnt elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since the 1990s, and only two members of the GOP have won statewide races since 2000. The upcoming midterm elections are expected to prove beneficial for Democrats nationwide hoping to capitalize on discontent with the White House and Congress, currently controlled by Republicans. But there is little drawback for Brock Smith to run for the position. Since his state senate term ends in 2029, he wouldnt have to forfeit his position in the Legislature in order to try his hand at the U.S. Senate election. He did not immediately respond to a text message requesting an interview on Tuesday and walked into an elevator in the Capitol when asked about the top issues he was prioritizing as a candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Oregons 1st Senate District, which Brock Smith currently represents, encompasses Curry County as well as portions of Coos, Jackson and Douglas counties, and it heavily leans in favor of the GOP. Smith has sometimes taken positions to the right of his Republican colleagues in Salem. For instance, he has claimed that human actions dont contribute to climate change, despite widespread scientific consensus that human activity is the phenomenons principal driver. Brock Smith also signed onto a letter urging then-Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to join the state of Texas in its 2020 lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of that years presidential election in four battleground states, though the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the suit the same day the letter was issued. After now-House Speaker Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, accused the Oregon Republican lawmakers who signed onto the letter of complicity in the violence surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection, Brock Smith clarified that he had already accepted President-elect Biden. He told Willamette Week that he supports any individuals right to peacefully protest and condemns unlawful riots and acts violence whenever and wherever they occur. Thousands of Oregonians also excoriated his 2025 bill that would have asked voters to decide whether to repeal the states decades-old mail voting law. Though the bill failed to pass, conservative activists are circulating a similar petition to end vote-by-mail in the state and establish an in-person voting day. Advertisement Advertisement It remains to be seen whether they will gather the close to 160,000 signatures required by the July 2 deadline, given that Oregonians have voted by mail entirely since 2000 after voters in the state approved the switch to mail ballots in 1998. But Brock Smith has also had to battle misinformation from his opponents on the right. He urged one of his fellow Republican primary opponents in 2024 to stop spreading false claims suggesting that he is tied to the Chinese Communist Party, threatening to sue under state law. His opponents in that race also seized upon his backing of a law that set in motion a state-backed study of the benefits and disadvantages of offshore wind production, claiming it was evidence he supports offshore wind turbines. Its a theme that could continue into the upcoming GOP primary. Brock Smiths most prominent opponent for the Republican nomination is the perennial candidate Jo Rae Perkins, who has publicly spread conspiracy theories from QAnon, a loose-knit right-wing political movement claiming that President Donald Trump is fighting an elite group of pedophiles. Perkins was the Republican nominee for Oregons U.S. Senate elections in 2020 and 2022. So far, Brock Smiths state Senate campaign has more than $50,000 in cash in the bank. No official candidate filings for his U.S. Senate campaigns were immediately available on the Federal Election Commissions campaign finance database on Tuesday. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombian police on Tuesday announced the capture of 121 people charged with kidnapping and extortion in a massive operation that was conducted in various cities and provinces targeted by drug traffickers and rebel groups. The deployment known as Operation Jade targeted members of several illegal groups including the Gulf Clan, the National Liberation Army and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. We are sending the unequivocal message that in Colombia there is no space for kidnappings and extortion," the director of Colombias National Police, Gen. William Oswaldo Rincon, said in a statement Tuesday, adding that every arrest weakens the finances of criminal groups and returns tranquility to communities. Advertisement Advertisement The arrests were carried out in large cities including Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena, as well as in smaller cities in the provinces of Choco, Huila and Cesar. Colombias government has struggled to contain drug traffickers and rebel groups that are now fighting over territory abandoned by the nations largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, following its 2016 peace deal with the government. These groups often finance themselves by taxing local businesses and kidnapping civilians for ransom. In 2025 the Ministry of Defense registered 651 cases in which people were kidnapped for ransom, a 108% increase from the previous year. Advertisement Advertisement Extortion is also a crime that worries authorities, although cases appear to be decreasing. In 2025 the Defense Ministry registered 12,180 cases of extortion, a 12% decrease from the previous year. El Salvadors government recently filed a complaint against Colombia, alleging that prisoners in the South American country were threatening Salvadoran residents through extortion calls. In response, Colombia blocked mobile phone signals in three prisons from where the calls had apparently been made. ___ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Central Command announced on Monday the death of two additional U.S. service members in the attacks against Iran, bringing the total number to six. "As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region," the command said in a post on X. In another post earlier in the day, the command said the U.S. forces have sunk 11 Iranian naval vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman. The United States and Israel began massive airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning. Iran confirmed on Sunday that its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the airstrikes the previous day. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the military campaign against Iran has "capability to go far longer" than four to five weeks. Democratic lawmakers have lashed out at the military operation, arguing that there was no imminent threat and the attack was not authorized by Congress. Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote in a post on X on Sunday that he was "heartbroken by the loss of life of multiple service members in the Middle East." "No more American heroes need to die because of a reckless decision to go to war. Congress must act this week to restrain this President," said Jeffries. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets of California over the weekend after the news broke that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran had been killed in a joint attack by U.S. and Israeli forces. It was a moment that symbolized the end of an era, which resulted in the death of countless Iranians who had been advocating for democracy. But it also symbolized the beginning of a new era, an unknown future for the people of Iran and America as the United States entered another war in the Middle East. A protester holds a portrait of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a demonstration against the war in Iran in front of City Hall in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 28, 2026. The US and Israel launched an attack of unprecedented scale against Iran on February 28, reportedly killing more than 200 people, with Tehran launching a retaliatory missile barrage that sent people running for cover across the Middle East. Sahar Razavi, Political Science Professor at the California State University, Sacramento, and director of the university's Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies Center, explains how the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader represented a complex moment for the Iranian. Advertisement Advertisement For decades, the Iranian people have been struggling to establish democracy within the country, but have "violently" faced resistance from the Iranian leadership to "foreclose civic engagement," Razavi said. "So, there's a general sentiment among Iranian that they have tried everything they could, and were met with violence and repression every time," she said. But Razavi also acknowledged that by nature, many in the U.S. and around the world may only be seeing a portion of the reaction to the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "By definition, the people who are celebrating are gonna be more visible than the people sitting in their homes, upset about it. I think there might be a little bit of a skewed kind of perception on that part from outside observers." Conflict in Iran is complex, LA student group says A woman holds pictures of Reza Pahlavi and US President Donald Trump as members of the Iranian community celebrate in front of the Federal Building in the West LA neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Feb. 28, 2026. The US and Israel launched an attack of unprecedented scale against Iran on Saturday, reportedly killing more than 200 people, with Tehran launching a retaliatory missile barrage that sent people running for cover across the Middle East. Over the weekend, thousands celebrated outside the Federal Building in West Los Angeles in support of military operations. Advertisement Advertisement The Iranian Student Group at UCLA said that for many Iranians, this moment marks the end of an era defined by repression, fear, and the merciless, systemic violation of fundamental human rights in a statement on Feb. 28. The UCLA student group described Khameneis rule as one in which countless Iranians were imprisoned, silenced, and killed after protesting their oppressive conditions. Earlier this year, it was estimated that several thousand people were killed in anti-government protests in Iran. While moments like this are complex and deeply emotional, many members of the Iranian community view this as the closing of a painful chapter in our nations history, the UCLA student group said. They said they stood with the people of Iran, and hoped this could open the door to a future rooted in peace and self-determination for our people. 'Unprovoked war,' or necessary for the future? Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against American and Israeli targets after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack. Iran said its enemies would be "decisively defeated." Photos show reported attacks in Bahrain and Qatar. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026, in this still image obtained from a video. Smoke rises during a reported Iranian missile attack near a U.S. base, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, in this screengrab obtained from a video released on February 28, 2026. Smoke wafts in the distance after missiles were fired over Qatar on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke from an apparent missile interception hangs in the air on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke rises from an area in the direction of Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force and foreign forces including the US, in Doha on February 28, 2026, following a reported Iranian strike. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel. Smoke from an apparent missile interception on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke from an apparent missile interception on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke rises during a reported Iranian missile attack near a U.S. base, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, in this screengrab obtained from a video released on February 28, 2026. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026 in this still image obtained from a video. See Iran's retaliatory attacks on US military sites in the Middle East 1 of 9 Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against American and Israeli targets after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack. Iran said its enemies would be "decisively defeated." Photos show reported attacks in Bahrain and Qatar. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026, in this still image obtained from a video. As many celebrated in response to the attack, others recoiled as the news broke of the Trump administration moving forward with an attack on Iran without the approval of the United States Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California), referred to the attack on Iran as an "illegal, unconstitutional war" during an event he took part in at Dartmouth College. The reality is that there were many other ways to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, he said during the event. We could have been working with our European allies. We could have been engaged in sanctions. Regardless of disapproval from members of Congress and state and local leaders, the United States had entered a conflict. Leading up to the attacks on Feb 27, the United States and Iran had resumed discussions to reach a nuclear peace deal, which were "going well" and expected to create a "positive outcome," Razavi said. Advertisement Advertisement "In the span of less than nine months, the United States and Israel militaries have attacked Iran in the midst of negotiations," Razavi said. "So, unfortunately, the hardliners in Iran are strengthened to a certain extent by these breaches of diplomacy by the United States and Israel." Aftermath of an air strike on a police station in Tehran on March 2, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. That left many questions unanswered, like what will happen to Iran in this moment of political chaos. "There are a few different possibilities," Razavi said. "One of them is that the (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) would take over, and they already have a lot of power in economic, political, and obvious security spheres. So it could become a military dictatorship." Advertisement Advertisement Another possibility that Razavi believes could happen is a "total regime collapse," resulting in a power vacuum in the country as different factions fight to lead it. Or there could be a compromise among the United States, Israel, and Iran that would bring some "nominal change" to the system and allow the Islamic Republic to "save face," while also conceding to foreign political policy interests. But for many within America, the idea of the country returning to the Middle East for another war felt like a slap in the face, after President Trump campaigned on the motto of being the "No New Wars President." On March 2, protestors rallied outside Los Angeles City Hall to condemn the conflict amid wider concerns that this could expand into a regional war. Advertisement Advertisement But heres what Soheil Bigdeli wants people who oppose the U.S. being involved in Iran in any capacity to know. We are really fighting against a tyrant, and I hope they understand that without external help, we will never, ever win that war, Bigdeli said. And not winning that war not only impacts our lives, but it impacts the whole region. Hes an active board member of the Persian Cultural Center in San Diego who spoke to the USA TODAY Network about his personal reaction to the military strikes on Iran. He said there will only be more conflicts around the region in the future if the current Iranian regime isnt dismantled. We see whats happening today as that hand that we always wanted to basically help us push out the current government and basically replace it with something that basically gives us more liberty, more freedom, to do things that we wanted to do, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Hes alright with continued military operations in Iran, a sentiment he said other community members share, so long as civilians arent being targeted in the conflict. We want everything about the current government to be dismantled, Bigdeli said. Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com. Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Many in California have 'complex' feelings towards Trump's Iran War Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has voiced opposition to President Donald Trumps airstrikes against Iran, saying foreign intervention was straying away from the America First message that resonated with him and other voters. Over the weekend, Jones hosted several livestreams to discuss the ongoing military operations that have killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and 48 other Iranian leaders. The strikes on Iran have killed at least 787 people including 176 children more than 100 of whom are from a girls school in Minab, the non-profit Human Rights Activists in Iran reported. This is going to enrage the world against Israel and the United States, Jones said of the deadly school missile strike. Again, I dont like the mullahs, but this is supposed to be America First. Were not supposed to be running around doing this anymore. Advertisement Advertisement In another livestream, Jones said Trump was breaking a promise to his supporters by attacking Iran and forcing regime change. Trump ran on not doing regime change, Jones said. Im just saying, you dont tell us no more regime change that weve seen the CIA do and many times put worse people in on purpose, and then you turn around and say oh no this is a great thing. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, founder of InfoWars, criticized Trump for making light of the attacks on Iran (Reuters) Trump and members of his administration have given conflicting statements about the goal of the Iran attacks. On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the airstrike campaign in Iran is not a regime change war. But over the weekend, Trump told ABC News the attack knocked out most of the candidates for the Iranian regime. "It's not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they are all dead. Second or third place is dead, Trump said, suggesting the U.S. was conducting regime change. The president also encouraged Iranians to use the opportunity to take over their government. Advertisement Advertisement Officials have maintained the reason for the attack was to take out Irans nuclear weapon facility, to prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon or ballistic missiles, as well as destroy Irans navy to prevent the country from attacking neighboring countries. Trump administration officials reportedly told congressional staff in private briefings Sunday that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a pre-emptive strike against the U.S. The administration officials instead acknowledged there was a more general threat in the region from Irans missiles and proxy forces. Trump ordered the strikes on Iran Friday afternoon, after negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapon program stalled (AP) Jones also criticized Trump for posting AI-generated videos of the U.S. bombing Iran on Truth Social to brag about the attacks, calling it unseemly. Jones was once a staunch Trump ally supporting the presidents 2016 presidential campaign, peddling conspiracy theories against Democrats and raising money for Trumps 2021 Stop the Steal rally that turned into an attack on the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Jones is the founder of InfoWars, a far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website. He has peddled theories from Pizzagate to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which led to a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit ruling, which Jones was ordered to pay the families of victims. Since Trump returned to power last year, Jones has been more critical of the administration, disagreeing with the handling of the Epstein files and the presidents desire to pursue more foreign intervention. Other known MAGA allies, such as former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have voiced similar criticisms about the president sending the U.S. military to the Middle East. With reporting from The Associated Press New Jersey Senator Cory Booker called out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Tuesday for repeatedly lying under oath about her agencys operations. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Noem lied or played dumb multiple times about her agencys alleged misconduct, including detaining U.S. citizens and children, federal agents entering school property, and ICE violating court orders. Moments after asserting that she ran a tight ship at DHS, Noem claimed she couldnt give an accurate number of U.S. citizens detained by ICE as of last October. Booker pointed out that public records indicated at least 170 incidents of DHS detaining U.S. citizens, including 20 children. Advertisement Advertisement Noem insisted that DHS did not detain children and separate them from their parents. In reality, ICE has detained hundreds of children, and families of mixed legal status are being regularly torn apart by the administrations relentless immigration crackdown. Booker pressed Noem on how long detentions last for American citizens. We dont detain American citizens, Noem replied. You are not speaking truthfully under oath, Booker interrupted, pointing to the case of Isaias Pena Salcedo, a U.S. citizen who was held by ICE for 70 hours, even after he showed federal agents his passport. Booker also called out federal immigration agents giving themselves permission to violate the Fourth Amendment and conduct warrantless raids on private homes. Advertisement Advertisement You have situations where your officers are violating the sanctity of peoples homes, arresting and detaining them, and holding their children, and youre acting as if you dont know about it and saying that under oath, the New Jersey Democrat said. Booker then pushed back on Noems outrageous claim that she was not familiar with the shooting of Marimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen who was shot five times by federal agents in Chicago. Not only was the officer who shot her caught bragging about itbut former CPB chief Greg Bovino reached out afterward to congratulate him. In fact, the officer claimed over text message that Noem herself had also offered him her support. The case was thrown out of court, and you represent here that you dont know about it, Booker said incredulously, displaying a poster of the text messages behind him. Booker didnt stop there: Are you aware of your officers activities in places like schools? Are you aware of your officers activities at our public schools? Advertisement Advertisement Sir, we dont go into schools and do targeted law enforcement operations, Noem replied. That was yet another lie. Booker cited multiple instances where federal immigration agents had entered school property as part of enforcement operations, including a January raid on the grounds of a high school in Minneapolis, and an incident just last month when federal agents blatantly lied to Columbia University staff in order to abduct a student from her dorm. Booker also referred to an incident in February, in which a group of children fled from a school bus stop in New Jersey as an ICE operation unfolded nearby. Secretary Noem, these are kids. Theyre terrified in our communities. How do you think that affects them, when children in my state go running, fleeing, and often you all pursue children? he asked. Booker also hit back at Noems claim that her agency complied with court orders, citing a chief judge in Minnesota who found that ICE had violated nearly 100 court orders since the beginning of January. He cited another judge in New Jersey who determined in February that DHS had violated 52 separate court orders, all involving cases where immigrants successfully challenged the legality of their detention. Advertisement Advertisement You are violating the separation of powers, violating court orders, and routinely violating the civil rights of Americans. This is a reckless and out of control agency that you are responsible for, Booker said. Either you are incompetent or you are violating laws with impunity. You should step down from your position. If you dont, you should be removed by this president, and if not, Congress should impeach you. I appreciate the encouragement, Noem replied. Professor Jiang Xueqin made three big predictions back in 2024. The first was that Donald Trump would win the election and become President of the United States again. The second was that Donald Trump would start a war with Iran. Both of those predictions came true which makes the third prediction concerning for the United States. And that is because the professor predicted that it would lose the war to Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Jiang made an appearance on Breaking Points this week to lay out how he fears it all could play out. Given my analysis of how the war is progressing, I think that Iran has many more advantages over the United States, Jiang said. The reality is, right now, its a war of attrition between the United States and Iran, and Iranians have been preparing 20 years for this conflict. In their religion, this is a war against the great Satan, he continued. Theyve had many practice runs. Last June was a 12-day war when the Iranians were able to examine and analyze the strike capacities of both the Israelis and the Americans., and they have had a lot of time, eight months, to prepare fully for this new attack. Jiang said that helped fortify a strategy that Iran believes can take down the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Their proxies, the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas and the militias, have been able to really grasp the American mentality, Jiang continued. And now they have a pretty good strategy of how to weaken and ultimately destroy the American empire. Jiang said that the Iranians are waging war against the entire global economy. So the GCC countries, and not only are they striking the GCC countries American bases, they are going after the critical energy infrastructure of these bases, Jiang said. And eventually they will go after the water desalination plants which is the lifeblood of these nations because they dont have fresh water supply. In fact, the water desalination plants provide 60 percent of GCCs water supply. So, if a drone, and you know these drones cost $50,000. If they wiped out the water desalination plant in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, and that is a city of 10 million people, right? Theyd be out of water in two weeks. Watch Advertisement Advertisement Jiang then said that the Iranians have also closed off the Strait of Hormuz. And the GCC gets 90 percent of its food from the Strait Hormuz, Jiang said. So, I know a lot of people are talking about the disruptions to the global economy, but right now the Iranians are actually threatening the very existence of Saudia Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar. And why this is important is that the gulf states are really the linchpin of the American economy. Jiang explained that he believes the entire US economy is currently propped up by AI investments and data centers. A lot of that comes from the gulf states, he said. So, if the gulf states are no longer able to sell oil and are no longer able to finance this AI bubble in the United States, then this AI bubble will burst and with it will burst the entire American economy which is really a financial Ponzi scheme. So, thats a dire situation that the Americans are facing right now. Advertisement Advertisement Jiang was also asked about a shortage of munitions particularly missile interceptors for the United States and Israel. The United States military is not designed to fight a 21st century war, he said. Remember, the military industrial complex came to being after World War II. It was designed to fight the Cold War and the Cold War was really about muscle flexing. Jiang said the entire American military strategy revolves around sophisticated technology that costs a lot of money to build. Jiang then pointed to million-dollar missiles trying to take out $50,000 drones. Its not sustainable, he said. So, really what you are seeing is a puncturing of the aura of invincibility that sustained American hegemony for the past 20 years especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. And this is not only a reordering of the global economy because of the signaled collapse of the petrodollar and with it the entire US dollar base and reserve currency system, but also the global hegemony of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Jiang went on to say that a regime change has never been made from airstrikes alone. You need ground troops, he said. And so unfortunately, whats going to happen over the next few months is that pressure will build on America to send ground troops, especially from GCC countries and Israel, which are being pounded right now by the Iranians. Remember, if the GCC countries, Saudia Arabia, UAE, Qatar, if they go then the petrodollar goes with them. So, the Americans need to protect these countries, and these countries are going to demand that either the Americans bribe the Iranians to cease or send ground troops to wipe out the Iranian threat once and for all. Jiang said as it all unfolds there is a key question to consider. Why did they do this? he said of attacking Iran. I think there are three possibilities, and I think all three possibilities are valid. The first is hubris. If you look at history, this is how empires behave. So, the Maduro kidnapping was quite successful, and it was an adrenaline rush for Trump. That made him overconfident in the capacity of the military. So, hubris was a factor, and we have seen this throughout history. Why Hitler invade Stalin? Because he conquered Europe really easily and he thought he was invincible. That led the destruction of the German army in the Soviet Union. Advertisement Advertisement Then you have to look at internal political calculus, Jiang continued. Where, even though America does not benefit from this war against Iran, Trump himself personally benefits. Why? Because the Saudis and Israelis are bribing him to attack Iran. Remember the Saudis invested $2 billion in the private equity firm of Jared Kushner who is the son in law of Donald Trump, and the Israelis through Miriam Adelson have been financing Trumps political career. Jiang said that Adelson offered to put up $250 million if Trump were to run for a third term, which is not allowed in the Constitution. Also, remember if this war goes sideways, and Trump is forced to use ground troops, he will probably get approval from Congress and this will get him emergency war powers which will allow him to influence the midterms, he said. So, Trump is thinking about a third term, and at the ballot box he probably wont get it. But if there is a war going on and you can delay the elections and you have emergency war powers, and people rally around the flags, then he probably will get a third term. Jiang is a Yale graduate who is known for his YouTube channel, Predictive History. Read the original article on pennlive.com. Add pennlive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Leaks from the Pentagon last week as reported by media in the United States have suggested that if strikes on Iran continue for more than 10 days, US stocks of some critical missiles could start to run low. On Saturday, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran while talks between Washington and Tehran over Irans nuclear programme and other issues, understood to include limiting Irans holding of ballistic missiles and ending its arming of regional armed groups, were ongoing. Iran hit back with missile and drone attacks across the region, including targets in Israel as well as US military assets in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, is also understood to have warned President Donald Trump that an extended military campaign in Iran would carry serious risks, including the high cost of replenishing Washingtons dwindling munitions stockpiles. Trump has held that the US has enough in its stockpile to keep the military campaign in Iran going. The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. While Trump said on Monday that the plan for the Iran war was initially projected four to five weeks but could go on for longer than that, analysts have told Al Jazeera that some weapons in its stockpile may have run very low by then, particularly crucial interceptor missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Here is what we know. What weapons is the US using in its attacks on Iran? According to the US militarys Central Command (CENTCOM), it has used more than 20 weapons systems across air, sea, land and missile defence forces during its ongoing operation in Iran. The US is using B-1 bombers, B-2 stealth bombers, F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, F-22 Raptor jets, F-15s and EA-18G Growlers. It is also using drones and long-range strike systems, including the Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) one-way drones, MQ-9 Reaper drones, M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Tomahawk Cruise Missiles. Additionally, it is using air defence systems such as the Patriot, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Two US aircraft carriers, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R Ford, were in the Middle East when the attack on Iran began. The Wall Street Journal reported on February 23 that Pentagon officials and General Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, had warned Trump about the dangers of a prolonged campaign against Iran. At the same time, The Washington Post reported that Caine had told Trump that a lack of critical munitions and support from regional allies could hinder efforts to contain a possible Iranian retaliation in the event of an attack by the US. US munitions stockpiles, including those used in missile defence systems, have been stretched thin by their use in support of allies such as Israel and Ukraine, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Trump lashed out at media reports that Caine had issued such a warning, adding that the general believed in a war with Iran. INTERACTIVE - USS Abraham Lincoln - JAN 26, 2025-1769422995 How much weaponry did the US use up in strikes on Iran last year? Iran fought a 12-day war with Israel from June 13 to 24 in 2025. The US joined the campaign on the side of Israel, bombing several Iranian nuclear facilities towards the end of it. During this time, the US deployed two of its advanced THAAD missile defence system batteries to Israel. THAAD is a Lockheed Martin-made advanced missile defence system that uses radar and interceptor missiles to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles at distances of about 150-200km (93-124 miles). After the 12-day war, US officials reported that they had to fire more than 150 of these missiles to intercept incoming Iranian missiles, multiple news reports said, accounting for about 25 percent of its THAAD interceptors. Advertisement Advertisement According to US media reports, the US also ran out of large numbers of ship-borne interceptors during the war last year. INTERACTIVE-THAAD_SEPT18_2025-1758287547 Which weapons could the US run out of now? If the war with Iran continues, the most likely US shortages would be in precision, high-end munitions and interceptors like the THAAD, analysts say. This includes the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which are guidance tools that use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to turn unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions, effectively making dumb bombs smart. A THAAD battery usually comprises 95 soldiers, six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors (eight for each launcher), one radar system and a fire-control and communications component. There are nine active THAAD batteries worldwide as of mid-2025, according to Lockheed Martin. Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, Al Jazeeras Mike Hanna reported from Washington, DC, that one THAAD battery costs between $1bn and $1.8bn. Interceptors and munitions take months to assemble, integrate and test. It then takes additional time to transport by sea and air and set up and deploy them. Experts say high-end missile defence systems are primarily designed to deal with limited, high-intensity attacks from states such as Russia, China or North Korea in mind, rather than from prolonged, large barrages of cheaper missiles. Over time, finite stockpiles of advanced interceptors will run down at very high cost, analysts say, as each interception can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to take down a missile that may only have cost a few thousand dollars to build. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the press on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is able to churn out many more offensive weapons than the US and its allies can build interceptors to stop them. They are producing, by some estimates, over 100 of these missiles a month. Compare that to the six or seven interceptors that can be built a month, Rubio said. They can build 100 of these a month, not to mention the thousands of one-way attack drones that they also have. Theyve been doing this for a very long time. And by the way, theyve been doing it under sanctions. Additionally, stocks of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) are already running out due to slow production, strikes on Yemens Houthi rebel group and earlier clashes with Iran. The SM-3 is an antiballistic missile interceptor launched from warships. Advertisement Advertisement The US is not only depleting weapons, but also losing weapons due to miscalculations in the campaign. For instance, on Sunday, at least three US jets were shot down in Kuwait, in what US officials described as a friendly-fire incident. How soon could the US run out of interceptors? Christopher Preble, a senior fellow at the US think tank, Stimson Center, told Al Jazeera that while the US can afford the financial cost of the war given its trilliondollar defence budget, the real constraint is stockpiles of interceptor missiles, such as Patriot and SM6. Preble warned that high interception rates cannot continue indefinitely. It is reasonable to speculate that the pace of operations right now, in terms of numbers of interceptions, could not continue indefinitely, certainly, and perhaps could not continue for more than several weeks, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Manufacturing replacements is not instantaneous. A Patriot missile or an SM-6 is a very complicated piece of equipment, he added. Preble said he could not comment on how long it takes to manufacture the weapons. Its not like theyre cranking them out, hundreds or thousands a day. Thats not the pace of manufacturing. What happens if the US runs low on some weapons? Preble said the US could continue to manufacture weapons or move them to the Middle East from other deployments. Some of these interceptors are used or were intended to be sent to Ukraine to deal with Russian strikes on Ukraine, he said. Some of them are used in Asia, in the Indo-Pacific, not currently used, but they would be important in the event of a contingency in the Indo-Pacific. So there would be some concern with removing those weapons from that theatre. How much is this war costing the US? While the Pentagon has not disclosed how much the war is costing the US, estimates suggest that sustaining it will be extremely costly. Reports by Anadolu news agency suggest the US spent about $779m in the first 24 hours of its operation in Iran, with a further $630m for the pre-strike build-up moving aircraft, deploying more than a dozen naval vessels and mobilising regional assets. The Center for a New American Security estimates it costs approximately $6.5m per day to operate a carrier strike group such as the USS Gerald R Ford. Cubas president said his government should immediately implement a transformation of the countrys economic model, the most public recognition yet of the hardships caused by a tightened US embargo. Conditions in the country have deteriorated rapidly since the US toppled former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Cubas main benefactor at the time of his capture. Meanwhile the Trump administrations oil and fuel block on Cuba has brought the countrys economy to a standstill, with many learning how to ride a bicycle as they become the only reliable modes of transport in the country. While Havana has pledged to expand business autonomy, the changes may come too late, with Washington vowing to see through its goal of ousting the countrys Communist regime. Defense manufacturer AeroVironment, Inc. plans to expand its Albuquerque campus and more than double its workforce in the next decade, the company announced alongside New Mexico Economic Development Department officials Tuesday morning. Company officials said they would expand the footprint of their Albuquerque hub near Kirtland Air Force Base with a $30 million investment. They said they expect to generate about 450 jobs and $670 million in economic impact in the next 10 years. The state pledged $5 million to the effort and Albuquerque pledged $1 million, under the states Local Economic Development Act. The company manufactures drones and other tools that support space missions. Advertisement Advertisement When America needs to strengthen its national security, it turns to New Mexico. This investment reinforces our states role as a national leader in advanced defense and space manufacturing strengthening U.S. security while creating high-wage opportunities for New Mexicans, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. Were proud to reinvest in a proven operation that delivers returns for our workers, our economy and our future. At a news conference to announce the expansion, New Mexico Economic Development Department Rob Black said the company had previously agreed to create 300 jobs in three years. Tuesdays announcement to more than double the number of on-site employees was proof of what good economic development looks like, he said. He and others who spoke, including Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, were quick to note New Mexicos longstanding role in the defense economy, dating back to the creation of the atomic bomb. Manufacturing drones and tools for space, Black said, is simply the next frontier. What happens in Albuquerque affects the entire state, Black said. And frankly, what were talking about today affects the entire nation. Advertisement Advertisement Blacks Economic Development Department in December published a 158-page report that calls for growth in quantum systems, advanced energy and aerospace. Also late last year, California-based Castelion Corp. announced it would build a 1,000-acre Sandoval County manufacturing plant to build solid rocket motors, conduct static tests and assemble components to produce finished rounds. Keller praised the quantum, fusion and venture capital firms setting up in the region. If you havent heard, whether its quantum, or fusion, or directed energy, or its all the VC firms associated with that, all of a sudden, we are absolutely on the radar all across the country for the most cutting-edge technology in America, Keller said. Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, running for a Senate seat in Minnesota, penned an article this week explaining her "regret" for voting for the Laken Riley Act, sparking criticism from conservatives online and from her Republican opponents. "I never thought the Laken Riley Act was a perfect bill, as it allowed for detention of certain violent as well as nonviolent offenses," Craig wrote in the Minnesota Star Tribune this week about the legislation, named after a nursing student who was murdered during a jog on the University of Georgias campus by an illegal immigrant. "The text of the bill did not include the word deportation. I made the difficult decision to vote for it. Democrats like Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff leaders I deeply respect all came to the same conclusion. But as I stood side by side with protesters on the streets of Minneapolis and opposite dozens of armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Whipple Federal Building after Renee Goods killing and again after the killing of Alex Pretti I couldnt help but question whether I made the right call last year." Advertisement Advertisement Craig went on to explain that it has "become clear that supporting any bill that gives ICE new authority in this administration was the wrong decision "and I regret my vote." Morning Glory: Democrats Have Just Handed Trump The Chance To Fix Immigration Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., addresses media after conducting oversight on the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on Feb. 20, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Getty Images) Craigs reversal, as she runs in a Senate Democratic primary against Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, prompted immediate pushback both on social media and from the candidate also vying for the same Senate seat in the Republican primary. Read On The Fox News App "This reaction from Angie Craig epitomizes the spineless weakness that voters despise. She would rather placate to the extremists in her own political party than keep Minnesotans safe," Republican Senate candidate Adam Schwarze told Fox News Digital. Advertisement Advertisement Meet The Minnesotans Killed By Illegal Immigrants That Walz, Dems Never Held News Conferences Or Vigils For Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was murdered by an illegal immigrant on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. "If theres one thing voters should know heading into midterms, its that politicians like Angie represent the most dangerous Democrat Party to ever run for office. Period." "What is wrong with you, @RepAngieCraig?" the Trump White House rapid response team posted on X . "This is sick and demented." Republican Michele Tafoya, also running for Senate, posted on X that Craig "would rather protect violent illegal immigrants than law-abiding Minnesotans." Advertisement Advertisement "So the position of @RepAngieCraig is to RELEASE illegal aliens arrested for theft, burglary, assaulting police, or causing serious bodily injury? "GOP Congressman Tom Tiffany posted on X. "Minnesota madness has hit a whole new level." Craig responded to Tafoya on X: "Michele Tafoya endorsed, supported, and enabled ICE's violent occupation of MN that left two people dead and our communities in mourning. She's nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump who would keep tearing our neighborhoods apart not bring us together." Craig was one of 46 House Democrats to support the Laken Riley Act last year, which was the first piece of legislation to become law in President Donald Trump's second administration, which he signed shortly after taking office. "This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen," Trump told reporters ahead of signing the legislation. "And as president, I'm fighting every single day to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again." Advertisement Advertisement 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, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. The measure directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes, or those accused of assaulting a police officer. Craig will square off against Flanagan in the Aug. 11 primary in race where both candidates have positioned themselves as fierce opponents of ICE in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during interactions with federal immigration agents. Flanagan, a leading progressive, took some political fire over the massive and developing Minnesota fraud scandal from Craig earlier this year when the congresswoman suggested she'd be a better fit as the party's Senate nominee since she isn't tied directly to the fraud crisis, according to reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement "We absolutely can't afford to let her be the nominee and put this Senate seat at risk," Craig argued, as she pointed to Flanagan. And taking to social media, Craig touted, "Im the only Democrat in the race who will keep this Senate seat blue." Already a top target for the GOP, Republicans are increasingly optimistic they can flip the Democrat-controlled open Senate seat in Minnesota, vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. Original article source: Democrat in key Senate primary says she regrets vote on Laken Riley Act, draws GOP backlash Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. WASHINGTON The Justice Department has to explain why Jeffrey Epsteins sole convicted co-conspirator won a transfer to a cushy federal prison camp last year, Democrats told Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall in a letter on Monday. The Epstein Files Transparency Act specifically requires the government to release all documents related to Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Epsteins *** abuse schemes. The text of the statute doesnt distinguish between documents from her criminal case and anything more recent. Politics: Senator Demands Bureau Of Prisons Explain Ghislaine Maxwell Transfer That means the Justice Department is legally required to put out any documents related to her transfer to a minimum-security prison camp where she has been granted numerous unusual special privileges, Reps. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said in a letter to Marshall. Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Prisons, which is part of the Justice Department, transferred Maxwell from a low-security facility in Florida to a minimum security prison camp in Texas. The transfer happened days after Deputy U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche conducted an unusual interview with Maxwell last year in which she said she never witnessed President Donald Trump behave improperly when she, he and Epstein were all partying together in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I have now had two conversations with the survivors, and they do not feel like they have gotten justice, and Ghislaine Maxwell getting special treatment is re-traumatizing to them, Ross told HuffPost. Under questioning from Ross at a House Judiciary Committee hearing last month, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had nothing to do with Maxwells transfer. And Bondi claimed, falsely, that Maxwell had been transferred to a facility with the same security profile. Politics: Bondi Lies To Congress, Tells Them Maxwell Was Not Transferred To A Lower-Level Facility She was transferred, I learned, after the fact, to the same level facility, and that is a question for the Bureau of Prisons. I was not involved in that at all, Bondi said. Advertisement Advertisement (Lying under oath is a crime, one that Bondis Justice Department tried to prosecute, unsuccessfully, against former FBI director James Comey.) Maxwell is seeking a pardon or commutation of her prison sentence from Trump, who hasnt ruled it out. Trump said I just wish her well when she was charged with *** trafficking crimes in 2020, a year after Epsteins death. The Justice Department has withheld a significant amount of material from the public Epstein Library it set up in January to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, including FBI forms memorializing agents interviews with a woman who claimed in 2019 that Trump sexually abused her in the early 1980s. (The accuser has reportedly faced fraud and theft charges in unrelated cases.) Politics: Military Commander Tells Troops Bombing Iran Is Part Of Gods Divine Plan The Bureau of Prisons has confirmed Maxwell was transferred but never explained why. There do not appear to be any documents relating to the transfer in the Epstein Library except for an August 2025 FBI news summary memo that mentioned a news story about the controversial transfer. Advertisement Advertisement The documents should already be public, Ross said. The fact that we have to write a letter to follow up on this is ridiculous. Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated to whom Democrats addressed their letter. It was sent to Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost If youre questioning your childs screen time, Denmark just made your case. The Nordic nation that pioneered tablets in classrooms back in 2011 has pulled a complete 180, banning smartphones in schools and investing millions in old-fashioned textbooks. From Digital Champion to Device-Free Pioneer The policy shift targets distractions affecting one-third of students while prioritizing mental health over tech integration. Starting the 2025/2026 school year, Danish students must lock their phones in boxes during class. By 2026/2027, this extends to after-school programs through Year 3, covering all folkeskole stages from reception to Year 10. Schools will also install content filters blocking social media, gaming, and streaming sites on their Wi-Fi networks. Advertisement Advertisement Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye didnt mince words about the reasoning: Mobile phones create disruption and stress, so we can focus on what really matters learning, community and peace of mind. The Data Behind the Dramatic U-Turn Ministry surveys revealed alarming distraction rates while teen mental health concerns mounted across social media platforms. The numbers paint a stark picture. Ministry surveys from 2024 found distractions affecting over one-third of Year 6 and Year 8 pupils. Meanwhile, Danish teens aged 13-18 were logging excessive screen time that researchers linked directly to declining school performance and mental health issues. Denmarks response? A DKK 540 million investment in physical books to cut screen reliance, plus another DKK 2.6 billion for play environments that encourage real-world interaction. Social Media in the Crosshairs A citizen-led initiative targeting TikTok and Instagram could reshape how Europe regulates youth access to major platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Digital health expert Imran Rashids citizen initiative gathered over 50,000 signatures demanding bans on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat for under-15s. Parliament will vote on these restrictions in early 2026a move that could signal broader European skepticism toward youth-targeted social platforms. This mirrors the growing digital detox movement among parents whove watched their kids disappear into endless scroll sessions like modern-day Alice tumbling down algorithmic rabbit holes. Nuanced Implementation, Not Total Tech Ban Medical exceptions and educational device allowances show Denmarks measured approach to classroom technology. The policy isnt entirely anti-tech. Students with medical conditions requiring monitoring devices (like diabetes management) or learning difficulties needing assistive technology (such as dyslexia aids) get exemptions. School-provided laptops and tablets for educational purposes remain welcome. Advertisement Advertisement Critics like Danish School Leaders Association chair Dorte Andreas argue schools already manage device policies effectively, preferring local flexibility over national mandates. Denmarks transformation from digital champion to analogue advocate represents more than policy tweakingits a fundamental recalibration of childhoods relationship with technology. Other European nations are watching closely, and your familys screen time rules might never look the same. From the coolest cars to the must-have gadgets, GadgetReviews daily newsletter keeps you in the know. Subscribe - its fun, fast, and free. WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to "cut off all trade with Spain" for Spain's refusal to allow the U.S. military to use its base for attacks on Iran, while saying he is not happy with Britain either. "We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump told reporters at the beginning of his talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office. "By the way I'm not happy with the UK either," Trump said. "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Parliament on Monday that Britain is not joining the U.S.-Israeli "offensive strikes" on Iran. Merz is the first foreign leader to meet Trump in person since the U.S. administration launched large-scale airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning. The two leaders said the Iran operation will be a major topic during their closed-door meeting. Denver is among five cities named Monday by the Democratic National Committee as finalists to host the partys 2028 national convention. The 2028 Democratic National Convention will mark the 20th anniversary of the last time Denver hosted the event, when Barack Obama accepted the partys 2008 presidential nomination in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 people at what was then known as Invesco Field at Mile High. Im thrilled the Democratic National Committee is considering Denver as the host city for the 2028 convention, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a news release. Denver not only offers everything a successful convention needs, but we are a shining example of how to lead America forward by dreaming big and delivering bigger. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia were also named as finalists. Each city will receive a site visit by party representatives this spring to assess the logistical and operational components of each citys bid, Democrats said. Johnstons office said it anticipates an economic impact measured in the hundreds of millions of dollars if Denver is selected as the DNCs host city. The 2028 DNC will follow the partys yet-to-be-finalized schedule of presidential primaries and caucuses throughout the first half of the year, awarding the nomination to the candidate the party picks in its bid retake the White House from Republicans in November 2028. President Donald Trump is term-limited. Prior to the 2008 event, Denver also hosted the Democrats convention in 1908. Colorado has never hosted a Republican National Convention. Advertisement Advertisement Colorado was a battleground state when it hosted the Democrats 2008 convention, having delivered its electoral votes to the Republican candidate in nine of the previous 10 presidential elections, alongside an equally strong record of electing Democratic governors. Since then, the Centennial State has shifted decidedly towards Democrats at the state and federal levels, a trend driven by the in-migration of younger, more progressive voters and the rapid growth of the Front Range suburbs. Republicans havent won a statewide contest in Colorado since 2016, and Democrats have captured large, durable legislative majorities at the state Capitol. Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib said in a statement that the state party is excited to show what Colorado can deliver for our party and our country. Colorado is ready to lead, and our country is ready for a new direction, Murib said. Our mission to protect everyones family, freedoms and future has united people across our state and that unity has built the infrastructure, energy and capacity to host at the highest level and share that mission with the nation. The 2028 DNC will be held from Aug. 7 to 10, 2028. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Monday that the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military in its ongoing operation against Iran, which started with strikes early Saturday. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now, Rubio said. Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump said the goal of the operation is to destroy the countrys navy and ballistic missile capabilities, and to put a stop to its nuclear ambitions. Advertisement Advertisement So far, the strikes have killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 49 other Iranian leaders. The operation has also destroyed more than 1,000 targets, including missile sites, ships, submarines and control centers for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Iran has retaliated with attacks against neighboring countries, targeting civilian infrastructure such as airports and hotels, as well as military targets. As of Monday evening, six American service members had died in the hostilities. On Monday night, two drones from Iran struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Early reports said there were no injuries. Personnel at other U.S. embassies in the region have evacuated their compounds, NBC reported. Advertisement Advertisement Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a media briefing on Monday that this Iranian strategy of widening the war has backfired a bit. The gulf states are hanging tough together, he said. The State Department on Monday urged Americans to leave the Middle East due to serious security risks. Specific countries include Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Brigham Young Universitys Jerusalem Center in Israel has canceled field trips for the coming week, and the students are sheltering at the center. Rubio says the strikes are a response to imminent threat Ahead of briefing members of Congress on Monday afternoon, Rubio told reporters that the operation in Iran would continue for however long it takes to achieve U.S. objectives. Advertisement Advertisement Iran was producing more than 100 missiles a month, and in less than a year and a half, the country would have crossed the line of immunity, he said. They would have had so many short-range missiles and drones that nobody could do anything about it, because they could hold the whole world hostage. Since last June, the number of Irans ballistic missile launchers has been halved, an Israeli official told The New York Times. Rubio referenced a study conducted by the Department of War that analyzed potential attacks. A poster of the late Iranian Revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, right, and the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who were both killed during the ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, lays on a motorcycle amid debris left by a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. | Vahid Salemi If Iran was attacked and we knew they were going to be attacked, they would immediately come after us. We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded, he said. Advertisement Advertisement He continued, If we waited for them to hit us, we would suffer more casualties and more deaths. We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage. Had we not done so, there would have been hearings on Capitol Hill about how we knew this was going to happen, and we didnt act proactively to prevent more casualties and more loss of life. The Secretary of State said hed notified the Gang of Eight both a week before the strike and the night before. There will be no U.S. boots on the ground for now A fighter jet prepares for landing at the U.K.'s RAF Akrotiri air base after it was hit by a drone strike early morning near Limassol, Cyprus, Monday, March, 2, 2026. | Petros Karadjias Destroying Irans ballistic missile capabilities (both launching and manufacturing) can be achieved without ground forces, Rubio said. Right now were not postured for ground forces, he added. Advertisement Advertisement In a phone call with The New York Post, President Trump echoed a similar sentiment: American soldiers on the ground in Iran are currently unnecessary, but the president wouldnt rule it out. I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground like every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it, Trump said. I say probably dont need them, [or] if they were necessary. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth added, President Trump ensures our enemies understand well go as far as we need to go to advance American interests. But were not dumb about it. You dont have to roll 200,000 people in there and stay for 20 years. What will happen to the regime with Khamenei gone? Khamenei ruled Iran for 36 years before he was killed in an air strike on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement During his reign, Khamenei violently squashed multiple nationwide protests. Most recently, protests against the regime erupted over the countrys failing economy, lasting from late December through mid-January. Following the same response tactics to earlier protests, the Islamic theocracy shut off the countrys internet access. During the internet blackout, they delivered a deadly response with shoot-to-kill orders. Death toll estimates range widely, with some topping 30,000. Even with recent widespread public retaliation against the ruling regime, Ray Takeyh, an Iranian-American Middle East scholar and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, said Iran is capable of functioning without Ali Khamenei, because in my opinion, its been functioning without him at least since the June war. On Monday, Rubio maintained that the U.S. will not intervene to put a new leader in charge of the country. Advertisement Advertisement That said, we hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government, he added. The real test of whether Irans ruling regime has fallen will be if it responds to future protests, Takeyh said. If these bombings inspire protests, we will see then if they respond viciously as a sign of their power. Takeyh then addressed accusations that the U.S. strike was unjustified. The justification of it is justice, he said. Ali Khamenei was responsible for killing scores of Americans since 1979 and other people in the region. And of course, his first and foremost victims were the Iranian people themselves. He continued, There is an element of justice in the fact that he died, not in his bed, not being commemorated in parades and so forth, but in the manner that he did. This is a regime that started out by taking the American embassy hostage for 444 days and has began since then, 47 years of rampage against Americans. And this is really the first time America struck back decisively. The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthries mom, hasnt really yielded much in the way of results. Its been over a month, and it doesnt seem like law enforcement is any closer to finding her or even figuring out what happened and who might be involved. Now, a man who was arrested alongside his mother following a SWAT raid at his home in Tucson, Arizona, is speaking out about what happened. Luke Daley told True Crime Arizona host Briana Whitney in an interview released on Monday, March 2, that he was categorically not the man caught on surveillance video outside of Nancy Guthries home. Its not me, he said. More from StyleCaster Advertisement Advertisement Related: Who are Savannah Guthries siblings? I dont see the resemblance of it looking like me. Absolutely not. I have nothing to do with this case. Daley recalled his experience during his arrest, saying he was driving home and noticed two sheriffs vehicles were following him. He was pulled over, cuffed, and put in the back of a police car. He said officers wouldnt tell me anything, but he immediately thought, Oh, this is probably about the Guthrie case. The whole time during the questioning, it seemed like more of a fishing expedition to get me to say something, Daley alleged. He also claimed he told the police they could check his location on his phone to know where hed been. He had to sit in the police car for hours while the police searched his vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement He went on to say he thought he was going to be framed for this because he allegedly got very little in the way of information from cops as everything was going on. Daleys mother was also briefly detained by law enforcement while their home was searched. Daley and his mother were both detained by law enforcement while the search warrants were being executed, Daleys attorney Chris Scileppi told People at the time. Neither Daley nor his mother were arrested in connection to this case or any other. He added, Daley has no link whatsoever to Nancy Guthrie and has no information related to her kidnapping. Like the entire Tucson community, both Daley and his mother are hopeful that Nancy will be returned to her family unharmed. In his interview, Daley said, I, like everyone else, just want Nancy to come home and be safe. I hope that shes safe. I hope that they find her. And he also wants to be able to move on with his life without this shadow of doubt casted [sic] over me. Advertisement Advertisement At this point, Nancy Guthries family is bracing for the worst. Savannah Guthrie recently shared a video on social media saying she has accepted that her missing mother may already be gone. It is day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed, and every hour and minute and second and every long night has been agony since then of worrying about her and fearing for her and aching for her and most of all, just missing her, Savannah said on a video uploaded February 24. We still believe in a miracle. We still believe that she can come home. Hope against hope. As my sister says, we are blowing on the embers of hope. We also know that she may be lost; she may already be gone. She may already have gone home to the Lord that she loves, and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and her beloved brother, Pierce, and with our daddy, Savannah added. And if this is what is to be, then we will all accept it. But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. Best of StyleCaster Sign up for Stylecaster's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. WATERVLIET - A city teenager who was jailed over the weekend on hate crimes charges before being released Tuesday because he was a juvenile was returned to custody later in the afternoon, even as questions about his age remain under investigation. Watervliet police now believe the Afghan teen they arrested on Sunday for an alleged attack on a Pakistani neighbor is 18 years old. The news release announcing the teen's arrest listed that age when Watervliet Police issued it on Tuesday morning. However, shortly after 11 a.m. police spokesperson Officer Eric Roy contacted the Times Union to say the suspect might have been a juvenile. Advertisement Advertisement He was freed from the Albany County jail and released to his parents around 12:30 p.m., Sheriff Craig Apple said. By 4:30 p.m., Watervliet police said they again believed the teenager to be 18 and took him back into custody after it emerged that his parents allegedly produced an inaccurate identification document to secure their son's release. Apple confirmed that the teenager was back in the Albany County jail by 5:45 p.m. The Albany County Public Defender's Office, which is representing the teenager, said late Tuesday afternoon that it believes the defendant is 17, though it is continuing to investigate the matter. Advertisement Advertisement The Watervliet Police Department said it would be issuing a statement later on Tuesday or early Wednesday offering further details about the situation. The teen allegedly attacked his neighbor in a dispute apparently prompted by recent deadly clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Watervliet Police said the teen forced his way into his neighbor's home and "violently dragged" the man out of the building Sunday evening. They described the alleged assault as a "targeted, ethnicity-motivated attack that started the previous day, stemming from a heated argument the two men had regarding the ongoing political and military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan." Advertisement Advertisement Police said the teen, an Afghan national, made "explicit derogatory statements targeting the victim's Pakistani nationality and ethnic background." Roy said the two teens lived about a block from each other in the center of the city. Roy said at one point, the teen referred to Pakistani people as "scum." The victim, who police said is 18, was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to the hospital, Roy said. Police tracked the teen down shortly after the alleged attack. He has been charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree burglary as a hate crime. Advertisement Advertisement Roy said he had no recollection of any similar incidents where tensions from an international conflict had spilled into the streets of Watervliet. The hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan began on Feb. 21 when the Pakistan Air Force carried out air strikes on alleged militant camps in Afghanistan. Afghanistan retaliated with its own cross-border strikes and late last week Pakistan's defense minister said the two countries were in a state of "open war." This article originally published at Hate crime suspect returned to jail amid competing claims about age. MARTIN COUNTY A man accused of opening fire on law enforcement officers March 2 before being wounded by return gunfire was identified as a 72-year-old doctor wanted after sex-related crimes in Colorado, law enforcement officials said March 3. Thomas Earl Steffens was wanted on a warrant issued Feb. 25 for two counts sexual assault; and single counts each of second-degree assault - strangulation and third-degree assault, sheriff's officials said. Steffens, the passenger in a vehicle, reportedly started shooting with a handgun around 8:29 p.m. March 2 after being stopped in the area of 12th Street and Commerce Avenue in Indian River County. Advertisement Advertisement Steffens sustained four gunshot wounds and is expected to survive. He was in HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce the evening of March 3. One U.S. Marshal was struck in the leg and taken to a hospital where he was treated and released. An Indian River County deputy had a minor leg injury, but officials didnt know if it was from shrapnel or something else. The team that was investigating this had constant intel that this suspect had made statements that he was going to go out in a blaze that he intended to kill law enforcement, that he wasn't going to be taken alive, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. Flowers, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek and Marty West, an acting commander of a U.S. Marshals task force, spoke March 3 at the Martin County Sheriffs Office about the incident. Budensiek said Steffens is a neurosurgeon suspended last year. Advertisement Advertisement In the Colorado case, Budensiek said Steffens reportedly spoke with a woman at a bar, and the next thing the woman remembered was waking up in Steffens house groggy. She saw a light she thought was possibly a recording device over where she was. She was unclothed and believed shed been sexually assaulted. Ultimately, Steffens took her back to the establishment where they were earlier and she contacted authorities, who concluded shed been battered, Budensiek said. Investigators determined Steffens used prescribed medication, drugged the woman and victimized her. Law enforcement officials searched Steffens home and vehicle in Colorado. He knew he was being looked at by law enforcement and as a result of that he went on the run, Budensiek said. Advertisement Advertisement Steffens took a bus and ended up in Fort Pierce, where a woman picked him up. The Marshals are pretty good at what they do, and if you rape a lady, if you're a doctor and you take drugs and you medicate her and rape her, they're going to find you wherever you are, Budensiek said. It doesn't matter if you're in the United States or not, they're going to find you, and that's what they did in this case. Deputies were working and operating under federal guidelines as U.S. Marshals. These are tip-of-the-spear guys. These are guys that are on my SWAT team, Flowers said. These are people that are prepared to handle anything that comes before them, and this guy made the decision that he wanted to shoot at deputies, and we shot back at him. Three Indian River County sheriffs deputies, a Martin County sheriffs deputy and a U.S. marshal attempted to arrest a man who had a warrant out of Colorado about 8:30 p.m. March 2, 2026, at 12th Street and Commerce Avenue in Vero Beach when the man started shooting. The team returned fire at the man who was in the vehicle pictured here. He was taken to a hospital. The marshal and a deputy were injured, according to Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers. Officials said Steffens and the woman who picked him up in Fort Pierce went to dinner and traveled to a Publix where the woman went inside. Advertisement Advertisement He said multiple things about being an excellent marksman, about having access to high-powered weapons, and of course when the search warrant was executed, he did have multiple high-powered weapons in the house, Flowers said. So we take those threats seriously and when we hear that he has an intention, we're going to treat it that way. Flowers said the team waited for a safe location to conduct a tactical stop of that vehicle. When the vehicle was stopped, the woman got out and told investigators that Steffens had a gun. There was the initial commands to get out of the car, and then there's the don't do it, don't do it, and then a first volley of shots where he reaches out and shoots at them, it looks like, Budensiek said. Then there's a lull, more commands, more commands. They're not sure at that point if it looks like whether he's coherent or not, but he is. Advertisement Advertisement Steffens fired back, Budensiek said, and theres another volley of shots. Additional steps are taken using non-lethal means to get Steffens out of the vehicle. He's not unconscious during this incident at all, Budensiek said. Flowers said when Steffens got out of the vehicle, he remained defiant. He was still raising his middle finger at our deputies. He was still actively working against us even though he had been shot four times, Flowers said. So this is somebody who did not want to go to jail. Budensiek said five officers fired their weapons. A significant number of shots were fired. Investiture: Florida Circuit Judge Robert Stone Jr.'s family has deep roots in legal community Advertisement Advertisement Verdict: Conviction after deadly shooting in Florida during MLK celebration You don't shoot at eight heavily armed, trained law enforcement officers and expect them not to return heavy gunfire, Budensiek said. That's exactly what they're trained to do. That's what we expect them to do. West said U.S. Marshals have nationwide authority and jurisdiction. We go out every day and we're targeting the worst of the worst, our most violent offenders, West said. Our task force partners are our sheriff's departments, our police departments, our state agencies that we work with. 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: Doctor shot after opening fire on law enforcement officials in Florida NEED TO KNOW Arturo Bazan-Perez, Dulce Crystal Bazan Castillo and Carlos Bazan-Hernandez are each charged with first-degree child abuse and torture A 9-year-old weighed 33 pounds and suffered cardiac arrest due to malnutrition while his 11-year-old sibling weighed 43 pounds During court testimony, a doctor said of the 9-year-old that you could see every rib on both sides A Michigan couple and their adult son are accused of starving and torturing two young boys including a 9-year-old who weighed just 33 pounds and suffered cardiac arrest due to malnutrition, authorities say. Arturo Bazan-Perez, Dulce Crystal Bazan Castillo and their adult son, Carlos Bazan-Hernandez, are each charged with first-degree child abuse and torture in connection with the treatment of two boys, ages 9 and 11, according to an Oakland County Sheriffs Office press release. Advertisement Advertisement The investigation began on Nov. 17, 2025, after hospital staff alerted deputies that they were performing CPR on a severely underweight 9-year-old who had bruises on his body, the sheriffs office said. The child had no pulse, was intubated and later airlifted to another hospital for specialized care, according to the release. Authorities later discovered the boys 11-year-old sibling was also severely malnourished and weighed 43 pounds roughly 30 to 40 pounds below the average weight for a child his age, the sheriffs office said. Credit: Oakland County Sheriff's Office Investigators said the boys had been unenrolled from school in September and were fed sporadic meals of rice. They were also confined to a bedroom where the windows were screwed shut and the glass was painted so they could not see outside, according to the sheriffs office. At a Feb. 27 preliminary hearing, Bazan-Perez and Castillo waived their right to a preliminary examination and were advanced to circuit court, according to FOX 2 Detroit, WDIV and The Oakland Press. Advertisement Advertisement Their adult son proceeded with the hearing, which included testimony from doctors describing the younger childs condition in stark terms, the outlets reported. 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. Bazan-Hernandez reportedly told one of the doctors that he subjected his children to "military discipline," including jumping jacks and push-ups, according to one physician's court testimony. He allegedly said that the boys ate three meals per day but the physician said this was inconsistent with their physical state. Credit: Oakland County Sheriff's Office [The nine-year-old] was emaciated skin and bones, Dr. Peter Gerrits testified, according to FOX 2 Detroit. Advertisement Advertisement Another physician told the court that front and back you could count them visibly with your eyes. His back you could see each individual [vertebra] on the younger child's body, FOX 2 reported. When asked whether someone in that condition could perform exercises, she responded, No he absolutely could not. It horrifies me to think he was asked to do that, according to the outlet. All three defendants remain in custody without bond, the sheriffs office said. Two other children, ages 1 and 4, were found in the home appearing healthy and were removed by Child Protective Services, according to the sheriffs office. Advertisement Advertisement If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People The Justice Department on Monday moved to drop its defense of President Donald Trumps executive orders aimed at punishing major law firms, a rare legal surrender that ends a saga that roiled the legal community. Four judges, in separate cases, previously rejected as unconstitutional the executive orders, which sought to cancel government contracts of the law firms, suspend their security clearances and restrict employees from entering government buildings. The Justice Department appealed those rulings in June and was expected to file its opening brief on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement The decision to drop the appeal, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes nearly a year after Trumps first order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie, citing as justification the firms 2016 work for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and its affiliation with Democratic mega-donor George Soros. It then moved against Paul, Weiss, Rifkind; Wharton & Garrison; Jenner & Block; WilmerHale; and Susman Godfrey. Four of the firms chose to fight the orders, but Paul Weiss opted to settle in a decision that divided the legal community. In exchange for lifting the order, Paul Weiss agreed to provide $40 million worth of free work to support initiatives favored by the White House. Fearing similar orders, eight other firms moved swiftly to make preemptive deals with the administration, promising nearly $1 billion total in free legal work. Firms that struck deals with the White House, most of all Paul Weiss, faced backlash from the public, law students and their own partners. The four firms who sued quickly won their legal challenges against the orders with one judge calling them motivated by retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement The governments decision to withdraw its appeals make permanent the rulings of four federal judges that the executive orders targeting law firms, including Jenner & Block, were unconstitutional, Jenner said in a statement. Asked for comment, a Justice Department spokesperson referred POLITICO to Mondays filing. The government has capitulated, which is a fitting end to its plainly unconstitutional attack on Susman Godfrey and the rule of law, Susman said in a statement. By dropping the appeal before Fridays filing deadline, the Justice Department avoids the possibility that the D.C. Circuit would create a binding legal precedent limiting the administrations ability to attempt similar measures against private companies in the future. In June, before the appeal was filed, the American Bar Association separately sued the federal government to stop the law firm intimidation policy. A hearing in that case, which the Justice Department has sought to dismiss, is set for Wednesday. The Duval County School Board has approved scheduling a November referendum on continuing a 1-mill property tax that supplements funding for teacher pay, the arts and sports. Voters approved the extra tax in 2022 but it was designed to end after four years unless voters extended it again. Voting yes in November would keep the 1-mill tax in place through June 30, 2030. Continuing the tax is projected to generate $121 million yearly that will be used mostly to improve pay for teachers, security and other school staff, according to an issue summary circulated to board members by school district staff. Sabal Palm Elementary School students interact with teacher Leonore Gualano in this 2007 photo. 2025: Jacksonville might cut property tax rate. School district, Beaches and Baldwin aren't. Advertisement Advertisement The tax doesnt affect pay for board members, Superintendent Christopher Bernier or his senior staff, the summary says, adding that voters in 29 other Florida school districts, including Nassau and St. Johns counties, have approved similar millages. Like now, charter schools would get their cut of an extended 1-mill tax, too, but the amount would depend on their share of student enrollment. The summary notes that since 2008, the Florida Legislature has cut the required local effort, the primary millage for school funding, by more than a third, to 3.095 mills. The school district has several separate millages that in 2025 added together to total 6.343 mills. (A mill is a tax rate of $1 for every $1,000 of propertys assessed value.) Advertisement Advertisement Bernier has supported sending the millage extension to voters. The board adopted that recommendation on a 6-1 vote at its March 3 meeting. Citing strain on taxpayers, board Chair Charlotte Joyce voted no but said she would support a referendum on replacing the tax with a half-mill charge. A series of school district advocates had already championed renewing the 1-mill levy, casting that as a step toward protecting Jacksonvilles future by investing in its A-graded school district. Strong public schools strengthen property values, support workforce development, and shape the future of our community, the advocacy group Public School Defenders said in a March 2 release supporting the School Boards resolution. When we invest in educators, we invest in students. And when we invest in students, we invest in Duval. The referendum resolution the board approved will be sent to Jacksonville's City Council to forward to Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland. Advertisement Advertisement Whether the millage is extended or not won't have any effect on the half-penny sales tax voters approved in 2020 to pay for school construction and repairs. This story was updated to reflect the outcome of the School Board meeting. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Duval school board OK's November tax extension referendum Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa on Monday announced the launch of joint operations with the United States to combat drug trafficking, which has caused an explosion of violence in the South American country. Noboa, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, said the United States was among "regional allies" taking part in a "new phase" of Ecuador's war on the drug cartels which use its ports to smuggle cocaine to international markets. "In March, we will conduct joint operations with our regional allies, including the United States," he wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Noboa held talks in Quito with US Southern Command chief Francis Donovan and Mark Schafer, head of US Special Operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean. During the meeting, they discussed plans for information sharing and operational coordination at airports and seaports, Noboa's office said in a statement. Around 70 percent of the drugs produced by Colombia and Peru, the world's largest and second-largest cocaine producers, respectively, are shipped through neighboring Ecuador. The drug trade has unleashed a bloody turf war that has turned one of the Latin America's safest countries into one of its deadliest in the space of a few years. Advertisement Advertisement At a meeting with police earlier, Noboa announced a curfew from March 15 to 30 in Ecuador's four most violent provinces: Guayas, Los Rios, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas and El Oro. Interior Minister John Reimberg told reporters his advice to local residents was: "Stay home. We are at war." The United States and Ecuador have boosted their security cooperation since the right-wing Noboa came to power in 2023. Noboa last year pushed for the reopening of a shuttered US military base but was shot down by Ecuadorans who voted in a November referendum against overturning a ban on foreign bases. In December, the United States announced a temporary deployment of Air Force personnel to the former US base in the port city of Manta. pld/das/cb/jgc/sla Some El Paso residents expressed concern after DeadBeach Brewery hosted Republican Gov. Greg Abbott during a campaign stop in the city on Feb. 26. Abbott visited the brewery as one of three Texas locations for his campaigns Lets Roll get-out-the-vote events ahead of the Texas gubernatorial primary election. Following the visit, several people criticized DeadBeach Brewery in the comments section of its Instagram account. Some commenters said Abbott does not support the El Paso community and called for a boycott of the brewery for hosting him. Others defended the business, saying it is a private venue, has previously supported Democratic candidates, and regularly rents its space for events that benefit its employees and the local community. Advertisement Advertisement One commenter, Elizabeth Gomez, wrote that she would no longer patronize the brewery, expressing disappointment over the visit. Her comment was among several posted on an Instagram post promoting the upcoming Borderland BeerFest scheduled for April 11. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a campaign stop in El Paso at the DeadBeach Brewery located at 3200 Durazno Ave. on Thursday, Feb. 26. Jason Hunt, one of the owners of DeadBeach Brewery, said the business allows people to express differing viewpoints and rents its venue to a wide range of groups. Everybodys entitled to their own voice, Hunt said. Its not my place to say that one voice is more correct than another. I understand that people are upset. It does hurt, considering how much Ive tried to do for my community, but I didnt mute or delete comments because people have a right to share how they feel. Hunt said DeadBeach aims to be an inclusive space and does not align itself with any political party. Advertisement Advertisement Ive worked very hard to create a safe place for everybody, he said. We host community events like Borderland BeerFest and rent our venue to a lot of different groups. Over the years, that has included politicians from both parties. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a campaign stop in El Paso at the DeadBeach Brewery located at 3200 Durazno Ave. on Thursday, Feb. 26. Hunt noted that Democratic leaders, including U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar and former U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke, have also held events at the brewery. ORourke launched his 2022 gubernatorial campaign at DeadBeach. "We're a safe place for everybody. We're just trying to make El Paso proud. Trying to be a good local business for everybody," Hunt said. "Our entire team is from El Paso, and this community is extremely important to us. Jud Burgess, owner of Brave Books, also commented on the situation in a video posted to his Instagram account, sharing his perspective on the backlash the brewery received on social media. Advertisement Advertisement More: Greg Abbott doubles down on a secure Texas in El Paso visit Maria Cortes Gonzalez may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: DeadBeach Brewery faces backlash after hosting Gov. Abbott The nonprofit advocacy organization The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) found that roughly 22 million Americans live on Social Security alone. That's no easy feat, given that the average monthly Social Security benefit is around $2,000. While Social Security benefits were never intended to be the sole source of income for retirees, those 22 million are making a go of it. It's easier said than done -- particularly in states that rank as least affordable, even for retirees with no mortgage payments to contend with. 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 Image source: Getty Images. Note that the "monthly housing expenses" mentioned in this article cover all costs associated with homeownership, whether a mortgage is paid off or not. This includes housing costs like property taxes, utilities, home repairs, and general maintenance. According to a Realtor.com study, here are the ten states where the median Social Security payment doesn't stretch far enough to cover the cost of living: State Median Monthly Benefit Monthly Housing Expenses Total Monthly Expenses Total Monthly Shortfall Vermont $1,954 $838 $2,628 $674 New Jersey $2,172 $1,304 $2,798 $626 Massachusetts $2,022 $1,007 $2,634 $612 New York $1,974 $1,065 $2,578 $604 New Hampshire $2,121 $921 $2,668 $547 Connecticut $2,159 $983 $2,612 $453 Rhode Island $1,994 $740 $2,341 $347 Alaska $1,795 $623 $2,141 $346 Maryland $2,084 $755 $2,390 $306 Maine $1,809 $637 $2,110 $301 Data source: Realtor.com. Being mortgage-free isn't the same as having no housing costs If you're retired or quickly coming up on retirement, you may remember a television show called Mayberry R.F.D. One 1969 episode featured a handyman named Emmett Clark (a character first introduced on The Andy Griffith Show). In this episode, Emmett gathered friends and neighbors to his shop to celebrate. In one hand, Emmett held his mortgage note, and in the other, a blowtorch. The message was clear: By paying off (and blowtorching) his mortgage, he was now ready to retire. Chances are, when calculating how much money he needed to retire, Emmett decided he'd be ready when he no longer had a mortgage to contend with. The reality is, whether you own a home or not, you'll always have housing costs. You'll be either paying rent or spending money on property upkeep. Unless you live with a friend or relative who won't accept a dime from you, housing costs are a way of life. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) The House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into allegations that Rep. Nancy Mace overcharged a congressional program intended to help defray housing costs for lawmakers who have residences in Washington. Mace, a South Carolina Republican now in her third House term, denies the allegations, decrying a partisan process and saying officials had ignored her rebuttal evidence. The Office of Congressional Conduct, after an investigation, said it believes that there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Mace engaged in improper reimbursement practices," according to a report released Monday. The office sent its findings to the Ethics panel for review. Advertisement Advertisement Mace took part in a program that helps members of Congress defray the costs of their bifurcated existences between Washington and their home districts, subsidizing food, travel and lodging expenses. During 2023 and 2024, her second term in office, the report alleges Mace recouped about $9,500, more than the true costs" for the Washington home she shared with her then-fiance. Noting that Mace "refused to interview" as part of its probe, the office said it was unable to determine how or why Rep. Mace decided to seek the maximum allowable reimbursement when it exceeded her expenses incurred. Allowing that Maces lodging expenses may have exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement for some months, the report said that its available evidence suggests Rep. Mace did not take appropriate measures to ensure she sought reimbursement for expenses actually incurred. In a December letter filed with the committee, an attorney for Mace wrote that the congresswoman's former fiance, with whom she ended her relationship in late 2023, had been "engaged in an ongoing campaign to discredit and injure the Congresswoman through false narratives and misuse of legal process, and that any information originating from them would raise serious credibility concerns." Advertisement Advertisement Despite that, attorney William Sullivan Jr. said the office declined to disclose if the former fiance had been involved with the investigation. He said the referral to Ethics appears to rely heavily on unverified materials originating from individuals with personal or adversarial motives. GOP Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, chairman of the Ethics Committee, said the referral about Mace was received in December. The committee's decision to investigate is not evidence of wrongdoing, and Guest pointed out that the committee wouldn't make further comment until it completes an investigation. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP __ An earlier version of this story incorrectly said GOP Rep. Michael Guest was from Florida. He represents Mississippi. European allies are rushing warships and anti-drone defences to Cyprus after a British air base was hit on the island over the weekend. The small Eastern Mediterranean nation has found itself unexpectedly drawn into the aftermath of US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The UK has announced it is sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities as well as the Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Dragon. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in a televised address that a French frigate, the Languedoc, would arrive in Cyprus on Tuesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Greece has already agreed to send four F-16 fighter jets as well as two frigates, including the ship Psara which is equipped with a Greek anti-drone system called Centauros. Visiting Nicosia on Tuesday, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias promised that "Greece is present, and will continue to be present to assist in any way in the defence of the Republic of Cyprus". Such military assets, allies will hope, can prevent further drone incursions and avoid any casualties that could risk pulling Britain and the EU into a conflict from which they have so far tried to remain removed. "The idea of sending a Type 45 [air defence destroyer] into the vicinity of Akrotiri is to build on a layered air defence system," said former military strategist Mikey Kay. Advertisement Advertisement The "very expensive equipment" the UK is sending is "highly capable", Kay said. "But how effective is it when it comes to cost-benefit ratio - and how many missiles do they have when it comes to multiple swarms of Shahed 136 drones?" The BBC team could hear the fierce roar of jets as we stood outside RAF Akrotiri which is used for training and as a mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East. While Britain did not join US-Israeli strikes on Iran, British planes are taking part in what the government has described as "defensive operations" to protect UK citizens and allies in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday night, the Ministry of Defence said that RAF F-35 jets flying over Jordan have shot down an Iranian drone. The drone scare at Akrotiri on Sunday has led to British families being evacuated from the base, as well as hundreds of local Cypriots who live nearby. It's all sparked anxiety amongst British military families and some local people while Cyprus has criticised the UK's handling of the situation. Specifically, said a Cypriot government spokesman, an initial lack of clarity "that the British Bases in Cyprus would under no circumstances be used for anything other than humanitarian purposes". Advertisement Advertisement Cyprus has stressed it has no involvement in the widening Middle East conflict, and isn't itself a target. [BBC] Lying off the coasts of Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, Cyprus is the easternmost nation among the European Union's 27 member states. Britain's military presence in Cyprus is a legacy of the colonial past. When Cyprus gained its independence in 1960, the UK retained sovereignty over sites, including on the Akrotiri peninsula. Altogether, these sites cover just under 3% of land on the island, or 98 sq miles, and stretch beyond the restricted military zones. But the British government is now facing questions over its readiness to protect its overseas bases. Advertisement Advertisement Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the House of Commons that Britain has already brought in additional radar, air and counter-drone capabilities. A drone struck RAF Akrotiri on Sunday night causing minimal damage and no casualties before two further drones were apparently intercepted on Monday. The UK has not said where it thinks the drone that hit the base came from, but the Cypriot government suspects the Iran-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon. British officials believe the first drone was launched before Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would allow the US to use British bases for "limited" and "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites. Advertisement Advertisement Bases in Cyprus are not being used by US bombers, Starmer has told the House of Commons. RAF Akrotiri was last attacked in 1986 by pro-Libyan militants, wounding three people, after US air strikes on Libya from airfields in UK. These sovereign base areas (SBAs) even have their own police force. Cyprus itself has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north after a military coup backed by Greece. More on this story Several countries are organizing the first evacuation flights for their citizens following the escalation of war in the Middle East. Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Tuesday that 175 Spaniards have taken off from Abu Dhabi on a scheduled flight and are on their way to Madrid. The repatriation operations were triggered by the bombing of Iran by the US and Israel, which has been ongoing since Saturday. Tehran responded to the strikes by launching attacks on Israel and the Gulf states. Commercial aviation is largely at a standstill in much of the region. Advertisement Advertisement According to estimates by the authorities in Madrid, around 30,000 Spaniards are currently in the conflict region. Further flights are planned in order to speed up departures, especially from the United Arab Emirates, said Albares. Around 13,000 Spaniards were living there. He described Iran as the "most difficult situation", with just over 150 Spanish citizens still in the country. The British government is also organizing a charter flight to depart from Muscat in Oman in the coming days, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced in Parliament. She said 130,000 Britons in the Middle East had already registered with the Foreign Office by Tuesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that his country was also preparing an evacuation operation for Polish citizens in the region. He had given instructions that flights on government aircraft would be cancelled so that the planes would be ready if the opportunity arose, Tusk explained. He said there are currently around 14,000 Poles in the United Arab Emirates. Entire communities along the northern border were emptied amid fear that Hezbollah might try to penetrate the north as Hamas did in the south. A Hezbollah terrorist fired an anti-tank missile at IDF troops in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. No damage was caused, and no injuries were reported. The IAF eliminated the terrorist, along with additional terrorists, shortly afterward. When Hezbollah opened fire on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamass massacre, Israels instinct was to pull its people back. Advertisement Advertisement Entire communities along the northern border were emptied amid fear that Hezbollah might try to penetrate the North as Hamas did in the South. Ultimately, between 60,000 and 80,000 people from the Galilee were evacuated, part of a nationwide evacuation effort that affected more than 200,000 Israelis. The logic then was straightforward: Reduce civilian exposure, prevent casualties from anti-tank missiles and cross-border raids, and give the IDF operational freedom along the frontier. Today, as war with Iran intensifies and Hezbollah has as it did on October 8 formally joined the fray, Israel is doing the opposite. This time, senior officials are saying explicitly: No evacuation. Finance Minister and head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich speaks at the 40-signatures debate at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on February 23, 2026. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM) Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, This time we are not evacuating anyone. IDF Northern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo has stated the IDF is prepared in defense and offense, and that strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon will intensify. New doctrine: Israel defends north without evacuations The message is clear: Civilians will remain in place while the military takes the fight deep into Lebanese territory. Advertisement Advertisement This is not just a change in tactics; it is a doctrinal reversal. The contrast is stark. Last time Hezbollah attacked, Israel sought to protect its citizens by moving civilians away from enemy fire. This time, it aims to move enemy fire away from civilians. Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that to prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities from Lebanon, the IDF is authorized to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there. And this is not just rhetoric. The IDF increased its ground presence in southern Lebanon, moving beyond the five forward positions it previously maintained and controlling strategic terrain overlooking the border. Advertisement Advertisement Rather than creating a buffer zone inside Israel by emptying Israeli towns, the army is attempting to establish depth on the Lebanese side by physically holding key terrain. This new policy also reflects hard lessons learned after October 7. Last month, the State Comptrollers Office issued a highly critical report describing the evacuation and absorption process that followed the massacre as complete disorder. As of October 7, Israel had no approved national operational evacuation plan. When the war broke out, municipalities improvised. In the South, some communities evacuated themselves under fire. Advertisement Advertisement In the North, Kiryat Shmona was not even formally included in the framework; around 10,000 residents left before any official decision was made. Evacuees were sent to hundreds of hotels across the country, and the state ultimately spent billions on housing displaced residents. Education systems were disrupted, businesses collapsed, agriculture stalled, and social cohesion frayed. Many northern communities have still not fully recovered. Evacuation saved lives, but it also exacted a heavy price economic, social, psychological, and strategic. Strategically, critics argued that large-scale evacuation created a de facto security zone inside Israel. Hezbollah did not have to conquer territory; it merely had to make it uninhabitable through sustained fire. Advertisement Advertisement Further, the images of empty towns signaled vulnerability and weakness, suggesting that the state could not protect communities along its borders. The perception took hold that Hezbollah did not need to invade; it only needed to fire. That experience now looms over every discussion about whether to evacuate again. In 2023, Israel feared a coordinated, surprise ground invasion from both Gaza and Lebanon. Evacuating a strip of up to five kilometers from the border reduced vulnerability to anti-tank missiles and possible cross-border raids. It bought time. In 2026, the context is different. Israel is at war with Iran, and Hezbollahs capabilities are not what they once were. Israel killed much of the terrorist organizations senior leadership in 2024 and significantly degraded its rocket and missile capabilities. Israeli intelligence and air power are operating aggressively inside Lebanon. IDF forces along the northern border have been reinforced. In short, the strategic balance has shifted. The doctrine now is forward defense. Advertisement Advertisement Instead of emptying towns to create military maneuver space, the IDF is expanding maneuver space by pushing operations north of the border. Instead of moving Israelis away from the frontier, it is attempting to push the effective line of threat farther away from Israeli homes. This approach has its advantages. Keeping communities in place helps their economy and social cohesion. It denies Hezbollah the psychological victory of empty Israeli towns. It signals confidence and resilience, and enhances deterrence. But there are risks as well. Evacuation reduces exposure to danger. Staying put does not. Advertisement Advertisement Rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles pose real and immediate threats. Shelters and active defense reduce risk, but they do not eliminate it. Moreover, there are significant gaps between what communities in the North need in terms of shelters and in-home safe rooms and what they actually have. In the months from October 7 to March 2026, Israels policy on this matter has swung from one pole to the other. In the immediate aftermath of October 7, evacuation was seen as necessary but chaotic. Today, non-evacuation is framed as resilience and deterrence. In 2023, Israel protected its citizens by removing them from danger. In 2026, it seeks to protect them by pushing the danger away. That difference is significant. Heavy displacement is being reported across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut as residents flee intensifying Israeli airstrikes. Israel has issued evacuation warnings for more than 53 villages, prompting thousands to leave their homes in search of safety. As of Monday, roughly 30,000 people were registered and hosted in government-designated collective shelters, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Babar Baloch said in a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hanine el-Sayed, speaking from the Disaster Management Room on Tuesday evening said: We are working to meet needs across Lebanon, and the number of displaced people registered in shelters has reached 58,064. Yet many more were left on the move, sleeping in their cars, on the sides of roads, or stuck in congested traffic on highways. Families carried what little they could. The wave of displacement comes amid a sharp escalation of violence along the Lebanon-Israel border as the Jewish state takes on Hezbollah militants allied to Iran, which is at war with Israel. For many residents, this is not the first time they have faced sudden evacuations, but the scale and intensity of the current attacks have compounded existing hardships. Advertisement Advertisement UNHCR expressed concern over the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for civilian protection. UNHCR teams are actively monitoring developments and coordinating with local authorities and humanitarian partners to provide immediate relief. Core assistance including food, water, and basic supplies is being delivered to displaced families arriving at government shelters. Despite these efforts, the rapidly changing security situation continues to pose challenges. Officials in Lebanon have warned that continued airstrikes and ongoing military operations may displace even more people, highlighting the pressing need for a coordinated humanitarian response and protection measures across affected areas. Israel exchanged further strikes with Iran on Tuesday and continued its assault on Lebanon, intensifying a conflict which has already killed hundreds and threatens to spark a global energy crisis. Tehran is retaliating with a campaign aimed at US bases and embassies in a host of Middle Eastern countries, as well as oil refineries and tourist infrastructure like airports and hotels. Washington has warned Americans to leave the region. As the US-Israeli war on Iran intensifies, heres what to know. Whats happening now? Continuing Israeli strikes: Israel launched simultaneous strikes on Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday morning, targeting both Iranian military sites and Hezbollah. Israeli forces also seized more locations in southern Lebanon, carrying out strikes against what it says are Hezbollahs sites in the country. The Israeli military also shut all crossings in and out of the occupied West Bank, leaving Palestinians unable to access urgent aid as settler attacks rise. Iran death toll climbs: More than 787 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Tuesday, citing the Iranian Red Crescent. One Tehran resident described enduring a heavy bombardment on Monday night. It feels like an onslaught, said the 36-year-old man, whom CNN is not naming. US closes two embassies amid Iran strikes: One in Riyadh was hit by two suspected Iranian drones, prompting it to close Tuesday. Another in Kuwait announced it was closing until further notice. The US State Department ordered non-emergency US government personnel and their families to depart from Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that a parking lot next to the US consulate in Dubai was struck by a drone, and all staff were accounted for. Local authorities said the resulting fire was quickly extinguished. Irans response: In Israel, seven people sustained light injuries caused by shrapnel from an intercepted missile. Debris from another intercepted Iranian drone caused a fire at the UAEs Fujairah Oil Industry Zone while Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar all reportedly had their airspace breached. Qatar said an Iranian ballistic missile struck Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, but did not cause any casualties. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also targeted Kurdish groups in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, though the size of the attack was disputed. Americans urged to leave Middle East: The US State Department urged American citizens to depart from countries across the Middle East using available commercial travel, even as much of the regions airspace remains closed and most flights are cancelled. In Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the US embassy told US citizens to shelter in place due to an imminent threat of missiles and drone attacks, while the US embassy in Oman told its staff to shelter in place, before lifting that order later in the day. Coming big wave of US strikes against Iran: US President Donald Trump warned Monday that the US hasnt even started hitting them hard, while a senior US official told CNN on Monday night that Washington was preparing for a major uptick in attacks over the next 24 hours. The commander of US forces in the Middle East said the US military has destroyed 17 Iranian ships in its campaign against Iran, which involves tens of thousands of US service members. Why did the US and Israel attack? White House offers competing, shifting rationales for war: Three days after the US and Israel first launched their offensive against Iran, the Trump administration is still offering different explanations for doing so at times exaggerated or at odds with US intelligence as senior officials scramble to justify what has been characterized as a preemptive strike. What was the threat posed by Iran? In short, the Trump administration still hasnt clearly defined that. After the first wave of strikes, Trump cited an imminent threat to the US claims contradicted in Pentagon briefings to Capitol Hill that stated Iran was not planning to attack unless struck first. What about the nuclear threat? Before striking Iran, Trump and his top officials overstated just how close Tehran was to developing a nuclear weapon, sources told CNN. Trump repeatedly said that Tehrans nuclear program was obliterated following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last summer but in recent weeks, administration officials have suggested without offering evidence that Iran posed an imminent nuclear threat. Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has told CNN that Iran was not days or weeks away from having atomic weapons. What about regime change? Thats not a clear goal either. One end result Trump has floated is freedom for the people in Iran and for Iranians to take back your country. At the same time, he has said that a similar outcome to Venezuela where US forces seized President Nicolas Maduro but left much of the administration in place would be a perfect scenario. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that a moderate change from within the regime maybe would be more appropriate. And US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted Monday this is not a so-called regime change war. Who is leading Iran now? Ayatollah Ali Khameneis death: Irans supreme leader was killed Saturday, alongside several other senior military officials, leaving the Islamic regime battered, but still able to launch attacks across the region. A three-person leadership council now holds power until a new supreme leader is named. It includes the countrys moderate president, Masoud Pezeshkian; the hardline head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei; and a senior cleric, Alireza Arafi. When will a new supreme leader be named? Thats still unclear, though Iranian officials have indicated the process could be quite quick. The countrys foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said a new supreme leader could be chosen within days. Israel bombs compound of group that chooses Irans new supreme leader: A strike Tuesday afternoon was intended to hit the Assembly of Experts compound in the holy city of Qom while its members were voting to elect the countrys next leader, an Israeli source told CNN. Iranian state media said the building was evacuated before the attack. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, told CNN that he couldnt yet share many details but that theres a very good chance that the electors will not be readily available for further meetings. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also said it killed Daoud Ali Zadeh, described as the temporary commander of the Quds Forces Lebanon Corps and the highest ranking Iranian commander responsible for Lebanon. Zadehs predecessor Hassan Mahdavi was previously killed in an IDF strike, the military said. CNN is unable to independently confirm the claim and Iran has not commented on it. How will this impact oil prices? Oil prices continue to climb Tuesday: The price of gasoline in the US had its largest one-day increase since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, soaring 11 cents to $3.11 a gallon on average, in the latest reading from AAA. Brent futures, the global oil benchmark, jumped another 6% to $82 a barrel, per FactSet data. Natural gas futures, the European benchmark, climbed another 34% to around 59 ($68) per megawatt hour, as Qatars biggest gas producer stopped production after Iran targeted one of its energy facilities. Iran effectively closes Strait of Hormuz: An adviser to the commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Monday that vessels passing through the strategically important waterway would be targeted. About one fifth of the worlds global trade in LNG and daily oil production passes through the narrow stretch of water off Irans southern coast, and there are few other options for transporting those cargoes to global markets. Stocks slid in Europe and Asia on Tuesday, reflecting the growing anxiety of markets. How is the conflict affecting travel? Thousands of tourists have been left stranded by the aviation chaos in the Middle East, with large parts of the regions airspace closed, forcing airlines to cancel flights. The Trump administration on Tuesday said it is working to secure military aircraft and charter flights to assist the scores of US citizens trapped in the Middle East. Some airlines resumed a limited service on Monday night. Emirates and Fly Dubai resumed some flights but all of Etihads commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until at least Tuesday afternoon, as do Qatar Airways flights until at least Wednesday morning. Other Western countries are advising citizens to avoid the region too. Canada told tourists to leave the UAE once they can get on a flight and advised avoiding all travel to much of the Gulf. The United Kingdom told British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the UAE to register their presence to receive direct updates from its foreign ministry. How long could this war last? Trump has said he expects the war to last four to five weeks , but observers note those timelines could potentially change if he faces increasing political pressure domestically or decides his objectives have been reached. Irans stockpiles of missiles and drones are depleting but its unclear by how much. Arab states air defenses are diminishing too, as they are deployed time and time again to intercept Iranian attacks, though again it isnt clear how well-stocked they were before Saturday. Trump says the US has an effectively inexhaustible supply of certain munitions. He also told Politico that defense manufacturers are operating under emergency authorities to accelerate weapons production. Advertisement Advertisement CNNs Jennifer Hansler, Eugenia Yosef, Helen Regan, Karla Cripps, Hanna Ziady, Jeremy Herb, Zachary Cohen, Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood, Kara Fox, Eyad Kourdi, Oren Liebermann, Mostafa Salem and Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A New Mexico ranch, also the Playboy Ranch associated with Jeffrey Epstein, is now at the center of attention in the U.S., and it could pull ex-Prince Andrew back into the headlines once again. State officials have reopened scrutiny of Zorro Ranch, a sprawling estate outside Santa Fe. Some accusers say it served as a remote setting for abuse, and with a new Truth Commission gathering evidence and planning public hearings, the questions for investigators still hover over who went there and what happened there. Ex-Prince Andrew allegedly spent 3 days at Epsteins New Mexico Playboy Ranch The i Paper reported that prosecutors have reopened a probe into the 7,500-acre New Mexico ranch, aka the Playboy Ranch, that belonged to Jeffrey Epstein and might involve ex-Prince Andrew in the picture. Per the outlet, the property includes stables as well as a helipad and airstrip. The commission follows the Justice Departments release of millions of Epstein-related files in January, along with allegations about events at the ranch. State Rep. Andrea Romero, a Democrat who set up the commission, said records already place Andrew at the property for multiple days, claiming, We know that he was at the ranch for at least three days, just given the records that we have. She added, If he committed a crime in New Mexico or is on the record as committing a crime in New Mexico, we will subpoena him. Advertisement Advertisement However, any subpoena comes with limits. Romero acknowledged that New Mexico cannot directly enforce it against a British citizen living outside the U.S. Notably, Andrew has never acknowledged a visit to Zorro Ranch, and he has repeatedly denied wrongdoing linked to Epstein. Annie Farmer, an Epstein survivor, supported the focus on Zorro, telling The i Paper that she felt really glad the ranch now faces serious attention, and added, When I was there, the thing that struck me was that it was like a world unto itself. The post Ex-Prince Andrews Alleged Ties to Epsteins New Mexico Ranch May Emerge appeared first on Reality Tea. The decision to kill Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iran-backed leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah was taken in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, when Israel decided to eliminate anyone involved in planning or assisting the devastating 2023 assault, USA TODAY has learned. But more specific planning for what Israel has called Operation Roaring Lion and the United States is calling Epic Fury did not begin until after Israels 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, and Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the order for the operation only in November that same year, according to a person familiar with the matter. USA TODAY is the first news outlet to report on the timing of the decision to eliminate Khamenei and other top Iranian officials, and its direct connection to avenging the Oct. 7 raid, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Khamenei was killed as part of an bombing campaign by the militaries of the United States and Israel that began Feb. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Israel has a long track record of capturing or assassinating its enemies no matter where they are stretching back to the countrys founding in 1948 in the wake of World War II. Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was captured by Israel agents in Argentina in 1960 to stand trial in Israel. A little over a decade later, Israel launched a covert mission to hunt down and kill Palestinian militants linked to the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The decision to kill Khamenei was taken as part of an order by Netanyahu to target all those Israel concluded were behind the Oct. 7 attack and to prevent future attacks, according to the person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against American and Israeli targets after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack. Iran said its enemies would be "decisively defeated." Photos show reported attacks in Bahrain and Qatar. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026, in this still image obtained from a video. Smoke rises during a reported Iranian missile attack near a U.S. base, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, in this screengrab obtained from a video released on February 28, 2026. Smoke wafts in the distance after missiles were fired over Qatar on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke from an apparent missile interception hangs in the air on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke rises from an area in the direction of Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force and foreign forces including the US, in Doha on February 28, 2026, following a reported Iranian strike. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel. Smoke from an apparent missile interception on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke from an apparent missile interception on February 28, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Iran launched a wave of missiles against Israel and U.S. military sites in the wider region after a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on multiple locations across Iran this morning. The U.S. maintains a significant military presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Smoke rises during a reported Iranian missile attack near a U.S. base, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, in this screengrab obtained from a video released on February 28, 2026. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026 in this still image obtained from a video. See Iran's retaliatory attacks on US military sites in the Middle East 1 of 9 Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against American and Israeli targets after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack. Iran said its enemies would be "decisively defeated." Photos show reported attacks in Bahrain and Qatar. Smoke rises after the state news agency reported missile attack on the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain February 28, 2026, in this still image obtained from a video. The targeting of Khamenei also appears to reflect Israels decision after Oct. 7 to widen the scope of whom it was willing to target to include the most senior Iranian and Iranian-backed leaders. Israel killed Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran in July 2024. Two months later, it assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in Beirut. In recent years, Israel has used everything from letter bombs to exploding pagers and mobile phones, from drone strikes to a satellite-operated, AI-assisted machine gun mounted on a truck, to kills its adversaries. Khamenei, who led Iran for 36 years, was viewed by Israel as the chief architect or at least most senior Iranian backer of Hamas Oct. 7 attack. Iranian officials, including Khamenei, publicly denied any direct involvement in the Oct. 7 assault. Advertisement Advertisement More: Israel wants to assassinate terror leaders worldwide. It's not the first time Iran has for years funded and armed a web of militant partners across the Middle East to strengthen its influence and strategic aims across the region. That includes Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen and a blend of militant groups in Iraq with diverse aims. Iran's nuclear program, long a target of Israel, is for civilian energy purposes only, Tehran has insisted, an assertion met with deep skepticism in Israel and internationally. For decades Khamenei and other top Iranian officials have repeatedly spoken openly about destroying or eliminating the state of Israel. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a televised message in Tehran, Iran, February 9, 2026. This image was provided by the Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader. The U.S.-Israeli mission is aimed, U.S. and Israeli top officials say, at killing key members of Irans leadership, destroying its ballistic missile capabilities and severely hampering Irans ability to progress with its nuclear program. The killing of Khamenei, along with the deaths of Mohammad Pakpour, commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh; Mohammad Shirazi, Iran's deputy intelligence minister; and other top leaders was the outcome of highly coordinated military operations and intensive intelligence collaboration between the United States and Israel leading up to the strike, according to the person familiar with the matter. Advertisement Advertisement The two allies first pursued close intelligence-sharing on Irans leadership after last years 12-day war, which started June 13, 2025, when Israel launched airstrikes on Irans military and nuclear infrastructure. The United States entered the war about a week later, targeting Irans three major nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. The New York Times was the first news outlet to report that the United States and Israel had teamed up to share intelligence that specifically pinpointed the location of Irans leaders Feb. 28 at a compound in central Tehran, where they were killed. The Oct. 7 attacks stunned the world as Gaza-based fighters from Hamas and a smaller group, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, overwhelmed Israel's defenses and rampaged across southern Israel for more than 24 hours, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostage. Lebanon-based Hezbollah joined the conflict, firing rockets into northern Israel. Israel's resulting war to destroy Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and reduced the coastal enclave to rubble. The assertion by the person familiar with the matter that Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials were identified as kill targets in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attack mirrors public comments from Netanyahu and other senior Israeli leaders since the assault. Netanyahu described Irans regime as an existential threat to Israel as recently as Feb. 28. Advertisement Advertisement He and other Israeli officials have used similar rhetoric about Irans leadership and its sponsorship of regional militant groups over the course of his two decades at the top of Israeli politics. In 2002, former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon argued that Iran should be No. 1 on the "to-do list" for Israel's military. A drone photo shows the damage over residential homes and a school at the impact site following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Bnei Brak, Israel June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Chen Kalifa The operation that killed Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials began around 6 a.m. in Israel Feb. 28. The missiles struck Khamenei's compound around 9:40 a.m. in Tehran. American and Israeli military planners had planned to conduct the operation under the cover of darkness but shifted it to the daytime to take advantage of new intelligence, the person familiar with the matter said. That detail was also first reported by The Times, which also reported that Netanyahu ordered military leaders at the end of last year to begin planning for an Iran strike. According to a report in the Financial Times, Israel hacked into traffic cameras in Tehran to surveil the daily life of Khamenei and other senior Iranian figures in preparation for Operation Roaring Lion. This "life pattern" included details about his security personnel, travel routes, hours of activity and the identities of the senior figures who usually accompanied the Iranian leader. Kim Hjelmgaard is an investigative journalist covering global stories for USA TODAY, from living rooms to conflict zones. He is based in London. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Exclusive: Israels decision to kill Irans leader traced to Oct. 7 Donald Trump told The Telegraph he was very disappointed in Sir Keir Starmer for blocking him from using Diego Garcia to carry out strikes on Iran. In an exclusive interview, the US president said that the Prime Ministers initial refusal to let US forces use the Chagos Islands base was unlike anything that had happened between our countries before. Britain had denied the US permission to conduct strikes from bases such as Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, citing international law. Advertisement Advertisement However, the Prime Minister relented on Sunday night and said he would allow the US access to Diego Garcia for specific and limited defensive purposes. Mr Trump said Sir Keir took far too long to change his mind. Thats probably never happened between our countries before, he told The Telegraph, adding: It sounds like he was worried about the legality. The row over Diego Garcia led the president to withdraw his support for the Prime Ministers controversial Chagos deal to hand over ownership of the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius and instead lease back the military base. Mr Trump told The Telegraph: All of a sudden [Mauritius] was claiming ownership. He should have fought it out and owned it or make him take it, if you want to know the truth. But no, we were very disappointed in Keir. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday evening, Sir Keir said his Government did not believe in regime change from the skies in an apparent rebuke to Mr Trump. The Prime Minister appeared to criticise the US president by telling MPs that any military action in the Middle East must be lawful and thought-through. Three days into the US strikes on Iran, the president said the operation was well ahead of schedule. Mr Trump suggested Sir Keir should have always approved American use of Diego Garcia, because Iran was responsible for killing a lot of people from your country. [There are] people without arms and legs and faces that have been blown up. Iran is 95 per cent of those. Those horrible events were caused by Iran, Mr Trump said, without referring to specific cases. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump told The Telegraph the Chagos deal was a very woke thing. It would have been much better on the legal front if he just kept the ownership of the land and not given it to people that werent the rightful owners, he said. Referring to Sir Keirs about-turn on Diego Garcia, he added: It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time. Sir Keir Starmer, pictured addressing the media over the weekend, gave the US permission to use British military bases to strike Iran on Sunday night - Jonathan Brady/PA Sir Keir is also facing a backlash from Republicans in Washington following the delay. An hour after his announcement on Sunday night that he had given the US permission to use the bases, an Iranian Shahed one-way attack drone hit Britains RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. Advertisement Advertisement British servicemen received an alert warning of a security threat, urging them to take cover as explosions rang out in the Limassol area where the base is located. There were no casualties, but the Ministry of Defence has since moved service members families away from the base. Despite saying he supported destroying Iranian attack capabilities at source, Sir Keir has not authorised British troops to join the US-Israeli offensive. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans Supreme Leader, was killed in one of the first waves of strikes unleashed on Tehran. The Islamic Republic responded by striking US bases, Israeli military centres and civilian targets across the Middle East with missiles and drones. Advertisement Advertisement Sir Keir said he does not believe in regime change from the skies in a direct rebuke to Mr Trump on Monday afternoon. Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister suggested the US president did not have a viable, thought-through plan and insisted Britain would not be joining any offensive action. He added that he stood by his deliberate decision not to be involved in the initial attack, saying: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. Why Diego Garcia is crucial Diego Garcia, owned by Britain, is 2,400 miles from Irans southern coast. That puts it out of range of Iranian ballistic missiles, but within operational range of US B2 bombers. Advertisement Advertisement Britain argues that the deal to hand over ownership of the Chagos Islands is the only way to protect the continued operation of the base. The UK would lease back Diego Garcia from Mauritius at a cost of 35bn over the next 99 years. 1906 How far Chagos military base is from Iran Shortly after taking office, Mr Trump said he supported the deal and believed it would help the base, a stance lauded by British officials as a diplomatic victory. However, he changed his mind on Jan 20, launching an attack on the deal on his Truth Social platform. Mr Trump said it was an act of great stupidity by the UK, before reversing his position for a second time 10 days later, when he said it was the best deal Sir Keir could have struck in the circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement On Feb 10, Mr Trump announced once more that he opposed the deal, after Britain was thought to have refused his request to use the base ahead of the strikes on Iran. The Telegraph understands the Pentagon asked to use British bases on Saturday to take out Iranian missile capabilities. The request came as Iran used missiles to attack citizens indiscriminately across the Middle East, a move that would have made it easier under international law for Britain to acquiesce. Irans missiles and drones have struck targets across Israel and the Gulf, including Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. Hundreds of thousands of British citizens are stranded in the region. On Sunday, ministers were planning one of the largest evacuations since the Second World War. Advertisement Advertisement In an unprecedented operation, at least 94,000 Britons in the UAE and other Gulf nations have already registered their locations and contact details with the Foreign Office, ready for evacuation. President Trump following the strikes on Iran on Saturday with Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff - The White House/AFP via Getty Images Several areas of Irans capital Tehran were struck on Sunday as the US navy and air force continued efforts to gain air supremacy. After less than 48 hours of warfare, US and Israeli forces have taken out much of Irans top leadership, destroyed dozens of missile launchers and sunk nine of the regimes warships. In addition, a key explosives factory has been dismantled. Mr Trump said on Sunday that Irans interim leaders were willing to enter ceasefire talks, and revealed operations there had been designed to last four weeks, or a shorter time if Tehran came to the table to agree on a nuclear deal. Advertisement Advertisement We always anticipated four weeks, he told The Telegraph. We also anticipated two to three weeks to take out some of the leadership, but weve taken out all of it in one day. So that was well ahead of schedule. We always viewed it as a four-week operation. They want to make a deal badly. I said you should have made it a week ago. On Monday, the US defence secretary accused Americas traditional allies of hand-wringing and pearl-clutching over the use of force against Iran. Capable partners are good partners, unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force, Pete Hegseth told a press conference at the Pentagon. America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history. 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 Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend, two U.S. officials said on Mondaya rare use of force at a diplomatic post that could sharply escalate tensions in the country amid widespread protests over the killing of Iran's leader. Ten people were killed on Sunday when protesters breached the compounds outer wall after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Citing initial information, the two U.S. officials said it was unclear whether rounds fired by Marines struck or killed anyone. They also did not know whether shots were also fired by others protecting the mission, including private security guards and local police. This would mark the first confirmation by U.S. officials that Marines were involved in firing at the protestors. A provincial government spokesman, Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, said "security" personnel had opened fire, without specifying their affiliation. Daily security operations at U.S. diplomatic missions are often carried out by private contractors and local forces, and the involvement of Marines in the incident underscores how seriously the consulate viewed the threat. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan is home to the worlds secondlargest Shiite community after Iran. On Monday, Pakistan banned large gatherings nationwide after the protests over the strikes on Iran spread, with 26 people reported dead across the country. Protesters on Sunday chanted Death to America! Death to Israel! outside the consulate, where Reuters reporters heard gunfire and saw tear gas fired in surrounding streets. Video on social media appeared to show at least one protester firing a weapon toward the consulate and bloodied demonstrators fleeing as shots rang out. A Karachi police official told Reuters that the shots were fired from inside the consulate premises. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Marines referred questions to the U.S. military, which in turn referred questions to the State Department. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Shiite community leaders have called for more protests in Lahore and Karachi despite the nationwide ban on public gatherings. The U.S. embassy in Pakistan is in the capital, Islamabad, and there are two additional consulates in Peshawar and Lahore. Roads leading to the U.S. consulate in Karachi were blocked off with a heavy police presence in the area. Similar measures were in place around U.S. missions in Lahore and Islamabad. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman) You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Alvarez & Marsal Private Wealth Partners, the registered investment advisor launched by A&M Inc., the parent company of management consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal, about a year and a half ago, has created its own trust company. Alvarez & Marsal Trust Company, N.A., will be run by Beth King, who was hired in November 2024 to lead the trust companys buildout. King previously served as president of the Delaware Trust Companies at both Brown Brothers Harriman and J.P. Morgan. The companys national bank charter was approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on Feb. 16. Although the trust company will be headquartered in Delaware, a popular trust jurisdiction, it is a national charter, giving A&M the flexibility to expand into other state jurisdictions, such as Florida and California, in the future without the drawn-out state chartering process, King said. With the launch, A&M Private Wealth Partners, an RIA with about $2 billion in assets under management, will be able to provide fiduciary trust services, including professional trustee and estate settlement services, philanthropic advisory and administration, family business and real estate services, and private trust company services, to its high-net-worth clients. One differentiator is that A&M Trust will trust assets that are not liquid, including businesses, real estate and other complex assets that other trust companies shy away from, King said. Our goal and our vision is to fill the complexity gap that we see in the market, she said. Theres a huge opportunity with ultra-high net worth families that have these complex balance sheets: real estate, business interests, you name it. We think theres a big gap in the market where most other corporate fiduciaries either do not want to take discretion over those assets, or they dont have the ability to because they cant execute on it. We feel we can get comfortable with that, and we also have the ability to draw on the actual operational expertise that our partners at A&M have with respect to those underlying assets, she added. The RIA is part of A&M Inc., the parent company to A&M Holdings, the global consulting company founded by Tony Alvarez and Bryan Marsal in 1983. The trust company will be able to tap into the operational expertise on the management consulting side of the business, which has various disciplines across geographies and industries, including real estate. Do real photos show celebrities like Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, and Barry Manilow posed in front of their $80 million private jets? No, that's not true: A network of fake fan pages are publishing nearly identical copy/paste clickbait stories. The posts have AI-generated images of the celebrities posed with private jets. While some celebrities do own private jets, the made up controversies and the accompanying photos are not real. Image source: Lead Stories screenshot from facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0E4LKK1Q6EA3EE8dWnsdyWP4kJSz1yCEbd4Te7sWSrJ4vh4pYEgUJ76PgxmP2mu71l&id=61580863392964. The Facebook page transparency report (archived here) for Mystical Rhythms (pictured below) shows the fan page has managers based in Vietnam. Image source: Screenshot from 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. You can see recent reporting and fact checks mentioning that country here. Advertisement Advertisement A Google News search for news articles mentioning "Stevie Nicks" "$80 million private jet" did not produce any results (archived here). Lead Stories searched Facebook for the phrases, "$80 million private jet" "Internet can't process it". The search results returned many duplicate versions of this story which were posted by fake fan pages made to attract the fan base of the respective celebrities. In many instances the AI-generated private jet pictured was not even unique, but had different name decals as it was recycled behind AI-generated images of the different celebrities. The Lead Stories GIF (below) shows some of the Facebook search results: Image source: animation of Facebook search results for the phrase "$80 million private jet" "Internet can't process it". Lead Stories found posts involving: Bob Dylan Trace Adkins Post Malone Joe Walsh Alan Jackson Marilyn Manson Tanya Tucker Randy Owen Mark Ruffalo Kevin Costner Billy Bob Thornton Maksim Chmerkovskiy Jon Bon Jovi Rod Stewart Sydney Sweeney Tom Jones Luke Bryan Jim Carrey Brad Paisley Dolly Parton Andrea Bocelli Dave Mustaine Nigel Farage Lenny Kravitz 50 Cent 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'". Claim: The United Nations Security Council labeled U.S. President Donald Trump a "wanted international war criminal" following the United States and Israel's Feb. 28, 2026, joint strikes on Iran. Rating: Rating: False In early March 2026, after a Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli joint attack on Iran that killed the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, social media users claimed that the United Nations Security Council had declared U.S. President Donald Trump a "wanted international war criminal." Advertisement Advertisement The rumor spread on Facebook (screenshotted), X and Instagram (screenshotted). MAJOR UPDATE: DONALD TRUMP HAS JUST BEEN LABELED A "WANTED INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMINAL" BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL pic.twitter.com/Bb9DIBvMiJ Q (@QTHESTORMM) March 1, 2026 Meanwhile, Snopes readers asked whether the claim was true. It was not. While the U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting following the military strikes, it had not released any resolutions, presidential statements or news releases that labeled Trump as a war criminal at the time of publication. A Google search showed no reputable news outlets had reported that the council declared Trump a war criminal, which would have been the case if the claim were true. Furthermore, the United States is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and has veto power over decisions it makes. That means the United States would be able to overrule any potential attempt by the U.N. Security Council to label Trump a war criminal. Advertisement Advertisement As such, we have rated this claim false. What U.N. secretary-general, Iran ambassador said On Feb. 28, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran's subsequent retaliation. He called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation." The full, two-hour emergency session of the U.N. Security Council held in reaction to the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran is available on the U.N. website. The U.N. also provided live updates of the meeting. A search of those updates found only Iran's ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, explicitly calling the attacks a "war crime" (see 1:25:23). Iravani did not specifically call Trump a war criminal. His full statement begins at 1:23:19. U.S. power over U.N. Security Council The U.N. Security Council, widely considered the organization's most powerful body, oversees international peace and security. It is made up of 15 U.N. member nations. Five of those members are permanent, whereas the other 10 are elected for two-year terms by U.N. member countries. Advertisement Advertisement The United States is a permanent member alongside China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom. Article 27 of the Charter of the United Nations grants all permanent members the power to veto all decisions the council makes, aside from procedural decisions like changing the meeting agenda (emphasis ours): 1. Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote. 2. Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members. 3. Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is nominated by the president and represents U.S. interests. As of this writing, the current ambassador is Mike Waltz, a former Republican congressman, White House adviser and Department of Defense policy director. As such, under U.N. rules, it would be impossible for the Security Council to take any official actions labeling Trump as a war criminal without U.S. support, which would be highly unlikely while he is in office. Sources: @realDonaldTrump. "I Am Pleased to Announce That I Will Be Nominating Mike Waltz to Be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. From His Time in Uniform on the Battlefield, in Congress And, as My National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz Has Worked Hard to Put Our Nation's Interests First. I Know He Will Do the Same in His New Role. In the Interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio Will Serve as National Security Advisor, While Continuing His Strong Leadership at the State Department. Together, We Will Continue to Fight Tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter!" Truth Social, 1 May 2025, truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114433942825461076. Advertisement Advertisement "MIDDLE EAST LIVE: UN Security Council Meeting in Emergency Session over Iran." UN News, 28 Feb. 2026, news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167060. Nick Pay, Vahid, and Przemysaw Postolski. "Power and Diplomacy in the United Nations Security Council: The Influence of Elected Members." The International Spectator, vol. 57, no. 2, Sept. 2021, pp. 117, https://doi.org/10.1080/03932729.2021.1966192. "Presidential Statements | Security Council." Main.un.org, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/presidential-statements. "Press Statements | Security Council." Un.org, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/press-statements-0. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026. Advertisement Advertisement "Reports Submitted by / Transmitted by the Secretary-General to the Security Council in 2026 | Security Council." Un.org, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/reports-submitted-transmitted-secretary-general-security-council-2026. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026. "Statement by the Secretary-General on Iran." Secretary-General, 28 Feb. 2026, www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2026-02-28/statement-the-secretary-general-iran. "'Trump War Criminal Security Council' ." Google Search, www.google.com/search?q=trump+war+criminal+security+council&sca_esv=5977621399439e78&source=hp&ei=WBGmacGXKpus0PEPw6zWiAc&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaaYfaJIeedkEH5F0BEC4Bs10UEhPlGOA&ved=0ahUKEwjBo77xo4KTAxUbFjQIHUOWFXEQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=trump+war+criminal+security+council&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiN0cnVtcCB3YXIgY3JpbWluYWwgc2VjdXJpdHkgY291bmNpbEjPU1AAWLpScAd4AJABAJgBX6AB-hOqAQIzOLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCFaACpQioAgrCAgsQABiABBiRAhiKBcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQLhiABBixAxiDAcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGIoFwgIREC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYgwEYxwHCAgsQLhiABBjRAxjHAcICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAhAQABiABBixAxhDGIMBGIoFwgIQEC4YgAQY0QMYQxjHARiKBcICEBAuGIAEGLEDGEMYgwEYigXCAgUQABiABMICDhAAGIAEGLEDGIMBGIoFwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYxwPCAgQQABgDwgIdEAAYgAQYtAIY1AMY5QIY5wYYtwMYigUY6gIYigPCAgoQABgDGOoCGI8BwgIREAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYxwMYigWYAwTxBTMxNq5bbt_LkgcEMjAuMaAH42myBwQxMy4xuAeLCMIHBjAuOS4xMsgHQIAIAA&sclient=gws-wiz. United Nations. "Chapter v: Article 27 Charter of the United Nations Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs Codification Division Publications." Un.org, 2016, legal.un.org/repertory/art27.shtml. Advertisement Advertisement ---. "Current Members | Security Council." Main.un.org, United Nations, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/current-members. ---. "Resolutions | Security Council." Main.un.org, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/resolutions-0. ---. "Voting System | Security Council." Un.org, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/voting-system. United States Mission to the United Nations. "Ambassador Mike Waltz - United States Mission to the United Nations." United States Mission to the United Nations, 19 Sept. 2025, usun.usmission.gov/ambassador-michael-waltz/. The Iowa House advanced a bill Monday that would allow farmers to disable the diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF, systems required by federal emissions laws. House File 2529 would require manufacturers of farm equipment with DEF systems to provide diagnostic and repair information as well as software regarding the repair of a DEF system, so that farmers dont have to rely on authorized technicians to fix a stalled machine. Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, said the proposed legislation is a farmer affordability bill that allows producers to repair and alter their equipment and remove the diesel emission systems if they so choose. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The federal Clean Air Act requires most on-road and off-road diesel engines to have diesel exhaust fluid and systems that cause the engines to de-rate or slow down drastically when the fluid runs out. Wulf called the DEF systems, which help to limit the emissions of nitrogen oxides from the diesel engines, a costly and burdensome requirement from previous administrations. The regulation was implemented in 2010, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Trump administration is working to modify the required derating principles. We have to do everything we can to help reduce additional costs to farmers who have to pay the penalty with their livelihoods because of environmentalist interests, Wulf said. More right to repair: The Iowa House Agriculture Committee also advanced another piece of legislation, House File 2709, formerly House Study Bill 751, that is a broader right to repair bill encompassing all types of agricultural equipment and repairs. Advertisement Advertisement In a subcommittee hearing on the bill, a lobbyist from Deere & Co., which registered against the bill, said providing parts and tools to individual operators would put manufacturers in competition with their own dealers who pay for that equipment and training. Deere & Co. also pointed out that EPA recently issued guidance, at the companys request, explaining that the Clean Air Act is not meant to interfere with equipment repairs. Per the EPA guidance, manufacturers can disable the emission systems to allow a farmer to repair their equipment. Rep. Kenan Judge, D-Waukee, said the bill seems to him more like a right to modify bill than a right to repair bill since it would allow farmers to disable the DEF systems on their equipment. He argued this would put Iowa and the attorney general at odds with federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Judge said disabling the system would have cascading effects on the rest of the engine, would back dealers in a corner and harm farmers ability to use their machine warranties. I think itd be more reasonable to try to advocate for our Congress and president of the United States to change this, Judge said. Wulf said that as the ag-industry leader state in this nation, Iowa should allow farmers to continue to be innovators. Its time that we as a legislative body, once again, stand up for the American farmer and not the others who make money off the backs of the farmer and rancher, Wulf said. Advertisement Advertisement The bill advanced with a vote of 57-33, with mostly Democrats voting no. Democratic Reps. Josh Turek, J.D. Scholten and Austin Baeth voted in favor of the bill. Ten Republican representatives voted against the measure. Shellfish in Iowa The House also advanced a bill that would create a new category for shellfish producers in Iowas animal feeding operations code. Iowa code currently defines animals in a feeding operation as: cattle, swine, horses, sheep, chickens, turkeys or fish. House File 2534 adds shellfish to the definition at the request of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Soybean Association, according to Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley. I just want to promise the body, theres nothing fishy about the bill, Windschitl said. Advertisement Advertisement The bill specifies that one animal unit of shellfish is equivalent to 1,000 shellfish that individually weigh 25 grams or more, or 16,667 shellfish that weigh less than 25 grams. HF 2534 advanced with a unanimous vote. This article has been updated to clarify testimony from Deere & Company representatives. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An illustration of the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang (left) to today (right). | Credit: NASA A team of scientists says it's possible to use tiny ripples in space and time, or gravitational waves, to measure the rate at which our universe is expanding. This could solve one of the biggest mysteries in physics today, a disparity in calculating this rate known as the "Hubble tension." Scientists have known since 1998 that not only is the universe expanding, but also that the expansion rate is accelerating. " Dark energy " was introduced as a placeholder name for the mysterious force driving this acceleration, but there's an outstanding issue surrounding the universe's expansion rate in general, even after over two decades and a half of investigation. Advertisement Advertisement A key part in measuring the rate of our universe's expansion is the Hubble constant . The so-called "Hubble tension" arises from the fact that when you measure the Hubble constant starting from the local and modern-day universe using Type 1a supernovas for your measurements you get one value. However, when you begin the calculation starting from the distant and ancient cosmos and use a major framework in physics called the standard model of cosmology to measure the answer you get another value. Scientists have therefore long been hunting for a third way to measure the Hubble constant as an extra way of checking its true value. And now, a team of researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago thinks the answer lies with gravitational waves . "This result is very significant it's important to obtain an independent measurement of the Hubble constant to resolve the current Hubble tension," team leader Nicolas Yunes, the founding director of Urbana's Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe (ICASU), said in a statement. "Our method is an innovative way to enhance the accuracy of Hubble constant inferences using gravitational waves." Why gravitational waves? The story of gravitational waves begins in 1915 with Albert Einstein 's theory of gravity, known as general relativity . General relativity suggests that objects with mass cause the very fabric of spacetime (the four-dimensional unification of space and time) to warp. What we experience as gravity arises from this warping; the larger the mass, the greater the curvature and the stronger the gravitational effect. However, general relativity also predicts that when objects accelerate in spacetime, this generates ripples that radiate outward at the speed of light . Those are called gravitational waves. Humanity made the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015, thanks to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory ( LIGO ) in the U.S. The detected waves came from the collision and merger of two massive black holes located around 1.3 billion light-years away. Since then, along with its fellow detectors Virgo and the Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) in Italy and Japan, respectively, LIGO has detected gravitational waves from many mergers between pairs of black holes, pairs of ultra-dense neutron stars and even a mixed merger between a black hole and a neutron star. Advertisement Advertisement Gravitational waves have been proposed as a way of gauging the Hubble constant before, but the issue has been that the accuracy hasn't been there. This team thinks their novel approach has that accuracy, and says it will only increase as our gravitational wave detectors become more sensitive. "It's not every day that you come up with an entirely new tool for cosmology. We show that by using the background gravitational-wave hum from merging black holes in distant galaxies, we can learn about the age and composition of the universe," Daniel Holz of the University of Chicago said. "This is an exciting and completely new direction, and we look forward to applying our methods to future datasets to help constrain the Hubble constant, as well as other key cosmological quantities." An illustration showing the emission of gravitational waves from the collision of black holes. | Credit: Deborah Ferguson, Karan Jani, Deirdre Shoemaker, Pablo Laguna, Georgia Tech, MAYA Collaboration To use gravitational waves to measure the Hubble constant, scientists need to measure the speed at which the events that launch the waves are receding away from us, not just estimate the distance to said events. That requires astronomers tracking down light, or more precisely, electromagnetic radiation, from these events or even from the galaxies hosting the events Comparing these two forms of astronomy, unified as so-called "multi-messenger astronomy," scientists can get two values for the Hubble constant: one with electromagnetic radiation alone, one with electromagnetic radiation and gravitational waves. If these techniques don't agree, the Hubble tension persists, and scientists know there is something different about the early universe and the modern universe that is currently unaccounted for. Advertisement Advertisement What the team proposes to use in the technique they call the stochastic siren method are background gravitational waves. This can be thought of as the background hum of the universe from a host of more distant collision events underlying that loud crashing orchestra of relatively close massive black hole mergers. "Because we are observing individual black hole collisions, we can determine the rates of those collisions happening across the universe," Cousins said. "Based on those rates, we expect there to be a lot more events that we cant observe, which is called the gravitational-wave background." An illustration of the gravitational wave background. | Credit: Carl Knox, OzGrav, Swinburne University of Technology Cousins and colleagues reason that for lower Hubble constant values, there is a lower volume of space available for collisions to occur, resulting in a higher collision density and thus a stronger gravitational wave background signal. So, if that background can't be detected, that hints at a higher Hubble constant. Though the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA conglomerate isn't yet sensitive to detect the gravitational wave background, the team was still able to apply the stochastic siren method to the data gathered by these detectors. They found that this implied higher Hubble constant values and thus a more rapid universal expansion rate. Advertisement Advertisement That was just a proof of concept for the team; the stochastic siren method could really come into its own over the next six years, as sensitivity increases and scientists can tighten the constraints on the Hubble constant. After this period, gravitational wave detectors should be sensitive enough to "hear" much of the gravitational wave background, and this method could have developed enough to provide an independent measure of the Hubble constant, potentially ending the Hubble tension. "This should pave the way for applying this method in the future as we continue to increase the sensitivity, better constrain the gravitational-wave background, and maybe even detect it," Cousins said. "By including that information, we expect to get better cosmological results and be closer to resolving the Hubble tension." A man who returned to Mexico last month after being detained by ICE shall be brought back to Minnesota, a federal judge ordered Monday. U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the mans reentry into the U.S. and bear the cost of his travel back to Minnesota. This comes after the man returned to Mexico on Feb. 2 under an administrative departure agreement despite court orders calling for his immediate release from ICE custody. Advertisement Advertisement A petition filed by the man's attorneys say he'd lived in the U.S. for 26 years, owned a home and business and had neither a criminal record or a removal order when he was arrested by ICE while shopping at Walmart on Jan. 24. The petition raises allegations that the man was unable to access his medications while in confinement and had "no opportunity to communicate with legal counsel either before or when" he was presented with the voluntary departure form, which he signed. ICE, Flickr (ICE, Flickr) On Feb. 2, in a ruling on a habeas petition, the court ordered the man be released "immediately" without conditions. However, according to the petition, he was instead taken by bus from a Texas detention facility to a point of entry in Mexico in violation of the release order. The man's attorneys claim their client first learned of the release order once in Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Mondays order outlines that the man must not be re-detained upon his return to the U.S. The order is stayed for seven days to permit the federal government to file an appeal. Bryan, a federal judge in Minnesota, last week ordered U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and other federal officials to appear at a contempt hearing in St. Paul on Tuesday, March to answer for dozens of incidents in which immigrants were unlawfully detained and then released from ICE custody without personal belongings, including cash, passports and cellphones. This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. As the Israel-Iran war intensifies, experts explain the key differences between now and June's conflict, highlighting changes in military tactics and regional stability. Israel and the United States have hit the Islamic regime harder and across a wider swath of territory in recent days than during the opening phase of the 12-Day War in June, according to new data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) shared with The Jerusalem Post on Monday. In June, large stretches of southwestern Iran remained largely untouched in the wars early days. This time, however, Israeli and American strikes have reached deep into and around Hormozgan Province, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, and Khuzestan Province, signaling a broader campaign. Advertisement Advertisement The scope of retaliation has also shifted. During the June attacks, Tehran concentrated its firepower on Israel. Now, the Islamic regime is expanding its response, targeting neighboring countries and US bases across the region. Iran will attempt to impose costs across the region through attacks on tourist areas, expat zones, and US bases. Internal chaos is likely in Iran as succession layers are removed and the chain of command fragments. Its hard to define a timeline, but this presents a high risk of rapid escalation rather than gradual deterioration, ACLED CEO Prof. Clionadh Raleigh said. The US and Israel have said they are pursuing regime change rather than deterrence. In practical terms, the costs of this will be borne by civilians, with a threat to wider regional stability as regional alignment is increasingly fractured. There is clearly potential for wider conflict involving proxy networks, Raleigh continued. Right now, the regime is concerned that they do not have the ammunition or launchers to see the continuation of this conflict through, Dr. Menahem Merhavy, a fellow at The Harry S. Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, explained to The Post. The attacks on neighbors are a desperate gamble to see if they will pressure the US to end the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement I think they're taking a very big bet, because at some point, their neighbors might turn against them again, just like their people if they radiate weakness, or people will feel that they're on the brink of collapse, he continued. Their neighbors might join in [on the attacks] and it's a huge risk they're taking, and they're taking this risk exactly because of their despair. Really, they're at a desperate moment now. The aims of the war Turning his attention to the aims of the war, Merhavy said that only a change within the regime is a realistic goal at this point, not a new system of governance. The power structures may change within the regime, and Iranian politician Ali Larijani may become president, or an IRGC official may take control, turning the country into a military dictatorship, but the chances of Iran emerging into a liberal democracy are slim, he claimed. In recent weeks, leading up to the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday, Larijani has been frequently named as a major player in the Iranian political scene. On Sunday, he said a temporary leadership council would be set up to deal with the power vacuum. Appointed in August as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Larijani has held senior jobs throughout a career marked by loyalty to Khamenei and efforts to expand his power. Larijani ran unsuccessfully for president in 2005 and later sought to contest the 2021 and 2024 presidential elections but was barred both times by the Guardian Council, which cited issues including lifestyle standards and family ties abroad. Advertisement Advertisement The regime will do their best efforts at the moment, to nominate somebody in the place of Khamenei. That's very important, Merhavy continued, though added there would be security issues with following the constitutional process, as gathering an assembly of senior clerics and officials is too risky. Larjanis temporary leadership council, he explained, was to fill the gap and mediate the risk of gathering potential targets under a single roof. In the short term, the temporary council benefits Larjani, Merhavy explained, but the regime still requires a Supreme Leader, a role Larjani is unsuited for. The longer the regime continues without one, the greater the chance of a civilian uprising, continued. The regime leadership knows that every day, every hour this extends, it raises the risk of some uprising among the people, he said. It won't happen in the next day or two, but maybe a week from now, it's definitely a possibility. When people start to feel that the system is weak enough to challenge it, they will do it. 10% of the Iranian population support the regime Raleigh said that only about 10% of the Iranian population is staunch supporters of the regime, echoing claims made by former US Cyber Command top commander Lt. Gen. Charles L. Moore Jr., who told The Post on Sunday that 80% of Iranians want to see the regime replaced. Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the June war and now are the events preceding it. Iranians have braved the regimes brutality to protest, at first, against the countrys economic struggles and, later, the brutal and violent repression of demonstrations. Merhavy noted that Khameneis death was openly celebrated on the streets of Iran, and now, with the war, the Basij and security forces are too busy to attempt to suppress dissent. Turning his attention to the internet blackout, similar to those imposed in early January, has prevented civilians from sharing information online about the strike sites and the status of dissent or civilian damage. As it currently stands, much of the information available is based on the regimes own narratives. The majority of the population of Iran is part of an unorganized opposition movement, Raleigh explained, adding her prediction that the coming weeks and months will see a risk of local power struggles as central control weakens, bringing with it potential for jailbreaks, defections, and localized violence. Prince Reza Pahlavi taking power? Asked specifically about exiled prince Reza Pahlavi taking power, given his growing presence in Western discussions, Merhavy said he doubted the feasibility of such a plan despite it aligning with Israeli interests. Advertisement Advertisement I still see him as an anecdote, and not more than that, he admitted. As much as I wish that he would take over, and it's definitely as an Israeli a better kind of outcome, but I think it's too ideal to think that he could take over Iran in the foreseeable future. More realistic, Merhavy said the best you can hope for in Iran is someone from within the Islamic regime taking the state somewhere less militaristic or less antagonistic maybe towards the West. Anything beyond that is a little too naive or too optimistic to hope for, he claimed. While ACLED noted significant differences in the opening phases of the wars, Merhavy predicted the conflict would be of similar duration, suspecting the regime would raise a white flag before risking losing power. Advertisement Advertisement They will find some kind of compromise, he predicted, saying that they will likely commit to giving up their nuclear program and whatever is left of their missiles. Iran pushing US and Israel to all-out war The regime was unaware of how far they were pushing the US and Israel to all-out war, to threatening its own existence, he continued, but stated that the point was now being driven home. Once aware of how dire the situation is, Merhavy predicted that either a politician or a member of the IRGC would seize control and make an agreement with the US. The Post noted that Iran has failed to maintain multiple agreements and denied access to IAEA monitors multiple times in the past. Asked then how the US or Israel could trust any time of agreement from this regime, and drop its push for a new governance, Merhavy said that it was important to be realistic about what could actually be achieved. I think look for now the best you can hope for, and I think we need to be realistic about what we what is achievable here, is for a trauma to this regime that will make it want to stay away from such a situation in years to come, he said, implying this war needed to devastate the regime so badly that it would refrain from recreating the conditions that led to the conflict. While he asserted multiple times that he did not believe the US or Israel could overthrow the regime, he said it will collapse eventually. In the meantime, he said Larjani may take Iran into a somewhat less antagonistic, hostile course towards the West, because otherwise they're really facing much harder years than the previous ones. Satellite images released Monday show fires burning and vast plumes of black smoke rising from Irans main naval headquarters at Bandar Abbas, with at least one vessel ablaze following a strike. The images, from Planet Labs, were released within days of the U.S. and Israel launching targeted strikes on Iran, and ahead of President Donald Trump saying he would not rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran if "necessary" amid Operation Epic Fury. The escalation comes as commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stalled, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI. Advertisement Advertisement Us Surges Forces To Middle East As Pentagon Warns Iran Fight Will Take Some Time' According to the Times of Israel, Irans Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander also said the Strait of Hormuz was closed Monday, with Iran claiming it would set fire to any vessel trying to pass. Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin confirmed, citing CENTCOM, that the Strait of Hormuz remains open. Read On The Fox News App A senior U.S. military official said Iran is neither patrolling nor enforcing its claimed "closure," and there has been no evidence of mines in the waterway. However, commercial vessels are navigating the area cautiously. Advertisement Advertisement The official noted this is not the first time Iran has announced plans to close the strait, describing the move as a "pressure tactic" intended to stoke fear. The official added that Tehran is unlikely to mine the waterway, given that roughly 80% of its oil exports are shipped to China. Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, occupies a key position along the Strait of Hormuz and the port is a key base serving as the headquarters of the Iranian Navy. From Missiles To Minerals: The Strategic Meaning Behind The Iran Strike A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. (Getty Images) "As of 10:56 a.m. GMT on March 2, 2026, the Port of Bandar Abbas is experiencing multiple active fires, including one aboard a berthed vessel, while maintaining a significant combined military and commercial presence at port facilities," Windward AI reported. Advertisement Advertisement "Three distinct fires are currently reported in the vicinity. Two are located at port infrastructure facilities, and one involves a vessel currently at berth." Seventeen military vessels and five commercial ships remained docked despite the fires, the firm said, noting that the continued military concentration suggests "a heightened defensive posture rather than evacuation." Windward warned that active fires at Irans principal naval and commercial port introduce "additional operational uncertainty" and raise the risk of secondary maritime disruption across the Gulf. Video footage also shared by Iran International appeared to show an attack targeting Iranian naval air facilities in Bandar Abbas. Advertisement Advertisement Key Military Sites Targeted Inside Iran As Part Of Coordinated Us-israeli Strikes Naval units from Iran and Russia simulate the rescue of a hijacked vessel during joint drills at the Port of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan, Iran, on Feb. 19, 2026. Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify identified a damaged vessel about 230 meters (750 feet) long consistent, it said, with a Makran-class forward base ship operated by the Iranian Navy. The Makran, a converted tanker measuring about 228 meters, is also a mobile maritime base and helicopter carrier capable of deploying up to five helicopters and fast-attack boats. The strike at Iran's naval HQ came on the third day of open conflict, with U.S. Central Command saying it had sunk 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App "Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO," CENTCOM said on X. Trump has said "annihilating" Irans naval forces is a core objective of Operation Epic Fury, and that the U.S. has destroyed nine Iranian naval ships so far. Original article source: Fires rage at Iran's Bandar Abbas naval headquarters, Strait of Hormuz traffic stalled An Emirates flight from Dubai has landed in Frankfurt for the first time since the conflict in Iran forced mass cancellations. A dpa photographer saw the aircraft land shortly after 1:30 pm (1230 GMT) on Tuesday at Germany's largest airport. The airline has not confirmed how many passengers were on board. The United Arab Emirates suspended international flights from Dubai after the US-Israeli attack began on Saturday, which led Tehran to retaliate by attacking US bases in several Gulf states. The airport and a hotel in Dubai were also hit. Advertisement Advertisement Other countries in the region have also had to close their airspace, including the major international hub in Qatar. Foreign tourists have been left stranded, with some countries announcing efforts to evacuate their nationals in the region. Up to 30,000 customers travelling with German tour operators are believed to have been affected by the cancellations. Despite the ongoing strikes in the region, the UAE has begun offering special flights for stranded passengers, with several Etihad Airways aircraft flying to western European cities since Monday. Emirati authorities have not explained why flights have been able to resume despite ongoing Iranian attacks. Deputies in Flagler County said they were forced to use a K9 to capture a career criminal. DeLand resident James Myers, 33, was arrested Monday after deputies said he fled a traffic stop in a stolen pickup truck. Investigators said Myers led deputies on a high-speed chase before crashing the vehicle and attempting to hide under a home. According to investigators, Myers was traveling 92 mph in a 30 mph zone before crashing the truck in a ditch. Advertisement Advertisement The Flagler County Sheriffs Office said they released K9 Uno to get Myers to come out from the homes crawl space. Myers eventually crawled out to deputies with K9 Uno attached to his arm. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly commended the K9 unit for capturing the suspect. Myers thought he could hide, but you cant fool Uno, who is trained to take a bite out of crime even if you crawl under a house, Staly said. This dirtbag just wont learn, and now hes dog bit and is, hopefully, facing a long prison term. Myers was transported to AdventHealth Palm Coast for medical clearance before being booked into the Flagler County jail. Advertisement Advertisement He faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding, habitual driving with a suspended license, resisting arrest without violence, dangerous excessive speeding, and reckless driving. The arrest follows separate charges filed against Myers on March 1 by the Bunnell Police Department for aggravated assault without intent to kill. In that incident, authorities say Myers pointed a firearm at a woman and threatened her because she refused to participate in a robbery with him. Deputies said Myers has an extensive criminal history in Florida. His record includes previous arrests and court cases for theft, drug charges, multiple counts of fleeing law enforcement, and several probation violations. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Some repatriation and cargo flights resumed from the Middle East on Monday. But Emirates says it won't have regular commercial flights before Sunday. Missile threats have forced planes to U-turn and circle about near Riyadh and the UAE. A few flights from the Middle East may have restarted but things are still far from normal. Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways and Dubai's Emirates have operated dozens of flights since Monday. However, they are not regularly scheduled commercial flights. Instead, they are mostly returning people to their home countries. Advertisement Advertisement Emirates said all its scheduled flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until at least Sunday. Etihad's flights are suspended until at least Friday morning, the airline said on Wednesday. Airports in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have told people not to go there unless they've been instructed by their airline. Some 13,000 flights in and out of the region were canceled since the Iran conflict began Saturday, affecting over 1 million passengers, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Dubai handled over 95 million passengers last year and was the world's busiest for international passenger traffic. Advertisement Advertisement The Gulf region's location has allowed its airlines to flourish by building huge hub airports that connect travelers to destinations across the globe. On Sunday, a Nepali national was killed, and seven people were injured by debris after an Iranian drone targeting Abu Dhabi airport was intercepted, officials said. Plus, Dubai International Airport was evacuated after it was damaged by an airstrike. Airspace in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait remains closed. Qatar Airways said it will provide its next update by Friday morning. For many travelers, Oman appears to be the gateway for escaping. On Thursday, British Airways and Swiss International Air Lines are both operating flights from the capital, Muscat, to help bring people back to their home countries. Advertisement Advertisement The volatility of the conflict continues to make flights from the region unpredictable. Around 100,000 aviation enthusiasts on Flightradar24 tracked the first Etihad and Emirates flights out of the UAE. On Monday, Etihad posted on X that "all flights" were suspended, but its first airplane departed Abu Dhabi an hour later. The airline later clarified that some repatriation, cargo, and repositioning flights were permitted. Screenshot of Riyadh-bound flights holding or turning back early Tuesday morning. Flightradar24 Early the next morning, airplanes were forced to turn around by more missile threats. Two Etihad Cargo flights were diverted to Muscat. An Emirates A380 from Mumbai U-turned twice before finally reaching Dubai. Advertisement Advertisement Plus, attacks on the US embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday forced planes to enter holding patterns, circling nearby before landing. The Saudi capital has largely been operating flights as normal. The first plane to leave Abu Dhabi was a Lufthansa A380 bound for Munich. It had space for over 500 passengers but only the two pilots were on board. That's because the jet arrived in the UAE for maintenance three months ago, which has now been completed. A Lufthansa spokesperson said it examined the possibility of flying passengers, but air traffic restrictions meant they couldn't bring in flight attendants, while the situation at the airport was too unpredictable to handle check-in and boarding. Read the original article on Business Insider Emirates Skycargo, the fourth-largest cargo airline by traffic, has similarly suspended flights through Dubai. It operates nearly a dozen Boeing 777 freighters and leases several crewed Boeing 747-400s from third-party carriers. The United Arab Emirates has closed its airspace and Dubai International Airport sustained minor damage to a passenger concourse from an Iranian attack, according to news accounts from the region. Qatar Airways, which operates 29 Boeing 777 freighter aircraft and carries huge volumes of cargo on widebody passenger planes, has temporarily halted flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatars airspace. Qatar Airways Cargo offers shippers 13 tons of capacity per day.The airline warned customers to expect flight delays once the airspace re-opens and it resumes operations there. In the meantime, tendered cargo is being held at its hub and other stations around the world. UPS has not announced any operational changes, but said in a statement provided to FreightWaves, We are closely monitoring this fluid situation and using established contingency plans to manage our operations safely and efficiently. The safety and well-being of our team members is our highest priority. As a result, pickup and delivery services in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and United Arab Emirates have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Shipments to and from other markets throughout the region may experience extended transit times, the company said in a service alert. We are closely monitoring the situation and will resume services as soon as it is safe to do so. We are expecting some potentially significant move in rates, especially Asia-Europe, if the situation continues with large-scale flight cancellations, said Neil Wilson, editor of global price reporting agency TAC Index, said in an email exchange. Longer routes require more fuel, reducing the amount of cargo aircraft can carry so as not to exceed weight limits. Some airlines are expected to add refueling stops. Airlines are suspending flights, rerouting traffic around the conflict zone and unable to use key transload hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar because of retaliatory missile attacks by Iran. More scheduling changes are anticipated in the days ahead. The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday is already disrupting air cargo traffic in the Middle East, a key freight corridor between Asia and Europe where two of the worlds largest cargo airlines are based, and raising the potential for a rise in air freight rates. Story Continues Bahrains international airport also suffered minor damage from a drone attack. Etihad Airlines, which operates five Boeing 777 freighter aircraft in addition to a large fleet of widebody passenger aircraft, has suspended all flights through Abu Dhabi until Monday at 2 a.m. Airlines are monitoring the situation and could choose to extend any flight suspensions. The cargo arm of Oman Air said it is experiencing limited disruption to some services within the region. Oman Air is a smaller carrier, with nine Boeing 787, 10 Airbus 330, and 32 Boeing 737-800/MAX8 passenger jets, plus one 737-800 converted freighter, according to Flightradar24 data. Services to Europe and the Asia Pacific continue to operate as scheduled, with rerouting implemented and some minor delays. As a precautionary measure, the carriage of perishable cargo has been temporarily restricted, while general cargo operations continue as normal. Hong Kong-based Cathay Group, a hybrid carrier with 20 Boeing 747 cargo jets, suspended all operations in the Middle East, including passenger services to and from Dubai and Riyadh, as well as freighter services to and from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. Flights typically passing over the affected area are being rerouted, it said. Data from Netherlands-based consultancy Rotate shows global air cargo capacity is down 18% from last week due to flight suspensions by Middle East carriers and other carriers opting not to serve the Middle East. Freighter operators in Asia pivoting from the Middle East and flying over Russia (depending on sanctions), or central Asia, to reach European destinations, according to Rotate. Air India has suspended all flights to destinations in the Middle East, as well as many flights to Europe and New York. United Airlines has cancelled all departures to and from Tel Aviv, Israel through March 6. The airline has also canceled flights through Dubai through March 4. SWISS suspended flights to Dubai through March 4 and to Tel Aviv through March 8. Until and including 8 March, we will continue to avoid the airspace of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain, the passenger airline said in a notice. In addition to suspending flights to the region, European carriers impacted because they must take the longer northern route through central Asia to reach south and east Asia, instead of the southern corridor over Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Freightos, an international cargo marketplace and freight data provider, said air cargo rates in and out of the Middle East have remained stable so far. While the situation is still developing, we can already now advise of significant delays ahead for both shipments already in transit and for upcoming shipments to and from the Middle East. It is also likely that there will be delays on the Asia-Europe trade lane as a result of this, said Scan Global Logistics in a notice to customers. Immediate hikes in air cargo rates could be tempered by the fact that Chinese exports are still slow as factories come back online following the Lunar New Year holiday, which means there is more slack in aircraft supply than there will be in a week or two, said Dmitry Kulisch, executive director of Air Cargo APAC Ltd., a Hong Kong freight consolidator. He said cargo rates could be pressured upward too because fewer passenger aircraft will be available to carry cargo as airlines prioritize repositioning aircraft within their networks to restart operations once the war ends. Impact on ocean shipping Meanwhile, on the ocean front, container shipping lines Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and CMA CGM are ceasing services to and diverting vessels away from the Strait of Hormuz and the region, with CMA CGM introducing a $4,000 emergency surcharge per forty-foot container for services to the region. Hapag Lloyd announced a war risk surcharge of $1,500 per 20-foot equivalent unit for cargo transiting the Arabian/Persian Gulf, effective March 2. Reefer and special containers will be charged at $3,500 per TEU. Marsk also cautioned customers about possible service disruptions in the UAE, Oman and Qatar. Iranian Revolutionary Guards attacked two oil tankers on Sunday. Four seafarers on the MT Skylight were injured and transferred ashore for medical treatment after their vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials in Oman and the Palau Ship Registry. DP World has suspended operations at the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai after an aerial interception caused a fire there Saturday night. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to resume strikes. In response, carriers that had restarted some Red Sea sailings have diverted vessels back around the Cape of Good Hope, postponing industry plans to return to the shortcut between Asia and Europe. The Freight & Trade Alliance and the Australian Peak Shippers Association, representing logistics providers and cargo owners in Australia, said Sunday night the situation is already having direct and measurable impacts on Australian supply chains, with disruptions to air cargo connectivity, container shipping schedules, and the rapid imposition of significant conflictrelated surcharges by major international carriers. International supply chains have buffeted by geopolitical events in recent years, including the Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war and the proliferation of global tariffs triggered by the United States. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com. RELATED STORIES: Iran-backed Houthi warn of new Red Sea attacks The post Air freight rates expected to spike as Iran war escalates appeared first on FreightWaves. UPDATE: U.S. Supreme Court denies Kearse's appeals. A man who confessed to fatally shooting Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish with his own service weapon during a 1991 traffic stop is scheduled to be executed starting at 6 p.m. March 3, barring a last-minute stay. Billy L. Kearse, 53, will be the third person put to death by the state this year, just one week after the execution of Melvin Trotter, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for strangling and stabbing Virgie Langford in Palmetto in 1986. Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Supreme Court on Feb. 12 denied a motion for a stay of execution and a motion for an extension due to the fading health and death of the father of Kearse's attorney. Attorneys for Kearse filed a motion with the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the execution, citing violations of the Sixth, Eighth and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution, but it was denied Tuesday afternoon. Kearse's attorneys argued that his right to an impartial jury was violated after a juror made a social media post at his capital resentencing proceeding, saying how much the juror "was affected by the law enforcement presence in the courtroom. The defense also pointed to new evidence showing Kearse was intellectually disabled. The motions also took aim at the Florida Supreme Court, quoting Justice John Stevens from a 1983 decision when he said it had become "a rubber stamp for lower court death-penalty determinations." Florida sets rapid-fire pace for executions Kearse will be the first of three people scheduled to be executed in March, which may be a new record. Advertisement Advertisement The state's accelerated execution schedule started last year, when Gov. Ron DeSantis issued 19 death warrants, a modern-day state record for most executions in a year, more than doubling the previous record. In 2025, Florida executed four times as many inmates as any other state in the nation. Florida's execution pace, policies under scrutiny Aside from advocacy groups calling for Kearse's execution to be stayed and his sentence commuted to life in prison, questions have also arisen over Florida's execution policies. Recent Supreme Court appeals have pointed to signs of underdosing, drug substitutions, the use of expired drugs and other factors that may have led to complications and needless suffering. The Supreme Court's decision not to stay last week's execution of Melvin Trotter included concerns from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who concurred with the decision but called the state's record "troubling" and called out Floridas implementation of its execution protocol "and the secrecy surrounding it." Who is Billy L. Kearse? Billy Leon Kearse is scheduled to be the third person executed in Florida in 2026. On Jan. 18, 1991, Billy Leon Kearse, then 18, was driving the wrong way on a one-way street in St. Lucie County when Parrish pulled him over, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement After Kearse couldn't produce a drivers license and gave Parrish several false aliases, Parrish ordered him out of the vehicle. Parrish then attempted to handcuff him. Kearse struggled with the officer, prosecutors said, grabbed Parrish's weapon, and fired 14 shots. Thirteen of them struck Parrish, nine in the body and four in his bulletproof vest, according to a document from Attorney General James Uthmeier included in the Florida Supreme Court filings. Kearse fired in groups, between which Parrish begged for his life, court documents show. Kearse got back into his dark blue 1979 Monte Carlo with the gun and fled the scene. A taxi driver heard the shots, saw Kearse driving away, and called for help on Parrish's radio. Parrish died at the hospital from his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Police tracked Kearse down with the license plate number Parrish had called in. Kearse waived his Miranda rights and confessed to shooting Parrish during the struggle, although court documents show he "led the officers on a wild goose chase for the pistol." One of Kearses companions testified during the trial that Kearse shot Officer Parrish because his probation was suspended and the police was [sic] looking for him already. Kearse was found guilty of first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary of an occupied structure and possession of burglary tools. He was sentenced to death for the murder, life for the robbery, and 10 years for the burglary charges. When is Billy L. Kearse scheduled to be executed? Kearse's execution is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at Florida State Prison, according to documents posted Thursday on the state Supreme Court website. When is the next execution in Florida? There are two more executions in Florida scheduled for March: Advertisement Advertisement March 17: Michael King, 54, was convicted in the 2008 kidnapping, rape and murder of Denise Amber Lee of North Port that resulted in increased training for 911 operators across Florida. March 31: James Duckett, 68, was convicted in the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee. How many people are on Florida's death row? As of March 2, there were 250 people on death row in Florida. The stats break down to 249 men (153 White, 85 Black, 11 other) and one Black woman. How many death row inmates has Florida executed? From 1924 until May 1964, the state of Florida executed 196 people. There were no executions from May 1964 until May 1976. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court struck down the death penalty, but it was reinstated in 1976. Florida has carried out 127 executions since then, 19 in 2025 alone. Advertisement Advertisement C. A. Bridges 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. (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida execution of Billy Kearse today for murder of police officer For weeks, hundreds of Florida residents called for lawmakers to strike out a portion of a bill that could have affected what they said was their lawful criticism against agricultural foods and practices. And it worked. Lawmakers axed the language in this year's Farm Bill (SB 290) that originally would have given farmers and growers greater ability to sue people for "false" statements about their products. Advertisement Advertisement But what was known as the "food libel" provision was deleted from the Senate bill Feb. 10 although Sen. Keith Truenow, who filed the bill, opposed the move. Similar language in a House version also was cut Feb. 24, and that chamber passed its bill March 3. Otherwise, it would have made Florida's laws the most strict among what are known as food disparagement regulations. More: Will Florida's 'veggie libel' bill chill free speech? What to know The food disparagement section wasn't mentioned on the House floor March 3, despite it being the main talking point over weeks of committees, hours of public comment and online outrage on X and Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement The original language particularly would have allowed farmers and growers to sue for false claims about all agricultural products and practices, rather than just perishable foods under existing law since 1994. Critics said the measure specifically would have shielded Florida's major sugar producers, who have faced public criticism for sugar cane burning practices. Further, the original bill sparked bipartisan outrage from Key West through Florida's Panhandle. Opponents voiced concerns through multiple committees and said the measure would chill speech. And advocates from the MAHA movement the Trump administration's health agenda known as Make America Health Again weighed in to say the bill went against the movement's goals of transparency and informed consent. Ten lawmakers voted against the Farm Bill. Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, previously said in the House State Affairs Committee that she was concerned about some of the "First Amendment dynamics." Advertisement Advertisement "I wouldn't want a child doing something like selling Girl Scout cookies to be accused of committing a crime or breaking the law," she said. What's next The bill was "enrolled," meaning that it passed both the House and the Senate. The next step is for Gov. Ron DeSantis to review and potentially sign the bill, which would make it law. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida 'food libel' measure killed after public outcry TALLAHASSEE Two days after the U.S. and Israeli militaries killed Irans supreme leader, Florida politicians are calling on and preparing for regime change in Cuba. Speaking in Miami on Monday, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican who is campaigning to become Floridas next governor, said it was time for the Cuban regime to come to an end. Earlier in the day, state Sen. Erin Grall, a Vero Beach Republican, filed an amendment to her bill, SB 1178, to prepare the state for free trade with the island nation 90 miles away if the United States topples the government. Advertisement Advertisement Gralls amendment first appeared in the House last month; the bills are lining up for passage by the Legislature. House Speaker Daniel Perez, a first-generation Cuban American from Miami, said the amendment could be necessary. If there is a legitimate regime change in Cuba that results in a government aligned with democratic principles and free markets, Florida should be positioned to engage in lawful trade that creates opportunity and strengthens Floridas economy for families and job creators across our state, Perez told the Times/Herald in a statement Monday. I have faith that President Trump and Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio will do what is just and necessary to protect American interests and build a lasting peace in our hemisphere, he added. Advertisement Advertisement So far this year, the U.S. military has captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and was involved in the killing of Irans leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But President Donald Trump has said he doesnt expect to need to use force in Cuba. In recent weeks, Rubio has been in talks with Raul Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of Raul Castro, who is still considered a key player in Cuban politics behind the scenes. Rubio told reporters on Feb. 25 after meeting with Caribbean leaders in Saint Kitts and Nevis capital that the U.S. is willing to ease Cubas financial crisis, worsened by the United States blocking of oil shipments to the island, if the countrys leaders are willing to enact reforms. Cuba needs to change, Rubio said. And it doesnt have to change all at once. It doesnt have to change from one day to the next. Everyone is mature and realistic here. Were seeing that process play out, for example, in Venezuela. Venezuela used to export oil to Cuba before the Trump administrations takeover of the South American nations oil industry in January. The Trump administration cut off those shipments to Cuba, then successfully threatened Mexico with tariffs to get it to stop sending oil to Cuba. Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature is likely to pass the amended Cuba bill. Not only do legislative leaders support the amendment, but the greater bill is already about a popular Republican subject: foreign influence. Under the added provisions, the governor could immediately begin new trade through an executive order if the Federal Government changes the diplomatic status of Cuba. The governor would then submit written recommendations for policy changes to the Senate president and House speaker to take up and pass during the next legislative session. While campaigning for governor at the iconic Versailles Cuban restaurant on Monday, Donalds, who has Trumps endorsement, said he wasnt privy to conversations going on behind the scenes related to the presidents plans on Cuba. But, like Perez, the House speaker, he said he trusts Trump and Rubio to do the right thing on behalf of the people of Cuba here in America and on the island. Do I support an end to the regime in Cuba? Donalds asked. 100%. A woman in Miami, Florida, has been arrested for allegedly beating her autistic son for kissing a classmates cheek during school. Authorities responded to the boys aftercare program after the coordinator said a teacher noticed his injuries, according to a police report. Police said that the 7-year-old boy had visible injuries when he participated in a child protective services interview with a case coordinator at the University of Miami Child Protection Team, according to Local 10. Advertisement Advertisement The boy was called in for the interview after a Department of Children and Families investigator made the introduction, according to police. Fake Child Protective Services Worker Tried to Kidnap 4 Children From Florida Home, Sheriff Says I observed a red dot bruise in his right eye, a visible bruise from the right side of his cheek to behind his right ear (purple and red in color), line marks on his left arm, and a bruise behind his legs, a police officer wrote after they responded to the boys aftercare program on February 24, according to a police report viewed by the outlet. While speaking to authorities, the boy claimed that his mother, Kelly Michel, used a brown belt to cause the injuries. He then claimed that she beat him following an incident that took place while he was at school. Advertisement Advertisement His classmate fell at school, and he kissed him on the cheek in the hopes of him feeling better, a police officer wrote, per the report. Some of the students told the teacher, and then the teacher informed the victims parents. The University of Miami Child Protection Team case coordinator concluded that the boy had to be removed from the home, and a police officer then took him to the police departments special victims unit. Michel, 27, was arrested two days later on February 26 and 7:30 p.m. in the Overtown neighborhood located in Miami, according to the outlet. She was then booked shortly after midnight on February 27 at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. According to an affidavit viewed by Law & Crime, Michel allegedly confessed to using a belt to hit the boy when she arrived at the police station to pick her son up. Advertisement Advertisement "She added that she hit him several times on his arm and buttocks," the affidavit said, per the outlet. "She also said that because he was moving around, the belt opened up and hit him in his eye." Allegedly Abusive Woman Smacked Child With Wooden Paddle Called the Attitude Adjuster She is currently facing a charge of child abuse with no great bodily harm. It is not clear if she has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest. The Miami Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weeklys request for comment. Michel appeared in bond court after her arrest on February 27 and a judge ordered her to have no contact with her son, according to CBS Miami. She reportedly works as an assistant director for the National Women's Shelter Network, per the outlet. However, her colleagues declined to comment and asked a CBS Miami reporter to leave when they visited the organization to discuss the case. Former DeKalb County sheriff Sidney Dorsey, who was convicted more than two decades ago of having the incoming sheriff Derwin Brown assassinated after losing his re-election campaign in 2000, has died in prison at the age of 86. The Georgia Department of Corrections confirmed Dorsey's death, and that it occurred of natural causes. Brown won election as sheriff in August 2000 and was just days from assuming office when his family came home late one December night to discover him gunned down in his own driveway, according to CNN reporting from the time. He was 46 years old and had a wife and five children. Advertisement Advertisement According to a 2005 Georgia Supreme Court decision upholding his murder conviction that summarized the case, Dorsey began plotting the assassination shortly after losing the election as he himself was under scrutiny for alleged corruption while sheriff. He told both the sheriff's office chief deputy at the time and a woman he was involved in an affair with that Brown "would never assume office as sheriff, that a special election would be held in January, and that Dorsey would be re-elected sheriff." "Dorsey placed his hand in the shape of a gun up to his temple to signal Brown's shooting," the Supreme Court decision states. Later, Dorsey held a meeting with a former employee of his private security company and handed him a "written note which read, 'Kill Derwin Brown.'" Advertisement Advertisement That man evidently didn't want to commit the assassination alone, and three others were recruited into the plot. "Over the course of three months they met regularly at night near Brown's home with the intention of killing Brown at any time that he was vulnerable," the decision states. Eventually on December 15, 2000, Dorsey determined the shooting "had to be done that evening" as Brown was just a few days from taking office. The four men Dorsey recruited into the assassination plot "drove together to a wooded area near Brown's home, which they had staked out during their surveillance," and "positioned themselves in wait for Brown to return home." Advertisement Advertisement "As Brown exited his car and was walking along the driveway of his DeKalb County home, he was shot 12 times and killed," the state Supreme Court decision noted. The family reportedly discovered Brown in a pool of his own blood. One of the four men involved in the plot was eventually arrested and pointed to Dorsey as the "mastermind." The former sheriff was convicted at trial in July 2002 and received a life sentence for murder. The Georgia Supreme Court decision also states trial evidence confirmed allegations of corruption in the form of an "ongoing pattern of theft of services of county personnel, and the unauthorized use of county vehicles and gasoline for personal profit and convenience throughout the entire course of Dorsey's term as sheriff." The DeKalb district attorney in 2007, Gwen Keyes Fleming, told news outlets Dorsey confessed that year to orchestrating the murder. Dorsey had been serving his life sentence at Augusta State Medical Prison. A judge heard arguments Monday on how Lindsay Clancy, a former Wallingford resident charged in the 2023 murders of her children in their Duxbury home, will be tried as part of an insanity defense. Clancy appeared by video in Monday's proceedings, which took place in Superior Court in Plymouth. During the proceeding, her attorney Kevin Reddington argued that his client's Fifth Amendment rights would be violated if he had to present evidence that she had a mental defect or disease that prevented her from understanding her actions in regard to the killings of her three children during a trial to determine if she was guilty of the murders. Advertisement Advertisement "The government should present their evidence or criminal activity with the defendant's right not to present evidence against herself," Clancy's attorney said. Reddington wants prosecutors to present their evidence that she committed the crime and then if a jury finds her guilty, he wants a second part of the trial which would consider whether she was mentally capable of understanding what she did at the time of their deaths. He said he didn't want a repeat of the grand jury inquiry where a number of firefighters and other first responders each gave the same rendition of what they found when they responded to the Clancy's home after the killings. "What these people went through is just horrific," Reddington said of the first responders. Advertisement Advertisement Clancy, who was raised in Wallingford, is charged with murder in the deaths of her three children: Cora Clancy, 5, Dawson Clancy, 3, and 8-month-old Callan Clancy. Police said she strangled each of the children with exercise bands. Clancy was left paralyzed after she leapt from her home's window in an attempt to take her own life after she killed the children, officials said. During her last court appearance on Feb. 20, her parents, Paula and Mike Musgrove of Wallingford, attended and said Clancy is loved and supported by her family. "She's a loving mother, she always will be," Paula Musgrove said outside the courtroom. Clancy, seated in a wheelchair, appeared in the courtroom for the first time since her arrest on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Reddington is seeking to break the trial into two parts: the first part would focus on the allegations, and the second would focus on her criminal liability, he said outside the courtroom on Feb. 20. Prosecutors argued Monday, however, that she had no Constitutional right to a two-part trial that would basically repeat all of the evidence presented in the first part of the trial. Judge William Sullivan said he would take both arguments under advisement when he rules on how the trial will proceed. Another court date was scheduled for April 23 after Clancy undergoes a psychiatric evaluation by physicians chosen by the state, Sullivan said. Her trial is expected to start in July. Clancy and her husband, Patrick, have filed separate lawsuits against health care providers they claim didn't properly treat her postpartum depression leading up to the murders. Advertisement Advertisement Reddington has said Clancy was on multiple medications for postpartum depression and possibly was suffering from postpartum psychosis when police say she killed her children. Her husband was out picking up food and medication when she allegedly murdered the children. In an extensive interview with the The New Yorker, Patrick Clancy described his wife as "someone who got sick." He told the magazine he wanted to testify at his wife's trial and that she had been struggling with mental illness and was heavily medicated in the months leading up to the children's deaths. Prosecutors later subpoenaed the writer of The New Yorker article and Conde Nast, the magazine's publisher, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. Staff Writer Peter Yankowski contributed to this story. This article originally published at Connecticut native Lindsay Clancy seeks two-part murder trial for children's slayings. Iranian clerics are choosing a new leader, determing whether the Islamic Republic seeks de-escalation or pursues suicidal confrontation with the United States and Israel. According to reports, the leading contender to take power in Iran is the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, several favourites to lead the country have emerged out of the rubble of the air strikes that killed the Supreme Leader, on Saturday. Many of the previous candidates were killed on the opening day of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Its not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they are all dead, admitted Donald Trump. Here are the leading contenders vying for power in the wake of the Ayatollahs killing. Alireza Arafi Likely strategy: Ceasefire The path toward de-escalation runs through Alireza Arafi, the 67-year-old cleric selected to join the temporary council. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, told his Omani counterpart that Iran was open to any serious efforts to stop escalation the first diplomatic signal that Tehran might seek an off-ramp from war. Pope Francis receives Alireza Arafi during his visit to Vatican City in 2022 - Vatican Media If clerics select Mr Arafi as Supreme Leader, it would signal willingness to return to that diplomatic framework. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Arafi controls Irans seminaries and religious education infrastructure, giving him clerical credentials. His controversial 2023 trip to Moscow, during which he met Russian officials and talked about Irans desire for extensive cooperation with Russia, suggests he has backing from the Kremlin. But Mr Arafis selection would probably mean he serves as a figurehead, while the real power resides with the Larijani family. Ali Larijani, an adviser, diplomat and scholar, whom the Ayatollah trusted more than anyone, has long been assigned to safeguard the Iranian regime in the event its leadership was wiped out. Advertisement Advertisement In this scenario, Mr Arafi would provide religious legitimacy while the Larijani brothers, Ali and Sadeq, both key members of Khomeinis inner circle, would exercise actual control, using Omani mediation to negotiate a ceasefire that preserves the regimes core interests ending strikes, maintaining some nuclear capability, avoiding regime change. Russia would guarantee the agreement. The US would accept limited Iranian nuclear enrichment in exchange for verified constraints preventing weapons development. There are some obstacles: hardliners who view negotiation as betrayal, commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who want revenge for dead colleagues, and clerics who issued fatwas declaring revenge for Khameneis death. Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri Likely strategy: Suicidal escalation Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri is a 66-year-old cleric whose apocalyptic theology and absolutist politics represent Irans most radical ideological current. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Mirbagheri said on television that to reach the goal of divine proximity, even if half the worlds people are killed, it is worth it. Therefore, the killing of 42,000 people in Gaza does not matter compared to that great goal. Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri is an uncompromising ideologue This logic that tens of thousands of deaths are acceptable costs for theological objectives would also be likely to be applied to domestic and foreign policy. If clerics select Mr Mirbagheri, it would signal rejection of any negotiated settlement and commitment to total war regardless of consequences. He views the Islamic Republic as part of Gods grand plan and conflict between believers and infidels as inevitable. Advertisement Advertisement His ideal governance model is maximalist velayat-e faqih that comprehensively directs all aspects of society toward establishing monotheism without being limited by geographic borders. In this scenario, Iran would continue Operation True Promise 4 with sustained attacks on US bases across the region, Israeli cities, and Gulf states hosting American forces. As Supreme Leader, Mr Mirbagheri would order continued strikes on aircraft carriers, oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and UAE, and keep the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of global oil passes, closed. The US would respond with overwhelming force, potentially including strikes on Irans remaining government infrastructure, cities, imposition of complete economic blockade, and support for regime change operations. Advertisement Advertisement This scenario would end in Irans destruction but Mirbagheris theology frames martyrdom as victory. The progress model must do many things so that women observe hijab and not just rely on persuasion, he has said, suggesting his vision of governance extends beyond mere survival to comprehensive ideological transformation. If the Islamic Republic cannot achieve that transformation, according to Mr Mirbagheri, destruction becomes an acceptable outcome. Sadeq Larijani Likely strategy: Pragmatic survival The path towards managed succession runs through Sadeq Larijani, the 64-year-old head of the Expediency Council whose brother Ali has spent years positioning him as the candidate who can maintain consensus across factions during crises. Advertisement Advertisement Sadeq Larijani served as judiciary chief during the brutal 2009 Green Movement crackdown, establishing hardline credentials. Sadeq Larijani, the head of the Expediency Council, represents a pragmatic option - Atta Kenare/Getty But he also occasionally criticised corruption although considered corrupt himself and endorsed limited legal reforms, creating just enough moderate credibility to be palatable across factions. More importantly, he has avoided the polarising controversies that damaged other candidates no televised statements about acceptable death tolls, no threats to raise flags in Baku, no suspicious Moscow trips suggesting foreign backing. In this scenario, the Assembly of Experts selects Sadeq Larijani directly rather than elevating Mr Arafi as figurehead. Advertisement Advertisement This signals prioritisation of institutional continuity over ideological purity. Sadeq would pursue Khameneis policies without Khameneis charisma maintaining confrontation with the West while avoiding suicidal escalation, preserving the nuclear programme while exploring diplomatic constraints, suppressing dissent while allowing limited economic reform. Iranian women mourn the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - Anadolu/Getty The Larijani familys decades of network building, strategic marriages into clerical establishment and careful positioning across key institutions would translate into a governing coalition. Ali Larijani continues running crisis management as national security council secretary. Sadeq chairs the expediency council that approves major decisions. The familys students and allies staff critical positions throughout the system. Advertisement Advertisement This scenario is the Islamic Republics best chance of survival not through victory but through outlasting Americas attention span, exploiting divisions among regional states, and demonstrating enough restraint to avoid triggering regime change operations while maintaining enough confrontation to satisfy hardliners. Mojtaba Khamenei Likely strategy: Military coup, installed as IRGC puppet if alive A possible military dictatorship could seize power through Mojtaba Khamenei, the dead Supreme Leaders second son, who has operated in the shadows for years as his fathers unofficial deputy and potential successor. If he survived the strikes and the Assembly of Experts fractures over succession with the clerics unable to agree on Arafi, Mirbagheri, Sadeq Larijani or other candidates the IRGC could simply impose Mojtaba through military force. As Khameneis son, he carries dynastic legitimacy. As someone who has managed his fathers office and networks for years, he understands the systems mechanics. As a figure acceptable to IRGC commanders who want revenge for dead colleagues, he provides military backing. In this scenario, Iran becomes an explicit military dictatorship rather than a theocracy with military characteristics. Workers in Tehran install a billboard portrait of the late Supreme Leader - Vahid Salemi/AP The pretence of clerical rule continues, but actual power stays with IRGC commanders who elevate Mojtaba as a figurehead while making decisions through military councils. The temporary leadership council becomes permanent with rotating military commanders replacing civilian officials. Iran pursues what IRGC commanders describe as powerful blows to the tired military body of the enemy while consolidating domestic control through intensified repression. Power vacuum leads to civil war Another possible outcome that could play out is that an IRGC military coup led by Mojtaba Khamenei triggers something all previous scenarios sought to avoid: civil war and separatist movements exploiting central government weakness. Kurdish areas in north-west Iran, long seeking autonomy, would probably declare independence or intensify armed resistance if they perceived the central government collapsing into military dictatorship. Arab populations in Khuzestan province, which contains much of Irans oil infrastructure, have historical grievances and could launch separatist movements. Kurdish separatists could rebel against any Iranian regime that is formed - David Furst/Getty Baluch militants in south-eastern Iran near the Pakistani border have conducted attacks for years and would exploit chaos to expand operations. Iran fragments into competing zones of control IRGC-dominated Persian core around Tehran, Kurdish autonomous regions in north-west, Arab-majority areas in the south-west, Baluch territories in the south-east. The Islamic Republic that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini built survives as a rump state controlling perhaps half its former territory while prosecuting multiple counterinsurgency campaigns. The element of surprise When Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989, the Assembly of Experts selected Ali Khamenei within hours despite his lack of required religious credentials, demonstrating the systems ability to adapt constitutional requirements to political necessities. The same flexibility could elevate unexpected candidates perhaps a figure not currently being discussed, someone emerging from the IRGC or from quietist clerics in Qom who have avoided politics until crisis demands engagement. State TV has also been prominently showing Hasan Khomeini, Khomeinis grandson, since Saturday potentially sending a message. 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. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Multiple juveniles ages 11 to 17 were arrested after an investigation into a car theft in the Town of Greece. According to the Greece Police Department, they received an alert that a black Hyundai Elantra, reported stolen out of Rochester, was traveling on Dewey Avenue. The vehicle was found in the area, and five suspects were arrested. They included a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy, a 15-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and an 11-year-old girl. Advertisement Advertisement The 11-year-old girl was released to her parents. The other suspects were charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property. The 17-year-old, 15-year-old, and 14-year-old face an additional charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle. The four suspects charged were given expedited appearance tickets and were released to their parents. 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. France is sending its flagship aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean in response to the widening conflict in the Middle East, President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday. "I have ordered the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, its air assets, and its escort of frigates to set course for the Mediterranean," he said in a televised speech a day after he warned of the risk of the conflict spilling over Europe's borders. The Charles de Gaulle carrier has been pulled out of a deployment in the North Atlantic to head for the eastern Mediterranean. It made a stopover in the Swedish port of Malmo last week. Advertisement Advertisement Macron said he was also sending additional air defence units to Cyprus, a day after Iranian-made drones hit the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base of Akrotiri in the Mediterranean island. "In addition to assets already in place, Rafale jets, air-defence systems and airborne radar aircraft have been deployed in recent hours" to the region, he said. He said the frigate Languedoc and the "additional air defence assets" would arrive off Cyprus on Tuesday, as the conflict spreads after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday. Britain has also put a warship in position off Cyprus. "The United States of America and Israel decided to launch military operations, conducted outside international law, which we cannot approve of," the French president said. Advertisement Advertisement But "the Islamic republic of Iran bears primary responsibility for this situation," he said, citing Iran's "dangerous" nuclear programme, support for regional proxies, and orders to shoot "its own people" during protests in January. Iran has responded by targeting Gulf states, Israel and US facilities across the Middle East, as well as threatening shipping in the area. - 'Self-defence' - The Charles De Gaulle is expected to take 10 days to reach the eastern Mediterranean. From there, the 20 Rafale fighter jets on board, along with two Hawkeye radar aircraft, will contribute to securing the airspace. Advertisement Advertisement "Today, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. Around 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through this strait," Macron said. "The Suez Canal and the Red Sea are also under strain and under threat." "We have taken the initiative to build a coalition in order to pool the necessary resources, including military ones, so that traffic can be restored and secured in these sea lanes that are essential to the global economy," he added. Macron said French forces had downed drones "in self-defence" during the opening hours of the conflict. "We reacted immediately and shot down drones in self-defence in the early hours of the conflict to defend the airspace of our allies, who know they can count on us," Macron said, referring to defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Advertisement Advertisement The Languedoc used its Aster missiles to shoot down drones fired from Yemen by Iran-allied Huthi rebels targeting vessels in the Red Sea in December 2023. Earlier, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France had deployed Rafale fighter jets over the UAE to protect its naval and air bases. As well as its 700 troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), France has 900 military personnel at air, naval and land bases in the UAE, along with Rafales, Leclerc tanks and Caesar artillery. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at Al-Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi. "These Rafales and their pilots are mobilised to ensure the security of our facilities," Barrot told BFMTV in response to a question on French action over the weekend to neutralise Iranian drones. Advertisement Advertisement Barrot said that a hangar at a French base in the UAE was "hit by a drone" on Sunday. In his speech, Macron said two French bases had sustained "limited strikes causing material damage" since the start of the conflict. vl/ah-ekf/db/tw French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France will increase the number of its nuclear warheads, warning that the world is hardening and Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security. Speaking at the Ile Longue naval base on Frances Atlantic coast, home to the countrys ballistic missile submarines, Mr Macron said he had decided to expand Frances arsenal for the first time since at least 1992. France currently maintains fewer than 300 nuclear warheads. I have decided to increase the numbers of warheads of our arsenal, Mr Macron said. My responsibility is to ensure that our deterrence maintains and will maintain in the future its assured destructive power. Advertisement Advertisement The president described the new posture as forward deterrence and said it would allow for the temporary deployment of elements of our strategic air forces to allied countries across Europe. He stressed, however, that there would be no sharing of decision-making authority over the use of Frances nuclear weapons. To be free, one needs to be feared, Mr Macron said. France is the only nuclear power in the European Union since Britain left the bloc in 2020. The move comes as European leaders express growing concern over Russias war in Ukraine and doubts about long-term United States security commitments under the so-called nuclear umbrella. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Macron said recent shifts in US defence priorities and the emergence of new threats had encouraged Europe to take its destiny more firmly into its own hands. Talks on deterrence cooperation have begun with Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark, Mr Macron said. Under the plan, some partners will be able to host French strategic air forces, while allies conventional forces may participate in French nuclear exercises. In a joint statement, Mr Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the two countries would deepen integration in deterrence starting this year, including German conventional participation in French nuclear exercises and joint visits to strategic sites. The Netherlands said it was in strategic talks with France on nuclear deterrence as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, NATOs collective defence and nuclear deterrence capabilities. Joint declaration of President Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. pic.twitter.com/VKMPMRFP3P Embassy of France in the U.S. (@franceintheus) March 2, 2026 Polish prime minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that we are arming up together with our friends so that our enemies will never dare to attack us. Poland is in talks with France and a group of closest European allies on the programme of advanced nuclear deterrence. We are arming up together with our friends so that our enemies will never dare to attack us. Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 2, 2026 Mr Macron also ruled out any arrangement under which German aircraft would carry French nuclear bombs, insisting that any decision to use Frances nuclear weapons would remain solely in the hands of the French president. Advertisement Advertisement If we had to use our arsenal, no state, however powerful, could shield itself from it, and no state, however vast, would recover from it, Mr Macron said. He said adversaries were becoming bolder, alliances more uncertain and nuclear risks higher than in the past. Russias war in Ukraine, Chinas rapid military build-up and the expansion of arsenals by other regional powers were all contributing to what he called a more dangerous global environment. The announcement drew criticism from disarmament campaigners. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said the move risked escalating tensions and undermining global non-proliferation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement These are indiscriminate weapons that are banned under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, said the groups executive director, Melissa Parke. This is not progress, its a nuclear arms race that no one can afford. France and Britain remain the only Western European countries with nuclear arsenals. The US and Russia possess far larger stockpiles, with thousands of warheads each. Mr Macron said the expansion was not about entering into an arms race but ensuring that no adversary could contemplate a strike against France or its interests without facing unacceptable consequences. Air carriers suspended flights to airspace in and out of the Middle East throughout the weekend as the wider region grapples with American and Israeli strikes on Iran expand the potential for a prolonged conflict. Civilian air traffic has been fully closed across various Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. Partial closures have impacted the U.A.E., Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia. More from Sourcing Journal Airlines have reacted by clamping down on their presence in the area. FedEx said pickup and delivery services in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and the U.A.E. have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Shipments to and from other markets throughout the region may experience extended transit times, the logistics giant said in a service alert. Global airlines including American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, IndiGo and more also suspended routes to airports in the countries impacted by airspace closures. The three major cargo airlines based in the Middle EastQatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airwaysall suspended their operations over the weekend. Emirates and Etihad had brief resumptions on Monday. According to data from air cargo market intelligence firm Rotate published Sunday, the airspace closures in the Middle East resulted in an 18 percent week-over-week decline in available global air cargo capacity. The air freight hurdles mirror that of those on the ocean, in which major carriers have declared they are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, while those that were pushing a possible return to the Red Sea have now reconsidered the option. During a three-hour window early Monday, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi resumed limited flights after grounding operations after the U.S.-Israeli attack. Etihad Airways had 16 flights depart from the airport during the brief opening. The Abu Dhabi airport, alongside major Middle Eastern airports in Dubai and Doha, were all struck by Iranian missiles after the Islamic republics widespread retaliation to the offensive. Dubais two airports, Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport, resumed flights on a limited basis Monday night. Emirates and Flydubai confirmed they resumed the select flights. Dohas Hamad International Airport remains closed due to the airspace closures above Qatar. We are preparing to charter flights so that the most vulnerable people, those who deserve to be accompanied, can benefit from them if necessary, Barrot told French broadcaster BFMTV. Around 400,000 French nationals are estimated to live in countries in the Arabian Gulf affected by the conflict since Saturdays strikes, which killed Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several of the countrys top military commanders. Barrot said no French citizens have been killed or hurt so far in the conflict. He also said France was not informed in advance of the Israeli and US strikes and did not take part in the military operations. Advertisement Advertisement We have set up consular teams at the borders between Israel and Egypt and Jordan to facilitate the passage of French nationals who wish to leave by land and then take a flight from Egypt or Jordan, Barrot said. He urged French citizens to use commercial flights where they are available. Barrot said around 18,000 French tourists were at one stage seeking to return home, adding that the figure is changing. He urged French nationals in the region to register on the Fil dAriane travel register so authorities can contact them if needed. He said diplomatic and consular teams are fully mobilised, with crisis services operating around the clock. Advertisement Advertisement IAEA finds no evidence of hits on Iran nuclear facilities, urges restraint Military support pledge Barrot said France stands ready to provide military assistance to regional partners if requested following Iranian retaliatory attacks. Omani and Saudi Arabian airspace remained open, he added, and French nationals in the United Arab Emirates could cross into those countries to catch flights. France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the UAE. On Tuesday, Barrot confirmed France had deployed Rafale fighter jets based at Dhafra near Abu Dhabi over the emirate to protect its military sites. These Rafales and their pilots are mobilised to ensure the security of our facilities. They have carried out operations to secure the airspace above our bases, Barrot said. Advertisement Advertisement Exchanges are multiplying to determine both how the country can defend itself against future attacks and how France can protect its interests there, he added. On Tuesday, Iran hit two data centres in the UAE and a drone landed near another in Bahrain, causing damage. France's Macron calls for ceasefire after Israel and US launch strikes on Iran Regional escalation Iranian missiles also struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the 55-km waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which 20 percent of traded oil passes. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, said Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Dont come to this region, he warned, threatening to set fire to any ships attempting to pass through the strait. On Tuesday, the French Interior Ministry said it would step up police protection for Iranian opposition figures and associations based in France. Extra patrols will be deployed near opposition-linked premises amid fears they could be targeted by agents and sympathisers of Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989. As the war entered its fourth day, Air France-KLM kept its suspension of flights to and from the Middle East. Customer and crew safety is our top priority, a company spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement No flights will operate on routes to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until at least Thursday. The company is closely monitoring the situation and will reassess its decision to resume services as conditions evolve, the spokesperson added. KLM, the Dutch arm of the airline group, has also suspended flights to and from Dammam, Dubai and Riyadh until 9 March. (with newswires) PARIS, March 3 (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot held a call on Monday with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss the Iran war and both agreed to work on de-escalation, Barrot's office said in a statement. Both ministers committed to seeking a political solution that would guarantee collective security and take into account the aspirations of the Iranian people, the statement said. Barrot "reiterated the Iranian regime's responsibility for the ongoing escalation, after it unjustifiably attacked several countries in the region," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement He also criticised the Iranian regime for refusing to respect the resolutions from the United Nations' Security Council on the nuclear programmes, ballistic activities, support to non-state armed groups and rejecting good-faith multilateral negotiations. The French minister reiterated that France was not involved in the actions by the United States and Israel and had no prior knowledge of them. Countries "must give precedence to international institutions to solve disputes and, where needed, the use of force," he added. The two ministers agreed to keep dialogue open on the issue. (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi; Editing by Inti Landauro and Edwina Gibbs) France and the United Kingdom have entered the Iran conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron ordered Frances nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, to move from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. In a prerecorded speech that aired on French television Tuesday afternoon, Macron told his countrymen that he had also deployed Rafale fighter jets, air-defense systems, and airborne radar systems in the preceding hours to aid the Middle East offensive. Advertisement Advertisement This requires our support. That is why I have decided to send additional air-defense assets there as well, along with a French frigate, the Languedoc, which will arrive off the coast of Cyprus later this evening, Macron said. And we will continue this effort as much as necessary. Hours earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that his country would send a warship and helicopters to Cyprus, where a drone hit an outlying U.K. military base. The development occurred around the same time that Donald Trump said he was not happy with the U.K.s decision to withhold base access on the island from U.S. military forces. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, Trump told reporters at the White House, seated beside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The U.S. and the U.K. had clashed on the issue over the weekend, though Starmer capitulated to Trumps demands by Sunday, permitting U.S. forces to use U.K. bases to strike Iran. British officials believe that the drone strike on their base in Cyprus occurred before Starmers revised guidance was issued, reported The Wall Street Journal. British forces have so far been unable to note with certainty which government was behind the drone strike. Advertisement Advertisement The strike on RAF Akrotiri last night is deeply concerning, an example of the dangerous and indiscriminate attacks by Iran & its proxies, British Defense Secretary John Healey wrote on X, noting in another post that there were no casualties on the island and damage was minimal. Our best assessment is that the drone was fired before the Prime Ministers statement last night on the US use of UK bases. Greece also issued military support to Cyprus after the airstrike, ordering two frigates and a pair of F-16 fighter jets to the island on Monday. Following the unprovoked attacks on the territory of Cyprus, Greece will contribute in every possible way to the defense of the Republic of Cyprus in order to address the threats and illegal actions taking place on its territory, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said in an address on Monday. More than a dozen countries were roped into the conflict just 72 hours after the U.S. began bombing Iran, effectively destabilizing the entire region while disrupting global markets and oil production. Florida State University has received a stamp of approval from the states higher education board to participate in whats expected to be a groundbreaking drug discovery study through a Denmark-based research consortium. While the Florida Board of Governors unanimous vote during a March 2 virtual meeting gave FSU the go ahead, it came in spite of a member of the proposed study being based in China which triggers state legislation about foreign countries of concern. But FSU President Richard McCullough assured the board that the China-based institution's participation what not pose as a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Florida State University has unique talent to take on this project, McCullough told the board during the Zoom meeting as he presented a summary of the universitys request. The proposal was approved without any discussion from the boards members, or from the public. The resources that will be used will not be shared under the agreement and are not accessible to any of our partners including foreign individuals," McCullough added. Florida State University President Richard McCullough attends the Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. The consortium is sponsored by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which is a large, multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Denmark. The research project would include FSUs participation in a study called the Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator Initiative (Gr-ADI), and it would pay FSU $2.2 million over three years in exchange for its participation. Other American universities that were selected include the University of Wisconsin, the University of Washington and Harvard University. Among international institutions participating in the project are the University of Oxford and Cambridge University. Advertisement Advertisement More: FSU pursues $2.2M research bid; Chinese partner triggers state review Through the project, an FSU research investigator will work on discovering new antibiotic measures that can fight a multi-drug-resistant bacteria called Klebsiella Pneumoniae, which is commonly known for causing serious health issues like pneumonia and bloodstream infections. But in total, five faculty members, four graduate students and one post-doctoral associate from FSU will participate in the study. While Beijing Huayi Health and Drug Research Institute a China-based company was selected among 22 institutions that make up the consortium, FSUs Vice President of Research Stacey Patterson explained to the universitys Board of Trustees in January that a research security screening was completed and did not flag concerns about any of the participating entities. I think the most important thing is that Florida State University will be in total control, will not have to share any information, and will maintain all ownership of the intellectual property from the project, McCullough told the governing board during the March 2 meeting. No confidential information or materials would be required to be shared. Advertisement Advertisement FSUs participation in the drug discovery study will begin this month, with the three-year agreement ending in March 2029. Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network Florida. She can be reached at tjean@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @tarahjean_. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU gets state approval for drug study despite China link In a move that drew condemnation and scorn from both the right and the left, U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego on Monday endorsed Graham Platner to represent the Democratic Party in Maine, despite the first-time candidates multiple links to antisemitism, including a tattoo that resembled a symbol used during Hitlers regime. Last week, Platner reposted social media content from neo-Nazi influencer Stew Peters, whose online talk show regularly includes antisemitic tropes. And reporting over the weekend found that he appeared in January on a popular YouTube show whose host has spread antisemitic claims about Jews and Israel. Still, Gallego issued a statement early Monday morning backing Platner, who hopes to be the Democratic nominee that will face off with five-time incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. The race is one of several being closely monitored by congressional Democrats hopeful that the party can regain its hold of the upper chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Support is currently splintered between Platner, who is leading in the polls despite his controversies, and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who has won the endorsement of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. In social media posts announcing his support, Gallego highlighted Platners military background and said he is the right choice for the Pine Tree State. Gallegos backing is the second high profile endorsement for Platner, who has also won the support of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasnt seen in a long time, Gallego wrote on X. Someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesnt owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families. Both Platner and Gallego are former Marines, and the endorsement comes just days after President Donald Trump launched strikes against Iran, killing the countrys leader and igniting fears of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The topic is likely to become a central issue in this years campaign season. Advertisement Advertisement Jacques Petit, a spokesman for Gallego, did not address the controversy of siding with Platner, given his links to antisemitism, but did emphasize the duos military service. Im a Marine just like Graham, Gallego said, in a statement provided by Petit. And if the war in Iran has shown us anything, its that the U.S. Senate needs to reflect the experiences and expertise of those who have been the boots on the ground, who know the real impacts of yet another war in the Middle East. Platners bid for Congress was first overshadowed by accusations of anti-semitism last year, just two months after he launched his campaign. Shortly after a slew of comments Platner made on Reddit resurfaced that included the use of homophobic slurs, questioning the gratuity habits of Black patrons, and dismissing military sexual assaults, it was revealed that he also had a tattoo that resembled the skull and crossbones symbol used by the Schutzstaffel. The Nazi police force was responsible for killing millions of Jews during World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Platner said he got the tattoo in his 20s, while out drinking with his friends during leave in Croatia and claimed he was unaware of its similarity with the Nazi symbol. He said he later obtained a cover-up tattoo to replace it. Platner has maintained that accusations that he holds antisemitic or racist beliefs are unfounded and represent an attempt from establishment Democrats to defeat his campaign. But critics have pointed to Platners continued associations with antisemitic figures as proof that he might espouse such beliefs, including the January interview with retired Green Beret Nate Cornacchia, who has also promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories. Cornacchia has in recent months claimed that Israel was to blame for the assasination of Charlie Kirk and has previously made similar claims about the assisanation of President John F. Kennedy. Platner said during the interview that he was a long-time fan of Cornacchias channel. Advertisement Advertisement And Gallegos endorsement arrives on the heels of yet another connection between Platner and antisemitism. On Feb. 24, Platner shared Peters post on X that criticized Democratic and Republican politicians in Congress as being united in supporting a war in Iran. Platner reposted it with a comment that echoed Peters view. As always, theres one thing that brings Republican and Democratic politicians together: sending other peoples children to die in stupid wars in the Middle East, Platner wrote. Peters advances antisemitic conspiracy theories, including Holocaust denialism and the idea that a Jewish mafia is in control of U.S. politics. We dont have any representation in Washington (DC), Peters said, during a 2024 broadcast. We have a bunch of people that are sold out to Jews. Advertisement Advertisement Platner quickly deleted the post and his campaign issued a statement saying the team hadnt realized that it had been posted by a despicable account, and only meant to share the C-SPAN clip that accompanied it. Progressive attorney and writer Andy Craig wrote that Gallegos endorsement of Platner isnt just some hapless strategic miscalculation, its indicative of deep moral rot. And Republicans have seized on the scandals to cast doubt on both Platner and his supporters. The Republican National Committee criticized Gallego for backing Platner, releasing a statement that questioned why the Arizona Democrat would side with a Nazi from Reddit. Ruben Gallego has lost his mind and is either too extreme or too owned by his consultants to represent Arizonans, RNC spokesman Nick Poche said. Advertisement Advertisement Gallego, meanwhile, defended his pick as the best candidate to help the party flip the U.S. Senate. Graham is the only Democrat running that can win Maine, he said in a written statement. We need to win Maine in order to have a chance at taking the Senate. Despite his repeated scandals, Platner consistently ranks as the favoured candidate in both the party nomination and the general election. A Feb. poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire found that Platner leads Mills nearly 40 points. Among respondents of the Feb. poll who said they plan to vote in the Democratic primary, 64% said they would choose Platner as the partys nominee while only 26% said they preferred Mills. And among voters who said they plan to vote in the general election, support for Platner narrowly outstripped voters who said theyd choose his Republican opponent, while Mills was locked in a dead heat with Collins. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trumps claims about gas prices werent true when he made them during his State of the Union address last week. Now those claims are aging like milk. The fallout from his strikes on Iran over the weekend appears to have disrupted the global energy market and Americans are already paying for it at the gas pump, trackers show. Fuel market expert Patrick De Haan, who runs the gas price tracker Gas Buddy and posts real-time fuel cost updates on social media, noted that gas prices began ramping up on Monday and surpassed a national average of $3 a gallon. Thats the first time since December that the national average has been that high, he said on X. Fuel prices are displayed on a gas pump Tuesday in Franklin, Tennessee. via Associated Press Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, he observed, gas prices saw their biggest single-day rise since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Following that rise, he predicted average prices would reach up to $3.35 a gallon if trends hold steady. A survey by AAA found similar prices at gas pumps this week. Politics: Maggie Haberman Knocks Trump For Putting On A 'Front' With This Wild Price Fantasy Even before this sudden uptick, gas prices werent as low as Trump claimed. While he touted during his national address that they were now below $2.30 a gallon in most states and in some places $1.99 a gallon, Oklahoma was the only state offering gas at $2.30 a gallon, a Guardian fact check found. Advertisement Advertisement The day Trump made those claims, national average gas prices stood around $2.95. But Trumps strikes on Iran over the weekend, carried out in coordination with Israel and prompting reciprocal attacks across the Middle East, have thrown even more cold water on his claims. The strikes have damaged the regions massive energy infrastructure and brought oil and gas tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the only connection point from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, to a standstill. Analysts at the Netherlands Rabobank said Tuesday they anticipate hits to shipping in the area could last up to three months. President Donald Trump said Tuesday there might be "a little high oil prices for a little while." picture alliance via Getty Images The attacks have triggered a spike in oil prices, with the cost of Brent crude, the international standard, jumping over $80 a barrel on Tuesday, up from around $70 less than a week ago. Trump downplayed the rising oil prices. Politics: Trump's Blatantly False Claim About His Father Leads To New '25th Amendment' Calls We have a little high oil prices for a little while but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, I believe, lower than even before, he claimed. Advertisement Advertisement The increasingly widening conflict, which Trump said Tuesday he expects could last at least a month, has also spooked the stock market. While major tech stocks helped the market bounce back by close on Monday, it remains to be seen if a comeback is possible Tuesday given Trumps comments. I do think the possibility of a more prolonged mission can weigh on markets for the next several weeks, Jeffrey OConnor, U.S. head of equity market structure at Liquidnet, told CNBC on Tuesday. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Germany's foreign minister said that an attack on a NATO member state could not be ruled out following a drone strike on a British air base in Cyprus. "Yes, that danger exists, it cannot be dismissed," Johann Wadephul told public broadcaster ZDF when asked whether NATO countries could be targeted as the conflict involving Iran escalates. The British air force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was attacked late Sunday with a drone of the Iranian Shahed type, officials said. Two additional unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted later in the day, according to government sources. Advertisement Advertisement Cyprus is a member of the European Union but not part of NATO. The United Kingdom says it is engaged in a defensive military mission in the Middle East against Iran. Germany has also reserved the right to take military defensive measures. Wadephul said in a separate interview with Deutschlandfunk that he understands this to mean German soldiers defending themselves if attacked. He stressed again on ZDF that Germany would not participate in any military confrontation. "We are also not making military facilities available for that purpose," he said. He added that efforts must continue to resolve the conflict with Iran through negotiations. The United States and Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on Saturday, sparking a regional escalation as Tehran fired missiles at US bases in several Gulf states. The German government is set to begin evacuating vulnerable German nationals stranded in the Middle East due to the war in Iran, with a flight planned to Oman's capital Muscat on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has confirmed. Berlin is set to offer children, infirm citizens and pregnant women access to the flights, Wadephul told broadcaster Welt TV on Tuesday. Foreign nationals have been left stranded en masse by flight cancellations in the Gulf region following the US-Israeli attack on Iran on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Up to 30,000 customers of German travel agencies are believed to be affected by cancellations and the closure of airspace in several countries. Airlines and tour operators are scrambling to organize the safe return of stranded tourists, with an Emirates flight from Dubai landing at Frankfurt on Tuesday. The German Foreign Office has summoned the Iranian ambassador in response to Tehran's attacks on Israel and other countries in the Middle East. "We have unequivocally called on the Iranian regime to immediately cease its reckless attacks on countries in the region," the ministry said on X on Tuesday. "We condemn the Iranian regime's arbitrary and disproportionate missile and drone attacks, including on civilian targets," the statement continued. "The attacks threaten our allies, our military personnel and our nationals in the region." Advertisement Advertisement Tehran has retaliated after the large-scale offensive launched by the United States and Israel on Saturday with attacks on Israel and on US bases in several Gulf countries. Fighting in the region has escalated, with Israel bombing Beirut on Tuesday in response to attacks by the Iran-affiliated Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. The Iranian embassy said Ambassador Majid Nili told the German Foreign Office that the US-Israeli attacks violate international law. He referred to Article 51 of the UN Charter, which establishes the right to self-defence. "Iran's actions are within the scope of this legitimate right to self-defence," the embassy quoted him as saying. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has expelled a lawmaker who publicized allegations of cronyism from its parliamentary group. A spokesman for the anti-immigrant party confirmed that a motion brought by co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla calling for Jan Wenzel Schmidt's expulsion passed on Tuesday. Germany's largest opposition party has faced numerous allegations in recent weeks that senior figures have employed relatives in taxpayer-funded positions. Advertisement Advertisement Schmidt sparked the debate after internal disagreements within the AfD's chapter in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. Accusations were made that he had exploited his seat in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, to establish private business relationships, for example with China. He was also accused of putting pressure on party members. Schmidt, in turn, levelled accusations of cronyism at party colleagues and announced that he would present evidence to support his claims. In an interview with the NiUS portal, he later spoke of a "predatory community," alleging embezzlement and corruption within the party. Advertisement Advertisement AfD parliamentary secretary Bernd Baumann said Schmidt had "wanted to cause maximum damage, he wanted revenge because he had lost out in internal rivalries, which exist in all parliamentary groups and all parties, over positions, prestige and so on." Schmidt said he considered the decision to exclude him from the AfD's group in the Bundestag to be "wrong." "The need for reform is not solved by declaring individual persons to be the problem," he said. Lila Kate Trucking LLC, a Roanoke, Alabama-based carrier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday. The company is seeking to reorganize under Subchapter V of Chapter 11, a provision designed to streamline restructuring for small businesses. The filing was made in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama, according to court records. Assets and liabilities In its voluntary petition, Lila Kate Trucking estimated both its assets and liabilities at between $1 million and $10 million. The company reported having between one and 49 creditors. The debtor indicated that after administrative expenses are paid, no funds would be available for distribution to unsecured creditors. The petition was signed by Matthew Brown, listed as managing member, and filed by Montgomery-based attorney Paul D. Esco. Company says operations will continue Brown told FreightWaves the carrier intends to continue operating during the restructuring process. We will absolutely continue operations. We will come out of this stronger than ever, Brown said. We strategically utilized the timing of the filing with the rebounding freight market. We will continue to offer our customers, as well as all our valued employees, the top tier service we are known for. Subchapter V allows qualifying small businesses to restructure debts while maintaining control of day-to-day operations. Fleet profile According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations SAFER database, Lila Kate Trucking holds an active USDOT number and is an authorized carrier. The company operates 12 power units and employs 15 drivers, providing interstate for-hire service. Its cargo profile includes general freight, metal sheets and coils, building materials and large machinery. The company reported 159,000 vehicle miles traveled in 2023, according to its most recent MCS-150 filing. FMCSA inspection data show 59 inspections over the past 24 months, with a vehicle out-of-service rate of 44.8%, above the national average of 22.26% during the same period. The carrier reported no crashes in the most recent 24-month period. Filing deficiencies noted On Monday, the bankruptcy court issued a notice of deficiency outlining several required filings, including payment of the $1,738 Chapter 11 filing fee, submission of schedules and a statement of financial affairs, and a list of the 20 largest unsecured creditors. The court said that failure to timely submit required documents could result in dismissal of the case. The post Alabama family-owned carrier files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy appeared first on FreightWaves. The previously scheduled meeting Tuesday had been expected to focus on the Ukraine war, US-EU trade tensions and a wider effort to salvage frayed transatlantic ties. Now the key topic will be the war started by the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and have seen Tehran strike back at targets across the region and beyond, with no quick end in sight to the fighting. The German chancellor long a harsh critic of the Islamic republic's leadership on Sunday said Berlin shared the Iranian people's "relief" that the "mullah regime is coming to an end". Advertisement Advertisement On the issue of whether the attack complied with international law, Merz said now was not the time "to lecture our partners and allies" and pointed to past failed attempts to curb Tehran's nuclear and missile programmes. Germany, France and Britain said Sunday they were ready to defend their interests and those of their allies in the Gulf if necessary by taking "defensive action" against Iran. EU foreign ministers warn on impact of conflict in Iran after Khamenei's death Trump's hawkish ally, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, slammed all three for what he labelled their "pathetically soft" response to America's "Operation Epic Fury". Advertisement Advertisement Germany has since made clear it would not join the war, other than to take any actions needed to protect its troops based in the Middle East. The escalating Middle East war, and Europe's stance on it, add another potential flashpoint to the Merz-Trump meeting, held at time of growing estrangement between the long-time allies. Trade talk Merz alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Finland's Alexander Stubb has managed to maintain cordial ties with Trump and escape his wrath or ridicule. He has done so in part by meeting a key Trump demand and massively raising German defence spending to 5 percent, in line with America's position that European NATO members need to step up on joint defence. Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to Trump's tariffs blitz, Merz has been able to point out that the European Union, not its 27 member states, is in charge of managing the response. While the threats have rattled Germanys export-driven economy, a recent US Supreme Court ruling overturned key levies on EU goods, including cars. In their Oval Office talk, Merz will outline the EU's "coordinated position", a spokesman said, adding that "businesses need planning security, and that applies on both sides of the Atlantic". 'Under destruction': Europe's future security in question at Munich conference Merz has at times pushed back against the mercurial US president, especially over Ukraine, and often asserted that Europe must become more sovereign in times of geopolitical upheaval. Advertisement Advertisement During their first White House meeting last June, Merz challenged Trump to heap pressure on Moscow to end the "terrible" Ukraine war raging since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion. At February's Munich Security Conference, Merz pointed to the "deep rift" between the traditional allies but also urged America to "repair and revive transatlantic trust together". (with newswires) North Carolina's Senate race is shaping up at the top of the ticket to be one of the most important and expensive in the country, with control of the chamber at stake. With Democrats landing their preferred candidate with former Gov. Roy Cooper jumping into the race, Republicans are fighting to maintain the seat after Sen. Thom Tillis decided he would not be seeking re-election. I'm the only prosecutor. I know what it's like to be tough on crime Advertisement Advertisement Republicans haven't lost a U.S. Senate seat in the state since 2008. President Donald Trump and other top GOP leaders quickly rallied behind former RNC Chair Michael Whatley, who, because of his fundraising ability, is considered the frontrunner. But his two main challengers argue this race isn't over, and say they would be a stronger choice. Even before Tillis decided not to seek re-election, former Navy JAG Officer Don Brown was already challenging him, and now he says he believes voters are looking for an alternative to Whatley. "I'm the only vet at the top of the race, No. 1, No. 2, I'm the only prosecutor. I know what it's like to be tough on crime, No. 3, I'm the only one who fought for medical freedom, and No. 4, our campaign has more endorsements than the other campaigns combined. Grassroots; this is we the people vs the establishment, and we the people will prevail," Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Brown is arguing he'd also be more supportive of the president's agenda. And so is nurse and conservative activist Michele Morrow, jumping into the Senate race just two years after losing the State Superintendent race in 2024. It's time for a wild card. I am a wild card. "Well, first of all, I'm connected to the people of North Carolina. And it is vitally important that someone that's going to represent them actually has a pulse on what Americans need, what North Carolinians need. And I think that crosses all party boundaries," Morrow said. "I think every person wants safe communities. We want more money in our pockets. We want our children to have opportunities." Advertisement Advertisement Morrow upset a Republican incumbent two years ago. But for some, she has a controversial history, including her presence in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, and for social media posts suggesting former President Barack Obama should be executed. Primary Election Day is March 3. Morrow defended her record and argued it won't be a liability in November. Both Morrow and Brown maintained that they could gain more enthusiasm among the Republican base and unaffiliated voters needed to challenge Cooper, who has never lost an election. "I will say that Roy Cooper and the Democrat machine have beaten the typical male Republican candidate 13 times. It's time for a wild card. I am a wild card. Roy Cooper himself came after me harder than anyone else in 2024. And they over, they outspent me 18 to 1. And I came within two points," Morrow said. Advertisement Advertisement Brown said, "I'm going to prosecute (Cooper) for his record all across the state, from Manteo to Murphy. I know how to do that. Cooper has never faced a Republican opponent like he will face when he faces me. I know how to hit him. I want to hit him hard. I will expose his record to the people of North Carolina in a way that no other Republican opponent that he has ever had has known how to expose it." Our newsgathering partners at the News and Observer also endorsed Whatley in the primary, arguing he'd be the strongest candidate for Republicans. But even that wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement. The N&O said, "Whatley has, thus far, been an uninspiring candidate for Republicans, and the decision to so quickly push him into the race may age poorly." The newspaper argued that what Whatley does have is fundraising and institutional support, but in the end, Republican primary voters will decide whether to back the frontrunner, or if another option can pull out an upset. Download the ABC11 News app Gov. Brian Kemp officially signed the state budget the Georgia General Assembly passed last week. The budget includes over $2 billion in tax relief for Georgia taxpayers and homeowners. Kemp held a signing ceremony at the State Capitol on Tuesday. He will be joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns and members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The committee passed the 2026 Georgia amended state budget last week. The biggest highlights include a fourth round of tax rebates totaling $1.2 billion and $850 million in property tax relief. Advertisement Advertisement The tax rebates will work like the other rounds: $250 for single tax filers and $500 for married couples who meet the eligibility requirements. The Georgia Department of Revenue will handle issuing the rebates. The Homeowner Tax Relief Grant program is expected to save homeowners around $500 with their property taxes for 2026. Other highlights include $2 billion in transportation initiatives, $409 million for new mental health hospital and $366 million in bonuses for Georgia public school employees. All K-12 teachers, administrative staff, custodians, nutrition workers, school nurses, and bus drivers will receive a $2,000 one-time bonus. Advertisement Advertisement All state employees will also receive a $2,000 one-time bonus. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Plans to build more than 50 data centers in Pennsylvania face opposition from a growing network of community groups, environmental activists and state lawmakers from both major parties. Driven by concerns about the industrys huge electricity demands, heavy water consumption, use of polluting diesel generators for backup power and industrialization of rural areas, an increasing number of grassroots groups are mobilizing in an attempt to stop or at least delay the massive buildout. Advertisement Advertisement The opponents say the popular outcry against data centers is stronger than previous community campaigns against the resource-rich states extractive industries, which include coal and natural gas. Its been unbelievable, said Karen Feridun, co-founder of Better Path Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy and protests against data centers and other sources of climate pollution. Having done this for 19 years, and worked on fracking, I have never seen the kind of response where everybody is opposed. Feridun said the growing number of critics has been driven in part by a public perception that the government is encouraging the industry to move into the state while paying little attention to the impact on people who live near the planned data centers. A Facebook group she set up Jan. 9 to help Pennsylvanians organizing against data centers quickly topped 500 members. These people are seeing firsthand what happens when government comes in and makes deals with these big companies and really not consult the public to find out if they are really OK with it, or to find out what they would need to see happen for them to be OK with it, Feridun said. Its just been sort of dumped on everybody. Advertisement Advertisement According to Data Center Proposal Tracker, a website that tracks public plans for data centers, 52 projects are in the early planning stages, officially proposed or under construction throughout the state. They include an Amazon Web Services data center in Salem Township, for which the company would pay $18 billion to Talen Energy to supply up to 1.92 gigawatts of nuclear power from an adjacent plant through 2042; a plan to construct 22 buildings on two campuses covering more than 470 acres at Archbald borough in northeast Pennsylvania; and the Aliquippa Data Center Campus in western Pennsylvanias Beaver County on the site of a former steel mill. Neither the Data Center Coalition, an industry group, nor Pennsylvania Data Center Partners, a developer of large data centers, responded to requests for comment about local pushback. Industry supporters have said that the growth brings jobs and significant tax revenue. Data center opponents scored a notable victory in February when commissioners in Montour County in central Pennsylvania denied a proposed rezoning that would have allowed construction of a data center. Sam Burleigh, a resident who helped to lead public opposition to the plan, attributed the commissions ruling to the strength of that opposition. Although his pressure group, Concerned Citizens of Montour County, started in August 2025 with only four members, it soon gathered hundreds of supporters across the county. Advertisement Advertisement Four days after the group formed, its first town hall meeting drew some 120 people, Burleigh said. A petition to commissioners the group organized was signed by about 3,000 people, or about twice the total population of the township where the land in question is located. How lawmakers are responding Democratic state Sen. Katie Muth said in a February memo to fellow senators that she will soon propose a three-year moratorium on data center construction to give local governmentswhich make land-use decisionstime to evaluate risk, enact protective ordinances and update zoning. A three-year moratorium is a measured, responsible and necessary step to protect public health, safety, fiscal stability and environmental integrity while ensuring that future decisions are informed, coordinated and equitable, Muths memo said. Across the aisle, state Rep. Jamie Walsh, a Republican representing parts of Luzerne County, said he too will soon introduce a package of bills to regulate the development of data centers. These proposals are not anti-technology, Walsh wrote in a memo. They are pro-community and pro-taxpayers, grounded in the simple idea that long-term development must serve the public interest and provide real benefits to local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvanias House Energy Committee on Monday narrowly approved a bill that would direct state officials to write a model ordinance for municipalities faced with data center applications. HB 2151, which passed 14-12 and is supported by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, was also amended to clarify that towns would not be required to use the ordinance if the measure becomes law. The bill is opposed by environmental groups, which say it would encourage towns to allow data centers. We are concerned that municipalities will feel the need to use the ordinance as written and that the industry could cite it in legal challenges to more strongly worded ordinances, said the environmental group Better Path Coalition, after the committee vote. It said the bill sets a dangerous precedent. Foes of data centers also oppose HB 502, which would establish a statewide board for siting major energy projects, removing that power from towns. The bills supporters, including Shapiro, say a central board would speed the addition of energy resources. Shapiro has said he wants new data centers to locate in Pennsylvania but only if they bring their own power or pay for the extra power they would take from the grid. In a speech supporting his proposed budget for fiscal 2026-27, Shapiro also said data center developers should be transparent with the communities where they hope to operate, and must hire and train local workers. Those who meet those demands will get the states full support, the governor said. Advertisement Advertisement His spokesperson did not respond to a request for further comment. Two weeks ago, Lackawanna County commissioner Bill Gaughan urged Shapiro in an open letter to support calls such as Muths for a three-year moratorium on data-center construction. Gaughan, a Democrat, called the planned centers facilities of extraordinary size and unprecedented infrastructure demand that promise advances in technology and potentially extra tax revenue, but also raise unresolved questions about energy and water use, environmental impact and strain on housing and local infrastructure. The intensity and consistency of public concern have been unmistakable, Gaughan wrote. He urged the governor and the legislature to pause approvals for new large-scale data centers to allow time to study their environmental and resource impacts and develop statewide standards. Advertisement Advertisement A temporary moratorium is not an act of hostility toward innovation, he wrote. It is an act of prudence. A lot of emotion, a lot of concern Opposition to the Montour County data center rezoning was driven by specific local factors, including its proposed siting next to a nature preserve and a residential area, but it was particularly motivated by fear that big business, aided by state government, would build the project regardless of local concerns, said Burleigh, 67, the Concerned Citizens of Montour County co-founder. When you get out in the country like this, everybody knows someone, said Burleigh, who works in a poultry hatchery. Some farms have been owned by the same family for six or seven generations. Theres a lot of emotion, a lot of concern, and that really drove this thing hard. Burleigh said his groups success was based in part on a statewide culture of resistance to extractive industries. Advertisement Advertisement Here in Pennsylvania, history has been repeating itself, and everybody has pretty much had enough of it, he said. First, the timber industry stripped the hills of the trees; nobody liked that but it provided jobs and incomes. Then coal mines, then fracking, then we had solar panels. And everybody said, Enough is enough. People say, Last time they came in, yes, they gave us jobs, but now look at the mess we have. Past resistance efforts meant that residents already knew how to file public information requests and take other actions to push back, Burleigh said. But he fears that the local battle isnt over. Although critics were elated by the commissions vote, they may in the future have to fight plans for data centers on land thats already zoned for industrial use, a harder argument to win. In Mifflinville in central Pennsylvania, theres no current plan for a data center but local officials are considering a new zoning ordinance that would enable the town to reject those or other industrial projects without fear of being sued by a developer. Advertisement Advertisement Mark Ryman, who owns a commercial roofing company and belongs to a group called Mifflinville Pa Concerned Citizens Network, said local people arent necessarily opposed to data centers but believe their developers should pay attention to local concerns. The impetus for the ordinance is to be ready for industrial applications in general and data centers in particular, he said. There would be no other impetus for it otherwise. More than a dozen incidents led by Donald Trumps Border Patrol chief in Minneapolis are under criminal investigation, according to state law enforcement officials in Minnesota. The Hennepin County Attorneys Office is investigating now-former commander at large Greg Bovino and officers under his command to determine whether any laws were broken in the weeks-long surge of immigration officers into the state, where Bovino and officers have been accused of unlawfully targeting immigrants and citizens alike and violently clashing with protesters. County prosecutors and a civilian staffer are reviewing evidence from at least 17 incidents, the office announced Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Among the incidents under review as part of the states Transparency and Accountability Project is Bovino lobbing a smoke canister into a crowd. We will investigate and pursue charging where appropriate, and well seek collaboration with local law enforcement wherever and whenever needed, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. Make no mistake, we are not afraid of any legal fight. But we will do this ethically, responsibly and vigorously. Minnesota authorities have launched an investigation into Greg Bovinos operations in the state, which could result in criminal charges (REUTERS) Bovino, who spearheaded boots-on-the-ground operations in several Democratic-led states and cities, was reportedly pulled out of Minnesota after agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in January, just two weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good. None of the agents involved in either incident have been criminally charged. 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 a Customs and Border Protection branch in southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border. Advertisement Advertisement Separately, Bovinos Chicago operation was marked by a wave of lawsuits and allegations of violent force, prompting a federal judge to ban officers from firing tear gas and using other riot weapons during protests after video evidence and courtroom testimony revealed behavior that she said shocks the conscience. After a Border Patrol agent in Chicago shot a woman five times, she was charged with assaulting officers with her car charges that federal prosectors later dropped after significant questions were raised about the evidence. Hours after the shooting, Bovino congratulated an officer and offered to extend his service with the agency, according to messages released by the Department of Justice. The victim, Marimar Martinez, is now suing the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Before deploying to Chicago, Bovino reportedly pushed back against internal efforts to focus Border Patrol operations on targeted arrests rather than large-scale sweeps. 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 emails obtained by NBC News. But Bovino said he declined the directive and said he reports to Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem. Bovino was reportedly dismissed from Minneapolis after launching what lawsuits and officials have called a violent surge of officers into the state, where agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators in January (AP) Hours after Pretti's killing in Minneapolis in January, state law enforcement agencies sued to block Homeland Security officials from destroying or altering any evidence from the scene, and a federal judge appointed by Trump granted the order later that night. Advertisement Advertisement The judge later reversed the freeze, arguing that inflammatory statements about Pretti by top administration officials and a potentially compromised crime scene were not enough to block federal agencies from handling evidence, for now. The administration formally blocked state law enforcement from access to any information or evidence that it has collected in that case. Hennepin County officials, meanwhile, opened an evidence-collection portal to accept information from the public about Prettis death. Prettis family has also urged the FBI and Minnesota authorities to jointly investigate the death of the 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse. Justice and accountability requires a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the facts, the family said in a statement in January. A truly joint state and federal investigation would be a welcome development. Gulf nations will run out of air defence weapons in a week after intense missile strikes by Iran, experts have warned. Tehran launched widespread attacks across the Middle East, firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones after being attacked by the US and Israel. Many of the assaults have been intercepted, with Gulf nations using sophisticated US-made air defences to protect cities from Iranian bombardment, but doing so has put intense pressure on the costly munitions stockpiles in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Advertisement Advertisement Iran is believed to still have vast reserves of missiles despite attempts by US and Israeli forces to destroy launchers capable of deploying them. Should Tehran continue striking with the same level of intensity, Gulf states will struggle to repel them. Fabian Hoffmann, a missile expert at the University of Oslo, told the Wall Street Journal: The intensity of interceptor usage that we have seen over the last couple of days cant be maintained for more than another week probably a couple of days at most, and then they will feel the pain of interceptor shortage. The United Arab Emirates said that, by Monday evening, it had been targeted by 174 Iranian ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles and 689 drones in three days, with no missiles and 44 drones hitting the country. Smoke rises at the Industrial Area district after reported Iranian missile attacks in Doha, Qatar - Mohammed Salem Neighbours Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar have also come under intense fire, with Bahrain having faced 70 incoming ballistic missiles. On Monday, the US embassy in Kuwait and Qatars main liquefied-natural gas plant were hit by Iranian drones. Advertisement Advertisement Even with sophisticated multi-million dollar systems like Patriot and THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defence it still takes two to three interceptors to shoot down one ballistic missile. Iran is believed to possess more than 2,000 missiles capable of reaching the Gulf states, while the regime does not yet hold any intercontinental missiles that can strike targets such as the US. Its not known exactly how many interceptors are deployed across the Middle East, as the information is classified. However, Mr Hoffman claimed the UAE could have fewer than 1,000, while Kuwait and Bahrain have about 500 and 100 respectively. Gulf nations have also been using their Patriots to down Irans Shahed drones, which are far cheaper and less sophisticated. Advertisement Advertisement America is trying to degrade Irans ability to carry out widespread attacks by targeting launching systems. Dozens have been destroyed so far, according to intelligence officials. But the intensity of operations has raised questions about the US militarys own stockpiles. Donald Trump has insisted his countrys munitions supplies have never been higher or better. As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social. The US president said America had a good supply of high-end weapons but acknowledged that it was not where we want to be on those weapons. Advertisement Advertisement The US is planning on moving air defence systems meant to protect American allies in the Far East from China to the Middle East, according to Korean media reports. Systems like the Patriot and THAAD, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance tech like the MQ-9 Reaper drones based at Gunsan Air Base in South Korea, are among those that could head to the Middle East. 1412 THAAD defence system A protracted war in the Gulf could also reduce the availability of air defences for Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said, as he acknowledged the potential ripple effects from the US-led bombing campaign in Iran. Washington has all but stopped providing military aid to Kyiv since Mr Trump returned to the White House last year, but the US continues to sell weapons financed by Ukraines allies, mainly from Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said he had discussed military assistance with Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, who is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington on Tuesday. If military activities in the Middle East are prolonged, it will undoubtedly influence the supply, Mr Zelensky said of Western weapons. On Sunday, RAF Akrotiri, a British airbase on Cyprus, was struck by a drone. The Royal Navys six Type 45 destroyers, which specialise in air defence, are currently all in UK waters, unable to respond. The French military is considering sending air defence weapons to the island in response. 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. Many Texans take H-E-B's "no store does more" motto to heart. So, when rumors swirl that one of its markets is disappearing, it can cause online panic. The latest claim sparking concern among San Antonio residents came in late February 2026. A user with the name Wingnat Patel shared on the neighborhood connection app NextDoor that one of the company's Northside shops was shutting down in just a matter of months. Grocery giant H-E-B is shutting down a rumor about its San Antonio, Texas, store that went viral in 2026. It's regarding its Stone Oak, Wilderness Oak location. (Screenshot from Nextdoor) They specifically referenced the location at 23635 Wilderness Oak, which is near the Stone Oak area and Panther Springs Park. It has been in operation since at least 2014 and is roughly 80,000 square feet. Advertisement Advertisement "I am very sad ... " they wrote, a screenshot taken by MySA shows. "I am not looking forward to having to drive to Evan's and 1604. Is anyone else mad about this H-E-B closing?" This account may have been trying to refer to a market at Evans Road and U.S. Highway 281 North, as Evans Road does not intersect with Loop 1604. Social media users flooded the comments with their reactions, with several expressing disappointment at the alleged report. "I can't believe an H-E-B is closing, usually they're building new or expanding them, business is good," user Georgia Miller wrote. Advertisement Advertisement "If this is true I don't look forward to it either, my store is busy enough already," another, David Wright, wrote. "Difficult to get a decent parking space or even just navigate the lot with the amount of traffic." The conversation continued over on Reddit, where several more people chimed in on the likelihood of it shuttering this coming summer, which is what Patel alleged in their post. "If they are closing a store, then they're not gonna make it widely known until closer to that time," one Reddit user said. "And if that rumor is true, store management is the only one that knows currently, and the closer to the supposed time, they'll make [an] appropriate announcement to the store employees." H-E-B shuts down rumor that San Antonio store is closing H-E-B spokesperson Valentino Lucio told MySA in an email statement on Monday, March 2, that the claim is "not true." Advertisement Advertisement It ends speculation that the shop is temporarily shuttering for a "remodel," as a few social media users alleged online. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the most recent remodeling at a San Antonio H-E-B occurred at the one at 5600 Business Park. It happened throughout 2021 and 2022 and expanded the property's parking lot. This article originally published at H-E-B shuts down viral online rumor about its San Antonio store. A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney said Tuesday. Walter Norton, 46, of Atkinson, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Feb. 25 to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Senior U.S. District Judge William Young handed down his sentence. Norton was convicted by a jury in May 2025 of one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said Norton led police on a car chase on Interstate 95 at speeds greater than 110 mph. On April 3, 2024, investigators looking into large-scale money laundering saw Norton arrive at the home of co-defendant Jason Hunter in Revere. After Norton left the residence, law enforcement tried to conduct a traffic stop on Interstate 95. Norton drove away at speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour, driving on the left shoulder of the highway, prosecutors said. He hit the median and another vehicle, breaking the axel of his own car, which came to rest in the center lane of the highway facing the wrong direction, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Norton then ran away while carrying a bag of over 15,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, which weighed 4.4 kilograms. He was subsequently apprehended. Investigators searched Hunters home and vehicle and seized more than 16 kilograms of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, additional pills containing oxycodone, over a kilogram of cocaine, and multiple kilograms of marijuana, as well as $100,000 in drug proceeds, prosecutors said. On Jan. 8, Hunter was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. 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 VERMONT (ABC22/FOX44) All three Attorneys General in our region have joined a group of 23 on Tuesday in sending a letter to GoFundMe, a website that provides a platform for charities and other causes to raise money. The letter accuses GoFundMe of making 1.4 million donation pages for charities without their approval or knowledge. While funds sent to those pages would still go to the charities, the states say that GoFundMes actions confused people looking for the official charities, and the platform may have added a default tip of more than 16% and that money would be paid not to the charities, but to GoFundMe instead. The letter asks that GoFundMe immediately confirm it has taken down all donation pages that werent specifically permitted by the charities receiving money, and to review its procedures. The full letter is available at the link below. Advertisement Advertisement 03-03-26 GoFundMe Multistate LetterDownload New Hampshire charities and donors deserve transparency and accuracy, said New Hampshire AG John Formella. We are seeking clear information from GoFundMe regarding the scope of these activities and the steps taken to remedy them. New Hampshire, according to Formella, was the first state to create an office for oversight of charities the Charitable Trusts Unit all the way back in 1943. New Vermont scam targeting 3SquaresVT recipients New York AG Letitia James echoed those thoughts, saying, GoFundMe misled donors and put public trust in charitable giving at risk. Advertisement Advertisement GoFundMe, for its part, already apologized back in October when the donation pages were first reported. Writes the company, in part: We understand clearly that our recent efforts with Nonprofit Pages have caused confusion, concern, and distraction from the vital missions of the very nonprofits we aim to support. We are very sorry for this and take responsibility for missing the mark. Trust is foundational to our work with nonprofits, and we are fully committed to rebuilding it through better communication, collaboration, and partnership. Vermont AG Charity Clarks office also signed the letter, along with counterparts from states as far away as California and Oklahoma. 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. Homeland Security boss Kristi Noem was grilled over her assertion that ICE shooting victims were domestic terrorists as she faced a Senate panel on Tuesday. The heated moment came as Noem, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, was asked by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) if she would retract initial statements that Alex Pretti and Renee Good were domestic terrorists when they were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minnesota earlier this year. He then asked where she got information, adding that DHS agents testified under oath that Pretti was not a domestic terrorist. Advertisement Advertisement Noem responded that her initial assertion came from agents on the ground, adding that it was a chaotic scene. You believe calling victims of that violence a domestic terrorist as a way to calm the scene? Durbin shot back. Durbin then asked Noem to explain why she thought calling the victims that we all saw on video and killed was going to calm a chaotic situation. Is it so hard to say you were wrong and issue a retraction? Durbin pressed. When you failed, would you admit it publicly? As Noem answered, a woman suddenly sprang up yelling about Americans killed by ICE. She was promptly escorted out by security. Advertisement Advertisement Durbin then moved on to another question. Watch above via C-SPAN3. The post Is It So Hard to Say You Were Wrong?! Senate Democrat Grills Kristi Noem on Calling ICE Shooting Victims Domestic Terrorists in Fiery Exchange first appeared on Mediaite. US retailer Amazon has extended its Seller Wallet service to seven European marketplaces, expanding the funds management feature beyond its original US launch. The e-commerce company confirmed that the tool is now accessible in regions such as Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. Through the service, merchants can retain, monitor and transfer proceeds in euros from European stores and in dollars from the US marketplace directly within Seller Central. Seller Wallet USD has been offered to global sellers operating in the US store since 2022. It enables them to keep earnings in US dollars, track balances in real time, pay suppliers and move funds to bank accounts when they choose. The newly launched Seller Wallet EUR delivers comparable capabilities for euro-denominated marketplaces and includes a simplified onboarding process. Sellers using the system can arrange single transfers or schedule automatic payments on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Funds are transferred to a sellers bank account, with a single charge applied to international transactions. Amazon stated that this fee reduces as a merchants business expands on the platform. Exchange rates are displayed before completing a transfer, and sellers are shown the overall cost in advance of confirmation. The service also enables merchants to use euro balances to pay suppliers in euros and to meet VAT liabilities across several European countries. Dollar balances may be used to pay suppliers in the US or Hong Kong. The company said the expansion is designed to let global selling partners hold, manage, and transfer proceeds from their Amazon stores in Seller Central on their own schedule. It also comes with no upfront costs or minimum enrolment requirements. Amazon added that the wider rollout supports its efforts to streamline cross-border payments and offer clearer pricing for sellers trading across different countries and currencies. "Amazon rolls out Seller Wallet to seven European marketplaces" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. SUNBURY, Ohio (WCMH) A longtime motorcycle dealership in Sunbury is closing its doors after two decades in business. The Farrow Harley-Davidson north dealership at 7754 E. State Route 37 is shutting down after its former parent company, Ricart Automotive, sold the Sunbury location and the Farrow east dealership at 5840 Scarborough Blvd. to the Schipper Family, which owns and operates six other motorcycle dealerships across the Midwest. Rise Brands scraps plan for Bogey Inn entertainment campus in Dublin Advertisement Advertisement In a statement posted Feb. 24 on social media, the new owners said they were thrilled to announce an exciting new chapter for Farrow, describing it as Americas oldest Harley-Davidson dealership, with roots dating to 1912. The closure means Farrows operations have been consolidated into the Scarborough Boulevard dealership, near the Interstate 70 exit with Brice Road on the Far East Side. Farrow Harley-Davidson has been at the center of Harley-Davidsons heritage. It is an honor to be trusted with that enduring legacy. We are excited to be growing our Harley-Davidson family and are eager to serve the riding community, Evan Schipper said. We will work to earn your business by providing the best possible experience every time you come through the doors. Ricart said it is returning its focus to automotive sales and service, and will continue evaluating opportunities to expand its central Ohio operations. In the statement, the company said it was proud to transition ownership of the historic dealership to what it described as an accomplished operator with a proven track record. Nationwides old headquarters to become next Columbus apartment building Advertisement Advertisement The Schipper family owns and operates several Harley-Davidson dealerships, including in Fort Wayne, St. Louis and Toledo. 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. A 57-year-old Harlingen man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material found across multiple devices. Todd Edward Ellison entered a guilty plea on Dec. 17, 2024, after authorities searched his home for harassing a female victim and found images and videos of child sexual abuse material, according to a press release from the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas. At his hearing, the court heard how Ellison was previously convicted of child exploitative offenses on two separate occasions, the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement He has now been ordered to register as a sex offender. In May 2020, Ellison was suspected of using social media to impersonate and harass a female victim resulting in authorities executing a search warrant at his residence. It was then that authorities seized numerous digital media devices and found that Ellison knowingly possessed child sexual abuse material across multiple devices. Forensic analysis revealed he possessed over 1,500 images and 21 videos of child pornography, the release said. Ellison is to remain in custody pending a transfer to a prison facility which will be determined at a later time. The post Harlingen man sentenced to 14 years for possession of child sex abuse material appeared first on MyRGV.com. South Carolina is temporarily halting operations at a Fort Mill solar plant. South Carolina Department of Environmental Services officials told Silfab Solar in a letter it is appropriate to cease receipt of any additional chemicals and pause start-up until an investigation is complete after a spill happened Tuesday morning at the facility. State officials said they believe Silfab received chemicals before becoming operational, which was part of the decision to put a pause on its operations. Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ >> Silfab Solar chemical accident study highlights risks to Fort Mill community Silfab said the spill was no more than 300 gallons of water containing potassium hydroxide to a level of 0.03% at the facility on Logistic Lane. Most of it was released beyond an area of containment and to a nearby stormwater retention pond, officials said. The situation is under control. We are working with our local emergency services and there is no danger to public safety, Silfab said in a Tuesday morning statement. The company notified the York County Office of Emergency Management immediately, which responded to the scene within three minutes of the spill and confirmed the incident posed no danger to the public. There were no injuries. The county then notified the state. The incident was also reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement S.C. Department of Environmental Services sent the letter, which also stated, The facility shall fully cooperate and take all appropriate action to ensure the safety of the public and the environment. Opposition Neighbors have fought for years to keep Silfab from opening due to concerns about chemicals near homes and schools in an area that has been deemed light industrial. However, York County leaders say they granted a certificate of occupancy for the plant to become fully operational Feb. 13. And its one of these instances where we dont want to say, I told you so. This is light industrial and theyre using hazardous, high quantities of toxic chemicals, building a chemical storage building, said Scott Jensen, Citizens Alliance for Government Integrity. Advertisement Advertisement I have been very concerned about this from day one, which has been about almost three years ago, said York County Councilwoman Debi Cloninger. There is no word on when that investigation well wrap up. Were asking for a response to the states decision to stop operations. York County leaders said they were guaranteed that the spill did not involve a substance that posed a risk to nearby school children. They said they are ready to work with agencies investigating the incident. The Fort Mill School District said it verified with Citadel Environmental Health and Safety that no air contaminants were found on school sites, so the school day wasnt impacted. What is potassium hydroxide? According to the National Institutes of Health, potassium hydroxide is corrosive to metals and to human tissue. Its noncombustible, meaning it wont catch fire. Its used in chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining and cleaning compounds. Advertisement Advertisement So far, it is not clear what caused the spill. It was initially reported by the Fort Mill School District that about 1,500 gallons spilled and was contained. This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates. VIDEO: Parents express concerns about chemicals used at Silfab Solar near school Prices for home heating oil have spiked in amid the conflict in the Middle East - with some more than 100 more expensive than last week. Global oil prices have risen after Iran launched strikes across the Middle East in response to ongoing attacks by the US and Israel. On 26 February, the average price of 500 litres of home heating oil in Northern Ireland was 307.38, according to the Consumer Council NI (CCNI). Advertisement Advertisement However, the price for the same amount from one provider in County Armagh was 395 on Monday. Another provider in County Down was selling 500 litres for 425. Almost two-thirds of homes (62.5%) in Northern Ireland use oil for heating, the highest proportion of the UK nations. Only 3% of households in England and Wales said oil was their only source of central heating, according to a 2021 census, while the figure stands at 5% in Scotland. The CCNI said crude oil prices were "rising and remain unpredictable in the short term" due to the conflict but they were monitoring the situation. The Gillen family have been in the industry for about 100 years [BBC] Anthony Gillen, an oil supplier in the north west said it has been "hectic" since the war broke out. Advertisement Advertisement "The wholesale price went up and it just affected everything, at the minute we don't know what price to go with we just have to take it day by day," he told BBC News NI. The Gillen family have been in the industry for about 100 years. He said the company had lost money from pricing customers last week for fuel this week, compared to the rise in wholesale price. "We were pricing people on Thursday/Friday for Monday/Tuesday delivery at 305 and its now 455 and there isn't anything we can do about it." Gillen explained that some customers had been abusing staff due to misunderstanding the price. Advertisement Advertisement "I think everybody is getting a bit of abuse because they think it's us but it's not, it's wholesale price is up and there's nothing we can do about it." Martin White owns a filling station and said the price rises are out of his control [BBC] Martin White owns a filling station and said the price rises are out of his control. "We have kept the prices down but tomorrow we will be forced to go up by an average of 4p a litre. We get a price for as next-day delivery from the wholesaler and this is the result of what is happening in Iran." He said the business is "always accused of putting the prices up quick", but explained that they "wait until the tanks are low and then we order again so we have until tomorrow but the prices will go up". Michael Harrigan has two grown up married sons in New York [BBC] Michael Harrigan, a pensioner with two married sons in New York and five grandchildren, said he is worried about them living in America. Advertisement Advertisement "I hope it doesn't last, fuel goes up, groceries go up, the cost of living will go up, it's not just petrol prices, it affects everything." How much is home heating oil in Northern Ireland? Raymond Gormley, head of energy at the CCNI, said things had "spiralled out of control really quickly". "We're at the mercy of global energy markets and with the conflict in Iran that's really spooked the markets and we're paying the price through our pockets here," he said. Gormley added that consumers should only buy oil if they need it or they will add to "panic buying which is driving up price and making the situation worse". Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased by 3.2% to $80 a barrel while the price of gas surged by 30%. It's after at least three ships were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend. Iran warned vessels not to pass through the crucial waterway in the south of the country, through which about 20% of the world's oil and gas is shipped. Will petrol prices go up? Crude oil is a key ingredient in petrol and diesel, meaning higher oil prices could drive up prices at the pumps. The AA motoring group says that over the next few weeks fuel costs could return to where they were at the start of the year. Advertisement Advertisement That would be a change to the general trajectory of fuel prices, which have been falling on UK forecourts over the past few weeks. Speaking on the Nolan Show, SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said diesel at one garage was 1.30 on Monday morning and had risen to 1.38 by that evening. Following a post on social media Quinn said he had received "a litany of comments" from people highlighting the same problem. He added: "It is right across the board and people here are suffering because of that is happening in the Middle East, and obviously prices pale in comparison to what families are suffering in Iran but it just shows you how volatile the market unfortunately is at the minute." 'One more thing to stomach' BBC News NI spoke to people in Belfast city centre about the impact rising prices will have on their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Ben Turner said the public had accepted "various different costs for a long time" and this is another rise "you have to stomach". Ben Turner says rising fuel prices will affect people's travel decisions [BBC] He added that rising fuel prices will only add to "already tight budgets". "It'll be that factor on day trips, particularly with the nicer weather now, but actually will that trip up to the north coast cost that little bit more if the fuel prices go up? So that will be a factor in planning," said Turner. Kenneth McClernon said the constant rise in fuel prices means he walks more than drives [BBC] Kenneth McClernon said he will be most affected if car fuel prices go up. "It's been going up and up and up and I've never seen it come down; very rarely it comes down," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "With everything being the price it is now, you're better walking." Barbara Foster said she hopes the situation is temporary [BBC] Barbara Foster from Portstewart said all consumers can do is "hope for the best". "Hopefully it won't be very long that this goes on for, then we've got the summer coming up so hopefully by the autumn things [will] have got more stable." 'Heaven knows what price it will go to' Motoring journalist Ian Lynas, from Portadown, said he was concerned that oil prices will be an issue for months to come. "This affects everybody, the small business man, somebody at the green grocery shop or the clothes shop in the small town or the big town, they're going to find their heating costs are up," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Lynas purchased 500 litres of home heating oil on Friday for 309. He said he checked the price again on Monday morning and it had risen to 415. Tips for finding the cheapest oil The CCNI's advice for customers is not to settle for the first quote you receive and that it is best to buy in bulk. Its weekly oil price checker shows typical oil prices for 300, 500 and 900 litres and is updated every Thursday. The organisation advises consumers to join a heating oil buying group, which sees communities pool orders from multiple households to negotiate better rates from suppliers. They also advise consumers to settle the price with their supplier on the day of order in case the price increases by the day of delivery. The NI Housing Executive also has an oil savings network which is free to join and open to all households who either own or rent their home, while the NI Oil Federation also offers a pre-payment scheme, Fuel stamps also allow residents to budget and spread the cost by purchasing stamps from local retailers and using them to pay for their oil delivery. David Blevings, executive director at Northern Ireland Oil Federation, said Northern Ireland should have an oil reserves agency. "We hold nothing in Northern Ireland which I think is a mistake," Blevings told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster. "Oil distributors do not carry stock anymore because of the volatility of oil prices." More on this story WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke Monday to widening concerns that the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran could spiral into a protracted regional conflict by declaring: This is not Iraq. This is not endless," even as he warned that more American casualties are likely in the weeks ahead. While the Trump administration has cited Irans nuclear ambitions as the chief concern to be addressed, officials increasingly are pointing to the threat from Irans ballistic missiles as a key reason to launch the attacks as well as an opportunity to take out the governments leadership and the sense that negotiations around the nuclear program have stalled. Trump said Monday that Irans conventional missile program was growing rapidly and dramatically, and this posed a very clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas. Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth said at a separate press conference with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the operation had a decisive mission to eliminate the threat of Iranian ballistic missiles, destroy the countrys navy and ensure no nukes. Trump, Hegseth and Caine have not suggested any exit plan or offered signs that the conflict would end anytime soon as the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cast doubt on the future of the Islamic Republic and hurtled the region into broader instability. Caine said the biggest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East in decades would only grow because the commander in the region will receive additional forces even today. This is not a so-called regime-change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it, Hegseth said. Trump, however, in video statements released after the strikes began, urged the Iranian people to take back your country. More American troop casualties expected The conflict has spilled into the wider region, with Iran and its allied armed groups launching missiles at Israel, Arab states and U.S. military targets in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Six American troops have been killed, with Trump, Hegseth and Caine predicting more casualties. All were Army soldiers and part of the same logistics unit in Kuwait, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. When asked about the six deaths Monday, Hegseth said an Iranian weapon made it past allied air defenses and, in that particular case, happened to hit a tactical operations center that was fortified. Eighteen American service members also have been seriously wounded, said Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command. The latest sign of the escalating upheaval came when, the U.S. military said, ally Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American fighter jets during a combat mission as Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones were attacking. U.S. Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely from the American F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Asked if there are boots on the ground now in Iran, Hegseth said, No, but were not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do. He said it was foolishness to expect U.S. officials to say publicly heres exactly how far well go. Trump told the New York Post on Monday that he wasnt ruling out U.S. forces in Iran if they were necessary. He noted, I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground." At the White House, Trump said the mission was expected to take four to five weeks but we have the capability to go far longer than that. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the Capitol that the U.S. will do this as long as it takes to achieve" its objectives and warned that the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military." Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth also dismissed questions about the time frame and said Trump had latitude to decide how long it would take. Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks," he said. It could move up. It could move back. Pentagon gives justification for strikes In laying out a case for the strikes, Hegseth did not point to any imminent nuclear threat from Iran and said again that strikes by the U.S. and Israel last June obliterated their nuclear program to rubble. Instead, Hegseth pointed to threats from other weaponry that justified the operation: Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions. He added: Our bases, our people, our allies, all in their crosshairs. Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb. Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth said that during negotiations leading up to the attack, Iranian officials were stalling" despite having every chance to make a peaceful and sensible deal. He also justified the operation by describing Irans government as having started the conflict from its inception, declaring that for 47 years it has waged a savage, one-sided war against America. In a private briefing Sunday, Trump administration officials told congressional staffers that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S., three people familiar with the briefings said. Trump, a Republican, had said the objective of the mission was to eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime. And senior Trump administration officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, told reporters Saturday that there were indicators that the Iranians could launch a preemptive attack. Military doesn't specify Iran's nuclear sites as targets As with the attack that dropped massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities last year, Caine said the military used B-2 stealth bombers in the new operation with a 37-hour round trip. Advertisement Advertisement He said the penetrating bombs were dropped on Iranian underground facilities" but did not specify that they were nuclear facilities. Nuclear sites were not among the types of targets on a list released over the weekend by U.S. Central Command. The administration says Israel and the U.S. have bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. Caine on Monday referenced the use of cyber technologies, saying the U.S. effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks that left the adversary without the ability to coordinate or respond effectively. Without giving specifics, Caine said the military delivered synchronized and layered effects designed to disrupt, degrade, deny and destroy Irans ability to conduct and sustained combat operations on the U.S. side. Advertisement Advertisement Caine said Trump gave the go-ahead order for the strikes at 3:38 p.m. EST on Friday. That meant the president gave the green light when he was aboard Air Force One heading to Texas with Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and actor Dennis Quaid. ___ Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Charleston, S.C.; Bill Barrow in Atlanta; David Klepper, Ben Finley and Lisa Mascaro in Washington; and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed to this report. Residents of San Antonio and its surrounding area are expressing concern after seeing several aircraft zoom over their neighborhoods. Social media was flooded with clips, photos, and claims of their whereabouts on Monday, March 2. City Congressman Joaquin Castro reshared a post on X, formerly Twitter, which showed a fleet of helicopters traveling over a wooded community. "Neighbor got a video," the user captioned their post. "I know San Antonio is Military City U.S.A. but I've lived in this house since 2009 & I've never experienced something like this ... I don't like this." Advertisement Advertisement MySA reached out to Castro's office for a comment, but did not immediately hear back. Neighbor got a video. I know San Antonio is Military City USA but I've lived in this house since 2009 & I've NEVER experienced something like this. Helicopters must be moving from Lackland to Camp Bullis? Idk. I don't like this pic.twitter.com/a2qO7isvAr - ohhhaykayla (@ohhhaykayla) March 3, 2026 The clip received over 1.2 million views and over 200 comments, with many sharing thoughts on what type of helicopters they might be. Some say they look similar to CH-47 Chinooks or Night Stalkers, also known as 160th SOAR (Abn). "We also experienced, and it was so alarming," one user wrote. The original poster responded to them, saying their "entire house" was "violently shaking for at least 30 seconds." Additional sightings were reported on Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok. Texans allege they were spotted in the West Austin/Lakeway area, the Hill Country, and Lampasas County. Advertisement Advertisement Many claims repeat the same observation: that they did not have their lights on, loud, and moving in groups. "Maybe for a movie? - Sure flying in nice formation," Wild Wilson wrote in a post. "Yes-very low and no lights. Never seen them that low - like under a radar. It was concerning," Margie Thatcher McVicker wrote. Others argue they were likely "moving machines" or people, and that it was not abnormal, given how many military installations there are in the Alamo City. Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) includes Camp Bullis, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base. MySA reached out to JBSA for comment. This article originally published at Helicopter fleet spottings in San Antonio, Hill Country, spark concern. FAIRMONT Rev. James Saunders surprised his fellow members on the Marion County Board of Education Monday by calling for reconsideration of School Superintendent Donna Heston's contract. Saunders moved to have a vote on the issue placed on the agenda for a special session of the board on Thursday, March 5. The board had planned to use its special session to continue discussing the process for replacing Heston. Heston advised the board to speak to legal counsel before making a motion to add the vote to the upcoming special session. Saunders replied he already had. The board passed the motion unanimously. Board Member Donna Costello initially hesitated before agreeing to the motion. After the meeting, Heston said she was caught by surprise by the motion as well. Advertisement Advertisement Speculation swirls around the board's motives. Two weeks ago, Saunders was joined by board members Costello and Kevin Rogers in a vote to not renew Heston. However, when the board put forth a motion to begin the process of replacing Heston, Saunders abstained from voting and put a pause on the replacement process. George Boyles, board president, later said a primary matter was reworking the school superintendent's job description before making the posting public. What fueled speculation around the board's decision making process was that it had given Heston exemplary marks in her annual review a few weeks earlier. None of the board members who denied her contract renewal have provided an explanation for their vote. After the meeting, Costello said she had no comment on Saunders' sudden course change. Boyles was asked if Heston's non-renewal vote had another to do with potential school consolidation, which is taking place all over West Virginia due to students fleeing for the Hope Scholarship and homeschooling. "No, no that has not she as well as the board know that we've got to identify some things related to consolidation," Boyles said. "But that's not part of our contract, that we're actively talking with her about." Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, school consolidation will be something the board has to consider in the months ahead. Heston said the board asked her in the fall to provide three schools for potential consolidation. Anytime a building falls under 40% for student utilization is a red flag, she said. With declining enrollment numbers, the school system is also losing funding to maintain all its facilities. "They are now at a point where facilities are now a concern as we continue to operate 21," Heston said. The special session on Thursday will be at 1 p.m. The pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon has fired rockets at the Tel Aviv area in Israel for the first time since the beginning of the current Iran war. The Israeli military announced on Tuesday after sirens blared in the coastal metropolis that several projectiles had been identified as having flown from Lebanon to Israel. They said the air defence had intercepted most of them, and one projectile landed in an open area. The Magen David Adom rescue service reported that a man sustained injuries when he fell while running to a shelter. He was taken to hospital. Hezbollah fired rockets towards Israel on Sunday in response to the killing of Iran's head of state and religious leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Subsequently, the Israeli military began attacking numerous targets in Lebanon, mainly in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of Beirut. These areas are within Hezbollah's sphere of influence. Israel said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on Thursday, while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on Monday, when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes over the weekend. Israel has since struck targets across the country and sent ground forces into border towns. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported several strikes early Thursday, including two in the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut, where AFPTV footage showed smoke rising. Israel's military, which earlier told residents to leave the suburbs where the strikes were reported, said its forces hit "several command centers belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation" in the city. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The NNA said that a pre-dawn Israeli drone strike hit an apartment in Beddawi, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, killing senior Hamas official Wassim Atallah al-Ali and his wife. This is the first reported targeted killing of a Hamas official since the regional war began on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement The report noted that Ali's brother, also a Hamas official from Beddawi, was killed in an Israeli air strike during the war triggered by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel. Separately, the NNA reported that a drone hit a vehicle in south Lebanon, killing three people. It did not speculate who was behind the strike. Another "enemy" air strike hit a house in Tyre district, the NNA said. Israel has not claimed the latest attacks reported by the Lebanese news agency. Meanwhile, in Israel's north near the border, repeated air raid alerts sent residents to shelters in several locations, with no immediate reports of impact or casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah's leader vowed Wednesday to keep up its fight against Israel and step up attacks, saying the group had targeted Israeli positions as far as Tel Aviv in at least 15 attacks. "We are facing aggression... our choice is to confront it until the ultimate sacrifice, and we will not surrender," Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared in his first speech since the latest round of fighting broke out. Lebanese authorities announced at least 72 people killed, 437 wounded and 83,000 displaced from their homes since Monday. - 'Direct' clashes - The Israeli military told people living south of Lebanon's Litani river -- a large area stretching around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the border -- to evacuate, warning that the army was "compelled to take military action" against Hezbollah there. Advertisement Advertisement Under a November 2024 truce, only UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army may bear arms south of the Litani river. Israel was supposed to withdraw all of its forces, but has kept troops in areas it deems strategic and conducted regular air strikes, citing Hezbollah's refusal to surrender arms. On Tuesday, Israel's military said it was creating a buffer zone inside Lebanon to protect Israeli residents. Troops from three divisions, including infantry, armoured and engineering units were operating in southern Lebanon, Israel's army said late Wednesday. AFP video footage showed what appeared to be two Israeli tanks amid residential buildings in Khiam, about six kilometres (3.7 miles) north of the border. Advertisement Advertisement The UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, reported Israeli "movements and military activities" on the Lebanese side, adding in a statement that they violate Lebanon's "sovereignty and territorial integrity". Hezbollah said its fighters had engaged Israeli troops in "direct" clashes in Khiam, while Israel said two of its soldiers had been "moderately injured" by anti-tank fire. - Southern suburbs targeted - A series of strikes on Wednesday hit Beirut's southern suburbs following evacuation warnings from Israel's military. AFP footage showed thick plumes of smoke rising above buildings in the densely populated area, which some residents fled when the violence erupted on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement An air strike also hit a hotel in Hazmieh -- the first reported Israeli attack on the predominantly Christian area in Beirut's suburbs. In Aramoun and Saadiyat south of Beirut -- two towns also outside of Hezbollah's traditional sphere of influence -- the health ministry said Israeli strikes killed at least six people. AFP footage from Aramoun showed damaged cars and rescue workers carrying a wounded person on a stretcher. Strikes also targeted a four-storey building in the city of Baalbek, in Lebanon's east, far from the border where Hezbollah also has a strong presence. bur-lar-ris/ami/jfx Some of Bostons most expensive and treasured real estate is at risk of sinking and crumbling. The hidden problem is tucked beneath centuries-old homes. An organization founded by the Boston City Council in 1986 is keeping close tabs on the issue that threatens thousands of historic homes. The properties are at risk of structural failure if underground wooden foundations rot due to declining groundwater levels. Advertisement Advertisement Approximately 8,000 buildings constructed on filled land between the mid-1800s and early 1900s are potentially affected. The Boston Groundwater Trust monitors groundwater levels across the citys man-made land areas to ensure wooden pilings remain submerged. We work with the entities that own the sewers, the drains, the tunnels, making sure that those are tight, that those dont leak, said Christian Simonelli, Executive Director of the Boston Groundwater Trust. Wood pilings can last for centuries underwater, but exposure to oxygen allows microbes to rot the wood, potentially leading to foundational collapses. Advertisement Advertisement Repairing the damage can cost homeowners upwards of $200,000. You see a building, and you say, oh, that building looks OK, Simonelli said regarding the hidden nature of the foundation issues. Ultimately, if the building owner ignored it, it would be catastrophic for the building. The Boston Groundwater Trust tracks reports of damaged pilings and cases where stabilization repairs have been completed. Repairing a failing foundation is a labor-intensive process. Depending on the size of the building, depending on the number of wood piles underneath the building, it could be anywhere from 12 to 18 months, Simonelli said. Advertisement Advertisement These expenses are rarely covered by insurance policies. Real estate professionals emphasize the importance of identifying these defects before a property is sold. Sellers have a legal obligation to share known issues with potential buyers. If they find out about something thats materially wrong with the home, a defect, it is incumbent upon them to disclose that information if theyre selling their home, said Colleen Barry, CEO of Gibson Sothebys International Realty. A Massachusetts law that went into effect last year now prohibits home buyers from offering to waive home inspections to gain a competitive advantage. Advertisement Advertisement Barry noted that experienced inspectors can often identify the signs of rotting pilings before they become a dire issue. Many of Bostons most recognized landmarks have required foundational work over the years due to these risks. The Boston Public Library, Trinity Church and Old South Church are just some of the properties that have had their wooden pilings repaired or replaced over the last century. To mitigate future risks, the city now requires builders to install groundwater recharge systems and use porous paving materials to allow rainwater to seep back into the soil. The Boston Groundwater Trust is preparing to deploy new automatic sensors in the spring to monitor groundwater levels more closely. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW By Sinead Carew and Saqib Iqbal Ahmed March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. software companies have stepped up their stock buyback plans during a months-long rout. Investors and strategists are skeptical that it will stem the selling. Investors have been dumping software stocks since the fall, with the S&P 500 software index down 28% since late October, on worries that developments in artificial intelligence (AI) will dramatically disrupt the competitive landscape for the richly valued sector. More from Yahoo Scout Will increased buybacks effectively stop the software selloff? Why are U.S. software companies dramatically increasing buybacks? How has AI disruption affected software stock valuations? What evidence do software companies need to regain trust? The selloff accelerated in January following product announcements from AI company Anthropic that raised concerns that the rapid changes in AI make it difficult to evaluate the business prospects of software companies for the coming years. Since January 12, U.S.-listed software companies have authorized $70.5 billion in stock repurchases, nearly four times the value of announcements for the same period a year ago, according to EPFR, a division of ISI Markets. Salesforce announced a $30 billion increase to its existing share repurchase program. ServiceNow authorized an additional $5 billion in buybacks on top of the $1.4 billion remaining in its existing share repurchase plan, including plans for a $2 billion accelerated buyback. Over the same time period, buyback announcements from U.S.-traded companies in the broader technology sector rose roughly 63% to $110.1 billion from $67.6 billion a year ago. "When a company announces a buyback after their stock has been hit hard, I think that is an attempt to stop the decline," said Andrew Slimmon, senior portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. He said he prefers companies that repurchase shares when they have strong fundamentals and price momentum. Investors generally like buybacks because they boost quarterly earnings-per-share by reducing shares outstanding, while also signaling confidence by management in the company. BUYBACKS AREN'T ENOUGH Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville, Virginia, said he is unconvinced that buybacks can be a catalyst for the software sector as a whole. "I don't think the buybacks are enough," said Tuz. "There needs to be demonstrated evidence that AI isn't going to fundamentally hurt the business of a specific software company. That just takes time." Tuz said his firm added to its holdings of human resources software and services company Paychex after it backed its annual financial guidance in December and then announced a $1 billion buyback program on January 16, replacing a 2024 plan that called for $400 million in repurchases. The founding pastor of one of Greater Cincinnatis largest churches told its members Sunday hes cooperating with an investigation into whether he used a horse whip on a man who visited his church office more than a decade ago. Brian Tome, who has been a pastor at Crossroads Church since it first held services in Cincinnati 30 years ago, is accused of whipping and rubbing the man's crotch with a riding crop during an encounter in 2015. An email to church members last week announced Tomes suspension from his pastoral duties but gave few details about the accusation, describing it as inappropriate physical humor. Church officials provided more information at Sunday services in a pre-recorded video, which included a brief statement from Tome. Advertisement Advertisement This is just heart wrenching, Tome said. Im thankful the independent investigation is happening. Im cooperating. I welcome it. The turmoil at Crossroads comes at a time of rapid growth in influence and visibility for the church across the region. It has been at the forefront of a decades-long movement of the Christian faithful away from traditional Catholic and mainline protestant churches to non-denominational evangelical churches. Since its first public services in a middle school auditorium in 1996, Crossroads has become Greater Cincinnatis largest evangelical church, attracting about 30,000 members and expanding to nine locations in Ohio and Kentucky. Tome has been at the center of that growth from the beginning. He was hired as Crossroads first senior pastor in the mid-1990s and has remained a leader of the church ever since. Advertisement Advertisement Tome did not discuss details of the accusation in his statement Sunday, but he said he supports the decision by Crossroads board to investigate the claims. The most important thing is we get to truth, we honor Jesus and the church, he said. Im heartened by the steps that are being taken. Accusations involve riding crop, improper behavior Crossroads' co-founder Brian Wells said those steps begin with hiring an independent investigator to interview the parties involved and gather as much information as possible about the allegation. A church spokeswoman said police are not involved. Wells said church officials first learned of the accusation in 2024 when a male church member he did not identify told someone on staff about an encounter in Tomes office in 2015. Advertisement Advertisement According to the church member, Wells said, he noticed a riding crop, a short whip typically used on horses, that had been given to the pastor years earlier as a gift. The man said he asked Tome what it was. In response, the man alleged, Tome picked up the riding crop and said, Oh, yeah? You like that? before using it to whip and rub the mans crotch. When the staff member shared the mans allegation with Tome, Wells said, the pastor immediately and very appropriately recused himself from any investigation and directed the staff member to contact the church's board. Wells said the board investigated the matter and then met with the accuser and Tome to discuss the findings. In a separate meeting, he said the board officially admonished Brian to be mindful of the weight of his words, his actions and the need to be above reproach. Advertisement Advertisement We then considered the issue resolved, Wells said. 'An organized search for the truth' But last week, he said, the same church member who made the accusation contacted the board again to express frustration with what he felt is a lack of objectivity in the process. Wells said no additional information was brought forward, but the board determined an independent investigation was necessary. He did not say who would conduct that investigation. I would note that an investigation does not indicate guilt, Wells said. Its simply an organized search for the truth Our prayer is that it can be done quickly, but our commitment is that it will be done right. Advertisement Advertisement He also said he understands that some church members may be frustrated by the lack of information or wary of trusting people in authority to investigate the matter. "I'm sorry for that," he said. "I would just ask us all to extend grace all around for everyone while we go through this process." Neither Wells nor Tome could be reached on Monday to respond to questions about the allegations or the investigation. The accusation against Tome is the second this year involving claims of inappropriate behavior by a Crossroads staff member. In January, Crossroads fired an employee after police told church officials the person had been accused of secretly filming women working out at Crunch Fitness in Oakley. Advertisement Advertisement This behavior grossly violates biblical standards and expectations required of any individual on staff, Tome said at the time. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Crossroads church pastor suspended after claim involving riding crop March 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. House Select Committee on China warned that Beijing has established at least 11 space facilities in Latin America that could strengthen the surveillance and intelligence capabilities of the People's Liberation Army. According to the Feb. 26 report, Pulling Latin America into China's Orbit, the second installment of a review of China's activity in the Western Hemisphere, it details how Beijing uses infrastructure in the region to advance its space and intelligence-gathering capabilities. The document says that China uses space cooperation agreements with countries in the region, presented as scientific in nature, but which allow it to expand its ability to monitor and track satellites and other objects in space, a key function for both civilian and military operations. Advertisement Advertisement According to the committee, the facilities include ground stations, radio telescopes and satellite laser ranging sites located in Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile and Brazil. New @ChinaSelect report | China is using Latin America as a launchpad for military space operations. What looks like civilian cooperation is actually part of a PLA-linked global network tracking satellites and monitoring adversaries. At least 11 Chinese-linked sites across... pic.twitter.com/koIarFiW9O Select Committee on China (@ChinaSelect) February 26, 2026 The report notes that these centers are not isolated scientific projects, but part of an integrated network that could allow China to maintain constant contact with its satellites and improve its global monitoring capacity. "Much of daily American life depends on the satellites above us, and that is why China's space operations are a matter of serious concern," committee chairman Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said in a statement. The panel argues that the expansion reflects a Chinese policy that allows civilian and commercial infrastructure to also be used for military purposes. Under this framework, aerospace companies and state entities can be integrated into the country's defense ecosystem. Advertisement Advertisement China has launched more than 1,000 satellites and has invested in stations that allow it to control those satellites, receive data and send them instructions. However, the report indicates that limited access to ground infrastructure outside its territory may have driven agreements with Latin American governments to ensure continuous coverage while its satellites orbit the planet. Among the cases cited is the Deep Space Station in Argentina's Neuquen province, operational since 2018 under a 50-year lease agreement. The report also mentions facilities in Venezuela such as El Sombrero and Luepa; stations in Bolivia associated with the Tupac Katari satellite; projects in Chile linked to radio astronomy and data processing; and agreements in Brazil involving Chinese technology companies and local actors. Advertisement Advertisement The committee said that although these infrastructures are presented as scientific or civilian cooperation projects, they have technical capabilities that could be used to intercept signals, enhance satellite tracking or support intelligence and defense systems. In its recommendations, the report urges NASA to review any cooperation with countries that host Chinese space infrastructure to ensure compliance with the Wolf Amendment, which restricts bilateral cooperation with China in the space sector. It also proposes updating that legislation to prevent loopholes in multilateral agreements. A human trafficking investigation led to raids at several massage businesses across Delaware and the arrests of four people on prostitution-related charges, police said. After months of surveillance, authorities said they arrested four individuals and rescued several women they described as victims of human trafficking. Police said the investigation culminated in coordinated raids at three spas in Hockessin, Brandywine Hundred and Newark, where detectives believe sexual acts were being provided in exchange for money. Advertisement Advertisement "These are victims that are involved. These are true victims," said Richard Chambers, a master corporal with New Castle County police. According to police, Mingzi Nan was charged with promoting prostitution, conducting transactions with criminal proceeds and related misdemeanors. Authorities said Nan was jailed after failing to post bail. Meulan Lanno, Juli Cha and Joseph Johnson were arrested and charged with various felony and misdemeanor offenses related to prostitution, conspiracy, wage theft and criminal nuisance, police said. They were later released on bail. The investigation began after a tip in 2025 alleging illegal sex acts and potential human trafficking. Detectives with the drug and human trafficking team began monitoring the businesses and determined that clients were being offered sexual acts in exchange for money, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Chambers said some of the women involved were brought to the United States specifically for sex trafficking. "Some of these people have been brought to this country for the sole purpose of sex trafficking in several manners," he said. Detectives believe Johnson and Nan collected money from the spas and transported it to casinos in an effort to conceal its origins. "The two individuals involved directly were taking the money to casinos locally, then banks making deposits, trying to clean the money," Chambers said. Nearly $14,000 was seized during the raids, police said. State authorities are now considering whether to shut down the spas as the four defendants face multiple charges tied to their alleged roles in the scheme. Police said the women identified as victims are receiving assistance. Authorities also urged the public to report suspected human trafficking by calling a hotline at 302-395-2727. The Brief An auction is set to be held for tax-defaulted properties in Alameda County this month. More than 250 parcels will be auctioned, from vacant land to residential properties. Minimum bids start as low as $455, according to the online auction marketplace Bid4Assets. OAKLAND, Calif. - More than 250 properties in Alameda County are set to go on the auction block later this month, with minimum bids hitting as low as $455. Advertisement Advertisement The county is part of a program led by Bid4Assets, an online auction marketplace that works with local, state, and federal government entities across the country to help sell distressed real estate, including tax-defaulted properties. Bid4Assets Marketing Manager Sean McLaughlin told KTVU the firm operates with a "mission to create a better method of conducting government foreclosure sale." In an email correspondence with KTVU, McLaughlin noted that the program can serve as a win-win for not only participants who end up owning property at significantly below-market prices, but also for government agencies that are trying to recover costs from forfeited real estate. "This leads to benefits like reduced costs, increased local participation, and ultimately higher rates of sales generating recouped revenue for the offices we work with and their constituents," McLaughlin explained. Properties auctioned In all, 256 properties are being offered in the Alameda County tax default auction. Advertisement Advertisement Available parcels range from vacant land to residential properties. They have all been in a tax-defaulted status for years, according to McLaughlin, who also noted that often, the properties are being offered for the amount still owed, instead of their actual assessed value. While the minimum bid starts at $455, the bids range all the way up to $1.5 million. How to participate To take advantage of the program, prospective participants must first create a free Bid4Assets account on the website. They must then make a single refundable deposit of $5,000 plus a non-refundable $35 processing fee. The deadline to make the deposit for this auction has been set for March 17. Advertisement Advertisement SEE ALSO: This Bay Area city is the least affordable in the world to buy a home: study Non-winning bidders will get a refund on the deposit, with the money being returned through an electronic check within 10 business days after the close of the auction. For those who win with their bid, the deposit would be applied to the final payment of the property. Once the auction closes, all winning bidders will be emailed detailed next-step instructions on settlement procedures as well as information on how to provide the county with the necessary deed transfer information. "Alameda County requires that the winning bidder submit the deed transfer information to Bid4Assets within 24 hours of the close of auction," the auction marketplace noted on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Winning bidders must make the full payment on the property no later than 1:00 p.m. on March 25, two days after the auction closes. "No exceptions will be made. If the payment policy is not adhered to the winning bidder will forfeit their deposit to Alameda County and may be banned from future sales," according to the Bid4Assets website. The final sale prices are subject to additional fees, including a county recording fee of $17 per parcel, a California documentary transfer tax calculated at the rate of $.55 for each $500, and any additional city transfer tax associated with the property. Dig deeper The Alameda County tax default auction is one of 15 in California and the only one in the Bay Area scheduled for this month through June. Advertisement Advertisement Bid4Assets was founded in 1999. Alameda County has been hosting auctions on tax-defaulted properties in partnership with Bid4Assets since at least 2009, according to the auction marketplace which was founded in 1999. Other California counties with scheduled auctions in the coming months include Stanislaus, Yolo, San Joaquin, Monterey, and Santa Cruz. The Alameda County auction will be held March 20March 23. Important dates and times Deposit deadline: March 17 at 1 p.m. Auction start: March 20 at 8:30 a.m. Auction end: March 23, with closing times varying. Participants should check individual auctions for times. Settlement deadline: March 25 at 1:00 p.m. For a list of the Alameda County properties, click here and look for the "Auction Folders" section. Zamir said that the current conflict has morphed from seeking regime change in Iran to also finishing off Hezbollah as a decades-long threat to Israel. Israel will remove the entire Shiite axis threat led by Iran and Hezbollah, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said Tuesday night during a visit to an IDF air defense command center. During a visit with Air Defense Chief Brig. Gen. "K" to Battalion 947 of the air defense apparatus, Zamir said that the current conflict has morphed from seeking regime change in Iran to also finishing off Hezbollah as a decades-long threat to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement "This is one axis, a Shiite axis," he emphasized. For decades, and even more intensely since 2017, Iran sought to encircle Israel with a "ring of fire" to weaken and possibly destroy it. Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 2, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR) Israel strong enough to fight two fronts, says Zamir But now Zamir said that Israel is strong enough to fight on two fronts to bring the two most dangerous pieces of the ring of fire and the anti-Israel Shiite axis to their knees. As part of this battle, Zamir said that the IDF's stellar air defense and resilient general public are critical. Only by avoiding major harm to the home front can the IDF continue to take apart Iran's regime and Hezbollah's source sof power that remained with it following the 2023-2024 conflict with the Lebanese terror group. This comes after IDF Chief Spokesman Effie Defrin and Defense Minister Israel Katz both alluded to a possible Lebanon ground operation on Monday. The IDF is operating in southern Lebanon as part of Operation Roaring Lion, according to a Tuesday morning statement from Israel's military. Troops are stationed at several points along the Lebanon border in order to enhance defenses, the IDF stated. This is in addition to the five positions the Israeli military has held in southern Lebanon since the November 2024 ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement However, the IDF Northern Command said that it was unlikely to initiate a larger ground invasion into Lebanon until the situation with Iran was calmer, if at all. According to the IDF, Hezbollah could fall apart without Iranian training and guidance, which they will have less of now that Iran's regime itself is fighting for survival. In addition, the IDF said that Hezbollah will be substantially harmed by losing access to Iranian funds, which were almost its sole source of support since the war started. Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 2, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR) Next, the IDF said that Hezbollah has angered its own constituency who have not yet gotten reparations for their losses from the 2023-2024 conflict with Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Collectively, the military said that all of these factors could finally lead to the Lebanese military disarming Hezbollah, though the organization still has power sources, so this remains an unpredictable question. Most Hezbollah rockets land in sea, open areas Regarding Hezbollah's attack on Israel to date, the IDF stated that most Hezbollah rockets landed in the sea or open areas, with the IDF only having to shoot down one rocket. To date, Hezbollah has not used its arsenal of thousands or more rockets, said the IDF. Further, the IDF credited the Lebanese military for having tried to stop Hezbollah from going south toward Israel. Moreover, the IDF said that most of Hezbollah's 2,000 Radwan commandos did not travel south toward Israel, but stayed in Beirut for safety. Only a small number of Radwan made it south, the IDF said. Syria has yet to take advantage of Iran conflict to attack Druze Regarding the Syrian front, the IDF said that Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa's forces have not tried to take advantage of the Iran conflict to attack the Syrian Druze. Advertisement Advertisement The IDF expressed the hope that Al-Sharaa's forces would prevent Iranian-sponsored Iraqi militias from coming through their territory toward Israel Next, the IDF was very optimistic about the fact that so far, Israel's northern residents did not need to evacuate officially, nor had many residents evacuated of their own initiative. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Tuesday morning that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the IDF enter and hold positions in Lebanese territory in order to prevent further danger to Israeli border communities. "Hezbollah is paying, and will continue to pay, a price for its fire toward Israel," Katz wrote. "We promised security for the communities of the Galilee, and that is what we will deliver." IDF conducts wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut Israeli forces struck Hezbollah communication and intelligence infrastructure in Beirut, the IDF stated on Tuesday morning, adding that the targets were disguised as having civilian use. Advertisement Advertisement As part of the strikes, the IDF struck Hezbollah terrorists and Radwan Force terrorists, as well as Hezbollah military command centers. Despite the civilian cover, the IDF emphasized that all targets were used to conduct terrorist activity. Citizens were warned before the strikes in order to reduce the chance of harming civilians, the IDF said. Operation Roaring Lion won't conclude without removing Hezbollah threat, IDF chief vows This comes after IDF Chief Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir vowed during a briefing with IDF division commanders on Monday that the operation would end with "Hezbollah suffering a devastating blow." IDF Spokesperson Effie Defrin releases a video message to the public amid tensions with Iran, Febrary 27, 2026 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) "The Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces have been warned numerous times to disarm Hezbollah recently. They did not act, and so we know how to defend ourselves with our own means. We will end this campaign with not just Iran being struck but with Hezbollah suffering a devastating blow," Zamir stated. Advertisement Advertisement "We will continue to insist that Hezbollah be disarmed - this is a demand we will not relinquish. The IDF will not conclude the campaign before the threat from Lebanon is eliminated," he added. "Our core effort is focused on Iran. We are operating with force and striking the terrorist regime in unprecedented coordination with the US military," Zamir told the commanders. "After Hezbollah opened fire, I instructed that we act with force against Hezbollah as well. The IDF has planned and is prepared to operate in multiple arenas simultaneously." IDF says Lebanon invasion possible, Israel Katz declares Hezbollah chief Qassem a target Earlier on Monday, IDF Chief Spokesman Effie Defrin said that it was still possible that the military might invade southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollahs rocket attacks overnight. Defrin did not commit to such an invasion but notably did not rule it out. Minutes after Defrin finished his press conference, Defense Minister Israel Katz posted that Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem is now in the IDFs crosshairs. James Genn contributed to this report. Naming the site as Min Zadai, on the northeast outskirts of Tehran, Defrin said that the site is related to weapons group developments. The IDF destroyed a secret Iranian nuclear weapons development site on Tuesday, IDF Chief Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin revealed in a press conference. Separately, the IDF stated that, since the start of the war, the air force had destroyed some 300 Iranian missile launchers. Naming the site as Min Zadai, on the northeast outskirts of Tehran, Defrin said that the site was linked to weapons development. He said that IDF intelligence followed nuclear scientists who tried to travel there clandestinely. IDF intel followed nuclear scientists to secret nuclear base Naming the site as Min Zadai, on the northeast outskirts of Tehran, Defrin said that the site was linked to weapons development. He said that IDF intelligence followed nuclear scientists who tried to travel there clandestinely. Advertisement Advertisement By following these scientists, he said, the IDF was able to learn about the dangerous nature of these activities that could help Tehran resume aspects of weapons development for a nuclear bomb. An IDF graphic showing the covert Minzadehei Iranian nuclear compound struck by the IDF on March 3, 2026. (Credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Most of the global media attention focuses on uranium enrichment since it is the hardest issue to conquer and can take many years to master. But without a number of weapons components being developed, enriched uranium cannot be delivered as a weapon. Israel's June bombing campaign destroyed dozens of weapon sites In June 2025, Israels bombing campaign destroyed dozens of sites relating to weapons development, essentially shutting down that side of the nuclear coin. Defrins revelation is the first public statement made by the IDF regarding Irans new progress with rehabilitating aspects of its weapons development since the 12 Day War in June 2025. Iranian news agencies reported that the building was "flattened" during the Israeli strikes. The IDF targeted a building in which Tehran's 88-member Assembly of Experts was meeting to choose Iran's next supreme leader, Israeli sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. Iranian news agencies reported that the building was "flattened" during the Israeli strikes. The aftermath of an Israeli strike on Qom, Iran, on March 3, 2026. (CREDIT: SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT) Advertisement Advertisement No injuries or deaths resulting from the strike have been reported as of early Tuesday evening. Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's ISNA news agency cited a member of the Assembly of Experts as saying that choosing the successor to the previous supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, "won't take long." Operation Roaring Lion Khamenei and many top Iranian military and intelligence officials were killed early on Saturday after Israel began Operation Roaring Lion. As of Monday night, the IDF has dropped over 2,500 bombs on the Islamic Republic and attacked over 600 targets. The IAF struck a leadership complex in Tehran overnight, with approximately 100 fighter jets dropping over 250 bombs on the complex. Advertisement Advertisement According to the IDF, the complex contained the President's headquarters, the headquarters of Irans Supreme National Security Council, a meeting compound used by the Islamic Republic's senior forum, and a headquarters for training Iranian military officers. Jerusalem Post Staff and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. Semi-official IRGC news outlet Tasnim reported that two explosions were witnessed in the area of the broadcasting building. The IDF struck the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) headquarters, controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in Tehran on Monday. The strikes, carried out by the Israeli Air Force, dismantled the broadcasting center, the IDF stated. Semi-official IRGC-linked news outlet Tasnim reported that two explosions were witnessed in the area of the broadcasting building. Advertisement Advertisement IRIBs broadcast center was recently used by the Iranian regime to advance military activities under the guise of civilian activity and assets, the IDF said, adding that it was also frequently used to spread regime propaganda. Propaganda spread by the regime-run station for years included advocacy for Irans nuclear weapon development, calls for the destruction of Israel, and repression of the Iranian people, according to the IDF. An infographic of the Iranian regime's Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting headquarters. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) IDF urged civilians to evacuate before strike Shortly before the strike, the IDF issued a Farsi-language evacuation warning for Iranians in the Evin area of Tehran and in the IRIB station. The warning, shared on X/Twitter, warned that the IDF would be carrying out military operations in the coming hours and urged Iranian citizens to immediately evacuate the area. Shortly after the warning was published, the IDF announced that it had begun striking terror targets in Tehran. CHICAGO Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker never flew with former President Bill Clinton on a plane belonging to Jeffrey Epstein, spokespeople for the two Democrats said late Monday hours after video of Clintons testimony before a House committee was released, in which the former president suggested the pair had traveled with the financier before he was convicted of sex crimes. Appearing before the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors on Friday, Clinton was asked about his use of Epsteins private plane in the early 2000s, after the president had left office and while he was establishing the Clinton Foundation charitable group. Clinton told members of the committee that he never traveled alone on the plane, according to video of the sworn testimony, which lasted more than 4 1/2 hours and was released Monday. I had the Secret Service with me, and then, on occasion, I had people who had volunteered to help us and wanted to see what we were doing, Clinton said. For example, I think it was on one of these trips, I think, that I had my first trip for the man whos now the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, and his wife. They gave me they helped me get started. All a matter of public record. Advertisement Advertisement But Clintons last flight on Epsteins aircraft, one which he traveled with Epstein and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell on foundation-related trips, was in 2003, according to testimony and flight logs. Pritzkers trips with Clinton came years later, according to a spokesman for his campaign and a spokesman for Clinton. Governor Pritzker was asked to travel with President Clinton on two trips, once in 2008 and once in 2013, Pritzker campaign spokesman Alex Gough said in a statement late Monday. Neither utilized Jefferey Epsteins aircraft, nor was he accompanied by that man or Ghislaine Maxwell. While a lack of clarity in Clintons statement and a lack of follow-up questions from members of the committee caused the confusion, Gough shifted the focus to members of the rival party after the Republican National Committee and figures in the Illinois GOP circulated clips of the testimony on social media. We understand that the GOP is desperate to deflect from the heinous accusations against President Trump in the Epstein Files, but this is a particularly weak effort to assign blame where there is none, Gough said. Advertisement Advertisement Pritzker is a longtime ally of the Clintons, having been a major backer of Hillary Clintons two presidential campaigns, including her 2008 primary race against hometown favorite Barack Obama. A Clinton spokesman backed up the Pritzker campaigns timeline of JB Pritzker and Bill Clintons joint travels in a social media post. President Clinton was simply giving an example of the many people he traveled with to see the Clinton Foundations work, Angel Urena, Clintons deputy chief of staff, wrote in a post on X. That post also reshared the RNCs initial post. which included Clintons comments from the testimony video. Governor Pritzker joined a Clinton Foundation trip in 2008. Not on Epsteins plane. Not with Epstein. Not with Maxwell. Advertisement Advertisement JB Pritzkers name does not appear in the flight logs for Epsteins airplane, which have been released publicly. Still, that didnt stop at least one of the Republicans running for the chance to challenge Pritzker in November from latching on. JB Pritzker has officially been named in the Epstein deposition by Bill Clinton, video gambling magnate Rick Heidner wrote in a social media post. I said that his cousin might have a problem because of Epstein. Now it looks like JB could be having problems with it too. Heidner, who is running against former state Sen. Darren Bailey, conservative policy advocate Ted Dabrowski and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick in the March 17 GOP primary for governor, was referring to Pritzkers cousin Thomas Pritzker. Advertisement Advertisement Thomas Pritzker last month announced he was stepping down as executive chair of Hyatt Hotels because of his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret. The publicly released Epstein files show Thomas Pritzker was in regular contact with Epstein even after the financier pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to charges including soliciting prostitution from a minor. JB Pritzker has said he isnt close with his cousin, who was among the next generation of Pritzkers whom patriarch Jay Pritzker tapped to lead Hyatt and other family interests after his death. The succession plan, which also named the governors sister, Penny Pritzker, and Jay Pritzkers younger cousin Nick to help lead, precipitated an acrimonious breakup of the Pritzker family fortune in the early 2000s. ____ By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila and Ange Kasongo DAKAR/KINSHASA, March 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. has made progress in its push to prise Congo's strategic minerals from China's orbit, but conflict, contested licences and compliance demands are still slowing Washington's advance into a region its rival dominates, diplomats and industry officials said. More from Yahoo Scout What compliance challenges slow Western firms versus Chinese competitors? What progress has U.S. made in Congo minerals partnership? How is conflict affecting U.S. mining investments in Congo? Why are permitting disputes blocking major mining deals? Democratic Republic of Congo, which hosts the world's largest cobalt supply and rich copper and lithium reserves, is central to the U.S. push to cut the West's reliance on China for rare minerals. After the U.S. and Congo signed a minerals pact in December, Kinshasa last month handed Washington a 44-project shortlist spanning copper, cobalt, lithium, tin, gold and hydrocarbons, Reuters reported. The U.S.Congo partnership is meant to unlock investment, the U.S. State Department said, and support implementation of a peace deal Washington brokered between Congo and Rwanda, which Kinshasa has accused of supporting M23 rebels fighting Congolese troops in its east. But several of the shortlisted assets sit in politically fraught zones or carry permitting disputes, making quick, reliable mining deals unlikely, said the sources, who include Congolese government and mining officials. They asked not to be named because the discussions are sensitive. CONGO SLOWING DEALS, SOURCE SAYS One U.S. diplomat said Kinshasa is deliberately slowing new deals to push Washington to increase pressure on M23 before any further steps are taken. Reuters could not independently verify the claim. The Congolese government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On background, a senior government official described the allegations as "speculation". "The agreement has its own rhythm: a period for receiving offers, a period for negotiation," the official said. Rwanda, which denies backing M23, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. State Department told Reuters the U.S. remains "deeply concerned" by violence in eastern Congo and is pushing regional partners to reinforce the ceasefire, urging Rwanda to end M23 support and withdraw in line with December's peace deal. The department said Washington hopes to see swift progress on key deals, including a proposal for Glencore to sell copper and cobalt assets to the U.S.-backed Orion consortium, U.S.-based Virtus Minerals bid for Congo-focused Chemaf, and the extension of the Lobito Corridor railway line. Kinshasa's inclusion on the shortlist of the Rubaya mine, which supplies about 15% of global coltan and sits under M23/AFC control, signals Congo wants stronger U.S. action on M23, said Joshua Walker of NYU's Congo Research Group. A mother who is stranded in Egypt has described the anguish of hearing the sound of missiles on her daughter's baby monitor as Iran attacks the region. Robyn Baker, from Jersey, moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2022 but had travelled to Egypt for work before the US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday and Iran retaliated. With flights in and out of Dubai suspended, she is unable to return to the city. Advertisement Advertisement "The hardest part is I sleep with the baby monitor on when I'm travelling... I expect to woken up to the sound of her crying and needing her nappy changed," she said. "Instead I'm being woken up to the sound of missiles being intercepted, on a baby monitor, above my child and I'm not there." She lives in Dubai with her partner and daughter [Robyn Baker] Baker travelled to Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, just south of Cairo, for work as part of a concierge company. While she was out on a boat in the Red Sea, she said she heard news Dubai had been struck by missiles. "My chest tightened and it felt like time had stopped," Ms Baker told BBC Radio Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement "I didn't know it was possible to feel that pain, it was like someone had stabbed me." She said the only thing which "kept her going" was she still had contact with her partner and child in Dubai and her family in Jersey. Baker's journey home normally means catching a connecting flight from Cairo, but the closure of the airspace meant she was not able to do that. "I hadn't even thought about my safety," she said. "All the tourists are doing everything they can to get out of Dubai, whereas I'm doing everything I can to get into Dubai." Advertisement Advertisement She said she was scared but any fear "is being overridden by the need to hold" her daughter. "Nothing else matters right now," she said. "When I do see her I'll just pick her up and not be able to let go for hours." Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story The first lunar eclipse visible in the Eastern U.S. in 2026 will happen Tuesday morning and be a strange sight, according to Space.com. During the rare celestial event, known as a selenelion, we will get a chance to see an eclipsed moon and the rising sun at the same time, according to the astronomy news website. A partial lunar eclipse will begin being visible in the Eastern Time Zone at 4:50 a.m. on March 3, according to WCVB. Totality (when the Earths shadow completely covers the moon) will occur between 6:04 a.m. EST and 7:02 a.m. EST, but the moon will set in the region during this time, according to Space.com. Advertisement Advertisement Viewers who want to see the full selenelion effect the rising sun and eclipsed moon in the sky simultaneously will need to look for it as close to sunrise as possible. For Eastern Massachusetts, this will mean looking skyward around 6:15 a.m. Those in Western Massachusetts will want to look to the heavens around 6:25 a.m. Why a selenelion is rare and seems impossible Considering what happens in space during a lunar eclipse, one would expect an eclipsed moon to never be visible from Earth at the same time as the sun. During a lunar eclipse, Earth aligns with the sun and moon in a perfect straight line with Earth in the middle. From Earth, we see the planets shadow cast over the moon, creating the eclipse effect. Advertisement Advertisement Given the alignment, the sun should be below the horizon line any time a lunar eclipse is visible to us. But during a selenelion, Earths atmosphere creates a visual illusion by refracting light, according to Weather Channel Meteorologist Jennifer Grey. This bending effect makes both the sun and eclipsed moon appear above the horizon at the same time for a brief period. Because such an effect is only possible when totality and moonrise or moonset occur at roughly the same time, skywatchers rarely get a chance to see it, according to Grey. But the striking celestial event is worth the effort to go out and view: a reddish blood moon rising as the sun glows on the other side of the sky. Will the weather cooperate? Sadly, clouds may block Massachusetts residents view of the selenelion Tuesday morning. A low pressure system is expected to move in sometime in the morning, bringing a wintry mix, according to the National Weather Service. But even if our local weather robs us of the opportunity to view the rare celestial event, Space.com will be livestreaming the lunar eclipse and selenelion. Viewers can watch it for free on the outlets website. More weather Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. This story was updated with a statement from Brownsburg schools. A Brownsburg teacher claimed he was forced out of his job after he cited his Christian faith in refusing to comply with a school policy requiring staff to use a transgender student's preferred first name. Eight years later, the school district has agreed to pay the teacher $650,000 in a settlement. The district will also be required to train its staff on how federal law protects employees against religious discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Former music and orchestra teacher John Kluge, backed by conservative litigator Alliance Defending Freedom, sued the Brownsburg Community School Corporation, claiming the district's preferred name policy resulted in religious discrimination. "We hope this settlement shows teachers that they do not have to bow the knee to ideological mandates that violate their religious beliefs," ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman said in a news release. "And schools should learn that refusing to accommodate religious employees can be illegal and expensive. When asked what Kluge does now, the ADF said he is no longer teaching in public schools. The school district established a policy in 2017 that required teachers to call students by the name listed in its database, which would reflect transgender students' preferred first names. The school district did not immediately respond to an IndyStar question on whether the policy is still active. Advertisement Advertisement For a year, the school allowed Kluge to have an accommodation that allowed him to refer to all students by their last names only, according to court documents. However, the school rolled back the accommodation, required he use students' first names and told him the previous compromise was harming students. In May 2018, the complaint said, Kluge was given an ultimatum to resign or be fired. He opted for the former. In a statement, the Brownsburg school district said it was in its best financial interest to settle the case. It said it believes the school did not infringe on Kluge's First Amendment and civil rights. "The school corporation has not wavered in its belief that Mr. Kluges decision to resign came after the school corporation followed its policy and applicable federal laws and acted in the best interest of its students," the statement reads. Weaving path through the courts The case has taken a complicated path through the federal courts, bouncing between Southern Indiana's U.S. District Court and the Seventh Circuit Court. On the first go-around, both the district and circuit courts sided with the school, finding that Kluge's refusal to honor the policy and use students' first names caused harm. Advertisement Advertisement "So, what's in a name?" Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson wrote in her 2021 opinion. "(The court) concludes that a name carries with it enough importance to overcome a public school corporation's duty to accommodate a teacher's sincerely held religious beliefs against a policy that requires staff to use transgender students' preferred names when supported by a parent and health care provider." However, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in 2023 that revived Kluge's case. The new precedent set a higher bar to determine whether an employee's religious accommodation constitutes an undue burden on the employer. Focusing solely on Kluge's Civil Rights Act religious discrimination claim, courts took another swing at the case. The district court, again, ruled for the school, but the circuit court flipped. It ruled that the school had not proven its claim that his religious beliefs constituted a substantial hardship under the new standard. The USA TODAY Network - Indiana's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Advertisement Advertisement Have a story to tell? Reach Cate Charron by email at ccharron@indystar.com, on X at @CateCharron or Signal at @cate.charron.28. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana school pays ousted teacher $650K in transgender policy dispute An Indianapolis man will stay in prison after he shot and asphyxiated his girlfriend in April 2023. The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed the murder conviction and life imprisonment without parole sentence of Anthony Wayne Carter for the killing of his girlfriend, Ashley Neville, in Columbus, Indiana. According to a news release from Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita's office, the court rejected Carters appeals "challenging the denial of a lesser-included jury instruction on reckless homicide and the sufficiency of evidence for the statutory torture aggravator." Advertisement Advertisement Carter was convicted of murder after evidence showed he "intentionally hastened" Nevilles death through asphyxiation after shooting her. "The Supreme Court found no error in the trial courts rulings and confirmed that sufficient evidence supported the torture aggravator under Indiana law," according to a news release from Rokita's office. The incident Carter reportedly called 911 in the early morning hours of April 16, 2023, telling a dispatcher he had killed Neville in Bartholomew County. Deputies responded to an address given by the caller, where Neville was believed to live. After not being able to contact anyone inside the home, someone reported a suspicious man in the area to police. Officers later found Carter hiding in a wooded area near Neville's home. Advertisement Advertisement A no-contact order was found to be in place, preventing Carter from contacting Neville. Once in police custody, Carter reportedly confessed to shooting, then asphyxiating Neville before hiding her body in a bedroom of her home. A jury found him guilty of murder on Oct. 28, 2024, after a six-day trial. The jury then deliberated for 45 minutes before agreeing to the life sentence. Court records show Carter, 51, was formally sentenced on Dec. 11, 2024. India's Supreme Court has threatened legal consequences after a judge was found to have adjudicated on a property dispute using fake judgements generated by artificial intelligence. The top court, which was responding to an appeal by the defendants, will now examine the ruling given by the lower court in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The Supreme Court called the case a matter of "institutional concern" and said fake AI-generated judgements had "a direct bearing on integrity of adjudicatory process". Advertisement Advertisement The incident has made headlines, becoming the latest in a series of instances where AI has disrupted court proceedings in India and elsewhere in the world The problems in the case in Andhra Pradesh arose in August last year when a junior civil judge in the trial court in Vijaywada city passed an order in a case about a disputed property. The court had previously assigned an official to survey the property and file a report, which the defendants in the case objected to. The judge dismissed their objection, citing four past legal judgements - all of which were later found to be AI-generated. AI programmes have vastly simplified tasks in the workplace but generative AI systems are known for their ability to "hallucinate" and assert falsehoods as fact, even sometimes inventing sources for the inaccurate information. Advertisement Advertisement The defendants challenged the order in the state's high court, pointing out that the cited orders were fake. The high court acknowledged this, but accepted that the junior civil judge had made the error in "good faith" and went on to agree with the trial court's decision anyway. In its order, the high court said that "the citations may be non-existent, but if the learned trial court has considered the correct principles of law and its application to the facts of the case is also correct, mere mentioning of incorrect or non-existent rulings/citations in the order cannot be a ground to set aside the order". The high court had also sought a report from the junior judge who had used the AI-generated rulings. She told the court that this was her first time using an AI tool and she had believed the citations to be "genuine". She had no intention to misquote or misrepresent the rulings and that "the mistake occurred solely due to the reliance on an automatic source", the high court wrote. The high court also advocated for the "exercise of actual intelligence over artificial intelligence". Advertisement Advertisement Following this, the defendants appealed again, taking the matter to the Supreme Court, which was less forgiving about the impact of AI. Coming down sternly against the fake judgements, the top court last Friday stayed the lower court's order on the property dispute. It said the use of AI while making judgements was not simply "an error in decision making" but an act of "misconduct". "This case assumes considerable institutional concern, not because of the decision that was taken on the merits of the case, but about the process of adjudication and determination," the top court said. The court said it would examine the case in more detail and issued notices to the country's Attorney and Solicitor General, as well as the Bar Council of India. Advertisement Advertisement In another case last month, the Supreme Court raised concerns over the trend of lawyers using AI tools to draft petitions. "It is absolutely uncalled for," legal news website LiveLaw quoted the court as saying. India is not alone in reckoning with the effects of AI in courts. In October, two federal judges in the US were called out for the use of AI tools which led to errors in their rulings. In June 2025, the High Court of England and Wales warned lawyers not to use AI-generated case material after a series of cases cited fictitious or partially made up rulings. India's legal institutions are grappling alongside others around the world with how to regulate and monitor the use of AI in the courtroom. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the Supreme Court published a white paper on AI in India's judiciary, in which it listed best practices as well as guidelines for AI use by judicial institutions, lawyers and clerks. The court stressed the need for human oversight and the importance of keeping institutional safeguards "firmly in place". (NewsNation) Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the clerical regime in Tehran and its proxies, first led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei and then Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have committed a range of attacks against Americans. The attacks have often been carried out by Iranian-backed militant groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and have frequently targeted and killed Americans overseas particularly in Israel. They have also included military targets, such as the October 1983 attack on a Marine compound in Beirut that left 220 Marines dead and led to a U.S. withdrawal from that country. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has pointed to the history of attacks to justify to global partners and Congress its bombing campaign on Iran, which began Saturday and killed Khamenei an energy of the U.S. for nearly five decades. Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth called the operation our retribution for Irans role in attacks on Americans. Irans war on Americans is our retribution against their Ayatollah and his death cult, Hegseth said at a Monday press conference. He credited President Donald Trump for finally drawing a line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence. Travelers stranded amid Iran war Iran was a U.S. ally and served an American policeman of sorts in the Middle East under the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. At that time, Iran was a huge buyer of U.S. weapons; President Jimmy Carter was the last U.S. president to visit Iran, during the Shahs rule. Advertisement Advertisement The Shahs rule was strengthened by a 1953 coup backed by the United States against then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who was ultimately arrested, tried and convicted in a military court. The United States and United Kingdom backed the coup, which left hundreds dead, after Mosaddeghs government voted to nationalize Irans oil industry. The Shah then ruled as a pro-Western leader with a firmer grip than before on Iran, while Mosaddegh remained under house arrest for the rest of his life, while other supporters were imprisoned or executed. These events, and the Shahs rule itself, where instrumental events in the Iranian revolution that left Khomenei in power, and led to the Iranian hostage crisis when students backed by Tehran took 66 Americans hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Chants of death to America, searing memories of blindfolded U.S. hostages and a laundry list of terrorist attacks are the U.S.-Iran history for must of the last near 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Does operation in Iran violate the Constitution? The question now is what will happen next, after Khameneis death in an Israeli strike and weeks more attacks promised by the Trump administration. (NewsNation) Here is a timeline of much of the history of Iranian attacks, compiled in part by the non-partisan think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, who has a strong focus on national security and foreign affairs and was founded after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. April 1983 A suicide car bombing kills 63 people, including 17 Americans, at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The Iran-backed terrorist group Islamic Jihad, a precursor and early branch of Hezbollah (not to be confused with Palestinian Islamic Jihad), claims responsibility. October 1983 Operatives of the Iran-backed Hezbollah drive a truck bomb at a Marine compound in Beirut, killing 220 U.S. Marines and 21 other service personnel. December 1983 Hezbollah operatives drive an explosives-filled dump truck through the gates of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City. No Americans are harmed. March 1984 Terrorists kidnap CIA station chief William Buckley in Beirut, subsequently torturing and ultimately killing him in 1985. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Iran strikes: World leaders react December 1984 Hezbollah terrorists hijack Kuwait Airways Flight 221 on its way from Kuwait to Pakistan and divert it to Tehran, killing two American officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development. June 1985 Hezbollah terrorists hijack TWA Flight 847 en route from Athens to Rome and kill a U.S. Navy diver. July 1989 Hezbollah operatives kill U.S. Marine Corps Col. William Higgins after kidnapping him the previous year while on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. April 1995 An explosives-laden van crashes into a bus near Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip, killing one American and seven Israelis. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. August 1995 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a bus in the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing an American and three other passengers and wounding more than 100. February 1996 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a Jerusalem bus, killing three Americans and wounding three other Americans. A total of 26 people die in the attack. March 1996 A suicide bomber blows up the Dizengoff shopping center in Tel Aviv, wounding two Americans. Twenty people die and 75 others are injured in the attack. Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claim responsibility. May 1996 Gunmen kill an American-Israeli dual citizen in the community of Beit El in the West Bank. Another U.S. citizen and three Israelis are wounded. No group claims responsibility, but Israel suspects Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Advertisement Advertisement Iranians dodge shootings, missiles amid regime instability: Refugee June 1996 A truck carrying 5,000 pounds of explosives blows up the Khobar Towers, a U.S. Air Force housing complex in the Saudi Arabian town of Khobar. Nineteen Americans die and some 500 people are injured. The Iran-backed Hezbollah Al Hijaz, a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia, is deemed responsible. September 1997 Three Hamas suicide bombers blow themselves up at the Ben Yehuda shopping mall in Jerusalem, killing a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen and wounding seven other American citizens. Four other people die and nearly 200 are wounded in the attack. August 1998 With the assistance of Hezbollah, al Qaeda suicide bombers almost simultaneously blow up the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people, including 12 Americans, and wounding thousands. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, al Qaeda developed the tactical expertise for such attacks months earlier, when some of its operatives top military committee members and several operatives who were involved with the Kenya cell among them were sent to Hezbollah training camps in Lebanon. August 2001 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, killing a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen and two other Americans. A total of 15 people die in the attack. January 2002 Gunmen affiliated with the Iran-backed al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade kill a U.S.-Israel dual citizen and wound another individual in the West Bank community of Beit Sahur. July 2002 A bomb planted by a Hamas terrorist kills five Americans at Jerusalems Hebrew University, killing five American students, including an American-Israeli dual citizen and an American-French dual citizen. A total of nine people died in the attack. June 2003 An American citizen, along with 16 other people, died when a Hamas terrorist blew himself up on a bus in Jerusalem. October 2003 Terrorists from the Iran-backed Popular Resistance Committees kill three U.S. diplomatic personnel in a bombing in Gaza. A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji) Rescue workers and military personnel survey the scene of a direct hit a day after an Iranian missile struck in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Residents stand near debris at the site of a building hit in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) A man walks away after watching as a black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026, following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Smoke rises from an area surrounding U.S. Embassy following a strike, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Bayan, Kuwait, on March 2, 2026, in this screengrab from a video. (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) Police officers fire tear gas shells to disperse Shiite Muslims marching toward U.S. Embassy during a rally to condemn the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/M.A. Sheikh) People march during a demonstration in reaction to the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman) Protesters demonstrate outside of the White House, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert) 2003-2011 Iranian-backed militias kill at least 603 U.S. troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Iranian training and material support for Iraqi militias during the surge greatly increased the difficulty of U.S. forces to combat the insurgency and included some of the deadliest weapons used against American troops, including explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). August 2003 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a bus in Jerusalem, killing five Americans and wounding one other American. A total of 24 people died in the attack. August 2006 Hezbollah fighters kill American citizen Michael Levin, a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during the Second Lebanon War. He is the only American to die in the conflict. January 2007 Twelve men affiliated with the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) disguised themselves as U.S. soldiers, entered the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in the Iraqi city of Karbala, killed five U.S. soldiers, and wounded another three. In 2019, the U.S. State Department issued a $15 million bounty for information on an IRGC Quds Force commander who planned the attack and other assassinations of coalition forces in Iraq. July 2014 Hamas terrorists kill two Americans serving in the IDF during fighting between the terrorist group and Israel in Gaza as part of Operation Protective Edge. October 2015 Hamas terrorists kill an American citizen and his wife, residents of the West Bank community of Neria, in their car in a drive-by shooting. December 2019 Rockets fired by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, kills an American security contractor and wounds several U.S. service members and Iraqi personnel at the K1 military base in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. January 2020 A direct Iranian ballistic missile attack against the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq causes more than 100 U.S. troops to suffer traumatic brain injuries. March 2020 The family of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in Iran in 2007, announces that he likely died in an Iranian prison at an unknown date. September 2020 U.S. intelligence reports indicate that Iran is weighing a plot to assassinate U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks. February 2021 An rocket fired by an Iran-backed militia at coalition forces in the Iraqi city of Erbil wounds a U.S. service member and four U.S. civilian contractors. July 2021 Iranian-backed militias conduct at least three rocket and drone attacks against U.S. forces in 24 hours in Iraq and Syria, wounding two U.S. service members. Advertisement Advertisement Iran strikes timeline: How the US and Israel attacked September 2022 An Iranian rocket attack kills an American citizen in Iraqi Kurdistan. November 2022 A captain in Irans IRGC orchestrates the killing of an American citizen living in Baghdad who worked at an English language institute. March 2023 An Iranian drone kills an American contractor and wounds five service members and another contractor when it strikes a coalition base near the Syrian city of Hasakah. October 7, 2023 Hamas kills at least 48 Americans and kidnaps at least 12 Americans in a massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel. December 2023 A drone attack conducted by an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia against U.S. forces in Erbil wounds three American soldiers, including one critically injured with shrapnel to the head that placed him in a coma. January 2024 A drone launched by Kataib Hezbollah kills three U.S. soldiers at a U.S. military base in Jordan and wounded more than 40 other service members. October 2024 Iran executes German-Iranian national and U.S. permanent resident Jamshid Sharmahd on fraudulent terrorism charges. November 2024 A report released by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies indicates that Iran and its proxies have conducted more than 180 attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East between October 17, 2023, and November 19, 2024, resulting in more than 180 wounded and three killed U.S. service members. November 2024 The U.S. Department of Justice announces charges against an Iranian national and two American accomplices for plotting to assassinate President Trump. March 2025 A U.S. jury convicts two agents of Iran for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad in New York in 2022. June 2025 At least three U.S. bases in Syria and two U.S. bases in Iraq are attacked with missiles or drones, likely by Iranian-backed militias. 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 NewsNation. (NewsNation) Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the clerical regime in Tehran and its proxies, first led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei and then Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have committed a range of attacks against Americans. The attacks have often been carried out by Iranian-backed militant groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and have frequently targeted and killed Americans overseas particularly in Israel. They have also included military targets, such as the October 1983 attack on a Marine compound in Beirut that left 220 Marines dead and led to a U.S. withdrawal from that country. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has pointed to the history of attacks to justify to global partners and Congress its bombing campaign on Iran, which began Saturday and killed Khamenei an energy of the U.S. for nearly five decades. Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth called the operation our retribution for Irans role in attacks on Americans. Irans war on Americans is our retribution against their Ayatollah and his death cult, Hegseth said at a Monday press conference. He credited President Donald Trump for finally drawing a line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence. Travelers stranded amid Iran war Iran was a U.S. ally and served an American policeman of sorts in the Middle East under the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. At that time, Iran was a huge buyer of U.S. weapons; President Jimmy Carter was the last U.S. president to visit Iran, during the Shahs rule. Advertisement Advertisement The Shahs rule was strengthened by a 1953 coup backed by the United States against then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who was ultimately arrested, tried and convicted in a military court. The United States and United Kingdom backed the coup, which left hundreds dead, after Mosaddeghs government voted to nationalize Irans oil industry. The Shah then ruled as a pro-Western leader with a firmer grip than before on Iran, while Mosaddegh remained under house arrest for the rest of his life, while other supporters were imprisoned or executed. These events, and the Shahs rule itself, where instrumental events in the Iranian revolution that left Khomenei in power, and led to the Iranian hostage crisis when students backed by Tehran took 66 Americans hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Chants of death to America, searing memories of blindfolded U.S. hostages and a laundry list of terrorist attacks are the U.S.-Iran history for must of the last near 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Does operation in Iran violate the Constitution? The question now is what will happen next, after Khameneis death in an Israeli strike and weeks more attacks promised by the Trump administration. (NewsNation) Here is a timeline of much of the history of Iranian attacks, compiled in part by the non-partisan think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, who has a strong focus on national security and foreign affairs and was founded after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. April 1983 A suicide car bombing kills 63 people, including 17 Americans, at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The Iran-backed terrorist group Islamic Jihad, a precursor and early branch of Hezbollah (not to be confused with Palestinian Islamic Jihad), claims responsibility. October 1983 Operatives of the Iran-backed Hezbollah drive a truck bomb at a Marine compound in Beirut, killing 220 U.S. Marines and 21 other service personnel. December 1983 Hezbollah operatives drive an explosives-filled dump truck through the gates of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City. No Americans are harmed. March 1984 Terrorists kidnap CIA station chief William Buckley in Beirut, subsequently torturing and ultimately killing him in 1985. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Iran strikes: World leaders react December 1984 Hezbollah terrorists hijack Kuwait Airways Flight 221 on its way from Kuwait to Pakistan and divert it to Tehran, killing two American officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development. June 1985 Hezbollah terrorists hijack TWA Flight 847 en route from Athens to Rome and kill a U.S. Navy diver. July 1989 Hezbollah operatives kill U.S. Marine Corps Col. William Higgins after kidnapping him the previous year while on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. April 1995 An explosives-laden van crashes into a bus near Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip, killing one American and seven Israelis. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. August 1995 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a bus in the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing an American and three other passengers and wounding more than 100. February 1996 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a Jerusalem bus, killing three Americans and wounding three other Americans. A total of 26 people die in the attack. March 1996 A suicide bomber blows up the Dizengoff shopping center in Tel Aviv, wounding two Americans. Twenty people die and 75 others are injured in the attack. Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claim responsibility. May 1996 Gunmen kill an American-Israeli dual citizen in the community of Beit El in the West Bank. Another U.S. citizen and three Israelis are wounded. No group claims responsibility, but Israel suspects Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Advertisement Advertisement Iranians dodge shootings, missiles amid regime instability: Refugee June 1996 A truck carrying 5,000 pounds of explosives blows up the Khobar Towers, a U.S. Air Force housing complex in the Saudi Arabian town of Khobar. Nineteen Americans die and some 500 people are injured. The Iran-backed Hezbollah Al Hijaz, a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia, is deemed responsible. September 1997 Three Hamas suicide bombers blow themselves up at the Ben Yehuda shopping mall in Jerusalem, killing a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen and wounding seven other American citizens. Four other people die and nearly 200 are wounded in the attack. August 1998 With the assistance of Hezbollah, al Qaeda suicide bombers almost simultaneously blow up the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people, including 12 Americans, and wounding thousands. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, al Qaeda developed the tactical expertise for such attacks months earlier, when some of its operatives top military committee members and several operatives who were involved with the Kenya cell among them were sent to Hezbollah training camps in Lebanon. August 2001 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, killing a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen and two other Americans. A total of 15 people die in the attack. January 2002 Gunmen affiliated with the Iran-backed al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade kill a U.S.-Israel dual citizen and wound another individual in the West Bank community of Beit Sahur. July 2002 A bomb planted by a Hamas terrorist kills five Americans at Jerusalems Hebrew University, killing five American students, including an American-Israeli dual citizen and an American-French dual citizen. A total of nine people died in the attack. June 2003 An American citizen, along with 16 other people, died when a Hamas terrorist blew himself up on a bus in Jerusalem. October 2003 Terrorists from the Iran-backed Popular Resistance Committees kill three U.S. diplomatic personnel in a bombing in Gaza. A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji) Rescue workers and military personnel survey the scene of a direct hit a day after an Iranian missile struck in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Residents stand near debris at the site of a building hit in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) A man walks away after watching as a black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026, following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Smoke rises from an area surrounding U.S. Embassy following a strike, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Bayan, Kuwait, on March 2, 2026, in this screengrab from a video. (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) Police officers fire tear gas shells to disperse Shiite Muslims marching toward U.S. Embassy during a rally to condemn the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/M.A. Sheikh) People march during a demonstration in reaction to the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman) Protesters demonstrate outside of the White House, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert) 2003-2011 Iranian-backed militias kill at least 603 U.S. troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Iranian training and material support for Iraqi militias during the surge greatly increased the difficulty of U.S. forces to combat the insurgency and included some of the deadliest weapons used against American troops, including explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). August 2003 A Hamas suicide bomber blows up a bus in Jerusalem, killing five Americans and wounding one other American. A total of 24 people died in the attack. August 2006 Hezbollah fighters kill American citizen Michael Levin, a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during the Second Lebanon War. He is the only American to die in the conflict. January 2007 Twelve men affiliated with the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) disguised themselves as U.S. soldiers, entered the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in the Iraqi city of Karbala, killed five U.S. soldiers, and wounded another three. In 2019, the U.S. State Department issued a $15 million bounty for information on an IRGC Quds Force commander who planned the attack and other assassinations of coalition forces in Iraq. July 2014 Hamas terrorists kill two Americans serving in the IDF during fighting between the terrorist group and Israel in Gaza as part of Operation Protective Edge. October 2015 Hamas terrorists kill an American citizen and his wife, residents of the West Bank community of Neria, in their car in a drive-by shooting. December 2019 Rockets fired by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, kills an American security contractor and wounds several U.S. service members and Iraqi personnel at the K1 military base in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. January 2020 A direct Iranian ballistic missile attack against the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq causes more than 100 U.S. troops to suffer traumatic brain injuries. March 2020 The family of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in Iran in 2007, announces that he likely died in an Iranian prison at an unknown date. September 2020 U.S. intelligence reports indicate that Iran is weighing a plot to assassinate U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks. February 2021 An rocket fired by an Iran-backed militia at coalition forces in the Iraqi city of Erbil wounds a U.S. service member and four U.S. civilian contractors. July 2021 Iranian-backed militias conduct at least three rocket and drone attacks against U.S. forces in 24 hours in Iraq and Syria, wounding two U.S. service members. Advertisement Advertisement Iran strikes timeline: How the US and Israel attacked September 2022 An Iranian rocket attack kills an American citizen in Iraqi Kurdistan. November 2022 A captain in Irans IRGC orchestrates the killing of an American citizen living in Baghdad who worked at an English language institute. March 2023 An Iranian drone kills an American contractor and wounds five service members and another contractor when it strikes a coalition base near the Syrian city of Hasakah. October 7, 2023 Hamas kills at least 48 Americans and kidnaps at least 12 Americans in a massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel. December 2023 A drone attack conducted by an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia against U.S. forces in Erbil wounds three American soldiers, including one critically injured with shrapnel to the head that placed him in a coma. January 2024 A drone launched by Kataib Hezbollah kills three U.S. soldiers at a U.S. military base in Jordan and wounded more than 40 other service members. October 2024 Iran executes German-Iranian national and U.S. permanent resident Jamshid Sharmahd on fraudulent terrorism charges. November 2024 A report released by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies indicates that Iran and its proxies have conducted more than 180 attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East between October 17, 2023, and November 19, 2024, resulting in more than 180 wounded and three killed U.S. service members. November 2024 The U.S. Department of Justice announces charges against an Iranian national and two American accomplices for plotting to assassinate President Trump. March 2025 A U.S. jury convicts two agents of Iran for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad in New York in 2022. June 2025 At least three U.S. bases in Syria and two U.S. bases in Iraq are attacked with missiles or drones, likely by Iranian-backed militias. 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. By Jana Winter WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - Iran and its proxies could target the U.S. with attacks in response to the Saturday killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by Israeli and U.S. strikes, according to a U.S. intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters. The February 28 threat assessment produced by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security said Iran and its proxies "probably" pose a threat of targeted attacks on the United States, although a large-scale physical attack was unlikely. Advertisement Advertisement The report added that in the short term the main concern was that Iran-aligned "hacktivists" would conduct low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks. "Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies probably pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions or calls to action - if reports of the Ayatollah's death are confirmed," the DHS report reviewed by Reuters said. In response to a request for comment, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement: "I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland." Iran on Sunday confirmed reports of Khamenei's death in a strike on Saturday that was initially announced by Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement The DHS assessment also said Iran would probably continue its attacks against U.S. and allied targets in the Middle East and would almost certainly blame senior U.S. government officials for any protests that begin because of Trump's statement calling for regime change. The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran launched on Saturday widened on Monday as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military bases. On Monday, authorities investigating a shooting on Sunday at a bar in Austin, Texas, that killed at least two people said it was too early to say if the gunman was motivated by the war in Iran. The body of the gunman, who was killed by police, was seen in a photo obtained by Reuters wearing a shirt with an Iranian flag and IRAN spelled out in green, white and red across the front. He was also wearing a sweatshirt that said "Property of Allah" on it, a U.S. law enforcement official told Reuters. (Reporting by Jana Winter and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Christian Schmollinger) A total of 481 layoffs were announced on Iowas Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, website in February, with Whirlpool Corp.'s refrigerator plant in Middle Amana accounting for most of the lost jobs. Whirlpool announced Feb. 17 that it would be laying off 341 workers on March 9. The move triggered claims by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the union representing employees at the plant, that jobs were being moved to another Whirlpool plant in Mexico. Michigan-based Whirlpool, the only remaining U.S.-headquartered maker of large appliances, denied the claim, saying the cuts will make way for a modernization of the 85-year-old plant and will ultimately bring more jobs. A long-time Waterloo concrete paver, Cedar Valley Corp., will be closing its doors in March. Cedar Valley Corp. LLC also announced in February that it will be closing its doors in March as long-time President and CEO Stephen R. Jackson retires from the business started by his late father, Robins Jackson. Advertisement Advertisement Jackson said equipment from the paving firm, founded in Waterloo in 1971, was being sold to Concrete Technologies Inc., of Des Moines, resulting in the layoffs of 89 workers. In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Jackson said the company is helping the affected workers find other jobs and he is confident they will be successfully placed due to high demand for employees in the concrete paving trade. Wells Fargo Jordan Creek campus, Jan. 22, 2026. Wells Fargo once again appeared on the WARN list, announcing Feb. 3 that it will lay off 49 employees from its Jordan Creek in West Des Moines campus on April 4. On Feb. 17, it announced the layoff of two additional employees, effective April 18. The San Francisco-based bank has cut 1,526 jobs in 97 announced layoffs in the Des Moines metro since April 2022, according to WARN data, with many more jobs lost to attrition. Advertisement Advertisement February's layoffs follow the Jan. 23 posting on the WARN site of farm and construction manufacturer CNH's plan for the multi-stage closure of its Burlington facility, concluding in late May. London-based CNH announced in November 2025 its intention to close the plant, where the backhoe was invented. The biggest layoffs will occur on April 2, when 52 workers are let go, followed May 1 with another 42 layoffs. Other jobs will be cut at various points during the spring. The WARN site shows the final 24 exiting May 29. Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Whirlpool layoffs account for most Iowa jobs lost in February The Brief The Minnesota National Guard has 250 members deployed in the U.S. Central Command areas amid U.S. strikes in Iran. Deployed members are from Duluth's 148th Fighter Wing, Marshall's 1-151 Artillery, and Stillwater's 34th Military Police Company. President Trump stated that the operations in Iran are expected to last 4 to 5 weeks. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota National Guard tells FOX 9 there are currently 250 guard members on regularly scheduled deployment at the United States Central Command areas of responsibility as the United States leads strikes in Iran. Guardsman in Middle East What we know The Minnesota National Guard says the deployed airmen and soldiers are serving from Duluth's 148th Fighter Wing, the Marshall-based 1-151 Artillery, and the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company. What they're saying "While their missions and duty locations vary, all are grateful for the strong support of those back home," writes Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, State Public Affairs Officer for the Minnesota National Guard. What we don't know The guard did not disclose the exact bases or countries where the soldiers and airmen are serving. Advertisement Advertisement CENTCOM covers 21 countries including: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen. Pres. Trump says Iran operations likely to last 4 to 5 weeks Big picture view In his first public remarks since the launch of the attack on Iran, President Trump said he expected operations to last four to five weeks, but he was prepared "to go far longer than that." The president also laid out his objective for the mission: to destroy Irans missile capabilities, to "annihilate" their navy, to ensure the country doesnt obtain a nuclear weapon and that the regime "cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." Cryptocurrency prices, including Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), have been pummeled during the past few months as investors have rotated out of more speculative investments to safer ones. With the threat of tariffs rearing their ugly head again and investors concerned about how artificial intelligence (AI) might disrupt established companies and industries, desire to own digital currencies is on the wane. The result is that Bitcoin has tumbled, and I think there's a case for investors to put their money into a broad-market exchange-traded fund (ETF) right now. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is my personal favorite. Here's why it's a better buy than Bitcoin this year. 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 Image source: Getty Images. Risky investments are losing their appeal It wasn't all that long ago that investors had a seemingly insatiable appetite for riskier investments. Consider that Bitcoin's price reached its all-time high of more than $126,500 in October, before the recent crypto sell-off caused its price to plummet to about $69,000 as of this writing. There isn't one single factor that's caused the retreat, but rather a general skepticism about some AI stocks, uncertainty about where the economy is headed amid geopolitical uncertainties, and President Donald Trump announcing new global tariffs of as much as 15% -- just after the Supreme Court struck down his previous round of tariffs. Additionally, layoffs in January were the highest in that month in 17 years, and the World Economic Forum said recently that 41% of global companies are expecting to reduce their staff during the next five years because of artificial intelligence. Bitcoin had been on a tear in a post-COVID world where tech stocks were soaring, and initial AI optimism helped lift digital currency prices. But now some investors have the sense that economic winds might be shifting, and they have pared back on Bitcoin, along with many other cryptocurrencies and other speculative investments, including quantum computing stocks. Boring looks beautiful right now While Bitcoin is down about 23% during the past year, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has been slowly and steadily climbing more than 16%. The fund tracks the S&P 500, so if the market is doing well, the fund tends to perform well too. The benefit of having your money spread across the largest 500 publicly traded companies in the U.S. is that you have the potential to benefit from many areas of growth, including AI, healthcare, consumer spending, industrial production, and more. (NewsNation) The United States has destroyed 17 Iranian ships as strikes continue against Iran. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, revealed Tuesday night more than 50,000 U.S. troops are participating in operations against the Islamic Republic. In a video released to X, Cooper said, We continue with 24/7 strikes into Iran were less than 100 hours into this operation and weve struck nearly 2,000 targets. Drone strikes on US Embassy Iran launched a drone strike on the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabias capital early Tuesday, escalating attacks across the region as the United States and Israel intensified airstrikes on Iranian targets. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday afternoon, Dubai authorities confirmed a fire from a drone-related incident near the U.S. consulate had been extinguished. Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry said two drones targeted the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing limited fire and minor damage. The embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. The strike followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, which closed indefinitely on Tuesday. The intensity of the attacks, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the lack of any apparent exit plan set the stage for a prolonged conflict with far-reaching consequences. Places deemed safe havens in the Middle East, like Dubai, have seen incoming fire, energy prices have shot up and U.S. allies have pledged to help stop Iranian missiles and drones. Is the US at war with Iran right now? Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump said military operations could last four to five weeks but warned he was prepared to go far longer than that. He added that the U.S. has a virtually unlimited supply of munitions and pre-positioned high-grade weaponry. The conflict has left hundreds dead. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 787 people have died in Iran since fighting began, and six U.S. service members have been killed, according to U.S. Central Command. Qatar arrests two cells working for Iranian Revolutionary Guard Authorities in Doha said they had arrested ten suspects, seven of whom were involved in espionage missions and three who were tasked with carrying out sabotage. The individuals were found in possession of locations and coordinates of sensitive installations and facilities, authorities said. Al-Udeid Air Base struck Authorities in Qatar announced that one of two missiles launched from Iran struck Al-Udeid Air Base. The second missile was successfully intercepted. Advertisement Advertisement No casualties were reported. Operation on schedule: Rubio Secretary of State Marco Rubio said everything is on schedule for the operation and achieving the objectives of the mission. He said there would be a change of scope and intensity of attacks over the next few days. Rubio once again referred to the threat of immunity for Irans nuclear program. He stated on Monday that the operation was launched because Iran was at risk of stockpiling enough ballistic missiles to prevent other countries from dismantling its nuclear program. He denied that Israel pushed the U.S. into launching strikes. This weekend presented a unique opportunity to take joint action, Rubio said. Fire at U.S. consulate in Dubai Smoke was seen rising from an area near the U.S. consulate in Dubai Tuesday afternoon and the Dubai media office confirmed there was a fire as a result of a drone-related incident near the consulate. Advertisement Advertisement The fire was successfully extinguished and no injuries were reported. State Department begins evacuating Americans The State Department is working to organize military and charter aircraft to evacuate Americans from the Middle East amid the conflict with Iran. Many commercial flights in the region have been canceled, stranding Americans who are being advised to leave a number of countries in the area. Americans abroad who need assistance can call +1-202-501-4444 or go online. Rubio said more than 9,000 Americans have already left the region and urged people to call or sign up online so that the State Department is aware they need help. Trump felt strongly that Iran would attack first Trump told reporters on Tuesday the U.S. led the decision to attack Iran over the weekend, and that he might have forced [Israels] hand as a result. Advertisement Advertisement I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked, Trump told reporters. He said he was very upset with Spain and the United Kingdom. Spains president has called the United States actions illegal, and the U.K. initially refused the U.S. access to a base that could have made logistics easier. Not Winston Churchill were dealing with, Trump said. China warns of great repercussions after attacks on Iran Beijing condemned the strikes on Iran and called for an immediate cessation of military operations to prevent the conflict from escalating. Thats the message from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, according to a readout of their call Tuesday published by the state-run Xinhua news agency. The call was at Saars request, Xinhua said. Advertisement Advertisement Wang said China had always advocated for a political settlement of the Iran nuclear issue and that recent talks between Iran and the U.S. had been making clear progress before being disrupted by the military strikes. Wang asked Saar to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Israel. Ukraine offers to swap drone interceptors for missiles President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to provide its domestically produced interceptor drones to Middle Eastern countries in exchange for the American-made air defense missiles it needs. Ukraine needs U.S. PAC-3 missiles to counter cruise and ballistic missile attacks by Russias invading forces in their more than four-year war. Kyiv has also developed cheap and efficient interceptors to combat Russias Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Advertisement Advertisement Countries in the Middle East are using the same surface-to-air U.S. missiles to defend against Iranian attacks. If they give them (air defense missiles) to us, we will give them our interceptor. This is an equivalent exchange, Zelenskyy said at a briefing Tuesday. No coordination between Iran and Hezbollah over strikes against Israel Ali Bahreini, Irans top envoy to U.N. institutions in Geneva, said the Islamic Republic doesnt need help from outside Iran: We are capable of defending our country. He told reporters on Tuesday, There hasnt been any coordination between Iran and Hezbollah, and said of the Lebanese group, They decide independently and act independently. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement posted Monday on social media, the Israeli military said, Hezbollah is operating on behalf of the Iranian regime, opening fire against the Israeli civilians, and bringing ruin to Lebanon. The Iranian-backed militant group fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. Israels military said its soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as it continues strikes against Hezbollah. UAE repels hundreds of missiles and drones The United Arab Emirates said it possesses all defense capabilities and ammunition stockpiles to protect itself regardless of the time frame and the length of the escalation period in the region. The countrys defense ministry said in a briefing Tuesday that it has repelled hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. It said a total of 186 missiles and 812 drones were fired toward the country since the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Ministry spokesperson Abdel Nasser al-Hameedi said injuries stemming from the Iranian attacks and what he called minor damages were the result of shrapnel from interception efforts, not a result of successful attacks against the country. Israeli military issues evacuation order for Tehran ahead of strikes Israels military issued an urgent evacuation warning Tuesday for people in Tehran ahead of planned airstrikes. The Israeli Defense Forces said it has been attacking the Iranian regimes military infrastructure in the Tehran region in recent days, and will continue to operate in the area in the coming hours. For your safety and health, we ask that you immediately leave the designated area indicated on the map, the IDF wrote on social media. Your presence in this area puts your life at risk. An evacuation warning was issued for people in the Esteghlal Industrial Zone, marked in red on this map, in Tehran. (Israel Defense Forces) Qatar condemns Iranian attack on US embassies Qatar condemned Irans drone strike that hit U.S. embassies in Riyadh and Kuwait, deeming them a blatant violation of international conventions and law. The Iranian attacks on the two embassies contravene international agreements and diplomatic norms that criminalize assaults on diplomatic missions and grant immunity to their premises and staff, Qatars Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The ministry affirmed Qatars full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in measures taken to safeguard their security and the safety of their territories. Lawmakers increase push for war powers resolution Some U.S. lawmakers are pushing back on whether the U.S. military operation in Iran was justified and questioning whether the Trump administration has a plan for the next steps in Iran. Trump officials are expected on Tuesday to brief the House and Senate on the operation. Key leaders of congressional committees were briefed Monday, and some lawmakers walked away unsatisfied. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians, said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. There was a threat to Israel, but if we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then were in uncharted territory. The House and Senate are expected to convene this week to vote on a war powers resolution. Israeli air force strikes senior Iranian terror regime commander The Israeli Air Force struck a senior commander of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran on Tuesday, the Israeli military said. Israel says Iranian leadership compound destroyed The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed Tuesday the Iranian leaderships command center was dismantled. The IDF said the central headquarters was one of the most heavily secured assets in Iran. The compound that housed the regimes most senior forum was struck by the IAF overnight using precise intelligence, the IDF said. The leaders behind this terror regime, and the headquarters in which they sat, have been eliminated. An image of the Iranian terror regimes leadership command. (Israel Defense Forces) Americans urged to immediately leave Middle East The U.S. State Department urged the evacuation of nonemergency personnel and family in Kuwait, as well as Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates as a precaution. U.S. citizens were urged to leave due to safety risks, though with much of the airspace closed, many remain stranded. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia said it was under attack from Iranian drones on Tuesday and urged Americans to avoid the diplomatic post for the time being. The Saudi Defense Ministry on early Tuesday said the embassy was attacked by two drones. Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian drone strike against US embassy Saudi Arabia condemned Irans drone strike that hit the U.S. embassy in Riyadh. The brutal Iranian behavior will push the region into further escalation, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement, which reiterated the nations right to protect Saudi territories and interests, including the option of responding to the aggression. The Saudi Defense Ministry said the U.S. embassy came under attack from two drones early Tuesday. Footage aired by the Saudi-owned satellite news channel Al Arabiya showed fire damage to part of the embassys roof. Hezbollah official says it will fight open war with Israel A senior Hezbollah official said that after more than a year of abiding by the ceasefire as Israels strikes continued on Lebanon, the groups patience has ended, leaving it with no option but to return to resistance and fight an open war with Israel. Mohamoud Komati said Tuesday that Hezbollah exercised patience since a ceasefire ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November 2024, hoping the governments diplomatic efforts would yield positive results in ending Israeli strikes. In the comments released by Hezbollahs media office, Komati blasted the Lebanese government for calling Hezbollahs actions illegal and demanded it hand over its weapons, saying it did not act to stop Israels airstrikes that continued on a nearly daily basis for nearly 15 months. The Zionist enemy wanted an open war, which it has not stopped since the ceasefire agreement, Komati said. So let it be an open war. Israeli military strikes Hezbollah in Beirut The Israeli military struck a building just after midnight Monday in a southern suburb of Beirut housing Hezbollahs TV and radio station, causing heavy damage. The strike came after a warning by the Israeli military to evacuate the building. Hezbollahs Al-Manar TV was interrupted for about an hour before the station resumed its programs. During the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, Al-Manar TV and al-Nour Radio station were both struck but continued broadcasts from secret locations. Israeli military says airstrikes hit Irans presidential office The Israeli military said Tuesday it had struck Irans presidential office and the building of the countrys Supreme National Security Council. It said the airstrikes happened overnight. In addition, the gathering site of the regimes most senior forum responsible for security decision-making was targeted, as well as the institution for training Iranian military officers and additional key regime infrastructure, it added. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the strikes. Lebanese army evacuates near Israel Lebanons state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army is evacuating some of its positions along the border with Israel. The agency said the troops are redeploying to other posts. The report comes after Israels military said it is conducting operations inside Lebanon along the border with Israel. Netanyahu defends Trumps decision to attack Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on late Monday defended the decision to go to war, contending in an interview on Fox News that Iran was rebuilding new sites, new places that would make their ballistic missile program and their atomic bomb program immune within months, without providing evidence. Satellite photos analyzed by the Associated Press showed limited activity at two nuclear sites in Iran before the war, with analysts saying it was likely Tehran was trying to assess damage from American strikes in June and possibly salvage what remained there. The Associated Press 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 NewsNation. Faith is an integral part of millions of Americans daily lives. One Nation Under God is committed to reflecting Americas voices, values and communities covering stories of faith and religion, from the latest headlines to stories of hope. Subscribe here. (NewsNation) As U.S. and Israeli military strikes targeted Iran this weekend, the future of the Islamic Republic remains uncertain. But much of the Western world may wonder what life is like in a theocratic state where the religious leaders run the country. What is an Islamic republic? The Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979 after the revolution overthrew the secular monarchy. The new form of government is based on rule by Islamic jurists enforcing Islamic law. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan and Mauritania are also Islamic republics. Sharia law is the official legal system in Iran and Mauritania but not in Pakistan. Fourth US fatality, friendly fire on Day 3 of Iran operation Sharia law governs all aspects of life In the Islamic Republic of Iran, sharia law governs all aspects of life, including strict separation of the sexes, mandatory dress codes that align with Islamic ideals of modesty, limited civil liberties and religious oversight, according to Amnesty International. According to Irans constitution, the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on a few key religious tenets: the belief in one God, divine revelation, the return to God in the afterlife, the justice of God in creation and law, leadership and guidance and its role in the uninterrupted process of the revolution of Islam and the exalted dignity and value of man and his freedom coupled with responsibility before God. Creation of supreme leader In 1979, when the shah was deposed, Ayatollah Khomeini came into Iran and created the position of supreme leader, making himself a dictator for life. Advertisement Advertisement According to the State Department, the Iranian regime under the Islamic Republics rule routinely punishes activists and religious and ethnic minorities for peaceful activities. Thousands of prisoners of conscience are currently detained in Iran. Iranians dodge shootings, missiles amid regime instability: Refugee Women face oppression in Iran Women face systemic discrimination in Iran, including mandatory modesty laws, restriction on travel, education and employment and inequality in marriage and divorce. Child marriage is legally permissible. In 2022, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked nationwide protests in Iran after she was arrested for not wearing her hijab or headscarf properly. Irans morality police Irans morality police, known as the Guidance Patrol, enforce strict Islamic dress codes and public behavior, primarily targeting women for wearing improper hijabs or headscarves or appearing in public with men who are not related to them. Established in 2005, they operate via street patrols in white vans, often using fines, threats, detentions or violence to compel compliance, according to the BBC. 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 NewsNation. Irans decision to retaliate against US-Israeli air strikes has dragged many of its neighbours into the conflict. Tehran has continued to strike military bases that house US troops across the Middle East and has not shied away from hitting civilian targets, including high-rise buildings, airports and shipping. Any sense of calm and safety in the oil-rich Gulf has been shattered at Irans behest. It has struck 12 nearby countries in retaliation for Americas Operation Epic Fury, which killed Iranian regime figureheads such as Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president. Advertisement Advertisement Those hit by Iran range from Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, to France and the UK, via its RAF station at Akrotiri in Cyprus. It is thought that Tehran is lashing out at Americas allies in the belief that it could pressure the Trump administration into halting the attacks that have beheaded the Islamic regime. Here, The Telegraph sets out how Iran has gone about taking the war global in the past 72 hours. How Iran dragged world into war - Ports and maritime assets Irans first recorded strike against a port was carried out against Bahrains Mina Salman at the northern end of the Persian Gulf on Saturday. As well as handling millions of tons of oil and cargo each year, the port is home to American and British naval bases, including the US Navys Fifth Fleet headquarters. Telegram / Supernova_plus Advertisement Advertisement Bahrain endured a further two strikes in the Mina Salman area in the following days from both one-way suicide drones and missiles. One person was reportedly killed on Sunday after a fire broke out following the interception of a missile that landed on the Salman Industrial City area. On the same day, Iranian attacks broadened out to the Port of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates Zayed Port to the north of Abu Dhabi. One apparent drone strike appeared to have been targeted at Omans east coast port of Duqm, which also houses an oil refinery. Each of these locations handles millions of barrels of oil exports every year. If Iran was seeking to send a message to its neighbours, it could not have been clearer. Many of the ports targeted by Iran also host Western naval bases. Bahrains Mina Salman houses the US Naval Forces Central Command regional HQ, as well as the UK Naval Support Facility, where Britains last warship in the Gulf HMS Lancaster was recently decommissioned. Fires in UAE One Iranian weapon also landed on a French naval base located in the middle of Abu Dhabis Zayed Port, with another appearing to have overshot the military area and landing near a covered indoor market. Advertisement Advertisement Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, appeared to suggest on Sunday that a strike on an Omani port was not decided by Irans government, suggesting that the IRGC the countrys elite force was acting independently on orders issued in advance. How Iran dragged world into war - Civic buildings Iranian strikes over the past three days appear to have targeted civilian buildings widely and indiscriminately, ranging from high-profile hotels to Tel Aviv City Hall and Jerusalems Great Synagogue. High-profile venues frequented by civilians from around the world and not just citizens of the targeted countries could have been intended to sow panic among predominantly Western and Israeli tourists and expatriates. The British Government estimated that more than 100,000 UK passport holders in the region would need evacuating over the coming days if the situation continued to deteriorate. Advertisement Advertisement Although Iranian weapons mostly appear to have fallen short of their intended targets, the latter included the UAEs Burj Al-Khalifa skyscraper, where a suicide drone fell just a few hundred yards away on Saturday as Tehrans initial wave of attacks hit its peak. Later that afternoon, fires erupted at the Burj Al-Arab hotel following a drone strike. Two were injured by falling debris in the attack, which nearby tourists captured on video. Credit: X A similar situation unfolded at Jerusalems Great Synagogue, where an unidentified aerial munition fell about a quarter of a mile away, according to open-source analysis carried out by the Institute for the Study of War. Advertisement Advertisement In Bahrain, another munition landed in the grounds of the Crowne Plaza Manama hotel, containing a number of embassies and other diplomatic premises, on Sunday, as well as hotels frequented by travelling diplomats. How Iran dragged world into war - Tankers and the Strait of Hormuz Irans preparations for a regional conflict have long been known to include plans to close off the globally crucial Strait of Hormuz. This is a bottleneck in the Gulf of Oman used to transport millions of barrels of oil every day. Many major world economies depend on this oil, including China, which sourced around five million barrels of crude oil from Iran last year. One estimate from TD Securities suggested that around 13 per cent of Chinas total seaborne oil imports passed through the Strait. Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the area after a series of Iranian strikes on tankers. Advertisement Advertisement At least five ships in the region appeared to have been hit by Iranian weapons between Sunday and Monday. These included the Stena Imperative, which is chartered to the US governments tanker support program to provide fuel for its military. The other ships attacked by Iran were crude and refined oil tankers, including a vessel that the US sanctioned for running oil to Russia. The ship was bearing the flag of Palau, a set of Pacific islands. Meanwhile, reports suggested that Iran was telling ships crews via radio broadcasts that passage through the strait was not allowed, according to Reuters. Live tracking maps from MarineTraffic suggested on Monday that a large build-up of stationary tankers was taking place to the east and west of the strait. In turn, it suggested Irans attempt to impose costs on the wider world may already be having an effect. How Iran dragged world into war - Energy infrastructure By Monday, Irans attention appeared to have turned to energy infrastructure, particularly oil fields and refineries. Advertisement Advertisement Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia is one of the worlds largest refineries, with a maximum output of more than half a million barrels of crude oil per day. It was temporarily shut down as a precaution after an Iranian strike, according to Saudi state television. Meanwhile, debris from aerial attacks mounted on Monday fell on Kuwaits Ahmadi oil refinery. Two were said to have been injured, according to Kuna, the state-run news agency. Brent crude oil prices shot up 13 per cent in the wake of the attacks, briefly rising beyond $82 per barrel, its highest since June 2025. In Britain, both the AA and RAC motoring associations warned consumers that petrol pump prices would probably rise as a result. Iran also targeted Qatari gas fields on Monday, triggering the worlds largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to halt production. The attacks sent wholesale gas prices in Britain skyrocketing by as much as 50 per cent that afternoon. How Iran dragged world into war - Civilian and military airports Another critical economic lifeline for Gulf states bordering Iran is their airports. Iranian drones and missiles attacked many such sites, with open-source intelligence researchers having tracked them. Advertisement Advertisement Dubai Airport is the worlds busiest flight hub, handling 95 million passengers last year. All flights to and from the UAEs capital were suspended on Saturday after a strike hit Terminal 2, injuring four people, according to Reuters. Damage to Terminal 2 of Dubai Airport, the busiest in the world - X/X At the airport in Abu Dhabi, at least one person was killed and seven wounded during what authorities called an incident, while another died earlier in the day from falling debris. Aerial munitions also hit two Iraqi airports, with Nasiriya Airport, 150 miles (240km) north-west of the border with Kuwait, being struck by a drone amid reports of explosions. The following evening Iran also targeted Erbil International Airport, in the north of Iraq. Newswire reports have not, at the time of writing, suggested anyone was killed in these strikes. An Iranian drone also struck Bahrains civilian airport on Monday morning, triggering a similar suspension of flights to and from the Gulf island-state. Again, officials said the attack resulted in material damage rather than deaths or injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Military airfields were a substantial target for Tehran, with missiles falling near US bases in Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait. At the UAEs Sas Al Nakheel Air Base, an unknown aerial weapon landed in the middle of a helicopter parking area on Saturday morning. UAE special forces are said to use the base. There was also a successful drone strike on RAF Akrotiri overnight from Sunday to Monday, although it was unclear whether that Iran or other groups, such as Hezbollah terrorists operating in Lebanon, were responsible. 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. Washington Fractures within the Republican Party have become apparent as the GOP grapples with the massive U.S. and Israeli military operation launched on Iran over the weekend. And the breaks come as lawmakers face votes this week on whether to rein in President Trump's ability to pursue further military action against Iran without congressional authorization. From the president's usual opponents in his party to some of his most stalwart supporters, the U.S. actions in Iran have prompted strong pushback in pockets of the GOP. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is leading the House war powers effort alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California. Massie has criticized the strikes in strong terms, claiming the approach is not in line with the "America First" agenda, while saying that lawmakers must go on the record on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a co-sponsor of the war powers resolution in the upper chamber, has also condemned the move to strike Iran without Congress' approval, citing the legislative branch's authority to declare war. The House and Senate are set to vote on war powers resolutions this week that would require the president to seek congressional approval to use military force on Iran. And while the efforts are mostly backed by Democrats, they pose key tests for the GOP. Rep. Warren Davidson, an Ohio Republican, has called on the administration to lay out compelling reasons for the war in Iran. Ahead of this weekend's attack, Davidson said he would support the war powers resolution in the House "in the absence of new information." "This week we'll either see real intel, hear a persuasive explanation with a defined mission, and declare war / authorize a mission, or Congress must pass this War Powers Resolution and cease work in Iran," Davidson wrote on X on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Still, many Republicans have hailed the president's move to strike Iran and take out Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Even some of the conference's more moderate members have appeared unlikely to back war powers votes later this week to rein in the campaign. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who recently voted to limit Mr. Trump's ability to further strike Venezuela, has said he'll vote against the Iran resolution. But he wants Mr. Trump to get congressional authorization for "extended operations," he told CBS News in an interview last week. "When you do multiple operations multiple days in a row for a long time, I think you're required to come to Congress," he said. The president said Monday he expects the campaign to last four to five weeks, but "we have [the] capability to go far longer than that." In an interview Sunday with Steve Scully on SiriusXM, Bacon argued that Congress shouldn't shy away from a war powers vote. Advertisement Advertisement "We shouldn't fear a war powers resolution," he said. "We have a congressional responsibility and authorities to be a part of this decision." House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said in a radio interview Monday that Mr. Trump was "fully within his authority as commander in chief to do what he's done." Johnson said the attack was a "defensive strike" and "not a declaration of war." He also said the upcoming war powers vote is a "dangerous gambit" by "reckless Democrats." Beyond Congress, the strikes have drawn heavy criticism from prominent figures in the MAGA orbit, including conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who told ABC News that the president's decision to attack Iran was "absolutely disgusting and evil." Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-staunch supporter of the president who left Congress after the two had a public falling out, has lambasted the president's strikes on Iran in a slew of social media posts. Greene stressed that she and a number of so-called America First Republicans campaigned on a commitment to ending foreign wars and not seeking regime change. Advertisement Advertisement "All we wanted was America FIRST. This is not it," she said. In another post, Greene posited that the political lines are being redrawn. "And just like that we are no longer a nation divided by left and right, we are now a nation divided [by] those who want to fight wars for Israel and those who just want peace and to be able to afford their bills and health insurance," she said. Iran's Prince Reza Pahlavi believes regime could finally fall | 60 Minutes Fighting words from JFK grandson Jack Schlossberg Iran | Sunday on 60 Minutes Iranian strikes on Saudi oil, water, and diplomatic sites have crossed key red lines experts warn, forcing Riyadh to weigh retaliation against fears of wider regional escalation. Following the Iranian missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil depots, desalination plants, and the US Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi Kingdom is now standing on the precipice of open war against Tehran. According to leading Middle East experts, while Riyadh has long sought to avoid direct confrontation, the nature of the Iranian barrage has crossed a critical "red line" that makes a Saudi military response not just possible, but likely. However, the Saudi leadership balances its fury over the violation of sovereignty against the realization that it might be being baited into a conflict with no clear exit strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, told The Jerusalem Post that the Saudi calculus has shifted fundamentally because Iran targeted vital civilian infrastructure. The Saudi red line Haykel explained that Riyadh had previously communicated a specific warning to Tehran: if Saudi Arabia remained neutral during a US-Israel conflict with Iran, its infrastructure must remain off-limits. "The Iranians did tell the Saudis that if they faced an existential attack by Israel and or America, that they would attack Saudi Arabia," Haykel said. "And so the Saudis said, if you do that and we're neutral, we will join forces with the Americans and attack you." The fact that Iran struck the energy and water sectors seems to have met the condition. Advertisement Advertisement "The Saudi red line was that if Civilian installations, oil installations, water desalination installations, electricity generation, or communications were attacked, the Saudis would attack Iran, and that's what's happening now," Haykel stated. "Now the Saudis are thinking about what to do and whether they should counterattack". Michael Ratney, former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and currently a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), says that the strikes might have been a deliberate provocation. "My sense is the Iranians either implicitly or on purpose, and I don't know which, seem to be goading the Saudis into getting into the fray," Ratney said. While confirming that the strikes on the US Embassy and other locations have "violated Saudi sovereignty" and that "it deeply angers them," Ratney suggested the Kingdoms response might be tempered by the fear of uncontrollable chaos. Advertisement Advertisement "I think they're going to be cautious about their own retaliation because they know that means an unknown level of escalation that they would have to deal with," Ratney told the Post. "I think they knew that this was a possibility (Iranian strikes), I don't think they're shocked so much as they see this as always having been one of the big risks of a military confrontation with Iran." The hesitation to launch a full-scale counter-strike stems from Saudi Arabias economic transformation plans, which rely heavily on stability to attract tourism and foreign investment - plans that are currently imperiled. "Given where they are economically, given the vulnerability of their energy infrastructure, given the message this is sending to international investors and tourists, I think that they fear that instability, violence, uncertainty the most," Ratney noted. The Saudi Kingdom cannot stand alone However, the strategic reality of the Gulf suggests the Kingdom cannot stand alone. Haykel noted that despite "structural" tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the current crisis will force the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states into a unified defensive posture. Advertisement Advertisement "They will pull together, of course, because they have a common enemy," Haykel said. "They're being attacked by the same people". Ultimately, the experts agree that while Saudi Arabia may feel compelled to retaliate to restore deterrence, they are terrified of the endgame. Unlike Israel, which views the collapse of the Islamic Republic as a security victory, Saudi Arabia views it as a demographic nightmare. "They worry about a failed state," Haykel explained. "They don't want a failed state with 92 million people next door. That seems to me quite normal when you are next to Iran, whereas Israel is a thousand kilometers away, it doesn't care." Ratney echoed this, highlighting that Riyadhs restraint - even in the face of attacks on its oil depots - is driven by the lack of a post-conflict plan from its Western allies. "They're nervous about what comes next," Ratney said. "And I think that's particularly true because it's not clear that either the United States or Israel has a clear vision for what comes next." US diplomatic and military sites across the Gulf were hit as Tehran sought to raise the costs to Washington and its allies of the aerial assault on Iran. US President Donald Trump vowed a response soon after his countrys embassy in Riyadh was hit by a drone attack, and Tehran said it targeted a US base in Bahrain. The UAE, meanwhile, said it was facing a barrage of ballistic missiles from Iran, and Qatar downed two Iranian fighter jets and intercepted a dozen missiles and drones. The conflict, one Atlantic Council expert said, will force Gulf nations to reassess their national security and economic strategies in ways that have lasting consequences, long after US operations in Iran have concluded. Iran attacks Kurdish groups in Iraq, using militias to strike US forces and neighbors, seeking to turn Iraq into a strategic buffer zone against uprisings in Kurdish areas of Iran. Iran is seeking to pre-empt any uprising by Kurdish opposition groups in Iran by striking at their bases in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. Iran has also activated its Iranian-backed militias in Iraq to increase attacks on US forces in the Kurdistan region and also to threaten Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and other countries. This is part of Irans attempt to turn Iraq into a Near Abroad, essentially a buffer zone and war zone. Advertisement Advertisement The concept of a New Abroad was part of Russias foreign policy to create a large buffer between Russia and Europe by using Ukraine and parts of Poland for this purpose. Iran wants to do the same with Iraq. After the fall of Saddams regime in 2003, Iran has slowly begun to take over Iraq. It had done this by making Iraq dependent on Irans economy and by arming militias in Iraq. The Shiite militias play a dual role. They are part of the Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Forces, which has been an official paramilitary force since 2018. They also act independently and stockpile weapons and even run secret prisons. Iran can activate the militias when it wants. It has several powerful militias, such as Kataib Hezbollah. These groups function like Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran is now using them to attack US forces in the Kurdistan Region. The US largely withdrawn from the rest of Iraq since 2019. Members of the Iran-backed Iraqi militias al-Nujaba and Kataib Hezbollah appear in Baghdad on December 4, 2023. (credit: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images) Now, US forces are based in various areas of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. This includes sites in Erbil near the airport and a base called Harir, although it appears the US has likely moved forces from areas that might be threatened. Advertisement Advertisement The militias are raining down kamikaze drones in various areas. One recent target is a hotel in Erbil. The militias apparently believe US personnel were at the hotel. Iran targeting Erbil airport, Kurdish opposition groups The major targets of the Iranian attacks are Erbil airport and also Kurdish opposition groups such as the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI). Both groups say they have been targeted. According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Erbil has been targeted with more than 70 missiles and drones as regional tensions continue to spill over into Iraq," Rudaw media in Erbil said. Iraq has become a victim of Iran's war with the US and Israel, Iraqs foreign minister apparently said this week. Rudaw notes that Iraq is facing attacks from different parties involved in the conflict, further complicating the security situation. The city of Erbil has been targeted with more than 70 missiles and drones, while other parties have struck locations in southern and western Iraq, Hussein told the UAEs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement from his office. Advertisement Advertisement The foreign minister reiterated Iraqs firm position calling for a ceasefire and the containment of escalation in order to protect civilians and safeguard the security and stability of the region, the Iraqi statement added. Irans goal is to try to spread the war to Iraq. If Iraq is a frontline, then Iran assumes that resources will be spent by the US and others in Iraq, rather than fighting in Iran. Iran likely reads the same news that others do and is aware that there is talk about Kurdish opposition groups being more active in Kurdish areas of Iran. These areas are called Eastern Kurdistan or Rojhelat among Kurds. Five Kurdish opposition groups united in a coalition on February 22 to oppose the regime. They set aside ideological differences for the greater battle. The groups include PAK, PDKI, PJAK, Komala, and Khabat. Iran hopes to keep the war in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and thus pre-empt a battle in Rojhalat. Three US F-15 warplanes crashed in Kuwait as Iran unleashed a wave of dawn attacks across the Middle East. Six pilots managed to eject and were rescued. The planes were downed after reportedly being hit by mistake by Kuwaiti defence units. Explosions were reported in Bahrain, at or close to a US naval base, and smoke was seen rising near the US embassy in Kuwait. There were also reports of explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, US Central Command said: At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident. During active combatthat included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses. All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation. Advertisement Advertisement The cause of the incident is under investigation. A burning aircraft falls from the sky in Al Jahra, Kuwait (via REUTERS) Earlier, Iran's state media cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying Iranian armed forces hit a US plane that crashed in Kuwait but there was no confirmation that this was true. Online video verified by Reuters as being taken in the Al Jahra area of Kuwait showed a military aircraft falling from the sky and a person parachuting in the same shot. Kuwait's Defence Ministry says 'several' US military aircraft crashed on Monday morning, with all crews ejecting safely. It is not clear whether the jets were downed by hostile missiles or in a friendly fire incident. Footage showed Kuwaiti civilians helping pilots into their pic.twitter.com/Hk5MDRNKIJ The National (@TheNationalNews) March 2, 2026 Reports and photos had shown a US pilot being rescued and being put in the back of a vehicle after apparently ejecting over Kuwait. There were claims that his F-15 plane had been accidentally shot down. Advertisement Advertisement Pictures reportedly of two other US pilots whose planes were involved in the incidents were also circulating. BREAKING Several US warplanes crashed in Kuwait on Monday morning but their crew survived, Kuwait's defence ministry says, as Iran pressed on with a third day of strikes in the Gulf pic.twitter.com/7IgzcgRtla AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 2, 2026 US consular chiefs told American citizens in Kuwait to take cover. There is a continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait. Do not come to the Embassy. Take cover in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside. Smoke rises from a reported Iranian strike in the area where the US Embassy is located in Kuwait City (AFP via Getty Images) The first US casualties of the campaign, including the deaths of three service personnel were confirmed on Sunday. Two US officials said the three American service members were killed on a base in Kuwait. Donald Trump promised Washington would avenge the deaths of the true American patriots as he warned that there will likely be more casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends, the US president said in a video message. That's the way it is. Trump also suggested there was no end in sight to the military operations, after signalled he would be open to dialogue with Irans new leadership following the death of Khamenei. Combat operations continue at this time in full-force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved, he said in a video message. We have very strong objectives, he added, without elaborating. On a third day of conflict, explosions were reported at or close to the headquarters for the US Navys 5th Fleet in Bahrain. Advertisement Advertisement Three drones were reported to have been shot down over Erbil Airport in Northern Iraq where US forces are based, according to security sources. As the war escalated, oil prices rose by eight per cent. In Kuwait, the Ministry of Defence said: The Kuwaiti Air Defense Force confronted a number of hostile aerial targets at dawn today with efficiency and capability, as they were monitored and intercepted within the scope of operations in the central part of the country, as part of the complete readiness to protect the nations airspace, with no casualties recorded. Around 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries attacked by Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Israel launched new air strikes targeting Tehran and expanded its military campaign to include attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon on Monday. Israel said it was attacking sites connected to Lebanons Shiite Muslim Hezbollah militants, one of Tehrans principal allies in the Middle East, after Hezbollah acknowledged launching missiles and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel carried out air strikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, with more than a dozen explosions rocking the Lebanese capital. Israel said it also struck senior Hezbollah militants near Beirut. A US Navy Base was reportedly hit by an Iranian strike in Juffair, Bahrain (REUTERS) The Hezbollah and Israel tit-for-tat attacks, which follow a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024, widen the conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, sending oil prices soaring and snarling air travel. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military said late on Sunday that its air force had established aerial superiority over Tehran, and that a wave of strikes across the capital had targeted intelligence, security, and military command centres. Sounds of explosions were heard in different parts of the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday morning, according to state media, while Reuters witnesses heard loud blasts in Dubai and the Qatari capital Doha. A senior White House official said that while Trump would at some point talk with new potential leadership in Iran, the military campaign would go on. President Trump said new potential leadership in Iran has indicated they want to talk and eventually he will talk. For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday said a leadership council composed of himself, the judiciary head and a member of the powerful Guardian Council had temporarily assumed the duties of Supreme Leader. In an X post on Monday, Ali Larijani, who was adviser to Irans Khamenei, said his country would not negotiate with Trump. He said the U.S. president had delusional ambitions and was now worried about US casualties. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says over 100,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region, as ITV News Correspondent John Ray reports The prime minister has said that the government is looking at all options to support our people currently stuck in the Middle East, as a small number of flights have begun to resume out of the region. On Monday evening, an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi landed in London, which is believed to be the first bring stranded passengers back to the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Flight EY067 departed from the United Arab Emirates capital on Monday afternoon and landed at Heathrows Terminal 4 at 7.16pm. Two passengers landing from Abu Dhabi told ITV News that is has "been hell", but that they are "lucky for getting home and that we're safe now". Large areas of airspace remained closed across much of the Middle East as the conflict continues between Iran and US-Israeli forces. Trump says strikes on Iran could last several weeks, as war widens Cancelled flights and closed airspace: How Iran war has sparked travel chaos Speaking in the Commons, Starmer said that the situation on the ground may remain challenging for some time but that the Government was looking at all options to support our people. Advertisement Advertisement He told the Commons: Were asking all British citizens in the region to register their presence so we can provide the best possible support and to monitor the Home Office travel advice, which is being regularly updated. Across much of the region, airspace remains closed, and local authorities are advising individuals to shelter in place. The situation on the ground may remain challenging for some time, so were sending rapid deployment teams to the region to support our British nationals on the ground. And were in close contact with the travel industry and governments in the region, including with our friends in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), given the concentration of British nationals in that country, and were looking at all options to support our people. Advertisement Advertisement We want to ensure that they can return home as swiftly and safely as possible. The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) phone lines are open to provide consular support, and ministers are available to meet MPs to discuss any individual cases. The Prime Minister has said the UK is looking at all options to support our people who are currently stuck in the Middle East. Credit: PA Airports in Dubai announced "limited resumption of operations" on Monday, as a small number of flights were given the green light to take off. Travellers are being told not to proceed to Dubai International Airport or Dubai World Central Airport (Al Maktoum International Airport) unless they have been contacted directly by their airline with a confirmed time of departure. Advertisement Advertisement Gulf nations have become targets for Iranian strikes as it lashes out against America's allies in retaliation for its joint attack with Israel on Iran over the weekend. The widespread conflict has led to the closure of airspace in the region, leaving hundreds of thousands of Britons stranded. The United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority said on Monday that certain flights are now operating. Dubai-based airline Emirates has said it will resume operating "a limited number of flights" on Monday night and said it is accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority. FlyDubai said it would operate four flights departing the city and another five arriving planes on Monday, adding that schedules could quickly change as the situation evolved. Advertisement Advertisement At least 15 Etihad Airways flights departed from Abu Dhabi in a three-hour window on Monday, which Flightradar24 said were likely helping to clear transit passengers who have been stuck there since the start of the conflict. In its latest statement on X, Etihad Airways said: All Etihads scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday March 4. "Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals. "Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and advised to do so." Qatar Airways said its flights were still suspended, with its next update expected Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has indicated that over 100,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region. Cooper said a total of around 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries targeted by Iran. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Airspace closures in the Middle East have resulted in many commercial flights being grounded since the attacks began on Saturday. More than a third of the flights scheduled to depart from the UK to the region on Monday were cancelled. British Airways said it is closely monitoring the situation and has cancelled a number of our flights to the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Virgin Atlantic axed two flights to Heathrow on Monday one from each of Dubai, UAE and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia while others were rerouted. EasyJet and BA have also cancelled some flights to Cyprus after a drone hit RAF Akrotiri on the island. Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now? The Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to the UAE due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Those in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office online. Out of those nations, the UAE is believed to have the most Britons spread between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Advertisement Advertisement The UK Government has used the registration scheme before to provide urgent updates to people affected by international crises, but it has not previously needed to deal with so many people in so many different countries. British nationals are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Offices travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly. Have you heard our podcast Talking Politics? Tom and Robert dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda in every episode Exceptional flights are now operating at airports across the United Arab Emirates, the country's General Civil Aviation Authority has announced. Etihad Airways flight EY67 to London Heathrow, the first to depart the UAE since its airspace was closed following retaliatory strikes from Iran, took off from Zayed International Airport at 2:39 pm local time (11:39 am CET) on 2 March, landing at 7:16 pm GMT (8:16 pm CET). "The General Civil Aviation Authority has announced the commencement of exceptional flight operations at UAE airports, enabling stranded passengers affected by recent regional developments to depart," the authority said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement These flights are not bookable airlines are reaching out to passengers directly to let them know timings and details. Only those notified should proceed to the airport. More than a dozen Etihad flights left Abu Dhabi yesterday for destinations including Amsterdam, Paris, Moscow, Mumbai, Delhi and Riyadh. Emirates has also begun operating exceptional flights to cities including London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam and Jeddah. Emirates has said it will be "accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority". Flights to Europe are taking a route through Oman before crossing into Saudi Arabia. Neither country has closed its airspace, although there have been cancellations on airlines operating to destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Kuwait. Advertisement Advertisement Regular commercial flights are suspended on Emirates until 11:59 pm local time (9:59 pm CET) on 4 March, while Etihad Airways has extended its flight suspension until 2 pm local time (12 pm CET) on 5 March. Airspace closures and flight cancellations across the Middle East Iran's retaliatory strikes across the Gulf region have caused travel chaos, with thousands of passengers stranded in countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. Qatar's airspace is closed, with Qatar Airways saying it would provide its next update by 9 am local time (7 am CET) on 4 March. Related Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs has also closed the country's airspace, with flag carrier Gulf Air saying the next update would be given at 11 am local time (9 am CET) on 4 March. Advertisement Advertisement Kuwait has closed its airspace. No details have been shared about when an update will be given about its reopening from flag carrier Kuwait Airways. Airlines including Turkish Airlines, Air France, KLM, British Airways and Finnair have cancelled or rescheduled flights to destinations in the region. While Saudi Arabia's airspace remains open, some airlines have cancelled flights to the country. Private jet demand soaring across the Gulf Airspace closures have reportedly seen expats that are trapped in the UAE driving to either Oman or Saudi Arabia to catch a private jet out of the region. Alexander Graham, director of Luxe Jets, told the FT that "half of Dubai is booking". According to the publication, one operator was charging 22,900 per seat on a jet leaving Oman for Milan. Headlines about escalating Middle East tensions and conflict, leading to a global catastrophe, and World War III, led to a quick dip for Bitcoin that was immediately bought up. Is Bitcoin beginning to decouple from traditional risk assets? It is behaving less like a tech stock and more like a neutral, censorship-resistant store of value. Amid global war fears, and while technical charts remain stuck in a bearish pattern, institutional sentiment is beginning to turn. US spot Bitcoin ETFs just snapped a multi-week drought with over $1 billion in net inflows across a three-day stretch. It is the most significant wave of Wall Street accumulation weve seen since the October highs. Investors usually flee to the safety of the US Dollar or gold, leaving crypto to bleed out. We saw this play out broadly when geopolitical tensions tested Bitcoin price support levels earlier this cycle. But if you look closer at the data, something strange is happening. While retail investors are panic-selling, Bitcoins price stubbornly holds near $65k-$66k, refusing to capitulate. It turns out that what looks like a crash might actually be a massive bear trap. The WW3 Bitcoin narrative is scaring away the tourists, but the smart money is using this dip to load up before the next leg up. DISCOVER: Discover the Best Crypto Exchanges for 2024 Bitcoins Value Proposition As A Borderless Asset Increases: BTC May Rally As Gold Market Overheats, Says Samson Mow Current data shows accumulation. While retail traders were panic-selling their bags, Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded massive inflows. The market realized quickly that even if geopolitical instability rises, Bitcoins value proposition as a borderless asset actually increases. Bitcoin strategist Samson Mow predicts a significant cryptocurrency surge as gold reaches historic highs, arguing that the precious metal market has become overheated and investors will seek alternatives. Bitcoin could be on the verge of a major price rally as the gold market shows signs of overheating, according to prominent Bitcoin advocate and JAN3 CEO Samson Mow. Mow, a vocal proponent of Bitcoin adoption and creator of the Omega Candle price prediction theory, argues that golds recent surge to record highs may be unsustainable, potentially driving capital flows toward cryptocurrency as an alternative store of value. DISCOVER: How to Buy Bitcoin Anonymously (No KYC) Gold Reaches Historic Peaks, Bitcoin as the Alternative Gold prices have soared to unprecedented levels in recent months, driven by global economic uncertainty, inflation concerns, and geopolitical tensions. The precious metal has long served as a traditional safe-haven asset during periods of market volatility. Greater Cincinnati readers are voicing deep concern and anger over the United States' escalating conflict with Iran. In letters spanning neighborhoods from Hyde Park to Monfort Heights, writers question the justification for the war, condemn what they describe as unilateral presidential action without congressional approval, and warn of the moral, constitutional and human costs of another prolonged military conflict. Many call for diplomacy over escalation and urge Congress to reassert its authority before more lives and public trust are lost. The Iran war is a moral failure and an abuse of authority The U.S. has just started a war against Iran that is unjustified and immoral. According to national security analysts and experts on Iran and its ruling regime, the threat of Iranian ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons is based on assumptions that are wrong or greatly exaggerated. The Trump administration is making claims unsupported by U.S. Intelligence reports. There are no clear and present dangers to the U.S. or its allies. Negotiations have been in progress and were to resume soon. This unjust and unnecessary war has so far caused hundreds of deaths, including six U.S. service members (as of this writing), of which our president is directly responsible. Advertisement Advertisement Beshear: KY-based soldiers among 6 U.S. casualties in Iranian conflict This is a moral failure and abuse of authority. This is a war of choice and must be approved by Congress, representing all the American people, and not the sole decision of our president. It must be de-escalated and negotiations in good faith resumed to work towards a lasting peace. This war, with unclear objectives and unsound justification, will only result in chaos and instability. Charles Blessing, Monfort Heights It's clear Congress has no desire to do its job Kathleen Snyder from Delhi Township attends the No War With Iran rally at the Capitol Monday, March 2, 2026. An open letter to Congressman Greg Landsman and Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno: Once again, Donald Trump has ignored the U.S. Constitution to launch "Operation Epstein Diversion Part 2"(Part 1 was in Venezuela, and who knows where Part 3 will occur). Since it is clear that you have no desire to do your job, which is not to rubber-stamp the felon-in-chiefs latest whim, please resign so that you are not actively involved in waste, fraud, and abuse (I know you hate that) by drawing a paycheck while ignoring your actual constitutional duties. Advertisement Advertisement Why are we at war in Iran? How much will this cost? How many will die? How does this end? What are the long-term consequences? You obviously didnt notice, but things did not work out well in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan. Disgraceful. Frank Newbauer, Hyde Park Landsman's support of the Iran war shows he's unfit to serve in Congress U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman's support of President Donald Trump's attacks on Iran exposes the priorities of a timid politician caught up in the Trump administration's phobia-of-the-day syndrome. In this country, we like to demonize the Jim Crow South, so how is the West Bank of Palestine any different? And Gaza is nothing more than a Native American reservation, a collection of refugees forced off their ancestral homeland. Advertisement Advertisement The animosity between the racist State of Israel and the racist State of Iran should be of no concern to the American people. That Landsman should acquiesce to the crazed megalomania of Donald Trump shows his unfitness to serve as our representative in Congress. Ronald Hischak, Evanston American citizens no longer have a say in our fate Donald Trump has used the resources of the United States to attack two foreign countries: Iran and Venezuela, without so much as a "by your leave" from Congress. Evidently, "We the People" no longer have anything to say about our fate. Priscilla O'Donnell, Pendleton Opinion: Trump's Iran threat claims as bogus Bush's weapons of mass destruction The Iran war is Trump's latest diversion from the Epstein files I've never been one to believe in conspiracy theories, but I have to say, attacking Iran was a great way to shift the story from Epstein. I hope Trump voters finally see what a dangerous person they voted for. Advertisement Advertisement Melinda Lampke, Covington Trump's penchant for playing the strong man is evident US President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before departing Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 1, 2026, on his way back to Washington, DC. The United States and Israel launched massive bombardments against Iran and killed its supreme leader on February 28, with attacks ongoing Sunday. The US military on Sunday said three service members have been killed and five seriously wounded in the war against Iran -- the first casualties announced on the US side. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images) President Trump has chosen to support the Iranian people at a crucial moment by advocating for a joint military strike with Israel, believing that this is the time they can successfully challenge their oppressive government. However, this decision is yet another example of acting unilaterally, without seeking congressional approval. More: 'We trust Donald Trump.' Local Iranians relieved regime leader is dead Conversely, Trump has neglected to support the Ukrainian government, which is clearly favored by its citizens and backed by the U.S. Congress, in its protracted conflict with Russia. This illustrates his tendency to opt for unilateral action rather than to foster a governance approach based on consensus. Trump's penchant for playing the strongman is evident; his governing style often resembles that of the very dictatorial regimes he claims to oppose. Advertisement Advertisement One constant in Trump's leadership is prioritizing his personal whims over the principles of democracy. Our pursuit of self-governance is now facing unprecedented challenges, more precarious than at any time since our nation's founding. Dan Shatzer, Forest Park God help America, because the GOP-controlled Congress won't OMG! This totally incompetent, arrogant and self-absorbed "leader" of our nation has now engaged us in a war. When will this madness end?For those who are interested, look up the 1997 movie "Wag the Dog." It's about spin doctors who fabricate a fake war in Albania to distract the public from a presidential sex scandal. Sound familiar? More: How many Ohio troops could be deployed in USIran conflict? See numbers Advertisement Advertisement God help us. Apparently, members of this Republican-controlled Congress are either unwilling or unable to do so. Whatever happened to true negotiation and compromise? Barbara Carr, East Walnut Hills Trump is using the Iran war to distract from his policy failures Donald Trump is a genius. How do you take the focus off your failed policies: Ukraine, the economy, approval ratings, Epstein, and others? Of course, you start a war. It doesnt cost you any money personally. Later, you can use your lies, half-truths and divisiveness to attack those parts of democracy that dont suit you. Brilliant. Robert J. Hess, Loveland Don't spend my tax dollars to wage another contrived war People walk on the rubble of buildings damaged after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 3, 2026. I do not trust Donald Trump to lead us into war. He doesnt hold himself accountable to the American public. He believes that he is above the law. He seeks conflict to cover up his failures. Congress must step in, reassert its power, and represent the American people. I do not want my tax dollars spent on another war waged for contrived reasons. Advertisement Advertisement A big part of the authoritarian playbook is war. War takes over the news. War blots out criticism. War divides a nations people, subjecting those against it to being called unpatriotic. War grants leaders all sorts of emergency powers. I believe that Trump would literally kill to interfere with the 2026 election. Was this administration lying when they declared Irans nuclear program had been obliterated, or are they lying now? War consumes everything else. We all suffer when enormous sums of money are diverted to military aggression. We must not allow this. Rein in this rogue president. Debra Tarter, Monfort Heights Congress must do its job. Stop the killing What happened to "diplomacy" and working for peace with our neighboring countries? Our so-called president has no interest in either. He thinks nothing of killing innocent people, stealing their oil, and cozying up to the worst leaders in history. Advertisement Advertisement When will Congress step up and do its job? The Constitution says Congress must approve war. How many people have to die under this regime of ours before they act? Ann Thompson, Green Township This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why is the US attacking Iran? Trump denies America a say | Letters US President Donald Trump warned that his attack on Iran could run longer than a month, as Tehran retaliated to ongoing strikes by targeting US allies in the Gulf and drones hit the US embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Shortly after the United States urged Americans to flee all Middle Eastern nations from Egypt eastward, two drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh, sparking a quick vow by Trump to retaliate "soon", without elaborating how. New powerful explosions shook windows in Tehran throughout the night as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital, AFP journalists witnessed, and the Pentagon said it had achieved air superiority over the country, ruled since 1979 by Islamic clerics virulently opposed to the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Beyond launching missile and drone attacks that forced Qatar's state-run energy firm to halt liquefied natural gas production, Tehran also vowed to choke one of the world's most vital shipping lanes. "We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari said of the strategic waterway to the Gulf through which about 20 percent of global seaborne oil travels. Trump said that the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going "substantially" ahead of schedule but that the United States was equipped for a prolonged conflict. "From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement -- 'Won't take years' -- The US president laid out for the first time the operation's objectives -- destroying Iran's missiles, navy and nuclear programme and stopping its support for armed groups across the region. The goals notably did not include toppling the Islamic republic, even though on Saturday Trump had urged the people of Iran to rise up and overthrow their government. As Iran ramped up its retaliation, Saudi Arabia, home to one of the region's largest oil refineries which has already been closed following an attack, said it intercepted eight more drones in two cities, including the capital, on Tuesday. The Saudi defence ministry confirmed two drones attacked the US embassy, which said that caused "a limited fire and minor material damage". Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the NewsNation network, Trump said "you'll find out soon" how the United States would respond, without providing further detail. The US mission in Riyadh asked its citizens in the capital as well as the cities of Jeddah and Dharan to shelter in place, while the US State Department ordered its "non-emergency" staff and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. Qatar, which had comparatively good relations with Iran before the war, said it shot down two Iranian bombers, the first time a Gulf Arab country has hit planes from their giant neighbour. The Israeli military for the second day carried out strikes on Lebanon, with its military saying it was targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah after the militant group claimed rocket and drone attacks on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement As the conflict spread, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said its strikes with the United States on Iran would continue but not become "an endless war". "It may take some time, but it's not going to take years," he told Fox News in an interview broadcast Monday. -- 'Imminent threat?' -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a strikingly new narrative of how the conflict started, saying on Monday that the United States, which built up its military to levels not seen since its 2003 Iraq invasion, attacked only after learning that ally Israel was set to strike Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Iran had been ready to strike US forces in the region in response to Israel, so Trump decided to intervene "pre-emptively" alongside Israel, Rubio said. "The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked -- and we believed they would be attacked -- that they would immediately come after us," Rubio told reporters before briefing lawmakers. Rival Democrats voiced disbelief, with Senator Mark Warner saying it was "unchartered territory" for the United States to be triggered into action by Israel's perception of a threat. Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded that "there was never any so-called Iranian 'threat'." Advertisement Advertisement "Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel'," he posted on X. Netanyahu alleged on the interview with Fox that Iran had been working on new weapons sites since a 12day conflict in June, when Israel and the United States also launched coordinated strikes on the Islamic republic. In an earlier interview with the New York Post, Trump -- who campaigned on promises to end US involvement in wars -- refused to rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran "if they were necessary." - Death toll rises - Israel's military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on Tuesday, following explosions rocking the capital the previous day as Israeli warplanes struck Beirut's southern suburbs and the south of the country. Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanese government said at least 52 people were killed in the strikes that came after Hezbollah, the armed Shiite movement affiliated with Iran, launched rockets and drones toward Israel in retaliation for Khamenei's death. In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam took the unprecedented step of ordering an "immediate prohibition" of Hezbollah's military activities and called on the group to hand over its weapons. Throughout the region, the death toll has steadily increased with six US military personnel killed so far in the war, according to US Central Command. Iranian media have reported hundreds of Iranian casualties, including at a girl's school, although AFP reporters have not been able to verify tolls independently. Advertisement Advertisement The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Tuesday said there were 101 casualties inside Iran on the third day of the war, including "85 civilian deaths and 11 military personnel killed". Many residents in Tehran were torn between fear of the bombings and hope that the government's days might now be numbered. AFP journalists witnessed some residents with suitcases in hand preparing to leave the unusually quiet capital on Monday. "Every time we hear the noises, we get scared for just a second," a 45-year-old lawyer said in a voice message to Europe, "but we experience some joy and excitement every time we hear a hit." burs/sct/dw/ceg/hmn One of the first passengers to arrive in Dublin from Dubai has said she has "never been so happy to be home". Gina Quinn was one of about 400 people who landed in the Irish capital on Wednesday. The Emirates flight was the first in a number of days after the United States-Israeli attacks on Iran led to the closure of nearly all airspace in the Middle East. A second flight directly to Dublin from Dubai is scheduled for Thursday, with a further 400 passengers on it. Advertisement Advertisement Quinn was on a business trip to Delhi in India with a colleague and stopped in Dubai for a connecting flight back to Dublin. She said it was supposed to be a "quick transit" but soon became "chaotic". "Getting information about when you might be able to fly home was nearly impossible. The airlines were inundated," she said. Her husband Kevin Murphy was there to collect her at the airport. He said he was "delighted to have her home," and "life can go on now". 'I still feel safe in Dubai' Also on the flight was Rushali Lakhani who was visiting Dubai on holiday but described how it soon became an "anxiety inducing" trip. Advertisement Advertisement She said she experienced several sleepless nights, but is now "thanking my lucky stars" to be home safe. Mark O'Kane, who is originally from Maghera in County Londonderry, has been living in Dubai for 24 years. He had planned to come back home for business and booked his flight weeks in advance. He said the scenes in Dubai "would remind you of the [Northern Ireland] Troubles" but "life goes on". O'Kane said while it was "not normal" to hear explosions, he still felt safe in Dubai as "the defence systems are fantastic". Earlier in Belfast businessman Stuart Carson arrived home via Birmingham and said he was relieved to be back after his hotel in Dubai was set on fire by a drone. Advertisement Advertisement A second flight directly to Dublin from Dubai is scheduled for Thursday, with a further 400 passengers on it. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said she expected that would be added to with more flights in the near future. She said while not all passengers on Wednesday's flight to Dublin would be Irish citizens "a huge proportion" would be. McEntee said hundreds of Irish citizens would be getting home as a result of a combination of commercial and chartered flights in the coming days. She added that an Irish government chartered flight was due to leave Oman for Dublin "at the end of the week", carrying about 300 people. Irish Foreign Affairs minister Helen McEntee said the Irish government would "continue to offer consular assistance to all citizens in the region" [PA Media] McEntee previously asked for "everyone's patience as our most vulnerable citizens are contacted in this first phase of our response to this crisis". Advertisement Advertisement The minister said the Irish government would "continue to offer consular assistance to all citizens in the region". "All citizens should register with the appropriate embassy if they have not already done so and continue to follow our embassy social media accounts for the latest updates," he said. How many Irish are in the Middle East? So far 25,000 Irish citizens in the region have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs - 2,000 of them have said they want to leave. Conflict has spread across the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, in which the country's supreme leader was killed. Tehran has retaliated with a wave of attacks across the region. 'Incredibly difficult few days' Meanwhile, thousands of British nationals stranded in the Middle East are also returning home on Wednesday as airlines increase their flights from the region. Advertisement Advertisement British citizens stuck in the Middle East have told the BBC there has been a lack of information about available routes to travel home. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs on Tuesday that the "safety and security" of British nationals were a "top priority". She told the House of Commons that a government charter flight would fly from Muscat in Oman in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals. The government is also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, she said, adding that Britons "must wait to be contacted by the Foreign Office regarding these options". Advertisement Advertisement Sandra Corkin, managing director of Oasis Travel, said that the company were dealing with dozens of holidaymakers affected by the conflict. Corkin told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme most of its passengers were actually further away in places like Australia or New Zealand but that their flights were connecting through the Middle East. She said the first plan had been to get people onto direct flights through London or Europe but that became increasingly difficult. She said some passengers had flown to China and then to London, but it had been an "incredibly difficult few days". The post This Iron-Toothed Sea Creature Found 18,000 Feet Down Has a Crowdsourced Name appeared first on A-Z Animals. Quick Take In 2024, Japanese researchers discovered a new species of chiton in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench off the coast of Japan The chiton was found at a depth of 5,500 meters. Prompted by the popular YouTuber, Ze Frank, scientists studying the new species put a call out on social media seeking a name. They received more than 8,000 suggestions. The name chosen was Ferreiraella populi, which means of the people. Its not uncommon for newly discovered species to make the news, especially when they are found 5,500 meters underwater. What is unusual, though, is when the naming of the species gets as much newsworthy notice as the discovery itself. Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to YouTube and the power of crowdsourcing, thats exactly what happened to this specialized resident of the deep. The Story Behind the Discovery Meet the newest deep-sea chiton, Ferreiraella populi. The species was originally discovered in 2024 when Japanese researchers were exploring the Izu-Ogasawara Trench off the coast of Japan. They discovered a rare and specialized type of marine mollusk, called a chiton, that lives exclusively on sunken wood in the sea. With eight separate shell plates, this type of mollusk is unique compared to other mollusk species that have a single, solid shell. The separate plates allow the chiton, the newest member of the genus Ferreiraella, to roll into a protective ball when threatened and to cling to the uneven surfaces of scattered pieces of wood on the sea floor. A typical mollusk has a hard shell that is one continuous piece. Chitons have shells divided into eight separate plates. Haireena/Shutterstock.com (Haireena/Shutterstock.com) In something that sounds like it came straight from a science fiction movie, the chiton also has a radula covered in ironessentially a mineralized tooth tongue. This iron tongue allows the chiton to efficiently scrape up the organic matter it needs to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Chitons can be found on coral reefs and in warm coastal waters, as well as in the absolute darkness of the sea floor. Certain species can survive at depths of up to 7,000 feet, tolerating the extreme conditions found there. As long as there is some wood for them to cling to, they can survive. When the species was first seen, researchers operating a deep-sea submersible collected samples of it and took it to the research facilities at the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA). There, scientists documented everything about the chiton that was collected from the sea floor. They determined that it was, in fact, a brand new species never before observed. Whats In a Name? When a new species is discovered, it can often take 10 to 20 years for scientists to fully study it, publish their findings, and land on a formal name. The scientific name follows the process established by Carl Linnaeus in the 1750s, which is still followed today. The principle behind this process involves binomial nomenclature. This means the species receives two official names. The first is the genus to which it belongs, in this case, Ferreiraella. The second name is chosen by the author(s) who first publish findings about the species in a scientific publication. Advertisement Advertisement While the first name is strictly regulated, the second can be more creative. The only requirements are that it is novel, unique, and Latinized. In this chitons case, its second name is populi, which means of the people. While the official name follows Linnaeuss guidelines, the naming process was anything but typical. It took less than two years, and it was not the scientists who came up with the name. How Social Media Helped Make Scientific History The name was crowdsourced by social media users. Ze Frank, a YouTuber focused on science topics, caught the attention of scientists when he featured the unnamed deep-sea chiton on an episode of his True Facts YouTube series. The episode was popular, and the idea for a public naming competition was born. Advertisement Advertisement Through a partnership among the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA), Pensoft Publishers, and Ze Frank, the public was formally asked to submit possible names for the newly discovered chiton. Within one week, the naming contest received more than 8,000 suggestions, all submitted via social media. Chitons come in many colors and live in diverse areas of the worlds oceans, from shallow coral reefs to deep-sea floors at depths of 7,000 feet. RLS Photo/Shutterstock.com (RLS Photo/Shutterstock.com) The scientists who published their original findings ultimately chose the name from the thousands of entries. One of them was Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart, co-chair of SOSA at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. According to Sigwart, The name we chose, Ferreiraella populi, translates to of the people. We were overwhelmed by the response and massive number of creative name suggestions. That is not to say the decision was easy. Advertisement Advertisement Another strong contender was Ferreiraella stellacadens, which means shooting star chiton. It reflects the unique pattern on the chitons hard shell and is a nod to how quickly the chiton shot to fame on YouTube. Another submission paid tribute to the chitons discovery off the coast of Japan. The name Ferreiraella ohmu is a nod to the popular chiton-like creature created by Studio Ghibli, the world-renowned Japanese animation studio. But ultimately, Ferreiraella populi won the day. The name was coincidentally suggested by 11 different contributors during the contest. Now that the chiton has an official name, it can more easily be referenced and relied upon in future research efforts focusing on this little-studied species. According to Sigwart, The new species provides further evidence that deep-sea wood-fall ecosystems host highly specialized and still largely undiscovered communities. Advertisement Advertisement The original study, including notice of the public naming competition, was published in the Biodiversity Data Journal. The post This Iron-Toothed Sea Creature Found 18,000 Feet Down Has a Crowdsourced Name appeared first on A-Z Animals. Israel has sent additional ground troops into southern Lebanon, the military said on Tuesday. "I want to emphasize that this is not a manoeuvre, a ground offensive or anything similar. It is a tactical measure to prevent attacks by Hezbollah," military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said. "There is a real possibility that they could escalate their operations against us." Shoshani declined to say how many Israeli soldiers have been positioned in the neighbouring country. Advertisement Advertisement Until now, Israeli forces had been stationed at five posts in southern Lebanon. Now they have taken up positions at additional locations close to the border. Shoshani said these positions are vantage points overlooking Israeli towns. Hezbollah could use those locations to directly shell residential areas or attempt to infiltrate them, he said. "That is why we are deploying troops there, to ensure they have no opportunity to do so," Shoshani said. Lebanese security sources said Israeli forces had pushed approximately 100 to 300 metres into areas near the border and that the Lebanese army has since withdrawn personnel from some front-line posts due to the escalating tensions. Advertisement Advertisement Defence Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the move. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the Israel Defense Forces to take up and secure additional strategic positions in Lebanon to prevent attacks on Israeli border communities," Katz said. The US and Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on Saturday, triggering a sharp regional escalation as Tehran responded with missile strikes targeting US bases in several Gulf states. Supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attack. In retaliation, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah fired multiple rockets into Israel, opening a another front in the conflict. Israel responded with airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, including targets in the capital, Beirut. Israel is planning to partially open its airspace to allow Israelis stranded abroad to return to the country. "According to assessments by the security authorities, the airspace will be opened as early as Wednesday night," Israeli TV station N12 quoted Transport Minister Miri Regev as saying. Operations at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv are then to be resumed gradually. However, according to the current plan, only passenger arrivals will be permitted. No passengers will be allowed on planes leaving Ben Gurion Airport. Advertisement Advertisement According to the N12 report, one plane per hour will be allowed initially, then two per hour. This will allow around 10,000 passengers to be brought to Israel per day. The Ministry of Transport expects that all Israelis stranded abroad will be able to return within 10 days. Since the start of the war with Iran on Saturday, it is estimated that more than 100,000 Israelis have been left stranded abroad. The Israeli military said fighter jets had carried out fresh strikes on key government buildings in Tehran. The air force hit several sites overnight in Iran's capital, the military said in a statement on Tuesday. Among the targets were the presidential office, locations where the powerful Supreme National Security Council meets, and a building belonging to the Assembly of Experts, an influential body of 88 clerics. Iranian attacks on Israel have weakened in intensity, according to the Israeli military. "We are observing that their firepower is decreasing," said military spokesman Nadav Shoshani. "We have been able to limit their ability to fire missiles at us and the region." He acknowledged that the slowdown could partly be due to Irans leadership conserving weapons stockpiles in case the war continues for a longer period. Advertisement Advertisement Shoshani said the Israeli and US strikes, which began on Saturday, have targeted Iranian weapons. "We have destroyed hundreds of ballistic missiles, and we are monitoring the situation," Shoshani said, adding that Iran is no longer able to launch missiles on a large scale. Attacks nevertheless continue, the spokesman said. "The Iranian regime and Hezbollah are firing dozens of rockets, drones and other projectiles every day." Most are intercepted, he added. There were further attacks overnight and in the morning from Iran and from neighbouring Lebanon. Air raid sirens sounded continuously in northern Israel, Shoshani said. There were initially no reports of casualties. Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanese Hezbollah militia, which is backed by Iran, typically targets northern Israel near the Lebanese border. The Shiite organization confirmed rocket fire early in the morning toward the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, saying the target was an Israeli military base there. The attack was described as a response to Israeli army bombardments on targets in Lebanon. US and Israeli attacks on Iran have escalated into a full-scale Middle East conflict. Tehran has hit back with strikes on all members of the Gulf Co-operation Council which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as on Jordan and Israel. Attacks between Iranian-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel were also spiralling. In Iraq, militias allied to Iran were attacking US troops. A drone also hit the RAF Akrotiri military base in Cyprus. Advertisement Advertisement Britain is sending HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 air defence destroyers, to bolster security around the base. A plume of smoke rises above Tehran (AFP via Getty Images) The Strait of Hormuz, used by tankers carrying one fifth of the worlds oil, was effectively closed by Irans threat to attack shipping trying to go through it. Oil and gas prices were soaring, threatening to hit the economies of countries around the world. General Sir Richard Barrons, former Commander of the UKs Joint Forces Command, said: I dont think anyone really anticipated that the response from Iran would be to broaden the war quite so much as it has to the entire region using missiles and drones to make in military terms quite small strikes in these countries but in psychological and economic terms they do have a considerable effect. Advertisement Advertisement Tehrans intention, he added on Times Radio, was that countries hit in the region would ask the US and Israel to stop their attacks but he believes that instead they are prepared to take pain now to take out the threat from Iran. As explosions rocked cities in the region, Britain, America and many other nations were scrambling to draw up plans to get their citizens out of the war zone. Thousands more stranded Britons are expected to return home on Wednesday as airlines ramp up their flights from the region. More than 130,000 British citizens have been in contact with the UK authorities, including 110,000 in the UAE, most of them holidaymakers or people who were transiting through hub airports. Advertisement Advertisement Emirates is operating seven flights from Dubai to the UK while Etihad has two Abu Dhabi departures. Virgin Atlantic will operate a flight from Dubai to London Heathrow. A person taking a picture of the destruction after a missile strike on Tehran (via REUTERS) British Airways has not restarted its usual flying timetable from the region, but will run an evacuation flight to Heathrow from Oman capital Muscat, which it does not usually serve. A UK Government charter flight will repatriate Britons from Muscat at 7pm, but it has been reported there will be no major evacuation of British nationals who have registered their presence in the Middle East. That means most are reliant on getting a seat on a commercial flight. Advertisement Advertisement It comes after an extraordinary trans-Atlantic clash, in which Britain questioned the legality of Trumps war and whether he had a thought-through plan in place before unleashing it. The US president has launched several stinging attacks on Sir Keir Starmer this week for his lack of immediate support, only allowing British bases to be used by US forces for defensive strikes on Iranian targets, such as missile sites. Trump told reporters during a meeting in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that he was very disappointed with Britain. This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with, he said, comparing Sir Keir with Britain's revered wartime leader. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also criticised Sir Keir's decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, home to the US-UK air base of Diego Garcia, saying they have "been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island". Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have clashed over the Iran war (PA Wire) Sir Keir told parliament that the government had learnt from its mistakes in backing the US in the 2003 Iraq war, and said any military action must have a "viable, thought-through plan". He also said he did not believe in "regime change from the skies". Sir Keir has been criticised from all sides at home for his decision, with opponents on the left calling for him to condemn the military action while on the right, opposition leaders Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage attacked the Prime Minister for failing to back Britain's key security and intelligence ally. Trump earlier told the Sun newspaper he never thought he would see Britain become a reluctant partner, instead heaping praise on France and Germany. Advertisement Advertisement "This was the most solid relationship of all," he said. "And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe." "France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others." Britain, France and Germany released a joint statement in response to Iranian attacks on Saturday, saying they were in close contact with the US, Israel and partners in the region, and were calling for a resumption of negotiations. A woman reacts on the street following an Israeli and US strike on a police station in Tehran on Tuesday (via REUTERS) Sir Keir has defended his response, telling parliament on Monday he had to judge what was in Britain's national interest. "That is what I have done, and I stand by it," he said. Advertisement Advertisement The US president has also faced criticism over how a reported one million US citizens in the region would be able to get away from potential danger. Trump responded to the barrage of Iranian missile and drone attacks by threatening an even bigger wave of US airstrikes. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, said in a video posted on X on Tuesday that the US military has "severely degraded Iran's air defences" and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/epEohq64Vf U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 3, 2026 He said Iran has launched more 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation. But there were no signs that the Tehran regime was yet struggling to hit back due to any shortage of missiles or drones. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the building housing Irans Assembly of Experts who would choose the countrys next Supreme Leader was flattened by an air strike, according to local news agencies. The complex in the city of Qom, south of Tehran, was significantly destroyed. It was unclear at this stage how many people had died in the attack. It came as Irans leaders were in talks over replacing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years before he was killed in the surprise US and Israeli bombardment at the weekend. Fire blazes and black smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the office of the Hezbollah affiliated Al-Manar TV station in Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik on Tuesday, March 3 (AFP via Getty Images) Earlier, Israel said its air force has struck the Iranian regime's leadership compound in Tehran as the US warns the hardest hits are yet to come. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement on Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces said numerous munitions were dropped on the Presidential Office and the Supreme National Security Council. It said that a military training institution and additional key regime infrastructure were also hit. The widening war between Iran and the US, now in its sixth day, with Israel also launching strikes on Beirut and the US Embassy in Riyadh coming under attack. The US and Israel have continued to hit Iran since its first strikes at the weekend, while Tehran and its allies have hit back against Israel and neighbouring Gulf states. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence confirmed that the US embassy in Riyadh was attacked by two drones, according to initial estimates. In a statement shared to X, the ministry said this resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. The aftermath of a strike on a police station in Tehran on Monday, March 2 (via REUTERS) An Iranian strike destroyed the main command headquarters of a US air base in Bahrain, according to the Fars news agency, which is affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Six US service personnel have been killed since Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Saturday. The US president suggested the war would escalate further, telling CNN that a big wave of airstrikes on Iran is yet to come. Trump has, however, provided scant detail about what the USs exit plan from the war might be. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military in the offensive against Iran. The United States is also urging all US citizens in 14 countries in the region, including Egypt, to leave due to serious safety risks. A White House portrait of Donald Trump overseeing Operation Epic Fury military operations taken on Sunday, March 1 (The White House/AFP via Getty Images) On Monday, Sir Keir rebuked Trump's approach to the conflict, saying his Government does not believe in regime change from the skies. Trump had criticised Sir Keirs decision not to allow American jets to deploy from UK bases to undertake offensive strikes, saying he was very disappointed in the Prime Minister. UK bases are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. This is understood to include the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. TEL AVIV, March 3 (Reuters) - The Israeli military deployed additional forces to southern Lebanon overnight, to take up what a military spokesperson on Tuesday described as defensive positions to protect Israeli civilians and strategic sites from any potential Hezbollah attack. "We're only at the borderline area in a defensive manner to prevent attacks against civilians and very strategic important points," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in an online briefing with reporters. Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement he had authorised the military to advance and take control of additional positions in Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel late on Sunday, in reaction to U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. Israeli forces have occupied five positions in southern Lebanon since November 2024. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell and Steven Scheer; Editing by Aidan Lewis) 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: BrakeTime Corner Market has signed a franchise agreement with Little Caesars, Rene Da Costa, the convenience retailers vice president of food, dispensed beverage and QSR, confirmed to C-Store Dive. The initial agreement includes two BrakeTime-adjacent Little Caesars QSRs in Texas, Da Costa said, adding that the retailer intends to expand its Little Caesars network to other states. This agreement underscores BrakeTimes goal of building out its foodservice offerings, which CEO Usman Bashir told C-Store Dive last year was one of the retailers primary objectives. Dive Insight: BrakeTimes latest franchise agreement comes about a month after the Houston-based convenience retailer inked a similar deal with Burger King. That agreement included both BrakeTime-adjacent and standalone Burger Kings across Illinois and Texas, Da Costa said at the time. Now, BrakeTime is adding Little Caesars to its list of franchise programs, furthering Bashirs goal to increase the number of QSRs across its chain of roughly 300 convenience stores. In a LinkedIn announcement detailing the agreement, Da Costa said Little Caesars fits perfectly within a high-volume c-store environment. He added that one location will be near William P. Hobby Airport in Houston and the other in nearby Tomball. This isnt just about adding pizza to our lineup its about driving traffic, increasing basket size, strengthening margins, and elevating our entire foodservice strategy, Da Costa said in his announcement. The minimum financial requirement to become a Little Caesar franchisee is $200,000 in liquid assets and a total net worth of at least $400,000, according to the pizza chains website. Once they sign up, franchisees pay an up-front flat fee of $20,000 and then pay a royalty fee of 6% of their sales per restaurant to Little Caesars, along with a marketing fee of 5%. Little Caesars offers its non-traditional express franchise model for sites inside a convenience store, according to the pizza chains website. That format ranges from 400 to 600 square feet and features lower construction costs and a modified menu. Recommended Reading Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto is coming under increasing criticism for a trip to Dubai that coincided with the start of the Israeli-US attacks on Iran. The politician, from the governing Brothers of Italy party, arrived in Dubai on Friday with his family, and the attacks began on Saturday morning. Crosetto has since returned to Rome on a military plane - according to him at his own expense. On Tuesday he was questioned by a parliamentary committee. Advertisement Advertisement Unlike many other tourists who are still stuck in the region, his family has also already returned to Rome. According to Italian media reports, this happened on board one of the first specially chartered planes. The opposition accused the right-wing politician of having given contradictory information about the reason for his journey. Crosetto defended himself by saying that he had "always given the same version." He had, he said, combined an "institutional obligation" - a meeting with the Emirates' defence minister - with a family break. Crosetto said he had to go to a bunker at the weekend because of Iran's attacks on Dubai. Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is from the same party, backed her minister on Monday evening, saying "I can say that Minister Crosetto has never stopped doing his job." Meloni has been at the head of a coalition of three right-wing and conservative parties for three and a half years. Crosetto has been part of her cabinet from the very beginning. GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was buried Monday in a shiny golden casket with enormous flower wreaths and a large military presence in the state that gave name to one of Mexico's most powerful cartels. A federal official confirmed that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, was buried in a cemetery in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city. Dozens of people accompanied the funeral procession, many carrying black umbrellas on a sunny day and with a band playing Mexican regional music known as banda. The official who discussed the location requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. The Attorney Generals Office declined to confirm the location of El Menchos burial for security reasons. Advertisement Advertisement There had been stepped up security since Sunday around a funeral home where large flower wreaths had been arriving without a name. Some did include the image of a rooster in flowers and Oseguera Cervantes was sometimes called the Lord of the Roosters. The Mexican army killed Oseguera Cervantes just over a week ago while attempting to capture him. He died from multiple bullet wounds, according to the death certificate obtained by The Associated Press. The killing set off violence in some 20 states. The death certificate fits with a description of the operation to capture Oseguera Cervantes given by Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla, who had said that the cartel leader and two bodyguards had been badly wounded in a gunfight with soldiers outside a home in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The three died en route to a hospital. The certificate specified that Oseguera Cervantes had bullet wounds to his chest, abdomen and legs. Advertisement Advertisement His body was taken to Mexico City where an autopsy was performed and then the body was turned over to his family on Saturday, the Attorney Generals Office said in a brief statement. The death certificate also notes that Oseguera Cervantes was to be buried, standard practice in cases of violent deaths to allow for additional forensic evidence to be gathered if needed in the future. The document did not say where the burial would take place. Authorities security concerns surrounding the burial location are well founded. Oseguera Cervantes killing set off retaliation by the cartel in numerous states. More than 70 people died between the military operation and the violence that followed. The government has said that security operations continue against other high-ranking members of the cartel. It customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend. Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing. Advertisement Advertisement In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel an old associate of El Mencho and Arturo Beltran Leyva. There was the drug lord who was famously killed twice, Nazario Moreno, leader of the violent and pseudo religious Knights Templar cartel who authorities said was killed in 2010 only to kill him for real in 2014. Sometimes the bodies disappear, like in the case of Heriberto Lazcano, leader of the fearsome Zetas, whose body was stolen in 2012. Or they die under bizarre circumstances, like Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Lord of the Skies, who died in a botched plastic surgery. ___ Sanchez reported from Mexico City. AP writer Maria Verza in Mexico City contributed to this report. A rep for Jim Carrey has finally broken their silence on the wild viral clone conspiracy theory that has been making the rounds on the internet. Following an appearance at the Cesar Awards on 26 February, fans were quick to remark on the actor's return to public life, noting a change in his physical appearance. When Carrey attended the awards ceremony in Paris to accept an Honorary Cesar Award, fans began speculating that someone had impersonated the actor or that a clone had taken his place. After fans noted that Carrey looked "unrecognisable", speculation surrounding the clone conspiracy theory grew large enough that officials and the actors representatives have since issued statements denying the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Carrey's rep told People magazine in a statement: "Jim Carrey attended the Cesar Awards, where he accepted his Honorary Cesar Award. The Hollywood actor's rep isn't the only person to issue a statement confirming that the actor did, in fact, attend the awards. Francois Durand/Getty Images - Getty Images Related: Best streaming services UK Gregory Caulier, general delegate of France's Cesar Awards, told Variety: "Jim Carreys visit has been planned since this summer. From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academys invitation. "Eight months of ongoing, constructive discussions. He worked on his speech in French for months, asking me about the exact pronunciation of certain words. He came with his partner, his daughter, his grandson and 12 close friends and family members. Advertisement Advertisement "His longtime publicist accompanied him. His old friend Michel Gondry, who has made a film and two series with him, was there, and they were delighted to see each other again." On Carrey's physical appearance, Caulier added: "For me, its a non-issue. Just remember his generosity, his kindness, his benevolence, his elegance." Following Carrey's appearance at the awards, makeup artist and drag queen Alexis Stone (aka Elliot Joseph Rentz) made the claim that he went to the awards show in France disguised as the famous actor. Along with an image of a prosthetic mask, some teeth, and a wig, and a couple of images of Carrey at the event, Alexis wrote on Instagram: "Alexis Stone as Jim Carrey in Paris." Advertisement Advertisement Famous for his celebrity transformations, the post divided fans, with some unable to tell if he was making a lighthearted joke with the help of AI. "Omg! The level of hysteria this caused! I love it so much! And Jim Carrey is probably so satisfied with all the conspiracy clone hysteria," penned one fan. Another person said: "Yeaaaaah. For sure you film yourself putting on the mask? But this would be a great try to cover up after no one fell for the clone." The new edition of Living Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Taylor Swift, is here! Buy Taylor in newsagents or online, priced at just 8.99. You Might Also Like A Marion County judge on Friday resolved a public records lawsuit in favor of the Indiana Capital Chronicle, granting summary judgment and finding that corrections officials violated Indianas public access law by improperly withholding information. Marion Superior Court Judge Clayton Graham ruled that the Indiana Department of Correction failed to respond to the Capital Chronicles June 2024 public records request within a reasonable time and wrongly denied access to records showing showing how much public money Indiana spent to obtain pentobarbital for executions. Clearly, defendants did not provide any information requested by the Plaintiff in a reasonable time, Graham wrote in the order. Defendants denied the record request for over six months which forced the plaintiffs to file a lawsuit in violation of APRA (Indianas Access to Public Records Act). Advertisement Advertisement Although Fridays order required disclosure, the Capital Chronicle has already obtained limited cost information since filing suit some through partial records releases by DOC and other details provided separately by the governors office in response to the Capital Chronicles questions and during public appearances last year. Prior Capital Chronicle reporting has revealed the state has so far paid at least $1.275 million on pentobarbital since February 2024. The Capital Chronicle, part of the States Newsroom network, sued the corrections department in January 2025 after repeated requests for the information were delayed or denied. Story continues below. Advertisement Advertisement Proposed Order (5) The news outlet sought records showing how much the state paid for pentobarbital the drug used by Indiana in the three most recent capital cases after executions resumed following a years-long hiatus. Graham noted that while Indiana law shields the identity of the entity that supplies execution drugs, it does not make the price confidential. A redacted invoice, he said, would have satisfied the request. [DOC] only provided a heavily redacted $900,000 cost figure to plaintiffs after being sued, Graham wrote. He added that the information was released without sufficient explanation or context. Advertisement Advertisement The judge also awarded the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, counsel for the Capital Chronicle, reasonable attorney fees and costs. What we know about drugs costs, so far The decision is the latest development in a long dispute over secrecy surrounding Indianas execution drugs and procedures. State corrections officials had refused to disclose how much the state paid for pentobarbital, arguing that releasing the information could lead to the identification of the supplier. Journalists and transparency advocates have repeatedly challenged, however. Kris Cundiff, attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Photo courtesy RCFP) Records obtained by the Capital Chronicle earlier in the litigation process, in March 2025, showed that Indiana paid $900,000 for pentobarbital used in executions carried out in late 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Additional records released last week by Brauns office revealed that the state paid another $100,000 for two more doses of pentobarbital used in the October 2025 execution of Roy Ward. That disclosure came more than four months after the Capital Chronicle requested additional information about drug costs from prison officials. The Capital Chronicles underlying lawsuit argued that DOC violated Indianas Access to Public Records Act, APRA, by delaying its response and improperly denying access to records that document public spending. Graham agreed, citing state law requiring agencies to respond to public records requests within a reasonable time and placing the burden of nondisclosure on the government. Advertisement Advertisement A fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government is that government is the servant of the people and not their master, the judge wrote, quoting Indianas public records statute. Providing persons with the information is an essential function of a representative government, Graham continued, writing that APRA shall be liberally construed in favor of disclosure. Transparency is essential to accountability, and the courts ruling affirms that the people of Indiana have a right to know how the state spends taxpayer money to carry out the death penalty, said Kris Cundiff, an attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. We hope this decision sends a clear message that government agencies cannot withhold public records to avoid scrutiny of their most consequential decisions. Separate federal case over media access to executions continues The Capital Chronicle and several other news organizations are additionally continuing to press a separate, still-pending federal lawsuit challenging Indianas ban on journalists witnessing executions. Advertisement Advertisement That case is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, where a three-judge panel heard oral arguments Feb. 18 in Chicago. The plaintiffs which include the Indiana Capital Chronicle, along with The Associated Press, Gannett, TEGNA and others are appealing a May 2025 decision by Judge Matthew Brookman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, who denied a request for a preliminary injunction that would have temporarily blocked enforcement of a state law barring journalists from witnessing executions. During the Seventh Circuit hearing, Lin Weeks, an attorney with the Reporters Committee representing the media plaintiffs, argued that excluding the press undermines public oversight of a critical government function. When the Indiana Supreme Court enters an order setting an execution date, the result is a highly regulated event, Weeks told the court. Under the status quo, the press during the execution stands out in the parking lot, literally and figuratively in the dark while Indiana conducts its execution. Advertisement Advertisement Weeks called Indiana an extreme outlier, noting that nearly every other death-penalty state allows media witnesses. Of the 27 other death penalty states, Wyoming is the only other one with no access for the press. The press serves the public by checking the government, by facilitating discourse and by serving as the publics eyes and ears, Weeks said. Laws that unduly or significantly restrict those functions must be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism. An attorney for the state pushed back. Megan Smith, an assistant section chief in the Indiana Attorney Generals Office, argued that journalists are not entitled to greater access than the general public and that executions take place in a nonpublic forum. They are not concerned with public access, but their own ability to observe executions for reporting purposes, Smith told the court. Advertisement Advertisement She also emphasized that executions have not been subject to a continuous tradition of public access and that the press cannot claim a special constitutional right to attend them. The public does not have general access to penal facilities, Smith said, adding that restrictions are permitted based on correctional officials expertise and the purview of the legislature. The Seventh Circuit panel took the case under advisement but has not yet issued a decision. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A dog owner appeared in court on Tuesday to face animalcruelty, assault, and other charges after his aggressive pets were seized following two attacks in New Jersey. In one of the incidents in Hoboken, three dogs attacked a group of eight dogs that were with two handlers. One of the dogs suffered very serious injuries. Three of the six dogs owned by Robert Braxton of Hoboken will be euthanized, and the judge on Tuesday placed responsibility on the dog owner. Advertisement Advertisement Braxton came to court without an attorney, even though he had been given an extra week to retain counsel. He had six Cane Corso dogs, who had a history of incidents, and were removed from his home. One of the incidents included when 3 dogs attacked two guests on February 16 at a hotel in Secaucus. Their severe injuries were included as evidence during the testimony. On February 18, when animalcontrol officers went to seize the dogs from the Braxton's residence in Hoboken, they found the animals running loose in the Hoboken ShopRite parking lot. Owners were scrambling, and one of the severely injured dogs required extensive surgery to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Braxton, 42, appeared in court in an attempt to save 3 of his Cane Corso dogs from being euthanized, but the case against him was solid. Animal cuelty attorney Brendan Brower brought in an animal control officer, Jeff Santini, to testify about trying to secure and transport the dogs after the court ordered them surrendered. "Once I got them inside and closed the hatch they were attacking the fence, trying to pull it through," Santini said. Braxton was barely able to put up any defense against the evidence. Several photos of the injuries and videos of the two incidents were shown in court on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement In the end, the judge, who noted that she is a dog lover, said she had no choice but to rule that the dogs are vicious and must be euthanized. "I wanted to find them dangerous because then there would be another option. But as I looked at their history and I looked at the injuries of the victim, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office has met their standard of convincing, and they are vicious. I am going to give you 20 days to appeal," the judge said. Braxton does have 20 days to appeal the ruling, but even if he does appeal and the dogs are not euthanized, he cannot get them back. The judge also ruled that he is no longer allowed to own dogs and is facing numerous fines in the case. He is also facing multiple criminal charges in connection with the two incidents and will have to return to court to address those charges. Advertisement Advertisement * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * Follow us on YouTube * More local news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. A district court judge in Missoula ruled that a new law restricting voters from becoming residents, and therefore voting, in a county they reside in temporarily is likely unconstitutional. Judge Jason Marks granted a temporary injunction last month for the Montana Public Interest Research Group against House Bill 413, which was signed into law last year. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jane Gillette, R-Three Forks, changed the definition of residency in Montana code, stating that individuals cannot become residents, and therefore vote, in a county if they are there for temporary work, training, or an educational program. The bill includes a requirement that voters intend to make a county their permanent home following their temporary purpose in order to vote. Advertisement Advertisement During hearings in the 2025 session, several members of the Montana State University and University of Montana student body spoke about how the proposed legislation would restrict their ability to vote, simply because they do not know for sure if they plan to stay in their respective counties after graduation. MontPIRG, which represents nearly 28,000 students across the state, said the law effectively disenfranchises any college students who move to attend school, and sued the state and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen. MontPIRG argued in court documents that the new law creates heightened residency requirements for students and certain working Montanans, and that it violates the right to suffrage, equal protection of the laws, and the suffrage rights of young voters specifically. Marks wrote in a Feb. 13 order that the states arguments against the lawsuit all but concede that HB 413 is facially unconstitutional if it applies to postsecondary educational programs and students. In one example MontPIRG brought its case, University of Montana student Josephine Kleman has lived in Missoula since 2022 and voted during the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement She considers Missoula her home; it is where she lives, works, pays rent, pays taxes, has almost all her belongings, and where she intends to return when she is away, court documents state. However, she cannot say she intends to make Montana her permanent home after graduation, in part because she may apply to AmeriCorps-style programs. Under the new law, she is no longer eligible to gain residency in Montana, MontPIRG argued, but her previous state of residency, Kentucky, doesnt allow her to vote there because she has previously voted in Missoula and resides in the state. This exemplifies a key issue created by HB 413 for students in similar situations: Even if they reside here, have fixed habitation here, and have an intent to return whenever absent, they cannot gain residency or vote here, but their residency here also prevents them from registering to vote elsewhere, according to court documents. It demonstrates that HB 413 has had a chilling effect on constitutionally protected activities and that it impermissibly interferes with students right to vote, Marks wrote in his order. In a simultaneous order on Feb. 13, Marks also denied a motion from the state to enter judgement on the pleadings, again stating that the state all but concedes the law is unconstitutional if it applies to college students. Mar. 2A Spokane jury convicted a woman Monday of murdering her father as he returned home from Hawaii. Spokane Police arrested Alyssa Bradburn, 33, in June 2024 after she told police that she had shot and killed her father, Timothy Bradburn, at their home. She told officers at the time that she had been planning his murder for weeks, seeking advice from a gun shop on how to handle her weapon and practicing her aim around the northwest Spokane house. When Timothy came home from his condo in Hawaii to fix a leaking roof, Alyssa had lied that she was sick, leading to him being "concerned" for her upon entering the house, she said in court Monday. With her dogs locked in a room out of harm's way, she donned safety glasses and earplugs before shooting her father four times, killing him before he set his bag down. Advertisement Advertisement "I killed Tim Bradburn, and I am guilty," Alyssa said in court Monday, smiling. "I'm not afraid anymore. I'm OK with going to prison for however long." Alyssa initially claimed self-defense, citing abuse against her and her dogs, but she waived her claim Monday, saying that her brother's testimony on Thursday led her to decide that "I didn't need to defend myself." "I just wanted to own this and take ownership, and that's part of the reason for this trial as a whole," she said. "I didn't like the idea of just taking a plea and slinking off that didn't feel fair to everyone involved." Her brother, Trace Bradburn, 40, recounted a "close" and "loving" family history when called to the stand Thursday. Timothy and his wife, Garland Bradburn, "would do anything" for their daughter, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Trace himself had a falling-out with his sister around 10 years ago, and the siblings only really interacted when posing for photos for their mother. Garland died from lung cancer in 2019. It was only during a graphic recount of her mother's final months that Alyssa's cheery demeanor faltered. Timothy was distraught by Garland's death, she said. "About one and a half to two years before the end, we were both not OK, so he started going to Hawaii," she said. "He got better he met people and he started talking to people who weren't as broken." Though Alyssa never retracted the abuse allegations she had made against her father, she talked at length about his life and accomplishments. Advertisement Advertisement "Yes, he made mistakes and things were done, but he was a man who did the best he could when he was there," she said. "And he deserved people to at least know that. He lost his life I wasn't going to take his memory, too." Alyssa's defense attorney, Brian Raymon, said that there was more to the case than "any of us will ever know." "What Alyssa Bradburn did to her father was heinous, it was terrible. It's one of the worst crimes that humans commit, and you have every right to believe she's a monster," Raymon said to the jury. "But I'll tell you that the Alyssa Bradburn I've known for the past 20 months is not. She's complicated, and that there is very much more to her than that." The jury deliberated about two hours before finding Bradburn guilty of first-degree murder. Spokane Superior Court Judge Julie McKay set a tentative sentencing date for April 2. Alyssa kept her smile as she was escorted out of the room, wrists bound. LAWRENCE Attorneys will argue Friday in court over whether a judge should delay enforcement of a state law that restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth and invalidates drivers licenses and birth certificates for those who changed their gender marker. Two trans men from Lawrence filed a lawsuit last week in Douglas County District Court to challenge Senate Bill 244, which took effect Feb. 26. The unnamed plaintiffs say the law violates constitutional rights to personal autonomy, privacy, equity, due process and expression, could subject them to harassment and violence, and would jeopardize their mental health and employment. Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr law firm, which represent the plaintiffs, appeared by Zoom for a scheduling conference Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and other attorneys for the state. Journalists from Kansas Reflector and the Kansas City Star and an attorney from the University of Kansas observed the hearing from an otherwise empty courtroom. Advertisement Advertisement Douglas County District Judge James McCabria told attorneys they needed to find a time this week to hold oral arguments on a motion by plaintiffs for a temporary restraining order, which would block enforcement of the law. He set the hearing for Friday afternoon. Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said the temporary restraining order would block enforcement for up to 14 days, with a possible renewal of an additional 14 days. That would give the two sides more time to argue over a preliminary injunction, which would block enforcement until the lawsuit is settled. Our plaintiffs need immediate relief, given the overnight invalidation of licenses and the immediate imposition of the criminal penalties associated with the restroom ban, so thats why were trying to get some very quick relief, Seldin said. McCabria could rule on the motion at the end of Fridays hearing. The judge acknowledged a restraining order would be an extraordinary remedy for a law that has broad application. He noted the ruling would not be a determination of final merits in the case, and that he could continue to weigh things later. Advertisement Advertisement The plaintiffs in the case are identified in court documents as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe. During Tuesdays hearing, the judge questioned Kobach about the use of pseudonyms. Kobach said it wasnt typical but that he wouldnt object, just to make this thing move along. McCabria, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2014, said the use of pseudonyms raises some questions, and that he was concerned about the publics right to know. He said he would wait until Friday to see if a news outlet objects to the plaintiffs request to proceed unnamed. I do see a reasonable and articulated reason for the request, McCabria said. The GOP-led Legislature fast-tracked passage of the law this year while bending rules to avoid public input and silence debate. Every Republican except Emporia Rep. Mark Schreiber voted to pass the law and to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys veto, despite objections from Democrats about the cost to local governments, harm to transgender people, unclear provisions in the law, and constitutional problems. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans argued, without evidence, that the bathroom provision of the law was necessary to ensure the safety of women. They ignored the reality that the law now requires trans men to use womens facilities. The law contains a bounty-style provision that allows individuals who feel aggrieved by someones bathroom use to sue the individuals for monetary gain. Any public entity that fails to properly police bathrooms could be subject to a $25,000 fine on first offense and $125,000 fines on subsequent offenses. Seldin said the right to sue, or bounty provision, was unique in terms of bathrooms laws but was drawn from anti-abortion laws in other states. Thats where this comes from, so its not surprising to me that were now seeing Kansas legislators try to adopt it in in the context of diminishing the civil rights of trans people, Seldin said. So I do think it is uniquely dangerous and unique. Advertisement Advertisement The Kansas Department of Revenue sent a letter to trans people shortly before the law took effect to inform them their drivers licenses were invalid. However, independent journalist Marisa Kabas reported an internal KDOR memo to DMVs says no records have been invalidated. The memo also says the agency sent a letter to 300 Kansans, although the agency has publicly said 1,700 records were affected. Zach Denney, a KDOR spokesman, told Kansas Reflector that while the new law invalidates licenses immediately, agency employees must look at each record to determine why the gender marker was changed, as some could have been changed because of data entry errors. He encouraged individuals to check their status on the KDOR website. The KDOR drivers license status check page accurately reflects KDORs internal system, and what law enforcement entities will see if they check a license, he said. The system is being updated, and as it is, the status check website will reflect changes made within the system. KANSAS CITY, Mo. An investigation is underway after a man was shot and killed inside a car in southeast Kansas City Tuesday afternoon. According to the Kansas City Police Department, at about 12:45 p.m., officers were called to the area of East 70th Street and Cleveland Avenue on reports of a shooting. When KCPD arrived, they reported finding an unresponsive man inside a car suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Wyandotte County judge transforms domestic violence court Officers attempted to perform life-saving measures until medics arrived. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead from his injuries. Police identified the victim on Thursday as 23-year-old Brandon Williams. Initial investigations indicate that the shooting took place near 71st Street and involved multiple suspects. The victim was reportedly struck by gunfire inside the car before continuing to East 70th Street and Cleveland Avenue and stopping in the middle of the road. At this time, there is no suspect in custody, and the shooting is being investigated as a homicide. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives are currently canvassing the area for any evidence and witnesses. If you or anyone you know has information regarding the deadly shooting, police ask that you call detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-8477. 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. On Jan. 6, 2021, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared to a raucous crowd of President Donald Trumps supporters, many of whom were moments away from storming the U.S. Capitol: We will not quit fighting. Five years later, Paxtons fighting spirit has him poised to unseat a 24-year incumbent. Its been a steady journey. As Texas top lawyer, Paxton became a hero of the far right by using rapid-fire lawsuits to spearhead their most important causes, from expanding religious influence in schools to attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He presented himself as a foil to the Obama and Biden administrations, filing more than 100 lawsuits over issues like immigration and environmental regulations. And he continues to steer the power of his office toward investigating alleged election irregularities, particularly in Democratic-led cities like Houston. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the MAGA grassroots that fueled his rise will reach its apex of influence so far: Paxton is well-positioned to finish first against John Cornyn in the GOP primary for his Senate seat, despite being saddled with tons of political baggage and targeted by millions of dollars in attack ads. The bare-knuckle Senate primary is likely headed to a runoff, dragging out the partys own angst over generational change. For the far-right in Texas, Paxtons arc shows the ascendent strength of their movement, which has pushed Republican leaders toward adopting increasingly conservative positions. For Cornyn, it means the potential end of his long career in the Senate, and the near-extinction of establishment Republicans within the party. Ken Paxton is more than just an attorney general that's been MAGA. He is a symbol of the heart of the grassroots MAGA movement, said Steve Bannon, the former senior adviser to Trump and War Room host who has been broadcasting his popular show from a rented ranch in North Texas in the days leading up to the election. Advertisement Advertisement He's resilient because folks here know he has fought the good fight for years and years and years, Bannon said. He has resilience because people know where his heart is, and he's a fighter. Cornyn is in serious trouble The MAGA movement is tenacious in protecting its own and knifing its Republican rivals. Paxton has survived an impeachment by the GOP-controlled state House, a federal securities fraud investigation and slew of ethics complaints. Three months after beginning his Senate campaign last year, Paxtons wife filed for divorce, alleging an extramarital affair. His competitors including Cornyn, who has said Paxton is too unethical to serve in public office have hammered his trail of scandals. And still hes the front-runner. Paxton has continued to lead in polling from even before he launched despite a concerted effort by Republicans in Washington to boost Cornyn. Advertisement Advertisement Ideally you want a saint to be your elected leader, and that is something we all hope and pray for one of these days, said Bo French, former chair of the Tarrant County Republican party, who is running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission. But until that happens, we need people who are going to be warriors for the cause. And he is seen and beloved among Republican primary voters in Texas as a warrior. Cornyn knows the strong headwinds hes facing, conceding that the composition of primary voters doesnt reflect his usual base of support. Many Texas Republicans remain angry with the senator for voting in favor of a bipartisan gun control package after the Uvalde school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Cornyn was famously booed onstage at the Texas GOP convention in 2022. If only the most radical people show up in the primary then I think thats going to be a challenge, Cornyn said in an interview Saturday with CBS. His other primary opponent, Rep. Wesley Hunt, who is also running a campaign appealing to the far right, said on X that Cornyns comments show he has lost touch with the people youre supposed to represent and your contempt for the voters of Texas is exactly why your career is coming to an end. Trump has not endorsed in the race, throwing a wrench into any MAGA pickup Cornyn could get or that could put Paxton over the line. At an event in Corpus Christi last week, Trump said he had "pretty much" decided who to support, but did not reveal that pick. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats believe Paxtons baggage makes him beatable in the general election, a view shared by many national Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who is working to keep Cornyn in the GOP caucus. Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic Party, said Paxton jeopardizes Republicans at every level of the ticket. Every one of these top-tier Republicans in the state is wildly unpopular, and they'll be led by Ken Paxton, he said. Thats what puts a lot of these different seats in interesting hands. The MAGA vs. establishment fight has been years in the making Paxton has endured years of legal and personal scrutiny. He also kept winning. Texas Republicans have repeatedly reelected both Cornyn to the Senate and Paxton as attorney general, backing the leaders of both wings of the party. But recent elections have shown the growing strength of the MAGA faction. Advertisement Advertisement Paxtons reelections have been aided by the deep coffers of Texas megadonors like Tim Dunn and the Wilks brothers in addition to his hyper-conservative supporters. In 2022, he was challenged by Land Commissioner George P. Bush the relative of former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Bush tried to sell conservative voters on his vision to restore integrity to the attorney generals office at a time when Paxton was facing years of securities fraud investigations and bribery allegations. Its a playbook Paxton allies say Cornyn is reusing. Voters seemed to prefer Paxtons combative style. Paxton thumped Bush by a two-to-one margin in that years run-off, the clearest sign yet that voters were siding with the MAGA wing and rejecting the old-school establishment. In 2022, Paxton agreed to pay restitution and perform community service to settle the securities fraud case, which was brought over allegations that he duped investors in a tech startup. The Justice Department, in the final weeks of the Biden administration, decided not to prosecute Paxton over the remaining bribery charges. That eventually led the GOP-heavy Texas House to impeach him before the Senate voted to acquit. Advertisement Advertisement As scrutiny over Paxton intensified within the Texas Republican Party, he cast himself as a martyr, a victim of spurious probes that not only threatened him, but also the integrity of the MAGA base. For the far-right, Paxtons impeachment acquittal only further strengthened his parallels to Trump. The onslaught energized his supporters. State Rep. Gary Gates, a Republican, learned that firsthand when he publicly recanted his vote to impeach Paxton after dealing with blowback from the base. There was a certain faction of those that support him that were rather upset, said Gates, who represents a suburban district outside of Houston. You have to deal with that political reality. Paxton often brags that he was one of the few Republicans to attend Trumps campaign launch at Mar-A-Lago in 2022, when many in the party had abandoned him following the violent insurrection in the U.S. Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement When you try to take out somebody like those two guys who have fought for our values, and the whole world is weaponized against them, the people are ride-or-die, said Aaron Reitz, a former deputy in Paxtons office who, with his backing, is running to succeed him. I hope that the establishment wing of the GOP would learn a similar lesson when they have tried to take out Trump, which is they are not in control of this party, Reitz said. The grassroots, the people, are in control of the party, and they have to stop spending their millions. How Paxton got here Paxtons deep base of support is built in part from his lawsuits against frequent targets of the right high-profile cases that were splashed on the front pages of local newspapers from Beaumont to Amarillo. Throughout his decade as Texas top lawyer, Paxton oversaw the Lone Star States transformation into an incubator for ultra conservatives issues, from defending abortion restrictions to warning that Muslims will attempt to introduce Islamic law in Texas. At a recent campaign event in the Houston suburbs as early voting was underway, Paxton ticked off his courtroom successes to a group gathered at a safari ranch in Richmond with roaming peacocks, zebras and goats. Advertisement Advertisement Paxton, speaking to the crowd of about 75 supporters, recounted the beginning of his career, starting with when he decided to run for attorney general during his first term in the state legislature because he viewed former President Barack Obama as a really epic threat who relied excessively on executive orders to bypass Congress. In his first AG race, Paxton rode the wave of the Tea Party insurgency to topple an establishment Republican backed by former President George W. Bush. Paxton told the audience, to chuckles, that he sued Obama 27 times in the 22 months they overlapped. After Obama left office and Trump took his place, Paxton turned his sights away from the White House and toward Silicon Valley. He sued Google (who was doing really bad things), Facebook (we got a lot of money from them), Twitter (before Elon) and Pfizer (they lied about the vaccine). Then Paxton became fixated on probing voter fraud allegations, making him an instrumental figure in Trumps unsuccessful efforts to overthrow the results of the 2020 election. He even filed a case directly with the Supreme Court seeking to invalidate election results in Pennsylvania and other battleground states though the justices rejected his attempt, ruling Texas did not have standing. Advertisement Advertisement When Joe Biden was sworn in, Paxton picked back up his onslaught against the federal government. Then Trump was reelected in 2024, Paxton said, and he felt like I didn't have a mission. I'd done my three different missions. I felt like 12 years was enough. And I looked around, Paxton told the crowd, and I saw a guy: John Cornyn. Adam Wren contributed reporting. Of particular note on the weekly chart is the interplay between the SMA100 and SMA51. These two lagging moving averages have historically served as reliable directional indicators, with their crossover signaling the onset of the next prevailing trend. The key variable is which average assumes the role of support and which assumes resistance following the cross a distinction that has consistently identified both the 2020 bullish impulse and the subsequent 2022 corrective sequence with considerable precision. Crossovers occurring during periods of price consolidation, when the two averages are in close proximity, have historically produced the most reliable signals. Stepping back to the weekly timeframe, Brent has been trading within a falling wedge pattern throughout its broader corrective ABCDE sequence. The upper band of this wedge has now been tested twice as support, with price bouncing constructively on both occasions. Historically, this type of behavior within a wedge structure signals trend exhaustion and precedes a directional resolution to the upside a dynamic last observed in early 2022, when Brent extended to $137 per barrel following an impulse that had its origins in the post-pandemic recovery of 2020. The velocity of the rebound is particularly noteworthy price behavior of this nature is characteristic of institutional accumulation rather than opportunistic retail buying, and it materially reinforces the integrity of the broader double bottom pattern. On the daily timeframe, price action has been anchored by a critical static support zone defined by $68.4 and $69.2. This level was directly challenged on February 24, 2026, when a sharp intraday spike probed the support before encountering significant demand. From February 20 onward, the upper band of the parallel channel had been acting as dynamic resistance, repeatedly capping upside attempts and compressing price action within a narrowing range. However, the decisive rejection at the $69 support zone and the subsequent swift recovery indicate that buyers remain firmly in control at this structural level. The parallel channel structure identified in the prior analysis remains fully intact. The upper band has been subject to consecutive tests between May and June 2025, demonstrating that the channel boundaries continue to act as meaningful technical references rather than arbitrary constructs. Building on the thesis outlined in the previous Brent Crude analysis, the double bottom formation continues to develop as anticipated, and the case for a sustained move toward $95 per barrel and potentially beyond has grown considerably stronger. What was previously a technically driven outlook has since been reinforced by a rapidly deteriorating geopolitical environment across major oil-producing regions, most notably Iran and Venezuela, elevating the probability of a structural repricing in the months ahead. Story Continues CFDs on Brent crude oil, weekly trading chart. Source: TradingView Current price action suggests that another such crossover is approaching. Should it confirm in a manner consistent with prior instances, it would provide a high-conviction lagging validation of the trend reversal already implied by the wedge structure and double bottom formation. Fundamental Context: Strait of Hormuz, OPEC+ Supply Decision, and Geopolitical Escalation The fundamental backdrop has shifted materially since the prior publication, introducing a supply-side risk dimension that significantly amplifies the technical setup. Strait of Hormuz Closure Risk The IRGC has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to military action by the United States and Israel during ongoing Nuclear Deal negotiations. The implications of this development are difficult to overstate. The Strait of Hormuz is the worlds most critical energy chokepoint, and its strategic weight is reflected in the volumes that transit it daily. In 2024, oil flows through the strait averaged 20 million barrels per day equivalent to approximately 20% of total global petroleum liquids consumption and 27% of all seaborne oil trade. Saudi Arabia alone contributes approximately 5.5 million b/d, representing 38% of total Hormuz crude flows. Destination-wise, roughly 84% of transiting crude is bound for Asian markets, with China, India, Japan, and South Korea collectively accounting for 69% of all flows. The strait also carries approximately one-fifth of global LNG trade, the majority of which originates from Qatar. Crucially, even if Saudi Arabia and the UAE were to fully activate their overland bypass pipelines, an estimated two-thirds of current Gulf crude exports would remain without an alternative route. Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar possess no comparable bypass infrastructure, leaving close to 14 million b/d structurally exposed to any sustained disruption. The total annual value of energy trade transiting this single passage is estimated at nearly $500 billion. Any closure even a brief or partial one constitutes an immediate and severe supply shock for which no short-term substitute exists. OPEC+ Production Increase: A Gesture, Not a Game-Changer Against this backdrop, eight OPEC+ members Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman agreed in a virtual meeting on Sunday to raise collective output by 206,000 barrels per day from April 2026. The adjustment forms part of the gradual unwinding of the 1.65 million bpd in voluntary cuts introduced in April 2023, with the group referencing stable economic conditions and low global inventories as the basis for the decision. In practice, I remain sceptical that this increment will produce any discernible effect on the global supply balance. At approximately 0.2% of total global daily consumption, 206,000 bpd is a modest figure under any market conditions and against the threat of removing 20 million barrels per day from seaborne trade, it is effectively inconsequential. This is better understood as a diplomatic signal of internal cohesion than a substantive supply intervention, and the market is unlikely to treat it otherwise. April 2026 required production table (kbd), including country, production increments (kbd) and required production (kbd). More telling than the volume itself is the language accompanying the decision. The statement conspicuously preserved full optionality, with the alliance retaining the explicit right to increase, pause or reverse the unwinding process as conditions evolve. Simultaneously, member states were reminded of their obligation to compensate for overproduction accumulated since January 2024 an acknowledgment that quota compliance has been a persistent problem within the group for over two years. With founding members Iran and Iraq now directly implicated in an active geopolitical escalation, the alliances capacity to maintain coordinated output discipline in the coming months is increasingly in question. Rather than offsetting the supply risk introduced by the Hormuz closure, this decision may be an early indicator of the internal fractures that historically precede disorderly price moves. US Policy Response and Market Pricing Dynamics Washington is expected to pursue market stabilization through the facilitation of Venezuelan oil flows, but the practical limitations of this approach are significant. Venezuelan production capacity remains structurally constrained, and the logistical timeline for redirecting meaningful volumes to global markets extends well beyond the immediacy of the current supply shock. More fundamentally, markets price risk in anticipation of events, not in response to policy resolutions. The geopolitical risk premium will be embedded in Brent well before any stabilizing action takes effect. The probability of further escalation remains elevated. The Islamic Republic has formally declared war, and the risk of additional state and non-state actors being drawn into the conflict cannot be dismissed. Should the Hormuz disruption prove sustained, the resulting global oil shortage would drive prices materially higher and could precipitate the most significant medium-term supply crisis since the post-invasion spike of 2022. The compounding effect of OPEC+ fragmentation in this environment would only amplify market uncertainty. Final Remarks Taken together, the technical and fundamental frameworks are now converging in a manner that was not fully present at the time of the original analysis. The double bottom at $69 remains structurally intact, the weekly moving average crossover is approaching a potential confirmation point, and the fundamental landscape has transitioned from broadly supportive to acutely bullish. The $95 target and the prospect of a move beyond it is no longer anchored solely in chart structure. It increasingly reflects the markets need to reprice a supply environment defined by chokepoint vulnerability, cartel fragmentation, and escalating geopolitical risk that has yet to be fully absorbed. As with all cycle- and structure-based analyses, this outlook remains probabilistic. Decisive resistance breaks, weekly closing behavior, and the evolution of the geopolitical situation should be monitored closely as the setup approaches its resolution. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article said all six soldiers were from Fort Knox. Some of the American soldiers killed amid the U.S. and Israel's ongoing military operation against Iran were connected to a Kentucky Army post, according to officials. Four of the six service members killed in the recent strike in Kuwait have been identified: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa Advertisement Advertisement According to ABC News, the four soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit based in Des Moines, Iowa. Two remaining soldiers have not been identified. 'Never forget their sacrifice.' In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Radcliff Mayor J.J. Duvall said some of the soldiers killed in Kuwait were assigned to Fort Knox's 1st Theater Sustainment Command. According to CNN, that Command includes troops from other home units who provide support in nine-month rotations. "In Radcliff, we don't just live next to Fort Knox, we are part of it," the mayor said in the post, which has since been deleted. "When our soldiers hurt, our entire community hurts. These soldiers were our neighbors, our friends, and the very best of what our nation has to offer." Advertisement Advertisement Earlier Tuesday morning, Gov. Andy Beshear asked everyone to pray for the families of the soldiers who died. America, lets join together and pray for the families of the now six soldiers killed in attacks by Iran including those based out of my home state, Kentucky, he wrote on social media. Lets wrap our arms around them during this difficult time. Duvall said he remains committed to supporting the Fort Knox community in the wake of the news. "I have been in close contact with Retired Col. Lance O'Bryan, executive director of the Knox Regional Development Alliance (KRDA)," Duvall added. "Together, we are committed to supporting Fort Knox commanders and its community as they grieve this unfathomable loss. We ask everyone to keep these families in your prayers. We will never forget their sacrifice." This is a developing story. It will be updated. The GOP-controlled Kentucky House of Representatives passed a bill Monday afternoon to ban devices that can convert semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons, though a significant number of Republicans opposed the measure. House Bill 299, sponsored by House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Lousville, would allow local law enforcement to enforce at the state level an existing federal prohibition against possessing what are known as machine gun conversion devices. House Bill 299 Advertisement Advertisement Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Paul Humphrey had told a committee of lawmakers that local law enforcement cant seize such devices when found because the prohibition is not in state law. We dont need more laws on guns. What we do need to do is enforce the laws that we have, Nemes said on the House floor. All this bill does is allow local law enforcement to enforce the law that already exists. Democrats in the minority joined a plurality of Republicans to approve the bill by a vote of 65-25. All of the votes in opposition were cast by Republicans. Some Republicans in the legislature had previously voiced concerns over the constitutionality of such a measure. The bill heads to the Kentucky Senate for its consideration. A small plane carrying two people crashed into the Hudson River near Stewart International Airport in Newburgh Monday, March 2. New York State Police said a Cessna 172 single-engine airplane crashed in the Hudson River south of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge around 8:02 p.m. Monday. A small plane crashed into the icy Hudson River off Newburgh, New York March 2, 2026. The two occupants of the plane were able to escape injury. Most of the plane sunk into the river with only the tail sticking out of the water. Both occupants of the plane self-extricated and were found on shore near 401 Water Street in Newburgh. They were transported to St. Luke's Hospital with minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Kathy Hochul called the incident "another miracle on the Hudson," referring back to an emergency landing of a U.S. Airways commercial plane in the Hudson River near New York City in 2009. From USA TODAY: Americans in Middle East should leave now, State Department says The plane was reported to have arrived from McArthur Airport in Long Island to practice landings at Stewart International Airport. New York State Police and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting an investigation into the crash. (This story may update.) This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Small plane crashes into Hudson River in Newburgh NY. What we know Days after the US and Israel first launched strikes against Iran, the conflict is widening by the hour, drawing in other countries across the region, sparking fears for the global economy and leaving thousands of travelers stranded. Israel launched simultaneous strikes on Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday morning, targeting Iranian military sites and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, as Iran chose targets in neighboring Arab states, including the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. The US warned its citizens to leave a vast area of the Middle East via commercial services but with airspace closed across the region there were few options to leave. Advertisement Advertisement US President Donald Trump has predicted the war with Iran could last four weeks, the clearest indication yet of the potential scale of the conflict. Speaking Monday at the Pentagon, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized that this was not a single, overnight operation and that more US losses should be expected. Trump struck a similar note, telling CNNs Jake Tapper that the big wave hasnt even happened, the big one is coming soon, without offering further detail. Three US military aircraft crashed in Kuwait on Monday due to an apparent friendly fire incident, the US military said, adding that all six crew members ejected and are in stable condition. The conflict spread to another front on Monday, too, when Israel launched a wave of strikes against Lebanon in response to a Hezbollah provocation. The strikes killed more than 50 people, Lebanese authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement In Iran, the joint US-Israeli strikes that began Saturday morning have killed at least 555 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, including at least 168 people at a girls elementary school, the countrys state media reported. Those strikes also killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking a turning point in the nations history and leaving Iranians confronting a surreal mixture of relief, disbelief and anxiety. Heres what we know so far. What has been happening? TOPSHOT - Plumes of smoke rise from the sites of Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on March 3, including warning residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of an imminent operation. (Photo by IBRAHIM AMRO / AFP via Getty Images) - Ibrahim Amro/AFP/Getty Images New fronts are opening up. Hezbollah fired six projectiles at a military base in northern Israel in revenge for Khameneis death in the early hours of Monday. Though they did no damage, the rockets prompted a furious wave of Israeli strikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Later Monday, Israel launched further strikes across Lebanon, after earlier issuing evacuation warnings that spurred hundreds of people to flee the south of the country. Six US service members had been killed in action as of Monday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. An additional 18 have been seriously wounded since Saturday, the military added. In Kuwait, meanwhile, three US jets were mistakenly shot down by the gulf countrys air defenses, CENTCOM said, adding that the cause of the incident is under investigation. Videos geolocated by CNN showed a fighter jet crashing and a pilot parachuting to the ground. CNN teams in the major Persian Gulf cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha heard explosions Monday morning and saw what appeared to be missiles being intercepted in the skies above them. Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, missiles from Iran were intercepted in the skies above both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Monday morning. Qatars Ministry of Defense later said it had shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers, marking the first time that any country has shot down Iranian aircraft since the latest conflict began. It also marks an escalation of Qatars involvement thus far. In Iran, multiple rounds of explosions were reported in the capital, Tehran. Patients were evacuated from a hospital in the north of the city on Sunday after it was badly damaged, according to Iranian state media. One strike damaged the citys Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, state media reported. Why did the US and Israel attack? Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said their main objectives were to defend their respective countries from imminent threats posed by Iran, most notably, to prevent the Islamic regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon, without providing any evidence that it was any closer to obtaining one. Advertisement Advertisement That claim was undercut by Pentagon briefers who acknowledged to congressional staff Sunday that Tehran was not planning to attack US forces or bases in the region unless Israel attacked first. Uncertainty over precisely what the strikes aim to accomplish continued even after Trump gave interviews to several media outlets Sunday night. He outlined various possible scenarios to the New York Times, suggesting that a repeat of events in Venezuela where US forces seized the countrys president, Nicolas Maduro, and accepted his deputy Delcy Rodriguez as a substitute leader would be a perfect scenario. At the same time, he said he hoped the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would really surrender to the people. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted Monday this is not a so-called regime change war, adding that the US has no intention of being caught in the same nation-building quagmire as in Iraq. Instead, he said, the US was aiming to destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth takes questions during a press conference on US military action in Iran at the Pentagon on Monday. - Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Since the turn of the year, Iran has been battling an economic crisis that sparked nationwide protests. As a crackdown left thousands of protesters dead, Trump promised to come to their aid, saying the US was locked and loaded. Advertisement Advertisement Israeli and American intelligence agencies including the CIA had been tracking Khameneis movements for months, waiting for the moment to strike, even while US envoys were engaged in regular talks with Iran over a new nuclear deal. Who is leading Iran now? Inside Iran, the regime is battered, bereft of its supreme leader, but still able to launch attacks across the region. A three-person leadership council now holds power until the new supreme leader is named. It includes the countrys moderate president, Masoud Pezeshkian; the hard-line head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei; and a senior cleric, Alireza Arafi. An image released on Sunday by Iran's state-run Press TV shows the leadership council meeting. - Press TV It remains unclear how long the process of choosing Khameneis successor will take, a matter further complicated by the deaths of several senior military officials in Saturdays strikes. What has been struck elsewhere in the region? Iranian missiles and drones have targeted Israel and several countries across the region that host US military bases including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Although most of these missiles and drones have been shot down by air defense systems, some have reached their targets. At least 10 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in Israel, according to Magen David Adom, the countrys emergency service. Nine of those fatalities occurred when an Iranian missile struck a bomb shelter in the city of Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem. For US-allied Persian Gulf countries such as the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, the spreading conflict has punctured the sense of security that had long attracted Western expats and tourists. Dramatic footage from Dubai on Saturday showed a luxury hotel ablaze and people fleeing a smoke-filled passageway at its airport, where four staff were injured. And in Bahrain, a fire broke out on the upper floors of a high-rise residential building about a mile from a US Navy base after it was struck by an Iranian drone. Commercial vessels in the region have also come under fire. One docked in Bahrain was struck by two projectiles on Monday, causing a fire to break out on board and crew members to evacuate. Advertisement Advertisement The US embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were also hit, with no reported injuries, according to sources. The US Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two suspected Iranian drones, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The Saudi defense ministry confirmed the attack, saying it had caused limited fire and minor material damages. Meanwhile the embassy in Jordan was temporarily evacuated out of an abundance of caution due to an unspecified threat. How will this impact oil prices? Irans vast oil reserves and its geostrategic position controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow stretch of water through which much global trade flows, means that the conflict has profound ramifications for the global economy. Advertisement Advertisement Oil and natural gas prices surged Monday futures contracts for Brent crude, the global benchmark, spiked almost 9% to trade at around $79 a barrel while WTI, the US benchmark, climbed 8% to $73 a barrel. The price of Dutch natural gas, the European benchmark, surged almost 48% in Monday afternoon trading, after Qatars state-run energy company stopped production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) following an Iranian attack on its facility on Ras Laffan. Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned Monday that Iranian forces would target vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz through which one-fifth of the worlds global trade in LNG and daily oil production passes. The strait is closed, and anyone who wishes to pass, our heroes in the IRGC naval force and the army will set those ships on fire. Dont come to this region, he said in comments aired by the official Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Even before the advisers comments, traffic through the waterway had effectively stopped due to safety concerns and after oil tankers in the region came under attack over the weekend. Energy facilities remain a major retaliatory target too, as shown by the attack on Ras Laffan and Saudi Arabias interception of two drones on Monday morning at Ras Tanura, one of the countrys largest oil refineries, which has the capacity to produce 550,000 barrels a day. How is the conflict affecting travel? The US on Monday urged its citizens to DEPART NOW from countries throughout the Middle East due to serious safety risks. The State Department told citizens to use available commercial transportation, but with a wide corridor of airspace over the Middle East closed and flights restricted, that advisory may be hard for Americans to follow. With much of the regions airspace closed and airlines forced to cancel flights through multiple cities, thousands of travelers have been left stranded. Major airports like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have positioned themselves as key connecting nodes for global airline routes, with millions of passengers transiting through them every year. Several major airlines located there, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways in Doha, suspended flights to and from their bases at least until Monday afternoon local time. CNNs Christian Edwards, Billy Stockwell, Oren Liebermann, Dana Karni, Hanna Ziady, Eugenia Yosef, Leila Gharagozlou, Helen Regan, Catherine Nicholls, Tim Lister, Eyad Kourdi, Sarah El Sigarny, Lauren Izso, Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen, Jennifer Hansler and Karla Cripps contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Gov. Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1599 March 2, moving the date of a gas tax referendum vote from November to May. The governor signed the bill about three hours after it passed the House. Kotek signed Oregon's last significant transportation bill 39 days after it was passed and 30 days after it was signed by the Senate president. House Bill 3991 created the increases to the gas tax, payroll tax and registration and title fees that referendum petitioners sought to overturn. Advertisement Advertisement That bill passed in a special session, which Kotek called after lawmakers failed to pass a transportation package in the final hours of the 2025 legislative session. Gov. Tina Kotek advocated for moving a vote on the gas tax and other transportation costs up to May at a Feb. 24 press conference. Kotek's delay in signing HB 3991 gave referendum petitioners fewer days to collect signatures. Signing SB 1599 quickly prevents pulling farther away from Secretary of State Tobias Read's deadline for the bill. Read told legislative leaders SB 1599 should be passed by Feb. 25 to give enough time to collect signatures to submit arguments for or against the referendum instead of having to pay a $1,200 fee. March 12 is the final day to submit materials for the voter's pamphlet. Lawmakers already missed the Feb. 25 deadline, but it's not yet clear what, if any, change it will mean from Read's office. Advertisement Advertisement Six Democrats and every Republican voted against Senate Bill 1599, which was developed after Kotek's initial direction to repeal HB 3991, which she had previously backed, was found to be unconstitutional. Thousands of pieces of testimony were submitted against the bill, with opponents saying moving the date goes against the will of the estimated 250,000 people who signed petitions. Republicans have also cited lower turnout in the primary and argued the move is purely political, alleging Democrats are afraid of being listed on the same ballot as the extremely unpopular gas hikes. Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, acknowledged that argument, telling press ahead of the session "Is it political? For sure. I don't think people want to see this on a November ballot." His office later sought to walk back the statement, saying Wagner had not finished his thought. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have largely pushed back on the criticisms, saying all voters will get a ballot in May and holding the vote earlier will allow for more clarity in transportation funding conversations for 2027. Voters are widely expected to vote down the tax increases. "The important thing is everybody's going to get a chance to vote on it and the sooner we have that decision, the sooner we can move forward on other conversations," Kotek told reporters Feb. 24. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@statesmanjournal.com or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Gov. Tina Kotek signs bill moving Oregon gas tax referendum vote to May Lake Powell has an issue: More water is streaming out than flowing in. As of Sunday, Lake Powells water level measured 3,530 feet above sea level. Though this is higher than it was at this time in 2022 and 2023, officials in Utah and at the Bureau of Reclamation are worried that water levels could dip beneath what is required to generate hydropower. The reservoir is currently 26% full and could drop to 16% by Sept. 30. By March 2027, Lake Powells elevations could hit 3,476 feet, a record low, the Colorado River Authority of Utah told the Deseret News. Advertisement Advertisement In an announcement from last Friday, the National Park Service promised Lake Powell visitors, lake access is not anticipated to be lost this summer. However, boaters should anticipate increased congestion at Stateline Auxiliary Ramp, if water levels continue to decline. Aside from recreation, many homes across the West rely on the Glen Canyon Dams eight turbines, which can only generate electricity when Lake Powells water elevation is above 3,490 feet. When water dips below 3,370 feet, the lake becomes a dead pool, and water cannot pass through the dam. At its maximum capacity, the Glen Canyon Dam generates 1,320 megawatts, which is enough to power about 1 million homes. What are the options to keep Lake Powell above 3,490 feet? To stabilize Lake Powells water levels, there are two options: increase the flow by releasing water from upper dams or decrease the amount of water taken out. Advertisement Advertisement In the coming months, Colorado River states need to agree on their future water allocations from the Colorado River. Currently, Upper Basin states (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming) are allocated 7.5 million acre-feet, and Lower Basin states (Arizona, California and Nevada) are allocated the same. DN-Powell levels With the 2007 water agreements expiring in just a few months, and with the basins locked in a stalemate for the past 2 years, the decision will likely be made by the Interior Department, headed by Secretary Doug Burgum. The Bureau of Reclamation, a subsidiary of the Interior, has been very involved in predicting and modeling potential water scenarios in the next two years. If deemed necessary, the bureau could restrict water released to the Lower Basin to 6 million acre-feet down from the currently allowed 7.48 million. Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Reclamations Upper Colorado Basin regional director, Wayne Pullan, told Circle of Blue, I think its safe for us to assume that unless Mother Nature is uncharacteristically generous, that Lake Powell elevations are going to fluctuate at elevations that were not comfortable with. These cuts could be partnered with more water being released from upper dams, including Utahs Flaming Gorge. The issue with releasing water from upper dams The Bureau of Reclamation is considering a release of 500,000 acre-feet of water from upstream reservoirs, including Flaming Gorge, as soon as May, CRA Utahs executive director, Amy Haas, told the Deseret News. The Upper Basin is hesitant to release water from dams above Lake Powell, if the water will simply be released to the Lower Basin, Utahs Colorado River Commissioner Gene Shawcroft told the press on Feb. 13. Advertisement Advertisement If you assume that that water is available, then instead of just having Lake Powell and Lake Mead low, you end up in a situation where Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa and Navajo are low, and you havent solved the problem, Shawcroft said. Water releases from upper dams could delay the problem by maybe a year or possibly two, but you havent eliminated the problem, he added. The problem is the demand, which has been driven by use principally in the Lower Basin, and those demands can no longer be met. High water demands from Lower Basin states were initially met by storage from Lake Powell and Lake Mead, but that storage is essentially gone, Shawcroft said. So reductions have to occur to be on par with what the system will actually provide, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Haas added that Reclamation is under an obligation to fully recover any water it releases from Flaming Gorge and other facilities to protect Lake Powell elevations. Utah will insist that every drop released from Flaming Gorge be fully recovered once the release operation concludes, she said. A bill that would remove the licensing requirements from four professions in Utah advanced through a Senate committee on Monday. SB327, sponsored by Sen. John Johnson, R-North Ogden, would make it so commercial interior designers, court reporters, deception detection practitioners and music therapists would no longer need to be licensed through the state. Deception detection practitioners administer polygraph tests. Utah has led the nation in right-sizing occupational licensing, Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement He explained that the state typically follows the principle that licensing should be reserved for professions where there is a clear demonstrable risk to public health or safety that cannot be addressed through less restrictive means. According to Johnson, that threshold is not met in these four professions. Committee discussion around the bill to remove these licenses The senator presented SB327 to the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee on Monday. He emphasized that the bill would not prevent anyone from voluntarily obtaining private certification. It also doesnt prevent employers from requiring licensing or certification. Licensing is the most restrictive form of regulation; before we require it, we should be confident it is necessary, Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement The senator said he worked with the Libertas Institute in deciding which professions should be included in the bill. He added that the only negative feedback he has received is from some court reporters. Jon England, the education policy analyst at Libertas, said that multiple states do not require licenses for these occupations. Libertas has constantly had the stance of reducing regulations on licensing, so we felt we could push the ball forward a little faster, he added. There were concerns from the committee that this bill could have impacts on the market. A few committee members requested that a change be made to the bill to direct a study and bring back recommendations next year, instead of immediately getting rid of the licensing. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, said she would like to see the Department of Commerce run their process on it. The Department of Commerce has a process of reviewing and analyzing each of the states licenses every few years. Johnson said he would look into making that change. The bill advanced through the committee with a vote of 3 to 1. A look at the professions that are impacted The senator spoke briefly about each of the impacted professions. He said that commercial interior designers are already governed by building codes and licensed architects and engineers. Court reporters have judicial rules and professional standards that they must uphold. Advertisement Advertisement It preserves judicial authority over court transcription standards and contract prohibitions that protect impartiality, Johnson said. Deception detection has constraints from evidentiary rules and fraud laws. Johnson said that music therapy can use voluntary certification employer standards without needing a state barrier to entry. The senator said this is a carefully done statutory cleanup, not just random deregulation. Every licensing regime imposes costs: application fees, continuing education, background checks, he said. These costs may be justified in high-risk fields like medicine, but when applied where public safety risk is minimal, licensing becomes a barrier to entry. OKLAHOMA CITY Lawmakers advanced a resolution Tuesday that asks Oklahoma voters to limit the ability of courts to consider religious practices despite concerns that it could amount to discrimination against some religions. House Joint Resolution 1084, authored by Rep. Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow, would prohibit courts and other government bodies from recognizing or enforcing any religious code, law or practice in opposition to the U.S. or Oklahoma constitutions. Woolley said the legislation is not specific to any religion but meant to generally apply. Advertisement Advertisement The resolution does not single out any specific religion but instead bars the state, courts, political subdivisions, boards, agencies and commissions from recognizing or enforcing any religious codes, laws or practices that are repugnant to, incompatible with, or that does not recognize and protect the same or equivalent individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Oklahoma or U.S. constitutions. Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, asked why the resolution was needed and if there were instances of this happening in Oklahoma. Are we actually doing something to address a problem, or are we putting a hypothetical out there, the thought that maybe this might happen sometime in the future? Fugate asked. Woolley said this is a preventative and proactive measure. He could not identify any specific happenings in Oklahoma that warranted this resolution. Advertisement Advertisement I dont know that it would be the best course of action to wait till something happens and then be responsible when we do have the ability to be proactive about something, he said. And again, this just reiterates and ties everything directly back to the Oklahoma and the United States Constitution. The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Oklahoma, a nonprofit advocacy group that advocates for Oklahoma Muslims, is opposing that resolution along with a second, House Joint Resolution 1040. The latter would bar the consideration of Sharia Law and international law by the courts. These measures write discrimination into the state constitution and must be stopped, the group said in a statement. There is absolutely no Sharia takeover of Oklahoma courts our judges are bound by the U.S. Constitution, period, the group said. These proposals are fear-based political theater that waste taxpayer dollars and target one faith community for discrimination. Lawmakers must reject HJR 1040 and HJR 1084 and stand firmly on the side of the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Woolley said he is no longer pursuing HJR 1084 because there are too many unanswered questions. In 2010, voters tried to ban Sharia Law. A federal judge later found the plan unconstitutional and the state had to pay the plaintiffs attorney fees. Woolley said there is no language in HJR1084 that is relevant to CAIR-Oklahoma. The House Rules Committee voted 8-2 along party lines on Tuesday to advance HJR1084. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Maya Gebeily, Maayan Lubell and Jana Choukeir BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 3 (Reuters) - Lebanon was pulled deeper into the war in the Middle East on Tuesday as the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel for a second consecutive day and Israel sent troops into the south and carried out waves of airstrikes. The theatre of numerous conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon was drawn into the spillover from the war between the United States, Israel and Iran on Monday, when the group opened fire with drones and missiles. Advertisement Advertisement With dozens of people killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes, Hezbollah's move to enter the conflict has sharpened long-standing divisions in Lebanon over its status as an armed group - the only Lebanese faction to keep its weapons after the 1975-90 civil war. THOUSANDS FLEE FROM BORDER AREA The government on Monday took the unprecedented step of outlawing Hezbollah's military activities. The pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper condemned this as a "capitulation to dictates, which could even lead to the outbreak of civil war". Israeli strikes sent thick plumes of smoke billowing over Beiruts Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs and across hilltops in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement In Israel, missiles fired from Lebanon set off air raid sirens as deep into the country as its main commercial hub Tel Aviv. An Israeli military source said they were fired by Hezbollah. There was no immediate claim by the group. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement he had authorised the military to advance and take control of additional positions in Lebanon, where Israeli troops have held several hilltops since a war with Hezbollah in 2024. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said assaults will continue until Hezbollah disarms. Many thousands of Lebanese have fled homes in areas that bore the brunt of that war. The Israeli military has ordered residents of dozens of south Lebanon villages to evacuate. Advertisement Advertisement "This displacement is harder than the last one," said Nuzha Salame, a woman sheltering in the city of Sidon after fleeing her village. "Now we're in hardship and deprivation, and we're still out in the streets." The United Nations said that, by Monday, at least 30,000 people, including 9,000 children, had sought protection in shelters, while many more were expected to join them. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would increase its strikes in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah's attacks, and said the group was dragging the Lebanese people "into a war that is not theirs". The U.S. embassy in Beirut said it was shutting until further notice due to regional tensions. Advertisement Advertisement ISRAELI INCURSIONS The Lebanese health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed at least 40 people and wounded 246 since the start of the escalation. It said an incorrect death toll of 52 was issued on Monday. There have been no reported deaths in Israel as a result of Hezbollah's attacks. The Israeli military said it had deployed additional forces to southern Lebanon overnight, saying this was to take up defensive positions to guard against any potential Hezbollah attack. UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, said Israeli soldiers crossed the border in four areas before returning south of the frontier, and that dozens of rockets and missiles had been fired into Israel over the past two days. Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses said the Lebanese army had pulled out of at least seven forward-operating positions along the border. Israel had been carrying out near daily strikes targeting Hezbollah since the ceasefire in 2024. Hezbollah's attack on Monday was its first since that conflict. Hezbollah announced at least four separate attacks on Tuesday using attack drones and missiles and saying these had targeted military facilities in northern Israel. It also claimed to have shot down an Israeli drone in the south. The south, predominantly Shi'ite Muslim, has long been a key Hezbollah stronghold, where it has drawn political support and deployed weaponry ahead of the 2024 conflict. The Lebanese army has moved into the area and seized its weapons caches since that conflict, from which Hezbollah emerged greatly weakened. Advertisement Advertisement ROCKET HITS HOUSE IN ISRAEL A missile from Lebanon hit a house in northern Israel, wounding one person, Israel's ambulance service said. Overnight, an Israeli airstrike hit the headquarters of Hezbollah's al-Manar TV in Beirut. Footage shot overnight by a Reuters camera overlooking Beirut's southern suburbs showed explosions and outgoing projectiles. The Israeli military reported more airstrikes in Beirut on Tuesday, saying it had hit "command centres, weapons storage facilities, and satellite communication components belonging to Hezbollahs intelligence headquarters in Beirut". Advertisement Advertisement "These assets were operating under civilian cover," it said. The Israeli military said it had taken steps to mitigate civilian harm, including the use of advance warnings. After its attack on Monday, Hezbollah said it acted to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader and also in defence of Lebanon. On Tuesday, the group noted continuous Israeli attacks since 2024, and said that its actions were "a reaction to aggression, for national reasons first and foremost". Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has given no statements or speeches during the latest escalation. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv, Maayan Lubell and Pesha Magid in Jerusalem, Maya Gebeily in Beirut, Ali Hankir in Sidon; Tala Ramadan, Jana Choukeir and Ahmed Elimam in Dubai; Menaa Alaa El Din in Cairo; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alex Richardson) A Central Kentucky circuit judge facing impeachment says the petition against her should be dismissed for several reasons, including that it would violate Kentuckys separation of powers and the filing is incomplete. Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman on Feb. 26 filed a 38-page response with Kentuckys impeachment committee through her attorney, Robert McBride. In January, a former Kentucky state representative filed a petition to impeach Goodman, citing her handling of six different cases in Lexington. Advertisement Advertisement Several of Goodmans rulings in recent years have drawn the attention of Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, who helped overturn them at the appellate level. Goodman has served as judge in Fayette County for 18 years. In one case, Goodman dismissed the indictment of a Lexington man charged with murder after a fatal crash, and in another, she ordered a new trial for a father convicted of killing his son. Killian Timoney who represented House District 45 before being defeated in a GOP primary in 2024 and is seeking the seat again this year argues in the petition that Goodman abused her judicial authority and undermined public confidence in the courts in a way that constitutes misdemeanors in office. Advertisement Advertisement Judge Goodman has abused her office to such an extent, and in so many cases, that she has undermined public confidence in the judicial process, Timoney wrote. These abuses constitute misdemeanors in office under Section 68 of the Kentucky Constitution, for which she should be impeached, removed from office and disqualified to hold any office of honor, trust or profit under this Commonwealth. Timoney argued that grounds for impeaching Goodman include refusal to obey legal precedent, outrageous demonstrations of bias, disregard of the separation of powers and an egregious pattern of judicial activism. One of Goodmans cases that Timoney cited was overturned in a scathing opinion issued in December by the Kentucky Court of Appeals. But Goodman says Timoney is seeking to unconstitutionally interfere with the justice system, calling his petition legally deficient and frivolous. Advertisement Advertisement In Kentuckys 234-year history, the House has never impeached a sitting judge based on a petition disagreeing with her judicial decisions, Goodman wrote in her response. Doing so would violate separation of powers principles and judicial independence. Goodmans argues that Timoneys petition is flawed, first by failing to include an affidavit that is required by law to submit a petition. Although his written statement makes allegations, it cannot be considered a valid petition for impeachment because it is neither sworn to, nor certified by, a notary public or other officer, Goodman wrote. As for the cases at hand, Goodman argues the petition recounts only the most lurid aspects of each, misstating laws and facts, and mischaracterizing Goodmans rulings. Advertisement Advertisement Five of the six cases Timoney referenced remain active in Goodmans court. Goodman asked the committee dismiss the petition. The committee should recognize the danger that frivolous petitions pose to our system of justice and the constitutional structure of our government, Goodman wrote. Over the past decade, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has produced amazing returns, becoming the largest healthcare stock in the world in the process -- and the first to hit a $1 trillion valuation. Lilly may not be able to maintain the pace it has set over the past 10 years, but it still has enough fuel to help turn patient investors into millionaires by the time they retire. Here's why. An innovative powerhouse Lilly has performed well in recent years thanks to major breakthroughs, especially in diabetes and weight management. And although this area is the drugmaker's main growth driver right now -- and will remain so well into the 2030s -- it is actively looking to diversify its lineup. The company is notably making a push into the large oncology field. 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 Image source: Getty Images. Patent cliffs for its current main products won't come any time soon, but diversification will help Lilly navigate such losses when they do. Beyond any specific drug it is developing, it is also investing heavily in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI). The company is partnering with Nvidia to build the most powerful AI supercomputer in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as a research lab where its experts will work with AI engineers. Management's goal is to accelerate the discovery and development of breakthrough therapies. These initiatives won't pay off immediately; they might not even make much of a dent in the next five years. But they are helping set a solid foundation for the future, and that's one thing long-term investors should focus on. Yes, Eli Lilly is posting excellent financial results right now, riding the wave of its best-selling drug, tirzepatide, approved for diabetes and weight management. The company isn't just sitting on its laurels, though. It is using that success and investing wisely in ways that will pay off a decade from now and beyond. Don't put all your eggs in one basket Eli Lilly does seem to have many of the qualities required to help make investors millionaires, given enough time -- say, a few decades: Besides a solid business and an innovative culture, there's its excellent dividend program -- it has more than doubled its payouts in the past five years alone. Reinvesting the dividend will significantly boost total returns over the long run. However, the key word here is "help," as in, it likely can't do it all by itself. Investors should ensure they have a relatively large, well-diversified portfolio. Eli Lilly can reasonably be one of the core holdings in such a portfolio, helping investors retire as happy multimillionaires. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. An Arkansas church group stranded in the Middle East after U.S. strikes on Iran disrupted regional air travel has secured flights home and is expected to return to Arkansas on Wednesday. Members of the Church at Rock Creek were on a mission trip in Israel when airspace closures shut down flights, leaving them unable to depart from Israel or later from Dubai. The group traveled by bus to Egypt and arranged to fly out of Cairo, according to church leaders. Were excited to get them back, said Nick Burt, the churchs director of communications. The plan is Wednesday around lunchtime they should be back in Arkansas, so well be excited to welcome them home. Advertisement Advertisement The trip had begun with visits to significant religious sites, including a baptism service at the Jordan River. Our group was able to go to the Jordan River where they were participating in a baptism service, which is an incredibly special moment for anyone that tours in the Holy Land, Burt said. But as tensions escalated in the region, concern grew among those traveling and their families back home. I definitely think there was some people on the trip who probably were panicked or concerned, and I have a bunch of friends on the trip so I was concerned about their safety, Burt said. During Sundays service in Little Rock, Senior Pastor Mark Evans prayed for the groups protection and safe return, specifically asking that Cairos airport remain open and that flights home be secured. Advertisement Advertisement While waiting in Cairo for their departure, the group made the most of the unexpected delay, visiting the pyramids in Egypt before preparing to travel back to Arkansas. 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. President Trump on Monday said Irans growth of its ballistic missile program, plus its resumption of trying to build a nuclear weapon, warranted the U.S. and Israeli attacks that began Saturday and took out the nations supreme leader. An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people, he said at the start of a Medal of Honor event at the White House. He laid out the objectives, including eliminating Irans missile capability, annihilating its navy, ensuring Iran would not get a nuclear weapon and that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders. Advertisement Advertisement Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine briefed reporters at 8 a.m. on the operation, which has now claimed the lives of six U.S. service members and injured more than a dozen. Kuwait on Sunday shot down three American F-15s in what the U.S. military said was a friendly fire incident. The troops aboard were ejected safely, it added. Hegseth contended early Monday that Operation Epic Fury was not a regime change war, but that the regime had indeed changed. Iran over the weekend announced a new leadership, composed of senior figures in the Islamic regime, to run the country until a new supreme leader is chosen. Follow live. 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. Local Haitian DJ murdered outside nightclub A local Haitian DJ was murdered outside a club. Deputies arrested the alleged shooter. The victims friend spoke out about his loss. Event promoter Will Gaines talks about a shooting that happened early Sunday morning around 3:30 am. He says he worked with his friend, DJ Kendy Alexandre. As they were outside after closing, Gaines says shots were fired. After the partys done, everybody here at the parking lot. They start to shoot the bullet. He took the bullet; he died. Advertisement Advertisement Orange County deputies arrested 33-year-old Rijkaard Florvil. They say they responded to an after-hours club off Apopka Vineland Road and found 29-year-old Alexandre shot in the head. Gaines says, Now everybodys so sad. The night of the murder, Florvil told deputies he shot two rounds in the air as a fight took place with a large group of people and blamed someone else for the murder. But according to investigators, video surveillance shows Florvil confronting the victim with a gun, then the muzzle flash is seen, and Kendy falls to the ground. Today a judge ordered him to stay away from witnesses if he is released, after his upcoming hearing. Gaines told us, My friend doesnt have an enemy. The club is called Bistro Paradise, and in the report, deputies describe it as an after-hours club, meaning a place that serves alcohol after 2am. However, a worker told us they closed at 2am, and Gaines said the same. Advertisement Advertisement When we asked a sheriffs spokesperson for clarification, they didnt have additional details about the club but mentioned that an ordinance has allowed them to shut down 17 after-hours bars since 2024. Gaines says there was a big crowd in the parking lot, but the bar was closed. I think they are looking for an after-party, but the bar is closed. Gaines isnt sure why anyone would want to kill Kendy. He says he was a father to a toddler and a wonderful friend. We asked him, What will you miss most about your friend? He replied, Everything because we do everything together. The judge ordered Florvil to remain in jail without bond. His next hearing is scheduled for March 5th at 9am. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. LOGAN COUNTY, WV (WVNS) A man from Logan County was charged after reportedly sexually assaulting a minor for multiple years. According to a press release from the West Virginia State Police, 44-year-old Daniel Scaggs, of Logan was charged with Sexual Assault in the First Degree after allegedly sexually assaulting a minor young juvenile over the past three years. Two people arrested after reportedly trying to deliver stolen property in West Virginia Advertisement Advertisement The press release stated that a member of the Logan Detachment of the West Virginia State Police received a CPS referral on Thursday, February 5, 2026 for an alleged sexual assault in the Ethel area of Logan County. According to the press release, the member of the West Virginia State Police found that over the past three years, Scaggs had reportedly sexually assaulted a young juvenile. An arrest warrant was issued for Scaggs arrest on Thursday, February 26, 2026. The press release stated that when members of law enforcement went to Scaggs house in the Ethel area of Logan County to arrest him, Scaggs ran from law enforcement and went into a wooded area nearby, before later being arrested without difficulty. According to the press release from the West Virginia State Police, Scaggs was charged and was taken to the Logan County Magistrate Court for arraignment. Scaggs cash only bond was set at $100,000, and he was taken to Southwestern Regional Jail. 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 WVNS. The Brief Luis Diaz Polanco, 31, is accused of trying to kill two Volusia County Sheriff's deputies after they responded to a home on March 2. Following the shooting, he claimed he intentionally targeted the officers under the assumption that their ballistic vests would protect them. However, he ultimately revealed a more lethal intent, admitting he only stopped shooting because he ran out of ammunition and otherwise would have been "forced to kill" the deputies. VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man was denied bond after he's suspected of the attempted murder of two Volusia County deputies. Advertisement Advertisement He reportedly admitted he would have been "forced to kill" the officers had he not run out of ammunition, an arrest affidavit said. What we know Luis Diaz Polanco, 31, is facing two felony counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder. Who is Luis Diaz Polanco? Polanco is accused of shooting at two Volusia County deputies around 5:30 p.m., March 2, who responded to a Deltona residence regarding reported criminal mischief. One deputy was injured; the second was not. Prior battery charges Polanco told deputies he argued with his mother earlier in the day around 5 a.m., March 2 and confronted his moms friend while armed. The deputies responded to a Deltona residence after the woman reported that her friend's son named Luis was acting "erratically" and hit the hood of her car, a Volusia County arrest affidavit said. While officers weren't able to establish probable cause for assault/battery, they continued to investigate the criminal mischief leading them to a home in Deltona. Advertisement Advertisement Polanco was previously accused of battery on Aug. 10, 2024 in connection to allegedly grabbing two elderly people over 65 years old and throwing them out of a car he was operating as a Lyft driver. An elderly woman in this situation was injured, however, on Aug. 19, 2024, the State Attorney's office decided not to prosecute this case. The Volusia County Sheriff's office responds to a deputy-involved shooting on March 2, 2026. Affidavit: Admitted to smoking marijuana hours prior Polanco said he purchased a greenish-colored gun for $600 in Sanford. Chitwood said the gun was legally purchased in Sanford. The sheriff's office is investigating how Polanco got ahold of the weapon. Chitwood said Polanco was involved in a July 4 incident in which he pointed a gun at someone. The description of the gun matches the gun used in this incident, he said. He also said he last smoked marijuana at 11 a.m., Monday. (Source: Volusia County Sheriff's office) Having a bad day Polanco told deputies about his "horrible day," starting with his encounter with his mom's friend that morning. He told deputies hed been off his prescribed schizophrenia medication for a month after missing an appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Chitwood said Polanco's mom and sister had both been victims of his violence. History of mental health issues He said he intentionally fired at the deputies, thinking ballistics vests would protect them, but later said that if he hadnt run out of ammunition, he would have continued shooting and would have been "forced to kill" the deputy, the arrest affidavit said. Sheriff Chitwood said Polanco has a history of mental health issues and aggressive or violent interactions with neighbors and family members. He added that Polanco was taken into custody of June 2025 for a mental health evaluation. Read more: Volusia County deputy in stable condition after body cam deflects bullet to shoulder The Volusia County Sheriff's office responds to a deputy-involved shooting on March 2, 2026. What led to the shooting? Two deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff's office Jose Rivera and Jacob Gomez-Lopez responded to a Deltona home after a report of Polanco hitting his mom's friend's car. Advertisement Advertisement At the home, deputies spoke with a man in the backyard and asked him where Polanco was. The man pointed to inside the home, the affidavit said. When deputies went to the front door, Polanco "appeared surprised," the affidavit said and pointed a gun at the deputies and fired 12 shots at the deputies before retreating inside. During the shooting, Deputy Rivera was hit twice once in the chest, with the bullet hitting his body camera and ricocheting into his shoulder, and once in the thigh, Sheriff Chitwood said on March 2. "When the deputies came up to the house, he had every intention to shoot them," Chitwood said on March 3. Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Gomez-Lopez who was not harmed took cover behind a neighbor's home and reported that shots were fired and requested assistance, the affidavit said. When additional deputies arrived, Gomez-Lopez described the suspect, saying he fired a tan-colored gun at the deputies. Responding deputies found Rivera two houses away. He was transported to the hospital for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds. As of March 3, Rivera is in stable condition. Premeditated: Asked AI about murdering someone Investigators determined that on Feb. 14, Polanco asked an AI Spanish platform if he "can kill someone if they visit my property," Chitwood said. "AI then gave him a definition of Stand Your Ground and Florida law," Chitwood said. Over 20 bullet casings found After Polanco shot at the deputies, he went back inside the home and later came out trying to get into his car and was taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement "He decided he just wanted to give up," Chitwood said of Polanco. Chitwood said Polanco was alone during the incident. Two other people taken into custody were living in the shed behind the property paying Polanco rent, Chitwood said. Investigators found a tan/green colored gun in the home, along with 12 bullet casings leading from the front door to the yard. Six additional casings were found in front of the neighbors home, the arrest affidavit said. Polanco fired 12 shots and Rivera, while retreating, fired six, Chitwood said. "He fired at him (Rivera) and followed him down that driveway," Chitwood said of Polanco. What's next Polanco is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail. At his first appearance on March 3, Polanco was issued no bond. The Source Information in this story was gathered from a Volusia County arrest affidavit. If you know anything about the current pope Pope Leo XIV it might be one of two things. ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images Simone Risoluti/Vatican Pool / Getty Images And two: He's woke as helsorry...heck. Franco Origlia / Getty Images Related: MAGA Is (Loudly) Regretting Their Votes After Witnessing ICE Raids Across The Nation, And It's Reallyyyy Not Looking Good For Trump The American-born pope has held the position for less than a year, but still has managed to rile up MAGA with his "OUTRAGEOUS" opinions many, many times. ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Like, that WILD time when he called out people with both anti-abortion and pro-death penalty beliefs, saying that's not "really pro-life." Or, any of the UNHINGED instances when he spoke about ICE , once saying , "No one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need." You know, just suuuuper hot takes coming from Mr. P. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images Contributor / Getty Images Pope Leo XIV tweeted , "I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue." Related: JD Vance's Interview On Iran Is Going Viral For How Very Bad It Is He continued, "Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace." Advertisement Advertisement What Da Pope obviously didn't consider is that random people on the internet understand Catholicism better than him. (Please note the sarcasm.) These Experts are not happy with his take on the situation, and letting him know in the replies! Here's what they're saying: Franco Origlia / Getty Images "I'm ashamed to be catholic." Related: "Straight-up Orwellian": 25 Of The Very, Very, Very Best Political Tweets Of The Week "FYI: This kind of pious BLATHER blather is why many people AVOID God. Please stop." (Note to self: Don't...be...pious...if...you're...the...pope. Got it!) "No one needs you to keep posting your fortune cookies." Advertisement Advertisement Yet, peppered among these super-sweet little nuggets of wisdom are also people defending the pope. Ernesto Ruscio / Getty Images "The amount of 'conservative Christian bloggers' trying to explain Catholicism to the pope is wild." Related: "Some People Are Just Too Stupid To Know Theyre Being Made Fun Of": 27 Of The Very Best, Most Brutal, And Absolute Funniest Political Tweets Of The Week "I'm almost certian most american christians have no idea what jesus said." "Yes, I completely agree with you that we must continue to pray for peace, we must pray every single day. It is terribly tragic what is happening now in the Middle East, Ukraine and several other places where there is war." Advertisement Advertisement "Thank God for the Pope!" Thoughts??? You Might Like: Being Alive Is Expensive, Heres A List Of 38 Affordable Products That Will Help Make Being A Human A Little Easier You Might Like: 29 Lazyish Ways To Deep Clean Your Home You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner Also in In the News: Trump's MAGA Army Is Absolutely Ripping Him Apart Over The Iran Bombing, And Their Comments Are Pure Unfiltered Rage Read it on BuzzFeed.com The Welsh Conservative Party says it would save the average working family 450 per year with income tax cuts and build an M4 relief road if it wins the Senedd election. On Tuesday the party was the first to launch a manifesto for May's election, with Senedd Tory leader Darren Millar promising to "put more money into the pockets of hardworking people". Pledging to cut the basic rate of income tax by 1p, the party said it would require referendums on council tax rises over 5% and scrap Welsh stamp duty on main home purchases. Advertisement Advertisement But the respected independent think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned the manifesto "lacks a credible plan" for the savings needed to fund the proposed tax cuts. Costings were not included in the manifesto document, which was unveiled by Millar in Cardiff. Wales was "crying out for positive change", he said, calling the manifesto a "rescue mission". Each political party will publish a manifesto - a list of pledges explaining to voters what it would do if elected - ahead of the 7 May election for Wales' parliament. Millar's manifesto promised to scrap the 20mph default speed limit, ban mobile phones in schools and scrap business rates for small firms. Advertisement Advertisement Pledges include requiring a local referendum on council tax increases over 5%. The party says it would re-establish the Welsh Development Agency to attract inward investment, promote business growth and create jobs. A 1,000 tuition fee discount is promised for students studying science, technology, engineering or maths subjects. Fees for nursing, medicine, teaching and dentistry students who study in Wales and work for five years in the Welsh NHS or the country's schools would be refunded. Advertisement Advertisement The Tories also promised to boost the farming budget by 100m and implement a moratorium on large wind and solar farms. No further powers would be sought for the Senedd in Cardiff Bay and the Tories promised to not spend any money on non-devolved matters, and to reverse the increase in the number of Senedd members. The party would scrap the future generations commissioner, which tries to get Welsh public bodies to take into account future generations in their decision making, and extend the powers of the older people's commissioner for Wales. Wales' "tourism tax" - legislation that allows councils to apply a levy to hotel stays - would be scrapped. Advertisement Advertisement The Tories have performed poorly in recent opinion polls, suggesting they could come fourth at the election for the Welsh Parliament. Although publicly the party is saying it could form the next government, privately its politicians acknowledge it could have a smaller role and lose seats in the new, larger Senedd. It won 16 at the last election in 2021, making it the second largest party at the time, although it has lost Senedd members since then. At the manifesto launch event in Cardiff, Millar pitched the document - titled "Fix Wales" - as a "positive plan to unleash economic growth, create jobs, promote home ownership, cut taxes and waste, put more money into the pockets of hardworking people across the country and fix our public services". Advertisement Advertisement "People in Wales are crying out for positive change, this is our credible and costed plan to deliver just that," he said, adding that people would be "better off under a Welsh Conservative government". A vote for Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Liberal Democrats or Welsh Labour is a "vote for more of the same", he said, calling neither Reform UK or the Green Party "credible or serious". The Labour Welsh government decided in 2019 not to build a M4 relief road, citing its environmental and financial cost [BBC] However, a Welsh government ready reckoner - a tool which estimates how policy changes would impact finances - estimates that a 1p cut would save individuals about 220 per person and collect 311m less in tax which the Welsh government would have to find from its budget. Taxpayers pay the basic rate of 20% on the first 50,270 of earnings, after the personal allowance of 12,570 is taken into account. Advertisement Advertisement The Welsh government is able to vary tax rates but under Labour has never done so. Earlier on Tuesday, speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Millar said the tax cut would be funded "through a 1.15% efficiency drive across the Welsh government's budget". He did not say what might be cut. The Tories say they would deliver an M4 relief road - a project to bypass the existing M4 by building a new motorway on the Gwent Levels to tackle congestion on the motorway. The scheme was ditched by former first minister Mark Drakeford in 2019 because of its cost and environmental impact - at the time it was thought to cost 1.6bn. Advertisement Advertisement Millar declined to give a time-scale when asked at a press conference how long it would take, saying he didn't want to make a "unrealistic promise". He said it would be funded partly from the Welsh government's budget, from borrowing and "trying to work with the UK government" to find extra cash. The Conservatives also promised to upgrade the A55 and make the A40 to Fishguard in Wales a dual-carriageway. It's been suggested the Tory manifesto launch was organised at short notice so it came before Reform's on Thursday [Athena Pictures] Miller promised to reverse the 20mph default speed limit in built up areas and "adopt a targeted approach". "We haven't done any modelling on child casualties," said Millar, suggesting no estimates had been made how many children could be injured by the policy. Advertisement Advertisement He said limits are "appropriate in some places", and said a Tory government would work with councils to find areas where "they make sense", while reverting other roads to 30mph. He told BBC Wales there was an "opportunity cost because if you keep the road speed slower that has an impact on the economy. It means you take less in tax". Millar said the 40m that was spent on 20mph could have been spent on emergency care. In its initial analysis, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) questioned the manifesto's credibility. David Phillips, the think tank's head of devolved and local government finance, said: "The Welsh Conservatives' flagship proposals are reductions to three of Wales's devolved taxes: the Welsh rates of income tax, land transaction tax and business rates. Advertisement Advertisement "But at a time when spending pressures in many areas are rising, a government that wants to cut taxes must also commit to spending less and the manifesto lacks a credible plan for where these savings will come from." It was "much easier to promise efficiency savings than to deliver them and history is replete with governments failing to achieve productivity targets and having to top up budgets", he warned. It was therefore "hard to see how the proposed combination of tax cuts and spending increases could be paid for without significant cut-backs in at least some Welsh government services", Phillips added. The Conservative manifesto launch was organised at short notice, with journalists told on Monday it would happen the next day. BBC Wales was told that the event was timed so the Tories launched their manifesto before Reform on Thursday. Additional reporting by Adrian Browne [BBC] More top stories Yet another Republican is calling it quits on his congressional career. Montana Representative Ryan Zinke announced Monday that he will not seek reelection, ending his time in Washington. In a letter to his constituents, Zinke said that the decision was predicated on recent health issues, writing that he had undergone multiple surgeries since 2023 to correct injuries he sustained while serving as a Navy SEAL. Advertisement Advertisement The injuries sustained from a career in Special Operations are not immediately life threatening, but the repair cannot be deferred any longer and recovery will require considerable time, Zinke wrote. My judgement and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absence and missed votes. The Whitefish native has represented Montana since 2014, when he garnered national attention on the campaign trail for referring to Hillary Clinton as the Antichrist. Between stints on Capitol Hill, Zinke was tapped by Donald Trump to serve as his first-term interior secretary. Zinke worked in that job for just two years, from 2017 to 2019, but nonetheless racked up 18 federal investigations into his behavior, ranging from probes into numerous alleged Hatch Act violations to misuse of public funds. Zinkes decision further imperils the Republican House majority, which currently has 218 Republicans to 214 Democrats. The lower chamber also has three vacancies due to the November resignation of Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill, now New Jersey governor, as well as the January resignation of Representative Majorie Taylor Greene and the passing that same month of Representative Doug LaMalfa. All 435 House seats will be contested in the upcoming midterm elections, a reality that has Republicans fretting, as preceding elections have suggested that the cycle could be overtaken by a tsunami-esque Blue Wave. At least three Republican districts are confidently expected to flip (they include two districts in California and another in Utah), while the Nebraska race to replace retiring Republican Representative Don Bacon is likely to go to Democrats as well, according to the Cook Political Report. Four Democrats had already filed to run in their partys primary to replace Zinke before he announced his retirement. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been rebuked online after he appeared on Fox News Monday and mused on the smell of war, despite never having served in the military himself. Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, was discussing the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran when he channelled his inner Lt. Col. Kilgore from Apocalypse Now (1979), who famously relished the smell of napalm in the morning. War is ugly, the senator declared authoritatively. It smells bad. If anybody has ever been there and been able to smell the war thats happening around you and taste it and fill it in your nostrils and hear it, its something that youll never forget. Advertisement Advertisement And its ugly. And fortunately, you have President [Pete] Hegseth. Sorry, Secretary Hegseth That has got a great relationship with President [Donald] Trump and President Hegseths been there and hes done that. Despite accidentally elevating the defense secretary to the presidency twice, it was Mullin presuming to speak for U.S. soldiers that sparked uproar. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin caused widespread outrage by presuming to speak for U.S. soldiers without ever having served in the military himself (AFP/Getty) Veteran and activist Charlotte Clymer reposted a clip of his comments on X (Twitter) and told the senator, Sir, you were 24 on 9/11. You were 25 when the U.S. illegally invaded Iraq. You were 28 when I enlisted after high school. You didnt serve. You were an able-bodied young man who chose to inherit your daddys business instead of serving. You need to shut your f***ing mouth. Advertisement Advertisement The Angry Staffer account responded to the same clip with the comment: Periodic reminder that Mullin was a rancher before he was elected to the Senate. He has no idea what war looks, smells, or tastes like. But hes fine with sending your kids to die for it. Also reacting angrily was the campaign group VoteVets, which said: Sen. Mullin probably thinks war smells like Mountain Dew, couch cushions, and control sweat because Call of Duty is the closest hes ever been to war. A number of other commentators unkindly shared a photograph of Mullin allegedly attempting to hide from the would-be insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, mocking his record of brave service. Trump also angered some veterans over the weekend over his apparently flippant attitude towards the first U.S. troops killed in the skirmishes, which he described as the way it is, leading to criticism from Democrats like Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Reps. Jason Crew and Pat Ryan, who found the phrase callous. Advertisement Advertisement In a separate appearance on Fox Business Monday, Mullin fumbled again when he confused Iran with Iraq. The aftermath of the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran (Reuters) Its up to the Iraqi people or, Im sorry, the Iranian people to choose their next go their next leader, he said. Its up to them to rise up and kick this regime out of place. If they do not, then they will be with a different leader, but the same regime. The senator was echoing Trumps call for the Iranian public to rise up and overthrow their oppressive government, saying the airstrikes represented a unique opportunity that might not come again. Mullin has previously offered a somewhat inconsistent stance on Iran, telling CNNs Kaitlan Collins in January: Even though were not into regime change If that leadership is going to kill their own people, the president said well come to your rescue. Advertisement Advertisement A month later, he told the same network: If it takes us removing the ayatollah from keeping the nuclear program from moving forward, then thats not off the table, but we would prefer diplomacy. Mullin last week attracted attention for sparring with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at a confirmation hearing for Trumps nominee for surgeon-general, Dr. Casey Means. The GOP member was incensed when the veteran leftist teased him for making long-winded remarks about the importance of scientific inquiry. NEW YORK Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil says the immigration court judge who ordered him deported to Syria or Algeria last year committed clear factual and legal error on numerous accounts, according to a 50-page appeal filed Monday. Khalils appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals comes as the 31-year-old legal permanent resident in the U.S. is also seeking review of a decision in January by a federal appeals court panel that said he must pursue his case through the immigration court system, rather than the district court, and raised the possibility that he could be re-detained. The Board of Immigration Appeals is part of the executive branch network of immigration courts run by the Justice Department and is separate from the federal judiciary. Advertisement Advertisement Khalils dual court battles attempting to fend off both possible re-detainment and eventual deportation are unfolding on the eve of the one-year anniversary of his arrest by Department of Homeland Security agents, a move that marked the beginning of the Trump administrations pursuit of pro-Palestinian activists and academics. Khalils efforts to fight his deportation had largely succeeded in federal court, where last year a judge ordered him freed from detention. The judge also blocked the government from relying on its original basis for removal: a rarely used provision of immigration law that allows the government to deport any noncitizen even a legal resident if the secretary of State determines that the persons continued presence harms U.S. foreign policy interests. The decision of the appeals court panel, however, handed Khalil a significant loss, finding that his claims must proceed through immigration court and overturning the ruling that he should be released from detention. Khalils lawyers have said the administration cant re-detain him until the courts order takes formal effect. And in immigration court, Khalil has faced an uphill battle. In September, an immigration judge in Louisiana ordered him deported to Syria or Algeria based on a separate rationale the Trump administration tacked on after Khalils arrest in Manhattan: failing to disclose certain information on his green card application. Advertisement Advertisement In his appeal filed Monday, Khalils lawyer argued that the judge, Jamee Comans, erred in virtually every decision, including her denial of his motion to terminate the proceedings based on the circumstances of his arrest without a warrant and her denial of his efforts to obtain discovery. Khalils lawyers have said that any appeal of the BIA decision, which would go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, is unlikely to be successful, since the appeals court almost never grants stays of removal to noncitizens. From day one, the Trump administrations hand-picked Louisiana immigration judge denied out of hand every motion Mahmoud brought without even the pretense of providing him with his constitutional right to a fair hearing, Marc Van Der Hout, a immigration lawyer for Khalil, said in a statement. In almost 50 years of practicing immigration law, I have never seen such a sham proceeding. But federal courts have already agreed that Mahmoud was targeted for his speech and no amount of bogus made-up charges will change that," Van Der Hout said. During the Q&A, Xu clarified that the Q4 dividend did not include any contribution from BW Product Services (the trading arm). She said BW Product Services board has already reviewed and approved a dividend proposal for 2025, which would be considered as part of the companys overall dividend capacity in future quarters in 2026. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share . Management said this represented 100% of shipping net profit after tax (NPAT) for the quarter, exceeding the companys dividend policy guidance of a 75% payout of shipping profit. CFO Samantha Xu said fleet utilization was 94% after deducting technical off-hire and waiting time. She attributed performance in a market full of uncertainties to BW LPGs commercial approach, including time charters and FFA hedging arranged during stronger markets. In Q4, the companys time charter portfolio was 44% , including 33% fixed-rate time charters. Chief Executive Officer Kristian Srensen said BW LPG delivered time charter equivalent (TCE) income of $50,300 per available day and $48,100 per calendar day , above the companys prior guidance of $47,000 per day for the quarter. Profit after minority interests was $104 million , equal to $0.69 in EPS . BW LPG (NYSE:BWLP) reported fourth-quarter 2025 results that management said came in above guidance, while also addressing a rapidly escalating security situation in the Middle East that has introduced fresh uncertainty into global LPG shipping markets. Management prioritized crew safety amid the Middle East escalationkeeping vessels idled outside the Arabian Gulf amid insurance and routing risksand still guided Q1 to about $54,000 per day fixed for ~ 94% of available days, while reporting $630 million liquidity and planning 13 drydockings ( 193 offhire days) in Q1. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share , equal to 100% of shipping NPAT for the quarter, while BW Product Services trading profits were excluded from this payout and will be considered separately in 2026. BW LPG beat Q4 guidance with TCE of $50,300 per available day (calendar day $48,100 ), reported profit after minorities of $104 million (EPS $0.69 ) and achieved ~ 94% fleet utilization supported by time charters and hedging. Story Continues Middle East conflict: operational focus on safety and routing Srensen said the companys first priority amid the Middle East escalation is the safety of colleagues and crews, alongside protecting the companys interests. BW LPG has three Indian-flagged vessels in the Arabian GulfBW Elm, BW Tyr, and BW Loyaltyincluding two on time charter and one in drydock. Management said financial impact had been minimal so far, limited to the drydocked vessel where nighttime work was suspended. Super Micro: Why the Shadow of NVIDIA Is a Profitable Place to Be On commercial operations, BW LPG said it also has other vessels on time charter idling outside the Arabian Gulf while assessing security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. S rensen said the companys next open spot vessel for Arabian Gulf loading could be available in the last part of March, unless we decide to ballast them to the U.S. Gulf, depending on how the situation develops. In response to analyst questions, Srensen said BW LPG had been informed that ships could not currently be insured to pass into the Arabian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, noting conditions were changing day by day. He added that, as far as the company could see, there were no conventional fleet ships shuttling in and out of the Arabian Gulf at that time. When asked about Iranian exports, Srensen said BW LPG did not have a full overview, citing unconfirmed reports that ships could still be planned to export LPG via convoys to China, though he cautioned this could be rumor. He also said there was no firm news about naval convoys being established for other exporters. Market drivers: inventories, trade flows, and infrastructure Management said VLGC market conditions in late 2025 and early 2026 positively surprised due in part to strong U.S. propane fundamentals. Srensen said U.S. propane inventories ended 2025 at 100 million barrels, compared with 85 million barrels at the end of 2024, driven by strong U.S. production. He said high inventories contributed to downward pressure on U.S. LPG prices and supported a wide U.S.Far East arbitrage, which tends to support higher freight rates. BW LPG also pointed to geopolitical and infrastructure factors that contributed to strength in recent months, including: A U.S.China trade truce in late October that management said helped revive U.S.China LPG trade. Increased VLGC loadings at the Nederland terminal in the U.S. Gulf following a 2025 expansion. Market participants fixing vessels further forward ahead of the Middle East conflict, tightening vessel availability and lifting spot rates. On trade flows, management said Chinese VLGC imports from North America and the Middle East fell 3% in 2025 year-over-year, influenced by periods of heightened trade tensions. BW LPG said Chinese imports were rising again at the start of 2026 and suggested the Middle East conflict could lead to more U.S. cargoes ending up in China if Middle East supply is disrupted. The company also highlighted Indias increased role in global LPG trade. Management said Far East LPG volumes declined 2% year-over-year in 2025, while Indias imports grew 10%, driven by higher U.S. cargo flows that increase ton-miles versus traditional Middle East sourcing. Srensen said about 2 million tons of Indian LPG imports are contracted from the U.S. for 2026, and noted government subsidies and expected pipeline infrastructure improvements supporting retail demand and distribution. Outlook: high coverage in Q1, drydockings, and fleet supply For the first quarter of 2026, BW LPG guided to about $54,000 per day fixed for 94% of available days, which management said was well above an all-in cash break-even of $23,400 per day. Xu said this includes index-linked time charter contracts that can participate in spot upside. Management also said first-quarter time charter coverage was 42% of available days at $44,200 per day. BW LPG said it will continue an active drydocking program in 2026, with 13 vessels scheduled for drydocking, mostly in Q1. The company expects 193 off-hire days in the first quarter due to drydocking. In the Q&A, management said it evaluates whether to shift drydockings to capture stronger rates, but noted scheduling constraints and that Q1 is typically the weakest quarter seasonally, even though that pattern did not hold this year. On longer-term coverage, management said BW LPG had secured three-year time charter-out contracts for two VLGCsBW Tucana and BW Yushiand said this increased full-year 2026 fixed-rate time charter-out coverage to 36% at an average of $43,700 per day. Xu added that for full-year 2026, BW LPG has secured 40% of its portfolio with fixed-rate time charters and FFA hedges at $43,747.900 per day, with an expected time charter-out portfolio contribution of around $197 million. In discussing fleet supply, management said the VLGC fleet stands at 421 vessels, with an orderbook of 105 VLGCs extending through the end of 2028. BW LPG noted that about 10% of the fleet is older than 25 years. Management said Panama Canal constraints continue to divert some VLGCs around South Africa, affecting effective capacity and ton-mile demand. Xu said BW LPG ended Q4 with $630 million of liquidity, consisting of $226 million in cash and $387 million of undrawn credit facilities. She also said the company voluntarily cancelled two ship financing facilities, including a $36 million repayment and a $260 million undrawn revolving facility, which she said reduced funding costs and lowered cash break-even. About BW LPG (NYSE:BWLP) BW LPG (NYSE: BWLP) is a pureplay owner and operator of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers. The company's core business centers on the maritime transportation of LPG, predominantly propane and butane, under both time and voyagecharter arrangements. Its fleet comprises pressurized and semirefrigerated vessels designed to meet the specific requirements of LPG producers, traders and endusers around the world. Headquartered in Singapore, BW LPG serves a global customer base, with commercial offices in key energy hubs including Houston, London, Dubai and Tokyo. The article "BW LPG Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Any asylum seeker given refugee status in the UK will only be offered temporary protection, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced. The move represents one of the most significant changes to the UK's asylum system for a generation and is likely to anger some on Labour's left wing. The measures will come into force for adults and accompanied children claiming asylum from Monday without a parliamentary vote as they simply change existing rules. Advertisement Advertisement Under the new rules, asylum seekers' cases will be reviewed every 30 months, after which they could be sent to their country of origin, provided it is deemed safe to do so. For those who have already submitted an asylum claim, existing rules which give five years protection and the option to bring family to the UK, continue to apply. Unaccompanied children will also continue to receive five years' protection, while the government considers a long-term policy for this group. Advertisement Advertisement Some of Mahmood's other proposed reforms would need to be passed into law following full parliamentary scrutiny and are therefore unlikely to come into force until later this year. This includes doubling the time it takes most migrants to gain permanent residency rights in the UK from five to 10 years. In the case of refugees it could take 20 years. Mahmood last week visited Denmark where the Social Democrats, Labour's sister party, saw off an electoral challenge from a populist right-wing party by toughening its own stance on immigration. Denmark had moved from a system of offering refugees seven years of protection and a route to permanent settlement, to reviewing their cases at least every two years. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the BBC on her fact-finding trip to Copenhagen, Mahmood said the government is "changing an age-old assumption of what it means to be a refugee -moving from a permanent to a temporary status". She said this is because "it will be less attractive for illegal migrants to come to our country" and she wanted to "change the calculus in the minds of the people about to get on a boat", adding: "We will have a much more difficult system for illegal arrivals." But some in her own party have already accused her of "aping" Reform UK and have questioned tougher immigration policies after the loss of the once-safe seat of Gorton and Denton to the Green Party. Its leader Zack Polanski had accused Labour of echoing the rhetoric of the far-right on immigration. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood inspected dormitory accommodation during a fact-finding trip to Denmark [PA Media] Imran Hussain, from the Refugee Council charity, told the BBC that reviewing the status of refugees - who were successful, not failed, asylum seekers - would be costly and distract the Home Office from speeding up the system. Advertisement Advertisement He also warned that if refugees felt they "had one foot in the departure lounge" even though their asylum claim had been accepted, then this would make it more difficult for them to hold down employment and to integrate. But the home secretary, speaking to the BBC at the British Embassy in Copenhagen, said the importance of her changes should not be underestimated. She said: "Honestly, I really believe these reforms are existential for us as a country and we have a real problem with a lack of control in our border system and what that does to public trust and confidence in politics - but also in the ability of the state to actually just do anything at all." Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she believed Mahmood is "trying to do some very difficult things", adding the UK needs to update its laws linked to refugees to ensure they are "in line with reality today as opposed to reality from many years ago". Advertisement Advertisement Badenoch, answering questions after a speech on Monday, said there is "a lot more" Mahmood needs to do on immigration and asylum reform. She added: "But what I'm not going to do is criticise someone who is actually taking some tough decisions against the interests of her backbenchers." On her visit to Denmark, Mahmood inspected dormitory accommodation for new arrivals at a reception centre in a rural location, 16 miles from the Danish capital. She expressed approval of the conditions - warm even in the sub-zero temperatures that Denmark was experiencing, but basic bordering on austere. Advertisement Advertisement She emphasised that she was fully committed to moving asylum seekers out of hotels and into similar conditions in the UK. And she acknowledged that Labour could lose the next election if it could not keep its pledge to end the use of asylum hotels. She said: "This is a key priority. If we fail to fulfil our promise to the British people then I would expect they will vote accordingly. "It means losing the right to be the government of your country." 'Un-British' But while there are some parallels with Denmark, there are also differences. It is not only a much smaller and less diverse country than the UK, it also does not face the challenge of small boats filled with potential migrants travelling to its shores. Advertisement Advertisement Both Reform UK and the Conservatives say that the Channel crossings will not be stopped unless Mahmood is willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights. She will not do that, though she is seeking to alter how it is interpreted to allow more asylum seekers to be removed. In 2025, a total of 41,472 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats, which was almost 5,000 more than the previous year. Asked if she should be straight with voters that the problem of illegal immigration would not be solved in this Parliament, Mahmood acknowledged it was "going to be difficult" and she is determined to get the numbers down. Advertisement Advertisement The home secretary will give a speech this week on making the "progressive case" for immigration control. Around 40 Labour MPs last month raised concerns about the impact of the proposals to change permanent settlement rights for migrants already living here, describing the retrospective approach as "un-British" and "moving the goalposts". They have warned it could worsen the UK's skills shortage, particularly in the care sector. [BBC] Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond. Police Scotland are trying to verify reports that two major organised crime figures have been arrested in Bahrain - five months after they were released from custody in Dubai. Steven Lyons and Ross McGill are said to have been arrested by officers in the Gulf nation alongside an unnamed woman. BBC Scotland News understands officers in Scotland only became aware of the operation after it was reported in the Daily Record newspaper. Advertisement Advertisement But attempts to confirm the arrests and the grounds on which they were made have been complicated by the US-Israel War with Iran. The conflict has resulted in a number of missile and drone attacks in Bahrain and across the region since Saturday. It has also has made it more difficult to get information through traditional law enforcement channels. BBC Scotland News has approached the Ministry of Interior in Bahrain and the country's embassy in London for comment . Lyons and McGill are believed by Police Scotland to be linked to criminality ranging from drug importation to a feud which erupted last year between rival criminal gangs in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Advertisement Advertisement Sources previously said both men were "operating at the highest level of organised crime" both at a UK and a global level. The pair were arrested in Dubai in September alongside Steven Larwood - a known associate of Lyons - and Stephen Jamieson. But it is understood they were released in October and told to leave the Gulf state with immediate effect. Jamieson was later extradited to Scotland and has since appeared in court accused of being involved in serious organised crime. Detectives working on Operation Portaledge, which was set up in response to the gang violence across Scotland's central belt from Glasgow to Edinburgh, have so far made more than 60 arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Steven Lyons is the head of the Lyons crime group, which has been involved in a bloody feud with the rival Daniel clan for more than 20 years. In 2006 he survived a shooting at a garage in Lambhill, in the north of Glasgow, which claimed the life of his cousin, Michael Lyons. He later moved to Spain before settling in Dubai. McGill first became known to police for his activities while a senior member of Rangers ultras group, the Union Bears. But in March last year he emerged as a key figure in a gangland feud which has been responsible for a wave of violence in the east and west of the country. BBC Scotland News understands it was triggered by a fall out between McGill and Edinburgh drug dealer Mark Richardson, who is currently in prison. Advertisement Advertisement In May last year, Steven Lyons' brother, Eddie Lyons Jnr, and Ross Monaghan were shot dead in a beachfront bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. Both men had spent the evening watching the Champions League final before they were targeted by a lone gunman. Michael Riley, 44, from Liverpool, has been accused by Spanish police of the murders. He had initially challenged an extradition bid but the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed he had given his consent to be taken to Spain to face prosecution. In the days after the double shooting a Spanish National Police detective said the suspect was a member of the rival Glasgow-based Daniel gang. Advertisement Advertisement But Police Scotland have maintained there is nothing to suggest the murders in Spain are linked to the ongoing gang war or that it was planned in Scotland. It is understood the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has not been approached to provide consular assistance. A New York man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in connection with the murder of his ex-girlfriend, who he brutally executed while she and her three children had been asleep in their home, according to a district attorney. Michael Burhams sentencing on Monday, March 2, comes about two months after he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in relation to the fatal shooting of Kala Hodgkin on May 11, 2023, the Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release. Burham, 37, of Jamestown, was accused of breaking into his former girlfriends home, where she lived with her three children, and killing her in May 2023, Spectrum News reported. Burham is the father of one of the children who had been inside the home during the murder, according to the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Burham was represented by the Chautauqua County Public Defender Office, which did not immediately return Us Weeklys request for comment on March 2. Two months before prosecutors said Burham killed Hodgkin, she had accused him of rape, the district attorneys office said in a January 7 news release on Burhams guilty plea. Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Girlfriend and Her Daughter, 4, Is Sentenced to Death in Florida He had been charged in connection with the rape but had not been arrested by the time he shot her to death the morning of May 11, 2023, according to prosecutors. In a statement shared in January, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt called Burham a monster who prosecutors sought to hold accountable for his heinous, cowardly actions. Advertisement Advertisement Following Hodgkins killing, he allegedly set her car on fire and abducted a couple from Pennsylvania before he traveled to South Carolina, according to authorities, Spectrum News reported. After two weeks, he was apprehended and was ultimately detained in Pennsylvania. In July 2023, Burham escaped from the Warren County Prison in Pennsylvania, leading to a manhunt, according to a previous news release issued by Warren police on his escape. After 10 days on the run, Burham was apprehended, according to Observer Today. Ahead of his sentencing in Hodgkin's death, Schmidt said in January that prosecutors were looking forward to sending him off to state prison where I hope he spends the rest of his life reliving what he did, murdering an innocent young mother, destroying a local family, and traumatizing Kalas surviving children. Advertisement Advertisement New York MMA Fighter Admits to Starving Daughter, 5, to Death in House of Horrors Our thoughts and prayers have been and remain with the children, including Mr. Burhams daughter who was sleeping upstairs when he broke into Kalas home at about 4:20 in the morning and committed this shockingly evil crime, Schmidt added. Burham had been incarcerated ahead of his March 2 sentencing hearing, according to the district attorneys office. He was previously sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison in Pennsylvania in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a local couple and a prison escape, according to authorities, Spectrum News reported. Advertisement Advertisement His sentence in New York and his Pennsylvania prison sentence will be served concurrently, according to the outlet. "It's our intent that if he is still alive after completing his Pennsylvania obligations, that he be incarcerated for the rest of his natural life here in New York state," Schmidt said at a news conference, the outlet reported. "It's always been our goal that Mr. Burham die in prison, that he never be released again." After being detained with his mother by police following a SWAT raid at his home in Arizona and a car search in connection to Nancy Guthries alleged kidnapping, Luke Daley has broken his silence. "It's not me, Daley, 37, told True Crime Arizona host Briana Whitney in an interview released on Monday, March 2, denying that he was the man caught on video outside of Nancys home prior to her disappearance in January. He added, I don't see the resemblance of it looking like me. Absolutely not. I have nothing to do with this case. Advertisement Advertisement Daley recalled driving home in February when he noticed two sheriffs vehicles following me. Everything Savannah Guthrie Has Said About Her Mom Nancy Guthries Disappearance in Arizona Once he was pulled over, he was cuffed and put in the back of a police vehicle. Daley claimed the officers wouldnt tell me anything, but his first thought was, Oh, this is probably about the Guthrie case. Daley claimed that although he lived in the Tucson area, he was not involved in Nancys disappearance. (Savannah Guthries mom, Nancy, went missing from her home on January 31. She is 84.) The whole time during the questioning, it seemed like more of a fishing expedition to get me to say something, Daley alleged, revealing that he told the police that they could see his location by looking at his phone. Advertisement Advertisement Daley said it was tough sitting in the cop car for four or five hours as the police searched his vehicle. I am panicking, he recalled of the thoughts going through his mind. YouTube He added that he was sure he was going to be framed for this because the authorities allegedly didnt tell me any information while he was being searched. Daley is still unsure what led the police to him, noting that one of the scarier moments was when he got home and his mother, 77, wasnt at the house. I dont have my phone to get a hold of her, he recalled of returning home to an empty house, saying his mom went to a neighbors residence but he didnt figure that out until the next day. Advertisement Advertisement Daley noted that his mother, whom he called elderly, has been a lot more stressed since his name was pulled into the investigation. Savannah Guthries Family Cleared as Possible Suspects in Missing Mom Nancy Guthries Case Its been hard. In terms of collectively as a family, its been a nightmare, Daley confessed. Daley was the subject of a search warrant on February 13. After being detained for hours, he was released without being charged. His mother was also detained by law enforcement while their home was searched for a possible connection or clues about Nancys alleged abduction. "Daley and his mother were both detained by law enforcement while the search warrants were being executed," Daleys attorney Chris Scileppi said in a statement to People at the time. "Neither Daley nor his mother were arrested in connection to this case or any other. Courtesy of Savannah Guthrie/Instagram Scileppi claimed, Daley has no link whatsoever to Nancy Guthrie and has no information related to her kidnapping. Like the entire Tucson community, both Daley and his mother are hopeful that Nancy will be returned to her family unharmed. Advertisement Advertisement Daley, for his part, said on Monday that he feels like he was collateral damage because someone said something and then police just go off of it based on no evidence, no truth." Daley maintained his innocence, adding that his prayers go out to the Guthrie family as they continue to look for clues as to what happened to Nancy. "I, like everyone else, just want Nancy to come home and be safe, he said. I hope that shes safe. I hope that they find her. DNA That Does Not Belong to Nancy Guthrie Has Been Collected From Her Property, Police Say Daley concluded that he wants to move on with his life without having this shadow of doubt casted [sic] over me. Advertisement Advertisement Nancy has been missing since the end of January. Savannah confirmed in a video shared via Instagram on February 24 that her familys reward for Nancys recovery had been increased to $1 million. We know that millions of you have been praying. So many people have been praying of every faith and no faith at all, praying for her return, and we feel those prayers, the Today cohost said in a social media release that same day. Please keep praying without ceasing. We still believe. We still believe in a miracle. Savannah continued, We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and with her beloved brother, Pierce, and with our daddy, then if this is what is to be, then we will accept it. But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. Us Weekly has reached out to the Pima County Sheriffs Department for comment. An unidentified man was discovered fatally wounded Monday night inside of a residence in the Roseland neighborhood on the Far South Side, Chicago police said. Shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to a call of a person shot inside a residence in the 10600 block of South Forest Avenue. Police found a man shot to the abdomen and chest who was pronounced dead at the scene. No one was in custody for the fatal shooting, and detectives were investigating. 40 years after the body of a Salem State woman was found on the side of the road in Beverly, a man has been found guilty of her murder. 67-year-old John Carey was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Claire Gravel in 1986. Her body was discovered on the side of Route 128 in Beverly on June 29, 1986. She was found strangled to death. The night before she was found, Gravel allegedly played softball in Salem and later celebrated at Major Magleashes bar on Washington Street with friends. Advertisement Advertisement A Massachusetts State Police investigator told Boston 25 at the time that she left the bar around 1 a.m. however a man told investigators he had given Claire a ride to her apartment. No one saw her arrive home that night, and the account was never verified. Other witnesses told investigators a woman matching Claires description was seen out front of Major Magleashes after it closed, arguing with a man before getting into a car. When Carey was charged with Gravels murder, he was already serving a 20-year sentence for the attempted murder (strangulation) and house invasion for an unrelated case. Carey is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26. A first-degree murder conviction in Massachusetts most automatically carries a life sentence with no parole. Advertisement Advertisement The family of Claire Gravel has waited 40 long years for justice, said District Attorney Tucker. The prosecutors here today, together with our partners in law enforcement, never gave up on Claires case and today we are pleased that at least the family has some answers some closure." 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 Despite promising to end United States involvement in costly and destructive foreign wars, President Donald Trump, together with Israel, has launched a massive military assault on Iran, targeting its leadership and nuclear and missile infrastructure. Much like his predecessors, Trump has relied on military force to pursue US strategic interests, continuing a pattern that has defined US foreign policy for more than two decades. Since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the US capital, the US has engaged in three full-scale wars and bombed at least 10 countries in operations ranging from drone strikes to invasions, often multiple times within a single year. Advertisement Advertisement The graphic below shows all the countries the US has bombed since 2001. These may not include all military strikes, particularly covert or special operations. The US has bombed at least 10 countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Venezuela, Nigeria and Iran since 2001. [Al Jazeera] The cost of decades of war In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, President George W Bush launched what he called a war on terror, a global military campaign that reshaped US foreign policy and triggered wars, invasions and air strikes across numerous countries. According to an analysis by Brown Universitys Watson Institute of International & Public Affairs, US-led wars since 2001 have directly caused the deaths of about 940,000 people across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other conflict zones. Advertisement Advertisement This does not include indirect deaths, namely those caused by loss of access to food, healthcare or war-related diseases. (Al Jazeera) The US has spent an estimated $5.8 trillion funding its more than two decades of conflict. This includes $2.1 trillion spent by the Department of Defense (DOD), $1.1 trillion by Homeland Security, $884bn to increase the DOD base budget, $465bn on veterans medical care and an additional $1 trillion in interest payments on loans taken out to fund the wars. In addition to the $5.8 trillion already spent, the US is expected to have to lay out at least another $2.2 trillion for veterans care over the next 30 years. Advertisement Advertisement This would bring the total estimated cost of US wars since 2001 to $8 trillion. Afghanistan war (2001-2021) The first and most direct response to 9/11 was the invasion of Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power. On October 7, 2001, the US launched Operation Enduring Freedom. The initial invasion succeeded in toppling the Taliban regime within just a few weeks. However, armed resistance groups mounted a prolonged resistance against US and coalition forces. The war went on to become the longest conflict in US history, spanning four presidencies and lasting 20 years until the final withdrawal in 2021, after which the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement An estimated 241,000 people died as a direct result of the war, according to an analysis from Brown Universitys Costs of War project. Hundreds of thousands more people, mostly civilians, died due to hunger, disease and injuries caused by the war. INTERACTIVE-Afghanistan claimed lives At least 3,586 soldiers from the US and its NATO allies were killed in the war, which is estimated to have cost $2.26 trillion for the US, according to the Cost of War project. Iraq war (2003-2011) On March 20, 2003, Bush launched a second war, this time in Iraq, claiming that President Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction a claim that proved to be false. On May 1, 2003, Bush declared mission accomplished and the end of major combat operations in Iraq. Bush on board the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, where he declared combat operations in Iraq over on May 1, 2003 [Larry Downing/Reuters] However, the subsequent years were defined by violence from armed groups and a power vacuum that fuelled the rise of ISIL (ISIS). Advertisement Advertisement In 2008, Bush agreed to withdraw US combat troops, a process completed in 2011 under President Barack Obama. The drone wars: Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen Although not declared wars, the US has also expanded its air and drone campaigns. Beginning in the mid-2000s, the CIA launched drone strikes inside Pakistans tribal areas along the Afghan border, targeting al-Qaeda and Taliban figures believed to be operating there. These strikes marked the early expansion of remote warfare. Obama dramatically expanded the drone strikes in Pakistan, particularly in the early years of his presidency. At the same time, the US conducted air strikes in Somalia against suspected al-Qaeda affiliates, later targeting fighters linked to al-Shabab as that armed group grew in strength. Advertisement Advertisement In Yemen, US forces carried out missile and drone strikes against al-Qaeda leaders. Libya intervention In 2011 during an uprising against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the US joined a NATO-led intervention in Libya. American forces launched air and missile strikes to enforce a no-fly zone. Gaddafi was overthrown and killed, and Libya descended into prolonged instability and factional fighting. Iraq and Syria From 2014 onwards, the US intervened in the Syrian war with the stated goal of defeating ISIL. Building on its campaign in Iraq, the US conducted sustained air strikes in Syria while supporting local partner forces on the ground. In Iraq, US forces advised Iraqi troops, fought ISIL remnants and tried to counter Iranian influence, highlighted by a Trump-ordered 2020 strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. A Marlborough man was arrested on Monday on accusations he sexually abused a minor, according to Connecticut State Police. Michael Lowell Eggert, 51, was charged with risk of injury to a child and held on a $200,000 bond, state police said in a news release. He was scheduled to be arraigned in state Superior Court in Manchester on Tuesday. Police began investigating Eggert in April 2025. The victim, who was 8 years old at the time, told a forensic interviewer that Eggert had sexually abused her on three occasions, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement The girl also said Eggert had told her multiple times not to tell her parents, and that "it was a secret between him and her," the affidavit states. The girl told the interviewer that "these incidents made her feel scared and angry" and "she didn't like what Mike did to her," according to the affidavit. Later that month, police went to Eggert's home, and Eggert told police he would go to Troop K to provide a statement. Less than an hour later, he called troopers, saying his attorney had instructed him not to speak to police, the affidavit states. Eggert's attorney provided police with an affidavit from Eggert, which said that Eggert "denies any verbal or physical contact with [the victim] that would be described as criminal," according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Those who have suffered from sexual violence can speak to specialists for support, information, advice or a referral by calling the free and confidential National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Those who wish to chat online with trained specialists, which is also free and confidential, can also go to RAINN.org/Get-Help. Help is available 24/7. To report cases of child exploitation, visit CyberTipline.com. This article originally published at Marlborough man accused of sexually abusing 8-year-old, police say. A man died early Tuesday morning in a fire at his Foxborough home, according to the Massachusetts State Fire Marshals Office. Foxborough firefighters responded to 39 Granite St. just before 3 a.m. after a Foxborough police officer on patrol smelled smoke in the area, the fire marshals office said in a press release. While searching the single-family home later that day, investigators found a man in his 80s, the fire marshals office said. The man, who was the homes only resident, was declared dead at the scene. A dog also died in the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Our hearts go out to the family that lost a loved one this morning, Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher said in the release. This is a sad day for them and our community. By the time firefighters arrived Tuesday morning, flames had engulfed much of the home and were venting through the windows, the fire marshals office said. Crews began attacking the fire from the ground and used an aerial ladder to gain roof access. Firefighters knocked down the bulk of the fire in about an hour, but are expected to remain at the scene through the afternoon, the fire marshals office said. Mansfield and Plainville firefighters also helped extinguish the fire. The Brockton Fire Departments Heavy Rescue Team assisted crews at the scene given the structural damage, the fire marshals office said. The 2.5-story home was badly damaged in the fire. Advertisement Advertisement State and local fire investigators will determine the origin and cause of the fire, the fire marshals office said. The Chief Medical Examiners Office will determine the mans cause and manner of death. This winter has been especially challenging for Massachusetts firefighters, State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in the release. Notwithstanding the bitter cold and heavy snow, theyve confronted fatal fires in every region of the state. In too many cases, they found smoke alarms that werent working or no alarms at all. Please take a few minutes to be sure you and your loved ones are protected by working smoke alarms on every level of your home. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. An 80-year-old man and his dog were killed in an early morning fire in Foxborough, according to the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal. The Foxborough Fire Department responded to 39 Granite Street just before 3 a.m. this morning after police smelled smoke in the area on patrol. Authorities discovered the home to be well involved on arrival, with flames coming through the windows. The home sustained major damage in the fire, according to the fire marshal, and an 80-year-old man was found in the home deceased. Advertisement Advertisement He was the sole resident of the house, and a dog also perished in the fire. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in about an hour, but authorities are expected to remain at the scene throughout the day to investigate. Our hearts go out to the family that lost a loved one this morning, said Foxboro Fire Chief Kelleher. This is a sad day for them and our community. 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 Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Capstone Copper (TSX:CS) reports record copper production and confirms it has met its 2025 guidance. The company highlights progress on new growth projects, including the Mantoverde Optimized Project. Capstone advances the Santo Domingo Project through a new partnership aimed at developing the asset. Capstone Copper, trading at CA$13.71, is coming off a strong run, with the share price up 76.2% over the past year and 263.7% over five years. The company pairs that share price performance with record copper output and confirmation that it has met its 2025 production and cost guidance, which gives investors more concrete operational context around the stock's recent move. For you as an investor, the new Mantoverde Optimized Project and the partnership on Santo Domingo point to a pipeline of internal growth projects rather than relying only on acquisitions. The progress of these projects, along with how consistently Capstone can keep hitting its guidance, may be key factors to watch when you are assessing TSX:CS over the longer term. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Capstone Copper by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Capstone Copper. TSX:CS Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 Beyond the headline: 0 risks and 4 things going right for Capstone Copper that every investor should see. For Capstone Copper, record production in 2025 and confirmation that guidance was met ties directly into how the business model scales. Higher volumes at controlled costs helped the company report full year sales of US$2,359.89 million and net income of US$315.87 million, with earnings per share from continuing operations at US$0.41. That points to better use of existing assets and gives Capstone more financial flexibility to fund its own projects rather than leaning purely on external capital. The Mantoverde Optimized Project and the Santo Domingo partnership with Orion Resource Partners suggest Capstone is leaning into organic, copper focused growth, which matters when you compare it with diversified peers like Freeport McMoRan, Teck Resources or Southern Copper that balance copper with other commodities. How This Fits Into The Capstone Copper Narrative Mayor Aftab Pureval said allowing an accused gunman in the Riverfront Live mass shooting the possibility of being released on bond was "problematic and extremely concerning." Franeek Cobb, 24, was arrested March 2 on a single charge of felonious assault in connection with the mass shooting. As of Tuesday afternoon, Cobb remains in jail. Investigators said Cobb had a longstanding grudge with Derrick Long, 29, and opened fire in a crowded venue when he spotted his rival. Nine people were shot. Long is also charged in the shooting. Police say a shooting left nine people wounded during an event at Riverfront Live early on March 1, 2026. Nine people were injured in a mass shooting at Riverfront Live on Kellogg Avenue in Cincinnati on March 1, 2026. Mass shooting at Riverfront Live show injures 9 1 of 2 Police say a shooting left nine people wounded during an event at Riverfront Live early on March 1, 2026. There were 500 to 600 people in the venue early Sunday when shots rang out and about 20 people reported injuries because they were trampled fleeing the gunfire, Cincinnati police victim's advocate Karen Rumsey said. Advertisement Advertisement Cobb appeared in Hamilton County Municipal Court before Judge Bernard Mundy on March 3. Cobb's lawyer, Anna Mallory, said her client acted in self-defense. Prosecutors asked for a high bond. Mundy set bond at $50,000, noting he could only issue bond for a single felonious assault charge because it was the count filed at the time. "I stand in opposition. This is a community safety issue," Pureval said in the statement March 3. "The accused, after such a horrific event involving so many victims, should not be on the streets during the court process." The debate over bonds has grown increasingly political. Former prosecutor Joe Deters, a Republican, routinely called out judges on social media for the bonds they set. Connie Pillich, a Democrat, now holds the prosecutor's office. Cincinnati Police Department Chief Teresa Theetge also raised concerns about bond decisions and what she called the justice system's "revolving door" before she was placed on administrative leave in the runup to November's mayoral election. The goal of a bond is to get a defendant to return to court. Judges consider a number of factors when setting bonds including public safety, affordability, the criminal record of the defendant and the seriousness of the alleged offense. Advertisement Advertisement Cobb has prior felony conviction and is barred from possessing firearms. Franeek Cobb, 24, was arraigned in Hamilton County Municipal Court on March 3, 2026 after a mass shooting at Riverfront Live the weekend prior. Pureval said he's spoken to the city law department and Pillich requesting a fast-tracked grand jury hearing. Cobb could be indicted on additional charges by the grand jury, and his bond could be reassessed. As of 3 p.m. on March 3, Cobb was still listed as an inmate at the Hamilton County Justice Center. He also faces federal weapons charges. Jail records show Cobb has a "holder," which could pertain to those charges. The Enquirer contacted the Cincinnati Police Department to ask why Cobb was charged with a single count of felonious assault. Advertisement Advertisement Department spokesman Anthony Mitchell said the investigation is still open, the evidence is still being assessed and that charges could be added as they come to light. In cases like this, the prosecutor can also request a "no-bond hearing" to keep a defendant in jail. Assistant Prosecutor Connor Wood requested a high bond, but did not ask for a no-bond hearing. Officials in the prosecutors office declined to comment on why a nobond hearing wasnt requested. The Enquirer contacted the mayors office on March 3 to ask whom the mayors statement was directed toward. Jack Willingham, the mayor's communications director, said only that the statement speaks for itself. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bond for suspect in Cincinnati mass shooting 'problematic,' mayor says BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Louisiana woman is transforming compassion into action across multiple parishes, earning her the title of our 2026 Remarkable Women contest winner. Whitney Andrus, a wife and mother of two, turned her personal health journey into a growing nonprofit mission focused on food access and education. Open about her own struggles, from being severely underweight to overweight, Andrus uses her story to connect with others. Ive never shied away from using old photos of myself, she said. I want them to know that Ive been there. Her work now reaches thousands. In just one year, she worked with approximately 16,300 students, visiting schools from pre-K through high school to create engaging, judgment-free conversations about nutrition. Advertisement Advertisement Inspired by viral TikTok videos, Andrus launched the Manna Bag Program, providing families with complete meal kits and easy-to-follow recipes. Since August 2025, she has packed nearly 600 bags, including her signature Creole white bean soup. I thought, Man, I want something thats 24/7 accessible, and that requires no registration, no questions, said Andrus. She said traditional food pantries often left families unsure how to use individual items. People wouldnt know what to do with just this can of beans, she said. To remove barriers, Andrus has built five food stands and operates 10 pantry locations, including one in a former drive-thru, offering 24/7 access with no registration required. Fifteen more pantries are on a waiting list. Advertisement Advertisement Her nonprofit, Whole Heart Health, officially launched in 2025 with a mission to make food literacy accessible to all. Andrus says her mission is simple: meet people where they are and never underestimate the power of showing up. My main mission is to serve myself out of a job, later. To be like theres no need for somebody to teach you about food as an adult, said Andrus. Winning the 2026 honor will help expand her outreach, secure funding, and build more pantry sites. I nominated Whitney because this is an amazing opportunity for her to grow and to get some funds to help. So shes not using all of her own personal money to fund this, said friend Heather Boley. Advertisement Advertisement Andrus is one of dozens of women heading to Nashville for the national Remarkable Women competition. I know what it is to be 20 years old with an overdrawn bank account, Andrus said. Lets change the conversation around health and wellness and make it more inclusive. Latest News 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 Louisiana First News. First Lady Melania Trump presided over a United Nations Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict in New York on Monday, as the US continues its military action in Iran. Her remarks centred around the role of education for children in "advancing tolerance and world peace". It is the first time the spouse of any world leader has presided over the meeting, which Trump did on behalf of the US as it assumed the rotating presidency of the UN council this month. Advertisement Advertisement The first lady also offered her condolences to families of US service members who have been killed, though she did not explicitly mention any particular military action. "Their bravery and dedication will always be remembered," she said. "I extend my earnest wishes for a swift and smooth recovery to all those who have been injured. You are in my thoughts and prayers during these challenging times." Trump, who advocates for children in her official role, also said: "The US stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours". The plan for her to chair the meeting was announced late last month. Advertisement Advertisement UN Under-Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo said during the meeting that "when conflicts erupt, children are among those most severely affected". "We have been reminded of this truth over the last two days," she said. "Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have closed and moved to remote learning owing to the ongoing military operations in the region," she added. She also cited the reports from Iran about a elementary school strike. Iranian officials say a strike hit an elementary school in the town of Minab on Saturday, killing 153. Iran has blamed the US and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Before Monday's meeting began, Iran's ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said "it is deeply shameful and hypocritical that on the very first day of its presidency of the Security Council, the United States convened a high-level meeting on protecting children". The US military's Central Command has said it was looking into reports of the incident, while Israel's military said it was "not aware" of any IDF operations in the area. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that "the United States will not deliberately target a school." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed agreement on Iran policy during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday. "We are on the same page in terms of getting this terrible regime in Tehran away," Merz said in his brief opening statement during his second official visit to US President Donald Trump in Washington. "[I am] really happy to have the opportunity to speak with you in these challenging times." Merz said to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement "We will talk about the day after, what will happen then" when the Iranian leadership is out of power, Merz said. Germany, like the other European NATO allies of the United States, is not involved in the attacks on Iran. Merz had pointed out the risks of an escalation of the war on Sunday and expressed doubts about whether a change of leadership in Iran can be brought about in this way. However, he also expressed understanding for the military action and refrained from criticism. A Mexican cartel boss who was killed during a shoot-out with police was buried in a gold coffin. The funeral of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, took place in Guadalajara in Jalisco state in the west of the country, a stronghold for the cartel he headed. El Menchos killing sparked violence across Mexico and the national guard was deployed to the funeral on Monday to prevent fresh clashes. The hearse carrying the gold coffin of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes arrives at the Recinto de la Paz cemetery - Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes - DEA Handout/via Reuters Large floral tributes were seen being carried into the funeral home before the ceremony on Monday, including one in the shape of a rooster a reference to the drug lords love of cockfighting. Advertisement Advertisement Five lorries were needed to take tributes, most of which had been sent anonymously, to the cemetery. The funeral procession was accompanied by a band playing songs praising drug lords. The traditional song El Muchacho Alegre The Cheerful Boy was played as Osegueras gold coffin was brought to a chapel in the cemetery grounds, according to local media. A floral cross was among the five lorryloads of tributes sent to mark the drug lords funeral - Reuters The funeral was attended by a heavy security presence - Reuters Many of the mourners concealed their identities using face masks during the hour-long ceremony, before they followed the coffin as it was carried to the grave. Local media said that the plot of the grave was relatively modest in comparison with those of other drug lords, which are often topped with large and opulent mausoleums. Local media said the plot where El Mencho was buried was modest in comparison to the elaborate mausoleums of other cartel bosses - Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images El Mencho, 59, the founder of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was Mexicos most wanted man. The US had offered a $15m (11.2m) reward for information which would lead to his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement He died on February 22 after military intelligence followed one of his lovers to a mountain hideout, where there was a shoot-out in which several suspected cartel members died alongside him. News of his death triggered unrest across at least 20 of Mexicos 32 states. Armed groups torched vehicles, blocked an estimated 250 roads and attacked security forces. The killing of El Mencho marked one of the most significant blows against organised crime in Mexico in recent years. It is a major victory for Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexicos president, who has faced mounting pressure from Washington to curb fentanyl trafficking. 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. Lawmakers in the Michigan House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday wrapped up testimony on a large, bipartisan package of bills taking a three-prong approach toward drone regulations. Rep. William Bruck (R-Erie Township) told committee members that the bills discussed at previous meetings centered on protecting critical infrastructure security and public safety, while the proposals up for discussion on Tuesday House Bills 53285332 focused on additional cyber security measures. Among those guardrails is a ban on using state dollars to purchase drones made by companies listed as concerns by the federal government. This includes the list of Chinese military companies published in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, the U.S. Department of Treasurys military-industrial complex sanction list and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security entity list. Advertisement Advertisement The package also bans state entities from operating drones purchased from those companies while providing a five-year window for state agencies to replace drones purchased by companies of concern. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On a federal level, they have deemed that these drones are not nefarious, but theyre insecure by nature of the manufacturers that have created them, Bruck said, noting that many of these drones are manufactured overseas with hardware and software that could allow them to be accessed by unauthorized individuals. State Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor Township), whose House Bill 5331 helps set up the ban on state agencies purchasing and operating drones from companies of concern, said the policy was based on a similar effort instituted in Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement My bill aligns Michigans drone procurement standards with federal guidelines, ensuring consistent and secure purchasing practice for state agencies, local governments and education institutions, Conlin said. The package also tasks the Michigan Department of Transportations Aeronautics Division with creating a registry of unmanned aircraft. However, the department would not be tasked with responding to security concerns, Bruck explained, they would merely retain information on registered drones. The committee did not hold votes on the five bills up for consideration, nor on the remaining bills in the package. Following news the U.S. military conducted a mission that killed the leader of Iran, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee called for someone to "now take out" the governor of Minnesota. Dan O'Donnell, afternoon drive host on WISN-AM (1130), which is owned by iHeartMedia, has since deleted the March 1 posts on X. "Now take out the Supreme Leader of Minnesota. We will be greeted as liberators," O'Donnell posted. Advertisement Advertisement He then replied to the tweet with an AI photo of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wearing a black turban with the phrase "Death to fraud investigations!" in quotes. Minnesota is in the midst of a large and evolving crackdown on potential social services fraud. Walz, who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election, announced he would not seek reelection as governor. Minnesota is also the state where last year a 57-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing a former House Speaker and her husband and injuring another lawmaker and his wife. From the radio host who led the charge to get a metrologist fired because she posted that Nazism is bad pic.twitter.com/jzXAkBWou6 Evan Rytlewski (@Evanryt) March 2, 2026 O'Donnell's posts came just days removed from the beginning of the United States' war with Iran in which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Advertisement Advertisement Six U.S. service members have been killed in the war so far, according to the U.S. military, as well as hundreds of Iranians. O'Donnell, a vehement supporter of President Donald Trump and the "Make America Great Again!" movement, is known to go after the Democratic Party and members of the political left. He is also often critical of journalists and played a major role in amplifying political posts from a Milwaukee meteorologist in January 2025, leading to her dismissal from the station. O'Donnell didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. WISN-AM also did not immediately respond to a request. This story was updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee radio host Dan O'Donnell posts to 'take out' the Minnesota governor When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Bovino and law enforcement officers in Minnesota on Jan. 8, 2026. | Credit: Victor J. Blue / Bloomberg / Getty Images What happened The top prosecutor in Minneapolis Monday said her office is investigating at least 17 potential crimes committed by federal immigration agents during Operation Metro Surge. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at least one of the incidents involved Border Patrol official Greg Bovino, the former public face of President Donald Trumps aggressive deportation operations in Minneapolis and other cities. She encouraged the public to submit photos, videos and eyewitness accounts of potential unlawful behavior by federal agents. We will investigate and pursue charging where appropriate, Moriarty said. Who said what There are many victims whose stories need to be told, Moriarty said at a news conference. The incidents under review include the use of tear gas and chemical irritants in public parks and a high school, and Moriarty said she was confident her office will be able to pursue charges in the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. The Department of Homeland Security said the investigation was unlawful, because federal officials acting in the course of their duties are immune from liability under state law. Moriarty disputed that, saying there is no absolute immunity for federal agents. She will have to find evidence that agents acted unlawfully and outside the scope of their authorized duties, Rachel Moran, a criminal law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, told The Associated Press. But I think agents did illegal things here. I watched it. What next? The Justice Department is investigating Prettis shooting but not Goods, and it continues to actively obstruct any state investigation into their deaths, said The Minnesota Star Tribune. Moriarty said she was prepared to sue for access to the withheld federal evidence from the shootings if she didnt hear from the feds by today. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) filed a federal lawsuit Monday after the Trump administration announced last week it was temporarily halting some Medicaid funding because of fraud concerns. The lawsuit comes in response to an announcement last week by Vice President JD Vance and Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, claiming that the administration was pausing $259 million in Medicaid funding in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American peoples tax money. Ellison and the DHS claim the actions are illegal, and are also requesting that the court issue a temporary restraining order to block the pause. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administrations M.O. is to cut first, no matter what the law says or who gets hurt, and ask questions later, if at all," Ellison said in a statement. "These cuts are the latest in a long series of efforts to go around the law to punish Minnesotans but just as we fought back and won when they illegally tried to cut funding for childcare, hungry families, and our schools, we are suing them again today to make them follow the law." During a press conference last week, Vance explained that the providers had already been paid by the state, but now the federal government was holding off on reimbursing the state those funds "until the state government takes its obligations seriously to stop the fraud that's being perpetrated against the American taxpayer." RELATED: What does a deferral of nearly $260M in Minnesota Medicaid funding mean? Providers don't know yet. Oz later explained that Gov. Tim Walz would have 60 days to respond, advising health care providers and Medicaid beneficiaries who were concerned to contact Walzs office. Advertisement Advertisement "If providers and beneficiaries are worried about getting their money and services, please call your governor," Oz said. "These are services the governor has already paid for; we are just not reimbursing the state. To make it clear, there is a rainy day fund in Minnesota, so we are very confident that people will not be hurt in Minnesota. This is not a problem with the people of Minnesota, it's a problem with the leadership of Minnesota and other states who do not take Medicaid preservation seriously." Ellison's lawsuit, which is filed against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), argues that the Trump administration is illegally attempting to withhold $243 million in Medicaid payments. The decision by federal officials to defer funding from Minnesotas Medicaid program ignores the massive effort and resources we are already directing to identifying and addressing fraud most of which are known to, or even directed by, CMS, said Minnesota Department of Human Services deputy commissioner and state Medicaid director John Connolly in a statement. It is extremely concerning to us given this could have a drastic and devastating impacts on Minnesotans who rely on our health care system. In a news release accompanying the announcement, CMS said the funding being paused in Minnesota included some $244 million in unsupported or potentially fraudulent Medicaid claims and about $15 million in claims involving individuals lacking a satisfactory immigration status. Advertisement Advertisement Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly-free coverage for health services. According to Ellison, Medicaid provides healthcare insurance for more than one million Minnesotans. ____ The Associated Press contributed to this article More than a dozen incidents involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, including top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, are being investigated to determine whether any laws were broken during Operation Metro Surge, the Hennepin County Attorneys Office announced Monday. The investigation, dubbed the Transparency and Accountability Project, is being conducted by county prosecutors and a civilian staffer, who are collecting evidence submitted by the public, county officials said. As part of the investigation, a new portal was created for residents to share images and descriptions of incidents involving unlawful conduct by federal agents. Advertisement Advertisement We will investigate and pursue charging where appropriate, and well seek collaboration with local law enforcement wherever and whenever needed, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a news release. Make no mistake, we are not afraid of any legal fight. But we will do this ethically, responsibly, and vigorously. CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. So far, the county attorneys office team is investigating 17 incidents that were brought to their attention by the community, including a January encounter where Bovino was seen deploying a chemical agent into a crowd of protesters, Moriarty said. After the incident involving Bovino, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol agents were in the area as part of a targeted enforcement operation when they were repeatedly harassed and blocked by hostile crowds while simply trying to take bathroom breaks. Advertisement Advertisement Federal immigration agents descended on Minneapolis and St. Paul during Operation Metro Surge, leading to months of clashes between officers and protesters. The crackdown was targeting the worst of the worst of undocumented immigrants in Minneapolis. Federal agents gather next to a damaged vehicle after its driver, Renee Good, was shot by an immigration agent in Minneapolis. - Tim Evans/Reuters During the operation, the community suffered immeasurable harm, Moriarty said Monday in reference to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, US citizens who were fatally shot by agents in separate incidents that were widely caught on camera and spurred more tense protests. On February 12, White House border czar Tom Homan, who took over the operation from Bovino, announced Operation Metro Surge would end. At its peak, about 3,000 immigration officers surged into the area, and DHS has said its officers arrested thousands of criminal illegal aliens during the crackdown. Advertisement Advertisement The Hennepin County Attorneys Office is currently in court fighting with the federal government for access to evidence from the Pretti shooting. The attorneys office opened a similar evidence portal in the investigation over Prettis death that has since been closed, Moriarty said. There are many victims whose stories need to be told, she said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) ranks among the best spring stocks to buy right now. On January 22, Truist Securities boosted its price target for The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) to $122 from $120, while maintaining a Buy rating on the companys shares. The revision came in tandem with Truist raising its Charles Schwab expectations owing to increased net interest income (NII), which is somewhat offset by higher projected expenses. The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) Projects Strong Net Interest Income Growth For 2026, Truist now projects expense growth of 5.9% year-over-year, which, on an adjusted basis, is in line with the midpoint of Charles Schwabs estimate range of 5.56.5%. The updated adjusted pretax margin estimate of 52% corresponds to the companys estimated low 50s range for 2026. Additionally, Truist projects $8.25 billion in share buybacks for the year, reflecting around 4.6% of market capitalization. The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is a savings and loan holding company that engages in securities brokerage, wealth management, custody, asset management, and financial advisory services. While we acknowledge the potential of SCHW 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. READ NEXT: 10 Best Magic Formula Stocks for 2025 and 10 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. March 3 (UPI) -- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the state's Department of Human Services filed a lawsuit against the federal government for withholding $259 million in Medicaid funds. Last week, Vice President JD Vance and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the withholding of funds saying it was because of alleged Medicaid fraud in the state. On Monday, Ellison announced the suit against CMS and HHS. He said he would also request the court to issue a temporary restraining order against Oz and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop them from withholding funds. Advertisement Advertisement "The Trump Administration's M.O. is to cut first, no matter what the law says or who gets hurt, and ask questions later, if at all," Ellison said in a statement "These cuts are the latest in a long series of efforts to go around the law to punish Minnesotans -- but just as we fought back and won when they illegally tried to cut funding for childcare, hungry families and our schools, we are suing them again today to make them follow the law. "Fighting fraud should be bipartisan but the Trump Administration not only hasn't helped the fight against fraud, they've actually harmed it," Ellison added. "Trump's attempts to look like he's fighting fraud only punish the people and families who most need the high-quality, affordable healthcare that all Minnesotans deserve." The saga of funding the state began on Jan. 6, when the Trump administration announced that it would withhold more than $2 billion a year for "noncompliance." Minnesota appealed and, "to this date, has not yet been told how it is noncompliant or what it can do to remedy the Administration's concerns," the suit says. "Impatient that it cannot withhold the $2 billion until Minnesota is provided a hearing and other due process, the Administration 'deferred' $243 million from the State on Feb. 25." Advertisement Advertisement The suit said there is "no avenue to Minnesota for relief. Although, in theory, CMS has only 90 days to decide whether to pay a claim, CMS regularly evades the 90-day deadline by claiming that the state's submissions are insufficient or by demanding additional information so that the 90-day deadline never begins." Ellison alleges that the administration is giving the state the runaround. On Jan. 20, 2026, CMS told the state it would provide documents necessary for the appeal, but hasn't offered them, the press release from Ellison said. "According to CMS, they have been unable to obtain the documents from senior leadership. As such, no hearing has yet been scheduled on the noncompliance notice." NEED TO KNOW A 13-month-old baby was reported missing on Saturday, Feb. 28 The child was located later that day, left in the fathers car, which was towed to an impound lot On Monday, March 2, a man was taken into custody in connection with the case, and authorities are investigating potential criminal charges A 13-month-old baby was found abandoned in a car at a Michigan impound lot on Saturday, Feb. 28. The baby was reported missing to the Detroit Police Department (DPD), and a DPD detective began an investigation, later suspecting the child was left in the fathers car that was towed to an Eastpointe, Mich. impound lot on Saturday, Feb. 28, WWJ 950 reported. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, March 2, a man was taken into custody in connection with the incident as authorities investigate potential criminal charges. The DPD detective then contacted the Harper Woods Police Department (HWPD), according to Fox 2. The HWPD confirmed that the car was towed "due to being abandoned, improperly parked on the prohibited side of the street, and blocking a residents driveway." Officials said that the towing service did not do a thorough check of the car because it was reportedly locked, per CBS News. Woods Towing and Services in Eastpointe, Michigan Credit: Google Maps DPD and HWPD officers were dispatched to the tow yard, where the crying child was found in the cars backseat. The child was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, and Child Protective Services was contacted. 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. PEOPLE reached out to the Detroit Police Department and the Harper Woods Police Department for comment. Advertisement Advertisement If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People The Washington State Patrol (WSP) issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert (MIPA) for a 14-year-old last seen in Bellingham, Washington. According to the MIPA, the teenager did not return home from school on Monday. By 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, the alert had been canceled after the teenager was found, according to the WSP. On Tuesday, March 10, voters across Mississippi will head to the polls for the states federal primary elections. Voters will choose party nominees for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in Mississippis four congressional districts. The winners will advance to the November general election. Mississippi holds open primaries, meaning registered voters may choose either the Democratic or Republican ballot, but not both. Advertisement Advertisement Heres everything you need to know before heading to the polls. Local news: Pearl River flood control project approved, Jackson area officials say Jackson bribery scandal: DOJ responds to Hinds DA motion to dismiss in Mississippi bribery case When do polls open? How do I know where to vote? Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can find their polling place by visiting the Mississippi Secretary of States website at sos.ms.gov and using the My Election Day lookup tool. Mississippi requires voters to present a valid photo ID at the polls. Whos on the ballot? Mississippi has two U.S. senators, but only one seat is on the ballot this year. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smiths seat is up for election in 2026. Mississippis other U.S. senator, Roger Wicker, was reelected in 2024 and is not on the ballot this cycle. Advertisement Advertisement MISSISSIPPI ELECTIONS: How much money have US Senate candidates in Mississippi raised? Both parties have contested primaries for Hyde-Smiths seat. On the Democratic ballot, candidates include: Scott Colom Albert R. Littell Priscilla W. Till On the Republican ballot, candidates include: Sarah Adlakha Cindy Hyde-Smith All four of Mississippis seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot this year. Members of the House serve two-year terms, which means every seat is up for election every two years. Mississippi is divided into four congressional districts, and voters will only see the race for the district in which they reside. Advertisement Advertisement MISSISSIPPI ELECTIONS: How much money have US House candidates in Mississippi raised? 1st Congressional District (North Mississippi) Democratic ballot: Kelvin Buck, Cliff Johnson Republican ballot: Trent Kelly 2nd Congressional District (Central Mississippi, including parts of Jackson and the Delta) Democratic ballot: Bennie G. Thompson, Evan Turnage, Pertis Williams III Republican ballot: Ron Eller, Kevin Wilson 3rd Congressional District (East Mississippi) Democratic ballot: Michael A. Chiaradio Republican ballot: Michael Guest 4th Congressional District (South Mississippi and the Coast) Democratic ballot: Paul James Blackman, D. Ryan Grover, Jeffrey Hulum III Republican ballot: Mike Ezell, Sawyer Walters Advertisement Advertisement UMMC cyberattack: UMMC clinics remain closed through Friday despite 'significant progress' Can I vote absentee? Absentee voting is available for the March 10 primary. In-person absentee voting through county circuit clerks offices continues until noon on Saturday, March 7. Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received within five business days to be counted. Military and overseas voters may return absentee ballots by fax or email by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Whats at stake? These primaries will determine the Democratic and Republican nominees who will appear on the November general election ballot. In districts where only one candidate qualified for a partys primary, that candidate automatically advances to November as the partys nominee. Advertisement Advertisement If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in a contested primary, a runoff election will be held in April 7. The winners in November will serve two-year terms in the U.S. House and a six-year term in the U.S. Senate. Sample ballot: Democratic Federal Primary Election Sample ballot: Republican Federal Primary Election Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. Contact him at cdrape@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi voters go to polls March 10 2026 for primary election sample ballots When state Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs first arrived in Jefferson City as a lobbyist in 2015, a woman who had been around the Capitol longer pulled her aside and offered advice that sounded, at first, absurd for a statehouse job. Dont drink from the special refrigerator in someones office. Dont go for one-on-one drinks after hours. Dont accept an open beverage you didnt see poured. Are you telling me how to conduct myself at the Capitol, Fuchs remembered thinking, or are you telling me how to conduct myself at a frat party? Advertisement Advertisement For years, Fuchs, a St. Louis Democrat, followed the rules and then she won a seat in the Missouri House in 2024 and joined the place she had learned to navigate as if it came with its own set of hazards. During her first session last year, she said, she broke one rule: she took a drink from someone she didnt know well. After that, her memory collapses into gaps. The next day she was sick and disoriented, trying to talk herself out of what her body seemed to be telling her. And near the end of the legislative session, she said, she watched something eerily familiar happen again, this time to a colleague who was perfectly coherent one moment and struggling to manage stairs the next. On Monday night, Fuchs shared her story publicly during a hearing of the House Emerging Issues Committee as she introduced legislation meant to stiffen penalties for certain substances commonly linked to drink-spiking and sexual assault. Advertisement Advertisement The bill would classify several psychoactive substances as Schedule I controlled substances alongside heroin and marijuana. It would increase penalties for possession and distribution in an effort, Fuchs said, to deter people from carrying drugs that have few legitimate explanations in social settings and to respond to the reality that some of them can be difficult to detect after the fact. I broke my own rule, Fuchs said in an interview Tuesday morning, describing a particular kind of guilt that can attach even to suspicion. That shame, she said, is part of why incidents go unreported. The drugs leave the body quickly, she said, victims second-guess themselves and the window for proof closes fast. House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, told the committee she questioned whether she, too, had been drugged last year after a night in Jefferson City when she had been drinking only club soda. She suddenly felt inebriated, she said, and spent the next day vomiting. In an interview with The Independent, Aune said she personally knew of three instances last year involving lawmakers herself, Fuchs and another colleague and that even when women believe something happened, many talk themselves out of it before they ever consider filing a police report. Advertisement Advertisement Too often, Aune said, the default is to assume it was their fault. And in politics, she added, doubt has a way of metastasizing into risk. Because there is this atmosphere of a kind of a good old boys club, she said, its just hard for women to feel heard or to feel like theyll be taken seriously. In many workplaces, Aune said, accusing a colleague or superior can be professionally perilous. In a statehouse, she said, it can also become partisan ammunition, a reputational weapon or a reason for allies to quietly step away. So many women are afraid that they will get marked with a scarlet letter, she said. Advertisement Advertisement The instinct to minimize is one of the Missouri Capitols most durable traditions. In 2015, after House Speaker John Diehl resigned amid revelations of sexually inappropriate texts with a 19-year-old intern and state Sen. Paul LeVota stepped down following allegations of harassment and retaliation from interns, lawmakers promised a cultural reset. Training was mandated. Complaint procedures were tightened. Leaders spoke of professionalism. But the buildings warnings have endured, passed down like folk wisdom from older women to younger ones, from lobbyists to interns to legislators. Last spring, a debate in the Missouri Senate veered abruptly into an accusation that a sexual predator was working in the Capitol and that powerful people knew who it was and were protecting them. The lawmaker who made the claim, Democratic state Sen. Stephen Webber of Columbia, said he could not reveal the persons identity because he had promised confidentiality to victims. Advertisement Advertisement But the charge aired in the open, with no name attached and no clear path to accountability landed as a kind of institutional indictment. It is against that backdrop that Fuchs describes her legislation as both policy and signal, a way of saying out loud that the old rules exist for a reason and that the people who pass them down are not being dramatic. Fuchs said she first saw a version of her proposed legislation while scrolling social media and reading about a German effort to increase penalties tied to certain date rape drugs. The feeling that followed was a desire to make clear, in Jefferson City, that the problem was not imaginary and would not be ignored. We know whats going on here, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Aune put it more plainly, as a warning that sounds familiar in a place that keeps needing it. Watch yourself everywhere you go, she said. Be aware who is pouring the drink. Be aware who is handing it to you. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, expressed safety concerns in a harassment restraining order petition filed in Stearns County District Court last week. The restraining order comes after the Minnesota State Patrol states a woman left the lawmaker a voicemail saying "she would like to see Demuth 'fall at the end of a barrel.'" The Minnesota State Patrol also filed a petition for an extreme risk protection order against the woman, Rachel Marie Welsch, of Hugo, who also allegedly left voicemails with state Rep. Patti Anderson, R-Dellwood. In the petition, Sgt. Kelly Phillips wrote that Welsch called the two legislators "almost daily" and left voicemails about current political issues. More: The Minnesota shooting is the first deadly attack in decades against a politician in the state Advertisement Advertisement In the voicemails, Welsch said she was attending permit to carry classes, according to the petition filed by state patrol, in which Phillips wrote Welsch left a voicemail for "Demuth saying she could not wait to see (her) in person and wanted to show her just what she has been learning in the (permit to carry) classes." In her restraining order petition, Demuth wrote these threats impacted her routine and caused "distress" for her family. "I have added additional security measures at my home and have changed my previous patterns of going to and from work and for being in the public," Demuth wrote in the petition. "The harassment has also caused much distress for my family members and their concern for my safety." Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, is also running to be the state's next governor. Welsch faces criminal charges Welsch was charged with felony threats of violence on Feb. 26 in Washington County District Court. If she is convicted of the charge, she could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to the criminal complaint. Advertisement Advertisement In the complaint, prosecutors wrote the state patrol began investigating the "series of voicemail messages" on Jan. 1. State troopers met with Welsch the next day to inquire about the voicemails; however, the calls continued to come in. The voicemails discussed race, federal funding, federal immigration enforcement and the campaign trail, according to the complaint. In a Feb. 11 voicemail, the complaint states, Welsch told Demuth "there is not bulletproof glass" between them and later talked about how Minnesotans were shot by federal officers. Federal officers fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year during an immigration enforcement surge. After discussing those shootings, the complaint states Welsch, 42, went on to say, "You are going to fall. And I will be there, I'll be at the end of that barrel." LOCAL: Sherburne County wants to renovate its jail. How could it be funded? Advertisement Advertisement The day before Demuth filed her restraining order in Stearns County, the criminal complaint states, Welsch left a voicemail saying she can't wait to see the gubernatorial candidate on the campaign trail. Prosecutors say Welsch said she knows how much Republicans love guns and wants to show Demuth the progress she's making in class. "I actually have a piece of paper, I can send you a picture to show you how good of a marksman I am," the complaint states Welsch said in the voicemail. Welsch was released from the Washington County Jail. She posted bail on Feb. 26 with a $20,000 bond, according to a bail bond form. She was released on reduced bail with the conditions she undergo a mental health screening, have GPS monitoring, not possess dangerous weapons and not contact the representatives. Demuth's restraining order was granted in Stearns County District Court and an emergency order was enacted in response to the state patrol's petition. Advertisement Advertisement These threat reports come after House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot last June in what officials, like Gov. Tim Walz, called an act of political violence. State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette, were also shot that same day at their home. The shootings took place at their respective houses. There are new security measures at the state Capitol this legislative session, including an X-ray scanner. The St. Cloud Times reached out to Welsch, Demuth and Anderson and, as of 4 p.m. March 2, has not received a response. The investigation is active, and the state patrol declined to provide additional information. "We take all threats seriously and work closely with local agencies to ensure legislative members feel safe at the Capitol and at their residence," Minnesota State Patrol spokesperson Mike Lee wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Corey Schmidt covers politics and public safety for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: MN House Speaker Demuth files restraining order after alleged threat A Montgomery County school bus driver is facing dozens of charges after she allegedly drove under the influence with a bus full of children earlier this month. Kelly Weber, 46, of Boyertown, is charged with DUI, 54 counts of endangering the welfare of children, and 54 counts of reckless endangerment in connection with the Feb. 6 incident in Douglass Township, investigators said. Authorities say they found an open 750-milliliter bottle of Tito's vodka on the bus, along with two empty 50-milliliter bottles. Police say Weber was driving erratically with 54 students on board, narrowly missing cars and nearly hitting a telephone pole. Five of the children were under 6 years old. Advertisement Advertisement The kids had been picked up at Boyertown Elementary School. Carter Colon says his younger brother was one of the students on the bus. "He was scared, but he said he'll be OK," said Colon. According to a criminal complaint, frightened students texted their parents during the ride, including one who said Weber kept closing her eyes while driving slowly. Another student got off at an earlier stop because of Weber's behavior, authorities said. "We are all thankful that this defendant didn't crash the bus and cause further harm to these children," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said. Advertisement Advertisement Police later found Weber pulled over in a snowbank near Second Avenue and Gilbert Road. She failed a series of field sobriety tests, investigators said. A blood test revealed Weber's blood alcohol content was .331, more than four times the legal limit in Pennsylvania. Tests also confirmed THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Amanda Asbury says Weber completed the bus route with her high school students on board just prior to the one filled with elementary students. "My youngest son told me that she almost hit a telephone pole, almost tipped the bus; they were just so scared," said Asbury. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said bus video captured Weber crossing the double-yellow line into oncoming traffic multiple times. Weber checked herself into a rehabilitation facility immediately after the incident. Authorities say arrangements are being made for her to surrender to police. Quigley Bus Service tells Action News Weber has been fired, and they're now increasing drug and alcohol testing beyond what's required by the state. More than 100 vultures were recently found dead and another 17 were found sick at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City. Wildlife officials are trying to figure out what happened to the huge black birds at the park on Volusia County's west side. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has run tests on four of the dead birds to try to figure out what happened. Samples collected from the deceased birds tested positive for avian influenza, which is commonly known as bird flu. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. A team led by SeaWorld Orlando release three manatees at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees were rescued as orphan calves from Florida waters, rehabilitated at Sea World, and will be monitored for a year using satellite tags to ensure their well-being. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. A team led by SeaWorld Orlando release three manatees at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees were rescued as orphan calves from Florida waters, rehabilitated at Sea World, and will be monitored for a year using satellite tags to ensure their well-being. One of three manatees awaits her release into Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees were rescued as orphan calves from Florida waters, rehabilitated at Sea World, and will be monitored for a year using satellite tags to ensure their well-being. A team led by SeaWorld Orlando release three manatees at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees were rescued as orphan calves from Florida waters, rehabilitated at Sea World, and will be monitored for a year using satellite tags to ensure their well-being. SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. Rescued manatees return to water at Blue Spring State Park 1 of 10 SeaWorld Orlando leads a team returning three rescued manatees to Blue Spring and the St. Johns River near Orange City on Feb. 12, 2026. The manatees had been orphaned and alone before their rescues, and were rehabilitated at SeaWorld for as many as two years. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has said it's going to need to run more testing to decisively determine what killed the birds. Advertisement Advertisement Avian flu can spread from bird to bird through saliva, feces and nasal secretions. Other animals can also catch bird flu, but it's rare for a human being to catch it from a bird. If you suspect you've been exposed to a bird with avian flu, contact your public health department. In Florida, 35 counties have confirmed cases of bird flu Black and turkey vultures scatter as hikers approach the morning of Feb. 8 on Wading Bird Way at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. More than 100 vultures were found dead in Blue Spring State Park in Orange City recently, and officials suspect bird flu as the cause. Birds that can carry the avian flu include raptors, waterbirds, waterfowl and other species including Boat-tailed Grackle, Fish Crow and Indian Peafowl. In the past four years, 35 counties in Florida have had confirmed cases of bird flu, including nine counties in Central Florida. Wildlife officials advise people to avoid touching or coming in close contract with sick or dead birds. Officials say cleaning birdfeeders and bird baths with a 10% bleach solution might also help slow the spread of the virus. Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about avian flu, log on to https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/health/avian/influenza/faq/. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Bird flu suspected in deaths of 100+ vultures at Blue Spring Russia has warned of a growing risk to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant due to the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran. Explosions can be heard a few kilometres away from the power plant, Alexei Likhachev, head of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said on Tuesday in Moscow. Bushehr is Iran's only nuclear power station, and is located around 760 kilometres south of Tehran on the Gulf. Its Russian-designed reactor has been supplying electricity since 2011. Advertisement Advertisement "This is not directed against the plant, but against military installations there," he told the Interfax news agency. "But the threat grows the more intense the conflict becomes." Rosatom is considering withdrawing a further 150 to 200 employees from Bushehr as soon as the security situation allows, Likhachev said. The Russians are building a second reactor block in Iran. The families and children of the Russian specialists were previously brought to safety before the attacks began. Diana Olivo emerged from the bathroom, pushing strands of curly black hair from in front of her face. It was nearly noon on a recent Wednesday, and she had dark bags under her eyes. She had slept little the previous night. Sorry for the mess, she said, pulling out a white-cushioned stool. I swear, I clean this place every day. This place was a motel room, perhaps 300 square feet, that Olivo, 35, shares with her partner, Michael Torres, and his three teenage kids. Advertisement Advertisement The mess was five peoples worth of clothes and few other possessions, plus the fruits of a recent grocery haul. A family-sized bag of baby carrots, frozen chicken breasts, sliced turkey, mayonnaise and a mound of tangerines were all piled onto one of the units two queen-sized beds. The rooms mini fridge was halfway bunk, she explained, and nearly full anyhow. The family has lived in the motel a walled-in pair of washed gray buildings off a highway in Hialeah for going on six months. Every day we worry about how were going to continue paying to stay, said Torres, 41. Its what keeps them up at night. Olivo, Torres and his three children are, by one federal government agencys estimation, as well as their own, homeless. But because they arent on the street or in a shelter, they wont show up in official counts which peg the countys homeless population at roughly 3,500. They, along with an estimated 66,000 other county residents, are part of Miami-Dades hidden homeless population, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data conducted exclusively for the Miami Herald by Molly Richard, an assistant professor of public health at the University of Rhode Island who studies homelessness. That number includes 11,000 children, according to Florida Department of Education data. Advertisement Advertisement If incorporated as a city, they would rank as the seventh-largest in Miami-Dade, beating out North Miami and Coral Gables. But they have roofs over their heads, albeit precariously, so theyre absent from the tallies that shape how homelessness is understood by the public and addressed by federal, state and local governments, argues Brian Goldstone, a reporter, author and anthropologist who documented over the course of several years the experiences of five hidden homeless families in his book, There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America. It also keeps them locked out of critical government services that could be decisive in their ability to get out of that situation, he said. The tipping point Olivo and Torres housing troubles span years. She moved to Florida three years ago to be closer to family and hasnt had her own place since. He had been in and out of jail, a series of short stints that interrupted life and complicated finding regular work. Advertisement Advertisement It had been years since they had a steady place, but between last April and October, they thought they had found a home a trailer, an RV-type thing, as Torres put it, in Homestead. It was small, Torres conceded, and the well that supplied their sink and shower was polluted. The water would come out of the faucet all red, Olivo recalled. They showered in buckets of heated bottled water. The trailer didnt have working air conditioning, plus God knows what they wouldve done had a hurricane blown through, but the rent was $400 a month and it was ours, Torres said. No one could take it from us. Until the park was condemned. That sewage-filled water was a problem, at least to local authorities, which, Torres reported, told him the kids needed to be out of there immediately or the Department of Children and Families might intervene. Advertisement Advertisement I didnt look back, he recalled. I was like, Youre not taking my kids. But they had nowhere to go. Before moving into the trailer, they had spent a year doubled up exhausting their list of contacts as the five of them crashed on living room floors and in spare bedrooms throughout Miami Beach, where the kids went to school. This time, we couldnt just keep going back to the same people, expecting them to open their arms to five of us, not just one, Olivo said. So they crammed into their car, where they slept for a few days, until Hermanos de la Calle, a local homeless support organization, helped them find the motel and, for a time, defray some of the cost. Advertisement Advertisement Thus the family of five reentered what Goldstone calls the shadow realm of homelessness a largely unrecognized but widespread and potently stressful existence of wondering Where will we sleep next week? Or even tomorrow? That hidden homelessness termed such because it typically doesnt appear in official homeless statistics plays out on living room floors, spare cots and couches, and in extended-stay motels across the country. And as Olivo, Torres and his kids did, those living it often cycle in and out of literal homelessness, as the Department of Housing and Urban Development refers to it sleeping outside, in a car, really anywhere thats unfit for even short-term human habitation depending on their ability to find shelter on any given night. Richards estimate of 66,000 hidden homeless Miami-Dade residents includes only those who are doubled up, meaning those living temporarily in someone elses home, likely because they cannot afford housing of their own. Those are people, along with an untold number living in motels, like Olivo, Torres and his children, that the Department of Education considers homeless. Advertisement Advertisement There are nearly 11,000 such students in Miami-Dade alone, according to data from the Florida Department of Education. Maylynda, Torres 14-year-old daughter, is one of them. Curled up on a bare mattress she shares with her two brothers, who are 15 and 16 years old, Maylynda scrolled absently on TikTok. She has attended four different schools over the last year, Olivo said, and the stress of moving around so frequently, of not having a stable home, has made Maylynda not want to attend school at all. She now takes classes online, from the bed in the motel room where she spends the overwhelming bulk of her time with her dad, Olivo and their two dogs. Real school is in-person, Torres said. They dont learn much online. Advertisement Advertisement Maylynda misses her literature class. More than anything, though, I miss my friends. For esoteric reasons that essentially boil down to public education being a right and housing not, the Department of Housing and Urban Developments definition of homelessness differs from the Department of Educations, said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness and a former HUD official. But its HUD that oversees the countrys homelessness assistance programs, and, as far as its concerned, people like Olivo and the Torreses arent homeless, despite them not having a fixed home. Those living in places not meant for human habitation streets, parks, cars, abandoned buildings, etc. or in shelters are prioritized for services. Theyre the most at-risk. Theyre also the ones who local providers count when they try to tally their local homeless population. I dont see someone doubled up as homeless, said Ron Book, chair of the Homeless Trust, Miami-Dades homeless services agency. I dont know that Johnny and Mary doubled up are at the risk of necessarily being on the streets tomorrow. They managed to find a roof over their heads. Advertisement Advertisement Torres, who has previously lived doubled up, each time on the precipice of street homelessness, decidedly disagrees. Man, anywhere youre living and dont know where the next money is gonna come from to keep you there, youre homeless, he said. He had worked a physically taxing construction gig the day before. His disability check is $900 a month, meaning hes constantly looking for work to cover the extra $500 his family needs to keep their motel room. Theyve had some close calls. Last week, the family had hastily packed up the room not for the first time, and probably not for the last. Money was due, and they didnt have it. Unlike tenants, who have a few days to make up unpaid rent, motel guests can be locked out of their rooms the day they dont pay up. But a last-minute $1,400 donation had guaranteed them a home, at least for another month. Advertisement Advertisement Its a subtle distinction, the difference between how the Department of Education and HUD define and tally homelessness, but its consequences can be massive. One way we as a nation have managed to reduce homelessness, said Goldstone, the author, is by defining entire segments of the total homeless population out of existence. And by not being defined as homeless, those hidden scores mired in housing instability dont qualify, or are passed up, for potentially stabilizing housing placement and rent assistance services. Ive come to think that the only thing worse than being homeless in this country is not earning the designation homeless, Goldstone said. A growing chasm Homelessness, at least to the degree that its an unexceptional fixture of Americas major metropolises, hasnt been around for that long, said Brian Postlewait, president of the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness. Rather, the precariousness under which so many thousands of Miamians live is a function of a really broken housing market system that emerged rather recently. The rent is too damn high, he said. People in low-wage jobs just cant afford the market. Its a math game, and its not working out. Thats especially the case in American urban cores, like Miamis, that have seen an influx of wealth and rapid development, added Goldstone. The single greatest variable today in which cities and which regions of the country will see the highest rates of homelessness is where theres a growing chasm between what people are earning with their incomes and what it costs to have a place to live, he said. And in Miami, that chasm is widening. More than half 54% of Miami-Dade households live paycheck to paycheck, the highest rate of Floridas large metropolitan areas, according to United Way Miami. To get by in Miami-Dade, a family with the composition of Olivo and Torres two adults, three teenagers needs roughly $100,000 a year, or $8,277 a month, just to make ends meet, according to the Womens Fund Miamis Self Sufficiency Standard. The couple doesnt make anywhere near that. Neither is employed, despite sending out what they say is no fewer than two dozen applications each week between the two of them. Torres blames his criminal record. Olivo, whos spent much of the last two years taking care of the kids, thinks it might be her resume gap. She used to drive for DoorDash, but when she had to choose between paying her car insurance a requirement for delivery platforms and the roof over her head, she chose the latter. On weeks when Torres was hard-pressed to find a gig, they supplemented his disability check and their food stamps the latter, just under $300 a month for five people by selling plasma. Thats since run dry. We cant give anymore, said Torres, bearing the crooks of his elbows, splotched purple from frequent needle pricks. I just need a job, he said, massaging his temple as he sat leaning over the side of the bed. Any job, whatever the pay, even below minimum wage. So long as its stable, Id take it. All else equal, even if they had stable, minimum-wage jobs, its not clear theyd be able to rent a home anytime soon at least not without rental assistance. In 2024, HUD pegged a fair rent for an efficiency in Miami-Dade at $1,700. Thats a nearly 80% price increase from what it was in 2019 $950. Over the same period, Miami-Dades median income increased by only 38%, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. And even if they had the money to pay rent each month, getting into a place means three months of rent, said Torres, referring to the first month, last month and security deposit that landlords typically require. Thats more than $5,000, minimum. Ultimately, the gap between what people make and what it costs to live is a market failure thats inherent to the system that we have, wherein housing is left mostly to the private market, said Kim Johnson, senior director of policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The market exists in order to make money, she said. It isnt designed to build, operate and maintain housing that is deeply affordable enough for someone experiencing homelessness or someone with the lowest income to afford. What can be done? So then how can the tens of thousands of Miami-Dade residents that need such housing get it? Or, put differently, how can we alleviate the pressures on the homeless services system? asked Oliva, of the National Association to End Homelessness. The only answer to that question, she said, is universal rental assistance, increasing supply and increasing our ability to keep the deeply affordable housing that we already have. On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust announced that it had been awarded a grant from the national Right at Home initiative, which aims to help vulnerable households cover costs and avoid losing their homes. The Trust said it expects to roll out the program over the next six to 12 months, and that it could receive more than $5 million from the national program over the next three years to put toward prevention efforts. And while its something, $5 million spread over 66,000 people works out to just over $75 per person. Achieving sustainable affordability might require shifting the burden of the housing crisis away from the private market and reembracing a more public approach, said Johnson. [Quality] public housing is and always has been a really great answer to that kind of market failure, she said, and Congress has, for generations, really not invested in its upkeep, so now its at a point of deterioration. In other cities, well-funded public and cooperative housing has proved successful, noted Goldstone. Take Vienna, where more than 60% of the citys 2 million residents live in city-owned or cooperative units. Such robust investments in housing which keep people from being pushed into homelessness, however you define it make not just moral but financial sense, said Johnson. A 2022 study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that every dollar invested in keeping people housed generated $1.80 in savings from reduced emergency room visits, hospital and shelter stays, and arrests. In the meantime, helping people, particularly renters, stay in the homes they already have is critical, Oliva stressed, and local governments can do so by bolstering eviction diversion programs Miami-Dade has one and by ensuring renters facing eviction have a right to counsel. All of those solutions are solid, Johnson said but all are chronically underfunded. Until that changes, little can be done about the affordable housing crisis. Which leaves people like Olivo, Torres and tens of thousands of other Miamians to continue languishing in temporary dwellings. More than anything, Olivo said, we just need a steady place to live. Torres put his hand to his throat in agreement. The insecurity, he mimed, was suffocating. Otherwise, somethings gotta give, he said. This story was produced with financial support from supporters including The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken OKeefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work. Chevron has announced force majeure at the Leviathan natural gas field in Israel following a government directive to halt operations due to security concerns. This decision aligns with the Israeli Energy Ministry's instructions after joint US-Israeli military activities targeting Iran led to regional retaliatory actions. Authorities have confirmed the suspension of gas production at Leviathan, citing security requirements as the basis for this action. The Commissioner of Petroleum Affairs has been granted authority to provide additional operational guidance in response to changing security assessments. Chevron has also received notification from the Commissioner to prepare for adaptable operations at Leviathan, which may include periodic production halts based on continuous evaluations of the security situation. This marks the second disruption in less than a year linked to hostilities with Iran affecting gas flow in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Leviathan gas field is situated 1,645m underwater in the Levantine Basin, around 130km west of Haifa. It is located within the Rachel and Amit licences and spans an area of 330km. It is said to be Israel's largest source of natural gas, and supplies gas to Israel, Egypt and Jordan. During the first nine months of 2025, the Leviathan field delivered 8.1 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to these markets, with more than half (4.8bcm) supplied to Egypt. The current suspension recalls a similar incident when an escalation prompted Israel to pause operations at both the Leviathan and Karish fields, subsequently leading Egypt to reduce gas supplies to certain industries such as fertiliser manufacturing. The consortium managing Leviathan recently approved a $2.3bn project aimed at increasing the fields capacity from approximately 12bcm annually to around 21bcm. The field holds an estimated 22.9 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas and supports a $35bn export agreement with Egypt through 2040. Chevron operates the Leviathan field with a 39.66% interest via Chevron Mediterranean, while NewMed Energy, part of Israel's Delek Group, holds a 45.34% stake and Ratio Energies 15%. In a related development, Energean also said that it was instructed by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to halt production at the Energean Power floating production, storage and offloading unit at the Karish field. Chevron Mediterranean recently awarded Hanwha Ocean the contract for module fabrication for the Leviathan Expansion Project. "Chevron ceases Leviathan Gas operations due to security issues" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The owners of a dying New Jersey mall are being sued after a teenagers car fell into a sinkhole in the propertys crumbling parking lot last summer. Kohan Retail Investment Group, which owns Livingston Mall in Essex County, is facing a lawsuit from a local mother. She says hazardous parking lot conditions caused more than $10,000 in damage to her sons car, including repair costs and diminished resale value. Representatives for Kohan Retail Investment Group did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit or the condition of the parking lot. Advertisement Advertisement According to a complaint filed last month in Essex County by Laura Botwin, her teenage son was driving through the Livingston Mall parking lot in June for an eye appointment at LensCrafters, one of the few remaining tenants still operating at the largely vacant mall. Livingston Mall - NJ Mall Coverage What initially appeared to be a pothole gave way, causing the front end of the vehicle to drop into what police later described in their report as a sinkhole, according to the lawsuit. Photos and video taken at the scene show the car lodged nose-down in the pavement, unable to be moved. Police responded, placed cones and caution tape around the area and ordered the vehicle to be towed, according to the family. Botwin said the parking lot is overgrown and poorly maintained, with deep and wide potholes scattered throughout the property. Advertisement Advertisement Im petrified to even drive through that parking lot because its so bad, she said. The lawsuit claims the car sustained about $4,800 in direct repair costs along with roughly $5,000 in diminished resale value. Botwin accused the malls owners of failing to properly maintain the parking lot, violating state laws and local ordinances that require property owners to keep premises in a safe condition. The suit also claims the owners failed to inspect, repair or warn visitors about hazardous conditions. In the weeks following the incident, Botwin and her husband said they attempted to resolve the matter without litigation. An attorney representing the mall told the family the issue was small enough to resolve but did not follow up despite multiple calls and messages, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit comes as Livingston Mall continues to struggle amid widespread store closures and visible deterioration. Once a bustling suburban shopping destination that opened in 1972, the mall now has only a handful of tenants, including Macys, Barnes & Noble and LensCrafters. Over the past several years, national chains such as Sears, Claires, Justice, Kay Jewelers and Childrens Place have closed, leaving large portions of the mall vacant. I loved the Livingston Mall when it was active, Botwin said. Its sad whats happening to malls today. Livingston Mall was previously owned by Simon Property Group before Kohan Retail Investment Group, a New York-based retail real estate firm, took ownership in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement In October 2024, Livingston Township designated the mall property as an Area in Need of Redevelopment, allowing the town to pursue long-term plans for the site. About 16 acres at the former Sears location have already been approved for 376 housing units, while redevelopment proposals for the remaining property have not moved forward. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A Middlesex County man was charged with destroying religious property after repeatedly ramming his car into a side door of a Jewish building in Brooklyn, New York, in January, federal prosecutors said. Dan Sohail, 36, of Carteret, was charged with intentionally destroying, damaging and defacing religious property at Chabad-Lubavitch. Sohail was initially charged with multiple hate crime charges, including attempted assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and aggravated harassment, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement At 8:40 p.m. on Jan. 28, Sohail was seen on security cameras driving up to the side entrance of Chabad Headquarters on the 700 block of Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, getting out of his car and removing stanchions designed to protect the building, officials said. Sohail warned several congregants to move away from the entrance before returning to his car and driving it into the side entrance of the building, officials said. He backed the car up and drove forward into the doors four more times, dislodging the door from its hinges, officials said. Sohail was arrested at the scene and told investigators that he lost control of the car because of icy conditions and heavy boots he was wearing. Advertisement Advertisement Sohail had recently learned that he had Jewish heritage and visited the synagogue earlier in the month, investigators said. Sohail told investigators that he was learning more about Jewish traditions. Almost three months earlier, Sohail interacted with police in South Brunswick at a Jewish center. On Nov. 4, 2025, police were called to the Chabad Jewish Center in South Brunswick for a report of a man yelling and found Sohail speaking with a rabbi, police said. Sohail told police that he was homeless and having a bad day, authorities said. Officers believed Sohail may have been suffering a mental health issue and a mental health counselor was contacted, police said. The counselor determined that Sohail did not require hospitalization and he left the scene without being detained. Advertisement Advertisement Sohail was arraigned and taken into federal custody on Monday, officials said. An attorney for Sohail declined to comment. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Nancy Guthrie has officially been missing for one month, and sadly, the investigation into her disappearance has yet to produce any substantial leads to her whereabouts or who took her. Despite the investigation into her disappearance continuously producing relatively dead ends, there have been a host of developments in the month since she was last seen. Nancy Guthrie Disappears MPI28/Capital Pictures / MEGA On February 1, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona. She was last seen the evening before, when she had dinner with family on January 31. Advertisement Advertisement The following day, on February 2, the full investigation into her disappearance began after she was reported missing the day before due to missing church. Guthrie's health was one of the major concerns when she was initially reported missing, as she takes daily medication needed for survival and also has a pacemaker. The Pima County Sheriff's Department immediately declared that Guthrie did not leave her home voluntarily, as there were signs of forced entry. Sheriff Chris Nanos said at the time that, "She did not walk away. We believe she was forced to leave that residence. It was against her will." Advertisement Advertisement "We know she could not walk out of that house," Nanos said. "Talking to her doctors, we know she had some physical elements that definitely limited her." "This is about an 84-year-old woman who is sick, who needs her medications, who, in the middle of the night, was taken from her bedroom," Sheriff Nanos added. "If she is alive, she needs her medication, and it's been well over 24 hours. That in itself could be fatal, and that's scary." The Guthrie Family Repeatedly Pleads With The Public For Her Return "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie led the charge along with her siblings, as multiple videos have been posted on social media since her mother went missing, pleading for her return. On February 3, Savannah posted her first public plea on Instagram for her mother's return and asked for prayers. Advertisement Advertisement "We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope," Guthrie's message began. "We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him. 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." The host continued, asking for prayers. "Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you. 'He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.' A verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us." Guthrie ended her post with the plea, "Bring her home." The following day, Savannah posted a second video, this time alongside her siblings Annie and Camron, pleading for anyone with any information to come forward. Advertisement Advertisement Additional videos have continuously been posted to the TV personality's Instagram consistently since her mother vanished, highlighting her commitment to finding her. Ransom Notes, Rewards, Evidence, And Surveillance Footage Continuously Lead To Dead Ends FBI/MEGA Two days after she disappeared, a ransom note was sent to various media outlets demanding millions in bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie's return. According to TMZ, an alleged ransom note demanding a hefty payment for Guthrie was sent to the outlet. The note reportedly requested millions and demanded that the funds be sent to a specific Bitcoin address. TMZ confirmed that the Bitcoin address was real and that the alleged letter had a deadline and "an element of 'or else.'" Advertisement Advertisement The ransom note was sent a second time after the first demand was unfulfilled. On Wednesday, February 11, a third ransom note was sent to the outlet demanding one Bitcoin in exchange for information about Guthrie's disappearance and who is responsible. The sender of the ransom note alleged they tried unsuccessfully to reach out to Annie and son, Camron, via text message and email. "If they want the name of the individual involved, then I want 1 Bitcoin to the following wallet. Time is more than relevant," the note read. February 16, produced a fourth request for money in exchange for information about Guthrie's whereabouts. Advertisement Advertisement In the midst of the ransom demands, the Pima County Sheriff's Department announced a $50,000 reward for anyone with information that could lead to the safe return of the 84-year-old. After the reward failed to produce any substantial leads, on February 24, Savannah announced she was offering a $1 million reward. During the ongoing investigation, there have been various forms of evidence, including blood found at the crime scene, signs of forced entry, and the biggest development to date, surveillance footage of a man in front of Guthrie's home the morning of her disappearance. FBI Director Kash Patel shared four black-and-white photos of the masked suspect on X, formerly known as Twitter. Advertisement Advertisement Via the surveillance footage, the potential suspect was seen wearing gloves, a mask, and a backpack. The individual also appeared to tamper with the camera at Guthrie's front door. However, authorities now believe that the footage could have been captured at any time, closing the door on the biggest potential break in the case. The Pima County Sheriff's Department's Investigation Has Been The Source Of Ongoing Criticism FBI/MEGA Since the early days of the investigation into Guthrie's disappearance, the Pima County Sheriff's Department has faced considerable scrutiny in its handling of the case. The bulk of the scrutiny directed at the Pima County Sheriff's Department surrounds how the local police initially secured the crime scene, which was reportedly left open and unprotected without security or crime-scene tape. Advertisement Advertisement "It looks unprofessional. It doesn't look good for our department when we've had reporters walking up and essentially contaminating the scene," Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Association, told the New York Post. Additionally, local police also surrendered the crime scene early in the investigation and overlooked a roof-mounted camera during their initial inspection. "In my professional opinion, I believe they released the crime scene too early. And that was on Sheriff Nanos," ex-cop Brantner Smith told the outlet. Sheriff Chris Nanos has also been publicly accused of turning Guthrie's disappearance into a platform to boost his ego. Advertisement Advertisement "It is a common belief in this agency that this case has become an ego case for Sheriff Nanos," said Sgt. Aaron Cross, who presides over the Pima County Deputies Organization, per the New York Post. The main reason behind Nanos' alleged egotistical behavior is due to his affinity for being in front of the camera by doing multiple interviews with various media outlets. Critics alleged that during said interviews, Nanos appeared more focused on damage control than on providing substantive answers about Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping. "The sheriff turned a serious investigation into a rolling spectacle, from questionable decisions to shifting narratives and a disastrous media cleanup tour that raised more questions than it answered," an anonymous source remarked about the case. "Leadership in moments like this requires discipline, not damage control," the insider added. Where The Nancy Guthrie Case Stands Now Instagram | Savannah Guthrie According to USA Today, on Tuesday, February 24, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in part regarding Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, "at this time, we will limit further updates to instances when new information warrants release." "The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI continue to work around the clock on this investigation and are actively pursuing all viable leads," the statement continued. Two days later, on February 26, Savannah reportedly decided to leave Arizona to return to her home base of New York and potentially get back to work on the "Today" show. Per the Daily Mail, an inside source shared the details behind the decision. "She can't stay in Arizona forever. Her kids and her life are in New York City," the source told the outlet. "The family is coming to terms with the fact that this might take years." The U.S. Navy's decades-long undersea advantage in the Pacific is facing its sharpest test in years. For generations, the "silent service" has been one of Washington's strongest cards in the Indo-Pacific. But testimony prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission warns that China is accelerating submarine production and developing next-generation nuclear-powered boats that could narrow the U.S. edge. The aim, Navy leaders say, is a force that can hold large portions of the U.S. at risk while operating from protected waters closer to China's coast. Advertisement Advertisement Vice Adm. Richard Seif, commander of U.S. Navy submarine forces, said U.S. undersea capabilities remain a key advantage in the Indo-Pacific because submarines can stay concealed and operate for long periods in highly contested waters. He warned that China is trying to reduce that edge by modernizing its submarine force, expanding anti-submarine warfare and investing in seabed sensing and networked surveillance. Seif said open reporting sometimes uses the phrase "Underwater Great Wall" to describe parts of China's effort to combine fixed and mobile sensing, unmanned systems and data processing to improve detection and tracking in strategically valuable areas. He said the likely impact is a narrower U.S. stealth margin in certain approaches and chokepoints, rather than making the undersea environment fully "transparent." What US Navy leaders say China is building Rear Adm. Mike Brookes, director of the U.S. Navy's intelligence office, wrote in testimony that China's next-generation submarines include the Type 095 and Type 096, which he said are expected to enter service in the late 2020s through the 2030s. "These submarines will incorporate substantial advancements in nuclear reactor design, sensor performance, weapons integration, and noise quieting technologies," Brookes wrote in his testimony. Advertisement Advertisement The Type 096 SSBN is expected to be equipped with JL-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and could threaten large portions of the U.S. from waters China can defend near its coast. China currently fields the JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile, the predecessor to the JL-4 system that U.S. Navy leaders say could arm the future Type 096. The National Interest reports the JL-3 has an operational range exceeding 5,600 miles, with some estimates topping 6,200 miles. In contrast, the U.S. Navy's Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile has a listed maximum range of about 7,456 miles, according to CSIS' Missile Threat database. The Wall Street Journal, citing Brookes's submission, said he described the Type 096 as a step beyond China's current ballistic-missile submarines, which he said can target portions of the United States from within the "first island chain" linking Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM A growing fleet Brookes wrote that China has "dramatically increased" domestic submarine production capacity through major shipyard investments, pushing nuclear-sub output above the previous pace of less than one per year. Advertisement Advertisement Brookes projected China's submarine force could reach roughly 70 submarines by 2027 and said it includes more than 50 diesel-electric boats while evolving through "successive generational improvements," including Yuan-class submarines, which incorporate propulsion technology to extend submerged endurance. Seif, in separate testimony, described China's modern nuclear-powered submarines, including the Shang III and follow-on Type 095 guided-missile submarines, as increasingly capable and said they increase demands on U.S. and allied anti-submarine forces and complicate conflict scenarios in contested waters. Beijing's undersea push U.S. Navy leaders said the competition is not limited to submarines. The Journal reported Seif and Brookes pointed to Chinese investments in seabed sensors, undersea cables and unmanned systems designed to improve situational awareness and make U.S. operations in parts of the western Pacific more difficult. Brookes wrote that by 2040, routine submarine deployments to the Indian Ocean, Arctic approaches, and possibly the Atlantic are likely. Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg reported that Brookes contrasted China's expansion with U.S. shipbuilding constraints, citing challenges in hiring and retaining workers and in maintaining delivery schedules for Virginia-class attack submarines and the Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine program. Randall Schriver, chair of the commission, warned that the United States will lose its underwater advantages if it fails to sustain them. Retired Rear Adm. Mike Studeman, testifying separately, urged policymakers to view China as a broader maritime power and warned Chinese underwater operations could extend farther afield over time, including toward U.S. home waters. He also highlighted risks to undersea infrastructure and raised counterintelligence concerns tied to maritime technology. What US commanders say they need next Seif said the U.S. will need more ready submarines, better undersea sensing and counter-sensing, faster deployment of unmanned undersea systems, deeper munitions and payload capacity and closer operational integration with Indo-Pacific allies and partners. Brookes projected next-generation submarine introductions in the late 2020s through the 2030s and force-size growth through 2035. He also projected China's routine submarine deployments could push farther from its shores by 2040, the Journal reported. Related Links Groups conducting voter registration drives will have to print their own registration forms, the North Carolina State Board of Elections decided last week, ending its years-long practice of providing such forms themselves. The board will no longer provide the printed applications to voter registration organizations because of significant and ongoing costs, State Board spokesman Patrick Gannon wrote in an emailed statement. After the current printed supply is depleted, he said, the board will cease to provide them. In 2024, the State Board of Elections provided nearly 1.3 million voter registration applications to voter drive organizations and government agencies, costing the state more than $269,000 in printing costs, Gannon said. Advertisement Advertisement The physical forms were never intended to be in endless supply, spokesman Patrick Gannon told NC Newsline in a statement. The agency will exhaust its current supply by sending them to organizations that have already ordered them. Gannon wrote that the Republican-majority board will continue to provide printed forms to individual voters, county boards of elections and other government agencies that provide voter registration services. Nothing about this temporary tightening of our practice surrounding voter registration drives changes the fact that any North Carolina citizen who wants a voter registration application will always be able to get one simply by contacting their county board of elections or the State Board, said Sam Hayes, the boards executive director. The NC Board of Elections discusses a resolution on county boards on July 21, 2025 (Photo: Lynn Bonner/NC Newsline) Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, some Republican lawmakers backed a bill to criminalize voter registration drives by private groups. A hearing on House Bill 127 was indefinitely postponed after critics pointed out it violated the federal National Voter Registration Act. Some voting rights activists say reducing access to the necessary forms might be a roundabout way to accomplish the same goal. Melissa Price Kromm, executive director of pro-democracy organization North Carolina For The People, said in an interview Tuesday that the decision impairs access to voting for those in rural communities and older adults who often take advantage of voter registration drives, as well as North Carolinians without a drivers license who cannot register online. Its incredibly important that we have full access for voters, and this kind of, Well, were not going to provide it. We dont have the resources to provide it whatever their argument is, is incredibly suspicious, Price Kromm said. I would like them to frankly address what the budgetary reason for this is. Advertisement Advertisement Price Kromm pointed to the more than 241,000 letters sent to voters in February that the State Board of Elections said had unvalidated identification numbers in their voter files. Is that why the state doesnt have sufficient funds to print voter registration forms? she asked. Gannon could not immediately say how much those letters cost the state, or whether they were the source of the budgetary shortfall that prompted the decision to halt printing for voter drives. Some county boards may not be able to afford to print enough applications to meet the needs of residents, Price Kromm said, adding that her coalition has heard from some smaller rural counties that were surprised to have to shoulder those costs. Its literally just passing the buck, she said of the state boards decision. The board is in the process of drafting new administrative rules that could allow them to continue providing printed registration forms to organizations that comply with all requirements for voter registration drives, Gannon wrote. He did not offer further details about what those requirements might entail or when they might be approved. Advertisement Advertisement Brooks Fuller, a policy director for Common Cause of North Carolina, said that aspect of the statement turns my antenna on to see what they are considering. The best practice here is of course to make voter registration forms [available] to any group who is permitted to engage in voter registration drives, to make them freely and robustly available and not have the access to the paper form be managed in that way by the state, Fuller said. Voter registration applications are available on the State Board of Elections website in English and Spanish. Residents with a North Carolina license or state-issued ID can also register online through the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles website. The decision to rein in the distribution of the registration forms comes ahead of tightly contested midterm elections in North Carolina, with the states 2026 U.S. Senate election expected to be among the most expensive in the country. Kathmandu, Nepal As Nepal heads for a crucial parliamentary election on March 5, the Himalayan countrys established parties are fighting not just for votes, but also for legitimacy. That legitimacy was challenged in September last year when thousands of young Nepalis hit the streets, demanding that an ageing old guard, which has dominated Nepals politics for two decades, step down. Triggered by a social media ban, the Gen Z-led protests soon turned into a wider uprising over a stagnant economy and corruption among the governing elite, forcing 74-year-old Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign and an interim government to be formed. Advertisement Advertisement The protests, in which at least 77 people were killed, reflected a popular disenchantment with the established political parties, including Olis Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), the Nepali Communist Party, comprising former Maoist rebels, and the centrist Nepali Congress party. Many young Nepalis see these parties as an entitled and unresponsive political class, prone to corruption. In the run-up to Thursdays vote, these parties claimed they had learned their lesson from last years uprising and promised to do more to tackle corruption. But young activists are not convinced. We will be watching For 27-year-old Rajesh Chand, a business student in the capital, Kathmandu, the vote is no longer about party labels. Advertisement Advertisement I am not really interested in old or new parties, he told Al Jazeera. Im interested in how we can bring this country forward in the right direction. We have witnessed the old political establishment for many years, and no one did anything. The country is sinking. We need to stop corruption. Thats the start. Rakshya Bam, 26, one of the central figures of the protests, said the debate should not be framed simply as old versus new. Even if an old party endorses our agenda of reform and governs accordingly, we dont have a problem, she said. And for newcomers, they should not forget the essence of the Gen Z revolution. Advertisement Advertisement She noted that many parties have incorporated the movements language into their manifestos. We welcome that, she said. But we will be watching. Few parties were more shaken by the uprising than the Nepali Congress (NC), the countrys oldest political party, which had been in coalition with the Oli government. Minendra Rijal, a senior NC leader and former information minister, told Al Jazeera that Olis hubris during the uprising severely dented his partys image. NC should have never been in coalition with the Oli government, he told Al Jazeera. But Rijal insisted that the party has changed. The leadership that presided during the protests, including former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, is no longer contesting the election. Advertisement Advertisement In January, the party elected Gagan Kumar Thapa, 49, as its new president and prime ministerial candidate. We have admitted mistakes were made, Rijal said. We are asking for a second chance. We have apologised loudly and clearly. But he conceded that voters 30 percent of them aged under 40 remain sceptical. When I returned to my constituency, I could sense immense frustration, he said. People are demanding clear explanations about our agenda and about what went wrong. Oli seeks power, again For Olis CPN-UML, however, the March 5 election is as much about survival as it is about renewal. Prithivi Subba Gurung, a former communications minister under the Oli government, framed the contest as a battle to protect democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Our elected prime minister was deposed, he said. We disagree with how this election came about, but as a democratic party, we cannot denounce it. We must fight to protect democratic values. Gurung argued that the party has incorporated younger leaders into its ranks, including dozens from Gen Z. He insisted that the CPN-UML has always stood for Gen Z sentiments of anticorruption and good governance. Yet Oli, whose social media ban ignited the protests, was re-elected as the partys president and remains its prime ministerial candidate. While some within the CPN-UML called for his resignation after the unrest, the dissent was ineffective. Gurung maintained that regulating social media was necessary. Companies operating in Nepal must comply with our laws and pay taxes, he said. The enforcement was right, perhaps the timing was not. A protester shouts slogans outside the parliament in Kathmandu, September 8, 2025 [Prabin Ranabhat/AFP) Political scientist Sucheta Pyakurel said the uprising was caused by recklessness within the political establishment. For frustration to escalate to that level, she said, mainstream parties must have repeatedly ignored public concerns and made irresponsible decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Democracy is usually a tolerant system, she told Al Jazeera. For citizens to become this angry, those in power must have failed them in serious ways. While some factions within the political parties now appear introspective, others remain resistant to change, she argued. Some old parties have been self-critical, she told Al Jazeera. They may be reconsidering their old ways. But there are too many moving pieces to predict outcomes. Its too early to tell. Nepal uses a mixed electoral system the first-past-the-post as well as proportional representation which ends up dividing seats among the multiple parties, thereby making single-party majorities difficult. Advertisement Advertisement As a result, coalition governments, and the musical chairs of power-sharing, have fuelled public disillusionment. Since 2008, when it became a republic, Nepal has seen 14 governments and nine prime ministers, including the incumbent interim leader, Sushila Karki. That is why fears of a return to political instability are at the heart of Gen Z anxieties. We are scared of another coalition that fails to deliver, Bam said. Even if its a coalition, they must work together and not fail peoples aspirations again. Repack and resell Nearly 19 million Nepalis will vote to elect a 275-member parliament on Thursday 165 through first-past-the-post and 110 through proportional representation. About 800,000 people are first-time voters. Advertisement Advertisement These young voters have not gone unnoticed, as parties have tailored their messages and incentives to appeal to them. Olis social media ban, which sparked the Gen Z protests, has given way to pledges of digital access and entrepreneurial support, including a 10-gigabytes-per-month mobile internet package for young people and $10,000 cards for young business owners. Manifestos have been rebranded as commitment papers and promise papers an effort, critics say, to repackage politics in Gen Z-friendly language. Political scientist Pyakurel described the shift as political consumerism. They are trying to repack and resell themselves, she said. The policies sound ambitious, but many do not address the structural roots of the crisis. For former protest leader Bam said electoral politics is not the only arena of change. Advertisement Advertisement Im happy to see friends contest elections, she told Al Jazeera. But we will constantly question them. They will be under our vigilance. For now, she said, she remains committed to activism outside parliament. I believe in strengthening the streets. This tension between institutional reforms and outside pressure may define Nepals political future. Meanwhile, traditional parties also dismiss new entrants as lacking in ideology, specifically the rapper and former Kathmandu mayor, Balen Shah, who is a frontrunner for prime minister. Relatively new to mainstream politics, Shah, 35, joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and is contesting against Oli in Jhapa-5, a CPN-UML stronghold some 300km (186 miles) southeast of Kathmandu. Shah is immensely popular among Gen Z, despite his disdain for public speeches. I dont know how to talk; I know how to work, he once said, projecting it as a satire on the existing political establishment. For the establishment, though, he comes across as a politician without an ideology. Ideologies do not come in waves of popularity. Voters should not fall for it, Gurung told Al Jazeera. A party needs robust ideologies, vision and mission. His [Balen] party has none. Pyakurel also warned that parties without coherent ideological foundations are vulnerable to fragmentation. But she also asked: Have established parties truly lived up to the ideologies they claim? We must ask old parties whether their actions mirror their principles, she told Al Jazeera. And we must ask new parties what they stand for. Without these questions, the voting process is incomplete. Nepali leaders have called on people to ensure a successful voting day on 5 March, the nation's first general election since deadly youth-led protests toppled the government last September. In an address to the nation on Monday, Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki urged people to go to polling stations, acknowledging the election is being held after a "complex, sensitive and challenging" time. Nearly 19 million people, including 800,000 first-time voters, will take part in the vote for the House of Representatives, the lower of the two houses of parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Police said they arrested 133 people on charges of "anti-election activities", 70 of whom were still in custody as of Sunday evening. Describing the election as a chance to decide the country's future, Karki, a former chief justice, asked Nepali people to maintain peace and harmony throughout the election season in her televised broadcast to the nation, "It is only with your active participation that our democracy will survive," she said. Also on Monday, President Ram Chandra Poudel said it was a shared responsibility and historic duty to make this election successful. He called on voters to seize the "historic opportunity to make the journey of federal democratic republic more comprehensive, credible and consolidated". Advertisement Advertisement More than 3,400 candidates are standing for 275 seats of the House on Thursday. More than 1,000 of them are under the age of 40. Officials said that the election activities have been conducted peacefully so far, with security agencies across the country on high alert. Nepal police has mobilised approximately 77,000 officers and 134,000 election police officers, while the Nepali Army has deployed nearly 80,000 personnel for security. Among those arrested ahead of the voting day is Durga Prasai, a controversial political figure who has been arrested multiple times on various charges in the past two years. Advertisement Advertisement A medical entrepreneur, Prasai is also the coordinator of the Nation, Nationalism, Religion, Culture, and Citizens' Protection Campaign, which demands the restoration of the monarchy and Nepal as a Hindu kingdom. He was arrested after announcing a protest programme targeting this week's election, according to BBC Nepali. His secretariat said the arrest thwarted Prasai's "right to freedom of expression and peaceful expression of opinion". KATHMANDU, March 3 (Reuters) - On the afternoon of September 8 last year, Rashik Khatiwada stood near Nepal's parliament building, surrounded by hundreds of others rallying against corruption and unemployment, holding up a piece of paper that read: "FUCK THE SYSTEM!". Within two hours, the 23-year-old student had been shot dead. He was among the 77 people killed in two days of protests that later forced the resignation of then Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and shook up Nepal's political system, setting the stage for Thursday's general election. Advertisement Advertisement The seminal youth-led uprising also reinforced a deep-seated desire for change among many Nepalis - including those who lost family members in the violence - that has dominated the election campaign. "What have past leaders done for this country over the last three decades? They accumulated wealth for themselves and placed their own people in positions of power to benefit from it," said Rachana Khatiwada, Rashik's mother. "What did they truly do for the nation?" This disenchantment with Nepal's political establishment has created an opening for the likes of 35-year-old rapper-turned-political Balendra Shah to emerge as the leading prime ministerial candidate - a campaign that Khatiwada has joined. Advertisement Advertisement Although she not directly contesting for a seat, the 46-year-old homemaker is a proportional representation candidate for the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which Shah joined in January. After years of being largely indifferent to politics, Khatiwada said her decision to join the RSP was driven by a motivation to seek justice for her son and families of others killed in the protests. "We demanded accountability for those responsible for the deaths of so many children, and the interim government failed to deliver," she said. A state-appointed commission charged with conducting an investigation into the protests, including the use of live ammunition against young demonstrators, has received three extensions to complete the probe. Its final findings are expected to be released after the general election. Advertisement Advertisement ARTIST WHO NEVER RETURNED After feeding pigeons on the terrace, like he did most mornings, 34-year-old Binod Maharjan abruptly left home on September 8, leaving his breakfast of rice and lentils. "My son said he would return home and eat the meal he had left behind," said Lata Maya Maharjan, 75. "He never came back." The family only discovered he had joined the swelling protests after Binod's elder brother received a phone call from one of his sibling's childhood friends and rushed to Kathmandu's Everest Hospital. "My mind went completely silent," said Kaji Ratna Maharjan, recalling he saw an bullet entry wound near his brother's mouth and an exit wound at the back of the head. "I still cannot put into words what I felt when I saw his lifeless body." Advertisement Advertisement Binod had dropped out of school early but pursued art with a passion. Murals that he painted cover nearly every surface of his family's three-storied brick house. Inside, he slept on a yak hide, with horns on the edge of his pillow. The walls of his room feature a hand-drawn map of Nepal and a depiction of Shiva, the Hindu deity he worshipped. In his mother's room, Binod painted a self-portrait with his signature long dreadlocks and a cigarette, surrounded by his nieces and nephews. "We do not understand politics, but those who do and are actively involved in it must focus on ending corruption and creating jobs in this country," said Kaji Ratna Maharjan, who like his mother plans to vote on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement "Only then can we prevent another protest like the September uprising in Nepal." WIDOW CAMPAIGNS FOR CHANGE Parbati Subedi rises before dawn to work as a domestic helper before starting her day job in the cleaning department at one of Nepal's largest corporates. The schedule is gruelling but it earns the 28-year-old 30,000 Nepalese rupees ($206) a month to help sustain herself and her daughter after the death of her husband in the September uprising. Security guard Dev Kumar Subedi, 29, took a bullet to the stomach on September 9, after he joined protests against the Oli government that raged for a second day. Advertisement Advertisement "I believe this protest happened because people wanted change in Nepal and change in our leaders," Subedi said. "Those in power forgot about families like ours, for whom putting two meals on the table is a daily struggle." Subedi has received the 1.5 million rupees compensation that an interim government, which took over after Oli's exit, has provided to the families of 42 of the 77 killed that it declared martyrs. But other promises, including employment opportunities for family members, long-term medical support and pension provisions, are yet to be fulfilled, according to several family members of those killed, including Subedi. Like her late husband, Subedi said she is a supporter of the RSP and Shah because of his work as the mayor of Kathmandu, even producing social media content herself asking voters to back the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement "I believe they will genuinely work towards improving the country," she said. "But if it's any of the other parties, I have little hope that things will change." ($1 = 145.5 Nepalese rupees) (Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Parisa Hafezi and Alexander Cornwell DUBAI/TEL AVIV, March 3 (Reuters) - Israeli and U.S. forces pounded targets across Iran on Tuesday, prompting Iranian retaliatory strikes around the Gulf as the conflict spread to Lebanon, rattled global markets and sent oil prices sharply higher. Four days into the war, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that the U.S. military had struck numerous Iranian naval and air targets, saying that "just about everything has been knocked out." Advertisement Advertisement Trump also sought to justify the assault on Iran, saying he had ordered the campaign because he had "a feeling" Iran would attack after negotiations over its nuclear program stalled. In response to the fierce assault, Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia after previously hitting the mission in Kuwait. Washington shut both embassies, as well as its embassy in Lebanon, and ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave much of the Middle East. Smoke was seen rising near the U.S. consulate in Dubai on Tuesday and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters a parking lot was hit and all personnel were accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement A source familiar with Israel's war plan told Reuters that the campaign had been planned to last two weeks and was going through its target list faster than expected, with early success in killing Iran's leaders -- including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening salvoes on Saturday. Trump on Monday said initial U.S. projections were for the operation to last four to five weeks. When asked who he would like to be in charge in Iran, Trump on Tuesday gave a blunt assessment: "Most of the people we had in mind are dead." Iran's capital Tehran was repeatedly shaken by explosions through the day, as Israel struck the state broadcaster IRIB and an area around the city's Mehrabad airport. The Israeli military also said it hit the Minzadehei underground nuclear development site in Tehran. Advertisement Advertisement The building housing Iran's Assembly of Experts, tasked with choosing a leader to replace Khamenei, was also flattened by an air attack in the city of Qom, Iranian news agencies said. Israel said it was still reviewing the results of that strike. It was not immediately clear if anyone died in the raid, but Trump said senior Iranians had perished on Tuesday. As Iranians have fled cities, the capital has become a ghost town. How long will this continue? Where are the shelters? Where is the government? Bijan, 32, a bank employee, told Reuters by telephone from Tehran. Every night my wife and I hide in the basement. The whole city is empty. There is smoke and blood everywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Firuzeh Seraj said she was afraid to take her 10-year-old daughter for dialysis treatment after a hospital in the capital was struck. "World, do you see? They are killing us. Hear our voice," she said through tears from Tehran. STOCK MARKETS TUMBLE, ENERGY PRICES SOAR Global stock markets slid as the disruption of Middle East energy supplies threatened to reignite inflation. The price of crude oil gained 5% and the European wholesale price for natural gas was up a punishing 40%. U.S. retail gasoline prices averaged $3.11 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association - a highly visible sign of the rising consumer prices that voters cite as a top concern ahead of the November midterm elections. Advertisement Advertisement Wall Street stock indexes were down in midday trading, following losses of more than 3% in European and Asian indexes. [MKTS/GLOB] Iran has called the war an unprovoked attack. "We have told the enemy that if you try to harm our main centers, we will hit all economic centers in the region," Revolutionary Guards adviser Ebrahim Jabari said in Iranian media. Iran has fired missiles and drones at neighboring Arab states that host U.S. bases, and strangled shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas travel past its coast. Advertisement Advertisement Qatar, one of the world's main exporters of LNG, has halted production, while tankers have dropped anchor in the Gulf rather than brave the strait. [O/R] The cost of hiring a tanker to ship oil from the Middle East to Asia has nearly quadrupled since last week to an all-time high well over $400,000 a day. Trump said the U.S. government would provide insurance to tankers in the region and the Navy would escort them through the strait if necessary. Global air transport has also been in chaos, with Middle East air hubs linking Asia, Europe and Africa shut. In Lebanon, Iran's Hezbollah allies fired on Israel, which responded with air strikes and reinforcements of ground positions in the south. Thick black smoke blanketed Beirut as the sound of explosions rumbled. Authorities said dozens were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Iran said deaths from the attacks had reached 787. That included 165 girls killed on the war's first day when their school was bombed, the highest toll among several civilian targets reported to have been hit. State media showed hundreds packing the streets of the southern city of Minab, where the girls' small coffins, draped with Iranian flags, were passed from a truck and borne by the crowd across a sea of upraised hands towards the grave site. The U.N. human rights office demanded an investigation into the strike, which its spokesperson called "absolutely horrific". Some Iranians have openly celebrated the death of Khamenei, 86, who had ruled Iran for 37 years and led security forces that killed thousands of anti-government protesters only weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement RUBIO SAYS WASHINGTON ATTACKED KNOWING ISRAEL WOULD STRIKE While Israeli officials explicitly say they want to oust Iran's government, U.S. officials have said the war's aim is to destroy Iran's ability to project force beyond its borders. In a closeddoor briefing with foreign diplomats on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar declined to set a timeframe for the military campaign, acknowledging Irans government could survive the war but expressing confidence it would collapse later, sources said. The minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump has urged Iranians to topple the clerical leadership, which has tormented the U.S. and its allies for generations, but on Tuesday the president urged caution. "If you're going to go out and protest, don't do it yet. It's very dangerous out there," he said. In Israel, where Iranian missiles have killed 10 people since Saturday, air-raid sirens sounded repeatedly, warning of incoming attacks and sending millions into bomb shelters as the blasts of interceptions shook buildings. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Peter Graff, Crispian Balmer and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Kevin Liffey, William Maclean and Cynthia Osterman) A man who police say shot two teens to death outside of a restaurant at a Brockton mall last year was ordered held without bail on Tuesday, nearly three weeks after his capture in Mexico. Davinci Leonard, 23, pleaded not guilty in Brockton Superior Court to charges including two counts of murder, and one count each of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, and carrying ammunition without an FID card, Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz, Acting U.S. Marshal Dennis Matulewicz for Massachusetts, and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez announced in a joint statement. Officers responding to a report of a shooting outside the Chipotle at 500 Westgate Drive on the evening of March 22, 2025, found 15-year-old Tymari Albertson and 18-year-old Cevannah Alvarez suffering from gunshot wounds, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Mother of Brockton homicide victim seeks justice after suspects capture in Mexico Albertson, who was shot in the face and torso, was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital. Alvarez, who was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Leonard fled the scene and had been on the run since Feb. 12, when U.S. Marshals and Mexican authorities took him into custody. He was transferred to San Diego and ultimately extradited to Massachusetts. David Mosley-Lott, 32, of Quincy, and Jaylen Speed, 25, of Dorchester, have also been indicted on charges in the double homicide for their alleged involvement in helping Leonard evade capture. Advertisement Advertisement Mosley-Lott is charged with one count each of accessory after the fact and intimidation of a witness, while Speed is charged with one count of accessory after the fact. Nearly a year after her daughters murder, Caitlin Alvarez is never far away from her daughter, Cevannah. Even when she visits the place where Cevannah was murdered. This area gives me so much anxiety. To know that my baby was fighting for her life just feet away from where we are standing right now, Alvarez told Boston 25. I just felt it was important for her to be there, for her presence to be there and for her to see her justice, she said. Leonard is due back in court on May 13. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) ranks among the best spring stocks to buy right now. On February 17, Melius raised its rating on Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) from Hold to Buy, with a price target of $205. The firm emphasized Chevrons focus on shareholder returns, such as dividends and buybacks, a rise in exploration targeted on high-impact frontier locations, and an adjustment to cash collection in the Permian over growth. Chevron Corporation (CVX) Upgraded to Buy as Hess Acquisition Strengthens Guyana Exposure Melius praised CEO Mike Wirths leadership since 2018, citing controlled mergers and acquisitions, cash production, and growth strategy. The firm also cited the acquisition of Hess, which enabled exposure to the Guyana scene, as well as a recent management team overhaul that prioritized local leaders. 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This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Suez Crisis, a timely reminder that disagreements between London and Washington over military interventions are nothing new. Donald Trump is very disappointed with Sir Keir Starmers vacillation over the attack on Iran, which could mean anything from a reimposition of punitive sanctions to a complete fracture in US-UK relations. History suggests, however, that any rupture will be temporary since we have been here before, and more than once. The relationship has survived heavier blows, though perhaps not with such a capricious president. Advertisement Advertisement In 1956, it was Britains turn to be very disappointed with Washington, to put it mildly, when President Dwight Eisenhower pulled the plug on the Anglo-French-Israeli occupation of Egyptian territory after the nationalisation of the Suez Canal. Americas refusal to back the invasion, fearing a clash with the Soviet Union which backed Egypt, led to an ignominious withdrawal of troops and a dawning realisation in Whitehall and Westminster that the UK could no longer pursue an independent foreign policy without the support of the US. Our long years as a superpower were at an end as, indeed, they had been since the Second World War and arguably since 1918. The snub triggered a political upheaval in Britain that eventually led to the resignation of the prime minister Anthony Eden, ostensibly on health grounds though he had been fatally damaged by the humiliation. Students from Manchester University demonstrating against Eden during the Suez Crisis in 1956 - Mirrorpix He had expected parliament to back him but found Labour opposed to what Hugh Gaitskell, the Opposition leader, called a high-handed and totally unjustifiable step. Some MPs compared Eden to Adolf Hitler as debates in the Commons descended into almost pugilistic confrontations. Protesters marching against the invasion tried to storm No 10 while the Cabinet was sitting, though in the country at large there was patriotic support for the Governments action. Advertisement Advertisement As Sir Keir is discovering, when deciding which way to jump in a moment of international crisis the political ramifications can be profound, and more so if you act like an Attorney General and not a Prime Minister. He could have taken a leaf out of the playbook of his political hero Harold Wilson, who 10 years after Suez faced a similar dilemma whether to back the US in Vietnam. President Lyndon Johnson sought the UKs support, observing that a few soldiers in British uniform...would have a great psychological effect and political significance. When Wilson declined the Americans were furious. Johnsons increasingly beleaguered team in Washington did not shrink from pointing out what Europe owed America. The US Secretary of State Dean Rusk told a British journalist bitterly: All we needed was one regiment. The Black Watch would have done. Just one regiment, but you wouldnt. Well, dont expect us to save you again. They (the Russians) can invade Sussex and we wouldnt do a damn thing. Yet despite this, the co-called special relationship remained intact. Harold Wilson stood up to Lyndon Johnson over British support for the US conflict in Vietnam - Corbis Historical For Margaret Thatcher matters were less complicated. She allowed the US to use British bases to attack Libya in 1986 in an abortive effort to kill Colonel Gaddafi and was the driving force behind the decision to confront Saddam Hussein after Iraqs invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The latter action was backed by the United Nations so questions of legality were moot save for the prohibition apparently placed on regime change. Advertisement Advertisement Mrs Thatcher was ousted by her own party before the war began. Had she still been in No 10 the likelihood is that she would have persuaded President George Bush to press on to Baghdad and finish the job. This is no time to go wobbly, she told him at one point. Her replacement John Major did not have the same clout. For Tony Blair in 2003, the dilemma was the same as that for Sir Keir and the choice, fatefully, a different one. He wholeheartedly joined the US action against Iraq, committing thousands of British troops to the invasion that brought down Saddam. Within a few days it looked like a triumph as the regime crumbled. George Bush declared: Mission accomplished. Yet try finding anyone today, probably not even the two main protagonists, who think it was a good idea given what happened subsequently, with possibly as many as 500,000 deaths. Moreover, Iraq was supposed to be a bulwark against Iran whose regional power grew after Saddams removal. Advertisement Advertisement For Blair, being judged a good ally was what mattered most, an approach shaped not only by the profound shift in US foreign policy occasioned by the shock of 9/11 but also by his own approach set out in his Chicago speech in 1999. This so-called Blair Doctrine would justify bombing Belgrade to support the Kosovans among other acts. As he put it: The most pressing foreign policy problem we face is to identify the circumstances in which we should get actively involved in other peoples conflicts. It still is. It was a conundrum David Cameron had to grapple with in 2011. He committed British forces to join the French in toppling Gaddafi in Libya and turned up in Tripoli a few days later with Nicolas Sarkozy to enjoy the plaudits. This is a moment when the Arab spring could become an Arab summer and we see democracy advance in other countries too, Mr Cameron said. You have the opportunity to give an example to others about what taking back your country can mean. Libya is today an economic and political failed state. Advertisement Advertisement Then there is Syria. Barack Obama wanted to strike at Bashar al-Assads regime in 2013 over its use of chemical weapons but was thwarted by the UK parliament voting against action. Obama felt he could not go it alone without cover from Americas allies. Assad lasted another 10 years with appalling consequences for the Syrian people. Islamists are now in control. Supporting the US was a sovereign decision Cameron could have taken without recourse to parliament but that executive power has largely been dispensed with since Iraq. Foreign policy is now decided by a peculiarly British legalistic fetish that seems to be shared by few countries, not even other common law jurisdictions such as Canada or Australia. Seventy years ago, the Suez crisis showed we had become a second-rate power. From a long list of leaders who have had to deal with this reality, the incumbent is the least convincing. Under Starmer, a third-rate prime minister, our status has declined even further. 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. Democrats said Monday they have no plans to end their blockade of Department of Homeland Security funding in the face of GOP pressure to capitulate after President Donald Trumps sweeping strikes on Iran. Congressional Republicans insist the military conflict makes ending the 17-day DHS shutdown even more urgent, given the agency's role in counterterrorism and domestic security. But Democrats say theyve been clear from the beginning that if Republicans want their votes, they must agree to changes to how the Trump administration carries out its immigration enforcement agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, flatly rejected the suggestion that war with Iran should change his party's shutdown posture. No, he said in an interview. We gave fair warning to the Republicans that we were serious about reining in what the ICE forces are doing. What we're talking about is responsible." As an alternative, many Democrats are willing to fund DHS agencies that dont deal with immigration enforcement. Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Houses top Democratic appropriator, introduced a bill almost three weeks ago that would fund parts of DHS including the Coast Guard, TSA, Secret Service, FEMA and the nations cybersecurity agency through Sept. 30. Theres no disagreement on any of that. We could move forward and fund those for the rest of the year, and then have the negotiation on ICE and Customs and Border Protection, DeLauro said in an interview Monday night. But this is about their politics. Advertisement Advertisement Splitting up the DHS bill is something Republicans have opposed since the funding lapse started. According to three people granted anonymity to disclose private strategy, House and Senate GOP leaders see no reason to change their views now. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said in an interview Monday that Democrats are putting the country at risk by not funding DHS and that they should work with the administration to come up with something they can vote for. A group of Republicans in the Texas legislature cited a deadly Sunday morning shooting in Austin in urging congressional leaders to pass full, unencumbered funding for DHS without delay. Authorities are investigating whether the Iran attack motivated the gunman, who was killed by law enforcement. Because a huge proportion of DHS employees work on "essential" national security related tasks, agency furloughs have been limited, though administrative and planning work is largely on pause. That means most TSA screeners, FEMA workers and Coast Guard members are at work but not being paid as the shutdown stretches past two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Immigration enforcement agencies are still active during the DHS shutdown, and they have billions of dollars already in their coffers from the GOP megabill Republicans passed last summer. The standoff leaves the two sides largely stuck at loggerheads with no clear path to ending the partial government shutdown anytime soon. House GOP leaders are planning a second vote on DHS funding Thursday on a bill that has only minor changes from the measure the House passed on Jan. 22. That was just days before the killing of a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents prompted Senate Democrats to demand major policy changes in return for their votes. At least seven Democrats would need to support a DHS funding bill to end debate under Senate filibuster rules. Advertisement Advertisement Speaker Mike Johnson told House Republicans in a private call Sunday night that funding DHS operations will be a priority for the House GOP amid the Iran war fallout, given the heightened security risk. Privately, GOP leaders are hoping to exacerbate a Democratic split on the vote and keep the focus away from their own internal divides over the war. Democratic leaders in the House are whipping against the funding bill ahead of the Thursday vote, saying in a caucus memo it has no new language to end the chaos caused by ICE in communities across the country. Seven House Democrats voted yes in January, but that was before federal agents shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and even then, the funding fight sparked days of public sparring within the caucus. And while Johnson could pick up at least a few Democratic votes, the modified bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. Only Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has voted to advance the DHS bill, and there is no sign more of his Democratic colleagues are prepared to join him. Advertisement Advertisement I've heard Republicans suggest that we should fund ICE because they started an illegal war with Iran that's ridiculous, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), ranking member of the DHS Appropriations subcommittee. The American public wants ICE to stop murdering people, and they also don't want us at war with Iran." Democrats and the White House have been trading counteroffers for weeks without making much progress. Trump hasn't sat down yet with congressional leaders, and each side is dismissing the other as making unworkable demands. They have not given us a serious offer, and they need to understand we're taking this seriously, Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, said in an interview Monday. We want accountability and reforms to ICE in order to fund them. Mia McCarthy, Jennifer Scholtes, Meredith Lee Hill and Calen Razor contributed to this report. Tense moments played out at Ligon Magnet Middle School on Monday afternoon. A call of an active shooter turned out to be a false alarm. The chaos still brought panic to parents and fear to those nearby. Diana Powell's family lives across from the school. Powell said she got a call from her goddaughter and rushed over. She described what her goddaughter heard "She said, 'I don't know what's happening. I heard one siren. I heard another, and it just kept coming and coming and coming,'" Powell said. Advertisement Advertisement Not many answers were made available as police rushed to the middle school. "My thing is the community needs to be made aware of the climate that we're living in today. It's very serious to everyone, remain safe," Powell said. Parents picking up their children described confusion and uncertainty about what was happening on and around campus. Ligon Middle School sent out a message to parents, alerting them to the police's presence and the school's code red lockdown. The school stated there was a false report of a weapon near Ligon. Students walking toward Chavis Park reported they saw a gun. A parent called 911. After investigating, Raleigh Police didn't find any evidence of a shooting. Advertisement Advertisement "I can only imagine what the kids are thinking right now because this could be traumatizing for them. How do they process this? Is anyone protecting them? What is the conversation when they get home?" Powell asked. It's a conversation many Wake County Parents are having with their children. Just last week, a loaded gun was found at Millbrook High School, prompting a lockdown there. Earlier this year, students at Ligon Middle School were evacuated because of a potential threat. In that case, the threats turned out to be unfounded. "Definitely really sad, especially with the environment of today, where there's another kind of hardship," said Stephanie Pascale. Advertisement Advertisement She lives across the street from the school. She was home for the January school evacuation. "I think this is one of the really sad things, is that we have to really protect our kids and our communities," she said. A WCPSS spokesperson said, "While we always encourage students to report matters of concern to a trusted adult, we also need to stress the importance of not spreading false rumors," the message to parents said, in part. "This can cause unnecessary panic and fear among our students, staff, and the surrounding community. We are grateful for the rapid response of local law enforcement and WCPSS Security." Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App March 3 (UPI) -- Democrats and Republicans grilled Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday when she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her handling of the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called her leadership a "disaster" and told her she should resign. "What we've seen is innocent people getting detained that turn out are American citizens," Tillis said in a fiery speech. Advertisement Advertisement "The fact that you can't admit to a mistake, which looks like, under investigation, is gonna prove that Ms. [Renee] Good and Mr. [Alex] Pretti probably should not have been shot in the face and in the back. Law enforcement needs to learn from that. You don't protect them by not looking after the facts." Tillis, who has demanded her resignation in the past, again criticized her leadership. Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Richard Durbin, D-Ill., displays photos of Rene Good, Alex Pretti and Marimar Martinez during an Department of Homeland Security oversight hearing with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Tuesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI "We're an exceptional nation. And one of the reasons we're exceptional is we expect exceptional leadership. And you have demonstrated anything but that," Tillis said. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.Y., echoed Tillis' concerns and said Noem should resign. Advertisement Advertisement "Either you are utterly incompetent or you are violating laws with impunity," Booker said. "You should step down. If you don't, you should be removed by this president. And if not, Congress should impeach you." During his round of questioning, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the DHS is racially targeting individuals, particularly those who appear to be of Mexican origin. Blumenthal asked three people seated in the hearing room to stand. Leonardo Venegas, Javier Ramirez and Miramar Martinez were wrongfully detained by immigration officers and were seated just a few rows behind Noem. Venegas and Ramirez were detained by immigration officers last year in Alabama and California, respectively, despite being U.S. citizens, according to their accounts. Venegas filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in September, demanding an end to unconstitutional workplace raids. Advertisement Advertisement Noem denied Blumenthal's allegations that ICE agents go after people of color, saying, "We do not target people based on their race or ethnicity." DHS is under an ongoing partial shutdown due to a funding lapse from Congress failing to agree on a stopgap plan last month. In her opening statement, Noem called the Democrat-led shutdown "reckless" and said it's creating negative effects for its agents as well as risking the lives of domestic citizens. "It's unnecessary, and it underlines the American national security and it harms the men and women who work at DHS and their families," Noem said. "Critical national security missions, including border security, immigration enforcement, aviation security, disaster response, cyber security and the protection of critical infrastructure are all being strained." Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday's testimony was Noem's first since December, when the Minneapolis raids began. Since then, immigration officers killed two civilians, U.S. citizens Good and Pretti. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., pressed Noem about ads featuring her that the department created, spending $200 million to warn immigrants against entering the United States illegally. The ads were made by a Republican consulting firm that allegedly had ties to Noem and others in DHS. She denied any part in choosing the firm and called the ads "extremely effective." "Well they were effective in your name recognition," Kennedy said. "It troubles me. A fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars of taxpayer money when we're scratching over every penny and we're fighting over rescission packages. I just can't agree with." Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., asked her about her characterization of Good and Pretti as having "committed an act of domestic terrorism," before walking back the claim when video emerged. "Do you retract these statements identifying these individuals as domestic terrorists?" Durbin asked. "When we have these situations happen, we always offer condolences to those families, and I offer mine as well. These are tragic situations," Noem said. Durbin also chided Noem for not appearing before the committee sooner. "Madam secretary, under your leadership, the Homeland Security Department has been devoid of any moral compass or respect for the rule of law," Durbin said. "Without hesitation or remorse, DHS agents have wreaked havoc on our cities." Advertisement Advertisement Durbin said the department's actions, including in Chicago, have harmed public trust. He said family members of people who have been detained or deported were in attendance for Tuesday's hearing. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the committee, said immigration agents made "mistakes" but added that "officers should never be threatened or harmed while enforcing our laws." "There is a clear difference between conduct protected by the First Amendment and unlawful obstruction," Grassley said in his opening statement. Several other Republican lawmakers expressed support of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he found the shutdown "insane," as there is a threat of "dangerous criminals" entering the country. Advertisement Advertisement "America is under siege, and the idea we're not defining DHS is insane, criminally insane." During Graham's questioning, Noem agreed she was "proud" of the administration's border enforcement efforts amid the ongoing investigation into the fatal shootings in Minnesota. Since the start of Trump's second term, Noem said daily encounters along the southwest border declined by 96% and millions of undocumented individuals have left the country. Throughout Noem's nearly five-hour testimony, three people stood up and protested against her and were escorted out by police. One protester was tackled before being brought outside. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said ICE agents were not following police procedures after the killings of Good and Pretti, and that federal agents need to have stricter identification processes before they arrest someone. "When I spoke to Alex's parents, they told me that you are calling him a 'domestic terrorist,'" she said. "Do you have anything you want to say to Alex Pretti's parents?" Noem refused to directly respond or apologize to Good and Pretti's families. More voters cast early ballots in North Carolinas 2026 midterm primaries than in the 2024 presidential primary, a stark display of voter interest and a result driven by a huge surge in Democratic voter participation even as Republican turnout fell slightly. The Republicans seem to be less motivated to come out than Democrats, and that holds no matter how you calculate it, said Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University. In general, what this is telling me is [that] people are not sitting this one out, particularly Democrats. More than 296,000 Democrats have cast early ballots, as have more than 215,000 unaffiliated voters and roughly 200,000 Republicans, according to North Carolina State Board of Elections data updated Monday morning. Unaffiliated voters, who are allowed to choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot in North Carolina, have broken toward Democrats, with around 55% casting a Democratic primary ballot. Advertisement Advertisement The early results suggest a Democratic voter base motivated to vote by opposition to the second Trump administration, whose sweeping cuts to federal programs, hardline immigration crackdowns, and aggressive military actions have sparked backlash from the left and pushed some independents away from the GOP. With more than 710,000 early ballots, North Carolina voters have outpaced both the 2022 midterm primary and the 2024 presidential primary, which saw roughly 585,000 and 700,000 early voters, respectively. But N.C. also has more voters now. Theres a way to look at these data and say, Holy cow, turnouts way up. And thats correct if you just count raw votes, its extraordinary how much turnout is up, Cooper said. But theres more people who live in the state now than in 2022, and theres more registered voters. North Carolina had 7.7 million registered voters as of Feb. 28, compared to 7.2 million registered voters at the end of early voting in 2022. That means early voting has jumped from about 8% of voters in 2022 to over 9% in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Its still real, still meaningful, still important, but the size is not quite what it looks like if you just count votes, Cooper said. Among Democrats, early turnout rose from about 9.5% of all registered Democrats in 2022 to 12.8% in 2026, while Republican turnout fell slightly from 8.7% to 8.6%. Early turnout among unaffiliated voters rose from 6.1% in 2022 to 7.1% this year. Unaffiliated early voters in the 2022 midterm primary broke heavily toward Republicans, with over 60% selecting a GOP ballot that year, in contrast to their Democratic lean in the 2026 primaries. That year, there was a competitive U.S. Senate Republican primary between then-Rep. Ted Budd and former Gov. Pat McCrory, while former N.C. Chief Justice Cheri Beasleys closest competition withdrew ahead of the primary. Advertisement Advertisement This year, both the Republican Party and Democratic Party had clear frontrunners throughout their U.S. Senate primaries in Michael Whatley and former Gov. Roy Cooper, respectively, though the GOP primary saw better-organized competition, including attorney Don Brown and 2024 state superintendent nominee Michele Morrow. Democrats appear to have generated disproportionate early energy, both among registered partisans and among Unaffiliated voters, Catawba College professor Michael Bitzer wrote in a blog post Sunday. The fact that more than half of Unaffiliated voters chose the Democratic ballot reversing the traditional go where the action is pattern is one of the cycles most intriguing developments. While Cooper said geographic turnout patterns give little indication of which way most races are heading, one notable exception is in the much-watched Republican state Senate primary between Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and Rockingham Sheriff Sam Page. Split between Rockingham County and its far more populous neighbor Guilford County, the state senate districts Republican primary has seen a majority of its early vote come from the former where polling has shown Berger trailing his opponent by double digits. Roughly 65% of the early vote has come from Rockingham County. It doesnt mean that Bergers doomed by any stretch, but even with all that said, I think right now, with the data the way they are, youd rather be Sam Page, Cooper said. North Dakota Ethics Commission Chair Cynthia Lindquist will step down effective June 1 to move to Denver to become the chief strategy officer for the American Indian College Fund. Lindquist, whose background is in Indigenous health and education, was one of the original members of the five-person Ethics Commission. She was first appointed to the commission in 2019 and reappointed in 2023. Lindquist was elected chair of the Ethics Commission in July following the death of former chair Dave Anderson in May. Advertisement Advertisement In the last six years, the Commission has made significant progress and will continue to do so in the future, Lindquist said in a Monday announcement from the Ethics Commission. Lindquist is a citizen of the Spirit Lake Nation and is director of the University of North Dakotas Tribal Initiatives and Collaborations. She previously served as president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College for over two decades. Lindquist also was executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission under former Gov. Ed Schafer and was a founding member of the National Indian Womens Health Resource Center. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of North Dakota. Advertisement Advertisement Lindquist said she hopes to support the commission as much as possible in her last few months of service on the board. Weve accomplished a lot, but theres still much to do, she said Tuesday. Lindquists replacement will finish out the remainder of her four-year term, which ends in August 2027. Members of the North Dakota Ethics Commission are appointed by a consensus vote of the governor, Senate majority leader and Senate minority leader. Im hoping that the selection process will go smoothly, Lindquist said. The commission recently welcomed three new members, former North Dakota Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp, attorney Mark Western and Jared Huibregtse, a project manager for an engineering firm. The most recent appointment process took several months. Senate Majority Leader David Hogue and Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan supported the re-appointment of former Commissioner Murray Sagsveen, though this was opposed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, who said he wanted a reset of the commissions culture. The commission had been publicly at odds with the executive branch over the scope of the boards authority. Sagsveen eventually withdrew his name from consideration. Advertisement Advertisement The Ethics Commission was created in 2018 through a constitutional amendment approved by North Dakota voters. Its job is to promote ethical behavior in the areas of elections, transparency, lobbying and corruption. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com. The North Regional Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating an incident in the north suburbs Monday afternoon, Glenview police said. Glenview police responded just before 12:10 p.m. to 3100 Sanders Road, after a 911 call regarding an injured person, police said. Police secured the scene and assisted Glenview Fire Department paramedics. The injured person was taken to Lutheran General Hospital. Police did not immediately provide any additional information about what happened to the person or his or her condition. Advertisement Advertisement A suspect was taken into custody at Milwaukee Avenue, just south of Harts Road, Niles police said. Park Ridge police had spotted the suspect vehicle. Niles and Chicago police helped with the traffic stop. Chopper 7 was over the scene about 2 p.m. at the grounds of the old Allstate Insurance headquarters. SEE ALSO: 1 in custody after shots fired at 2 CPD squad cars on South Side Crime scene tape and several emergency vehicles were visible. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Glenview Police Tip Line at 847-901-6055. This is a developing story; check back with ABC7 Chicago for updates. President Donald Trumps strikes on Iran were decisive, killing the countrys supreme leader and many of his lieutenants. His rationale for launching the war and definition of victory have been less clear. Among his reasons for launching the strikes: Trump said he wanted to eliminate imminent threats to the United States; he accused Tehran of trying to rebuild the nuclear program he said had been obliterated in June; and he warned that its ballistic missiles could soon strike the U.S. Referring to Irans proxy forces, which have targeted Americans dating back to the 1980s, he said that this was our last, best chance to strike. And he referenced an Iranian assassination plot against him in 2024, which Iran has denied. Advertisement Advertisement I got him before he got me," Trump told ABC News, not long after word of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death. Senior administration officials have also offered varied explanations for the strikes, and struggled to coalesce around a narrative. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was not about regime change, even though Trump invited Iranians to seize control of your destiny. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said Israel was about to attack Iran, and Tehran would then retaliate so the U.S. had to act pre-emptively. We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded, Rubio told reporters before a briefing to congressional leaders Monday. The assault on Iran came after weeks of diplomatic efforts and threats by the president, but in the long windup to war, Trump did not devote much time to making the case to the American people or to Congress, which is set to vote on a war powers resolution this week, after the battle has already started. Now, Trump is facing pushback from right-wing political commentators, and must strike a balance with supporters who elected him because he was opposed to forever wars. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have condemned the decision, saying the president and his deputies have failed to make a case why the U.S. needed to attack Iran, calling it a war of choice that lacked a clear endgame. Meanwhile, the conflict widens in the Mideast with no end in sight, as the U.S. and Israel continue to launch airstrikes and Iran retaliates. The president has been all over the place, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. Hes in effect workshopping a war. Its like hes a kid with a puzzle trying to fit the pieces together in a way that creates a picture. President Donald Trump meets with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and others at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday. (Daniel Torok / White House via Getty Images) (Daniel Torok) Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said there was no intelligence that showed an immediate, imminent threat. He added: That should be normally the criteria. Trump and his deputies are gambling that Americas formidable air power will deliver success and cripple Iran, reducing if not removing the threat once posed by a regime that has been a thorn in the side of the United States for nearly 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Underscoring the uncertainty and risks associated with the campaign, Trump and Hegseth refused to rule out the possibility of deploying ground troops to wage war against Iran. And even as the effects of the war spread across the region, with Iranian retaliatory strikes causing casualties in Israel and Arab states and pushing up oil prices, Trump said the war could last at least four to five weeks or possibly longer. Whatever it takes, the president said at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House on Monday. When he ordered a one-day bombing raid on Iran in June, Trump said it was designed to prevent Iran from developing an atomic bomb and afterward, he said the operation obliterated Tehrans nuclear program. But this time, Trump has backed a much larger attack on Iran with a list of ambitious goals that have raised questions about the prospects for success and the rationale for launching it. Advertisement Advertisement In his speech posted online Saturday announcing the aerial assault on Iran, Trump outlined several objectives: to prevent Iran from ever having a nuclear weapon, to ensure it cannot threaten the U.S. or its allies with ballistic missiles, to degrade Tehrans proxy forces, destroy its navy and to trigger the collapse of the Iranian regime. The administration has put up a pretty high bar for success, said Mark Cancian at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Some of the objectives are within reach, he said. Waves of aerial attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces could seriously damage Irans missile arsenal, further damage its nuclear program and deal a blow to its navy, Cancian and other defense analysts said. It could weaken Iran for months or years, making the nation less of a danger to the U.S. and its allies in the region. A Tomahawk missile fires Sunday from the USS Thomas Hudner. (U.S. Navy via AFP - Getty Images) (U.S. Navy via AFP - Getty Images) Some former officials and military officers said the operations were going reasonably well at this initial stage; Irans retaliatory strikes had been mostly deflected and there was a realistic chance of destroying much of Irans missile and naval assets. Advertisement Advertisement But its less clear how airstrikes alone would cause Iran to cut off its support for proxies in Iraq, Lebanon or Yemen, or whether the targeting of Irans leadership would cause the regime to unravel, as Trump has predicted, experts said. Without an armed opposition on the ground, airstrikes alone likely cannot topple a regime that has shown it is ready to gun down protesters by the thousands, experts on Iran and former intelligence officials said. Trump, however, appears open to a scenario that unfolded in Venezuela in January, when after American special forces captured the president, Nicolas Maduro, U.S. officials forged a pragmatic understanding with the regimes vice president who succeeded Maduro, Delcy Rodriguez. Maduro and his wife are being held in the U.S. and have pleaded not guilty to drug conspiracy charges. What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario, Trump told the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement During George W. Bushs presidency, as his administration headed for a possible invasion of Iraq, his secretary of state, Colin Powell, warned of the perils of ousting a regime, saying: Once you break it, you are going to own it. But Trump appears to have a different view, that removing a regime leader doesnt have to impose any burdens of ownership. He promised the Iranian people over the weekend that the hour of your freedom is at hand, telling them to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass. Irans government, with its Revolutionary Guard Corps as its backbone, is less malleable than Venezuelas regime and will oppose capitulating to U.S. demands, according to Danny Citrinowicz, senior researcher at the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Iran is not Venezuela. There is no Delcy Rodriguez, Citrinowicz said. Iran is not based on one significant leader No one in this regime will work with the U.S. especially after the killing of Khamenei. For the moment, the clerical regime in Iran appears determined to dig in and absorb the blows of much more powerful adversaries, with the overarching goal of hanging on to power at all costs, former officials and analysts said. Hegseth said Monday the assault was not about installing a new government and dismissed any parallels with Americas debilitating wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is not Iraq. This is not endless, Hegseth said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump called the last 20 years of nation building wars dumb, and hes right, Hegseth told reporters. This is the opposite. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission, destroy the missile threat, destroy the Navy, no nukes. But Trump has kept his vision of victory ambiguous, stopping short of articulating exactly what would represent a successful campaign. There are many outcomes that are good, Trump told NBC News on Sunday. Number one is decapitating them, getting rid of their whole group of killers and thugs. And there are many, many outcomes. We could do the short version or the longer version, he said. He didnt elaborate. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com NEW YORK A homeless man sleeping inside Penn Station in Midtown was set on fire by three young men, police said Tuesday. The 37-year-old victim suffered second-degree burns to his arm and back that are not considered life threatening, cops said. He was asleep near an entrance to Penn Stations Amtrak rotunda on West 33rd Street near Eighth Avenue when the three men approached him about 8:40 p.m. Monday, cops said. Advertisement Advertisement One of the men set fire to the slumbering victims clothes, causing a small blaze, police said. First responders called to the scene quickly put out the fire and rushed the victim to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornells burn unit. The three assailants ran further into the Amtrak station and have not been caught. One suspect was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. A second wore a brown jacket, gray pants and a gray hat while the third wore all black, was carrying a black backpack and had shoulder-length hair, cops said. The incident comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdanis Homeless Services Department continues to come under scrutiny after at least 19 New Yorkers died on the streets in the recent cold snap, 15 of them from hypothermia the majority of whom had some contact with the citys Department of Homeless Services over the course of their lives, according to the city. The mayor subsequently announced bringing back homeless encampments sweeps, in a reversal of his previous anti-sweep stance. A homeless man sleeping in Penn Station was set on fire by three young men, police said Tuesday. The 37-year-old victim suffered second-degree burns to his arm and back that are not considered life-threatening, cops said. He was asleep near an entrance to Penn Stations Amtrak rotunda on W. 33rd St. near Eighth Ave. when the three men approached him about 8:40 p.m. on Monday, cops said. One of the men set fire to the slumbering victims clothes, causing a small blaze, police said. Advertisement Advertisement First responders quickly put out the fire and rushed the victim to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornells burn unit. The three assailants ran further into the Amtrak station and have not been caught. One suspect was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. A second wore a brown jacket, gray pants and a gray hat while the third wore all black, was carrying a black backpack and had shoulder-length hair, cops said. The incident comes as Mayor Mamdanis Homeless Services Department continues to come under scrutiny after at least 19 New Yorkers died on the streets in the recent cold snap, 15 of them from hypothermia the majority of whom had some contact with Homeless Services over the course of their lives, according to the city. The mayor subsequently announced bringing back homeless encampments sweeps, in a reversal of his previous anti-sweep stance. BEIJING (AP) Chinas progress in building a modern economy, evident in its kung-fu fighting robots and self-parking cars, is hitting limits as a downturn in its housing industry drags on, small businesses suffer and young people struggle to find jobs. The gap between Chinese leader Xi Jinping's high-tech, artificial intelligence-driven ambitions and the hard realities of slowing growth is the backdrop for the annual meeting of the countrys largely ceremonial national legislature, the National Peoples Congress, which begins Thursday. During the meetings, which draw about 3,000 deputies to Beijing, top leaders will outline China's annual target for growth and the congress will endorse a five-year blueprint of policy priorities until 2030. What well see is the trade-off between whether its going to be industry and tech, or looking after domestic demand, said Alexander Davey, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies. These are the two priorities that are juggling for Xi Jinping right now. Chinas economy is losing momentum In a city in southern China's Guangdong, families were cutting back on big purchases during last month's Lunar New Year holidays. Even for auspicious houseplants like orchids, used as a symbol of abundance and prosperity, prices were slashed by as much as 40% from last year. The penny pinching has small business owners complaining about hard times. China reported it reached around 5% economic growth in 2025, but economists question some official data. The relatively robust pace of growth was supported by strong manufacturing as exports surged, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff hikes and other disruptions to trade. Hitting the 2025 growth target is hardly reassuring as the Chinese economy is losing growth momentum, with rising imbalances and enormous structural problems being papered over by a surge in export-driven growth, Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University, told The Associated Press in emailed comments. Property slump persists A downturn in China's housing market began several years ago and piecemeal efforts to revive the industry have made only fitful progress. Dozens of property developers defaulted on their debts as authorities cracked down on excessive borrowing. With overall home prices down 20% or more from 2021, a recovery remains elusive. The meltdown in one of the country's biggest industries eliminated hundreds of thousands of jobs and with 12.7 million graduates entering the job market this year, more than 16% of young Chinese are unemployed. Some just are giving up and opting out of the rat race, or lying flat. Demonstrations in New York City on Monday reflected the contrasting response to the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. On one side, protests that took place in about 40 cities across the country, including in New York, demonstrated against the U.S. going to war with Iran. They are a loose coalition of about 30 different groups that met up on Monday. The groups all have different focuses, but they say they agree that going to war with Iran is a mistake. Protestors at Columbus Circle say they don't want war with Iran. They say it will destabilize the region, put Americans in danger and be incredibly costly. Advertisement Advertisement "The attack that the United States waged on Iran was not only illegal against international law, but it was also unprovoked and resulted in the death of over 500 people, including little girls and their teachers at school," said Answer Coalition volunteer, Gabriela Silva. "And so, we are saying we want to see the over $1 trillion that this country spends on war, death and destruction be invested in sustaining life for people here. We do not want escalation towards other countries in the Middle East, but we want peace and solidarity, and we're willing to fight for it." Tanya Rivero and Lindsay Tuchman spoke to those who are for and against the strikes. "This war has already claimed 500 people, including four American servicemen," said Taher Dahleh of Palestinian Youth Movement. "Just this morning, the president of the United States or this afternoon addressed the American public and reiterated that this war is likely going to go on for four weeks, possibly longer, and that Americans are going to die." The crowd was Columbus Circle for about 40 minutes, before they started marching down 57th Street. Advertisement Advertisement The groups say they will keep organizing, and keep protesting for as long as it takes. A separate demonstration, calling for a regime change, took place in Times Square Monday night. For those Iranian Americans, it was a nuanced celebration. No one is ever happy their homeland is under attack, but they are thrilled their oppressive dictator and his circle are gone. "When an entire country of people is begging to be bombed, you know that there's something wrong," said Iranian American Tina Rahvar. Vivace Maxvictor was born in Iran and lived there until she was 10 years old, when it became increasingly clear that as Iranian Jews, they would never be safe. Advertisement Advertisement "We hope this is the beginning of a new era where the Iranians can be free again," Maxvictor said. Several dozen protestors came out to express their thanks to President Donald Trump, and to Israel, for giving Iranians a shot at democracy. "We are so much closer to the idea that there might be a day where our parents, our families, we get to see a free Iran, which we never thought would happen in our lifetimes," Rahvar said. Meanwhile, on Long Island, the Village of Great Neck is home to a large Jewish Iranian American community, and for them, the war is deeply personal. The strike is inspiring a new sense of hope for a regime change and the future of the country for oppressed Iranians. Advertisement Advertisement Festive music filled the air at the Everfresh Kosher grocery store in Great Neck as Jews shopped for the holiday of Purim. This year feels a little different though in the neighborhood known for its large community of Persian Jewish families, many of whom fled Iran after the 1979 revolution and are reacting Monday to the news of the killing of its supreme leader. "I got so happy. I was it was my it was the best news I ever could have in past few years," said Great Neck resident Kathy Kahen. "I was out of the country. That was the best news. It's so hopefully that will lead people to have their freedom." Also feeling hopeful is Leon Manoucheri, who immigrated to Great Neck when he was 8 years old, and is now raising his own family here. "We're all looking forward to going back to Iran one day. I saw what was going on there as far as the beatings that went on, and even my mom was almost thrown in jail because her hair wasn't fully covered and even as far as recently, the killing of tens of thousands of innocent people," Manoucheri said. "So, it's definitely time that something has happened and a regime change is something that's definitely needed." Advertisement Advertisement Purim is a holiday recalling the story of Jewish survival in ancient Persia, which is now Iran. The celebrations often include services, big family meals and wearing masks and costumes, similarly to Halloween. Nassau County Police are coordinating with religious leaders ahead of the large gatherings. "The police were already going to be in an intensified patrol already for the holiday," said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. "We prefer that you do not wear a mask traveling to or from when you're going to the temple and just at the at the event." Kahen believes coming together in solidarity is even more important now. Advertisement Advertisement "Nothing will to stop us. That's actually will make us more strong and do what we would never do before we do it more and more and more," she said. For almost half a century, the people of Iran have suffered grievously. The coming weeks and months could determine what kind of new government assumes power. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More Manhattan news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. (The Center Square) An Ohio legislator has introduced a bill she believes will increase tourism and tax revenue in the state. House bill 732 by State. Rep. Melanie Miller, R-Ashland, would create a pass program for tourists called Ohio, The Heart of it All. Attractions that joined the program would provide discounts to tourists who buy the passes. The revenue from sale of the passes would go to a state fund for administering the program promoting tourism in Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Ohio residents could buy the passes at a discount. In 2026, the pass would be offered free to Ohio residents in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. This legislation strengthens Ohios tourism economy, Miller said at a news conference Tuesday. It supports small businesses and local attractions. It drives foot traffic to our downtowns and our parks, our museums, our theaters, our restaurants and to our historic sites. Miller hopes Ohio attractions will offer the discounts on a voluntary basis and hopes a boost in tourism will make up for any lost revenue. In 2024, visitors to Ohio spent $57 billion, generating $4.7 billion in revenue for the state and local governments, the legislator said. Advertisement Advertisement Tourism reduces the tax burden on our Ohio families while supporting thousands of jobs across our communities, she said. It also helps attract people to move to Ohio, Miller said. Sixty-seven percent of newcomers to Ohio said they first visited their new hometowns as leisure travelers before deciding to move there, Miller said. When we invest in tourism, we are investing not only in economic activity but in future residents, future entrepreneurs and future workforce growth, she said. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce endorsed the legislation Tuesday. Ohio has some of the best attractions in the world, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, said Matt MacLaren, the chambers director of travel and tourism policy. Advertisement Advertisement We see it as a great way to promote Ohios quality of life and help connect Ohio residents to their local attractions and to help keep Ohios population growing, he said. We want people here in Ohio to be proud and to stay in Ohio and for others to move to Ohio to meet their needs as we see a growing economy. Members of the arts community also endorsed the bill Tuesday. The pass creates a simple way for Ohio residents and visitors to enjoy the extraordinary assets there are already in the state, said Donna Collins, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council. Across Ohio, arts organizations provide exhibitions, performances, festivals, classes, camps, film screenings she said. Many serve as anchors in downtowns and neighborhood business districts. The pass would create a unified invitation to explore Ohio, Collins said. American AI companies love to say that the US must win the AI arms race, or China will. Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta have all invoked the threat of a Chinese victory to justify speeding ahead on AI development, seemingly no matter what. The argument is simple: Whoever pulls ahead in building the most powerful AI could be the global superpower for a long, long time. Chinas authoritarian government suppresses dissent, surveils its citizens, and answers to no one. We cannot let that model win. And to be clear we shouldnt. The Chinese Communist Partys human rights abuses are real and horrific, and AI technologies like facial recognition have made them worse. We should be scared of a scenario where that becomes the norm. Advertisement Advertisement But what if authoritarian rule that uses tech to surveil people in alarming ways is already becoming the norm in the US? If America is shape-shifting into the bogeyman it critiques, what happens to the case for racing ahead on AI? This is the question everyone should be asking now that the Pentagon has blacklisted Anthropic and embraced its rival, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which was more willing to accede to its demands. (Disclosure: Vox Media is one of several publishers that have signed partnership agreements with OpenAI. Our reporting remains editorially independent. Future Perfect is funded in part by the BEMC Foundation, whose major funder was also an early investor in Anthropic. They do not have any editorial input into our content.) The US Department of Defense is already using AI powered by private companies for everything from logistics to intelligence analysis. That has included a $200 million contract with Anthropic, which makes the chatbot Claude. But after the US used Claude in its January raid in Venezuela, a dispute erupted between Anthropic and the Pentagon. The two redlines Anthropic insisted on in its contract with the Defense Department that its AI shouldnt be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons represent such fundamental rights that they should have been uncontroversial. And yet the Pentagon threatened that it would either force Anthropic to submit to full and unfettered use of its tech, or else name Anthropic a supply chain risk, which would mean that any external company that also works with the US military would have to swear off using Anthropics AI for related work. Advertisement Advertisement When Anthropic didnt back down on its requirements, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed through on the latter threat an unprecedented move, given that the designation has previously been reserved for foreign adversaries like Chinas Huawei, not American companies. As a journalist whos spent years reporting on Chinas use of AI to surveil and repress Uyghur Muslims, learning of the Pentagons threats reminded me of nothing so much as Chinas own policy of military-civil fusion. That policy involves compelling private tech companies to make their innovations available to the military, whether they want to or not. Either wittingly or unwittingly, Hegseth seemed to be borrowing directly from Beijings playbook. The Pentagons threats against Anthropic copy the worst aspects of Chinas military-civil fusion strategy, Jeffrey Ding, who teaches political science at George Washington University and specializes in Chinas AI ecosystem, told me. Chinas actions to force high-tech private companies into military obligations may lead to short-term technology transfer, but it undermines the trust necessary for long-term partnerships between the commercial and defense sectors. To be clear, America is not the same as China. After all, Anthropic was able to freely voice its opposition to the Pentagons demands, and the company says itll sue the US government over the blacklisting, which would be unthinkable for a Chinese firm in the same situation. But the US governments embrace of authoritarian conduct is undeniable. Advertisement Advertisement Racing to build the most powerful AI was always a dangerous game; even AI experts building these systems dont understand how they work, and the systems often dont behave as intended. But its even more dangerous to try building that powerful AI under the Trump administration, which is increasingly proving itself happy to bully American companies in order to preserve the option of using AI for mass surveillance and weapons that kill people with no human oversight. Those who are still bought in on the idea that the US must win the AI race at all costs should now be asking: Whats the point of the US winning if the government is going to create a China-like surveillance state anyway? At least one of the major AI companies is not taking this question seriously. Whats really in OpenAIs deal with the Pentagon and why many are now boycotting ChatGPT OpenAI announced that it had struck a deal to deploy its AI models in the Pentagons classified network just hours after the Pentagon blacklisted Anthropic. Advertisement Advertisement This was extremely confusing. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, had claimed that he shares Anthropics red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans and no fully autonomous weapons. Yet somehow Altman managed to cut a deal that, by his account, didnt compromise either of them. Apparently, the Pentagon had no problem with that. How is that possible? Why would the Pentagon agree to OpenAIs terms if theyre really the same as Anthropics? The answer is that theyre not the same. Unlike Anthropic, OpenAI acceded to a key demand of the Pentagons that its AI systems can be used for all lawful purposes. On the face of it, that sounds innocuous: If some type of surveillance is legal, then it cant be that bad, right? Advertisement Advertisement Wrong. What many Americans dont know is that the law just has not come close to catching up to new AI technology and what it makes possible. Currently, the law does not forbid the government from buying up your data thats been collected by private firms. Before advanced AI, the government couldnt do all that much with this glut of information because it was just too difficult to analyze all of it. Now, AI makes it possible to analyze data en masse think geolocation, web browsing data, or credit card information which could enable the government to create predictive portraits of everyones life. The average citizen would intuitively categorize this as mass surveillance, yet it technically complies with existing laws. For Anthropic, the collection and analysis of this sort of data on Americans was a bridge too far. This was reportedly the main sticking point in its negotiations with the Pentagon. Meanwhile, take a look at an excerpt of OpenAIs contract with the Pentagon, and you can see in the first sentence that it is allowing the Pentagon to use its AI for all lawful purposes: You might be wondering: What are all those other clauses that appear after the first sentence? Do they mean your fundamental rights will be protected? Advertisement Advertisement Altman and his colleagues certainly tried to give that impression. But many experts have pointed out that they dont guarantee that at all. As one University of Minnesota law professor wrote: In fact, as several observers noted, the contract clauses call to mind what an Anthropic spokeswoman said about updated wording it had received from the Department of Defense at a late stage in their negotiations: New language framed as compromise was paired with legalese that would allow those safeguards to be disregarded at will, she said. OpenAI did get some assurances into the contract; the companys blog post says itll have the ability to build in technical guardrails to try to ensure its own red lines are respected, and itll have OpenAI engineers helping the government, with cleared safety and alignment researchers in the loop. But its unclear how much good thatll do, given that the impact of technical safeguards is limited and the language doesnt guarantee a human in the loop when it comes to autonomous weapons. In terms of safety guardrails for high-stake decisions or surveillance, the existing guardrails for generative AI are deeply lacking, and it has been shown how easily compromised they are, intentionally or inadvertently, Heidy Khlaaf, the chief AI scientist at the nonprofit AI Now Institute, told me. Its highly doubtful that if they cannot guard their systems against benign cases, theyd be able to do so for complex military and surveillance operations. Advertisement Advertisement Whats more, Nothing in the contractual language released up to this point seems to provide enforceable red lines beyond having a lawful purpose, said Samir Jain, the vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology. Embedding OpenAI engineers does not solve the problem. Even if they are able to identify and flag a concern, at most, they might alert the company, but absent a contractual prohibition, the company could not have any right to require the Pentagon to halt the activity at issue. OpenAI and Anthropic did not respond to requests for comment. OpenAI later said it was amending the contract to add more protections around surveillance. Perhaps if Altman did not already have a reputation for misleading people with vague or ambiguous language, AI watchers would be less alarmed. But he does have that reputation. When the OpenAI board tried to fire Altman in 2023, it famously said he was not consistently candid in his communications, which sounds like board-speak for lying. Others with inside knowledge of the company have likewise described duplicity. Even Leo Gao, a research scientist employed by OpenAI, posted: For now, only a minuscule portion of OpenAIs contract with the Pentagon has been made public, so we cant say for certain what guarantees it does or doesnt contain. And some aspects of this story remain murky. How much of the Pentagons decision to replace Anthropic with OpenAI was due to the fact that OpenAIs leaders have donated millions of dollars to support President Donald Trump while Anthropics Amodei has refused to bankroll him or give the Pentagon carte blanche with the companys AI, earning him Hegseths dislike and Trumps insistence that he leads A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY? Advertisement Advertisement While these uncertainties linger, public mood has turned against OpenAI with nearly the speed of the tech itself. A public campaign called QuitGPT launched last month and has gained immense traction since the Pentagon clash, urging those who feel betrayed by OpenAI to boycott ChatGPT. By the groups count, over 1.5 million people have already taken action as part of the boycott. Its no coincidence that Anthropics chatbot, Claude, became the No. 1 most downloaded app in the App Store over the weekend, with users seeing it as a better alternative to ChatGPT. Historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman, who has studied the boycott movements of the past, was one of those who felt fired up upon seeing the QuitGPT campaign. He has since become its informal spokesperson. What effective boycotts have in common, in my view, is that theyre narrow, theyre targeted, and theyre easy, Bregman told me. I looked at the ChatGPT boycott and was like: This is exactly it! This is the first opportunity to start a massive consumer boycott in the AI era, and to send an incredibly powerful signal to the whole ecosystem, saying, Behave, or you could be next. He suggests switching over to the chatbot of any other AI company, except Elon Musks Grok. Advertisement Advertisement Mind you, its worth noting that Anthropic itself is no dove. After all, the company has a deal with the AI software and data analytics company Palantir, which is infamous for powering operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Anthropic is not opposed to all forms of mass surveillance, nor does it seem to be categorically opposed to using its AI to power autonomous weapons (its current refusal is based on the fact that its AI systems cant yet be trusted to do that reliably). Whats more, it recently dropped its key promise not to release AI models above certain capability thresholds unless it can guarantee robust safety measures for them in advance. And as an employee of Anthropic (or Ant, as its sometimes known) pointed out, the company was happy to sign a contract with the Department of Defense in the first place: Still, many believe that if youre going to use a chatbot, Anthropics Claude is morally preferable to OpenAIs ChatGPT especially in light of the recent clash at the Pentagon. What else can be done to ensure AI isnt used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons? There was a time when some AI experts urged an alternative to a US-China AI arms race: What if Americans who care about AI safety tried to coordinate with their Chinese counterparts, engaging in diplomacy that could ensure a safer future for everybody? But that was a couple of years ago eons, in the world of AI development. Its rarer to hear that option floated these days. Some experts have been calling for an international treaty. A dozen Nobel laureates backed the Global Call for AI Red Lines, which was presented at the UN General Assembly last September. But so far, a multilateral agreement hasnt materialized. In the meantime, another option is gaining prominence: solidarity amongst the tech workers at the major AI companies. An open letter titled We Will Not Be Divided has garnered more than 900 signatures from employees at OpenAI and Google over the past few days. Referring to the Pentagon, the letter says, Theyre trying to divide each company with fear that the other will give in. That strategy only works if none of us know where the others stand. This letter serves to create shared understanding and solidarity in the face of this pressure. Specifically, the letter urges OpenAI and Google leadership to stand together to continue to refuse their AI systems to be used for domestic mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. Another open letter which has over 175 signatories, including founders, executives, engineers, and investors from across the US tech industry, including OpenAI employees urges the Department of Defense to withdraw the supply chain risk designation against Anthropic and stop retaliating against American companies. It also urges Congress to examine whether the use of these extraordinary authorities against an American technology company is appropriate a tactful way of suggesting, perhaps, that the Pentagons moves were an abuse of power. Federal regulations and global treaties would be a much stronger defense against unsafe and unethical AI use than relying on the goodwill of individual technologists. But for the moment, cross-company coordination is at least a start a way to push back against Pentagon pressure that would lead, if left unchecked, to something America keeps insisting its nothing like. ROCKINGHAM, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) One person was reportedly trapped in a vehicle on top of the icy Saxtons River on Sunday and was carried out by responders. According to Rockingham Fire & Rescue, a car had crashed into the river off Vermont Route 121. When responders arrived, one person was stuck in the car, down a steep slope from the road and on top of water and ice. New fire station moving ahead for Saxtons River Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters say they were able to get that person out of the car and transport them to the nearby Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, where a landing zone for a medical helicopter had been set up. The car being brought out of the Saxtons River on Sunday, March 1, 2026. (Courtesy: Rockingham Fire and Rescue) Route 121 near the McBride Road bridge was closed for about two hours on Sunday. No responders were reportedly injured in the rescue operation but the patients condition is not known at this time. 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. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced open house and dedication dates for two temples. The Church announced today the open house and dedication dates for the San Diego California Temple and the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple. Tours of the San Diego California Temple will be open to invited guests and members of the media on June 15, 16, and 17. Then from Thursday, June 18, through Saturday, July 11, 2026, the temple will be open to public tours, except for on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement The temples open house will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. The San Diego California Temple is set to open for public tours June 2026. It was closed for construction. Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Notably, the San Diego Temple was first dedicated in April 1993 and was the third operating temple for the Church in California. Now, the state has 12 temples operating, under construction, and announced. The San Diego Temple temporarily closed in July 2023 for extensive renovations. According to the Church, once it is reopened, it will serve some of the nearly 730,000 Church members that live in California. The Church also announced open house dates for the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple. There will be tours for media and invited guests from August 12-14. Then, it will be open for public tours from August 15 through August 22, except for Sundays. Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Advertisement Advertisement The temple will be dedicated on August 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. It was initially announced by Russell M. Nelson in 2018. Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family, he said at the time. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples. According to the Church, Cambodia is home to more than 17,000 members and this temple will be the first one for the Church in Cambodia. 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. When a Utah family is hit by a drunk or distracted driver, the law promises something simple: accountability. A jury listens to the evidence and decides what fair compensation looks like. At least, thats how its supposed to work. Because of a recent decision by the Utah Supreme Court, juries in car accident cases are not allowed to see the full amount of a victims medical bills. Instead, they are shown only the fraction paid by health insurance. Advertisement Advertisement That might sound technical. It isnt. It means jurors are asked to measure harm while seeing only part of the damage. Imagine three Utahns suffer the same injury in the same crash and receive identical treatment. One has private insurance that negotiates steep discounts. The second has Medicare and the third has no health insurance. Under the current rule, their cases can look dramatically different to a jury not because their injuries differ, but because their insurance contracts do. Justice should not depend on what health plan happens to be in your wallet. SB 211 fixes this. It allows juries to see the full amount billed for medical care when deciding compensation. Insurance companies can still challenge whether treatment was necessary, whether it was caused by the crash, and whether the charges are reasonable. What the bill prevents is hiding part of the bill before jurors ever deliberate. That matters because non-economic damages pain, loss of normal life, emotional distress are often anchored to medical expenses. If jurors see only a fraction of the bills, they inevitably anchor their understanding of the injury to a fraction of the harm. Advertisement Advertisement If a hospital bills $80,000 for surgery after a crash but insurance negotiates it down to $25,000, the surgery did not shrink. The injury did not shrink. Only the visible number did. There is a deeper fairness issue as well. Health insurers negotiate widely different reimbursement rates. Two identical MRIs can be valued very differently depending on the insurance contract behind them. When courts tie compensation to those private negotiations, victims are treated differently based on who their insurer is. That is not equal justice. Lawmakers must also confront a simple question: Who should benefit from negotiated discounts that exist because families pay health insurance premiums? Utah families budget for coverage. They sacrifice for it. When their insurer negotiates lower rates, that discount exists because the insured paid for it. Why should the at-fault drivers insurance company receive that benefit? Advertisement Advertisement If SB 211 fails, the wrongdoer pays less not because the harm was smaller, but because the victim planned ahead. Some opponents warn that SB 211 will increase premiums. But after the Utah Supreme Courts Gardner decision shifted claim valuation downward, consumers did not see their premiums drop. If limiting recovery did not reduce rates then, restoring transparency now is unlikely to raise them. Gardners effects did not stop at the courthouse door. It reshaped claim evaluation in prelitigation negotiations and litigation alike because settlements reflect what would happen at trial. If premiums were truly driven by whether claims are valued on paid amounts rather than billed amounts, Utah drivers would have begun to see that impact already. SB 211 restores a straightforward rule: juries should see the full bill and decide what is reasonable. That is how it worked for decades. It is how most Utahns assume it works today. Advertisement Advertisement When juries are prevented from seeing the full cost of medical care, accountability is weakened and costs shift to victims. Utah has long trusted juries to weigh evidence and apply the law. SB 211 simply trusts them with the full truth. SB 211 lets juries see the whole picture, lets them measure the full harm, and lets them do their jobs. Jake Lee chairs the Utah Association for Justice Legislative Committee. Orange County commissioners voted Monday to table discussions regarding a local sales tax increase until 2028. The decision marks the second time the county has abandoned efforts to put a local sales tax on the ballot due to concerns over timing and affordability. The county currently faces more than $22 billion in unfunded transportation and infrastructure projects, which could have been partially funded via the tax. Advertisement Advertisement County staff estimated a one percent sales tax increase would generate $757 million for Orange County annually. According to the county, only 11 percent of that revenue would be paid for by Orange County residents, since tourists contribute significantly to sales tax income. While officials say a dedicated revenue source is needed to fund infrastructure improvements, they determined the current economic climate makes it difficult to justify a tax hike to voters. The decision mirrors a similar attempt in 2024 when the county also abandoned the effort because officials felt they could not rationalize a tax increase. Commissioners also cited failure to rally voter support for a transportation sales tax back in 2022. That year, 58% percent of Orange County voters rejected the penny sales tax for transportation. Advertisement Advertisement County leaders also pointed to a conflict with legislative discussions in Tallahassee. While state officials are considering property tax cuts, Orange County leaders noted that a local ballot measure to raise taxes would create a difficult juxtaposition for residents. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who previously championed the sales tax initiative, was among those who voted against the measure on Monday. Demings said there was not enough time to effectively sell a sales tax increase to the public before it reached the ballot. Demings highlighted the economic pressures facing residents across the region. The state of Florida, across the country, there are many conversations about affordability, Demings said. And if youre going to advance a ballot initiative that is going to cost people extra money, then you have to be able to articulate to them what theyre going to get for paying the extra money. Advertisement Advertisement Instead of pursuing the tax now, the board agreed the county must live within their means for the immediate future. Commissioners said they intend to make what improvements they can with current funds to show progress before asking voters for more money in the future. Commissioners vowed to take the conversation up again in 2028, with commissioner Mayra Uribe, who is running for Orange County Mayor, promising to champion the issue and spend two years making the sales tax pitch to voters before trying to move it to the ballot again. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statements about transit of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline and sent a letter to the European Commission. Source: Orban on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Orban called Zelenskyy's words cynical and arrogant as he rebuked leaders of Hungary and Slovakia for communicating with Ukraine purely pragmatically about the problem with the Druzhba oil pipeline after Russian strikes, not wanting to acknowledge what this transit and repair of the pipeline costs Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement "He wants us to be grateful to Ukraine, while at the same time he has shut down the oil pipeline supplying Hungary," Orban said. According to Orban, Zelenskyy also declared that he has no intention to open the pipeline despite EU agreements obliging Ukraine to transport oil coming from Druzhba. In connection with this, in a video Orban showed himself signing another letter to the European Commission. In the letter, he briefed the president of the European Commission on the situation and called for compliance with agreements obliging Ukraine to transport oil. Orban said that until Zelenskyy returns to "common sense and normality", Hungary will not support any decision in Ukraine's favour. Background: Orban wrote an open letter to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 26 February in which he accused him of acting against Hungary's interests. In the letter to President of the European Council Antonio Costa sent on 26 February, Hungary's prime minister hinted that he could step back if the EU officially assesses damage caused to the pipeline in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! (This story has been updated to include additional information) Oregonians will vote on increases to the gas tax and other transportation costs in May, not November, after Oregon House Democrats passed a bill March 2 to change the date. Representatives voted 31-20 to move up the referendum vote from the November general election to the May primary. Eight were absent and one was excused. Democrats Emerson Levy, D-Bend, Lesly Munoz, D-Woodburn, Sue Rieke Smith, D-King City, Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, and Lamar Wise, D-Portland, voted against the bill. No Republicans voted in support. Advertisement Advertisement "I got a lot of emails from constituents letting me know they wished to vote in November. I am here to represent my constituents," Munoz told the Statesman Journal. Senate Bill 1599 is behind Secretary of State Tobias Read's recommended timeline to allow for public feedback. Gov. Tina Kotek signed the bill March 2, hours after it passed the House. Lawmakers blew a Feb. 25 deadline that, if met, would have given 10 business days for people to submit arguments for and against the referendum to be included in the voter's pamphlet. The deadline to submit arguments, which requires either collecting 500 signatures or paying a $1,200 fee, is March 12. Advertisement Advertisement The referendum effort paused new revenue from a transportation funding package that was passed in a special session called by Kotek to prevent layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation. That came after lawmakers failed to pass a transportation funding package in the final hours of the 2025 regular session. Thousands of people submitted testimony overwhelmingly against moving the referendum date from the November general election to the May primary. The Senate delayed the bill for nearly a week after it had received the second of three required readings. Republican Senators briefly walked out before returning the next day. Consideration of Senate Bill 1599 was ultimately pushed from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23, seemingly because Democrats did not have the votes to pass it at the time. It ultimately passed the Senate on Feb. 23 without support from any Republicans and one Democrat. House Republicans walked out later that day, stopping the bill from being introduced in the House until Feb. 24. Lawmakers debated Senate Bill 1599 on the House floor, shown on Feb. 23, before Democrats ultimately passed it on March 2. Republican representatives urge vote against moving the referendum date Representatives debated Senate Bill 1599 for about two hours. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, carried the bill on the floor and said 20% of ODOT's positions are currently vacant and hundreds of employees have left the agency. "If the question of this referral is left to fester for another nine months, I don't know who's gonna be left," he said. Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, gavels to push deliberations of Senate Bill 1599 to March 2. Lawmakers have proposed using vacancy savings and unobligated funds from ODOT programs to redirect $288 million to maintenance and operations at the agency. The legislature will need to find new ways to fill the department's budget in the 2027 session and voting on the referendum earlier gives more time to do that, Democrats, including Kotek, say. Advertisement Advertisement "Let the people vote and let us get back to that table and let's make sure that we vote for funding tools that they can approve of," Rep. Susan McLain, D-Hillsboro, said. Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, said he had alternated back and forth on supporting the bill but ultimately decided to support it. "There's going to be an election, and since everybody knows that it's going to fail, that'll happen sooner than later, and perhaps save us six or more months of chasing our tail around this building in partisan fights," he said. A motion from Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, to refer the bill to the House Rules Committee for further deliberation failed. Advertisement Advertisement "Government is supposed to answer to the voters, not schedule elections to avoid them," Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass, said. Referendums that qualify for the ballot default to the next general election, which would be Nov. 3, 2026, but the legislature has the ability to change that date. Republicans have argued that because the petition said the election would be in November, it should stay that way. "I don't understand why anyone's gonna have any faith in us as a democracy to sign a referendum petition if we change whatever a referendum says after the fact," Rep. Alek Skarlatos, R-Winston, said. Boxes are placed on and around the desk of Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, ahead of a vote on Senate Bill 1599 on March 2 at the Oregon State Capitol. Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, a gubernatorial candidate and a leader of the referendum effort, criticized Kotek for what he called "a complete and total disdain for the very people you are supposed to represent." Advertisement Advertisement "Whether this vote happens in May or November, Oregonians will remember who stood with them, and who stood in their way," Diehl said. Statesman Journal reporter Dianne Lugo contributed to this report. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@statesmanjournal.com or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Democrats move Oregon gas tax vote to May, despite public outcry Newly built data centers could be temporarily exempt from Gov. Tina Koteks hotly-debated economic stimulus bill that would double the length of property tax exemptions for industries investing in Oregon infrastructure and jobs in urban and suburban enterprise zones. Under an amendment to Kotek-backed House Bill 4084 proposed on Monday by Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, new data centers would not qualify for at least a year for the expanded benefits that change the current five-year property tax exemption to 10 years under the states decades-old enterprise zone program. Under the program, businesses are incentivized to set up shop and boost local hiring in select zones across the state, in exchange for a complete property-tax exemption for a set number of years. The proposed year-long pause for data centers is primarily so Koteks new Data Center Advisory Committee which has met only once since the governor formed it in January can weigh in with recommendations before the long 2027 legislative session, Nathanson said in the Joint Subcommittee on Capital Construction, a catchall committee where bills still alive but in need of work can be heard and amended. Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed the committee, and later passed the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee with Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, in opposition. It now goes to the full House. Sollman said she could not support the bill after she was recently pressured to remove expanded enterprise zones from her own economic development bill to expand industrial development in Washington County. Her bill, which critics said would largely benefit data centers, appears to be on life support in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. The amendment also addresses concerns from bill critics that data centers have become the primary beneficiaries of the states enterprise zone tax incentives, while putting extraordinary demand on Oregons electricity, land and water resources. Enterprise zone tax breaks, a lack of statewide sales tax, as well as the relatively clean, cheap hydroelectricity in the region have laid the groundwork for Oregon to become among the nations largest data center markets. In the most recent tax year, companies owning data centers received two-thirds of the $68 million-worth of tax breaks offered from the states Standard Enterprise Zone program, according to recent reporting from The Oregonian, though they make up less than 10% of the 155 companies participating in the program. Advertisement Advertisement Using data from Washington County, The Oregonian also reported that the top 11 tech company-owned data centers in Hillsboro each employ, on average, about 26 full-time employees, casting doubt on the programs efficacy as a jobs creation incentive. Those companies in the current tax year will receive an average of $7.6 million each in property tax breaks, or roughly $294,000 per employee. Kotek spokespersons last week told the Capital Chronicle they were aware of concerns that the bill would be a giveaway to data centers but that the governor wanted the bill to be intentionally broad and comprehensive, not targeted at any single community or industry. They were not supportive at the time of any amendments that would exempt data centers or crypto-mining facilities. During a late February news conference, Kotek said she didnt believe the bill would lead to new data centers. My bill does not create more data centers, she said. Kotek spokesperson Anca Matica said in an email that the governor convened her advisory committee to develop actionable legislative and executive recommendations to approach statewide conversations. Advertisement Advertisement HB 4084 expands the economic opportunity tools local jurisdictions have been requesting, not for any single industry or community, but for all of them, Matica continued. Business groups and construction and electrical workers unions spoke against Nathansons amendment Monday, saying data centers provide good jobs and wages in the construction and maintenance phases, at a time when many are out of work. Republicans on the capital construction committee, including Sen. Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, said data center concerns were a western Oregon problem stymying development in central and eastern Oregon. Once again, disputes in the Willamette Valley are like a rock in a mud puddle, and it splashes those of us who live east of the mountains. Im growing weary of this, he said. Advertisement Advertisement But the amendment, and the expansion of the Standard Enterprise Zone benefits would almost exclusively impact areas west of the Cascades, not rural central and eastern Oregon. In those rural areas, companies running data centers have cashed in on Long Term Rural Enterprise Zones that come with property tax breaks for up to 15 years. Nathanson characterized her proposed amendment to Koteks bill on Monday as a pause for data centers in urban and suburban enterprise zones until better solutions to data center concerns including financial incentives can be worked out in the long, six-month legislative session next year. Data centers are a hot topic nationally, she said. Lets consider this very carefully. Instead of an outright prohibition, one size fits all, applies everywhere, all the time, and doing something really fast this session, lets take a pause. Lets consider all the factors and come back and address this next year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Chinese automakers reported strong sales growth in Southeast Asia last year, with their combined deliveries in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines surging by 95% to over 377,450 units from 193,510 in 2024, according to preliminary data released by local industry sources. Overall sales in these four markets were just slightly lower at 2.71 million units in 2025, meaning that Chinese automakers doubled their combined share of the regions markets last year to 14%, from 7% in 2024, mainly at the expense of underperforming Japanese automakers including Honda, Nissan and Daihatsu. While Thailand was the third-largest market in Southeast Asia last year, it was the largest market for Chinese brands with over 140,000 sales, accounting for 23% of total vehicle sales. Indonesia was the second-largest market in the region for Chinese automakers with over 128,000 sales and a market share of 16%, followed by Malaysia with 59,990 units (7%) and the Philippines with 48,960 units (11%). These market shares only include vehicles sold under Chinese brands and do not reflect partnerships between domestic brands and Chinese automakers, including Malaysias Proton which produces a significant number of vehicles based on platform technologies derived from its 49.9% Chinese shareholder Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, and smaller-scale partnerships such as that between Indonesias Hartono Istana Electronic (Polytron) and Chinas Skyworth Automobile and also that between Thailands Energy Absolute (EA) and EVE Energy/Sunwoda Mobility. The strong growth seen in the region by Chinese brands last year has been driven by surging demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), a segment that Chinese automakers have come to dominate globally over the last few years. BEV sales in the four markets surveyed rose by 105% to an estimated 264,000 units last year, with sales in Thailand surging by 80% to over 120,000 units, followed by Indonesia with 143% growth to almost 107,000 units, Malaysia with 30,850 units (+109%) and the Philippines with 5,890 units (+90%). Chinese automakers accounted for roughly 90% of these sales. BEV demand in the region has been driven by generous government incentives, including tax discounts for consumers and investment incentives for vehicle manufacturers, which have encouraged a rising number of Chinese brands to enter these markets and localize production, as they face sluggish demand and cut-throat competition in their home market. While some markets in the region reduced some BEV incentives at the beginning of 2026, including for built-up imports, most Chinese vehicle manufacturers have established strong dealer networks in the region and have already localized vehicle production. Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby told lawmakers that the administration's latest defense strategy proposal does not sideline the U.S.' European allies, but rather it aims to go back to a "Cold War mentality" with an emphasis on "burden sharing." The Pentagon policy chief was grilled on Tuesday as members of the Senate Armed Services Committee questioned the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS). The strategy outlines a shift in U.S. priorities to keep Washington engaged in Europe while also prioritizing defense of the "U.S. Homeland and deterring China." The NDS also calls for NATO allies, which it says are "substantially more powerful than Russia," to take responsibility for Europe's conventional defense. Advertisement Advertisement Trump Presses Nato Partners On Support As Hegseth Blasts Hesitation Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee at the Hart Senate Office Building on March 3, 2026. (Getty Images) Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., expressed doubts in his opening statement about leaving Europe to handle threats from Russia. The senator said that "any clear-eyed assessment of the military situation in Europe makes it clear we cannot fully delegate the Russia problem to our European allies." Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the committee's ranking member, called the NDS a "flawed proposal," and also expressed concerns about the strategy's approach to Russia, which he said focused U.S. efforts on Moscow's growing nuclear arsenal, as well as its advances in space and cyber spaces. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "While I understand the logic of pursuing the right balance of U.S. military capabilities with those of our European allies, I do not accept the abdication of our clear national security interests in Europe by suggesting Russia is their problem to manage," Reed said in his opening remarks. Nato Chief Praises Trumps Iran Strikes, Says Key Allies All For One, One For All President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte attend the start of a NATO leaders summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. Colby told the senators that the strategy did not leave America's allies in danger, saying it was meant to focus U.S. resources "realistically and prudently" while accounting for "our allies' and partners' ability and will to meet those challenges." He described the strategy as going back to a "Cold War mentality" that focused on U.S. allies doing their part to combat threats within their regions. The Pentagon policy chief noted that the U.S. has a network of allies with "tremendous military power." Colby said the model that the administration is pursuing is "NATO 3.0," which aims to have "wealthy European allies take the lead for the conventional defense of European NATO." Advertisement Advertisement "In Europe and other theaters, allies will take the lead against threats that are less severe for us but more so for them, with critical but more limited support from the United States," he said. NATO leaders pose for a photo during the summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Colby cited this when responding to concerns Wicker expressed during his statement, saying that the strategy recognizes European interests in the context of certain threats without leaving U.S. allies in the lurch. He said the strategy is a return to shared defense burdens and responsibilities. "I think this is a return to the Cold War mentality, when these were expected to be real military alliances with burden-sharing, and members of this committee in the 1970s and '80s on both sides of the dais, would make a real point of making sure that our allies did their part. And we're going back to that noble heritage," he said. Original article source: Pentagon official flags return of 'Cold War mentality,' as Trump admin reshapes NATO alliance John Bolton, President Donald Trumps former national security adviser, suggested Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth needs an attitude adjustment after his briefing on the strikes against Iran. Early Monday, Hegseth, alongside Gen. Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed reporters on the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials. Hegseth claimed the conflict is not a so-called regime change war, but noted that the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it. He said the operations goals are to destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and [ensure] they will never have nuclear weapons." Advertisement Advertisement This comes after Trump called on the Iranian people to take over you government in a video shared on Truth Social early Saturday. When CNNs Jake Tapper asked on Monday if the U.S. is doing more beyond the strikes to help the Iranian people regain control of the country, Trump replied, Yes. Bolton called Trumps response to Tapper important as he slammed Hegseths claims at the press conference, suggesting his message was at odds with the presidents. John Bolton said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth needs to check with his boss on what the objective is (Getty Images) Pete Hegseth needs to check with his boss on what the objective is, Bolton told CNN host Kate Bolduan. And by the way, if the big one is still to come, how does Hegseth explain that we've already changed the regime, which wasn't our objective? I mean I think the Pentagon's top leadership, civilian top leadership, needs some attitude adjustment. I think the military's doing fine, but I wonder about the civilian leadership, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth was quick to air familiar grievances at the press briefing as he railed against fake news and the political left. He also pushed back on the idea that the conflict could lead to an endless war. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back on critics who argued the conflict in Iran could lead to an endless war (AFP via Getty Images) To the media outlets and political left screaming endless wars, stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless, Hegseth said. Our generation knows better and so does this president. When asked about Hegseths claim that the goal is not a regime change, Bolton said the defense secretary should talk to the president. Hes made it clear in multiple remarks that in order to address the threats to the United States, Iran's effort to get nuclear weapons, its support for international terrorism, you have to have regime change. That's what he is saying. So, maybe Pete Hegseth hasn't seen the latest press release, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump fired Bolton in 2019 after they repeatedly clashed over foreign policy issues. Bolton has since been a vocal critic of Trump, and has even said hes unfit to be president. Bolton was also indicted by the Justice Department last year on several counts related to the mishandling of classified information. He pleaded not guilty in October. The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment. PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WHTM) New details have emerged regarding the upcoming closure of one of Pennsylvanias largest newspapers. abc27 news reported back in January 2026 when Block Communications shared that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette would be ceasing operations later this year, with its final edition being published on Sunday, May 3. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Local Business Beat As previously reported, Block Communications said it had lost more than $350 million over the last 20 years while publishing the Post-Gazette. Advertisement Advertisement They had also cited recent court orders that required them to operate under a 2014 labor contract, which they had said imposed outdated and inflexible practices. Earlier today, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette officially filed a WARN Notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. According to the WARN Notice, although the newspapers last edition was published on May 3, they wont officially close down their newsroom at 300 Corliss Street in Pittsburgh, Pa., until the following day. As a result of this closure, 171 employees at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will be affected. 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. Oil crosses $110 for the first time since 2022 as Iran war keeps Strait of Hormuz closed, forces shut-ins Oil prices crossed $100 per barrel for the first time since 2022 as the war in Iran rages on with no signs of slowing down. Misconduct by the New York police department (NYPD) cost the citys taxpayers more than $117m in 2025, a study of lawsuits resolved last year has found. The figure, in an analysis by the Legal Aid Society reported by the Gothamist, is the third highest yearly total since 2018. But it is lower than the 2024 settlement amount, which topped $200m. The city of New York began publishing the data in 2013, and former mayor Bill de Blasio amended a law in 2017 that required disclosures of civil actions against the NYPD, and their cost to the public purse, to be collated every six months. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Met police to pilot facial recognition identity checks, mayor confirms Jennvine Wong, supervising attorney with Legal Aids cop accountability unit, told the Gothamist that the high payouts reflected a culture of impunity within the police department. She said: All of these kinds of things cost the taxpayer money. The NYPD has not done enough to prevent that. The Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which represents more than 21,000 uniformed officers, pushed back on allegations of misconduct. The city routinely settles lawsuits in cases where police officers have done nothing wrong, rather than fighting them in court, the groups president, Patrick Hendry, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement He continued: Police officers are often not informed of these settlements and have no opportunity to clear their name. The lawsuits, he added, are no reflection on how police officers are performing their duties. In a separate post on the associations website, the PBA linked to a New York Post article claiming that attacks on NYPD officers increased 3% during the first two months of the administration of Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor. The Gothamist also quoted a spokesperson for NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch, who said many of the incidents that gave rise to lawsuits settled during 2025 took place more than 20 years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Tisch, the spokesperson said, has taken significant steps to increase accountability and update policies that could create a greater risk of litigation, including regular meetings to review compliance issues, like use of force and new restrictions on vehicle pursuits. The Legal Aid Society studied city data and found that more than 1,000 lawsuits were resolved last year, with 17 of them costing more than $1m each. The highest payouts, $13m and $11m respectively, went to two men, Eric Smokes and David Warren, after a Manhattan judge overturned their convictions for the killing of a French tourist near Times Square in 1987 when they were teenagers. The pair spent decades in prison. More than one-third of the 2025 figure, about $42m, were settlements for reversed convictions. The Gothamist noted that the $117m represented only a portion of the amount the city spends each year on allegations of misconduct by the NYPD. The city comptrollers office settles many cases before formal lawsuits are filed, it said. NORTH TROY, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) People across Vermont have had trouble receiving their mail in a timely manner in recent months, as a shortage of carriers and changes to how delivery works have led to delays. But for people in one village near the Canadian border, there may be another reason if you havent gotten your packages, say Vermont State Police. Natasha Morisseau, 34, of North Troy, who worked as a mail carrier for USPS this year and last, has been charged with 14 combined counts of petty larceny and unlawful mischief after police say she regularly threw away some of the mail she was tasked with delivering, dating back all the way to October. Advertisement Advertisement Both packages and holiday cards were reportedly found in a dumpster on Elm Street. According to authorities, some of the cards were opened and money taken from them, but most did not contain money. All mail found by state police was given back to the post office to be delivered when possible. Morisseau was suspended by USPS in January. She was cited last month and is scheduled to appear in court later in March. 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. BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Town Meeting Day is officially underway in Vermont, and members of the community are already casting their votes and heading to local polls. Each city and town will be voting on a wide range of topics, from leadership races to school budgets and more. Uncontested races across much of VT for Town Meeting Day Many polling places opened at 7:00 a.m. this morning, with others opening in the hours following. Areas like Barnard, Berlin, Concord and Enosburgh at 10:00 a.m., after which all locations will be open until 7:00 p.m. today. Advertisement Advertisement Governor Scott: Vermonters should do their homework on Town Meeting Day Information on polling spots, accessibility and timing can be found either on the statewide polling place list or the interactive map. Both of these resources are provided by the Vermont Secretary of States Office, Election Division. Many town offices, nonprofit organizations, and more are closed for Town Meeting Day. Learn more by checking out related videos below, and by reading more on myChamplainValley.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 ABC22 & FOX44. Did anyone win Monday night's Powerball drawing for the jackpot of $251 million? The cash option for the March 2 jackpot was $118 million. Here's what we know about the drawing on Monday, March 2: Powerball winning numbers for March 2 lottery drawing jackpot The winning numbers for the March 2 drawing were 2, 17, 18, 38, 62. The red Powerball was 20, and the Power Play was 2X. Did anyone win Powerball last night? Yes, there was a jackpot winner in Arkansas for the March 2 drawing. There was no $1 million Match 5 winner. There was one Match 5 plus Power Play $2 million prize winner in Puerto Rico. When is next Powerball drawing? The next drawing is on Wednesday, March 4. What is the Powerball jackpot up to? The jackpot for the next drawing is an estimated $20 million with a cash value of $9.4 million. Advertisement Advertisement More: Mega Millions numbers for March 3 drawing. Did anyone win last night? What time is the Powerball drawing? Powerball drawings take place at 11 p.m. ET every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. What are the odds of winning Powerball? The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. Where to buy Powerball tickets Powerball is played in 45 states, including Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and in Washington, DC and the Virgin Islands. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to play Powerball. You can purchase tickets at gas stations, convenience stores and supermarkets in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Sales cut-off times vary by one to two hours before the drawing, depending on the selling jurisdiction. Can you buy Powerball tickets online? In Kentucky, you can purchase tickets online through the Kentucky Lottery website, kylottery.com. Advertisement Advertisement In Ohio and Indiana, people can order Powerball tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Lottery tickets are sold to residents online through their lottery's official site in the following jurisdictions: Kentucky Connecticut Georgia Illinois Kansas Michigan New Hampshire North Carolina North Dakota Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia Washington, DC How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today? A single Powerball ticket costs $2. Pay an additional $1 to add the Power Play for a chance to multiply all Powerball winnings except for the jackpot. In Kentucky, Indiana and some other states, players can also add the Double Play for an additional $1 to have a second chance at winning $10 million. How to play Powerball To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Advertisement Advertisement You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers. How to win Powerball Match all 5 white balls + Powerball: Jackpot (odds 1 in 292.2 million) Match all 5 white balls: $1 million (odds 1 in 11.7 million) Match 4 white balls + Powerball: $50,000 (odds 1 in ~913,000) Match 4 white balls: $100 (odds 1 in ~36,000) Match 3 white balls + Powerball: $100 (odds 1 in ~14,500) Match 3 white balls: $7 (odds 1 in ~580) Match 2 white balls + Powerball: $7 (odds 1 in ~700) Match 1 white ball + Powerball: $4 (odds 1 in ~92) Match Powerball only: $4 (odds 1 in ~38) This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Powerball winning ticket sold in Arkansas. March 2 lottery numbers By Joseph Rachman Welcome to Foreign Policys Southeast Asia Brief. The highlights this week: Southeast Asia splits over the Iran strikes, Malaysia makes an anti-LGBT push, Indonesia convicts oil execs for corruption, and joint Thai-U.S. exercise Cobra Gold kicks off. Indonesias Prabowo Offers to Negotiate With Iran The United States and Israels surprise strikes on Iran have stunned the world, including Southeast Asia. Advertisement Advertisement As with the United States audacious raid on Venezuela, none of the countries in the region has welcomed the development. Some Southeast Asian leaders are taking a softer line on the Iran strikes, though, despite their greater scope and likely greater repercussions. The most striking response has come from Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim nation, which has offered to facilitate negotiations. Unusually, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs even declared, [T]he President of Indonesia is willing to travel to Tehran to conduct mediation. Indonesia also stopped short of condemning the strikes, instead saying it deeply regrets the failure of negotiations and calling for restraint. Contrast this to former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros capture, after which Indonesia expressed grave concern over U.S. actions. Advertisement Advertisement As with Indonesias provision of troops for a Gaza peacekeeping force, the key driver seems likely to be President Prabowo Subiantos continuing efforts to make a role for himself on the global stage as a peacemaker. This new offer risks making Prabowo look like a stooge of U.S. President Donald Trump in Indonesians eyes. Some are already criticizing his offer as unrealistic. The regions two other Muslim-majority states, Malaysia and Brunei, have been much more critical. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has long been a vocal critic of the United States Middle East policies and Israel. As an Islamic student activist, he was deeply inspired by the Iranian revolution. Yet Malaysias close links to Gulf states mean it has also condemned Irans retaliatory strikes against them. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it strongly condemns the attacks against Iran and the subsequent retaliatory attacks against several countries in the region. It further called for disputes to be resolved via diplomacy in full respect of international law. Anwar has also spoken out personally against the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I unreservedly condemn the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This act places the Middle East on the edge of grave and sustained instability. He called the killing of a head of state a dangerous precedent that weakened the international order. Advertisement Advertisement However, Anwar also added, I urge the Iranian authorities to respond with the utmost restraint. These sentiments were echoed by Bruneis foreign ministry, which stated it strongly condemns the attacks on Iran that resulted in the loss of innocent civilian lives and provoked retaliatory strikes against Gulf countries. The statement added it was particularly regrettable that the strikes came amid talks hosted by Oman for a new nuclear deal. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared he was gravely concerned by the current situation in the Middle East and saddened by violence against civilians. The governments main focus, though, is the safety of Thai civilians and their potential evacuation. Advertisement Advertisement Singapore has said it regrets the failure of negotiations that led to strikes against Iran and its retaliatory strikes and called for a return to negotiations. Again, the formulation is weaker than Singapores response to U.S. actions in Venezuela. This reflects Singapores long-standing ties and sympathy with Israel. Cambodias government has expressed deep concern and called for maximum restraint to avoid escalation. However, unlike with Venezuela, it did invoke the need to respect international law. Philippine President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. has simply declared that the government is monitoring the situation and emphasized that his priority was protecting Filipinos in the region. Advertisement Advertisement The latter point is a major concern given the high number of Filipino workers in the Middle East. One was killed on Feb. 28 by an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv. And unlike with Venezuela, there was no concerned invocation of international law. The governments of Laos, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam have, at the time of writing, yet to offer comment on the situation. In terms of concrete impacts on Southeast Asia, the most immediate will be any effect on oil prices. Thailand has already suspended oil exports over worries about spiking prices. Malaysia has promised to keep prices stable via subsidywhich will be expensive. Advertisement Advertisement There will also be some businesses in Malaysia that have made money covertly shipping Iranian oil to beat U.S. sanctions now holding very urgent meetings. What Were Watching Malaysias anti-LGBT push. Malaysia is continuing to ramp up its anti-LGBT policies. On Feb. 25, the communications minister announced that LGBT dating apps Grindr and Blued had been blocked in the country. The government is now looking for ways to stop themand other LGBT-related appsfrom appearing on app stores in the country. The deputy minister of religious affairs has also urged people to use the term deviant culture instead of LGBT to avoid promoting it. Advertisement Advertisement Malaysia has never been a friendly place for sexual minorities. The countrys penal codewhich dates back to the era of British colonizationprohibits carnal intercourse against the order of nature. Recent years have seen growing public and political agitation about the issue. In January, a private event, Glamping with Prideorganized by an LGBT rights nongovernmental organizationwas canceled over public outcry. The irony is that Anwar has twice been convicted on sodomy charges, in 2000 and 2014. He and his supporters have always denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. Anwars ascension to the top office was also seen by some as a victory for Malaysias liberal forces. But with his government politically courting the countrys increasingly religious conservative Malay majority, these hopes have been dashed. Advertisement Advertisement Indonesia cracks down on oil graft. On Feb. 26, Indonesia jailed nine people on corruption charges related to the subsidiaries of national oil company Pertamina. Accused of causing $17 billion in state losses, the defendants were sentenced to between nine and 15 years. The most interesting figure to be convicted was Mohammed Kerry Adrianto Riza, the son of Riza Chalid, aka Indonesias gasoline godfather, also sought by Indonesian prosecutors in the same case. It is widely believed their business hinged on Chalids protection by powerful political contacts he cultivated. Last year, Indonesias leading investigative news outlet, Tempo, accused former President Joko Widodo of having blocked an investigation into Chalid, despite having promised to clean up corruption in Pertamina. That Chalid, who is on the run, should come under scrutiny now is interesting, given his strong past links to Prabowo. Prabowo has positioned himself as a corruption fighter, though critics have alleged his government has used prosecutions as a political tool. For some, the pursuit of Chalid is proof of Prabowos sincere anti-corruption commitment. Others suspect his fall, if it eventuates, might merely herald a new set of vested interests. Photo of the Week Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many attends a ceremony to welcome 74 returned cultural artifacts, in Phnom Penh on Feb. 27. AFP via Getty Images Cambodia has welcomed the return of 74 historic artefacts plundered by British scholar and smuggler Douglas Latchford. Praised as a leading scholar on the art of the ancient Khmer Empire, Latchford also dealt in stolen antiquities. In 2019 he was charged with selling smuggled Cambodian antiquities on the black market by prosecutors in New York but died in 2020 before the case went to trial. Number of the Week 591.2. The length, in feet, of the secondhand aircraft carrier Indonesia is procuring from Italy, apparently mainly for humanitarian uses. The ship is being handed over free of charge, but Indonesia will be paying an Italian company to refurbish it and buying helicopters for ithelped by a loan from Italy. The logic behind the procurement looks soggy. As the worlds largest archipelagic nation Indonesia does have a lot of territorial waters to protect. But aircraft carriers are for blue-water navies aimed at projecting power globallysomething that seems outside Indonesias strategic policy or even its capacity. Some argue an aircraft carrier might help police more remote parts of Indonesias waters, in particular the Natuna Sea where China has asserted territorial claims. Even this, though, would rely on a huge amount of supporting equipment, from suitable planes to escorts and tanker ships for refueling. Like a lot of expensive white-elephant purchases of defense equipment, the real purpose may be prestige. Now the Indonesian military is left sorting out what to do with ithence the odd suggestion the huge floating weapons platform might be used for disaster relief. What Were Reading On Feb. 20two days before elections were held the body of Laotian dissident Bao Mo Khaen was found dumped by the side of the road. Mark Wright shines a light on this and other murders of Laotian activists in the Diplomat. Did Jeffrey Epstein hire Philippine gig workers to clean up his image online? The Philippines anti-cybercrime institute is investigating, by Sam Beltran in the South China Morning Post. As Indonesias fertility rate hovers just above replacement level, its government pushes young people to get married using durians as an incentive, by Maretha Uli in the Jakarta Post. In Focus: The Drifting U.S.-Thailand Alliance Cobra Gold, a joint military exercise cohosted by Thailand and the United States involving more than 8,000 personnel and 30 nations, kicked off on Feb. 24. It will run until March 6. Alongside the U.S. and Thailand, full participants in the exercise taking place on Thai soil include Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia. China, India, and Australia will join selected activities, such as the humanitarian assistance program. Cobra Gold is one of the largest and longest-running multinational military exercises in Southeast Asia, reflecting an alliance that dates back to 1954. But while the United States other Southeast Asian alliance with the Philippines has remained strong, the relationship with Thailand has drifted. Thai foreign policy today is marked by hedging between the U.S. and China, with some even arguing Thailand leans more toward the latter. How did it reach this point? Fundamentally, the geopolitical landscape has changed. In 1954, the U.S.-Thailand alliance was founded on a joint opposition to communism in Asia. It was aimed at containing China and communist movements in Indochina. The end of the Cold War saw the alliances relevance decline. Thailands coups in 2006 and 2014 were further blows. While in Cold War days such actions were met with a wink and a nod, the United States post-Cold War democracy promotion agenda proved less accommodating. After the second coup, the U.S. reacted by cutting military aid and curtailing military exercises. China quickly stepped in to fill the gap. Between 2014 and 2024, it sold substantially more military equipment to Thailand than the United States did. And the number of joint military exercises between the two countries has also increased. This trend looks likely to continue. Since its return to democracy in 2023, Thailand has continued to hedge between China and the U.S. And Trumps haphazard intervention in last years border war with Thailand seemed to endear him more to Cambodia than Thailand, with the U.S. now pursuing a rapprochement with the latter. In January 2023, then-Senator JD Vance took to the Wall Street Journal op-ed page to announce his early support for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The primary reason for his support, he claimed, was that Trump started no wars. In Mr. Trumps four years in office, he started no wars despite enormous pressure from his own party and even members of his own administration, wrote Vance, then just one month into his first term as the junior senator from Ohio. Trumps refusal to plunge the U.S. into any new foreign conflicts marked the first real disruption to a failed consensus and the terrible consequences it wrought a record that, more than any single accomplishment, is the enduring legacy of Mr. Trumps first term. Now, as the Trump administration oversees a far-reaching assault on Irans Islamist regime, Vance is participating in a swift reversal of that legacy. The about-face is all the more striking for the vice president, who rose to national prominence as the standard-bearer of MAGAs anti-interventionist faction that took shape in opposition to the forever wars in the Middle East, and which has harshly criticized U.S. intervention in more recent foreign conflicts like Russias war in Ukraine. More recently, Vance has positioned himself as a vocal Republican skeptic of war with Iran, arguing as recently as October of 2024 that our interest, I think very much is not going to war with Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Against that backdrop, Trumps attack on Iran appears to be a major political setback for Vance and the anti-interventionist faction on the right even in the eyes of Vances putative allies. Its pretty bad for Vance, said the leader of a prominent right-leaning nonprofit organization that advocates for a more restrained foreign policy, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive coalitional dynamics. He had to perform the dutiful task of being the subordinate and trying to convince people like us that this was actually in good hands and thats a tough pill to swallow. Vance has been circumspect about revealing his role in the administrations decision to move forward with the strikes. In the lead-up to the U.S. attack, Vance publicly maintained that Trump preferred a diplomatic agreement to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons but was prepared to use military force if necessary while also arguing that there was no chance that a military engagement would evolve into a drawn-out war in the Middle East. On Friday, Vance met one-on-one with Omans foreign minister, a key intermediary in the negotiations. When the strikes began early Saturday morning, Vance was in Washington, where he monitored the operation from the White House Situation Room not with Trump, who oversaw the strikes from Mar-a-Lago alongside White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the days since the attacks, Vance has been conspicuously quiet, with his only public activity over the weekend coming on social media, where he retweeted two posts from the White House, including one showing him in the Situation Room during the initial strikes. Vance broke his silence in a brief interview with Fox News Jesse Watters on Monday evening, where he defended the attacks, claiming they were in pursuit of the clearly defined objective of preventing Iran from attaining nuclear weapons and reiterating his argument that the U.S. is not going to get into the problems we had with Iraq and Afghanistan. (Vances office declined to comment on his broader involvement in the deliberations surrounding the attacks.) Advertisement Advertisement Vances low profile was the subject of speculation at the National Republican Congressional Committee retreat this weekend in Key Biscayne, Florida, where Republicans wondered what to make of Vances extended silence on the war. People are really fixated that Vance has not tweeted. Its kind of a huge problem, said a House GOP official granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. The fact that he hasn't tweeted that was kind of what was dominating people's conversations about this, and the fact that he wasnt with the president. Yet what is clear is that Vances previously stated position that a war with Iran does not directly serve American interests was not the one that Trump ultimately followed. Together with the administrations recent military operation in Venezuela, that fact is prompting some on the right to reconsider their expectation fueled by Vances rapid ascent within the MAGA movement over the past three years that Vance and his allies in the administration would serve as an effective bulwark of foreign policy restraint. Its a definite failure of these more restrained anti-interventionist voices that they have been unable to sling things away from that [hawkish] status quo, said Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the restraint-oriented Stimson Center. Advertisement Advertisement Some restrainers on the right are acknowledging that recent tactical and political missteps by conservative opponents of war with Iran have contributed to their diminished influence. The nonprofit leader pointed to the failed pressure campaign waged last June led by prominent MAGA-aligned media figures and Vance allies including Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk to dissuade the administration from bombing Iranian nuclear sites as part so-called 12 Day War between Israel and Iran. I think that big media personalities like Tucker and Bannon learned a couple of lessons, [including] that the full-court press didn't work and in fact may have annoyed the president, they said. The credibility of the anti-interventionist faction took another hit following Trumps successful operation to capture Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, which did not devolve into the sort of regime-change quagmire that some conservative restrainers feared. Hes been very successful at threading the needle between George W. Bush-style intervention and non-intervention, said Ashford. That puts [restrainers] on the back foot this time because he has been successful so many times recently. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, some restrainers are attributing that failure to the inherent limitations of the vice presidents office, which requires its occupants to submerge their own ideological or policy preferences in order to doggedly defend the president. I think there was an idea of Vance as the national conservative or national populist Dick Cheney, and that's obviously not happening, said Curt Mills, editor of The American Conservative and a vocal opponent of war with Iran. The nonprofit leader made a similar point, invoking the infamous adage from Franklin D. Roosevelts first vice president John Nance Garner that the office isnt worth a warm bucket of spit. Following both the June strikes on Iran and the subsequent operation in Venezuela, Vance stepped in to serve as the administrations primary public liaison to the GOPs anti-interventionist faction, making the case that the operations were consistent with an "America First" foreign policy outlook. In both cases, he largely succeeded at suppressing any major schisms within the movement but not without a political cost. That was him spending down his political capital to support the president, said Justin Logan, the director of defense and foreign policy studies at the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute and a longtime voice of restraint in Washington. Were smart enough to know when its our ox being gored. This time, though, there are signs that Vance may face stiffer skepticism from his allies. Writing this weekend in the British publication UnHerd, the conservative journalist and long-time Vance ally Sohrab Ahmari sharply criticized the vice president for capitulating to the preferences of the neoconservative hawks within the GOP. The Vance who once sharply critiqued a foreign policy of moralizing is overseeing strikes explicitly aimed at freeing the people of Iran, Ahmari wrote. For those of us who have been inside these circles and debates, the ironies are mind-boggling. (Reached by text, Ahmari declined to elaborate on these criticisms.) Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, other restrainers who were counting on Vance to behave as a true believer are starting to question the sincerity of his views. This is a guy who has converted from atheism to Catholicism, the guy who called Trump Hitler who is now his vice president, said the nonprofit leader. Am I confident that he is entirely moored or tethered to any one perspective or worldview? No. The anger directed at Vance stems not only from the fact that he failed to prevent a potentially costly war but also that, in the process, he has done lasting damage to the anti-interventionists long-term project of convincing war-weary voters to embrace the GOP as their political home. For Vance, who is widely expected to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2028, that represents an electoral problem as well as an ideological one. He wants to build a grand coalition on the right, and I think it's going to be impossible to build a grand coalition by just ignoring the anti-war right, Mills said. I think he's going to have to win back some of that support. Still, restrainers have not given up on Vance entirely, and many see a possible path back to influence for him and his foreign policy allies. The investment in Vance was always long-term buy and hold as opposed to short sell, said the nonprofit leader. You need to set the deck and credential the right people so you can actually have an actual recalibration, not just national security and defense strategies that are hardly worth the paper they're printed on. Advertisement Advertisement Others are counting on the same dynamic that landed them in this position Trumps fickleness and susceptibility to reverse course to eventually bolster Vance and the anti-interventionists influence. If the war changes, hell probably try to sell out the neocons, and hell still be the president, Mills said. Im dooming pretty hard but the reality is that is Trump isn't horrendously ideological, so it feels less baked in than, say, like, President George W. Bush. Dasha Burns contributed to this report. CORRECTION: A previous version of this report misspelled Jesse Watters' name. More U.S. cities will be able to enjoy Costco's famous $1.50 hot dogs and rotisserie chickens as the warehouse club is set to open new locations in March and April. The new stores will open in Texas, Utah, and California, with another location set to debut in the Canadian province of Manitoba, according to the company. Costco, a members-only wholesale store, opened its first location in 1976 as Price Club. The location was inside a converted airplane hangar in San Diego. According to Costco, Price Club changed from a small business store to a warehouse as "the growth of the warehouse club industry was off and running." The first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle in 1983. During its latest earnings report in early February, Costco said it has 924 warehouses, including 634 in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as locations in Mexico and Japan. Where is Costco opening new stores? Costco lists six locations with future opening dates in March and April on its "Coming Soon" page. Liberty Hill, Texas (opening March 11) Forney, Texas (opening March 12) St. George, Utah (opening March 13) North Visalia, California (TBD) New Braunfels, Texas (TBD) Winnipeg, Manitoba (TBD) The new locations come after a busy 2025 when the company opened new locations, including in The Villages, Florida, Richland, Washington, and North Guadalajara, Mexico. Contributing: Saleen Martin, USA TODAY Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Costco is opening 6 locations in March and April. See the list here A proposal to require people to show identification in order to vote could be on the California ballot this November. Supporters of a proposed California voter ID initiative say they have gathered roughly 1.3 million signatures in an effort to place the measure on the November ballot. Boxes of petitions were delivered to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters on Monday as part of a statewide submission. Election officials will now verify the signatures to determine whether the measure qualifies. Advertisement Advertisement Backers of the proposal held a rally outside the elections office, calling the effort a step toward strengthening election integrity. "When we give voters a choice this November, I have no doubt that the people of California will vote for voter integrity and voter ID law, and that we will get this passed," said State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach. The proposed constitutional amendment would require voters to show government-issued identification before casting a ballot. It would also require state election officials to verify the citizenship of registered voters and maintain accurate voter rolls. Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, was at the rally to lend his support. Advertisement Advertisement "If we had voter ID, I know we would have greater confidence in the outcome of these elections and election integrity," Calvert said. Calvert argued that in close elections, even a small number of ineligible ballots can impact results. "Anytime a ballot is cast by someone who is ineligible to vote, it cancels out the vote of an eligible citizen. It silences their vote," he said. But, opponents argue that voter fraud is extremely rare. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, out of roughly 250 million mail-in ballots cast nationwide between 2000 and 2020, there were 193 criminal convictions for voter fraud. Advertisement Advertisement "It's actually more likely to be struck by lightning in the United States than it is to impersonate another voter and illegally cast a ballot," said Jenny Farrell, executive director of the League of Women Voters of California. Farrell said strict voter ID laws can disproportionately impact low-income voters, seniors, people with disabilities and women whose identification may not match their voter registration due to name changes after marriage or divorce. She argues existing safeguards already protect against fraud. "This is really voter suppression, pure and simple," Farrell said. Thirty-six states currently require some form of voter identification when voting, though requirements vary in strictness. County officials will now review and verify the submitted signatures. If enough are deemed valid, the measure could appear before California voters in November. Escalating tensions in the Middle East sparked a demonstration on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis Monday night, as protesters gathered to oppose U.S. involvement in strikes on Iran. Chants echoed around the Circle as organizers with the Indianapolis Liberation Center urged Washington to stay out of the conflict. "I'm astounded at how some people think they're doing the right thing for their country by supporting two other countries from destroying their countrymen," said Lucas Lee, a Marine Corps veteran. Advertisement Advertisement Lindsey Holtgrave, another protester, said she fears the consequences of escalation. "We stand up in Indianapolis now so that we can end this before it comes home," Holtgrave said. "You saw that when there was people murdered in Minneapolis and we don't want to see that here." Across the street, a smaller group gathered with a different message. Hassan Mihankhah, who moved to Indiana from Iran more than 30 years ago, said he has spent decades trying to be a voice for people in Iran, pushing for freedom from the government there. "I appreciate this country, and I love this country," he said. Mihankhah said he believes some of the protesters do not understand what life under that regime is like. Advertisement Advertisement "These people, they do not understand what they got. They are trying to make trash from us," he shouted. "No way we are going to have this." Gov. Mike Braun (R-Indiana) also chimed in Monday by praising President Donald Trump's decision. "I share the President's hope that they will lay down their arms and the Iranian people themselves will usher in a new government focused on prosperity rather than terror," Braun said during a post-legislative session press conference. As uncertainty grows over how long the operation will last, protesters say they hope the message is clear. "Standing for a world that is free from this type of violence that can occur from seemingly out of nowhere," Lee added. Protesters in red overalls targeted Pearson Engineering in February 2025 [CPS] Three pro-Palestine protesters who attacked a factory over its alleged links to Israel were "good citizens" but acted unlawfully, prosecutors have told jurors. Two women scaled a roof at Pearson Engineering in Newcastle and staged an eight-hour stand-off in February 2025, while a third tried to chain herself to a truck, the city's crown court was told. Hollie Mildenhall, 25, and Georgia Coote, 28, both from Newcastle, and Summer Oxlade, 29, from Houghton-le-Spring, each deny criminal damage. Advertisement Advertisement In their closing speeches, the women's lawyers said they acted to stop a genocide and war crimes. The court has heard Pearson Engineering is owned by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, an Israeli-state owned weapons company, although a company representative previously told jurors none of its creations had been supplied to Israel. At about 05:20 GMT on 18 February 2025, Mildenhall and Coote climbed on to the roof of the factory's gatehouse while Oxlade dumped rubble from a flatbed truck in the entrance before trying to chain herself to the vehicle, the court has heard. The women on the roof sprayed red paint from fire extinguishers, cut through razor wire and smashed two illuminated panels of the firm's large sign, the court heard. The protesters dumped rubble and sprayed red paint over the guardhouse and sign at Pearson Engineering, which is owned by an Israeli company [CPS] In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor Michael Bunch said it was unusual for a court in Newcastle to be taking account of events happening 2,000 miles away. Advertisement Advertisement He said trials normally involved "bad people doing bad things", but that was not the case with the three women who were "decent" and "good citizens". The prosecutor said the trio were polite and thoughtful, aware of the world around them and motivated by their thoughts of other people. But they each collectively accepted intentionally causing damage which was illegal, he said. Bunch said the women "doubtlessly acted with their conscience" and were "motivated by compassion and a desperate desire to do something", but they "acted unlawfully". Summer Oxlade dumped rubble outside the entrance [CPS] On behalf of Oxlade, Mira Hammad said the daughter of truck drivers from Sunderland had wanted to "try and stop a genocide", adding she "saw the pain of somebody thousands of miles away who had nothing in common with her and felt moved to do something to put a stop to it". Advertisement Advertisement She said Pearson Engineering "sits in Newcastle" but "belongs to a government headed by a man who to this day has a warrant out for his arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity". Hammad said the value of damage caused came to "about 6,000", with Oxlade's actual role involving dumping rubble from a truck and then sitting in the cab. She said Oxlade "had no plan B" and was always going to end up arrested and on trial, but jurors had a decision to make. Hammad said it would be "too late" if in years to come, a juror wished they had found the "Palestine activists" not guilty, and their decision would "stand as the part they play". Hollie Mildenhall and Georgia Coote got on to the roof of the security building [CPS] Rosalind Burgin, for Coote, said the jurors were "powerful" and could "not be punished" for their decision, adding they should "protect against prejudice". Advertisement Advertisement Coote had been "matter of fact" and "honest" with jurors about her actions and intentions, the court heard. She was motivated by seeing Israel's "onslaught" and "carpet-bombing" of Gaza, witnessing "horrors upon horrors" on the news, Burgin said. Coote was "drawing the dots" between the "horrors happening there" and the companies in the "supply chain" in the UK, adding she was "acting in the belief" a factory "near her home" was making weapons for use by the Israeli forces. She took action, such as petitioning politicians and attending protests, to no avail so decided to "escalate" and "put a crowbar" in the "conveyor belt pumping out weaponry" to force it to a stop, Burgin said. Fire extinguishers were used to spray red paint [CPS] Representing Mildenhall, Ife Thompson said her client "got on the roof to stop the ongoing genocide" and killing of Palestinian people "by the weapons made in that factory". Advertisement Advertisement Mildenhall tried the "democratic process" but "those avenues did not work", Thompson said, adding: "She was still seeing daily war crimes and killing in Gaza." "Doing nothing was not an option," Thompson said. Judge Edward Bindloss told jurors to put aside any views they might have on the situation in Gaza, adding it was not for them to determine the "lawfulness" of Israel's actions. "This is not a forum for political debate," the judge said. He also said the juror's views of the "morality" of Pearson Engineering and the defendants were "irrelevant". Advertisement Advertisement The judge said all three women jointly admitted damaging property and their reasons were to stop "weapons" being exported from the factory to Israel to "kill people in Gaza" and to stop profits from Pearson Engineering going to the country. But Bindloss said none of their reasons were "capable as a matter of law" to amount to a "lawful excuse" for causing criminal damage. The trial continues. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links Mar. 2---- Copy Link Facebook LinkedIn Share on X dbeard @dominionpost.com MORGANTOWN The Public Service Commission Consumer Advocate Division on Feb. 20 found some shortcomings in NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic's revised proposed public notice regarding its MidAtlantic Resiliency Link Project (MARL). Late Friday, PSC staff told the PSC it agrees with CAD's assessment. NextEra had filed the "Revised Notice of Filing " in response to PSC staff noting some shortcomings in its original proposed notice. NextEra corrected some of the flaws staff pointed out, but the revision fell short of achieving clarity on some points including its effects on certain customers' rates. Advertisement Advertisement And one revision, CAD said, was the surprise addition of another electric utility whose ratepayers will be affected by the construction of the line. In its Friday filing, PSC staff said it agrees with CAD and recommends the names and voltages of the various existing lines in the vicinity of MARL's. proposed route be added back into the Notice of Filing, to provide added clarity. Staff also said the Notice of Filing should be revised to provide the rate impact, in both dollars and percentages, to Appalachian Power Company and Wheeling Power Company customers the utilities that NextEra added to its revised filing. CAD had noted that NextEra, in its revised filing, provided dollar and percentage impacts to customers of Mon Power and Potomac Edison, but not percentage impact on commercial and industrial customers. Advertisement Advertisement PSC staff said NextEra should include notice, in both dollars and percentages, to commercial and industrial customers of those companies. Following the PSC staff filing, NextEra contacted The Dominion Post and said, "We are reviewing the PSC staff's letter and will respond through the regulatory process. This matter relates to technical updates to the public notice of filing. It's common for there to be back and forth between the applicant and the WV PSC staff regarding the notice in transmission line siting cases." West Virginia residents started submitting letters of support for the project to the PSC on Friday. As of Monday afteroon, letters of support stood at 28, and letters of protest at 3, 899. MOSCOW, March 3 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will convey to Iran concerns among Arab leaders about Tehran's strikes on oil infrastructure in the region, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, as the Iran conflict continued to widen. Putin held a flurry of phone calls on Monday with four Arab Gulf state leaders, offering to use Moscow's ties to Tehran - with which it has a strategic partnership - to try and defuse tensions in the region. "Putin will certainly make every effort to contribute to at least a slight easing of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement "Yesterday's discussions with virtually all of his interlocutors focused on Putin conveying his deep concern about the strikes on their infrastructure to our colleagues in Iran, taking advantage of the dialogue we maintain with the Iranian leadership." Oil prices rose on Tuesday for a third day as Iran responded to U.S. and Israeli attacks with strikes against energy infrastructure in Gulf countries and against tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Putin offered his condolences to the family of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a note to President Masoud Pezeshkian over the weekend, but the Kremlin has not publicised any further contact with senior Iranian leadership since the strikes began on Saturday. Putin has also not spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump, and Peskov said there were no plans for such a conversation at this time. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan, Aidan Lewis) Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the war in the Middle East in a telephone conversation with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to the Kremlin. "The drastically escalating situation around Iran and the entire Middle East region was discussed," the Kremlin press service said in a statement on Tuesday, "including the possible consequences for the state of the global energy market." Putin praised Hungary's position as balanced and independent, the Kremlin said, adding that the Russian leader emphasized that Budapest is fundamentally in favour of a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Within the EU, Orban is considered the leader with the best relations with the Kremlin. He was last a guest there in November 2025 - despite Western sanctions against Moscow due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Russia has condemned the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran as an offence against a sovereign country and a breach of international law. However, Moscow has not promised its ally in Tehran any military assistance. The leaders of Hungary and Russia discussed Hungarians serving in the Ukrainian army who ended up in Russian captivity, among other topics, during a phone call on March 3, the Kremlin said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, widely regarded as the EU's most Moscow-friendly leader, held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid an escalating spat between Kyiv and Budapest. The leaders discussed "Hungarian nationals that were mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces and subsequently captured as (Prisoners of War)," the Kremlin's press service said. Kyiv and Moscow have held numerous exchanges of military and civilian captives during the full-scale war. Advertisement Advertisement Only men holding Ukrainian citizenship are subject to mobilization, and a double Ukrainian-Hungarian citizenship is not recognized by Ukrainian law. Hungary has recently sharpened its criticism of Ukraine's conscription efforts, underscoring that it also impacts Ukrainians of Hungarian ethnic descent. There are about 80,000 ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine's westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast. About 670 service members of Hungarian ethnicity were serving in Ukraine's Armed Forces as of December. Budapest has repeatedly accused Kyiv of discriminating against its Hungarian minority, primarily through language laws, a claim that Ukraine has rejected. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Kremlin's press service, the two leaders also discussed agreements reached during their meeting in Moscow last November, as well as the situation in Iran and its possible implications for the energy markets. "Vladimir Putin commended Hungary's principled stance in support of resolving the conflict (in Ukraine) via political and diplomatic means as well as its overall commitment to pursuing a balanced and sovereign course in international affairs," the Kremlin said. While Orban is yet to comment on his call with Putin, the Hungarian leader has recently adopted an increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Ukraine. Budapest has accused Kyiv of deliberately withholding deliveries of Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia through its section of the Druzhba pipeline. Ukraine, in turn, said the pipeline is undergoing repairs due to a Russian strike in western Ukraine in late January. Advertisement Advertisement "Today I called on the President of the European Commission (Ursula von der Leyen) to enforce the agreements that oblige Ukraine to allow the transit of oil through the Friendship (Druzhba) oil pipeline," Orban said on March 3. In response to the suspension of oil supplies, Hungary has blocked a 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) EU loan for Ukraine and, alongside Slovakia, the 20th package of EU sanctions against Russia. The escalation comes as Orban's Fidesz party trails Peter Magyar's opposition Tisza party ahead of the April parliamentary elections. Read also: What an Iran oil spike would mean for Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Doha had not joined the "campaign targeting Iran," but stressed it was "exercising our right in self defense and deterring Iranian attacks." Qatar on Tuesday denied that it had joined the "campaign targeting Iran" after senior western diplomatic sources told The Jerusalem Post that Doha carried out strikes inside Iran over the past 24 hours in retaliation to recent Iranian drone and missile attacks on the Gulf country. The Qatari action reportedly came after the country said it thwarted an attempted attack on Hamad International Airport in Doha, according to remarks by Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari cited by N12. Al-Ansari said Qatar did not receive advance warning from Iran ahead of the missile launches. Advertisement Advertisement An N12 report on the strikes, also citing western sources, said the Qatari strike occurred within the last day. The network did not provide details about the targets, the type of strike, or the scope of the reported operation. Qatar also did not publicly announce a strike inside Iran in the statements quoted in the N12 report. The Qatari spokesperson seemed to deny the report in a statement issued on X/Twitter on Tuesday, writing that "Qatar has not been part of the campaign targeting Iran. "We are exercising our right in self defense and deterring Iranian attacks against our country," al-Ansari added. Iran did not issue an immediate comment. A Qatar Emiri Air Force A C-130J and Rafale fighter jet fighters take part in a flypast during celebrations marking Qatar National Day, in Doha on December 18, 2025. (credit: Mahmud HAMS / AFP via Getty Images) Doha: 'Attacks like these will not pass without a response' Al-Ansari described the thwarted incident at Hamad International Airport as part of a broader Iranian attack pattern that, he said, went beyond military sites. Advertisement Advertisement We did not receive advance warning from Iran about the missile attacks, he said, according to N12. The target is not only military facilities, it includes the entire territory of the state. Attacks like these will not pass without a response. In a video circulated by N12, debris was shown falling in Doha after an interception in Qatari airspace. Thousands stranded in Doha as travel disruptions widen Qatar said the attempted attack disrupted air traffic and left more than 8,000 transit passengers stranded in Doha, where authorities housed them in hotels, N12 reported. Al-Ansari added that cruise passengers were also stuck in Qatar and were placed in hotels as well. Advertisement Advertisement Al-Ansari also rejected what he called a mistaken assumption that pressure on Gulf states would push them back into nuclear negotiations with Tehran following Iranian strikes, N12 reported. Separately, in a statement condemning the Iranian attack on US embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Qatari Foreign Ministry asserted that it viewed the Islamic Republic's actions as a "blatant violation of international conventions and laws." The ministry added that Qatar stood in "full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait in all measures they take to safeguard their security." The Qatari strikes came amid a widening regional confrontation following the US-Israel campaign against Iran and Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf, including attempted strikes on civilian infrastructure in Qatar, as reported by CNN and cited in Reuters coverage carried by The Jerusalem Post. The Qatari government believes that "red lines" have been crossed by Iranian attacks on targets in the Gulf region. There is no contact with Iran, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari added in the capital Doha on Tuesday. Qatar is focused on protecting its territory and its citizens, he added. Iran has fired more than 100 ballistic missiles at Qatar since Saturday, Qatar says. The majority have been repelled. In addition, 39 drones and two fighter jets have been shot down. Advertisement Advertisement The international airport in Doha has also been the target of attacks. Qatar has accused the Iran of attacking not only military facilities, but also vital infrastructure. The United Arab Emirates has so far counted 812 drones entering its territory, of which 755 have been intercepted, a spokesman for the UAE Ministry of Defence said. In addition, 186 ballistic missiles had been fired in the direction of the Emirates. Since Saturday, three people have been killed and 68 injured by falling debris, the spokesman added. Despite "the gravity of the events," the UAE's position remains balanced, the Emirati Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy said. Advertisement Advertisement "We are not seeking to widen the circle of confrontation," she remarked. She said a return to the negotiating table was the only sensible way forward, and added that the UAE is a country of peace and stability. The overtly racist ad from U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, who is running for Sen. Mitch McConnells Senate seat, is both shocking and not. Shocking for its in-your-face racism while he smiles, such a great big smile in a little 30 second ad. Not shocking in that Barr and his team appear to have decided that, to have a chance of winning a three-way Republican primary, he must be as President Trump-adjacent as possible. And the Trumpism and the racism are as tightly coiled as a pile of mating snakes. Advertisement Advertisement As the now-tired saying goes, you dont have to be an out-and-out racist to vote for Trump and now Barr but like buying a box of sugar cereal with a known-prize near the bottom, you know what youre getting. Its a fun little secret, included in the price at checkout. Of course, you neednt to go all the way to the White House or Barrs bid for McConnells seat to get your dose of racism amongst the powerful here in the commonwealth; you need only to have witnessed the Feb. 25 meeting of the Senate Committee on Health Services in which they discussed Senate Bill 137, an act relating to a provisional license to practice medicine. Kentucky has a doctor shortage, and SB 137 is meant to address how easy or difficult it is to integrate foreign doctors lets just say it outright: Black and brown doctors in Kentuckys predominantly white communities. The comments in committee were not as brief and blunt as the vile 30-second Barr ad but they were just as telling. Advertisement Advertisement I have some concerns with this bill, said Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, the lone no vote and leader in the Kentucky Senate of anti-DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts. Tichenor said she was bringing a different perspective as she had lived for four years in a developing third world country. She did not name the country but said shed had a baby while there, delivered by a German woman doctor. Was that doctor white? She (ahem) did not say. Tichenor then said shed had some dental work done by nationals which resulted in her needing surgery back in the U.S. Were the dentists black? She (ahem) did not say. When Sen. Danny Carroll made his statement in support of the bill, he shared a recent personal experience. His daughter, he said, had had an urgent medical issue and hed rushed home to be with her. When I heard it was a doctor from India, Carroll said, I had concerns, and that young man won me over quickly. Would Carroll have had concerns if the doctor had been white? Advertisement Advertisement While personal experiences are helpful, they need not be the primary driver to vote for or against legislation. For example, lawmakers need not have had a good personal experience with a brown or black-skinned doctor to acknowledge people of color as good doctors, the same way you need not be a man with daughters to know that women and girls are human beings with rights. In her essay collection titled Thick, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Professor Tressie McMillan Cottom writes, The evidence in healthcare is some of the most dire, but examples of racialized, gendered competence abound because we rely on organizations to allocate the resources that govern our human rights. Healthcare is a lot like education, in that it is primarily delivered through bureaucracy. People in the bureaucracies make decisions, but many of the decisions are made for people by the rules attached to every role and every routine interaction. All of those rules are assumptions, derived from cultural beliefs about people, illness, and health. Following the national anti-DEI initiatives shoved down our throats by the Trump administration and our GOP supermajority in Frankfort, must Kentuckians who desperately need good local doctors wait until those doctors can be lily-white graduates of our own lily-white (thanks to anti-DEI initiatives) medical schools? The physician shortage in Kentucky is severe, Dr. Charles Chipper Griffith III, the acting dean for the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, said in 2023. There are counties without a single physician, and even in parts of Lexington and Louisville, there are areas that are underserved. Advertisement Advertisement The racism in our institutions is in a literal sense putting lives at risk. According to WalletHub, Kentucky ranks as the worst place to retire in the United States: Out of 50 states, Kentucky is 47th in life expectancy, 19th in health care facilities per capita, 42nd for quality of life and 47th in health care. Whiteness, writes Professor Cottom, the idea, the identity tethered to no nation of origin, no place, no gods, exists only if it can expand enough to defend its position over every group that challenges the throne. While the Barr campaign suffocates us with smiling hatefulness and we waste our time, yet again this year, tolerating the overt racism that makes politicians and bureaucrats in our Capitol Annex more comfortable, Kentuckians desperately need local doctors and more doctors. Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky is already 81% white. Is that not white enough? The sooner we stop wasting energy on a nonexistent DEI problem to both assuage the tender feelings of white lawmakers and help them curl up like mating snakes with the proudly racist Trump administration, the sooner we can solve real problems, like recruiting and keeping enough doctors to make our citizens healthier and to make Kentucky a better place to live. Prediction market Kalshi is once again staring down a possible restraining order in Nevada after a federal judge sent the dispute back to state court on Monday, allowing regulators to seek an injunction against the CFTC-regulated exchange. The court found that the Nevada Gaming Control Boards claims arise under state law, and that the Commodity Exchange Act does not completely preempt those claims. It therefore lacks subject matter jurisdiction and will grant remand, sending the dispute back to the Nevada state court, according to court documents reviewed by Decrypt. Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket have previously argued that the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission holds exclusive jurisdiction over trading on designated contract markets, including event contracts platforms. Should Nevada secure injunctive relief, Kalshi could be temporarily barred from offering event contracts to users in the state while the case proceeds. The court said a plain reading of the CEAs savings clause shows Congress did not intend to completely displace ordinarily applicable state law, undercutting Kalshis federal jurisdiction argument, according to the filing first flagged by legal analyst Daniel Wallach. "While not unexpected, the remand order is still a significant setback for Kalshi because it puts the company one step closer to being pushed out of the Nevada market, which would represent the first state where Kalshi was forced to cease offering event contracts due to a court ruling, Wallach told Decrypt. This could have a domino effect on Kalshi's lawsuits with other state governments because once Kalshi has to 'geofence' in one state, it becomes harder for Kalshi to argue in other cases that it would impose 'irreparable harm' on the company to implement geolocation technology, Wallach added. Kalshi Clears 'Backlog' of Suspicious Activity, Plans to Disclose Actions Against Insider Trading States' rights In a parallel ruling the same day, the federal court also sent Nevadas case against Blockratize, Polymarkets parent company, back to state court, rejecting similar arguments on jurisdiction. The court rejected Polymarkets bid to move the case to federal court, finding it was not acting under the CFTC by running a regulated exchange and self-certifying contracts. Polymarket has since filed an emergency motion seeking a brief stay of the remand while it prepares an appeal. For Kalshi, the next step could be an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a temporary stay of the remand while the Ninth Circuit considers its appeal, Wallach explained. Two United States-based mosques that have faced scrutiny for their ties to Iran held formal events to "honor" Ayatollah Khamenei after U.S. military forces took out the Islamic leader of Iran this weekend, including one mosque in Northern Virginia that referred to Khamenei as "our leader." Located in Manassas, Virginia, and Dearborn Heights, Michigan, the mosques both publicly advertised events eulogizing the slain leader. In a flyer for the "Potluck Iftar" honoring Khamenei, which is a ceremony where Muslims break their Ramadan fast, the Manassass Mosque, which has faced questions over alleged ties to Iran, referred to Khamenei as "our leader." Meanwhile, at the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) in Dearborn Heights, which has also faced scrutiny over its ties to Iran, the center's Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi called the U.S. military offensive "evil" and argued that it was based on false-pretenses. "You promised that America First, and now we ended up to have Netanyahu first," the Michigan-based Imam told his congregants after the attacks this weekend. "Now we realize that all their talk about nuclear [unintelligible] was a joke, it didn't even exist. From the beginning talking about regime change, we want to change, because we don't like it. So, starting an illegal illegal war and then go and bomb the house of the leader of the country. Where is justification for this? Where is their reason for this, at all?" Advertisement Advertisement Fbi Remains On High Alert, Dhs Memo Warns Of Lone Wolf Attacks Amid War With Iran The Michigan-based Islamic worship center and its Imam also touted talking points from Iranian state media and officials that have not yet been confirmed, claiming hundreds of young girls were killed by a missile strike on a school in Iran. Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Irans health ministry, said Saturday that 60 young children were killed and 80 injured, but by Sunday Iranian officials were saying the death toll had risen to about 150, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) posted on X on Monday that the alleged death toll was now as high as 168. According to The Guardian, Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, indicated they were "aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations," adding that, "We take these reports seriously and are looking into them." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Chasing The Apocalypse: Radical Siite Clerics On American Soil Preach Prohetic Showdown With Us "Why a school? Why not a military base or a missile base? They attack children first. It's a form of their again, call me crazy but child sacrifice," said a speaker at the IHW's Ramadan program, who gave a speech alongside Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi. "This is a war against justice, against morality, against legality, against truth," Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi added as he was speaking to his followers. "Now we realize that all their talk about nuclear [unintelligible] was a joke, it didn't even exist. From the beginning talking about regime change, we want to change, because we don't like it," the Imam continued. On March 1, 2026, in Sana'a, Yemen, pro-Iran protesters brandish billboards depicting the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, flags of Yemen and Iran, weapons, and chant slogans at a rally held to condemn the U.S.-Israel aerial attacks on Iran and the killing of Khamenei and several military officials. (Getty Images) Irans Security Chief Accuses Trump Of Israel First Policy, 'Delusional Fantasies' In Region Advertisement Advertisement Both the Manassas Mosque and the IWH were listed in a July 2023 letter that Congressional Republicans sent to former Attorney General Merrick Garland and former Director of National Intelligence during the Biden administration, Avril Haines. The letter called out a network of U.S.-based mosques throughout the country that have received financial funding from the Alavi Foundation, which lawmakers said "is a large foundation that has been in litigation for years because of allegations it operates on behalf of the Iranian regime, a state sponsor of terrorism," or have other close ties to the Iranian regime. "The Imam of IHW, Mohammad Ali Elahi, served as the head of political ideology for the Iranian Navy in the 1980s, according to a publicly available Central Intelligence Agency report." the letter asserts. "He personally claims to be friends with three former Iranian Presidents, and since moving to the US, he has had seemingly non-stop contact with senior regime officials." Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi leads a prayer at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, on October 18, 2024. Lebanese-Americans in the Detroit suburbs, watching with horror the unfolding devastation of the war in the Middle East, are contemplating denying Kamala Harris their votes to punish her administration for its support for Israel. The letter, which included concerns also laid out in a report drafted by the George Washington University Program on Extremism, adds that IHW has been "a significant purveyor of extremist propaganda, in line with the Iranian regimes views." Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement The Manassas Mosque was among the groups that received financial funding from the Alavi Foundation, reportedly totaling around $200,000. The mosque has also reportedly been gifted expensive relics from the Iranian regime, and alleged video of the inside reportedly shows the worship center filled with pictures of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "martyrs" killed in Syria, a life-size cut-out of Khamenei and Iranian flags or other symbols. Fox News Digital reached out to both mosques, but neither returned requests for comment in time for publication. Original article source: Radical US mosques honor Iran's Supreme Leader's 'martyrdom' with memorial services, eulogy: 'Our leader' (SOUTHERN COLORADO) Southern Colorado will experience a tale of two weathers today, with showers in some areas and critical fire danger in others. The first half of the day will be pleasant across the region. Sunshine will start us off this morning, with clouds gradually increasing toward midday. By late morning into the afternoon, moisture will begin moving into the I-25 corridor, particularly near the Pikes Peak region. Scattered rain and snow showers will develop in and around the Pikes Peak area and extend into parts of Pueblo County. These showers will be spotty, with some areas seeing brief, heavier bursts while others remain dry. Not everyone will pick up measurable precipitation, but periods of rain and wet snow will be possible through the afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, conditions will look much different farther south. Areas including Huerfano and Fremont counties will remain much drier, and a Red Flag Warning is in effect due to low humidity and breezy conditions. The combination of dry fuels and gusty winds means any fire that develops could spread quickly. So while parts of southern Colorado track passing showers, others will need to stay alert for elevated fire danger, truly a split weather day across the region. 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 FOX21 News Colorado. Gaston County Police are searching for a male and female in connection with a rare item that was stolen from a flea market and sold it to a business. ALSO READ: $7K of Labubu toys stolen On Feb. 22, the rare $500 bill worth $1,600 was stolen from a display case at Barnyard Flea Market on Dallas High Shoals Highway in Dallas, police said. The $500 bill was then sold to Mikes Coins & Collectibles in Gastonia by the two suspects. Advertisement Advertisement If you recognize either of the suspects, please contact Officer Jeffrey Thompson with the Gaston County Police Department at 704-866-3320, or Crime Stoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. VIDEO: Driver from Hickory asks for help after race trailer, truck stolen from hotel Threats to the media are increasing significantly in Europe, according to a new analysis published on Tuesday. There were 344 incidents in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe plus Russia and Belarus last year, according to the Council of Europe. That is an increase of 29% on the previous year. Incidents included physical attacks, arrests and detentions, as well as harassment and intimidation. Advertisement Advertisement The analysis speaks of an "increasingly hostile environment for journalists". It was compiled by the Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, which was set up by the Council of Europe and journalists' organizations. The most common incidents, with 90 recorded, were physical attacks on journalists - for example by the police, political actors and protesters at demonstrations. The highest numbers were reported from Georgia, Serbia and Turkey. Russia's war against Ukraine is particularly life-threatening for journalists. Four media representatives were killed by Russian drone attacks in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement The report also focused on EU member state Hungary, where independent media outlets are exposed to structural disadvantages, with public funds flowing almost exclusively to pro-government media. Owners close to the ruling party are taking over more and more media companies, so media pluralism in the country is continuing to decline, the report said. It is also critical of the fact that public media is under political control. The EU Commission in Brussels has already initiated so-called infringement proceedings against Hungary for a series of violations of EU rules on media freedom and media services. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, is not an organ of the European Union. It monitors the rule of law and compliance with human rights in its member states. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. WASHINGTON If President Donald Trumps administration seems confused about the goals of the war he launched against Iran, GOP lawmakers dont seem to have any answers either. Four days into a war which Trump has said could last weeks and has already left six U.S. service members and hundreds of Iranian civilians dead, Republican members of Congress offered distinctly different justifications for the strikes. Some want regime change in Iran, while some want to destroy its nuclear weapons program and ability to launch long-range missiles. Others prefer a more limited mission akin to Trumps military intervention in Venezuela. Politics: Trump's Blatantly False Claim About His Father Leads To New '25th Amendment' Calls What they do mostlyagree on, however, is that President Donald Trump is within his legal bounds to carry out the operation and that Congress doesnt need to vote to authorize it, as required by the U.S. Constitution. That is, as long as it doesnt involve boots on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Its using air and naval assets, to go, not completely eliminate, but certainly diminish the capability that Iran has in terms of ballistic missiles, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Monday when asked about his understanding of the war. Youve got a strait there thats really important to global trade, and there have been attacks on American ships in that region by the Iranians already, so I think its, to me, thats my understanding of it. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called the massive and unprecedented U.S. military strikes against Iran a defensive action taken to counter the imminent threat posed by Irans aggression toward American troops, citizens, installations and assets. And he suggested, after a classified briefing from Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, that Israel dragged Trump into the war by threatening to attack Iran. If Israel fired upon Iran and took action against Iran to take out the missiles, then [Iran] would have immediately retaliated against U.S. personnel and assets, Johnson said as some MAGAinfluencers continued to question the Trump administrations decision to go to war. Politics: Republicans Worst Nightmare In Texas Is Getting Closer To Reality Other Republicans said they hoped the U.S. would go further by changing the government of Iran, a far more difficult task that could require months of war. Advertisement Advertisement Its not just about a nuclear weapon, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a longtime advocate of bombing Iran, said in an interview on Fox News. They have been killing Americans through their proxies for decades. Its about not just nuclear weapons, its about being the largest state sponsor of terrorism. This regime is in its death throes. Finish them off. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), meanwhile, argued that the U.S. is not engaged in a war in Iran, even though both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have called it one. What [Trump has] done is launch a very targeted operation to take out the ballistic missile manufacturing capacity and the launch capacity of Iran, Hagerty told HuffPost. Politics: Why Is Trump Attacking Iran? He's Still Figuring It Out. The shifting and incoherent explanations for the war only added to the confusion on Capitol Hill. At first, Trump and his aides said the goal was regime change, urging the people of Iran to rise up and overtake their government. Then they said it was about threat reduction, then regime change again. Trump has given shifting answers in phone interviews with over a dozen reporters about the timeline for the war, ranging from anywhere from a few days to a month or longer. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is supportive of eliminating the threat Iran poses, said the administration could be clearer about its intentions with the American people. If it is the intent of affecting a regime change, then clearly its going to be a longer-term investment on the part of the United States, Tillis said. If its a recalibration on ending or eliminating the nuclear program, that needs to be short and done. So we just need clarity on it, because Ive heard both of those sorts of objectives expressed over the past few days. But Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) dismissed the idea that the Trump administration needed a more coherent explanation for going to war against Iran. Politics: Trumps Choice To Attack Iran Creating Worldwide Chaos Just Days In The reason youre hearing so many reasons [for the war] is the varied threats this regime presents, he said on CNN. Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of the Vietnam War, Congress passed a law attempting to assert its constitutional authority over war-making. The War Powers Act requires the president to notify Congress when committing the U.S. armed forces to hostilities in an emergency when the country is under imminent threat and gives lawmakers the power to trigger snap disapproval votes. The House and Senate will both hold votes to block military action against Iran under that statute this week, but theyre both likely to fail due to bipartisan opposition (At least seven House Democrats have indicated they will oppose the effort). Even if they succeed, Trump could simply veto them. I think the administration is in compliance with the War Powers statute, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who voted in favor of limiting hostilities against Venezuela earlier this year, told reporters on Monday. Politics: House Speaker Mike Johnson Opposes War Powers Vote After Attack On Iran Only a few Republicans contend Trump has overstepped his authority in launching the war. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has suggested hed vote to end the war, as has Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). And Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) has also complained about Congress being left out of the decision to attack, but he hasnt said outright hed vote to rein in the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Immediately after hostilities started, Massie said on social media he opposed the war and that it was a betrayal of Trumps America First slogan. He said he would work with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), his Democratic partner on forcing the Trump administration to release the Epstein files, to force lawmakers to vote on a war powers resolution. The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war, Massie said. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost The News President Donald Trump has strong Republican backing for his war with Iran. It might fade with time. Congressional Republicans clearly have no desire for a drawn-out conflict in Iran, even as they assert that Trump can avoid his predecessors entanglements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those wars cost thousands of American lives, drained political support from multiple presidents, and demonstrated the perils of nation-building. To avoid a similar outcome, the administration already has a congressional clock to keep in mind. Under current law, Trump has 60 days before Congress would have to authorize the war with Iran, with an additional 30-day withdrawal period under the War Powers Act. Advertisement Advertisement As supporters of what the presidents doing, in 60 to 90 days, we start losing our high ground legally, Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told Semafor. He praised the Trump administrations handling of the war and compliance with Congress so far but warned that I dont know any scenario where a war gets better with the public war fatigue is real, and it happens quickly. Trumps advisers are likely to clear their first hurdle Wednesday, when the Senate votes on his war powers, but their Hill briefings this week will determine the number of GOP defections. And their bigger challenge is to shape the initially rocky public perception of an open-ended war Trump chose one that his opponents are already likening to George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq. Were not the Bushes, one White House official told Semafor. As to the 60-day congressional timeline, the official said: I wouldnt want to hamstring us by saying anything beyond what weve already said: Four to five weeks is when we hope this will conclude everyones optimistic about that. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., sided with the Trump administration on previous war powers votes this Congress but said the Iran conflict seems different more serious, more lengthy. Hes currently undecided. Advertisement Advertisement There is a high, significant potential outcome for good, but its a high-risk effort, Moran added. I dont think theres anybody who could say its going to be over by a certain date. Vice President JD Vance, who endorsed Trump for 2024 with the argument that hes started no wars, has lately echoed the commander-in-chiefs assessment that the US has the capability to go far longer than four or five weeks. Administration officials also insist that Trump will not bring the US into an extended conflict. Past presidents have also sought to skirt the War Powers Act. The administration is preparing options for a new Iranian government if it integrates into the Middle East and drops its nuclear weapon program, according to one senior Trump administration official a sign of a potential quick end to the war. We are working on what a sanctions relief package could be in the future, if there is a framework thats agreed to with a new government, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Vance historically a staunch anti-interventionalist argues that this war differs from past lengthy global conflicts because Trump has clearly defined what he wants to accomplish. But theres quiet acknowledgement that no one truly knows how long operations against Iran will last, or what the end result will be. We dont know that this wont be another Afghanistan, one person close to the White House argued, before adding: I dont see how you can put a timeline on it. Know More Congress authorized the Iraq and Afghanistan wars more than 20 years ago. Trump campaigned as a break from his partys stewardship of those wars, credibility thats now on the line with how he handles Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said hes inclined for now to oppose Kaines effort to restrain Trumps war powers, calling it a political messaging exercise. But he also said the war effort may hit the 60-day mark and require a congressional vote to authorize it. HIs opposition to the current war powers vote doesnt mean we shouldnt be talking about legitimizing the effort, and you do that through a legislative authorization, Tillis told Semafor. If were having a discussion three weeks from now, and were at the same or similar level of hostility, I think its going to be a real problem. Most other Republicans are trying to focus on Trumps prediction that the war would last roughly a month. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said I dont think the American publics in for a long duration. Weve now lost six members of the military. Loss of life is hard for us to take after the prolonged Afghanistan and Iraq situation, Capito added. We cant allow ourselves to lose. And so that begs the question, how long does it take to win? And I think thats a question that were all asking. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would certainly hope that 60-90 days would be sufficient for the operations that Trump has laid out. A second White House official pointed to Trumps various objectives related to Irans missiles and Navy and vowed that operations will continue until the goals are met. Room for Disagreement Republicans who arrived in Congress alongside Trumps win in 2024 tend to hug him more closely as a group, and thats not changing when it comes to the timetable. What I campaigned on, what the president campaigned on is no endless wars, said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio. This is not gonna be an endless war. Far from it. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., told Semafor that he disagrees with the idea that this is somehow starting a new front in Iran, adding: Were just tired of fighting on the margins against the proxies. Burgess and Shelbys View The biggest risk to Trumps internal support in the GOP for his war with Iran is a lengthy entanglement that voters sour on. A quick victorious campaign with no boots on the ground would go a long way to preserving Trumps standing within his party, for this and likely future foreign policy forays. But a quagmire or high casualties would sap his political strength, particularly with the midterms around the corner. And given that early public polling shows majorities disapprove of Trumps action, it may only be a matter of time before endangered Republicans in both chambers of Congress start to do the same. Notable The rationale for the war keeps changing, the Washington Post reports. Human rights activists are increasingly concerned about the fate of prisoners in Iran amid the Israeli-US attacks on the country. The Oslo-based human rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) warned on Tuesday that inmates faced extra dangers, in addition to the already poor prison conditions. The situation in the notorious Evin prison in the capital Tehran is said to be particularly bad. Some families have no contact with their relatives, IHRNGO reported. Advertisement Advertisement Its director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, described the prisoners, and in particular people who were detained in the course of the mass protests earlier this year, as the "most vulnerable and defenceless victims of this situation." They are not only exposed to the danger of bombings, but also face the risk of hasty executions in the shadow of war. The organization reported that at least 141 people had been executed in Iran in the first two months of the year. "Their protection must become an urgent priority for the international community," Amiry-Moghaddam said. The human rights organization also fears that there could be another attack on the Evin detention centre, which lies at the foot of the Alborz Mountains. Last year, Israel's air force bombed the prison complex, killing dozens of people. Human rights organizations saw this as evidence of a war crime. Columbia River shipping industry leaders say there is a growing risk the Lewis and Clark Bridge between Rainier and Longview could be hit by a large vessel and possibly collapse. About four years ago, industry leaders say a cruise ship came within at least a few feet of hitting the structure. In addition, roughly two dozen ships experience engine failures while navigating the entire Columbia River each year. Advertisement Advertisement The first weekend of February, for instance, a ship headed out to sea from the Port of Longview lost power, just beside the Lewis and Clark Bridge. Tug boats were on hand to help and quickly rerouted, said Capt. Jeremy Nielsen, the president of the Columbia River Pilots, which pilots ships from Astoria to ports along the river. These issues could lead to a similar outcome as the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after a container ship struck one of its piers, Nielson warns. The Lewis and Clark Bridge lacks air gap sensors to tell river pilots how much room they have as they steer ships around 1,000 feet long and 200 feet high under the structure. The shipping industry and Columbia River Pilots have waged a decade-long campaign to add the sensors, as well as alter the shipping channels course to ensure ships stay further away from the unprotected bridge. Advertisement Advertisement It is extremely frustrating for us as pilots, because our safety margins have just decreased tremendously, Nielsen said. And were doing what we do were professionals, and our job is to protect all this infrastructure but, at some point, we need the technology there to assist. Inches from disaster Compared to the Maryland bridge, the Lewis and Clark bridge has fewer protections, including no concrete buffers surrounding piers to prevent impacts. However, even these dolphins didnt safeguard that bridge from collapse in 2024. That is a problem for the Columbia River structure. Its a single-point failure bridge, Nielsen about the local bridge. If a ship hits any part of that bridge, it is coming down the whole thing, just like the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Advertisement Advertisement The risk of that happening during any one of the roughly 3,000 times a ship passes under the bridge annually is growing, Nielsen added. In one 2022 incident, a 1,041-foot long cruise ship known as the Celebrity Eclipse came within 4.1 feet of the bottom of the bridge as it headed out to the ocean after repairs in Portland, he said. That safety buffer was reduced to 3.1 feet because the pilots found that NOAAs river level data for Longview can be up to 1 foot off. And even that turned out to be a potential overestimation. Nielsen said he was later told by Washington and Oregon departments of transportation officials that the bridge has about 2 feet of flex, making 3.1 foot safety buffer possibly as little as 13.2 inches. Advertisement Advertisement So right there, there goes our safety margin, Nielsen said. A spokesperson for the Washington Department of Transportation declined to provide a current number for how far the bridge sags, instead writing that (b)ridges are designed naturally to flex and shift based on temperatures and the amount it flexes is very small. And its not just the Columbia River Pilots raising the alarm. A 2025 National Transportation Safety Board report found the Lewis and Clark and Megler bridges are the only critical/essential bridges in the Pacific Northwest that cross a waterway frequented by ocean-going vessels which also have an unknown levels of risk of collapse from a vessel collision. Advertisement Advertisement A Wall Street Journal investigation the year before had less reserved findings, concluding the Longview bridge was one of eight bridges around the country that are most similarly vulnerable to collapse as the Baltimore bridge. Engine failures add pressure The 2024 Baltimore disaster started when the Dali container ship experienced a power outage near the bridge, making it impossible for the captain to operate the vessel before it hit the bridge. The crash ending up killing six people, closing a global shipping artery for 11 weeks, and causing the region to need to spend an estimated $5 billion on a new bridge. If that situation had happened one minute later or one minute sooner, theres a good chance the bridge wouldnt have come down, Nielsen said. Advertisement Advertisement Nielsen and the 45 other Columbia River Pilots have considered that situation many times. Thats partly because he said they experience an average of two engine failures each month over the entire river system. Those failures of ships engine propulsion and rudder systems are similar to what happened in Baltimore, and mean pilots cant control the vessels, often more than 1,000-feet long. Through the work we do as pilots, we keep those from becoming catastrophes, Nielsen said. But we cant control everything. Many of the failures are short-lived, he added, and the pilot gets operations back in a minute or two. The incidents are also reported to and investigated by the Coast Guard. Advertisement Advertisement But, he added, its the one that occurs right above the bridge, or right below the bridge when were making our approach on it, that is really concerning to us. Were going to do everything we possibly can to avoid hitting the bridge, he said. We will run the ship aground if we have to before we hit that bridge column, because we all know whats going to happen. Lagging infrastructure When the bridge was completed in 1930, the shipping channel was authorized at 500-feet wide, documents from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show. Nearly a century later, the channel is about 600-feet wide. The size of ships, on the other hand, has increased rapidly because shippers must move immense volumes of goods to make the profits needed to stay afloat in the notoriously low-margin industry. Advertisement Advertisement Thats the case for bulk goods like grain or fertilizer both of which the Columbia moves at large scale. Its true for the enormous container ships that occasionally arrive at the Port of Portland. And its true for the increasingly giant Portland-bound cruise ships that Capt. Nick Ritter, vice president of the pilots, said pose the largest challenge. These days, ships are getting so big, the pace in vessel growth is outpacing infrastructure, Nielsen said. All our infrastructure was designed a long time ago for ships that were 600 feet long and were bringing ships that are twice that size in now. These ships bring a host of new problems. For example, because many have tall points at both the front and back, pilots must calculate their angle of approach more precisely than ever to make sure both ends not only avoid the bridges pier but also lower points of its deck. The bridges arch creates a problem for pilots because the shipping channel largely follows the run of the rivers deepest parts, said Ritter. That means when pilots navigate the bend in the river at Longview, they must pass near a dock on the Oregon side and within about 80 feet of the Lewis and Clark Bridges Washington side support piling, models of the channel show. Advertisement Advertisement The pilots and Columbia River shipping industry have spent the last decade trying to get legislators, appropriators and policymakers to start taking the risk of a bridge collapse seriously and to then fund measures to reduce the chances of a disaster. And the state and federal governments are finally considering changes to address the issues. Editors note: Read the proposed solutions to protect the Lewis and Clark Bridge in the second installment of this story. Henry Brannan, reporting for The Daily News in Longview, is with the Washington State Murrow Fellowships, a local news program supported by state legislators. Texans will decide in the 2026 election whether to elect a new governor or if Gov. Greg Abbott will remain in office. Abbott is seeking a fourth term. Texas has not elected a Democratic governor since Ann Richards, whose term lasted from 1991 to 1995. As the state heads into the primaries, voters will see a range of candidates. Here are the Democratic and Republican candidates running in the Texas primaries. Who are the Democratic candidates in the primary race for Texas governor? Of the nine Democratic primary candidates, only three are polling above 5%, with one clearly ahead of the pack, according to a recent poll from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who represents a significant portion of Austin and Travis County, is polling at 37%, about 30 points ahead of the next candidate. As the likely nominee, she was only 7 points behind in a general election poll by the Hobby School. Democratic candidate for governor Gina Hinojosa speaks at Democratic Senate candidate James Talaricos campaign event at El Palacio Event Center in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman) Hinojosa is a five-term Democratic state representative from House District 49, which spans central Austin and includes the University of Texas at Austin. At the Capitol, she sits on the House Public Education and Business & Industry committees and has chaired the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee. Her campaign pitch is heavily kitchen-table: public schools, health care costs and day-to-day affordability. On her policy page, she argues Texas should crack down on profit-over-patients practices including private equity ownership in health care while also taking direct aim at insurance and drug costs. Advertisement Advertisement Hinojosa has also tried to frame her candidacy as the best-positioned Democratic challenge to the incumbent Abbott and shes backed that up with a mix of endorsements and fundraising claims. Chris Bell is a former congressman, Houston City Council member and Democratic nominee for governor. Hes using that experience as a selling point in his campaign for U.S. Senate. [RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AMERICAN-STATESMAN] (Austin American-Statesman) Chris Bell served on the Houston City Council before winning a term in Congress from 20032005, then later became the Democratic nominee for governor in 2006. This cycle, Bell is running on a familiar anti-corruption lane; hes framed Abbott-era politics as pay-to-play and has centered his case on cleaning up state government while boosting public education and tackling rising costs. His campaign biography leans hard into his watchdog origin story a University of Texas journalism alumnus who worked in broadcast news before becoming an attorney and he positions that background as the reason hes comfortable going after entrenched power. Bobby Cole is a retired firefighter, cattleman and poultry producer an East Texas-rooted candidate making a working-class pitch in a primary dominated by better-known political names. He is running with an emphasis on property taxes and public education, aiming to connect with rural and small-town voters who feel priced out or overlooked. Advertisement Advertisement His issues page lists populist reforms like raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers ability to organize, and legalizing marijuana. Other Democratic candidates: Here is a list of the remaining candidates: Patricia Abrego Carlton Hart Jose Navarro Balbuena Zach Vance Angela Villescaz Andrew White (ended his campaign in early January, but will appear on the March ballot) Whos running against Greg Abbott in 2026? The Republican primary candidates HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 9: Gov. Greg Abbott announces his re-election campaign for Texas governor in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Abbott is seeking a historic fourth term, which would position him to become the longest-serving governor in Texas history, surpassing the 14 years served by Rick Perry. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) (Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag) Abbott is expected to be the Republican nominee in the 2026 gubernatorial election. He has served as governor since 2015, and Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in more than 30 years. With more than $100 million in campaign funds, he holds a significant financial advantage. Advertisement Advertisement Abbott faces 10 challengers in the Republican primary. The winner of that race will face the Democratic nominee in November. While Abbott remains sternly in the lead, the Republican primary candidates challenging him are: Russia has "deliberately and brutally" executed at least 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) as of the end of 2025, Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said on March 3 during a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council. The mistreatment of prisoners of war constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions. "Russia has turned torture into state policy and uses it as a weapon," Lubinets said in a post on Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Lubinets added that, according to U.N. data, 95% of Ukrainian POWs are systematically tortured in captivity. Lubinets called on the international community to increase pressure on Russia, ensure that every crime is fully documented, and bring those responsible to justice. "This issue is critically important the world cannot stand aside," he said. As of February 2026, Russia is holding approximately 7,000 Ukrainians captive, including civilians a violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement More than 4,000 Ukrainians held captive by Russia are military personnel. Ukraine, in turn, holds around 4,000 Russian prisoners of war and has reiterated its readiness to carry out an exchange on an "all-for-all" format, according to Zelensky. Returning civilians from Russian territory remains even more difficult than securing the release of military personnel. In 2025, Ukraine conducted 10 prisoner exchanges, bringing home 2,080 service members but only 230 civilians, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on Jan. 20. The most recent prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on Feb. 5, 2026, with 157 Ukrainian service members and civilians returning home. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: I betrayed my country the Ukrainian prison where women collaborators wait for Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Crude oil and natural gas prices jumped on March 2 after Iran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over energy supply in the Middle East. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz came after massive airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel, which reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Strait of Hormuz is widely viewed as the most critical chokepoint in global energy trade. About one-third of the worlds seaborne oil exports passed through the Strait in 2025, according to Kpler data cited by CNBC. The closure would disrupt crude flows of millions of barrels per day, tighten global supply, and pressure oil prices. Brent crude futures (BZ=F), the international benchmark, traded for under $70 last week. It moved up to roughly $77 on Monday afternoon, March 2. Natural gas, though a different market than oil, reacted even more sharply. Gas prices jump as Qatar halts production Both crude oil and natural gas are central to the conflict because of the Straits role in moving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar. Qatar is the worlds largest LNG exporter, and much of its output transits Hormuz. Bloomberg reported that Qatar halted LNG production after Iranian drone attacks on its Ras Laffan complex, which covers roughly 20% of global LNG supply. The benchmark European gas price, traded on the Dutch TTF hub, jumped 39% to around 44 per megawatt-hour on March 2, the largest increase since August 2023. Goldman Sachs warned gas prices could more than double Goldman Sachs warned that the market had barely priced in geopolitical risk in gas prices before last week. "While European gas (TTF) and spot LNG (JKM) prices have embedded little-to-no risk premium until this past Friday, we see significant upside risk to prices from a potential sustained disruption of LNG supply through the Strait of Hormuz," Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note. "In a scenario where flows halt for one month, we think it is likely that TTF and JKM could approach 74 EUR/MWh ($25/mmBtu) 130% above current levels a threshold that triggered large natural gas demand responses during the 2022 European energy crisis." Asian countries buy most of the LNG shipped from the Middle East, but a disruption might push up prices of alternative cargoes from the U.S. and Australia. Goldman Sachs sees "limited upside risk to U.S. natural gas prices." Still, several U.S. LNG exporter stocks rallied on Monday, March 2. Shares of Cheniere Energy (LNG) rose 5.6%. Venture Global (VG) jumped 17.4%, and NextDecade (NEXT) gained 4%. Front-month Nymex gas for April delivery was up 4% at $2.97 per MMBtu. Russia has lost 790 soldiers killed and wounded over the past day, bringing its total number of personnel losses to 1,268,520. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 3 March 2026 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses ed.]: approximately 1,268,520 (+790) military personnel 11,718 (+5) tanks 24,131 (+20) armoured combat vehicles 37,842 (+47) artillery systems 1,665 (+0) multiple-launch rocket systems 1,319 (+6) air defence systems 435 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft 348 (+0) helicopters 154,698 (+1,529) operational-tactical UAVs 4,384 (+0) cruise missiles 30 (+1) ships/boats 2 (+0) submarines 80,992 (+235) vehicles and fuel tankers 4,076 (+0) special vehicles and other equipment. The information is being confirmed. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! By Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin MOSCOW, March 3 (Reuters) - Russia warned on Tuesday that the war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran could result in the very outcome they were seeking to prevent, by spurring both Iran and its Arab neighbours to seek to acquire nuclear weapons. U.S. President Donald Trump cited Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons - something Tehran denies - as one of the reasons why the United States and Israel launched attacks on Saturday that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, igniting a war that has spread across the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the logical consequence would be that "forces will emerge in Iran... in favour of doing exactly what the Americans want to avoid acquiring a nuclear bomb. Because the U.S. doesn't attack those who have nuclear bombs." Lavrov told a press conference that Arab countries could also join the race to build a bomb. The risk was now growing that "the nuclear proliferation problem will begin to spiral out of control", he said. "The seemingly paradoxical declared noble goal of starting a war to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons could stimulate completely opposite trends." He said Moscow had still seen no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons. Israel is widely seen as the region's only nuclear-armed state, which it neither confirms nor denies. Advertisement Advertisement Russia has close ties with Iran, which it sees as crucial to maintaining its influence in the Middle East, especially since their mutual ally, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, was toppled in December 2024. President Vladimir Putin has called Khamenei's killing a cynical murder. Moscow has urged an immediate cessation of hostilities. The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Putin, who spoke with Gulf Arab leaders on Monday, would convey to Iran their concerns about its military strikes on them since the war started. "Putin will certainly make every effort to contribute to at least a slight easing of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Mark Trevelyan and Lucy Papachristou) A Russian businessman and former politician was found dead in a luxury Moscow apartment on Monday morning, just weeks after his name appeared in the Epstein files. Police found Umar Dzhabrailov, a businessman and former senator, lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to his head around 3 a.m., Russian outlet Kommersant reported. Dzhabrailov was a Federation Council senator for the North Caucasus Republic between 2004 and 2009. / Konstantin ZAVRAZHIN / Konstantin Zavrazhin/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Dzhabrailov, 67, was found with a Luger pistol near his body, and police sources called the incident a suspected suicide. Sources said he did not leave a note, but had recorded several video comments about the events in Iran shortly before his death. Advertisement Advertisement The former Chechen representative to the Federation Council of Russia sent an email to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in May 2001, as seen in a government file. Dzhabrailov corresponded with Maxwell, as seen in the Epstein files. / Georges DeKeerle/Sygma, Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images Dear Ghislaine, Im back from London, planing 2 B in Moscow. Really want 2 C U, but I need 2 know exactly when U arive, cause I want 2 take care of U and arrange welcoming things, Dzhabrailov said. Wishing U all the best! Umar. Maxwell replied the next day, saying: Umar Sorry that we did not come last week. Got side tracked and ended up in France. However we Jeffrey Tom and I are coming next week arriving Fri. Will you be around and can we get together? Let me know Hope you are well The Chechen businessman asked to meet with Maxwell in 2001 / DOJ Dzhabrailov, who ran for president against Vladimir Putin in 2000 but won only 0.1 percent of the vote, was also a friend of disgraced music mogul Sean Diddy Combs, who is serving a 50-month sentence for transportation to engage in prostitution. Advertisement Advertisement He said he became friends with Combs, as well as billionaire artists Beyonce and Jay-Z, at the Cannes Film Festival, according to a Telegram post. Dzhabrailov claimed he knew nothing about Combs illicit activities. Dzhabrailov (left) considered accused sex trafficker Sean As it happened, my yacht was docked next to theirs. We became friends and later began attending various events together, an AI translation of his post reads. There were no oil parties or any other shady stuff. The businessman once owned the Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel & Business Center in Moscow and operated a company that oversaw Russian shopping centers. A trio of council members are proposing to repeal an ordinance that Mayor Kevin McCarty is relying on to expand homelessness services. The elected officials say more transparency is needed to create shelters. But McCarty, who seeks a faster process, staked his plan to help unsheltered residents by creating new micro-communities in North Natomas and south Sacramento. Built on city-owned land, three sites with 40 tiny homes each would offer Sacramentos vulnerable seniors a refuge from the streets with electricity, heating, WiFi, showers, laundry and other on-site services, according to his office. Advertisement Advertisement The mayor is relying on a 2023 ordinance to muscle the plan through the citys layers of approval. The law, which passed under then-Mayor Darrell Steinberg, delegated to the city manager the sole ability to approve contracts worth up to $5 million related to creating a temporary shelter program. Typically, the entire City Council approves contracts worth $250,000 and more. Since the passage of the 2023 ordinance, McCarty said in a statement that more than 500 new beds opened through the streamlined process. But council members Lisa Kaplan, Karina Talamantes and Rick Jennings who all support micro-communities seek to repeal the 2023 ordinance as the city faces its third consecutive year with a multimillion dollar budget deficit, with the stated goal of making the process of approving contracts more transparent. What city staff is doing is not best practices, and Im concerned about the use of taxpayer funds in light of the significant budget deficit, Kaplan wrote on social media. Jennings said he supported the 2023 ordinance, but now backs Kaplans proposal to not necessarily overturn the City Managers authority but rather to have the conversation about this with the new council members and the mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Repealing the 2023 ordinance could be difficult. Any council member can propose a new ordinance, but only the mayor and the city manager have the power place them on the council agenda or send them to committees. McCarty said in a statement he will not proceed with efforts to repeal the ordinance, so the repeals chances depend on new City Manager Maraskeshia Smith, who started in her role in January. The 2023 ordinance came as residents clamored for the City Council to quickly offer spaces for unhoused people. Then-Mayor Darrell Steinberg pleaded with his council to trust then-City Manager Howard Chan to select city-owned land with tents and access to showers, bathrooms and other facilities. Chan selected one site on Roseville Road over 17 months. Then the city selected four new sites in September: a safe camping location in the River District, and the three tiny home micro-communities in North Natomas and south Sacramento. Advertisement Advertisement The effort to repeal the 2023 ordinance comes as Kaplan and Talamantes have expressed opposition to the North Natomas micro-community, which would be near Arena Boulevard and El Centro Road. Vehicles drive past a long, slender parcel at the corner of El Centro Road and Arena Boulevard in North Natomas, south of the Stadium Club Estates mobile home park, in September. The city-owned property was selected as a site for a tiny homes micro-community for the homeless. (NATHANIEL LEVINE/nlevine@sacbee.com) Kaplan said the citys Department of Community Response did not consult with her before selecting this site. She and Talamantes have proposed moving the micro-community to 918 Del Paso Blvd., the citys North Area Corporation Yard. McCarty and Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum have said they support keeping the 2023 ordinance. Council members Caity Maple and Eric Guerra voted for the ordinance in 2023. Maple declined to comment, and deferred to the mayor. Guerras spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. A representative for Councilmember Mai Vang said shes reviewing the proposal and seeks to have a discussion with Sacramentos city manager. Advertisement Advertisement Councilmember Roger Dickinson said hes aware of the idea to repeal the ordinance and added hes not scrutinized it in detail. In principle, he said the council should designate locations for housing but the history to adopt the 2023 law is revealing. The history regarding this issue gives me pause with respect with repealing the ordinance at this point, he said. Repealing the ordinance could slow down McCartys plan to address homelessness. But Jennings added a balance should be struck between transparency and approving policy. While it may add a little bit of time to the process, making sure that the process is public and transparent is always something I support, Jennings wrote. San Jose law enforcement officials released videos Monday showing a chaotic, deadly police shooting in January in which an officer survived being struck in the head by a bullet. Mohamed Husien, 30, was killed Jan. 21 after he was run over and shot during an intense firefight with police at an intersection in San Jose following two days of robberies and at least three vehicle thefts, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement SJPD Chief Paul Joseph described the shootout as "the closest thing to war they have ever witnessed." Different vantage points depicting the deadly encounter between police and Husien were captured in police radio traffic, helicopter video and body-worn camera footage shared by police Monday. Husien's alleged crime spree began the morning of Jan. 20 in Sacramento, when Husien and his alleged accomplice, Edward Macias, 29, stole a red Corvette from a dealership and later drove it to the Bay Area, San Jose police said. After arriving in the Bay Area, the pair robbed a convenience store at gunpoint in San Mateo County and then drove to San Jose to hold up a liquor store, police said. The next day, the two robbed two more stores at gunpoint, one in Santa Clara and another in San Jose, police said. SJPD's intelligence center flagged the corvette for authorities using license plate readers and gave patrol officers locations where it had been spotted. Officers located the vehicle and chased it, but the car got away and officers later found it unoccupied. Advertisement Advertisement The same day at about 2:01 p.m., officers responded to a report of an armed carjacking at a dealership in South San Jose. Police said Husien brandished a firearm at a dealership employee and stole a green Corvette. Shortly after the carjacking, an SJPD helicopter found the Corvette in traffic, driving south on Highway 101. San Jose police notified Hollister police and the San Benito County Sheriff's Office that they were tracking the vehicle. Hollister officers and sheriff's deputies engaged the vehicle in a low-speed pursuit until the car "became disabled," police said. When Husien got out of the car, a brief shootout broke out before Husien was able to flee. When police found Husien a short time later, another shootout broke out. Husien escaped again, carjacking a white Honda at gunpoint and fleeing back toward San Jose, police said. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies immediately began chasing Husien northbound on Highway 101. Advertisement Advertisement When Husien got off the freeway and reentered San Jose, footage from a police helicopter showed him colliding with a white SUV at the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and Julian Street. The video showed Husien exiting the car and pointing a handgun at a patrol vehicle as it barrels through a gap in traffic and almost hits him. Police said Husien was shooting at the patrol vehicle as it passed him, and video shows Husien standing in the intersection firing multiple rounds at officers in a patrol vehicle. With bullets flying by, the officer driving steps out of the vehicle with a gun drawn and was immediately shot in the hand, body-worn camera video shows. Moments later, the video showed a spray of blood landing on the officer's sleeve. Police said the officer was shot in the head, fracturing his skull. The officer was taken to a local hospital and was expected to recover. While still bleeding profusely from his head, the officer can be seen returning fire at Husien as bullets slam into the car and shatter its windows, raining shards of glass on the officer. Husien can be seen approaching the patrol vehicle, getting in, exiting and then running toward another vehicle stopped at the intersection. Advertisement Advertisement Multiple officers swarmed the intersection while shooting at Husien until he fell to the ground. Immediately after falling, video shows Husien being struck by a patrol vehicle at high speed. Police said hitting Husien with a car was necessary to dislodge the firearm from his hand. The firearm was a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with a 30-round extended clip, police said. Police said Husien was still moving after getting shot and hit by the patrol vehicle. Video from body-worn cameras of several officers showed police spraying Husien with bullets as he lay on the ground. The shooting remained under investigation, with prosecutors and independent oversight agencies reviewing the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Macias, Husien's alleged accomplice, was arrested on Jan. 28 in connection with the string of robberies and is being held in the Santa Clara County Jail. Hollister police and the San Benito Sheriff's office are separately investigating the officer-involved shootings there. This article originally published at Closest thing to war': Videos show San Jose officer survive headshot before carjacker's killing. Satellite imagery captured Monday shows Iran's biggest naval vessel on fire at a military port. The IRINS Makran is a large tanker that was converted into a forward base ship. US officials said the Iranian navy was a priority target at the start of the conflict. Newly captured satellite imagery from the ongoing conflict with Iran shows the country's biggest naval vessel a former oil tanker converted into a floating base on fire at a military port. The imagery, captured on Monday by the US commercial imaging firm Planet Labs PBC and obtained by Business Insider, shows a massive plume of smoke rising from what analysts identified as the IRINS Makran in the harbor at Bandar Abbas, an Iranian port city adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz and the Makran's home port. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump vowed on Saturday to "annihilate" Iran's navy as he announced the start of "major combat operations" against the country. A close-up view of the Makran. Planet Labs PBC' US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, said on Monday that it has destroyed all 11 of Iran's ships in the Gulf of Oman. It was not immediately clear if that tally includes the Makran. Commercial satellite imagery captured by US spatial intelligence firm Vantor on Sunday showed destroyed and sinking vessels, as well as damaged buildings at the Iranian naval base in Konarak. Iran converted the Makran, previously an oil tanker, into a forward base ship in 2020 and commissioned the vessel into the navy the following year. It's not a front-line combat ship, a traditional surface combatant; rather, it was intended as an auxiliary or support vessel. It was built to carry roughly a dozen helicopters. Advertisement Advertisement The deck could accommodate missile and rocket artillery launchers, as well as vertical takeoff and landing drones. The vessel has completed several long-distance voyages, including one that circled the globe. The Makran is one of several Iranian naval vessels that were once regular civilian vessels. In recent years, Tehran has converted several container ships into militarized drone carriers. The Makran is a tanker converted into a forward base ship. Iranian Army via AP CENTCOM said it struck one of these vessels, the Shahid Bagheri, in the opening hours of the conflict over the weekend. The carrier's status is unknown. The US strikes initially focused on Iran's naval forces, command and control facilities, intelligence infrastructure, and ballistic missile sites, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement US and Israeli aircraft have also targeted Iranian air defenses, paving the way for both militaries to secure air superiority over large parts of the country. Additional satellite imagery shows widespread damage across Iran, including at drone and air bases, official compounds, and missile bases. Other military infrastructure, such as radar systems, was also struck. Iran has retaliated by launching waves of missiles and drones at bases hosting US forces across the Middle East, Israel, and most other countries in the region, including the Gulf states. The US and its allies have said that they have intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones. Some have slipped past air defenses, though, killing more than a dozen people across the region, including six American service members. Read the original article on Business Insider A school district is remembering a student killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 over the weekend. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As previously reported by News Center 7, the crash happened when a semi hit multiple vehicles on I-75 northbound, just north of the Cridersville exit in Allen County, around 8:15 p.m. on Saturday. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Hurshel Gipson, 52, and his 11-year-old son were killed in this crash. Lima City Schools posted on social media, announcing the passing of a North Middle School student on Sunday morning. The Lima City Schools is deeply saddened by the passing of one of our North Middle School students and his father in last nights accident on Interstate-75. Michael was a beloved student and friend who will be missed by his classmates, teachers and entire school community. As a recent R.A. Horn award winner, Michael received statewide recognition. The Lima City Schools Crisis Response Team will be at North Middle School and Heritage Elementary School tomorrow morning offering counseling and support services to students and staff. We ask that you keep the Gipson family and Michaels Spartan family in your thoughts and prayers. Lima City Schools Facebook An initial investigation found that a 2017 Great Dane semi-truck failed to maintain an assured clear distance as the driver approached backed-up traffic on I-75. The semi hit 4 vehicles and another semi, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. They identified the semi driver as Yvio Michel, 53, from Florida. The other vehicles struck were a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2022 Ford F-150, a 2015 Buick Enclave, a 2017 Wabash semi-truck, and a 2014 Mazda CX-9. Advertisement Advertisement Medics transported 58-year-old Ronald Foley, the driver of the Ford, and Michel to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two other people were hospitalized with serious injuries. Kayla Route, 28, and Amanda Gipson, 45, according to OSHP. Route drove the Chevrolet Traverse, and Gipson drove the Buick Enclave. Gipson was with her husband, Hurshel, and their son, who both died on scene. I-75 was closed for five hours. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) created a detour for northbound traffic. The crash remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] (FOX 5/KUSI) Traffic on the I-805 through central San Diego is delayed due to a semi truck that was destroyed after crashing and catching fire in the southbound lanes on Tuesday. The semi truck crashed into an attenuator, also known as a crash cushion, where a ramp diverts to take traffic onto the I-8, the California Highway Patrol said. See real-time road conditions on the FOX 5/KUSI Live Traffic Map Advertisement Advertisement The crash caused the semi truck to be fully engulfed in flames for nearly an hour and to leak diesel and oil into a storm drain, but nearby waterways were not affected, the agency said. The CHP confirmed that the driver of the semi truck died during the crash and fire. San Diego County officials will conduct a toxicology report to determine if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. Images from a news helicopter showed the semi truck and its trailer destroyed, with the cabin completely burned down to the metal. The dashcam footage below shows the moment the semi truck burst into flames (Credit: Alberto V.). Advertisement Advertisement Officials have not determined what could have caused the fire. As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, all lanes of southbound I-805 were reopened. Swipe to see pictures of the fire A semi truck was on fire on southbound I-805 over Mission Valley. The fire happened during morning traffic, completely stopping southbound drivers and causing some delays in the northbound lanes. The fire happened right where the ramp to westbound I-8 diverges from southbound I-805. No major debris was reported in areas below the bridge. The cabin of the semi truck appeared to be completely destroyed in the fire. 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 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Utah Sen. Mike Lee voted against advancing a major bipartisan housing bill making its way through Congress, vowing in a post on social media he would not vote in favor until the Department of Homeland Security is reopened and his signature election integrity bill is passed. Monday, Lee voted against a procedural motion to advance the Housing for the 21st Century Act to a final vote in the Senate, making him one of just six senators to oppose the bipartisan package to modernize federal housing policy and increase affordability. The measure still overcame the procedural threshold in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. Still, Lee said he could not support the measure in good conscience without making progress on other legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have kept the Department of Homeland Security shut down for more than two weeks. We need to fix that, Lee said in a post on X. And then move to using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act. When asked if he would extend that opposition to block other bills unless his SAVE America Act gets a vote, Lee told the Deseret News he hasnt ruled it out. It might depends on what else comes up I suppose, he said, but Im definitely opposing this one. Newsy: I asked Sen. Lee if hed vote against advancing other legislation until DHS/SAVE America get a vote he says it would likely depend on what else comes up, I suppose But Im definitely opposing this one, referring to the housing package https://t.co/FrvJ62FG4t Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) March 2, 2026 Lee, so far, has kept his pressure campaign to pass the SAVE America Act mostly online. But the vote on Monday indicates Lee may become more willing to buck his party on certain pieces of legislation until his signature bill can get a vote. Advertisement Advertisement That strategy mirrors what some conservative Republicans in the House have pushed for in the background. Several House Republicans have threatened to block other legislation until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, although those threats have not materialized amid talks with the White House. The biggest obstacle in Lees way is simple math. To pass most bills in the Senate, the legislation needs support from at least 60 senators to end debate and overcome the chambers strict filibuster rules. However, that would require at least seven Democrats to cross party lines to advance and the minority party has been adamant not to do so. Instead, Lee has been pushing for the revival of whats known as the talking filibuster that would circumvent the 60-vote threshold by requiring opposing senators to remain on the Senate floor and be actively speaking to block a vote. But there remains a number of Senate Republicans including Utahs junior senator, John Curtis who are skeptical about that strategy, vowing not to support anything that disrupts filibuster rules. Meanwhile, Lee also said he wouldnt vote for the housing bill until DHS is reopened, a vote that he has previously told the Deseret News must happen before his SAVE America Act can be considered. The department has been closed since Feb. 14, and negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats are ongoing. A bill advancing in the West Virginia Senate would require State Police to sell machine guns to certain state residents all over the state. The Senate Judiciary Committee signed off Monday afternoon on Senate Bill 1071, Creating Public Defense and Provisioning Act. The bill would create the Office of Public Defense, to be led by the superintendent of the West Virginia State Police. Under the bill, machine guns would be made available for sale at every State Police headquarters.The director would be required to verify all buyers of machine guns through a background check. Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, and Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, both attorneys, questioned whether the bill would conflict with federal laws. An attorney for the Senate Judiciary Committee explained that federal prohibition on machine gun possession doesnt apply to transfer to or by or possession by a state agency or political subdivision. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion Is that an exception for transfers between agencies? Garcia asked. From the case law, from my understanding, most courts have interpreted that as possession by an official government employee or an official government capacity, the attorney for the committee said. Advertisement Advertisement Whether individuals can purchase guns through a state agency would be a question for a court to address, the attorney for the committee said. Theres not been case law that would allow the state to transfer machine guns to private citizens, the attorney said. Under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, federal laws take precedence over any conflicting state laws. The bill may require state troopers to act outside of federal law, Weld said. The state cannot immunize its citizens from federal criminal liability, the attorney for the committee agreed. Lead bill sponsor Sen. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, said he worked on the legislation with the help of Alex Shay, volunteer state director for Gun Owners of America. Advertisement Advertisement Shay testified in favor of the bill, arguing that the bill would not conflict with federal law. This actually is federal law, Shay said. West Virginia is not flying in the face of federal law. Were not trying to create a loophole of any kind. Were not squinting our eyes or bending the law or breaking the law. Weld said that courts have interpreted the federal law to prohibit possession of machine guns by private citizens. In the face of all of that case law, I mean going back to 1990 with no other court decision stating otherwise, how are we to read this is anything but a prohibition? Weld said. Advertisement Advertisement Shay argued that the state has the authority to transfer the guns. Lonnie Faircloth, president of the West Virginia Troopers Association, testified about his concerns with the bill. He said he cannot speak for the West Virginia State Police. Personally I have concerns with it, just because of the fact that were transferring to a private citizen that we are possibly now making them a felon, he said. Same with us, possibly doing the same. No one representing the West Virginia State Police, the Department of Homeland Security or the National Rifle Association attended the meeting. The bill had no cost estimates for implementation as of Monday. The legislation will next go to the Senate Finance committee for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE LUXEMBOURG, March 3 (Reuters) - European Union companies are coping well with higher U.S. tariffs on EU goods, but report problems with selling their products within the bloc itself due to fragmented rules and regulations, a European Investment Bank survey showed on Tuesday. The survey by the government-owned EIB, Europe's biggest investment bank, also showed EU firms were just as advanced in using artificial intelligence as those in the United States, boosting their productivity. More from Yahoo Scout How advanced are EU firms in AI adoption? What internal barriers affect EU single market trade? What impact could removing EU trade barriers have? How are EU companies handling higher U.S. tariffs? "The EIB Group Investment Survey 2025/2026 shows that EU firms adapted well to rapid technological advancement and the demands of the green transition, as well as sharp rises in U.S. tariffs," said the survey, based on responses from some 13,000 firms, collected between April and July last year. Washington and Brussels struck a framework trade agreement last July, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate, but countering Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff deal. "When the United States raised tariffs, American firms expressed more concern than their EU counterparts. So far, the impact of tariffs has largely been absorbed by U.S. importers, with the effect remaining manageable for EU exporters," it said. But differing national laws between the EU's 27 countries have made it difficult for 62% of European companies to export their goods to other EU countries, showing how incomplete the bloc's single market for goods and services remains. "Removing these barriers could boost the ratio of firm investment to assets by 10%, with even stronger gains for intangible investment," the report said. The findings are in line with research by the International Monetary Fund, which has said that internal EU barriers to trade caused by diverging regulations were equal to a 44% tariff on goods and a 110% tariff on services. (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski, editing by Andrei Khalip) West Virginia foster care could see a massive operational overhaul after senators approved a bill to begin offloading parts of the system to a private company. Foster care in West Virginia has long struggled to meet the needs of nearly 6,000 kids due to a shortage of in-state foster homes or facilities, lack of support services and overloaded Child Protective Services workers. The time is now to do something about our CPS system that is failing, said Sen. Tom Willis, R-Berkeley, who said states like Florida and Ohio have had success privatizing their child welfare systems. Advertisement Advertisement Willis noted a recent federal audit of West Virginias foster care system showing the state didnt comply with investigation requirements when responding to 91% of child abuse and neglect reports. We can keep our kids in a system that needs changes or we can try to implement change, he said. The five-page measure, Senate Bill 937, would transfer child case management, service coordination and court-related functions to a contracted provider in Berkeley, Jefferson, Summers, Raleigh, Fayette and Monroe counties. The bill sets an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2028, which Willis said would give lawmakers time to tweak it before it goes statewide in 2029. Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell This is a horrible idea, said Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell. Our CPS, our child welfare system is broken. It has been broken. When you introduce for profit, how can someone make a profit in this situation and even at the same service level were doing it now? Advertisement Advertisement People are going to rue the day that we privatize the care of these children, he added. Senators approved the measure with a vote of 31-2. The Senates two Democratic members voted against it. Senators have no idea how much this would cost The state Department of Human Services would be in charge of implementing the bill and finding a company to take over parts of foster care. When Senate Judiciary Committee members vetted the bill last week, no one from the agency appeared before senators to discuss what it would look like, potential pitfalls or the estimated cost to the state. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, last week attempted to send the measure to the Senate Finance Committee to get an estimated price tag, but senators voted against that idea. Advertisement Advertisement The Florida State Department of Children and Families spent $27.5 million on five pilot programs set up to privatize child welfare services from 1997-2000 with varying results. Private providers would be given a flat amount to operate their foster care services, Willis said. What this does is remove the financial incentive to keep pumping kids into the system, he said. Nebraska attempted to privatize their foster care system, spurring numerous problems like high caseloads, failures to visit children placed into foster care and delays in providing case plans, The Imprint reported. The governor of Nebraska signed a bill to end private foster care in 2022, saying, Nebraskas tumultuous and harmful history with privatization and that children and human services should never be for profit. Advertisement Advertisement During bill debate, Garcia noted that Nebraska blew up their system and they reversed course. He attempted to amend the bill to push out the implementation date but lawmakers voted it down. This has very little evidence behind it, he said. There are a lot of things we could do to protect children, a lot of things we could do to protect against child abuse. I wish we would do them, and I dont think this is one of them. Carrie Bolm is CEO of the National Center for Community Based Child Welfare, which has overseen parts of Missouris child welfare system. She told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that the state retains oversight authority, while a company like hers can be innovative to respond to regional challenges in foster care. The model was developed by states that saw recurring challenges the same that youre seeing in West Virginia, she said. Its grounded in accountability (and) measurable performance. Advertisement Advertisement Theyve moved foster children to permanency more quickly, she said. According to the bill, CPS would continue to do the initial investigation of child abuse and neglect reports and make determinations about child removals. CPS would be able to focus on this core function, Willis said. Senators renamed the bill as Kyneddis Law at the request of Sen. Anne Charnock, R-Kanawha. It was named for a 14-year-old girl who died emaciated on the bathroom floor in her Boone County home. The girl was being homeschooled and there were conflicting reports about whether CPS knew about Kyneddi before her death. Advertisement Advertisement Woelfel responded to the name change by saying, When you named this about that poor dead baby that starved to death, my impression is that were going to condemn more children in an attempt to have a flat budget. This is a horrible approach to deal with these children who are at risk. The bill goes to the House of Delegates for consideration. The House has passed several foster care measures so far this session, including legislation that requires DoHS implement preventative services to reduce the number of children in foster care. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A man was pulled from the window of a burning Mid-City home and taken to the hospital Monday night, the New Orleans Fire Department said. More than 45 firefighters responded to the fire at Canal and South Lopez streets just after 8:20 p.m., where officials said they found a man trapped. According to the NOFD, he was treated at the scene and taken to the hospital to be evaluated. Officials say the fire was brought under control around 9:04 p.m. A WWL Louisiana photojournalist reported that the back portion of the home was charred. Fire officials have not yet released the cause of the fire or an estimate of the damage. Debris from an Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drone that was used to attack the UK RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus may have contained a Russian Kometa-M anti-jamming receiver. Source: Clash Report, which posted the video Details: Clash Report said that the same system is used on Russian drones and missiles that attack Ukraine, which could indicate possible reverse technology transfers between Iran and Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "A Russian anti-jamming 'Kometa-M' receiver was reportedly found in the wreckage of an Iranian Shahed-136 drone that targeted the UK's Akrotiri Air Base in Cyprus." Background: The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed on 2 March that the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus had been attacked by an Iranian drone. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office later added that the strike had been aimed at the runway. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. It was a successful year for Angelique Friend. The entrepreneur was at the pinnacle of her profession in Ventura County. State records show she was overseeing $20 million of her clients assets and directing a sizable chunk of that money back into her own household. As the 2022 holiday season approached, Friend celebrated in style and shared the snapshots on her companys Facebook page. Angelique Friend poses with Kathy Hilton in this December 2022 Facebook post from Friends company, Probate Services Inc. In this December 2022 Facebook post from Angelique Friends Probate Services Inc., Friend poses with Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner at the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala in Los Angeles, California. She smiled for a photo with Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner at a star-studded fundraiser. She stood in front of a white Christmas tree, adorned with white ornaments and bright white lights, shoulder-to-shoulder in matching sleepwear with Kathy Hilton as the socialite launched a holiday pajama line. Advertisement Advertisement It was like a scene from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. But Friend is not reality TV royalty. She made a name for herself in a less glamorous corner of California: Ventura County Probate Court. Deep within the drab courthouse across from Oxnards agricultural fields, Friend is one of the countys main private fiduciaries, chosen frequently by a probate judge to handle the financial and personal interests of elderly people deemed too ill to care for themselves. Friend operated a unique system. Besides being paid for her services, she often chose her husband, David Esquibias, to be her lawyer. Then, when her clients needed in-home support, she hired Townsgate In-Home Services to provide their care. Friend knew Townsgate well: Esquibias founded it the year they married. Friends elderly clients often footed the bill for all three services, at least until they could no longer afford or use in-home health care. Then, with the courts approval, Friend moved them to less-expensive care facilities and sold their homes, court records show. For years, Friend and Esquibias often disclosed their connections to the court, and Judge Roger Lund approved the payments, even though court rules and the California Professional Fiduciary Bureaus code of conduct generally prohibit such conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Court records show the couple brought in about $3 million from 2019 to 2025 from clients in the six cases CalMatters reviewed; $2.7 million went to Townsgate. Friend has other clients whose cases dont require public accounting in court and are not similarly reviewable by the public. The arrangement was so brazen that court staffers whispered about it, and other attorneys found it troubling. Being able to have your own little referral source coming out of the court system. Wow. That should not be allowed, said Lisa MacCarley, a Los Angeles-area probate attorney who was a prominent advocate for reform during Britney Spearss conservatorship battle. Friend wouldnt agree to an interview for this story. Esquibias did not respond to CalMatters questions involving Townsgate. Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to CalMatters, Friend said that she fully complied with state laws that require her to disclose her connection to Townsgate, get court approval and make sure the services are in the best interest of her clients. I approach every conservatorship with heightened diligence, careful oversight, and full transparency, Friend wrote in her letter. My work is designed to withstand scrutiny and ensure the highest standards of care, as consistently confirmed by the Court and the Bureau. But state licensing records indicate she was more involved with Townsgate than she represented to the court. And CalMatters found at least two instances in which she did not disclose to the court that her husband owned Townsgate, at least three cases where Judge Lund called her out for hiring the company without prior court approval, and one case, records show, where she hired Townsgate months before the company was even licensed to provide in-home health care services. By their nature, the cases that reach conservatorship are often complex and messy. Some people end up there because theyve been taken advantage of by family, friends or previous caregivers. Others fight their childrens attempts to make decisions for them, or have needs too great for their family members to bear. Some have no children and no one else to take care of them. So the court steps in. Advertisement Advertisement With a judges approval, conservators exert vast control over their clients lives. They decide who provides them health care and where. They choose how their money is spent. They sell their clients assets to pay bills. They can control visitation and communication with family members, setting up the potential for high-stakes and high-emotion confrontations and amplifying the importance of avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest. The state agency created 20 years ago to monitor self-dealing in the industry, the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau, does not report taking any action against Friend for the conflicts. California lawmakers formed the bureau after a Los Angeles Times investigation exposed self-dealing by conservators and a failure of judges to stop it. Friends ability to send millions of dollars in business to her husbands company highlights how the system continues to rely on individual judges and, even with the bureau in place, conflicts of interest can continue for years with little consequence. Part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, the bureau forbids real or perceived conflicts of interest explicitly in its rules, saying that fiduciaries must not engage in any activity where there is the reasonable appearance of a conflict of interest or reasonably could be perceived as self-serving. Advertisement Advertisement Friend said she disclosed the connection to the bureau. The Bureau has renewed my license every year without restriction and has never found that I violated fiduciary ethical standards or any governing law, Friend wrote. When CalMatters requested Friends reports from the bureau, it provided documents thick with black redaction lines. In 2023, the state Legislature significantly restricted what information the bureau can share with the public. CalMatters attempted to speak with officials at the bureau for a year. However, they would only respond to emailed questions. The bureau spokesperson, Monica Vargas, declined to say whether Friend complied with its conflict-of-interest rules. The court is in a better position to ascertain the performance of the fiduciary and determine whether the various services are in the best interest of the conserved person, Vargas wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Separate from state regulations, California court rules forbid conflicts broadly, saying that a conservator must not engage his or her family members to provide services to the conservatee for a profit or fee when other alternatives are reasonably available. However, the rules allow judges to approve such arrangements if they determine that its in the best interest of the conservatee and its disclosed. In tentative rulings, Judge Lund at times expressed concerns about Friends conflict of interest. However, those rulings are not final and only show what the judge is thinking. Its unclear what happened in court because Ventura County stopped requiring transcripts for probate court in 2022. Lunds final court orders never mention Townsgate or demand that Friend stop using the company. All of the orders approved their payments. Without official transcripts, it's impossible to know whether or how Lund addressed the conflicts in court. The court record doesnt reflect any of the conservatees attorneys objecting to the conflict of interest. Advertisement Advertisement One court transcript from 2022 obtained by CalMatters details what happened when one family challenged Friends conflict. The representation to the Court as I recall is that they tend to price themselves at or slightly below the market to avoid any problems, Lund said. And that is sufficient for the Court. Lund and court leaders declined to comment for this story. Weeks after CalMatters sent court officials questions about the approvals, the presiding judge for Ventura County Superior Court announced that he was reassigning Lund, moving him to family court. The move came as a shock to many in the local legal community. In a February hearing, the new judge, Gilbert Romero, expressed skepticism that he could approve Friends arrangements with her husband. He told her that the rule of court says very clearly that a conservator should avoid any conflicts or any appearance of conflict. Before that, families of the conservatees often raised their concerns with the court and filed complaints with the bureau, to no avail. Shes making a lot of money, her and her husband, said Poppy Helgren. Friend cared for Helgrens father, Lester Moore, for years. After Friend moved him to a residential care facility, Moore died from extreme constipation that was deemed the result of inadequate care, records show. Lester Moore was placed in a court-mandated conservatorship in 2012 after he was diagnosed with dementia. Photo courtesy of his daughter, Poppy Helgren Carole Herman, a leading eldercare advocate, is one of the first people Californians call when they have a problem with a court-appointed fiduciary. In 2023, she filed a complaint with the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau about Friends connection to Townsgate. Advertisement Advertisement The bureau hasnt reported any response to the complaint, and Vargas would not discuss any pending complaints or investigations, calling them confidential. I am totally disappointed and devastated because I worked really hard to get that bureau started, and they have no teeth, Herman said. Carole Herman, president of the Foundation Aiding The Elderly outside of her office in Sacramento on Oct. 20. 2025. The six cases Lester Moore joined the U.S. Navy at age 17. After he was discharged, Moore moved to California, where he went on to work in the airline industry. Moore grew up during the Great Depression, and over his lifetime, he and his wife amassed more than 450 acres of land in his home state of Arkansas, more than a quarter of a million dollars in company stock, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments and savings. Moore ended up in a court-mandated conservatorship after he was diagnosed with dementia and his attorney was accused of professional misconduct. Friend was appointed the conservator in 2012. Advertisement Advertisement For years, Friend relied on a local company to provide Moores caregiving services. She ended that relationship and put Townsgate in charge in April 2019, according to court filings. At that point, Townsgate didnt have a license to provide in-home health care services, according to state records. Home care organizations that operate without a license can be fined $900 a day. Later that year, Friend married Esquibias, according to her marriage license. In 2019 and 2020, Moore paid Townsgate $145,000 for care, documents filed with the court show, but the records do not show that Friend disclosed her connection to Townsgate. Then, in February 2020, Friend moved Moore to residential care and sold his home a few months later. Helgren was immediately concerned about her fathers care at the facility. I had put in complaints everywhere about them, Helgren said. A year later, Moore died from septic shock from bowel obstruction and fecal impaction. A state investigation found Moores death was due to the facility not following Moores physicians orders and its failure to monitor Moores condition, according to the state report. The facility has since closed. A CalMatters rendition of how much a conservatee paid Townsgate In-Home Services, based on court records. Illustration by Gabe Hongsdusit, CalMatters CalMatters reviewed Friends publicly available cases and found six in which she used Townsgate for in-home services. She hired Esquibias to represent her in four of those cases, for which he was paid from conservatees funds. Some of the others: Grace and Joseph Brown lived off Joseph Browns U.S. Navy retirement pay for years, with little debt. The court appointed Friend as Grace Browns conservator after she was diagnosed with dementia. At that time, Grace had $1.1 million in assets, according to the accounting Friend filed with the court. From 2020 to 2023, Friend paid Townsgate $873,000 from Browns account for caregiving services, nearly 80% of her assets, according to the accounting that Friend filed with the court. At least $583,000 was paid without prior Court approval, thereby severely depleting [Browns] funds, according to a tentative ruling Lund issued in January 2024. He said he wanted to discuss forcing Friend to reimburse Brown. However, after the hearing, the judge approved the charges, calling them settled, allowed, and approved in his final order. His order does not mention Friend reimbursing Brown, and there is no transcript of the hearing. The judge also approved Friends charges totaling $46,000 for conservator fees. James Brown, Graces stepson, thinks Grace was treated like a cash cow. He said Friend rarely responds to his questions about Grace, who is still under Friends care. CalMatters' renditions of how much conservatees paid to companies run by Friend and Esquibias, based on court records. CalMatters' renditions of how much conservatees paid to companies run by Friend and Esquibias, based on court records. Esperanza M. Moore was born in 1939 in the Philippines. She traveled the world before she met and married her husband, a physicist at Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme. Moore owned two properties.Ventura County officials asked the court to place Moore in a conservatorship after growing concerned that she was a victim of elder financial abuse. Within a month of becoming Moores court-appointed conservator, Friend brought on Townsgate In-Home Services for her care, without prior Court approval, as required by court rules, according to notes from Judge Lund. Still, he later approved the payments. Friend paid her husbands company $64,000 from Moores funds over roughly three months in 2022. Then, Friend placed her in a less-expensive assisted-living home and sold her properties. Friend was paid $76,000 for her fiduciary services from November 2021 to December 2024; Esquibias received another $68,000 in attorney fees for his work from December 2021 to March 2025 to represent Friend as she tried to recover money that had been taken from Moore by her previous caregiver. In conservatorships, there are two attorneys who are typically paid from the conservatee's money one for the person in the conservatorship and another for the licensed fiduciary. Friend was still Moores conservator as of this month, according to the courts website. Friend paid Townsgate nearly $680,000 from Molly Coopers account from September 2020 to March 2023, court records show. Her son, who asked that he not be named, said he was happy that his mother lived out her last days in her home rather than a nursing home. He said he had no idea about the connection when his mother was alive. Friend and Esquibias did not disclose their ties to Townsgate until after Cooper died, court records show. In addition to Townsgates costs, Friend billed Cooper $94,000 for her fiduciary services; Esquibias received $26,000 from Coopers estate in attorney fees, court records show. CalMatters' renditions of how much conservatees paid to companies run by Friend and Esquibias, based on court records. CalMatters' renditions of how much conservatees paid to companies run by Friend and Esquibias, based on court records. Illustration by Gabe Hongsdusit, CalMatters James Baker Mabry retired after a career as an electrical contractor. During his free time, Mabry enjoyed scuba diving and volunteered with the county water rescue team. He was always in the water, said his daughter, Kristin Tranquada. But as he aged, he was diagnosed with dementia, and his daughter petitioned the court to be his conservator. Her dad became angry and threatened her.Tranquada decided to step aside and let the court appoint a professional.Tranquada was grateful that Friend got her father to cooperate with caregivers. But as time went on, she and her sister began to question Friends professionalism. Tranquada said Friend hadnt taken the necessary steps to transfer all of her fathers bills. Plus, Friend had allowed Mabry to get a puppy, which eventually lived with one of Friends employees. Then the sisters found out about Townsgate.Friend paid Townsgate $550,000 from Mabrys funds over three years, and the court approved the payments. Lund approved a total of $128,000 in conservator fees for Friend in 2022 and 2024. He also approved $22,000 for attorney fees to Esquibias. Friend eventually moved Mabry into a care home and sold his home with the courts approval.This conservator's husband received a great deal of money that my father needs for his care, Tranquada said. Robert Baskin, an attorney whose law firm represented at least two of Friends clients who paid Townsgate, said he didnt see anything wrong with the arrangement as long as it was disclosed and approved by the court. I dont think that it is a conflict for a conservator to hire an affiliated agency like Townsgate, Baskin said. They did an outstanding job at a reduced hourly rate. He said conservatorships can naturally pit fiduciaries against family members. You get a lot of people complaining because they are looking at their ultimate inheritance, Baskin said. He also had his own financial connection to Friend, property records show. In 2018, his family trust lent her $1 million. The repayment terms of the agreement were not included. Baskin declined to comment on the loan. Im not going to comment on my own business dealings. Ive loaned many people money. In her letter, Friend told CalMatters that her personal finances are entirely appropriate and, apart from what is a matter of public record, private. Friends previous run-in with the bureau Before becoming a licensed fiduciary, Angelique Friend worked as a business analyst for Countrywide Financial, according to her LinkedIn profile. She got her fiduciary license in 2009 and built her business. Licensed fiduciaries such as Friend manage affairs for seniors, people with disabilities and children. Fiduciaries can also be appointed by courts to administer estates when someone dies. In 2017, an appeals court criticized Friend for her role in delivering an inheritance to two brothers who had been disinherited in their mothers will. Friend argued that because the beneficiary, her grandson, was already dead when his grandmother died, the assets should be distributed as if she died without a will.The Court of Appeal noted that the woman did have a will; she expressly disinherited her two sons and awarded all the assets to her grandchild. The appellate court called Friends argument troubling, saying Friend showed bias by not submitting the will for probate when it showed the womans intent to disinherit her sons.The court ordered that the two brothers not receive an inheritance and that the probate judge remove Friend as administrator of the estate. After the ruling, Friend contacted the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau to determine whether she had to report the removal on her annual statement, according to the citation. The bureau told her that she did. But despite receiving this information, (Friend) failed to report this resignation to the bureau, according to the agency. Friend was fined $750 in 2020 for failing to report a resignation and dishonesty and unprofessional conduct. In her Nov. 12, 2025, letter to CalMatters, Friend described it as a minor technical oversight. She has also drawn complaints for using Townsgate for at least one of her clients while she was serving as a trustee. CalMatters could not review records concerning her private trust clients because these cases typically arent subject to the same public oversight as conservatorships, unless they are contested in court. However, in a November court filing, family members in one case asked the court to remove Friend after learning that she immediately hired Townsgate after she became trustee and paid the company $1.1 million from their family members trust from 2021 to 2025. The family members have asked the court to have Friend reimburse the trust for her self-dealing. Baskin, whos representing Friend in the case, pushed back, arguing that Friend disclosed her connection to Townsgate, and that Friend has no ownership interest in Townsgate. A hearing is scheduled for March 12. Esquibias, whos known for helping troubled Nickelodeon child star Amanda Bynes get out of a conservatorship, has been a licensed attorney in California for more than three decades. He did not respond to questions about the conflict of interest or about Townsgate. Esquibias started Townsgate the year he and Friend married after seeing in-home care companies consistently provide overpriced, substandard, and neglectful care to my clients, he told the court. When questioned about their conflicts in one case, Friend and Esquibias filed declarations saying that Friend was not an agent, director, officer, employee, or consultant at Townsgate. However, state licensing records do show that she was involved with the company. When Esquibias licensed Townsgate in 2019, Friend signed a pledge to be whats known as a sole delegate, agreeing to perform tasks on Esquibiass behalf and to be continuously present during operational hours to represent the company, perform administrative processes, and to accept licensing reports. In her letter to CalMatters, Friend said, Any limited assistance I provided was informal and uncompensated. When state officials conducted an unannounced inspection at Townsgates offices in January 2020, they reported meeting with an Angelique Love. Love is Friends maiden name, her marriage license shows. A half-million dollar incentive Thomas ONeil felt that something wasnt right. The retired UC San Diego theoretical physics professor spent his career solving complex problems, and the conservatorship that had engulfed his elderly aunt, Mary Jane Vind, and her dependent adult son, Charles Vind, was not making sense.Mary Jane Vind had spent her life taking care of her adult son, but as she got older, Charles had a difficult time caring for her. I was taking her to her doctors appointments, managing her medicine, and other things, Charles said. But it wasnt sufficient for Mary Janes needs. Thomas ONeil at his home in Del Mar on Oct. 31, 2025. After Adult Protective Services determined that Mary Jane had been neglected, Ventura County officials asked the court to appoint a private fiduciary to manage her and her finances. Judge Lund appointed Angelique Friend. When Esquibias opposed Charles Vinds claim to a family property, ONeil said he grew concerned. Mary Jane Vind had made Charles a joint owner of her Oxnard beach home if he agreed to live with her as she aged, according to a petition Charles filed with the court. Esquibias argued that Charles Vinds care for his mother was so bad that he didnt live up to his end of the bargain, nullifying any agreement Charles and Mary Jane had. Mary Janes attorney also said Charles Vind may have used undue influence to force his mother to add him to the deed. ONeil said their arguments just didnt ring true. For one, he said, Mary Jane was quite a capable businesswoman. For another, the mother and son had an unusually close relationship. They were completely devoted to each other, he said. He also didnt like the relationships between Friend, Esquibias and Townsgate, which was paid, on average, about $25,000 a month for caring for Vind over 16 months, totaling nearly $400,000, according to court filings. Removing Charles from the title would free up nearly half a million dollars, money that would probably go right back to Friend and Esquibias, ONeil wrote to Lund in July 2023. This creates a half-million dollar incentive for them to attempt to discredit and intimidate Charles to give up his property, he wrote. A 1993 photograph of Mary Jane Vind that her nephew Thomas ONeil keeps at his home in Del Mar on Oct. 31, 2025. A 1988 photograph of Charles Vind that Thomas ONeil keeps at his home in Del Mar on Oct. 31, 2025. ONeil felt that Mary Jane dedicated her life to taking care of Charles, and she signed over the house to protect Charles, he said. I find it sad that Mary Janes estate is now being consumed in fees from several attorneys and a conservator who are trying to undo Mary Janes wishes, as well as the quitclaim deed she signed to ensure Charles would not end up homeless, ONeil said in a court declaration. This matter is really about a mother wanting her son to have a vested interest in the family property. Complaints about conflicts continue Months earlier, Kristin Tranquada wanted to know about Friends relationship to Townsgate after Friend failed to disclose her connection to the company in court filings. So she asked her fathers attorney to bring it up in court in an April 2022 hearing, according to a transcript from the hearing. Esquibias said it was an oversight. And Lund said he didnt see a problem with using Townsgate because it was priced at or slightly below market. But the complaints about Friends conflict didnt stop. In August 2022, police were called to the Vind home after Charles found a Townsgate employee lying in Mary Jane's room with his pants down and his penis exposed, according to testimony from Charless deposition. The detective who investigated the case, Det. Nora Starna, formerly of the Port Hueneme Police Department, expressed her concerns about Mary Janes care and Townsgate to the court investigator, who frequently reviews conservatorships to see if theyre needed. Starna told the court investigator that Friend and Esquibias didnt respond and cooperate with her investigation in a way that indicated they were looking out for Mary Janes best interests. Starna eventually closed the case, saying the caregivers actions didnt rise to the level of a crime, and no charges were filed, according to the court investigators report. Charles Vinds attorney told CalMatters that Townsgate removed the worker after the allegations. In May 2023, court records indicate, Lund began to express concern about Townsgates involvement with Mary Jane. He asked Friend to submit more information about the company. He asked her to demonstrate that there were no other alternatives reasonably available. Friend submitted invoices to the court showing that Townsgate's rates were lower than other providers, and Esquibias submitted the couples property agreement, which outlined that Townsgate was solely his business. But by that time, Friend had moved Mary Jane to a nursing home, paying $7,500 a month, a fraction of the roughly $25,000 a month she paid Townsgate. Kami Weeks and Kristin Tranquada, at Kristin's home in Ventura, on Oct. 21, 2025. Kristin Tranquada holds a photo of her dad and mom, Jim and Pam Mabry, at her home in Ventura, on Oct. 21, 2025. Meanwhile, Tranquada and her sister continued to push back against using Townsgate for her father, James Baker Mabry. We just decided, anytime somebody asks us, we are going to bring this up, even though the judge has already said he's fine with it, she said. Two years later, Tranquada was surprised to see that Lund had changed his mind, seemingly, she said, out of nowhere. In March 2024, he issued a tentative ruling demanding that Friend stop using Townsgate. But by that time, Friend had moved Tranquadas father into a care home, according to court records. In court, Tranquada said it was a different story. Lund asked the attorneys what to do about Townsgate. Tranquada said her fathers attorney said it was a moot point. Which infuriated me, she said. She said shes never understood why Lund changed his mind. It's the same judge. It's the same situation. What changed? she said. Mabry died on Feb. 24. Tranquada said she learned about his death from Friends office in an email. I am sorry to inform you that Mr. James Mabry just passed away. More details to follow as I know more, reads the email that Tranquada forwarded to CalMatters. She said she didnt know her father had recently been hospitalized. Waiting for his money As Mary Jane Vinds health declined, the dispute over Charless ownership was paused. Charles eventually left his mothers home after spending extended time in several hospitals. He now lives in a Southern California nursing home, he said. Friend sold all of Mary Jane's properties, which helped pay for Mary Janes care. Charles Vinds proceeds from the sale of the home he owned with his mother, about $480,000, are in a client trust account held by Esquibias, waiting for the court to resolve the deed dispute. Mary Jane Vind died in September. Through 2025, Mary Jane paid Friend $108,000 for her conservatorship services and $65,000 to Esquibias for attorneys fees. CalMatters' renditions of how much conservatees paid to companies run by Friend and Esquibias, based on court records. Illustration by Gabe Hongsdusit, CalMatters In June 2025, court records show that Lund gave Friend her next assignment, appointing her as the conservator of a woman with an estate worth more than $3 million. Esquibias is not Friends attorney. Financial accounting documents havent yet been filed with the court that show whos providing health care to that client. Lund declined to answer questions for this story. The same day Angelique Friend wrote a letter responding to CalMatters questions about her and Esquibias, Friend removed Esquibias as her attorney on James Baker Mabrys case, replacing him with a new attorney, according to court filing records. After word got out about Judge Lunds reassignment, a group of lawyers wrote the presiding judge requesting that he reconsider the decision. Judge Lund upholds the rigorous standards of judicial conduct in both substance and demeanor, they wrote. The first signature on the letter: David Esquibias. In a letter, Presiding Judge Matthew P. Guasco declined their request. Rest assured I believe this decision is in the best interests of the court and the administration of justice, he wrote. Byrhonda Lyons is a national award-winning investigative reporter for CalMatters. Contact her at byrhonda@calmatters.org. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Conservator in county directed $2.7M from clients to husband's company HAWAII ISLAND (KHON2) Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna has selected Assistant Chief Sherry Bird as deputy chief. Reed Mahuna sworn in as Hawaii Countys new police chief The selection is pending approval by the police commission. If approved, Birds appointment would mark the first time in the departments 83-year history that a woman has served as deputy chief. She has demonstrated strong administrative expertise as well as operational knowledge gained from years working in investigations, patrol, and command positions. Her appointment is historic for our department, and I am confident her leadership will continue to strengthen our service to the Hawaii Island community. Chief Reed Mahuna Bird has been with the department for 28 years. Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii Island officer recognized as Kau Top Enforcer three years in a row The Police Commission is scheduled to consider the appointment on Friday, March 20, at 9 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Building A, Council Chambers. 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. Sidney Dorsey, the former DeKalb County sheriff convicted of ordering the death of the man he lost re-election to in 2000, has died in prison. He was 86 years old. Two sources told Channel 2s Karyn Greer he passed around 6 p.m. Monday at Augusta State Medical Prison. RELATED: Welcomed with open arms straight to hell: Derwin Browns daughter reacts to Sidney Dorseys death A Georgia Department of Corrections official also confirmed to Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that Dorsey died. The official says Dorsey died of natural causes. Advertisement Advertisement He was serving a life sentence for the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown 25 years ago. WATCH: The Hit: The Assassination of Derwin Brown Dorsey and two others were convicted in 2002 of killing Brown, who had just won a runoff for sheriff, running on a pledge to uncover corruption within the department. He was shot and killed outside his home Dec. 15, 2000. Dorsey admitted to orchestrating the killing during an interview from state prison in 2007. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Iranian missile strikes target central Israel, injuring 12. Authorities are on the scene, managing the situation. Shrapnel from multiple Iranian missile strikes fell on at least three locations in central Israel, injuring 12 on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports from Israeli emergency response teams. Israel Police are currently on scene managing the affected areas. Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics are additionally on scene at the impact sites, providing medical treatment to approximately a total of 12 individuals, including a woman around 40 years old in moderate condition with blast injuries, and the other 11 individuals in mild condition suffering from glass, shrapnel, and blast-related injuries. Advertisement Advertisement MDA Paramedic Yehuda Edri released a statement regarding one of the impact sites, "When we arrived at the scene, we saw significant destruction in the building, windows were broken, pieces of concrete fell, and there was a lot of commotion at the scene. A woman in her 40s suffered from the impact and was moderately injured. We provided her with advanced medical treatment and evacuated her to the hospital in moderate condition." Emergency services arrive at the missile shrapnel impact scene in central Israel. March 3, 2026. (credit: COURTESY MDA) Hezbollah rocket impact In a separate incident, a home in northern Israel was hit by a Hezbollah rocket on Tuesday morning, after the terrorist group fired several rockets into Israel from neighboring Lebanon. No serious injuries were reported following the incident, and the four family members living in the home were treated by emergency responders for post-traumatic symptoms. Two of the residents, a 64-year-old man with glass shrapnel injuries and a 24-year-old woman with anxiety symptoms, were evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat. Advertisement Advertisement The other two family members did not require further treatment. Emergency services respond to the scene of a Hezbollah missile strike in the northern Israel area on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (credit: ISRAEL FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY) Immediately after the Hezbollah rocket volley, reports were received of a direct hit on a building in central Israel from an Iranian missile. No casualties were reported aside from two people who were treated for injuries that occurred en route to the protected area, according to MDA. Just before 1 p.m., sirens sounded throughout Israel, and the media reported shrapnel falling in central Israel. No injuries were reported following the missile barrage, according to MDA, which added that first responders provided on-site medical care to individuals who were injured on their way to shelter. Sirens over Jerusalem triggered by false alarm, IDF confirms after investigation Sirens sounded over Jerusalem and the surrounding areas on Tuesday morning due to a suspected hostile aircraft infiltration. Advertisement Advertisement The IDF, investigating the incident, confirmed that it was triggered by a false alarm. Sirens sound across Israel Monday evening following barrage from Iran Rocket sirens sounded across Israel after Iran fired a new barrage of missiles against the country late on Monday night. Initial reports indicated Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel simultaneously with Iranian ballistic missile fire, but the reports were denied by the IDF Spokespersons Unit. The IDF said in a statement that, even if the event had ended, people were asked to remain close to a safe space and continue following the instructions from the Home Front Command. No casualties or injuries resulting from the barrage were reported, according to Magen David Adom. The police said that it was responding to a missile impact in central Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Later in the night, several alerts were deployed over an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) intrusion in the northern confrontation line and the upper Galilee, with no official statement by the authorities about the situation. According to the IDF, two hostile UAVs crossed into Israel from Lebanon and were intercepted by the military. Iran strikes Cyprus, several Middle East nations According to reports by several media, the Iranian attack against Israel was done in coordination with attacks against several Middle East targets. Reports in Israeli media said that explosions were heard in Cyprus after an Iranian missile targeted the Mediterranean island, while no injuries were reported. The US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said in a statement that two drones hit its main building, causing a small fire, with no casualties registered. Smoke rises from a burning building hit by an Iranian drone strike, after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran, in Seef district, Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026 (credit: REUTERS/HAMAD I MOHAMMED) Two military facilities were directly struck in the United Arab Emirates, while two drones hit the proximity of a base in Bahrain. Given the situation, the US issued an alert asking Americans to leave most countries in the Middle East, with the list including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel (including the West Bank and Gaza), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE, and Yemen. CNN anchor Pamela Brown brought on International Security Correspondent Zach Cohen on Tuesday to discuss the latest details about the six service members who were killed over the weekend by an Iranian drone strike, including new details about the facility they were in. Sundays Iranian strike that killed six U.S. service members in Kuwaitthey were in a makeshift operations center that one source describes as a triple-wide trailer. So I want to bring in CNN International Security Reporter Zach Cohen to learn more about this. Now were learning six service members killed, Brown began. Yeah, the U.S. military is acknowledging the death toll for U.S. service members has increased steadily to six after the remains of two additional service members who were previously unaccounted for were found, replied Cohen, adding: And look, were also learning that U.S. service members in Kuwait really had no opportunity to take cover before the makeshift operations center that they were in took a direct hit, according to a source, resulting in these U.S. KIAs. And so its interesting because Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, did describe a little bit about the location of these troops when they were hit. But take a listen to what he said yesterday. CNN then played a clip of Hegseths Monday comments: We have incredible air defenders. Every once in a while, you might have oneunfortunately, we call it a squirterthat makes its way through. And in that particular case, it happened to hit a tactical operations center that was fortified. But these are powerful weapons. Advertisement Advertisement So were told that this was a suspected Iranian drone strike that was part of that initial wave of retaliatory strikes launched in the early hours of this conflict. But Hegseth also described this facility as fortified, noted Cohen, concluding: Were told the damage inflicted upon it, though, was pretty significant. The source saying that the facility remained on fire for hours after this strike happened. Also told that the walls were completely blown out and the inside totally blackened. So Donald Trump is warning of more U.S. casualties. Potentially, these Iranian drone strikes are expected to continue going forward. All right, Zach Cohen, thank you. All right, coming up here in the Situation Room: President Trump now says he doesnt know how long the war could last. And this morning, there are growing concerns about the strain this conflict is putting on U.S. supplies, assets, and service members in the region, Brown said continuing with coverage of the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran. Watch the clip above via CNN. The post Six US Soldiers Killed in Triple-Wide Trailer in Kuwait Hegseth Claims It Was Fortified first appeared on Mediaite. Snow mounds are slowly shrinking as temperatures rebound from single digits and icy conditions recede along with the memory of last week's blizzard, but some of the white stuff may still be banking up against the sides of homes or garages. Whats more, wintertime forecasts are notorious for sending folks inside but holing up indoors and sealing the heat in can lead to deadly consequences. A well-insulated home that reduces airflow is ripe for a buildup of toxic gases, like carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas generated from burning fuel. Wood, oil, natural gas, kerosene, propane and even charcoal, when burned in fireplaces, furnaces, vehicles or generators, produce CO. In tight or poorly ventilated quarters, be it an attached garage, basement, or kitchen, CO swiftly takes the lead as the No. 1 cause of poisoning deaths in the United States each year. Advertisement Advertisement Winter challenges: Here's why Fall River snow cleanup was a problem. Will it improve? Cars parked alongside Kennedy Park in Fall River are buried up to the windows in snow a day after a historic blizzard on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Protect yourself from CO poisoning Good ventilation in and around homes and cars is a must. Snow, said city Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Chief Sean Flannery, can block vents from boilers and furnaces, which can cause CO to backup into the household. Were asking everyone to make sure their vents are free of snow, he said, and added that responding to calls where CO levels may be elevated is routine for the Fall River Fire Department. Once firefighters arrive on scene, they must meter CO levels and identify the root of the issue, whether it's a faulty furnace or gas leak. Advertisement Advertisement We do stress that everyone has CO detectors outside of bedrooms and on every floor of the house, he said. Those detectors should be replaced per manufacturers recommendations, which is typically every five to seven years, Flannery said. Jake Wark, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, said in a 2025 interview that in an average year, in Massachusetts, firefighters report detecting carbon monoxide at about 5,000 calls. For many of these calls, CO detectors do their job, with families and pets getting to fresh air and dialing 911 before an onset of flu-like symptoms take hold. A broken shovel in a pile of snow at the end of River Avenue in Swansea on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal, and it starts with a spark CO is generated through any type of combustion, Flannery said. Advertisement Advertisement Car exhausts that are covered by the snow can allow toxic fumes containing CO to back up into the vehicle. Flannery referenced a recent incident at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, where student Joseph Boutros, 21, was discovered unconscious inside a vehicle parked on Bellevue Avenue on Monday, Feb. 23. According to Newport Daily News reports, Boutros had been in the vehicle to charge his cell phone. Newport Police attribute the death to CO poisoning, as the entire vehicle, including the tailpipe, was covered with snow. Helping the most vulnerable: Were elderly and community health services prepped for blizzard? How to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning CO isnt associated with electric space heaters, so thats one less thing to worry about, but being vigilant about good ventilation and keeping your household heating system in good shape could save your life. Advertisement Advertisement Keep any eye on furnaces, oil burners and water heaters all of these can produce CO Have a qualified technician inspect home heating systems before the chilly season Ensure vents, pipes, chimneys and flues are clear of debris and free of leaks Open garage doors before starting your cars engine or let your vehicle idle outside Snow levels can block car exhausts and block fumes from properly exiting A generator is handy in power outages, but before operating, place it outdoors and point the exhaust away from doors and windows Use charcoal grills and gasoline-powered appliances outside only Dont use a gas stove to heat your home Snow crusts the outside of a house on Underwood Street in Fall River during the blizzard on Feb. 23, 2026. Invest in name-brand lab-tested CO detectors Massachusetts state laws mandate that all dwellings each unit in an apartment building and every level of a home are equipped with working CO detectors. A home will fail a sale or transfer inspection unless smoke and CO alarms are up to code. But Wark said too often he sees people bulk-shopping online for the cheapest CO detectors, which may not meet the specified requirements that indicate effective monitoring abilities. A good CO detector will: Advertisement Advertisement Be manufactured by a well-known national brand Undergo rigorous quality control testing at an independent laboratory and should bear the UL or Intertek symbol Most detectors will need to be replaced every five to seven years, but newer models have a 10-year sealed lithium battery that requires the entire device be replaced each decade You dont want a knockoff, Wark said, warning that cheap and unregulated detectors risk the safety of everyone in a home or building. A variety of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are available Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, at hardware stores like Builders Store on Mishawaka Avenue in South Bend. Avoid placing a CO detector near windows, doors, or in dead space areas like ceiling peaks. Many instances of CO poisoning or even death occur while sleepers are exposed to a sufficient level of CO. In these cases, waking up is unlikely as toxicity mounts, which is why it's imperative to have a reliable detector near the bedroom. And, if a detector activates, Wark added, never treat it like a false alarm. Look for these telltale signs of CO exposure CO is inhaled and enters the lungs where it competes with oxygen levels in the bloodstream, binding to red blood cells 200 times faster than oxygen. Advertisement Advertisement Oxygen-deprived cells produce symptoms that indicate CO poisoning: Headache Nausea Dizziness Confusion Fainting Death or unconsciousness If you suspect youve been exposed to high levels of CO, get out of the house or car, and get to fresh air immediately before calling your local fire department. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Silent killer carbon monoxide risk is raised as snow piles up A woman says she is feeling distressed that her son is stuck in a Dubai hospital during Iran's rocket and missile strikes. Fiona, from Sussex, said the United Arab Emirates closed its airspace "literally minutes" after her 23-year-old son, Cameron, landed in the city on a connecting flight on his way back from India. "He was only meant to be in Dubai airport for two hours," she told BBC Radio Sussex. Advertisement Advertisement Fiona said her son - who had never travelled alone - later developed a severe stomach bug and was taken to hospital for treatment. "It's horrible," she said. "[I am] trying to keep a lid on the stress". 'Let's get you a flight' Cameron had been on a work-related trip in India with other people, though they have all either made it home to the UK or are still there, according to Fiona. She said she had had two calls with her son, who was now "on the mend". Fiona says the 23-year-old needs to complete his course of medical treatment before he can return home. "I would love to say 'let's get you a flight right now and get you out of there - if possible', but he needs to be well enough." Cameron is stuck in Dubai (pictured) [Getty Images] The conflict between Iran and US-Israel, which began on the 28 February, has caused widespread airspace closures in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Flights have been majorly disrupted with some half a million passengers per day using airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi - vital hubs for travel between Europe and Asia and Australia. A handful of flights are set to bring British nationals stranded in the Middle East back to the UK on Tuesday, but the majority of departures from the region remain cancelled. Emirates plans to operate one flight each to Gatwick and Manchester, besides two to Heathrow. Cameron is not due to fly back on Tuesday, according to his mother. Daniel Moon, from Brighton, went to Dubai on a photography trip and had been due to leave early on Monday morning. Advertisement Advertisement However, he told the BBC his flight was pushed back to Tuesday and subsequently cancelled. Moon said although Saturday was "pretty surreal", things had "calmed down". He added his biggest concerns were about getting home and the cost of staying in Dubai as he was paying about 150 a night for his hotel. "I'm diabetic and have enough insulin for about five days. After that I'll need to buy more locally or see a doctor, so that's playing on my mind a bit too," he said. Follow BBC Sussex 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 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the country in January 2026, during which AstraZeneca announced a $15bn investment in Chinese manufacturing. German Chancellor Friederich Merz arrived on 25 February, after figures released by the countrys Federal Statistical Office on 20 February showed China had overtaken the US as Germanys primary trade partner. The US has a leading 40% share of drugs in development globally, according to a GlobalData report . However, in second place is an increasingly competitive China with an approximately 20% share, leaving the five major European markets (5EU: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) with 11%. GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology. Speaking at the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla suggested the MFN policy could mean companies would raise overseas prices in line with those in the US, telling Reuters , Shall we reduce the US price to Frances level or stop supplying France? We [will] stop supplying France. After the US government introduced the MFN policy through an executive order in 2025, several pharma companies, like Pfizer, struck deals that allowed their new medicines to be subject to MFN prices in Medicaid. However, experts say that Asian markets are unlikely to supplant the increasingly unpredictable US market, and that European countries will need to adapt to the new landscape given the innovative strength and commercial depth of the US. Since 2025, European leaders have made several overtures to Asian countries, including a historic free trade agreement between the EU and India, which has a large generics industry, and diplomatic trips to China, which has an emerging innovator drug discovery engine. Initially excluded from the Liberation Day tariffs, US pharma imports were briefly threatened with 250% duties before the EU secured a deal at 15%. However, last month, after the US Supreme Court overturned the initial global tariffs, US President Donald Trump responded with blanket 10% tariffs under temporary measures, before raising these to 15%. US government policies of Most Favored Nation (MFN) and tariffs threaten to disrupt Europes pharmaceutical trade, but while European countries explore alternative markets in Asia, it may be difficult for them to substitute the innovation and profit potential offered by the US, say experts. Story Continues Chinese pharmaceutical innovation could offer cheaper alternatives to new medicines from the US, says Diederik Stadig, healthcare economist at ING Research. However, Stadig estimates it may take 510 years before China can seriously challenge the US for Europes innovative therapy market. Alexander Natz, general secretary for the European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE), agrees. China is relevant for research, for production, potentially as a market for our companies in the next decades but not for the next five years, he says. Pharma remains critical for European economy European pharmaceuticals are among the continents key exports, of which the US is the largest buyer, as per Eurostat, which is part of the European Commission. The risks of higher tariffs and MFN pricing have made the need for Europes pharma trade to place additional emphasis on other regions plainly apparent, even if the significance of the US market remains without doubt, says Torsten Syrbe, partner and co-chair of healthcare and life sciences at Clifford Chance. Syrbe says there is reason for pharma to be optimistic towards the free trade agreement signed between the EU and India this January. As per the EU, India would "mostly eliminate[d]" tariffs of up to 11% on pharmaceuticals under this agreement. But others say its unlikely this represents a meaningful shift in European focus eastward. There are limited opportunities for Europes drug producers in Asia because they would need to sell their products at considerably lower prices than they could expect in the US, says David Deere, president of healthcare consultancy Biovane. Pharmaceutical sales in the US remain more profitable than anywhere else. This is driven largely by the high prices drug suppliers can command in the US, say Deere and Stadig. A further issue with greater trade in Asian regions is the potential conflict with the EUs strategic priorities, experts say. The EU Critical Medicines Act proposed in March 2025 aims to safeguard the supply of critical drugs in Europe, in large part by lessening dependence on a few external generics suppliersbroadly Indian and Chinesein favour of diversified procurement and greater domestic manufacturing. Closer trade with Asian manufacturers could work against these efforts, according to Matthias Heck, senior strategic alliance advisor at EUCOPE. But full details of the EU-India deal are not yet known, notes Jeremy Stewart, senior associate at Clifford Chance. The agreement does not include a chapter on government procurement, meaning it is unlikely to restrict future EU procurement practices used to pursue supply chain resilience, he adds. The need for European entities to adapt Pharmaceuticals have traditionally been safer from sanctions and restrictions in trade disputes compared with other goods, notes Syrbe, but he says this convention has changed in the last two years. Given the bipartisan support for drug price reform in the US, this increasing vulnerability is likely to stay, says Natz. However, uncertainty around US tariffs lingers given the recent US Supreme Court decision. It remains to be seen if the 15% cap on EU imports to the US sticks, says Syrbe. Despite this, he says European pharma strategy will likely change little given the importance of the US market. Amidst these developments, in December 2025 the US signed a three-year zero tariff deal with the UK. The deal also requires the UK to raise its quality per life year (QALY) cost effectiveness threshold by 25%, double spending over the next 10 years, and cap the portion of drug spending claimed back from suppliers at 15% via the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) scheme. Experts see MFN and tariffs as signals of an altered pharmaceutical trade relationship between the US and Europe. If Europe is unable to source alternative innovative therapies or expand access to consumer markets in Asia, countries may be forced to adapt to this new reality. To this end, experts say European governments and industry need to propel internal reform to become internationally competitive and self-reliant. Several issues hold European biopharma back from these goals, according to Stadig. He points to fractured regulation among the member states and shallow capital markets, which restrict investment in European developers, as key problems. Nonetheless, recent months have brought some policy developments. In December 2025, the EU Biotech Act was proposed to fund, incentivise, and accelerate biotech innovation. More fundamentally, the EU is expected to enact its overarching Pharma Package in 2026. The Pharma Package poses several updates to EU pharma law. These include reducing market protection for new drugs from 10 to nine years, while offering up to 11 years of protection for the most innovative and needed drugs. Additionally, European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval would make new drugs available in all member states, and stockpiling requirements would safeguard against drug shortages. According to Stadig, the overhaul of the US life sciences sector also opens potential opportunities that Europe is well positioned to exploit, pointing to funding cuts to mRNA vaccine research in the US, an area in which European innovators are experienced enough to fill the vacuum. If European countries can leverage their research institutions, talent pool, and world-leading companies, Stadig says they might navigate this international turbulence without being at the mercy of external markets in either the East or the West. "Europes pharma trade with the US remains critical despite tariff turmoil" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. A South Carolina man who has the same name as a famous actor was killed Monday in a crash, according to the Sumter County Coroners Office. John Goodman, a 44-year-old Sumter County resident, died in what Coroner Robbie Baker called an accident Tuesday in a news release. The single-vehicle collision happened at about 9:30 p.m. Monday, according to the release. The crash happened at the intersection of Yarborough Road and Goodman Road, Baker said. Thats on the northeastern edge of Woods Bay State Park and about 4 miles from Exit 141 on I -95. Advertisement Advertisement Goodman was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey hospital where he died form the injuries he suffered in the wreck, according to the release. There was no word if Goodman was driving the vehicle, or if he was wearing a seatbelt. Information about the crash was not available, but it is being investigated by the coroners office and the Sumter County Sheriffs Office. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Baker said. Through Sunday, 106 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2026, according to the state Department of Public Safety. A minimum of 914 people were killed in collisions in South Carolina in 2025, DPS data shows. At least five people have died in Sumter County crashes this year, and 25 people died in wrecks there in 2025, according to DPS data. PIERRE, S.D. A bill to ban cellphone use by public school students during the day narrowly failed in a South Dakota House of Representatives committee Monday. The Education Committee voted 8-7 to defeat Senate Bill 198. The bill passed the state Senate 19-15 on Feb. 17. More: Caution urged for South Dakota, US travelers, many flights canceled Cellphone use policies should be in the hands of local school boards, opponents argued.The bill, sponsored by Sen. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, had the support of the South Dakota Education Association. Advertisement Advertisement While most school districts do have a cellphone policy, teachers will tell you that enforcement is one of the issues, the associations Sandra Waltman told committee members. Opposition came from the state Department of Education and representatives from large and small school districts. More: States reconsider data center tax incentives amid rising costs Lindsay Fathke, K-12 principal at the Avon School District, said her school requires students to put their phones away in their lockers throughout the day. Students have to ask Fathke for permission to use their phones, and must do so under her supervision. Advertisement Advertisement Our locally developed expectations that are consistently enforced are working, Fathke said. This kind of effective, local decision making is effective, and should remain in the hands of the school. According to a South Dakota Searchlight survey last year, about 60% of districts do not allow cellphones for at least part of the school day. In some schools, students can keep the devices in their backpacks or lockers. About a third of districts remove or lock away high school students cellphones for at least part of the school day. This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: South Dakota bill to ban cellphones in schools fails in committee A state Senate panel has declined to advance a bill that would have required mobile app stores operating in South Dakota to use age verification to restrict app downloads by minors. House Bill 1275 passed the House of Representatives on a 50-17 vote last month but was defeated in the Senate State Affairs Committee, 5-4. Had it passed, mobile app stores would have been required to verify a persons age, get parental approval for app downloads by minors, and to list age ratings for apps. Sioux Falls Republican Sen. Sue Peterson is one of the bills sponsors. Advertisement Advertisement Kids cannot sign contracts, Peterson said. This is how we operate in the real world, and we should operate that way in the digital world as well. The bills supporters said digital stores are a gateway to the harmful content minors may find on apps. The stores typically already have the customer credit card information needed to verify that a person is 18 or older, the bills supporters argued, making them better positioned to regulate access than app developers. Supporters included Family Voice Action, the South Dakota Attorney Generals office, Concerned Women for America, and the South Dakota Catholic Conference. But, app stores already offer extensive parental control features, said Doug Abraham, a lobbyist for The App Association. He also said the bill makes app stores liable for the harm done by apps. Advertisement Advertisement That argument resonated for Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, R-Pierre. If an app developer or a website is producing things that are harmful to children, then they ought to be the ones verifying the age and making sure that its not being provided to children, Mehlhaff said. Mehlhaff was part of a 2024 Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors. The group voted to draft legislation that would have required app stores to take commercially reasonable and technically feasible steps to determine or estimate a users age and to require those younger than 16 to get a parents permission before downloading apps to mobile devices. The group ultimately scrapped the proposal in favor of a bill requiring pornographic websites to verify users ages. That bill was passed last year and signed into law by Gov. Larry Rhoden. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Police in South Fulton are asking for the publics help in locating a person of interest and an SUV connected to a shooting that claimed the life of a teenager. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] South Fulton police say the deadly shooting happened Monday in the 5800 block of Harrier Lane. According to police, the 16-year-old sustained an apparent gunshot wound and later died from their injuries. Advertisement Advertisement The teens identity was not released. Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. TRENDING STORIES: The SFPD has issued a be on the lookout (BOLO) for a person of interest and an SUV connected to the case. Detectives are urging anyone with information related to the shooting to contact Donna Williams in the Criminal Investigations Division at 470-298-2393. Advertisement Advertisement Tipsters can remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and indictment. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Southwest Airlines' new boarding process may be just like all the other airlines now, but it's still taking the carrier and its customers some time to adjust. As Southwest shifted to assigned seats and charging for checked bags, many passengers complained they were struggling to find overhead bin space near their seats in the past month or so. On a Southwest flight for work and its actually awful. New process is terrible. Im in row four. Boarding group 5, no overhead bin space until rows 20. Actually insane. @SouthwestAir FIRE STRICKLIN (@gator_hbc) February 10, 2026 To that end, the airline said it's making some tweaks to how boarding works and how overhead bin space is allocated. Advertisement Advertisement According to an email to customers from Southwest's Chief Customer and Brand Officer Tony Roach, the airline is working to balance its boarding groups to make traffic flow onto the airplane more smoothly. When Southwest started in 1971, it flew just two routes: Dallas-San Antonio and Dallas-Houston. That's not the only thing that was different back then: The flight attendants wore hot pants and go-go boots. Click ahead for more photos from the airline's history. Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher at the launch of the airline's Boeing 737-300s in 1984. A Boeing 737-300 aircraft in Southwest Airlines' historic colors. Southwest planes at one time featured lounge-style seating, with passengers facing each other. In 1992, Southwest co-founder Herb Kelleher famously arm-wrestled Kurt Herwald, the chairman of Stevens Aviation, for the the rights to the phrase "Plane Smart.'' Kelleher lost. Southwest airlines employee Darlene McKinney takes boarding passes from passengers at the gate at the BWI airport on Aug. 27, 1996. Southwest Airlines flight attendant uniforms in the 1990s. The tail section of two Southwest Airlines jets are seen Jan. 10, 2003 at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nev. Southwest announced today that the company flew 3.9 billion revenue passenger miles in December 2002, a 9.7 percent increase from the 3.5 billion flown in December 2001. Southwest's planes got a new look when the airline turned 30 in 2001. Kelleher kissed the Liberty Bell to mark Southwest's new flights to and from Philadelphia in 2005. Southwest had Shamu planes to celebrate its partnership with SeaWorld. Southwest featured baggage handlers in its Bags Fly Free advertisements. Southwest announced its acquisition of AirTran Airways in 2010. Boeing unveiled Southwest Airlines' first 737-800 in 2012. The company's latest look features a heart on the belly of the plane. Southwest Airlines added the Boeing 737 Max 8 to its fleet in 2017. Southwest Airlines' website paid tribute to co-founder Herb Kelleher on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Kelleher died Jan. 3 at age 87. Southwest Airlines debuted service to Hawaii in March 2019. Mario poses for a photo for the Nintendo of America and Southwest Airlines Partnership at San Diego International Airport on July 17, 2019 in San Diego, Calif. Baggage is loaded onto a Southwest Airlines plane Aug. 12, 2020, at Mitchell Airport. in Milwaukee. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected multiple airlines and the travel industry as a whole. Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 airplanes are stored at the Southern California Logistics Airport on April 4, 2020 in Victorville, Calif. Commercial aircraft are being parked at the remote desert airport about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles as demand for travel drops amid the global coronavirus pandemic. A Boeing 737-700 flying for Southwest airlines approaches the Palm Springs International Airport passing by snow-capped mountains as seen from Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. on March 22, 2023. A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Sky Harbor International airport heading for San Francisco on July 13, 2023 in Phoenix, Ariz. A Southwest Airlines plane takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport as other Southwest planes are parked at their gates on July 25, 2024 in Burbank, Calif. Southwest Airlines has announced it will discontinue its 50 year policy of open seating and will assign seats including premium seating in an effort to broaden its appeal. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at Denver International Airport. See Southwest Airlines history in photos from the beginning in 1971 1 of 25 When Southwest started in 1971, it flew just two routes: Dallas-San Antonio and Dallas-Houston. That's not the only thing that was different back then: The flight attendants wore hot pants and go-go boots. Click ahead for more photos from the airline's history. It's also adding larger overhead bins to many of its planes, with plans for 70% of its aircraft to have space for 50% more carry-on bags by the end of the year. At the same time, by the end of the month, Southwest will finish installing decals in some overhead bins, noting that they are reserved for customers who paid for extra-legroom seats. Still, Southwest says its business model transition is generally going well. Advertisement Advertisement "Overall, were happy with the implementation and Customers are responding well to it too," Chris Perry, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson, told USA TODAY in an email. "If we see things in the live environment that can smooth the Customer Experience, well continue to consider additional tweaks." 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: Southwest updates boarding process amid passenger backlash Spain has said the US should be mindful of international law and bilateral trade agreements with the European Union, after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off all trade with the country for refusing to let the US military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran. We have the necessary resources to contain the possible impact of the trade embargo by the US, the Spanish government said in a statement on Tuesday. The US must comply with international law and bilateral EU-US trade agreements, it added. Advertisement Advertisement After the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the attacks as a breach of international law. He called for dialogue to end the war on Iran, saying that one can oppose a hateful regime and, at the same time, oppose an unjustified and dangerous military intervention. On Monday, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Albares said Madrid would not allow the countrys military bases, which are jointly operated by the US and Spain but are under Spanish sovereignty, to be used for attacks on Iran. Spanish bases are not being used for this operation, and they will not be used for anything not included in the agreement with the United States, or for anything that is not in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, Albares said, speaking to Spanish broadcaster Telecinco. Subsequently, the US relocated 15 aircraft, including refuelling tankers, from the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, before a meeting with German Chancellor Frederich Merz, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in Washington, DC, that Spain has been terrible for not allowing the US to use its bases. He said that he had told his secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, to cut off all dealings with Spain. Were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We dont want anything to do with Spain, the US president said. This is not the first time Spain has angered Trump. In 2024, Sanchez, one of a dwindling number of left-leaning voices in Europe, refused to let vessels transporting weapons to Israel dock in Spain. Advertisement Advertisement Spain has also refused to heed US calls for all NATO members to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by 2035. Spain is the worlds top exporter of olive oil, and also sells auto parts, steel and chemicals to the US. But it is less vulnerable to Trumps threats of economic punishment than other European nations. The US had a trade surplus with Spain for the fourth year in a row in 2025, at $4.8bn, according to data from the US Census Bureau, with US exports of $26.1bn and imports of $21.3bn. Spain on Sunday said it would not allow the United States to use its air bases for operations related to the strikes in Iran, deeming the attacks a violation of international law. The joint-use bases, but under Spanish sovereignty, will not be used for anything not included within the treaty nor outside the U.N. Charter, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said during a Sunday broadcast appearance, according to a translation from RTVE. Following his Sunday remarks, multiple U.S. aircraft departed bases in Rota and Moron, Spain, according to data from FlightRadar24 as reported by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Seven departing aircraft landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany while nine tankers headed the same direction and two others headed toward the south of France, per the outlet. We demand respect for international law. Violence only brings chaos. De-escalation and dialogue are the path to peace and stability, Albares wrote in a Saturday statement on the social platform X, following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The wave of attacks resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote a Sunday letter to the U.N. alleging Khameneis death constitutes a grave and unprecedented breach of the most fundamental norms governing relations among States, according to The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. Charter only permits the use of force against another nation if it has been authorized by the Security Council or in self-defense, according to AP. Araghchi said the breach of the charter constitute war crimes highlighting strikes on schools, residential buildings and emergency facilities, according to the full text of the letter published by Irans WANA News Agency. We do not understand the reasons for the U.S. attack on Iran. Perhaps the U.S. administration was dragged into it, the foreign minister wrote in a Saturday post on X. Here is what I do know: Iran will punish those who kill our children. Our enmity is not with the American people, who are being lied to yet again, he added. 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. LIMA Amidst a pool of talented, community-minded high school seniors, a senior from Delphos St. Johns was named this years Youth of the Year by the Lima Exchange Club. Alaina Martin was selected from nominees at each of the high schools in Allen County as well as Apollo Career Center, each of whom were put forward as examples of excellence in the classroom and commitment to serving others, both in school and in the community at large. While Martins service record in high school is lengthy, including student tutoring and volunteering with the Mike Gallmeier Foundation and Lima Memorial Health System, that drive to serve stems from a tragic loss. Giving back to others has become one of my top priorities after my dads passing (last year) because he truly was the person who would do anything for anyone, regardless if he knew them or not, she said. So its really important to me to give back to my community, regardless of if I know who they are. Advertisement Advertisement Along with her award, Martin received a $500 scholarship check for the honor. Thats in addition to the $300 scholarship check she and each of the other finalists also received for the nomination, having each been named a Youth of the Month by the club. The work represented by the finalists varied greatly, from working in agriculture and in the workforce to volunteering with other students to working with DECA. What a special day for the schools and the folks that support these young adults and their efforts at the schools, club president Stephanie Moos said during the ceremony. Thank you guys for being here today. Martin plans to attend The Ohio State University in the fall with the goal of becoming an intensive care nurse and eventually a nurse anesthetist. For those middle and junior high students coming into their high school years and looking for ways to get involved, Martin said opportunities are easy to find for those willing to look. I would say, go to your local thrift store, like the Goodwill in Lima, she said. A lot of them look for volunteers. Go to the Lima Memorial or (Mercy Health-) St. Ritas websites. Theyre always looking for volunteers. Just go to websites and reach out. They wont turn anyone down for community service. Advertisement Advertisement The other seniors honored at the event were: Allen East: Levi Clum Apollo Career Center: Savannah Crouch Bath: Haiden Williamson Bluffton: Lilina Liberato Delphos Jefferson: Sheldyn Fetter Lima Central Catholic: AlonNah Bagley Lima Senior: Eliot Spallinger Perry: Leah Miller Shawnee: Maykayla Caris Spencerville: Leah Elling Temple Christian: Russell Powell St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday a framework to fund renovations at Grand Casino Arena, RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium. In order to move forward, St. Paul needs Minnesota legislators to agree to allocate some state funds to the renovations. Here are the financial details of the plan, as proposed on Tuesday: The renovations overall will cost $600 million, with $450 million going toward Grand Casino Arena, and the remaining $150 million going toward the RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium. St. Paul city leaders plan to ask state lawmakers for $200 million of the total funds, according to a press release Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement These numbers are significantly lower than last year, when former Mayor Melvin Carter and the Minnesota Wild presented a financial plan that included a $770 million budget with a $394 million ask at the state legislature. Now according to the current financial plan, the City of St. Paul will fund $162.5 million for Grand Casino Arena through the half-cent sales tax. The Minnesota Wild will privately fund another $162.5 million. For Roy Wilkins Auditorium, the city and the Wild will work together to fund $75 million. The Wild has agreed to cover any project overrun costs, if they occur. The funding agreement will also extend the Wild's management and lease at the Grand Casino Arena. Grand Casino Arena is one of the largest city-owned assets, and we are responsible for making sure it continues to anchor our downtown and economy. This agreement ensures our facilities remain competitive attracting top performers, cultural events, and, of course, sports," Her said in Tuesday's release. "I am grateful to Craig and the Minnesota Wild for their commitment to investing in our city and for being a key partner in revitalizing downtown Saint Paul. Now we will take this proposal to the legislature and ask for their support." A grandmother who died from rabies four months after a stray dog scratched her in Morocco was only diagnosed after a psychiatrist assessed her, an inquest has heard. Yvonne Ford, 59, did not seek treatment after being scratched on holiday in February 2025 as the injury had been so minor, a jury at Sheffield Medico-Legal Centre heard earlier. In June, staff at Barnsley Hospital struggled to diagnose her symptoms - hallucinations, disorientation and high anxiety - and referred her to the mental health team. Advertisement Advertisement Psychiatrist Dr Alexander Burns asked the family about foreign travel, suspecting Lyme disease, and was told about the dog scratch something other staff had not been aware of, he said. He told the jury he learned the injury had pierced her skin and became "concerned the diagnosis may be rabies". He said he had never come across anyone with rabies before so researched the symptoms further, and it "became clear" the diagnosis would explain her condition. Ford, who lived in Barnsley, was transferred to an infectious disease unit at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital where she died on 11 June, the jury heard. 'Challenging' symptoms Infectious diseases expert Katharine Cartwright, from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said the virus was 100% fatal once symptoms begin to show. Advertisement Advertisement The rabies vaccine was extremely effective and had eliminated the virus from the UK, she said, and administering it after exposure to the virus could help in some circumstances. She told the jury of nine women and two men that there had only been 26 cases of rabies in the UK since 1946. Dr Cartwright was asked by Mrs Ford's family about the treatment she received at Barnsley Hospital in the time she was in the unit. She said it appeared Mrs Ford had begun to exhibit symptoms at the end of May, so there was nothing that could have been done at the hospital that would have saved her. The illness was "incredibly rare" and the collection of symptoms was "challenging" for the medics, she added. Advertisement Advertisement "I think the doctors did their best," Dr Cartwright said, adding it was "not unreasonable" for rabies to not be considered in the first few days. In 100 cases of rabies in America since 2000, half were only diagnosed post-mortem, she said. She told the jury symptoms typically begin within four weeks of exposure but it can take up to three months and, in some cases, even years. Hydrophobia - the fear of water - is one symptom which is specific to rabies and which Ford seemed to exhibit, with her being unwilling to drink and spitting to get rid of the saliva in her mouth, the inquest heard. Advertisement Advertisement Dr Cartwright said this reaction was mild compared with many documented cases in which patients become violent when water is brought anywhere near to them. She added that Ford showed symptoms of both types of rabies - encephalitis and flaccid - which was unusual. Assistant coroner Marilyn Whittle said the inquest would consider Ford's visits to emergency departments in Barnsley and Wakefield and to her GP, in March and April, when she was feeling unwell and complaining about insect bites. The inquest is due to last for four days. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North More on this story Related internet links Last month, an agentic AI assistant called OpenClaw that promised to manage your calendar, check you in for flights, respond to emails, and organize your files went viral. Within weeks, security researchers had found over 30,000 exposed instances on the internet. A Meta AI safety researcher had watched helplessly as it deleted her inbox before she could stop it, and the tool became the example of what ungoverned AI looks like in practice. More from Yahoo Scout What funding has JetStream Security raised for development? What security risks are companies facing with AI adoption? How does JetStream's AI Blueprints technology work exactly? Why is shadow AI becoming problematic for organizations? For the founders of JetStream Security, a San Franciscobased startup built by veterans of CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, and Cohesity, its an example of the problem theyre trying to solve. Companies are racing to deploy AI agents and custom-built models, but most have no way to map what those systems are doing, no inventory of unauthorized AI tools their employees are quietly running, and no kill switch for when something goes wrong. JetStreams answer is built around a feature called AI Blueprintsreal-time graphs that map everything an AI system is doing inside an organization at any given moment. Each Blueprint traces the full chain of activity: which agents are running, which models theyre using, what data and tools they are interacting with, and who or what is behind each action. Rather than a static snapshot, Blueprints track live behavior, so if an AI system starts acting outside its intended purpose, the platform flags it. They also track cost, showing what each AI workflow is spending and who is responsible for it. The company, founded by Raj Rajamani, Jared Phipps, Jatheen AJ Anand, and Venu Vissamsetty, has already raised $34 million in seed funding in a round led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from the Falcon Fund, and investors including CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz, Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport, and Okta vice chairman Frederic Kerrest. Solving the adoption gap With global AI spend projected to hit $650 billion this year, and the debate still raging about whether AI is delivering real returns on investment for enterprises, companies are increasingly interested in corporate AI governance. Concerns about security risks are a big factor holding back AI adoption by large businesses. Companies are wary about encouraging staff to experiment with tools or let a black box system have access to years of data. AI adoption is not a technology challenge, its a trust challenge, Rajamani told Fortune. Leaders are being asked to bet their businesses and careers on systems they cant fully see, explain, or control. Thats where trust breaks down. Part of the issue is that companies often dont know how much AI theyre already running, Phipps said. Some research suggests that around 70% of organizations believe they have shadow AIwhere employees quietly use unauthorized tools outside of ITs controlin use. Sir Keir Starmer is deploying the Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon and a fleet of armed helicopters to Cyprus in a major escalation of Britains involvement in Donald Trumps chaotic war on Iran. The move comes after the UK military base at RAF Akrotiri was attacked by an Iranian drone, and follows similar defensive moves by the Greek navy. But the prime minister found himself publicly ridiculed once again by the US president, who bemoaned Britains lack of support for his military plans, saying: This is not Winston Churchill were dealing with. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile the government has announced plans for a charter flight from Oman to evacuate British nationals caught in the Gulf states, with foreign secretary Yvette Cooper saying 130,000 have already registered their presence in the region with the Foreign Office (FCDO). Sir Keir said: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations, and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities, and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. The deployment of the Type 45 air defence destroyer is the latest sign of the UK being sucked into a conflict that began when the US and Israel launched a barrage of missile attacks on Iran on Saturday, killing much of the countrys leadership, including the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and taking out key military assets. HMS Dragon is to be sent to Cyprus as part of defensive operations in the US-Iran conflict (PA) Sir Keir has resisted calls for Britain to join the attacks and initially blocked the US from using RAF bases to launch strikes. But over the weekend, he was forced to put RAF planes in the sky to defend British assets and regional allies, and later allowed the US to use British bases for defensive measures. Advertisement Advertisement The last time the UK deployed a Royal Navy vessel to a conflict that the country was not directly involved in was in 2023, when the Commonwealth state Guyana was threatened by Venezuela. The decision to send HMS Dragon, which has cutting-edge technology capable of taking down drones, comes after criticism of a lack of air defence in the region, as the Iranian regime has threatened to unleash the gates of hell on the US and Israel, following their attacks on Tehran. The US has also indicated that it plans to escalate the fighting further, threatening another wave of airstrikes on Iran, warning that the hardest hits are yet to come. But Sir Keir faced intense criticism over his handling of the crisis, from opposition parties and President Trump, who again expressed his disappointment in the British prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at the White House about support from European nations for US action in Iran, the US president said Spain had been terrible but added: Im not happy with the UK either. Appearing to refer to the joint UK-US airbase Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands, which Sir Keir eventually agreed the US could use to strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran, he added: That island... its taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. Donald Trump and Keir Starmer seem to be at odds over Iran as the US president criticises the UK (PA) Earlier, Mr Trump told The Sun that he was very sad to see that his relationship with Sir Keir is obviously not what it was. Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister has insisted that the special relationship between the UK and US remains strong and told MPs on Monday: I stand by my decision. HMS Dragon, which is based at Portsmouth, had been in dry dock for a refit but has previously served in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Named in honour of the Welsh dragon, its last major operation was in May 2025 to take part in Natos Formidable Shield, the largest at-sea live-fire exercise in Europe. The destroyer has a crew of 200, including sailors, technicians and weapons experts and is captained by Commander Iain Giffin. It carries two helicopters and has a range of guns, anti-ship and anti-air missiles, as well as electronic warfare equipment. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge questioned why it had taken Sir Keir so long to decide to send a warship. He said: It begs the question: why wasnt she already there? Advertisement Advertisement Conservative MP Gavin Williamson, a former defence secretary, posted on X: Why wasnt this done in January? It was obvious that it would be required when this all started to escalate. This is very, very poor planning. The US-Israel offensive in Tehran has led Iran to hit Gulf countries and airbases with retaliatory attacks (AFP/Getty) But Ms Cooper said the government had already added to the air defences in Cyprus. We have already increased the deployment, with additional defensive capabilities, including radar, F-35 jets, air defence, and counter-drone systems, she said. France also plans to send air defence systems to Cyprus and could dispatch a frigate, as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has reported. Less than half, or 44%, of the states 3- and 4-year-olds participate in high-quality, publicly funded pre-K, according to Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. An estimated 84,000 children are left out and Black children are less likely to attend high-quality programs. Research indicates that a quality pre-kindergarten education prepares children for kindergarten and beyond. Attendees are less likely to be incarcerated later in life and more likely to graduate from high school. Pre-K is one of the most cost-effective investments that the state can make, said Rep. Sean Dougherty (D-Philadelphia). High-quality early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and better health outcomes. Advertisement Advertisement Dougherty is a co-sponsor of House Bill 46, which was the focus of a Tuesday committee meeting examining the benefits of universal pre-K. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Otis Bullock, the CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance, noted low-income children are less likely to have access to early education resources and often enter school behind their well-off peers. It is widely recognized that the trajectory of educational success is determined before a child enters kindergarten. The experiences that children have in the first months and years have decisive impacts on their neuropathological development, said Bullock. Early childhood education must be a core component of any educational improvement or economic development strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Recent analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research reported that parent wages increased by nearly 22% when families had access to universal pre-K, Bullock added. The study found parental gains outweighed government costs, with each dollar spent yielding $10 in benefits. A positive for families and schools On average, preschool costs Pennsylvanian families more than $12,000 annually but varies from region to region. Zaina Cahill, an early childhood education policy director with Children First PA, said she spent $15,600 each year for her 4-year-old child in a low-quality classroom in Philadelphia. We were, unfortunately, not able to access a high-quality program in our neighborhood due to wait lists and costs. It was $20,200, so its pretty cost prohibitive, said Cahill. Advertisement Advertisement Watch the full hearing here. Universal pre-k, on the other hand, would create a pathway for economic mobility for many families throughout the commonwealth, because then they wouldnt be spending $15,600 a year on child care, Cahill said. This would be money that could be spent on all kinds of things to boost Pennsylvanias economy. With more support, families may decide to have more children, Cahill added, which could increase the states sluggish population growth. But Cahill and others warned that schools alone cannot fill the states need. Some districts, for example, offer only half-day kindergarten because of the lack of available space. Advertisement Advertisement The Philadelphia School District wouldnt have the capacity to do it all on their own, and they will need organizations like mine to help them, said Bullock. So a mixed delivery system is probably the best way when addressing the entire commonwealth. Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) is the prime sponsor of House Bill 46, which seeks to expand pre-K access. (Photo from livestream) The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia), would require school districts to offer preschool for all eligible children. But Khan called it an opening gambit that would evolve through the legislative process. He said getting to universal pre-K in the commonwealth will definitely use a mixed approach. The goal is to sort of get to where the programs regardless of whether theyre coming from schools, whether theyre coming from these non-profits or some of these other agencies are offering this high-quality pre-K and its available across the commonwealth, Khan said. Schools, he said, would see a huge benefit from having students with a quality pre-K education. Advertisement Advertisement Its going to mean that (negative) behaviors are going to decrease. Its going to mean that theres less truancy (and) more engagement. Test scores are going to be higher, said Khan. Its a net positive. A closer look at costs and spending Pre-K Counts covers costs for thousands of children ages three and up from families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (or $99,000 for a family of four). Children with special needs or who are learning English may also qualify. The program cost $317 million under the 2024-2025 budget to cover nearly 28,000 children, with nearly all funding going toward reimbursing providers. The state also allocated $91 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, which expands an existing federal program for families making 100% of the federal poverty level ($33,000 for a family of four). Gov. Josh Shapiros proposed spending plan bumps both of those funds up, adding $7.5 million to the former and $2 million for the latter. Advertisement Advertisement Philadelphia expanded its free preschool programing more than eight years ago, outside of state- and federal-funded programs, using taxes from beverages. Though educational gains have been steady, the program is not without its challenges. Khan, who praised improvements in his district since Philadelphia expanded pre-K, said prioritizing high-quality education investments has been a very conscious decision for the Democratic House majority, pointing to previous state spending. We still have significant investments to make in our schools, but this is a priority, said Khan. When were investing in education, we know that this is one of the smartest investments we can make. He also pointed to the need for additional revenue streams a frequent theme of Shapiros budget proposals. But while the governor seeks to legalize and tax recreational marijuana alongside a tax on skilled games, Khan pointed to taxes for companies extracting natural gas and on the wealthiest Pennsylvanians. Advertisement Advertisement That rich gas that we have here in Pennsylvania, the companies that are extracting them are not paying their fair share, said Khan. We have an impact fee, but we dont have a severance fee. Thats not hundreds of millions of dollars, thats billions of dollars for the commonwealth that could be used to fund something like universal pre-K. Khan is a sponsor, along with primary sponsor Rep. Chris Pielli (D-Chester), of House Bill 2129 to create that severance tax. According to the bill memo, Texas another large natural gas-producing state, collected $2.13 billion in 2024 in severance tax revenue. House Bill 833, sponsored by Khan, would impose an additional tax on income exceeding $1 million. According to the bills memo, Massachusetts brought in more than $2.2 billion with a similar measure. Why cant we do that here in Pennsylvania? Its looking at other sources of income that are more than what were currently bridging in right now. Because right now its up to the working people to really shoulder the load and it should be more fair, said Khan. Iran says it will "set fire" to any ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping channel. Usually, about 20% of global oil and gas passes through the narrow shipping lane in the Gulf. But Iran's General Sardar Jabbari said that Tehran will now "not let a single drop of oil leave the region". Uncertainty and disruption to international trade caused by Iran's response to US and Israeli strikes has already ratcheted up oil prices. Advertisement Advertisement Blocking the strait could further inflate the cost of goods and services worldwide, and hit some of the world's biggest economies, including China, India and Japan, which are among the top importers of crude oil passing through the waterway. What is the Strait of Hormuz - and where is it? The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping routes, and its most vital oil transit choke point. Bounded to the north by Iran and to the south by Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the corridor which is only about 50km (31 miles) wide at its entrance and exit, and about 33km wide at its narrowest point connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Map of Strait of Hormuz [BBC] The strait is deep enough for the world's biggest crude oil tankers, and is used by the major oil and gas producers in the Middle East and their customers. Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, about 20 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz per day, according to estimates from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) that's nearly $600bn (447bn) worth of energy trade per year. That oil comes not only from Iran, but also other Gulf states such as Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. What would be the impact of closing the strait? About 3,000 or so ships sail through the strait each month. Analysts have warned that the longer there are threats to ships passing through the strait, the higher the price of oil - and the shipping of it - will be. "It is de facto closed in that no one dares to go through," Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management, a provider of energy market insights, told CBS News, the BBC's US partner. Advertisement Advertisement "You can be attacked, and you can't get insurance or it is extremely expensive, so you have to wait until the security situation is better... If oil and gas coming from the strait is cut off, that has significant ramifications for the market," he added. "While there is no physical blockade, threats from the Iranians, plus drone and missile attacks, mean tankers are not going through the strait." The global benchmark Brent crude briefly hit $82 (61) a barrel on Monday, after at least three ships were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend. That has left about 150 tankers stranded, according to the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Advertisement According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group, the cost of hiring a supertanker to ship oil from the Middle East to China has almost doubled from last week's price to a record high of more than $400,000 (298,300). The closure of the vital shipping lane will also hurt Gulf countries, like Saudi Arabia, whose economies rely heavily on energy exports. [Reuters] Iran, by comparison, exports about 1.7 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency. Iran exported $67bn (50bn) worth of oil in the financial year ending March 2025 its highest oil revenue in the past decade according to estimates by the Central Bank of Iran. A blockade of the strait will also hit Asia hard. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, around 82% of crude oil and condensates (low-density liquid hydrocarbons that typically occur with natural gas) leaving the Strait of Hormuz were bound for Asian countries, according to EIA estimates. China alone is estimated to buy around 90% of the oil that Iran exports to the global market. Because China uses that oil to make products it then exports to other countries, higher oil prices could also mean higher prices for consumers around the world. How can Iran close the strait? United Nations rules allow countries to exercise control of territorial seas up to 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from their coastline. At its narrowest point, the Strait of Hormuz and its shipping lanes lie entirely within Iran and Oman's territorial waters. Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear exactly how Iran plans to shut the strait but according to experts one of the most effective ways for them to do it would be to lay mines using fast attack boats and submarines. Iran's regular navy and the IRGC navy could potentially launch attacks on foreign warships and commercial vessels. However, large military ships may in turn become easy targets for US air strikes, and US President Donald Trump has said that one of his aims is to destroy Iran's navy. Iran's fast boats are often armed with anti-ship missiles, and the country also operates a range of surface vessels, semi-submersible craft and submarines. About 20% of global oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz [Getty Images] The US has previously used its military might to re-establish the flow of maritime traffic through the strait. Advertisement Advertisement In the late 1980s, during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, strikes on oil facilities escalated into a "tanker war" that saw both countries attacking neutral ships to exert economic pressure. Kuwaiti tankers carrying Iraqi oil were especially vulnerable. Eventually, American warships began escorting them through the Gulf in what became one of the largest naval surface warfare operations since World War Two, according to the US Naval Institute. Can alternative routes offset the blockade? The persistent threat of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz has, over the years, prompted oil-exporting countries in the Gulf region to develop alternative export routes. Saudi Arabia operates a 1,200km-long pipeline capable of transporting up to 5 million barrels of crude oil per day, according to the EIA. Advertisement Advertisement In the past is has also temporarily repurposed a natural gas pipeline to carry crude oil. The United Arab Emirates has connected its inland oilfields to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman via a pipeline with a daily capacity of at least 1.5 million barrels. Oil could be diverted along the alternate infrastructure to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, but Reuters reports that would lead to a drop in supply of between 8-10 million barrels per day. With few captains willing to brave the Strait of Hormuz as war rages around the Gulf, companies will have to do business without one of the world's most vital shipping lanes, especially for oil and gas. - What is the strait's importance to world markets? - The strait is especially key to the world energy markets, with around 20 percent of global seaborne oil passing through. That said, analysts believe that cutting off access, as Iran has threatened to do, will not affect the major Asia-Europe shipping route, with the Gulf ending in a cul-de-sac by the shores of Kuwait, Iraq and Iran. Advertisement Advertisement But the strait is essential to all regional trade as it allows access to Dubai's Jebel Ali port, the world's 10th-largest container port and a redistribution hub for more than a dozen countries in the region. In Jebel Ali, container ships are unloaded onto smaller vessels bound for countries ranging from east Africa to India, noted Anne-Sophie Fribourg, vice-president of France's TLF freighters union. - Has it ever been closed? - The Strait of Hormuz has always been open for business. Even during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988, commercial passage was maintained despite attacks on oil tankers, said Paul Tourret, director of the French High Institute for Maritime Economy. Advertisement Advertisement The current "freeze" on goods transiting through the strait is "unprecedented", said Cyrille Poirier-Coutansais, research director at the French Navy's Strategic Studies Centre. Since Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, the world's largest shipping firms -- Italian-Swiss MSC, Denmark's Maersk, France's CMA CGM, Germany's Hapaq Lloyd and China's Cosco -- have ordered their ships to find shelter and stay safe. On the Marine Traffic map, which tracks world shipping movements, you can make out clusters of ships, mainly tankers, anchored far to the north near Kuwait, as well as off the coast near Dubai. The Iranian merchant navy is likewise visible off the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on the other side of the strait. Advertisement Advertisement Several other distinct groups of ships can be seen just before the entry to Hormuz, Tourret said. - What goods transit through Hormuz? - Germany ships cars, machinery and industrial products via the strait, while France mainly sells cereals and agricultural products, cosmetics, luxury goods and pharmaceuticals. Italy, meanwhile, exports food, large quantities of marble and ceramics, said TLF's Fribourg. In the other direction, besides oil and gas, from which fertilisers and plastics are derived, the Middle East accounts for nine percent of the world's primary aluminium production, nearly all of which is exported, according to TD Commodities. Advertisement Advertisement - Will there be delays? Price increases? - Several online shopping platforms have warned their clients that delivery times may increase. Temu and Shein have warned of delays of several days, while Amazon forecast even longer waits, according to Bloomberg. Freight costs are already rising as a result of the additional charges shipping companies are imposing for transit in the region. For the Europe-Asia route, ships are also no longer using the passage through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal due to fears of renewed attacks by Iran's allies in Yemen, the Houthis. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of South Africa, adds around 10 extra days at sea and increases costs by roughly 30 percent. im-bur/sbk/smw A dispatcher with the Sudbury Police Department has been injured in the conflict with Iran. In a Facebook post, the department says that the employee is currently deployed overseas with the United States Navy Sudbury police say he and his colleagues experienced several missile impacts resulting in minor injuries. The dispatcher and his colleagues are recovering, police say. The Sudbury Police Department is a family, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support our community has shown for our desk assistant who is currently serving our country. Your encouragement and kind words mean more than you know, the Sudbury police said. 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 There's a new multi-millionaire in Southern California after they hit the SuperLotto Plus jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at Circle K on Foothill Boulevard in Upland, according to the California Lottery. It matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing, including the mega number, for a whopping $32 million jackpot. The store also gets a half-percent of the winnings. Kevin and Jason Flaieh, the store owners, say the money will come in handy for planned renovations. Advertisement Advertisement "We've owned this location for about a year. And we have family that owned convenience stores for 30-plus years and never won any jackpot," said Kevin. "The fact we won it so quick is a very good blessing. It's a very good sign for us." "I've never felt so excited in my entire life. This is like one my dreams," said Jason. "I've always told people, 'I want somebody to win the lottery from my store.' And now it happened." Two other winners in Eagle Rock and Redondo Beach matched the five numbers without the mega number. They will each get $17,000. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a California law that allowed schools to hide whether a child was secretly transitioning, saying it was misleading parents. The statute in question, dubbed the Safety Act, was signed into law in 2024 by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and prohibits those employed by publicly funded educational institutions from sharing any information related to a pupils sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to any other person without the pupils consent unless otherwise required by law. The majority opinion of the court said in its emergency ruling on Monday: These policies likely violate parents rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children, and the injunction here promotes child safety by guaranteeing fit parents a role in some of the most consequential decisions in their childrens lives. The injunction also permits the state to shield children from unfit parents by enforcing child-abuse laws and removing children from parental custody in appropriate cases. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. Justice Sonia Sotomayor would deny the application in full, per the filing. The emergency 6-3 ruling also requires schools to follow the parents wishes regarding their childs pronouns and name. Case background The case dates back to 2023, when two teachers sued their school district seeking an exemption from complying with the policies on gender and pronouns. They were later joined by parents who said their children had been secretly transitioning at school. According to the religious liberty nonprofit Becket, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, one family only discovered what was happening to their daughter after she attempted suicide at the beginning of her eighth grade year. Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court filing said it wasnt even brought to the parents attention during the parent-teacher conference that their daughter was using a male name and identifying as a boy at school. Just months after being discharged, the Poes daughter was rehospitalized and held there involuntarily because she was at risk for self-harm. At a new school in ninth grade, she once again began identifying as a boy. Contrary to the Poes instructions, teachers and school officials continued to use a male name and pronouns for their daughter, citing their obligations under California state law. The Poes have placed their daughter in therapy and obtained psychiatric care for her, per the filing. This is a victory for parental rights, religious freedom, and common sense, said Becket CEO and President Mark Rienzi in a press release. Once again, the Supreme Court has made clear that parents do not take a backseat to anyone when it comes to raising their kids, especially not government bureaucrats. After a California district court ruled in favor of the families and teachers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit stayed the order pending the states appeal of the lower courts decision. Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court granted the parents motion to vacate the circuit courts stay, but denied the teachers motion. The State argues that its policies advance a compelling interest in student safety and privacy. But those policies cut out the primary protectors of childrens best interests: their parents, the decision said. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday appeared sympathetic to a marijuana user's challenge to a federal law that bars people who consume illegal drugs from having firearms. Gun rights advocates argue the law falls afoul of the Constitutions Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms. Based on oral arguments, it appears a majority of the court could rule in favor of Texas-based Ali Danial Hemani, an alleged regular user of marijuana who had a handgun at his home in the Dallas area when it was searched by the FBI in 2022. The ruling could be limited in scope, based on concerns that prosecutors could not show that Hermani's use of marijuana made him a danger to society. Advertisement Advertisement The case puts a spotlight on the Trump administrations mixed messaging on gun rights. Although the Justice Department is defending the law in court, to the annoyance of Second Amendment advocates, it has in other areas backed challenges to firearms restrictions. Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, was convicted under the same law in June 2024 before being pardoned by his father. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority that often backs gun rights, most notably in a 2022 ruling that for the first time recognized a right to bear arms outside the home. That decision spurred a new wave of challenges to existing gun laws, although the Supreme Court appeared to take a step back two years later when it upheld a federal law that prohibits people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. The 2022 ruling set a new test for Second Amendment restrictions that requires courts to look at the history and tradition of gun regulation during the founding era to determine whether they are lawful now. Advertisement Advertisement Complicating the court's consideration of Hermani's case is that millions of Americans regularly consume marijuana, which is legally available in many states. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but the Trump administration has taken steps toward reclassifying it. Monday's oral argument showed again that the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling has been difficult to implement, with the justices who were in the majority then now appearing to have differing views on whether Hermani should prevail. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a member of the majority in the earlier case, questioned whether the law could be upheld based on comparisons with historical laws that could temporarily disarm "habitual drunkards." Like other justices, she noted that just because some uses of a drug are illegal under federal law does not mean that it renders a user dangerous. She cited, for example, someone who takes the sleeping aid Ambien or the anti-anxiety medication Xanax without having a prescription, which is illegal. Advertisement Advertisement "Is it the government's position that if I unlawfully use Ambien or I unlawfully use Xanax, then I become dangerous?" she asked Principal Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Harris. "What is the government's evidence that using marijuana a couple times a week makes someone dangerous?" Barrett added. In response, Harris said that when it classifies drugs under federal law, the government takes into account various factors, including potential for abuse, and has concluded that marijuana and other drugs "have particular mind-altering effects on the body that can create a serious hazard for firearms use." Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, another member of the 2022 majority, also probed Harris on the comparison with "habitual drunkards," noting that during the founding era, the bar was high to meet such a description. Advertisement Advertisement He cited the drinking habits of various Founding Fathers. "John Adams took a tankard of hard cider with his breakfast every day. James Madison reportedly drank a pint of whiskey every day. Thomas Jefferson said he wasn't much of a user of alcohol. He only had three or four glasses of wine a night," Gorsuch noted. He wondered whether Hemani would even count as a habitual user of marijuana because he used it a few days a week. At least one justice who dissented in the 2022 case, liberal Sonia Sotomayor, appeared sympathetic to Hermani's arguments. Again focused on the habitual drunkard laws, she noted that they focused not just on intoxication, but also on how unregulated alcohol use could affect people's lives more broadly. Advertisement Advertisement "All the definitions around habitual alcoholics centered around not merely taking the drug, but the potential effect it had on you, because you couldn't control it and would continue to use it," she said. That, she added, is very different from people who use marijuana occasionally, potentially not even in the same locations as their firearms. Chief Justice John Roberts was one of a handful of justices who questioned the practical impact of a limited ruling that would open the door to defendants to challenge their prosecutions under the law on a drug-by-drug basis. Such a ruling "takes a fairly cavalier approach to the necessary consideration of expertise and the judgments we leave to Congress and the executive branch," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Both he and Justice Samuel Alito, both in the 2022 majority, appeared to have reservations about ruling in Hermani's favor. Lower courts are divided over whether the restriction on gun ownership for frequent drug users infringes on the Second Amendment. Hemani successfully challenged his indictment in district court and the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court. The law could not be constitutionally enforced merely because the government alleged someone is a regular drug user, the appeals court found, basing its ruling on an earlier precedent. The government instead must show that the gun owner was under the influence of the drug at the time of the arrest, the appeals court ruled. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors did not do so in Hemanis case. Hemani, a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan, was already under FBI scrutiny when he was arrested, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in court papers. The government has asserted that Hemani and his family have ties with Iranian entities hostile to the United States, although he has faced no specific charges relating to those links. A handgun, marijuana and cocaine were found when the FBI searched his home in 2022. Mondays is the second gun case the Supreme Court is considering. In January, the justices heard arguments over a Hawaii law that prevents people from carrying firearms onto certain private properties without permission. Advertisement Advertisement The court also declined Monday to hear a new gun rights case on whether people who commit nonviolent felonies can be prohibited from possessing firearms. The Trump administration is also defending that law. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that California schools cannot prevent teachers from notifying parents about their childs gender identity while a lawsuit over the issue plays out. The court, split along its ideological divide between conservative and liberal members, granted an emergency request from a group of parents and teachers to reverse a decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In that decision, the appeals court temporarily blocked a ruling by a lower court judge, who found that California law violates the rights of teachers and parents by barring teachers from sharing information about a childs gender transition without the childs permission. In undoing the 9th Circuits intervention, the high court found that parents are likely to prevail in their lawsuit and that Californias policies amount to hiding information about a childs gender dysphoria. These policies likely violate parents rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children, the ruling stated. Advertisement Advertisement The courts three liberal justices dissented. Justice Elena Kagan, in an opinion joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, criticized the conservative majority for rushing to a decision and issuing a terse, tonally dismissive ruling designed to conclusively resolve this dispute. In a response, Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh claimed that they were not being impatient, but rather temporarily allowing parents to take part in consequential decisions about their childs mental health and wellbeing while the case winds through the courts. The case is rooted in a 2024 California law that prohibits school districts from requiring staff to inform parents about a students gender identity without the childs permission. The Trump administration in January claimed that the policy violates federal law, threatening to pull federal education dollars to California. Attorney General Rob Bonta has sued to preemptively block the funding threat. Advertisement Advertisement Conservatives were quick to celebrate Mondays ruling. Corrin Rankin, chair of the states Republican Party, said in a statement she was thrilled the Supreme Court told California Democrats what we all know and believe, that parents are not optional, despite them acting as if they were. Paul M. Jonna, an attorney at Thomas More Society, a law firm representing parents who brought forth the lawsuit, called the order a watershed moment for parental rights in America. The U.S. Supreme Court on March 2, 2026, granted an emergency stay of a New York state court order that had required the redraw of the states 11th Congressional District before the 2026 elections. In a brief, unsigned order, the High Court granted a request from Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), state election officials, and a group of voters to pause a lower court ruling that had directed New Yorks independent redistricting commission to craft a new map for the 11th Congressional District, which includes Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn. The lower court judge had found in January that the existing district boundaries violated the New York Constitution by diluting the voting strength of Black and Latino residents. The judge barred the state from using the current map and ordered a revised plan by February 6. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Samuel Alito, writing in a three-page opinion explaining his vote to grant the stay, said the trial courts directive amounted to unadorned racial discrimination. Alito wrote that ordering a new district for the express purpose of ensuring that minority voters are able to elect the candidate of their choice blatantly discriminates on the basis of race, and added that a state law cannot authorize the violation of federal rights. Alito also said the justices acted to preserve their ability to review the case, warning of an unacceptably strong possibility that the state appellate process would not conclude in time for Supreme Court review before the 2026 election cycle advances. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. She characterized the majoritys 101-word order as an unexplained about-face from what she described as the Courts usual reluctance to intervene in ongoing state election disputes. Advertisement Advertisement The general election is eight months away and the primary is about four months away, Sotomayor wrote. That is more than enough time for New York courts to resolve the dispute on the merits. She warned that allowing emergency appeals from non-final state trial court decisions could invite litigants nationwide to bypass state courts and seek immediate Supreme Court intervention. The stay will remain in place while the case proceeds through New Yorks appellate courts. If the Supreme Court later agrees to hear the dispute, the pause would extend until a final decision is issued. The decision marks a departure from the Courts recent handling of other mid-decade redistricting disputes. In prior cases involving Texas and California, the justices declined to block newly drawn maps, according to reporting by SCOTUSblog. Legislatures in numerous states, dominated by both parties, have attempted to redraw congressional maps in a manner that party leaders perceive to be advantageous ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling comes days after varied public appearances by members of the Court drew attention in Washington. Only four justices attended President Donald Trumps State of the Union address in February, reflecting what observers have described as an ongoing pattern of selective attendance at such events, according to prior reporting by The Dallas Express. New Yorks 11th District is currently represented by Malliotakis, the only Republican in Congress from New York City. Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (NYSE:FIS) is one of the dirt cheap stocks to buy now. Fidelity National Information Services reported a strong financial performance for 2025, marked by adjusted revenue growth of 5.8% and a 10% increase in adjusted EPS to $5.75. The companys Q4 was particularly robust, featuring 7.4% revenue growth driven by its banking & capital markets segments. The company simplified its portfolio by divesting its merchant-focused business and acquiring a market leader in credit issuing. Management views this shift toward higher-quality recurring revenue as a long-term benefit, despite short-term margin pressures from acquisitions and declining transition service agreement income. Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (NYSE:FIS) is now positioning itself to capitalize on AI advancements, using its proprietary data sets and deeply embedded relationships with financial institutions to enhance fraud prevention and operational efficiency. Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) Exceeds 2025 Targets with Robust Growth in Banking and Capital Markets For 2026, Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (NYSE:FIS) issued an ambitious outlook, projecting adjusted revenue growth between 30% and 31% and an adjusted EPS range of $6.22 to $6.32. The company expects to expand its EBITDA margin by 155 to 175 basis points and grow free cash flow by up to 33%, exceeding $2 billion. Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (NYSE:FIS) provides solutions to financial institutions, businesses, and developers worldwide. The company operates through Banking Solutions, Capital Market Solutions, and Corporate and Other segments. While we acknowledge the potential of FIS as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. CHICAGO Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Monday she has endorsed Holly Kim to be her successor as the states chief fiscal officer, choosing the Lake County treasurer over three Democratic rivals vying for their partys nomination in the March 17 primary election. The endorsement brings a significant boost to Kim, a Democrat from Mundelein, with just two weeks before the election, as Mendoza is considered one of the states most popular politicians. In 2022, she was the highest vote getter of all the states Democratic constitutional officers, including Gov. JB Pritzker, when they each won. Holly brings the energy, experience and fight we need in an independent fiscal watchdog, Mendoza said in a 43-second video released by Kims campaign. I wrote the playbook on transparency and accountability in this office and I trust Holly to continue protecting you and your money. Advertisement Advertisement At a time when dark money is trying to buy elections, Holly will work hard to earn your vote, not buy it, Mendoza said in the clip. Illinois is open for business, but its not for sale. Kim, Lake Countys treasurer since 2018, has previously referred to Mendoza as her mentor, having served on a special banking commission overseen by the comptrollers office. Not only have I learned the ins and outs of the Comptrollers office from her, but Ive also been inspired by her leadership and her fierce independence on behalf of the taxpayers, Kim said in a statement. It would be my honor to continue her great work as the chief fiscal watchdog of the state. Some of Kims other endorsements include U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Deerfield, former longtime U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Chicago and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who is in the middle of a heated race of his own for the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois 9th Congressional District. Advertisement Advertisement The state comptroller is primarily tasked with managing the states finances, paying its bills and ensuring the states payments comply with the law. Kim is running in the Democratic primary against state Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego and state Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago. Croke last month secured Pritzkers endorsement, having served in his administration and worked on his campaign. Kims campaign has touted how in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, she reinvested more than $6 million of revenue generated from interest on investments in libraries, parks and schools. But shes also had to answer to some critics of her office. In a 2023 memo from the then-Lake County administrator, he pointed to myriad issues that included lengthy delays in publishing statutorily required reports about Lake Countys investments, which jeopardize the accuracy of the countys fiscal standing, to failing to ensure there was enough money in an account for an employee to cash a check. Advertisement Advertisement Kim told county officials a few weeks later that the reports were up to date and that her office had been researching solutions for enhancing transparency on the investments reporting and that the insufficient funds for the check-cashing incident were caused by an error in another department, according to a memo she sent to the officials. Her campaign in a statement also blamed unexpected challenges that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic for some of the issues in the office. She has also prided herself as one of the first Illinois politicians to accept cryptocurrency donations, a currency known for its high volatility. But last month, the Tribune reported she invested about $8,300 in crypto donations in a crypto coin she started called CHKN token named after her flock of chickens -only for that investment to be worth just a little over $34 by the end of 2025, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. While the comptrollers office doesnt handle investments, Crokes campaign questioned Kims fiscal judgment over the poor crypto investment. In response, Kim chalked that up as a learning experience and noted it didnt involve any taxpayer dollars. On the Republican side, the lone candidate for comptroller is Bryan Drew, an attorney from downstate Benton. Mendoza, who has served as comptroller since 2016, announced last year she would be stepping down from the post, and is considering a possible Chicago mayoral run in 2027. ____ By Feras Dalatey, Timour Azhari, Laila Bassam and Mahmoud Hassano DAMASCUS/BEIRUT, March 3 (Reuters) - Syria's defense minsitry said it reinforced its border with Lebanon, and eight Syrian and Lebanese sources said this included rocket units and thousands of troops as conflict spread in the region including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The sources included five Syrian military officers, a Syrian security official and two Lebanese security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that the army has reinforced its deployment along the Syrian borders with Lebanon and Iraq as part of efforts to protect and control the borders amid the escalating regional conflict. The deployed units belong to the border guard and reconnaissance battalions tasked with monitoring border activities and combating smuggling, the ministry added. The Syrian officers said the Syrian reinforcement operation began in February but sped up in recent days. The Syrian and Lebanese armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Syrian officers, including a senior member of the military, said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling as well blocking Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah or other militants from infiltrating Syria. Advertisement Advertisement A Syrian officer told Reuters that military formations from several Syrian army divisions, including the 52nd and 84th Divisions, have expanded their presence along the border in western Homs countryside and south of Tartus. The reinforcements include infantry units, armored vehicles and short-range Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, the official said. The Syrian security official said Damascus had no plans for military action against any neighboring country. But Syria is prepared to deal with any security threat to itself or its partners, he said. Still, the move has fueled concern among some European and Lebanese officials over a possible incursion. Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian military officers vehemently denied any such plans, saying Syria wants balanced relations with its neighbor after decades of strained ties linked to Syria's outsized influence in Lebanon and Hezbollah's support for the former government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a 14-year civil war. Syria had troops stationed in Lebanon from 1976 until 2005 including during Lebanon's civil war that ended in 1990. Hezbollah resumed firing at Israel on Monday more than a year after reaching a ceasefire to a months-long war in 2024. Since that ceasefire, Israel continued near-daily strikes. Israel this week ordered much of Lebanon's south evacuated, with tens of thousands of people displaced. Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon's South and southern Beirut have killed dozens and prompted thousands of people to flee towards Syria. Advertisement Advertisement A senior Lebanese security official said Syrian authorities told Beirut that Syria's deployment of rocket launchers along the mountains that form Lebanon's eastern border with Syria was a defensive measure against any action or attack that Hezbollah might launch against Syria." (Writing by Timour Azhari and Feras Dalatey; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Syrian officers said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling as well as blocking Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah or other terrorists from infiltrating Syria. Syria has reinforced its border with Lebanon with rocket units and thousands of troops, eight Syrian and Lebanese sources said on Tuesday, as conflict spread in the region, including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The sources included five Syrian military officers, a Syrian security official, and two Lebanese security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian officers said the Syrian reinforcement operation began in February but sped up in recent days. The Syrian and Lebanese armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Syrian officers, including a senior member of the military, said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling as well as blocking Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah or other terrorists from infiltrating Syria. A Syrian officer told Reuters that military formations from several Syrian army divisions, including the 52nd and 84th Divisions, have expanded their presence along the border in western Homs countryside and south of Tartus. Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 2, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR) The reinforcements include infantry units, armored vehicles, and short-range Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian security official said Damascus had no plans for military action against any neighboring country. But Syria is prepared to deal with any security threat to itself or its partners, he said. Still, the move has fueled concern among some European and Lebanese officials over a possible incursion. The Syrian military officers vehemently denied any such plans, saying Syria wants balanced relations with its neighbor after decades of strained ties linked to Syria's outsized influence in Lebanon and Hezbollah's support for the former government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a 14-year civil war. Syria had troops stationed in Lebanon from 1976 until 2005, including during Lebanon's civil war that ended in 1990. Hezbollah fires at Israel for first time since 2024 Hezbollah resumed firing at Israel on Monday, more than a year after reaching a ceasefire to a months-long war in 2024. Since that ceasefire, Israel continued near-daily strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Israel this week ordered much of Lebanon's south evacuated, with tens of thousands of people displaced. Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon's South and southern Beirut have killed dozens and prompted thousands of people to flee towards Syria. A senior Lebanese security official said Syrian authorities told Beirut that Syria's deployment of rocket launchers along the mountains that form Lebanon's eastern border with Syria was a defensive measure against any action or attack that Hezbollah might launch against Syria." NEED TO KNOW A teacher at an elite private school in Calabasas, Calif., is accused of taking intimate pictures of underage female students, prosecutors allege Travis Takeshi Shojinaga, 39, was arrested on campus on Feb. 25 after an 11-year-old claimed that he had secretly been taking pictures of girls He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held on $1 million bond A longtime teacher at an elite private school in California is facing criminal charges after being accused of secretly taking intimate pictures of at least four female students, according to prosecutors. Travis Takeshi Shojinaga, 39, of Sylmar, was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 25 on the campus of Viewpoint School in Calabasas, and charged with one felony count of possession of child sexual abuse material and four misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child under 18, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office announced. Advertisement Advertisement Shojinaga was taken into custody after an 11-year-old student reported that Shojinaga was secretly taking inappropriate photographs of female students, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a statement. According to the sheriff's office, detectives began investigating allegations that Shojinaga was taking inappropriate photographs of underage children without their knowledge." Shojinaga was a teacher at the K-12 school for 10 years, the district attorney's office said. In the course of his time there, he has had contact with numerous juveniles, the sheriff's office added, noting that Viewpoint School "has been cooperative and he is no longer employed at the school." Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to PEOPLE, school officials said, Viewpoint School continues working closely and cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate these disturbing events. The law firm of OMelveny and Myers, the statement continued, has been retained to conduct an independent investigation, facilitated by Campus Safety and Security." The objective will be to help us fully understand what occurred and to identify what steps we can take to help ensure this doesn't happen again. The safety and wellbeing of our students, families, teachers, and entire community remain our highest priority." On Friday, Feb. 27, Shojinaga was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Advertisement Advertisement He is being held on $1 million bail as he awaits his next court date on March 12. If convicted, Shojinaga faces seven years in state prison and will also be required to register as a sex offender for life, according to prosecutors. 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. Speaking about the case, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said, The accusations in this case are disgusting and deliberate violations of childrens safety, dignity and rights. Our communitys schools are meant to be safe and protected environments for youths. We believe there may be more victims and encourage anyone with information to call law enforcement. Anyone who chooses to commit crimes against children, especially on a school campus, will be criminally prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said, per the statement from his office. Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear whether Shojinaga has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf. Per authorities, anyone who may have been a victim or has additional information regarding Travis Shojinaga is urged to contact Sergeant Joe Cerda at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Special Victims Bureau at (562) 946-8216. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call LA Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800 222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org. Read the original article on People U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced on Tuesday a new bill that he says will address the misuse of non-disclosure agreements in civil cases that cover up child sexual abuse and trafficking. The legislation introduced as the Terminating Restrictive Enforcement of Youth Settlements, or TREYS Law, is a bipartisan agreement led by Cruz and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, along with other Republican senators, including Katie Britt from Alabama and Eric Schmitt from Missouri. The bill makes any NDA provision unenforceable if it prohibits or restricts someone from disclosing the sexual abuse of a minor or facts related to that abuse. This protection applies regardless of when the NDA was signed, whether before a dispute arose or as part of a civil settlement agreement. Advertisement Advertisement The bill is named in honor of Trey Carlock of Dallas, who died by suicide at 28 after a civil litigation process against Kanakuk Ministries in Branson, Missouri, brought back painful memories of sexual abuse. Carlock allegedly told a therapist, They will always control me, and Ill never be free, before he died. Cruz said Carlock, who, along with countless others, was groomed and sexually abused as a child by the well-known Kanakuk Kamps director Pete Newman. However, Carlock was required to file civil litigation by the age of 23 due to Texas civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, which became known to the public through a 2009 criminal investigation. He said Kanakuk forced settlements on the victims, which included restrictive NDAs covering up what the camp knew about Newman, along with concealing other important information from the public. Elizabeth Phillips, Carlocks sister, said this bills passage will tell every survivor currently living under an NDA that their voice is theirs again, that they are free to speak about what happened to them, and that what they have to say matters. TREYS Law doesnt just protect future victims; it restores the voices of those silenced by existing NDAs, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Carlocks case and the following fallout gained national attention as other victims of sexual abuse began to speak out against NDAs, with the movement now gaining steam among the countrys highest-ranking lawmakers. No child who has endured sexual abuse should be forced to carry that horror in silence. Non-disclosure agreements are too often used to protect abusers, with incalculable and catastrophic consequences for their victims, Cruz said. We owe it to Trey to ensure that victims have the right to speak about their experiences and that contracts are not used to silence survivors. Gillibrand said she was proud to lead this critical piece of legislation because, for too long, NDAs have been used to silence survivors of child sexual abuse and shield perpetrators from accountability. She said TREYs Law will void predatory nondisclosure agreements, allowing the victims of sexual abuse as minors to speak out about their experiences today. Survivors deserve the right to tell their stories and hold abusers accountable, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Texas signed its version of TREYs Law into effect last year. Lawmakers originally focused the legislation on crimes against child sexual abuse victims but broadened it after hearing testimony that this should apply to victims of all ages. Other states have also passed similar laws, including Missouri, Tennessee, California and Alabama. Versions of this legislation have been filed in Oklahoma, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky and West Virginia. These measures are supported by the American Association for Justice, the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, the National Childrens Alliance, Zero Abuse Project, the Childrens Advocacy Centers of Texas, and the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. Perpetrators try to silence child sexual abuse survivors. The justice system shouldnt do the same thing. TREYS Law will allow survivors voices to be heard and hold abusers accountable, said Stefan Turkheimer, RAINN vice president of Public Policy. DENVER (KDVR) A member of the United States Air Force who traveled from their station in Texas to kidnap and sexually assault a 14-year-old girl in Colorado has been sentenced to life in federal prison. The U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Texas announced Friday that Travis Robert Larson, 24, of Denton, Texas, was sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty in November 2025 to one count of enticement of a minor and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. Larson was an active member of the Air Force and was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas when he traveled to Colorado to kidnap and sexually abuse a child who he had been communicating with online for years. Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox On May 4, 2025, according to court documents, the girls father told police in Colorado Springs that his 14-year-old daughter was missing, and that he had found messages with Larson on her phone, indicating that Larson had discussed driving to Colorado to pick her up and bring her to Texas. Investigators obtained surveillance footage of Larson picking up the child, and tracked his vehicle moving from Texas to Colorado Springs and back during the late evening hours of May 3 to May 4, 2025. Court documents state that Larson picked her up around 3:30 a.m. on May 4 and drove her to a nearby park, where he sexually assaulted her, and instead of taking her back home, he drove her against her will to Texas. He hid the girl in the trunk of his vehicle to sneak her onto the air force base and to his dormitory, where he sexually abused her multiple times. Advertisement Advertisement The USAF Security Forces Squadron recovered the child near Larsons dorm room on the evening of May 5. According to court documents, the child told authorities that Larson began communicating with her when she was 10 or 11 years old, and that she would send him sexually explicit images of herself upon his request. The child told authorities that Larson had traveled to meet her for sex in Colorado in late April 2025 as well. Text messages between Larson and the child indicate that Larson promised to bring the child alcohol and described his desire to have sex with the child and to resort to violence, if necessary, a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Court documents said that evidence in Larsons phone indicated that he was aware of the childs name and age. 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 FOX31 Denver. The closely watched Democratic primary for Senate in Texas, which has turned into a battle between Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, is not just testing what style of candidate Democrats prefer heading into 2026, but also two different theories of how to win elections in a state that Democrats will need to win, if they want to retake control of the Senate. Any path back to a Democratic majority in the Senate basically requires a win in Texas, with Democrats needing to flip four seats to win a bare 51-seat majority. This, combined with the feeling that 2026 appears to be the best chance for Democrats in Texas since 2018, has made the Senate race one of the marquee congressional races in the midterms. However, its also testing two theories of how to win in the state, which, if Democrats win in 2026, could become a serious battleground in the 2028 presidential election. On one side, the argument goes that Democrats need a candidate who can expand the electorate and appeal to independents and whatever fraction of Republicans disapprove of the current party enough to vote for Democrats. The other side is that Democrats best chance to win is by nominating a candidate who can turn out unprecedented levels of voters. Advertisement Advertisement In this race, Talarico has become the favored candidate of those who subscribe to the first theory, a group that includes many Democratic strategists and pundits. Crockett, in contrast, has been a favorite of the partys base for her personal style when it comes to attacking Republicans. There have been other major differences in the campaigns as well. Talarico has run a relatively conventional campaign, at least in terms of structure. After announcing his candidacy fairly early in the race last September, hes done the usual: hired a campaign manager, ran ads and crisscrossed the state holding rallies and fundraising. Crockett, on the other hand, jumped into the race shortly before the deadline in early December, but has yet to name a campaign manager, at least as of mid-February, has run relatively few ads and has been packing campaign stops in on the weekends in between her work in Washington, D.C. Chuck Rocha, a Democratic strategist working with Talaricos campaign, told Salon that if Crockett wins, Democrats in Texas are going to have to rethink how they run campaigns. Advertisement Advertisement Ive been doing campaigns in Texas for 36 years, Rocha said. And theres one thing thats for sure: if you want to win races, you spend a lot of money and time talking to voters over the longest period of time that you possibly can, and thats what James has been doing. And if James doesnt win, its going to upend the way people do campaigns. Both of these candidates also appear to be bringing a different theory of politics to the particularly high-stakes general election in November. Joshua Blank, the research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, told Salon that based on his research, hes also seeing conflict between strategists and pundits, and the Democratic Partys base heading into the primary. Theres a conversation on both sides at the elite level about electability and about the general election. And then theres whats actually going on in the primary electorate, Blank said. On the left, theres this discussion about electability in Texas, and whether or not Crockett or Talarico would be more electable come November. Again, this is largely an elite discussion. Most voters are looking at the two candidates, looking at who theyre familiar with, looking at who they like more, and going in that direction. Advertisement Advertisement Blank noted that theres a similar conversation happening among Republicans own primary, with many in the partys base preferring state scandal-ridden Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump. Many conservative elites, however, have expressed a preference for Sen. John Cornyn, the incumbent Republican, given his past performance in Texas elections. The Texas Politics Projects most recent survey, conducted between Feb. 2 and 16, is evidence of some conflict between party elites and primary voters on the Democratic side, with Crockett leading Talarico by 12 points. Diving deeper into the results, it looks like this is simply due to her higher favorability and name recognition among Democrats, with 71% of respondents who identify as Democrats holding a favorable opinion of Crockett, compared to just 59% for Talarico. Blank attributes this in part to Talaricos personal political brand, which includes embracing Christianity. A Presbyterian seminarian, Talarico has honed an ability to use religious language to defend liberal policies, which has made him a darling of the chattering classes. Blank, however, says that theres not necessarily a huge desire among Democratic voters to instill more Christianity into their politics. Advertisement Advertisement The conversation going on at elite levels is about electability in November. Expecting that thats the way that voters are thinking about this is asking too much of most voters, Blank said. The discontinuity that I think people are not appreciating as much outside of the state is that the Talarico argument and the Cornyn argument are very elite-driven arguments about eligibility. Blank also said that the race has not been nearly as contentious as its been portrayed in the national media, with both candidates receiving significant attention in the national press for comments that Blank says have been largely inconsequential. Shortly after she entered the race, Crockett faced backlash for a year-old comment comparing the mindset of Latino Trump supporters to a slave mentality. Crockett later said that she did not say that every Latino has that type of mentality, to CNN. Talarico also faced backlash for allegedly calling a former opponent, Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, a mediocre Black man, an allegation which Talaricos campaign says is inaccurate, with Talarico maintaining that he was saying that Allred was a mediocre candidate. Blank said that both of these moments, which have gained outsized national media attention, paint the picture of a more negative primary campaign than the one that has actually played out. Advertisement Advertisement Brannon Miller, a pollster with Chism Strategies, described a different picture of the race in an interview with Salon, saying that there are more swing voters in primaries and that in the final days of the campaign, these voters seem to be swinging for Talarico. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. A lot has really changed in the last few weeks, and part of that is the unsettled nature of the primary, but theres just been a couple of weeks of really good news cycles for Talarico, Miller said. He said that he believes his poll, which was conducted on Feb. 23 and 24, is picking up last-minute shifts in the race created by national news events, like CBS allegedly pulling an interview with Talarico on Stephen Colberts Late Show, and the subsequent virality of that same interview, which has racked up more than 9 million views since its release in mid-February. CBS denies forbidding Colbert from running the interview, saying that it instead advised that running the interview might trigger FCCs equal time rule, and force the program to have on Talaricos opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Either way, the issue played out favorably for Talarico, and the Chism Strategies survey found that in the Democratic primary, Talarico leads Crockett by 12 points. Crockett called the CBS debacle at the time a boost for Talarico. Miller also noted that, despite the theory that Talarico may be able to appeal to religious independents and some Republicans, there is some evidence that his religiosity isnt whats powering his campaign. Talarico actually does worse with Democrat primary voters who attend church or religious service at least once a week. The most religious Democrats were actually the strongest Jasmine Crockett supporters, and thats because that group is much more composed of voters of color, in particular African American voters, Miller said. There is a perception of Talarico, which I dont know is entirely warranted, that his religious rhetoric can appeal to conservative or moderate religious voters who typically vote Republican. Crocketts campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The post How the Texas primary could rewrite the Democrats campaign playbook appeared first on Salon.com. GRAND JUNCTION Colo. (KREX) Two victims killed. Fourteen wounded. And a mass shooting in Austins Sixth Street district steps from the University of Texas and packed with students has become a national warning that has universities everywhere paying attention. Federal investigators are now examining the suspects background and possible ideological influences, but for colleges across the country, the broader impact is already clear: campus safety is no longer an abstract conversation its an operational one. At Colorado Mesa University, leaders say preparation is constant. CMU President John Marshall and Director of Campus Safety and Student Conduct Alex Zappe point to emergency alert systems, reporting tools, and coordination with local law enforcement as critical safeguards. We engage our student government, our RAs, and other students, and we go and do a campus safety walk every year, Marshal explained. So that we can go find, are the lamps all on? Are there shrubs that have overgrown? Are there safe walks and bright spaces and is the campus environmentally designed in such a way that is feels safe and open and secure? Advertisement Advertisement Zappe says CMU is blessed to have a great relationship with the Grand Junction Police Department, noting some members of their department are designated to protect the campus. Their message is blunt and practical: awareness buys time, and time protect lives. Because what happens on one campus can reshape how every campus prepares and how every student stays safe. Watch the full story above. 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. The first votes of the 2026 midterm cycle will be cast on Tuesday, with a pair of high-stakes US Senate primaries in Texas that will test both parties appetite for political change in the Trump era. Voters across the state will decide their nominees for a critical Senate seat, as well as for several key congressional contests reshaped by a mid-decade gerrymander sought by Donald Trump to preserve the GOPs fragile House majority. Related: Populist crusade and anti-Maga outrage as Texas Democrats do battle in Senate primary Advertisement Advertisement In the Senate race, Republicans are measuring the potency of Trumps Make America Great Again (Maga) movement against old-guard conservatism. Democrats, meanwhile, face a choice between two progressive powerhouses with different theories of how to fight and how to win in the Trump era. The fiercely competitive primary, and a messy Republican fight, has given Democrats a rare opening in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat statewide since 1994. Republicans, meanwhile, are fretting that they could lose a seat once viewed as safely red as the political climate turns sharply against the president. Last month, Democrat Taylor Rehmet captured a state senate seat in a Fort Worth-area district that Trump had carried by more than 17 percentage points in 2024. Early voting has surged, particularly on the Democratic side, while political ad spending has surpassed $122m, according to data from AdImpact, making it the most expensive Senate primary on record. A majority of the money is being spent to help four-term incumbent John Cornyn fend off a challenge from Ken Paxton, the states scandal-plagued attorney general and a conservative culture warrior. Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn, 74, has emphasized his seniority and record, which he has defended as closely aligned with the president. By contrast, Paxton, 63, has presented himself as Magas vanguard in Texas, willing to battle both Democrats and Republicans. On the Democratic side, state representative James Talarico has crisscrossed the deep-red counties that voted for Trump, preaching a politics of love that roots progressive policy in the teachings of his Christian faith. The 36-year-old former middle school teacher and current seminary student argues that the central divide in American politics is not left v right but top v bottom and says Democrats can rebuild trust in rural and suburban communities without abandoning their core values. He faces Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a firebrand progressive whose unsparing attacks on Trump and Republicans have earned her a starring role in the resistance movement to his second term. Crockett, 44, entered the race in December, just before the filing deadline, embracing a different political playbook. Casting herself as a proven fighter who drives the president crazy, Crockett contends that high turnout among young voters and voters of color not ideological moderation is the key to winning statewide. The Democratic contest underlines a central debate that has animated the party since Trump s 2016 victory: whether they win by doubling down on their base and its fury with Trumps presidency, or by courting independents and swing voters disenchanted with partisanship and the political status quo. Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic electorate has divided sharply along racial lines, with Crockett drawing strong support among Black voters and Talarico performing better with white voters in the state. Latino voters were more evenly split between the two candidates, and will likely determine the outcome of the Democratic primary contest. As polls open in the nations second-largest state on Tuesday, Democrats will be monitoring the political currents closely, as they target Republican-held seats in other states, from Alaska to Maine. Whether Democrats seriously contest the Senate race may depend on the outcome of the Republican contest, which could be pushed to a runoff in late May. A third candidate, two-term Republican congressman Wesley Hunt is also seeking the nomination, and is expected to pull enough of the vote to prevent either Cornyn or Paxton from capturing the more than 50% needed to win outright. Trump remains a significant wildcard in the Senate race, which has pitted his base against Washington Republicans who have warned the president that Paxton would be a uniquely vulnerable candidate after years of legal and ethical scandals, including impeachment by his own party though he was ultimately acquitted in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Texas voters are casting ballots for a slate of other federal, state and local offices. As a result of redistricting, two sitting members of Congress are squaring off in the primary for congressional district 18, in what has become a referendum on generational change. Representative Christian Menefee, 37, who is just weeks into his first term, is now facing off against Representative Al Green, 78, who has served for more than two decades. On the Republican side, Representative Dan Crenshaw is potentially vulnerable to a rightwing challenge from state representative Steve Toth in the second congressional district while Congressman Tony Gonzales is facing calls for his resignation from fellow Republicans after allegations of an affair with a former staffer who later killed herself. He has resisted calls to resign. Thousands of flights intended to depart from the Middle East have been canceled amid the expanding conflict between Iran and joint U.S.-Israeli forces. More than 6,000 flights from countries in the region have been canceled as of Tuesday, with major airlines diverting trips for the next two days amid regional instability, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines suspended flights from Tel Aviv to New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport through March 9. Advertisement Advertisement British Airways is not allowing flights from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv to depart, but said a flight from Oman would go ahead on Thursday with seats assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Etihad Airways and Air France said flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are postponed until at least Thursday. Emirates suspended flights to and from Abu Dhabi until Wednesday, but is continuing to operate a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights. We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights. Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates, or hold a confirmed booking for these flights, the company wrote in a statement on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Lufthansa Group airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 8. The company also said it will not use airspace in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam and Iran until at least next week. Lufthansa Groups flights out of the United Arab Emirates, which is generally considered a safe haven in the region, have also been suspended until Friday. Qatar Airways said all flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace, the company wrote Tuesday in a post on X, noting it will provide another update on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Airlines based in India have also shared cancellations, with Air India canceling 28 flights. Americans have been encouraged to leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East. The State Department has instructed Americans to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen due to serious safety risks. When asked why no evacuation plan was in place for Americans in the region before the strikes began on Saturday, President Trump said because it happened all very quickly, while speaking to reporters in the White House on Tuesday. We thought and I thought, maybe more so than most, I could ask [Secretary of State] Marco [Rubio], but I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked. They were getting ready to attack Israel, they were getting ready to attack others, youre seeing that right now, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Three U.S. embassies in the Middle East remain closed due to regional tensions. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the best option for Americans trying to leave the country is to depart Israel via Egypt. As of now, the best is utilizing Israels Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the US, wrote in a post on X. Buses will be stationed at meeting points in cities across Israel including Herzliya, Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, he said. The United Kingdom has announced that it will work to help 200,000 British nationals depart dangerous areas in the Middle East. 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. How Intelligent Manufacturing in China takes center stage at MWC Barcelona again 09:17, March 03, 2026 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times From Monday to Thursday, the Mobile World Congress (MWC, or MWC Barcelona), hailed as the world's leading connectivity event, is taking place in Barcelona, Spain. "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" has once again taken center stage with sheer strength. Huawei released the Agentic Core solution and the full U6GHz product suite. Honor made a stunning appearance with its "Robot Phone," a device blending high IQ and emotional intelligence (EQ). ZTE unveiled the world's first 6G prototype with 2048 antenna elements in the U6G band. Xiaomi showcased its eye-catching Vision Gran Turismo concept hypercar, created in collaboration with a renowned racing game. A series of blockbuster achievements were unveiled in a concentrated display, fully demonstrating the vibrant vitality of "Intelligent Manufacturing in China." This tech storm from "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" sweeping Barcelona is no accident. From the 2024 Paris Motor Show and the 2025 Munich Motor Show to the early 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Chinese companies have been shining brightly. In cutting-edge fields such as 6G research, new energy vehicles, humanoid robots, and AI-integrated applications, "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" is demonstrating multi-domain coordinated breakthroughs and comprehensive advances. Data bears witness to this growth. The number of Chinese exhibitors at this year's MWC Barcelona surged from 288 last year to 350, ranking third globally - behind only host Spain and the US - sending a strong signal that the center of gravity for global technological innovation is quietly shifting eastward. China's high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement have accelerated dramatically. During the 2025 two sessions - China's annual sessions of its top legislature and political advisory body - "embodied intelligence" was mentioned for the first time in the Government Work Report, becoming one of the future industries prioritized for national cultivation. In just one year, China's robotics industry has rapidly transitioned from laboratory research to large-scale application, showcasing astonishing efficiency in real-world deployment. At this MWC Barcelona, embodied intelligence scenarios that deeply integrate AI with wearable devices have become almost a standard feature among China's leading exhibitors. 2026 marks the commencement of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), and every one of China's five-year plans features clear goals and well-defined pathways, anchoring industrial development directions while bridging scientific research, innovation, and industrial transformation. The MWC Barcelona once again highlighted the core competitiveness of "Intelligent Manufacturing in China." In the past, "Made in China" provided the global market with high cost-performance products, significantly reducing living costs for people in many countries. Today, "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" delivers high-value-added tech products at affordable prices, embodying a capability for "technological inclusivity." This makes advanced technology no longer confined to a niche high-end market, but instead integrates into everyday life in a far more accessible way. China has chosen to share, in real time, a vibrant and cutting-edge piece of its "innovation puzzle" with the world. This is also a proactive effort to provide high-quality goods and a vivid demonstration of its commitment to the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, highlighting the responsibility and sense of mission that China bears as a major technological power. Against a backdrop of complex geopolitics and mounting risks of "decoupling" and supply chain disruption, Chinese manufacturers have emerged as one of the mainstays of MWC Barcelona. This reality powerfully affirms that market logic will ultimately prevail over political blockades. Despite being placed on the Pentagon's blacklist, the vast majority of drones used in the US agricultural sector and by local governments still originate from China. The 5G-A private networks and AI-driven digital transformation platforms provided by Chinese companies to the European market also far surpass those of local operators in cost effectiveness. Attempts by certain major powers to suppress China have failed to fundamentally impede the country's technological progress. Instead, such pressure has become a driving force that compels Chinese companies to accelerate their diversification strategies and deepen their globalization efforts, driving China's steady transition from a "manufacturing giant" to an "innovation powerhouse" and continuously elevating the position of its foreign trade within global value chains. "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" has become a pillar of MWC Barcelona due to its genuine appeal to global clients. Powered by hardcore technological innovation, "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" has captured worldwide attention and overturned the false narrative that its competitiveness stems from subsidies and unfair competition. From simple product exports to brand building, standards setting, and ecosystem development, the evolution of China's global expansion trajectory bears witness to the growth of its technology enterprises. Today, Chinese companies are breaking through multiple barriers, proactively seeking deep collaboration and joint innovation with local partners, working together to narrow the global digital divide and presenting a new model of globalization characterized by inclusiveness, mutual benefit, and shared growth, injecting fresh momentum into coordinated global industrial development. The tide of technological advancement has never been led by a single country, and healthy technological competition ultimately propels the collective progress of human civilization. At this year's MWC Barcelona, alongside the formidable "Chinese team," companies from other countries such as Ericsson and Samsung also unveiled major new technological products, jointly outlining a blueprint for the future of global tech development. The accessible pricing strategies of Chinese enterprises have added a sense of approachability and everyday vitality to this showcase of the world's latest technological achievements. China's technological innovations not only benefit its own people but will increasingly serve the world, contributing Chinese strength to global technological progress and industrial upgrading. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The University of Florida was still surveying the full scope of the damage weeks after the events, but Floridas Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson didnt wait for the final numbers to speak plainly. He made clear that crop damage to the state would be significant, potentially exceeding $3 billion . A formal emergency order from the Commissioners office, dated February 17th, suspended normal best management practice verification requirements across nearly every county in the state due to the impossibility of conducting proper field assessments in the aftermath. Farmers tried everything they could. Many used flood irrigation, letting water freeze over crops to create a protective layer of ice that holds heat close to the plant. But this winter had another weapon in its arsenal winds. Gusts of 30 to 40 miles per hour hammered Central and South Florida during the worst of it, making it nearly impossible to cover crops with tarps, defeating the irrigation strategy, and in some cases causing ice to build up so heavy on plants that the branches snapped under the weight. One blueberry operation in Ocoee reported ice accumulating up to roughly 100 pounds per plant. Miami hit 35 degrees on February 1st the lowest reading the city had seen since December 2010. For a region whose entire agricultural identity is built on year-round warmth, thats not just uncomfortable. Its devastating. Between late December 2025 and the first week of February 2026, Florida was hit with a series of freeze events that stacked on top of each other like bad luck on a Monday morning. The first freeze came on December 30th. Another one followed in mid-January. Then came what farmers are calling the real gut punch an extended cold period that kicked off in late January and sent temperatures plummeting into the low 20s across Central Florida and the mid-to-upper 20s across inland South Florida. Florida didnt just get cold this winter. It got cold in a way that most growers working those fields hadnt seen in over a decade, and the damage to the states produce supply is still being tallied. What started as a warning on the weather radar turned into one of the most consequential agricultural events the Sunshine State has seen since Hurricane Ian ripped through in 2022. For anyone moving refrigerated freight for a living, or shipping temperature-sensitive product out of the Southeast, you need to understand what happened, what it means for available loads right now, and where the market is likely to head as the dust settles. Story Continues Crop by Crop The Breakdown Not every commodity took the same kind of hit. The damage was uneven, which matters a lot for understanding where freight volumes are contracting most sharply. Tomatoes and squash are where some of the most dramatic losses were concentrated. Markon Cooperative, a major North American produce supplier, issued a market update flagging that its affiliated squash growers were looking at more than 50 percent crop loss. Bell pepper growers were projecting losses approaching 50 percent as well. Tomatoes took damage across multiple farms, particularly in South Floridas Homestead region, where one grower reported losing roughly 20 percent of his crop and said hed already seen prices climbing as a result. One farmer in Palm Beach County said the price of sweet corn would likely double after losing around 300 acres worth of his crop. Strawberries took a significant hit in Central Florida, with estimates pointing to losses reaching around 20 percent in some areas. This matters specifically because the Plant City area produces roughly three-quarters of Americas winter strawberries. The Florida Strawberry Festival runs from late February into early March, and reefer activity around that event was already baked into Q1 freight forecasts. That seasonal dynamic still plays out, but with less volume behind it. Blueberries were hit hard across the board. Their bushes are particularly vulnerable to the cold, and in many cases where growers tried to protect them with sprinklers, the ice accumulation was so severe it compounded the damage rather than preventing it. Citrus, which has already been fighting for its survival in Florida due to years of citrus greening disease, took another blow. Estimates suggest the freeze may have damaged or destroyed around 10 percent of the current citrus crop still on trees. For an industry already down over 60 percent in production compared to its peak years, thats not a number anyone wanted to see. And even the crops that survived arent necessarily in great shape. Consumers are being warned to expect fruit scarring on some items, smaller-than-average sizes, and shorter shelf lives on leafy greens and tender vegetables that were harvested under stress. Some of that product is still moving, but its moving faster toward its expiration date, which affects how buyers receive it and how aggressively they reorder. What This Does to Reefer Freight The Immediate Picture Heres where it gets interesting for anyone in the trucking business. The relationship between Florida produce and reefer demand is not always straightforward, and what played out over the past several weeks is a good case study in how quickly this market can whipsaw. In the days and weeks immediately following the freeze events, Florida became one of the hottest reefer origins in the country. Shippers were scrambling to move whatever inventory they could salvage, grocery chains and distribution centers were placing urgent orders, and trucks were in short supply across Central and South Florida. Rates to the East Coast reflected that tightness. Baltimore jumped over 20 percent week-over-week out of Florida at one point. Boston, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia all saw double-digit rate increases on Florida lanes in the same period. Truck availability moved to Shortage status on most outbound lanes, with even Atlanta showing a Slight Shortage condition. That demand spike was fueled by the frantic movement of what was left damaged product being rushed to buyers, growers trying to recover whatever revenue they could before more spoilage set in, and distributors competing to cover their orders while they still had options. Then the correction hit. Within the following week, every lane out of Central and South Florida posted double-digit declines drops of 20 to 32 percent across the board, according to DATs reefer produce reporting. What happened is straightforward. Once the salvageable product cleared the fields, there was less left to ship. The volume that normally flows out of Florida during peak winter produce season had simply been reduced. Trucks that rushed south to capture the surge now found fewer loads waiting for them. Availability shifted from Shortage to Slight Shortage, rates dropped, and what had looked like an opportunity for carriers with Florida capacity disappeared almost as fast as it formed. Thats the crunch operators need to understand. The freeze didnt create sustained freight opportunity out of Florida it created a short, sharp spike followed by a volume gap that carriers will be navigating for the rest of the quarter. The Longer-Tail Impact on Volumes The bigger story here isnt the rate spike that already came and went. Its what happens to reefer volume out of Florida over the next few months as the supply chain absorbs these losses. Florida is typically one of the most active reefer origins in the country during Q1. Winter vegetables tomatoes, peppers, squash, sweet corn are what grocery stores across the Northeast and Midwest rely on to keep shelves stocked during the months when nothing grows further north. When that supply contracts by 40 to 50 percent on some commodities, retailers dont just go without. They source elsewhere. And the elsewhere usually means Mexico. Thats already happening. With significant portions of Floridas squash, bell pepper, and tomato supply damaged or gone, imports from Mexico are expected to rise as retailers scramble to fill the gaps. That shift doesnt benefit carriers operating out of Florida. It benefits operators working Texas border crossings McAllen, Laredo, Pharr where cross-border produce freight moves north. South Texas was already loosening on rates even before Floridas post-spike correction, but longer term, that corridor could see a volume bump as Mexican supply picks up the slack. For Florida-based carriers and those who habitually position in the Southeast for winter produce, the practical reality is fewer loads for the remainder of the quarter. The reefer load-to-truck ratio out of Florida had already been trending down for consecutive weeks heading into March. National reefer load posts remained well above prior-year comparisons, but that strength is regional and not evenly distributed. Floridas share of that volume is smaller right now than it would normally be. Fuel surcharges remain a factor in all of this. With diesel holding in the mid-$3.00 range nationally and reefer units burning more fuel maintaining temperature in colder transit conditions, the cost to run an empty or lightly loaded truck back out of the Southeast eats into the margins carriers were hoping to capture during peak season. Floridas farmers are resilient. Theyve been through hard freezes before, and state and federal relief programs are already being set up to help them recover. But recovery takes time, and the reefer market doesnt wait. The Q1 picture out of Florida is leaner than anyone planned for, and the ripple effects from shifted import flows to repositioned capacity are going to shape how the refrigerated freight market moves through the rest of the first quarter and into spring. The post Floridas Fields Are Hurting What That Means for Reefer Freight Right Now appeared first on FreightWaves. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) threatened Tuesday to use aggressive procedural measures to bring Senate work to a standstill if Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fails to respond to his offices inquiries about an immigration crackdown in Charlotte, North Carolina. An irate Tillis, who is retiring this year from the Senate, ripped into Noem during her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, saying that he would use his power as a senator to hold nominations and prevent bills from getting to the Senate floor. If I don't get an answer that you've had a month to respond to, and the remaining ones as of today, I'll be informing leadership that I'm putting a hold on any en bloc nominations until I get a response, and in two weeks, if I don't get a response, I'm going to deny quorum and markup in as many committees as I can until I get a response, Tillis said. Advertisement Advertisement The announcement from Tillis, who has called repeatedly for Noem to leave her post, would represent a rare escalation from any senator in particular one from the presidents party in the face of frustrations with a member of the Cabinet. Such a move, if he follows through with his threat, would hijack much of the Senates standard operating procedure. Since 2025, the Senate has voted on some administration nominees en bloc or as a group to overcome tight margins. Meanwhile, denying quorum and markup in committee limits how legislation and individual nominations can advance in the Senate to the floor. Tillis is a member of the Judiciary committee, as well as the Finance, Banking and Veterans Affairs committees. Disruptions to the latter threes work could prove especially disruptive for the Senate. Tillis anger reflects bubbling frustrations with Trumps embattled DHS chief among Republicans, who have called for some changes to the tone and tenor of the administrations immigration crackdown after immigration officers shot and killed two American citizens in Minneapolis in January. In November 2025, ICE launched a crackdown in Charlotte similar to what it implemented in Minneapolis and other major cities across the country. While DHS claimed the operation was successful in apprehending hundreds of unauthorized immigrants with criminal records, concerns have been raised that ICE accidentally detained U.S. citizens. Heres a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on March 3, according to the Tribunes archives. Is an important event missing from March 3? Email us. Front page flashback: March 4, 1934 1934: Gangster John Dillinger broke out of jail in Crown Point, Indiana. It was a thorough job of jail breaking that Dillinger did with his little pistol; so thorough that he locked up a total of 33 persons and left them stewing behind bars, the Tribune reported. Outsiders had to go into the jail and release the dozen or so locked in guards, who begged from the jail windows for help. Advertisement Advertisement Vintage Chicago Tribune: John Dillingers final days and the Lady in red who helped trap him Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 80 degrees (1974) Low temperature: Minus 6 degrees (1873) Precipitation: 1.21 inches (1966) Snowfall: 3.9 inches (1960) 1961: Chester Weger was convicted on his 22nd birthday of killing Lillian Oetting, 50, at Starved Rock State Park in Utica. The bodies of Oetting and friends Mildred Lindquist, 50, and Frances Murphy, 47, of Riverside were found on March 16, 1960, in a cave at the state park. They were bound, partially nude and bludgeoned to death, each having injuries consistent with suffering more than 100 blows. Advertisement Advertisement Timeline: The March 1960 Starved Rock murders and convicted killer Chester Wegers release from prison The jury made up of seven women and five men fixed Wegers punishment at life imprisonment. Two jurors become dismayed upon learning that Weger could be eligible for parole in 20 years. As he was led out of court, two sheriffs deputies reported hearing Weger say, Youll never hold me. Weger was granted parole on his 24th try, in a 9-4 vote in November 2019. He was released from Pinckneyville Correctional Center in February 2020 and died of cancer in Kansas City in June 2025. 1991: A three-person crew was killed when their U.S. Navy T-39 Sabreliner transport plane crashed into a residential area along Dewes Street on approach to Glenview Naval Air Station. No one on the ground was injured. Advertisement Advertisement 1995: U.S. Supreme Court Judge John Paul Stevens refused an emergency appeal by paint manufacturers and retailers to order a stay of enforcement of the 1992 Chicago ordinance that banned the sale and possession of spray paint. 2020: A jury awarded $5.2 million to Stanley Wrice, who spent more than three decades in prison for a Sept. 9, 1982, gang rape after being tortured into a confession by the midnight crew of cops under former police Cmdr. Jon Burge. Want more vintage Chicago? Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicagos past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com This story will be updated throughout the day on March 3. Check for even more election coverage at citizen-times.com. Voters in Western North Carolina have the chance to vote on who will be the candidates on their midterm ballots today, March 3. Polls opened in Asheville and communities across the North Carolina mountains at 6:30 a.m. They close at 7:30 p.m. While it isn't a presidential election in 2026, there are still multiple key seats up for grabs in the state and locally for the midterms, with multiple Republican and Democrat candidates vying for spots on the ticket in November. Advertisement Advertisement The Citizen-Times and USA TODAY will be bringing you live coverage throughout the day about the latest races and what is happening at the polls. Lonnie Israel wins Buncombe Commission, District 2 primary election ASHEVILLE - Lonnie Israel clinched victory in the Democratic primary for Buncombe County Commission's second district, according to unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. He received 5,697 votes, or 57.7%. His opponent, Terry Threadwell, got 4,171 votes, or 42.3%. More: Lonnie Israel wins Buncombe Commission, District 2 primary election -- Sarah Honosky Martin Moore makes history as Buncombe County's next District Attorney ASHEVILLE Martin Moore made history during his March 3 win to become Buncombe County's next district attorney, according to unofficial election results. Advertisement Advertisement After receiving 16,156 votes, Moore, a County Commissioner and attorney, will serve as the first ever Black man elected as the county's top prosecutor, as far as his research could find. He got 39.3% of the vote with all precincts reporting, making it a narrow win over Courtney Booth's 36%, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. More: Martin Moore makes history as Buncombe County's next District Attorney -- Ryley Ober City Council primary winners: Ball, Ullman Berthiaume, Jeffrey Burroughs, 3 more ASHEVILLE - Six City Council candidates will move forward from a crowded nonpartisan primary, with Buncombe County Commissioner Drew Ball and incumbent Maggie Ullman Berthiaume leading the way with 16.5% and 16.2% of the vote, respectively, according to unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Advertisement Advertisement Just behind the top vote-getters is River Arts District small business owner Jeffrey Burroughs, with 7%, and former City Council member Keith Young, with 6.5%. Also in the running is Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley and Sheneika Smith, both incumbents. More: Asheville City Council primary results: Who are the top vote-getters? -- Sarah Honosky Chuck Edwards claims victory in NC's 11th congressional district race HENDERSONVILLE U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards has declared victory in the Republican primary for North Carolinas 11th Congressional District. I will happily accept the nomination from North Carolinas 11th Congressional Republicans, Edwards said in a speech made virtually to a watch party at the Hedrick Rhodes Veterans Center in Hendersonville. Advertisement Advertisement With over 45% of precincts reporting, Edwards was in the lead with more than 70% of the vote with 6,542 votes to just under 30% going to challenger Adam Smith, with 2,843 votes. More: Chuck Edwards declares victory in NC-11 Republican primary -- George Fabe Russell Who unofficially won US Senate Democrat, Republican primary races? Former Gov. Roy Cooper appears headed for a November matchup with former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley for North Carolina's Senate seat. Cooper has snagged the Democratic nomination for the pivotal swing state's Senate seat, according to CNN and NBC News. Cooper was the North Carolina governor from 2017 to 2025, and he previously served in the states legislature and as North Carolinas attorney general. Advertisement Advertisement Polling had placed both Cooper and Whatley far ahead of their competitors in the weeks leading up to the March 3 primary election. The pair will duke it out for the Senate seat in November. Even before Tillis' decision to stand down in 2026, the North Carolina seat was already a top target for Senate Democrats as they aim to flip control of the upper chamber. As was largely expected, Whatley has secured his party's nomination on the Republican ticket, according to CNN and NBC News. Whatley, also a former North Carolina GOP Chair, was backed by an endorsement by President Donald Trump. The Senate seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, but he decided not to run for reelection last year. Thillis was a key Republican holdout on Trump's sweeping 2025 tax bill and caught blowback for his break with the party on the legislation. -- Kathryn Palmer/USA Today Advertisement Advertisement More: Who unofficially won US Senate Democrat, Republican primary races? Ager leads early in WNC Democratic primary. Hudspeth trails HENDERSONVILLE - In early, unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Hickory Nut Gap Farms CEO and co-founder Jamie Ager leads four others in the Democratic primary in the race for North Carolinas 11th Congressional District. More: Ager leads early in WNC Democratic primary. Hudspeth trails -- Will Hofmann Polls have closed in North Carolina. Check the Citizen Times for results Voted for Cooper for U.S. Senate: Maybe he has a chance Hendersonville -- Linda Ekman, 73, a retired physician, went to vote at Hendersonville High School with her daughter Dominique Ekman, 34, a nanny, and granddaughter, Adira Ekman, 3. Linda Ekman said she wanted to vote for anyone who would push back against the Trump administration and immigration crackdowns. She plans to vote for Democrat Roy Cooper for U.S. Senate. Advertisement Advertisement If he could be elected governor in the state, then maybe he has a chance of being elected to the Senate, she said. Dominique Ekman, 34, went to vote with her daughter, Adira Ekman, 3, and mother Linda Ekman, not pictured, at Hendersonville High School. She said she was frustrated with the small number of Democrats on the ballot compared to the many more options for Republicans. I have Latino family, I have LGBTQ family, I have a young daughter I think that equality and safety for everyone is extremely important, Dominique Ekman told the Times-News. There arent as many options for local candidates on the Democratic side as there are for Republicans in Henderson County, Linda Ekman said. We dont have many choices because were Democrats, we can only vote for three things, she said. Those would be U.S. House, U.S. Senate and N.C. Court of Appeals. (Its) just really frustrating that we supposedly have this free system, but its so boxed into the two-party system that we dont get a full free choice of who we would actually like to be in office, Dominque Ekman said. Advertisement Advertisement -- George Fabe Russell Republican yet undecided: Whos going to be the best one for the job? Hendersonville -- Vicky Maqueira, 41, moved to Hendersonville a little over a year ago from Charlotte and before that Miami, Florida. I love this town and I love what theyre doing to make it better beautifying it and bringing tourism here, she said. A local and county government that can deliver a high quality of life tops her list of priorities, she said. Though she described herself as a Republican, she has voted for Democrats. Its always whos going to be the best one for the job? she said. -- George Fabe Russell It's 7 p.m. When do polls close? Where can you vote? Polls for the primary elections will close at 7:30 p.m. If you are in line by 7:30 p.m. you will be able to vote. Advertisement Advertisement Buncombe County Board of Elections Director Corinne Duncan said they have heard reports of people showing up at convenient locations or early voting sites and reminded people that on Election Day, people must vote at their assigned precinct. Find your assigned polling place with the voter search tool at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. Voted for Keith Young for City Council: 'He has values I stand for' SHILOH - Outside the Friendship Community Center, Denisia Harper drove to the polls to make her voice heard amid all of the stuff going on in this country. I dont agree with the current administration right now and all the things that theyre doing. So yeah, Im here to make my voice heard, Harper said. In the Asheville City Council race, she was planning to cast one of her three votes for Keith Young, whom she said earned her vote with his values and what he stands for. She also noted the programs Young had led, which include helping design Ashevilles reparations programs. In Asheville, recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, housing and homelessness were Harper's top issues. A lot of people are trying to get back on track from Hurricane Helene, Harper said. People are struggling with groceries, everything, she said. -- Will Hofmann How many people cast primary ballots so far today? ASHEVILLE - In an early evening update, Buncombe County Elections Director Corinne Duncan said as of 4 p.m., 15,125 voters had turned out at the countys 80 polling locations. There are more than 200,000 registered voters in the county. Tempie Avery Montford Community Center is still leading turnout with 377 people, followed by Hall Fletcher elementary with 350 voters. At this time during the 2024 primary, the county had 20,767 voters, so this is a bit of a slowdown, Duncan said. Polls close at 7:30 p.m. If you are in line by then, you will have the chance to vote. Duncan said they have heard reports of people showing up at convenient locations or early voting sites and reminded people that on Election Day, people must vote at their assigned precinct. Find your assigned polling place with the voter search tool at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. Campaign signs stand outside the Roy E. Baldwin Gymnasium polling location at T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville on March 3, 2026, during North Carolinas primary election. More: 20 Asheville council candidates vie for only 3 seats; Who are they? Votes for Richard Hudspeth for US House: 'he's more progressive' SHILOH - Looking for candidates who would move things a little more progressive, Dean Potter had already researched and filled out a sample ballot for the election. He had cast his vote for Richard Hudspeth in the Democratic primary for North Carolinas 11th Congressional District. Richard is definitely the more progressive, Potter said. He weighed the former health care CEO against local farmer Jamie Ager, who he said would obviously have my vote in the general if Ager who has the support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee prevails in the March 3 primary. Ager is the founder and owner of Hickory Nut Gap Farms. -- Will Hofmann Frustrations with immigration enforcement, Gaza war led to Roy Cooper vote SHILOH - Holding a colorful plastic dump truck and her sons hand, Caroline Kerchner made the trip to vote in the March 3 primary into an afternoon family outing. Everything from the war in Palestine and Gaza, overseas bombings in Iran and frustration with immigration enforcement operations was on her mind as she made her way to the polls, Kerchner said. Her son, Cove, wore a red baseball cap, striped T-shirt, sweatpants and an I Voted sticker as the pair walked out of the Friendship Community Center. (No, Cove didn't actually vote). Its all just whittling a lot of us down day-to-day and anything I can do to come out and have my voice be heard seems more important than ever, Kerchner said. She voted for Democrat Roy Cooper for U.S. Senate and said Jamie Ager and Richard Hudspeth are, she felt, strong candidates for North Carolinas 11th Congressional District. There were a lot of people that seemed like great candidates, Kerchner said. A future voter, Cove was enamored by a nearby Bobcat excavator. -- Will Hofmann Who should you vote for? See candidate coverage Choosing candidates 'by the way they treat people' WEST ASHEVILLE - CJ Green, 33, an art teacher from West Asheville, said he showed out to vote March 3 because he cant teach people to be better if he doesnt show up himself. Talking to the Citizen Times outside the West Asheville Public Library, Green said hes also aware that the system fails certain people. He spoke about his uncle, who he said served 25 years on a wrongful conviction and can no longer vote. Green said he feels advocacy too often falls into one action, but meaningful advocacy comes through consistency. Sometimes elections can feel like a popularity contest, but Green said he listened to how the candidates treat people and allowed that to drive his decisions at the polls. -- Ryley Ober Voting for Roy Cooper for US Senate so Democrats 'get control back' Stephanie Willhelm, 64, a retired court reporter, stands outside the West Asheville Public Library after proudly casting a vote for former Gov. Roy Cooper in the U.S. Senate primary. WEST ASHEVILLE - Stephanie Willhelm, 64, highlighted the importance of local elections. Its important to keep in mind all these people impact your daily life, Willhelm told the Citizen Times outside the West Asheville Library. A retired court reporter, Willhelm said shed like to see a more pedestrian-friendly city, more affordable housing and for Democrats to get control back. Thats partly why she placed her vote for former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Things are so out of control. Theres no checks and balances anymore, Willhelm said. -- Ryley Ober Voting for Roy Cooper for Senate, James Mills for District Court judge Wandering into the library with a book in hand, Sam Pike, 38, said he voted with the hope that voters can flip some Republican-held seats. Pike called North Carolinas new congressional map demoralizing. The map was adopted in October and criticized for gerrymandering, with Republican control of 10 out of the 14 congressional seats. The new map provides the party with a further seat. It makes the extremes more unpalatable with less resources to do anything about it, Pike said. Sam Pike, 38, of West Asheville, said he voted at the West Asheville Public Library March 3 will the hope that voters will flip some Republican-held seats amid what he called "demoralizing gerrymandering." Pike, who is self-employed in the production industry, said he voted for Cooper because hes done well for the state at a time when it is hard for a Democrat to be elected. Pike also casted his for Asheville attorney James Mills to become the countys next District Court judge because he had a lot more experience and credibility. Jamie Ager 'cares that people are fed' ASHEVILLE - At the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, Suzi Israel, 60, was excited to cast her ballot for North Carolina Court of Appeals candidate James Whalen, district attorney candidate Martin Moore and Jamie Ager, a Democrat running for Rep. Chuck Edwards seat. I know that they will work for the betterment of the community, she said. Israel, who manages a mutual aid nonprofit, said that Ager, as a farmer, has an important interest in making sure the community is taken care of and people are fed. Ager is founder and owner of Hickory Nut Gap Farms. She was also supporting Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley and River Arts District business owner Jeffrey Burroughs for City Council. Suzi Israel, 60, came out to vote March 3, 2026 at the Dr. Wesley Grant Senior Southside Community Center. Israel said Mosley has a history of taking care of the community and Burroughs has worked since Helene to get people up, back to their normal lives. I wouldnt miss voting, basically. I just dont do it. Im always here to vote because thats how we make sure everybody has equal rights and the things that they need, she said. -- Sarah Honosky Primary election: Voting for Rudd Orr MILLS RIVER - Real estate agent Bryan Ross, 51, told the Times-News as he came out of the polls at Mills River Elementary School he wished there were more candidate options. We rarely vote for people, we just vote against the bigger evil, because the two-party system doesnt lend itself to his politics, which he said was for personal liberties and small government. But this year is different. Ross is pinning his hopes on a young newcomer for Henderson County Board of Commissioners, candidate Rudd Orr, whos running against former County Manager Steve Wyatt on the Republican ticket. Weve never put a sign in our yard, ever, until this year Im hoping Rudds different than other candidates in the past, he said. Tammy, left, and Bryan Ross, of Mills River said they're "hyper-local" voters focused on county-level candidates. They put out a yard sign for the first time this year, for Republican Board of Commissioners candidate Rudd Orr. Im very hopeful (about Orrs prospects), Ross wife Tammy Ross, 45, said. Hes spoken a lot about taking care of the county and standing for the farmers and for property rights and not necessarily growing the city and town as big as possible, she said. -- George Fabe Russell 'We have enough breweries' Celeste Wirtz of Mills River said she hopes for less development in the county and lower taxes as she went to vote in the Republican primary. "A lot of people dont think local offices are important but they are, she said. MILLS RIVER - Celeste Wirtz, 77, a retired medical social worker, said she was voting in the Republican primary, with County Commission and U.S. Senate top of mind. I think its important to vote in all elections (including primaries) A lot of people dont think local offices are important, but they are, she said. I would hope that we would have less government, not big government, and more conservative values, and that they would, for the county, not raise our taxes over things that are cosmetic, she said. Widespread development in the county is a top issue for her locally. I think we have enough breweries. Id hate for our area to be known for breweries. Theyre going to have to be more judicious about how theyre developing the land and deciding what the taxes are going to be, she said. -- George Fabe Russell Voting for Roy Cooper: 'As a woman, my body, my choice' MILLS RIVER - Madison Rousseau, 28, a Mills River realtor, said she planned to vote for Roy Cooper as she walked up to the polls at Mills River Elementary School. As a woman, my body and my choice are important to me, so I want to make sure thats reflected in my vote, she said. Most of the Henderson County local primary races are on the Republican ballot, so the congressional races are top of mind. In the General Election Ill be able to do my local voting, she said. The precinct leans Republican but I want to make sure Im represented as well, she said. -- George Fabe Russell Madison Rousseau, 28, of Mills River said she's voting for Roy Cooper for U.S. Senate in the primary March 3. Most local candidates are only on the Republican ballot but she'll get a chance to vote on local races in November, she said. Getting NC 'back blue again' SHILOH - Outside Friendship Community Center, Jessica Johnson, 32, called the 2026 primary a pretty important election in her hopes of trying to get North Carolina back blue again. She was particularly excited to vote for former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. A Democrat has not won a North Carolina Senate seat since 2008. Johnson is registered unaffiliated but voted in the Democratic primary, she said. Jessica Johnson In the 20-candidate City Council race, Johnson voted for candidates Antanette Mosley and Shaunda Jackson, stressing that her top issues were recovery from Tropical Storm Helene and affordability. I feel like the middle class is kind of being pushed out, Johnson told the Citizen Times. -- Will Hofmann Primary election favorite: Shaunda Jackson SHILOH - When asked what motivated him to come out and vote, Recardo Howard, 47, had a quick answer: City Council candidate Shaunda Jackson. I know she can make a difference, Howard told the Citizen Times while standing outside Friendship Community Center. Howard is the Athletic Director for My Daddy Taught Me That, a Black-led nonprofit that supports young men through advocacy, mentoring and educational programs. Recardo Howard Howard grew up with and trusts Jackson, he said. He believes that recovery from Helene is the key issue in this years City Council election. While he had originally arrived at the community center to vote mid-afternoon March 3, he was on his way to the Faith Tabernacle Christian Center, which is the designated location for another precinct in Shiloh. We need to come together like we did during Helene, Howard said. -- Will Hofmann 'Its very, very important to vote' Laurie Ryan, 77, at the Tempie Avery Montford Center March 3, 2026. Laurie Ryan, 77, said she came out because its very, very important to vote. Shes lived in Asheville for six years and is a retired speech and language therapist. The world needs some more democrats with some good minds and some logic and its just very important to show what you care about, she said. Voters hoping for new faces in political rolls after 2026 midterms Javelin Duncan, 50, at the Tempie Avery Montford Center March 3, 2026. Javelin Duncan, 50, an Asheville native, said she was coming out to vote to support Courtney Booth for district attorney, as well as City Council candidates including Keith Young, Shaunda Jackson and Nina Ireland. We need new faces. We need people thats really going to get the job done and people thats going to stand up to their word, she said. First-time voters hit Asheville polls in 2026 primary Sacia Spoerer, 18, and Ward Griffin, 18, at the Tempie Avery Montford Center March 3, 2026. Sacia Spoerer, an 18-year-old Asheville native, is a first-time voter. I definitely think that this is an election that is really important to me, its very local, Spoerer said. She felt it was especially important for youth to get out and vote. She was excited about district attorney candidate Courtney Booth, who, Spoerer said, based on her research, seemed like a people person and someone who is ready to serve for us. With her was Ward Griffin, 18, who said he is a big fan of Jeffrey Burroughs, who is running for Asheville City Council amid a crowded 20-person field. After leaving Montford, Griffin planned to cast his ballot at Claxton Elementary School on Merrimon Avenue. I really like what (Burroughs) has done for the city, especially the River Arts District, Griffin said, adding Burroughs played a critical role in Helene recovery. Were young and we havent really experienced anything like that, we arent supposed to experience anything like that here in the mountains, and Im just really happy with what (Burroughs) did, Griffin said. Fletcher voters sound off about choices at the polls for 2026 North Carolina primary Chase Boone, 39, voted in the Democratic primary March 3, 2026, at Fletcher Town Hall. "I'm looking to see if we can give (U.S. Rep.) Chuck Edwards a good run for his money," he told the Times-News after voting for Jamie Ager. Chase Boone, 39, an account manager from Fletcher, came out to the polls to vote for Jamie Ager in the primary, he said. He was unhappy with U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards response to Tropical Storm Helene and the way that he and other Republicans had attacked FEMA, he said, adding that hes feeling hopeful. I think if he can get nominated, he absolutely can give Chuck Edwards a run for his money, he said. Sharry Rodriguez, 74, came out to Fletcher Town Hall March 3, 2026, to vote for Roy Cooper in the Democratic primary. She said she hopes he will push back against the Trump administration and restore checks and balances in Washington. Sharry Rodriguez, 74, a retired social worker, said she had turned out to vote for Roy Cooper. She hopes Cooper will rein in the Trump administration, restore checks and balances to Washington and mend relationships with allies abroad. Shes also strongly opposed to immigration crackdowns and expressed pride that her granddaughter had led a walkout at her high school to protest ICE operations. Im very worried about our country, she said. Trevor Satterfield, 47, an independent voter, said he chose the Democratic ticket because he wanted to protect the constitution. "Not every white Christian is for Trump," he said outside Fletcher Town Hall. Trevor Satterfield, 47, a graphic designer, said he feels the Republican establishment isnt doing right by the Constitution. We have to start a regime change, and it starts in your hometown, he said. An independent voter, he chose the Democratic ticket. If a good Republican comes along with some of my values and my interests, Ill give them my vote, but cost of living, quality of public schooling and moral values were priorities that led him to vote for Roy Cooper, he said. Not every white Christian is for Donald Trump, he said. Black Mountain resident sees voting as 'patriotic duty' Things were moving slowly at the Black Mountain Primary School in the late morning. Just before noon, a poll worker said 32 people had voted today.Black Mountain resident Susan Clements, 67, said she was a Democrat all the way.I wanted to vote to do my patriotic duty and Im voting to find and try to bring us back to a much more constitutional level and be able to live free and people of all races, creeds and color can walk the streets freely without having to worry about all the things going on, Clements said. I hope and pray that we can do something to curtail our president. -Karrigan Monk Early numbers out for votes cast in NC primary 2026 in Asheville, Buncombe County In an 11 a.m. update, Buncombe County Elections Director Corinne Duncan said 3,656 voters had been to the polls the morning of March 3. The Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, Hall Fletcher School Gymnasium and Murphy-Oakley Community Center precincts saw the most foot traffic of the 80 polling sites. Montfords community center has seen more than 100 people cast their ballots. More numbers will be released around 3 p.m. Early voting saw a record turnout with more than 30,000 voters. Slow start to 2026 NC primary in Asheville While Buncombe County saw record numbers turn up for early voting, there wasn't much of an early crowd, even several hours after polls officially opened in Western North Carolina on March 3. Around 8:30 a.m., poll workers and the Wesley Grant Southside Center had only about a dozen or so voters come through the doors to cast ballots. On the other side of U.S. 240, at the Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, there was a bit more foot traffic, and several voters could be seen heading to cast their ballots. Live coverage of the North Carolina primary 2026 Keep up with the latest national coverage of the North Carolina, Texas and Arkansas primary elections today, March 3, below or via USA TODAY's YouTube channel. When are midterm elections 2026? Midterm elections in North Carolina and across the U.S. is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Do I need an ID to vote in today's primary in North Carolina? A voter arrives to cast her ballot at the Tempie Avery Montford Center polling location in Ashevilleon March 3, 2026. Yes, but if you don't have one, you can still vote on a provisional ballot, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. North Carolina's voter ID laws have some leeway to them as well. If you do not have a photo ID on you when voting, there are two things you can do: Vote with a provisional ballot and then return to your county board of elections office with a photo ID by noon on the third business day after the election Ask for and complete an ID exception form and then vote with a provisional ballot When do polls open today, March 3? Poll workers staff check-in stations inside the Tempie Avery Montford Center polling site in Asheville on Election Day, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. on March 3 and close at 7:30 p.m. Anyone still in line at their polling site at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Who is on my ballot 2026? What are we voting for today, March 3? Among the Asheville, Buncombe County races, is also what some are anticipating to be among the most watched U.S. Senate races in the country, as well as city and county seats, the North Carolina General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives' District 11, where Rep. Chuck Edwards is vying to keep his seat. If you are looking for a sample ballot for the primary on Tuesday, March 3, you can find it while checking your voter registration status at ncsbe.org. Take a look at our latest voter guide for the March 3 primary here. Find out more about what you need to bring to the polls here. Where do I vote? Find your polling site You can find your polling site via the North Carolina State Board of Elections website's voter search portal at ncsbe.org. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Western NC 2026 primary election live coverage today, March 3 By Brad Brooks March 2 (Reuters) - A Minnesota prosecutor said on Monday that her office is investigating the "potentially unlawful behavior" of federal agents during Operation Metro Surge, a crackdown earlier this year on undocumented immigrants that met widespread community resistance and in which agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking nationwide outrage. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, whose jurisdiction includes Minneapolis, said at a press conference that her office had created a portal that would allow the public to send in videos and other evidence of incidents they witnessed in which they think Gregory Bovino, who once called himself the "commander at large" of the U.S. Border Patrol, and other federal agents committed a crime. Advertisement Advertisement "We will investigate and pursue charging where appropriate, and well seek collaboration with local law enforcement wherever and whenever needed," Moriarty said. "Make no mistake, we are not afraid of any legal fight." While acknowledging the difficulty of successfully prosecuting federal agents, who enjoy strong legal protections against being charged for their actions, Moriarty added: "There is no absolute immunity for federal agents." The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Border Patrol and ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moriarty said the federal government had not provided any information to her office. Advertisement Advertisement Moriarty's office earlier had established similar portals to collect evidence from the public about the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by federal agents. She said that investigations into their deaths are ongoing. The immigration enforcement surge began in early December. After the shootings of Good and Pretti, President Donald Trump's Border czar, Tom Homan, took over the operation in late January from Bovino, who has drawn heavy criticism from Democrats and civil liberties proponents for his handling of crackdowns in Minnesota and elsewhere in the United States. In January the Atlantic, citing a Homeland Security official and two people with knowledge of the change, reported that Bovino had been removed from his roving role and was to return to his former job as a Border Patrol sector chief in El Centro, California. Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security has responded to requests for comment on Bovino's current role. Homan held talks with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and set a less confrontational tone. In February, Homan announced that he was sending home thousands of agents, though he said immigration enforcement would continue. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; Editing by Donna Bryson and Matthew Lewis) Facing a real chance of defeat in the April parliamentary elections, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban cant stop talking about President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine. Just in the past few weeks, the Hungarian strongman called the war-torn country an "enemy" and accused its leadership of blackmail, deception, and election interference. Orban even deployed troops to defend Hungary's energy infrastructure against a claimed Ukrainian threat. Advertisement Advertisement Hungary's leader is "desperately losing" his pre-election fight, Pavel Havlicek, a research fellow at the Association for International Affairs in Prague, told the Kyiv Independent. To avert defeat, he is "picking external fights," seeking to mobilize Hungarian voters against Ukraine while also pointing the finger at the domestic political opposition, the expert says. Orban's latest spat with Kyiv centers on the suspension of operations on the Druzhba pipeline, a key route that delivers Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via Ukrainian territory. While Ukraine said that the pipeline requires lengthy repairs due to a Russian attack in late January, Bratislava and Budapest accused Kyiv of deliberately holding up the supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Orban responded by blocking the next round of EU sanctions and a 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan to Kyiv, while demanding a joint Hungarian-Slovak inspection and intervention by the European Commission. Soon after, Orban made a call to Moscow, the first time in months. Hungary's tight race In power since 2010, Hungary's illiberal, Kremlin-friendly leader is facing one of his toughest challenges yet. Peter Magyar's opposition Tisza party is polling around 45-50%, with Orban's Fidesz party oscillating around 40%. To close the gap, Orban and pro-government media have accused the opposition of colluding with Ukraine and the EU in an effort to drag Hungary into war. Peter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, delivers his annual state of the nation speech in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 15, 2026. (Janos Kummer / Getty Images) "We also see that you, Brussels, and the Hungarian opposition are coordinating efforts to bring a pro-Ukraine government to power in Hungary," Orban said in an open letter to President Volodymyr Zelensky published on Feb. 26. Advertisement Advertisement Magyar, a 44-year-old former Fidesz insider, is seeking to avoid giving Orban extra ammunition. While backing humanitarian support for Ukraine and denouncing Russian aggression, the opposition leader spoke against sending Hungarian arms or fast-tracking Kyiv's EU membership. Most recently, Magyar weighed in on the Druzhba dispute by suggesting that he and Orban personally inspect the pipeline together. "If (Orban) possesses credible information about a real threat, he should stop spreading incitement and panic," and instead brief Magyar and NATO partners on the situation, the opposition leader said on X. Advertisement Advertisement Andras Racz, a foreign policy expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, says that while Magyar has been cautious on Ukraine, his broader message is clear: Hungary aims to return to being a reliable, constructive EU partner ending the era of Orban's vetoes. Read also: What an Iran oil spike would mean for Russia Orban's 'desperate' fight Despite right-wing populism being on the rise elsewhere in Europe and the U.S., Orban's popularity has been sliding amid corruption scandals and economic stagnation. The prime minister "is politically desperate, and because of this desperation, he is prepared for further escalation, which Ukraine and the EU should avoid," Daniel Hegedus, deputy director at the Institute for European Politics (IEP), told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement To defuse Orban's narrative, Kyiv should accelerate repairs and ask Hungary to contribute to restoring the pipeline, the expert suggests. "The EU and Ukraine must be aware that their relationship with the Orban regime has entered an endgame phase," he added. Nevertheless, after 16 years in power, Fidesz has ensured that the election scales will be tipped in its favor by creating a lopsided electoral playing field and by consolidating a vast media empire. Hegedus has not ruled out that Fidesz could employ other underhanded methods including rigging "election-day processes to an extent that significantly influences the results, while simultaneously accusing Ukraine, the EU, and Tisza of interference and electoral fraud." What about Slovakia? Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico joined Orban's blockade of the EU's 20th Russia sanctions package and declared a halt to emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, a step even Hungary has not taken. Advertisement Advertisement While Slovakia's next election is expected only in the fall of 2027, some observers also see Fico's moves through the lens of domestic politics. Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (L) during a bilateral meeting in Beijing, China, on Sept. 2, 2025. (Contributor / Getty Images) Daniel Sitera, a researcher at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, argues that the disruptions highlight the shortcomings of Fico's strategy of relying on both inexpensive Russian gas and Hungary's energy giant MOL, which owns Slovakia's Slovnaft refinery. "As a result, Fico must now explain to the Slovak public the failure of Slovakia's dual dependence on both Russia and Orban's regime, which risks translating into higher energy costs," Sitera told the Kyiv Independent. Grigorij Meseznikov, the president of the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) think tank in Bratislava, says that by actively engaging Kyiv, Fico hopes to position himself as the one who "saved the Slovak economy" once the supplies resume. Advertisement Advertisement Although the Slovak prime minister has long relied on anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, Meseznikov argues that it has not been his primary mobilization tool, nor has it delivered significant political dividends. After a phone call with Orban and Zelensky last week, Fico backed a joint Hungarian-Slovak inspection of the pipeline, with EU involvement. He claimed Zelensky had rejected requests from Bratislava and Brussels for such an inspection, citing the position of Ukrainian intelligence. President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2026. (Henry Nicholls / AFP via Getty Images) Kyiv has not publicly commented on the proposed inspection, instead inviting Fico for talks in Ukraine either on March 6 or 9, an offer the Slovak leader accepted. The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: What to do if you spot an Iranian Shahed drone What comes next? After Hungary released satellite images purporting to show the Druzhba pipeline operational, Zelensky countered that the damaged equipment including an underground pipe cannot be detected from space. Serhii Koretskyi, CEO of the Naftogaz energy company, told Bloomberg the targeted facility burned for 10 days, causing serious damage. A full assessment should be ready soon, he added. The timeline for resuming supplies remains unclear, and a Naftogaz spokesperson referred to Koretskyi's statement when approached by the Kyiv Independent. Oil transportation pipes, cracking towers and storage tanks stand at the Duna oil refinery in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, on May 24, 2022. The refinery, operated by MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas Plc, is one of the largest in Central Europe and receives oil via the Friendship (Druzhba) pipeline. (Janos Kummer / Getty Images)+1 Given that the Druzhba pipeline accounts for roughly 8692% of Hungary's crude oil imports and almost the entirety of Slovakia's supply, alternatives are being pursued. Advertisement Advertisement A Ukrainian oil route running from Odesa is a "theoretical alternative," but it passes through the same damaged hub in Brody in western Ukraine, says Andrej Nosko, a Central European energy policy and security expert at Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica. Nosko named Croatia's Adria pipeline, running from the Adriatic Sea, as the "sole realistic alternative to Druzhba for MOL's refineries in Szazhalombatta in Hungary and Bratislava in Slovakia." But while Zagreb claimed the pipeline could meet both Slovakia's and Hungary's needs, Budapest alleges that Adria's capacity is insufficient and that its use is too costly. "The reality is that without independent verification we cannot tell who is right," Nosko says, adding that "the current incentive structure dictates for MOL to continue relying on Russian imported oil for as long as possible." Oleksiy Sorokin contributed reporting. Note from the author: Hi, this is Martin Fornusek. I hope you enjoyed this article. In our team, we believe fact-based and truthful reporting should be available to all that's why we don't use any paywall. If you'd like to help us provide you with more in-depth coverage of Ukraine's struggle against Russian aggression, European politics, and other topics, please consider joining the Kyiv Independent community. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A federal discrimination case against Kansas State University will move forward but only in part. On Feb. 25, Daniel Crabtree, a U.S. district judge in Kansas, accepted KSU's motion to dismiss a part of a lawsuit filed against the institution. KSU's media team declined to comment. "We do not comment on pending litigation but appreciate you reaching out about this," said Michelle Geering, KSU news and communications director. Advertisement Advertisement Harlan Weaver was assigned female at birth but identifies as male. He was hired as an associate professor within the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Department in August 2015, according to court documents and his personal LinkedIn. He filed his gender discrimination and retaliation suit against K-State on April 28, 2025. Part of a federal lawsuit against Kansas State University will move forward. Why did a transgender professor sue Kansas State University? In March 2022, Weaver underwent a hysterectomy, which is a surgery to remove a uterus. This procedure requires a post-surgery recovery period of six to eight weeks. He claims in his suit that he was forced to come back to work two weeks into his recovery. The initial lawsuit filing outlines various claims over a year and a half period that included being publicly scolded in a department meeting for filing a complaint with the Office of Institutional Equity and allegedly being denied the opportunity to apply for full professorship by having information withheld from him. He also claims he was removed from the Queer Studies Committee without his consent or input, received differential treatment and faced a hostile work environment. Which parts of Harlan Weaver's lawsuit against K-State were dismissed? Weaver's lawsuit included gender discrimination and retaliation, which both will move forward in part. Advertisement Advertisement The court ruled against Weaver by stating claims made outside the 300-day filing window wouldn't proceed as those claims were not addressed in a "timely" manner. Also, claims of retaliation via a complaint made against him and that the university allegedly failed to properly investigate his complaints won't move forward. The rest of his lawsuit will move forward. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Transgender professor's K-State discrimination lawsuit moves forward The airline and tourism industries are scrambling to deal with the fallout from the escalating US and Israeli air war against Iran, while governments have rushed to bring stranded travellers home from the Middle East following the cancellation of more than 20,000 flights over a handful of days. Major Gulf hubs, including Dubai, the worlds busiest international airport, remained closed or severely restricted for a fourth day on Tuesday, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded. According to Flightradar24, some 21,300 flights have been cancelled at seven major airports, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, since the strikes started. The attacks have upended travel across a growing region that hosts several thriving business hubs and is trying to diversify away from oil-dominated economies. The turmoil also narrows an already slim flight corridor for long-haul flights between Europe and Asia, complicating operations for global air carriers. Advertisement Advertisement Gulf airlines Emirates, flydubai and Etihad have been operating a limited number of flights since Monday, mostly to repatriate stranded passengers, who have rushed to secure seats. Its pretty well the biggest shutdown weve seen certainly since the COVID pandemic, said Paul Charles, CEO of luxury travel consultancy PC Agency, adding that beyond passenger disruption, the cargo impact would run to billions of dollars. Depart now The United Arab Emirates said 60 flights had taken off, operating in dedicated emergency air corridors. The next phase will be operating more than 80 flights. The US Department of State, meanwhile, has urged all Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the region, while other nations have scrambled to arrange repatriation flights for their citizens even as explosions tore through Tehran and Beirut. Advertisement Advertisement But with airspaces closed or restricted across the Gulf, many were not sure what to do. They say, Get out, but how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed? said Odies Turner, a 32-year-old chef from Dallas stuck in Doha, Qatar. They just have been cancelling every flight. I want to go home. US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar posted on X on Monday that Americans in Iran and Israel as well as Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territory, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen should DEPART NOW, using any available commercial transportation. Advertisement Advertisement The US is securing military and charter flights to evacuate Americans from the Middle East, a State Department official said on X on Tuesday, adding that it was in contact with nearly 3,000 US citizens. The department was under fire from US lawmakers who said the Trump administration should have advised people to leave before the attacks started. Demand for alternatives to Gulf airlines has surged, with bookings and ticket prices jumping on routes like Hong Kong-London, Reuters checks showed on Tuesday. Should the conflict linger, it could cost the Middle East billions in tourism dollars, analysts estimate. We cant get home, we cant go back to work, we cant get the kids back to school, said Tatiana Leclerc, a French tourist stuck in Thailand, whose flight had been set to go via the Middle East hubs that are a key link between Asia and Europe. Anita Mendiratta, an international aviation and tourism consultant stuck in Bangkok, said the location of the war would inevitably upend travel and trade. Advertisement Advertisement Effectively, within the Middle East, an eight-hour flying distance covers two-thirds of the world population, she said. When that corridor is blocked, it forces aviation to either move far north, which is going into potentially other conflict airspace, such as Russia, such as Pakistan, or fly south. That puts huge pressure on the airlines. In an early sign of thaw, Virgin Atlantic said on Tuesday that it would resume services as scheduled between Londons Heathrow airport and Dubai or Riyadh. Airline finances under pressure Shares of air carriers worldwide fell on Tuesday, though US shares pared losses in afternoon trading. The operational and financial effect varies significantly among airlines, said Karen Li, JP Morgans head of Asia infrastructure, industrials and transport research. There are important differences across carriers, in terms of hedging strategy, air cargo exposure, and network rerouting capabilities, that will shape the actual impact from the Middle East situation, Li said. Advertisement Advertisement Oil prices have surged amid the widening conflict. Benchmark crude is up roughly 30 percent so far this year, threatening to lift jet fuel costs and squeeze airline profits, as most airlines long ago gave up on hedging their fuel purchase, their secondlargest operating cost behind labour. In its latest annual filing, Delta Air said every 1-cent increase in the price of jet fuel per gallon added about $40m to its yearly fuel bill; a 10 percent increase would add $1bn to Deltas 2026 fuel bill, Third Bridge analyst Peter McNally said. The Trump administration is renewing its appeal against court rulings that deemed several of its executive actions targeting major law firms unconstitutional, just a day after dropping it. The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court in Washington, DC, on March 3 to withdraw its March 2 request to dismiss its appeal, saying it is the department's "prerogative" to change its mind, even if the law firms don't support the move. In a statement to USA TODAY, Perkins Coie, one of the targeted firms, said the executive orders are unconstitutional and it will continue its fight. Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department "offered no explanation to either the parties or the court for its reversal. We remain committed to defending our firm, our people, and our clients," the firm said. The executive orders sparked outrage in much of the legal community, with oversight groups worrying that a wide segment of the legal profession could be bullied into only representing clients and causes approved by the White House. Trumps second term saw aggressive immigration and trade moves, federal downsizing, and assertive foreign interventions in Venezuela and Iran. President Donald Trump has doubled down on an aggressive immigration agenda, emphasizing record-low levels of illegal border crossings and a sweeping expansion of enforcement. In his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump highlighted a ninemonth period in which, he claimed, zero illegal aliens were admitted into the U.S.a statement that fact-checkers noted conflated admission with release on parole, though data does show no parole releases during that period. The administration has also promoted major enforcement gains: significant declines in illegal crossings, a dramatic reduction in interior releases, expanded deportation operations, and tightened border controls, according to a February 2026 White House summary of its immigration actions. More broadly, the administration continues implementing executive actions that restrict entry at the southern border and increase immigration enforcement nationwide, including policies tied to TrumpOs 2025 proclamation invoking federal authority to suspend certain entries. [whitehouse.gov] President Donald Trump has intensified his tariffdriven economic strategy in his second term, expanding duties across global partners while positioning tariffs as a central tool to bolster U.S. industry. Despite broad tariff hikes, the U.S. trade deficit surged in late 2025, reaching a record goods shortfall even as the administration sought to curb imports and revive domestic manufacturinga goal undercut by a decline in factory employment during the same period. President Donald Trump has undertaken an unprecedented downsizing and restructuring of the federal government during his second term, marked by aggressive workforce reductions, major agency overhauls, and expanded executive authority over civil service rules. Federal workforce cuts accelerated sharply in 2025, with estimates showing reductions ranging from 220,000 to more than 300,000 employees through voluntary departure incentives, pressure campaigns, buyouts, and targeted firingsNresulting in the smallest federal workforce share recorded since the 1930s. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created at the start of President Trumps second term to drive sweeping federal workforce reductions. DOGE spearheaded mass buyouts, layoffs, and restructuring across agencies, including the rollout of the Deferred Resignation Program and guidance encouraging the firing of probationary employees. Its initiatives contributed to a net loss of more than 150,000 federal workers early in Trumps second term, with broader governmentwide workforce reductions continuing into 2026. Elon Musk was appointed to lead DOGE and initially served as the public face of Trumps governmentshrinkage agenda. However, his influence declined significantly after he stepped away from the department and entered a public feud with President Trump. Many DOGE staffers left government during this period, and DOGE became associated with controversial actions including the dismantling of USAID and alleged improper access to agency data. Musk originally claimed DOGE would identify $2 trillion in government savings, but the departments website later estimated only $215 billion, a figure analysts say was overstated. President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill, signed July 4, 2025, reshaped federal tax law by extending lower individual tax rates from the 2017 TCJA, increasing standard deductions, and adding new temporary deductions for tips and overtime. The law also phases out cleanenergy incentives and cuts programs like Medicaid and SNAP, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting a $4.1 trillion increase in deficits over 10 years due to the package. President Trump has aligned many social policies with the goals of Project 2025, targeting reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, DEI programs, and genderaffirming care. His administration has signed executive orders eliminating transgender protections, removing DEI offices across federal agencies, and directing schools to deny funding if they allow transgender girls to compete in girls sports. He has also pursued efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict reproductivehealth accessthough not all proposed measures have succeeded. Trump has moved aggressively to remake federal cultural institutions, ordering the removal of what he calls antiAmerican ideology from museums, national parks, and research centers. Actions include restoring Confederate statues, removing slaveryrelated exhibits and NativeAmerican history signage from national parks, and pressuring institutions like the Smithsonian and Kennedy Center while installing political allies onto boards. Civilrights groups warn these moves risk erasing critical historical truths and reversing decades of social progress During his second term, President Donald Trump has systematically dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. Executive orders have eliminated DEI offices and policies, with agencies placing all DEIrelated staff on administrative leave and shutting down DEI programs entirely. His administration also removed DEI departments at major cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art in early 2025. Trump has framed DEI initiatives as antiAmerican ideology, directing agencies and cultural institutions to strip references to DEI, sexual orientation and gender identity from rules, grants, and regulations. These moves reflect a broader cultural agenda aimed at reversing equityfocused policies across education, federal agencies, and the arts sector. On January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump ordered a largescale U.S. military operation in VenezuelaOperation Absolute Resolveresulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. U.S. forces conducted coordinated strikes across northern Venezuela to suppress air defenses before extracting the pair, who were flown to New York to face narcoterrorismrelated charges. The Trump administration framed the action as a lawenforcement mission with military support, asserting inherent presidential authority, while Venezuela and several regional governments condemned it as a violation of sovereignty. In late February and early March 2026, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had begun major combat operations in Iran, launching strikes alongside Israel targeting Iranian leadership, military infrastructure, and missile capabilities. The joint assault targeted highlevel officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, and was framed by Trump as necessary to eliminate imminent threats and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump second term marked by turbulent moves. See photos 1 of 14 Trumps second term saw aggressive immigration and trade moves, federal downsizing, and assertive foreign interventions in Venezuela and Iran. President Donald Trump has doubled down on an aggressive immigration agenda, emphasizing record-low levels of illegal border crossings and a sweeping expansion of enforcement. In his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump highlighted a ninemonth period in which, he claimed, zero illegal aliens were admitted into the U.S.a statement that fact-checkers noted conflated admission with release on parole, though data does show no parole releases during that period. The about-face comes after multiple federal judges concluded the executive orders were unconstitutional. Those orders threatened to terminate federal contracts with several specific law firms and their clients, strip targeted lawyers of security clearances, and restrict lawyer access to federal buildings. The orders targeted several major firms, including Perkins Coie, which represented Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign; Jenner & Block LLP, which previously employed a lawyer who aided Robert Mueller's investigation of pro-Trump Russian election interference; and WilmerHale, which had hired Mueller himself. Advertisement Advertisement Those firms, as well as Susman Godfrey LLP, sued to challenge the Trump administration's actions. But several other firms instead made deals to avoid the administration's wrath. Those deals included promises to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in free legal work to projects supported by both the firms and Trump. US President Donald Trump speaks before signing executive orders in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, DC, on January 30, 2026. The first law firm to reach a deal was Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Several others followed, including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP; and Milbank LLP. In a widely-reported email to his firm on why he made a deal, Brad Karp, who was then chairman of Paul Weiss, said it "was very likely" the firm couldn't survive a protracted fight with the administration. "We initially prepared to challenge the executive order in court," Karp said in the email. "But it became clear that, even if we were successful in initially enjoining the executive order in litigation, it would not solve the fundamental problem, which was that clients perceived our firm as being persona non grata with the administration." (This story has been updated with additional information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump DOJ does about-face in legal fight over orders against law firms In the lead-up to and in the immediate aftermath of launching a war on Iran, President Donald Trumps administration provided a dizzying array of shifting rationales for starting a conflict with dire global implications. But after a few days of public pressure, briefings with members of Congress and countless phone calls between Trump and reporters, a more consistent answer emerged: It was because of Israel. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday after briefing lawmakers at the Capitol. Politics: Trump Claims 'Peace' With Iran Will Come While Threatening Further War Rubios argument is that Israel told the U.S. it was planning to bomb Iran. If they did so, Iran would respond by targeting U.S. troops. Rather than attempt to talk Israel out of launching an attack, Rubio suggested the United States had no chance but to join a war Israel was going to launch. Advertisement Advertisement This rationale has now trickled down to the rest of the wars supporters in the Republican Party. Israel faced an existential risk and they were prepared to strike Iran alone, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told Fox News on Monday. If that happened, Iran was very likely to target our troops. That may address the question of why now. Israel was determined to act in their own defense here, with or without American support, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters on Monday. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walk into Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla., after an arrival greeting. Alex Brandon via Associated Press Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Democrats, in criticizing the decision to start a new war in the Middle East, have also said that the administrations argument is that the war was precipitated by Israels proposed actions to deal with what it viewed as a threat. Advertisement Advertisement There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. It was a threat to Israel, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters on Monday. We equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory. Politics: Democrats Raise Alarms About Trumps War In Iran After Classified Briefing This is still a war of choice that has been acknowledged by others that was dictated by Israels goals and timeline, Warner added. Never one to have his ego bruised, Trump contradicted his own administrations line on Tuesday to claim Israel did not push him to war. Advertisement Advertisement If anything, I mightve forced Israels hand, Trump said. Soon after, Rubio tried to clean up his remarks by telling reporters that the president made a decision, not Israel. When CNNs Manu Raju read back Rubios previous quote, Rubio dodged and moved to answer a question from another reporter. Politics: Can Trump Prevent A Massive Middle East War? But Israel appears to have put forward this threat to launch a preemptive strike as the Trump administration was engaged in diplomatic negotiations with Iranian leadership. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to the White House to meet with Trump on Feb. 11 in order to keep the American president on the path to war, the New York Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu, the fiercest opponent of the nuclear deal that President Barack Obama reached with Iran in 2015 and that Trump tore up in 2017, was opposed to any outcome that could come from diplomatic negotiations. Indeed, the Israeli government had already decided to assassinate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after the deadly Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, according to USA Today. After Israel and the U.S. successfully assassinated Khamenei, Netanyahu bragged that, thanks to Trump, he was finally able to do what I have yearned to do for 40 years: smite the terror regime hip and thigh. In the past, American presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to George H.W. Bush knew that the U.S. and Israel had different strategic objectives and desired strategic outcomes. And they acted on it, refusing to bend to Israels wishes. Trump, however, has hitched his wagon to Israels strategy of remaking the region through sheer force. (His predecessor, Joe Biden, seemed to have made a similar calculation.) Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 3 after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. NEGAR via Getty Images This strategy is not new, although it has come into full bloom as Israel sought to eliminate all potential threats following the Oct. 7 attacks. In 1996, American political figures Richard Perle and Douglas Feith, who went on to lead the U.S. into the Iraq War, led a study group on behalf of Netanyahu to devise a new strategy for Israeli power in the Middle East. The Clean Break memo that emerged from this counseled Israel to assert itself as a regional power by breaking free from the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and launching a campaign to eliminate hostile regimes or actors in Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Much of that plan has come to fruition. Netanyahu fiercely advocated for the Iraq War that deposed its dictator, Saddam Hussein. Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad is gone. Israel assassinated Hezbollahs leader Hassan Nasrallah and crushed its capabilities in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Gaza is in ruins and Israel is threatening to annex the West Bank. What is left is Iran, which Netanyahu called the most dangerous of these regimes in a 1996 speech to Congress that echoed themes in the Clean Break memo. Politics: Israels War On Iran Bears The Echo Of Past American Mistakes Netanyahu was initially rebuffed on his Clean Break plan by President Bill Clinton, who pressured him to reenter negotiations with the Palestinians. But he has since found two sequential U.S. presidents who refused to tell him no in Biden, who provided crucial support for Israels brutal destruction of Gaza, and now Trump. The war will be a gateway to peace, Netanyahu said on Fox News on Monday night. But that is exactly what he said about regime change in Iraq, famously telling Congress the invasion will have enormous positive reverberations on the region. How did that go? Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Donald Trump offered little in the way of an optimistic view of Irans future on Monday during a bilateral meeting with German Chanceller Friedrich Merz at the White House. Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, the president took his first extended Q&A on the military campaign launched by the U.S. on Saturday morning. Those strikes, carred out jointly with the Israeli armed forces, are now confirmed to have killed Irans supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei. In the days following the White House and GOP have faced questions about what this means for both the U.S. and Iran, including whether America is now involved in an extended war in the Middle East and who the Trump administration hopes will take over the Iranian government in the wake of devastating strikes intended to decapitate the regime and its military. Advertisement Advertisement Trump gave no clear answer to the latter question on Monday, explaining that the U.S. and Israeli strikes killed many of the senior officials the U.S. hoped could take over the country. The president then admitted that his military campaign could end up with Iran putting a new leader with even more fervent anti-U.S. views into power. "I guess the worst case is we do this and then somebody takes over who is as bad as the previous person. That could happen, the president admitted on Monday. "Most of the people we had in mind [to lead Iran] are dead, added Trump. Pretty soon we're not going to know anybody. This is a breaking news report. More to follow... You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. A former advisor with Wells Fargo, Raymond James, Steward Partners and UBS will spend three years in prison for a real estate investment scheme that defrauded five clients. According to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, Andrew Joseph Egber pleaded guilty on Feb. 20 to separate counts of felony theft, exploitation of a vulnerable adult and one count of securities fraud. According to Brown, Egber stole money his elderly clients spent a lifetime saving. Egber is based in Culver City, Calif., but previously lived in Maryland. According to FINRA records, he joined the industry at Legg Mason Walker in 1989, and spent eight years each at UBS and Wells Fargo before joining Raymond James in 2018. In 2022, he joined Steward Partners, where he worked until FINRA barred him from the industry in April 2024. Between 2015 and 2019 (mostly spanning his Wells Fargo tenure), Egber deceived elderly clients into withdrawing funds from their retirement investment accounts, claiming he would invest them in a real estate opportunity. Egber would direct clients to give him the money in the form of personal checks payable to Egber, either directly or toward the purported real estate investment, and he would provide false reasons to the institutions he worked for to justify the withdrawals. In reality, the real estate investment opportunity didnt exist; instead, Egber deposited the funds in his own checking account and would use them for his own purposes. According to FINRA, Wells Fargo filed a Form U5 claiming Egber was voluntarily terminated in 2018, but filed an amendment to the U5 in 2024, claiming the firm was reviewing allegations of possible theft of client funds. Egber left the firm more than eight years ago," a spokesperson for Wells Fargo told Wealth Management. "We fully cooperated with authorities throughout the investigation and remain committed to protecting our clients from exploitation and fraud. After Egber refused to produce information requested by FINRA or appear for on-the-record testimony, the brokerage regulator barred him from the industry. Additionally, Marylands Securities Division barred him from the industry in late 2024 for recommending the real estate scheme that wasnt approved, for falsely stating they paid an annual interest or dividend of between 5% and 10%, and for failing to tell clients the opportunity was a sham. In addition to the 18 months in jail, Egber will be on probation for five years after his release, facing an additional eight years and six months of incarceration if he violates it. The court also ordered Egber to pay $545,831 in restitution. Two top aides to under-fire Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer are leaving after being told to resign or be fired amid a wide-reaching misconduct investigation. Chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy Rebecca Wright were given the ultimatum by the White House on Monday, two months after they were placed on leave pending a review by the departments internal watchdog into Chavez-DeRemers office, the New York Post reported. Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican, is facing mounting pressure after the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General announced in January that it was reviewing a laundry list of complaints and potential misconduct allegations involving her and the two aides. Chief of staff Jihun Han (L) and deputy Rebecca Wright have been under investigation over their alleged behavior at the Labor Department. / Labor Department The allegations include claims that Chavez-DeRemer drinks on the job in her Washington, D.C., office and had an affair with one of her bodyguards. Advertisement Advertisement Han and Wright are also accused of fabricating official events so Chavez-DeRemer could take taxpayer-funded trips in order to spend time with family or friends and providing cover for her alleged misdeeds. Chavez-DeRemer even publicly boasted that she wanted to visit all 50 states during her first year in the Cabinet, though that goal was hindered by the record-breaking government shutdown last year. Chavez-DeRemer, Han, and Wright have also been accused of creating a hostile work environment, with both aides allegedly bullying staff members. In January, unnamed sources told the Post that Chavez-DeRemer was the boss from hell, claiming she demanded staffers run personal errands for her or perform other menial tasks unrelated to their government jobs. Donald Trump tapped Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be his labor secretary soon after his 2024 election victory. / Chip Somodevilla / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A complaint filed with the Labor Departments inspector general alleges that Han and Wright were involved and have knowledge of the allegations against Chavez-DeRemer, including the claim that she had an affair with a member of her security detail who is now on leave. Advertisement Advertisement She is also accused of drinking during the workday and allegedly kept a stash of champagne, bourbon, and Kahlua in her office. On Monday, The New York Times published a photo contradicting Chavez-DeRemers claim that she did not throw herself a birthday party last year, paid for with department funds, at a time when Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was carrying out mass federal budget cuts against the department. Her staff reportedly renamed the April 7 celebration a swearing-in event, even though she had already been sworn in as Trumps labor secretary on March 11, 2025. The Times published a photo showing Chavez-DeRemer blowing out candles on a birthday cake at a Labor Department gathering on April 7. The Daily Beast has contacted the Labor Department for comment. To win the White House in 2016, Donald Trump first had to get by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the son and brother of two past presidents inextricably linked with U.S. wars in the Middle East. Attacking the Bush family dynasty and its legacy became a feature of Trumps campaign. And that meant doubling down on criticism of the Iraq War that President George W. Bush had led the United States into under the premise of finding weapons of mass destruction that never materialized. The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake, Trump responded, when asked at a Republican presidential debate in February 2016 if he still believed, as he said he did in 2008, that Bush should have been impeached for it. Advertisement Advertisement We can make mistakes, Trump added. But that one was a beauty. We should have never been in Iraq. The moment was one of many in Trumps long history of denouncing forever wars and promising, as president himself, to keep the U.S. out of the sorts of foreign entanglements that could lead to them. But one year into his second term, Trump has ordered military action in multiple countries, including the January strike on Venezuela to capture Nicolas Maduro. And now with the war in Iran, Trump has plunged America into its most significant conflict since the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without any congressional approval. President Trumps courageous decision to launch Operation Epic Fury is grounded in a truth that presidents for nearly 50 years have been talking about, but no president had the courage to confront: Iran poses a direct and imminent threat to the United States of America and our troops in the Middle East, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement. The rogue Iranian Regime under the evil hand of the Ayatollah has killed and maimed thousands of American citizens and soldiers over the years and that ends with President Trump. Trumps successful 2024 campaign to return to power was predicated in large part on how he hadnt started any wars in his first term. Advertisement Advertisement My entire adult lifetime has been shaped by presidents who threw America into unwise wars and failed to win them, Trumps future vice president, JD Vance, wrote for The Wall Street Journal in a January 2023 guest column endorsing Trumps 2024 bid. In Mr. Trumps four years in office, he started no wars despite enormous pressure from his own party and even members of his own administration, added Vance, an Iraq War veteran. Not starting wars is perhaps a low bar, but thats a reflection of the hawkishness of Mr. Trumps predecessors and the foreign-policy establishment they slavishly followed. At a briefing Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected suggestions that Iran could become Trumps Iraq, pledging that it would not spiral into an endless war. But Trump himself indicated the U.S. could be engaged for longer than he bargained. Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, Trump said at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House. But we have capability to go far longer than that. Somebody said today, they said, Oh, well, the president wants to do it really quickly, after that, hell get bored. I dont get bored. Theres nothing boring about this. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also listed four objectives for Operation Epic Fury: degrading Irans missile capabilities, destroying Irans navy, ensuring Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon and containing its proxy forces by ensuring Iran cannot continue to arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders. The beginning of war with Iran comes just weeks after the military operation in Venezuela that ousted Maduro. And Trump said Sunday that he is separately contemplating a friendly takeover of Cuba, suggesting that the U.S. could be heavily involved in three foreign entanglements simultaneously. Though Trump has pledged for years to keep the U.S. out of new wars, he has taken a hard line with Iran, whether by discarding the nuclear treaty negotiated by his predecessor, President Barack Obama, killing Iranian military official Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike or bombing Irans nuclear facilities last year. During his 2016, 2020 and 2024 runs for the White House, Trump said that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. Since taking office, Trump has stated no fewer than 33 times that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, a White House official said. That concern that was the basis for launching major combat operations against the country, Trump told NBC News on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps skepticism of foreign intervention and of fighting wars in the Middle East in particular dates to before his time in elected politics. In addition to describing Bushs invasion of Iraq as an impeachable offense, Trump had also repeatedly suggested that Obama would use military aggression for political gain. In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran, Trump posted on social media in November 2011. He made a similar prediction in October 2012, weeks before Obama was re-elected: Now that Obamas poll numbers are in tailspin watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate. Trumps 2016 campaign for president stitched together a new America First Republican coalition that rejected the neoconservative, interventionist foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement As a candidate for president, I pledged a new approach, Trump would say in his 2019 State of the Union address. Great nations do not fight endless wars. Jeb Bush, the brother of the president who had launched the Iraq War, made a convenient foil as Trump romped through the primaries during that campaign. Even so, as is often the case with Trump, he had to explain his own shift in thinking on Iraq. When asked by Howard Stern in a 2002 interview if he would support an invasion of Iraq, Trump responded affirmatively. After the audio of the interview resurfaced in 2016, Trump said that he had changed his mind by the time the war began. I think that people knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction, Trump said during a February 2016 appearance on NBC News Meet the Press. I think they wanted to go in there, I think they thought it wouldve been easier, they didnt prosecute the war well. Trumps first term in office was not without occasional military strikes. But as Vance, a Trump critic turned ally, would note years later, there were no new wars on his watch. It was a point of pride Trump and his backers emphasized often. Advertisement Advertisement Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Trump wrote on social media in December 2018 after announcing he would pull U.S. troops from Syria and declaring victory over ISIS in a conflict that had begun under Obama. Trump added: Time for others to finally fight. Days later, during a surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq, Trump explained his thinking further. While American might can defeat terrorist armies on the battlefield, each nation of the world must decide for itself what kind of future it wants to build for its people, and what kind of sacrifices they are willing to make for their children, he said. America shouldnt be doing the fighting for every nation on Earth [while] not being reimbursed, in many cases, at all. Advertisement Advertisement The following year, as he was preparing to accelerate the Syria withdrawal amid Turkeys escalating military operations there, Trump reupped his philosophy. Turkey has been planning to attack the Kurds for a long time. They have been fighting forever, he posted on social media. We have no soldiers or Military anywhere near the attack area. I am trying to end the ENDLESS WARS. And in November 2020, after Trump lost his re-election bid to Joe Biden, acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller issued an update on plans to draw down troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. With the blessings of Providence in the coming year, we will finish this generational war, and bring our men and women home, Miller said. We will protect our children from the heavy burden and toll of perpetual war. Advertisement Advertisement Now, though, Trump is openly acknowledging that ground troops might be necessary in Iran. I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground like every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it, Trump told the New York Post in an interview Monday. So far, six U.S. service members have been killed during the Iran operation. Thats a far cry from the anti-war posturing from the 2024 campaign that put Trump back in office. That race began with Vance, then a senator, framing his supportive Wall Street Journal column around the idea that Trump would not recklessly send Americans to fight in foreign wars. It ended with a messaging blitz aimed particularly at the young male voters who helped carry Trump and Vance to victory. Advertisement Advertisement In late October 2024, Trumps team amplified commentary from journalist Peter Hamby, who on CNN had shared that young men he spoke with on college campuses are worried about global conflict, because they are of draft age. And in a series of social media posts days before Election Day, longtime Trump adviser Stephen Miller repeatedly warned that a win for the Democratic candidate, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, would lead to young men being drafted to fight in a 3rd World War. If you vote for Kamala, Liz Cheney becomes defense secretary, Miller wrote, referring to the anti-Trump Republican and former House member from Wyoming known for her hawkish foreign policy views. We invade a dozen countries. Boys in Michigan are drafted to fight boys in the Middle East. Millions die. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Donald Trump attempted to counter a simmering anti-Israel backlash in Congress and among his own Maga supporters on Tuesday by denying suggestions that he had been bounced into attacking Iran because Israel had already decided to do so. Amid growing criticism among opponents and allies alike, Trump rebuffed claims that he had struck Iran only because Israel had forced his hand, a suspicion fueled by comments made by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. Asked whether Israel had pushed him into launching military action, Trump told reporters: No. I might have forced their hand. Advertisement Advertisement We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack. If we didnt do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. Senate Democrats reacted furiously after Rubio suggested on a visit to Capitol Hill that Saturdays strikes were driven by the need to pre-empt Iranian retaliation against US interests in response to Israeli attacks that Washington knew was coming. Related: Trump administration has still not settled on reasons for going to war with Iran Rubios comments made after a briefing conducted with the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, and Gen Dan Caine, chair of the US armed forces joint chiefs of staff fueled suspicions from some on both the left and right of the political spectrum that Israels interests, rather than those of the US, dictated the decision to resort to open warfare. Advertisement Advertisement We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, he told reporters on Monday. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. That rationale has provoked anger among Democrats, as well as segments of Donald Trumps base, who see the attack on Iran and specifically its timing as at odds with his previously proclaimed America first foreign policy goals. Democrats seized on Rubios explanation as grist for forthcoming votes on war powers resolutions, which have been brought before the Senate and House of Representatives this week to assert the constitutional principle that a president must consult Congress before waging war. We have to have a debate in the United States Senate on an authorization of military force, Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator, said on Tuesday evening after he and other lawmakers received a classified briefing from Rubio and other top administration officials. He acknowledged that the resolution will likely fail, but said: We shouldnt be voting to proceed to other pieces of legislation until we get a debate on this deeply unpopular, immoral and illegal war with Iran. Advertisement Advertisement While the briefing was intended to update lawmakers on the conflicts goals, many Democrats said the administration failed to articulate their objectives, raising concerns of the US getting bogged down in a conflict with Iran. When theres no set plan, when you cant hear day after day were going to do this, this, this and this, and these are the reasons why, you end up with an endless war. You end up with mission creep, you end up with all kinds of problems, Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said. Republican lawmakers generally backed Trumps approach, arguing the president had removed from power a despotic regime with a long record of killing Americans in the Middle East. We have lost thousands of individuals over 47 years, and we havent done anything about it, senator Markwayne Mullin said. This threat was not going away. I dont think anybody can argue that this regime needed to be removed. Advertisement Advertisement Growing concerns over Israels role in the White House decision to go to war could further change perceptions of the countrys relationship with the US, building on the criticism that has emerged following the long war in Gaza. Opinions polls have shown a sharp drop in support among Americans following the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed about 70,000 Palestinians and was launched in response to Hamass murderous October 2023 attack that slaughtered 1,200 people, mainly civilians, on the Israeli side. Trump has provided fluid reasoning for why he ordered attacks last Saturday, in concert with Israeli strikes, one of which killed Irans most powerful figure, the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has also sent mixed signals about whether he is willing to deploy US forces in a boots on the ground capacity, a decision that would almost certainly further inflame domestic criticism. In his initial statement on Saturday, he said the goal was to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. But some of the presidents most prominent social media influencers jumped on Rubios remarks to challenge that justification. Advertisement Advertisement Rubios comments are a record scratch moment, wrote Mike Cernovich, a prominent pro-Trump social media influencer. He said what most guessed was the case. That he said [this] out loud ... is a sea change in foreign policy. There will be massive calls for a walk back. So hes flat out telling us that were in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand, posted Matt Walsh of the rightwing Daily Wire magazine. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said. Related: Trump rebukes Starmer again for not letting US attack Iran from UK bases Speaking on his War Room podcast, Steve Bannon, Trumps former White House aide, said: If we knew Israel would strike and Iran would retaliate against us, where was the coordination? We need a strategic explanation. Advertisement Advertisement The belief that the attack on Iran is primarily an Israeli interest has been compounded by the comments of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, who has visited Trump numerous times in recent months to press the case for action against Tehrans theocracy, most recently last month. This coalition of forces allows us to do what I have yearned to do for 40 years: smite the terror regime hip and thigh, he said on Sunday. This is what I promised and this is what we shall do. Referring to the first four US casualties of Irans retaliation against the strikes, the conservative journalist Megyn Kelly said on her online broadcast: My own feeling is that no one should have to die for a foreign country. I dont think those four service members died for the United States, I think they died for Iran or for Israel this feels very much to me like it is clearly Israels war. It would explain perfectly why President Trump is having so much difficulty explaining why we are doing this. The Justice Department found itself red-faced after a court filing was riddled with basic spelling errors. An emergency motion filed to the 6th District Court by the Department of Justice last week failed to spell multiple basic words correctly, spelling voters as votors, United States as United Staes, and emergency as emeregency. The emergency appeal was filed after a Michigan judge refused to force the state to hand over records that contained personal voter information such as dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers. U.S. President Donald Trump attends a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst / Jonathan Ernst / REUTERS The Trump administration is attempting to force states to hand over personal information on tens of millions of voters across the country ahead of the 2026 midterms. Advertisement Advertisement The DOJ has defended the outreach, arguing that full access to the data is necessary to enforce federal statutes that require states to keep their voter rolls current and free of ineligible registrations. But many states, including Republican-led states, have refused, arguing that the DOJ is overstepping, and that handing over detailed personal data could let the federal government identify and remove voters the state hasnt flagged. A Republican election official, speaking anonymously to avoid White House backlash, told CNN last month that they feared the data could be used for immigration enforcement or to cast doubt on midterm election results. If states dont give this information and then Republicans lose and they can go back and say, See, its because they didnt give us this information, so they cheated and all these illegal people that shouldnt have been voting voted, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Since September, the DOJ has filed lawsuits against 24 states that declined to share the records. Meanwhile, the latest filing is hardly an isolated embarrassment. In recent months, Justice Department lawyers have stumbled over elementary details in multiple court cases. In April, attorneys misspelled United States in a case involving the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Months later, former prosecutor Lindsey Halligan incorrectly listed New York Attorney General Letitia Jamess address as Brooklyn, New Jersey in a legal document. And just last week, when the DOJ filed suit against New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, her name was repeatedly spelled wrong throughout the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement The DOJ has also been under fire in recent weeks for errors it made in the latest release of the Epstein files. When the records were initially made public, they contained a range of material that appeared to fall short of standard redaction practices. According to a CNN review, the release included videos in which womens faces were clearly visible, nearly 100 unredacted nude images, photographs of young womens faces, images involving minors, and documents identifying a survivor of Jeffrey Epsteins abuse. One court filing reportedly allowed redacted text to be uncovered simply by copying and pasting it. The trove also featured a 2009 undercover FBI video tied to efforts to obtain Epsteins so-called black book of contacts, with the agents face unobscured. Under the Epstein Files Transparency Actpassed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in late November the Justice Department is required to withhold sexually explicit material and information that could identify victims. Advertisement Advertisement Even so, the department has faced criticism for heavily blacking out names of individuals alleged to have assisted Epstein, prompting accusations that its redaction standards have been inconsistently applied. / Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images" height="3375" width="6000"/> A DOJ spokesperson has said that fully redacted names belong to victims, FBI personnel, or other law enforcement officials. In many instances, as it has been well documented publicly, those who were originally victims became participants and co-conspirators, the official said. We did not redact any names of men, only female victims. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Department leaders have acknowledged mistakes in the Epstein document release, but said errors were quickly corrected. Mistakes were made byyou have really hard-working lawyers that worked for the past 60 days. Think about this though: youre talking about pieces of paper that stack from the ground to two Eiffel Towers, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said. Attorney General Pam Bondi said: We were given 30 days to review and redact and unredact millions of pages of documents, our error rate is very low. President Donald Trump went scorched earth on some popular voices among MAGA after they publicly criticized U.S. strikes on Iran. During a phone call late Monday with journalist Rachael Bade of The Inner Circle, Trump argued that conservative hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly arent MAGA, but that he is. When asked whether their skepticism of Operation Epic Fury was representative of a sizable portion of his base, Trump initially said, I dont know before arguing that MAGA fully supports him. Advertisement Advertisement MAGA wants to see our country thrive and be safe, Trump said, according to Bade. And MAGA loves what Im doing every aspect of it This is a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe, frankly. Kelly released an episode of her self-titled show Monday explaining her concerns about a war with Iran, following Trumps announcement early Saturday that the United States had launched major combat operations as part of a joint campaign alongside Israel. At one point, Kelly questioned the Trump administrations rationale, saying, I dont allow them to use me like a fool. Does it make any a sense to you that Iran was planning preemptive strikes against us and our civilians, knowing full well of the massive military assets we had moved into the region? While speaking to Bade, Trump suggested that Kellys criticism did not bear any weight. Advertisement Advertisement Its all right. I dont mind, Bade said Trump told her. She was critical of me for years and I didnt lose. He also said Kelly outta study her history book a little bit, Bade reported. Megyn was opposed to me for years when I ran the first time and nothing stopped me, he continued. And so, you know, some people are against and they always come back. She came all the way back. But now I guess she maybe doesnt like the idea of this war, but I do because I have to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of the Iranians. Meanwhile, Carlson, a staunch critic of Israel, condemned Trumps attack on Iran as absolutely disgusting and evil in an interview with ABC News, according to its chief Washington correspondent, Jonathan Karl. Advertisement Advertisement His comments came as Carlson had visited the White House just last week. The New York Times reported on Monday that the podcaster visited three times over the past month to lobby against a U.S. attack. Trump, according to Bade, said that Carlson can say whatever he wants. It has no impact on me. The president had defended the campaign among the public in an interview with the New York Post earlier Monday, swatting down a Reuters/Ipsos poll, released the day before, that found that striking Iran is not entirely popular among Americans: just 27% of Americans approved of the initial attack, while 43% disapproved and 29% said they were not sure. In response to the polls findings, the president told the Post: I think that the polling is very good, but I dont care about polling. I have to do the right thing. I have to do the right thing. This should have been done a long time ago. Advertisement Advertisement I dont think the polling is low, he continued. Look, whether polling is low or not, I think the polling is probably fine. But its not a question of polling. You cannot let Iran, whos a nation that has been run by crazy people, have a nuclear weapon. Trump said he believes people are very impressed with what is happening, actually, adding that if you did a real poll, the silent poll and its like a silent majority. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also tore into political commentator Matt Walsh, who claimed on X that U.S. messaging on this thing is, to put it mildly, confused. In a lengthy post, Leavitt outlined the presidents objectives, while arguing that Trump is correcting decades of cowardice and holding those responsible for the deaths of Americans accountable. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Donald Trumps national security strategy, which was given the moniker the Donroe Doctrine, was supposed to be the new blueprint for Americas role in the world. Actions such as Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico, trying to take over or buy Greenland, threatening Canada and Panama, as well as his military incursion into Venezuela all fall into his updated version of the Monroe Doctrine, which his administration views as stating Americas divine right to rule the Western hemisphere. When considering his outright hostility toward our traditional allies in Europe and Asia, which he is apparently happy to leave to Russia and China, Trumps vaunted America First movement becomes more sharply defined as a focus on the United States own neighborhood and a retreat from larger global concerns. But as is so often true with the presidents policies, that awful vision has proved too incoherent to be an actual blueprint. Trump is just as invested in the Middle East as any president before him, a fact he proved by launching air strikes on Iran on Saturday for reasons that change from day to day. The Islamic Republic is far from the Western hemisphere, so whatever the Donroe Doctrine is in practice goes beyond a mere desire to withdraw the United States from global commitments outside of its own region. Something else is at play. Trump has now used the U.S. military twice since the first of the year a mere 59 days to topple heads of state. In early January, he staged a successful military incursion into Venezuela and abducted the countrys president, Nicolas Maduro, and first lady to bring them back to the U.S. to stand trial. Most observers assumed that America had deposed Maduro as a means of toppling Venezuelas corrupt government and paving the way for elections and a restoration of democracy. There was even a shadow government waiting in the wings that had been legitimately elected two years before. Led by opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her activism, it was ready to take the helm. But no: Trump had apparently made a deal with what remained of the Maduro regime. He would leave them in power to do as they wished in exchange for opening up Venezuelas oil fields to American companies. Since Americas incursion, Trump has shown no interest in the democratization of the country or accountability for anyone but the former president. What will happen to Venezuela is anyones guess. But it appears that as long as they agree to hand over billions in oil revenue to the U.S. under threat of military action, they will have a free hand. Advertisement Advertisement Then there is Iran. This past weekend, the United States, in partnership with Israel, bombed the Islamic Republic for the second time in less than a year. In June 2025, the U.S. military deployed its most powerful non-nuclear weapon to destroy underground bunkers used by the Iranian government to house their nuclear program. At the time Trump said the facilities had been completely obliterated, but no proof was ever offered of that claim. Now he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are bombing the country again, ostensibly because they still need to destroy Irans nuclear program. Or is it that they want to help the protesters? Or do they want regime change? The answer keeps changing. The administration didnt bother with the usual constitutional and statutory niceties, and as Salons Sophia Tesfaye explained, Trump has felt little need to explain his actions to the American people. He believes he has an unfettered right to use American power, whether economic or military, at his total discretion without any consultation or approval from Congress. The administration had been having talks with the Iranian government which, by all accounts, had agreed to nearly all their demands, but Trump decided to bomb anyway, proving that he had always intended to do it and the talks were just a delaying tactic. (On Sunday, the president told The Atlantic in a short interview that he had agreed to keep talking, even as the air strikes continue.) As with Venezuela, the initial round of attacks on Iran successfully decapitated the government, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, and many of his top lieutenants. But the Islamic Republic is a very different country than Venezuela, a full-blown authoritarian theocracy with a large and powerful military and plenty of high-tech armaments. With a population of 90 million, it is roughly three times larger than Iraq, and although the country is in bad economic straits, it is divided politically. There is a large anti-government resistance, but it is reportedly mostly unorganized, and the heavily-armed Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which has tentacles extending deep into the countrys economic and industrial sectors, has shown no signs of splintering. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Nonetheless, Trump seems to think likely at the behest of Netanyahu and people like Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., an Iran hawk that the country is so weak that the Revolutionary Guard will lay down their arms under his threats and agree to make one of his hallowed deals. Trump told the New York Times on Sunday night that despite his paeans to the Iranian protesters, he really has no problem with the regime staying in place. He said, What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario. Ill bet that comes as a surprise to Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Vivian Salama at the Atlantic reported that the administration is so excited about their military victories that Cuba is next on the list. One official told Salama, the president is feeling like, Im on a roll; like, This is working. One important goal of the Venezuelan operation was to halt oil shipments to Cuba, which has had the effect of leading the islands economy closer to collapse. The Cuban people are suffering greatly, which seems to be part of the plan. Trump is very excited at the prospect of a friendly takeover and has talked about the fact that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks to make a deal. Theres no word on what that deal might be, whether hes thinking of making them a colony with Rubio as its viceroy, or simply turning it over to Florida Republicans to do with as they please. Salama reported that the president sees himself as the first modern American leader with the guts to complete what others only flirted with: map-changing transformations across the world. But if you look at the countries hes chosen to target with military action so far, what you really see is that these are all countries that have defied U.S. power in one respect or another and hes decided to teach them a lesson. What is happening is basically a gang war. Trump is taking over other gangsters turf and taking out their leaders. Theres no need to completely change their crews. After all, theyre in the same business. It just means that they now need to report to him while showing loyalty and ensuring protection. Advertisement Advertisement If you think thats far-fetched, consider what Trump told ABC News Jonathan Karl when the reporter asked him about Khameneis death. I got him before he got me, he said. They tried twice. Well I got him first. Theres no Donroe Doctrine or some great global imperial strategy. Donald Trump is simply a mob boss who thinks hes settling all the family business. The post Trumps foreign policy has no rules appeared first on Salon.com. President Trumps extraordinary attack on Iran, which took out the countrys supreme leader, has echoes of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East that history shows hasnt always been a success. It also goes against Trumps long-storied criticism of his predecessors intervening abroad and the forever wars that resulted something that has jostled those at the heart of his America First MAGA base. But as with any gamble, regime change in Iran could net Trump a political win should a more U.S.-friendly band of leadership emerge. Advertisement Advertisement Where things go from here is anyones guess. Trump gave some clues Monday as to his thinking for why he struck Iran now after decades of turmoil with the U.S. Our objectives are clear. First, were destroying Irans missile capabilities, and you see that happening on an hourly basis, he said. Second, were annihilating their navy; already weve knocked out 10 ships. Theyre at the bottom of the sea. Third, were ensuring that the worlds number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon, he added. And finally, were ensuring the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorists armies outside of their borders, Trump said. We will easily prevail. Advertisement Advertisement Those comments came amid myriad rationale offered by Trump and his administration in the aftermath of strikes that killed Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a figure detested worldwide and by some in Iran. Trump boasted to ABCs Jonathan Karl about Khameneis killing, saying: I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first. That was an apparent reference to Iranian-linked operatives who were plotting to assassinate Trump in 2024, the Department of Justice said at the time, in what was believed to be retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian military general Trump had killed in 2020. Khameneis killing left questions swirling about regime change for Trump and his administration. Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Saturday suggested the Iranian people should team up with military and police forces to take over the country, but those forces severely clashed with antiregime protesters in Iran earlier this year, killing thousands. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered a slightly different view Monday, telling reporters at the Pentagon that the goal is not regime change. This is not a so-called regime change war but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it, Hegseth said in a fiery defense of the Iranian operation. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures that he hopes the next leader of Iran who they may be would open the door for economic opportunities Advertisement Advertisement It all depends on the whoever the leader is, the new leader is in Iran, Scott said. Hopefully, somebody will show up that cares about the people of Iran and says, Enoughs enough. We want to get back and be part of the world economy and give opportunity to all the people of Iran. Thats what all of us would like. The ayatollahs killing is another marker in Trumps second term, during which he has done much to remake the world stage. But that has left some of his domestic supporters scratching their heads at why Trump, who campaigned heavily on domestic policy, is spending much of his time reshaping other countries instead of focusing more on the U.S. Some conservative influencers characterized the Iran operation as a betrayal. Leading that charge has been former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). She wrote in a lengthy post, in the hours after the strikes began, that Trump went against his supporters who were now being force fed and gas lighted about enforcing peace through war, which she lamented was a similar sentiment to that invoked at the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Another foreign war for foreign people for foreign regime change. For what? Greene wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Longtime Trump supporter Tucker Carlson called the attack on Iran disgusting and evil. He predicted the operations would eventually backfire on Trump. This is going to shuffle the deck in a profound way, Carlson said. The attack, with its potential for a long-term conflict, also is not garnering much public support, with 59 percent of survey respondents disapproving of the strike, according to a CNN poll released Monday. Sixty percent said they dont believe Trump has a clear plan for handling the situation. Democrats have also had to delicately dance around Trumps Iran operation largely because of the supreme leaders killing. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said to CNN on Sunday that taking out Khamenei could open the door to a grassroots antiregime uprising, and that, although such an outcome would be desired by many, it seems unlikely. We have had very little visibility into what happens next after the supreme leader is eliminated, Warner said, noting distinct differences from regime changes in Syria and Venezuela, largely because the Iranian regime has been deeply embedded for 47 years. I think they will fight vociferously to try to maintain their power, Warner said. Some support for regime change is also waning from foreign leaders, the most vocal of whom has been U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said his country would not back regime change from the skies. Advertisement Advertisement So far, what is left of the Islamic Republics regime is digging in their heels, suggesting that the process of replacing the ayatollah is already in progress while Iranian forces launch attacks across the region. Areas that seldomly get caught up in military operations have been targeted, including Dubai, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We will not negotiate, Ali Larijani, Irans security chief, wrote on the social platform X on Monday. Trump plunged the region into chaos with his delusional fantasies and now fears more American troop casualties. The question of regime change and attacking Iran goes against many of the criticisms lobbed by Trump himself for years, even well before he entered politics. Social media over the weekend was digging up old Trump social media posts dating to 2011 and 2012 in which he railed against former President Obama by suggesting he would start a war in Iran to get reelected. Trump has also criticized former President George W. Bush for starting the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, which dragged on for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Some online users said Trumps old posts aged like gas station sushi. Rema Rahman is White House editor of The Hill. 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. Donald Trump played a game of hypotheticals and then thanked himself in the third person as part of an attempt to deflect blame for his strikes on Iran. During a Truth Social posting spree on Monday that lasted into Tuesday morning, Trump, 79, first made a dubious claim about the nuclear deal agreed to under the Obama administration. If I didnt terminate Obamas horrendous Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA), Iran would have had a Nuclear Weapon three years ago, he argued. That was the most dangerous transaction we have ever entered into, and had it been allowed to stand, the World would be an entirely different place right now. You can blame Barack Hussein Obama, and Sleepy Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement He ended the post with an all-caps pat on the back: THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP! Trump tried to vindicate his Iran war by pointing to an imaginary scenario and referring to himself in the third person. / TruthSocial/realDonaldTrump But experts have disputed Trumps theory, the New York Times reported, and likewise with a handful of his claims attempting to sell the war to the American people: that Iran had restarted its nuclear program, could build a bomb within a matter of days, and was building missiles that could reach the U.S. Additionally, Obama warned that what is now happening could very well happen. The U.S., he said after Trump withdrew from the 2015 deal, could have to choose between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. Later Monday night, Trump imagined another scenario to try to boost his case for another Middle East war. Trump made several false or unproven claims when trying to sell the American people on his war against Iran. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images The Radical Left Democrats, a Party that has completely lost its way, are complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack, by the United States and Israel, on Iran, he wrote. What most people understand is that they are only complaining BECAUSE I DID IT and, if I didnt do it, they would be screaming Why didnt TRUMP attack Iran, he should do it, IMMEDIATELY?" Advertisement Advertisement The fact is, whatever I do, they will be on the opposite side, he added later. Trump claimed Democrats would have been clamoring for strikes on Iran if he hadn't done so. / TruthSocial/realDonaldTrump Trump then shared a link to self-described Democrat Doug Schoens Fox News column supporting his Iran strikes, and to Larry Kudlow, his former National Economic Council director, giving the topic favorable coverage on Fox Business Network. As of Monday, more than 550 people have been killed in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent emergency service. In Lebanon, the health ministry put the death toll at 31, at least. A minimum of ten people were killed in Israel. Six U.S. service members have also died. Also appearing on Truth Social was a White House press release urging Americans not to be a panican because new victories pour in daily. That release, however, was dated three weeks ago. Trump shared a three-week-old White House press release urging Americans not to panic. / TruthSocial/realDonaldTrump Just before midnight on Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social again, claiming the U.S. has a stockpile of munitions that has never been higher or better, but then added that it still needs more. Advertisement Advertisement Without naming names, he said he was told on Monday that the U.S. has a virtually unlimited supply of weapons at the medium and upper grade. Wars can be fought forever, and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be, Trump said, noting that there is additional high grade weaponry stored in outlying countries. Donald Trump makes another post about his Iran war. / screen grab Firing off insults, Trump continued, Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Countrys money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine - Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth - And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didnt bother to replace it. Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term, and continue to do so. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!! Trump also posted about a range of topics that had nothing to do with Iran. In addition to hyping Melania Trumps speech at the United Nations Security Council and his administrations effort to reduce prescription drug prices, the president announced he would be ending his boycott of the White House Correspondents Association annual dinner. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said he came to his decision due to the countrys 250th anniversary and the fact that these Correspondents now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many... He didnt say who. Trump announced he is ending his boycott of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. / TruthSocial/realDonaldTrump The dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, at the Washington Hilton Hotel. By then, the attack on Iran may be wrapped up; Trump said the war was projected to last four to five weeks. But, he added, the U.S. was capable of going far longer than that. Trump was still posting at 12:30 a.m Tuesday. The president shared a video from January of Texas Republican Chip Roy questioning former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Smith, a regular Trump nemesis, ran the probe into Trumps handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago property. Sharing an X post that claimed Smith looks absolutely DEFEATED! LOCK HIM UP.!!!, Trump added Deranged Jack Smith should be brought to Justice, NOW!!! Donald Trump posts about his foe Jack Smith. / screen grab The 79-year-old was then feeling romantic, sharing fan-made clips of himself and Melania including an early interview on the Ellen show where Trump revealed his first words to his future third wife. I said I want your phone number, Trump told the former talk show host who fled America after his second term as president. Which is very crude but sometimes it works. You either get slapped or you get the number. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met at the White House on Tuesday, days after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The two spoke on trade and the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and both nations agreed on the need to end the Iranian regimes rule. There are too many bad guys in this world, Merz said. Trump: US will retaliate following service member deaths, drone attack Advertisement Advertisement Trump said the ongoing operations in Iran are going well, and spoke briefly on Israels role in the attacks, saying Israel did not force their hand, but rather the Trump administration took the lead in the strikes. He said he believed that Iran would strike first had the U.S. not moved quickly. He also spoke on regime change in Iran, saying the worst case is that someone worse would take over the country. That could happen, we dont want that to happen, Trump said. 56% expect Iran strikes to grow into long-term conflict: Survey On Saturday, Germany, along with the United Kingdom and France, issued a joint statement to the Trump administration and Iranian leaders, urging them to go back to the negotiating table over Irans nuclear program. Advertisement Advertisement The countries called for an end to the violence: We did not participate in these strikes, but are in close contact with our international partners including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region. We reiterate our commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life. The president hit back at Spain and the U.K. on Tuesday, saying the two European countries have not been helpful in the United States recent operations. Trump said he considered changing trade deals with Spain, calling its lack of assistance just terrible. 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. President Donald Trumps surprise war in Iran has cost him the trust of the majority of Americans. A damning CNN poll found that nearly six in 10 Americans oppose the president and Israels coordinated strikes on Iran, which, as of publication, have claimed the lives of at least four U.S. service members. The survey also suggests that many voters arent sold on Trumps version of how the conflict will unfold. Nearly six in 10 Americans oppose Trumps strikes on Iran, a new poll found. / Jonathan Ernst / REUTERS The president, 79, told CNN on Monday that he doesnt expect the war he launched to drag on. I dont want to see it go on too long, he insisted. I always thought it would be four weeks. And were a little ahead of schedule. Advertisement Advertisement But a majority of those surveyed56 percentsaid they believe long-term military conflict between the U.S. and Iran is at least somewhat likely. Whats more, 62 percent of Americans said Trump should seek congressional approval for any additional military action, and 60 percent said he lacks a clear strategy for the conflict. Congressmen and Trump foes Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are expected to bring forward a vote next week aimed at curbing Trumps military action without congressional approval. That effort did not deter the presidents major attack Saturday morning, which reportedly included a direct hit on the Shajareye Tayabeh girls school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, killing at least 43 students and wounding 63 others, according to the Iranian state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself has acknowledged the uncertainty on the length of his war. During a brief phone interview with Axios on Saturday, he mused: I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs]. Trump launched his war from a hastily constructed space in Mar-a-Lago with the Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe (left), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (second from right), and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (right), among others. / White House / X The poll was conducted Saturday and Sunday, following reports that the strikes killed Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but before news broke of Americans killed in the military action. The survey comes after a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the hours after Operation Epic Fury found that just one in four Americans approved of the military strikes. Even the presidents own MAGA base appears unenthused. In a January Politico poll, just half of 2024 Trump voters supported military action in Iranleaving his administration with the task of selling them on a war he acknowledged would likely claim more American lives. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Trump is already lavishing himself with praise over the ongoing attack on Iran, which, at the time of writing, has killed at least 550 people. Trump spoke to ABC reporter Jonathan Karl on Sunday night, who said the president had become increasingly bullish. He told me, quote, Nobody could have done this but me and you know that, Karl said on Good Morning America early Monday. Karl added that Trumps successful January kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, without a single American life lost, left him spoiled and factored into failed talks between the U.S. and Iran ahead of the strikes. Advertisement Advertisement He told me that a year ago he would have accepted what the Iranians offered, but quote, We have become spoiled, Karl said. President Donald Trump became distracted on Monday talking about the ballroom construction, First Lady Melania's complaints and picking out the gold drapes just moments after addressing his deadly attack on Iran during which at least four American service members have been killed so far. / Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images) When reached for comment, a White House official told the Daily Beast on background: A majority of Americans support President Trumps decisive action against a terrorist regime that has killed and maimed thousands of Americans for nearly 50 years under the evil hand of the Ayatollah. The President has always been clear that Iran, the worlds number one sponsor of terror, can never obtain a nuclear weapon, and his actions now will make Americaand the worlda safer place. Gas prices are climbing and financial markets are sliding as intensified fighting in the Middle East disrupts global oil supplies and fuels uncertainty among investors. Bombing across the region has escalated in recent days, and the instability is being felt on Wall Street. Stocks were sold off on Tuesday as traders reacted to the conflict. So what's the best course of action for everyday investors? We asked Erasmus Kersting, chair of the Villanova Economics Department. READ MORE | Dow closes down 400 points as Iran war escalates "Not to overreact is generally always good advice," said Kersting. Supply chains have stalled after Iran vowed to target any ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. "Right now, those tankers are stopped. Some of them have even gone under attack. So there are serious problems with the supply of oil," Kersting said. Drivers across the region say they are already feeling the impact. "Definitely noticing it. It's rising up and up. It's not coming down at all," one customer said at a Wynnefield gas station. AAA reports that prices have surged overnight: up 8 cents per gallon in Philadelphia, 10 cents in New Jersey and 13 cents in Delaware. The national average now stands at $3.10, an increase of 11 cents since Monday. SEE ALSO | War with Iran: Crude prices jump as experts warn of possible rise at the pump Higher fuel costs are expected to ripple beyond the pump. "Almost anything that we buy gets transported by trucks and trucks do still run on diesel," Kersting said. Heating oil prices have also spiked as the conflict continues. Brent crude jumped another 8% overnight to $84 a barrel. "Either way, I'm still putting 10, 20 dollars in, but less gas for what you're putting in," said Nestito Diaz of South Philadelphia. President Trump said he expects the fighting in Iran to continue for another four to five weeks. Officials and analysts say they will be watching closely to see how long the economic effects continue to build. The CIA is reportedly planning to arm Kurdish forces to incite a popular uprising against the Iranian regime. Donald Trumps administration has been discussing providing military support to Kurdish leaders in Iraq and Iranian opposition groups, sources told CNN. Iranian Kurdish forces are planning to participate in a ground operation in western Iran in the coming days, a senior Iranian Kurdish official said. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump is open to supporting militias to take up arms against Tehran, US officials confirmed, after it was revealed that the US president had spoken directly with Kurdish leaders in Iraq near the Iranian border. The calls were the result of months of back-room lobbying by Israel, which had cultivated ties with the Kurds in Syria, Iraq and Iran for decades, Axios reported. Mr Trumps apparent move to gauge possible local opposition to the Iranian regime suggests that Washington is seeking opportunities to exploit current turmoil further. US and Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday targeted the institution in Iran tasked with selecting the next supreme leader. Hopes for talks on a ceasefire, meanwhile, have evaporated. Credit: @IDF / X Advertisement Advertisement President Trump has spoken with many regional partners, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, without confirming reports of calls with Kurdish leaders. The calls were between unnamed US officials and two prominent Kurdish politicians in Iraq on Sunday, just one day after the US and Israel began bombing Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported. After launching Operation Epic Fury, Trump urged the Iranian people to rise up and take over your government. Back in January, when he was mulling possible US military involvement, he even pledged that help is on its way. Questions have swirled in recent days about why Israel has bombed positions in western Iran, and whether that was aimed at paving the way for an Iranian Kurdish advance. Separately, a coalition of Kurdish groups have also called for regime forces in the area to defect. Advertisement Advertisement We urge the armed forces of the regime in Kurdistan to separate from the remnants of the Islamic Republic, the newly-formed Kurdish coalition said on Monday in a statement. We advise them not to miss this final opportunity to turn their backs on the enemy and choose the side of their nation. This is a possibility, as a few Iranian Kurdish separatist groups some with armed wings do operate in the rugged mountains of northern Iraq, which bleed into the Kurdish-majority areas of western Iran. An Iranian Kurdish Peshmerga member of the PDKI examines the damage at the partys Azadi camp following a crossborder attack by Iran in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq - SAFIN HAMID/AFP But Karim Parwizi, a senior official in one of the five Iranian Kurdish groups that recently formed a coalition, has said that there has not been a decision on whether to launch armed operations inside Iran now. In January, one group the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK publicly claimed attacks against the feared IRGC, in retaliation for a brutal crackdown on protesters who had taken to the streets in late December over deteriorating economic conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Still, its unclear to what extent the US would offer support, and whether the US would be able to unite under one umbrella and effectively control various Iranian Kurdish groups, which would almost certainly also seek to further their own political aims of self-determination. The newly-formed coalition, for instance, has already outlined plans for its vision of administering Kurdish-majority areas in western Iran if the regime were to fall a way to capitalise on the chaos to achieve its political ambitions. That, in turn, could be one of many developments to fracture Iran a richly diverse nation of 90 million people and plunge the country into further turmoil. Even if the Iranian regime in its current form were to collapse, risks run high that what comes next still may not lead to lasting peace and stability. The Kurds are the worlds largest stateless ethnic group, primarily split across Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey, where many have experienced severe discrimination and abuses. Advertisement Advertisement Israel has long actively cultivated ties with the Kurds, a group they see as a potentially destabilising force they can leverage for their own means. The Kurds in Iran suffered under the shah, and then later the Islamic Republic. So while they are anti-regime, they do not fall in line with other opposition voices such as the son of the last shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. Pahlavi, living in exile in Maryland, in the United States, has been floated as a possible successor of the Islamic Republic. The White House has not publicly confirmed Trumps aims, and unnamed US officials have said that he is still mulling over a decision on what support to provide arms, training or intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement The Kurdish-led coalition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), trained and equipped by the US, was the most effective and primary ground force in Syria in the fight against the Islamic State. The SDF continues to guard a camp in northeast Syria holding IS-affiliated detainees, including Shamima Begum, who was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving the UK to join IS in 2015. 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. President Donald Trumps legal case for ordering strikes on Iran without prior congressional authorization is not novel, according to legal scholars, and instead tracks the modern Article II template that past presidential administrations have used to justify limited military operations abroad. "Whether you agree or disagree with Obama or any of the other presidents who used military force, like in Haiti with 20,000 troops on the ground (in 1994 under the Clinton administration), this is what the founders anticipated when they divided the power," Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow and acting director of the Institute for Constitutional Government Cully Stimson told Fox News Digital in a phone interview Monday. "They did not want to have what we had in Mother England, where the king made the decision alone," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps Iran strikes are reigniting the long-running tug-of-war between Congress war powers and presidents Article II claims to act quickly against threats. Legal scholars and critics point to past precedents and the War Powers Resolution as the key guideposts as some lawmakers move to curb further action in Iran. Pelosi's War Powers Flip-flop Exposed In Resurfaced Obama-era Clip Contradicts Trump Criticism On Iran Smoke rises over the city center after an Israeli army launches 2nd wave of airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28, 2026. (Getty Images) The U.S. military launched joint strikes with Israel on Iran beginning Saturday without congressional approval. Trump administration officials said they provided congressional notification to the "Gang of Eight," a bipartisan group of top congressional intelligence leaders, ahead of the strikes, but Congress did not hold a vote to approve them. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the Trump administration has argued that the U.S. was facing an "imminent threat." Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was not going to "sit there and absorb a blow" from Iran and that the operation was needed at this juncture, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation "is not a so-called regime change war" or a war like in Iraq that was open-ended, but a targeted mission born out of escalating threats. "Our president has guts," Hegseth said during a press conference Monday. "Iran's stubborn and self-evident nuclear pursuits, their targeting of global shipping lanes and their swelling arsenal of ballistic missiles and killer drones were no longer tolerable risks. Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions." Democratic lawmakers, as well as some Republicans, have denounced the strikes as "illegal," arguing they did not obtain congressional approval first and drafting resolutions that would require Trump to seek congressional approval to use military force in Iran. "This is an illegal war," Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday." "I have a war powers resolution queued up for vote this week, and Im encouraging my colleagues to assert the constitutional power vested in the legislative branch." President Donald Trump confirmed the U.S. launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Kaine, who has been one of the more vocal Democrat lawmakers denouncing the strikes, argued they are "illegal" because "the Constitution cant be changed by statute. The Constitution says no declaration of war without Congress." Advertisement Advertisement Under the Constitution, Congress holds the power to declare war and control war funding, while the president, as commander in chief under Article II, directs military operations and can act to protect U.S. forces and interests in time-sensitive situations. 'The Right Thing': Paxton, Cornyn Trade Blows In Texas Primary But Unite For Trump's Iran Strikes The 1973 War Powers Resolution was Congress attempt to police that split in power. It requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing U.S. forces into hostilities or imminent hostilities, and it sets a 60-day clock to end the operation absent a declaration of war or specific authorization. "This is sort of the built-in tension between the legislative branch which is under Article One, Section Eight, Clause 11 and has the declare-war power and the commander in chief, who cannot prosecute a war without money appropriated and paid for by Congress," Stimson explained. Advertisement Advertisement A White House official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that "the President exercised his authority as Commander in Chief to defend U.S. personnel and bases in the region against an implacable enemy." The official continued that Iran "has spent the last four decades attacking Americans to pursue its radical agenda and the last four weeks manipulating the diplomatic process to buy time to build up its offensive military capabilities increasing the regimes threat to U.S. personnel, our bases, and allies in the region and around the world." President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., listen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Stimson pointed to a long line of modern precedents in which presidents of either party have launched military operations without a new authorization for use of military force, arguing that the executive branch has repeatedly relied on Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel guidance to determine when a strike falls short of "war" in the constitutional sense. "Most presidents, especially in modern times, have used the military in the national interest of the United States, and they determine what is in the national interest without congressional authorization," Stimson said. Advertisement Advertisement Stimson said the key legal argument administrations have used including in a 2011 OLC opinion on Libya under the Obama administration turns on whether an operation is expected to be "prolonged and substantial," typically involving U.S. personnel facing significant risk over a substantial period. If the president "reasonably thinks or represents that theres no anticipated prolonged military engagement" and no anticipated significant risk to U.S. personnel over time, Stimson argued, the requirement to go to Congress for a declaration of war is not triggered. Rep Ro Khanna: Congress Must Reclaim War Powers From An Out-of-control Trump Over Iran In practice, Stimson said, presidents typically comply with the War Powers Resolutions initial reporting requirements by notifying Congress within 48 hours and describing the expected scope and duration of the deployment. Advertisement Advertisement "Then theres sort of a 60-day clock that people talk about," he said, referring to the statutes termination provision, which requires the president to end the use of force within 60 days absent a declaration of war or specific authorization, with a potential 30-day extension. A motorcycle drives past a picture of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along an empty street in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026, following the confirmed death of Khamenei in U.S. and Israeli strikes. Trump has said the operation is expected to last just a month or five weeks, short of the 60-day clock. Gene Hamilton, former White House deputy counsel and president of America First Legal, told Fox News Digital that the president has "broad inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to defend U.S. interests and safety." "The Constitution, in Article II, Section 2, vests the President with powers as the Commander in Chief," Hamilton explained. "He is ultimately vested with operational command of the military. The Founders understood and would not have required the President of the United States to go before Congress and seek approval every time he needed to act to secure U.S. interests with military assets abroad." Advertisement Advertisement The Framers at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 changed Congress power from "make war" to "declare war," a shift scholars say was meant to let presidents respond to sudden attacks while leaving lawmakers the authority to authorize full-scale war. Netanyahu Insists Us And Israel's Strikes On Iran Won't Lead To 'Endless War' Hamilton said the Founders worked to ensure "that the Constitution does not impose insurmountable barriers to the president's inherent ability to engage in military action to defend U.S. interests. Making war would require the president to engage in a glorified act of cat herding every time he believes military action of any kind is necessary an outcome so nonsensical it needs no further explanation," he said. Hamilton said the White House has "access to intelligence that puts them in the best position to make these decisions, invoking our inherent right to self-defense." Advertisement Advertisement "In the case of Iran, there is a documented, demonstrable history of the Iranian regime engaging in overt acts of hostility against U.S. interests for decades. Many innocent Americans have died as a result of direct or indirect attacks by Iran through proxy actors," Hamilton said. Smoke rises after a reported Iranian strike near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City on Mar. 2, 2026. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "The president is on firm ground," he continued. Original article source: Trumps Iran strikes get legal cover as scholars say Article II playbook spans Obama era and beyond President Trump on Tuesday said there was no evacuation plan for Americans in the Middle East because the joint strikes launched on Iran by the U.S. and Israel happened very quickly. We thought and I thought, maybe more so than most, I could ask [Secretary of State Marco Rubio], but I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked, the president told reporters, when asked about the situation. They were getting ready to attack Israel. They were getting ready to attack others. Youre seeing that right now and a lot of those missiles that are hitting those were aimed there for a long period of time at these other countries, he continued. So, I think I was right about that we attack first and if we didnt, it could have been, you know look, were really decimating them. Theyre being decimated. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Rubio said Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S., resulting in the offensive Operation Epic Fury. The United States State Department is actively working on plans to help Americans in the Middle East return home, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote Tuesday on the social platform X. Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said the State Department is in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans who are stranded in the Middle East as commercial airspace in Israel, Qatar, Iran and other areas in the region largely remain closed. Johnson on Tuesday wrote that the Trump administration is actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. strikes on Iran began Saturday and have continued to target Iranian navy ships, military bases and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corpss top leaders. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also killed in the strikes. Tehran has pledged rapid revenge and struck U.S. assets in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, leading to regional instability. Three U.S. embassies abroad also remain closed as the attacks leave civilians in the Middle East vulnerable to bombings. The United Kingdom was one of the first countries to announce the use of a charter flight to evacuate British nationals who are stranded in the Middle East. Thousands of commercial flights have been canceled, and some Americans have said they feel abandoned. Advertisement Advertisement Delta Air Lines suspended flights from Tel Aviv to New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport through March 9. British Airways is not allowing flights from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv to depart, but the airline said a flight from Oman would go ahead on Thursday with seats assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. As of now, the best is utilizing Israels Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the US, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote in a post online. Around 500 Americans in Israel have contacted the State Department to request assistance with departing, one official told The Associated Press. More than 130 people have received assistance with departing as of Tuesday, with 100 more expected to depart soon, according to the wire. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have expressed outrage for the lack of planning in place amid U.S. military strikes in the region. Dear @SecRubio: You told Americans to depart now via commercial means when you know many airports/airspace are closed, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) wrote in a post on X. YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULE U.S. GOVERNMENT EVACUATION FLIGHTS FOR THE STRANDED AMERICANS IN DANGER. Maybe you should have thought of a frickin plan first, he added. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who previously worked for the State Department, shared similar criticism. Warnings to citizens to evacuate 3 days into this war, when airspace is closed, is a clear sign of ZERO strategy and planning by the Trump admin, he wrote in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Now Americans have limited options to evacuate at an extremely dangerous moment with no government assistance, Kim added. This administration is failing its citizens. 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. Donald Trump has lambasted his relationship with Britain under Sir Keir Starmer, saying he is very sad to see it is obviously not what it was. The prime minister granted permission on Sunday for the US to use UK bases to target Irans missile launchers and stores to help protect countries targeted by Tehran. But the US president said he was very disappointed with Sir Keir over his initial refusal to allow the US to use the UK-US Diego Garcia base on the Chagos Islands as part of the operation. He added that it took far too long for the prime minister to change his mind. Advertisement Advertisement Hitting out at Sir Keir directly, the US president said: He has not been helpful. I never thought Id see that. I never thought Id see that from the UK. We love the UK. Mr Trumps latest intervention is the most significant disagreement to date in what has been a rapidly deteriorating relationship between the two leaders, following the US presidents criticism of the UKs Chagos deal, his threats to annex Greenland and ongoing global tariffs. It came after the prime minister told the Commons on Monday that he stood by his decision and warned that his party had learnt the lessons of Iraq, remembering Tony Blairs decision in 2003 to support another US president in invading a Middle East state. But speaking to The Sun about the special relationship, Mr Trump said: Its a different world, actually. Its just a much different kind of relationship that weve had with your country before. Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honour Ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Monday (Getty) He added: Its very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. Advertisement Advertisement Asked whether the UK is needed as an ally for its action in the Middle East, he said: Its not going to matter, but [Sir Keir Starmer] should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. But chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said the remarks do not negate the fact that we make decisions on the basis of legality and British interest. Asked whether he accepted the US was frustrated, the cabinet minister told Sky News: Well, Ive seen the presidents words, but that doesnt really negate the fact that we make decisions, as I say, on the basis of legality and British interest. Advertisement Advertisement We were content to offer bases at Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, because evidently, the operations the Americans will run from those airfields will reduce the risk to British citizens and British assets in the region and thats why we agreed to the request to use those bases on that basis alone. Trump says the so-called special relationship is obviously not what it was (Getty) But the prime minister is very clear that we were not involved in that first strike and were not kind of going to war with Iran or getting involved in a wider set of activities. Asked whether the UKs assessment was that there was not a legal basis for the initial military action over the weekend, Mr Jones said: We were not involved in the first wave because it didnt meet the test the prime minister set out. Giving a statement to MPs in the Commons on Monday, Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. Advertisement Advertisement Later he added: How we operate on the world stage matters so much. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned those lessons. Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis. The statement came as President Trump warned that the biggest wave of attacks on Iran was yet to come as the war in the Middle East rapidly escalated. Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons he stood by his decision and warned that his party had learnt the lessons of Iraq (House of Commons) An Iranian drone attack on the Akrotiri RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday night came after Sir Keirs announcement about allowing the US use of bases for defensive strikes. But it was held up as an example of the indiscriminate way Iran was retaliating. Sir Keir said the drone was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation to it, and pointed out that the bases in Cyprus would not be used by the Americans because they were not suitable. Advertisement Advertisement He went on: It is clear that Irans outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests and our allies, and it cannot be ignored. But he insisted: We are not at war and we are not getting involved in the offensive action the US and others are taking. Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registering their presence with the Foreign Office, whose staff are working on contingency plans, including a possible mass evacuation. The prime ministers statement was welcomed by Labour MPs who insisted that he must respect international law, but the Tories joined Reform UK in warning that the prime minister needed to say whose side he is on and took aim at his hesitancy to back US operations. Washington currently has no concrete plan for political succession in Iran, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday. "Lots of the people we had in mind are dead," Trump said as he welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the White House. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last shah of Iran who was overthrown in 1979, has put himself forward as a transitional leader for Iran, but Trump did not express direct support. "I've said that he looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody that's there that's currently popular, if there's such a person, but we have people like that," Trump said. The Russian war against Ukraine is high on US President Donald Trump's priority list, he said on Tuesday. He said there is a "tremendous hatred" between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office. As recently as 2024, Trump claimed during his election campaign that he would end the war within 24 hours as president. However, efforts through US mediation are currently stalled. Advertisement Advertisement "Sometimes I blame one, sometimes I blame the other," Trump said. The US president is known for his fluctuating positions on the war, although he is often accused of being too close to the Russian position. US President Donald Trump praised Friedrich Merz during the German chancellor's visit to the White House on Tuesday. "He's doing a very good job ... a really great job," Trump said at the second bilateral meeting with Merz in the Oval Office since he took office. Trump emphasized that Merz was a "very, very successful man" and had become a "friend" of his. He added that the United States and Germany were getting along very well. Merz's inaugural visit to the US capital Washington last June went smoothly. In August of the previous year, he was also there for a Ukraine summit. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 3, 2026. Credit - Kay NietfeldGetty Images President Donald Trump said Irans military forces have been knocked out after four days of strikes from the U.S. and Israel. [Iran] has no navy, it's been knocked out. They have no air force, thats been knocked out. They have no air detection, that's been knocked out, he claimed. Their radar has been knocked out. Just about everything's been knocked out. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. President delivered the assessment of the war, which he described as coming along very well, during a press conference with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office Tuesday. They no longer have air protection. They no longer have any detection facilities at all left, and so they're going to be in for a lot of hurt, he continued. Heralding the military operation which resulted in the killing of Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Trump suggested that some within the surviving Iranian leadership want to lay down arms. A lot of people are coming forward. A lot of the people, you would least suspect, want to quit. They're asking for immunity, and probably at some point they'll be dropping, as you would say, laying down their guns. We'll see what happens, he claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Iran has offered no public indication that it is ready to lay down arms, and has continued launching retaliatory strikes against Gulf states. Trump was then asked by reporters if Israel had forced the hand of the U.S. to launch military action against Iran early Saturdaya circulating theory the President was quick to refute. No, I might have forced their hand. It was my opinion that they [Iran] were going to attack first If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that, he said, arguing the U.S. operation was launched as a pre-emptive measure. Israel was ready, and we were ready, and we've had a very, very powerful impact. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said the U.S. was aware of Israeli strikes set for Iran and indicated that information had informed its decision to launch the strikes. Advertisement Advertisement We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties and perhaps even higher those killed, and then we would all be here answering questions about why we knew that and didnt act, Rubio told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday. We knew that if Iran was attackedand we believe they would be attackedthat they would immediately come after us, he said. Merz, meanwhile, echoed many of his European peers when asked about the war, which is devastating global oil and gas trade and impacting markets in Europe. The German lawmaker said he hopes the conflict will come to an end as soon as possible. But Trump did not offer a timeline on that front. We're just continuing to go forward, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Read More: As Oil Tankers Come Under Attack, Experts Fear for Global Trade Through Strait of Hormuz Friedrich Merz, Germany's Chancellor, and U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2026. Samuel CorumGetty Images Six U.S. military personnel have been killed so far during the conflict, with others seriously wounded. Trump has referred to the fallen service members as true American patriots. The strikes have killed over 780 people in Iran as of Tuesday, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Since aerial attacks began over the weekend, Iranalongside its proxy ally Hezbollah in Lebanon has launched retaliatory strikes on Israel. By way of a response, Israel has expanded its military operation and deployed troops on the ground in the south of Lebanon. Contact us at letters@time.com. President Donald Trump announced on Monday he plans to attend this years White House Correspondents Association dinner for the first time as president, setting up a potentially dramatic confrontation with members of the media he has regularly attacked. Trump wrote on social media he accepted the WHCAs invitation in part to commemorate Americas 250th anniversary and also to make the event the MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER! Trump has boycotted the event every year hes served as president, bucking the tradition that many presidents have observed of attending and giving light-hearted remarks that poke fun at the Washington press corps and other public officials. Advertisement Advertisement Because the Press was extraordinarily bad to me, FAKE NEWS ALL, right from the beginning of my First Term, I boycotted the event, and never went as Honoree, Trump said. However, I look forward to being with everyone this year. Hopefully, it will be something very Special. Attendance at the April 25 dinner would present the president with an opportunity to further wage battle against the White House press corps. Since he returned to office, the Trump administration sought to ban the Associated Press from covering events at the White House, filed lawsuits against multiple media outlets he views as covering him unfavorably, pushed for funding cuts to public media, revoked press credentials for journalists covering the Pentagon, and used the Federal Communications Commission to exert pressure on media companies. The announcement appears to indicate a detente between the WHCA and the White House, which has made a series of moves to unilaterally exert control of which reporters cover the administration that have been strongly condemned by the correspondents association. In a statement, WHCA president and CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang said the group is happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, WHCA announced that Oz Pearlman, the mentalist, will be the headline entertainer at the dinner. Historically, the dinner has featured comedian-hosts making jokes at the presidents expense. But the WHCA eschewed that tradition last year, canceling the appearance of comedian Amber Ruffin following criticism from the White House. In 2019, when Trump was in his first term, historian Ron Chernow hosted the event. Aprils dinner wont be the first time Trump has attended the event before running for president, Trump attended the 2011 edition of the dinner, where then-President Barack Obama repeatedly jabbed at Trump, who was heightening false conspiracy theories about Obamas birth certificate at the time. US President Donald Trump has said the country's navy will protect ships in the Middle East "if necessary" in a bid to stop the energy supply crunch sparked by the US-Israel war with Iran. A fifth of the world's oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway wedged between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, but traffic has almost entirely halted following Iran's threats to "set fire" to ships. Trump has said the US government will provide risk insurance "at a very reasonable price" to all shipping firms in the region to "ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD". Advertisement Advertisement Experts warn these assurances might not be enough to ease companies' concerns. Trump made the announcement on social media as global oil and gas prices continued to surge, sparking global concerns about the impact on household prices. An Iranian official on Monday threatened to "set fire" to any ship trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian military has reportedly fired on several vessels in the area. Some insurance companies have since hiked the price of policies for ships in the region. Roughly 200 crude oil and product tankers are now stranded in the Gulf, according to data from Lloyds List Intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Tuesday said he had ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide the risk insurance to provide "at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf". He also pledged military escort "if necessary... as soon as possible". Oil prices dropped back after the announcement, which came as Trump was due to meet with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to discuss plans to address the energy issues. Despite Trump's announcement, Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of shipping journal Lloyds List, said it remained unclear if the US president would be able to address the safety concerns driving the supply crunch. Advertisement Advertisement He noted that Houthi attacks on the ships in the Red Sea in recent years prompted many shipping firms to avoid the passage with longer, more expensive routes, despite intervention by the US military. "There was never really a point at which insurance alone would have prevented ships from going through the Strait of Hormuz," he said, adding "Just because you've got a naval escort doesn't mean to say you're safe." Analysts have warned that a prolonged disruption could send crude oil prices above $100 a barrel, which would have a major impact on petrol prices, even in the US, where significant domestic production has tended to mute the impact of global price movements. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump defended the war, saying "something had to be done" about the Iranian regime. Advertisement Advertisement He conceded it might lead to high oil prices "for a little while" but brushed off long-term impact. "As soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, I believe lower than even before," he said. Gold prices have been soaring over the past year, and companies involved with gold mining have been generating fantastic results. Investing in these companies can be a good way for investors to take advantage of rising gold prices, as in some cases, their share prices can rise even higher than simply investing in gold. One gold mining stock that has performed exceptionally well over the past year is Alamos Gold (NYSE: AGI). It has risen by around 120% during that time frame, as the business has been booming. Recently, it also announced a generous increase to its dividend -- a mammoth 60% rate hike. 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 Is Alamos Gold stock a no-brainer buy right now? Image source: Getty Images. 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While Alamos' yield remains fairly light at just 0.3%, there may be more increases in the future as the company expands its operations and it strengthens its financials. Alamos stock can make for an excellent long-term investment Although Alamos stock has amassed some impressive returns over the past year, it's still not expensive, as it trades at a price-to-earnings multiple of 24, which is right in line with the S&P 500 average. While the stock's dividend may be modest, Alamos's payout ratio is less than 10%, even when factoring in the hefty dividend increase; there's still plenty of room for the dividend to rise further. If you want exposure to gold and want to invest in an excellent mining company, then Alamos could make for a solid choice today. Between some solid growth plans, a reasonable valuation, and a growing dividend, there are multiple reasons to load up on the stock today and hang on for the long term. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Three days into his war on Iran, it seems clearer than ever that President Donald Trump, the U.S. commander in chief, has no ideaor, perhaps worse, contradictory ideasof what he wants from the conflict or how to get it. In his eight-minute video, posted on social media early Saturday morning, Trump said the goals of his major combat operation were to obliterate (once again) Irans nuclear program, demolish its ballistic-missile arsenal, andabove alloverthrow the Islamic regime, imploring the Iranian people to take control of their government. Advertisement Advertisement However, later that day, he told Axios that he also had in mind several off-ramps from the conflict, saying, I can go long and take over the whole thing or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians, See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear program]. Then, on Sunday, in a six-minute phone conversation with the New York Times, Trump, after once again calling on the Iranian people to rise up, invoked what we did in Venezuela as the perfect scenario for Iran. This remark has two lamentable consequences. First, the survivors of Irans regime could take it as a signal to hold on and not surrender. Second, Irans democratic activists could take his obsession with the Venezuela scenarioin which, as he described it, everyone in the regime kept their job except for two peopleas a disincentive to take to the streets. When unarmed protesters did so last month after Trump said he had their backs, thousands of them were mowed down by police and military forces. The protesters are still unarmedwhich would make it hard for them to take over a government, even under less forbidding circumstancesand the police and military are still very well armed. Trump added, as he has said a couple times in recent days, that the elite military forces should lay down their arms and surrender to the people. He did not explain why the Revolutionary Guardthe elite force, with its 190,000 members and deep interests in the survival of the regime and its economic assetswould suddenly turn meek. He also didnt explain just who the people taking power might be or how they would take power. Iran has about 90 million people, many of whom despise the regime, many of whom revere it. In any case, as far as anyone can tell, the democratic opposition has no leaders with the appeal, organization, or tools to take charge; to the extent there have been plausible candidates for the role in the past, they are now dead, in prison, or in exile. Advertisement Advertisement In other words, Trump, with the prodding and cooperation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leapt into this war without first thinking through his goals or the criteria of successin short, without formulating basic strategy. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a press conference Monday, laid out the goals of the military operation, including the destruction of Irans nuclear program, ballistic-missile arsenal, and navybut he said nothing about regime change or the Iranian people, again raising doubts as to the operations real purpose. (This aside from the fact that, according to U.S. intelligence, and contrary to Trumps claim in Tuesdays State of the Union address, Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States or its allies in the region.) Trump told CNNs Jake Tapper, in a nine-minute phone interview Monday morning, Were knocking the crap out of them, referring to the airstrikes on Iranian targets. I think its going very well. Its very powerful, Trump went on, adding, We havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon. All this may be so. Spokesmen for U.S. Central Command, which runs military operations in the Middle East, said that, in the wars first two days, the air and naval strikes hit 1,000 targets in Iran. Trump said on Sunday that the strikes related to regime change have killed 48 senior officials, including the ayatollah. Advertisement Advertisement However, hitting targets doesnt necessarily mean winning a warand killing leaders doesnt necessarily mean toppling a regime. There are few, if any, cases where airstrikes alone have done either. One exception is NATOs 1999 air war against Serbia, which ousted dictator Slobodan Milosevicbut in that case, the bombs were supplemented by U.S. cyberattacks and other means of intimidation against Milosevics industrial and commercial allies, who were keeping him in power. Once they withdrew their support, he had no power base and so surrendered. Iran is very different. The power structuresmainly the ideological religious orders, the military, and the Revolutionary Guard Corpsare still intact. The interim governmentincluding the elected president and a council of expertspledged to avenge the killing of the supreme leader. Retaliatory attacks are well in progress against Israel and Arab countries where the U.S. military has bases. This is another difference between Iran and Venezuela. The United States and its oil companies have had a long, if contentious, relationship with Venezuela; its president, Nicolas Maduro, who forcibly retained power after losing an election, was assisted largely by self-interested bureaucrats. The swift abduction of Maduro, followed by Trumps eagerness to restore business deals (and his clear lack of interest in restoring the democratically elected leaders to power), brought Maduros onetime deputies and henchmen to heelat least so far. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. has had no such dealings with Iran in the 47 years since the Islamic Revolution; the security forces are thoroughly enmeshed in the countrys social and economic institutions. The CIA, Mossad, or both seem to have inside sources in these organizations; hence their ability to track and, in some cases, assassinate Irans scientists and commanders, including the top leaders killed in Saturdays bombing. Who knows: Some U.S. and Israeli officials may think, or hope, that one of these inside sources can take power and steer post-ayatollah Iran into a direction friendlier to Western interests. If so, this quite a leap of faith. Trump had said he had in mind three people who might replace the supreme leader, but he later said all of those people were killed in U.S. or Israeli strikesanother case of failure in strategic thinking. Netanyahu has expressed support for Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the late shah who was installed in a coup in Iran in 1953when the CIA and MI-6 overthrew the democratic prime minister for the sin of nationalizing Britains Anglo-Iranian (later BP) oil companyand was toppled during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The shahs son has long harbored ambitions of retaking the family throne, but he would likely face opposition from both the present regime, whose pioneers overthrew his father, and the democratic activists, whose antecedents were oppressed by the shah as well. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports the following: Inside the Pentagon, and among some members of the Trump administration, there was deepening concern Sunday that the Iran conflict could spiral out of control, said people familiar with the situation. The mood there is intense and paranoid, one person said. The toll of the wars expanding scope includes four Americans killed, at least three of them in an Iraqi strike on Kuwait. Irans missiles and drones have also killed 10 Israelis, four Syrians, and six in the Gulf states. Israeli strikes, aimed at Hezbollah facilities, have killed at least 31 people in Lebanon. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, U.S. and Israeli strikes have killed 555 people across Iran, including at least 175 people, many of them young students, at a girls school. Advertisement Advertisement Three U.S. jets were shot down on Monday, reportedly by Kuwaiti air-defense troops in an accidental friendly fire attack. The pilots and crews ejected without damage. In a briefing at the Pentagon, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said we are at the early stages of a difficult and gritty operation, adding that more U.S. forces will soon be sent to support the tens of thousands already there. Trump said on Sunday the war could go on for another four or five weeks. Asked about this on Monday, Hegseth said, President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take. Four weeks, two weeks, six weeksit could move up, it could move back. On the Monday, March 2, 2026, episode of The Excerpt podcast: Primary season is officially underway, and even though President Donald Trump isnt on the ballot, his influence is shaping races across the country. Republican candidates either are aligning with him, challenging him, or testing the limits of his political power, while Democrats grapple with their own internal debates over leadership, strategy and how to win back voters. USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Philip M. Bailey joins The Excerpt to break down the most important races, what early primary results reveal about Trumps grip on the GOP, and what it all could mean for the balance of power in Congress and the future of both parties. Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: Today kicks off primary season, and while President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot, he's everywhere in the primaries. Across the country, Republican candidates are running toward him, away from him and trying to redefine what MAGA even means in 2026. At the same time, Democrats are facing their own identity questions as key races heat up in places like Georgia and Maine. So what are these early contests really telling us about where both parties are headed and who's gaining the advantage heading into the midterms? Hello and welcome to USA TODAY's The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Monday, March 2nd, 2026 to get a handle on all of it, I'm now joined by USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Philip M. Bailey. Welcome back, Philip. Advertisement Advertisement Phillip M. Bailey: Hey, Dana. How are you? Dana Taylor: I'm good. Give me the lay of the land here. What are the big races you're watching this year and what's the story of this primary season? Phillip M. Bailey: Well, look, I think the big story here is that President Trump, as his numbers are wobbling nationwide and his popularity is beginning to wane, he's really worried about, and we saw this beginning really last year, of Democrats taking back Congress. Now, this happens with every president in power, where the party that's out of power makes the referendum that the President isn't doing what they're supposed to do. So you should give us at least some reins in that, and that's the argument that they Democrats are really going to lean into, particularly with affordability being the lead issue here. We're already seeing Dana in some of these special elections, both at the congressional and state legislative level in areas that Donald Trump was very successful in Democrats prevailing like in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement So look, the President has already, with those redistricting wars that he started last year trying to anticipate Democrats taking back at the very least of the house, but when we spoke with Democratic senate leader, Chuck Schumer, earlier this year when I had a one-on-one with him, he believes that the Senate is now within reach. That will require a little bit of heavy lifting for Democrats. That's going to require them to flip states like Alaska, like Maine, Ohio, and North Carolina, and also, at the same time, defend states that they have right now, Michigan and Georgia. So the way of the map right now is Donald Trump knowing that if Democrats take back the House and the Senate, particularly in the House, his presidency is effectively over. Dana Taylor: Trump has been the face of the MAGA party since the beginning, but he isn't on the ballot, Philip. Is his hold on the Republican Party still as strong as ever? Advertisement Advertisement Phillip M. Bailey: It looks that way, initially. Look, when we look down, for example, and we're going to have some tests here in some of these Republican primaries, let's take for example Marjorie Taylor Greene's old seat, the former congressman who was really the queen, the matriarch of the MAGA movement until she had some significant differences with President Trump on some issues like strikes to Iran, issues of affordability. But chiefly though, I think we should point out, the main issue the MTG had with the President was that apparently, according to reporting across the country, that the president told her that she didn't have the numbers to run for Senate down in Georgia. So in her old seat in Georgia's 14th congressional district, which is northern Georgia, just outside of Atlanta, going up to the border with Tennessee, we see there that there's going to be a major test of President Trump endorsing one of those candidates there. And whether that person will end up winning that race will be a real first test of still stronghold on the MAGA base. That 14th district, Dana, is one of the most MAGA-oriented, conservative, pro-Trump districts in the country, and it looks like Mr. Fuller, the individual, the former prosecutor that he's endorsing is considered the lead candidate. There's also in Kentucky fourth congressional district held by Thomas Massey, where President Trump and his allies have really leaned into and put a lot of money into Congressman Massey's primary opponent. That, I think, even more so than Georgia's 14th congressional district, will be a real test and real Alamo moment for Trump in terms of his party hold. If Massey Falls, that shows that Donald Trump still is the big elephant in the room. If Massey prevails, this is man who's co-sponsored the Epstein-Files legislation, for example, he has been a thorn in President Trump's side for a number of years now, if he survives, you could start seeing Republicans at the House level and other Republican candidates across the country begin to buck the president realizing that, oh, I have a political future beyond him, number one. And number two, he isn't able to simply leverage out people who don't agree with his agenda or don't go along with the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: Philip, as you know, some Trump-aligned activists are pushing an executive order that would allow the president to declare a national emergency over alleged election interference. What would that actually mean in practice and how significant would it be for presidential power over elections? Phillip M. Bailey: The theme of Trump 2.0, Dana, has been the president exercising and really expanding executive authority in ways that his predecessors probably never imagined possible. When you look at the Trump 2.0 agenda, much of it has come through executive orders and executive action. Take for example DHS and the use of ICE and Border Patrol, not just in Minneapolis, but across the country. Besides the Big Beautiful Bill, Congress has really been sidelined and hasn't been the first forethought of the president. And I think we see that in the Supreme Court's ruling against his tariff, global tariff policies where Justice Neil Gorsuch basically said to the president in his ruling, in his affirmative opinion, saying that, "Hey, I know it's more difficult, but go through Congress for some of these things, Mr. President." And I think there's a real contempt, I think sometimes that Donald Trump has for that legislative process saying, "Hey, my people elected me to do this. I'm going to do it by any means necessary." And I think alarms his opponents and a lot of observers around the country, and we're seeing this with this lead-up to or this speculation that there is going to be this pending executive order on elections. Advertisement Advertisement This is going on at the same time, Dana, where the president's SAVE Act that he's very supportive of that would change and require ID for participating in other identification to participate in federal elections. Democrats and others are aghast at this legislation, by the way, but at the same time, it looks like that legislation isn't going anywhere fast. So President Trump and his allies, particularly those outside of the White House, like Steve Bannon, who have already said on their podcast that, "Hey, we're going to declare a national emergency and send in ICE and send people to the ballots, send the people to the ballot boxes." The alarm, I think, Dana, is largely because President Trump still to this day lies about winning the 2020 election. He's never publicly acknowledged that he lost that election. He even, I think at the State of the Union, alluded to winning the 2020 election when he did not. So there is a lot of nervous speculation here on the part of Democrats and their allies, especially when considering that the Trump administration seized records in Fulton County, Georgia. There are ballots down there. So look, legal observers have already made comment that this would be unconstitutional. The Constitution is very clear that states are in control of our elections. We don't really have a national election. We have 50 different elections during the presidential years. So even if President Trump were to issue such an executive order, which many anticipate he will, coming from an ally that he went to military school with a pro-Trump attorney who's coming up and conjuring up this legal idea or legal theory, I think you are going to see if that does land, this is going to be challenged in the courts, obviously, by his opponents. But there is a lot of nervous feelings around this. The president may try to declare, "Oh, there's foreign interference. There's a national emergency. No more mail-in ballots," and X, y, and Z. right? So rather than going through the legislative process, which is very difficult, you have Republicans like Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska who would not necessarily be along with the... Even Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former Senate Majority Leader, apparently has misgivings about that legislation and the SAVE Act as well. And President Trump has made it clear in the past that when he doesn't get his way via Congress, he'll simply pull out his pen and do as he pleases. Advertisement Advertisement So this has got a lot of nervous tension here between now and the midterms because of President Trump's refusal to acknowledge previous election results, his efforts to overturn that 2020 election, but also, Dana, Congress not going along with him, even Republican allies not going along with him on these issues. Dana Taylor: Let's zoom in on some of the races you're watching. You mentioned Texas. And also I want to get into Maine's Senate Primary. What can you tell us about these? Let's start with Texas. Phillip M. Bailey: Right. The showdown in Texas on both sides, on the Democratic and Republican side. Let's start with the Democrats because I think that's the one that's going to be the more interesting in terms of personalities. Advertisement Advertisement You have Congressman Jasmine Crockett going up against state representative James Talarico. The thought initially, Dana, was that Jasmine Crockett entering this race? She was going to be this fundraising powerhouse. She's this quick-witted civil rights attorney who took off on cable news with [inaudible 00:08:55] at Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump. Long before Democrats were doing that, Jasmine Crockett of Texas was doing that. But then you see James Tallarico was really taken off in terms of leaning into a populist message, really laced with his more progressive, but yet Christian values, and has become really nasty primary in the sense that it's a question of electability, which Congressman Crockett told me, and she said this to other media outlets as well, which she feels like is a dog whistle for her race and gender as a Black woman. She makes a point that, "Hey, other Democrats have taken on Donald Trump in this same way, and what's the issue with their electability?" I think part of it, Dana, is because Texas Democrats haven't had a Democratic senator since 1988, so we'll see how things are turning out there. The turnout, like I said before, is surging. There is an issue of a personality difference between the two. Congressman Crockett often talks about politics through herself, emphasizing the things that she has done, her credentials and her background, that she's a fighter. Tallarico, talks about the group, the affordability crisis, the healthcare crisis. Even though I think in a lot of these issues, Congresswoman Crockett is actually to the left of Tallarico, he tries to have, I think, both ways where he appeals to moderates and some of his supporters say, "Oh, he's a better person to maybe stretch Republicans in a general election." At the same time, he still tries to say, "I'm just as progressive, maybe even more so than Congresswoman Crockett." When you put their two records side by side, there's some differences, but it's really a personality test more than anything else. On the Republican side now, this is what it gets interesting. John Cornyn, an institution in Texas politics, really comes from the George W. Bush era of Texas conservatism, long time Republican senator there, is really in a fight for his political career. Most polls show him either tied or down to attorney General Ken Paxton, who was a scandal plagued Republican out of Texas. And also running is Congressman Wesley Hunt, a MAGA firebrand who isn't shying away from taking punches at Cornyn either. Many expect, experts are all telling me that, "Look, this is probably going to be a runoff between Paxton and Cornyn. With Paxton probably coming in ahead." That means that President Trump, who has not endorsed in this race, is going to be pressured by all of these candidates, particularly Cornyn's folks in the Senate leadership to get involved here. Advertisement Advertisement And that's because, Dana, it's not because necessarily even Democrats really can win Texas, right? Even if Ken Paxton were to win with his scandals and everything as close, that might be in Democrats' minds, the real issue is money. If Ken Paxton is the nominee for the Republicans in that race, that means they'll have to spend a whole lot more money rather than spend it in Ohio or Alaska or other states that they want to defend or even go on offense. So the pressure is on, I think, for Republicans in the town. Again, when Donald Trump's numbers are down, do they go with a more MAGA firebrand with scandals both in his professional and personal life, or do they go with the tried and trusted John Cornyn, who, if he's a nominee, Democrats know that that seat is basically off the table? Dana Taylor: And then let's go to Maine? Phillip M. Bailey: Maine, where you have Republican, Susan Collins, a more moderate Republican, who is certainly someone that Democrats feel like they do have a legitimate chance in flipping that seat. The real contest first, though, is going to be in the Democratic primary between Governor Janet Mills, who's backed by Chuck Schumer and most of the Democratic establishment, and then Graham Platner, oyster farmer, younger 40-ish, populist left-leaning progressive, who's got a lot of support from left-leaning groups like the PCCC and others who say, "Look, now's the time to shake things up." Schumer was pilloried, if you recall, last year by a lot of liberal advocates and left-leaning groups, and the activists left saying he wasn't really up to the challenge and up to the task of challenging Donald Trump legislatively, or even culturally keeping up with the times. That's going to be an interesting race here. If Platner wins and beats Mills, that tells me, Dana, that across the board, Democrats are going to be leaning into more populist, even outsiders who aren't necessarily affiliated or connected to Washington or connected to establishment Democrats, and that's what I think we're going to see really in these primaries For Democrats across the board, maybe more of a blue MAGA effort where you see strong, hardcore left-leaning advocates and activists running for office. I would say that when you look at last year's races, Zohran Mamdani, now the mayor of New York City really epitomized that. At the same time, I'll say this, at the same time, the Democrats who also prevailed in those statewide elections in Virginia, New Jersey were more kitchen table moderates who focused on affordability, who weren't necessarily associated with the far left or left-leaning politics. Dana Taylor: That's really what I wanted to drill down on. What does this primary season reveal about where the Democratic Party's energy is right now, and are they finally ready to pass the baton to the next generation? Phillip M. Bailey: That's the thing that these primaries are really going to tell us. I think that the theme of these primaries for the Democrats, this will always, I think, be the tension here. There is a growing sense of Democrats that they are too loyal to their donor base, that they are just as bad as Republicans, and that was something that was a theme both in the 2016 elections and 2024. I think what Donald Trump has done with very blitzing executive orders and executive action, I think what Donald Trump has done is put a lot of pressure on mainstream Democrats. Well, why? When you get in there, you can't get these things done so quickly. So there is, I think, going to be an energy from a more activist left perspective of, hey, we need to get in here and really change things fundamentally, and that's really the issue of donors. I think that the donor class and the Democratic Party will be criticized heavily by a lot of these candidates. The real question, as many of them question and call out James Talarico questioning, calling out the billionaire class and the Epstein class, as I think Senator John Ossoff of Georgia called them in a recent speech. That tension will remain with Democrats for a long period of time, and I don't think one primary season will wash that away, but I do think you're going to see a continued struggle for Democrats in the future. Their numbers have not necessarily improved. It's just that Donald Trump's numbers have tanked. There's going to be this continued tension between do we continue to go after Donald Trump, who is someone who generates a lightning rod on the left, anytime he's mentioned or brought up? At the same time, Democrats feel like we have to move beyond Donald Trump. He won't be necessarily president forever. I know there's a lot of folks on the left who think that he might try to be president for a third term, but there is this tension here that I don't think will be resolved just because voters pick younger, more left-leaning candidates. Dana Taylor: Right. Philip M. Bailey is USA TODAY's chief political correspondent. Philip, it's always great to speak with you. Thank you for coming on. Phillip M. Bailey: Dana, no problem. Thank you. Dana Taylor: Thanks to our senior producer, Kaely Monahan, for her production assistance. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts at usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. I'll be back tomorrow morning with another episode of USA TODAY's The Excerpt. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Early primaries test Trumps influence and party loyalty | The Excerpt On the Tuesday, March 3, 2026, episode of The Excerpt podcast: U.S. strikes on Iran and Tehrans retaliation have escalated into open conflict. The situation raises new risks for U.S. forces as tensions widen across the Middle East. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers joins The Excerpt to discuss how the strike came together and what the war in Iran means for the U.S. Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: With US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Tran's retaliation across the region, the US is now engaged in open conflict with Iran. The question many Americans are asking is are we once again at war in the Middle East? Hello and welcome to USA TODAY's The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026. What does an open conflict with Iran mean for the US in terms of military commitment and risk to American troops serving overseas? Joining me now to share her insights on what is quickly becoming a widening conflict in the Middle East is USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers. It's good to speak with you, Francesca. Francesca Chambers: Advertisement Advertisement Thanks, Dana. Dana Taylor: Francesca, for months, President Donald Trump has ratcheted up pressure on Iran for a new nuclear deal. Has a Trump administration made clear both why the US decided to strike Iran and why now? Francesca Chambers: In his first public remarks from the White House since the war began, President Trump said on Monday that the Trump administration tried to negotiate with Iran, that nuclear pact that you were referring to, but Iran did not heed the United States' warnings not to rebuild its nuclear programs. So in justifying the strikes, the president brought up both that nuclear program, but he also talked about Iran's ballistic missile program. He said that it was growing, quote, "rapidly and dramatically", and it posed a very clear colossal threat to the United States, as well as US bases and forces that are overseas. And he said, again, that Iran was making ballistic missiles that would soon have had the capability of reaching what he described as our beautiful America in those remarks. Advertisement Advertisement Now, experts have pushed back on some of the things that President Trump has said in the last few days, as well as what US officials have said in the lead up to these strikes, one of them, including being how soon it was that Iran could have had ballistic missiles that could have reached the continental United States. Dana Taylor: The War Powers Act of 1973 was intended to limit unilateral military action by a president. Has Congress been briefed or asked for authorization? Francesca Chambers: So Secretary of State Marco Rubio first began briefing top congressional leaders on the day of the State of the Union addressed last week on Tuesday. We knew that already. That was publicly known. But then since then, US officials have said that Rubio also called top congressional leaders as a bipartisan group called the Gang of Eight, and it includes the House Speaker, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader, the House Minority Leader, as well as the chair and vice chair of both the House and Senate intelligence committees. They say that he called them to give them a heads-up on the strikes. He also spoke to armed services members, we're told. Then Secretary of State Marco Rubio also briefed those top congressional leaders on Monday on Capitol Hill. Rubio was expected on Tuesday to give a wider briefing to members of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: How did this strike come together, Francesca? Francesca Chambers: So we heard from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a briefing at the Pentagon on Monday talk about this, as well as General Dan Kane talk about this also. They said that the president on Friday at 3:38 PM gave the final green light for the strikes to go ahead. Now, we know that the Israelis struck first, and then the United States came in swiftly behind the Israelis to conduct these strikes. This was a massive operation on the US side that involved fighter jets as well as B2 bombers. It had refueling stations involved in this as well. This was something that they detailed during that initial briefing that they gave at the Pentagon. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: This is, of course, a rapidly developing story, but what's been the impact on US bases, including, of course, the four American lives lost over the weekend? Francesca Chambers: Iran has struck at least six US military facilities in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Iraq, UAE, also Kuwait. Now, Kuwait is where those American service members that you refer to before died. Originally, that number was three, and then one of them who was injured ultimately ended up perishing as well. And the president, when he spoke about this on video over the weekend, it was a video address that was taped from his Mar-a-Lago estate and then put out on social media, he said that sadly, there will likely be more. He said, but that's the way that it is. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint strikes. President Trump is calling on Iranians to overthrow their government. Is it clear who the US would like to see lead Iran? Francesca Chambers: Not at this time. When President Trump has taken a number of calls from reporters over the last few days, in addition to the video addresses and the public remarks he's made, he specifically noted that the folks that the United States may have had in mind to take over Iran were also killed in the strikes. Dozens of Iranian leaders at this point, more than 40, were killed in those strikes. And so Trump has said that he doesn't actually have anybody in mind at this point to lead Iran, although he has said that that is up to the people of Iran. And with respect to the protestors, he said that, "I made a promise to you and I have fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you," but he said that the United States would be there to back the protestors. And we heard him say initially after he confirmed the strikes that this would likely be their best opportunity in generations to reclaim their government. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: President Trump and military leaders have said Operation Epic Fury, what this is called, is expected to last for weeks, not days. Is it clear really how long this will last? Francesca Chambers: We've heard the president talk about four to five weeks. He's also said that it's ahead of schedule. He originally thought, he said, that it would be about four weeks as his timeline, but also, we've heard Hegseth and other officials say that if it has to go longer, then it will go longer. But they're also saying that they don't expect this to be something that's going to last for years. That's how it's different, they're saying, than something like the Iraq War, for instance. They don't envision, as Hegsuth said during his briefing, putting 200,000 boots on the ground and spending 20 years there. At the same time, they're also not completely and totally ruling out boots on the ground, saying they'll do whatever is necessary. We should also note that an Iranian official who is a top national security advisor there has said that they are ready for a prolonged war, this person said, if that's what's needed to take place. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: Well, sticking with the remaining Iranian leadership and their response, what's the status of talks between the US and Iran? Is any diplomacy taking place right now? Francesca Chambers: So Oman had originally been mediating those talks between the United States and Iran, those nuclear negotiations, and had said over the weekend that they thought that there was still room to pull this back through diplomacy. But the US officials who spoke to reporters over the weekend said that they had determined that Iran was playing games in these negotiations. Essentially, they were trying to buy time, as the US has put it, to try to rebuild that nuclear program and to work on their ballistic missile program, and eventually, the Trump administration just determined that they couldn't afford to wait any longer. That's their rationale for it. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has said that they were in those talks in good faith, but now the remaining leadership, as you referred to, the negotiator that the National Security Advisor was referring to before, says that they will not be negotiating with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Dana Taylor: As you noted, we've now seen strikes on multiple Arab countries, including Lebanon. Has the administration addressed concerns about destabilizing the Middle East, and really, where do our allies stand here? Francesca Chambers: So some of the United States' allies have been quick to point out that they weren't involved in these strikes, particularly the European countries came out, France, Germany, Britain. They were all part of that original nuclear pact that the United States under Trump's First Administration pulled out of, and they've called for a return to these negotiations in the past. But meanwhile, while Britain has said that it wasn't part of these strikes initially, it's now allowing the United States to be able to use its bases in the region to conduct operations if need be. Dana Taylor: Francesca, as we saw with Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, the Trump administration appears to have no qualms about targeting heads of state when they deem it necessary. Has the killing of Khamenei intensified debates about the legality of doing so? Francesca Chambers: Well, this goes also back to what we were discussing before about Congress and Democrats in particular wanting the administration to get their permission to do this. They're forcing a War Powers vote this week in the House of Representatives. They'd like to see one in the United States Senate as well, but the US has essentially said, by the way, in response to just all of these things that this operation in Iran shows that the United States and President Trump are very serious about using military power when they feel that they need to. They've pointed in the last few weeks both to what happened in Venezuela, as you're referring to, as well as those strikes that took place last summer to show and say that when President Trump warns that he could take military action, that he's not playing around. Dana Taylor: How has the President's Party responded to the strikes in Iran and this widening conflict in the Middle East? Are Republicans firmly behind the President? Francesca Chambers: I think Congress for the most part has been very supportive. This is largely broken down along party lines, Republicans in support and Democrats against, but there are some Republicans such as Rand Paul, who's been a huge proponent of voting for wars and non-interventionism, calling for the President to come and ask Congress for their permission. And then of course, you have folks like former representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who broke with the President over the fact that she said that he was more focused on foreign policy and not enough on affordability issues. She left Congress earlier this year while she was fighting with President Trump over these things. She is one of the people who was speaking out at great length over the weekend to essentially say that the president and vice president and administration campaigned on no more foreign interventionism, no more endless wars, and then they've also taken new strikes just in the last two months in both Venezuela as well as Iran. There are other folks in the president's party such as television personality, Tucker Carlson, who has said over the weekend essentially that he described it in an ABC News interview as absolutely disgusting and evil. So certainly, the GOP isn't completely unified. And I would also note that the American public too, when you look at polling on this, it also shows that there are some Republicans who don't support this. In a Reuters poll over the weekend, 43% of Americans disapproved of the strikes and 29% weren't sure, but 27% said that they approved of them, so that was roughly one in four Americans who approve of the strikes overall. Dana Taylor: What will you be watching for over the next few days, Francesca, whether that be from President Trump or lawmakers on the Hill? Francesca Chambers: Sure. So we'll be keeping an eye on these War Powers resolution votes that I was discussing before, but also what President Trump continues to say about this. He has taken questions in terms of taking some calls from reporters, but those addresses that he gave, the initial video addresses he gave, were recorded without recorders in the room and sent out over his social media accounts. He delivered the remarks on Monday that I was talking about on this issue, but he didn't take questions then, and certainly he's taken questions in terms of reporters calling him on the phone and asking the president about this, but absolutely, we'll be looking to see what other opportunities that there are to ask the president and the administration, including those defense officials who also took questions at a briefing on Monday, about, again, some of the things we're discussing here, how long that they expect at this point that this is going to last, who they expect that the leadership of Iran is going to be at this point. Dana Taylor: Francesca Chambers is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. Thank you so much for coming back on The Excerpt, Francesca. Francesca Chambers: Thanks so much. I appreciate it. Dana Taylor: Thanks to our senior producer, Kaely Monahan for her production assistance. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. I'll be back tomorrow morning with another episode of USA TODAY's The Excerpt. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How did the US strike in Iran come together? | The Excerpt US President Donald Trump has criticized the governments of Spain and the United Kingdom over their stance towards the Iran war. "Spain actually said that we can't use their bases," Trump said during talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. "We could just fly in and use it. Nobody's going to tell us not to use it, but we don't have to." Trump said he had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to suspend "all dealings" with Spain. It remained unclear which agreements Trump was referring to. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not happy with the United Kingdom either," Trump added. According to British media, the UK had initially refused to allow the US to carry out attacks on Iran from British bases, including the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer relented and allowed limited use. Trump said there could have been much better solutions. "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with," the US president added. US President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with Kurdish leaders in Iraq to discuss further steps in the war against Iran. Trump contacted Bafel Talabani, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Iraq, the party said on Tuesday. They said Trump informed Talabani about his further plans regarding the war with Iran. There was initially no confirmation from the US government. US media reported that Trump also spoke with Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani a day after the start of the US-Israeli attacks in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Citing US government officials, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering supporting the Iraqi Kurds in a fight against the Iranian leadership. The Iraqi Kurds have stationed numerous fighters at the border with neighbouring Iran and also have connections to the Kurdish minority in Iran. The Kurds are an ethnic group with an estimated 30 million members, living primarily in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. They have been fighting for decades for their own state and have long been persecuted and oppressed in both Iraq and Iran. The autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq was established after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. Advertisement Advertisement If the government in Iran were to fall, the Kurds might also gain more rights there. However, it is unclear what contribution they would actually make in the fight and what commitments they might demand from the US government in return. The Kurdish militias were already an important ally of the US in the fight against the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end trade with Spain, citing a lack of support over the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and the European nation's resistance to increasing its NATO spending. Were going to cut off all trade with Spain, Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. We dont want anything to do with Spain. The U.S. president's comments came a day after Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said his country would not allow the U.S. to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the United Nations charter. Albares noted that the military bases in Spain were not used in the weekend attack on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said despite Spain's refusal we could use their base if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobodys going to tell us not to use it, but we don't have to. It is unclear how Trump would cut off trade with Spain, given that Spain is under the umbrella of the European Union. The EU negotiates trade deals on behalf of all 27 member countries. If the U.S. administration wishes to review the trade agreement, it must do so respecting the autonomy of private companies, international law, and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States, a spokesperson from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs office said Tuesday. The EU said it expects the Trump administration to honor a trade deal struck with the 27-nation bloc in Scotland last year after months of economic uncertainty over Trumps tariff blitzkrieg. Advertisement Advertisement The Commission will always ensure that the interests of the European Union are fully protected, said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill. It was just the latest instance of the president wielding the threat of tariffs or trade embargoes as a punishment and came on the heels of a Supreme Court decision that struck down Trump's far-reaching global tariffs. While the court said that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs, Trump now maintains that the court allows him to instead impose full-scale embargoes on other nations of his choosing. Trump also complained anew Tuesday about Spain's decision last year to back out of NATO's 5% defense spending target. At the time, Spain said it could reach its military capabilities by spending 2.1% of its GDP, a move that Trump roundly criticized and responded to with tariff threats as well. Spain, Trump said, is the only country that in NATO would not agree to go up to 5% in NATO spending. "I dont think they agreed to go up to anything. They wanted to keep it at 2% and they dont pay the 2%. Advertisement Advertisement Merz noted that Trump was correct and said, "We are trying to convince them that this is a part of our common security, that we all have to comply with this. Spain defended its position Tuesday, saying it is "a key member of NATO, fulfilling its commitments and making a significant contribution to the defense of European territory, the spokesperson in Sanchezs office said. During the Oval Office meeting, Trump turned to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for his opinion on the president's embargo authority. Bessent said, I agree that the Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargo." Bessent added that the U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department would "begin investigations and well move forward with those. Advertisement Advertisement A representative from the U.S. Treasury Department did not respond to a request from The Associated Press for additional comment. Sanchez has been critical of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling it an unjustifiable and dangerous military intervention. His government has demanded an immediate de-escalation and dialogue and also condemned Irans strikes across the region. Trump said, Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people, but they dont have great leadership." Spains position on the use of U.S. bases in its territory marks the latest flare-up in its relationship with the Trump administration. Under Sanchez, Europes last major progressive leader, Spain was also an outspoken critic of Israels war in Gaza. ___ Naishadham reported from Madrid. AP journalist Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed. The Trump administration alerted members of Congress bipartisan "Gang of Eight ahead of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed on Saturday, Feb. 28. "[They] were briefed in detail earlier this week that military action may become necessary to protect American troops and American citizens in Iran, Johnson wrote on X. "I received updates from Secretary Rubio thereafter, and I will remain in close contact with the President and the Department of War as this operation proceeds." The term "Gang of Eight" refers to a small, bipartisan group of eight congressional leaders who are briefed on the government's most sensitive intelligence matters when wider disclosure could risk national security. Advertisement Advertisement The group exists under federal law to balance two competing priorities: Congress' duty to oversee intelligence activities and the need for strict secrecy during operations impacting national security. The U.S. Capitol building is illuminated the night the Senate passed a short-term government funding bill, more than a month into the longest U.S. government shutdown, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 10, 2025. More: Who was killed in the Iran attack? A look at Tehran's power structure Who currently makes up the Gang of Eight? Membership is determined by office, not appointment, and changes automatically when leadership roles change. As of March 2, 2026, the Gang of Eight includes: Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson (RLa.) House Minority Leader: Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) Senate Majority Leader: John Thune (RS.D.) Senate Minority Leader: Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) House Intelligence Committee Chair: Rick Crawford (RArk.) House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member: Jim Himes (DConn.) Senate Intelligence Committee Chair: Tom Cotton (RArk.) Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair: Mark Warner (DVa.) U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks next to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 3, 2025. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to the media next to U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 29, 2025. More: US death toll rises as war with Iran enters day three Why does the Gang of Eight exist? Federal law generally requires the executive branch to keep Congress informed about intelligence activities. But in rare extraordinary circumstances, presidents are allowed to limit briefings to the smaller group to limit risk of leaks while still providing some level of congressional oversight. Do they approve military action? No. Gang of Eight briefings are for oversight, not authorization. Members do not vote to approve or block operations; they are informed so Congress is not completely excluded from the decisionmaking loop. Key recent activities Iran Strikes: In late February and early March 2026, the Gang of Eight was briefed on U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, including the strike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Advertisement Advertisement Venezuela: The group has also recently been assembled for briefings regarding U.S. operations in Venezuela. Classified documents investigation: Historically, the group was briefed on investigations into classified documents found at the homes of former and current leaders, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is the 'Gang of Eight' in Congress? US President Donald Trump has stated that US ammunition stockpiles are currently at "the highest end" but still do not meet his expectations. Source: European Pravda, citing Trump on his social media platform Truth Social Quote: "As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought 'forever', and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be." Advertisement Advertisement Details: Trump added that much of the high-quality weaponry is stored abroad in remote countries. He also criticised his predecessor for supplying weapons to Ukraine. Quote: "Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Country's money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didn't bother to replace it." Details: Trump noted that he had rebuilt the military during his first term and continues to strengthen it now. Quote: "The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!" Advertisement Advertisement For reference: Phineas Taylor Barnum, mentioned by Trump, was an American businessman, showman and politician active in the 19th century. General Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other Pentagon officials had warned before the US operation in Iran about the potential strain on personnel and resources in the region and how a prolonged campaign could affect US weapons reserves, particularly those used to support Israel and Ukraine, according to CNN sources. Trump's post came after he told CNN that a "big wave" of US attacks on Iran is still ahead. With both American and Iranian officials signalling a prolonged conflict, it remains unclear how long Gulf states can maintain their air defences before resources are depleted. Background: On the morning of 28 February, Trump announced that the US had launched a large-scale operation against Iran. Israel also carried out strikes. Iran responded by launching strikes on several Gulf states where US military bases are located. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated earlier that the US had not started this war, but they would end it. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The U.S. and Israels attack on Iran has formed a new axis of evil, according to Daily Beast columnist David Rothkopf. Rothkopf, a foreign policy analyst, said that when judged by the number of innocent deaths, illegal wars, and war crimes committed, the three men in this new axis are Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir Putin. There was a time, 20-odd years ago, when George W. Bush, in making his case for his war, got on television and said the United States faces...an axis of evil in this world, Rothkopf told The Daily Beast Podcast host Joanna Coles. Bush, in his 2002 State of the Union address, singled out Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as countries that were arming to threaten the peace of the world. Advertisement Advertisement Rothkopf said that in 2026, amid Trumps airstrikes on Iran, Putins four-plus-year war against Ukraine, and the destruction of Gaza under Netanyahus watch, theres an argument that the three of them are doing the same. I think a case can be made, if youre looking at the number of innocent deaths, and the number of wars of choice that shouldnt have been undertaken, the number of illegal wars, and the number of war crimes committed, that the new axis of evil contains Vladimir Putin, but its now also Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu, Rothkopf said. Trump ordered the attack on Iran after weeks of lobbying by Netanyahu, according to the Washington Post. / Joe Raedle / Getty Images In Iran, for instance, a strike on a girls school killed at least 175 people, health officials and Iranian state media said, the New York Times reported. It wasnt immediately clear whether the U.S. or Israel was responsible. In Gaza, the Palestinian death toll as of last July was over 60,000, Palestinian health authorities said, with nearly one-third of victims under 18. The Israel Defense Forces also killed journalists and first responders. Multiple scholars have alleged genocide, and the International Criminal Court in 2024 issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in part for his alleged war crime of starvation as a weapon of war. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Russian troops have attacked civilian targets like hospitals, spurring the ICC to issue arrest warrants for top Russian military officers. In 2023, the court did the same for Putin regarding child abductions. As of last January, the United Nations put the civilian death toll at over 12,300. Rothkopf explained his reasoning further. If these are the countries that are attacking other countries illegally, producing deaths as a consequence of their policies, both in war and also policies like withholding food and aid from people around the world, are doing this recklessly, are doing this not to advance peace or national interests, but to advance the very, very narrow interests of the leaders of those countries, what theyre doing is fundamentally evil, he said. Trump and Putin last met for Ukraine peace talks last August in Alaska. Little progress has been made. / Contributor / Getty Images Trump, he added, has been motivated by several such interests, as has Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement The two are in the middle of a scandal, Rothkopf said, referring to the Jeffrey Epstein saga and Netanyahus corruption trial. [Netanyahu] is also facing an election at the end of this year, which could cause him great political harm, and he also feels that conducting war outside of his country is the best way for him to remain in power, Rothkopf said. He also doesnt care about casualties. He doesnt care about the consequences of these things. So far, six U.S. service members have been killed by Iranian strikes. Trump ordered the attack after weeks of lobbying from Netanyahu, the New York Times and the Washington Post reported. And so this is the new axis of evil. It should be chilling for every American that were part of it, Rothkopf said. Advertisement Advertisement Am I saying the U.S. military is part of that? Only because they are following the orders of the president of the United States, because they are waging this illegal war on behalf of the president. Am I saying the Congress, the enablers in Congress are part of it? Yes. Yeah, they are. Theyre letting him get away with this. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Follow our new feed on your favorite podcast platform at beast.pub/dailybeastpod and subscribe on YouTube to watch full episodes. ANKARA, March 2 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday criticised the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as a "clear violation" of international law, adding that Turkey shared the pain of the Iranian people amid the widening war. Turkey, a NATO member and neighbor of Iran, had for weeks urged Washington and Tehran to reach an agreement during their rounds of negotiations, warning that the region could not handle more destabilisation. In his strongest opposition yet to the attacks, Erdogan said they were a "clear violation of international law". Advertisement Advertisement "As their neighbour and brother, we share the pain of the Iranian people," he said at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Ankara, and added that the U.S.-Iran dispute had grown into war after provocations from Israel. Turkey historically has had complex ties with Iran, with the two countries backing opposing sides for years in the civil war in Syria, but managing cordial ties and strong trade in various areas despite political differences. Erdogan has also forged close personal relations with U.S. President Donald Trump. He said on Monday that Turkey would intensify contacts "at every level" until a ceasefire is achieved and room is made for diplomacy, adding that Turkey did not want "fighting, war, tensions, and massacres" right across its borders. Advertisement Advertisement "Our entire stance regarding the illegal attacks targeting Iran are in that line," Erdogan added, while warning that if the "necessary intervention" is not made, there could be "serious repercussions" for regional and global security. "Nobody can handle the burden of the economic and geopolitical uncertainties that such a period will cause. This is why this fire needs to be extinguished before it grows any more." (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Alex Richardson and Paul Simao) While beer, wine, and liquor sales have dropped, which has led to many bankruptcies in the space over the past few years, hard cider sales have actually been stable. After suffering declines in 2024, hard cider was able to turn its performance around, showcasing modest increases in 2025, according to data from Beverage Industry. In 2025, Cider sales performed well at plus 2%, led by top brand Angry Orchard (plus 3.6%), Christal Torres, senior manager of client insights at Circana, told the website. For the 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2025, hard cider sales reached $502 million in total U.S. multi-outlets, grocery, drug, mass merchandisers, convenience, military, and select club and dollar retailers, according to Circana data. Of the brands, eight of the Top 10 showcased growth. Despite growth in the space, Rainmaker Cider LLC, a Washington state brewery that makes hard cider, hard lemonade, and Jones Spiked Soda under license, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to a filing on Pacer Monitor. Rainmaker Cider files Chapter 11 bankruptcy Rainmaker Cider has a very limited website that shows the brands it produces. Those include Locust Cider, Colorado Cider Company, Smack Hard Lemonade, and Jones Spiked Soda, which it produced under license from Jones Soda Co. The soda line launched with some fanfare in 2024. "Jones Soda has perfected its own iconic flavors and tastes with over twenty-eight years in beverages and a passionate fan community that spans across the USA and Canada," said Ranmaker founder Jason Spears in a press release. "The brand has leveraged key partners with rich expertise and relationships to capture this and bring it into new markets and new product categories, like Spiked Jones. We are a great match." Rainmaker will continue to operate during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. The company filed the customary motions required to pay workers and vendors. In 2024, Locust Cider, a Rainmaker brand, closed six taprooms across Washington state, KIRO News 7 reported. More alcohol industry bankruptcies and closures: Rainmaker LLC bankruptcy at a glance: DARE COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) Two people have been arrested on drug-related charges after a probation search in Wanchese on Feb. 26, according to the Dare County Sheriffs Office. On Feb. 26, the Dare County Sheriffs Office helped North Carolina Probation with a probation search in Wanchese. The search led to drugs and paraphernalia being discovered and seized. As a result of the search, Wanchese residents Amanda J. Wells, 39, and Raymond V. Thomas Jr., 46, were arrested. Wells now faces the following charges: Advertisement Advertisement Possession of a schedule I controlled substance Possession of a schedule II controlled substance Possession of drug paraphernalia. Conspire traffic opium/heroin Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine Maintain vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substances Sell/deliver fentanyl Maintain vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substances Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver fentanyl Thomas has been charged with the following: Simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance Simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance Possession of drug paraphernalia Conspire traffic opium/heroin Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine Maintain vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled subtances Wells was issued a total secured bond of $275,000, which includes a $50,000 secured bond related to the first three charges and a $75,000 secured bond for violating probation. Thomas has a total secured bond of $135,000, including a $10,000 secured bond for the first three charges and a $50,000 secured bond for violating probation. Advertisement Advertisement The Dare County Sheriffs Office encourages anyone with information about criminal activity to contact local law enforcement. Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. 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 WAVY.com. GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) Two people were found dead during a house fire in Greene County Monday night, the Greene County Sheriffs Department said. Around 11:20 p.m., crews responded to a home on Cedar Crest Road. When they arrived, they were told people could still be inside, so firefighters went into the home where they found two people dead, GCSD said. University of Tennessee students from Iran dream of better future for their homeland Advertisement Advertisement The bodies were sent to the William L Jenkins Forensic Center at East Tennessee State University for an autopsy and formal identification. The groups that responded included the Town of Mosheim Fire Department, the Mosheim Fire Department, the Midway Fire Department, the Debusk Fire Department, the Greene County Emergency Medical Services, the sheriffs departments criminal investigation division and fire investigation units, the the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations fire investigation division, said GCSD. READ: More top stories on WATE.com The investigation is ongoing. 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. Two people are dead and several others are injured Monday following a multi-vehicle collision in south Kansas City. Kansas City police officers were called to the scene of the accident around 12:30 p.m. Monday, Capt. Jake Becchina, media unit commander for the Kansas City Police Department, said in a press release Monday. Investigators determined that a silver Subaru Forester and a silver Ford Escape were both stopped on an exit ramp from northbound U.S. Highway 71 to Meyer Boulevard, Becchina said. Advertisement Advertisement A black Ford F-150 pickup truck traveling down the exit ramp at a high rate of speed sideswiped the Escape and struck the Subaru, Becchina said. The F-150 pushed the Subaru across the eastbound lanes of Meyer Boulevard, where it flipped over a concrete wall before landing on the other side of the street, Becchina said. It then rotated across the road. The F-150 then struck a gray GMC Sierra traveling westbound on Meyer Boulevard, Becchina said. The driver and front seat passenger of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Becchina said. The driver of the Ford F-150 was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, where they remain in critical condition, Becchina said. The driver of the Escape was transported with non-life threatening injuries and is stable. The driver of the GMC Sierra was uninjured, Becchina said. The deaths mark Kansas Citys 12th and 13th traffic deaths of 2026, compared to 9 at this time last year, Becchina said. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Two people have been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in connection to the distribution of fentanyl that led to the deaths of two people in Colorado Springs and Pueblo County. 26-year-old Thomas Galiano III was sentenced to 12 years and 26-year-old Hailee Anne Helton was sentenced to 14 years in prison in connection to the distribution of fentanyl in southern Colorado, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). They were sentenced separately after each pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a substance containing fentanyl. According to the plea agreements, in August 2022, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) responded to a unit at the Mountain View Apartment Homes in the Stratmoor Hills area. Inside the unit, officers found a 31-year-old man dead. Evidence gathered at the scene included one blue tablet bearing an M-30 imprint, which later tested positive for fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Evidence collected at the scene and electronic data, including CashApp payments and social media communications, connected Helton and Galiano to the sale of the drugs to the deceased. About two months later, in October 2022, deputies with the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) responded to a home on Park Road in Rye after a call about an unresponsive 18-year-old woman. At that scene, investigators found a small black bag with three blue tablets bearing an M-30 imprint, which later tested positive for fentanyl. Once again, the DOJ said evidence collected at the scene connected Helton and Galiano to the sale of the pills. In a third incident, also in October 2022, an undercover CSPD officer engaged Helton and Galiano in a drug deal, in which the officer purchased 16 fentanyl pills for $150 from Helton and Galiano. Advertisement Advertisement Helton and Galiano were arrested in Colorado Springs in January 2024 by CSPD. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspects in fentanyl overdose deaths arrested in Colorado Springs While no sentence can bring the victims in this case back, we hope this outcome provides a measure of justice and comfort to their families and loved ones, said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. We remain unwavering in our commitment to aggressively pursuing those who profit from poisoning our community. 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 FOX21 News Colorado. EVANSVILLE Two women have been arrested on prostitution charges after a monthslong investigation into an Evansville spa. Nianxian Xia, 41, and 46-year-old Shujuan Liu, each face preliminary charges of prostitution and promoting prostitution, court records show. Both women were booked into the Vanderburgh County jail between 11 p.m. Monday and early Tuesday morning. Jail records list Liu as an Evansville resident and Xia as a Chicago resident. According a probable cause affidavit filed in the cases, Evansville police's street crimes unit began surveilling Eleazar Spa in the 4300 block of Morgan Avenue in December after receiving a tip from the Indiana Gaming Commission about "suspicious currency transaction reports" allegedly stemming from Xia. The affidavit didn't go into further detail about the tip. Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 16, detectives reportedly spotted a male leaving the spa. Police pulled the man over as he drove away, and he reportedly told investigators he'd "paid a female at Eleazar Spa for sexual act." A similar episode unfolded two weeks later with a different man, who passed on the same information. They each said they had contact with a woman police later said fit Xia's description. On Monday, the day of the women's arrests, police said it happened again, this time with a third man who said he received a sexual favor from a woman who called herself "Hattie." In the midst of all that, the affidavit stated detectives staked out the spa on numerous occasions and spotted a black Lexus reportedly registered to Xia sitting outside well after normal business hours, sometimes even overnight. Detectives executed a search warrant at Eleazar on Monday. According to the affidavit, inside they reportedly found a "male ... who was laying fully nude on a massage table," as well as condoms, a sex toy, "a large amount of U.S. currency," lingerie and "numerous cases of baby wipes," among other items. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives "determined" Liu and Xia were "responsible for the daily operation of the business," the affidavit states. The fob for Xia's Lexus reportedly housed a key for the spa, and during a subsequent interview at EPD headquarters, Xia reportedly said the utilities are in her name and she was responsible for paying rent. "Xia also told detectives that she is referred to as 'Hattie," the affidavit states. Liu, meanwhile, reportedly "admitted to cleaning and maintaining the building," detectives wrote. "Based on the totality of the circumstances, your affiant believes that both Shujuan Liu and Nianxian Xia knowingly and intentionally offered to perform sexual conduct for money ... and knowingly participated in maintaining (a) business used for prostitution," the affidavit states. Advertisement Advertisement Liu's initial hearing was slated for Friday in Vanderburgh Circuit Court. As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, records didn't yet show an initial hearing scheduled for Xia. They were being held without bond. This marks the second time an Evansville spa has been at the center of a prostitution case in the last five months. In October, police arrested Ying Chen of Brooklyn, New York, and Qinghua Liu of Flushing, New York. Each face Level 5 felony counts of promoting prostitution, while Chen is charged with an additional count of prostitution as a Class A misdemeanor. The cases are ongoing. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Two women arrested on prostitution charges at Evansville spa A former top U.S. general who commanded troops in Iraq is warning that President Trumps strikes on Iran could plunge the region into chaos. Retired United States Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling said Monday that U.S. forces are conducting precision strikes with great effects but cautioned that external bombardment alone cant produce democratic change and may strengthen the hardliners in Tehran. When were talking about, I think, the Middle East, which Im very familiar with and have a whole lot of scar tissue in, what I conclude is external strikes alone cant produce democratic change. Weve seen that in multiple conflicts, he told MS Now. Mark Hertling said Monday that strikes along can't effect change in the region. / AFP / AFP via Getty Images We saw it in Desert Storm when 45 days of airstrikes was followed up by a ground campaign. If you dont have something to put in place afterwards, its going to be even tougher than what we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan, because these strikes in the Middle East will usually strengthen the hardliners. Its going to create further chaos, he added. Advertisement Advertisement The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. It comes after U.S. and Israeli forces launched a major unprovoked coordinated air campaign against Iran over the weekend, marking a significant escalation in the region. Trump justified Saturdays major combat operations against Iran by arguing Tehran had rebuffed efforts to curb its nuclear program. / US President Trump Via Truth Social/Anadolu via Getty Images The strikes killed Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting retaliatory attacks on several other countries in the Middle East. Trump justified Saturdays major combat operations against Iran by arguing Tehran had rebuffed efforts to curb its nuclear program despite saying last year that the U.S military had completely and totally obliterated Irans nuclear enrichment facilities, and it would take years to rebuild. Advertisement Advertisement Four U.S. military personnel have been killed in the strikes so far. And in a video statement released by the White House on Sunday, Trump warned that sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. With casualties mounting and no clear off-ramp in sight, Trump is facing growing demands to define his endgame in Iran. The president, who returned to office promising to end Americas so-called forever wars, has instead pledged sustained heavy and pinpoint bombing for days on end, insisting the campaign will continue until the U.S. achieves what he calls our objective of peace in the Middle East. At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected comparisons to costly past entanglements, saying Operation Epic Fury is not an endless war but a clear, devastating, decisive mission. Yet the administration has not publicly detailed what victory would look like or how the fighting would stop. A fresh wave of U.S.-Israeli attacks was carried out in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. / Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images Lawmakers and foreign policy experts warn that without a defined strategy, the U.S. could drift into the kind of drawn-out conflict Trump once vowed to avoid. Advertisement Advertisement Where does this all go? Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, told NPR. We can bomb Iran along with the Israelis for, you know, lengthy period of time, but in the service of what? Is the intention regime change? Because there arent many examples either of regime change affected through bombing, or, quite frankly, of American military forces actually doing regime change in a way that is satisfactory. But for now, the United States has yet to spell out a plan for what comes next in Iran. So far, Republican lawmakers have opposed deploying U.S. ground forces to Iran. Theres no simple answer for whats going to come next, SennTom Cotton, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee from Arkansas, said on CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement You know, this idea, You break it, you own it, I dont buy that one bit, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a key ally of Trump, said on NBCs Meet the Press. This is not Iraq. This is not Germany. This is not Japan. Were going to free the people up from a terrorist regime. Graham added that it is not the presidents job to have a plan in place for Iran. Its not his job or my job to do this. How many times do I have to tell you? Our job is to make sure Iran is no longer the largest state sponsor of terrorism. To help the people reconstruct a new government. No boots on the ground, he said. Welcome back to World Brief, where were looking at the state of play for U.S. ambitions in Iran, Hezbollahs renewed attacks on Israel, and Afghan troops facing Pakistani strikes on Bagram Air Base. Sign up to receive World Brief in your inbox every weekday. This Work Is Just Beginning U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to continue Washingtons assault on Iran for as long as it takes. Right from the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that, Trump said during his first public comments since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on Saturday. Following a similar statement from the U.S. Defense Department, it appears that Washington is preparing for the possibility of a drawn-out conflict. Advertisement Advertisement During a public briefing at the Pentagon on Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that more U.S. troops are heading to the Middle East. This work is just beginning and will continue, Caine said, adding that bigger waves of U.S. strikes are still to come. At the same time, Hegseth stressed that Operation Epic Fury will not be like the protracted Iraq War. This is not endless, Hegseth said. However, he declined to rule out U.S. boots on the ground in Iran. Iran has also expressed its willingness to continue the fight. Tehran has prepared itself for a long war, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani wrote on X on Monday as Iranian forces continued to launch strikes at Israel and Persian Gulf countries. Meanwhile, the official message coming from Jerusalem on this is that this will last as long as it takes, Eyal Hulata, a former head of Israels National Security Council, told FPs World Brief. Having said that, Israel is not built for long wars in generaldefinitely not a long war as it comes to Iran. So, I think in many ways, what will determine the length of this war will be more of decisions made in Washington than decisions made in Jerusalem. Advertisement Advertisement That decision looks to be one of continuous fightingat least, for now. Were destroying Irans missile capability, and were doing that hourly, Trump said on Monday, adding that U.S. strikes are annihilating Tehrans navy and ensuring that the Iranian regime can never obtain a nuclear weapon. Since Saturday, the United States and Israel have struck more than 2,000 targets in Iran, according to military officials. In response, Tehran has launched a slew of retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and at least eight other countries (Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Hundreds of people have been killed thus far, including senior Iranian leaders, such as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; six U.S. service members; and at least 165 individuals killed during a missile strike on a girls school in southern Iran. The war has also spooked oil and gas markets and raised fears of a larger regional war. The White House has offered several rationales for why it launched the war against Iran, including its nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and support for terrorist proxy groups in the Middle East. On Monday, Trump reiterated that Irans ballistic missile program was growing rapidly and dramatically, and this posed a clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas. However, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency estimated last year that should Tehran decide to pursue the capability, it would likely take it around a decade to build missiles capable of reaching the U.S. homeland. Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth and Caine, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, are expected to brief the full House and Senate on the war on Tuesday. Todays Most Read 6 Questions About Operation Epic Fury by Daniel Byman Iran Is Built to Withstand the Ayatollahs Assassination by Ali Hashem Death Comes to the Dictator by Barbara Slavin The World This Week Tuesday, March 3: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins a four-day visit to Australia before traveling to Japan for a two-day trip. Trump hosts German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts new Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. Advertisement Advertisement South Korean President Lee Jae-myung begins a two-day visit to the Philippines. Wednesday, March 4: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosts Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Thursday, March 5: Nepal holds parliamentary elections. Chinas 14th National Peoples Congress opens its plenary meeting. Saturday, March 7: Trump hosts Latin American leaders in Miami. Sunday, March 8: Colombia holds legislative elections. What Were Following Israels second front. On Monday, the Lebanese government condemned Hezbollahs decision to enter the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, issuing one of its harshest stances yet against the militant group after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at Israel earlier on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah, a longtime Iranian ally and proxy, said it launched the attack in retaliation for the killing of Khamenei and repeated Israeli aggressions. The groups entrance into the war marks the end of its fragile truce with Israel, which the United States brokered in November 2024. The Israeli military said no injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with naval attacks and airstrikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, which Lebanese officials said killed 52 people. Beirut considers Hezbollahs actions illegal and has demanded that it relinquish its weapons. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam convened an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, after which he argued that only the state should decide on matters of war. He banned Hezbollahs military activities going forward, ordered security agencies to detain the militants behind the attacks, and called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its strikes on Lebanon. However, Israeli forces appear unlikely to slow down their assault. Weve called in over 100,000 reservists for all arenas, so were ready to defend our border, our northern border, Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told reporters on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Social media restrictions? The British government kicked off a three-month public consultation on Monday into whether London should place restrictions on social media usage. These include a possible minimum age requirement; overnight curfews for users under age 16; restrictions on minors access to artificial intelligence chatbots; and bans on addictive design features, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay. The consultation aims to determine how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change, British Technology Minister Liz Kendall said. Young people and their parents are encouraged to submit comments by May 26 in an effort to gauge public opinion. In December 2025, Australia became the first country to introduce a social media ban for people under age 16. Canberras announcement sparked similar interest in Europe, including in France and Germany. Meanwhile, comparable identity verification laws are being pursued in Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and several U.S. states. Targeting Bagram. Afghan forces faced Pakistani airstrikes on Bagram Air Base on Sunday. The attack resulted in no reported casualties, according to Afghan officials, but satellite imagery obtained by the New York Times indicated that several of the bases buildings were flattened. The attack came as cross-border assaults entered their fourth day in some of the most intense fighting between the two adversaries in years. A Pakistani military official confirmed to the Times that Islamabad had carried out multiple strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Thursday that Islamabad is in an open war with Kabul, as Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring the Pakistani Taliban. So far, both sides have claimed to have killed hundreds of the other countrys forces while offering low estimates for their own fatality numbers. Until Bagram, Pakistani troops had not targeted major infrastructure, instead prioritizing smaller Afghan military sites, such as ammunition depots and outposts. But Sundays strikes on Bagram signaled a shift in strategy. The former U.S. military airfield was abandoned during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and quickly taken over by the Taliban regime, which has since transformed the base into a symbol of Kabuls military prowess. In recent months, Trump has expressed interest in reclaiming the military asset, citing its counterterrorism value and proximity to key Chinese nuclear sites. But the Taliban have rejected the presence of foreign troops on Afghan soil. Odds and Ends Young people are apparently not the only ones glued to their phones. During last years conclave to choose Pope Franciss successor, one of the 133 cardinals in attendance was found carrying a cellphonea massive breach of the Vaticans strict secrecy protocols. Thats according to The Election of Pope Leo XIV, a new book published on Sunday. Authors Gerard OConnell and Elisabetta Pique write that Vatican officials discovered the signal of an active mobile connection inside the pocket of a cleric, who was described as being disoriented and distressed upon finding the phone and handing it over. This scene was unimaginable even for a film and never before seen in the history of modern conclaves, OConnell and Pique write. Time for a movie sequel? While the U.S. military is known for expensive, cutting-edge weapons, its now launching cheap drones as part of its air strikes on Iran, which itself uses them and has supplied allies with the capability. In fact, the Pentagon has deployed a copycat version of an Iranian drone thats been used against Israel, U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf, and Ukraine. CENTCOMs Task Force Scorpion Strikefor the first time in historyis using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. These low-cost drones, modeled after Irans Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution. Advertisement Advertisement The American drone is called the LUCAS and was developed by Arizona-based Spektreworks. Each one costs about $35,000, compared to price tags that can run into millions of dollars for advanced missiles. The LUCAS can also be configured for reconnaissance missions. Iran could have seen the LUCAS coming as it was test-launched from a U.S. Navy ship in the Persian Gulf in December. Meanwhile, Task Force Scorpion Strike is a squadron focused on one-way-attack dronesthe first of its kindand is led by personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Central. It was created in December after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the acquisition and deployment of cheaper autonomous weapons be accelerated last summer. How long will missile supply last? The launch of low-cost drones for the first time in combat comes as experts raise concerns that the stockpile of U.S. munitions may not be able to sustain a prolonged conflict with Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNBC before the Iran strikes that the U.S. is not prepared for an extended campaign or to support allies in a longer-term war. We simply dont have the defense industrial base to do that, let alone the stockpiles of key weapons such as such as Patriot and THAAD and then strike weapons such as JASSMs, he said Friday. For years, the U.S. has been drawing down its inventory of missiles and interceptors. While battling Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Navy relied heavily on Tomahawk cruise missiles, which were also used against Iran this weekend. In addition, the U.S. has protected allies with Patriot and Standard Missile interceptors that shoot down incoming threats. Advertisement Advertisement While the exact number of U.S. munitions is classified, previous war games that modeled a conflict with China have shown that supplies of certain weapons run out after only a week. But President Donald Trump has suggested the conflict with Iran could last a while as he makes regime change a goal, saying on social media Saturday that the bombing will continue as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD! Retired Admiral James Stavridis, former NATO supreme allied commander, pointed out Sunday that the U.S. and Israel have already used hundreds of precision weapons so far, adding that its time to start focusing on logistics. How deep are the stockpiles? In wars, the true professionals are ultimately the logisticians, he posted on X. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The U.S. Department of State has been busy this week, editing and updating its travel advisories for several Middle Eastern countries amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The State Department keeps a catalog of of travel warnings for foreign countries, which are designed to assist Americans who are considering traveling abroad. The department's travel warnings are separated into four categories, ranging from Level 1 (least concerning) to Level 4. Iraq has been at a Level 4 for some time now, and on Monday, the State Department edited the Iraq advisory to "reflect changes to U.S. embassy operations." What are the four U.S. travel warning levels? Travel advisories range from Level 1 Exercise normal precautionsto Level 4Do Not Travel. Advertisement Advertisement Heres a look at what each level means: Level 1: Exercise normal precautions The lowest risk level, reserved for countries that are generally safe. Countries in this group include as Australia, Canada, Greece, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. Level 2: Exercise increased caution Certain parts of the country may carry increased risks such as theft, crime or terrorism. Besides Grenada, countries currently under Level 2 advisory include Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. Level 3: Reconsider travel Citizens are urged to reconsider travel plans, due to serious risks and security. This advisory level includes Colombia, Guatemala, Israel and the West Bank, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar and Uganda. Level 4: Do not travel The most severe advisory level, due to possible life-threatening risks. The United States may not be able to help guests in case of an emergency, and asks citizens not to visit or leave as soon as possible. Countries in this category include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen. The State Department typically reviews Level 1 and 2 advisories every 12 months and Level 3 and 4 warnings every six months. What was changed about the travel advisory to Iraq? As stated above, Iraq remains at the highest alert level. The edit was made because of changes in U.S. embassy operations. Advertisement Advertisement "Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. governments limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq," the advisory reads. "Do not travel to Iraq for any reason. Leave now if you are there." On Monday, the U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Iraq released its own update regarding the dangers Americans face in Iraq. "U.S. Mission Iraq advises U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution, keep a low profile, and shelter in place until further notice," the announcement says. "U.S. citizens should avoid crowds, as demonstrations may turn violent with little warning. Iran-aligned terrorist militias continue to pose a significant threat to public safety. Reports of missiles, drones, and rockets in Iraqi airspace continue. "There are ongoing riots, protests, and other demonstrations against the United States, especially on the south bank of the July 14th Bridge in Baghdad; these riots have been violent, and there are calls for additional demonstrations throughout Iraq. U.S. citizens should avoid areas around the July 14th Bridge. Iraqi authorities have closed the International Zone in central Baghdad, with limited exceptions. Do not attempt to come to the Embassy in Baghdad or Consulate General in Erbil in light of heightened security measures." This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Mar 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The United Kingdom is deploying a warship and helicopters to Cyprus, the British government has said, as global concern continues to mount over the fallout from deadly US-Israel attacks on Iran and retaliatory Iranian strikes across the region. The UKs Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that it was sending the HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean along with two Wildcat helicopters to bolster drone defence for our Cypriot partners. One of the Royal Navys six Type-45 air defence destroyers, the HMS Dragon is fitted with a Sea Viper missile system able to launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously, the ministry said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement In a social media post announcing the deployment, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the country was fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies, he wrote on X. The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS pic.twitter.com/0tsZb4dG2i Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 3, 2026 Later on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered Frances nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. He said the Charles de Gaulle will be escorted by its air wing and its escorting frigates. In a prerecorded speech on French TV, Macron added that Rafale fighter jets, air defence systems, and airborne radar systems have been deployed over the past few hours in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement And we will continue this effort as much as necessary, Macron said. He cited Mondays strike on a British air force base on Cyprus, adding that Cyprus and France have recently signed a strategic partnership agreement. This requires our support. That is why I have decided to send additional air defence assets there as well, along with a French frigate, the Languedoc, which will arrive off the coast of Cyprus later this evening, Macron said. Iranian attack The announcements come a day after the Cypriot government and the British Defence Ministry said a surprise Iranian-made drone attack targeted the Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri, southwest of Cypruss coastal city of Limassol. The countrys president, Nikos Christodoulides, said a Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle caused minor damage when it crashed into the military facilities early on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Reporting from outside the base, Al Jazeeras John Psaropoulos said about 1,000 residents were evacuated from their homes as authorities worked to put emergency procedures in place. There are no sirens, for example. Theres no way to warn people of an incoming air attack, he said. They are trying to tally all of the transport means at their disposal, such as local municipal buses and other vehicles, to transport people in the event of another aerial attack. Iran has launched missiles and drones at several countries in and around the Middle East in response to attacks by the US and Israel, which began bombing Iran on Saturday amid international efforts to reach a deal on the Iranian nuclear programme. US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 787 people across Iran since the conflict began, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, while a range of targets in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries have been targeted by Tehran. Advertisement Advertisement The British armed forces have helped shoot down multiple drones across the region over the past 24 hours, according to the Defence Ministry, including over Jordan, Iraq and Qatar. Starmer initially refused to have any role in the US-Israeli war with Iran, but later agreed to a request from US President Donald Trumps administration to use two British military bases for a specific and limited defensive purpose. Those bases are in Gloucestershire in western England and the UK-US Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, and Starmer has insisted that the Akrotiri base in Cyprus is not being used by US bombers. The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has released global research examining the sharp rise in private equity (PE) investment in professional accountancy practices and its possible long-term impacts. The study looks at how this wave of investment is reshaping deal structures, internal governance, independence safeguards, audit quality, and competitive dynamics, including consolidation. The IFAC also engaged with industry stakeholders to assess the attractiveness of the profession. The research identified more than 1,000 companies worldwide that have received PE investment over the past decade, with a marked pick-up in activity since 2022. Although most transactions so far are clustered in Continental Europe, the UK and Ireland, and the US, the IFAC notes that the pattern is now exerting influence across the global profession. According to the research, less than 200 initial or direct PE deals have led to the closure of 900 subsequent transactions, indicating an extensive consolidation drive across accountancy practices. IFAC Private Equity Task Force chair Fiona Wilkinson added: As Chair of a task force of volunteers established by IFAC last year, I have had the opportunity to talk with many experts representing different points of view on the potential risks and benefits of PE investment in the accountancy profession. Our approach has been balanced and data-driven. I encourage leaders in the profession to do the same and to assess whether or not, over the long run, firms that focus on the benefits and opportunities of PE investment while managing the potential challenges and risks can become more resilient, future-fit and more attractive, while upholding their public interest responsibility. The IFAC added that it plans to keep working with its member bodies and wider stakeholders to monitor developments and share insights on the accountancy profession. "IFAC study flags growing private equity investment in accountancy companies" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Britain is deploying HMS Dragon, an air defence destroyer, to Cyprus after the runway of its Akrotiri base there was hit by an Iranian-made drone. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday he was sending the naval vessel along with helicopters with counter-drone capabilities to the region, as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies. France and Greece said they would also send anti-missile and anti-drone systems after the British base on the island was hit on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement "The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there," Starmer said in a post on X, adding that he had spoken with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides about the move. "Were continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region," he said. HMS Dragon is a Type 45 air-defence destroyer equipped with the Sea Viper missile system and advanced radar designed to track and neutralise airborne threats, according to the Royal Navy's website. The Ministry of Defence said the deployment came as British forces had shot down numerous drones across the region in the past 24 hours. Advertisement Advertisement RAF F-35B jets operating over Jordanian airspace shot down uncrewed aerial systems in defence of Jordan - the first time an RAF F35 had destroyed a target on operations - supported by RAF Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker. A British counter-drone team also took down drones in Iraqi airspace that were heading towards Coalition forces, the ministry said. On Monday, an RAF Typhoon operating with the joint UKQatar 12 Squadron shot down an Iranian one-way attack drone directed at Qatar. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, additional reporting by Sarah Young and Elizabeth Piper, editing by William James and Kate Holton) LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - A British chartered flight will leave Oman on Wednesday evening, prioritising vulnerable UK nationals who want to leave the region after the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, the British Foreign Office said. British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would also operate a flight from Oman in the early hours of Thursday local time. Hundreds of thousands of Europeans have been stranded in the Gulf states since Iran responded to U.S. and Israeli strikes by attacking its neighbours. Those stuck in the region are on holiday, in transit or permanently based there. Advertisement Advertisement British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament on Tuesday she was in close contact with her counterparts in the Gulf and said Britain was working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat, Oman. The government said some 130,000 British citizens have registered their presence in the region. The Foreign Office said the chartered flight would depart from Muscat at 1900 GMT on Wednesday. It said it would be open to British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but would prioritise the most vulnerable first. "British nationals should not make their way to the Muscat International Airport unless they are called," it said. (Reporting by Sarah Young and Sam Tabahriti in London and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Writing by Kate Holton; Editing by William James and Jamie Freed) Ukraine has a shortage of PAC-3 missiles for its Patriot air defence systems, so Kyiv is willing to exchange some of its interceptor drones for them. Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference on 3 March Details: Answering journalists' questions about whether partners from Middle Eastern countries have requested Ukraine's assistance, Zelenskyy said diplomats at various levels are engaging with representatives from the region. He added that although Ukraine cannot provide the weapons it is short of, it is willing to share its experience in repelling large-scale Russian attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy also outlined a scenario in which Ukraine could share its anti-aircraft drones with Middle Eastern partners, describing them as an effective means of countering Iranian-made strike drones. Quote: "I think these days I'm speaking with each of the leaders of these countries who make contact or want cooperation. Understandably, the number one issue for everyone is how to protect the sky. We live with this issue ourselves Today they, for example, have Patriot air defence systems, PAC-3 missiles, they have all of this But does it protect against hundreds of Shaheds? No But we have a shortage of PAC-3, yes. For example, if we're talking about weapons during the war that we have a shortage of, then PAC-3 missiles if they give them to us, we will give them interceptors. This is an equivalent exchange." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian forces carried out more than 40 strikes on oil and gas infrastructure and other targets inside Russia in January and February, hitting 13 refineries, oil depots and other facilities of the oil and gas sector during this period. Source: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Details: The ministry said over January and February, more than 40 strikes had been carried out against oil and gas infrastructure, military-industrial complex facilities, command posts, ammunition depots, equipment and troops on the territory of Russia. Advertisement Advertisement In particular, 13 oil refineries, oil depots and other oil and gas facilities were struck, undermining Russia's economic capacity to sustain the war and directly cutting fuel supplies to its forces. Ukraine's General Staff reported that the following oil and gas infrastructure facilities in Russia had been hit in January and February. Oil refineries: Ilsky (Krasnodar Krai) one of the key refineries in southern Russia, important for supplying fuel to Russian forces in southern Ukraine, particularly Crimea. Slavyansk Eco (Krasnodar Krai) provides foreign currency revenue and logistical capabilities for Russia in the Azov-Black Sea region. Volgograd (Volgograd Oblast) plays an important role in supplying fuel for military equipment on the eastern front. Ukhta (Komi Republic) supplies fuel to northern and central regions of Russia as well as Russian forces. Advertisement Advertisement Oil depots: Gerkon Plus (Lipetsk Oblast) a key storage hub in central Russia supporting logistics and reserves. Oskolneftesnab (Belgorod Oblast) due to its proximity to the border, serves as a direct refuelling base for military equipment operating in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast. Zhutovskaya (Volgograd Oblast) supports rail and road fuel logistics towards the occupied part of Donbas. Penzanefteprodukt (Penza Oblast) a major rear hub within the Rosneft network, ensuring stable supplies in the Volga region. Khokholskaya (Voronezh Oblast) a key base supporting logistical routes leading to the combat zone (Russia's northern grouping of forces). Strikes were also carried out against the Almetyevskaya oil treatment unit in Tatarstan, Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea, the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in Krasnodar Krai and the Neftegorsk gas processing plant in Samara Oblast. "The defence forces of Ukraine continue to degrade the military-economic potential and offensive capabilities of the Russian aggressor," the ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Depriving Russia of economic resources to wage war is one of the strategic objectives of Ukraine's War Plan presented by Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Oil and gas revenues enable Russia to finance the war. Quote: "These funds are used to produce missiles and drones that strike Ukraine's civilian population, to pay soldiers under contract, and to sustain a large propaganda network. Cutting off this channel would significantly reduce the resources available to sustain the war." Details: The ministry added that Ukraine is preparing a strategy to make Russia's 2026 budget deficit the largest in its history. Background: In mid-February, it was reported that fuel prices on the Russian market had surged again after new strikes on oil refineries. Last year, Ukrainian drones attacked Russian oil refineries at least 81 times, resulting in a loss of between 10% and 20% of capacity by early autumn, while downtime in primary oil processing in Russia reached historic highs. According to estimates by Bloomberg, Ukraine carried out 120 attacks on Russian oil refinery facilities in 2025. Most targeted refineries (81 strikes), while maritime infrastructure, including offshore oil and gas fields, was hit 27 times, and pipelines and tankers were struck 8 and 4 times respectively. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The UN in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that at least 42 civilians were killed and 104 wounded between February 26 and March 2, as cross-border fighting between Afghan and Pakistani forces entered a sixth consecutive day. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X that 464 Taliban fighters had been killed and 665 wounded in Pakistans operation. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) described its figures as preliminary, adding that women and children are among the casualties. Advertisement Advertisement According to UNAMA, most casualties were caused by indirect fire striking residential areas during the clashes, as well as by Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghan provinces. The mission said an estimated 16,400 households have been displaced by the violence, warning that the escalation is compounding Afghanistans already severe humanitarian crisis. UNAMA called for an immediate halt to the fighting and urged all parties to uphold their obligations under international law, particularly the protection of civilians. The two neighbours have engaged in intermittent hostilities since October 2025, with mediation efforts failing to produce a lasting agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Tensions flared again after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in two Afghan provinces on February 22 that killed at least a dozen civilians, according to the United Nations. Since then both sides say they have inflicted casualties, seized outposts and conducted successful strikes against the other. At a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday, Taliban Defence Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi said that in the past 24 hours, their forces had conducted a counter-offensive along the Durand Line, a disputed border between the two countries. He said 150 Pakistani soldiers had been killed and more than 200 wounded so far, while putting his own sides losses at 28 dead and 42 wounded. Advertisement Advertisement He described the operation as defensive, adding that the conflict was not their choice. The claims by both sides could not be independently verified. Pakistan accuses Afghanistans Taliban authorities of backing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for attacks inside Pakistan for decades. Kabul denies the allegation. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for Israel to reopen Gazas border crossings, which have been closed by Israel since its forces launched a war against Iran with the United States. It is imperative that all crossings be reopened as soon as possible, Guterress spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday. In recent days, our partners have been forced to ration fuel, prioritise life-saving operations, albeit in reduced capacity as our local stocks are going down. Dujarric said there were some stockpiles in Gaza but when the doors are shut, we obviously stretch whatever we have to make it last longer. Advertisement Advertisement The Rafah crossing into Gaza from Egypt, the only gateway for Palestinians in Gaza to the outside world that does not pass through Israel, had reopened for the movement of people on February 2, allowing a limited number of people to leave for the first time in months and a trickle to return to the devastated enclave to reunite with family. Thousands of Palestinians need urgent medical attention outside Gaza but have not yet been allowed to leave. Israel shut down the crossing again on Saturday as it launched attacks on Iran, citing security adjustments. The crossing is considered vital for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of critically ill patients. Israeli authorities said late on Monday that they would reopen the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, to allow for the gradual entry of humanitarian aid into the territory. That crossing sits at the intersection of the Gaza Strip boundary with the Israeli and Egyptian borders and was also shut on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement The UNs World Food Programme (WFP) expressed optimism on Tuesday. The crossings will be opened, and that is timely for us, and we need to get in aid as fast as we can, Samer Abdel Jaber, the WFPs regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, told reporters. Gaza is wholly dependent on fuel brought in by trucks from Israel and Egypt, and a lack of supplies puts hospital operations further at risk and threatens water and sanitation services. Since the start of Israels genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Israeli border restrictions have depleted stocks of medicines, reconstruction materials, food and water inside the Strip, worsening conditions that were already dire after years of an Israeli blockade. A UN inquiry in September found genocidal intent in Israels war on Gaza, a landmark moment after nearly two years of war. In 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Israel, accusing it of conduct in Gaza that was tantamount to genocide. That case is ongoing. West Bank tensions spiral In the meantime, Israeli forces have continued the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Palestines Jerusalem Governorate reported that the army prevented worshippers from entering the mosque, citing a state of emergency. The compound, the third holiest site in Islam, was sealed off on Saturday morning, hours after the Israeli-US military offensive on Iran began. For a second consecutive day, Israeli forces raided the Askar refugee camp east of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, shutting down its entrances and searching several homes. Last month, the Israeli government approved a plan to claim large areas of the West Bank as state property if Palestinians cannot prove ownership, prompting a regional outcry and accusations of de facto annexation. More than 80 UN member states condemned the move and called on Israel to reverse the decision, which they said was contrary to Israels obligations under international law. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday that Iran's underground uranium enrichment facility in Natanz had sustained "some recent damage," but that no radiological consequences were expected. Israel and the Unites States had carried out strikes last June that severely damaged facilities linked to Iran's nuclear programme, including on the Natanz site, where uranium is enriched - a process that can be used for both reactor fuel and nuclear weapons. The technology can be used to produce reactor fuel or nuclear weapons. Tehran denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported in a special meeting of the agency's Board of Governors that there were no signs of hits or damage to Iran's nuclear facilities in the wake of the Israeli and US attacks that began on Saturday. That contradicted Tehran's representative to the IAEA, who spoke of an attack on the Natanz facility. The fresh US and Israel offensive hit targets across Iran, triggering a sharp regional escalation. Tehran has responded with missile and drone strikes targeting US bases in several Gulf states. By Emma Farge GENEVA, March 3 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands more children face acute malnutrition in Afghanistan this year amid a hunger crisis exacerbated by foreign aid cuts and violence on the border with Pakistan, a U.N. official said on Tuesday. International aid to Afghanistan has fallen sharply since 2021, when U.S.-led forces exited the country and the Taliban regained power. The crisis has been compounded by natural calamities including earthquakes. Advertisement Advertisement "Acute malnutrition among children is soaring. Last year we saw the highest surge ever recorded in Afghanistan, and this year, a staggering 3.7 million children will need malnutrition treatment," the World Food Programme's Country Director John Aylieff told a Geneva press briefing. Some 200,000 additional children face acute malnutrition this year, he added. Funding cuts mean the U.N. agency only has the resources to treat one in every four children needing treatment for acute malnutrition, Aylieff said. Others do not even have the means to reach clinics, he said, voicing concerns that some are trapped by snowfall in remote highland areas. Advertisement Advertisement Most children who die in Afghanistan do so "during the winter... at home silently", he said. "What I fear is when the snow is melted at the end of March or in April, we will find there has been a very high toll of child deaths in the villages." Expulsion policies in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran have resulted in over 5 million returnees since late 2023, further straining limited resources, Aylieff said. Many of those returning to Afghanistan are close to areas where Pakistani and Afghan troops have clashed in recent days, forcing WFP to suspend some services there. "We foresee that acute malnutrition will be driven up further by the conflict as people are prevented from accessing health services," imperilling tens of thousands of children, said Aylieff. (Reporting by Emma FargeEditing by Gareth Jones) At least 169 people were killed in Abiemnhom, in the Ruweng administrative zone bordering Sudan, according to local authorities, who emphasised that this toll is still provisional. "People fled in all directions, so we will undoubtedly find more wounded and more bodies," the local government's Minister of Information, James Monyluak, told RFI's correspondent. The exact reasons for the massacre are currently unknown but local authorities are citing intercommunal violence, against a backdrop of growing political instability in South Sudan. Advertisement Advertisement According to Monyluak, the attack took place around 4am on Sunday, when a "very large number" of armed Nuer youths from the neighbouring Mayom County, some dressed in military uniforms, stormed Abiemnhom. Faced with the large number of victims of the attack, the authorities had no choice but to bury them in a mass grave. Seventy-nine soldiers and police officers were reportedly killed trying to repel the attackers, the correspondent added. The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced that it had treated 80 people with gunshot wounds at the hospital in Abyei, located a few kilometers to the west. Advertisement Advertisement Some victims died from their injuries, including a pregnant woman, the NGO said. Civilians shelter at UN base United Nations peacekeepers from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) took in nearly 1,000 civilians at their base, where they provided emergency care to the wounded. The South Sudanese government condemned what it called "the barbaric attack" in a statement, confirming the killing of two senior local officials. Minister of Information Ateny Wek Ateny said the casualties include "both civilians and members of law enforcement" and that the incident would be investigated thoroughly. South Sudan vice president charged with murder, crimes against humanity Advertisement Advertisement The UN pointed to the sharp resurgence of violence in the country in recent months, particularly in Jonglei state, where fighting between supporters of President Salva Kiir and those of opposition leader Riek Machar has intensified, despite the peace agreement that both sides signed in 2018 to end the civil war that began in 2013. Priyanka Chodhury, spokesperson for UNMISS, told RFI that "the fighting between the two parties that signed the peace agreements has intensified". "We are receiving reports of airstrikes and we know that there has been significant population displacement, destruction, and looting of humanitarian infrastructure. This brutal escalation of hostilities is extremely worrying," she added, urging all parties to cease hostilities and engage in constructive dialogue. From civil war to economic chaos: Ten years of independence for South Sudan Deteriorating situation Some 280,000 people have been displaced and humanitarian workers targeted during the clashes in Jonglei in the past two months, according to the UN. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, MSF said 26 members of its staff were missing following an air strike on one of its facilities. The organisation has suspended medical services in Lankien and Pieri in Jonglei state. UN rights chief Volker Turk voiced alarm last Friday at the country's deteriorating situation, calling for swift action to avert a return to full-scale civil war. South Sudan, the world's youngest country, has been beset by civil war, ethnic violence, poverty and massive corruption since it was formed in 2011. Duval County Public Schools police are investigating an incident involving a school bus headed to Riverside High School, after an unauthorized person was allowed onto the bus while students were on board. The incident occurred while the bus was enroute to campus with five to seven students aboard. According to the district, bus surveillance video shows the individual briefly reaching over and touching a student on the knee before exiting less than a minute later. The behavior was reported, prompting the person to get off the bus. Parents said they are demanding answers and questioning how the situation was allowed to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Honestly, its not right because its children on the bus and they can be a serial killer. It can be anybody. I can imagine how parents feel, said Sierra Timmes. Another parent, Jeff Butler, expressed concern about the potential danger to students. You can obviously put somebody else in danger and you can put like all the kids and Dan in itself like Im hoping like at least he knew the person but like if he didnt touch a child I dont even know what to say about that one, Butler said. Victoria Tucker said the individual should never have been permitted to board. I think that he should not have been allowed to get on the bus to begin with, said Tucker. Advertisement Advertisement The district confirmed the bus is operated by one of its contracted transportation vendors, Student Transportation of America. In a statement, Duval County Public Schools said it is very concerned that established safety protocols were not followed by the vendor. When the bus arrived on campus, administrators ensured the students were safe, provided support services, and notified families. Donna Porter said she would be devastated if her child had been involved. Like, I know if it was my child on the bus I would be like outrageous. I would be in tears that would be in shambles, said Porter. Sierra Timmes added that the incident has shaken her trust in student transportation. Advertisement Advertisement I cant trust my school bus driver because you let somebody thats not supposed to be on the bus, said Timmes. Porter said parents deserve clear communication from the district and the transportation provider. I would definitely want answers. This is not the first time Student Transportation of America has faced issues in Duval County. In April of last year, a bus driver was fired after leaving a Duval County student unattended in a vehicle. Just last month, a 14-year-old student was taken into custody after allegedly stabbing another student with a knife on a school bus. The investigation remains active. District officials say once it is complete, appropriate action will be taken. Advertisement Advertisement Action News Jax has reached out to Student Transportation of America to ask why the bus driver allowed an unauthorized individual on board and to determine what disciplinary action, if any, has been taken. We received the following statement Tuesday morning: We are in the process of actively investigating all the details surrounding this serious matter in collaboration with the Duval County Public Schools Police. As part of our standard process, the driver has been removed from service while we research the incident. The safety of our students is of the utmost importance. [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. Free cash flow was a particular highlight, reaching GBP 315 million , with a stronger second half performance. The company reported a 104% free cash flow conversion rate (free cash flow to adjusted profit after tax), which Lewis said aligned with medium-term targets. Closing leverage ended the year at 0.4x , down from 0.6x at the half-year. Lewis said that excluding disposal gains, operating margins were 6% , in line with the companys medium-term targets. Return on capital employed (ROCE) was again described as very strong at 29% , underscoring the groups capital light model. For 2025, Inchcape generated revenue of GBP 9.1 billion , with 1% organic revenue growth and resilient operating margins of 6.2% . Adjusted PBT was GBP 443 million , up 3% in constant currency , supported by GBP 17 million of gains from divesting non-core assets, partially offset by approximately GBP 19 million of translational currency headwinds. Inchcape (LON:INCH) reported what management described as a strong performance in 2025 despite tariff-related disruption and broader economic uncertainty, pointing to record profit before tax (PBT) in its Americas and Europe & Africa regions and improved momentum in the second half of the year. Group CEO Duncan Tait and CFO Adrian Lewis also highlighted continued progress against the companys Accelerate Plus strategy, including new distribution contract wins, portfolio rationalization, and capital returns to shareholders. Regional performance was mixed: the Americas grew strongly (organic + 8% , margins +70bps) while APAC underperformed (organic revenue - 12% ), even as Inchcape continued executing its Accelerate Plus strategy with 10 new distribution contracts, portfolio rationalization and increased use of AI in pricing and demand modelling. Management returned around GBP 340m to shareholders (including GBP 238m buybacks) and announced a new GBP 175m buyback, which management expects to provide a 4%5% EPS tailwind in 2026 while reiterating medium-term targets including GBP 2.5bn free cash flow to 2030 and > 10% compound EPS growth. Inchcape delivered a resilient FY2025 with revenue of GBP 9.1bn , adjusted PBT of GBP 443m (up 3% constant currency), strong free cash flow of GBP 315m with 104% conversion, and a 6.2% operating margin and 29% ROCE reflecting its capital-light model. Story Continues Adjusted basic EPS was 80.8 pence, up 13%, which Lewis attributed predominantly to the lower share count from buybacks. The company declared a final dividend of 22.8 pence, bringing the total dividend for the year to 32.3 pence, also up 13% year over year. Capital allocation: dividends, buybacks, and M&A Management said the group returned around GBP 340 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks during the year. Tait noted the company deployed cash toward a 13% increase in dividends per share, GBP 238 million in share buybacks, and GBP 35 million for the acquisition in Iceland. The company said it has a pipeline of bolt-on M&A opportunities, while Lewis added that a large deal is not currently in our consideration set in the near term. Home Depot & Lowes: Buying the Earnings Dip The company announced a new GBP 175 million share buyback program expected to complete over the next 12 months. Lewis also said the averaging impact of buybacks should provide an EPS tailwind in 2026 of around 4%5%. Lewis reiterated Inchcapes medium-term targets, including expectations to generate GBP 2.5 billion in free cash flow through 2030 and to deliver in excess of 10% compound EPS growth, supported by a dividend policy of paying 40% of earnings. Strategy execution: contracts, portfolio optimization, and technology Tait said Inchcape continued executing its Accelerate Plus strategy by scaling and optimizing its regions, expanding its OEM partner portfolio and geographic footprint, and aiming to reach 10% market share across its markets. Inchcape reported 10 new distribution contracts with existing OEM brands, including: New Holland in Ethiopia and Kenya BYD in Lithuania and Latvia XPeng in Colombia GAC AION in Greece smart in Colombia, Uruguay and Ecuador Iveco in Hong Kong The group also rationalized its brand portfolio by mutually exiting four immaterial contracts with Komatsu in Ethiopia and three Geely contracts in smaller markets in the Americas. Tait said the company expects to continue optimizing its OEM portfolio in 2026, exiting relationships when they do not meet return requirements. Operationally, management discussed efforts to optimize inventory and costs, noting inventory cover at year-end 2025 was flat year-on-year after reducing a first-half build. Tait also described increased use of AI in parts pricing and demand modeling and said the company launched a vehicle pricing algorithm in Chile to analyze price-to-volume elasticity. Regional performance: Americas strength, APAC pressure, Europe & Africa growth Lewis said 2025 was a year of two halves, with stronger second-half performance supported by product launches. Group volumes grew 3% organically, outperforming market growth of 2%. Americas: Market volumes and organic revenue both rose 8%, supported by improving market conditions and growth in scaled markets including Chile, Colombia, and Peru, offset by weaker performance in markets such as Costa Rica. Operating margins increased 70 basis points to 7%, aided by operating leverage and cost discipline. The region also included a GBP 8 million profit contribution from non-core asset divestments. APAC: Market volumes declined 1% and organic revenue fell 12%. Lewis cited underperformance in Asian markets due to the proliferation of Chinese brands, high competition in markets with high BEV penetration, and continued weakness in the premium segment. Operating margins contracted 60 basis points to 7.2%, despite a GBP 9 million profit contribution from non-core asset divestments in the second half. Management said cost reduction actions were initiated, particularly focused on the regional headquarters and certain underperforming Asian markets. Europe & Africa: Market volumes grew 3% and Inchcapes organic revenue rose 6%, supported by contract wins from recent years. Operating margins were 4.6%, down 10 basis points, with management attributing the movement to initial dilution from immature distribution contracts, partially offset by scale and resilient gross margins. The Iceland acquisition was described as performing well, while Africa continued to grow through distribution contract expansion. Outlook for 2026 and key topics from Q&A Management guided to 2026 growth at constant currency in line with medium-term expectations, with organic volume growth toward the lower end of the 3%5% range, supported by contract wins. The company expects resilient operating margins of circa 6%, free cash flow conversion of around 100%, and EPS growth of more than 10%. Performance is expected to be weighted toward the second half due to seasonality in the Americas and supply chain phasing in APAC. During Q&A, executives discussed several topics, including: Value-added services/aftersales: Tait said aftersales is a higher-margin part of the business and he would like it to grow faster than new vehicle volumes over time. He noted aftersales gross profit grew 4% versus 3% new vehicle volume growth in 2025. BYD distribution in Europe: Management said BYD continues to insource distribution in medium-to-large European markets. Inchcapes BYD contract in Belgium and Luxembourg contributed less than 5% of regional revenue and less than 2% of group revenue, and the company does not expect it to be renewed when it expires in Q3 2027 . APAC actions and supply disruption: Lewis said production disruption tied to Japanese OEM production reconfiguration is expected to impact supply in the first half, particularly in Australia, with supply weighted to the second half. Management said cost actions are intended to help underpin margins and that more work may occur in the first half of 2026. Australia competition: Tait said the market has seen more Chinese OEM entries (rising from around 55 OEMs historically to closer to 80) but said he was not seeing a broad impact on pricing. He highlighted Subaru model introductions and launches such as FOTON and Changans Deepal range. Portfolio management (Geely/XPeng): Tait said the group worked constructively with Geely to move distribution in four smaller, immaterial Americas markets to other partners, while noting continued momentum with XPeng across markets including Colombia. In closing remarks, Tait said the companys confidence in 2026 is supported by the new GBP 175 million buyback program and reiterated the groups medium-term targets through 2030. About Inchcape (LON:INCH) Inchcape is the leading global automotive distributor, with operations across six continents. By combining our in-market expertise with our unique technology and advanced data analytics, we create innovative customer experiences that deliver outstanding performance for our partners building stronger automotive brands and creating sustainable growth. Our distribution platform connects the products of mobility company partners with customers, and our responsibilities span product planning and pricing, import and logistics, brand and marketing to operating digital sales, managing physical sales and aftermarket service channels. The article "Inchcape Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. LINCOLN Some University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty are looking to make history again next month by seeking no-confidence votes, this time targeting three top administrators they describe as architects of recent budget cuts at UNL. In a draft motion and resolutions shared Tuesday morning with the Nebraska Examiner, faculty are proceeding with plans to effectively impeach Mark Button, UNLs executive vice chancellor; Tiffany Heng-Moss, newly named vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Jennifer Nelson, interim vice chancellor for research and innovation. The architects of the program eliminations must be held accountable so the UNL community can move forward, said Susan VanderPlas, a statistics professor and member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Executive Vice Chancellor Mark Button, Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Tiffany Heng-Moss and interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Jennifer Nelson. (Photos courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln) In November, as then-UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett pursued $27.5 million in budget cuts, the UNL Faculty Senate passed UNLs first-ever no-confidence vote, 60-14. Bennett abruptly resigned in January, leaving with a $1.1 million buyout. Faulty data and flawed processes Sarah Zuckerman, UNL chapter president of the American Association of University Professors, said his resignation shouldnt be able to provide cover for those whose work contributed to the cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Given the former chancellors disengagement from all facets of campus life, it is clear that the executive vice chancellor, vice chancellor of IANR and vice chancellor of research played key roles in the unjustified elimination of departments based on faulty data and flawed processes, Zuckerman said in a statement. Susan VanderPlas, an associate professor of statistics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, speaks at a community forum related to budget cuts at UNL. Oct. 21, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The University of Nebraska Board of Regents accepted Bennetts recommended cuts in December, including eliminating four departments at UNL Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Statistics, Education Administration and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. NU President Jeffrey Gold tapped Kathy Ankerson, a previous UNL executive vice chancellor and former dean of UNLs College of Architecture, as interim chancellor in Bennetts place. Total confidence and respect Since taking over, Ankerson has sought to meet with UNL supporters and stakeholders, including faculty and staff, with a goal of rebuilding trust. Advertisement Advertisement In a Tuesday statement to the Examiner, Ankerson said everyone wants a university they can be proud of and that boldly shapes a future of limitless promise and lasting impact through student success, scholarship and research. University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold, left, and interim University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Kathy Ankerson host a listening session after Ankerson assumed the top UNL administrative role Jan. 12, 2026, and after UNL finalized $27.5 million in cuts under former UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett in December 2025. Jan. 15, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) She said all members of UNLs executive leadership team play an essential role in that future. Ankerson said Button, Heng-Moss and Nelson have my total confidence and respect. The latest no-confidence resolutions were introduced Tuesday afternoon and will head April 7 to votes of the full Faculty Senate. UNLs AAUP chapter is partnering with a member of the UNL Faculty Senate Executive Committee for the resolutions. Specific allegations The draft materials accuse Button, Heng-Moss and Nelson of contributing to budget cuts that faculty say will jeopardize UNLs standing within Nebraska and its Big Ten peers and risk some STEM facultys ability to compete for federal grants. Advertisement Advertisement Button helped Bennett develop the criteria for reviewing academic programs. The resolution accuses Button, a former dean of UNLs College of Arts and Sciences, of limiting the ability of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and, as executive vice chancellor, leaving the College of Education and Human Sciences without a permanent dean last year as metrics were sent to campus leaders. The draft materials say Button contributed to and took advantage of administrative weaknesses in the education college, including interim leaders in Educational Administration and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. Heng-Moss is accused of asking Statistics Department faculty, during her deanship of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, to create an undergraduate program and to participate in an undergraduate data science cross-college initiative. Faculty say that despite a promise to support the expansion, the department was stretched too thin. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Dec. 5, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The draft materials say Heng-Moss had not provided realistic plans for how statistics courses required across UNL would continue. Faculty also plan to express displeasure in Heng-Moss being named permanent IANR vice chancellor without an appropriate search that included faculty input. Advertisement Advertisement Nelson is accused of not creating a climate conducive to research. Faculty say they made Nelson aware of their concerns with metrics evaluating academic programs in late September but that her unit refused to address them. Instead, faculty shifted their work toward correcting flawed data or collecting alternative data, the resolution states, disrupting research. If the resolution passes, it would signal faculty desires for the NU regents and Gold to review the three administrators continued fitness in their roles, up to removal or negotiated resignation. Ankerson said those she has met with in the past two months have recognized the difficult choices UNL faced but share her view that our institutions best days are in front of us. We will not fulfill that potential, however, until all of our faculty partners collaborate on solutions-based, forward-looking actions, Ankerson said. I invite you to join me in working toward that future together. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX One year after Energy Fuels Inc. resumed transporting uranium ore through the Navajo Nation from its Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon to the White Mesa Mill in southern Utah, the Navajo Environment Protection Agency continues to develop rules to oversee the shipments. Public comments are being accepted through March 9 on the proposed regulations, nearly two years after Energy Fuels allowed two trucks carrying uranium ore to pass through the Navajo Nation without prior notice to or consent from tribal authorities. The Navajo Nation attempted to halt the shipments until Gov. Katie Hobbs requested a six-month pause. The Navajo Nation Council amended tribal laws that prohibit transportation of uranium on tribal lands, and in August 2024, leaders adopted interim regulations to create an initial framework for negotiating with companies involved in uranium transport. Advertisement Advertisement Although the legislation states that the interim regulation would expire one year after implementation, Navajo EPA says the interim regulations will remain in place until January 2027. Revisions to the interim regulation based on the public comments to develop final regulations will take effect upon approval by the Resources and Development Committee. So far, the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency has held only one public hearing on the proposed regulations on Feb. 25 in Tuba City where attendance was minimal. An online community meeting hosted by the Indigenous-led environmental justice group HaulNo! is scheduled for March 4. The deadline to submit public comments on the regulations is March 9. "The proposed regulation are designed to minimize or prevent harm to the Navajo people, other residents and visitors to the Navajo Nation, and the environment from transportation of radioactive materials across the Navajo Nation limiting exposure from that transport," said Derrick J. Slick, senior remedial project manager for the Navajo EPA. "Really, the Navajo Nation opposes the material transport, but is limited to what it can do because of federal laws put in place prior, and this is called the preemption, Slick said. "Even if we were to try to stop what they were doing, we would be faced with a lawsuit that we would eventually lose." Advertisement Advertisement Long roads: In mine-scarred Native communities, residents worry about trucks moving uranium ore No attempt to loosen rules, officials say Leona Morgan, co-founder of the group Haul No!, said she is concerned about the proposed changes to the law. Passed in 2012, it prohibited uranium transport within Navajo Nation jurisdiction. Now, she worries that even with stricter safety standards for shipments along these roads, the new regulations would ultimately allow transport to move forward. "So does this mean we're deregulating and allowing shipments of NRC-licensed materials or DOE materials on our roads that we have jurisdiction on?" asked Morgan. Stephen Etsitty, director of the Navajo EPA, said nothing has changed and there are no deregulations. Under the original law what is now call the Radioactive Materials Transportation Act Section 1307 outlined what would be required for transport and what the Nation could prohibit. Within that section, a paragraph states that there are certain areas where the Nation cannot prohibit transport, Etsitty said. Advertisement Advertisement "Nothing was changed to allow for any deregulation or to make that provision any weaker," said Etsitty. "We did realize back in 2011-2012, putting the original statute together, we did have a limitation on these roads such as US 89 and other roads." With the concern of new uranium mining proposals in New Mexico, such as the Roca Honda project and La Jara Mesa uranium mine, questions remain whether Navajo EPA will hold public forums about these projects. New Mexico has designated Mount Taylor as a Traditional Cultural Property. There are more than a handful of uranium mining project proposals on and around Mount Taylor. Etsitty said this is currently outside the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation, but it remains an area of concern not only for the Navajo Nation, but also for Pueblo of Acoma and other Southwestern tribes. He also noted there are other projects in Arizona. "Everything we have done so far is addressing active mining here in Arizona at the Grand Canyon," Etsitty told the group. "We are aware of other proposed projects...to mine and produce uranium. White Mesa Mill is the only operating uranium mill in the entire United States. Now one of the things that you are probably aware of, we share your concern about this, is the White Mesa Mill may not be the only operational uranium mill for very long. There are other uranium mills being proposed in the western United States. Advertisement Advertisement From mine to smelter: Doubts persist about deal to allow uranium trucks on the Navajo Nation Will cultural designations affect the rules? Manny Pino, who is Acoma Pueblo and is active with the New Mexico Laguna Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment, said they are against the La Jara Mesa uranium mine project as well the proposed Roca Honda mine. He said in 2014, the designation for Mount Taylor to be named as a Traditional Cultural Property was challenged in the case Ray Allen Resolution Incorporated vs. New Mexico Cultural Property Review Committee, but the New Mexico Supreme Court upheld the traditional cultural property status. A haul truck loaded with uranium ore heads east on U.S. 160, near Tuba City, Arizona, on Aug. 14, 2025. He said his group continues to call on federal agencies, including the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture, to uphold their trust responsibilities by protecting sacred sites and cultural properties. Pino said that if the designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah KukveniAncestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is not given "some sort of cultural property consideration, in an area that is considered one of the 'seven sacred wonders of the world,' then nothing is sacred. The only thing sacred is the all mighty dollar." Advertisement Advertisement There are overlapping jurisdictions and cross-commissioned authorities that guide how emergency responses are handled. The Navajo Division of Public Safety and the environmental protection authorities are required to work together. The regulations continue to emphasize that the Division of Public Safety plays a key role. However, much of the responsibility falls on the transporter, explained Etsitty. He also said that the Navajo Nation already has experience responding to hazardous material incidents, such as petroleum spills and other hazardous substance releases. Law enforcement is experienced in traffic control, site security, and scene management all fundamental components of emergency response. "The Navajo Nation police have experience with traffic control, site security, and those are fundamental aspects of a response," said Etsitty. "It's very similar to what we deal with right now. What the difference is that the shipment is radioactive and specifically a Category 1 level of radioactivity. So, in these emergency response plans, we've shared that information with the the Division of Public Safety of the Navajo Nation." Wendy Atcitty, from the Southwest Research and Information Center, asked if they could provide more detail on how public consultations are being carried out, especially since Navajo EPA said they had reached out to the transportation division, public safety officials, local jurisdictions and tribes. Advertisement Advertisement "You have witnessed over the past year, the concerns of the community members just having questions with this process of having transport because this is something that came pretty quickly," said Atcitty. "Even this hearing to see it was announced at the end of January. Are there other public hearings? If not, what other engagements are you will to put forth?" Chapters and communities along the haul route have been asking for training on how to handle spills should an Energy Fuels Inc. truck hauling ore get into an accident. There have been suggestions that Energy Fuels Inc. train local community members on how to respond to any type of emergency that might occur during transport. Etictty said he's been telling community members they can take emergency response training for free online through the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its website. He said he has taken these online courses as well. Moving ore: 'I was terrified': Uranium shipments worry Navajo, Ute tribal members along truck route Regulations will cover trucks, drivers and mining company The regulations apply not only to uranium but also to other radioactive materials. In the case of Energy Fuels Inc., the company transports ore to its mill in Utah across 260 miles on Highways 89, 160 and 191, a route that passes through the Navajo Nation, and carriers are not permitted to deviate from it. Shipments are allowed only between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Key provisions of the interim regulations include: Shipments must be properly secured to meet federal standards, preventing any release of material, dust, or loss of shielding during transport. All transporters of radioactive material must be licensed. The license fee is $450 per year, and each individual shipment will be subject to a $200 fee. Licenses can be denied for poor driving history, less than five years experience or failure to secure shipments. Transporters must carry a minimum of $1 million in financial assurance, or $5 million for highway routecontrolled quantities of radioactive material. Coverage must include the Navajo Nation as a third-party beneficiary, fully cover spills or related hazardous releases, and not limit liability for personal injury or environmental damage. Shipments of NRC-regulated, DOE-managed, or other unlicensed radioactive materials must provide advance written notice to the NEPA director and designated tribal officials. Upon request, each shipment must be given the opportunity to receive a blessing by a medicine person, without causing delays or obstacles to transport. "Despite the fact that we have all these abandoned uranium mines, all these areas of contaminations, how many comprehensive health studies have we had done on our community?" said Pino. "Congress fought very hard against amending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which is the only form of economic compensation that populations impacted by nuclear devastation have as their recourse. "Furthermore, the 1872 mining law when is Congress going to amend an antiquated law that prioritizes corporate welfare, mining companies, at the expense of our people?" Pino asked. "When are we going to get our recourse in these human rights violations to address the health needs of our impacted populations?" Advertisement Advertisement The regulations are largely based on existing Federal policy. More information is available on NEPAs website (navajoepa.gov). For questions, call 928-871-6859, or submit comments to NNEPA Superfund Program, by email at Imdavid@navajo-nsn.gov, or regular mail to Navajo Nation Superfund Program P.O. Box 2946 Window Rock, AZ 86515. Comments can hand-delivered at NEPA Admin Building No. 2695 in Window Rock. Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Navajo EPA to enforce new rules on uranium shipments on tribal lands Americans travelling in the Middle East say it has been "mayhem" trying to get back home as the US-Israel war with Iran is felt throughout the region. The US is advising its citizens in 14 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel and Qatar, to "depart now" as security warnings put embassies on lock down. Canada has also urged its citizen to leave. But some tourists report that there are no flights and no clear instructions to exit. Advertisement Advertisement The US state department said it was securing military and charter planes to pick up American citizens who want to leave the Middle East. For now, though, many travellers say they are being forced to wait or find their own way out. An advisory posted on Monday urges Americans to "depart now via commercial means" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. But leaving by commercial airline has proved tough for many travellers. Florida resident Krista Jucknath Hickman said she and her husband Mike's holiday turned to "chaos" when they became stranded at Dubai airport. Advertisement Advertisement "The number provided by the state department for support is unable to help," she said. "I called twice." She added: "All that can be done is book flights that don't take off." The couple eventually managed to book a driver for $1,000 to take them across the border into Oman. State department spokesperson Dylan Johnson said the government was currently in contact with 3,000 travellers. Some 9,000 Americans have already successfully returned to the US from the region over the last few days, according to the department. Advertisement Advertisement The statement said that charter flights would soon be available to evacuate Americans from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. On his social media site on Tuesday, President Donald Trump encouraged Americans trying to get home to register online with the state department. "We are already chartering flights, free of charge, and booking commercial options, which we expect will become increasingly available as time goes on," he said. Another US citizen, former Army Major General Randy Manner, said he was still trying to make it out of the airport in Dubai, which he described as "mayhem". Advertisement Advertisement "We started to load the aircraft then we were all taken back to the terminal," he said. "They also said that if we fly out at all, we would be the last plane out tonight." Between 500,000 and one million US nationals are estimated to be living in the Middle East. Texas resident Harsheet Kummaraguntla said his mother was on a flight from Doha, Qatar, to Dallas when the US and Israel first struck Iran. The flight ended up turning back and landing in Doha again. "She does not live there, Doha was just a layover. She is unfortunately trapped currently due to the airspace closure in Doha," Kummaraguntla said. Advertisement Advertisement Greg Arnold, 33, from Buffalo, New York, is a consultant living in Riyadh with his wife and son. His parents had been visiting from the US, and arrived three weeks before the war began. He described how difficult it was to book them flights home online. "The price kept going up and up," he said. "So if you had a payment failure, you check again and it would raise, you know, another $300 to $500." He was eventually able to secure tickets through his company. Canada has also urged its citizens to avoid travel to in the region, and estimates more than 85,000 are registered across the various countries. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Canada's foreign minister, Anita Anand, said Ottawa had asked Oman for access to its airspace if needed to help evacuate its citizens. Nathan Devereaux, of Brantford, Ontario, has worked at an NGO in Shatila refugee camp in Beirut for the past year and a half. Israel's military has been striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, after the Iranian-backed Shia group said it launched rockets and drones at the Israeli city of Haifa to avenge the US killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Devereaux, 24, said the entire country could quickly be engulfed in violence. Advertisement Advertisement He and his girlfriend have a flight booked out of Lebanon in a few days. He has been agonising over whether he should leave altogether. "Where the hell would I go?" he said. "Would I go all the way back to Canada, which is going to cost me a ton of money? And you know, when am I going to come back?" You can also get in touch by following this link. The war has expanded to include militias Tehran backs in the Middle East, with an attack by Hezbollah on Israel, which struck back against the group in Lebanon, as ITV News International Editor Emma Murphy reports Death toll of US service members rises to four. At least 555 killed in Iran in strikes by Israel and US. Saudi oil refinery closed after drone attack. Irans top official said Tehran will not negotiate with the US. American fighter jets shot down with no casualties. Hezbollah and other Iran-backed militias launch attacks. UK RAF base in Cyprus struck in drone attack as PM permits US to use British bases. British nationals urged to register with foreign office ahead of emergency evacuation. US President Donald Trump has said "this was our last, best chance" to strike Iran, during a speech at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement His words come as the war in the Middle East continues to expand, with multiple strikes by the US and Israel being met with retaliation from Iran and Iranian backed militias. Reflecting on the operation in a speech, Trump said the US had projected it would take four to five weeks to get rid of Irans military leadership, but that was quickly accomplished, so were ahead of schedule there. He also warned that the US has "the capability to go far longer than that. During his speech, Trump said Iran "posed a very clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas." He went on to set out his objectives for America's conflict in Iran, saying that US forces are out to destroy Iran's missile capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement The objectives also included wiping out its naval capacity, stopping the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders. Hegseth said the operation had a clear, devastating, decisive mission to destroy the missile threat from Iran and destroy its navy. Credit: AP Earlier on Monday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "We didn't start this war, but we'll finish it," as he accused Iran of waging war against the US for "47 long years". Speaking from the US, Hegseth said: "They did it through the blood of our people. Car bombs in Beirut, rocket attacks on our ships, murders at our embassies, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan funded and armed by Iranian Quds Force and IRGC killers." Hegseth said the operation had a clear, devastating, decisive mission to destroy the missile threat from Iran and destroy its navy. Advertisement Advertisement This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it, he said. At least 555 people in Iran have been killed since US-Israeli airstrikes began targeting the country over the weekend, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon on Monday killed at least 52 people and injured 154, according to Lebanons health ministry. More attacks are expected in Lebanon in the coming hours. US Central Command also said the death toll of American service members has risen to six after "the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members" were recovered from a facility struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. Advertisement Advertisement The intensity of the attacks on both sides, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the lack of any apparent exit plan indicate the conflict will not end any time soon as it spreads across the Middle East. Smoke rises up after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. Credit: AP Iran After the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran vowed to retaliate with devastating blows and fired missiles at many of its neighbouring countries as well as US military targets. The Israeli military is retaliating in the skies, while US President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday night that nine Iranian warships had been sunk and their naval base largely destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement As the American and Israeli airstrikes continue, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed on X that we will not negotiate with the United States. Talks between the US and Iran aimed at resolving the issue of Tehrans nuclear ambitions were expected to resume at a later date. Communication with Iran remained strained, with internet outages and blackouts reported from Saturday. Speaking on Monday, US military officials confirmed the United States had conducted cyberattacks against the country, claiming they were used to "disrupt, disorient, and confuse" Iranian forces at the start of the attack. A view of Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, Iran, taken in 2007. Credit: AP Irans Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday alleged that airstrikes by the United States and Israel targeted one of the country's nuclear facilities. Advertisement Advertisement When asked by a reporter which nuclear facility he was referring to, Najafi replied, Natanz. That contradicts an assessment by the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, who said that up to now the agency has "no indication" that nuclear facilities have been hit in Iran. The Natanz site, some 220 kilometres (135 miles) south of the capital, is a mix of above-and below-ground laboratories. RAF Akrotiri was struck overnight. Credit: AP Iraq In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting US troops at the airport in Baghdad on Monday, the day after it said it fired at a US base in the city of Irbil in the north. Advertisement Advertisement Germany has said it will not actively participate in military action against Iran but will consider defending its soldiers stationed on multinational military bases in the area if attacked. The federal government has no intention of participating in the conflict, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday morning. "We also do not have the necessary military resources. Pictures showed people fleeing Lebanon on Monday as strikes in the region continued. Credit: AP Lebanon Hezbollah has also said it has entered the war, firing missiles from Lebanon on early Monday into Israel; there was no report of casualties. Israel retaliated with strikes killing 31 people in South Lebanon and Beirut. Advertisement Advertisement Israels military chief of staff, Lt. General Eyal Zamir, said on Monday the offensive campaign in Lebanon could include many prolonged days of combat ahead. Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price for this, Israels military spokesman Brig. General Effie Defrin said. He added that Israel is keeping all options on the table for a possible ground operation in Lebanon. Israel has called up more than 100,000 reservists since the war with Iran began on Saturday. Israel also recommended that residents of 53 villages in southern Lebanon evacuate, causing massive traffic jams. Lebanon's government said Hezbollahs overnight attack against Israel was illegal and demanded the group hand over its weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said only the state can decide whether to go to war or peace, and called on the Lebanese military to prevent the firing of projectiles and detain anyone involved. Kuwait Several American warplanes have crashed in Kuwait in an apparent friendly fire incident, with footage posted online showing a jet falling from the sky in flames and a pilot parachuting to the ground. The video appeared to show an F-15E fighter jet, according to a CNN analysis. All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered and are in stable condition, it said in a statement which you can read in full here. Meanwhile, Americans have been urged to stay indoors and away from the US embassy in Kuwait after it was struck by a drone overnight. Iranian state television had also claimed that Iran had targeted one of the US aircraft that crashed in Kuwait. It did not elaborate. What next for Iranian regime after the Supreme Leader's death? Who was Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei? Cyprus In Cyprus, a drone hit RAF Akrotiri, but no casualties were reported. Two further unmanned drones were intercepted on Monday before they could hit the base. Officials say the damage was limited, but some people on the military bases in the region would undergo a "temporary dispersal" as a safety measure. Officials said RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was continuing to operate as normal despite the attack, but family members of personnel had been moved away from the base as a precaution. It is not yet clear whether the base was hit with a drone fired directly from Iran or from Tehran-backed proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. The attack came as Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK would give the US permission to use the bases after reports that he previously denied such requests. Speaking on Monday morning, the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was the Ministry of Defence's assessment that "the drone was launched before the PMs statement, confirming British interests are being targeted by the Iranian regime." A Fighter Jet takes off from the UK's RAF Akrotiri air base after it was hit by a drone strike on Monday. Credit: AP Cyprus has meanwhile said it is displeased that Britain did not make clear its intention to use its military bases in the country in a capacity other than for humanitarian purposes. Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said Cypriot authorities had assurances from UK officials that the bases would only be used strictly in a humanitarian capacity. Letymbiotis said protests will be lodged with the UK government to express Cypruss displeasure. He left open the possibility that the Cypriot government would possibly open negotiations with the UK regarding the bases status. Greece's Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said: (Greece) will contribute in every possible way to the defence of the Republic of Cyprus, in order to confront the threats and unlawful actions taking place on its territory. Greece has said it intends to send two frigates and two fighter jets to Cyprus, one of which is equipped with an anti-drone system recently tested in a European Union-led deployment in the Red Sea to protect international shipping. Britons among thousands stranded in Dubai as flights across Middle East grounded Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam in Saudi Arabia on Monday after it was targeted by Iranian drones. Saudi state television reported the decision, citing what it described as an official source. It added that there were no casualties from the fire, and its decision was a precautionary one. The refinery has a capacity of over half a million barrels of crude oil a day. Online videos from the site appeared to show thick black smoke rising after the attack. Even successfully intercepted drones cause debris that can spark fires and injure those on the ground. Fishermen work in front of oil tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz in 2012. Credit: AP Irans decision to target the Saudi refinery further expands the war gripping the Middle East, directly targeting the lifeblood of the kingdoms economy. Already, Iran has been threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil trade passes. The attack on Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Irans sights, said Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst at the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft. An extended period of uncertainty lies ahead as Iran seeks to impose a heavy economic cost by putting tankers, regional energy infrastructure, trade routes and US security partners in the crosshairs, he said. By Monday morning, global oil prices were up by nearly 10%. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Israel Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israel and at US military installations around the Gulf, and also at the Saudi capital and the global business hub of Dubai. Israeli authorities reported Iranian missiles had killed nine civilians in Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem, while the US militarys Central Command said three American service members had been killed and five others severely wounded on Sunday. Speaking during a visit to Beir Shemesh on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of the "threat" posed by Iran, saying: "So we set out to protect ourselves, but in so doing we protect many others." Rescue workers carry the body of a victim from the scene where several people were killed by an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh. Credit: AP UK Response Speaking to MPs in parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision not to join the US and Israel in their strikes on Iran, a decision which drew criticism from US allies. That decision was deliberate," he said. "We believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon, and ceases its destabilising activity across the region. That has been the long-standing position of successive British governments. President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what Ive done, and I stand by it. Starmer told the Commons: It is simply not possible to shoot down every Iranian missile and every drone after theyve been launched. The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or at the launches. He said yesterday evening the US requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose, which the government accepted. He added: To be clear, the use of British bases is limited to the agreed defensive purposes; we are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes." Despite this, Iran's Deputy Foreign Secretary Dr Saeed Khatibzadeh told ITV News the UK was "actively participating in this aggression". He said: What the prime minister of the UK said yesterday, was actually actively participating in this aggression. "It doesn't matter if are naming it or covering it up by being defensive. The people of UK should know that unfortunately, you are repeating the mistake that they did in Iraq, in their names, and nobody can cover it up by calling or coining a new concept that it is defensive. A destroyed police station is seen after it was struck amid the USIsraeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran. Credit: AP British nationals Previously safe havens in the Middle East, like Dubai, have seen incoming fire while hundreds of thousands of airline passengers are stranded around the globe. UK officials are understood to be working on plans for the potential evacuation of more than 100,000 Britons from the Middle East. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that 102,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region. She said a total of about 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries targeted by Iran. British nationals are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Offices travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly. Have you heard our podcast Talking Politics? Tom and Robert dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda in every episode At least three devastating new weapons appear to have been used by US forces for the first time in the opening salvo of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Iran-style suicide drones, reverse-engineered from Iranian technology, were used in the attack, US officials said. A unique black Tomahawk missile and precision-strike missile were also launched, footage shared by the US Navy and US Central Command appeared to show. Iranian-style suicide drone The Lucas (FLM-136) kamikaze drone was modelled on the Iranian Shahed 136, infamous for its use by Russian forces in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement There are few public details of the weapon, but it is said to have the ability to find targets beyond the line of sight, including ones that suddenly pop up in front of it. These features make the drones more capable than the variant being used by Russia against Ukraines cities and critical infrastructure. 0612 FLM-136 The US military effectively pinched the idea from Iran because the weapon is cheap and much easier to make than a conventional missile. Costing approximately $35,000 [26,000] per unit, Lucas is a low-cost, scalable system that provides cutting-edge capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional long-range US systems that can deliver similar effects, Capt Tim Hawkins of the US Navy, a Central Command spokesman, told The Warzone last year. Advertisement Advertisement It is likely that the Lucas drones used to target Iran were ground-launched, but recent demonstrations by US forces have shown they can also be fired from ships. Black-painted Tomahawk missile The new Tomahawk could be the first sighting of an upgraded Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST), according to The Warzone website. Unlike its predecessor and other variants, the ship-launched cruise missile had a coating of black paint. 0210 Tomahawk Analysts speculated that this could prevent radar detection or suppress infrared targeting. Normally, Tomahawk missiles are grey. We would expect this to be a low observable coating aimed at enhancing the survivability of the weapon, especially for strikes against maritime targets, The Warzone wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The darker paint could make it harder to see the ship-launched variant conceal itself against the waves as it skims low across the water towards its target. USS Frank E Petersen Jr fires a Tomahawk land-attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury - US Navy Fabian Hoffman, a missile technology expert, wrote on social media: Tomahawks lack of stealthiness has been noted by European officials from what I have heard, so that this exists makes sense. A low-resolution image of a black-looking missile was used to advertise Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) on a slide show published by the Naval Air Systems Command as an overview of the missile. The US has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years overhauling the Tomahawk, a weapon that first debuted in combat in 1991. Advertisement Advertisement Yet there is no official confirmation that this is the first appearance of the upgraded MST. Atacms successor A video shared by the US military showed ground-based Himars rocket launchers firing off the latest short-ranged ballistic missile available to troops. The precision-strike missile is the successor to the Army Tactical Missile System otherwise known as Atacms used by the Ukrainians in the war against Russia. A fact sheet published by its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, claims the missile can strike targets at a range of around 500km. While there is not a publicised top speed, its predecessor can travel towards a target quicker than 2,000 mph. Advertisement Advertisement The likely targets in Iran would have been air-defence systems, radar stations and other ground-based launchers. 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. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Explosions sounded in Iran's capital city Wednesday as its war with the U.S. and Israel entered a fifth day following earlier strikes on an Iranian nuclear site and retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Republic across the Gulf region. Iranian state television reported explosions around Tehran as dawn broke. Meanwhile, Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran. Five days into a war that U.S. President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Explosions also hit Lebanon, where Israel said it is retaliating against Hezbollah militants. Lebanon's state-run media reported that at least four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a residential complex in the city of Baalbeck. A day earlier, Israel launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site, and Iran struck back against Israel and others, targeting U.S. embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel. The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began. In other developments, the Pentagon identified four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who were killed in a drone strike Sunday at a command center in Kuwait. The strike also killed two other service members. Advertisement Advertisement The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump's administration has offered various objectives, including destroying Irans missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensuring it cannot continue to support allied armed groups. While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal. Trump on Tuesday seemed to downplay the chances of the war ending Iran's theocratic rule, saying that someone from within the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel campaign is finished. Trump says people the US had in mind to lead Iran are dead Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans toppled shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over. Advertisement Advertisement As far as possible leaders inside Iran, the people we had in mind are dead, Trump said. I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen," Trump said. "We dont want that to happen. Irans leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. Its only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Israel and US strike nuclear facilities and other targets Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, said American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran since the war began. In a video posted Tuesday on X, Cooper said the U.S. has severely degraded Irans air defenses and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. Advertisement Advertisement Weve just begun, Cooper said. Satellite images published Tuesday by Colorado-based company Vantor showed the domed roof of Irans presidential complex in Tehran had been destroyed, supporting Israels claim of an overnight strike. Iran did not acknowledge the damage or report any casualties. Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the Israeli military struck a building in the Iranian city of Qom where clerics were expected to meet to discuss selecting a new supreme leader. He said the army was still assessing whether anyone was hit. The Israeli military said it also conducted airstrikes on Iranian sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, and that it destroyed what it called Irans secret, underground nuclear headquarters. Without providing evidence, it said the site was used for research to develop a key component for nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to do so and says its nuclear program is peaceful. Iran hits US Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. An Iranian drone struck a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Washington. He said all personnel were accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public. The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. And U.S. citizens were urged to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though many were stranded because of airspace closures. The State Department said Tuesday its preparing military and charter flights for Americans wanting to leave the Middle East. Other countries were arranging flights for their citizens. Hundreds have died, including children The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, according to the Red Crescent Society. In Lebanon, where Israel launched retaliatory strikes on the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah, 50 people were killed, including seven children, Lebanon's health ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Kuwait, which had previously reported a single death, said Wednesday that an 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel as Kuwaiti forces were intercepting hostile aerial targets. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. Four of the Americans killed were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who received a posthumous promotion in rank. They were assigned to the Iowa-based 103rd Sustainment Command. ___ Advertisement Advertisement This story has been updated to correct that communications in Iran are poor, but that the internet isn't shut down. It also clarifies that more than one drone hit the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Some instances referred to just one drone. ___ Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, David Rising in Bangkok, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Giovanna Dell'Orto in Miami, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. The US embassy in Saudi Arabia has been hit by an Iranian drone strike. The American mission in Riyadh was targeted by two drones in the early hours of Tuesday, where a loud blast was heard alongside flames and black smoke billowing into the air. The US State Department has ordered all American citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries as the war with Iran intensifies. Saudi officials said more than half a dozen drones were intercepted in the capital Riyadh, including four that targeted the diplomatic quarter, and the city of Al Kharj. Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump threatened retaliation for the drone attack, telling News Nation that youll find out soon what shape that would take. The US embassy in Riyadh was closed on Tuesday - Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images The US embassy in Riyadh said no one was injured in the attack, but urged people to stay away, saying it would be closed on Tuesday. Avoid the embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility, a statement said, urging American citizens to shelter in place. It comes as US military officials questioned the fortifications at one of its Kuwait bases where at least six Americans were killed in a separate Iranian strike. The first American service members to die in the conflict were stationed at an operations centre in the countrys Shuaiba port. Advertisement Advertisement Military officials told CBS News the base was not adequately prepared for the threat of airstrikes. The operations centre was protected by 12ft high concrete blast walls around the outside but did not have overhead cover or adequate air defence systems nearby. The centre appeared to have suffered a direct hit from an Iranian Shahed drone, and fire engulfed the buildings soon after, which made recovery of the bodies difficult in the immediate aftermath of the strike, the officials told CBS News. Some 18 other US service members have been seriously wounded across the Middle East since Operation Epic Fury began, a US Central Command spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabia is one of more than a dozen countries that American citizens have been advised to leave. The other countries are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Overnight, the Iranian regime launched a wave of missile and drone attacks at Gulf states following massive US-Israeli strikes that killed Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader. Tehran also claimed responsibility for a large-scale drone and missile strike on a US air base in Bahrain. State media said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple drones and missiles, claiming command buildings and fuel tanks were destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Footage circulated online appeared to show an explosion at the site, although US officials have not yet responded publicly to the reported attack. The escalating strikes come as Mr Trump warned the conflict could last longer than his initial one-month timeframe. 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 limited fire has broken out at the United States Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh after it was hit by two drones, while a fuel tank at Omans Duqm commercial port was hit in a drone attack, increasing regional pressure on Gulf Arab states housing US assets in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks. The strike on the US Embassy early on Tuesday caused minor material damage to the compound, the Saudi Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Later reports said more drones were targeting the site amid Irans retaliation across the Gulf to US-Israeli attacks. President Donald Trump told the NewsNation media outlet that the US response to the embassy attack and the killing of several American service members would soon be made clear. Youll find out soon, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Black smoke was seen rising over Riyadhs Diplomatic Quarter, which houses foreign missions, after the attack, the Reuters news agency reported. Three people told Reuters that a loud blast was heard and flames were seen at the embassy, though the Saudi Defence Ministry and one of the sources told the news agency that the fire in the aftermath of the drone attack was small in scale. The embassy building was empty at the time of the attack, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, and there were no reports of casualties. A source close to the Saudi military, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AFP news agency that air defences had intercepted four drones targeting the Diplomatic Quarter in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the state-run Oman News Agency reported that a fuel tank at the countrys Duqm commercial port was hit in a drone attack, causing limited material damage and no casualties. Iran later denied carrying out attacks on Oman, Iranian state media reported. Oman has been hit with several attacks, including one on Sunday involving two drones that wounded an expatriate worker. Attacks on Bahrain, US personnel departures Separately on Tuesday, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a US airbase in Bahrain, it said in a statement carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The IRGC announced that its naval forces carried out a large-scale drone and missile attack at dawn on the US air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain, IRNA posted on the Telegram messaging app. Advertisement Advertisement It said 20 drones and three missiles were launched, destroying the bases main command headquarters, without providing evidence. Elsewhere, a fire broke out at an oil industrial facility in Fujairah, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates, as forces intercepted a drone attack, authorities said. No casualties were reported. The government media office in Fujairah said the drone was intercepted and that shrapnel landed in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. The office said the fire was put down and operations resumed. Tehrans latest claimed attack came after its military launched salvoes across the Gulf region in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on Iran that began on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement The US Department of State on Tuesday ordered nonemergency personnel to leave Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq as a precaution. It comes a day after US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, Mora Namdar, posted on X that Americans in a dozen countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, should DEPART NOW using any available commercial transport. In Kuwait, the US Embassy said it had closed indefinitely over regional tensions. The US Embassy in Jerusalem said it was unable to evacuate or directly assist Americans intending to depart Israel. Earlier on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a shelter in place notice to its citizens in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran amid the attacks. We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom shelter in place immediately and avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility. The US Mission to Saudi Arabia continues to monitor the regional situation, the embassy said. By Ted Hesson, Susan Heavey and David Shepardson WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during congressional testimony on Tuesday stood by her remarks calling the acts of two U.S. citizens shot dead by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis "domestic terrorism." Noem, who is overseeing Republican President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, was pressed about her statements by Democrats and some Republicans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were slain in separate incidents in January, Noem said they had appeared to have been involved in acts of domestic terrorism before a full investigation into the events that led to their deaths. Video evidence subsequently undercut her assertions, and her remarks were criticized by lawmakers from both parties. Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the committee, repeatedly asked Noem if she would retract her statements concerning Good and Pretti, as well as her similar remarks about another U.S. citizen who survived after being shot five times in a confrontation with federal agents in Chicago. "I was getting reports from the ground, from agents at the scene," Noem testified, calling the situations chaotic but declining to retract or apologize for her statements. "I absolutely strive to provide factual information." Noem, appointed by Trump last year, faced tough questions from senators about Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics during the hearing, her first congressional appearance since Good and Pretti were killed. The outrage caused by their deaths prompted the Trump administration to shift its strategy, moving away from large-scale, city-focused surges and toward a more targeted approach. Advertisement Advertisement Under Noem, thousands of masked federal agents have been deployed to U.S. cities, where they have swept through neighborhoods in search of possible immigration offenders and clashed with residents and protesters. Congressional Democrats have refused to agree to new funding for her department without changes to immigration enforcement practices. Funding for the 260,000-employee department lapsed last month, but most of its immigration enforcement and national security operations are deemed essential and continue. Noem said on Tuesday that 650 federal agents remain in Minnesota, down from about 3,000 in January. Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee's Republican chairman, acknowledged in opening remarks that "mistakes have been made" by the administration but defended immigration officers, saying they "should never be threatened or harmed while enforcing our laws." Advertisement Advertisement Trump has said mass deportations are needed after high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, and has defended Noem's job performance. House Democrats launched an effort in January to impeach Noem, saying immigration agents under her leadership have violated the civil rights of U.S. citizens, that she had blocked congressional oversight of detention centers for migrants, and that she gave government contracts to Republican-affiliated firms and people connected to close associates of hers. The impeachment effort is likely to fail, with the House controlled by Republicans. IRAN WAR Advertisement Advertisement Grassley asked Noem about steps to protect against potential sleeper cells and terrorism amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Noem did not cite specifics but said her department was taking a closer look at social media activity and interviews of immigrants who previously entered the United States. "We are working every single day to find them and to make sure that we're preventing the next attack," said Noem, a former governor of South Dakota. Trump's immigration policies, once an area of strength, could now be a liability for Republicans trying to retain control of Congress in November midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in February found that while a majority of Americans support deporting immigrants without legal status, about 60% think immigration agents have gone too far. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who is not seeking reelection this November, sharply criticized Noem's handling of immigration arrests, saying her swift condemnation of Good and Pretti had eroded faith in law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement "We're beginning to get the American people to think that deporting people is wrong. It's the exact opposite," Tillis said. "The way you're going about deporting them is wrong." Tillis reiterated his earlier call for Noem to resign and said he would block nominations in the Senate until DHS answered questions about the crackdown and other issues. Multiple lawmakers pressed Noem over a DHS-funded advertising campaign that reportedly cost $220 million and prominently featured her. ProPublica reported last year that a company run by the husband of outgoing DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin benefitted from the contract. The company, the Strategy Group, had close ties to Noem and her top aide, Corey Lewandowski, ProPublica reported. The Strategy Group posted on X that it was paid $226,000 as a subcontractor for the advertising campaign to produce video and radio ads, a small portion of the total award. Advertisement Advertisement Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said the ad campaign boosted Noem's "name recognition" and that the contract "puts the president in a terribly awkward spot." Noem said she had no role in choosing the contractors. Later in the hearing, she said she did not know whether Lewandowski had benefited financially, but would ask him. In response to a request for comment, Lewandowski said by email that he had not been paid as part of the ad contract. "Not one penny," he said. Noem is scheduled to appear before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. (Reporting by Ted Hesson, Susan Heavey and David Shepardson; Editing by Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien and Daniel Wallis) Other countries, including Italy, Germany and France, are trying to organise the return of their citizens. The evacuation of Spanish citizens is under way by land and air, and the country expects a first group of 175 citizens to land in Madrid from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday afternoon. A British government charter flight is to take off from Muscat, the capital of Oman, in the coming days, according to Yvette Cooper, the UK foreign secretary. Indias Pine Labs will introduce a stablecoin-backed prepaid card in nine countries across the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia by the end of April, CEO Amrish Rau told Reuters. The move marks the first push by a major Indian payments company into stablecoin-linked consumer payments. Rau said the Temasek and Peak XV-backed firm is targeting markets with a stablecoin-friendly stance, without naming the jurisdictions. The product will not be launched in India or China, as per the report. The card will draw funds from stablecoins held in users digital wallets and convert them into local currencies in real time at the point of sale, Rau said. Global payments players such as Stripe, PayPal and Klarna already use stablecoins in cross-border transactions, as the asset class grows in popularity in emerging markets. The market value of stablecoins has surpassed $310bn, led by US dollar-pegged Tether and USDC, highlighted Reuters. Cross border payments potentially are getting replaced today by stablecoins... these are very real trends which are taking off globally and we are absolutely building for it, Rau said. India has not banned stablecoins, but the central bank has warned they could hinder monetary policy and enable illicit transfers. Local payments firms, including Walmart-backed PhonePe and Paytm, do not offer stablecoin-based services. China last month barred unauthorised offshore issuance of yuan-linked stablecoins and is tightening its stance on virtual currencies. Pine Labs provides merchant payment solutions, including point-of-sale terminals. The company now serves clients in around 20 countries, with international business contributing about 17% of revenue, Rau said. Gross revenue rose 24% year-on-year to 7.44 billion rupees ($81.4 million) in the December quarter. Rau said the company is concentrating on AI-led payments, cross-border expansion and stablecoin projects. All tech companies are into stablecoins, they are into AI, they are into cross border. Thats the way to go... If you dont capture that opportunity, Indian fintechs are going to get left behind, he noted. Recently, Pine Labs recently signed multi-year deals with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to modernise digital payment systems across their fuel retail networks in India. The company will deploy, manage and maintain payment acceptance infrastructure at petrol pumps and merchant outlets nationwide. In November, Pine Labs obtained Reserve Bank of India licences to operate as a payment aggregator for offline, online and cross-border transactions, according to a report by The Economic Times. The US is sending charter flights to evacuate Americans from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as the US-Israeli war against Iran widens. The US State Department said Monday that Americans should "depart now" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen due to "serious safety risks". But many flights from the region have been cancelled or suspended since the US and Israel began striking Iran on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Iran responded by firing missiles and drones at Middle Eastern nations allied to the US. The State Department said it is actively working to secure military aircraft and charter flights for Americans seeking to leave the Middle East. "We've been in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans abroad," Dylan Johnson of the State Department said on X, urging citizens to call the department's line for assistance. In another statement, the department said 9,000 US citizens have already successfully returned home from the region. The department said it is helping people book flights from countries where commercial air travel is still an option. [BBC] Florida resident Krista Jucknath Hickman, a US federal employee, said her anniversary trip through the region turned into "chaos" after the state department told Americans to leave. She and her husband had to spend the night at the Dubai airport. Advertisement Advertisement She told the BBC that she is now driving from the UAE to Oman and has not yet received clear guidance on how to proceed. "The orders are not realistic, not supportive," she said. "The number provided by the State Department for support is unable to help. I called twice. Both times I was told there are no evacuation procedures in place." Other travellers have told the BBC that they have had to either shelter in place or look for alternative means out of the region. Between 500,000 and one million US nationals are estimated to be living in the Middle East. Exact official numbers are not available as Americans are not required to register with US authorities when they move abroad. Advertisement Advertisement American citizens were urged to check "the latest security updates" with nearby embassies and consulates, and given hotlines for if they need help leaving the region. The US embassy in Jerusalem said on Monday that it "is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel", adding that it would be closed on Tuesday. It later said Israel had "begun operating shuttles to the Taba Border Crossing [with Egypt]" but warned that the embassy "cannot make any recommendation (for or against)" using it. On Tuesday, France said it was ready to fly back those of its citizens who were most at risk in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the country's BFM TV broadcaster this could be done using both commercial and military flights. About 400,000 French nationals are thought to be in the Middle East. On Monday, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged all British citizens in the region to register their presence so the government could provide "the best possible support". Around 102,000 Britons have so far registered their presence in the Middle East with the UK government. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC there were an estimated 300,000 British citizens in the region. Advertisement Advertisement She said many of those trapped were holidaymakers, passengers transiting through the Gulf or people on business visits. The UK government has previously used registration schemes to provide urgent updates to people affected by international crises - but the number of people and countries affected in this case is unprecedented. With additional reporting from Sakshi Venkatraman. If it is safe to do so, you can also get in touch by following this link The United States has ordered its citizens across the Middle East to swiftly depart in the wake of strikes on Iran. Additionally, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were closed after Tehran struck both consulates. The U.S. Embassy in Beirut was also closed on Tuesday due to ongoing regional tensions. U.S. officials said they will communicate when the embassy plans to return to normal operations. Advertisement Advertisement The State Department has also instructed Americans to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen due to serious safety risks. However, Americans have limited opportunities to depart the region as commercial airspace in the Middle East remains largely restricted. U.S. officials have urged citizens to travel via land to a site where flight departures are still occurring. As of now, the best is utilizing Israels Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the US, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote in a post on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Buses will be stationed at meeting points in cities across Israel including Herzliya, Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, he said. The U.S. Embassy in Israel is not currently in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel, according to the ambassador. Personnel from embassies have been instructed to shelter in place amid intensifying strikes. Updated at 11:52 a.m. EST 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 U.S. military commander reportedly told officers that President Donald Trump has been anointed by Jesus to fulfill Gods divine plan by waging war against Iran. The commanders remarks prompted one of the non-commissioned officers (NCO) present for that briefing to file a complaint with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), independent journalist Jonathan Larsen first reported. Founded in 2005 by U.S. Air Force veteran Mikey Weinstein, the non-profit MRFFs stated mission is to ensure all U.S. service members receive the Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled. Advertisement Advertisement The complaint, filed Monday with the MRFF by an active-duty NCO, accused a commander of citing the Book of Revelation, Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ during a combat readiness status briefing. The commander said that President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth, the complaint alleged. The NCO, whose identity was kept anonymous, wrote that what he did this morning was so toxic and over the line that it shocked many of us in attendance at the ops readiness briefing. He had a big grin on his face when he said all of this which made his message seem even more crazy, the NCO wrote. The NCO filed the complaint on behalf of himself and 15 fellow troops. That group included at least 10 Christians, one Jew and one Muslim, underscoring that the objection crossed religious lines. Advertisement Advertisement Following Larsens initial reporting, the MRFF announced it had received over 200 calls from more than 50 military installations across all the services since Saturday reporting similar disturbing pronouncements. In a statement, Weinstein condemened the commanders who portrayed the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran as a biblically-sanctioned war. Any military members seeking to take advantage of their subordinates by advancing their blood-soaked, Christian nationalist wet dreams upon the flames of this latest non-Congressionally sanctioned attack against Iran, should be swiftly, aggressively and visibly prosecuted for numerous violations of the military criminal code known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Weinstein said. Weinstein reminded all U.S. military personnel that their oath is solely to the U.S. Constitution, which includes a full separation of church and state mandate in the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Service members retain First Amendment protections for personal religious expression, but U.S. military policy prohibits commanders from pressuring subordinates to adopt their religious beliefs. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the complaints received by the MRFF. Nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran after four days of war, according to the Associated Press. Six U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian strike on a base housing American troops in Kuwait on Sunday, and the U.S. has shut down its embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Beirut amid Iranian drone strikes. More on the U.S.-Iran conflict Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. By Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it has started facilitating charter flights from a number of countries in the Middle East for U.S. citizens stranded in the region as Washington's joint military strikes with Israel on Iran have severely disrupted global air travel. The move came four days after the U.S.-Israeli air war on Iran began, prompting heavy criticism from U.S. lawmakers that the State Department was late in warning Americans to leave the region and that this showed poor planning and incompetence. Advertisement Advertisement "The Department is facilitating charter flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for American citizens, and will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions allow," the Department said in a statement. Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson also said the Department was "actively securing military aircraft" for Americans who wished to leave the Middle East but did not elaborate. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there were about 1,500 U.S. citizens who requested assistance with departure and that the Department was working to identify charter flights and military flight options while speaking with airlines to send bigger airplanes with more seats. On Monday, the Department urged Americans across 14 countries in the Middle East to immediately depart the region using "available commercial transportation" without offering any U.S.-government-vouched means. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in a statement said it was unable to offer assistance to Americans trying to leave, although an official later said assistance was being offered. The scramble has triggered accusations and criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees State Department spending, told Reuters: "President Trump said the biggest surprise is that Iran retaliated against our assets and partners, but that expected retaliation was the administration's stated reason for our attack. The result is that Americans are stuck and in danger." Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office earlier on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said: "It all happened very quickly," referring to the war with Iran, when asked why there were no plans to evacuate U.S. citizens. Advertisement Advertisement "American tax payers are forced to give Israel $3.8 BILLION every single year, and here is our own U.S. embassy in Jerusalem telling Americans good luck getting out, you are on your own," former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned from Congress after a split with Trump, said in a social media post. "The betrayal is unbelievable," she said. 'ZERO STRATEGY' The U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran, which started on Saturday, has sent shock waves around the world, disrupting energy supplies and sending global air transport into chaos. Overnight, Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Major Gulf aviation hubs, including the world's busiest international airport, Dubai - which normally handles over 1,000 flights a day - remained closed for a fourth day on Tuesday, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded. Ticket prices have soared. "Warnings to citizens to evacuate 3 days into this war, when airspace is closed, is a clear sign of ZERO strategy and planning by the Trump admin," Democratic Senator Andy Kim said in a post on X. U.S. security alerts for Americans in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain, which urged them either to shelter in place or be prepared to do so, were disseminated after the U.S.-Israeli joint strikes on Iran began, according to time stamps on social media posts by the U.S. embassies in those countries. U.S. evacuation orders and warnings for Americans and diplomatic staff across the Middle East were issued just before or days after the attack on Iran, compared with the weeks of notice given ahead of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Crude oil benchmarks rose about 6% on Tuesday, soaring as the Iran conflict widened. In a social media post overnight, Trump said there was a "virtually unlimited supply" of U.S. munitions and that "wars can be fought 'forever,' and very successfully, using just these supplies." As Washington presses ahead with one of the most consequential military actions in recent history, the United States lacks Senate-confirmed ambassadors across many countries in the region including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait, Algeria and the UAE. 'CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY' In a social media post, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said citizens can sign up for the shuttles operated by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to the Taba border crossing with Egypt but reiterated that Washington could not ensure the safety of this route. Advertisement Advertisement "The U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourisms shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety," it said. On Tuesday, the Department also announced that it had ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their family members from U.S. embassies in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Jordan. Similar measures have already been taken for U.S. missions in Lebanon and Israel. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis in Washington; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Franklin Paul and Matthew Lewis) As they usually do each year, crucial decisions for homelessness funding are coming down to the wire with less than five days left until the end of the 2026 Utah Legislature at midnight on Friday. Late last Friday the Legislatures powerful budgetary body, the Executive Appropriations Committee, signaled Utahs Republican legislative leaders have given a green light to a significant infusion of new ongoing money for homelessness programs after homelessness advocates have spent years asking state leaders to boost a reliable source of funding. Notably, lawmakers have not included money to build a controversial homeless campus that state leaders have proposed on a property in the northwest corner in Salt Lake City. State leaders say the idea hasnt been abandoned but rather theyre spending more time on formulating high utilizer programs to inform the campus concept before funding the projects construction. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, a big chunk of that new ongoing money nearly $12 million, along with about $14.4 million in one-time money comes with a catch. It can only be spent alongside a one-to-one match from local governments, according to the budget recommendations intent language. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In combination with funding from cities and counties, that could bring the total to about $24 million in ongoing funding and $28.8 million in one-time money for homelessness. But it remains to be seen specifically where that local government funding would come from and if theyll achieve the full match. Its a new approach that were taking with our partners, our local partners, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told reporters Monday when asked about the match requirement. Everybody comes to the state and wants the state to take over their issues and their problems. We certainly want to be partners in helping solve the homelessness issue, however we also need the city and the counties to step up and do their part as well. Advertisement Advertisement Schultz said the match shows state leaders are putting their money where their mouth is, and as long as we get local participation from the cities and counties, then that will get funded and well move forward. Meanwhile, legislators are moving forward with a new tax on alternative tobacco products including nicotine pouches like the popular ZYN brand in order to generate about $40 million a year in new money, some of which could be used for homelessness. That bill, however, still needs to be considered by the Senate, and it could change or not pass at all. Heres where lawmakers efforts around homelessness stand, at least for now: Money for homelessness, but not for shelter campus (yet) Cox, in his budget recommendation to lawmakers last month, proposed using $25 million in one-time money for capital and $20 million in ongoing funding for homelessness and criminal justice utilizers as part of a proposal to build a 1,300-bed homeless campus. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Nick Coleman, the states interim homeless coordinator, shed light on the specifics of the governors budget recommendation. He told Utah News Dispatch that instead of lobbying for money to build the campus this year, they first focused the governors funding requests on programs within existing state facilities or local providers aimed at targeting high utilizers of the states criminal justice and homeless systems. At the same time, though, he said state leaders werent abandoning efforts to build a campus. But rather by focusing first on these high utilizer programs, theyre hoping what they learn could potentially help inform programs and operations for the future homeless campus. Ultimately, the governor didnt get everything he asked of lawmakers but when it came to ongoing funding, Coleman said his requests were just about fully funded, with more than $17.5 million in new money set aside. That includes about: Advertisement Advertisement $2.5 million in ongoing funding and $9.4 million in one-time funding for emergency shelter and housing $4.6 million in ongoing funding and $2.7 million in one-time money for a program to address high utilizers of the criminal justice system $1.1 million in ongoing funding and $7.8 million in one-time money for mental and behavioral health $9.4 million in ongoing funding and $5 million in one-time funding for phase two investments as the states homeless leaders build future programs $1 million in ongoing funding for expansion to The Other Side Village, a tiny home community in Salt Lake City for the chronically homeless Yes, lawmakers greenlit nearly $25 million in one-time money for homelessness but only after re-appropriating nearly $23 million in one-time money the Legislature set aside last year for expanding the states low barrier emergency shelter. And instead of $5 million the governor asked for to expand The Other Side Village, lawmakers only set aside $1 million. Still, Coleman called the budget recommendations a tremendous vote of confidence in the Cox administrations strategy to focus on funding for high utilizer programs, along with efforts to expand capacity for emergency shelter, supportive housing and mental and behavioral health. So even though the budget doesnt include money specifically for the campus, Coleman said they hope the programs lawmakers fund this year could lay the groundwork for it. Advertisement Advertisement These are key programs that would inform whatever that might look like, so this is really to lay the groundwork on key programs that will eventually become a big part of what were hoping to do in the future, Coleman said. Meanwhile, he said state leaders are going to continue pursuing the nearly 16-acre property in northwest Salt Lake City for the campus, and whether that comes to fruition as one program or another, were going to decide. Thats why some of the funding thats been set aside is earmarked for phase two investments, he said. Senate Budget Chair Jerry Stevenson told Utah News Dispatch on Friday that lawmakers werent likely to put any money toward building the campus at least not yet. The campus is I think thats going to go flat for now, because its difficult to do, Stevenson said, adding that when outgoing Rep. Tyler Clancy steps into his new position as statewide homeless coordinator later this month, hell need time to get his arms around this. Advertisement Advertisement Maybe we just need some time to step back and take a big, deep breath, Stevenson said. However, Stevenson also said the campus proposal isnt dead. Its a big item, he said. We can either take care of the problem we have (right now) or we can look at building a campus that we may or may not need after we fully analyze what were doing. Schultz said hes really excited about the direction were headed with homelessness, pointing to the proposal from the governors administration to focus on criminal justice high utilizers. At the same time well make sure the resources are there for those that want to get the help that they need, Schultz said. For those that want to change and want to get sober and clean up their lives, well make sure that they have the resources there to do that. Advertisement Advertisement As for the campus, Schultz said there are a lot of concerns around just creating a low-barrier shelter and what happens inside those shelters. We think the best way is to hold people accountable for their decisions, he said, those that want to get help, make sure were doing all we can to get help. New nicotine tax on ZYNs While lawmakers move forward with additional funding for homelessness programs, another bill has been progressing through the 2026 Legislature that would generate about $40 million a year in new revenue by increasing taxes on certain alternative tobacco products, like nicotine pouches that are commonly referred to as ZYNs, a popular brand. The Executive Appropriations Committee on Friday factored that new $40 million in ongoing revenue into its budget recommendations to the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement The bill, HB337, is being sponsored by Clancy, who will take over as the states homeless coordinator next week, days after his last legislative session as a lawmaker ends. In the Senate, Stevenson who has a powerful position as an Executive Appropriations Committee co-chair is co-sponsoring the bill. Stevenson told Utah News Dispatch this years ongoing money for homelessness doesnt entirely hinge on the passage of the new nicotine pouch tax, but its $40 million could help fund a variety of priorities, including expansion to the courts and homelessness programs. There are a lot of places we could put that money to really good use, he said. However, Stevenson also said if it doesnt pass, that wouldnt change lawmakers commitment for the $17.5 million in ongoing funding for homelessness, and they could still pull the money from the states general fund revenue if need be, regardless of whether the ZYN tax passes. Advertisement Advertisement We will cherry pick the general fund for whatever we need, he said. If its not here, well do something else. However, Stevenson also said he thinks the ZYN tax has a strong chance of passing but the Senate could change the bill to lower the tax and therefore the money it would generate. I think were going to find a place in the middle, he said. The bill already won approval from the House on a 47-20 vote, but is waiting for a Senate committee hearing. Schultz said House Republican leaders would like to see the tax increase pass in some form because that does help fund a good portion of homelessness priorities, but he said, Well see. My guess is it probably passes, but maybe not in its current form, the speaker said, acknowledging that its possible the Senate could lower the tax. Well see what happens in the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Utah legislative leadership carved out $43.6 million to pay for Gov. Spencer Coxs pivot toward targeting criminality within the chronic homeless population, framed as a test case for Coxs proposed central shelter. In a tight budget year, the recommendation represents a win for what Cox called his top funding priority. It also signals a shared vision among lawmakers for Coxs goal of achieving compassion by ensuring accountability. I dont know if weve ever seen the Legislature show a vote of confidence like this, said Rep. Tyler Clancy, Coxs incoming homeless coordinator. I see a huge sign of support that were all rowing in the same direction. Advertisement Advertisement Marking another shift in policy, $26.4 million of the funds for current emergency housing and future shelter capacity will be contingent on local governments matching the investments dollar-for-dollar. This is the first time lawmakers have conditioned homelessness money on a 1:1 match, reflecting House Speaker Mike Schultzs refrain that cities and counties need to step up amid record homelessness. Whats the central campus? In 2025, after spending hundreds of millions on homeless services since 2020, and creating an office of homeless services, Utah recorded its highest levels of homelessness including chronic homelessness ever. This accelerated a departure, initiated by Cox and Clancy, away from the housing first approach Utah modeled until a decade ago, toward one that emphasizes long-term, and potentially involuntary recovery programs. Advertisement Advertisement Coxs mission to make Utah the worst place in the country to camp on the street and the best place to get help, is embodied by the proposed transformative central campus likely located in North Salt Lake. The project is estimated to cost $75 million to build, and around $30 million each year to operate. Cox had initially hoped to secure a second round of $25 million to begin construction and another $20 million to run it. But plans for the enormous campus which would pair 1,300 beds with onsite drug and mental health treatment are on hold while President Donald Trumps revamped federal grant program is held up in court. For now, Coxs young homelessness policy team hopes to leverage local police data and a network of innovative non-congregate shelter programs to provide a proof of concept that the central campus will work as intended. What are high utilizers? Appropriators set aside $26 million in onetime, and $17.6 million in ongoing money to be split between three pillars of Coxs homelessness strategy: addressing high utilizers, mental health resources and emergency housing. Advertisement Advertisement High utilizers refers to individuals, often chronically homeless or, homeless for over a year with addiction or mental illness who take up a disproportionate share of shelter space and law enforcement responses. These are individuals who are unlikely to exit homelessness on their own without a tremendous amount of support, said Devon Kurtz, the public safety policy director at the Cicero Institute. Between 2024 and 2025, around 1,000 individuals, or 12% of Salt Lake Citys arrested population, accounted for 45% of all police activity, with an average of 11 arrests each and more than 23,000 total charges. While most individuals who enter Utahs homeless services system quickly exit, these repeat offenders overuse taxpayer-supported programs and need a different kind of intervention, according to Schultz. Advertisement Advertisement Nobodys holding them accountable for the crimes that theyre committing. It is a revolving door, Schultz said. But at the same time, well make sure the resources are there for those that want to get the help that they need. How will the money be spent? The Legislature appears ready to put its money where its mouth is: the one-time budget recommendations constitute entirely new, not reallocated money. On Friday, the Executive Appropriations Committee proposed: $1 million in one-time funds to expand the Other Side Village, a tiny home community in west Salt Lake City. $4.6 million in ongoing and $2.7 million in one-time funds to focus current programs on high utilizers. $1.1 million in ongoing, and $7.8 million in one-time funds to expand intensive residential mental health beds. $9.4 million in ongoing, and $5 million in one-time spending to fund different styles of new shelter space. $2.5 million in ongoing, and $9.4 million in one-time spending to fund emergency shelters and temporary housing. Unlike past years, however, funding for new and current shelter space may only be expended with a 1:1 match from local governments, according to the intent language written by legislative budget chairs. Advertisement Advertisement This new requirement comes after the Legislature pressured Salt Lake City to overhaul its approach to homelessness last year. Salt Lake City Mayor Mendenhall told the Deseret News the city is already doing its part. The city currently invests millions of dollars addressing homelessness, homeless-related issues, deeply affordable housing and public safety, the statement said. Our contribution is clear and were happy to articulate that throughout this process with our legislative partners. How will the Legislature support counties? Making the funds conditional on municipal buy-in is not an attack on cities and counties, according to Clancy. It is a recognition that for programs to be successful, state and local governments need to be on the same page. Michelle Flynn, director of The Road Home shelters, agreed this will encourage a shared commitment to addressing homelessness as a state, while hopefully allowing local communities to take a unique approach. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Flynn underscored how important it is for funding of emergency shelter space to remain stable and dependable because it is a life-saving service for extreme weather during the summer and winter. It is also important to clearly define what qualifies as a match, since cities and counties have different funding structures and generally do not have a dedicated homelessness funding source, Flynn said. On Friday, a House committee unanimously approved HB596, which would open up emergency winter shelter space on days when the temperature drops below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The current threshold is 18 degrees. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, would also create the Homeless Services Restricted Account to help counties provide homeless services, maintain shelter facilities and operate different kinds of shelters. Correction: The article previously incorrectly included $23 million for a low barrier shelter in its total funds recommended for homeless services. Those funds were reappropriated from a previous year. A bill to make Good Friday a legal holiday in Utah failed to pass through the Senate on Monday, but on Tuesday, it was brought back for another vote. During Tuesdays vote, the bill passed through the Senate with just five senators voting against it. When it was brought back for the vote, the sponsor Sen. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, introduced an amendment to the legislation. The amendment Stratton added to the bill would make it so employers would give their employees half the day off on Good Friday. The senator referred to it as a four-hour vacation. Advertisement Advertisement As it has made its way through the Legislature, the bill has gone through a number of changes. I think its in the best place it can be at this point, Stratton said. Along with making Good Friday a legal holiday, SB193 also asks school districts and higher education institutions to prioritize planning their breaks around Good Friday and a number of other state holy days that were put into law last year. Stratton said he promoted this legislation because of a belief in the importance of religious liberty. In an interview with the Deseret News, Stratton said that Good Friday is a traditional sacred and holy day for those associated with the Christian faith and added that a majority of people in the state belong to Christian denominations. Advertisement Advertisement After passing through the Senate, the bill now has to go through the House. Another bill will change when Juneteenth is recognized in Utah A bill that passed through the Legislature last week would change when Utah recognizes Juneteenth. Utah began recognizing the holiday before the federal government did. Under state law, if Juneteenth isnt on a Monday or a Friday, then it is recognized by the state on the closest Monday or Friday, so it is a three-day weekend. The federal government recognizes the holiday on the day itself, which is June 19. HB309 would make it so Utah recognizes Juneteenth on the same day the federal government does. This bill just aligns us with the federal recognition of Juneteenth, said the bills floor sponsor, Rep. Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy. Advertisement Advertisement Senators on the floor spoke in favor of the bill, saying that this would help ease some confusion around Juneteenth so everyone has the same day off. I will say I think that Utah did it right by making it a three-day weekend, said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross. The federal government should have followed our lead, but because they didnt, it has created the confusion. HB309 passed its final vote in the Senate on Friday and will now go to the governors desk to be signed. The Kentucky Public Service Commission made its decision recently on Kentucky Powers requested rate increase. Kentucky Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power, which is one of the largest electricity providers in America. The PSC received the requested rate increase of 14.9%. The PSC awarded them a 5.87% increase for residential users. The PSC reported this will increase the average monthly bill from $183.37 up to $194.13. The second year will increase by 0.76%. There was substantial opposition to the rate increase from the public and some elected officials in the KPC user area. This vocal opposition by ratepayers must have had an impact in the PSC final decision. Advertisement Advertisement The PSC conducted at least three public hearings in the service area. Despite being held in the harsh winter months, crowds of Kentuckians attended the meetings to express frustration with their current monthly electricity bills. A strong effort was put forth to email and write PSC to oppose the rate increase. While a handful of Kentucky legislators spoke against the rate increase, we are impressed Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman intervened in the case. He presented evidence that Kentucky Power should be granted no rate increase. One of the attorney generals jobs is to represent the people in a utility rate increase case. They dont always do so. Ratepayers should be appreciative of his actions. AEP has made handsome campaign contributions to legislators over the years. We appreciate Colemans effort to represent ratepayers in this matter. At one time, Kentucky Power had one of the lowest rate structures in the eastern part of the country. Whats causing electric rates to rise around the country? Companies are dealing with aging infrastructure, increased demand and, in some cases, a declining economy and population. Our area is not the only place dealing with increasing costs of electricity. Companies are trying to produce more electricity due to data centers as well. A sheriffs deputy in Volusia County is recuperating after being shot twice while responding to a call on Monday. Deputy Jose Rivera was shot two times in the encounter after a bullet hit his body camera, which officials say helped prevent more serious injuries. Sheriff Mike Chitwood credited the equipment with saving the deputys life during the incident. Chitwood described the outcome of the shooting as divine intervention when speaking to reporters about Riveras survival and subsequent medical transport. Advertisement Advertisement Volusia County Chitwood said Deputy Rivera was struck once in the chest and once in the thigh. The bullet that hit Rivera in the chest struck his body camera and ricocheted into his shoulder. Other deputies on the scene pulled Rivera from the line of fire to provide immediate assistance. Following the incident, the deputy was transported for medical treatment, remained conscious and in stable condition, and was able to communicate with responders. Following the shooting, Rivera was transported to a nearby hospital. He was later moved by helicopter to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for further treatment. Authorities identified 31-year-old Luis Diaz Polanco as the suspect. He was detained after deputies cleared the residence where the shooting happened. Several others were inside, but no injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Chitwood gave context about the suspects background after the arrest, mentioning that Polanco has a history of mental health problems and has previously been involved in aggressive or violent incidents with family members and neighbors. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has spoken with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about stalled EU decisions on a 90 billion loan for Ukraine and a 20th sanctions package against Russia. Source: European Commission press service; von der Leyen on X (Twitter); European Pravda Details: The leaders focused on "shared priorities" of quickly completing the approval process for the Ukraine Support Loan and the 20th sanctions package against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement They also discussed the "wider impact" of recent events in the Middle East on energy security, energy prices and the availability of interceptor missiles for air defence systems. These missiles are now in high demand not only in Ukraine but also among US allies in the Persian Gulf after Iranian strikes. Background: The EU had planned to approve the 20th sanctions package by the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. However, Hungary blocked the decision and also hindered the allocation of a 90 billion EU loan to Ukraine. Slovakia, meanwhile, raised concerns that adopting the 20th sanctions package "could disrupt peace talks" with Russia. Nevertheless, von der Leyen said she is confident EU member states will adopt the 20th sanctions package against Russia despite Hungary and Slovakia currently blocking its adoption. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Bloomberg Indian stocks slid as escalating conflict in the Middle East sparked a broad risk-off move, wiping out all gains made since last months trade deal with the US. The NSE Nifty 50 Index closed 1.2% lower in Mumbai, after falling as much as 2.1% earlier in the session. The benchmark slid to its lowest level in more than a month, dropping below where it stood before the US tariff cut on Feb. 2. Most Read from Bloomberg The escalation of tensions in the Middle East and a sharp surge in oil prices can potentially delay recovery in Indias $5.1 trillion equity market that has lagged most major peers since late 2024, partly due to weaker earnings growth. Lower exposure to artificial intelligence-related stocks, compared with markets such as China, South Korea and Taiwan, also contributed to the underperformance. We should expect all Indian risk assets equities, bonds and currencies to be under pressure in the immediate short term given the impact of a spike in oil prices and the expected strengthening of the US dollar, said Arvind Chari, chief investment strategist at Q India (UK) Ltd. Fear gauge India VIX jumped to the highest level since June 2025. Engineering firms were among key decliners in India. Top player Larsen & Toubro Ltd., which has more than a third of its orderbook in the Middle East, tumbled 5%, while peer KEC International Ltd. closed 3.5% lower. Reliance Industries Ltd. and carrier InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. led the losses in the benchmark gauge. Middle east escalation draws rising oil risk for Indian markets, JM Financial Ltd. strategists including Venkatesh Balasubramaniam wrote in a note, citing likely pressure on shares of oil marketing companies, paints, aviation and chemicals as they may face margin pressure from higher input costs. Given Indias dependence on imports for most of its energy needs, rising oil prices can significantly widen the trade deficit and weigh on the rupee and equities. A $1 increase in crude prices raises Indias annual import bill by about $2 billion, putting pressure on the trade balance, the JM Financial strategists said. While local stocks saw some gains following Indias much-awaited trade agreement with the US on Feb. 2, a relentless selloff in information technology shares has continued to weigh on investor sentiment. This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com In a unanimous decision that could have far-reaching implications for religious institutions across the state, the Washington State Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Attorney Generals Office has the authority to investigate whether the Catholic Church used charitable funds to cover up decades of alleged child sexual abuse by clergy. The ruling reverses a lower court decision that had blocked the investigation, marking a significant legal victory for Governor Bob Ferguson, who launched the probe in 2023 while serving as Attorney General. Advertisement Advertisement As a Catholic, the church must do the right thing and engage in a public accounting of how the church handles allegations of child sex abuse, Ferguson said in a statement. This ruling is an important win for transparency. I am asking church leaders to reflect and pray about this unanimous court decision and stop fighting this investigation. Three-judge panel rejects churchs argument for categorical exemption At the heart of the case was a dispute over Washingtons charitable trust act and whether religious corporations are exempt from state oversight. The Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle the civil entity representing the Archdiocese in western Washington argued it was categorically exempt from the Attorney Generals subpoena power under a provision shielding religious organizations from the definition of trustee. The three-judge panel, in an opinion authored by Judge Ian Birk, rejected that categorical approach. While acknowledging that the legislature had reasonable grounds for treating religious organizations differently to avoid government interference with faith and doctrine, the court held that such exemptions cannot shield evidence of criminal or tortious conduct. Constitutional religious protections do not provide churches with absolute immunity to engage in tortious conduct, the court wrote, citing prior Washington Supreme Court precedent. The opinion emphasized that the state may investigate whether criminal or tortious conduct has occurred, including sexual abuse by clergy. Advertisement Advertisement The Attorney Generals original subpoena sought records dating back to 1940 regarding clergy accused or suspected of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct. It also requested documents related to discipline, reassignments, communications with law enforcement, settlements with victims, and financial records. The court cited examples from the investigations origins, including one priest who joined the church in 1958 and perpetrated decades of abuse. According to the Attorney Generals filings, the Archdiocese knew of this priests conduct but repeatedly transferred him to new parishes, allowed him to remain in ministry, and continued providing him a monthly stipend. The ruling draws on the courts analysis in Woods v. Seattles Union Gospel Mission, which established that statutory exemptions for religious organizations must be interpreted coextensively with the constitutional protections that justify them, no broader. The case now returns to King County Superior Court, where a judge must determine the precise boundaries of what documents the Archdiocese must produce. The investigation cannot extend to second-guessing religious decisions about faith and doctrine, the appeals court cautioned, but it can demand evidence relevant to determining whether criminal or tortious acts occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson, who personally attended oral arguments in the trial court before his election as governor, noted that similar investigations in Maryland and Illinois revealed far more credibly accused abusers than the Church had voluntarily disclosed. The Archdiocese has not indicated whether it will seek further review from the Washington Supreme Court. In a statement, the Archbishop said: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Yesterday, an appellate court issued its ruling on the case regarding the state Attorney Generals subpoena of records under the Charitable Trust Act. I want to take this opportunity to reiterate our original statements about this subpoena and make clear to everyone our position. Advertisement Advertisement We share the same goals as the Attorney General: to prevent abuse and pursue healing for victims. As a way to continue healing for our Church and for victim survivors, we want to give a transparent accounting of the history without jeopardizing the privacy of victim survivors. We are pleased to see that the court agrees that the subpoena from the Attorney General is indeed overly broad. For context, the original subpoena requested every receipt from all our parishes and schools from January 1, 1940, to the present. We believe this broad request would take months of effort to produce irrelevant documents and waste millions of dollars for us and for taxpayers. The court also appropriately recognized that the Attorney Generals subpoena as written would unconstitutionally infringe the Archdioceses religious protections. We remain, as we have from the beginning, open to working with the Attorney Generals team to find a more balanced set of records to share along with a guarantee for the privacy of victim survivors as we do not want the states investigation to re-traumatize them in any way. As I did with the former Attorney General, I invite our new Attorney General to meet and discuss how we can best partner to achieve our shared goals. As always, I remain, In the Heart of Christ, Most Rev. Paul D. Etienne, DD, STL Archbishop of Seattle" Manda Factor is the host of Seattles Morning News on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joined the chorus of Democrats criticizing the Trump administration's strikes on Iran, leading to brutal mockery on social media, including from those on the left. Walz has been one of the most visible state leaders and Trump critics of the past year, as Minnesota became embroiled in a Somali-linked childcare fraud problem that metastasized to other sectors, while repeatedly condemning the Department of Homeland Securitys immigration enforcement efforts in his state. As missiles rained down on Iranian targets and took out 86-year-old theocratic dictator Ali Hosseini Khamenei, Walz posted his objection to X: "No new wars." Advertisement Advertisement John Fetterman Breaks With Democrats Opposed To Iran Strikes, Backs Trump's Decision To Act That missive set off a whirlwind of blowback, including innumerable memes targeting the controversial Democrat and 2024 vice presidential nominee. Comedian Michael Rapaport, who has been vocal against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani but is known for his anti-Trump commentary, slammed Walz by retweeting a response to the governor from an Israeli diplomat. Read On The Fox News App "Iran started this war 47 years ago when they took Americans hostage Honestly, can people to crack open a book before posting nonsense?" wrote Aviva Klompas, whose bio includes time at the Israeli mission to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Fetterman Blasts Iran Strike Critics, Ayatollah's Apologists: 'Let's See Who Grieves For That Garbage' Rapaport went on to take issue with critics of the Iranian strikes and condemned those who remained silent as Khamenei oversaw mass-murders of tens of thousands of dissidents in recent months. "Im glad that old bag of s--- and his entire regime are gone," he said of Khamenei. "Ding dong that old bag of s--- is dead. 72 virgins have got to deal with that bull--- now; good luck ladies," he added in a message on Monday. "Will this affect your Somali kickbacks?" asked Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., a top pro-Israel voice in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement "Didnt you just try to start a war with Trump a month ago?" another response from conservative videographer Cam Higby who has tweeted videos of his stringer-type visits to Minneapolis unrest. "No kings," another critic retorted, as the left has latched onto the idea that President Donald Trump is a monarch. "Just be thankful this is changing the headlines from the Somali fraud in Minnesota," said another. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Others criticized alleged hypocrisy involving Walz prior meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his tweet at the time that "Minnesota stands with the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend freedom and democracy." Advertisement Advertisement Late Monday, reports surfaced that Khameneis wife Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh succumbed to her injuries from the missile strike that killed her husband. Original article source: Walz jumps into the Iran strike debate and gets dogpiled from both sides The Brief A man who was wanted for a Pennsylvania homicide and in a Sarasota burglary was seen on bodycam video pulling a gun on deputies trying to arrest him. Brian Hewson, according to the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office, resisted arrest and pulled out a gun, pointed at a deputy and pulled the trigger when a STAR member drew his agency-issued taser and gave a warning before deploying it. Hewson was arrested for the multiple warrants, including one for homicide in Pennsylvania, one for failure to appear in Pennsylvania, and charges in Lee County related to trafficking stolen property. PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - A man who was wanted for a Pennsylvania homicide and in a Sarasota burglary was seen on bodycam video pulling a gun on deputies trying to arrest him. The backstory Last month, deputies in Charlotte County got information that two Sarasota County burglary suspects were driving through the area in a rental car. Advertisement Advertisement Deputies said they pulled the vehicle over after seeing the driver make a traffic infraction. Initially, deputies said that neither the driver, Amy Lee, nor the passenger, later identified as Brian Hewson, complied with demands to get out of the vehicle, but eventually exited after being told they would be arrested for obstruction. READ: Execution date set for former Florida police officer convicted of raping, killing 11-year-old girl in 1987 While deputies spoke with the suspect, a member of the Strategic Targeted Area Response (STAR) unit learned that Lee was arrested in 2024 on multiple felony charges and her co-defendant was Hewson, who deputies said had multiple warrants, including one for homicide in Pennsylvania. Dig deeper Hewson, according to the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office, resisted arrest and pulled out a gun, pointed at a deputy and pulled the trigger when the STAR member drew his agency-issued taser and gave a warning before deploying it. Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff' Office Investigators said that although Hewsons weapon was loaded, there was no round in the chamber, so the gun did not fire. Advertisement Advertisement When the deputy discharged more taser probes, he said he saw Hewson trying to re-rack the gun as they took effect. READ: Hit-and-run driver who blew through red light, stop signs before slamming into motorcyclist arrested: PCSO Investigators said Hewson was not able to keep control of the gun due to neuromuscular incapacitation and it was secured by deputies. Hewson was arrested for the multiple warrants, including one for homicide in Pennsylvania, one for failure to appear in Pennsylvania, and charges in Lee County related to trafficking stolen property. He was also charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer for intentionally pointing a firearm at a CCSO deputy, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance, resisting with violence, and possession of drug paraphernalia. What they're saying "Let me be clear: this individual is lucky to be alive today," said Sheriff Bill Prummel. "While I am thankful it did not result in that, I want to be sure it is understood that my deputies are trained to eliminate a lethal threat with deadly force. They deserve to go home to their families after their shift. This despicable human tried to take one of my deputies out instead of being a man and accepting accountability for his own decisions. Now he will face the justice he has tried to dodge for so long and I hope he spends the rest of his days behind bars." The Source This article was written with information found in a press release from the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office. Downtown Westfields main thoroughfare will be shut down for one day this week, as an important piece of the citys history is moving to a new spot. Known as The Green Building, because of its former lime-colored siding, the structure had sat at 102 South Union Street for nearly two centuries. Its the oldest building in Westfield and was constructed around 1837, according to the Westfield Preservation Alliance. It was already slid back, during the summer of 2024, from the corner of Union Street and State Road 32 to the parcel directly east. Advertisement Advertisement On March 5, The Green Building will be moved to its new, permanent location, which will be directly west of Westfield City Hall and south of the Basile Westfield Playhouse. Its being moved to a city-owned lot as Westfield and the Indiana Department of Transportation widen and reconstruct State Road 32 through downtown. The multi-year road project aims to address traffic congestion and the lack of pedestrian safety in the area. More Hamilton County news: A new trail connection is opening between Indy and Fishers. Here's where The building move is expected to begin around 8 a.m. on March 5, but the timing may be adjusted based on weather or other factors, according to a news release from the City of Westfield. Advertisement Advertisement The intersection of Union Street and State Road 32 will be closed beginning at 4 a.m. on March 5 and is anticipated to be reopened by 5 p.m. on the same day. Anyone interested in watching the building move can do so from Hadley Park, on the northwest corner of State Road 32 and Union Street. Parking will not be permitted on Union Street in the immediate work area, and no parking will be allowed on North Union Street from March 4 through March 5 to keep the route clear for crews and equipment. Why is 'The Green Building' no longer green? Downtown Westfields main thoroughfare will be shut down on March 5, 2026, to move "The Green Building" to a new location. This photo show the building on March 2, 2026. The historic buildings trademark feature has already been removed, Linda Naas, a board member with the Westfield Preservation Alliance, told IndyStar. The lime-colored siding was not original to the building and was removed when it was prepped for the move. Once in its new location, the buildings original clapboard, or a replica of the clapboard, will take the place of the green siding. Advertisement Advertisement It will resemble how the building looked in the 1800s, Naas said. Most recently, a dance studio operated out of the historic building, but the preservation alliance has traced its history back to the 1860s when it operated as The Old Corner Drug Store. A photo shows State Road 32 in Westfield in 1911, including what would become known as "The Green Building" in the upper right hand corner of the image. The photo was taken decades before green siding was added to the building, giving it its unique feature. More Hamilton County news: More parking tickets in Carmel? City to boost enforcement It also served as the town post office during the 1870s. It became Funderburghs Grocery in 1889. Then the building became home to one of Westfields most well-known restaurants in 1958. "Picketts Cafeteria was the place where everyone met, Naas said. All the local organizations met there, and families had birthday parties there. It was kind of the community center as a restaurant." Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, Picketts Cafeteria averaged 405 customers each weekday and up to 600 customers on Sundays. The restaurant was best known for its fried chicken and handmade pies before it closed in 2002. After Picketts Cafeteria, several other restaurants operated out of the building before the dance studio moved into the space. "As typical with the history of Westfield, there's been a lot of real estate transactions with that building, and a lot of different people have owned it, Naas said. The preservation alliance hopes the building will once again be used as a grocery store, drug store or restaurant, similar to its past uses, Naas said. Advertisement Advertisement But that will be up to the city to decide. Kayla Arnold, a spokesperson for the City of Westfield, told IndyStar that the city will put out a public request for proposals to determine future use and users of The Green Building. Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @Jake_Allen19. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Westfield's historic green building is no longer green, and it's moving Hospital Sisters Health System has once again landed on Beckers list of top healthcare workplaces for 2026. The recognition is part of Beckers Healthcares annual list of 165 organizations honored for strong workplace culture and support, according to a community announcement. HSHS, headquartered in Springfield with care locations in Illinois and Wisconsin, was cited for its investment in employee well-being, professional development and work-life balance, according to the announcement. This year also marks the third consecutive time, from 2024 through 2026, that HSHS has been included on the list, according to the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement President and CEO Damond Boatwright said the recognition reflects the dedication of HSHS colleagues and physicians and the systems commitment to supporting their growth and well-being, according to the announcement. The list highlights organizations that provide comprehensive wellness initiatives, advancement opportunities and cultures rooted in connection. More: Meet the new CFO for HSHS Central Illinois Market HSHS St. John's Hospital is seen in this undated file photo. HSHS earned a spot on Beckers 2026 list recognizing leading workplaces in healthcare. HSHS employs more than 10,000 colleagues who provide care across 14 hospitals and through home health and hospice programs in Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the announcement. Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Thomas Ahr said the system continues to expand educational opportunities, leadership training and clinical career ladders while emphasizing that Joy is a Value at HSHS, according to the announcement. More information about HSHS careers and benefits can be found at careers.hshs.org. Advertisement Advertisement This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.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 State Journal-Register: Beckers names HSHS a top place to work in 2026 The News Sen. John Curtis would have liked to vote on the US war in Iran before it started. Now that Congress is voting on President Donald Trumps war powers after the hostilities began, hes not trying to curtail them. If I could do this all over again, of course I would love a vote in Congress before we go. But this is a train thats left the station, the Utah Republican told Semafor. It would not be in our best interest at all to stop whats already started. Curtis isnt alone among Republicans who are openly processing their own views after Trump joined Israel in starting whats become a widening war with Iran. Many in the GOP spent years railing against Irans oppressive regime and urging a more aggressive approach after the countrys record of coordinating terrorist attacks leaving few Trump critics in his party, at least in the early days of the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who had voted to advance a resolution intended to rein in Trump on Venezuela but voted against the final product, said Monday he would oppose a similar war powers resolution on Iran. GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana both declined to say how they would vote on it later this week. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told Semafor he needs to hear the administrations briefings for Congress on Tuesday before deciding. That uncertainty suggests GOP leaders have some work to do to defeat the war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. Yet it looks, for the moment, like top Republicans are up to the task. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told Semafor she called up Trump to praise him on Sunday I am overjoyed. And I spoke to the president yesterday and I told him, Ernst said. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said he would do everything I can to make sure the president has full authority to do what he has done and defeat the Kaine resolution. Its supported by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., but needs 51 votes to pass in a Senate where Republicans control 53 seats. (Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is likely to also vote no.) Know More Trumps pursuit of war with Iran deflated the noninterventionist image he campaigned on, but it also animated the partys hawkish wing. And Republicans who occasionally break from Trump are careful to give the hawks room, even as they digest the situation. Hawley said that because Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress on Monday that no US troops on the ground were being used, the administration is in compliance with the War Powers Act. Advertisement Advertisement He added that ground troops would remain the red line for him over the next 60 days, after which law prohibits military action without approval from Congress, save for a 30-day withdrawal period. That legal deadline came up with several other Republicans who said that, while they are comfortable with the Trump administrations war thus far, it could be something they revisit. Senators appear to have noticed Trumps public vacillation about the length of time hed commit to military operations. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Semafor after Mondays briefing that at this point, its just a matter of [administration officials] reaffirming that this is probably going to be a pretty short-term deal. Its not designed to be a long-term plan, he said, but things can change. And at that point well have to reassess. Advertisement Advertisement The House is set to take up its own war powers measure on Thursday, too, but GOP leaders believe they have the votes to defeat it. Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters after the closed-door briefing that it was dangerous to take away the presidents authority to wage war and that he was hopeful they could sink the resolution. Still, GOP lawmakers like Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio are signaling theyll wait for all of Congress to be briefed Tuesday evening before they decide how theyll vote. Room for Disagreement Not all GOP lawmakers see a need for any time limits. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Monday that he doesnt think its fair to ask [Trump] exactly how long it will take to stop political leadership in Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I mean, these people are weapons-grade crazy, Kennedy said. I dont want America to be the worlds policeman but, but I dont want whoever replaces Khamenei to be the worlds policeman either and thats, to me, what this is all about. Burgess, Eleanor, and Nicks View Action against Iran is politically riskier than Trumps capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, but its also more popular among Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement The GOP eviscerated then-President Barack Obamas nuclear deal with Iran in 2015, and many cheered on Trumps destruction of that agreement a few years later. That explains why even Republicans who acknowledge undercertainty about what happens next in Iran are showing no sign yet of a rebellion against Trump. We expect fewer GOP defections on the Iran war powers vote than Trump saw on the Venezuela one which at its peak only numbered five senators. Notable On Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a large-scale military offensive against Iran, striking a number of cities. Some American cities are now on high alert, should Iran take revenge against the US because of the strikes. President Donald Trump and Israeli officials have since confirmed that strikes on Tehran killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The U.S. also targeted military sites in Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Qum and Tabriz. Advertisement Advertisement Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles at Israel and various U.S. facilities across the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Shreveport is listed as one of 15 vulnerable cities that could be targeted. Here's why. Why could Shreveport be concerned about an attack? As conflict between Iran and the U.S. escalates, many are concerned that conflict could be brought to home soil, but what areas would most likely be at risk of a military strike? Professor Alex Wellerstein is a nuclear historian at Stevens Institute of Technology and has outlined 15 U.S. cities most likely to be the target of military attacks, with geography and military infrastructure, as well as population, determining vulnerability, International Business Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Shreveport, Louisiana is among the 15 most vulnerable cities because of its close proximity to Barksdale Air Force Base (BAFB), which is a B-52 bomber base that is home to the 2nd Bomb Wing and the Air force Reserve's 307th Bomb Wing. BAFB also serves as headquarters for the Air Force Global Strike Command and has played a key role in supporting a variety of aircraft and defending the U.S., a role it continues to have through conventional and nuclear capabilities, according to the BAFB. 15 U.S. cities most likely to be targeted in nuclear attack and why Birds fly as smoke rises from an air strike explosion in Tehran, Iran, on March 2, 2026. Great Falls, Montana: Malmstrom AFB missile silos Cheyenne, Wyoming: Francis E Warren AFB Ogden/Clearfield, Utah: Hill AFB Shreveport, Louisiana: B-52 bomber base Honolulu, Hawaii: Pacific naval/air operations Omaha, Nebraska: Offutt AFB, former Cold War command hub Colorado Springs, Colorado: NORAD headquarters Albuquerque, New Mexico: Kirtland AFB nuclear arsenal Washington, DC: federal government Seattle, Washington: Naval Base Kitsap San Francisco, California: financial center Houston, Texas: population/energy hub Chicago, Illinois: population center Los Angeles, California: population center New York City: financial capital Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Why is Shreveport one of most vulnerable cities for a nuclear attack? Three days after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said March 2, "the hardest hits are yet to come." On Feb. 28, U.S. and Israeli military forces attacked Iran with the intention of destroying Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear development programs. Rubio said the campaign, called "Epic Fury," is succeeding but there have already been costs. As of March 3, Iran counterattacks have killed at least six U.S. servicemembers and injured others. President Donald Trump has said the fighting could last weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Iran war updates: US promises 'next phase will be even more punishing.' The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon," the president told CNN host Jake Tapper. Here's the latest on questions about the war being asked across Florida. Why did the US attack Iran? President Trump said he launched the attacks to eliminate "imminent threats" from Iran and prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. Who was killed in the Iran attack? A look at Tehran's power structure Administration officials have said Iran was on the verge of a nuclear weapon or ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Both assertions have been questioned by national security experts. Dozens of Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been killed. How is Iran retaliating? Iran targeted oil and gas production sites in Saudi Arabia and Qatar as it expanded attacks elsewhere. In Kuwait, three U.S. F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense missiles. What's ahead for Iran war? More attacks, more forces, Trump says A U.S. service member died after an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Kuwait that killed three others March 1. An Iranian-made drone struck a British air base in Cyprus. Advertisement Advertisement Iran attacked Bahrains international airport and Dubais luxury hotel Burj Al Arab. Blasts have also been heard in the Qatari capital of Doha and in Oman. Girls school hit in Iran. More than 150 dead At least 175 were killed after a missile attack hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh all-girls elementary school in Iran. The strike is considered one of the biggest civilian casualty attacks in the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. The Pentagon said it is reviewing the incident, but so far it has not publicly committed to a formal investigation, disciplinary action or other accountability measures. See photos of damage as war between Iran, US, Israel enters 4th day More than 1,000 targets were hit in the first two days of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Satellite images show impact from US and Israel attacks on Iran How many missiles does Iran have? "Iran has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region and continues to emphasize improving the accuracy, lethality, and reliability of these systems," according to an unclassified 2024 report from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. "Meanwhile, Irans work on space-launch vehicles including its Simorgh probably would shorten the timeline to produce an intercontinental ballistic missile, if it decided to develop one, because the systems use similar technologies." Iran's ballistic missiles have a self-imposed range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles), which Iranian officials have said was enough to protect the country as they can reach Israel," according to Reuters. What is a ballistic missile? A ballistic missile is intended to "rapidly and accurately deliver a lethal payload to a target," according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Those payloads could be: conventional explosives biological chemical or a nuclear warhead They can be used from a variety of sites, including: silos submarines ships railroad cars mobile launchers planes The type of ballistic missile determines its range, according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance: Close range ballistic missile: 31-186 miles; 50-300 km Short range ballistic missile: 186-621 miles; 300-1,000 km Medium range ballistic missile: 621-1,864 miles; 1,000-3,000 km Intermediate range ballistic missile: 1,864-3,417 miles; 3,000-5,500 km Intercontinental range ballistic missile: more than 3,417 miles; more than 5,500 km Advertisement Advertisement "Western powers regard Iran's ballistic missile arsenal both as a conventional military threat to Middle East stability and a possible delivery mechanism for nuclear weapons, should Tehran develop them," according to story published by Reuters. "Iran denies any intent to build atomic bombs." How far is Iran from Florida? The distance from Tehran to West Palm Beach, Florida, is about 7,100 miles. Was there an earthquake in Iran today? According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an estimated 4.4 magnitude earthquake was reported northwest of Gerash in southern Iran March 3, 2026. Yes. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an estimated 4.4 magnitude earthquake was reported northwest of Gerash in southern Iran. The earthquake was reported shortly before 2 a.m. ET March 3. Where is Iran? See map of region where war is taking place Iran is located in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement To its north is the Caspian Sea, with the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to its south. To the west, Iran shares a border with Iraq and Turkey. To the east, Iran shares a border with Afghanistan and Pakistan. US State Department issues worldwide security alert On Feb. 28, when the first strikes took place, the U.S. Department of State issued a worldwide security alert for U.S. citizens. Are Florida flights to Europe or the Middle East affected by Iran war? "Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement "They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution. " Receive the latest security alerts by enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Follow the U.S. Department of State - Security Updates for U.S. Citizens channel on WhatsApp. Travel to several Middle East countries not recommended The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisories for several countries experiencing impacts during the war with Iran. Since the war began Feb. 28, advisories issued include: Bahrain: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to terrorism and armed conflict. Iraq: Alert 4, do not travel due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. governments limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq. Jordan: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to terrorism and armed conflict. Kuwait: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to the threat of armed conflict, landmines, and crime. Qatar: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to the threat of armed conflict. United Arab Emirates: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to the threat of armed conflict and terrorism. Israel, The West Bank and Gaza: Alert 3, reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest. Rubio to meet with Senate, House Tuesday, March 3 Rubio will meet with the Senate at 3:30 p.m. March 3 and at 5 pm. with the House. Advertisement Advertisement The secretary of state also said several lawmakers including the House speaker, Intelligence committee chairs and ranking Democrats were notified the evening before the Feb. 28 strikes. Iran seized US Embassy in 1979, holding hostages for 444 days Irans war against the United States has been going on for decades. On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranians seized the embassy and detained more than 50 Americans. Those diplomats were held hostage for 444 days. 'Imminent' or not, Iran has been at war with US for decades | Opinion It began in 1979, when Iranian revolutionaries seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats hostage for 444 days. "The crisis dominated the headlines and news broadcasts and made the Administration look weak and ineffectual," according to U.S. Department of State's Office of the Historian. Contributing: USA Today 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://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: War with Iran continues. Use caution if traveling In Oklahoma, the idea of a defined fire season is quickly becoming outdated. State officials now warn that wildfire is a year-round reality. More than 310,000 acres have already burned across the state this year, including the Ranger Road megafire which burned over 280,000 acres. These fires have forced families to evacuate and destroyed homes, ranches and livelihoods. Most sobering of all is the toll on those who run toward the danger. The sacrifice of the three Oklahoma firefighters seriously injured while responding to this blaze is a stark reminder that the threat is no longer distant or seasonal. It is at our fence lines, and it is costing us more than just land. Whats driving this shift is a dangerous trifecta: changing weather patterns, land mismanagement and expanding development in high-risk areas. Together, these factors have raised the stakes for communities across Oklahoma. And we dont have to look far for warning signs. From Southern California to Lahaina in Hawaii, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, weve seen how quickly blistering flames and choking smoke can overwhelm neighborhoods and devastate entire towns. The pattern is clear: Fires are burning hotter, moving faster and defying historical norms. Its easy, in moments like this, to feel powerless. But were not without options. The causes of these megafires are well understood, and when left unaddressed, the risks compound. They do not resolve themselves. That is why action matters today. Advertisement Advertisement One of the most significant tools currently before Congress is S.1462, the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA). This bipartisan legislation focuses on the practical steps that reduce wildfire intensity and protect communities. It supports responsible thinning and other fuel-reduction efforts to limit how aggressively fires spread. It expands the use of prescribed burns to restore healthier landscapes, remove invasive species and reduce the fuel buildup that feeds catastrophic blazes. Furthermore, it reforms community wildfire programs to open up funding for home hardening against ignition from flames and wind-driven embers. Importantly, FOFA ensures our firefighters and local partners have better coordination tools by creating a Wildfire Intelligence Center. This center would embed cutting-edge science and technology into fire prediction and response, providing tools to help small fire departments like many in Oklahoma predict fire and smoke behavior. Some critics argue that Congress should hold out for a more comprehensive or perfect solution. But perfection is not a standard our ranchers, volunteer firefighters and rural communities can afford. Every year we delay practical reforms, we gamble with more homes, more acreage and more livelihoods. Active land management is not a retreat from conservation its a recognition of a known reality. Decades of fuel accumulation have left many landscapes primed to burn. Choosing inaction does not preserve our land, it leaves it vulnerable to larger, more destructive fires that scar ecosystems and threaten communities for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahomas experience this year underscores the urgency. When hundreds of thousands of acres burn before summer has even arrived, we cannot treat wildfire as a seasonal crisis. It is an enduring challenge that demands steady, bipartisan resolve. Sens. James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin have an opportunity to lead at a pivotal moment. They understand the economic and human toll wildfires impose on this state from lost grazing land and damaged infrastructure to families forced from their homes. As experienced legislators, they also understand that waiting for a flawless bill often means missing the window when meaningful action can still shape outcomes. Wildfire policy will never be simple. But delay carries its own costs, and those costs are measured in acres, homes and lives disrupted. Oklahoma cannot control the wind. We cannot dictate the weather. But we can reduce the fuel, strengthen our communities, and act with the urgency this new reality demands. The next spark is not a matter of if, but when. The question before us is whether we will be better prepared when it comes. James Campbell is the director of federal affairs and strategic counsel at Megafire Action. James Campbell is the director of federal affairs and strategic counsel at Megafire Action, a nonprofit organization committed to ending the megafire crisis through a holistic approach to land management, wildfire response, and community resilience. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma can't afford to wait for perfect wildfire solution | Opinion NEED TO KNOW A Wisconsin nurse admitted to having sex with a patient before lying and saying she was sexually assaulted Melissa Knutson was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office and obstructing an officer Prosecutors said Knutson admitted to making the false accusation in order to avoid consequences A Wisconsin nurse who admitted to having sexual intercourse with a patient and then falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Melissa Knutson pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and obstructing an officer on Feb. 27, the Monroe County District Attorney's Office said in a press release. Following her release from prison, Knutson will be subject to two years of public supervision. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said that while Knutson was working as a nurse assigned to a drug court participant, she "repeatedly" engaged in sexual intercourse with the patient. The sexual encounters were subsequently reported to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. In response, prosecutors said, Knutson accused the patient of sexual assault. Eventually, Knutson admitted to fabricating the accusation and said she did so to avoid facing consequences for the sex acts. 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. Judge Paul Curran, who sentenced Knutson, called her conduct "despicable" and said she was an embarrassment to nurses everywhere. Advertisement Advertisement The judge further said he believed Knutson's expressed remorse was a mile wide and an inch deep. The harm caused by Ms. Knutson was deep and significant. Not only did she violate the sacred trust between a patient and a nurse, but she compounded that by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault," District Attorney Kevin Croninger said in a statement. "This situation is particularly egregious given the patient in this situation was a participant in drug court." Read the original article on People There are plenty of high dividend yields in the stock market, but the number of companies that can pay and increase their dividends for decades is few and far between. So, if you find one, it's best to stick close to it. The key to finding good dividend stocks is to look for companies with solid business models that have strong earnings and free cash flow growth to pay and increase their dividends each year. 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 If you are looking for $1,000 in annual passive income, investors should consider investing $20,700 in this rock-solid dividend stock. A solid triple net lease model Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a real estate investment trust (REIT), which means it doesn't have to pay corporate taxes if it meets certain conditions, such as distributing 90% of taxable income to shareholders through dividends, and it derives a certain amount of income from real estate activities, and having a certain amount of assets in real estate, cash, or bonds. Image source: Getty Images. Realty Income also operates on a triple net lease model, meaning it leases properties to companies that are then responsible for rent, property taxes, and other expenses, such as insurance and maintenance. In return, companies may be able to negotiate longer leases and reduced rents and will have greater flexibility in how they use a given space. Realty Income focuses on clients that provide essential, low-priced services. Its largest tenants by industry are convenience stores, grocery stores, and dollar stores, while its largest customers include 7-Eleven, Dollar General, and Walgreens. The company is also constantly looking to expand into new sectors and geographies. For instance, earlier this year, Realty Income and Singapore investment firm GIC announced a $1.5 billion joint venture to invest in and make long-term net leases for build-to-suit U.S. logistics properties. Build-to-suit is when a developer builds a facility specifically to meet a tenant's exact specifications. The joint venture will also provide construction financing for several industrial projects to be built in Mexico and sold to Realty Income upon completion. The monthly dividend company with a tremendous track record The longtime draw of Realty Income has been, and will likely continue to be, the company's high dividend and track record of paying and raising it. The company's trailing-12-month dividend yield is 4.8%, and Realty pays dividends monthly. SPARTA, Wis. (WFRV) A Monroe County nurse has been sentenced to prison after being convicted of engaging in a sexual relationship with a patient under her care. Melissa R. Knutson, of Readstown, was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by two years of extended supervision. K9 alerts for drugs during Wisconsin traffic stop, two people arrested According to prosecutors, Knutson repeatedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a drug court participant while serving as the patients nurse in Monroe County. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said that after the relationship was reported to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Knutson falsely accused the patient of sexual assault in an attempt to avoid consequences. District Attorney Kevin Croninger said the case involved a serious breach of professional trust. The harm caused by Ms. Knutson was deep and significant, Croninger said. Not only did she violate the sacred trust between a patient and a nurse, but she compounded that by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault. City in Wisconsin sees a drop in violent crime across the board in 2025 Advertisement Advertisement During sentencing, the judge described Knutsons conduct as egregious and a betrayal of the nursing profession. Court records indicate Knutson will serve her sentence in state prison before beginning extended supervision. 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. Editors note: Video above courtesy of the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 54-year-old woman was arrested after evading arrest and driving while intoxicated last weekend in East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. Araceli Diaz, 54, was charged with evading arrest/detention with a vehicle and driving while intoxicated. She was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a total bond of $12,500. Araceli Diaz. Photo courtesy of the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. At around 11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, deputies were dispatched to a report of a possible intoxicated driver traveling westbound on Rojas Drive toward Joe Battle Boulevard. Advertisement Advertisement Deputies found the vehicle matching the description and saw the driver, later identified as Diaz, commit multiple traffic violations, according to the Sheriffs Office. In the footage provided by EPCSO, you can see the vehicle Diaz was driving jumping the curb. Deputies turned their lights on, indicating for Diaz to stop, but the vehicle kept going. At an intersection with a red light, three deputies get out of their vehicles and walk towards Diazs vehicle. When the light turned green, Diaz drove off, and the deputies quickly got back into their vehicles. The video cuts to Diaz stopping at another red light, and a deputy is heard telling her, Open the door. The deputy closest to the vehicles driver door appears to tap the window with an object. Advertisement Advertisement Another deputy tells him, Watch out and breaks the window. Diaz can be heard saying, Oh my god. One deputy tells Diaz to Get out, and Diaz replies, Why? Again, a deputy is heard telling Diaz to Get out of the car, and Diaz again asks, Why? A deputy unlocks the car from the inside and two deputies bring Diaz to the ground to handcuff her. During the interaction Diaz can be heard saying, Oh my god and Really? The last shot of the video is two deputies holding up Diaz in handcuffs. Following an investigation, deputies determined that Diaz was intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle on a public roadway. Advertisement Advertisement Drinking and driving endangers not only the driver, but every family sharing the road. One decision can have life-altering consequences, El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said. We will continue to take swift action to remove impaired drivers from our streets and protect the safety of our community. 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 KTSM 9 News. Rita Ortiz, the woman dubbed the "Lien Queen," pleaded not guilty Monday after being charged with 25 counts of filing a false document. Her arraignment comes after weeks of reporting from the 7 On Your Side Investigates team on massive multimillion-dollar liens she hit against homeowners in Southern California. But on Monday, we learned from prosecutors that their concerns extend beyond just those liens. Advertisement Advertisement In the courtroom we saw Ortiz behind Plexiglass, as prosecutors called her both a "financial" and a "physical" threat to the public. They say Ortiz has been trying to break into a home where a family with a small child is living. Prosecutors say that family is now afraid every day to be in their own home. The district attorney's office also told the court that right after Ortiz was evicted from a home two weeks ago where prosecutors say she was "squatting," she filed a deed claiming that property was hers. Prosecutors say that further clouded the title of the rightful owner. L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman spoke about this case when he spoke on Eyewitness News Monday. Advertisement Advertisement "This individual went ahead and filed a whole variety of these liens, multimillion-dollar liens that we will prove in court are false and she will now be held criminally responsible for them - looking potentially going to state prison as a result," Hochman said. All of this comes after we shared the stories of homeowners in the Beverly Hills area who say Ortiz slapped them with $24 million liens for unpaid cleaning and consulting work. Those owners say they never hired Ortiz to do any work. After a prosecutor successfully argued to keep her bond at $700,000, Ortiz responded with, "Everything you are saying is a lie." Her next court date is set for March 12. A new facility is taking shape to better support children in crisis. Youth Haven, a long-standing non-profit in Southwest Florida, broke ground on its new Therapeutic Enrichment Center on Feb. 27, marking a key step in its $20 million Building Hope for Tomorrow capital campaign, a news release said. Located on the charitys campus, the 22,000-square-foot facility will replace a 53-year-old building and serve as the heart of the organizations trauma-informed therapeutic care for vulnerable children. Advertisement Advertisement Officials say the new center is expected to be competed in January 2027. New facility represents 'hope in action' Linda Goldfield, chief executive officer of Youth Haven, said: "This groundbreaking represents hope in action. "For more than five decades, Youth Haven has provided a safe haven for youth who have experienced unimaginable trauma." Youth Haven, a long-standing nonprofit in Southwest Florida, broke ground on its new Therapeutic Enrichment Center in Naples, Florida, on Feb. 27, 2026, marking a key step in its $20 million Building Hope for Tomorrow capital campaign. "We are profoundly grateful to our community for making this moment possible." Youth Havens campus is the only emergency and residential shelter for boys and girls aged 6 to 21 in Collier County, Florida, who have suffered abuse, neglect, or homelessness. The new center will feature dedicated therapy rooms for individual and group counselling, art and music therapy studios, a fitness and yoga space, and facilities for family reunification. New building to feature kitchen, library, more It will also include an education hub, expanded library and makerspace to support academic achievement and hands-on STEAM learning. Advertisement Advertisement A new commercial kitchen will allow residents to cook and share meals together, promoting life skills and a sense of community. Administrative offices will be relocated to the second floor, freeing up space that will be converted into a Community Outreach and Prevention Center. Youth Haven has already secured more than $15 million of its $20 million fundraising goal. Youth Haven was founded in 1972. Those interested in supporting the campaign or learning more about Youth Haven can call 239-774-2904, or contact Katie Schweikhardt, director of development, at Katie.Schweikhardt@youthhavenswfl.org. Advertisement Advertisement This story was created by reporter Dave Osborn, dosborn@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. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Youth Haven breaks ground on new therapeutic center Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the first world leaders to back the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which started on Feb. 28. For Ukraine, the choice was logical: Iran is a Kremlin ally that has backed Russia's aggression against Ukraine and supplied drones to Moscow. Moreover, Zelensky is seeking to curry favor with U.S. President Donald Trump and show that Ukraine is a reliable ally, analysts say. Advertisement Advertisement "We support the United States in this operation in order to demonstrate our partnership-oriented attitude toward the U.S., and to play on the objective contradictions that are emerging between the U.S. and Russia," political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told the Kyiv Independent. "Russia is an ally of Iran, and we are demonstrating that we are on the side of the United States." But it is unclear whether this strategy will work. Trump's hostility towards Russian allies like Iran and Venezuela has not yet affected his relationship with the Kremlin. Moreover, Trump has been reluctant to antagonize Moscow and take a more pro-Ukrainian stance in peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the war in Iran may have a negative impact on Ukraine by diverting Washington's attention and draining its resources. This could pull the plug on U.S. weapon sales to Kyiv. "If the Islamist regime is not toppled and the chances are not high at the moment we are facing a protracted conflict, which will be diverting resources away from Ukraine," Ryhor Nizhnikau, a Russia expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told the Kyiv Independent. "The longer the war lasts and the more regional instability it brings, the worse it is for Ukraine." Read also: What an Iran oil spike would mean for Russia Initial success The operation has so far been a success for the U.S. and Israel. The joint forces have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and claim to have also killed dozens of other Iranian top officials. Advertisement Advertisement Trump's stated goal is to destroy Iran's missile and military capabilities, prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and topple the hardline regime. However, analysts say that achieving these goals will be difficult, which may lead to a lengthy conflict and negatively affect Ukraine. "I do not believe that the operation will topple the regime," Neil Quilliam, a Middle East expert at Chatham House, told the Kyiv Independent. "The regime's 'bench' is very deep, and the state has spent over four decades building strong institutions, which are likely to endure. Trump may pause the operation in a bid to entice the regime to negotiate again, but the regime is highly unlikely to return to talks and capitulate it is in survival mode and will want to hunker down and try to outlast the current military operation." Iranians protest against attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Majid Saeedi / Getty Images) Aron Lund, a Middle East analyst at Century International, also argued that he "would caution against assuming that the United States and Israel are about to bring down the regime." Advertisement Advertisement "Absent a ground attack or a major internal insurgency, I don't see how you can remove this regime," he told the Kyiv Independent. "(Trump) keeps referencing a Venezuela-type scenario as the ideal outcome. That means he'd be making arrangements with the current regime and with Khamenei's successor, not some opposition-led structure." Read also: The day Russia didnt show up for Iran Zelensky backs the U.S. operation Ukraine has publicly supported the U.S.-Israeli operation. On Feb. 27 on the eve of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran Zelensky said that the Iranian people are seeking help in overthrowing the current regime, which behaves aggressively toward other countries and is a source of harm. Advertisement Advertisement He also backed the U.S.-Israeli operation when it began on Feb. 28. "In a certain sense, it [Iran] is even a co-participant in Russia's aggression, since it supplies drones. This is a Russian ally that is helping Russia kill us [Ukrainians]." "Although Ukrainians never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime itself chose to become an accomplice of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and supplied him with Shahed drones," he said. "Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime, to free themselves from it, and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terrorism originating from Iran." Iranian youth stand under an Iranian-made Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicle in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2023. (Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto / Getty Images) A building damaged as a result of a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 25, 2025. Russian forces launched cruise, ballistic, supersonic cruise missiles and 298 Shahed-136 drones to attack Ukrainian cities, according to the Ukrainian Air Forces. (Danylo Antoniuk / Anadolu / Getty Images) Oleksandr Merezhko, head of parliament's foreign affairs committee, argued that this was a "rational decision." Advertisement Advertisement "Iran is effectively on Russia's side," he told the Kyiv Independent. "In a certain sense, it is even a co-participant in Russia's aggression, since it supplies drones. This is a Russian ally that is helping Russia kill us." Merezhko said that Iran is effectively a member of an "axis of evil" that also includes Russia and North Korea. By backing the operation, Zelensky also seeks to show that Ukraine is a reliable ally and strengthen the relationship with Washington, analysts say. Merezhko said that "from a political standpoint, this is also a rational move, because it shows the United States and President Trump that we are allies." Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russia-Iran alliance wavers as Tehran suffers major blows Contradictions between US and Russia Some hope that the war in Iran may drive a wedge between the U.S. and Russia. Moreover, Ukraine could benefit if the war in Iran strengthens the position of anti-Kremlin hawks in the Trump administration, given that Russia is also a dictatorship and is an ally of Tehran. But so far, there are few grounds to believe so. "Although it would be logical for the Iran war to strengthen those on Trump's team who are more pro-Ukraine and anti-Russia, I do not believe this will be the case," Quilliam said. "I do not believe that Trump's team will be able to see the parallels between the two issues and draw the same conclusion." U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jenny Mathers, a lecturer in international politics at the U.K.'s Aberystwyth University, also argued that "the Trump administration has been hostile towards Iran for some time, but that has not seemed to spill over into their willingness to be sympathetic to Russia's viewpoint when it comes to Ukraine." Advertisement Advertisement "What Trump may be able to do with regard to Iran or Venezuela, he will not be able to do with regard to China and Russia," Fesenko said. "And I would not expect the United States' negotiating position (on Ukraine) to change. But cracks in the mutual perception between Trump and Putin will begin to appear, and they will grow in number." Read also: Israel-Iran war could provide economic boost Russia needs to continue fight against Ukraine Diverting attention from Ukraine There are concerns, however, that the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran may have a negative impact on Ukraine. "It will definitely turn the attention of the international media much more towards the Middle East and also towards how the war is playing in U.S. society and politics, and therefore leave less space for covering Russia's war in Ukraine," Mathers said. "Assuming that it does not simply die down in the coming days or even weeks, conflict and greater uncertainty and instability in the Middle East will also tie up U.S. attention and resources, perhaps on a large scale and for some time to come." Advertisement Advertisement The war against Iran has already affected trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. Zelensky told journalists on March 2 that, due to Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was not yet possible to confirm whether a scheduled round of talks would take place on March 5-6 in Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital. Another potential downside for Ukraine is that the war may affect the supplies of U.S. weapons to Kyiv. "This issue certainly concerns us, and that is why we are in contact with our partners," Zelensky said on March 2. "So far, there have been no such signals, but we understand that a prolonged war will affect the amount of air defense available to us." Jamie Shea, a defense and security analyst at Chatham House, also said that "if the U.S. war against Iran continues for some time, it may impede the ability of the Europeans to buy weapons from the U.S. (particularly air defense) to send to Kyiv as the U.S. has sent extra air defense systems to protect its bases across the Middle East." An aerial view of the tanker Boracay, part of Russias so-called shadow fleet, off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, France, on Oct. 1, 2025. (Damien Meyer / AFP via Getty Images) Higher oil prices due to the war are also a negative factor. "The price of oil could jump to $100 per barrel, or even higher," Fesenko said. "That is dangerous for us, since Russia could benefit from it. It would mean additional oil revenues for Russia which is precisely the main source of funding for the war." Another piece in the puzzle is how Iranian military aid to Russia could be affected. During the full-scale invasion, Iran has lent a hand to Russia by supplying Shahed combat drones, which are constantly used to attack Ukrainian cities. But analysts say that currently, Russia produces them on its own, and Iran's help is not needed. "I am skeptical it will have much impact on Ukraine, because the Iranians no longer provide significant material support," Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, told the Kyiv Independent. "The Russians have expanded production of their Geran copies of the Shahed, and the more significant support comes from Chinese components supporting the Russian war effort." Read also: Trumps two wars: Why diplomacy worked in Gaza but not in Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he fears that the delivery of weapons his country needs to fight Russia could be delayed by the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. "It could become difficult to procure missiles and weapons for the defence of our airspace," Zelensky told the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview published on Tuesday. "The Americans and their allies in the Middle East could need them for defence, for example anti-Patriot missiles." Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president referred to experiences during the US and Israeli attacks on Iran in June last year when the delivery of missiles slowed down. "This has not yet happened today, but I fear that it could happen again," Zelensky said. At the same time, he expressed the hope that it would not lead to "a long war" in the Middle East. Ukraine has been defending itself against neighbouring Russia for more than four years. In principle, Zelensky supported the action against Iran because the country is one of Russia's supporters. "I think it's a good decision to attack Iranian military targets. The Iranians produce a lot of weapons for Russia, especially drones and missiles," he said, adding that they could probably no longer do this. Zelensky added: "I hope that the Iran crisis will remain a limited operation. We know from our own experience how bloody something like this can become." President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the war in the Middle East could leave Ukraine struggling to source air defence missiles. He also said there was "a risk" Ukraine's allies could be distracted by the conflict, and forget his country's defence against Russia's full-scale invasion. "We could find ourselves having difficulty obtaining missiles and weapons to defend our skies," he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. "The Americans and their allies in the Middle East might need them to defend themselves, for example Patriot missiles." Advertisement Advertisement Asked if there was a risk the United States and the European Union could forget Ukraine's defence while focused on the Middle East, Zelensky replied: "Of course, it's a risk. But I hope the Iranian crisis remains a limited operation and doesn't turn into a long war. We know first-hand how bloody it risks being." For years Ukraine has become accustomed to being in the eyes of the world. Last week the streets of Kyiv thronged with Western leaders marking the grim, fourth anniversary of the moment Russia launched its all-out war. But a few days later, people here in Ukraine's capital have felt an almost tangible shift of focus away to another conflict. Some here have pointed out the reaction of Gulf residents to drone strikes that in Kyiv would prompt no more than a shrug. But more fear what the fighting in the Middle East might mean for them. Zelensky's remarks illustrate that uncertainty. On one hand he is gloomy, pointing to the risks that Ukraine's defence against Russia becomes a forgotten war. There is already uncertainty about whether the latest planned talks with the US and Russia will take place. Advertisement Advertisement He is also aware the vast numbers of air defence interceptor missiles being fired off by Gulf countries could lead to a global shortage, making such weapons more expensive and harder to find. Ukraine fears soaring oil prices and a possible shortage in air defences, after the start of the war in Iran [Getty Images] That was certainly true last summer when Israel and the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities. "Israel was under Iranian attack then, and missile delivery programs for us were slowed down," Zelensky said. "It hasn't happened yet, but I fear it could happen again." On Truth Social, President Trump claimed the US had an "unlimited supply" of arms. But he also used his post to mock Zelensky as "PT Barnum", a 19th-Century US showman and hoaxer, suggesting Ukraine's leader had tricked President Joe Biden into giving away too many US weapons for free. Nonetheless, Zelensky has also looked for positives. Iran has sold Russia tens of thousands of Shahed drones that almost nightly wreak deadly havoc on Ukraine. That may stop. "I think attacking Iranian military targets was a good decision," he said. "The Iranians produce a lot of weapons for Russia, especially drones and missiles, although I don't think they'll be able to do that anymore." Advertisement Advertisement Analysts point out however that Russia now also produces Shaheds domestically, after taking Iran's design and modifying it for attacks on Ukrainian cities. Kyiv may also benefit, financially and politically, if it could support Gulf partners with drone technology and expertise but, as Zelensky has pointed out, that could probably happen only if Russia were to agree a ceasefire. Ukraine's president also believes Vladimir Putin's failure to support Iran shows the Russian president's weakness: "He talks, but doesn't act, demonstrating that he is a weak ally of the Iranians. Just as he was with Bashar Assad's Syria." That optimistic note was echoed by Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the foreign relations committee in Ukraine's parliament. He told me that by supporting US attack on Iran, Ukraine could win favour in the White House: "The US does not view us as allies, but as partners," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "This gives us a chance to show that we are allies. We are fighting against the same coalition Iran and Russia." Merezhko also said Moscow had lost influence with the US because it could no longer argue it had influence over Tehran and its nuclear ambitions. "Iran does not have this leverage anymore, so it has become less useful in the eyes of Trump," the MP said. Ukraine knows that without air defences, it could suffer even more from Russia's nightly air strikes [Getty Images] Others are less sure. They point out Russia has no formal defence partnership with Iran and had made no commitment to come to its aid in event of a US attack. Some also suggest Putin is deliberately staying out of the conflict, apart from calling Gulf leaders to offer Russia's services as a mediator with Iran. John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre, said: "Putin's priority is to preserve the relationship with Trump and to use it to help him out of the quagmire he has blundered into in Ukraine." Advertisement Advertisement "In return for not standing in Trump's way in Iran, he can reasonably expect Washington to put more pressure on Ukraine to accept his terms for peace," Lough added. Russia may also gain if global oil prices continue to soar, fuelling its industrial war machine. The US-based Institute for the Study of War think tank said: "Sustained high oil prices could keep Russia economically afloat and allow Russia to fund its war in Ukraine in the medium term." But crucially, it added: "It is unlikely, however, that Iran can successfully and indefinitely impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz long enough for Russia to reap long-term benefits from the current surge in oil prices." Just one reason why Ukrainian policymakers are hoping the war in the Middle East does not sustain. The biggest fear, perhaps, in Kyiv is that conflict in the Middle East fuels yet more war fatigue over Ukraine. One diplomat told me that despite rising temperatures as winter makes way for spring, the mood in the capital was grim. Advertisement Advertisement "There is a lot of exhaustion," they said. "The mood is almost brooding. There is a deep sense of betrayal from the Americans. And less trust in the Europeans. And now all this distraction. It's not great." Ukraine has offered its experience in countering Iranian-made combat drones to the Gulf states attacked by Tehran. "Ukrainian expertise in protecting against Shahed drones is currently the greatest in the world, and indeed the Shahed drones are the biggest challenge there," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Tuesday. He said it was clear why Kiev was receiving so many requests, without being specific. However, he had earlier held phone calls with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Advertisement Advertisement Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also spoke with his Kuwaiti counterpart. At the same time, Zelensky stressed, "Any such cooperation to protect our partners can only take place without compromising our own potential here in Ukraine." Prior to this, Zelensky had already suggested to journalists the possibility of sending Ukrainian drone defence experts to the Gulf states. However, the condition was that they first secure a ceasefire in the Ukraine war from Moscow. Despite its capabilities, the Ukrainian air defence was unable to intercept a single Russian drone over the centre of the capital Kiev on Monday. Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than four years. The Russian military is using combat drones originally developed in Iran on a massive scale. In turn, Kiev has received modern air-defence systems from Western partners. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed hope that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party will lose the election and then normalisation of relations with Hungary will be possible. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Italian media outlet Corriere della Sera, as reported by European Pravda Details: When Zelenskyy was asked what to do with pro-Russian forces, in particular Viktor Orban, in the context of common European security, he said that Orban becomes important when important political forces give him strength. Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Hungary is a country that matters, but it does not have military weight. I do not talk to him because he does not want to, but I have contacts with Robert Fico. I believe that Orban will lose the election, and then we will be able to restore normal relations with Hungary, also because Hungarian people are not pro-Russian." Details: Zelenskyy also said it is unacceptable to buy energy resources from Russia. "Putin will immediately use new financial revenues to purchase weapons that he will use against Ukraine," he noted. The president also once again commented on the demand to restore transportation of Russian oil via the Druzhba oil pipeline. Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Russians bombed Druzhba several times and then attacked our technicians who were repairing it. Why the hell did Orban not accuse Russians of bombing? I explained it to Fico: the pipeline is destroyed, to repair it we need a ceasefire, and this needs to be clearly explained to Putin." More details: Notably, Orban and members of his government have repeatedly accused Ukraine of interfering in Hungarian elections in favour of the opposition Tisza party, which, according to polls, has a chance to defeat Orban's party in an election in April. Background: Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the absence of oil transportation via the Druzhba oil pipeline is an "attack" on Hungary carried out by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Hungarian minister said the "Berlin-Brussels-Kyiv axis" wants to bring the price of petrol to HUF 1,000 (EUR 2.60) in Hungary before elections. "It is the Berlin-Brussels-Kyiv axis that took this decision in the interests of the Tisza party to help it come to power," he said. Zelenskyy previously rebuked leaders of Hungary and Slovakia for communicating with Ukraine purely pragmatically about a problem with the Druzhba oil pipeline after Russian strikes, not wanting to acknowledge what this transit and repair of the pipeline costs Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The battle for control of Congress began in earnest on Tuesday as voters in three states cast their ballots in the first primaries of the 2026 midterms. All eyes will be on Texas, where Democrats and Republicans are both locked in tight Senate primaries. The results will determine which candidates move on to a high-stakes general election that could help decide which party controls Congress for the final two years of Donald Trumps presidency. There are other important races further down the ballot in the Lone Star State that will serve as key tests of where the bases of both parties stand with eight months to go until the midterms. The outcome of North Carolinas Senate primary is less uncertain, but it will still provide valuable insight into Democrats odds of flipping what may be the GOPs most vulnerable seat. Arkansas is also holding primaries on Tuesday, with incumbent Republicans expected to cruise to victory. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans currently have full control in Washington, D.C., but the national mood has shifted strongly against the GOP since Trump returned to the White House. In race after race across the country, Democrats have gained ground compared with their past performances. Forecasters are giving Democrats a strong chance to flip the House and at least a chance of gaining the majority in the Senate as well. No seats will change hands on Tuesday, but the results will set up critical contests that will decide who holds power on Capitol Hill after Novembers national election. Texas Senate: The biggest primary races on Tuesday are in the Senate race in Texas. Democrats havent won a statewide election in the Lone Star State in three decades, but no one is taking Texas for granted this year. The parties are prepping for what could be a closely contested general election that may play a key role in determining control of the Senate for the last two years of Trumps presidency. The primaries on both sides have been incredibly tight and, at times, deeply contentious. Thats especially true on the Republican side, where longtime Sen. John Cornyn is facing an aggressive challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cornyn has held the seat since 2002 and has won easily each time hes been up for reelection. But polls suggest that Paxton a MAGA devotee who has attacked Cornyn for not being conservative enough for Trumps GOP has a strong chance to unseat him. Another hard-right Republican, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, is also in the race. Though hes a long shot to win, his presence increases the chances that Cornyn and Paxton will face off head-to-head in a runoff in May. Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic primary has featured plenty of fireworks too. State lawmaker James Talarico is up against U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the opportunity to turn the seat blue in November. Though Talarico and Crockett are relatively similar in the policies they support, the two could not be more different in their personal approaches to appealing to voters. Talarico, a soft-spoken former public school teacher, has positioned himself as a consolidator who is seeking to bridge the partisan divide and connect with Texans from across the political spectrum. Crockett, on the other hand, has earned a reputation as one of the most unapologetically blunt Democrats in Congress during her three years in the House of Representatives. Though Talarico and Crockett have mostly avoided directly criticizing each other during the campaign, the contest has become more adversarial in recent weeks after a series of incidents including a disputed claim that Talarico called another high-profile Texas Democrat a mediocre Black man and CBSs decision not to air an interview with Talarico on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. House of Representatives: Though Texass Senate race will get most of the attention, there are some other key primaries down ballot that are worth watching. One involves Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, who has faced calls from within his own party to resign amid allegations that he had an affair with a member of his congressional staff who later died by suicide. Gonzales has said the claim that he had an affair is completely untruthful. Despite the allegations, neither Trump nor House Speaker Mike Johnson has pulled their endorsements. If Gonzales loses the primary, that could influence his decision on whether to resign before his term ends early next year, potentially leaving the GOP with an even smaller House majority until hes replaced. Advertisement Advertisement GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw, one of the most recognizable members of Texass congressional delegation, also faces a real risk of losing his seat in the House amid a tough primary fight. Crenshaw, a cable news regular who has occasionally criticized some of Trumps policies, is up against multiple staunch conservative challengers who argue he has undermined the MAGA agenda. Democrats most closely contested House primary is an example of the deep generational divide that has defined the partys internal conflict for years. Because of the new congressional map passed by state Republicans last year, two current Democratic members of the House 79-year-old Al Green and 37-year-old Christian Menefee are forced to compete against each other for the chance to stay in Congress. Green has been a member of the House for more than 20 years. Menefee was sworn in only last month. Age is an especially weighty issue in this particular district, which has had two House members die in office during the past two years. North Carolina Senate: North Carolina is widely viewed as one of the Democrats best opportunities to flip a Senate seat in the midterms. Unlike Texas, its a genuine swing state where Democrats have a strong recent history of statewide wins. Republicans dont have the advantage of incumbency, since current Sen. Thom Tillis has opted not to run for reelection. Democrats also have a strong candidate in former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is expected to secure his partys nomination. Things are a bit tighter on the GOP side, but polls suggest that former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley is likely to come out on top. Though Whatley was endorsed by Trump, he has still faced criticism from prominent figures on the right that hes not MAGA. There are two other prominent candidates in the GOP primary. One is Don Brown, a lawyer who has defended people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riots. The other is Michele Morrow, a former candidate for state superintendent who has called for Democratic presidents to be executed. Advertisement Advertisement Even if Whatley wins comfortably, his margin of victory and the overall turnout in the primary will be key indicators of his support within the GOP base, which he will need to outcompete Cooper in November. House of Representatives: There are two key congressional primaries to watch in North Carolina. One is in the states deep-blue Fourth District. Rep. Valerie Foushee, 69, is being challenged by 32-year-old progressive Nida Allam in another generational test for the Democratic Party. The other race worth watching is on the Republican side, where five candidates are vying for the opportunity to challenge Democratic Rep. Don Davis. Davis has represented North Carolinas First District since 2023, winning narrow victories in the past two election cycles. But Republicans in the state legislature have imposed a new district map that makes the district significantly more favorable to their party. Whoever emerges from the GOP primary will have a strong chance to flip Daviss seat for Republicans in November. Arkansas The GOPs overwhelming dominance in Arkansas means the state will likely see very little drama on Tuesday. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton is expected to easily defeat a pair of little-known primary challengers in his pursuit of a third term in the Senate. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running unopposed. While Democratic primaries for those seats may end up being more competitive, the winners will face long odds in the general election. For travelers who want serious travel rewards without a premium annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card sets the standard. For $95 per year, it offers bonus rewards-earning rates on most travel (2X points, or 2 points per dollar spent), along with dining, streaming, and online grocery purchases (3X points). As with many travel cards, youll earn even more points (5X) if you book through the issuers own portal, Chase Travel. One of only two 2% cards in our ranking with a 0% APR intro purchase period Beyond the rewards, the Active Cash is useful in other ways. 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So, the annual limit shouldnt hamper your earnings too much unless youre an especially heavy grocery spender. Despite the $95 annual fee after the first year, you can get more overall value from grocery shopping with the Blue Cash Preferred than you would with a no-annual-fee card that earns 3% back. If you spend $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets with the Blue Cash Preferred, youll earn $360 back at the 6% rate. Subtract the annual fee, and youre left with $265. If you spend $6,000 on a competing card and instead earn 3% back with no annual fee, youd be left with just $180. Thats to say nothing about the Blue Cash Preferreds other bonus categories, which extend the value of this card: 6% back on select streaming subscriptions and 3% back on gas and transit, with no limits. Pros Highest cash back rate for U.S. supermarkets (6%) of cards we researched Earning rate could more than make up for the annual fee 6% cash back on streaming and 3% back on gas and transit 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months $120 annual Disney streaming credit Cons 6% U.S. supermarket rate is capped at $6,000 per year $95 annual fee after the first year Possibly not worth the fee for light shoppers 2.7% foreign transaction fee Best Gas Card: American Express Blue Cash Everyday Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It With the average U.S. household spending nearly $2,500 per year on gas, according to 2024 BLS data, its worth having a card that can provide a decent return on that necessary spending. We recommend the American Express Blue Cash Everyday as the best gas card for the average person, thanks to its strong 3% cash back on gas and no annual fee. While some other cards may advertise higher gas rewards, those rates are usually temporary or tied to rotating categories. Travel cards with high point values may net more rewards for your gas spending, but the rewards are typically dwarfed by the cards annual fees. The Blue Cash Everydays value extends beyond the gas station, too. Cardholders also earn 3% back at U.S. supermarkets and on U.S. online retail purchases, an especially valuable category that can capture a wide swath of expenses. If you need to finance large purchases, youll get a 0% intro purchase APR for 15 months (and the same for balance transfers). The other perks are minor, like an $84 Disney streaming credit and certain insurance and protection benefits, but better than you often find on cards without annual fees. Pros High cash-back rate on gas (3%) with no annual fee 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. online retailers 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers for 12 months $84 annual Disney streaming credit Cons 3% rates on gas, groceries, and online shopping are each capped at $6,000 per year, per category 2.7% foreign transaction fee Best Dining Card: U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It If you're looking for great rewards on dining, you might be tempted to go with a mid-range or premium travel credit card. But the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature card proves you can get standout dining rewards with no need to pay an annual fee. Youll earn 4 points per dollar on dining, including takeout and delivery, which equates to 4% cash back. Thats the best direct earning rate available, excluding cards that provide a higher rate for only certain days of the week or months of the year. If you simply want a card with strong rewards at restaurants, the Altitude Go makes it easy. The 4X rate is limited to $2,000 spent per quarter, but that should be a comfortable ceiling for all but the heaviest dining spenders. The Altitude Gos other bonus categories cover other everyday expenses, and have no limits: 2X points on groceries, gas, and streaming. Cardholders also receive a $15 annual credit for streaming services, which is small but uncommon on a no-annual-fee card. While the card is focused on rewards, it includes a 15-month 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers to give you some breathing room if you need to pay down large expenses or existing balances. Pros 4X points on dining = 4% cash back, the best everyday rate available 2X points on groceries, gas, and streaming $15 annual credit for streaming services 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers for 15 months Cons 3% foreign transaction fee No insurance benefits, such as price protection or extended warranty Best Large Retailer Card: Prime Visa Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It For the millions of Americans who visit Amazon for everything from paper towels to TVs, the Prime Visa card by Chase can take a nice dent out of that spending. Youll get unlimited 5% cash back on everything you buy on the site. Amazons product selection is exceptionally wide, with household goods, groceries, clothing, electronics, big-ticket items, and all sorts of impulse buys. The Prime Visa earns a strong rate on the kinds of purchases that typical credit card bonus categories usually ignore. And that 5% rate gets bumped up for certain shipping options and on certain goods during Amazon Prime Days and promotions. Most retail-branded credit cards offer valuable features with their associated retailer, but arent much good otherwise. But the Prime Visa is useful outside of Amazon, with extra bonus categories that cover some everyday spending: 2% cash back on gas, dining, and transit. Other rewards are potentially valuable but more niche, such as 5% back with Whole Foods and Chase Travel. The Prime Visa has no annual fee, but it requires a Prime membership. If youre not a Prime member, the card still works: Youll get 3% cash back with Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel, instead of 5%. Pros Available for a wide selection of goods, to an est. 200 million U.S. Prime members High 5% cash-back earnings at Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel Even higher rates available for certain shipping options, promos, and Amazon Prime Days 2% on gas, dining, and transit Welcome bonus is usually generous by retail-card standards Cons Must pay for the $139 Prime membership Best Balance Transfer Card: Wells Fargo Reflect Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It Paying off debt can be expensive. Interest accumulates, and you typically end up paying much more than the principal balance. But a balance transfer credit card can help break the cycle of increasing debt, and the Wells Fargo Reflect card offers the longest window of opportunity. Cardholders get 21 months at 0% interest for balance transfersas long as other industry leadersplus 21 months at 0% interest for purchases, which is longer than any other card we researched. That means you get nearly two years to pay off your debt interest-free, or to finance any purchases you make with the card. Just remember to make your minimum payment on time each month, or you could lose your 0% rate. There are no rewards, but you will get one standout perk: cellphone protection, with up to $600 in coverage per claim against damage or theft of your phone. Youll have to pay your phone bill with the Reflect to be eligible, but it may prove more valuable than some minor credit card benefits. Pros 0% balance transfer APR for 21 months, as long as other top-ranking cards Longest 0% purchase intro period of any card in our ranking Cellphone protection No annual fee Cons Balance transfer fee of 5%, minimum $5 3% foreign transaction fee No rewards program Best Secured Card: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It Secured cards are designed for people with poor or limited credit, and most ask you to make a trade-off: Accept minimal perks in exchange for a credit card and the opportunity to build your credit. But the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured card breaks the mold, with benefits youre more likely to see on an attractive rewards card. Like all secured cards, youll make a refundable security deposit to set your credit limit. Then, youll have a chance to improve your credit by using the card responsibly, all while earning excellent rewards. Youll earn 3% cash back in a category of your choicegas, dining, online shopping (including streaming, cable, and phone plans), travel, drug stores, or home improvement2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% back on everything else. But it doesnt end there: For the first year, youll earn 6% cash back in your chosen category, a rate almost unheard of even among the best rewards credit cards. Your on-time payments will be reported to the credit bureaus, building your credit history. Eventually, all other things being equal, your credit can improve to the point where you can qualify for an unsecured card. Pros Deposit up to $5,000 to fund your credit limit, as high as any other secured card in our ranking Improve your credit as you earn excellent rewards 3% cash back category lets you choose from gas, dining, online shopping/streaming, and more Best first-year bonus among secured cards: 6% back in your chosen category Cons Bonus category cash back capped at $2,500 in spending per quarter Best Business Cash-Back Card: American Express Blue Business Cash Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It Running a business can be complicated, so your credit card shouldnt add complexity. The American Express Blue Business Cash is a straightforward cash-back card with no annual fee. You earn 2% cash back for every purchase, on up to $50,000 of spending per year, with 1% back after that. High-volume businesses should consider this limit, but many small business owners wont find it a problem. Your rewards are automatically redeemed to your account as a statement credit, taking another task off your plate. Some other cards provide 2% back with no limit, but the Blue Business Cash boasts a set of attractive other features that are hard to find bundled together. Those include the ability to carry a balance from month to month, a 12-month 0% APR for purchases, and easy sync-up with QuickBooks to help manage employee spending. If you have a month of heavier-than-usual spending, your credit limit usually caps the amount you can spend before making a payment. Amexs Expanded Buying Power feature, however, lets you spend beyond your credit limit, giving you more freedom to make essential business purchases when necessary. The amount you can spend above your limit changes over time, depending on your card use, credit and financial situation, and other factors. Pros High flat cash-back rate of 2% on all purchases 12 months of 0% APR for purchases No annual fee Expanded Buying Power program lets you spend above your credit limit Secondary car rental insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, and other benefits Cons 2% rate limited to the first $50,000 spent per year 2.7% foreign transaction fee Best Business Travel Card: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Card Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business is built for business owners who travel often and want premium perks without being locked into a single airline or hotel brand. The card delivers hefty rewards, with 8X Ultimate Rewards points on purchases made through Chase Travel. But youll still get 4X points on other flight and hotel purchases, which is a relatively high rate outside the issuers travel portal. That flexibility provides a great return on all of your travel spendingunlike this cards main competitor, the Amex Business Platinum card, which only offers 1X points for travel outside the issuers travel portal. One of the most useful features of the Sapphire Reserve for Business is its participation in the Ultimate Rewards program. Points transfer at a 1:1 rate to a broad selection of airline and hotel partners, including United Airlines, Southwest, Air France, Marriott, and Hyatt. Taking into account airline alliances, partnerships, and sub-brands, Ultimate Rewards points can be used with a total of 49 airline brandsmore than any other general travel card in our rankingand 93 hotel brands. Plus, you can redeem points for travel with even more providers through the Chase Travel portal. The rewards are solid, but the perks set the Sapphire Reserve for Business apart. They can fully offset the $795 annual fee and then some. Airport lounge access includes the typical Priority Pass Select benefits, as well as Chase Sapphire Lounges and select Air Canada lounges. IHG Platinum Elite status gives you a point boost, early check-in, and late checkout at IHG hotels. And the card offers a relatively large set of annual statement credits, such as a $300 travel credit good for flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. Pros More airline partners (49) than any competitors, when including airline alliance brands High number of hotel partners (93) Points worth up to 2 cents each when redeemed through Chase Travel Second-highest travel credit value of business cards in our ranking ($1,050) High rates on flights, hotels, and car rentals (8X or 4X points) Cons Second-highest annual fee among business travel cards ($795) Some credits are monthly or biannual, making them harder to fully use Best Student Card: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students Credit: Mira Norian / Investopedia Why We Chose It Student credit cards are designed for people new to credit, and they typically offer easier approval in exchange for meager rewards. But anyone might be happy to use the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students. With no annual fee, it lets students earn 3% cash back on purchases in a category of their choice, which can be changed once a month. Choose from gas; dining; travel; drug stores and pharmacies; home improvement and furnishings; or the valuablebut relatively rareonline shopping, which includes streaming, cable, internet, and phone plans. That ability to personalize the card is useful if your spending shifts throughout the year, like when school starts or during the holidays. Youll also get 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, such as Costco and Sams Club, and 1% on everything else. Unlike most rewards cards, you can take advantage of two first-year bonuses. In addition to the typical welcome bonus, Bank of America also provides double cash back for the first year in your chosen category, for a total of 6% back. Thatd be a top-notch rate even on a typical rewards card with an annual fee. The bonus categories are limited to your first $2,500 spent per quarter, but you could still earn as much as $600 back from them in the first year if you maximize the 6% rate. All that is topped off by a long 15-month 0% APR intro period for purchases and balance transfers, giving you time to pay off expenses like textbooks or travel. Pros Choose your own 3% category from a selection of useful options Bigger first-year bonus than competitors: 6% cash back and statement credit 15-month 0% introductory purchase and balance transfer period is longer than other student cards Lower APR than most competitors Cons 3% and 2% bonus categories limited to $2,500 in spending per quarter 3% foreign transaction fee How We Chose the Best Credit Cards Investopedia researched 165 popular and lesser-known credit cards across 56 dimensions to determine the best cards for various personal and financial situations. We developed a quantitative model to score and rank credit cards across seven categories: Rewards Value Costs and Interest Travel Features and Benefits Insurance and Protection Benefits Other Benefits Secured Card Features Card Eligibility We gathered credit card data directly from card issuers websites and customer support. Point and mile values are calculated and managed by AwardWallet. Data was collected from December 27, 2025, to February 2, 2026. We gathered more than 9,000 data points in total, and used this information to score the best credit cards in major categories such as cash back, travel, balance transfer, and business. To learn more about our process for finding the best credit cards, read our full methodology. Read the original article on Investopedia After months of not-so-thinly veiled threats, President Trump launched a U.S. attack on Iran over the weekend, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and risking a prolonged conflict in the region. We continue this mission with ferocious, unyielding resolve to crush the threat this terrorist regime poses to the American people and a threat, indeed it is, Trump said on Monday. We have the strongest and most powerful, by far, military in the world, and we will easily prevail. The presidents Operation Epic Fury campaign against Iran which is being conducted with Israel has raised many questions in its early hours. Heres what you need to know to make sense of whats happening, and what could happen next. A missile is launched from a U.S. Navy ship in support of Operation Epic Fury. (U.S. Central Command via AP) Why did Trump attack Iran? There are three major rationales making the rounds, and theyre not mutually exclusive. Nor do they fully explain why Trump chose to attack now. But to one degree or another, all three appear to have factored into the presidents decision. 1) Prevention and/or preemption Iran has long harbored nuclear ambitions. A 2015 deal negotiated by the Obama administration "dismantled much of [Irans] nuclear program and opened its facilities to more extensive international inspections in exchange for billions of dollars worth of sanctions relief, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Advertisement Advertisement But Trump withdrew from that deal during his first term, at which point Iran resumed its nuclear activities. In June 2025, coordinated U.S. and Israeli attacks severely damaged three of Irans key nuclear facilities. Trump said at the time that the sites had been completely and totally obliterated, putting a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. In his State of the Union address last Tuesday, the president presented a new claim: Iran was starting it all over again. They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue, Trump said. He also asserted that Iran was working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America. Advertisement Advertisement When the U.S. and Israel started dropping bombs on Saturday, negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over the future of Irans program were ongoing. But Trump decided not to wait for a deal. Instead, he launched major combat operations in order to as he put it in a short video released after the initial wave of attacks defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. So far, the Trump administration has provided no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S., and American intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is still years away from developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. Experts also told the New York Times that even if Iran were able to dig out the enriched uranium that was buried in last years strikes, it would take many months perhaps more than a year to turn it into a warhead. On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill that a planned Israeli attack on Iran and the risk of Tehran retaliating against U.S. targets is what precipitated Trumps decision to strike now. Advertisement Advertisement We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio said. In response, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia argued that a threat to Israel is not the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States. If we equate those two things, Warner added, then we are in uncharted territory.'' 2) Regime change On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that this is not a regime change war. But, he added, the regime sure did change. Along with the ayatollah, several other key Iranian figures have been killed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a press conference on Monday. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) In recent weeks, some Trump allies had been pushing for regime change rather than diplomacy, arguing that age, sanctions, economic upheaval and protests had weakened the ayatollah. Advertisement Advertisement I talked to the president the day before yesterday and we talked about Iran, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told Fox News late last month. I said the regime is teetering, the ayatollah is in his last days and I said do not let this opportunity pass. In his video statement released Saturday, Trump seemed to signal that he was sympathetic to this argument. After rattling off the regimes various misdeeds it armed, trained and funded terrorist militias; it killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested the president told the great proud people of Iran that now is the time to seize control of your destiny. When we are finished, take over your government, Trump said. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. Answering questions Monday from reporters on Capitol Hill, Rubio said regime change is not the objective in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement We would not mind, we would not be heartbroken, and we hope the Iranian people can overthrow this government and establish a new future for that country, Rubio said. We would love for that to be possible. If there's something we can do to help them down the road, wed obviously be open to it, he added. But thats not the objective. 3) Revenge The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Iran carried out covert influence campaigns to undercut Trumps candidacy in 2020 and 2024 and even plotted to kill him. Over the weekend, Trump shared a news story from right-leaning outlet Just The News headlined Iran tried to interfere in 2020, 2024 elections to stop Trump, and now faces renewed war with United States. He also referenced the assassination plot in an interview with CNN. Advertisement Advertisement I got him before he got me, the president said. They tried twice. Well, I got him first. A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran on March 2. (Mohsen Ganji/AP) Is the United States at war with Iran now? Technically, the U.S. Constitution says that presidents cant declare war without congressional authorization, and Trump did not seek such authorization before initiating major combat operations in Iran. That said, the line between combat and war has gotten fuzzy in recent decades. Since World War II, presidents of both parties have committed forces to combat without congressional authorization. Lawmakers tried to regain some control with the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which is supposed to stop presidents from unilaterally deploying forces unless the U.S. is under attack. Advertisement Advertisement But every president since has basically ignored that rule. Instead, theyve sought authorization for major land wars the Persian Gulf war, Afghanistan, Iraq while claiming a right to carry out more limited interventions on their own. The War Powers Resolution also states that unauthorized deployments must end after 60 days unless Congress votes to approve them in the interim. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill will likely debate whether to hold such a vote in the days and weeks ahead. Either way, members of the administration have already used the word war themselves. Trump said over the weekend that the Iran operation could result in American casualties as often happens in war, while Hegseth told reporters on Monday that the U.S. military had set the terms of this war from start to finish. War is hell and always will be, he added. A memorial rally for Ayatollah Khamenei in Sanaa, Yemen. (Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images) Are American troops in danger? The remnants of the Iranian regime the National Supreme Council, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps have responded defiantly to the ayatollahs death, vowing punishment and a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors. Advertisement Advertisement In practical terms that means Iran has been firing a barrage of missiles and drones at U.S. and Israeli targets in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. So far, six U.S. service members have been killed in the attacks. We expect to take additional losses, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference on Monday. Kuwaiti air defenses also shot down three U.S. jets in what the U.S. military called an apparent friendly fire incident. All U.S. soldiers ejected safely and survived the incident. Residents of Beit Shemesh take cover as sirens sound near the site of a fatal Iranian missile strike. (Amir Cohen/Reuters) How long will the conflict last? On Monday, Trump was vague about how long the U.S. campaign in Iran would last. Advertisement Advertisement Whatever the time is, its OK, whatever it takes, Trump said at his first public event since the strikes began on Saturday. Right from the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that. Well do it. At the same time, the administration has rejected suggestions that Iran could become an extended quagmire like the Iraq war launched by President George W. Bush in 2003, which dragged on for eight years and claimed more than 4,000 U.S. lives. This is not Iraq, Hegseth insisted on Monday. This is not endless. I was there for both. Our generation knows better and so does this president. He called the last 20 years of nation-building wars dumb, and he's right. This is the opposite. A plume of smoke rising from a reported Iranian strike on Doha, Qatar. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images) Could this spiral into something bigger? Hegseth said on Monday that Operation Epic Fury has a narrowly defined, three-part objective: destroy Irans offensive missile capabilities, cripple its navy and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump echoed that plan during his remarks later the same day, adding a fourth objective to the list: ensuring that the Iranian regime must not continue to fund regional proxies. It is unclear, however, whether the U.S. can achieve its aims without escalation. Already, more forces and fighter jets are heading to the region. We havent even started hitting them hard, the big wave hasnt even happened, Trump told CNN on Monday. The big one is coming soon. President Trump at the White House on Monday. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Elsewhere, both Trump and Hegseth have refused to rule out a full-scale invasion. I dont have the yips with respect to boots on the ground, Trump told the New York Post. Like every president says, There will be no boots on the ground. I dont say it. Ultimately, if the president wants the people of Iran to take over their government, he will likely have to back them militarily. For now, Trump has instead offered what the Times described after an interview with him as several seemingly contradictory visions of how power might be transferred to a new government or even whether the existing Iranian power structure would run that government or be overthrown. Iran's top clerics said Sunday they were close to naming a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader killed on the opening day of the war. No successor was named, but the ayatollahs son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been widely seen as the leading candidate to take his fathers place. The announcement came as massive fires burned near Tehran overnight, after U.S. and Israeli forces struck fuel depots across the capital. Israel said the sites were being used by Irans military, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned there were many more targets to come. Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, President Trump vowed that Iran would be "hit very hard" including "areas and groups of people" not previously considered as targets after claiming the country had "surrendered to its Middle East neighbors." The president's comments on Truth Social followed a televised address by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who apologized to neighboring Gulf countries and suggested the strikes were the result of military units acting without clear orders after the killing of Khamenei. But Pezeshkian rejected the demand for unconditional surrender and later issued a second statement insisting Iran's fire had been aimed at "U.S. military bases, facilities, and installations," not at neighboring nations. Multiple news outlets reported on Friday that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence on the movements of the U.S. military that could aid its retaliatory attacks. It is unclear what Russia wants in return from Iran. Advertisement Advertisement At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli weekend assault on Tehran, including Khamenei. At least a dozen people in Israel and more than 200 people in Lebanon have been killed, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. service members have died in retaliatory strikes, according to U.S. Central Command. On Saturday, Trump watched solemnly as the remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Support Local News Reporting in the Yakima Valley To support timely fact-based Yakima Herald-Republic reporting like the piece above, you can use one of the convenient options below. Donations through this system are tax deductible. J. Safra Sarasin Group has completed the purchase of a majority interest in Saxo Bank, following all required regulatory approvals. The transaction involves J. Safra Sarasin acquiring about 71% of Saxo Bank shares, which were previously owned by Geely Financials Denmark A/S, Mandatum Group, and other minority investors. The deal was announced in March last year. Kim Fournais, one of Saxo Banks founders, retains approximately 28% ownership. The combined assets under management for both entities now exceed $460bn. The acquisition is part of J. Safra Sarasin Groups approach to expand its operations in financial services by adding digital capabilities to its existing private banking and wealth management businesses. Alongside the change in ownership, several leadership changes are being put in place at Saxo Bank. Kim Fournais is set to become chairman of the board. Daniel Belfer, who previously served as CEO at Bank J. Safra Sarasin, will take over as CEO of Saxo Bank. Belfer brings nearly 30 years of experience in the financial sector. Belfer said: Today marks a defining moment for Saxo Bank. Stepping into the role of CEO of Saxo Bank is a real privilege, and I am looking forward to working together with the Board, the rest of the management team and all employees to strengthen Saxos foundation while accelerating our ambition - bringing together Saxo Banks digital, client-first innovation with J. Safra Sarasins legacy of stability, prudent risk management, and enduring client relationships. Bank J. Safra Sarasin will see Elie Sassoon take over as CEO. Sassoon has been a long-serving member of the J. Safra Group, with nearly five decades at the company and previous responsibility for private banking operations. As part of a revised governance structure at Saxo Bank, Henrik Juel Villberg, currently Deputy COO and Head of Group Client Journeys with over 20 years at the bank, will become Deputy CEO and join the Board of Management. Julio Carloto, previously COO Asia at J. Safra Sarasin in Singapore, is appointed as Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and will also join Saxo Banks Board of Management. The new Board of Management at Saxo Bank will now comprise Daniel Belfer (CEO), Henrik Juel Villberg (Deputy CEO), Mads Dorf Petersen (CFO), and Julio Carloto (CRCO). "J. Safra Sarasin concludes majority stake purchase in Saxo Bank" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. St. James Cathedral in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle. (Ivy Ceballo / The Seattle Times, 2024) Workers install a billboard on an overpass containing a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli military attacks, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. Regulators want tech companies to help them combat a rise in crypto-powered anti-money laundering, experts say, after Tokyo announced it had turned to the business world for assistance. Japans Financial Services Agency said last week it would support private businesses efforts to conduct crypto AML-related pilots over the next three months. Globally, there is a consistent pattern emerging where the private sector increasingly executes AML operationally because it owns the data, technology, and transaction layers, Aleksander Gora, the head of identity and digital trust at the security provider Teranode Group, told DL News. Governments will continue to define the regulatory framework, while execution shifts toward those closest to the transactions themselves. Japanese firms are gearing up for a major crypto pivot in Tokyo, which has indicated it wants to fully integrate crypto into the financial sector mainstream by 2028. Heavy-hitters join pilots The FSA says several leading domestic crypto exchanges, including GMO Coin and Bitbank, will take part in the pilots, along with the Japanese branch of blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. Other heavyweight firms from the world of Japanese finance are also taking part, including the crypto arms of the retail giant Rakuten and the securities provider Nomura. The conglomerate Hitachi has also expressed an interest in the project. Several other firms are also working on the pilots, but have asked the regulator to keep their identities a secret. These pilots will test the effectiveness and legal compliance credentials of a new framework for private businesses, said the FSA. [This will allow firms] to collaborate and share information regarding crypto-related anti-money laundering. The companies will work alongside the regulators own affiliates to explore AML compliance measures for transactions, including stablecoins and non-fungible tokens. Rather than building a massive state-run setup, governments can just set standards and require private entities to implement them, Shiv Shankar, CEO of the decentralised blockchain marketplace Boundless and the former head of compliance at Coinbase Japan, told DL News. In places like Japan, where regulators are a bit more cautious but technologically forward-looking, this model fits quite well. Information sharing One of the participants explained the FSA wants multiple cryptocurrency exchanges and stablecoin businesses to verify the sophistication and efficiency of AML measures by sharing information on wallet addresses suspected of fraud across industries. JBS's Australia business is planning to build a new B2B ingredients processing site in Melbourne. The Brazil-headquartered meat giant told Just Food the proposed Protein Recovery Facility will produce tallow, oil and high protein meal from porcine by-products through a modern continuous dry rendering process. The owner of the Primo and Swift brands said that ingredients such as tallow and protein meal are supplied domestically and internationally into the food, pharmaceutical, animal nutrition and manufacturing sectors. The site's processing capacity is expected to be 15t per hour, or approximately 200t per day, the group told Just Food. It added that the construction schedule is still being finalised and will be confirmed following completion of all required regulatory approvals. Similarly, production start dates will be released later: These timelines will be announced once approvals are in place and construction planning is complete. The project is designed to sit alongside JBS existing pork operations at Laverton. About five full time [staff will work] in the new Protein Recovery Facility with other services supported by our existing Pork plant at Laverton, the company said. JBS positioned the investment as both a supply-chain efficiency move and an environmental upgrade for the area, pointing to modern controls around odour and wastewater. The new facility is expected to deliver a modern, purpose built, best-practice Protein Recovery Facility, designed to meet todays stringent odour, wastewater and environmental performance standards, it said. It also aims to reduce movements of raw material by road and limit exposure to air. JBS explained the site would use enclosed transfer systems, including a sealed pipeline connected to the adjacent abattoir, reducing truck movements and minimising exposure of raw material to air. More broadly, the company said the facility would support efficient, vertically-integrated processing and help ensure long-term sustainability of the pork supply chain. The proposed facility adds to a run of investments and operational moves by JBS across the region and globally. JBS's business in Australia employs 17,000 people and manages 19 meat processing facilities, six cattle feed lots, 19 piggeries, nine salmon hatcheries and three Salmon farming regions. In July 2024, the group committed A$110m ($73.6m at the time) to Huon Aquacultures land-based Whale Point farm in Tasmania, including plans for a hatchery capable of rearing seven million fish. More recently, JBS also expanded market activity in the nearby region, shipping its first beef consignment to Vietnam in July 2025. JP Morgan makes two upgrades and continues to back Shell as Middle East war puts oil supply at risk Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock JP Morgan has upgraded two of Europe's largest oil companies and identified its preferred stocks to play a potential surge in oil prices, as full-scale military strikes in the Middle East transform what had been a theoretical supply risk into reality. The US investment bank's European oil and gas team upgraded Eni, the Italian energy major, by two notches to overweight and raised TotalEnergies, the French oil giant, to 'overweight' from 'neutral', while reiterating 'overweight' ratings on Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL) and Galp, the Portuguese energy company. The broker said the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which an estimated 20% to 30% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply passes, was now at the centre of a security of supply crisis that could reshape energy markets. JP Morgan's commodities team noted that regime change in oil-producing countries has historically driven oil prices an average of 30% higher for a minimum of three months, which it described as pointing to a game-changing situation for energy markets. The bank said that despite recent strong performance, European oil stocks had re-coupled to the oil price and valuations were efficient rather than outright expensive, meaning macroeconomic and geopolitical factors remained the primary driver of near-term share price performance. For investors seeking to increase their exposure to energy, JP Morgan said it favoured stocks offering direct leverage to the oil price, long-life production assets weighted towards liquids rather than gas, and valuations that became more attractive under higher oil price scenarios. The broker acknowledged that the duration of the conflict and its ultimate impact on supply flows remained highly uncertain, but said the risk-reward for energy stocks had shifted materially in favour of buyers. Several major US banks, including JPMorgan and Citigroup, have directed their employees in the Middle East to work remotely. This move comes as regional instability increases following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran, which led to retaliatory missile attacks from Tehran targeting Gulf states and other US allies. JPMorgan and Citigroup do not expect their operations in the region to be disrupted, according to sources familiar with the matter. In a statement to Retail Banker International, a spokesperson from Citi said: The safety of our employees is our number one priority, and we are continuing to take measures to help keep our employees and their families safe. We are continuing to serve our clients and we have robust contingency and resilience plans in place for that purpose. Other international banks are also implementing precautionary steps. Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group have advised employees to postpone travel to the region. Mizuho, which has offices in Dubai and Riyadh, indicated that voluntary evacuation is being considered for its staff. When approached for comment, the HSBC bank said: The safety and security of colleagues and customers remain our top priority. We are following government guidelines for working arrangements in affected countries and have plans in place to maintain our usual services for our customers. We continue to monitor events closely. Goldman Sachs has advised its regional workforce to work from home and comply with local official guidance, reported Business Insider. The bank has also put additional safety measures in place and is maintaining communication with clients as events unfold. "JPMorgan, Citi shift to remote work in Middle East amid Iran conflict" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. Nvidia keeps pulling investors back in. My read on JPMorgans latest call is that the bank is quietly moving its number higher because the AI engine is still running hot, even if the stocks daytoday moves have turned messy. JPMorgan quietly moves its Nvidia target JPMorgan raised its 12month price target on Nvidia to $265 from $250 while keeping an overweight rating on the stock, according to an analyst action summary circulated by MT Newswires and posted on MarketScreener. The update was triggered after Nvidia issued another upbeat revenue outlook around its latest AIdriven quarter. Related: Goldman Sachs resets Nvidia stock forecast after earnings Harlan Sur maintains Nvidia with a Buy rating and lifts his price target to $265 from $250, as seen on Futu. Likewise, Nvidia gets a Buy from J.P. Morgan, and the new 265dollar objective now sits roughly in line with the wider analyst consensus, said The Globe and Mail in its coverage of the updated call. This isnt a screaming upgrade, and it doesnt need to be. To me, it reads as a reset that keeps JPMorgan in step with a fastmoving consensus and underlines that the firm still sees room for upside after the latest earnings call and guidance. Nvidia continues to deliver strong earnings and outlooks, even as the stock sometimes sells off on worries that the AI boom is fully priced in, wrote Intellectia.ai in a recent recap of the stocks behavior. JPMorgan sets a new target for Nvidia.Photo by danielvfung on Getty Images Photo by danielvfung on Getty Images What seems to be driving the new Nvidia number JPMorgan hasnt laid out every line of its model in public, but its possible to reverseengineer the logic from how other big banks are framing their targets. Goldman Sachs kept a $250 target on Nvidia based on an estimate of about $382.9 billion in revenue by 2027 and a roughly 30times pricetoearnings multiple on forward AI earnings, according to FXOpen. More Nvidia: Paying that kind of multiple doesnt seem out of bounds, given Nvidias dominance in datacenter acceleration and its historical valuation range. Jefferies lifted its Nvidia target to $275 from $250 on the view that Blackwellgeneration chips and advanced gaming GPUs can keep earnings growing well past 2026, according to a January report highlighted by Tikr. Nvidia will remain the dominant supplier of acceleration solutions for data centers, Jefferies said in that note, which helps justify the higher target. JPMorgan's call fits Nvidias 2026 story The cluster of changes around Nvidias latest earnings matters almost as much as the specific numbers. JPMorgans adjustment landed alongside target hikes from Raymond James and Citigroup after Nvidia issued what one wire service described as a bullish revenue forecast for the coming quarter, according to MarketScreener's feed. The average Nvidia target sat around $254 with a unanimous buy or overweight consensus heading into this earnings cycle, said Alpha Signal Monitor in its February 16 briefing. Some of that optimism rests on aggressive AI capex assumptions. Goldman remains well above the Street on Nvidias longterm datacenter revenue, as it expects hyperscaler and enterprise AI budgets to keep climbing into 2027 instead of flattening, reported FXOpen. Nvidia shares have occasionally dropped on strong quarters because traders fear that growth is peaking or that export rules and competition will bite harder later in the decade, wrote Intellectia.ai. Put together, the story looks like this: Models are moving up because Nvidias numbers keep impressing, but the market is more selective about how much future AI growth it wants to price in today. JPMorgans 15dollar bump offers a signal that, on balance, the bank still thinks the fundamentals justify more upside than the current quote suggests. Related: History of Nvidia: Company timeline and facts What other forecasters are saying about Nvidia Heres how the wider Nvidia forecast crowd lines up right now, based on recent surveys and bank notes. Streetwide analyst consensus : The average 12month Nvidia target is about $256.50, with a strong buy rating from more than 40 analysts and a range running from roughly $250 to $352. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley : Nvidia targets sit near $250 at both firms, using forward earnings and a premium multiple to anchor the math. Goldmans 250dollar call rests on a 2027 revenue forecast north of $380 billion and a 30times forward P/E. Bank of America and Wedbush : Targets are in the 275dollar camp here. Bank of America and Wedbush each see $275 as fair value, effectively baking in more AI upside and a stillhealthy multiple on 2027 earnings. Evercore ISI and other aggressive bulls: The very top of the range sits with firms like Evercore ISI, which has a Streethigh 352dollar target on Nvidia, reflecting a more extreme view on both AI growth and Nvidias ability to defend its moat. Sources: Intellectia.ai and FXOpen A tight band of bigname targets in the mid200s with a few outliers above $300 is how FXOpen described the current Nvidia landscape in its survey of 2026-2030 forecasts. Nvidias new 265dollar target from JPMorgan effectively matches that evolving consensus, added The Globe and Mail, underlining how strongly clustered these calls have become. What stands out across that list isnt any one hero number. Its that many serious forecasters are making roughly the same bet: Nvidia probably has 25% to 35% upside over the next year if AI spending stays on its current trajectory and the company keeps executing on its product roadmap. How an investor might use these Nvidia forecasts Price targets are inputs, not roadmaps, but they do serve as useful signposts. JPMorgans updated $265 objective now lands almost on top of where the wider average has drifted, and most of the big firms are telling clients a similar story. Nvidia remains a core way to play AI, and they are willing to accept a premium multiple today because they expect earnings to grow into it over the next two or three years. If I were deciding what to do with Nvidia for the rest of 2026, two questions would stay front and center. Do I believe that cloud, enterprise, and government AI spending will keep compounding into 2027 and 2028 the way Goldman, JPMorgan, and Jefferies are modeling? And if that spending undershoots or a serious rival closes the gap, am I comfortable holding a stock that still leans heavily on an AI premium? JPMorgans move doesnt settle that debate, but it does show where the weight of professional opinion still sits. The Street, on balance, sees more upside than downside from here. The challenge is making sure that your own risk tolerance and time horizon match that view. Related: Veteran analyst sends shocking message on Nvidia after earnings This story was originally published by TheStreet on Mar 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Burke said North America declined year-over-year as expected, with other divisions more than making up the shortfall. He attributed the North American profit decline largely to Suncoast, which is exposed to the U.S. residential market. He said Suncoasts year-over-year pricing differential reflected an unusually strong first half of 2024 that did not repeat in 2025, while lower volumes reflected what he described as a trough in residential activity. Chief Financial Officer David Burke said 2025 was another record year despite currency headwinds, with revenue up 5.9% on a constant-currency basis. Underlying operating profit rose 6.5% on a constant-currency basis, while the underlying operating margin was held at 7.1%. Chief Executive James Wroath, appointed last August, said the groups performance was underpinned by geographic diversity, sector agility, and resilience. He highlighted North Americas outperformance versus the wider U.S. construction market, continued improvement in Europe and the Middle East, and sustained progress in Asia-Pacific. The company also reported a strengthened balance sheet, robust free cash flow, a move to a net cash position for the first time in 25 years, and increased shareholder returns through a higher dividend and an expanded share buyback plan. Keller Group (LON:KLR) reported what management described as an outstanding set of record full-year results for 2025, citing operational and commercial improvements across the business despite what it called a mixed market backdrop and a translational foreign-exchange headwind. Operational mix and strategic priorities: North America showed mixed results (Suncoast/residential weakness) while Europe, Middle East and APAC improved and data centers contributed strongly; management is focused on selective bolton M&A, maintaining a leverage target of 0.5x1.5x and an enhanced dividend cover range of 2.5x3.5x. Material boost to shareholder returns: The board raised the total dividend by 41.6% to 70.4p and expanded buybacks after two 25m tranches in 2025 with a further intended 100m repurchase planned for 2026. Record 2025 financials: Revenue rose 5.9% on a constant-currency basis and underlying operating profit increased 6.5% with a 7.1% margin, while free cash flow was 175.9m and the group moved to a net cash position of 59.7m for the first time in 25 years. Story Continues Super Micro: Why the Shadow of NVIDIA Is a Profitable Place to Be Within North America, Burke said the foundations business was down on a very strong 2024, but performed better than management had expected at the outset of the year as margins held up despite tighter competition. He also pointed to a strong year from the combined Moretrench RECON business, helped by favorable weather and a sizable LNG project on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Europe and the Middle East delivered a year-over-year operating profit increase of GBP 30.7 million versus 2024, which Burke described as a low base. He said performance benefited from contract issues in the Middle East not repeating and from operational improvement across Europe, with the exception of the U.K. He added that Keller is winding out operations in Mauritius and Seychelles beginning in 2026. Home Depot & Lowes: Buying the Earnings Dip In APAC, management said performance remained solid, with Austral and India highlighted as key contributors to growth. Burke noted that 2024 APAC results were helped by a profit on a property sale, and said 2025 margin performance was impressive in that context. Earnings, dividend, and buybacks Burke said net finance costs were broadly flat and largely represented the outlay on fixed U.S. private placement debt, while the effective tax rate was 23%, similar to the prior year. Underlying earnings per share increased 5.7% to 211.3 pence, which management attributed to improved profitability and the impact of share buybacks. The board proposed a final dividend of 52.1 pence, bringing the total dividend for the year to 70.4 pence, an increase of 41.6% versus 2024. Management said Keller has maintained or grown its dividend each year since its stock market listing, describing this as a 31-year record. Keller also expanded its buyback plans. After announcing two GBP 25 million tranches in 2025, the company disclosed a further intended GBP 100 million buyback to be executed in 2026. Cash generation and balance sheet Free cash flow for 2025 was GBP 175.9 million, according to Burke, who said capital expenditure remained around depreciation levels. He noted that working capital movements were influenced by a higher level of advance payments on a couple of contracts in 2024 compared to 2025. Cash tax payments fell due to a change in U.S. tax treatment for R&D credits, allowing a full in-year deduction. The group ended the year in a net cash position on an IAS 17 covenant basis, with Burke citing GBP 59.7 million of net cash. He said cash generation supported the move to net cash despite the outlay on share buybacks, and described the groups funding position as comfortable, with around GBP 730 million of headroom. Wroath also addressed the current conflict in the Middle East, stating that Kellers priority is the safety of employees and their families, and that all staff are accounted for and safe. He added that the Middle East represents less than 5% of group revenue and profit. Strategy, markets, and capital allocation framework Wroath said his first six months in the role have focused on visiting operations across APAC, Europe, the Middle East, and North America to understand Kellers culture and strengths. He credited prior leadership with embedding a commercial mindset and contract discipline, integrating past acquisitions, and investing in systems and processes to reinforce margin delivery and execution. Both Wroath and Burke emphasized the role of local market share in driving earnings, describing Kellers markets as highly local and fragmented. Wroath said prior strategy work identified more than 1,000 potential acquisition targets in the U.S. alone, but stressed that Keller is taking time to assess where acquisitions could best accelerate growth. Burke reiterated that the company is focused on selective bolt-on deals and said there was a pipeline but no imminent purchase. The board reviewed capital allocation following the move to net cash, maintaining a leverage target range of 0.5x to 1.5x. Burke said the company adopted an enhanced dividend policy with a target cover range of 2.5x to 3.5x, with 2025 dividends covered around 3x compared to 4x in 2024. In Q&A, management highlighted several market themes: U.S. end markets: Wroath said bidding activity is seeing an uptick in infrastructure and public spending, while residential remains weaker. Burke said the company saw no reason it could not repeat North Americas 2025 performance in 2026, although early-year weather had affected activity. Suncoast pricing: Burke said pricing normalized after the first-half 2024 boom, and future improvement would likely depend more on volume, which management said could be influenced by U.S. rate cuts. He added the company was not assuming significant profitability uplift from a residential rebound in its 2026 forecasting. Germany: Wroath said Keller had not yet seen an impact from anticipated infrastructure spending discussions, though he said the company is positioned for large infrastructure opportunities. Project examples and outlook Wroath used project case studies to illustrate Kellers engineering-led approach and ability to deploy techniques across geographies. He discussed a project in Lulea, Sweden, where Kellers team developed what he described as a more cost-effective, lower-carbon solution by combining techniques including vibro compaction, vibro stone columns, dynamic compaction, and wet soil mixing alongside concrete piles in the heaviest load areas. He also highlighted data centers as an area of growing demand linked to AI and high-powered computing, while noting that many of these are smaller contracts. Wroath said around 90% of Kellers global contracts in 2025 were valued at less than GBP 1 million, representing about 30% of revenue. He added that Keller completed 120 data center projects in North America in 2025, contributing more than GBP 100 million of group revenue. Looking ahead, Wroath said Keller enters the new financial year with a high-quality order book, healthy tendering activity, a strong balance sheet, and what he called a clear strategic direction. While noting macroeconomic uncertainty, he said most markets are robust and bidding activity remains healthy, supported by structural drivers such as infrastructure investment, population growth, energy transition, climate resilience, and new technology adoption. The company plans to provide more detail on its growth strategy at a capital markets event in the second half of the year. About Keller Group (LON:KLR) Keller Group plc provides specialist geotechnical services in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers ground improvement services, grouting, deep foundations, earth retention, marine, and instrumentation and monitoring services, as well as post-tension systems and industrial services. It also provides solutions, such as bearing capacity improvement, low carbon construction, containment, excavation support, stabilisation, marine structures, seepage control, slope stabilization, and monitoring. The article "Keller Group Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. On cash flow, the company reported adjusted EBITDA of 101 million and a working capital outflow of 107 million , which was broadly in line with the prior year and described as typical for the first half. Capex was 24 million , largely linked to lease payments capitalized under IFRS 16. The result was a free cash outflow of 42 million , which management said was slightly improved versus the prior-year period. The group ended the half with a net cash position of 103 million , compared with 58 million at December 2024. Kier also highlighted an operational milestone: an average net cash position of 16.8 million for the half, compared with an average net debt position of 37.6 million in the prior-year period. Togwell said this marked the first time in 13 years the company had delivered average net cash. CFO Tom said first-half revenue increased 2.6% to 2,029 million , while adjusted operating profit rose 6.6% to 71 million . The adjusted operating margin improved modestly to 3.5% (up 10 basis points year-over-year), which management said was consistent with its full-year margin target range of 4% to 4.5% , given the usual second-half weighting. Chief Executive Stuart Togwell, delivering his first half-year presentation in the role, said the groups order book rose 5% during the period to a record 11.6 billion , providing multi-year visibility. Kier said it has secured 94% of expected FY2026 revenue and 78% of expected FY2027 revenue through its order book. Chief Financial Officer Tom (who joined in January) added that the group has a 35 billion pipeline visible for this year and next, with framework positions supporting at least five years of revenue visibility. Kier Group (LON:KIE) reported a strong first half in its FY2026 results, citing growth in revenue and profit, a record order book, and a milestone improvement in cash generation that management said it had not achieved in 13 years. Kier proposed a 30% interim dividend increase to 0.026 per share and a new 25m buyback, refinanced a 190m RCF and received rating upgrades to BB+, while flagging roughly 30m pa of fire/cladding remediation costs for FY202627 that should taper after FY2027. Infrastructure Services drove growth (revenue +4.9% to 1,083m; 4.5% margin) while Construction fell 1.3% to 920m amid a shift to modular build that management expects will improve secondhalf revenue and cash timing. Kier delivered a strong first half with revenue up 2.6% to 2,029m and adjusted operating profit up 6.6% to 71m, ending the period with net cash of 103 million and a record order book of 11.6 billion that secures the majority of FY202627 revenue. Story Continues Divisional trends: infrastructure growth, construction transition, property progress Infrastructure Services was the main contributor to first-half revenue growth, with revenue up 4.9% to 1.083 billion. Management attributed this to road capital projects, increased rail work including HS2, and a ramp-up in water activity under AMP8. The division delivered adjusted operating profit of 48.2 million, up 2.1 million, while maintaining a 4.5% margin. Home Depot & Lowes: Buying the Earnings Dip Construction revenue was 920 million, down 1.3%. Tom said the decline reflected a transition to modular construction, with an expectation that revenue would bounce back in the second half as offsite work moves on-site. The construction business maintained an operating margin of 3.9%. In Q&A, management said modular construction can bring cash in slightly earlier and could be positive from a cash perspective. Property transactions increased modestly, and management again pointed to a seasonally stronger second half. Togwell said the property division remains on track to deliver its long-term ROCE target of 15% by FY2028. Kier disclosed property gross development value of 3 billion, with 60% of sites holding planning permission, six sites in construction, and four schemes being actively marketed for sale. Order book, frameworks, and recent wins Management provided additional color on order book composition and framework opportunities. Infrastructure Services order book stands at 7.1 billion, up 6%, with 92% of FY2026 work secured. Constructions order book is 4.5 billion, up 5%, with 96% secured for FY2026. Examples of framework and project activity cited on the call included: National Highways Legacy Concrete Framework (over 900 million , Kier one of three) Thames Water treatment works upgrade at Maple Lodge ( 280 million ) A two-year extension at Hinkley Point C Appointment to British Airways Better Buildings Framework Construction: placement on the 37 billion New Hospital Programme 2.0 Alliance framework Construction: placement on the Department for Educations 15 billion CF25 framework Construction: Government Property Agency hub in Darlington (85 million) Togwell noted that some Department for Education pre-construction agreements (including eight schools awarded in the second quarter) were not yet reflected in the order book. He also said the group aims to hold meaningful positions on frameworks, often targeting one in three, to help influence delivery approaches and work closely with customers. Shareholder returns, safety remediation costs, and financing Kier announced a proposed interim dividend increase to 0.026 per share, which management described as a 30% increase, alongside a new 25 million share buyback program. This follows completion of a prior 20 million buyback. During the half, Kier paid 23 million in dividends, executed 14 million of buybacks, and purchased 15 million of shares for its employee benefit trust. Adjusted items in the half totaled 10.7 million (excluding non-cash amortization interest) and were described as solely related to fire and cladding compliance costs. Tom said the company expects around 30 million of such charges for FY2026 and a similar level in FY2027, with costs expected to reduce after FY2027 and be resolved by the end of FY2028. In Q&A, he said the estimates reflect a project-by-project assessment of potential liabilities and insurance recoveries, noting the uncertainty around when liabilities crystallize. On financing, Kier said it refinanced its revolving credit facility in October with a new three-year 190 million facility, including an option to extend for two additional years. The company also referenced credit rating improvements, with S&P upgrading it to BB+ and Fitch moving its outlook from stable to positive while maintaining BB+. In response to an analyst question, Tom said the company will review options around its bond, which he described as carrying a 9% coupon, and may consider going to market at the end of the first quarter. Looking ahead, Togwell said momentum had continued into the second half with further framework appointments, and that the group was trading in line with board expectations, with full-year expectations unchanged. Management reiterated medium-term targets including revenue growth above GDP, adjusted operating margin of 4% to 4.5%, cash conversion of around 90% of operating profit, average net cash, and dividend cover of around three times earnings through the cycle. About Kier Group (LON:KIE) Kier Group is a leading infrastructure services, construction and property group based in the UK. Our purpose is to sustainably deliver infrastructure which is vital to the UK with a vision is to be the UK's leading infrastructure services and construction company. We operate through three segments; Infrastructure Services, Construction and Property. Infrastructure Services comprises our Transportation and Natural Resources, Nuclear and Networks business. Transportation: builds and maintains roads for National Highways and a number of district and county councils as well as our rail, airports' infrastructure and ports' businesses. Natural Resources, Nuclear and Networks: delivers long-term contracts providing repairs, maintains and support capital projects to the water, energy, and telecommunications sectors. Construction comprises of our Regional Building, Strategic Projects, Kier Places (Housing Maintenance and Facilities Management), and International businesses. The article "Kier Group H1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Achieved record revenue and earnings in 2025 driven by the successful integration of Helly Hansen and continued market share gains for Wrangler. Wrangler's growth was fueled by double-digit gains in female, western, and D2C categories, alongside consistent share expansion in core denim bottoms. Helly Hansen outperformed initial acquisition expectations, contributing significant revenue and earnings accretion within the first seven months of ownership. Project Genius reached its halfway point, successfully creating investment capacity and enhancing operational efficiency across the global supply chain. Lee is undergoing a strategic repositioning involving refreshed brand identity and distribution alignment, with a return to growth expected in the second half of 2026. Management attributed margin expansion to favorable product mix and the realization of structural synergies from the new multibrand platform. Management also acknowledged shortfalls versus prior goals. Inglis said production growth came more slowly than expected and net debt ended 2025 higher than planned, but added that the company had laid the groundwork to deliver in 2026. Inglis said GTA reached a key milestone in the fourth quarter, with the floating LNG vessel producing at its 2.7 million ton per annum nameplate equivalent through December. On the balance sheet, he said Kosmos reduced near-term maturities and added hedges to manage oil price exposure. Chairman and CEO Andy Inglis characterized 2025 as a transitional year aimed at building a sustainable lower cost business. He said the company delivered safe operations with no lost time or recordable injuries and achieved 1P reserves replacement of around 90%, or about 120% excluding the assets being sold in Equatorial Guinea (EG). Inglis also highlighted the extension of the Ghana licenses to 2040 and quarterly production growth through 2025 as Jubilee drilling resumed and GTA production ramped. Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS) used its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings call to reiterate its near-term prioritiesgrowing production, reducing costs, and paying down debtwhile outlining early 2026 operational momentum across its core assets in Ghana and the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project offshore Mauritania and Senegal. Growth pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico: Kosmos expects a final investment decision for the Tiberias development in H1 2026 with a planned postFID farmdown, and has entered a strategic alliance with Shell to explore the Norphlet play (first prospect Trailblazer targets >200 mboe, drilling planned in 2027). Cost and balance-sheet actions: Kosmos cut 2025 capex to $290M and plans ~ $350M capex in 2026, aims to reduce OpEx by more than $100M (and lower overhead after >$25M savings), is acquiring the TEN FPSO to reduce future OpEx, raised liquidity via a $350M Nordic bond, and targets at least a 10% net debt reduction in 2026 supported by the planned Equatorial Guinea asset sale and hedging. Operational ramp-up: Jubilee production is now above 70,000 bbl/d gross with new wells (J74 ~13,000 bbl/d gross) and five more expected in 2026, while GTA LNG averaged about 2.9 mtpa equivalent year-to-date and Kosmos is targeting 3236 gross LNG cargoes in 2026. Story Continues In Ghana, Inglis said the Jubilee drilling program is continuing to deliver. The second producer well in the current campaign (J74) came online in January and is contributing around 13,000 barrels of oil per day gross, including cannibalization effects from neighboring wells. He said this has taken Jubilee production to more than 70,000 barrels of oil per day gross, with five additional Jubilee wells expected online during 2026. Discussing cannibalization during Q&A, Inglis said impacts vary well-to-well based on infrastructure and gas-oil ratio. As a rule of thumb, he suggested that a 10,000 barrel-per-day well might see roughly 2,500 barrels per day backed out on average, while J74s net back-out was close to zero because it was brought in through a new riser that relieved pressure elsewhere. Home Depot & Lowes: Buying the Earnings Dip Kosmos maintained a Jubilee gross production forecast range of 70,00080,000 barrels per day, with current performance supporting the upper end. Inglis said the company assumes an approximate 20% decline rate in its forecast, while year-to-date performance has been better due in part to a 130% volume replacement ratio. He also pointed to the potential benefits of new seismic work, including recently completed ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic that is being processed and is expected to improve imaging for future well placement and recovery. At GTA, Inglis said fourth-quarter performance continued into early 2026. Production has averaged about 2.9 million tons per annum equivalent year-to-date, partially helped by cooler seasonal weather, and 6.5 gross LNG cargoes had been shipped year-to-date. The company is targeting 3236 gross LNG cargoes in 2026 and three gross condensate cargoes. In Q&A, Inglis said the apparent mismatch between early quarterly pace and the annual cargo range is primarily seasonal, with Q1 and Q4 expected to be strongest and lower volumes anticipated during warmer summer quarters. He said there is no planned turnaround embedded in the annual guidance. Inglis also confirmed that volumes above the 2.45 million tons per annum contract level with BP are sold under the same contract pricing. Cost reductions, capital allocation, and Ghana FPSO plans CFO Neal Shah said Kosmos is shifting from a growth investment phase toward margin improvement, emphasizing cost reductions across capital spending, operating costs, and overhead. Shah said 2025 capital expenditure was $290 milliondown nearly 70% year over year and the lowest since 2017. For 2026, the company is targeting capex of about $350 million, including around $40 million associated with the TEN FPSO purchase. Management set out 2026 cost objectives that include: CapEx: around $350 million, with roughly 70% allocated to Ghana and about 15% to the Gulf of Mexico (including Winterfell and long-lead items for Tiberias) OpEx: an absolute reduction of more than $100 million year over year, rising to around $250 million after the EG producing assets are sold Overhead: full-year benefit in 2026 from cost savings implemented in 2025, after exceeding a $25 million reduction target Inglis said the partnership has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire the TEN FPSO at the end of its lease term in early 2027. He said this is expected to reduce OpEx from 2026 onward, as lease payments will be classified as capex until early next year and then eliminated. In Q&A, Inglis said the FPSO purchase and new seismic could support the economics of future TEN drilling, potentially in 20272028, but he reiterated the strength of Jubilee well economics, noting the last 12 Ghana wells averaged around a nine-month payback, with the latest two closer to six months. Balance sheet actions, hedging, and EG asset sale Shah said Kosmos has been actively working to enhance the balance sheet, pointing to the $350 million Nordic bond completed in January. He said $250 million of proceeds will repay 2027 notes and $100 million will pay down the companys reserve-based lending (RBL) facility. On the RBL, Shah said the bank group granted a leverage covenant waiver covering year-end 2025 and the mid-year 2026 tests. In Q&A, Shah said the mid-year 2026 leverage covenant was raised from 3.5 to 4.25, which he said accommodates second-half 2025 underperformance and lower oil prices, providing cushion down to 60-ish Brent. He added that, based on guidance and forecasts, the company expects leverage to return to normal levels by year-end as GTA ramp-up rolls through the last-twelve-month calculation. Management said it is targeting at least a 10% net debt reduction in 2026, helped by the announced sale of producing assets in Equatorial Guinea and by free cash flow and other potential non-core asset sales. On hedging, Shah said the company has 8.5 million barrels hedged for 2026 and two million barrels hedged for 2027. He added that after the EG sale, Kosmos will retain its hedges, increasing 2026 hedge exposure to over 50%. Addressing the borrowing base in Q&A, Shah said the RBL is underpinned by Ghana reserves and EG, and he expects both to be included in the March process. After the transaction closes (discussed as occurring in Q2), he said EG will come out of the borrowing base and estimated the impact at roughly plus-or-minus $100 million, adding that the company was well overcollateralized from a Ghana perspective. Gulf of Mexico: impairment, Tiberias FID target, and Shell alliance Inglis said Gulf of Mexico performance in the quarter and year was in line with expectations, with strong results from Odd Job and Kodiak and minimal storm downtime, offset by lower Winterfell performance. Due to drilling and completions challenges at Winterfell, Kosmos recorded an impairment following a fair value assessment with auditors. Inglis said the company is working with operators to refine the drilling program to reduce risk. Looking ahead, management outlined two growth initiatives in the Gulf. First, Kosmos has advanced a low-cost development plan for Tiberias in the Upper Wilcox with 50/50 partner Occidental (Oxy), where Kosmos is operator and Oxy owns and operates the Lucius host facility. Inglis said Kosmos expects to take final investment decision in the first half of 2026, with most capex in 2027 and 2028, and plans to farm down post-FID to around a one-third interest. In Q&A, Shah said the farm-down concept is to bring in a third partner to reach one-third, one-third, one-third ownership, with the new partner paying its share of capital costs and potentially paying back-cost and other consideration. Second, Inglis said Kosmos entered a strategic alliance with Shell to jointly explore the Norphlet play, exchanging interests in multiple blocks with prospects he said target more than 400 million barrels of oil equivalent gross within tieback distance of Shells Appomattox facility. The first prospect, Trailblazer, targets more than 200 million barrels of oil equivalent gross, with drilling planned for 2027. Inglis said Kosmos has flexibility to adjust working interest to manage capital exposure. In closing remarks, Inglis said Kosmos aims in 2026 to deliver 15% year-on-year production growth, a 20% reduction in total operating costs, and net debt reduction of at least 10%, with the combined effect expected to lower OpEx per barrel by around 35%. About Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS) Kosmos Energy Ltd. is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Since its founding in 2003, the company has focused on identifying and developing hydrocarbon reserves in frontier and emerging basins around the world. Kosmos combines geological and geophysical expertise with a disciplined approach to acreage acquisition and partner selection to pursue highimpact offshore exploration opportunities. The company's portfolio is anchored by assets in West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. The article "Kosmos Energy Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Little Rapids Corporation has consolidated Shawano Specialty Papers and Nexxa into one entity, now operating as Rapids Paper + Packaging. This newly combined division will remain part of the family-owned Little Rapids, a company with more than 100 years of experience in speciality paper and flexible packaging. The merger is intended to integrate capabilities in speciality paper, flexible packaging, printing, and coating technologies, bringing them together under a single structure. According to the company, this alignment is designed to create a more coordinated approach to product development and delivery. Rapids Paper + Packaging will target environmentally conscious practices by focusing on fibre sourcing, water management, waste reduction, and coatings that can help reduce plastic consumption and address recyclability requirements. Among its offerings is Ecova, described by the company as a paper-based packaging solution aimed at helping customers use less plastic. Operations in Green Bay and Shawano, Wisconsin, will continue unchanged, with local teams responsible for technical services and customer support. The company said that existing customer relationships and its operational footprint will be maintained as part of this transition. Little Rapids CEO Angie Sheehan said: This alignment allows us to unlock new possibilities in performance and sustainability. As brands face increasing pressure to reduce plastic use and meet evolving environmental expectations, bringing our expertise together creates a stronger foundation to help them move faster, solve complex challenges, and deliver responsible packaging. "Little Rapids unifies paper brands under single division" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. Pitreavie was a major swing factor versus managements expectations. Gray said the company anticipated the business would contribute just under 2 million of operating profit in 2025, but it instead posted a loss of just under 200,000. Management linked that outcome to trading conditions and the impact of the October 2025 incident, which required outsourcing work during what would typically be Pitreavies busiest quarter. Adjusted operating profit fell 28% from the prior year. Gray attributed most of the decline to the distribution business, where adjusted operating profit was down 8.8 million on flat sales due to lower gross margins and higher operating costs. In contrast, manufacturing (excluding Pitreavie) delivered a strong performance, supported by the full-year impact of Polyformes and organic growth in sectors it serves. Gray said group revenue rose 11% year over year. The increase was largely acquisition-driven, with about 28.1 million of the 30.4 million rise attributed to Pitreavie (acquired January 2025) and Polyformes (acquired July 2024). Organic growth was approximately 2.3 million, which management characterized as primarily volume-driven with prices relatively flat year over year. CEO Peter Atkinson and CFO Ivor Gray said the company remains well within its banking facilities and intends to maintain its dividend at 2024 levels, while 2026 will serve as year one of a recovery program aimed at restoring profitability in distribution and returning Pitreavie to expected earnings levels. Macfarlane Group (LON:MACF) executives told investors that 2025 was a tough year despite solid top-line growth, pointing to intense pricing competition in UK packaging distribution, higher operating costs, and the operational and financial disruption caused by a fatal accident at the recently acquired Pitreavie site. Net bank debt increased to 16.2m (within a 40m facility); the dividend will be maintained, buybacks will continue, and management has deprioritised further acquisitions until at least 202728. Management says 2026 is year one of a recovery plan aiming for roughly 23% sales growth , a sustainable ~35% distribution gross margin and efficiency measures, with a 23 year target to restore distribution returns to 7.5%8% and Pitreavie reaching ~2m operating profit by 2027. Story Continues Margin compression and rising costs weighed on distribution Atkinson said packaging distributionabout 75% of group revenuefaced very difficult market conditions in 2025, driven by a weak UK economy, customer decision delays, and the effect of extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on retail customers as they reduced packaging usage to lower EPR fees. IonQ in Rebound Mode: Buy the Thesis, Respect the Risk Despite those headwinds, management highlighted marginal revenue growth of about 0.2% in distribution as encouraging. However, distribution profitability was pressured by aggressive price competition. Gray said group gross margin declined year over year, driven primarily by distribution, where gross margin fell to 35.3% from 37.2%. Atkinson also noted that one corrugate supplier went into administration, forcing Macfarlane to replace a low-cost source with a higher-cost supplier, which contributed to margin decline. Looking ahead, he said management believes a roughly 35% distribution gross margin is sustainable and is being used as an assumption in forward forecasts. Operating expenses rose by 14.5 million, of which 9.6 million was acquisition-related. The company also cited 3.6 million of increased employee costs, including 1.1 million from National Insurance increases, as well as 1.3 million in higher property and logistics costs, including higher rents and commercial vehicle fleet renewals. Atkinson said the East Midlands consolidation from four sites to a new Nottingham site created temporary dual-running and labor costs in 2025, and he expects the step changing costs seen in 2025 will not repeat in 2026. Recovery plan targets growth, cost control, and mix shift Management outlined initiatives designed to rebuild distribution profitability and refocus resources. Atkinson said new business revenue in distribution was down 20% year over year, not due to weak sales pipelines, but because customers prioritized immediate cost reductions and delayed decisions due to uncertainty. The company said it rebuilt and strengthened the sales team and expects the pipeline to convert in 2026. Atkinson said the company plans to reallocate resources toward industrial markets over time, while not exiting retail. He described retail as highly competitive and under added pressure from EPR and additional upcoming regulations, including deforestation and void fill regulations. Key distribution priorities discussed included: Driving roughly 2%3% sales growth in 2026 by converting pipeline opportunities. Holding gross margin around 35% while working to rebuild profitability over time. Implementing efficiency programs across sales, logistics, and administration, with an expectation that 2026 costs will be flat or only marginally higher than 2025 despite the full-year NI impact. Reviewing the sourcing model, currently described as ~60% major national suppliers and ~40% local/regional suppliers, to respond to supplier changes and seek better input pricing. Developing a more integrated customer proposition across distribution, design/manufacture, and European capabilities for six identified strategic accounts. In the Q&A, management said it expects a two- to three-year timeline to return distribution to a 7.5%8% return on sales, with 2026 identified as year one of that effort. Executives said success in 2026 for distribution would include returning to modest growth, holding gross margins, and keeping operating cost growth tightly controlled, with an exit run rate that nudges operating margin above the roughly 5% level referenced for 2025. Manufacturing strength and Pitreavie recovery efforts Macfarlane reported 12% sales growth in its design and manufacturing operations (excluding Pitreavie), driven by the full-year contribution from Polyformes and organic growth of just over 3%. Atkinson said growth was particularly strong in aerospace, space, and defense, despite weakness in other markets such as automotive. He added that manufacturing now represents about 40% of group profits and is expected to be a key contributor in 2026. On Pitreavie, Atkinson reiterated that the company acquired the business in January 2025 and experienced a tragic incident in October 2025 that led to the death of a colleague. He said the company focused on employee and family support and on retaining customer loyalty by outsourcing supply while the affected machine was removed from service. Management said customer retention has remained strong, with Atkinson stating no customers have exited and none have indicated dual sourcing. The company ordered a replacement machine from China, which Atkinson said is going through commissioning and training and is expected to be operational at the end of the month, with full operational status expected in the second quarter. Atkinson said the new equipment should provide increased capacity. Management expects Pitreavies 2026 performance to be weighted toward the second half because the business will still incur losses in the first half while outsourcing continues. The company expects Pitreavie to reach the roughly 2 million operating profit initially anticipated from the acquisition in 2027, when it will have a full year of production with the new machine. Balance sheet, capital allocation, pension, and shareholder returns Gray said net bank debt was 16.2 million at the end of 2025, up from 1.9 million at the end of 2024, reflecting acquisitions and capital allocation decisions. He emphasized the group remains within its 40 million banking facilities and is running at just under 1x net debt to EBITDA. Operating cash flow was 24.7 million, supported by working capital inflows and the non-cash impact of a pension adjustment. Cash uses included 17.3 million of acquisition-related spending (including 13.9 million for Pitreavie), 4.5 million in capital expenditure, 5.8 million in dividends, and 2.1 million spent on a share buyback program launched in June 2025, which targets 4 million of repurchases over 12 months. On capital allocation, management said priorities include continued investment in the business, maintaining the dividend, completing the remaining 1.9 million of buybacks, and deprioritizing acquisitions. Atkinson said the company does not plan to execute acquisitions in 2026 and suggested acquisitions are on hold until the back end of 2027 or 2028, though the company will continue to develop longer-term opportunities. Gray added the company expects to pay a remaining Polyformes earn-out of about 2.6 million around July or August. The pension scheme remained in surplus at 6.0 million, down from 9.6 million, which Gray attributed in part to an adjustment linked to a methodology change for estimating historic pension equalization. Management said it is preparing the scheme for a potential buy-in and expects to decide in the coming months whether to proceed based on market pricing, with a goal of achieving a buy-in without additional cash contributions, or only limited contributions if required. In closing remarks, Atkinson said management does not expect market conditions to improve materially in 2026 and warned the industry may remain at the bottom of the cycle for 12 to 18 months. Even so, he said the company expects 2026 to show profit growth versus 2025 as its recovery actions take hold, particularly in the second half of the year. About Macfarlane Group (LON:MACF) Macfarlane Group PLC, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and distributes protective packaging products to businesses in the United Kingdom and Europe. The company operates through Packaging Distribution and Manufacturing Operations segments. The Packaging Distribution segment distributes packaging materials in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. The Manufacturing Operations segment designs, manufactures, and assembles timber, corrugated, and foam-based packaging materials in the United Kingdom. The article "Macfarlane Group H2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. This story was originally published on CX Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CX Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Michaels has updated its loyalty program, revamping its two lowest tiers and adding a third tier for customers that spend at least $1,000 annually, the company announced Monday. All Michaels Rewards members earn 3% of their purchases back as rewards dollars, while members who spend at least $300 annually earn 6%, and members who spend at least $1,000 and Michaels credit card holders earn 9%. "The relaunch of our loyalty program is about recognizing and rewarding our most dedicated shoppers," Heather Bennett, president and chief customer officer at Michaels said in a prepared statement. Dive Insight: Michaels is courting its top-end customers with additional perks. "By introducing a new tier structure with enhanced benefits reaching up to 9% back in rewards, we're saying thank you with more value and more inspiration for every project or celebration our customers take on," Bennett said. Higher-tier members receive coupons for regularly priced items that can be used every day and get early access to certain new products and special events. Members who spend at least $1,000 annually receive a free tote bag in addition to the other benefits. Members with a Michaels credit card receive periodic free shipping on orders that use their card and dont have an annual spend requirement to access the highest tier of benefits. The updated loyalty program includes new rewards for lower tiers as well. All members receive a birthday coupon valid on one regular priced item, with the size of the discount scaling up with the membership tier. They also receive weekly promotions and can make returns without a receipt. All members receive reward vouchers for every $5 in rewards dollars they earn in their account. Vouchers are valid for 32 days from date of issue, and customers can redeem up to five per transaction. Michaels isnt the only company to update its loyalty program in the opening months of 2026. Last month, Gap and Bank of America revamped their overall loyalty offerings, while Raleys changed its program to automatically apply savings at checkout. United Airlines, like Michaels, is updating its loyalty program to emphasize its most loyal customers. Starting in April, travelers with a branded United credit card will earn six points per mile, while general loyalty members will earn three points per mile. All existing Michaels loyalty members and cardholders were automatically transitioned to the programs new structure as of March 1. The retailer will introduce its loyalty program in Canada for the first time next month. By Elizabeth Howcroft PARIS, March 3 (Reuters) - Outflows from Iranian crypto exchanges spiked in the hours after the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, two blockchain analytics companies said, although researchers added it was not possible to be certain what was behind the moves. Funds leaving Iranian crypto exchanges jumped sharply to hit more than $2 million in the hour after the strikes began, U.S. blockchain research company Chainalysis said. Reuters' first reports of the strikes were around 0615 GMT on Saturday. British blockchain researchers Elliptic said outflows from Iran's largest crypto exchange, Nobitex, peaked at $2.89 million between 1100 and 1200 GMT on Saturday, a roughly eightfold increase compared with the previous day's peak hourly outflows. Overall, crypto worth $10.3 million left Iranian crypto exchanges between Saturday and Monday, Chainalysis said. Nobitex was not available for comment. CRYPTO'S GROWING ROLE IN IRAN The data gives a glimpse into the growing role of crypto in Iran, where activity tends to rise sharply after geopolitical shocks, blockchain researchers say. While estimates can differ widely, researchers say crypto transaction volumes hit $8-11 billion in 2025, as state-linked actors and retail investors alike have turned to the digital currency. The United States is looking into whether specific crypto platforms have facilitated sanctions evasion by Iranian officials, Reuters reported in February. IRANIANS HAVE MOVED FUNDS IN RESPONSE TO RISING RISKS Crypto wallet addresses are pseudonymous - recorded on the blockchain as a string of letters and numbers - making it difficult to establish who is behind transactions. Chainalysis said it was not clear who had moved funds in the last few days or why. "Some of these flows are almost certainly ordinary Iranians moving funds in response to rising risk," Chainalysis said. "Others may be exchanges reshuffling liquidity or attempting to reduce the visibility of their operations on-chain, or state-aligned actors leveraging mainstream platforms to transfer funds." Elliptic said that initial tracing suggested the funds were being sent to overseas crypto exchanges, and "potentially represents capital flight from Iran". Another U.S. blockchain research firm, TRM, said via email that the flows at Nobitex were "more indicative of activity under stress than evidence of systemic capital flight". Cryptocurrencies remain a small part of the global financial system, but their use is expected to grow in emerging markets with weak currencies, the International Monetary Fund has said. (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Barbara Lewis) Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) ranks among the best spring stocks to buy right now. Mizuho reaffirmed its Outperform rating and $51 price target for Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) on February 18. The company raked in adjusted earnings per share of $0.82, which matched the average estimate. Meanwhile, revenue for the quarter came in at $4.12 billion, beating analyst projections of $4.03 billion. Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) also outperformed expectations in terms of free cash flow and EBITDA, according to Mizuho. Mizuho Reaffirms Outperform Rating on Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) as Q4 Revenue Beats Estimates at $4.12 Billion Although winter storm Fern affected first-quarter 2026 volumes, causing them to fall slightly short of projections, standalone 2026 guidance was largely in line with expectations. The companys Business Optimization Plan, which aims to save about $1 billion overall, is 85% accomplished and on schedule for the end of 2026. Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) also reported a roughly 15% ownership investment in Fervo Energy through a Series E funding deal. Mizuho stated that it will seek more details on how the Fervo Energy investment relates to the merged companys shale and Delaware Basin inventories. Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) is a prominent player in the United States energy market, specializing in the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. While we acknowledge the potential of DVN 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. READ NEXT: 10 Best Magic Formula Stocks for 2025 and 10 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. National trust banking charters arent simply for fintechs, it turns out. Morgan Stanley has applied with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to create a national trust bank, according to documents made public Friday. Morgan Stanley Digital Trust National Association, as it would be called, intends to custody certain digital assets and conduct certain activities incidental to the business of banking, including the purchase, sale, swap and transfer of digital assets to support client investment activities, and facilitate customer staking of digital assets on a fiduciary basis, according to the application, seen by Banking Dive. The trust bank would support Morgan Stanleys wealth-management arm, the bank said. To reinforce that connection, the application lists Chad Turner, Morgan Stanleys head of wealth management platforms, as proposed president of MSDTNA. The digital trusts other two listed executives, proposed CEO John Ryan and proposed Chief Operating Officer Amanda Kan, are now president and COO, respectively, of U.S. banks for Morgan Stanley, according to LinkedIn. Morgan Stanleys application, filed Feb. 18, became public on a day when the OCC finalized a proposal arguably meant to clarify that national trusts may engage in business of banking activities, including nonfiduciary custody. The purpose of the final rule is merely to align the OCCs regulations with the statutory authorization in [The National Bank Act] to avoid any implication that national trust banks may not conduct any activities within the business of banking, the rules text reads. These activities may be part of trust company operations, such as custody, or activities related thereto. Until this point, most of the recent applications for national trust banking charters have come from fintech firms specifically, crypto and stablecoin-minded ones that are looking for federal oversight but through a license framework that generally doesnt involve deposit-taking. Circle, Ripple, Paxos, BitGo and Fidelity Digital Assets received the OCCs conditional approval in December for national trust banking charters. Stripe subsidiary Bridge and Crypto.com each received a conditional green light last month. Meanwhile, firms continue to apply: Cross-border platform Payoneer announced last week that it applied for a national trust banking charter. World Liberty Financial, led by the family of President Donald Trump, has also applied for a national trust banking charter a move thats been derided by some of the White Houses political opponents. By Mike Dolan March 3 - What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Mike Dolan, Editor-At-Large, Finance and Markets Day three of the escalating Middle East war continues to rattle world markets and there are no signs yet of when or where the widening regional conflict may end - only a running assumption that it will be measured in weeks and not just days. Energy prices remain the epicenter of the financial transmission, and crude oil is climbing again as shipping, oil and gas installations and military and civilian targets are hit as Iran continues to retaliate to the weekend strikes. Ill get into that and more below. But first, check out my latest column on whats really driving the recent dollar rally. And listen to the latest episode of the Morning Bid daily podcast. Subscribe to hear Reuters journalists discuss the biggest news in markets and finance seven days a week. HORMUZ HAZE HITS MARKETS Brent crude hit a 14-month high and, at $82.37 per barrel, it's $10 higher than at Friday's close. U.S. crude hit 8-month highs at $75.55 per barrel, but markets are awaiting a planned government announcement on Tuesday on plans to offset the impact on U.S. consumers. The details of that are unclear but could include a release of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve or some form of domestic subsidies. The bounceback in Wall Street stocks on Monday saw the S&P 500 return to opening levels, led by the tech sector. But that had the feel of programmatic trading hinged on 'buy the dip' models trained on the relatively short-lived energy price spikes seen in recent Middle East conflicts. And this one looks very different. Wall Street stock index futures are back down almost 2%. Stocks across Europe and Asia tumbled sharply today. Japan's Nikkei, the eurozone Stoxx index, and Britain's FTSE 100 all plunged about 3%, while South Korea's high-flying Kospi plummeted 7% on Seoul's return from holiday on Monday. Any thought of a safety bid in sovereign bonds has been quickly brushed aside too, with U.S. Treasury yields on the rise across the curve and the 10-year now up 13 basis points from Friday's close. Markets are now not expecting another Federal Reserve rate cut until September, and there are doubts about whether there'll be a second this year - with just 42bps of cuts priced in by December. Traders are also busily pricing out any possibility of another European Central Bank rate cut. Aggravating that picture was Monday's report showing U.S. manufacturers already registering a sharp spike in input prices in February to their highest levels since 2022 - even before this latest oil surge. Morning Minute is a daily newsletter written by Tyler Warner. The analysis and opinions expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Decrypt. Subscribe to the Morning Minute on Substack. GM! Todays top news: Crypto majors rally Monday before reversing; BTC +2% at $67.4k Uniswap won full dismissal of case claiming damages for scam tokens The BTC ETFs drew $458M in net inflows on Monday Saylor ($200M) and Tom Lee ($100M) continue buying BTC & ETH Kalshi & Polymarket may be halted in Nevada after Federal Court says federal law doesnt preempt state law The Banks Are Coming for Crypto Custody Three of the worlds largest banks made crypto custody moves in the past week. What Happened Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Barclays all made announcements related to crypto custody in the past week. Morgan Stanley filed an application with the OCC on February 18 for a national trust bank charter. The proposed entity, Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association, would offer custody, trading, swaps, staking, and stablecoin issuance under one federally regulated roof. The firms head of digital assets, Amy Oldenburg, confirmed at the Bitcoin for Corporations conference on February 25 that the bank wants to bring Bitcoin trading, lending, yield, and custody in-house. Citigroup announced it will launch institutional Bitcoin custody this year, letting clients hold BTC inside the same safekeeping accounts they use for equities, bonds, and cash. Citis Nisha Surendran, who heads the product buildout, called it making bitcoin bankable. Barclays separately sent RFIs to tech providers for a blockchain payment platform supporting stablecoins and tokenized deposits, with a vendor selection target of April. The bank already has a stake in Tether-adjacent stablecoin startup Ubyx. What Theyre Saying We will be offering our clients a single service model across crypto, securities and money, said Citis Nisha Surendran. Oldenburg on Morgan Stanleys approach: We cant just primarily rent the technology to do this. People expect Morgan Stanley - they trust our brand - to be no fail. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley, reacting broadly: People are going to be stunned this year. The worlds largest institutions and corporates are coming fully into crypto. Why It Matters Morgan Stanley has $8T in AUM. A meaningful slice of that client base already holds crypto off-platform. Theyre betting that a portion of those clients will bring those holdings in house. And the trust bank structure means Morgan Stanley could custody client assets, run staking validators, issue stablecoins, and facilitate tokenized asset trades, competing directly with Coinbase Custody, BitGo, and Anchorage. OSLO, March 3 (Reuters) - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, has made its first investment in renewable energy assets in the United States, buying a 33.3% stake in a portfolio of 17 solar plants and five onshore wind power facilities, it said on Tuesday. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) will pay $425 million for its equity stake, with a total enterprise value of the portfolio of about $2.6 billion, it said in a statement. The assets were located in the United States, an NBIM spokesperson said. British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) and Brookfield will each take a 33.3% stake in the portfolio, which has a capacity of some 2.3 gigawatts (GW) of power, NBIM said. BCI separately said the assets would be owned by the three groups through a jointly held company, Northview Energy, which could invest a further $1.5 billion of equity in additional assets in the United States and Canada. (Reporting by Nora Buli in Oslo and Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, editing by Terje Solsvik) March 2 (Reuters) - Nvidia will invest $2 billion each in photonic product makers Lumentum and Coherent, as it looks to bolster its data center chips with technology that can better cater to the growing need for faster AI processors. Shares of Lumentum were up 5%, while Coherent rose 9% in early trading after the announcement on Monday. At its most recent earnings conference, Nvidia executives said the company would use its large cash reserve to invest in the AI ecosystem and help boost the output of models. Nvidia has been aggressively seeking out new technology to help boost the speed of its chips, with photonics emerging as a popular choice for many chipmakers looking to cater to higher inference requirements. The two deals could also help the AI chip giant extend its lead in the fast-moving AI hardware industry as many top cloud providers take to building custom silicon in order to match their personal AI needs. Custom-chip maker Marvell Technology announced the acquisition of semiconductor startup Celestial AI last year in a $3.25 billion deal to tap into its work on photonics, which uses light rather than electrical signals to create connections between AI chips. One of Nvidia's top customers, Meta , signed a $60 billion deal with rival Advanced Micro Devices last week, fueling the need to improve performance of semiconductors to fend off competitors. Monday's tie-ups include multibillion-dollar purchase commitments from Nvidia and future capacity and access rights to advanced laser and optical networking products from both Lumentum and Coherent. The investments will help the companies support research and development, capacity and operations as they build out U.S. manufacturing capabilities. Lumentum CEO Michael Hurlston said the company will invest in a new fabrication facility to increase capacity. (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Maju Samuel) With a market cap of $57.4 billion, NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NXPI) is a global semiconductor company that designs and supplies a wide range of advanced chip solutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, it sells its products through direct sales offices and independent distributors worldwide. Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally considered large-cap stocks, and NXP Semiconductors fits this criterion perfectly. Its product portfolio includes microcontrollers, application and communication processors, wireless connectivity solutions, analog and interface products, RF devices, security controllers, and environmental and inertial sensors. These technologies support key markets such as automotive, industrial and Internet of Things, mobile devices, and communication infrastructure. More News from Barchart The chipmaker's stock has dipped 11.5% from its 52-week high of $256.36. Over the past three months, shares of NXPI have soared 17.2%, which outpaced the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLK) decline of 2.2% during the same period. www.barchart.com NXPI stock has risen 4.6% on a YTD basis, outperforming XLKs 3.6% decrease. However, in the longer term, shares of NXP Semiconductors have gained 4.7% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind XLKs 24.7% gain over the same time frame. Despite a few fluctuations, NXPI stock has been trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since December 2025. www.barchart.com Shares of NXPI fell 4.5% following its Q4 2025 results on Feb. 2 as investors reacted to a softer-than-expected Q1 2026 outlook, with revenue guided at a midpoint of $3.15 billion, implying a 6% sequential decline. The decline was compounded by deterioration in GAAP profitability, as Q4 operating margin fell to 22.3%, while EPS dropped 28% quarter-on-quarter to $1.79. Sentiment was further pressured by sluggish full-year performance, with 2025 revenue down 3% year-on-year to $12.27 billion and continued weakness in Communications Infrastructure, which declined 18% year-on-year in Q4. In comparison, rival Microchip Technology Incorporated (MCHP) has outpaced NXPI stock. MCHP stock has returned 17.1% on a YTD basis and 30.7% over the past 52 weeks. Oil prices continued to climb on Tuesday amid rising tensions from the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, raising fears of significant supply disruptions from the Middle East. These developments follow joint air strikes by the US and Israel on Iran over the weekend that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which subsequently prompted violent retaliation from Iran. The geopolitical strife has particularly affected the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which approximately 20% of global oil and gas flows. Brent crude futures increased by $3.15, or 4.1%, to $80.89 per barrel (bbl) by 07:45 GMT, reported Reuters. On Monday, Brent reached a peak of $82.37, its highest mark since January 2025, before closing 6.7% higher. Concurrently, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $4.26, or 5.9%, to $75.49/bbl. In the prior session, it briefly touched its highest level since June 2025 before retreating to finish the day 6.3% higher. The conflict escalated as Israel conducted attacks on Lebanon, and Iran launched strikes on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The increased hostilities prompted tankers and container ships to avoid the waterway, forcing insurers to retract coverage for vessels transiting the region and causing global shipping rates for oil and gas to soar. The disruption has led to a cascade of effects on refined product futures. US ultra-low-sulphur diesel futures jumped 8.3% to $3.14 a gallon (gal) after hitting a two-year high on Monday. Meanwhile, gasoline futures rose 3.8% to $2.46/gal following an earlier 3.7% gain. In Europe, gasoil futures gained 9.2%, settling at $967.75 per tonne. Compounding the situation, Saudi Arabia shut down its largest domestic oil refinery, Ras Tanura, after a drone strike, further intensifying concerns over regional supply security. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that the rise in energy prices was anticipated and assured that a strategy is in place to address the issue. Rubio highlighted that the plan aims to mitigate the impact of rising prices, noting that markets are likely to react to ongoing developments. He described the situation as involving a "terroristic regime" that has the potential to disrupt 20% of global energy supplies due to its naval capabilities, and stated that there is an intention to dismantle its naval forces. Oil markets responded with volatility as restrictions tightened around the vital Strait of Hormuz passage and major maritime insurers withdrew war risk coverage for vessels in the Persian Gulf region due to the intensified clashes with Iran. Markets have largely learned to downplay conflict-driven oil shocks, with crude prices often recovering quickly after an initial pop. But analysts say the most recent Iran strikes could be different. Oil prices have surged by roughly 15% since the US and Israel began a major airstrike campaign against Iran on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and provoking a violent and chaotic response from Iran that has engulfed the Middle East. Futures tied to Brent crude (BZ=F) and West Texas Intermediate crude (CL=F) jumped more than 9% Tuesday morning before paring gains. It's unclear whether oil futures will continue to rise. In past conflicts, such as the 12-day war last year between Israel and Iran, prices jumped but fell back down to their previous levels within days. But unlike past flare-ups, the current escalation has already triggered concrete disruptions in shipping and insurance markets, tightening flows even before any confirmed physical damage to major oil infrastructure. "Recent conflicts have generated a more muted response in oil prices, refining margins, and energy equities," Mizuho equity analyst Nitin Kumar said in a client note published on Monday. "But this time may be different." Notably, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and has warned it would fire on any vessel attempting to transit the vital shipping route. Video footage published by Al Jazeera on Monday afternoon showed an oil tanker ablaze in the strait. The move from the Iranian military marks a materially different phase in the conflict. Attacks such as these have a "big psychological impact on the market," Ben Cahill, a nonresident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, told Yahoo Finance. 'A reassessment of geopolitical risk' While Iran's initial retaliation focused primarily on military assets and strategic targets, recent strikes have increasingly impacted energy-linked facilities across the Gulf, leading Saudi Arabia to shut down its largest refinery and Qatar to halt liquid natural gas (LNG) production. The IRGC's latest position attempting a full closure of the strait, something Iran has never successfully enforced, and threatening to fire on vessels that cross further expands the risk premium that has already brought tanker traffic through the waterway to a near standstill. Five vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have now been struck, according to the UK's Maritime Trade Operations agency. Analysts said markets are no longer pricing in just geopolitical risk but also the possibility of a sustained disruption to global energy trade. In a note published Sunday, JPMorgan said its base-case assumption that an unprecedented disruption would remain "improbable" had failed after vessel transit through the strait fell to near zero for the first time in its modern history. Saudi oil refinery Ras Tanura, along the Gulf coast, was targeted Monday, a source described as familiar with the incident told AFP, as Iran launched a fresh barrage at countries across the region. - Bilal Qabalan/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images After an initial spike, oil prices have settled into a $5 to $6 increase after reopening for the first time since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday. The question is how high could oil go in the case of a sustained conflict. Most Read from MarketWatch Strategists at JPMorgan led by Natasha Kaneva, head of global commodities research, say the international Brent benchmark BRN00 could surge to as high as $120. The West Texas Intermediate grade CL00, popular in the U.S., is trading at a $7 discount to Brent. Beyond the initial knee-jerk reaction, the trajectory of oil prices will ultimately depend on four variables: how many barrels are physically disrupted; how long the disruption lasts; in a prolonged disruption, whether credible replacement supply including potential releases from strategic reserves can be mobilized quickly enough to avoid a structural tightening of the global oil balance; and what comes next, says Kaneva. The note was written before a drone hit Saudi Arabias Ras Tanura refinery. Though it only caused limited damage, it was a sign of Irans willingness to strike oil infrastructure in the region. Kaneva and team flagged Iran retaliation as a risk of a drawn-out conflict. We estimate that if the conflict lasts more than three weeks, [Gulf] oil producers would exhaust storage capacity and would be forced to shut in production. Under this scenario, Brent could trade in the $100- $120 range. Given the timeline of these unknowns, we are not making changes to our existing price forecast at this stage, they said. The analysts did note that the Strait of Hormuz is not formally closed, but tanker traffic has seized up due to higher premiums and the potential withdrawal of insurance coverage, not to mention crew-safety concerns. The spike in insurance rates could mean a vessel facing costs of $375,000 per voyage, up from $250,000. Rerouting is possible, but options are limited, they said. Across the seven Gulf producers reliant on Hormuz Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Qatar, and Oman we estimate roughly 343 million barrels of available onshore crude storage capacity, excluding oil already at sea. At current output rates, that equates to about 22 days of stranded crude production, they say. Another 60 empty tankers could absorb a further 50 million barrels, extending operations three to four days. Another interesting element of the note was the analysis of regime change in oil-producing countries. March 2 (Reuters) - OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman said on Monday that the ChatGPT-maker is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to make some changes in their agreement. "We have been working with the DoW (Department of War) to make some additions in our agreement to make our principles very clear," Altman said in a post on X. Altman said one of the additions to the deal states that the Pentagon has affirmed OpenAI services will not be used by Department of War intelligence agencies (for example, the NSA). Any services to those agencies would require a follow-on modification to our contract. Last week, the AI firm announced a deal to deploy technology in the Defense Department's classified network. (Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) To make a mountain of moolah, youve got to raise a mountain of moolah to burn. That is how the saying goes, right? On Friday, OpenAI announced a record-breaking $110 billion haul, lifting its valuation to $730 billion, more than double what it was a year ago. Participation from Nvidia and Amazon made it the latest so-called circular deal, in which money-losing artificial intelligence startups are financed by their own customers. Later the same day, OpenAI announced a deal with the US Department of Defense to provide AI services after a dispute between rival Anthropic and the Trump administration. SUBSCRIBE: Receive more of our free The Daily Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Iran War Ignites US Demand for Cheaper Drone Defense Systems and Amazon Plans Thousands of Satellite Launches to Narrow Gap with Elon Musks Starlink Under Pressure OpenAIs latest fundraising round follows a $30 billion raise by Anthropic, which was valued at $380 billion. Nvidia and Microsoft, another OpenAI investor, were among the participants. In January, Elon Musks xAI raised $20 billion, with Nvidia also in the round. All three AI startups, which have spent billions to scale, have a long way to go before making good on the upside for their hyperscaler investors. Some analysts, pointing to fears the stock market is overindexed on AI, have argued these deals could lead to intensified losses if the AI startups dont deliver. One option for raising more growth capital is a public offering, which OpenAI, Anthropic and xAIs new parent, SpaceX, are all reportedly weighing. In fact, Amazons $50 billion investment in OpenAIs new round encourages it: The money comes in tranches, with $15 billion up front and $35 billion in the coming months upon OpenAI meeting unspecified milestones or completing an IPO or a direct listing of equity securities. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he understands where the concern comes from, but the scale of the deals demonstrates theyre not circular: Palantir has been a major US government contractor for years, working largely with the military and ICE. In 2024, it received a $100 million contract for its Maven Smart System, an AI-enabled battle management platform system that aggregates military data. And last summer, the company received a $10 billion contract from the US Army that the government said will reduce procurement timelines, ensuring soldiers have rapid access to cutting-edge data integration, analytics and AI tools. The stock, which has long been treated skeptically by analysts due to its extreme valuation, was upgraded by at least eight firms last month amid a slump that sent Palantir shares down 38% from a record high on Nov. 3 to a Feb. 24 low. The plunge came amid a barrage of criticism from investor Michael Burry of fame centered on concerns about the companys valuation and potential for growth, as well as scrutiny of its business dealings with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. I dont think the war represents a meaningful change to Palantirs fundamentals, but it validates Palantirs position within the government, and it positions them for continued growth and adoption in many other areas of the military, he said. The war really speaks to the theme of how the company is so embedded in the government and the moat it has there. The positive move in the stock is an emotional reaction to how Palantir is positioned with the government and military, said Tim Pagliara, chief investment officer at Capwealth Advisors, which owns the companys shares. The data-analysis software company, which gets about half its revenue from US government and military contracts, jumped 5.8% on Monday to bring its four-session gain to 13%. The rally started last week as President Donald Trump ratcheted up threats against Iran, and is continuing amid military strikes by the US and Israel on the country. The Trump administration expects the fighting to potentially last for weeks, while Iranian officials say it will probably go on for longer. Wall Street is about as bullish toward Palantir Technologies Inc. as its ever been, as the potential for growth in the companys defense business brings enthusiasm back to the stock following a four-month selloff. Story Continues Even before the airstrikes on Iran began, Wall Street analysts were growing optimistic about Palantir. While concern about the potential for AI to disrupt the software industry helps explain some of the stocks plunge from a record, the company is widely viewed as a beneficiary of AI, a view which was validated by its latest robust earnings. Palantir has shown a path to durable growth in a really challenging environment, said Dave Mazza, chief executive officer at Roundhill Investments, which holds Palantir shares in the Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF. The upgrades show that fundamentals are pretty strong. The risk, however, remains the companys pricey market valuation. Its among the five most-expensive stocks in the S&P 500 Index, with a multiple of roughly 104 times expected earnings over the next 12 months. And at 45 times estimated sales over the next 12 months, its the priciest stock in the benchmark. Of course, thats down from a price-to-earnings ratio of 247 times on Oct. 30 and a price-to-sales ratio of 89 on Aug. 8, making the shares seem like a relative bargain from where they were not that long ago. It makes sense that if analysts liked the fundamentals at $200, theyll like them more at $140, Mazza said. The analyst upgrades, along with a new buy rating from Rosenblatt Securities, have dramatically improved sentiment about the company. Of the 31 analysts following Palantir, 20 rate the stock a buy, nine have hold ratings and two rate it a sell, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. At the start of the year, just nine analysts had buy ratings. The consensus price target of roughly $192 suggests a gain of about 32% from Mondays close. Among the firms that raised their ratings on the shares last month were UBS, Mizuho Securities, HSBC, Freedom Capital, Daiwa, Northland, Baird and William Blair. UBS analyst Karl Keirstead was emblematic of the new enthusiasm, calling Palantir the premier growth story in software and a company that is at the nexus of the two most powerful spending trends AI and data, in a note to clients on Feb. 26. He added that the multiple is finally at a level that many investors can make a strong valuation case for the stock. That view was apparent in Palantirs earnings report last month, which beat Wall Streets expectations and featured a revenue forecast that was much stronger than anticipated. Palantirs projected revenue expansion of 73% over the next 12 months ranks fifth in the S&P 500, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. All of which gives Palantir significant momentum heading into a period of geopolitical uncertainty. With investors wondering how long the war in Iran will last and what its impact will be on markets and economies around the world, Palantir is one of the rare companies thats actually positioned to thrive in the face of disruptions. In fact, the fighting could create more global demand for the companys products and services. The conflict could help them land new customers, especially within the context of any broader Middle East impact, said Mandeep Singh, senior technology analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. One of the major use cases that has emerged for Palantir software is in assessing supply chain risk on the commercial side. Supply chain risk is going to be huge for companies exposed to the Middle East, and those could become customers. So even though we had geopolitical tensions before, there is new urgency because of the war. Tech Chart of the Day Netflix Inc. analysts have gradually turned more positive on the streaming giant, with a record-matching 46 brokers rating the stock a buy. Having declined in recent months as the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. weighed on sentiment, the shares have rebounded since the company walked away from the deal last week. Top Tech Stories OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said that the companys rush to forge a deal with the Defense Department following a clash between the Pentagon and rival Anthropic PBC looked opportunistic and sloppy. The roughly $17.5 billion of debt tied to Elon Musks social network X and artificial intelligence startup xAI is set to be paid back in full, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Fitch Ratings downgraded Paramount Skydance Corp.s corporate and long-term borrower ratings to junk following the media companys agreement to buy larger rival Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., a deal that will saddle the combined business with $79 billion in net debt. Amazon.com Inc.s cloud unit warned of prolonged disruptions to its services after revealing that drone strikes damaged three of its data centers in the Middle East in recent days. US officials are considering caps on the number of AI accelerators Nvidia Corp. can export to any one Chinese company, which would further constrain the chipmakers reentry into a crucial market. Earnings Due Tuesday Earnings Postmarket: Box Inc. (BOX US) Crowdstrike Holdings Inc. (CRWD US) QuickLogic Corp. (QUIK US) Versant Media Group Inc. (VSNT US) Earnings Other: Netlist Inc. (NLST US) (Updates to market open.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Petro-Victory Energy has commenced drilling operations at the SJ-12 well in the Sao Joao Field, located in the Barreirinhas Basin, Maranhao, Brazil. The move follows the companys previously disclosed commitment under a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Petro-Victory holds a full working interest and operatorship of the Sao Joao Field after the Agencia Nacional do Petroleo approved its acquisition in August 2022. The SJ-12 well is part of a single non-associated gas well commitment outlined in the MoU. According to an independent reserve and resource report from GLJ dated December 2024, the Sao Joao Field contains best estimate (2C) development pending contingent resources with risked volumes of 50.1 billion cubic feet (bcf) of non-associated gas. Petro-Victory expects drilling and testing at SJ-12 to demonstrate the deliverability required for advancing initial gas commercialisation efforts in the region. These efforts involve arrangements to supply regional industrial and power demand, as well as other market-based solutions suitable for developments of this scale. All operations at Sao Joao Field remain subject to regulatory approvals where necessary. Petro-Victory is engaged in acquiring, developing and producing crude oil and natural gas across Brazil. The company manages a portfolio of 49 concession contracts covering 276,755 net acres, in addition to six concessions and 19,074 acres co-owned with BlueOak in Capixaba Energia. Additionally, in July 2025, Petro-Victory announced the completion of drilling operations at the AND-5 well. This project is being conducted with partner Azevedo & Travassos Energia in the Andorinha Field, Potiguar Basin, Rio Grande do Norte. The operation utilised the Drake-2 onshore hydraulic drilling rig, with Halliburton providing logging services. After wireline logging and installation of a 7in nominal production casing to final depth, conventional petrophysical evaluation using a salinity cut-off of 3,500 parts per million identified 13m of net pay across four oil-bearing intervals. "Petro-Victory initiates SJ-12 well drilling in Brazils Barreirinhas Basin" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. This story was originally published on Hotel Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Hotel Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Prism, formerly OYO parent company Oravel Stays, is bringing its European apart-hotel Belvilla brand to the U.S. after securing 10 properties through the Sonder bankruptcy court process, the company announced Thursday. The former Sonder properties in New York City, Seattle, New Orleans and other top U.S. markets will convert under the lifestyle Belvilla brand, representing the flags first operational presence outside Europe, per the release. Prism is taking over the properties after apartment-style accommodations provider Sonder cut ties with Marriott International and entered bankruptcy in November. The U.S. represents an important opportunity for Belvilla, as the brand plots a deliberate and selective expansion in the region, Ankit Tandon, global chief operating officer and Europe CEO at Prism, said in a release. Prism joins other hospitality players that have taken over Sonder properties in the wake of its collapse. Dive Insight: The Dutch and Court Square in Long Island City in Queens, New York, are among the properties Prism secured in the bankruptcy proceedings. The company will also take over The Industrialist in Brooklyn, New York; RailSpur in Seattle; The Schaeffer and The Louie in New Orleans; Skyline in Denver; The Queen in Philadelphia; Ida in Phoenix; and East 5th in Austin, Texas. These properties met Belvillas strict criteria on unit economics and operational feasibility, Prism said in the release. As part of its U.S. expansion, the company is focused on properties that can deliver a consistent guest experience while maintaining strong cost discipline. We chose properties where the fundamentals work from day one, ensuring a balanced and sustainable model for guests and property owners, Tandon said. We are already in touch with additional owners who are keen to sign up with Belvilla as we expand our presence in the market. As part of the initial U.S. rollout, The Dutch, Court Square and The Louie will operate under the newly introduced upscale Belvilla District 6 brand, the release detailed. Belvilla will initially operate a limited number of properties, as part of a measured, economics-led expansion strategy, per the release. The U.S. expansion comes several months after Oravel Stays rebranded to Prism to reflect the companys expanded global portfolio and long-term vision, per a September release. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently downgraded the nations energy infrastructure from a C- to a D+. The reasons are complex but familiar: deferred maintenance, underinvestment, climate stress, and the accelerating electrification of everything from cars to manufacturing. Reliability concerns have become a national issue. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy (DOE) declared a national energy emergency, citing capacity shortfalls and aging assets as critical risks to grid stability. In response, federal officials have deferred the retirement of several fossil-fuel plants to maintain reserve margins. While this may help short-term reliability, it comes at a steep price: an analysis found that the deferments cost utilities and ratepayers roughly $29 million in just 38 days. Perhaps the most significant shift introduced by modern DERMS is philosophical. Traditional demand response programs were built to shed loadreduce consumption temporarily to prevent overloads. The most advanced Grid-Edge DERMS, by contrast, are built to shape demandusing predictive analytics and real-time control to optimize when and how energy is consumed or generated. For utilities, this means moving from a defensive to a proactive model. Rather than reacting to peaks, they can manage and orchestrate distributed resources to shape load curves, relieve distribution constraints, and reduce wholesale power costs. This means that utilities can break down the barriers keeping distribution operations, power purchasing, and other operational teams away from DERs and use VPPs like they use their traditional generation fleet. At the same time, a quieter and far more affordable alternative is emerging: virtual power plants (VPPs). Coordinated through distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS), which orchestrate thousands of smaller, behind-the-meter assetsrooftop solar, home batteries, EV chargers, water heaters, smart thermostatsthese digital systems can shift and shape electricity demand in real time. Virtual power plants are cheaper than new power plant construction. In fact, industry estimates suggest that the cost of developing a VPP is only 40% to 60% of building a comparable generation facility. For utilities and regulators confronting capacity shortfalls and aging infrastructure, thats a figure worth serious consideration. Americas power grid is aging into obsolescence. Much of the infrastructure that keeps the lights on today was built in the 1960s and 1970s, long before the digital and electrified demands of the 21st century took shape. The consequences are increasingly visible: mounting reliability issues, rising costs, and a growing need to modernize a system never designed for the challenges of climate volatility or the surge in load from data centers and electric vehicles (EVs). According to analysts, the price tag to rebuild or significantly upgrade the U.S. grid could exceed $2.5 trillion by 2035, a figure likely to rise due to inflation, supply constraints, and policy hurdles. That number represents not just the cost of steel, wire, and concreteit is also a reflection of how deeply the U.S. depends on a centralized, one-way energy system with many components nearing the end of their lifespans. Story Continues The Hidden Cost of Legacy Load Control For decades, utilities have relied on legacy load control systemslike the simple one- or two-way load control receivers attached to air conditioners or water heaters that allowed operators to curtail demand during peak periods. These systems were the foundation of early demand-side management programs and, for smaller cooperatives and municipal utilities, remain an important tool. But maintaining these legacy networks is increasingly difficult. The hardware is aging, components are no longer manufactured, and support documentation is often buried in decades-old technical manuals. Environmental conditionsheat, humidity, dusttake their toll on sensitive electronics. Even the power supplies that support the systems must be carefully maintained or replaced. Beyond the maintenance burden, legacy systems are limited by design, which is rudimentary and unsophisticated. They cannot optimize loads across different device types, forecast demand, or respond dynamically to price signals or grid frequency. As energy systems evolve toward distributed, flexible, and bidirectional models, these old networks risk becoming stranded assets. The Digital Alternative: Grid-Edge DERMS Modern grid-edge DERMS platforms take a fundamentally different approach. Instead of relying on physical switches, they leverage broadband connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) to aggregate and control distributed energy resources in real time. These systems can manage a diverse portfolio of devicessolar inverters, home batteries, EV chargers, thermostats, water heatersand respond to signals from the grid to reduce or shift load when needed. By integrating these assets into coordinated virtual power plants, utilities can achieve many of the same objectives as building new generation or transmission linesbut at a fraction of the cost. More importantly, these programs can be deployed incrementally and scaled over time, avoiding the massive upfront capital commitments required for traditional infrastructure projects. This digital layer also opens new pathways for customer participation. With appropriate incentives, households and businesses can enroll their devices in demand flexibility programs, effectively turning energy consumers into contributors to grid stability. For utilities, that creates a flexible, responsive resource that grows as adoption of distributed technologies increases. The Economics of Demand Flexibility Demand flexibility isnt a theoretical conceptits already producing measurable benefits. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), more than 10 million customers participated in demand response programs in 2022, collectively conserving over one terawatt-hour of electricity. The potential of virtual power plants extends even further. A 2024 analysis by The Brattle Group found that Californias expanding VPP portfolio could save $206 million for ratepayers between 2025 and 2028 by reducing peak demand and deferring the need for new generation and transmission. Such savings are amplified by scalability: the more devices enrolled, the greater the systems aggregate capacity and the more flexible the grid becomes. This stands in sharp contrast to legacy load control systems, which require physical upgrades and replacements to expand. The Policy Crossroads Federal and state policymakers now face a pivotal decision. The deferment of fossil plant retirements buys time, but not solutions. Rebuilding the grid is essentialbut doing so exclusively through traditional means may not be economically or politically feasible. Virtual power plants and Grid-Edge DERMS do not replace the need for hard infrastructure, but they offer a bridge strategy: an immediate, scalable, and cost-effective complement that can relieve stress on transmission and generation assets during the energy transition. In parallel, continued investment in broadband accessparticularly in rural and underserved communitieswill determine how widely these digital energy solutions can be deployed. The same connectivity that enables telemedicine or remote learning can also enable local participation in demand flexibility programs, creating a new kind of shared infrastructure for energy resilience. The Future of a Connected Grid The grid of the future will not be defined solely by steel towers and substations. It will be characterized by digital coordination, where millions of devices operate in sync to maintain balance between supply and demand. In that vision, virtual power plants serve as the connective tissue between individual consumers and the broader energy system. Transitioning toward that model requires trust, transparency, and education. Customers must understand how participation benefits both the grid and their own bills. Regulators must adapt frameworks to value flexibility as a market resource. And utilities must invest in software, cybersecurity, and customer engagement with the same seriousness once solely reserved for transformers and turbines. The challenges are formidable, but so are the stakes. Americas energy future depends on its ability to modernizenot just through massive capital projects, but through smarter, more adaptive use of the infrastructure already in place. In that sense, the rise of virtual power plants isnt just a technological innovation. Its a reminder that the grids greatest untapped resource may be the collective potential of millions of connected homes and businesses working together to keep the lights on. Dr. William Burke if founder and CEO of Virtual Peaker.He was previously at GE as an Advanced Systems Engineer in the Connected Home Software Group, where he helped develop the API that GE uses to communicate with its connected devices. Australian company Resolution Minerals has completed the acquisition of the Johnson Creek Tungsten & Antimony Mill and related infrastructure, along with 2,000t of tungsten ore stockpiles in Idaho, US. This acquisition of the mill, which is located adjacent to the Horse Heaven project, supports Resolutions push towards US production and in-house processing of antimony, tungsten and gold. However, the current resource estimates are classified as both a historical estimate and a foreign estimate and have not been evaluated under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (2012) Code standards. Historically, the Horse Heaven project contributed to US antimony supplies during major conflicts including the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, and was mined for tungsten into the 1980s. The company seeks to expedite production in response to rising demand for critical metals and high market prices. The acquisition includes significant assets such as the processing mill, two historical tungsten ore stockpiles from the Golden Gate Mine, essential water rights, electrical infrastructure, and facilities for operations over approximately 25 acres of private land. These resources will strengthen Resolution's downstream processing capabilities such as smelting and refining and provide a strategic base for future operations at Horse Heaven. Additionally, the acquisition enhances the companys ability to secure US Government funding and strategic partnerships, while creating opportunities for offtake agreements with defence and industrial sectors. Resolution also sees expansion potential at the Golden Gate Tungsten Mine and other targets within the Horse Heaven project area through further exploration. The Horse Heaven project spans around 59km in the Boise National Forest, adjacent to Perpetua Resources' Stibnite Gold Project. Following this acquisition, Resolution plans to conduct detailed assessments of the mill's engineering and refurbishment needs, perform metallurgical tests and processing studies on stockpiled tungsten ore, advance permitting processes, and pursue strategic partnerships and agreements. In August 2025, the company received an unsolicited A$225m ($164.8m) offer from Snow Lake Resources for its Horse Heaven antimony-tungsten-gold-silver project. "Resolution Minerals acquires Johnson Creek tungsten mill in US" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Roche Holding (SWX:ROG) reported that its investigational MS treatment fenebrutinib met key goals in pivotal Phase III trials. The data show significant reductions in relapse rates and improvements across several clinical endpoints in both relapsing and primary progressive MS. Roche plans to use the Phase III results to support regulatory submissions for fenebrutinib as a potential high efficacy oral therapy. For investors watching Roche Holding at a share price of CHF362.9, fenebrutinib arrives against a backdrop of strong multi year returns. The stock is up 11.5% year to date, 23.9% over 1 year, 49.6% over 3 years and 41.3% over 5 years. This highlights how closely the market is tracking the companys late stage pipeline. The latest MS data could become an important reference point for how investors think about Roches future earnings mix and research focus. As regulatory filings progress, attention is likely to stay on how fenebrutinib fits alongside existing MS therapies and what that could mean for the companys competitive position in neurology. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Roche Holding by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Roche Holding. SWX:ROG Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 5 things going right for Roche Holding that this headline doesn't cover. Quick Assessment Price vs Analyst Target : The share price of CHF362.9 is around 2.1% above the CHF355.48 analyst target, sitting close to consensus. Simply Wall St Valuation : Shares are described as trading at about 58.6% below estimated fair value, a wide discount on this measure. Recent Momentum: The 30 day return of roughly 3.5% suggests the stock has recently been trending higher. There is only one way to know the right time to buy, sell or hold Roche Holding. Head to Simply Wall St's company report for the latest analysis of Roche Holding's fair value. Key Considerations Fenebrutinib's Phase III success could influence how much weight investors place on Roche's multiple sclerosis franchise within its CHF63.4b revenue base. Keep an eye on regulatory timelines, any label decisions and how the P/E of 22.4 compares to the 37.2 industry average as the market interprets this new data. The balance sheet carries a flagged high level of debt, which some investors may watch closely if further development or commercial spending is required. Dig Deeper For the full picture, including more risks and potential rewards, check out the complete Roche Holding analysis. Alternatively, you can visit the community page for Roche Holding to see how other investors believe this latest news will impact the company's narrative. After spending the better half of last year touring the country to "fight oligarchy," Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVt.) has introduced legislation to confiscate billionaires' property. On Monday, Sanders introduced the Make Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share Act. The bill, which was also introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (DCalif.) in the House, would impose a 5 percent annual wealth tax on 938 American billionaires to raise an estimated $4.4 trillion over the next decade. Instead of reducing the $1.9 trillion deficit projected for this year, the money raised from this tax would go to expanding Medicare and Medicaid (which already receive $1.7 trillion in combined federal spending), giving public schoolteachers a raise, and providing a one-time "$3,000 direct payment to every man, woman and child in a household making $150,000 or less." In a press release, Sanders said all this money will be collected from billionaires who are "collectively worth $8.2 trillion." The problem with this framing is that billionaires are not greedy dragons, sleeping atop piles of hoarded gold. Two-thirds of billionaire wealth is held in the form of equity, affording private and publicly traded companies the capital required to improve their products, increase their headcount, and generate returns for their shareholders, many of whom are middle-class Americans with 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts. (About 31 percent of billionaire wealth is held in liquid assets, such as bank deposits, much of which is also invested.) Just like the proposed 5 percent billionaire wealth tax in California, forcing large shareholders to prematurely liquidate their stocks would distort markets, decrease the amount of capital available to these companies to invest and hire workers, and lower the rate of return to shareholders. Regardless, Sanders says that "we can no longer tolerate a corrupt tax code that enables billionaires to pay a lower tax rate than the average worker." This is likely in reference to the difference between the federal income tax rate, which is capped at 37 percent on income over $626,351 for single taxpayers, and the capital gains tax rate, which maxes out at 20 percent on income over $533,400 for such filers. Americans for Tax Fairness, a nonprofit that advocates for a more progressive tax system, explains that, because most billionaires' wealth derives from assets instead of income, a lower capital gains tax rates contributes to "the 400 richest billionaires [paying] an effective federal income-tax rate of just 8.2% in recent years, nearly half of the 14.9% that the average middle-class family pays." In the past, Sanders has proposed equalizing these tax rates not just for billionaires, but also for those making over $250,000. (Doing so would subject invested post-tax income to yet another income tax.) A group of Senate Democrats introduced a bill to exempt home construction materials from tariffs, a move the National Association of Home Builders has pushed for. S. 3943 would automatically exempt a list of building materials from current and future tariffs. It would also require the Department of Commerce to create a process for companies to apply for tariff exemptions. The bill's sponsors, Sens. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Chris Coons of Delaware, said the bill is a response to the new tariffs President Donald Trump imposed last month. After the Supreme Court struck down many he imposed under emergency powers, Trump imposed new ones under different legal justifications. "We know that one way to address the affordable housing crisis is by making it easier and cheaper for developers to build more housingbut Trump has done the complete opposite over the past year by imposing cost-raising tariffs on virtually all homebuilding materials, Rosen said in a statement. The bill's other sponsors are all Democrats. They include Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Andy Kim of New Jersey, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. All said they aim to blunt rising homebuilding costs. Still, the bill may face an uphill battle. Trump doubled down on his tariff policies in last week's State of the Union address. He said other countries were making trade deals he thought would financially benefit the United States. Builders say tariffs create market pessimism The NAHB has been a proponent of excluding homebuilding materials from the tariffs. Chairman Bill Owens said the tariffs disrupt supply chains and introduce market uncertainty. Roughly 60% of builders have already seen cost increases due to tariffs, which means higher housing costs for American homebuyers and renters, Owens said. This bill is an important step forward to create more certainty for American businesses and to address the nations housing affordability challenges. The NAHB estimates homebuilders imported $14 billion in construction materials in 2024. That represents 7% of the $204 billion in materials used on single-family and multifamily building that year. Some materials have greater exposure. Take softwood lumber, which is used in framing, sheathing, and exterior work. U.S. homebuilders import a quarter of their supply, and 85% of those imports come from Canada. Steel and aluminum, which are imported from around the world, are another risk. That led to a run on nails and other homebuilding materials. The worlds biggest maritime insurers and insurers clubs are ending war risk coverage for vessels transiting the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, following the escalation of the conflict in Iran. As of midnight London time on March 5, most major insurers will terminate war risk coverage, various circulars from the insurance clubs say. The American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association issued on Sunday a Notice of Cancellation in respect of war risks exposures within the Persian/Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. These areas are defined as follows: Persian/Arabian Gulf and adjacent waters including the Gulf of Oman and waters west of the line from Omans territorial limit off Cape al-?add at 2242.5'N, 5954.5'E northeast to the Iran-Pakistan border at 2510.5'N, 6137.5'E. The notice will take effect 72 hours after 00:00 GMT on March 2, 2026, the association said. Separately, the London P&I Club issued a similar notice with the same parameters of withdrawing war risk coverage, noting that all other terms and conditions remain unchanged. Assuranceforeningen Skuld also ended war risk coverage in view of a materially heightened level of geopolitical and operational uncertainty. It is already evident that reinsurers appetite for war?risk exposure is tightening, and in practical terms, it will result in reinsurers withdrawing capacity at short notice, Skuld said. Before the escalation in Iran and Tehrans retaliatory strikes at the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, the war risk premiums for the Persian Gulf were around 0.25% of a vessels hull value. These rates are set to jump by 50% or even higher, Insurance Business reports, citing market analysts. This would mean that for a $100-million supertanker, the so-called Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), the insurance cost would surge to $400,000 for a single voyage, up from about $250,000 prior to the conflict, Insurance Business notes. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else. You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here. Lloyd Blankfein said the horses are starting to whinny in the corral - Stephanie Keith/Getty The man who led Goldman Sachs through the 2008 financial crash says he can smell a fresh crisis brewing. Lloyd Blankfein said he saw parallels to the global financial crisis and saw signs the economy was getting closer to a crash. I wonder where theres hidden secret leverage, he said in an interview with Pablo Salame, Citadels co-chief investment officer. Now everyone says, Oh, the worlds not leveraged. Thats exactly what everybody said in the mortgage crisis until you suddenly discover that there was a lot of mortgage risk in Iceland. It sort of smells like that kind of a moment again, Mr Blankfein added. I dont feel the storm, but the horses are starting to whinny in the corral. Mr Blankfein, who ran Goldman from 2006 until 2018, said the financial system appeared to be moving towards another catastrophe as a result of the boom in private credit, a corner of the market often referred to as shadow banking. He criticised private credit lenders for attempting to encourage retail access at a time when they are most unstable. One has to worry about opaque assets where theres illiquidity, he told Bloomberg in a separate interview. Were getting close to the end of late stages of cycles on this and were due for a kind of a reckoning. While tougher regulations for banks following the financial crisis have boosted their resilience, it has also pushed traditional lending activities towards shadow banking. Private credit lenders do not take deposits and so are not subject to the kind of strict regulations as banks. Britains private market has grown by 56pc since 2015 to $185bn (138bn) and is the second largest after the US, according to a recent report by the House of Lords. The sectors rapid growth has raised concerns about its stability and the potential impact of a crash on the wider financial system. In the UK, the Bank of England plans to conduct the worlds first stress test of the shadow banking sector to see how it would cope with a global shock. Private credit companies have increasingly been launching vehicles that allow ordinary investors to back the loans it extends to businesses. It is a particularly difficult time for the $1.8tn private credit market, both in the UK and the US. Analysts have warned that as much as 35pc of the $1.7tn private credit market is exposed to disruption from AI. In a worst case scenario, private credit could see default rates surge to as high as 13pc. Blue Owl, one of the largest players in the sector, was forced to permanently shut the gates on one of its tech-heavy private credit funds last month after investors were spooked by the possibility that software companies might be disrupted by AI. Millions of Americans saw a Social Security benefit boost last year thanks to the Social Security Fairness Act. If you were among them, you probably got a permanent increase to your checks as well as a one-time payment for benefits going back to January 2024. That extra money has likely been a huge help as living costs continue to rise. But it could also lead to a major shock when you file your 2025 tax return. 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 Image source: Getty Images. Brace yourself for Social Security benefit taxes You're at risk of owing Social Security benefit taxes if your provisional income -- adjusted gross income (AGI), plus any nontaxable interest and half your annual Social Security benefit -- exceeds $25,000 for a single adult or $32,000 for a married couple. This could require you to pay ordinary income tax on up to 85% of your checks. If you haven't owed benefit taxes in the past, you could encounter them for the first time when you file your 2025 return. If you have owed them before, they may be higher this year, especially if you received a large benefit increase. This could result in a greater tax liability than you were expecting and possibly a tax bill. However, this could be partially or completely offset by the new $6,000 senior tax deduction for qualifying Americans aged 65 and older. What to do if you're worried about owing the IRS If you owe a tax bill you can't pay in full right now as a result of your Social Security benefits increasing, reach out to the IRS to discuss your options. You may be able to work out a payment plan or make an offer in compromise (OIC). This is where you offer the IRS the amount you could pay. If it accepts, you're off the hook for the rest. You may pay less in Social Security benefit taxes in 2026 and beyond since you likely won't receive a large retroactive payment like many seniors did in 2025. But as average benefits and living expenses rise, Social Security benefit taxes will become increasingly common. You can prepare for them by setting aside money to cover these taxes. Or you could request that the Social Security Administration withhold money from your checks for these taxes. If it takes too much over the year, you'll get the extra back as part of your tax refund. This reduces your risk of a surprise bill at tax time, but it also means you have to get by on less money during the year. Photographer: Kosuke Okahara/Bloomberg S&P Global Inc. lowered its outlook for SoftBank Group Corp. to negative from stable, saying plans for an additional $30 billion investment in OpenAI may hurt the Japanese companys liquidity and the credit quality of its assets. The revised outlook follows SoftBanks decision last month to deepen its investment in the ChatGPT maker after already injecting more than $30 billion into OpenAI and funding other artificial intelligence ventures. S&P affirmed a BB+ long-term issuer credit rating on the company, saying SoftBank could limit negative financial impact by selling assets. Most Read from Bloomberg The companys investments in AI, including OpenAI, mostly involve fledgling startups and private companies that we believe are exposed to significant AI innovation risk and fierce competition, the ratings agency said in a statement Tuesday. We see OpenAI as one of its investments with the weakest credit quality. A representative of SoftBank praised the fact that S&P kept its long-term rating. S&P gives due consideration to our proven record of managing our financial foundation under stress, the spokesperson said in an e-mail. Last year, SoftBank sold off assets including stakes in T-Mobile US Inc. and Nvidia Corp. to help finance founder Masayoshi Sons bets on AI. Photographer: Kosuke Okahara/Bloomberg The additional investment in OpenAI will be deployed through three separate $10 billion tranches over the course of the year, lifting SoftBanks stake in the US startup to 13% from around 11% in December. OpenAIs share of SoftBanks portfolio will likely rise to a level comparable to that of UK-based chip designer Arm Holdings Plc, S&P said, noting the proportion of unlisted shares would soar above 50% from an estimated 42% in December. The liquidity of SoftBank Groups investment portfolio will worsen because OpenAI now accounts for a bigger share of it, S&P said. The company has listed assets to sell to ease its financial burden, but the timing of such sales is uncertain, it said. Pressure on the ratings will increase if SoftBank Group fails to take swift easing measures, such as selling holdings. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says SoftBank Groups negative outlook from S&P, rather than a CreditWatch placement, allows for time to defend its BB+ rating by selling assets to bring adjusted loan-to-value below 35%. An IPO of OpenAI would also be needed to boost portfolio liquidity. Still, execution could prove challenging as heightened geopolitical risk and a potential AI bubble are likely to pressure technology valuations, keeping LTV weak and potentially delaying OpenAIs already uncertain listing timeline. Samsung-owned retail technology provider SOLUM and US pricing software company Competera have expanded their partnership across European retail networks. The expanded arrangement integrates Competeras AI-driven pricing platform with SOLUMs Newton electronic shelf label (ESL) system, It allows retailers to synchronise price optimisation decisions with shelf-edge updates. According to the companies, the combined setup enables machine learningderived pricing recommendations to be implemented automatically in stores via API connections to SOLUMs Newton infrastructure and its low-latency Newton Protocol. Through the integration, these recommendations can be executed directly on ESLs almost in real-time, connecting pricing analytics with in-store display. The Newton Protocol is SOLUMs proprietary wireless communication technology underpinning its Newton ESL. Competera CEO and co-founder Alex Halkin said: Enterprise retailers are looking to combine advanced pricing intelligence with reliable in-store execution. Expanding our collaboration with SOLUM allows us to extend AI-driven pricing into the physical store environment, ensuring strategies are implemented consistently and at scale across European retail networks. The companies will continue collaborating with retailers to refine implementation models and expedite AI-enabled pricing adoption across Europe, the press statement said. SOLUM Europe CEO Daniel Lee said: A connected retail ecosystem requires more than advanced analytics. It depends on the infrastructure that can execute at scale. The alignment of Competeras AI-driven pricing solutions with our Newton ESL platform strengthens the commercial foundation needed to deploy intelligent pricing strategies seamlessly and at enterprise level. In a separate development, SOLUM recently extended its partnership with Finnish retail infrastructure provider EWQ to accelerate the deployment of integrated in-store digital communication systems. That collaboration combined ESLs, large-format e-paper displays and digital signage within a unified retail platform. "SOLUM and Competera expand AI pricingESL integration in Europe" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Soybeans are falling 5 to 7 cents on Monday morning, after shooting higher at the Sunday night open, with some new crop contracts higher. Futures posted Friday gains of 6 to 10 cents in the nearby contracts, as May was up 17 cents on the week. November was up 13 cents on the week. Preliminary open interest was up 3,261 contracts on Friday. There were another 158 deliveries issued on Friday evening. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was up 9 1/4 cents at $10.94. Soymeal futures were steady to $2.10 lower in the front months, as May was $6.70 higher on the week. Soy Oil futures were firm to 9 points higher in the nearbys, with May rallying 255 points last week. There were 102 deliveries against March bean meal futures on Friday night. Crude oil is providing some spillover support to bean oil, up $5.07 this morning following the US/Israel strikes on Iran over the weekend. Beans are seeing some pressure over uncertainty from US/China relations following the attacks. The average close for November soybean futures was $11.09 in February, up 55 cents from last years spring soybean crop insurance price. More News from Barchart Managed money added another 20,591 contracts to their net long position as of 2/24, taking the position to 184,202 contracts according to CFTC data released on Friday. USDAs Export Sales report for the week of February 19 brought the total soybean export commitment total to 35.65 MMT, a decline of 19% from the same period last year. That is now 83% of the USDA export estimate and behind the 91% average pace. USDAs Fats & Oils report will be out later today, with traders looking for January crush to total 226.3 million bushels. AgRural estimates the Brazilian soybean crop at 39% harvested, which is still shy of the 50% from the same period last year. They also trimmed their projection for the countrys bean output by 3 MMT to 178 MMT. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.57 1/4, up 9 1/2 cents, currently down 7 cents Nearby Cash was $10.94, up 9 1/4 cents, May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.70 3/4, up 7 1/4 cents, currently down 6 cents Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.82 3/4, up 6 1/2 cents, currently down 5 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 When the stock market falls off a cliff, the natural impulse might be to panic and sell. Theres nothing so stomach-churning as watching your 401(k) sink into the red, with no bottom in sight. And thats how many investors probably felt on the morning of March 3, as stock indexes plummeted in response to escalating conflict in Iran. But panic-selling violates two or three cardinal rules of investing: Buy stocks when prices are low, sell when theyre high. Dont make impulsive moves. Stick to the plan. Here are a few rules to remember when markets are reeling: A falling stock market is a good moment to take stock of the basic rules of investing. One of them says, in effect, "don't panic." Dont try to time the market It might sound tempting to cash out of the stock market when the indexes are falling, sit out the downturn, and reinvest when markets hit bottom. The big problem with that strategy, experts say, is picking the right moment to cash out and cash in. Any time youre trying to avoid a downturn, the risk of being wrong is pretty high, said Peter Lazaroff, a certified financial planner in St. Louis, speaking to USA TODAY in 2025. And you have to be correct twice. As Lazaroff explains, you have to make two decisions: When to sell high, and when to buy low. Those calls are harder than they sound. So often, some of the absolute worst days in the market are in close proximity to some of the absolute best days in the market, said Kristy Akullian, head of iShares investment strategy, Americas, at BlackRock, speaking to USA TODAY in 2025. Go for gold: Should you add precious metals to your retirement account in 2026? Case in point: April 9, 2025, when stocks rose dramatically after several days of losses amid President Donald Trumps dramatic tariff campaign. The benefit of staying invested is, youre going to be in the market on the days when there are the biggest gains, said Patrick Means, vice president and branch manager at a Schwab branch in Dallas, speaking to USA TODAY in 2025. That leads to our second tip: Stick to the plan Stocks rise and fall, sometimes dramatically. For long-term investors, experts say, the best strategy is usually to sit back and let the drama play out. Bear markets are usually shorter than bull markets, Schwab notes. Since 1966, the average bear market has lasted about 15 months, while the average bull market has endured for nearly six years. Following an investment plan over the long term takes discipline, and its one of Vanguards Principles for Investing Success. The others: create clear, appropriate investment goals; maintain a balanced and diversified mix of investments; and minimize costs. Given the broader market's recent volatility, many investors are hunting for oversold stocks. One name that has sold off aggressively over the last month and looks like an interesting opportunity to consider today is ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW). Not only has the digital workflow specialist recently completed a 5-for-1 stock split, making its shares more affordable, but it has also been a prominent beneficiary of enterprise investments in artificial intelligence (AI) -- and its revenue is surging. Yet shares have been crushed, falling about 28% year to date. 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 Is this a buying opportunity, or are shares still too expensive to call the stock a buy today? Image source: Getty Images. Strong fourth-quarter results The software provider's recent business growth has been exceptional. ServiceNow's fourth-quarter subscription revenue came in at $3.5 billion -- up 21% year over year. Additionally, the company is proving it can translate top-line momentum into robust cash generation. Its non-generally accepted accounting principles (non-GAAP) free cash flow margin (free cash flow as a percent of sales) came in at an impressive 57% for the quarter. Further, ServiceNow's non-GAAP operating margin expanded 150 basis points year over year to 31%. Underlying these figures is a clear acceleration in the company's AI-focused offerings. Management noted that its Now Assist products (the company's generative AI experience for its Now Platform) surpassed $600 million in annual contract value during the period. Additionally, the company's AI-focused control tower deal volume nearly tripled sequentially. And its enterprise adoption metrics are compelling, too. The company closed 244 transactions of $1 million or more in net new annual contract value during the quarter, representing a 40% year-over-year increase. Further, it ended the period with over 600 customers generating more than $5 million in annual contract value. "Our Q4 results beat expectations handily," said CEO Bill McDermott during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call, "just like we have consistently for years now." And things are looking promising going forward, too. The company's current remaining performance obligations (contract revenue to be recognized in the next 12 months) rose 25% year over year to $12.9 billion. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Target is investing another $2 billion in its business this year to spruce up its store experience, remodel stores and invest in its workers as it tries to turn around a persistent sales malaise and reclaim its authority on style. The investment, announced Tuesday at its annual investor meeting at its headquarters in Minneapolis, comes as the discounter reported another quarter of declining sales and profits amid its struggles to regain its footing with customers who are going elsewhere for fashion, home and other needs. Tuesdays report offered some hope for the business. The company delivered a solid annual profit outlook that was better than Wall Street had been projecting. It also said it believes net sales will grow every quarter this year. Target said comparable-store sales rose to start the current quarter. This is a new chapter, and its all about growth, said CEO Michael Fiddelke, a 20-year company veteran who succeeded longtime CEO Brian Cornell last month. Well do so by playing our own game and making big changes to delight our guests. Target had already announced in November it planned to invest another $1 billion in capital expenses for a total of $5 billion this year. But on Tuesday it offered more details on its capital plans. That includes opening 30 new stores and plans to remodel 130 of its existing stores. Many of the stores that are being refreshed havent been spruced up in a decade, Target executives said. But Target said on Tuesday it would also spend another billion dollars in additional operational expenses, including hundreds of millions of dollars to support additional store labor and training as well as investments in artificial intelligence. Target said that its launching a new beauty area called Target Beauty Studio in 600 stores this fall, which will offer upscale beauty products and enhanced product expertise from staff. The new area will partly replace its shops with Ulta, which is ending its partnership with the retailer in August, the company said. Fiddelke takes over with Targets hometown of Minneapolis a front line of sorts in President Donald Trumps campaign to curb illegal immigration. Some of the companys stores have become a flashpoint in a pushback against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The company has faced pressure to take a public stand against the immigration crackdown. Even before the immigration clashes, Target had been facing protests and boycotts over the companys decision to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Critics believe its a betrayal of Targets philanthropic commitment to fighting racial disparities and promoting progressive values in liberal Minneapolis and beyond. Tesla (TSLA), while still the dominant force in the electric vehicle (EV) market, has become increasingly beleaguered of late, facing pressures on market and legal fronts. Read More: Self-Made Millionaires Suggest 5 Stocks You Should Never Sell Check Out: 4 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster All of this might have some investors wondering whether now is the time reconsider owning stock in the automotive company. Courting Controversy Recently, a federal judge ruled that Tesla must face a lawsuit concerning alleged discrimination in its hiring practices. Specifically, the EV manufacturer has been accused of favoring foreign visa holders over American workers, even going so far as to lay off domestic employees, all as a discriminatory (and thus illegal) money-saving measure, per Reuters. That potential legal controversy comes after a very tumultuous 2025 for the EV company, in which Tesla CEO Elon Musk frequently made headlines, first as an acolyte of President Donald Trumps before descending into a bitter war of words with the commander in chief via Musks social medial platform, X. Explore More: Investor Who Made $20 Million on Nvidia Stock Reveals the Next Big Opportunity Sluggish European Sales Elsewhere, Tesla is struggling in one of the worlds most important EV markets: Europe. January 2026 saw European Tesla registrations drop by 17%, the 13th month in a row of declining sales for the EV company, per Yahoo Finance. Meanwhile, per Yahoo, Chinese EV rival BYD has achieved a shocking 165% increase in sales over the same time period, highlighting just how intensely Tesla is struggling in the same market. What Does This Mean for Investors? This rise in legal woes and fall in European sales force a number of questions for both current and potential Tesla stockholders. One could make the assumption that, thanks to a pivot toward autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, Tesla will continue to grow and profit over time. Conversely, its just as easy to predict a further erosion of market value and investor confidence as Tesla controversies continue. In such an unpredictable landscape, caution is advised above all else. If youre a Tesla investor, reevaluate your timetable are you a long-term believer in the companys overall trend toward profitability? If so, these short-term controversies may be nothing but small bumps in the road of your investment strategy. However, if the controversies have shaken your faith, consider diversifying your EV portfolio by investing in competitors who are gaining in value to offset Teslas market stumbles. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) ranks among the best spring stocks to buy right now. On February 17, TD Cowen boosted TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) price target to $80 from $70 while keeping a Hold rating on the companys shares. The firm highlighted the companys growing power segment and potential development of resources in Namibia. TotalEnergies SE (TTE) Expands Power Segment Amid Rising Data Center Demand, TD Cowen Raises Price Target Analyst Jason Gabelman stated that TotalEnergies power sector gets value from data-center demand, with growth potential that is expected to go beyond 2030. According to the analyst, Namibia may have enough resources to sustain over two floating production holding and offloading vessels. These changes could boost free cash flow growth over the next 10 years. TotalEnergies fiscal 2026 cash flow from operations forecast came in marginally below TD Cowens expectations. Moreover, the company clarified that it is open to both modest and major purchases to deal with its 1 billion cubic feet per day natural gas deficiency in the US. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets oil, biofuels, natural gas, renewables, and electricity. While we acknowledge the potential of TTE 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. READ NEXT: 10 Best Magic Formula Stocks for 2025 and 10 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Bloomberg The Toyota group reached a landmark deal with Elliott Investment Management to privatize Toyota Industries Corp., paving the way for the biggest-ever acquisition of a Japanese company. The carmaker and its affiliates are now willing to pay 20,600 for each share of Toyota Industries they dont already own, and extended the tender period to March 16. The new offer values the company at 6.7 trillion ($43 billion) and represents a 9.6% bump from its previous price, which was already raised before amid pressure from Elliott. Most Read from Bloomberg The sweetened offer accepted by Elliott effectively resolves Toyotas high-profile standoff with the activist investor, which argued that the prior offer severely undervalued Toyota Industries. It also shows how Japans push to reform entrenched corporate structures and strengthen shareholder rights created the conditions for an open debate over price to take place. Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg Should the buyout be completed, it would be the biggest acquisition ever of a Japanese company, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Its a win-win for both sides, according to Bloomberg Intelligence auto analyst Tatsuo Yoshida. The Toyota side faces a larger funding burden but achieves its ultimate objective of taking Toyota Industries private, Yoshida said. Elliott can still exit at a significantly higher valuation than before, he said. Elliott said it will sell its shares at the offered price, calling it an improved outcome for minority shareholders that will promote the unwinding of cross shareholdings within the Toyota Group and across the Japanese market. Meanwhile, incoming Toyota Motor Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kenta Kon voiced optimism that the deal will go through. The revised price aptly reflects the companys market value, and we believe investors will agree, Kon, a director at Toyota Fudosan Co., the unlisted real estate leading the buyout, said at a briefing on Monday. He told reporters that the Toyota group had spoken with investors more than 260 times to discuss the buyout. The squeeze-out and share repurchase will begin as soon as mid-May, according to Toyota Industries. The extra time gives the Toyota group more the opportunity to clinch more investors and proceed to a squeeze out to complete the deal. The price increase is contingent upon the Toyota group securing financing from the banks backing the buyout: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. After Spain denied the use of its military bases by the United States to launch strikes on Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump called for an embargo against the European country. Spain has been terrible... We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain, he said. Trump made the remarks during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House and added that he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with Spain. Related: U.S. government moves Bitcoin amid Iran war Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran is retaliating by launching attacks on U.S. and Israeli military bases in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has condemned U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and his government has denied the use of bases in Rota and Moron for the strikes against the West Asian country. A fan holds a banner asking President Trump to stop wars prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Getafe CF at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 02, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. I could tomorrow stopor today, even betterstop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain, have the right to stop it, embargoes, do anything I want with it, Trump continued. Bessent concurred, I agree that the Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargo. Bessent was referring to the Supreme Court ruling last month that overturned Trump's global tariff policy. The court said the president exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs using a law reserved for a national emergency. Trump had slammed the ruling as "deeply disappointing." He, in fact, then argued it's "ridiculous" that he could now destroy countries with "embargoes" but couldn't charge them even a dollar, thanks to the court's ruling. Bessent has been a strong supporter of Trump's trade policy and believes the U.S. will only benefit from such aggressive measures. The Spanish government responded that it possesses adequate resources to contain the possible impact of a U.S. embargo while maintaining its call for compliance with international trade law. More News: Trump's tariffs and crypto markets When Trump began the global tariff war on Apr. 2 last year, the total crypto market cap declined from $2.74 trillion on Apr. 2 to $2.42 trillion on Apr. 8. When he withdrew the tariffs on all countries for 90 days except China, the digital assets market began to recover over the next months. As the United States enters day four of Operation Epic Furyits sweeping military campaign against Iran, launched in partnership with Israelthe financial toll on American taxpayers is beginning to come into focus for budget watchers on the Beltway and in academia. According to Kent Smetters, director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM) and one of the nations foremost fiscal analysts, the total economic cost of the strikes could reach as high as $210 billion. Smetters, whose model is widely used in Washington, D.C., to analyze the fiscal and macroeconomic effects of federal policy, has Beltway policy chops including a stint as an economist at the Congressional Budget Office and as deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at the U.S. Treasury. He has advised Congress on dynamic scoring, and consults with policymakers from both parties on major tax and spending legislation. Smetters has described PWBM as a sandbox for legislators to workshop economic policy ideas. The smallest number he gave to Fortune when asked about the cost of Epic Fury to taxpayers was $40 billion, for the smallest estimate of the direct budgetary cost, in a range that goes up to $95 billion. He said PWBM assumes more upside risk in the Epic Fury scenario, so a $65 billion direct hit to taxpayers is the likely cost for direct military operations as well as the replacement of equipment, munitions, and other supplies. If the war lasts more than two months, then this number goes up, he added. On top of direct military expenditures, Smetters projected an additional economic loss to the United States alone of approximately $115 billion, with a wide band of uncertainty stretching from $50 billion all the way to $210 billion. Again, [theres] more uncertainty at the top end, he noted, flagging that the upside risk is greater than the downside. That broader economic impact accounts for disruptions to trade, energy markets, and financial conditions that a sustained conflict in the Middle East typically triggers. The figures do not include the cost of the administrations IEEPA tariff regime, which PWBM has pegged at a separate $179 billion. This amount will likely need to be refunded to American companies, if not taxpayers, after the Supreme Court ruling on the legality of IEEPA tariffs. The conflict began on Feb. 28, when President Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeting Irans ballistic missile infrastructure, naval forces, and nuclear program. Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was confirmed dead by Iranian state media soon afterward. Over the last year, the issue around transporting lithium batteries and the power banks that commonly contain them has once again begun coming up after multiple airlines, the TSA and the entire country of Japan all expanded on existing bans around packing these items in their luggage. The lithium-ion battery that allows for portable charging also contains volatile electrolytes that pose a particular risk of catching fire; the additional restrictions come after a string of in-cabin fires on different airlines. While the wireless headphones that have largely replaced cable versions over the last decade also contain lithium-ion batteries in the charging case, their significantly smaller size has largely kept them under the radar from sweeping bans. But amid a bigger spotlight on airborne fire safety, at least two national airlines have introduced new restrictions on transporting portable headphones including the popular Apple AirPods in checked luggage. "Should only be packed in carry-on baggage": Airlines increasingly crack down on portable headphones Air New Zealand became the latest major airline tweak its policy to state that not just batteries and power banks but also wireless headphones should not be packed in checked luggage "under any circumstances." Taiwanese airline Eva Air made similar changes to its policy that it now displays on its website in November 2025. "Batteries, portable chargers or power banks that are not installed in a device must be packed safely in carry-on," Air New Zealand writes on its website. "[...] The charges cases for air pods, earbuds and in-ear devices should only be packed in carry-on baggage." Related: Lufthansa is latest to ban use of item many other airlines allow Incidents involving in-cabin fires from a portable charging case have been significantly rarer than those arising from power banks but their potential has pushed some airlines to issue proactive bans. "Bluetooth earphones and their charging case must be carried in your carry-on baggage, as the charging case contains a lithium battery and functions as a power bank," Eva Air explains to anyone who may be confused as to why their headphones are treated the same as a power bank. Air New Zealand is among the major airlines that do not allow wireless headphones to be packed in checked baggage.Air New Zealand Air New Zealand Which other airlines restrict wireless headphones in checked luggage Smaller airlines to introduce similar restrictions include Taiwanese regional carriers UNI Air and Tigerair. Neither airline's restriction on checked baggage transportation affects travelers' ability to use wireless headphones to listen to music or watch videos in-flight; they were put in place primarily so that any fires that do break out can be spotted and put out quickly rather than spread in the cargo section of the airplane. Christian Populations Dwindling in Middle East Christians have been rooted in the Middle East as minority communities since the birth of the religion, but their numbers are dwindling amid conflict and jihadist attacks. Today they make up only four percent of the region's population, down from 20 percent before the First World War, Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said this month. Pope Francis on Saturday voiced concern that Christians will eventually disappear from the region amid "murderous indifference" to their plight. Here is a breakdown of the main Christian presence in the Middle East. - Egypt - Coptic Orthodox is the largest Christian denomination both in the region and in Egypt, where its members make up some 10 percent of the population. They have little representation in government though, and have been targeted in anti-Christian attacks that have multiplied since the Islamic State group appeared. Since December 2016 more than 100 people have been killed in anti-Christian attacks in Egypt claimed by IS. In April 2017 Copts were targeted in bombing attacks on two churches on Palm Sunday, killing 45 people. The following month, gunmen shot dead about 30 Christians who refused to renounce their faith. - Iraq - Chaldean Christians numbered 1.5 million in Iraq before the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein but their numbers have since plummeted to less than 500,000, according to Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, appointed cardinal by the pope in June. Many fled from the sectarian violence that followed Saddam's ouster. They were also pushed out of parts of northern Iraq in 2014 as IS jihadists seized control of vast swathes of territory. Qaraqosh, once home to the country's greatest concentration of Christians, was recaptured by Iraqi forces in October 2016. - Syria - Catholic and Orthodox sects comprise the majority of Christians in Syria, where they represented between five and nine percent of the population before civil unrest erupted in 2011. According to the Chaldean bishop of Aleppo, Antoine Audo, half of Syria's 1.5 million Christians have fled the country to escape the war. Syria's Christians have mostly sought neutrality throughout the conflict, while fearing the rise of jihadist groups. Many backed President Bashar al-Assad for that reason. Churches have been damaged or destroyed since 2011 and large numbers of Christians have been murdered or abducted. - Lebanon - Lebanese Christians, most of them Maronite Catholics, are the second largest group of Christians in the Middle East after the Egyptian Copts. Today they represent less than 35 percent of Lebanon's population, although there are no official statistics. Lebanon has a Christian president -- the only one in the region -- under a power-sharing and parity arrangement that means there is a Sunni Muslim premier and a Shiite parliamentary speaker. - Israel, Palestinian Territories - There are around 160,000 Israeli Christians, the vast majority of them Arabs in the north, representing about two percent of the population. In the Israel-occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, there are nearly 50,000 Christians of various denominations, mainly in Bethlehem and Ramallah. Although now a minority in Bethlehem, where the Bible says Jesus was born, Christians play a central economic role. In the Gaza Strip the number of Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox, is in steady decline since the Islamist Hamas movement took power in 2007. - Jordan - Greek Orthodoxy and Catholicism are the largest Christian denominations in Jordan, where they make up about six percent of the population. There are Christian members of parliament and members of the community play prominent rolls in society. Drivers in the UK could face record-breaking petrol prices as soon as this month as the conflict between the US and Iran disrupts oil markets across the globe. Conflict has spread across the Middle East after the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Saturday, which were followed by retaliatory Iranian attacks on targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. Blasts continue to be reported across the region, as America and Israel continue airstrikes on Iranian targets. The countrys supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a targeted attack on Saturday, and top officials have vowed not to negotiate with the United States. Follow The Independents live coverage for the latest updates As fighting escalates, Iran has warned that it will set fire to any ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel for the global oil industry. A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, on Sunday (AFP/Getty) At least three ships were reported to have been attacked near the strait over the weekend, sending the markets into turmoil. The strait provides the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, making it a crucial point for the oil industry. Around 20 per cent of the worlds gas and oil is shipped through the waterway. But Iranian general Sardar Jabbari has said the country will now not let a single drop of oil leave the region, prompting international shipping to come to an effective standstill at the entrance to the passage. The strait is located in the strip of sea between Iran, to the north, and Oman and UAE to the south. Iran has hit American-linked targets in the UAE cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi in recent days, meaning missiles are liable to continue flying over the strait. What does this mean for UK oil prices? Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, jumped to $82 (61) a barrel on Monday a rise of over 10 per cent. The rate had already been at a seven-month high before Saturdays attack, reaching $73 (54) a barrel. The figure reached $84 (62.97) a barrel on Wednesday morning. This is likely to continue to rise, experts warn, with a prolonged conflict having potential to create record-breaking price hikes in the UK. Edmund King, president of the AA, has warned that the significant disruption to the oil trade could bring this situation about within the month. The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 per cent of the worlds gas and oil is shipped (Getty/iStock) The turmoil and bombing across the Middle East will surely be a catalyst to disrupt oil distribution globally, which will inevitably lead to price hikes, Mr King told The Times. So drivers beware, within the next 10 to 12 days we could be seeing record prices at the pumps. By Pete Schroeder and Michelle Price WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. financial services industry is on heightened alert for potential cyberattacks amid the unfolding U.S. war in Iran, with firms stepping up monitoring for threats that often rise during periods of geopolitical conflict, said executives and analysts. The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last weekend in an air strike has sparked a conflagration in the Middle East that has roiled markets globally and stoked concerns over the potential for Iran-linked cyberattacks on U.S. financial services operations. Cybersecurity has long been a top priority for the financial services industry, which operates critical U.S. infrastructure, including payments, clearing and settlement systems, as well as trading platforms and Treasury markets, making it a top target of cyberattacks, according to industry data. "The industry remains vigilant and ready to respond to cyber threats at all times, and especially when global cybersecurity risks are heightened," said Todd Klessman, managing director for financial services cyber and technology at industry group SIFMA which runs an annual exercise to ensure financial firms can operate through significant cyber emergencies. "We continue to monitor the current situation with a focus on operational resilience, which is foundational to the integrity and stability of the U.S. capital markets," Klessman said. Another top banking industry official said lenders are very concerned about the risk of cyberattacks, which they see as likely. U.S. INTELLIGENCE SEES LOW-LEVEL CYBERATTACKS AS POSSIBLE According to a U.S. intelligence assessment that Reuters reported on Monday, Iran-aligned "hacktivists" could conduct low-level cyberattacks against U.S. networks, such as distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS), whereby hostile actors overwhelm a targeted server with a flood of internet traffic. Credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS said on Tuesday the most significant risks to global banks and asset managers were likely to be indirect, including sustained higher oil prices and shocks to borrowers, but warned that cyber risks could also rise. "Iran could increase its cyberattacks against Western entities, including banks," the credit rating agency said. U.S. investment bank Lazard's geopolitical advisory team also this week flagged cyber risks, noting that Iran has demonstrated a willingness to deploy cyber capabilities against commercial targets, including financial systems. This story was originally published on ESG Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily ESG Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Vanguard entered a settlement with Texas and 10 other Republican-led states last week to end litigation alleging the asset manager violated antitrust laws and colluded with BlackRock and State Street to artificially constrict the coal market, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday. Vanguard did not admit to any wrongdoing or illegal conduct, but the settlement will require the firm to pay the 11 suing states $29.5 million, expand its investor choice program and have its U.S.-based businesses refrain from joining groups with climate-focused investment or stewardship objectives. After reaching a settlement with Vanguard, Paxton accused BlackRock and State Street of ignoring state laws and engaging in anticompetitive schemes that hurt American energy in the press release. Dive Insight: Vanguard said in a Feb. 26 statement that it decided to settle with its investors best interests in mind and that the settlement lets the firm put this distraction behind us and focus on what matters. The suit alleging various violations of antitrust laws and deceptive marketing practices is also backed by Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia and Wyoming. Paxton and the coalition of states first sued BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street in December 2024, alleging the three largest U.S. asset managers had bought substantial holdings in public coal companies and were conspiring to get those companies to restrict their output. The three firms filed a joint motion to dismiss the charges in March 2025, which was denied in August. The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice weighed in on the case last May, supporting the states argument. The settlement requires Vanguard to use "commercially reasonable efforts to expand its investor proxy choice program launched in February 2023 to any fund with over half of its assets invested in U.S. equities by the end of June 2027. The firm also agreed to continue offering the proxy choice voting program until at least the end of June 2032, according to the settlement. I am glad to see that Vanguard has chosen to protect investors and become the industry leader when it comes to empowering investors with proxy voting choice, Paxton said in the Feb. 26 release. This sets a new standard for institutional investors that every company should follow. By Joan Faus BARCELONA, March 3 (Reuters) - The number of people in Ukraine connecting to the internet using SpaceX's Starlink will probably reach around 12 million by the end of this year from the current 5 million users, the CEO of telecoms group Veon said on Tuesday. Last year, Veon signed a partnership with Elon Musk's company in a bid to bring satellite connectivity to mobile users in remote areas as competition in satellite-to-smartphone connectivity intensifies. Veon unit Kyivstar has rolled out the service in war-torn Ukraine. "I would expect every Ukrainian to consider having the ability to connect to satellite," CEO Kaan Terzioglu told Reuters at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. "Due to electricity outages, it could be the case that everybody once in a while will need the service." Twelve million people represents around half of Kyivstar's total customers, he added. Dubai-based Veon also plans to integrate Starlink's service into the network of Beeline, its operator in Kazakhstan. Terzioglu said he hoped the service would be fully operating by the end of March and that it could also launch this year in at least one of the three other countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan - where it operates. The group could consider entering "large-population, underserved markets" in South Asia, Latin America and Africa in a three- to five-year period if the right conditions arise, such as prices and taxation. The partnership with Starlink is non-exclusive, and Veon has said it is also in talks with Amazon's Project Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile and Eutelsat OneWeb. But Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov told Reuters it would not use other satellite providers besides Starlink before the end of next year given the time it would take them to be operational. Komarov also said Kyivstar planned to deliver the first large language model using Google's Gemma framework in the next quarter and that it would be used for "Ukrainian state purposes", including war. (Reporting by Joan Faus; Additional reporting by Leo Marchandon; Editing by David Latona and Andrei Khalip) Israelis take cover in Tel Aviv as a siren sounds warning of incoming ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Israel, March 1, 2026; illustrative. (photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90) "The direct military costs - reserve days, flight hours, interceptors and munitions - amount to billions," Prof. Ayal Kimhi told The Jerusalem Post. While most Israelis may not feel an immediate financial blow from the war with Iran, the deeper economic consequences could emerge in places less visible - particularly in education, long-term growth, and fiscal stability, according to Prof. Ayal Kimhi of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research. Most citizens will not necessarily feel an immediate economic impact, Kimhi told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, noting that the primary short-term burden falls on self-employed workers and hourly employees. But the direct military costs - reserve days, flight hours, interceptors and munitions - amount to billions. And the cost of partially shutting down economic activity may be even greater. Kimhi divides the immediate economic toll into two layers: the direct cost of the military campaign itself, and the broader loss of output caused by halted or disrupted activity. While some sectors - particularly hi-tech - may be able to function remotely, others face more serious constraints. Agriculture does not stop even under missile fire, he noted. Industry, however, is more vulnerable to prolonged disruption. In the short term, investor sentiment remains uncertain. Its too early to assess after only a few days, Kimhi said. Investors think long term. If they believe this war will eventually stabilize the region, Israels attractiveness could even increase. Prof. Ayal Kimhi of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research says while most Israelis may not feel an immediate financial blow from the war with Iran, the deeper economic consequences could emerge in places less visible. (credit: The Shoresh Institution) Yet the more troubling implications lie beneath the surface. Shoresh Institute warns about structural economic weakness For years, the Shoresh Institute has warned about structural weaknesses in Israels economy: low labor force participation among certain groups, gaps in human capital, and productivity challenges. According to Kimhi, a prolonged conflict risks intensifying those trends - particularly through disruptions to the education system. The most problematic issue in the long term is that schools are closed, he said. Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic period and the past three years of instability, he warned that students struggle to reintegrate even after systems reopen. It also does not appear that the Education Ministry learned from previous experience and prepared adequately for remote learning. Given that human capital is Israels primary economic resource, Kimhi described this as a genuine cause for concern. Educational gaps between stronger and weaker students may widen further, as more advantaged households are better equipped to cope with disruption. Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX) is among the 10 Best Steel Stocks to Buy Right Now. Wells Fargo Retains an Underweight Rating on Ternium S.A. (TX) On February 19, 2026, Wells Fargo decreased Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX)'s price objective from $34 to $33. The analyst retained an Underweight rating following the fourth-quarter shortfall. The firm warned of ongoing concerns from Chinese oversupply, despite trade restrictions in Mexico and Brazil. Wells Fargo said that it expects EBITDA to remain high in 2026 compared to market conditions. On February 18, 2026, Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX) said it expects first-quarter 2026 adjusted EBITDA to increase sequentially. The company expects increased shipments, mainly in Mexico, and improved margins due to higher revenue per ton. Brazil applied antidumping tariffs in an attempt to reduce unfair steel imports. Argentina anticipates a gradual recovery in steel sales, driven by mining, agriculture, energy, and construction. On February 3, 2026, JPMorgan increased Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX)'s price target to $44 from $40.50. JPMorgan maintained an Overweight recommendation on the stock. Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX) produces flat steel. It operates through two segments: steel and mining. The Steel section covers the sale of steel products. While we acknowledge the potential of TX 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: 15 Best Electric Utility Stocks to Invest In Now and 11 Most Volatile Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. The wheat complex is mixed on Tuesday, with hard red contracts seeing gains. Chicago SRW futures are down 3 to 6 cents across most contracts. KC HRW futures are steady to a penny higher. MPLS spring wheat is firm to 2 cents higher. The next 7 days are wet for the eastern half of the Southern Plains, stretching over across most of the SRW country. The western portions of HRW country is expected to receive very little precip. More News from Barchart EU wheat exports have totaled 15.77 MMT from July 1 to March 1 according to the European Commission, up 1.36 MMT from the same period last year. Mar 26 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.67 1/4, down 7 1/4 cents, May 26 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.71 1/4, down 6 cents, Mar 26 KCBT Wheat closed at $5.72 1/4, up 5 1/4 cents, May 26 KCBT Wheat closed at $5.74 3/4, unch, Mar 26 MIAX Wheat closed at $5.94, down 3 1/2 cents, May 26 MIAX Wheat closed at $6.12 1/2, up 1 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 Gold (GC=F) long dismissed by critics as a dusty hedge for doomsday preppers is dominating again. On March 2, 2026, it blasted through $5,300 per ounce, blowing past even aggressive price targets. The surge followed a rough start to the year: Geopolitical tensions, the U.S. and Israel-Iran war, and the fallout from the Supreme Courts recent ruling on Trumps tariff powers may have all contributed to the continued push into hard assets. If youve been holding gold, the run has been extraordinary. Over the past five years, prices have been up 200%. Go back to 2006, and youre looking at gains north of 830%. Thats life-changing money for anyone who stayed the course. But if youre planning to cash in on this rally, be warned. The IRS doesnt treat gold the same way it treats Apple stock. In fact, selling gold can trigger a much higher tax bill than you might expect. Read more: How to invest in gold in 4 steps Do you have to pay taxes on gold? Yes, the IRS treats gold as a capital asset, meaning any profit you make from selling it is considered taxable income. But how youre taxed depends on how long you hold on to your gold before selling. Taxes on physical gold The IRS considers physical gold a collectible, so it faces a different tax structure than stocks. However, you wont really notice this rule for short-term capital gains on gold because the taxation is similar to stocks. If you sell gold within one year of buying it, youll owe ordinary income tax on any profit. (Same tax treatment as stocks.) But if you hold physical gold for more than a year and sell it at a profit, the collectible tax rate kicks in. Now, your gold gain is taxed at your ordinary income rate again but only up to a maximum of 28%. Heres how that plays out: If youre in the 10%, 12%, 22%, or 24% ordinary income bracket (AKA your tax bracket), your long-term gold gain is taxed at that same rate. If youre in the 32%, 35%, or 37% bracket, you dont pay that rate youre limited to 28%. This differs from the long-term capital gains treatment of stocks, which are taxed at either a 0%, 15% or 20% rate. Read more: Who decides what gold is worth? How gold prices are determined. Taxes on gold ETFs Many investors avoid storing physical bullion in favor of purchasing exchange-traded funds such as SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) or iShares Gold Trust (IAU). They trade like stocks, settle like stocks, and sit neatly alongside stocks in your brokerage account. But from a tax perspective, gold ETFs arent the same as equities. Because some of the most popular gold ETFs including GLD and IAU hold the physical metal in a vault on your behalf, youre treated as if you own the physical gold itself. That means the same collectible tax rules apply: Sell within one year: Your gains are taxed as ordinary income potentially up to 37% in 2026. Hold longer than one year: Your gains are taxed at the collectibles rate. The same rate if youre in the 10%, 12%, 22%, or 24% tax bracket. 28% if youre in the 32%, 35%, or 37% tax bracket. So while ETFs feel simpler, they dont fix the tax problem. However, not all gold ETFs are physically backed. Some hold futures or options contracts, which are taxed under a different set of rules. That said, most major gold ETFs, including the ones mentioned earlier, are structured as grantor trusts and, therefore, fall under the collectible tax rate rules. Of course, this tax treatment applies only to gold ETFs held in a taxable brokerage account and sold at a profit. It doesnt apply to investors who hold gold ETFs in a tax-advantaged retirement account, such as an IRA. Learn more: Gold IRA: Benefits, risks, and how it differs from a traditional IRA Gold stocks Shares of gold mining companies such as Newmont Corporation (NEM) or Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) are taxed like any other stocks. Your rate depends on how long you hold them before selling. Short-term capital gain (held for less than one year): Taxed at your ordinary income rate. Long-term capital gains (held for one year or more): Taxed at either 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your adjusted gross income. 0%: up to $48,350 for single filers; $96,700 for married filing jointly. 15%: Up to $533,400 for single filers; $600,050 for married filers. 20%: More than $533,400 for single filers; over $600,050 for married filers. Of course, mining stocks carry company-specific risks that bullion doesnt. Youre trading tax efficiency for exposure to the broader boom-and-bust cycles that tend to hit commodity producers. Gold reporting requirements If you dont report a gold sale and the IRS later uncovers it, youre not simply paying back taxes. Youre looking at penalties and interest too. Read more: Thinking of buying gold? Here's what investors should watch for. Form 1099-B In some cases, when you sell certain quantities or types of bullion to a dealer, the dealer is required to file Form 1099-B with the IRS. Reporting thresholds vary by product and volume, but significant sales are often reported. For example, selling 25 or more 1-ounce Krugerrands or Maple Leafs can trigger reporting. Still, reporting doesnt always happen automatically, said Tommy Lucas, a certified financial planner and enrolled agent at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando. A dealer isnt sending off a tax form to report every sale, said Lucas. Its essentially an honor system and self-reporting. But that doesnt mean youre off the hook. If its a significant amount and you dont report it, you could be subject to hefty penalties, Lucas added. Even if a dealer doesn't issue a 1099-B, youre still legally required to report your gain. The onus is on you, not the dealer. The IRS would likely scrutinize things more if something looks off, said Lucas. It would typically come up if you get audited. No structured sales Any cash transaction over $10,000 must be reported by the dealer on Form 8300. Trying to break up large sales into smaller chunks to stay below that reporting threshold a process known as structuring is risky. Financial institutions are required to monitor suspicious activity, and structured transactions can raise red flags. Even if you think a sale might fly under the radar, Lucas thinks its better to be safe than sorry. I wouldn't take my chances and would lean on the side of caution in those cases, he said. How to avoid taxes on gold If you sell gold at a profit in a taxable account, the IRS wants its share. The good news is there are a few legal ways to defer or potentially eliminate taxes on gold gains, especially if you use the right account. Use a gold IRA A specific type of self-directed IRA, sometimes called a gold IRA, is a legal way to protect gold from immediate capital gains taxes. There are two different types of IRAs: A traditional gold IRA: Taxes are deferred until you begin taking distributions in retirement, and those withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gains. A Roth gold IRA: Contributions are made with after-tax money, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are entirely tax-free. A self-directed IRA lets you hold physical gold and other alternative assets, though it comes with strict rules around storage and metal purity. That deferral can be powerful but it cuts both ways depending on your tax bracket. If youre in a super high bracket and take ordinary income by selling gold in an IRA and withdrawing it, youll be subject to those 32%, 35%, or 37% rates, said Lucas. If you held the same gold outside a retirement account, you could have sold it at 28%. In other words, a traditional gold IRA doesnt automatically mean a lower tax bill. It just shifts when and how youre taxed. Using a Roth account can be a more effective option. In a Roth gold IRA, you could have bought gold at $2,000 and sold it at todays $5,300 without owing a single cent to the IRS upon withdrawal. Learn more: How much gold would $1 million buy at different points in history? Still, these accounts arent simple plug-and-play solutions, Lucas explained: From a cost and complexity standpoint, theres a lot more going on with gold IRAs versus opening a brokerage account and buying ETFs. Practice tax-loss harvesting If you realize a large profit from selling gold, you can intentionally sell other assets at a loss in the same tax year to reduce some or all of that gain. This approach, known as tax-loss harvesting, is a widely used strategy. Losses across investments get combined before the final tax bill is calculated. So if you make a $100,000 gain on collectible gold and then sell some stock at a loss, those will offset, said Lucas. If you have a $100,000 gain on gold and a $10,000 short-term capital loss from a stock, your net capital gain is $90,000, he explained. That same concept applies whether the gain came from physical gold, a gold ETF, or another capital asset. One important nuance to keep in mind: After everything is netted, the remaining gain keeps its tax character. So if youre offsetting a gain from physical gold thats taxed under the collectibles rate, the remaining net gain will still follow those rules, Lucas said. If youre offsetting gains from a gold ETF taxed at short-term capital gains rates, the remaining net gain follows that structure instead. Deduct expenses You can also reduce your taxable gain on physical gold by adding the costs of "buying, holding, and selling" to your basis. This can include dealer premiums, commissions, shipping, and insurance. These expenses increase your cost basis. A higher cost basis reduces the amount of profit subject to tax when you eventually sell. Heres an example: Bought gold at $2,000 per ounce. Paid $100 in premiums and fees. Sold at $5,300. Your gain per ounce is $5,300 - $2,100 = $3,200. That $3,200 is what gets taxed not the full sale price. And by documenting your expenses, you help reduce your taxable gain by $100. Keep detailed records of all related expenses, along with purchase and sale documentation, so everything is reported accurately at tax time. Taxes on gold FAQs Do you have to pay taxes on gold? Yes. Any profit made from selling gold is considered a capital gain. Whether its physical bullion, coins, or a physically backed ETF, youre required by law to report the profit (or loss) to the IRS. Can you avoid taxes on gold? You generally cant eliminate taxes on a standard taxable sale. But you might be able to reduce or defer them by holding for more than one year, using retirement accounts, offsetting gains with losses, or using advanced charitable giving strategies. Do I have to report a gold sale on my taxes? Yes. Capital gains must be reported on your federal tax return, typically on Schedule D of Form 1040. Even if your dealer doesnt issue a 1099-B, the legal responsibility to report the income falls on you, the taxpayer. Yubico's Geoff Schomburgk on why education is cybersecurity's most overlooked soft target, and what passkeys can do about it. The classroom has been stripped back to its studs and rebuilt as a digital space. Laptops, tablets, Chromebooks. Every student connected, every lesson wired into something that requires a login. Security hasn't kept pace. Not even close. "There is a gold mine of data that is available. We're talking about young children. Student data about their contact details, their address, in some cases personal or health-related information. In many cases, their parents' details and often credit card information." Geoff Schomburgk, Regional Vice President, APJ, Yubico That's the blunt assessment from Geoff Schomburgk, Yubico's Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific and Japan, in a recent interview. The company that invented the YubiKey (the physical security key that's become synonymous with phishing-resistant authentication) has been watching the education sector with growing concern. And the numbers back him up. 80% of data breaches still trace back to compromised login credentials. Leaked onto the dark web, or phished out of someone who clicked the wrong link. The article continues below the video interview, please watch and read on! AI Has Broken the Language Barrier for Hackers One of the more unsettling shifts Schomburgk flagged: AI has turbocharged phishing attacks across the Asia Pacific region. Countries like Vietnam and Japan, where language once acted as a natural shield against social engineering, are now just as vulnerable as English-speaking markets. Language is no longer a barrier. Vietnam, Japan, these places where language has always been a barrier for the hackers, not anymore." That's a significant change. The phishing emails that used to arrive riddled with grammatical errors (the kind that made them easy to spot) now read like they were written by a native speaker. Because, in a sense, they were. Just not a human one. The Attack Surface Expanded While Nobody Was Looking Think about the sheer scale of it. Every student with a school-issued device. Every teacher logged into a learning management system. Every staff member accessing administrative databases that hold precisely the kind of personal information cybercriminals are hunting for. Schomburgk described it plainly: the attack surface has expanded enormously, and the security posture of most educational institutions hasn't kept up. The education sector is, by almost any measure, a soft target. Budgets are tight, IT teams are small, and the people using the systems (children, in many cases) aren't trained to spot a well-crafted phishing attempt. Yes, Students Still Try to Hack Their Own Grades It wouldn't be a conversation about school cybersecurity without mentioning the Ferris Bueller problem. Students logging in and bumping their grades. It happens although in the movie, Bueller was hacking his attendance records but it was inspirational for some students emulating Buellers behaviour. Schomburgk, however, was quick to reframe the risk. "In our world, we would call that an insider threat," he said. "The biggest risk we see is the external threat from attackers coming from outside to get those credentials, that information, to do malicious things with it." "The changing of your grades, whilst that's not a good thing, that's certainly a smaller risk when in the context of the number of students that are potentially vulnerable and their information being abused. Fair point. A kid changing a C to a B is a disciplinary issue. A data breach exposing the personal records of thousands of minors is something else entirely. Passkeys: The Fix That's Actually Designed to Be Easy Schomburgk's pitch for passkeys as the answer to education's identity security problem is pretty simple. They're phishing-resistant by design. They work on every platform schools already use (browsers, macOS, Windows, Android, Chromebooks). And they're frictionless. "Get away with passwords," he said. "Get away with having to change passwords and remember passwords, and use a technology that is very, very secure and has been designed to be that." For schools that ban mobile phones in classrooms (which is increasingly common, and in Australia's case, backed by legislation), a physical security key like the YubiKey solves a real logistical problem. You can't use a phone-based authenticator if the phone is locked in a pouch. A small USB key that you tap and enter a PIN? That works. "You can't use a mobile phone in a classroom. So, what do you use in that environment?" Over 100 schools in Australia are already deploying YubiKeys at various levels, according to Schomburgk. Some down to individual students, some focused on staff. The university sector is further along, rolling out phishing-resistant MFA to both academic staff and students. Cybersecurity Belongs in the Boardroom, Not Just the Server Room One of the sharper observations from the interview: the education sector still treats cybersecurity as a technical issue. Something for the IT department to handle with the next software update. Schomburgk wants that conversation moved up. Way up. To the board, to the people who set budgets and define institutional risk. "We're trying to encourage moving the narrative away from 'this is a technical issue' to making it at least a management or board-level discussion," he said. He pointed to frameworks like Australia's Essential Eight as a practical starting point, and noted that cyber insurers are already using compliance with those frameworks to assess risk profiles. That's the kind of pressure that actually moves things. When your insurance premium goes up because your MFA policy is stuck in 2015, suddenly the board pays attention. Yubico's Bigger Moves: New Channel Program, New Regional Hub The education push sits inside a broader expansion for Yubico across the Asia Pacific region. The company just opened a new regional headquarters in Singapore, giving it a follow-the-sun support model with hubs in Sweden, the US, and now Southeast Asia. That means faster delivery and closer customer support for the APJ region. They've also launched YubiNation Partners, a new global channel program built around their reseller network. More training, more tools, a structured incentive program. In a region where Yubico sells exclusively through channel partners, getting those partners enabled and motivated is the whole ballgame. The Duty of Care Argument Schomburgk saved his strongest point for last. And it's the one that should land hardest with school administrators and education board members. "The duty of care that educators have with our children is critical, so protecting their digital identity is also critical. The industry is making tools available such as passkeys to do that, and we would certainly encourage a rapid adoption of that to do the right thing and protect the next generation." Schools already accept that they have a duty of care over students' physical safety. Fire drills, visitor sign-in procedures, playground supervision. The argument that this duty extends to digital identity protection is, in 2026, pretty airtight. The tools exist. The frameworks exist. The phishing-resistant technology is mature, tested, and designed to work in environments where phones are banned and IT budgets are thin. The only thing missing is urgency. And with AI-powered phishing attacks accelerating across the region, that window is closing fast. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Celebrations broke out across Iran in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes over the weekend that killed the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and other top officials. President Donald Trump urged the nation's people to seize the opportunity. "The hour of your freedom is at hand," he said. "When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations." The reality is more complicated. For nearly five decades, the Iranian people have lived under a despotic theocracy that has repeatedly threatened the West, vowed to eliminate Israel and sowed violence and terrorism in the Middle East and elsewhere. The regime had, over the years, brutally punished ever-increasing dissent, most recently by killing thousands of protesters who had taken to the streets in January. Iran had been seriously weakened by Trump's actions last year, when the United States bombed targeted sites in an effort to prevent the state from developing nuclear weapons. Israel, meanwhile, had dismantled Iran's terror proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas, in the wake of the latter's brutal Oct. 7 massacre against the Jewish state which, with each passing day, looks to be one of the most significant geo-political blunders of the past few centuries. Fears that attacks on Iran could trigger a more widespread world war were unfounded. Trump is no doubt counting on a similar dynamic regarding these latest strikes, which led to the deaths of at least three Americans. Iran responded by lobbing missiles at Israel and at four Arab nations that host U.S. military bases. But with virtually no ability to stop an air attack, Iran is in no position to put up a serious fight. Neither do its friends Russia and China appear eager to come to its defense in any significant fashion. But the major question remains: What happens next? Under Iran's constitution, CNN reports, a three-member council would now run the country until the Assembly of Experts selects a new leader. That, of course, risks more of the same repression. It's unlikely that Trump would seek to prosecute a ground war in Iran and Congress wouldn't go along. Instead, the White House appears to be prodding Iranian reformers to step forward to put their nation on a more sustainable course. But history shows that this will be a difficult task. The recent protests, however, highlight the depth of unrest. "The country's population, after all, is clearly fed up with the Islamic Republic," Politico reported Sunday. There are back channels within which the United States is certainly supporting Iran's democracy movement. But more must be done. Sen. Ted Cruz last week advocated arming the nation's reformers in an effort to push Iran into the 21st century. Congress should move forward on such legislation. (COMMENT, BELOW) At the end of December 2025, the American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics ceased its operations, now just a relic of the past. Its inception began in September 1999 with a journal theme entitled Virtual Mentor Launches with a Nod to William Osler. It references ethical decision-making, praise for Sir William Oslers Aequanimitas, and the experience of the spoken word from a doctor to a patients ears. Its final issue is an exploration of aging and interpellation of what is defined as pathological old age. A fitting last theme for an aging, and now dead, institution. The foundation of medical ethics The application of ethics in medicine is why we have the contemporary Hippocratic tradition, the oath I took to cement my obligation to caring for patients and acting in their best interest. Medical ethics gave rise to consent with the Nuremberg Code, research ethics with the Declaration of Helsinki, and protection of autonomy with the Belmont Report. It empowers us to prioritize human rights and challenge inequities. Medical ethics commitment to justice has set forth institutional safeguards for our patients, and its evolution has created the foundation for medicine as a force for good. The unique role of ethics journals Ethics journals specifically play a unique role in the academic landscape of medicine. They extract moral questions from harms, critique the norms that we take as doctrine, operationalize theory into ethical codes, and hold institutions accountable for wrongdoings and neutrality. These journals preserve the memory of past harm to ensure that our futures are shaped by justice and integrity. They are the necessary safeguards in academia that allow clinicians, hospitals, and systems to meaningfully interrogate the practices that can cause patient harm. A cultural shift toward artificial intelligence Concomitant with the decay of the AMA Journal of Ethics, the AMA launched a Center for Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This marks a cultural shift in the intellectual landscape of our professional body and sends a clear message of what the priority is. The AI boom in our economy, bolstered by venture capitalists and Silicon Valley motivations, has rippled its way into many facets of our social sectors. Its presence is seen in education, where its intersection portends nefarious outcomes to our youth. Its presence is seen prominently in media where AI-created content has disseminated false information ecosystems. Its presence in medicine, perhaps most high stakes, is growing rapidly and operating with the goal of making health care delivery cheaper and faster. It reeks of industrialization, corporatization, and capitalism without transparency, equity, and regulation. The ethical conundrum of AI in health care The ethical conundrum of AI technologies has been postulated. Medical systems prioritize informed consent, but the mystery of AI tools and their inner workings complicate the way patients are informed of AI and its role in their care. The grave concern of data privacy and health data, perhaps most consequential, needs further attention to the legal and ethical practices that safeguard it. The growing reliance of clinicians toward use of AI for clinical decision-making poses a large threat to ownership over patient outcomes and safety. From clinical risk tools to automated documentation, our institutions and clinicians are trusting AI without knowing if it is something to be trusted. A warning for the future of medicine It is with sadness that I remark upon the AMA Journal of Ethics inaugural journal theme again: its nod to Sir William Osler. I attend the residency of his namesake. When I care for my patients, I do so with ethical responsibility, ethical sensibility, and ethical questioning. The death of the AMAs Journal of Medical Ethics marks an early prognosticator of what is to come soon. Now more than ever, the amplification of AI and its promised efficiency need pragmatic ethical involvement. As an early-career physician and resident, I worry that ethics is dying when we need it most. Bhavya Ancha is an internal medicine resident. (Photo by City of Busan/courtesy of haps Magazine Korea) Suyeong-gu will hold the 27th Suyeong Traditional Daljipnori today at Gwangalli Beach and Gwangalli Beach Park, marking Jeongwol Daeboreum, the first full moon of the lunar year. The event will run from 2 p.m. to 6:50 p.m., with participatory programs beginning earlier in the day from 10 a.m. The festival will combine long-standing local customs with performances and hands-on activities open to residents and visitors. Daljipnori, a traditional full moon ritual, centers on the burning of a large straw and wood structure known as a daljip. The ritual is intended to pray for good harvests, health, and prosperity in the coming year. This years daljip ignition is scheduled for 6:11 p.m., shortly after sunset, when crowds are expected to gather along the shoreline. Throughout the afternoon, visitors can take part in traditional experiences such as wish-making, the sale of good-luck charms, and interactive folk activities. Free tea service is also scheduled during the event. Stage performances will take place between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., featuring Suyeong folk music, Suyeong Jwajang Yeongbangnori, Suyeong Nongcheongnori, and a special tightrope walking performance. A highlight will be an appearance by Wang Gido, a nationally recognized master of traditional tightrope walking, accompanied by performers from the Gwon Won-tae Yeonhui Troupe. China calls for ceasing military operations after Iran attack spillover Xinhua) 09:19, March 03, 2026 BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China urges all parties to stop military operations and prevent further spread of the current conflict in the Middle East, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday. Mao made the remarks after Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at U.S. military installations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and others following the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran and the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran without the authorization of the UN Security Council, which violates international law, Mao said at a regular news briefing. "China expresses deep concern over the spillover effects of the conflict affecting neighboring countries," she said. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all Gulf countries should also be fully respected, she added. China appreciates that the GCC extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy are the only means to resolve the current crisis and safeguard regional security, she said. Given the complex and sensitive regional situation right now, China supports regional countries to proceed from the perspective of good-neighborliness and friendship, bolster communication and coordination, and collectively strive for peace and stability in the region, she noted. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Comparta este articulo GUADALAJARA, Jalisco. The golden casket arrived at the private cemetery Recinto de la Paz shortly after noon. Inside was the body that, according to federal sources consulted unofficially, corresponds to Ruben Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, identified by authorities as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The white hearse departed at 11:15 a.m. from Funerales La Paz, located in the San Andres neighborhood in eastern Guadalajara. It traveled along Javier Mina, Juarez and Vallarta avenues, then took Aviacion toward Zapopan. There were no sirens or official convoyonly a group of traffic police motorcyclists clearing a path through traffic. A second hearse, gold in color, followed behind. On its platform stood a monumental floral arrangement shaped like a rooster, crafted with red flowers and feathers. Another large arrangement bore a white ribbon with the initials CJNG. Banda music played at the cemetery entrance. Y si me matan and Un puno de tierra could be heard. The casket was carried into the chapel as relatives and companions formed a brief, restrained circle. Later, six tow trucks arrived carrying large floral wreaths mounted on their platforms. One of them belonged to the company Gruas Oseguera. They were placed beside the entrance. Foto: Elizabeth Rivera Avelar As the burial proceeded inside, some attendees began to leave. Among them was a young man dressed in black, his head bloodied. He identified himself as Emilio Previtali, a student at Tec Guadalajara of Italian origin. He said several men assaulted him when he tried to take photographs and that they took two cameras and a cellphone. The cemetery remained under the watch of Mexican Army and National Guard personnel. Patrol units from the Jalisco State Police conducted rounds until 3:30 p.m. Afterward, security was left in the hands of private staff. Most attendees departed before visiting hours ended. A small group remained inside. Behind closed doors, the music continued. djh We shall not falter: Iran on support to new Ayatollah > < 22:14 Airlines operate 12 special flights from West Asia Indian airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and SpiceJet, are operating over 12 special flights to various cities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to bring back passengers stranded due to the escalating West Asia conflict.Besides, the airlines would operate some... Read more > 22:05 I need not indulge in any revolution: Shivakumar Amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress in Karnataka for the CM post, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he is with 'utmost patience', and he has no need to indulge in any kind of revolution, as he believes in himself and has hope.Asserting that he is neither... Read more > 21:19 Airlines announce repatriation flights for Indians Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following military strikes involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, thousands of citizens have found themselves caught in a massive aviation standstill.The situation remains fluid as major hubs like Hamad International (Doha) and... Read more > 20:19 'Too late': Trump on talks with Iran Amid the escalating tensions in the West Asia region, United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that it was 'too late' for Iran to restart negotiations.Trump said that Iran's leadership, along with its air defence, Air Force, and Navy are 'gone'.'Their air defence, Air Force, Navy, and... Read more > 19:54 Qatar cuts gas supplies to Indian industry Qatar, India's largest supplier of imported natural gas, has declared force majeure on deliveries following a halt in production in the wake of an Iranian drone strike -- a disruption that has led to a cut in supplies to Indian industry by up to 40 per cent, sources said.Qatar supplies about 40... Read more > 19:27 IAEA confirms damage to Natanz nculear plant Image only for representation The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday confirmed damage to Iran's Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant but said there was no radiological impact from the incident.In a post on X, the International Atomic Energy Agency said satellite imagery showed recent damage to entrance buildings of... Read more > 19:24 How South Africa vs New Zealand stack up in T20s An in-form South Africa face New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on March 4 at Eden Gardens.The Proteas have registered dominant wins, including victories over India and West Indies in the Super 8 stage.New Zealand, meanwhile, bounced back from a loss to South Africa... Read more > 19:23 South Africa vs New Zealand: Head-to-head South Africa will take on New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens on March 4.South Africa hold a 12-7 edge in 19 T20 meetings against the Black Caps and enter the clash after an unbeaten run so far in the tournament.New Zealand, ranked No. 4, will look to... Read more > 19:11 Govt sets up inter-ministerial group to monitor West Asia developments: Goyal The government has set up an inter-ministerial group, which is meeting daily to closely monitor developments in West Asia, Commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.Exporters have expressed apprehensions that escalating tensions in the West Asian region due to joint attacks by the US and... Read more > 18:47 IndiGo operates 4 repatriation flights to Jeddah IndiGo on Tuesday operated four repatriation flights to Jeddah and plans to have another flight to Muscat later in the day to bring back passengers stranded due to the Middle East conflict.There are also plans to operate repatriation flights to cities in the United Arab Emirates on March 4,... Read more > 17:51 Modi speaks to Sultan of Oman, Crown Prince of Kuwait Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, and expressed concern over attacks on their countries during the ongoing conflict in West Asia, officials said.In his telephonic... Read more > 17:26 Interned speed reduced to 2G in Kashmir amid protests Strict restrictions remained imposed in Kashmir for the second consecutive day on Tuesday following massive protests across the valley against the killing of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.While educational institutions were shut for two days and mobile internet speed throttled on... Read more > 16:48 West Asia conflict: Over 250 flights cancelled at 4 Indian airports More than 250 flights were cancelled at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai airports on Tuesday due to the Middle East conflict, officials said.For the fourth day, flight operations continued to be disrupted as airlines cancelled flights amid the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and... Read more > 16:41 13 Iran troops killed in airstrike, toll rises to 787 At least 13 Iranian troops were killed in an airstrike targeting an air base in southeastern Iran, local media reported on Tuesday, as casualties from ongoing US-Israeli strikes continued to mount.The semiofficial Tasnim news agency and Hammihan daily said the strike hit the Kerman Air Base,... Read more > 16:22 BJP chief Nitin Nabin to contest RS polls from Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party national president Nitin Nabin was on Tuesday nominated as the party's candidate from Bihar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.The ruling BJP has released a list of nine candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, fielding its former West Bengal unit chief Rahul Sinha and... Read more > 15:25 Indian citizens in Iran told to 'remain indoors' India on Tuesday advised its nationals in Iran to exercise utmost caution and remain indoors as far as possible as the security situation in the Persian Gulf nation deteriorated in view of fresh military strikes by the US and Israel.In view of the developing situation, all Indian nationals in... Read more > 15:06 4.3 magnitude earthquake hits Iran amid US strikes An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 hit Iran's southern part on Tuesday, as reported by Al Jazeera.The earthquake occurred in Gerash, located in the southern part of Iran's Fars province.As per the USGS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.No reports of damage have come so far.The... Read more > 15:02 West Asia conflict: 80 international flights cancelled at Delhi airport As many as 80 international flights were cancelled at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning due to operational disruptions for airlines amid the escalating Middle East conflict.Some airlines, including Emirates, have partially started operations to and from the Middle East.An official said 36... Read more > 14:37 3 Indian seafarers killed in West Asia At least three Indian seafarers on board foreign-flagged vessels were killed and one was injured in the Middle East region, the Directorate General of Shipping said on Tuesday as it issued an advisory for maritime operators to assess voyage-specific risks, amid escalated military actions... Read more > 14:12 Protests in Iran after strike kills 150 schoolgirls Iranian state media Press TV reported on Tuesday that thousands of people took to streets in a solemn funeral procession after over 150 schoolgirls were killed in Iran on Saturday following US-Israeli strikes in the country.Visuals shared by Press TV showed a sea of people, protesting against the... Read more > 13:56 Khamenei successor to be named soon: Assembly of Experts member A member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting the country's Supreme Leader, has said it 'won't take long' to choose the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iran's ISNA news agency. Earlier on Monday, the Provisional Leadership Council of Iran held... Read more > 13:23 Modi's YouTube channel crosses 30 million subscribers Prime Minister Narendra Modi's YouTube channel has crossed the milestone of 30 million subscribers, further cementing his position as the most-followed world leader on the platform.The second-highest, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has a subscriber base that is only about one-fourth... Read more > 13:08 Protests against Khamenei killing: J-K police files FIR against media outlets A case was registered against some media outlets and individuals in Srinagar on Tuesday for allegedly circulating fabricated and misleading information with an intention to incite unrest and disturb public order in connection with the protests against the killing of Iran's Supreme leader... Read more > 13:04 Trump justifies Iran strikes in letter to Congress United States President Donald Trump on Monday sent an official letter to Congress about the US strikes against Iran, where he justified military action, reported Fox News.In his letter Trump said that the strikes were conducted at his direction on February 28 to protect US interests, ensuring... Read more > 12:20 Nitish Kumar's son Nishant set to join JD-U on Holi The stage is set for another 'son-rise' in Bihar's political landscape with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant set to join the Janata Dal-United on Holi.Bihar Minister Shrawon Kumar on Tuesday announced that Nishant Kumar would be given a big responsibility in the party.In a telephonic... Read more > 11:36 US embassy in Pakistan cancels visa appointments The United States Embassy in Islamabad announced the cancellation of all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the current security situation, amidst the ongoing Iranian protests for the death of the Supreme Leader Ayotallah Khamenei.In a post on X, the embassy said, 'Due to the... Read more > 11:14 6 killed as double-decker bus hit van on Yamuna Expressway in UP Six persons, including three women, were killed and as many injured after a double-decker sleeper bus hit a van on the Yamuna Expressway here on Tuesday, the police said.The accident occurred around 4.20 am in the Sadabad police station area, they said.The van carrying 13 passengers was on its... Read more > 11:12 Strikes at Iran's nuke site severely damaged 3 buildings A satellite image showing Iran's Natanz facility The Institute for the Study of War -- a leading international policy research organization observed that the US-Israeli strikes into Iran on Monday struck the Natanz Nuclear facility, causing severe damage to at least three buildings. Sharing the analysis in a series of posts on X, ISW said,... Read more > 11:05 Nitish Kumar's son Nishant to join politics, formal announcement soon The entry of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant into politics has been finalised, and the decision will soon be announced formally by the Janata Dal-United, state minister Sharwan Kumar said on Tuesday. The senior JD(U) leader said Nishant will be given a bigger responsibility... Read more > 10:41 High-alert in Srinagar's Lal Chowk after killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Security personnel at Lal Chowk in Srinagar after strike call in Kashmir./Umar Ganie/ Rediff.com Security remains at high alert in Srinagar's Lal Chowk for the second day following the protests by Shia Muslims against the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei.The security forces have tightened security as a precautionary measure after Monday's protest forced police to... Read more > 10:22 Pro-Iran group attacks hotel housing US troops in Iraq Tensions continued to escalate across West Asia on Tuesday, with multiple incidents reported in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, according to various media outlets. An Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Erbil that it alleges houses US troops, Al Jazeera... Read more > 10:14 13-year-old boy dies in accidental fire at birthday party in Lucknow A 13-year-old died allegedly in an accidental fire in Lucknow on Monday after he, along with 3 friends, had gone to a birthday party, the police said. Following a complaint from the deceased's parents, police registered an FIR. The three friends are detained and being questioned about... Read more > 10:01 'Evil Dead' star Bruce Campbell reveals cancer diagnosis Actor Bruce Campbell/Image courtesy X/@GroovyBruce/ANI Photo Actor Bruce Campbell, best known for his role in The Evil Dead, has been diagnosed with cancer. Taking to X, Bruce informed his fans and followers about his health, saying the cancer is 'treatable' but not 'curable'. Hi folks, these days, when someone is having a health issue, it's... Read more > 09:28 Six US troops killed in Iran conflict United States Central Command said on Monday that six American service members have been killed in action as major combat operations continue in the region. In a post on X, the command stated that US forces recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted personnel from a facility struck... Read more > 09:16 Temples across India close as 'Sutak Kaal' begins ahead of lunar eclipse Temples across India closed their gates on Tuesday as the 'Sutak Kaal' (inauspicious period) began ahead of the first lunar eclipse of the year, with priests saying the doors will reopen after the eclipse ends in the evening. In Bengaluru, the gates of Shri Kadu Malleshwara Swamy Temple were... Read more > 09:03 West Asian conflict: Several international flights from Delhi airport delayed Several westbound international flights from the IGI Airport were delayed amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said on Tuesday. The Delhi Airport officials have urged the passengers to check the latest flight updates and consider alternate routes... Read more > 08:38 US urges Americans to leave 12 Middle East nations The United States has issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to depart now from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to serious safety risks, as tensions escalated following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes against the US allies in... Read more > 08:36 US: Indian American among two killed in Texas shooting on Sunday An Indian American has been identified as one of the victims of the shooting outside a bar in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, when a gunman opened fire, killing 2 and injuring 14 others. The officials have identified the victims as Indian American Savitha Shan (21) and Ryder Harrington... Read more > 08:30 Deceased Iran supreme leader Khamenei's wife dies Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei/File image The wife of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died after her husband was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes, according to Iranian state television, as quoted by The Hill. Press TV said that Khamenei's wife was injured in the US-Israeli attack and later died from those... Read more > 08:26 Flights from Dubai resume to India amid Iran conflict An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as flight operations gradually resumed following disruptions triggered by the escalating West Asian conflict.Emirates flight EK 500 arrived in Mumbai amid tight coordination... Read more > 00:32 Kantara mimicking: HC extends relief to actor Ranveer Singh till Mar 9 The Karnataka high court on Monday extended the interim relief given to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh till March 9, in a case related to mimicking a character from the movie, Kantara Chapter-1, and allegedly mocking a deity. The actor had approached the high court seeking the quashing of the... Read more > 00:25 B Tech student sexually assaulted by batchmate in Hyderabad An engineering student here was allegedly sexually assaulted by her batchmate, the police said on Monday. The collegemate was accused of having a physical relationship with her on the pretext of marriage and threatening to share the private photographs after she expressed her unwillingness... Read more > The Life in Venice housing development, a multibillion-dollar replica of the Italian city on the Chinese coast, stands silent. Many of the tens of thousands of homes are hollow husks of concrete and alabaster. But in recent years the remote, partially abandoned complex has drawn unlikely new residents like Sasa Chen, a burned-out young Chinese woman who until recently worked a high-earning finance job in Shanghai, Chinas bustling commerce hub. The appeal? Chen pays just 1200 RMB, or $168, a month for her apartment in faux Venice in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. Its so cheap that its allowed Chen to retire at the tender age of 28. Experts say Chen is part of a broader trend that has seen a growing number of young people across China migrating to small towns and cities, taking advantage of cheap real estate prices that have been plummeting since the COVID pandemic. Its a stark reversal from previous generations that prized upward mobility. In decades past, Chinas ascendent middle class flocked to booming megacities to chase jobs and dreams, once abundant as the country went from rags to riches. But as the once red-hot economy cooled, expectations have soared, opportunities have dwindled and competition has grown fierce. Most large Chinese companies, especially high-paying tech firms, requires a work schedule of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, a grueling lifestyle popularly known as the 996 culture. Under the intense pressure, some young professionals have called it quits altogether and joined a resistance movement called lying flat shunning careers and capitalism for a low-desire life. Some are redefining their dreams to focus on rest and relaxation, much like what some young adults in the West are doing under what they call FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early. Thats much more achievable in China because the cost of living in some places can be so low compared to prices in the West. Home prices at the massive Life in Venice development have more than halved since the downturn in Chinas property market a few years ago, and a lunch of noodles or a rice dish costs under three dollars in the neighborhoods restaurants. The bargain prices have benefited young people like Chen willing to live in remote but affordable housing now available across the country. Chen describes it as the perfect life: a sea view, clean air, and cheap rent. I have all the time in the world, the freedom of doing whatever I want, said Chen. I am living the life that I want. The dream life Life in Venice was envisioned in the early 2010s as a weekend resort for wealthy residents from nearby Shanghai, providing a luxurious yet peaceful life by the sea. But demand for the vast complexs 46,000 units cratered after Chinas debt-fueled property market popped. The developer, real estate giant Evergrande, went bankrupt in 2024. Today the site is a ghost town, with many villas just empty shells. Less than one in five apartments are occupied. Abandoned boats founder off its rundown pier and For Sale signs and empty storefronts line its streets. But a smattering of residents have moved in, some of them fishing in the developments tranquil waters. Chen used to work in a glossy high-rise in Shanghai, making up to 700,000 yuan ($98,480) a year at a large finance firm. But she had never liked the idea of working. After three years, she began plotting her escape from the drudgery of Chinas white-collar workforce. Her plan was to save up and find somewhere to live with rent so low she could live off returns on her investments. Last year, her dream came true: Chen saved 2 million yuan ($290,000) and found a spacious apartment at Life in Venice. With such low rent, she calculates she can live there for the rest of her life without ever having to work again. Though Life in Venice doesnt have a branch of her favorite sour soup hotpot restaurant, door to door delivery, or proximity to major hospitals, her new residence has plenty of conveniences like a grocery store and eateries. Chen used to dread the grind of her nine-to-six job, which she said felt like marching to my own death. Now, she wakes at 10 a.m. every day, filling her days with cooking, chilling, and long walks on the beach. I never believed that work is the meaning of life, Chen said. My ideal state of life is not to work and stay at places that I like. Quitting the rat race Like Chen, scores of young Chinese people have left big cities. While theres no available data about how many have left the Chinese workforce in recent years, figures show that from 2019 to 2024, Beijing lost 1.6 million people in their twenties and early thirties around the total population of Philadelphia according to Chinas capital statistic office. People are quitting this competition, this very clear, linear, upward career track, said Xiang Biao, director of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Germany. Its a broader trend. Chinas economy has cooled in recent years, growing just 5% in 2025 still higher than the U.S. and other rich countries, but a far cry from the double-digit growth the country saw in past decades. As the economy slows, young Chinese are struggling to find jobs. As of December, 16.5% of 16-24 year-olds who arent in school were unemployed. Some, like 29-year-old Ban Zhao, are rejecting the corporate rat race altogether. Last summer, Ban moved from a bustling commercial city on Chinas east coast to a small town in Chinas southwestern Yunnan province. Tucked away in a lush valley, the town is famed for fresh, clean air and healing hot springs. There, for just 800 yuan a month ($110) Ban rents an apartment with three bedrooms, one of which she converted to a yoga studio. She and her boyfriend work less than 20 hours a week, offering yoga classes online to make ends meet. The rest of the time, she walks around her scenic neighborhood surrounded by trees and blossoms, often enjoying the regions famed sunshine. I can do whatever I want and not do whatever I dont want, Ban said. I live in heaven. Apartments cheaper than cars Some are flocking to places like Hegang, a cold and remote coal mining city in northeastern China famous for shockingly cheap housing prices. As resources dried up and mines closed, young people left, turning Hegang into a city with far more homes than people. Apartments there are now cheaper than cars, making sales easy for realtor Yang Xuewei. Yang has sold more than 100 bargain-priced apartments to clients across the country and even to some foreigners who contacted Yang after watching his online virtual tours. A one-bedroom apartment can be bought for $3,000, and $13,000 can buy a roomy four-bedroom place. I dont know about big cities, I never lived in one, Yang said. I can only say that living in Hegang is easy. Chen Zhiwu, a University of Hong Kong finance professor, said higher living costs and fewer job opportunities in bigger cities are driving people to move to cheaper places. Its natural, Chen said. Young people are facing reality and thinking hard about their futures. ALBEE ZHANG, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... By Ebru Akgun Armenia is currently navigating its most significant geopolitical shift since its independence in 1991. The collapse of the traditional security architecture, which was built on the pillar of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), has forced Yerevan to embark on a perilous journey of "sovereign recalibration." By embracing Western civilian security instrumentsmost notably the European Union Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA)while simultaneously hosting legacy Russian military infrastructure, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans administration has adopted a high-stakes "dual-track" strategy. However, this hedging mechanism is reaching its structural exhaustion. As regional geopolitics shift toward binary alignments and the South Caucasus becomes a primary theater for broader EU-Russia competition, Armenia's tactical flexibility is increasingly challenged by the reality of asymmetric pressures. BACKGROUND: The central challenge for Armenias transition is the "security guarantee deficit." While Yerevan has successfully frozen its participation in the CSTO, citing the alliances failure to respond to incursions into Armenian sovereign territory in 2021 and 2022, it has not yet secured a formal military alternative. The Western response, though diplomatically robust, remains focused on "soft power" and monitoring rather than "hard power" defense obligations. The EUMA's mandate has been extended until 2028, providing a layer of "visibility-based deterrence." However, from a military perspective, a civilian mission cannot function as a permanent shield. Unlike the formal mutual defense obligations found in Article 4 of the CSTO treatywhich Armenia now views as a "failed promise"the EU mission carries no legal mandate to intervene in the event of an armed conflict. The presence of European monitors on the border with Azerbaijan may increase the political cost of escalation, but it does not provide the physical protection necessary to stop an offensive. For Western policymakers, Armenia serves as a critical case study of the limits of small-state hedging under asymmetric pressure. The lack of a "hard" security partner leaves Yerevan in a state of strategic ambiguity. While France and the United States have increased their security assistance, these relationships are characterized by bilateral cooperation agreements rather than mutual defense pacts. This gap between monitoring and defense creates a period of strategic vulnerability that regional actors could exploit, especially if the diplomatic cost of military escalation is perceived as manageable by Baku or Moscow. A critical but often under-analyzed component of Armenias new security architecture is its integration into Western-backed transit networks, specifically the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor. Launched as a flagship initiative to decouple the South Caucasus from Russian and Iranian monopolies, the TRIPP implementation framework signed in early 2026 aims to integrate Armenia into a Western-secured transit network. The TRIPP initiative seeks to link Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory (specifically the Syunik province) under Armenian sovereign and customs control. By promoting this "Crossroads of Peace" vision, the United States is attempting to create a vested economic interest in Armenias territorial integrity. If major Western corporations and U.S.-backed contractors become primary stakeholders in Armenias infrastructure, the logic follows that Washington will have a more explicit incentive to ensure the region's stability. However, the TRIPP corridor brings its own set of risks. While it offers an economic lifeline and a potential implicit security shield, it places Armenia at the heart of a "corridor war" between the West, Russia, and Iran. Tehran remains deeply wary of any increased Western presence in Syunik, which it views as its "red line" for northern connectivity. Meanwhile, Moscow views any corridor not controlled by its own FSB border guards as a violation of the November 2020 ceasefire arrangements. Therefore, the TRIPP corridor is as much a security challenge as it is an opportunity, requiring Armenia to balance American ambitions against the immediate geographical realities of its neighbors. Armenias military modernization efforts represent another pillar of its diversification strategy. Recent contracts for French GM200 radar systems and Mistral anti-air missiles, alongside the procurement of Indian Akash-1S missile systems and Pinaka rockets, mark a decisive break from the decades-long monopoly of the Russian defense industry. However, "buying Western" does not automatically translate into "Western security." Armenia faces an immense technical challenge known as the "interoperability trap." The nations current command-and-control (C2) architecture is built on Soviet-legacy systems that are historically transparent to Russian military intelligence. Integrating NATO-standard French radars or high-tech Indian artillery into this legacy environment is not just a logistical hurdle; it is a profound security risk. Without an entirely independent and secure C2 networka project that would require billions of dollars and years of specialized trainingArmenias new hardware remains vulnerable to electronic jamming or data interception by legacy Russian systems. Furthermore, the logistical chain for these Western systems is fragile. Unlike Russian equipment, which is supported by established rail links, Western hardware must be transported through Georgias ports or via complex Iranian routes, making the supply chain vulnerable to external political pressures. This technical sovereignty is the missing link in Armenia's military transition. The strategic direction of Armenia will face its ultimate domestic test in the upcoming June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections. These polls will function as a definitive referendum on the "Western pivot" and the "Fourth Republic" vision proposed by the Pashinyan administration. Public opinion in Armenia is currently characterized by "ambiguity fatigue." While trust in Western institutions has surged, a significant portion of the population remains skeptical that monitoring missions and "economic corridors" like TRIPP can replace the hard security guarantees once expected from Russia. The 2026 elections will be fought on two fronts: economic prosperity and national survival. If the government cannot demonstrate that its pivot has brought tangible security improvements or significant economic relief through projects like TRIPP before the elections, the oppositionlikely backed by Russian narratives of "restoring traditional ties for safety"may gain significant traction. The outcome of the 2026 polls will determine whether Armenia continues its pursuit of sovereignty through Western integration or is forced into a strategic reversal. The memory of the 2020 and 2023 conflicts looms large, and the electorate's patience for "strategic patience" is wearing thin. IMPLICATIONS: Despite the rhetoric of "de-coupling," the physical and economic reality of Russian influence in Armenia remains a formidable obstacle. Russia still owns a majority of Armenias natural gas infrastructure through Gazprom Armenia and plays a critical role in the operation of the Metsamor nuclear power plant. To counter this, the European Union has pledged $500 million to enhance Armenias energy security and diversification, but the transition will take years. This economic asymmetry gives Moscow a "soft-kill" capability. The Kremlin does not need to launch a military intervention to destabilize Armenia; it can achieve similar results through "technical" border closures at the Lars crossing, energy price hikes, or logistical sabotage. The withdrawal of Russian FSB border guards from Zvartnots Airport was a symbolic victory, but Russian units still maintain a presence along the borders with Turkey and Iran. Any move that Moscow perceives as an "over-pivot" could trigger a devastating economic retaliation that the Armenian state is currently ill-equipped to handle. In this complex chess game, the role of Iran cannot be ignored. Tehran views the Syunik province as its essential gateway to the north. Any implementation of corridorswhether TRIPP or the Russian-backed Zangezur versionthat changes the border status or introduces NATO-linked security actors is considered a "red line" by Iran. Armenia must navigate its pivot toward the West without alienating its southern neighbor, which remains its only other physical gateway to the world. This necessitates a delicate balance: engaging with the U.S. on TRIPP while reassuring Tehran that Armenias sovereign control over the route remains absolute and non-negotiable. CONCLUSIONS: Armenia is currently in a race against time. The dual-track strategy has provided essential short-term breathing room, allowing the state to begin the slow process of military modernization and diplomatic diversification. However, as the 2026 elections approach and the regional environment becomes more binary, the luxury of ambiguity is disappearing. For Armenia to survive as a sovereign actor, it must bridge the gap between "monitoring" and "defense." This requires moving beyond symbolic gestures toward a robust institutional framework that accounts for the states structural vulnerabilities. The TRIPP corridor and Western arms contracts are steps in the right direction, but they are not panaceas. Ultimately, Armenias ability to sustain its independence will depend on whether its Western partners are willing to provide actionable security pathways that go beyond binoculars and political statements. In a region where hard power still dictates the terms of sovereignty, Armenias "dual-track" must eventually find a single, solid, and defensible destination. AUTHORS BIO: Ebru Akgun is an independent researcher specializing in the South Caucasus, regional security architecture, and transportation corridors. Her work focuses on the intersection of infrastructure development, military modernization, and geopolitical risk analysis in Eurasia. She actively monitors the evolving dynamics between Armenia, its neighbors, and global power enters. You can follow her latest research and professional updates via http://linkedin.com/in/ebruakgun The Identification Services Bureau (DSI) plans to introduce self-service ID card collection machines in the first half of 2026, allowing residents to return documents belonging to deceased relatives or friends, as well as found items. The initial phase will be implemented at China Plaza and municipal service centers under the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), with further expansion planned. Since the launch of the third-generation smart identity card in late 2023, nearly 290 people have used the home visit service for document applications. The service charges a fee of MOP120 for residents with mobility issues or health conditions. Authorities described the demand for the service as stable. Like this: Like Loading... The Judiciary Police arrested two men from mainland China on Monday in separate fraud cases, including one involving a RMB7.3 million high-investment scam and the other involving a currency exchange dispute. During a special press conference yesterday, the PJ detailed fraud charges against a 37-year-old man from the mainland who is suspected of defrauding two victims a Macau resident and a mainland Chinese national of a combined RMB7.3 million. The scam involved a high-interest investment scheme promising returns from mainland real estate and Macau hotel room projects. According to the PJ, the scheme promised monthly profits of 2% from mainland real estate and Macau hotel room projects, which police said were promoted as lucrative. One victim transferred MOP4.15 million after believing the claims but received only about MOP550,000 in returns before losing contact with the suspect, surnamed Hong. Police said Hong paid the MOP550,000 as an incentive to build trust, but investigations suggest he lost the defrauded funds gambling in casinos across Macau. The PJ said it will further investigate whether there are additional victims. The case has since been sent to the Public Prosecutors Office. In a second case, another mainland Chinese man, posing as a businessman, was arrested on the evening of February 28, 2026, at the Border Gate. The incident stemmed from a money exchange last year, in which the suspect exchanged RMB334,800 for HKD360,000 in cash with an individual who had won the Hong Kong dollars gambling and wanted RMB to transfer home. After the exchange, the victims relatives and friends suspected that the RMB was problematic and advised him to return it. Following this, the suspect promised to return the HKD cash but repeatedly delayed despite inquiries, prompting the victim to report the case to police in November 2025. The investigation confirmed that the suspect received a refund in RMB but failed to return the victims Hong Kong dollars. The PJ intercepted the suspect as he re-entered Macau through the Border Gate. During the arrest, four mobile phones were found on him. So far, there is no evidence that the suspect had ever conducted illegal exchanges in Macau. Like this: Like Loading... Scholars say the governments plan to establish a MOP11 billion guiding fund to support economic diversification could help professional asset management institutions identify high-quality local enterprises with strong competitiveness and sustainability, while attracting social capital to the region. The initiative involves allocating at least MOP11 billion from fiscal reserves to create a government-led fund aimed at promoting appropriate diversification of the local economy. In conjunction with the initial batch of social capital, authorities anticipate that the funds total scale will reach MOP20 billion. Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai outlined the funds objectives at a recent press conference, which include encouraging, pooling, and directing private capital to attract high-quality enterprises and exceptional managers for government-led investments in key industries. As noted, this initiative aims to support the accelerated development of a diversified industrial structure in Macau, promote industrial upgrading and quality enhancement, foster coordinated regional development, and create diverse and high-quality employment opportunities. It also seeks to open a new chapter of high-quality development for Macau residents while contributing to the national goal of establishing a science and technology powerhouse. The government-guided fund reportedly emphasizes the principle of government guidance and market operation, with the government leading efforts to identify key industries and development directions. By establishing selection mechanisms and rules for professional fund managers, the fund aims to create favorable conditions for active market participation, leveraging the professionalism, flexibility, and efficiency of market operations. This announcement aligns with Chief Executive Sam Hou Fais statement during last years inaugural Legislative Assembly plenary session, where he indicated that his administration would expedite research into establishing a government industrial fund and a technology commercialization guidance fund. According to him, the government plans to engage third-party professional institutions to conduct preliminary research on the funds capital scale, management model, investment objectives, and operational framework, ensuring that the fund design meets local development needs. According to experts, unlike traditional direct government investment models, guiding funds combine fiscal resources with market capital, leveraging the multiplier effect of fiscal funds to mobilize social capital toward high-tech industries, key sectors, and infrastructure. By synergizing an efficient market with an effective government, these funds aim to drive industrial transformation and economic restructuring. The Macau Economic Association remarked that Macaus economic structure and tax revenue sources remain relatively concentrated in its main industries, and the scale effects of diversified industrial development have yet to be fully realized. Guiding social capital to enhance support and funding for diversified industries is expected to help resolve existing economic challenges, promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure, and advance the moderate diversification of Macaus economy. As reported by public broadcaster TDM, a recent interview with Henry Lei, associate head of the University of Macaus Faculty of Business Administration, identified the fund as a form of equity financing. He reportedly noted that this approach is widely adopted in various regions globally, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel, to raise long-term capital for enterprises engaged in technology commercialization. Lei believes this strategy can help guide professional asset management institutions in identifying and selecting high-quality local enterprises with market potential and commercial sustainability, ultimately providing development funding through equity financing. Meanwhile, another economist, Ip Kuai Peng, vice rector of City University of Macau, commented that Macau currently has a limited number of high-quality, high-growth enterprises. He warned that pursuing rapid capital deployment and making hasty investments risks creating inefficient scattergun approaches, which can lead to fragmented capital allocation, insufficient leverage, and even idle or misallocated funds. Ip emphasized that the core function of a guiding fund is to guide and leverage social capital, with subsequent operations needing to strictly adhere to market mechanisms and uphold professional, market-oriented principles, avoiding administrative thinking in project selection and investment decisions. He also urged authorities to broaden their international perspective by welcoming participation from global fund management teams, asserting that leveraging international insights and expertise is essential for identifying high-quality projects and enhancing investment efficiency, ultimately maximizing the leverage effect of fiscal funds. Like this: Like Loading... The Iranian Red Crescent Society said yesterday that the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iran has killed at least 555 people so far in the Islamic Republic. The society added that 131 cities have come under attack so far in the war. Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, while Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran as the war expanded with statements of defiance and increasing casualties. As fire and smoke rose from inside the embassy compound in Kuwait City, the countrys defense ministry said several American warplanes had also crashed in the country. The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry did not elaborate on what caused the crashes or how many aircraft were involved, but said the pilots had been taken to a hospital and were in stable condition. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The embassy compound was hit not long after U.S. issued a warning to Americans there to take cover and for others to stay away. There were no immediate reports on damage or casualties. Meantime, as the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed on X that we will not negotiate with the United States. In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting U.S. troops at the Baghdad airport, the day after it said it fired at a U.S. base in the city of Irbil in the north, and Cyprus said a drone attack targeted a British base on the Mediterranean island nation. Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. Hezbollah fires on Israel As the attacks on Iran continued, Hezbollah said it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel yesterday in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and repeated Israeli aggressions. There were no reports of injuries or damage, and Israel said that it had intercepted one projectile while several fell in open areas. Israel retaliated with strikes on Lebanon, killing at least 31 people and wounding 149 others, according to Lebanons Health Ministry. About two thirds of the dead were in the countrys south. Lebanons government said it was holding an emergency meeting after Hezbollahs attack on Israel triggered the Israeli airstrikes. Iran has been firing missiles at Israel and Arab states in a counteroffensive since the joint America-Israeli attack Saturday that killed Khamenei and many top Iranian officials. Gulf Arab states have warned that they could retaliate against Iran after strikes that hit key sites and killed at least five civilians, and U.S. President Donald Trump promised Washington would avenge the deaths of three American troops who were killed in Kuwait, while predicting more casualties. Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends, Trump said. Thats the way it is. Trump has urged Iranians to take over their government and, while he has also signaled he would be open to dialogue with new leadership there following the death of Khamenei, suggested Sunday there was no end in sight to the military operations. Combat operations continue at this time in full-force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved, he said in a video message. We have very strong objectives, he added, without elaborating. Iranian proxies join the fray Hezbollahs launch of missiles at Israel was the first time in more than a year that the militant group has claimed an attack. Irans proxies were a chief concern for American and Israeli officials before they suspended negotiations with Iran last week and moved ahead with strikes on Iran. Israel said the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group had joined the campaign alongside Iran as it retaliated with strikes on Beirut, Lebanons capital. Associated Press journalists in Beirut were jolted awake by a series of loud explosions that shook buildings and caused windows to shatter. Warplanes could be heard flying low overhead. The strikes continue, said Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, head of Israels Northern Command. Their intensity will increase. The Iraqi Shiite militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed a drone attack yesterday targeting U.S. troops at the airport in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, further widening the retaliation over the killing of Khamenei. It had claimed a drone attack on Sunday against a U.S. air base in Irbil, in Iraqs north. The group is one of a number of Shiite militias operating in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraq did not immediately comment on the claims. In the Persian Gulf, Irans retaliatory strikes pushed the conflict into cities that have long marketed themselves as regional safe havens. Three people were reported killed in the United Arab Emirates and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. With hundreds already dead, WHO calls for protection of civilians In Iran, more than 200 people have been killed since the start of the strikes, according to officials. Tehrans streets are largely deserted as people have been sheltering during airstrikes, witnesses told The Associated Press, speaking anonymously for fear of retribution. The paramilitary Basij, which has played a central role in crushing protests, set up checkpoints across the city, they said. In Israel, rescue services have confirmed several locations have been hit by Iranian missiles, including Jerusalem and a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, where nine people were killed and 28 wounded, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 11. MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... * Blue Talent Blue-card workforce across several sectors is on the rise, with the hospitality sector accounting for the majority, followed by the construction industry, a Times analysis shows * Transport | Uber targets Chinese tourists with WeChat mini-app as Macau market returns * Market decline | Property transaction value drops 24% in 2025 * Hengqin Ports Passenger Inspection Hall is expected to have its inspection channels expanded by the third quarter * Govt aims to minimize manhole covers as key task this year * Economic slowdown spurs young chinese buyers to seek early retirement homes at Life in Venice development DOWNLOAD PDF Tuesday, March 3, 2026 edition no. 4902 Like this: Like Loading... Uber is seeing strong user uptake from Chinese tourists through its WeChat mini-app, with activity particularly strong during the recent Lunar New Year travel period, according to the company. In a CNBC interview Friday, Uber Regional general manager for Mobility in APAC Dominic Taylor said the strategy is helping fill a key gap amid Asias tourism rebound, as travelers increasingly expect seamless ride-hailing services when arriving in foreign cities. Taylor said the company sees growing demand from tourists traveling within Asia and from overseas markets who want familiar mobility options upon arrival. He added that Macau represented a missing piece in Ubers regional portfolio, prompting the launch of products designed to help travelers move between Hong Kong and Macau and navigate Macaus local transport network. What were seeing right across the Asian markets that I cover is that tourists are coming to Asia from within Asia and overseas, and they want to have the experience that they expect when they get off the plane or the cruise terminal, and that is Uber to move around our cities. Macau was a big gap in our portfolio as it stood, and so we launched a new product there to help people move from Hong Kong to Macau and vice versa, but also to help people get around Macau, Taylor said. Were seeing really strong take-up, and the most recent couple of weeks of Lunar New Year have been some of our strongest ever for Chinese tourists, Taylor added, noting that the factor boosting uptake among Chinese tourists is Ubers WeChat mini-app. Launched in July 2025, it lets mainland Chinese users search Uber within the platform to book and pay for rides in more than 20 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Japan, and Australia. It offers a Mandarin interface and WeChat Pay support for hassle-free overseas travel, bypassing the need to download a separate app. However, a Times investigation found that the Uber WeChat mini-app lists Macau as an unsupported market, highlighting only neighboring Hong Kong as an available destination on the mini-app feature. On early feedback, Taylor noted, The early couple of weeks are really positive with how its going. Weve got hundreds of drivers [in Macau] that have signed up. Nearly 20% of the industry is already completing trips on Uber, and really, were looking to grow that quite aggressively over the next couple of weeks and months. In Macau, Uber offers metered taxi rides under the Uber Taxi model and cross-border limousine transfers, bookable 24 hours ahead with upfront payment of around HKD3,500 one way, according to reports and customer accounts cited by the Times. That rate is more than double the price charged by travel agencies for similar trips between Macau and Hong Kong, marking a considerable premium for essentially the same service. Acknowledging pricing concerns, Taylor said, Well continue to work on price always. Its the first few weeks. Were learning about the markets. CNBC asked Taylor about potential routes such as Hong KongShenzhen and Hong KongZhuhai. However, Taylor avoided giving specifics, instead noting, Over the last couple of years, weve spent more time in China talking to Chinese partners, and what weve been learning is a couple of things. On the robotaxi market, Taylor highlighted autonomous vehicle ambitions, positioning Uber as a platform for Chinese tech such as Baidus Apollo Go. Autonomous is a really exciting vector of our business, he said. Uber has partnered with 25 players worldwide, adding that decisions on locations depend on regulations, consumer needs, and economics. Hong Kong is certainly one thats higher on our list. I wont commit to a date, but its a market that we would be very hopeful in announcing a pilot in the next couple of months with the hope of trying to get something live in the back end of 2026. Uber previously exited Macau in 2017 after a series of fines and regulatory hurdles that made the market unviable. Like this: Like Loading... First Venezuela, then Iran and now Cuba. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Fox News Trey Gowdy on Sunday that the U.S. under President Donald Trump will next target the communist-led Caribbean island for regime change. Cuba is next, said Graham. They are going to fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba, their days are numbered. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Lindsey Graham: Cuba is next. They are going to fall. Their days are numbered. pic.twitter.com/XZd1PyIqDP Acyn (@Acyn) March 2, 2026 Graham, a Trump sycophant, suggested the U.S. president was the right leader for the job as he highlighted how the question of how to deal with now-removed Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro had been discussed by everybody, but it was Trump who got him in jail on narco-terrorism charges after having him captured and brought to New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the U.S. military operation against Iran, which began on Saturday, Graham said: President Trump finished the job that President Reagan failed to do. ... The Iranian regime, the mothership of international terrorism, is about to collapse. The captain of the ship, the ayatollah, is stone cold dead. Tensions between the U.S. and Cuba have escalated in recent months, particularly following the seizure of Maduro, whose countrys oil was a lifeline for the islands economy. Related... Read the original on HuffPost "Romeo and Juliet Suite" reimagines Shakespeare's tragedy through Benjamin Millepied choreography that fuses live dance with cinematic capture. Dancers weave from stage into hidden theater nooks, their every move broadcast via roving cameras in this hybrid dance film. Premiering at New York's Park Avenue Armory in March 2026, it breathes new life into Prokofiev's turbulent score, pulling in ballet novices and film buffs alike. Inside Benjamin Millepied Choreography Benjamin Millepied long avoided Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet," scarred by its overuse in Kenneth MacMillan's lavish 1965 ballet that he caught as a teen. His perspective flipped through cinephile lensesold Hollywood scores nodding to Prokofiev, plus Jerome Robbins's taut "West Side Story Suite" that he danced at New York City Ballet. A pivotal 2019 short film paired Margaret Qualley and Shameik Moore in the balcony scene, reciting Shakespeare amid fluid steps. Soon after, cameras trailed dancers through Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall during Philharmonic gigs, proving live video could amp drama's intimacy. The full "Romeo and Juliet Suite," born for L.A. Dance Project in 2022, strips the play to lovers' meet-cute, passion, and doomno feuding families or comic relief to dilute the punch, as detailed in the New York Times. Hybrid Dance Film Mechanics Enter Sebastien Marcovici, principal dancer turned camera wielder, shadowing performers like a third lead in the trio. He syncs to musical counts and footwork, turning the lens into a ballet partner that catches balcony whispers and Tybalt's raw kill up closemoments too fine for proscenium distance. Live projections tower over onstage action, blending flesh-and-blood urgency with film's unflinching stare. Spare costumes in muted tones and minimal props craft a hazy, era-less world where gestures speak loudest. Margaret Fuhrer highlights how this setup scales storytelling human-size, ditching ballet's grand pantomime for subtle truths. Casting Choices and Venue Twists Romeo and Juliet swap across casts: man-woman pairs, two men, or two women, honoring love's spectrum. Daphne Fernberger, one Romeo, details fight rehearsals with Tybalt (always male) dialed for safety yet visceral scare. Duets barely shift, banking on genuine spark over gendered tropes, as David Adrian Freeland Jr. notes98% identical moves. Venues dictate reinvention; Sydney Opera's forecourt balcony yields to Armory's warren of stairs and offices, covered in Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels' early show notes. France's debut drew "woke" jabs on talk shows, but Millepied eyes New York's chill nod to timeless passion. Lasting Spark of 'Romeo and Juliet Suite' Benjamin Millepied choreography in this hybrid dance film shatters ballet's fourth wall, luring crowds craving realness. Prokofiev's swells drive split-second lifts and clashes that haunt. Secure Park Avenue Armory seats to witness love ignite then shatter on dual planesstage and screen deliver the thrill. On 25 February, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior published a report by the Cuban Border Guard about the interception of a Florida-based speedboat into Cuban territorial waters a mile off Cayo Falcones, in Villa Clara province, on the north coast of the island. When approached by the Cuban border guard, the occupants of the speedboat opened fire, wounding the commander. The border guards returned fire, killing four of the assailants and wounding six, who were taken to shore to be given medical attention. This is a very serious escalation in the US imperialist aggression against the Cuban revolution. Later on, Cuban authorities identified the ten men on the speedboat as: Pavel Alling Pena (deceased), Michael Ortega Casanova (deceased), Ledian Padron Guevara (deceased), Hector Duani Cruz Correa (deceased), Amijail Sanchez Gonzalez (wounded/ detained), Leordan Enrique Cruz Gomez (wounded/ detained), Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara (wounded/ detained), Conrado Galindo Sariol (wounded/ detained), Jose Manuel Rodriguez Castello (wounded/ detained), Roberto Alvarez Avila (wounded/ detained). Counter-revolutionary terrorism Initially, the US media concocted a story that the speedboat's aim was to rescue family members off Cuba. That makes no sense, as the boat could only hold ten people and was therefore at full capacity. The obvious question, which neither the New York Times nor others bothered to ask, was where did they plan to put their family members? Very soon, it became clear that those on the boat were part of a terrorist incursion against Cuba, carried out by reactionary Florida-based Cuban-Americans. Even before more details had been released by the Cuban authorities, a cursory search on social media would have revealed the real character of the incursion. Several of the social media accounts of the counter-revolutionary Cuban-Americans were already describing the people on board the boat as freedom fighters. Univision journalist Javier Diaz said that these were a group of men seeking to fight for Cuba. He published video footage of two of the boats occupants showing off their weapons prior to the incursion. Later on, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior reported seizing a significant cache of military-grade weapons and tactical equipment from the Florida-registered speedboat. This included 13 rifles (including AR-15s and AKMs), 11 handguns, nearly 13,000 rounds of various calibers, 134 magazines, surveillance drones, several Molotov cocktails and other improvised incendiary devices, telescopic sights, sniper scopes, and night-vision or thermal-vision goggles, as well as bulletproof vests, helmets (some with cameras), tactical knives, camouflage uniforms, and balaclavas. Cuba revealed new details about the attempted armed infiltration for terrorist purposes The Cuban response to the incident strictly adhered to the regulatory framework, based on different levels of force measures against an offending target: first it is identified, then pic.twitter.com/AjxHZ95tvS Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) February 28, 2026 In fact, a few days before the incursion, one of the main spokespeople for the reactionary Miami Cuban-Americans had warned that if the flotilla goes to Cuba, we will also go, in reference to the Cuban solidarity flotilla which is being organised to try and break the US oil blockade. Over the following days, it became clear that the ten men were linked to a series of fringe terrorist organisations, including the so-called Peoples Self-Defence, a group which has attempted to carry out acts of sabotage inside Cuba (setting crops on fire, spraypainting). The amount of weaponry they were carrying represented a big leap in the character of their activities, from low-level sabotage to open terrorism. US complicit This attack for this is what it was, an illegal incursion into Cuban territorial waters and an armed attack on Cuban border guards takes place at a time when US imperialism has massively stepped up its pressure on the Cuban revolution with an oil blockade which threatens a humanitarian crisis. It is also to be noted that the US has a very large number of military assets in the Caribbean and has been acting in an extremely provocative manner for weeks, with electronic warfare planes circling the north coast of Cuba, navy vessels probing the island's territorial waters, etc. For seven months, the US Navy has been striking speedboats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing over 100 people, as well as seizing oil tankers in the region and beyond. They are closely monitoring the movement of vessels, big and small, across the whole region. Are we to believe that US intelligence was not aware of this speedboat and that none of their military means spotted the incursion of an armed, Florida-registered speedboat against Cuba? Immediately, the Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier declared that he had opened an investigation. He stated that the Cuban government cannot be trusted and added that we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable. As we see, the investigation had not even started before the Florida Attorney had already decided that the Commies were to blame. Even from a basic investigative point of view, shouldn't he be asking what a Floridian speedboat was doing a mile off the coast of Cuba? Reactionary Cuban-American circles in Florida are heavily infiltrated by US intelligence agencies, and they play an outsized role in US politics. It may prove difficult to determine the degree to which US intelligence agencies were involved in this incursion, either by action or by omission. But it would be the height of stupidity to think that the US government was unaware, as these groups have always operated in broad daylight and made no secret of their plans. US and gusanos seek to crush Cuban Revolution In a video published on social media by Gilberto Dorrego, the anchor for Telemundo in Tampa, two friends of the attackers explained their motives and protested that they were not terrorists but rather that they wanted to fight for Cubas freedom. The video, however, reveals the real character of these reactionaries. While standing in front of pictures of Cuban independence hero Marti and name-dropping both Marti and Maceo, this Cuban patriot is wearing a t-shirt with the letters USA emblazoned on the front. The point should be obvious to any observer. The crushing of the Cuban revolution, which is the shared aim of the Trump-Rubio administration and the Miami terrorist groups, would not lead to the freedom of Cuba in any way, shape or form. It would mean the complete loss of sovereignty for the island, which would become, as it was before 1959, a de facto colony of the United States. In the same way that the Cuban Revolution, in order to achieve national sovereignty, was forced (for this was not its original plan) to expropriate the capitalists, landowners, bankers and US multinational corporations, the restoration of capitalism on the island would mean the end of its independence. Meanwhile, the US Supreme Courts decision to declare Trump's use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose tariffs on other countries unlawful has left his 29 January Executive Order threatening tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba without a legal basis. This has increased pressure on Mexico which had suspended the sale of oil to Cuba under US pressure to resume oil shipments to the island. So far, Mexican President Sheinbaum has refused to do so. In a further twist in the US-imposed oil blockade of the island, Washington now says it will allow the sale of Venezuelan oil (the flow of which it controls after the 3 January attack) to Cuba but only to private actors, not to the government. This reveals, if there was any doubt, that one of the key aims of the US assault on Cuba is precisely to force wholesale privatisation and destroy the planned economy (which, although much weakened by sanctions and pro-market policies, still remains). Funnelling fuel into the Cuban private sector, however, will not prevent a humanitarian crisis from developing, as it is the government that runs public transportation, generates electricity for households and public institutions, provides healthcare and education, etc. What the US is saying with this measure is: those who have money can pay for fuel (and thus generate electricity), but those who dont can remain in darkness. Private businesses can light their bars, hotels and restaurants, but hospitals and schools will not be able to. Countries like Canada, Mexico, Spain and others are sending humanitarian aid to Cuba. But the crucial question remains: the US has imposed an oil blockade. Unless that is broken, Cuba has no ability to generate electricity for households, hospitals and other basic services. It cannot run public transportation, it cannot transport goods (including food and other life essentials), etc. So far, the only country that announced it would supply oil to Cuba was Russia. The Sea Horse, a tanker filled with 200,000 barrels of Russian fuel, was travelling from Cyprus towards Cuba, but as of 27 February it seems to have stopped mid-way in the North Atlantic and is no longer moving towards Cuba. It remains to be seen if it will be seized by the US. We must redouble our efforts of solidarity with Cuba! Down with the criminal US blockade! Hands off Cuba! Defend the Cuban Revolution! The South African government confirmed on Sunday that it has received 1.5 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines from Turkey, bolstering its nationwide immunisation campaign against the fast-spreading livestock disease. According to local media, the Department of Agriculture said the consignment delayed by recent tensions in the Middle East is now being fast-tracked into the national distribution network to accelerate rollout efforts. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen described the shipment as a significant breakthrough in the fight against FMD. We are taking decisive action to protect our national herd. Every outbreak will be dealt with swiftly, and we will continue our efforts until South Africa is FMD-free, he said. The latest delivery follows the arrival of one million doses from Argentina last week. On Friday, the government formally launched a nationwide vaccination drive aimed at safeguarding the livestock sector and protecting the broader agricultural economy. Further shipments are expected in the coming months. In parallel, the Agricultural Research Council has begun local vaccine production at a rate of 20,000 doses per week, with plans to increase output to 200,000 doses weekly by 2027 to secure long-term supply. In early February, authorities declared the FMD outbreak a national disaster after cases were confirmed in eight of South Africas nine provinces. A recent report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy recorded 24,400 FMD cases in domestic livestock nationwide in 2025, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the countrys agricultural sector. Guineas President, Mamady Doumbouya, is in good health, authorities said on Monday, seeking to quell speculation after he remained outside the country for more than two weeks. The 41-year-old leader left Guinea on February 13 to attend an African Union Summit in Addis Ababa and has not yet returned to Conakry. Doumbouya, who came to power in a coup, was elected President for a seven-year term in December 2025. In recent months, he has kept a low public profile, appearing only once on the campaign trail at a closing rally where he did not speak, and later to cast his ballot. He was sworn in before tens of thousands of supporters at a Stadium in January 2026, and was last seen publicly in February, during the AU summit. Speaking to local media on Monday, presidential adviser Thierno Mamadou Bah said Doumbouya is in good health and is expected back in Conakry in the next few days. Bah explained that the President had taken a few days of rest on the sidelines of the Summit, without disclosing his location. He added that Doumbouya had also undergone a routine medical check-up. He took advantage of the chance to undergo a routine medical check-up, as prudent leaders do when they are concerned with maintaining their full capacity to act, Bah said. I can state, with the utmost clarity, that the results are reassuring, everything is going very well, he added. President John Dramani Mahama has called on African governments to grant individuals and civil society organisations direct access to the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, insisting that expanding access to justice should not alarm member States. Speaking on Monday, March 2, 2026, in Arusha at the opening of the Courts 2026 judicial year and its 20th anniversary, he urged countries within the African Union that have yet to make the required declaration to do so promptly. He maintained that Governments have nothing to fear from a strengthened continental Court and encouraged full compliance with its rulings. The President argued that the Courts effectiveness hinges on both wider access and the good-faith implementation of its judgments. He noted that in many countries, citizens cannot approach the Court directly without state consent a gap he believes undermines Africas human rights architecture. Linking the issue to broader global shifts, Mr Mahama said Africa must reinforce its own democratic and legal institutions rather than rely on external benchmarks. He stressed that the Court should serve as a guardian of the ideals enshrined in the African Charter. Drawing on personal experience, he reflected on his fathers detention during periods of military rule in Ghana, describing how such experiences shaped his commitment to justice and due process. He also highlighted Ghanas contribution to the Court, referencing the service of Justice Sophia Akuffo, a former president of the Court, and Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei, who is currently serving a six-year term. As the Court marks two decades of operation, Mr Mahama called for renewed political will across the continent to strengthen and elevate the institution into a leading international judicial body. Ethiopias President, Taye Atske Selassie, has described securing access to the sea as a matter of sovereignty and historical justice, linking the ambition to the countrys 1896 victory at the Battle of Adwa. Speaking on Monday in Addis Ababa during celebrations marking the 130th anniversary of Ethiopias defeat of Italian colonial forces, Taye said the right to obtain reliable and sustainable maritime access is a sovereign trust inherited from those who died in the battle. He noted that historical records indicate one of Ethiopias principal diplomatic priorities following the victory was to secure ownership of a maritime outlet linking the nation to the wider world. Africas second-most populous country, with around 130 million people, has been landlocked since Eritrea gained independence in 1993. Ethiopia now relies heavily on neighbouring Djibouti for the bulk of its maritime trade. During his address, the president emphasised that Ethiopias pursuit of port access would be anchored in peaceful means and mutual benefit. The fate of 130 million people will be bright only when Ethiopias lack of direct access to the sea is resolved, he said. Eritrea has previously rejected suggestions of negotiating over its Red Sea coastline, characterising Ethiopias rhetoric as provocative and urging respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Regional analysts say the issue remains sensitive in the Horn of Africa, where relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have fluctuated despite a 2018 peace agreement that formally ended two decades of hostility. The Battle of Adwa, fought on March 1, 1896, is widely regarded as a landmark African victory against colonial expansion and a defining moment in preserving Ethiopias independence. The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Forces and four of its senior commanders, accusing them of backing the March 23 Movement (M23), an armed group blamed for widespread human rights abuses in eastern Congo. The move follows a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in December in Washington by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. At the time, Mr Trump hailed the accord which also granted the U.S. and its companies access to the regions critical mineral reserves as a breakthrough in stabilising the conflict. Despite the December deal, clashes have persisted across eastern Congo, resulting in civilian and military casualties. M23 remains the most prominent of roughly 100 armed groups operating near Congos border with Rwanda. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the conflict has displaced more than seven million people, creating one of the worlds gravest humanitarian crises. U.N. experts say the group has expanded from a few hundred fighters in 2021 to about 6,500. Congo, the U.S., and U.N. investigators have repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23 allegations Kigali denies. The U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control said M23s military advances would not have been possible without active backing from Rwanda and senior officials. Those sanctioned include army chief of staff Vincent Nyakarundi, Major General Ruki Karusisi, Chief of Defence Staff Mubarakh Muganga, and Special Operations commander Stanislas Gashugi. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo rejected the measures, describing them as unjust and accusing Congo of breaching the peace accord through alleged indiscriminate drone strikes and ground operations. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would use all available tools to ensure compliance with the Washington Accords and called for the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops, weapons and equipment from Congolese territory. A State Department spokesman, Thomas Pigott, said M23 is responsible for serious abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, women and children. The group has been under U.S. sanctions since 2013. Meanwhile, negotiations between the Congolese government and M23 mediated by Qatar and the United States remain ongoing as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a durable settlement. The United Nations has formally acknowledged the candidacy of former Senegalese President Macky Sall for the position of Secretary-General. The confirmation was delivered by the spokesperson for the General Assembly, La Neice Collins, during a press briefing. The President of the General Assembly has received a new nomination for the position of Secretary-General. It is Macky Sall, former President of Senegal, she told reporters. According to the spokesperson, the application was submitted by the Republic of Burundi, which lodged the nomination on Monday morning. She further indicated that the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council will jointly notify Member States in line with established procedure. The relevant documents are expected to be circulated shortly as part of the formal process. "ZOMBIES 5" stirs massive excitement among Disney+ and Disney Channel fans, with Freya Skye and Malachi Barton confirmed to reprise their breakout roles as Nova and Victor. This greenlight for the fifth installment builds directly on the vampire chaos of "ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires", thrusting the franchise deeper into supernatural high school drama where unity hangs by a thread. 'ZOMBIES 5' Storyline Unveiled Mermaids burst into Rayburn high school, shattering the hard-won peace between Daywalkers and Vampires with their hypnotic siren songs that lure unsuspecting recruits. Freya Skye's Nova, the fierce Daywalker leader, teams up with Malachi Barton's cunning vampire Victor to investigate the mermaids' shadowy Oceanside roots and uncover their plot for dominance. Dance-heavy sequences and themes of alliance echo the series' signature style, much like hints in initial Disney press releases. Expect high-stakes musical moments as these groups clash and collaborate against the aquatic threat. Key Cast Returns and Fresh Additions Malachi Barton dives back into the sly vampire Victor, channeling the charisma that made him a fan favorite in the last film, while Freya Skye brings Nova's determined spirit to life once more. Trevor Tordjman returns as Bucky, the sassy cheer captain and Addison's cousin from the original trilogy, joining Swayam Bhatia as Vera, Julian Lerner as Ray, and Mekonnen Knife as Vargas to anchor the familiar crew. Fresh faces amp up the intrigue: Diaana Babnicova shines as the charismatic cool-girl mermaid Pearl, Taylor Oliver embodies rebellious bad-boy Fin, Olive Mortimer tackles inventive tech-wiz Sandy, and Emily Costtrici steps in as Izzy, Zed's quirky zombie cousin navigating life as a new transfer student. A Broadway World article first spotlighted this dynamic cast mix. Behind-the-Scenes for 'ZOMBIES 5' Principal photography launches this spring in New Zealand, guided by DGA Award-winner Paul Hoen, the director who's helmed every "ZOMBIES" movie to date. Franchise originals Milo Manheim and Meg Donnellyforever Zed and Addisonshift to executive producer roles, steering the project without on-screen appearances this time. The powerhouse team includes writers Chris Hazzard, Michael Fontana, and Eydie Faye for sharp scripting; choreographer Dondraico Johnson for next-level routines; and composer Tom Howe for an electrifying score. Supporting exec producers Jane Fleming, Mark Ordesky, Joseph Raso, and David Light bolster the effort, as covered in Deadline's breakdown of the production lineup. 'ZOMBIES 5' in Franchise Context "ZOMBIES 4" exploded with 9.3 million global views in its first nine days and soared to 43 million within six months after its 2024 premiere, proving the series' enduring pull. "ZOMBIES 5" slots perfectly into 2026's milestone celebrations for "High School Musical" and "Hannah Montana" anniversaries, setting the stage for "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland", "Camp Rock 3", and a revamped "Worlds Collide Tour" concert special streaming on Disney+. Fans can anticipate a 2027 rollout on Disney+ and Disney Channelofficial title still under wrapsfueling hype around Freya Skye and Malachi Barton's next chapter amid mermaids, monsters, and melody. Representation photo When three-and-a-half-year-old Aroof Ali walked into Saboo Siddique Hospital on February 23 with a minor elbow fracture, his family expected him to be back home later the same day. After all, the doctors had estimated a 15-minute procedure followed by discharge in about two hours.In the nightmare that unfolded, Aroof went into seizures shortly after being wheeled out of the OT and has been on life support since then. Six days later, his family is still searching for answers and accountability even as they hope against hope for their childs recovery.Allegations have surfaced that the anaesthesiologist had left the child in the care of assistants after sedation and was attending to other patients a charge that the team of doctors attending to Aroof has denied. The fact that the hospital reportedly did not have a dedicated Paediatric Intensive Care Unit a must for even minor paediatric surgeries has also come under scrutiny.Aroof was declared fit for OTAroof had been assessed at the Sandhurst Road hospital and was cleared by a paediatrician in the days leading up to the surgery, despite having a mild cold. He was kept under observation for a day before the procedure was scheduled.He climbed the stairs himself. That is the last time I saw my son being normal, said Aroofs father, Sultan Ali, a tanker driver, remembering what happened on February 23.Aroof was admitted for a closed reduction and K-wire fixation of a displaced elbow fracture a procedure requiring no open incision and was expected to last 15 minutes. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Sadiq Khan confirmed the operation lasted approximately 30 minutes and was completed without incident. The procedure went smoothly. There were no intra-operative issues, he said.Seizures after surgery, then comaAroof was then transferred to the recovery room on oxygen support. The family was told he would be discharged within two hours, once fully awake. However, his oxygen saturation dropped sharply afterwards and stopped breathing. He was immediately wheeled back to the operating theatre.Senior anaesthesiologist Dr Rafique Khan, who had administered the child anaesthesia, described the episode as post-operative apnea a known risk in paediatric anaesthesia in which the tongue obstructs the airway, causing oxygen deprivation. After the surgery was completed and the child was shifted to the recovery room, an episode of apnea was detected, a known risk in post-sedation recovery, he said. The moment it was detected, we brought the child immediately back to the OT. We administered oxygen, performed intubation, placed the child on the ventilator, and gave Atropine and Adrenaline injections. Everything reversed the hemodynamics normalised, saturation returned to normal.Dr Rafique Khan estimated the hypoxic window at no more than two minutes well within the six-minute threshold associated with irreversible brain damage. He described the outcome as clinically unexpected and unexplained, adding: No other organ was affected kidneys are functioning, liver is functioning. The brain was damaged first, which is the opposite of what we expect. Only a post-mortem examination could reveal whether there was a pre-existing internal condition that made this child uniquely vulnerable.In the ICU, Aroof suffered more than eight seizure episodes. Four anti-seizure medications were administered without lasting effect, requiring sedation. A CT scan confirmed diffuse cerebral oedema widespread brain swelling consistent with severe hypoxic injury.Currently, his brain is not functioning, Dr Sadiq Khan said. In simple terms, the child is in a comatose state. Multiple independent specialists have assessed the probability of meaningful recovery at less than one percent.Will fight for justice for son, says fatherSultan Ali says his son was in perfect health when he brought him to the hospital that morning. My child had no medical problems. He walked into the hospital on his own. And now I stand beside him not knowing if he will ever open his eyes again.He alleges that no MRI or CT scan was ordered for three days after Aroof fell into a coma. These are the first things any doctor should do. Why did it take three days? He says he will not accept the prognosis without answers. They may have given up, but how can a father give up on his child? I am just a driver but I will fight for justice for my son. This is about the fundamental right of parents to know what happened to their child.Anaesthesiologist under scrutinyThe anaesthesia administered and the post-operative monitoring of Aroof are now at the centre of the accountability question. Social activist Ashraf Mansoor Khan, who has supported the family and independently consulted several medical professionals, said the inquiries have surfaced serious concerns. It has been revealed that the treating anaesthesiologist allegedly administers anaesthesia and leaves patients under the supervision of assistants, at times overseeing four to five patients simultaneously. On the day of Aroofs surgery, it is alleged that this is what happened.Under Medical Council of India guidelines, an anaesthesiologist holds direct and non-delegable responsibility for monitoring a patient from the administration of anaesthesia until the patient has safely regained consciousness. Delegating that duty to an unqualified assistant, or managing multiple concurrent patients, would constitute a serious breach of protocol if established.Dr Rafique Khan stated he was present throughout the surgery and that two qualified anaesthesiologists Dr Martin Sebastian and Dr Akif were present in the recovery room. When they called me, I came back immediately, he said. He maintained that anaesthesia was correctly dosed and administered but did not directly address the allegation of simultaneously managing multiple patients.No PICU unit at hospitalAt the time of Aroofs admission on February 23, Saboo Siddique Hospital reportedly did not have a dedicated Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. When the childs condition deteriorated, equipment reportedly had to be sourced from outside the hospital to complete the intubation. Hospitals performing paediatric surgeries even those classified as minor are expected to have immediate access to paediatric emergency infrastructure. The hospital has not issued a formal statement on the questions raised by the case.Ashraf, the social activist, claimed that he had approached the JJ Marg police for registering complaint, but his complaint letter was not accepted since the staff that accepts grievance letters were unavailable. Meanwhile, parents have filed a medical negligence case online. US President Donald Trump launched Saturdays wide-ranging attack on Iran after a weeks-long lobbying effort by Israel and Saudi Arabia, said four people familiar with the matter, as Israeli and US forces toppled Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei after nearly four decades in power. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to Trump over the past month advocating a US attack, despite his public support for a diplomatic solution, the four people said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, continued his long-running public campaign for US strikes against what he views as an existential enemy of his country. The combined effort helped lead Trump to order a massive aerial campaign against Irans leadership and military, which in its initial hour led to the death of Khamenei and several other senior Iranian officials. Saudi pressure The attack came despite US intelligence assessments that Irans forces were unlikely to pose an immediate threat to the US mainland, marking a stark shift from Trumps earlier, narrower military forays. The Saudi push came as envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner pursued negotiations with Iranian leaders over nuclear and missile programmes. As talks proceeded, Riyadh saidafter a call between the crown prince and President Masoud Pezeshkianthat it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used in an attack on Iran. However, in discussions with US officials, the Saudi leader warned Iran would emerge stronger and more dangerous if the US did not strike now, after amassing the largest military presence in the Middle East since 2003, said people familiar with the matter. His stance was reinforced by Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, who held closed-door meetings with US officials in Washington in January and warned about the downsides of not attacking. The Saudi leaders position likely reflected a balance between fears of Iranian retaliation against vulnerable oil infrastructure and viewing Tehran as Riyadhs ultimate foe. Iran, dominated by Shiite Muslims, and Saudi Arabia, led by Sunnis, have long had an intense rivalry that has generated proxy wars in the region. Following the US attack, Iran retaliated against Saudi Arabia. Witkoff and Kushner held final talks with Iranian officials in Geneva on Thursdaytheir third since early Februarybut left believing Tehran was playing games over nuclear enrichment, a senior US official said. Attack telegraphed The decision to launch the attack was in some ways foretold by the massive buildup of US forces over the past two months. In explaining his decision, Trump on Saturday reached all the way back to Irans 1979 revolution. Earlier on Saturday, Trump said the US had faced imminent threats from the Iranian regime. Tehran was continuing to work toward producing a nuclear weapon and development of long-range missiles that could soon reach the American homeland. Both of those assertions have been challenged. Trump himself has vehemently maintained that the US obliterated Irans nuclear program with airstrikes this past summer. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said there is no evidence Iran has restarted its uranium enrichment program following those strikes or that it has an active bomb-building plan. In an assessment last year, the US Defence Intelligence Agency cited no indication that Iran was embarking on development of an intercontinental ballistic missile. If it decided to do so, the DIA said, it would take a decade to produce. Trump directed anti-government Iranians to take over their government, but his call included no details. He declared that those within Irans extensive military and security infrastructure would be given complete immunity but provided no explanation how or by whom that would be done. Iraq redux? And it remains unclear whether aircraft and missile strikes can achieve his ever-expanding goals - among them new, US-friendly regimes in Iran and Venezuela; an end to Iran-backed militant operations in Yemen; and the defeat of Islamic terrorist operations in Nigeria and Somalia. History is not kind to efforts to fundamentally alter and restructure the internal politics of a country using air power alone, said Aaron David Miller, a former US diplomat. Months of planning for the 2003 US toppling of Saddam Hussein included thousands of invading American forces that remained there for nearly a decade. Top Trump officials - some of whom have been sharp critics of the Iraq effort and other US forays into the Middle East - have insisted in recent days that this time will be different. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday told The Washington Post that he still considers himself a sceptic of foreign military interventions - a description he said still applied to Trump, too. He said there was no chance any military operation by the US in Iran would lead to a drawn-out war involving the Trump administration. What next? For now, Trump says that he hopes that in the face of the death of Khamenei, Irans security forces and police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. In January, those security forces killed thousands of Iranian protesters. He vowed that the heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD! Souad Mekhennet, Ellen Nakashima and Noah Robertson in Washington; Matt Viser in Corpus Christi, Texas; and Greg Miller in London contributed to this report. khameini. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Shia cleric who played a key role in Irans Islamic Revolution, served two terms as president in the 1980s and dominated the country for more than three decades as supreme leader, was killed on Saturday as Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran. He was 86.An early follower of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who inspired the revolution against Irans US-backed monarchy, Ayatollah Khamenei opposed the United States and Israel, rejected Western liberalism, and adhered strictly to fundamentalist social policies.As supreme leader of Iran since 1989 when he succeeded Khomeini he wielded ultimate political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic, outranking the elected president and overseeing the countrys armed forces, internal security apparatus, judiciary, state media and foreign policy.Humble beginningsAli Khamenei was born July 17, 1939, in the northeastern city of Mashhad, where his father was a cleric of humble means. He was the second of eight children, and he and his family had a difficult life, sometimes with little to eat but bread and raisins, he said in a biography published on his website.He was sent to Islamic schools from an early age, and in his late teens, he briefly studied in Najaf. He then went to the holy city of Qom, about 90 miles south of Tehran, where he studied for six years under Khomeini. But he had to cut short his training at Qoms renowned Islamic seminary in 1964 to return to Mashhad to care for his ailing father, a decision he later said accounted for his failure to attain the highest credentials of Islamic scholarship.In the spring of 1963, Khomeini ignited protests against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the US-backed shah, that were violently put down by security forces. Ayatollah Khamenei was arrested by the shahs secret police, SAVAK, and spent 10 days under severe torture, according to his official biography. In late 1964, his mentor Khomeini was expelled from Iran and spent more than 14 years in exile, most of it in Najaf.Between 1963 and 1976, Ayatollah Khamenei was arrested seven times and spent a total of three years in prison before being sentenced to a sort of internal exile in Iranshahr in the far southeastern corner of the country.With the Islamic Revolution underway, he returned to Mashhad and took part in street battles that preceded the shahs departure into exile on January 16, 1979, and Khomeinis triumphant return to Tehran on February 1. Khomeini named Ayatollah Khamenei to a newly formed Islamic Revolutionary Council, which was instrumental in running the country after the last vestiges of the shahs regime collapsed on February 11, 1979.Then a mid-level cleric, Ayatollah Khamenei won a seat in parliament in 1980 as a member of the Islamic Republican Party, which he helped found, and was appointed by Khomeini to the key post of Friday prayers leader in the capital.He delivered weekly sermons before large crowds, usually with a rifle in his hands, and built a following as he used his oratorical skills to rail against the Islamic Revolutions perceived enemies.Ayatollah Khamenei narrowly escaped death in June 1981 when a bomb concealed in a tape recorder exploded next to him as he addressed a crowd at a Tehran mosque. Severely injured, he lost the use of his right arm and suffered damage to his vocal cords. The assassination attempt was blamed on the Mujahideen-e Khalq, an Iranian militant group that killed President Mohammed Ali Rajai and four other officials in another bombing two months later.Path to the presidencyThe ruling party then prevailed on Ayatollah Khamenei to run for president in an October 1981 special election, which he won in a landslide with 95 per cent of the vote.As president he was re-elected in November 1985 Ayatollah Khamenei helped guide the country through the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. He travelled abroad during that period, flying to Syria to sign a secret economic and military pact, embarking on a six-nation tour of Africa, addressing the UN General Assembly in New York and visiting North Korea.Shortly before Khomeini died in June 1989 at age 86 of complications from intestinal surgery, a falling-out with the supreme leaders designated successor, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, came to a head. As a result, Khomeini had the 1979 constitution revised so that a cleric with lower credentials could succeed him.That opened the door for Ayatollah Khamenei, who was suddenly elevated to ayatollah from the mid-level hojatoleslam rank he held during his presidency. The day after Khomeinis death, Irans Assembly of Experts, made up of Islamic scholars, elected Ayatollah Khamenei as supreme leader.A conspiracy-ridden worldviewAs supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei was responsible for appointing the commanders of the armed forces, including the Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as the nations supreme judicial authority, the director of the state radio and television network, prayer leaders in Iranian cities and directly and indirectly the 12 members of the Guardian Council, a top supervisory body that vets candidates for public office and approves legislation.In international affairs, Ayatollah Khamenei was the driving force behind Tehrans defiance of demands by major world powers that it halt its uranium-enrichment programme. The government insisted that the programmes purpose was only to supply fuel for nuclear power plants and a medical research reactor. But the United States and its allies suspected that it was secretly intended to provide an option to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons.The dispute epitomised Ayatollah Khameneis grievances against the US and his worldview in which concerns about nuclear proliferation were merely a pretext to prevent Iran from achieving scientific advances and energy independence.In the hands of Western countries, knowledge has turned into a means for bullying, Ayatollah Khamenei told a gathering of Iranian nuclear scientists in February 2012. They know that we are not after nuclear weapons. They know this, but they stress the issue in order to stop our movement.He maintained that stand after a landmark July 2015 nuclear accord with six world powers, including the United States, that restricted Irans nuclear programme in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions, dismissing US assertions that the deal rather than his own policies blocked Irans path to nuclear arms.Years ago, we issued a fatwa, based on Islamic teachings, forbidding the production of nuclear weapons, Ayatollah Khamenei said in a July 18, 2015, sermon. But Americans keep lying in their propaganda and claim that their threat has blocked the production of [a] nuclear weapon by Iran.In the same speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran would never stop supporting its allies in the Middle East, including groups labelled terrorists by Washington. He also vowed there would be no negotiations with America, apart from the nuclear talks.Although hostile to Israel, which he repeatedly described as a cancerous tumour in the Middle East, Ayatollah Khamenei insisted that Iran did not seek to destroy the Jewish state militarily, much less annihilate it with a nuclear weapon. Rather, he said, Iran sought the dissolution of Israel and its replacement by a Palestinian state through a popular referendum.But under his leadership, Iran stepped up support for Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, apparently in hopes of eventually fomenting a popular uprising that would lead to the collapse of the Israeli government.Ayatollah Khamenei shunned foreign travel as supreme leader, declined to meet with representatives of Western powers and rarely passed up an opportunity to express his contempt for the United States.profound hatredIn an October 2008 speech to students, he declared that the Iranian peoples hatred for America is profound, ascribing this hostility to the various plots that the US government has concocted against Iran and the Iranian people in the past 50 years. He further warned that anyone who wished to trample the identity and independence of the Iranian nation would have his hand cut off by it.He rebuffed overtures from President Barack Obama, including at least two private letters, and he rejected any bilateral negotiations while the United States was holding a gun to Irans head.Ayatollah Khamenei had six children with his wife, Khojasteh, whom he wed in an arranged marriage in 1964, when she was 17. Information on survivors was not immediately available, but their son Mojtaba, a hard-line cleric who was born in 1969, was said to play a key role in the Basij, a paramilitary force loyal to the supreme leader that has been used to quell protests. Senate Minority Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke yesterday on the Senate floor. Schumer was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: Today, the Senate grieves the deaths of four US servicemembers who were killed in action this weekend. We hold their families in our hearts. We pray for all American families who have loved ones serving right now in uniform. And we pray for everyone across the Middle East who are right now in harms way, many who have relatives here in America, including relatives who fled the regime in Iran, and all who are worried for their families and friends back home across the region. Today many Americans across the countryand across the political spectrumare wondering: why are our troops back in conflict in the Middle East? Thats what Americans are wondering. Why has Donald Trump started a new war with Iran? Let me be clear, I will not shed a tear for Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, who was killed in the initial rounds of airstrikes over the weekend. For decades, Khamenei sponsored terrorist attacks against American troops. He called for the destruction of Israel and America. And under his rule, the people of Iran have suffered immensely. But: no matter how you feel about the Iranian regime, we stand at a dangerous moment for our troops and for the Middle East and even, perhaps, for the world. Donald Trump has just launched America into a full-scale conflict against one of our most fervent adversaries without a plan, without an endgame, and without authorization from Congress, or even a debate in full view of the American people. The consequences are already mounting: as Ive said, four American servicemembers have been killed. Several others have been wounded. And the President says, many casualties, many more casualties are likely to come. This is not what the American people want. The American people want more effective action to address the rising costs that are crushing them; they want more access to affordable health care and to buy homes and to get good-paying jobs. They dont want a war that leads to lost American lives and that costs billions and billions of taxpayer dollars. They dont want a war that raises the price of gas at the pump. Make no mistake about it, this is a war of choice, not necessity. And regardless of whether you are a Democrat or Republican or an independentor even if you dont pay attention to politicsthere is one thing almost everyone agrees on: we are sick and tired of endless wars in the Middle East. And there is real danger that is the road we are on right now. Americans are sick of Donald Trump paying so much attention to military escapades while costs keep going up here at home. Venezuela. Somalia. Iran. And on and on. Where is Donald Trump going to strike tomorrow? He is one of the most trigger-happy presidents in all of American history. Donald Trump ran for office on the promise to wind down Americas endless wars. What he is doing is exactly the opposite. He is picking military fights all over the world and not taking care of business here at home. One year into office Donald Trump has broken his promise to end forever wars again and again and againfrom Venezuela to threats against Greenland to now a new war with Iran. Congress must act to rein in Donald Trumps belligerence. Very soon, the Senate will vote on a bipartisan War Powers Resolution I am leading with Senators Kaine, and Schiff, and Paul. Our resolution affirms what the Constitution already says: the President cannot send US forces to fight a war in Iran without Congressional approval. As soon as our resolution comes to the floor, Senators need to pick a side: stand with Americans who dont want war or stand with Donald Trump as he singlehandedly starts another war. I urge my colleagues to support our resolution. The American people will be watching how Senators vote, and they will remember those whose thumbs pointed aye and whose thumbs pointed nay.. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8: LOS ANGELES (AP) Many in the Iranian American diaspora spent several days glued to their televisions, watching the news of U.S. and Israeli bombs falling on Iran, some clinging to hope it might bring a brighter future to their homeland but terrified their relatives will suffer in a new Middle East war with no certain end. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for decades while violently crushing dissent, was killed early in the attack. In the United States, many celebrated, some popped Champagne, some downed shots of tequila, some took to the streets to cheer the toppling of a ruler they considered a tyrant. We are happy, we are happy that he is gone and he cant kill our innocent people anymore, said Ava Farhadi, 33, an electrical engineer in Indiana. In January, Farhadis family participated in protests against their government, which were met with a brutal crackdown. While her immediate family was unhurt, Farhadi said, friends and close loved ones were among the thousands killed when security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters. Many said they are worried for their families still there and for what the future holds. Roozbeh Farahanipour, a Los Angeles restaurant owner who was jailed and tortured following the 1999 student protests in Iran, said hes felt a swirl of emotions. He celebrated when he heard Khamenei was killed in the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes. I open a bottle of Champagne and drink it up, he said. That was a happy moment but we are looking at what happens next. Deaths have mounted as the bombardment continued into Monday, claiming U.S. service members and Iran civilians. Farahanipour said he mourns for them. Between 400,000 and 620,000 people of Iranian ancestry live in the U.S., according to the University of California Los Angeles, the vast majority of them in California. Farahanipours restaurant is in a part of Los Angeles nicknamed Tehrangeles the heart of the Iranian diaspora in the U.S. where Iranian flags hang outside shops selling everything from books to rugs. We want democracy Nearby, Todd Khodadadi, the 47-year-old owner of Tochal Market, said he and his family lived under the regime in Iran until they fled more than two decades ago and started over in the U.S. Khodadadi said hes been glued to news apps and group chats with friends in Iran. Even as bombs rained down, the weekends violence still doesnt compare to the scale and severity of what Iranians have suffered for years on end, he said, surrounded in his store by boxes of date-filled pastries and rice cookies affixed with stickers reading Free Iran. The people in Iran, they live in hell, he said. We want democracy, we dont want one person sitting in one chair for decades and decades and control everything. It has been difficult for many to communicate with their loved ones still in their homeland. Phone and internet connections arent reliable. Its eerie, its very eerie to see these terrible scenes of Iranians crying over dead relatives and their destroyed homes, said Shahed Ghoreishi, 34, a foreign policy analyst whose parents fled Iran and still has many relatives there. And youre like, wait, does my family live on that street? How close are they to that bomb? Then you try to geolocate where your family lives and where the bombs are dropping on TV at the same time. His mother told him she hasnt slept because she cant reach her sister, who recently had back surgery. The Iranian people were already suffering shortages of food and medicine because of strict sanctions imposed on the country and Ghoreishi worries not only that they could be killed by the bombardment, but also that they wont be able to access life-sustaining necessities as the war drags on. Ghoreishi, who was fired from his role at the U.S. State Department last year after some questioned his loyalty to the administrations policies in the Middle East, said he doesnt see how this will end with lasting change for the Iranian people. I dont see a clear strategy and I see a lot of violence, and those two things make me pessimistic for this moment, he said. He hopes that hes wrong. So does Mahdis Keshavarz, 49, who fled Iran as a child and works now in social justice advocacy in Los Angeles. My people deserve to be happy My people deserve to be happy, and I understand fully why they would be happy and hopeful for a tyrant to be out of commission, she said. We have dreamed of the day where we would be rid of them so that we can have the homeland and the peace we all deserve. Keshavarz still has many loved ones in Iran, and says shes worried day and night for them. In war, she said, ordinary people always pay the highest price. To her, this moment recalls the regions long history of intractable wars that cost hundreds of thousands of lives but failed to deliver on promises of democratic stability, sometimes creating power vacuums filled by rulers just as bad or worse. She cannot see now how this time will be any different. This is where I hope Im wrong, she said. I hope that a month from now, or two weeks from now, that joy remains because there is something positive that comes out of this. Because at the moment I dont see it. Many said they hope that the Trump administration has a more solid plan for a transition than is clear right now. Roya Boroumands father helped form the National Movement of the Iranian Resistance, one of the first opposition parties fighting for democracy. He was stabbed to death in the lobby of his Paris apartment by agents of the Islamic Republic in 1991. Boroumand said that those celebrating should remember the sacrifices that people of previous generations have made to advance human rights in the country and recognize how much work is required to realize those rights now that the regime has been weakened. You cant just bomb your way out of a totalitarian regime You cant just bomb your way out of a totalitarian regime, said Boroumand, who co-founded the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation in 2001 to promote human rights in Iran. She emphasized that any military operation needs to be supplemented by significant structural and economic transformation led by Iranian civilians. This is the time to make sure what needs to happen happens so that what we have endured for the past 45-60 years doesnt happen again, she said. Some others said they saw no other way to forge a better path forward than to cut off the regime at its head. In Iran we cannot accept that murderers can control the country. When they start to kill people just because of their voices, there is no choice but to start a war, said Soheila Boojari, 47, a native of Iran and engineer in suburban Detroit, who took to the streets this weekend to celebrate the strikes. I dont want a war for any people. I am very worried about my family there. But who can help us? At Colbeh, a Persian restaurant in Great Neck, New York, staff downed shots of tequila Saturday night to celebrate the attacks. Restaurant partner Pejman Touby said he walked over the mountains at age 12 to escape Iran in 1984. A lot of our employees came out of Iran the same way. We left everything we had there, Touby, 53, said. We had shots in honor of the U.S. government, Israel government for standing on their word and doing whatever they can to get rid of this evil regime. Many said they are hopeful that maybe, soon, they can return to Iran to see the family they left behind decades ago. Gita Zarnegar, a 63-year-old psychoanalyst, said she and her Jewish family left Iran in 1979 when the regime took over. Im elated that my country of origin is going to be free from 47 years of enslavement to a tyrannical and cruel regime that took away peoples freedom and liberty, she said. She will visit as soon as it is safe enough, she said. I will be the first person on that plane. __ Associated Press reporter Krysta Fauria contributed from Los Angeles. Galofaro reported from Louisville, Kentucky, Riddle from New York and White from Detroit. By AMY TAXIN, CLAIRE GALOFARO, SAFIYAH RIDDLE and ED WHITE Associated Press U.S. President Donald Trump said someone from within Irans government might be best suited to take power once the U.S.-Israeli war on the country ends. His remarks came four days into a war that has killed hundreds, nearly all of them in Iran, as well as many of the countrys top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although Tehran has kept up its retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israel and across the Gulf disrupting travel and driving up oil prices the pace of Iranian attacks appears to be slowing. However the conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in Beirut and additional troop deployments to southern Lebanon. The spiraling nature of the war has raised questions about when and how it would end, and the Trump administration has given various objectives. Here is the latest: Israeli airstrike hits hotel outside of Beirut An Israeli airstrike hit a hotel outside of Beirut, Lebanons state-run news agency reported Wednesday. The strike came in Hazmieh, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of downtown Beirut. The report from Lebanons National News Agency said ambulances had been dispatched to the scene. It did not elaborate in its short report. Asian shares tumble as oil prices climb Asian shares tumbled Wednesday, with South Koreas benchmark plunging as much as 11%, while oil prices climbed even higher. Worries over the widening conflict with Iran have hammered most world markets. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 3.4% to 54,346.73. Japan, like South Korea, depends heavily on imports of oil and natural gas from the Middle East that are now stranded in the Persian Gulf. The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil climbed 1.2% to $75.46 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.5% to $82.61 per barrel. Higher oil prices and how much they might worsen inflation are spooking investors worried that more spikes for oil prices may grind down the global economy and sap corporate profits. Air sirens sound across Bahrain Air sirens sounded Wednesday morning across the island kingdom of Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Explosions heard over Jerusalem Explosions echoed across the skies of Jerusalem on Wednesday. Iran launches second wave of missiles toward Israel Israels military said early Wednesday that Iran had launched missiles toward the country for the second time in less than two hours. Israeli air defenses were working to intercept them. No injuries were reported in the first wave. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted cruise missiles over Kharj Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry said it has intercepted two cruise missiles Wednesday morning over the city of Kharj. US State Department says non-emergency personnel and family members can evacuate Saudi Arabia The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Saudi Arabia should they choose due to the war. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has come under attack by Iran in the war. US soldiers died in Iranian drone strike on center at Kuwait civilian port An operations center targeted by an Iranian drone strike that killed six American soldiers was located in a civilian port in Kuwait, more than 10 miles away from the main Army base, according to satellite images and a U.S. official. Joey Amor, husband of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, one of the soldiers killed, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the hub was a shipping container-style building and had no defenses. A satellite image taken Monday and reviewed by the AP shows the main building in the complex destroyed, with a trail of black smoke rising from it. Its located in Port Shuaiba, a working seaport south of Kuwait City. The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter under investigation, confirmed the image depicted the location of Sundays attack. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the secure facility was fortified with 6-foot walls. The development was reported earlier by CNN and CBS News. By Konstantin Toropin and Rebecca Boone Israeli strike kills 4 in Lebanon, state-run media says At least four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a residential complex in the Lebanese city of Baalbeck, state-run media reported. The strike early Wednesday also wounded six others, the National News Agency said. Israel says Hezbollah fire intercepted Israels military said Wednesday that Hezbollah fire targeted the country, with much of it intercepted. Loud explosions in Tehran, Iran state TV reports Iranian state television reported loud explosions around the capital, Tehran, as dawn broke Wednesday. Israel says its air defenses activated Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran. US State Department authorizes non-emergency personnel, family members to evacuate Oman The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Oman should they choose due to the war. Oman, long an intermediary between the West and Iran, has repeatedly come under attack by Iran. House Speaker says US not in the business of nation-building in Iran U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said after an all-member briefing at the Capitol that no one can yet determine with any degree of certainty how the conflict with Iran will turn out. The Republican leader, a close ally of Trump, said its up to the Iranian people to seize this moment of opportunity for their country, and not necessarily depend on the U.S. We have no ability to get into the nation-building business, he said. America has enough trouble of our own. Child killed in attack on Kuwait An 11-year-old girl was killed after shrapnel fell in a residential area in Kuwait City, health authorities said Wednesday. The Kuwait army said in a statement the shrapnel fell over a house and left casualties while forces were intercepting several hostile aerial targets over the country. The Health Ministry said in a separate statement that the child died of her wounds at the hospital. The childs mother and three other relatives were injured and being treated at the hospital, it said. US military commander says weve just begun in Iran operation The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East said American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran since the operation against the Islamic Republic began. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, said in a video posted on X Tuesday that the U.S. military has severely degraded Irans air defenses and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. The video showed missiles and jets launching from U.S. ships, and targets exploding on the ground. Cooper noted that Iran has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation. But he said the U.S. is hunting Irans last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate their lingering launch capability. Cooper said the operation has involved more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers and bombers, and more capability is on the way. Weve just begun, Cooper said. Vessel hit in Gulf of Oman A vessel was hit by a projectile early Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates, an agency of the U.K. military said. There were no reported casualties. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the vessel was struck 8 miles east of Fujairah, one of the UAEs seven emirates. The attack damaged the vessels steel plating. No fire or water intake was reported, it said. Slain soldier was days away from returning home Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was just a few days away from coming home to her husband and two children when she was killed. The last month had been a state of constant concern, her husband said. You could see it in the movements. She knew something was coming, she just didnt know what scale, Joey Amor said. Amor was moved off-base to a shipping container-style building a week before the drone attack. The building had no defenses, Joey Amor said. They were dispersing because they were in fear that the base they were on was going to get attacked and they felt it was safer in smaller groups in separate places, he said. The couple exchanged messages about two hours before she was killed, joking back and forth. She just never responded in the morning, he said. Palestinians anxious about the impact of Iran war on them In a tent camp in Gazas southern area of Khan Younis, Palestinians have been closely following news about the widening war and growing increasingly worried about its potential impact on their lives. We are fed up with wars and the horrors of wars, Ibrahim Atta, who was displaced from Rafah, said on Tuesday. Palestinians in the camp were preparing simple meals to break their fast during the second week of the holy month of Ramadan. Haunted by memories of scarcity last year during months of Israels blockade, many fear that border crossings could again close. This will affect us economically, and affect the crossings, said Rami Abu Arida, who also was displaced from Rafah. Food and water, how can they enter? Israeli military spokesman says building where clerics will meet to select new supreme leader struck in Qom The Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Tuesday that Israel struck a building in Qom where clerics were expected to meet to discuss the selection of a new supreme leader. He said the army was still assessing whether anyone was hit. Were not going to let this regime rehabilitate its command and control capabilities., he said. Kaine sees troubling pattern of military operations without congressional approval Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., says theres a troubling pattern of the Trump administration launching military operations from Venezuela to Nigeria and to Iran without involving Congress. The Trump administration has made a habit of not seeking authorization, providing no advanced notice and then holding a classified hearing that restricts lawmakers ability to talk about it publicly, Kaine said Tuesday. Kaine said he brought up his concerns during the administrations closed-door briefing on Tuesday to senators on the military operation in Iran. He said his point was not refuted. Its convinced many of us in the room that youve decided that you will never come to Congress, Kaine told reporters at the Capitol after the briefing. You dont think you ever have to come to Congress for war authorization. Pentagon releases names of troops killed in drone strike in Kuwait The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members who have been killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait. All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retailatory strikes. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa. Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist. Reports of Iran launching missiles targeting Israel, Qatar continue overnight Tuesday Qatars Ministry of Defense said early Wednesday that Iran launched two ballistic missiles against it and one hit Al-Udeid Qatari Base, though it didnt cause casualties. The other missile was intercepted by air defense, the ministry said. Israel also said Iran had launched multiple missiles targeting the north of the country overnight with no reports of casualties there either. Sen. Hawley said Iran operation is rapidly evolving following closed-door briefing Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, said after Tuesdays closed-door briefing on the Iran operation that he would still vote no on a war powers resolution, unless they were to introduce ground troops. He added: I didnt hear in there any prediction of ground troops. Personally, I would hope for a very swift conclusion, but I dont know if thats going to be the case, he said. Hawley said he learned more about the scope of the operation, which he said was quite large and rapidly, rapidly evolving. The briefers emphasized this, its really almost changing by the hour, he said. Commercial flight planned from Dubai to Sydney to repatriate 24,000 stranded Australians A commercial flight is planned from Dubai to Sydney to start repatriating 24,000 Australians stranded in the United Arab Emirates by the Iran war, Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. Wong said the flight was scheduled to leave Dubai on Wednesday. This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people, Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corp. She and Australian Prime Minister Anthnony Albanese had spoken to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also the UAEs deputy prime minister. The best way to get people out is to get commercial flights started. I asked if they could look at commercial flights restarting. Obviously its very unpredictable and I understand there is a flight scheduled from Dubai to Sydney. Obviously we would say to people on the ground you need to ensure you stay in contact with your airline in relation to that flight if you are on it. Flights have been cancelled and changed at short notice, Wong said. She did not identify the airline. Health officials say 50 killed, more than 300 wounded in Israeli strikes in Lebanon The death toll over the past two days in Lebanon has risen to 50, with 335 wounded, Lebanons Health Ministry said Tuesday evening. On Monday, Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel for the first time in more than a year, and Israel responded by bombarding southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut with strikes. No casualties have been reported from the Hezbollah attacks in Israel. It is not clear how many of those killed in Lebanon were civilians, but the health ministry said earlier Tuesday that they included seven children. Officials with Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group were also killed. First government evacuation plane from Jordan lands in Prague The first government evacuation plane landed in Prague late Tuesday. The airbus that belongs to the Czech military has a capacity for some 40 passengers and was flying from Jordan. Another two government planes are expected to arrive during the night. One of them will fly from Egypt to take home Czech nationals who traveled there by buses from Israel. The other one will transport people from Oman. It was perfect. We saw everything we wanted to in Jordan, said Zdenek Viktorin, who was traveling with his family of four. He said that he didnt expect the war could start during their stay. When the politicians say one day that the talks are fine and the other day (the war) begins, thats hard to comprehend. In neighboring Slovakia, the first two evacuation planes sent by the Slovak government to Jordan landed in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Tuesday with 127 people on board. The government plans at least 10 such flights from the Middle East. US and Israel have superiority and control nearly all Irans airspace, Israeli diplomat says Im sure we will be able to show that superiority in the next few days, Israeli ambassador Danny Danon told reporters at the United Nations. He cautioned, however, that while U.S.-Israeli attacks have degraded Iranian capabilities and its harder for them to launch missiles, they put missiles underground, in caves, in secret locations. He said Israel has told its own citizens and people in the region, give us some more time to further degrade the Iranian military and achieve its objectives: no nuclear weapons, no missile threat, no terror infrastructure. It will not continue forever, Danon said. UAE says it has been attacked by 1,000 Iranian drones and missiles so far The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday on X that it retains the right to self-defense, insisting that the Gulf monarchy is not part of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran and that it hasnt authorized the use of its territories for attacks against Iran. The UAE Defense Ministry also released a breakdown of its missile and drone interceptions. It said Iranian drones struck within its territory 57 times out of more than 800 detected, while only one of 186 ballistic missiles managed to hit. All eight Iranian cruise missiles were intercepted, the ministry said. It was not possible to independently very those figures. Venezuelan government supporters hold a solidarity march for Iran Dozens of Venezuelan government supporters on Tuesday marched in the capital in solidarity with Iran and mourning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war. Demonstrators wore T-shirts with the photo of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. military captured from the capital Caracas in a stunning operation two months ago. Two women at the head of the demonstration carried photos of Khamenei and of late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who orchestrated Irans 1979 Islamic revolution and ruled as supreme leader for a decade. We are here to give our support to the Iranian diplomatic representation in Caracas, Yoser Quijada, an engineer, said. We are here with our presence telling them that the people of Venezuela, the heart of the Venezuelan people, is together with the heart of the Iranian people. Rubio pushes back in a testy exchange at the Capitol The secretary of state insisted that Trump made the decision to attack Iran because this past weekend presented what he called a unique opportunity for the mission to be successful. The president is determined we were not going to get hit first. Its that simple, Rubio said ahead of a closed-door briefing for lawmakers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Mar. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Mar. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Rubio was revisiting his remarks from a day earlier that have generated fierce blowback. At the time, he said Trump believed Israel was determined to act and wanted the U.S. to go first with a pre-emptive strike on Iran to prevent any retaliation on American bases and operations in the region. We are not going to put American troops in harms way, he said. Amid the administrations shifting reasons for the war with Iran, Rubio also returned to Trumps initial rationale. There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trumps watch, he said. Iranian drone hits near US consulate in Dubai An Iranian drone slammed into a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Although the pace of Iranian missile and drone strikes has slowed, Tuesdays near-miss shows that Iran is still able to get munitions past American interceptors. Rubio told reporters at the U.S. Capitol that all of the consulate personnel in Dubai had been accounted for. We began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this, Rubio said. Satellite imagery shows Irans presidential complex destroyed Before-and-after images published by the Colorado-based satellite company Vantor on Tuesday showed the domed roof of Irans presidential complex destroyed, aligning with Israels earlier claims of an overnight strike. Numerous munitions were dropped on what Israels military said was among the most heavily secured sites in Tehran. Iranian officials and state media have not yet acknowledged the damage or reported casualties from the strike. UN official says humanitarian fallout in Middle East escalations is increasingly daunting In a statement Tuesday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned about the impact the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having on civilians in nearly a dozen countries in the region just days after U.S. and Israel began to attack Iran. First, civilians are paying the price across the region. Civilians must be protected full stop. Yet strikes are hitting homes, hospitals, and schools, Fletcher said. Civilians and civilian infrastructure have been under attack in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Fletcher added that while contingency plans across Iran and other nearby countries have been activated, the already limited presence by international organizations inside the Islamic Republic have made aid workers challenges much greater. Beyond the countries now involved in the wider regional conflict, Fletcher said the impacts on the civilians will worsen already dire humanitarian situations in places like Afghanistan and the occupied Palestinian territories. Trump pitches a plan to protect oil and other trade moving through the Persian Gulf Trump said on social media he ordered the United States development finance arm to provide political risk insurance for tankers carrying oil and other goods through the Persian Gulf at a very reasonable price. Political risk insurance is a type of coverage intended to protect firms against financial losses caused by unstable political conditions, government actions, or violence. He said that, if necessary, the U.S. Navy would escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. About a fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait. The disruption to that traffic caused by the war has pushed oil prices higher. The Navy has at least eight destroyers and three smaller littoral combat ships in the region. These ships have previously been used to escort merchant shipping in the region and in the Red Sea. Israel says it destroyed Irans reconstituted secret nuclear headquarters Israels military says it destroyed what it calls Irans secret nuclear headquarters, and claims Iran moved work into hidden bunkers, known as Minzadehei. On Tuesday, an Israeli military spokesman said the site supported research tied to a key component for nuclear weapons. Israel does not say Iran enriched uranium there. There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named. Israel says Iran tried to rebuild and hide parts of its program after last years strikes. The United States said as recently as last week that those strikes destroyed Irans nuclear program. U.S. officials also accuse Iran of trying to restart parts of the program but do not say Iran was restarting enrichment. Turkeys top diplomat criticizes Irans flawed strategy of attacking Gulf states Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday accused Iran of attacking Gulf neighbors that had worked to prevent war, calling it a strategy of If I go, I will take the region with me. He called Irans strikes on countries mediating between Tehran and Washington an incredibly flawed strategy and warned the conflict could widen if Gulf states retaliate. In an interview with state broadcaster TRT, Fidan said Gulf states, including Qatar, had pushed for diplomacy until the last hour before the U.S.-Israeli war began Saturday. I believe that if the Iranians had better understood the pressure President Trump was facing and given him something in advance, the pressure from Israel might not have been so effective, he said. By The Associated Press LONDON (AP) Keir Starmer has never had a bad word to say in public about Donald Trump. That is not being reciprocated now as the American president lambasts the British prime minister over his reluctance to join the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with, Trump said Tuesday at the White House, blasting Britains reluctance to let U.S. warplanes use its bases. The dispute is roiling a relationship that Starmer worked hard to forge, and further straining trans-Atlantic ties frayed by Trumps America first foreign policy and transactional approach to international relations. Britain is in Trumps bad books This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe, Trump told British tabloid The Sun in an interview published Tuesday. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great, Trump said. The U.K. has been much different from others. Its very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was, he said. Starmer initially blocked American planes from using British bases for the attacks on Iran that started on Saturday. He later agreed to let the United States use bases in England and on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to strike Irans ballistic missiles and their storage sites, but not to hit other targets. Even after the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by an Iran-made drone over the weekend, Starmer said that the United Kingdom will not join offensive action. He said Tuesday that a Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Dragon, and Wildcat helicopters with counter-drone capabilities were being sent to the region as part of defensive operations. British forces have also shot down drones in Jordanian and Iraqi airspace, the government said. Starmer has offered a rare, though implicit, rebuke of the U.S. president, saying Monday that the U.K. government doesnt believe in regime change from the skies. Any U.K. actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan, Starmer told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday. President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest, Starmer added. The Financial Times called it Starmers Love Actually moment a reference to the 2003 movie scene in which a British prime minister played by Hugh Grant stands up to a bullying U.S. president played by Billy Bob Thornton. Friction has grown over Greenland and Diego Garcia Friction between the two leaders has been building for months. Trumps threat to take over Greenland was denounced by Starmer and other European leaders earlier this year. Recently, Trump has condemned Britains agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base, to Mauritius, despite his administration earlier backing the deal. Peter Ricketts, a former head of the U.K. Foreign Office, told The Observer newspaper that under Trump, the Americans have effectively given up on any effort to be consistent with international law. That is a red line for the law-abiding Starmer, a barrister and former chief prosecutor for England and Wales. The spat is a setback for Starmers efforts to woo Trump since the presidents return to office in 2025. The British government rolled out the red carpet to the president for a state visit as the guest of King Charles III, and Starmer consistently has praised Trumps efforts so far unsuccessful to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Iran war has also divided European leaders, who fall along a spectrum from condemnation to support. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that he unreservedly approves of Trumps decision to attack Iran and kill its supreme leader, and called the war crucial for Europes security. The U.K., France and Germany jointly said that they werent involved in the strikes, but were prepared to enable necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Irans capability to fire missiles and drones at their source. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the strikes as unjustifiable and dangerous. Polling suggests many Britons are skeptical of the U.S. justification for war. But politicians to the right of Starmers Labour Party slammed the prime minister for not joining the offensive. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that her party stands behind America taking this necessary action against state-sponsored terror. Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty denied the U.S.-U.K. special relationship was on the ropes. Our relationship with the United States is strong, he said Tuesday in the House of Commons. It has endured, it continues to endure, and it will endure into the future on both the economic and the security fronts. By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press PARIS (AP) France is moving to align its nuclear deterrent strategy more closely with European allies while keeping full control over any strike decision an unprecedented coordination that French President Emmanuel Macron described as crucial to bolstering the continents strategic autonomy. Experts say the plan reflects growing doubts across Europe about U.S. reliability when it comes to the continents defense. France has been the only nuclear power in the European Union since Britains exit from the bloc in 2020. Macrons move reflects that, in case of a nuclear crisis, France would be the one offering some form of a nuclear security guarantee, said Florian Galleri, a nuclear deterrence expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys security studies program. Speaking Monday from a top-secret submarine base in Western France, Macron announced a new step of Frances deterrence. His speech marked what could be the start of a major shift in policy that would allow, for the first time, temporary deployment of French nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries. Macron said that Paris has started nuclear talks with eight nations Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark. Partners joining the initiative would see their territory gain a clearly affirmed link to our deterrence, Macron said. Europe would shoulder more of its own security American allies have played a central role in Europes defense since the end of World War II, protecting the continent through NATOs nuclear mission. However, Macron noted, recent U.S. national security and defense strategies reflect a reshuffling of American priorities. Faced with heightened tensions with Russia, which has a vast nuclear arsenal and is developing new missiles, and as China expands its nuclear forces, our way of thinking must change, Macron said. Outlining the new strategy he called forward deterrence, Macron insisted that France wont share any decision-making since under its constitution, the president remains solely responsible for any decision on using nuclear weapons. Still, that stance underscores a fundamental contradiction, Galleri said. The strategic backing intended to integrate French nuclear deterrence into a collective European defense framework necessarily requires a degree of coordination and joint planning, he argued. One cannot, for example, carry out a nuclear strike without consulting a partner, he added. Frances new approach offers the possibility for partners to participate in deterrence exercises, Macron also said. In case of crisis, French nuclear forces could be supported by some European conventional capabilities. That could involve early warning systems allies satellites and radars detecting and tracking missiles, engaging air defense and anti-drone protections and long-range deep-strike capabilities, he said. Ultimately, the new doctrine would allow the temporary deployment of nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries across Europe, Macron added. Strengthening Frances nuclear arsenal Macron also said that evolving defenses among Frances competitors, the emergence of regional powers, possible coordination among adversaries and proliferation risks had led him to conclude that France must increase its number of nuclear warheads, for the first time since the 1990s and the end of the Cold War. France currently possesses an estimated 290 warheads. Heloise Fayet, a nuclear deterrence specialist at the French Institute of International Relations, a Paris-based think tank, cited a part of Macrons speech where the president said Frances nuclear deterrent is designed to inflict on an adversary damage from which they would not recover. That means we must always be able to inflict that kind of damage, Fayet said while deploring Macrons decision not to publicize the numbers of Frances warheads. If Russia, for example, improved its defense systems, then France would need more nuclear warheads, Fayet said. Complementing NATOs mission Macron made clear that any European coordination would come in addition to NATOs nuclear mission, in which France does not participate, and be compatible with the alliances role in European security. Ian Lesser, a NATO expert and distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said Macrons move reflects the state of security in Europe following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as the growing uncertainty about the American security commitment to Europe. Europe now has to deal with a more aggressive Russia for some time to come, Lesser said. NATOs deterrence works through a strong American troop presence in Europe, with U.S. nuclear weapons stationed there, including in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. The bulk of Europes conventional deterrence is lodged in NATO strategic command and organization, design and deployment, Lesser stressed. NATO is critical, he added and France is really not looking to weaken that. So the point about it being complementary is important. ___ Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report. By SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press As geopolitical tensions hit a breaking point in the Middle East, Iran has moved to calm fears that Kenya could be drawn into the crosshairs of its intensifying conflict with the United States and Israel. Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, the Iranian Ambassador to Kenya, Dr. Ali Gholampour, assured the public that Iranian military capabilities do not pose a threat to Kenyan soil. He highlighted that Tehran has deliberately capped its missile range at 2,000 kilometers, a distance that falls well short of East Africa. A Strategic Limit on Missile Range Ambassador Gholampour framed the technical limitation as a deliberate choice to signal a defensive posture rather than a lack of capability. He described the restriction as good news for the region, suggesting it reflects Irans desire to avoid unnecessary escalation with distant nations. Our missiles will not reach the Kenyan territory. Our government has deliberately, in order to show its intention, a peaceful intention, limited the range of missiles only for defensive purposes, he said. This assurance comes during a volatile week. Iran recently launched a series of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East following high-profile attacks by the United States and Israel. Those strikes reportedly claimed the lives of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several high-ranking government officials. Targets and Territory The conflict has already spilled over borders, with Iranian missiles striking targets in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. The violence escalated sharply following weekend operations by Washington and Tel Aviv. As the confrontation widens, many have questioned the safety of countries hosting American military installations. Gholampour clarified that Iran views any foreign base used to launch an attack against its sovereignty as American territory. However, he expressed firm confidence that Kenya would remain a neutral party. He noted that Kenya lacks the specific type of U.S. military infrastructure required to mount a direct assault on Iran. This country does not provide a US military facility with a magnitude to attack Iran, Gholampour stated. I do not believe that Kenya will provide such a facility to attack Iran from its land. The envoy pointed to the long-standing historical and diplomatic ties between the two nations as a cornerstone of their current relationship, noting that Iran intends to preserve these bonds. Economic Ripples and Global Trade While Kenya may be safe from physical strikes, the economic fallout of a prolonged war remains a serious concern. Gholampour acknowledged that full-scale conflict often disrupts vital trade routes and commercial corridors, which could trigger price hikes and supply chain issues in Africa. A primary focus remains the Strait of Hormuz, one of the worlds most critical oil transit chokepoints. Gholampour confirmed that while Iran monitors and controls activity in the strait, it has no plans to block the flow of energy supplies or essential commodities bound for the African continent. Despite the conciliatory tone toward Kenya, the ambassadors message to the U.S. and Israel remained stern. He labeled the Saturday morning strikes on Iran as cowardly and a fragrant violation of international peace and stability. He insisted that Iran maintains the right to defend itself as a sovereign state and warned of long-term repercussions for the recent assassinations. You have opened a door that you cannot close, he warned, calling on the United Nations to intervene and halt the cycle of violence. Safety of Kenyan Nationals For Kenyans currently living in Iran, the ambassador offered a measure of relief. He reported that only a small number of Kenyan citizens reside in the country and confirmed that Iranian authorities are coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure their safety. He noted that officials are facilitating safe exit arrangements through designated corridors for any foreigners wishing to depart. A Nairobi man has appeared before the Milimani Law Courts facing serious charges of intellectual property theft for allegedly distributing and selling pirated digital newspapers via WhatsApp. Antony Mwanzia Kimeu stood before Senior Principal Magistrate Teresia Nyangena, where he denied multiple counts of copyright infringement. The case highlights a growing crackdown by Kenyan authorities on digital piracy, which continues to bleed the media industry of vital subscription and advertising revenue. Prosecutors allege that between June 23 and July 10, 2025, Kimeu operated an unauthorized distribution network. According to court documents, he shared digital copies of premium publications, including the Daily Nation, Taifa Leo, Business Daily, and The EastAfrican. The state claims the accused used a WhatsApp account linked to a Safaricom number to disseminate the PDF versions of these newspapers. The copyright holder, Nation Media Group PLC, reportedly never granted authorization for such distribution or sale. Kimeu faces charges under Sections 38(1)(b) and 38(1)(c) of the Copyright Act No. 12 of 2001. These specific sections target individuals who distribute or offer for sale infringing copies of copyrighted works. While Kimeu pleaded not guilty and requested lenient bail terms, the court took the matter seriously, reflecting the economic damage such activities cause to the creative and media sectors. Magistrate Nyangena released the accused on a Sh500,000 bond or an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000. The media industry in Kenya has long battled PDF piracy, where daily newspapers are converted into digital files and shared for free or at a nominal fee in private social media groups. This practice bypasses official paywalls and undermines the sustainability of traditional journalism. The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) has frequently warned that such acts are criminal offenses that can lead to heavy fines and lengthy jail terms. This latest case serves as a stark reminder that digital footprints allow authorities to track and prosecute those profiting from intellectual property theft. The court has scheduled a mention of the case for March 17, 2026, to monitor the progress of the proceedings. A dad-of-two claims he stood next to the devil and watched souls being ground to a pulp during a chilling five-day coma. Father of 2 saw hell and stood next to the devil while in coma Gerhard Schug says his near-death experience in 2020 was nothing like the peaceful, bright-light visions often described by others. Instead, he believes he saw hell. Speaking to Thanatos TV EN, Gerhard said: In my near-death experience, I didn't pass into a bright light nor into an afterlife where everything is beautiful. He described a vast grey stone palace with a high canopy roof like those found in China or Japan and a flat stone throne. On it, he claims, sat the devil. It was hot there he had horns, how you might imagine a typical devil, Gerhard said. He alleges souls arrived by boat and were brought before the throne, where a terrifying selection process began. Some, he claims, were fed into a funnel and crushed beneath giant stone structures shaped like lions claws. The whole situation was terrifying. I was scared to death. Before the coma, Gerhard had endured years of heartbreak and illness. Following the death of his beloved daughter Tanja in 2019 from a pulmonary embolism, he spiralled into isolation. Already battling a spine injury, Parkinsons, lung disease and mental health conditions, he says the grief became unbearable. I didnt want to live anymore, he admitted. After being hospitalised with a virus, he fell into a coma. Doctors reportedly warned his family he might not survive. But he did. Gerhard says the experience burned itself into his memory and lasted the entire five days he was unconscious. Raised Catholic, he now believes the vision was a warning. It was clear to me that God had given me life, he said. I did not have the right to take my own life. Today, he describes himself as living glass half full determined to wait until, as he puts it, God decides his time is up. If youre struggling with thoughts of suicide, support is available. In the UK ROI, Samaritans are available on 116 123 or samaritans.org. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has responded sharply to Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko after the governor warned him against holding a Linda Mwananchi rally in the county. Sifuna insisted that political leaders must uphold democratic freedoms and allow open engagement across regions. Speaking on Monday during an interview with K24 TV, Sifuna said threats and restrictions on movement do not belong in a modern democracy. He made it clear that he will proceed with his planned tours. I will not stand and tell Honourable Ochilo Ayacko not to come to Nairobi. Let him come, and even if he wants to, I will facilitate him to hold his meeting here in Nairobi. But statements like those we hear from some leaders belong to a political system we want to leave behind, Sifuna said, maintaining that Kenya does not operate under an authoritarian system. He added that leaders should compete through ideas, not intimidation. We want honest and open debate; if they beat us intellectually, let them beat us. But this chaos of telling others not to step in certain places, we are not under the KANU government, he said. The senator made it clear that his Linda Mwananchi political meetings will go on as planned, despite the warning. He announced that the tours will resume after the Ramadan period, with stops scheduled in several regions, including the Coast and Migori County. Our meetings will continue because we are not cowards; we will wait for Ramadan to end, then plan the schedule. We will go to the coast; we will visit other places. I want to assure the Migori governor: we will come to Migori, he said. Sifuna maintained that fear will not shape his political agenda and that intimidation will not restrict his movements. He invoked the legacy of the late Raila Odinga as a symbol of resilience. If they want to kill us, let them kill, but we are not intimidated. Baba did not raise people who are cowards; let him prepare. We will give him a date, he said. The senators comments came a day after Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko asked residents not to allow what he described as an ODM rebel faction to stage Linda Mwananchi rallies in the county. Speaking on Sunday at Posta Grounds in Migori town during the ODM Linda Ground rally, Ayacko said the county recognizes Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga as its ODM leader. He added that the county would not accept anyone claiming leadership of a separate faction. We, who are here in Migori, do not want anyone to come and toy with us. That other faction of those others, will you allow them to come here to Migori? Let me see those who have rejected it by raising their hands. If you are a person who wants to cause chaos, find another place to do that chaos. Here in Migori, our leader is Oburu Odinga, and we are fully in ODM, and we have decided we want to keep it that way, Ayacko said. The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has postponed its upcoming grassroots elections following the sudden death of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno. In a notice issued on Monday, March 2, National Election Board (NEB) Chairman Anthony Mwaura confirmed that all repeat Phase 3 polls originally scheduled for Saturday, March 7, will now move to a later date. The decision honors the memory of Ngeno, who served as a distinguished leader within the partys electoral board. The UDA NEB regretfully wishes to inform all respective UDA leaders, members, and candidates of the postponement of the repeat phase 3 grassroots elections slated for Saturday, March 7, following the sudden and tragic demise of one of its distinguished leaders, Johana Ngeno, the notice read. The late lawmaker died on Saturday, February 28, in a helicopter crash in Nandi County. The accident, which claimed the lives of five others, occurred while Ngeno was traveling to a series of high-profile meetings across Nandi and Narok Counties. While funeral arrangements are currently underway, preliminary investigations point toward adverse weather conditions. Recent heavy rainfall across the region likely contributed to the fatal crash. New Election Schedule: Key Dates to Watch The UDA has restructured its electoral calendar to allow members a period of mourning while ensuring the democratic process remains on track. The party has now rescheduled the repeat elections to Saturday, March 14, with a second wave of polls set for April 9. Phase 3 Repeat Elections (March 14) The following counties will head to the polls on the new mid-March date: Meru and Tharaka-Nithi Nyandarua and Nyeri Muranga and Kiambu Expanded Grassroots Polls (April 9) The board has slated a massive round of elections for early April, covering the Rift Valley, Western, and Coastal regions: Rift Valley/Western: Samburu, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Baringo, Laikipia, Nakuru, Kericho, Bomet, and Vihiga. Coast/North Eastern/Nyanza: All counties in the Coast and North Eastern regions, plus Machakos, Makueni, Turkana, Kajiado, Bungoma, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, and Kakamega. These upcoming repeat elections follow an initial phase conducted in January. Following reviews by the partys internal electoral bodies, officials sanctioned fresh polls in select regions to ensure transparency and fairness. The first phase of the UDA grassroots exercise previously covered Nairobi, West Pokot, Homa Bay, Busia, and Narok. The party reported several logistical and procedural challenges during that window but has since developed a new framework to address those concerns in the upcoming rounds. The National Election Board urges all members and candidates to take note of these changes as the party navigates this somber transition. Emory Education Abroad Director Laura Boudon has been selected for a 2026 Fulbright International Education Administrator Award. Boudon, who is also assistant dean for undergraduate education in Emory College of Arts and Sciences, will travel to Taiwan from March 7-21 as part of the United States flagship international exchange program. Im truly honored to represent Emory in this program, Boudon says. I chose Taiwan because I feel like Emorys engagement is beginning to grow there, and this is a unique opportunity to expand on our partnerships. I hope my Fulbright experience will help deepen our connections for prospective students, partner institutions and faculty. The Fulbright Education Administrator Awards are two-week seminars for U.S. higher education administrators to learn about participating countries education systems, exchange best practices and explore potential partnerships. Boudon will travel with a small cohort of peers from across the United States. For Boudon, receiving the prestigious Fulbright award is both a significant professional achievement and a deeply personal one. I literally would not exist without Fulbright, says Boudon, whose father was a Fulbright Scholar from France doing graduate work at the University of Minnesota when he met her mother. Because of that connection, Ive always wanted to be a part of the Fulbright program. I grew up as a global citizen and it has always been part of who I am, says Boudon, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and France, where she spent most of her youth. To prepare for the trip, she is meeting with colleagues from Emory Global Engagement, Emory Colleges Chinese Studies and Goizueta Business School to understand Emorys current partnerships and connections in Taiwan. And, she adds, Ive never been to Taiwan, so Im also eager to learn about its culture and history. International education as her lifes work Boudon has dedicated her career to higher education, but she started in international education by shepherding medical students at Florida International University (FIU) through global clinical rotations. She later became director of study abroad at FIU and has been a leader in the education abroad space for more than a decade. I am thrilled that Dr. Boudons expertise and leadership in global education have been recognized nationally by the Fulbright Commission, says Nichole Fazio, senior associate dean for undergraduate education in Emory College. This is a remarkable opportunity for her and for our faculty and students, who will benefit from the time she spends as a Fulbright Scholar in Tawain. Her success evidences the exceptional expertise and commitment of our educators and professional staff in Education Abroad and the Office for Undergraduate Education, Fazio adds. Boudon joined Emory in March 2024 after serving four years as director of Georgia State Universitys study abroad programs. As leader of Emory Colleges Education Abroad team, she oversees the study abroad experience for 600 undergraduate students each year through 90 semester and 25 summer programs across six continents. Boudon also works closely with the Education Abroad faculty committee and with the professors who lead department-level study abroad programs. She also collaborates with Emorys Office of Global Engagement on health and safety for student travelers. I absolutely love the work and Im passionate about the transformative impact these experiences have on students, Boudon says. The diversity of the work also inspires me. Every day brings different student questions and unique situations. Especially at Emory, the work can be highly tailored to individual student needs and interests, she adds. At this point, I see international education as my lifes work. ATLANTA - Monica McFarlan was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the age of 37. For the past 15 years, she has lived with two separate left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) to keep her alive. During that time, she experienced a heart attack, a stroke and was told by another hospital to prepare for the end of her life. That was hard. I gathered my family and all my close friends and said my goodbyes, says McFarlan, now 52. In preparing for the worst possible outcome, McFarlan was still determined to find a solution to help her live. Thats when she found the HALT procedure, which stands for heart-after-liver transplant. The dual organ transplant is now performed at Emory University Hospital. Monica was highly sensitized. She developed antibodies which meant that almost every donor for a new heart would be rejected. The HALT was the best option for a chance at survival, explains Victor Pretorius, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Emory Healthcare. The innovative dual organ procedure replaces the old liver with a new donor liver. The new liver acts like a sponge and absorbs the sensitized antibodies, making a way for the patients body to accept a new heart. The old heart is then replaced with a new heart from the same donor, all in one surgical setting. The liver in and of itself plays a central role in immunological reactions. It provides you with a significant amount of protection against acute rejection and hopefully against the potential for chronic rejection. says Marwan Kazimi, MD, liver transplant surgeon at Emory Healthcare. McFarlan is the first patient in Georgia and at Emory Healthcare to undergo the HALT procedure and is looking forward to sharing her experience with people who have similar situations to hers. Womens History Month offers an impressive slate of meaningful activities across the university and beyond: an inaugural film festival, an off-campus hike exploring the legacy of Harriet Tubman, a presentation on the empowering facets of travel and so much more. The campus celebration kicked off with a tea party at the Emory Student Center on March 2 and continues throughout the month with cultural and community events honoring the impact, history and experiences of women. Tia Williams, director of the Center for Women at Emory, says this years program was the result of collaborative efforts across schools and departments and is full of both cultural and educational value. Womens History Month is always an opportunity for the whole Emory community to come together in the spirit of learning and connection, Williams says. What feels especially unique this year is our focus on creating multiple entry points for students to engage with the Center for Women. Whether someone is drawn to fandom and pop culture, outdoor exploration, wellness and rest, academic dialogue or handson creativity, there is an accessible way for them to connect with us. Learn more below about how to participate in Womens History Month at Emory. Off-campus event Saturday, March 7 Beyond the Trail: Harriet Tubman Hike 5:30 p.m., Sweetwater Creek State Park Hosted annually by the Center for Women, the Harriet Tubman Hike invites students into a reflective outdoor experience that honors Tubmans legacy as a naturalist and skilled guide. Set at Sweetwater Creek State Park, the hike takes place at dusk, and a state park ranger leads the group to the historic mill ruins nestled along the water. As students explore the landscape, they learn about the history of the mill and its burning. Staff from the Center for Women will share insights on Tubmans deep knowledge of the natural world and her ability to move through wilderness with intention and awareness. Participants receive special access to walk through the ruins and reflect on the layered stories held by the land. Open to all Emory students, but online registration is required. Atlanta campus events Tuesday, March 3 Nerdom: Star TrekDiscussion 6 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Whether youve never seen an episode or youre a Star Trek expert, this Nerdom session is for you! Co-hosted by the Emory Center for Women and Black Student Union, the event will explore all things Star Trek from the characters to the stories to fandom across the generations. Come learn about the Star Trek universe and discuss some of its most iconic moments, including scenes of women empowerment. Open to all Emory students; register online to attend. Wednesday, March 4 Womens Wonderful Wednesday 12 p.m., Emory Student Center Promenade Join us for a special Womens History Month edition of Wonderful Wednesday to learn about menstrual health and anatomy through a quick, interactive judgmentfree quiz. The event is designed to spark conversation and foster understanding, and its a space for students to learn essential facts and unlearn myths. Open to all Emory students. Sound Bath with Audrey 5:30 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Pause, reset and unwind in this immersive sound bath experience. Led by Audrey Uchimoto, a professional sound bath guide, this session uses soothing tones and vibrations to promote relaxation, reduce stress and restore a sense of calm. Co-hosted by Emory Recreation and Wellness, the event is a perfect opportunity to slow down and support mental and emotional well-being in a peaceful, reflective environment. Open to all Emory students; space is limited, so register today. Womens History Month Trivia 7 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Who was the first woman to go into space or to publish a science fiction novel? If you know the answers to questions like these, this is the competition for you. Join the Center for Women, Delta Phi Lambda, and Sigma Gamma Rho on the third floor of Cox Hall for Womens History Month Kahoot! Food will be served. Open to all Emory students. Thursday, March 5 These Violent Delights Book Club 5 p.m., Details provided upon registration Join Emorys Asian Student Center and Center for Women for book club discussions of Chloe Gongs novel, These Violent Delights, a fantasy Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai. Meetings take place every other Thursday from March 5-April 16. The book club is in celebration of Womens History Month and Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, which is in April. Register by Thursday, March 5, to receive a free book. Additional details provided upon registration. Open to all Emory students. Friday, March 6 Executive Women of Goizueta's Leadership Conference 8 a.m., Emory Conference Center Hotel The Executive Women of Goizuetas Conference returns for its 23rd year during Womens History Month and its almost full. Join a powerful community of leaders exploring what it truly means to own their path through uncertainty and reinvention. Thought-provoking sessions include a keynote address from alumna Sara Wechter, Citis Chief Human Resources Officer. Open to all, with registration required. First Gen Friday: Womens History Month 10 a.m. Cox Hall, Emory First (Room 322) 1 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Join The Center for Women at Emory and Emory First for a special edition of First Gen Friday, with two events designed to honor the intersection of womens history and first-generation college students. The first event is a Morning Mingle at the Emory First office, starting at 10 a.m. Students can enjoy a light breakfast and meaningful conversation. Reconvene at 1 p.m. at the Center for Women to make DIY candles and continue the conversation. Both events are open to all Emory students. Monday, March 16 AunTeas: What Our Families Taught Us 4 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Co-hosted by the Emory Asian Student Center, AunTeas invites participants to gather over tea and reflect on the traditions, myths, remedies and quiet lessons our families passed down about wellness. Together, well share stories, unlearn what no longer serves us and make space for new and nourishing understandings of how to care for ourselves. All Emory students are invited to register. Monday, March 23 Boss Fits and Body Confidence 3 p.m., B. Jones Center (second floor) Boss Fits and Body Confidence is a collaborative professional development event hosted by the Center for Women at Emory, Emory Career and Professional Development, and Centro Latinx. The program supports students by helping them building confidence dressing professionally and by helping them identify clothing options that align with their personal style, comfort and workplace expectations. Through guided discussion, participants will explore strategies for dressing confidently across a range of body types and professional settings and receive practical advice. Students will get their body measurements, visit the Career Closet and get their picture taken for a professional portrait. The event emphasizes self-presentation as a transferable skill that supports career readiness, confidence and professional identity development. Tuesday, March 24 Nerdom: In the Name of Womens History! 6 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) The Center for Women is joining forces with the Emory Asian Student Center to transform Nerdom into a celebration of magical anime girls. This session is all about the powerful heroines who teach that friendship is strength, love is revolutionary and saving the world is essential. From the moonlit courage of Sailor Moon to the emotional depth of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the fierce card-capturing adventures of Cardcaptor Sakura, participants will explore how magical girls have shaped storytelling, challenged traditions and created space for complex, powerful girlhood on screen. Expect cozy vibes, nostalgic clips, thoughtful discussion and maybe a few sparkly surprises. All Emory students are welcome, with pre-registration required. Thursday, March 26 Womens History Month Film Festival 5 p.m., Alumni Memorial University Center, Harland Cinema The Emory Womens History Month Film Festival will take place in Harland Cinema. Hosted by the Center for Women at Emory, the festival will screen films created by members of the Emory community, as well as a compilation of films by the 2026 Black Girls Film Camp cohort (submit your film for consideration). There will be a panel discussion and dinner will be provided for attendees. Open to all Emory students. Friday, March 27 Sapphic Soiree 4 p.m., Cox Hall, Office of LGBT Life (Room 324) Co-hosted by the Center for Women at Emory and the Office of LGBT Life, the Sapphic Soiree is an overall celebration of Womens History Month. Expect the enchanting allure of blackout poetry, the delicate art of pressed flower bookmarks, the intricate pleasures of cross-stitching and an array of other activities. Open to all Emory students. Tuesday, March 31 Warmth and Whimsy: DIY Heating Pads Workshop 4 p.m., Cox Hall, Center for Women at Emory (Room 328) Unwind, get crafty and make something soothing for your mind and body. At this handson Warmth and Whimsy workshop, participants will create their own reusable heating pads. This will be perfect for easing cramps, sore muscles or stress after a long day. No experience is needed. Just drop in, get cozy and leave with wellness goodies you made yourself. Open to all Emory students. Oxford campus events Tuesday, March 3 Empowering Women Through Purposeful Travel: The Journey of Building a Mission-Driven Business 6 p.m., Oxford Student Center, Greer Forum Attend a special presentation by Megan Grant, the founder and chief memory creator of Cherish Tours, a pioneering travel company redefining tourism through purposeful, women-centered experiences. Grants talk, titled Empowering Women Through Purposeful Travel: The Journey of Building a Mission-Driven Business, draws on her background in conference planning and travel to 40 countries, including more than 10 solo adventures. Grant champions travel as a transformational tool for women to create impact in the world. Her work and insights contribute to conversations on sustainable tourism, women-led global businesses, post-pandemic travel trends and travel safety. Cherish Tours curates small-group, sustainable journeys that directly support female entrepreneurs and create lasting economic impact worldwide. The event is free and open to all. Tuesday, March 17 Non-traditional Career Options presented by Bri Worek 5:30 p.m., Phi Gamma Hall Bri Worek, a speech-language pathologist, will give a talk on her work dealing with adult communication disorders, as well as her experience with singers and business professionals who want to improve their speaking abilities. Her presentation will cover her unique experience in this clinical career path, which overlaps with many disciplines at Oxford and Emory, including music, linguistics and pre-med. The event is free and open to all. Rapists, killers and cons serving life behind bars are being invited to heal from within with "inner dance" classes at one prison. Cons serving life behind bars at HMP Perth in Scotland are being invited to heal from within with 'inner dance' classes At HMP Perth, in Scotland, a Category A jail housing some of the countrys most serious offenders, inmates are being offered inner dance classes designed to soothe their minds and tackle stress, according to the Daily Star newspaper Inner dance is described by trauma counsellor and movement therapist Caroline Georgiou as a sensory experience supported by music. Participants lie down with their eyes closed while layered soundscapes guide them on what she calls an internal journey. Caroline says the sessions begin with mindfulness exercises to help the men relax, before encouraging them to move in whatever way feels natural. Many, she claims, are able to sleep properly for the first time in years. The classes are run from the prisons Recovery Hub, a space aimed at supporting rehabilitation. Caroline, who says she has counselled with heart for over 24 years, has been working with 15 inmates at Perth for six months and insists the impact has been powerful. In my 20 years of counselling, Ive never encountered a practice that supports such immediate self-healing, she said. According to Caroline, sessions have led to personal insights, shifts in addiction patterns, emotional breakthroughs, and a sense of closure some never believed possible. She even describes the results as system healing rather than simple relaxation. Carolines ambitions stretch far beyond Scotland. She claims other prisons are already showing interest and says shes been invited to introduce inner dance to American jails, including what she describes as the worlds largest womens correctional facility. On returning to the UK, she plans to expand the programme further. I really want to help as many people as possible, she said. I hope everyone can be open-minded about how much this can help. The initiative is likely to raise eyebrows. Many of the men taking part are serving life sentences and may never be considered safe for release. Critics will question whether violent offenders deserve what some may see as holistic therapy sessions. Supporters, however, argue that reducing stress and addressing trauma inside prison walls can only make facilities safer - for staff and inmates alike. In a move that has sparked criticism from activists and legal circles, police in Quetta reportedly prevented families of detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee from addressing the media at the Quetta Press Club. Relatives of the detainees, including the sister of Mahrang Baloch, were stopped from entering the premises after authorities sealed off the area early in the morning, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, family members stated that they had gathered to brief journalists on the prolonged detention of BYC leaders, ongoing legal proceedings, and mounting concerns regarding Mahrang Baloch''s health. Police officials informed them that they were required to obtain a no-objection certificate from the deputy commissioner before holding a press interaction. The families alleged that other groups were allowed to conduct press conferences at the same venue without such clearance. When the relatives attempted to speak to reporters outside the press club, security personnel allegedly erected barriers and restricted access to the surroundings. Nadia Baloch, sister of Mahrang Baloch, said officers cited "orders from above" when questioned about the restrictions. She further claimed that families of political activists and missing persons were specifically denied permission to speak. Beyond the issue of access to the media, concerns about the health of detained BYC leaders have intensified. BYC representatives have alleged that Mahrang Baloch''s medical condition has worsened in custody, citing delays in diagnostic tests and specialist consultations. Reports indicate spinal complications that could lead to serious neurological consequences if not treated promptly, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post. These concerns were echoed by human rights advocates and legal professionals, who have urged authorities to ensure adequate medical care. Several political parties, lawyers'' bodies, and rights organisations have called for immediate medical attention for the detainees and questioned the restrictions imposed on their families'' right to address the press, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI) Dax Shepard opens up about his experiences of abuse in his new memoir. Dax Shepard has teased his new memoir The 51-year-old star first revealed that he was molested as a child in 2020, and Dax has now confirmed that he'll be candid about his painful experiences in his upcoming memoir. The movie star said on his Armchair Expert podcast: "I have for years on here been acknowledging that I had been molested, and that was its own hurdle to just say that. And I got quite comfortable being able to say that. That was fine. "Now I'm writing a memoir, and last year really the whole year was about, do I have the balls to write down the details of this? "Because the details were always gonna be mine. I didn't want anyone to be envisioning me. It's weird that that was still some wall between my shame." Dax - who has daughters Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11, with wife Kristen Bell - admits that it was tough to revisit his experiences for the book. He said: "I bet it took me four months to tell that story. And when I'm writing it, I cannot help but thinking of people knowing this about me and how still exposed that feels. "And I was pretty emotional during the few months. I was having really weird, kind of, spikes of emotions and moodiness, and I would forget that's why I was having that. But I finished it, and something about it existing there feels like a lot of weight is off my shoulders." Dax previously linked his childhood troubles to his addiction problems. The actor - who battled drug and alcohol addictions - told The Jason Ellis Show: "If youve been molested, you only have a 20 percent chance of not being an addict. And I was like, Hm, interesting, because in my mind I just like to have a f****** great time. But when you hear a statistic like that, Im like, Oh no, I was going to be an addict, period." VMPL New Delhi [India], March 3: The grand unveiling of Nyati Elenor has marked a defining milestone in South Pune's luxury residential landscape. With 100+ bookings achieved within days, exceptional walk-ins, and heartfelt appreciation from families across the city, the launch stands as one of the most successful residential debuts in recent times. This achievement is not merely a sales milestone -- it is a powerful endorsement of vision, trust, and the evolving aspirations of Pune's discerning homebuyers. A Launch That Reflected Warmth and ExcellenceFrom the moment guests arrived, the experience was designed to be immersive, welcoming, and thoughtfully curated. Visitors were guided through detailed presentations, Life size model, amenity showcases, and the exquisitely designed sample flat -- each element carefully structured to offer clarity and confidence. What stood out most in conversations with customers was their genuine appreciation for the spacious, intelligently planned layouts and the generous room sizes that redefine everyday comfort. Many admired the wide sun decks and panoramic views that bring openness into daily living, along with the prime accessibility of Lulla Nagar, which ensures seamless connectivity without compromising on serenity. The thoughtfully curated mix of lifestyle amenities further elevated the experience, reinforcing the sense that this was not just a residential development, but a complete lifestyle offering. A recurring sentiment among attendees was that the homes felt expansive, proportionate, and future-ready -- designed not just for today's needs, but for evolving aspirations. The Sample Flat That Captured HeartsOne of the highlights of the event was the sample flat experience. Designed to reflect elegance and functionality, it allowed families to truly visualise their life at Nyati Elenor. From premium finishes to the seamless flow of spaces and abundant natural light, visitors admired how the residence balanced grandeur with practicality. For many, stepping into the sample flat transformed interest into conviction. Felicitation of Booked Clients -- A Moment of Gratitude One of the most heartwarming part of the launch was the felicitation of the booked customers. As a token of appreciation for their trust, Nyati Group presented them with thoughtfully curated gift kits. The gesture symbolised more than gratitude -- it reflected a relationship built on respect and partnership. Many of these clients shared glowing testimonials on stage, expressing happiness not only about the project, but about the journey of choosing their home. Notably, several families are long-standing patrons of Nyati Group, having previously invested in Nyati developments. Their decision to once again place their trust in the Group by choosing Nyati Elenor stands as a powerful validation of the brand's legacy. Leadership Thoughts Dr. Nitin Nyati Chairman & Managing Director, Nyati Group "The overwhelming response to Nyati Elenor is both humbling and inspiring. We are deeply grateful to every family that has placed its trust in us. This milestone strengthens our commitment to contributing meaningfully to Pune's ever-evolving skyline, while continuing to craft residences that reflect aspiration, refinement, and enduring value." Dr. Nyati's presence at the launch underscored the importance of this landmark development. He reiterated Nyati Group's long-term vision of delivering excellence and shaping premium living environments that stand the test of time. Mr. Harish Shroff Director - Sales & Marketing "We are truly overwhelmed by the love and confidence shown by our customers. From the bottom of my heart, I thank every client and well-wisher who made this launch a grand success. Our aspiration remains clear -- to deliver exceptional experiences to each and every customer, at every step of their journey." Mr. Shroff's heartfelt appreciation resonated with clients and partners alike, reinforcing the team's customer-first philosophy. Voices of Our HomeownersDuring the event, several clients shared testimonials expressing their satisfaction: "The layouts are extremely well planned, and the room sizes are truly spacious." "The way we were welcomed and guided made us feel like part of the Nyati family." "We have invested with Nyati before, and the experience has always been exceptional. Choosing Nyati Elenor was a natural decision." These voices reaffirm that the project's strength lies equally in its design excellence and in the relationships built along the journey. A Spiritual Milestone Ahead Khanan Vidhi Ceremony Announcement Adding a deeply spiritual dimension to this landmark development is the upcoming Khanan Vidhi of the Jain Temple, scheduled for 15th March 2026. The ceremony will be conducted under the holy aegis of Jainacharya Shri Yugbhushansuriji, and is being hosted by Nyati Group & Sw. Pochibai Babulalji Charitable Trust. The inclusion of both a Jain Temple and a Ganpati Temple within the premises has been met with immense appreciation, particularly from the Jain community. Many families have expressed that this sacred space elevates the development from a residential address to a spiritually enriching sanctuary. Anticipation for the Khanan ceremony is already building, with members of the Jain community looking forward to participating in this auspicious milestone. A Milestone That Signals a New StandardCrossing 100+ bookings at launch is a powerful reflection of the confidence homebuyers have shown in Nyati Elenor. It signifies strong belief in the spacious layouts and well-proportioned room sizes, deep appreciation for the project's strategic location and accessibility, and admiration for the curated lifestyle amenities that enhance everyday living. It also underscores the enduring trust placed in Nyati Group's legacy and the emotional connection fostered by a team that prioritised warmth, transparency, and genuine engagement. Nyati Elenor is emerging not merely as a residential project, but as one of South Pune's most celebrated and thoughtfully envisioned luxury lifestyle landmarks. Nyati Elenor - The Handcrafted Life. To know more, visit : nyatigroup.com call on: +91 8050583003. (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.) Jio Platforms Limited today announced the appointment of Dan Bailey as its new President. Jio Platform announced the appointment through a press release which stated, "he will lead the company's international business initiatives. Based in London, Dan will report to Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited." Dan will join the Executive Committee of Jio Platforms Limited and will contribute more broadly across the business as well. Commenting on the appointment, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, said: "We are delighted to welcome Dan to Jio. Dan has been a trusted advisor to us for many years, and his counsel has been invaluable as we have grown and evolved." "He has spent his career at the centre of the global telecom and technology ecosystem and brings deep relationships, strategic insights, and a strong understanding of the industry's complexity. Just as importantly, he shares our ambition and energy for what lies ahead. I look forward to working closely with him," he added. Dan brings more than 35 years of experience across consulting and investment banking, having held senior leadership roles at Schroders/Citi, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC. Most recently, he served as Chairman of Deutsche Bank's highly regarded TMT practice. Over the course of his career, Dan has advised many of the world's largest corporates and financial sponsors on a broad range of transformative transactions, including some of the most consequential telecom deals in history. On his appointment, Dan Bailey said, "I have long admired what Jio has built in India -- the scale, the speed, and the genuine impact on people's lives. The chance to help take that story global is the kind of opportunity you don't think twice about. I am delighted to be joining Akash and the team and cannot wait to get started." As outlined at Jio Platforms Limited's most recent Annual General Meeting, Jio's next chapter extends beyond India. Over the past decade, Jio has built innovative digital platforms and technologies that have transformed connectivity and access for over a billion people. With a clear strategy, strong partnerships, and a defined roadmap, Jio is now poised to take these capabilities to global markets -- creating long-term value for customers, partners, and shareholders. (ANI) A renewed sense of optimism and momentum marked the India-Canada CEO Forum, as business leaders from both nations underscored what they call a "new chapter" in bilateral ties spanning sectors, including AI, quantum technologies, and defence. Echoing the tone set by the two Prime Ministers of both nations, participants described the engagement as a reboot of relations, with strong emphasis on trade agreements, bilateral investments and measurable outcomes. The India-Canada CEOs Forum, held here in the national capital, saw participation of both Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Carney. Dheeraj Jain, Founder and Chairman of Redcliffe Labs, highlighted the shared vision driving the partnership. "Our thoughts are very aligned, I think our values are very aligned. We have to see a continuous growth on each of these sectors. But I think it looks very optimistic today, at least..." he said, reflecting the broader sentiment at the Forum. Joby John, Founder and CEO of Techversant Infotech, pointed to recent progress in ties. John said that the last few months have been great and the relationship is getting better, and the governments are supporting it. "Definitely, we expect a big improvement in the sales, and definitely India and Canada can be very good partners in the IT and maybe the AI and quantum technologies and all..." Joby John noted. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), outlined key discussion areas. "...we spoke a lot about the opportunities of bilateral investments, investments into India. Today, India is attracting so many investments in different areas. Third, a very interesting area that came up was how to get Indian states and the Canadian provinces to work with each other. And fourth, a very quick conclusion of the CEPA. Fifth, a number of areas from defence to agriculture, where we talked about collaboration. So it was just a phenomenal start and a reboot to the relationship..." he said. Girish Tanti, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of Suzlon Energy Limited, described the engagement as a turning point. "What has been concluded largely today is that this is the start of a new chapter between the countries. We are reigniting the relationship. This is the beginning of the new journey. We will be following up with a similar CEO forum in Canada in the coming time, and both countries have agreed to set a pace to develop our trade agreement going ahead..." he stated. Veejay Ram Nakra, President of Mahindra & Mahindra's Farm Equipment Business, emphasized structured follow-up. "We also had an opportunity to debrief the two Prime Ministers on the topics that we spoke about and with all the support that we've got from CII and the Canada Business Forum, the two countries along with the support from them will move forward to identify smaller working groups so that we'll be able to take this agenda forward, get the agreement signed between the two countries and look at also how we can partner in terms of bilateral investment between the two countries going forward," he said. Richa Hukumchand, Founder and CEO of Pramatra Space, framed the partnership in the context of global uncertainty. "This is the start of the new era where, given the kind of trade uncertainties that are happening globally, building resilience and building partnerships with countries, and especially with Canada, will build a sustainable economic and an innovative future for our country..." she remarked. Indra Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Avanti Feeds Limited, stressed technological complementarity. "Prime Minister has said very well, the cooperation between India and Canada is really going off well and the cooperation between the technology that Canada has and what the capacities that India have together will go a long way and for the food processing sector and the food safety of the people, it would help a lot," he said. Goldy Hyder, CEO and President of the Business Council of Canada, underscored the role of industry. "It shows alignment, but I also believe very strongly in what Prime Minister Modi said that at the end of the day, the role of governments is to build the policy infrastructure, the trade enabling infrastructure from a policy perspective. But ultimately, it is businesses that need to cross, to get across that bridge and we're excited about what's going on both here in India but also in Canada, where we certainly would welcome Indian capital..." he stated. Preeti Bajaj, CEO and Managing Director of Luminous Power Technologies, identified clean energy as a priority. "One of the focus areas emerged to be clean energy, tech and specifically looking at what's possible in battery energy storage systems from supply chain standpoint as well as product formulation and technology innovation standpoint, including innovative financial business models was one of the key areas we discussed today. If I had to sum up today as a whole, taking a holistic view, I would say that there are three P's that sum it up. One is partnership, the second is platform, and finally, it's really about performance. The focus on measurable results of this particular comprehensive agreement in time as well as actual in the impact of economy is something we all look forward to..." she said. Sourabh Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Farm Native Group, pointed to ambitious bilateral trade goals of USD 50 billion by 2030. "...in the area of agriculture, nuclear energy, clean energy and in the area of AI and we have been looking for collaborating with the Canadian counterpart for agriculture and healthcare..." he noted. Summing up the sentiment, Rajat Verma, CEO of the India-Canada CEO Forum, said, "I think we are very optimistic about the trade partnership. The two prime ministers set the tone very well. I think this is the beginning of India-Canada 2.0. We hope to get this partnership effected by the industry. The government can set the framework, the policy, but it's up to industry to go and actually do some real strategic partnership." (ANI) Tata Sons Chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said on Tuesday that the emerging geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the evolving situation in Iran and the broader Middle East could introduce a degree of instability, requiring corporations to remain vigilant and prepared for a range of possible outcomes. Focusing specifically on supply chain stability, Chandrasekaran said that the Tata Group is closely monitoring its limestone procurement from the affected region. He acknowledged that while the current developments may create short-term uncertainty, there should not be any significant disruption to the company's supply chain. "What we are seeing right now in Iran and the Middle East is that there will be some instability, but there should not be any problem with the supply chain. Our limestone procurement is being done from there. Tata Steel has enough inventory. Tata Steel will diversify into alternative sources. We are confident that there will be no problem because of that," he stated. His remarks underscored the group's preparedness and its proactive approach in maintaining operational continuity. Chandrasekaran further observed that the conflict, which has escalated in recent days, points to a broader environment of geopolitical uncertainty. He emphasised the need to anticipate risks arising from such developments, not only for the Tata Group but also for India and the global economy. According to him, organisations must plan for multiple scenarios and account for emerging risks in order to remain resilient in the face of instability. Highlighting the group's priorities amid the regional tensions, Tata Sons Chairman made it clear that employee safety remains paramount. He said that over the past three days, the group has been fully engaged in ensuring the safety and well-being of its workforce and their families. "The safety of all our employees is our priority. For the last three days, our group has been fully active, and we are taking care of everyone's safety and everyone's family. All that is going on as a priority. If a few days or a few months of business are affected, we will recover. So that is something we have planned for. We plan for all the scenarios and risk mitigation," he added. The Chairman's comments come amid escalating tensions in West Asia, which have led to disruptions in supply chains for companies around the world, reinforcing the need for careful planning and risk management at both corporate and global levels. (ANI) VMPL New Delhi [India], March 3: Tracking Gift Nifty helps traders understand early market direction and prepare strategies before regular market hours begin. Nowadays, as people rely more on online platforms, early indicators like Gift Nifty play an important role in understanding global market sentiment. In a fast-changing space, traders look for tools that allow them to access timely updates and analyse trends smoothly. This article explains how trading platforms help traders monitor Gift Nifty movements and use early signals to make informed decisions. Smooth Access to Real-Time Gift Nifty Updates One of the most important features traders expect is reliable access to market updates. A strong trading platform usually offers an easy-to-use interface that helps traders track Gift Nifty movements in real time. At a glance, traders can monitor changes and understand market direction before the domestic trading session begins. Over the past few years, there has been a major shift towards platforms with simplified dashboards and improved data display. In many cases, traders prefer apps that present market indicators clearly without complex navigation. A smooth interface helps traders prepare strategies early and stay aligned with global trends. Detailed Market Insights for Better Preparation Reliable analysis tools are very important for traders who follow early market indicators. Platforms offering detailed insights help traders study Gift Nifty trends and understand how global cues may influence domestic markets. New tools and the latest tech have changed how traders analyse market behaviour. Many trading apps now allow users to review price movements and trend patterns in a complete and structured way. For all experience levels, having complete research support makes a real difference in decision-making and helps traders adapt to changing market conditions. Easy-to-Understand Data Presentation In simple terms, traders often prefer platforms that simplify complex data. Many times, traders need to review early market direction without spending extra time analysing raw data. A simplified display helps reduce confusion and improves clarity. In most cases, traders prefer structured views of market indicators along with supporting insights. Platforms that organise Gift Nifty information in a clear format usually improve trading efficiency and allow users to respond quickly to market changes. Strong and Reliable Technology for Early Signals Technology plays a major role in delivering early market signals. Reliable trading platforms usually provide stable systems that allow traders to track Gift Nifty updates smoothly. In a fast-changing space, dependable performance is important because traders rely on accurate data to build strategies. Platforms built with strong infrastructure often offer a clear improvement in performance. Quick and uninterrupted data flow helps traders prepare for market openings with better confidence and planning. Flexible Tools That Can Grow with Trading Needs Active traders often look for platforms that provide flexible features that can grow with demand. Many modern apps offer expandable tools that allow traders to combine Gift Nifty tracking with broader market analysis features, especially after they open Demat account to access multiple investment options from a single platform. This flexibility works well for traders who follow multiple strategies and market segments. Apps that offer complete solutions are worth noting because they support long-term trading goals and allow traders to adjust strategies as market trends evolve and expand their trading activities. Smooth Compatibility Across Devices Today, accessibility is an important factor in trading platforms. Traders expect apps that work smoothly across smartphones, tablets, and desktops. As people rely more on online platforms, being able to access market signals anytime is a major shift in trading behaviour. Smooth compatibility helps traders stay connected to market updates and respond quickly to changing trends. In many situations, this accessibility ensures traders do not miss early signals or important market movements. Personalised Alerts and Smart Monitoring Personalised features are becoming increasingly important in modern trading platforms. Many apps, including Blinkx, now provide smart alerts and monitoring tools that help traders stay updated with Gift Nifty movements. These features allow traders to receive updates based on their preferences and trading interests. In many views, personalised alerts offer many benefits because they reduce the need for constant manual monitoring. Basically, these tools help traders focus on strategy development while still receiving important updates. Conclusion Overall, tracking Gift Nifty is important for traders who want to understand early market direction and prepare strategies before trading begins. Platforms that provide smooth access, detailed insights, flexible tools, and reliable performance usually offer a complete solution in a fast-changing environment. BlinkX helps traders track Gift Nifty through simplified dashboards, improved analysis tools, and strong technological support, making it easier to access early market signals and prepare for trading sessions effectively. As more people use digital trading platforms, tools that feel easy to use and work for different needs will continue to shape trading experiences. (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.) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 3: The Banyan Preschool & Day Care celebrated its Annual Day on 28th February, 2026 at the Shri Ram Centre, Mandi House, with a heart-warming programme themed "The Great Library Adventure" The event marked an important milestone for the organisation with the introduction of dedicated libraries across all The Banyan day care centres in Delhi NCR. The theme was thoughtfully designed to celebrate the launch of this new initiative while reinforcing the importance of books and reading in early childhood. At The Banyan, the belief is that even at the age of two, a book can spark imagination, build language, and awaken curiosity. For young children, a library is not merely a room, but a magical space where stories come alive and dreams begin. The Annual Day programme featured creative performances by children aged 2 to 6 years, inspired by stories and picture books. Through interactive storytelling, picture reading, and dramatized enactments, the young performers brought the theme to life, reflecting the school's focus on joyful, child-centred learning. The event was graced by Mr. Arvinder Singh Lovely, Chief Guest, who highlighted the growing relevance of quality day care facilities in today's social landscape. He said, "With the government's emphasis on day care facilities, such centres have become a strong support system for working parents. But with this opportunity comes a great responsibility -- to ensure safety, care, and quality early education for every child." He also appreciated The Banyan's efforts in providing a nurturing environment and acknowledged how initiatives like these help ease parents' anxieties. The occasion was further honoured by the presence of Mr. Shyam Sunder Agarwal, Ex-Mayor, Delhi, as Guest of Honour. The school was also privileged to welcome Mr. Sumit Verma, Founder of Bharat Delhi Education Forum (School Yatra), and Mr. Rohit Patel, Principal, Little Flowers Group of Schools, as Special Guests. Swati Jain, Director, The Banyan, speaking at the event, emphasised the role of early exposure to books in shaping lifelong learners. She shared that the introduction of libraries across centres is a step toward making reading a natural and joyful part of every child's daily routine. Swati Jain addressing the gathering, said, "Books are a child's first best friend. Our libraries are not quiet rooms. In fact, they are magical spaces where curiosity takes root, imagination grows and a child's love for learning begins. By creating joyful, story-led experiences, we want reading to become a happy, everyday habit for our youngest learners." The Banyan also expressed heartfelt gratitude to its dedicated teachers and staff, whose commitment and creativity made both the library initiative and the Annual Day performances possible. The celebration marked a proud and meaningful moment for The Banyan community - a reaffirmation of its commitment to nurturing young minds through care, creativity, and a strong foundation in learning. About The Banyan Preschool & Day Care Founded in 2003, The Banyan is a chain of corporate preschools and day care centres across Delhi NCR. The organisation is committed to holistic, value-based early childhood education, combining play, stories, and structured learning to support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children aged 2-6 years. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) PRNewswire Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 3: Grundfos, one of the world's leading companies in energy-efficient water solutions, today announced the launch of the Grundfos Intelligent Experience Centre (GIEC) in Chennai, India. The Centre marks a major milestone in the company's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric transformation across the entire water ecosystem. An experience and demo hub showcasing the journey of water and Grundfos' intelligent solutions, to power a more sustainable India. Designed as an immersive, state-of-the-art demonstration of technology enabled water solutions, the GIEC brings to life the complete journey of water, from intake and treatment to distribution, industrial processing, cooling, wastewater transfer and reuse. It showcases how Grundfos' advanced pumps, digital solutions, smart controllers, and monitoring technologies drive efficiency, resilience and measurable sustainability impact across industries, buildings, utilities and homes. A Strategic Experience Hub for India and the Region GIEC is built to serve as a dynamic platform for live demonstrations, application optimisation, customer engagements, solution mapping and industry wide knowledge exchange. By emulating real-world water flows across Industry, Commercial Buildings, Domestic Buildings, and Water Utility, the Centre enables visitors to see firsthand how intelligent solutions translate into reliability, cost efficiency and operational excellence. Visitors can also engage in an immersive experience across a diverse range of applications and needs, with the opportunity to explore and understand the full depth and range of sustainable solutions offered by Grundfos. This empowers them to optimise their energy and water footprint effectively, helping drive smarter, more sustainable operations across sectors. Positioned as a flagship capability centre for India, GIEC will support a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including end-users, OEMs, policymakers, consultants, contractors, facility managers, and sustainability leaders, helping them make informed, future-aligned decisions based on transparent performance insights. "When innovation, sustainable design, and digital management converge, the impact is significant and meaningful. This approach is at the core of Grundfos' business, and through our Grundfos Intelligent Experience Centre (GIEC) at Chennai, we will be able to demonstrate our ability to play a defining role in India's transition towards smarter and more resilient water systems." -- Usha Subramaniam, Country President - India, Grundfos With India at the forefront of global industrial transformation, GIEC supports the nation's accelerating shift toward circularity, decarbonisation, water efficiency, and digitalisation. Built to facilitate collaboration, GIEC empowers industries to achieve more with less, reducing water waste, cutting energy consumption and ensuring system reliability through the deployment of intelligent, adaptive pumping solutions. About Grundfos India Grundfos Pumps India Pvt. Ltd. (Grundfos India) is a 100% subsidiary of Grundfos - Denmark. A global leader in advanced pump solutions and a trendsetter in water technology, the company manufactures more than 16 million pump units annually. The company's main products include circulator pumps for heating and air-conditioning, as well as other centrifugal pumps for the industry, water supply, sewage, and dosing. The company contributes to global sustainability by pioneering technologies that improve the quality of life for people and care for the planet. Find out more: www.grundfos.com/in Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2924566/Intelligent_Experience_Centre.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) According to the RBI, competitive bids worth Rs 2,07,027.237 crore were received across securities, of which Rs 42,564.241 crore were accepted. Non-competitive bids aggregating Rs 2,179.872 crore were received, with Rs 1,765.759 crore accepted. Among major issuances, Rs 1,000 crore each was allotted for Assam SGS 2035 (9-year tenor) at a weighted average yield of 7.4748 per cent and Chhattisgarh SGS 2038 (12-year) at 7.5311 per cent. Chhattisgarh SGS 2043 (17-year) and Gujarat SGS 2032 (6-year 6-month) were also fully allotted at Rs 1,000 crore each. Gujarat accepted an additional Rs 500 crore in the 10-year Gujarat SGS 2036, taking the total allotment in that security to Rs 1,500 crore. Karnataka raised Rs 2,000 crore each through multiple securities, including SGS 2033 (7-year 6-month), SGS 2034 (8-year), re-issue of 7.47 per cent SGS 2036, SGS 2037 (11-year 6-month) and SGS 2039 (13-year). Madhya Pradesh mobilised Rs 1,800 crore through SGS 2035 (9-year), Rs 1,600 crore each via SGS 2039 (13-year) and SGS 2049 (re-issue of 7.72 per cent), and Rs 1,300 crore through SGS 2041 (15-year). Maharashtra accepted Rs1,550 crore each in SGS 2034 (8-year) and re-issue of 7.43 per cent SGS 2040, including an additional Rs 350 crore in both securities. It also raised Rs 800 crore each through SGS 2047 (21-year) and SGS 2052 (26-year). Tamil Nadu raised Rs 2,000 crore through SGS 2031 (5-year) and SGS 2035 (9-year), Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2033 (7-year) and SGS 2036 (re-issue of 7.43 per cent), and Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2056 (30-year). Telangana mobilised Rs 1,000 crore via SGS 2046 (20-year) and SGS 2055 (29-year), Rs 500 crore through SGS 2052 (26-year) and Rs 1,000 crore via SGS 2046, with weighted average yields ranging between 7.6500 per cent and 7.6692 per cent. Uttar Pradesh raised Rs 500 crore through the re-issue of 7.57 per cent SGS 2036 and Rs 1,500 crore via SGS 2041 (15-year). Uttarakhand raised Rs 1,000 crore through SGS 2041 (15-year), while West Bengal mobilised Rs 1,500 crore via re-issue of 7.67 per cent SGS 2046 and Rs 2,000 crore through SGS 2049 (23-year). The cut-off yields across securities ranged from 6.91 per cent to 7.7037 per cent. The weighted average yields varied depending on tenor and state-specific demand dynamics, said the RBI release. (ANI) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Swaminathan J outlined a three-part "career compass" for management students at the Indian Institute of Management, Jammu, urging them to build leadership grounded in discipline, integrity and customer focus as India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047. Delivering the keynote address at the Third International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC) at IIM Jammu last week, whose excerpts were released, he spoke less like a regulator and more like someone speaking to future leaders. Emphasising the nature of leadership in finance, he noted, "Leadership in finance is not just about intelligence. It is about judgement. It is about discipline. It is about what you choose to reward, what you choose to question, and what you choose to fix early." Introducing his "career compass", he gave three lessons to the IIM students. The three principles, he explained, are "Respect the customer", "Respect the financials", and "Respect governance". "First part of the compass is to respect the customer. In the long run, customer outcomes are the strongest business strategy. They reduce disputes, lower reputational risk, and sustain participation in formal finance," he told the IIM students. "Many problems in finance start small, sometimes, quite literally, in the 'small print'. A fee not explained clearly; A clause buried in the terms; A loan that is easy to take but hard to repay; or A product sold to meet a target, not to meet a need." Putting a spotlight on the second compass, which is respecting the financials, he urged the students to look at financial statements closely to gauge asset quality. "The financial statements tells you what is sustainable and what is not. It tells you whether you are building strength, or simply postponing risk. Look beyond profits to the quality of assets, the stability of funding, the adequacy of buffers, and the concentration of exposures. Strength is built in good times and revealed in stress." The third and last part of the career compass, the central bank deputy governor said, is to respect governance. "Many failures in finance are not failures of knowledge. They are failures of governance. People knew what was going wrong, but they did not speak up. Or they spoke up, but no one listened. Or everyone noticed red flags, but incentives pushed them to look away," he explained. He also urged the students to ask critical questions such as, "What could break?", "What assumptions are we making, and what happens if they go wrong?", "What happens if the customer's cash flows fall?", "What happens if the system is down for a day?", "What happens if a third-party service provider faces an outage?", and "What happens if fraud spikes in a new channel?". "These questions are not the mark of a pessimistic 'doubting Thomas'; they are the risk-sensitive questions, mark of a prudent leader. One of the most valuable skills in finance is not giving answers. It is asking the right questions at the right time," the deputy governor said. In conclusion, he stressed that India's 2047 vision would require leaders who can combine performance with principles and ambition with discipline. "If we align capital with capability, innovation with safeguards, and inclusion with well-being, the aspiration of 2047 will steadily become a lived reality for millions. It will call for leaders who can combine performance with principles, and ambition with discipline," Swaminathan J said. (ANI) Following the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East and the evolving global energy situation, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, informed that "the country is well stocked with crude oil and inventories of key petroleum products including petrol, diesel and ATF to deal with short-term disruptions arising from the Middle East." In a media briefing, the Minister provided an update on the country's preparedness in the current circumstances. It was highlighted that India is the third largest importer, fourth largest refiner, and fifth largest exporter of petroleum products globally. It was further apprised that in the last few years, India has ensured both availability and affordability of energy for its population by diversifying its sources. Indian energy companies now have access to energy supplies that are not routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Such cargoes will remain available and help mitigate supplies that may be temporarily affected enroute through the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministry has also established a 24x7 Control Room to continuously monitor the supply and stock position of petroleum products across the country. The Minister, via a press briefing, also notified that the Government is reasonably comfortable in terms of stocks. Safeguarding the interests of Indian consumers remains the highest priority. Based on continuous monitoring, the Government is cautiously optimistic that phased measures can be taken, if required, to further mitigate the situation. Earlier today, government sources said that India has about 25 days of crude oil and refined oil stocks, and it is scouting for alternative sources for importing crude oil, LPG and LNG. As per the sources, there are no immediate plans to raise the prices of petrol or diesel in the country amid tensions in West Asia. (ANI) Eric Dane died of respiratory failure. Eric Dane's cause of death has been revealed The Greys Anatomy star's death certificate, which has been seen by People, confirms that he died from respiratory failure, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) listed as an underlying cause. Dane who was 53 when he passed away on February 19 publicly revealed his ALS diagnosis in April 2025, nearly a year before his death. Dane's family were the first to announce his passing, revealing that he was surrounded by loved ones in the days before he died. In a statement shared with People, the family said: "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world. "Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support hes received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time." Dane revealed news of his diagnosis in April 2025. The actor told People at the time: "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. "I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time." Despite this, Dane subsequently decided to share his health journey with fans. The actor explained during a virtual panel: "It's imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don't feel like my life is about me anymore." QatarEnergy on Tuesday announced that it is stopping the production of some downstream products in the country, including urea, polymers, methanol, aluminum and other products amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Posting on its X account, the company said, "Further to the decision by QatarEnergy to stop production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products, QatarEnergy is stopping the production of some downstream products in the State of Qatar, including urea, polymers, methanol, aluminum and other products." Yesterday, the state-owned petroleum company announced that it has "ceased production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products" post the military attacks on its operating facilities in Qatar. Posting on its X account, the company said, "QatarEnergy to stop production of LNG. Due to military attacks on QatarEnergy's operating facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City in the State of Qatar, QatarEnergy has ceased production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products." "QatarEnergy values its relationships with all of its stakeholders and will continue to communicate the latest available information," the post added. Following the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East and the evolving global energy situation, India's Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, informed that "the country is well stocked with crude oil and inventories of key petroleum products including petrol, diesel and ATF to deal with short-term disruptions arising from the Middle East." The Ministry has also established a 24x7 Control Room to continuously monitor the supply and stock position of petroleum products across the country. The Minister, via a press briefing, also notified that the Government is reasonably comfortable in terms of stocks. Safeguarding the interests of Indian consumers remains the highest priority. Based on continuous monitoring, the Government is cautiously optimistic that phased measures can be taken, if required, to further mitigate the situation. (ANI) The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) is closely monitoring the evolving maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf and has strengthened precautionary measures to safeguard Indian-flagged vessels and Indian seafarers operating in the region. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a review meeting today to assess the prevailing security environment in the Persian Gulf and examine its implications for Indian maritime assets and personnel. During the meeting, the Director General of Shipping briefed the minister on the prevailing situation in the region and on the current status of Indian Flag Ships and Indian seafarers in the region, the ministry said in a statement. Speaking after the meeting, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We are closely monitoring the evolving situation and have activated all necessary precautionary, monitoring and coordination mechanisms to ensure the safety and welfare of our seafarers and the security of our maritime assets. We remain in constant touch with relevant national and international agencies and are prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging development." The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), has activated enhanced monitoring and security oversight in respect to Indian Seafarers and Indian Flag ships in response to reported threats in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and adjoining sea areas, including missile and drone activity, electronic interference and other maritime security concerns. The Ministry, through DGS, has also initiated real-time tracking of Indian-flagged vessels with increased reporting frequency, and established 24x7 monitoring through the MMDAC DGComm Centre. Mandatory reporting protocols have also been prescribed for vessels, owners and managers. Separately, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held a consultation meeting with all stakeholder Ministries, key logistics and trade facilitation partners to review the emerging geopolitical situation and its potential impact on India's Exports and Imports. The Modi Government's readiness to facilitate trade operations was reiterated through measures such as procedural flexibility in export-related authorisations, coordination with Customs and Port authorities to ensure smooth clearance, and engagement with financial and insurance institutions to safeguard exporter interests. "In this context, the 'Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) for Supply Chain Resilience' has been created, comprising members from Department of Financial Services, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ports & Waterways, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, to facilitate effective coordination, monitoring and follow-up," Piyush Goyal posted on X. (ANI) In her latest Instagram post, the actor marked the occasion of Holika Dahan, highlighting the timeless message that good ultimately triumphs over evil and spreading a note of optimism during challenging times. "There's a lot unfolding around the world. It's hard. It's heavy. But light has a way of showing us the way. Here's to the triumph of good over evil. #HolikaDahan," she posted. Priyanka's post comes amid heightened tensions after the US and Israel coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran also retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) Eric Dane, best known for his roles in 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria', died of respiratory failure, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) listed as an underlying cause. According to his death certificate obtained by People magazine, the 53-year-old actor passed away on Thursday (February 19), nearly a year after publicly revealing his ALS diagnosis. Dane is survived by his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13. In a statement shared with People magazine on February 19, Dane's family said, "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters." The statement also noted that throughout his illness, Dane became a passionate advocate for ALS awareness and research, and requested privacy for the family. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects nerve cells and leads to muscle paralysis. There is currently no cure, though certain medications and therapies may help slow its progression. Dane announced his diagnosis in April 2025, telling People magazine, "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter." He added that he intended to continue working and would return to the set of 'Euphoria', where he portrayed Cal Jacobs. He resumed filming season three just four days after going public with his diagnosis. His first televised performance following the announcement was in 'Brilliant Minds', where he played a firefighter and 9/11 hero grappling with an ALS diagnosis. Dane later described the role as "cathartic," admitting that separating his own reality from the character's experience was challenging. In January, Dane was scheduled to be honoured as Advocate of the Year at the ALS Network's Champions for Cures and Care Gala, but cancelled his appearance hours before due to the physical realities of the disease. The organisation paid tribute to his courage and advocacy. (ANI) Under clouds of bright pink and yellow powder, thousands gathered at Dhakeshwari National Temple on Tuesday as members of Bangladesh's Hindu community celebrated Holi with vibrant devotion, enjoying colorful dances and music. The largest Holi celebration in the country was held at the National Temple in Dhakeshwari, where people smeared each other with colors and expressed hope for a brighter future. "Our colorful Holi represents relationships and friendship. We are forgetting our illnesses and our sorrows. We hope that this spirit of colorfulness will remain in everyone's life in the future," Shipra Rani, a devotee, told ANI. "We are feeling very happy at this moment. We are colorful and want our lives to be colorful. Everything is filled with color, so we are celebrating this Holi festival," she added. Hindus make up nearly 10 percent of the population in Muslim-majority nation Bangladesh. "This is the Holi festival. We celebrate it together by playing with colors. It is very important for our society and our religion. People from all backgrounds take part in this festival, and it brings excitement and positivity to our environment. This atmosphere is very good for our nation and our religious harmony," said Jibon Mitra, another devotee. "Every year, this festival strengthens relationships among us and with people of other religions. Everyone takes part in this celebration, and the colors are very bright. May our future be as bright as our wishes," he added while speaking to ANI. Known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is a vibrant Hindu festival which marks the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. People throw colored powders, dance, sing, and share sweets, spreading joy, unity, love, and happiness everywhere. The festival begins with Holika Dahan, where a bonfire is lit to mark the death of Holika, a symbol of evil and a special Puja to burn evil spirits is performed. (ANI) Zendaya's mom just dropped a tiny, teasing emoji and the internet is officially obsessed. Claire Stoermer's cryptic Instagram response comes a day after stylist Law Roach claimed the 'Euphoria' star and Tom Holland may have quietly tied the knot, leaving fans scrambling for answers. The comments, made during an Actor Awards red carpet interview on March 1, sent fans into a frenzy. Roach, 47, revealed that the couple's wedding "already happened," sparking speculation about a secret ceremony. Zendaya and Holland confirmed their romance in 2021 but have consistently kept their relationship private. Sharing Roach's interview on her Instagram Story, Stoermer appeared to respond with amusement rather than clarification. Accompanying the post with a laughing emoji, she wrote only, "The laugh...," leaving fans intrigued about whether the couple had indeed exchanged vows behind closed doors. The pair has long been protective of their relationship. Holland previously told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2023, "Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible. We don't think that we owe it to anyone, it's our thing." Roach, who has been a close confidant to Zendaya, has also hinted at a future wedding. In a July interview with E! News, he noted, "The process hasn't even started yet. Zendaya is working on so many movies. She's now filming the next iteration of Dune, so she's away doing that. It's so many movies, so we have time. We have a lot of time." Despite the coy remarks, he added, "They really love each other and they have for a really long time. The fact that the world has been able to share in that love story, I think it's really beautiful." Adding to the speculation, Zendaya was seen wearing a gold band on her left ring finger just two weeks before Roach's remarks. As per E! News, the piece differed from her engagement ring, a 5.02-carat east-west cushion-cut diamond by British designer Jessica McCormack- further igniting curiosity about a possible private wedding. Holland has often spoken about cherishing the bond he shares with Zendaya. In an interview, he said, "I'm lucky that I have someone like Zendaya in my life. You can share your experiences and all that sort of stuff- and that's worth its weight in gold," as quoted by E! News. Neither Zendaya nor Holland has publicly confirmed the wedding. (ANI) India is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations following the US-Israel attack against Iran. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement. IndiGo has planned 10 special relief operations from Jeddah to India on March 3, to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India at Jeddah for passenger facilitation. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations, a release said on Monday. Passenger safety remains paramount. All airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication with passengers and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements concerning refunds, rescheduling, and passenger assistance. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight status directly with their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport and to rely only on official sources for updates. The situation was reviewed today in a high-level meeting chaired by Minister of Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu and attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and all senior officials. As per the release, the Ministry remains in continuous coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities, and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe operations, orderly restoration of services, and facilitation of affected passengers. This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) According to a US Embassy statement, the Deputy Secretary will also meet with senior Indian officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on defence, critical minerals, and counternarcotics. It will deepen commercial and economic ties to increase market access for American businesses and "advance our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region." Furthermore, Finnish President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4 to March 7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. The visit, which will include the participation of a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials, and business leaders, is aimed at deepening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between India and Finland across various sectors, MEA said in its release. As per the release, the visit will be Stubb's first visit to India in his current role as President. In addition to his engagement at the Raisina Dialogue, President Stubb will hold discussions with the Prime Minister, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional and global issues of mutual interest. A key highlight of the visit will be an exchange of views on cooperation in multilateral forums, with an emphasis on deepening people-to-people connections and economic partnerships. Following the discussions, Prime Minister Modi will host a luncheon in honour of President Stubb. During his visit, the Finnish President will also meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also meet President Stubb. (ANI) Two Municipal Corporation sanitation workers have died while cleaning a sewage line near Choithram Sabji Mandi in Indore, a senior police official confirmed. Indore Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone 1, Krishan Lalchandani, said the deceased workers were Karan Yadav and Ajay Dudia. This fatal incident occurred on Monday during the course of the cleaning operations of the sewage line. The DCP further stated that the bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination. "The bodies of two municipal workers, Karan Yadav and Ajay Dudia, were recovered from the sewage line. The bodies have been sent for post mortem. A case has been registered, and Police is undertaking further investigation. In the initial questioning, it was found that they had gone to clear the sewage line when this incident occurred. Everything will be clear once the postmortem report comes," Lalchandani told reporters. In a separate development on February 19, two workers died of suffocation after falling into a septic tank while cleaning it in Madarasanahalli on Babalada Road in Kalaburagi city, Karnataka. The deceased have been identified as Ratan Hotakar and Shivakumar Nandurkar, residents of Indiranagar. According to police, Ratan fell into the tank first while cleaning it. Shivakumar entered the tank in an attempt to rescue him, but he also suffocated due to toxic gas inside. Both workers succumbed to suffocation before they could have pulled out of the tank. These tragic incidents once again highlighted the danger faced by sanitation workers and the urgent need for safety protocols when cleaning septic tanks and sewage systems. Septic tanks contain hazardous gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide, which can prove fatal within minutes of exposure in confined spaces. (ANI) According to the Gujarat CMO, he participated in the Vedic Holi Dahan at Manav Mandir in Memnagar, promoting environmental conservation, and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the citizens. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood and is a festival of colours. It encourages people to forget differences, meet with affection, and promote social harmony. He urged everyone to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner and appreciated the environmental awareness shown by organising a Vedic Holi. After the Holi Dahan, the Chief Minister visited Manav Mandir, offered prayers, and felt blessed. He also exchanged festival greetings with devotees and residents present there. On the occasion of the Chief Minister's visit, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Standing Committee Chairman Devangbhai Dani, AMTS Chairman Dharamshibhai Desai, other corporation officials, local councillors, leaders, office-bearers, and a large number of devotees were present. Several other political leaders across the country joined the Holi 2026 celebrations. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja at his official residence in Civil Lines in Jaipur shortly after midnight. The Chief Minister offered prayers for the continued happiness and prosperity of the people across the state. According to a release, Chief Minister Sharma performed Holi puja at the Shri Raj Rajeshwari Temple premises. Later, the state Chief Minister observed the 'Holika Dahan' amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. During the ceremony, soldiers from the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion performed traditional Holi songs and danced to the rhythmic beat of the Chang. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to meet with the soldiers and offer them words of encouragement. (ANI) Josh Duhamel feared his wife Audra Mari was "too young" for him because of the 21-year age gap. Josh Duhamel worried Audra Mari was too young for him The Transformers star, 53, married the former beauty queen, 32, in 2022 and they are parents to a son named Shepherd, who was born in 2024, while Josh is also dad to Axl, 12, with his first wife Fergie - and he's now revealed he first met Audra at a barbecue at his house and he ruled out dating her because of her age. During an appearance on The Skinny Confidential podcast, he explained: " We had a barbecue at my house. It was some of my friends from Hollywood, it was some of my friends from back home [North Dakota], there were kids .. it was like a good, old-fashioned barbecue. "And she and I had been in contact because I knew she was from North Dakota, she'd done really, really well in Miss USA [beauty pageant]. I wasn't even inviting her because I wanted to date her because she was too young for me to be honest. "I wasn't looking for [that]. I'm not going to be that dude. So I invited her and she comes to the door and I'm like: 'Holy s***. [She's] so beautiful.' "I was still like: 'No, no, no'." However, Josh was won over by Audra after seeing the way she interacted with the children at the barbecue - admitting she came across as "really wholesome" and reminded him of "home". He said: "I was entertaining people. We hardly even talked at the barbecue. She was like: 'This dude has no interest in me'. She left ... And I remember the little bit of interaction we did have, we talked, and ... I remember her taking care of these kids at the party, making sure they had enough [to eat] and I was like that reminds me of home and the kind of girl I want to really be with. "And I'd gone through a couple of relationships with girls here in LA and it just wasn't the same. There's something really wholesome about it and I think that was when I was like: 'Maybe she's not too young' ... Maybe I am that dude. I don't know. " He went on to add: "[Now] we have a two year old ... [We've been married for] three years and we've been together for like seven ... " Josh and Audra have moved away from Los Angeles and the actor previously revealed he built a house in Minnesota so his kids could grow up away from Hollywood. He told E! News: "You know, 16, 17, years ago, when I built this place, it was weirdly me almost reliving my youth, in a way. Because I grew up out in the woods in North Dakota, and for me to now be able to pass that on to my kids out there is great." Josh acknowledged that Los Angeles is "fantastic" but he thinks his kids will ultimately benefit from growing up in a different setting, adding: "It's also nice to get them out in the woods and get dirty and learn a few things that I learned growing up." As the sutak kaal (inauspicious period) of the lunar eclipse began on Tuesday morning, temples across several cities, including New Delhi, Kanpur and Madurai, remained closed in view of the celestial event. At the Meenakshi Amman Temple, devotees gathered in large numbers in the early hours to offer prayers before the temple doors were shut. A devotee, Gopalakrishnan, who was celebrating his 60th birthday, shared his experience. He said that since the temple authorities had announced a morning closure due to the lunar eclipse, he and his family arrived early to offer prayers. After completing the darshan, he expressed happiness and satisfaction at being able to mark his special day at the temple. "Today is my 60th birthday, so we came to the temple. Since it was announced that the temple would be closed in the morning due to the lunar eclipse, we came early and had darshan. I feel very satisfied and happy," said Gopalakrishnan. Another devotee, Valarmathi, mentioned that her family also visited early in the day because of the announced closure. She noted that the temple witnessed a heavy rush of devotees in the morning as many people had gathered to complete their darshan before the doors were shut. "Due to the lunar eclipse, it was announced that the temple would be closed in the morning. So, we came early today with our family and completed the darshan. As the temple was to be closed in the morning, there was a heavy crowd," said Valarmathi. Meanwhile, a temple priest in Kanpur said this was the first lunar eclipse of the year and that temple doors were closed after the Mangala Aarti. He added that the doors are scheduled to reopen at 7:00 pm, followed by ritual bathing and adornment of the deity. After the Bhog Aarti, the temple will remain open for devotees until 11:00 pm. "This is the first lunar eclipse of the year. All doors (of the temples) have been closed after Mangala Aarti. At 7:00 pm, all doors will be opened, baths will be given, and adornments will be performed. After Bhog Aarti, the doors will remain open until 11:00 pm," said the priest. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a total lunar eclipse will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, across several time zones. The phenomenon occurs when the entire Moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow. A partial lunar eclipse, in contrast, takes place when only a part of the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. In a post on X, the IMD stated that the total lunar eclipse on March 3 will have a magnitude of 1.155. The eclipse will be visible across India, as well as in parts of Eastern Asia, Australia and the Americas. In the Indian context, the visibility of the eclipse will vary by region. Most places in the country will observe the ending phase of the lunar eclipse at the time of moonrise. However, in parts of North-East India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the end of the totality phase will also be visible. According to Indian Standard Time (IST), the celestial event will follow a specific schedule throughout the afternoon and evening. The eclipse is slated to begin at 15:20 (3:20 PM), with the totality phase starting at 16:34 (4:34 PM). The Moon will remain completely within the Earth's shadow until totality ends at 17:33 (5:33 PM), and the entire eclipse cycle will officially conclude at 18:48 (6:48 PM). (ANI) Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, stating that the government's silence on the "targeted assassination of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is "not neutral but an abdication." In the opinion editorial (op-ed) piece in The Indian Express, Sonia Gandhi said India's lack of response "signals tacit endorsement of this tragedy." On March 1, Iran confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out the previous day by the United States and Israel. The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence," Sonia Gandhi said in her opinion piece. "Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US," she added. Sonia Gandhi raised doubts over the direction in which India's foreign policy is heading "When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy," he said. She also flagged PM Modi's visit to Israel just before the attacks on Iran and expressed concern over "India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity." "The unease is compounded by the timing. Barely 48 hours before the assassination, the Prime Minister returned from a visit to Israel, where he reiterated unequivocal support for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, even as the Gaza conflict continues to draw global outrage over the scale of civilian casualties, many of them women and children," Sonia Gandhi said. "At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India's partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure, she added. Sonia Gandhi also demanded a discussion on the government's "disturbing silence" in the second part of the Budget session. US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) A person with links to the Rohit Godara gang was arrested in connection with the firing on Lawrence Bishnoi's lawyer, Deepak Khatri, and his associates at Kashmiri Gate in Delhi, Police said on Tuesday. The incident happened on February 24 when three armed assailants allegedly opened fire at a car in Kashmiri Gate. "These people were in the Kashmiri Gate area and were planning to go back home. Their car was fired at. These people believe that three people probably fired at them... Further investigation is ongoing. As soon as firing started, these people ran towards the bus stand to save themselves... An advocate, Deepak Khatri, was in the car. Yes (He is Lawrence Bishnoi's advocate), He is stable," DCP North Raja Banthia said. Joint Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma stated that one of the three armed assailants opened fire. Sandeep, one of the four companions present in the car, was shot on the shoulder, but is in a stable condition now. "Deepak Khatri is an advocate. He was accompanied by four companions. They were travelling to ISBT in their car in the Kashmiri Gate area at around 10:30 am. According to preliminary information, three unidentified assailants on a scooter, one of whom was armed, opened fire. One of the companions of Khatri, Sandeep, was shot in the shoulder. He is safe... We are taking detailed statements of Deepak Khatri and his companions. They have reported something like this (that Deepak Khatri received threats from Shahzad Bhatti) ... We are investigating all angles..." he said. Police have arrested a person linked to the Rohit Godara gang as part of the investigation. Further details are awaited. (ANI) AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday left for Chennai after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the political situation in Tamil Nadu and strategies ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Addressing reporters at the airport, Palaniswami said the meeting at the Union Home Minister's residence focused on the current political landscape in the state and ways to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the polls. He added that the AIADMK is in talks with several other parties regarding potential alliances, and some are expected to join the NDA bloc. He also clarified that there have been no discussions about including VK Sasikala's party in the alliance. "Last night, we met the Union Home Minister at his residence and discussed the political situation in Tamil Nadu. We also discussed how we should proceed in the upcoming elections. We are talking to some parties about alliances, and they are likely to join our alliance. We have not had any discussions about Sasikala's party joining our alliance," Palaniswami said. Earlier on Sunday, he had projected a decisive victory for the NDA in the state, asserting that the alliance is likely to win around 210 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Addressing a public meeting of the NDA, Palaniswami launched a sharp attack at the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), calling it an "anti-people government" which the alliance aims to dethrone. He further asserted that AIADMK will form a government after the victory of the NDA in the state assembly elections. "During the election period, everyone must unite and work energetically in all 234 constituencies like bees to ensure the victory of the candidates announced by the National Democratic Alliance. In the upcoming Legislative Assembly general election, our alliance will win around 210 seats, and the AIADMK will form the government," he said. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. Actor-turned-politician Vijay's entry with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is expected to turn the Tamil Nadu polls into a three-way contest. In the 2021 polls, the DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won five, VCK won four, and others won eight seats. The Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), led by DMK, which consisted of Congress, won 159 seats collectively. While the NDA won 75 seats, the AIADMK emerged as the largest party in the alliance with 66 seats. (ANI) Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said the Attukal Pongala festival is a defining symbol of Kerala's rich cultural and spiritual heritage, expressing pride in participating in the annual celebration. Speaking to ANI during the Attukal Pongala festival, Chandrasekhar described Attukal Pongala as a unique expression of faith and tradition, where thousands of women gather to offer Pongala to Attukal Bhagavathy. "There are many things that define our great state of Keralam. There are many things very core to the culture and heritage of Thiruvananthapuram, and Attukal Pongala -- this celebration of faith, celebration of Attukal Bhagwati by women in such large numbers -- is a huge event that makes me proud personally and makes every Malayali proud," he said. He added that the festival reflects how deeply integrated faith and culture are in Kerala's history despite centuries of change. "It reminds us how deeply integrated our faith and culture is, despite so many hundreds and thousands of years of history of our state," Chandrasekhar said. The BJP leader said this was his third opportunity to participate in the festival and expressed happiness at being part of the celebrations. "This is my third opportunity to participate. Of course, I'm very happy," he said. He also mentioned that his wife could not attend this year due to ongoing developments in the Middle East. "This time, my wife could not be here, unfortunately stuck with childrens in the Middle East because of the developments there. But I'm here with my karyakartas," he added. Following the US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory attacks, using drones and missiles targeting multiple Arab countries in the region as a retaliatory action, which resulted in flight disruptions and cancellations across the globe. The Attukal Pongala festival, held annually at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, is one of the largest congregations of women for a religious event in the world. (ANI) Security remains at high alert in Srinagar's Lal Chowk for the second day following the protests by Shia Muslims against the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei. The security forces have tightened security as a precautionary measure after Monday's protest forced police to use tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. This comes as the Shia Muslim community in the region mourned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the airstrikes launched by the US and Israel. On Sunday, members of the Shia community in Jammu and Kashmir staged a massive protest outside the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) headquarters in Srinagar following the news of the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US and Israel-led strikes. The protests were peaceful, with participants carrying pictures of Khamenei and banners supporting Iran. Black flags, portraits of the Ayatollah, and traditional mourning chants (Nauha) were witnessed on the streets of Srinagar. Protests were held across the country with Shia Muslims mourning the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and raising slogans against US and Israel attacks on Iran. Tensions continued to escalate across West Asia with multiple strikes reported in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. An Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Erbil that it alleges houses US troops, Al Jazeera reported. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Defence Ministry said eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj, according to Al Arabiya. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IRNA News Agency reported that the Israeli regime attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. According to IRNA, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting its programmes minutes after the reported strike. Earlier, Israel said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group's military activities. The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called "the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters." (ANI) Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on India's ties with Iran amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes by the United States and Israel. Speaking to ANI on Monday, Bhagat called for India's role in promoting dialogue as an alternative to violence to resolve the conflict in West Asia. "War is a problem; war is not a solution to any problem. India is regarded as the country of Gandhi and Buddha. Dialogue is the only solution to peace. India alone can play the role of guide for the entire world today. Prime Minister should break his silence and clearly state whether we are with Iran or not," the Congress MP said. Congress MP Imran Masood called the Prime Minister's silence on Khamenei's killing "painful," and said that India cannot be 'vishwaguru' by remaining silent. Masood told ANI, "Killing of any Head of State is considered wrong across the world. The Head of State is never targeted. Iran's Supreme Leader was killed. Iran has been our traditional friend. Iran had supported us in the UN over the Kashmir issue. PM not speaking even two words about his killing is painful. We can't be 'Vishwaguru' like this. If we want to act like Big Brother, we cannot be one like this. Who launched the attack? Whose fault is it? Oman's Foreign Minister had said that Iran has accepted all terms and conditions. But it wasn't just Iran who was on target; it was Khamenei." Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has also criticised PM Modi's government, stating that the government's silence on the "targeted assassination" of Iran's Supreme Leader is "not neutral but an abdication." In the opinion editorial (op-ed) piece in The Indian Express, Sonia Gandhi said India's lack of response "signals tacit endorsement of this tragedy." "The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence," Sonia Gandhi said in her opinion piece. "Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US," she added. The US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday credited Rs 2,000 and a monthly pension into the accounts of women and beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, including elderly, widows, elderly transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced. In an X post, MK Stalin announced the extension of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme for women to vulnerable groups as well. Under the social security schemes, the state government has provided Rs 3,200 each to 29.29 lakh elderly and widows beneficiaries, Rs 3,500 each to 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities, and Rs 4,000 to 2.58 lakh persons with disabilities receiving caregiver assistance. MK Stalin wrote, "Special financial aid for those on the margins too. The summer special package of Rs 2,000 provided to women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam has received widespread acclaim, and alongside that, demands have arisen to extend such special financial aid to the elderly, widows, elderly transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities who live on the fringes of society and are currently receiving the government's monthly pension assistance." "Today, we have fulfilled the demand they placed with hope! As special relief aid to alleviate hardship, we have credited Rs 2,000 along with the March pension into their bank accounts! Accordingly, to a total of 29 lakhs 29 thousand beneficiaries--including the elderly and widows benefiting under various social security schemes--we have provided Rs 3,200 each; to 5 lakh 92 thousand persons with disabilities, Rs 3,500 each; and to the families of 2 lakh 58 thousand persons with disabilities receiving caregiver assistance, Rs 4,000 each, this morning," the Chief Minister added. Also, the Tamil Nadu government announced an assistance of Rs 8,000 per family as fishing ban period assistance for the period from April to June for 1,62,900 beneficiaries. "In addition, as a fishing ban period assistance for the period from April to June, Rs 8,000 per family has been provided to a total of 1,62,900 fisher families. Similarly, for the benefit of 14,870 tea farmers from the Nilgiris district, Rs 8.53 crore in funding has been provided as a base price of Rs 2 per kg for green tea procured through 15 cooperative tea factories. At this moment, I reiterate once again-- In Tamil Nadu's journey of growth, we will leave no one behind," the X post read. These announcements come ahead of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, to be held in the first half of the year, where the DMK-led alliance is looking to yet again defeat the NDA and retain power in the state. (ANI) Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar on Tuesday said the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar should definitely enter politics. This came after Bihar Minister Shrawon Kumar confirmed that Nishant Kumar will join the party on the occasion of Holi and would be given a big responsibility. Neeraj Kumar also suggested that Nishant Kumar is eligible to go to the Rajya Sabha. Speaking with ANI, he said, "It is the expectation of party workers that such a person should enter politics...Such people should definitely enter politics. The party's top leadership will decide who will go to the Rajya Sabha. But can anyone question his eligibility? Is there an allegation of corruption? If there is no such thing, then such people should definitely enter public life." "If you compare Tejashwi Yadav and Nishant, Tejashwi Yadav has cases registered against him in four states. Nishant Kumar is far ahead in education. So there is no comparison between the two. Now the youth of Bihar are waiting to see when Nishant will enter active politics," he added. Earlier, Shrawon Kumar, in a telephonic conversation with ANI, said the move comes in response to demands from party workers and the people of Bihar. "On the occasion of Holi, and as per the demand of the youth of Bihar and JD(U) workers, Nishant Kumar is coming full-fledged to join the party. The party will decide what responsibility he will carry, but one thing I am telling you, he is going to be given big responsibility. We are very happy," Shrawon Kumar said. Addressing speculation about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant Kumar, joining the Janata Dal (United), Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday said Nishant should enter active politics. Choudhary described him as an educated engineer who mirrors Nitish Kumar's body language, decency, and simplicity. Speculations about Nishant Kumar's political entry have persisted since the National Democratic Alliance secured a landslide victory in Bihar during the 2025 assembly polls. In December 2025, JD(U) Working President Sanjay Jha, in Nishant Kumar's presence, said that party members and supporters want him to work for the party. He added that the timing of his entry is Nishant's decision. (ANI) The closure of shops, businesses and commercial activity came following the US-Israeli air strikes in Iran that reportedly killed Khamenei, sparking widespread protests across the region and beyond. Police and CRPF are on high alert to deal with any situation and maintain law and order. This comes after Khamenei's death; several regions in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed massive protest from three days. Shia Muslim communities mourned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader. Protesters raised anti-US and anti-Israel slogans, expressing solidarity with Iran and condemning the attack. Iran is observing 40 days of public mourning following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state media. In Shia Islam, the 40th day after death (Arba'een) holds immense spiritual weight. Protests were held across the country with Shia Muslims mourning the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and raising slogans against US and Israel attacks on Iran. Tensions continued to escalate across West Asia with multiple strikes reported in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. An Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Erbil that it alleges houses US troops, Al Jazeera reported. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Defence Ministry said eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj, according to Al Arabiya. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IRNA News Agency reported that the Israeli regime attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. According to IRNA, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting its programmes minutes after the reported strike. Earlier, Israel said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group's military activities. The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called "the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters." (ANI) Sean 'Diddy' Combs' release from prison has been moved up by more than five weeks. Sean 'Diddy' Combs is getting an early release from prison The 56-year-old rap mogul - who is serving a 50-month sentence for a conviction on two prostitution-related charges - was originally due to be released from prison on June 4, 2028, but the date has now shifted. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' website, Combs will now be released from the Fort Dix low correctional facility on April 25, 2028. His release date was originally set for May 8 the same year, before being pushed back a few weeks to June. Combs has been behind bars since his arrest in September 2024, while he was convicted in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The rappers eight-week trial earlier last year resulted in acquittals on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, but he was convicted on prostitution-related offences. A representative for the shamed star insisted Combs is using his time behind bars to take his sobriety "seriously". The spokesperson dismissed claims Combs had been caught drinking homemade alcohol during his time in prison- insisting his client is focusing on remaining clean and sober. Combs was transferred from Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York City to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey on October 30. FCI Fort Dix is a low security facility and said to have better conditions than MDC Brooklyn, where Combs had been behind bars since his arrest on various sex crime charges in September 2024. His legal team had requested he be moved to the facility in New Jersey because of its access to drug rehabilitation schemes. Last month, US President Donald Trump Trump acknowledged Combs had requested a pardon, but he is not currently considering granting it. According to The New York Times, Trump said the rapper "asked me for a pardon ... through a letter" and then added: "Oh, would you like to see that letter?" However, the publication reports the President did not produce the letter but he did indicate he's not considering Combs' request for a pardon. Trump had previously suggested he was unsure about pardoning the I'll Be Missing You hitmaker because Combs was "very hostile" towards him when he ran for the White House. The Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) is closely monitoring around 10 lakh people from Andhra Pradesh working in Gulf countries amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, with APNRT CEO Dr Ravi Vemuru stating that the situation is particularly critical in Bahrain. Speaking to ANI, Dr Vemuru said APNRT has deployed nearly 100 coordinators who are closely monitoring the situation on the ground and arranging transportation support for people wherever required. "From AP, we have about 10 lakh people in seven Middle Eastern countries and Iran. The situation is changing daily. Initially, everyone was worried and panicked, especially the residents. We alleviated their fears, thinking the war would be short-lived. But, as it extended, we called, and many of the residents felt safe and supported by their governments," Dr Vemuru said. He added that many people got stuck in Dubai and Kuwait due to halted flights, and APNRT offered them three options: stay at the airport or a hotel, contact coordinators for support, or go to Muscat and fly back to India. "Many people took that route, so we arranged for transportation. By evening, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia opened their airspace. However, people had to cross borders, and getting transit visas was a nuisance," he said. Dr Vemuru highlighted that Bahrain was the hardest hit among all Gulf countries. "Bahrain was hardest hit, with some buildings near the American base also being struck. The government evacuated people to shelters. We had a long Zoom call yesterday with about 250 people from all 7 countries. They said only Bahrain had the problem. There wasn't enough food. We also have a lot of Telugu workers in the camps. Our local coordinators in Bahrain are doing an excellent job, even financing the food themselves. If the situation continues, they may need state assistance, which we are prepared to provide," he said. He added that Andhra Pradesh Minister Kondapalli Srinivasagar and Chief Minister have been closely monitoring the situation through real-time updates, with reports of every event reaching them. Dr Vemuru said a new challenge emerged on Tuesday morning regarding workers classified as essential by local governments. "This morning, we encountered a new issue. Many people planning to return to India are now classified as essential workers by local governments, especially those working in construction or oil and gas. They cannot leave, though they still receive pay. This is the challenge we will address today," he said. He also noted that due to the ongoing war, the Indian rupee has weakened and oil prices are rising sharply, warning that this conflict will have a significant global impact. "Due to the ongoing war, the Indian rupee has weakened, and oil prices are rising sharply. This conflict will have a significant global impact," Dr Vemuru added. Both the Government of India and the Government of Andhra Pradesh are actively working on addressing the situation and ensuring the safety and welfare of Indian nationals in the Gulf region. (ANI) Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "speak up" on the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, saying that the silence diminishes India's standing in the world. Rahul Gandhi said that India must be "morally clear" on the conflict and should have "courage to defend" international law and human lives. "India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes - and it must remain consistent," he said in a post on X. "PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order? Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world," he added. Expressing concern about the escalating hostilities in the West Asia region, he also encouraged dialogue and restraint to restore peace. "Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty. While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence - dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace," he said. https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/2028742606575034428 Meanwhile, Israel conducted strikes in both Iran and Beirut on Tuesday, escalating the tensions even further, while Iran, in retaliation, struck the US Embassy in Riyadh. The Jerusalem Post reported, citing Reuters, that the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by a drone attack. It also shared that two more US soldiers were killed in Operation Epic Fury, bringing the American toll to six. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that the US forces carried out sustained operations targeting key Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on the US air base in Bahrain. Iran's IRGC said it destroyed the main command building of a US air base in Bahrain during a drone and missile attack early Tuesday. It said that 20 drones and 3 missiles struck the Sheikh Isa base, also setting fuel tanks on fire. In response to the joint American-Israeli strikes in which Ayatollah Khamenei was killed, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. (ANI) Karnataka Minister MB Patil on Tuesday urged the Union government to ensure the safety and evacuation of Indians stranded in the West Asia region as the conflict intensifies. Speaking with ANI, MB Patil also condemned the recent actions of US President Donald Trump, who captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei in coordinated strikes with Israel. "What is happening is not in the right spirit of the relationship of various countries... The US president removes one president and kills another, which is not right... This is causing problems for ordinary people, like the killing of 150 children in Iran... Trade will also be affected; first there were tariffs, now there is war... People's safety is most important... It is the responsibility of the Indian government to bring people back," he said. Earlier, Congress leader Rashid Alvi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is "destroying" India's foreign policy, and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi disclose his conversations with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Israel. He questioned PM Modi's "silence" on the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei. "The current government has destroyed India's foreign policy. PM is talking to the UAE rulers and others, but not with Iran. PM should tell people about his discussion with Netanyahu on this conflict. This is the reason for his silence. He has said that Israel is his fatherland, so how can he speak against his fatherland?," Alvi told ANI. Meanwhile, Israel conducted strikes in both Tehran and Beirut, while the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by Iranian drones. The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X that it is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut. The Jerusalem Post reported, citing Reuters, that the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by a drone attack. It also shared that two more US soldiers were killed in Operation Epic Fury, taking the American toll to six. US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan on Tuesday lashed out at Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai, calling him a "DMK spokesperson" who has pushed Congress into "darkness". Speaking with ANI, Kovai Sathyan said that the K Selvaperunthagai is the most "unfit" person to lead the Congress in the state as the deadlock over the seat-sharing formula with DMK persists. Kovai Sathyan also stated that the "end of DMK" in near as it struggles to form a formidable alliance. "The DMK has never won consecutive elections. And it has never faced an election without an alliance. Now, as elections approach and the DMK struggles to form a formidable ally, the end is near for the DMK and its allies." "The leader of Congress in Tamil Nadu is the spokesperson of DMK. He has pushed Congress into darkness. The most unfit person for the role of state leader for a national party," he added. This comes as Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai arrived at the CM Stalin's residence to resolve the deadlock around the seat-sharing formula between DMK and Congress. Amid a rumoured rift between the alliance partners in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, Selvaperunthagai, on Monday, clarified that a settlement between Congress and DMK about seat sharing would be reached after negotiation, adding that there's no confusion between the two parties. "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here. We're asking for a few more seats, and a settlement will be reached," the State Congress chief said. Earlier, DMK Spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said K. Selvaperuthagai has made it absolutely clear that the high command hasn't instructed him to talk to anyone. "He said we are in alliance with the DMK, and we are discussing seat-sharing, and there will be some hiccups, but we will resolve them," Annadurai said. "The RSS and BJP want the Congress to leave the DMK alliance. This is their wish list because they want to isolate the Congress... All these minor hiccups will arise in every seat-sharing negotiation and ultimately, we will resolve them," he added. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. (ANI) A B.Tech student has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a fellow student in Medchal-Malkajgiri district of the state, police said. According to police, the victim lodged a complaint alleging that the accused proposed to her and later forced her into physical relations during their relationship. The incidents allegedly occurred inside a classroom and at multiple hotels in the city. Police said the accused also allegedly threatened to circulate the victim's nude photos and videos online. A case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the victim's mother, and an investigation is underway. Another individual is also alleged to have been involved in the harassment. According to police, the two were students of the same engineering college but belonged to different branches. They reportedly came into contact through Instagram in 2024. Police are also probing allegations that the accused gave the victim chocolates suspected to have been laced with drugs. In a separate incident earlier on February 21, a case has been registered against a man who allegedly harassed a woman working at a supermarket in Banswada, Telangana, for playing devotional songs. The incident occurred when the man approached the woman, questioned her song choice, and recorded a video. The woman lodged a complaint, and the police have taken action. According to police, at around 4:30 pm, a woman working at the Supermarker outlet in Banswada was listening to devotional songs when a man allegedly approached her and questioned why she was not playing other songs. The individual reportedly recorded a video during the interaction. Based on a complaint lodged by the woman, a case has been registered at the local Police Station, and an investigation is currently underway, according to PRO, Police Department, Kamareddy. The situation escalated as members of two groups gathered near the outlet, leading to verbal arguments and tension. (ANI) Following intelligence that three individuals were in contact with banned terrorist organizations, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) conducted a search and inquiry operation on Monday at their residences, officials said. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Maharashtra State, Mumbai, received confidential information that some youths residing in the Kurla, Shivaji Nagar, and Govandi areas of Mumbai city were in contact with terrorist organizations banned by the Government of India, the Mumbai ATS said in a press note. Based on specific, confidential information, the searches were executed in compliance with legal procedures at the three residences. Earlier on February 15, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) carried out coordinated raids at 21 locations across Ahilyanagar and Yavatmal districts as part of a major operation against alleged attempts to radicalise youth and establish links with terrorist organisations, officials said. According to the Mumbai ATS, searches have been underway since Saturday morning in Pusad and Umarkhed towns of Yavatmal district and at multiple sites in Ahilyanagar district. The action follows inputs about activities aimed at activating several youths by contacting terrorist organisations. "Maharashtra ATS conducts major operations across the state. Raids were conducted on 14 locations in Pusad and Umarkhed in Yavatmal, and 7 locations in Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar). ATS launched a search operation after discovering activities to activate several youth by contacting terrorist organisations. Searches have been underway at a total of 21 locations since morning," Mumbai ATS said in a statement. In a subsequent press note, the agency said that between February 14 and 15, it executed search warrants at 12 locations in Ahilyanagar district. Meanwhile, intensive questioning of 14 suspects is currently underway in Pusad and Umarkhed in Yavatmal district. Officials confirmed that the searches were carried out peacefully and in accordance with legal procedures. The seized electronic devices and documents are being analysed for potential links to extremist networks and possible digital communications with banned outfits. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressing strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations, underscoring the importance of cooperative federalism in India's constitutional framework. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, "I have written to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin expressing Karnataka's strong support for a renewed national conversation on Union-State relations. Federalism is not a political demand - it is part of the basic structure of our Constitution. Over the years, increasing centralisation in fiscal and legislative matters has disturbed the delicate balance envisioned by our Constitution makers. States must have the authority and fiscal space to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to them." He further stressed that India's strength lies in "cooperative federalism, constitutional trust, and respect for diversity," and added, "I will urge the Union Government to provide an institutional platform - such as a revitalised Inter-State Council - for all States to deliberate and restore balance in our federal structure. Karnataka stands ready to engage constructively in strengthening India's democratic and federal framework." https://x.com/CMofKarnataka/status/2028750797840761313 The development comes amid heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai are scheduled to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence on Tuesday to resolve the seat-sharing formula between the DMK and Congress within the ruling alliance. Selvaperunthagai on Monday dismissed speculation of a rift, stating that negotiations are routine before elections. "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here," he said, reiterating that the DMK-Congress partnership under the INDIA bloc remains an ideological alliance. Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss strategies for the 2026 polls. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly is expected to go to elections in the first half of 2026, with alliances gearing up for a high-stakes contest. (ANI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday officially nominated members to the Committee of Privileges, effective from March 3, 2026. The panel, which is tasked with examining issues related to breaches of parliamentary privilege and recommending necessary action, will be chaired by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. The other members nominated include Brijmohan Agrawal (BJP), Tariq Anwar (INC), Manickam Tagore B (INC), TR Baalu (DMK), Kalyan Banerjee (AITC), Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne (Shiv Sena), Ramvir Singh Bidhuri (BJP), Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo (BJP), Jagdambika Pal (BJP), Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP), Arvind Ganpat Sawant (Shiv Sena (UBT), Jagadish Shettar (BJP), Manish Tewari (INC), and Dharmendra Yadav (Samajwadi Party). The Committee of Privileges plays a critical role in safeguarding the privileges of Members of Parliament, addressing complaints of contempt, and ensuring the dignity of parliamentary proceedings is maintained. Its formation is seen as a routine yet significant step in strengthening legislative oversight. The panel will be responsible for examining cases referred by the Speaker and reporting on matters where breaches of privilege are alleged, thereby ensuring that parliamentary decorum is upheld. When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee. Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker under Rule 227, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the Table of the House. Recently, Om Birla reconstituted the three-member inquiry committee tasked with examining the grounds for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma. The reconstituted panel will come into effect from March 6, 2026, according to an official Lok Sabha notification. The committee was originally constituted in March last year following demands for Justice Varma's removal after bundles of burnt cash were allegedly discovered at his residence, triggering widespread concern and calls for an inquiry. As per the notification, the reconstituted committee comprises Justice Arvind Kumar, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice, Bombay High Court, B V Acharya, Senior Advocate, Karnataka High Court. Justice Arvind Kumar and B V Acharya were members of the previous panel, while Justice Chandrashekhar has been inducted as a new member. He replaces Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The panel will continue examining the allegations and circumstances that led to demands for Justice Varma's removal. The committee is expected to review evidence and submit its findings as part of the prescribed parliamentary process. The case pertains to the recovery of unaccounted and partially burnt cash from the official residence of Justice Varma, then a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court. Following the internal inquiry, the former CJI, Sanjiv Khanna, forwarded a recommendation to the President and the Prime Minister of India to initiate the procedure for his removal. Subsequently, on July 21, 2025, a motion was moved in both Houses of Parliament for Justice Varma's removal. On August 12, 2025, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha formed a three-member Inquiry Committee to investigate the charges against Justice Varma. The Lok Sabha Speaker's decision came after he received a notice of the motion, signed by 146 Members of Parliament, seeking Justice Yashwant Varma's removal. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar on Tuesday questioned the conduct of law examinations at Osmania University (OU), alleging extreme administrative negligence. Speaking to ANI, he slammed the Telangana government, led by CM Revanth Reddy, over a mistake in Osmania University's LLB exams after the university conducted exams for 5-year and 3-year LLB courses with the same question paper, despite different syllabi. While these programs have similar syllabi, they are distinct academic tracks with separate examination schedules. The reported timeline of the breach is as follows: The first examination was conducted on February 25 for one of the LLB tracks. The second examination was conducted on February 27 for the other track--allegedly using the same question paper used two days prior. "Carelessness, corruption, incompetency and irresponsibility have become the hallmark of the present government of Telangana led by CM Revanth Reddy... There exists a university called Osmania University that offers two courses LLB (5 years) and LLB (3 years) under its Law Department... There are two separate papers for the two courses whose syllabi are almost the same, and they designed the same question paper for both courses' exams, which were held on two different dates... The first exam commenced on 25 February and the second on 27 February...," he said. Sravan Kumar highlighted that this oversight violates standard academic norms and specific guidelines set by the Bar Council of India (BCI). The failure to provide unique question papers for separate exam dates essentially rendered the second exam a "leaked" paper scenario, as students could have accessed the questions from the February 25th session. Kumar demanded action against VC, registrar, and exam controller; an investigation by the Bar Council of India "Why has no action been taken against the University Vice-Chancellor, the registrar, the Controller of Examination or the person who set the paper?. There are standard norms prescribed by the Bar Council of India. I appeal to the Governor and the Bar Council of India to focus on this malpractice," he said. (ANI) Puratchi Bharatham Katchi (PBK) leader M Jagan Moorthy said on Tuesday that they have submitted a list of six constituencies to the AIADMK alliance and expect to be allotted four of them. A general council meeting of the Puratchi Bharatham party was held at a private hall in Poonamallee, Chennai. More than 500 general council members and party functionaries participated. Several resolutions were passed during the meeting, including one urging the protection of law and order in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to reporters during the meeting, Jaganmoorthy said, "In Nellai district, near Nanguneri, unidentified persons wearing masks and allegedly under the influence of alcohol attacked people who had just stepped out of a tea shop after having tea. They hacked them indiscriminately and fled the scene. Two people have died in the incident, and several others are undergoing treatment for serious injuries." He stated that this incident is an example of how law and order have deteriorated in Tamil Nadu, and those involved in this brutal act must be arrested immediately, and strict action must be taken. On selection of the constituency, he said that we have selected six constituencies in the AIADMK alliance and submitted them, and we expect to receive four of those. "All the constituencies we have sought are in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, and Kanchipuram districts. We have not asked for any constituencies in the southern districts. At the national level, Prime Minister Modi leads the AIADMK alliance, and at the state level, Edappadi Palaniswami is the leader. Reports that Puratchi Bharatham is holding talks with TVK are false," said Jagarn Moorthy. He asserted that during alliance negotiations, if we are allotted the Poonamallee constituency this time, there is a possibility that we will contest there. "Even if Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 is distributed, the DMK will not have a chance of winning," he said. He also stated that Sasikala forming an organisation and contesting elections would not affect the AIADMK alliance, as in the southern districts, TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK would compensate for any vote loss. "Allocations made in the name of justice for the Scheduled Caste communities are often diverted as free benefits. Once the AIADMK forms the government, we will press for such allocations to be properly utilised," he added. (ANI) China refutes foreign media report on missile deal Xinhua) 09:28, March 03, 2026 BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday dismissed foreign media report suggesting that Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles and urged relevant sides to choose the course of action conducive to de-escalating the tense situation. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to confirm the report, which claimed the missiles would be among the most advanced military hardware transferred to Iran by China in recent years. "The report is not true," Mao said, emphasizing that as a responsible major country, China always abides by its international obligations. China opposes ill-intentioned association and the spread of disinformation, and hopes relevant sides will choose the course of action conducive to de-escalating the tense situation, she said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Pregnant Sienna Miller is "looking forward to taking some time off" as she prepares for the birth of her third child. Sienna Miller is going to be taking time off work to be with her children The 44-year-old actress is currently expecting her second child with boyfriend Oli Green joining the couple's daughter, who was born in late 2023, as well as 13-year-old Marlowe, who Sienna shares with her ex-boyfriend Tom Sturridge, and the screen star has insisted she wants to dedicate the rest of this year to being with her kids "more consistently". She told Grazia magazine: "Im looking forward to taking some time off, being with my kids more consistently and surrendering to how random life is." Sienna added: "Thats something that Im much more curious about as I get older I have a much clearer understanding of how quickly life goes. "Ive always tried to fill my life with as much diversity as possible, and its never been boring, so Im excited to buckle up and continue whatever journey comes my way the highs, the lows and everything in-between." During the interview, Sienna also opened up about her pregnancy admitting she's been eating a lot of peanut butter and jam on toast, adding: "Thats not my craving, though Im hooked on vinegary things at the moment." However, she's less enthused about suffering post-partum hair loss again, saying: "Its these bits [of hair]. Theyre just starting to grow back properly and now its all going to go again." Sienna announced her pregnancy by showing off her growing baby bump on the red carpet at the 2025 Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London in December. The news came after the actress previously revealed she froze her eggs in order to future-proof her fertility because she felt under pressure to have more kids while she still could. Speaking to ELLE UK magazine in 2022, Sienna explained: "Biology is incredibly cruel on women in [their 30s] - thats the headline, or it certainly was for me. "Then I got to 40 and I froze some eggs. Having been really focused on the need to have another baby, Im just like, if it happens, it happens. That kind of existential threat has dissipated." The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) is closely monitoring the evolving maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf and has strengthened precautionary measures to safeguard Indian-flagged vessels and Indian seafarers operating in the region. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a review meeting today to assess the prevailing security environment in the Persian Gulf and examine its implications for Indian maritime assets and personnel. During the meeting, the Director General of Shipping briefed the minister on the prevailing situation in the region and on the current status of Indian Flag Ships and Indian seafarers in the region. Speaking after the meeting, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We are closely monitoring the evolving situation and have activated all necessary precautionary, monitoring and coordination mechanisms to ensure the safety and welfare of our seafarers and the security of our maritime assets. We remain in constant touch with relevant national and international agencies and are prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging development." The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has activated enhanced monitoring and security oversight in respect to Indian Seafarers and Indian Flag ships in response to reported threats in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and adjoining sea areas, including missile and drone activity, electronic interference and other maritime security concerns. The Ministry, through DGS, has also initiated real-time tracking of Indian-flagged vessels with increased reporting frequency, and established 24x7 monitoring through the MMDAC DGComm Centre. Mandatory reporting protocols have also been prescribed for vessels, owners and managers. Close coordination is being maintained with the Indian Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and Indian missions abroad. Shipping companies and Recruitment and Placement Service Licensees have been advised to exercise caution in crew deployment and maintain regular communication with seafarers and their families. The Directorate, IFC-IOR, and other agencies are coordinating closely to ensure their safety and well-being. All necessary support and assistance are being extended to the affected seafarers and their families. A dedicated Quick Response Team has been set up to enable timely coordination among authorities, ensure immediate response to emerging situations and facilitate prompt assistance to Indian seafarers and their families. Helpline numbers have also been activated and shared with families of Seafarers through RPSLS. Stakeholders have been advised to maintain heightened vigilance and undertake voyage-specific risk assessments. Vessels operating in the region have been directed to maintain an enhanced security posture and bridge watch, ensure continuous communication readiness and report suspicious activity immediately. Reaffirming the government's commitment, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "India stands firmly with its seafarers and maritime stakeholders. The ministry remains prepared to extend all necessary operational, diplomatic and humanitarian support to safeguard Indian vessels and personnel and will continue active coordination with domestic and international stakeholders to protect India's maritime interests." (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described his bond with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as a "Milk-Honey Relationship," firmly rejecting allegations of discord and surveillance levelled by Opposition leaders. Targeting the opposition, Siddaramaiah, in a post on X, said that they have been trying to churn sourness into their relationship, asserting that it will have no impact on their bond. "DK Shivakumar and mine is a milk-honey relationship. This time, after our party came to power, the unemployed opposition leaders have been trying to churn sourness into the relationship between DK Shivakumar and me, and let R. Ashok and HD Kumaraswamy know that this may empty the sourness-filled within them, but it will have no effect on our milk-and-honey-like relationship," he said. https://x.com/siddaramaiah/status/2028795763480989704 The remarks came after Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka accused the Chief Minister of phone tapping to spy on Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah dismissed the charges as a "frustrated statement from restless souls," asserting that the Intelligence Department has traditionally remained under the Chief Minister's purview, including during previous BJP and JD(S) administrations. He alleged that the BJP and JD(S) were attempting to lure Shivakumar and disrupt the Congress government. Calling Shivakumar a "staunch Congressman," Siddaramaiah said no amount of political manoeuvring or "daydreaming" by rivals would weaken their relationship or destabilise the government. Addressing rumours of a power tussle following the completion of 2.5 years of the Congress government in November 2025, Siddaramaiah reaffirmed that the administration would complete its full five-year tenure under Congress leadership. He stressed that the party functions with internal democracy and that all MLAs ultimately abide by the high command's decision. The Chief Minister also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and central agencies, alleging misuse of investigative bodies against opposition leaders. Concluding his post, Siddaramaiah urged the Opposition to act as a constructive force, stating that the people of Karnataka had given Congress a clear mandate to govern for five years. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Police registered a case against 12 individuals in connection with alleged irregularities in the Excise Constable Recruitment Examination 2025 conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (MPESB), a police official said on Tuesday. According to the police, the MPESB conducted an exam for constables in the Excise Department in September 2025 for 243 posts. During the exam, 12 candidates were allegedly found to be involved in malpractices at an exam center in Ratlam district. Following this, a zero FIR was initially lodged at the MP Nagar Police Station in Bhopal after suspicious activities were reported during the examination held at the centre in Ratlam. Later, the matter was transferred to Ratlam, where a formal FIR was registered under relevant sections against the 12 accused, and an investigation began into the matter. Speaking to ANI, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vivek Lal said, "MP Nagar police in Bhopal sensed some suspicions regarding the excise constable recruitment process. Following this, they conducted a preliminary inquiry in which they found suspicious activities, resulting in registering a zero FIR as the exam center was in Ratlam district. Now, the case has been transferred here in Ratlam and we are registering an actual case here against 12 individuals, as these accused were identified in the FIR we received." "We have also received evidence, including CDs, in this regard. We have registered a case and now more evidence is being collected for the same," ASP Lal said. Further action would be taken based on the evidence received, he added. (ANI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday extended his heartfelt greetings to all citizens of Gujarat on the vibrant festival of Holi-Dhuleti. He expressed his wishes that this festival may fill the lives of people with the colours of happiness, prosperity, and enthusiasm. He stated that the festival of Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood. While conveying his greetings, he said that this festival gives the message of meeting one another with affection by forgetting differences and promotes social harmony in everyone's life. He also urged everyone to celebrate this festival together in such a way that the environment is also preserved. Earlier in the day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the Holi Dahan in Memnagar, Ahmedabad, and celebrated the festival with citizens in a joyful spirit. According to the Gujarat CMO, he participated in the Vedic Holi Dahan at Manav Mandir in Memnagar, promoting environmental conservation, and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the citizens. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that Holi marks the victory of truth over falsehood and is a festival of colours. It encourages people to forget differences, meet with affection, and promote social harmony. He urged everyone to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner and appreciated the environmental awareness shown by organising a Vedic Holi. After the Holi Dahan, the Chief Minister visited Manav Mandir, offered prayers, and felt blessed. He also exchanged festival greetings with devotees and residents present there. On the occasion of the Chief Minister's visit, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Standing Committee Chairman Devangbhai Dani, AMTS Chairman Dharamshibhai Desai, other corporation officials, local councillors, leaders, office-bearers, and a large number of devotees were present. Several other political leaders across the country joined the Holi 2026 celebrations. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma performed the traditional Holi puja at his official residence in Civil Lines in Jaipur shortly after midnight. The Chief Minister offered prayers for the continued happiness and prosperity of the people across the state. According to a release, Chief Minister Sharma performed Holi puja at the Shri Raj Rajeshwari Temple premises. Later, the state Chief Minister observed the 'Holika Dahan' amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. During the ceremony, soldiers from the Rajasthan Police's RAC Battalion performed traditional Holi songs and danced to the rhythmic beat of the Chang. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to meet with the soldiers and offer them words of encouragement. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday appealed for restraint and calm in the wake of escalating US-Israel military strikes in Iran, emphasising that the people of Iran alone have the right to determine their government. Speaking to the media, Abdullah condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and his family, stressing that no international law permits regime change through external bombing. "It is up to the people of Iran to decide what kind of government will be in place in Iran. No international law allows for a regime change through external bombing. First, the way Iran's Supreme Leader was brutally assassinated, along with his family members. What law allowed the US or Israel to do this?" Abdullah said, expressing sympathy for the people of Iran. "First, I express my sympathy to the people of Iran and condemn that attack," he said. The Chief Minister also urged citizens in Jammu and Kashmir not to let tensions spill over locally. He called on religious leaders to express grief responsibly and avoid taking the law into their own hands. "But at the same time, I appeal to our people in Jammu and Kashmir not to let the situation escalate. Some people are trying to disrupt the atmosphere. Religious leaders are requested to express their grief but not to take the law into their own hands," he said. Abdullah confirmed that authorities are in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and that Indian students in Iran have been moved to safer locations, though some remain unable to leave. He urged them to follow embassy guidelines. "We are in contact with the Ministry of External Affairs. Our students and others who are in Iran have been shifted to safe places. Some students are not being allowed to leave. I would urge them to follow the guidelines issued by the embassy," he added. His remarks come as the conflict in West Asia enters its fourth day following US and Israeli strikes on February 28, which targeted Iran's leadership, military installations, and strategic assets. The strikes killed Supreme Leader Khamenei along with other senior figures, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran on American and Israeli interests in the region. (ANI) Amid intense speculation over seat-sharing negotiations for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the alliance between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian National Congress (INC) remains "smooth" and "without friction", Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai said on Tuesday after meeting Chief Minister MK Stalin. "Everything is going on smoothly. I am a soldier of the party. Whatever the high command says, I will follow. AICC will make the final decision," Selvaperunthagai told reporters, downplaying reports of a deadlock. He termed the meeting a "courtesy call" and insisted, "There are no speculations and no negotiations." Congress MP P Chidambaram was also part of the discussions at Stalin's residence, a meeting seen as crucial in ironing out differences over seat-sharing within the DMK-led alliance. Addressing rumours of a rift a day earlier, Selvaperunthagai said, "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here. We're asking for a few more seats, and a settlement will be reached." Calling the DMK-Congress partnership under the INDIA bloc a "natural" and "ideological" alliance, he dismissed speculation about backchannel talks with Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). "We did not speak to TVK. Who said we spoke to TVK? I am the PCC president. My high command also did not give me any direction to speak to them directly or indirectly. We do not have any backdoor politics," he said. The Opposition, led by the BJP-AIADMK combine under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), launched sharp attacks on the ruling bloc. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) spokesperson Kovai Sathyan accused Selvaperunthagai of acting as a "DMK spokesperson," alleging that Congress had been "pushed into darkness." He claimed, "The DMK has never won consecutive elections. And it has never faced an election without an alliance. Now, as elections approach and the DMK struggles to form a formidable ally, the end is near for the DMK and its allies." Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss strategies to strengthen the NDA ahead of the polls. Palaniswami said the party is in talks with several outfits for potential alliances, and some are expected to join the NDA. He also clarified that there have been no discussions about including VK Sasikala's party in the alliance. AIADMK leader Sellur Raju also asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu had "made up their mind to change the ruling DMK government," adding, "No matter how many alliances are formed, it will not change that reality." The political sparring comes even as the Tamil Nadu government rolled out a series of welfare measures. Chief Minister Stalin announced that Rs 2,000, along with monthly pensions, had been credited to beneficiaries, including senior citizens, widows, elderly transgender persons, and persons with disabilities. The extension of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme to vulnerable groups was also announced. Under social security schemes, the government said Rs 3,200 each was provided to 29.29 lakh elderly and widowed beneficiaries, Rs 3,500 to 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities, and Rs 4,000 to 2.58 lakh persons receiving caregiver assistance. Additionally, Rs 8,000 per family was announced as fishing ban period assistance for over 1.6 lakh beneficiaries. However, Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran termed the financial assistance an "election-time gimmick." In a post on X, he accused the DMK government of failing to fulfil its 2021 manifesto promise to raise elderly assistance to Rs 1,500 and said the new announcement amounted to "nothing but a complete sleight of hand." "After five years of dark rule... the people of Tamil Nadu will neither be deceived by Chief Minister MK Stalin's sudden posturing as a protector nor waver from their decision to send the DMK packing," he said. In contrast, DMK's Differently-abled wing secretary Deepaknathan welcomed the move, calling it "very significant" and linking financial assistance to broader social empowerment. In a parallel development, the DMK confirmed that one Rajya Sabha seat would be allotted to the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), part of the Secular Progressive Alliance. The decision was taken during discussions between Stalin and DMDK Treasurer LK Sudheesh. Both parties will hold further talks to finalise constituencies for the Assembly polls. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. (ANI) President Donald Trump has said that the United States will continue its military operation against Iran to "eliminate the regime's missile capabilities", nuclear ambitions, and support for terrorism. Trump's remarks come amid escalating tensions following the US and Israeli coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. "For almost 47 years, this (Iranian) regime has been attacking the United States and killing Americans. General Soleimani, who was the father of the roadside bomb. I terminated him in my first term. This was our last best chance to strike what we're doing right now and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime," he said. Trump reiterated that the US is ahead of its initial projections and vowed to continue its mission with determination until Iran's growing threats are eliminated. "First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities... Second, we're annihilating their Navy. We've knocked out already 10 ships. They're at the bottom of the sea. Third, we're ensuring that the world's number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon," he said. He further added, "And finally, we're ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders." Further, Trump warned that Iran's regime already possessed missiles capable of striking Europe and US bases overseas, and was nearing the capability to target the United States. "The purpose of this fast-growing missile program was to shield their nuclear weapon development and make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to stop them from making these highly forbidden nuclear weapons," he explained. Trump emphasised that allowing Iran to possess long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would "pose a catastrophic threat" to both the Middle East and the United States. He added, "We thought we had a deal, but then they (Iran) backed out. Then they came back, and we thought we had a deal, and they backed out. I said, you can't deal with these people. You've got to do it the right way." In a tribute to the four American service members recently killed in action, Trump vowed to continue the mission with unwavering determination. "In their memory, we continue this mission with ferocious, unyielding resolve to crush the threat this terrorist regime poses to the American people." He reiterated the superiority of the US military, stating, "We have the strongest and most powerful by far military in the world, and we will easily prevail." Trump stated that the US was far ahead of initial expectations, saying, "Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that." "Somebody said today, the President wants to do it really quickly and after that, he'll get bored. I don't get bored. There's nothing boring about this," he added. Trump also said that the mission to eliminate Iran's military leadership was completed far ahead of schedule: "We also projected four weeks to terminate the military leadership, and as you know, that was done in about an hour, so we're ahead of schedule there by a lot." On February 28, the US and Israeli in coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran also retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned Iran's actions as a "terrorist regime", claiming that Tehran is targeting civilians while Israel is focused on protecting its people. He also stressed that Israel's ongoing military operation, Operation Roaring Lion, is to defend against "existential threats" posed by Iran. "The terrorist regime in Tehran is shooting at civilians, and we are shooting at the terrorist regime to protect civilians," Netanyahu wrote in his X post on Monday (local time). He stressed that Israel's military campaign aims to ensure the safety of its people while also creating conditions for the Iranian populace to overthrow their oppressive government. "This day is coming, and when it comes, Israel and the US will be there," Netanyahu added, expressing unwavering support for the Iranian people. Netanyahu also urged Israeli citizens to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command, which he said has saved many lives. He expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones in the conflict and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He also praised the efforts of rescue and reconstruction teams, saying, "We will rebuild - and build even more." Describing Operation as Israel's mission to dismantle Iran's threats, Netanyahu reiterated that this military action is not only to protect Israel but to aid the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom. "We are working together with the United States in the name and for the sake of all humanity," he added. Israeli Prime Minister also warned that Iran's actions are a direct threat to regional stability, stating, "They fired at a large part of the countries in the region, and I also said: 'They also fired at Europe.' Well, they fired at Europe." He emphasised that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a global threat. "If this regime of terror has nuclear weapons, they will threaten all of humanity," he said. He also visited the site of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, marking the third day of a massive joint military offensive against the Iranian regime. Standing amidst the wreckage of the targeted civilian area, the 76-year-old leader framed the ongoing conflict as a global mission alongside the United States to neutralise a nuclear-capable Tehran. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force completed three waves of strikes over western Iran, aiming to target missile launchers, defence systems, and other fire arrays used by Iran's terror regime. In a post on X, IAF said that hundreds of munitions were dropped on several missile launchers and defence arrays, significantly damaging Iran's missile capabilities. The strikes are intended to reduce the threat posed by Iranian missile fire towards Israel. "As part of the strike waves, the Air Force dropped hundreds of munitions on dozens of missile launchers, defence systems, and additional fire arrays that were in use by the Iranian terror regime. To date, in Operation "Roaring Lion," the Air Force has carried out dozens of strikes against the Iranian regime's ballistic missile array and defence systems, in order to damage the regime's missile arrays and reduce as much as possible the firing toward the State of Israel," the IAF post read. https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2028551704099143854 This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia following US-Israel joint military strikes on Iran that led to the death of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family on Sunday. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. Earlier, the Times of Israel reported, citing Lebanon's Health Ministry, that at least 31 people were killed and 149 others injured in overnight strikes carried out by the IDF across southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern Dahiyeh district. According to the Times of Israel, the areas are known for being Hezbollah strongholds; however, the ministry's figures do not distinguish between civilians and members of Hezbollah among the casualties. (ANI) Israel launched new waves of strikes on Iran's Tehran on Monday, less than an hour after issuing an evacuation warning to nearby residents, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). This came after a coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, which targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials. The IDF confirmed an attack on a studio complex of the official Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), saying it had "dismantled the Iranian terrorist regime's communications center." Iran's state-affiliated Press TV posted on Telegram that the broadcaster's headquarters "has been targeted by US-Israeli airstrikes." The media company, however, insisted that "there has been no disruption and the IRIB channels are functioning without problem," CNN reported. Israel said the center struck was "recently used by the Iranian regime's forces to advance military activities under the guise of civilian activity and assets, in addition to the propaganda activities that emanate from the communications center," IAF said in its post on X. https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2028551704099143854 The strikes followed an unprecedented evacuation notice from the IDF to residents of Tehran's Evin neighbourhood, where state media and other targets are based. An IDF spokesperson warned that Israeli forces would target Iranian military infrastructure "in the coming hours" and urged civilians to leave, saying, "For your safety and well-being, we request that you immediately evacuate the designated area..." and warned that not evacuating "puts your lives at risk," CNN reported. The targeted area is the same site hit in a previous strike in June, when a loud explosion was heard during a live broadcast, and Iran's state media later reported that one of its workers was killed. In coordination with its operations in Iran, the IDF issued warnings to civilians in parts of southern Lebanon, urging people in multiple villages to evacuate ahead of strikes on Hezbollah-linked targets. In a video posted in Arabic, an IDF spokesperson said Hezbollah's activities were prompting Israeli action, and that civilians should move north of a designated line for their safety. Separately, the Israeli military also issued guidance for residents of buildings in Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik to leave, stating, "You are in close proximity to Hezbollah facilities... For your safety and the safety of your families, you must evacuate these buildings immediately and remain at a distance of at least 300 meters." In addition to the broadcast studio complex, the IDF said its strikes hit "headquarters, bases, and regional command centers of the Iranian terrorist regime's internal security bodies," as well as "more than 10 sites belonging to the regime's main intelligence services" under Iran's Ministry of Intelligence. It also said multiple missile launchers and ballistic missile arrays were targeted, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have confirmed that missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of Israel. Israeli defence systems have been activated to intercept the incoming threat, and air-raid warnings were issued to civilians in various regions. https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2028598184856191448 "The Air Force has identified that a short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defence systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command has issued a preliminary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives, they save lives," the post read. "One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain in them until a new announcement. Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command directives," the post further added. On February 28, the US and Israel conducted coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) As escalations widen across West Asia, US Vice-President JD Vance on Tuesday (local time) said President Donald Trump decided to take action against Iran in order to protect America's national security. He made the remarks in an interview with Fox News. Vance said that Trump had determined to ensure America remains safe not only for a few years during his tenure as the President, but to ensure that Iran could never' to have a nuclear weapon. He said, "What the president determined is he didn't want to just keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term. He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime." Vance further told Fox News, "So he saw that the Iranian regime was weakened, he knew that they were committed to getting on that brink of a nuclear weapon, and he decided to take action because he felt that was necessary in order to protect the nation's security." In a video message on Monday to the Joint Force, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called it a "generational turning point America has waited for since 1979". He urged them to stay determined and re-iterated Trump administration's slogan--peace through strength. He added, "We will finish this on America-first conditions of President Trump's choosing. Nobody else's. As it should be. And know this above all: President Trump and I have your back, always. Through fire, through criticism, through fake news, through everything. We unleash you because you are the best, most powerful, most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen". As developments follow in wake of the tensions in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to US, Danny Danon met US First Lady Melania Trump ahead of the UN Security Council session and underlined that the alliance between Israel and the United States stands firm. Also on Monday in a post on Truth Social, Trump attacked the "radical left" for their response to the American strikes. In the post he said, "The Radical Left Democrats, a Party that has completely lost its way, are complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack, by the United States and Israel, on Iran. What most people understand is that they are only complaining BECAUSE I DID IT and, if I didn't do it, they would be screaming -- Why didn't "TRUMP" attack Iran, he should do it, IMMEDIATELY? There's nothing surprising about this!" A full-scale conflict erupted in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. (ANI) Sony is facing a 2 billion class action lawsuit in the UK over claims it overcharged millions of players through the PlayStation Store. Sony is facing a lawsuit amid claims that it overcharged PlayStation gamers The case, brought before the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, has been filed on behalf of an estimated 12.2 million UK gamers by consumer advocate Alex Neill. The claim alleges Sony abused its dominant market position by imposing "excessive and unfair" prices on digital games and in-game purchases sold via the PlayStation Store. At the heart of the lawsuit is Sonys 30 per cent commission on digital sales a fee applied to developers and publishers that the claimants argue is ultimately passed on to consumers. The legal team contends that Sonys "closed ecosystem" prevents rival digital storefronts from operating on PlayStation hardware, leaving players with no alternative purchasing options. Since the launch of the original PlayStation in 1995, the brand has evolved from disc-based media to a digital-first marketplace. The latest PlayStation 5 even offers a Digital Edition without a disc drive, accelerating the shift to downloads. The claim argues that this transition has strengthened Sonys control over pricing. If successful, eligible consumers anyone who purchased digital PlayStation content in the UK over the past decade could receive compensation averaging around162 each, including interest. Sony denies wrongdoing, stating its model is justified and helps fund hardware development, online services and platform security. The company has also argued that allowing third-party stores could create privacy and safety risks. The tribunal hearing is scheduled to begin on March 10 and is expected to last up to 10 weeks. The lawsuit follows increased scrutiny of major tech platforms digital commissions, including recent UK action against Apples App Store. The outcome could have significant implications for how console marketplaces operate in the future. A news report from the London based Financial Times has revealed a long term plan hatched by Israel's spy agencies that led to the targeted killing of Iran's erstwhile supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and members of the top echelon of Iran's military. According the Financial Times which cited multiple sources, Israel spent years hacking Tehran's traffic cameras and gaining access to mobile phone networks to monitor the movements of Khamenei and his security detail. Nearly all traffic cameras in Tehran had been hacked for years, with footage encrypted and transmitted to servers. The hack allowed the Israeli and American forces to pinpoint Khamenei's location leading to his elimination in a targeted strike. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes on Iran. In an interview to Fox News, Netanyahu said that Islamist regime was committed to destroying America. "Iran for 47 years has been chanting death to America. They bombed your embassies. They tried to assassinate Donald Trump, the President of the United States, twice. They murdered their own people, they massacred so many. And they spread a worldwide web of terror. This is a regime committed to destroying the United States of America," he said US Vice President JD Vance further told Fox News that US President Donald Trump wanted to ensure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon. "What the president determined is he didn't want to just keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term. He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mind set from the Iranian regime. So he saw that the Iranian regime was weakened, he knew that they were committed to getting on that brink of a nuclear weapon, and he decided to take action because he felt that was necessary in order to protect the nation's security," Vance told Fox News. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the current wave of retaliation from Iran showed what they could have been capable of in the future had the strike not been carried out "This operation needed to happen because Iran, in about a year... they would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones, that no one could do anything about it... look at the damage they're doing now, and this is a weakened Iran. Imagine a year from now. The bottom line is no matter who governs that country a year from now, they're not going to have these ballistic missiles and they're not going to have these drones to threaten us. That's the objective of this mission," Rubio said in a news conference. That line was met with an immediate counter from Syed Abbas Araghchi the Iranian Foreign Minister who said that Rubio had proven that there was no such thing as an Iranian threat. "Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian "threat". Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country," he posted on X. The conflict in West Asia continues unabated as the Iranian leadership targets the Gulf States and American assets in the region, while the United States says that the hardest hits from the US Armed forces are yet to come. (ANI) President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Friedrich Merz, at the White House on Tuesday (local time), according to the President's daily guidance and press schedule. The engagement will begin at 11 am (EST) with a formal greeting at the White House, followed by a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at 11:15 am (EST). The bilateral meeting will be covered by the White House press pool, while the initial greeting will be closed to the press. The President will then host a bilateral lunch with the German Chancellor in the Cabinet Room at 11:45 am. The lunch will also be held behind closed doors. The meetings are expected to focus on key areas of US-Germany cooperation, although the official agenda has not been publicly disclosed, amidst the ongoing West Asia, Ukraine-Russia, Tariff, and Greenland conflict. Later in the day, President Trump will participate in Executive Time at the White House. Later in the afternoon, he is scheduled to hold meetings with the Secretary of Energy in the Oval Office, followed by two policy meetings. According to DW News Agency, it is a visit that had been planned for a long time, but under very different circumstances. On Tuesday, the German Chancellor will meet with US President Donald Trump amid an escalating conflict in Iran and the Middle East. Merz had a range of issues with him that have been turned upside down by current events. On Sunday, Merz highlghted that Germany stood behind the US and Israel. He condemned Iran's attacks on the Gulf states, US military bases and Israel, the DW News Agency reported. But he also said that Germany finds itself in a dilemma regarding the original attacks by Israel and the US. In other words, the attacks are not covered by international law. But, Merz continued, the German government shares "the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end." And given decades of unsuccessful attempts to persuade Tehran to back down on its nuclear and missile program, now is not the time to "lecture our partners and allies." Though Merz did add that the US and Israeli attacks were not without risk, the DW News Agency reported. (ANI) One by one, Chairman Xi Jinping's political leader friends abroad are being whittled down by US military action. First there was President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, and the latest is Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran after he was eliminated by Operation Epic Fury. Yet China can do nothing but wring its hands and lament unilateral American military action. It is perhaps an irony that Khamenei assumed rule as Iran's supreme leader on 4 June 1989, the very day that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was massacring protesters in Tiananmen Square. China inked a comprehensive strategic partnership with Iran when Xi visited Teheran in 2016, but it has sat on its hands since Israel and USA commenced a bombardment of Iran on 28 February. A comprehensive strategic partnership puts Iran level pegging with the likes of the EU, Saudi Arabia and UAE, all of whom share such a relationship with Beijing. However, a comprehensive strategic partnership falls far short of the "all-weather strategic partnerships" that China shares with Belarus, Ethiopia, Hungary, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela. Russia enjoys an even higher tier than that. When Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone on 1 March, China and Russia suddenly rediscovered their moral compass. "Flagrantly killing the leader of a sovereign state and inciting regime change are unacceptable; these acts violate international law and the basic norms of international relations." Of course, such morals do not apply to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and China's tacit and materiel support for it. Wang pleaded, "The international community should issue a clear and explicit voice against the world regressing to the law of the jungle." They jointly called for the war's immediate cessation, and "stressed the need for a political and diplomatic settlement of all questions on the Iran issue". Bonnie Glaser, Managing Director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund, pointed out: "This pattern of China expressing shock and concern, but taking no action and providing little if any help to Iran will not change. If there is a new regime, Beijing will seek to pragmatically develop good relations, regardless of who is in charge." Nobody should be surprised at China's absence of visible support. When the US struck Iranian nuclear sites at the tail end of Israel's Operation Rising Lion last year, Beijing did little but utter rhetoric then too. In fact, China's interests are neither existential nor critical in the case of Iran. Indeed, Tehran is far more dependent on China than the other way around. Iran is a mere middle-tier partner for Beijing, with Xi having visited the country just once, back in 2016. By comparison, Xi visited Tajikistan and Uzbekistan three times each, and Kazakhstan merited six visits in the past 13 years. Before the Israel-US attack unfolded, Ryan Hass and Allie Matthias of the Brookings Institute in the USA wrote: "Beijing will be unsentimental about events inside Iran and about the fate of Iran's current regime. For China, its interests in Iran will be focused on protecting stability, ensuring continuing access to Iranian oil exports, and seeking to prevent the emergence of a pro-American regime in Tehran." They continued: "If Iran's regime eventually falls, China's leaders could grow more concerned about the aftershocks inside China than outside of it. As the Arab Spring and other events have shown, China's leaders are deeply sensitive to images of popular protests leading to regime collapse, even more so when the United States is perceived to play a role." Hass and Matthias listed three primary reasons why China does value its relationship with Iran: energy security through Iranian oil and gas; Iran's adversarial relationship against the USA that diverts Washington DC's attention and resources away from China; and Iran acts as an entry point for Chinese influence in Southwest Asia. When Wang visited Tehran in 2021, the two nations signed a 25-year cooperation agreement that was almost entirely economic. Beijing committed to investing US$400 billion in exchange for access to Iranian oil, although Chinese money has not flowed liberally. The relationship imbalance is seen in the fact that more than 80% of Iran's oil exports goes to China. Conversely, Iranian oil accounts for just 13.4% of China's overall imports by sea. Most goes to independent, small-scale refineries that depend upon discounted oil from places like Iran, Venezuela and Russia in order to make a profit. Oil is shipped by a ghost fleet of tankers, and the value of this illicit oil has exceeded US$140 billion since 2021. In other words, Chinese money has helped keep the Iranian economy afloat. What about the Sino-Iranian security relationship? They agreed to target terrorism, illegal immigration and transnational crime. They pledged to strengthen military and security cooperation via exercises and intelligence sharing, and both routinely contribute naval vessels in exercises with Russia. Their most recent outing was a BRICS Plus naval exercise near South Africa in January. Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE built significant portions of Iran's telecommunications infrastructure, and the latter overlaid a surveillance system onto the country's phone and internet networks under a 2010 contract. Doubtlessly, Chinese technology helped Iran shut down the internet when protests exploded. Of course, China must balance its Iranian relationship with that of other Middle East states, many of whom are antipathetic towards Tehran. Beijing therefore never gave any security guarantees to Iran. It is unclear what weapons China has delivered. There are assertions that Iran acquired HQ-17AE and HQ-16 air defense systems from China following the twelve-day war with Israel in mid-2025. Other claims mention HQ-9 air defense systems, loitering munitions, components for ballistic missiles, stealth radars and dual-use items needed for Iranian missile propulsion and guidance systems. There are allegations too that Iranian ballistic missiles use China's BeiDou satellite guidance system. If true, this would make China complicit in Iran's kill chain. Reuters reported that Teheran had been close to finalizing a deal for CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles. Interest in the DF-17 hypersonic missile has also been thrown into the mix, and China may have shipped more than 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a precursor for missile propellant, to Bandar Abbas last year. However, most of these claimed sales lack independent verification. Thus, Rick Joe, an expert on the PLA, warned: "It's amazing how big the gap in perception of China-Iran geopolitical alignment/military sales is, versus reality. I encourage people to review what the PRC has *actually* sold Iran in the last decade. Even in the Middle East region, Gulf Cooperation Council are the biggest customers for PRC military hardware, not Iran." Returning to Beijing's lack of tangible support to Iran, Hass and Matthias noted: "Reflecting China's relatively narrow interests and competing priorities, Chinese analysts have long described China's relationship with Iran as 'strategic opportunism'. The absence of productive US-Iran relations affords China a low-cost opportunity to extract benefits from Iran." China can weather a disruption in oil supply from Iran, as it can easily source this from other markets. The Brookings Institute academics said Beijing "will pragmatically move to protect its people, companies and investments. It will aim to secure uninterrupted oil flows, encourage rapid efforts to bolster domestic stability and limit external spillover, and cultivate influence with the successor government, particularly to prevent realignment toward the United States." Miles Yu, an American historian and strategist who served under former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, wrote: "Strategic alliance with China is usually built on hot air (e.g. the hackneyed mantra of five principles of peaceful coexistence) and deceit (sometimes self-deceit). No principle, only opportunism." Yu said China easily abandons allies for its grand anti-US obsession, one example being its betrayal of numerous "security guarantees" with Ukraine, and instead siding with Russia. Of course, China does not have "allies" the way the USA does, often with security guarantees written into them. Beijing has no intention of being sucked into commitments to externally defend others, especially when no core interest is at stake. It is unclear how the US attack will affect Trump's planned visit to Beijing next month either. Beijing does want stable relations with the USA and is seeking relief from trade and strategic pressure. The question is whether Iran matters enough to China to cause a cancellation of the state visit. One cause for concern is the depleting inventories of US weapons. Malcolm Davis, a Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said: "The reality that the US and its allies are facing the challenge of very limited stockpiles of guided weapons - both strike and missile defense - highlights that the defense policies of most Western liberal democracies have not kept pace with a rapid deterioration in the global strategic environment. China has dramatically ramped up defense industrial capacity, as has Russia. They're doing so because they're getting ready for major power protracted war, potentially within this decade. The Western democracies have not begun to respond to this challenge until very recently, and then only reluctantly." With Western countries playing catch-up and time running out, Davis warned, "This new Middle Eastern war is yet another step towards a wider global war. Now we're facing the challenge with Iran in the Middle East, but tomorrow it could be a Chinese move on Taiwan, or a Russian attack against NATO's eastern frontier. We need to open our eyes and realize that we're in a pre-war situation globally, and start preparing for the worst. And we don't have a decade to get ready." Will the US preoccupation with Iran, and the degradation of its weapons stockpile, is China likely to make a preemptive move on Taiwan? Glaser remarked, "Beijing has its own timeline and strategy toward Taiwan. It won't be heavily influenced by Iran, Venezuela or Ukraine. Armchair experts on China-Taiwan dynamics should stop predicting that Xi will seize the opportunity of every global crisis to seize Taiwan." Peter Mattis, President of The Jamestown Foundation think-tank in the US, concurred. "The PLA is not ready by its own benchmarks. Few senior officers in place, problems over authority between Xi and the PLA. It would be a high-risk move by a leader and system that tend toward caution and have to be worried about their equipment's performance." From another perspective, American military action against Iran could cause China to pay greater heed. Xi takes inaction on the part of the USA as weakness, whereas action could tend to bolster US deterrence in places like Taiwan. At the same time, if Trump is successful with the aim he delineated - effecting regime change - then this will free up the USA to concentrate more on Taiwan and Asia instead of being distracted by Middle East considerations. You see, when the Houthis targeted Red Sea shipping, or when Iran constricts the Strait of Hormuz, that forces the USA and its allies to spend military dollars and divert resources to reopen these waterways. This is to China's benefit, for it keeps the US distracted from Chinese targets like Taiwan. Hass and Matthias noted, "Losing a reliably anti-American partner in the Middle East would be uncomfortable, but it would not present a crisis for Beijing. The greater concern for China's leaders would be intangible: images of popular protests deposing an entrenched regime. Such scenes could reactivate the neuralgias that were evident in Beijing during the color revolutions in the former Soviet Union and the Arab Spring. A successful uprising would also expose the limits of repression for stamping out calls for political reform. China's leaders could respond by tightening domestic surveillance, social media monitoring, and the visibility of the public security presence to quash any rumblings of organized dissent." They concluded, "Even though China's leaders would prefer to see Iran's current political regime remain in place, they could manage a change in leadership in Tehran. What they would not tolerate is any attempts to use events inside Iran to encourage similar protests inside China. Iran is not existential for China's leaders. Domestic stability is." (ANI) The US Embassy in Islamabad announced the cancellation of all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the current security situation, amidst the ongoing Iranian protests for the death of the Supreme Leader Ayotallah Khamenei. In a post on X, the embassy said, " Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6." The advisory applies to the US Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi as well, as authorities monitor evolving situations in the country. Earlier on Monday, in Pakistan, multiple roads were closed in Karachi's West and South districts, in view of the prevailing security situation due to countrywide protests over the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Dawn. The Dawn reported that 10 people were killed in Karachi and two in Islamabad as protests erupted countrywide against the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks. The Pakistani law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation. Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was also implemented across Sindh. Section 144 of the PPC deals with "joining an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons". Multiple road closure alerts were issued in the morning; the alerts cited "security" as the reason. The protests across Gilgit-Baltistan continued to intensify on Monday over the attack on Iran and the killing of Khamenei, with violent clashes leaving seven demonstrators dead and several others injured. In Gilgit and Skardu, angry protestors set fire to local offices of the United Nations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Gilgit. In Skardu, the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) and several government buildings were also torched during the unrest. As a result of firing on the protesters, seven demonstrators were killed, and more than a dozen others were injured. Iran had declared 40 days of public mourning following the death of their Supreme Leader. Ayatollah Khamenei succeeded the Revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, and his tenure was marked by consistent opposition to Western influence. Following his death, Iran has vowed "the most devastating offensive operation" against US bases and Israel in retaliation. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has pledged revenge and says it has launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops in West Asia, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv. (ANI) Hezbollah claimed a dawn attack on Israel''s Ramat David Air Base, Al Jazeera reported. According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the air base on Tuesday. This comes as a retaliation for Israeli strikes. Earlier, IRNA News Agency reported that the Israeli regime attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. According to IRNA, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting its programmes minutes after the reported strike. Earlier, Israel said that the head of Hezbollah''s intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group''s military activities. The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called "the head of Hezbollah''s intelligence headquarters." The developments come amid heightened hostilities in West Asia, with cross-border strikes and aerial interceptions raising concerns about further regional spillover. The IDF said Makled was responsible for "forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organisation with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel." The Israeli Air Force also intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles that crossed from Lebanon. Meanwhile, amidst the ongoing West Asian tensions, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that the US forces carried out sustained operations targeting key Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In a post on X, CENTCOM said, "U.S. forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations. We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime." CENTCOM also said that multiple squadrons of F/A-18s are supporting sustained operations against Iran. According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces are flying day and night to deliver overwhelming firepower. U.S. B-1 bombers also struck deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic missile capabilities. This enhanced use of firepower comes amid escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran. Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on the US air base in Bahrain. Iran''s IRGC said it destroyed the main command building of a US air base in Bahrain during a drone and missile attack early Tuesday. It said that 20 drones and 3 missiles struck the Sheikh Isa base, also setting fuel tanks on fire. Iran''s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Iran will continue to defend itself decisively for as long as the US-Israeli aggression persists. (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) sent an official letter to Congress about the U.S. strikes against Iran, where he justified military action, reported Fox News. In his letter Trump said that the strikes were conducted at his direction on February 28 to protect US interests, ensuring free flow of maritime commerce via Strait of Hormuz and for the collective self-defence of regional allies, including allies. "At my direction, on February 28, 2026, United States forces conducted precision strikes against numerous targets within Iran including ballistic missile sites, maritime mining capabilities, air defenses, and command and control capabilities. These strikes were undertaken to protect United States forces in the region, protect the United States homeland, advance vital United States national interests, including ensuring the free flow of maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, and in collective self-defense of our regional allies, including Israel," Trump wrote Trump added that no United States ground forces were used in these strikes, and the mission was planned and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties, deter future attacks, and neutralize Iran's malign activities. He recalled the operation Midnight Hammer undertaken by the US last year and said that despite its success, Iran continued to seek and employ nuclear weapons. "Its array of ballistic, cruise, anti- ship, and other missiles pose a direct threat to and are attacking United States forces, commercial vessels, and civilians, as well as those of our allies and partners," he said. In his statement Trump slammed Tehran for "malign behavior" despite the Administration's repeated efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution. He further mentioned that while the US desires "quick and enduring peace", it is yet to be determined how long the full scope of the military operations will last. "United States forces remain postured to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats and attacks upon the United States or its allies and partners, and ensure the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ceases being a threat to the United States, its allies, and the international community," he wrote Trump said he shared the report in accordance with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148) and expressed appreciation to the support of Congress in the actions. "I directed this military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests. I acted pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive to conduct United States foreign relations", the letter added. In response to the joint American-Israeli strikes, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. (ANI) As the conflict escalates in West Asia, Israel conducted strikes in both Tehran and Beirut, while the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by drone on Tuesday. The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X that it is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut. https://x.com/IDF/status/2028705371078947173?s=20 As per Al Jazeera, the IDF strikes took place in Beirut''s Haret Hreik area. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reported citing Reuters that the US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by a drone attack. It also shared that two more US soldiers killed in Operation Epic Fury, taking the American toll to six. As per Al Jazeera, US has now cancelled all consular services in Saudi Arabia following attack on embassy and the US embassy in Iraq has ordered non-emergency government employees to leave, prohibiting the use of Baghdad airport. As the tensions spill over in the neighbouring Gulf countries in wake of Operation Epic Fury by the United States and the retaliation strikes by Iran, Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa- Bahrainian Ambassador to the US said on Monday that Bahrain''s air defenses intercepted 70 Iranian ballistic missiles and 59 drones targeting the country. https://x.com/AbdullaRAK/status/2028592082546561269?s=20 The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that the US forces carried out sustained operations targeting key Iranian military infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Iran claimed to have launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on the US air base in Bahrain. Iran''s IRGC said it destroyed the main command building of a US air base in Bahrain during a drone and missile attack early Tuesday. It said that 20 drones and 3 missiles struck the Sheikh Isa base, also setting fuel tanks on fire. Iran''s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Iran will continue to defend itself decisively for as long as the US-Israeli aggression persists. The scope of the conflict continues to widen with the Gulf States now drawn into it. In response to the joint American-Israeli strikes, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. (ANI) A member of Iran''s Assembly of Experts, charged with choosing the new Iranian Supreme Leader, said that it "won''t take long" to pick the Ayotallah Khamenei''s successor, according to Iran''s ISNA news agency. Earlier on Monday, the Provisional Leadership Council of Iran held its second meeting in the presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezekshian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, as per the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Sharing the visuals from the meeting in a post on X on Monday, IRNA said, "The second meeting of the Provisional Leadership Council was held with the presence of President @drpezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei and Alireza A''rafi." The second meeting of the Provisional Leadership Council came after Iran''s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on Saturday in Israel-US strikes as part of Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion. After Khamenei''s killing, Trump again addressed the Iranian public on Saturday, calling for them to topple the government. "This will probably be your only chance for generations," he said on Saturday after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began. The Provisional Leadership Council was formed shortly after Iran''s Supreme Leader Khamenei and top security officials were killed in the US and Israel''s ongoing attacks. The interim council, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, will oversee the country until a new supreme leader is elected. Iranian state media say at least 201 people have been killed in the attacks across 24 provinces, as per Al Jazeera. The three members of the council present in the meeting were Iranian President Masoud Pezekshian, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi and Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. As per Al Jazeera, Arafi has been a member of the Guardian Council since 2019 -- whose members are appointed by the Supreme Leader. It serves as the Islamic legal authority that vets Iran''s laws and policies to make sure they conform to Islamic principles. The Council also approves election candidates, has veto power over legislation passed by parliament and supervises elections. Alireza Arafi, a cleric member of the Guardian Council, has been appointed as the jurist member of Iran''s Leadership Council, a body tasked with fulfilling the supreme leader''s role until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday. It further reported that Arafi also serves as the deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts-- the body responsible for overseeing the selection of the supreme leader. He leads the Friday prayers in Iran''s most important religious centre- Qom, and heads the seminary system, overseeing education for religious leaders nationwide. The third member of the Council-- Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei is a senior religious leader and has headed the judiciary since Khamenei appointed him to the post in July 2021, Al Jazeera reported. From 2005-2009, he served as the intelligence minister and later as prosecutor-general and first deputy chief justice. (ANI) US President Donald Trump, on Monday in a telephonic interview with the British Newspaper The Sun, expressed his disappointment over the decision by the United Kingdom not to join the US in strikes against Iran, alleging that Starmer's decision comes so as to back the voters of Islamic faith in the country. The US President suggested to the Sun that Keir Starmer is pandering to Muslim voters by not backing the American strikes in Iran, adding that Britain is "not such a recognisable country" anymore. Referring to Starmer, Trump was quoted as saying, "He has not been helpful. I never thought I'd see that. I never thought I'd see that from the UK. We love the UK". As per The Sun, when asked about accusations that the UK PM was pandering to Muslim voters for political reasons, the President said "it could be". He added, "London is a very different place, with a terrible Mayor. You have a terrible Mayor there, some terrible people. But it's a very different place." The transatlantic fallout comes after UK PM Keir Starmer on Monday in an oral statement to the House of Commons on Iran said, "The United Kingdom was not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran. That decision was deliberate. We believe that the best path for the region is through a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to abandon its aspiration to develop a nuclear weapon and ceases its destabilising activities across the Middle East. That has been the longstanding position of successive British governments." He added, "President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes. But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest, and that is the judgement I made. I stand by it." Starmer criticized the actions of Iran in his remarks, calling it a threat to UK's partners, interests and allies. He further told the house that US had requested for permission to use British bases and affirmed that the bases are limited to defensive purposes hence UK had joined American offensive operations. "The United States requested permission to use British bases for that specific, limited defensive purpose. They have the capabilities required to prevent Iranian missiles from killing civilians, British nationals, or our allies in countries that played no part in the initial strike. To be clear: the use of British bases is strictly limited to agreed defensive purposes. The UK has not joined US offensive operations. Our action is rooted in the principle of collective self-defence of longstanding friends and in the protection of British lives. We have published a summary of our legal position, which sets this out clearly. We will keep this decision under review." The developments come as a full-scale conflict erupted in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28. In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, and leadership compounds. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. World leaders and international bodies are currently urging de-escalation as the risk of a wider regional conflict grows, though fighting continues without a clear end in sight. (ANI) Lebanon''s state-run National News Agency on Tuesday said that the Lebanese army has redeployed its troops from several of its "advanced positions" along the Israeli border, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. This comes amid the Israeli military stating today that its soldiers are "operating in southern Lebanon" as it continues strikes against Hezbollah. The Israeli army launched airstrikes across Lebanon early Monday after intercepting a rocket fired from Lebanese territory, local media in Israel reported. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that their military has been authorised to advance and take control of additional positions deeper in Lebanon. He said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) ''s move to advance in southern Lebanon is intended to prevent "direct fire" on Israeli communities and "working to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel." "To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there," Katz said in a statement. "The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organisation is paying and will pay a heavy price for the fire toward Israel," the Israeli Defence Minister said. Hezbollah had launched rockets and drones at northern Israel early on Monday in response to Israel''s killing of Iran''s supreme leader Ayatollah Khomenei. The terror group fired more rockets and drones overnight and this morning, the Times of Israel reported. Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon, widely considered Iran''s most powerful and significant proxy. Israel said Monday that the head of Hezbollah''s intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group''s military activities, hours after the Iran-backed organisation fired rockets and drones at Israel, leading to major retaliatory strikes overnight and throughout Monday. Lebanon''s National News Agency and the Times of Israel reported that an overnight strike in southern Beirut killed Adham al-Othman,41, a senior commander in Palestinian Islamic Jihad''s al-Quds Brigades. Israel had said on Monday that Hussein Makled, the head of Hezbollah''s intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike on Beirut. The Israeli military said Makled was responsible for "forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organisation with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel." Yesterday, Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun condemned the aggression by Israel targeting the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. A report by Qatar News Agency (QNA) cited a statement by the Lebanese Presidency in which Aoun said that the launching of rockets from Lebanese territory at dawn on Monday "targets all efforts and endeavours made by the state to keep Lebanon distanced from the dangerous military confrontations in the region." He emphasised that "the Lebanese state has repeatedly warned of the consequences of regional escalation on the country and has called for prudence and responsible action guided by the national interest." Aoun also warned that "persisting in using Lebanon once again as a platform for ''support wars'' we have no part in will expose the country to new risks." Lebanon''s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had in a statement after a cabinet meeting, said Lebanon had rejected any military actions launched from its territory "outside the framework of its legitimate institutions and affirmed that the decision of war and peace is exclusively in its hands." Salam was cited by NNA, Lebanese news agency as saying that "The Lebanese state declares its absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security operations launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions." "It affirms that the decision of war and peace rests solely with the state, necessitating the immediate prohibition of all Hezbollah''s security and military activities, deeming them illegal. Hezbollah is obligated to surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state and confine its activities to the political sphere within constitutional and legal frameworks," Salam said. Salam ordered the military and security agencies to take "immediate measures" to implement the cabinet decision and prevent "any military operation or the launching of missiles or drones from Lebanese territory." (ANI) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have signed a first-look streaming deal with Netflix. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have signed a new deal with Netflix The longtime friends and collaborators run Artists Equity together, and their company is joining forces with the global streamer for a new multi-year production and distribution agreement. The Hollywood stars said in a joint statement: This is an incredible milestone for Artists Equity and one that validates the vision weve been working towards since 2022. From the jump, weve seen this growing need for an independent supplier comfortable across the entire creative process, from development to final cut. "Netflix is a great match for our work. Under the terms of the deal - which only covers straight-to-streaming projects - Artists Equity will be in charge of creative and production for their movies. The company still has its existing agreement with Sony Pictures, which is focused on developing and producing feature films for the big screen. Affleck and Damon heaped praise on Netflix Film chairman Dan Lin and his team a "unique connection with the modern viewer and the ability to unite audiences over a shared cultural moment". They added: "We cant wait to create many more ambitious, globally resonant stories together. Last month, the duo starred together in action thriller The Rip, which topped Netflix's global top 10 charts for three weeks, and amassed 112.3 million views over six weeks. Lin said in his own statement: "Were expanding our partnership with Artists Equity because they share our mission to make bold, original films. Ben and Matt dont wait for opportunities, they create them: from making and starring in ambitious, original films, to building an innovative studio model. "Audiences worldwide are loving The Rip, and we cant wait to share the thriller Animals later this year. Formalising this relationship means we will be making even more memorable movies together. Animals will be directed by Affleck, and he will also star in the film alongside Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington and Steven Yeun. The film will follow a LA mayoral candidate and his wife, who are forced to come up with ransom money after their son is kidnapped. While promoting The Rip earlier this year, Damon revealed that Netflix executives are keen for movies to restate the plot for viewers "three or four times in the dialogue" because they are likely distracted by a second screen. he told Joe Rogan's podcast: The standard action movie [has] three set pieces. One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third. You spend most of your money on the third act. Thats your finale. And now theyre like, Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay. "'And it wouldnt be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while theyre watching. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected the presence of five Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Tuesday. The armed forces monitored the situation and responded. In a post on X, the MND said, "5 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2028636480906944785?s=20 Earlier on Monday, the MND detected five Chinese naval vessels around itself. In a post on X, the MND said, "5 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2028274092005278031?s=20 China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements. Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India. China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised. In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC, United Service Institution of India states. (ANI) Baloch Voice for Justice has alleged continued suppression of dissent and renewed concerns over enforced disappearances in Balochistan, citing two recent posts shared on X regarding the treatment of families of detained leaders and the nine-year disappearance of Mir Siraj Jattak. As mentioned by Baloch Voice for Justice on X, families of detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee attempted to hold a press briefing at the Quetta Press Club to challenge the continued detention of their relatives and a recent High Court ruling that denied bail after what they described as months of delay. According to the organisation, authorities refused them access to the venue. When permission to use the press club hall was denied, the families addressed members of the media outside the building. The group alleged that police intervened during the interaction and attempted to block journalists from covering the event, with reporters reportedly pushed back in what it described as an effort to limit public visibility. The organisation further stated that the court ordered the case to proceed before the same judge despite serious concerns raised by the families regarding impartiality. It said the development raises questions about fair trial guarantees and judicial independence, adding that peaceful assembly and freedom of expression remain under pressure. In its post, Baloch Voice for Justice urged international human rights bodies, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to urgently monitor what it termed a pattern of suppression. "Silencing families will not erase their demands. Accountability and rule of law must prevail," the group stated. In a separate post, Baloch Voice for Justice highlighted that March 3, 2026, marks nine years since the enforced disappearance of Mir Siraj Jattak. According to the organisation, he was forcibly disappeared on March 3, 2017, near Mughalzai School in Kalat, Balochistan, and has not been seen since. The group said that for nearly a decade, his family has endured uncertainty and anguish while being denied their fundamental right to know his fate and whereabouts. The organisation referenced international standards, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, stating that authorities are obligated to investigate such cases promptly, transparently, and impartially, ensure accountability, and provide information and remedies to affected families. It stressed that no person should be deprived of liberty without due process and that every detainee has the right to be informed of the reasons for arrest, to access legal counsel, to communicate with family members, and to be brought promptly before a competent court. Families, it added, have the right to truth, justice, and reparation. The organization called upon the relevant authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Mir Siraj Jattak, ensure his safe release if he is in custody or bring him promptly before a court in accordance with due process guarantees, conduct an independent and effective investigation into his disappearance, hold those responsible accountable, and provide his family with full information, protection, and appropriate remedies. It also announced that on March 3, 2026, from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM, it will lead an online campaign on X to mark nine years of his enforced disappearance, urging human rights organisations, activists, students, lawyers, journalists, and members of the public to stand in solidarity and raise their voices for his safe recovery. (ANI) The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iran and the Gulf region following the outbreak of the conflict on February 28 this year. In a statement the official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said tha India had urged all parties from the very beginning to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation, and ensure the safety of civilians. "We had expressed our deep concern at the commencement of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on 28 February 2026. Even at that time, India had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritize the safety of civilians. Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously," the statement read. "In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt. As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety," the statement added. The statement also noted that the safety of Indians overseas continues to be India's priority. "There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days," it said. The statement strongly called for return to dialogue and diplomacy, and said that all embassies and consulates remain in touch with Indians there. "In this background, India strongly reiterates its call for dialogue and diplomacy. We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict. Already, many lives have been regrettably lost and we express our grief in that regard. Indian Embassies and Consulates in the affected countries remain in close touch with Indian nationals and community organizations, issuing regular advisories as appropriate. They have also extended all possible help to those stranded by the conflict. The Embassies and Consulates will continue to be proactive in addressing various consular aspects of this conflict," it added. "We are in touch with the Governments of this region as well as other key partners. Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister have held discussions with their counterparts. Government will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest," the statement added. Meanwhile, the scope of the conflict continues to widen with the Gulf States now drawn into it after US-Israeli strikes as a part of Operation Epic Fury/ Roaring Lion struck targets across Iran and resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Commander, Ayatollah Khamenei. (ANI) The discussions included enhanced cooperation to strengthen local governance structures and rural development, which are shared priorities of both countries. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral engagement in areas such as the rural economy, agricultural cooperatives, financial empowerment at the grassroots, etc. High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh relations are founded on people-to-people ties and that India remains ready to engage with Bangladesh in a positive, constructive, and forward-looking manner to promote people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. Earlier, Verma on Sunday met with Bangladesh's Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and exchanged views on bilateral issues of common interest, including security cooperation between the two countries. The High Commissioner also met with Bangladesh's Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Md Asaduzzaman, later in the day. During these meetings, the High Commissioner conveyed India's willingness to work together with the new government of Bangladesh to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest, mutual benefit and mutual respect. These discussions build upon India's earlier expression of its desire to build ties with the new government of Bangladesh, as stated by Pranay Verma on February 22. On that occasion, Verma met Khalilur Rahman, who is Bangladesh's new Foreign Minister, and Minister of State, Shama Obaed Islam, at the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry. (ANI) Over the last 48 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. This comes amid the fast-evolving conflict situation in the region, triggered by the joint US-Israeli military offensive against Iran and attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed groups on Israel and the Gulf states as well as US military targets in the region. PM Modi spoke to Amir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He condemned the attacks on Qatar and thanked Amir of Qatar for support and care of the Indian community in Qatar. "Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. We stand firmly in solidarity with Qatar and strongly condemn any violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We emphasized the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. I also conveyed my appreciation for his continued support and care for the Indian community in Qatar during this challenging time," PM Modi said in a post on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028819010083869037?s=20 PM Modi also spoke to two important leaders from the Gulf region this afternoon. He had a phone call with Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik and also had a conversation with the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. During both discussions, the Prime Minister expressed concern at the attacks in the respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. "Spoke with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Condemned the violation of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Deeply appreciated Oman's continued support to the Indian community," PM Modi said in a post on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028818384956391914?s=20 Yesterday PM Modi had spoken with the King of Jordan, King Abdullah II and affirmed India's support for the "peace, security and the well-being" of Jordanians. The Prime Minister expressed concerns over the "evolving situation" in West Asia, while thanking him for looking out for the Indian diaspora in Jordan during this "difficult hour." In a post on X, the PM wrote, "Spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. Conveyed our deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. We reaffirm our support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan. I thanked him for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028500864001098204?s=20 Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in separate telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. During these discussions, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the recent attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He also enquired about the safety and well-being of the large Indian community residing in these countries, reflecting India's priority to safeguard its diaspora amid the regional turmoil. These calls build on PM Modi's ongoing diplomatic outreach since the conflict erupted involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. On Sunday, he held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he reiterated India's call for an early cessation of all hostilities in the region to restore peace. (ANI) Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following military strikes involving the US, Israel, and Iran, thousands of citizens have found themselves caught in a massive aviation standstill. The situation remains fluid as major hubs like Hamad International (Doha) and Dubai International (DXB) operate under severe restrictions. As of March 3, 2026, the closure of airspaces over Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia has left an estimated 8,000 passengers stranded in Qatar alone, with tens of thousands more affected across the Gulf. Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday informed that nearly 8,000 people are stranded in transit in the country, Al Jazeera reported. Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that a large number of people are stranded as the airspace remains closed due to the ongoing counter-strikes by Iran following the US and Israel attack on the Persian Gulf country that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures. The Qatar Foreign Ministry said that the attempts to attack Hamad International Airport have failed, Al Jazeera reported, adding that there was no ongoing communication with Iran, which has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. The Qatar FM spokesperson asserted that the country has enough interceptor missiles to deal with the ongoing threat. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi airport has advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have confirmed tickets, since access to the airport is restricted to confirmed travellers only. "Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless they hold a confirmed ticket and have been explicitly advised by their airline to do so. Access to the airport will be restricted to confirmed travellers only. The safety and well-being of all passengers and staff remain our highest priority," the statement by Abu Dhabi airport said. Etihad Airways, one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), issued an airport advisory for travellers, advising passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by the airline and provided with confirmed ticket details. "Guests and members of the public are advised not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and provided with confirmed ticket details. Access to the airport will be restricted for those without confirmed travel documentation," Etihad Airways posted on X. "All others should check their flight status at etihad.com and await further communication from the airline. Safety remains our highest priority. We appreciate your cooperation," the airline said. Moreover, Oman Air informed cancellations of several flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad, and Khasab, due to regional airspace closures. "All other flights are operating as scheduled; however, some delays may be expected. The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. We are closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the appropriate authorities and will continue to share updates here and on our website," the airline posted on X. Meanwhile, the Indian government and major domestic carriers have launched an emergency repatriation mission to bring citizens home. Indian airlines are coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Indian embassies to operate "relief" and "repatriation" flights. Indian Embassies in the Gulf region have activated 24x7 helplines and suspended walk-in consular services to focus entirely on the emergency evacuation and assistance of stranded nationals. IndiGo has initiated the repatriation flights to rescue the stranded citizens in Gulf countries. "We understand how the ongoing situation has impacted travel plans, especially when they involve returning home or being with loved ones. We are progressively reinstating select flights as part of a carefully planned restoration of our schedule, with safety as our highest priority and close consideration of the evolving situation. Operations are being resumed in line with prevailing airspace conditions, with all necessary approvals already in place. If you are scheduled to travel, we kindly request that you wait for confirmation from us before proceeding to the airport," the airline posted on X. "Details of the routes being progressively restored, based on evolving airspace conditions, are as follows: Athens, Muscat, Jeddah, Madinah. And more repatriation flights in the UAE, based on slots and permits," IndiGo said. IndiGo said that repatriation flights from Dubai, Fujairah, and Jeddah are expected to arrive at Mumbai airport today. SpiceJet has announced to restore scheduled flights between Fujairah-Delhi and Mumbai starting March 4. The airline will operate four special flights from the UAE today to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded there following the sudden closure of airspace. The airline will operate these special services from Fujairah to three Indian cities - Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi - including two flights to Mumbai, to ensure that passengers are able to return home at the earliest. In addition to these special services, SpiceJet will restore its scheduled flights between Fujairah and Delhi and between Fujairah and Mumbai starting March 4, helping normalise connectivity between the UAE and India. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, "At a time like this, our priority is to support Indian citizens who are facing uncertainty and want to return home. We are grateful to the authorities for their coordination, which has made these special flights possible. SpiceJet stands ready to operate more such services, wherever required, to assist our people." However, all scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 23:59 hrs UAE time on March 4, due to airspace closures across the region. This comes after the Civil Aviation Ministry said it was closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations. According to an official release, the Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest. Special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, amid escalating tensions in West Asia. In the last 48 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. PM Modi, in his call with the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, condemned the attacks on Qatar and thanked the Amir of Qatar for support and care of the Indian community in Qatar. "Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. We stand firmly in solidarity with Qatar and strongly condemn any violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We emphasised the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. I also conveyed my appreciation for his continued support and care for the Indian community in Qatar during this challenging time," he said in a post on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028819010083869037?s=20 PM Modi spoke to two important leaders from the Gulf region this afternoon. He had a phone call with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik. He also had a conversation with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. "Had a productive telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. India condemns violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stands with its people in this difficult hour. We underscored the significance of dialogue and diplomacy in restoring regional peace and stability. Appreciated the Kuwaiti leadership's continued support to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028818665962099074?s=20 "Spoke with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Condemned the violation of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential for the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Deeply appreciated Oman's continued support to the Indian community," PM Modi said in a post on X. During both discussions, the Prime Minister expressed concern at the attacks in the respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there. On Monday, PM Modi spoke with the King of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II, and affirmed India's support for the "peace, security and the well-being" of Jordanians. The Prime Minister expressed concerns over the "evolving situation" in West Asia while thanking His Majesty for looking out for the Indian diaspora in Jordan during this "difficult hour". In a post on X, the PM wrote, "Spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan. Conveyed our deep concern at the evolving situation in the region. We reaffirm our support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan. I thanked him for taking care of the Indian community in Jordan in this difficult hour." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2028500864001098204?s=20 Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in separate telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as the conflict in West Asia continues to intensify following recent escalations. During these discussions, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the recent attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He also enquired about the safety and well-being of the large Indian community residing in these countries, reflecting India's priority to safeguard its diaspora amid the regional turmoil. These calls build on PM Modi's ongoing diplomatic outreach since the conflict erupted involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. On Sunday, he held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he reiterated India's call for an early cessation of all hostilities in the region to restore peace. (ANI) Heavy security has been deployed outside the US Consulate in Lahoreon Tuesday, following violent nationwide protests. The unrest was triggered by the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint US-Israel airstrike on February 28. At least nine people died after clashes broke out between Pakistani police and protesters who breached the outer wall of the US Consulate in Karachi on March 1st. Civil Hospital Karachi's (CHK) trauma centre executive director Mohammad Sabir Memon told Dawn that nine men had died while 32 others were injured in the wake of protests near the consulate. Dawn reported citing a statement by Edhi that law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation. Earlier, police surgeon Summaiya Syed told Dawn that six bodies were brought to CHK and stated that two injured policemen were among those brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment. The two policemen were injured by "hard and blunt instruments", while "two protesters with firearm injuries" were also brought to JPMC, the surgeon told Dawn. Sindh's Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar sought immediate details about the situation from Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Azad Khan, a statement from his office said, as per Dawn. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, said that they were monitoring developments in the Middle East. "We are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East. So far, we have observed disruptions to trade and economic activity, surges in energy prices, and volatility in financial markets. The situation remains highly fluid and adds to an already uncertain global economic environment. It is too early to assess the economic impact on the region and the global economy. That impact will depend on the extent and duration of the conflict. We will provide a comprehensive assessment in our April World Economic Outlook," the statement read. https://x.com/KGeorgieva/status/2028796483382677783?s=20 Head of the Centre for Public Diplomacy and Spokesperson in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Iran, Esmaeil Baqaei, said that 171 girls died in Minab. In a post on X, he said, "The U.S./Israel attack on Tehran's Gandhi Hospital -- following the bombing of schools and the Massacre of 171 innocent girls in the city of Minab -- comes despite the aggressors' claims of possessing the most advanced military hardware and precision-targeting systems. The deliberate targeting and destruction of civilian infrastructure, medical facilities, schools, and media institutions by the United States and Israel, with the aim of paralyzing civilian life, constitute blatant war crime and crimes against humanity. o responsible state can remain silent in the face of these atrocities." https://x.com/IRIMFA_SPOX/status/2028739736358060294?s=20 Meanwhile, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said that inspectors have not found evidence of a coordinated Iranian programme to build nuclear weapons despite Israeli and US claims. (ANI) Nepal is prepared for the general elections, with voting scheduled to take place on March 5. This election, being held after the Gen Z protests in September last year, is considered very significant. As a close neighbour, this election is equally important for India as well. India is providing necessary support to Nepal for these elections. For Nepal's general elections, India has provided a large number of vehicles to the Election Commission. Nepal Election Commission's Information Officer, Suman Ghimire, while talking to ANI, said that, "India is our important neighbour, and we continue to receive assistance from India." Ghimire said, "Our friendly nation, India, has provided a large number of vehicles for our elections. These vehicles were given by the Government of India to the Government of Nepal, and from there they were made available to us for our election work. India is an important neighbour for us. Our country is connected to India on three sides. We have consistently received support from India." He further added, "In view of the elections, India is also cooperating from a security point of view. For security reasons, some border areas adjoining India have been sealed." Speaking about other neighbouring countries, Suman Ghimire said, "Countries like China, Korea and Japan are also supporting us. They provide assistance to us through the Government of Nepal." He informed that, "Voting will take place on March 5 from 7 am to 5 pm. A total of 18,903,689 eligible voters will participate in this election. This time, 1.1 million new voters have been added. We have also provided training to the new voters at the ward level regarding the voting process." "For this election, a total of 10,967 polling locations have been set up, comprising 23,112 polling centres. Arrangements have been made at the polling centres keeping in mind the convenience of the voters," he added. (ANI) Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, Special Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran, said the country is fighting a "military war" against the United States and Israel as well as a "fake news war" driven by what he described as fake news and claims of regime change. Ilahi, in a conversation with ANI, said that several Iranians came out to protest the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. "Actually, we are facing two wars. The first war, which is very heavy and is a big war, is a narrative war, and the second war is a military war. We can handle our military war against America and Israel. But there is another war which is much bigger than this first one. And the second major war is narrative war. In narrative war, they fabricate a lot of fake news, which is not true and which is not correct. And they say the people of Iran want the regime change. Okay, who are the people of Iran?" "The people of Iran are living in Iran. Not, for instance, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 10,000 Iranians who are living out of Iran, and they are against the Islamic Republic of Iran. But during the last times, when they said that the regime changed and they wanted to do something against Iran. More than five million people just only in Tehran came out and declared that they are supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added. Ilahi said that the world closed its eyes towards those who supported Iran and saw those who spoke against the regime. "Now at the moment, in this situation and in these circumstances, all Iranians have come out, and they show their sympathy, solidarity and also support to the government. Not every Iranian wanted regime change. But unfortunately, they closed their eyes to the reality, and they just looked for some people who are living out of Iran, and no one observed anything about them, and they will not account for it," he said. Ilahi then told ANI that the loss of the Supreme Leader is a huge loss, and his death has united Iran. "I would like also to offer my condolences for all free people in all the world for the martyrdom of Shaheed Aytullah al-Azmah, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And this is a very big loss, and we became offered, and we hope that we will win in this situation. Regarding your question, actually, the situation in Iran is very, very, very good with high ambition. And the people of Iran are united after the attack on our country," he said. "And especially when the people heard the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, they came out. And till that day up to now, they never go back to their houses, even at midnight in the snow or in the rain. They are in the street, and they support Iranian government. They support Iranian army. They support Iranian military, and they are looking for victory in this war," he added. He said that the regime is in the heart of Iranians, and it is much in control. "Of course. Please, if you want to know the position of the regime in the hearts of Iranians, you have to see it in the rally of Iranians when they come out for 22nd of Bahman, which is day of victory of Iran on National Day. When they came out after the martyrdom of General Soleimani, how they came out and you could see them! They are Iranian. They are not from outside. They are not from our neighbours. They are exactly Iranian. And they came out, and they showed there's some party and support for the government," he said. Ilahi said that Iran's attacks on its neighbours are to destroy American bases and not hostility towards its neighbours. "Actually, it's a very good question. You raise it, and thank you very much for this question. Iran, during the last hundreds of years, has never attacked any neighbours and always wants to have a good relationship with its neighbours. And actually, in our relationship with our neighbours, it was very, very, very good. And never, ever did we attack our neighbours. But there is something which we have to know. America is far from Iran by thousands of kilometres. America is not our neighbour. America is not in this region. But America and Israel used some bases from our neighbour's country, especially in the Persian Gulf. They used these bases and attacked Iran. These bases actually are American bases," he said. He said that Iran is trying to protect itself from American bases. "It's not for our neighbours. It's not for Arab countries. We don't have any other option. If we want to defend ourselves, what can we do? We have to attack these American bases, and we inform Arab countries, our friends, our good neighbours, that we are not going to attack you. We respect all conditions or borders; we don't have any options. We have to defend ourselves. If we keep quiet, we sit silent; America, from these bases, attacks us day and night. 24-7 hours," he said. Ilahi said he was not sure whether Saudi Aramco had been attacked, but added that if it had been, it was because it was in the hands of the Americans. "Actually, Aramco, I'm not sure it was attacked by Iran. But this refinery was also attacked because they were supporting aircraft, American aircraft. Actually, we hope that immediately and at this second, the war stops. But this is not in our hand. This is in the hands of America and the Zionist regime. They started; they have to stop it," he said. Meanwhile, Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson of Qatar's Foreign Ministry, has stressed in a social media post that the country "has not been part of the campaign" against Iran. https://x.com/majedalansari/status/2028860160593015145?s=20 "We are exercising our right in self-defence and deterring Iranian attacks against our country. We urge media outlets to use credible Qatari sources when reporting on Qatar," he said. (ANI) The UK competition watchdog has opened an investigation into three major hotel groups. UK competition watchdog investigates major hotel groups over alleged data-sharing practices The Competition and Markets Authority has launched a probe into whether Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group and Marriott shared competitively sensitive information through their use of the hotel data analytics platform STR. The CMA said it is also investigating STRs owner, CoStar Group, as part of concerns over the suspected sharing of sensitive data via third-party analytics tools. The initial investigation is expected to run for six months, until August. In a statement, the CMA said: Companies use various types of data analytics tools and algorithms to help them make commercial decisions. This can bring benefits including more intense competition, lower costs, and faster changes in prices to better match demand and supply in markets. However, when rival businesses share competitively sensitive information including through a third-party data analytics provider this reduces the uncertainty competing businesses normally have about how each other will act. This can affect how strongly companies compete because it makes it easier for them to predict what each other will do and coordinate their behaviour. The regulator stressed that no assumptions should be made about whether the law has been broken, but said it could issue a statement of objections if it reaches a provisional view that competition law has been infringed. A spokesperson for CoStar Group told BTN Europe that its UK team was cooperating fully with the CMA and was happy to provide assistance. They said: We are surprised at the CMA's interest in a longstanding hotel data analytics and benchmarking platform, that for decades has been used by companies and government entities alike to better assess market dynamics." IHG also confirmed it had been notified of the investigation and would cooperate fully with the CMAs inquiries, adding: The CMA noted that no assumptions should be made about whether competition law has been infringed. IHG will not be making any further comment at this time. Calling England's stance on Iran "very, very uncooperative," US President Donald Trump has criticised United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer for "ruining relationships", saying he was no "Winston Churchill". Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (local time) in the Oval Office, Trump said he was "not happy" with what he described as a lack of cooperation from London during the build-up to the strikes on Tehran. The US President alleged that the UK had refused at first to allow American bombers to use Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base on the Chagos Islands, to launch operations. "This is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with," Trump said, drawing a comparison with Britain's wartime leader. "They ruin relationships. It's a shame," he added. He further described the UK's stance as "very, very uncooperative" and termed the situation surrounding the island base as "shocking". However, the US President noted that Starmer relented late on Sunday night, eventually allowing American forces to use British bases to carry out the strikes. The comments point to strains within the so-called "special relationship" between Washington and London, long regarded as a cornerstone of Western security cooperation. While hosting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, during the same interaction with reporters, Trump also aimed at Spain. The US President announced that Washington would cut off all trade with Spain after Madrid barred the US military from using its bases for operations related to the conflict with Iran. "Spain has been terrible," Trump said. He added that he had instructed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings" with Spain. "We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," he said. On February 28, the US and Israeli in coordinated airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure, resulting in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI) TOKYO, Mar 04 (News On Japan) - Large amounts of what appear to be illegally dumped garbage line the roadside at the Tokyo Metropolitan Kirigaoka Danchi in Kita Ward, where a decline in residents has left fewer eyes to monitor the sprawling public housing complex that first opened in the 1950s. Televisions, electric fans and other household appliances occupy sidewalks around the complex, while nearby parks used as playgrounds for children have also been affected, creating an unsettling scene in what was once a place of relaxation for local residents. "Its truly unpleasant to see so much trash. It has turned into a dumping ground, and the piles just keep growing," said one nearby resident. Others voiced similar concerns, saying they now avoid walking through the area and that it is especially troubling given its proximity to a park used by children. Kirigaoka Danchi began accepting residents in the mid-1950s and at its peak was home to about 5,000 households. Today, however, roughly 10% of the units stand vacant. The shopping street at the center of the complex, once said to have offered almost everything residents needed, now has many shuttered storefronts. The owner of a toy shop that remains in operation suggested that the shrinking population has contributed to the problem. "There are fewer people around, so there are fewer eyes watching. That may make it easier to dump garbage. We dont want it to become normalized as a place where people think, Its okay to throw things away here," the shop owner said. According to residents, as the number of people living in the complex has declined, monitoring has become less effective, allowing unknown individuals to leave trash behind. Hiroyuki Masuda, head of the Kirigaoka Danchi West District neighborhood association, said he patrols the area almost daily and has been alarmed by the steadily increasing volume of waste. "Theres even something like a running machine. It must have been very heavy to bring here. Theres also a fish tank that is now broken. When I saw it before, it was intact. Now its shattered and dangerous," Masuda said. Masuda first noticed the large-scale dumping around four years ago. At the time, garbage was spread along both sides of the road, and foul odors lingered in the air. Although the Tokyo Metropolitan Government collected the waste once, illegal dumping has continued. The problem has reportedly spread to other nearby locations as well, prompting authorities to seal off certain areas with fences. "There is a risk of fire or collapse. Children sometimes come close and touch these items, and I worry they could get hurt if this continues," Masuda said. Another nearby resident expressed anger, saying that disposing of large items properly costs money and that some people may be bringing trash to the site to avoid those fees. The neighborhood association plans to request that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government install security cameras around the affected areas in an effort to deter further illegal dumping. Source: FNN TOKYO, Mar 04 (News On Japan) - Five people have been arrested after repeatedly performing dangerous drift driving on a road in Tokyos Ota Ward, sending up clouds of white smoke in the middle of the night and drawing police scrutiny. Footage captured in central Tokyo showed cars spinning their tires and sweeping in wide arcs across the roadway, producing thick white smoke as they maneuvered. At one point, a vehicle appeared to lose control, slowing abruptly with a loud noise after what seemed to be a driving error. Such acts, if misjudged, could easily result in serious accidents. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested five individuals, including Brazilian national Marcelo Yuji Yoshikawa, 27, on suspicion of repeatedly swerving and drifting along a road in Ota Ward, Tokyo. Investigators said Yoshikawa and the others were active members of a drifting group known as Japan Majikiteru Union, where enthusiasts gathered to engage in street drifting. One of those arrested told investigators, "The circuit is not enough. There is meaning in doing it on the street," underscoring the groups belief that public roads offered a different sense of fulfillment than closed racing tracks. Source: FNN NGO Promotion of Economic and Social Development has called on the international community to take urgent actions for the protection of the human rights in the Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps, southern Algeria. In a statement made Monday at 61st session of the Human Rights Council convening in Geneva, NGO representative Aicha Duihi urged UN human rights agencies to use their leverages to get access to Tindouf camps, conduct a transparent census of the Sahrawis held in these camps and guarantee their fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of movement. With the absence monitoring mechanisms, the sequestered Sahrawis in Tindouf, especially children and women, continue to suffer physical, psychological and sexual abuse, ill-treatment and exploitation. The NGO affirmed that the protection of fundamental rights in Lahmada camps is a legal and moral obligation under UN Charter and relevant international conventions. Ms. Saadani Maolainain, representative of OCAPROCE International and Ms. Gajmoula Boussif, Head of Sahara Observatory for Economic and Social Development, have applauded in Geneva the adoption of resolution 2797 by UN Security Council, endorsing the Autonomy plan in Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. Ms. Saadani said the Moroccan Autonomy offers just and realistic solution, guaranteeing political, economic and social rights under Moroccan sovereignty in accordance with the principles of the United Nations. Ms. Gajmoula highlighted Moroccos cooperation with the international human rights system and the impressive socio-economic development in Moroccan southern provinces, saying the Autonomy plan guarantees fundamental rights to all Moroccan Sahrawis, including those held in Tindouf camps. California Launches Women in Construction Apprenticeship Campaign State labor officials marked Women in Construction Week with a new public awareness campaign and toolkit designed to increase womens participation in the building trades and expand equitable apprenticeship pathways. California labor officials on Monday marked Women in Construction Week by launching a new public awareness campaign to expand career opportunities for women in the building trades. The California Department of Industrial Relations and its Division of Apprenticeship Standards unveiled the Women in Construction campaign, which includes a public toolkit and a series of personal stories highlighting apprenticeship pathways, mentorship and long-term career growth in construction. State officials said the campaign messaging was shaped by feedback from apprentices, journey-level workers, employers and members of the departments Women in Construction Committee. The effort emphasizes hands-on skill development, industry partnerships, and the confidence gained through apprenticeship programs. The campaign will roll out across multiple platforms, including outdoor advertising, digital placements and social media. Women represent more than half of the U.S. workforce but account for less than 4% of workers in construction trades jobs nationwide, according to the department. California officials say increasing womens participation is critical as the state works to meet rising demand for housing, infrastructure and climate-resilient development. To address workforce gaps and improve equity, California has invested more than $50 million in Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) grants. The funding is intended to expand access to building trades careers for women and other underrepresented communities. Expanding equitable apprenticeship opportunities is part of a broader Five-Point Action Plan developed by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Women in Construction Week, organized annually by the National Association of Women in Construction, is observed during the first full week of March and recognizes the contributions of women in the industry while promoting career opportunities. Visit DAS Women in Construction webpage to learn more about opportunities for women and non-binary individuals in the building trades. The very recent signing of two sets of major oil deals by U.S. oil giant Chevron following the forced withdrawal of Russian firms from key energy projects in Iraq is a key turning point in the Wests resurgence in the Middle East, a senior U.S. Treasury source told OilPrice.com last week. Iraq is the heartland of the Middle East, a major Iranian ally, vital to Russian and Chinese interests, and its allowing a major U.S. force into the centre of its economy, he underlined. So, what does this mean for Iraqs energy sector and its geopolitical trajectory moving forward? The first of the two sets of deals is perhaps the more important, involving the transfer of the management of the supergiant West Qurna 2 oil field (estimated recoverable oil reserves of around 13 billion barrels) to Chevron, following the exit of Russias number two oil company, Lukoil, a few weeks before. The field is one of the worlds largest, accounting for nearly 10% of Iraqs total production of around 4 million barrels per day (bpd) and about 0.5% of the worlds oil supply. The second deal covers Chevron developing the supergiant Nasiriyah oil field (an estimated 4.36 billion barrels of reserves in place), four exploratory blocks in Dhi Qar Governorate, and the Balad field in Salah Al-Din Governorate. The Russian oil giant was forced to exit after the U.S. Treasury introduced a new range of blocking sanctions, including not just the two corporate entities of Lukoil and Rosneft (Russias number one oil firm) being added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, but key individuals connected to the firms as well. Targeting Russias top two oil firms was a huge step up from the previous sets of sanctions that encompassed lower-tier firms such as Gazpromneft and Surgutneftegas, which were in turn part of Washingtons gradual tightening of the screws on Putin. Between them, Lukoil and Rosneft were exporting approximately 3.1 million bpd, which the West sees as vital to Russias ability to keep funding its war in Ukraine. Related: How Chinas Rare Earth Ban Backfired into a U.S. Tech Breakthrough Over and above the economic consequences for the Kremlin from diminished oil exports (and for China from losing heavily-discounted barrels from Russia) was the sea-change the U.S.-led initiative in Iraq has produced. Following the increasing unpopularity among the Iraqi people of the continued Western military presence after the removal of Saddam Hussein as leader in 2003, Russia and China boosted their influence across Iraq for three key reasons, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. Suffice it to say here, the first of these is that the country offers a huge repository of oil at the worlds joint lowest average lifting cost of $2-4 per barrel, together with large quantities of associated and non-associated gas. Second, it occupies the geographical heart of the region, lying west of Iran, north of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, east of Jordan and Syria (with its long Mediterranean coastline offering access to further critical sea routes), and south of Turkey (affording an entry into the European continent). And third, it is a key member of the Shia Crescent of Power geopolitical arc that stretches from Iran through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, where Shia communities and Iran-backed groups have historically exerted significant influence over regional politics, economics, and security. All these advantages are diminished for Moscow and Beijing, as the Wests influence in Iraq is reasserted. Following the signing of the two sets of deals by Chevron, a senior source close to Iraqs Oil Ministry exclusively confirmed to OilPrice.com that the government expects the U.S. firm to be able to double West Qurna 2s output within a relatively short time. This looks eminently achievable for a company of Chevrons size, scale, and capabilities, given that Lukoil had secretly long been able to produce a lot more oil from the field than it revealed to Iraqs Oil Ministry, as also detailed in my latest book. Specifically, as exclusively told to OilPrice.com back in 2017 by a source very close to Irans Petroleum Ministry, Lukoil knew back then that it was perfectly capable of producing at least 635,000 bpd on a sustained basis, having hit 650,000 bpd production over extended periods in August and September 2017. Moreover, its senior engineers had assured Lukoils top management that 635,000-bpd production was achievable on an ongoing basis with no problems. The reason why Lukoil did not reveal this to Iraqs Oil Ministry was that it believed the level of remuneration it was receiving per barrel drilled was too low. It was being paid US$1.15 per barrel recovered the lowest rate being paid to any international oil company in Iraq at that time and dwarfed by the US$5.50 per barrel being paid to GazpromNeft in its development of the Badra oil field. Related: Inside North Americas First Fully Integrated Rare Earth Facility Making matters worse for Lukoil at that point was that it had already spent at least US$8 billion in developing West Qurna 2, and compounding this grievance was the fact that Iraqs Oil Ministry still owed it around US$6 billion in remuneration on recovered barrels and other development payments. In August 2017, the Iranian source told OilPrice.com, Lukoil was assured that Iraqs Oil Ministry would very quickly pay the US$6 billion that it owed the company and that a higher compensation rate per barrel would be looked into as soon as was feasible. In addition, the Oil Ministry agreed to extend Lukoils contract from 20 to 25 years, thus lowering the average yearly cost to the Russian firm. It was also agreed that Lukoil would invest at least US$1.5 billion in West Qurna 2 in the following 12 months with a view to raising production from the 400,000-bpd level closer to the 1.2 million bpd peak production target. Unfortunately for the Russians, the end of November 2017 saw Iraqs Oil Ministry discover that Lukoil was holding out on it, followed by a subsequent threat to withhold all payments due to Lukoil until it began to increase production steadily up to the 635,000-bpd level that its own production tests had shown was perfectly achievable. In response, and after the withdrawal of several international oil companies from Iraq, Lukoils senior management thought that the time was right try again to force the Oil Ministry into honouring its previous promises to increase its per barrel compensation on the West Qurna 2 field. Surprisingly for the Russians, the Oil Ministrys response was to say that it was fine if Lukoil wanted to leave, but that before it did so, it would pay compensation instead of the upfront investment that it promised in 2017 and promised again in 2019, as it was not meeting the time-sensitive oil production targets that it had agreed to. Additionally beneficial to Chevrons prospects here, and to Iraqs target of achieving over 6 million bpd of oil production by 2029, are the synergies that will be available to the U.S. firm from other Western majors now in operation again across the country. Not the least of these is the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP), which involves taking seawater from the Persian Gulf and transporting it to oil production facilities to boost pressure at key oil reservoirs. To reach and then sustain Iraqs future crude oil production targets over any meaningful period, the country will have total water injection needs equating to around 2% of the combined average flows of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers or 6% of their combined flow during the low season. This crucial project is now being implemented by French energy giant TotalEnergies as one part of its US$27 billion four-pronged programme in Iraq. The first phase of this is being on the coast near the town of Um Qasr and is set to process and transport 5 million barrels of seawater per day to the main oil fields in southern Iraq. Treated seawater will replace freshwater withdrawals from the Tigris, Euphrates, and aquifers to maintain pressure in the oil wells, freeing up to 250,000 cubic metres per day of freshwater for irrigation and local agriculture needs in the water-stressed region. The full completion of this project alone should allow Iraq to massively increase its oil production, to the original output envisaged by the International Energy Agency. Indeed, the CSSP was directly referenced in a confidential report (the Integrated National Energy Strategy) sent to then-Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki back in 2012, as also examined in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. This showed precisely how Iraq could increase its oil output from just over 3 million bpd at that point to a plateau of 13 million bpd in the High Production scenario by 2017. The Medium Production scenario plotted a course to a 9 million bpd plateau by 2020, while the Low Production scenario planned for 6 million bpd by 2025. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Americas February 28 missile strikes that leveled the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters ended more than a decade of nuclear stalemate. By the time the dust settled and the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was confirmed, the focus of the conflict had shifted. As Washington navigates the aftermath, it is discovering that the "Resistance Economy" Khamenei spent years building was not merely an oil play. It was a calculated integration into a resource axis designed to withstand Western pressure. And China is the silent partner in this axis. Beijings interest in Iran is anchored by a $400 billion, 25-year strategic cooperation agreement. That deal ensures 80% of Irans oil exports flow to Chinese "teapot" refiners. More importantly, it secures access to a mineral base developed with Chinese technical help. The U.S. has shown it can decapitate a regime. Now it must prove it can survive the industrial retaliation of the country that keeps the lights on in Tehran. While the Pentagon remains focused on centrifuges and silos, the Tehran Chamber of Commerce has valued the countrys resource base at $27.3 trillion. A Decade of Quiet Resource Colonization The timing of the February 28 strikes is particularly difficult for Beijing because it threatens to derail a decade of "quiet" industrial colonization just as it was reaching maturity. Iran sits on the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, a tectonic collision zone that created conditions for extreme mineralization. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Iran shared the second rank globally in the production of direct reduced iron and strontium in 2022. It remains a top-ten producer of barite, feldspar, and molybdenum. The rare earth potential in Central Iran and Yazd Province changes the strategic stakes. Related: How Chinas Rare Earth Ban Backfired into a U.S. Tech Breakthrough In April 2025, Iran launched a domestically engineered monazite processing plant. This facility was the final step in the Resistance Economy, designed to link Iran into a Eurasian supply chain that includes China and Russia while bypassing Western sanctions. Then there is the Hamadan discovery. In 2023, Tehran claimed the discovery of 8.5 million tons of lithium-rich hectorite clay in Hamadan province. If the numbers are accurate, the deposit would rival the "Lithium Triangle" in South America. Western geologists have expressed skepticism regarding the economic viability of the clay, but the geopolitical value was immediate. By positioning itself as a future hub for the battery supply chain, Iran gave Beijing a reason to view the country as more than a sanctioned gas station. The U.S. move against the regime is a direct threat to this resource axis. China has established its dominance in critical materials through a long-term approach rather than military force. Between 2013 and 2022, China invested $679 billion in infrastructure across 150 countries to support its mining interests. Iran was the central piece of that strategy in West Asia. But to extract these riches, Beijing needs more than just minesit needs the logistical immunity that Tehrans clandestine networks provide. This is where the struggle for minerals meets the struggle for the sea. Irans Shadow Fleet and the Floating Reservoir If the minerals represent the prize, the "Shadow Fleet" is the conveyor belt. Most of Irans oil and industrial output moves via these tankers, vessels that hide their location to evade U.S. sanctions. These vessels represent 18% of global tanker capacity. They are the financial lifeblood of the regime. Since December 2025, the U.S. Navys "Operation Southern Spear" has seized 10 of these tankers. It is a marginal success. There are currently 300 million barrels of unsold oil sitting on shadow tankers at sea. This represents a massive volatility buffer. If the U.S. intensifies its naval blockade, the threat of a price spike becomes a political problem for President Trump. With mid-term elections scheduled for November, the administration is wary of $5-per-gallon gasoline. Related: Trumps Secret Weapon in the Rare Earth War China has used this situation to amass record volumes of Russian and Iranian crude for its own strategic inventories. While the exact extent of Chinese stocks is unknown, estimates suggest they have been sending at least 1 million barrels per day to storage for the past year. Beijing has been building a war chest. They are preparing for a campaign in the Middle East that could disrupt global shipping. By holding massive reserves, China may be able to insulate its economy while the rest of the world deals with the fallout from the U.S. attack on Iran. But the oil in the "Shadow Fleet" is only one lever of Chinese influence. While Beijing uses energy reserves to shield its own economy from a Middle Eastern war, it holds a second, more targeted weapon to paralyze the American military-industrial complex. Weaponizing the Periodic Table Rare earth elements are the quiet necessity of modern warfare. They are required for the guidance systems of the Tomahawk missiles used on February 28 They are in the F-35 fighter jets patrolling the Gulf They are in the Predator drones and the Aegis missile defense systems China controls over 90% of global refined rare earth output and almost 90% of permanent magnet production. If Beijing decides the U.S. strikes on Iran have crossed a line, they can stop the export of refined rare earth metals and alloys. This is the non-kinetic response option. If China stops the flow, the defense industry faces a crisis within months. This has triggered a race to rebuild a domestic supply chain that the U.S. abandoned three decades ago. There is a misunderstanding in Washington about how this works. Politicians focus on mining more rock. They point to mines in California or Nevada as the solution. They are wrong. Mining is only a small part of the problem. The real conflict is in metallization and alloying. This is the chemical process of turning rare earth oxides into high-performance metals. The Center for Strategic and International Studies identifies rare-earth metallization as the most difficult capability to rebuild outside China. It is a bottleneck that cannot be cleared with a checkbook alone. It requires operating history to reach the tolerances needed for military-grade magnets. The U.S. can extract the material, but it currently lacks the capacity to turn it into something a defense contractor can use. This gap keeps the U.S. dependent on China, even when domestic resources exist. Every time a U.S. mine ships concentrate to China for processing, national security is effectively outsourced. North Americas Firewall The front line of this arms race is not in the Gulf of Oman. It is in Euclid, Ohio, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. A "China-free" processing pathway is finally operational. It is a functional bridge between raw material and finished magnets, designed to bypass the metallurgy that has kept the West dependent on Beijing. In Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Research Council has spent five years building a technological wall against Chinese influence. The facility is North Americas first integrated minerals-to-metals plant. Its primary tool is an industrial AI system designed to manage the complexity of rare earth separation, a process involving thousands of operations that were once the property of Chinese laboratories. "We had to design most of our own technology because it was not available outside of China," says SRC CEO Mike Crabtree. If we just look at the solvent extraction, which is the central piece of the plant that separates of the 17 alloys, the AI takes in probably about 5000 data points on a millisecond basis. By removing human error, the SRC is producing metal ingots that meet defense specifications. This AI-driven precision is the only way to replicate the experience China used to dominate the market. You cannot buy thirty years of history, but you can code it. The partnership with REAlloys creates the final link. REAlloys operates North Americas only facility, currently converting heavy rare earths into the metals required for defense systems. The company has a strategic partnership to receive 80% of the SRC's heavy rare earth production, specifically dysprosium and terbium, starting in 2027. These elements are the thermal stabilizers for high-performance magnets. Without them, the motors in electric vehicles or guidance systems in missiles fail when temperatures rise during high-velocity maneuvers. This 2027 date just happens to be when the clock runs out for the Pentagon. Under 10 U.S.C. 4872, the U.S. military is legally prohibited from using Chinese-sourced rare earths in its hardware starting in 2027. REAlloys and the SRC are currently the only entities positioned to meet that deadline at scale. If they succeed, the U.S. gains a hedge against Chinese leverage. Modern defense platforms require certainty. The Euclid-Saskatoon axis provides that by ensuring the distance between a rock in the ground and a precision-guided missile is no longer measured in miles traveled to a Chinese refinery. The April Summit Standoff President Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing for a state visit in April 2026. He will arrive after the decapitation of the Iranian leadership, a move he believes provides the leverage needed to force China into a new trade agreement. The administrations logic is that the U.S. has shown it can dismantle the Axis of Resilience. Xi Jinping holds a counter-lever that could make the military victory in Tehran irrelevant. Chinas response to the fall of the Iranian regime could be an absolute ban on the export of permanent magnets and critical components. China still controls 90% of permanent magnet production. If they use that lever, the U.S. industrial base stops. This is the trauma Trump warned Iran about, but it could blow back on Washington. If oil prices reach $100 because of a prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure and China cuts the magnet supply, the U.S. mid-term elections in November become a referendum on a victory that damaged the American economy. The 300 million barrels of oil sitting on shadow tankers are a geopolitical liability. And the U.S. move against Iran has forced the world into two distinct resource blocs. On one side is the Chinese-led axis, controlling 95% of the processing and a network of shadow tankers. On the other is the emerging Resilience Axis anchored by North Americas new processing facilities in Ohio and Saskatchewan. "Success means being specified into defense and industrial platforms designed to operate for decades," says the REAlloys team. "Once youre qualified, youre no longer a discretionary supplier. Youre embedded." Sovereignty in 2026 is not found in a capital city. It is found in the middle of the supply chain, the point where a rock becomes a metal and a metal becomes a weapon. The U.S. may have won the battle for Tehran on February 28, but the war for the materials that allowed those missiles to fly is just beginning. By Michael Kern. IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This publication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected continual growth of the featured companies and/or industry. The Publisher notes that statements contained herein that look forward in time, which include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the companies actual results of operations. 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More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Lucinda Strafford agreed to appear on Love Island: All Stars just three hours before boarding a flight to South Africa. Lucinda Strafford agreed to Love Island All Stars appearance just 3 hours before flight The 26-year-old star made a last-minute decision to jet to Cape Town to be a bombshell in the latest series, and she left the ITV2 show with a boyfriend, fellow contestant Sean Stone. Speaking on Paul C Brunson's latest We Need To Talk podcast, she said: "I got a call in January and it was from one of the casting people and they said, what are you doing? And I said, 'I'm just lying in bed editing a TikTok. What are you doing?' "Bearing in mind I haven't had my hair done in ages, I haven't had my nails done. You know, obviously the important things. I haven't planned anything. "I haven't bought one single piece of clothing for this show at all. Right. And, he just said, 'Well, there's a flight tonight to Cape Town, do you want to get on it?" However, some viewers claimed Lucinda was bullied in the villa, leading to 11,000 Ofcom complaints. Lucinda has now told how she spent "a lot of time" on her own in the villa, and that Sean felt like her only friend at times. Speaking about an emotional episode - which sparked more than 8,500 Ofcom complaints, over some of the other contestants' behaviour towards Lucinda - when host Maya Jama comforted her, she said: "In that moment when I was talking to Maya, I genuinely had no one to look to at all, apart from Sean. "There wasn't one single person in there that I felt like was my friend. It was literally just Sean. "And even that night I went to sleep. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I woke up the next morning. I looked around the bedroom and I was like, there's no one to even talk to. This isn't fun. "And I remember I went outside and I just cried my eyes out on my own. "But it wasn't shown because it was just outside the front door." From the moment that Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, liquefied natural gas (LNG) became the key global emergency energy source. Unlike pipelined energy that requires time-consuming infrastructure build-out and contract negotiations before it can be moved anywhere, LNG can be bought in the spot market when required and move swiftly to wherever it is needed. As increasing sanctions have hit Russias previously enormous global oil and gas exports, LNGs crucial importance to the worlds energy balance has increased. Against this backdrop, the centrality of the small Middle Eastern emirate of Qatar in the global energy market has dramatically increased and is set to do so further. Its geopolitical significance is further boosted by the fact that it shares its key gas reservoir with neighbouring Iran. Consequently, last weeks awarding of a huge contract to expand LNG production at this key site has been closely scrutinised by the worlds major powers. Qatars positioning in the months before Russia moved into Ukraine gave the impression that Doha was edging closer to the emerging ChinaRussia axis. The signal came through a burst of long-dated LNG supply agreements with Chinese buyers, with the first landing in March 2021, when Sinopec and Qatar Petroleum agreed a decade-long deal for 2 million mtpy of LNG. Another followed that December, this time between QatarEnergy and Guangdong Energy Group Natural Gas Co., covering 1 million mtpy from 2024 through 2034, with scope for extension. Several similarly weighty contracts were signed in quick succession. Beijing and Moscow had long assumed Qatar might lean their way, not least because the emirate jointly straddles the worlds largest gas reservoir -- the North Field/North Dome on Qatars side and South Pars on Irans -- with Tehran, a strategic partner of both powers. This 9,700 square kilometre reservoir was, and remains, by far the biggest gas resource in the world, holding an estimated 51 trillion cubic metres (tcm) of non-associated natural gas and at least 50 billion barrels of natural gas condensates. Related: How Chinas Rare Earth Ban Backfired into a U.S. Tech Breakthrough After Washington pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or nuclear deal) with Iran in May 2018, senior officials from Irans Petroleum Ministry and Qatars Energy Ministry began exploring a fresh joint development framework for the shared field. The logic was straightforward: both states were founding members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum alongside Russia, and China was the key demand anchor for all three. Around that time, highly placed security sources told OilPrice.com that Beijing had been quietly briefed by Moscow on the outlines of its planned large-scale special operation in Ukraine months before it unfolded not merely in the run-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, as widely reported. As also examined in my latest book on the new global oil market order, this raised an uncomfortable possibility for Washington: that Qatars deepening LNG ties with China might have helped cushion Beijing against the supply shocks and price spikes unleashed by the 2022 invasion. Qatar soon found itself squeezed by intensifying pressure from Washington, London, and Paris to cool its deepening energy courtship with China and pivot towards long-term supply commitments with Europe instead, above all with Germany, the European Unions (E.U.s) economic centre of gravity. In the U.S., U.K., and French circles, Berlins reluctance to meaningfully cut its dependence on cheap Russian hydrocarbons after the 2014 annexation of Crimea had long been viewed as a key factor in Russian President Vladimir Putins calculation that a full-scale assault on Ukraine in 2022 would again carry limited consequences. With that backdrop, Western governments began leaning heavily on Doha to redirect future LNG flows towards Europe. By late March 2022, this pressure had crystallised into a series of high-level engagements between Qatar and senior Western officials aimed at securing emergency LNG volumes for the transatlantic alliance. After one such meeting involving Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, German economy minister Robert Habeck, and U.S. representation then President Joe Biden publicly designated Qatar a major non-NATO ally, as also analysed in my latest book. Two months later, Qatar and Germany signed a declaration of intent on energy cooperation, laying the groundwork for Doha to become a core LNG supplier to Berlin. The momentum continued into December 2022, when QatarEnergy and ConocoPhillips finalised two long-term sales and purchase agreements to deliver LNG to Germany for at least 15 years starting in 2026. Related: Chinas Rare Earth Dominance and the Strategic Failure of the West As it now stands, Qatar will account for at least 40% of all new LNG supplies across the globe by 2029, according to recent comments from its government. These projections are in line with independent industry figures, with the huge increase in production set to come from the ongoing expansion of its North Field projects. This 6,000 square kilometre field is one part of two sites that constitute the worlds biggest gas field. The other 3,700 square kilometre section is Irans South Pars gas field, which accounts for around 40% of the Islamic Republics total estimated 33.8 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of gas reserves and about 75% of its gas production. Qatars North Field expansion program will see six major new developments in the North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) by 2029. Four new trains (production facilities) each with 8 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) will be built on the NFE site, and two (with the same production capacity) in the NFS site, totalling 48 million mtpa of new LNG production. At the end of last February, QatarEnergy announced another set of projects focused on its North Field West (NFW) that will increase its LNG output from the current 77 million mtpa to 142 million mtpa before the end of this decade. This compares to the 404 million mtpa of LNG traded globally in 2023, and to industry estimates that this figure will reach around 625-685 million mtpa in 2040. It is with an eye on these NFW sites that Qatar very recently announced that it will very shortly sign more long-term LNG supply deals to add to the 25 million tonnes of sales secured last year. Looking ahead, another near-13 million mtpa of LNG output for Qatar is set to come from its 70% share in the Golden Pass LNG export project that it runs alongside the U.S.s ExxonMobil. When complete, the 18 million mtpa project in Texas is expected to be one of the largest U.S. LNG export facilities and will help the U.S. maintain its position as the worlds largest exporter of the gas. As the majority owner, QatarEnergy is responsible for 70% of the production offtake and marketing (so at least 12.6 million mtpa). According to very recent comments from the firms, the project has been pulling in around 300 million cubic feet of gas per day, with expectations being that it will start producing LNG within the coming two months. The latest huge award in Qatars critical North Dome expansion is to French firm Technip Energies. will cover the delivery of two mega trains, each with a capacity of 8 million mtpa of LNG, for use on the North Field West site, mirroring the firms earlier development of two trains for the North Field South project. Although the specific value of the contract has not been disclosed, it is believed to be over EUR1 billion in revenue. QatarEnergy has added that in addition to LNG production, the NFW project is expected to produce about 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of condensate, ethane, and liquefied petroleum gas. Taken together, these developments point to a more decisive realignment of Qatar towards the U.S. and its allies. Doha may have toyed with a move towards Moscow and Beijing in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine, but the combination of Western pressure, Europes urgent need for non-Russian gas, and the deepening isolation of both Iran and Russia appears to have pulled it back into the Western strategic orbit. The emirates expanding LNG footprint now underpins energy security strategies in the U.S. and Europe alike, while its long?term supply commitments increasingly run westward rather than east. With Qatar poised to dominate new global LNG supply growth for the rest of the decade, its interests are now more tightly bound to those of Washington and its allies than at any point in the past 20 years a shift that is likely to shape the geopolitics of gas well into the 2030s. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com China is pressuring Iranian officials to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, allow the passage of oil and LNG cargoes, and not attack tankers carrying energy supplies, anonymous senior executives at Chinese state energy firms told Bloomberg on Tuesday. China depends on Middle Easts oil and LNG for a large part of its huge energy imports. But Iran is heavily dependent on Chinese refiners to buy its sanctioned oil, too, with over 80% going to China. All these supplies have to transit the Strait of Hormuz on their way to China from ports in the Gulf. Iran on Monday claimed that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, with Ebrahim Jabbari, a senior adviser to the Commander-in-Chief of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), quoted as saying that Iran would attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross. The U.S. Central Command denies the Strait is closed, a senior U.S. military official told Fox News. It is unlikely that Iran would mine the Strait, considering that about 80% of its oil exports need to pass through the narrow lane to go to China, according to the official. Energy flows from the Middle East have already been severely disrupted, with oil tankers diverting away from the Strait of Hormuz, freight rates for supertankers en route to China at all-time highs, insurers ending war risk coverage for vessels transiting the Strait, and Qatar halting its LNG production. Chinas official statements on the war have been limited so far, with calls to end hostilities prevailing. Still, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that China believes that under the current severe and complex situation, Iran can maintain social stability and pay attention to reasonable concerns of its neighboring countries. At a regular press conference on Monday, Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that The Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters are an important international trade route for goods and energy. China urges relevant parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further escalation of the tense situation and prevent regional turmoil from causing greater damage to global economic growth, the spokesperson said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Following a 40% surge on Monday, Europes benchmark natural gas prices soared by another 30% at opening on Tuesday as the halt of LNG production in Qatar, the worlds second-largest LNG exporter, roiled global gas markets and put energy security in Asia and Europe at risk. The front-month Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, the benchmark for Europes gas trading, jumped by 34% at opening before paring some gains, but they were still 26% higher since Mondays close as of 8:30 a.m. in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Europes natural gas prices have now jumped by about 70% since markets closed on Friday. The futures jumped by over 50% in intraday trading on Monday, and settled 3% higher at closing, after QatarEnergy announced that Due to military attacks on QatarEnergys operating facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City in the State of Qatar, QatarEnergy has ceased production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here With the worlds second-biggest LNG exporter, second only behind the U.S., out of the LNG supply market for the time being, concerns intensified in Europe and Asia about gas supply and procurement for the rest of the winter season. Officially, this heating season ends on March 31, but Europe will need a lot of cargoes to arrive in the spring and summer to refill the gas storage sites that have been depleted to the lowest level in years. This winter, gas storage sites in Europe have drained at the fastest pace in five years, amid below-average winter temperatures which drove heating and power demand higher. EU gas storage sites were estimated to be just 30% full as of March 1, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. With Qatars supply out and about 20% of global LNG trade transiting the now de facto closed Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East, competition for LNG supply between Europe and Asia will intensify, driving prices higher. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The freight rate for a supertanker carrying crude oil on the key Middle East-to-China route hit a record high of more than $420,000 per day on Monday as the war in the Middle East disrupts the worlds busiest and most important shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz. The daily rate for hiring a very large crude carrier (VLCC), which is capable of shipping about 2 million barrels of crude, hit an all-time high of $423,736 on Monday, according to Baltic Exchanges so-called TD3C MEG-China index. The tanker rates for all other trade routes and tanker types are also soaring as the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed with companies and shippers diverting vessels or idling in waters near the vital oil and gas shipping lane. Oil and LNG tanker traffic is now halted through the narrow lane between Iran and Oman, where a fifth of global oil and LNG flows pass. On Monday, Iran claimed that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, and Ebrahim Jabbari, a senior adviser to the Commander-in-Chief of IRGC, was quoted as saying that Iran would attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross. The U.S. Central Command denies the Strait is closed, a senior U.S. military official told Fox News. Iran is neither patrolling nor enforcing its claimed closure, and there has been no evidence of mines in the waterway, the official said. It is unlikely that Iran would mine the Strait, considering that about 80% of its oil exports need to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to go to China, according to the official who spoke to Fox News. As a result of the widening conflict and insurers ending war risk coverage as of March 5, the global average supertanker rates have also surgedto $280,941 per day as of Monday, the highest level since at least 2008, according to Lloyds List. LNG shipping rates also soared as Qatar, the worlds second-biggest LNG exporter accounting for about 20% of export capacity, halted production on Monday, roiling global gas markets. The daily rate for a LNG tanker surged by 40% on Monday alone. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com A Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker under U.S. and UK sanctions caught fire in the Mediterranean early Tuesday following a reported explosion, with the fate of its crew initially unclear, according to Reuters and the Times of Malta. The vessel, identified as the Arctic Metagaz, was reportedly destroyed around 4 a.m. local time between Malta and Libya. Multiple sources cited by the Times of Malta said a series of explosions occurred before the crew was rescued and transferred to another vessel in the area. Shipping and maritime security sources told Reuters the tanker was ablaze, though no official distress signal had been recorded. According to ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic, the vessel last reported its position off the coast of Malta on Monday. Security firm EOS Risk Group indicated the ship may have suffered a drone attack while transiting eastbound toward the Suez Canal after departing Murmansk on February 24 with LNG cargo loaded from a floating storage unit. Related: How Chinas Rare Earth Ban Backfired into a U.S. Tech Breakthrough Photo of the Arctic Metagaz tanker - image source: Shipnext The tanker had reportedly deactivated its AIS tracker for approximately 300 kilometers prior to the incident, allegedly following a so-called gray route to evade sanctions enforcement. If confirmed, the destruction of the Arctic Metagaz could mark the first known instance of an LNG carrier being blown up in a conflict-related attack. While oil tankers have been damaged in recent Mediterranean blasts Reuters reported three such incidents in the past month LNG carriers have historically avoided direct strikes, given the heightened safety and environmental risks involved. Maltas Armed Forces deployed surveillance aircraft after the incident was reported via maritime radio channels. Authorities said environmental damage was unlikely, as the vessel was believed to be carrying LNG rather than crude oil. Ukraine has been suspected in previous strikes targeting Russia-linked shipping, though no immediate confirmation of responsibility was available. The incident marks a sharp escalation in maritime risk across the Mediterranean, a region increasingly touched by the widening conflict. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By Lars Larson NW and national radio host, The Northwest Nonsense Its amazing the way democrats choose their allies these days. Now, they support the government of Iran and they condemn President Trump for taking action against a murderous dictatorship this weekend. They support the Mad Mullahs of Tehran who have spent the last half century funding terrorism and killing their own peopleas well as killing Americans. Now, theyre closer than ever to getting their hands on the ultimate weaponnuclear bombs. Last week, President Trump asked them not to take some of the final steps necessary to make that weapon. They refused. A threat to American national security drove the attack on Iran this past weekend. As usual, democrat leaders oppose doing the right thing. Evan as citizens celebrate in Iranand Iranians in America took to the streets of our country to demonstrate in favor of Donald Trump and the actions he has taken. You have to wonder how democrats will explain to voters this yeartheyre in favor of illegal aliens, criminal gangs and a murderous regime. Who wants to vote for that? Thats the Rose City Rap. Join me at noon on KXL for 4 hours of Honestly provocative talk. Im Lars Larson Rep. Dwayne Yunker Condemns Passage of SB 1599 Oregonians Right to Vote Should Not Be Manipulated By Oregon State Representative Dwayne Yunker, SALEM, Ore. Representative Dwayne Yunker (RGrants Pass) today condemned the passage of Senate Bill 1599, legislation that shifts the voter referendum on the 2025 transportation tax package from the November general election to the May primary election. An estimated 98.5% of Oregonians opposed the bill. Speaking on the House floor prior to the vote, Representative Yunker said, Senate Bill 1599 is not about budgeting. It is about control. Control of turnout. Control of timing. And control of the outcome. This bill has nothing to do with the state budget, said Representative Yunker. If it did, why did Democrats pass Senate Bill 1507 to take away Oregonians Big Beautiful Bill tax cuts? Lets be clear, said Representative Yunker. Senate Bill 1599 is political damage control, another example of the Oregon Democrat cartel attempting to influence an election rather than trusting Oregon voters. We work for the people, said Representative Yunker, Their right to vote should never be manipulated. Representative Yunker walked off the House floor in protest of the sham process before Republican legislators voted unanimously against the bill. DAVID BROCK SMITH LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE BY David Brock Smith for Senate campaign, SALEM, OR Today, Oregon State Senator David Brock Smith officially launched his campaign for the United States Senate. A third-generation resident of Southwest Oregon and former restaurateur of his familys built and owned restaurant for 45 years, Smith brings deep roots, real-world experience, and a proven record of results-driven leadership to this campaign for United States Senate. Throughout his career, Smith has delivered for families and businesses across his district and the state, advancing practical solutions that strengthen communities, create opportunities, and protect Oregons way of life. Oregonians are tired of partisan bickering, political grandstanding, and headlines that produce nothing but noise, said Smith. Ive never operated that way. As your next United States Senator, I wont start now. My focus will be squarely on the people of Oregon. Ill fight to make everyday life more affordable for working families, restore safety to our streets, address addiction and homelessness with accountability, and ensure every Oregonians voice is heard and respected in Washington. Smiths experience spans small business and public service at every level, from Chamber of Commerce and School Board to City Council, County Commissioner, and the House and Senate in the Oregon State Legislature. In each role, he has worked to solve difficult problems, balance budgets responsibly, and work collaboratively to advance policies that help residents, communities, and businesses thrive. As a third-generation Oregonian, its been the honor of my life to serve you locally and in Salem, Smith continued. As your next United States Senator, my mission is simple: Put Oregon First. Its time for leadership rooted in service not headlines or personal ambition. Thats what Ive done my entire career, and thats what Ill continue doing in Washington. Join me, and together, we will build a better Oregon. See Davids Launch Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrNykSMFKNI At least 54 people were arrested on Sunday after an Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Riot in Minnesota unfolded outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, with local and state law enforcement saying officers were targeted with thrown objects and forced to issue dispersal orders. The news came after a week of demonstrations branded 'Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE', a rolling campaign by activists who say they are resisting immigration enforcement and pushing for the abolition of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Anti-ICE Riot In Minnesota And The Arrest Numbers The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said 38 people were cited and released, and that one person was booked into jail. The Minnesota State Patrol confirmed an additional 15 arrests, bringing the total cited by officials to at least 54. Deputies described the gathering as an unlawful assembly and said their dispersal orders came after people allegedly blocked roadways and access to local businesses, dumped or scattered glass into the street, and threw objects at law enforcement. In its public statement posted to Facebook, the sheriff's office wrote, 'This morning, our deputies issued dispersal orders at an unlawful assembly outside the Whipple Building after individuals blocked roadways, blocked access to local businesses, dumped glass into the street, and threw rocks, ice chunks and water bottles at law enforcement creating a serious public safety hazard. Arrest are being made.' Officials were careful to draw a line between protest and criminality, and they drew it with legal language rather than warmth. 'Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly is a right. Endangering the public is not,' the sheriff's office said, adding that 'unlawful activity including blocking roads, intentionally creating hazards and assaultive behavior will not be tolerated.' Anti-ICE Riot In Minnesota Caps Week Of Escalating Tension The demonstration was described as the culminating event of the 'Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE' week of action, built around public opposition to ICE operations and a broader call to dismantle the enforcement architecture around US immigration. It also sits inside a much tenser backdrop in Minnesota. Fox News reported that the current surge of anti-ICE demonstrations to multiple fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year, including the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Those deaths, and the arguments that inevitably follow them, have a way of changing the temperature of every gathering that comes after. According to report, the protests are also brushing up against national politics in predictable but still combustible ways. The unrest is unfolding as congressional Democrats have blocked DHS funding for more than two weeks to push for ICE reforms. The Minnesota State Patrol has, so far, limited its public role to confirming that troopers made 15 arrests, on top of the 39 recorded by the sheriff's office. Federal officials, whose building was at the centre of the protest, have been quieter still. The Department of Homeland Security and Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, according to Fox News, could not be immediately reached for further comment, leaving a gap where a fuller federal response might normally sit. The demonstration marked the climax of a week-long 'Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE' campaign, complete with teach-ins and panels, amid a wider surge of protests linked to Operation Metro Surge, which brought in around 3,000 federal agents, according to report. Originally published on IBTimes UK Neighbors tip off police: Five held inside empty house rescued from kidnapping Cancun, Q.R. UPDATED: A man remains in custody after being arrested for his involvement in the kidnapping of five people. Five women were found being held inside a house that appeared empty after police were tipped off by neighbors. Cancun Police said all five women were found being held against their will and are receiving care and support since their rescue. They also said that one man was taken into custody in relation to their kidnapping. Police arrived to a house that appeared empty and without activity from the outside. March 2, 2026. The police rescue operation happened Monday afternoon in the Sol del Mayab residential area of Cancun. Police and military arrived at an address on Bolonchen Street in SM 56 in response to a 9-1-1 report. When police arrived, the house appeared empty with no signs of activity, however, several neighbors approached police and explained there were women inside who came out only at night. Neighbors saw them return to the house early the following mornings, something they found suspicious. Police entered the house at which time they found the women. Five Colombian women between the ages of 18 and 25 were found inside. One man was arrested at the time of their rescue. He is believed related to their kidnapping. Cancun Police reported We rescued five women who were being held against their will; they are currently receiving comprehensive care and specialized support. A man was arrested and turned over to the Quintana Roo State Attorney General (FGE). UPDATE: On Tuesday afternoon, the SSC reported on the arrest of 35 year old Jesus Manuel N in relation to the kidnapping of five Colombian women. In a statement, police said Cancun police rescued five Colombian women who were being held against their will and arrested a man after receiving an anonymous tip through the 911 emergency number. The incident occurred in Superblock 56, where officers on patrol were alerted to a potential risk. Upon arriving at the address, the officers spoke with a man who appeared nervous and evasive. Moments later, they heard cries for help coming from inside the house and, given the possibility of a crime being committed, prioritizing the protection of life and safety, they intervened, rescuing five women who stated they were being held against their will and were victims of alleged sexual exploitation. Jesus Manuel N, 35 years old, directly identified by the victims, was arrested and turned over to the State Attorney Generals Office, who will determine his legal status. Over two dozen victims of human trafficking rescued from Riviera Maya bars Riviera Maya, Q.R. Police say they found over two dozen women during a raid on two establishments. One raid was in Cancun and the other in Playa del Carmen. During the raids, police located over two dozen victims of human trafficking. The bars were searched as part of an operation between the Navy, National Guard, state and municipal police. A total of 29 women and one teenager were rescued from the bars. The bars have been seized by the state. March 1, 2026. Police say they were all found victims of human trafficking in the forms of prostitution and labor exploitation. The first court order was executed at a bar in Cancun on Rancho Viejo Avenue in SM 244 where participating officers found six women, five Mexican and one Cuban, who were soliciting clients and providing sexual services. They also took into custody a Mexican teenager, a likely victim of labor exploitation, police reported Monday. The second raid was conducted at a bar on 125th Avenue South and 17th Street South in Playa del Carmen. There, police located 23 women of which 18 were Mexican nationals and five were foreigners. Three women were Cubans, one Honduran, one Peruvian and one Nicaraguan. All 23 were offering sexual services. Due to their vulnerable condition, the women were taken into protective custody and referred to the appropriate authority to guarantee their protection, comprehensive care and access to their rights. A total of 29 women and one teen were rescued during the operations March 1, 2026. After completing the procedures, officers placed security seals on the properties, leaving both places under the custody of the Public Prosecutors Office. Police did not say if the two bars were related. Tulum opens new legal Justice Centre for Women to care for victims of violence Tulum, Q.R. A new legal facility for women has been inaugurated in the town of Tulum. The new Justice Centre will provide psychological, legal and medical care to victims of violence. It will also offer a safe place for victims to file complaints. The facility was inaugurated Monday by Governor Mara Lezama, State Attorney General Raciel Lopez Salazar and Citlalli Hernandez Mora, the Government of Mexicos Secretary for Women. Hernandez Mora led the inauguration of the Justice Center for Women (CJM) in Tulum, a project that represents a huge step in the fight against violence against women in the state. With an investment exceeding 48 million pesos, the new facility was designed to provide comprehensive care to female victims of violence. The Justice Centre offers professional support and an immediate institutional response. During her speech, Governor Lezama emphasized that the goal is that no woman should have to face violence alone. Citlalli Hernandez Mora March 2, 2026. The new Tulum Justice Centre is the fourth in the state and joins those already existing in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Chetumal. The state-wide network benefits more than 900,000 women, girls and adolescents. Citlalli Hernandez said that Quintana Roo is one of the states with the most Centres for women. It is sad to acknowledge that when women decide to report violence they face closed doors or officials who minimize their pain, she said. She said this government is experiencing a special time, a time of great strength for women with the first female President Claudia Sheinbaum who has a firm, decisive and historic commitment to women, and in Quintana Roo, with the first female governor, Mara Lezama. The new Womens Justice Center will serve more than 242,000 women in the region, including residents of Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Puerto Morelos. Its facilities will offer psychological, legal and medical services, as well as initiating investigations following a formal complaint. The new facility was built with an emergency shelter, a childrens playroom, social support, job training and educational integration under a comprehensive approach oriented toward building lasting peace. To solve a problem, the first step is to recognize it, she stated, noting that in Quintana Roo, more than 70% of women have experienced some type of violence throughout their lives and almost half have suffered some aggression in the last year. During the event, Governor Lezama acknowledged the joint work of the State Attorney Generals Office, the Superior Court of Justice, the Womens Secretariat, the Secretariat of Citizen Security, the DIF, the Health sector, Victim Assistance and the Tulum City Council, among others. The new Justice Centre for Women was inaugurated in Tulum Monday March 2, 2026. Attorney General Raciel Lopez Salazar said that no one, absolutely no one, has the right to harm women. Silent gratitude serves no one. Today I invite you to report abuse and begin a new chapter with your heads held high. This is a day of celebration to thank our Governor and the Secretary of Womens Affairs for the construction of this Justice Center for Women here in Tulum, he said. As a woman and as Governor, I want to tell you that in this administration we do listen, we do act,and we do provide answers, Lezama said Monday. Officials toured the facilities during its inauguration Monday. March 2, 2026. With this inauguration, Tulum formally joins the state justice network for women, reinforcing the infrastructure and public policies aimed at guaranteeing a life free of violence in Quintana Roo. SINGAPORE Singaporeans who take up selected SkillsFuture artificial intelligence courses will receive six months of free access to premium AI tools from the second half of 2026. The subsidy, announced by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng during the debate on the Ministry of Manpowers (MOM) budget on March 3, is part of larger plans to help Singaporeans gain confidence to work alongside AI and thrive. Like learning a language, developing true fluency in AI comes from consistent use and building confidence through experimentation, said Dr Tan, adding that the move will make it easier for Singaporeans to have hands-on experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Free AI subscriptions will be rolled out in the second half of 2026, with details of the qualifying AI courses and tools to be announced later, he said. Discussions are under way with providers such as Google, Manus, Microsoft and OpenAI, said Dr Tan, who is also Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology. Dr Tan said one of Singapores priorities is to build an AI-ready workforce. Lack of expertise and low adoption of AI among employees are among some reasons why three in five South-east Asian firms have yet to see meaningful financial gains from AI, a recent report by McKinsey, the Economic Development Board and Tech in Asia found. We cannot afford to let this gap persist, he said, adding that Singapore will take decisive steps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In announcing the move, Dr Tan agreed with Nominated MP Terence Ho that AI access should be inclusive, regardless of age or income. Associate Professor Ho had suggested that MOM consider extending access to premium AI tools to a larger group of Singaporeans such as mature workers or lower-income Singaporeans on a longer-term basis. Replying, Dr Tan said that for a start, the initiative will be open to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above, paired with practical and accessible training for AI at all levels. Beyond this, we will continue to explore ways to include more mature and lower-income workers in our national AI journey, he said. MOM said that the premium subscriptions will be offered to eligible course participants regardless of skill level, so they can immediately practise what is taught in the course. However, the tool that a participant has access to will depend on the registered SkillsFuture AI course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This ensures that the AI subscription provided best fits the content and skills taught by the course, said an MOM spokesman. Googles basic monthly AI plan costs $10.98 for access to virtual assistant Gemini, research tool NotebookLM and coding agent Jules. Its highest-tier plan for developers, researchers and power users costs $359.58 a month and comes with US$100 (S$128) of monthly credits for Google Cloud. General-purpose AI agent Manus AI costs $20 a month for 4,000 credits, which are used to complete tasks like generating images, conducting research or writing code. Its premium tier costs $200 a month, with 40,000 credits. Microsofts basic 365 plan costs $15.49 a month, with its built-in AI assistant Copilot for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The highest tier costs $28.99 a month, with access to AI agents that can perform more complex tasks, such as generating source-cited research reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OpenAIs ChatGPT costs $11 a month for the basic tier that promises faster responses than the free version of the tool and the ability to upload and analyse files. Its top-tier plan costs $300 a month and includes unlimited messages with the chatbot and image creation, as well as early access to experimental features. Source: The Straits Times SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here Drone strikes led to the closure of Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery as the war with Iran widened throughout the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has halted production at the Ras Tanura refinery, as the nation has faced drone and missiles strikes from Iran. Iran has been launching retaliatory strikes throughout the Middle East since the start of a joint U.S.-Israel military operation began February 28. Concern about the conflict caused U.S. crude oil to rise by more than 6.5 percent early Monday, NBC News reported. Brent, the international oil benchmark, rose 7 percent. The network reported that gas prices rise about 2.5 cents for every $1 increase in crude oil price. Meaning that the $5 increase already seen early Monday will translate to a per gallon price rise of about 13 cents. How high prices might go depend on how successful Iran is at targeting gas and oil infrastructure throughout the region. Oilprice.com reported that Ras Tanura is Saudi Arabia's largest refinery, producing about 550,000 barrels a day. The website reported that production shutdown as a precaution after two drones targeting the facility were shot down. However, the Times of Israel reported that the attacks did cause a fire at the refinery. "A limited fire resulted from falling shrapnel during the interception operation, with no civilian casualties," a Saudi defense ministry spokesman told the outlet. JUST IN: Iran strikes Saudi Arabia's Aramco Ras Tanura oil refinery. pic.twitter.com/eTmPGRFAY5 BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) March 2, 2026 Oilprice.com noted that in Iraqi Kurdistan several companies including DNO, Gulf Keystone Petroleum, Dana Gas and HKN Energy shutdown. The region exported about 200,000 barrels a day in February. The Times of Israel reported that other drone strikes by Iran had paralyzed shipping in United Arab Emirates and Oman. The outlet reported that strikes had been reported throughout the region including in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, and Oman's commercial part of Duqm. Among Iran's targets have been oil and gas infrastructure in the region. The Associated Press reported that QatarEnergy was stopping production of liquefied natural gas, helping to spike European natural gas prices by 40 percent. Originally published on IBTimes CCTV: Amid the current tense situation and ongoing military conflict in Iran, Foreign Minister Wang Yi had phone calls with his counterparts from several countries. Could you share more details? Mao Ning: In the recent phone calls with Russian, Iranian, French and Omani foreign ministers, Foreign Minister Wang Yi articulated Chinas position and actively worked to promote peace and stop the conflict. Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out that it is unacceptable for the U.S. and Israel to launch attacks against Iran in the process of the ongoing Iran-U.S. negotiations, still less to blatantly attack and kill the leader of a sovereign country and instigate government change. These actions have violated international law and basic norms of international relations. The following is Chinas position: first, immediately stop the military operations; second, return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible; third, jointly oppose unilateral actions. Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China supports Iran in defending sovereignty and security, territorial integrity and national dignity and in safeguarding its own legitimate and lawful rights and interests. China takes seriously Gulf countries legitimate concerns and supports them in upholding their sovereignty and security. Major countries should not make use of their military advantages to arbitrarily attack other countries, and the world must not slip back to the law of the jungle. Any moves that violate international law should be resisted by the international community, and basic norms governing international relations should be jointly upheld. China will continue to play a constructive role, stand firm for justice in platforms such as the UN Security Council, work for peace, and stop the conflict. Anadolu Agency: After the U.S. and Israel started their military operation on Iran, conflict is now expanding through the Middle East. Israel is reported to target Tehran and Beirut at the same time and several neighboring countries hosting U.S. bases are targeted in retaliatory strikes by Iran as well. Whats Chinas comment? Mao Ning: The U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran have no UN Security Council authorization and violate international law. China is deeply concerned over the regional spillover. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should likewise be fully respected. We urge parties to stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. Anadolu Agency: In Israels attacks against Iran, we saw a girls school was bombed on Saturday. And more recently, Irans public broadcaster IRIBs buildings in Tehran were targeted in military attacks. We are now witnessing a similar, dangerous pattern of targeting civilians, civilian facilities, children, journalists, like we have seen before in Gaza. What is Chinas comment about these acts? Mao Ning: China is deeply saddened by the massive civilian casualties caused by U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. We strongly condemn that. Protection of civilians in armed conflicts is a red line and must not be violated. Indiscriminate use of force cannot be accepted. China calls on all parties to fulfill their obligations under international law, effectively ensure the safety of civilians, and avoid attacks on civilian facilities. China News Service: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said yesterday the agency has not seen a structured program in Iran to manufacture nuclear weapons and countries may have political considerations. Whats Chinas comment? How do you see the prospects of the Iranian nuclear issue? Mao Ning: The U.S. once again attacked Iran in the process of an ongoing negotiation. The attack violates international law and basic norms of international relations and has ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East. China is highly concerned over the situation. China stands for the peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation, and respects Irans legitimate right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. We noted that Iran reiterated multiple times that it has no intention to develop nuclear weapons and has recently engaged in serious negotiation with the U.S. The issue ultimately has to return to the track of political and diplomatic solution. China calls for an immediate stop to the military operations, an early return to dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond. Ukrinform News Agency: Two questions. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, for Ukrainians, it is important to involve China in efforts to end the Russian war in Ukraine. For now, we do not see their involvement, he said. Whats Chinas comments? And second, Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday in the phone call with French colleague said that major countries must not use their military advantage to launch arbitrary attacks against other nations. This statement is addressed to the United States, but is it also directed to Russia? Mao Ning: Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, China has been committed to promoting talks for peace and the end of fighting. Chinas position and effort is clear for all to see. Regarding the Ukraine crisis, President Xi Jinping has put forward four principles, namely, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported. This has all along been Chinas position and it is also where we stand as we promote the settlement of all hotspot issues. AFP: The Foreign Ministry confirmed yesterday that a Chinese national was killed in Tehran. Could you confirm if there are others affected? Since the strikes began, how many Chinese nationals have been evacuated from Iran and the Gulf region? Mao Ning: We have not received any information on other Chinese citizens affected by the conflict. Since the security situation in Iran turned tense, more than 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran as of March 2. The working groups from Chinese diplomatic missions in Irans neighboring countries are continuing their work at border ports to receive and assist the evacuated Chinese citizens. Bloomberg: Weve reported that China is pressuring Iranian officials to avoid any action that would disrupt Qatari gas exports or other shipments making their way through the Strait of Hormuz. Would the Ministry like to comment on this? Mao Ning: Energy security is very important for the world economy. All parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply. China urges all parties to stop the military operations at once, avoid further escalation, keep the shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz safe, and prevent further impact on the global economy. Reuters: Some analysts suggested that China may take bolder action to stake its territorial claims, including in Taiwan, while the U.S. is distracted in the Middle East conflict. Do you have any comment on this assertion? And also, some analysts said that U.S. actions in Venezuela and Iran may hinder oil supplies to China and weaken their diplomatic allies. Do you have any comment on this assertion as well? Mao Ning: Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory. The Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair. How to resolve it is a matter for the Chinese ourselves. On your second question, China firmly opposes violating any countrys sovereignty and security with the use of force in international relations. Energy security is of vital importance to the world economy. Ensuring stable and unfettered energy supply is a responsibility for all. China will do what is necessary to safeguard its energy security. AFP: Chinas Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are expected to meet in Paris next week to discuss business deals between the two countries. That has been reported by Bloomberg News. Do you confirm that this meeting will take place? Mao Ning: Id refer you to competent authorities. *********************************************************************** The following question was raised after the press conference: U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran on February 28 have been met with Irans counterattacks. Over the past few days, U.S. targets in the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Jordan and Iraq have been attacked, which affected civilian facilities in relevant countries and caused civilian casualties. Several countries condemn that in their statements. Whats Chinas comment? Mao Ning: The blatant military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel have ratcheted up regional tensions and caused regional spillover. China is gravely concerned. China believes that Gulf countries sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be fully respected, and any attack against innocent civilians and non-military targets should be condemned. China urges all parties to immediately stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. China stands ready to work with regional countries and the international community to promote peace, stop the conflict, and work actively for peace and stability in the region. Our advice columnists have heard it all over the yearsso today were diving into the archives of Care and Feeding to share classic parenting letters with our readers. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here. Dear Care and Feeding, The other night while my husband was away, I had neighbors around for a glass of wine. One guest let me know shed be bringing her toddler. All night I was stressed by this mothers limited supervision of the toddler: wandering everywhere, leaving food around the house (we recently had a mouse problem and are sensitive to cleanliness), dipping fingers into lit candles then wiping wet wax on my wooden table, pulling out my darling husbands Lego sets and opening their boxes. I noticed a small but sentimental item was broken but didnt say anything at the time. Everyone was delighted and encouraging with the sweet child but me. Mom ate like a horse and then left a mess with everything on the table when she excused herself to return to her husband at home, who had prepared dinner. I felt stressed, unsure about realistic hosting expectations, and unappreciated by my guest. How can I do this better next timeif at all? What would be good boundaries for me with someone elses child in my home? Toddler Fingers Everywhere Dear TFE, Oh, good gravy, how unpleasant. You generally do not have to painstakingly childproof your home for someone elses child, especially if the child has not been invited and merely appears like an oddly-sticky Ghost of Christmas Future on your doorstep. If you do know a toddler is coming to an adult event (it sounds like you had some advance warning), simple common sense does suggest a five-minute dash to move breakables off grabbing-level and immobilize your Ball python. Thats for your own good and for the good of your liability insurance premiums. In your case, it was silly not to expect a toddler to make a beeline for your husbands Lego sets. They should be out of sight. (If he has a less precious Lego set that a child could, you know, play with, perhaps that one could be dragged out for visiting youths.) This was your only real boner move! It is not at all unreasonable to expect a kids parent to take responsibility for watching them when they are both in your home. Your neighbor acted badly, and Im not entirely sure why she didnt just leave her child with her husband. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next time? My advice is not to invite your neighbor over again. You seem like you have a nice adult life filled with nice, clean adult objects (and Lego), which is a very reasonable thing for a person without children to have and to want. I have a very nice decorative table that I plan on using again one day when my children are off at that horrible cold-water Scottish boarding school we dream of sending them to. This doesnt mean you never have to see or be friendly to this woman (or her husband) again! Meet for coffee at her place, if you enjoyed her company, or at a third partys home. I could absolutely give you a tight little script for Watch your own damn kid, I am not a Chuck-E-Cheese, but its better to parry this one. Your home is your castle, and good moats make for good neighbors, as Robert Frost might have said. Nicole Cliffe From: I Cant Wait for My Mom to Be a Grandma, but My Stepdad Is a Nightmare. (March 23rd, 2018). Advertisement Get advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Care and Feeding, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Care and Feeding following up) Submit Dear Care and Feeding, My younger sister has made a lot of choices in the last few years that my family has struggled with. After shocking us with a divorce, shes now engaged to a man twice her age whos in prison for an inappropriate relationship with a previous student (also half his age). Advertisement My sister met him at church before he went to prison, and says that hes turned his life around and is heartbroken for his past transgressions. They plan to marry this fall. The entire situation has been tough for our family, but Ive worked hard to support her and love her through everything, even though she knows I dont necessarily agree with her decisions. Advertisement The issue is how to handle this when her fiance gets out of prison, and they get married. My husband and I live across the country and only come home a few times a year, but we have a young daughter, and Im not comfortable with her being around a registered sex offender. Advertisement I know that my sister believes him to be a good guy, and I dont want to be unreasonable, but I feel like I want him to be around my daughter as little as possible, and absolutely never without me present. My sister casually mentioned that next year they could join us for our yearly family vacation, and my heart stopped. The thought of being under the same roof with that man scares me. Am I being irrational, or is this a valid concern? Im a Christian, and I do believe that God can change people and that everyone deserves forgiveness. But his past behavior landed him in jail, and that seems severe enough for me to create boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement If my feelings are valid, how do I address this without hurting my incredibly sensitive sister? Conundrum Dear Conundrum, In an uncertain world, its so great to find something to be so completely certain about. And while its true that my colleague Nicole Cliffe already answered this, I thought it wise to circle back because I was a little worried about the fact that you were even posing this question in the first place. I wanted to give some extra backup to make absolutely sure youre 100 percent clear on this. Advertisement The answer here is not just no, but super no. Super-duper no. Big time no. Im truly all for redemption and second chances. But if a guy goes to prison for dating someone half his age and then, while there, starts dating someone else half his age, then I gotta say Im not seeing a whole lot of progress there. Advertisement You have to tell your sister that while you wish her the best in her new relationship, youre simply not comfortable having this guy around your kids. She may not like it, but if shes going to be in an age-gap relationship with a man convicted of statutory rape, shes probably going to have to get real used to people not being comfortable about it. You are under no obligation to go on a family vacation with him, and it goes without saying that there should be no cause to leave your daughter alone with him, no matter what anyone says. Advertisement I hope he has changed; I hope your sister is in a good relationship with a good and loving person. And its possible that he has, and she is! But it is in no way incumbent upon you to assume that he has. For your daughters sake, you should probably, in fact, assume he has not. You have boundaries, those boundaries are reasonable, and you should most definitely stick to them. Carvell Wallace From: How Do We Explain to Our Daughter That Were Firing Her Beloved Sitter Because She Drank on the Job? (March 27th, 2019). Dear Care and Feeding, Apparently, its well-known among the parents in our childs circle of friends that one mother is a pill pilferer (OxyContin, Xanax). She is going through a divorce and home-schools her children. Ive only recently become privy to this information, and Im at a loss about what to do. Her son and my son love each other, but I dont feel I can let my children be at her house alone. More than that, shes a pillar in parts of our communityshe is board president of a preschool and runs programs for young children. I want to help her and her children, but dont want to get the state involved and make the childrens lives even more traumatized. Dear CL, For the sake of this letter Im going to assume that the rumors of this womans use are valid, despite the fact that theyre just, you know, rumors. That said, there is a generous amount of space between getting the state involved and leaving your child alone at this womans house, and your plan of action lies within that space. By all means dont send your kid to be alone with an adult you credibly believe to be on drugs. That should be pretty self-explanatory. And if you think her kids are struggling, then thats all the more reason to make your home as much of a center of activity as you can. Sounds like they would benefit from being in an environment where the reigning adult is not going through a divorce and a pill addiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They need that help just as much as their mother could use some help during what is clearly a rough time. So you should make yourself available to talk with her and ask her if she needs any help. But you cannot save her or get her clean or whatever else we tend to think we can do with people who are struggling with addiction. Your letter doesnt imply that you are laboring under these delusions, but it bears repeating anyway because its such a common mistake. Similarly, getting the authorities involved is in no way a guarantee that you will force a person into clean living. Its just as likely that you will, as you point out, only be introducing new varieties of messiness. The hard truth of addiction is that you cannot solve it from the outside. The only thing you can do is be there to help people when theyre ready and protect children caught in the crossfire, to whatever extent you can. Keep your child out of there, be as supportive to her innocent children as you can, and be available, if you can, if this woman wants a sympathetic ear. But outside of that, pray for the best. Good luck. C.W. From: A Neighbor Mom Is Popping Pills. What Should I Do? (May 15th, 2019). Advertisement Advertisement Classic Prudie I have been mostly happily married for 13 years. My husband and I get along really well, and I love him very much. That being said, he is not the most affectionate person anymore. We used to cuddle a lot when we were first married and I have told him how much I miss it. He says he doesnt enjoy it because its too hot. Hell make an effort to snuggle while watching TV sometimes if I ask, but I can tell while were doing it that he is counting the minutes until he can stop. About a month ago, I was having a very bad day at work and a male co-worker/friend told me I looked like I could use a hug. Good Job is Slates advice column on work. Have a workplace problem big or small? Send it to Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir here. (Its anonymous!) Dear Good Job, I started a new senior management role at a start up a few months ago and Im wondering how to parse my relationship with my new boss, the founder. I feel like its a classic dynamic in startupsa charismatic visionary who is constantly trying to innovate, add new features, oversell to clients, and overcommit on deliverables all while shilling platitudes to the staff about a level of excellence we truly cant achieve given the workload hes saddled us with. Right now we have major operational issues with projects due like, next week and hes trying to launch a new in-house brand for a spin-off project! Its impossible to have a conversation with him about real world issues were troubleshooting right now without him trying to suggest a new automation, a new integration, a new standing meeting, a new trackerwhen really the answer is we need time without meetings to buckle down and get some good old fashioned manual work done. This is what I signed up for, and I suspect just largely how it goes in a role like mine. But this is my first time! I feel like Im constantly running interference between him and my team as hes asking us to use tools that are underdeveloped, buggy and require too many manual inputs anyway to be effective. Its like hes playacting being a tech founder in an industry based on delivering in-person services. He seems to really respect my expertise, and tells me all the time to give him honest feedback on how hes doing as a leader, and Im kind of at a loss on where to start. I actually really love my job, am well compensated, have a great team, and love the work we do. I need him to realize his pattern of quick solutions often come with a new platform, new log-ins, and new integration, plus require testing, and present a new vulnerability for things to fall through the cracks. Rather than create efficiency, were just building card towers that make us feel disconnected from the work. How do I talk to him about this or throw out some speed bumps at least? Middle Manager Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Middle Manager, As someone who has worked at startups and also interacted with a lot of startup founders (oh and also wrote a novel about startups and startup culture), lets just say I feel your pain. Working for startups can be excitingtheres always something new happening, things move quickly, people are usually committed to the work and happy to be therebut also draining, especially when a founder is more of an ideas person than an operations expert. In a lot of ways, though, what youre describing about your boss is a feature of startup culture, not a bug. And I think the only way youre going to be able to feel like youre succeeding at work is if you take a step back and realize that youre not going to solve all of your workplaces problemsnor should you. That also goes for how you give him this honest feedback that hes ostensibly looking for. For example, a comment like, Heres what Ive seen happen when we change direction in the middle of a project is infinitely more helpful than telling him that his attention seems scattered or that hes playacting at being a founder. Advertisement Advertisement I also wonder if your desire to protect your team by running interference, as you put it, is actually making them feel more disconnected from the work, which you say is an issue. Maybe instead of feeling like you need to shield them from all of your bosss peccadilloes, you could propose that his requests for new features go into a queue that get assessed by the team weekly or monthly. That also cuts down on his possibly manufactured urgency and indicates to him that you have an organized plan to address his ideas. Advertisement Overall, though, it sounds like your boss at least has good intentions here, and I wouldnt throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater because hes got a tendency to chase shiny objects. It just sounds like you need to put some systems in place that will make life smoother for everyoneyourself most of all. Advertisement Get Expert Advice on Your Work Conundrums Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Good Job, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Good Job following up) Submit Dear Good Job, Two years ago, I helped my coworker flee what I assume was an abusive situation with her husband. She never gave me many details, but mentioned his temper and the difficulties in their marriage. He was away for work for a weekend, and I helped her move across town to a new apartment in secret with her two small children (not his kids). Advertisement Advertisement For the next year and a half, she seemed to be happy and thriving. Then six or so months ago, things changed. Shes no longer her normal bubbly self, and shes been missing a lot of workat least one day every week, but usually two or three. Shes also had two broken bones and a serious concussion in the last few months, plus various bruises that she swears are from sports. A few weeks ago she let it slip that her husband is back living with her. I obviously dont know anything for sure, but it really seems like he is abusing her. Is there anything I can do to help her, if she needs it? We arent closewe shared an office when she first started which is how I ended up helping her move, but shes since moved departments and we only interact on a professional level these days. Concerned Colleague Advertisement Dear Concerned Colleague, Bless you for being such an empathetic colleague, and for actually helping someone who was truly in need and probably felt like she didnt have many people to turn to. If I had to guess, shes embarrassed that shes allowed her husband back into her life, and shes reluctant to confide in you again because she fears your judgment after you helped her escape last time. I would ask her to get lunch or coffee and just make it clear that youre there for her as a friend as well as a professional colleague, and you are able to help if she ever needs anything. I would tread lightly not just so that she feels that she can trust you, but also for the safety of both of you. I would also think about what you feel comfortable helping her with if she does end up asking you. Are there other resources at work you can lean on? Do you feel like mentioning something to your HR department would be helpful and not harmful? Does your employee handbook offer any guidance? You might also consult this guide from DomesticShelters.org about what to do when you suspect a colleague is being abused at homeit has some helpful guidelines and language about how to navigate these situations. And thank you, again, for being so caring. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Good Job, Approximately two years ago, I had a nightmare interview experience. I am a trans man, Im open about this fact on things like social media (which I no longer use). I applied to a local company that has strong ties to the community. Its in a field I have experience, and was a laborer position which I was already doing for another company. Basically when I went in for the interview, the person interviewing me took me into another persons office so she could refer to me in third person with she/her pronouns the entire interview. I did not react to it, I remained professional and ignored the obviously targeted, discriminatory treatment. Because I wasnt expecting blatant discrimination in an interview, I didnt think to record my interview, so I have no proof this discrimination occurred. Lately after joining some 2SLGBTQ+ support groups, Im realizing more and more that I dont want them to just get away with conduct that violates human rights and I dont want this to happen to anyone else. Advertisement Frankly Im glad they didnt hire me after that, I have a great boss currently who I would do anything for who values me and tries hard to make me feel like my work is appreciated. I would be content, but I am really concerned about other people getting hurt by this other company. I had applied because the company I currently work for is too small to have more comprehensive benefits like medical or dental. I am really worried the discrimination goes beyond what I experienced, and its a field that definitely attracts a lot of immigrant workers. Advertisement Advertisement My problem is two-fold. One, it has been awhile since the event occurred, and two, the connection to the community has me worried that the backlash Id receive for speaking out about this company would ruin my life. Ive lived in this area my whole life and I volunteer and dont want something like this impacting future work prospects or my relationship with the people I volunteer with. Advertisement Advertisement What should I do? Also, I live in Canada so my rights as a trans person are protected under the law. Human Rights are Non-Negotiable Dear Human Rights are Non-Negotiable, Im sorry that you were treated this way in a job interview. It was unacceptable and unprofessional and should not have happened, and I applaud you for wanting to protect other people who may apply for jobs at this company or already work there. I also understand your feeling like going public with what happened to you could have negative consequences for you and your career. I have two suggestions of things you could do that might bring you some closure. One is to leave an anonymous review on a website like Glassdoor about what you experienced in the interview. Enough time has passed that its unlikely they would connect it to you, and anyone who did their research on the company before interviewing there would come across your review and hopefully take heed. The other is to be public about it in the 2SLGBTQ+ support groups that youve joined. This would alert the population that is most likely to be affected by this companys attitudes and practices, and puts them on noticebut in a protected space. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately I think that worrying about the potential additional discrimination at this company is outside the scope of what you should be concerned about. I see how much you care about others and that this empathy is whats driving your desire to do something about what you experienced, but I also hope that you will be able to move on from it. I hope that this will bring you some peace going forward. Doree More Work Advice From Slate A little over a month ago, I got summoned to HR while at my regular work tasks. I was sat down, and told to sign a paper acknowledging responsibility for the incident on June 15 and stating that I would accept consequences thereof, including but not limited to remedial sensitivity training. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. As far as I could remember, that was a normal workday where I logged in, did my duties as a bookkeeper, and went home. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Tuesday, Texas Democrats will go to the polls to pick their partys nominee for a U.S. Senate seat. Texans havent elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, but changing demographics and widespread disgust with President Donald Trump and his Republican Party have put the state in play this year. Thats particularly true if Republicans, who also vote today, pick their leading candidate, who comes with massive personal and legal baggage. Democrats are choosing between strong candidates, both of whom strongly oppose Trump, but who represent diametrically opposed theories of power, as well as very different views on what the Democratic Party needs now. And the election itself is raising old questions in a high-stakes context: What does it mean to be electable, and how do race and gender shape perceptions of what a respectable, powerful person looks like? When the GOP has gone low and then lower, should Democrats still take the moral and strategic high ground, or take the fight into the muck? In an increasingly post-factual world where fewer people get their news from reliable sources, is social media attention-grabbing evidence of a narcissistic campaigner, or a smart, modern campaign? And perhaps most importantly: Is the Democratic path to victory through appealing to the base, or pulling in new supporters? Texas voters are deciding between two young Democratic rising stars, Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico. Crockett, 44, is a lawyer and U.S. congresswoman who catapulted to viral fame when she responded to an insult from congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene by ridiculing her bleach-blond bad-built butch-body, a phrase she has since attempted to trademark and used to sell campaign merch. Talarico, 36, is a seminarian and Texas state representative who injects progressive Christianity into his politics and has had his own viral moments, most recently when CBS News refused to air his interview with Stephen Colbert. (Colbert posted it on his YouTube channel, and it quickly amassed millions of views and raised $2.5 million for the Talarico campaign.) Polling on the race doesnt point to a clear front-runner. Crockett has led several polls, at times by a wide margin. But this weekend, the highly respected Emerson College poll gave Talarico a solid lead. In short, the race appears extremely competitive. It should be: Both Democrats are strong and inspiring candidates who can make a legitimate argument for why theyre the partys best option for this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But elections are binary choices, and given the realities of Texas and my own hunger to return to a more decent and productive politics, Talarico seems to me the better candidate. I think Crockett is primed to lose statewide (more on electability in a bit), and I worry that shes adopting some of Trumps worst behaviors, effectively normalizing them on both sides of the aisle and threatening to further degrade American political life. Theres a lot to like about Crockett. Democrats want a fighter, and she does know how to land a punch (and create a spectacle). She often goes viral on social media for using congressional hearings to go after the president in ways that are amusing, pointed, and digestible for short-video viewers. Unlike so many hapless Democrats who seem entirely lost in this political moment, Crockett has a scrappy and fearless energy to her. When other politicians try to respond to Trump in kind, they often come across as a bit try-hard, a lot cringe. Crockett is much younger, smarter, and funnier than Trump and is a more natural interlocutor. Trump might call her low IQ and a lowlife, but she always seems to maintain the upper hand. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats need more highly effective and humorous critics of Trump, and Crockett is among the best. But among prominent Democrats, shes also the one who most emulates his style of politics. That gives her an edge in social media wars. But its not where Democrats should take the party. Crockett, despite throwing very effective jabs, is less graceful when it comes to taking criticism. Last week, her team had armed security kick Atlantic reporter Elaine Godfrey out of her campaign rally, ostensibly because Godfrey wrote a critical profile of her a few months back. Crockett supporters found much to dislike about Godfreys profile, including the focus on Crocketts eyelashes and nails, race and class signifiers that Godfrey (I think troublingly) homed in on. Taking issue with the profile, even condemning it and vociferously panning it, is fair game. Removing critical journalists from your campaign rally suggests a lack of commitment to transparency and a troubling self-exemption from scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Crockett had previously attempted to kill the profile, becoming angry when she learned that Godfrey had talked to other members of Congress without Crocketts permissionstandard journalistic practiceand telling Godfrey that she was shutting down the profile and revoking all permissions. That, of course, is not how any of this works, and it was a foreboding sign of Crocketts commitment to a free press, not to mention her understanding of the First Amendment. Crocketts team also, according to Semafor, called the Capitol police on CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere for alleged trespassing when he tried to visit her campaign officeagain, standard practice in political journalism. Advertisement Advertisement Crocketts team has, bizarrely, denied that Godfrey was removed; Godfrey has released an audio recording that suggests otherwise. Crockett herself told a reporter that Godfrey is dishonest and lost a defamation case. It is sad that there is any news outlet that would actually have her on staff, Crockett said. According to Godfrey, this did not happen. Crockett often claims to be always with the receipts. Id be curious to see them here. Advertisement The attacks on critical media outlets are quite Trumpian. Trump notoriously and dangerously tars the press as the enemy of the people. He has also kicked journalists out of events and news conferences and the press room. When Trump has done this, liberals have objected. But many Democrats are also fed up with what they see as a biased media landscapeand may find themselves cheering, not questioning, Crocketts behavior, even if it seems less than aboveboard. Crockett is charismatic and likeable; the more I listen to her on podcasts, television shows, and the campaign trail, the more appealing she gets. And I also find myself internally cheering when I see videos of Crocketts clapbacks and Trump attacks. Its not politics as I would like politics to be. But as far as politics in todays abysmal, gutter context go, Crockett is at least a fun fighter to watch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Talarico might be what America needs. Like Crockett, he is genial and charming. But his approach to politics is quite different. For elder-millennial politics-heads who grew up wanting to be C. J. Cregg and cried tears of joy when Barack Obama won, he feels like a comforting throwback to what American politics used to beor, perhaps more accurately, what we used to imagine American politics could be.* I still want a politics of thoughtfulness and respect, of considered debate rather than social media gotchas, of an embrace of a free and sometimes hostile press and public outrage when our leaders do not act in accordance with the gravity of their position. I am not sure if this is evidence of maintaining standards and principles in a world swiftly doing away with both, or of spectacular naivete, but Im not ready to give up on it. Advertisement Im also adamant that Democrats should pick the candidate with the best chance of a surprise win in November, which could give Democrats an edge in the nationwide fight to recapture the Senate. Assessing which candidate fits that bill in the Texas Democratic primary has been made all the more complicated by the politics of race and gender, being as it is a competition between a Black woman and a white man. Criticizing Crockett is invariably met with accusations of racism and sexism, some of them legitimate and necessary, some specious and weaponized. When two guys on a podcast said that they didnt back Crockett because she was making the campaign about herself, the backlash was swift and intense, and culminated with the predictable self-abasing pledge to do better. Concerns about Crocketts rally-the-base strategy and her statewide electability in long-red Texas have similarly been dismissed as racist and sexist code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is complicated territory. Thats racist is not just a cudgelits often a factual assessment. And Crockett has faced an absolute onslaught of racist and sexist attacks. Electability has often been shorthand for racists wont vote for a Black person or sexists wont vote for a womantheories that turn into self-fulfilling prophecies. Our perceptions of who is electable and what power looks like are shaped by race and genderwhite men have had a near-monopoly on political power in America for centuries, and so when a white man runs for office and speaks in a cadence familiar to those who lived through the Obama years or watched The West Wing, it sends an invisible signal of authority and familiarity. That creates a disadvantage for women, and for nonwhite women in particular. Few people hear Jasmine Crockett, or any woman, speak and think, She sounds like John F. Kennedyor Ronald Reagan, or Bill Clinton, or Barack Obama, or any other storied presidential orator, because all storied presidential orators, like every single American president, have been men (and, with a single exception, white men). Advertisement And so its complicated to talk about Crocketts electability. Thats particularly true because polls suggest she leads Talarico in constituencies where the party as a whole has struggled. Among non-college, suburban, and rural Democratic voters in Texas, a University of Texas poll from early February put Crockett up by double-digit margins over Talarico: plus-24 among non-college voters, and plus-38 among rural ones. She also has much broader name recognition than Talarico despite being outspent in advertising by several million dollars. The enthusiasm for Crockett is deep and genuine. To win in Texas, where Republicans outnumber Democrats, Crockett has to do more than just turn out her partys voters; she has to convince moderates, conservatives, and independents to take a chance on her too. And in the UT poll and others, Talarico fares far, far better with independents. The Texas poll gives him a 20-point edge there. In the Emerson poll, independents broke for Talarico 62 percent to 35 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Several things can be true at once. Crockett can both be the subject of a wave of racist and sexist attacks and also have real flaws that are fair to point out. Similarly, it can be true that our discussion of electability is warped by our centuries of structural oppression and it can be true that Crockett is less likely to help Democrats capture a crucial Senate seat. Texas Democrats are lucky that they are choosing between two strong candidates. Regardless of who wins, Democrats nationwide need to do some soul-searching. Can we expect our strongest fighters to hit hard but still fight fair? Is there any expectation that Democrats will try to return to a politics of going high, or are we committed to getting as low as we need in order to win? Fundamentally, this is a question about the future of American politics: Are Democrats going to adapt to our new political moment by replicating some of the worst aspects of itthe hostility to the press, the personal insults, the flexible relationship with the truthor are we going to try to reshape it into something better? A drug bust in the state of Arizona took a dangerous turn when one of the suspects allegedly opened fire on law enforcement officers. Border Report noted that the shooting occurred in the parking lot of a discount store in west Phoenix, where a Drug Enforcement Administration informant was waiting to receive a delivery of 50,000 fentanyl pills from a suspect. According to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the pills, along with a "sample" of fentanyl powder, were meant to serve as the precursor to a larger drug purchase involving 150,000 synthetic opioid pills and up to one kilogram of powder. Eduardo Valenzuela Lopez, one of the suspects, arrived at the location on Feb. 24 driving a red Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck. He allegedly showed the informant a bag containing fentanyl pills. At that point, investigators moved in on the vehicle and activated their emergency lights. The situation escalated when Valenzuela, according to a DEA task force member, retrieved a handgun and "began shooting toward investigators and toward the store." Authorities allege the suspect then pointed the weapon at the informant, who ran from the scene. A second suspect inside the pickup truck also got out and fled on foot, court records showed. Border Report noted there were no reports of anyone being struck by gunfire. Amid the chaos, officers apprehended Valenzuela and forced him to the ground. The second man, identified as Jael Gonzalez Banuelos, was taken into custody minutes later. After securing the scene, investigators recovered a green handgun and the bag containing the fentanyl pills. A subsequent test confirmed that a sample of the pills tested positive for fentanyl. According to court documents, Valenzuela told investigators he was promised $500 for helping facilitate the drug deal. Gonzalez gave a similar account, stating he was there to assist with the transaction but did not expect to be paid. Both men have been charged with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Their court appearances were pending as of Feb. 26, Border Report said. Last month, officials in Arizona seized over a million pills of fentanyl in a single day, when Customs and Border Protection stopped three different vehicles as they attempted to smuggle the substance into the U.S. One of them carried over half a million pills, while the other two were taking more than 400,000 and 100,000, respectively. The first one also had 29 pounds of heroin, 29 of cocaine and five pounds of meth. Originally published on Latin Times It took almost five years, but one of the longest-standing win streaks in the sport has come to an end. Despite being unsuccessful in getting the victory this past Friday, Feb. 27 at The Meadows, it was still a win of sorts for trotter Mallard Hanover, simply by getting back to the races. The now eight-year-old only raced five times early in his career, the last of which was in May 2021. He won that day for trainer Erv Miller, as he had done in all of his previous efforts. Winning an Indiana Sires Stakes, he set a lifetime mark of 1:52.4 at Hoosier Park, but an injury ended his season prematurely, with a lifetime record of five wins in five starts. He attempted a comeback in 2022, but posted a slow time in a qualifier and never raced in a pari-mutuel event. On Feb. 18 of this year, after spending several years in Amish country as a working horse, Mallard Hanover faced a starting gate for the first time since 2021. New trainer Eric Miller guided the Swan For All-Mynah Hanover gelding to a qualifying win at The Meadows in 1:57.3 in his return to action, leading up to last weeks pari-mutuel race where he finished sixth, race timed in 1:57 and 2-1/2 lengths off the winner after a first-over journey. Mallard Hanover will look to resume his winning ways this Friday, March 6 in the seventh race at The Meadows. (With files from The Meadows; photo of Mallard Hanover winning on May 21, 2021 at Hoosier Park) With the tables turned and John Rallis in the hot seat answering the interview questions this time, the TROT magazine associate editor and broadcast racing analyst reflected on his quick rise to prominence from a racing fan to a trusted media professional in the harness racing industry. Rallis received the United States Harness Writers Association's 2025 Breakthrough Award at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet on Feb. 22 after winning his second straight Standardbred Canada Media Excellence for Outstanding Written Work. "I just wanted a chance to get into the door in the industry and the fact that I've been able to do so many things, I'm really appreciative," said the 30-year-old Torontonian, who has gained popularity among both racing viewers and participants for his engaging storytelling, insightful interviews and informed analysis. "I'm obviously really proud of the work that I do. I do put in a lot of time and put in a lot of effort, but I'm just proud of who I get to do it with -- that's the biggest thing." In an interview with Standardbred Canada's Jeff Porchak, Rallis revealed how he broke into the industry and honed his skills, the lessons he's learned along the way and more. To watch the interview, click the play button below. (Standardbred Canada) Mission work in the 21st century is increasingly evaluated not only by short-term outreach but also by organizational continuity, global coordination, and measurable social impact. As humanitarian needs become more complexranging from disaster response to food insecurity and access to healthcarefaith-based institutions are expected to demonstrate clarity of purpose, operational discipline, and sustained engagement. Within this modern context, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) presents a distinct model of contemporary mission work. Iglesia Ni Cristo, also known as the Church of Christ, is a Christian religious organization registered in the Philippines in 1914. Its approach to mission work is rooted in doctrinal consistency, centralized administration, and collective responsibility among its members. This structure allows the Church to operate across national and cultural boundaries while maintaining uniform belief and practice. Institutional Identity and Doctrinal Foundation Iglesia Ni Cristo teaches doctrines derived solely from the Bible, emphasizing worship of the one true God, faith in Jesus Christ, and obedience to biblical commandments taught by the apostles. From its inception, the Church adopted a centralized administrative system, ensuring unity in doctrine and conduct across all congregations. This organizational model has enabled sustained global expansion. As of today, Iglesia Ni Cristo maintains congregations in 168 countries and territories, with members representing more than 150 ethnic and racial backgrounds. This global presence is not incidental; it is a direct outcome of long-term planning and standardized governance. Mission Work as Organized Humanitarian Action Unlike traditional mission models that focus primarily on episodic outreach, mission work within Iglesia Ni Cristo is expressed through structured humanitarian programs. These initiatives are administered through the Church's official charitable arm, the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation, which coordinates relief efforts across regions. A central program under this framework is Lingap sa Mamamayan, also referred to as Care for Humanity. Through this initiative, Iglesia Ni Cristo members provide food assistance, free medical and dental services, disaster relief, blood donation drives, and essential supplies to underserved communities. Activities are implemented at the local congregation and ecclesiastical district levels, allowing for rapid response while maintaining consistent standards globally. Alignment of Belief, Governance, and Practice For Iglesia Ni Cristo, mission work is inseparable from doctrine. Church leaders teach that faith must be reflected in conduct, organizational discipline, and unity. Unity under Church administration is viewed as a biblical mandate rather than a procedural requirement, ensuring doctrinal clarity and coordinated action. Worship services are held twice weekly and follow a uniform structure centered on prayer, hymn singing, and Bible-based instruction. This consistency reinforces shared understanding among members worldwide and directly influences how mission and humanitarian programs are planned and executed. Demonstrated Global Impact The scale of Iglesia Ni Cristo's mission work has led to international recognition. In 2018, the Church set a Guinness World Record for the largest charity walk, demonstrating its capacity to mobilize volunteers across multiple countries simultaneously. In 2022, the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation received the Philippine Presidential Banaag Award for its contributions to poverty alleviation and humanitarian service. Through disciplined organization, doctrinal clarity, and sustained participation, Iglesia Ni Cristo continues to redefine mission work in the modern era. Its model illustrates how faith-based organizations can achieve long-term social impact by integrating religious conviction with coordinated, global humanitarian action. From Maine to New York to Illinois to California, and many places in-between, a national rent-control movement is rising up and Big Real Estate is running scared. Thats as it should be, because a successful movement would make it much harder for the real estate industry to rent gouge tenants. Rent regulations have a long history of protecting hard-working people in America. Soon after World War I, elected officials created fair rent commissions and rent control in dozens of U.S. cities. During World War II, the federal government expanded rent control, with states creating their own rent regulations in the 1950s. In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon pushed for temporary rent controls, prompting U.S. cities to create permanent rent regulations. This was all done to stop Americans from drowning under sky-high rents and to prevent seniors, families and millions of others from falling into homelessness. Rent control urgently helped people by giving them direct relief, unlike the self-serving, trickle-down housing policies pushed by the real estate industry. So its not surprising that a national rent-control movement is growing, right now, in the United States. With unaffordable rents linked to higher mortality rates and increased homelessness, which has resulted in more people dying in the streets, Americans need immediate help. In Maine and other states, mobile home owners, who have to rent land at a mobile home park, are demanding rent regulations as corporate landlords buy up properties and quickly charge sky-high rent hikes. In Rhode Island, the Providence City Council is considering a new rent-stabilization ordinance because of unfair, excessive rents. In Illinois, activists are pushing to revoke that states rent-control ban and allow local voters to approve rent control. In California, the Santa Barbara City Council just passed a one-year moratorium on rent hikes and the Salinas City Council voted to put the citys rent stabilization and rental-protection ordinances on the November 2026 ballot. And New York Citys new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, wants to establish a rent freeze for rent-stabilized units. He has already succeeded in raising nationwide awareness of the need for rent control, inspiring activists across the country to fight for rent regulations. These are just a few examples of a national rent-control movement gathering steam. But activists and tenants cant fight their battles separately. Corporate landlords, developers and real estate lobbying groups will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to defeat rent-control movements anywhere in the country. The only way to overcome those millions is to have a unified, people-power rent-control movement. In addition, activists understand that rent control is just one part of a multi-pronged approach to address the housing affordability and homelessness crises. Politicians must implement what are known as the 3 Ps: protect tenants through rent control and other protections; preserve existing affordable housing, not demolish it to make way for unaffordable luxury housing; and produce new affordable and homeless housing using such concepts as adaptive reuse and prefabricated housing. In the meantime, Big Real Estate is trying to flood newspapers and news sites with outdated and flawed anti-rent-control arguments, fearing rent regulations will finally rein in their predatory business practices. But in the Harvard Business Review, experts with the Open Markets Institute clearly explained that rent regulations are a crucial tool to protect Americans against runaway corporate greed. In 2023, a group of 32 top economists wrote a letter to the Biden administration that said rent regulations are desperately needed. Respected housing experts at the University of Southern California and University of California, Berkeley also released studies that explain that rent control is a tool politicians must utilize to protect their constituents. They also found that Big Real Estates arguments against rent control are scantily researched and disingenuous. Rent regulations will directly, and urgently, help poor and middle-class and working-class Americans who are being forced to pay unfair, excessive rents month after month. Millions of hard-working tenants understand that, and thats why a national rent-control movement is only growing in the United States. (TBTCO) - Viec cap ma inh danh cho tung bat ong san uoc ky vong mo ra giai oan minh bach du lieu cho thi truong. Tuy nhien, cau hoi at ra la: lieu cong cu nay co u suc ngan chan au co va nhung con sot at tung lap lai nhieu lan hay khong, hay chi la nen tang ban au cho mot he thong quan ly thi truong chuyen nghiep hon? Film Screening: Belen Monday, March 9, 6:00 p.m. 721 Broadway, 10th floor Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Grad Film invites the NYU Community to a special screening and conversation in celebration of International Women's Day! On March 9th, Grad Film will host a screening of the Academy Award-nominated film Belen. The film also received the 2026 Goya Award-winner for Best Ibero-American Film. The screening will be followed by an in-person conversation with the filmmaker and actress Dolores Fonzi! Belen (2025) tells the true story of a young woman in Tucuman, Argentina, who was unjustly criminalized and imprisoned after experiencing an obstetric emergency. Her case became one of the most emblematic in Argentinas reproductive justice movement - a powerful symbol of the fight against institutional violence and the policing of womens reproductive lives. Central to this story is Soledad Deza, Belens attorney, whose legal advocacy and movement organizing helped secure Belens freedom and contributed to the momentum of Argentinas Green Wave, culminating in the historic legalization of abortion in 2020. This is an in-person event, open to the NYU students, faculty, and staff only. Seating is first come, first served. As Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar signed the country to a new US-lead anti-cartel coalition on Saturday, business leaders in Trinidad and Tobago largely welcomed the move as a stronger stance on tackling the issue of organised crime. But some cautioned that expanded military operations in the Caribbean should be carefully managed. Lori Sepich smoked for years and sometimes skipped taking her blood pressure medicine. But she never thought shed have a heart attack. The possibility just wasnt registering with me, said the 64-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, who suffered two of them 13 years apart. Shes far from alone. More than 60 million women in the US live with cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease as well as stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. And despite the myth that heart attacks mostly strike men, women are vulnerable too. Independent filmmakers are increasingly turning to alternative funding methods to bring their visions to life. Traditional studio financing often comes with creative limitations, while newer models such as crowdfunding, grants, and sponsorships offer greater artistic control and direct audience engagement. Crowdfunding platforms double as promotional tools, while non-traditional sources like arts councils or tax incentives allow creators to tap into resources often overlooked by mainstream productions. However, Nigel Sinclair says navigating this terrain requires a blend of strategic planning, persistence, and adaptability. Challenges such as legal complexities and time-consuming campaign management can make the process daunting, yet many find that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. By layering multiple forms of supportfrom grants to recurring donationsfilmmakers can build a sustainable model for financing their work. Ultimately, alternative funding strategies are redefining how independent films are made, marketed, and shared. What Crowdfunding and Alternative Funding Mean for Independent Filmmaking Crowdfunding and alternative funding have become essential tools for filmmakers who want to bypass the limitations of traditional studio models. These methods allow creators to raise money directly from audiences or through niche financial avenues without giving up creative ownership of their work. Many filmmakers turn to crowdfunding platforms or grant programs because access to private investors or studio deals can be limited, especially for emerging talent. Projects that might not fit mainstream formulas often find support through these alternative channels, offering space for innovation and risk-taking. The shift toward independent financing reflects broader changes in the media landscape. With growing digital distribution options and social media outreach, creators are no longer dependent on large production houses to reach viewers or fund their visions. How Crowdfunding Platforms Support Projects Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and Seed&Spark have become go-to platforms for filmmakers aiming to bring their ideas to life without relying on traditional gatekeepers. These platforms not only help raise funds but also serve as early marketing tools, allowing creators to build a dedicated audience from the start. Campaigns often include trailers, concept art, or behind-the-scenes footage to entice potential backers and establish trust. A successful crowdfunding campaign involves more than just asking for money. Filmmakers must craft compelling pitches, set realistic financial goals, and offer meaningful rewards to supporters. This can also serve as a litmus test of a project's appeal, providing creators with valuable feedback before production even begins. Launching a campaign requires time and strategy, but the payoff can be substantial. Some projects have even gone on to secure distribution deals or festival premieres thanks to the momentum gained during their crowdfunding phases. Exploring Other Forms of Alternative Financing Besides crowdfunding, many filmmakers explore grants, fellowships, and support from arts councils to secure the funding they need. These sources often prioritize originality and cultural relevance, making them ideal for documentaries or socially driven films. Foundations and nonprofit organizations regularly allocate funds to support independent storytelling that might otherwise struggle to find commercial backing. Brand sponsorships and strategic partnerships offer another avenue. A filmmaker producing a documentary about climate change, for example, may collaborate with an environmental nonprofit or eco-conscious brand willing to support the project in exchange for visibility. These collaborations can provide both financial support and reach. In some cases, these partnerships lead to long-term relationships that benefit multiple projects. Tax incentives and co-production agreements have become increasingly important, especially in international filmmaking. Countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia offer substantial rebates to attract productions, making it more feasible for indie filmmakers to shoot abroad or partner with overseas teams. Equity crowdfunding, though more complex, is also gaining traction, allowing backers to become actual investors in a film's success. Key Challenges in Non-Traditional Financing Independent funding isn't without its hurdles. Running a campaign can feel like a full-time job, requiring constant updates, outreach, and coordination. Without a marketing team, the pressure to manage social media, press, and deliverables falls squarely on the filmmaker's shoulders. The emotional toll can also be significant, especially when deadlines approach and funding goals seem distant. Legal complexities also come into play, particularly with equity crowdfunding or international co-productions. Navigating contracts, ownership rights, and tax implications requires professional guidance, which can eat into already tight budgets. Missteps in transparency or communication can erode trust and jeopardize a project's reputation before it even launches. Despite these challenges, many filmmakers find the learning curve worthwhile for the freedom it provides. Building a Long-Term Funding Approach Sustainable funding often comes from layering various methods over time. A filmmaker might start with a small grant, build momentum through a crowdfunding campaign, and eventually attract private investors or festival backing. This blended approach not only spreads risk but also opens doors to different types of support. It's a mosaic of resources that collectively fortify a project's financial foundation. The most resilient creators treat fundraising not as a one-time task but as an ongoing relationship with their audience and partners. Platforms like Patreon or long-term sponsorships can provide recurring income, while established networks help secure future collaborations. Over time, these systems form the backbone of a filmmaker's career, offering both creative freedom and financial stability. Forging and maintaining these relationships can be just as important as the creative process itself. China will ensure its cyber security with all measures necessary: Chinese FM Xinhua) 09:33, March 03, 2026 BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that China will ensure its cyber security with all measures necessary. Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on reports that the U.S. Department of War was in talks with leading AI companies about partnerships to conduct automated reconnaissance of China's power grids, utilities and sensitive networks with AI-powered cyber tools to identify flaws that could be exploited in any conflict. "The United States has long been the leading source of instability in cyberspace," Mao said, adding that the United States had been conducting cyber attacks and prepositioning against China's key infrastructure even before the development of AI. She said that the U.S. government even asks major tech companies to directly serve U.S. geopolitical, political and military targets, a move that has grave global impact. The Chinese side has made clear its deep concern to the U.S. side through multiple channels and will ensure China's cyber security with all measures necessary, Mao noted. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Han Hyo Joo, a South Korean actress, has said that she just graduated from a Buddhist university program. She also said that she is still Catholic and that she took the classes because she was interested in them. On February 28, Han appeared on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun with actresses Han Ji Min and Park Bo Young. That's when the news came out. The three stars talked openly in the video "Getting Coupons is Just an Excuse." AllKpop says that Han Hyo Joo talked about the subject carefully during the broadcast. Han seemed unsure about making the news public before she spoke. She said, "I'm not sure if I should say this, but coincidentally, I graduated from Buddhist University on my birthday, February 22," Han Ji Min added information about her friend's studies to make the timeline clearer. READ MORE: Han Hyo Joo Reveals Co-Star She Had the Best Chemistry With: 'I would love to if the situation works out' Han Ji Min said, "She's currently attending Buddhist University," Han Hyo Joo then talked about why she was doing it and her religious background. "I'm originally Catholic. I did not change my religion. I just wanted to study it a little. It was about a six-month program," she said. She went into more detail about the course structure and what it would cover. "We studied Buddhist theory. Classes were once a week online. There were no exams. It was more like studying the mind. The graduation ceremony is also online. I am planning to buy a bouquet for myself," Han Hyo Joo said. KBIZoom's report brought out more details, including the fact that Han's interest in Buddhism was partly shaped by the people around her. Han Ji Min talked more about a spiritual program she had been a part of before. Venerable Pomnyun leads a program called the Enlightenment Retreat. "There is a program called the Enlightenment Retreat led by Venerable Pomnyun. I joined it in 2009 because of writer Noh Hee Kyung and recommended it to Hyo Joo. She went further and even attended Buddhist University. It was impressive. She practiced meditation and the 108 prostrations diligently." People were interested in the news online because Han Hyo Joo is a well-known Catholic. She did, however, stress that her involvement in the Buddhist program was only for academic and reflective reasons, not to convert to Buddhism. The actress is preparing for her upcoming projects, and her candid remarks about faith and personal growth have resonated deeply with her fans. READ MORE: Did You Know? Han Hyo Joo, Jo In Sung Have Worked Together Multiple Times Before 'Moving' If you want to see the years best actress at work, catch Hamnet. There, youll be mesmerized by Jessie Buckley, an incredible actress who plays the woman in love with "the man who would be Shakespeare." They meet in an interesting way, and then he heads off to London, where his career is taking off. Paul Mescal plays Will (the man who would be Shakespeare), and hes remarkable, too. But Agnes (Buckley) has to keep the fires burning at home, and there she has to deal with the house, the children and a community that doesnt understand the relationship she enjoys. When a daughter is struck by what some think is the plague, the need becomes even more apparent. In the mix is a son named Hamnet (which is interchangeable with Hamlet), who is tight with his sister. Grief becomes a guiding force in the family members lives and a reason for Will and Agnes to split. Both convey their sorrow quite openly, giving Hamnet an intimacy that few films achieve. Director Chloe Zhao knows how to lean into the conversations, quarrels and triumphs and find the relatable moments that even those who never achieve notoriety can recognize. When Will writes a play called Hamlet, theres plenty to consider (and attach). Agnes thinks hes preying on their sons name and attends the play. How she relates to it and heals from it is part of the magic of Jessie Buckley. Shes so intriguing first as what some see as a witch, then as a wife who feels she has no control over her family that youll wonder where she landed after the film. Hamlet may be Shakespeares greatest work; Hamnet explains how it could have been so divinely inspired. Buckley and Mescal are impeccable, but Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn are memorable, too. Even Jacobi Jupe, as Hamnet, stakes a claim to the audiences emotions. When his lookalike real-life brother turns up as Hamlet in the play, the film becomes a window into a world most never know. One of the best films of the year (if not THE best film), Hamnet says theres plenty of life in classics. Sometimes, you just need to dig for it. Movies in a minute with film critic Bruce Miller Movies in a Minute: "Marty Supreme" Movies in a Minute: "Anaconda" Movies in a Minute: "Primate" Movies in a Minute: "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" Movies in a Minute: "Is This Thing On?" 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Some of them work so hard to arrive at these illustrious chambers, only to hand over their constitutional powers to the president. In doing so, they decline to try to represent their constituents. And then they strangely choose to run for re-election anyway. Let's not be coy here. I'm thinking mostly about my congressman, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, and most recently his position on President Donald Trump's decision to launch a war with Iran. But the problem isn't just him or that issue. Consider congressional inaction on tariffs, especially, or Ciscomani giving up his objections to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and you'll see a pattern of members handing over their power to the president. The pattern goes back decades and has involved members of both parties handing power to presidents of their party, but it has reached a peak in Trump's second term that is especially troubling now. Ciscomani, a Tucson Republican representing Congressional District 6, said this after the United States and Israel launched war against Iran, overnight Friday into Saturday: Todays action by President Trump sends a clear message: the Iranian regimes aggression and destabilizing threats will not go unanswered. For decades, the Iranian regime has funded terror, attacked our allies, and threatened American servicemembers. President Trump and his administration have continually been seeking peace, but Iran chose escalation. Protecting American lives and interest must always come first. I stand with our troops and remain committed to holding this dangerous regime accountable. What I find missing here is any suggestion that my congressman thinks he has a vote in the matter of sending our troops into battle in another country. Nothing he has said publicly since reflects the idea that it is not just the president's decision, but also that of Ciscomani and the rest of Congress, as our representatives. Tucson's other member of the U.S. House, Rep. Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat representing Congressional District 7, made this statement after the war began: Trumps attacks on Iran are completely reckless, blatantly unconstitutional, and needlessly put our troops and innocent civilians in harms way. Taking the United States into a major military conflict without debate or the consent of the peoples representatives is a clear violation of Congresss constitutional war powers. Congress and war The Constitution gives Ciscomani, Grijalva and their fellow members of Congress the power to declare war or not to although this power has been worn away by unilateral presidential military decisions over decades and is limited by the War Powers Act. That 1973 law requires the president to inform the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tem within 48 hours of any foreign military action. It says that the military action must end after 60 days if the president has not received congressional approval. Trump has fulfilled the first requirement. Now, many members of Congress are insisting on being formally consulted over the Iran war, though unfortunately, it is largely a partisan split. Most Democrats are demanding that Congress' war-declaration power be respected, while most Republicans are happy to defer to the president's decision-making. Arizona's U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both Democrats, have stressed the need for Congress to be consulted. And as it happens, members will get a chance this week. A resolution is coming up for a vote that would require the president to end military action in Iran. The timing of the resolution by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, is somewhat coincidental. It was introduced before the U.S.-Israeli attack began. Ciscomani has not stated his position on the resolution, but it stands to reason he will vote no, since he supports the attack. Grijalva said she's going to vote yes in favor of forcing the president to end military action in Iran "to rein in this administration's blatantly unconstitutional military actions in Iran that have already cost the lives of U.S. troops and innocent school children." However the vote ends up, it is unlikely to stop military action in Iran. That's because even if the resolution were to narrowly pass, Trump can veto it. But at least the resolution forces something that should have happened before we launched attacks on Iran: A robust debate. Even before the disastrous 2003 launching of war in Iraq, at least Congress and the American people had a broad public discussion, marred as it was by false claims by the Bush administration. Depriving the people The members of Congress who unquestioningly approve the Iran attack are depriving the people they represent of a voice in the most important decisions we can make. Unfortunately, this is something people represented by certain members of Congress, including half the residents of the Tucson area, have been deprived of during Trump's presidency. Before the war, Ciscomani repeatedly voted against efforts to make it easier for Congress to vote down Trump's unilaterally imposed tariffs. This is exasperating, and similar to the refusal to demand a say in whether to go to war, because it is another subject on which the Constitution gives Congress explicit authority. Since the last time Ciscomani has voted this way on Feb. 10, the Supreme Court has confirmed that tariff power belongs to Congress, not the president. It's shocking that he has refused to seize back this power that belongs to him and Congress, on his constituents' behalf. This is not, of course, the first era when Congressional majorities handed off power to presidents of their party. That's how we ended up in this position, with a president demolishing entire congressionally established departments with barely a peep from Congress, not to mention the tariff overreach and now a war of choice. But it goes from a serious problem, in the case of tariffs, to a potentially catastrophic one when our representatives don't even bother to discuss war before we launch it, or demand a debate afterward. It makes you wonder why they're in office at all and why they run to stay there. PHOENIX State lawmakers are moving to make recognition of Sharia law by any court in Arizona illegal, but could not agree on exactly what it is and whether any such law can be used here. Arizona law already makes unenforceable any "foreign law'' here. That is defined as any law, rule or legal code or system other than the federal or state constitutions and any ratified treaties of the United States. Senate Bill 1018 would specifically add Sharia law to what cannot be recognized. But the measure also lists a variety of things that could be considered acceptable within certain elements of Islam, ranging from forced marriage and female genital mutilation to "domestic violence or spousal abuse that is justified by cultural, religious or family authority.'' Those practices already are illegal under Arizona law, said bill opponent Priya Sundareshan, the Senate minority leader. "So really, what this bill does is it singles out a group of people, and it singles out a religion for harassment and discrimination merely by the fact that we are talking about this,'' the Tucson Democrat said. "It is targeted discrimination,'' Sundareshan said. "It is asking for more harassment and discrimination.'' She said all this is occurring against a backdrop of discrimination against religious minorities, including not just Muslims but also Jews and others. Consider, Sundareshan said, her own experience in being targeted on social media, "not just as a woman of color but as someone who is a Hindu, someone who is of Indian descent.'' "Bills like this and discussions like this are increasing the hatred that people find acceptable to put forward against people who are different from them,'' she said. Sen. Hildy Angius conceded that the practices listed in the legislation are, in fact, already illegal. "But that's not the point,'' said the Bullhead City Republican. She said the bill is designed to address what happens after someone already breaks the law. "This amendment addresses whether any external legal system may ever be invoked to justify, excuse, or pressure conduct that violates Arizona law,'' she said. "Clarifying legal supremacy is not redundant. It is preventative.'' Angius also said the list of conduct the legislation would preclude has nothing to do with targeting the Muslim religion. "Sharia is a legal system,'' she said. "This amendment does not judge faith. It clarifies authority.'' Critics' concerns are overblown, she said. "If no one tries to invoke Sharia law as enforceable law in Arizona, this amendment has zero effect,'' Angius said. But she said if someone tries, the people who would be protected by the measure are the ones with the least power to resist. "That's how coercion works,'' Angius said. Sen. Janae Shamp said she, too, believes the measure, which she wrote, is not discriminatory. "Sharia law is legal framework,'' said the Surprise Republican. "This is not religious.'' She said her bill would simply recognize that "in no way shape or form is it (Sharia law) compatible with the U.S. Constitution, which is the laws that govern the land of this country.'' Shamp swiped at Sundrareshan for suggesting that pushing the measure is divisive. "This isn't about not talking about something that is going to create less hate,'' she said. "This is about making sure that people are educated about what is happening.'' There was no evidence presented during a legislative hearing that any such laws are being applied in Arizona. About the closest was a claim that a developer was promoting something called "Qatar City" in north Phoenix, though nothing in the documents said anything about religion or if the community, if it ever were developed, would be governed by Sharia law. In Texas, however, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation last year he said would ban residential property developments from creating Sharia compounds. That was specifically aimed at something called EPIC City, for East Plano Islamic Center, a master-planned community near Dallas with a mosque and religious schools. Foes have said the law would discriminate against non-Muslims in violation of Texas fair housing laws. But organizers of EPIC City, have said anyone would be free to live there. Arizona Sen. Mitzi Epstein said she has no problem with the activities that would be prohibited under SB 1018, the list that also includes a ban on polygamy and physical punishment of a minor that constitutes child abuse under state law. The disagreement the Tempe Democrat said she has is the claim by supporters that Sharia is a legal system and one competitive with and incompatible with laws made by federal and state lawmakers. Epstein said that's no more true of Sharia than Canon Law, which governs church doctrine, and Karma, which is considered part of Buddhism and Hinduism. "They are a moral and spiritual framework,'' she said. "They are not competing legal systems.'' Yet Epstein said state lawmakers are trying to make references to Sharia in state law. "So to point them out is, in fact, to single out one religion, the Muslim religion,'' she said. "And that violates the First Amendment,'' Epstein said. "By falsely portraying certain religious practices as a foreign or a political threat, these bills advance a baseless narrative that non-Anglo-American religious traditions are incompatible with American law. And it turns religious freedom into a target rather than a right.'' AIDC2026: Weve never really had a #MeToo story here in Australia It's been a long road to bring a documentary on Rolf Harris to screen, but producers have overcome legal hurdles and uncovered shocking footage. Upcoming ABC documentary Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator has been a long time in the pipeline and was nearly derailed by legal hurdles producer Karina Holden said yesterday at the Australian International Documentary Conference in Melbourne. In 2014, Harris was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison after being convicted of indecent assault on four minors between the 1960s and 1980s. Holden, who is Head of Factual at Northern Pictures, said was in conversations about doing something in 2017, while Britains Arrow Media was also talking to UK networks. At the time, [they] was nervous about doing something on this. I think that there was a potential feeling that there might be some culpability, because youre talking about stars who have been on these different stations, said Holden. It didnt move forward and it was only in 2022 that I started working on this project. It just goes to show you how long these things take to put together. The amount of legal issues we worked with a lot of ABC material, but the underlying rights sit with the estate, and so therefore, how do you manage those through the fair dealings process? Holden maintains while defamation laws do not protect the dead there were numerous other legal hurdles. But it was an important story to tell. I mean, the number of lawyers who were crawling all over this she continued tTheres duty of care with the victims and survivors, we have to be very conscious of how theyre managed and how the programme is being rolled out. But ultimately weve never really had a #MeToo story here in Australia, and its because of our defamation laws. I think Silenced is another ABC show that speaks to that and how hard it is for these cases to be prosecuted here in Australia. Theyre important stories to be told. Theyre hard stories. Holden anticipates people will watch the two part doco not just because of the celebrity element, but also the in plain sight nature of the crimes. The documentary even uses archival footage in which Harris was fronting an anti-child abuse message. The fact that Rolf Harris was actually in charge of child abuse campaigns in the 1980s here in Australia while he was abusing minors, is dumbfounding, and the fact that its there within the archive just speaks absolute volumes. ABC is expected to screen the series in Q2. Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36 Updated. Airdate: Prisoner 951 SBS screens a five part UK drama about imprisonment in Iran, based on a true story. Talk about topical, SBS tomorrow premieres Prisoner 951 a five part UK drama about imprisonment in Iran, based on a true story. Prisoner 951 is a new drama based on the extraordinary true story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (Narges Rashidi), a British-Iranian citizen who was imprisoned and held hostage by the Iranian state for six years, and her husband Richard Ratcliffe (Joseph Fiennes) who campaigned for justice and her return. Torn from her baby daughter and accused of espionage, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces years of imprisonment in Iran. Thousands of miles away, in London, her husband Richard refuses to give up hope. When it is revealed that Nazanin is a pawn in a decades-old political dispute, Richard is forced to battle tyranny abroad and seeming indifference at home. Spanning six harrowing years, this powerful true story charts one familys extraordinary courage and resilience: a mothers nightmare, a husbands mission, and a familys unbreakable bond. 9:25pm Wednesday March 4 on SBS. SBS on Demand also screens The Hostages Story. With exclusive access to Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe and Richard Ratcliffe, as well as other former hostages, Anoosheh Ashoori and his daughter Elika Ashoori, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Jason Rezaian and global experts, the documentary The Hostages Story offers a rare, inside look at the toll of being used as leverage in political negotiations between states. Witness the true story that Prisoner 951 is based on. Airdate: Whale Shark Jack Family film shot on the Ningaloo Reef centres around a young girl who befriends an endangered whale shark pup. Stan and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation today announced Whale Shark Jack, a heartwarming adventure about family, friendship, the natural world, and moving forward when all hope seems lost, premieres in April. Set on and around the breathtaking Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia (specifically on Baiyungu Country), Whale Shark Jack stars Abbie Cornish (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Robocop) and Michael Dorman (Territory, Joe Pickett) as husband and wife marine biologists, Marcus and Nita and Alyla Browne (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Sonic the Hedgehog 3) as their daughter, Sarah. It also stars Ursula Yovich (Top End Wedding, The Twelve), Karen OLeary (Wellington Paranormal), and Rachel Ward (On the Beach, The Thorn Birds), and features emerging talent Jayden Boundry, Luca Miller, Giselle Philogene, and Emmi Williams in their first feature film acting roles. Whale Shark Jack follows the familys idyllic life on their research catamaran, Playground, where together they follow the migratory path of the biggest fish in the ocean the majestic, gentle, and awe-inspiring whale sharks. Sarah, who has been raised on the sea, is fearless and embarks on all kinds of adventures with her only friend, Jack, an endangered whale shark she rescued as a pup, forming an unbreakable bond. The tight-knit family wanders the ocean, conducting their research so they can make a difference in the world. But when Sarah and her mother suffer an unexpected tragedy, Nita moves them to the remote coastal town of Exmouth in north-western Australia, believing a new start on solid ground will help them both heal. Despite being able to chart a course through the Pacific Ocean and hold her breath underwater for minutes at a time, Sarah has no idea how to navigate life on land and make new friends. The only person who understands her struggles is her great-aunt Dot (Rachel Ward). Sarah is desperate to return to her old life on Playground and be with Jack once again. She is certain that when his migration brings him back to Exmouth, they will go back out on their boat. But when Jack fails to return, and Nita refuses to acknowledge that Jack might be in danger, Sarah embarks on a risky mission to find him. Whale Shark Jack was developed by a Western Australian creative team, including screenwriter and author Kathryn Lefroy (Library of Love) and sibling directors Miranda Edmonds (Library of Love, Tango Underpants) and Khrob Edmonds (Library of Love, Tango Underpants), in their feature directorial debut. The Stan Original Film Whale Shark Jack is produced by Timothy White (The Luminaries, I Am Mother), Miranda Edmonds, and co-produced by Georgia White (The Furnace) and Estelle Buzzard (The Lifeguard). Executive Producers are Bernadette OMahony for ACTF, Cailah Scobie and Donna Chang for Stan, Kelvin Munro (We Bury the Dead, I Am Mother), and Malinda Wink for Minderoo Pictures. Co-Executive Producers are Deanne Weir, Olivia Humphrey, Khrob Edmonds, and Kathryn Lefroy. The team developed the film on Baiyungu Country and worked closely with Associate Producer and Baiyungu Traditional Owner Hazel Walgar (Ningaloo Nyinggulu, Shark vs. Snake: Battle of the Bites), who assisted the team in understanding the deep cultural connection to this land and sea. The Stan Original Film Whale Shark Jack is produced by Cottesloe Films and Southern Light Films, as part of the Australian Childrens Television Foundation (ACTF) / Stan Family Film partnership. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the Australian Childrens Television Foundation and Stan. Financed with support from Screenwest, Lotterywest, and the Western Australian Government through the Western Australian Regional Screen Fund, and in association with Minderoo Pictures. International sales by the Australian Childrens Television Foundation. Thursday April 2 on Stan Call for Entries: Screen Qld: Online Elevation Fund Up to $50,000 is available to established creator businesses in Queensland for staffing, studio hire, development and diversification. Screen Queensland has today announced the launch of the $250,000 Online Elevation Fund, a new initiative to support Queenslands fast-growing creator economy. Up to $50,000 is available to established creator businesses to scale their operations, grow their audiences and build long-term sustainability. Funding will be directed towards key operational investments such as staffing, studio hire, professional development and business diversification. Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said, Queenslands creator economy is part of an industry worth more than $50 billion nationally and this fund will help local creators transform their creative success into long-term sustainable businesses. By investing in creator-led enterprises we are supporting jobs, innovation and new opportunities for Queensland storytellers to reach audiences nationally and internationally. Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said, Our industry-leading support has already helped lift production values and audience reach for Queensland creators, with projects gaining national recognition including AACTA nominations and now we are investing in the businesses behind that success. The Online Elevation Fund backs those businesses to shift from strong momentum to sustainable growth and take their creator businesses from good to great. Applications close Monday 13 April. Not enough being done to address gender pay gap Foxtel, Nine and Seven improve on closing the gender pay gap, but there is still work to be done in Australian media. Todays release of the 2024-25 Workplace Gender Equality Agency pay gap figures has highlighted the ongoing pay equity gap within Australias advertising and media industries. Marketing management consultancy TrinityP3 says this years data shows some notable improvements (for example, Foxtel, Nine Publishing, and Seven West Media), but the annual data release underscores the persistent pay gap across both advertising agencies and media owners. It further highlights the need for management and corporate boards in these organisations to take greater steps to close the gap. Today marks the third consecutive year that the WGEA has released figures on the gender pay gap for private sector employers with a workforce of 100 or more employees. The annual data drop has revealed that there are average gender pay gaps as large as 26.2% in some of Australias major media companies and an average pay gap of 20%+ in a number of big multinational advertising agencies. For the third year in a row, TrinityP3 has analysed the submissions of more than 30 major media/adland employers and included their results in the chart below. WGEAs latest figures show that the mid-point for employer gender pay gaps across all industries was 11.2% down 0.9 percentage points from last year. While many of Australias highest-profile media and adland businesses were following this trend and working to close the pay gap, Lydia Feely, General Manager of TrinityP3, says there remains an insufficient focus on the issue within the industry. After three years of this data, it is clear that the annual pay gap numbers release has definitely elevated this issue, said Feely. Our challenge is: how do we get employers to care about the pay gap the other 364 days of the year? While we have definitely seen some improvements among some players, there is still not enough being done. Feely also noted the decreasing number of companies who have published their own pay gap reports see below for statements or reports from News Corp, Nine, and REA which are designed to provide far greater context to the WGEA figures. It really surprises me that, in the third year of this reporting, so many companies are still allowing these complex and important numbers to go out without taking the opportunity WGEA gives you to make an employer statement or report. Making a statement and providing context demonstrates to current employees, potential recruits, and to the wider industry that you are taking this issue seriously. TrinityP3 says that adland and media players should do more, including actively benchmarking themselves, to ensure they arent moving backwards on the pay gap. We know that companies who benchmark and track their performance do better in areas such as the gender pay gap, said Feely. When companies establish where they are, they also then need to look at what other like-for-like players are doing and look for the opportunities to improve. TrinityP3 notes the WGEA numbers have shown that companies that had clear policies on the gender pay gap and who undertook regular payroll analysis performed better when it came to the gender pay gaps they reported. The consultancy also includes pay equity as a major topic in its annual State of the Pitch report which looks at the state of pitching and what clients are looking for in their agency and media partners. Pay equity is an issue that impacts both men and women, said Darren Woolley, CEO of TrinityP3. Each year we see around half of all pitches ask potential partners how they are addressing gender equality and the pay gap. This is why we make it a key part of our State of the Pitch research and why we are not also asking for it in our Agency Register. A growing number of corporations are rightly prioritising this issue across their own businesses and their suppliers. If our industry is committed to the principles of fairness and inclusiveness, then closing the ongoing gender pay gap must be a high, year-round priority. We need to see an ongoing focus on this by everyone from the board, C-suite, and shareholders down. Postcards: Mar 8 Madeline Spark heads to Yea and Strath Creek. Livinia Nixon explores Narcoorte for Nine. This Sunday Postcards takes viewers from the heart of Melbournes CBD to the landscapes of regional Victoria and across the border to South Australias spectacular Limestone Coast. Livinia Nixon is in South Australia to explore Naracoorte (Meintangk Country). After coffee at the historic Corner Grounds, she heads underground to the Naracoorte Caves National Park, a World Heritage-listed site home to one of the most important fossil deposits on Earth. She ends the trip at Padthaway Estate, a family-run vineyard in a truly unforgettable setting. Lauren Phillips hits the streets of Melbournes CBD (Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country) to explore the citys hidden surprises. She visits The Sneaker Laundry on Katherine Place, a unique sneaker spa that combines expert shoe care with a specialty matcha latte bar. Lauren then heads to Ela Cafe on Little Collins Street, a secret spot for Vietnamese food and coffee, before heading to the east end of town to discover Ahma in the Bourke Street Arcade. Here she samples authentic Taiwanese street food, including the legendary fried chicken and braised pork rice, all based on cherished family recipes. Next, Kris Smith travels to the beautiful seaside town of Barwon Heads (Wathaurong Country), located at the mouth of the Barwon River. He stops by Coffetti Gelato on Hitchcock Avenue for a perfect beach-day pairing of coffee and Italian-style gelato before going to the local butcher, Bennos Meating Place, to meet owner Brad Bennett. Kris also visits Heads and Tales Bookstore and winds up at Tommy Gunns, a welcoming spot named after the owners grandfather, where he enjoys a menu with the best local and seasonal produce. Lastly, Madeline Spark visits the charming towns of Yea and Strath Creek (Taungurung Country). In Yea, she enjoys fresh country hospitality at Mint and Jam cafe before heading to Tathra Farmstays near Flowerdale for a peaceful overnight escape in a tiny farm cottage. She checks out the local favourite corner shop, The General Strath Creek, and catches up with owner Prue Brown. 5:30pm Sunday March 8 on Nine (Melbourne). Renewed: Zombies Malachi Barton and Freya Skye are set to return for Zombies 5 filming in New Zealand in Spring. Hit tween musical series Zombies has been greenlit for a fifth instalment by Disney+, returning to New Zealand in Spring. Breakout stars Malachi Barton and Freya Skye are set to return as Victor and Nova, now taking the mantle from Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly, who serve as executive producers. Trevor Tordjman also returns as Bucky, the beloved cheer captain and cousin of Addison from the original trilogy. Zombies has become a defining franchise for the current generation, said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television. With each movie, we intentionally push the story somewhere new. Introducing mermaids in Zombies 5 opens up a completely different dynamic, while staying true to the music, characters and themes of unity and acceptance that are at the heart of these films. An official title will be announced at a later date. Following the events of Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, the newfound peace between the Daywalkers and Vampires is put to the test when a band of fierce mermaids arrives in Rayburn, making waves and casting a persuasive siren song to lure in new allies. Nova and Victor must unite their groups once more to discover what the mermaids are really after in order to protect the fragile harmony they worked so hard to build. The returning cast includes Malachi Barton as Victor, Freya Skye as Nova, Swayam Bhatia as Vera, Julian Lerner as Ray, and Mekonnen Knife as Vargas from Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. New to the franchise are a trio of mysterious mermaids: Diaana Babnicova as cool-girl Pearl, Taylor Oliver as bad-boy Fin, and Olive Mortimer as tech-wiz Sandy. Emily Costtrici joins the cast as zombie Izzy, Zeds zombie cousin and new transfer student. DGA Award-winner Paul Hoen, director and executive producer of the entire Zombies franchise, will return for this latest instalment. Also returning are executive producers Jane Fleming, Mark Ordesky, Joseph Raso and David Light and producer Skot Bright, alongside Manheim and Donnelly. The movie features next-level dance sequences, choreographed by Dondraico Johnson, and an original score composed by Tom Howe. Joining the creative team are writers Chris Hazzard, Michael Fontana and Eydie Faye. Seven host International Womens Day events 2026 Karina Carvalho, Angela Tsun and Katrina Blowers host IWD events around the country. This year marks the sixth consecutive year Seven has become official Australian broadcast partner for International Womens Day. To mark the day, Seven presenters are hosting IWD events around the country, including Karina Carvalho in Melbourne, Angela Tsun in Perth and Katrina Blowers in Brisbane. This International Womens Day (IWD), Seven Network and UN Women Australia are calling on Australians to help Balance the Scales the theme of IWD 2026 and a rallying cry for equal justice for all women and girls. Sevens General Manager, Performance Transformation, Sarah Chau, said: Justice for women and girls isnt a niche issue, its a big and important one. Balance the Scales is a theme that challenges all of us, including Seven, to examine honestly what equal justice actually looks like and what it takes to get there. Our partnership with UN Women Australia has never been more relevant. Through our platforms and our people, we have a real opportunity to help shift the conversation. At Seven, weve been on a journey to build a workplace where women are genuinely equal in opportunity, in voice and in outcome. We have made real progress, but progress is not the finish line. This IWD, we are proud to work with UN Women Australia in calling for the systemic change that women and girls in this country, and around the world, deserve, she said. 7NEWS Karina Carvalho said: Im excited to be hosting the IWD event in Melbourne where we will hear from some formidable women, from diverse backgrounds, on the successes and challenges that have shaped their lives. I am looking forward to learning a lot from their experience and hope the audience will too. UN Women Australia Chief Executive Officer, Simone Clarke, said: Balance the Scales is a powerful reminder that equality doesnt happen by chance. Every organisation, community and individual has a role to play in ensuring women and girls can access justice on equal terms. This International Womens Day, alongside Seven, were amplifying a message that belongs to everyone that true equality demands action from all of us. Despite generations of progress, justice remains out of reach for too many women. One in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, but most will never seek formal help or see a legal outcome. In Australia, conviction rates for sexual assault cases remain low. Balance the Scales is a call to change that by transforming legal systems, dismantling discriminatory barriers, and making equal justice a reality rather than an aspiration. The theme aligns with the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which this year focuses on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia. Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36 Honor Magic V6. Photo: Fei Wang/Weibo. Once hailed as a symbol of the future, foldable phones have now matured enough for the mainstream. Yet one formidable barrier still stands in the way of the long-awaited boom. Nearly seven years ago, Samsung unveiled the first Galaxy Fold, igniting dreams of a new era in mobile design. At the time, the device thrilled the tech world, but it quickly revealed a series of shortcomings: fragile inner displays, unreliable hinges, uneven performance and a folded experience that felt far from seamless. Foldables were soon labeled toys for tech enthusiasts rather than products built for the mass market. For years, manufacturers persisted. Hinges became sturdier. Flexible display layers were reinforced. Software grew more refined. Todays foldables are worlds apart from their early predecessors. And 2026 may well mark the moment when that original dream reaches full maturity. Even without mentioning the much-rumored foldable iPhone, upcoming Android devices alone demonstrate how far the category has come. Honor has confirmed that the Honor Magic V6 will debut this weekend with an inner display that nearly eliminates the crease and a 6,100 mAh battery - an impressive figure for such a slim device. Its predecessor, the Honor Magic V5, already impressed users with its compact body and comfortable one-handed use when folded. If the Magic V6 truly resolves the crease issue and delivers on battery improvements as promised, it is fair to say that the vision first sparked by Galaxy Fold seven years ago has finally materialized. On Samsungs side, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has reached a high level of refinement, offering a folded experience that feels remarkably close to a traditional bar-style smartphone. Concerns about fragile inner displays and hinge degradation over time have largely been addressed. Technically speaking, foldable phones in 2026 are no longer experiments. They are durable, powerful and elegant enough to compete directly with the most advanced flagship smartphones on the market. Yet the biggest obstacle lies in a familiar place: price. The year 2026 could have been remembered as the milestone when foldables became mainstream. Instead, it may be defined by a different narrative - artificial intelligence and a component crisis that sends smartphone sales into sharp decline. Some analysts forecast that global shipments could fall by as much as 13 percent due to shortages of DRAM and NAND memory chips across the consumer electronics industry. The most immediate consequence of this memory crunch is rising component costs. Budget devices are hit hardest, but even premium models are far from immune. As the mass market contracts, brands such as Honor are compelled to seek higher margins from more expensive products. In this context, foldables - already among the priciest devices on the market - become even more distant for average consumers. Devices like the Honor Magic V5 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 typically cost around 50 percent more than bar-style flagships such as the Magic V7 Pro or the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Rumors surrounding the first foldable iPhone suggest Apple may need to scale back certain features to keep the price at US$2,400. Even so, that figure is nearly double the price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. At such levels, foldables, no matter how compelling, remain beyond the reach of the vast majority of users. The irony is that foldable phones today genuinely justify their value. They are no longer bulky or fragile. The Magic V6 carries IP68/IP69 water and dust resistance. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 delivers a folded experience that feels almost indistinguishable from a conventional smartphone. Unfolded, users gain a display comparable to a tablet - ideal for reading documents, watching films or multitasking for work. Paired with a detachable keyboard, the device can even replace a Chromebook for many everyday needs. Within a single body, users effectively own both a smartphone and a tablet - something traditional smartphones simply cannot offer. Looking ahead, the market is also anticipating the Oppo Find N6, followed by successors such as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the first foldable iPhone. These products will likely push further improvements in design, battery life, display quality and durability. However, it is difficult to expect any meaningful price reduction. Foldable phones have undergone a seismic shift: from strange, risky gadgets few dared to buy to some of the most desirable smartphones on the market. Technologically, they are ready for the mainstream. But economic reality tells a different story. Amid rising component costs and a weakening smartphone market, price tags in the thousands of US dollars remain an imposing barrier for most consumers. For that reason, 2026 may be the year when you truly want to own a foldable phone - because they are finally good enough, durable enough and practical enough. Yet it may also be the year many realize that the dream remains out of reach, simply because the future still comes at a premium. Hai Phong The latest report by the HCMC Peoples Committee on the the Governments action program to continue improving the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam in the new period shows that efforts to establish an urban governance model and two-tier local government system have delivered results. However, the report notes that the institutional jacket remains too tight, particularly regarding grassroots budget autonomy and mounting staffing pressure. Misalignment between policy and complex urban realities The HCMC Peoples Committee said the restructuring and consolidation of the organizational apparatus has been carried out urgently and seriously, with a focus on streamlining and ensuring effective operations. The city has implemented major policies linked to staff downsizing and wage reform, thereby mobilizing resources to spur economic growth. At the city level, professional agencies under the Peoples Committee no longer suffer from overlapping or duplicated functions and mandates. At the grassroots level, the reorganization of administrative units has facilitated the building of a leaner, more effective urban government and commune-level administrations. Personnel arrangements and the settlement of benefits for redundant staff have been handled democratically and transparently, generating broad consensus. State management effectiveness, administrative reform, and anti-corruption and anti-waste efforts have also seen positive changes. The supervisory role of the city Peoples Council has been strengthened, while transparency and managerial autonomy have improved, ensuring the people's right to mastery. However, the report admits that the rankings of administrative reform indices (PAR-Index, PAPI, PCI) did not reach the set targets. The lack of synchronization between the mechanism and complex urban reality is illustrated by the figure of 94 projects facing difficulties and obstacles (delayed progress, long-term backlogs, risk of loss and waste) that had to be put under specialized inspection. Grassroots level shoulders massive workload From July 1, 2025, HCMC officially completed the operation of the two-level local government model. The fact that communes and wards are no longer a budget level has caused difficulties and confusion in local budget management. Meanwhile, the grassroots level is having to shoulder a massive workload as the city has issued 33 decisions on decentralization and authorization for about 410 tasks in 9 fields to departments, sectors, and communal-level People's Committees. Despite implementing a city-wide streamlining (new HCMC) down to 168 communal-level administrative units, the grassroots apparatus (3,878 people in the Party and mass organizations block, 12,119 people in the government block, and 6,532 part-time activists) must endure increasing pressure as the total volume of administrative procedure files received has gradually increased compared to the previous year. The city assessed that the consolidation of the organizational apparatus and staffing downsizing still have some shortcomings, and the quality and efficiency of training for officials, civil servants, and public employees generally do not yet match the requirements. So, the HCMC People's Committee proposed that the Government recognize an administrative staffing quota consistent with reality, or allow the city to autonomously balance its total staff numbers based on its level of budget autonomy. In addition, the City People's Committee proposed that the National Assembly issue a resolution to apply a number of specific mechanisms for a limited time during the stage of administrative unit rearrangement. These include regulations on budget allocation and the simplification of procedures for auctions and the handling of redundant assets and headquarters. At the same time, the city also proposed that the National Assembly Standing Committee allow adjustments for communal-level units with rapid urbanization rates and large populations when arranging them in the 2023-2030 period. The city requested that the Ministry of Finance soon provide guidance on procedures for auctioning public assets and finalizing funds for the arrangement of administrative units. It also requested that the Government Inspectorate soon issue regulations on inspection sequences and the handling of legal violations regarding corruption prevention for businesses and organizations in the non-state sector. Tran Chung Co-hosted by the municipal Department of Tourism, the Vietnam Womens Unions local chapter and relevant partners, the event is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the official renaming of Saigon Gia Dinh to Ho Chi Minh City (July 2, 1976 2026), the 1,986th anniversary of the Hai Ba Trung Uprising, and the 116th anniversary of the International Womens Day (March 8). This years edition packs in 17 major events all month long, creating a vibrant journey in which the traditional costume (Ao Dai) appears not only on performance stages but also weaves into everyday community life, urban landscapes and tourism experiences. The festival peaks from March 6 to 8, bringing together 37 designers nationwide, nearly 400 collections, 600 performers and models, and 37 ambassadors from diverse sectors to create a vivid showcase of creativity. A centrepiece on March 8 morning will combine a mass folk dance performance with an Ao Dai parade to mark the Hai Ba Trung Uprising anniversary and International Womens Day. Organisers expect around 50,000 participants at various venues, including some 3,000 on Nguyen Hue walking street in Saigon ward. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the department, said this year marks the first time the festival is staged across the new, supersised Ho Chi Minh City a modern and multi-centred mega city that remains rich in cultural identity. Designers gather on the morning of March 3 to exchange ideas and share their creative inspirations behind both traditional and contemporary interpretations of ao dai. (Photo: VNA) The whole thing is tied together by the Golden Threads theme, a nod to Vietnams legendary silk and brocade roots. Every collection and event is pitched as one more thread in a giant and colourful tourism tapestry called Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City playing the shuttle that weaves tradition with aspiration, turning heritage into a launch pad to put Ao Dai on the world tourism map, he said. For the local tourism sector, every Ao Dai sashaying down the street, popping up in galleries or posing at historic spots is basically a living cultural ambassador, spreading an image of a friendly and culturally rich destination while inviting foreigners to explore more of the city, he added. Locals and visitors can dive into the Ao Dai-themed exhibition and interactive zones along Nguyen Hue walking street, complete with art installations that connect the dress with the citys food scene, tourism hotspots and classic handicrafts. They can also experience the Ao Dai and Metro journey, hopping the metro line at Ben Thanh and Opera House stations to connect all the must-see experiential tourism spots./. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed Dong Nai Province to coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City to urgently implement a railway line connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh International Airport, aiming to ensure seamless transport connectivity. This morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the Steering Committee for key national railway projects, chaired the committees seventh meeting. Concluding the session, the Prime Minister emphasized the urgent need to review, develop, amend and finalize a unified system of standards and regulations for railways and urban railways nationwide to ensure synchronization, connectivity and overall system efficiency. He reaffirmed the viewpoint of continuing to refine railway planning in line with the countrys new development space and that of localities, with a long-term vision, thinking big and acting boldly, and developing the railway industry and system with a 100-year outlook. During implementation, he stressed the importance of evaluating and optimizing the efficiency of railway and urban railway lines; utilizing inspection and audit tools to assess effectiveness; reviewing procedures, total investment levels, pricing issues, bidding and contractor appointment to ensure strict compliance; and preparing plans to optimize operational efficiency from the outset. The selection of investors and contractors, whether through bidding or appointment, must strictly comply with the law, ensure project effectiveness and prevent corruption, misconduct, collusion or waste of public assets. Regarding the North-South high-speed railway project, the Ministry of Construction has been instructed to complete bidding documents for consultancy services to prepare the feasibility study within March and to select a qualified consultant in the second quarter, ensuring the chosen partner has sufficient experience and capacity. For the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project, the Prime Minister underscored its special significance as a Vietnam - China cooperation project with very high requirements for progress and quality. Ministries, sectors and localities must treat it as a key political task and concentrate resources on implementation. The Ministry of Construction is tasked with completing the preliminary feasibility study for component project 2 within March, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance. The ministry will also coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote negotiations with China on a cross-border railway bridge construction agreement within March. The Ministry of Finance is required to proactively calculate savings from 5% expenditure cuts and increased revenue in 2025 to allocate capital for the project and assess potential borrowing options if effective. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work with China to concretize high-level agreements and arrange a meeting of the Vietnam - China Intergovernmental Committee on railway cooperation in March to sign relevant contracts. The six provinces and cities along the route are urged, in the spirit of clear accountability, to promptly complete agreements with investors on issues such as intersecting works, water supply and drainage plans, restoration of technical infrastructure, material mines and disposal sites, and architectural plans for stations and bridges. For the planning of the Hanoi - Lang Son and Hai Phong - Mong Cai lines, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Construction to work with Chinese counterparts within March to agree on the timeline for signing a technical assistance agreement, and to direct consultants to complete preliminary reports in March as a basis for subsequent steps, ensuring completion of planning in 2026. Regarding urban railway projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the Prime Minister directed the two cities to urgently review and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop and issue unified standards and regulations for urban railways, ensuring connectivity, synchronization, universality and modernity. They must also focus on site clearance and construction, guaranteeing progress, quality, absolute labor safety and environmental sanitation. For the Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway line, he called for continued review of mechanisms and policies to accelerate implementation in line with Politburo Resolutions 57 and 68. Ho Chi Minh City is required to finalize settlement procedures for Metro Line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien. For projects planned for investment and groundbreaking during the 2026-2030 period, both cities must report on implementation plans and urgently complete necessary procedures in accordance with regulations. The Prime Minister directed Dong Nai Province to coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City to promptly implement the railway line connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh International Airport to ensure smooth, timely and high-quality transport connectivity. He agreed in principle to implement the project under emergency procedures, while strictly adhering to regulations and processes, and preventing corruption, misconduct, waste and inefficiency. Tran Thuong The air campaign carried out by Washington and Tel Aviv on February 28 triggered immediate military retaliation from Tehran, with an equally immediate consequence: much of the Middle Easts airspace effectively shut down. At least eight countries simultaneously closed their skies, while three major international aviation hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha were forced to suspend operations, sending tremors through global supply chains and airline schedules. According to international media reports, Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) closed their airspace as the conflict escalated. Syria also sealed off part of its southern skies. The moves came shortly after US President Donald Trump declared that the strikes were aimed at crippling Irans missile and naval capabilities, while Tehran warned that all US and Israeli facilities in the Middle East would be considered legitimate targets. Three global crossroads fall silent For more than two decades, the Middle East has functioned as a vital aerial bridge between Europe and Asia, especially after Russian and Ukrainian airspace became restricted by war. Airports such as Dubai International Airport and Hamad International Airport have grown into some of the worlds busiest transit hubs. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the three flagship carriers - Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways - connect roughly 90,000 transit passengers per day, excluding direct arrivals and departures within the Middle East. When these hubs halted operations, the domino effect was immediate and global. Thousands of passengers were stranded or forced to reroute through Athens, Istanbul, Rome, Jeddah or Cairo. Flight tracking service FlightAware reported more than 2,300 flight cancellations worldwide within 24 hours, along with over 18,000 delays. In the Middle East alone, approximately 24 percent of scheduled flights on February 28 were canceled. Nearly half of flights to Qatar and Israel were scrapped, while Kuwait recorded a cancellation rate of about 28 percent. Ticket prices may surge as costs climb The list of airlines suspending routes continues to grow: Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, Japan Airlines, Air India, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic have all announced cancellations or temporary route suspensions. US carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have paused services to Tel Aviv at least through the end of next week. Some airlines are allowing passengers to change tickets free of charge, but this has done little to ease the congestion and confusion at airports. Several aircraft already airborne were forced to turn back mid-flight. One service from Philadelphia reportedly flew nearly to Spain before returning to its departure point after close to 15 hours in the air. Beyond the immediate disruption to travelers, analysts warn of longer-term financial consequences. As airlines avoid conflict zones, many Europe-Asia routes must detour via Saudi Arabia or even farther south, adding hours of flight time, increasing fuel burn and driving up operating costs. If the conflict drags on, international airfares could rise rapidly, one aviation industry expert noted. Air cargo operations are also under pressure, particularly for businesses reliant on just-in-time supply chains routed through Middle Eastern hubs. Another less discussed factor is overflight fees. Countries that close their airspace stand to lose significant revenue from these charges, which have provided steady income for years. Risk of parallel fronts Regional correspondents observe that the strikes and counterstrikes have effectively opened two parallel fronts: one between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, and another extending into Gulf nations hosting US military bases. This further complicates the aviation security environment. Several major airports in the UAE are reported to have suffered minor damage in retaliatory strikes. Although information remains fluid, even the perception of risk is sufficient for airlines to adopt an absolute safety first approach, suspending operations entirely. The pressing question now is how long the disruption will last. Historical precedent offers limited reassurance. The previous Israel-US strike on Iran in June 2025 lasted 12 days. This time, however, both the scale and intensity of retaliation are seen as more unpredictable. Observers suggest that within the next 24 to 36 hours, certain segments of airspace may partially reopen once military activity zones are clearly defined. Yet even if tensions ease, restoring global flight schedules will not happen overnight. Aircraft and crews are now scattered across continents; maintenance cycles, landing slots and connecting itineraries all require recalculation. For investors, the episode could become one of 2026s black swan events. Shares of several airlines fell sharply in late-week trading, with United Airlines (UAL) dropping 8.70 percent and Delta Air Lines (DAL) losing 6.82 percent. Should oil prices climb further alongside the Middle East conflict, an industry already highly sensitive to fuel costs would face a double burden. Tu Huy Missiles are among the most advanced and powerful tools in modern military arsenals. They can travel at high speeds, reach distant targets, and strike with precision. Behind their tactical advantages, though, lies a growing question many people search online: do missiles cause pollution? And more specifically, how do they affect the aircan a missile pollute the sky and contribute to "sky pollution"? Evidence from recent research and environmental monitoring shows that missiles can indeed add to air contamination, especially when used repeatedly or in conflict zones. How Missiles Cause Pollution Missiles are powered by rocket propellants, which are usually solid or liquid mixtures of fuel and oxidizer designed to burn rapidly and generate intense thrust. When these fuels combust, they release gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, water vapor, and fine particulate matter like soot. Some missile systems also use metallic additives, such as aluminum, which can form compounds like aluminum oxide when burned. These emissions are carried upward by the missile's exhaust plume and can remain suspended in the atmosphere for some time. During routine testing or training launches, each missile flight adds a small but measurable amount of pollutants to the air. In combat, the impact can be far greater. When a missile strikes a target, the explosion can ignite fuel depots, power plants, industrial facilities, or transportation hubs. These secondary fires release thick smoke loaded with fine particles, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals that can drift downwind and affect air quality over wide areas. Analysts at the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) have documented how missilelinked fires and industrial damage in recent conflicts can create localized pollution hotspots. Their work shows that repeated missile attacks are often followed by spikes in particulate matter and other airborne pollutants, which tracks with the broader idea that missiles cause pollution in both peacetime and wartime environments. Can a Missile Pollute the Sky? The phrase "sky pollution" refers to the buildup of contaminants in the atmosphere that reduce visibility, degrade air quality, and may influence atmospheric chemistry. In this sense, missiles can contribute to sky pollution by injecting pollutants into the air through their exhaust plumes. As a missile ascends, its plume can rise into the lower and, in some cases, upper layers of the atmosphere, where fine particles and reactive gases linger longer than they would near the ground. Some researchers in aerospace and defense note that certain metals and chemicals in missile propellants can persist in the upper atmosphere and interact with sunlight and other atmospheric components. This interaction can subtly change how light and heat move through the air, affecting local visibility and even contributing to longerterm climate effects. In regions with frequent missile activitysuch as near large test ranges or in conflictaffected areaspeople may notice more persistent haze, unusual cloud patterns, or a dulling of the sky, which are indirect signs that missiles can pollute the sky. Reports and analyses by organizations like the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), which track environmental damage from warfare, help illustrate how missilerelated explosions and fires can create visible smoke plumes and measurable changes in air quality. These observations support the idea that a missile can pollute the sky, not just locally but sometimes across broader regions downwind of strikes. How Missiles Affect the Environment Beyond the Sky Although much of the discussion focuses on air and sky pollution, missiles also leave environmental impacts on the ground and in water. When a missile fails to reach its target or explodes offcourse, remnants of the body, fuel, unexploded components, and debris can scatter across the landscape. Some of these materials contain hazardous chemicals or heavy metals that slowly leach into the soil and nearby water sources, contaminating ecosystems over time. In areas where missile testing has occurred repeatedly, the buildup of such residues can create longterm pollution. Cleanup is difficult and expensive, and in some cases, the land may remain restricted or degraded for years. In active conflict zones, the environmental damage is compounded by the broader destruction of infrastructure, which can release additional pollutants such as oil, industrial chemicals, and waste from damaged facilities. Wildlife and habitats are also affected. The noise and shockwaves from missile launches and explosions can disrupt animal behavior, alter migration routes, and damage sensitive ecosystems. In marine or coastal regions, debris falling into the water can harm aquatic life and degrade water quality. Over time, the cumulative effect of missile usecombined with other military activitiescan reshape landscapes and undermine ecological balance. Comparing MissileRelated Pollution to Other Sources To put missilerelated pollution into perspective, it helps to compare it with other major sources of emissions. Industrial activity, transportation, and energy production are responsible for the vast majority of global air pollution and greenhousegas emissions. In this global picture, missile launches and military operations are relatively small contributors. However, their impact can be outsized in specific regions or situations. In a large industrial city already dealing with heavy traffic and factory emissions, occasional missile tests may not change the overall airquality picture much. But in a region already under stresssuch as a conflictaffected area with limited environmental monitoringmissile activity can push air quality beyond safe thresholds and worsen existing pollution problems. Work by organizations like CEOBS and similar conflictenvironment monitoring groups highlights how repeated missile strikes can turn oncestable environments into zones of elevated particulate matter and other pollutants, especially when combined with industrial fires and infrastructure damage. How the Impact of Missiles on the Environment Can Be Reduced Despite these challenges, there are ways to reduce the environmental footprint of missile systems. One of the most promising approaches is the development of cleaner propulsion technologies. Researchers in aerospace and defense are exploring alternative propellants that burn more efficiently and release fewer harmful byproducts, especially in terms of black carbon and metallic residues. Even modest improvements in fuel composition can reduce the amount of pollutants injected into the atmosphere with each launch. Another important step is improving how missile components are handled, stored, and disposed of. Proper management of spent casings, unexploded ordnance, and associated chemicals can minimize soil and water contamination. Some experts suggest that military planners should routinely assess the environmental impact of missile testing and use, similar to how civilian projects undergo environmental reviews. Platforms such as Security & Sustainability, which profile organizations like the Conflict and Environment Observatory, emphasize the need for better monitoring and accountability in militarylinked environmental harm. Policyoriented research groups such as the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) also point out that military activities, including missilelinked operations, should be better integrated into broader climate and environmentalprotection strategies. By tracking emissions, energy use, and environmental risk in defense planning, governments can reduce the longterm impact of missiles on air quality, sky pollution, and ecosystems. Regular monitoring of air quality around launch sites and in conflictaffected areas can help quantify how much pollution missiles generate and where it spreads. This data can inform publichealth measures, such as airquality alerts and protective guidance for vulnerable groups. Finally, international cooperation in sharing information and best practices can encourage more responsible use of missile systems and reduce the overall environmental burden. Missiles will likely remain a key part of national defense strategies, but recognizing that missiles cause pollutionand that they can pollute the skyopens the door to designing, testing, and deploying them more thoughtfully. As concerns about climate change and air quality grow, the question of how missiles affect the environment will continue to matter both for policymakers and for the public searching answers to "missiles cause pollution," "sky pollution," and "can a missile pollute the sky." Frequently Asked Questions 1. Do missiles cause pollution? Yes. Missiles burn rocket propellants that release gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine soot into the atmosphere. In conflict, missile strikes can also trigger fires and industrial damage that add smoke and other pollutants to the air. 2. Can a missile pollute the sky? Yes. When a missile launches, its exhaust plume rises into the atmosphere, carrying particles and chemicals that can linger in the air and contribute to what is often called "sky pollution." This can affect visibility, air quality, and even atmospheric chemistry over time. 3. What is sky pollution? Sky pollution refers to the buildup of airborne contaminantslike smoke, dust, and chemical particlesthat degrade air quality and visibility. It includes emissions from industries, vehicles, and military activities such as missile launches and explosions. Concerns over skyrocketing gold prices following the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East drove residents to gather in lines to buy gold from early Monday morning. From the crack of dawn, people were already queuing to wait for gold purchases at reputable stores in HCMC. At the Mi Hong gold store (Gia Dinh ward), from 5:30 AM, about 50 people sat in three rows waiting for their turn to buy gold, even though this store does not open for business and transactions until 8:00 AM. Leaving home to buy gold at 5:00 AM, Bich Phuong, 53, from Binh Trung ward, predicted that gold prices could increase sharply following military attacks between the US, Israel, and Iran over the past weekend. I am buying gold to accumulate assets, not for speculation. However, I came early to avoid having to buy gold when prices spike abruptly, she added. At the Saigon Jewelry Company Limited SJC (Ban Co ward, HCMC), similar images appeared. Many people waited to buy gold outside SJC from early on. Nguyen Thi Cam M. (Vuon Lai ward) said she asked her company for permission to arrive late because she feared she would not be able to buy gold before work. "SJC opens for sale at 8:30 AM, the same time as my company. Meanwhile, I still have to wait for my turn, not to mention the time for payment and receiving the goods," she shared. According to some people waiting to buy gold, major gold businesses in HCMC have resumed the policy of limiting sales to 0.1 tael of gold rings per person per day. This policy has been maintained for many months. Prior to that, on the Day of the God of Wealth (the 10th day of the first lunar month, February 26), SJC and Mi Hong "loosened" the supply, allowing people to buy gold in larger quantities. For example, SJC allowed a maximum purchase of 3 taels of 1-tael gold bars; 2 mace of gold rings (if paying via bank transfer). Mi Hong allowed residents to buy a maximum of 5 mace of gold rings per day. According to images shared on Facebook forums for gold trading, last Sunday many residents went to gold shops to carry out buying transactions after information emerged about the US and Israel attacking Iran. The general sentiment was that gold, a safe-haven asset, would rise sharply amid geopolitical instability. Domestically, at the close of trading on February 28, SJC gold bars were listed at VND184187 million per tael (buysell), up VND3 million per tael from the previous sessions close. SJC gold rings (15 mace per ring) were listed at VND183.8186.8 million per tael, also up VND3 million per tael compared with the previous close. On the international market, according to Trading Economics, on Monday gold prices reached their highest level in more than a month as demand for safe-haven assets increased following joint attacks by the US and Israel on Iran over the weekend. These attacks reportedly led to the death of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, escalating regional tensions and disrupting maritime traffic in the oil-rich region. Iran responded with retaliatory attacks on US assets in neighboring countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria. Gold recorded its seventh consecutive monthly gain in February, the longest streak since 1973, driven by rising geopolitical tensions and the restructuring of international relations under US President Trump. The price increase was also supported by strong buying from central banks and a trend of investors moving away from government bonds and currencies. In the latest news, at 2.24 pm March 2, 2026, Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC) further adjusted its gold bar prices upward, listing them at VND187.9190.9 million per tael (buysell). SJC gold rings were traded at VND186.4189.4 million per tael (buysell), up VND2.6 million per tael on both buying and selling sides compared with the close of last week. Following the same trend, gold ring prices at DOJI increased by VND3.1 million per tael on both the buying and selling sides compared with last weeks close, trading at VND186.9189.9 million per tael (buysell). Meanwhile, plain gold rings at Bao Tin Minh Chau were adjusted up by VND2.9 million per tael on both the buying and selling sides compared with the end of last week, trading at VND186.9189.9 million per tael (buy in sell out). Manh Ha On the morning of March 2, the 14th day of the first lunar month of Tet Binh Ngo, thousands of visitors and local residents flocked to Hon Ba Temple to pay respects and pray for good fortune and peace in the new year. Crowds visit Hon Ba Temple during the Lunar January full moon. The temple stands on a small islet of about 5,000 square meters in the middle of the sea. Built in 1781 to worship Thuy Long Than Nu, the sea goddess believed to shelter fishermen and bestow blessings, the shrine lies around 200 meters offshore. It becomes accessible on foot when the tide recedes, revealing a rocky path that allows visitors to cross without boats. According to VietNamNet reporters, once the tide ebbed, the stone pathway leading to the temple emerged clearly from the sea. From around 4 to 5am, streams of people began following this natural route to perform rituals. The timing depends entirely on tidal movements, as seawater may recede in the early morning, afternoon or even at night. Many brought incense, flowers, fruit, cakes, betel and areca, along with traditional offerings, praying for their families health, smooth business and safe voyages with favorable winds and calm seas. Many bring offerings to pray for peace and well-being. Visitors carefully arranged offerings onto trays before presenting them at the altar inside the main hall. Hon Ba Temple consists of two main sections: the entrance gate and the central worship hall. Inside are altars bearing spirit tablets and five statues of the Five Elements Goddesses. Within the temple, the atmosphere was solemn yet lively. Worshippers queued patiently to light incense and offer prayers. Some families prepared elaborate trays, lighting incense with reverence before receiving blessed tokens to bring home for good luck at the start of the year. Local residents say visiting Hon Ba Temple during the Lunar January full moon has become a familiar spiritual practice over many years. Beyond seeking prosperity, many pray for safety for their children, successful fishing trips and protection from natural disasters. Visitors from Mekong Delta provinces and nearby localities such as Dong Nai and Lam Dong also combine early spring outings with pilgrimage. Area for arranging offerings before entering the main hall for prayers. Nguyen Thi Hien, 42, from An Giang Province, said her family makes the pilgrimage every year. We arrived in Vung Tau yesterday morning and came to the temple at dawn. Each year I simply pray for my familys health and for work to go smoothly in the new year, she said. Tran Minh Tuan, visiting from Dong Nai for the first time, shared: Inside the temple it is crowded but orderly. Everyone is very conscious, there is no pushing. Like many others, I came to pray for peace at the start of the year and also to enjoy the sea in Vung Tau. By late morning, as the tide began to rise again, people gradually made their way back to shore, concluding the ceremony in a calm and reflective mood. The Lunar January full moon pilgrimage to Hon Ba Temple not only carries spiritual meaning but also contributes to the distinctive cultural character of Vung Taus coastal community each spring. Quang Hung The carrier cancelled a total of 13 flights to and from Vietnam, including eight flights at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) and five at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), from March 3 to 1:00 pm on March 5, affecting 2,565 passengers. Regarding support policies, Qatar Airways will waive change fees for departure date adjustments within 14 days since the original departure date or offer refunds for the unused portion of tickets in accordance with regulations. The policy applies to passengers holding tickets for travel between February 28 and March 10. During this period, due to a surge in calls to its customer service centre, Qatar Airways has advised passengers with itineraries scheduled within the next 48 hours to contact the airline directly for assistance. Passengers can proactively manage their bookings and make changes via the airlines official website or mobile application, the airline said, adding that those who booked tickets through travel agencies or third-party platforms are requested to contact their issuing agents directly for support. The CAAV has also updated information on several flight information regions (FIRs) affected by hostilities in the Middle East to help residents and travellers keep abreast of travel conditions. As of March 3, FIRs fully closed include Bahrain, which was shut from 21:34 (UTC) on March 2 to 04:00 (UTC) on March 3. Tehran closed its entire FIR until 08:30 (UTC) on March 3 while warning that the conflict area could expand to international waters in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Doha (Qatar) closed its entire FIR until 04:00 (UTC) on March 3. Jordan has closed its airspace daily from 15:00 on the previous day to 06:00 the following day (UTC) during the period from March 2 to 5. A restricted FIR with special measures has been applied to Emirates (OMAE the United Arab Emirates), including partial FIR closures. Aircraft are only permitted to arrive and depart via designated waypoints while overflights are allowed solely in the westbound direction./.VNA A model of the proposed international transshipment port in Can Gio. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction The Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has announced the receipt of proposals to implement the Can Gio International Transshipment Port under a mechanism for selecting a strategic investor. The process follows specific criteria outlined in National Assembly Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 and Resolution No. 260/2025/QH15. Interested parties may submit applications from the date of publication on the citys official portal. Dossiers can be filed directly at the Ho Chi Minh City Public Administrative Service Center or via the National Public Service Portal. City authorities stated that if only one investor submits a proposal and satisfies all strategic criteria, competent agencies will review and decide on the selection. If two or more qualified investors apply, within seven days from receipt of the first complete dossier, the investment registration authority must report to the city. The city will then issue scoring criteria and establish an appraisal council to ensure transparency and fairness in selecting the investor. Ho Chi Minh City encourages reputable strategic investors with international capacity to participate. Proposals must clearly demonstrate financial strength, operational experience and commitments aligned with the citys sustainable development orientation. The Can Gio International Transshipment Port is classified as a special-grade port with total estimated investment of about VND128 trillion (US$5.1 billion). The project is expected to create significant momentum for socio-economic development while safeguarding national defense, security and environmental requirements. Previously, the Prime Minister approved the projects planning and investment policy under Decisions No. 442/QD-TTg, 140/QD-TTg and 148/QD-TTg issued in May 2024 and January 2025. The sector is also prioritized for investment attraction under the special mechanisms granted exclusively to Ho Chi Minh City by the National Assembly. Tuan Kiet After three and a half years of study, Phuong Linh graduated with highest honors, and ranked first among students in the universitys early graduation cohort of 2026. Across 45 subjects totaling 120 credits, Phuong Linh received only one B+ grade, with all remaining subjects graded A. She was just 0.01 point short of a perfect score. Phuong Linh said she is very happy with the results. I think the result of the learning process lies not only in the numbers but more importantly, I have accumulated much knowledge, skills, and experiences throughout my studies. The learning process at Thuongmai University has helped me develop myself a lot, and I will consider these achievements as motivation to keep trying. Linh believes that each person has their own learning methods and strategies. After entering the university environment, she determined that for all subjects, she would spend a lot of time and effort to accumulate the most knowledge and skills. She applies different learning methods to suit each subject. For example, in subjects with much practice or projects, I prioritize exploring, experiencing, and researching reality thoroughly to create effectively within the context, and I always ask teachers for feedback to gain a deeper insight. For subjects that are theoretical with tests and evaluations, I find and read more documents, trying to understand what I read instead of cramming. Additionally, I ask teachers for notes on assignments, question types, and things I don't understand to ensure that everything is ready and certain when I enter the exam room, she said. She also participated in workshops organized by the school and signed up for external courses to enhance knowledge and skills. According to Linh, the important factors at university level are self-discipline, proactiveness, high discipline, and good time management. I don't think I am a prominent person or anything different from others. But I always put a lot of heart into everything I do to achieve the best results and contribute to the overall success of the collective, Linh said, noting that her results today mostly come from responsibility, hard work, and a drive for self-improvement. I think a positive attitude, a dare-to-think-dare-to-do spirit, and perseverance will help us improve. Those are always what I carry within me. Beyond academics, Linh participates in and explores other activities. She was the Secretary of the Youth Union Branch and a member of the Student Association Executive Committee of the Faculty of Marketing. Linh also joined the school's international cooperation and student exchange programs with activities such as event organization, communication, and translation. Through these programs, I have matured significantly and expanded my social network. Beyond the experience of living and studying in an international environment, I became more confident, more courageous, and more willing to take action in the face of challenges. I was able to connect with many professors, seniors, and friends in Vietnam and abroad, the people who supported and accompanied me during that time and with whom I still maintain connections today, Linh said. Mental well-being is also an important factor, so she strives to allocate her time reasonably to balance study with rest and relaxation. Spending time with family and friends is also a good way for me to stay motivated, comfortable, and mentally positive, she noted. Linh revealed that she has been fortunate to gain work experience at several organizations, allowing her to pursue her passion and learn through real-world exposure. I participated in marketing activities such as social media management, research, data collection, and analysis. All the knowledge and skills gained from courses and practical projects in Digital Marketing, such as fanpage management, analysis, research, and design, helped me perform my role effectively, she said. For Linh, graduating with highest honors is a proud milestone, but it is only the beginning of a longer journey ahead. In the coming period, Linh sees this as motivation to continue pursuing Digital Marketing, further develop herself, and create positive value for businesses and society. Linh believes Marketing is a dynamic field that demands creativity, so she must continue accumulating experience and improving her knowledge and skills to grow and perform well. I believe that income and good opportunities will come in proportion to the capabilities, effort, and value that one creates, she said. Le Huyen The Galaxy S26 lineup has just been unveiled. Photo: Samsung. On stage, Samsung devoted significant time to showcasing design refinements, performance gains and especially new video capabilities on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The unique Privacy Display on the Ultra model was also a highlight deserving praise. However, between the applause for Galaxy AI and grand visions of the mobile future, one key product was nowhere to be found: augmented reality smart glasses. AR glasses: the smartphone killer? Throughout the event, Samsung repeatedly emphasized Galaxy AI, its artificial intelligence toolkit deeply integrated across the device ecosystem. What surprised many observers was that the company made no mention of a product category that it, along with Apple, Google and Meta, has previously suggested could one day replace the smartphone. Samsung is currently developing AR smart glasses running on Googles Android XR platform. At the same time, it has been working on an extended reality device known as Galaxy XR, introduced earlier as an exploratory step to gauge market response. This approach mirrors the strategy behind Apple Vision Pro. For Apple, Vision Pro is not the final destination but rather a foundation toward a lighter, more mainstream and affordable AR device. Samsung is widely believed to be following a similar roadmap. According to earlier leaks, Samsungs AR glasses are expected to feature an integrated display and compete directly with Meta Orion, the AR prototype that Meta has publicly demonstrated. Notably, several sources have suggested that Samsungs glasses could launch as soon as this year. If that proves accurate, the companys complete silence at Galaxy Unpacked is difficult to understand. There was not even a brief teaser. At a time when competitors are gradually revealing their AR ambitions, Samsungs restraint feels increasingly unusual. It is possible that launch plans have been delayed. Another scenario is that Samsung may first release a display-free version, similar to Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, focusing on camera and AI capabilities rather than complex AR visuals. But regardless of the path chosen, the total absence of communication raises strategic questions. The XR race cannot wait If AR glasses truly represent the future of personal computing, then building market awareness must begin now. Extended reality remains a niche segment. Mainstream consumers have yet to fully grasp its value, let alone develop a desire to own such a device. Meta has already showcased Orion and pledged to release a commercial version in 2027. Google has published demo videos of glasses powered by its Gemini AI model, illustrating a vision of deeply integrated wearable intelligence. Apple, though more reserved publicly, is reportedly testing internal prototypes among employees. Against that backdrop, Samsung appears cautious. The company may be observing market reactions before making a decisive move. Yet delays in marketing could mean missing the opportunity to shape the narrative. Technology history suggests that breakthrough products require not only strong hardware but also compelling communication strategies capable of reshaping user habits. Smartphones themselves took years to replace feature phones. If AR glasses are not promoted early, the transition could take even longer, or falter before it truly begins. A telling example is the Galaxy S25 Edge. Despite marketing campaigns, many consumers were barely aware of its existence. If even a flagship device from one of the worlds largest smartphone manufacturers struggles to achieve visibility, an entirely new concept like AR glasses will demand far more sustained investment in storytelling and branding. The Galaxy S26 series is undoubtedly crucial for Samsung today. In the longer term, however, the device that could render the Galaxy S26 obsolete may deserve a far bolder bet. As competitors begin to speak openly about a post-smartphone future, Samsungs silence at its biggest annual event may come to be seen as a missed opportunity. Hai Phong She noted that Vietnams stance was clearly stated on February 28, 2026, saying the country opposes the use of force against sovereign nations, particularly attacks on civilian infrastructure that result in loss of life. Such actions have caused serious damage and continue to threaten the lives, safety, and interests of civilians, including Vietnamese citizens, in the region while destabilising economic activities and undermining peace and stability both regionally and globally. Vietnam calls upon all parties involved to act with responsibility, strictly adhere to international law, the United Nations Charter and relevant United Nations resolutions, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, resume negotiations, and create favourable conditions for dialogue towards resolving all differences through peaceful means, for the sake of the people and for the peace, stability, and development of the region and the world," Hang remarked./. VNA Vietnams delegation at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Olympiad. Photo: Courtesy of the organizers. For the first time participating in the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (IAIO) 2026, a team of Vietnamese students secured two silver medals and one bronze. The 2026 IAIO took place from February 23 to 27 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, bringing together 95 contestants from 24 countries recognized for their technological strength. Vietnams delegation consisted of four students selected through a rigorous national competition process. The two silver medals were awarded to Pham Nguyen Dang Huy and Tran Thuan Hieu, both from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. Le Ky Nam, a student at Newton Secondary and High School, earned the bronze medal. The fourth team member was Luong Tran Gia Bao from the High School for Gifted Students under the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. At the international round, contestants completed two individual exams, one theoretical and one practical problem-solving test. The problems required participants to apply advanced machine learning models to real-world scenarios, while also addressing complex aspects such as model fairness and ethical considerations in artificial intelligence. The Vietnamese team was led by the Research Institute for Innovation and Quality Assurance (RIVA), under the scientific patronage of the AI4LIFE Institute at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. According to the organizers, Vietnam will host the IAIO international round in 2027. This will mark the first time an international AI Olympiad is held in the country, a move expected to foster the development of Vietnams technology education ecosystem and expand opportunities for global academic exchange among local students. The International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad is a global competition dedicated to artificial intelligence for high school students worldwide. It was founded by Professor John Stewart Shawe-Taylor, a distinguished scientist and leading expert in artificial intelligence. He serves as the UNESCO Chair in Artificial Intelligence at University College London and is currently Director of the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under the auspices of UNESCO at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is also Professor of Computational Statistics and Machine Learning, Director of the Centre for Computational Statistics, and former Head of the Department of Computer Science at University College London. IAIO is held annually, with its inaugural competition organized in 2024 in Saudi Arabia. Under the competitions regulations, each participating country sends a team of four students selected through a stringent national process. The international round consists of two individual exams: one theoretical and one practical problem-solving test. The competition maintains high academic standards while remaining closely connected to real-world applications. Contest problems require contestants to deploy advanced machine learning models to tackle practical challenges. Notably, the exam content also addresses deeper issues in AI, including questions of model fairness and ethical dimensions in artificial intelligence. Du Lam The goal of average GDP growth of 10 percent/year or more in the 20262030 period, set by the 14th Congress, is a strong declaration. It is not just about speed, but about the aspiration of bringing Vietnam beyond the middle-income level, closer to the $8,500 GDP/person mark by 2030, and further to becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2045. But double-digit growth is not just a story of pure political determination. It is a problem of internal strength. On the surface, Vietnams foundation appears solid. In 2025, its GDP exceeded $510 billion; GDP per capita reached $5,000; and growth surpassed 8 percent, placing Vietnam among the worlds faster-growing economies amid persistent global uncertainty. Public investment has been accelerated, tourism has rebounded, and major infrastructure projects continue to break ground. However, as Nguyen Van Phuc, former Vice Chair of the NAs Economic Committee, has repeatedly cautioned, a high GDP does not automatically translate into robust internal capacity. GDP measures the total value created in a year, but it does not answer the most critical question: how much of that value remains within the national economy. A significant portion of growth is generated by the FDI sector, while part of the final profits flows abroad. Without examining GDP alongside Gross National Income (GNI), it is easy to fall into a growth illusion, where headline figures rise faster than the economys true internal capacity. An economy may grow rapidly while real household income rises slowly; GDP may expand while domestic accumulation capacity remains weak. That is not a sustainable path. Strong FDI, thin domestic capacity Statistics show that the FDI sector accounted for roughly 76 percent of export turnover in 2025. This raises a fundamental question: why, after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (renovation), does the domestic sector still contribute only about one-quarter of total export turnover? When FDI enterprises account for nearly three-quarters of exports and the entire domestic sector just one-quarter, this is the signal of an imbalanced growth: FDI is strong, while domestic capacity remains thin. Export volumes are high, yet domestic value added is modest. Meanwhile, imports of input materials remain substantial: imports from China alone account for roughly 40 percent of total import turnover. Without strengthening domestic production capacity, increasing localization rates, and expanding domestic value added, high growth will become increasingly dependent on external forces. If Vietnamese firms are not large enough to integrate deeply into supply chains, lack the capacity to produce import substitutes, or are unable to expand exports under their own brands, then growth will increasingly lie beyond the control of Vietnams own economy. To achieve double-digit growth in the coming period, Vietnam cannot rely on the old momentum. Ten percent growth cannot come from simply doing more of the same. It must come from a different growth model, the one in which productivity, quality, and value added form the core pillar. In that model, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation are not slogans, but core competencies of domestic enterprises. Domestic strength is not just about capital; it is about mastering technology, data, and value chains. At the same time, an economy of nearly 100 million people cannot grow sustainably if the domestic market plays only a secondary role. Domestic consumption and import substitution must become engines alongside exports, providing an internal anchor that reduces external dependence. Private and state economic sectors The 14th National Party Congress and Resolution 68 identify the private sector as one of the most important drivers of the economy. Yet in 2025, private investment grew by only about 8.4 percent, significantly lower than public investment and FDI. The issue is not that the private sector lacks capital or ambition. As Nguyen Van Phuc has analyzed, its resources have not been fully unlocked. Legal risks, inconsistent policy implementation, and the gap between reform rhetoric and businesses real-world experiences remain barriers. The 10 percent growth question, therefore, cannot be solved by simply expanding public investment or attracting more FDI at any cost. The role of the State must be properly redefined. The state sector should focus on strategic and foundational areas that create platforms and provide direction, rather than joining other players in the same playing ground. More importantly, the State must fully transition to a developmental, enabling role: improving the institutional regime, protecting property rights, reducing policy uncertainty, and building long-term confidence for domestic investors. Ten percent growth is not impossible. Vietnam grew even faster during its most dynamic transformation periods. But unlike the past, todays growth space no longer lies in cheap labor or in broad-based investment expansion. Lan Anh Record-breaking droughts scorched vast regions in 2025 and into 2026, leaving parched earth from Africa's Horn to Australia's interior. These global droughts intensify water scarcity, forcing tough choices for farmers and cities alike. Climate extremes like scorching heat domes turn short dry spells into multi-year crises. This piece digs into the drivers, spotlighted hotspots, environmental fallout, human struggles, and real-world fixes. What Sparks These Record-Breaking Droughts? Droughts brew from a mix of nature's whims and human fingerprints. Low rainfall kicks things off, often tied to oscillating ocean patterns. El Nino warms Pacific waters, shoving rain away from places like Indonesia and Peru, while La Nina flips the script for the Americas. Climate extremes crank up the heatliterally. Rising global temperatures suck moisture from soil faster, with every degree of warming stretching dry periods by weeks or months. Urban heat islands in sprawling cities worsen evaporation, paving paradise into concrete traps that repel water. Deforestation clears the way for trouble. Trees act like sponges, but their loss in the Amazon and Sahel lets runoff rush to sea instead of soaking in. Overuse of aquifers for irrigation depletes hidden reserves, as seen in India's Punjab where wells run dry faster each year. NASA's satellite observations highlight how these factors compound, painting a clearer picture of vanishing groundwater worldwide. Read Also: How Climate Change Wildlife Triggers Unpredictable Animal Migration Shifts Which Regions Face the Worst of Global Droughts? Not all places feel global droughts equallygeography and habits dictate the pain. Sub-Saharan Africa bears a heavy load. Somalia and Ethiopia weathered a fourth straight dry year in 2025, with rivers like the Jubba shrinking to trickles. Kenya's pastoralists lost 2.5 million livestock, per local aid reports. The Middle East simmers under relentless sun. Iraq's marshes, once a wetland wonder, have largely vanished, squeezing water scarcity for 40 million downstream. Iran's Lake Urmia halved in size over two decades, salting farmland. Down under, Australia's southeast battled megadroughts, with the Murray-Darling Basin's flows at historic lows. In North America, California's Sierra snowpackkey to feeding 40 milliondwindled amid erratic winters. Southern Europe joined the fray, as Portugal and Spain rationed taps during 2026's heat. The World Bank pegs these global droughts as dragging down GDPs by 2-5% in affected nations, hitting agriculture hardest. How Do Droughts Ripple Through Ecosystems and Communities? Environmental scars run deep. Climate extremes ignite megafiresthink California's 2025 blazes charring 1.2 million acres, belching smoke that circles the globe. Rivers dwindle, killing fish runs; the Colorado barely reaches the sea now. Soil turns to powder, washing away nutrients and choking downstream deltas with sediment. Biodiversity takes hitsAustralia's wet tropics lost frog species as streams dried, while African savannas saw elephant herds thin from thirst. Humans feel the squeeze acutely. Crop failures jack up grain prices; East Africa's 2025 maize shortfall sparked food riots in several capitals. Water scarcity breeds diseasestanding ponds harbor cholera in Yemen's camps. Power grids falter without hydro dams; Zambia's 85% output plunge in late 2025 left factories idle. Conflicts simmer over shared watersthe Nile Basin sees Egypt eyeing Ethiopia's dam warily. Migration swells: 1.5 million fled rural Pakistan amid its 2024-2026 dry spell. Farmers adapt with grit, switching to hardier millet or solar pumps, but systemic shifts lag. Practical Steps to Tackle Water Scarcity and Climate Extremes Beating back global droughts starts locally. Efficient irrigation tops the listdrip systems in Israel's Negev Desert yield more with half the water, a model for thirsty farms worldwide. Reforesting hillsides rebuilds natural buffers. Ethiopia's Green Legacy planted 30 billion trees in 2019, boosting local rains and soil health. Rainwater harvesting catches rooftop runoff, proven in Rajasthan villages to sustain dry seasons. Tech steps up too. Drought-hardy seeds from CRISPR editing thrive in test fields across Africa, resisting climate extremes. Apps like those from the UN's early warning network alert herders to dry forecasts weeks out. Policymakers push cross-border pacts, like the Mekong River Commission sharing data to avert water scarcity clashes. Desalination plants dot arid coasts, though energy costs challenge scale-up. The IPCC's latest assessments underscore that blending these tactics with emissions cuts offers the best shield against worsening trends. Moving Forward Against Intensifying Dry Spells Global droughts, water scarcity, and climate extremes reshape maps and lives, but targeted actions build resilience. From community tanks to satellite vigilance, proven tools exist. Regions that act now turn peril into preparedness, safeguarding water for generations ahead. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is the main cause of droughts? Low rainfall combines with high temperatures and human land changes. Climate extremes from warming amplify evaporation, turning mild dry spells severe. 2. How long do droughts last? They range from months (meteorological) to decades (hydrological). The U.S. 2012-2016 event lasted four years; some African global droughts stretch five-plus. 3. Can droughts be predicted? Yes, via models tracking El Nino and soil moisture. Tools from NOAA forecast risks 3-6 months ahead, aiding preparations. 4. Are droughts getting worse? Data shows yeswater scarcity events doubled since 2000, per UN stats, as climate extremes intensify. Collaboration offers AT&T Business customers asset intelligence options for rugged, non-powered industrial equipment PLANO, Texas, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Geoforce, a leading provider of industrial asset intelligence solutions, today announced a collaboration with AT&T Business to offer Geoforce's asset tracking solutions to AT&T Business customers. The collaboration offers AT&T Business customers access to asset intelligence capabilities for rugged, non-powered industrial equipment, complementing existing vehicle and powered asset solutions operating on AT&T's LTE-M network. As enterprise IoT deployments mature, organizations are moving beyond pilot programs and toward standardized platforms aligned with long-term procurement, connectivity, and support models. Through this relationship, AT&T Business customers may access Geoforce's asset platform designed for distributed, non-powered equipment operating in remote and infrastructure-limited environments. AT&T Business delivers these IoT capabilities on a global scale. Industry analysts, including Transforma Insights in their IoT Peer Benchmarking Report (2025), continue to rank AT&T as leader in IoT citing scale, reliability, and enterprise readiness. AT&T's global network carries approximately one exabyte (1 billion gigabytes) of data per day, placing it among a small group of Tier 1 networks capable of supporting large-scale enterprise IoT environments. Geoforce brings 19 years of experience supporting long-horizon deployments across oil and gas, construction, military & defense, rail, waste management and equipment rental operations. Unlike traditional vehicle telematics providers, Geoforce was built as an asset-first platform focused specifically on non-powered equipment to activate containers, tanks, trailers, and other jobsite assets. Geoforce's rugged hardware is engineered to support harsh field conditions, while the software platform was developed to optimize efficiencies for asset-centric businesses. The architecture is designed to help organizations maximize utilization, protect against loss, streamline field operations, and optimize capital allocation across large equipment inventories. "Industrial asset management has reached a point where scale, reliability, and enterprise alignment matter as much as the technology itself," said James MacLean III, CEO, Geoforce. "Organizations are no longer experimenting. They are standardizing. We believe this collaboration with AT&T Business reflects that shift toward solutions designed to operate as part of long-term enterprise systems, not standalone tools." Through this collaboration, Geoforce and AT&T Business aim to address growing enterprise demand for asset-native intelligence within the carrier ecosystem. The collaboration reflects commercial interest in standardized, carrier-supported platforms built for industrial asset tracking use cases. With more than 300,000 assets tracked across 110 countries, Geoforce continues to expand its reach in the global asset intelligence market by building on its leadership position in the advancement of GPS tracking solutions for industrial equipment. For more information, visit att.com/business or geoforce.com. SOURCE Geoforce, Inc. Funding Supports Cancer Research, Cybersecurity Research, and Campus Safety Initiatives Through Bipartisan Efforts Across Two Administrations ATLANTA, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is excited to announce $5.23 million in federal funding aimed at enhancing education and public safety on campus. Secured through Congressionally Directed Spending across two administrations, this funding reflects strong bipartisan support and will advance vital initiatives aligned with the university's mission. Specifically, CAU has received $1.1 million in FY 26 for science education and public safety, $3.13 million in FY 24 for campus security and cybersecurity, and $1 million in FY 22 for cybersecurity research, totaling $5.23 million over the past four years. FY 26 Appropriations $850,000 for improving science education and detection, including the purchase of essential equipment and the provision of financial aid and stipends, submitted by Senator Jon Ossoff . for improving science education and detection, including the purchase of essential equipment and the provision of financial aid and stipends, submitted by . $250,000 for a Security Project and Public Safety Enhancements, submitted by Representative Nikema Williams. FY 24 Appropriations $630,000 for Campus Security and Public Safety Enhancements, submitted by Representative Nikema Williams . for Campus Security and Public Safety Enhancements, submitted by . $2,000,000 for the Cybersecurity Research Center, submitted by Senator Ossoff . for the Cybersecurity Research Center, submitted by . $500,000 for Cybersecurity Research, submitted by Senator Warnock. FY 22 Appropriations $1,000,000 for Cybersecurity Research, submitted by Senator Ossoff. These strategic investments will not only bolster CAU's academic programs but also enhance campus safety, reflecting our ongoing commitment to creating a secure and supportive environment for our students and faculty. "We are immensely grateful to Senator Ossoff, Representative Williams, and Senator Warnock for their unwavering support," said Dr. George T. French, Jr., President of Clark Atlanta University. "This funding will allow us to elevate our educational offerings and ensure the safety of our campus community, enabling us to fulfill our mission of excellence in education." The funds will be utilized to purchase advanced equipment for science programs, enhance campus security measures, and expand cybersecurity research initiatives, positioning CAU as a leader in these critical fields. For more information about Clark Atlanta University and its initiatives, please visit www.cau.edu. About Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University was formed in 1988 through the consolidation of Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869), both historically Black institutions. CAU is a private, research-intensive institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. For more information, visit www.cau.edu. SOURCE Clark Atlanta University As investment decisions prioritise supply chain resilience, policy stability, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, the market is forecast to enter a more selective phase, with clearer differentiation based on model quality and operational capabilities. According to CBRE Vietnam, Vietnams industrial land leasing activity remained subdued in 2025. In the southern region, net absorption decreased by 39 per cent on-year despite resurging demand driven by new supply in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, future supply remains significant, with over 1,000 hectares of new industrial land to be added in the southern region this year. This development reflects a market adjustment, as land leasing decisions become more cautious and selective. In the previous period, developers competitive advantages lay in scale and expansion speed. In the new cycle, developers are shifting their focus towards infrastructure standardisation, service integration, and long-term operational capacity aligned with international standards. ESG becomes the new operating standard Along with the shift in investment criteria, ESG is gradually becoming the operating benchmark for industrial parks. For industrial park developers, ESG is no longer merely a competitive advantage, but a necessary condition for maintaining a position within global supply chains. Investors are paying more attention to green infrastructure, stable energy systems, water resource management, wastewater treatment, and the ability to implement industrial symbiosis models. This signals a structural transformation: industrial real estate must not only provide manufacturing space but also ensure sustainable, transparent, and resilient operational capacity over the long term. Since 2025, ESG considerations have increasingly shaped industrial real estate development and are expected to remain a key driver in 2026 However, this transition also presents significant challenges. Amid geopolitical uncertainties and the global supply chain restructuring trend, foreign investors have become more cautious in making long-term commitments. They also impose higher requirements for policy stability, supply chain safety, and adaptability to disruption scenarios. Furthermore, the rollout of next-generation industrial park models, particularly eco-industrial parks, continues to encounter challenges related to the policy framework and consistency in the application of criteria, as several regulations and implementation guidelines remain under finalisation. Against this backdrop, foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are projected to become increasingly selective, prioritising projects with clear orientations towards sustainable operation and strong adaptability. Strategic preparations for 2026 Amid ongoing shifts in FDI patterns and ESG standards, the market is expected to witness a clearer differentiation based on model quality and execution capability in 2026. Rather than expanding supply at any cost, many developers are shifting their focus towards standardising the industrial park model, deepening infrastructure investment, and building long-term operational foundations to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international investors. For example, Prodezi Industrial Park has adopted the eco-industrial park model from the planning stage, integrating sustainability principles into its overall development strategy. In this new cycle, the industrial park is designed not only to provide manufacturing space but also to function as an integrated platform where technical infrastructure, support services, and operational systems are structured to meet long-term manufacturing needs. The industrial symbiosis model at Prodezi Industrial Park helps increase resource efficiency and reduce operating costs for tenants In terms of infrastructure, Prodezi Industrial Park prioritises stability and contingency capacity. Its energy system is planned as a multi-source structure, combining grid electricity and renewable energy. Comprehensive investment in water supply, wastewater treatment, and environmental management systems has been made from the beginning to meet the increasingly stringent standards of global supply chains, particularly for foreign-invested enterprises with ESG requirements. A highlight of the companys approach is its industrial symbiosis strategy, whereby energy, water, and material resource flows are designed to be shared and optimised across the entire park. According to internal estimates, this model may improve resource efficiency and potentially reduce tenants operating costs by approximately 812 per cent, while simultaneously lowering production-related emissions. Truong Khac Nguyen Minh, deputy general director of Prodezi Long An said, In 2026, we will continue integrating ESG principles across infrastructure, operations, and governance in a structured and measurable manner. We believe that comprehensive preparation will enable our tenants to better meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the global supply chain while contributing meaningfully to Vietnams broader sustainable development agenda. Prodezi Long An advances towards integrated eco-centric industrial park model Prodezi Long An JSC is focusing on industrial symbiosis to optimise the use of resources and energy while reducing emissions. VIRs Binh An spoke with Truong Khac Nguyen Minh, deputy general director of Prodezi Long An, about the service-connection model the company is pursuing. Green industrial parks offer solution to ESG challenges for next-generation businesses As environmental standards increasingly become a prerequisite for participation in global supply chains, the shift towards sustainable production models has become a matter of survival. On March 2, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd (JAPEX) announced it will exit the venture, which had been under consideration for commercialisation through its affiliate ITECO JSC. The company will transfer all its shares in ITECO JSC to the affiliate's business partners. Feasibility studies for the project began in early 2022. The plan involved constructing an LNG terminal, including berthing facilities capable of receiving and dispatching up to 650,000 tonnes of LNG annually and a 50,000 cubic metre storage tank, at the Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park in Haiphong. The development also encompassed LNG procurement, storage, and supply. Since acquiring its stake in October 2022, JAPEX had been assessing base foundation designs, potential customer development, and candidate suppliers. The company has now concluded that securing the project's economic viability would be difficult, leading to its decision to withdraw. JAPEX will now conduct a feasibility study on LNG-based energy services for industrial parks in Haiphong and elsewhere in Vietnam, following the project's selection for a Japanese government decarbonisation programme managed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation. To strengthen profitability and build a medium- to long-term foundation, JAPEX will continue to expand its Infrastructure and Utility business, which provides a revenue structure less exposed to oil price fluctuations, while focusing on core assets centred on overseas exploration and production operations. SK Innovation-led consortium wins $2.3 billion LNG project in Nghe An A consortium led by South Korean energy giant SK Innovation has been appointed to develop the Quynh Lap Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Power Project in Nghe An province, securing one of Vietnam's largest foreign-invested energy ventures to date. EVN awards EPC contract for Quang Trach II LNG project Vietnam Electricity and a consortium signed the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the first component (power plant) of Quang Trach II LNG Thermal Power Plant on February 9. Photo: Levanta Renewables Announced on March 2, the Singapore-headquartered company said the fully operational asset generates more than 150GWh of renewable electricity annually and supplies power to state-owned Vietnam Electricity under long-term power purchase agreements. The transaction marks Levantas first operating wind asset within its regional portfolio and represents its second investment in Vietnam, underlining the countrys strategic importance in its Southeast Asia expansion. Pramod Singh, CEO of Levanta Renewables, said, This acquisition strengthens Levantas position as a leading renewable energy investor in Vietnam and reflects our continued commitment to supporting the countrys clean energy transition ambitions. Vietnam remains a priority market for the firm. Pankaj Sakhuja, CIO of Levanta Renewables, noted that the company is advancing approximately 300MW of projects under Vietnams Power Development Plan VIII, expected to come online over the next two to three years With the Gia Lai deal, Levantas total operating capacity has reached approximately 400MW. Including projects under construction and contracted developments, its regional renewable energy portfolio now exceeds 750MW As Actis renewable energy platform in Southeast Asia, Levanta is targeting 1.5GW of operating capacity by 2028, positioning itself as a growing player in the regions renewable infrastructure landscape The facility, located at Tan Hung Industrial Park, opened on March 1. The milestone reaffirms Vietnam's role as a key production hub and strategic market for YADEA in Southeast Asia, underscoring the company's long-term commitment to building a comprehensive green mobility ecosystem in the region. Tan Hung Industrial Park is situated in Lang Giang commune, Bac Ninh province, and spans 232,200 square metres. The YADEA Smart Manufacturing Plant, representing a Phase 1 investment of $100 million, is among the most advanced electric two-wheeler manufacturing complexes in the region. The plant has an initial designed capacity of 1 million units per year, with plans to expand to 2 million units annually in subsequent phases. Phase 1 is expected to create approximately 8001,000 local jobs, increasing to up to 3,000 employees upon completion of Phase 2. Unlike traditional assembly lines, YADEA introduces a next-generation smart manufacturing model to Vietnam. By leveraging advanced technologies, the facility delivers higher efficiency and superior precision, ensuring that every vehicle produced in Bac Ninh meets the same global standards applied across YADEAs operations in more than 100 countries. Since entering Vietnam in 2019, YADEA has identified the country as a high-growth market and a strategic production and supply chain hub in Southeast Asia. The launch of the Bac Ninh Smart Manufacturing Plant marks a key step towards deeper localisation. The facility will serve as a primary production and distribution centre, delivering products tailored to Vietnamese consumers while supporting regional exports. "This marks an important step in YADEA's long-term development strategy in Vietnam and Southeast Asia," said Liu Jia, general director of YADEA Vietnam. "We are delivering high-quality mobility solutions while progressively building a comprehensive green mobility ecosystem. YADEA remains committed to continued investment in technology, talent development, and localised supply chain enhancement, supporting Vietnam in achieving its national Net Zero goals." Chinese corporations look to expand investments in Vietnam Top Chinese corporations in e-vehicle manufacturing, renewable energy, and technical consulting services are looking to expand their investments and cooperation in Vietnam. Yadea break ground on its $100 million Bac Giang factory Yadea held a groundbreaking ceremony for its second factory in the northern province of Bac Giang on January 21, marking a new phase of development for the Chinese electronic vehicle (EV) manufacturer in Southeast Asia. New leadership positions company to accelerate innovation in AI-driven location intelligence ATLANTA, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognosos, a leader in AI-powered location intelligence and operational process optimization, today announced the appointment of Heath Thompson as Chief Executive Officer. Thompson joins at a pivotal moment as the company advances its evolution from real-time location solutions to a scalable location intelligence platform supporting complex physical operations across automotive logistics, healthcare, and industrial markets. "AI-enabled location intelligence is becoming foundational to enterprise operations, and Cognosos is helping our customers transform real-time location data into optimized execution that improves workflows, operational efficiencies, enhances safety, and reduces risk and loss," said Heath Thompson. "Our platform is built on a foundation of ground-truth location intelligence, delivering precise operational visibility where it matters most. We will continue to scale the Cognosos platform and deepen the value we deliver across industries enabling enterprises to truly 'Know Every Move.'" With nearly three decades of experience spanning AI, IoT, cybersecurity, and enterprise software leadership, Thompson brings a rare blend of product and go-to-market expertise to Cognosos. He has led and scaled multimillion- and multibillion-dollar technology organizations, driving market transitions and growth across public and private markets. Most recently at Quest Software, Thompson held multiple executive roles, including President and General Manager, where he led global product and go-to-market operations across complex enterprise software businesses. As CEO, Thompson will prioritize: Scaling and extending Cognosos' AI-driven location intelligence platform across existing and adjacent markets Translating recent acquisitions into durable organic growth Expanding the company's partner ecosystem Driving operational excellence to achieve sustained, profitable growth The announcement follows strategic acquisitions of Cox 2M in 2025 and Cox Prosight in 2024, expanding Cognosos' reach across key verticals, including healthcare, automotive logistics, and industrial operations while deepening its capabilities in AI-powered location intelligence. "After a year of transformation, Cognosos is well-positioned for its next stage of growth," said Jim Stratigos, Chairman of the Board. "Heath brings the strategic vision and operational experience needed to scale our AI-powered location intelligence platform and expand the measurable impact we deliver for customers." Cognosos' platform combines high-precision sensors, cloud software, and advanced analytics to help enterprises optimize complex workflows and safety processes. To learn more, visit www.Cognosos.com. About Cognosos Cognosos is the premier provider of next-generation process visibility solutions, dedicated to making complex processes smarter, safer and more resilient. Purpose-built for the complex enterprise environment, we deliver scalable solutions that transform how manufacturing and healthcare organizations manage everything from operational workflows to safety and security. Cognosos' cloud-based software and ultra-lightweight footprint delivers an unparalleled combination of price and performance, reducing time-to-value, increasing ROI and eliminating the traditional deployment barriers of legacy systems. For more information, visit our website or follow us on X and LinkedIn. 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25 Jan (19) 11 Jan - 18 Jan (35) 4 Jan - 11 Jan (23) 28 Dec - 4 Jan (27) 21 Dec - 28 Dec (28) 14 Dec - 21 Dec (23) 7 Dec - 14 Dec (22) 30 Nov - 7 Dec (19) 23 Nov - 30 Nov (22) 16 Nov - 23 Nov (19) 9 Nov - 16 Nov (15) 2 Nov - 9 Nov (17) 26 Oct - 2 Nov (10) 19 Oct - 26 Oct (12) 12 Oct - 19 Oct (13) 5 Oct - 12 Oct (19) 28 Sep - 5 Oct (14) 21 Sep - 28 Sep (17) 14 Sep - 21 Sep (19) 7 Sep - 14 Sep (22) 31 Aug - 7 Sep (15) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (14) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (9) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (5) The Senedds Welsh Conservative leader and MS for Clwyd West has questioned the Welsh Government politicising North Wales health boards special measures management. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been in special measures for over a decade due to its poor performance and now has the worst record in Wales for preventable deaths. Both Conwy and Denbighshire county councils have declared a health emergency in the region, citing third-world conditions, long waiting times, and corridor care. But with no end in sight for special measures, Clwyd-West MS Darren Millar wants an independent body to take charge of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, rather than the Welsh Government. Mr Millar claims the Welsh Government being in charge means decisions are made with politics in mind, which dont always provide the best healthcare. The NHS in North Wales went into special measures back in 2015 because it was not performing well enough, he said. Since then, it has actually got worse; it hasnt got any better, especially in terms of access to emergency services. And what the Royal College of Emergency Medicine will tell you is that for every long wait in the emergency department there is a much higher risk of patients coming to harm or dying, and that is literally what is happening in North Wales. Lives are needlessly being harmed or lost as a result of the Welsh Governments special measures intervention framework not delivering the improvements that are required. There is no other NHS organisation in the history of the NHS in any part of the United Kingdom that has ever been in special measures or intervention arrangements for as long as Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has. And in fact, it has been in special measures or high levels of intervention for more time than it has not been since it was established, so there is something clearly wrong with the way the Welsh Government intervention arrangements work. What Id like to see is a much less politicised intervention arrangement. At the moment in Wales, our intervention arrangements can only happen with the say so of a minister. So politicians have to make the decision to put an organisation into special measures, and politicians make the decision when those organisations can come out, and that means they are subject to concerns about public perception about how those decisions will be made, and that is entirely the wrong way for them to be. He added: What we need is an independent organisation making those decisions. It should be entirely up to the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales when an organisation should be put in special measures, and not without any government or political interference at all. Thats the way it works in England with the Care Quality Commission. They make the decision. They then put in a squad to turn the situation around as rapidly as possible, and generally they deliver the improvements quickly. We dont have that situation in Wales. What we have is political interference, constantly looking at their reputation, the reputation of the governing party, rather than having their eyes fixed on the prize, which is supposed to be the delivery of improvements for patients. Earlier this week, the Labour Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeremy Miles, claimed treatment in North Wales was improving, citing investment in radiotherapy machines. Mr Miles admitted the state of affairs in North Wales was not good enough but said the region would see significant change as a result of investment over the course of this year and next year. The Welsh Government declined to comment. By Richard Evans BBC Local Democracy Reporter Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com Wrexham will be in the spotlight this week as part of a new BBC Two series hosted by Vernon Kay. The episode of Do You Know Your Place? airing at 6.30pm on Friday, March 6, sees the programme turn its attention to the city as part of a four-week tour of 20 UK locations. The quiz show follows Traitors star Paul Gorton as he hits the road as Vernons self-styled unreliable tour guide as he travels to towns and cities across the UK. Across four weeks, the series visits 20 locations, including Wrexham, to celebrate the people, landmarks and characters that make an area unique. Alongside the tour, Vernon tasks the celebs with a number of in-studio games each taking inspiration from the days destination. Wrexhams episode will see TV personalities Nitin Ganatra, the Rev Kate Bottley and Alex Gray, aka Gladiator Apollo attempt to separate fact from fiction about the city. Points are earned across the week, with a daily winner crowned before an overall champion receives an I Know My Place sweatshirt and a souvenir that Paul has sent back from his travels. The Wrexham episode of Do You know Your Place? will air on BBC Two on Friday, March 6 at 6.30pm. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com Three cases of measles are being reported in Placer County in teenagers, with a possible fourth case suspected. All of the teenagers belong to the same family, with exposure to the illness suspected to have come through an extended family member, according to a release from Placer County Public Health. That extended family member is not a resident of Placer County and had traveled to South Carolina, where a large measles outbreak is ongoing. All people diagnosed are recovering at home. The only child enrolled in school was the unconfirmed case and was not in attendance during the suspected infectious period. "We believe the risk to the general public remains low, as this outbreak appears to be contained within an extended family, said Placer County Health Officer Dr. Rob Oldham. Nonetheless, its a good reminder to take proactive steps, especially when traveling to states or countries with active measles spread. Up to 90 percent of people without immunity who are exposed to measles will become ill. ATLANTA, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax (NYSE: EFX) will participate in three investor conferences in March. Trevor Burns, Senior Vice President of Corporate Investor Relations, will attend the RBC Global Financial Institutions Conference on Tuesday, March 10; the Wolfe Research FinTech Forum on Wednesday, March 11; and the Bank of America Information and Business Services Conference on Thursday, March 12, 2026. ABOUT EQUIFAX INC. At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 15,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com . FOR MORE INFORMATION: Molly Clegg for Equifax [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. A mans actions inside a Sparks home, captured on video, led to a domestic battery conviction. The Sparks City Attorneys Office says its prosecutor secured a conviction for Domestic Battery against Cory Boteler stemming from an incident that occurred in May of 2024. On May 11, 2024, Sparks police were dispatched to a home in Sparks on a report of a physical altercation between a husband and a wife. Dispatch was advised that Boteler had placed his hands on his wife, and she had used pepper spray against him in self-defense. The woman told officers she had just finished her shift as a cocktail waitress when Boteler called her and yelled at her, using profane language. Because of his behavior, she activated her cell phone video recording before walking into the home. As soon as she entered, her 7-year-old son told her, "Daddy said he's going to beat you up." Officers said that the statement was corroborated by the video recording. The woman said that during the argument, Boteler grabbed a kitchen knife. When she asked why he had the knife, she said he responded, "Why? Are you scared?" She reported that he then stabbed the table, countertops, and a cutting board with the knife. Officers on scene documented significant damage consistent with stab marks. According to the woman, as she tried to retreat into a room, Boteler continued yelling and lunged at her. She warned him that if he continued, she would use pepper spray in self-defense and called friends for help. She said he lunged at her again and wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to take her phone. The woman then used pepper spray in self-defense, exposing herself and two children to airborne particles. She took the children onto the balcony to help them with the exposure. Boteler left before the police arrived. Officers attempted to contact Boteler by phone several times without success. Police said they established probable cause to issue a warrant for his arrest for Domestic Battery. He was arrested on November 10, 2025. On Jan. 13, 2026, Senior Assistant City Attorney Ana Swanson represented the City of Sparks and secured a conviction for Domestic Battery against the defendant. The Sparks City Attorneys Office will continue to hold offenders accountable, especially when they commit acts of violence in the presence of children, said Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan. A Sparks Municipal Court judge sentenced Boteler to 180 days in the Washoe County Jail, suspended not to exceed two years. As part of the sentence, he must serve two active days in jail, complete 48 hours of community service, pay a $200 fine plus administrative assessments, pay a $35 domestic violence fee, complete 26 weeks of domestic violence classes, attend an eight hour class on the effects of violence in the home, abstain from drugs and alcohol, obey all laws and have no contact with the victim except to discuss their child custody status. The first official State Fair of Nevada will return to the Nevada State Fairgrounds in Reno on June 11 13, 2026. The fair will feature the Nevada Junior Livestock Show, University of Nevada, Reno Extensions 4-H State Expo, Nevada Governors Sale of Champions, a farmers market pavilion, and Next Generation Junior Bull Riding. We are ecstatic to welcome everyone to the Nevada State Fairgrounds this June as the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) reestablishes the official State Fair of Nevada, said NDA Director J.J. Goicoechea. During the last Legislative Session, Assembly Bill (AB) 333 was signed, restoring the Nevada State Fairgrounds (including the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center and the Reno Rodeo Arena) to the NDA, as it was originally endowed in 1867. The passage of AB 333 paved the way for the return of the official state fair, which Nevada Revised Statute 551.030 states must be determined by the Director of the NDA. The State Fair originally ran from 1874 until 2010, when the Fair Board voted to dissolve the State Fair. This is a big task for our Department, and we want to ensure we are creating something that feels nostalgic for those who remember the State Fair and welcomes those who didnt get to experience it by highlighting Nevadas diverse communities, rich heritage and agricultural roots, added NDA Director Goicoechea. We look forward to welcoming our fellow Nevadans and neighbors June 11-13 and celebrating our communities together. (Nevada Department of Agriculture) More information about the official State Fair of Nevada, including sponsorship and vending opportunities, is available at statefair.nv.gov. Tickets will be available April 15. UPDATE March 2, 04:06 p.m. The Reno Police Department is responding after the Washoe County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Chemarion Cooks in connection with the Zephyr Pointe apartment shooting. In a statement, the Reno Police said: This is a tragic incident involving a difficult and complex investigation. Our detectives dedicated significant time and resources to thoroughly investigating this case and pursuing all available leads. We value our partnership with the District Attorneys Office and believe the conviction of Mr. Hewitt helps make our community safer. Successful prosecutions are the result of strong collaboration between law enforcement and our prosecutorial partners, and we remain committed to holding offenders accountable. The arrest of Mr. Cooks was lawful and was conducted during the course of this investigation. Cases of this nature are often challenging and multifaceted, and unfortunately, they do not always result in a conviction. However, our responsibility is to follow the evidence wherever it leads and take appropriate enforcement action based on the facts available at the time. The Reno Police Departments mission remains focused on enhancing public safety and enforcing the law as investigations develop and new information emerges. Any allegations made about the actions of our officers are taken seriously. Those matters are currently under review, and we are unable to comment further while those processes are ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case or any other Reno Police Department investigation is encouraged to contact us. Community cooperation is critical to helping us keep Reno safe. UPDATE March 2, 01:40 p.m. The Washoe County District Attorney's Office is not pursuing charges related to the arrest of the second suspect in the Zephyr Pointe apartment shooting that left seven people wounded - until more evidence is presented. The case is now referred back to the Reno Police Department for additional evidence. 20-year-old Chemarion Cooks was arrested for seven charges of attempted murder, five charges of battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, and two charges of child abuse using a deadly weapon. 2 News Nevada obtained the no-issue memorandum on Monday morning. The DA's office says it is not pursuing the charges due to "a lack of sufficient and reliable evidence produced in the investigation by the Reno Police Department (RPD)." The memo shares multiple reasons why the investigation prevented prosecution. One of the first reasons was that none of the victims or witnesses could identify any of the suspects in the shooting. The other suspect, Frank Hewitt, was recently convicted of the shooting and is now awaiting his sentencing set for April 23. The video surveillance on the apartment's property showed two unidentified men. Officers believed those to be Hewitt and Cooks, but since the two were wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts, the office feels they cannot properly identify them. The two suspects left in a car that the officer who first arrived at the shooting was unable to stop. The car is associated with a home that multiple people live in, including Hewitt and Cooks. In January 2024, detectives from the Regional Homicide and Gang Unit presented the investigation to the DA's office and said they believed Cooks and Hewitt were the two shooting suspects. The memo claims that officers knew they needed more evidence to prosecute a case. In terms of phone data, prosecutors say that only Hewitt's phone was placed near the apartments during the time of the shooting. Cooks' phone was placed in a location the memo redacts, but it wasn't near the shooting. However, the number Hewitt gave to investigators turned out to belong to someone else, so the evidence couldn't be used against Hewitt. The memo shares that the DA's Office wanted to meet with detectives, but the office says they declined and closed the case on July 24, 2024, until new evidence was presented. A few months later, a Regional Gang Unit detective got a willing confidential informant to wear a recording device and talk with Hewitt. Authorities say that on November 27, is when detectives received a recorded confession from Hewitt. The memo says that during the confession, Hewitt said he received a call from Cooks, agreed to go to the shooting, and then described what happened. Prosecutors say that Hewitt's call records do not show this call being made by Cooks' phone during that time frame around the shooting. The memo shares that the confession did not give them enough to prosecute Cooks. The DA's office says after Hewitt was found guilty, detectives reached out to the office to prosecute Cooks. The memo claims that no new evidence was presented from July 2024 to when Hewitt was found guilty on February 9, 2026. On February 19, 2026, officers wanted to discuss the case with the office. The memo says officers wanted to use Hewitt's statements about Cooks in the recorded confession, but the office says it was "inadmissible hearsay and could not be relied upon as usable evidence against Cooks." The memo says that the only way it could be used against Cooks was if Hewitt was willing to testify against him. The office says it needed new evidence to establish that Cooks was the second shooter or have evidence eliminating the other suspects as the second shooter. There are several redacted names in the memo who could be other possible suspects in the case. Prosecutors say that officers deemed that Cooks "most likely" committed the crime, but the office stresses it needs the case to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The memo also alleges that officers threatened that if the office did not charge Cooks after the arrest, they would go to the media to publicly blame the DA's office for a lack of prosecution on a serious case. Cooks has already been released. FEBRUARY 27, 2026, UPDATE: The investigation into a birthday party shooting more than two years ago that left seven people wounded has resulted in the arrest of a second suspect. On October 7, 2023, a party at the Zephyr Pointe Apartments in northwest Reno turned into chaos when two shooters opened fire into an apartment, sending seven people to the hospital, including two 15-year-olds. Everyone survived. On February 9, 2026, a jury found Frank Hewitt Jr. guilty of the shooting. He was found guilty of seven charges of attempted murder and battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm. He was also found guilty of two charges of child abuse with a deadly weapon. Hewitt awaits another trial for a shooting at the Sparks Marina that left four people wounded in June 2024. Reno police have since arrested 20-year-old Chemarion Cooks for the gang-related shooting. So, what took so long to arrest the second suspect? According to 66-page probable cause documents obtained by 2 News Nevada, after the shooting, detectives were looking through surveillance footage near the apartments. Both Cooks and Hewitt were identified and seen wearing face masks around the time of the shooting. Documents also suggested that the video showed both Cooks and Hewitt discharging handguns. After further investigation, officers found a box of ammunition in a car with Cooks identification. Since Cooks was on juvenile probation for battery with the intent to commit robbery, they searched his home. Detectives say that during the search, they found a Sportsman Warehouse bag with a manual for a Glock handgun and empty ammunition boxes. On October 9, 2023, officers interviewed Cooks. They asked him about the manual and ammo boxes, and he said they were his cousin's. About three weeks later, officers collected DNA from Cooks. Detectives noticed he was visibly shaking during it. When RPD asked why, Cooks allegedly said, Because Im uncomfortable doing this. Officers continued to press Cooks for more information, but he reiterated that he was innocent and that he was not the shooter. After that, things go silent in the documents for about a year. On January 13, 2025, detectives obtained a warrant to look through Cooks search history. Some searches allegedly included gun stores near me and can I buy a handgun at 18? The documents show nine pages of relevant search results surrounding guns. During the investigation, Hewitt gave a recorded confession to a person wearing a hidden wire and camera. In that conversation, officers say Hewitt positively identified Cooks as the second shooter who orchestrated the shooting, and said that he joined without hesitation. About a year later, Cooks had a recorded conversation with someone in jail. That persons name is redacted from court documents. In the call, officers say Cooks asked if federal authorities were investigating him and questioned if recorded calls could be used against him. Those calls were the final domino to fall that officers say gave them probable cause to arrest Cooks. In the interview following his arrest, Cooks profusely denied any involvement before using his right to remain silent, where the interview ended. Cooks is due for a bail hearing on March 3, and Hewitt is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23. Reno Police says this case is still under investigation. ORIGINAL ARTICLE (JANUARY 8, 2025): 19-year-old Frank Hewitt Jr. is accused of the Sparks Marina shooting that happened in June that injured four people. He was also arrested for the Zephyr Pointe Apartment shooting in northwest Reno that injured seven people last year. He was arrested in both cases in December. Hewitt is facing 25 total charges between the two cases, 11 of which are attempted murder. Police believe the two shootings are connected and may be gang-related. However, the Reno Police Department says many of the victims hurt in the apartment shooting are not gang-affiliated. "This was a very difficult case," said Chief Kathryn Nance, Reno Police Department. "Many detectives worked day and night just so we could get to this point." According to court documents, on October 6, 2023, an RPD officer was dispatched to a report of a party with about 20 people at the apartment complex. The officer heard gunshots and saw two people wearing all black clothing and face masks get into a Honda Accord. The officer tried to follow the suspects, but they drove away. Seven people were ultimately shot, but no one died. Investigators later found the suspect's car at another apartment complex and saw him get into another car there as well. That car was stopped for a traffic violation a day after the shooting. Officers arrested Hewitt for resisting arrest and misidentifying himself. Detectives say that while interviewing Hewitt, he contradicted himself multiple times. Officers then took photos and DNA swabs of Hewitt, but he was not booked on the shooting charges. When asking the Reno Police as to why, they said they have to make sure they have proper evidence. "What we really want to do is make sure we have the most solid case possible when we present that to the District Attorney's Office to ensure that the person stays in custody and we know there isn't more evidence outstanding," Chief Nance said. For more than a year, RPD detectives tracked the guns they believed were used during the shooting. Using cell towers, they say they found that Hewitt's phone was near the location of the shooting. They also used two of what the documents called "Confidential Human Services (CHS)" for this investigation. The first CHS, officers claim, was able to confirm the purchase of the guns; the second met with Hewitt with a wire and was able to get a verbal confession. Since Hewitt was already arrested by Sparks Police Department earlier in December, Reno Police arrested him on additional charges while he was in custody. Chief Nance says that both Sparks and Reno Police Departments have been working together to address gang issues in our area. "Sparks Police Department and Reno Police Department have officers that work together on a crime gun initiative that help us track extend shell casings or fire arms used in incidents and try and develop leads and develop an arrest on that so we have worked really closely with them in our Regional Gang Unit," she said. Chief Nance says they are still looking into other suspects in the case. Hewitt's next hearing is scheduled for January 8. He has a preliminary hearing on February 6th. Republican Sam Brown has announced that he will not run for Rep. Mark Amodei's Congressional seat. Brown posted his decision on X Tuesday morning. Brown, a retired U.S. Army captain injured in the line of duty, lost his 2024 bid for U.S. Senate against incumbent Senator Jacky Rosen. Brown in 2008 was wounded by an improvised explosive device during a Taliban ambush of his unit in southern Afghanistan. He left the Army in 2011 after 30 surgeries and years of recovery, founding a business to help veterans get medical care. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Israel stepped up airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and factories Tuesday, and Iran retaliated across the Gulf region, disrupting energy supplies and travel. As explosions rang out in Tehran and in Lebanon where Israel said it struck Hezbollah militants the American embassy in Saudi Arabia came under drone attack. Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks but perhaps longer, hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majority in Iran, where information has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive U.S. military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground. The administration has given various objectives. While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal. Trump said Monday the military campaigns four objectives were to destroy Irans missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied armed groups. Israel and US target nuclear facilities and other targets in Iran Across Irans capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft heard overhead. The Israeli military said it conducted a wave of airstrikes on sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, in Tehran and Isfahan. Strikes caused two explosions at a broadcasting facility in Tehran, Iranian state TV said, adding that no one was injured. The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Irans Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained some recent damage, though there was no radiological consequence expected. The U.S. hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran's nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained, however, that Iran was rebuilding new sites, new places underground for making atomic bombs. He offered no evidence to support his claim. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear program is peaceful. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed limited activity at two Iranian nuclear sites before the war. Analysts said Tehran was likely assessing damage from the 2025 strikes and possibly salvaging what remained. Fears rise in Tehran as bombardment of capital intensifies A north Tehran resident has described growing fears in the capital as it comes under heavy bombardment. Communications into Iran remain unstable with the internet largely blocked. The resident messaged The Associated Press before dawn on Tuesday. He spoke on the condition of anonymity. He said a major blast had shaken his building on Monday. I was by the window and felt the shock wave. Pretty scary, then saw the smoke, he said. Most stores in the normally bustling area of Tajrish were closed, he added. Iran has declared an official mourning period following the killing of Khamenei. The resident said bakeries were open and supermarkets were stocked, but ATMs were mostly out of cash. Irans economy was already spiraling when the currency crashed to record lows in December. Iran hits the US Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. U.S. Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public. The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the U.S. has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remained stranded. Several other countries arranged evacuation flights for their citizens. The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In Israel, where Iranian missiles struck several locations, 11 people were killed. The Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah has also attacked Israel, whose retaliatory strikes killed 52 people in Lebanon. The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain. The conflict is roiling business interests in the Mideast Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strikes. Recent targets included two Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The centers in the UAE were hit, while a drone struck near the one Bahrain, causing damage, the company said. Iran has also struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, sending global oil and natural gas prices soaring. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, declared Iranian Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowing that any ships that passed through it would be set on fire. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari vowed that Iranian attacks on the gas-rich country will not go unanswered. As oil and natural gas prices climbed, stock prices fell sharply. Israel sends troops into Lebanon The conflict has spread to Lebanon, where Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. On Tuesday, the Israeli military hit Beirut with more airstrikes and said it had moved additional troops into southern Lebanon and taken new positions on several strategic points close to the border. The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon later said its peacekeepers saw Israeli troops going into and then out of Lebanon. But Israels army said its troops are still operating in Lebanon. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.) Throughout his political career, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has steered his country along two pillars of foreign policy: an ironclad partnership with the United States and a relentless diplomatic and covert battle against the rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Now, with Israel and the U.S. in a joint war against Irans leadership, those two strategic paths risk clashing with each other. By enlisting the U.S. in what he views as Israels existential battle against Iran, Netanyahu is taking a gamble that could open up the relationship to the strain of a war with far-reaching consequences. To be sure, persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to join the war was a coup for Netanyahu and highlights the strong ties between the two leaders. If they are successful, they could quickly realize their shared goal of toppling the Iranian government and spare the region a protracted conflict. But if the war drags on, the two allies' ties could again be tested. A large part of the American public will view it as the Israeli tail wagging the American dog and that it is dragging the United States to a war in the Middle East that isnt theirs, said Ofer Shelah, a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based think tank. The drop in public support that might unleash will be very harmful for Israel in the medium and long term, he said. But, he added, in a nod to the Israeli leader's political ambitions: Netanyahu is not interested in the medium and long term. US public opinion has been evolving For Netanyahu, successfully persuading Trump to strike Iran together is the apex of decades of proximity between the Israeli leader and Washington. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, speaks flawless English after having spent part of his youth in the U.S. and has always portrayed himself as Israel's bridge to America. Although he boasts about his tight relationships with multiple American presidents and members of Congress, Netanyahu over the past two years has seen support for Israel among the American public drop. According to Gallup polling, American sympathies in the Middle East have shifted dramatically toward the Palestinians. That shift in sentiment has been driven in large part by Democrats. But some Republicans, and even Trump's own backers, have been more outspoken against the diplomatic and financial support the U.S. has continued to grant Israel throughout the past two and a half years, when it has been embroiled in a war on multiple fronts sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The devastating images from the war in Gaza deepened Israel's international isolation. With a new war against Iran the second in less than a year Netanyahu is tackling an enemy that he and many Israelis view as an existential threat, citing its support for anti-Israeli militias across the region, its ballistic missile arsenal, and its nuclear program. He has led the crusade against Iran on the world stage for much of his career. Netanyahu said Sunday in a statement that the U.S. involvement allows us to do what I have been hoping to do for 40 years to deliver a crushing blow to the terror regime. Netanyahus office did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment. The conflict could spiral Days into the war, Israel and the U.S. military appear to be working hand in glove to strike targets from the initial attack that killed top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to assaults that allowed the forces free rein in Iranian skies. But the conflict has already set off aftershocks that could reverberate in the American heartland. At least six U.S. troops have been killed. Travel was disrupted across the region, leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded. Oil prices surged, raising the prospect of costlier gasoline for U.S. drivers as well as increased prices for other goods at a time when people have been stung by a rising cost of living. Questions remain about the direction and aim of the war. It's unclear whether the air power will be enough to topple Iran's leadership, who or what should replace that leadership, and what role Israel or the U.S. will have in either. Every day presents new potential land mines. Many people will blame Israel if things go badly wrong, wrote Nadav Eyal, a commentator with the Israeli Yediot Ahronoth daily newspaper. Israel cannot afford to lose the American publics support under any circumstances. That is more important than striking any individual military facility. Still, Aaron David Miller, who served as an adviser on Middle East issues to Democratic and Republican administrations over two decades, said that Netanyahu has little to lose from the war. With elections scheduled for the fall, Netanyahu can use the war in Iran to divert attention away from the failures of the Oct. 7 attacks, the worst in Israel's history. Instead, Netanyahu can set himself up as a brave wartime leader who fulfilled a pledge he has made much of his life to confront Iran. He can say he did so with support from the American president, who Miller said can pull the brakes on the war whenever he pleases. If Trump feels as if its going south, hell find a way to de-escalate, he said, and his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu will follow. U.S. President Donald Trump said someone from within Irans government might be best suited to take power once the U.S.-Israeli war on the country ends. His remarks came four days into a war that has killed hundreds, nearly all of them in Iran, as well as many of the countrys top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although Tehran has kept up its retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israel and across the Gulf disrupting travel and driving up oil prices the pace of Iranian attacks appears to be slowing. However the conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in Beirut and additional troop deployments to southern Lebanon. The spiraling nature of the war has raised questions about when and how it would end, and the Trump administration has given various objectives. Here is the latest: Israeli airstrike hits hotel outside of Beirut An Israeli airstrike hit a hotel outside of Beirut, Lebanons state-run news agency reported Wednesday. The strike came in Hazmieh, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of downtown Beirut. The report from Lebanons National News Agency said ambulances had been dispatched to the scene. It did not elaborate in its short report. Asian shares tumble as oil prices climb Asian shares tumbled Wednesday, with South Koreas benchmark plunging as much as 11%, while oil prices climbed even higher. Worries over the widening conflict with Iran have hammered most world markets. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 3.4% to 54,346.73. Japan, like South Korea, depends heavily on imports of oil and natural gas from the Middle East that are now stranded in the Persian Gulf. The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil climbed 1.2% to $75.46 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.5% to $82.61 per barrel. Higher oil prices and how much they might worsen inflation are spooking investors worried that more spikes for oil prices may grind down the global economy and sap corporate profits. Air sirens sound across Bahrain Air sirens sounded Wednesday morning across the island kingdom of Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Explosions heard over Jerusalem Explosions echoed across the skies of Jerusalem on Wednesday. Iran launches second wave of missiles toward Israel Israels military said early Wednesday that Iran had launched missiles toward the country for the second time in less than two hours. Israeli air defenses were working to intercept them. No injuries were reported in the first wave. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted cruise missiles over Kharj Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry said it has intercepted two cruise missiles Wednesday morning over the city of Kharj. US State Department says non-emergency personnel and family members can evacuate Saudi Arabia The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Saudi Arabia should they choose due to the war. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has come under attack by Iran in the war. US soldiers died in Iranian drone strike on center at Kuwait civilian port An operations center targeted by an Iranian drone strike that killed six American soldiers was located in a civilian port in Kuwait, more than 10 miles away from the main Army base, according to satellite images and a U.S. official. Joey Amor, husband of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, one of the soldiers killed, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the hub was a shipping container-style building and had no defenses. A satellite image taken Monday and reviewed by the AP shows the main building in the complex destroyed, with a trail of black smoke rising from it. Its located in Port Shuaiba, a working seaport south of Kuwait City. The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter under investigation, confirmed the image depicted the location of Sundays attack. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the secure facility was fortified with 6-foot walls. The development was reported earlier by CNN and CBS News. By Konstantin Toropin and Rebecca Boone Israeli strike kills 4 in Lebanon, state-run media says At least four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a residential complex in the Lebanese city of Baalbeck, state-run media reported. The strike early Wednesday also wounded six others, the National News Agency said. Israel says Hezbollah fire intercepted Israels military said Wednesday that Hezbollah fire targeted the country, with much of it intercepted. Loud explosions in Tehran, Iran state TV reports Iranian state television reported loud explosions around the capital, Tehran, as dawn broke Wednesday. Israel says its air defenses activated Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran. US State Department authorizes non-emergency personnel, family members to evacuate Oman The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Oman should they choose due to the war. Oman, long an intermediary between the West and Iran, has repeatedly come under attack by Iran. House Speaker says US not in the business of nation-building in Iran U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said after an all-member briefing at the Capitol that no one can yet determine with any degree of certainty how the conflict with Iran will turn out. The Republican leader, a close ally of Trump, said its up to the Iranian people to seize this moment of opportunity for their country, and not necessarily depend on the U.S. We have no ability to get into the nation-building business, he said. America has enough trouble of our own. Child killed in attack on Kuwait An 11-year-old girl was killed after shrapnel fell in a residential area in Kuwait City, health authorities said Wednesday. The Kuwait army said in a statement the shrapnel fell over a house and left casualties while forces were intercepting several hostile aerial targets over the country. The Health Ministry said in a separate statement that the child died of her wounds at the hospital. The childs mother and three other relatives were injured and being treated at the hospital, it said. US military commander says weve just begun in Iran operation The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East said American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran since the operation against the Islamic Republic began. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, said in a video posted on X Tuesday that the U.S. military has severely degraded Irans air defenses and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. The video showed missiles and jets launching from U.S. ships, and targets exploding on the ground. Cooper noted that Iran has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation. But he said the U.S. is hunting Irans last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate their lingering launch capability. Cooper said the operation has involved more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers and bombers, and more capability is on the way. Weve just begun, Cooper said. Vessel hit in Gulf of Oman A vessel was hit by a projectile early Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates, an agency of the U.K. military said. There were no reported casualties. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the vessel was struck 8 miles east of Fujairah, one of the UAEs seven emirates. The attack damaged the vessels steel plating. No fire or water intake was reported, it said. Slain soldier was days away from returning home Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was just a few days away from coming home to her husband and two children when she was killed. The last month had been a state of constant concern, her husband said. You could see it in the movements. She knew something was coming, she just didnt know what scale, Joey Amor said. Amor was moved off-base to a shipping container-style building a week before the drone attack. The building had no defenses, Joey Amor said. They were dispersing because they were in fear that the base they were on was going to get attacked and they felt it was safer in smaller groups in separate places, he said. The couple exchanged messages about two hours before she was killed, joking back and forth. She just never responded in the morning, he said. Palestinians anxious about the impact of Iran war on them In a tent camp in Gazas southern area of Khan Younis, Palestinians have been closely following news about the widening war and growing increasingly worried about its potential impact on their lives. We are fed up with wars and the horrors of wars, Ibrahim Atta, who was displaced from Rafah, said on Tuesday. Palestinians in the camp were preparing simple meals to break their fast during the second week of the holy month of Ramadan. Haunted by memories of scarcity last year during months of Israels blockade, many fear that border crossings could again close. This will affect us economically, and affect the crossings, said Rami Abu Arida, who also was displaced from Rafah. Food and water, how can they enter? Israeli military spokesman says building where clerics will meet to select new supreme leader struck in Qom The Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Tuesday that Israel struck a building in Qom where clerics were expected to meet to discuss the selection of a new supreme leader. He said the army was still assessing whether anyone was hit. Were not going to let this regime rehabilitate its command and control capabilities., he said. Kaine sees troubling pattern of military operations without congressional approval Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., says theres a troubling pattern of the Trump administration launching military operations from Venezuela to Nigeria and to Iran without involving Congress. The Trump administration has made a habit of not seeking authorization, providing no advanced notice and then holding a classified hearing that restricts lawmakers ability to talk about it publicly, Kaine said Tuesday. Kaine said he brought up his concerns during the administrations closed-door briefing on Tuesday to senators on the military operation in Iran. He said his point was not refuted. Its convinced many of us in the room that youve decided that you will never come to Congress, Kaine told reporters at the Capitol after the briefing. You dont think you ever have to come to Congress for war authorization. Pentagon releases names of troops killed in drone strike in Kuwait The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members who have been killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait. All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retailatory strikes. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa. Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist. Reports of Iran launching missiles targeting Israel, Qatar continue overnight Tuesday Qatars Ministry of Defense said early Wednesday that Iran launched two ballistic missiles against it and one hit Al-Udeid Qatari Base, though it didnt cause casualties. The other missile was intercepted by air defense, the ministry said. Israel also said Iran had launched multiple missiles targeting the north of the country overnight with no reports of casualties there either. Sen. Hawley said Iran operation is rapidly evolving following closed-door briefing Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, said after Tuesdays closed-door briefing on the Iran operation that he would still vote no on a war powers resolution, unless they were to introduce ground troops. He added: I didnt hear in there any prediction of ground troops. Personally, I would hope for a very swift conclusion, but I dont know if thats going to be the case, he said. Hawley said he learned more about the scope of the operation, which he said was quite large and rapidly, rapidly evolving. The briefers emphasized this, its really almost changing by the hour, he said. Commercial flight planned from Dubai to Sydney to repatriate 24,000 stranded Australians A commercial flight is planned from Dubai to Sydney to start repatriating 24,000 Australians stranded in the United Arab Emirates by the Iran war, Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong says. Wong said the flight was scheduled to leave Dubai on Wednesday. This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people, Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corp. She and Australian Prime Minister Anthnony Albanese had spoken to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also the UAEs deputy prime minister. The best way to get people out is to get commercial flights started. I asked if they could look at commercial flights restarting. Obviously its very unpredictable and I understand there is a flight scheduled from Dubai to Sydney. Obviously we would say to people on the ground you need to ensure you stay in contact with your airline in relation to that flight if you are on it. Flights have been cancelled and changed at short notice, Wong said. She did not identify the airline. Health officials say 50 killed, more than 300 wounded in Israeli strikes in Lebanon The death toll over the past two days in Lebanon has risen to 50, with 335 wounded, Lebanons Health Ministry said Tuesday evening. On Monday, Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel for the first time in more than a year, and Israel responded by bombarding southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut with strikes. No casualties have been reported from the Hezbollah attacks in Israel. It is not clear how many of those killed in Lebanon were civilians, but the health ministry said earlier Tuesday that they included seven children. Officials with Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group were also killed. First government evacuation plane from Jordan lands in Prague The first government evacuation plane landed in Prague late Tuesday. The airbus that belongs to the Czech military has a capacity for some 40 passengers and was flying from Jordan. Another two government planes are expected to arrive during the night. One of them will fly from Egypt to take home Czech nationals who traveled there by buses from Israel. The other one will transport people from Oman. It was perfect. We saw everything we wanted to in Jordan, said Zdenek Viktorin, who was traveling with his family of four. He said that he didnt expect the war could start during their stay. When the politicians say one day that the talks are fine and the other day (the war) begins, thats hard to comprehend. In neighboring Slovakia, the first two evacuation planes sent by the Slovak government to Jordan landed in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Tuesday with 127 people on board. The government plans at least 10 such flights from the Middle East. US and Israel have superiority and control nearly all Iran's airspace, Israeli diplomat says Im sure we will be able to show that superiority in the next few days, Israeli ambassador Danny Danon told reporters at the United Nations. He cautioned, however, that while U.S.-Israeli attacks have degraded Iranian capabilities and its harder for them to launch missiles, they put missiles underground, in caves, in secret locations. He said Israel has told its own citizens and people in the region, give us some more time to further degrade the Iranian military and achieve its objectives: no nuclear weapons, no missile threat, no terror infrastructure. It will not continue forever, Danon said. UAE says it has been attacked by 1,000 Iranian drones and missiles so far The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday on X that it retains the right to self-defense, insisting that the Gulf monarchy is not part of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran and that it hasnt authorized the use of its territories for attacks against Iran. The UAE Defense Ministry also released a breakdown of its missile and drone interceptions. It said Iranian drones struck within its territory 57 times out of more than 800 detected, while only one of 186 ballistic missiles managed to hit. All eight Iranian cruise missiles were intercepted, the ministry said. It was not possible to independently very those figures. Venezuelan government supporters hold a solidarity march for Iran Dozens of Venezuelan government supporters on Tuesday marched in the capital in solidarity with Iran and mourning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war. Demonstrators wore T-shirts with the photo of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. military captured from the capital Caracas in a stunning operation two months ago. Two women at the head of the demonstration carried photos of Khamenei and of late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who orchestrated Irans 1979 Islamic revolution and ruled as supreme leader for a decade. We are here to give our support to the Iranian diplomatic representation in Caracas, Yoser Quijada, an engineer, said. We are here with our presence telling them that the people of Venezuela, the heart of the Venezuelan people, is together with the heart of the Iranian people. Rubio pushes back in a testy exchange at the Capitol The secretary of state insisted that Trump made the decision to attack Iran because this past weekend presented what he called a unique opportunity for the mission to be successful. The president is determined we were not going to get hit first. Its that simple, Rubio said ahead of a closed-door briefing for lawmakers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Mar. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Mar. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Rubio was revisiting his remarks from a day earlier that have generated fierce blowback. At the time, he said Trump believed Israel was determined to act and wanted the U.S. to go first with a pre-emptive strike on Iran to prevent any retaliation on American bases and operations in the region. We are not going to put American troops in harms way, he said. Amid the administrations shifting reasons for the war with Iran, Rubio also returned to Trumps initial rationale. There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trumps watch, he said. Iranian drone hits near US consulate in Dubai An Iranian drone slammed into a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Although the pace of Iranian missile and drone strikes has slowed, Tuesdays near-miss shows that Iran is still able to get munitions past American interceptors. Rubio told reporters at the U.S. Capitol that all of the consulate personnel in Dubai had been accounted for. We began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this, Rubio said. Satellite imagery shows Irans presidential complex destroyed Before-and-after images published by the Colorado-based satellite company Vantor on Tuesday showed the domed roof of Irans presidential complex destroyed, aligning with Israels earlier claims of an overnight strike. Numerous munitions were dropped on what Israels military said was among the most heavily secured sites in Tehran. Iranian officials and state media have not yet acknowledged the damage or reported casualties from the strike. UN official says humanitarian fallout in Middle East escalations is increasingly daunting In a statement Tuesday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned about the impact the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having on civilians in nearly a dozen countries in the region just days after U.S. and Israel began to attack Iran. First, civilians are paying the price across the region. Civilians must be protected - full stop. Yet strikes are hitting homes, hospitals, and schools, Fletcher said. Civilians and civilian infrastructure have been under attack in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Fletcher added that while contingency plans across Iran and other nearby countries have been activated, the already limited presence by international organizations inside the Islamic Republic have made aid workers challenges much greater. Beyond the countries now involved in the wider regional conflict, Fletcher said the impacts on the civilians will worsen already dire humanitarian situations in places like Afghanistan and the occupied Palestinian territories. Trump pitches a plan to protect oil and other trade moving through the Persian Gulf Trump said on social media he ordered the United States development finance arm to provide political risk insurance for tankers carrying oil and other goods through the Persian Gulf at a very reasonable price. Political risk insurance is a type of coverage intended to protect firms against financial losses caused by unstable political conditions, government actions, or violence. He said that, if necessary, the U.S. Navy would escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. About a fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait. The disruption to that traffic caused by the war has pushed oil prices higher. The Navy has at least eight destroyers and three smaller littoral combat ships in the region. These ships have previously been used to escort merchant shipping in the region and in the Red Sea. Israel says it destroyed Irans reconstituted secret nuclear headquarters Israels military says it destroyed what it calls Irans secret nuclear headquarters, and claims Iran moved work into hidden bunkers, known as Minzadehei. On Tuesday, an Israeli military spokesman said the site supported research tied to a key component for nuclear weapons. Israel does not say Iran enriched uranium there. There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named. Israel says Iran tried to rebuild and hide parts of its program after last years strikes. The United States said as recently as last week that those strikes destroyed Irans nuclear program. U.S. officials also accuse Iran of trying to restart parts of the program but do not say Iran was restarting enrichment. Turkeys top diplomat criticizes Irans flawed strategy of attacking Gulf states Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday accused Iran of attacking Gulf neighbors that had worked to prevent war, calling it a strategy of If I go, I will take the region with me. He called Irans strikes on countries mediating between Tehran and Washington an incredibly flawed strategy and warned the conflict could widen if Gulf states retaliate. In an interview with state broadcaster TRT, Fidan said Gulf states, including Qatar, had pushed for diplomacy until the last hour before the U.S.-Israeli war began Saturday. I believe that if the Iranians had better understood the pressure President Trump was facing and given him something in advance, the pressure from Israel might not have been so effective, he said. VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Eminent Gold Corp. (TSXV: EMNT) (OTCQB: EMGDF) (FSE: 7AB) ("Eminent" or the "Company") announces that Kinross Gold Corporation ("Kinross") has exercised 3,787,118 common share purchase warrants of the Company ("Warrants") and now owns 11,361,355 common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"), representing approximately 13.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (on a non-diluted basis) (the "Warrant Exercise"). This Warrant Exercise represents continued participation and support from the Company's strategic partner Kinross. Kinross exercised the above-noted Warrants for gross proceeds of C$2,650,983. In connection with the Warrant Exercise, the Company issued an additional warrant (an "Incentive Warrant") for each Warrant exercised. Each Incentive Warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $1.50 per share until May 2, 2027, consistent with the terms previously announced by the Company. Early Warning Disclosure of Kinross Gold Corporation This press release is being issued in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, in connection with the Early Warning Report (as defined herein) which will be filed by Kinross in connection with its Warrant Exercise and the issuance of the Incentive Warrants. Prior to the Warrant Exercise and the issuance of the Incentive Warrants, Kinross exercised control and direction over, directly or indirectly, 7,574,237 Common Shares and 3,787,118 Warrants, representing approximately 9.7% of Eminent's issued and outstanding Common Shares, on a non-diluted basis and 13.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. Immediately following the completion of the Warrant Exercise and issuance of the Incentive Warrants, Kinross exercises control or direction over, directly or indirectly, 11,361,355 Common Shares and 3,787,118 Incentive Warrants, representing approximately 13.8% of Eminent's issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis and 17.6% of Eminent's issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. An early warning report filed by Kinross in connection with the Warrant Exercise will be available on Eminent's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca (the "Early Warning Report"). Alternatively, you may contact Luke Crosby, Senior Vice President, General Counsel at 6477884478 to obtain a copy of the Early Warning Report. Kinross is organized under the laws of the Province of Ontario and its head office is located at 25 York Street, 17th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2V5. Eminent's head office is located at 3849 Thurston Street, Burnaby, BC, V5H 1H9. Kinross exercises control and direction over the aforementioned Common Shares and Incentive Warrants for investment purposes. Kinross may, from time to time, increase or decrease its investment in Eminent through market transactions, private placements, treasury issuances or otherwise, including pursuant to the terms of the investor rights agreement between Kinross and Eminent dated April 2, 2025. Dr. Dan McCoy, CEO of Eminent, commented: "I would like to thank Kinross for their support. The proceeds from their warrant exercise will enable us to resume drilling at our 100%owned Hot Springs Range Project in the near term and to advance our Celts project toward drilling in the coming months. We are also appreciative of Kinross' continued engagement with our technical team, as their insights have been and continue to be valuable to Eminent. Their participation provides further validation of the new oxide, Carlinstyle gold system we are in the early stages of identifying." ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dan McCoy CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Eminent Gold Corp. Phone: +1 604-505-7751 Email: [email protected] Website: www.eminentgoldcorp.com LinkedIn: eminent-gold-corp Instagram: eminent.gold.corp Twitter (X): @eminent_gold About Eminent Gold Eminent Gold is a gold exploration company focused on the discovery of high-quality gold deposits in Nevada. The Company's multidisciplinary team has a track record of exploration success and applies modern, sciencedriven approaches to target new gold systems in the Great Basin. Eminent's portfolio includes the Hot Springs Range, Gilbert South, and Celts projects. 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. This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. 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 made in this news release include the Incentive Program and anticipated use of proceeds therefrom. Although Eminent Gold Corp. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, 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. SOURCE Eminent Gold Corp. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Explosions sounded in Iran's capital city Wednesday as its war with the U.S. and Israel entered a fifth day following earlier strikes on an Iranian nuclear site and retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Republic across the Gulf region. Iranian state television reported explosions around Tehran as dawn broke. Meanwhile, Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran. Five days into a war that U.S. President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country. Explosions also hit Lebanon, where Israel said it is retaliating against Hezbollah militants. Lebanon's state-run media reported that at least four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a residential complex in the city of Baalbeck. A day earlier, Israel launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site, and Iran struck back against Israel and others, targeting U.S. embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel. The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began. In other developments, the Pentagon identified four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who were killed in a drone strike Sunday at a command center in Kuwait. The strike also killed two other service members. The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump's administration has offered various objectives, including destroying Irans missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensuring it cannot continue to support allied armed groups. While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal. Trump on Tuesday seemed to downplay the chances of the war ending Iran's theocratic rule, saying that someone from within the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel campaign is finished. Trump says people the US had in mind to lead Iran are dead Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Irans toppled shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over. As far as possible leaders inside Iran, the people we had in mind are dead, Trump said. I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over whos as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen," Trump said. "We dont want that to happen. Irans leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. Its only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Israel and US strike nuclear facilities and other targets Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, said American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran since the war began. In a video posted Tuesday on X, Cooper said the U.S. has severely degraded Irans air defenses and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. Weve just begun, Cooper said. Satellite images published Tuesday by Colorado-based company Vantor showed the domed roof of Irans presidential complex in Tehran had been destroyed, supporting Israels claim of an overnight strike. Iran did not acknowledge the damage or report any casualties. Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the Israeli military struck a building in the Iranian city of Qom where clerics were expected to meet to discuss selecting a new supreme leader. He said the army was still assessing whether anyone was hit. The Israeli military said it also conducted airstrikes on Iranian sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, and that it destroyed what it called Irans secret, underground nuclear headquarters. Without providing evidence, it said the site was used for research to develop a key component for nuclear weapons. There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named. Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to do so and says its nuclear program is peaceful. Iran hits US Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire, according to the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. An Iranian drone struck a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Washington. He said all personnel were accounted for. U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public. The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. And U.S. citizens were urged to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though many were stranded because of airspace closures. The State Department said Tuesday its preparing military and charter flights for Americans wanting to leave the Middle East. Other countries were arranging flights for their citizens. Hundreds have died, including children The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, according to the Red Crescent Society. In Lebanon, where Israel launched retaliatory strikes on the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah, 50 people were killed, including seven children, Lebanon's health ministry said. Kuwait, which had previously reported a single death, said Wednesday that an 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel as Kuwaiti forces were intercepting hostile aerial targets. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. Four of the Americans killed were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who received a posthumous promotion in rank. They were assigned to the Iowa-based 103rd Sustainment Command. This story has been updated to correct that communications in Iran are poor, but that the internet isn't shut down. It also clarifies that more than one drone hit the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Some instances referred to just one drone. Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, David Rising in Bangkok, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Giovanna Dell'Orto in Miami, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. When Kelly Freeman became director of the San Francisco Art Fair three years ago, the events focus was the strength of San Francisco and its arts scene. Last year, the fair spotlighted the East Bay. This year, the 14th edition of the fairwhich will be held in Fort Masons Festival Pavilion April 16-19will bring attention to the many cultural contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the Bay Area. In San Francisco, the AAPI community is so important and prominent and strong and has so many different voices, Freeman says. Now, more than ever, focusing on immigrant voices and the voices that add such strength to our nation in general is personally important for me as well. The fair, the longest running in the Bay Area, will this year partner with the Asian Art Museum , as well as the Asian American Art Initiative at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Two community organizations in San Franciscos Chinatown, Edge on the Square and the Chinese Culture Center , will have a booth (as well as a design pop-up store), and so will independent curator Mara Gladstonewho will represent the Philippines at the Venice Biennale this yearwith Manila artist Jon Cuyson. Mara Gladstone and Jon Cuyson on Manila Bay, 2025 (Ivan Sarenas) Michelin-recognized Filipino-California restaurant Abaca in Fishermans Wharf will be doing the culinary programming. Chad Hasegawa, whos known for his colorful, abstract art, moved to San Francisco from Hawaii over a decade ago. The Art Fair, he says, is important to him and his fellow artists. I've been a working artist in San Francisco for over 15 years now, and I've always gotten excited for things to happen in San Francisco, Hasegawa explains. I think that drives our community to want to create more and create with all our hearts. That's what I love about the Art Fair, that its easily accessible for the masses to get involved in art. Hasegawa, whos with Good Mother Gallery , will paint a mural on the shipping containers in front of the Festival Pavilion. Last year, a painting of his was one of the loudest in the fair, he says. This year, he wants to set the mood as people enter. It was fluorescent orange, and I noticed when people walked by the painting, it had them glow a little bit from the light bouncing off. It is an opportunity to showcase public art, not just canvas art, and really play on how powerful color can be. I want to subliminally give people a feeling as soon as they walk in that theyre walking through the power of art and what color can do. 'Rolling in the Deep' (Courtesy of Pamela Walsh Gallery) The fair will include more than 80 galleries, like beloved returning local ones like Catharine Clark Gallery , Jonathan Carver Moore , and Pamela Walsh Gallery . San Franciscos COL Gallery will be at the fair for the first time, with geometric abstractions by Piikani (Blackfeet) artist Terran Last Gun. South Africas Melrose Gallery , which is opening a location in San Franciscos Minnesota Street Projects in the spring, will also debut at this years fair, along with gallerists from Busan, Paris, New Orleans, and Calgary. Talks and panels are also an essential part of the fair, says Freeman. It's a way to gather a lot of brilliant Bay Area voices in the room, and give audience access to them, she says. It fulfills this goal that we have with our cultural partners, as well as with our gallerists, to be like, Okay, we're on site at Fort Mason for three-and-a-half days. All this content exists all year round. Come learn about it and then go experience it on your own throughout the year. Anand Sheth designed the theater stage for these programs. Sheth grew up in Southern California, but San Francisco was his fathers favorite city, and any time there was a three-day weekend, the family would drive up. About 20 years ago, Sheth chose California College of the Arts to study architecture and has been here ever since. SF Art Fair 2025 (Drew Bird; courtesy AMP) Sheth wants his business to be inclusive and collaborativenot something architects are always known for. Hes working with furniture artist Chibuzor Darl-Uzu to design the stage. Darl-Uzu got in touch after noticing Sheth's use of OSB (oriented strand board, usually for the inside of cabinets orunderneath countertops) in a pop-up in the Mission last year. He resonated with this discarded, mundane material getting elevated in this fashion because his work is primarily focusing on discarded building materials and furniture scraps, Sheth says. He's creating a more accessible, approachable aesthetic that reclaims unfamiliar materials and puts them together in unfamiliar ways. He and I are driving this furniture capsule collection, but as the designer and maker, he really gets to drive the bus on a lot of the decision making. Hoi Leung, curator of the Chinese Culture Center, says in their presentation with Edge on the Square, (Da Da Daam) celebrates taking risks and experimentation. The artists they are showing include Connie Zheng, who did a residency at CCC, and Yumei Hou, whose steel works of her paper cuts are on display at the Rose Pak subway station in Chinatown. The CCC design store pop-up on Grant Avenue offers a different way to buy art for those who cant spend thousands on work to hang on their wall. It also gives CCC a way to show more artists, Leung says, noting that 75 have work on display at the design store. Still image from Jon Cuyson, 'Kerel (Sea of Love),' 2021, digital video in black and white finish with sound (Courtesy the artist Everyday Productions) Gladstone and Cuyson will show The Sun Beneath Painting Series at the fair, which Cuyson developed along with his presentation for Venice, Sea of Love/Dagat ng Pag-ibig, which honors Filipinos on the waterways. For his exhibition at the fair, Cuyson made impressions of straws, mussels, and other debris to suggest an undersea terrain. This project for the San Francisco Art Fair is a component of the body of work that Jon is showing in Venice, Gladstone says. He really wanted to underscore the idea of the horizon and the ocean and fluidity. Gladstones thrilled to have a booth at this years fair, and to be the first Filipino American to represent the Philippines on the international stage in Venice. We're excited about the opportunity to showcase Jon's work on this platform in San Francisco, she says. San Francisco has such an incredible culture of Philippine art and community. // The San Francisco Art Fair is open April 16th from 6pm to 9pm, April 17th and 18th from 11am to 7pm, and April 19th from 11am to 6pm; Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); find tickets and info at sanfranciscoartfair.com AceShowbiz - Mary Cosby, star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, is deeply grieving the loss of her son, Robert Cosby Jr., who passed away at age 23. On Saturday, February 28, the 53-year-old shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, posting a nostalgic photo of herself and Robert Jr. alongside the heartfelt caption, I'm going to miss you, Bubs ????. She accompanied the post with hashtags such as God First, Love, and Forever, while setting the background music to Jessica Mauboys cover of Time After Time. The news about Robert Jr.s passing broke earlier that week, with reports confirming his death occurred on Monday, February 23, from a suspected overdose. The exact cause of death has not been officially disclosed. The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of support from the Bravo community as well as fans of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. A statement from Mary Cosby and her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., expressed their sorrow and faith during this difficult time: Our beloved son Robert Jr. has been called home to the Lord. Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in God's promise and in knowing he is finally at peace. We are grateful for your prayers and trust in the Lord to carry us through this time of sorrow. Several fellow Housewives and Bravo personalities have publicly shared their condolences. Kyle Richards, a mainstay on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, commented on Instagram, Beautiful picture, Mary. You're an amazing Mom and gave him so much love. May his memory be a blessing ???. Chanel Ayan added, He looks just like you. You will see him in you so much. He will always be with you. Love you, Mary, and God got you both ??. Other Bravo stars including Heather Dubrow, Kandi Burruss, Whitney Rose, Lisa Barlow, Cynthia Bailey, Gretchen Rossi, Sheree Whitfield, Candiace Dillard-Bassett, Crystal Kung Minkoff, and Shamea Morton have also expressed their sympathy for the Cosby family during this painful moment. Despite her profound grief, Mary Cosby plans to continue filming for The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. According to a source, Mary is planning on moving forward and will film The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Filming will start next week. This reveals her intention to remain part of the shows future seasons while coping with her loss. Shamea Morton, a star from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, offered words of comfort, writing, We're lifting you up in prayer and sending tons of love and hugs your way. Additionally, RHOBHs Bozoma Boz St. John reflected on the power of memories, commenting, It's amazing that a certain photo can remain your favorite because of context ... whatever you were saying or whatever you were doing when this photo was snapped is one that comes instantly rushing back when you see the photo. I pray that the good memories will keep you uplifted. Bravo producer Andy Cohen shared his heartfelt condolences during the February 26 episode of his talk show Watch What Happens Live. He said, I want to send all my love and heartfelt condolences to Mary Cosby and her family after news broke yesterday about the tragic passing of Mary's son Robert Jr. My heart breaks for Mary. I will always appreciate getting a small window into the unconditional love between Mary and Robert Jr. He further praised Marys openness, stating, Mary, you did such a good job. I know their bravery and their vulnerability in sharing their story has helped and will continue to help countless people who are struggling. The loss has also deeply affected Robert Jr.s ex-wife, Alexiana Arian Smokoff. A source told Us Weekly, Alexiana knows he passed away. She is pretty shaken up. Everyone is upset. Everyone loved Robert. Us Weekly confirmed Robert Jr.s passing on Wednesday, February 25, emphasizing the shock felt by those close to him and the Cosby family. Throughout their time on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Mary Cosby and Robert Jr. had been candid about his struggles with substance abuse. Reflecting on when she first learned about his addiction, Mary told Us Weekly in September 2025, That actually, truly shocked me. I immediately started blaming myself, because I thought, 'You can't judge him and his life and his choices.' I don't believe in judging people. I'm just not a judger. I don't like judging people, and I don't like to do it. In light of Robert Jr.s passing and the ongoing battle with substance abuse, its important to remember that help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline can provide support at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). The tragic death of Robert Cosby Jr. marks a heartbreaking chapter for Mary Cosby and her family, as well as the larger Bravo community. Their openness about addiction and loss continues to resonate with many, highlighting the importance of compassion and support during such times of sorrow. AceShowbiz - A man suing Kanye West has testified in court, alleging that the rapper ordered him not to leave the Malibu beach house during its demolition. The lawsuit centers on claims that West insisted the worker live on-site while undertaking extensive renovation work. Tony Saxon, a former employee of Kanye West, filed the lawsuit in 2023, accusing the artist of unpaid wages totaling $1 million (800,000) and loss of earnings. Saxon worked as a project manager, full-time security personnel, and live-in caretaker at the Malibu mansion. According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, West unlawfully terminated Saxon after he refused to comply with what he described as "dangerous" demands. Saxon also claims he sustained a serious back injury while working but was denied time off despite his injury. During his testimony on Wednesday, February 25, Saxon stated that West ordered him to live at the property full-time, reportedly telling him, "You can't leave." Saxon recalled an incident where West stood over him in bed at around 3 or 4 a.m. and asked why he was not working. Saxon replied, "I have to sleep sometime," to which West reportedly chuckled. The 35-year-old testified to having a somewhat friendly rapport with West during the six weeks he worked from September 2021. The property in question was purchased by West earlier that year for $57.3 million. Jurors were shown text messages between the two, where they addressed each other as "brother" and exchanged heart emojis. Evidence presented included photos of Saxon's sleeping arrangement, which consisted of a small mattress placed directly on a concrete floor. West allegedly demanded frequent photo updates of the demolition progress and criticized Saxon for wearing blue clothing instead of the all-black uniform West preferred. Saxon detailed his role as project manager, explaining that West wanted to transform the home into an open-concept, off-the-grid bunker. This included privatized Wi-Fi and renewable energy sources, avoiding the city's power and water grids. The renovation involved removing wiring, plumbing, a jacuzzi, chimney, and even a black-marble bathroom. Saxon described a particularly "experimental" task that required taking out all glass and windows to create a bare minimalist look. On one occasion, Saxon testified that he arrived to find the night watchman had been fired and was instructed by West to take over security duties. West allegedly told him, "Stay here now. You can't leave." He also insisted the work be done quietly, as the project had no permits. During opening statements on February 24, West's lawyers argued that Saxon was an independent contractor rather than an employee. They claimed Saxon was an unlicensed contractor responsible for damaging what they described as an "architectural gem." Attorney Andrew Cherkasky stated that Saxon wanted to keep the project under wraps to avoid inspectors discovering his lack of licensing and shutting down the work. Text messages shown in court included Saxon warning West about potential noise issues, saying, "We should probably chill for a bit on major noise outside until Monday, not to draw attention." This was after West expressed concerns about the noise level of a generator. Saxon also updated West about discreetly removing large amounts of trash, with West responding positively and including a heart emoji. Saxon testified that he injured his back while demolishing two chimney stacks, explaining, "The full force of the spire going down yanked my body and whiplashed me." However, Cherkasky countered by stating no medical records exist to prove Saxon was hurt during his time working for West. Saxon's attorney, Ron Zambrano, explained that his client did not immediately seek medical treatment, saying, "He's not somebody who does what most people with health insurance who don't get fired by celebrities do." Despite the allegations, Saxon described moments of kindness from West. For example, when West noticed Saxon had not showered for days, he reportedly took him to Malibu's Nobu Hotel in a Lamborghini formerly owned by Kim Kardashian. The trial is ongoing, with Saxon expected to return to court on Thursday, February 26. The proceedings are projected to continue for another two weeks, during which West and his wife Bianca Censori are scheduled to testify. SDLG and LGMG unveil new product lines for North America and Europe, alongside LGMG's new global service brand, signaling an ambitious push into advanced markets LAS VEGAS, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lingong Group today announced its first global appearance as a consolidated brand at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026. Building on its recent brand upgrade, the company unveiled an expanded construction equipment portfolio and a new global service platform to better support customers across North America, Europe and other key markets. SDLG and LGMG debuts their latest electric and intelligent equipment at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, marking Lingong Groups global debut as a consolidated brand. From March 37 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, core subsidiaries Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery (SDLG) and Lingong Heavy Machinery (LGMG) will headline the Group's presence with multiple product launches, including the debut of LGMG's new global service brand LGMG ProCare. At the show, Lingong Group introduced new product lines spanning loaders, aerial work platforms and industrial vehicles, with a strong focus on electric and intelligent. Select models feature new-energy powertrains, intelligent control platforms and user-centric designs that enhance efficiency and operator control, reinforcing its competitiveness in global markets. Complementing the new equipment, LGMG launched LGMG ProCare, its new global service brand and icon. LGMG ProCare is built to link digital connectivity with operational excellence: ensuring always-on service, parts availability, and equipment connectivity, supported by full-lifecycle service designed to minimize downtime and protect long-term asset value. "Service and customer value are at the heart of our global strategy," said Simon Zhang, President of LGMG. "Our ambition is clear: to establish Lingong as one of the world's leading industrial service brands. We're making substantial investments in service infrastructure and local capabilities to deliver the efficient, reliable support our global customers expect." Beyond individual product and service launches, the exhibition marked the official launch of Lingong Group's upgraded brand strategy, signaling a fundamental shift in how the company operates internationally. By aligning its subsidiaries under one brand and centralizing R&D and service operations, Lingong is able to move faster, coordinate more closely across markets and bring integrated new-energy and intelligent equipment solutions to customers. Lingong Group's CONEXPO-CON/AGG presence highlighted both its technical capabilities and long-term commitment to customers and partners. Guided by its principle of "Reliability in Action," the company aims to be a trusted partner in global construction and industrial progress through deeper collaboration with industry stakeholders, contributions to sustainable infrastructure, and dependable equipment backed by comprehensive service support. About Lingong Group Founded in 1972, Lingong Group is one of China's top five construction machinery manufacturers, guided by its core principle of "Reliability in Action." The Group's business portfolio spans five key segments: construction machinery, mining machinery, aerial work platforms, special machinery, and components manufacturing. In 2024, Lingong Group reported revenue of CNY 39.2 billion (approximately USD 5.7 billion). Since entering international markets in 2007, Lingong has expanded its presence to more than 140 countries and regions, supported by over 110 dealers and more than 60 subsidiaries, along with four R&D centers, five manufacturing bases and eight representative offices. SOURCE Lingong Group As drafted, the reserve power extends significantly beyond the Governments stated intention of supporting the Mansion House Accord, a voluntary commitment by 17 of the largest workplace pension providers to invest at least 10% of their defined contribution (DC) default funds in private markets by 2030, with 5% of the total allocated to the UK. The Bill is at a crucial juncture in its passage through Parliament, with the report stage presenting one of the last opportunities for amendments to be introduced and pushed to a vote. Pensions UK welcomes the broader aims of the Pension Schemes Bill, including reforms that reduce system complexity and improve saver outcomes. These reforms are critical for the sector and long-term member outcomes. But if the mandation power is exercised, it would hamper free and open market competition aimed at driving better saver outcomes and put those outcomes at risk. Decisions on how savers hard-earned money should be invested should not be a political choice. If the power remains in the Bill, given the significant risks to scheme members, it is essential that the legislation should allow no more direction by Government than the minimum necessary to deliver its stated intention. Pensions UK calls for three key critical safeguards: A cap on the percentage of investment that can be mandated, aligned with the 10% and 5% voluntary Mansion House Accord targets already supported by the Government. Strengthening of the report that is required before the power can be introduced. A reduction in the duration of the sunset clause from 2035 to 2032 to reduce the political risk to schemes. In addition, it is vital that Government continues to facilitate a pipeline of UK investment opportunities and a regulatory environment which supports the aims of the Mansion House Accord. Julian Mund, Chief Executive of Pensions UK, said: Now is the time to drop the reserve mandation power from the Bill. Pensions UK strongly supports most of the provisions in the Bill, and wishes to see it passed. But the mandation power risks distorting the market, compromising saver outcomes and eroding trust in the system. The current drafting of the provision goes far beyond the scope of the Mansion House Accord and could be used to direct investment in very broad terms, either by this Government or a future one. Should the power remain in the Bill it is critical that it is aligned to the standards set by the Accord, and that it goes no further. English News Brain-computer interface technology sees broader application, benefiting patients Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 26 Fevrier 2026 "It's like controlling a character in a video game," one patient said. "You don't consciously think about moving a joystick in a certain direction. You simply think about where you want to go, and the movement follows naturally." By Shen Shaotie, Huang Xiaohuui, People's Daily Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is rapidly transitioning from laboratories to real-world applications, enabling patients to control computers, robotic arms, and robot dogs with their thoughts. As integration into daily life accelerates, China marked a significant milestone on January 1, 2026, when its first national standard for BCI-based medical devices took effect. The new standard defines the scope of BCI medical devices, categorizes technical approaches, standardizes terminology for signals such as electroencephalograms, and provides key definitions for signal acquisition, processing, encoding and decoding, as well as clinical applications. Why are such standards important? According to Yuan Peng, deputy director-general of the department of medical device registration at the National Medical Products Administration, as China makes breakthroughs in brain science and neural decoding, BCI medical devices are entering a critical stage of industrialization and clinical translation. Because these devices integrate neuroscience, clinical medicine and computer science, the same concepts may be described differently across disciplines. Inconsistent terminology and unclear definitions have hindered industrial development, he added, noting that unified standards will help establish a common technical language for this emerging field. BCI medical devices helps patients regain physical functions and may in the future be used to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. The technology holds significant potential and is expected to bring transformative changes to health care. At the clinical and translational ward for BCI at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, affiliated to the Capital Medical University, a volunteer surnamed Liao wore a wireless BCI cap during a rehabilitation session. As he slowly raised his left arm in front of a computer, the cap transmitted electrical signals from his cerebral cortex in real time to an external decoding device, assisting his rehabilitation training. Three years ago, Liao suffered a cerebral hemorrhage that left him partially paralyzed on his left side. After more than a year of conventional rehabilitation with limited improvement, he underwent a surgery at Beijing Tiantan Hospital in May 2025. Doctors implanted a semi-transparent, 4-by-4-centimeter thin-film electrode beneath his skull. Following a period of rehabilitation training, his mobility function on the left side of his body improved significantly. "During post-operative training, when the patient moves his limbs, the system captures brain signals, decodes them through algorithms, and drives external devices to assist in rehabilitation exercises," said Cao Yong, executive deputy director of the hospital's neurosurgery center. Beijing Tiantan Hospital has since launched a BCI evaluation clinic to assess whether patients are suitable candidates for semi-invasive BCI surgery. More than 3,000 patients have made appointments. Cao noted that the technology remains in the clinical trial stage and that participant selection is conducted with caution. He expressed the hope that BCI technology will continue to advance and benefit more people in need. Beyond rehabilitation, BCI technology is restoring independence to those with severe mobility impairments. In June 2025, a collaborative team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fudan University's Huashan Hospital, and industry partners implanted a BCI device in a quadriplegic patient, enabling thought-controlled computer gameplay. Six months later, a patient with high-level spinal cord injury used BCI to remotely manage an unmanned retail cabinet via video link. According to Zhao, after two to three weeks of training following implantation, patients were able to control computer cursors and tablet devices. However, he noted that many patients hope to move beyond virtual interactions and regain a more direct connection with the physical world. To meet this demand, the research team has extended BCI applications from screen-based control to physical external devices. Through a series of technical advances, patients with implanted BCI systems are now able to use their thoughts to operate electric wheelchairs or command robot dogs to retrieve delivered items. "It's like controlling a character in a video game," one patient said. "You don't consciously think about moving a joystick in a certain direction. You simply think about where you want to go, and the movement follows naturally." Zhao explained that the team adopts general-purpose interfaces and widely available devices, such as household robotic arms and robot dogs, with the aim of making BCI systems as user-friendly as Bluetooth or a computer mouse. This allows patients to control multiple external devices through a single, unified hub. He noted that the value of BCI technology depends not only on advances in neural interfaces but also on the development of external intelligent devices. The growing maturity and accessibility of electric wheelchairs, robot dogs and humanoid robots are providing practical outlets for thought-based control, helping translate technological progress into tangible improvements in patients' quality of life. Dans la meme rubrique : < > China implements measures to counter Japan's accelerating remilitarization Professor helps high-altitude communities grow fresh vegetables year-round China's total power use exceeds 10 trillion kWh in 2025 Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) The puzzle pieces are falling into place faster than the Deep State ever imagined. The case against the Clintons as a crime family, which I laid out in 2019 when I discussed their Deep State RICO conspiracy, has just been validated by fresh evidence. Advertisement John Solomon nails it with the Clinton Corruption Files. Irrefutable documents reveal that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel sent to Congress in late 2025 confirm a massive bribery operation through the Clinton Foundationspecifically, foreign interest donations in exchange for State Department favors during Hillarys tenure as Secretary. Three FBI offices (New York, Washington, Little Rock) independently flagged pay-to-play, but Obama-era leadership obstructed the probes. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates (Obamas No. 2 at DOJ) issued the kill order: shut it down. Whistleblowers reported buried evidence and blocked grand juries, while Russiagate was fast-tracked as the smokescreen. This video sums up much of the new evidence: Advertisement Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt, Emails and Other Information Proves, Clapper, Obama, Brennan, Comey, Hillary were involved in the Biggest Treasonous Scam in our History to Overthrow The duly elected Government! Jesse reports! pic.twitter.com/NMO6nrIjk1 Johnny Midnight (@its_The_Dr) March 1, 2026 Since Benghazi in 2012, its been one big mutual protection society, including the Clintons, Obama, the Bidens, and the Deep State. Everyone covers for everyone else to preserve power and keep laundered money flowing into their pockets. Benghazi exposed rogue operationsalleged arms flow from Libya to Syrian rebels (al-Qaeda-tied, becoming ISIS), ignored warnings, and four Americans murdered. The cover-up scrubbed talking points, blamed a video (Susan Rices Sunday-show spin), and stonewalled Congress to hide culpability. This disinformation smacks of illegal CIA domestic tradecraft, both propaganda and disinformation. This Deep-State-led disinformation operation protected the Clinton Foundations pay-to-play, including Uranium One as the most egregious: Hillarys State Department approved Rosatoms control of ~20% of U.S. uranium production in 2010, amid millions in undisclosed Foundation donations from linked Russian interests and Bills $500K Kremlin-tied speech fee. This wasnt mere influenceit was a strategic giveaway of national-security leverage over U.S. nuclear fuel supply, traded for personal gain and buried under probe shutdowns. Advertisement The raid on Benghazi gave me major heartburn, for it exposed the rogue Deep State in raw terms, with American lives lost amid alleged illicit arms ops. As Hillary defiantly testified in a Benghazi hearing, What difference, at this point, does it make? Advertisement Image created using AI. A trusted source who knew Ambassador Christopher Stevens and was devastated by his death during the Benghazi attack underscored for me the scope of betrayal. The mutual cover-up since then has been relentless to protect the Cabal, a cadre of domestic and foreign adversaries including the World Economic Forum; the globalists; the World Health Organization; the Marxist left; self-dealing and corrupt politicians including Biden, Hillary Clinton, Obama; the Deep State (DOJ, FBI, CIA, DNI, DHS and more); the leftist media complex; big pharma; big tech; and multinational corporations including enemies both foreign and domestic. It was what Victor Davis Hanson calls Our French Revolution. Advertisement Former CIA Director John Brennan and former DNI James Clapper weaponized the Clinton-funded Steele dossier for FISA warrants to spy on Trump, doctoring IC reports to divert from Hillarys crimes. J6 was the entrapment pinnacle: a riot amplified into an insurrection narrative to invoke the 14th Amendments Section 3 disqualification clause against Trump for 2024. Then, 51 intel officers (including Brennan and Clapper) suppressed Hunters laptop as Russian disinformationpure election interference to favor Biden. The media suppressed Trumps J6 speech, urging peaceful and patriotic protest, to fuel the insurrection narrative, despite no federal criminal insurrection charge ever filed against him that might have triggered the 14th Amendment. Fortunately, the Supreme Court shut that down in Trump v. Anderson. Advertisement Mar-a-Lago was another desperate Deep State action: bogus classified documents/obstruction charges over a non-crime (presidential retention/declassification authority). The 2022 raid and Jack Smiths 2023 indictment aimed to pin Trump, but Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the charges in July 2024, ruling that Smiths appointment was unconstitutional. She permanently blocked the release of Smiths final report (Volume II) in February 2026, slamming it as a brazen stratagem that violated her order, grand jury secrecy, and caused manifest injustice. Disclosures show the Biden administration coordinating with Smiths actions, and some reporting ties the push to an attempt to recover problematic Obama-era documents, protecting the silent-coup origins of the Russia Hoax, which Obama allegedly directed to divert attention from Clinton scandals (e.g., here). This all in this together dynamicprotecting prior acts, deflecting scrutinyfits RICO perfectly: predicate acts of bribery, fraud, money laundering, obstruction, perjury, abuse of power, and seditious conspiracy or coup in a continuing criminal enterprise. This is important because RICOs key tool is that there is no strict statute of limitations when overt acts (recent raids, suppressed reports, lawfare, depo deflections) keep the conspiracy alive, allowing indictments against all the actors long after individual crimes would be time-barred. The alleged conspirators should be sweating bullets: Hillary and Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Directors James Comey and Sally Yates (Obamas No. 2 at DOJ), former DNI James Clapper, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Susan Rice, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, and DOJ/FBI embeds. Perchance, CIA tradecraft drove domestic TDS and suicidal empathy? Buck Sexton discusses tradecraft in his new book, Manufacturing Delusion. Hillarys February 26, 2026, Epstein deposition showed the same pattern of disinformation: she demanded a public hearing for transparency, but got closed-door scrutiny from knowledgeable attorneys rather than a performance circus. In her opening statement, she played victim of partisan political theater, denied knowledge of Epstein/Maxwell crimes (despite past Maxwell Foundation ties), and pivoted to demand Trump testify on his file mentions. She threw husband Bill under the bus and uh-huh used deflection amid a brief photo-leak pause. Slick Willie (Bill Clinton) continued with his rope-a-dope strategy (February 27, 2026). Sorry, Bill, this strategy of I did not have sex with that woman wont work this time. There are receipts. As an aside, I agree with Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna that Epstein was likely an intelligence asset for one or more intelligence agencies. These developments all build to Florida: Bondi and Patels team is quietly assembling a grand conspiracy case. Including, secretly requesting former CIA Director Brennans 20172018 Senate transcripts (beyond the perjury statute of limitations) as overt acts in the scheme. Brennan was confirmed as a target in this grand jury investigation in the Federal District of Florida. Benghazis Zubayar al-Bakoush arrest (February 6, 2026, charged with murder/terrorism by Bondi, Patel, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro) signals new momentum towards a RICO indictment, with shelved files reopening. The Clintons crime family didnt dissolve, nor did the Bidens. They evolved through the Cabals mutual cover-ups to protect power and pockets from discovery and prosecution. In Bidens case, he was a useful puppet for the conspiracy. My investigative reporting since 2019 has held that RICO fits the elements of a hierarchy, predicate acts, and common purpose. Solomons files, recent arrests, Florida developments, and failed lawfare like J6the non-insurrection, desperate Mar-a-Lago Raid, and many more criminal actions prove it. Fortunately, the 2024 election was too big to rig, and Trump won in a landslide. We all knew it instinctively, but the facts were there in 2019, and now theyre undeniable. The truth will out the criminal enterprise will crumble under the light of day. Without accountability to We the People who are the sovereign our country will continue its descent into a Third-World authoritarian state. Ron Wright is a retired detective who served 35 years with Riverside P.D., Calif. Ron earned a B.A. in political science from Cal State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Administration from the University of California, Riverside. X @RonTcop In the early hours of March 1, 2026, Belgian special forces, backed by French Navy helicopters, boarded and seized the oil tanker Ethera in the North Sea. The vessel, flying a false Guinea flag and carrying falsified documents, was escorted to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge for inspection and seizure. The operation, dubbed Blue Intruder, targeted a key asset in Russias shadow fleet, the fleet of aging, often uninsured tankers that Moscow uses to evade Western sanctions and continue exporting oil to fund its war in Ukraine. Advertisement Belgian defense minister Theo Francken hailed the raid as evidence of a military resurgence after years of neglect. Sounding very much like Pete Hegseth or Donald Trump, he posted on X: "Our army was treated with too much ridicule and pity for too long. Due to decades of budget cuts, inadequate societal recognition, a poor self-image, negative image-framing like that of Xavier Waterslaegers, and too passive and risk-averse leadership, I inherited a department lacking in self-respect and pride. I swore to myself that I would turn that tide. Our armed forces would become strong and proud again. Respect is earned by demanding respect. Nothing in life comes for free. You have to work your ass off for everything. Tonights operation shows what were capable of again. It proves that our armed forces and our soldiers deserve respect from the population. And we will get it too. This is just the beginning. Semper fi." Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron carefully framed the seizure as relating to sanctions against Russia arising from the Ukraine conflict. In a post on X he called it a major blow to the shadow fleet, vowing that Europeans are determined to cut off the sources of funding for Russias war of aggression. This is, however, more than a routine sanction enforcement action. It represents the quiet spread of a doctrine once dismissed by European elites as reckless American unilateralism: maximum pressure through aggressive economic warfare and asset seizures to weaken geopolitical rivals. The playbook of deploying overwhelming leverage, targeting revenue streams, and forcing behavioral change, originated with Donald Trumps first-term campaigns against Syria, Iran, and North Korea, and has been revived in his second term with renewed sanctions on Tehrans oil networks and shadow vessels. Advertisement It also acknowledges Trump's view of geopolitics. Trump sees and treats global threats as deeply interconnected, e.g., Russia's war funding, Iran's proxy networks, and the shared shadow fleet that sustains both, while the old guard often prefers to view them as discrete, unconnected events. By framing issues as simpler and less dangerous, traditional policymakers avoid the full implications of the Russia-Iran-China axis, allowing adversaries to coordinate with relative impunity. Trump's disruptive reform rejects that compartmentalization, applying maximum pressure across linked vulnerabilities to force systemic change rather than endless, isolated, disconnected, and often unsuccessful diplomacy. The Ethera itself underscores the deeply interconnected nature of the threats posed by Russia-Iran-China. While seized for Russian sanctions evasion, the tanker is tied to a maritime empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of Ali Shamkhani (former senior advisor to Irans Supreme Leader). U.S. Treasury sanctions in July 2025 designated Ethera (IMO 9387279) as part of this network, which transports both Iranian and Russian crude, laundering billions in profits often routed to China. The Shamkhani family reportedly operates nearly 40 tankers, blurring the lines between Moscows war funding and Tehrans support for proxies like Hezb'allah and the Houthis. Advertisement In 2026, the Trump administration escalated maximum pressure on Iran, sanctioning dozens of shadow fleet vessels, missile procurement networks, and illicit traders in February alone. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the policys continuity: Treasury will put maximum pressure on Iran to target the regimes weapons capabilities and support for terrorism. Yet here is Europe, led by Macron, long a critic of Trumps approach, adopting the same tools: kinetic boarding operations, asset captures, and public vows to starve adversaries of revenue. To be fair, France has led prior interceptions or diversions of suspected shadow fleet vessels, for example, the tanker Grinch in the Alboran Sea, and the Boracay in the Bay of Biscay/English Channel. Both enforcement actions stopped short of full asset forfeiture, however, focusing on legal pressure and fines, and in both cases the cargo was released, ostensibly delivered to the intended recipient. Advertisement Ethera marks an escalation in European enforcement. The seizure disrupts a shared Russia-Iran sanctions-evasion ecosystem at a moment when Iran faces acute vulnerabilities following recent U.S.-Israeli military actions against its leadership. By hitting a vessel in the Shamkhani network, Belgium and France indirectly amplify pressure on Tehran without firing a shot in the Middle East theater. The action aligns with broader G7 and Nordic coordination to dismantle shadow fleets, but the boldness -- special forces in international waters, a Belgian-led first -- mirrors Trumps own tactics: use existing authorities, create facts on the ground, and let opponents exhaust themselves in response. Critics once warned that Trumps style would isolate America and embolden adversaries. Instead, it has become a model. Europe, facing energy insecurity and Ukraine fatigue, now sees the value in denying autocrats their economic lifelines. The seizure proves that maximum pressure works, not because it is polite or multilateral in origin, but because it hits where regimes hurt most: their wallets. Donald Trump did not invent economic warfare, but he weaponized it with disruptive reform: reject stasis, apply asymmetric leverage, and accept short-term friction for long-term structural gains. Advertisement Tariffs forced concessions from China; border policies reshaped migration flows; sanctions crippled Irans oil exports. Now, even Franckens Belgium and Macrons France are borrowing from that playbook, boarding tankers, seizing assets, and declaring war on funding streams. The Ethera raid is a small but telling victory in a larger contest. It shows that Trumps paradigm, once derided as chaotic, is spreading because it delivers results where conventional diplomacy stalls or fails. As the Russia-Iran axis deepens, and as shadow fleets remain the financial arteries of aggression, expect more such operations. Europe is learning what America First always understood: strong action, not sermons, changes behavior. The guardians of the old order may still recoil at the term maximum pressure, but actions speak louder. When the North Sea echoes with the sound of boarding parties enforcing sanctions once led by Washington, the disruptive reformers influence is unmistakable... and irreversible. Image: PxHere Advertisement From Wikimedia Commons: The re-taking of Beirut by the Crusaders lead by Amalric II of Jerusalem in 1197 (Alexandre Hesse, 1842) At the dawn of the twentieth century, Lebanon shone like a beacon of civilization in the Middle East, with Christians comprising approximately 6075% of the population in the core region of Mount Lebanon, a figure bolstered by Ottoman-era demographics and French Mandate expansions that initially favored Christian autonomy. This majority was not only numerical but also cultural and political, embodying a pluralistic ethos under French influence that positioned Lebanon as the Switzerland of the East. Advertisement However, the seeds of transformation were sown through territorial annexations by France in the 1920s, incorporating Muslim-majority areas that diluted Christian hegemony, setting the stage for a demographic inversion driven by differential fertility rates, immigration, and conflict-induced exodus. By the 1932 census, Christians held a slim majority at around 53%, but Muslim growthfueled by higher birth rates among Sunni and Shia communities and the influx of Palestinian refugeesbegan to erode this edge. The pivotal rupture came with the Lebanese Civil War (19751990), a sectarian maelstrom that accelerated the shift: Christians, once over 50% in the mid-1950s, plummeted to minority status amid mass emigration, while Muslims surged to 6070% by the early twenty-first century, as per estimates from Pew Research and the CIA World Factbook. This inversion was no organic evolution but a polemical testament to the perils of unchecked demographic engineering and Islamist ascendancy, transforming a Christian-majority haven into a precarious Muslim-dominated polity. Advertisement The civil wars savagery etched indelible fears into Lebanons Christian psyche, manifesting in a litany of attacks, murders, and kidnappings that persist as specters of existential threat. Militias, including Palestinian factions and emergent Shia groups like Hezbollah, targeted Christian enclaves with ruthless precision: villages such as Tel Abbas were razed in 1975 by Palestinian forces, resulting in civilian deaths and abductions, while intra-Christian rivalries spawned further bloodshed, as seen in the 1979 killings among Phalangist families. Post-war, these horrors morphed into insidious perilsHezbollahs dominance has fueled abductions and assassinations, exemplified by the 2024 kidnapping and murder of Lebanese Forces official Pascal Sleiman, attributed to Syrian gangs but shadowed by sectarian undertones that reignited civil war-era dread. Advertisement Christians, once architects of the nations independence, now grapple with a visceral fear of Islamist encroachment, where border incursions by Syrian militants in 2014 and ongoing Hezbollah-Israeli skirmishes amplify anxieties of being caught in crossfires that could obliterate their communities. This is not mere paranoia but a rational calculus: the wars legacy of hostage crises and militia rule has bred a culture where Christian families envision no secure future, their children vulnerable to the same kidnappings and killings that scarred generations. Compounding this terror is the abject collapse of the rule of law, a post-civil war debacle that has rendered Lebanon a failed state beholden to sectarian warlords rather than impartial justice. The Taif Agreement of 1989, intended to end hostilities, instead entrenched confessionalism, allowing political interference to corrode judicial independence: militias morphed into parties that obstruct accountability, as evidenced by amnesty laws shielding war criminals and the Syrian occupations (19762005) manipulation of courts. The 2019 financial crisis exacerbated this rot, slashing judicial budgets and fostering impunity, with Lebanons World Justice Project ranking plummeting amid economic strain and political paralysis. Advertisement In this vacuum, Hezbollahs de facto sovereignty undermines state authority, perpetuating a cycle where violencebe it assassinations or border clashesgoes unpunished, leaving Christians to fend against a system that prioritizes sectarian patronage over legal equity. The rule of laws demise is polemically stark: it signals not just institutional failure but a deliberate subversion by Islamist forces, eroding the very foundations of coexistence. This confluence of demographic reversal, perennial violence, and legal anarchy has precipitated a Christian exodus of biblical proportions, driven by an unyielding fear for familial security and future prospects. Economic despair, political instability, and sectarian strife propel the flight: surveys indicate that 66% cite job scarcity, but underlying is the dread of demographic submergence and Hezbollahs grip, with Christians dropping from 38% in 2011 to projections of further decline amid refugee influxes. Advertisement Villages in southern Lebanon, once Christian strongholds, are now ghost towns, with 90% fleeing Israeli-Hezbollah bombardments in 2023-2024, fearing not just bombs but irreversible displacement that alters sectarian balances. Patriarchs warn of extinction without Western aid, as families prioritize safety abroad over a homeland where children face uncertain perils. Evolutionary psychologist Gad Saad, born into Lebanons Jewish minority in 1964, embodies this narratives human toll. Amid rising antisemitism predating the civil war, his family endured the wars onset in 1975, witnessing neighborly bonds shatter into hatred: his parents were later kidnapped by Fatah militants upon a return visit, their Beirut home seized by Palestinians. Fleeing to Canada, Saad reflects on the wars brutalitymock executions, pervasive death threatsthat forced his exodus, yet he eschews victimhood, urging transcendence over resentment. His story parallels Christian plight: a minoritys flight from Islamist intolerance, warning that such hatred, now resurgent in the West, devours pluralism if unchecked. Lebanons trajectory is a caustic cautionary tale: demographic shifts, unchecked by robust law, invite sectarian tyranny, compelling minorities to flee or fade. Christians, once the nations spine, now teeter on oblivion, their exodus an indictment of failed multiculturalism and the triumph of majoritarian zeal. Without reclamation of sovereignty, Lebanons Christian legacy risks eternal eclipse. Saads critique of the contemporary West is inseparable from the formative experiences of his childhood in Lebanon. Growing up as a member of a Jewish minority during the Lebanese Civil War, Saad witnessed firsthand how oncecosmopolitan societies can rapidly descend into sectarianism, ideological fanaticism, and violence. His family ultimately fled Beirut in the 1970s after receiving death threatsan experience that, in his own telling, permanently shaped his sensitivity to the fragility of liberal civilization. These early encounters with political extremism and cultural fragmentation provide the autobiographical foundation for his warnings to the West: that societies can collapse not only through external invasion but also through internal ideological decay. Saads central argument is that Western societies are now incubating what he calls idea pathogensideological frameworks that undermine reason, deny objective truth, and erode the cultural immune system that protects liberal democracies. His childhood memories of Lebanons unraveling inform this metaphor. He saw how competing dogmas, once unleashed, can override shared norms and make rational discourse impossible. In his view, todays Western intellectual climatedominated by radical postmodernism, identitybased activism, and cultural relativismexhibits the same epistemic vulnerabilities that preceded Lebanons descent into chaos. A major target of Saads critique is the contemporary university, which he argues has abandoned its commitment to free inquiry in favor of ideological conformity. The rise of safetyism, speech codes, and the policing of dissent reminds him of the authoritarian tendencies that he observed in Lebanon, where certain ideas became dangerous to express and where public discourse narrowed under the pressure of sectarian orthodoxy. For him, the Wests growing culture of selfcensorship goes beyond a campus issue; it is a civilizational warning sign. Saads emphasis on victimhood culture is likewise shaped by his early experiences. He argues that Western societies increasingly valorize grievance and fragility, encouraging individuals to define themselves through oppression narratives. Having lived in a society where identity categories became the basis for political power, social division, and ultimately violence, he sees the Wests obsession with identity as a perilous path. When moral authority is allocated by group membership rather than universal principles, he warns, societies lose the shared framework necessary for peaceful coexistence. Saads insistence on the importance of biological realities also reflects a deeper lesson from Lebanon: ignoring realitywhether political, demographic or ideologicalhas consequences. He argues that Western attempts to deny sex differences or evolutionary influences on behavior mirror the kind of wishful thinking that can destabilize societies by disconnecting policy from human nature. Underlying all these concerns is Saads broader warning that the West is losing its civilizational confidence. He contrasts this with his memory of Lebanon, a society that once embraced pluralism but ultimately succumbed to ideological extremism and cultural selfdestruction. A civilization that cannot defend its values, he argues, becomes vulnerable to internal fragmentation and external pressure. Saads warnings to the West are not abstract philosophical claims but lessons drawn from lived experience. His message is stark: societies that abandon reason, suppress dissent, and indulge ideological fantasies risk repeating the tragic trajectories that he witnessed in Lebanon. Hospital near China-Vietnam border renders services for patients from neighboring countries Xinhua) 09:51, March 03, 2026 A staff member helps a Vietnamese patient (L) with admission procedures at Remin hospital in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2026. It is not uncommon for Remin hospital, located near the China-Vietnam border, to see foreign nationals among its daily patient load. In addition to conspicuous foreign-language guiding signs throughout its public areas, the hospital boasts a team of medical workers proficient in foreign languages, reinforced with smart translation software to ensure smooth communication of medical needs for every foreign visitor. In recent years, the hospital annually renders services for more than 10,000 patients from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) A staff member helps a Vietnamese patient in wheelchair at Remin hospital in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2026. It is not uncommon for Remin hospital, located near the China-Vietnam border, to see foreign nationals among its daily patient load. In addition to conspicuous foreign-language guiding signs throughout its public areas, the hospital boasts a team of medical workers proficient in foreign languages, reinforced with smart translation software to ensure smooth communication of medical needs for every foreign visitor. In recent years, the hospital annually renders services for more than 10,000 patients from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) A Vietnamese patient (R) talks with a medical worker at Renmin hospital in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 26, 2026. It is not uncommon for Remin hospital, located near the China-Vietnam border, to see foreign nationals among its daily patient load. In addition to conspicuous foreign-language guiding signs throughout its public areas, the hospital boasts a team of medical workers proficient in foreign languages, reinforced with smart translation software to ensure smooth communication of medical needs for every foreign visitor. In recent years, the hospital annually renders services for more than 10,000 patients from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) A Malaysian patient (1st R) poses for photos with doctors at Renmin hospital in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 30, 2025. It is not uncommon for Remin hospital, located near the China-Vietnam border, to see foreign nationals among its daily patient load. In addition to conspicuous foreign-language guiding signs throughout its public areas, the hospital boasts a team of medical workers proficient in foreign languages, reinforced with smart translation software to ensure smooth communication of medical needs for every foreign visitor. In recent years, the hospital annually renders services for more than 10,000 patients from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. (Xinhua) A Vietnamese patient (L) gestures to thank a doctor at Renmin hospital in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2026. It is not uncommon for Remin hospital, located near the China-Vietnam border, to see foreign nationals among its daily patient load. In addition to conspicuous foreign-language guiding signs throughout its public areas, the hospital boasts a team of medical workers proficient in foreign languages, reinforced with smart translation software to ensure smooth communication of medical needs for every foreign visitor. In recent years, the hospital annually renders services for more than 10,000 patients from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Operating under full federal COFEPRIS licensure, Mexico's national health regulatory authority, Longevity Medical Institute is the only facility in Los Cabos holding federal authorization for stem cell administration and regenerative medicine services, including an ISO-certified biotechnology laboratory operating on-site. The Institute integrates regenerative medicine, advanced imaging, cardiovascular assessment, surgical services, and comprehensive laboratory diagnostics within a single regulated clinical environment. A Fully Integrated Medical Infrastructure Longevity Medical Institute operates: A federally licensed on-site stem cell biotechnology laboratory A fully integrated surgical center An in-house clinical laboratory measuring more than 120 biomarkers Advanced cardiovascular assessment programs Full-body MRI utilizing DeepRecon AI reconstruction technology All services are delivered by a unified team of 17 specialist physicians, scientists, and chemists working collaboratively within one clinical campus. "Regenerative and preventive medicine require more than amenities. They require regulatory compliance, laboratory validation, and physician oversight," said Dr. Kirk Sanford, Founder and CEO of Longevity Medical Institute. "We have built an infrastructure designed to prioritize safety standards, measurable diagnostics, and documented quality control." Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach Longevity Medical Institute emphasizes that regenerative medicine is not a one-size-fits-all discipline. Under physician supervision, the Institute supports multiple cellular options to align with individual clinical evaluations and objectives. The Biotechnology Laboratory prepares and characterizes mesenchymal stromal cell materials derived from five distinct tissue sources used within physician-directed regenerative programs: Placental tissue (P-MSCs) Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSCs) Adipose tissue (ad-MSCs) Endometrial tissue (eMSCs) Dental pulp (DP-MSCs) In addition, the laboratory prepares exosome materials utilized within regenerative medicine protocols. Each preparation undergoes structured quality-control testing prior to clinical use. Validation includes flow cytometry analysis to assess cell count, viability, and surface marker characterization. Documentation may include sterility screening, endotoxin testing, mycoplasma testing, cryopreservation protocol records, and full chain-of-custody traceability. Every preparation must meet predefined internal release criteria before administration. Advanced Imaging and Preventive Diagnostics Longevity Medical Institute also provides advanced diagnostic services designed to support comprehensive physician evaluation. The Institute utilizes full-body MRI enhanced by DeepRecon AI technology, designed to optimize image reconstruction efficiency and clarity. These scans are performed under physician supervision for structural imaging review. Cardiovascular assessment programs are tailored to individual risk profiles. The on-site clinical laboratory measures more than 120 biomarkers, allowing detailed laboratory analysis within the same facility. All regenerative and diagnostic services are physician-directed medical procedures performed within a licensed medical setting. Individual findings and outcomes vary based on clinical circumstances. Why Los Cabos Los Cabos welcomes more than three million international visitors annually and is recognized as one of Mexico's most established luxury travel destinations. With direct flights from major U.S. and Canadian cities, internationally recognized hospitality infrastructure, and established healthcare oversight, the region offers accessibility combined with privacy and discretion. Located along the Sea of Cortez where desert meets ocean, the region provides year-round sunshine and a stable coastal climate often sought by patients pursuing multi-day medical evaluation or regenerative programs. Longevity Medical Institute operates within the established hotel corridor of San Jose del Cabo, combining proximity to international resorts with the structure of a federally licensed medical facility. Integrated Medical and Concierge Experience Unlike hospitality-driven wellness resorts, Longevity Medical Institute operates as a regulated medical institution with surgical, laboratory, and imaging infrastructure integrated within one clinical campus. Patients traveling from outside the region may access coordinated concierge services, private transportation arrangements, and ocean-view villa accommodations designed to provide privacy and comfort during multi-day programs. About Longevity Medical Institute Longevity Medical Institute is a regenerative medicine and advanced diagnostics center based in Los Cabos, Mexico. The Institute operates under federal COFEPRIS licensure and provides physician-directed regenerative medicine services, advanced imaging, cardiovascular assessment, comprehensive biomarker testing, and surgical procedures within an integrated medical campus. For more information, visit www.longevity-institute.com. SOURCE Longevity Medical Institute LLC It is imperative that Congress and the American people understand that the ongoing military operations against Iran are fully consistent with both international and constitutional lawand, unless undermined by Congress, could contribute to a new era of global peace and security. Advertisement But if Congressout of ignorance, cowardice , or partisan motivesdecides to undermine the Commander in Chief and again invoke the War Powers Resolution, it could produce consequences that dwarf the horrors that resulted when that unconstitutional statute was enacted in 1973. When U.S. forces were clearly winning on the ground in Vietnam (I was there during five of the last seven years of that conflict), Congress snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by prohibiting the expenditure of Treasury funds to protect victims of Communist aggression. As a result, millions of people lost their lives throughout Indochina, as did countless more as far away as Angola, Afghanistan, and Central America. Indeed, Osama bin Laden made it clear his decision to attack the United States on September 11 was motivated in part by his perception that America was unwilling to accept casualties a message the presidents critics are again transmitting to tyrants around the world. Advertisement From the start, the War Powers Resolution was a fraud. By a combined vote of 504-2 (99.6%), Congress enacted a statute ( Pub. Law 88-408 ) expressly declaring [T]he United States is, therefore, prepared, as the President determines, to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state of the [SEATO] Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom. Advertisement (Note this joint resolutionthe same legal instrument historically used to declare Warauthorized the use of military force to protect Cambodia as well as South Vietnam, as both were SEATO protocol states.) Gallup polls registered a 30-point increase in LBJs approval rating surrounding the August 1964 decisiona 58% jump in his popularity. And, as the war escalated, the public and Congress continued to overwhelmingly support it for several years. Advertisement Even if one ignores its constitutional infirmities, by its own terms, the War Powers Resolution permits this bombing. Article 2(c)(2) specifically recognizes the presidents power to use armed forces without prior congressional approval following an attack upon the United States...or its armed forces. Irans long history of armed attacks against U.S. armed forces dates back at least to the October 23, 1983, terrorist truck bomb that killed 241 mostly sleeping Marines in Beirutan attack declassified intelligence documents clearly show Iran ordered . Advertisement YouTube screen grab. Tehran later provided a wide range of weapons, including IEDs, to terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan that were used to kill hundreds of additional American military personnel, and their proxy attacks on U.S. naval vessels and military bases in the Middle East have continued. Members of Congress who pretend that Iran was not behind the deaths of hundreds of American military personnel owe apologies to the families of all these brave Americans. Advertisement I authored two books (1983 and 1991) specifically about the War Powers Resolution and wrote a 1,700-page doctoral dissertation about National Security and the Constitution that included more than 3,000 footnoteswhich, decades later, I am finally preparing for publication as a trilogy. The dissertation documents that, on August 17, 1787, at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, James Madison proposed that the draft Constitution be altered and Congress given only the power to declare War rather than authority to make Warexplaining that this would leave the president free to respond to sudden attacksto act defensively but not aggressively. Declare War was a term of art from the Law of Nations, and the preeminent scholars read by the Framers agreed that such declarations were only necessary for what today would be called aggressive wars. Thus, Dutch scholar Hugo Grotius (often called the father of modern international law) wrote in 1625: [N]o declaration is required when one is repelling an invasion, or seeking to punish the actual author of some crime. Italian jurist Alberico Gentili concurred: [W]hen war is undertaken for the purpose of necessary defence, the declaration is not at all required. In 1928, the United States played a prominent role in gathering the civilized world in Paris to approve the Kellogg-Briand Treaty that outlawed war as an instrument of policy. This was reinforced when we invited representatives from fifty countries to San Francisco in 1945 to draft the UN Charter . (Americans received the Nobel Peace Prize for both contributions.) Unless an American president decided to violate these treatieswhich, under Article VI of the Constitution are part of the supreme Law of the Land that Article II requires the president to take Care...be faithfully executedthe Power of Congress to declare War is today as much an anachronism as the power given in the same clause to grant letters of Marque and Reprisal (instruments outlawed by the 1856 Declaration of Paris ). No country has clearly issued a declaration of War against another country since World War II. However, if President Trump decided to invade Greenland or Panama in a non-defensive context, in addition to making him a war criminal ( Crimes Against Peace ) subject to being hanged under the Nuremberg precedents , only then would Congress retain its constitutional check. In his first 1793 Pacificus essay , Alexander Hamilton explained that, as an exception to the broad executive Power vested in the president by Article II, the power of the Legislature to declare war was to be construed strictlythe same conclusion his rival Thomas Jefferson had reached three years earlier in a landmark memorandum to President Washington. More than a century later, the Supreme Court added that constitutional provisions which blend action by the legislative branch, or by part of it, in the work of the executive, are limitations to be strictly construed, and not to be extended by implication. In 1801, when President Jefferson decided to send two-thirds of the new American Navy to the Mediterranean with instructions to protect our commerce & chastise their insolenceby sinking, burning or destroying their ships & Vessels wherever you shall find them if upon arriving in the Mediterranean they learned that any of the Barbary States had declared war against the United States, he did not formally inform Congress for more than six monthsand no one in Congress complained he had acted improperly. One wonders if the presidents critics in Congress have read either the Constitution or the UN Charter , which sets as its very first principle in Article 1(1): to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace... Article 51 provides in part: Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations... Are the presidents critics oblivious to the reality that Iran and its agents have been launching armed attacks against Israel with regularity, killing more than 1,000 civilians, including Americans, on October 7, 2023, alone? I have not even addressed the issue of humanitarian intervention . Iranian health officials told Time magazine that in just two days in January, as many as 30,000 people [protesters] could have been killed in the streets of Iran. UN agencies have repeatedly criticized Iran for its illegal nuclear weapons program, human rights violations, support for transnational terrorism, and the likeas has Congress itself. And then there is Irans long history of military support for Russias illegal aggression against Ukraine, which is arguably the greatest threat to international peace and security of this century. To date, the U.S.-Israeli response to Iranian aggression has complied with both our Constitution and international law, and legislators who seek to undermine it may ultimately regret that decision. The attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel is overdue, and a masterful stroke, even if we dont yet know all of its outcomes. One outcome, however, is clearthe West, meaning western Europe and Canada, is meaningless as a geopolitical force. Advertisement Everyone has known for decades the source of violence and instability in the Middle East. It is Iran and its proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.S., and western European nations, indeed, Israel itself, have quietly accepted civilian casualties as the price of not disturbing the carefully balanced game of Pickup Sticks that is the Middle East. Trump has masterfully unwound this dysfunctional modus operandi, the stimulus for action being Hamass outrageous attack of October 7. The West, which has repeatedly limited Israels right to self-defense, could hardly stand in the way of her response to such a terrible attack. Free of outside limitations, Israel assaulted and systematically dismantled Hamas, killing its leadership and in the process, destroying much of the infrastructure of the state and population that supported it. Israel also destroyed Hezbollah in a beautifully orchestrated mixture of spy-novel-worthy technology (simultaneously exploding beepers!) and air attacks. Advertisement The destruction of Irans proxies next to Israel made direct action against Iran feasible. Israel and the U.S. took that action last June, destroying much of Irans enrichment capacity along with most of its air defenses. This left Iran completely open to assault, unable to make a meaningful attack on Israel or threaten the region atomically. Yesterday that assault came in response to Irans intransigence in negotiation. At this writing, their religious leader and more than 40 top politicians and military commanders have been killed, and their missile sites and manufacturing facilities targeted. Arab nations have largely applauded the attack. The Iranian diaspora is literally dancing in the streets. China and Russia complained, but that was expected. The response from western Europe was a muted, joint communique from France, Germany, and England with three elements. Advertisement It urged Iran to negotiate. Negotiation, talking, has been the mainstay of Western international strategy for decades. It has often been its only tool, as western Europe and Canada let their armed forces dwindle away to the point these nations cannot even defend themselves, let alone attack an aggressor. It specified that no European nation participated in the attacks. Oh, how brave! What solidarity! America and Israel finally take on the source of terrorism that has harmed your nations, and you distance yourself from that act even as you benefit from it. And the reason is obvious. Youre afraid. Youre hedging your bets, in case this attack spirals into terrorism or a general war youre both unequipped for and afraid to fight. Advertisement You condemned Irans attacks on others. Thats a safe and reasonable option without actually doing anything. Violence is bad, and its acceptable to condemn the violence of your enemy as a veil to condemning the violence of your ally. An emergency session of the UN was convened. Well, that will help. In the 10 years between 2015 and 2024, the UN condemned Israel 173 times, 17 times per year, or once every 3 weeks. All other nations and groups combined were condemned 80 times. The UN has never approved of military force in the Middle East. It has sent peacekeepers, who serve essentially as a few guards trying, without use of weapons, to separate two gang factions fighting in a prison. The UN frets, it condemns, it meets, but it doesnt DO anything. It isnt even run by the Western nations that established it in 1948. Advertisement This has been the Western stance for years, and also the stance of the American Left. Violence is always bad, even violence that destroys a yet more violent enemy. Negotiation, protest, trade embargoes, legal proceedings through the International Court of Justice. These have been the Wests tools, as if the world will respond or even submit to what the West thinks is reason, or to an international legal system not recognized by numerous nations, including the U.S. and Israel. The West has abandoned its own institutions and languages. It no longer celebrates its own culture or achievements. Its birth rate is so low that guest workers must be imported, who then stay years, establishing Muslim enclaves in major cities. The number one boys name in Belgium has been Mohammed. For years. Pakis staff and run most every restaurant and hotel in London. Muslim beggars and thieves are all over central Paris, while churches are deconsecrated and turned into museums, and international art is promoted over the works in the Louvre, Uffizi, National Gallery, and Reichsmuseum. Advertisement This is the most definitive result of the attack. The West has been revealed as impotent, indecisive, and scared. Everyone knew Irans nuclear facilities had to be destroyed and its religious regime replaced, but the West did nothing for 46 years, despite death and provocation. Something as benign as a cartoon of Mohammed prompted bombings and deaths in France and elsewhere, and the West whined and moaned, but did nothing. Western Europe postures, but is powerless to act. They are always citing fear of a wider war, or a nuclear war, an oil shortage, fear of something, to talk themselves into doing nothing against the biggest terrorist and bully in the world. Trump acted decisively and thoughtfully, not even trying to get cooperation from our ossified, erstwhile allies. The groupthink of the liberal West has been revealed as a failure, both practically and morally. Peace isnt peace if you have no strength. Wringing your hands and calling for UN resolutions are the acts of the fearful, not the strong. Tolerating the civilian deaths of an ally isnt coexistence, it is immoral. Trumps force and leadership broke the Western order that has existed since WW2, and thats a good thing. NATO, the UN, and the image of a united Europe and America are all antique ideas and organizations. They are now 80 years old. When they were created in 1945, that would have been like clinging to alliances, treaties, and groups from1865. It is a new world, one where the response to evil is force, not talk, where reality, not fantasy, is acknowledged, and therefore one that will be safer, more reasonable, and fairer as well. The Western, liberal stance of inaction in the face of injustice is over. Trump has brought all this and more, and he is to be congratulated for it. Image generated by ChatGPT. The usual suspects, plus Thomas Massie and Rand Paul, seem apoplectic about Donald Trump giving the order to obliterate a sworn enemy of the US. They all seem to land either on the 1973 War Powers Resolution or Congresss power under Article I, Section 8 to Declare War. Somehow, they insist the President must be on the wrong side of the Constitution. At the same time, they all seem to be unaware of history. Advertisement Thomas Jefferson, a contemporary of the conventioners who wrote the Constitution, seems to be of a kind with Trump. Now the threat to America wasnt as blatant as the nuclear winter threatened by the Ayatollahs, but he faced off against some of their ideological kin in the Barbary pirates. Those Muslim corsairs were happily capturing American ships and putting American sailors into slavery. This was a war. They had cut down a flagpole and demanded tribute from the US, in effect declaring war by asserting sovereignty over US assets. Advertisement Lets get one thing clear about this. The Barbary pirates were not a manifest threat to the US mainland in the context of military attempts to conquer territory. Nevertheless, this still was war. A territorial threat is not required for a state of war to exist. President Jefferson knew this and sent a task force of Marines to eliminate the threat. He did not go to Congress to get a declaration of war, and Congress did not complain at this oversight. And we should recall that large numbers of sitting Congressmen and Senators, like Jefferson himself, were directly involved in creating and ratifying the new Constitution. None of them is on record opposing this military action. Rather, opinion seemed universally in favor of sending the Marines to defend against a war already underway against the US. Advertisement Two of the American hostages in 1979. Public domain. Advertisement More recent history includes the mission against Libya in response to the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, Clintons bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, and Obamas multiple Middle Eastern bombing exercises. In each case, Congress did not formally declare war. Obamas adventures led to considerable carping about whether they were lawful under the Authorization for Use of Military Force that led to Desert Storm. Unfortunately, no one bothered to look deeply at the actual justification for most of these. To this we must go. Islam has been at war with civilization since its founding. Mohammed was little more than a successful local warlord, but it appears that he was visited by a fallen Elohim who claimed to be the Archangel Gabriel. Jewish history was thereby co-opted into a completely different religion that isnt compatible with civilization. And it has been at war with civilization ever since. Advertisement Rome had civilized North Africa, and it was home to much of Christianity. St. Augustine lived there, as did many of the early church fathers. But shortly after Islam took root, Christian civilization was largely destroyed in North Africa. The Moors (an Islamic group) even conquered Spain. It took heroic efforts by European Christians to dislodge Islam from Europe. But as we can see, that war never ended. Today, many places in Europe are Islamic no-go zones, and most of Europe has passively surrendered. Advertisement In short, Islam has declared war, and that war has never ended. The most powerful recent iteration is Iran. There are dozens of Islamic nations, but Iran has been the major player in the war against the West. Iran sits on vast riches of oil, making it mostly self-financing. It has vigorously threatened America and has participated in multiple attacks on us. Khobar Towers and the Beirut Marine barracks bombings were direct attacks on our military assets. In short, Iran has been openly at war with us for decades. What we have not done is to stand up and publicly declare this fact. Even The Donald hasnt quite been up front in explaining this. He intuitively understands it, but until the point is made clear, he leaves the door open for the TDS Left to shout. We have been at war with Iran for over forty years. No declaration of war on our part matters. The war is an open fact. This is little different from Pearl Harbor in concept. On December 7, 1941, Japan openly declared war on America by bombing Hawaii. Congress declared war in response, but that was simply not needed. The state of war between Japan and the US was already a fact. The Declaration was pro forma and did not change anything. The same is true when Germany joined Japan and declared war on us. A state of war existed before Congress returned that favor. President Trump should make it very clear that a state of war has existed between Iran and the US since the storming of our Embassy. International norms treat embassies as the sovereign territory of the country represented in them, and Iran did basically the same thing by invading it as the Barbary pirates did by attacking our consulate in Jeffersons day. They declared war. They prosecuted it in fits and starts through their terrorist proxies. And they made it crystal clear that they wanted nuclear weapons to destroy us and missiles to get those bombs to us. Because a state of war already existed, Operation Midnight Hammer was simply a defensive strike to limit the ability of Iran to harm us. Ditto for Operation Epic Fury. Yes, Epic Fury will free the Iranian populace from the oppression of the Mullahs. But it is much more important in that it is designed to end the state of war between Iran and the US by defeating Iran, just as the Allies defeated Germany in World War II. And because these actions are defensive, there is no need to ask Congress for permission. A declaration of war would be the act that officially transformed a situation from peace into a solemn, public, international war. Because we were not at peace with Iran (by Irans initiative), a declaration of war is not needed. Even Alexander Hamilton noted that the President had the unilateral power to engage in defensive action (Federalist 69). The Presidents detractors need to be called up short with the facts. Islam declared war on us at its inception. Iran specifically did that when it overran our embassy. Donald Trump is simply recognizing that state of war. He is defending us with the objective of ending the war. He must do it with extreme prejudice since the Mullahs refuse to stop their war-making. Ted Noel is a retired physician who posts on social media as Doctor Ted. @Vidzette on X A theocracy since 1979, Iran has never been a typical nation-state. It has been a revolutionary movement, intent on imposing its apocalyptic version of Shia Islam throughout the Middle East and the world. The theocracy has been a messianic regime every bit as triumphalist, bloody-minded, and expansionist as the Nazi regime ever was. As Amir Taheri wrote some years ago in the Wall Street Journal: Advertisement The problem that the world, including the U.S., has today is not with Iran as a nation-state but with the Islamic Republic as a revolutionary cause bent on world conquest under the guidance of the Hidden Imam. This was married to a belief that the West was too decadent and weak ever to stop Iran in its divinely inspired march to conquest. Irans first leader, the Ayatollah Khomenei, famously said, America cant do a damn thing against us, an often-repeated phrase, including by his successor, the recently deceased Ayatollah Khamenei. Advertisement Therefore, Irans theocrats have never had any qualms with using bloodshed, murder, and terrorism as their tools. In 2007, at a security conference in Bahrain, then Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, Everywhere you turn, it is the policy of Iran to foment instability and chaos, no matter the strategic value or cost in the blood of innocentsChristians, Jews and Muslims alike... There can be little doubt that their destabilizing foreign policies are a threat to the interests of the United States, to the interests of every country in the Middle East, and to the interests of all countries within the range of the ballistic missiles Iran is developing. Advertisement Every year since 1984, the State Department. has reported Iran to be the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism. To name just a few of the more notable and bloody acts by Iran and its proxies: The theocracy has been equally brutal and bloodthirsty in quelling internal dissent. Iranians have been trying to throw off its yoke for decades. Before the December 2025 revolt, there were the 1999 Student Protest, the 2009 Green Movement, and the 2023 Womens Revolt. The regime brutally crushed each one. Since January 2026, the regime is estimated to have murdered over 30,000 Iranians. Advertisement Whats enabled the theocracys evil is its control of Irans vast oil reserves, which are the third largest in the world. Iran does not depend on an internal tax base. With buyers always at the ready, irrespective of sanctions, after Irans political and military leaders siphon off huge amounts to their own bank accounts (wealth in Iran is concentrated among the clerics and IRGC commanders, with the Khameini family at the top), they direct the bulk of the oil wealth to funding Irans military, domestic police, a vast trans-national terror network, and an aggressive nuclear program, all while insulated from demands from its beleaguered populace or the Western world. Advertisement The plume of smoke from the 1983 Marine Barracks bombing, which killed 241 Americans. Public domain. Given these facts, we must ask, if the world were to allow Iran to create a nuclear arsenal, could it be deterred by the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) from using nuclear weapons or farming out dirty bombs to its terrorist network? The answer to that is a definitive no. Advertisement As Bernard Lewis, the Wests premier Orientalist, explained, Irans theocracy operates outside the constraints of Western logic. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MADD) that worked against the Soviet Union and other nuclear-armed nations cannot be relied upon to work with a theocracy that has messianic rulers who welcome martyrdom and the carnage that will presage the coming of Shia Islams hidden Imam: A passage from the Ayatollah Khomeini, quoted in an 11th-grade Iranian schoolbook, is revealing. I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one anothers hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours. In this context, mutual assured destruction, the deterrent that worked so well during the Cold War, would have no meaning. At the end of time, there will be general destruction anyway. What will matter will be the final destination of the deadhell for the infidels, and heaven for the believers. For people with this mindset, MAD is not a constraint; it is an inducement. Those who minimize the nuclear threat of Iran are either ignorant of history or want to see the US and Western civilization fail so that they can rule over the ruins. They accuse the US and others of crying wolf about how close Iran has repeatedly come to creating a nuclear arsenal, but history repeatedly proves them wrong. In 2002, the MEK, a Marxist Iranian resistance group, publicly disclosed the existence of Irans then-nascent nuclear program. By 2006, President Bush appeared poised to attack Irans nuclear site but was undercut by Democrats and the State Department. Then-Speaker of the House Harry Reid (D-NV) solicited the State Department to write a ludicrous National Intelligence Estimate that stopped Bush in his tracks. The authors said that the nuclear program was purely civilian in nature and that diplomacy would easily deter Iran from reorienting it. By 2008, Israel was chomping at the bit to bomb Irans nuclear facilities just as it had destroyed Iraqs in 1981. But the newly elected President Obama repeatedly (and curiously) refused the help necessary for such an operation. It did not become apparent until his second term that Obamas reluctance was part of an insane strategic vision to make Iran into a regional power with nuclear capability. As Irans theocracy came ever closer to achieving its nuclear goals, Israel was left alone to counter it without using direct military action. Beginning about 2012, it did so with remarkable effectiveness, using the Stuxnet virus, espionage, and targeted assassinations to continuously thwart the theocracys nuclear program. But such stopgap measures could not work forever. When, in 2025, President Trump said that the attack on Irans nuclear facilities was necessary because Iran was on the precipice of creating a nuclear weapon, he was not crying wolf. One can argue about how effective Operation Midnight Hammer was, but the one thing no one can argue is that it did not change the bloody theocracys absolute focus and will to create a nuclear arsenal. As even the Arms Control Associationwhich opposes President Trumps Iran policyfreely admitted, The June 2025 U.S attacks severely damaged Irans major uranium enrichment facilities, but not its resolve to retain a nuclear program or its nuclear know-how. Since June 2025, the theocracy has been in the process of rebuilding its nuclear program even as Irans populace has been economically devastated. It negotiated with Trump this year in bad faith. The theocracy was never going to stop until it had a nuclear arsenal. So now we come down to it. Democrats want to stop this necessary war or use it for political gain, regardless of the cost to the United States or the world. They ridiculously claim the war is unconstitutional, but our history shows otherwise. Democrats only concern is taking power in the US: There was no imminent threat to justify starting a war with Iran. Instead, Donald Trump chose the path of more chaos with American lives on the line. I'm joining my colleagues in forcing a vote to stop the president from abusing his power. pic.twitter.com/OIC24ERAna Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) March 2, 2026 I don't remember any other time in U.S. history when one of the two major parties was so desperate for America to lose a war. We're only 3 days into this war, and they're already in full anti-war mode. https://t.co/Us0bzlQ1qj #FoxNews Andrea Widburg (@Bookwormroom) March 2, 2026 A nuclear-armed Iran presents a truly existential threata clear and present danger to the U.S. and Western civilization. This is a zero-sum game. The mad mullahs and their theocracy believe themselves the chosen of Allah and will not relent. No more kicking the can down the road. The U.S. either stops them (and the Democrats) now, or our children will be living in a world of horrors we cannot imagine. Does the word 'avuncular' come to mind when you think of Iran's dead terrorist kingpin, Ayatollah Ali Khameini? Uncle Ali, the guy who bosses you around because he only wants what's best for you? Advertisement Nope, my first thought is: 'He won't be missed.' But both the New York Times and the Washington Post wrote up his obituary that way, according to Fox News, using that exact word 'avuncular' along with a slew of other positives, such as 'magnanimous' and a man with an 'easy smile,' kind of like the man in the news who unfortunately was hit by a car. Advertisement To wit: The New York Times' headline about the Khamenei's death read, "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hard-Line Cleric Who Made Iran a Regional Power, Is Dead at 86." The Times also described the supreme leader as "avuncular and magnanimous" in its obituary. Advertisement "With his spectacles, Palestinian kaffiyeh, long robes and silver beard, Ayatollah Khamenei cast himself as a religious scholar as well as a writer and translator of works on Islam. He affected an avuncular and magnanimous aloofness, running the country from a perch above the jousting of daily politics," the NYT's obituary read. The Washington Post, which once characterized another prominent dead terrorist kingpin as 'an austere religious scholar' was no better. Here's what Fox News reported they said: Advertisement "With his bushy white beard and easy smile, Ayatollah Khamenei cut a more avuncular figure in public than his perpetually scowling but much more revered mentor, and he was known to be fond of Persian poetry and classic Western novels, especially Victor Hugos 'Les Miserables.' But like the uncompromising Khomeini, he opposed moderates efforts to promote political and social reforms domestically and to secure rapprochement with the United States," the Post's obituary of the supreme leader said. Let's just say 'retch.' Advertisement Khameini was better described by President Trump, who called him "one of the most evil men in history." He later added: "I got him before he got me. They tried twice." which tells the story better, given that Khameini sent out a nest of killers to assassinate the president of the United States, on more than one occasion. Now I'm sure he projected a gentle image -- for the press, knowing how willing they were to carry his water. Advertisement But his legacy is one of machine-gun massacres, torture prisons, dead men hanging from cranes, and dirty-necked galoots going around with whips to beat women for not wearing enough veil in public. When President Trump was banned from Twitter in 2021 by its then-leftist wokesters running it, Congress put out a report on it, noting that Khameini tweeted: "#Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated: it is possible and it will happen" without consequences, presumably because he says that kind of thing all the time, or they didn't mind. The bottom line here is that the guy was a toad, a thug, a thief, and a destroyer of one of the world's great civilizations, turning it into a place where millions seek to emigrate. He's more like El Mencho than anyone's favorite uncle. If he wanted to play 'cuddly' and avuncular for the press, that's on them for believing it. His record tells another story, and many were right to call it out on social media and beyond. Image: Grok ai illustration Nearly all U.S. major and alternative media are hedging their bets on the Iran war. Many are even advocating for U.S. retreat. Advertisement On one end, they safely side with their countrys mission in terms of its soldiers personal bravery, and concern for their welfare. On the other, they not surprisingly express ideological sympathy for the enemy; or, they speculate from their own weakness on American resolve, and chances of success. Such indecisive and unpatriotic media undermines public confidence in a time of war. It also indicates a lack of awareness concerning the necessary public transition to a war-fighting posture. Media have forgotten what it means to fight. Superior nations have superior psychology. Advertisement The United States is not going to back down from Operation Epic Fury, nor will Israel from the broader Rising Lion. No other foreign power or combination of powers will be able to convince them to retreat. The IRGC is following their fanatical belief: the current Iran flag, bordered by the Arabic Takbir (Allah is great), indicates defiance and martyrdom, stemming from the so-called Iranian Revolution and its coup against modernization, after modernization was supported by an overwhelming majority of Iranians who have since been subject to a backward, fringe clerical rule. Advertisement In this current conflict, their flag is effectively a pirate flag, and their code is to destroy. But Iran is outgunned in every dimension of warfare. It has been made clear that they must either unconditionally surrender, or they will be overwhelmed. The IRGC can indeed create damage, but it will be short-lived the Iranian regime doesnt have the total resources, including psychological and political, for a sustainable, conclusive victory. Advertisement But there is another more decisive factor: Both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are relentless fighters. They dont quit. In battles of life, politics, business and war, a fighters psychology can overwhelm lesser opponents, and provide the energy to then consolidate victory. Advertisement This is a critical part of the calculus of this battle: even if Iran survives the initial phases of attack, they have insufficient technology, systems, finance, and discipline, to consolidate any survival into civil order. Moreover, they cannot overcome their own internal disarray in governance and institutions. Critics of the U.S. and Israel are speculating about missile inventory, carrier supplies, fuel levels, aircraft support, and defense systems but they are thinking in obsolete, World War II frameworks. Superior weapons and intent, completely alter the mechanical nature of battle depletion. Both sides may exhaust some supplies at the battle site, but only one side can end the battle with a decisive single strike. Advertisement Hobbes in Leviathan stated that war is mans natural state (echoing Heraclitus, that war is the father of all). More than war, however, is the psychological drive to win, and prevail. Critics of the war against Iran should stop hedging, and summon what it means to be decisive and victorious. It is a good lesson for personal life in peacetime as well. As Netanyahu otherwise announced, if the tables may turn, and prospects look threatened, then Israel and the U.S. will escalate with power that is overwhelming, quick and decisive. Matthew G. Andersson is a former aerospace CEO and author. He has testified before the U.S. Senate and is a graduate of the University of Chicago. Image: PxHere // public domain He wrote it at age 31, and it became a bestseller. Advertisement Seldom, if ever, has a prominent politician revealed so much of his personal life before ever entering the public arena. Since Vice President Vance may well be Mr. Trumps successor, I just had to read Hillbilly Elegy. I mentioned this to a friend and was told there were many reasons to dispute its authenticity. So I searched the interwebs and found an article in People magazine that was published just a few days before Trump and Vance were inaugurated. As usual, timing is everything. And talk about dubious authenticity this article seems to be about some other book with the same title, and about someone else also named J.D. Vance. Those of you who have already read Hillbilly Elegy are welcome to fact-check the article on your own. Advertisement This is a glaring example of the lefts desperate use of misinformation since leftists are not able to honestly appeal to common sense and rely on their ability to deceive those whove thus far never read the book. As with many other autobiographies, Hillbilly Elegy provides some crucial turning points for the authors development. First off, when he was in his early teens, Vance went to California to visit an uncle. He was surprised to learn that much of America is culturally different from his Appalachian homeland. He used the term hillbilly highway to describe the spread of similarity throughout his Ohio-Kentucky extended neighborhood, though the term is mostly used to describe the escape route for those leaving the area. Advertisement Then, when he was fresh out of high school, Vance joined the Marines. As usual, he learned discipline. But he also developed a new sense of confidence. He learned that he could often do something, even if he had never done it before. And if he didnt get it right the first time, the second or third try might still be successful. He subsequently cruised through Ohio State and was totally surprised when he managed to get accepted into Yales prestigious law school. Being surrounded by the sons and daughters of Americas elites caused him to doubt his hillbilly approach to life. The love of his life, Usha, whom he met at Yale, helped settle him down. Advertisement In the conclusion, he delves into psycho-sociology along with some serious introspection. He ultimately realizes that the chaotic nature of his early family life may have damaged his character. Nonetheless, he knows that getting a Yale law degree and a wonderful wife has, thus far, made his life a screaming success. What this all means is that people in the USA are not burdened by hereditary shackles. Vance has risen up from just about nothing to the top of the political food chain. Other presidents whove also done the same and who come to mind are Abe Lincoln and Harry Truman. Both did quite well at the job. This profound devaluation of social pedigree is a fundamental aspect of what our nation is all about. We are mostly just ordinary folks with as much potential as we are to realize. Advertisement It is still somewhat anomalous that such an old-fashioned subculture could still exist well into the twenty-first century. Whereas Mr. Trump is a product of the 1950s and sixties, Mr. Vance grew up in the 1990s. If he succeeds Mr. Trump, J.D. Vance will be the first president to have a beard since Benjamin Harrison, who left office over 130 years ago. Advertisement Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. One of the highest prizes of anti-Jewish consciousness is to establish moral equivalence between terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians and Israels military efforts to survive. Advertisement In this vein, we find three assertions to be deconstructed. The first is a concession that Israel has a right to exist. Second, Israel may rightfully use only reasonable methods to defend its existence. And third, Israels efforts to exist must not disturb the progress of international treaties, or their list of mortal enemies may increase. The concession that Israel has a right not be annihilated is a salve to the conscience of sophisticated, anti-Jewish people. There are said to be 195 countries in the world, yet there is only one, Israel, that generally tolerant people persistently feel the need to concede should be allowed to exist. At least 34 countries have come into existence in the last forty years, yet one doesnt hear that Montenegro has a right to exist, or Serbia has that right, or Palau, or Namibia, or the Czech Republic, or dozens of other countries younger than Israel. Only in the case of Israel do liberal-minded people assert that a sovereign country has a right not be destroyed. Advertisement This concession has two implications: that the Israeli people have a right not to be murdered and that the sovereign state of Israel also has a right not to be destroyed. However, most right-to-existers do not openly lament the torture, mainly by rape, kidnapping, and abrupt non-existence, of 1,200 people in Israel on 10/07/23. Many dissociate that crime against humanity from their avowal of Israels rights. They do not appear troubled by the fact that those who reject Israels right to exist have been murdering Israelis for decades. For example, early in her political career in a 2018 interview, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slandered the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for a so-called massacre of sixty Palestinians. She put the crouton of Well, I believe absolutely in Israels right to exist atop an ignorant, defensive word salad, but she neglected to mention the murderous Palestinian behavior that had provoked the IDF response. Wouldnt you wonder about a friend who repeatedly says, I like you so much, I believe you have a right not to be murdered? In the past, people used to say, Some of my best friends are Jews. That nostalgic avowal of broad-mindedness differed from todays expression of tolerance, which implies, I like Jews so much that I think they shouldnt be murdered while being Israeli. Advertisement The right to exist while in Israel, or anywhere else on Earth, is an unalienable God-given right from conception until natural death. Regarding Israels right to exist as a bordered sovereign nation, no such God-given or unalienable right exists for any nation. National possession of all land on Earth undergoes a continual, dynamic process of change of borders and governance based on permanent struggles of claim, conquest (in fact, its always reconquest of land), and control by military force. For example, the nation-state of Israel is eleven years older than the current fifty United States, which were enlarged due to political conquest, legal absorption, and military protection of extant populations in Alaska and Hawaii. Advertisement Ancient claims established by tribes before the time of unified monarchies and modern republics tend to be religious. The Jews have the strongest, continuously asserted religious territorial claim in world history. However, it is only a claim. A claim, whether in the name of God, king, or country, matters to only the people who believe it. The national anthem of the USA includes the line, Conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto, in God is our trust. Of the triumvirate of claim, conquest, and control, the most difficult to achieve is conquest, because it involves terminating, removing, or assimilating and disempowering an existing population. Israel has achieved a superbly successful parliamentary democracy, economic power, and social cohesion more so than many nation-states that arose in the 20th century. Advertisement Why, then, is the opinionated world divided into either begrudging acceptance of Israels right to exist or justifying Israels destruction? The geographic circumstances created a clash between Arab Islamics who are the most compulsively, religiously conquest-driven people on Earth today and the Jews, who until 10/07/23 were extremely rusty regarding the requirement of all nations to militarily secure the land they control. The Islamic addiction to conquest is playing out in NYC today. Based on a political claim, Zohran Mamdani is pushing the Gazafication of NYC. His Islamic conquest rejects the Jewish and Christian value of human life by letting people freeze to death in the streets; weakens the rule of law and promotes crime by undermining the police; and destroys the middle class and replaces it with a dependent, captive, embittered, envious, demoralized underclass, while rejecting traditions of separation of religion and governance by proffering the glory of Suras. And now youd better hide Fido. Insidious conquest can be accomplished only against societies with strong mechanisms of freedom and civil rights that accommodate the conquerors until it is too late. Advertisement The admonition that Israel must defend itself only within reason is absurd. War is an unreasonable, cruel, and inhumane enterprise. Aggressive war begins when reason ends. Defensive war is a necessary tragedy. Reasonableness in defensive war means to win it as quickly and completely as possible. The reason the Arab-Israeli conflicts drag on is because the Israelis are chronically overly reasonable. Examples of unsuccessful Israeli reasonableness are many. Heres a comparison: Nations do not trust Iran with nuclear weapons because the Iranians are known to be so unreasonable that they are likely to use them. Israel has had nuclear weapons for decades. No one fears that good ol reasonable Israel will use them. Finally, consider the admonition Israel must defer to the Abraham Accords, or else its list of mortal enemies will increase. This suggests that Israel must take responsibility and ownership for the Islamic brutalists who wish to kill them, in order not to earn more enemies. Treaties and accords are useful scaffoldings. But how did the Abraham Accords work out for the Bibas family? Beware of anyone who needs to say Israel has a right to exist. With friends like that... Image via Raw Pixel. In the past few elections, news reporters have taken to reporting about foreign nationals, in places such as the U.K., openly stating that they, too, should have a right to vote in U.S. elections, given that everything the U.S. does supposedly affects their countries. I've always viewed that as ominous. Advertisement It certainly has led to phenomena like this, coming from Rep. Rashida Tlaib, whose congressional 12th district in Michigan includes Dearborn Heights, as reported by Mediaite: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) was called out including by some nonpartisan critics for seemingly referring to the U.S. as they in a post condemning the attack on Iran, even though she is an elected member of the U.S. Congress. Advertisement Both the U.S. and genocidal Israel doesnt care about the laws. This is who they are, Tlaib posted on X on Saturday. Her post included footage of a school that was hit in the military strikes and claimed approximately 40 people were killed; The New York Times on Sunday reported dozens were killed in the attack, according to Iranian health officials and state media. Both the U.S. and genocidal Israel doesn't care about the laws. This is who they are. https://t.co/AQbNEi4Ojj Advertisement February 28, 2026 So now the entire U.S. is "they." And she is the "we." And she has no identification whatsoever with the U.S., other than as a vehicle to advance Palestinian, probably the Hamas version's, interests. She doesn't even like the U.S., let alone its elected president, based on her reflexively delivered tweet. To her, the whole country is her enemy, she's unable to assimilate it, and now she's there to shut it down. Advertisement It's obvious enough in the front of her congressional doorway: Rashida Tlaib just wrote a post in which she refers to the United States of America as "they". When I passed by her office on Capitol Hill this is the flag I saw. Why are American taxpayers funding this??? pic.twitter.com/0lsgZqY3jq Rabbi Poupko (@RabbiPoupko) March 1, 2026 And it was obvious enough in her third-world-style continous screaming during the president's State of the Union address, which hasn't been the American civic tradition until she and her Somali counterpart came along: Advertisement Me waiting for my profession to pounce on Tlaib and Omar yelling at the President pic.twitter.com/k8xXwQzWJG ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) February 25, 2026 AT managing editor Andrea Widburg made some good observations about that today here. Advertisement And like any confused and resentful third world goober (V.S. Naipaul's writings are full of them), she isn't even accurate: No the U.S. is not the KKK as she screamed at the SOTU, something she would know nothing about in any case, not having experienced the KKK as many black and many Eastern European and Jewish legal immigrants once did. And her claims about a girls school being bombed in Iran wasn't the doing of the U.S. -- it was the doing of Iran, which fired a missile which went presumably awry, but who knows, given their desire for propaganda victories with useful idiots in the West like Tlaib willingly carrying their water. The third world press reported it extensively as a U.S. act, and in those parts, many were fooled, including Nobel peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai who unfortunately claimed that, too. Tlaib reposted the report: "They were girls who went to school to learn, with hopes and dreams for their future," Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai said. "Today, their lives were brutally cut short. Read more: https://t.co/c607rreJ0x pic.twitter.com/9dnUJDtxCP The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 1, 2026 In those parts, facts on the ground are largely less important than claiming victimhood from Omrika while waving one's fist upward. But Malala was probably uninformed. Tlaib probably wasn't. This 'they' stuff from her is indicative of a fifth column which has burrowed its way into our political class, which is where power lies. Her inability to identify with the United States, while wielding tremendous power in Congress ought to be enough to get her thrown out of Congress. Anyone who considers the U.S. 'they' is obviously representing another country. Image: Screen shot from X. Theres a new Iryna Zarutska, and her name is Stephanie Minter. Advertisement Last Monday, Stephanie got off a public bus in Fairfax, Virginia, only to be followed by Abdul Jalloh, a man from Sierra Leone who entered the U.S. illegally during the Obama years; Abdul then (allegedly) stabbed and gutted her at the bus stop shelter, where she was discovered and pronounced dead on the scene. Heres a little background on Abdul, per an item from the New York Post, explaining what hes been up to since Obama and Joe admitted him to our nation: The accused killer has been arrested more than 30 times for a laundry list of offenses, including rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing, federal authorities said. Advertisement At this juncture in time I have to ask: What is the point of a criminal justice system that doesnt consider THIRTY PRIOR ARRESTS, with many of the charges being extremely violent in nature, as enough of a reason to sequester a person away from society? What kind of a system allows for someone with a record like that, who has no right to be here, to remain? The left says they dont want vigilante justice and anarchism, but clearly, based on their policies, they do. As an ABC News outlet reported, the county attorney for Fairfax, a Democrat named Steve Descano who previously worked in the Obama DOJ, had just dropped violent charges against Abdul, thereby responsible for releasing the monster back on the streets in the days before he killed Minter: Advertisement In Jallohs case, officials told 7News Nick Minock that Fairfax County Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano dropped violent charges against the man before the alleged stabbing. (Indict Descano too.) Advertisement Theres now an ICE detainer in place, requesting that Virginia not release the crazed stabbing suspect from detention, but with Abigail Spanberger in charge, I have a sneaking suspicion shell maliciously move to free Abdul. #ResistICE and #fascism, right? Advertisement Image: Public domain. Gary Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band to Headline National Mall Concert on March 29, Vietnam War Veterans Day COLUMBIA, Mo., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A homecoming 50 years in the making will take place on March 29, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, as Veterans United Home Loans hosts a large-scale celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The event will honor the men and women who served in Vietnam with public recognition, gratitude and celebration. The afternoon will feature a ceremonial Welcome Walk led by The Military District of Washington's Army Field Band, followed by a tribute concert near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial featuring Gary Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band. Actor and retired U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer Rob Riggle will serve as master of ceremonies and country music artist and Army Reserve soldier Craig Morgan also will perform. Vietnam Veterans of all service branches are invited to participate in the Welcome Walk Post this Vietnam Veterans of all service branches are invited to participate in the Welcome Walk, which will turn in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a symbolic route designed to publicly acknowledge and celebrate their service. The community is encouraged to line Constitution Avenue and cheer them on. No ticket is required to attend the Walk. "This is a homecoming 50 years in the making," said Pam Swan, vice president of military relations at Veterans United. "As we mark five decades since the end of the Vietnam War, these Veterans are now in their 70s and 80s. This event gives our nation the opportunity to come together in the heart of Washington, D.C., to publicly honor their service and sacrifice." As part of the program, Veterans United will debut a trailer for an upcoming documentary about how the company escorted 10 Vietnam Veterans back to Vietnam for the first time since the war ended. Narrated by Sinise, the documentary captures their reflections as they revisited the country five decades later. The full film will be released later this year. Vietnam Veterans and one guest must register in advance to secure seating in the designated Veteran section for the concert, while additional guests are welcome in the general public area. Complimentary shuttle transportation will be provided for registered Veterans and their guests. A full schedule and registration details can be found here: https://www.veteransunited.com/welcome-home/ . This marks the first time National Vietnam War Veterans Day will be recognized with a walk down Constitution Avenue and a major concert on the National Mall dedicated specifically to Vietnam Veterans. The event is made possible with the support of the Gary Sinise Foundation, Veterans United Home Loans, American Airlines, Sunbelt Rentals and Veterans United Realty. About Veterans United Home Loans Based in Columbia, Missouri, the full-service national direct lender financed more than $23.8 billion in loans in Fiscal Year 2025 and is the country's largest VA lender, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company's mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service. VeteransUnited.com | 1-800-884-5560 | 550 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 | Veterans United Home Loans NMLS # 1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Private lender. Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Licensed in all 50 states. Military advisors are paid employees of Veterans United. For State Licensing information, please visit www.veteransunited.com/licenses. Equal Housing Opportunity SOURCE Veterans United Home Loans So, you voted for Donald Trump and were outraged by the annihilation of the terror regime in Iran? 1) you may not be very bright, like MTG , or 2) you may live in a fantasy world like Tucker and believe the Ayatollah was good and his enemies, like Israel, are bad. Or perhaps, 3) you just were not paying attention to what Donald Trump said and did his first term in office. Advertisement Remember, he campaigned in 2016 against nation building, boots on the ground, and forever wars. But he also made it clear he would utterly destroy ISIS and other terror groups that threaten the world. And of course he did it, killing off the budding caliphate and its leaders in Syria and Iraq; using a combination of the Iraqi army, Kurdish militia, and American firepower. Over and done with. Pres. Trump now wants to do the same thing with Iran -- to wipe out the most evil regime on the planet. The regime thats been killing Americans since the 1980s, thats supported Al-Qaeda since the 1990s, (which by the way, also puts them squarely on the 9/11 AUMF list of belligerents) that supplied the constant Hezballah and Hamas missile attacks on Israel, and then the Houthi missile attacks on the U.S. Navy. And, of course, has been working for years to kill Pres. Trump himself. Advertisement But he broke his promise of no regime change, MTG and Tucker protest! Only, thats not what he did nor how he would define the term. Unlike say, George W, and the people around him, he has very little confidence in what any outside power can do to alter the internal dynamics of a large nation or society. Trying to just install a new set of rulers wont work. Advertisement Instead, Pres. Trump seeks to remove the worst leadership elements from a country and allow the better, or at least the not as bad ones, to emerge organically. Thats what he has done in Venezuela and what he wants to do in Iran. Since those countries are totally dependent on oil exports, the U.S. can simply take control of any tankers leaving their ports, as well as the sale of their oil. If the people in charge dont cooperate with Pres. Trump, no oil money. Checkmate. Advertisement In the weeks ahead, Israel and the U.S. will continue to destroy the regimes military infrastructure. It may even be possible that armed groups like the Iranian Kurds, who fought with us against ISIS, are now able to grab control of large sections of the country. That would hasten the end of the old regime, allowing the people themselves to bring about true regime change. With the old regime brazenly attacking the Gulf States, I would also look for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and others to move up their timetables on sponsoring Iranian factions they think might emerge on top of a post-ayatollah struggle. Advertisement But whatever happens, Pres. Trump is going to emerge victorious. Just like other successful foreign policy Presidents, (Eisenhower, Reagan) he doesnt accept the D.C. establishments self-imposed restrictions on military strategy. In the 1960s, JFK, LBJ, and Nixon progressively narrowed the field of action in Indochina as to where we might fight and what we might bomb to such an extent that defeat was all but certain. The Democrats and the fair weather MAGA crowd would like to see something similar today. Advertisement But Pres. Trump plays a different game, and a lot of us, including 94 million Iranians, are glad he does. Frank Friday is an attorney in Louisville, KY. Blog Archive: Mar 2026 (45) Feb 2026 (140) Jan 2026 (155) Dec 2025 (126) Nov 2025 (141) Oct 2025 (153) Sep 2025 (149) Aug 2025 (154) Jul 2025 (155) Jun 2025 (150) May 2025 (155) Apr 2025 (9) Mar 2025 (149) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) From Niamh to Saoirse, Irish baby names are a popular choice for parents both in Ireland and across the world, particularly if you want to honour your familys Irish heritage. But while most of us have heard of Siobhan and Sinead, there are a number of beautiful names that are less commonly used outside of Ireland. Last Friday, Irelands Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the most popular names given to newborns in Ireland in 2025. Not all the names were of Irish origin, with Lily taking the top spot for girls and Grace ranking fourth. However, the top 10 included four beautiful Irish girls' names. Eabha ranked in second place for the second year in a row, and Fiadh rose up the charts from fifth to third spot. There was also an Irish name entering the top 100 girls' names for the first time, Riadh pronounced "Ree-ah". If you're looking for baby name inspiration, here's the meaning behind the most popular Irish girls' names and how to pronounce them. 10 most popular baby girls names in Ireland Position Name Number of babies given name 1 Lily 302 2 Eabha 294 3 Fiadh 273 4 Grace 265 5 Sadie 258 6 Emily 246 7 Sophie 246 8 Olivia 224 9 Croia 211 10 Eala 209 Eabha Eabhawas the second most popular girls' name in Ireland for the second year in a row in 2025. It was also the most popular Irish name. Pronounced like Ava, it's an Irish version of the name Eve and means "life", according to the baby naming site Nameberry. Eabha has exploded in popularity in Ireland in recent years. While rarely used before 2016, it was given to almost 300 baby girls in 2025. Fiadh Pronounced "Fee-a", Fiadh is a traditional Irish name that's been growing in popularity since the early 2000s. It first entered the top 10 most popular girls' names list in 2018 and has stayed there ever since. Some say that Fiadh is derived from the word "fiadhaich", meaning "untamed" or "wild", according to Ancestry. It also has links to "deer" as the Irish word for the animal is "fia", according to parenting website Roller Coaster Ireland. It's the perfect choice for parents looking for a baby name with a link to nature. Croia The ninth most popular girls' name in Ireland, Croia, has a beautiful meaning. Pronounced "Kree-ah", it's thought to come from the Irish word croi, meaning "heart". While it's been among the top 50 baby girls' names in Ireland since 2022, Croia is a relatively rare choice in England and Wales, being given to only 23 newborns in 2024, the most recent year for which records are available. Eala Pronounced "Ay-la", Eala jumped 30 places from number 40 in the name charts in 2024 to number 10 in 2025. The name is thought to have several meanings. It could be inspired by the Irish word for swan, which is eala, pronounced A-luh, according to Nameberry. It may also have links to the Turkish name Ayla, which means "oak tree" in Hebrew and "halo" or "moonlight" in Turkish. Saoirse means "freedom". (Roger Wright via Getty Images) More popular Irish girls names The following Irish names also appeared in the top 50 baby girl names in 2025. Saoirse meaning "freedom", Saoirse, pronounced "Seer-sha" or "Sur-sha", has become known around the world, thanks to Irish actor Saoirse Ronan Roisin pronounced "Ro-sheen", this moniker means "Little rose" Caoimhe "Kee-va" is said to mean "gentle", "beautiful" or "precious" Sadhbh pronounced "Sive" to rhyme with five, this name means "sweet", "lovely" or "goodness" Aoife "Ee-fa" is said to come from the word aoibh, which means "beauty Meabh pronounced like the anglicised version Maeve, it was the name of a mythical Irish queen and means "intoxicating" Clodagh thought to come from the word for "stony" and associated with the River Clodagh Ailbhe pronounced "Al-va" meaning "white", "bright" or "rock" IRAN NAVY LEAD IMAGE Few countries on earth can claim to have a navy with a longer history than that of Iran, whose heritage dates back to the First Persian Empire of 500BC. One wonders what that eras great and terrible warriors would think about the state of the Iranian navy now. Four days into the United States-Israeli war on Iran, the Islamic Republics naval headquarters is in ruins, one of its elite admirals is dead and its finest warships are ablaze in the Gulf of Oman, home to its southern fleet. Donald Trump has made the annihilation of the Iranian navy a key goal of his campaign, with the US boasting on Monday that all 11 of Irans vessels stationed in the Gulf of Oman have been destroyed. US forces have also mostly destroyed the headquarters of the Iranian naval fleet in the port of Bandar Abbas, while Ali Shamkhani, an admiral in Irans elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been killed in an Israeli air strike. The presidents goal appears to be clearing the Gulf of Oman of warships used by Tehran to enforce a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade route that carries one-fifth of the worlds oil shipments. Iran said it had closed the Strait on Monday. It remains to be seen whether the USs goal has been achieved, as marine traffic data show, as of Tuesday morning, a large number of ships are still queuing to enter the Strait. The scale of the destruction of Irans navy has been laid bare in satellite images, which show a striking before-and-after scene of the port of Bandar Abbas in the Gulf of Oman. Google Earth imagery taken on Feb 22 shows many of Irans naval vessels belonging either to its regular navy or elite IRGC naval units docked and intact in Bandar Abbas. At least 11 large-scale military vessels are visible in the image, along with dozens of other smaller vessels, which may be civilian or military. But a new image captured by Planet Labs, a satellite imaging firm, shows the same area shrouded in thick, black smoke, the aftermath of heavy US bombing of the port. Zoom in on that images bottom-right corner and you will see what appears to be the smouldering remains of Irans biggest naval vessel, the IRIS Makran. IRAN NAVY - IRIS Makrans Built from a converted oil tanker, the Makran is, perhaps unintentionally, an apt symbol for the Iranian military: crippled by sanctions, lacking in key parts and forced to make do with what is available. Despite its rather Heath Robinson-esque origins, the Makran was feted by the regime as a major new tool in its arsenal, taking part in a two-day missile exercise in 2021. United States Central Command (Centcom), the US military command in the Middle East, also claims to have struck an Iranian carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, which is used to launch drones and helicopters for aerial attacks. The satellite imagery is striking and will support the Trump administrations claims that its war on Iran is ahead of schedule and going exceedingly well. But security experts say there is nothing particularly impressive about blowing up Irans poorly maintained military assets, which in some cases date back to the rule of the Shah from 1949 to 1971. The Bayandor-class corvettes IRIS Bayandor and IRIS Naghdi, both destroyed this week, were launched in 1964. IRAN NAVY - IRIS Naghdi burns If you compare their navy with Donald Trumps big beautiful Armada, its more like a dwarf, Dr Andreas Bohm, a Middle East expert from the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, told The Telegraph. It has been very much weakened by sanctions, its material is outdated, and when you look at the air force, for example, mostly all the aircraft is from the Shah era and is US-built. Its really old, he said. Dr Bohm added that when this was taken into account, the US bombing campaign was not impressive. Conversely, one area where the Iranian navy has had an impact is its closure of the Strait of Hormuz by threatening to set fire to passing commercial ships. They are capable of being a menace in the Persian Gulf, but its not like they could hold their own against the United States in kinetic terms, he said. What they are capable of is asymmetric warfare, and we can see this in the Strait of Hormuz, where insurance prices have skyrocketed, and companies are refraining from sending their ships through. We are seeing two different strategies, he said. The US and Israel are trying to hit hard and fast, while Iranians are trying to endure, to have strategic depth keeping their heads down and waiting for the costs to increase on the US and its allies. They are waiting until the balance tips. Alan Cumming has said the headline-making Bafta film award ceremony was trauma triggering, adding: We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. During the ceremony in London, while Sinners stars Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting the special visual effects award, Scottish campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, shouted a racial slur, which was broadcast on the BBC. Commenting for the first time, the Scottish star, 61, who hosted the ceremony, wrote on Instagram: Its now a week since I hosted the Baftas. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering shitshow. Im so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt hearing that word echoed round the world. During the broadcast, Cumming apologised for the language viewers may have heard, and in the aftermath the BBC apologised for not editing it out and said its executive complaints unit would complete a fast-tracked investigation into the incident. Davidson was at the Baftas representing the film I Swear, which tells the story of his life with the condition, which he developed when he was 12. He has described feeling mortified by what happened and said in an interview with Variety that the BBC should have worked harder to ensure his racial slur was not broadcast. Cumming, who also hosts the US version of The Traitors, continued: Im so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition. The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgment about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured. John Davidson attending the 79th British Academy Film Awards (PA) We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all those artists whose work was overshadowed by the nights events. During the broadcast the BBC edited out part of a speech by My Fathers Shadow filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr, in which he said Free Palestine. Speaking on stage at the NAACP Image Awards in California at the weekend, Lindo, who is nominated in the best supporting actor category at the Oscars for his role in Ryan Cooglers vampire horror, told the audience: We appreciate, I appreciate, all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us. It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support. And its a classic case of something that couldve been very negative becoming very positive. Thank you so much for the support. Bafta apologised after the film awards and said it took full responsibility for putting its guests in a difficult situation. Delroy Lindo at the Baftas (James Manning/PA) Bafta also apologised unreservedly to Jordan and Lindo, and to all those impacted, adding: We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism. The statement continued: We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all. We will learn from this and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy. In a letter to members, Bafta chairwoman Sara Putt and chief executive Jane Millichip said a comprehensive review was under way, adding: Please rest assured how seriously we are taking this. The letter continued: We take full responsibility for putting our guests and members of the academy in a very difficult situation and we will learn from this. We will keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy as firmly demonstrated by this years nominated and winning films. Aston Villa host Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday (Getty Images) Unai Emery has delivered an update on John McGinn ahead of Aston Villas Premier League fixture against Chelsea. McGinn sustained a knee injury during Villas 1-0 home defeat to Everton in mid-January, subsequently missing the last nine games in all competitions. The Scotland international underwent surgery in January and the timeframe regarding a return to action was a maximum of eight weeks. However, McGinn, last week, raised hopes of making a comeback ahead of schedule. He said: Ive been trying to stay under the radar a bit, trying to get back fit as quickly as possible. The recovery is going well, surgery was pretty straightforward and its been good. I got my head around it quick. Ive been fortunate in my career to not have many serious injuries so this one was easier to accept. Its been tough to watch but Im feeling ready to get back in and in good shape for that. Im well on my way and hopefully be back before then (eight weeks), maybe another two or three weeks. Sidelined: John McGinn (AFP via Getty Images) Emery will be keen to have the McGinn back as soon as possible with Villas form in the league beginning to falter as the battle for Champions League qualification heats up. Villa are next in action against fellow top-four hopefuls Chelsea on Wednesday evening and the Spaniard has given an update on his midfielder. Speaking on Tuesday, the Aston Villa boss said: We need other leaders. We need change to singing about Super Aston Villa! John McGinn is very important, but he is not available tomorrow. He is progressively getting better. We have enough players to keep our consistency and performance. I believe, of course - even when we are not achieving it - in them. The dog days are over for one Tennessee dog who has spent most of her young life in a shelter. After 803 days in the Hardin County Animal Shelter, Scrappy, a German Shepherd mix, found her forever home last week. Staff at the Savannah shelter say Scrappy, now nearly 3 years old, arrived as a 4-month-old puppy and quickly won over the hearts of people and fellow dogs with her playful and friendly personality. Despite her charm, she spent more than two years in the shelter, cared for by staff who watched her grow up behind kennel doors. Scrappys milestone didnt go unnoticed. On February 23, marking her 800th day in the shelter, staff shared her story on Facebook alongside a photo showing her sporting a cast on her foot after injuring a toe. Her jumpy, desperate attempt to catch the attention of potential adopters landed her right in the vets office, staffers wrote in the post. Dont worry, after a little TLC from the kind ladies at Hardin County Veterinary Clinic, and a super cute cast, her toe will be just fine. Her spirits, however, crushed. Back to the shelter she goes. Scrappy, a 3-year-old German Shepherd mix, was adopted last week after 803 days at a Tennessee shelter (Hardin County Animal Services) Shelter staff further described Scrappy as a good girl who just needs guidance and structure. They said she adores people, gets along well with other dogs and has an unstoppable love for running and playing outdoors. The Facebook post quickly went viral, garnering more than 400 shares as users helped spread Scrappys story and raise awareness for her long-awaited adoption. Around 60 people commented, many expressing support and admiration for Scrappy while explaining they couldnt adopt her due to work schedules, housing restrictions, or other personal circumstances. Still, the Facebook effort may have paid off as three days later, Scrappy met her owner and left the shelter to go to her new home. We posted, you shared, and our sweet Scrappy has LEFT THE BUILDING to FINALLY begin her forever! a Hardin County Animal Services spokesperson told WREG Tuesday. THANK YOU to Carrie for your kind and patient heart, and for giving our girl the opportunity to live her best life ever! they added about Scrappys new owner. The Independent has contacted Hardin County Animal Service for comment. Benedetto Nitto Santapaola was one of the most powerful figures in the history of the Sicilian mafia and was arrested in 1993 after a decade on the run. Photograph: Independent Photo Agency Srl/Alamy (Photograph: Independent Photo Agency Srl/Alamy) Benedetto Nitto Santapaola, a Sicilian mafia boss and one of the most dangerous figures in Italian criminal history, has died aged 87. Santapaola, who was widely believed to have been the architect of a campaign of bloodshed that scarred Italy in the 1980s and 1990s, died on Monday in a Milan prison where he was serving multiple life sentences. An autopsy has been ordered. Before his imprisonment, Santapaola was regarded as one of the most powerful figures in the history of the Sicilian mafia, allied with Toto Riina the self-styled boss of bosses and Bernardo Provenzano, the Cosa Nostras most influential leaders. His base was in the city of Catania, from where he exerted control over much of eastern Sicily. Among the atrocities attributed to him was the bombing at Capaci in May 1992, an attack that killed the anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone, his wife, Francesca Morvillo, and three of his bodyguards, and sent shockwaves through a country locked in a bitter struggle with organised crime. After more than a decade on the run, Santapaola nicknamed il cacciatore (the hunter) was arrested in 1993 at a farmhouse outside Catania alongside his wife, Carmela Minniti. She was shot dead two years later by Giuseppe Ferone, a former member of a rival clan, who said he had acted out of revenge, seeking to inflict on the mafia boss the same pain he had suffered. In 2003, Santapaola was convicted of ordering the 1984 murder of the investigative journalist Giuseppe Fava, who had exposed his criminal empire and political ties. Fava was shot five times in his car in Catania after he had gone to a theatre to watch his niece perform. Favas son, Claudio, a former MEP and ex-president of Sicilys anti-mafia commission, said he felt no hatred towards Santapaola. I wasnt capable of it, he said. And I feel no relief now that hes gone. He recalled visiting the prison where Santapaola was being held. He recognised me, Fava said. He came to the bars and said he was innocent, that he would shake my fathers hand when they met in heaven. I listened. It seemed a sad performance by a man imprisoned by his own legend. Santapaola, he added, had twice ordered Claudios own killing and forced him to live under police escort. But what would have been the point of reminding him? Investigators believed Santapaola continued to run his clan from behind bars through trusted aides. Like other mafia bosses, he refused to collaborate with prosecutors, taking his secrets with him. Fava added: He died carrying with him, inside him, his secrets the names and surnames of the unnameable protectors who guaranteed him the throne of Cosa Nostra. Among those who benefited from his power was the entire city that counted and commanded: journalists, prosecutors, police commissioners, colonels, publishers. The memory of those years Santapaola dragged with him through his 33 years in prison. And now into the grave. Smoke rises over Tehran after a US-Israeli airstrike. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters (Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters) Piecing together what the US and Israeli officials have said about the attack on Iran, its objectives appear to be to inflict maximum damage on the pillars of the countrys power, specifically its nuclear and missile programmes and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The ultimate objective however, as repeatedly expressed by Donald Trump at least, is to pave the way for a popular uprising that would sweep away the cleric-led regime that has run the country for 47 years. Trump has presented the devastating assault as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the people of Iran to take back your government. Related: Middle East war could be decided by who runs out of missiles or interceptors first, analysts say Regime change appears to be an aspiration rather than a plan, leaving much to chance and factors that will be hard for any of the current protagonists to control or even predict. These are four broad scenarios that experts say are possible outcomes of this new Middle East war. They are ranked not according to likelihood, but in descending order of their peacefulness, from an orderly, benign transition to bloody chaos. The swift transition This is the dream scenario of the US and Israeli leaders who launched the surprise attack on Saturday morning. Irans armed forces and the IRGC lay down their arms, as demanded by Trump, the various opposition factions coalesce and agree to form an interim government, perhaps under Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the shah who ruled the country from 1941 until he was ousted by the Islamic revolution in 1979. As preparations are made for elections, the interim government would hand over what is left of the Iranian nuclear programme to the US, in particular the outgoing regimes centrifuges and hoard of 440kg of highly-enriched uranium (HEU), while forswearing long-range missiles. It would also grant US oil companies the lions share of access to the Iranian energy market. This scenario is the least likely, analysts say. History suggests that when dictatorships collapse they tend to be replaced by a new authoritarian regime. When transitions are brought about by violence, the chances of a democratic outcome are even fewer, and when the tool of transition is bombs dropped from 50,000ft (15,000 metres), the probability is minimal. The IRGC is very unlikely to surrender its arms to a hostile populace or an incoming monarchist-led government, knowing its members, having dominated the country for so long, will be lucky to survive their surrender. Pahlavi has broad name recognition and is the most popular single opposition figure, but many Iranians distrust him and doubt his democratic credentials, remembering the brutality of his fathers dictatorship. They would not willingly accept his leadership. Any new secular interim government is likely to be held together by a shared nationalism, which would make it reluctant to give up the sinews of Irans geopolitical power. The Maduro model In the US attack on Venezuela at the beginning of January, the countrys defiant ruler, Nicolas Maduro, was swiftly removed, and his deputy took over, promising to be far more cooperative with Washington. The regime stayed in place, but the US got a big share of the oil. The same outcome in wake of Saturdays assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is likely to be more than acceptable to Trump, who has declared himself willing to talk to the late supreme leaders successors within the regime. The Maduro scenario as applied to Iran would require the selection of a relative moderate to replace Khamenei, such as the former president Hassan Rouhani, or the emergence of a pragmatic hardliner in the clerical leadership or the IRGC. After fresh negotiations, the newly cooperative leadership would capitulate, surrendering Irans nuclear programme and accepting strict constraints on its missiles. It would sign over broad oil and gas concessions to US companies. In exchange for capitulation to US and Israeli demands, the regime would be allowed to survive and given a free hand to continue its suppression of dissent. This is the other scenario that would bring a swift end to the war. It is not hard to imagine a new Iranian leadership offering fresh terms in the interest of regime survival, but it is more unlikely that a new leader could emerge on the promise of complete surrender. New talks with the Trump administration might lead to a compromise, somewhere between defiance and capitulation, that both sides could live with in order to end the war. The US would pull back its forces and leave Israel as the enforcer of any agreement, with a free hand to bomb if it deems the new Iranian government to have strayed from its undertakings. The regime weathers the storm In this version, the survivors of the bombing campaign would hunker down, firing off missiles and drones whenever they can. A hardline cleric in Khameneis mould would be selected as supreme leader, or a political weakling would be chosen who easily controlled by the IRGC. The remnants of the regime would be encouraged that Trump had been talking about a limited campaign of four or so weeks. They could reasonably expect the US president would eventually declare victory and withdraw his armada, leaving Israel to keep up the bombing campaign with diminishing resources. Many analysts see this scenario as one of the most likely outcomes. In the worst variant, however, the nuclear and missile programmes are taken deeper underground and further out of sight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors. Khameneis fatwa against making a nuclear warhead is dropped, and there is a race to make a bomb in the basement using the 440kg of HEU, enough to make about ten warheads when further enriched. After repeated attacks, the surviving leaders come to the conclusion that a bomb is the only guarantee of survival. The opposition is quashed with ever growing brutality as the survivor regime becomes increasingly similar to North Korea: isolated, paranoid and nuclear-armed. Civil war and chaos In this scenario, regime forces are progressively and severely drained by weeks of bombing by the US and Israel, who are determined that the Islamic republic should not be left standing. After defections by some in the IRCG leadership and rank-and-file, protesters would return en masse to city streets, sensing their moment had finally come. Separatist movements representing Irans minorities would funnel in arms across frontiers left open by the US-Israeli targeting of border posts. Azeris are the countrys biggest minority, but the second-largest, the Kurds who make up between 5% and 10% of the population have historically been the most organised and militant. Ethno-nationalist groups have bases in the Kurdistan regional government in northern Iraq. There are also a range of small Baluchi separatist groups who have a long record of fighting the regime in the Sistan and Baluchestan province in the south-east. As postwar Iran frays at the borders, instability would spread along ethnic lines, or neighbouring states would seek to take advantage of Irans weakness. In the centre, Pahlavis followers would stake the monarchist claim to power, but would be disrupted by other opposition groups who have resisted the regime for decades and refuse to give up their vision of Irans future for returning exiles. In this increasingly chaotic scenario, the 440kg of HEU becomes a prize to be fought over, potentially with the intention of being sold abroad. This worst-case outcome is not generally seen as the most probable, but it is by no means impossible. Credit: U.S. Central Command After decapitating the Iranian regime, Donald Trump still was not satisfied. We havent even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasnt even happened. The big one is coming soon, the US president said on Monday. His comments did little to deter Tehran, which launched a fresh series of missile and drone attacks against its neighbours on Tuesday. Experts agreed that the big one is most likely to mean an escalation in US bombing sorties, or the deployment of the US air forces heaviest bomber, the B-52 Stratofortress. Sascha Bruchmann, a research fellow for defence at the office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Bahrain, said: The big one is a sustained bombing campaign via the strategic bomber fleet, so the B-1s, the B-2s and the B-52s. Last years Operation Midnight Hammer showed that the US air force can strike directly into the heart of Iran, and gives some clues about how the US might step up its campaign against the regime. The US has already attacked Iran using both its supersonic B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. With a crew of four and boasting top speeds around Mach 1.25 or one and a quarter times the speed of sound B-1 raids into Iran have so far been operated from the US mainland. Credit: USAF/WarLeaks This has been a point of contention between the US and the UK, with Washington reportedly wanting to base these aircraft at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, only for Sir Keir Starmer to refuse permission initially. The Prime Minister has since acceded to the request for defensive purposes. Lancer crews operated 37-hour missions to strike Iran and return to their home bases, according to Air and Space Forces magazine. B-2s usually operate from the state of Missouri, as they did last June when they struck Iranian nuclear complexes in the USs only offensive action in the Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran. During that raid, B-2s dropped 14 of the 30,000lb Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs. The venerable B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber carries up to 70,000lb (32 tonnes) of bombs in a single flight. Because of the sheer weight of ordnance aboard the 1950s-vintage machine, it is a slow and vulnerable aircraft. Thus it can only be flown on raids where no enemy air defences or interceptors are able to reach it. Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the USs joint chiefs of staff, announced on March 2 that local air superiority has been established over Iran. Gen Caine said in a Pentagon press briefing: This air superiority will not only enhance the protection of our forces but also allow them to continue the work over Iran. Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, says local air superiority has been established - Mark Schiefelbein/AP While the B-52 has a claimed combat range of around 8,800 miles without aerial refuelling, meaning it can strike Iran from home bases on the US mainland, carrying maximum payloads over the hot skies of the Middle East is likely to reduce that range. Yet while the Stratofortress is capable of moving a large quantity of bombs and dropping them on target, the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft might be used to drop the heaviest weapon in the USs aerial arsenal. The MOP weapon is so bulky that only a dedicated airlifter can haul it over its intended target. The US has access to two very large air-dropped bombs: the MOP and the Mother of All Bombs. Iain Ballantyne, editor of Warships International Fleet Review magazine, said: The most obvious thing that President Trump may mean by the big one is some kind of MOAB the Mother of All Bombs. The MOAB is the second-heaviest bomb ever delivered by air, weighing in at 21,715lb, a fraction below the British Grand Slam earthquake bomb of the Second World War, weighing in at 22,000lb. Credit: X/@Scavino47 US sources emphasise that the MOAB has more explosive weight than the Grand Slam, whose 10-tonne weight was mostly comprised of solid steel for penetrating deep into the ground before detonating beside bunkers and bridges, toppling those structures into the bombs crater. MOABs were used in anger during a 2017 air strike on an Islamic State tunnel complex in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The blast reportedly killed about 95 people. Weighing 27,125lb, the MOP is designed to penetrate and destroy hardened bunkers and similar facilities, resembling the Grand Slam in its purpose. IISSs Mr Bruchmann added on Tuesday: Last night, Centcom [US Central Command] said there was one B-1 bomber, and the night before there were four B-2s, who dropped heavier payloads, so 1,000 to 2,000lb bombs with some bunker-busting capabilities against those missile cities. Now that theres air dominance achieved, and weve seen US Reaper drones over cities, which you wouldnt have if there were some kind of air defences. Credit: Telewebion Mr Ballantyne added that the increased strikes would be co-ordinated with the US navy unleashing not only the USS Gerald R. Ford but also the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups both Tomahawk [missiles] from their destroyers and air wings along with possible bombardments by submarines. Irans nuclear facilities are prime targets for US air raids and disabling them is the stated aim. One such example is the nuclear facility at Natanz in the countrys central mountain range, which the US claims could enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels. Reza Najafi, Irans ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Monday: Again they attacked Irans peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday Natanz. Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters on Monday suggested the extent of damage at Natanz is unclear, however. Irans nuclear facility at Natanz. Tehran says it has been destroyed, but satellite imagery suggests the extent of the damage is unclear South of Fordow, which was struck last June, is Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, known as Pickaxe Mountain. The size and depth suggest it contains facilities with significant enrichment capacity that could rival or exceed the damaged underground plant, making it a prime target for US strikes. Iran has also built four underground missile cities since 2005, whose full specifications remain classified. They are believed to be in the Republics west. Weapons stockpiles have been targeted in the US and Israels air strikes. Experts consulted by The Telegraph were divided about how many missiles Iran has, with some estimates suggesting up to 770 had been fired by around lunchtime on Tuesday from a starting stockpile as large as 2,500 units. Other priority targets for the big one could involve a renewed series of attacks against Irans leadership. One expert said: Trump may have not tried to kill [all of the Iranian leadership] at the outset because he needs somebody to negotiate with. But now the gloves are off. Experts believe Irans rumoured purchase of an S400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia has not reached its shores. In a separate analysis published on Tuesday, the Rusi defence think tank claimed: This crisis can be directly traced to Moscows failure to deliver the advanced air system weaponry, especially the S400 air defence system that Tehran ordered, and the Russian specialists it needed. Further escalation beyond more intense aerial attacks appears unlikely in the short term, according to experts. But the possibility of heavier weapons being dropped on targets of interest cannot be ruled out. Meanwhile, on the topic of how long the war might last, Mr Trump told CNN: I dont want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And were a little ahead of schedule. Bill Clinton has revealed the surprisingly low number of emails that he has sent in his lifetime. On Thursday (26 February) Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, testified separately for six hours each in connection with a congressional probe into the investigations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. Videos of their individual sessions were released on Monday (2 March). During the deposition, the former president was quizzed on his email use, or apparent lack thereof. Asked if he ever sent an email, he said: I sent one email to John Glenn... when he was in space... and I sent [one] to...a ship...during the Kosovo War... Since then, I'm not sure I've sent one. Britain told Donald Trump to explain how his war against Iran is lawful after the US president launched another stinging attack on Sir Keir Starmer. In an unprecedented rift during a major, modern-day war between the UK and America, a Government minister said the so-called Special Relationship was now operating on a functional basis. Sir Keir refused to allow British bases to be used by US forces for the initial and offensive attacks on Iran, stressing he would not do so unless there was a lawful basis for doing so, as well as a thought-through plan on the conflict. However, in his third broadside at the Prime Minister, Trump said on Tuesday evening from the White House: "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with." Earlier, as US and Israeli airstrikes were escalating into a full-scale Middle East war, the US president tore into Sir Keir, telling The Sun: He has not been helpful. I never thought Id see that. I never thought Id see that from the UK. On Britain, he added: Its also not such a recognisable country. I mean, you look at what happened over the last period of time and its very different. London is a very different place, with a terrible Mayor. On the Special Relationship, Trump added, praising France and Germany as he hit out at the UK: This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe. Criticising the UK on immigration, the US president said: Stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you. Pressed on whether the Government was pandering to Muslim voters, Trump said it could be. The aftermath of a strike on a police station, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tehran on Monday, March 2 (via REUTERS) But Darren Jones, Chief Secretary in No10, hit back, telling Times Radio: I obviously disagree with those sentiments. The Prime Minister was very clear yesterday in the House of Commons that we will only engage British assets or British forces where there is a legal basis to do so, a clear plan for why we are doing it and if its in the interest of our country. Asked if the initial US/Israel airstrikes were legal, Mr Jones told Sky News: The Americans have got to set out the legal basis for their interventions. Strongly suggesting Britain did not believe the initial military action was lawful, he added: We were not involved in the first wave because it did not meet the tests that the Prime Minister set out. Speaking to LBC Radio, he stressed: Weve learnt the lessons from Iraq. Darren Jones, Chief Secretary in No10 (PA Wire) We dont want to go back into war in the Middle East where there is no clear plan and no legal basis to do so. Sir Keir announced on Sunday night that US forces would be able to use British bases for defensive purposes, such as targeting Iranian missile sites, on the basis of mutual self-defence after Tehran launched a wave of attacks which put UK citizens in danger. Updating MPs on Monday, the PM said his Government does not believe in regime change from the skies, in another apparent criticism of the US Presidents bombing campaign in the Middle East. Earlier, Trump had criticised Sir Keirs decision not to allow American jets to deploy from UK bases to undertake the strikes, telling the Telegraph he was very disappointed in the Prime Minister. UK bases are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. Sir Keir Starmer updated MPs on the Iran war (PA Wire) This is understood to include the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The conflict has spiralled, with a series of US airstrikes on Iran, while Israel targeted the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, allies of the Iranian regime. Tehran, meanwhile, launched strikes against Israel, and the oil and natural gas production facilities of Gulf states allied to the US. Plans have been drawn up to evacuate more than 100,000 Britons stranded in countries in the war zone. Some flights back to Heathrow have started to resume. America has told its citizens to leave a string of countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. As the number of travellers whose plans have been torn up due to the Gulf airspace closure continues to rise, British travellers stranded in locations around the world are having to dig deep to find alternative ways home. Gill and Alf Oliver, farmers from Market Bosworth in Leicestershire, have spent nearly 10,000 to return to the UK after their planned flights from Sydney to Doha on Qatar Airways and British Airways were grounded. When we were looking at prices, it really felt as though airlines were cashing in on the situation, Ms Oliver said. Wed been having a fantastic holiday since 31 January: a road trip from Sydney up to Cairns. Then Mr Trump decided he was going to bomb Iran, and the Middle East has been in chaos ever since. As far as we were aware, our flights were cancelled. So we started looking at alternatives, but of course, everyone else was doing the same and flights were disappearing quickly. We decided the best option was to go the other way around the world. We immediately applied for an Esta [Electronic System for Travel Authorisation] to travel via America. The couple eventually found seats on Qantas from Sydney to San Francisco, with a British Airways connection to London Heathrow. Although they flew out in business class, they had to return in premium economy. Going nowhere: Gill Oliver, passenger to London on Emirates, at Sydney airport spent nearly 10,000 to get home (Simon Calder) Weve had to dip into our savings. About 9,500 for the two of us, Ms Oliver said. It was my birthday yesterday and Id been looking forward to a lovely day. Instead, we were panicking about what to do and waiting for confirmation that wed been cleared to travel through the United States. Its just frustrating all the extra hours of travel. The additional distance of a trans-Pacific connection, compared with a flight via the Gulf, is 2,000 miles roughly four hours in the air. The first few flights carrying passengers have started to leave Dubai International airport as well as Abu Dhabi. But Qatar Airways has still not resumed services from its hub, Doha. The carrier says it will give another update at 6am GMT on Wednesday. Despite some suggestions that normal services are likely soon to resume, it will take many days to get operations to a point where passengers can get on a plane in Sydney and know there will be a connection for them to, say, Manchester. The Gulf airlines will not want any transit passengers flying to their hubs unless their connections are guaranteed to take them away after a couple of hours. Going places: Passengers at Australia's busiest air hub, Sydney airport (Simon Calder) So the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better, as half-a-million passengers per day are having their travel plans torn up. Angela Mayhew and Sue Tannock, from Shropshire, have been waiting in and around Sydney airport for the past three days. Ms Tannock said: We arrived here on Saturday night to catch a 9pm Emirates flight to Dubai. They boarded us onto the plane and we sat there for four hours. Then they took us off and told us they couldnt fly. It took about another three hours to get through the airport and then we were told there was nothing they could do and that we needed to find our own way home. The pair spent almost 700 each for flights home to the UK via China. It seems the safest way to go, said Ms Tannock. It was the only flight we could get. Also at Sydney airport , surrounded by luggage after a two-month trip, were Keith Wood and his wife, Jan. The couple are from Northern Ireland and were planning to fly via the Gulf to Dublin. Mr Wood said: Unfortunately, we dont have an onward flight booked yet. Were waiting for confirmation from our travel agent about how well get from Sydney back home to Dublin. As it stands, we have no flight and no accommodation and were waiting for further instructions. There are hundreds of thousands of other people in the same position, so were in a queue. That doesnt help much when youre sitting in Sydney airport in the evening with no guaranteed flight or accommodation. We understand there are many others affected, so were trying to be sympathetic. Well see what happens in the next few hours. Ideally, our travel agent will confirm a hotel for tonight and book us on a flight to San Francisco tomorrow morning, then on to Chicago, then to Dublin, and finally back up to Belfast. Its a much longer journey than simply flying directly from here. As Mr Wood spoke, a glance from the terminal window showed an Emirates Airbus A380 across the airfield, waiting for the skies of Dubai to reopen. As Gill Oliver prepared for her long trip, she said: Were relieved that weve actually managed to get flights, but also really, really angry. I feel so sorry for the thousands of Europeans who are probably panicking those over in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere desperately looking for flights home and unable to find them, or finding that theyre just too expensive. Its especially awful for young backpackers travelling on their own who dont have the funds to pay for new flights. We really feel for them. Read more: Iran-US war latest The SNP and Tories have attacked the Chancellor for choosing not to axe the energy windfall tax in her spring statement. The two parties have been calling for Rachel Reeves to end the Energy Profits Levy something Labour expanded when it won the last general election. Industry bodies have warned the tax is costing the North Sea oil and gas sector jobs, while harming the economy and tax intake. The Conservatives warned Labour they had missed an opportunity to reset the dial in the North Sea. Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison said she was disappointed the Chancellor did not axe the windfall tax (Mike Boyd/PA) (Mike Boyd) The Scottish Government urged the UK Government to change its position. Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: It is very disappointing that the Chancellor does not appear to have heeded repeated warnings from across the energy industry on the urgent need to remove the tax grab on Scotlands energy. When she meets North Sea industry leaders, she must announce an end to this tax on Scotlands energy to prevent further loss of jobs and investment. In order to provide the necessary certainty and stability, an immediate end date needs to be legislated on at the earliest possible opportunity. Amid continued global instability, many households and businesses will be looking for reassurance that their costs wont increase further. Fuel duty is a key concern and the Chancellor has failed to provide that reassurance. This emphasises the need to urgently engage in meaningful four-nations discussions on motoring taxation, as we have repeatedly called for. Families will also be worried about increased energy bills given the ongoing international situation, which risks worsening a situation in which people are already struggling to pay their bills. Again, it is disappointing that the Chancellor appeared to have no answers for those households. Andrew Bowie urged the Chancellor to back the North Sea oil and gas industry (Andrew Milligan/PA) (Andrew Milligan) Andrew Bowie, the Tories shadow energy minister, said the conflict in the Middle East showed why the UK had to prioritise its own energy. He said: When the minister comes to cut the ribbon on the GB Energy office in Aberdeen, they might as well switch the lights off. Itll save them some money. This was an opportunity for Labour to reset the dial when it comes to North Sea oil and gas. Events in the Middle East over the past few days have shown domestic energy security to be crucial. So, the complete black hole of activity toward ditching the Energy Profits Levy, even just making it easier for companies to operate from Britain, has shown this Governments path will not change. Even when the levy runs dry, making pennies, Labour will be there to collect. But thats a Keir Starmer Government for you. During her statement, Ms Reeves insisted her plan for the economy was working to restore stability in an uncertain world. She outlined updated growth forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, which downgraded growth for 2026 to 1.1%, from 1.4%. The next two years are expected to see slightly higher growth with the Chancellor saying the overall economic outlook remains largely unchanged. The Scottish Chamber of Commerce described the spring statement as a fiscal non-event (Danny Lawson/PA) (Danny Lawson) The Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) welcomed the Chancellors steady statement but described it as a fiscal non-event. Charandeep Singh, SCC chief executive, said: While new policy announcements might make for more exciting headlines, recent experience shows that volatility in fiscal policy can undermine business confidence, force employers to scale back their expansion plans, and have adverse impacts on jobs and wages. That is why entrepreneurs will welcome this fiscal non-event. Predictability allows businesses to plan, invest, and grow and that, in itself, is economically valuable. Mr Singh added: The autumn budget must be the moment to move from stability to strategy: SCC will call on the Treasury to deliver a clear, long-term fiscal framework that restores competitiveness, strengthens energy security, and unlocks investment. The Federation of Small Businesses warned the Chancellor that her spring statement would not address the increasing costs facing firms. Guy Hinks, the groups chair, said: The small businesses which are the backbone of the Scottish economy need to see measures to ease these enormous cost pressures in order to support jobs and growth. Given the global events of recent days, if there is another energy price crisis, the UK Government must stand ready to support small business energy consumers with similar measures to those introduced in the last price spike. Closer to home, we have set out a range of practical steps the next Scottish Government can take in our Scottish Election 2026 manifesto to support our 370,000-plus small businesses with their costs burden. President Xi will attend the Two Sessions, which are concurrent gatherings of the National Peoples Congress and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body. Photograph: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images (Photograph: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) The standing committee of Chinas top political advisory body has voted to remove three generals from its ranks as a sweeping purge of the military continues before this weeks annual Two Sessions gathering. The advisory body will meet on Wednesday, while Chinas legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC) which removed nine generals last week will start its annual session on Thursday. Collectively the concurrent meetings are referred to as Two Sessions, one of the most important events in Chinas political calendar when thousands of delegates arrive in Beijing. Of the two gatherings, the NPC is more important. It has the power to amend the constitution, appoint people to political offices, enact laws and approve the budget. In 2018 it was the NPC that amended Chinas constitution to scrap term limits for the president, and in 2023 the NPC subsequently elected Xi Jinping to that office for an unprecedented third term. However, in modern China, the Chinese Communist party (CCP) is more powerful than any organ of the state, and the NPC is in effect a rubber-stamp parliament, having never voted down any item on its agenda. The real decision-making is done by the CCP at separate meetings. The spectre of military purges will hang over this weeks meetings. Xi recently placed his top general, Zhang Youxia, under investigation for suspected corruption, a highly unusual move that was made after years of increasing turmoil in the worlds biggest armed forces. A recent paper published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, found that more than 100 senior officers had been purged or potentially purged since 2022, a tally that researchers have described as staggering. Xis military purges will leave empty seats where senior officers once sat a stark reminder that political loyalty is non-negotiable and that even top generals are expendable if they displease the top leader, said Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society thinktank. Still, the opening of the Two Sessions on Wednesday and the NPC on Thursday will be full of pomp and circumstance. The NPC is the forum in which the government releases its annual work report, outlining goals for the year ahead, including the GDP growth target, which this year is expected to drop below 5% for the first time. But this years session is also particularly important because it marks the official launch of the 15th five-year plan, the economic document that outlines Beijings priorities for 2026-2030. This is going to be an unusually busy Two Sessions, said Ruby Osman, a senior policy adviser at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. The Two Sessions usually tell us what Beijing wants to do over the next 12 months. This year, theyll also set out a much bigger strategy for navigating a decisive period of geopolitical and technological change, she said. Osman added that there was likely to be a mismatch in the priorities of the annual government work report and the longer-term goals of the five-year plan, which will make clear that Beijing sees innovative capacity and the ability to shield itself from US pressures as Chinas real structural challenge. The 2026-30 window is a key time frame for Chinas strategic goals. Xi wants the military to be capable of a successful assault on Taiwan by 2027, and needs an economy that is self-sufficient and resilient against potential sanctions to support that scenario. Taiwan is a self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory, and it has not ruled out the use of force to reunify it with the CCP-ruled Peoples Republic of China. To that end, the 15th five-year plan is expected to focus on industrial self-reliance. China wants to boost its ability to domestically produce the most advanced semiconductors, blunting the force of US sanctions designed to hold back Chinas technological progress, particularly when it comes to artificial intelligence and military applications. Outside of political intrigue, this years Two Sessions will reveal a number of economic indicators for the year ahead. The most important is the annual GDP growth target, which is expected to be about 4.5% this year, the first time it has dropped below 5%. Analysts say this reflects a shift in Beijings priorities towards technological self-reliance even if it comes at the expense of rapid growth. That may be suited to what Beijing considers an uncertain geopolitical future, particularly with regards to the US. But Chinas domestic problems, such as high levels of youth unemployment and an ageing society, will not be cured by a doubling down on niche, specialist sectors, while major other parts of the economy, such as real estate, continue to flail. Comedian Paul Elliott, best known as one half of the Chuckle Brothers, will set off on a journey across the length of the UK as part of a charity thank you tour. Paul Chuckle is marking 40 years of Marie Curies Great Daffodil Appeal and hopes to raise 40,000. On Tuesday, the 78-year-old will set off from John OGroats on his journey down to Lands End. Along the way, he will be meeting people while riding a yellow Daff bike a Marie Curie-branded version of the famous two-seater Chuckle bike. Marie Curie cared for Pauls brother Barry at the end of his life (Artur Tixiliski/Marie Curie/PA) (Artur Tixiliski/Marie Curie) The comedian has been an official ambassador for Marie Curie since October 2016 and the charitys nurses provided end-of-life care to his brother, Barry, who died from bone cancer aged 73 in 2018. The charity appeal supports those with terminal illnesses and their families. Paul said: Im incredibly proud to be a Marie Curie ambassador. Marie Curie helped care for my brother Barry at the end of his life in 2018, so its a charity very close to my heart. When you think about it, theres only one chance to give someone the best possible end of life. He continued: Thats why the Great Daffodil Appeal is so important. Every penny raised will help Marie Curie provide expert end-of-life care and support to people with a terminal illness and those close to them. So, when I heard it was the 40th anniversary of the Great Daffodil Appeal, I knew I wanted to do something big and something fun. Whilst Id love to be able to cycle the iconic John OGroats to Lands End route like so many incredible fundraisers do, Im really excited to get to travel the route with the Daff bike, raise lots of money for the charity and meet as many Marie Curie supporters, volunteers and staff as possible to say a huge thank you from me to you! Matthew Reed, chief executive officer at Marie Curie, said: Every three minutes, someone dies without the end-of-life care they need. The Great Daffodil Appeal gives Marie Curie the chance to provide expert end-of-life care and support to more people, whatever their illness. Care that protects someones dignity instead of leaving them alone or in avoidable pain. A huge thank you to Paul for taking on this mammoth tour of the UK and thank you to our loyal supporters and volunteers for the last 40 years of support for the Great Daffodil Appeal. The UK has agreed to a US request to use British military bases for defensive strikes on Irans missile strikes, bringing the country closer to the conflict which escalated rapidly over the weekend. Airstrikes have spread across the Middle East after the US and Israel carried out attacks on Iran on Saturday, which were followed by retaliatory Iranian strikes on targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. Blasts continue to be reported across the region, as America and Israel maintain airstrikes on Iranian targets. The countrys supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a targeted attack on Saturday, and top officials have vowed not to negotiate with the United States. Britain did not join the US in joint airstrikes over the weekend, a decision which US president Donald Trump said he was very disappointed with. In a Commons statement Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. (House of Commons) In a Commons statement Sir Keir said: President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. In a statement to MPs, the prime minister said that decision was deliberate and I stand by it. He added that we all remember the mistakes of Iraq adding any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan. Around 300,000 Britons are understood to be in countries targeted by Iran, with with 102,000 registered with the Foreign Office for updates. Officials are reportedly examining all options, including a potential mass evacuation. Could an Iranian strike hit the UK? As the UK is drawn further into the conflict, some in Britain are naturally concerned about the potential for the fallout to reach the mainland. This is very unlikely, experts say, as Irans offensive capabilities are not assessed as long-reaching enough to hit Britain. Vuk Vuksanovic, associate at foreign policy think tank LSE IDEAS, said: There is no evidence that Iran has the capacity to attack the US or UK mainland. Iran, with its missile and drone capability, does have the capacity to strike US and UK military outposts in the wider Middle East, including the Gulf and the Levant. A Fighter Jet takes off from the U.K.'s RAF Akrotiri air base after it was hit by a drone strike early morning near Limassol, Cyprus, Monday, March, 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Intelligence from the US-based Foundation for Defence of Democracies indicates that Irans furthest-reaching warhead is the Khorramshahr 4 missile. The missile can potentially hit targets from 2,000km to 3,000km away. This is a long range, spanning several countries, but not enough to bridge the 5,000km distance to the UK. Dr Marion Messmer, director, International Security, Chatham House, said: From what we know about Irans missile capabilities, [an attack on the UK is] not possible. Other parts of Europe could be at risk, but the UK is out of range. As for UK citizens in areas closer to the conflict, Iran is understood to have sent two drones to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Monday, which were intercepted. Another drone hit the UK base overnight with no casualties and limited damage, according to Cypriot authorities. Cristiano Ronaldo remains in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr undergoing rehabilitation for an injury despite reports his private jet has left the country amid the Middle East conflict. It was reported on Tuesday that a jet owned by the 41-year-old left Saudi Arabia on Monday night. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf states with United States military bases on their soil, has been the target of retaliatory strikes by Iran after the United States and Israel launched an attack on Saturday. || Medical Report: Cristiano Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/noYmYjKknT AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) March 3, 2026 However, Ronaldo remains in the country, with his club Al Nassr first posting an image of the Portuguese superstar in training ahead of a home match against Neom on Saturday and then revealing he would have to spend time on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury suffered in the weekend win at Al Fayha. The game against Neom is set to be played in Riyadh, where it was reported on Tuesday the US Embassy had been hit by Iranian drones. In the United Arab Emirates another country targeted by Iran players were forced to evacuate the court at an ATP Challenger event after a drone attack on a nearby oil terminal. The ATP later confirmed play at the Fujairah Challenger had been suspended for the day following a security alert. In line with established security protocols, play was immediately halted and players, officials and staff were directed to designated safe areas, an ATP spokesperson said. EVACUACION EN PLENO PARTIDO Un encuentro del Challenger de Fujairah, Emiratos Arabes Unidos, fue suspendido luego de que se escucharan explosiones cerca del predio. Imagenes que asustan: jugadores y oficiales abandonaron la cancha corriendo. pic.twitter.com/9kcmpLEzd9 Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) March 3, 2026 The health, safety and well-being of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority. Following consultation with local authorities and security advisors, play has been cancelled for the remainder of the day as a precautionary measure. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as appropriate. Two Futures tournaments scheduled to be played in Fujairah later this month have been cancelled due to the conflict. The England Lions squad and staff have, meanwhile, returned safely to the UK from Abu Dhabi. After cancelling a scheduled second 50-over match against Pakistan Shaheens on Saturday night following official Government advice, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the Lions squad and staff had now all made it back home safely. England Lions squads! Weve named our T20 and 50-over squads for the Lions upcoming white-ball tour vs Pakistan Shaheens England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 28, 2026 We can confirm that the England Mens Lions squad and UK-based coaching staff left Abu Dhabi this morning and are now safely back in the UK, a statement from the ECB read. We are grateful to all those who provided assistance and advice while the squad were in Abu Dhabi, and who helped ensure their safe return. UEFA is also keeping a close eye on developments with a number of upcoming matches potentially affected. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed the United Kingdom will send helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and a warship to protect British military personnel in Cyprus after after RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone. Crystal Palace are scheduled to play the away leg of their Conference League last-16 clash at the home of Cypriot side AEK Larnaca on Thursday, March 19th. Crystal Palace face potential disruption to their European fixture (Adam Davy/PA) (Adam Davy) A number of airlines have cancelled flights between the UK and Cyprus. A UEFA spokesperson said: UEFA is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with participating teams and local authorities where necessary. All matches due to take place in Europe in the upcoming weeks are currently planned to be played as scheduled. The Middle East conflict could have an impact on the Finalissima match between European champions Spain and South American champions Argentina, scheduled to be played in Qatar on March 27. Qatar, the host nation for the 2022 World Cup finals, is another Gulf nation which Iran has targeted. The spokesperson added: With regards to the Finalissima scheduled for 27 March, UEFA is monitoring and carefully assessing all developments of the situation in cooperation with CONMEBOL and the LOC. Lionel Messi lifts the Finalissima 2022 trophy (Zac Goodwin/PA) (Zac Goodwin) Irans womens football team opted not to sing the countrys national anthem when they lined up against South Korea in the Asian Cup in Australia on Monday. Iran lost the match 3-0 and will play the hosts in their second group match on Thursday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged UN member states to ensure athletes have safe passage to the Winter Paralympics, which begins on Friday in Italy. It said: We appeal to all UN Member States to support athletes who have qualified for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, and who may be affected by the most recent conflicts, in their journey to these Games. The Paralympics are governed by a separate body, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), but the aspirational and non-binding Olympic Truce Resolution, tabled by the host nation and adopted by the UN member states, covers both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The IOC holds Permanent Observer status at the UN but has no means of enforcing the resolution. Cyprus hits out at UK after drone attack on British base and refuses to rule out changing agreement Cyprus has claimed that the British governments poor communication caused a drone attack on the UK base in the country, dragging them into the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The government in Nicosia also refused to rule out renegotiating the use of RAF Akrotiri, one of two bases the British have maintained since the end of colonial rule of the island in 1960. Government spokesperson for Cyprus, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, told reporters on Monday: This is something that we must say we view with dissatisfaction... There was no clear clarification that the British bases in Cyprus would under no circumstances be used for any purpose other than humanitarian reasons in Sundays statement by the UK prime minister. A drone struck RAF Akrotiri shortly after midnight on Monday, causing minor material damage to an aircraft hangar. Another two drones were intercepted by British warplanes around midday on Monday after they were scrambled from the airbase. Senior Cypriot officials say the attack was carried out by an Iranian Shahed drone, most likely fired by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah from Lebanon, although the source of the strike remains unconfirmed. An emergency vehicle passes by the entrance of RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus, which was hit by an unmanned drone overnight on Monday (Reuters) The officials have stressed that the base considered sovereign British territory rather than Cyprus, was the target. Cyprus has asked Britain that the bases only be used for humanitarian purposes. Britain said on Sunday that it had accepted a US request to use its military bases for defensive strikes against Iran, a day after the launch of a US and Israeli military campaign against Iran, which triggered Iranian retaliation. Sir Keir Starmer later said the UKs bases on Cyprus were not being used by US bombers. According to Politico, Mr Letymbiotis said that Cyprus was making a formal diplomatic complaint, adding: All necessary steps will be taken to communicate our dissatisfaction, both with the way this message was communicated and the fact that yesterday there was no timely warning to citizens of Cyprus living near the Akrotiri bases. Air bases have been struck, including the one in Cyprus, as Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon seek reprisals from attacks by Israel and the US (AP) Asked whether Cyprus will look to renegotiate the status of the bases, the spokesperson replied: In this context, we are not ruling anything out. The semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said on Tuesday that France now plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus, an EU member, which currently holds the blocs rotating presidency. It follows Greeces offer of assistance on Monday. The strike marked the first time a British base in Cyprus had been hit since Libyan militants launched a rocket attack in 1986. The Independent has approached the UK government for comment. A Georgia jury has found Colin Gray guilty on all charges related to his actions of failing to stop his teenage son from carrying out a mass shooting at Apalachee High School that killed two students and two teachers in 2024. The verdict was reached on Tuesday, after just a few hours of deliberations by the jury and two weeks of witness testimony. Colin Gray was convicted on all 27 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter, tied to prosecutors claim that he knowingly allowed his troubled son access to firearms and ammunition before the mass shooting. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He now faces 10 to 30 years in prison on each murder charge and 1 to 10 years on each manslaughter charge. His son Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the September 4, 2024, shooting, is accused of bringing an AR-15-style rifle his father had given him for Christmas to school and killing two students - Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Another teacher and eight other students were wounded. Colt, now 16, faces 55 felony counts, including murder and aggravated assault. He has pleaded not guilty and a date for his trial has not yet been set. Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, listens during his trial last month. He has been found guilty on all charges (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Colin Gray could have prevented an attack, Barrow County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Brooks said in her closing argument. After seeing sign after sign of his sons deteriorating mental state, his violence, his school shooter obsession, the defendant had sufficient warning that his son was a bomb just waiting to go off, Brooks told jurors on Monday. And instead of disarming him, he gave him the detonator. In the defense closing argument, Jimmy Berry agreed that what the dad knew ahead of time was of paramount importance in the case. Thats real important because that really is the key to this case, is what did he know?, he said. Did he know that Colt would do this? Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the September 4, 2024, shooting, is accused of bringing a rifle his father had given him for Christmas to school and killing two students and two teachers (Barrow County Sheriffs Office) The trial On the stand, Colin Gray broke down when asked if he ever saw red flags. No, I struggle with it every day, he said. Hes a good kid to do something that heinous I dont know if anybody could ever see that kind of evil. The Colt I knew there was this whole other side of Colt I didnt know existed. Asked if he tried to help his son, Gray said: I did, I just wanted him okay. Under cross-examination, he acknowledged that multiple firearms were stored unsecured in a closet and that Colt sometimes kept the rifle in his bedroom. Prosecutors highlighted a text message from Colt weeks before the shooting: Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands. Jurors also saw body-camera footage from May 2023, when deputies visited the home after an FBI tip about an online threat to shoot up a school. The threat could not be substantiated, and Gray bought the rifle later that year. District Attorney Brad Smith, left, points to a weapon that was displayed on the screen during the first day of the trial of Colin Gray (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) During closing arguments, prosecutors showed jurors images of students barricading classroom doors and wounded teenagers being helped after 41 seconds of gunfire. Those 41 seconds forever altered the lives of the students of Apalachee High School, their parents and everyone in this community, Brooks said. Berry urged jurors not to decide the case on emotion and argued the shooting was impossible to foresee. Who would be able to foresee that a 14-year-old is going to take a rifle, as big as it is, as heavy as it is, and stick it in a book bag, get on a bus, come to school, walk down the hall, go to class, put it down on the floor and not one single person sees it? he said. How foreseeable is that? Prosecutors countered with surveillance video showing Colt boarding a school bus with a backpack concealing the rifle, walking through hallways unnoticed, and spending time in a bathroom shortly before opening fire. Students testified through tears about being shot in algebra class, seeing classmates bleeding, and believing they might die. In rebuttal, prosecutors said only one person had the full picture. The only person who knew every single dot, the only person who knew how much access Colt had to firearms and ammunition, is that man, Brooks said. The individuals at the school only had minutes to connect the dots. The defendant had years and he did nothing. Brooks told jurors that Colin Gray shares the blame and called his actions criminally negligent, urging convictions for murder and manslaughter. That man was the one person who could have prevented this mass shooting, she said. The blood is on their hands. Berry argued Colt was smart and manipulative, hiding his intentions from his father and others. He never in a million years thought that this son that he loved was going to turn out to be a monster that killed these people, Berry added. The case is part of a growing national effort to hold parents criminally responsible when warning signs precede school shootings, following the convictions of James and Jennifer Crumbley, whose then-15-year-old son Ethan killed four students in 2021 at his high school in Michigan. Gray testified that he gave his son a rifle to bond over hunting and trips to the gun range. Prosecutors argued that decision was reckless given what they described as Colts spiraling mental health and violent fixation. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of 2021 school shooter Ethan Crumbley, are the first parents in the U.S. to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting (AP) Colt Gray had an interest in Nikolas Cruz, convicted in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people (AP) The jurors also heard how Colt Gray had an interest in Nikolas Cruz, convicted in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, his mother, Marcee Gray, testified. Colt kept what prosecutors called a shrine of Cruz that included photos and news articles on his bedroom wall, according to evidence presented in court. Marcee Gray said she urged her husband to lock up the guns, but witnesses testified that in the days before the shooting, Colt kept the rifle in his bedroom. I never thought that he would even have a thought process of bringing a gun to school or doing any kind of harm to anybody else. Well, on anybody at school, Colin Gray told jurors during his testimony. Colts parents were separated, and Marcee Gray was not charged. Who were the victims of the Apalachee school shooting? Two students and two teachers were killed in the Apalachee school shooting in 2024. Christian Angulo has been described by friends and family as a beautiful soul who was loved by so many. Following the shooting, his sister, Lisette Angulo, shared the familys heartbreak and shock over his death in a GoFundMe. Unfortunately my baby brother was one of the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School, she confirmed. He was only 14 years old. He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected. We are truly heartbroken. He really didnt deserve this. Christian Angulo, one of the students killed in the 2024 school shooting, was described by friends and family as a beautiful soul (Supplied) Ivonne Lizbeth Infante, who said Angulo is her boyfriends nephew, also paid tribute to the teenager on Facebook, calling him a very sweet and kind young man. Always loved having him and his family over and our weekend trips to Costco, she added. He loved to play with our baby girl. I will forever be grateful for the love and the time spent with us. He didnt deserve this, none of them did. Mason Schermerhorn, who was autistic, was another student killed in the shooting. A family friend, Doug Kilburn, told The New York Times that the teenager really enjoyed life and always had an upbeat attitude about everything. He enjoyed spending time with his family, playing video games, telling jokes and taking trips to Walt Disney World, the paper reported. Mason Schermerhorn, 14, was identified by his family as one of the victims of the shooting at Apalachee High School (Social media) Richard Aspinwall was a 39-year-old married father of two and a math teacher at the school. He died while protecting his students, according to a GoFundMe that was set up for his family at the time. A tribute to the teacher, who also coached the school football team, posted on Facebook said the fundraiser would go towards supporting his wife and two daughters. We are all in shock over the news that Ricky Aspinwall lost his life protecting his students, the page, set up by Julie Woodson, reads. It has so far raised more than $100,000. Richard Aspinwall, a math teacher at Apalachee High School who was killed in the 2024 mass shooting (Apalachee High School) One person who knew him said: Coach Aspinwall was a really good coach and he has a good heart. My condolences to his wife and his loved ones and especially his two little girls. Another commented: Senseless tragedy! One of my sons [sic] best friends and an all round great guy with a family. What is wrong with this world! Praying for his beautiful family and friends. Christina Irimie, 53, was also a math teacher at the school. She was described as a beloved teacher, wife, daughter and friend on a GoFundMe page launched to help her family cover funeral expenses. She dedicated her life to shaping the minds and hearts of students and the community. Irimie was also described as an incredible teacher by a friend in a post on Facebook. Christina Irimie, was another math teacher killed at Apalachee high school in 2024 (apalachee high school) Christina Irimie was an incredible teacher. I feel blessed to have known her, but she went into her school building today, to teach math because she was amazing at it, and she will never come home to her family and friends, the friend wrote. Do something for Ms. Irimie.Take action for our kids AND the teachers and staff that care about them so much. (Getty Images) No one can fault Professor Doyne Farmers ambition. The American economist is confident that, with the right funding, he can build a computer simulator of the worlds economy. As it sounds, this is no mean feat. Inside a computer system, Farmer would place agents, representing every business and country in the world. These agents would be left to play out real-world circumstances simulating decades of economic activity. This isnt just a fun sandbox experiment either. With its exciting potential for predicting climate technologies development, it could just save the planet too. Oxford-based Farmer is an economist by trade, but his analytical mind took him to fascinating places before arriving at green economics. When studying at the University of California, I led an effort to beat roulette, he says. It involved Farmer and friends building a computer that helped predict the outcome of roulette in Las Vegas casinos. The winnings, his website maintains, would have gone towards research projects. Though their prize money was minimal mostly because they feared being beaten up by the Mob it confirmed Farmers love of prediction. Professor Doyne Farmer (Supplied) After running a successful quant firm in the 1990s, Farmer became more interested in complexity economics. Unlike mainstream modelling, complexity economics takes irrationality into account. In decades gone by standard economic models have used agents in their systems that could only make rational decisions. This makes the sums easier to work out, but at the expense of accuracy, Farmer argues. Its not considered a kosher way to build a model, says Farmer. You cant even publish papers in so-called top economics journals based on this idea We think it holds a lot of promise. We can challenge standard macro economics models. Farmers proposed super-simulator would be driven by these complex models. We would put people, firms, banks and governments inside a computer and find ways of representing interactions within the market, he continues. For example, how households will buy goods from certain firms. Well then simulate all this stuff and make it as realistic as possible with the available data. Then well run the model day by day, month by month, quarter by quarter. Farmer hopes to be able to more accurately predict the cost and usage of green energy sources, like wind farms (PA Wire) But how would having more accurate predictions of the worlds economy help save the environment? It allows us to get to a world [where climate technologies are cheaper] faster and more cost effectively, Farmer argues. If Farmer and his team can confidently predict that solar and wind power will be cheaper than fossil fuels by 2050, then companies and countries will follow the money. In 2022, Farmer and his colleagues published a study that argues a rapid change to green energy sources would save the global economy trillions. Farmers recent project focus on the worlds energy sector. In such a volatile world, building models predicting climate economics seems impossible, especially with Donald Trump leading the US. Last week saw the biggest backtracking on climate policy yet from the White House. Donald Trump is a bump in the road, says Farmer. But hes just one force among many. The Chinese are going gangbusters now. Europes still pretty strong. The rest of the world is doing it. And we forecast that by 2050 solar and wind will supply most of the worlds electricity. At 73, Farmer is in the twilight years of his career. His simulator could shine a crucial light on a greener future. Leon Black, furthest right, at a conference in Los Angeles in 2010. Lawyers for Black rejected the claims made in Wigdors suit. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images (Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images) A law firm that represented multiple women who accused former Jeffrey Epstein associate Leon Black of sexual misconduct alleged in a Manhattan civil suit on Monday that the powerful financier deployed multiple frivolous and malicious lawsuits as retaliation for representing these accusers. Wigdor LLP claimed Black, who co-founded and formerly chaired Apollo Global Management, tried to use his billions to buy his own form of justice and to weaponize the civil justice system to silence and destroy those who seek to hold him to account for alleged sexual assault. Black has emphatically denied all wrongdoing. Lawyers for Black also strongly disputed the claims made in Wigdors suit. This lawsuit is another bogus attempt by Wigdor to attack Mr Black under false pretenses, said Blacks attorney, Susan Estrich of Estrich Goldin. One of the three lawsuits cited by Wigdor involved Black accuser Guzel Ganieva, who sued him in June 2021 alleging that he violently sexually assaulted her for years. Black sued Ganieva and Wigdor, who represented her at the time, that October, claiming they conspired to harm him; this civil action was dismissed. Ganievas civil suit against Black was also dismissed. Wigdors suit against Black, filed in New York county supreme court, cites recently disclosed Epstein investigative files that appear to show Epstein plotting with the powerful Wall Street lawyer Brad Karp to try to arrange Ganievas deportation. While Epstein and Karps discussions did not result in deportation, these 2015 emails also reveal discussions about coordinated surveillance on Ganieva and whether she could be jailed. Epstein on 29 July 2015 wrote to Karp: Is it possible for your contacts to 1 get her current visa status ? 2. Is there a way for us to file something that would revoke a tourist visa? Several hours later, Karp responded: Both good ideas; will work on this. These messages indicated that the woman was bothering an Epstein associate with the name Leon. Epstein said on 16 August 2015: can you tell me for certain that if leon decides enough is enough, ( she has not responded to an email from him that says i am checking on you). that you and lorin can have her arrested.!! fed extortion, high bail. . maybe deportation? While Lorins surname is not mentioned in these documents, a lawyer with the name Lorin Reisner, who went to the white-shoe firm Paul Weiss approximately a year before these Epstein-Karp exchanges, had previously led the Manhattan federal prosecutor offices criminal section. Karp suggested in an email that Lorins connections might move the needle in regards to Ganieva. Ill check again with lorin, but my strong belief is that the answer is yes. Especially with the referral coming from the most recent head of the sdny usao, Karp said on 16 August 2015. Karp stepped down from his top role at Paul Weiss earlier this year after his correspondence with Epstein surfaced. Neither Karp, Reisner nor Paul Weiss immediately responded to a request for comment. They also did not respond to prior requests for comment on the Guardians 10 February story detailing Epstein and Karps communications about deportation. Wigdor claims Blacks lawsuits violate New York states anti-Slapp (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, which is designed to protect individuals and organizations from frivolous lawsuits. The complaint states that of the three lawsuits Black filed against the firm, two were dismissed and one is still pending. Wigdor alleges that Blacks lawsuits tried thwarting accusers rights to free speech and that the firm suffered reputational harm due to Blacks lawsuits. Punishing lawyers for the clients they represent subverts not only the administration of justice but also the principle of equality under the law, and, thus, the American legal system, the complaint states. Blacks ties to Epstein have drawn renewed attention in recent months as he was repeatedly mentioned in the recently released Epstein files. For example, Black appears on a page titled PROMINENT NAMES in an FBI presentation about Epsteins case. It remains unclear for whom this presentation was made, and the slideshow does not indicate whether authorities verified any allegations against these men. Black has not been charged with any crimes related to Epstein. Estrich also noted last month that Black asked for an independent investigation of his relationship with Epstein. The Dechert law firm investigated and reviewed more than 60,000 documents, interviewed more than 20 people and concluded that Mr Black paid Epstein for estate planning and tax advice and that he had no awareness of Epsteins criminal activities, Estrich said. Estrich also previously said: There is absolutely no truth to any of the allegations against Mr Black. Under Blacks name, the document referenced allegations that Epstein had reportedly told [name redacted] to give Black a massage while Black was naked. An accuser stated another female gave Black a massage and he made her perform oral sex. Blacks team said Wigdors suit was an effort to redeem itself for unsuccessful lawsuits against Black. The facts are quite simple. Wigdor has abused the legal system, manipulated the media, and they are desperate to avoid being held accountable for their own failings, said Estrich. There have only been three lawsuits filed against Mr Black all by Wigdor and all have failed one case has been dismissed, the other withdrawn, and the Jane Doe case is facing a motion for case terminating sanctions. Wigdor was fired by Guzel Ganieva and ceased representation of Jane Doe in an attempt to avoid being sanctioned. Asked for comment on Blacks statement, Raymond Audain, the attorney representing Wigdor, said: This case is about whether wealthy individuals can weaponize the justice system to silence not just their accusers, but also the attorneys who represent them. While too many foundational American institutions have been coopted and corrupted by billionaires, our courts have, thankfully, remained guarantors of equal justice, said Audain, a partner at Giskan Solotaroff & Anderson. Retaliating against lawyers for representing survivors subverts not just the principle of equality under the law, but also the American legal system. In January 2023, Black agreed to pay $62.5m to the US Virgin Islands, as to be released from any possible legal claims related to local authorities investigation of Epsteins sex trafficking in the territory. The Senate finance committee said in March 2025 that they had encountered documents indicating that Black, who claimed he had hired Epstein for tax and estate planning advice, paid him $170m. Epstein in 2008 landed a sweetheart plea deal with Florida prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to state-level prostitution charges and was able to avoid federal prosecution amid numerous allegations that he abused teen girls at his Palm Beach manse. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on sex-trafficking charges. He died in jail awaiting his Manhattan federal court trial. An upcoming Iran-linked march in central London should be banned, MPs have urged. Labour MPs asked the Home Secretary to ban the rally, linked to the Iranian regime, claiming it is a hate march which platforms anti-semitism and extremism. The Al Quds march, named after the Arabic word for Jerusalem, is held annually in London and is a part of a wider international event to express support for Palestine and opposition to Israel. For more than a decade, the event has riled tensions between political groups, politicians and protesters in the capital, with many calling for a ban. The event was first held in Iran in 1979 by former Iran Supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini after the Iranian Revolution but has expanded across the world with rallies held in the US, the UK, and parts of Europe. The Al Quds protest in March last year (Jonathan Brady/PA Wire) It comes as the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel rages across the Middle East. Here is everything we know about the planned event: When is the event expected to take place? The rally for 2026 has been organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a campaign group which has condemned the killing of Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli air strike at the weekend, and is slated to take place on March 15. Thousands of protesters could gather outside the Home Office before marching through central London. What route are they expected to take during the rally? The route for 2026 is expected to take the same roads as it has in previous years. This route begins at the Home Office on Horseferry Road before going to the Houses of Parliament, across Westminster Bridge and ending outside Downing Street. Have there been problems at previous rallies? Yes, and there has always been a high police presence at the annual event. It is feared that this year could be the biggest risk yet given the ongoing conflict. Previous editions of the event have seen protesters carrying flags of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist group and shout chants such as, Death to Israel. Death to America. Who is calling for the rally to be cancelled? Labour MPs have joined efforts to have the protest called off. Lord Austin of Dudley, a former Labour MP, told The Times: It is outrageous that supporters of Irans terror regime are allowed to march on Britains streets calling for the destruction of western democracy. Im all for freedom of speech but this is a hate march by fans of an theocratic Islamist dictatorship that recently slaughtered 36,000 of its own citizens who dared to come out and protest against it. Our police forces and the home secretary should exercise their powers and take decisive action to stop these marches from going ahead. Anyone who joins these marches and is not a British citizen should be deported immediately. Labour MP for North Durham Luke Akehurst said: Its completely inappropriate for supporters of the Iranian regime to be allowed to march through London while British forces are under attack from Iran, and risks serious public disorder. What have the event organisers said? The IHRC has also been approached for comment, but in a statement online said: The Al-Quds Day march and rally held in the UK for nearly 40 years, is a non-confessional, family oriented event that calls for justice for Palestinians. It is led by Muslim, Christian and Jewish organisations. Sadly it has been routinely demonised and targeted by Israel first politicians and media, often in totally untruthful ways. The group added: Any ban on Al-Quds Day would destroy any remaining credibility that the UK has. When the world, including the vast majority of British people, are clamouring for justice for Palestine, it is perhaps best that the British government serve their interests, rather than that of a genocidal state currently unleashing further violence on Iran and Lebanon as well as Gaza. Has the event been cancelled? As yet, the event is still going ahead. A Home Office spokesperson said in a statement to The Standard: "While it is for the police to determine whether a protest risks public order and safety, we have robust legislation in place to deal with threatening, abusive, or harassing behaviour and incitement to hatred. We expect the police to use the full force of the law. The government has sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety, as well as more than 550 Iranian individuals and entities, and set out a robust package of measures to tackle threats from the Iranian regime. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: We recognise that there will be more attention on this protest given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It is likely numbers will be increased and the possibility of counter protest is greater. We will keep all these matters under careful review and will publish the details of our policing plan closer to the time. In response to the question of a ban, it is important to recognise that the police do not have the power to ban protest. They can apply to the Home Secretary for a ban but only if there is a risk of serious disorder that cannot be managed by the use of police tactics or the imposition of Public Order Act conditions alone. That is a high threshold. Officers will still take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime, including antisemitism, and support for proscribed organisations. They will intervene decisively where they see people crossing the line from lawful protest to criminality. An Emirates plane sits at Dubai international airport on Monday. Select flights are being allowed to leave amid the ongoing conflict. Photograph: Raghed Waked/Reuters (Photograph: Raghed Waked/Reuters) The biggest Middle East carriers have ruled out resuming scheduled flights until at least Thursday as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues, denting hopes of a swift return to normal air travel after the first repatriation flights left the United Arab Emirates. Etihad, based in Abu Dhabi, said its commercial services were suspended until 2pm local time on Thursday 5 March, with Emirates ruling out scheduled flights until midnight on Wednesday. Qatar Airways said it would give a further update on Wednesday but its airspace remained closed for all flights. Travellers stranded by the widening conflict began departing the UAE on a small number of evacuation flights on Monday, as governments around the world worked to extract their citizens from the region. Both Etihad Airways and Emirates, as well as the budget carrier FlyDubai, said they would continue to operate only limited cargo and repatriation flights after the chaos and damage caused by Iranian missiles and drones. Related: It was surreal: holidaymakers on first flight out of Abu Dhabi describe petrifying experience Since Saturday, at least 11,000 flights into, out of and within the Middle East have been cancelled, affecting more than a million passengers, according to the aviation analytics company Cirium. The travel chaos is likely to continue, with the US president, Donald Trump, saying on Monday that the conflict had been projected to last four to five weeks, but could go on longer. Late on Monday the US state department called on Americans to immediately leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, amid the worsening conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes against Iran on Saturday. Mora Namdar, the US state departments assistant secretary for consular affairs, said US citizens should leave using available commercial transportation due to safety risks. The US has not organised its own evacuation flights. In the UK, Keir Starmer said the government was sending rapid deployment teams to the region to support British nationals there, and wanted to ensure that they can return home as swiftly and safely as possible. The UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said on Tuesday that 130,000 British nationals had now registered their presence in the region, and that about 300,000 British citizens were in Gulf countries being targeted by Iran. About 24,000 Australian citizens are also in the Middle East, some stranded in transit. The Gulf has become a major connecting hub for flights between Australia and Europe, and analysts said long-haul fares could rise sharply in the short term. John Grant, an analyst at the aviation data company OAG, said: The short-term loss of capacity through the Middle East clearly puts pressure on alternate routings, such as the direct services to Asia which are already close to full with their own local market demand and connecting traffic to Australia. Overlay that with Easter coming up and available capacity is pretty scarce Selling fares are inevitably increasing and will stay that way until there is a settlement of the current events. The UAE government has urged passengers to go to airports only if contacted directly, warning that operations remained limited. At least 16 Etihad flights left Abu Dhabi during a three-hour window on Monday, according to Flightradar24, heading to destinations including Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Moscow and London. Emirates said customers with earlier bookings were given priority for seats on the limited flights it has operated, starting Monday evening. Airspace closures remain in effect for Iran, Iraq and Israel, and Jordans airspace was closed overnight on Monday. Partial closures have affected Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Germanys foreign ministry said about 30,000 tourists from the country were stranded on cruise ships, in hotels or at closed airports in the Middle East. The government said it planned to send aircraft to Oman and Saudi Arabia to evacuate ill travellers, children and pregnant women while working with airlines to assist others. On Tuesday morning, Europes biggest holiday company, Tui, said it would begin to offer flights back home for its 10,000 customers stranded in the Middle East from Tuesday, working with Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways. We expect to carry out the first flights today with these companies to return our guests, its chief executive, Sebastian Ebel, told the broadcaster NTV. Associated Press, Press Association and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report The former Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr has announced a new album and releases a new single. The 85-year old musician announced the release of a 10-track record Long Long Road which will feature collaborations with Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow and St Vincent. It comes after he released the albums first single, Its Been Too Long, featuring Sarah Jarosz and Molly Tuttle, on Tuesday. The upcoming record, which is due to hit shelves on April 24, was co-written by Sir Ringo and American producer T Bone Burnett. It follows on from Sir Ringos 2025 album Look Up which marked his first number one album on the UKs official country chart. Sir Ringo is back with a new single and album (Peter Byrne/PA) (Peter Byrne) Sir Ringo said: Im blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records. After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which Im calling Long Long Road, because Ive been on a long long road. Recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, the album has a country and Americana sound and features much of the same bandmembers from Look Up. Sir Ringo added that the album includes musical influences from guitarist Carl Perkins and said: I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record and he found this beautiful track Id never heard before, I Dont See Me In Your Eyes Anymore. T Bone said the pair decided to write a song together after attending a poetry reading together, praising the musician for being of the highest calibre. The ex-Beatle is again working with producer T Bone Burnett (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (Dominic Lipinski) He said: Ive loved Ringos playing and his singing for my whole life. I wrote him a Gene Autry type song because I always heard Ringo as a Texas artist, the way he played felt just like Texas music to me. Ringo Starr is a recording artist of the highest calibre, and I wanted to surround him with these young masters, bringing in some of this extraordinary young energy thats happening around Nashville for both of these records. Sir Ringo real name Richard Starkey rose to fame as part of The Beatles which was formed in 1960 and made up of Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison. The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time and one of the most influential groups in the world, having achieved 18 UK number one singles and 16 UK number one albums. Long Long Road will be released on April 24. As one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China attracts millions of visitors each year. The Wall is an iconic symbol of China's rich culture and history, but it turns out that humans aren't the only ones who appreciate the massive monument. Stray cats have called the Great Wall of China home for around 20 years, and they've become just as popular among tourists as the Wall itself. The Mutianyu region is home to several dozen kitties, just like the sleepy feline 'guard' whom traveler @camdd04 caught falling asleep at their post. The February 25 video has gone viral for several adorable reasons that you'll have to see for yourself! This sleepy cat looks so majestic in their perch; it's like this spot in the Wall was made just for them! Between their stillness, their gentle expression, and their perfect fit, this cat seems more like an ancient guardian statue than a friendly stray cat. "They're holding the Wall together," explained @majitoo.rr. No wonder they're so tired! It must be hard work hosting countless tourists and guarding one of China's most iconic landmarks, but this hard-working kitty (and his friends, of course) are up to the task. Related: Black Cat Making Biscuits and Napping on Top of His Shetland Pony BFF Couldn't Be Sweeter While most viewers are smitten with the peaceful cat, @i_am_not_a_killjoy asked the real question: "Why is there a cat-shaped hole in the Wall?" To accommodate the feline guard, of course! All jokes aside, these holes were once used to survey and attack enemies, but their new uses as feline napping spots are even better. The Mutianyu Cats There's no question that they're adorable to tourists and locals alike, but who are the Mutianyu cats? These friendly felines have been around for about 20 years, and their popularity only continues to rise thanks to social media videos exactly like this one. Around the mid-2000's, the Mutianyu region of the Great Wall became an especially busy tourist destination. With restaurants nearby and lots of visitors to feed and pet them, feral cats began appearing in large numbers. Several cats have become such popular attractions in the years since then that they even have names and stories! Guessing from the white cat's coat and calm vibes, they could be Hua Xiaomei, a sleepy female cat known for welcoming tourists and basking in the sun. Whoever they are, it's easy to see why they drew a crowdthey couldn't be cuter! SIGN UP to get pawsitivity delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Mar 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Green Party has overtaken Labour to become the second most popular party after their sensational victory at last weeks Gorton and Denton by-election, a new poll shows. Zack Polanskis party has seen its support jump by four points to 21 per cent, while Labour and the Tories were tied on 16 per cent both down two points, with Labour seeing its lowest score on record. Out in front was Reform UK, on 23 per cent down one point. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats remained unchanged on 14 per cent. The polling, conducted by YouGov for Sky News on Sunday and Monday, showed that the Greens are now the most popular party in all age categories under 50, with some 49 per cent of 18-24 year olds backing the party, as well as 27 per cent of 25 to 49-year-olds. Newly elected Green MP for Gorton and Denton, Hannah Spencer, poses for photos with party leader Zack Polanski, ahead of entering Parliament for the first time (PA) Anthony Wells, head of global polling at YouGov, said their leap in popularity comes as a result of the Gorton and Denton by-election, a victory which saw the Greens appear a more viable option and less of a wasted vote. The result, which saw Labours Angeliki Stogia come third in a seat which the party previously won with more than 50 per cent of the vote, was a major blow to the prime ministers struggling authority, amid devastating approval ratings and mounting concern over the direction of government. The polling will undermine claims made by Sir Keir Starmer that a mainstream majority of voters do not want Nigel Farage or Mr Polanski to be prime minister. Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday, in the wake of the bruising Gorton and Denton result, Sir Keir warned: Politics is changing, and its changing decisively, in an acknowledgement that voters now appear more willing to lend their support to political parties beyond the Conservatives and Labour. But he added: I believe, and continue to believe, that there is a mainstream majority in this country who neither want Nigel Farage or Zack Polanski as their prime minister. Labour is delivering progressive change with moral purpose under his leadership, the prime minister insisted, adding that generational change is already happening as a result of his government, pointing to the Employment Rights Act and Renters Rights Act as examples of laws aimed at helping Labours traditional voters. His remarks came just hours after the Green Partys newest MP Hannah Spencer was sworn in to Parliament on Monday after winning last weeks poll, becoming the partys fifth MP in the House of Commons. The Green Party now has the highest number of seats it has ever had in the Commons. Hannah Spencer a councillor and plumber received 14,980 votes, while Reform UKs Matt Goodwin came second with 10,578. Meanwhile, Labour slumped to third place with 9,364 votes, down from 18,555 in the 2024 general election, when the turnout was similarly high in the formerly safe seat. Top pollster Professor Sir John Curtice described the result as seismic, saying it means the future of British politics is now even more uncertain than it was already. The YouGov polling spoke to 2,073 people on Sunday and Monday. The aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Beiruts suburbs on Tuesday - AFP or licensors Israel has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on day four of the war, marking a major escalation in the fight against Iran and its proxies. Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said troops had been authorised to advance and take control of additional positions in southern Lebanon, where the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah is based. On Tuesday, Israel and the United States continued to strike targets in Iran, including the complex that houses IRIB, Irans state broadcaster, in Tehran. Reports from inside Iran suggest that a third of the countrys local districts have now been targeted in the bombing campaign. Donald Trump said the operation against Iran was well ahead of schedule, and warned that the big wave hasnt even happened yet. On social media, the US president said that it was too late for renewed negotiations over Irans nuclear programme. On Tuesday morning, the US president said that Europe had been more helpful in supporting US strikes on Iran than the UK, repeating comments he made to The Telegraph on Monday. France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others, he said. Overnight, it emerged that Israel had hacked into nearly all of Tehrans traffic cameras to spy on Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, enabling them to know where the Ayatollah would be and when. Information from the cameras, access to Iranian mobile phone networks and at least two intelligence officers confirmed that a meeting between him and his inner circle was on time. All attendees, including the supreme leader, were killed in the first missile strike on Saturday. The Islamic Republic hit back. The US embassy in Saudi Arabia was struck by two Iranian drones, though no casualties were reported. A heavily damaged building near Ferdowsi Square, Tehran, following US and Israeli air strikes - ATTA KENARE Israel steps up action against Lebanon In the early hours of Tuesday, Israel launched fresh air strikes on the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The headquarters of Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya, an ally of Hamas and Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon was struck. Israel went on to announce a ground invasion of the country, with Mr Katz authorising troops to advance and take control of additional positions. It followed attacks against Hezbollah strongholds on Monday. Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon - RABIH DAHER/AFP or licensors The Lebanese health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed at least 40 people and wounded 246 since the start of the escalation, correcting a death toll of 52 issued on Monday. The United Nations said that, by Monday, at least 30,000 people, including 9,000 children, had sought protection in shelters in Lebanon. Hezbollah had fired a barrage of missiles at Israel on Sunday night, which it said were revenge for the blood of the supreme leader. Mr Katz said he had approved the move with Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent fire on Israeli border communities. He said: The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organisation is paying and will continue to pay a heavy price for its fire toward Israel. Hezbollah confirmed it had again targeted Israel overnight in a combined missile and drone attack, although Israel reported no impacts. The IDF said it had killed Reza Khazaei, a senior member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, on Monday. Trump: too late for new talks Donald Trump declared it is too late for talks, claiming that the Iranian leadership had wanted to talk two days earlier. They want to talk. I said too late! he declared on Tuesday on his social media platform. The US president also said Tehrans air defences, air force, navy, and leadership were gone after repeated strikes by US and Israeli forces. Mr Trump claimed that the US military had the stockpiles to fight forever and that his Operation Epic Fury was ahead of schedule. An F/A-18E Super Hornet lands on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln, the US aircraft carrier as part of Operation Epic Fury - US NAVY/AFP A third of Iranian municipalities struck by bombs American and Israeli warplanes bombed Tehran, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Karaj, Marivan, Bushehr and Urmia on Tuesday. Around a third of Irans municipalities have now been struck in air strikes. Israels military said it struck Iranian industrial sites used to produce weapons, particularly ballistic missiles. Loud explosions were heard in central Tehran, as well as the religious city of Qom to the south, where the building used by the official body that selects Irans new supreme leader was hit. Residents reported successive explosions during the early morning, as strikes expanded to 504 locations in 1,039 recorded attacks since Saturday, when the first missiles hit Khameneis compound. The Iranian Red Crescent said the death toll reached 787 by Tuesday morning, up from 555 from Sunday evening. Unfortunately, so far 787 compatriots have been martyred in these attacks, and search, debris removal, transfer of wounded and medical services operations continue, the Red Crescent said. A hospital in Bushehr was destroyed on Tuesday, with footage showing emergency workers frantically evacuating newborn babies as the building was struck. Isfahans governor said at least three civilians were killed in multiple strikes on the city. US and Israeli attacks also damaged Shahid Motahari Hospital in Tehran - Anadolu Residential homes in Khomein were hit, with images showing destroyed houses and grieving families. Fars province reported 59 dead, with 21 civilians killed in Lamerd. Tehran Municipality told displaced residents to report to district offices for hotel accommodation as emergency shelter and debris removal remained priorities, suggesting extensive residential destruction across the capital. Tehrans Mehrabad airport which mainly handles domestic flights was targeted by strikes, according to the Mehr news agency. The expanded death toll and geographic scope Some 153 counties, more than one-third of Irans approximately 429 counties, have been struck, indicating intensified rather than diminished military operations four days into the war. Esmail Baqaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said that lies and deceit have become the model of American diplomacy, accusing the US of launching strikes just hours after Oman announced what it called a major breakthrough in nuclear negotiations. The issue is clear, except for those who intentionally do not want to see the truth and whose goal is to distort reality, Mr Baqaei said. This war was not started by us and this military aggression was not our choice; our choice was diplomacy. US embassy attacked in Saudi Arabia The American mission in Riyadh was targeted by two drones in the early hours of Tuesday, when a loud blast was heard, with flames and smoke billowing into the air. The US state department has ordered all American citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries as the war intensifies. Mr Trump said the US would retaliate to the Iranian attacks, saying the country would find out soon what shape that would take. The US embassy in Riyadh confirmed an attack and urged people to stay away, saying it would be closed on Tuesday. A statement also told American citizens to shelter in place. The US embassy in Riyadh was targeted by two drones in the early hours of Tuesday - AFP Early on Tuesday morning, Iranian state media also reported that Iran had destroyed a US air base in Bahrain, after a US-flagged oil tanker was attacked as it docked in the country on Monday. It comes as US military officials questioned the fortifications at one of its bases in Kuwait, where at least six Americans were killed in an Iranian strike. Saudi Arabia is one of more than a dozen countries that American citizens have been advised to leave. The others are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Donald Trump spoke with Kurdish leaders Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani shortly after launching the war, Axios reports, stoking speculation that Kurds could grab the chance to fight for autonomy in the north-west of the country. The Kurds control an autonomous region in northern Iraq and have thousands of fighters positioned near the Iran-Iraq border. Europe more helpful than Britain, Trump says On Tuesday morning, Mr Trump said it was sad to see that the relationship with Britain was not what it was. In a phone call with The Telegraph on Monday, the president criticised Sir Keir Starmer for initially delaying support for the strikes against Iran. Its very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was, he told the Sun newspaper on Tuesday. This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe. Its not going to matter, but [Starmer] should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. On Monday evening, Sir Keir said his Government did not believe in regime change from the skies in an apparent rebuke to Mr Trump. The Prime Minister appeared to criticise the US president by telling MPs that any military action in the Middle East must be lawful and thought through. Sir Keir also told the Commons on Monday he stood by his decision not to get involved with America and Israels initial wave of strikes on Iran, and insisted any action by the UK must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. Mr Trump had already criticised Sir Keirs decision not to allow American jets to deploy from UK bases to undertake the strikes, telling The Telegraph he was very disappointed in the Prime Minister. UK bases are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. Netanyahu: War will be quick and decisive Mr Netanyahu said he expected the war against Iran to be quick and decisive. The Israeli prime minister said the conflict was not going to take years, despite its scope widening in the past 24 hours. Mr Trump originally predicted the war would last for up to five weeks, but has gone on to suggest and to justify a broad, open-ended war. On Tuesday morning, he took to his Truth Social platform to boast that US had a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons and that the war could be fought forever. But Mr Netanyahu told Fox News Hannity show: I said it could be quick and decisive. It may take some time, but its not going to take years. Its not an endless war. Connections of Irish Panther are giving some consideration to running in the Queen Mother Champion Chase rather than the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival next week. Trained by the father-son partnership of Eddie and Patrick Harty, the nine-year-old made a impressive start to his career over fences at Naas in November before pushing subsequent Irish Arkle winner Romeo Coolio all the way at Leopardstown over Christmas. Irish Panther sidestepped a Dublin Racing Festival rematch, with the Hartys instead electing to send their stable star to the Cotswolds fresh, but whether he sticks to novice company in the Arkle or instead bids for Champion Chase glory against more experience rivals remains undecided. Eddie Harty said: Hes in good form, he did his last bit of work this morning and hes pleasing us. Its just a case now of getting him there in one piece. With the ground the way it was the Irish Arkle was always going to be attritional and it was. Whether it will come back to haunt us and he could have done with another run, only time will tell, but at this particular moment in time Im delighted we did what we did. Hell be left in both races next week. Its odds-on in favour of the Arkle, but there is no point in calling that one until you have to call it. Irish Panther is a general 12-1 shot for the Arkle, putting him fifth in the market behind Nicky Hendersons Lulamba, the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Kopek Des Bordes and Kargese and Romeo Coolio from Gordon Elliotts yard. He is much bigger odds of 33-1 with Coral for a Champion Chase that will be missing last years winner Marine Nationale after he was scratched on Tuesday morning, but Harty can see the logic behind potentially taking his chance. When asked what could sway the team towards a tilt at the Champion Chase, the trainer added: Well you got one reason this morning. If you take out Majborough, its almost an easier option than the Arkle as it stands, but youve still got the next couple of days to see what comes out, or more importantly what gets supplemented in on the back of what has happened in the last week or so. If the Champion Chase was the Premier League, except for Majborough theyd all be in the bottom half of it, whereas in the novice division youre possibly talking about horses who could get into the Champions League spots. It has been an emotional few weeks for the Harty family, with Eddie not only losing his father Eddie senior who was a Grand National-winning jockey and an Olympic eventer but also his mother, Patricia. It is 18 years since Eddie jnr claimed his first and only Festival success to date with the JP McManus-owned Captain Cee Bee in the Supreme Novices Hurdle and it would undoubtedly be a huge boost for all involved if Irish Panther can get his name on the winners board at the sports showpiece event. He said: Its been one of those months and Cheltenham can either perk you up or leave you even flatter, but were looking forward to it. Ali Khameneis Tehran compound, seen intact in February 2025 (left) and destroyed a year later (right) - Airbus Israel hacked nearly all of Tehrans traffic cameras to spy on Ali Khamenei before launching an attack to kill Irans supreme leader. Israeli spies spent years surveilling the Ayatollahs bodyguards by accessing the Iranian capitals traffic camera network, intelligence sources claimed. Operatives were even reported to have hacked a security camera facing Khameneis compound that showed where security guards would park their cars. The camera enabled spies to know when the Ayatollah would be at home and disrupt mobile phone service around his compound so aides would not be able to call for help in the case of an ambush. Details of the Mossad operation were first reported by the Financial Times as Israel launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on day four of the war. Donald Trump, meanwhile, said the operation against Iran was well ahead of schedule but warned that the big wave hasnt even happened yet. Interim leaders in Iran have formed a council that will eventually select a new supreme leader to replace Khamenei. He is the highest-profile leader to be assassinated by Israel since Oct 7, following the killings of the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. The hacked traffic camera images in Tehran were encrypted and transmitted to Israel, allowing intelligence officials to determine the addresses, hours of work, routes and duties of Irans most senior security personnel before the US-Israeli attack at the weekend. We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem, one Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place. Israels intelligence superiority over Iran was on display during last years 12-day war, when a joint operation with the US hit Iranian military bases and nuclear facilities and assassinated more than a dozen nuclear scientists and senior officials. In the latest US-Israeli barrage, known as Operation Epic Fury, Israel reportedly employed a method called social network analysis to study patterns of behaviour and better understand how people interact. With this intelligence, Israel and the CIA determined it would be easier to kill Khamenei at the start of the assault, rather than targeting him in the midst of a war when he could escape to a bunker. An individual briefed on the attack told the Financial Times that the assault on Iran had been planned for months, but the timeline was adjusted once it was revealed that Khamenei would be attending a meeting at his compound in person on Saturday morning. Footage from cameras led spies to discover exactly when the Ayatollah would be at home - Atta Kenare/AFP On the day, thanks to the hacked traffic cameras and access to Iranian mobile phone networks, at least two Israeli intelligence officers, working independently, were able to confirm that Khameneis meeting was on time. Mr Trump told Fox News that Khamenei was eliminated along with his inner circle as they gathered for breakfast. The Israeli military said that striking during the day, instead of at night, had allowed Israel to achieve tactical surprise for the second time, despite heavy Iranian preparedness. Israel had deployed jets hours earlier so they would arrive at the right location on time and fired as many as 30 precision strikes on Khameneis complex, according to a former senior Israeli intelligence official. The US military launched cyber attacks in order to allow the Israeli jets to reach the compound. Credit: @IDF / X Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said that the initial phase of the operation was designed to daze and confuse Iran. Coordinated space and cyber operations effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks across the area of responsibility, leaving the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate, or respond effectively, he added. On Sunday, officials from the Trump administration acknowledged that there was no intelligence showing that Iran was prepared to attack the US first. US Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, said there was no imminent threat from Iran to America. After a classified briefing on Monday, Mike Johnson, the US Speaker, told reporters that Israel had been determined to act with or without the US and consequences of inaction on our part would have been devastating. US and Israeli attacks on Iran have escalated into a full-scale Middle East conflict. Tehran has hit back with strikes on all members of the Gulf Co-operation Council which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as on Jordan and Israel. Attacks between Iranian-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel were also spiralling. In Iraq, militias allied to Iran were attacking US troops. A drone also hit the RAF Akrotiri military base in Cyprus. Britain is sending HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 air defence destroyers, to bolster security around the base. A plume of smoke rises above Tehran (AFP via Getty Images) The Strait of Hormuz, used by tankers carrying one fifth of the worlds oil, was effectively closed by Irans threat to attack shipping trying to go through it. Oil and gas prices were soaring, threatening to hit the economies of countries around the world. General Sir Richard Barrons, former Commander of the UKs Joint Forces Command, said: I dont think anyone really anticipated that the response from Iran would be to broaden the war quite so much as it has to the entire region using missiles and drones to make in military terms quite small strikes in these countries but in psychological and economic terms they do have a considerable effect. Tehrans intention, he added on Times Radio, was that countries hit in the region would ask the US and Israel to stop their attacks but he believes that instead they are prepared to take pain now to take out the threat from Iran. As explosions rocked cities in the region, Britain, America and many other nations were scrambling to draw up plans to get their citizens out of the war zone. Thousands more stranded Britons are expected to return home on Wednesday as airlines ramp up their flights from the region. More than 130,000 British citizens have been in contact with the UK authorities, including 110,000 in the UAE, most of them holidaymakers or people who were transiting through hub airports. Emirates is operating seven flights from Dubai to the UK while Etihad has two Abu Dhabi departures. Virgin Atlantic will operate a flight from Dubai to London Heathrow. A person taking a picture of the destruction after a missile strike on Tehran (via REUTERS) British Airways has not restarted its usual flying timetable from the region, but will run an evacuation flight to Heathrow from Oman capital Muscat, which it does not usually serve. A UK Government charter flight will repatriate Britons from Muscat at 7pm, but it has been reported there will be no major evacuation of British nationals who have registered their presence in the Middle East. That means most are reliant on getting a seat on a commercial flight. It comes after an extraordinary trans-Atlantic clash, in which Britain questioned the legality of Trumps war and whether he had a thought-through plan in place before unleashing it. The US president has launched several stinging attacks on Sir Keir Starmer this week for his lack of immediate support, only allowing British bases to be used by US forces for defensive strikes on Iranian targets, such as missile sites. Trump told reporters during a meeting in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that he was very disappointed with Britain. This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with, he said, comparing Sir Keir with Britain's revered wartime leader. Trump also criticised Sir Keir's decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, home to the US-UK air base of Diego Garcia, saying they have "been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island". Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have clashed over the Iran war (PA Wire) Sir Keir told parliament that the government had learnt from its mistakes in backing the US in the 2003 Iraq war, and said any military action must have a "viable, thought-through plan". He also said he did not believe in "regime change from the skies". Sir Keir has been criticised from all sides at home for his decision, with opponents on the left calling for him to condemn the military action while on the right, opposition leaders Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage attacked the Prime Minister for failing to back Britain's key security and intelligence ally. Trump earlier told the Sun newspaper he never thought he would see Britain become a reluctant partner, instead heaping praise on France and Germany. "This was the most solid relationship of all," he said. "And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe." "France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others." Britain, France and Germany released a joint statement in response to Iranian attacks on Saturday, saying they were in close contact with the US, Israel and partners in the region, and were calling for a resumption of negotiations. A woman reacts on the street following an Israeli and US strike on a police station in Tehran on Tuesday (via REUTERS) Sir Keir has defended his response, telling parliament on Monday he had to judge what was in Britain's national interest. "That is what I have done, and I stand by it," he said. The US president has also faced criticism over how a reported one million US citizens in the region would be able to get away from potential danger. Trump responded to the barrage of Iranian missile and drone attacks by threatening an even bigger wave of US airstrikes. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, said in a video posted on X on Tuesday that the US military has "severely degraded Iran's air defences" and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones. Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/epEohq64Vf U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 3, 2026 He said Iran has launched more 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation. But there were no signs that the Tehran regime was yet struggling to hit back due to any shortage of missiles or drones. On Tuesday, the building housing Irans Assembly of Experts who would choose the countrys next Supreme Leader was flattened by an air strike, according to local news agencies. The complex in the city of Qom, south of Tehran, was significantly destroyed. It was unclear at this stage how many people had died in the attack. It came as Irans leaders were in talks over replacing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years before he was killed in the surprise US and Israeli bombardment at the weekend. Fire blazes and black smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the office of the Hezbollah affiliated Al-Manar TV station in Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik on Tuesday, March 3 (AFP via Getty Images) Earlier, Israel said its air force has struck the Iranian regime's leadership compound in Tehran as the US warns the hardest hits are yet to come. In a statement on Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces said numerous munitions were dropped on the Presidential Office and the Supreme National Security Council. It said that a military training institution and additional key regime infrastructure were also hit. The widening war between Iran and the US, now in its sixth day, with Israel also launching strikes on Beirut and the US Embassy in Riyadh coming under attack. The US and Israel have continued to hit Iran since its first strikes at the weekend, while Tehran and its allies have hit back against Israel and neighbouring Gulf states. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence confirmed that the US embassy in Riyadh was attacked by two drones, according to initial estimates. In a statement shared to X, the ministry said this resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. The aftermath of a strike on a police station in Tehran on Monday, March 2 (via REUTERS) An Iranian strike destroyed the main command headquarters of a US air base in Bahrain, according to the Fars news agency, which is affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Six US service personnel have been killed since Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Saturday. The US president suggested the war would escalate further, telling CNN that a big wave of airstrikes on Iran is yet to come. Trump has, however, provided scant detail about what the USs exit plan from the war might be. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military in the offensive against Iran. The United States is also urging all US citizens in 14 countries in the region, including Egypt, to leave due to serious safety risks. A White House portrait of Donald Trump overseeing Operation Epic Fury military operations taken on Sunday, March 1 (The White House/AFP via Getty Images) On Monday, Sir Keir rebuked Trump's approach to the conflict, saying his Government does not believe in regime change from the skies. Trump had criticised Sir Keirs decision not to allow American jets to deploy from UK bases to undertake offensive strikes, saying he was very disappointed in the Prime Minister. UK bases are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran. This is understood to include the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Israeli spies hacked nearly every traffic camera in Tehran for years in order to monitor the movements of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an unprecedented intelligence-gathering campaign, according to a report. Officials surveilled highly trained and loyal security guards, bodyguards and drivers of senior Iranian officials to pick up on their pattern of life, the Financial Times reported. This real-time data, including from cameras focused on Khameneis personal compound, was encrypted and transmitted back to servers in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. They were able to determine where the guards would park their cars via an infiltrated security camera facing the Ayatollahs home. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli military strike, leading to retaliatory attacks from Iran (AP) We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem, one current Israeli intelligence official told the newspaper. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing thats out of place. The plan to kill the Ayatollah had been in place for months and was adjusted when it emerged that the supreme leader would be attending a meeting in-person at home, officials said. On the day of the assassination, the hacked traffic cameras came into use, as Israeli intelligence officials confirmed that Khameneis meeting was running on time. The Israeli military said that the strikes were carried out during the day to give the element of shock and allowed Israel to achieve tactical surprise for the second time, despite heavy Iranian preparedness. Mobile phone service and communications networks were disrupted in an effort to leave Iran dazed and confused, according to General Dan Caine, the chief of joint staffs. This image provided by Airbus shows the strike on the Iranian Supreme Leaders compound on Saturday, 28 February (AP) Coordinated space and cyber operations effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks across the area of responsibility, leaving the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate, or respond effectively, he said. President Donald Trump said that the Iranian leader was eliminated along with his inner circle as they gathered for breakfast, in an interview with Fox News in the aftermath of the attack. US officials told Pentagon staff on Sunday that there were no signs that Iran would attack first. But secretary of state Marco Rubio admitted on Monday that the US had launched strikes preemptively after they were informed that Israel planned to launch attacks first. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, he told reporters. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was buried in a shiny golden casket with a large military presence in the state that gave name to one of Mexico's most powerful cartels. A federal official confirmed that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, was buried in a cemetery in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, on Monday. Dozens of people accompanied the funeral procession, many carrying black umbrellas on a sunny day and with a band playing Mexican regional music known as banda. The Attorney Generals Office had declined to confirm the location of El Menchos burial for security reasons. There had been stepped-up security around a funeral home since Sunday where large flower wreaths had been arriving without a name. Some did include the image of a rooster in flowers and Oseguera Cervantes was sometimes called the Lord of the Roosters. People follow the hearse carrying the remains of whom authorities identify as the late Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, alias "El Mencho (AP) The Mexican army killed Oseguera Cervantes just over a week ago while attempting to capture him. He died from multiple bullet wounds, according to the death certificate obtained by The Associated Press. The killing set off violence in some 20 states. The death certificate fits with a description of the operation to capture Oseguera Cervantes given by Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla, who had said that the cartel leader and two bodyguards had been badly wounded in a gunfight with soldiers outside a home in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The three died en route to a hospital. The certificate specified that Oseguera Cervantes had bullet wounds to his chest, abdomen and legs. A police officer escorts the car to the Recinto de Paz cemetery for burial in Guadalajara, Mexico (AP) His body was taken to Mexico City, where an autopsy was performed before the body was turned over to his family on Saturday, the Attorney Generals Office said. The death certificate also notes that Oseguera Cervantes was to be buried, standard practice in cases of violent deaths, to allow for additional forensic evidence to be gathered if needed in the future. The document did not say where the burial would take place. Authorities security concerns surrounding the burial location are well-founded. Oseguera Cervantes killing set off retaliation by the cartel in numerous states. More than 70 people died between the military operation and the violence that followed. The government has said that security operations continue against other high-ranking members of the cartel. His body was taken to Mexico City, where an autopsy was performed, before the body was turned over to his family on Saturday (AP) It is customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend. Within hours of El Mencho's death, there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing. In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel an old associate of El Mencho and Arturo Beltran Leyva. There was the drug lord who was famously killed twice, Nazario Moreno, leader of the violent and pseudo-religious Knights Templar cartel, who authorities said was killed in 2010, only to kill him for real in 2014. Sometimes the bodies disappear, like in the case of Heriberto Lazcano, leader of the fearsome Zetas, whose body was stolen in 2012. Or they die under bizarre circumstances, like Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Lord of the Skies, who died in a botched plastic surgery. Jimmy Kimmel has skewered Melania Trumps appearance at the UN, ripping her for promoting peace while President Trump continues to bomb Iran. The late-night star mocked the first ladys pronunciation of some words before lamenting, Those poor UN translators. This is the first time ever that a first lady has presided over a Security Council meeting less than 72 hours after her husband started a war, Kimmel said in his show on Monday evening. The late-night host poked fun at the first lady's glammed-up appearance, which included a gray Dior jacket, a matching wool skirt, a black Dior leather belt, and Christian Louboutin stilettos. The jacket is available online for $985. It looks like the worst season of The Bachelorette yet, Kimmel said. But even though it was her first time, Melania handled it like a seasoned old pro. Jimmy Kimmel used Mondays show to skewer Melania Trumps UN appearance (Jimmy Kimmel Live/Reuters) He then played a series of clips from the meeting, beginning with the first ladys introduction, where she stumbled over the words Security Council and gaveled it in as the ten thousand, one hundred and thirteen meeting rather than the thirteenth. Melania Trump is Slovenian, and English is not her first language. My husband wanted to be here, said Kimmel, putting on an accent to mimic the first lady, but your escalator is trying to kill him. That was a reference to the presidents anger over the couples visit to the UN last September, when he raged about being caught on a malfunctioning escalator and experiencing technical glitches with his teleprompter and microphone as he spoke. The president and first lady were forced to walk up an escalator when it jammed during their visit to the UN last September (AP) While the first lady avoided a further escalator mishap on Monday, Kimmel pointed out the appearance was rich with irony amid the death toll from her husbands war. The Iranian death toll has risen to 787, Iran's Red Crescent said on Tuesday, and six Americans have been confirmed killed as the conflict escalates across the Middle East. The first lady was there reportedly to promote education, and as a means to advance tolerance and peace around the world, Kimmel said, at times laughing and raising his eyebrows. Melania Trump opened her remarks at the meeting on children, technology, and education with condolences to those who had lost loved ones and a smooth recovery to those injured in this challenging time. The U.S. stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours, she added. Jimmy Kimmel joked that Melania Trumps appearance at the UN looked like the worst season of The Bachelorette yet (Getty Images) After critiquing the first ladys appearance, Kimmel returned to mocking her mispronunciation. The comedian suggested she may have started a trend with her version of significant, which she mistakenly pronounced as signifisant, although he joked that perhaps Signifisant was her new signature perfume. Kimmel also laughed over her mispronunciation of democratizing. Those poor UN translators. I mean, how do you say democratinizing in Chinese? In fairness, she had a very long day trying on hats. Kimmel has been a long-time critic of the Trumps, with the president raging that he has NO TALENT and should be canceled. Trump temporarily got his wish when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was indefinitely suspended last September after on-air comments about the killing of Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk. The move to pull the program sparked widespread backlash, protests and public debate about free speech, leading to it being reinstated days later. A Taliban soldier operates an anti-aircraft gun, following exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, in Momand Dara, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan on February 28, 2026. AFP journalists in Kabul heard multiple explosions and gunfire on Tuesday, as Afghan and Pakistani troops keep up their border battles. The blasts in the Afghan capital were heard alongside anti-aircraft weapons and gunfire from across the city, and came as the Afghan defence ministry said "the fighting is still ongoing" against Pakistani forces. An AFP journalist in Jalalabad city, between Kabul and the frontier, reported hearing explosions and various weapons being fired. At the nearest border crossing, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Jalalabad, residents in Torkham told AFP the days-long fighting was continuing. The neighbours have clashed along the frontier since Thursday, when Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani air strikes. The latest casualties include three children killed Monday in a "crime committed by the Pakistani military regime" in Kunar province, Afghan deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said. Read morePakistan-Afghanistan 'open war': How and why we got here? At least 39 civilians have been killed since Thursday, the Afghan government said, a toll which Pakistan has not commented on. The UN children's charity said it was "alarmed" by reports of child casualties in the conflict, and called on all sides to "exercise maximum restraint, protect civilian lives". Islamabad said its February air strikes that sparked the escalation were targeting militants. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to act against militant groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government rejects. The border fighting has hit multiple Afghan provinces. The latest clashes were taking place in southern Kandahar, the defence ministry said, as well as neighbouring Zabul, according to the provincial information department. The violence of recent days is the worst since October fighting killed more than 70 people on both sides, with land borders between the neighbours largely shut since. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) With seven days to go to the Cheltenham Festival, the McCarthy family are dreaming of making more special memories with Kopek Des Bordes, who is said to be in exceptional form ahead of his eagerly-awaited Arkle bid. Charles McCarthy and his sons enjoyed a day to remember when landing the curtain-raising Supreme Novices Hurdle 12 months ago and having dislodged Lulamba at the head of the betting for another of the opening-day highlights, the countdown is well and truly on. McCarthy told the Press Association: It was a massive occasion last year and was really something you couldnt have bought. Of course were nervous all over again and if he wins well be over the moon, but for us we always just hope he comes home in one piece. Kopek delivers A dream start for favourite backers Kopek Des Bordes lands the Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle for Mullins & Townend @SkyBet pic.twitter.com/lkYT5isflL Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 11, 2025 We have one leg on the plane and myself and the family are very excited about it. In racing you need that little bit of luck and hopefully we have it. After we won the Supreme last year, Willie (Mullins) said to us that chasing would be Kopek Des Bordes game as hes a big horse and he is respecting his fences than he did the hurdles. Kopek Des Bordes made a spellbinding chasing debut at Navan in November, but further progress has been curtailed by a setback that kept him off the track at Christmas and then an unwillingness to subject the exciting six-year-old to thoroughly testing conditions at the Dublin Racing Festival. Connections will have to delve into Martin and David Pipes playbook as Kopek Des Bordes attempts to replicate the likes of Well Chief (2004) and Western Warhorse (2014) by winning the Arkle on just his second chasing appearance. Owner Charles McCarthy (far right) and his sons at Cheltenham (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA) (David Davies for The Jockey Club) However, McCarthy is taking heed of the words from his star performers trainer, with Mullins unconcerned about a lack of experience and also delighted with what he has seen of late on the training grounds. Willie is not worried about the lack of experience, hes in exceptional form and Willie has said he has done two very good pieces of work, added McCarthy. Willie put two good horses with him and they gave him a massive lead, but then Kopek Des Bordes has pinged the second-last and last and then passed them as if they were standing. Willie said he jumped the last as if there was 100,000 to be won. They are all very pleased with him at Closutton, Paul (Townend, jockey) is also over the moon with him and everything is geared to heading over there on Monday and then racing on Tuesday. I was listening to Ruby Walsh on a podcast and he said his Nap of the week was Kopek Des Bordes and he said he would be capable of winning a Champion Hurdle. Its difficult to imagine the landscape of British pop culture without Lily Allen, one of its most influential and, at times, divisive figures. Shes been making headlines since the release of her debut album Alright, Still in 2006, and now, 20 years later, she continues to exorcise her demons in public, for her latest record West End Girl. West End Girl is a ferociously candid account of the ruptures and revelations leading to the collapse of a marriage. It is her big comeback, her renaissance, and it has been met with widespread acclaim praised for its storytelling and Allens trademark candour. The Independents review called it a brutal, tell-all masterpiece. On Monday night, Allen performed it in full at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, the opening show of a tour of UK theatres and her first proper live gig in seven years. It feels like an unconventional venue for a pop star, but what lies ahead is more like a one-woman play. Allen turns out to be her own support act, in a way, as three cellists play instrumental versions of her biggest hits. This karaoke session is messy, awkward and delightful, a singalong pub affair chanting f*** you very, very much. It is the prologue before ACT I begins. The setlist unfolds in the same order as the album itself. We begin with the title track, West End Girl; strobe lights flash as Allen emerges from staged apartment scene, complete with shag carpet. Each song unfolds in this intimate setting, with the music played on a backing track paired with Allens crystalline vocals. There is a certain coyness to the delivery of her paradoxically confronting lyrics, the pain and heartbreak almost Disneyfied my marriage has been open since my husband went astray as she modestly sways between lamp fixtures to the synth-pop of Dallas Major. Lily Allen performs on the opening night of her 'West End Girl' tour (Henry Redcliffe) The theatre direction of this tour somewhat confines Allen when it comes to any sense of spontaneity, yet her superb storytelling and stage presence make for a captivating watch the jaunty song arrangements and subtle humour soften the blow of each songs dark truth. Phone torches illuminate the concert hall as she reaches her penultimate song, Let You W/In, the audience serving as spectators to Allens reclamation. It is absolutely no surprise that Allen is currently in talks to modify West End Girl into a proper stage play. Her tour shows its almost there already, a blend of concert and play, in which Allen plays the starring role. It takes real skill to transform cataclysmic hurt and betrayal into something so dazzling. The United States hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of the war against Iran, the US military said Monday up from more than 1,000 during the first day of the conflict. March 1, 2026: Last month another Chinese biolab was discovered in Las Vegas. The police had received an anonymous tip that a biolab was operating inside a home. Police then raided the home and found over a thousand items that were stored in the adjacent garage along with chemical laboratory equipment including centrifuges and other equipment as well commercial refrigerators. The owner of the home was a Jia Bei Zhu, who was already in custody since 2023 because of another illegal biolab in a California town. The owners of both labs had ties to the Chinese government. Six years ago an American and two Chinese were indicted for secretly providing China with U.S. technology. The American was Charles Lieber, head of the Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology department. He was accused of secretly establishing a working relationship with a Chinese university at Wuhan. Lieber established research efforts at Harvard, recruiting top scientists to work on projects of interest to China and secretly passing research results to China. He also received millions of dollars from China to further this research. During the FBI investigation Lieber repeatedly lied about these activities, which did not prevent the FBI from eventually gathering all they needed to arrest Lieber and indict him. It is rare for China to convince a senior American academic, like Harvard department head Charles Lieber, to get involved in illegal research projects. Why Lieber got involved in such blatantly illegal activities was not disclosed and details probably wont emerge until his trial. Also indicted for Harvard-related espionage was a Chinese citizen, Zheng Zaosong, who was studying at Harvard on a student visa and was accused of trying to smuggle 21 vials of biological material and research data back to China. The third defendant was Yanqing Yeh, a Chinese student at nearby Boston University. She was also an active duty lieutenant in the Chinese Army who was supervised by a colonel at a Chinese military academy that was working on new technology for the Chinese military. This school was on an American list of Chinese educational institutions that were banned from working with anyone in the United States. Yeh was also caught trying to smuggle research data back to China. Yeh had lied about her military status when she applied for a student visa, asserting that she had been discharged from the army, and left out her connections with the banned in the United States Chinese military academy she was working for as an army officer. She was also accused of being an unregistered foreign agent. Among the items uncovered by the FBI was that Yeh had been assigned to investigate one American academic at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School who was researching computer security. Given how active China has been using hackers to steal valuable data from the United States, that particular assignment was ominous. Yeah had presented herself as a student but further investigation showed she was a very active Chinese spy. It is illegal for American academics and researchers to secretly work for Chinese government or commercial firms. These restrictions wont trigger similar measures for Americans in China because China has long assigned police and intel specialists to closely observe who visiting Americans visit. This surveillance often involves MSS secret police agents advising Chinese to refuse such meetings or only do it with an MSS agent present, usually pretending to be an employee of the firm. Back in action: Erling Haaland (London Standard) Erling Haaland has been named in the starting line-up for Manchester City for Wednesday evenings match against Nottingham Forest. The striker was a shock omission from the matchday squad at Leeds last time out, with the City boss confirming pre-match that the Norwegian had been ruled out with a minor injury picked up in training. Two days ago, in the last moments of training, there were some problems, Gurdiola said. A little injury. Haaland, the Premier League top goalscorer this term, was hardly missed at Elland Road, as Antoine Semenyo struck the winner to temporarily move to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the table. On Tuesday, Guardiola indicated that the Norway international was feeling much better and he has evidently recovered sufficiently to lead the line against Forest. Elsewhere on the injury front, though, long-term absentees Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic remain out while Nico OReilly misses out as well after being forced off with an ankle knock in Yorkshire. Otherwise, wingers Jeremy Doku and Savinho are back from their own lay-offs to add extra depth on the flanks but both start on the bench, with Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden supporting Haaland in attack. Behind them are the midfield pairing of Bernardo Silva and Rodri, while Rayan Ait-Nouri starts at left-back with Matheus Nunes continuing on the opposite flank plus Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi the centre-back pairing of choice once again. Man City XI: (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Silva; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Doku, Gonzalez, Savinho, Khusanov Venue: Etihad Stadium Date and time: 7.30pm GMT on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 How to watch: TNT Sports Manchester City will give a fitness test to Erling Haaland ahead of Wednesdays Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest. The Norway striker missed title-chasing Citys victory at Leeds on Saturday after suffering an unspecified knock in training. Manager Pep Guardiola said at a press conference on Tuesday: He feels much better but yesterday we didnt train and now we have training. Well decide today. Erling Haaland at the final whistle after the Newcastle match (Martin Rickett/PA) (Martin Rickett) City will also check on Nico OReilly after he was forced off at Elland Road with an ankle injury. Guardiola, whose side are five points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand, is expecting a tough contest against a Forest side battling to pull clear of the relegation zone. Last month Forest appointed Vitor Pereira, who engineered Wolves survival last season, in the hope of turning around their fortunes. Guardiola said: I remember Wolves last season, when we were playing for Champions League qualification. Nico OReilly picked up an injury against Leeds on Saturday (Danny Lawson/PA) (Danny Lawson) In the first half of the first game they outplayed us and were much better. We were incredibly lucky. Hes a top-class manager. I saw their games against Brighton and Liverpool and they were alive. Even when we played there with (former manager) Sean Dyche, the quality of the players was there. They have a big, deep squad with top-class players. The Premier League is so tough, it is so difficult. Look at the results of teams in the relegation battle against top teams. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (Danny Lawson/PA) (Danny Lawson) Since I arrived here I dont judge teams on their position of the table. I know the quality that they have. Arsenal are also in action on Wednesday as they face Brighton in what could be a key night in the title race. Guardiola said: When you arrive at the last 10 games, every point starts to be decisive. We have six games in this month, two in the Premier League. It is a really important game. We are five points behind Arsenal so we cannot drop points. The release of footage from Hillary Clintons deposition on Jeffrey Epstein to the House Oversight Committee last week captures the moment the veteran Democrat stormed out of the private hearing over a leaked photograph. The former first lady, 78, appeared before the panel in Chappaqua, New York, for six hours on Thursday, insisting she had no idea about the late sex traffickers crimes. Clinton also said she barely knew Epstein and never visited any of his properties. In the middle of her testimony, MAGA influencer Benny Johnson posted a shot of Clinton on X, with the caption: The first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffrey Epstein to the Republican Oversight Committee. This is the first time Hillary has had to answer real questions about Epstein. Clinton does not look happy. Photo provided by Rep. Lauren Boebert, he added, referring to the Colorado Republican congresswoman, who was taking part in the hearing. Hillary Clinton rebukes Republicans on the House Oversight Committee at last weeks closed-door hearing over the leaking of a photograph from inside the chamber (Associated Press) When the participants were made aware of the post, the hearing briefly went off the record, with Clinton adviser Nick Merrill explaining the measure was put in place while they figure out where the photo came from and why possibly members of Congress are violating House rules. Boebert subsequently defended Johnsons actions on X, saying, Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition. Inside the venue, as the newly-released footage and transcript make clear, Clinton was furious, telling Republicans on the panel: Im done with this. She continued, If you guys are doing that, I am done. You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home. This is just typical behavior. Oh, for heavens sake We all are abiding by the same rules! A chastened Boebert can be heard saying: I will take that down. Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert speaks to reporters after Hillary Clintons deposition (Reuters) Clinton, not satisfied, responded, Yeah, well Im done, for now, before standing up from the desk and marching out. She did return and complete the hearing, however, and afterwards, California Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia called the interruption unacceptable, accused the opposition of breaking their own committee rules that had been agreed with Clinton and her team in advance, and said the interviewee had been gracious in consenting to continue. Asked by reporters afterwards why she had leaked the photo, Boebert said she did not recall sending the image in question, despite Johnson explicitly crediting her as its source. After the same influencer posted the film of Clinton reacting to the leak on Monday evening, Boebert acknowledged her responsibility after all in another post in which she wrote: Anyone else notice that Hillary was 100x more angry with me taking a photo of her than she was with Bill Clinton taking rides on Jeffrey Epsteins orgy planes? The 42nd president, who has not been accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, had followed his wife and likewise given a six-hour deposition to the same committee on Friday. Bill Clinton also gave testimony to the panel last week on his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein (Reuters) Elsewhere in her deposition, Hillary Clinton sparred angrily with South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace and accused conservative lawmakers of not taking their own inquiry seriously, urging them to call President Donald Trump to give evidence. The president has not been formally accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein but has faced questions over their past friendship. If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but hes far from alone, Hillary Clinton said in her opening statement to the committee. This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal. Its a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll. Nigel Farage has been attempting to appeal to centre-ground voters as he faces pressure from other rightwing figures. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA (Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA) More than half of Reform UK members believe non-white British citizens born abroad should be deported or encouraged to leave, according to the first publicly available poll of those in Nigel Farages party. The findings come as the Reform leader attempts to court centre-ground voters while facing pressure from his right flank, including a hardline new party launched by Rupert Lowe, who left Reform after falling out with Farage. According to the research published by the anti-racism group, Hope Not Hate (HnH), 54% of Reform members thought non-white British citizens born abroad should be forcibly removed or encouraged to leave, while one in five (22%) also supported it for non-white citizens whose parents were born in the UK. Survation, a respected polling company, surveyed 629 Reform members between 29 January and 16 February. Reform said in December that it had about 270,000 paid-up members. The findings were described by HnH, which publishes its annual State of Hate report on Wednesday, as evidence of tensions in Farages party. Its chief executive, Nick Lowles, said: With a dilution of Reforms policies to win more moderate voters, or if they were to form a government, you could see a number of their members becoming quite disillusioned. There was considerable support among Farages own members for two of his rivals on the right: Lowe and the activist Tommy Robinson. Two-thirds had a positive view of Lowe, who recently launched Restore Britain and advocates mass deportations. HnH, which has been monitoring the far right for decades, said it was sounding an alarm on the rise of a more explicitly racial nationalism, which defines English identity by blood and ancestry. Its spread is dangerous because of the proposed solutions that follow, most notably remigration. This concept repackages older ideas of ethnic cleansing and forced repatriation in softer, more bureaucratic language, the report states. It warned that extreme racial nationalist views of who is British or English were breaking into the mainstream with the backing of Reform UK and media cheerleaders. HnH drew a link between racially charged views on identity pushed by far-right activists during a backlash to Black Lives Matter and recent interventions by Reform UK figures such as Matthew Goodwin and Suella Braverman. Goodwin, who lost the Gorton and Denton byelection last week, refused to disown his claim that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds were not necessarily British. The former academic had said: It takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody British. After the podcaster Konstantin Kisin claimed last year that Southampton-born Rishi Sunak was not English sparking an online debate which emboldened the far right Braverman wrote in the Telegraph that she was a proud British Asian but not English. The UKs far right was now bigger, bolder and more confrontational, according to HnH. It said Restore Britain was also creating a realignment on the far right after attracting support from activists across its spectrum, but it was still a fragile coalition. HnH said the most important new development last year was the unite the kingdom rally in London led by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. More than 150,000 people took to the streets in the largest far-right protest in British history. A quarter of the British population identify positively with Robinsons movement, according to other polling for HnH by Focaldata using a nationally representative group of 8,185 people. Another rally is being planned by Robinson, who has drawn the support of the billionaire owner of X and Tesla, Elon Musk. Robinson is now in the US, where he was this week feted by rightwing figures including a political appointee at the state department in Washington and a congressman. The wave of anti-migrant protests that reignited in Epping in July last year outside a hotel housing asylum seekers was also highlighted in the HnH report, which tracked 251 such demonstrations throughout 2025. One worrying feature is that these anti-migrant protests have persisted through the winter months in key areas, with some attracting several thousand people. As we head towards the hot summer months, we will very likely see a surge in activity once again, it said. Labour MPs are urging the Home Secretary to ban a rally linked to the Iranian regime, claiming it is a hate march which platforms anti-semitism and extremism. The Al Quds march, named after the Arabic word for Jerusalem, is held annually in London and is a part of a wider international event to express support for Palestine and opposition to Israel. For more than a decade, the event has riled tensions between political groups, politicians, and protesters in the capital, with many calling for a ban. The event was first held in Iran in 1979 by former Iran Supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini after the Iranian Revolution, but has expanded across the world with rallies held in the US, the UK, and parts of Europe. Previous editions of the event have seen protesters carrying flags of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist group and shout chants such as, Death to Israel. Death to America. This years rally has been organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a campaign group which has condemned the killing of Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli air strike at the weekend, and will take place on March 15. It will see potentially thousands of protesters gather outside the Home Office, before marching through central London. Demonstrators march through London, during an Al-Quds Day rally in 2024 (Lucy North/PA Wire) Labour MPs have now joined the efforts to have the protest called off and banned, particularly amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Lord Austin of Dudley, a former Labour MP, told The Times: It is outrageous that supporters of Irans terror regime are allowed to march on Britains streets calling for the destruction of western democracy. Im all for freedom of speech but this is a hate march by fans of an theocratic Islamist dictatorship that recently slaughtered 36,000 of its own citizens who dared to come out and protest against it. Our police forces and the home secretary should exercise their powers and take decisive action to stop these marches from going ahead. Anyone who joins these marches and is not a British citizen should be deported immediately. The annual rally is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) (Lucy North/PA Wire) Labour MP for North Durham, Luke Akehurst, added: Its completely inappropriate for supporters of the Iranian regime to be allowed to march through London while British forces are under attack from Iran, and risks serious public disorder. I would urge authorities to ban this march. David Taylor, Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: The police must stop this march from going ahead. We cannot allow hundreds of supporters of Irans hardline regime to march through London calling for strikes on Israel and death to the West. The march is organised by a charity with a history of support for the ayatollahs and Islamist terrorism. In the past we have seen open support for terrorist organisations at these demonstrations. These are people who clearly hate Britain. Why should we be OK with them marching on our streets? Demonstrators march through central London (PA) The Labour backbencher has previously clashed with Green Party Deputy Leader Mothin Ali over the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ali accused Labour as bought and paid for after sharing a graphic of Labour donations by Trevor Chinn, a donor to Israel lobbying groups. Taylor called the deputy leaders comments vile, prompting Ali to dub the Labour party the genocide party. Over the weekend, Ali came under scrutiny after attending a march protesting the killing of Khamenei. Green MP Ellie Chowns defended Ali in an interview to Sky News, explaining Ali attended an anti-war protest and believes in seeking peace in the Middle East. A Home Office spokesperson said in a statement to The Standard: "While it is for the police to determine whether a protest risks public order and safety, we have robust legislation in place to deal with threatening, abusive, or harassing behaviour and incitement to hatred. We expect the police to use the full force of the law. The government has sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety, as well as more than 550 Iranian individuals and entities, and set out a robust package of measures to tackle threats from the Iranian regime. Iranians take part in a protest marking the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in Tehran, Iran (via REUTERS) A spokesperson for the Met Police told The Standard: We recognise that there will be more attention on this protest given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It is likely numbers will be increased and the possibility of counter protest is greater. We will keep all these matters under careful review and will publish the details of our policing plan closer to the time. In response to the question of a ban, it is important to recognise that the police do not have the power to ban protest. They can apply to the Home Secretary for a ban but only if there is a risk of serious disorder that cannot be managed by the use of police tactics or the imposition of Public Order Act conditions alone. That is a high threshold. Officers will still take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime, including antisemitism, and support for proscribed organisations. They will intervene decisively where they see people crossing the line from lawful protest to criminality. The IHRC has also been approached for comment, but in a statement online said: The Al-Quds Day march and rally held in the UK for nearly 40 years, is a non-confessional, family oriented event that calls for justice for Palestinians. It is led by Muslim, Christian and Jewish organisations. Sadly it has been routinely demonised and targeted by Israel first politicians and media, often in totally untruthful ways. It added :Any ban on Al-Quds Day would destroy any remaining credibility that the UK has. When the world, including the vast majority of British people, are clamouring for justice for Palestine, it is perhaps best that the British government serve their interests, rather than that of a genocidal state currently unleashing further violence on Iran and Lebanon as well as Gaza. The Al Quds march has also been referred to as the Fly the Flag march on promotional content shared by the IHRC. The Iranian regime has long been accused by the West of implementing a repressive, violent, and corrupt regime. Now, at the apotheosis of his political career, Benjamin Netanyahu is a man with a plan - Daniel Torok/White House If Donald Trump is waging a war in search of a strategy, then Benjamin Netanyahu is a perfect contrast. The Israeli prime minister has spent his political life preparing for the moment when his country would join forces with the US against Irans regime. Now, at the apotheosis of his career, Netanyahu is a man with a plan. All of his actions are designed to answer a question posed in his memoirs. Did he truly believe that I would succeed in leading Israel in rolling back Irans threat to our existence? asked Netanyahu, referring to his late father, the venerable historian, Benzion Netanyahu. Succeeding in that task and freeing Israel from the supposedly mortal Iranian threat has been Netanyahus consuming mission throughout his time as Israels longest-serving prime minister. For him, terrorist movements such as Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon and a hostile regime like Bashar al-Assads in Syria were mere instruments of an Iranian strategy to surround Israel with enemies and deter its leaders from rolling back the existential threat. Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3 - AFP via Getty Images After the Hamas atrocities of Oct 7 2023, Netanyahu resolved not to be deterred. Stage by stage, he has been ruthlessly reshaping the Middle East ever since, culminating in the current assault on Irans regime. And on Tuesday, he sent Israeli forces over the northern border into Lebanon. Stage 1: Pulverise Hamas Israels blood-soaked assault on Gaza, inevitable after the Oct 7 attack, was also seen by Netanyahu as a way of depriving Iran of a formidable ally. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late supreme leader, had made Iran the paymaster and arms dealer of the axis of resistance, a chain of terrorist groups across the Middle East capable of striking Israel at his command. Hamas was the link in the axis that succeeded in inflicting the greatest harm on Israel. As such, it amounted to Khameneis strongest asset. By pulverising Hamas after 2023, Netanyahu was also weakening Iran. Stage 2: Break the rest of the axis of resistance The next most dangerous terrorist group was Hezbollah in Lebanon, the recipient of tens of thousands of Iranian-supplied missiles. In 2024, Israel maimed or killed many of the movements leaders and thousands of its rank-and-file by planting explosives in their pagers or walkie-talkies. Then Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, and most of his senior colleagues, delivering hammer blows from which the organisation has yet to recover. Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, in September 2024 - Bilal Hussein/AP Photo Hezbollah had been propping up Assads regime in neighbouring Syria the only state in the axis of resistance aside from Iran itself. But Hezbollahs sudden evisceration triggered Assads downfall at the hands of his own people in December 2024. The combined effect of all these extraordinary events was to reduce Irans ability to strike Israel. That power has not been completely removed, as shown by Hezbollahs missile attacks on Monday. Israels new invasion of south Lebanon is designed to carve out a buffer zone and reduce that threat as far as humanly possible. Netanyahus logic is that anything that drives back the danger from Hezbollah also gives him more freedom to act against Iran. Stage 3: Destroy Irans nuclear programme Khamenei had defied international pressure and the full weight of economic sanctions to give Iran the ability to enrich uranium and therefore to produce the weapons-grade uranium required for a nuclear bomb. By wrecking Hamas and Hezbollah, Netanyahu diminished Irans ability to retaliate for any attack on its nuclear plants. Having achieved that goal, Netanyahu sent Israels air force to strike Irans three vital nuclear plants Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan in June last year. In the final 24 hours of this 12-day war, they were joined by Trumps America, which delivered the coup de grace by dropping the heaviest conventional bombs ever made on the nuclear facilities. Stage 4: Enlist America in the struggle Trumps decision to join Israel in the strike on the nuclear plants was a turning point. For the first time, America had waged war alongside Israel. This reflected Americas shared national interest in destroying Irans nuclear facilities and defanging its regime. Netanyahu has succeeded in harnessing American power behind his cause of dealing with Iran - Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Netanyahu operated on the principle that Trump helps allies who help themselves. America respects capable friends, not free-riders who simply shelter under its wings. By attacking the nuclear plants, alone at first, Netanyahu showed that he was willing to bear the costs and risks of military action and possessed a formidable air force. Hence, Netanyahu won over Trump to join the effort. Stage 5: Overthrow Irans regime This is the final and climactic stage, with American and Israeli strike aircraft flying wingtip to wingtip from the outset of the war. Netanyahu has succeeded in harnessing American power behind the cause of dealing with Iran. But now that Khamenei is dead and Irans arsenal of ballistic missiles is steadily being destroyed, Netanyahu and Trump may diverge. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader, made Iran the paymaster and arms dealer of the axis of resistance - Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Trump is unable to define a consistent objective. He wavers between seeking regime change or a new deal with Irans post-Khamenei leadership. He does not know what he wants in Iran. For Netanyahu, by contrast, weakening and defanging Iran is an end in itself. The more missiles and drones that can be destroyed, the fewer will be fired at Israel. The more damage done to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the less this once potent force might threaten Israel or rebuild Hamas and Hezbollah. And the more Iranian leaders can be killed, the less chance of anyone having the authority to emulate Khamenei and launch a concerted campaign against Israel. If all this ends up creating the conditions for Irans people to overthrow the Islamic Republic, then Netanyahu will be satisfied. But if that does not happen and nobody can control how Irans population might react to this campaign then severely weakening Iran in every possible way will inevitably reduce the menace faced by Israel. Each stage of Netanyahus plan has come at immense human cost. Along the way, he has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and war crimes. But, unlike Trump, he has been executing a strategy with one overarching goal to roll back the danger of Irans regime. By the ferocious use of hard power, Netanyahu has transformed the balance of power in the Middle East. Residents and holidaymakers in Dubai have told The Standard about their experiences over the past few days as the city has been hit by missiles and drones in the conflict in the Middle East. Iran has launched attacks across the region in response to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, with Iranian state TV confirming the death of 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the countrys Supreme Leader. Dubai International Airport was damaged in what authorities have called an incident, while debris from an aerial interception caused a fire in a berth at the Jebel Ali port, the worlds ninth busiest. Hotels and buildings have also been damaged, and thousands of flights have been grounded both to and from the Middle East, leaving hundreds of Brits stranded. At least 94,000 Brits in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf nations have already registered their locations and contact details with the Foreign Office, ready for evacuation. The Standard has spoken to people on the ground in the UAE to get their stories. A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images) No one knows what to do Glyn Tookey, 57, is a regional sales manager, who was halfway into a family holiday with his wife and 11-year-old son when everything kicked off. After spending five days in Abu Dhabi, Glyn and his family arrived in Dubai on Friday February 27, spending his first day there by the pool. Mr Tookey told The Standard: There were some loud explosions in the afternoon, but at that point nobody knew, it could have just been fireworks. But in the evening we saw quite a lot of stuff in the sky, it looked like missiles. You could see them firing from the ground into the air - there were explosions, plumes of smoke, and loud bangs. On that first night, peoples phone alarms blasted warnings throughout the night, telling people to get to shelter. People relax on the beach with cargo ships anchored offshore (AFP via Getty Images) Mr Tookey had been due to depart for home on Wednesday, but he said that his flight has now been cancelled, and he is currently stuck in his hotel in Jumeirah. He added: Were holed up, were not allowed out, weve been told we have to stay in the hotel. Weve been advised to stay in rooms with no windows. Luckily the restaurants in the hotel are open. Its the same for everyone, everyone is making the best of it but there is a lot of confusion. No-one knows when well get out, we just have to sit and wait. Mr Tookey has booked another flight with Emirates, as they were currently still showing as available, and has even booked a bus to Muscat, the capital of Oman, in a desperate search for other options. He said: No one knows what to do, its just a crazy situation. Theres no information, the airline is telling us nothing. Theres no information, no idea. There is uncertainty - but Im not scared Speaking to The Standard, Michelle Zelli, who moved to Dubai 18 months ago, said she could hear missiles being intercepted overhead. Yet she said: It is not terrifying. There is universal trust in the government, which has been incredible. Yes, there is uncertainty, but I havent felt scared. The Flightradar 24 website showing civilian flights avoiding Iranian and Iraqi sky (AFP via Getty Images) She explained the Emirati government had advised residents to stay at home, promising to send supplies and keep delivery services running. Even her bank had sent messages of reassurance. Ms Zelli said on Saturday morning, she had initially thought the missiles were fireworks. As news spread of the missile attack, she says there has been utter peace and calm as the government continues to take citizen safety and happiness seriously. She added that nobody she knows living in Dubai wants to get on a plane to be flown back home to the UK. One of the most terrifying nights of our lives Katie Murray has been in Dubai with her family since February 21. They came for a weeks holiday, and were due to fly home on Saturday. Katie, her husband, and their 18-month-old daughter were in the airport waiting for their flight, along with her father, aunt and uncle, when they were told it had been postponed and then cancelled. Ms Murray told The Standard: It was absolute havoc trying to get out of the airport, very stressful. They were put up in a high-rise hotel in the city by Emirates, but had an extremely stressful evening as the conflict went on around them. Katie Murray and her family are currently stranded in Dubai (Katie Murray) She added: The first night on Saturday night was probably one of the most terrifying nights of our lives. You could hear the missiles going over throughout the night, I didnt want to look out of the window to be honest. She said there was lots going around on social media, and everyone seemed quite stressed, with no one really knowing what was going on. Katie and her family are now just waiting for a flight - she said that for now, her family have been told to stay in the hotel if possible. She said it isnt easy, but that they are very fortunate to be staying somewhere with three meals a day while they wait - and she has heard that flights are leaving from Abu Dhabi shortly too. As of yet, were just staying put, hoping for the best and crossing our fingers, she said. Cancelled flights at Dubai Airport (Katie Murray) Tough on holidaymakers Nigel Sillitoe is the CEO of a communications company, and has lived in Dubai since 2001. He says he has seen the occasional bang when a missile or drone has been intercepted, but has not been as impacted by the conflict as other expats who are in more vulnerable parts of Dubai. Mr Sillitoe says the mood is still generally upbeat, and that he is busy as normal - but said it was tough on holiday makers who are stuck in the region. Another expat, who wanted to stay anonymous, said that they feel extremely safe. They said: The UAE has been phenomenal. The entire country is showing the reason why so many expats move here. I feel safer here compared to my own city back in the UK. Thank you UAE, for everything. Another, however, felt less secure. They told The Standard: Ive found myself feeling a bit unsettled. I chose the UAE largely because its always felt like such a safe and stable place to live, but its hard to stay grounded and positive during times like this. One of the safest countries in the world Former Im A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here winner Vicky Pattison is also currently stranded in Dubai, when her outbound flight to Australia with her husband, Ercan Ramada, was cancelled. Writing on her Instagram, Pattinson said: Im not an expert on geopolitical matters or international affairs, what I can say is that the narrative that Dubai is being bombed feels like a hyperbolic one. Currently what weve been advised through government channels is that they are intercepting missiles competently and efficiently and what has subsequently caused damage and tragically harm is falling debris. Pattinson added that she and her husband were evacuated to their hotels underground parking structure two nights ago as a precautionary measure, but that they were ultimately in one of the safest countries in the world. Our thoughts and prayers, as yours should be, are with anyone feeling unsettled and unsafe as the world sadly becomes an increasingly fractious and hostile one, she added. 'People went into pandemonium' Zoe Jackson arrived in Dubai on Thursday for business with a colleague, and while she was aware of some unrest in the region, she hadnt given it too much thought, considering the UAE to be a safe place. On Friday evening, Zoe and her colleague went from their hotel in the business district to meet a client for a drink at Atlantis, The Palm. She told The Standard: We sat having a cocktail outside when we saw debris come down onto The Fairmont. Then we could see missiles going above our heads. It was pretty scary, people went into pandemonium. Zoe and her colleague took a taxi back to their hotel, but they were in for a restless night. She said: Overnight on Saturday I dont think anyone slept, I dont think anyone will have in the whole of the UAE. We all got the alerts on our phones at midnight, which freaked everybody out, and it caused a mass exodus to the lobby. Zoe said that the hotel she was in was very busy, with lots of people from the UK, and lots of children, as people who were in the airport when it was hit had been moved there. She said that the coming together of people was admirable and encouraging, and that locals and holiday makers alike all wanted to help. She added that, while it felt a bit calmer by Monday, the story and the mood of the people continually changed, with rumours quick to fly around. Zoe was desperate to get home, with an 11-year-old and a five-year-old waiting for her, and her colleague having three children of news-watching age. Zoe said: The thought of not getting home, its kind of unthinkable to be honest. And in happy news, Zoe has now confirmed to The Standard that she is on a flight back to the UK which will land on Tuesday afternoon. Despite being based in Surrey, she readily accepted the flight which will be landing in Manchester, eager to get the first flight available. She received the call at 1am local time saying she had to leave right away, and was rushed through an empty airport and the Emirates VIP area to her flight. Before we flew, at one moment we were told it wasnt going to happen - and then suddenly it was, Zoe said. She added: There are about 40 seats empty on here, thats how quickly and quietly they moved. Im not sure if the other flights left. Afghan refugees detained by Pakistani police in Peshawar after clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces and airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities. Photograph: Arshad Arbab/EPA (Photograph: Arshad Arbab/EPA) At midnight on Saturday, Alma* stood at the check-in counter at Karachi airport in Pakistan with her husband and three-year-old son, holding tickets she believed would finally take the refugee family to safety. The Afghan journalist, who fled the Taliban in October 2024, had already been stopped from boarding two days earlier, on 26 February. Since they were flying with a tourist visa to a country in Africa, they had booked a flight from Karachi with a return leg that they did not plan to use. But the Pakistani officials at the airport refused to let them board. This time, they had booked flights with a return leg to Kabul. But again, officials from Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency refused to let the family board. The officers told us to go back to Afghanistan and fly wherever we want to from there. They said we cannot fly to our destination from Pakistan. Within hours, she and her family would also be turned away from a hotel because of their Afghan passports. Almas ordeal is unfolding as Pakistan declares itself in open war with Afghanistan after escalating cross-border strikes last month on Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, also known as the Pakistan Taliban, which Islamabad accuses Kabul of supporting. Afghan refugees say the developments have triggered a sharp increase in police raids, arrests and deportations across major cities. The employee opened the door and said you have one second to empty the room It is an order from high up Afghan journalist For the millions of Afghans living in Pakistan many of them journalists, activists or former government officials who fled Taliban rule the rising tension is translating into fear at their doorsteps. Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, says returning to their country will put them at real risk of violent retaliatory attacks. Months of clashes have flared up since Thursday, when Afghanistan launched attacks along the frontier and Pakistani forces hit back across the border and with airstrikes on seven camps of the TTP. After being not being allowed to board their flight on 28 February, Alma took a taxi to a nearby hotel. Staff allowed them in but after they saw their Afghan passports, they were ordered to leave. The employee opened the door and said you have one second to empty the room. When we asked for a reason, he replied, It is an order from high up; I am just an employee who is tasked with implementing it. Alma is a journalist with one of Afghanistans exiled media groups, covering the Talibans human rights violations. If she were to be deported to Afghanistan, she says, her work would put her life at risk. On Sunday, I woke up to the news of war in Iran and the protest in Karachi. For a few minutes I felt I was suffocating, couldnt breathe and felt this is the end, she says. A friend in the capital, Islamabad, has offered her shelter, but she fears arrest at any moment. I am an Afghan woman journalist with nowhere to go, she says. Other refugees living in Pakistan have described the police searching for and arresting Afghans. The police raided our neighbourhood and arrested all the men it is not clear where they were taken Facebook post In the city of Quetta, about 60 miles (100km) from the Afghan border, another Afghan woman, Leila*, describes the night she heard pounding knocks echoing through her building. Her neighbour an Afghan woman studying on a valid visa had already seen her husband arrested two days earlier. When loud banging began at her door late at night on Friday, Leila suspected what was happening. At that moment, I said to myself that it must be the police, because my friend didnt answer my message. I sat silently in my room. My mother was asleep. Since coming to Pakistan, I have been taking pills because of the intense stress; my heart was in severe pain and I was crying. Leila says three neighbours were arrested that night, including two with valid visas. My friend later messaged that they were taken to the camp. After that, communication was cut off. Pakistani police used to take money and then let people go, she says. But now they only deport. Across Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar, Afghans report new checkpoints and house-to-house searches. Abdul*, an investigative journalist who fled Taliban rule after previously being deported from Iran, arrived in Pakistan in July 2025. His two-month visa was not renewed. Since September, he has been arrested twice. The first time, I paid 15,000 Pakistani rupees [40]. The second time, I paid 20,000, he says. Abdul and his family rent a home under another persons name. When police knock, a neighbour with valid papers answers. When the police search house to house, we often hide outside, he says. That is how the police arrested me twice on the street. Related: They threw us out like garbage: Iran rushes deportation of 4 million Afghans before deadline In a Facebook group of more than 44,000 Afghan refugees, posts since 26 February focus on sounding alarms about the areas the police are searching, checkpoints and safe areas. Tonight, after 12am, the police raided our neighbourhood and arrested all the men it is not clear where they were taken, one Facebook post says. The situation is very bad, says another. Everyone should be ready to go back to Afghanistan. On 27 February, the journalist Zarghona Akbari said police arrested her and her children despite her valid visa. Tonight they came again, she says in a voice message on Facebook asking fellow journalists for help. Right now, they are transferring us to the camp from the police station. * Names changed to protect their identities Zahra Nader and Freshta Ghani are reporters at Zan Times The Reykjavik Edition (Nikolas Koenig) As the sun hovers just above the horizon, casting a golden glow over Reykjavik, the city pulses with a quiet energy. It is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Arriving from London, I walked straight from the cockpit into an omnipresent wash of pink and gold, the hue of the midnight sun distinct to this northern outpost of Europe. Even at the height of summer, Iceland remains unmistakably itself an occasionally bone-chilling wind lingers, no matter how high the sun climbs. Iceland is the land of ice and fire. An island of volcanoes draped with glaciers, where smoldering lava meets gleaming ice. It is an environment that has given Icelanders both one of the harshest inhabited environments on earth and some of the most breathtaking views known to humankind. It is also a land of fantasy and wonder. A 2007 study by the University of Iceland revealed that more than 60 per cent of the population professed belief in elves, known here as huldufolk, or hidden people. While many Icelanders today might dismiss that figure as exaggerated, what is undeniable is the deep influence of folklore and tradition on the country. There is a profound reverence among Icelanders for their land, and an instinctive desire to live in harmony with nature. (Sky Lagoon) Midsummer celebrations are part of that tradition. The ancient Norse settlers believed that on this night, cows can speak, seals can shed their skins to walk as humans, and diseases can be cured by rolling naked in dew-covered grass. In Iceland, the summer solstice was thought to be the moment when the veil between the human world and the supernatural was at its thinnest. Every year on June 24, Iceland celebrates Jonsmessa, or St. Johns Mass Day, with a mix of peculiar and familiar traditions. Some of the more unusual rituals include rolling naked in dew, believed to bring health and luck in love. Others mirror the customs of their Nordic neighbors: lighting small bonfires in meadows and on beaches to ward off evil spirits, families gathering for feasts, singing and dancing, and overnight street parties that seem to never end. I didnt participate in the naked rolling Ill leave that honor to the braver Icelanders. But I did embrace the less ritualistic side of Jonsmessa. As a light sleeper and a natural night owl, I found the incentive to stay awake compounded by the midnight sun itself: the pale light slipping through my curtains all night seemed to whisper a reminder that out there, a whole world was still wide awake and waiting to be explored. Instead, I treated myself to a spa arguably one of the most famous in the world. No visit to Iceland is complete without the Blue Lagoon, and midsummer is the perfect time to experience this geothermal oasis, cradled in the heart of black lava fields. The 45-minute drive from Reykjavik takes you through otherworldly scenery: jagged lava expanses and rolling carpets of purple Nootka lupine, a striking but invasive bloom that has claimed much of Icelands summer landscape. To mark the solstice, the Blue Lagoon extends its opening hours, keeping the pools open past midnight. On the day, the spa becomes the venue for an in-water concert. Known as Solstice Sounds, this years iteration featured Icelandic artist Hipsumhaps. As I waded into the milky-blue, mineral-rich waters of the lagoon, against gentle indie beats, I surrendered myself to the warmth, the steam, and the volcanic minerals nourishing my skin. Icelands Blue Lagoon from above (Blue Lagoon) The music played into the early hours as the party continued unabated. More people arrived at the pool, drinks in hand, drifting in and out of the area and moving between the sauna and steam rooms attached to the pools. Others, including myself, smeared our faces with rounds of silica mud and algae masks, meant to moisturize and cleanse the skin, provided in scoops from a booth at the lagoons center. All the while, we were engulfed by the earthy scent of sulfur rising from the waters surface. Floating in the opaline waters, it felt as though time itself had paused. The popularity of the Blue Lagoon can make one yearn for a quieter spa experience. In search of something more tranquil and exclusive, I headed to Sky Lagoon the next day, just minutes from downtown Reykjavik. Entering the spa feels like stepping into a sacred sanctuary. The pool is surrounded by jagged, formidable rock formations that create the sensation of traversing a canyon, and the geothermal water itself is deliciously warm pristine, enveloping, and soul-enriching, like being cradled in the earths embrace. I slipped through the rocks until the space opened into the infinity-edge pool, which seemed to dissolve into the ocean, creating the illusion of floating between sea and sky. But what sets Sky Lagoon apart and makes it an unforgettable wellness experience is Skjol, its traditional seven-step bathing ritual. The journey leads one from warm geothermal pools to icy plunges, then through sauna, steam, cold mist showers, and a sea salt scrub, before finishing with a glass of krkiber, the local elixir made from crowberries that dot the islands lava fields. Calming yet invigorating, the ritual peeled away layers of tension until I felt weightless, suspended in softness with the vast North Atlantic stretched endlessly before me. But Reykjavik also embraces the midnight sun in more kinetic ways. There is the Secret Solstice Festival, a multi-day music celebration featuring international and local artists. For something more contemplative, there is the annual Midsummer Night Walk, where hordes of nature lovers stroll through the scenic Elliaardalur valley through the night, while runners can join the Suzuki Midnight Sun Run. Ever curious about Icelands unique geography, I visited Perlan, the iconic glass-domed observation tower hosting interactive exhibitions on glaciers, geothermal energy, and Icelandic nature, as well as the Volcano Show, a thrilling simulation of volcanic eruptions and lava flows. Both offered an engaging way to understand the elemental forces that define this land. A bedroom in the penthouse of The Reykjavik Edition (Nikolas Koenig) I stayed at the Reykjavik EDITION, now arguably the capital citys most iconic hotel. Nestled along the waterfront, its sleek black facade mirrors the shimmering waters of the Old Harbour, a striking landmark in a city otherwise defined by minimalism. The hotels interior is a marriage of ash wood and pale gray oak, soft leathers and volcanic rock, mirroring and embodying Icelands raw landscapes. Living there felt like a study in contrasts: part cozy Nordic cabin, part futuristic spacecraft. Expansive windows in my room framed views of the harbor and, in the distance, the awe-inspiring Snfellsjokull glacier. I treated myself to a Summer Solstice meal at TIDES, the hotels signature restaurant. My dinner began with locally farmed tomatoes served with Icelands renowned rye bread and a scoop of sorbet a deceptively simple dish that bursts with freshness. I followed that with crisp lobster and langoustine croquettes, served with black garlic aioli and a sharp kick of wasabi. Cod from the Westfjords is also a must-try in Iceland, which the restaurant paired creatively with miso and buttermilk-lime sauce. But the undisputed highlight the creme de la creme of Icelandic cuisine was the grass-fed Icelandic lamb fillet: tender, earthy, yet subtly sweet. Paired with a tangy hit of sauerkraut, rhubarb, and cocoa, it brought out the raw, rustic essence of Iceland in a single dish. The spa in The Reykjavik Edition (Nikolas Koenig) Midnight struck again in Reykjavik, when the sun seemed to be setting and rising at the same time. At the very top of the hotel is The Roof, a panoramic bar that feels purpose-built for the occasion. From here, the city stretched out below like a map: the formidable silhouette of Hallgrimskirkja rising above the streets, Harpa Concert Hall shimmering on the harbours edge, and the looming majesty of Mt. Esja across the water. Cocktails are inspired by Icelandic themes, from Basalt a vodka, raspberry, and vanilla skyr creation to Aurora, made with blue gin, cucumber, basil, and citrus. Over a supposed nightcap, I immersed myself in the quiet energy of Reykjavik and its understated beauty. Few places in the world, let alone Europe, offer such serenity at the height of summer; in Iceland, that stillness arrives in abundance. Newly surfaced photos offer a rare glimpse inside Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, revealing an array of stately rooms and eccentric decor. Located in a small town on the outskirts of Santa Fe, the ranch was bought by the sex offender in 1993 from former New Mexico Governor Bruce King. Following Epsteins death in 2019, it was sold to Texas businessman and politician Donald Huffines, a self-described MAGA Trump Republican who is running for Texas comptroller. The property which has its own airstrip and helipad has drawn intense scrutiny since the Justice Department began releasing the Epstein files, which include multiple allegations of abuse at the 22,000-square-foot property. Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who died in 2025, was photographed at Zorro Ranch. Other survivors, including Annie Farmer, have recounted the abuse they suffered there at the hands of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. One alleged victim claimed she was forced to carry Epsteins child in New Mexico, and the disgraced financier reportedly told friends that he planned to impregnate 20 women at a time at the ranch, according to The New York Times. Epstein purchased the sprawling property in 1993 from former New Mexico Governor Bruce King (KRQE) The 'Great Room' at Zorro Ranch, seen with an oversized fireplace, elaborate chandelier and purple wingback chairs (DOJ) Last month, state officials opened an investigation into whether Epstein used the remote property to traffic young women and girls after earlier probes were closed without any charges being brought. We have heard years of allegations and rumors about Epsteins activities in New Mexico, but unfortunately, federal investigations have failed to put together an official record, Democratic state Rep. Andrea Romero said in a statement. Among the millions of documents released by the DOJ, in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is a 2015 risk management report compiled for Epstein which includes 26 photos of the estate. Several photos taken inside the main structure depict a number of lavishly decorated rooms. The office, pictured with bookshelves lining the walls and a large wooden desk in the middle of the room (DOJ) The kitchen inside the sprawling $22 million mansion includes a large oven and ample counter space (DOJ) The Great Room boasts a massive fireplace, chandelier, and a painting encased in a gilded frame. Nearby, an office features a library and a wooden desk equipped with a Mac computer. A large kitchen with a huge range and an indoor swimming pool can also be seen. The report also includes photos of numerous standalone structures on the property, including stables, a log cabin, a barn, and a house with a wraparound porch surrounded by a picket fence. Also nestled on the property is a fire house with a red fire truck and fire tanker. Compiled by an insurance firm, the report highlights the property's security measures, including fire and burglar alarms, a perimeter gate, and a full-time caretaker. The property was valued for tax purposes at $22 million in the report. Included in the 2015 report is an image of an indoor pool, with a bench and wall clock (DOJ) A fire house with large white front doors was photographed on Epsteins ranch (DOJ) After it was purchased by Huffines in 2023, the sprawling estate was renamed the San Rafael Ranch with plans underway to turn it into a religious center. Near the entrance, a makeshift memorial has been set up to honor the victims of Epstein. The plan all along is to make this property into a Christian retreat as a matter of fact, its under construction today, Huffines told former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz in a podcast in February. A rear view of the main building at Zorro Ranch, featuring a facade with arches and columns (DOJ) In January, state regulators ordered that construction be paused at the site, alleging that the necessary permits were not required, according to The Santa Fe New Mexican. Huffines has dismissed criticism surrounding his purchase as a political hit job. Last month, he told a podcast host that all proceeds from the sale were directed to victims of Epstein. He also noted that no law enforcement agency has contacted him regarding an investigation into the ranch but said he would be happy to cooperate if asked. March 2, 2026: One of the many unusual tactics employed by Ukraine against Russian invaders is a large number of decapitation operations. This has resulted in the deaths, so far, of thirteen generals and over 300 lower ranking officers. These included 42 colonels, who often command brigades or serve as senior staff officers and planners. The rest of the dead were lieutenant colonels and majors. Russia had to deal with the threat of American decapitation attacks during the 1948-91 Cold War. In 1983 the United States sent highly accurate Pershing II missiles to West Germany. These missiles had a range of 1,700 kilometers and the 5 kiloton nuclear warhead was designed to reach underground bunkers before detonating. The guidance system used a mechanical inertial guidance system that used a targeting radar during final approach. In tests this regularly had the warhead landing within 15 meters of the aiming point. The Americans could eliminate all major Russian headquarters in eastern Europe and western Russia. Russia agreed to remove all their ballistic missiles from eastern Europe and return them to Russia if the U.S. would withdraw the Pershing missiles. Russia still believes the Americans are planning to launch extensive decapitation attacks on them in the event of a war. More recently Israel has used decapitation attacks against Iran in June of last year. These air strikes killed dozens of key military personnel and scientists working on nuclear weapons projects. Earlier Israel had eliminated or hospitalized most of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia leaders by using pagers these key personnel carried. All at once the pagers exploded, because Israeli operatives had modified these devices by adding a small explosive charge and a detonator activated remotely by Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence agency. For more than three decades the United States has been eliminating the senior ISIL/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant leadership and this effort has been successful. The second most senior ISIL leader Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli died when his vehicle was attacked by American commandos in helicopters. The U.S. troops had been tracking Qaduli for several days waiting for an opportunity to capture him. Qadulis vehicle was attacked in an uninhabited area on the Syria side of the Iraq border. Qaduli and his three companions fought back and all were killed. The commandos did recover cell phones, computers and other electronics. But the American really wanted to interrogate Qaduli, who was noted as a good strategist, manager and leader. This was why he was next in line to be supreme leader of ISIL. It takes more than drones and commandos to carry out these decapitation and kill the leaders' efforts. Cash rewards also help. In 2015 the U.S. announced $20 million in rewards for information leading to the capture or killing of four senior ISIL leaders. These included Abd al Rahman Mustafa al Qaduli a former al Qaeda-in-Iraq leader who joined ISIL in 2012, Abu Mohammed al Adnani the official spokesman and face of ISIL, Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili a senior combat commander and Tariq Bin al Tahar Bin al Falih al Awni al Harzi commander of all suicide bombing operations as well as forces in northeastern Syria. Adnani was badly wounded by a missile attack. The other three were killed. Details of how the cash rewards work are not revealed because it is widely known that those who inform on their leaders are often hunted down and killed, along with their families. That, like cash rewards or bribes, are ancient practices that still work. Going after senior leaders, especially those with unique skills like organizing and training suicide bombers, has been shown to be one of the most effective tactics for crippling and destroying an Islamic terrorist organization. Decapitation tactics proved successful in Iraq before U.S. troops left in 2011, and earlier in Israel where it was developed to deal with the Palestinian terror campaign that began in 2000. The Israelis were very successful with their decapitation program, which reduced Israeli civilian terrorist deaths within five years from over 400 a year to less than ten. Actually decapitation tactics are an ancient practice. American troops have used similar tactics many times in the past in World War II, 1960s Vietnam, the Philippines over a century ago, and in 18th century colonial America, but tend to forget after a generation or so. Some things have to be relearned. So successful has decapitation been that in 2013 Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan openly called for supporters to help develop methods, electronic or otherwise, to deal with the American drones that constantly patrolled terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistans Waziristan and Afghanistans border area and constantly found and killed Islamic terrorist leaders with missiles. This has led to the deaths of hundreds of key terrorist personnel and, despite the heavy use of civilians as human shields, few civilian deaths. The Taliban were increasingly frustrated at their inability to deal with this. For a long time the U.S. either denied these drone missile attacks were going on or refused to comment. The impact of these attacks on terrorist operations and the morale of terrorist leadership led to the United States to openly admitting the attacks and confirming that they would continue. They work and are a weapon unique in military history. Wars have always included attempts to gain victory, or at least an edge, by going after the enemy leaders and other key people. This has always been difficult because the enemy leaders know they are targets and take extensive precautions to protect themselves, the royal guard, food tasters, and all that. This no longer works and terrorist leaders are scrambling to find ways to avoid this lethal retribution for their wickedness. Islamic terrorists also use decapitation but their favored weapon is the suicide bomber. Islamic terrorism is disrupted not destroyed by these decapitation tactics. The problem is that Islamic terrorism and attacks on non-Moslems are encouraged in Islamic scripture, which makes it unique among major religions. That is another problem that a growing number of Moslems are finally confronting. Meanwhile the Islamic terrorists keep killing. Most of their victims have always been Moslems but modern technology, cheap international travel and global news media and all the oil money in the Middle East have led to some damage in the non-Moslem world. As in the past, the non-Moslems react and defend themselves. The cure is always temporary for only Moslems themselves can cure the disease. A portrait of musician Sir Elton John and his family has been unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery. The portrait captures Sir Elton; his husband, filmmaker David Furnish; their two children, Zachary and Elijah Furnish-John; and their two Labradors, Joseph and Jacob, in their family home in Old Windsor. Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish with photographer Catherine Opie at the unveiling of Elijah, David, Elton and Zachary (2025) by Catherine Opie, at the National Portrait Gallery (David Parry/National Portrait Gallery/PA) (David Parry/National Portrait Gallery) Taken by photographer Catherine Opie, the portrait can be found in the gallerys Mary Weston Gallery from Tuesday, with the unveiling also marking the opening of the exhibition Catherine Opie: To Be Seen. Sir Elton and Furnish said: To have our family photographed by Catherine Opie and on display at the National Portrait Gallery is a huge honour. We are huge admirers of her work and proud to have her beautiful and poignant images in our collection. Sir Elton and Furnish entered a civil partnership in 2005 and had their first son, Zachary, in 2010 before having Elijah in 2013. The couple then married in 2014. The pair have also been long-time advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and have campaigned to tackle HIV/Aids including through the Elton John Aids foundation to help raise money for life-saving programmes. Speaking about the portrait, Opie added: I arrived at Elton and Davids house three days before Christmas. I met the boys and the dogs and after a great lunch together, I made this family portrait of them in their library. It is truly an honour to photograph Elton, David, Zachary and Elijah. For me, it represents the humanity of what family can be. The addition of the portrait celebrates Sir Elton Johns extraordinary achievements in music as well as the familys vital humanitarian and philanthropic work (David Parry/National Portrait Gallery/PA) (David Parry/National Portrait Gallery) Sir Elton, whose birth name is Reginald Dwight, is best known for hit songs such as Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Im Still Standing. He rose to fame in the 1970s following the release of his second album, the self-titled Elton John (1970) and has gone on to win five Grammys, five Brit awards and achieve 10 number one singles and albums in the UK charts. Victoria Siddall, director of the National Portrait Gallery, said: The National Portrait Gallerys Collection exists to share portraits of the people who have shaped the history and culture of the UK, from the Tudor times to today. The people on our walls, and the stories we tell about them, are a source of inspiration for the millions of people who come through our doors, and particularly the many young people who visit every year. I am delighted to welcome this important portrait of the Furnish-John family by Catherine Opie into our Collection. It celebrates not only Sir Elton Johns extraordinary achievements in music but also the vital humanitarian and philanthropic work that he and David have undertaken in recent decades, and the family they have built together. For British widow Lynda Leach, 76, her trip to Abu Dhabi last week was a promise to her late husband, Peter Leach - to donate to the government 200 rare photographs of the emirate he took in the 1960s when Abu Dhabi was still a British Trucial State. Instead, military escalation in the Middle East and flight disruptions across the Gulf have left her stranded in the emirate, waiting for services to fully resume and for the opportunity to hand over the collection to the newly opened Zayed National Museum. My husband always wanted to come back to Abu Dhabi and donate these pictures he took but somehow did not manage. So, I decided to do it, Mrs Leach told The Independent. A Cyprus resident for many years, Mrs Leach travelled to the United Arab Emirates on 19 February with her friend Linda Buckland, 76, also a British citizen in Cyprus, for what was meant to be a week-long cruise. We could have flown out on Friday, but we decided to extend our stay so that I could hand over the slides to the museum on Monday, she said. Now we are stranded in Abu Dhabi and our flights have been rescheduled to this weekend. Lynda Leach in her hotel in Abu Dhabi (Supplied) After completing their cruise on Friday, the two women decided they were too tired to travel and chose to extend their stay at the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi in Yas Island, a popular tourist destination in the emirate. Air traffic across several Gulf states came to a halt from Saturday leaving thousands of travellers stuck in the UAE, as Iran mounted retaliatory attacks across the region that hosts several US military bases. The UK government has since launched a major evacuation effort. Around 200,000 British nationals are believed to be in the wider Middle East, many as residents or tourists, according to the Foreign Office. Limited flights have resumed in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since Monday, but disruptions continue. While the travel plans have shifted, the purpose of Mrs Leach visit has not. I have handed over the slides to a British citizen living in Abu Dhabi and he has promised to hand them over to the museum on my behalf, she said. Lynda Leach had planned to deliver these photos to UAE (Supplied) Mr Leach took the photographs in 1960, when he was posted as an electronic engineer with the British firm Decca Navigator Ltd, which manufactured radio navigation systems for ships and aircraft. Peter was only 21 when he came to Abu Dhabi in the 1960s. It was a different world out here. There were not many people who owned cameras in this part of the world. And he loved taking these pictures, said Mrs Leach, who was married to Mr Leach for 30 years. After spending about a year and a half in Abu Dhabi, he returned to the UK, joined the Royal Air Force and retired in 1995. He died four years ago in Cyprus. The pictures, preserved as slides along with a few disks of scanned images, offers a black-and-white record of a very different Abu Dhabi, when the emirate was still a small fishing settlement. The grainy images Mr Leach captured include the old Abu Dhabi jetty jutting into the sea with small wooden 'dhows' (boats), a traditional bazaar where burqa-clad women selling fresh catch, a basic airstrip etched into the desert with a mud-brick structure, a Gulf Aviation plane unloading an ice box with meat and other food items, and an old truck bringing gallons of fresh water, among others. Smoke billows from Zayed port after an Iranian attack in Abu Dhabi (Reuters) Some pictures also show Mr Leach in a modest shed that served as Deccas operating base and also him posing with what appeared to be a first-generation Land Rover on his way to the airport through a vast expanse of pristine desert. Many of the small prints also carry Peters handwritten notes and captions. I had heard so much about Abu Dhabi from him, about sharing meals with the sheikhs and how he once ate the eye of a lamb. The most fascinating story he told me was that the British representative of that time would visit Qasr Al Hosn fort, where the Ruler lived, to spray the stacks of cash the government paid in oil concessions, so they would not grow mould. If Peter were here, he would have been mesmerised by how Abu Dhabi has transformed. And he would not have definitely expected missiles and drones. Peter Leach in 1995 (Supplied) Although the sound of explosions caused by interceptions has been unsettling, she said they feel generally safe. Peter used to say, There is a world out there we dont know. We can only speculate about this conflict, but there is no need to panic. Mrs Buckland who is travelling with Mrs Leach admitted she has been anxious about the missile alerts. My family is watching this unfold and they are really worried, she said, adding that her brother messages her several times a day to check if she is safe. Sometimes what we see on television is worse than it is. I tell him not to believe everything he sees on TV. At the same time, she said she has been impressed by how authorities have handled the disruption. We thought this would cost us an extra 1,000 euros, she said. We are very impressed that the government is taking care of everyone and even covering the costs for passengers. If we have to stay a little longer, we dont mind. Doorbell camera video has captured a rare leopard and a giraffe roaming just 20 metres away from a South African couple's home. Ring footage shows the animal paying a visit to a water trough installed by Deon Geldenhuys and his wife, Kim Smith, who installed the camera to monitor the nearby animals. The couple live a 30-minute drive from Kruger National Park. Captured on camera include a giraffe, nicknamed "Osi-One" due to a broken ossicone (horn), a rare leopard with a unique spot pattern, and a family of Chacma baboons drinking from the trough before a baby monkey falls in. Marco Rubio has said Iran would respond against the United States, no matter who attacked the country first - Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images Donald Trumps cabinet is split over who started the USs war with Iran. Mr Trump has insisted he decided to attack Iran on Saturday because he feared the regime would launch a pre-emptive strike on American forces in the region, a claim backed by many of his closest allies. However, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, seemingly contradicted the presidents claim by suggesting that Israel led the US into the war by bombing Tehran. Mr Rubio, along with senior members of the Trump administration, later claimed his comments had been taken out of context by the media. On Monday night, Mr Rubio said on Capitol Hill: It was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by anyone, [be that] the United States, or Israel or anyone, they were going to respond and respond against the United States. Referring to the US decision to strike, he also said America would suffer much higher casualties if it had waited for Iran to attack first, adding the president made the very wise decision to strike pre-emptively. Mr Rubio whose comments have inflamed Mr Trumps Maga base is the first cabinet official to acknowledge Israel was, at the very least, a driving force behind the war in Iran. He said the US knew an Israeli strike would precipitate an attack against American forces and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties and, perhaps even higher, those killed and then we would all be here answering questions about why we knew that and didnt act. On Tuesday, Mr Rubio insisted he had been misrepresented by the media, claiming Mr Trump decided to bomb Iran when talks to curb its nuclear programme stalled. Once the president made a decision... that they were playing us on the negotiations, and that this was a threat that was untenable, the decision was made to strike them, he said, following a Senate briefing on the war. Mr Trump later denied that Israel forced the USs hand into joining the war against Iran during a bilateral meeting with Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor. No, he said. I might have forced their hand. We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack if we didnt do it. They were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. And we have great negotiators, great people that do this very successfully, and have done it all their lives. Very successful. And based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they were going to attack first, and I didnt want that to happen. In support of Mr Trump, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said that the US president was 100 per cent correct. On Tuesday, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, suggested the war had been started without a clear objective. He told a press conference: Wars without clear objectives do not remain small. They get bigger, bloodier, longer and more expensive. This is not a necessary war. Its a war of choice. Operatives from Irans ministry of intelligence reportedly reached out indirectly to the CIA a day after the attacks began with an offer to discuss terms for ending the conflict. The New York Times said that the offer was made through another countrys spy agency. However, US officials are reportedly sceptical that either the Trump administration or Iran is actually ready for an off-ramp. On Tuesday, Irans ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva ruled out any negotiations with the US, while Mr Trump said that Tehran wanted to talk but it was too late. Elbridge Colby, the Pentagons policy chief, sought to distance the US from the strikes. He told the Senate armed services committee on Tuesday that the US did not kill Irans Supreme Leader, claiming he had been killed in an Israeli strike. Those are Israeli operations, Mr Colby said when pressed by Congress members about whether regime change was an objective of US action. However, on Saturday Mr Trump had called on the Iranian people to rise up against the regime. When we are finished, take over your government, he said. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. Credit: Truth Social/ @realDonaldTrump Mr Rubios admission angered Maga hardliners and isolationists who elected Mr Trump to power. They argued that Mr Trump had become beholden to military interventionists, who he ran against in his election campaign. Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News host, said on her Maga podcast: My own feeling is no one should have to die for a foreign country. Referring to the six US servicemen killed in action over the weekend, she added: I dont think those force members died for the United States. I think they died for Iran or for Israel. Our governments job is not to look out for Iran or for Israel, its to look out for us and this feels very clearly, to me, its Israels war. Mike Cernovich, a pro-Trump influencer, also turned on the administration, saying: Rubios comments are a record scratch moment. He said what most guessed was the case. That he said [this] out loud is a sea change in foreign policy. There will be massive calls for a walk-back. Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli air strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut - AFP via Getty Images But Trump officials were quick to insist that the president had ordered the strikes because Iran failed to scrap its nuclear programme. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told the news outlet Axios: President Trumps courageous decision to launch Operation Epic Fury is grounded in a truth that presidents for nearly 50 years have been talking about, but no president had the courage to confront. Iran poses a direct and imminent threat to the United States of America and our troops in the Middle East. On social media, she shared a link to a National Review article with the caption: No, Marco Rubio didnt claim that Israel dragged the US into a war with Iran. Sir Keir Starmer is deploying the Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon and a fleet of armed helicopters to Cyprus in a major escalation of Britains involvement in Donald Trumps chaotic war on Iran. The move comes after the UK military base at RAF Akrotiri was attacked by an Iranian drone, and follows similar defensive moves by the Greek navy. But the prime minister found himself publicly ridiculed once again by the US president, who bemoaned Britains lack of support for his military plans, saying: This is not Winston Churchill were dealing with. Meanwhile the government has announced plans for a charter flight from Oman to evacuate British nationals caught in the Gulf states, with foreign secretary Yvette Cooper saying 130,000 have already registered their presence in the region with the Foreign Office (FCDO). Sir Keir said: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations, and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities, and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. The deployment of the Type 45 air defence destroyer is the latest sign of the UK being sucked into a conflict that began when the US and Israel launched a barrage of missile attacks on Iran on Saturday, killing much of the countrys leadership, including the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and taking out key military assets. HMS Dragon is to be sent to Cyprus as part of defensive operations in the US-Iran conflict (PA) Sir Keir has resisted calls for Britain to join the attacks and initially blocked the US from using RAF bases to launch strikes. But over the weekend, he was forced to put RAF planes in the sky to defend British assets and regional allies, and later allowed the US to use British bases for defensive measures. The last time the UK deployed a Royal Navy vessel to a conflict that the country was not directly involved in was in 2023, when the Commonwealth state Guyana was threatened by Venezuela. The decision to send HMS Dragon, which has cutting-edge technology capable of taking down drones, comes after criticism of a lack of air defence in the region, as the Iranian regime has threatened to unleash the gates of hell on the US and Israel, following their attacks on Tehran. The US has also indicated that it plans to escalate the fighting further, threatening another wave of airstrikes on Iran, warning that the hardest hits are yet to come. But Sir Keir faced intense criticism over his handling of the crisis, from opposition parties and President Trump, who again expressed his disappointment in the British prime minister. Speaking at the White House about support from European nations for US action in Iran, the US president said Spain had been terrible but added: Im not happy with the UK either. Appearing to refer to the joint UK-US airbase Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands, which Sir Keir eventually agreed the US could use to strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran, he added: That island... its taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. Donald Trump and Keir Starmer seem to be at odds over Iran as the US president criticises the UK (PA) Earlier, Mr Trump told The Sun that he was very sad to see that his relationship with Sir Keir is obviously not what it was. The prime minister has insisted that the special relationship between the UK and US remains strong and told MPs on Monday: I stand by my decision. HMS Dragon, which is based at Portsmouth, had been in dry dock for a refit but has previously served in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Named in honour of the Welsh dragon, its last major operation was in May 2025 to take part in Natos Formidable Shield, the largest at-sea live-fire exercise in Europe. The destroyer has a crew of 200, including sailors, technicians and weapons experts and is captained by Commander Iain Giffin. It carries two helicopters and has a range of guns, anti-ship and anti-air missiles, as well as electronic warfare equipment. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge questioned why it had taken Sir Keir so long to decide to send a warship. He said: It begs the question: why wasnt she already there? Conservative MP Gavin Williamson, a former defence secretary, posted on X: Why wasnt this done in January? It was obvious that it would be required when this all started to escalate. This is very, very poor planning. The US-Israel offensive in Tehran has led Iran to hit Gulf countries and airbases with retaliatory attacks (AFP/Getty) But Ms Cooper said the government had already added to the air defences in Cyprus. We have already increased the deployment, with additional defensive capabilities, including radar, F-35 jets, air defence, and counter-drone systems, she said. France also plans to send air defence systems to Cyprus and could dispatch a frigate, as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has reported. The Iran war is only days old, but with every hour that passes, it is spreading further out of control. It is thus becoming increasingly clear how sensible indeed courageous it was for the prime minister to keep the British out of this conflict, so far as practicably possible. It may not make much difference to American and Israeli military operations, but it was the right thing to do. That it has caused some strains in the special relationship is a matter for regret, but the transatlantic alliance is an old and durable one, and it has recovered from many crises of confidence. The conversations Sir Keir Starmer has had with Donald Trump in recent times cannot have been easy. It takes some bravery to stand up to such a notoriously overbearing figure leading the planets pre-eminent superpower. More than that, it takes moral courage. Yet Sir Keir did so, to the now evident disappointment of his counterpart. In selected interviews with sympathetic outlets, Mr Trump has remarked that he is not happy and is very sad to see the relationship is not what it was. Sir Keir, in his view, has not been helpful. I never thought Id see that. I never thought Id see that from the UK. We love the UK. It is rich indeed to hear the America First president attack our PM for acting in the best interests of the British people. In fact, Sir Keirs initial refusal to allow those bases to be used for operations in and around Iran later amended to permit their use in defensive mode is a proportionate and supportive response to American requests for cooperation, and one that goes as far as it can in terms of the military and political rules of engagement so clearly laid out by the government. These, in contrast to the Israeli and American administrations vague and shifting goals, place a high priority on upholding international law, but are also soundly based in a cool assessment of the merits and prospects for success of the US-Israeli operations (or lack of them). British forces will continue to engage the enemy where it shows itself, notably at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, apparently targeted by a drone sent by Irans Houthi rebel allies. The conversations Starmer has had with Trump in recent times cannot have been easy (PA) It has to be said that the special relationship doesnt mean either side has to agree with everything the other side wishes. The national interests of the US and the UK have normally converged, based as they have been on shared values and interests. But each partner is entitled to protect its own national position. That is something neither Kemi Badenoch nor Nigel Farage seem to want to acknowledge. Despite siren calls from the Labour left and the resurgent Greens to sever ties with Mr Trump completely, Sir Keir has tried his pragmatic best to preserve the long-established friendship with the United States in these difficult circumstances, as the long-term British national interest demands. This is also to be applauded. In this field, above all, Sir Keir is displaying qualities of international leadership that none of his putative rivals possesses. This rift over Iran, such as it is, is not the first such disagreement. As far back as the Eisenhower administration, America couldnt support the Suez fiasco, nor entirely trust the British with nuclear secrets. Harold Wilson famously endured immense pressure from Lyndon Johnson to send a token force, even a bagpipe band, to Vietnam. When Richard Nixon asked Edward Heath if US bases in the UK could be used in the Yom Kippur war in 1973, he was refused. In 1983, Margaret Thatcher had a rare falling out with Ronald Reagan over the US invasion of Grenada, where the Queen was head of state. Try as she might, Theresa May couldnt extract a post-Brexit trade deal during Mr Trumps first term. Such differences crop up from time to time on both sides, and the US-UK partnership has survived. The Trump administrations policies, on Ukraine, on Nato, on tariffs and now the Middle East, represent a more fundamental challenge than past ones, as does the absurd Maga rhetoric about cultural erasure. Yet that is all the more reason for Britain to work to preserve the basis of this old alliance. In due course, and perhaps relatively soon, Sir Keirs caution on the Iran war will be vindicated. Only last weekend, Mr Starmers biographer, Tom Baldwin, wrote that, even in the wake of a catastrophic by-election defeat in Gorton and Denton, the PMs friends and allies believe he is finally asserting his own personality and values on a government in which he has too often appeared like the vegetarian manager of a butchers shop. That remains to be seen. Yet in taking on Mr Trump, he has at last shown some of the backbone that this country deserves from its leaders in wartime and in peace. US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed almost 800 people as blasts hit Tehran and other cities over four days of war - Parspix/Abaca/Shutterstock Bombs have struck hospitals, schools and residential buildings in some of the heaviest strikes on Tehran since the war began. Witnesses described apocalyptic scenes under the relentless barrage on Tuesday as food and medical supplies dwindled and the death toll rose. The US and Israel began strikes on Saturday, decapitating the Iranian leadership and crippling its military in the opening days of the war. Donald Trump, the US president, warned on Monday of an escalation, saying the big one was coming. On Tuesday, extensive bombing appeared to spread through civilian areas, bringing terror to the streets of Tehran, the capital. The Iranian Red Crescent reported 787 dead across 153 cities by Tuesday morning, with the toll rising as strikes expanded to 504 locations in 1,039 recorded attacks since Saturday. The initial strikes killed Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, at his residential compound along with multiple family members, while Israel and the US also targeted military sites across the country. However, nearly 200 children have been killed since the bombing started. Residents said the official count vastly understated casualties in Tehran, where rescue operations struggle to reach victims buried under collapsed buildings. They have been bombing us without pause today, and the sound of explosions never stops, Kamran, a Tehran resident, told The Telegraph. He added: They dont care where they are hitting. I have felt the shockwaves several times already. They are striking buildings where families live, he said. After each explosion, people rush to help and then another bomb hits the same area. Families ration meals to make supplies last while children go to bed hungry and the elderly with medical conditions cannot find their medications and diabetics run out of insulin. Parents are watering down milk to make it stretch further while some families have not eaten in two days and bakeries that remain open face long lines. Smoke rises over the Azadi Tower in Tehran as rescue teams search collapsed homes for survivors - Davoud Ghahrdar/ISNA via AP Areas around Revolution Square in central Tehran were struck on Tuesday, causing extensive damage to residential homes in one of the capitals most densely populated districts. The Haft-e-Tir neighbourhood, also in central Tehran, was hit with video footage showing destroyed apartment buildings and rescue workers digging through rubble. A hospital in southern Bushehr was destroyed, with emergency workers frantically evacuating newborn babies as the building was struck. Kamran said: Many people are trapped under the rubble. Hospitals are filled with injured patients, and staff are overwhelmed. They are even striking hospitals where the wounded are being treated. The scene echoed strikes on Gandhi Hospital in Tehran and multiple other medical facilities across the country. The destruction of hospitals means the wounded have nowhere to go while nurses carry premature infants through smoke-filled corridors as bombs fall on maternity wards. Burn victims lie on floors because all beds are full and surgeons operate by torchlight when electricity fails. The attacks have left hundreds dead or injured - Parspix/Abaca/Shutterstock Medical staff are working until they collapse from exhaustion, then wake and work again while some doctors have not left their hospitals in three days, sleeping in supply closets between emergency procedures. Millions remain trapped in Tehran, a city under sustained aerial assault. The municipality has urged war-displaced residents to report to district offices for hotel accommodation, with emergency shelter and debris removal as current priorities. An apocalypse is unfolding here, said Ashkan, another Tehran resident. Today has been the worst day. Those who had cars fled. Those of us without cars are left here under the bombs. Those with vehicles and means to leave Tehran attempted to flee the city over the weekend and Monday, clogging highways and creating massive traffic jams. But the supreme national security councils Saturday advice for residents to evacuate if possible proved impossible for most. Finding shelter has become increasingly difficult as strikes destroy residential buildings across multiple neighbourhoods. Kamran said people move from location to location trying to stay ahead of the bombardment. We dont know which areas are safe, he said. They hit one neighbourhood, we move, then they hit where we moved to. There is nowhere safe anymore. An Iranian flag is planted amid rubble and debris - Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty The strikes have created a humanitarian crisis that casualty figures do not fully convey. Food supplies have become scarce in several parts of the city as distribution networks break down and stores close. I dont know if any of my relatives are dead or alive, Ashkan said. He added that potatoes had shot up in price, while other staples had similarly skyrocketed or become unavailable entirely as residents stockpile food, uncertain when strikes will end. Government media called for citizens to donate blood at collection centres to treat mounting casualties, the first such public appeal since strikes began. The call suggests hospitals are overwhelmed, treating wounded civilians even as medical facilities themselves come under attack. Residents are attempting to flee major cities - Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Tehrans Emergency Services Organisation headquarters was struck, wounding its director and several staff members. Operations continued from a new location, but the attack degraded the citys ability to respond to casualties. The Red Crescent said more than 100,000 rescue and relief workers across the country are on full alert, but residents said help often arrives too late or cannot reach victims at all. By the time rescuers arrive, another bomb falls on the same place, Kamran said, describing what appeared to be double-tap strikes where initial attacks are followed by secondary strikes targeting first responders a tactic that violates international humanitarian law. Families held funerals on Tuesday for the 148 schoolgirls killed on Saturday when American and Israeli missiles destroyed their elementary school in southern Minab. Videos showed grieving parents receiving their daughters bodies for burial at Behesht Zahra cemetery. After the glorious funeral of the student martyrs to Minabs Behesht Zahra cemetery, families buried the blooming tulips by taking delivery of their martyrs, Iranian media reported, using religious language comparing the dead children to flowers. Mourners cry during a mass funeral held for schoolchildren killed during the attacks - Amir Hossein Khorgooei/AFP via Getty The Minab school strike represents nearly one-fifth of officially confirmed deaths, though residents said actual casualties far exceed official counts. Many bodies remain buried under rubble and isolated neighbourhoods cannot report casualties through disrupted communications. Iran maintains a near-total internet blackout with connectivity at approximately 4 per cent of normal levels, preventing residents from coordinating responses, sharing information about safe areas, or calling for help through social media. Fars province reported 59 dead with 21 civilians killed in Lamerd. Isfahans governor said at least three civilians were killed in multiple strikes on that city. Residential homes in Khomein were struck. American and Israeli forces also struck a building belonging to the Assembly of Experts in Qom, according to reports. The institution is responsible for selecting Irans next supreme leader as the succession process continues following Ali Khameneis death. Mass graves are dug for children killed in the destruction of a school in Minab - AFP via Getty The bodys main building in Tehran has not been struck, state media said. The geographic spread of strikes indicated no area of the country remained safe: 153 cities affected means more than one-third of Irans approximately 429 cities have been hit. President Masoud Pezeshkian, serving on the temporary leadership council formed to govern until clerics select a permanent supreme leader, called on Iranians to gather in mosques and streets to demonstrate support. More calls were made on state TV on Tuesday for people to come on the streets and defend Iran. Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday that lies and deceit have become the model of American diplomacy, adding that strikes began just hours after Oman announced what it called a major breakthrough in nuclear negotiations. This war was not started by us and this military aggression was not our choice our choice was diplomacy, Mr Baghaei said. Israel said on Tuesday it had launched its ninth wave of strikes, while the US said it had hit more than 1,700 targets in Iran since the start of its operation on Saturday. In a televised speech, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said Israeli and US strikes were outside of international law. Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Trump criticised Irans retaliation that has seen it attack several countries across the Persian Gulf, including civilian targets. They are hitting only civilian places, hotels and apartments, he said. We are hitting them where it is much more appropriate. For its part, Israels military claimed on Sunday it was not aware of any US or Israeli strike on a school. At this point not aware of an Israeli or an American strike there... Were operating in an extremely accurate manner, Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman, told reporters. Trump admits worst case in Iran strikes could see new leader as bad or worse than the ayatollah Donald Trump offered little in the way of an optimistic view of Irans future on Tuesday during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, the president took his first extended Q&A on the military campaign launched by the U.S. on Saturday morning. Trump gave no indication of who the U.S. hoped would assume leadership of Irans government in the days to come, explaining that many potential candidates had been killed in the first round of strikes. He also admitted that his actions could result in a leader with even more fervent anti-U.S. sentiment coming to power. I guess the worst case is we do this and then somebody takes over who is as bad as the previous person, Trump admitted. That could happen." Most of the people we had in mind [to lead Iran] are dead, the president continued. Pretty soon were not going to know anybody. The U.S., along with Israel, began targeted strikes on Iranian targets early Saturday morning. Those strikes are now confirmed to have killed Irans supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei. In the days that followed, the White House and GOP have faced questions about what this means for both the U.S. and Iran, including whether America is now involved in an extended war in the Middle East and who the Trump administration hopes will take over the Iranian government in the wake of a devastating campaign intended to decapitate the regime and its military. Top Trump administration officials have offered differing explanations for the necessity of the attacks, which were reportedly authorized only a day after top U.S. negotiators met with Iranian diplomats in Geneva. Very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have: Trump has carried on criticising the UK and its refusal to offer help (AP) Among the reasons for launching the strikes have been the supposed resumption of Irans nuclear weapons development, the imminent threat supposedly posed by its non-nuclear ballistic missile program, and the negotiators refusal to address non-nuclear weapons and support for terrorist groups like the Houthis in Geneva. Trump offered yet another explanation on Tuesday: he believed that the Iranians planned to launch their own attack first. He gave no evidence for this. We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first, said the president. They were going to attack if we didn't do it. They were going to attack first, I felt strongly about that. The answer came in response to a reporters question about the claim that Israeli officials had forced Trumps hand by informing him of their own plans to launch strikes against Iran. We have great negotiators, great people, people who do this very successfully. And based on the way that the negotiations was going, I think that they were going to attack first. And I didn't want that to happen, Trump said. So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand. But Israel was ready and we were ready. During the meeting, Trump also lashed out at two NATO allies, Spain and the U.K. The president attacked the former for preventing U.S. forces from using Spanish military bases for the Iran war effort, and the latter for a similar issue with the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Referring to the U.K.s Keir Starmer, Trump remarked twice that the prime minister was no Winston Churchill, telling reporters: I will say the U.K. has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease; having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. Whats that all about? This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. White House officials who spoke to reporters on Tuesday explained that negotiators who met with their Iranian counterparts in Geneva last Thursday came prepared to address both the Iranian nuclear program and other aspects of conflict between Washington and Tehran, including the broader threat that Irans ballistic missiles pose across the region. According to those officials, Iranian officials who were present at that meeting indicated that future nuclear enrichment capabilities were a red line, an inalienable right which Iranian officials would not surrender. Trump with Friedrich Merz at the White House on Tuesday (Getty) We said to them that you may have that if you may deem that to be your right, we deem our right the ability to stop that, and we're going to stop it, and we're not going to allow it, claimed a senior Trump administration figure. Axios reported over the weekend that Trump authorized the strikes against Iran on Friday, just hours after being briefed by negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the gulf that still separated the Iranian and American positions in the talks. In the strikes so far, hundreds of Iranians are confirmed dead while retaliatory Iranian missile and rocket attacks have taken place in numerous countries across the Middle East, killing some including six service members. That number has climbed slowly since Saturday. While the White Houses assertion that Iran presented an existential threat to the region has been accepted by the U.S.s European allies, its explanation that Iran was once again days or weeks from developing weapons-grade nuclear material or a bomb itself has not. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, denied to CNN that Iran had the capacity to produce such results in such a short time period. It is an evaluation that is based on the fact that Iran has a very big, ambitious nuclear program, that we do not have the accesses that we should have Grossi also reportedly said, according to The Wall Street Journal. At the same time, I have saidwe dont see a structured program to manufacture nuclear weapons. Trump to attend first White House Correspondents dinner as president, claiming reporters now recognize him as the GOAT Donald Trump has announced that he will attend his first ever White House Correspondents' dinner as president, finally breaking his longstanding boycott of the glitzy event. In a Truth Social post Monday, the president claimed he had agreed to go along on Saturday, April 25 because White House journalists now recognize him as a great president, without citing evidence. Trump has shunned the dinner ever since 2015, after suffering a humiliating barrage of roasts from then-President Barack Obama at the 2011 event that reportedly persuaded him to run for the White House four years later. "In honor of our Nations 250th Birthday, and the fact that these 'Correspondents' now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!" Trump thundered. "Because the Press was extraordinarily bad to me, FAKE NEWS ALL, right from the beginning of my First Term, I boycotted the event, and never went as Honoree. "However, I look forward to being with everyone this year. Hopefully, it will be something very Special. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" The last White House Correspondents' Association Dinner that Trump attended was in 2015, and he refused to attend after his first inauguration (Larry Busacca/Getty Images) The White House Correspondents' Association, which has organized the dinner every year since 1924, did not comment on Trump's unlikely claim. "For more than 100 years, the journalists of the White House Correspondents' Association have enjoyed an evening with the president," said WHCA President Weijia Jiang. The dinner, she went on, "celebrates the First Amendment while supporting the work we do, including awards honoring excellent journalism and scholarships to help the next generation of reporters who will someday be the ones asking the questions at the White House. "We're happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt chimed in on X: "Will be fun!" Trump broke with decades of tradition after his first inauguration in 2017 when he announced that he would not attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner that year. Back in 2011, the cameras had caught him glaring fiercely as Obama and late night talk show host Seth Meyers ridiculed Trump and scoffed at the idea that he might ever become president. Many reports have since suggested that this event solidified Trump's intention to run in 2016, ultimately leading to his election victory. California Governor Gavin Newsom's office, which has frequently mocked Trump by posting in his distinctive and peculiar prose style, called Trump's announcement "beyond parody" in a post on X. "WE COULD NOT WRITE IT BETTER OURSELVES," it said. Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House on 2 March 2026. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP (Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP) Donald Trump said Monday he will attend the White House correspondents association dinner for the first time as president. Writing in a social media post, Trump said: In honor of our Nations 250th Birthday, and the fact that these Correspondents now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER! Trump boycotted the dinner for the first time in 2017 and has not attended since in either of his terms as president. Before Trump, every president has attended the dinner at least once since the first one was held in 1921. Trump previously attended the dinner as a guest, most famously in 2011 when then-president Barack Obama and host Seth Meyers brutally mocked him and his presidential ambitions. Trump will not have to worry about a comedian roasting him at this years dinner, as the White House correspondents association has instead invited mentalist Oz Pearlman to entertain guests. Were happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him, Weijia Jiang, the White House correspondents association president, said in a statement on Monday. Since Trumps return to the presidency in 2025, his allies have bought major media companies, including David Ellison buying Paramount, the parent company of CBS News. Last week, Paramount made a successful bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, which operates CNN. March 3, 2026: Finland has joined India, China, Taiwan and several other countries in using highways for operating combat aircraft. After testing the concept in 2015, India decided to adopt the increasingly popular practice of training pilots and ground crews to use designated sections of highways as temporary air strips. This practice became popular during the Cold War, particularly in Europe where most countries either regularly used the practice or had the procedures available in case needed. In Asia, North Korea has been a long time user of this practice while Pakistan and China have revived the use of highway airstrips. In 2014 China held air force training exercises involving the use of designated stretches of highway for emergency airfields for fighters and transports. This technique had not been used since 1989 and now at least ten stretches of highway in Liaoning, adjacent to North Korea, Shandong, facing South Korea across the Yellow Sea and Fujian, opposite Taiwan provinces were designated for such emergency use. There may be others that have been designated but not practiced on, so their location has been kept secret. China is following the example of Taiwan which began regularly practicing using highways as emergency air strips for fighter aircraft back in the 1970s. Then that sort of thing was halted for 26 years as Taiwan tried to make peace with China. In 2004 the highway landings were resumed, and now it's done every few years. There is some preparation involved, at least for the peacetime drills. Troops walk down the length of highway to be used and remove any rocks or other objects that the aircraft wheels might hit or their jet engines might ingest. Then cars go down the road, honking their horns, to flush out any birds which might be sucked into the jet's air intakes. At that point, the F-16s can come in and land. And then turn around and take off again. China apparently follows the same drill as the Taiwanese. Taiwan resumed these drills in 2004 and included actual use of superhighways as secondary airfields for combat aircraft in their military exercises. For example, in one publicized event two Mirage 2000 fighters landed on a highway which were serviced, including refueling, rearming or minor repairs, and took off again. Parts of Taiwan's system of superhighways were designed just for this purpose but actual use of the highways during training exercises lapsed for over two decades because the Defense Ministry did not want to block traffic or annoy China. The resumed training exercises on highways were done more for diplomatic reasons; to remind China that Taiwan had many defensive capabilities. In 2007, the highway drill was carried out once more, and again in 2011. Donald Trump speaking to Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington DC on 3 March. Photograph: Samuel Corum/Pool/Samuel Corum - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock (Photograph: Samuel Corum/Pool/Samuel Corum - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock) Donald Trump attempted to counter a simmering anti-Israel backlash in Congress and among his own Maga supporters on Tuesday by denying suggestions that he had been bounced into attacking Iran because Israel had already decided to do so. Amid growing criticism among opponents and allies alike, Trump rebuffed claims that he had struck Iran only because Israel had forced his hand, a suspicion fueled by comments made by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. Asked whether Israel had pushed him into launching military action, Trump told reporters: No. I might have forced their hand. We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack. If we didnt do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. Senate Democrats reacted furiously after Rubio suggested on a visit to Capitol Hill that Saturdays strikes were driven by the need to pre-empt Iranian retaliation against US interests in response to Israeli attacks that Washington knew was coming. Related: Trump administration has still not settled on reasons for going to war with Iran Rubios comments made after a briefing conducted with the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, and Gen Dan Caine, chair of the US armed forces joint chiefs of staff fueled suspicions from some on both the left and right of the political spectrum that Israels interests, rather than those of the US, dictated the decision to resort to open warfare. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, he told reporters on Monday. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. That rationale has provoked anger among Democrats, as well as segments of Donald Trumps base, who see the attack on Iran and specifically its timing as at odds with his previously proclaimed America first foreign policy goals. Democrats seized on Rubios explanation as grist for forthcoming votes on war powers resolutions, which have been brought before the Senate and House of Representatives this week to assert the constitutional principle that a president must consult Congress before waging war. We have to have a debate in the United States Senate on an authorization of military force, Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator, said on Tuesday evening after he and other lawmakers received a classified briefing from Rubio and other top administration officials. He acknowledged that the resolution will likely fail, but said: We shouldnt be voting to proceed to other pieces of legislation until we get a debate on this deeply unpopular, immoral and illegal war with Iran. While the briefing was intended to update lawmakers on the conflicts goals, many Democrats said the administration failed to articulate their objectives, raising concerns of the US getting bogged down in a conflict with Iran. When theres no set plan, when you cant hear day after day were going to do this, this, this and this, and these are the reasons why, you end up with an endless war. You end up with mission creep, you end up with all kinds of problems, Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said. Republican lawmakers generally backed Trumps approach, arguing the president had removed from power a despotic regime with a long record of killing Americans in the Middle East. We have lost thousands of individuals over 47 years, and we havent done anything about it, senator Markwayne Mullin said. This threat was not going away. I dont think anybody can argue that this regime needed to be removed. Growing concerns over Israels role in the White House decision to go to war could further change perceptions of the countrys relationship with the US, building on the criticism that has emerged following the long war in Gaza. Opinions polls have shown a sharp drop in support among Americans following the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed about 70,000 Palestinians and was launched in response to Hamass murderous October 2023 attack that slaughtered 1,200 people, mainly civilians, on the Israeli side. Trump has provided fluid reasoning for why he ordered attacks last Saturday, in concert with Israeli strikes, one of which killed Irans most powerful figure, the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has also sent mixed signals about whether he is willing to deploy US forces in a boots on the ground capacity, a decision that would almost certainly further inflame domestic criticism. In his initial statement on Saturday, he said the goal was to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. But some of the presidents most prominent social media influencers jumped on Rubios remarks to challenge that justification. Rubios comments are a record scratch moment, wrote Mike Cernovich, a prominent pro-Trump social media influencer. He said what most guessed was the case. That he said [this] out loud ... is a sea change in foreign policy. There will be massive calls for a walk back. So hes flat out telling us that were in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand, posted Matt Walsh of the rightwing Daily Wire magazine. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said. Related: Trump rebukes Starmer again for not letting US attack Iran from UK bases Speaking on his War Room podcast, Steve Bannon, Trumps former White House aide, said: If we knew Israel would strike and Iran would retaliate against us, where was the coordination? We need a strategic explanation. The belief that the attack on Iran is primarily an Israeli interest has been compounded by the comments of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, who has visited Trump numerous times in recent months to press the case for action against Tehrans theocracy, most recently last month. This coalition of forces allows us to do what I have yearned to do for 40 years: smite the terror regime hip and thigh, he said on Sunday. This is what I promised and this is what we shall do. Referring to the first four US casualties of Irans retaliation against the strikes, the conservative journalist Megyn Kelly said on her online broadcast: My own feeling is that no one should have to die for a foreign country. I dont think those four service members died for the United States, I think they died for Iran or for Israel this feels very much to me like it is clearly Israels war. It would explain perfectly why President Trump is having so much difficulty explaining why we are doing this. Donald Trump speaks about Iran before a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Monday, in Washington DC. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP (Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP) Donald Trump has laid out four goals in Iran and said the US campaign had been projected to last four to five weeks but could go far longer than that. On Monday, the US president offered his most extensive comments yet about the war, going beyond two video messages and a series of brief phone interviews with reporters that offered sometimes conflicting objectives. But Trump undercut the gravity of his remarks by abruptly pivoting to tout his plans for a new White House ballroom, boasting that it would be the most beautiful ballroom in the world, coming in under budget and ahead of schedule for $400m or less. Trump said he had ordered the attack on Iran to thwart Tehrans nuclear development and a ballistic missile programme that was growing rapidly and dramatically and posed a very clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas. That was a different justification than the one Trumps secretary of state, Marco Rubio, gave later on Monday. After a closed-door briefing with US congressional members, Rubio told reporters that Israels determination to attack Iran and the certainty that US troops would be targeted in response forced the Trump administration to make pre-emptive strikes. Rubios explanation worried some US lawmakers. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians, said Mark Warner, the Democratic vice-chair of the Senate intelligence committee. There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory. Trump says Iran war to last four to five weeks but could go far longer The president asserted without evidence that Iran would soon have had missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America a claim disputed by national security experts. Trump added that other countries backed US efforts to stop Iran pursuing a nuclear weapon but they just didnt have the courage to say so. Read the full story US-Israel war on Iran dramatically expands across Middle East The war in the Middle East triggered by the joint US and Israeli attack on Iran expanded dramatically on Monday, with casualties and destruction reported across at least nine countries in under 10 hours. Israeli and US warplanes launched a fresh wave of strikes across Iran, where the Iranian Red Crescent Society said more than 500 people had been killed since the conflict began. Israel also launched an intense wave of attacks into Lebanon after Hezbollah struck at northern Israel in retaliation for the Israeli strike on Saturday that killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Read the full story Three US fighter jets mistakenly shot down over Kuwait Three US fighter jets were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait early on Monday in an apparent friendly fire incident, military officials said. All six crew members ejected safely. According to a statement from US Central Command (Centcom), Kuwaits air defences fired on the F-15 war planes during a combat mission on the third day of conflict following Saturdays launch of US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Read the full story UK took far too long to let US use its airbases to attack Iran, says Trump The UK took far too long to allow US forces to use its airbases to attack Iran, Donald Trump has said. The US president added that he was very disappointed in Keir Starmer over the British governments deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as a means to preserve the status of the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia, part of the Indian Ocean archipegalo. Read the full story Trump neck rash from preventative skin treatment, says White House Donald Trump was seen with a rash on the side of his neck during the Medal of Honor ceremony on Monday, fueling more speculation about the state of the presidents health. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened on Sunday 1 March. Donald Trump said he was not happy even though the prime minister eventually agreed the US could use Diego Garcia for strikes on Irans missile facilities. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP (Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP) Donald Trump has launched a deeply personal attack on Keir Starmer over his refusal to let the US launch initial strikes on Iran from British bases, telling reporters: This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. In his latest extraordinary salvo, the US president said he was not happy with the UK even though the prime minister eventually agreed the US could use Diego Garcia for strikes on Iranian missile facilities. It was the third time in 24 hours that Trump had criticised Starmer for the UKs refusal to aid the initial strikes, underlining his frustration at western allies for not unequivocally backing the action. Related: UK sends Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus He told the Sun on Monday that the relationship is obviously not what it was as a result of the decision, and in an interview with the Telegraph he said Starmer had taken far too long to allow the US to use UK bases. Starmer has previously been praised for his ability to maintain a relationship with the volatile US president, but on Monday in the Commons, he expressed doubt about the US action in Tehran and its legality. He issued his strongest rebuke yet, saying the UK did not believe in regime change from the skies and defended his decision not to allow the use of British bases to conduct the strikes. But he said the UK would allow the use of Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford for defensive action to protect British citizens and forces, as well as allied countries in the Middle East which have been hit by a wave of retaliatory strikes from Iran after the US-Israeli attacks. Related: International law and the difficulty of dealing with Trump at war President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britains national interest. That is what I have done, and I stand by it, Starmer said on Monday. The chair of the influential foreign affairs committee, Emily Thornberry, said of the US presidents latest comments: I cant help but wonder what Churchill would have made of Trump. He certainly aint no Franklin D Roosevelt. European countries have struggled to find a united position on the rapidly unfolding events in the Middle East. Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain on Tuesday after Madrid prohibited the US from using bases on its territory to carry out attacks on Iran. Sitting alongside the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said the UK had been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have in an apparent reference to Diego Garcia. He also criticised Spain for being uncooperative saying it had been terrible, then added: Im not happy with the UK either. That island that you read about Its taken three or four days to work out where we can land. It would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours. We are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. Related: Half-truths and no truths: Trumps latest claims on the UK factchecked Trump had previously compared Starmers position unfavourably with Frances support for the strikes and the backing of the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte. He has not been helpful. I never thought Id see that. I never thought Id see that from the UK. We love the UK, he told the Sun. Its a different world, actually. Its just a much different kind of relationship that weve had with your country before. Its very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was. Trump said Starmer also needed to change course on the Changos Islands deal which the US had previously supported as well as North Sea oil and gas exploration and immigration. Stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you, he said. Asked if Starmer was trying to court Muslim voters, Trump said it could be the case. He has also falsely claimed there are sharia courts in London. The prime ministers chief secretary, Darren Jones, said: The UK will act in the interests of British citizens, regardless of their faith or where they are in the UK. I think the public would rightly say they dont want to be involved in a wider war in the Middle East, but they would expect us to do whatever we can to defend British citizens. A poll from YouGov shows that 49% of Britons oppose the US strikes on Iran compared with 28% who back them. It also reveals that 32% support the US using RAF bases to launch attacks as long as the targets are restricted to missile sites, while 50% oppose it. Donald Trump has attacked Sir Keir Starmer over his lack of support for the Iran war, saying he is not Winston Churchill and ruins relationships. In his harshest rebuke of the Prime Minister yet, the United States president criticised him for initially blocking the use of Diego Garcia, the military base in the Chagos Islands, for military strikes. The remarks from the Oval Office on Tuesday came after Mr Trump told The Telegraph he was very disappointed in Sir Keir and that his refusal was unlike anything that had happened between our countries before. They reveal the increasingly fraught state of the special relationship, which has frayed after disagreements between the two leaders over free speech, trade and the use of air bases. Sir Keir is facing pressure to increase Britains military presence in the conflict by dispatching an aircraft carrier to protect Cyprus from Iranian attack. Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to send an aircraft carrier to protect Britains RAF base on Cyprus - Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street Last night, Emmanuel Macron branded US and Israeli strikes against Iran illegal, setting France on a collision course with Trump. Iranian drones and missiles have targeted American assets and allies in the region, including the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, US and Israeli forces continued to strike the Iranian regime on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 800, while Israel sent ground troops into Lebanon following Hezbollah drone attacks. US officials also sparked fears of civil war in Iran by saying Mr Trump was open to supporting militias that could wrest control from the regime. On Tuesday night the Pentagon released photographs of the four American soldiers killed by an Iranian drone strike on Sunday. The four US troops killed in the strike have been named as Sgt Nicole Amor, Sgt Declan Coady, Capt Cody Khork and Sgt Noah Tietjens - Getty Images It came as fears of an energy crisis caused by the conflict triggered stock market crashes around the world, with the FTSE plunging more than 3 per cent before closing down 2.75 per cent in its worst day since Mr Trumps tariff onslaught last April. Speaking during a meeting at the White House with Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, the US president said the UK had been very, very uncooperative over the use of the Chagos Islands. He told reporters: That island ... Its taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that were dealing with. He added: They ruin relationships. Its a shame. And that country, the UK, and I love that country. I love it. The US president also vowed to cut off all trade between the US and Spain after it refused to allow its bases to be used in strikes on Iran. It raises the prospect of similar action against other Western countries that refuse military cooperation, including the UK. Mr Macron said the attacks were outside the bounds of international law in a televised statement on Tuesday. However, he said Iran bears primary responsibility for the war because of its nuclear programme and support for armed groups across the Middle East. In his brief speech from the Elysee, Mr Macron said that French Rafale fighter jets, air-defence systems, and airborne radar systems had been deployed in the Middle East. And we will continue this effort as much as necessary, he said. Britain had denied the US permission to conduct strikes from RAF bases, citing international law, but Sir Keir relented on Sunday night and said he would allow the US to fly missions from the bases for specific and limited defensive purposes. The dispute persuaded Mr Trump to withdraw his support for Britains controversial Chagos deal, in which the UK will relinquish ownership of the British Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius, but lease back its Diego Garcia military base. Mr Trump went on to criticise Sir Keir over his horrible immigration and energy policies, urging the UK to remove sharia courts and open up the North Sea to oil and gas. Donald Trump hosts Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, in the Oval Office on Tuesday - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images The Prime Minister has also been criticised for failing to protect RAF Akrotiri, a British base in Cyprus, after Iranian attack drones hit it, damaging the runway. Sir Keir announced on Tuesday night that he would send HMS Dragon, a Type-45 destroyer, and Wildcat helicopters to defend the base. The base is currently defended by British radar systems, air defence and F-35 jets, but there are no Royal Navy warships in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea around it. France has sent the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier the only non-American, nuclear-powered ship of its kind to the region, alongside extra anti-drone defences, to protect Akrotiri. Two former defence secretaries said that Britains firepower in the conflict with Iran did not match that of the US or France, and that Sir Keir should also send the Prince of Wales aircraft carrier. The ship is currently preparing for a Nato deployment to the Arctic. Sir Gavin Williamson, a former Conservative defence secretary, said: The current pressure is not in the Arctic. The Government needs to be realistic and change its plans for this deployment. The threat is in the Gulf and in the Eastern Mediterranean, and we should be very rapidly redeploying forces to address that. Sir Grant Shapps, who was defence secretary under Rishi Sunak, said: We should, of course, send the carrier. The idea that this country can sit out a war against arguably the most evil regime on the planet is completely bonkers. All of our British interests lie in a successful conclusion, and the failure to protect British servicemen and women is extremely concerning and should properly be the subject of parliamentary probing. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, added: We should send HMS Prince of Wales, but it will take two weeks to get there. In the meantime, the fact that the French are protecting an RAF base tells you everything you need to know: we are sinking to third-world status. HMS Prince of Wales is undergoing maintenance in Portsmouth but could be deployed relatively quickly. It would require an escort of other ships to form a carrier strike group, and fighter jets could join it later on its journey to Cyprus. The Royal Navys second aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is undergoing more major repairs and cannot be deployed. The carriers, which cost 7.9bn and took nine years to build, have been criticised for their small number of deployments and vanity trips to visit allies. However, Whitehall sources suggested that the mission to protect RAF Akrotiri would not be appropriate for an aircraft carrier, since Britain already has the base to launch fighter jets. Sir Keir on Tuesday assured Nikos Christodoulides, the Cypriot president, of his unwavering support for Cyprus and its security and pledged support from HMS Dragon, one of the most capable air defence warships in the world. But defence grandees said he should have dispatched the ship more quickly and questioned his decision to wait until after France had already sent assistance before ordering it to deploy. Lord Owen, the former Labour foreign secretary, said Sir Keirs refusal to join the great bulk of countries in the world, even some in Europe, is wrong, adding that his legal justifications are flawed. Admiral Lord West, the former head of the Navy, told The Telegraph: This is a disgrace. We havent got a single warship in the Middle East apart from an old minehunter. Ive never known anything like it. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: So far, the only decisive action this Prime Minister appears willing to take is to allow the United States to do the heavy lifting, while he carps from the sidelines. Hes floundering around, crippled by indecision and not even able to say if he backs US action or not. Our Armed Forces deserve far better. Trump wont rule out boots on the ground in Iran. Middle East experts say hes grasping at straws Donald Trump will not rule out sending American troops into Iran after launching a massive bombing campaign that the president says could last several weeks or longer. The president told The New York Post that he doesnt have the yips when it comes to sending Americans to war, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the administration wont be dumb about it. But neither leaders are ruling out the possibility that American armed forces could be on the ground in a conflict that experts warn could spill out into a wider war, with destabilizing repercussions throughout the region and beyond. Without clear objectives and with dubious justifications, the administration is seeking regime implosion, fueled by Trumps wishful thinking that a relentless military campaign will open the door for the Iranian people to fill a power vacuum, according to Trita Parsi, co-founder of Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a foreign policy think tank. Trumps mission dovetails with Israels hope to take Iran off the geopolitical chessboard, but the difficulty the administration is having is not necessarily that they dont have that goal its that they cant find a justification for it, Parsi told reporters Monday. Theyre grasping at straws. The Trump administration has not ruled out sending Americans troops into Iran amid what experts say risks turning into a wider conflict that could destabilize the region and beyond (Getty Images) The administration has struggled to clearly define its objectives, with Hegseth declaring that the conflict is not a regime change war while the president says the goal of his campaign is freedom for the people. Asked by a reporter Monday what Hegseth would say to people also want to know what theyre sending their men and women to war for, and whether he was concerned the conflict could spiral out into a longer war, the secretary shot back, Did you not hear my remarks? Were ensuring the mission gets accomplished, but we are very clear-eyed, as the president has been, unlike other presidents, about the foolish policies in the past that recklessly pulled us into things that were not tethered to actual, clear objectives, he said. Middle East experts have compared the post-attack attempts to justify the campaign to the run-up to the Iraq War. Back then, we were sold a bill of goods: fabricated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction, dire warnings of mushroom clouds over American cities, and assurances that toppling Saddam Hussein would be quick, cheap and transformative for the region, said U.S. Army veteran Naveed Shah, political director for Common Defense, which advocates for veterans and their families. But it was all a mirage, he told reporters Monday. Experts have questioned the shifting justifications for the attacks and compared vague statements to the run-up to the Iraq War (AP) The administration has sought to crush Irans military capacity and prevent the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but there is no evidence to justify military strikes based on the grounds of nuclear weaponization, according to Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association. Irans ballistic missile capacity has not advanced so significantly to constitute an imminent threat to the United States, and there is no evidence that Iran is enriching any uranium to weapons-grade levels, Davenport told reporters Monday. Irans nuclear program cannot be bombed away, Irans nuclear knowledge cannot be bombed away, and even if theres regime change, Irans program will still pose a proliferation risk, she said. In June, Trump claimed to have completely, totally obliterated Irans nuclear program in a series of missile strikes and bombings. Complicating the basis for the attacks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed Monday that strikes were in response to an imminent threat and described the administrations campaign as preemptive. We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded, he said. The administrations objective is to destroy Irans missile capability, which he said is being used as a shield to give it room to develop a nuclear weapon. But Davenport said the Trump administration has now put itself into a position where nuclear scientists and materials could end up in the wrong hands without boots on the ground to stop them. Achieving the Trump administrations objectives without boots on the ground is fantasy and would require a longer-term commitment that would once again bring the US into a drawn-out war in the Middle East (Getty Images) Trumps mission to target both Irans missile program and Iran proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere would necessarily require troops on the ground, experts say. The entire premise of doing this entirely without any boots on the ground to achieve these objectives is just fantasy at this point, according to Shah. I think if they really intend to achieve those objectives as they say they do, it will require a longer-term commitment of U.S. boots on the ground, and thats exactly what we want to avoid from happening. Iran, however, is likely welcoming a drawn-out military campaign that would exhaust the United States and its allies, according to Parsi with the Quincy Institute. Theyre targeting Israel, but the real target now is the United States, he said. They have concluded that this war would only end once the pain tolerance of the United States has been reached. And what theyre not looking for is a premature ceasefire, one that ends the war but allows Israel and the United States to restock their munitions, regroup, remobilize, and then relaunch the war. Irans metric of success is not necessarily winning a war with the U.S. but trying to destroy Trumps presidency before it can lose, according to Parsi. The administration is trying to change the expectations on the American side but I fear that, unfortunately, this may go on for much, much longer than four weeks, he said. Two Reform councillors have left the party less than a year after being elected, with one saying she can no longer continue as a result of what she said were misogynistic undertones in the way she had been treated. Kathryn Shaw and Joanne Blythe will now sit on West Northamptonshire Council as Independents. Ms Blythe was suspended by the party pending investigation after indicating her intention to become an independent councillor, a Reform spokesperson said. But in a statement to the BBC, the councillor said that after reflection, she could no longer continue under the councils current leadership. She raised concerns about what I perceive to be misogynistic undertones in the treatment I have received. Ms Blythe added: I wish to be absolutely clear that the suspension of the whip related solely to an administrative inquiry made on behalf of another councillor regarding the procedural process for becoming an Independent. I am confident that there will be no plausible findings of misconduct against me. I was elected to represent my community robustly, and that commitment remains unchanged. I will now continue that work independently, guided solely by the best interests of those I serve. Meanwhile, Ms Shaw who quit her role as a cabinet member for children, families and education at West Northamptonshire Council in January said her decision to quit the party had not been easy, but she could more effectively advocate for strong safeguarding systems outside of the party structure. The latest departures from the party come amid ongoing turbulence in Reform UKs leadership of local authorities. Last month, the head of Kent County Councils cost-cutting programme resigned after suggesting the authority which is Reform UKs flagship council had not made any cuts. Matthew Fraser Moat stood down from Kent County Councils (KCC) cabinet in February after an interview with the Financial Times in which he and another cabinet minister appeared to suggest the authority had not saved money. The councillor had been the head of the councils Department of Local Government Efficiency (Dolge), which was inspired by Elon Musks cost-cutting Doge in the US. Meanwhile, four Reform councillors on the same council were suspended last year while an investigation took place into the leak of a video to the press showing the leader of the local authority telling council members to suck it up. Footage of an online meeting in which KCC leader Linden Kemkaran could be seen berating backbench councillors when they questioned her was leaked to the press in October. On Tuesday, a Reform UK West Northants spokesperson said: It is disappointing that Cllr Shaw has now chosen to resign from Reform UK, betraying the mandate her residents gave her and the activists who spent their time and energy to get her elected. We can also confirm that Cllr Joanne Blythe has been suspended pending investigation after indicating her intention to become an independent councillor. Ms Shaw and Ms Blythe have been contacted for comment. Two Smoothie King employees have been fired after refusing to serve a man wearing a President Donald Trump hoodie. Erika Lindemyer and her husband, Jake, went to the smoothie franchises Ann Arbor, Michigan, location and were denied service by two employees who said they were uncomfortable because of the Trump hoodie, according to a video Erika posted online on Sunday. In the video, Erika told one of the employees, We were just wanting a smoothie, and you literally looked at us, and I asked you if everything was okay, you said we dont feel comfortable serving you because of my husbands hoodie. That is discrimination. Okay, well, have a great day, the employee said back. The other employee said, Trump discriminates us. Both employees appeared to be people of color. Two Smoothie King employees have been fired after refusing to serve a man wearing a President Donald Trump hoodie (Google Earth) That has nothing to do with us wanting a smoothie, Erika responded. Jake then said, Good luck maintaining your employment. When Jake told one of the employees that discrimination is a crime, the employee said, We have the right to refuse service. Not due to political views, though, Jake replied. Erikas video got 4.5 million views on Facebook in two days and was shared across social media. Smoothie King responded to the incident Monday, writing in a statement shared to social media, As a brand, Smoothie King is committed to ensuring our stores are a place free of discrimination of any kind, where every guest and team member is treated with care and respect. Following an investigation into an incident involving a guest who was refused service at a franchised location in Michigan yesterday, the franchise owner has taken immediate action and the two employees involved are no longer with the business. The wife of the man in the Trump hoodie called the employees refusal of service discrimination (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Smoothie King said corporate, along with the franchise owner of the Michigan location, has reached out to the customer to apologize. The local owner is also taking further action and enforcing mandatory retraining for all employees that outlines our guest experience standards, Smoothie King wrote. In a separate video posted on TikTok by a girl claiming to be an employee, she said her co-worker told the woman that her husbands Trump merchandise was making them uncomfortable. I told themI said, We have the right to refuse service. Have a good day. They did not want to listen to that, the girl said. She also posted another video showing her view of the incident, in which she tells the couple, Were not serving Trump supporters. Erika celebrated the news of the two employees firings by commenting on Smoothie Kings statement with a muscle emoji, heart emoji, fire emoji and an American flag emoji. The government announced aid spending cuts last year - Stefan Wermuth/PA Wire British aid agencies are becoming increasingly dependent on wealthy philanthropists and corporate partners to make up budget shortfalls. The fundraising shift follows the double whammy of the Labour government announcing aid spending cuts last year against the backdrop of a long-term gradual decline in individual donations to charities. Sources at several major international charities said they have pivoted towards closer partnerships with major donors following the decision to reduce aid from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent, the lowest level in nearly 30 years. Compounded by the Trump administrations almost total shutdown of USAID, on which so many international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) relied, the sector is having to innovate rapidly just to stay afloat. A source at one of the UKs main aid charities told the Telegraph: We are having to diversify because the scale of the cuts has been so unprecedented. Looking ahead, it seems pretty clear that long-term survival will depend on reliable partnerships with large corporations as well as high-net-worth philanthropists. This is more likely to work for single projects with fixed, achievable aims that have a more easily measurable impact than with less defined unrestricted spending. There will certainly be significant changes to how we operate. While the 0.3 per cent aid cuts will not be fully implemented until next year, individual contributions to charities in Britain have been going down for a decade. Last years UK Giving Report published by the Charities Aid Foundation found that the proportion of British people donating to charity went from 61 per cent in 2017 to 50 per cent in 2024, not including sponsoring. Donations to charities from 16 to 24-year-olds over the same period fell even more precipitously, from 55 per cent to 36 per cent. The statistics show a generational divide, with older donors often making up some of the difference. Of the total 15.4bn donated to charity by individuals over the 12-month period, only 658m around 4 per cent went towards overseas aid and disaster relief, according to the survey. By comparison, more than 1bn was given to animal welfare. The most common reason for not donating was simply not being able to afford it, suggesting the prevailing cost of living crisis is having a negative impact. Charlotte Sherman, Policy Manager at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF), said charities have had to adapt their fundraising in a changing landscape. We have seen foundations and major donors stepping up to make up the funding shortfall, Ms Sherman explained. However, philanthropic capital within the international development space has always been significantly smaller than government spend. So whilst there are definitely generous donors that share the charitys mission, it isnt enough to really be a perfect government replacement. Were now seeing that charities are looking at where they can explore alternative business models that maybe sit outside of traditional fundraising; public-private partnerships, for example. But these sorts of business models are still very much in their infancy. One trend we have heard about anecdotally is that theres more space for corporate partnerships in international development, which are more driven by outcome. Relationship-based philanthropy With the demand for aid funding increasing year on year because of global instability and climate change, charities are having to plan more carefully to ensure they can respond. Being dependent on a smaller pool of richer donors will, however, entail inevitable compromises. Funds are more likely to be targeted at specific projects. The expectation in the charity sector is that smaller local organisations that get most of their funding from public spending will struggle the most from reduced budgets. There are fears some will become insolvent. Recent emergency appeals show that British people today are not necessarily less generous than before but are less inclined to donate regularly through direct debit. About 3.9 million people cancelled a regular donation in 2024. By contrast, the Disasters Emergency Committee, which brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds quickly at times of humanitarian crisis overseas, received more than 446m from over 10 million donors for its Ukraine appeal. This was one of the largest totals in its 63-year history. What charities are focusing on doing right now is building what we call a relationship-based philanthropy approach, where they really try to tailor what theyre doing to the donor, to make it the most fruitful partnership and collaboration possible, Ms Sherman added. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security The aftermath of an Iranian strike on Abu Dhabi. Photograph: Abdelhadi Ramahi/Reuters (Photograph: Abdelhadi Ramahi/Reuters) The UK government will charter a flight from Oman in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable British nationals in the region amid continued strikes by Iran, the foreign secretary has said. Yvette Cooper said the closure of the airspace and the threat of strikes from Iran, retaliating for US-Israeli attacks, meant the situation was fast-moving. Most scheduled services to and from the Gulf remain cancelled until Thursday, although Virgin Atlantic was planning to operate its overnight service from Heathrow to Dubai on Tuesday night, after a partial reopening of UAE airspace. British Airways will also separately operate a flight out of Oman in the early hours of Thursday, to bring home some of its own customers stranded in the Middle East. The time of the government charter flight is yet to be confirmed, but it would take off from Muscat in the coming days, Cooper said, adding that the government was working on increasing the capacity of flights able to depart from Oman. She said 130,000 British nationals had registered their presence with the Foreign Office, allowing them to receive updates as the situation unfolds. Speaking in the Commons, Cooper said airspace was still closed but that many British nationals stranded in countries in the Gulf, including the UAE, were receiving assistance from the local governments. I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable, she said. Cooper said that the government was working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, and that a charter flight would fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals. She said Britons in Oman would have to wait to be contacted by the Foreign Office (FCDO). This is a very fast-moving situation. We have unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region, and I will continue to update members and affected British nationals as the situation evolves, she said. No 10 said the FCDO had taken 2,700 calls from British nationals, half in the UAE. Citizens have registered to be kept informed from Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and UAE. BA does not normally operate direct flights from Muscat, but its holiday business sells packages to Oman, with passengers flying via Doha on a partner airline. Some BA customers were also diverted to Oman as airspace closed on Saturday. A spokesperson said: We currently remain unable to operate flights from destinations including Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv. Were continuing to do everything we can to support customers and colleagues in the region and are in regular contact with them. The airline is not advising those in the UAE to travel to Muscat, which is about 300 miles (480km) by road. But it said BA customers who were now in Oman should call a dedicated phone line if they wished to join the flight for London, departing at 2.30am local time on 5 March. The airline said there would also be scheduled flights on 6 and 7 March. Downing Street said the government remained in touch with commercial airlines, and contingency plans were being worked on. The Irish government said it was chartering a flight to assist its citizens attempting to leave the Middle East to depart the region from Oman airport in the coming days. The Irish foreign affairs minister, Helen McEntee, said the first charter flight would be aimed at assisting Irish citizens in the UAE who were non-resident and vulnerable. Large areas of airspace over the wider region remain closed since the conflict started, halting most scheduled flights to and from the Gulf. However, the UAE has partly opened its airspace for limited, emergency repatriation and cargo flights, including a first Etihad Airways flight carrying stranded British nationals back to Heathrow on Monday. Virgin Atlantic said it expected to start bringing full planes of customers back on Wednesday, should its Heathrow overnight flight land successfully in Dubai. A spokesperson said: Our services between London Heathrow and Dubai and Riyadh on Tuesday 3 March plan to operate as scheduled. The safety and security of our customers and people is always our top priority, and our operation is subject to ongoing assessments. International airports in the region have been targets of Irans retaliatory strikes, including Dubais international airport. Three leading airlines that operate at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha airports Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways typically have about 90,000 passengers a day passing through those hubs. Qatari airspace remains entirely closed, with no flights of any sort taking off or landing at Doha airport. On Tuesday, the UAE government said its air defences had dealt with 186 missiles launched toward the country since the start of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Israeli and US warplanes launched a fresh wave of strikes overnight across Iran, killing 787 people, according to the Red Crescent. A government charter flight to evacuate British nationals left stranded by the escalating US-Iran war will take off from Oman in the coming days, the has foreign secretary confirmed. Yvette Cooper also told the Commons 130,000 British nationals have signed up to the register your presence programme in the Middle East that allows them to receive updates from the British government as conflict in the Middle East ramps up. Blasts have been felt in cities across the Gulf after the US and Israel launched strikes towards Iran on Saturday. Iran retaliated with counterstrikes across the region, targeting military bases, with Cyprus and Kuwait are among the many countries recording drones heading towards bases occupied by UK and US forces. But the crisis has spilled over into residential and tourism hotspots, with tourist areas such as Dubai coming under fire in missile attacks at the weekend. Large areas of airspace over the region remain closed, with few flights able to leave because of the fighting, resulting in thousands of people stranded. A U2 spy aircraft takes off from an airbase in Akrotiri, Cyprus (AP) Confirming news of the evacuation flight, Ms Cooper said a government plane would take off from Muscat, Oman. Ms Cooper told MPs: Members will know that in many of these countries, the airspace is still closed, but I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable. The foreign secretary said a government charter flight will leave Oman in the coming days (PA) We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region. I would tell the House, this is a very fast-moving situation. We have unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region, and I will continue to update members and affected British nationals as the situation evolves. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been branded unhelpful by US president Donald Trump, who launched airstrikes in the region after accusing Tehran of waging an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States. Donald Trump and Keir Starmer appear to be divided on the issue of the emerging Iran conflict (PA) Sir Keir on Monday said his government does not believe in regime change from the skies, in an apparent criticism of the US presidents bombing campaign, after earlier refusing to allow the US to launch strikes from UK bases. Mr Trump hit back, claiming Sir Keir had not been helpful and branded the transatlantic rift very sad and said the so-called special relationship between the UK and US had been fundamentally changed, in an interview with The Sun on Monday evening. This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe, he said. Its not going to matter, but [Sir Keir] should have helped he should have. I mean, France has been great. Theyve all been great. The UK has been much different from others. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones said the US and Israels initial strikes in Iran did not meet the test the prime minister has set out, as he faced questions about the extent of British support for Americas course of action. Chris Philp, speaking for the Conservative Party, said the US action against Iran was completely justified and that Sir Keir had seriously undermined the special relationship by failing to back it right away. A plume of black smoke rises from the major port city of Sharjah in the UAE (AP) Through his actions, Keir Starmer has very seriously undermined our special relationship with the US, which has been the bedrock of our security for decades now, he said. Are you a British national impacted by the escalations between Iran, the US and Israel? Get in touch at bryony.gooch.ind@independent.co.uk March 3, 2026: There are a lot of wars and insurgencies going on around the world. These violent situations cause regional problems and provide unpoliced areas for local or international criminal organizations to operate from. These current locations for this sort of thing include the Algeria Terrorist Insurgency, Angola Terrorist Insurgency, Bangladesh Terrorist Insurgency, Benin Terrorist Insurgency, Burkina Faso Terrorist Insurgency, Cameroon Terrorist Insurgency, CAR/Central African Republic Civil War, Chad Terrorist Insurgency, Congo Terrorist Insurgency, Ecuador Civil War/Drug War, Haiti Civil War/Gang War, Ivory Coast Terrorist Insurgency, Libya Terrorist Insurgency, Mali Terrorist Insurgency, Morocco Terrorist Insurgency, Mozambique Civil War, Myanmar Civil War, Niger Terrorist Insurgency, Rwanda Terrorist Insurgency, South Sudan Ethnic violence, Tanzania Terrorist Insurgency, Thailand Terrorist Insurgency, Togo Terrorist Insurgency, Tunisia Terrorist Insurgency, Uganda Terrorist Insurgency. Most civil war deaths are due to Islamic terrorism, which has been the case for over half a century. Many critical military conflicts never get much publicity. Sometimes it's because they involve espionage, often it's because the media never really gets interested. Here are ten in alphabetical order you should at least be aware of. They are all more important than you realize: 1. Bureaucrats vs. the military. Increasing government regulation, which long avoided the military, now goes after the troops as well. Environmental regulations limit training and how weapons are built. Equal opportunity rules have brought calls to allow the disabled to join the military. Lawyers strive for the right to sue the armed forces for real or imagined injuries. Some armed forces have been allowed to unionize. The bureaucrats know little of how the military operates, so they charge ahead with the best of intentions and often disastrous results. In many countries the military is little more than a bunch of poorly trained but heavily armed civil servants with guns. That becomes painfully apparent only on those rare occasions when the troops are called out to fight. Some politicians know this and that at least makes them more reluctant to get into a fight. 2. Intelligence Operations. Oh, sure, you hear about this in the news but never in detail. And it's the details that make or break intel ops. A lot of the effort is plain old detective work. There are a lot of stakeouts electronic and physical and many interviews with suspects or their friends, family, neighbors or enemies. Even more underground are the electronic operations bugging terrorist email, phone calls, and internet use and crypto breaking secret codes used on phone calls and e-mail. All this work is very expensive and if the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. decide to shift their resources elsewhere, you won't see it in the news. You will see, months or years down the line, an increase in successful terrorist attacks because the intel weenies got distracted or reassigned. 3. Jointness Games. Sailors the world over have more in common with each other than they do with soldiers in their own country. Most nations just accept the fact that their army, air force, and navy don't get along much. But in the United States there has developed a minor religion called Jointness. The American military takes war seriously, so much so that they acknowledge the need for real cooperation between the three services. Making this cooperation a reality is another matter. You don't hear much about jointness, which is just as well. It's more of an ideal than a reality. But efforts are being made and their success or failure will be known the next time there's a war. 4. Media Wars. Most of us know what putting spin on a story means. What we don't know is how much of this goes on all over the world and then filters back to us as news. All the two or three dozen wars going on at the moment have layers of media spin and distortion surrounding them. This makes it hard to find out exactly what's going on. The situation has become more complex in the last few decades with the growing use of spin by NGOs/Non-Governmental Organizations like the Red Cross, UN, and Oxfam. This has a big impact on how wars are reported or misreported. At least now you know youre being spoofed. 5. Military Pork Barrel. Most of the $2.3 trillion spent each year on defense worldwide comes with political strings attached. For obvious reasons, politicians like to keep quiet about the political horse-trading that goes on when the defense budget is carved up. Thats because defense generally takes second place to how this can help me get re-elected, rich, or both. The battles over military pork largely take place in the shadows. But the outcomes of these conflicts eventually have an impact, usually catastrophic, on the battlefield. 6. Resurrecting the Red Army. Many Russian officers, young as well as older Soviet era men, are keen to make the Russian armed forces mighty once again, as they were in the days of the Soviet Union's Red Army. The Russian Air Force still uses the red star on their aircraft. The glory days of the Red Army are honored and hailed as a force to be emulated. Until the last few years the money wasn't there to rebuild the Russian armed forces, but the desire was there, and for a while the money was too. The problem is that there is also a lot of corruption and that ensures that a third or more of the $145 billion a year was stolen or wasted. Then there are the problems with conscription: few Russians want it, morale low, and capabilities also low. Despite all this, the goal remains the same, although achieving it might take a lot longer than anticipated. The ongoing war in Ukraine pretty much ended all attempts to procure new equipment, but the government still talks about doing so sometime in the future. 7. The Bug Race. Information warfare, centered on the Internet, is, more than anything else, a battle to find and patch for the good guys, or exploit flaws for the bad guys, in the enormous amount of computer software that runs the net. Much of this software is open source, the original instruction in plain text and available to anyone. The black hat hackers pore over this code looking for flaws. If they find a bug before the white hat good guy hackers, mischief, damage, major crimes, or creation of weapons grade malware that can do a lot of damage via the Internet will result. There's no magic involved. In fact, the major source of serious net crime remains insiders going over to the dark side. But for anyone else, it's a matter of who gets to the bugs first. 8. The People's Liberation Army, Inc. Since the 1950s, China's armed forces, the People's Liberation Army have fought a losing battle against corruption. Some of it has been outright theft; most of it was diversion of military resources for commercial gain by senior officers. The government ordered the generals to get rid of all their businesses in the 1990s. The generals have gone through the motions of complying, but the struggle continues over exactly where the money goes. This hurts the ability of the Chinese military to fight, but this is never discussed in China, for obvious reasons. Note that this has been a problem in China for several thousand years. 9. Tribal Warfare. Many of the smaller wars, and some of the large ones, are basically tribal conflicts. It's not politically correct to dwell on this aspect of global disorder. But until we do these wars won't go away or be addressed effectively. 10. Who's Ready for What? The size of armed forces usually is reported in terms of quantity, not quality. This is odd, since most wars are decided by the quality of the troops, not how many of them there are. Readiness is the term most often used to describe this, and you rarely get a straight answer when looking for the readiness of any armed forces. But it's how much readiness a force has, not how many troops or weapons that says it all regarding fighting power. Prices for airfares plunged by 26.5% in January compared with the previous month (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire) A Government charter flight is to bring Britons back to the UK from Oman amid the war in the Middle East. The conflict between Iran and the US and its allies has caused widespread airspace closures in the Middle East, sparking major disruption to flights. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs it is "a very fast-moving situation" with "unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region". She said 130,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East. She added: "As of this morning, 130,000 British nationals have now signed up to the Register Your Presence Programme, which is vital to the Foreign Office's ability to know where people are and to provide updates and advice. "Members will know that in many of these countries, the airspace is still closed, but I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable. "We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a Government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region." It comes as the first Brits able to fly out of the Middle East following the outbreak of the conflict have returned to the UK. A flight from Abu Dhabi carrying stranded UK nationals landed at Londons Heathrow airport on Monday evening. There were emotional scenes as families reunited. Elsewhere Britons stranded in Dubai have told of their fears as the conflict in the Middle East escalates. The UK will send a warship to protect British military personnel in Cyprus, as the Middle East conflict between the US and Iran continues to escalate. Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the UK would be sending HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navys six Type 45 air defence destroyers, after RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus was hit by a drone. It comes as military action across the region intensifies, with The Red Crescent saying the death toll in Iran has risen to 787 since fighting began on Saturday. In a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, US President Donald Trump appeared to suggest diplomacy is no longer an option. "Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone", he wrote, seemingly referring to Iranian officials, alongside a link to a Washington Post opinion piece on "the birth of the Trump Doctrine". He added: "They want to talk. I said 'Too Late!'" Earlier today, the UK government confirmed it has deployed a significant level of defensive capability to Cyprus and is considering sending a UK warship to the region. Later this afternoon, Downing Street confirmed it would be sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and a warship to protect British military personnel. A plume of smoke rises after a strike on the Iranian capital Tehran (AFP via Getty Images) There were some suggestions online that HMS Dragon was in deep maintenance, but a Government source said these were incorrect and that the destroyer was being readied as we speak. The helicopters will be Wildcats equipped with Martlet missiles. Sir Keir posted on X: The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations and Ive just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. Were continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS pic.twitter.com/0tsZb4dG2i Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 3, 2026 We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies. The HMS Dragon, which has a Welsh dragon on its bow, is crewed by more than 200 people. Designed for air defence, it is equipped with a Sea Viper anti-air missile system. The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran over the weekend, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since retaliated with a wave of strikes across the region. Debris at the Golestan Palace in Tehran after it was damaged in an Israeli airstrike (via REUTERS) France will dispatch a frigate as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency confirmed this afternoon. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge previously said British warship HMS Duncan should "go now" because "we need the highly capable air defence it provides to protect RAF Akrotiri". He added: "It begs the question: why wasn't she already there?" However, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons on Tuesday that the Government has already added to the air defences in Cyprus. "We have already increased the deployment, with additional defensive capabilities, including radar, F-35 jets, air defence, and counter-drone systems," she said. The aftermath of a strike on a building in the region of Beirut (AFP via Getty Images) Sir Keir Starmer granted permission on Sunday for the US to use British bases for "defensive" strikes on Iran's missile sites, a day after the launch of joint American-Israeli military action against Tehran over the weekend. Hours afterwards, a drone hit RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign air base on the island, though the Prime Minister said it was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation. Defence Secretary John Healey said there were no casualties and the damage to the base was minimal. The aftermath of an airstrike in the region of Haret Hreik in Beirut (AFP via Getty Images) The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government said two further unmanned drones heading towards the base had been intercepted. Mr Healey said the drone that struck Akrotiri was an example of the "dangerous and indiscriminate attacks" by Iran and its proxies. Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis spoke about the possibility of French support on Monday, telling reporters it could be "support similar to that of Greece". Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump (PA Wire) French President Emmanuel Macron and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides had a phone call "in the context of strengthening the precautionary measures being taken", he said. Meanwhile, the US embassy in Saudi Arabia is warning of imminent missile and drone attacks over Dhahran, where a US consulate is based. US citizens have been urged to shelter in place and review security plans in the event of an attack. Dhahran, on Saudi's east coast, is a major centre of the oil industry - and is home to the headquarters of the Saudi national oil firm Aramco. UK unemployment is to worsen further to about 5.3% while economic growth forecasts have also been cut, the UKs official forecaster has said. The Office for Budget Responsibility also said unemployment would be higher than expected for the next two years, amid pressure from subdued hiring demand for new workers. Chancellor Rachel Reeves told MPs in Parliament that the OBR said the UK economy would grow more slowly than previously expected in 2026, although growth will pick up in the following years. UK gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 1.1% in 2026, as the OBR cut its previous prediction of 1.4% from last November. The budget watchdog said the downgrade was linked to a growth slowdown late last year, loosening in the labour market and subdued data from recent business surveys. However, it also lifted its forecasts for growth for both 2027 and 2028, with the economy to expand by 1.6% in both years. The Chancellor said she had the right economic plan for the UK as she laid out her spring statement on Tuesday. Ms Reeves also said that unemployment is set to peak later this year before reducing over the following years. The OBR said that the UK unemployment rate is on track to peak at about 5.33% in 2026. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that unemployment lifted to a five-year-high of 5.2% in the three months to December. The OBR had previously predicted that the jobless rate would increase to 4.9% in 2026. New forecasts show that unemployment is then on track to hit 4.9% in 2027 and 4.4% in 2028. It had previously forecast it would be 4.6% in 2027 and 4.3% the following year. Elsewhere, the OBR also trimmed its inflation forecast for the year, indicating it will be reported at 2.3% for 2026, down from a previous 2.5% forecast. Experts said the lower-than-expected rate is partly down to greater slack in the economy and falling food and energy prices. As a result, the OBR indicated that inflation will drop to the 2% target rate set by the Bank of England and the Government later this year. The right economic plan for Britain.https://t.co/GWYSMzJLQh HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) March 3, 2026 The Bank has already suggested that inflation the rate at which the price of goods and services rises could fall below 2% by April. However, these forecasts were made before recent instability in the Middle East, which has already driven rising gas and oil prices. The OBR said inflation is expected to remain at the 2% target from 2027 onwards. The new forecasts have also reduced the Governments borrowing projections for each year until 2031, in a potential boost for the Chancellor. Reduced borrowing costs, linked to an easing in the yield on government bonds, also meant that the Governments headroom to meet its fiscal rules widened to 23.6 billion, compared with 21.7 billion in Novembers budget. Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said: There were few major surprises in todays spring statement, with the Chancellor delivering the well-flagged boring budget that we and the market were expecting. He added: Chunks of the fiscal forecasts now look dated because of the rapid escalation of events in the Middle East. Peter Arnold, EY UK chief economist, said: The underlying improvement in the UKs fiscal position was supported by higher actual and expected tax receipts, driven in large part by a stronger equity market performance since November. There may now be doubts around how long this stock market performance can be sustained if the conflict in the Middle East is prolonged and global equity market volatility continues. Donald Trump looks on as Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, speaks at the White House in Washington DC, on 11 August 2025. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters (Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) The US justice department abruptly reversed course on Tuesday and decided it would defend executive orders made by Donald Trump to try to penalize law firms that represented clients or causes the president did not like. On Monday, the department announced in a court filing that it was dropping its appeal against a ruling by a district court judge that blocked Trumps retaliatory executive actions against four companies that refused to make a deal with him. Trumps capitulation was celebrated by at least two of the the companies that welcomed the DoJs voluntary withdrawal from the legal proceedings. On Tuesday, however, the government filed a new, single-paragraph request to the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit, announcing it had changed its mind, and wished to pursue this appeal. It gave no reason for its sudden about-face, and quoted attorneys for the four companies who unanimously opposed the governments unexplained request to withdraw yesterdays voluntary dismissal, to which all parties had agreed. In a statement, Susman Godfrey, one of the four law firms that initially stood up to Trump, said: Yesterday evening, the administration told the court that it gave up and wouldnt even try to defend its unconstitutional executive orders. Today, it reversed course. Regardless, Susman Godfrey will defend itself and the rule of law without equivocation. There was no immediate comment from the White House or justice department. A number of other law companies made settlements with Trumps administration in the months after his second presidency began to avoid consequences, including being stripped of security clearances and having access to government buildings terminated. Critics called the capitulations, which included commitments of pro-bono legal work for causes favored by Trump, acts of capitalistic cowardice. The four companies that defied Trump Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey and Jenner & Block learned on Monday that the justice department was dropping its appeal against trial court rulings that blocked implementation of the presidents executive orders imposing sanctions. Related: Democrats to investigate whether DoJ withheld Epstein files on Trump abuse claim The development was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Advertisement In a statement on its website welcoming the move, Susman Godfrey said it was Trump who ultimately ended up caving in. The government has capitulated, which is a fitting end to its plainly unconstitutional attack on Susman Godfrey and the rule of law, the statement said. We defended ourselves when the president sought to punish and intimidate us because of the clients we represent and the values we hold. We fought for ourselves, but we fought for bigger things, too: for a Constitution that protects our freedoms; for a legal profession that depends on equal justice under the law; and for the people across this country who refuse to back down in the face of an administration that seeks to silence and intimidate them. Nine firms ended up making settlements with the Trump administration, the Journal reported. The president had targeted them for perceived hostility to his priorities, such as representing his political rivals, or defending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that he sought to eliminate. One firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, agreed to commit $100m in pro-bono work to causes that both it and Trump championed, the president said in April 2025, as well as an agreement to not engage in race-based hiring. The company employed Doug Emhoff, husband of Kamala Harris, the former vice-president and Democratic candidate who lost to Trump in the 2024 presidential race. Emhoff told the firm it should not settle, according to the New York Times. It also helped represent two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who successfully sued Trumps former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani for more than $148m in a defamation case related to his lie that the 2020 presidential election which Trump lost as the incumbent to Joe Biden was fraudulent. Related: DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers lies are exposed in court More than 140 former employees of another firm that struck a deal with Trump, Paul Weiss, wrote to its chair at the time, Brad Karp, accusing him of being complicit in what is perhaps the gravest threat to the independence of the legal profession since at least the days of Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led efforts to persecute supposed communist subversives during the cold war era. One of the firms that refused to settle, Jenner & Block, previously employed Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor who worked on Robert Muellers investigation into Trumps connections to Russia. In a statement, Jenner & Block welcomed the justice departments decision to drop its defense of Trumps unconstitutional executive orders. This chapter has once again confirmed what has been true of Jenner for more than a century we will always zealously advocate for our clients and put them first, without compromise, it said. Our partnership is proud to have stood firm on behalf of its clients, and we look forward to continuing to serve them guided by these bedrock values for many decades to come. After the US and Israel renewed their war on Iran, assassinating supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the first wave of strikes over the weekend, Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, severely disrupting shipping through one of the worlds most critical oil trade routes. US president Donald Trump said Washington had the capability to go far longer than its projected four-to-five-week military campaign against Iran as explosions from continued American and Israeli strikes echoed across Tehran overnight into Tuesday. Iran and its allies retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel as well as American military installations in neighbouring Gulf states. Iran also allegedly struck energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and targeted ships trying to transit the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf carrying about a fifth of the worlds traded oil. Smoke rises from buildings hit by an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on 3 March 2026 (AP) Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, announced the closure on state television on Monday. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire," he said. "Don't come to this region." It was Iran's most explicit warning since informing ships that it was closing the maritime route on Saturday. Consequently, global oil and gas shipping rates soared and supertanker costs in the Middle East hit all-time highs, shipping data and industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, 3 March 2026 (AP) Iran had temporarily restricted sections of the strait during live-fire exercises last month, describing the decision as a safety measure. It was a rare suspension of activity and came amid growing friction with the US following Trumps threats of military action. The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. It contains two shipping lanes, each nearly two miles wide and separated by a buffer zone, and is transited by about 3,000 vessels each month. Bridget Payne, head of oil and gas forecasting at Oxford Economics in the UK, describes the strait as one of the worlds most important energy chokepoints. Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on 3 March 2026 (AFP via Getty) Around a quarter of seaborne oil and a fifth of global LNG shipments pass through it, mainly from Gulf producers to Asia, and most Gulf suppliers have no alternative sea route for exports, she tells The Independent. Payne says that Saudi Arabia and the UAE can bypass the strait via pipelines but together they can reroute only about three million barrels a day of crude oil. Roughly five times that volume typically transits the strait. The LNG risk is even more acute, she says. Qatar is the worlds second-largest LNG exporter, and all of its LNG exports pass through Hormuz with no alternative route. Any disruption would tighten supply quickly, both in Asia and more broadly as buyers compete for available cargoes. Strait of Hormuz (The Independent) This danger prompted several countries, including China, to call for de-escalation of the conflict. The Persian Gulf and nearby waters are an important route for international trade in goods and energy, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun earlier said. Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community. Beijing, he added, stood ready to step up communication with Iran and other relevant parties to continue playing a constructive role for a de-escalation. China would take necessary measures to safeguard its energy security, another spokesperson for the foreign ministry said on Tuesday when asked about the potential impact of US military actions against Venezuela and Iran on Chinas oil supply. Energy security is very important to the world economy, and all parties should ensure stable and smooth energy supply, Mao Ning said at a regular press conference. Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi met with Iranian ambassador Peiman Seadat on Monday and conveyed Tokyos position that Tehran must stop attacks on its neighbouring countries and other actions destabilising the region. Motegi emphasised the importance of ensuring safety in the Strait of Hormuz, which he noted was key to his countrys energy security. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conduct military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on 16 February 16 (AFP via Getty) US secretary of state Marco Rubio previously warned that shutting the strait would be another terrible mistake on Irans part. Its economic suicide it they do it and we retain options to deal with that, he said. It would be a massive escalation that would merit a response. UK foreign secretary David Lammy had also said it would be a mistake to blockade the strait while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described it as extremely dangerous and not good for anybody. Payne argues if the Iranian government feels its survival is at stake, it may be more willing to take options that are costly to itself, including endangering its own exports and damaging relationships with neighbours and key trading partners by disrupting traffic through the strait. She also notes that Iran doesnt need to close the strait to have impact. The more plausible operational intent is to demonstrate that it can disrupt flows on a sliding scale, through interference, jamming, spoofing, harassment, or selective actions that raise insurance and shipping costs and deter some traffic, she explains. That kind of partial disruption can move markets quickly without the economic and political blowback of a sustained, total shutdown. Such a move will leave Asia reeling, according to the data and analytics firm Kpler. Muyu Xu, senior research analyst at Kpler, tells The Independent that crude oil and condensate flows through the strait currently run at about 15 million barrels per day, with refined products adding roughly 3.3 million barrels. Roughly 85 per cent of these volumes are destined for Asian markets, Xu notes. Iranian military conducts military exercises in the Persian Gulf (AFP via Getty) Nearly 57 per cent of Chinas seaborne crude imports come from the Middle East, 46 per cent of Indias, 93 per cent of Japans, and 70 per cent of South Koreas, Kplers data shows. Same is the story with LNG exposure, with roughly 27 per cent of Asian imports passing through Hormuz. Asian economies with high dependence on imported crude and limited inventory buffers like India, Vietnam and Thailand will see immediate supply stress in the event of even a two-week disruption. The market should be and is concerned about the standoff between Iran and the US, Kpler lead research analyst Ciaran Tyler argues. Iran alone accounts for just under eight per cent of global waterborne LPG supplies. Moreover, 27 per cent of global LPG flows move through the Strait of Hormuz. As such, any lengthy closure of the Strait or shipowners insisting vessels not enter the region would significantly tighten LPG supply in Asia. Gulf exporters like Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar remain structurally dependent on the strait, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE can partially reroute exports via pipelines. According to Kpler, seven million barrels a day can be routed via existing alternative infrastructure, assuming full operational availability and no secondary bottlenecks, leaving about 8 million barrels per day stranded in a full closure scenario. Meaning that while crude can be rerouted via pipelines that bypass the strait, and a small amount can shift through different ports, the overall scope to redirect flows is modest compared with the volumes that normally transit the strait. File. USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier transits the Strait of Hormuz on 19 November 2019 (AFP via Getty) The annual value of crude transiting the strait is approximately $375 billion, Xu adds, based on 2025 average Dubai benchmark prices, underscoring the economic magnitude of any disruption. Payne notes that even slight disruptions will generate outsized effects. Even partial disruption can tighten prompt supply quickly and lift prices via higher freight, insurance, and delays, she explains. Its strategically important for gas disruption would directly threaten Qatars LNG exports. Qatar is the core LNG supplier to Asia, so any interruption would tighten supply rapidly, first in Asia and then more broadly through global competition for cargoes. Meanwhile, Australian energy minister Chris Bowen said on Tuesday that consumers did not need to worry about fuel shortages despite concerns the widening US-Israeli war on Iran could deplete the countrys reserves. Australia currently holds 36 days of petrol, 34 days of diesel and 32 days of jet fuel in reserve, the highest level in more than a decade. There is no need to rush to the service station and fill up, he said. I do understand peoples concerns but its important that people know we do have a good stock of petrol in reserve in Australia, theres no immediate threat to petrol supplies in Australia. I've written to ask the ACCC to help ensure fuel retailers don't use events in the Middle East to price gouge Australians. pic.twitter.com/GiCReGPDye Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) March 3, 2026 Bowen said while petrol prices could come under pressure if oil prices continued to climb, regulators would act against price gouging. There is no need for panic buying, that will just make the situation worse, he said. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in a social media post that he had written to the consumer watchdog to ensure fuel retailers don't use events in the Middle East to price gouge Australians. Marco Rubio speaks to the press after the classified briefing on Monday. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA (Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA) Israels determination to attack Iran and the certainty that US troops would be targeted in response forced the Trump administration to take pre-emptive strikes, the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said, in a new explanation for Washingtons surprise entry into the conflict. The rationale drew divided reviews from top members of Congress who on Monday evening received the first briefing by the Trump administration since it ordered the air campaign to begin over the weekend. Related: Trump says Iran war to last four to five weeks but could go far longer Rubio; the CIA director, John Ratcliffe; and joint chiefs of staff, chair Dan Caine; spoke to the lawmakers behind closed doors in the Capitol ahead of a vote expected later this week in the House of Representatives on a war powers resolution that presents an unlikely opportunity to force Trump to end hostilities against Iran. It was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by anyone the United States or Israel or anyone they were going to respond, and respond against the United States, Rubio told reporters at the Capitol. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didnt pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties. JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night that the US aim was to make sure Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The president wants to make it clear to the Iranians and to the world that he is not going to rest until he accomplishes that all-important objective of ensuring that Iran cant have a nuclear weapon, the vice-president said. Vance has been the member of Donald Trumps administration most opposed to military interventions and has spoken less frequently about US actions in Iran than Rubio. Since the conflict began, the United States and Israel have carried out waves of airstrikes across Iran, and Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks against US-aligned countries across the Middle East. The air campaign has killed several of Irans top military and political leaders, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The US military has acknowledged the deaths of six service members, while the Iranian Red Crescent Society said more than 500 people have been killed in the country. Reactions to the administrations explanation for entering the war split along party lines, with Republicans rushing to defend Trumps gambit while Democrats condemned what they view as an unnecessary conflict with unclear goals. This is Trumps war. This is a war of choice. He has no strategy, he has no endgame, the Senates Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer said before going into the briefing. As he exited, Schumer said that lawmakers present asked a whole lot of questions but he found the officials responses completely and totally insufficient. In fact, at least to me, that briefing raised many more questions than it answered. Mark Warner, the Democratic vice-chair of the Senate intelligence committee, said he was worried for the implications of the US allowing Israel to essentially force it into a new war. There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory, Warner said. On Monday night, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told Fox News that Iran had been building new underground sites that would make their ballistic missile programs and their atomic bomb programs immune within months. If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future, he said. Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon. In recent interviews with news outlets, Trump has outlined various goals in the war, including destroying Irans ballistic missile capabilities and their navy, preventing the country from developing a nuclear weapon and cutting off Tehrans support of proxy forces elsewhere in the Middle East. Rubio, however, mentioned only two goals to reporters: destroying Irans ballistic missile capability and their navy. Following the classified briefing, Warner said he was not sure what Trumps endgame is. I think the president needs to come before the Congress, for that matter, the American people, and decide amongst these four or five goals that have been laid out, what is the real goal? the Virginia senator said. What is the objective? What is our exit plan? What obligation do we have now to the Iranian people if they do rise up, based upon his call for them to go to the streets? And what is the imminent threat to the United Statess interest to cause this conflict? Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House and close Trump ally, defended the presidents course of action, saying he had ordered a defensive operation. Israel was determined to act in their own defense here, with or without American support. Why? Because Israel faced what they deem to be an existential threat, Johnson said. While the wars objective, he said, was not to go in and take out the regime, he nonetheless cheered the ayatollahs death. That happened and in my estimation, that is a great development for freedom loving people around the world, Johnson told reporters, speaking alongside the Republican chairs of the House intelligence and appropriations committee the latters presence an indication that lawmakers may soon be asked to approve additional defense funding necessitated by the war. Trump ordered the attack on Iran without first seeking Congresss permission, though Rubio said a group of lawmakers known as the Gang of Eight composed of the Democratic and Republicans leaders in each chamber, as well as the two parties top lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees were notified before the attack began. The House is expected later this week to consider a war powers resolution that, if enacted, forces Trump to end hostilities against Iran. It faces a high bar to passage. Republicans control both chambers of Congress, and rarely cross Trump in significant numbers. Even if Congress were to approve the resolution, Trump could veto it, and Congress could override that only with a two-thirds majority vote. Previous war powers resolutions introduced in this Congress have been voted down, and Johnson said he was confident the latest one would not pass the House. The idea that we would take the ability of our commander in chief, the president, take his authority away right now to finish this job, is a frightening prospect to me. Its dangerous, Johnson said. I am certainly hopeful and I believe we do have votes to put it down. Hillary Clinton stormed out of a Congressional hearing about her links to Jeffrey Epstein after a picture was taken of her and shared online. The former secretary of state and first lady was questioned by the House oversight committee for more than six hours on Feb 26 in what was supposed to be a behind-closed-doors hearing. But an hour into the deposition, Mrs Clinton became irate after being told that someone had taken a photograph and it had been published online. Im done with this if you guys are doing that, I am done. You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home, she said in footage released by the committee, thumping the table with a clenched fist. Mrs Clinton continued, while jabbing her finger at a speaker who is off-screen: It doesnt matter, we all are abiding by the same rules. A woman, thought to be the Republican representative for Colorado, Lauren Boebert who leaked the image to Maga influencer, Benny Johnson, who posted it on X can be heard saying: I can take that down. Yeah, well, Im done for now, Mrs Clinton responds, before angrily rising to her feet and gathering her things to leave. Mrs Clinton, who accepted the invitation to testify before the committee at the eleventh hour after initially declining and being threatened with arrest, had asked for the hearing to be open to the press. Instead, it was agreed that recordings and transcriptions of her deposition would be published online for the public to view at a later date. Live pictures and videos would not be permitted. Following the hearing, in which Mrs Clinton was questioned about her husband receiving massages from young women, Nancy Mace, the Republican representative for South Carolina, claimed Mrs Clinton at one point began screaming at her. In the video released on Monday, Mrs Clinton is seen in a heated exchange with Ms Mace regarding the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick. She again becomes irate, telling her: Well you asked the question and I answered it, while thumping the table. If youre going to yell at me, Ill yell right back, Ms Mace tells her. Mrs Clinton denied having ever met Epstein and said she had no knowledge of his crimes. Bill Clinton felt sad about Maxwell Mr Clinton, a long-time friend of Ghislaine Maxwells, who is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for trafficking underage girls and women to the paedophile, was questioned on Feb 27. Republicans have wanted to question Mr Clinton about Epstein for years. Those calls intensified late last year when several photos of the former president surfaced in the first release of the Epstein files by the US department of justice (DoJ). Among them was a topless image of Mr Clinton alongside Maxwell in a jacuzzi with a woman whose face was redacted to protect her identity. Mr Clinton pictured in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted - US Department of Justice Mr Clinton was asked if he had sexual relations with the woman, to which he responded no. The former president, who was first to be compelled to testify before Congress, was also asked about a massage he received from then 22-year-old Chauntae Davies, who later accused Epstein of abusing her. The image was reportedly taken in an airport in 2002, before a humanitarian trip to Africa. Mr Clinton told the hearing: I wish Chauntae had told me [she was being abused]. I liked her. I didnt think it was anything unusual, I cant tell you how many aeroplanes Ive been on where rich people ask me to go and they had someone offering me a massage, he added. Flight logs show that Mr Clinton made at least 27 trips on Epsteins private jet, the Lolita Express. During one trip, he was pictured with his arm around a woman whose face was redacted. Mr Clinton with an unknown woman in a picture released as part of the Epstein files - US Department of Justice Mr Clinton pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in 2002 - Netflix Mr Clinton also told the hearing he initially felt sad when Maxwell was accused of sex trafficking, because she was his friend. That whole thing was hard for me, he said, adding that the former socialite should pay for her crimes. He also made clear that he did not think Donald Trump had done anything wrong regarding his relationship with Epstein. The US president maintains that he cut ties with the financier long before he was accused of any criminal activity. Mr Trump has said that he removed Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club and ended their friendship because he hired staff away from the resort and was a creep. Mr Clinton, however, told the hearing that Mr Trump had told him they fell out over a real estate deal. Mrs Clinton told her hearing that she thinks Mr Trump should be called to testify, a sentiment echoed by Democrats on the committee. Mr Clinton, who admitted to travelling on Epsteins private plane, wrote in his memoir that he had stopped contact with Epstein before he was first arrested in 2005 on suspicion of child sex crimes. He said that he always thought Epstein was odd but had no inkling of the crimes he was committing. Neither Mr nor Mrs Clinton are accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Alan Cumming has spoken out on the Baftas racial slur incident, calling it a trauma-triggering s***show. Cumming, who hosted the ceremony, also issued an apology to Black people and the Tourettes community for the onslaught of negative comments received in the wake of the controversy. We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech, he said, in an apparent reference to the BBCs decision to nix the Free Palestine portion of filmmaker Akinola Davies Jrs speech on the night. Alan Cumming speaks out on Baftas racial slur incident (Instagram) During the awards, Scottish campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, shouted a racial slur while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting an award. The slur was then included as part of the BBCs broadcast, despite the fact that it had been pre-recorded hours earlier. The moment sparked widespread debate, with Davidson, whose life inspired the film I Swear, left upset and distraught by the situation as he was allegedly told that any offensive involuntary tics would be cut from the broadcast. In a new Instagram post, Traitors US host Cumming wrote: Its now a week since I hosted the Baftas. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma-triggering s***show. He added: Im so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt hearing that word echoed round the world. Im so sorry the [Tourettes] community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition. Cumming thanking Baftas audience for their understanding after John Davidsons involuntary racial slur (BBC) It had been explained by Cumming at the live event that disturbances might occur due to Davidsons involuntary tics. Later in the ceremony, after Davidson shouted the slur, Cumming briefly paused proceedings to apologise and thank the audience for their understanding. Cumming said in his post that the only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured. He continued: Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night's events. Davidson suffers from coprolalia, a type of Tourettes that involves involuntary swearing and/or making socially inappropriate remarks. Campaigner John Davidson says he has been left upset and distraught by the situation (PA Wire) During the Baftas, he chose to leave the auditorium shortly after realising that Lindo and Jordan had heard his tic from the stage. Davidson noted that he involuntarily made several offensive remarks that were not only racial. Following the event, a BBC spokesperson said: Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it has been removed from BBC iPlayer. In an internal memo, BBC staff were also told that the slur had aired in error as producers had not heard the word, and that another had been cut from the broadcast. Bafta also apologised, stating that a comprehensive review was underway and that they took full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation. They also apologised to Lindo and Jordan. A new poll threatened to spark panic in Labour ranks in London as it showed a surge in support for Zack Polanskis Green Party. Across the country, the YouGov survey had the Greens leapfrogging Labour after Sir Keir Starmers disastrous loss last week in the Gorton and Denton by-election. The Greens jumped four percentage points in a week to 21%, their highest score recorded by the pollster, while Labour was down two points to 16%, a new low for it. Nigel Farages Reform UK was down one point to 23%, the Conservatives down two points to 16% and the Liberal Democrats unchanged on 14%. Just over 160 Londoners were interviewed for the poll of some 2,000 people so its results for the capital are a flickering indicator at best. But it put the Greens on 28%, Labour 24%, Conservatives 21%, Liberal Democrats 13% and Reform 11%. The findings for the capital, even if they need to be treated with huge caution given the small sample size, are likely to alarm many Labour activists in the capital ahead of the local elections in May when their party is expected to suffer heavy losses. Sir Keir Starmer as a new poll showed Labour hitting a record low (PA Wire) The most recent full London poll, carried out in December, already had Labour at a record low of 31%, with Reform on 19%, the Greens 18%, the Tories 17% and Lib Dems on 13%. Since then Mr Polanski has stormed into the political spotlight with his radical agenda including call for tens of billions in higher taxes to pay for measures to slash inequality. The new YouGov poll comes after the Gorton and Denton by-election which was won by Green candidate Hannah Spencer with a majority of 4,402 votes. Anthony Wells, Global Head of Politics, Elections and Public Data at YouGov, said: This is the highest weve had the Greens in a voting intention poll, the first time weve had them in second place. It is also the lowest we have had Labour. Green Party leader Zack Polanski (PA Wire) Mr Wells explained further: The result is likely to have been driven to a significant extent by the publicity from the Denton & Gorton by-election. That result may have had an impact in terms of making the Greens appear a more viable option and less of a wasted vote. We need to see if this result is sustained in subsequent polls to evaluate the extent to which this effect sticks, or whether it fades again as the immediate publicity boost recedes. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan (James Manning/PA Wire) As Labour reels from the Gorton and Denton by-election result, MPs have been rallying around Sir Sadiq Khans call for the Government to be bolder with policies on tackling the high cost of living, poverty, crime, the housing crisis and global warming. The London Mayor also accused Sir Keir of a flawed political strategy taking liberal, progressive voters for granted. Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage has set his party the goal of winning councils in London in the May local elections (PA Wire) Labour is facing tough battles to cling onto a string of councils in London on May 7, including Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet which the Conservatives are seeking to regain. The new threat, though, comes from the Greens who could gain seats in many parts of the capital, with pro-Gaza independents also likely to pick up some seats, especially in the wake of Donald Trumps war in Iran. Mr Farage has set Reform the goal of winning councils, with his partys natural targets including Bexley, Bromley, Havering, Hilllingdon, as well as Barking and Dagenham. An online tribute to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Students at British universities have shared posts mourning the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the dictator of Iran. More than a dozen student-led societies have expressed their sincere condolences to the so-called beloved Iranian supreme leader, with one even advertising a candlelight vigil in his memory. Ahlul-Bayt Islamic societies (AbSocs), the student-led groups affiliated with the dominant Shia sect of Islam in Iran, are leading tributes. AbSoc members at the University of Manchester plan to hold a candlelit vigil on Wednesday honouring the Ayatollah. On March 6, they also plan to host a commemorative gathering to remember the martyrs of the recent strikes, and they encourage attendees to bring food. On Instagram, alongside a giant picture of a tearful Khamenei bowing his head, organisers wrote: Bring your families, bring your placards, bring your voices. At the University of Cambridge, students affiliated with AbSoc shared a picture of Khamenei embracing a young girl with the caption: This is the man who was killed by the leaders in the Epstein files. A post of Ayatollah Khamenei embracing a girl shared by the University of Cambridges AbSoc Students at UCL posted a warning against the policing of Muslim grief on campuses, explaining: Students are entitled both legally and morally to mourn, to speak, and to organise within the law. At the University of Edinburgh, students shared a black and white photo of the Ayatollah alongside the caption: Condolences on the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sayyid Khaemenei. An Instagram story by City AbSoc on the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei The University of Leeds AbSoc society also joined in the outpouring of grief, posting: With deep sorrow and grief, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the noble people of Iran and to Muslims everywhere on the martyrdom of the supreme leader of Islamic Republic of Iran, his eminence Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei. Students at the University of Bristol shared a post with a photograph of the Ayatollah and the statement: Before you die make sure to tell your children and future generations that you witnessed ... when an 86-year-old man stood alone to defend Islam while all the so-called Islamic countries were drowning in luxury and silence. Students associated with the City Action for Palestine social media account shared a tweet from David Miller, an Iranian state television propagandist, stating: The world has lost a true peoples hero. To be true to Ali Khameneis vision, we must now destroy the Zionist entity. The Kingston University AbSoc society also posted a black and white image of a contemplative-looking Ayatollah and wrote in Arabic: We announce the Sayed as a martyr. Students at the University of Portsmouth shared a post from an organisation called AbSoc Mental Health. It states: This is an unimaginable loss for the entire Ummah. This is not the end to resistance. The Shia in the West must remain aware and ready. A post by AbSoc Mental Health about turning collective grief into action after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei An investigation by The Telegraph reveals similar homages were shared by AbSoc groups at universities in Reading, Sheffield,Westminster, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Cardiff and Greenwich as well as Londons School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). It has led to calls for Ministers to intervene and to review the posts in light of the Governments anti-extremism Prevent programme. Louis Danker, the president of the Union of Jewish Students, called for the student groups to be investigated and held to account He said: For months we have seen the shameful glorification of the terrorist activities of Hamas and Hezbollah. It is therefore unsurprising to see the same student groups eulogise and praise Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has brought such devastation to the people of Iran and sponsored terrorism in Israel and around the world. Student groups who glorify Khamenei and collaborate with Press TV, an Iranian state broadcaster, must be investigated and held to account. A Whatsapp message from Greenwich AbSoc sharing the IRGCs statement on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: Mourning the demise of the Ayatollah is despicable. This is the man who ordered the massacre of 30,000 innocent Iranian citizens in just the last three weeks. He has sponsored terrorism around the world including Hamas in their murder, rape and kidnap of 1,200 women, children and men. He added: Anyone mourning this mans death is supporting the despicable acts for which he was responsible. Khamenei was confirmed dead on Saturday following a decapitation strike on his compound by the Israeli airforce. The death of the supreme leader followed the breakdown of nuclear talks between the US and Iran. However, Khameneis death sparked widespread celebration among the Iranian diaspora. The death of Ayatollah Khamenei has sparked celebration among the Iranian diaspora - Belinda Jiao The Henry Jackson Society, an anti-extremism think tank, has written to Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, and Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, to ask for the posts to be considered in the context of the Prevent anti-extremism programme. The letter, seen by The Telegraph, said: This is not a question of restricting lawful speech. However, public confidence in the Prevent framework depends on consistency. If comparable language were used in relation to other extremist movements, scrutiny would be immediate and visible. Emma Schubart, a research fellow at the think tank, added: Universities are required by law to uphold safeguarding responsibilities alongside protecting free speech. It is legitimate to ask whether Prevent procedures have been engaged. A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: This is as concerning as it is wrong-headed. Societies reportedly mourning the passing of this arch-terrorist and mass-murderer should be investigated by the relevant police and university authorities if true. In a statement, The Muslim Student Council (MSC), which represents Ahlul-Bayt Islamic societies in the UK, said the societies have always operated in accordance with English law, adding: The MSC rejects the fake issue of Shia extremism. Extremism is a vague term that is used to demonise Muslims within the Islamophobic war on terror matrix.